Oscar Isaac Joins All-Female Cast of Alex Garland’s Annihilation

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Oscar Isaac, the man I pretend is my boyfriend when no one is looking will reunite with Ex Machina’s Alex Garland for the director’s upcoming and highly anticipated next science fiction film, Annihilation. 

Annihilation follows a biologist, an anthropologist, a psychologist and a surveyor on an expedition that brings them face to face with an unknown force that has physically, emotionally and mentally ravaged the exploration crews that came before them.

The news today that Isaac has joined the cast of the sci-fi film comes after a recent announcement that Tessa Thompson, Gina Rodriguez, Jennifer Jason Leigh, and Natalie Portman would be starring as the film’s four main protagonists.

Unlike Ex Machina, Isaac will not be in a main role in the film. Instead he will portray the husband to Portman’s biologist, who joins the aforementioned mission after her husband—a member of the previous team—dies mysteriously.

The movie is based on Jeff VanderMeer’s novel about a team that crosses into uninhabited land known as Area X and is the first entry in Vandermeer’s Southern Reach trilogy.

Currently there is no anticipated release date but it is likely the film will hit theaters sometime in 2017.

Two X-Files YA Novels to be Published, with Scully and Mulder Origin Stories

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Fans of “The X-Files” are getting a continuation of the series in an unexpected avenue. Have you ever wondered how Mulder and Scully became well, Mulder and Scully? In the original series we only get small glimpses into both characters pasts – mostly their childhood – but what happen in the years leading up to their life changing partnerships?

Two young adult novels are striving to answer those questions. The books, Agents of Chaos and Devil’s Advocate, are set in 1979, and will follow teenage Mulder and Scully (separately) as they experience “life-changing events” that define their future belief and skepticism. Mulder will be 17 in Agents of Chaos, while Scully will be just 15 in Devil’s Advocate.

Both books are set for a January 2017 release with Kami Garcia (The Legion) writing the first book, and Jonathan Maberry (Assassin’s Code) the second.

“As a diehard fan of the show, the opportunity to work with incredible authors on original stories about these characters is a dream come true for me,” said Erin Stein of Imprint/Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group. “Why did Mulder become a believer? Why did Scully become a skeptic? We get to tell those stories.”

Meanwhile, X-Files creator Chris Carter has left fans in uncertainty with the end of the rebooted series. There is a possibility for more episodes considering both actors are open to it but there is nothing confirmed.

Julianne Moore In Talks to Star As Kingsman Sequel Villain

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According to a recent report from The Hollywood Reporter, Julianne Moore is currently in talks to play the villain in the upcoming sequel to the 2014 British film Kingsman: The Secret Service.

The film series is based on the graphic novel series of the same name. Right now there are almost no details about the sequel especially considering the graphic novel doesn’t have a sequel. So there is no idea what plot the film will be following. It has been confirmed, however, that the story’s location will jump from London to the United States.

I am officially feeling weary. After the amazing first film, the idea that the second film has no comic book basis, is moving setting, and is heavily influence by the studio, is leading me to believe this won’t hold up the feel. The only redeeming factor is that Matthew Vaughn will return to direct the sequel, while Kingsman’s young star Taron Egerton will also reprise his role.

Kingsman: The Secret Service opened to a surprising $414.4 million worldwide with only an $81 million production budget. Shooting for the sequel will begin this summer.

Kurt Russell Officially Joins Guardians of the Galaxy Sequel

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The upcoming and highly anticipated Guardians of the Galaxy sequel has officially added Kurt Russell to the cast. The news was announced last week from a studio press release announcing the sequel’s start of production.

Unfortunately his role was not announced but we can hope that maybe, possibly, hopefully, Russell was cast as Star-Lord’s father. James Gunn had expressed interest last year in casting someone “prolific” in the role.

Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol. 2 is currently filming in Atlanta and includes other new cast members such as Elizabeth Debicki and The Knick’s Chris Sullivan. The sequel is scheduled for release on May 5, 2017.

