Live-Action ‘Gargoyles’ Series At Disney+ Will Be Produced By James Wan’s Atomic Monster

In the 1990s, Disney was behind one of the more unique genre-bending cartoon series with “Gargoyles.” A series that proposes that Gargoyles are actually living creatures/warriors that turn to stone in the daylight and come alive again at night, adding a time-travel and superhero angle to some extra creative flare. There had once been a rumor that Jordan Peele (“Nope”) attempted a live-action incarnation at Disney but that seemingly has gone nowhere as The Hollywood Reporter has revealed that they’ll be working alongside writer/director Gary Dauberman (“Annabelle Comes Home”) on a series at Disney+ with James Wan‘s production company Atomic Monster (“M3GAN”) also getting involved.

Here is a logline for the original cartoon:

After spending a thousand years in an enchanted petrified state, the gargoyles (who have been transported from medieval Scotland) are reawakened in modern-day New York City, and take on roles as the city’s secret night-time protectors.

Dauberman recently directed a feature film incarnation of Stephen King’s vampire novel “Salem’s Lot,” along with writing the scripts for multiple movies within Wan’s “Conjuring” cinematic universe including “The Nun.” So, he’ll certainly bring out the darker visual and horror elements from the animated version that aired between 1994 and 1997.

This would be one of the higher-profile Disney+ series after the Marvel and “Star Wars” projects, given the Gargoyles to be convincing enough would likely need to be done via top-notch CGI and that could speak to the scale of the visual effects budget. The main character Goliath was voiced by veteran film actor Keith David (“Spawn,” “The Thing,” “They Live”), who could potentially reprise the role if they’re looking to do motion-capture/CGI versions of the Gargoyles. David’s signature buttery voice would be appreciated but not make-or-break.

SOURCE: THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER

‘Salem’s Lot’: James Wan-Produced Vampire Flick Adds ‘Malignant’ Cinematographer Michael Burgess

New Line Cinema, producer James Wan, and writer/director Gary Dauberman are re-teaming for a feature film adaptation of the Stephen King vampire novel Salem’s Lot.

Salem’s Lot is a small New England town with white clapboard houses, tree-lined streets, and solid church steeples. A stranger had also come to the Lot, a stranger with a secret as old as evil, a secret that would wreak irreparable harm on those he touched and in turn on those they loved. Author Ben Mears returns to Salem’s Lot to write a book about a house that has haunted him since childhood only to find his isolated hometown infested with vampires. While the vampires claim more victims, Mears convinces a small group of believers to combat the undead.

Dauberman has some strong horror credits as he previously wrote the scripts for It and It: Chapter Two for director Andy Muschietti, another Stephen King adaptation. Other projects he’s written include the Swamp Thing series, The Nun, Annabelle Comes Homes, Annabelle: Creation, and Annabelle.

Things are finally coming together on Salem’s Lot as they’re assembling their production team.

The Ronin can confirm that cinematographer Michael Burgess will reunite with director Gary Dauberman, after previously working with him on Annabelle Comes Home. Burgess has worked on other horror films such as The Nun, The Conjuring 2, The Curse of La Llorona, The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It, and James Wan’s upcoming horror pic Malignant.

We’re still waiting on official news concerning casting for Salem’s Lot.

James Wan is currently shooting Aquaman & The Lost Kingdom at Warner Bros. Studios Leavesden in Watford, England with Jason Momoa, Amber Heard, and Patrick Wilson reprising their roles.

His next pic Malignant will hit theaters and HBO Max on September 10.

Madison is paralyzed by shocking visions of grisly murders, and her torment worsens as she discovers that these waking dreams are in fact terrifying realities.

‘Train To Busan’ Remake Director Timo Tjahjanto Co-Wrote Secret Genre Movie With ‘Doctor Strange’s Scott Derrickson

Director Timo Tjahjanto (The Night Comes For Us) has announced on social media that he co-written a passion project of his with Doctor Strange screenwriters Scott Derrickson and C. Robert Cargill. Tjahjanto is attached to direct an English remake of the hit South Korean horror flick Train To Busan for producer James Wan and New Line Cinema.

He also confirmed that the Train To Busan remake will be made first.

