Tag: Movie News

‘Red Notice’s Rawson Marshall Thurber to Direct Live-Action ‘Voltron’ Movie

Voltron will make its way to live-action as a bidding war has sparked over who has the distribution rights to a new live-action feature. Red Notice director Rawson Marshall Thurber is set to tackle the project as multiple streamers are in talks to get their hands on the project. The series has picked up in popularity since the release of the animated series Voltron: Legendary Defender. Surprisingly though, Netflix is currently not in the running, which is surprising given they distributed the animated series and have been on a hot streak with Anime adaptations.

It seems that around two weeks ago, the film was pitched with a teaser reel by Thurber. He also co-wrote the script with Ellen Shanman. Todd Lieberman and David Hoberman are currently attached to produce alongside World Events Productions’ Bob Koplan, who currently hold the rights to the property. If the current rumors are to be believed, it may find a home by the end of the week.

The popular animated series started back in 1984 with a simple concept. What happens if multiple lion bots fused together to become a giant robot. It originally was created by Toi Animation and has gone through many different iterations throughout the years including Lion Force Voltron, Vehicle Team Voltron, Voltron Force, and many more.

Source: The Hollywood Reporter

March 23, 2022
Nicolas Cage Denies a Potential Return as Ghost Rider in ‘Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness’

Marvel Studios’ upcoming sequel, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, is rumored to have just about every former Marvel actor making a cameo appearance. However, it sounds like fan-favorite star Nicolas Cage will not be among them. The eccentric performer famously portrayed Johnny Blaze, a stunt driver who makes a deal with the devil and transforms into the demonic Ghost Rider, through two films in the pre-MCU era. Ghost Rider and Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance were disliked by both audiences and critics upon release, but have grown a cult following since they dropped in 2007 and 2011, respectively.

During a recent interview with the magazine GQ, Cage was asked if there were any plans for him to reprise the role for Marvel’s Doctor Strange follow-up. While expressing his desire to come back for another round alongside Benedict Cumberbatch, the actor did confirm that he won’t be in the film:

Oh, I don’t think so. I don’t think they’re casting me. I mean, I would do it. It would be fun. I’d love to work with Cumberbatch, but I don’t think that’s happening.
Nicolas Cage

Multiverse of Madness is currently on the back end of filming reshoots. It seems likely that, should Marvel want Cage to appear, they would have already contacted him about it. The film will see most of its main cast return from the first installment, with new addition Xochitl Gomez playing the multiverse busting America Chavez. With a plot taking place across multiple universes, it’s possible that any character could make a surprise resurfacing. One name that’s been making the rounds is Patrick Stewart‘s Professor Charles Xavier, who has the potential to finally bridge the gap between the MCU and Fox’s long-running X-Men franchise.

Fans can find out for sure when the next Doctor Strange lands in theaters on May 6th.

Source: Variety

March 23, 2022
‘Moon Knight’s Mohamed Diab Shares His Thoughts on ‘Wonder Woman 1984’s Portrayal of Egypt

The Egyptian director Mohamed Diab has been quite vocal in his thoughts about how other productions have depicted his home country. While he’s about to make his Hollywood premiere with the Disney+ series Moon Knight, he has been openly discussing his thoughts on other projects during the press tour. He first shared his thoughts on Black Adam‘s and now has gone on to share his thoughts on the sequence in another DC project, Wonder Woman 1984. The director had the following to say on how his country is portrayed in the film:

I remember seeing Wonder Woman 1984 and there was a big sequence in Egypt and it was a disgrace for us. You had a sheik – that doesn’t make any sense to us. Egypt looked like a country from the Middle Ages. It looked like the desert.
Mohamed Diab

When the film was released, there was already quite a stir regarding the racist depiction of Egypt. Not only did it seem to mostly focus on stereotypical takes on the people from that nation, but even went as far as to portray the 80s version of Egypt in a questionable way. It makes sense for the director to share that sentiment, which has sparked quite the controversy quite some time ago.

Source: SFX via CBR, National News

March 23, 2022
Nicolas Cage Disagrees With Scorsese and Coppola’s Views on Marvel’s Success

Nicolas Cage is speaking out on Marvel’s behalf, even if he doesn’t really need to. The enigmatic actor was recently interviewed by GQ and took the time to voice his support for the recent upward trend of comic book adaptations. Superhero projects, and Marvel films especially, have been the subject of much debate over the last few years. Acclaimed director Martin Scorsese started a movement against the popularity of such movies in 2019 when he claimed the genre wasn’t “true cinema.” Since then, multiple other industry titans, such as Cage‘s uncle Francis Ford Coppola, have also come forward to state their opinion that the MCU is doing damage to the moviegoing experience.

