Director Christopher Nolan had been shopping around a new World War II film project to multiple studios about J. Robert Oppenheimer’s development of the atomic bomb in the Manhattan Project. His work ultimately led to the surrender of the Japanese after two atomic bombs were unleashed upon the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki by the U.S. military, killing countless civilians in an instant and even more than that slowly/painfully over time.
The project, Oppenheimer, found a home at Universal Pictures (after a bidding war) with production said to begin in early 2022 and the studio recently committed to a 100-day theatrical release.
Now, it’s been confirmed by Deadline that Irish actor Cillian Murphy has indeed landed the Oppenheimer lead role and the drama has nabbed the release date of July 21, 2023.
Cinematographer Hoyte van Hoytema will reunite with Nolan after working on, Interstellar, Dunkirk and Tenet along with Oscar-winning Swedish composer Ludwig Göransson (Tenet, Black Panther, The Mandalorian, The Book of Boba Fett, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever) joining the film too.
Murphy had been long in the mix for the role and has previously worked with Nolan on The Dark Knight Trilogy, Inception, and Dunkirk.
No Time To Die will see the end of the Daniel Craig era opening the door for a hard-reboot recasting all roles, not just James Bond. However, EON’s Barbara Broccoli has now downplayed the idea of spinoffs or even seeing more of the supporting characters of No Time To Die in solo projects.
Here is what she said to Fandango.
“We have not done [a spinoff] in the past and I don’t think we have any plans to do it in the future.”
I’m sure folks had been banking on Lashana Lynch’s Nomi getting her own movie or spinoff, but that doesn’t seem to be in the cards.
At one time, there had been rumblings of Michelle Yeoh and Halley Berry’s characters from the Pierce Brosnan era getting their own films, that also never materialized.
This likely means that they’d push against the idea of branching-out of the franchise drowning in content and will seemingly simply focus on the Bond movies, given how tough they are to put together. While MGM Studios is most likely going to be bought by Amazon (hasn’t been approved or finalized), this doesn’t mean that the streaming service will be suddenly able to bully EON around, who are the main stewarts of the Bond franchise and will likely continue to keep creative control.
Broccoli has also previously told BBC Radio 4 they’re not rushing into Bond 26 and won’t even consider the casting search until 2022 at the earliest. Meaning that there aren’t any frontrunners or anyone signed on, despite years of internet rumors.
“We want Daniel to have his time of celebration. Next year we’ll start thinking about the future.”
Today, marks the wide release of No Time To Die.
NO TIME TO DIE – Bond has left active service and is enjoying a tranquil life in Jamaica. His peace is short-lived when his old friend Felix Leiter from the CIA turns up asking for help. The mission to rescue a kidnapped scientist turns out to be far more treacherous than expected, leading Bond onto the trail of a mysterious villain armed with dangerous new technology.
NEW TODAY: Could #NoTimeToDie lead to a spinoff for one or more of its memorable supporting characters? Not likely. Producer Barbara Broccoli tells @Fandango: "We have not done [a spinoff] in the past & I don't think we have any plans to do it in the future." pic.twitter.com/Oqp2BpMOhs
French-Canadian director Denis Villeneuve is doing a heap of press for the upcoming released of Dune and was asked by the Happy Sad Confused Podcast about his continued desire to tackle the next era of James Bond after Daniel Craig steps down with the latest/final installment, No Time To Die.
Admittedly, he hasn’t watched No Time To Die, but would love the challenge of rebooting Bond after Craig’s unmatched/ultimate version of the iconic spy character.
“Franky, the answer would be a massive yes. I would deeply love one day to make a James Bond movie. It’s a character that I’ve been with since my childhood. I have massive affection for Bond. It would be a big challenge to try and reboot it after what Daniel did. What Daniel Craig brought to Bond was so unique and strong and honestly unmatchable. He’s the ultimate James Bond. I can’t wait to see Cary’s movie. I’m very excited. I’m one of the biggest Bond fans.”
While we’ve been getting a lot of sci-fi from Villeneuve with Arrival, Blade Runner 2049, and Dune, his other impressive pics such as Prisoners and Sicario would certainly be an excellent resume alone to nab the James Bond gig.
Interestingly enough, Sicario had British actor Daniel Kaluuya (Get Out, Widows, Black Panther) in a supporting role years before he’d nab an Oscar for his work on Judas & The Black Messiah. Kaluuya would make an excellent Bond candidate as he’s in the right age-range and isn’t leading multiple franchises.
Director Christopher Nolan (Inception, Tenet, Dark Knight Trilogy) has also been vocal multiple times in interviews wanting to tackle a Bond reboot himself, however, we’re still in the dark what EON/MGM are planning to do with Bond 26. Producers have said they won’t even begin thinking about recasting the role until next year (Sorry, nobody has been cast despite what the internet has said), that’s not even guarantee they won’t wait longer given the time between these movies and how long development can take.
