With FOX having longed confirmed a second season for The Gifted, now comes word on when you can expect to see said second year for the group of underground mutants.
The network has confirmed the X-Men-driven series will premiere its second season on Tuesday, September 25th in the US.
No exact plot details have been revealed for the second season just yet, but creator Matt Nix has hinted that longtime X-fave the Morlocks could make an appearance in the show.
The Gifted airs on FOX(UK) here in Britain, although we’ve yet to been given confirmation on when the second season will premiere over here.
Expect more on The Gifted’s second season as we get it – with some major details and possibly a trailer expected to drop at San Diego Comic-Con.
Last month saw the upcoming live-action/CGI Sonic the Hedgehog movie bring in Westworld and the X-Men franchise’s James Marsden to play the titular speedster, and now comes word on who’ll be playing the villain of the piece.
As per Deadline, Jim Carrey has signed on to play the nefarious Dr. Robotnik in the picture. Ever since the very first Sonic the Hedgehog game, Robotnik – also at times known as Dr. Eggman – has been the long-time, constant nemesis of the blue hedgehog and his pals.
This Sonic picture will be a mixture of live-action and CGI work, similar to what we saw in Jon Favreau’s impressive The Jungle Book. Gopher Broke’s Jeff Fowler will direct, with Neal H. Mortiz producing through his Original Film banner. Deadpool’s Tim Miller is on board as an executive producer.
The character of Sonic made his debut way back in 1991 on the SEGA Mega Drive. A superfast hedgehog, the blue furball sped around various levels as he collected gold rings on his quest to stop Doctor Robotnik and free a bunch of captive animals. Following that, plenty of further games, cartoon series, comics, and any merch imaginable followed for Sonic, including the addition of friends such as Tails and Knuckles.
As ever, expect more on Sonic the Hedgehog as it continues to develop.
Blumhouse’s upcoming new take on Stephen King’s Firestarter has now landed itself a director.
As per Variety, In the Fade’s Fatih Akin has landed the directing gig. Akiva Goldsman has teamed with Rectify’s Scott Teems to pen the screenplay.
King’s novel tells the story of a couple who take part in a medical experiment which leaves them with telekinetic abilities. When the pair later have a child, the young girl has pyrokinetic powers – and boy, is she not afraid to use them!
Previously, Firestarter was adapted for a 1984 movie directed by Mark L. Lester and starring a young Drew Barrymore. Following that, the Sci-Fi Channel gave viewers the 2002 miniseries Rekindled, which served as a continuation of sorts.
With Ewan McGregor having recently signed on to star in Mike Flanagan’s Doctor Sleep, now comes word that Rebecca Ferguson will be joining the former Obi-wan in the adaptation of Stephen King’s Shining sequel.
As per Variety, Life’s Ferguson will play Rose O’Hara – aka the nefarious Rose the Hat – in the picture. McGregor is playing the adult Danny Torrance in the follow-up.
The synopsis for Doctor Sleep reads:
Doctor Sleep takes place years after the events at the Overlook Hotel and focuses on the now middle-aged Danny who is still traumatized. He’s followed in his father’s footsteps and has problems with anger management and alcoholism. He soon gives up drinking and settles in a small town in New Hampshire. While there, his psychic abilities start to resurface and he develops a psychic link with a 12-year-old girl named Abra Stone who he must save after he discovers her life is being threatened by a tribe of paranormals led by Rose the Hat.
It’s not known just yet whether the big screen take on Doctor Sleep will actually acknowledge any of the previous adaptations of The Shining, but be sure that we’ll bring you more on all of this as we get it.
At present, Doctor Sleep is set for a January 24th, 2020 release.
With a fifth Indiana Jones movie long confirmed, now comes word on who’ll be tasked with penning the return of Harrison Ford’s Dr Henry Walton Jones, Jr.
As per Collider, it looks as if Jonathan Kasdan has been given the nod to write Indy 5. Where genre fans are concerned, Kasdan is likely best known for writing Solo: A Star Wars Story with his father, Lawrence. This movie also sees him follow in the footsteps of his pops, with Kasdan Sr having written the screenplay for Steven Spielberg’s Raiders of the Last Ark, not to mention reportedly doing an uncredited script polish on Kingdom of the Crystal Skull.
