Movies Movie News and Notes

Matt Reeves and Netflix Win Bidding War for Sci-Fi Short Story LIFE SENTENCE

Netflix is closing a deal for Life Sentence, the short story by Matthew Baker, sources said. Matt Reeves and his 6th & Idaho banner will develop the project as producers. Reeves, who’ll next direct the stand-alone iteration of Batman, recently moved his deal from Fox (where he made two Planet of the Apes films) to Netflix.

The deal is six figures against seven figures if the film gets made. That seems a strong likelihood given the ravenous bidding that took place over the last 24 hours. There were eight bidders fighting for this one all day, and things got really heated when a ninth — Apple — entered the mix with powerhouse producers ready to turn the short story into a TV show.

The other bidders were Amazon Studios, Warner Bros, Universal, Netflix, Gigi Pritzker’s MWM Studios, Fox 2000, New Regency and Gaumont.

In the end, it came down to Netflix for a movie deal, or Apple and Gaumont for a TV deal that would have paired Chris and Heather McQuarrie’s new TV company with Michael De Luca Productions. In the end, the author wanted to see this done as a movie, and so chose Netflix.

It is the third sci-fi short story Baker has sold to Hollywood. His first, Transition, sold to Amazon in a bidding war with Noah Hawley producing and Joe Epstein adapting. His second short story, The Appearance, sold to Makeready with The Picture Company producing.

Life Sentence is about a futuristic program where the memories of criminals are erased, instead of sending them to prison. The story focuses on one such man, who finds himself trying to reconcile his past actions and relationships.

http://deadline.com/2018/02/matthew...attle-science-fiction-short-story-1202301188/
 
JURASSIC WORLD 3 In the Works, Sets June 11, 2021 Release Date

Almost four months before Universal Pictures unleashes Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom, the studio is making plans for a third installment of the rebooted dinosaur adventure movie series.

Jurassic World 3 will be written franchise newcomer Emily Carmichael along with Colin Trevorrow, the director of the 2015 reboot and co-writer of Fallen Kingdom.

And the studio has set a June 11, 2021 release date for the movie.

Trevorrow is returning to exec produce the new chapter along with Steven Spielberg, the filmmaker behind the original movies in the 1990s. Frank Marshall and Pat Crowley are returning as producers.

Plot details are being kept locked in a canister but Carmichael and Trevorrow will work from a story concocted by Trevorrow and writer partner Derek Connolly. Carmichael co-wrote the upcoming Pacific Rim Uprisingand most recently rewrote The Black Hole for Disney and director Joseph Kosinski. She came to Spielberg’s attention when she set up the family action-adventure Powerhouse at Amblin.

“It’s important to this franchise that we welcome new creative voices to keep our storytelling fresh and alive,” says Trevorrow. “I’m thrilled with the tension and beauty J.A. has brought to Fallen Kingdom, and I know Emily will add another layer of emotion to the concluding chapter of our trilogy.”

Jurassic World rebooted Jurassic Park, the popular trilogy that adapted the best-selling Michael Crichton novel. The movie, fueled by the star power of Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard combined with nostalgic hunger, was a roaring success, grossing over $1.6 billion worldwide. Fallen Kingdom, directed by J.A. Bayona,opens June 22.

'Jurassic World 3' In the Works with Emily Carmichael and Colin Trevorrow, Sets 2021 Release Date

My response - "Well, it can't possibly be worse than the first Jurassic Park 3."

Universal Pictures - "Hold my beer...."
 
Earlier today, Katheryn Winnick posted this in an Instagram Story:


So I dug around and I found what movie this refers to...


Mads Mikkelsen will star in the action-thriller “Polar,” set in the gritty underworld of political assassins.

[●●●]

Mikkelsen will play the world’s top assassin Duncan Vizla, A.K.A the Black Kaiser who is retiring when his former employer marks him as a liability to the firm. Against his will, he soon finds himself being hunted by an army of younger, faster, ruthless killers who will stop at nothing to have him silenced. Having no choice but to return to the shadowy life he thought he’d left behind, he must use his arsenal of deadly skills to outsmart his enemies and protect an innocent woman.

