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NEWS FROM APRIL 2016
FRIDAY, APRIL 29, 2016
THE OMEN-REBOOT
It's all for you, Damien. We may have an Omen sequel tearing its way on our TV screens right now, but a movie prequel is also in the works.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, indie filmmaker Antonio Campos (Christine) is in talks to helm The First Omen for 20th Century Fox. The new horror movie will take place before the 1976 Richard Donner film starring Gregory Peck, Lee Remick and David Warner. It even starred the Second Doctor, Patrick Troughton.
Peck played the role of an American ambassador in England who discovers that his 5-year-old son is the Antichrist. Remick played his wife, and Warner was a photographer who sets out to help Peck’s character.
When The Omen was released 40 years ago, it was considered one of the scariest movies of its time. Three years before that, The Exorcist (1973) was scaring the living daylights out of moviegoers. Nowadays, The Omen would be considered tame compared to, say, Sinister, but it does boast quite a few scares that can still manage to make you jump out of your seat.
As for Damien, the young Antichrist himself, he would go on to feature in two Omen sequels and a 2006 remake (also at Fox) starring Liev Schreiber and Julia Stiles. The character is also currently featured in his own TV series on A&E. A sequel to The Omen (but not of the subsequent two movies), Damien stars Merlin and iZombie’s Bradley James in the title role.
With a screenplay by Ben Jacoby (Bleed, Borderland), The First Omen will be produced by David Goyer and Kevin Turen and their Phantom Four banner.
APPROACHING THE UNKNOWN
Sure, the blaring noise generated from the mammoth publicity machines for Captain America: Civil War, X-Men: Apocalypse and Warcraft have reached deafening crescendos and tend to drown out smaller fare, but there are still some interesting indie gems out there to be discovered.
Here's a new trailer for a low-budget sci-fi film starring Mark Strong (Kingsman: The Secret Service) as an American astronaut aboard a malfunctioning spacecraft on his way to the Red Planet. Directed by newcomer Mark Elijah Rosenberg, Approaching the Unknown tells the haunting tale of Captain William Stanaforth, the first man to visit Mars, who experiences a series of hallucinatory episodes while debating whether to abort the one-way mission as he attempts to get a grip on his sanity.
Here's the official synopsis:
Captain William D. Stanaforth, a brilliant scientist and newly trained astronaut, embarks on an epic 270-day journey to Mars. When he docks with Captain Emily Maddox, another astronaut on a concurrent solo-journey to Mars, things go terribly wrong and they are forced to consider aborting the mission and turning back to Earth. Stanaforth’s ambition and commitment is all consuming – so he decides to undock his ship and continue his mission into unexplored space. As Stanaforth breaches the unknown, he is forced to confront the magnitude and complexity of being a hero, including the pain he’s caused and the sacrifices he has made, and what it means to complete the mission at all costs.
The trailer does approach spoilery territory in its psychological examination of the isolation of space travel and its unforeseen perils, but this smart independent production could be a sleeper hit in the making. Have a look ...
Also starring Luke Wilson, Sanaa Lathan, Anders Danielsen Lie and Charles Baker, Approaching the Unknown launches into theaters on June 3.
X-MEN APOCALYPSE
After sitting out Days of Future Past (and a whole decade), Moira MacTaggert (Rose Byrne) is finally back for director Bryan Singer’s final mutant-filled opus with X-Men: Apocalypse.
Ahead of the movie’s premiere next month, 20th Century Fox has released the first clip from the hotly anticipated superhero movie, and a new video featurette has also made its way online, taking us behind the scenes of the amazing set for the X-Mansion.
In the clip, Moira is filling in her old friend, Charles Xavier (James McAvoy), and Havok (Lucas Till) on Apocalypse (Oscar Isaac), the all-powerful — and the world's first ever — mutant who will soon wreak havoc (get it?) on Xavier’s X-Men.
She explains that there’s a cult of En Sabah Nur (aka Apocalypse) out there awaiting his impending return before talk turns to his fabled Four Horsemen: War, Pestilence, Famine, Death Storm (Alexandra Shipp), Psylocke (Olivia Munn), Angel (Ben Hardy), Magneto (Michael Fassbender).
X-Men: Apocalypse will blast into theaters on May 27.
TOMB RAIDER REBOOT
The Tomb Raider reboot has finally found its Lara Croft! And she’s an Oscar-winning actress.
According to a report over at The Hollywood Reporter, Alicia Vikander has signed on the dotted line to play the Indiana Jones & Allan Quatermain-inspired English archaeologist in the new Tomb Raider movie.
Just last year, the busy Swedish actress starred in Ex Machina, The Man From UNCLE and The Danish Girl, for which she won an Academy Award as best supporting actress at this year's Oscars. This year, Vikander will be seen in The Light Between Oceans and Matt Damon's Jason Bourne. Vikander was at one point considered for a role in another video game adaptation, Assassin's Creed, but she chose to film the new Bourne movie instead.
Directed by Norwegian filmmaker Roar Uthaug (The Wave) and produced by Graham King, the live-action adaptation of Square Enix’s popular video game franchise will a see a young and untested Lara Croft fighting to survive her first adventure. The movie will be a new origin story based on the 2013 rebooted game.
Just last month, Star Wars: The Force Awakens’ Daisy Ridley had been rumored to be one in a number of actresses the Warner Bros and MGM action-adventure movie was considering, but the role has gone to Vikander.
The kickass role was previously played by Angelina Jolie (another Oscar-winner) in Lara Croft: Tomb Raider (2001) and its sequel, Lara Croft Tomb Raider: The Cradle of Life (2003).
CELL
It only took a couple of years, but the first trailer for the big-screen adaptation of Stephen King’ Cell has finally been released. You won't look at your cell phone the same way again.
Ever since it was announced back in November 2013 that Nick Fury Samuel L. Jackson would be reuniting with John Cusack on another Stephen King project —if you guys will recall, Jackson and Cusack previously worked together on Stephen King’s 2007 haunted-hotel-room story, 1408 — we've been chomping at the bit to see anything about the movie. Heck, I think some of us even started to believe the whole thing was an urban myth. Well, now we have proof that the movie is real.
Based on Stephen King’s titular apocalyptic novel, Cell is directed by Tod Williams (Paranormal Activity 2) and also stars Isabelle Fuhrman (Orphan, The Hunger Games) and Stacy Keach (The Bourne Legacy). King himself wrote the screenplay alongside Adam Alleca (The Last House on the Left). Here’s a synopsis:
When a mysterious cell phone signal is broadcast across the network and turns the population into mindless animals, struggling graphic artist Clay Riddell (Cusack) bands together with a small group of fellow survivors to trek across a decimated New England to seek answers and reunite with his son.
What do you think of the trailer? Does it make you want to lock away that cell phone under six feet of concrete? Cell will first be released on Ultra VOD on June 10, before seeing a theatrical and VOD release on July 8.
