Joaquin Phoenix’s JOKER Movie is Official!

Joaquin Phoenix Joker

We know, we know – you kinda already new this, right? Yes, as the headline suggests, that Joaquin Phoenix-starring Joker movie is now official.

As per The Hollywood Reporter, now comes confirmation that it’s all systems go on the project after Phoenix has now finalised a deal to see him play the Clown Prince of Crime in Todd Phillips’ Joker picture.

Recently, we’d heard how the film was going to be made on the relatively-modest budget for $55 million – marking it as far less costly than your average comic book movie these days. The Hangover’s Phillips is directing and has co-wrote the script with Scott Silver, and the legendary Martin Scorsese is producing.

The current plan is for the to-be-titled Joker effort to start filming in New York this September. At this early stage, the film is being pegged as a crime drama that will be “darker and more experimental in tone and content” and is being described as “an exploration of a man disregarded by society that is not only a gritty character study, but also a broader cautionary tale.”

This movie will be developed completely separately to Warner Brothers’ DC Extended Universe in which Jared Leto plays the Jester of Genocide. In fact, the last we’d heard was that Phoenix’s Joker picture will be part of a new Warners/DC banner called DC Dark or DC Black; a banner that will be used to develop more adult-orientated content.

For Jared Leto’s Mr J, he’s also got a solo movie in the works in addition to a twisted romance picture alongside Margot Robbie’s Harley Quinn.

Djimon Hounsou Replaces Ron Cephas Jones on SHAZAM!

Djimon Hounsou

In some surprising news, Djimon Hounsou has been brought in to replace Ron Cephas Jones in Shazam!

If you remember, Marvel’s Luke Cage’s Jones was previously on board to play The Wizard in the picture. Now though, as per Entertainment Weekly, Jones has had to depart the project due to scheduling conflicts. That’s where Hounsou comes in, with the Gladiator and Blood Diamond actor taking over the role. This isn’t Hounsou’s first comic book-driven rodeo, of course, for he played Korath in Guardians of the Galaxy and voiced the titular T’Challa in 2010’s animated Black Panther series.

For those not familiar with Shazam lore, the more recent iterations of the hero’s story feature The Wizard – at times referred to by the Shazam moniker himself, not to mention known as Marmaragan – giving young Billy Batson the mystical powers of Shazam. The Wizard is depicted as the last surviving member of an ancient council, and he has to find a new champion to battle the nefarious Black Adam. In his infinite wisdom, he’d bestow these all-powerful abilities upon Billy.

The official word on Shazam! reads:

We all have a superhero inside us, it just takes a bit of magic to bring it out. In Billy Batson’s case, by shouting out one word—SHAZAM!—this streetwise 14-year-old foster kid can turn into the adult Super Hero Shazam, courtesy of an ancient wizard. Still a kid at heart—inside a ripped, godlike body—Shazam revels in this adult version of himself by doing what any teen would do with superpowers: have fun with them! Can he fly? Does he have X-ray vision? Can he shoot lightning out of his hands? Can he skip his social studies test? Shazam sets out to test the limits of his abilities with the joyful recklessness of a child. But he’ll need to master these powers quickly in order to fight the deadly forces of evil controlled by Dr. Thaddeus Sivana.

As well as Zachary Levi on board as the titular hero, Shazam! also features Asher Angel as Billy Batson, Mark Strong as the ‘big bad’ of the picture, Doctor Sivana, Marta Milans and Cooper Andrews as Billy’s foster parents, and then roles for Jack Dylan Grazer, Grace Fulton, Ian Chen and Jovan Armand as pals of Billy’s.

To be directed by David F. Sandberg, Shazam! is set for an April 5th, 2019 release.

J.B. Smoove Joins SPIDER-MAN: FAR FROM HOME

JB Smoove

With Jon Watt’s Spider-Man: Homecoming sequel now officially title Spider-Man: Far From Home, the follow-up has moved to add J.B. Smoove to its ranks.

As per Deadline, the Curb Your Enthusiasm actor has landed an unknown, lead role in Far From Home. Smoove joins the returning Tom Holland, Marisa Tomei, Zendaya, Michael Keaton, and Michael Mando, not to mention Jake Gyllenhaal as the nefarious Mysterio.

To be largely set in London, Spider-Man: Far From Home is currently booked in for a July 2019 release – well, depending on if Holland’s Wall-crawler can somehow recover from the events seen in this year’s Avengers: Infinity War ?

Jeremy Renner Joins Todd McFarlane’s SPAWN

Jeremy Renner

Following last week’s speculation that Jeremy Renner was set to land the Twitch Williams role in Todd McFarlane’s upcoming Spawn movie, now comes confirmation that the Hawkeye actor will indeed be joining Jamie Foxx in the picture.

