Chris Columbus Joins New SCOOBY-DOO Movie

Scooby-Doo

With a new animated movie in the work for the Scooby Gang (no, not that one), we’ve got an update on who’s now involved in a creative capacity.

Via Variety, Chris Columbus has signed on as the creative producer for Warner Brothers’ new Scooby-Doo picture. Columbus will be working with director Tony Cervone in bringing Scoobert Cornelius Doo back to the big screen that’s expected to be released in the first half of 2020. Columbus, of course, is best known to genre fans for writing Gremlins and The Goonies, and for directing efforts such as Home Alone, Home Alone 2: Lost in New York, Mrs. Doubtfire, Bicentennial Man, and the first two Harry Potter movies.

Scooby and his pals made their debuts back in September 1969 with Scooby-Doo, Where Are You! Since then, the mystery-solving Great Dane has headlined plentiful animated series, comic books, video games, and movies both in live-action and animated form. From generation to generation, Scooby-Doo has continued to be a pop culture icon, and so there’s always going to be an audience for this ever-popular figure.

Back in 2016, we reported that this new Scooby-Doo film would be the launching point for a shared cinematic Hanna-Barbera realm. Whether that remains the plan, we’ll have to wait and see. Given how Hanna-Barbera has properties such as The Flintstones, The Jetsons, Wacky Races, Top Cat, and The Yogi Bear to pull from, there’s certainly a lot of potential here.

THE FLASH Runs into Further Delays

The Flash

With so many of the previously-confirmed DCEU movies in limbo right now, it appears that The Flash is indeed still happening.

That picture – which was at one point titled Flashpoint – has had several delays to date, and more recently there were rumblings that The Flash could be one of the films that Warner Brothers had pulled from their plans. The solo effort for Ezra Miller’s Scarlet Speedster is again confirmed to be moving forward, although Variety now has word that scripting issues mean that the movie has again hit a snag.

At one stage, shooting was due to start this coming March on The Flash. Now, unhappiness with the script means that Warners is allowing more time for the tale to be put together. Throwing a further spanner in the works, Miller is due to start filming the third Fantastic Beasts film next year, meaning that The Flash likely won’t be able to start shooting until late 2019. Following that trajectory, you’d then have to imagine that The Flash won’t be in cinemas until 2021.

John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein – who penned Spider-Man: Homecoming – are on directing duties for The Flash.

As ever, expect more on all things Sultan of Speed as we get it.

New Details on the CHILD’S PLAY TV Series

Child's Play

With Don Mancini currently developing a Child’s Play TV series, the franchise creator has given some new details on what to expect.

Speaking at a Bloody-Disgusting Q&A session, Mancini explained that the show will carry on directly from Cult of Chucky. As he put it, “We deliberately ended Cult with a bunch of cliffhangers to set up a TV series. Because there are so many different threads now, television could best accommodate that. So that was done intentionally. At the same time, we have a whole new world, a bunch of new characters which we can say nothing about.”

For those who haven’t seen last year’s Cult of Chucky, that movie saw Chucky/Charles Lee Ray with the ability to possess multiple dolls at the same time, not to mention take over the body of Fiona Dourif’s Nica. By the time all is said and done, Chucky/Nica escapes with Jennifer Tilly – who seemingly is still possessed by Tiffany. Still with us?

While Mancini is developing this new TV take on everyone’s favourite Good Guy, MGM is simultaneously rebooting the cinematic franchise with their own spin on the property; a spin that sees a murderous robot doll.

MARVEL’S IRON FIST Cancelled After Two Seasons

Marvel's Iron Fist

In some surprising news, it looks as if the fire has gone out on Marvel’s Iron Fist. As confirmed by Netflix and Marvel Television, the show has been cancelled after two seasons.

Iron Fist, of course, is part of Marvel’s batch of Netflix-exclusive shows along with Marvel’s Daredevil, Marvel’s Jessica Jones, Marvel’s Luke Cage, Marvel’s The Defenders, and Marvel’s The Punisher. While the overall response to these efforts has been largely positive, many viewers weren’t all that keen on the first season of Iron Fist. That said, the character’s appearance in The Defenders and the recently-aired second season of Iron Fist received a far better response than Danny Rand’s debut year. But still, that response wasn’t enough for Netflix to give the show another season.

On this matter, a joint statement from Netflix and Marvel TV reads, “Marvel’s Iron Fist will not return for a third season on Netflix. Everyone at Marvel Television and Netflix is proud of the series and grateful for all of the hard work from our incredible cast, crew and showrunners. We’re thankful to the fans who have watched these two seasons, and for the partnership we’ve shared on this series. While the series on Netflix has ended, the immortal Iron Fist will live on.”

Live on, you say? Already some are suggesting that the cancelling of Marvel’s Iron Fist doesn’t mean the end of Finn Jones’ time as Rand. For instance, Disney has their own streaming service in development, with that a possible home should the decision be made to continue Iron Fist without Netflix involved. Then there’s the chance that Jones’ Iron Fist could be a part of an ensemble down the line, be it another Defenders team-up, or maybe even a double-header with Luke Cage that plays on the comic book Heroes for Hire team that the duo often work as.

Star Finn Jones had the following to say on all of this:

Elsewhere in the Marvel/Netflix world, Season 3 of Marvel’s Daredevil will premiere this coming Friday, with Jessica Jones confirmed for a third season, and Luke Cage expected to have a third season announced imminently.

Ryan Coogler to Write and Direct BLACK PANTHER 2

Ryan Coogler Chadwick Boseman Black Panther

In some great news for the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Ryan Coogler has been confirmed to be returning for Black Panther 2.