BLACK PANTHER
Marvel Studios has released a new behind-the-scenes featurette for the upcoming Captain America: Civil War focusing on their Berlin chase sequence where Black Panther goes after The Winter Soldier.
Marvel’s Captain America: Civil War finds Steve Rogers leading the newly formed team of Avengers in their continued efforts to safeguard humanity. But after another incident involving the Avengers results in collateral damage, political pressure mounts to install a system of accountability, headed by a governing body to oversee and direct the team. The new status quo fractures the Avengers, resulting in two camps—one led by Steve Rogers and his desire for the Avengers to remain free to defend humanity without government interference, and the other following Tony Stark’s surprising decision to support government oversight and accountability.
The film is set to feature the return of Chris Evans as Steve Rogers / Captain America, this time joined by Robert Downey Jr. as Tony Stark / Iron Man, Scarlett Johansson as Natasha Romanoff / Black Widow, Anthony Mackie as Sam Wilson / Falcon, Elizabeth Olsen as Wanda Maximoff / Scarlet Witch, Paul Bettany as The Vision, Jeremy Renner as Clint Barton / Hawkeye and Don Cheadle as Jim Rhodes/War Machine.
Sebastian Stan will also be back as Bucky Barnes / Winter Soldier alongside Chadwick Boseman as T’Challa / Black Panther, Emily VanCamp as Sharon Carter / Agent 13, Daniel Brühl as Baron Helmut Zemo, Frank Grillo as Brock Rumlow / Crossbones, William Hurt as General Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross, Paul Rudd as Scott Lang / Ant-Man, and Tom Holland as Peter Parker / Spider-Man.
Directed by Anthony and Joe Russo from a screenplay by Christopher Markus & Stephen McFeely, Captain America: Civil War will debut in theaters on May 6, 2016.
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 20, 2016
JUSTICE LEAGUE NEWS
Willem Dafoe is joining his Spider-Man co-star, J.K. Simmons, in director Zack Snyder’s Justice League.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Dafoe has been cast as one of the “good guys” in the superhero ensemble movie. It’s a bit of a departure for the actor, who’s used playing villains: Dafoe played Norman Osborn/Green Goblin in all three of director Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man films.
Although details of his character are being kept under wraps by the studio, THR reports that Dafoe’s character will appear in both parts of the Justice League movies. There’s also no mention of Dafoe playing a superhero, so who he is at this point is anyone's guess. He could either be playing a well-established DC Comics character or a brand-new one.
Production on the Warner Bros. comic-book movie started last week and will see the return of Ben Affleck as Batman, Henry Cavill as Superman, Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman, Jason Momoa as Aquaman, Ezra Miller as the Flash and Ray Fisher as Cyborg. J.K. Simmons — who starred as Daily Bugle editor-in-chief J. Jonah Jameson in Spider-Man — will play Gotham City's Commissioner Gordon.
This isn’t the first time we see some sort of “cross-pollination” between DC and Marvel movies. Former Batman Michael Keaton is currently in talks to star as the villain in Marvel and Sony’s Spider-Man: Homecoming, while Ben Affleck played the Man Without Fear in 2003’s Daredevil before starring as the Caped Crusader in this year's Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice.
Penned by Chris Terrio (Batman v Superman), Justice League Part One will open in theaters on Nov. 17, 2017.
WARCRAFT
Well, it was about time! After a first trailer a few months back and a couple of cool extended TV spots, Legendary has finally unleashed the second official trailer for director Duncan Jones’ (Moon) upcoming fantasy movie, Warcraft.
A Blizzard Entertainment and Atlas Entertainment production, the Legendary Pictures and Universal Pictures film stars Travis Fimmel, Paula Patton, Ben Foster, Dominic Cooper, Toby Kebbell, Ben Schnetzer, Rob Kazinsky and Daniel Wu and is based on Blizzard’s hit MMORPG video game series. But it’s the first game, Warcraft: Orcs & Humans (1994), that serves as the basis for the movie. Here’s the synopsis:
The peaceful realm of Azeroth stands on the brink of war as its civilization faces a fearsome race of invaders: Orc warriors fleeing their dying home to colonize another. As a portal opens to connect the two worlds, one army faces destruction and the other faces extinction. From opposing sides, two heroes are set on a collision course that will decide the fate of their family, their people and their home. So begins a spectacular saga of power and sacrifice in which war has many faces, and everyone fights for something.
The more I see of the movie, the more I like it. I think the special effects are coming along quite nicely (the magic spells look cool), and it’s pretty exciting to see a high-fantasy movie not titled The Lord of the Rings or The Hobbit set to unfold on the big screen. Next up in a few years: Dungeons & Dragons, to be helmed by Goosebumps director Rob Letterman.
With a screenplay co-written by Duncan Jones and Charles Leavitt, Warcraft will soar into movie theaters on June 10.
EQUALS
A24 has released a new trailer for director Drake Doremus’ (Breathe In, Like Crazy) upcoming sci-fi love-story, Equals.
Starring Nicholas Hoult (the X-Men movie franchise) and Kristen Stewart (The Twilight Saga), the movie takes place in a futuristic, totalitarian world where emotions have been eradicated (which reminds me an awful lot of the premise for Equilibrium) but a viral outbreak threatens to bring them back.
It's in this cold, emotionless world where Hoult and Stewart’s characters, Silas and Nia, fall in love. Awww.
Penned by Moon (if you haven't seen this movie yet, you're missing out) screenwriter Nathan Parker, the movie looks more like an intimate love story than a sci-fi movie, but I have to say that I'm intrigued.
Equals also stars Guy Pearce, Jacki Weaver and Bel Powley. It will open in theaters on July 15.
GOOD OMENS
Neil Gaiman didn't want to turn his co-written novel Good Omens into a television show without the input of his co-writer, the late Sir Terry Pratchett. But he recently announced that Good Omens is in development as a six-part series. And it’s all thanks to Sir Terry.
Gaiman and Pratchett co-wrote Good Omens in 1990, a hilarious fantasy about the arrival of the Antichrist, who is accidentally switched at birth and is raised as a typical English boy. According to The Guardian, Gaiman said that he wouldn’t work on the adaptation without his late writing partner.
As Gaiman told an audience at a Pratchett memorial at the Barbican Center,
“Terry and I had a deal that we would only work on Good Omens things together,” he explained. “Everything that was ever written – bookmarks and tiny little things – we would always collaborate, everything was a collaboration. So, obviously, no.”
But Gaiman had been given the go-ahead … by Pratchett himself.
It seems that Gaiman received a posthumous letter from Pratchett, encouraging him to write the adaptation himself. Gaiman told the audience, “At that point, I think I said, ‘You bastard, yes,’”
If this doesn’t give you the feels, you haven’t read enough of either Gaiman or Pratchett, one of whom is responsible for this fabulous Good Omens sentence: "[Crowley] didn’t necessarily mean to join the ranks of Hell, either: as the list of dramatis personae informs us, he is 'An Angel who did not so much Fall as Saunter Vaguely Downwards.'"
