RED SONJA Movie Brings in a New Writer

Red Sonja

The last concrete word we’d heard on a new Red Sonja movie was back in 2015, and now it looks as if the film is finally starting to move forward once more.

Back in ’15, Nu Image/Millennium Films brought in Christopher Cosmos to pen a screenplay. Before that, 2010 had Robert Rodriguez developing the film on the basis of Rose McGowan starring and Doug Aarniokoski to direct.

Now though, Deadline has word that Millennium Films has brought in Ashley Edward Miller to put together a new screenplay for the picture. Miller is likely best known to genre fans for the likes of Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles, X-Men: First Class, and Thor, not to mention the impending Big Trouble in Little China remake that looks set to be headlined by Dwayne Johnson.

On this news, Miller enthused, “It’s an exciting opportunity to faithfully adapt the amazing Hyborean world Robert E. Howard created, and inject it with Sonja’s influence, ferocity, and fearless humanity. I want people to love Sonja the way I love her, and walk out of the theater understanding why she’s so popular and enduring. Sonja is an icon.”

As a character, Red Sonja began life back in 1973 as a creation of Robert E. Howard, Roy Thomas, and Barry Windsor for Marvel Comics. A truly badass warrior who is at the absolute peak of human conditioning, Sonja quickly became a major favourite of many. To this day, the comics are still published, albeit through Dynamite Entertainment nowadays.

Elsewhere, Sonja was previously given the silver screen treatment when Brigitte Nielsen starred in 1985’s Red Sonja. In addition to Rose McGowan once being up to play the character in more recent times, Amber Heard was another who was being lined up to tackle a new incarnation of Sonja once McGowan had to drop out of the running due to an arm injury. On the small screen, the character – as played by Angelica Bridges – made an appearance in the Conan TV series of the late ‘90s, with former WWE grappler Sable positioned to headline a Sonja series in 1999 before that also fell apart. Bryan Singer has since flirted with the idea of a TV effort at several points, but that similarly seems to have gone nowhere.

As ever, expect more on all things Red Sonja as we get it.

Joan Collins in Talks to Join AMERICAN HORROR STORY

Joan Collins

With the eighth season of American Horror Story currently assembling its core cast, it appears that a rather huge new name is in the frame to join this genre favourite show.

Yes, as the headline suggests, Joan Collins is being lined up to join AHS as it gears up for its new season. Initially, show creator Ryan Murphy told The Hollywood Reporter that he’s “throwing in Joan Collins,” before it was then revealed that the legendary actress hasn’t actually signed on just yet. She is, though, in advanced talks to join the series.

As Collins’ rep Jeffrey Lane explained to The Wrap, “The fact of the matter is right now they are still in negotiations and I don’t know what more I could say to that.”

All that we know right now about the theme of the upcoming eighth season is that it will be set somewhere in the near-future. In terms of returning players, American Horror Story veterans Sarah Paulson, Evan Peters, and Kathy Bates are all confirmed to be back, with talks reportedly ongoing to bring The Addams Family and The Witches’ Anjelica Huston in to the fold.

As ever, expect more on this next season of American Horror Story as we get it.

First Look at New SABRINA Series

Sabrina

With Netflix’s upcoming new Sabrina series having fleshed out its core cast over the past several months, now comes a first look at the latest incarnation of the titular teenage witch.

Series creator Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa took to social media to showcase Kiernan Shipka as Sabrina and Ross Lynch as her boyfriend, Harvey Kinkle.

In addition to the above pair, the series – loosely being referred to as The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina right now – will also star Jaz Sinclair as Sabrina’s bestest bud Rosalind, Chance Perdomo as warlock cousin Ambrose Spellman, Michelle Gomez as Madam Satan, Lucy Davis as Aunt Hilda, Miranda Otto as Aunt Zelda, Richard Coyle as Father Blackwood, Tati Gabrielle as Sabrina-hating witch Prudence, and Bronson Pinchot as Principal George Hawthorne.

To be based on the Chilling Adventures of Sabrina comic book, the current blurb on the upcoming series reads:

Sabrina is based on the comic book Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, which reimagines the origin and adventures of Sabrina the Teenage Witch as a dark coming-of-age story that traffics in horror, the occult and, of course, witchcraft. Tonally in the vein of Rosemary’s Baby and The Exorcist, this adaptation finds Sabrina wrestling to reconcile her dual nature – half-witch, half-mortal – while standing against the evil forces that threaten her, her family and the daylight world humans inhabit.

Expect more on this new show as we get it.

INDIANA JONES 5 to be Harrison Ford’s Final Indy Outing

Indiana Jones

With a fifth Indiana Jones movie recently confirmed to start shooting next April, Steven Spielberg has now moved to confirm that this next outing for Indy will indeed be the last for Harrison Ford.

Speaking to The Sun (yeah, we know, we’d rather not give them any coverage either), the legendary Spielberg stated, “This will be Harrison Ford’s last Indiana Jones movie, I am pretty sure, but it will certainly continue after that.”

