Author: Christopher Marc

Posted on in Film News

Jonathan Majors In Talks To Play Adonis’ Opponent In ‘Creed 3’ – Will Be Michael B. Jordan’s Directorial Debut

Michael B. Jordan is making the jump to director with MGM’s Creed III while continuing to play Adonis, the son of Apollo Creed from the iconic Rocky movies. The last two movies had Sly Stallone reprising Rocky for the spinoff, but has announced that he won’t be involved with this new film.

It looks like they’ve found an actor to play Adonis’ next opponent as Deadline reports that Jonathan Majors is currently in negotiations for the role. Majors got awareness thanks to roles in Spike Lee’s Da 5 Bloods, White Boy Rick, and HBO’s Lovecraft Country. He is officially is playing Kang The Conqueror in Marvel’s Ant-Man & The Wasp: Quantumania as announced by Kevin Feige back in December.

It honestly wouldn’t hurt for Jordan and MGM to hire a seasoned actor to star opposite given that might be considered a weakness with the last two movies. It’s hard to really care about the actors who play Adonis’ opponents as they don’t have the same character that you’d expect.

Quantumania will begin shooting in a couple of weeks in the United Kingdom.

Jonathan Majors recently wrapped on the Korean War film Devotion, directed by J.D. Dillard.

Amazon recently acquired MGM Studios for a massive $8.45 billion.

The sport drama is set to be released by MGM on November 23, 2022.

SOURCE: DEADLINE

Posted on in Film News

Producer Seth Rogen Announces Animated ‘Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles’ Movie Releasing August 2023 – Helmed By ‘The Mitchells Vs. The Machines’ Co-Director Jeff Rowe

Yesterday, producer Seth Rogen took to Twitter to announce that his CGI-animated Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie is going to be released on August 11, 2023. The film is directed by Jeff Rowe, who wrote on Disney’s Gravity Falls and Netflix’s Disenchantment. He most recently co-directed the Netflix film The Mitchells Vs. The Machines.

The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles franchise was birthed by a mature comic book that was later adapted into a successful toyline, multiple cartoon series, five live-action films, and various video games since the 1980s. It focuses on a group of pizza-obsessed teenage turtles that have been turned into humanoids thanks to a mutagenic ooze with alien origins and are trained by their master/father figure Splinter, a giant rat.

Most of Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg’s experience with comic book properties have been with television projects such as AMC’s Preacher, Netflix’s The Boys, and Amazon’s popular mature animated series Invincible based on the Robert Kirkman comic. Their film credits include Superbad, Pineapple Express, This Is The End,The Interview, and the raunchy animated flick Sausage Party. The producing duo are also involved with Disney’s Darkwing Duck series revival, so they’re not only making mature entertainment.

A new live-action Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles film was reportedly also in the works, but concrete movement hasn’t been mentioned in ages.

SOURCE: SETH ROGEN

Posted on in Film News

‘Indiana Jones 5’ Begins Filming Next Week At Pinewood Studios UK

James Mangold is set to write and direct Indiana Jones 5 for Lucasfilm with a growing cast that already consists of Harrison Ford back as Henry Jones Jr. aka Indiana Jones, British actress Phoebe Waller-Bridge (Solo: A Star Wars Story, Fleabag), Danish actor Mads Mikkelsen (Fantastic Beasts 3, Casino Royale, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, Another Round), German actor Thomas Kretschmann (King Kong, Valkyrie, Blade II).  Boyd Holbrook (The Predator, Narcos, Logan), and Shaunette Renée Wilson (The Resident).

A new report from Deadline claims that production will begin next week at Pinewood Studios UK.

Steven Spielberg was originally attached to direct Indiana Jones 5, but exited due to script issues and pivoting to his a coming-of age drama inspired by his own childhood. The project stars Paul Dano (There Will Be Blood, Looper, The Batman), Michelle Williams (Venom, Manchester By The Sea), and Seth Rogen (Steve Jobs).

