Category: Film News

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‘Black Panther 2’ Working Title Is ‘Summer Break’

As a summer production in Atlanta is expected for Marvel’s Black Panther sequel directed by Ryan Coogler, the film has apparently landed it’s own working title alongside other Marvel Studios projects shooting in 2021.

Production Weekly is listing the working title as Summer Break. This will be strictly used during the filming of Black Panther 2 and these faux titles are often chosen by the directors.

Other recent working titles for MCU film projects are as follows.

SPIDER-MAN: NO WAY HOME = THE NOVEMBER PROJECT

THOR: LOVE & THUNDER = THE BIG SALAD

CAPTAIN MARVEL 2 = GOAT RODEO

ANT-MAN & THE WASP: QUANTUMANIA = DUST BUNNY

Details on the project are scarce but with the passing of T’Challa actor Chadwick Boseman there had been multiple confirmations from Marvel Studios brass that they have zero plans to use a digital version of Chadwick and have also downplayed the idea of recasting the role. We still don’t know what their plan is for the sequel and who exactly will take on the mantle.

Narcos Mexico star Tenoch Huerta had reportedly landed a villain role in the sequel but his character wasn’t mentioned in the report. We assume that they’ll be able to wrangle original cast members to return such as Lupita Nyong’o, Danai Gurira, Letitia Wright, Winston Duke, Daniel Kaluuya, Angela Bassett, Florence Kasumba, Martin Freeman.

At the end of the first installment, Wakanda revealed itself to the world and it’s advanced technology could lead to conflict with other nations. Fans have been hoping that complex characters such as Namor or Doctor Doom could end up appearing in the sequel but neither have been confirmed.

Director Ryan Coolger is also developing a Wakanda spinoff series for Disney+ as part of his overall deal with Disney. We’ve seen Wakanda take a small role in The Falcon & The Winter Soldier and could be planting seeds for the Coogler show.

Black Panther 2 has been given a release date of July 8, 2022.

SOURCE: PRODUCTION WEEKLY

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UPDATE: ‘Predator 5’ Shoot In Calgary Taking Place From June To August

Predator 5 aka Skulls has been previously confirmed for a shoot in Calgary, Alberta, Canada with 10 Cloverfield Lane director Dan Trachtenberg and cinematographer Jeff Cutter. It’ll be the first installment with the franchise under Disney ownership after the merger saw them take over 20th Century Fox, now re-branded as 20th Century Studios.

The Ronin has learned about some updated production dates as location scouting is underway in Alberta they are planning on a shoot that will kick-off on June 7 and wrap filming by August 20. This would be different from the dates mentioned by AVP Galaxy last month.

Shane Black’s The Predator was released back in 2018 and that one shot in Vancouver (used for Alien vs. Predator: Requiem). The film was a bit of a critical and commercial blunder for the studio earning a poultry $160.5 million globally on a budget of $88 million, it also underwent reshoots removing a sub-plot with the Emissary Predators.

Hopefully, Dan is able to make the version he wants to do without meddling from franchise producers during production or in post.

Predator 5 is without a release date or an official cast.

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’10 Cloverfield Lane’ Cinematographer Jeff Cutter Joins ‘Predator 5’ Production Team

As production on 20th Century Studios’ Predator 5 aka Skulls is expected to kick-off in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. There seems to be an reunion of sorts on director Dan Trachtenberg’s production team.

10 Cloverfield Lane cinematographer Jeff Cutter has signed-up for the fifth Predator installment as he posted on his Instagram account a location scout in Alberta with Dan. The pair also worked together on the pilot episode of Amazon’s hit mature themed comic book series The Boys.

The last cinematographer to work on the franchise was Larry Fong (300, Kong: Skull Island, Watchmen) on Shane Black’s The Predator.

Disney is now the owners of the Alien and Predator franchises from the merger, it’ll be interesting to see what the new era will look like. While there was talk of Ridley Scott developing another film for 20th Century the next Alien project is a streaming series from Noah Hawley (Legion, Fargo). The next Predator installment will take place within the world of Native American culture and could bring it back to it’s roots of the 1987 original. Unlike the other Predator movies, we’re expected to see a female protagonist and likely will be a nod to the comic book character Machiko Noguchi.

Predator 5 is currently without an official cast or release date.

SOURCE: JEFF CUTTER

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‘Tomorrow War’ Director Chris McKay Tapped For Universal Monster Flick ‘Renfield’

A while back it was announced that Rocketman and Eddie The Eagle director Dexter Fletcher was circling a new Universal Monsters project focused on Count Dracula’s brainwashed lackey, Renfield. The script is penned by Rick & Morty’s Ryan Ridley based on an original outline from Robert Kirkman (Walking Dead, Invincible), Ridley’s involvement suggesting a comedic-bend to the horror movie.

Fletcher has exited the project to focus on Paramount’s The Saint reboot starring Chris Pine and Universal has hired Chris McKay (The Lego Batman Movie, The Tomorrow War) to replace him as director, according to Deadline.