Mads Mikkelsen was born to play the world’s best assassin,” Bolt said. “He is totally believable as the Black Kaiser in ‘Polar’ and Jonas’ unique, vibrant but grounded and darkly comic style will set ‘Polar’ apart as an unforgettable tale.”

I'm hoping it means someone in Hollywood finally came to their senses and cast her in a action oriented role.

HA!!!! I was right! <45>


High School Musical alum Vanessa Hudgens, Katheryn Winnick of the History Channel series Vikings, and Matt Lucas (Alice In Wonderland) have signed up to co-star in Polar, an action-thriller directed by Swedish filmmaker Jonas Åkerlund and starring Mads Mikkelsen. The pic, based on the Dark Horse action noir graphic novel Polar: Came From the Cold by Victor Santos, hails from Constantin Film and Netflix, which will distribute it sometime next year.

Written by Jayson Rothwell, the story centers on the world’s top assassin, Duncan Vizla (Mikkelsen), aka The Black Kaiser, who is settling into retirement when his former employer marks him as a liability to the firm. Against his will, he finds himself back in the game going head to head with an army of younger, faster, ruthless killers who will stop at nothing to have him silenced.

They had better not waste Winnick as the damsel in distress or I will riot. :mad:
 
My response - "Well, it can't possibly be worse than the first Jurassic Park 3."

Universal Pictures - "Hold my beer...."

I think Universal is going to be a bit bummed when they see the diminishing returns with Fallen Kingdom. Jurassic World was the perfect storm of nostalgic hype for a great film and Pratt's breaking out as a big film star. Fallen Kingdom I'm sure will still do well but I doubt it will get within 100 mill domestic gross of the predecessor.
 
Arnold Schwarzenegger Joins KUNG FURY Playing the American President

In what sounds like a match made in '80s heaven, Arnold Schwarzenegger has joined the cast of Kung Fury, the feature-length follow-up to the cult 2015 short.

THR understands that the Terminator, Predator and Total Recall icon (and former California governor) will play the American president in David Sandberg's action-comedy, set to shoot in Europe and in the U.S. this summer. He joins fellow '80s hero David Hasselhoff and Oscar-nominated actor Michael Fassbender, who were announced earlier this week.

The original Kung Fury is a cheesy and comically OTT homage to '80s martial arts and police action films. It became a Kickstarter sensation that bowed in Cannes' Directors Fortnight and has gained over 40 million views worldwide. Swedish filmmaker Sandberg, creator of the short, will also star as the titular hero (the "greatest damn cop of all time") in the new iteration, alongside Fassbender, and produce under his Laser Unicorns banner.

David Katzenberg, Seth Grahame-Smith and Aaron Schmidt will produce for KatzSmith Productions, fresh off the huge success of last year’s $700 million-amassing It remake, while Philip Westgren of B-Reel Films and Conor McCaughen will also produce. Pelle Strandberg is exec producing on behalf of Laser Unicorns.

The action is set in 1985 Miami, which is kept safe under the watchful eye of Kung Fury and his Thundercops, the ultimate police force assembled from across history to defeat the villainous Kung Fuhrer, Adolf Hitler. After the tragic death of a Thundercop sees the group disband, a mysterious villain emerges from the shadows to aid in the Fuhrer's quest to attain the ultimate weapon. Kung Fury must travel through space and time to save his friends, defend the prestigious Miami Kung Fu Academy and defeat evil once and for all.

Arnold Schwarzenegger Joins Michael Fassbender, David Hasselhoff in Kung Fury Movie (Exclusive)
Will watch the shit outta this one.
Thanks for the news.
 
