Comic Relief and D&D Team Up for Fantasy Island Prize Draw

Comic Relief have teamed up yet again with Wizards of the Coast to produce a unique D&D experience for one lucky winners.

The Dungeon Master for this event will be Johnny Chiodini, the host of hit D&D show Oxventure.

Wizards of the Coast, the creators of the popular storytelling game, are hosting a special Charity Prize Draw from February 8th to April 10th 2022. Fans can enter here, where they have the option to donate £10 per entry. All money raised for Red Nose Day will help support people living incredibly tough lives in the UK and around the world.

Entrants can also enter for free via post and must be over 18 and residents of the UK. The winner will be randomly chosen on April 10th 2021.

The epic prize includes:

  • A two-night stay for a winner and guest marooned on the remote but hauntingly beautiful Osea Island at the stunning Captain’s House
  • A chance to embark on a D&D adventure inspired by this epic island experience alongside members of Oxventure and led by Dungeon Master, Johnny Chiodini
  • Quest both at the table and around the island, foraging for clues on a bespoke treasure hunt – leading you to a whole host of prizes
  • The opportunity to try axe throwing and archery
  • Gorge in delicious delicacies from a tailored menu of food, while learning how to prepare a gourmet dinner on the campfire

Entrants must be UK residents and aged 18 or over. For more information on the full prize details and full T&Cs please visit here.

Red Nose Day is back on Friday 18th March 2022 and hopes to inspire people across the UK to make a difference, no matter how big or small. This Red Nose Day, we want to remind people that they have the power to change lives.

Eliza Taylor & Bob Morley Set For Sci-Fi Thriller I’LL BE WATCHING

The 100 stars Eliza Taylor and Bob Morley to star in sci-fi thriller I'll Be Watching

Real-life couple and The 100 leads Eliza Taylor and Bob Morley are set to play husband and wife in the upcoming sci-fi thriller I’ll Be Watching, Deadline has announced.

Taylor plays a woman trapped in her isolated new home who becomes caught in a fight for survival, while Morley will play her technological expert husband. An unverified synopsis expands on the premise, claiming that after the death of her sister, Julie (Taylor) fights to revisit the success and inspiration she lost. Lost and unsure of her ability to continue her career as a painter, she finds herself isolated in a home miles away from civilization. Trapped in a failing relationship, and manipulated by the virtual assistant that her husband Marcus (Morley) has been working on, Julie suddenly has to fight to save more than just her sanity.

Joining the duo are David Keith (An Officer and a Gentleman, 2003’s Daredevil), Bryant Batt (Mad Men, 12 Years A Slave), and Hannah Fierman (V/H/S, St. Agatha).

Erik Bernard, writer-director of action film Free Dead or Alive, will helm the project from a script penned by Sara Sometti Michaels (Darren Lynn Bousman‘s St. Agatha) and Elisa Manzini (writer of upcoming horror-thriller Angel Baby).

I’ll Be Watching is currently shooting in Atlanta.

 

 

More SCREAMING Awaits!

Scream 6 greenlit at Paramount, Ghostface will return

You haven’t seen the last of Ghostface yet. Paramount has ordered up a new Scream sequel – making this Scream 6 – following this year’s legacy slasher horror, with the same 2022 creative team at the helm.

Radio Silence’s Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett will therefore be back in the directors’ chairs, with James Vanderbilt and Guy Busick also returning to pen the script. Production on the as-yet-unnamed sequel is slated to begin this summer.

“Working with such a wonderful and talented family of creators — and in the lineage Wes [Craven] and Kevin [Williamson] so expertly built — has been the thrill of a lifetime, and we’re so excited to bring the next chapter in the Scream saga to life,” Radio Silence said in a statement.

Vanderbilt and Busick also expressed their enthusiasm at the news: “Is this real life? Getting to collaborate once again with our friends on the next instalment of the Scream story is more than we could have hoped for. We are overwhelmed that we get to continue to play in the sandbox that Kevin and Wes created. It is, as Ghostface would say, an honour.”

We, for one, can’t wait to see where the franchise goes next.

 

 

Dakota Johnson Joins The Sony Spider Family As MADAME WEB

Madame Web to star Dakota Johnson

Dakota Johnson looks to be joining the Sony spider family! The actress is in talks to star as the titular character in Madame Web, with S.J. Clarkson (The Defenders) signed on to direct from a script by Morbius duo Matt Sazama and Burk Sharpless.

Madame Web, aka Cassandra Webb is a character who first appeared in issue 210 of The Amazing Spider-Man, published in 1980. It introduced an elderly blind woman who suffers from myasthenia gravis, a chronic neuromuscular disease that left her on life support. Madame Web is a clairvoyant character with precognitive abilities who once helped Spider-Man find a kidnapping victim.

Dakota Johnson starring as Madame Web for Sony Pictures

Now, given Johnson’s age, it could well be that this Madame Web film with centre not on Cassandra Webb but on Julia Carpenter, the second person to adopt the Madame Web mantle. In the comics, Cassandra passed her powers of precognition and her blindness onto Julia right before she was killed.

