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  • New Report Adds Clarity to ‘Man of Steel 2’ Drama

    New Report Adds Clarity to ‘Man of Steel 2’ Drama

    Amid yesterday’s DC bombshell came the news that a Man of Steel sequel was unlikely to happen and that Henry Cavill’s return to the character in Black Adam looked to be incredibly short-lived. While fans immediately attributed that major change of direction to new DC Studios co-heads James Gunn and Peter Safran, a new report from Deadline indicates that may not be the case after all.

    As previously made clear by Black Adam star Dwayne Johnson, Cavill’s return for that film was orchestrated by Johnson and the leadership at Seven Bucks Productions. Producer Hiram Garcia even went so far as to lay out some ambitious plans for the future of Cavill and Superman as they’d been pushing for his return for a number of years. Cavill went on Instagram to declare he’s returned to the role and up until yesterday, everyone assumed that was the case…until THR’s report.

    While the report didn’t explicitly assign the “shuttering” of Man of Steel 2 to Gunn, the implication that he and Safran had shut it down as they transitioned to their new role was there. However, according to Deadline, Warner Bros. Motion Picture heads Michael De Luca and Pam Abdy had shut down a pitch for the film from producer Charles Roven before Gunn and Safran came on board. The report from Deadline indicates that at no point had the sequel ever been given the go-ahead nor is the idea that one might still happen off the table. It simply all depends on the pitch.

    This may go some way in helping to decode Gunn’s social media response to THR’s story in which he said “some of it is true, some of it is half-true, some of it is not true, & some of it we haven’t decided yet whether it’s true or not.” It turns out that as always, hardcore fans are best off waiting for an official announcement from DC Studios before getting too excited one way or the other.

    Source: Deadline

  • Reese Witherspoon Working on ‘Election’ Sequel for Paramount+

    Reese Witherspoon Working on ‘Election’ Sequel for Paramount+

    Tracy Flick is about to return in a new feature film for Paramount+, Tracy Flick Can’t Win. The film will be a sequel to the cult classic Election from 1999, which saw Reese Witherspoon in the role of Tracy Flick. She’s not the only familiar face, as director Alexander Payne is also seemingly back to bring the continuation to life. It’ll be an adaptation on the novel by Tom Perrotta‘s novel by the same name and Payne is set to write it alongside Tim Taylor.

    The story will return to Flick, who has now found herself as the assistant principal at a local public high school and continues to struggle on her way to the top. So, some things don’t seem to change that much for flick, but Witherspoon will return in the role and also act as a producer on the sequel for Paramount+. It’ll be interesting to see if they can recapture what made the original such a classic and if they might even find a way for Matthew Broderick to return as well.

    This return of Flick highlights once again that we’ve moved way from the pure remake phase in Hollywood towards a sequel legacy focus. Many iconic franchises are making a return one way or another, especially when it comes to streaming services desperately trying to get their hands on the next major project that’ll draw in new subscribers.

    Source: Hollywood Reporter

  • REPORT: Lack of Communication as DC Changes Leadership “Creating a Riot”

    REPORT: Lack of Communication as DC Changes Leadership “Creating a Riot”

    James Gunn, the co-head of the newly created DC Studios, took to social media in an attempt to smooth the tidal wave of disruption caused by THR’s revelation that Wonder Woman 3 wasn’t moving forward and that Henry Cavill was not likely to return for a sequel to Man of Steel. Of THR’s piece, Gunn explained that “some of it is true, some of it is half-true, some of it is not true, & some of it we haven’t decided yet whether it’s true or not“, adding that he and co-head Peter Safran “still have a lot more questions to ask & answer.” However, it appears that the transition at the top has left things in chaos.

    According to Deadline, the studio’s “lack of communication to talent reps and content creators” has ruffled more than a few feathers. Reading between the lines of the report, many of the people behind the DC projects that have already been in the works at Warner Bros. Discovery are just as in the dark as fans. According to one insider, the lack of communication “is creating a riot” and straining relationships.

    Deadline reports that one of its sources called into question why Gunn and Safran would be interested in scrapping established franchises that have already had some measure of success in order to start over, saying “These franchises which already make a lot of money, why stop them? How can a studio that’s bearing so much debt afford to start from scratch? There are scripts and actors’ schedules to be figured out.” A fantastic question and one asked often in the online discourse that followed THR’s news. However, as Gunn indicated on social media, in searching to tell what he calls a “cohesive story across film, TV, animation and gaming” a rough transition was always expected.

    Just how rough and how extended that period will be is another question entirely.

    Source: Deadline

  • DC Studios Still Hopes to Make ‘Wonder Woman 3’ as Patty Jenkins Exits Project

    DC Studios Still Hopes to Make ‘Wonder Woman 3’ as Patty Jenkins Exits Project

    Many wondered what exactly was the cause for Warner Bros. to pass on Patty Jenkins‘ third Wonder Woman film. They could’ve easily prepared the film for whatever they have planned under Peter Safran and James Gunn, but it seems that director Patty Jenkins has moved away from the project completely. According to Deadline, there were creative differences and this wasn’t purely on the new CEOs of DC Studios.