Confirmed crew members include legendary composer John Williams, production designer Adam Stockhausen (The French Dispatch, The Grand Budapest Hotel, Widows, Ready Player One), and cinematographer Phedon Papamichael (Ford v Ferrari, Walk The Line, 3: 10 To Yuma).

We previously mentioned Lucasfilm is considering to shoot scenes on the East Coast United States.

Disney has chosen to give Indiana Jones 5 a release date of July 29, 2022.

SOURCE: DEADLINE

Posted on in Film News

Elizabeth Olsen Says Wanda’s Sokovian Accent Is Returning For ‘Doctor Strange In The Multiverse of Madness’

We’re all excited to get our first glimpse of Sam Raimi’s return to the comic book genre with Marvel’s Doctor Strange In The Multiverse of Madness, while a trailer is likely months away, actress Elizabeth Olsen is giving a little bit of insight about the latest incarnation of Wanda Maximoff aka The Scarlet Witch.

Wanda Maximoff’s American and Sokovian accent seemingly have a life of their own, but Elizabeth Olsen spoke to Rolling Stone recently and dished that her Sokovian accent will be making a return for the Doctor Strange sequel. She also explained why Wanda pivoted to varying levels of accents in previous projects.

OLSEN: “So that started with Civil War. The Russos [directors Anthony and Joseph Russo] said, ‘Can she just have a softer accent, because she’s been in America, and has to have been speaking English more.’ So I was like, sure. I do have to say that in [Wanda’s next appearance, in 2022’s] Dr. Strange [in the Multiverse of Madness], after the experience she has in WandaVision, she goes back to an accent that’s more true to her. Now that I feel a little bit more ownership of the character, I feel like she does retreat back to having this more honest expression. The sitcom part was totally different, because she’s trying to hold on to an American sitcom world and play the part the best she can.”

The sequel seemingly takes place directly after Wanda becomes the Scarlet Witch and is attempting to bring her family out of the Multiverse using the dark magic spell book, The Darkhold, which suggests that she unwillingly unleashes evil creatures into their dimension and leads to Doctor Strange getting involved.

Marvel has officially announced that newcomer Xochitl Gomez will play America Chavez aka Miss America, but the studio hasn’t announced who will be the main villains other than Baron Mordo or if we’ll see characters such as Clea or Brother Voodoo despite former director Scott Derrickson teasing their involvement on social media.

Other returning cast members are Benedict Wong as Wong, Chiwetel Ejiofor as Baron Karl Mordo, and Rachel McAdams as Dr. Christine Palmer.

The production team includes composer Danny Elfman (Batman, Spider-Man 1-3), cinematographer John Mathieson (Logan, X-Men: First Class) and production designer Charles Wood (Black Widow, Avengers: Endgame).

Doctor Strange In The Multiverse of Madness will be released on Mach 25th, 2022.

SOURCE: ROLLING STONE MAGAZINE

Posted on in Film News

Marvel’s ‘Thor: Love & Thunder’ Officially Wraps Filming – Chris Hemsworth Posts New Beefcake Set Photo With Taika Waititi In His Korg Costume

Marvel’s next big film Thor: Love & Thunder has officially wrapped production today as it was announced by both actor Chris Hemsworth and director Taika Waititi on Instagram, both posting a nifty beefcake photo of the two of them on the set. Taika wearing his Korg costume and Hemsworth looking super buff after being fat Thor in Avengers: Endgame.

HEMSWORTH: “That’s a wrap on Thor Love and Thunder, it’s also national don’t flex day so I thought this super relaxed photo was appropriate. The film is gonna be batshit crazy off the wall funny and might also pull a heart string or two. Lots of love, lots of thunder! Thank you to all the cast and crew who made this another incredible Marvel journey. Buckle in, get ready and see ya in cinemas!!”

