Murphy's Multiverse

Author: Nicole

  • J.D. Dillard No Longer Set to Helm a ‘Star Wars’ Film

    J.D. Dillard No Longer Set to Helm a ‘Star Wars’ Film

    In February 2020, it was revealed that Sleight director J.D. Dillard was set to direct a Star Wars movie from screenwriter Matt Owens. At the time, it wasn’t known whether or not the project would be for the big screen or for Disney+. Details regarding the plot and characters involved were also unknown at the time. Unfortunately, it seems those eager to see a Star Wars film from Dillard will continue to wait, though, as the mysterious project is no longer moving forward.

    In an interview with The Wrap to promote his latest film, Devotion, Dillard was asked about the status of his Star Wars project. Sadly, it seems things simply didn’t work out and the project is no longer moving forward. “It was not for lack of trying.” the director said. He also made it a point of noting if he does make a space film, it’ll be an original idea.

    The outlet tried to get Dillard to comment on what a Star Wars film from him would “feel like,” to which Dillard cited a memory from his childhood.

    “My dad being an aviator, we had a bunch of flight simulators, including TIE Fighter. I’m playing this game for months. And my dad’s flying it with me. And I’m like, ‘Man, this game is just so cool.’ And he’s like, ‘Well, you know, this game comes from a series of movies.’ And I was like, ‘You’re kidding me.’ That is where I watched ‘Star Wars’ for the first time and realized the full scope of what it meant to world build because I’d been playing this pseudo-16-bit game.”

    Dillard, however, did briefly comment on the J.J. Abrams‘ Superman project with Ta-Nehisi Coates, which he was loosely tied to at some point. He called the project, “something I have never spoken about” and said that Abrams has his number “if that is ever to be a conversation.”

    News that Dillard is no longer developing a Star Wars project comes on the heels of the announcement that Shawn Levy is entering a galaxy far, far away. That project, however, will take some time to enter production as Levy still has Season 5 of Stranger Things and then Deadpool 3 to worry about first.

    Devotion, the latest film from Dillard, will hit theaters on Nov. 23rd.

    Source: The Wrap.

  • Shawn Levy to Direct a ‘Star Wars’ Film Following ‘Deadpool 3’

    Shawn Levy to Direct a ‘Star Wars’ Film Following ‘Deadpool 3’

    With Deadpool 3 and Season 5 of Stranger Things still on deck, Shawn Levy looks to have already set his next feature. Deadline has reported that Levy is in talks to helm a Star Wars movie. The outlet reports that Levy will develop the project to direct it, but no further details are available as of this time.

    Levy is the latest director to be attached to an untitled Star Wars project. Taika Waititi is developing a Star Wars film and Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy recently signed on to direct a movie penned by Damon Lindeloff. Lucasfilm is also working with Marvel Studios’ Kevin Feige to develop an unspecified project. With Levy tied up on the final season of Stranger Things, and then set to jump on Deadpool 3 with his Free Guy leading man Ryan Reynolds, Levy’s Star Wars project is likely still years away at best.

    Up next for the always-busy Levy is the Netflix mini-series, All The Light You Cannot See, in which he directed all four episodes. He most recently directed The Adam Project, which also starred Reynolds. Levy also helmed Free Guy with Reynolds, in which a sequel is reportedly being discussed. As of right now, no writer or release date has been announced for Levy’s Star Wars film.

    Source: Deadline.

  • Cast Confirmed for ‘Star Wars’ Series ‘The Acolyte’ 

    Cast Confirmed for ‘Star Wars’ Series ‘The Acolyte’ 

    Filming on The Acolyte has begun production and Lucasfilm has confirmed the show’s core cast. The series, which is set to star Amandla Stenberg, will focus on the final days of the High Republic era. Joining Stenberg are the previously announced Manny Jacinto (The Good Place), Jodie Turner-Smith (Queen & Slim) and Lee Jung-jae (Squid Game).

    (L-R): Amandla Stenberg, Lee Jung-jae and Director Leslye Headland on the set of Lucasfilm’s THE ACOLYTE, exclusively on Disney+. ©2022 Lucasfilm Ltd. & TM. All Rights Reserved.

    Also confirmed to star in the series are Dafne Keen (His Dark Materials), Rebecca Henderson (Inventing Anna), Charlie Barnett (Russian Doll), Dean-Charles Chapman (1917) and Carrie-Anne Moss (The Matrix).

    The Acolyte is being described as a mystery-thriller that will take viewers into a “galaxy of shadowy secrets and emerging Dark side powers in the final days of the High Republic era.” The project was first announced in April 2020, with Lucasfilm finally confirming the series in December 2020. Per Lucasfilm, “A former Padawan reunites with her Jedi Master to investigate a series of crimes, but the forces they confront are more sinister than they ever anticipated.”