Villeneuve’s Dune will hit theaters on October 22.
DUNE – A mythic and emotionally charged hero’s journey, Dune tells the story of Paul Atreides, a brilliant and gifted young man born into a great destiny beyond his understanding, who must travel to the most dangerous planet in the universe to ensure the future of his family and his people. As malevolent forces explode into conflict over the planet’s exclusive supply of the most precious resource in existence—a commodity capable of unlocking humanity’s greatest potential—only those who can conquer their fear will survive.
A movie based on Image Comics character Prophet has been in the works for a while at Studio 8 with Marc Guggenheim assigned to write the film’s script. There is now a big update as the project inches closer to getting made.
The Hollywood Reporter has learned that actor Jake Gyllenhaal and Extraction director Sam Hargrave had jumped on board with Jake playing John Prophet. The two were previously attached to the war flick Combat Control.
Prophet is a product of Nazi experiments during the end of WWII, which is said to be still part of the film’s plot.
In the film, John Prophet volunteers for a German experiment near the end of World War II in order to feed his family. After a bombing buries him alive and traps him underground for 20 years, he reawakens in 1965, where things are not great for Prophet. The world has moved on without him, his daughter resents him, and KGB agents are after him to create super-soldiers from his blood.
Gyllenhaal is no stronger to comic book projects after appearing in Spider-Man: Far From Home as Quentin Beck aka Mysterio and is attached to a movie adaptation of the Robert Kirkman sci-fi comic book Oblivion Song.
Hargrave is currently busy on the Netflix sequel Extraction 2 starring Marvel Studios alumni Chris Hemsworth. He’s also got strong genre credits working as second unit director on Season 2 of The Mandalorian and multiple MCU movies.
Having a writer, lead actor, and director is a good sign but it’s unclear when they ultimately want to get cameras rolling.
Nia DaCosta’s recent release of the Candyman soft-reboot proved that not all horror remakes/re-imaginings are created equal, some can actually improve upon the original. However, we get plenty of examples of films that just shouldn’t exist and because of this, it’s tough to gauge which projects will ultimately be great.
A new Hellraiser movie is on the way at Spyglass Media Group and in a press release via The Playlist that their new horror flick, directed by David Bruckner, is heading to Hulu. Mentioned in the casting list, Jamie Clayton will be playing a female incarnation of the beloved horror iconic Pinhead.
Also, Clive Barker has joined the film as an executive producer.
According to Spyglass and Hulu, the “loyal, yet evolved re-imagining” of “Hellraiser” stars Odessa A’zion (“Grand Army”) in the lead role opposite Jamie Clayton (“Sense8”) as the iconic Pinhead. Yes, it appears Pinhead is getting a major makeover with Clayton taking on the role and putting a new spin on the legendary horror baddie. The supporting cast includes Brandon Flynn (“13 Reasons Why”), Goran Visnjic (“The Boys”), Drew Starkey (“Love, Simon”), Adam Faison (“Everything’s Gonna Be Okay”), Aoife Hinds (“Normal People”), and Hiam Abbass (“Succession”). In addition, “Hellraiser” creator and filmmaker, Clive Barker, has joined the project as an executive producer.
The Illuminerdi first reported on the casting of Odessa A’zion.
Some other installments of established horror franchises on the horizon include Resident Evil: Welcome To Raccoon City, Scream 5, a new Texas Chainsaw Massacre film heading to Netflix, and lost-gesting reboot of Friday The 13th.
HELLRAISER – Sexual deviant Frank (Sean Chapman) inadvertently opens a portal to hell when he tinkers with a box he bought while abroad. The act unleashes gruesome beings called Cenobites, who tear Frank’s body apart. When Frank’s brother (Andrew Robinson) and his wife, Julia (Clare Higgins), move into Frank’s old house, they accidentally bring what is left of Frank back to life. Frank then convinces Julia, his one-time lover, to lure men back to the house so he can use their blood to reconstruct himself.
Sam Raimi and Roy Lee are producing a new genre film based on a graphic novel, Boy Kills World, with German director Moritz Mohr making his feature film debut.
A one-of-a-kind action spectacle set in a dystopian fever dream reality. Boy is a deaf-mute with a vibrant imagination. When his family is murdered, Boy escapes to the jungle and is trained by a mysterious shaman to repress his childish imagination and become an instrument of death.
Deadline is confirming that Swedish actor Bill Skarsgard (Atomic Blonde, John Wick 4, Deadpool 2, It, It: Chapter Two) will be playing the lead role, while also adding that action star Yayan Ruhian (John Wick 3, Star Wars: The Force Awakens, The Raid 1-2) and Australian actress Samara Weaving (Snake Eyes, Bill & Ted Face The Music) will co-star.
