Ben Affleck to Headline Robert Rodriguez’s HYPNOTIC

Ben Affleck

With Robert Rodriguez recently announced to be helming an action thriller titled Hypnotic, now comes word on who’ll be headlining the picture.

Via Bloody Disgusting, Ben Affleck will be starring as the lead in Rodriguez’s next offering. Affleck was most recently seen in Netflix’s Triple Frontier, and will next be seen reprising his Chasing Amy role of Holden McNeil in Jay and Silent Bob Reboot – which is currently touring the US ahead of a November 29th global release.

As for Hypnotic, the early blurb on the movie reads:

A detective becomes entangled in a mystery involving his missing daughter and a secret government program while investigating a string of impossible high-end heists.

Hypnotic has been co-written by Rodriguez and Kong: Skull Island’s Max Borenstein.

New Female-Fronted ZORRO TV Series in Development

Zorro

It’s been a couple of years since we’ve heard any concrete on the Zorro front, but now comes word that a new Zorro TV Series in on the way.

Courtesy of Deadline, CBS is developing a female-fronted Zorro show that will be part of a first-look deal in place with Ben Silverman and Howard Owens’ Propagate production banner.

In addition to making the titular character a female called Z, the series will also shake things up by having a modern-day setting. The aforementioned Z will be a descendent of Zorro’s, and she’ll be tasked with protecting the defenceless people in her community.

Burn Notice and Magnum P.I.’s Alfredo Barrios Jr. has been brought in to write and serve as executive producer on Zorro.

Expect more on all of this as Zorro continues to develop.

Colin Farrell and Andy Serkis in Talks for THE BATMAN

The Batman

As Matt Reeves’ The Batman continues to amass its core cast, now comes word on two potential new additions for the Robert Pattinson-starrer.

Via The Wrap, Andy Serkis is in talks to play Alfred Pennyworth, while Colin Farrell is likewise in talks to play The Penguin.

In addition to his roles as Gollum in Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings movies and Caesar in the recent Planet of the Apes offerings, Serkis has previous with the superhero genre thanks to his time playing Ulysses Klau in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Should Serkis land the Alfred role, he’ll be following in the footsteps of Alan Napier, Michael Gough, Michael Caine, Jeremy Irons and Sean Pertwee in playing Bruce Wayne’s faithful butler.

For Farrell, he’s also no stranger to the world of comic book movies, for he played the nefarious Bullseye opposite Ben Affleck in 2003’s Daredevil. If the Irishman does indeed sign on to play Penguin, he’ll be take the baton from Burgess Meredith, Danny DeVito and Robin Lord Taylor when it comes to play Oswald Cobblepot.

If Serkis and/or Farrell do indeed become a part of The Batman, they’ll seen Pattinson’s Caped Crusader, Zoe Kravitz’s Catwoman, and Paul Dano’s Riddler in the June 2021 release.

Tristan Risk to Co-Direct STRIP CRAFT

Tristan Risk

Having made her directing debut with the all-kinds-of-spooky-fun Parlor Tricks short last year, Tristan Risk is now to take the director’s chair for her feature film directing debut.

Already attached to headline Wilson Large’s Strip Craft, it’s now been revealed that Risk will be co-directing the movie with Large. In addition to Parlor Tricks, genre fave Little Miss Risk has recently been finishing up post-production on her second directing gig – the Reptile House short.

For Strip Craft, the film will centre on a coven of stripper witches and a disgraced cop who finds herself battling dark magic forces in her quest to find her sister.

The official word on Strip Craft reads:

Strip Craft is pleased to announce today that in addition to performing the lead role in the film, Tristan Risk is set to co-direct it with writer/producer Wilson Large. Risk, largely known for her work in front of the camera in genre films such as the Soska sister’s ‘American Mary’ and ‘T Is For Torture Porn’ from ABC’s Of Death 2 and James Bickert’s Frankenstein Created Bikers, as well as her stage career in burlesque and sideshow, has latterly made the shift to behind the lens. Her second short film, Reptile House, is completed in its post-production, and she is excited to join forces with Large. “I’ve been working up to wanting to work on a feature, and I love this story and think that we can have a lot of fun with it”, says Risk.

