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  • ‘The Last of Us’ Showrunner Wants to Adapt ‘Part II’

    ‘The Last of Us’ Showrunner Wants to Adapt ‘Part II’

    HBO’s The Last of Us is still a week away, but showrunner Craig Mazin already has his sights set on the future. The live-action show is set to adapt the events of 2013’s iconic video game, and based on marketing, it looks like the entirety of Naughty Dog’s groundbreaking story will find its way into the network’s 9-episode series.

    Luckily for Mazin and the fans, there is an equally acclaimed sequel ripe for adapting should HBO want more seasons. The Last of Us Part II was released in 2020 and takes place several years after its predecessor. The game is notably longer, and features more characters than the first installment, meaning Mazin and franchise creator Neil Druckmann could likely get multiple seasons out of it.

    In an exclusive interview with Comic Book, Mazin revealed he’s fully on board to adapt Part II:

    Personally, I don’t have a great desire to go beyond what’s there currently but I know that the story of the second game is way bigger and far more complicated than the story of the first game which means there’s more story to adapt.

    Craig Mazin

    He did go on to clarify, however, that he would not take the story past the end point of the games. The Last of Us Part III has been rumored to be in development for some time, but as of now, has not been officially announced. As such, it could be a while before fans see any live-action The Last of Us past two or three initial seasons.

    So, if folks show up and watch this season of The Last of Us, everybody on our side and on HBO is excited to keep going and tell that story but, again, I’m a believer in endings. I don’t want to feel like we’re suddenly just treading water. I think every episode of television, if you’re going to make a television show, it’s kind of a crazy, arrogant thing to do, to expect people to watch your show. Every episode has to deliver. Every single one.

    Craig Mazin

    The Last of Us lands on HBO on January 15th.

    Source: Comic Book

  • New ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’ Storyboard Reveals Vulture in Scrapped Finale

    New ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’ Storyboard Reveals Vulture in Scrapped Finale

    It’s not new that Marvel Studios’ productions go through a variety of changes. Not only do they rewrite the scripts before production starts, but they aren’t strangers to also adapting on the fly if necessary. That especially became a necessity during COVID, as the pandemic didn’t make it easy for any production to stay on schedule or even remain in its original slot, forcing it to adapt story elements to adhere to the bigger Marvel Cinematic Universe.

    In the case of Spider-Man: No Way Home, we always wondered just how much was changed throughout production, especially with the inclusion of a variety of actors from legacy projects. There was one aspect that stood out from No Way Home and that was the lack of any villains representing Tom Holland‘s Spider-Man. As it turns out, Storyboard artist Phil Langone shared a drawing from one of the finales that seemingly includes Michael Keaton‘s Vulture as part of the ensemble.

    It was always funny how the film had the opportunity to establish the Sinister Six but ended up short one member. Perhaps during or before production started, they simply couldn’t get the version of the story together as they intended. Perhaps Keaton wasn’t available for the film, as he did end up reprising the role in Morbius. Whatever the case might be, we’re sadly stuck with what could’ve been off seeing a fully formed Sinister Six and the return of a great villain. Perhaps a future project could see his long-awaited return.

    Source: Instagram

  • HBO’s ‘The Last of Us’ Devised a Brand New Way for the Virus to Spread

    HBO’s ‘The Last of Us’ Devised a Brand New Way for the Virus to Spread

    When HBO first announced their high-profile adaptation of Naughty Dog’s The Last of Us, it was made clear that not everything from the games would carry over into live-action. Neil Druckmann, creator of the franchise and one of the series’ leading producers, stated changes would have to be made to the story in the process of adapting it. Now, fans are getting their first idea as to what will be different when Joel and Ellie make their iconic trip across the country on television.

    In an exclusive interview with Comic Book, series showrunner Craig Mazin revealed HBO’s take on The Last of Us will not include the infamous spores that helped spread the Cordyceps infection so quickly in the acclaimed video games:

    Obviously, there are some big things that we know we’re keeping, of course, but then there are challenges from the game to the show that had to be considered. For instance, little things like the spores. In the game, there are these where you encounter spores and you need to put a gas mask on. In the world that we’re creating, if we put spores in the air, it would be pretty clear that they would spread around everywhere and everybody would have to wear a mask all the time and probably everybody would be completely infected by that point.

