Welcome and thank you for dropping by. Babylon 5
brought many of us together -- and it remains with us, despite the fact that
is no longer in production. The good thing is that the internet gives a LOT
of ways to stay in touch. Don't be shy. Join in the discussion today or drop
by Facebook or Twitter.
If you have questions or items for the news, drop me a line at sgbruckner@aol.com.
NEWS FROM MAY 2016
FRIDAY, MAY 27, 2016
NEIL GAIMAN: DREAM DANGEROUSLY
A documentary about iconic fantasy author Neil Gaiman will be available exclusively on Vimeo in a little more than a month, and the first trailer has been released.
Titled Neil Gaiman: Dream Dangerously, the documentary will chronicle the Doctor Who and American Gods writer’s youth in Portsmouth (in the UK) and take us through his first success -- that'd be DC Comics imprint Vertigo's Sandman comic series -- to a more recent body of works including novels like Coraline, The Graveyard Book and The Ocean at the End of the Lane.
Fun fact: Gaiman became the first author to win both the Newbery and the Carnegie medals for the same novel (The Graveyard Book).
The documentary will be told in Gaiman’s own words but will also feature interviews with the late, great Terry Pratchett (Discworld), Bill Hader, Michael Sheen, Lenny Henry, Wil Wheaton, Stoya, JH Williams III, Lev Grossman, Brea Grant, Merrilee Heifetz, Charles Brownstein, Sam Kieth, Jill Thompson and Colleen Doran. It'll also include some of his chats with Game of Thrones author George R.R. Martin, Jonathan Ross, John Barrowman, Grant Morrison and Phillip Pullman (His Dark Materials).
Neil Gaiman: Dream Dangerously is available for pre-order for a July 8 release on Vimeo.
MIRROR'S EDGE
Good news, video game fans! Endemol Shine Studios has nabbed the rights to adapt EA’s action-adventure video game Mirror’s Edge as a female-centered action TV series.
Developed by EA DICE and published by Electronic Arts back in 2008, Mirror’s Edge is set in a quasi-futuristic dystopian society where a network of “Runners” act as underground couriers to transmit messages, all the while evading government surveillance.
One such “Runner” is Faith Connors, the game’s main character and heroine. When her sister is framed for murder, the game follows Faith – who’s also a skilled warrior, BTW – as she tries to clear her sister's name, all the while being drawn into a conspiracy that could bring down society itself and involves the powerful organization called The Conglomerate, which rules the City of Glass.
Here's what Saron Hall, president of Endemol Shine Studios, had to say about getting the rights to Mirror's Edge:
“We clearly see Mirror’s Edge as a franchise for the global TV audience. It has a strong female protagonist, a wildly rabid fan base and a worldwide brand that Electronic Arts and EA DICE have done an amazing job establishing.”
Offering a unique first-person gameplay mechanic (just look at the trailer below to see what I mean), the video game was generally a hit with critics and fans alike and has now been semi-rebooted with the upcoming Mirror’s Edge Catalyst. A cross between a reboot and a prequel, the new game relaunches the franchise by exploring Faith's origin story as she attempts to overthrow the Conglomerate. The new game will be released for Xbox One, PS4 and Origin PC on June 7.
MORGAN
Ridley Scott’s son Luke is following along in the family business of sci-fi horror, and now we have the first peek at his ambitious feature debut: Morgan.
The film has a mild Ex Machina vibe, but with more classic Scott-style horror mixed into the formula. The plot is a relative mystery but follows a corporate troubleshooter (played by Kate Mara) who is sent to a remote, top-secret location to investigate and evaluate a terrifying accident. Once she arrives, Mara’s character learns the event was triggered by a seemingly innocent “human,” who presents a mystery of both infinite promise and incalculable danger.
So ... an advanced AI of some kind, maybe?
The trailer certainly sets up some nice creepiness, though it really is light on plot. But, when that recurring little lullaby starts building at the end, you can’t help but have your skin crawl a bit. This could be one to look out for later this year. Along with Mara, the cast list also includes Anya Taylor-Joy, Toby Jones, Rose Leslie, Boyd Holbrook, Michelle Yeoh, Jennifer Jason Leigh and Paul Giamatti.
Morgan opens Sept. 2.
THE SCIENCE BETWEEN US
The first trailer for director Peter Chelsom’s (Serendipity) sci-fi movie The Space Between Us has just landed, boasting quite an intriguing concept. The screenplay was penned by Allan Loeb (The Switch) from a story he wrote with Stewart Schill and Richard Barton Lewis.
The movie stars former Spider-Man hopeful Asa Butterfield (Ender’s Game) as Gardner Eliot, a 16-year-old boy born on Mars (he's also the first human born on the Red Planet), whose entire existence was kept a secret by NASA and who now gets the chance to go to Earth.
Also starring in this touching sci-fi tale is Britt Robertson (Tomorrowland) as Gardner's Earthly love interest Tulsa, Gary Oldman (The Dark Knight Trilogy), Carla Gugino (Watchmen), B.D. Wong (Jurassic World) and Salem’s Janet Montgomery.
Here's the movie synopsis:
In this interplanetary adventure, a space shuttle embarks on the first mission to colonize Mars, only to discover after takeoff that one of the astronauts is pregnant. Shortly after landing, she dies from complications while giving birth to the first human born on the red planet – never revealing who the father is. Thus begins the extraordinary life of Gardner Elliot – an inquisitive, highly intelligent boy who reaches the age of 16 having only met 14 people in his very unconventional upbringing.
While searching for clues about his father, and the home planet he’s never known, Gardner begins an online friendship with a street smart girl in Colorado named Tulsa. When he finally gets a chance to go to Earth, he’s eager to experience all of the wonders he could only read about on Mars – from the most simple to the extraordinary. But once his explorations begin, scientists discover that Gardner’s organs can’t withstand Earth’s atmosphere.
Eager to find his father, Gardner escapes the team of scientists and joins with Tulsa on a race against time to unravel the mysteries of how he came to be, and where he belongs in the universe.
The Space Between Us is set for an Aug. 19 release.
DARK MATTER
In a piece of awesome casting news, Franka Potente (American Horror Story, The Bridge, Copper) has joined the cast of Syfy’s space opera series Dark Matter.
The Bourne Identity actress (who will soon be seen in The Conjuring 2, coming June 10) has come on board in a recurring role for the show’s upcoming second season. She will play Commander Shaddick, Chief Inspector of the Galactic Authority Serious Crimes Division.
Described as “cool, calculated and determined to prove the crew of the Raza were involved in the destruction of Iriden 3,” Potente will join series regulars Marc Bendavid (One), Melissa O’Neil (Two), Anthony Lemke (Three), Alex Mallari Jr. (Four), Jodelle Ferland (Five), Roger Cross (Six) and Zoie Palmer as the android. Melanie Liburd and Shaun Sipos have also come on board for Season 2 as series regulars.
Dark Matter is the brainchild of Stargate writers and executive producers Joseph Mallozzi and Paul Mullie. The first season of the sci-fi series followed six people (and an android) who first wake up from stasis aboard a spaceship (the Raza) with no memories of who they are and how they got there.
In Season 2, the crew of the Raza becomes entangled in an intergalactic conspiracy and are on a mission to find a mysterious device that may hold the key to victory in an impending all-out corporate war.
Dark Matter will return on July 1 on Syfy.
HALLOWEEN
In news that will have horror fans cheering far into the night, iconic fright-flick director, writer, musician and producer John Carpenter (The Thing, Christine, They Live) makes a triumphant return to the Halloween franchise he created to spawn a new additiion to the Michael Myers saga. Carpenter's seminal 1978 slasher film helped launch an entire genre and is still one of the highest-grossing independent horror films ever made, raking in a total of $47 million off a $325K budget and spurring nine sequels, remakes and odd reimaginings. Plans are for Carpenter to partner with Miramax, Jason Blum's Blumhouse Productions (Sinister, Insidious) and franchise producer Malek Akkad and serve as executive producer and creative consultant on this new Halloween movie.
“Halloween needs to return to its traditions,” Carpenter said at the press conference. “I feel like the movies have gotten away from that… Michael is not just a human being; he’s a force of nature, like the wind. That’s what makes him so scary.”
This resurrection is said to be matched with a moderate budget, and could possibly be scored by Carpenter himself, who has recently been on tour promoting his two Lost Themes fantasy soundtrack albums with his son and musical colleague, Cody Carpenter.
“We made the original HALLOWEEN for very little money,” he added. “At heart it’s just a good, scary story, and that’s why it works. 38 years later, I’m going to help to try to make the tenth sequel the scariest of them all.”
The ink is still fresh on this deal, so no official casting, screenplay or director details have been decided yet, but we'll be sure to deliver them when released. Oculus director Mike Flanagan has been mentioned as a possible candidate and is currently in talks to helm this neo Halloween.
WESTWORLD
The Westworld series is coming to HBO this fall.
A one hour drama, the Westworld series (ten episodes) offers a dark odyssey about the dawn of artificial consciousness and the evolution of sin. Set at the intersection of the near future and the reimagined past, it explores a world in which every human appetite, no matter how noble or depraved, can be indulged.
The Westworld series cast includes Anthony Hopkins, Ed Harris, Evan Rachel Wood, James Marsden, Thandie Newton, Jeffrey Wright, Tessa Thompson, Sidse Babett Knudsen, Jimmi Simpson, Rodrigo Santoro, Shannon Woodward, Ingrid Bolsø Berdal, Ben Barnes, Simon Quarterman, Angela Sarafyan, Luke Hemsworth and Clifton Collins, Jr.
Inspired by the motion picture Westworld, written and directed by Michael Crichton, the Westworld series is produced by Bad Robot Productions, Jerry Weintraub Productions and Kilter Films in association with Warner Bros. Television. Jonathan Nolan and Lisa Joy both serve as executive producer/writer/director, with J.J. Abrams executive producing alongside Jerry Weintraub and Bryan Burk.
FRIDAY, MAY 20, 2016
SUPERGIRL
It took some backroom deals to make it happen, but Supergirl is officially joining The Flash and Arrow over on The CW. But how will things change with the network jump?
While chatting at the network upfront presentations this week, The CW president Mark Pedowitz teased that they hope to keep the tone familiar to what fans have already come to expect from the first season over on CBS. But that’s not to say it might not see a tweak or two as they try to lure in more Flash fans and cut costs by moving production up to Vancouver.
Here’s an excerpt from his comments:
“We are sitting down with Greg Berlanti and his team next week or so. We have a rough idea where they’re heading and, because our working relationship with Greg, we’re confident they understand what our needs are. As for the tone or tonality of the series, they did have a pretty successful series. The fact it’s now moved to The CW, where it should have been in the first place, I don’t think it will have a big impact on the tone.”
Pedowitz also addressed the elephant in the room, in regard to Calista Flockhart’s continued involvement as Cat Grant. Flockhart signed on for Season 1 largely because the show was shot in her native L.A., but it seems asking her to relocate has created a few kinks in the plan. Pedowitz said they’re in “ongoing discussions” to keep her involved, noting they’ll do just about anything conceivable to keep her on the cast list. What that means? Her role could be reduced, but they still want to keep Cat in the fold. Fingers crossed.
Supergirl is set to air on Mondays at The CW, which should be familiar territory for fans coming over from CBS.
FREQUENCY/NO TOMORROW
The CW unveiled its plans for the fall, and officially unveiled footage from the two new genre-esque shows that will be joining the schedule.
First up is Frequency, based on the 2000 sci-fi thriller of the same name. This version follows a cop (Tomorrow People alum Peyton List) who manages to connect with her dead dad thanks to some time-twisting stuff with a ham radio. In this version, List’s character manages to save her father, which changes the timeline thanks to the “butterfly effect” and messes up a whole lot of stuff in the process.