Renfield believed if he was loyal enough, his master Dracula would give him immortality and is institutionalized. The incarnation of Renfield that standouts personally for me is Tom Waits’ take in Francis Ford Coppola’s Dracula from 1992 that starred Gary Oldman, Winona Ryder, Anthony Hopkins, and Keanu Reeves.

The studio attempted to re-brand the Universal Monsters by launching their own modern cinematic universe, Dark Universe, starring with Tom Cruise’s The Mummy only for the film to flop. Leading the studio to kill the Dark Universe and retool their plans by getting Leigh Whannell to direct a new take on The Invisible Man with the help of Jason Blum’s Blumhouse. Renfield is part of a wave of new Universal Monsters projects, the next one is expected to be a Wolfman remake from Whannell and starring Ryan Gosling. Some of the other movies include a genre-hybrid Dracula remake from Chloe Zhao (Eternals, Nomadland), Van Helsing from director Julius Avery (Overlord), talk of the studio still trying to get a director attached for a Bridge of Frankenstein remake and other various films in development.

McKay’s sci-fi action flick The Tomorrow War starring Chris Pratt was recently sold by Paramount to Amazon for a hefty $200+ million and will be released on July 2, 2021.

SOURCE: DEADLINE

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20th Century Hires Joe Cornish To Write/Direct A Feature Film Adaptation of Mark Millar’s ‘Starlight’

Finally, a new high-profile project has been announced at Disney’s 20th Century Studios.

Attack The Block’s Joe Cornish has been assigned to write and direct a feature film adaptation of Mark Millar’s comic book Starlight. The project seems to be influenced by sci-fi swashbucklers such as Flash Gordon, Buck Rogers, and John Carter.

The comic centers on a space hero who saved the universe 35 years ago but when he came back to Earth, no one believed his fantastic stories. He married, had kids and settled into old age, but then his old rocket ship shows up, and he is called back for one fantastic adventure.

It’s a little odd would attempt Starlight since 20th Century Studios has the rights to Flash Gordon with development on both animated and live-action movies over the last couple of years. Perhaps, the twist is appealing enough to purse this project alongside Flash?

Joe previously co-wrote the original Ant-Man script with Edgar Wright, the pair also worked on Steven Spielberg’s The Adventures of Tinin: The Secret of The Unicorn. He recently directed The Kid Who Would Be King and is set to helm the Lockwood series for Netflix.

Mark Millar is a comic book writer that is behind mature work such as Kingsman, Kick-Ass, Wanted, Empress, Superior, and Jupiter’s Legacy.The latter getting an upcoming Netflix series.

At one time, 20th Century Fox (pre-merger) was developing a film based on his Shazam!/Superman knock-off Superior with Matthew Vaughn (had been attached to direct a Flash Gordon remake). It’s unknown if the studio is going to move forward with that superhero project anytime soon.

SOURCE: DEADLINE

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‘Kong: Skull Island’ Director Jordan Vogt-Roberts & Brian K. Vaughn Team For Live-Action ‘Gundam’ Movie

Legendary and Netflix is moving forward with a live-action Gundam movie, according to IGN. As the streaming giant has set Jordan Vogt-Roberts to direct a script from Lost’s Brian K. Vaughn. Legendary will distribute the film in China while Netflix will exclusively stream the film globally.

It’s unclear if they’ll be adapting the original anime series or attempt a new incarnation.

In the war between the Earth Federation and Zeon, a young and inexperienced crew find themselves on a new spaceship. Their best hope of making it through the conflict is the Gundam, a giant humanoid robot, and its gifted teenage pilot. It is the year 0079 of the Universal Century.

Vogt-Roberts is likely best known for his Monsterverse installment Kong: Skull Island that rebooted King Kong for the Legendary franchise and recently cast Oscar Isaac (Dune, Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Moon Knight) for his Metal Gear Solid film at Sony Pictures.

Brian K. Vaughn is an established comic book writer and had once been tasked to write a solo Silver Surfer movie for 20th Century Fox before the merger with Disney nixed those plans. He’s behind comics such as Saga, Y: The Last Man and Ex Machina.

It’s starting to sound like Legendary and Netflix will attempt to grow their relationship after recently working together on Enola Holmes. You might remember that Netflix offered the studio a massive $200 million deal to secure Godzilla vs. Kong, as WarnerMedia crushed that deal to place the film on HBO Max for free alongside the theatrical release. I’m curious if we’ll see big projects like this at Legendary offered to Netflix in the future instead of Warner Bros. for distribution.

SOURCE: IGN

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Lucy Liu To Play Villain Kalypso In ‘Shazam! Fury of The Gods’

As Warner Bros. has already started filming Black Adam over the weekend, there is another big DC Comics franchise casting announcement for their Shazam! sequel. Actress Lucy Liu (Charlie’s Angels, Kill Bill) has landed the role of Kalypso in Shazam! Fury of The Gods, according to Deadline.

From an action standpoint, Lucy is likely best known to audiences from her roles in the Charlie’s Angels films, Shanghai Noon, and playing the iconic villain O-Ren Ishii in Quentin Tarantino’s Kill Bill. Other credits include Chicago, Payback, Elementary, Domino, and voicing Viper in DreamWorks’ Kung Fu Panda franchise. She also has as second career as a television director working on various projects including Netflix’s Luke Cage.