Skarsgard and Ruhian are interestingly enough both alumni of the John Wick franchise, all three actors working alongside Keanu Reeves in the last couple of years.
Production is said to begin next year in Capetown, South Africa.
Sam Raimi has dabbled in both horror and comics book projects over his career, most notably directing the Evil Dead and Spider-Man franchises. He’s also been mostly taking a producer role over recent years scaling-back the volume of his directorial efforts. However, he’ll be making his big return to the world of Marvel Comics with his Doctor Strange sequel Doctor Strange In The Multiverse of Madness being released on March 25, 2022.
Another spinoff series is reportedly in the works at Marvel Studios and Disney+, this new one will apparently include actress Kathryn Hahn reprising the Agatha Harkness role that was introduced in WandaVision.
Variety reports that untitled Marvel series is said to be a WandaVision spinoff coming from head writer Jac Schaeffer, who signed an overall deal with Marvel Studios and 20th Television earlier in the year.
Hahn would reprise the role of Agatha Harkness in the series, which is described by sources as a dark comedy, though exact plot details remain under wraps. WandaVision head writer Jac Schaeffer would serve as the writer and executive producer on the project. Should the spinoff go forward, it would be the first project Schaeffer has set up with Marvel since she signed an overall deal with them and 20th Television in May.
In WandaVision, Hahn started out playing the role of Agnes, Wanda and Vision’s nosy neighbor, before it was revealed she was in fact Agatha, a powerful witch. In the Marvel comics and the series, Agatha is shown to have survived the Salem Witch Trials and is more than a match for Wanda, a.k.a. Scarlet Witch. When viewers last saw her in the finale of WandaVision, Wanda traps Agatha in Westview by using her powers to force her revert to her Agnes persona.
However, it’s not clear what the “dark comedy” Marvel show actually is and they don’t mention a title or concrete plot details.
When the S.W.O.R.D./Nick Fury series was first announced in separate trade reports they weren’t aware it was going to be an adapation of Secret Invasion. It’s possible the show could another project with multiple key MCU characters coming together. We also aren’t aware if this series leaves room for other established magic users like Elizabeth Olsen’s Scarlet Witch, Benedict Cumberbatch’s Doctor Strange or Benedict Wong’s Wong will be involved.
We should be getting a lineup update on new and upcoming Marvel Studios projects at Disney+ Day on November 12.
Dune director Denis Villeneuve made his thoughts public on both superhero films and the Marvel Cinematic Universe, however, doesn’t seem to dislike everything about the genre and has an affection for one particular superhero.
During a recent interview with the Happy Sad Confused Podcast, the French-Canadian filmmaker revealed that Batman is the only comic book character he could “relate to” suggesting he’d be open to tackling him in the future.
“Batman would be probably the only character that I could relate to. From what I read, like ‘Arkham Asylum,’ a book like that, I got in contact with when I was an adult. It’s for me, the character that I could connect to.”
Villeneuve is already in the scripting phase of Dune: Part Two and has mentioned a potential fall 2022 production start, assumed to take place in Budapest again. He’s started talking up his desire for a third Dune movie to round-out a trilogy, adapting the second book, Dune Messiah.
After Villeneuve’s public comments on WarnerMedia/Warner Bros. Pictures it’s unclear if Batman will ever land on his lap with Matt Reeves currently tackling a trilogy of films starring Robert Pattinson. Interestingly enough, Ben Affleck’s solo Batman film would have focused on Arkham Asylum.
Dune will hit theaters on October 22.
DUNE – A mythic and emotionally charged hero’s journey, Dune tells the story of Paul Atreides, a brilliant and gifted young man born into a great destiny beyond his understanding, who must travel to the most dangerous planet in the universe to ensure the future of his family and his people. As malevolent forces explode into conflict over the planet’s exclusive supply of the most precious resource in existence—a commodity capable of unlocking humanity’s greatest potential—only those who can conquer their fear will survive.
The film stars Oscar nominee Timothée Chalamet (“Call Me by Your Name,” “Little Women”), Rebecca Ferguson (“Stephen King’s Doctor Sleep,” “Mission: Impossible – Fallout”), Oscar Isaac (the “Star Wars” franchise) Oscar nominee Josh Brolin (“Milk,” “Avengers: Infinity War”), Stellan Skarsgård (HBO’s “Chernobyl,” “Avengers: Age of Ultron”), Dave Bautista (the “Guardians of the Galaxy” films, “Avengers: Endgame”), Stephen McKinley Henderson (“Fences,” “Lady Bird”), Zendaya (“Spider-Man: Homecoming,” HBO’s “Euphoria”), Chang Chen (“Mr. Long,” “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon”), David Dastmalchian (“Blade Runner 2049,” “The Dark Knight”), Sharon Duncan-Brewster (“Rogue One: A Star Wars Story,” Netflix’s “Sex Education”), with Oscar nominee Charlotte Rampling (“45 Years,” “Assassin’s Creed”), with Jason Momoa (“Aquaman,” HBO’s “Game of Thrones”), and Oscar winner Javier Bardem (“No Country for Old Men,” “Skyfall”).