The series, which will air on Wednesdays, focuses on the mission to try and fix the altered timeline. It looks like it could be solid, and at least brings a fresh twist to the tried and true procedural genre. Check out the Frequency trailer below:
Up next, the network also premiered a first look at No Tomorrow, the genre-tinged dramedy about a young couple who are trying to fulfill their bucket lists before the end of the world. The show is slated to air on Tuesday nights. It definitely looks like a good fit for the network’s female-friendly fare, i.e. Jane the Virgin, iZombie, etc.
FUTURE WORLD
Resident Evil zombie slasher and The Fifth Element MultiPass flasher Milla Jovovich is primed to co-star with James Franco in a new post-apocalyptic indie film, Future World. And no, it has nothing to do with the cheesy 1976 sequel to Westworld that starred Peter Fonda. Co-directed by Franco with partner Bruce Thierry Cheung (The Color Of Time), it centers around a sci-fi survival quest on a scorched, war-torn world.
Franco has been rather busy in the past few years, with his name associated with over a dozen projects as an actor, director and producer, including The Sound and the Fury, Bukowski, The Adderall Diaries, Zeroville, The Masterpiece, In Dubious Battle and the Stephen King-based Hulu series 11.22.63.
According to Deadine, the story follows a young boy of royal birth who embarks on a perilous journey through the smoldering wasteland of this future world in order to find medicine for his dying mother. Acocmpanied by his faithful bodyguard and with only a slim hope that this medicine actually exists, he must forge courageously on, facing danger and ultimately the Warlord of this ravaged planet, who has nefarious plans of his own as he takes control of a gorgeous, lifelike robot assassin.
Unfortunately, Jovovich won't be playing the alluring android assassin, but a futuristic drug lord instead.
Jovovich just wrapped the latest (and presumably last) edition of the Resident Evil franchise, Resident Evil: The Final Chapter, which is due to be released by Sony Screen Gems in January 2017. Franco and Jovovich could make an appealing on-screen pair once camera start rolling, and we'll keep you posted on any important casting announcements as they're selected.
BATMAN: RETURN TO ARKHAM
A newly remastered Batman game bundle is hurtling down the marketing highway this summer. Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment and DC Entertainment just released an announcement trailer for Batman: Return to Arkham, pairing Rocksteady's Batman: Arkham Asylum with Batman: Arkham City for the first time. Both award-winning Bat games have been given a sparkling new makeover by Virtuos for the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One using the incredible Unreal 4 Engine. If you've ever wanted to dive into the insane action of the Arkham Series, this might be your moment! And that's no joke.
Check out the official press release and video below and tell us if you'll plunk down your pennies for this epic, spruced-up edition:
Remastered by Virtuos, this set offers fans a chance to play the first two Batman: Arkham titles including all Game of the Year edition bonus and downloadable content from both games, now with improved graphics, as well as upgraded models, environments, lighting, effects and shaders. Batman: Return to Arkham will be available beginning July 26 for a suggested retail price of $49.99.
Batman: Arkham Asylum is where it all began. Developed by Rocksteady Studios and released in 2009, the game pushed the envelope for action, adventure and super hero games and exposed players to a unique, dark and atmospheric adventure taking them to the depths of Arkham Asylum. Featuring an original story, gamers can move in the shadows, instill fear amongst their enemies and confront The Joker and Gotham City’s most notorious villains, including Harley Quinn, Bane, Killer Croc, Poison Ivy and Scarecrow, who have taken over the asylum.
Batman: Arkham City is Rocksteady Studios’ 2011 follow-up to Batman: Arkham Asylum. The game builds upon the intense, atmospheric foundation of Batman: Arkham Asylum, sending players soaring through the expansive Arkham City – the maximum security “home” for all of Gotham City’s thugs, gangsters and insane criminal masterminds. Featuring an incredible Rogues Gallery of Gotham City’s most dangerous criminals including Catwoman, The Joker, The Riddler, Two-Face, Harley Quinn, The Penguin, Mr. Freeze and many others, the game allows players to experience what it feels like to be The Dark Knight and deliver justice to those confined within Arkham City.
TIME AFTER TIME
The first official trailer for ABC’s Jack the Ripper & H.G. Wells time travel series Time After Time has finally dropped.
The upcoming series will feature the time-travel adventures of The Doctor legendary sci-fi author H.G. Wells as he pursues Jack the Ripper through time with his awesome time machine. Finding himself in modern-day Manhattan, he discovers a world he never thought possible and a young woman who captivates him. Cause she's a gun-toting Texan.
The brainchild of Kevin Williamson (Scream, The Vampire Diaries), Time After Time is based not only on the 1979 novel by Karl Alexander but also on the very cool 1979 movie (I suggest you see it before the series airs) that starred Malcolm McDowell as H.G. Wells and David Warner as Jack the Ripper.
The series stars Freddie Stroma (Harry Poter, UnREAL) in the role of H.G. Wells, Josh Bowman (Revenge) as John Stevenson/Jack the Ripper, Genesis Rodriguez (Big Hero 6, Tusk) as Jane and Regina Taylor (The Unit, Dig) as Vanessa Anders. Marcos Siega (The Following, Blindspot) directed the pilot written by Kevin Williamson, and both will serve as executive producers on the TV show.
The trailer for ABC's Time After Time is very reminiscent of the 1975 movie (since the movie served as one of the springboards for the new series, that’s to be expected) but with a few surprising twists of its own.
I'm not a fan of the voiceover at the beginning, but the rest of the trailer looks great. This is the third time-travel series set to debut in the fall, alongside Timeless on NBC and Making History at Fox. Starz already has Outlander, The CW, DC's Legends of Tomorrow, and let's not forget the granddaddy of all time-travel series: Doctor Who.
WEDNESDAY, MAY 18, 2016
PREACHER
The first four minutes of AMC’s upcoming Preacher series have been released online and the show begins with a BANG!
The 10-episode TV series set to debut this coming Sunday is an adaptation of Garth Ennis and Steve Dillon's iconic (and controversial) DC/Vertigo comic book series Preacher being adapted for the small screen by Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg.
Starring Dominic Cooper in the title role of Jesse Custer, Ruth Negga as his former girlfriend Tulip O’Hare and Joseph Gilgun as the Irish vampire Cassidy, the supernatural drama series also stars Lucy Griffiths as Emily Woodrow, Elizabeth Perkins as Vyla Quinncannon, Jackie Earle Hayley as Odin Quincannon, W. Earl Brown as Sherriff Root, Anatol Yusef as DeBlanc, Tom Brooke as Fiore, Jamie Anne Allman and Derek Wilson in the roles of Betsy and Donny Schenck and Ian Colletti as Eugene/Arseface.
Preacher is a supernatural, twisted and darkly comedic drama that follows a West Texas preacher named Jesse Custer, who is inhabited by a mysterious entity that causes him to develop a highly unusual power. Jesse, his badass ex-girlfriend Tulip and an Irish vagabond named Cassidy come together and when they do, they are thrust into a crazy world populated by a cast of characters from Heaven, Hell and everywhere in between.
Preacher will premiere with a 90-minutes episode May 22 at 10 p.m. ET/PT on AMC, so if you're not watching live, set your DVRs accordingly.
HEROES AND VILLAINS: THE HISTORY OF COMIC BOOKS
Robert Kirkman keeps adding to his TV empire.
With two shows already on the air -- The Walking Dead and Fear the Walking Dead -- and a third, Outcast, about to premiere, Kirkman is working on a fourth program. But this is an entirely different beast: according to The Wrap, Kirkman and his producing partner David Alpert are developing a documentary series called Heroes and Villains: The History of Comic Books for AMC.
The six one-hour episodes will explore the key creators, stories, events and books that have "transformed the world of comic books." In addition to delving into the origins -- both documented and untold -- of some of the medium's best-known characters, the show will also provide context for their creation and explore the role of race, politics, sexuality, gender and pop culture trends in shaping and/or responding to the art form.
Kirkman said about the project:
“At the end of the day I am a comic fan first and foremost. I am a lover of the medium and the stories it enables people to tell. I’m excited to partner with AMC once again to bring the stories of some the most influential people in comics to a television audience."
AMC head of programming Joel Stillerman added:
“We are incredibly excited to continue our partnership with Robert, David and (their company) Skybound (Entertainment). Beyond ‘The Walking Dead’ and ‘Fear the Walking Dead,’ they are prolific producers and publishers who have an amazing knowledge of comic book history and genre storytelling. We believe going deep into the history behind some of the greatest comic books will be of great interest to this audience.”
This actually sounds like a terrific idea. Kirkman's Walking Dead franchise -- both comics and TV show -- is a monster success, potentially serving as a gateway for fans to discover the many other comic books out there, horror or otherwise. A documentary series like this -- with a hugely successful creator behind it -- could serve a similar purpose for viewers familiar only with The Walking Dead.
Heroes and Villains will premiere sometime in 2017.
TIMELESS
NBC has picked up a series order for Eric Kripke (Supernatural) and Shawn Ryan’s (The Shield) time-travel drama series Timeless for the upcoming 2016-2017 TV season. They’ve also released the first trailer, sending us back in time to witness the Hindenburg disaster of 1937. Intrigued yet?
The new series stars Abigail Spencer (Oz the Great and Powerful), Matt Frewer (Orphan Black), Goran Visnjic (ER, Extant), Matt Lanter (Ultimate Spider-Man), Paterson Joseph (Jekyll) and Malcolm Barrett (The Hurt Locker). Deadline reports that Timeless emerged as one of the strongest drama pilots at NBC, which has also picked up the supernatural series Midnight, Texas.
The pilot, penned by Eric Kripke and Shawn Ryan, was helmed by Neill Marshall (Centurion, Game of Thrones) who also executive produces the series along with Kripke and Ryan. Here are the first details for the upcoming series:
From Eric Kripke, Shawn Ryan and the producers of “The Blacklist” comes this thrilling action-adventure series in which a mysterious criminal steals a secret state-of-the-art time machine, intent on destroying America as we know it by changing the past. Our only hope is an unexpected team: a scientist, soldier and history professor who must use the machine’s prototype to travel back in time to critical events. While they must make every effort not to affect the past themselves, they must also stay one step ahead of this dangerous fugitive. Can this handpicked team uncover the mystery behind it all and end his destruction before it’s too late?
This is the third time travel TV show set to premiere in the fall of 2016. ABC has Time After Time and Fox has the comedy series Making History.
MIDNIGHT< TEXAS
If you’ve been jonesing for some more small-town, supernatural action in the wake of True Blood’s end, you may want to book a ticket to Midnight, Texas.
Deadline reports that NBC has picked up the series, based on the novels by True Blood creator Charlaine Harris. The show is set in a mysterious Texas town full of everything from vampires to witches. It definitely seems to hit on the True Blood vibe, except (obviously) with a network’s censors. The cast includes François Arnaud, Dylan Bruce, Parisa Fitz-Henley, Arielle Kebbel, Sarah Ramos, Peter Mensah, Yul Vazquez and Sean Bridgers.
Here’s the official synopsis:
Welcome to a place where being normal is really quite strange. From Niels Arden Oplev, the visionary director of Mr. Robot,and based on the hit book series from author Charlaine Harris (True Blood), comes a journey into a remote Texas town where no one is who they seem. From vampires and witches to psychics and hit men, Midnight is a mysterious safe haven for those who are different. As the town members fight off outside pressures from rowdy biker gangs, ever-suspicious cops and their own dangerous pasts, they band together and form a strong and unlikely family.
The show is part of a larger overhaul of the schedule over at NBC and looks to be one of the more promising projects (along with time-travel action project Timeless, from the ever-awesome Shawn Ryan).