Returning cast members include Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Dave Bautista, Vin Diesel, Bradley Cooper, Michael Rooker and Karen Gillan, with James Gunn back in the writer and director’s chair.

Neil Gaiman’s Likely Stories HeadingTo The Small Screen

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Neil Gaiman is adaptation gold. Yet another of his books is being adapted for television. His short story collection “Likely Stories” will be made into a four-part series thanks to Sky Arts and Sid Gentle Films who are are producing.

The short stories are all based in London and feature “dark and strange” stories playing with reality and fantasy, centralizing themes of human consumption, destructive obsession and psychological cannibalism.

Not all of his stories from the collection are being adapted but according to Deadline, viewers can expect to see adaptations of “Foreign Parts,” “Feeders & Eaters,” “Closing Time” and “Looking For The Girl.” The first three installments were adapted by Kevin Lehane and the last by Ian Forsyth and Jane Pollard (Nick Cave 20,000 Days On Earth).

Even more excitingly, Gaiman is expected to make cameo appearances in all four episodes, which will star Pride’s George MacKay, The Game’s Tom Hughes, Moone Boy’s Johnny Vegas, Maleficent’s Kenneth Cranham and Doctor Zhivago’s Rita Tushingham.

The series will be directed by Forsyth and Pollard while Jarvis Cocker will score the episodes. Sally Woodward Gentle, Lee Morris and Gaiman are serving as executive producers.

Gaiman’s novel “American Gods” is currently being adapted into a series for Starz and that is addition to several of his novels that have been made into books. His children’s book, Fortunately, The Milk, is slated to begin filming and will star Johnny Depp with Edgar Wright directing. Meanwhile the new hit series Lucifer, based on Gaiman’s Sandman character, debuted in January on Fox, and rumors continue to swirl about Joseph Gordon Levitt’s film take on The Sandman itself.

Marvel’s Deadpool Opens to Record $12.7 Million

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The highly anticipated Deadpool Marvel film finally hit theaters last week and it has payed off big time! The R-rated superhero movie grossed $12.7 million Thursday night, giving it the biggest preview number ever for an R-rated film and the biggest of all time for the month of February, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

The title was previously held by The Hangover Part II for highest grossing R-rated Thursday opening ($10.4 million), launching over Memorial Day weekend in 2011, followed by Fifty Shades of Grey ($8.6 million) last year.

 

Deadpool even bested previous Marvel records held by Captain America: The Winter Soldier ($10.2 million) and Guardians of the Galaxy ($11.2 million).

It is only going to go up from there as it caps off Valentine’s Day weekend.

Neil Gaiman’s American Gods Adaptation Has Found Its Lead

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The adaptation of Neil Gaiman’s epic fantasy novel American Gods has finally found the actor for its lead character! Ricky Whittle, who currently stars on CW Network’s The 100, will play the story’s main protagonist, Shadow Moon.

American Gods follows Moon, an ex-con who becomes bodyguard and traveling partner to a con artist known as Mr. Wednesday—a man who is not who he seems. However, there is more going on in this world. There are only men and gods. Among the latter are the traditionals, deities from around the world born from mythological roots. Then there are the new gods, an upstart pantheon of divine beings who reflect society’s modern love of money, technology, media, celebrity and drugs. As believers steadily trickle away from the old to follow the new, a war begins to brew. Moon finds himself with Wednesday in the middle of that war on a cross country mission to gather forces and partake in a battle against the new deities.

Bryan Fuller, known for spectacular shows like “Hannibal” and “Pushing Daisies” will serve as a writer and co-showrunner alongside Michael Green known for his work on “The River” and “Heroes.” David Slade (Hannibal, The Twilight Saga: Eclipse) is directing the pilot and several other episodes.

 

 

Fuller and Green were very excited about the casting of Whittle. They said,

“We searched every continent and country and all the islands in between for our Shadow Moon, and we are lucky to have found Ricky. Fans of the novel will find he has every bit of the heart of the character they fell in love with.”

