HONEY, I SHRUNK THE KIDS Reboot on the Way

Honey, I Shrunk the Kids

With seemingly a new reboot, remake or reimagining announced every single week, now it’s the turn of Honey, I Shrunk the Kids to get the reboot treatment.

As first reported by Slash Film, Disney is in talks with Frozen and Beauty and the Beast’s Josh Gad to headline the picture, which is to be titled Shrunk.

From the early information we know about the movie, Shrunk will be a continuation of sorts of the world first introduced back in 1989’s original film. Shrunk will be set in the present day and will focus on Gad as Nick Szalinski, the son of Rick Moranis’ Wayne Szalinski. If you remember, Nick was actually enlarged in the second movie in the franchise, Honey, I Blew Up the Kid.

In Shrunk, it will be Nick himself who is tinkering with size-altering science stuff. To be precise, he’ll accidentally shrink his own children and spend the film trying to right this particular wrong.

Following 1989’s Honey, I Shrunk the Kids and 1992’s Honey, I Blew Up the Kid, Disney released the direct-to-video Honey, We Shrunk Ourselves in 1997. In addition to those films, Honey, I Shrunk the Kids: The TV Show ran for three season from ’97 to 2000.

The first rumblings of a new entry in this franchise began early last year, with it believed that Honey, I Shrunk the Kids was being reworked for the impending Disney+ streaming service. Now though, it’s being reported that this rebooting of the franchise will instead be getting a theatrical release.

As ever, expect more on Honey, I Shrunk the Kids as it continues to develop.

ABC Cancels WHISKEY CAVALIER

Whiskey Cavalier

Despite some strong early buzz, the Lauren Cohan-headlined Whiskey Cavalier has been canned after just one solitary season.

Courtesy of TVLine, ABC has cancelled the series due to disappointing ratings. Following this initial report, executive producer Bill Lawrence took to Twitter to confirm the news.

Due to the amount of investment that Warner Bros. TV put in to Whiskey Cavalier, the studio is currently shopping the series around other networks in the hope that the offering can get picked up for a second season somewhere.

If you remember, Lauren Cohan left The Walking Dead behind in order to take on Whiskey Cavalier. As such, if the show is unable to find a new home, that surely increases the chances of Cohan’s Maggie Rhee returning to The Walking Dead at some point down the line.

For those who haven’t had a chance to check out Whiskey Cavalier, the action-comedy show centres on an agency of spies tasked with saving the world.

LETHAL WEAPON Cancelled After Three Seasons

Lethal Weapon

It feels like only yesterday that we heard rumblings of a Lethal Weapon TV series being in development, and now comes word that the show has now been cancelled.

Back in 2016 was when we first heard the news of just such a show being on the way, and the series would eventually get three seasons before FOX has now decided to can the offering. Variety broke the news, with the reason behind the cancellation being driven by dwindling ratings.

For those keeping up with Lethal Weapon, the show had its fair share of problems over the years. Initially staring Clayne Crawford and Damon Wayans as Martin Riggs and Roger Murtagh, the first two seasons of the series were plagued by regular reports of on-set tension and arguments between its headlining duo. As such, Crawford was ultimately fired and replaced by Sean William Scott for the third season. And even after that, Wayans would then rule out his own return for any potential fourth season.

In the UK, Lethal Weapon was housed on ITV.

Mark Wahlberg and Jason Isaacs Join SCOOB

Mark Wahlberg Jason Isaacs Scoob

With Scoobert Cornelius Doo set to return to big-screen action next year, now comes word on some impressive new additions for Scoob.

Scoob, of course, is the upcoming animated Scooby-Doo movie being produced by Christopher Columbus. And now, The Hollywood Reporter has revealed that Mark Wahlberg and Jason Isaacs are joining the action. Wahlberg will be voicing the heroic Blue Falcon in the picture, while Isaacs is to play the nefarious Dick Dastardly.

From what we know about Scoob so far, the movie will see Scooby-Doo and his pals teaming with some of the Hanna-Barbera universe’s greatest names to stop Dick Dastardly from destroying the world.

Wahlberg and Isaacs join a cast the features Frank Walker as Scooby-Doo, Zac Efron as Fred Jones, Amanda Seyfried as Daphne Blake, Will Forte as Shaggy, Gina Rodriguez as Velma Dinkley and roles for Tracy Morgan, Ken Jeong and Kiersey Clemons.