WARCRAFT
Legendary Pictures and Universal Pictures have debuted a new Warcraft featurette that takes you to the heart of the conflict brewing in Azeroth.
Warcraft is an epic adventure of world-colliding conflict based on Blizzard Entertainment’s global phenomenon. 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.
Directed by Duncan Jones (Moon, Source Code) and written by Charles Leavitt and Jones, the film stars Travis Fimmel, Paula Patton, Ben Foster, Dominic Cooper, Toby Kebbell, Ben Schnetzer, Rob Kazinsky and Daniel Wu.
Warcraft is a Legendary Pictures, Blizzard Entertainment and Atlas Entertainment production. The producers are Charles Roven, Thomas Tull, Jon Jashni, Alex Gartner and Stuart Fenegan. Jillian Share, Brent O’Connor, Michael Morhaime and Paul Sams serve as executive producers. Rob Pardo, Chris Metzen, Nick Carpenter and Rebecca Steel Roven co-produce.
Titled Warcraft: The Beginning internationally, the film will be released overseas starting on May 25 and in North America on June 10.
MONDAY, MAY 16, 2016
SLEEPY HOLLOW RENEWED-FOURTH SEASON
The major networks are knee-deep in up-front presentations, and Fox has decided to keep one of its former hits on life support for at least one more season.
TV Line reports Sleepy Hollow will survive for a fourth season, after seeing its ratings and critical love pretty much crater over the past two years. As fans are well aware, the writers killed off original cast member Nicole Beharie, who played Abbie Mills, as part of a larger cast shake-up that pretty much leaves Tom Mison’s Ichabod to pick up the pieces in Season 4. Hey, they did say seven years of tribulation, right?
Fox confirms that the cast list for Season 4 will include Mison (duh), along with Lyndie Greenwood (Jenny Mills), Lance Gross (Daniel Reynolds) and Jessica Camacho (Sophie Foster). Losing Beharie will certainly change things up in the fall, though you have to wonder how much the show might suffer by losing the chemistry between her and Mison. For what it’s worth, the producers teased that “reflections” of Abbie could linger into Season 4. Whatever that means.
With the ratings down, and the writers going gutsy by killing off Abbie, it seemed possible (if not somewhat likely) Fox might decide to call it quits. But there’s apparently a bit more life left in this supernatural tale. Here’s hoping Season 4 can start to recapture the magic from the fantastic first season.
BLACK PANTHER
The increasingly awesome-looking Black Panther movie just got a little more awesome.
That's because it's being reported that Michael B. Jordan is going to join the cast of the film, which already includes Chadwick Boseman in the title role and possibly Lupita Nyong’o as the Panther's love interest.
Jordan's role is yet to be revealed, but a source has told the Hollywood Reporter that he could be working alongside Andy Serkis' Ulysses Klaue as a villain. Could he be playing N'Jadaka, also known as Erik Killmonger, whose family was pressed into service by Klaue/Klaw in the comics? Or perhaps he will be M'Baku, leader of the rival Jabari Tribe, who wants to usurp the Black Panther's crown (and goes by the unfortunate name Man-Ape)?
The news is pretty much a no-brainer: Jordan is sort of to director Ryan Coogler what De Niro once was to Scorsese, and Black Panther will mark their third collaboration after their powerful 2013 breakthrough Fruitvale Station and last year's excellent Creed.
What adds another level of intrigue to this is that Jordan, who played Johnny Storm in last year's disastrous Fox reboot of Fantastic Four, is following in the footsteps of the previous Human Torch, Chris Evans, and defecting from 20th Century Fox's stable of Marvel players to the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
That probably means that 1) Jordan is finished with the Fantastic Four and will not be back for any Fox sequel, and 2) if the Four ever return to the MCU, it will be certainly be with a different Torch and most likely with a completely new quartet of actors.
In the meantime, however, Black Panther is shaping up to be something special. With Boseman already nailing the role perfectly in Captain America: Civil War, watching him in his own movie alongside the supremely talented Jordan and Nyong’o, under the direction of the impressive Coogler, can't come soon enough -- and won't, since the movie doesn't arrive until February 2018.
KILLJOYS AND DARK MATTER
With both shows set to return in just a couple of months, Syfy has dropped the first footage from the new seasons of Killjoys and Dark Matter. Want to see?
The teasers are fairly short but do a good job of showing off the sci-fi action and intrigue that made both shows so much fun last season. By the end of its first season, Killjoys was hitting that Firefly-sized sweet spot, while Dark Matter ended on a cliffhanger that should make for a fascinating Year 2.
The second season of Killjoys will pick up with Dutch (Hannah John-Kamen), Johnny (Aaron Ashmore) and D’avin (Luke MacFarlane) looking to uncover the secret behind Dutch’s duplicitous and mysterious childhood mentor, Khlyen’s (Rob Stewart). As the trio dig deeper into Khlyen’s secrets, they soon discover the Quad’s criminals they’ve been hunting are no match for the threat within the Reclamation Apprehension Coalition (RAC) itself. Loyalties will be tested, buckles will be swashed, and laser guns will be fired.
On Dark Matter, the crew of the Raza becomes embroiled in an intergalactic conspiracy, seeking a mysterious device that may hold the key to victory in a looming all-out corporate war. The series stars Marc Bendavid (One), Melissa O’Neil (Two), Anthony Lemke (Three), Alex Mallari Jr. (Four), Jodelle Ferland (Five), Roger Cross (Six) and Zoie Palmer (The Android). Melanie Liburd (Game Of Thrones) and Shaun Sipos (Melrose Place) will also be joining the team as series regulars.
Both shows return to Syfy on Friday, July 1.
ALTERED CARBON
Joel Kinnaman has been tapped to headline Netflix’s upcoming sci-fi series Altered Carbon.
The 10-part series is based on Richard K. Morgan’s 2002 cyberpunk noir sci-fi novel set in the 25th century, when the human mind can be digitized and the soul transferred from one body to the next.
The RoboCop and Suicide Squad actor will play Takeshi Kovacs (the character is of Japanese and Eastern European descent and a native of Harlan's World in the novels), a former elite interstellar warrior known as an Envoy who’s been imprisoned for 500 years. Downloaded into a future he tried to stop, he must solve a single murder (not an easy feat when technology has made death pretty much obsolete) in order to have a chance at a new life on Earth.
The series will be created, penned and executive-produced by Laeta Kalogridis, whose producing and writing credits include Avatar, Shutter Island, Terminator Genesis and Alita: Battle Angel. She acquired the rights to Altered Carbon (which happens to be a passion project for her), as well as the other books in the “Takeshi Kovacs” series, four years ago. Here’s what Kalogradis said about the book:
“Altered Carbon is one of the most seminal pieces of post-cyberpunk hard science fiction out there — a dark, complex noir story that challenges our ideas of what it means to be human when all information becomes encodable, including the human mind.”
It’s not the first time Joel Kinnaman and Netflix have worked together. The actor starred as Detective Stephen Holder on four seasons of The Killing and has also appeared on Season 4 of House of Cards as Republican presidential nominee Will Conway.
TIME AFTER TIME
“You don’t belong in this time. Or any time.” The time-travel game is afoot. ABC has picked up Kevin Williamson’s (Scream, The Vampire Diaries) pilot Time After Time to series, which sees H.G. Wells pursue Jack the Ripper across time. And to whet our appetite, the network has released a first-look teaser.
Based on the 1979 novel by Karl Alexander, which speculated what might happen if H.G. Wells had built a real time machine (that'd been really cool), the new series will feature the time-travel adventures of the legendary science fiction writer as he finds himself transported to modern-day Manhattan in pursuit of Jack the Ripper. Once in the Big Apple, he finds a world he never believed could be possible … and a young woman who captivates him. The 1979 movie starring Malcolm McDowell and David Warner as H.G. Wells and Jack the Ripper will also serve as a springboard.
Time After Time will boast a cast that includes Harry Potter actor Freddie Stroma (UnREAL) in the role of H.G. Wells, Josh Bowman (Revenge) as John Stevenson/Jack the Ripper, Genesis Rodriguez (Big Hero 6, Tusk) as Jane and Regina Taylor (The Unit, Dig) as Vanessa Anders.
The series hails from Outerbanks Entertainment in association with Warner Bros. Television. Marcos Siega (The Following, Blindspot) has directed the pilot, penned by Kevin Williamson. Both will act as executive producers on the TV show.
CONJURING 2
New Line Cinema has debuted a new Strange Happenings in Enfield featurette for The Conjuring 2 which you can watch in the player below! The June 10 release once again has James Wan (Furious 7) at the helm following the record-breaking success of The Conjuring, bringing to the screen another real case from the files of renowned demonologists Ed and Lorraine Warren.
Reprising their roles, Oscar nominee Vera Farmiga (Up In the Air, Bates Motel) and Patrick Wilson (the Insidious films), star as Lorraine and Ed Warren, who, in one of their most terrifying paranormal investigations, travel to north London to help a single mother raising four children alone in a house plagued by malicious spirits.
The film follows the phenomenal worldwide reception of Wan’s The Conjuring, which marked the largest opening ever for an original horror movie. The film went on to make more than $319 million worldwide and still remains the second-highest grossing original horror movie of all time, second only to The Exorcist.
Rounding out the cast are Frances O’Connor (The Missing) as the single mom, with Madison Wolfe (Zoo) and newcomers Lauren Esposito, Patrick McAuley and Benjamin Haigh as her children; Maria Doyle Kennedy (Orphan Black); Simon Delaney (Roy); Franka Potente (The Bridge); and Simon McBurney (Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation).
The screenplay is by Chad Hayes & Carey W. Hayes & James Wan and David Leslie Johnson, story by Chad Hayes & Carey W. Hayes & James Wan. Peter Safran and Rob Cowan, who previously collaborated on The Conjuring, are producing. The executive producers are Walter Hamada and Dave Neustadter.
SAVE AGENT CARTER
All five major networks made big headlines this past week as they brought the axe down on some beloved TV shows. But perhaps Marvel fans have been most outspoken following the news that ABC has canceled Marvel's Agent Carter after just two seasons. Now, those fans are attempting to fight back. They have officially launched a petition asking Netflix to save the show.
Netflix sounds like the perfect home for the series, which stars Hayley Atwell as one of the founding members of S.H.I.E.L.D. They already host the very popular Marvel series Daredevil, which recently premiered its second season, and Jessica Jones, which has been renewed for season 2. Coming to the streaming giant later this year is Luke Cage. And they have Iron Fist planned for 2017. Also arriving next year is The Defenders, a miniseries that brings all four of these superheroes together under one roof. The Punisher is also getting his own series. So why not add one more to the line-up?
As of this morning, over 21,000 people have signed the petition, sending out the distress call that they want their Peggy Carter saved. The petition targets Disney, ABC and Netflix. And it is very direct and to the point. Their message?
"Save Agent Carter, bring her to NETFLIX."
That's it. Now, various supporters around the Internet are making their case on an individual basis as to why the show must be saved. In the realm of superhero TV shows, hers is one of the few, alongside The CW's Supergirl that has a female lead. One supporter of the petition had this to say about why it's important to keep Agent Carter up and running, even if it isn't on network TV.
"Peggy Carter is such an amzing [sic] character, and with lines such as 'I know my own worth,' she's also an exemplary role-model. By cutting 'Agent Carter,' ABC is only adding to the stigma that women cannot act a lead role and be powerful by themselves that is often preached by media standards."
Many of the people signing the petition claim it's because Agent Carter is one of the few TV series that show women in a positive light. It wouldn't be out of the ordinary for Netflix to step in and take over the show since they already have an established working relationship with Marvel. And they are known for saving shows, such as Arrested Development or reviving them, such as Gilmore Girls and Fuller House. All of which have proven to be big hits on the streaming giant.
