Issue 457 – Out Now

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Issue 457 of STARBURST is a massive look ahead to what we can expect on the small screen as we present our 2019 TV PREVIEW. Find out all about your favourite shows and the new series that you have to look out for. Plus the legendary NEIL GAIMAN opens up about GOOD OMENS and showrunner JEFF BUHLER talks about the TV adaptation of George R.R. Martin’s NIGHTFLYERS.

Elsewhere, we chat to director ROBERT RODRIGUEZ and co-producer JON LANDAU about ALITA: BATTLE ANGEL and take a look at the history of the character and what you can expect from the film.

We get our teeth into the upcoming old-school British horror film CRUCIBLE OF THE VAMPIRE and talk to the director about it, and THE LEGO MOVIE 2: THE SECOND PART is previewed.

If that’s not enough, there’s a rundown of the Top 50 Fantasy Lovers to get you in the mood for Valentine’s Day.

In our regular features, Horror Obscura gets goes deep into REDWOOD and Independents Day focuses on the director of the fabulous short ENDS MEAT.

Plus all your favourite COLUMNS, NEWS, REVIEWS and much MORE from the worlds of SCI-FI, HORROR and FANTASY!

Cast Announced for Ridley Scott’s RAISED BY WOLVES

Ridley Scott

With Ridley Scott currently working on sci-fi series Raised by Wolves for TNT, we now have word on who’ll be starring in the hotly anticipated series.

Via Deadline, Raised by Wolves will star Vikings’ Travis Fimmel, A Horrible Woman’s Amanda Collin, Assassin’s Creed’s Abubakar Salim, Doctor Doctor’s Winta McGrath, From the Dark’s Niamh Algar, Game of Thrones’ Felix Jamieson, The Dare’s Ethan Hazzard, The Infiltrator’s Jordan Loughran, Unforgotten’s Aasiya Shah and Rogue One’s Ivy Wong.

The early blurb on Raised by Wolves has the series pegged as a sci-fi drama “about androids raising human children in an out-space colony.”

In addition to Ridley Scott directing and serving as executive producer, Aaron Guzikowski is on writing duties.

Expect more on Raised by Wolves as it continues to develop.

Daniel Zovatto to Headline PENNY DREADFUL: CITY OF ANGELS

Daniel Zovatto

Last year brought word that a Penny Dreadful spin-off series was on the way from Showtime, and now that show has announced its lead character.

Courtesy of Deadline, It Follows’ Daniel Zovatto will be headlining the series as a character called Tiago. To be titled Penny Dreadful: City of Angels, the show will largely be an ensemble effort, yet the Tiago role is considered to be the main male protagonist of the spin-off. The character will be the LAPD’s first Mexican-American detective during the Victorian era, and we’ll see Tiago deal with the racism and faith issues that come with that.

The early word on City of Angels reads:

A spiritual descendant of the story set in Victorian-era London, the next chapter employs a new vision, new characters and storylines. It opens in 1938 Los Angeles, a time and place deeply infused with Mexican-American folklore and social tension. Rooted in the conflict between characters connected to the deity Santa Muerte and others allied with the Devil, Penny Dreadful: City of Angels will explore an exciting mix of the supernatural and the combustible reality of that period, creating new occult myths and moral dilemmas within a genuine historical backdrop.

Expect more on Penny Dreadful: City of Angels as it continues to develop.

Penny Dreadful: City of Angels

First Movies Announced for STARBURST Int Film Festival

film festival

We’re delighted to announce the first films that we’ll be screening at the STARBURST International Film Festival in March.

To celebrate our Guest of Honour Lloyd Kaufman we’ll be showing the Troma classic The Toxic Avenger and his latest opus Return to Return to Nuke ‘em High aka Volume 2, which has something to offend everyone but does so in riotous fashion.

Other new films to be screened include the UK Premiere of the brilliant horror satire on popularity culture Clickbait, directed by Sophia Cacciola and Michael J. Epstein, and the English Premiere of Lawrie Brewster’s new cinematic nightmare Automata. We also have the UK Premiere of The Fare, a fabulous romantic time loop film from director D.C. Hamilton. Find out more about a controversial part of Chinese entertainment is examined in Category III: The Untold Story of Hong Kong Cinema, directed by Calum Waddell and featuring insights from many of the directors and actors from the scene.

There’s also a chance to see the brilliant Polterheist, directed by David Gilbank, a mix of comedy, gangsters, and ghosts that will bring the house down.

We’re also delighted to be screening two short films from director Izzy Lee – My Monster and For a Good Time, Call…

We’ll be announcing more movies and the short film programme soon, so keep your eyes open!

The STARBURST International Film Festival takes place at Social 7 at The Landing at MediaCityUK, Salford, Manchester on March 15th and 16th.

Head over to www.starburstfilmfest.co.uk to find out more and book tickets now before they all go at https://www.skiddle.com/whats-on/Salford/The-Landing/STARBURST-International-Film-Festival/13411270/.

Anne Hathaway Boards THE WITCHES

Anne Hathaway

After rumblings and rumours, Anne Hathaway has now been confirmed to be a part of Robert Zemeckis’ upcoming new take on Roald Dahl’s The Witches.

