Author: Christopher Marc

Posted on in Television News

‘Obi-Wan Kenobi’: Ewan McGregor Says Production Begins Late Spring In Los Angeles

Despite rumblings that Lucasfilm has started shooting Obi-Wan Kenobi, the Disney+ series star Ewan McGregor while chatting with comedian Eddie Izzard for a charity streaming event revealed that production won’t be taking place until “late spring” and that the production location is actually going to be Los Angeles, California and not the United Kingdom as previously rumored.

The chat taking place during Izzard’s marathon Run For Hope and the clip with Ewan was posted on Reddit.

MCGREGOR: “We start making it in the late spring and we’re going to be shooting it here in [Los Angeles].”

He also took some grabs at the inaccurate tabloid reporting on the upcoming production and were it would be taking place stating it had always been planned for a shoot in California, not Boston or the United Kingdom.

My former website Omega Underground actually had talked about Obi-Wan Kenobi possibly shooting in California back in 2017, when the project was still being considered as a feature film at Lucasfilm and we pointed out the state being a strong contender for it’s production for a multitude of reasons.

A late spring shoot would suggest they might not begin until around May-June, given that most projects are being delayed due to COVID-19 seeing them push back from a March start wouldn’t be all that shocking. According to Deadline, The Book of Boba Fett is currently shooting in the California facility which might also have something to do with it.

There is also an interesting production crew report from a South Korean site Cine21 (spotted by Star Wars News Net) that Oldboy cinematographer Chung-hoon Chung has been tapped for the series, however, this has yet to be confirmed by Disney/Lucasfilm. His other credits include IT, The Handmaiden, Uncharted, and Edgar Wright’s Last Night In Soho.

What we do know is that Deborah Chow (The Mandalorian) is directing with Hayden Christensen officially singed-on to reprise the role of Darth Vader. We should also expected to start hearing casting news in the very near future as we get closer to the Star Wars show’s production start.

SOURCE: EDDIE IZZARD/RUN FOR HOPE

Posted on in Film News

Viggo Mortensen Teases Reunion With Director David Cronenberg For A Disturbing Film – Could It Be ‘The Fly’ Sequel?

Viggo Mortensen and Canadian director David Cronenberg are apparently trying to work together on a new film as the actor revealed in a recent chat with GQ Magazine, revealing that the film will see Cronenberg going back to his “origins.” The project might even end up in the thriller or horror genre depending how you take in Viggo’s answers below during the interview.

Adding that filming could begin as early as this summer.

GQ: Are you two in talks for another collaboration sometime soon?

MORTENSEN: “Yes, we do have something in mind. It’s something he wrote a long time ago, and he never got it made. Now he’s refined it, and he wants to shoot it. Hopefully, it’ll be this summer we’ll be filming. I would say, without giving the story away, he’s going maybe a little bit back to his origins.”

GQ: So, body-horror type stuff?

MORTENSEN: “Yeah, it’s very interesting. It’s almost like a strange film noir story. It’s disturbing and it’s good, I think. But since his origins, he’s obviously developed in terms of technique and self-assurance as a director.”

I’m sure the “origins” comment would lead many to believe he’s talking about David’s early work in the horror genre but we’ll likely have to wait on more concrete details.

At one point, David tried to get 20th Century Fox (pre-Disney merger) to make a film within the same universe of his remake The Fly. Here is how the filmmaker described the project to The Playlist back in 2012 calling it more of a sequel/sidebar than a full-on remake.

CRONENBERG: “It wasn’t really a remake, it was more of a sequel or a sidebar. It was a meditation on fly-ness. None of the same characters or anything and, of course, with an understanding of modern technology. It was something I was very pleased with and it was a disappointment not to get it made.”

THE FLY – When scientist Seth Brundle (Jeff Goldblum) completes his teleportation device, he decides to test its abilities on himself. Unbeknownst to him, a housefly slips in during the process, leading to a merger of man and insect. Initially, Brundle appears to have undergone a successful teleportation, but the fly’s cells begin to take over his body. As he becomes increasingly fly-like, Brundle’s girlfriend (Geena Davis) is horrified as the person she once loved deteriorates into a monster.