Black Panther on Wednesday for me, stoked. That Mute looks very interesting as does The Ritual.
I'll be on those this week defo. Just watched The Cloverfield Paradox, better than expected, enjoyable ride. A solid 7 for me.
Announcement Teaser for THE FIRST PURGE Starring Marisa Tomei



Fantastic teaser, wow they could not have hoped for a better current political landscape to prep this, lol unreal.
 
Just saw this. Looks good (creepy):

Oh my God dude lol, wow that shit looks dope. I legit got goosebumps a couple times watching that just now in broad fucking daylight here on my girls laptop with my headphones on lol. Can't wait!!! Thx for link mate.
 
HUMANS Star Gemma Chan Cast as Kree Geneticist Minn-Erva in CAPTAIN MARVEL

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Another piece of Captain Marvel casting has fallen into place. Humans star Gemma Chan is set to play Minn-Erva in the Disney/Marvel superhero movie that stars Brie Larson as Carol Danvers/Captain Marvel. Per the comics-verse, Minn-Erva (aka Doctor Minerva) is a Kree geneticist and spy.

Plot details are being kept underwraps for the first female-led superhero project under Disney’s MCU. It will center on Danvers, an Air Force pilot who debuted in the comics in 1968 as a human companion to the original Captain Marvel (Mar-Vell). When her DNA was fused with that of an alien during an accident, the resulting alteration imbued her with the superpowers of strength, energy projection and flight. Minn-Erva has similar powers.

Chan is best known for AMC/Channel4’s Humans with Season 3 due later this year. This summer, she’ll star opposite Constance Wu in Warner Bros’ adaptation of Kevin Kwan’s bestselling novel, Crazy Rich Asians. Next up, Chan will be in Focus Features’ Mary Queen Of Scots, opposite Margot Robbie and Saoirse Ronan. She’s also in Intrigo: Dear Agnes directed by Daniel Alfredson for Enderby Entertainment and distributed by Fox. Chan is repped by Sally Long-Innes at Independent Talent Group in the UK, UTA in the U.S. and Prosper PR.

Also in the Captain Marvel cast are Jude Law, Samuel L Jackson and Ben Mendelsohn who is understood to be taking on a lead villain role. As announced at Comic-Con in July, Captain Marvel will take place int he 90s before other MCU films, with the green-skinned extraterrestrial humanoid Skrulls as the main villains.

Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck are directing with domestic release set for March 8, 2019. International rollout begins March 6. The most recent Captain Marvel script was written by Geneva Robertson-Dworet with previous drafts penned by Meg LeFauve and Nicole Perlman. Marvel’s Kevin Feige is producing.

https://deadline.com/2018/02/captai...han-cast-minn-erva-doctor-minerva-1202303202/
 
Fox Reportedly Making a SILVER SURFER Movie from Writer Brian K. Vaughan

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The Silver Surfer may soon ride the cosmic skyways into movie theaters once again.

A report from The Hollywood Reporter suggests that 20th Century Fox is pushing ahead with developing a Silver Surfer movie. The film is being developed from a treatment by Brian K. Vaughan, the creator of Marvel’s Runaways and writer of other hit comics including Saga, Paper Girls, and Y: The Last Man.

The Silver Surfer movie is reportedly one of several “secret” projects that 20th Century Fox is working on despite the looming merger with Walt Disney.

"We are going 100 miles per hour," one executive involved told THR.

20th Century Fox already has several Marvel movies on its film schedule. Deadpool 2 will release in May and X-Men: Dark Phoenix will follow in November. The New Mutants will undergo a round of additional photography this summer that will insert a new character into the thriller that is dated for Feb. 22, 2019. Channing Tatum’s Gambit movie is still in development but once again searching for a director after Gore Verbinski’s exit.