Fans, who have been mourning Pratchett since his death in 2015, now have this series to look forward to, as well as an adaptation of Pratchett’s novels Mort and Wee Free Men. As for Gaiman, hopefully, we’ll be enjoying his works for years to come.
TRAVELERS
Netflix and Showcase announced today the start of production on the new original Netflix sci-fi series, Travelers. Shooting on location in Vancouver, the time-traveling sci-fi drama is produced by Peacock Alley Entertainment Inc., in association with Showcase and Netflix.
Travelers will premiere exclusively on Netflix outside of Canada, everywhere the service is available, later this year. The series will debut on Showcase in Canada.
Hundreds of years from now, the last surviving humans discover the means of sending consciousness back through time, directly into people in the 21st century. These “travelers” assume the lives of seemingly random people, while secretly working as teams to perform missions in order to save humanity from a terrible future. These travelers are: FBI Special Agent Grant MacLaren (Eric McCormack), the team’s leader; Marcy (Mackenzie Porter), a young, intellectually disabled woman in the care of her social worker, David (Patrick Gilmore); Trevor (Jared Paul Abrahamson), a high school quarterback; Carly (Nesta Marlee Cooper), a single mom in an abusive relationship; and Philip (Reilly Dolman), a heroin-addicted college student. Armed only with their knowledge of history and an archive of social media profiles, the travelers discover that 21st century lives and relationships are as much a challenge as their high-stakes missions.
“My old friend Brad Wright has created a fantastic, complex story with some very rich and complicated characters, and I’m awfully happy to be one of them,” said Eric McCormack.
“We’re thrilled to be working with Showcase and Netflix and are so proud that ‘Travelers’ was originally developed at the CFC Prime Time TV Program with Canadian writers,” said Brad Wright, Series Writer and Creator. “We’re excited to work with this amazing cast led by Eric McCormack. It’s all a dream come true for a Scarborough boy like me.”
The series is written, created and produced by WGC and Gemini Award winner Brad Wright, co-creator of the Emmy Award nominated Stargate SG-1 and creator of related franchises Stargate: Atlantis and SGU, and features a heavily Canadian cast led by Emmy Award winner Eric McCormack (Will & Grace). Other confirmed cast members include: Jared Abrahamson, J. Alex Brinson, Nesta Cooper, Reilly Dolman, Patrick Gilmore, Arnold Pinnock, Dylan Playfair, MacKenzie Porter and Ian Tracey. The pilot is being directed by Nick Hurran (Sherlock), with Canadians Andy Mikita (Lost Girl), Helen Shaver (Vikings), Martin Wood (Killjoys), Will Waring (Continuum), and Amanda Tapping (Continuum) all tapped to direct episodes in the inaugural season.
Travelers is produced by Peacock Alley Entertainment Inc., in association with Showcase and Netflix.
MONDAY, APRIL 18, 2016
12 MONKEYS
When Syfy first announced they were adapting the movie “12 Monkeys” into a TV series, fans of the Brad Pitt-starring film from 1995 were distraught. The film is widely regarded as a modern science fiction classic and, at the time, Syfy was best known for things like “Sharknado.”
In the year since it premiered in January 2015 though, Syfy has reinvented itself with a slew of sci-fi programming that was met with praise — and more installments of “Sharknado,” naturally — and the TV version of “12 Monkeys” made believers out of everyone who tuned in with what may be one of the best sci-fi series in recent memory.
Now, on the cusp of the Season 2 premiere, it’s time for those who didn’t give “12 Monkeys” a shot the first time around to dive in. The series ups the ante on the world-killing virus Jennifer Goines (Emily Hampshire) — the gender-swapped version of Pitt’s character from the movie — is determined to unleash on the world, while completely changing the dynamic between our heroes Cassie (Amanda Schull) and Cole (Aaron Stanford).
After being ripped from her own time to the future, Cassie is a changed woman and her relationship with Cole — and their individual ideas about how to stop Goines — may be what pays the price.
Beyond the through-line of stopping the destruction of the world though, “12 Monkeys” is reinventing exactly what a time-traveling TV series should be like. When Season 1 came to an end, co-showrunner Terry Matalas teased Zap2it with the idea that the show would be visiting more points in time, after spending a big chunk of Season 1 in the 1980s.
He wasn’t kidding. Season 2 jumps around in time, from the present to the future to various points in the past. It’s also the rare smart time-traveling that shows the consequences of revisiting and altering the past. The repercussions carry out across time and can destroy or rebuild any aspect of the future.
The goal may be to save the world from the virus and, in turn, The Army of the Twelve Monkeys, but any small choice they make in the past can reverberate and unmake the world in the years to come. While most time travel shows tend to rely on the fun of visiting different eras, it’s nice that a show actually pays attention to just how scary altering history can be. Take notes, “Legends of Tomorrow.”
Of course, it helps that the story is being told on-screen by a ridiculously talented cast that includes not only Schull, Standford and Hampshire, but the likes of Kirk Acevedo (“Dawn of the Planet of the Apes”) and Todd Stashwick (“Teen Wolf”) as well.
If you did miss out on Season 1, never fear. All 13 episodes are available on Hulu Plus and are perfectly binge-worthy to get you ready for a Season 2 premiere that takes Cassie and Cole to the 1940s, among other times.
“12 Monkeys” Season 2 premieres Monday, April 18, at 9 p.m. ET/PT on Syfy.
GUARDIANS
Marvel, 20th Century Fox and Warner Bros. aren't the only ones creating some sensational superhero films these days. Over in the former Soviet Union, Armenian director Sarik Andreasyan is filming a crazy new addition to the genre with Russian shapeshifting beings created during the Cold War returning to defend their homeland from supernatural forces.
This newest trailer and set of gorgeous character posters introduce us to the key members of the superpowered squad and impressive special effects for what is essentially a low-budget feature ($12-15 million). The rampaging Russian team is made up of: Khan, a martial artist with the ability to master the wind; Xenia, a woman who transforms her body into water; Ler, a man who can control earth; and Arsus, a gun-slinging mutant were-bear. The main baddie is Argus, a maniac with unlimited shapeshifting powers and manipulator of electricity.
Here's the official synopsis:
During the Cold War, a secret organization “Patriot” has created a squad of superheroes, which included participants from various Soviet republics. For years, the heroes had to hide their identity, but in hard times, they again take the case.
Sure, it makes liberal use of situations and action pieces we've seen in the X-Men and Avengers movies but it's got a ferocious Russian style that blends national pride, concepts of secret experimentation and Cold War politics that feel somehow fresh. Take a peek at this latest teaser and portrait posters below and tell us if this superhero film from Mother Russia looks like a sweeping saga you'd love to see.