Written by The Addams Family’s Matt Lieberman and directed by Space Jam’s Tony Cervone, Scoob is currently set for a May 2020 release.

FOX Cancels THE PASSAGE After One Season

The Passage

With its debut season having come to an end this past March, now comes word that The Passage will not be returning.

Courtesy of Deadline, FOX has made the call to cancel the series after just one solitary season. Produced by Sir Ridley Scott and based on the best-selling works of Justin Cronin, the show only actually premiered in January.

Like is so often the case, the reason for The Passage’s cancellation was simply down to viewership ratings not being up to scratch.

Headlined by Saved by the Bell and Dead Man on Campus’ Mark-Paul Gosselaar, The Passage centred on a group of death row inmates turned into infectious vampires by the US government.

Storm Reid Joins THE INVISIBLE MAN as New Plot Details Surface

Storm Reid

With genre fave Leigh Whannell currently working on a new take on The Invisible Man for Blumhouse and Universal, now comes a major update on the project.

Previously, we knew that The Handmaid’s Tale’s Elisabeth Moss had signed on for a key role in the picture, with many speculating that the titular invisible so-and-so may be gender swapped. Now though, we have a new piece of casting news in addition to some concrete plot details.

Courtesy of Deadline, A Wrinkle in Time’s Storm Reid will be joining in Moss in the picture. The young actress is to play a character called Sydney, who looks up to Moss’ character in the absence of her own mother.

In terms of plot, a new synopsis for the film clarifies that Moss will not be playing the title character:

The film follows Cecilia (Elisabeth Moss), 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, this new incarnation of The Invisible Man was initially set to star Johnny Depp and be a part of the greater Dark Universe that Universal launched with The Mummy. Of course, with The Mummy proving to be a major disappointment, all of those shared realm plans were put on hold or completely scrapped.

Instead, now we have Blumhouse teaming with Universal to deliver a more low-budget Invisible Man that will be character driven and have a focus of true terror.

Fresh off impressing with Upgrade, Leigh Whannell is writing and directing The Invisible Man.

BIRDGIRL Spinoff Show in Development

Harvey Birdman Birdgirl

Well, this is most surely some fantastic news! Indeed, a Harvey Birdman spinoff series is on the way.

Courtesy of The Hollywood Reporter, Adult Swim is at work on a Birdgirl series. Birdgirl, of course, became a key part of Harvey Birdman, and Paget Brewster will be back on vocal duties as the titular Judy Ken Sebben.

The official blurb on Birdgirl reads:

The series, created and executive produced by original series creators Michael Ouweleen and Erik Richter, will follow Judy Ken Sebben (aka Birdgirl) as she struggles to find a way to balance her work and superhero lives after being named CEO of the world’s largest and most nonsensical corporation, Sebben & Sebben. With her assembled Birdteam, they attempt to bring the company into the modern times by day and by mid-afternoon they must help defuse a lot of bad situations, many of which they might have caused.

For those who are left scratching their head about all of this, Harvey Birdman: Attorney at Law was itself a spinoff of sorts from the classic Hanna-Barbera shows of the ‘60s and ‘70s. In the series, a relatively bland and boring character was reinvigorated with a humourous spin over four seasons of, quite frankly, sheer brilliance.

Expect more on Birdgirl as we get it.

The Wachowskis Developing New MATRIX Movie

The Matrix

The last we’d heard about anything related to The Matrix was a couple of years ago when rumblings of a reboot reared their head. But now, well now comes word that the Wachowskis are developing a new Matrix movie.

Courtesy of an interview with Yahoo, the John Wick franchise’s Chad Stahelski has seemingly revealed that the Matrix picture that is in development is actually a film that will exist within the same realm as the existing Matrix trilogy rather than being a reboot.

Speaking to the outlet, Stahelski – who worked as a stunt double and martial arts coordinator on said Matrix trilogy – enthused, “I’m super happy that the Wachowskis are not just doing a Matrix, but they’re expanding what we all loved. And if it’s anywhere near the level of what they’ve already done, it wouldn’t take more than a call to go, ‘Hey, we want you to be a stunt guy’ and I would probably go and get hit by a car. If they wanted help, I would absolutely put down whatever I was doing to help them.”

