Here comes another week of information to amaze and confound!
IN THIS WEEK’S “Let’s hope ONE of them is good” story, According to Zachary Quinto, there are multiple scripts being written for the next Star Trek movie.
Quinto told Entertainment Tonight Canada that he believes there are “a couple of scripts” in development.
“There was a script being written before Quentin Tarantino came up with this idea for a potential film. I think they are developing more than one. I don’t know what’s going to happen. Quentin is off doing another movie. So, I feel like we are in a state of anticipation. All of us are really excited about the idea of working with Quentin on a Trek film, but I know Simon [Pegg] and Doug Jung, who wrote [Star Trek Beyond] are writing a script and there’s another set of writers writing a script.”
SO, that makes three scripts in the making. Well. we gotta hope that at least one of them is better than the last one.
IN THIS WEEK’S “What nobody wants” story, if you remember that movie, What Women Want, starring Mel Gibson and Helen Hunt, where Mel Gibson can suddenly hear what women are thinking, well, get ready for an obvious spin.
An updated version is in the works which will star Taraji P. Henson.
Said to be “inspired” by the original film, Waht Men Want will find Taraji P. Henson (Hidden Figures) starring as a sports agent who has been constantly boxed out by her male colleagues. Upon gaining the power to hear the thoughts of the men around her, she’s able to shift the paradigm to her advantage as she races to sign the NBA’s next superstar. According to The Tracking Board, Tracy Morgan (Fist Fight) has just closed a deal to star alongside Henson as the NBA star’s father, who, surprise, surprise, is “brash and loud.” THR has added that Aldis Hodge (Hidden Figures) will also appear in the film which is to be directed by Adam Shankman (The Wedding Planner).
What Men Want is slated for a January 11, 2019 release.
IN THIS WEEK’S “At least he didn’t say “Fine.” story, Matt Reeves says positive things about the progress on his film, The Batman. But he’s not elaborating.
Matt Reeves tweeted this past Monday about how things are going on The Batman:
“Really, really well, thanks! I could not be more excited!” …and that’s it. He knows you can use more than 140 characters, now, right? Oh well.
IN THIS WEEK’S “22 and You” story, Hugh Laurie will be joining co-star and director George Clooney on his adapatation of Catch-22 for Hulu.
Written by Luke Davies and David Michôd based on the seminal Joseph Heller novel, Catch-22 hails from Anonymous Content and Paramount Television.
Set in Italy during World War II, Catch-22 is the story of the incomparable, artful dodger Yossarian (Christopher Abbott), a bombardier for the U.S. Air Force, who is furious because thousands of people he has never met are trying to kill him. But his real problem is not the enemy, but rather his own army which keeps increasing the number of missions the men must fly to complete their service. Yet if Yossarian makes any attempt to avoid his military assignments, he’ll be in violation of Catch-22, a hilariously sinister bureaucratic rule which specifies that a concern for one’s own safety in the face of dangers which are real and immediate is the process of a rational mind; a man is considered insane if he willingly continues to fly dangerous combat missions, but a request to be removed from duty is evidence of sanity and therefore makes him ineligible to be relieved from duty.
Clooney plays Colonel Cathcart and will direct the series alongside Heslov and Ellen Kuras.
IN THIS WEEK’S “Precious cargo” story, Martin Freeman stars in the Netflix film Cargo.
In the film, Martin Freeman stars as a conflicted man facing down a zombie apocalypse. Freeman’s character Andy is a father of a young baby girl, and since he soon becomes infected by the very devils he’s been avoiding, his quest is not to survive his fate at all, but to provide for his infant child. Taking things a step further is the setting, which places Cargo in the Australian Outback and folds in an Aboriginal community as both an existential threat and only hope of salvation where Andy and his daughter are concerned.
Here’s the film’s official synopsis:
“From the producer of The Babadook, and starring Martin Freeman, comes Cargo. Based on the viral short film, this is the story of a man and his infant daughter who are stranded in the middle of a zombie apocalypse in rural Australia. And when he becomes infected, the countdown begins for him to find her protection before he changes forever.”
IN THIS WEEK’S “Fox Searchlight makes a good deal” story, the studio announced today that it has signed a deal with del Toro that covers live-action feature film projects to be written, produced, and/or directed by the Oscar-winning filmmaker. In addition, Fox Searchlight is launching a new soon-to-be-named label focused on projects in the horror, sci-fi, and fantasy genres that will be curated by del Toro.