From Ascension Media and Red Thread Pictures and starring Sebastien Sisak, Sanzhar Madiyev, Anton Pampushnyy, Alina Lanina, Valeria Shkirando, Stanislav Shirin and Vyacheslav Razbegaev, Guardians premieres in Russian theaters in February 2017.
TORCHWOOD COMIC
John Barrowman will be reuniting with his iconic Torchwood character of Captain Jack Harkness in a new series of comics. Reunited and it feels so good.
Titan Comics has announced that its Doctor Who comic-book universe is about to expand in a big way (I wonder if it will be bigger on the inside) with a new Torchwood series. Not only that, but John Barrowman himself will write the comics’ first issue, which will hit stores on July 6, right on time for the third annual Doctor Who Comics Day on July 9. The Arrow actor will be sharing writing duties with his sister (and writing partner-in-crime) Carole E. Barrowman.
What should make Torchwood fans even happier is that the series will apparently also tie in with the Big Finish audio dramas. Here’s what Titans says about the new comic-book title:
The hotly anticipated Torchwood comic sees Captain Jack return to Cardiff to engage the help of the last person who expected to see him again, Gwen Cooper! A dark technology from a forgotten species has been claimed by a conspiratorial power… and in this collision between an ancient civilization and an all-new evil, the Earth itself may be forfeit! Only Jack, Gwen, and their allies from what remains of Torchwood hold the key to stopping a cataclysmic wave of destruction… On the road, on the run, and under fire – can Jack and Gwen put aside their differences and rebuild the heart of Torchwood… before its flame is stamped out forever?!
The debut issue comes with variant covers to collect from Doctor Who superstar artists including Tommy Lee Edwards (Tenth Doctor, Turf), Elena Casagrande (Tenth Doctor, The X-Files), Blair Shedd (Ninth Doctor), and Rod Reis (Doctor Who, C.O.W.L.)!
The last time we saw John Barrowman rocking Captain Jack's long coat was in 2011's Torchwood: Miracle Day. Since then, fans (and Barrowman) have been begging for more, but, alas, still to no avail. Have a look at five variant covers, and let us know if you’ll be picking Titan’s new Torchwood comics.
FOR THE LOVE OF SPOCK
Leonard Nimoy passed on to the next astral plane on Feb. 27, 2015, and we're still dealing with the monumental loss amid all the celebrations of his amazing life and career. Nimoy's son, Adam Nimoy, began a Kickstarter campaign to fund a documentary of his father's legacy as science officer Spock on the original Star Trek TV series. Initially launched on June 3, 2015, the movement was perfectly timed with this year's 50th anniversary of Star Trek, and ultimately netted $662K to make For the Love of Spock, a personal, intimate look at the life and career of Leonard Nimoy and his soulful alter ego, Mr. Spock. Told through the remembrances of many of Nimoy's colleagues, admirers and friends, such as William Shatner, J.J. Abrams, George Takei, Simon Pegg and Zachary Quinto, it's a moving memorial for a man whose creative life inspired generations.
Nimoy will be premiering a version of the film at this year’s Tribeca Film Festival starting this Saturday, with the Monday, April 18, showing offering a special talkback session with the director, Zachary Quinto and others.
Here's the first trailer for the documentary and a new poster announcing For the Love of Spock. Launch into the teaser to this loving tribute and tell us if you'll try and catch it when the film becomes available for streaming later this year.
FARENHEIT 451
The sci-fi classic Fahrenheit 451 is getting a new lease on life, thanks to a development deal at HBO that has attracted a buzzy indie director to the project.
Deadline reports Ramin Bahrani (99 Homes) has signed on to direct the adaptation, with Alan Gasmer and Peter Jaysen attached to produce. It’s hard to believe, but it’s been decades since we got a proper film adaptation of the dystopian story. The last one was in 1966 from director François Truffaut, and that has been followed up by various stage and radio productions. A new film version has been in the works for years, with Frank Darabont previously attached at one point.
In case you didn’t read the 1953 classic in high school, here’s the gist: The story is set in a world where books have been outlawed. The story follows Guy Montag, a “fireman” whose job is to torch banned books. But he beings to question his mission (and the society itself) after meeting an unusual young woman named Clarisse.
Fahrenheit 451 is a heavy project to tackle, but HBO seems like the perfect place for it to set up shop. Decades old or not, the story itself is only getting more relevant.
THE DEFENDERS
Marvel Entertainment has announced that Douglas Petrie (Marvel’s Daredevil, Buffy the Vampire Slayer) and Marco Ramirez (Marvel’s Daredevil, Orange Is the New Black) are set to return as showrunners to the Marvel Universe for the Netflix Original Series Marvel’s The Defenders! Oscar-nominee Drew Goddard (The Martian, Lost), will also join the team as an Executive Producer.
“Doug and Marco captivated our members around the world with their continuation of the story of Matt Murdock in ‘Marvel’s Daredevil,’ and we can’t wait to see how they and Drew will introduce the full Defenders team to our global audience,” said Cindy Holland, Netflix Vice President of Original Content.
“We’re incredibly excited to be able to bring our four street level heroes together in an epic tale woven by Doug and Marco whose work on ‘Marvel’s Daredevil’ speaks for itself,” said Executive Producer/Head of Marvel Television, Jeph Loeb. “They write and produce not only great action and adventure, but also the heart and touch of humor that’s makes us Marvel. With the inclusion of Drew Goddard, we’ve got a team that’s as formidable as the Defenders themselves.”
“This is the big one. Four amazing casts, four amazing series, now all in one amazing story,” said showrunners and Executive Producers Douglas Petrie and Marco Ramirez. “We are thrilled at the opportunity to deliver the show that both we and the fans have been waiting for.”
Marvel’s The Defenders will star Charlie Cox, Krysten Ritter, Mike Colter, and Finn Jones, all reprising their roles as Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, and Iron Fist, respectively. Production is set to begin at the end of the year.
WEEKEND BOX OFFICE
Walt Disney Pictures has been having a great year so far with Zootopia dominating family business, but after six weeks in the Top 3 at the box office, it was overshadowed by a new Disney movie, that being the live-action adaptation of Rudyard Kipling’s The Jungle Book, directed by Iron Man‘s Jon Favreau.
Starring 10-year-old newcomer Neel Sethi and featuring the voices of Bill Murray, Sir Ben Kingsley, Scarlett Johansson, Idris Elba, Christopher Walken, Lupita N’yongo and more, The Jungle Book opened in 4,028 theaters where it grossed $32.4 million on Friday (including $4.2 million from Thursday previews), then did enough business on Saturday for Disney to estimate $103.6 million for the weekend.