Agent Carter closed out its second season with considerably low ratings. That might not detract Netflix from picking up the show if fans show enough interest. They ran the final season of The Killing after AMC killed it off due to low ratings. Though, fans might be out of luck. As ABC canceled Agent Carter, they did pick up the legal drama Conviction which stars Hayley Atwell. If you want to sign the petition and help save Agent Carter, you can do so at change.org.
FRIDAY, MAY 13, 2016
SUPERGIRL RENEWED-MOVING TO THE CW
Supergirl has been officially renewed and will be flying over to The CW.
After rumors and speculations, it’s been made official: Supergirl will join the rest of Greg Berlanti’s Arrowverse, which currently includes The Flash, Arrow and DC’s Legends of Tomorrow on The CW.
With the recent crossover episode between Supergirl (Melissa Benoist) and The Flash (Grant Gustin) proving super popular with the fans, this is a wise move that will offer plenty more crossover opportunities now that they’re all on the same network.
Maybe now we’ll get to have the first meeting between the Maiden of Might and Oliver Queen (Stephen Amell), or with the crew of the Waverider (from Legends of Tomorrow). Only thing, since it’s been established Supergirl takes place in an alternate Earth than the rest of the Arrowverse, will they change that? Food for thought.
With the move, expect some budget cuts because of a smaller network. The CW doesn’t have the same kind of money to splurge on their shows that CBS has. One way to help cut down cost will be for the production to move from the very expensive Los Angeles to Vancouver, where the other shows are filmed. Another would be to cut some cast members loose. This has yet to be confirmed by The CW, and whether this will affect the quality of the production will remain to be seen.
ASSASSIN'S CREED
20th Century Fox has unleashed the first official trailer, as well as an awesome new poster, for the Michael Fassbender's Assassin’s Creed. Directed by Justin Kurzel (Macbeth), the movie is based on Ubisoft’s hit video game franchise of the same name.
The trailer splits its time between the present day and the past as Michael Fassbender plays the dual roles of Callum Lynch in the present and his Spanish ancestor Aguilar, an Assassin (they’re the good guys in the story) living during the 15th-century Spanish Inquisition.
Callum Lynch and Aguilar are new characters not found in any of the previous Ubisoft video games, but they will be part of the official canon. In a recent interview with the L.A. Times, Fassbender spoke about his two characters:
“Like Desmond [the main modern-day protagonist in the game] was, Lynch is a descendant of a past assassin, this one named Aguilar. Callum doesn’t belong to anything, doesn’t have a family. We thought it would be interesting to have somebody that was disconnected be faced with what it means to join something so sacrificial.”
Wow, so that was ... pretty awesome. The movie could be a lot of fun, and I was excited to see they've kept the sort of action beats that make the games work so well: leaping from building to building, using those awesome wrist blades and the iconic diving off of a tower move! One of my favorite parts of the game.
The big trailer reveal, however, is that Oscar winner Marion Cotillard *may* be playing a villain since she works for Abstergo Industries; meaning she could be a Templar (the bad guys).
It also looks like like Callum Lynch will use the mad Assassin skills he’s learned from his ancestor’s memories during his time in the Animus (which weirdly looks like a giant mechanical arm thingie in the movie) to try and escape the nefarious clutches of Abstergo.
Through a revolutionary technology that unlocks his genetic memories, Callum Lynch (Michael Fassbender) experiences the adventures of his ancestor, Aguilar, in 15th Century Spain. Callum discovers he is descended from a mysterious secret society, the Assassins, and amasses incredible knowledge and skills to take on the oppressive and powerful Templar organization in the present day.
Assassin's Creed will soar into theaters Dec. 21.
CARGO
Fresh from his superhero franchise debut as Everett K. Ross in Captain America: Civil War, Martin Freeman is now set to enter a slightly less spandex-heavy universe.
The British actor has been cast in upcoming apocalyptic zombie thriller Cargo, playing Andy, a father who must try save his infant child at all costs. When he becomes infected following a violent attack and with only 48 hours before he transforms into one of the very creatures he's fought to evade, Andy sets out on a precarious journey to find a new guardian.
The film will be the feature length debut from Australian directors Ben Howling and Yolanda Ramke and based on their own seven-minute short of the same name, which became a YouTube hit in 2013 after was a finalist at the Tropfest film festival and went on to be featured on numerous web sites, including IGN, Bloody Disgusting and CNET.
In the producer's chair is Kristina Ceyton, who was behind 2014's breakout hit The Babadook, with Screen Australia backing the project.
Cargo will be making its market debut in Cannes, with British sales banner Bankside introducing the project to buyers in the Marche du Film.
Since consigning his Hobbitses feet to the back of the wardrobe, Freeman has lined up an eclectic slate of projects.
Alongside Captain America: Civil War, he also headed to the Middle East as a journalist in wartime satire Whiskey Tango Foxtrot alongside Tina Fey and Margot Robbie, and has returned to his BBC roots with the upcoming fourth season of Sherlock, which has recently been shooting. Titles in development include whistleblower drama Official Secrets next to Harrison Ford and Natalie Dormer and British supernatural horror Ghost Stories, based on the stage production.
AGENT CARTER CANCELLED
It's the end of the road for TV's Peggy Carter.
ABC has canceled Marvel drama Agent Carter after two seasons, The Hollywood Reporter has learned.
The second of Marvel's ABC dramas, while a critical favorite, was never a ratings breakthrough. The Hayley Atwell starrer earned a surprise second season renewal and returned as a "gap" show under former ABC Entertainment Group president Paul Lee.
Despite heaps of praise from critics, Carter finished its limited run with a 1.4 rating among adults under 50 and 4.3 million total viewers with DVR — both a far cry from Agents of SHIELD. Compounding that, ABC is spinning off popular Agents of SHIELD favorites Adrianne Palicki and Nick Blood for Marvel's Most Wanted, a more natural extension of the already renewed flagship series.
For her part, Atwell already booked the lead (in first position) in buzzy ABC procedural Conviction, which has been looking good for a series order as Carter fans are left to ponder that cliffhanger ending.
Additionally, ABC has passed on picking up Agents of SHIELD spinoff Marvel's Most Wanted after redeveloping the project from last year. Following the adventures of Bobbi Morse (aka Mockingbird) and Lance Hunter, SHIELD favorites Adrianne Palicki and Nick Blood were set to reprise their roles after exiting the flagship series earlier this season. Delroy Lindo, Oded Fehr and Fernana Andrade were set to co-star in the drama from writer Paul Zbyszewski.
BLACK PANTHER
The Hollywood Reporter brings word that Academy Award-winning actress Lupita Nyong’o (12 Years A Slave, Star Wars: The Force Awakens) is in talks to join Chadwick Boseman in the cast of Marvel’s Black Panther.
There’s no word in what her character will be in the film though the outlet notes she will be playing T’Challa’s love interest in the film, meaning she could be playing a member of the Dora Milaje. The Dora Milaje are the Black Panther’s elite all-female bodyguards and group of potential queens, one of whom briefly appears in Captain America: Civil War.
Creed director Ryan Coogler will direct the film while also penning the script. Production on the movie is set to commence at the beginning of 2017 with a February 16, 2018 release date already set.
It’s unclear what other characters from the Marvel Cinematic Universe will appear in the film, though Andy Serkis’ Ulysses Klaw, who made his debut in Avengers: Age of Ultron, could appear as the pair have already allegedly crossed paths in the context of the films.
AD ASTRA
MadRiver Pictures announced today that they will finance and produce James Gray’s (The Lost City of Z, The Immigrant, Two Lovers) Ad Astra, a sci-fi epic whose logline is currently being kept under wraps. Gray, Keep Your Head Productions’ Anthony Katagas, RT Features’ Rodrigo Teixeira and MadRiver’s Marc Butan are producing. RT Features Lourenco Sant’ Anna and Sophie Mas are executive producing. Casting is currently underway and expected to be announced shortly, with production eyeing an early 2017 shoot.
MadRiver’s Kim Fox will handle international sales, while CAA, which represents Gray, packaged and arranged the financing for the film, and will represent its domestic rights.
Gray is currently in post-production on Lost City of Z, starring Charlie Hunnam, Tom Holland, Robert Pattinson and Sienna Miller, which is also produced by Butan and Katagas. Frequent collaborators, the trio has also worked on Two Lovers, starring Joaquin Phoenix and Gwyneth Paltrow, and We Own the Night, starring Mark Wahlberg, Phoenix and Eva Mendes.
MadRiver’s Marc Butan said: “I’m incredibly excited to be teaming up with James and Anthony again and to be working with RT Features. James wrote a fantastic script and continues to raise the bar – I look forward to working on this film.”
WEDNESDAY, MAY 11, 2016
INDEPENDENCE DAY: RESURGENCE
“Earth Space Defense” … it’s a pretty simple name that FOX is hoping will bring with it a sense of power and global patriotism. With the promotional train officially chugging out of the proverbial station, the highly anticipated sequel to Roland Emmerich’s 1996 science fiction blockbuster hit “Independence Day” is a bit over a month from hitting theaters. But with summer being the big season for movie fans, they’re adding a unique twist to their campaign with a few new featurettes asking viewers to do their part to “save the planet.”
No, this isn’t a video about climate change and Earth Day has already passed us by. What this is, by all intents and purposes, is some realistic-looking propaganda videos. The basic premise of the new film finds salvaged alien technology bringing the little green men back to Earth. With this threat looming, the military formed the Earth Space Defense … which will totally defend Earth from Space. Right?
Introducing the audience to the ESD, the above video gives a brief backstory on the military operation with some space action that look a lot like a pretty great video game cut scene. “When the world was brought to its knees, the army was there to fight back,” says General Adams (William Fichtner). Calling the Earth Space Defense the “most powerful weapon” to fight against another attack, something tells us there may be something is going to go wrong here.
The second video, seen below, is a very familiar looking recruitment ad — the U.S. Army has aired so many over the years. Heck, there’s a U.S. Army logo in the top right corner of the video making us wonder just how “fake” this propaganda video really is. Still, watching a father talk about how proud he is of his pilot daughter works well enough. Adding a bit of Michael Bay-style flair, how could any red blooded American not eat this up?
With our most difficult challenge lying ahead, will the planet rise up and defeat the alien enemies once and for all? We can’t really predict the ending but, we’re going to just go ahead and say yes.
“Independence Day: Resurgence” hits theaters everywhere on June 24. Here’s hoping Bill Pullman has another epic speech lined up.
THE WOODS
The director of You're Next and The Guest serves up a terrifying trip to The Woods with his new movie.
Adam Wingard is one of the most interesting independent genre directors working today, with his witty home invasion film You're Next and 2014's genuinely excellent super-soldier-run-amok thriller The Guest bringing him to the edge of mainstream awareness after several years before that of making scrappy, ultra-low-budget features and anthologies (he was also recently hired by Netflix to helm a remake of the Japanese manga/film franchise Death Note). Now working with his regular screenwriting partner, Simon Barrett, Wingard has apparently returned to his grittier horror roots with the upcoming The Woods.
At a first glance, the new teaser for the movie showcases a film that deploys one of the most cliched setups in horror movie history: a group of young people go camping in the woods and meet up with trouble. But if Wingard and Barrett have shown us anything, it's that they have an uncanny ability to take genre tropes and add a fresh spin to them, which is what I'm betting they've done with The Woods. And even on its own terms, the teaser makes the movie look damn scary (that eerie version of The Police's "Every Breath You Take" doesn't hurt, either).
Based on the filmmakers' track record (you should really check out The Guest in particular) and the buzz I've heard so far, I'm ready to venture into The Woods when it comes out on Sept. 16.