    Russian Doll‘s Leslye Headland will serve as the series director, writer, executive producer and showrunner on The Acolyte. Filming on the Disney+ series is officially underway in London.

    Source: EW.

  • ‘The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes’ Wraps Production

    ‘The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes’ Wraps Production

    Actress Rachel Zegler has announced that production has wrapped on The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes. Zegler, who plays Lucy Gray Baird in the film, shared two images of herself with the film’s clapperboard on set.

    “Many, many, many more words come to mind but I shan’t bore you by pretending I have anything new to offer you with my thoughts,” she tweeted. “Just know I am thankful. Just know I love telling stories. Just know I am so happy with real life. Happy wrap, my songbirds.”

    The film is directed by Francis Lawrence, who helmed three of the Hunger Games films. It was first announced by Lionsgate as part of its Cinema Con presentation back in April. He directs the from a script by the book’s author Suzanne Collins, Michael Arndt (Catching Fire), and Michael Lesslie. The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes tells the story of Coriolanus Snow at the age of eighteen as he prepares to enter the Hunger Games

    The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes will be produced by franchise producer Nina Jacobson and her partner Brad Simpson, as well as Lawrence. Collins, who penned The Hungers Games books, will also serve as an executive producer alongside Tim Palen and Jim Miller. The film is set to hit theaters on Nov. 17, 2023.

    Source: Twitter.

  • ‘Westworld’ Has Been Canceled by HBO

    ‘Westworld’ Has Been Canceled by HBO

    In a shocking decision, HBO has decided not to renew Westworld for another season.

    The series, which ran for four seasons on HBO, was thought to be one of the network’s biggest titles. During its run, the acclaimed series managed to earn an impressive 54 Emmy award nominations, which included a supporting actress win for Thandiwe Newton. Despite the show’s initial success, the series continued to lose viewers – and critics – following its third season and leading into Season 4.

    News of the show’s cancellation comes about a month after co-creator Jonathan Nolan discussed his hopes for a fifth season. At the time, Nolan told the folks at Deadline that the plan was always for five seasons. “We always planned for a fifth and final season. We are still in conversations with the network. We very much hope to make them.”

    HBO released a statement regarding the cancellation, noting the work the cast and crew have put in throughout the years. “Over the past four seasons, Lisa and Jonah have taken viewers on a mind-bending odyssey, raising the bar at every step. We are tremendously grateful to them, along with their immensely talented cast, producers and crew, and all of our partners at Kilter Films, Bad Robot and Warner Bros. Television. It’s been a thrill to join them on this journey.”

    Source: THR.

  • Two New ‘Fate: The Winx Saga’ Projects in Development

    Two New ‘Fate: The Winx Saga’ Projects in Development

    Following the news that Netflix has canceled Fate: The Winx Saga after two seasons, creator Iginio Straffi has revealed the series will live on in two new projects. Straffi took to social media on Thursday evening to announce both a new animated series and a movie are in development.

    In a post shared on Instagram, Straffi noted the way the shows cancellation was announced, calling it “abrupt” and ultimately mishandled. “The news that there will be no season three should not have been delivered in such an abrupt way, disregarding of our involvement and your feelings, by someone who was only part of the Winx Club journey for a few years, after being appointed by Netflix to work on the Fate series.”

    On the second slide, he noted that he’s actively working on a new CG animated series based on the beloved franchise. “A brand new CG Winx animated series reboot is going into production. Yes, a reboot that I promise to sweep you back into the Winx world.”

    The series, of course, was initially an animated Nickelodeon series titled Winx that ran for eight seasons before being canceled. The animated show’s popularity is what eventually led to the Netflix series, Fate: The Winx Saga. While the animated series is confirmed to be a reboot, however, Straffi’s second announcement doesn’t clarify whether his other project is a reboot or a continuation. “The second piece of news is about my long-term dream to produce a big budget Winx movie that all of you deserve.”

    Both seasons of Fate: The Winx Saga are now streaming on Netflix.

  • Tony Gilroy Announces Directors for ‘Andor’ Season 2

    Tony Gilroy Announces Directors for ‘Andor’ Season 2

    The first season of Andor has yet to finish airing on Disney+, but series creator Tony Gilroy is already looking ahead. Production on Season 2 of the Star Wars series is expected to begin relatively soon, and it looks like the series is set to get some new creatives behind the camera for the forthcoming season. Gilroy exclusively revealed to the folks at Collider that Ariel Kleiman, Janus Metz, and Alonso Ruizpalacios will direct episode blocks of Andor for the show’s second season. They’ll take over for Toby Haynes, Susanna White and Benjamin Caron who directed episode blocks of the show’s first season.