    In their report, they highlight that there were issues with the direction of the story given the issues that Wonder Woman 1984 faced when it released. As it turns out, Jenkins has seemingly just left after they rejected her initial pitch even as the team was open for her to rewrite the film and try again. As such, if they move forward with a new Wonder Woman film, it does seem like Jenkins will no longer be involved as a writer, director or producer.

    There’s also the question if her departure could lead to its main actress leaving the project behind. Gal Gadot has been quite a vocal fan of Jenkins‘ work but a recent post does seemingly hint that she’s excited for the future with or without the director. It would seem surprising if she’d completely drop the role of Diana Prince, but given recent reports there’s a lot of uncertainty with what exactly DC Studios has in store for the franchise’s revival plans. For now, we’ll have to just watch as everything unfolds.

    Source: Deadline

  • Leaked ‘The Acolyte’ Set Photos Offer First Look at Lee Jung-jae

    Leaked ‘The Acolyte’ Set Photos Offer First Look at Lee Jung-jae

    It looks like The Acolyte is already busy filming and it seems like the first set photos for the Star Wars series has already found its way online. The first batch of set photos have seemingly revealed our first look at Lee Jung-jae on the set, who is seemingly playing a Jedi going by his outfit. There were recent hints that the story is focused on a Sith, which means they could be the Jedi that are in the way or even the reason they turned to the dark side of the Force.

    The Acolyte might become one of Star Wars’s most exciting new series, as its the first project completely detached from the many legacy-oriented projects we’ve had so far. The Mandalorian started off as its own storyline until it started connecting with Star Wars Rebels and even featuring Mark Hamill‘s return as a de-aged Luke Skywalker. So, who knows if there might be ome bigger connections that haven’t been revealed quite yet.

    There is also Skeleton Crew, which may be hinting at the future direction for the studio as it slowly tries to unshackle from what came before. We still might have those shows that start to connect the mythos of this galaxy but Lucasfilm might be trying to explore projects they otherwise wouldn’t have had the chance to do so. Even Andor, which is a prequel to Rogue One, mostly works as its own project but still has some connective tissue to the larger universe we’ve come to love over the years.

    Source: Daily Mail via Twitter

  • New ‘Wakanda Forever’ Concept Art Reveals Alternative Namor Designs

    New ‘Wakanda Forever’ Concept Art Reveals Alternative Namor Designs

    Black Panther: Wakanda Forever has made a big splash in theaters with the introduction of Talocan and its ruler, Namor. While the film was mainly exploring grief, it also explored the parallels between Wakanda and Talcon. It created a very grounded and emotional story with a complex antagonist that has the potential to do good and also more bad.

    Tenoch Huerta famously takes on the role in the film with a surprisingly comic accurate design. While they add many elements that reflect the characters Mayan roots, we still got his feet wings and the iconic green shorts. Yet, it seems they have played around with some alternative designs as revealed by concept artist Wesley Burt.

    You can already see the cultural inspirations in these early designs, and it seems like director Ryan Coogler knew exactly how he wanted to tackle the character of Namor. The fifth design actually showcases one that seems quite close to an armor he wore in the comics. So, they definitely also used his various runs as an inspiration but they ended up going with his more classic design.

    Namor feels like a major character that we can definitely expect to see sooner rather than later, but sadly there’s still no news on a potential spinoff. Recent reports did hint that they can’t actually produce a film due to the film rights still being with Universal; an issue he shares with Hulk. So, perhaps there’s a different project that might see Huerta return to the iconic role once again with perhaps a new design inspired by these earlier concepts.

    Source: Instagram

  • ‘The Witcher’ Showrunner Denies Accusations by Former Writer

    ‘The Witcher’ Showrunner Denies Accusations by Former Writer

    Netflix’s The Witcher has been facing a rough patch as of late. While Blood Origins spinoff is just on the horizon, there still has been some questionable reveals from behind-the-scenes. First Moon Knight and former The Witcher writer Beau DeMayo reveals that the series’ writers room would openly mock the source material and Henry Cavill suddenly left the project, whose departure hinted at the project moving further and further away from its source material. Yet, now the showrunner Lauren S. Hissrich has seemingly debunked any of these accusations.

    I think if you watch…any interview I’ve ever done…including those with [Andrzej Sapkowski]…you’ll see that I am quite a fan of the books [and the games]. Do you believe…that when one person states something as fact, that it’s therefore fact? This particular thing is not a fact. I love the books. I’m shit at the games, but that’s me, not them. I’ve never mocked the books…The books are my entire livelihood, I have a great relationship with Mr. Sapkowski, and writers rooms are sacred and safe and — more than anything — supportive spaces. Don’t believe everything you read.

    Lauren S. Hissrich

    She also goes on to state that she respects former writer DeMayo and praises his work on the series, but it likely will only further push the divide. The big question remains if The Witcher can sustain its viewership without its main lead and if the upcoming spinoff doesn’t showcase the franchise potential to Netflix, who knows if the series might wrap up with Liam Hemsworth‘s run as Gerald of Rivia.