X-MEN: APOCALYPSE
Who knew seeing Cyclops (Tye Sheridan) unleash his optic blast for the first time would be that satisfying? That's what happens in this cool new extended clip (it's more than two minutes long) for director Bryan Singer’s X-Men: Apocalypse.
Released by 20th Century Fox, the clip features a young Scott Summers discovering his budding mutant powers for the first time -- in a high school bathroom stall, of all places. The kicker is when Scott’s powers manifest themselves; a bit of a high school bully ends up being on the receiving end of a powerful blast.
Told ya! Satisfying. While the clip is very cool, it looks like the movie itself may be in trouble. The first reviews are in, and they’re a mixed bag, with X-Men: Apocalypse currently sitting at 47 percent on Rotten Tomatoes -- a first for a Bryan Singer-directed X-Men film! Gasp!
Still, nothing short of an apocalypse (pun intended) will stop me from going to the movie theater so I can form my own opinion of the film. I'm really looking forward to seeing younger versions of Scott, Jean Grey, Storm, Angel and Nightcrawler, as well as the introduction of Psylocke, the Four Horsemen and En Sabah Nur (aka Apocalypse) in the X-Men cinematic universe.
Since the dawn of civilization, he was worshiped as a god. Apocalypse, the first and most powerful mutant from Marvel’s X-Men universe, amassed the powers of many other mutants, becoming immortal and invincible. Upon awakening after thousands of years, he is disillusioned with the world as he finds it and recruits a team of powerful mutants, including a disheartened Magneto (Michael Fassbender), to cleanse mankind and create a new world order, over which he will reign. As the fate of the Earth hangs in the balance, Raven (Jennifer Lawrence) with the help of Professor X (James McAvoy) must lead a team of young X-Men to stop their greatest nemesis and save mankind from complete destruction.
Directed by Bryan Singer and starring James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, Jennifer Lawrence, Nicholas Hoult, Evan Peters, Sophie Turner, Rose Byrne, Olivia Munn, Tye Sheridan, Ben Hardy, Kodi Smit-McPhee, Oscar Isaac and more, X-Men: Apocalypse opens May 27.
LEGION AND HELLFIRE
While the X-Men cinematic universe is slowly expanding on the big screen with the recent addition of Deadpool and director Josh Boone’s in-the-works New Mutants, it will also unfold on the small screen thanks to upcoming TV series Legion and Hellfire.
20th Century Fox and Disney’s Marvel dream teams will unite for the first time to bring us FX’s Legion, starring Dan Stevens (Downton Abbey) as David, the son of Charles Xavier, aka Professor X, and the titular character who’s described as “a haunted man, trying to find his way back to sanity, but he's getting tired and is about to give up when he meets the girl of his dreams.” Aubrey Plaza (Parks and Recreation), Jean Smart (Fargo), Hamish Linklater (The Crazy Ones) and Rachel Keller (Fargo) also star.
They will also work hand in hand for Hellfire, a Fox TV series that will take place in the late 1960s (the setting of X-Men: First Class). The premise centers on “a young Special Agent who learns that a power-hungry woman with extraordinary abilities is working with a clandestine society of millionaires – known as 'The Hellfire Club' – to take over the world.”
Speaking with Variety, X-Men director Bryan Singer spoke about the TV shows (he will serve as executive producers on both series), hinting at some potentially intriguing storylines.
“I think the underbelly [could be explored],” Singer said. “There’s always something interesting about a school that’s got a military aspect beneath its classrooms. Is there another layer to all of that? Is there another layer to the Hellfire Club? The idea of, ‘Who’s running the world?’ — that’s something that was touched upon in ‘First Class’ but has yet to be fully explored. It just has to be explored in a very gentle, methodical way. And I’ve seen it go haywire. I’m not going to be specific where I believe it has. The audience will tell you. But when it’s done right, it all can connect.”
How much Singer will be involved in both series remains to be seen, and the rumors that he’s set to leave the X-Franchise behind after X-Men: Apocalypse (out May 27) to go helm 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea may not be as clear-cut as all that.
“When you spend nearly two decades in a universe, to simply say, ‘I’m done,’ or, ‘I’m going to abandon it,’ just wouldn’t make sense to me,” he said. “I’m very connected to this universe and a lot of these actors, and also the characters, whomever plays them. So never say never.”
ELECTRIC DREAMS: THE WORLD OF PHILIP K. DICK
It's a great day to be a Philip K. Dick fan, because there’s a new TV series based on the iconic writer’s short stories coming our way.
Bryan Cranston (Breaking Bad, Godzilla), Ronald D. Moore (Battlestar Galactica, Outlander) and Michael Dinner (Justified) are uniting to bring a 10-part anthology series titled Electric Dreams: The World of Philip K. Dick to the small screen.
Sony Pictures Television and Channel 4 (a UK broadcaster) have announced that they’re partnering on the new drama series that will see Cranston not only star but also executive-produce alongside Ron Moore and Michael Dinner. The original drama series will be based on the award-winning sci-fi writer Philip K. Dick’s groundbreaking short stories.
According to The Hollywood Reporter:
Each episode is set to be a standalone drama, adapted and modernized for global audiences by a creative team of British and American writers. The series will both illustrate the writer’s prophetic vision and celebrate the enduring appeal of his works, which include The Man in the High Castle, A Scanner Darkly and Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?, which became Ridley Scott's hit Blade Runner.
The series, commissioned by Channel 4 and made by Sony Pictures Television, will make its premiere in the UK and be distributed for the international market by Sony.
Electric Dreams: The World of Philip K. Dick will also have a who’s who of (mostly) genre executive producers in James Degus (Sneaky Pete, SuperMansion), Isa Dick Hackett (The Adjustment Bureau, The Man in the High Castle), Kalen Egan (The Man in the High Castle), Christopher Tricarico (The Man in the High Castle), Maril Davis (Battlestar Galactica, Outlander), David Kanter (The Revenant, The End of the Tour) and Matt DeRoss (Quarry, The End of the Tour).
“This is an electric dream come true. We are so thrilled to be able to explore and expand upon the evergreen themes found in the incredible work of this literary master,” Cranston said in a statement.
Ron Moore also shared his excitement for the upcoming project: “As a longtime fan of Philip K. Dick’s work, it’s a tremendous honor and thrill to be part of this series. His short stories are a treasure trove of material for artists to draw from, and I think this will be a very exciting project.”
Exciting project indeed! Getting Cranston, Moore and Dinner on board together for a Philip K. Dick anthology series is definitely a major, MAJOR coup, and I'm looking forward to seeing the author's stories unfold on the small screen.
Z
The futuristic Zorro reboot has officially enlisted a Golden Globe winner for the swashbuckling role of the legendary masked hero in director Jonas Cuaron’s Z.
According to Deadline, the movie has tapped Gael Garcia Bernal (Mozart in the Jungle) to don the iconic mask and cape in the titular role of Don Diego de la Vega, Spanish nobleman by day and masked outlaw by night. The project will reunite Bernal and Cuaron (son of Alfonso Cuaron) who’ve previously worked together on Desierto.
The character of Zorro was created by writer Johnston McCulley back in 1919 for pulp magazine All-Weekly Story and saw the original caped crusader defend the commoners and native people of California from various villains and the corrupt local authorities. Formerly titled Zorro Reborn, Z will be a reimagining of the classic stories, and instead of the 19th century, it will be set in the near future. Yep. You read that right.
A co-production between Lantica Pictures and Mark Amin’s Sobini Films, the film will be financed by Lantica Media and be sold by Pantelion Films internationally during the upcoming Cannes film market. Filming will take place in the Dominican Republic and is slated to start in the fall. Here’s what Amin had to say about the casting of Gael Garcia Bernal:
“I have always loved Gael for this role. Zorro is a hero who is charming, witty and clever. Gael possesses all those characteristic and he’s able to deliver them with a modern spin to introduce the Zorro character to a new audience.”
Having seen the actor in his award-winning role of maestro Rodrigo in Mozart in the Jungle (for which he won the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor earlier this year), I have to agree with Amin. Bernal has all the charm needed to play Don Diego de la Vega/Zorro.
KRYPTON
It seems like everyone is getting into the DC craze these days, and now Syfy is calling up its long-gestating Superman project for a pilot order.
The network (Corporate owner of Blastr -Ed.) has officially placed a pilot order for the Superman prequel series Krypton, set two generations before the destruction of Superman's home planet. The series will follow Superman’s grandfather — once the House of El is ostracized and shamed — as he fights to redeem his family’s honor and save his beloved world from chaos. It’s certainly interesting territory to mine, and if Fox’s Gotham has taught us anything, it’s that there’s certainly room for some DC projects that don’t feature the titular heroes you might expect.
The series will be executive-produced by David S. Goyer (Man of Steel, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice), with Damian Kindler (Sleepy Hollow) signed on as executive producer and showrunner. Colm McCarthy (Peaky Blinders) is attached to direct and co-executive-produce the pilot. The pilot was written by Goyer & Ian Goldberg (Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles).
“KRYPTON is one of the most iconic stories in the comic book universe,” Bill McGoldrick, Executive Vice President, Scripted Content, NBCUniversal Cable Entertainment, said in a statement. “In the talented hands of David S. Goyer and the DC Entertainment/Warner Horizon Television team, this exciting Syfy project will take viewers back to Superman’s home to show how the timeless legend began.”
The series has been in various stages of development since late 2014, and it seems the network is finally ready to pull the trigger. The series joins a renaissance of original programming at Syfy, along with The Expanse, The Magicians, Killjoys, 12 Monkeys and a host of upcoming projects.
TAU
BLOOM announced today that Maika Monroe (Independence Day: Resurgence, It Follows) and Ed Skrein (Deadpool, The Transporter Refueled) have signed on to headline TAU, a new science fiction thriller from director Federico D’ Alessandro.
TAU, penned by Noga Landau, follows Monroe as Julia, once a street-smart grifter who becomes the latest victim kidnapped and held captive in a fatal experiment. The only thing standing in the way of her freedom is TAU, an advanced artificial intelligence developed by Alex (Skrein), her captor. TAU is armed with a battalion of drones that automate a futuristic smart house. TAU’s potential is only limited by his understanding of the world he exists in, but TAU is ready for more. Julia, showing resourcefulness and courage, must race against time to bridge the boundaries between man and machine, connect to TAU and win her freedom before she suffers the same fate as the previous subjects.
Waypoint Entertainment will finance TAU under their first look deal with Addictive Pictures. David S. Goyer (Man of Steel, The Dark Knight trilogy) and Kevin Turen (The Birth of a Nation, 99 Homes) will produce under their Phantom Four banner alongside Russell Ackerman and John Schoenfelder for Addictive Pictures. Ken Kao, Dan Kao and Luc Etienne will executive produce.
“From the first moment Noga’s script made the Blacklist, we knew we wanted to be part of this special project,” says David Goyer. “Federico’s vision for the film was one of the most assured director presentations I have ever seen. Our backing of these two new voices continues our commitment to emerging filmmakers. We want to thank Ken and the Waypoint team for helping us bring this exciting story to life.”
BLOOM is handling international sales and will begin introducing the film to foreign buyers in Cannes. WME will represent the U.S. rights.
MONDAY, MAY 9, 2016
BLACK WIDOW MOVIE
With Ant-Man and the Wasp coming our way in 2018, and Captain Marvel in 2019, Marvel is finally starting to feature strong female characters as main leads in their comic book movies. But what about the badass female superhero that started it all?
It’s no secret everyone’s counting the days until Marvel Studios announces a Black Widow solo movie starring Scarlett Johansson in the titular role. Fans have been particularly vocal in their desire to see it happening sooner rather than later. Heck, she’s been in five Marvel movies already, starting with Iron Man 2. It's about high time she gets her solo adventure, right? Right.