Cage openly disagrees, explaining to GQ when the topic was brought up that he doesn’t think the event-style films are responsible for killing audience interest in smaller productions:

Yeah, why do they do that? I don’t understand the conflict. I don’t agree with them on that perception or opinion. I think that the movies that I make, like ‘Pig’ or ‘Joe,’ are not in any kind of conflict with Marvel movies. I mean, I don’t think the Marvel movie had anything to do with the end of the tweener. By tweener, I mean the $30 to $50 million budget movie. I think movies are in good shape. If you look at ‘Power of the Dog,’ or if you look at ‘Spencer,’ or any of Megan Ellison’s movies. I think that there’s still Paul Thomas Anderson.
Nicolas Cage

Cage is known for a variety of oddball roles throughout his career, which include comic book adaptations like the Ghost Rider films and an attempted Superman movie. He is also a known advocate for nerdy lifestyles, having lifted his stage name from Marvel character Luke Cage and naming his son, Kal-El, after the Man of Steel. In the middle of a bit of a comeback, it’s possible fans see Cage in another comic book project someday, especially with the positive things he has to say about Marvel Studios:

Marvel has done a really excellent job of entertaining the whole family. They put a lot of thought into it. I mean, it’s definitely had a big progression from when I was doing the first two ‘Ghost Rider’ movies. Kevin Feige, or whoever is behind that machine, has found a masterful way of weaving the stories together and interconnecting all the characters. What could be wrong with wholesome entertainment that is appealing to the parents and the children, and gives people something to look forward to? I just, I don’t see what the issue is.
Nicolas Cage

Cage‘s next film, The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent, releases on April 22nd.

Source: Variety

March 23, 2022
Nicolas Cage Hints That His Superman May Live After All in a Potential Cameo

All the way back in 1997, Tim Burton almost ditched Gotham City to catch some sun over in Metropolis, as he’d begun development on a Superman film titled Superman Lives. The film would’ve featured Nicolas Cage in the titular role of the last son of Krypton but the project was eventually scrapped.

During a recent segment on GQ’s Actually Me, the actor took some time to answer some burning questions from his fans. One, in particular, focused on Cage‘s role as Superman and asked if they could just make it happen now. The actor’s answer was a bit surprising, as he seemed to hint at a potential return to that role after all.

“Would it matter how much time I appeared as the character? There might still be a chance.”
Nicholas Cage

If Cage was to hypothetically make a cameo as the Man of Steel in any upcoming project, The Flash would seem like the most likely outcome. The multiverse angle of the plot could see Flash traveling through many versions of Earth. One could just so happen to be the one Superman Lives would’ve taken place.

Superman Lives would’ve been quite the movie as it was set to pit Kal-El up against the likes of Lex Luthor, Brainiac, and Doomsday with a script from Wesley Strick and Dan Gilroy. The project was eventually scrapped due to WB suffering many box office bombs and the film just didn’t make the cut. Maybe one day we could see the story told in some shape or form, or even Cage suiting up just one time.

Source: Youtube, ScreenRant

March 23, 2022
First Look at Nicolas Cage as Dracula on ‘Renfield’ Set

Today is the day for set photo leaks, as right after a first look dropped for the live-action One Piece series, we now also got our first look at the upcoming Universal Monsters reimagination of Dracula titled Renfield. The story will focus on Dracula’s long-time assistant as he has a bit of a falling out with his former lord. Nicholas Cage was cast as Dracula, and People magazine got its hands on a first look at the film take on the iconic vampire.

His design looks great, especially the whitened skin and you can clearly see he has some sharp nails. The red felt suit is a nice touch, as it feels like a modernized take of his outfit from Gary Oldman‘s taken the character. We know the series takes place in the modern-day, and it’s uncertain how big his role might be in the film. The blue lips are a fun addition to his design to highlight that he’s definitely a walking corpse.

The casting of Nic Cage is still a perfect choice for a comedic take on classic vampire stories. He always brings energy to his projects that make him stand out no matter what. With the right director, he’ll definitely give a great performance, and the look is definitely promising a great role in Cage‘s future.

Source: People

March 23, 2022
Tom Hiddleston’s German Voice Actor Working on an Upcoming Marvel Movie

Marvel Studios is a worldwide phenomenon and has been translated into many different languages. Sometimes, the dub actors also end up teasing some upcoming projects, such as the current case with Peter Lontzek, who is known for voicing Tom Hiddleston throughout his Marvel journey. While referencing he recently worked on the Loki series, he also ends the short interview with another German voice actor by confirming that he is currently working on a secret Marvel film. He doesn’t give away any details, but the translation is as follows:

There is a new Marvel film that I am currently working on that I am not allowed to talk about.
Peter Lontzek

https://www.tiktok.com/@svenplatesynchron/video/7074233957042162949?_t=8QrbEYTtS33&_r=1

He confirms that whatever project it is, he is currently working on it, which does help pin down what film he is talking about. July will see the release of Thor: Love and Thunder but given the storyline of the Disney+ series, it seems more likely that the secret project he is working on is the film that’s eyeing a release in a little over a month. Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness seems like the most logical option, especially with rumors making the rounds early on that he might make an appearance in the project.

