A bunch more news this week – let’s get this train a-rollin’! Ka-pow!
In this week’s “most interesting remake” story, Awesome director Jeff Nichols has signed a deal with 20th Century Fox to write and direct a film remake of Alien Nation, the sci-fi film from 1988. That original dealt with issues of prejudice and racial tension between humans and a race of aliens that needed a place to live so they were integrated into Earth society. This is pretty timely, right? I love Jeff Nichols so I’m interested in this. Shall we all make a bet to see whether Michael Shannon will star in it?
In this week’s “Hey, Scoob!” story, Dax Shepard is in talks to co-direct Warner Bros. upcoming animated Scooby-Doo film, S.C.O.O.B., along with Emmy-nominated animator, Tony Cervone, who has already done a couple other Scooby-Doo animated features. This would be Sheppard’s second time in the director’s chair for WB after just writing/directing/starring in the Studio’s CHiPs film remake. S.C.O.O.B. is set for a September 21, 2018 release. Smoke ’em if ya got, folks. And by that I mean joints. Then make a big sandwich.
In this week’s “Paul Haggis says…” story, Paul Haggis, Oscar-winning writer, says that the time is right for a black James Bond, and Eon producer Barbara Broccoli might be brave enough to hire one. Haggis said, “I would go for a black Bond.”
He continued: “Barbara [Broccoli] is really brave, and so is Michael [G Wilson], I think she might do it. “ He added that Broccoli already proved her bravery “and took a lot of heat” in hiring Daniel Craig as the first blond Bond. “She just didn’t care, she’s very brave, she’s wonderful.”
Are we going to start talking about Idris Elba again? I would totally be on board with that, but he doesn’t seem to have any knowledge of anyone asking him to be Bond, so…
And the story going around lately about Daniel Craig being offered $150 million to play James Bond two more times, is apparently just more rumor. I just can’t take any more James Bond stories.
In this week’s “Mee-yooow!” story, Anne Hathaway is interested in being in a Cat-woman stand-alone spinoff film.
“I loved that character and I had such a blast playing her,” Hathaway said. “I’m not sure how it would work because I think the Chris Nolan chapter of the Batman story has been wrapped up and I’m part of that, but I love the DC Universe and it would be fun to take a trip back.”
I wouldn’t so ‘no’ to her doing that.
In this week’s “Papa Flash” story, actor Billy Crudup has signed on to be Henry Allen, father to Flash, Barry Allen, who is played by Ezra Miller. Crudup was already in a comic book adaptation film, Watchmen, as Dr. Manhattan. I’m pretty sure most of us remember that. Hard to forget his weird CG penis. Ugh, no boner puns, please.
In this week’s “Later, family,” story, Dominic Savage is directing The Escape, starring Gemma Arterton and Dominic Cooper, a drama about a dissatisfied woman who leaves her family behind.
Gemma Arterton said: “The Escape will be an exploration of marriage and motherhood. It is frank, honest and unapologetically from the woman’s point of view. It will be extremely personal. I look forward to embarking on it, surrounded by people I trust and who understand the intention, and to digging deep and finding truth”.
Guy Heeley added: “Just like Locke, The Escape has been created and will be shot in a unique and innovative way. Seeing Gemma and Dominic bring Dominic Savage’s bold and visceral screen-play to life is a delicious prospect”.
That should be a sufficient departure for Cooper in the AMC show, Preacher.
In this week’s “Biggest Spectacle Of All Time” story, Chris Pratt says just that. Yes, he says that Guardians Of The Galaxy 2 will be the biggest spectacle of all time. Well, shit, man, them’s some mighty big words. But here is the quote: “It’s a fabulous script. I think it’s going to be- I’m not using hyperbole, here – I think it’s going to be the biggest spectacle movie of all time.”
And if that weren’t enough to fuel the already fanned flames of excitement, even the likes of Aerosmith singer Steven Tyler seriously wants to be in Guardians Of The Galaxy 3, whenever that happens. Just to make sure you get it, he says: “I would do anything to be in Guardians of the Galaxy 3 – are you listening James Gunn?”
I kinda hope James Gunn is NOT listening, because I don’t really know how to feel about Tyler being in ANY movie. Maybe if you could put him in a lot of make-up so we couldn’t recognize him? Although…he IS kind of like a big weird muppet…
In this week’s “James Franco and the Big Gun” story, Lionsgate has acquired the rights to the make the film Kin. It will star Jack Reynor, James Franco, Zoe Kravitz, and Dennis Quaid.
The story follows a recently released ex-con and his adopted younger brother as they flee a vengeful criminal, the FBI and a cadre of otherworldly soldiers. The brothers’ only chance of survival comes when they get their hands on an ancient weapon of mysterious origins.
Jonathan and Josh Baker will co-direct, based on their short film Bag Man that premiered oat SXSW in 2015. Principle photography is scheduled to start October 24.
Yay! More Sci-fi!
In this week’s “clear front runner” story, Clint Eastwood’s and Tom Hank’s new film, Sully, is looking to take in about 32 million this weekend. Only up against When The Bough Breaks and animated film The Wild Life (which looks awful), Sully should be the big winner this month. Although, our wonderful and talented friend Denise Gossett, who created and runs the Annual Horror Film Festival Shriekfest, is also in it, so if you want to do her a solid, go check that out.
In this week’s “Another sci-fi movie” story, current Professor X actor, James McAvoy, is to lead a robot rebellion in the new film Extinction. According to Deadline, the film is about both a man haunted by nightmares who becomes an earth-saving hero, and a father who realizes he is a robot that can feel emotion, and leads a rebellion.
Wait, is this the same movie or two different ones? Well, either way, Arrival writer Eric Heisserer is one of the scribes, but no director is attached yet.
In a related story, James McAvoy will be starring in M. Night Shymalan’s new film Split, as a kidnapper with multiple personality disorder. That has bad-twist-ending stink all over it.
In this week’s “One just ain’t enough” story, it seems actor Tony Award-winning Ben Vereen has been accused of having two wives at the same time for the past 36 years. Vereen married his first wive, Andrea, in 1965 and separated several years later. But apparently neither formally completed divorce proceedings — until they appeared in Brooklyn Supreme Court on Thursday.
A rep for Vereen told TheWrap that the actor filed for divorce in New York after seven years of marriage in 1972 and moved to Los Angeles. Andrea also filed for divorce in 1974, and both assumed that the divorce had been settled.
When Andrea applied for Social Security in 2015, “she found out that not only are they not divorced, but that some other woman is collecting under his name,” her attorney, Harold Mayerson, told People.
Vereen married Nancy Bruner in 1976, but they divorced in 2012. According to Mayerson, Vereen would have had to mention the date of his first divorce on his new marriage certificate.
Mayerson added that when Andrea found out she was still married to Vereen, they reached out to Vereen’s team. “We were negotiating with them, and they really didn’t want to give much of anything,” he said.
Vereen subsequently re-filed a divorce petition, according to one of the actor’s reps. The estranged couple appeared at Brooklyn Supreme Court on Thursday, where the judge urged them to settle their dispute outside of court.
Oops.
~ Neil T Weakley, your average movie-goer, thanking you for stopping by to read this week’s updates – and the insanity!