That’s an impressive average of $25,700 per theater and that opening is compared to the $116 million of Alice in Wonderland starring Johnny Depp in 2010, the $79 million opening of Sam Raimi’s Oz The Great and Powerful in 2013 and the $67 million opening of last year’s Cinderella. Surprisingly, it’s only Disney’s fourth (non-Pixar, non-Marvel, non-Lucasfilm) to open over $100 million (and ninth biggest opener of all the movies they’ve distributed). We’ll have to see if it becomes their second movie of the year to cross the $300 million mark. Like Zootopia, it also received an A CinemaScore, which is a good sign it will have legs through the rest of the month.
The Jungle Book grossed another $136.1 million overseas this weekend as it expanded into 49 international territories, including the UK, Australia, Germany, Brazil, China, France, Italy and more. That $240 million global gross this weekend brings its overall gross to $290 million worldwide. $20.4 million of this weekend’s grosses came from the movie’s IMAX screenings with roughly half that amount from the 376 domestic IMAX screens. 63% of its international gross came from the movie’s 3D screenings with a lower percentage of 43% in North America.
Ice Cube returned to his popular hair-cutting comedy franchise with Barbershop: The Next Cut (New Line/MGM), joined by Cedric the Entertainer, Eve, Common, Nikki Minaj and more. It opened with $20.2 million in 2,661 theaters, or $7,591 per theater. That’s just a little lower than the opening of the original Barbershop in 2002 and about $4 million less than the opening of its sequel, Barbershop 2: Back in Business, two years later. It received an A- CinemaScore.
Melissa McCarthy’s comedy The Boss (Universal Pictures) dropped to third place after topping the box office last weekend, taking in $10.2 million (down 57%) to bring its total to $40.3 million in ten days.
After being dethroned from the top spot last weekend, Zack Snyder’s Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (Warner Bros.) took another dip in its fourth weekend, taking fourth place with $9 million. It has grossed $310 million domestically after crossing the $300 million mark earlier in the week. (For comparison, Snyder’s Man of Steel grossed $291 million domestically.) Internationally, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice added $15.1 million from 67 markets to bring its overseas total to $516 million. The film has now earned $827.3 million worldwide.
Walt Disney Animation’s Zootopia took fifth place with $8.2 million as it also crossed the $300 million mark this weekend with $307.5 million grossed domestically to date. Internationally, the animated hit added $10.8 million for an overseas total of $574.8 million and worldwide total of $882.3 million.
Things didn’t go nearly as well for Kevin Costner, whose action-thriller Criminal (Lionsgate), co-starring Ryan Reynolds, Gal Gadot and Gary Oldman, was delayed from last year yet still bombed with just $5.9 million in 2,683 theaters for a sixth place opening. With a B- CinemaScore, it’s doubtful that it will hold up well over the rest of the month either.
Seventh place went to Universal Pictures’ My Big Fat Greek Wedding with $3.3 million and $52.1 million total.
Just missing the Top 10 was the Bollywood flick Fan, which opened in 282 theaters Friday and is estimated to have grossed $1.4 million, around $5,000 per theater and possibly enough to place in the Top 12.
After running the festival gauntlet over the past year, Jeremy Saulnier’s thriller Green Room (A24), starring Anton Yelchin, Imogen Poots, Patrick Stewart and Alia Shawkat, finally opened with $91,000 in three theaters in New York and L.A., averaging $30,000 per theater, which should be good for its nationwide expansion on April 29.
The Weinstein Company’s musical Sing Street, the new movie from Once director John Carney, opened in five theaters in New York and L.A., where it grossed just under $69,000 or $13,800 per theater.
FRIDAY, APRIL 15, 2016
LEGENDS OF TOMORROW COMIC
When it comes to telling stories about four legendary heroes, you need a super-sized comic. And that's precisely what DC has delivered with its 96-page second issue of Legends of Tomorrow.
Available for purchase April 20, the jam-packed issue includes all-new tales of Firestorm, Metamorpho, Metal Men, and Sugar and Spike -- appropriately created by legendary comic talent such as Gerry Conway, Len Wein and Keith Giffen. And with our likewise jumbo-sized exclusive preview of the book, you can kill some time before the new episode of CW's Legends of Tomorrow airs tonight at 8 p.m. ET.
Check out the story synopses, then have a peek at the legendary tales in the gallery below. If you dig what you see, pick up the Legends of Tomorrow #2 next Wednesday.
FIRESTORM
Written by Gerry Conway, art by Eduardo Pansica and Rob Hunter
Multiplex is back — but Jason is in a coma and in critical condition. If Professor Stein is right, finding Multiplex could save Jason — if Stein and Ronnie can fuse together to become Firestorm!
METAL MEN
Written by Len Wein, art by Trevor Scott and Yildiray Cinar
The government wants them destroyed. The mysterious hacker called Nameless wants to experiment on them. But Doctor Will Magnus just wants to keep them safe. Someone is going to get what they want...the question is: who?
METAMORPHO
Written by Aaron Lopresti, art by Aaron Lopresti and Matt Banning
Metamorpho and Sapphire are free of Simon Stagg’s control — but can they reach the Pyramid of Ak-Ton and discover the secret of the Orb of Ra before Kanjar Ro hunts them down?
SUGAR & SPIKE
Written by Keith Giffen, art by Bilquis Evely
Grab your flip-flops and sunscreen — Sugar & Spike are going to Superman Island, a tropical resort shaped like the Man of Steel! Their mission? Stop a group of land developers from uncovering the embarrassing and dangerous Kryptonian secret buried beneath the beach!
HOW THE GRINCH STOLE CHRISTMAS
Universal’s Chris Meledandri took to the stage at CinemaCon last evening to reveal that Benedict Cumberbatch had been cast to voice the title character in How the Grinch Stole Christmas.
This isn’t the first time the Sherlock actor has used his vocal talents to bring an animated character to life. Cumberbatch voiced and provided motion capture (mostly for the facial expressions) for the dragon Smaug in director Peter Jackson’s The Hobbit trilogy.
How the Grinch Stole Christmas will be be based on Dr. Seuss’s classic children’s story and directed by Pete Candeland. The animation will be handled by Illumination Entertainment, the same animation studio that made 2012’s The Lorax, which was another Dr. Seuss remake, as well as all those Despicable Me and Minions movies.
As you guys know, this isn’t the first time the classic tale of a grumpy Grinch who plots to ruin Christmas for the residents of the neighboring village of Whoville has been adapted. The story was first made as a TV special back in 1966 and a live-action version starring Jim Carrey as the titular character and directed by Ron Howard made its way to the big screen in 2000.
Here's what Meledandri told Deadline:
“What we’ve set out to do with this telling of the Grinch is make it both modern and traditional at the same time. When I say that I mean from a traditional standpoint, we’ve really tried to go back to what we perceive as the essence of what Ted Geisel [Dr. Seuss's real name is Theodor Seuss Geisel] was communicating. What I love about his work is that at the center of it, of all of his stories, are very, very simple and universal ideas. The last telling of the Grinch focused a little bit more on the commercialization of Christmas and how the commercialization of Christmas can lead us down the wrong path.
