Ben Schwartz Joins Nic Cage In RENFIELD

Ben Schwartz in Space Force season 1

Actor-comedian Ben Schwartz is the latest to join Renfield’s ensemble cast, the much-anticipated take on the mythology of Dracula. The Universal film has already cast Nicholas Hoult in the title role as the vampire’s henchman, R. M. Renfield, and none other than Nicolas Cage as Bram Stoker’s Count. Awkwafina, most recently seen in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, is also on board in an unnamed role. Chris McKay (The Tomorrow War) is directing the project based on an outline from Robert Kirkman.

The plot to Renfield is being kept locked tight and six feet under for now, though the studio has described the project as a modern-day adventure story that is comedic in tone. Schwartz will next be seen in the Apple miniseries The Afterparty and in DC’s League of Super-Pets, as well as reprising his voice role in Sonic the Hedgehog 2 

 

Denis Villeneuve Directing Arthur C. Clarke’s RENDEZVOUS WITH RAMA

Denis Villeneuve helming film adaptation of Rendezvous with Rama by Arthur C. Clarke

Even as he’s getting to work on Dune Part II, filmmaker Denis Villeneuve is planning for the future; Alcon Entertainment has acquired the film rights to Arthur C. Clarke’s science fiction novel, Rendezvous With Rama, which Villeneuve is set to direct.

One of the cornerstones of the author’s work, which also includes A Fall of Moondust and The Sentinel – which in turn served as the basis for his 2001: A Space Odyssey screenplay –, the 1973 novel  is set in the 2130s. The story involves a cylindrical starship which enters our Solar System and becomes humankind’s first encounter with an alien spacecraft, told from the point of view of a group of human explorers who intercept the ship and attempt to unlock its mysteries.

Film rights to the novel were previously controlled by Morgan Freeman (with David Fincher attached to helm the project back in 2010), who will now produce with Alcon under his and Lori McCreary’s Revelations Entertainment banner. This is set to be the latest in a successful series of collaborations between Villeneuve and Alcon, who have financed and produced Prisoners and Blade Runner 2049. 

LGBTQ-Themed Horror HYPOCHONDRIAC Announces Cast

Addison Heimann’s feature directorial debut, the LGBTQ+-themed horror-thriller Hypochondriac, has via Deadline announced a number of actors to be joining the project.

Heimann’s film sees young potter Will’s (Zach Villa, American Horror Story, Destroyer) life devolve into chaos when his mentally unstable mother (Marlene Forte, Knives Out, Fear the Walking Dead) re-enters his life and he begins exhibiting unexplainable symptoms, slowly losing function of his body while being haunted by the physical manifestation of his childhood trauma.

The cast also includes Devon Graye (Dexter), Madeline Zima (Showtime’s Twin Peaks), Chris Doubek (Bacurau), Paget Brewster (Criminal Minds), Adam Busch (Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Leon: The Professional), Michael Cassidy (Army of the Dead, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice), Peter Mensah (Avatar), Yumarie Morales (The Shrink Next Door) and Debra Wilson (Moon Manor).

Production on Hypochondriac wrapped late last week, with Heimann posting to his Instagram account to share the news. “These past couple months have been a little rough for me mentally,” writes the director. “It turns out, making a movie about your mental illness can trigger some things!! Grateful for everyone, from inception to wrap, that has been on this journey with me, supporting me along the way.”

Expect to see Hypochondriac at upcoming film festivals, and stay tuned for a release date.

 

 

 

GOD COUNTRY Headed To Netflix From SWEET TOOTH Showrunner

God Country graphic novel to be adapted over at Netflix

Netflix has now boarded Legendary and AfterShock Media’s God Country, a film adaptation of Donny Cates’ fantasy graphic novel, reports The Hollywood Reporter. Co-creator and showrunner of the post-apocalyptic series Sweet Tooth (itself a series adaptation of a comic series) Jim Mickle will co-write and direct with Cates, who wrote the original six-issue miniseries with art by Geoff Shaw. Cates is perhaps best known for his work on Marvel’s Venom comics.

God Country centres on Emmett Quinlan, an old widower afflicted by dementia and prone to violent outbursts. When a tornado hits his West Texas town, Quinlan is rejuvenated thanks to an enchanted sword he discovers in the wreckage – but now he must use it to protect his family and what remains of the town against terrifying, otherworldly creatures seeking its power.

The upcoming film has been described as bringing “a Western aesthetic to the super hero genre,” with a cast and potential release date still to be announced. With Netflix money now backing the project however, we can expect it will be full steam ahead for Mickle’s latest.

 

Telenovela Style ZORRO Series Being Developed By Wilmer Valderrama

Guy Williams as Zorro with horse Tornado

Out of the night, when the full moon is bright, comes the horseman known as Zorro! NCIS, That ’70s Show and Encanto star Wilmer Valderrama is developing a television series based on the Disney western Zorro, which he is set to executive produce and star in as Don Diego de la Vega and his masked alter ego.