What’s also interesting about this is that longtime Spielberg cohort David Koepp won’t be on writing duties, with him previously seen as nailed-on for Indiana Jones 5. In fact, Koepp had actually begun to put the tale together before now being replaced by Jonathan Kasdan.
Right now, current speculation from Birth.Movies.Death has the Fountain of Youth as the centre-piece of this latest Indy picture. Given how we’ve been regularly told how this will definitely, definitely, definitely be Harrison Ford’s latest outing in this most iconic of cinematic roles, the Fountain of Youth could certainly be a convenient plot device – particularly with Disney’s Bob Iger publicly stating that the franchise will carry on past Indiana Jones 5.
Previously, Indy 5 was booked in for a July 2020 release, although that release date now looks completely unrealistic given how there’s still a whole lot more to work out on the picture before production can even think about beginning.
With HBO’s upcoming Watchmen series having added Jeremy Irons to its ranks earlier this week, now comes word that Tom Mison has also signed on for the show.
Courtesy of TVLine, the Sleepy Hollow favourite has landed an unknown but key role in the Damon Lindelof-created series. Similarly, Resurrection’s Frances Fisher and White Famous’ Jacob Ming-Trent have also joined the show in mystery roles.
In addition to Irons, this new trio join a cast that features The Leftovers’ Regina King, Django Unchained’s Don Johnson, Lincoln’s Tim Blake Nelson, An Officer and a Gentleman’s Louis Gossett Jr., The Brave’s Andrew Howard, and Rectify’s Adelaide Clemens. No details are known on just which characters any of these names are playing, although Regina King is believed to be the lead role of the series.
Watchmen began life back in 1986 as a twelve-issue miniseries from Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons, soon going on to become a hugely acclaimed classic and a tale regularly cited as one of the greatest comic book/graphic novel stories of all time. A big screen adaptation finally happened in 2009, with Zack Snyder directing a huge blockbuster starring the likes of Billy Crudup, Malin Akerman, Jackie Earle Haley, Matthew Goode, Patrick Wilson, Carla Gugino, and Jeffrey Dean Morgan.
This new series will be set in and around the Watchmen world that we know and love, yet will be a completely new and original story.
Expect more on Watchmen as it continues to develop.
In some news that’s likely to put a smile on the face of gamers across the globe, Showtime has given the A-OK for a live-action Halo series.
Currently just titled Halo, the order has been put in for a ten-episode first season to be based around the monumental Xbox franchise. Awake’s Kyle Killen is on board as writer, showrunner, and executive producer, while Rise of the Planet of the Apes’ Rupert Wyatt has signed on to direct several episodes and also executive produce.
The official word on all of this reads:
Reinventing how people think about video games, Halo has grown into a global entertainment phenomenon. The franchise has sold more than 77 million copies worldwide and has grossed more than $5 billion in sales.
In the Showtime adaptation, Halo will take place in the universe that first came to be in 2001, dramatizing an epic 26th-century conflict between humanity and an alien threat known as the Covenant. Halo will weave deeply drawn personal stories with action, adventure, and a richly imagined vision of the future.
At this stage, production on Hola is expected to commence early next year. As ever, expect more on all of this as we get it.
Another day, and another report of a new comic book series being adapted for the small screen. This time, it’s the turn of the relatively new Gideon Falls.
As per The Hollywood Reporter, Image Comics’ Gideon Falls – which only had its first issue this past March – has had its rights picked up by Hivemind. The plan is to adapt the property as an hour-long drama series.
Created by Jeff Lemire and Andrea Sorrentino, Gideon Falls centres on a reclusive fella who’s obsessed with an odd conspiracy involving the city’s trash, and a down-and-out Catholic priest. The pair become tied together due to an urban legend known as The Black Barn; a mysterious building that is surrounded by death and misery.
Both Lemire and Sorrentino will be serving as executive producers on the show, joining Hivemind’s Jason Brown, Sean Daniel, Kathy Ling, and Dinesh Shamdasani.
As ever, expect more on Gideon Falls as we get it.
With FOX having already cancelled several genre shows over the past few months, now comes word that Ghosted has also been canned.
The Craig Robinson and Adam Scott-starring paranormal comedy show has been scrapped at just one solitary season, following in the tracks of FOX cancelling The Exorcist, Lucifer, Brooklyn Nine-Nine and confirming that Gotham would be ended after just one more, shorter season.