    Kleiman, while still relatively new to Hollywood, has been building a rather impressive resume over the years. His first title was the film, Partisan, and he has recently been focusing on the small screen with shows like Top of the Lake and Yellowjackets. As for Metz, like Kleiman, despite working in the industry for a long time, he’s still relatively new to Hollywood. He’s directed multiple documentaries and most recently helmed a television mini-series called ZeroZeroZero. Ruizpalacios has been steadily working as a writer and director, having directed episodes of Narcos: Mexico and Outer Range.

    Andor is currently airing on Disney+ with the first season expected to end its run on Nov. 23rd.

    Source: Collider.

  • Ali Ahn & Maria Dizzia Join ‘Agatha: Coven of Chaos’

    Ali Ahn & Maria Dizzia Join ‘Agatha: Coven of Chaos’

    With filming set to kick off next month, Marvel Studios’ Agatha: Coven of Chaos has added two more to its growing cast. Deadline reports that Ali Ahn (Raising Dion) and Maria Dizzia (The Staircase) have joined the series. Like with the rest of the castings thus far, details regarding what roles both Ahn and Dizzia could be playing are being kept under wraps.

    The duo joins Kathryn Hahn, who is reprising her WandaVision role as Agatha Harkness, as well as Joe Locke as well as Aubrey Plaza. Locke is rumored to be playing a grown-up version of Billy, while Plaza is said to be playing a mysterious villain in the series. Also appearing in the series is Emma Caulfield Ford, who will reprise her role as Dottie from WandaVision.

    Along with starring in Netflix’s Raising Dion, Ahn has starred in shows such as Billions and The Path. She has also appeared in Supernatural, Orange is the New Black, White Collar and most recently lent her voice to Hulu’s Little Demon. While Dizzia has starred in shows like Orange Is the New Black, 13 Reasons Why, Emergence and The Staircase. Up next she’ll star in the Paramount+ series School Spirits.

    Coven of Chaos hails from WandaVision creator Jac Schaefer, who serves as the head writer and executive producer.

    Source: Deadline.

  • ‘Dead Boy Detectives’ Adds Caitlin Reilly, Max Jenkins

    ‘Dead Boy Detectives’ Adds Caitlin Reilly, Max Jenkins

    HBO Max’s Dead Boy Detectives has added two more to its growing cast. Variety announced on Tuesday that Caitlin Reilly and Max Jenkins have joined the series in recurring roles. Reilly and Jenkins are set to play Litty and Kingham, respectively, with the characters being described as “tiny foul-mouthed dandelion sprites.”

    Dead Boy Detectives was ordered to series back in April. The series is based on DC Comics characters created by Neil Gaiman and Matt Wagner. The Dead Boy Detectives, Edwin Payne and Charles Rowland, first made their live-action debut in the critically acclaimed Doom Patrol series. The roles were later recast for Dead Boy Detectives. In this series, George Rexstrew will play Edwin Payne, and Jayden Revri will play Charles Rowland. Other members of the cast include Kassius Nelson as Crystal Palace, Briana Cuoco as Jenny the Butcher, Ruth Connell as the Night Nurse, Yuyu Kitamura as Niko and Jenn Lyon as Esther.

    The pilot episode was penned by Steve Yockey and directed by Lee Toland Krieger (Shadow and Bone). Beth Schwartz will executive produce the series alongside Yockey, Jeremy Carver, and Greg Berlanti, and Sarah Schechter of Berlanti Productions.

    Source: Variety.

  • ‘Heartstopper’ Actor Joe Locke Joins ‘Agatha: Coven of Chaos’

    ‘Heartstopper’ Actor Joe Locke Joins ‘Agatha: Coven of Chaos’

    Heartstopper breakout Joe Locke is set to join the cast of Agatha: Coven of Chaos. The news was revealed by Variety, with the outlet reporting that details regarding Locke’s role are being kept under wraps. Locke joins Kathryn Hahn and Emma Caulfield Ford who will reprise their WandaVision roles of Agatha Harkness and Dottie, respectively.

    Locke’s casting comes as recent reports suggested an aged-up Billy Kaplan, aka Wiccan, will appear in the series. While it’s unknown whether or not Locke will be playing Billy in the series, Agatha: Coven of Chaos is rumored to be taking elements from The Children’s Crusade, and with a second casting grid hinting at the inclusion of Teddy Altman, it seems entirely possible.

    Agatha: Coven of Chaos will mark the second television series Locke has starred in following Netflix’s mega-successful Heartstopper. That series was quickly renewed for Season 2 & 3 shortly after Season 1 was released. In that series, Locke stars as Charlie Spring, a gay teenager who falls in love with a popular classmate; it’s based on the webcomic and graphic novel Alice Oseman.

    Coven of Chaos hails from WandaVision creator Jac Schaefer, who serves as the head writer and executive producer.