Tag: Exclusive

EXCLUSIVE: Why The Classic MI6 Characters Aren’t in ‘SHANG-CHI’

Early last year, I shared the news that Marvel Comics characters Leiko Wu, Black Jack Tarr and Clive Reston, MI6 operatives and allies of Shang-Chi from the Master of Kung Fu comics, were set to be included in Shang-Chi and The Legend of The Ten Rings. As those of you that have seen the movie will know, none of those characters appear in the film and there is no mention of MI6, the British Secret Intelligence service who, in the comics, was after Shang-Chi’s father.

Our own Charles Villanueva was able to talk to executive producer Jonathan Schwartz and asked if those characters were a part of the early development process of Shang-Chi and The Legend of The Ten Rings.

Not really. I think that very early on we decided that we wanted to move Shang-Chi in kind of a different direction and surrounding him with that cohort just never really felt quite right. It would’ve meant kind of loading the movie up with British Caucasian characters rather than having a movie that is primarily, or almost entirely, Asian or Asian-American characters, and that version just felt more exciting, fresher and cooler.

As integral as those characters were to Shang-Chi’s development in the comics, their absence was certainly not noticeable in the film. Marvel Studios did an incredible job of creating an entirely new world for the character to inhabit and new characters to help shape and guide him along the way. With Kevin Feige indicating they already have plans for a sequel, it’s possible that we might see MI6 pop up there or in a potential Ten Rings project. As Shang-Chi and The Legend of The Ten Rings proved (Abomination and Wong were certainly not on anyone’s list of characters expected in this film), characters can show up any place at any time.

September 3, 2021
‘WHAT IF…?’ Episode 1 Tentacle Monster Is The Same One in Episode 4

With so many rumors pointing to a Shuma Gorath appearance in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, it comes as no surprise that the tentacle creature that appeared in the Captain Carter episode of What If…? got fans hyped at a possible early tease. While do not know if that was actually Shuma Gorath, we at least know that the tentacle creature Doctor Strange summons in this latest episode is the same as the one Peggy fought.

We spoke to production designer Paul Lasaine, who told us those two creatures are one and the same.

We don’t actually say it is [the same one in this episode] but we’re pretty positive it is. In fact, even on a technical level, we used that creature as a template.

Regardless of whether it is Shuma Gorath or not, it is peculiar to see a recurring creature throughout the show. It would be weird if it wasn’t Shuma Gorath as we’re dealing with the very things that character is associated with i.e. the multiverse. That creature appearing in the latest episode does make us wonder if it’ll appear again later in the season. With an overarching story for the season, it would certainly make sense to have that consistency.

September 2, 2021
EXCLUSIVE: ‘POWER PACK’ No Longer In Active Development

Once upon a time, Marvel Studios was looking at several obscure comic properties to bring to the big screen, in an attempt to kickstart some financial backing for the newly-founded studio. One of those properties was Shang-Chi, which comes out later this week in theaters, and Power Pack.

We spoke with Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings producer Jonathan Schwartz about Power Pack, a project he was coincidentally attached to produce at some point in the past decade, and its current status.

It’s one of those things we look at and talk about every once in a while. We’ll probably get there eventually but it’s not something super active at the moment.

For the uninitiated, Power Pack is a superhero team made up of pre-teen siblings with powerful cosmic abilities who’d go on crazy cosmic adventures together. The property has been in and out of development throughout the years, with the most recent iteration being the one Schwartz was attached to.

With so many unique things in development, it is pretty surprising to know that Power Pack is currently not in Marvel Studios’ sights at the moment. Power Pack feels like a property that would be served really well in animation, similar to What If…?. Let’s cross our fingers they finally do something with it because that is a bankable property.

September 1, 2021
EXCLUSIVE: ‘WANDAVISION’s Paul Bettany to Write and Star in Director Mark Waters’ Film ‘HARVEST MOON’

We can exclusively share that WandaVision‘s Paul Bettany has joined Mark Waters‘ next film, Harvest Moon. No, it’s not an adaptation of the popular farm simulator game that’s been a Nintendo staple since 1996. Rather, it’s the story about the early months of the pandemic, where a young boy named Charlie tries to get his estranged parents together again. Bettany will play the father, Johnny. Not only that, he’s also one of the writers behind the project, as he penned the script alongside Dana Brown. Currently, the film is eyeing a production start in October of this year.

Bettany is, of course, famous for his portrayal of JARVIS and the Vision throughout the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Yet, he does have some writing experience, as he wrote the screenplay for 2014’s Shelter, which starred Jennifer Connelly and Anthony Mackie. He was also behind the director’s chair for that project. He’ll work together with Waters, who worked on a variety of films. He recently directed the Adam Devine-led Magic Camp or Disney+ but also worked on Mr. Popper’s Penguins, Ghosts of Girlfriends Past, and even The Spiderwick Chronicles.