An Indy effort without Ford front-and-centre? Well, there was of course plans for Shia LaBeouf to possibly take over headline duties for the franchise following Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, but those plans were ultimately scrapped.

One idea floated to Spielberg was to have a female take over the feature role of the series, to which he responded, “We’d have to change the name from Jones to Joan, and there would be nothing wrong with that.”

In terms of the plot for Indy 5, pretty much nothing is known at this stage. Spielberg will indeed be back to direct, with producers Kathleen Kennedy and Frank Marshal also returning. David Koepp has put a screenplay in place, with the current plan for this to-be-titled new Indiana Jones movie to be released on July 20th, 2020.

New Details on WESTWORLD’s Samurai Element

Westworld Shogun World Samurai

To say we’re a tad excited about the return of HBO’s Westworld is an understatement. Sure, there was the whole trepidation of rehashing yet another famed property of yesteryear, but man oh man was Westworld’s debut season a marvel of modern television! And now, we have a little more info on what to expect from one of the other parks featured in the upcoming second year.

If you remember back, the Season 1 finale saw that there was another non-cowboy-themed park that actually featured some sort of Samurai. As it happens, the Delos Corporation website that’s been used to hype Westworld has revealed that there are actually five parks in addition to the cowboy world we saw fleshed out in the show’s debut year. Where the aforementioned Samurai-driven one is concerned, we now know that that’s officially titled Shogun World.

Taken from the Delos site, the swanky description for this new park has it pegged as: For those for whom Westworld is not enough, the true connoisseur of gore can indulge their fantasies with the slash of a katana. Modelled after Japan’s Edo period, Shogun World offers a chance for guests to embrace their inner warrior, in a landscape of highest beauty and darkest horror. Let your true self take shape in the land where self-discovery is an art form.

It’s expected that Shogun World will play quite a large role in Season 2 of Westworld, and Pacific Rim’s Rinko Kikuchi has been brought in to play a role tied to this new park. Other than that, we’ll just have to see how things play out as the season progresses and reveals are made.

Westworld returns to US screens on April 22nd, with the UK return to air simultaneously – meaning that 2am Monday, April 23rd on Sky Atlantic is where you need to be keeping an eye on.

New SAW Movie Brings Back JIGSAW’s Writing Team

Jigsaw

We’ve known for a little while now that another Saw movie was likely to happen following the decent response to last year’s Jigsaw, and now there’s some more concrete news on the future of his much-loved horror franchise.

As per Bloody Disgusting, a new Saw film is now in active development and Twisted Pictures has brought back Pete Goldfinger and Josh Stolberg to pen the screenplay. Goldfinger and Stolberg previously put together the screenplay for the aforementioned Jigsaw. Now, while the writing team behind Jigsaw is being brought back, the director duo of Michael and Peter Spierig won’t be returning for this next film.

At this stage, it’s unknown whether this next Saw effort will directly follow on from Jigsaw, if it will pick up directly after a previous movie, or if things will go in a completely different direction.

Expect more on all things Saw as the franchise continues to move forward.

3 FROM HELL Adds Pancho Moler

Pancho Molar Sick-Head 31

Following yesterday’s news that Danny Trejo was returning for Rob Zombie’s 3 from Hell, now comes word on another Zombie alum who’ll be a part of the picture.

As per Bloody Disgusting, Pancho Moler will be a part of this latest adventure for the infamous Firefly clan. Moler has previous with Zombie, having played Sick-Head in 2016’s 31.

Already on board for 3 from Hell are the returning Sheri Moon Zombie, Bill Moseley, Sid Haig, Daniel Roebuck, and the aforementioned Trejo, with new additions in the shape of Austin Stoker, Dee Wallace, Dot-Marie Jones, Tom Papa, Jeff Daniels Phillips, David Ury, and Clint Howard.

Zombie, Moseley, and Haig famously played Baby, Otis, and Captain Spaulding in The House of 1000 Corpses and The Devil’s Rejects, while Roebuck had the small role of TV host Morris Green in The Devil’s Rejects and Trejo played the badass Rondo in that picture. Those five aren’t the only ones to have previous with Rob Zombie, however, with Tom Papa having voiced El Superbeasto in the animated The Haunted World of El Superbeasto, Jeff Daniel Phillips having played Seymour Coffins in Halloween 2, and David Ury portraying Schizo-Head in 31. Elsewhere, we know that Clint Howard’s role will be that of a new clown dubbed Mr Baggy Britches.

3 from Hell is currently shooting, with an official release date to be confirmed a little later down the line. As ever, expect more on the return of the Firefly family as we get it.

Guillermo del Toro to Oversee New Genre Banner

Guillermo del Toro

If you could hand the keys of any particular genre kingdom to anyone right now, a name top of many a fan’s list would be the magical Guillermo del Toro. So, it’s all kinds of cool to hear that the Oscar winner has been tasked with overseeing a new genre label for Fox Searchlight Pictures.