Johnson would play the first female superhero star in Sony Pictures’ universe of Marvel heroes, joining (of course) Spider-Man, Venom, and (soon) Morbius. Another upcoming film within that world includes Kraven the Hunter, starring Aaron Taylor-Johnson and directed by J.C. Chandor, while The Sinister Six, Nightwatch, and Jackpot are amongst a handful of projects in development.

 

Check Out an Exclusive Clip from RAGING FIRE

raging fire clip

To celebrate the home release of brand new, fight-filled Hong Kong action movie, Raging Fire, starring Donnie Yen (Ip Man 1-4, Rogue One) and Nicholas Tse (New Police Story, Shaolin), we have an exclusive fight clip to share, which offers a taste of the action!

While conducting a raid to arrest a drug lord, police encounter a group of masked thugs. In a violent act of sabotage, the gang steals the drugs and murders the police officers on the scene. Arriving late, Inspector Cheung Shung-bong (Donnie Yen) is devastated to see the brutal aftermath, discovering the cop killers are led by Ngo (Nicholas Tse, New Police Story, Shaolin), his former protégé. Once a rising star in the police who was driven to a life of crime, he now bears a grudge. As their fates become entangled again, a score will be settled once and for all.

Packed full of exhilarating action and Yen’s signature world-class fight scenes, Raging Fire is one of the best Hong Kong movies of recent times and a throwback to the golden age of action cinema. It also marks the final film of veteran writer and director Benny Chan (Invisible Target, Call of Heroes) who tragically passed away shortly after filming. It’s a must-see for action film fans, so check it out.

Trinity CineAsia presents Raging Fire out now on 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray, DVD, and Digital. You could win a copy here.

 

SUICIDE SQUAD: KILL THE JUSTICE LEAGUE Looks Delayed To 2023

still from Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League video game

It seems that the Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League video game will be pushed back until 2023. Although there’s been no official announcement yet from Warner Bros. or the developer, Rocksteady Studios, Bloomberg reports that people familiar with the project have confirmed the delay.

Rocksteady has not released a game since Batman: Arkham Knight in 2015. Kill the Justice League is set in that same Arkham universe, of which we saw a little in the Game Awards trailer released in December – though the story will be set in an open-world Metropolis.

In the game, the Suicide Squad includes Harley Quinn, King Shark, Deadshot and Captain Boomerang, as they are sent by Amanda Walker to kill a brainwashed Justice League being controlled by Brainiac.

 

 

 

TALES OF THE WALKING DEAD Spinoff Series Announces Cast

Tales of the Walking Dead series casts Terry Crews and Parker Posey

The latest spinoff series set in The Walking Dead universe, the ever-inventively titled Tales of the Walking Dead, has announced its initial cast. Joining the anthology show are Anthony Edwards (Top Gun‘s Goose, Zero Hour, ER), genre queen Parker Posey (Superman Returns, Blade: Trinity, Lost in Space), Terry Crews (Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Deadpool 2), Poppy Liu (Better Call Saul, Dead Ringers), and Jillian Bell (Rough Night). All are cast in as-of-yet undisclosed roles.

The spinoff also assembles an exciting directorial slate, with Haifaa al-Mansour (Mary Shelley, The Perfect Candidate), Deborah Kampmeier (Clarice, Hounddog) and Tara Nicole Weyr (Fear the Walking Dead, The Purge television series) all aboard to direct one episode each. In addition, series producer and Walking Dead franchise veteran Michael Satrazemis is directing the other three episodes.

Each standalone episode of Tales of the Walking Dead will reportedly focus on both new and established characters set in the world of the original series. It’s also set to premiere sometime this summer.

This spinoff adds to an already expansive cannon, which so far includes the original 2010 series The Walking Dead; Fear the Walking Dead, which began as a prequel series; and the now-concluded World Beyond. There are also plans for an untitled Daryl Dixon and Carol Peletier spinoff, an untitled villain prequel spinoff being developed by Scott Gimple, an untitled comedy spinoff, and a film trilogy starring Rick Grimes.

 

 

 

STARFLEET ACADEMY Series In The Works

Star Trek universe adds Starfleet Academy to upcoming slate

Yet another Star Trek show, this one titled Starfleet Academy, is in development for Paramount+. Sharing its name with the 1990s PC simulation game, this series follows cadets in the Starfleet college as they are mentored for leadership roles in the United Federation of Planets space force.

As per Deadline‘s sources, Absentia co-creator Gaia Violo is currently developing the series pitch, which will likely follow the Michelle Yeoh-starring Star Trek spinoff Section 31 – which is expected to get a pickup soon.

