LOCKE & KEY Adds Darby Stanchfield

Darby Stanchfield

Only a matter of days after Sherri Saum was added to the show’s cast, Netflix’s Locke & Key has made another new addition.

Courtesy of the on-demand streaming service themselves, Scandal’s Darby Stanchfield has been brought in to play Nina Locke. That character is key to the Locke & Key tale, with her the one to move the family to Keyhouse as she delves deeper into the mysterious death of her husband.

The actress joins a cast the currently features Connor Jessup, Emilia Jones, Jackson Robert Scott and the aforementioned Sherri Saum.

The early blurb on Netflix’s Locke & Key reads:

Locke & Key is a horror/fantasy series that revolves around three siblings who, after the gruesome murder of their father, move to their ancestral home in Massachusetts only to find the house has magical keys that give them a vast array of powers and abilities. Little do they know, a devious demon also wants the keys, and will stop at nothing to attain them.

The Good Wife’s Meredith Averill and Bates Motel’s Carlton Cuse will serve as showrunner on the series.

If you remember, Hulu had previously taken Locke & Key to the pilot stage before then deciding against putting in a series order for the show. Said pilot was completely scrapped, with Netflix swooping in to pick up the rights and start from scratch.

Jordan Peele’s THE TWILIGHT ZONE Set for April Premiere

The Twilight Zone Rod Serling

One of the most hotly anticipated genre efforts of 2019 is Jordan Peele’s upcoming new take on The Twilight Zone. And now, we finally have word on when we’ll get to see this rebooted version of an old favourite.

Courtesy of the TCA Press Tour, CBS All Access’ Julie McNamara has confirmed that The Twilight Zone will premiere on April 1st. Not only that, but that first night will serve up two episodes of the show.

Peele is producing through his Monkeypaw banner, and some of the names signed on to appear in episodes are Taissa Farmiga, John Cho, Kumail Nanjani, Greg Kinnear, Jacob Tremblay, DeWanda Wise, Ike Barinholtz, and Steven Yeun. Simon Kinberg’s Genre Films are also behind the series, with Daredevil’s Marco Ramirez serving as showrunner.

The Twilight Zone was famously created by Rod Serling, initially running from 1959 to 1964 and exploring tales of sci-fi, fantasy and horror. Revivals of this beloved show came in 1985 (running until 1989) and in 2002 (lasting for just a year), and, of course, there was the Steven Spielberg-produced Twilight Zone: The Movie in 1983.

As ever, expect more on all things Twilight Zone as we get it. And no, sadly there’s no word just yet on when UK audiences will get to see the show .

Release Dates Set for DC SUPER PETS and the SUICIDE SQUAD Sequel

Krypto Ace

With The Batman having now been confirmed for a June 2021 release, Warner Bros. has also revealed release dates for a couple of other DC Comics-driven movies.

First up, May 21st, 2021 will see fans treated to DC Super Pets. Yes, as in some of the Legion of Super-Pets’ characters are getting their own animated feature. To be directed by Jared Stern and Sam Levine, the film will centre on Krypto, Ace the Bat-Hound, and Streaky. A little left-field? Sure, but this one should be all kinds of fun.

Elsewhere, the Suicide Squad sequel has been given a set release date. Having dropped the Suicide Squad 2 title in favour of simply The Suicide Squad, that follow-up will hit the big screen on August 6th, 2021. If you remember, Guardians of the Galaxy’s James Gunn is now writing and possibly directing The Suicide Squad for Warners. It’s expected that the majority of Suicide Squad’s cast will reprise their roles for, err, The Suicide Squad.

As ever, expect more on all of these films as we get it.

Zendaya in Talks for Denis Villeneuve’s DUNE

Zendaya

Hot on the heels of Oscar Isaac being lined up to join the cast, now comes word that Denis Villeneuve’s Dune is close to adding another name to its ranks.

Via The Hollywood Reporter, Zendaya is somebody who could well be joining the new take on Frank Herbert’s iconic tale. In terms of her potential role in the picture, the Spider-Man: Homecoming actress is up for Chani, the love interest of the story’s main character, Paul Atreides.