“After nearly seven years of trying to get this passion project running. It had finally gained some amazingly “strange” traction. Humbled and honored to be working with two of these very talented filmmakers and writers. This one will happen after a train ride, and when it does…[multiple skull emojis],” Timo Tjahjanto stated in a post on Instagram alongside a brief synopsis of the project teasing a possible dystopian sci-fi angle.

The year is 20**, society is screwed. Crime and violence have risen steadily in all remaining regions of planet Earth. Most of Asia has been unified.

Scott Derrickson has been busy since exiting Doctor Strange In The Multiverse of Madness over creative differences with Marvel Studios. He’s attached to direct an adaptation of Joe Hill’s The Black Phone starring Ethan Hawke and is also making a sequel to Jim Henson’s beloved fantasy film Labyrinth.

TRAIN TO BUSAN – Life-or-death survival in train bound to Busan. A divorced man, Seok-woo is always caught up at work, leaving him no time to spare with his daughter Su-an. He offers to take her on the train to see her mother in Busan. As the train departs, an abnormal virus spreads from a girl who is infected, and people start to transform to zombies. Will Seok-woo and Su-an make it out alive? TRAIN TO BUSAN is director YEON Sang-ho’s debut feature film, who is loved by Cannes with his edgy animation.

Timo Tjahjanto To Direct New Line Cinema’s ‘Train To Busan’ Remake Produced By James Wan

New Line Cinema and producer James Wan have seemingly found the director for their remake of the South Korean zombie flick Train To Busan as Deadline reports that Timo Tjahjanto is currently in negotiations for the gig.

Timo is likely known for the action film Headshot that starred Iko Uwais.

Sang-Ho Yeon was behind the original that spawned a action-packed sequel that released in 2020. They’ll really have to knock it out of the park with this remake given that the original is beloved and most people are puzzled why a studio is even attempting it.

TRAIN TO BUSAN – Life-or-death survival in train bound to Busan. A divorced man, Seok-woo is always caught up at work, leaving him no time to spare with his daughter Su-an. He offers to take her on the train to see her mother in Busan. As the train departs, an abnormal virus spreads from a girl who is infected, and people start to transform to zombies. Will Seok-woo and Su-an make it out alive? 

SOURCE: DEADLINE

‘Van Helsing’: New Movie Coming From ‘Overlord’ Director Julius Avery and ‘Black Widow’ Screenwriter Eric Pearson – James Wan Producing

At one time, Universal Pictures tried to develop a new film focusing on the famous monster hunter Van Helsing with director Guillermo del Toro and Tom Cruise starring. The character best known as the nemesis of Count Dracula in multiple installments from Hammer Films played by Star Wars actor Peter Cushing. More recently played by Anthony Hopkins in Francis Ford Coppola’s Dracula from 1992 and Hugh Jackman in the less scary Van Helsing adventure film from 2004.

Back in 2015, Universal then attempted to developed another reboot from screenwriters Jon Spaihts (Dune, Prometheus) and Eric Heisserer (Bloodshot, Arrival, Lights Out). This took place when the studio was assembling their Universal Monsters franchise called Dark Universe, which crumbled after the misstep of The Mummy reboot starring Tom Cruise flopped at the box office.

Deadline has an update on the project that will see James Wan’s production company Atomic Monster getting involved along with Overlord director Julius Avery now attached for the horror reboot. They also mention that a new script was penned by Eric Pearson (Black Widow, Thor: Ragnarok, Godzilla vs Kong, Agent Carter) that will now get rewrites from Avery.

Julius had once been attached to direct a reboot of Flash Gordon for 20th Century before the the merger with Disney led to the project’s demise.

Fellow Australian director Leigh Whannell (Upgrade) was tapped to reboot The Invisible Man with help from Blumhouse Productions and is now working on a new Wolfman movie that will star Ryan Gosling (Blade Runner 2049, Drive). There is a Dracula movie in the works from director Karyn Kusama (Jennifer’s Body, Destroyer) with other more comedic projects in various stages of development.

They had also been trying to reboot both Bride of Frankenstein and Creature From The Black Lagoon.