Wilson Large has worked primarily behind the camera for over 20 years in a wide variety of films and production roles within those films. See more on his IMDB page. Horror has always been a favorite of Large’s and so in 2018, he wrote Strip Craft with Amy Villainous in mind for the lead villain. Villainous also consulted on the script to help get the witchcraft elements right. Of co-directing with Risk, Large says, “Tristan has been a joy to collaborate with as an actress from the get-go, and getting her voice involved in the direction of this picture is the greatest thing for this project. I couldn’t be more thrilled to move forward with Tristan’s instincts, experience in horror and her love of the story.” 

Strip Craft is in the final stages of fundraising and hopes to be in production by the 1st quarter of 2020. In closing Large adds, “I’ve been excited about this project since its inception, but this new development with Co-Directing with Tristan is going to make this film very memorable.”
Strip Craft, Large’s tale about a coven of stripper witches that involve the cloak and dagger play with a disgraced cop, as she follows her sister’s decent down this hellish rabbit hole, and must fight dark magic forces to avenge her family.

For more on Strip Craft, be sure to follow the project on Twitter or head on over to stripcraft.com.

Photo credit: Patrick Rooney.

Paul Blackthorne Returning for ARROW’s Final Season

Quentin Lance

Just days after Emily Bett Rickards’s Felicity Smoak was confirmed to be appearing in the Arrow series finale, now comes word on another Arrow favourite who’ll be returning.

Via TV Line, Paul Blackthorne will be reprising his Quentin Lance role during Arrow’s current (and sadly final!) eighth season. If you remember back, Quentin was killed off during the show’s sixth season in one of Arrow’s most impactful moments to date.

There’s no word on just how Lance will be brought back to the Arrowverse, but the ever-expanding multiverse of alternative Earths means that anything is possible in Arrow and its sister shows. Then there’s the prospect of the landscape changing Crisis on Infinite Earths crossover that’s due to begin this December and span across a whole host of DC series both past and present.

Key HOCUS POCUS Trio Confirmed Returning for Sequel

Hocus Pocus

It was only towards the end of last month that we heard how a Hocus Pocus sequel was in developing for the Disney+ streaming service, and now come word on which cast members from the original 1993 movie will be returning for said follow-up.

After Sarah Jessica Parker took to Instagram to answer some fan questions, she revealed that herself, Bette Midler and Kathy Najimy have all agreed to return for Hocus Pocus 2. SJP also added that they’re now waiting for the next step – which would seemingly be signing contracts for any such return.

From what we know about Hocus Pocus 2, Workaholics’ Jen D’Angelo has been tasked with penning the sequel. Midler, Parker and Najimy will be back as Salam witches Winifred, Sarah and Mary, although there’s no word yet on whether Omri Katz will come out of retirement to play Max Dennison.

Expect more on Hocus Pocus 2 as it continues to develop.

Greg Berlanti Developing Two New DC Shows for HBO Max

Green Lantern Corps

With the HBO Max streaming service launching next year, the on-demand offering has announced two DC-driven original shows for this new platform.

Via Entertainment Weekly, prolific genre producer Greg Berlanti is developing an anthology series titled Strange Adventures and a Green Lantern-inspired show.

Remaining relatively tight-lipped on these two new series, Berlanti enthused, “Both of these original DC properties we’ll be creating for HBO Max will be unlike anything seen on television. An anthology series of cautionary tales set in a world where superpowers exists, and, in what promises to be our biggest DC show ever made, we will be going to space with a Green Lantern television series, but I can’t reveal any more about that just yet.”

While the Strange Adventures anthology series sounds intriguing, it’s the Green Lantern show that’s sure to grab the attention of many a long-time DC Comics’ fan. Given the sheer number of Emerald Knights dotted throughout the galaxy of DC Comics, there are literally endless options as to how to approach this show and what characters to use. And you never know, maybe this series may even do something with Arrow’s John Diggle, after that character has long been teased as having a Green Lantern ring in his future…

It’s worth noting that one thing we do know about Strange Adventures, is that it will feature several familiar DC heroes, with Adam Strange noted as being one such superhero who’ll be put under the spotlight.