Viggo and David have previously worked together on the comic book adaptation A History of Violence, the Russian gangster film Eastern Promises, and A Dangerous Method. Interesting enough, a spiritual sequel to Eastern Promises is moving forward with Jason Statham’s Small Dark Look that was penned by screenwriter Steven Knight and that had been originally planned as a direct follow-up with Cronenberg expected to direct (formerly known as Body Cross) before budget issues killed it.

SOURCE: GQ

Posted on in Television News

Ryan Coogler Alludes To Working With Marvel Studios On Multiple Shows For Disney+

Following-up to the Deadline report that Black Panther director Ryan Coolger is making a Wakanda series with Marvel Studios for Disney+ as part of his new development deal between Disney and his production company Proximity Media, we might be getting more Marvel shows from Coogler.

In an official press release from Marvel Studios that was also cited in the Deadline report, Ryan reveals he’ll be working on “select MCU Shows” giving us the impression we’ll see him involved with more than just one show. However, they stopped short from revealing what those projects could be.

COOGLER: “It’s an honor to be partnering with The Walt Disney Company. Working with them on Black Panther was a dream come true. As avid consumers of television, we couldn’t be happier to be launching our television business with Bob Iger, Dana Walden and all the amazing studios under the Disney umbrella. We look forward to learning, growing, and building a relationship with audiences all over the world through the Disney platforms. We are especially excited that we will be taking our first leap with Kevin Feige, Louis D’Esposito, Victoria Alonso and their partners at Marvel Studios where we will be working closely with them on select MCU shows for Disney+. We’re already in the mix on some projects that we can’t wait to share.”

There is a good chance that he could be exploring characters outside of the Black Panther/Wakanda franchise.

Ryan is said to be getting ready to shoot Black Panther 2 this summer in Atlanta.

SOURCE: MARVEL

Posted on in Television News

‘Black Panther 2’ Director Ryan Coogler Developing Wakanda Series For Disney+ As Part of An Overall TV Deal With Disney

Deadline has breaking news that Ryan Coogler has secured a five-year overall television deal with Disney and that he’s already going to develop Black Panther spinoff series for Disney+ that will take place within the Kingdom of Wakanda.

However, there are no current details about who that show will be focusing on.

Disney has made a five-year overall exclusive television deal with Coogler’s Proximity Media, which he runs with principals Zinzi Coogler, Sev Ohanian, Ludwig Göransson, Archie Davis and Peter Nicks. Coogler, who is working on the Black Panther feature sequel he will direct this year, will develop new television series for the studio. The first one will delight Black Panther fans: a drama based in the Kingdom of Wakanda for Disney+. The deal also enables Proximity to develop television for other divisions of the Company.

Coogler is currently prepping and writing Black Panther 2, which Marvel Studios is hoping to begin filming this summer in Atlanta, Georgia. Marvel has gone the record multiple times they will not be recasting the T’Challa role after the death of Chadwick Boseman and are not exploring a digital double either.

Will we see the adventures of The Dora Milaje or The Jabari Tribe?

This looks to be part of a push from Marvel Studios to cement their commitments to having a stronger presence of black characters in their growing cinematic universe which has been mostly seen on the television side of the MCU thanks to new Disney+ shows. The three big new series announcements revealed back in December included Samuel L. Jackson’s Secret Invasion, Don Cheadle’s Armor Wars, and newcomer Dominique Thorne playing engineering wiz-kid Riri Williams in Ironheart.

We’re also starting to see Teyonah Parris’ Monica Rambeau in WandaVision becoming an integral part of the MCU before joining fellow cosmic heroines Carol Danvers and Kamala Khan in Captain Marvel 2.

SOURCE: DEADLINE

Posted on in Film News

Paramount & J.J. Abrams Developing A True ‘Cloverfield’ Sequel With ‘Gotham PD’ Showrunner Joe Barton – Won’t Be Found Footage

The Hollywood Reporter has revealed that Paramount Pictures and J.J. Abrams’ Bad Robot is looking to make a true sequel to Matt Reeves’ 2008 film Cloverfield with Joe Barton being tapped to write the film’s script. Adding that the film won’t be found footage like the original.