After winning the Oscar for Best Director, Chloe Zhao will be releasing her big MCU film Eternals next month and during the promotion for the new superhero flick seemingly revealed a desire to explore Star Wars.
While chatting with Empire Magazine’s Al Horner, the filmmaker was aspect about potentially making a Star Wars film after mentioning Star Wars multiple times in the interview.
“Hmmm. I have to tread very carefully with what I say here. [laughs],” the filmmaker said carefully. “Yes. Let’s just say, it’s a world I have so much reverence for because it was such an important part of my life. [laughs].”
Also, Chloe Zhao mentioned Star Wars five or six times as being really close to heart. So after a while, I asked her this… and got a quite intriguing answer. GIVE CHLOE ZHAO A STAR WARS MOVIE PLS @disneypic.twitter.com/YWkJ6l1UUK
Interestingly enough, her wording at the top of the response would suggest previous interactions with Lucasfilm. Could she have already shot something Disney+-related or taken meetings with the studio?
It wouldn’t but like she would be the first Marvel Studios alumni to tackle the Star Wars universe after folks like Jon Favreau, Peyton Reed, and Taika Waititi working on the Disney+ shows. Waititi is attached to make his own movie after Patty Jenkins’ Star Wars: Rogue Squadron and Kevin Feige is producing another pic with screenwriter Michael Waldron (Loki, Doctor Strange In The Multiverse of Madness).
I’d personally love to see Zhao jump into the world of Star Wars, but when and where seems to be a question. There could easily be sequels to Eternals and she’s attached to make a sci-fi western Dracula film for Universal Pictures.
Zhao’s Eternals will be released next month on November 5.
ETERNALS – The immortal heroes, the Eternals, came here 7,000 years ago, since the dawn of man, to “protect humans from the Deviants.” Sersi reveals that she hasn’t seen some of the other Eternal teammates for centuries. With the monstrous creatures, the Deviants, long thought lost to history, mysteriously return, Ikaris decides that it’s time for them to “find the others” and defend humanity once again. As the epic story unfolds, Sersi and Ikaris reunite with Kingo (played by Kumail Nanjiani), Sprite (played by Lia McHugh), Gilgamesh (played by Don Lee), Thena (played by Angelina Jolie), Makkari (played by Lauren Ridloff), Phastos (played by Brian Tyree Henry), and Druig (played by Barry Keoghan).
Keanu Reeves is currently shooting John Wick 4, but is also lining up future projects including a feature film adaptation of his newly released Boom! Studios comic book, BRZRRK, that was picked-up by Netflix.
Here is the official press for the comic book.
BOOM! Studios is proud to announce BRZRKR, a twelve-issue limited series from the iconic Keanu Reeves in his Must Read comic book writing debut alongside New York Times bestselling co-writer Matt Kindt (Folklords, Bang!) and acclaimed artist Ron Garney (Wolverine, Captain America), colorist Bill Crabtree (BRPD), and letterer Clem Robins (Hellboy) in a brutally violent new series about one immortal warrior’s fight through the ages.
The man known only as B. is half-mortal and half-God, cursed and compelled to violence…even at the sacrifice of his sanity. But after wandering the world for centuries, B. may have finally found a refuge – working for the U.S. government to fight the battles too violent and too dangerous for anyone else. In exchange, B. will be granted the one thing he desires – the truth about his endless blood-soaked existence…and how to end it.
Reeves has given Collider a tiny development update on the BRZRKR film, revealing they’ve landed screenwriter Mattson Tomlin to tackle the script for the live-action film. Tomslin previously worked on The Batman with director Matt Reeves, the Netflix film Project Power, a Mega Man movie, and is developing an anime series set within the Terminator universe for the streaming service.
“We’re working on trying to set up a company with the animation and we’ve hired a writer for the film Mattson Tomlin. He’s been cool and just starting to put things together. That’s where we’re at.”
A director has yet to be announced but we’re hopeful that a seasoned filmmaker with action chops lands the gig. Given that they’ve just started developing a script there isn’t likely a production start in mind and unlikely conflicts with plans for John Wick 5 or potential Matrix sequels.
THE RONIN 