Taika Waititi Developing Animated FLASH GORDON Movie

Right now, Taika Waititi is one of the hottest names in genre filmmaking. And if directing a live-action take on Akira wasn’t enough for the hugely talented New Zealander’s upcoming slate, it’s now been revealed that he’ll also be tackling Flash Gordon.

Courtesy of Deadline, Waititi is overseeing an animated Flash Gordon movie for Disney and Fox. There are no further details whatsoever at this stage, and it remains to be seen whether he’ll ultimately end up directing the picture or if Waititi will simply be on board to put together the loose story of the film.

Since debuting as a comic book strip back in 1934, Flash Gordon is a character who has been featured in film serials, radio, novels, cartoons, games, the iconic 1980’s movie, and a whole host more. However, this Waititi-driven animated offering will be the first time that an animated Gordon film has made it to the silver screen.

As ever, expect more on this animated Flash offering as we get it.

James Marsden in Talks for CBS’ Take on THE STAND

James Marsden

With CBS’s take on The Stand being just one of plentiful Stephen King adaptations currently in development, now comes an update on who’s in talks to star in the series.

Via Collider, X-Men and Westworld star James Marsden is in talks to headline as Stu Redman, the first person discovered to be immune to the god-awful virus that had decimated the landscape of the tale.

Elsewhere, The Ward and Aquaman’s Amber is being lined up to play Nadine Cross, a teacher with a skewed sense of destiny that sees her wanting to be at the side of the story’s nefarious Randall Flagg.

Other names said to be in various stage of negotiations for a role in The Stand are Ghost’s Whoopi Goldberg, Little Miss Sunshine’s Greg Kinnear, Assassination Nation’s Odessa Young and The New Mutants’ Henry Zaga.

The Fault in Our Stars’ Josh Boone and SEAL Team’s Ben Cavell are on writing duties for the ten-episode take on King’s 1978 novel.

The Stand, of course, was previously given the TV treatment back in 1994. Then, Mick Garris helmed a miniseries that clocked in at just over the six-hour mark in total, with names such as Gary Sinise, Molly Ringwald, Rob Lowe, Miguel Ferrer, and Ossie Davis starring.

For those not familiar with The Stand, the loose plot centres on a decimated post-apocalyptic world in which a deadly plague has wiped out a huge chunk of the population. Two rival groups form, with the vastly differing views of the leaders of these groups putting both sides on a collision course as good battles evil.

Expect more on The Stand as it continues to develop.

Jeffrey Combs Amongst New CREEPSHOW Additions

Jeffrey Combs

Hot on the heels of David Arquette, Tricia Helfer and Dana Gould joining Shudder’s upcoming Creepshow series, now comes an update on several other genre favourites joining the series.

It’s been officially announced that Re-Animator’s Jeffrey Combs, X-Men’s Bruce Davison, Supernatural’s DJ Qualls and Emmy-winning Outkast duo Kid Cudi and Big Boi.

These new additions join a show that already has the likes of Adrienne Barbeau, Tobin Bell, Giancarlo Esposito, Paul Dini, Joe Hill and Tom Savini involved in some capacity, with the iconic Savini directing an episode based on Hill’s By the Silver Water of Lake Champlain.

Developed by the ever-brilliant Greg Nicotero, Creepshow is due to land on Shudder later this year. Each episode of this anthology series will be handled by a different director and tell its own individual story – much like the EC Comics-influenced 1982 Creepshow movie from George A. Romero.

As ever, expect more on Creepshow’s return as we get it.

THE CRAFT Remake Conjures Up Cailee Spaeny

Cailee Spaeny

Earlier this year, we heard how Sony Pictures was at work on remaking 1996’s The Craft. And now, we have confirmation of the first cast member to sign up for the redo.

Originally reported by Variety, Cailee Spaeny will be playing one of the four witches at the centre of the tale. Spaeny is likely best known to genre fans for the likes of Pacific Rim: Uprising, Bad Times at the El Royale and Vice.