Star Trek currently has Star Trek: Discovery on its fourth season, Star Trek: Short Treks, Star Trek: Picard (with its second season releasing imminently) and the animated series Star Trek: Lower Decks on the Paramount streaming platform, and the brand new Star Trek: Strange New Worlds coming in May this year. The latter is a spinoff from Discovery and will serve as a prequel to Star Trek: The Original Series, following Christopher Pike and the crew of the USS Enterprise. Meanwhile, once a pickup is confirmed for Section 31, the Emperor Philipa Georgiou-centred show is expected to air by 2023.

 

 

 

 

 

FOUNDATION Announces Season 2 Cast

Lee Pace as Brother Day in Foundation series

After it found great success amongst audiences and critics last year, Apple TV+ wasted no time renewing its expansive science fiction series Foundation for a second season. Based on Isaac Asimov’s novels, David S. Goyer’s series follows the stories of four individuals transcending space and time as they face deadly crises, shift loyalties and tackle complicated relationships, all of which will ultimately determine the fate of humanity.

Lee Pace and Jared Harris as Brother Day and Hari Seldon first look at Foundation season 2

Season one starred Lee Pace and Jared Harris as Brother Day and Hari Seldon, alongside rising stars Lou Llobell and Leah Harvey as Gaal Dornick and Salvor. Now, Apple TV+ has announced a host of new talent will be joining Foundation’s second season:

  • Isabella Laughland as Brother Constant, a cheerfully confident Claric whose job is to evangelize the Church of the Galactic Spirit across the Outer Reach. Constant is a true believer, whose courage and passion make her hard not to love.
  • Kulvinder Ghir as Poly Verisof, High Claric of the Church of the Galactic Spirit. Whip-smart and sardonic, he’s also a terrible drunk – intelligent enough to see the path he’s on, but too cynical to change.
  • Sandra Yi Sencindiver as Enjoiner Rue, the beautiful, politically savvy consigliere to Queen Sareth. A former courtesan to Cleon the 16th, Rue parlayed her status to become a royal counsellor.
  • Ella-Rae Smith as Queen Sareth of Cloud Dominion. Used to being underestimated, Sareth employs it to her advantage, charming her way into the Imperial Palace with biting wit, all while on a secret quest for revenge.
  • Dimitri Leonidas as Hober Mallow, a master trader with a sarcastic personality and questionable morals, who is summoned against his will to serve a higher, selfless cause.
  • Ben Daniels as Bel Roise, the last great general of the Superliminal Fleet and would-be conqueror of the Foundation. Bel is noble to a fault, but his fealty to the Galactic Empire is waning.
  • Holt McCallany as Warden Jaegger Fount, the current Warden of Terminus and guardian of its citizens against external threats.
  • Mikael Persbrandt as The Warlord of Kalgan, a monster of a man, coiled with muscle and possessing powerful psychic abilities, and fuelled by hate in his quest to take over the galaxy.
  • Rachel House as Tellem Bond, mysterious leader of the Mentallics.
  • Nimrat Kaur as Yanna Seldon, a member of Hari Seldon’s family.

Pace and Harris are of course returning from Season 1 – the announcement includes a first look at their characters in Season 2, which you can see above – along with Llobell, Harvey, Laura Birn, Terrence Mann and Cassian Bilton. No premiere date has yet been announced, but likelihood is that we will see the next chapter of Foundation hitting screens late this year or early in 2023.

Justin Kurzel’s MORNING Taps Benedict Cumberbatch, Laura Dern

Doctor Strange's Benedict Cumberbatch to star in Morning from Justin Kurzel

It’s a good year to be Benedict Cumberbatch. High off the incredible success of Spider-Man: No Way Home, enjoying Oscar buzz for his role in The Power Of The Dog, and soon (but not soon enough!) to headline Sam Raimi‘s Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness, the actor has already lined up his next role. He will star alongside Laura Dern and A Quiet Place‘s Noah Jupe in Morning, a sci-fi thriller from director Justin Kurzel.

Morning is set in a near future where society has a pill that does away with the need to sleep. With the added help of an artificial sun, there is no end to morning daylight, living and work. However, as a young generation grows up deprived of the world of sleep, they consider rebelling to reclaim their dreams.

Cathy (Dern) may have been an early advocate of a sleepless world, but as she and her son Danny (Jupe) pick up the pieces of their lives following the death of her husband Frank (Cumberbatch), she finds the universe she helped to build is starting to crumble around her, whilst memories she fought so hard to repress are bleeding into her waking life. As Danny is further drawn into a subversive underworld of dreamers, Cathy must confront her nightmares and fight hard not to lose her son.

Morning was written by Sam Steiner; Cumberbatch, Dern, Jayme Lemons, Adam Ackland, Leah Clarke and Marnie Podos are all aboard to produce. Kurzel, meanwhile is best known for directing True History of the Kelly Gang, Assassin’s Creed and 2015’s Macbeth, starring Michael Fassbender. His latest, Nitram, played in competition at Cannes and saw lead actor Caleb Landry Jones be awarded the festival’s Best Actor prize.