Oliver Jackson-Cohen to Headline THE INVISIBLE MAN

Oliver Jackson-Cohen

With Universal and Blumhouse’s new take on The Invisible Man having begun to assemble its core cast over the past several months, the film has now found its titular character.

Courtesy of Deadline, The Haunting of Hill House’s Oliver Jackson-Cohen has signed on to play the Invisible Man. Jackson-Cohen joins a cast that currently features Elisabeth Moss, Aldis Hodge, Storm Reid and Harriet Dyer.

The early blurb on The Invisible Man reads:

The film follows Cecilia, who receives the news of her abusive ex-boyfriend’s suicide. She begins to re-build her life for the better. However, her sense of reality is put into question when she begins to suspect her deceased lover is not actually dead.

If you remember, The Invisible Man was initially being developed as part of Universal’s shared Dark Universe realm that began with the Tom Cruise-starring The Mummy. After The Mummy was poorly received, all plans for the Dark Universe were put on hold and are now seemingly as dead as a dodo.

Back then, Johnny Depp was on board to play the title role in The Invisible Man, with this new report claiming that Depp has now departed the project. In addition to Depp at one stage to play the Invisible Man, Javier Bardem was to play Frankenstein’s monster; the pair joining a shared world that had Sofia Boutella as the Mummy and Russell Crowe as Dr. Jekyll, Dwayne Johnson in talks to play the Wolfman, Scarlett Johansson lined up to play the Creature from the Black Lagoon, Angelina Jolie to play the Bride of Frankenstein, and with Tom Cruise along to battle such beasties.

From what we’ve heard, pretty much all of those projects have been shelved apart from possibly The Bride of Frankenstein and, of course, The Invisible Man.

Fresh off the success of Upgrade, long-time genre fave Leigh Whannell is serving as writer, director and executive producer on The Invisible Man, with the film due to start production in Sydney, Australia later this month ahead of a March 13th, 2020 release.

Lashana Lynch is the New 007?

Lashana Lynch

In some interesting news, it looks like the Bond franchise has found its new 007.

We’ve known for some time now that the upcoming to-be-titled Bond 25 is to be the last outing as James Bond for Daniel Craig, and that in itself has caused all kinds of speculation about who may replace Craig as Bond. In a fun spin on this, Bond 25 will actually introduce as new 007 in Bond’s absence.

What we know plot-wise about Bond 25 is that Craig’s Bond will be enjoying retirement in Jamaica when the movie opens. Now, The Daily Mail (we know…) is reporting that Bond 25 will introduce Captain Marvel’s Lashana Lynch as the new 007. Lynch’s character will take up the role of 007 in Bond’s absence, although it’s not known whether this will be any sort of permanent arrangement moving forward.

This decision is believed to have originated with Phoebe Waller-Bridge, who is part of the writing team for Bond 25. And if we’re honest, this is an absolutely brilliant move. Of course, given that this story originated with The Daily Mail, it’s likely best to take this all with a pinch of salt until something more official is confirmed.

To be directed by Cary Joji Fukunaga, Bond 25 is set for an April 2020 release.

Tasha Suri wins the Brave New Words Award

brave-new-words-award-nominees-announced

Starburst Magazine is delighted to announce that Tasha Suri has won 2019’s Brave New Words Award for her debut novel, Empire of Sand. It was presented at Edge Lit in Derby, 13th July.

The novel is the story of Mehr , a girl trapped between two cultures. Her father comes from a noble bloodline, but her mother’s people were spirit worshipping Amrithi nomads. Caught between two worlds and two cultures, things become more complex when the spirits of the sand and the gods themselves interfere with Mehr’s destiny and the path of her heart. It is stunning and there is something there for everyone.

The Brave New Words book prize goes to an individual, not a specific work. Like all of the Starburst Awards (such as the ones presented at the Starburst Film Festival), it’s designed to encourage new and exciting work. The judges are always looking for examples that most define the creators output. The award goes to someone who produces break-out literature that is new and bold, and breaks new ground. We felt Empire of Sand most exemplified these values.

Tasha’s acceptance speech said “I’m so surprised and thrilled to win the Brave New Words Award. Right now, SFF is full of amazing new voices, producing innovative, clever and yes – brave – works. To be one of those voices is a privilege, and to be recognised for it is an even bigger one. So I just want to give a massive thank you to the judging panel, Starburst Magazine, and my publisher Orbit. Thank you for this wonderful award!”

Katherine McNamara Promoted to ARROW Series Regular

Katherine McNamara

As The CW’s Arrow gears up for its eighth and final season, now comes word that one of the show’s supporting players is getting promoted to a series regular.

Courtesy of Deadline, Katherine McNamara is now a series regular for the upcoming final season for Oliver Queen and Co. McNamara, of course, played Mia Queen in the flash-forward moments of Arrow’s seventh season. That character is the daughter of Oliver and Felicity, and she’s one of the key parts of the future’s Team Arrow line-up.

Given that Katherine McNamara and Joseph David-Jones – the show’s Connor Hawke – are both now confirmed to return for Season 8, that most certainly suggests that we’ll be getting more jumps to the future in Arrow’s final year.

Production is now underway on Arrow’s eighth season, with the ten-episode final season to premiere later this year.

Amazon Developing a PAPER GIRLS TV Series

Brian K. Vaughan and Cliff Chiang's Paper Girls

With a slew of new comic book adaptations continuously being announced, now comes word that Paper Girls is up next to be brought to life.

Via Deadline, Amazon Studios is to develop Brian K. Vaughan and Cliff Chiang’s Image Comics title as a live-action TV series. Toy Story 4’s co-scribe Stephany Folsom will serve as the lead writer and showrunner on the show.