If you remember, a new Craft movie has been being talked about for several years now, with Honeymoon’s Leigh Janiak working on a sequel three years ago. Janiak has long since left the project, and Sony has tasked Lola Versus’ Zoe Lister-Jones with writing and directing this new take on an old favourte.

For those not familiar with the original ’96 movie, the Andrew Fleming-helmed effort centred on Robin Tunney as she makes friends with a trio of young witches played by Fairuza Balk, Neve Campbell and Rachel True.

As ever, expect more on this Craft remake as we get it.

Marvel’s BLACK WIDOW Adds Ray Winstone

Ray Winstone

As Marvel Studios’ Black Widow movie continues to flesh out its core cast, the film has now added Ray Winstone to its ranks.

Courtesy of Deadline, the Sexy Beast star has landed a mystery role in the picture. Winstone will be joining Scarlett Johansson, Fighting with My Family’s Florence Pugh, The Handmaid’s Tale’s O-T Fagbenle, Stranger Things’ David Harbour and The Mummy’s Rachel Weisz on the movie.

In terms of what we know about Black Widow, the offering will reportedly be a prequel affair detailing Nat’s time being trained as ruthless killer for the KGB. Obviously before she then broke free of the KGB and became an Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. when we saw her make her MCU debut in Iron Man 2.

Lore’s Cate Shortland is on directing duties from a script by Jac Schaeffer, with Black Widow yet to be given an official release date at this stage.

Jill Soloway to Write and Direct RED SONJA

Jill Soloway

With a new Red Sonja movie having been in development for a good few years now over at Millennium Films, the picture has finally found a new director.

If you remember, previously Bryan Singer was attached to handle the film before he was dropped from Red Sonja this past March. And now, The Hollywood Reporter has word that Emmy winner Jill Soloway will be writing and directing Red Sonja. Soloway is likely best known for the likes of Transparent, United States of Tara and Six Feet Under.

As a character, Red Sonja began life back in 1973 as a creation of Robert E. Howard, Roy Thomas, and Barry Windsor for Marvel Comics. A truly badass warrior who is at the absolute peak of human conditioning, Sonja quickly became a major favourite of many. To this day, the comics are still published, albeit through Dynamite Entertainment nowadays.

Elsewhere, Sonja was previously given the silver screen treatment when Brigitte Nielsen starred in 1985’s Red Sonja. In addition to Rose McGowan once being up to play the character in more recent times, Amber Heard was another who was being lined up to tackle a new incarnation of Sonja once McGowan had to drop out of the running due to an arm injury. On the small screen, the character – as played by Angelica Bridges – made an appearance in the Conan TV series of the late ‘90s, with former WWE grappler Sable positioned to headline a Sonja series in 1999 before that also fell apart. Bryan Singer has since flirted with the idea of a TV effort at several points, but that similarly seems to have gone nowhere up until now.

Expect more on Red Sonja as it continues to develop.

KINGSMAN Prequel to be Titled THE KING’S MAN

The King's Man

While it was previously known as Kingsman: The Great Game or simply “that Kingsman prequel”, Matthew Vaughn’s upcoming new Kingsman movie has been given a swanky new title.

As confirmed by the film’s official Twitter account, 20th Century Fox and Walt Disney Studios have settled on The King’s Man:

 

Not just a title, but we’ve also been given an official synopsis for this prequel offering:

A collection of history’s worst tyrants and criminal masterminds gather to plot a war to wipe out millions, one man must race against time to stop them. Discover the origins of the very first independent intelligence agency in The King’s Man, directed by Matthew Vaughn, coming to theaters February 2020.

The King’s Man is rumoured to be set during World War I, although that setting has yet to be confirmed as of yet. What we do know, however, is what names are signed on for the prequel.