It would be fun to see the TVA confront Strange, as he keeps getting captured by different multiverse-based organizations as a running gag throughout. It would also open the possibility of Kang the Conqueror making his appearance in the project. Perhaps, the events of this film will lead into the second season of the TVA-focused Disney+ series. The confirmation of him working on a project does add some excitement on what the future might have in store for the God of Mischief.

Source: TikTok

March 22, 2022
Matt Smith Admits He’s Not Sure Who He Plays in Sony’s ‘Morbius’

4 years and 6 release dates ago, Matt Smith’s role in Sony’s upcoming vamp flick, Morbius, was revealed to be Loxias Crown, a Marvel Comics’ character known as Hunger. In the comics, Crown became some sort of quasi-vampire after being attacked by Morbius, but the character is poorly-defined, having only 5 total appearances and none since 1999. So, in some regards, it’s a great character for a comic-based film because he’s open to interpretation; however, there are also problems with adapting a character with so little supporting mythology. And, according to Smith, his Morbius‘ character may suffer from the same identity crisis he had in the comics.

In an interview with Screen Rant, Smith explained that he’s not entirely sure of the nature of his character because he didn’t do any comic-based research into him ahead of time:

The truth is, I wasn’t aware of the great big history of the character in many respects. Because the script I was presented with doesn’t really delve into the past of him – or indeed the future. And isn’t someone else playing him? It’s all a bit confusing to me, to be honest with you. I took as my Bible just the actual script, is the honest truth of it. And it was all a bit odd whether it was Loxias [Crown] or not. I’m still not quite sure, to be honest.
Matt Smith

In the film, Smith plays Morbius’ childhood bestie who suffers from the same hereditary disease as his friend. When Morbius finds the “cure”, Smith’s Crown, who comes from a wealthy family, uses his big money power to uncover Morbius’ discovery and then becomes a much more villainous, cold-blooded version of his friend. That character is a FAR cry from the comics, so it’s not surprising that Smith wouldn’t have to read any background material to prep. His route to villainy sounds very similar to how Marvel Studios has traditionally developed their villains, so maybe Sony has taken a page from the successful franchise.

Morbius FINALLY hits theaters just over a week from now on April 1st, 2022…or does it?

Source: Screen Rant

March 22, 2022
‘The Incredible Hulk’ Finds New Streaming Home on HBO Max Instead of Disney+

Disney+ has become the home of all Marvel projects. While the Sony Spider-Man films are still noticeably absent, especially those that take place in the MCU, the service has recently been able to add the missing Netflix series. Yet, there is still one MCU-specific film that refuses to make its return home in the form of The Incredible Hulk.

Decider has shared a list of projects heading to HBO and HBO Max in April. What stuck out is the Edward Norton-led film is included in the list. It’s uncertain if the film will finally make its move to join Disney+ anytime soon, as the production was originally distributed by Universal. They also seemingly owned the rights to the character for some time, but it’s unsure if Disney+ has actively been making deals behind the scenes to get the rights back to the film.

For now, it seems that we’ll still have to wait to have the full MCU represented on the “Home of Marvel” according to the recent update. It does seem like Marvel Studios plans is to bring all projects that have the Marvel brand to the service at some point, especially with that Sony deal some time ago that still hasn’t born any fruit so far. Spider-Man is heading to the service at some point, but it’s uncertain just how long the wait will be.

If The Incredible Hulk is getting added to HBO Max, it would indicate that some kind of deal was made with Universal. 20th Century films are still premiering on WarnerMedia’s service before they fully move over to Disney+ with the rights now belonging to the House of Mouse. We’ll see how exactly this unfolds and if the MCU will truly be united at some point.

Source: Decider

March 22, 2022
‘Fast and Furious 10’ Eyeing ‘The Suicide Squad’s Daniela Melchior to Join the Cast

It looks like breakout star Daniela Melchior has found her next big project. The Portuguese actress rose to prominence last year playing Ratcatcher 2 in James Gunn’s The Suicide Squad, and will now join the impressive ensemble cast of the untitled 10th Fast & Furious film. The film is set to be one of many upcoming action roles for Melchior, who will also be seen in the star-studded spy movie Assassin Club and the Liam Neeson thriller Marlowe. This level of exposure is a big career turnaround for the young performer, whose work as the heart and soul of DC’s villain team-up has elevated her past years of daytime television and into the Hollywood spotlight.

Fast & Furious 10 will star the usual suspects, with series lead Vin Diesel and co-stars Tyrese Gibson, Sung Kang, Charlize Theron, John Cena, and Michelle Rodriguez all set to return. Other newcomers to the cast will include megastar Jason Mamoa, who will play the movie’s villain, and rapper Cardi B, who made a brief and unexpected cameo in F9. The film will also be the franchise’s final installment, releasing on May 19, 2023, after decades of genre-bending outings. There are currently no plot details available for F10, but fans can likely expect it to pick up where the last story ended to finish things with a bang.

Source: The Wrap

March 21, 2022