Hopefully, the sequel has longer runtime.

Barton was recently hired to showrun and write the new HBO Max series Gotham PD, the DC Comics show would be a prequel to the upcoming The Batman movie, taking place within the first year of Bruce Wayne’s crime fighting. Joe replacing Terence Winter, who exited the project over “creative differences.”

Other Bad Robot films such as 10 Cloverfield Lane and The Cloverfield Paradox had previously taken place within the same cinematic universe but were done retroactively as a marketing gimmick as they weren’t originally conceived as direct sequels.

Plot details aren’t mentioned in the report for the new film and given Bad Robot’s history they’ll keep those hidden in the mystery box for some time.

CLOVERFIELD – As a group of New Yorkers (Michael Stahl-David, Mike Vogel, Odette Yustman) enjoy a going-away party, little do they know that they will soon face the most terrifying night of their lives. A creature the size of a skyscraper descends upon the city, leaving death and destruction in its wake. Using a handheld video camera, the friends record their struggle to survive as New York crumbles around them.

SOURCE: THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER

Posted on in Television News

‘Willow’: Lucasfilm Hires ‘Power Rangers’ Director Jonathan Entwistle To Helm Disney+ Series

Lucasfilm has finally found their replacement for Jon M. Chu on their sequel series Willow on Disney+. This news from The Hollywood Reporter comes after the Crazy Rich Asians director announced his exit from the project citing an upcoming baby as the reasoning behind leaving directing duties on the fantasy show’s pilot.

The studio has now reportedly hired Jonathan Entwistle for the pilot but it’s unknown who else will be directing episodes.

Jonathan is likely best known for the series End of The F***ing World, and he was recently hired to tackle the latest feature film reboot of the Power Rangers as Hasbro has big plans for the franchise after acquiring the property. 

The cast includes Warwick Davis reprising the role of Willow Ufgood, Erin Kellyman (The Falcon & The Winter Soldier, Solo: A Star Wars Story, The Green Knight) is said to be up for the role of Jade, Cailee Spaeny (Pacific Rim: Uprising, Bad Times At The El Royale) playing Kit, English actress Ellie Bamber (Nocturnal Animals) as Dove, and Tony Revolori in talks for a role.

According to Lucasfilm, production on Willow is set to begin this March in Wales.

WILLOW – Enter the world of Willow. Journey to the far corners of your imagination, to a land of myth and magic, where dream and reality live side by side … to a place that never existed, a time that never was. It is a world where a young man named Willow lives out an adventure that explodes beyond the boundaries of his own hopes and fears.

SOURCE: THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER

Posted on in Film News

‘Matrix 4’s Real Title Might Be ‘Matrix Resurrections’ According To A Wrap Gift

A post from film and television hairstylist Shunika Terry might have accidentally revealed that the real official title to Matrix 4 is actually Matrix Resurrections. She posted what seems to be a wrap gift from the shoot in Germany which included a thank you card to the cast and crew mentioning the film’s title.

In a recent promo for HBO Max, the film was simply referred to as Matrix.

It’s worth mentioning the post has been since deleted from Instagram after going viral over the weekend.

Lana Wachowksi returns to direct a cast that consists of Keanu Reeves, Carrie-Anne Moss, Jada Pinkett Smith, Jessica Henwick, Daniel Bernhardt, Priyanka Chopra, Ibarra, Neil Patrick Harris, Toby Onwumere, Brian J. Smith, Eréndira Ibarra, Andrew Caldwell, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, and Ellen Hollman.

Warner Bros. has given the film a release date of December 22nd, 2021.

THE MATRIX – Neo (Keanu Reeves) believes that Morpheus (Laurence Fishburne), an elusive figure considered to be the most dangerous man alive, can answer his question — What is the Matrix? Neo is contacted by Trinity (Carrie-Anne Moss), a beautiful stranger who leads him into an underworld where he meets Morpheus. They fight a brutal battle for their lives against a cadre of viciously intelligent secret agents. It is a truth that could cost Neo something more precious than his life.