    Craig Mazin

    As Mazin mentions, both The Last of Us and The Last of Us Part II feature sections of gameplay where the players encounter Cordyceps spores floating in the air. The spores make it difficult to see clearly and are usually accompanied by loads of monsters. They also force the protagonists to use protective masks and flashlights to traverse infected areas. Mazin‘s reasoning for altering this aspect of the game’s aesthetic makes sense, and the creative went on to assure fans that he and Druckmann have come up with some sort of fitting alternative instead:

    So, we challenged ourselves to come up with an interesting new way for the fungus to spread but mostly I think we just connected with the soul and spirit of the game. He, as the creator of the game, and me, as a fan of the game, we were caretakers on behalf of all the fans but also on behalf of all the people who haven’t played the game who need a television experience that is holistic and connected to itself and doesn’t feel like you ned to play a game to understand.

    Craig Mazin

    The Last of Us premieres on HBO on January 15th. It stars Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey as Joel and Ellie, with Gabriel Luna, Anna Torv, and Merle Dandridge rounding out the recurring cast.

    Source: Comic Book

  • ‘Sea Beast’ Sequel in Development, Director Signs Deal with Netflix

    ‘Sea Beast’ Sequel in Development, Director Signs Deal with Netflix

    It looks like director Chris Williams has made quite the impression with Netflix, as he has now signed an overall deal with the streaming studio. It seems that he has two projects currently in development with one being a direct sequel to his film The Sea Beast. The animation legend has worked for 25 years at Disney Animation on various Oscar-winning and nominated films. It seems the deal came together shortly around when they were wrapping up work on his first project.

    We had just wrapped up on the Sea Beast and we were in the post-production phase when we started talking about me continuing at Netflix and working on something else. They were cool about letting me know they wanted me to stay. I felt so supported throughout the making of Sea Beast, even though it was a massively ambitious movie. That represents a financial investment and risk, and they were always cool letting me making the movie I wanted to make. I always value people’s opinions and I will always listen to what anyone has to say. But they never forced my hand and they never made me do anything other than let me do the movie I wanted to make. And I really appreciated that. And so I wanted to do it again.

    Chris Williams

    William‘s first big project outside of the usual walls of Disney was his Moby Dick-inspired story of The Sea Beast, which was inspired by movies from his youth. It’s no surprise that Netflix would want him back, as his film is the most-watched animated film in Netflix’s library even with some stellar competition already on the platform.

    With that success, Netflix has penned a deal with Williams to produce two originals for the studio. The sequel will follow the continuing adventures of Jacob Holland, but he’s also set his eyes on an original fantasy film that would be a combination of The Princess Bride meets The Lord of the Rings.

    I pitched an original fantasy story. And it would be similar to Sea Beast in that I would create a completely cohesive world. Tonally, it would be between Lord of the Rings and Princess Bride. It’s like Game of Thrones and Lord of the Rings where you have a history that leads up to the point where the story begins, and it’s a huge world with multiple events going on outside the story being told. But at the same time, I want to have fun with some of the conventions that Princess Bride did. It’s not parody and it’s not making fun of it, but it has a perspective that is light and refreshing.

    It definitely sounds like he has ambitious plans and Netflix is definitely on board to see where their investment in his vision goes. With the success of his previous project, it makes sense they wouldn’t want to lose the talent they have already working for them.

    Source: The Hollywood Reporter

  • Tim Blake Nelson Cast in ‘Dune: Part Two’

    Tim Blake Nelson Cast in ‘Dune: Part Two’

    The all-star cast assembled for the Warner Bros. Entertainment and Legendary Entertainment produced Dune: Part Two has grown even more. Tim Blake Nelson has officially been announced to join the highly anticipated sequel in an undisclosed role. The star actor will be joining the likes of Florence Pugh, Austin Butler, Léa Seydoux, and Christopher Walken as new additions to the franchise. These names will be joining original leads Timothée Chalamet, Zendaya, Rebecca Ferguson, and Javier Bardem. Director Denis Villeneuve will be helming the sequel feature film.

    Tim Blake Nelson most recently starred in the first episode of the Netflix anthology series Guillermo del Toro’s Cabinet of Curiosity. Nelson also worked with the acclaimed director on the critically acclaimed adaptation of Pinocchio from late last year, providing the voice for the Black Rabbit. Nelson is slated to make his long-awaited return to the Marvel Cinematic Universe as Samuel Stern, aka The Leader, for 2024’s Captain America: New World Order.