For me, in reading what Geisel wrote, I view it more from a character perspective. I think that the essence of this film is the notion of this cynicism comedically expressed in the Grinch and this absolute innocence represented in Cindy Lou, on a collision course with one another through the course of this movie. It’s the simple question of whether or not innocence can transform cynicism. The beauty of that simplicity for me is what’s at the heart of the movie. In the experience of the movie I love the sort of wicked comedic aspect of this character the Grinch and I think that what you’ll see is from the very, very early animation tests, very raw, you’ll see that there’s an undeniable appeal in the character in spite of that kind of wicked persona, and I find that very, very, appealing and attractive.”
Benedict Cumberbatch is currently back at work filming the upcoming fourth season of Sherlock and will be seen as the Sorcerer Supreme in Marvel Studios' Doctor Strange come Nov. 4.
How the Grinch Stole Christmas is set for a Nov. 10, 2017 release.
GHOST IN THE SHELL
Here's a first peek at Scarlett Johansson's cyborg operative, Major Motoko Kusanagi, in Paramount and Dreamworks' adaptation of the classic Ghost in the Shell anime and manga sensation created by Masamune Shirow back in 1989. The studio chose this moment to tease the image of Johansson's "The Major" to celebrate the start of production on their futuristic cop thriller in Wellington, New Zealand.
With a screenplay draft by Jonathan Herman (Straight Outta Compton) and directed by Rupert Sanders (Snow White and the Huntsman), this big-budget cyber odyssey also stars Beat Takeshi Kitano (Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence), Kaori Momoi (Memoirs of a Geisha), Chin Han (Captain America: The Winter Soldier), Danusia Samal (Tyrant), Lasarus Ratuere (Terra Nova), Michael Pitt (Hannibal) and Pilou Asbæk (Lucy).
Here's the official synopsis:
Based on the internationally-acclaimed sci-fi property, “GHOST IN THE SHELL” follows the Major, a special ops, one-of-a-kind human-cyborg hybrid, who leads the elite task force Section 9. Devoted to stopping the most dangerous criminals and extremists, Section 9 is faced with an enemy whose singular goal is to wipe out Hanka Robotic’s advancements in cyber technology.
When casting was announced last year, avid fans were extremely vocal in their protests against the whitewashing of traditionally Asian characters, with a petition to DreamWorks that garnered 65,678 supporters. Suicide Squad's Margot Robbie was also in consideration before producers and director made their final choice.
Petition creator Julie Rodriguez explained the serious issue:
Fans of the iconic 1995 animated Japanese sci-fi film Ghost in the Shell have been anticipating a live-action remake for years -- but now, instead of casting an Asian actress, Dreamworks has selected Scarlett Johansson for the lead role! The film revolves around Major Motoko Kusanagi, a member of a futuristic security force tasked with tracking a mysterious hacker.
The original film is set in Japan, and the major cast members are Japanese. So why would the American remake star a white actress? The industry is already unfriendly to Asian actors without roles in major films being changed to exclude them. One recent survey found that in 2013, Asian characters made up only 4.4% of speaking roles in top-grossing Hollywood films.
Dreamworks could be using this film to help provide opportunities for Asian-American actors in a market with few opportunities for them to shine — please sign the petition asking them to reconsider casting Scarlett Johansson in Ghost in the Shell and select actors who are truer to the cast of the original film!
Ghost In The Shell strikes theaters on March 31, 2017.
GODZILLA: RESURGENCE
Finally! The monster we’ve all come to know and love over the decades is back -- and he’s angry, you wouldn't like him when he's angry -- in this first Godzilla: Resurgence trailer.
The trailer gives us our first full look at the iconic monster in all his rampaging glory before switching to shots of folks terrorized by the giant monster and taking action against him. The trailer is in Japanese, but fear not! The footage is completely dialogue-free.
Even though the last time we saw the iconic monster was in Gareth Edwards’ 2014 Godzilla, this is TOHO’s first Godzilla film in more than a decade, since the release of Godzilla: Final Wars in 2004. Co-directed by Hideaki Anno (Neon Genesis Evangelion) and Shinji Higuchi (who did the visual effects on the Gamera trilogy), with a screenplay by Anno, the movie is the 29th entry in TOHO’s franchise and will be released … July 29.
Man, that roar was awesome! Fans of Gojira have been waiting a really long time for this, and finally seeing the big guy in full-on destructive action really hits all the right spots.
Starring Hiroki Hasegawa, Yutaka Takenouchi and Satomi Ishihara, Godzilla: Resurgence will open in movie theaters in Japan on July 29, 2016. Expect to see it later in the year in North America. Crossing my fingers.
WAYWARD PINES - SEASON 2
It's been nearly a year already since Wayward Pines debuted. Nearly a year since Matt Dillon's Ethan Burke found himself in a mysterious town, nearly a year since Shannyn Sossamon's Theresa Burke wore some terrible cardigans, and nearly a year since we found out the secrets behind the Norman Rockwell-esque village that is Wayward Pines.
This show (combined with last year's horror film The Visit) marked what the court of public opinion has deemed a bit of a return to form for the twist-loving director M. Night Shyamalan. So it should come as no surprise to you that M. Night revealed at Wondercon that he wants to ride the Wayward Pines express for a little while longer.
Season 2 will debut on May 25, 2016, and will ultimately consist of a total of 10 episodes to bow this year. So, what should you expect when you're expecting more Wayward Pines? Well, after a majority of time spent inside the town, it's shaping up to be a year with a bit more wanderlust with our heroes traveling beyond their protective fences. And there will more visits from those delightful Abbies, of course!
“We are outside the fence a little bit,” says Shyamalan. “This season, we learn about the Abbies so that’s the big [reveal.] I think we could say the second season is about the Abbies. It seems at the end of the first season, you have a kind of primitive understanding of what that is, what an Abby is, but that’s actually not what an Abby is.”
As of now our understanding of the Abbies is that they are the future of humanity. And the future looks a bit like creepy zombie monsters with a bloodlust and not much in the way of higher intellect. But it sounds like there's more than meets the eye.
This season will feature a new regular character, a surgeon played by Jason Patric. That means there's a chance to start here even if you didn't watch last season. According to Shyamalan, "We did address it in the sense that Jason’s character is a neophyte, so you wouldn’t be lost but you wouldn’t have the richness.”
If you happened to read the books by Blake Crouch upon which the Wayward Pines series is based, you'll know there's a trilogy of stories. And, likewise, M. Night's hope is that there will be a Season 3. "I think we can say it’s a three-season story. If we get the opportunity to tell the third and final season, we can finish the story."
ANT MAN MEETS CAPTAIN AMERICA
Marvel has released an extended version of the Captain America: Civil War clip that premiered Monday night during Jimmy Kimmel Live!