McFarlane himself confirmed the news, telling Deadline, “As a first-time director, I wanted to surround myself with the most talent and the most skilled people I can on all fronts. I was lucky enough to land Jason Blum and then Jamie Foxx, and I knew the person on screen the most is this police officer, Twitch Williams. We needed as strong a person as possible because he will be the face of the film. I took my naïve Hollywood approach again, and said let’s start at the top and work down. Jeremy was at the top. I’m a huge fan of his. The character doesn’t need to be a bodybuilder or GQ handsome. I was looking for somebody who’s a person you’ve met before; I needed someone who can pull off the grief of an average human being. I’ve seen Jeremy do that in more than a few of his movies. He was at the top of my list, just like Jamie.”

For his part, producer Jason Blum added, “Jeremy is the ideal choice for Twitch Williams. He radiates honesty, intelligence and a hard-working, everyman charisma; the same qualities that make Twitch such a compelling character.”

The Twitch character is a detective who often teams up with the titular vigilante.

Twitch Williams Spawn

As for Spawn himself, he first appeared back in 1992 when he headlined McFarlane’s Spawn #1. A dark and brutal character who was so often deemed an antihero, Spawn quickly became a cult favourite and was often cited as one of the poster boys of the darker books of the day. In terms of powers, his Hellspawn abilities allow him to shape-shift, teleport and get all kinds of nasty with a vast array of weapons.

This won’t be the first cinematic outing for Spawn, for Michael Jai White starred as the character in 1997’s dud Spawn. Here’s hoping this next big screen adventure for this hugely popular character is at least far superior to that balls-up. Given Todd McFarlane’s enthusiasm and passion, and Jamie Foxx’s impressive credentials (the god-awful Amazing Spider-Man 2 withstanding!), this could turn out to be something quite special if all goes according to plan.

Expect more on Spawn as it continues to develop.

Billy Dee Williams Returning for STAR WARS: EPISODE IX

Billy Dee Williams Lando Calrissian

Well, this is pretty rad, right? Yes, as the headline suggests, Billy Dee Williams is returning to a galaxy far, far away.

We’d heard mild rumblings a few weeks ago, but now The Hollywood Reporter brings word that Williams is indeed returning to play one of the coolest cats in the galaxy, Lando Calrissian, in next year’s Star Wars: Episode IX.

Billy Dee Williams Lando Calrissian

Williams appeared as Lando in The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi, and more recent years have seen him voice the character in Star Wars Rebels and The LEGO Movie. Even more recent than that, of course, Lando as a character was featured in Solo: A Star Wars Story earlier this year – where the younger take on the loveable scoundrel was played by Donald Glover.

To be directed by J.J. Abrams, Star Wars: Episode IX is booked in for a December 20th release.

Haynes Release THE TABLETOP GAMING MANUAL

Tabletop

The renowned ‘how-to’ specialist Haynes has released the perfect accompaniment for people heading into the board games – The Tabletop Gaming Manual.

The Tabletop Gaming Manual is a comprehensive, fully-illustrated guide to all aspects of tabletop gaming, from popular and traditional games, through to modern board games, role-playing and miniatures.

Aimed at those looking to get into gaming or those just starting out, as well as more experienced players, the manual is full of practical advice to aid the enjoyment of games.

Written by gaming enthusiast and journalist Matt Thrower, the manual contains numerous photos of games and gaming components to help those new to the hobby appreciate creative, artistic and tactile aspects of gaming.

Matt said: “Tabletop gaming allows people to immerse themselves in new or fantastical worlds, and become engrossed in tactical battles with friends or family.”

“Tabletop gaming has gone from strength to strength, with more and more players participating each year. The variety of games on offer is one of the hobby’s main appeals – there is something for everyone, and no two experiences are ever the same.”

Content from the manual includes:

  • A history of board games, ancient and modern.
  • A brief overview of the hottest games on the market.
  • How to pick, purchase and put away games for your collection.
  • A hands-on guide to expanding and improving game components.
  • Step-by-step guides to painting, modelling and sculpting your own miniatures.
  • An exploration and explanation of popular gameplay mechanics.
  • Designing and publishing your own games and variants.

Matt Thrower continued: “While there are specialist books out there, nothing else covers such a wide range of topics – designed to help those with little or no existing knowledge of tabletop gaming.”

Discussing his inspiration for the book, Matt said: “When I was younger it was a book on Dungeons and Dragons, which I came about by chance, that got me into a life of hobby gaming, and I haven’t looked back. My hope is that this book can similarly open the way to a lifetime of joy for others.”

The Tabletop Gaming Manual is out now. Available from Haynes and Amazon, as well as all good bookstores.

tabletop

BIRDS OF PREY to Start Filming in January

Birds of Prey

Over the past few months, we’ve regularly heard how Warner Brothers were now prioritising Birds of Prey, and now comes word that the picture could start shooting as early as January.

Birds of Prey will see Margot Robbie’s Harley Quinn joined by some of DC Comics’ most (in)famous female characters in what is already being pegged as an R-rated movie.  Speaking to Flickering Myth, Robbie herself revealed that planned January start date for filming, and she also added that the effort will be made on a far smaller budget than what we’ve seen in the DC Extended Universe to date.