But what does Marvel say? In a recent Q&A with Deadline, Marvel head honcho Kevin Feige opened up on a possible Black Widow film.
“We’ve announced the next nine movies, ten counting Civil War, through the end of 2019. Where we go beyond that are ongoing discussions that we’ll focus on in the next few years because we have a lot to do before then. Of the characters that you’ve just mentioned [Falcon, War Machine, Black Widow and Hawkeye] I would say certainly the one creatively and emotionally that we are most committing to doing is black widow.”
Feige then went on to explain why he thinks former Soviet assassin turned S.H.I.E.L.D. agent and Avenger Natasha Romanoff would be a great character to focus a movie on. And it's really a no-brainer.
“We think she’s an amazing character. We think Scarlett Johansson’s portrayal of her is amazing. She’s a lead Avenger and has amazing stories in her own right to tell that we think would be fun to turn into a standalone franchise.”
CON MAN ON COMIC-CON-HQ
The never-ending con game will continue for Alan Tudyk as his series Con Man is returning for a second season, but with a new home. Announced today in a press release, with a video message from the actor, the crowdfunding success story Con Man is heading to Comic-Con HQ, the subscription streaming video service from Comic-Con International and Lionsgate.
“We are thrilled to be a part of the Comic-Con HQ family,” said Tudyk in the release. “For a series that was born out of a passion for the genre and support from the fans, we couldn’t think of a better way to connect with our community.”
Season 1 of the show premiered September 2015 on Vimeo, and is of particular noteworthiness for the crowdfunding records it broke in April 2015, earning more than $3 million after a month on Indiegogo beyond its target goal of $425,000.
Created by Tudyk, Nathan Fillion and author PJ Haarsma, Con Man centers on actor Wray Nerely (Tudyk), whose sci-fi show Spectrum was canceled before its time but has since gained a cult following. Meanwhile, his co-star Jack Moore (Fillion) has gone on to the A-list actor ranks as Nerely tries to get a big break and must appear at cons and comic book shops to make a buck. If you've not seen it, the show is loaded with celeb appearances and true-to-life comic con stories, and is something of a Curb Your Enthusiasm for the nerd set.
According to the release, the second season of the series "focuses on Wray’s attempt to propel himself from B-movie sci-fi actor to esteemed mainstream leading man, while maintaining the respect of his Spectrum fans, former co-stars and Jack in the process." Fillion is also set to reprise his role Jack, with "several other familiar faces to be announced."
While the second season of Con Man will premiere late 2016, Comic-Con HQ announced Season 1 will be available on the VOD platform in June, following its beta launch tomorrow, May 7 -- Free Comic Book Day. You can sign up now for free beta access to the service, and to enter to win a trip to San Diego Comic-Con 2016.
JUSTICE LEAGUE NEWS
Deadline reports that Ben Affleck has just signed on to serve as an executive producer for Warner Bros.‘ upcoming Justice League movie, which he also stars in as Bruce Wayne/Batman. The outlet mentions he will work with director Zack Snyder and screenwriter Chris Terrio to “make the film the best he can.”
This announcement should also cement that WB is investing heavily in Affleck’s involvement with their DC Cinematic Universe moving forward as he’s set to direct a solo Batman movie some time in the future. He co-wrote the script for that film with DC Chief Creative Officer, Geoff Johns.
Production is already underway for Justice League in London. Ben Affleck, Henry Cavill and Gal Gadot are reprising their roles as the DC Trinity, Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman, in the film, with Jason Mamoa appearing 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, Willem Dafoe is appearing in a mystery role, with Jeremy Irons returning as Alfred Pennyworth and J.K. Simmons playing Commissioner Gordon.
Justice League will debut in theaters on November 10, 2017.
INFERNO
Ahead of the first full trailer tomorrow, Sony Pictures has released an Inferno trailer tease which you can view below! Inferno is director and producer Ron Howard’s third mystery involving Tom Hanks’ Robert Langdon.
Inferno finds the famous Harvard symbologist on a trail of clues tied to the great Dante himself. When Langdon wakes up in an Italian hospital with amnesia, he teams up with Sienna Brooks (Felicity Jones), a doctor he hopes will help him recover his memories. Together, they race across Europe and against the clock to foil a deadly global plot.
The third film in the franchise that launched with The Da Vinci Code in 2006 and continued with Angels & Demons in 2009, Inferno has Hanks reprising his role as Langdon opposite Oscar nominee Felicity Jones (The Theory of Everything) as Dr. Sienna Brooks, Irrfan Khan (Life of Pi) as Harry Sims (also known as The Provost), Omar Sy (The Intouchables) as Christoph Bruder, and Sidse Babett Knudsen (“Borgen”) as Dr. Elizabeth Sinskey, the head of the World Health Organization. Ben Foster (Lone Survivor) is also slated to star as the film’s chief villain.
The Imagine Entertainment production, which has a screenplay by David Koepp based on the book by Dan Brown, is slated for release on October 28, 2016. The project’s executive producers include Dan Brown, Anna Culp, Bill Connor, and David Householter.
MIB23
Back in March, word broke that James Bobin was in talks to direct the upcoming Sony Pictures Men in Black and 21 Jump Street franchise mashup, MIB 23. ComingSoon.net caught up with the director today during the London junket for Bobin’s latest, Alice Through the Looking Glass, and confirmed that Bobin will, indeed, take the reins for the unusual crossover.
“Yes, it’s very early stages, obviously,” Bobin said when asked if he had officially boarded the MIB 23 project, “but I’ve always loved the ‘Men in Black’ world. Channing [Tatum] and Jonah [Hill] in ’21 Jump Street’ are just so funny. Those guys and their world makes me laugh every time I think about it. That’s always a good sign for a film.”
“[I]t’s definitely a really interesting concept that makes you think,” Chris Miller told CS last year. “Talking about it, developing it with Jonah [Hill] and Channing [Tatum] and Rodney [Rothman] and the studio, we can’t just do the, ‘Hey, it’s the same thing again’ schtick because we did that already.”
Interestingly enough, Miller also revealed that he considers the entire roster of sequels featured in the 22 Jump Street end credits part of the official franchise continuity.
“Those are canon, all 22 sequels,” he said. “If we’re going to do something, it’s got to be different but still have that same very specific ‘Jump Street’ flavor to it.”
Check back soon for our video interviews with Bobin, Alice Through the Looking Glass star Mia Wasikowska, and producer Tim Burton. The film also stars Johnny Depp, Anne Hathaway, Helena Bonham Carter and Sacha Baron Cohen. Look for it to hit the big screen May 27.
WEEKEND BOX OFFICE
Captain America: Civil War opened this weekend in North America to an estimated $181.8 million, the fifth-highest domestic opening in industry history. Marvel Studios now has four of the top six openings of all time. An estimated international weekend of $220 million results in an overall global weekend of $401.8 million and a worldwide total of $678.39 million to date for the fifth global release and #3 Western international release of 2016 in just 12 days. Captain America: Civil War delivered a global weekend of $31.3 million in IMAX theatres, a new IMAX record for a day-and-date opening of a Marvel title (surpassing Iron Man 3’s $28.7 million). After two weekends, the worldwide IMAX total is $45 million.
The Marvel release received an A CinemaScore from audiences, indicating it will have strong holds for the weeks to come. The film cost $250 million to make before marketing expenses.
The opening helped The Walt Disney Studios surpass $1 billion domestic ($1.121 billion to date) in just 128 days – shattering the previous record set last year of 165 days – as well as $2 billion international ($2.220 billion to date) and $3 billion global ($3.341 billion to date), surpassing the previous industry records set last year in June.
Captain America: Civil War features 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 is also 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.
Captain America: Civil War was directed by Anthony and Joe Russo from a screenplay by Christopher Markus & Stephen McFeely.
In North America, Disney’s The Jungle Book earned $21.9 million in second place its fourth weekend to take its total to $284.9 million. Internationally, the Jon Favreau-directed film added $24.1 million and has now reached $491.2 million for a worldwide total of $776.2 million. Internationally, China continues to lead the way with $147.3 million, and the movie has yet to open in Japan and Korea. The Jungle Book was made for about $175 million before marketing.
With the Mother’s Day celebration this weekend, the Garry Marshall-directed Mother’s Day actually climbed a spot to third place and increased sales by 7.6%. The Open Road release added $9 million its second weekend for a total of $20.7 million so far. Mother’s Day stars Jennifer Aniston, Kate Hudson, Julia Roberts, Jason Sudeikis, Britt Robertson, Timothy Olyphant, Hector Elizondo and Jack Whitehall.
Coming in at #4 was Universal’s The Huntsman: Winter’s War, which earned $3.6 million its third weekend for a total of $40.4 million. Internationally, The Huntsman: Winter’s War has brought in $105.9 million for a global sum of $146.3 million. Made for about $115 million, the film stars Chris Hemsworth, Emily Blunt, Jessica Chastain and Charlize Theron.
Rounding out the top five in North America was the Warner Bros. Key & Peele action-comedy Keanu, which earned $3 million its second weekend for a total of $15.1 million. That matches its cost of about $15 million.
In other superhero news, Warner Bros.’ Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice added $1 million its seventh week to take its domestic total to $327.3 million.
FRIDAY, MAY 6, 2016
IRREDEEMABLE
Adept screenwriter/director Adam McKay has been hooked to helm a big-screen adaptation of Mark Waid's Irredeemable comic book for 20th Century Fox, which features a mass-murdering superhero named the Plutonian.
McKay was responsible for the agile, whip-smart script for Marvel's Ant-Man and is currently reworking a fresh draft of Ant-Man and the Wasp. This will be McKay's (Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy, Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby) next major assignment behind the camera after his solid work on The Big Short, with the screenplay being written by Tommy Wirkolawho, who penned the underrated Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters and the insane Nazi zombie Dead Snow flicks.
Irredeemable was Waid's creator-owned title with art by Peter Krause, published through Boom! Studios from 2009-2012, and told the ambitious tale of Plutonian, a superpowered entity once thought to be the world's most revered savior, and his descent and transformation into Earth's greatest supervillain. After obliterating Sky City, a metropolis he once guarded, and killing millions of innocent citizens across the globe, a potent force of remaining superheroes called the Paradigm must band together to discover the reason behind the maniac's insanity and stop his homicidal rampage. With its darker shades of the superhero realm and a loyal following from Mark Waid's 37-issue comic run, this might be an interesting diversion from the increasingly formulaic fare being served up throughout the calendar year.
WAYWARD PINES
A true success story of the DVR age, Fox’s event series Wayward Pines officially returns for a second season later this month. So, what can we expect from the creepiest little town on the planet this year?
Though the first season was conceived as a miniseries with a set ending, time-shifted viewership turned the show into a big enough success that the network decided to bring producer M. Night Shyamalan back for another 10-episode run. The new season picks up in the wake of Season 1, but jumps ahead enough that new fans can tune in and not be entirely lost. Jason Patric will star in Season 2, providing a new character to reintroduce this bizarre world once again.
The season begins with the residents of Wayward Pines battling against the iron-fisted rule of the First Generation. Dr. Theo Yedlin (Jason Patric) — a new resident of Wayward Pines — awakens from suspended animation and finds himself in the middle of this rebellion as he tries to understand what Wayward Pines really is and help preserve the endangered human race.
Along with Patric, the cast for Season 2 also includes Djimon Hounsou (Guardians of the Galaxy) and Hope Davis (Disconnect). Season 1 alums Carla Gugino (Roadies), Melissa Leo (The Fighter) and Terrence Howard (Empire) will also be back.
The second season of Wayward Pines premieres May 25 on Fox.