The clip in question shows Ant-Man (Paul Rudd) being brought into the Team Cap fold and meeting Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) for the first time, with hilarious results.
In fact, Scott Lang is so star-struck (which sooo reminds me of Clark Gregg's Agent Coulson) that he shakes Cap's hand longer than necessary, just as he becomes fully aware of it: "I'm shaking your hand too long." It gets funnier when — in a scene that’s an obvious callback to the one from The First Avenger where Peggy (Hayley Atwell) reached out to touch Steve’s chest right after his transformation from Skinny Steve to super-buff Super Soldier Steve — Scott gets all handsy with our star-spangled hero!
Basically, Scott Lang is ALL OF US.
Captain America: Civil War picks up where Avengers: Age of Ultron left off, as Steve Rogers leads the new team of Avengers in their continued efforts to safeguard humanity. After another international incident involving the Avengers results in collateral damage, political pressure mounts to install a system of accountability and a governing body to determine when to enlist the services of the team. The new status quo fractures the Avengers while they try to protect the world from a new and nefarious villain.
STAR TREK BEYOND
Star Trek Beyond director Justin Lin announced today a first-ever fan event to take place on May 20 in celebration of the series’ milestone 50th Anniversary this year and the film’s release this summer.
The one-time only special event, taking place at the historic Paramount Pictures studio lot, will include the premiere of the new Star Trek Beyond trailer, an exclusive first-look of never before seen footage from the upcoming film, a Q&A with Lin and the cast and crew, special guests appearances, and other surprises. The Q&A will be streamed via Facebook Live.
Said Justin Lin, “As a lifelong fan of Trek, we wanted to do something special for the fans and we couldn’t think of a better way to do that than creating an event dedicated to them in the year that we also come together to celebrate the series’ amazing 50th year.”
Opening July 22, 2016 from Paramount Pictures and Skydance, Star Trek Beyond is a Bad Robot, Sneaky Shark, Perfect Storm Entertainment production. The film stars John Cho, Simon Pegg, Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Zoë Saldana, Karl Urban, Anton Yelchin and Idris Elba.
Directed by Lin, the third film in the franchise series is produced by J.J. Abrams, Roberto Orci, Lindsey Weber, and Lin; and executive produced by Jeffrey Chernov, David Ellison, Dana Goldberg, and Tommy Harper. Based upon Star Trek created by Gene Roddenberry, the screenplay is written by Pegg & Doug Jung.
BATMAN: THE KILLING JOKE - RATED R
It sounds like Warner Bros. Animation and DC Entertainment‘s direct-to-video animated adaptation of Batman: The Killing Joke is not joking around. According to Entertainment Weekly, the title has officially been rated R!
“From the start of production, we encouraged producer Bruce Timm and our team at Warner Bros. Animation to remain faithful to the original story — regardless of the eventual MPAA rating,” said Sam Register, president of Warner Bros. Animation & Warner Digital Series. “’The Killing Joke’ is revered by the fans, particularly for its blunt, often-shocking adult themes and situations. We felt it was our responsibility to present our core audience — the comics-loving community — with an animated film that authentically represented the tale they know all too well.”
The magazine says that there are no plans for a PG-13 version of the film.
First announced at last year’s San Diego Comic-Con International, the animated film adapts Alan Moore’s classic Batman: The Killing Joke. What’s more, the Killing Joke movie is set to feature the return of Batman: The Animated Series stars Kevin Conroy and Mark Hamill, reprising their iconic roles as Batman and the Joker, respectively.
Written by Alan Moore and drawn by Brian Bolland, Batman: The Killing Joke was published in 1988 and is widely considered to be one of the best comic book stories of all time. The graphic novel offers a version of the Joker’s origin story and follows as the Clown Prince of Crime terrorizes Commissioner Jim Gordon and ultimate paralyzes his daughter, Barbara Gordon. Although the story was not originally supposed to take place in the regular DC Comics continuity, The Killing Joke wound up setting in motion the events that would lead to Barbara Gordon becoming Oracle.
The animated adaptation of Batman: The Killing Joke movie, which is expected to debut on Blu-ray, DVD and Digital HD later this year, is executive produced by Bruce Timm and will retell the classic tale. It will also feature an original 15-minute prologue that helps set up the story, giving even longtime fans of the story something new to look forward to.
THE MIST ON SPIKE
Not long after the pilot order in February, Spike has greenlit the new original scripted series The Mist, from TWC-Dimension Television and based on the classic Stephen King novella. The network has ordered 10 one-hour episodes and will into go production this summer and debut in 2017. The announcement was made today by Sharon Levy, Executive Vice President, Original Series, Spike TV.
The Mist tells a harrowing story about a seemingly innocuous mist that seeps into a small town and creates immense havoc.
In February, Spike ordered a production pilot for The Mist. Upon hearing the series pitch and reading the script, the network has decided to go straight to series.
“From the brilliant mind of Stephen King and the incredible production team at TWC-Dimension TV, ‘The Mist’ will take audiences on a thrilling ride through a small town grappling with a mysterious and shocking horror,” said Levy.
“Christian and the entire team at TWC-Dimension TV have crafted the framework for a compelling and distinctive series that will resonate with Spike’s expanding audience,” said Levy.
“We have been fortunate to produce and distribute two of Stephen King’s films, ‘1408’ and ‘The Mist,’ and are pleased to continue that relationship by making ‘The Mist’ into a TV series,” said Bob Weinstein, Co-Chariman The Weinstein Company. “We’ve had an incredible experience developing the series with Christian, Sharon and her team and are eager to make this series a signature show for Spike.”
Christian Torpe serves as the Executive Producer for Spike’s The Mist. Torpe created the successful show Rita in Denmark, now finishing its fourth season, and has developed programming for both Showtime and AMC.
Megan Spanjian, EVP of Scripted TV, was instrumental in finding and bringing Torpe to the table and will oversee the project for TWC-Dimension TV along with Matthew Signer, EVP of Production and Creative Affairs, and Keith Levine, SVP of Production and Development. Torpe is repped by ICM.
Levy, Ted Gold, Senior Vice President, Scripted Original Series, and Lauren Ruggiero, Senior Director, Scripted Programming will oversee the project.
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 13, 2016
DOCTOR STRANGE
We've been waiting since Iron Man for the films in which Marvel Studios would branch out beyond their core Avengers team, and 2016 is the year it finally seems to be happening. In just a few weeks we get Black Panther's first appearance in Captain America: Civil War, and then this fall we see the arrival of Doctor Strange, one of the most exciting Marvel solo films yet. Now, the first trailer is here, courtesy of Jimmy Kimmel Live, so we can finally meet the good Doctor himself.