The Deadpool spinoff X-Force is reportedly looking to begin filming in October. There have also been reports that former X-Men comic book writer Brian Michael Bendis is working with Tim Miller, the director of the first Deadpool, to develop a Kitty Pryde solo movie. James Franco and X-Men: Dark Phoenix writer/director/producer Simon Kinberg were reportedly working together on a Multiple Man movie. Legion creator Noah Hawley is developing a Doctor Doom spinoff move. Other rumors suggested that Fox was looking to reboot the Fantastic Four film series once again, this time with a focus on the Richards’ children.

Silver Surfer Movie Reportedly in the Works from Y: The Last Man Creator Brian K. Vaughan
 
First Teaser Trailer for RALPH BREAKS THE INTERNET: WRECK-IT RALPH 2

“Ralph Breaks the Internet: Wreck-It Ralph 2” leaves Litwak’s video arcade behind, venturing into the uncharted, expansive and thrilling world of the internet—which may or may not survive Ralph’s wrecking. Video game bad guy Ralph (voice of John C. Reilly) and fellow misfit Vanellope von Schweetz (voice of Sarah Silverman) must risk it all by traveling to the world wide web in search of a replacement part to save Vanellope’s video game, Sugar Rush. In way over their heads, Ralph and Vanellope rely on the citizens of the internet—the netizens—to help navigate their way, including a webite entrepreneur named Yesss (voice of Taraji P. Henson), who is the head algorithm and the heart and soul of trend-making site “BuzzzTube.” In theaters on Nov. 21, 2018.

 
Chris Hemsworth in Talks to Star in F. Gary Gray's New MEN IN BLACK Movie

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Chris Hemsworth is in early negotiations to star in Sony’s self-styled spinoff of the sci-fi action-comedy franchise Men in Black.

F. Gary Gray, who directed last year's Fate of the Furious, is due to helm the movie, which has a script by Iron Man writers Matt Holloway and Art Marcum. The pic is slated for release on June 14, 2019.

Akin to how Jurassic World revived the Jurassic Park film series, Sony’s reboot is to feature new characters rather than Agents K and J, portrayed by Tommy Lee Jones and Will Smith, respectively, and build on the contemporary sci-fi world in which they operated.

Sources say that the studio is hoping to round out a diverse ensemble cast and may be potentially eyeing the leads to be white male, a female of color and an older man. The story will be a global adventure.

Smith and Jones powered the first Men in Black film to $589 million at the global box office in 1997 and subsequently starred in two sequels — one in 2002 and one a decade later in 2012. The entire franchise has made more than $1.5 billion worldwide.

Walter F. Parkes and Laurie MacDonald are back as producers, while Steven Spielberg is returning as executive producer.

Hemsworth last led the war movie 12 Strong. He returns as Thor in Avengers: Infinity Warand will also appear in Bad Times at the El Royale.

Chris Hemsworth Circling to Star in Sony's 'Men in Black' Spinoff Directed by F. Gary Gray (Exclusive)
 
Kristen Wiig to play DC Comics Villain Cheetah in WONDER WOMAN Sequel

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Kristen Wiig is in talks for the villain role in Wonder Woman 2, THR has confirmed. Patty Jenkins is returning to direct the sequel that will star Gal Gadot as the Amazonian princess. Very few plot details are known about the superhero film, but the follow-up will be set in the 1980s against the backdrop of the Cold War.

Wiig will play DC comics villain Cheetah, a moniker that has been adopted by multiple characters over the years and who generally are known for having superhuman strength and agility. Wonder Woman creator William Moulton Marston introduced the villain in 1943's Wonder Woman No. 6, but perhaps the most famous version of the character, Dr. Barbara Ann Minerva, didn't make her way into the comics until 1987 under the work of writer Len Wein and artist George Perez. Minerva is a British anthropologist and heiress who gains the powers of the cheetah after an expedition to an African jungle.

Wiig has had an eclectic film career since leaving NBC's Saturday Night Live in 2012. She first broke out as the star of Bridesmaids, and followed that up with indies like Her and The Diary of a Teenage Girl. Her credits also include studio comedies Ghostbusters and Zoolander 2, as well as a turn in the Ridley Scott-directed tentpole The Martian. Most recently, the actress starred opposite Matt Damon in Alexander Payne's Downsizing. Wonder Woman 2, which is set to hit theaters Nov. 1, 2019, will be her first foray into the superhero genre.