Via The Hollywood Reporter, Coogler will once again write and direct this upcoming outing for Chadwick Boseman’s T’Challa. This was always expected to happen, but now a deal has finally been signed. The current plan is for Coogler to start writing the sequel next year ahead of production likely starting at the end of 2019.

Black Panther was an undoubted triumph, impressing fans and critics alike, while also bringing in a whopping $1.3 billion at the global box office. That number makes it the third-highest-grossing MCU movie to date, behind Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers Assemble. The film is also placed ninth in the highest-grossing pictures of all time!

At this stage, no plot details are known for Black Panther 2, and obviously we’ve got to see how the events of the Infinity War sequel play out next May.

New DRESDEN FILES Series in Development

The Dresden Files

Deadline has reported that talks are underway to adapt Jim Butcher’s ongoing series of urban fantasy novels, The Dresden Files.

The series follows Harry Dresden, a wizard PI living in modern-day Chicago, who spends his life becoming embroiled in various supernatural hijinks where he tackles the likes of undead creatures, shapeshifting monsters, immortal warriors, beautiful women, mythological entities, forces of nature and veritable gods, each of which not necessarily referring to different people.

The series so far consists of fifteen novels, two short story collections and assorted comics, and although each instalment is for the most part a self-contained story, since the series features an ever-expanding cast of recurring characters (some human, some supernatural, and others somewhere in between), over time it takes on the feel of one big saga, particularly when the choices characters make are seen to have continuing repercussions.

The series was previously adapted in 2007 for Syfy (then still the Sci-Fi Channel) with Arrow‘s Paul Blackthorne in the eponymous role. The pilot episode more or less directly adapted the first novel Storm Front, and another heavily condensed the second, Fool Moon, but overall the series was its own thing and took only loose inspiration from the books. This new series will most likely hew far closer to the source material, and be far more compelling as a result.

More as we get it.

ANNA AND THE APOCALYPSE Lyric Video Released

Anna and the Apocalypse

A lyric video has been released for genre mashup Anna and the Apocalypse ahead of its cinema release next month.

This horror comedy, zombie apocalypse, Christmas musical sees an undead uprising descend upon a small town, and a group of teenagers band together to survive the devastation and run, fight and sing their way back to their loved ones.

The song in question, Hollywood Ending, takes place early in the film before the undead carnage commences, evoking a cynical tone that contrasts the film against certain other, um, high school musicals. In case it might put you off, the on-screen words aren’t in the film itself, but here allow you to appreciate the lyrical imagination with which the film’s original songs are composed.

Observe its upbeat pessimism below, and catch the film itself in cinemas on November 30th.

Netflix’s THE WITCHER Adds Freya Allan and Anya Chalotra

Freya Allan Anya Chalotra The Witcher

Following the huge news that Henry Cavill is to headline Netflix’s adaptation of The Witcher, now comes word on two new additions for the series.

Via The Hollywood Reporter, Freya Allan – soon to be seen in the new War of the Worlds take – will be playing Princess Ciri, while Wanderlust’s Anya Chalotra has landed the role of sorceress Yennefer.

The early official word on The Witcher reads:

Based on the best-selling fantasy series, The Witcher is an epic tale of fate and family. Geralt of Rivia, a solitary monster hunter, struggles to find his place in a world where people often prove more wicked than beasts. But when destiny hurtles him toward a powerful sorceress, and a young princess with a dangerous secret, the three must learn to navigate the increasingly volatile Continent together.

The Witcher began life as a bestselling book series from Andrzej Sapkowski, with it then being turned into a massively successful video game franchise. Elsewhere, there has been a comic book title and also a Polish TV take. The loose gist of the property sees it centre on a travelling monster hunter who has to battle his way through a medieval fantasy world.

With Daredevil and The Defenders’ Lauren Schmidt Hissrich serving as showrunner, Netflix’s The Witcher will be made up of eight episodes and is expected to land on the on-demand streaming giant in 2020.

A Seventh WRONG TURN Movie is in Development

Wrong Turn 5

Anyone up for a new Wrong Turn movie? No? Err, well we’ve got some bad news for you in that case.

Bloody-Disgusting is reporting that a seventh Wrong Turn effort is in development over at Constantin Film. The Domestics’ Mike P. Nelson is on board to direct, and already there are rumblings that the picture could actually be a remake or reboot. Either way, the action will see some poor unfortunate souls (and no, we’re not talking about the audience) venture out to Harpers Ferry, West Virginia to take in the sights of the Appalachian Trail. From there, things soon turn sour…

As ever, expect more on this new Wrong Turn picture as we get it.

CBS Developing SECRET SIX TV Show

Secret Six

With a whole host of superhero shows on air or in development, you can now add a Secret Six series to the mix.

Via Deadline, CBS has ordered a pilot episode of what’s simply to be titled Secret Six and have brought in Suits’ Rick Muirragui as executive producer. The early word on the effort describes it as following “six morally ambiguous strangers, each with their own unique specialties and secret pasts.” The six will be brought together by a mystery stranger who blackmails them in to attacking corrupt corporations and politicians.

In terms of their origins, the Secret Six team were initially created by E. Nelson Bridwell and Frank Springer back in 1968, although the cutthroat group has had several different incarnations over the years. Where their members are concerned, the likes of Mockingbird, August Durant, Crimson Dawn, King Savage, Vic Sommers, Catman, Deadshot, Cheshire, Rag Doll, Knockout, Harley Quinn, and Bane have all been a part of the Secret Six at various points in time.

There’s no word at this stage on which characters will featured in CBS’ Secret Six, but expect more on all of this as it continues to develop.