The film follows the same basic trajectory of the titular hero's comic book origins. Dr. Stephen Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) is an accomplished surgeon who, after a car accident, loses his greatest tool: His hands. In an effort to get his career back, he travels the world in search of something, or someone, that can fix him. In his travels, he meets The Ancient One (Tilda Swinton), who shows him paths of magic and astral projection he'd never known before, and as a result he becomes a magical superhero. The trailer is a rough sketch of this plot, with a few looks at our villain (Mads Mikkelsen) thrown in for good measure.
The rain-soaked opening shots are vintage Scott Derrickson (who also directed stuff like The Exorcism of Emily Rose and Sinister) but the trailer also shows the film's many dimensions, both literally and thematically. The stuff between Strange and the Ancient One almost looks like The Matrix, while the reveal of New York's various aspects looks like Inception. We get a brief glimpse of Rachel McAdams as a still-unnamed character, some gorgeous shots of Mikkelsen warping reality, and then there's Cumberbatch at the center of it all, using his amazing voice talents (which have, in the past, often been fodder for talk show goofs) to transform himself into the New York surgeon who becomes the Sorcerer Supreme. For me, this is the ultimate Marvel movie dream come true, and this trailer lives up to my expectations.
Doctor Strange arrives November 4.
GAME OF THRONES-SEASON 6
HBO has released the first clips from the upcoming sixth season of Game of Thrones. The clips arrive hot on the heels of the new awesome official trailer unveiled yesterday.
In the first clip from the premiere episode, "The Red Woman," Sansa (Sophie Turner) and Theon (Alfie Allen) are on the run, having obviously survived their fall in a bid to escape the walls of Winterfell and the clutches of Sansa’s sadistic husband, Ramsay Snow/Bolton (Iwan Rheon). But dogs (and, no doubt, Ramsay) are closing in as our escapees face a freezing river.
The second clip – also from the first episode – sees Twincest couple Cersei (Lena Headey) and Jaime (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau) Lannister reminiscing about their dead mother’s rotting, decaying body. Ewwwww. Good times.
In the third and final clip (this one is from Episode 3), Daenerys (Emilia Clark) arrives in Vaes Dothrak not as the mighty Khaleesi she once was, but as the captive of another Khalasar.
Following the shocking developments at the conclusion of season five, including Jon Snow’s bloody fate at the hands of Castle Black mutineers, Daenerys’ near-demise at the fighting pits of Meereen, and Cersei’s public humiliation in the streets of King’s Landing, survivors from all parts of Westeros and Essos regroup to press forward, inexorably, towards their uncertain individual fates. Familiar faces will forge new alliances to bolster their strategic chances at survival, while new characters will emerge to challenge the balance of power in the east, west, north and south.
Game of Thrones returns on April 24 on HBO.
IRON FIST
Marvel has announced that Lord of the Rings star David Wenham has joined the cast of Netflix's upcoming Iron Fist series, starring Finn Jones (Game of Thrones) in the role of Danny Rand/Iron Fist and Jessica Henwick (Game of Thrones) as Colleen Wing.
If you guys will recall, Wenham played Boromir’s (Sean Bean) brother Faramir in director Peter Jackson’s film trilogy. The Australian actor also starred as Dilios in Zack Snyder’s 300 and its sequel, 300: Rise of an Empire. He recently starred in The Code, Top of the Lake and Banished and will also appear alongside Johnny Depp in Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales.
In Iron Fist, Wenham will play Harold Meachum, who's described as a ruthless corporate leader who was in a business partnership with Danny Rand’s folks at the time of their deaths. Meachum co-founded Rand-Meachum Inc. alongside Danny's father, Wendell Rand. He's also the father of Joy Meachum, a character rumored to be in the series.
In the pages of the Marvel comics, Meachum plays an important role in the fates of the Rands and is in part responsible for Danny going to train in the mystical city of K’un-L’un (where he becomes Iron Fist). We're told that what role Harold Meachum will play in Danny’s present (and the Marvel Cinematic Universe) will be revealed over the course of the Marvel series.
Here's what Iron Fist showrunner and executive producer Scott Buck (Six Feet Under, Dexter) said about David Wenham’s casting on the upcoming Netflix superhero series:
“I’m very excited to have David as our Harold Meachum. David is capable of displaying raw, visceral strength as well as extremely keen intelligence. This will add up to a character of complex depth who will keep us off balance all season.”
Executive Producer and Head of Marvel Television Jeph Loeb added:
“David brings both a vulnerability and a danger to his many diverse roles. This key quality creates a gravitas our series requires as Danny unravels the secrets behind Rand Enterprises.”
Here’s an official synopsis for the new series:
In “Marvel’s Iron Fist,” Daniel Rand returns to New York City after being missing for years. He fights against the criminal element corrupting New York City with his incredible kung-fu mastery and ability to summon the awesome power of the fiery Iron Fist.
FANTASTIC BEASTS AND WEHRE TO FIND THEM
This fall brings us a number of exciting movie events, but perhaps the most surprising is the continuation of the Harry Potter franchise. After 8 films telling the main story of that series, J.K. Rowling and director David Yates are turning to the world with Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, the first in a trilogy of spinoff films inspired by Rowling's Hogwarts textbook of the same name.
We still don't have a full understanding of the plot, but a new teaser trailer -- which debuted last night during the MTV Movie Awards -- does give us a better idea of the tone. Magic-zooglogist Newt Scamander (Eddie Redmayne) is traveling to America, and he has a bit of a troubled past as an expelled Hogwarts student with only a certain future Headmaster sticking up for him. Oh, and his suitcase is special. Very, very special.
It's been a few years since Yates last tackled the world of Potter, but he hasn't lost a step. The clever design at work in this trailer is fantastic, and you might just get chills when John Williams' familiar themes creep into the score. Plus, if a suitcase can hold that many surprises in one trailer, how much does the rest of the film hold?
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them arrives November 18.
NEW BATMAN STANDALONE MOVIE
With Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice having earned $785.8 million worldwide so far, Warner Bros. Pictures is looking to extend its relationship with their new Batman, Ben Affleck. Having previously been contracted for the Justice League: Part One and Part Two movies, it was confirmed on Tuesday by Warner Bros. chairman and CEO Kevin Tsujihara at CinemaCon that Affleck will direct and star in a stand-alone Batman movie as well.
Last summer, it was revealed that Affleck would co-write the stand-alone Batman movie with comic scribe Geoff Johns with an eye toward directing it, though no further information on the film had been released since.
Production on Justice League: Part One has begun in London. Affleck will be joined by his fellow Justice League members Henry Cavill as Superman, Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman, Jason Momoa as Aquaman, Ray Fisher as Cyborg, and Ezra Miller as The Flash. Amber Heard is set to play Queen Mera in the film as well before moving to the solo Aquaman movie in 2018, with J.K. Simmons set to appear as Commissioner Gordon. The Zack Snyder-directed movie will debut in theaters on November 10, 2017.
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