If the singer-cum-actress does indeed sign on for Dune, she’ll join a cast that includes Timothée Chalamet as Paul Atreides, Rebecca Ferguson as Paul’s mother Lady Jessica, Charlotte Rampling as Reverend Mother Mohiam, Stellan Skarsgard as Baron Vladimir Harkonnen, and Dave Bautista as the sadistic nephew of Skarsgard’s Baron Harkonnen. As alluded to, Oscar Isaac is currently in talks to play Duke Leto Atreide, the father of Paul.

Dune began life back in 1965, with Frank Herbert’s original novel tying for the 1966 Hugo Award and then winning the inaugural Nebula Award for Best Novel. Set in the distant future, the story centres on Paul Atreides as his family takes control of the desert planet known as Arrakis. With valuable resources key to the tale, what unravels is a plot that’s full of politics, betrayal, and man’s relationship with nature. A Kyle MacLachlan-starring, David Lynch-helmed movie followed in 1984, which went on to become a cult classic, and then Syfy developed a Dune TV series in 2000. As for written works, Herbert penned five sequels himself before Kevin J. Anderson and Brian Herbert expanded that written world even further.

At this stage, Villeneuve’s Dune has yet to be given a release date.

CBS All Access Orders THE STAND

The Stand

For a little while now, there’s been plans afoot for another new take on Stephen King’s legendary The Stand. And now, it looks as if said new incarnation of the classic 1978 tale is finally happening.

Courtesy of The Hollywood Reporter, CBS All Access has ordered a ten-episode season for The Stand. Josh Boone and Ben Cavell are putting the series together; Boone the writer and director behind the upcoming New Mutants movie; Cavell best known for creating SEAL Team. Previously, Boone was attached to develop a Stand movie before the plan was switched to take the action down to the small screen instead.

On this news, King himself enthused, “I’m very excited and so pleased that The Stand is going to have a new life on this exciting new platform. The people involved are men and women who know exactly what they’re doing; the scripts are dynamite. The result bids to be something memorably and thrilling. I believe it will take viewers away to a world they hope will never happen.”

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.

THE BATMAN Set for 2021 Release; Affleck Out?

Batman

After a spell of radio silence, we’ve now got a major update on Matt Reeves’ upcoming Batman movie.

Initially reported by Deadline, The Batman has now been set for a June 25th, 2021 release date. What’s most interesting is the word that, yes, the film will indeed not feature Ben Affleck as the Caped Crusader. Instead, Reeves’ picture will centre on a younger Batman; meaning Affleck won’t be required to don the cape ‘n’ cowl once more.

If you remember back, Affleck was actually to star in, co-write, and direct The Batman for a 2020 release. First we saw him step back from the director’s chair – Reeves coming in to replace him on directing duties – and now it seems that, after years of rumours, Affleck won’t be returning to star in the film.

Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter about his plans for The Batman, Reeves enthused, “It’s very much a point of view-driven, noir Batman tale. Very squarely on his shoulders, and I hope it’s going to be a story that will be thrilling but also emotional. It’s more Batman in his detective mode than we’ve seen in the films. The comics have a history of that. He’s supposed to be the world’s greatest detective, and that’s not necessarily been a part of what the movies have been. I’d love this to be one where when we go on that journey of tracking down the criminals and trying to solve a crime, it’s going to allow his character to have an arc so that he can go through a transformation.”

To date, Ben Affleck has made three appearances as the Dark Knight; debuting in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice before a brief appearance in Suicide Squad and then being front-and-centre in 2017’s Justice League.

If these latest reports of a younger Bruce Wayne being the focus of The Batman are true – which they increasingly seem to be – then that throws up the question of who could next tackle the iconic role of the World’s Greatest Detective. A couple of names doing the rounds several months ago were Jake Gyllenhaal and Jack O’Connell, but, again, they’re simply rumours at this point in time. One other option is that Affleck will be involved in a small capacity; being used to bookend the movie.

Where the nefarious element of the picture is concerned, Reeves has teased that we’ll see a rogues’ gallery of villains going up against Bats.