Liu joins a cast that also includes Helen Mirren as Hespera, Rachel Zegler as Hespera’s sister, Zachary Levi as Shazam, and Asher Angel as Billy Batson, Jack Dylan Grazer as Freddy Freeman, Faithe Herman as Darla Dudley, Grace Fulton as Mary Bromfield, Jovan Armand as Pedro Pena, Ian Chen as Eugene Choi, Cooper Andrews as Victor Vasquez, Marta Milans as Rosa Vasquez, Meagan Good, Michelle Borth, Ross Butler, D.J. Cotrona, and Adam Brody.

Billy and his foster siblings are endowed with superpowers.

Shazam! Fury of The Gods directed by David F. Sandberg will be released on June 2, 2023.

SOURCE: DEADLINE

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Dwayne Johnson Announces ‘Black Adam’ Has Officially Started Production

Dwayne Johnson might be one of the few actors that has dedicate their careers trying to secure their dream comic book role, and for Johnson that has been Black Adam. His attempts to land the DC Comics role goes back to 2007 and this weekend things have finally come to fruition.

Yesterday, it was announced on Johnson’s Instagram account that they have finally started filming on Black Adam in Atlanta and posted a picture of the clapperboard from the set. I’m sure this shoot is going to become a career highlight for Dwayne, because he’s wanted this project/role so badly and it’s actually happening.

Joining Johnson on the superhero project directed by Jaume Collet-Serra (Jungle Cruise) includes Aldis Hodge as Carter Hall aka Hawkman, Pierce Brosnan as Kent Nelson aka Dr. Fate, Noah Centineo as Al Rothstein aka Atom Smasher, Quintessa Swindell as Maxine Hunkell aka Cyclone, Sarah Shahi as Adrianna Tomaz aka Isis, Bodhi Sabongui, James Cusati-Moyer, and Marwan Kenzari expected to play the film’s villain.

The New Line Cinema project is going to be releasing head-to-head with Indiana Jones 5 on July 29, 2022 as Lucasfilm announced they would be sticking to the summer date even after Warner Bros. placed Black Adam in the same spot. We imagine one of them is going to eventually find a new date down the road.

Warner Bros. seems to be moving on with their DC franchise post-Zack Snyder and a project like Black Adam will allow them to introduce a multitude of new characters in a single installment with The Justice Society playing a role in the film. They should be an interesting addition to the DCEU alongside the Shazam! family.

SOURCE: DWAYNE JOHNSON

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‘Jackass 4’ Release Delayed To October & Eric Andre Appearing?

Filming on Jackass 4 apparently started back in December but they haven’t completed shooting as Johnny Knoxville and Steve-O were hospitalized. Production hiccups has seemingly led Paramount Pictures to delay the release by a month, according to Deadline, as the sequel will be released on October 22, 2021 taking Snake Eyes: G.I. Joe Origins’ old spot as it has been moved-up to July 23, 2021.

There is a good shot we’ll end up seeing comedian and prankster Eric Andre appear in Jacksass 4, as Jeff Tremaine produced Eric’s Netflix film Bad Trip. If you’re not aware Jeff is the director/producer behind the Jackass series on MTV and all the movies. Eric and Tremaine teased a potential appearance in an interview with The Film Stage along with confirmation that filming had resumed.

SOURCE: DEADLINE & THE FILM STAGE

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Paramount Releasing Mystery ‘Star Trek’ Film In June 2023

Paramount Pictures announced a new slate of release dates today via Deadline and one of the projects mentioned included an untitled Star Trek film given a spot on June 9, 2023.

There had been multiple Star Trek film projects in the works over the years as the studio has been increasingly indecisive concerning the franchise and what to do next after Star Trek Beyond.

S.J. Clarkson had been hired to direct Star Trek 4 with talk of Chris Hemsworth returning to play Kirk’s father before it was scrapped after returning cast members couldn’t make a deal with the studio concerning salaries.

Quentin Tarantino and screenwriter Mark L. Smith (The Revenant) teamed-up for their own Star Trek film that was expected to be inspired by the gangster episode from the original series, however, it sounds like that one lost steam as well. It seemingly would have allowed the current cast to be part of the project.

Noah Hawley (Legion, Fargo) was hired to write and direct his own Star Trek movie before Paramount pulled the plug, according to Hawley speaking to Deadline back in 2020. It was announced in December that Noah would be working with Ridley Scott on an Earthbound Alien streaming series for Disney.

HAWLEY: ” It doesn’t appear to be in my immediate future. I think when Emma [Watts] came in, she took a look at the franchise and wanted to go in a different direction with it. But you know, life is long, we were very close to production but in this business that doesn’t mean much. You got to get out of the gate to be in the race if you know what I mean.”

Last month, Deadline reported that Star Trek: Discovery writer Kalinda Vazquez was tasked by Paramount and producer J.J. Abrams to write an “original” Star Trek film. She’s also working with George R.R. Martin on HBO’s Roadmarks series.

I guess we’ll have to be patient to find out what this project is or if it’s just another incarnation that is going to get shelved before filming kicks-off.

SOURCE: DEADLINE