Here’s what del Toro had to say about the deal:
““For the longest time, I’ve hoped to find an environment in which I can distribute, nurture and produce new voices in smart, inventive genre films and channel my own. In Fox Searchlight, I’ve found a real home for live action production — a partnership based on hard work, understanding of each other and, above all, faith. After the wonderful experience I had with Fox Searchlight on ‘The Shape of Water,’ I am honored to have the opportunity to continue the relationship. I am more than grateful to Nancy, Steve, David and Matthew for their trust in me and for joining me on this adventure.””
The first film to be released under del Toro’s new deal with Fox Searchlight will be Antlers, which tells the story of an elementary school teacher who takes in a troubled student that harbors a mysterious family secret with deadly consequences. Scott Cooper (Hostiles, Black Mass) is directing from a screenplay co-written by Channel Zero scribe Nick Antosca. Del Toro will produce alongside David Goyer and J. Miles Dale.
Sweet!
IN THIS WEEK’S “Vin vs Dwayne” story, the past year there has been quite a bit of talk about some kind of feud between Vin Diesel and Dwayne Johnson. They may be getting too big to both be in a Fast and Furious movie.
During a very detailed and illuminating profile on Johnson for Rolling Stone, the massive movie star opened up about the issue between him and Diesel. The actor shed light on what caused their disagreements, ending his comment saying he was “grateful for that clarity,” even if the two never work together again.
“Vin and I had a few discussions, including an important face-to-face in my trailer. And what I came to realize is that we have a fundamental difference in philosophies on how we approach movie making and collaborating. It took me some time, but I’m grateful for that clarity. Whether we work together again or not.”
That last part obviously might bum people out if they want Johnson to return for FAST 9, and when the interviewer probed deeper on that front, Johnson said he’s “not quite sure” if he will return. He is still very much involved with the upcoming Hobbs and Shaw spinoff movie with himself and Jason Statham, saying he’s focused on making that “as good as it can be.” As for Diesel? He wishes him all the best… even if there is a bit of animosity still there.
“But I wish him all the best, and I harbor no ill will there, just because of the clarity we have. [laughs] Actually, you can erase that last part about ‘no ill will.’ ; We’ll just keep it with the clarity.”
Right now, Hobbs and Shaw is set for July 2019 while the ninth and tenth installments of FAST are set for April 2020 and April 2021.
Well, if Dwayne Johnson doesn’t come back to the Fast and Furious franchise, I won’t lose sleep over it. I don’t think he will either. It’s not like he doesn’t have a million other projects to keep himself busy.
IN THIS WEEK’S “I’ve got a bad feeling about this” story, Universal has hired Dan Mazeau to write a new draft of its sci-fi thriller Armada, based on Ernest Cline’s 2015 novel.
Ready Player One, which Spielberg just made into a successful film ($181 million as of the Monday after opening last weekend), was written by Cline, who co-wrote the screenplay, and wrote an earlier draft of the Armada screenplay.
Universal said Tuesday that Cline will remain in collaboration with Mazeau and producers on the forthcoming draft.
“Armada” centers on a teenage player of an online video game in which players defend against an alien invasion. He discovers that the game is actually simulator to prepare him and others to defend against an actual alien invasion.
Mazeau’s credits include Wrath of the Titans, World’s Most Wanted, Section 6 and Van Helsing.
Those are NOT great resume’ listings, and CFN’s own Chris Mancini has read Armada, and said that book is the polar opposite of Ready Player One: not good.
IN THIS WEEK’S “Milking it” story, if you think the Saw franchise is done yet, well, you’d be wrong.
Apparently the most recent Saw film was successful enough to warrant yet another film. So, a ninth Saw film is now in development, sources confirm to Bloody Disgusting. It is known that Jigsaw writers Pete Goldfinger and Josh Stolberg (Piranha 3D, Sorority Row) are currently developing it for Twisted Pictures.
Jigsaw directors Michael and Peter Spierig will not be returning and there is still no director attached.
I personally just don’t care.
IN THIS WEEK’S “NOT The Last Starfighter?” story, if you remember the 1984 film, The Last Starfighter, you may be interested to know that a reboot (or something) is in the (very) early stages of development from Rogue One writer Gary Whitta.
The film is about Alex Rogan (Lance Guest) becoming embarrassingly good at an arcade game called Starfighter. Once he becomes the highest-scoring player, Rogan is approached by the game’s creator who reveals that the game is a recruiting tool for a real intergalactic conflict. There have been rumblings over the years about a potential sequel or reboot to The Last Starfighter, and now it seems that Gary Whitta (Rogue One: A Star Wars Story) is working on a little something with Jonathan Betuel, the writer of the original film, which could bring The Last Starfighter back to the big-screen.