Given the director’s background in more comedic fair, we can expect a similar tone from this film. It’s not every day a boy and his favorite stuffed dog Foofy try their best to get his parents to fall in love again. Bettany has proven his ability of juggling his comedic and more dramatic chops, especially in the recent release of WandaVision. Not only did he replicate the different eras of TV history and their comedy, but still gave us a thought-provoking performance while consulting Elisabeth Olsen‘s Wanda during her time of need, and while facing his alter ego in a philosophical battle on their own existence. Whatever direction the film is heading towards, he’ll certainly give us a memorable performance.

August 26, 2021
EXCLUSIVE: Justin Timberlake Joins Benicio Del Toro’s Netflix Project ‘REPTILE’

In December of 2020, Variety announced that Benicio Del Toro will executive produce and star in Black Label Media’s film, Reptile. The film will be directed by music video director Grant Singer who has collaborated on various projects with The Weeknd and Taylor Swift, but is taking the step into the world of feature films. We can exlusively reveal that Del Toro won’t be alone, as the film has added Justin Timberlake in the role of Will in the Netflix original.

The film will follow Del Toro‘s Nichols, who is a detective in Atlanta trying to solve a case that starts to unravel as time goes on. It’ll force him to also take a closer look at the illusions of the life he believed he lived. Singer and Ben Brewer wrote the script with Molly Smith, Trent Luckinbill and Thad Luckinbill from Black Label Media producing the film. The production is currently eyeing a production start from September to November.

Timberlake is no stranger to acting, as the singer famously starred in 2011’s In Time and Friends with Benefits. He recently headlined the Apple+ project Palmer and also lent his singing voice to the 2016 Trolls film. Still, one of his best roles might be the fact he somehow ended up voicing Boo Boo in the 2010 film adaptation of popular Hanna-Barbera cartoon, Yogi Bear. So, you could say he has experience in psychological thrillers and is the perfect choice to join Del Toro in the upcoming Netflix film.

Source: Variety

August 25, 2021
EXCLUSIVE: Bill Skarsgård Set to Star in Sam Raimi Production ‘BOY KILLS WORLD’

Sam Raimi is currently on everyone’s radar for his work on the upcoming Doctor Strange sequel. It’s his first return to direct a feature film since 2013’s Oz the Great and Powerful. In the meantime, he’s been working on smaller projects, such as directing episodes of Rake and Ash vs. Evil Dead. He’s also been working a lot as a producer on various projects. He has focused on the horror genre quite a bit throughout his career. We can exclusively share that he is currently also working on a film titled Boy Kills World. Moritz Mohr takes on directing duties, and we can also share that it already has a talent attached with Bill Skarsgård.

The film will follow the story of a man named Boy, whose parents are guerrilla fighters. His loving sister Mina kept him safe in their war-torn country. Tragically, their country’s tyrant, Hilda Van Der Koy, killed his entire family. Seeking revenge, Boy seeks help from a Shaman, who’ll train him in various ways of fighting. Viewers will join Boy on his journey to confronting the person who killed his parents and the grueling training by the shaman.

Skarsgård signed on to appear in John Wick: Chapter 4 and has seen quite a resurgence since he joined 2017’s It. His experience with darker roles is very fitting for this dark story about a kid taking vengeance for the death of his family. Raimi has started venturing out with his role as producer and shows that he continues to explore new avenues even if Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness will return him to his horror roots.

August 20, 2021
EXCLUSIVE: Woody Harrelson to Headline US Remake of Spanish Film ‘CHAMPIONS’

It looks like Woody Harrelson is making his grand return to the basketball side of cinema. We can exclusively share that the actor will headline an American remake of the 2018 Spanish film Champions. The original was directed by Javier Fesser and starred Javier Gutiérrez as Marco Montes, drunk driving escapade lands him in community service. As a former basketball assistant coach, he has to train a team of people with disabilities, who teach him never to look down on people.

Harrelson will take on the role of Marcus in the film based on a script by Mark Rizzo. Bobby Farrelly will take on directing duties. The director is well-known for his work as a producer on films like Dumb and Dumber, Me, Myself & Irene, and There’s Something About Mary. He took over directing duties for Osmosis Jones, episodes of Trailer Park Boys, and the 2012 remake of The Three Stooges. It’s currently eyeing a November production start and is still casting the member of the basketball team.

As mentioned previously, Harrelson is no stranger to a basketball film. The actor famously appeared in the 1992 classic White Men Can’t Jump, where he played opposite Wesley Snipes as a streetball hustler. Harrelson will appear in the now-delayed Sony’s Venom: Let There Be Carnage. In it, he’ll play the film’s main antagonist Cletus Cassidy, who turns into the Carnage symbiote. So, it looks like he won’t be taking a break anytime soon as he’s also currently involved with The White House Plumbers mini-series.