AFTERMATH
Syfy is gearing up to start production on a new, post-apocalyptic series that will also dabble in the supernatural. Now we know who will be leading the cast through Aftermath.
The network (Corporate owner of Blastr -Ed.) has announced that real-life couple James Tupper (Revenge) and Anne Heche (Hung) will star as husband and wife in the new, 13-episode series. Created by William Laurin and Glenn Davis, the series follows Heche and Tupper’s characters as they battle for survival once civilization comes to an end — and supernatural creatures begin to rise.
Tupper portrays Joshua Copeland, a university professor whose study of world cultures gives him unique abilities and insights that may help him decode the events of the apocalypse. Heche plays his wife, Karen Copeland, a fierce protector who, in her quest to keep her family safe, draws on the combat skills and survival training she received as an Air Force pilot. The rest of the cast is rounded out with Julia Sarah Stone (Falling Skies), Taylor Hickson (Deadpool) and Levi Meaden (Olympus), who play their teenage children.
“Tupper and Heche are a perfect fit for Aftermath since they embody the tenacity and intelligence needed to lead viewers and our fictional family through the unpredictable, mysterious journey at the end of the world,” said Chris Regina, Senior Vice President, Program Strategy, Syfy & Chiller.
The series is a co-production between Space and Syfy. Production is set to ramp up in Vancouver next week. No word on when the show will premiere, though this fall/winter seems likely.
LEGO STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS
May the Fourth be with you! Today is Star Wars Day and in honor of this holiest of days on this side of the galaxy, Warner Bros. Games has unleashed a hilarious new trailer for LEGO Star Wars: The Force Awakens.
The upcoming video game will feature new content meant to bridge the story gap between Return of the Jedi and The Force Awakens. It’ll also let you play with some of your favorite characters including Rey, Finn, Poe Dameron, Han Solo, Chewbacca, BB-8, C-3PO, Captain Phasma and Kylo Ren.
There will also be six new fun adventures that'll see Han and Chewbacca hunting for Rathtars, foiling the First Order’s plans with the Crimson Corsair, discovering the secrets of Jakku with Lor San Tekka, rescuing Admiral Akbar with Poe Dameron (this had better not be a trap!), and more.
LEGO Star Wars: The Force Awakens takes players deeper into the new film than any other game with all of the heroic characters from the movie, including Rey, Finn, Poe Dameron, Han Solo, Chewbacca, C-3PO, and BB-8, as well as Kylo Ren, General Hux and Captain Phasma, while also exploring iconic Star Wars locales, such as Jakku and Starkiller Base. This action-packed adventure introduces new gameplay features, including the enhanced “Multi-Builds” system, where players can choose from multiple building options to advance the game. Gamers will be able to engage in intense new Blaster Battles for the first time, utilizing surrounding environments to drive back the First Order. Fans can also experience the thrill of high-speed flight gameplay through arena-based battles and dogfights in space, while utilizing a multitude of vehicles along the way, including the legendary Millennium Falcon.
LEGO Star Wars: The Force Awakens will hit store shelves for the PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 3 (along with exclusive DLC), PlayStation Vita, Xbox One, Xbox 360, Wii U, the Nintendo 3DS family of systems and Windows PC on June 28.
STAR WARS NEWS
It’s official! Well, almost official. While there’s no official announcement yet from Disney and Lucasfilm, we’re hearing that Alden Ehrenreich, who recently starred in Joel and Ethan Coen’s Hail, Caesar!, has signed on the dotted line to take on the lead role in Phil Lord and Chris Miller‘s 2018 Han Solo Star Wars Story film.
Ehrenreich’s credits also include Woody Allen’s Blue Jasmine, Chan-wook Park’s Stoker and a pair of Francis Ford Coppola films, Twixt and Tetro.
The screenplay for the Han Solo movie is written by Lawrence Kasdan and Jon Kasdan and will focus on how young Han Solo became the smuggler, thief, and scoundrel whom Luke Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi first encountered in the cantina at Mos Eisley. It has also been confirmed that Chewbacca will also be a featured character in the film and, while unconfirmed, it s likely that The Force Awakens‘ Joonas Suotamo will reprise the role.
Slated for a May 25, 2018 release, the Han Solo movie will be executive produced by Lawrence Kasdan and Jason McGatlin and co-produced by Will Allegra. Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, meanwhile, hits theaters December 16, 2016.
WEDNESDAY, MAY 4, 2016
ANDRON
With movies like The Hunger Games, The Maze Runner and The Divergent Series leading the charge of dystopian sci-fi tales featuring pretty young people having to fight for their very survival in games of some sort, it’s not surprising that we get yet another movie offering more of the same.
But where we got various degrees of quality with the above-mentioned films, this one looks downright cheap -- and not even in an “it’s-so-bad-it’s-good” type of way. Heck, even the first poster is painfully bad, although the second one is a bit better, even if super generic. But eh, I could be wrong, and you might even kinda sorta enjoy it.
Starring Alec Baldwin (30 Rock) in the role of a President Snow wannabe, Michelle Ryan (Jekyll, Bionic Woman), Skin (lead singer of U.K. band Skunk Anansie), Jon Kortajarena (A Single Man), Gale Harold (Queer as Folk), Leo Howard (G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra) and Danny Glover (Lethal Weapon movies), the movie is directed by Italian filmmaker Francesco Cinquemani. Here’s the official synopsis:
In the year 2154, a group of young men and women awake in a dark claustrophobic maze. They don’t remember who they are or how they got stuck in the Black Labyrinth of ANDRON. The group must learn to decipher codes, understand the signals and beat the tests in this mysterious and bizarre place. Out of necessity they struggle to form a bond to survive, while the outside world watches and wagers on their fate.
Andron will open in movie theaters on June 3.
WHEEL OF TIME
The epic forces of light and darkness are set to strike the small screen as recent news broke of legendary fantasy author Robert Jordan's 14-novel saga The Wheel of Time being targeted for a future TV adaptation.
James Oliver Rigney Jr., who wrote under the pen name of Robert Jordan, passed away in 2007, and the rights to the intellectual property had been tied up in the courts over a legal issue with Red Eagle Entertainment. Jordan's widow, Harriet McDougal, made the announcement on Thursday night regarding the resolved matter and freeing the way for a major network or production house to pick up the adaptation rights for a prestige miniseries or ongoing episodic show.
“Wanted to share with you exciting news about The Wheel of Time. Legal issues have been resolved. The Wheel of Time will become a cutting edge TV series! I couldn’t be more pleased. Look for the official announcement coming soon from a major studio.”
This is a sizeable prize for a cable network or streaming entity to grab, and chances are it will be snatched up pretty quickly, especially with HBO's Game of Thrones coming to an end in the next 18-24 months and Outlander enjoying roaring success on Starz. Transcending conventional notions of time and religion and steeped in European and Asian mythology, the first book in the sprawling series, The Eye of the World, was published in 1990, launching the best-selling series into high fantasy literary legend. The final three books were released posthumously, written by Brandon Sanderson using Jordan's detailed story notes. The family's estate hopes to land a major player soon (if not already found) to give this vividly conceived world a proper TV transformation.
EMPRESS
Just days after it was revealed that his comics American Jesus and Supercrooks were getting the adaptation treatment, The Hollywood Reporter brings word that Mark Millar is teaming with producers Joe Roth (Alice in Wonderland, Maleficent) and Jeff Kirschenbaum to bring his latest series, Empress, to the big screen. Screenwriter F. Scott Frazier (XXX: The Return of Xander Cage) will write the script for Empress movie.
“Nobody creates universes that translate into big movie ideas better than Millar,” said Kirschenbaum. “With Empress he’s raised the bar yet again. Part Star Wars, part Guardians of the Galaxy and part something wholly fresh that only the amazing brain of Millar could spawn.”
“In terms of pure concept, this is the most ambitious story I’ve ever come up with so it needed the most experienced producers I’ve ever been in business with,” Millar added. “Joe Roth is a genuine Hollywood legend and Jeff Kirschenbaum was part of the team that broke every record in the book at Universal last year. Even being on the same poster as these two guys is exciting to me.”
The series, written by Millar with art by Stuart Immonen, is described as follows:
“Imagine you’re married to the worst bad guy from your favorite sci-fi movie. An alien dictator feared throughout the universe, who will kill you if you leave, but you need to escape for the sake of your three children. All you have are your wits, your bodyguard, and three guns.”
ABOVE SUSPICION
Jack Huston and Emilia Clarke will star in veteran filmmaker Phillip Noyce’s thriller film Above Suspicion. Adapted from the book of the same name by New York Times columnist Joe Sharkey and based on a true story, the film is written by Golden Globe nominee Chris Gerolmo. The film will be produced by Colleen Camp for Colleen Camp Productions, and produced and financed by Mohamed AlRafi and Tim Degraye. Also producing are Emmy nominated writer Angela Amato-Velez and Amy Adelson. Principal photography is slated to begin May 23, 2016.
Sierra/Affinity will commence international sales on behalf of the film at this year’s Cannes Film Market. Jay Cohen at The Gersh Agency will represent US rights to the film.
Above Suspicion is the chilling true story of a newly married FBI poster-boy assigned to an Appalachian mountain town in Kentucky. There he is drawn into an illicit affair with an impoverished local woman who becomes his star informant. She sees in him her means of escape; instead, it’s a ticket to disaster for both of them. This scandal shook the foundations of the nation’s top law enforcement agency, ending in the first ever conviction of an FBI agent for murder.
Noyce previously directed Salt, The Giver, The Bone Collector, The Saint and Clear and Present Danger.
Huston will next star in the title role of the upcoming re-imagining of Ben-Hur from MGM and Paramount Pictures this summer, followed by Alexandre Moors’ Yellow Birds. He was most recently seen in Hail, Caesar! and Pride and Prejudice and Zombies. Additional credits include David O’Russell’s Oscar-winning American Hustle and the HBO television series “Boardwalk Empire.”
Clarke stars on the critically acclaimed HBO television series “Game of Thrones,” which is currently in its sixth season and has earned her two Primetime Emmy nominations. She will next star in the upcoming feature Me Before You for MGM and Warner Bros., based on the number one best-selling novel of the same name. Last year, she also starred in Terminator Genysis, which earned over $440 million worldwide.
Gerolmo’s writing credits include Mississippi Burning, for which he was nominated for a Golden Globe for Best Screenplay, and critically acclaimed Citizen X. He was also the creator/writer/director of “Over There” for 20th Century Fox Television.
TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES: OUT OF THE SHADOWS
Paramount Pictures has released the new Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows trailer, which you can watch below! The David Green-directed sequel opens in theaters on June 3, 2016.
Michelangelo, Donatello, Leonardo, and Raphael return to theaters this summer to battle bigger, badder villains, alongside April O’Neil (Megan Fox), Vern Fenwick (Will Arnett), and a newcomer: the hockey-masked vigilante Casey Jones (Stephen Amell). After supervillain Shredder escapes custody, he joins forces with mad scientist Baxter Stockman (Tyler Perry) and two dimwitted henchmen, Bebop (Gary Anthony Williams) and Rocksteady (WWE Superstar Stephen “Sheamus” Farrelly), to unleash a diabolical plan to take over the world. As the Turtles prepare to take on Shredder and his new crew, they find themselves facing an even greater evil with similar intentions: the notorious Krang.
The original film, which opened in theaters on August 7, 2014 and was directed by Jonathan Liebesman, grossed more than $485 million at the worldwide box office. It also starred Danny Woodburn and Tony Shalhoub.
MONDAY, MAY 2, 2016
BLACK MIRROR
Netflix’s upcoming Black Mirror revival series has nabbed another high-profile director.