The film’s cast consists of Natalie Portman as Jane Foster aka Lady Thor, Chris Hemsworth as Thor, Christian Bale as Gorr The God Butcher, Tessa Thompson as King Valkyrie of New Asgard, Russell Crowe as Zeus, Matt Damon as fake Loki, Melissa McCarthy as fake Hela, Sam Neill as fake Odin, Luke Hemsworth as fake Thor, Jaimie Alexander as Lady Sif, Chris Pratt as Peter Quill aka Star-Lord, Karen Gillan as Nebula, Dave Bautista as Drax The Destroyer, Pom Klementieff as Mantis, Taika as the lovable Korg, and Sean Gunn as Kraglin.

It will introduce the cosmic beings known as The Olympians with Russell Crowe playing their leader Zesus, it means that Marvel is likely priming audiences to usher in Hercules aka The Prince of Power to the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Production was taking place at Fox Studios Australia in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, the facility had been previously used for Destin Daniel Cretton’s Shang-Chi & The Legend of The Ten Rings. It was recently revealed that the film’s cinematographer was Baz Idoine (The Mandalorian).

Thor: Love & Thunder will open in theaters on May 6, 2022.

SOURCE: CHRIS HEMSWORTH

Posted on in Television News

‘Jack Ryan’ Season 3 Adds ‘Dunkirk & ‘The Dark Knight’ Stunt Coordinator Tom Struthers

John Krasinski is having a pretty good week as his second feature film as a director made a mint at the domestic box office this past Memorial Day long weekend, with A Quiet Place Part II taking in around $57 million surpassing both the original film and Godzilla Vs. Kong’s pandemic record breaking domestic opening. Krasinski is also the main lead of the Amazon spy series Jack Ryan, of course, based on the Tom Clancy series of novels that spawned five studio movies previously led by actors such as Alec Baldwin, Harrison Ford, Ben Affleck, and Chris Pine.

The Ronin can confirm that veteran stunt coordinator Tom Struthers has joined the production team of the Amazon Prime Video series. Something that should get action fans like myself hyped about the third season taking steps to elevate the show’s action sequences.

The stunt coordinator isn’t a stranger to the Jack Ryan franchise as he worked on Chris Pine’s Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit. Struthers’ other credits include The Dark Knight, Dunkirk, Inception, The Dark Knight Rises, John Carter, Terminator Salvation, and X-Men: First Class. He most recently worked on Denis Villeneuve’s first Dune installment and the Paramount+ streaming series Halo starring Pablo Schreiber as Master Chief, both sci-fi projects had been primarily shot in Budapest, Hungary.

Filming is reportedly still underway as Deadline says they added Betty Gabriel (Get Out) to the cast last month and mentioned the plot synopsis of the next season. She joins Krasinski alongside others such as Wendell Pierce, Mark Kelly, James Cosmo, Peter Guinness, Nina Hoss, and Alexej Manvelov.

Season 3 of Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan finds Jack Ryan (Krasinski) on the run and in a race against time. Jack is wrongly implicated in a larger conspiracy and suddenly finds himself a fugitive out in the cold. Now, wanted by both the CIA and an international rogue faction that he has uncovered, Jack is forced underground, crisscrossing Europe, trying to stay alive and prevent a massive global conflict.

Season 3 is said to debut sometime this year.

Posted on in Film News

‘Predators’ Actress Alice Braga Joins Ben Affleck In Action Thriller ‘Hypnotic’ Directed By Robert Rodriguez – Shoots This September In Austin

Director Robert Rodriguez is in high demand these days after helming Alita: Battle Angel for James Cameron, then jumping into the world of Star Wars with Season 2 of The Mandalorian and then being behind the Boba Fett spinoff series The Book of Boba Fett for Lucasfilm.

His next big project is an action thriller, titled Hypnotic, that stars Ben Affleck as a “detective who becomes entangled in a mystery involving his missing daughter and a secret government program while investigating a string of high-end crimes.”