Of course, del Toro is fresh off nabbing the Best Director and Best Picture gongs at this year’s Academy Awards, with The Shape of Water wowing many a fan and critic alike. And now, he’ll be having his fingers in plentiful pies for Fox Searchlight, beginning with a picture called Antlers. That movie centres on a school teacher who takes in a troubled student who just so happens to have a mysterious family secret that could have some major consequences. Scott Cooper is on directing duties for that, with Guillermo del Toro serving as producer on the effort. Moving forward, this to-be-titled new genre banner will see del Toro write, produce, and/or direct future efforts for Fox Searchlight.

The official press release on all of this reads:

Fox Searchlight Pictures Presidents Stephen Gilula and Nancy Utley announced today that Fox Searchlight Pictures has signed a deal with Academy Award® winning director Guillermo del Toro that covers live action feature film projects to be written, produced and/or directed by del Toro. Fox Searchlight is also creating a new, soon to be named, label which will serve as a home for projects in the horror, sci-fi and fantasy genres, including those produced and curated by del Toro. Films will be financed, marketed and distributed by Fox Searchlight Pictures.

For del Toro’s part, he enthused, “For the longest time, I’ve hoped to find an environment in which I can distribute, nurture and produce new voices in smart, inventive genre films and channel my own. In Fox Searchlight, I’ve found a real home for live action production — a partnership based on hard work, understanding of each other and, above all, faith.  After the wonderful experience I had with Fox Searchlight on ‘The Shape of Water,’ I am honored to have the opportunity to continue the relationship. I am more than grateful to Nancy, Steve, David and Matthew for their trust in me and for joining me on this adventure.”

As ever, expect more on all of this as it continues to develop.

Neil Gaiman and Akiva Goldsman Adapting GORMENGHAST

Gormenghast

In some news that’s sure to put a smile on the face of many a genre fan, a new adaptation of Mervyn Peake’s Gormenghast is in development. Not only that, but genre icon Neil Gaiman is to be involved with the project.

As per Deadline, Gaiman and Akiva Goldsman are developing the Gormenghast series as a TV show. This isn’t the first time that the property has made its way to the small screen, of course, with the BBC having adapted the first two books in the series back in 2000. As well as that, there have been audio adaptations by BBC Radio 4 and the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.

In total, there are four novels in the series, plus a novella. FreemantleMedia North America have picked up the rights for this new TV effort, with them optioning all five stories in the series.

On this news, Gaiman enthused, “There is nothing in literature like Mervyn Peake’s remarkable Gormenghast novels. They were crafted by a master, who was also an artist, and they take us to an ancient castle as big as a city, with heroes and villains and people larger than life that are impossible to forget. There is a reason why there were two trilogies that lovers of the fantasy genre embraced in the Sixties: Lord of the Rings, and the Gormenghast books. It’s an honor to have been given the opportunity to help shepherd Peake’s brilliant and singular vision to the screen.”

For those unfamiliar with Gormenghast, the series centres on Castle Gormenghast and those who resides within its walls. A fantasy affair overflowing with gothic charm, the literary series is often heralded as one of the very best of its kind.

As ever, expect more on this latest Gormenghast adaptation as we get it.

Danny Trejo Returning for Rob Zombie’s 3 FROM HELL

Danny Trejo DDP

With Rob Zombie’s 3 from Hell continuing to flesh out its core cast, fans of the Firefly clan and their supporting players will be pleased to hear that Danny Trejo will be back for the follow-up to Zombie’s much loved The Devil’s Rejects.

Trejo, of course, played Rondo in Rejects, with him teaming with multiple-time wrestling World Champion Diamond Dallas Page as the aptly titled Unholy Two. It remains to be seen whether Page’s Billy Ray Snapper will similarly be brought back in to the fold to reunite this brutal, badass tandem.

The Devil’s Rejects isn’t the only picture in which Trejo and Zombie have worked together though, with the famed Machete star also playing a janitor who makes the mistake of showing sympathy to a locked-up Michael Myers in Zombie’s Halloween remake.

Already on board for 3 from Hell are the returning Sheri Moon Zombie, Bill Moseley, Sid Haig, and Daniel Roebuck, with new additions in the shape of Austin Stoker, Dee Wallace, Dot-Marie Jones, Tom Papa, Jeff Daniels Phillips, David Ury, and Clint Howard.

Zombie, Moseley, and Haig famously played Baby, Otis, and Captain Spaulding in The House of 1000 Corpses and The Devil’s Rejects, while Roebuck had the small role of TV host Morris Green in The Devil’s Rejects. Those four aren’t the only ones to have previous with Rob Zombie, however, with Tom Papa having voiced El Superbeasto in the animated The Haunted World of El Superbeasto, Jeff Daniel Phillips having played Seymour Coffins in Halloween 2, and David Ury portraying Schizo-Head in 2016’s 31. Elsewhere, we know that Clint Howard’s role will be that of a new clown dubbed Mr Baggy Britches.

3 from Hell is currently shooting, with an official release date to be confirmed a little later down the line. As ever, expect more on the return of the Firefly family as we get it.