As alluded to, Greg Berlanti has for so long had his fingers in so many DC TV pies, with him acting as an executive producer on the likes of Arrow, The Flash, Supergirl, DC’s Legends of Tomorrow, Black Lightning, Titans, Doom Patrol, and Batwoman.

Expect more on these two HBO Max DC shows as they continue to develop.

Peyton Reed Returning to Direct ANT-MAN 3

Peyton Reed

While there’s no place for either Ant-Man or the Wasp in Phase 4 of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, it’s now been confirmed that a third ant-Man movie is on the way – and that the film has found its director.

Via The Hollywood Reporter, it’s been revealed that Peyton Reed will be back to helm what’s tentatively being referred to as simply Ant-Man 3. Reed, of course, directed both Ant-Man and Ant-Man and the Wasp.

Right now, all that we know about Ant-Man 3 is that it will presumably be a part of the MCU’s Phase 5, and that Paul Rudd, Evangeline Lilly, Michael Douglas and Michelle Pfeiffer will be back in action. Likewise, it’s a safe bet that Emma Fuhrmann as Scott Lang’s daughter Cassie could well have a significant role to play. After *the snap* Scott returned to find his daughter now a teenager. In the comics, Cassie Lang eventually develops her own size-changing abilities and becomes a hero in her own right.

Currently, Ant-Man 3 has yet to be given an official release date, but the earliest to realistically expect the film to hit the silver screen would be at some point in 2022.

Up next for Marvel Studios is a big-screen Phase 4 that features Black Widow and The Eternals in 2020, and 2021 arrivals for Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, a Spider-Man: Far From Home follow-up, and Thor: Love and Thunder. This, of course, is in addition to Phase 4 also playing out across a whole host of impending Disney+ TV shows.

Sony’s big-screen SPIDER-VERSE set to expand its web in 2022

Our Spidey-senses are tingling as we finally have the news we have all been waiting for – Sony Pictures’ Oscar-winning animated film Spider-Man: Into the Spider-verse is getting a sequel in 2022.

The official Twitter account for the film simply tweeted out a date for the sequel earlier today: April 8th 2022.

At this current time, not much else is officially known although Producers and Screenwriters Phil Lord and Chris Miller are likely to return as they signed a multi-year deal with Sony for Spider-Man content earlier this year.

We here at STARBURST are huge Spider-Man fans and will keep everyone updated with any further developments including Directors, Casting and Plot Details.

Henson-Created Puppet Talk Show Heading to Disney+

Earth to Ned

Well, this sounds all kinds of fantastic! Yes, as the headline suggests, a new Henson-created puppet series is heading to Disney+.

Via The Hollywood Reporter, Disney is teaming with The Jim Henson Company to develop a new show titled Earth to Ned. The early word on the series has it pegged as a half-hour comedy talk show featuring aliens interviewing celebrities – with beloved genre fave Space Ghost: Coast to Coast already touted as an influence.

The Jim Henson Company has most recently served up the stunning Dark Crystal: The Age of Resistance on Netflix.

For Earth to Ned, the official word on the series reads:

The comedy follows Ned, a blue-skinned alien and his lieutenant Cornelius, who were sent to scout Earth for an eventual invasion – but instead became obsessed with popular culture. Now, they host a talk show, broadcast from the bridge of their spaceship hidden deep underground, where they interview our most previous commodity – celebrities – to talk about Ned’s current pop culture obsessions. Ned will be bringing real-life celebrity guests to his ship from across the known universe and interviewing them, late-night talk show style, in hopes of producing the ultimate talk show – making Ned a celebrity and putting him further off mission. And the more Ned learns about our human culture, the more obsessed he becomes.

There’s no news on when exactly Earth to Ned will premiere on Disney+, but the hotly anticipated on-demand streaming service itself launches November 12th.