The show is set to be a reimagining of the Disney-ABC Zorro series that aired in the 1950s and which starred Guy Williams, Gene Sheldon, George J. Lewis, and Henry Calvin. It aired between 1957 and 1959 for 78 episodes, with an additional four hour-long special episodes releasing in the early ’60s.

Deadline reports that the series, which is in development for Disney Branded Television, will also be exec produced by Gary Marsh and John Gertz, the latter under the Zorro Productions, Inc. banner. President of Disney Branded Television Ayo Davis described the upcoming Zorro adaptation as a “reimagining [of the] Disney classic as a compelling period piece, set in Pueblo de Los Angeles, but told in a very modern telenovela style”.

Wilmer Valderrama, best known as Torres on NCIS, developing Zorro series

It would incorporate “richly drawn contemporary characters and relationships set against the action, drama, suspense, and humour of the original, iconic Zorro,” stated Davis. She adds that “Wilmer [Valderrama] shares our commitment to reflect the interesting and rich diversity of the human experience and we look forward to delivering a culturally relevant and entertaining story with definitional characters that will connect with our viewers for generations to come.”

For himself, Valderrama explained that “growing up, Zorro was the one character that made me, as a Latino, feel like I could be a hero. As an adult and a storyteller, I have a responsibility for the stories that I help bring to life. To partner with Gary and Disney to bring Zorro back into the family after 60 years and be part of the legacy for other children to know they too can be the heroes of their own stories is a dream come true.”

How long until Valderrama can carve a Z with his blade? Stay tuned.

 

GOTHAM KNIGHTS In The Works From BATWOMAN Team

The CW continues to develop its DC-inspired slate with Gotham Knights, a superhero drama from Batwoman executive producers Chad Fiveash and James Stoteraux, alongside executive story editor Natalie Abrams.

The three creatives write the series based on the Gotham Knights comics characters by Bob Kane and Bill Finger. The show tracks the aftermath of Bruce Wayne’s murder. In the wake of this loss, Wayne’s rebellious adopted son forges an unlikely alliance with the children of Batman’s enemies when they are all framed for killing the Caped Crusader. And as the city’s most wanted criminals, this renegade band of misfits must fight together to clear their names; all the while, Gotham is descending into the worst chaos it has ever seen. Can this mismatched team of fugitives stop running from the law and save their city?

Gotham Knights

It’s unclear who the “rebellious adopted son” in question might be, considering Wayne adopted a number of stray kids over the years. It could be Dick Grayson, who left the mantle of Robin in favour of becoming Nightwing, or Tim Drake, the third Robin. More likely however, is Jason Todd, who in the comics takes up the mantle of Red Hood after coming back from the dead. His anti-hero status would make for interesting dynamics with the children of the Bat’s enemies.

In any case, this new CW show will not be a spinoff of Batwoman, nor is it tied to the upcoming action role-playing Gotham Knights video game. The series would join a successful and expansive family of DC comics-inspired television series at The CW network, which currently includes The Flash, which is in its eighth season, DC’s Legends of Tomorrow which is in its seventh season, Stargirl, and Superman & Lois. Past shows have included Arrow, Black Lightning, and Supergirl. Another series titled Naomi is set to premiere on January 11th next year from writer and executive producer Ava DuVernay.

 

 

Push Gaming Launches Fire Hopper

fire hopper

The London-based games developer Push Gaming continues its streak of game launches this year and counts Fire Hopper as its latest addition to their slot collection. A beautiful countryside setting and a fire frog that might turn your money into gold. What more could you ask for right before Christmas.

High Volatility And Big Payouts

Like many other Push Gaming slots, Fire Hopper is considered a highly volatile game, making each spin even more exciting. Before we continue, let’s quickly brush up on this feature.

High variance, as it’s often referred to, means that a slot pays out less frequently, but if it does, the winnings tend to be on the higher side. If you’re a risk-taker that can survive a drought period, then high volatility slots guarantee the most fun with the highest potential reward. Keep in mind, though, that you might have to sustain several rounds with zero wins, so only players with a healthy bankroll or those that have good self-control should opt-in for high variance slots.

Instant Wins up to 1,000x Your Wager

When you think Push Gaming has ticked all boxes of a fantastic slot game, they come up with a big surprise. Unusual for these types of games, but Fire Hopper comes with an instant win feature of up to 1,000x your wager. When the frog symbol lands on the screen and an instant win symbol is in view, the frog will leap over to collect your win. If a multiplier is attached to the frog symbol, it will transfer over to the instant win amount. This way, you’re looking at wins up to one thousand times the money you’ve wagered that spin. And as the name suggests, the money is paid out instantly; no questions asked.

Fire Hopper Pays Out Big 

Push Gaming made sure that Fire Hopper is not only fun but also rewarding. As per their official website, the game boasts an RTP of 96.57%. The term RTP stands for Return to Player and describes the percentage a slot game pays out to its player for each $/£/€ 1 wagered. There are two important facts to note, though. Firstly, RTP is measured over time, typically thousands of spins, so the short- and mid-term return percentage can be much lower. Secondly, RTP may vary per casino depending on the market, so you should always check the real RTP rate. By the way, at the time of writing, the highest observed win on Fire Hopper has been 50,000x the amount wagered.