Whilst the likes of Taron Egerton and Colin Firth obviously won’t be a part of The King’s Man do to it being a prequel, some of the names currently set to be involved in the movie are The Beach Rats’ Harry Dickinson, Captain America: Civil War’s Daniel Bruhl, Twin Towns’ Rhys Ifans, Quantum of Solace’s Gemma Arterton, Game of Thrones’ Charles Dance, Watchmen’s Matthew Goode, Kick-Ass’ Aaron Taylor-Johnson and In Bruges’ Ralph Fiennes.

Expect more on The King’s Man as we get it.

Blumhouse’s BLACK CHRISTMAS Remake Adds Cary Elwes

Cary Elwes

Last week brought the surprising news that Blumhouse was putting together a new take on Black Christmas, and this morning sees another new cast member announced for the remake.

Courtesy of Deadline, Cary Elwes has signed on for a to-be-revealed role in the movie. Genre fave Elwes is likely best known for the likes of The Princess Bride, Robin Hood: Men in Tights, Twister and Saw.

Elwes joins a cast that features Green Room’s Imogen Poots, Charmed’s Aleyse Shannon, Star’s Brittany O’Grady, The Goldbergs’s Lily Donoghue and Choir Boy’s Caleb Eberhardt.

The early word on the film has it pegged as:

Hawthorne College is quieting down the holidays. One by one, sorority girls on campus are being killed by an unknown stalker. But the killer is about to discover that this generation’s young women aren’t willing to become hapless victims as they mount a fight to the finish.

Always Shine’s Sophia Takal is on directing duties for this incarnation of Black Christmas, with Takal working on the screenplay with Widower’s April Wolfe. Jason Blum is on producing duties through the Blumhouse banner, along with Cam’s Adam Hendricks and Rumor Has It’s Ben Cosgrove.

From the early synopsis details, it appears that Black Christmas will largely follow the same narrative as the original 1974 movie. Starring the likes of Olivia Hussey, Margot Kidder and John Saxon, that Bob Clark-helmed offering is largely viewed, along with John Carpenter’s Halloween, as starting the slasher craze. A so-so remake was then released in 2006, with the gore amped up for that new spin on the property.

As ever, expect more on Black Christmas as we get it.

BILL & TED 3 Brings in Anthony Carrigan as its Villain

Anthony Carrigan

While earlier this month we received word on who’ll be playing the respective daughters of Bill and Ted in Bill & Ted Face the Music, we now have word on who’ll be the big bad of the picture.

Via The Hollywood Reporter, Anthony Carrigan has signed on to play the villain of this threequel, although no details whatsoever have been revealed about said villain just yet. Carrigan is likely best known to genre fans as Victor Zsasz in Gotham, while he’s also featured in the likes of Barry and The Forgotten.

In Bill & Ted 3, Carrigan will be joining the returning Alex Winter, Keanu Reeves and William Sadler, in addition to Mayhem’s Samara Weaving as Bill’s daughter Thea and Atypical’s Brigette Lundy-Paine as Ted’s daughter Billie.

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.

New PARANORMAL ACTIVITY Movie in Development

Paranormal Activity

Ready for a new entry in the Paranormal Activity franchise? Wait, what do you mean “no”?! Well tough, for a new offering is on the way.

Via Deadline, Paramount and Blumhouse are reteaming for a seventh Paranormal Activity outing.

On this news, Paramount’s Jim Gianopulos enthused, “We are partnering with uber horror producer Jason Blum to bring a new installment of Paranormal Activity.”

The Paranormal Activity franchise began life back in 2007 with, err, Paranormal Activity. The most recent film in the series – and the supposed final movie – was 2015’s Paranormal Activity: The Ghost Dimension, and in between that first and last entries we were given Paranormal Activity 2, Paranormal Activity 3, Paranormal Activity 4 and Paranormal Activity: The Marked Ones.

At this stage, there are absolutely zero further details on this new movie, but expect more on this seventh Paranormal Activity picture as we get it.