It’ll be interesting to see if Universal will want to make an R-rated film given the graphic nature of vampires to begin with and making PG-13 movies with vampires tend to be toothless concerning the horror angle being hindered without the use of blood/gore. I’m slightly curious if Avery’s film will be connected to Karyn’s Dracula film.

SOURCE: DEADLINE

‘Get Out’ Actress Allison Williams To Star In Robot Horror Flick ‘M3GAN’ From Blumhouse and James Wan

Deadline reports that Get Out star Allison Williams will be reuniting with Blumhouse for a new technology horror film titled M3GAN. Williams will star as the lead character, Gemma, a brilliant robotics scientist.

She will produce alongside James Wan’s Atomic Monster as well.

Williams plays Gemma, a brilliant roboticist at a toy company. She uses artificial intelligence to develop M3GAN, a life-like doll programmed to be a kid’s greatest companion and a parent’s greatest ally. After unexpectedly gaining custody of her orphaned niece, Gemma enlists the help of the M3GAN prototype – a decision that has unimaginable consequences.

The project sounds interesting with a script penned by Akela Cooper (Malignant, The Nun 2, Luke Cage) based on a story by James Wan and will be directed by Gerard Johnstone (Housebound).

SOURCE: DEADLINE

Netflix Announces ‘Usagi Yojimbo’ CGI Animated Series Titled ‘Samurai Rabbit: The Usagi Chronicles’ – Produced By James Wan

Today, it was announced that Netflix will be making a new CGI animated series titled Samurai Rabbit: The Usagi Chronicles based on Stan Sakai’s beloved Usagi Yojimbo comic book series. The streaming service will be teaming up with Gaumont and James Wan’s Atomic Monster.

The character also famously did crossovers with the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and was part of their toy line.

88 Pictures, who previously did the animation for Trollhunters will be working on the series.

Below is the official press release.

Netflix and Gaumont announce new comedy-action CGI animated series Samurai Rabbit: The Usagi Chronicles based on the globally successful 35-year-old comic book, Usagi Yojimbo, from award-winning creator Stan Sakai. 

The series takes place in the far future, set in a world that mixes modern high-tech images with classic Japanese references. It follows the teenage Rabbit Samurai Yuichi, descendent of the great warrior Miyamoto Usagi, on his epic quest to become a true samurai. But he isn’t alone! He leads a ragtag team of misfit heroes – including a roguish bounty hunter, a cunning ninja, an acrobatic pickpocket and a faithful pet lizard – as he battles depth-charging moles, metal-tipped winged bats, and monsters from another dimension, all in the pursuit to become the best samurai Usagi! 

The series is produced in partnership with Stan Sakai, the legendary creator, writer and illustrator of the comic-book series who will serve as Executive Producer, along with Gaumont (Executive Producers Nicolas Atlan, Terry Kalagian, Sidonie Dumas and Christophe Riandee), Dark Horse Entertainment (Executive Producers Mike Richardson, Keith Goldberg and Chris Tongue), and Atomic Monster (Executive Producers James Wan, Michael Clear and Rob Hackett). Candie and Doug Langdale (Maya and the Three, The Book of Life, Puss in Boots, Niko and the Sword of Life, Kung Fu Panda: Legends of Awesomeness) are attached as executive producers and showrunners. Ben Jones (Batman vs Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Teen Titans, Iron Giant) is Supervising Producer while Khang Le (Big Hero 6, Little Big Awesome) will serve as Art Director on the series. 

Mumbai-based 88 Pictures (Trollhunters, 3Below: Tales of Arcadia, Fast & Furious Spy Racers) has been appointed as the CGI animation studio. 

The acclaimed comic series has received a number of awards over the last three decades, including Parents’ Choice Award, an American Library Association Award, and the YALSA (Young Adult Library Services Association) Award. Usagi Yojimbo has also been named on Empire Magazine’s Top 50 comic-book characters of all time, IGN’s Top 100 comic-book characters of all time and Rolling Stone’s Top 50 non-superhero graphic novels. Sakai is a six-time Eisner Award winner, the recipient of multiple Haxter Awards, and won the Best Cartoonist Harvey Award in 2016.

SOURCE: NETFLIX