Gary Whitta revealed as much when he posted the following concept art whipped up by Rogue Ones‘s Matt Allsopp on Twitter on Wednesday.
io9 reached out to Gary Whitta for a little more information on how he got involved and what the plan is for The Last Starfighter. “Whenever I’ve brought up the idea of a Starfighter reboot in meetings, people would always convey excitement and then say that it’s impossible because the rights are a mess,” Whitta said. “It’s true that it’s not simple, but part of the key to it is, as I understand it (and I’m not a lawyer), Jon still retains some piece of ownership of the original IP, so no one can make a new movie without his participation.”
Whitta said that he was able to track Betuel down, and, after pestering him with all his fanboy questions about the original film, starting talking about what a new version of the film would look like. “Since then we’ve spent so many hours working on it I’ve long since lost count, but right now we have a fully developed story that is a combination of reboot and sequel that we both think honors the legacy of the original film while passing the torch to a new generation,” Whittia explained. “We’re both very excited about it creatively.”
The project is still in the very early stages, so it’s hard to tell exactly what will happen with it, but Gary Whitta notes that it’s a real passion project for Jonathan Betuel and himself. Whitta mentions that they’ve had a lot of talks with Universal and that one way or another, they’re determined to make it happen. When Gary Whitta shared the concept art on Twitter, he tagged Seth Rogen since he know he was also a fan. Whitta also added that he believes Rogen would make a “fantastic Centauri,” the creator of the Starfighter game.
Ok then. this is a reboot – or whatever – that I’d be ok with.
IN THIS WEEK’S “Indiana JOAN?” story, Steve Spielberg says it may be time for a female Indy.
Spielberg thinks it’s time for moviegoers to meet Indiana “Joan.” The director revealed to The Sun earlier this week that he is considering having Harrison Ford’s iconic Indiana Jones character be played by a woman.
“We’d have to change the name from Jones to Joan. And there would be nothing wrong with that,” he said when asked whether he would make the infamous explorer female.
Spielberg and Harrison Ford are set to reunite to film the fifth installment in the Indiana Jones franchise next April, but the director confirmed that the film will mark Ford’s final go at playing the archeology professor. “This will be Harrison Ford’s last Indiana Jones movie, I am pretty sure, but it will certainly continue after that.”
Though considerate of the franchise’s devoted fans, Spielberg believes the time has come for the renowned character to take a “different form,” especially amid the recent #MeToo and Time’s Up movements. “I have been very lucky to be influenced by women, several of whom I have just loved madly — my mom and my wife,” the director, who has been a strong advocate for the Time’s Up campaign for gender equality, said.
Envisioning an Indiana “Joan,” Spielberg hopes that the transition could lead the way in enforcing Hollywood equality. The Ready Player One director has been adamant about ensuring his lead actors and actresses receive the same pay.
“Everyone was equally paid. And on The Post, Tom Hanks and Meryl Streep got the same paycheck exactly, right down to the perks,” Spielberg said.
The fifth installment of Indiana Jones is set to begin filming in April 2019.
Awesome. But who will play this Indiana Joan? May the speculating begin!
IN THIS WEEK’S “Kristin Bell likes it” story, actress Kristin Bell has been recording for Disney’s Frozen 2 and she thinks it’s good. Surprise!
During an appearance on The Ellen DeGeneres Show on Thursday, the actress said she recorded her lines and knows the story, which she said is “very good.”
“I have recorded the movie,” Bell said. “There will be edits before it’s finished but I know the songs, I know the story, it’s very good — I can’t say much more than that or I’ll get in trouble!”
Bell will reprise her role as Anna in the sequel to the hit animated film. Idina Menzel will once again voice Elsa, and Josh Gad will return as Olaf while Jonathan Groff will voice Kristoff again.
Frozen directors Jennifer Lee and Chris Buck are back with the sequel as well, and songwriting duo Robert Lopez and Kristen Anderson-Lopez return also. Frozen 2 is set for release on Nov. 27, 2019.
All the same cast/crew as the original. Well, why mess with a good thing.
IN THIS WEEK’S “Groundhog Day, but with a whodunnit” story, The Hangover & Dr. Ken actor Ken Jeong and newcomer Mathilde Ollivier are set to play opposite Mel Gibson, Frank Grillo and Naomi Watts in Boss Level, the Emmett/Furla/Oasis Films’ action thriller written and directed by Joe Carnahan.