    Dune: Part 2 will complete the adaptation of Frank Herbert’s classic 1965 science-fiction novel of the same name, which is the first in a sprawling literary saga. No official word has been on the future of any theatrical sequels following the release of Dune: Part 2 later this year. Villeneuve has expressed interest in adapting Dune Messiah, the second novel of the series, depending on the success of this year’s film. In addition, a prequel spinoff series of Dune: The Sisterhood is currently in production for HBO Max.

    Dune: Part 2 is set to release exclusively in theaters on November 3rd of this year.

    Source: The Hollywood Reporter

  • Everything You Need To Know Ahead of ‘Tokyo Revengers’ Season 2

    Everything You Need To Know Ahead of ‘Tokyo Revengers’ Season 2

    Get ready to mark your calendars because the highly anticipated Season 2 of Tokyo Revengers is finally premiering on January 7th as part of the Winter 2023 lineup of new anime releases. As some have been anxiously waiting to find out what happens next in this drama-filled series, here’s a quick recap of the first season and what to look forward to in the next.

    What Happened So Far

    It feels like an eternity since we last spent time in the world of Ken Wakui’s Tokyo Revengers. Toman and Valhalla now proudly stands at 450 people, with Kisaki hailed as a hero after the events of Bloody Halloween. Takemichi is now the leader of the first division while Chifuyu took over as his second-in-command. Then he travels to the present to learn that Toman has grown even more powerful and influential. However, in this timeline, Mikey has vanished and Draken has been executed with Kisaki left in charge. In the end, Kisaki kills adult Chifuyu and prepares to shoot Takemichi for opposing him for the past 12 years. He confesses to orchestrating Baji’s death and calls him “my hero” before the screen fades to black as a gunshot is the last sound left with the viewers.

    What to Expect

    The second season of the anime will adapt the “Christmas Showdown” Arc and will introduce a slew of new characters. Yet, there are also some major changes to the previous cast, as Tatsuhisa Suzuki, the original voice actor for Draken, was involved in a big cheating scandal and multiple suicide attempts. As a result, he has been replaced by Masaya Fukunishi. The new cast includes:

    • Mikako Komatsu will play Yuzuha Shiba.
    • Tomokazu Sugita will play Taiju Shiba.
    • Junya Enoki will play Inui Seisyu
    • Natsuki Hanae will play Kokonoi Hajime
    • Tasuku Hatanaka will play Hakkai Shiba

    The next seasons’ new opening called “White Noise” has already been released with the song being performed by Official HiGE DANdism, which you can check out here:

    Tokyo Revengers has become a popular series throughout the years and there’s a lot of excitement to see how they bring the second season to life. It’s upcoming release on January 7th will see the series. It’ll be made available on Hulu in the United States and on Star+ in the rest of the world. If you need to catch up, the first season is currently available on Netflix and Crunchyroll.

  • Paul Mescal to Star in ‘Gladiator’ Sequel

    Paul Mescal to Star in ‘Gladiator’ Sequel

    The long-awaited sequel to Gladiator is finally moving ahead. Deadline has announced that Paul Mescal is currently in talks to lead the film. Ridley Scott, who will return to helm the sequel, is producing the film along with Scott Free President Michael Pruss and Doug Wick & Lucy Fisher via Red Wagon Entertainment. Scott helms the film from a script penned by David Scarpa (The Day the Earth Stood Still).

    Per Deadline, also set to return for Gladiator 2 are costume designer Janty Yates and production designer Arthur Max. While the first film was produced by both Universal and DreamWorks, the latter will not be involved in the project. In fact, as it stands, Universal doesn’t look to be involved just yet — although Universal has the right to partner again when the project is packaged.

    Mescal is set to play the role of Lucius, the son of Lucilla, who was played by Connie Nielsen. The rising actor is said to have beat out the likes of Miles Teller, Austin Butler, Richard Madden and Timothée Chalamet for the gig. Mescal is perhaps best known for his role in Hulu’s Normal People.

    Source: Deadline.

  • James Cameron Confirms ‘Avatar 2’s Profitability and He’ll Make All Planned Sequels

    James Cameron Confirms ‘Avatar 2’s Profitability and He’ll Make All Planned Sequels

    James Cameron has been quite open about the importance of how profitable Avatar: The Way of Water will be. While he mapped out up to five sequels, if the franchise doesn’t prove financially stable for Disney, the new owner of 20th Century, there’s no point for them to invest upwards of $400M per entry moving forward. Luckily, the film has had some truly impressive legs throughout the Holiday season and in a new interview with The Hollywood Reporter, director James Cameron confirmed the film will be profitable in the “next few days.”