Either way, The Batman is now set for a summer 2021 release. As ever, of course, expect more on the film as we get it.

Dick Miller 1928 – 2019

dick miller

STARBURST is saddened to learn of the death of Dick Miller, the legendary character actor who graced the screen in some of our favourite films of all time, at the age of 90.

Born on Christmas Day, 1928, Miller burst onto the cult movie scene in the fifties with starring roles in several Roger Corman productions, including A Bucket of Blood and The Little Shop of Horrors. His character from the former, Walter Paisley, would become a staple of movie in-jokes for years to come.

He became a familiar face to horror fans due to his cameo appearances in numerous high profile and cult classics, often popping up in films by Joe Dante, with major roles in Gremlins bringing him fame with a younger audience, as well as The Terminator, Night of the Creeps, and Martin Scorsese’s After Hours.

A documentary was made of his life in 2015, That Guy Dick Miller.

STARBURST sends our sincere thoughts to his family and friends.

ZOMBIELAND 2 Brings in Rosario Dawson

Rosario Dawson

With Zombieland 2 due to start shooting within a matter of days, now comes word of a major addition for the long-awaited sequel.

Initially reported by Deadline, Rosario Dawson is joining the action for Ruben Fleischer’s follow-up. Genre fans will be familiar with the actress for the likes of Men in Black II, Sin City, Clerks II, Death Proof and, most recently, as Claire Temple in Marvel’s Netflix shows.

In Zombieland 2, Dawson joins a cast that includes the returning Woody Harrelson, Emma Stone, Jesse Eisenberg, Abigail Breslin and fellow new additions in the shape of Zoey Deutch and Avan Jogia.

The early word on the Zombieland sequel reads:

In this next installment, through comic mayhem that stretches from the White House and through the heartland, the zombie slayers must face off against many new kinds of zombies that have evolved since the first movie, as well as some new human survivors. But most of all, they have to face the growing pains of their own snarky, makeshift family.

At present, Zombieland 2 is set for an October 11th, 2019 release.

Zack Snyder to Direct ARMY OF THE DEAD for Netflix

Zack Snyder

Having taken a break from filmmaking since 2017’s Justice League, Zack Snyder is now getting back on the horse.

Courtesy of The Hollywood Reporter, Snyder has signed on to direct Army of the Dead for Netflix. The zombie thriller will be set in Las Vegas and centre on a group of mercenaries who decide to chance their hand at pulling off a major heist during the undead outbreak.

On this news, Snyder enthused, “I love to honour the canon and the works of art, but this is the opportunity to find a purely joyful way to express myself though a genre. It will be the most kick-ass, self-aware – but not in a wink-to-the-camera way – balls-to-the-wall zombie freakshow that anyone has ever seen. No one’s ever let me completely loose [like this].”

If you remember, Snyder stepped away from filmmaking following the tragic death of his daughter during Justice League; leaving Joss Whedon to come in and handle post-production duties on that ensemble effort.

The current plan is for Army of the Dead to start filming this summer, with a budget believed to be in the $90 million range.

As ever, expect more on this as it continues to develop.

Gabriel Byrne and Elizabeth McGovern Join WAR OF THE WORLDS

Gabriel Byrne and Elizabeth McGovern

With a TV adaptation of World of the Worlds currently in development, the upcoming small-screen take on the H.G. Wells classic has found two of its key players.

Courtesy of Deadline, the show has brought in Gabriel Byrne and Elizabeth McGovern on headline duties. Byrne is likely best known to genre fans for efforts such as The Usual Suspects, Miller’s Crossing and End of Days, while McGovern has long been a staple of Downton Abbey.

The pair join a cast the currently features Lea Drucker, Natasha Little, Daisy Edgar Jones, Adel Bencherif, Stephane Caillard and Guillaume Gouix.

In this new take on the iconic War of the Worlds, the series will be a contemporary reimagining set in Europe. Of course, the basic crux of Wells’ story will still be the same; humans coming together to deal with a brutal, unrelenting alien invasion.

Misfits’s Howard Overman is the person tasked with developing this latest adaptation of War of the Worlds; the current plan being to have eight hour-long episodes.