According to Deadline, Dan Trachtenberg (10 Cloverfield Lane) will helm an episode of Netflix’s Black Mirror revival of the critically acclaimed UK series. The director is joining a list that currently includes Joe Wright (Atonement, Hanna) and Jakob Verbruggen (House of Cards). With 12 episodes slated, I wonder who else will join this growing list of interesting directors.
The original Channel 4 anthology series (there are seven episodes total spread over two seasons, including an extended holiday special) that showed the dark side of life and technology and often ended with a Twilight Zone type of twist. The series was made up of standalone episodes featuring an entirely new cast, setting, plot and director for each and every one of them.
Created and written by Charlie Brooker, Black Mirror nabbed an international Emmy Award, a Peabody Award and a Rose D’Or and was even nominated for a BAFTA. Not bad, eh? Brooker and Annabel Jones, who executive-produced the first seven episodes of the series, are back on exec-producing duties and will also serve as showrunners for the new series written by Brooker.
Last year, Netflix ordered 12 new episodes, with Bryce Dallas Howard (Jurassic World), Malachi Kirby (Doctor Who, Jekyll & Hyde) and Alice Eve (Star Trek Into Darkness) recently confirmed to star in some of the new eps of the revival series.
THE PUNISHER ON NETFLIX
It seemed like almost a foregone conclusion that Jon Bernthal’s Punisher would eventually have his own series at Netflix, and now it’s official.
Marvel has formally ordered a full season of The Punisher, giving the breakout antihero from the second season of Daredevil his own 13 episodes to shine. As expected, Bernthal (The Walking Dead) will reprise his role as Frank Castle. Steve Lightfoot (Hannibal) has signed on as executive producer and showrunner for The Punisher. He’ll also be writing the first two episodes.
“For me, the complexity and unpredictability of Frank Castle make him an incredibly compelling character and I couldn’t be more excited to dive into his world,” Lightfoot said in a statement. “After watching Jon’s performance in ‘Marvel’s Daredevil’ I could not be more excited to be working with him to further develop and progress the story of this anti-hero in a show of his own.”
For those keeping count, The Punisher series is Marvel’s sixth series ordered as part of the studio’s massive deal with Netflix. Daredevil and Jessica Jones have already been released, while Luke Cage and Iron Fist are currently in production. All the shows are leading to a team-up Defenders mini-series (no word yet on whether The Punisher will also show up in that one).
Though The Punisher shone as a supporting player, it’ll really be interesting to see how Marvel approaches the character with the spotlight fully on Frank Castle. A murderer is a hard character to make sympathetic, but if any studio can pull it off, it’s probably Marvel.
DANGER MOUSE COMING TO NETFLIX
Along with cranking out a ton of original fare, Netflix is also digging up all the things you love and bringing them back to life. Up next for a revival? The beloved 1980s animated superhero series Danger Mouse.
The streaming service has dropped the first trailer from its 26-episode season of Danger Mouse, which showcases a bit of action and not much else. If you’re unfamiliar (go back and pick up the original series on Amazon, we’ll wait), the show focuses on a mouse secret agent who saves the world with cool gadgets and goes on zany adventures. The original show was a cult hit that ran for a decade, so you’d certainly think there’s more than enough nostalgia to mine with modern animation and a fresh voice cast.
The new series features Alexander Armstrong as Danger Mouse, Lena Headey as Jeopardy Mouse, John Oliver as Dr. Augustus P Crumhorn III, Kevin Eldon as Penfold, Stephen Fry as Colonel K, and Dave Lamb as the show’s narrator.
The first, 26-episode season of Danger Mouse drops today on Netflix. The series has already aired (and proven a hit) in the U.K. and is a Netflix acquisition in the U.S. market.
PENNY DREADFUL-SEASON THREE
The second season finale of Penny Dreadful on Showtime shattered the heroic alliance between Vanessa Ives (Eva Green), Ethan Chandler (Josh Hartnett), and Sir Malcolm Murray (Timothy Dalton). To save Sir Malcolm and Vanessa, Sembene (Danny Sapani) allowed himself to be killed by Ethan’s werewolf form. Out of shame, Ethan left Vanessa behind and he allowed himself to be forcibly returned to America while Sir Malcolm resolved to bring Sembene’s body back to Africa for burial. In the end, Vanessa seemingly gave up on her faith in God after besting Lucifer in a contest of wills.
Penny Dreadful Season 3 was unleashed on Sunday, May 1, however most of the story details are still under wraps. That said, ComingSoon.net does have some guesses about several of the new characters joining the series, as well as a few additional tidbits about where the show might be going with its storylines. Everything we know about the third season is right here!
After two seasons, we’re finally going to meet Ethan’s father, Jared Talbot, as played by screen legend Brian Cox. Talbot is said to be a very wealthy rancher who has a powerful influence. It’s also likely that this season will explore how Ethan became a werewolf and why he fled America. In the first season of the series, it was implied that Talbot had cleaned up Ethan’s legal problems and it was stated outright that Talbot had paid the Pinkertons to retrieve his son. It’s less clear if Talbot is aware of what Ethan has become, but considering the fact that the first Pinkertons to approach Ethan expected him to wear restraints, it seems like a strong possibility that Talbot did know about his son’s fate.
Malcolm will keep his promise to honor Sembene’s remains in Africa. And that may be where Malcolm will encounter Kaetenay, an Apache warrior played by Wes Studi. Kaetenay is an old ally of Ethan’s who will track down Malcolm in a bid to help their mutual friend. To do that, they’re gonna have to go to America as well.
As for Vanessa, she’s not doing well at all. This season, Vanessa will once again be institutionalized as her sanity slips further and further away. After her turn as the Cut-Wife last season, Patti Lupone is returning to Penny Dreadful as Dr. Seward, Vanessa’s new psychiatrist. Supposedly, Dr. Seward can help Vanessa. But can Dr. Seward be trusted when her secretary is literally Renfield (Sam Barnett) from the well-known novel, Dracula? The trailers for Penny Dreadful Season 3 have hinted that the vampires from the first season will return. Does this mean that Dracula is coming as well?
Even if we don’t get to meet Dracula this season, there is a major literary character coming to the series: Dr. Henry Jekyll, as played by Shazad Latif. It’s unclear if Jekyll will already be afflicted with his Mr. Hyde persona when the season begins.
As for Frankenstein’s creature, John Clare (Rory Kinnear), he’ll be back as well. Despite John Clare’s stated intention to leave, he will return in pursuit of his own agenda. Knowing John Clare, that usually means making life miserable for his “father,” Victor. But perhaps Clare will turn his hate towards the reborn Brona Croft/Lily (Billie Piper) and her new lover, Dorian Gray (Reeve Carney).
Last season, Lily appeared to have plans to rise up and rebel. This season will follow up on that plotline as Lily and Dorian gain an acolyte named Justine (Jessica Barden). The trailers have also implied that Dorian may not be fully on board with Lily’s plan, as he appeared to be suggesting they act more like humans than monsters. There has also been some suggestion that Lily and Dorian may be this season’s big bads, but that rumor remains unconfirmed.
The series will also explore how Vanessa, Ethan and Sir Malcolm deal with their inner and outer darkness without the emotional support of their friends and makeshift family.
JUSTICE LEAGUE NEWS
Jeremy Irons will be returning as Alfred in the Zack Snyder-directed Justice League: Part One, the actor told Showbiz 411. Irons can currently be seen in theaters as Alfred in Warner Bros. Pictures‘ Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, which has earned over $856 million worldwide.
Production is already underway for Justice League in London. Ben Affleck, Henry Cavill and Gal Gadot are reprising their roles as the DC Trinity, Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman, in the film, with Jason Mamoa appearing 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, Willem Dafoe is appearing in a mystery role, and J.K. Simmons is playing Commissioner Gordon.
Justice League will debut in theaters on November 10, 2017. While we’ll have to wait and see how big his role is in that film, Irons’ Alfred will undoubtedly have a lot of screen time in the upcoming Ben Affleck-directed, and co-written, untitled solo Batman movie.
WEEKEND BOX OFFICE
The Walt Disney Studios dominated the worldwide box office this weekend with The Jungle Book easily holding onto the top spot in North America and Captain America: Civil War opening big internationally.
Captain America: Civil War has launched internationally to an estimated $200.2 million from 37 territories (63% of the international marketplace), playing narrowly behind Avengers: Age of Ultron (about 5% behind) and setting multiple records, including all-time industry opening weekends in Brazil, Mexico and the Philippines. Strong international grosses are expected for tomorrow as well due to the May Day holiday on Monday in many markets. In addition to the North American release, next weekend sees openings in all the remaining international markets, including Italy (May 4), Russia (May 5), Argentina (May 5) and China (May 6), as well as Croatia, Czech Rep, Greece, Hungary, Lebanon, Slovakia, Slovenia, Ukraine, Poland, Turkey, New Zealand, India, Trinidad and Uruguay.
The Russo Brothers-directed film blew away expectations by delivering an epic $9.6 million on 205 overseas IMAX screens, or a heroic $47K per screen – nearly double the IMAX per screen average of Captain America: Winter Soldier‘s $25K for its early international weekend. Next week, another 750 IMAX screens will open Captain America: Civil War with the North American launch as well as more overseas territories, including the all-important China market.
In North America, Disney’s The Jungle Book added another $42.4 million in first place its third weekend, dropping just 31%, to bring its total to $252 million. The Jon Favreau-directed movie also earned another $57.1 million internationally for an overseas total of $432.7 million. The worldwide total is now up to $684.8 million, with $130 million of that coming just from China. The Jungle Book was made for about $175 million before marketing expenses. The film has not opened yet in Korea and Japan.
Remaining in second place domestically was Universal Pictures‘ The Huntsman: Winter’s War, which earned $9.39 million from 3,802 theaters for a two-week total of $33.9 million. Starring Chris Hemsworth, Emily Blunt, Jessica Chastain and Charlize Theron, the film has also grossed $97 million overseas for a worldwide total of $130 million. It was made for $115 million. The first film, Snow White and the Huntsman, earned $155.3 million domestically, $241.3 million overseas, and $396.6 million worldwide.
Following close in third place was the Warner Bros. Key & Peele action-comedy Keanu, which earned $9.35 million from 2,658 theaters. Made for just $15 million, the R-rated Keanu received a B CinemaScore from audiences.
Debuting in fourth place, the Garry Marshall-directed Mother’s Day earned $8.3 million from 3,035 theaters. The Open Road release stars Jennifer Aniston, Kate Hudson, Julia Roberts, Jason Sudeikis, Britt Robertson, Timothy Olyphant, Hector Elizondo and Jack Whitehall. It received a B+ CinemaScore.
Warner Bros.’ Barbershop: The Next Cut rounded out the top five with $6.1 million and has grossed $44.7 million after three weeks.
Back to Disney. The studio’s Zootopia continues to perform strong worldwide as well, taking in another $5 million its ninth weekend domestically in sixth place and $8.3 million internationally. The animated hit has now earned $323.5 million domestically and $607.9 million overseas for an amazing $931.4 million worldwide.
While Zootopia continues to do well, families were not very interested in the video game adaptation Ratchet & Clank (Focus), which opened to just $4.8 million in seventh place from 2,891 theaters. It received a B CinemaScore. Universal’s The Boss, meanwhile, added $4.3 million its fourth weekend for a domestic total of $56 million.
In other superhero news, Warner Bros.’ Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice added $3.8 million domestically and $2.75 million internationally. The Zack Snyder-directed comic book adaptation has earned $325 million in North America and $537.8 million internationally for a worldwide total of $862.9 million.
Welcome and thank you for dropping by. Babylon 5
brought many of us together -- and it remains with us, despite the fact that
is no longer in production. The good thing is that the internet gives a LOT
of ways to stay in touch. Don't be shy. Join in the discussion today or drop
by Facebook or Twitter.
