The highly-anticipated horror novel lands on shelves this summer.
Continue readingTHE RULE OF THREE Film Rights Acquired By Screen Gems
A MOANA Remake? Dwayne Johnson To Return In Live-Action
Moana is once again setting sail, but this time in live-action, Disney have announced. The studio is teaming with Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson to develop a live-action Moana remake of the Oscar-nominated 2016 animated film.
Johnson plans to return to the role of Maui, the demigod of the wind and sea who he voiced in the original, and will also produce via his Seven Bucks Productions banner. He’s not the only one returning to the project: Jared Bush, who wrote the screenplay for the original movie, is back to write the remake, along with Dana Ledoux Miller. Auli‘i Cravalho, who voiced Moana in the original, will executive produce with Scott Sheldon of Flynn Picture Co. Because Moana 2.0 is still in early development, a director is not yet attached.
“This story is my culture, and this story is emblematic of our people’s grace and warrior strength,” said Johnson upon announcing the new Disney project. “I wear this culture proudly on my skin and in my soul, and this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to reunite with Maui, inspired by the mana and spirit of my late grandfather, High Chief Peter Maivia, is one that runs very deep for me.”
Moana joins a slate of recent animated releases getting live-action remakes (for no good apparent reason – well, except money): for instance, a Lilo & Stitch movie is in preproduction for a summer shoot, while Universal is prepping to film a remake of How to Train Your Dragon.
5-25-77 Trailer Promises Lots of Movie Love
Back in the ‘70s, the only way a fan could make their own film would be with a small 8mm camera on rolls of film that ran for mere minutes. 5-25-77 tells the true story of one such fan, Patrick Read Johnson. Written and directed by Johnson, the movie is about passion for films and how one film, Star Wars, is about to change his life. Check out the trailer below ahead of the film’s digital release on May 1st.
Synopsis:
Meet Pat; he’s an outsider, a geek with an obsession for film. When he’s not watching them, he’s making them, using anything and everything in his house, including his siblings… and when he’s not making films, he’s waxing lyrical to anyone and everyone about his theories and favourites – whether they like it or not.
Bullied at school and the butt of his friends’ jokes, he dreams of making it big in film and aspires to the heights of his ultimate hero… special effects whiz Douglas Trumbull. When his Mum engineers a meeting in Hollywood with Herb Lightman (Austin Pendleton – My Cousin Vinny, Finding Nemo), his whole world takes a major leap into the unknown. Not only does he find himself in a room with some of the all-time greats ¬– including a young Steven Spielberg – but he also becomes the very first outsider to see Star Wars.
This beautiful tale of growing up in rural Illinois, falling in love and becoming the first fan of the film that changed the face of cinema forever perfectly captures the magic of filmmaking. It is an ode to the films that inspired ingenuity and encouraged freaks, geeks and creative spirits to dream big.
5-25-77 is released digitally by 101 Films on May 1st.
Check Out the New Trailer for BARBIE!
Following on from their gloriously goofy teaser back in January, Mattel has finally unveiled a new longer look at their mysterious Barbie movie. And it’s delightfully bonkers!
Academy Award-nominated actress Margot Robbie stars and produces on the film, while Greta Gerwig (Lady Bird) directs from a screenplay penned by herself and fellow indie filmmaker Noah Baumbach (Marriage Story). If that wasn’t enough quality credentials to convince you Warner Bros has got something special in the works here, just take a look at this cast…
Ryan Gosling co-stars as Ken, alongside America Ferrera, Kate McKinnon, Michael Cera, Ariana Greenblatt, Issa Rae, Rhea Perlman, and Will Ferrell. The film also stars Ana Cruz Kayne, Emma Mackey, Hari Nef, Alexandra Shipp, Kingsley Ben-Adir, Simu Liu, Ncuti Gatwa, Scott Evans, Jamie Demetriou, Connor Swindells, Sharon Rooney, Nicola Coughlan, Ritu Arya, Dua Lipa, and Helen Mirren. Blimey!
Check out the brand-new trailer here:
Synopsis:
To live in Barbie Land is to be a perfect being in a perfect place. Unless you have a full-on existential crisis. Or you’re a Ken.
BARBIE hits cinemas on July 21st
Event Report: LIVERPOOL COMIC CON
Last weekend, Comic Con took over the Exhibition Centre Liverpool for two days of fandom, sci-fi and fantasy goodness! This amazing event brings together people from around the world to celebrate all things nerd culture. STARBURST went along to soak up the action; as usual, it didn’t disappoint!
We were greeted by the friendly staff and a sea of stalls as soon as we walked in. One of the highlights of Comic Con’s is, of course, the merchandise – from classic comics and graphic novels to the latest toys, action figures, artwork and collectables, it’s a haven for fans of all things geeky!