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/wonder-woman-2-kristen-wiig-talks-villain-role-1089714
 
Brad Pitt Joins Leonardo DiCaprio in ONCE UPON A TIME IN HOLLYWOOD

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Brad Pitt and Leonardo DiCaprio are reuniting with Quentin Tarantino to star in the filmmaker's latest feature, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, Sony Pictures announced Wednesday.

Tarantino describes it as “a story that takes place in Los Angeles in 1969, at the height of hippy Hollywood. The two lead characters are Rick Dalton (Leonardo DiCaprio), former star of a Western TV series, and his longtime stunt double Cliff Booth (Brad Pitt). Both are struggling to make it in a Hollywood they don’t recognize anymore. But Rick has a very famous next-door neighbor...Sharon Tate.”

The film is set to be released worldwide on Aug. 9, 2019.

The movie is an expensive proposition for the studio, as both actors had been tipped to star in the project for weeks but negotiations had been strenuous. In fact, sources said DiCaprio was ready to walk away at one point in January.

But Sony is now pointing to the Oscar breadth of the actors' previous collaborations with Tarantino and the successful box office, as well.

Tarantino worked with Pitt in 2009's Inglourious Basterds, which grossed over $321 million globally and was nominated for eight Academy Award, with Christoph Waltz winning for best supporting actor.

DiCaprio, for his part, also starred in Tarantino’s Django Unchained, which also was an Oscar player with five nominations and two wins (best original screenplay for Tarantino and best supporting actor, again for Waltz).

“I’ve been working on this script for five years, as well as living in Los Angeles County most of my life, including in 1969, when I was seven years old," Tarantino said Wednesday in a statement. "I’m very excited to tell this story of an L.A. and a Hollywood that don’t exist anymore. And I couldn’t be happier about the dynamic teaming of DiCaprio & Pitt as Rick & Cliff.”

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/h...ntin-tarantinos-once-a-time-hollywood-1089717
 
AVENGERS: INFINITY WAR U.S. Release Moved Up One Week Earlier to April 27

Marvel Studios Announces Released Dates for Six Untitled Films for 2021 and 2022


Director Niki Caro's live-action Mulan is getting a new release date: March 27, 2020, Disney announced Thursday.

The movie was originally set to open in theaters Nov. 2, 2018, but it took more than a year to find the film's star, Chinese actress Liu Yifei, also known as Crystal Liu, after an extensive worldwide search that concluded with her hire last November. The studio has long been aware that it wouldn't meet the first release date.

A team of casting directors visited five continents and saw nearly 1,000 candidates for Disney's retelling of the classic 1998 animated musical hit Mulan.

Disney also made a host of other changes to its release calendar, including moving up the release of Marvel's Avengers: Infinity War by a week to April 27, and announcing that its untitled Christopher Robin project will be officially called Christopher Robin.

The studio also removed Nicole, starring Anna Kendrick as a female Santa Claus, from the calendar. It had been set for Nov. 8, 2019, and sources say Disney plans to include the film on its upcoming streaming service, which it plans to launch in 2019.

Finally, Disney dated no fewer than 25 untitled projects through February 2023, including 16 live-action movies, six more Marvel films and three animated pics, including two from Pixar.

On the Marvel front, Disney moved up an untitled film to July 31, 2020 (from a previous date of Aug. 7, 2020) and carved out dates for six other untitled Marvel movies: May 7, 2021; July 30, 2021; Nov. 5, 2021; Feb. 18, 2022; May 6, 2022; and July 29, 2022.

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/h...n-pushed-back-more-a-year-spring-2020-1090015
 
Trailer for THE HUMANITY BUREAU Starring Nicolas Cage

 
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