Deadline has a casting update mentioning that Brazilian actress Alice Braga has taken a role in the film. Braga has a connection to Rodriguez as she had a lead role in Predators, the third film in the Predator franchise was developed and produced by the filmmaker. Her other credits include I Am Legend, Repo Men, New Mutants, Queen of The South, and James Gunn’s The Suicide Squad.

They also state that production will begin again on September 20 in Austin, Texas, where Robert’s own studio facility, Troublemaker Studios, is located.

Affleck is currently working on The Flash, reprising his Batman/Bruce Wayne role alongside fellow Caped Crusader alumni Michael Keaton. He also wrapped work on the George Clooney-directed drama The Tender Bar.

SOURCE: DEADLINE

Posted on in Film News

Concept Art From Neill Blomkamp’s Unmade ‘Alien 5’ Features A New Android Character

Neill Blomkamp’s Alien 5 aka Red Harvest was once an elevator pitch made to Sigourney Weaver on the set of Chappie alongside a wave of concept art the filmmaker had commissioned on his own that materialized into an actual development deal with 20th Century Fox to make the sci-fi film.

Blomkamp’s idea was to ignore Alien 3 and Alien Resurrection treating Alien 5 as a direct sequel to Aliens, allowing them to have characters such as Michael Biehn’s Hicks and an adult version of Newt (the two characters spotted in concept artwork). If you missed David Fincher’s Alien 3 that movie opened by killing-off both Hicks and Newt something that frustrated fans and Aliens director James Cameron.

James Cameron famously called the Alien 5 script “gangbusters” (Cameron seemingly borrowed Alien 5’s concept for Terminator: Dark Fate) but the project ultimately didn’t get into the production phase as the studio pivoted to making Ridley Scott’s Alien: Covenant instead. Alien 5 would eventually be trust into limbo with Blomkamp exiting to pursue multiple other projects and Disney hasn’t suggested they plan on resurrecting it anytime soon.

However, a new batch of Alien 5 concept from artist Geoffory Thoorens’ Art Station page has been spotted by AVP Galaxy and it features a new android characters named Jax (fist image seen below with Ellen Ripley) and Killson, the latter looks a lot like Wolverine actor Hugh Jackman (second image seen below). I’m sort of curious if Neill Blomkamp wanted to have Jackman play one of the androids, the Australian actor was the face of 20th Century Fox’s popular X-Men franchise at the time and had recently worked with Blomkamp on Chappie that also co-starred Weaver.

Hugh Jackman as Killson?

UPDATE: Geoffroy’s website includes this stunning key frame image from an action sequence that features an alien queen and another type of xenomorph (Alien 5 was going to feature multiple hybrid xenomorphs). The film would have seen the evil corporation Weyland-Yutani getting their hands on one of the derelict ships filled with xenomorph eggs and finally experimenting on the dangerous alien species for their weapons division, something they’ve been trying to do since the original Ridley Scott film.

The Alien franchise is in odd place as a new television series set on Earth is in the works from Noah Hawley (Fargo, Legion) and Ridley Scott. There has been chatter from Ridley that he’s developing another film as well, but those plans have yet to be officially announced by the studio.

SOURCE: GEOFFROY THOORENS

Posted on in Film News

EXCLUSIVE: Patty Jenkins’ ‘Star Wars: Rogue Squadron’ Adds ‘Wonder Woman’ Production Designer Aline Bonetto

The Ronin has been able to confirm that Lucasfilm’s next big Star Wars film, Star Wars: Rogue Squadron, has added production designer Aline Bonetto. Director Patty Jenkins was announced for the project back in December and has since revealed to IGN that Rogue Squadron won’t be based on existing books or video games.

JENKINS: “[In the Star Wars: Rogue Squadron movie] we’re doing something original with great influence from the games and the books. There’s a lot of things being acknowledged and understood about the greatness of all of those things, but yes, it’s an original story and I’m so psyched to do it.”

Oddly enough, a screenwriter hasn’t been officially announced.

