Stellan Skarsgard Joins Denis Vileneuve’s DUNE

Stellan Skarsgard

Hot on the heels of Dave Bautista joining the film earlier this week, Denis Villeneuve’s upcoming adaptation of Frank Herbert’s Dune has found its ‘big bad’.

Courtesy of The Hollywood Reporter, Stellan Skarsgard has been brought in to play Baron Vladimir Harkonnen in the picture. That role was played by Kenneth McMillan in David Lynch’s 1984 Dune effort, with Ian McNeice handling the role in the so-so Syfy miniseries of the 2000s. Skarsgard is likely best known to genre fans as Erik Selvig in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and for his roles in the likes of Deep Blue Sea, Exorcist: The Beginning, Dominion and the Pirates of the Caribbean series.

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.

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

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

Margot Robbie to Star in BARBIE

Margot Robbie Barbie

A live-action Barbie movie has been in the works for a little while now, and today brings word that Margot Robbie will star in the picture.

The Suicide Squad and I, Tonya star has signed a deal to headline the film in addition to producing the effort through her LuckyChap Entertainment banner. Robbie and LuckyChap will be working alongside Warner Bros. and Mattel.

In a statement on this news, Robbie enthused, “I’m so honoured to take on this role that I believe will have a tremendously positive impact on children.”

For their part, The WB’s Toby Emmerich added, “Margot is the ideal producer and actress to bring Barbie to life on screen in a fresh and relevant way for today’s audiences.”

Having been in development for several years now, Amy Schumer was at one point set to play Barbie before she ultimately dropped out of the project back in 2017. Following that, Anne Hathaway was in talks to replace Schumer.

Barbie was first created back in 1959, with the doll and her world going on to become a pop culture staple over the subsequent decades. As such, TV shows and animated efforts followed, and the character has even appeared in the Toy Story franchise.

For this new big-screen take on an old favourite, Lemonade Stand’s Alethea Jones is on directing duties, with Ocean’s 8’s Oliva Milch working on the screenplay.

No release date has yet to be officially set for Barbie, although the film is expected at some point in 2020.

New THE WITCHES to Take Place in the ’60s Gothic South

The Witches

With a new take on Roald Dahl’s The Witches in development, we’ve now got word on where the film will be set.

Via Allocine, the Guillermo del Toro and Alfonso Cuaron-produced take on Dahl’s 1973 novel will be set in the Gothic South in the 1960s. Director Robert Zemeckis revealed the news to the outlet.

The only other information that we have on The Witches is that Anne Hathaway has been offered a role in the picture. No concrete casting news has been made public at this stage, however.

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.

Expect more on The Witches as it continues to develop.

INTO THE SPIDER-VERSE TV Series a Possibility

Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse

One of the most enjoyable movies just about still in cinemas is Sony Pictures’ Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse. And while we already know that a sequel and a female-driven spin-off movie are on the way, now comes the tease that the adventures of some of these characters could continue on the small screen.

In a recent story from The New York Times, it was reported that Sony is considering developing animated TV shows based on certain characters introduced in Into the Spider-Verse. Whether that means Miles Morales, Spider-Gwen, Spider-Man Noir, Spider-Ham, or Peni Parker, we’ll have to wait and see.

Only this past weekend Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse nabbed a Golden Globe for Best Animated Feature – and rightly so! This is a movie that is just utterly stunning on a whole array of levels, and even the most dour-faced of us couldn’t help but grin like a big kid throughout this multi-verse encompassing effort.

As ever, expect more on all things Into the Spider-Verse – both small screen and big – as we get it.

CBS Developing New STAR TREK Animated Series

Star Trek: The Animated Series

Well, this is all kinds of cool. Yes, as the headline suggests, a new Star Trek animated series is in development.

Courtesy of The Hollywood Reporter, CBS All Access is looking to expand their Star Trek projects by developing a new animated show.

As Alex Kurtzman explained to the outlet, “Our goal is to not only expand the definition of Star Trek and what has qualified as traditional Star Trek, but also to tell stories that are both self-contained in a very short period of time that also connect to the larger picture of what we’re doing, not only in Discovery but in the world building of Trek in general. You get to tell these very intimate, emotional stories that are side stories to characters. So you get the benefit of the experience in and of itself but then when you watch Discovery you’ll see that these were all setting up things in the world of Season Two.”