Deadline were the first with the scoop, revealing that Hathaway will be playing the Grand High Witch in the latest adaptation of Dahl’s classic 1983 tale. Oscar winner Hathaway is likely best known to genre fans for playing Selina Kyle in The Dark Knight Rises, with other credits including heavy hitters such as Alice in Wonderland, Les Miserables, Ocean’s 8 and Interstellar.

Elsewhere, the outlet is also reporting that the brilliant Viola Davis is another name rumoured for a role in the Guillermo del Toro and Alfonso Cuaron-produced picture.

For those not familiar with Dahl’s The Witches, the official synopsis on the source material reads:

A boy’s parents die in a car crash, so he goes to live in Norway with his grandmother. She tells him stories about witches, who have claws instead of finger nails, bald heads, large nose holes, square feet, and blue spit.

Of course, the book was famously adapted in 1990 by Nicolas Roeg. This latest effort, though, will pull more from the source material than Roeg’s movie. In said ’90 effort, Anjelica Huston took on the role of the Grand High Witch.

Expect more on The Witches as it continues to develop.

Danny Glover Joins New JUMANJI Movie

Danny Glover

As Sony’s upcoming new Jumanji movie continues to flesh out its core cast, the Welcome to the Jungle follow-up has moved to add Danny Glover to its ranks.

Via Variety, the Lethal Weapon star has signed on to join the returning Dwayne Johnson, Kevin Hart, Karen Gillan and Jack Black, and fellow new additions Danny DeVito and Awkwafina. At this stage, Glover’s role in the sequel has yet to be revealed. Similarly, director Jake Kasdan will be back to oversee proceedings.

With Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle having brought home just shy of $1 billion for Sony, it’s no surprise that they’re once again ready to head back into the jungle this coming December.

Charlotte Rampling Boards Denis Villeneuve’s DUNE

Charlotte Rampling

As Denis Villeneuve’s take on Dune continues to flesh out its cast, the movie has moved to bring in Charlotte Rampling.

Via The Hollywood Reporter, Rampling has signed on to play Reverend Mother Mohiam in the picture. The veteran actress is likely best known to genre fans for roles in the likes of Dexter, The Night Porter, 45 Years, Red Sparrow and Broadchurch.

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.

Rampling joins a cast that currently features Timothée Chalamet as Paul Atreides, Rebecca Ferguson as Paul’s mother Lady Jessica, Stellan Skarsgard as Baron Vladimir Harkonnen, and Dave Bautista as the sadistic nephew of Skarsgard’s Baron Harkonnen.

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

Jason Reitman to Direct New GHOSTBUSTERS Movie

Ghostbusters

Ready for another bout of busting ghosts? Hopefully that’s a yes, for another Ghostbusters movie has just taken a huge step forward.

If you remember, there have been rumblings of another Ghostbusters picture for the past several years; this being in addition to a previously confirmed animated film, of course. And now, Entertainment Weekly has word that Jason Reitman has signed on to direct a new Ghostbusters effort for Sony.

Oscar nominee Reitman is likely best known to genre fans for the likes of Juno and Tully, and he’s the son of the man who directed the original two Ghosbusters movies, Ivan Reitman. This new offering will exist within the same universe of those two films, with Ivan returning to serve as producer.

On this news, Jason Reitman enthused, “I’ve always thought of myself as the first Ghostbusters fan, when I was a 6-year-old visiting the set. I wanted to make a movie for all the other fans. This is the next chapter in the original franchise. It is not a reboot. What happened in the ‘80s happened in the ‘80s, and this is set in the present day.”

There’s no word just yet on whether any of the original films’ stars will be reprising their roles, although Reitman has teased “wonderful surprises and new characters” for the movie. Similarly, there’s no word on if the new effort will follow on from the 2016 female-driven reboot.

At this stage, this new Ghostbusters movie is booked in for a summer 2020 release.

Two More MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE Movies on the Way

Mission Impossible - Fallout Tom Cruise

With last year’s Mission: Impossible – Fallout proving the biggest box office smash of the franchise so far, now comes word on another two MI movies on the way.

Via Variety, it’s been revealed that Paramount Pictures has signed up director Christopher McQuarrie for two more Mission: Impossible films. McQuarrie will write and direct these two pictures, with the current plan being to shoot both movies back to back.

At this early stage, the next Mission: Impossible effort is set for a 2021 release, with the following film to arrive in 2022. And yes, Tom Course will of course be returning as Ethan Hunt:

As ever, expect more on all things Mission: Impossible as we get it.

THE VILLAINESS TV Series in the Works

The Villainess

Having impressed many back in 2017, The Villainess is now being turned in to a TV series.

Via Deadline, Jung Byung-gil’s bloody actioner is being developed as a TV effort by Robert Kirkman and Skybound. Byung-gil will be helming the pilot episode of the series, with no further details known just jet.

In terms of said 2017 movie, the official blurb on that reads:

The Villainess follows Anes, who was kidnapped from her home in Korea and raised as a deadly assassin in Los Angeles. Just when Anes believes she has found true peace, unsettling events drive her to return to Korea to uncover dangerous truths about her home and her past.

Expect more on The Villainess as it continues to develop.