Stahelski did also mention that he doesn’t seem to think Lana Wachowski will be directing this time out, although Chad did confirm Lana will still be involved along with Lilly Wachowski.

Of course, this is all still very vague and could play out a whole number of ways, but knowing that the Wachowskis are involved in a Matrix movie that will somehow be involved within the existing Matrix canon? Man, that’s a good day.

As ever, expect more on this new Matrix effort as we get it.

Michael Rooker in Talks to Play THE SUICIDE SQUAD’s King Shark

Michael Rooker King Shark

Well, this sounds all kinds of fun if it does indeed come to pass. Yes, as the headline suggests, Michael Rooker may end up playing King Shark in the DCEU.

We’ve known for several months now that King Shark was going to one of several new additions to Task Force X when James Gunn’s The Suicide Squad rolls around, and now comes word that Rooker is in talks for the role.

Via The Wrap, Rooker is in early negotiations to join the sequel offering as the villainous humanoid shark who is a huge favourite of many a comic book reader. Rooker is good pals with Gunn following roles in the writer/director’s Super, The Belco Experiment, the upcoming Brightburn and as Yondu in the first two Guardians of the Galaxy pictures.

As alluded to, King Shark joins Ratcatcher, Polka-Dot Man and Peacemaker as new additions for The Suicide Squad. And yes, the sequel to 2016’s Suicide Squad is called The Suicide Squad. Ant-Man’s David Dastmalchian has already signed on to play Ratcatcher, and now it appears that Michael Rooker could well end up playing King Shark.

For those not familiar with King Shark, Nanaue debuted back in 1994 and was depicted as the son of the Shark God. Once the whole New 52 reboot was rolled out across DC Comics, King Shark was rejigged as a humanoid hammerhead who was more often than not either a member of the Suicide Squad or could be found battling The Flash – something which has also happened at several points in The CW’s The Flash, not to mention a ridiculously fun battle between King Shark and Gorilla Grodd in that Scarlet Speedster show.

In The Suicide Squad, the majority of the first movie’s core cast are expected to be returning. That said, Margot Robbie’s Harley Quinn and Will Smith’s Deadshot will not be present in the follow-up. One other confirmed new addition, however, is Idris Elba in a to-be-revealed role, whilst multiple-time WWE Champion John Cena is rumoured to be eyed for the picture.

Written and directed by James Gunn, The Suicide Squad is set for an August 2021 release.

Multiplayer PREDATOR: HUNTING GROUNDS Game Announced

Predator: Hunting Grounds

While it may have had some teething issues and legal problems, there’s no doubting that the Friday the 13th video game has been an absolute hoot for genre fans. And now, some of the minds behind that game are switching their attention to another famed genre franchise.

As announced by IllFonic – who developed Friday the 13th with Gun Media – they’re working on a multiplayer game titled Predator: Hunting Grounds. Much like Friday the 13th afforded gamers the chance to play as either Jason or one of the potentially doomed Camp Crystal Lake counsellors, Hunting Grounds will give players the opportunity to play as the Predator or as a member of Fireteam.

The game is planned for a 2020 release, and we’ve already been given a teaser trailer and a bunch of interest-piquing information.

Find the official press release on Predator: Hunting Grounds below:

Drop into the Predator universe through a new competitive online multiplayer experience.  Play as an elite Fireteam charged to complete paramilitary operations while a Predator mercilessly hunts you. Or, BE the Predator, armed with all the deadly alien weaponry you’ve grown to love and pursue your prey.

“We first assembled 12 years ago to create games based off of movies we love and Predator seemed like the perfect fit. One afternoon during E3, Jared (Gerritzen), Jordan (Mathewson) and I shared our idea that got the entire team amped up. You can tell we’re a team of passionate movie and video game fans,” Charles Brungardt CEO, IllFonic said.

“Once we decided on Predator, it was clear this needed to be a shooter that had to look and feel authentic. Our team’s passion for Predator helped us launch the partnership with Sony Interactive Entertainment and Fox. Not only do these powerhouses believe in our vision, which has made this a dream project, they understand what we want to create. They have given us so much to work with and are empowering us to create something new for fans, while expanding the lore of the Predator. Having that quality bar raised by our partners has been a great driver for creating an amazing game.”

Expect more on Predator: Hunting Grounds as it develops.