Boss Level centers on Roy (Grillo), a retired Special Forces veteran who is trapped in a never-ending loop resulting in his death and must figure out who is responsible and stop them. Jeong will play Chef Jake, who runs the restaurant where Roy finds himself every morning as he is forced to re-live a particular day. Ollivier has been cast as the Parisian stunner Gabrielle, a warm, friendly, sophisticated bartender at the Chronos Bar where Roy is a regular.
Plus, they have to work with Mel Gibson.
IN THIS WEEK’S “In Memorium” story, Isao Takahata, co-founder of the great Studio Ghibli, has died at age 82.
Isao Takahata, a highly influential Japanese animator and filmmaker, and a co-founder of Studio Ghibli alongside longtime collaborator Hayao Miyazaki, died Thursday after a brief hospitalization. He was 82.
Takahata died following a battle with lung cancer, according to a statement Studio Ghibli provided to TheWrap.
Takahata directed the animated wartime drama Grave of the Fireflies, Pom Poko, My Neighbors the Yamadas and was nominated for an Oscar for his film The Tale of the Princess Kaguya.
Born October 29, 1935, Takahata grew up during World War II and the allied occupation that followed. As a child, he endured privation and scarcity, and survived an air raid on his hometown, and as an adult his films often reflected a bleak worldview inspired by those wartime experiences. He also drew inspiration from Italian neorealism and the French New Wave.
Takahata directed his first film Horus: Prince of the Sun in 1968. He worked in TV and on several other short films along with Miyazaki. And in 1985, he and Miyazaki co-founded Studio Ghibli.
He produced Miyazaki’s Castle in the Sky in 1986, then directed Grave of the Fireflies, an anti-war story of two young siblings struggling to survive near the end of World War II, in 1988.
He served as a producer and artistic director on a number of other Studio Ghibli films, including as a musical director on Kiki’s Delivery Service and most recently the Oscar nominated The Red Turtle.
IN THIS WEEK’S “Hanks goes back to WWII” story, Tom Hanks’ upcoming WWII film Greyhound will be released April 5, 2019, Sony Pictures announced Thursday.
Written by and starring Hanks, Greyhound follows Capt. Ernest Krause, who is put in charge of a U.S. destroyer for the first time in the early days of WWII and is faced with a deadly test as his ship is soon pursued by Nazi
U-Boats across the North Atlantic. The film is currently in production in Baton Rouge, with Aaron Schneider (“Get Low”) directing.
Based on C.S. Forester’s novel “The Good Shepherd,” the film is being produced by Playtone’s Gary Goetzman and Hanks.
IN THIS WEEK’S “Always cool casting” story, the awesome Karl Urban has been cast as Billy Butcher, the leader of the organisation in Amazon’s adaptation of Garth Ennis and Dark Robertson’s The Boys.
Thanks to Deadline, we’ve got the following character description for Butcher, which reads: “Mysterious, brutal and with a personal but secret agenda, Billy Butcher approaches Hughie (Jack Quaid), claiming to be a shadowy government operative. Butcher capitalizes on Hughie’s rage over his girlfriend Robin’s accidental death at the hands of superhero A-Train (Jesse T. Usher) and enlists Hughie as part of his plan to bring down the superhero franchise.”
The Boys takes place in a world where superheroes embrace the darker side of their massive celebrity and fame and follows a group of vigilantes known as ‘The Boys’, who set out to take down corrupt superheroes with no more than blue collar grit and a willingness to fight dirty.
The Boys is being executive produced by Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg (Preacher), along with Supernatural’s Eric Kripke, who also serves as showrunner.
Well, for my money, you couldn’t get a better guy than Karl Urban. I’m super excited for this show.
IN THIS WEEK’S “I’ll be back…but later” story, the Terminator reboot movie has been pushed four months.
Paramount has moved the untitled film, which had been set for a July 26, 2019, wide release, to Nov. 22, 2019.
Skydance, which was behind 2015’s Terminator Genisys, is producing the reboot that, for the first time since 1991’s Terminator: Judgment Day, has James Cameron involved. Deadpool filmmaker Tim Miller is set to direct.
Early last month it was announced that Mackenzie Davis would star, joining franchise vets Linda Hamilton and Arnold Schwarzenegger. The plot of the reboot is under wraps but will center on a battle between man and machine.
The only other feature set for a Nov. 22 release is an untitled Fox/Marvel superhero feature. Other major November 2019 releases include the Frozen sequel and Bond 25.
I can wait a while for that. No worries.
Thanks for stopping by this week! Weee!