The next Star Wars feature film will be Rogue Squadron — directed by Patty Jenkins (Wonder Woman franchise). The story will introduce a new generation of starfighter pilots as they earn their wings and risk their lives in a boundary-pushing, high-speed thrill-ride, and move the saga into the future era of the galaxy.

Bonetto previously worked with director Patty Jenkins on Wonder Woman and Wonder Woman 1984.

We wouldn’t be terribly shocked if Wonder Woman cinematographer Matthew Jensen also joined the new Star Wars film after recently working on Season 2 of The Mandalorian. Jensen was the cinematographer for episodes such as The Believer, The Siege, and The Heiress.

Filming is assumed to be taking place at Pinewood Studios UK, the previous primary filming location of the Disney-era Star Wars films. Jenkins isn’t a stranger to productions made in England as she shot the last two Wonder Woman movies at Warner Bros. Studios Leavesden in Watford, England.

With Rogue Squadron in pre-production, casting the latest Star Wars film is going to be the studio’s next big challenge.

Jenkins is still attached to direct Wonder Woman 3 as well, but Star Wars: Rogue Squadron is going to be shot next.

The Star Wars franchise is also currently focusing on a wave of new television shows such as The Book of Boba Fett, Andor, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Ahsoka, Lando, The Acolyte, and Rangers of The New Republic. Thor: Love & Thunder director Taika Waititi is writing and directing his own untitled Star Wars film and Rian Johnson is said to be still involved with developing a trilogy of original films.

Disney has officially given Star Wars: Rogue Squadron a release date of December 22, 2023.

Posted on in Film News

EXCLUSIVE: Director Matthew Vaughn’s Next Film Will Be ‘Argyle’ For MARV Films

The Ronin has learned that British director Matthew Vaughn’s next feature film is using the title Argyle and will be setup at his production company MARV Films. Sadly, details are scarce on the new movie but is expected to begin production before the end of the year. We have to assume filming will take place in the United Kingdom.

Vaughn’s directorial credits include the Daniel Craig gangster film Layer Cake, Stardust, Kick-Ass, X-Men: First Class, Kingsman: The Secret Service, Kingsman: The Golden Circle, and the upcoming prequel The King’s Man formerly known as Kingsman: The Great Game.

MARV is also behind films such as the sports comedy Eddie The Eagle, the Elton John film Rocketman, and they had a hand with the last Fantastic Four movie. The studio’s latest projects include a Christmas movie titled Silent Night starring Jojo Rabbit’s Roman Griffin Davis and Keira Knightley along with a Tetris biopic that stars Taron Egerton.

There have been plans in the works for a third Kingsman movie as MARV’s Zygi Kamasa has teased multiple projects set in the Kingsman universe are in the works such as a television series and seven more films.

In 2018, Vaughn told Empire Magazine he was planning on rebooting Kick-Ass and Hit-Girl.

At one time, Vaughn had been attached to studio projects such as the spy flick I Am Pilgrim for MGM Studios based on the Terry Hayes novel, a feature adaptation of Mark Millar’s Superior, and a new incarnation of swashbuckling sci-fi hero Flash Gordon for 20th Century Studios before he was replaced with Overlord’s Julius Avery.

Argyle will reunite Matthew Vaughn with cinematographer George Richmond, who has been working on the Warner Bros. Potterverse sequel Fantastic Beasts 3 and the upcoming sci-fi action comedy Free Guy starring Ryan Reynolds.

MARV productions tend to use tailoring terms (Matthew Vaughn has a soft-spot for Huntsman tailors of Savile Row) for working titles, so, it’s possible Argyle isn’t going to be the film’s final title.

After multiple release delays due to the pandemic, The King’s Man will hit theaters on December 22.

THE KING’S MAN – As a collection of history’s worst tyrants and criminal masterminds gather to plot a war to wipe out millions, one man must race against time to stop them. Discover the origins of the very first independent intelligence agency in The King’s Man.