No particular plot specifics or featured characters were revealed by Kurtzman – who is one of the mind behinds the alluded to Star Trek: Discovery – but this will be CBS All Access’ second animated Star Trek venture after Mike McMahan’s Star Trek: Lower Decks.

Of course, fans were famously given the Emmy-winning Star Trek: The Animated Series in 1973 and ’74, with that cartoon proving a huge hit with both Trek and non-Trek fans.

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

Luke Wilson is STARGIRL’s S.T.R.I.P.E.

STRIPE Luke Wilson

As DC Universe’s Stargirl series continues to flesh out its cast, the series has moved to bring S.T.R.I.P.E. into the fold.

Via The Wrap, Bottle Rocket and The Royal Tenenbaums’ Luke Wilson has been cast as Pat Dugan, aka S.T.R.I.P.E, the stepfather of Brec Bassinger’s titular heroine. Dugan is a character who used to be the sidekick of the Star-Spangled Kid, using the moniker of Stripesy. As he got older, Dugan became the pilot of the Special Tactics Robotic Integrated Power Enhancer, later on taking on the S.T.R.I.P.E. identity as a way of keeping an eye on Courtney once he realised that she was fighting the good fight as Stargirl.

When discussing this news, showrunner Geoff Johns enthused, “When I first moved to Los Angeles in 1996 and saw Bottle Rocket, I became a huge fan and admirer of Luke’s. I literally wrote this part for Luke, hoping that someday and somehow he’d play Pat Dugan. I only envisioned him. And now I feel like I won the lottery! Luke’s talent, humour, compassion – his presence and professionalism – and his creative collaboration, his ideas – we’re so lucky to have him alongside Brec in Stargirl.”

Wilson joins a cast the features Brec Bessinger as Stargirl, Henry Thomas as Doctor Mid-Nite, Joel McHale as Starman, Brian Stapf as Wildcat, Lou Ferrigno Jr. as Hourman, and roles for Anjielka Washington and Giancarlo Esposito. On the other side of the fence, the villains of the piece so far will be Neil Hopkins as Sportsmaster, Joy Omanski as Tigress, and Nelson Lee as Dragon as the series gets set to feature the nefarious Injustice Society to do battle with some of the JSA’s finest heroes.

The early synopsis on Stargirl reads:

Stargirl will follow the story of Courtney Whitmore (Bassinger) who is a smart, athletic and above all else kind girl. This high school teenager’s seemingly perfect life hits a major speedbump when her mother gets married and her new family moves from Los Angeles, California to Blue Valley, Nebraska. Struggling to adapt to a new school, make new friends and deal with a new step-family, Courtney discovers her step-father has a secret; he used to be the sidekick to a superhero. “Borrowing” the long-lost hero’s cosmic staff, Courtney becomes the unlikely inspiration for an entirely new generation of superheroes.

The iconic Geoff Johns is on writing and producing duties for Stargirl, with him famously having created the Courtney Whitmore character following the tragic death of his own sister.

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

GAME OF THRONES’ Prequel Series Expands its Cast

Game of Thrones

HBO has taken a giant step forward with their Game of Thrones prequel series, with said show having announced a whole slew of new additions.

Courtesy of The Wrap, the to-be-titled prequel effort from Jane Goldman and George R.R. Martin will see the previously announced Naomi Watts and Josh Whitehouse joined by Guerrilla’s Denise Gough, Star Wars: Episode IX’s Naomi Ackie, Sweeny Todd’s Jamie Campbell Bower, Back Mirror’s Ivanno Jeremiah, Harlots’ Sheila Atim, The Chronicles of Narnia’s Georgie Henley, To be Bone’s Alex Sharp, and The Crimes of Grindelwald’s Toby Regbo. Jessica Jones and The Defenders’ S.J. Clarkson is confirmed to be directing the show’s pilot episode.