  • DC Studios’ James Gunn Semi-Confirms Recent Reports on ‘Black Adam’, Henry Cavill, and More

    DC Studios’ James Gunn Semi-Confirms Recent Reports on ‘Black Adam’, Henry Cavill, and More

    James Gunn and Peter Safran took over as the new heads of a newly formed DC Studios. The question remained on what it might mean for the future of the franchise and generally for those projects that are still currently in some form of development. A recent report by The Hollywood Reporter has openly discussed that perhaps some things aren’t moving forward as first expected.

    Report indicated that not only did they pass on Patty Jenkins‘ third Wonder Woman film, but also won’t move forward with a Black Adam sequel; even as Dwayne Johnson desperately crunches the numbers to prove its a success. The biggest shock was also the fact that Henry Cavill may have returned briefly as Superman but is unlikely to do so once again. As Gunn is no stranger to openly discussing rumors and reports, he has taken to his Twitter to semi-confirm some aspects and debunk others.

    He also goes on to highlight that they are aware not everyone will be happy with their decisions, but that the transitional period is quite a rough one for any creative taking over an existing slate while mapping out its next ten years.

    DC is no stranger to some rather passionate fans about very specific franchise entries, and it likely won’t be an easy transition internally as well as externally. The big qeustion is that this move also puts a dark shadow over the upcoming projects and may add to the fact that The Flash may end up becoming a hard reset for the franchise after all.

    Source: Twitter

  • ‘Wicked’ Adaptation Adds Michelle Yeoh as Madame Morrible

    ‘Wicked’ Adaptation Adds Michelle Yeoh as Madame Morrible

    It seems like the casting for Wicked has continued, as The Hollywood Reporter has just revealed one more addition to the cast. The adaptation by Universal Pictures has now locked in MIchelle Yeoh as Madame Morrible, who is the head of Elphaba’s school. Cynthia Erivo is set to take on the role of Elphaba with Arana Grande already ast as Glinda. Jeff Goldblum is also part of the cast as thee Wizard while Jonathan Bailey has been cast as Fiyero. The cast also includes SpongeBob Squarepants: The Musical’s Ethan Slater as Boq in the John M. Chu directed film.

    The film will be split up into two projects that are set to be shot back-to-back in January. So, we might see a few more casting announcements before Christmas rolls around. The first entry is already set for a release on December 25th, 2024. The sequel would be set for the Christmas of 2025. So, we’ll still have to wait quite a bit before we get a first look or even a tease of how they’ll adapt the iconic musical reinterpretation of The Wizard of Oz.

    Yeoh has been on a hot streak with quite a few franchise projects, and even her big role in this year’s biggest Awards contender, Everything Everywhere All At Once. She’s a legend in the industry and has picked up quite a bit of steam once again with her recent projects. She’s also set to arrive in Netflix’s upcoming The Witcher spinoff Blood Origin and who knows what other project she might already have planned.

    Source: The Hollywood Reporter

  • ‘Avatar: The Way of Water’ Is Set to Surprise Fans of the First Film

    ‘Avatar: The Way of Water’ Is Set to Surprise Fans of the First Film

    It took 13 years for James Cameron to bring the sequel to 2009’s Avatar to the screen and early reactions to the film seem to point to it being both a technological marvel and a film worthy of the blockbuster status it’s preemptively been assigned. However, if you think Cameron was going to wait 13 years to simply dish out more of the same from the first film, you’re in for some surprises.

    During the global press event for Avatar: The Way of Water, Cameron explained that while the sequel will touch on the components that made the first film the #1 highest-grossing film of all-time, audiences are also in for some surprises.

    I think it’s important for a sequel to honor what the audience loved about the experience the first time. But also to, you know, get them off-balance, you know, do things that they don’t expect. There are a lot of surprises in terms of where the story goes in this film, that we’re not putting into the trailers and the TV spots and all that. You kind of have to experience it.

    James Cameron

    Cameron continued on to explain that while there are some surprises as the plot unfolds, one of the key differences between the sequel and its predecessor comes from the emotional family dynamic at the heart of the film.

    But it also goes a lot deeper, in terms of the heart and the emotions, I mean, wouldn’t you guys say? I mean, we were (Sure), it was a much simpler story, and the characters were simpler the first time. And I was inspired by the fact that both Zoe and Sam were- Sam are parents, and I’m a parent of five, and so we wanted to get into the family dynamics, and the responsibilities of having kids. And also what that’s all like from the kid’s perspective right?

    James Cameron

    At 190 minutes, Avatar: The Way of Water has plenty of time to sneak in some surprises and to allow for an emotional connection to be established with the audience. Cameron is no stranger to making successful sequels. Given his passion for the project and the worlds and characters he’s built within it, it seems safe to say the film will be a big hit over this holiday season.

    Avatar: The Way of Water hits theaters on December 16th.