    It looks like just with the momentum that the film has now that will easily pass our break even in the next few days, so it looks like I can’t wiggle out of this, I’m gonna have to do these other sequels.

    James Cameron

    He does slightly reluctantly share that he will be quite busy for the next few years. Avatar 3 has already finished filming and they are working on bringing the world to life CG-wise. He also confirms that the fourth and fifth entries are already written as well.

    I know what I’m going to be doing the next six or seven years. The point is we’re going to be okay. I’m sure that we’ll have a discussion soon with the top folks at Disney about the game plan going forward for Avatar 3, which is already in the can – we’ve already captured and photographed the whole film so we’re in extended post-production to do all that CG magic. And then Avatar 4 and 5 are both written. We even have some of 4 in the can. We’ve begun a franchise at this point. We’ve begun a saga that can now play out over multiple films.

    James Cameron

    It certainly sounds like the director will be quite busy in the next few years, but he does love the franchise. He’s also talked about expanding Avatar in multiple ways and even with a new director taking over when he eventually no longer can. So, if it remains as profitable, we’ll see a lot more of Avatar in the future of our cinemas.

    Source: The Hollywood Reporter

  • RUMOR: Damon Lindelof’s Untitled Star Wars Project May Already Be Casting a POC Lead

    RUMOR: Damon Lindelof’s Untitled Star Wars Project May Already Be Casting a POC Lead

    Star Wars has continued to grow, but its cinematic ventures took quite the set p back throughout the last few years. Rogue Squadron was originally set to release this year. Yet, project ha to show any development or even start filming. So, we don’t know what the future might have in store for their cinematic ventures. Suprrisingly, it seems that an only recently announced project in the works by Damon Lindelof may have entered a casting phase.

    In the podcast The Hot Mic, it was hinted that the film may already be casting its lead. It’s currently looking for a person of color. No real details are known besides that the main lead is likely to be male and it may be the film to hit the December 19th, 2025 release date that is currently set without any specified project connected at the moment, but that’s only a theory. For now, we still have to take this rumor with a pinch of salt.

    We first heard the news that the Watchmen showrunner was working on the project back in March of 2022, but nothing besides that. As trust in Lucasfilm hasn’t been high on them ever meeting their goals with any cinematic franchises, it seems like if this rumor turns out true, the project moved forward at quite a fast pace. If this turns out to be true, we might get some more details in the coming months as they prepare to film later this year.

    Source: YouTube via The Direct

  • Hugh Jackman Teases a Wolverine He’s “Never Done Before” in ‘Deadpool 3’

    Hugh Jackman Teases a Wolverine He’s “Never Done Before” in ‘Deadpool 3’

    Deadpool is about to return with his third film entry, which will also mark his arrival in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. There is still some uncertainty about how exactly they’ll accomplish it and if he might find his own insane way of traveling from the Fox universe.

    The announcement that he’ll be joined by Hugh Jackman‘s Wolverine added a lot of speculation and excitement given his return since he hung up the claws back with Logan back in 2017. In an interview with People, he shared what inspired him to return to the role in Deadpool 3.

    When I keep thinking of me and Ryan, of Deadpool and Wolverine, which are classic comic-book rivals, there’s also a dynamic that I’ve never really got to do before as Wolverine. I just thought, ‘This is gonna be fun. Something I’ve never done before. I can’t wait.

    Hugh Jackman

    It seems to be able to do something new with the character was what mainly gave him the inspiration, but he also highlights getting a chance to “be punching the shit out of each other the whole time” may have also become a fun selling point.

    I think being on set with [Ryan] every day and those two on film in every city together everyday…I think it’s fair to say they’ll be punching the sh*t out of each other the whole time. All jokes aside, I’ll probably have more fun on this movie than any other I’ve ever done.

    Hugh Jackman

    There has been some outcry over his return after the finality of Logan, but considering that the first two Deadpool films built up their reality. The sequel even went out of its way to mock the film and we’ve all wanted these two to finally confront each other; a true Wolverine vs. Deadpool clash to get rid of the aftertaste of X-Men Origins: Wolverine.

    Source: People via ComicBookMovie.com