Robbie – who will also produce Birds of Prey – explained to Fandom the sort of vibe she’s trying to create with the movie, stating, “I will say that there are a lot of unexplored DC female characters who are unique and complicated and dark and funny and exciting – and not just for their superpowers. Actually, the ones that excite me most don’t have superpowers at all but they have, y’know, pretty great backstories and all could kind of live in the world with Harley and create this cool dynamic. I mean all my girlfriends, we’re a huge girl gang and we’re not all the same person; everyone’s very different. I guess I was really trying to put that on screen, the way we exist in everyday life as a big girl gang. Why can’t we watch that in films more?”

With Dead Pigs’ Cathy Yan now in the director’s chair, Birds of Prey has been pushed ahead of Gavin O’Connor’s Suicide Squad sequel, with David Ayer’s Gotham City Sirens and that Harley/Joker romance film seemingly put on the backburner for now.

For those unfamiliar with the Birds of Prey team, they’re a female group of heroes from the DC realm, with names such as Barbara Gordon, Black Canary, Huntress, Catwoman, Lady Blackhawk, Katana, and, yes, Harley Quinn having made-up its ranks at points over the years. Initially, the plan for the film was to see Harley as the villain of the piece, but those plans have seemingly changed after the character got such a positive response in Suicide Squad.

Up next for Margot Robbie is playing Sharon Tate in Quentin Tarantino’s Once Upon a Time in Hollywood.

Samuel L. Jackson to be Digitally De-aged for CAPTAIN MARVEL

Nick Fury

It seemed likely to always be the case, but now it’s been confirmed that Samuel L. Jackson will be digitally de-aged for next year’s Captain Marvel.

With Jackson’s Nick Fury long confirmed to be a pivotal part of the ‘90s-set picture, Marvel’s Kevin Feige has now explained to Slash Film that Jackson will indeed be digitally de-aged for the entirety of the movie. This won’t be the first time that such technology has been utilised in the MCU, with Michael Douglas’ Hank Pym, Robert Downey Jr’s Tony Stark, and Kurt Russell’s Ego just some to have been de-aged by the joys of modern technology.

Feige discussed how the tech is “pretty amazing” and that “without spoiling anything, Sam Jackson is shooting a movie for us right now where he’s entirely 25 years younger for the whole movie.” Similar technology will also be applied to Clark Gregg, whose Agent Coulson will be making an appearance in the picture.

The official synopsis for Captain Marvel reads:

Captain Marvel follows Carol Danvers as she becomes one of the universe’s most powerful heroes when Earth is caught in the middle of a galactic war between two alien races. Set in the 1990s, the film is an all-new adventure from a previously unseen period in the history of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

For those scratching their heads after Avengers: Infinity War had come to a close earlier this year, that final post-credits stinger involving Samuel L. Jackson and a pager? That was indeed Jackson’s Fury reaching out for Danvers’ help.

With Brie Larson in the titular role, Captain Marvel is set for a March 2019 release – with Carol Danvers to then play a key role in the Infinity War follow-up in May 2019.

Keri Russell Joins STAR WARS: EPISODE IX

Keri Russell

With the powers-that-be currently working away on Star Wars: Episode IX, the J.J. Abrams-directed picture has added a Golden Globe winner to its ranks.

As per Variety, The Americans’ Keri Russell has landed a to-be-revealed role in Episode IX. Russell and Abrams have previously worked together on Mission: Impossible III, and now they’ll be teaming up in a galaxy far, far away.

Abrams has written Episode IX with Argo’s Chris Terrio, and the final part of this most recent Star Wars trilogy is currently booked in for a December 2019 release.

Given the mixed reaction to last year’s The Last Jedi – a picture that hugely split opinion here at Moonbase Alpha – Episode IX is a key moment for the Star Wars brand. As well as that film, Rian Johnson is developing a completely new trilogy of movies, while there’s also solo efforts pencilled in for both Obi-Wan Kenobi and Boba Fett. And that’s just on the big screen, for there’s a whole slew of new TV projects similarly in development.

Expect more on all things Star Wars as we get it.

Steve Ditko 1927 – 2018

ditko

STARBURST is sad to learn of the death of comic book legend Steve Ditko, aged 90.

The artist teamed up with Marvel’s Stan Lee in 1961 to create Spider-Man. The entire look of the character was down to Ditko, and from the moment he appeared in Amazing Fantasy #15, Spider-Man was a massive success. He continued working on the character with Lee until Issue 38 (and even began receiving a plot credit from Issue 25).

Perhaps Ditko’s crowning glory, however, came in 1963 when he created Doctor Strange. From his first appearance in Strange Tales #110, he was a hero who captured the imagination of many. When he would finally appear on the big screen in the MCU, many of Ditko’s touches were referenced.

Although he split with Marvel and Lee following a disagreement, he did return in 1979 and continued to freelance into the ‘90s. He also worked with Charlton, DC and many other independent publishers.

Despite his fame and fan base, Ditko was a very private man and refused interviews and didn’t appear to promote any of the later adaptations of characters that he was so instrumental in creating.

Everyone at STARBURST admired his work and his is a great loss.

We send our thoughts to his family and close friends.