SOURCE: SHUNIKA TERRY

Posted on in Film News

First Set Photos From ‘Thor: Love & Thunder’ Reveal Kraglin Has Joined The Guardians – Plus Looks At Nebula & Star-Lord

As filming on Marvel’s Thor: Love & Thunder has officially kicked-off in Sydney, Australia last week. The first real-deal set photos featuring cast members have finally arrived online via The Daily Mail.

The images can be seen by clicking the source link at the bottom of the page.

These set photos include first looks at Chris Hemsworth’s Thor (minus fat suit), Chris Pratt’s Star-Lord, Karen Gillan’s Nebula, and Sean Gunn’s Kraglin is wearing a Guardians patch suggesting he’s joined the team alongside Thor for some sort of adventure. Kraglin also seems to have Yondu’s arrow technology as well which should make him a bit more of an asset than in previous films.

Filming is taking place during Australia’s summer which is why you’ll see many cast members are holding fans, something we often see on these Aussie sets. The scene seems to be focused mainly on Thor’s involvement with the Guardians of The Galaxy as he joined them at the end of Avengers: Endgame leaving Earth and New Asgard behind.

A full casting roster has yet to be announced by Marvel Studios but it looks like it will include Chris Hemsworth as Thor, Natalie Portman as Lady Thor aka Jane Foster, Tessa Thompson as King Valkyrie, Chris Pratt as Star-Lord aka Peter Quill, Karen Gillan as Nebula, Christian Bale as Gorr The God Butcher, Dave Bautista as Drax The Destroyer, Jaimie Alexander as Lady Sif, Sean Gunn as Rocket/Kraglin, Taika Waititi in a bigger role as Korg, and Matt Damon is playing an undisclosed character too.

There is a really good chance given the involvement of The Guardians, that the new Thor movie could help establish the events of James Gunn’s Guardians of The Galaxy 3.

Thor: Love & Thunder is currently set to be released on May 6th, 2022 but I wouldn’t get too attached to that date as there might be more shifts from Disney adjusting their 2021-2022 theatrical schedules.

SOURCE: THE DAILY MAIL

Posted on in Television News

‘Buck Rogers’: George Clooney To Produce & Possibly Star In New Sci-Fi Series From Legendary

Legendary‘s upcoming Buck Rogers reboot series is getting some help from a Hollywood heavy-weight as The Hollywood Reporter reveals that George Clooney has boarded with his company Smokehouse Pictures to produce the latest incarnation of the sci-fi hero. The new series is being written by Brian K. Vaughn.

Adding he might end up playing the titular character as well.

The character of Rogers first appeared in a story titled Armageddon 2419 and published in a 1928 issue of pulp mainstay, Amazing Stories. Written by Philip Francis Nowlan, the story told of a man who is trapped in a coal mine during a cave-in, falls into suspended animation and Rip Van Winkle-style wakes up almost 500 years into the future. There, he is enlisted to help fight a war between several gangs in what was once America.

George Clooney is not a stranger to the science fiction genre with films Gravity, Solaris, The Midnight Sky, and Disney’s Tomorrowland. Not to mention the cinematic achievement Return of The Killer Tomatoes!.

It’s still unknown where Buck Rogers will ultimately land as a streamer or network has yet to pick-up the show. Legendary is currently working on HBO Max’s Dune: The Sisterhood alongside Skull Island and Tomb Raider, two recently announced anime series for streaming giant Netflix.

SOURCE: THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER

Posted on in Film News

‘Bones & All’: Luca Guadagnino To Direct Romantic Horror Movie With Timothee Chalamet & Taylor Russell In Talks To Star

Deadline is reporting that Timothee Chalamet and Waves actress Taylor Russell are in talks to star in Bones & All, a horror romance that will be directed by Italian filmmaker Luca Guadagnino. Luca and Timothee previously worked together on the drama Call Me By Your Name.

Luca isn’t a stranger to horror as he helmed a remake of Dario Argento’s classic horror movie Suspiria. Currently, he’s working on Universal’s latest Scarface remake.

SOURCE: DEADLINE