For those not familiar with Paper Girls, the official word on the comic book title reads:

Paper Girls follows the story of four teenage girls: Erin, MacKenzie, KJ, and Tiffany. While delivering newspapers in 1988, the girls find themselves thrust into a war between time-travelling factions. Along the way, the girls also discover what their respective futures hold.

Having begun back in 2016, Paper Girls is actually due to come to an end this month.

As ever, expect more on Amazon’s Paper Girls as the series continues to develop.

BILL & TED 3 Adds Kristen Schaal and Holland Taylor

Kristen Schaal

As Bill & Ted Face the Music continues to amass its core cast, the threequel has added two more most triumphant names to its ranks.

Via Entertainment Weekly, Kristen Schaal and Holland Taylor have joined this third Bill & Ted offering. The ever-charming Schaal is likely best known for Flight of the Conchords and BoJack Horseman, while Taylor has recently appeared in Mr. Mercedes in addition to roles in the likes of Two and a Half Men and Legally Blonde over the years. For Bill & Ted Face the Music, Schaal is to play a messenger from the future, while Taylor is playing an all-powerful being called the Great Leader.

In Bill & Ted 3, this duo will be joining the returning Alex Winter, Keanu Reeves and William Sadler, in addition to Heroes’ Jayma Mays as Bill’s wife Princess Joanna, Mayhem’s Samara Weaving as Bill’s daughter Thea, Children’s Hospital’s Erinn Hayes as Ted’s wife Princess Elizabeth, Atypical’s Brigette Lundy-Paine as Ted’s daughter Billie, and Gotham’s Anthony Corrigan as the villain of the piece.

The early blurb on Bill & Ted Face the Music reads:

Following 1989’s Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure and 1991’s Bill & Ted’s Bogus Journey, the stakes are higher than ever for William “Bill” S. Preston Esq. and Theodore “Ted” Logan. Yet to fulfil their rock and roll destiny, the now middle-aged best friends set out on a new adventure, when a visitor from the future warns them that only their song can save life as we know it and bring harmony to the universe. Along the way, they will be helped by their families, old friends and a few music legends.

With Galaxy Quest’s Dean Parisot on directing duties, from a screenplay courtesy of the original two movies’ Chris Matheson and Ed Solomon, Bill & Ted Face the Music is booked in for an August 2020 release.

 

AHS: 1984 Signs Up Angelica Ross

Angelica Ross

While we’ve recently heard how mainstays Sarah Paulson and Evan Peters will not be back for American Horror Story: 1984, now comes word on someone who will be a part of this new AHS offering.

Taking to her own Twitter account, Pose’s Angelica Ross has confirmed that she’s joined the slasher-driven ninth season of American Horror Story.

 

To date, the only confirmed cast members for AHS: 1984 are Emma Roberts and Olympian Gus Kenworthy.

American Horror Story: 1984 will premiere on September 18th.

Storm Reid Joins James Gunn’s SUICIDE SQUAD Sequel

Storm Reid

As James Gunn’s Suicide Squid gears up to start shooting in September, the sequel-cum-reboot has added another new face to its ranks.

Via The Wrap, A Wrinkle in Time’s Storm Reid has signed on to play the daughter of Idris Elba’s character in the film. Elba was initially thought to be taking over the Deadshot role from Will Smith, although it’s since been revealed that Elba will be playing a completely different character.

It’s believed that the majority of 2016’s Suicide Squad – bar Smith and Margot Robbie – will be reprising their roles, and the follow-up has also added David Dastmalchian as Polka-Dot Man.

At present, The Suicide Squad – yes, the sequel to Suicide Squad is titled The Suicide Squad – is currently booked in for an August 2021 release, with Gunn writing and directing the effort.

New WALKING DEAD Spin-Off Finds First Cast Members

alexa mansour

As AMC’s new Walking Dead spin-off starts to take shape, the walker-centric series has moved to cast three of its lead characters.

Courtesy of The Wrap, Unfriended: Dark Web’s Alexa Mansour (pictured), The Amazing Word of Gumball’s Nicolas Cantu and Bilched’s Hal Cumpston have all landed lead roles in this to-be-titled spin-off.

Details on this new show are being kept relatedly hush-hush right now, although we do know that the series will be based around two young females and will centre on the first generation to grow up in the midst of an undead apocalypse.

With Matt Negrete on showrunner duties, this latest Walking Dead spin-off has been booked in for a ten-episode debut first season.

Marvel’s THE ETERNALS Adds Millie Bobby Brown

Millie Bobby Brown

Fresh off the stunning third season of Stranger Things, Millie Bobby Brown is now heading to the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

As per Variety, the young actress has signed on to join Marvel Studios’ The Eternals. There’s not information just yet on which character Brown will be playing, but she joins a cast that currently features Angelina Jolie, Richard Madden, Kumail Nanjiani and Ma Dong-seok, with Salma Hayek also in talks.

The Eternals is one of only a few new MCU movies confirmed in the post-Endgame landscape, and a whole lot of new MCU information is expected once San Diego Comic-Con kicks off next week.

Created by the iconic Jack Kirby back in 1976, the Eternals comic book title was based around a race of age-old humans created by the alien Celestials with the plan being for these humans to serve as Earth’s protectors against the nefarious Deviants. The big-screen Eternals will reportedly be based around the Sersi character who is an energy-manipulating being who is pretty much immortal.

To be directed by Chloe Zhao, The Eternals is currently pencilled in for a 2020 release.