August 19, 2021
EXCLUSIVE: Tim Roth Cast Alongside Rebecca Hall in 2019 Black List Winner ‘RESURRECTION’

The Black List has been a famous spot for aspiring screenwriters or directors to find their start. It’s grown to the point that it’s become its own community that helps to develop projects. Of course, there’s also the annual survey where they look for the most-liked screenplays that haven’t been produced yet to support the smaller projects to find a footing. It’s how films like American Hustle, Juno, Spotlight, and many more found their footing in Hollywood. In 2019, the Black List winner was Andrew Semans for his script titled Resurrection. As the project is picking up steam, we can exclusively reveal that the film will include Tim Roth alongside Rebecca Hall in the leading roles.

The project is eyeing a production start in the coming week in Albany with Semans also taking over directing duties. He’s previously worked on projects like 2012’s Nancy, Please, and was a producer on various films including 2021’s The Dig. Hall plays the character of Margaret, who is raising her daughter Abbie on her own. She’s set to go to university until her past comes haunting her in the form of David (Tim Roth). Her well-planned life takes a darker turn as she faces the uncertain. It’ll be interesting to see these two act off of each other in the psychological thriller which currently doesn’t have a release date as of yet.

Marvel fans are excited to see the return of Roth in the upcoming She-Hulk Disney+ series, and his character Abomination was revealed to also appear in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. Rebecca Hall recently appeared in Godzilla vs. Kong and Amazon’s Tales of the Loop series. They have both proven their dramatic muscle and will make a great pairing in Resurrection.

August 17, 2021
EXCLU: HBO’s ‘The Time Traveler’s Wife’ Eyeing a May Production Start in NYC

Love is a tale as old as time. In 2003, Audrey Niffenegger tested its timelessness with her novel, The Time Traveler’s Wife. It told the story of Henry, who has a gene that makes him involuntarily travel through time. Of course, his absence strains his relationship with his wife, Claire. The story got adapted into a film back in 2009 by Warner Bros.’s New Line division. Rachel McAdams and Eric Bana were in the leading roles.

Steven Moffat, the creator of BBC’s Sherlock and former Doctor Who showrunner, plans to adapt the story once more for HBO. The series still has no release date, but we learned that HBO is eyeing a May production start. It looks like the production is planning to film in New York City. It is uncertain if they plan to change the book’s location from Chicago to the Big Apple. There is also the chance that as he travels through time, he may arrive in different locations at various points in time, so anything is possible.

Moffat has been an avid fan of the story, as it was the inspiration for the Doctor Who episode, “The Girl in the Fireplace.” Of course, his experience with time travel shows will be a great help with the drama. He will serve as writer and producer for the series alongside executive producers Sue Vertue and Brian Minchin. Moffat gets the chance to adapt a story he adores, which is always an exciting prospect. It makes you wonder if he’ll also sneak in a few references to his previous work.

Source: HBO, Deadline

February 25, 2021
EXCLU: First Details on Dan Trachtenberg’s Comanche ‘Predator’ Film

At the tail end of 2019, DiscussingFilm revealed that famous director Dan Trachtenberg is working on the film Skulls. He will work alongside producer John Davis, who worked on Chronicle, The Man From UNCLE, and Disney’s upcoming Jungle Cruise film. It turned out that this film is the fifth installment in the Predator title that got revealed sometime before. It would continue the franchise after Shane Black‘s 2018 film The Predator. He will work based on a script written by Patrick Aison, whose work includes Jack Ryan and Kingdom. The film will follow a Comanche woman who defines her culture’s norms and decides to become a warrior. Now, we can exclusively report some details about the upcoming project and its main characters.

Let’s start with our rebellious girl, whose name Kee means “no”. They are looking for a 15-year-old to take on the role of a rebellious Comanche teen. She has a close relationship with her brother. He is our second lead, the 18-year old Taabe, whose name means “sun”. Kee is a truth-teller who sees what others don’t, as she guides her brother, who is expected to become Chief one day. After a successful hunt, he believes he has come of age and no longer requires his sister’s help, which creates a rift between them. She decides to set out and prove that she is just as capable as the others. She aims to defy the rules set by the masculine world of the Comanche.

Their dynamic will be quite an interesting one to explore throughout the film, especially if these hunters have to face one of space’s deadliest hunters. The production is currently still shying away from the Predator title. It still is being produced with the working title Skulls. I like this new angle, as the alien race has visited Earth multiple times to face their greatest foes. The film’s casting is also an important move for representation and will offer a unique perspective on a classic franchise.

Source: DiscussingFilm, Deadline

February 9, 2021