As mentioned, Jane Goldman and the iconic George R.R. Martin have created the series, with Goldman penning a tale based on a story idea that the two have put together. Goldman will also serve as showrunner on the series.

In terms of other details, all that we know is that the show will take place thousands of years before the events of Game of Thrones, with the overarching narrative to see the world’s fall from the Golden Age of Heroes to its darkest of days.

Previously, Martin has said that a further three more GoT prequels series are in various stages of development, with each one to be set in a different time period and to feature different characters.

Expect more on all of these shows as they continue to develop.

WESTWORLD’s Leonardo Nam Joins SWAMP THING

Leonardo Nam

As the DC Universe-exclusive Swamp Thing continues to flesh out its core cast, the live-action series has moved to add Leonardo Nam to its ranks.

Courtesy of Deadline, Westworld’s Nam has signed on for the recurring role of a gay CDC specialist who serves as Abby Arcane’s righthand man. Nam joins a cast that features Crystal Reed as Arcane, Andy Bean as Alec Holland, Will Patton as Avery Sunderland, Virginia Madsen as Maria Sunderland, Maria Sten as Liz Tremayne, Jeryl Prescott as Madama Xanadu, Jennifer Beals as Sheriff Lucilia Cable, Henderson Wade as Matt Cable, Kevin Durand as Floronic Man, Ian Ziering as Blue Demon, and genre fave Derek Mears as the titular Elemental form of Bean’s Alec Holland.

The early word on Swamp Thing reads:

The drama follows what happens when CDC researcher Abby Arcane returns to her childhood home of Houma, Louisiana in order to investigate a deadly swamp-borne virus. There, she develops a surprising bond with scientist Alec Holland – only to have him tragically taken from her. But as powerful forces descend on Houma, intent on exploiting the swamp’s mysterious properties for their own purposes, Abby will discover that the swamp holds mystical secrets, both horrifying and wondrous – and the potential love of her life may not be dead after all.

As a character, Swamp Thing began life back in 1971 and has appeared in a whole host of different mediums over the decades. Wes Craven would helm 1982’s Swamp Thing movie, with a sequel following in 1989. On the small screen, a three-season USA Network show ran during the early ‘90s, and there was similarly a far-too-short-lived animated series during those years.

At this stage, Swamp Thing is set for a to-be-confirmed 2019 premiere, with Mark Veriheiden and Gary Dauberman on showrunner duties.

Cassandra Peterson Teases New ELVIRA Movie

ELVIRA: MISTRESS OF THE DARK

Genre gods, please make it so! Yes, as the headline suggests, there’s at least still a slim chance that we may – just may! – see another outing for Elvira.

Having previously revealed that she’s already written a treatment for a new movie, Elvira star Cassandra Peterson has now again teased that something may be a-brewing in the Mistress of the Dark’s cauldron.

When asked about a new Elvira movie during a recent Instagram Q&A, Peterson enthused, “I’m giving this some serious thought. A LOT of people ask this question, so I’m thinking one more. We’ll see!”

Having come to prominence with Elvira’s Movie Macabre in the early ‘80s, Peterson’s charming, ghoulish Elvira became a major favourite of many a horror hound. From there, the Elvira: Mistress of the Dark movie hit screens in 1988, with Elvira’s Haunted Hills following in 2001.

More recently, Elvira: Mistress of the Dark has received a sunning new Blu-ray release from the prolific folks over at Arrow Video. But could we see Peterson’s Elvira brought to big-screen life once again? Here’s hoping.

 

Dave Bautista Joins Denis Villeneuve’s DUNE Adaptation

Dave Bautista

As Denis Villeneuve continues to develop his hugely anticipated take on Frank Herbert’s Dune, the film has moved to add Dave Bautista to its ranks.

The Hollywood Reporter broke the news, with Bautista to play the sadistic “Beast” Rabban in the movie. In addition to starring as Drax the Destroyer in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Bautista will also be familiar with genre fans for his role in Villeneuve’s Blade Runner 2049. Big Dave joins a cast that currently features Timothée Chalamet and Rebecca Ferguson.

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. For Bautista, though, up next for him is Avengers: Endgame this April.