A Note About Online Slots

After all the bragging about big payouts and instant wins, it’s important to note that online slot games are purely based on luck. There is no magic trick to it, you cannot predict the next win, and the chance to walk away with a big win is much lower than losing it all. Playing online slots is a form of entertainment and not a means to earn money. It’s like the state lottery that you might play every Saturday; you most likely won’t win the jackpot, but if you do, it’s going to be a life-changing experience.

FANTASTIC BEASTS: THE SECRETS OF DUMBLEDORE Trailer

Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore starring Jude Law

After an extended wait since The Crimes of Grindelwald, Warner Bros. has now unveiled the first trailer for David Yates’ Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore. It’s the third film in J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter spinoff series, which began in 2016 with Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them.  

The upcoming film is set several years after the events of the last movie, as Jude Law’s Albus Dumbledore tasks Newt Scamander (Eddie Redmayne) with an important mission. Their quest will take Newt and his friends (“a magizoologist, his indispensable assistant, a wizard descended from a very old family, a school teacher, and a muggle”) into the heart of Grindelwald’s army.

Grindelwald will this time be played by Mads Mikkelsen, taking over from Johnny Depp who portrayed the infamous wizard in the first two films. The role was re-cast after allegations of domestic abuse surfaced against Depp. The rest of the cast includes Katherine Waterston, Dan Fogler, Alison Sudol, Ezra Miller, Callum Turner, William Nadylam, Poppy Corby-Tuech, and Jessica Williams.

Check out the new trailer for Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore below. It is due for release in the UK April 8th, 2022. Two more Fantastic Beasts films are currently in development.

New MATRIX RESURRECTIONS Clip Answers Some Questions, Raises More

Yahya Abdul-Mateen II as Morpheus in the Matrix Resurrections

As we approach its release date, the marketing campaign for The Matrix Resurrections continues to prove exemplary. The latest clip of of the highly-anticipated instalment, which dropped during The Game Awards, answers fans’ phone booth questions and goes some way towards explaining Laurence Fishburne’s absence in the franchise’s latest.

In the roughly one minute footage, Bugs (Jessica Henwick) explains to Neo (Keanu Reeves) that Redpills “don’t have to run to phone booths anymore” to enter and exit the Matrix, and that hackers instead create portals. Handy, considering their near-extinction in the modern world. She then leads Neo into a room where he is met by another version of Morpheus, played by Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, while Fishburne’s Morpheus is projected onto the walls through clips of the first Matrix film. It confirms that while Resurrections’ Morpheus might be played by a different actor, he is aware of his own history over the three previous films.

In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, the Candyman actor also explained that fans will soon learn the new rules of The Matrix; “Age, appearance, the things we identify as real, can be manipulated in that world,” while also reaffirming that his portrayal is a “different iteration” of Morpheus.

Yet this new clip might suggest that the changes in appearance are purely cosmetic, and that Abdul-Mateen’s Morpheus is the same character as Fishburne’s; so the statement that Morpheus is a different iteration may just be a reference to the character’s development over the period elapsed, as opposed to some parallel universe version of character. After all, “nothing comforts anxiety like a little nostalgia,” quips Abdul-Mateen’s Morpheus in a meta wink to the viewer. For any hard answers though, we’ll have to wait for the film’s release.

The Matrix Resurrections releases in cinemas on December 22nd, with a simultaneous release on HBO Max in the U.S. Watch the trailer here, and watch the clip in question below:

COWBOY BEBOP Cancelled After One Season

Cowboy Bebop Netflix reboot series starring John Cho, Mustafa Shakir and Daniella Pineda

Sorry friends, but Netflix has opted to cancel Cowboy Bebop. The live-action anime adaptation will not be moving forward with a second season, the streamer has confirmed, less than a month after the series was first released on its platform.

Based on Shinichirō Watanabe’s cult anime series, Cowboy Bebop followed a group of bounty hunters led by Spike Spiegel (John Cho) as they search for the galaxy’s most wanted criminals. Mustafa Shakir also starred as Spike’s trusted co-pilot Jet Black and Daniella Pineda as their third crew member, Faye Valentine.

Despite significant buzz around the show before its premiere, the live-action take on the anime was met with mixed reviews from critics and fans alike. What’s worse, the series didn’t do too well in Netflix’s Top 10 rankings which, combined with its significant budget, contributed to the platform’s swift cancellation.

In response to the news, first announced by The Hollywood Reporter, the show’s co-executive producer Javier Grillo-Marxuach expressed his disappointment on Twitter: “I truly loved working on this. It came from a real and pure place of respect and affection,” he wrote. “I wish we could make what we planned for a second season, but you know what they say, men plan, god laughs. see you space cowboy…”. In response to a tweet by Gren actor Mason Alexander Park, he added that the show “had so much cool sh*t planned for s2”.

At least Cowboy Bebop fans can always go back to the original anime series…