There were some real gems on display at the event. The stalls were manned by passionate and knowledgeable sellers who were more than happy to chat about their products and help fans find that special item they were looking for.
The comic book stalls were particularly impressive, with a huge variety of titles from across the decades. Whether you were a fan of mainstream superheroes or indie comics, there was something for you to discover. It was a great opportunity to pick up new titles to add to your collection or discover hidden gems you may have missed.
The collectables stalls were also a lot of fun, with plenty of loot from classic franchises as well as from newer releases such as Wednesday on display. There were figurines, mock weapons, lightsabers, books, and more. It was particularly exciting to see some of the new Star Wars and Marvel merchandise, including some great Black Widow figures and stunning Mandalorian helmets.
In addition to the merchandise, there were also plenty of other activities to keep fans entertained with classic board and video games to play and photo opportunities with sets and props from fan favourite series such as Harry Potter and Doctor Who. There truly was something for everyone, no matter what your interests were.
The event’s main attraction, however, was undoubtedly the fantastic array of cosplay on display! Comic Con is famous for drawing in all manner of weird and wonderful costumes as people dress up as their favourite characters from across the pop culture spectrum, from superheroes and villains to anime characters and video game icons. It was a real treat to see so many fans embrace their inner nerd and show off their amazing outfits, many of which were homemade!
In addition to the cosplay, plenty of guests were in attendance, including some big names from the world of sci-fi and fantasy. Fans had the opportunity to meet and get autographs from actors such as Matt Smith (Doctor Who, House of the Dragon), Ian Somerhalder (Lost), Paul Wesley (The Vampire Diaries), and Mark Williams (Doctor Who, Harry Potter). There were also panel discussions and Q&A sessions with some of the guests, which provided fascinating insights into their careers and experiences.
Overall, the Liverpool Comic Con was a fantastic event. It was a great opportunity for fans to come together and celebrate their love of all things fandom. The atmosphere was, as ever, the friendliest and most welcoming you’ll find, and there was so much to see and do that it was impossible to fit everything in! Whether you’re a hardcore fan or just curious about the world of nerds, Comic Cons are great fun for all the family and with events up and down the country, we highly recommend catching the next one! It was a real treat to be able to immerse ourselves in this wonderful world of geekdom for a weekend, and we can’t wait for the next event!
Get more details on Monopoly Events’ upcoming cons at their website www.monopolyevents.co.uk
HARRY POTTER TV Series Is Nearing A Deal
This franchise has too many horcruxes.
Continue readingFirst BLUE BEETLE Trailer Makes Its Landing
The DC film releases August 18th.
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The series premieres June 21st.
Continue readingDUNGEON SAGA ORIGINS Hits Funding Goal
Miniatures-based dungeon crawl adventure game, Dungeon Saga Origins, hit its funding goal in just forty minutes after launch.
The game is a clean and modern take on classic dungeon crawl board games such as Heroquest and Descent, combining up-to-date miniature design with tactically deep but straightforward rules design. Guide an elf, barbarian, wizard and dwarf into an adventure. These heroes battle a variety of undead and magically wrought horrors.
The core game features a variety of zombies, skeletons and wraith-like enemies to fight. The crowdfunded edition of the game includes three other expansions: orcs, evil dwarves, and evil elves.
The campaign runs up until Saturday, April 15th. 2023. You can find out more here.
Critical Role Acquires Science Fiction Show
Metapigeon, Critical Role’s development and production company, has acquired a semi-Improvised sci-fi western audio drama Midst. Third Person, the podcast’s founders, continues narrating and producing the series whilst Metapigeon expands the brand.
Critical Role is best known for its animated TV show Vox Machina, and its regularly streamed games of Dungeons & Dragons that feature professional voice actors as its primary cast. Critical Role has gone on to produce various merchandise and games.
The acquisition of Midst presents an expansion into new genres and styles of storytelling. The show is told in an ongoing narrative style by three unreliable, omniscient, anonymous narrators. The space western is set on the islet of Midst and follows three protagonists – the mystical Lark, an outrageous dandy called Moc Weepe and Phineas Thatch, a staunchly principled but broken person.
The show’s first two seasons will be re-released under Critical Role and Metapigeon and will feature re-mastered audio and a new video version of each episode. Season three (and beyond) are currently in the works.
“As part of our ongoing effort to expand the types of narratives we share and elevate new storytellers, we remain focused on exploring diverse IP in a multitude of mediums,” said Ben Van Der Fluit, Critical Role’s SVP of Business and Content Development. “Working with the narrators of Midst has been a dream – we’re such fans of the world they have built, and we look forward to continuing to empower their creative dreams.”
The re-mastered show will include additional artwork, lightly animated videos, and other ephemera available for download. You can find out more here.