According to The Wrap, the main reason for FOX’s cancelling of Ghosted was down to Thursday Night Football, the new Friday and Sunday comedy shows, and the sheer amount of returning series. Simply put, FOX didn’t feel like they had the room to justify a second season of Ghosted.
It’s believed that some unaired episodes of the show will air at some point in the future, but for now Ghosted is officially cancelled. Whether it can follow in the footsteps of the aforementioned Lucifer and Brooklyn Nine-Nine in finding a home elsewhere, we’ll have to wait and see. Ghosted aired on ITV2 here in the UK.
One of the most hotly anticipated things on the radar of many a genre fan is Warner Brothers’ upcoming DC Universe streaming service. And now, Warners and DC Entertainment have revealed a whole host of new information about their on-demand service.
Set to launch this August, DC Universe will offer members all-new original live-action and animated shows, classic TV efforts and movies from yesteryear, digital comics, a DC Comics encyclopaedia, the latest DC news, and access to exclusive DC merchandise. There will also be a rewards system in place, not to mention the ability to connect with other members of the DC Universe community.
To give fans a glimpse of what will be on offer with DC Universe, the following trailer has been released:
On this service, Warner Brothers’ Craig Hunegs, “Developing new ways for consumers to access some of our most popular and iconic brands and franchises as well as exclusive new content whenever they want, on the devices they choose, is one of our studio’s top priorities. The DC Universe platform gives fans a place to tailor their experience and build a direct relationship with DC in a way they never could before.”
The legendary Jim Lee – who now serves as CCO of DC Entertainment – added, “DC Universe is so much more than a streaming service. It’s a welcoming place for everyone to immerse themselves in their own level of DC fandom, with the epic characters, stories, and experiences they have come to expect from DC. We are investing in and creating original, high-quality shows including the new Titans series, and curating the most beloved nostalgic content, while at the same time elevating the comic reading experience to new heights. Nothing this robust has ever been offered to fans before.”
As alluded to by Lee, Titans is one of the new shows that many are hugely excited by. But that live-action Teen Titans-driven show is just one of several new series on the way for DC Universe. In addition to Titans, there’s the live-action Doom Patrol and Swamp Thing, and animated Young Justice: Outsiders and Harley Quinn heading exclusively to the streaming service.
The official word on these shows reads:
Titans follows young heroes from across the DC Universe as they come of age and find belonging in a gritty take on the classic Teen Titans franchise. Dick Grayson and Rachel Roth, a special young girl possessed by a strange darkness, get embroiled in a conspiracy that could bring Hell on Earth. Joining them along the way are the hot-headed Starfire and loveable Beast Boy. Together they become a surrogate family and team of heroes.
Doom Patrol is a reimagining of one of DC’s strangest group of outcasts: Robotman, Negative Man, Elasti-Woman and Crazy Jane. Led by the mysterious Dr. Niles Caulder, they’re called into action by the ultimate hero for the digital age, Cyborg. Banding together these rejects find themselves on a mission that will take them to the weirdest and most unexpected corners of the DC Universe.
Swamp Thing follows Abby Arcane as she investigates what seems to be a deadly swamp-born virus in a small town in Louisiana but soon discovers that the swamp holds mystical and terrifying secrets. When unexplainable and chilling horrors emerge from the murky marsh, no one is safe.
Young Justice: Outsiders features the return of the fan favorite animated series with a huge cast of DC’s most iconic young superheroes — plus brand-new characters, many of whom are just discovering their unique meta-powers and special abilities. Set against the backdrop of a rich, deep world that touches all corners of the DC Universe, the season focuses on meta-trafficking, and an intergalactic arms race for control of these super-powered youths.
Harley Quinn follows Harley’s adventures after she breaks up with the Joker and strikes out on her own in this new adult animated comedy. With the help of Poison Ivy and a ragtag crew of DC castoffs, Harley tries to earn a seat at the biggest table in villainy: the Legion of the Doom.
In addition to these shows, some of the classic content to be included on DC Universe will include Batman: The Animated Series and the Linda Carter-starring Wonder Woman series, not to mention Christopher Reeve’s four Superman movies and animated features such as Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox and Green Lantern: First Flight.
You can actually sign up already for the chance to gain beta access to DC Universe – simply click here.
DC Universe is shaping up to be something truly special, and we absolutely cannot wait to check this service out this coming August.