Gaiman also praised the casting decision. He said,

“I’m thrilled that Ricky has been cast as Shadow. His auditions were remarkable,” Gaiman said in a Starz press release. “The process of taking a world out of the pages of a book, and putting it onto the screen has begun. American Gods is, at its heart, a book about immigrants, and it seems perfectly appropriate that Shadow will, like so much else, be Coming to America. I’m delighted Ricky will get to embody Shadow. Now the fun starts.”

Craig Cegielski and Stefanie Berk are executive producing the series along with Fuller, Green, Slade and Neil Gaiman.

 

ABC Orders Pilot for Shonda Rhimes’ Romeo and Juliet Sequel

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Shonda Rhimes continues to grow her repertoire. ABC has officially ordered Rhimes new series: a sequel to the William Shakespeare play “Romeo and Juliet.” The series, currently titled Still Star-Crossed, would explore what happened after the two young lovers met their unfortunate ends. Not sure what this would entail exactly with two main characters that people tend to idolize, well – dead

The series is actually going to based on Melinda Taub’s 2013 novel. Taub’s story follows the continuing feud, as well as the drama and romance, between members of the opposing Montague and Capulet families.

 

Rhimes and Betsy Beers will serve as executive producers to the TV adaptation. Scandal’s Heather Mitchell will serve as both a writer and executive producer.

If the pilot is picked up and given a series order for the 2016-2017 season, it would mark Rhimes’ fifth presently running production for ABC Network. The other shows the creative powerhouse is responsible for include award-winners and ratings giants How to Get Away With Murder, Grey’s Anatomy, Scandal, and the upcoming spring series The Catch.

Warner Bros. Announces Release Dates For Wonder Woman and Justice League

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The DC Extended Universe (trying to be the MCU) has announced the premiere dates for two of their more highly anticipated films. Warner Bros. announced release dates for both Wonder Woman and Justice League: Part 1—Jun. 23 and Nov. 17 of next year, respectively.

The announcement came during DC’s television special on the CW. We saw the first look for Gal Gadot’s protrayal of Wonder Woman. The character will appear in Batman v Superman as well, but we’ll get to see her origin story next summer in the Patty Jenkins-directed film.

Man of Steel director Zack Snyder returns to direct Justice League, where we’ll see how the Dark Knight and the Man of Steel work together after they inevitably resolve (most of) their differences in their feature this year.

 

Jumanji Reboot Finds Director

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The Jumanji reboot that won’t be the same without Robin Williams in it, has found a director to helm the project. According to reports all over town, Jake Kasdan is here.

Kasdan is most known for his work on Bad Teacher, “Freaks and Geeks,” and “The Grinder.” So maybe it won’t be that bad considering all those things are really good.

Scott Rosenberg and Jeff Pinkner are the reboot’s writers with a script based on a draft by the original movie’s writers, Chris McKenna and Erik Sommers.

Jumanji the reboot is so far not being well received by fans and audiences. Because I mean cmon. The original is golden. The 1995 classic grossed more than $260 million globally and starred Williams and tiny teen Kirsten Dunst alongside David Alan Grier, Bonnie Hunt, Jonathan Hyde, and Bebe Neuwirth.

Unfortunately, considering the film’s follow up Zathura didn’t fare to well and could be considered a sign that hey maybe we don’t try to mess with original again? Jumanji was based on the children’s book by Chris Van Allsburg and the book’s sequel “Zathura” was very similar to the original, going so far as having cameos of the original boardgame. The two were very similar. Had the movie been actually a sequel and not a loose followup that never mentioned “Jumanji” maybe it would have fared better.

Regardless, it seems like a sign that maybe we should leave well enough alone.

But that isn’t happening and Jumanji the reboot is moving forward. Matt Tolmach and Bill Teitler will produce the movie. Ted Field, Mike Weber and Van Allsburg will serve as executive producers with Sony eyeing a release date of Dec. 25, 2016.