THE BOYS Writer Takes Up BEWITCHED Reboot

still of samantha stevens in witch hat from 1964 series bewitched

A reboot of the witchy comedy Bewitched may soon be making its way back to screens, courtesy of The Boys scribe and Gen V executive producer Judalina Neira, Deadline reports. This marks the first project under Neira’s new deal with Sony Pictures Television.

The Bewitched reboot is described as an hour-long reimagining of the classic 1964 fantasy sitcom series. The original followed a witch named Samantha, who married a mortal man and attempts to lead the life of a stereotypical ’60s suburban housewife – which some magical help, of course. It starred Elizabeth Montgomery and Dick York (later credited as Dick Sargent).

The show ran for eight seasons, and proved both immensely popular and cultural impactful. Amidst the decade’s state of social and political flux, Bewitched became a testament to the changing patriarchal patterns of American society. Critics and scholars have commented on how the series both played into and subverted stereotypes around gender roles and consumerism; airing during the Civil Rights Era, Bewitched could also be viewed as broaching taboos surrounding interracial marriage.

Neira will serve as writer on the reboot and will executive produce alongside The Goldbergs exec producer Doug Robinson and Lauren Moffat of Sony TV’s Doug Robinson Productions. Beyond Gen V and the upcoming fourth season of The Boys, Judalina Neira’s series credits are varied and include Apple TV+’s The Morning Show, the CW’s Arrowverse series The Flash, Prime Video’s Daisy Jones & The Six.

Travis Knight In Talks To Direct MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE Feature

laika studios ceo travis knight in talks with amazon mgm to direct masters of the universe live-action feature adaptation

By the power of Grayskull, Travis Knight is close to landing the director’s chair for the long-in-the-works live-action adaptation of Masters of the Universe for Amazon MGM Studios.

In the same fell swoop, Chris Butler is reportedly also being brought on to rewrite the existing script. This wouldn’t be the pair’s first collaboration: Travis Knight is the CEO for award-winning stop-motion animation studio LAIKA, while Butler wrote and co-directed ParaNorman, and wrote Kubo and the Two Strings, both of which are LAIKA films.

A Masters of the Universe feature film has long been in the works in Hollywood, which would centre Prince Adam, the young man who transforms into the super-muscled, Power Sword-wielding He-Man. In recent years, the project has moved from Sony to Netflix, then to Amazon MGM.

Even with this news, the project is far from certain to move forward. Over the past two decades, a staggering number of names have been attached to the would-be adaptation: from directors John Woo, Kung Fu Panda‘s John Stevenson, to John M. Chu and Jeff Wadlow, to McG and David S. Goyer, and more, the movie has been getting passed around like a hot potato. All that to say, this is far from a done deal in our books.

However, we’ll keep you updated on the project as we find out.

A

Marvel Reveals Full FANTASTIC FOUR Cast

marvel studios releases casting news for the fantastic four including pedro pascal and joseph quinn

After near-a year and a half of rumours and speculation, Marvel Studios has officially announced who it would be casting as its Fantastic Four team. Pedro Pascal (ever in high demand), Vanessa Kirby, Ebon Moss-Bachrach and Joseph Quinn will star as in the 2025 MCU film.

Pascal was previously reported to star as Reed Richards, aka Mr. Fantastic; Kirby will portray Sue Storm, aka the Invisible Woman, Joseph Quinn (of Stranger Things 4 fame) will play her brother Johnny Storm, aka the Human Torch, and Moss-Bachrach (The Punisher, The Bear) will star as Ben Grimm, aka the Thing.

Along with the casting news published on Valentines Day, Marvel has also updated the Matt Shakman-directed film’s release date to July 25th, 2025. Jeff Kaplan and Ian Springer wrote the script, with Avatar: The Way of Water scribe Josh Friedman having also worked on some version of the screenplay.

Given the nature of the MCU and its notorious penchant for secrecy, all we know so far of the film’s plot is that it will reintroduce the Fantastic Four to the big screen. There’s no insight yet on whether it’ll be an origin story, or whether we’ll dive right into the broader multiversal action.

DUNE! THE MUSICAL GOES ON TOUR

Dan Collins - DUNE! THE MUSICAL

The critically acclaimed one-man show Dune! The Musical is going on tour later this year. 

Dan Collin’s show is an incredibly entertaining labour of love that takes the audience through a whistle-stop tour of the classic Frank Herbert novel that inspired an entire genre. Clever, hilarious and filled with jokes that will delight sci-fi fans, it’s a show you can’t afford to miss. 

Told from the point of view of Gurney Hallack (the role played by Sir Patrick Stewart in the 1984 film), this one-man show has our hero pick up the Baliset (it looks like a guitar) and uniquely tell Herbert’s classic.

The tour is mostly through March and April 2024. Venues include Nottingham, Manchester, Liverpool and Belfast. It will return to Scotland in August for both the Edinburgh Fringe and the World Science Fiction Convention, Worldcon. You can also catch it at the Cymera Festival in June. Full tour information can be found at dunethemusical.com.

Andrew Lee Potts’ FIRECRACKER Picked Up For Distribution

Ahead of the Berlin International Film Festical, Vertical (known for the Independent Spirit Award-winning Emily the Criminal) has picked up the US, Canadian, and UK/Ireland rights to highly anticipated thriller Firecracker, the directorial feature debut for genre favourite Andrew Lee Potts.

As well as helming the action-packed film, Potts co-wrote and stars in the film. Best known for his roles in Primeval and Alice, as well as The Witcher and his web series Wireless, Andrew has won awards for his shorts and was the recipient of the Independents Day Award at the 2020 STARBURST International Film Festival. Firecracker is produced by industry veterans Charley McDougall, Jamie McLeod-Ross, and Susan E. Clarke.

The film takes viewers on a heart-pounding journey into a heist gone awry, propelling an unlikely trio into a desperate struggle for survival and sanity on bonfire night. As tension mounts and sparks fly, the film promises an exhilarating rollercoaster of action, intrigue, and suspense. The cast is packed full of familiar faces, including Jason Flemyng (The 355), Alexander Vlahos (Outlander), Max Wrottesley (House of the Dragon), Nick Moran (Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 and 2), Eloise Lovell Anderson (Villain), Augusta Woods (Ted Lasso), and Katie Sheridan (The Convent). The screenplay is a collaborative effort by Potts, Tamara Al-Bassam, and Katie Sheridan.

Vertical’s SVP of Acquisitions Tony Piantedosi commented, “Andrew has crafted an incredibly tense film with twists that will keep the audience guessing right up until the very end. We look forward to unveiling the film next year“. Charley McDougall, Jamie McLeod-Ross and Susan E. Clarke, the accomplished producers behind the project, added, “We are proud to have Vertical on board for the distribution of Firecracker. Their experience and dedication to delivering quality content align perfectly with our vision for this explosive film.“

Firecracker will be released in theatres and on-demand in early 2024.

Images: VERTICAL / RIHARDS LASIS

TWISTERS Trailer Touches Down

twisters trailer drops starring glen powell daisy edgar-jones and anthony ramos

The first trailer for the stand-alone sequel Twisters, which touched down during the Super Bowl show, sees Glen Powell, Daisy Edgar-Jones, and Anthony Ramos struggle for survival amidst some serious weather.

The Universal Pictures film, which is directed by Lee Isaac Chung, is a follow-up to Jan de Bont’s 1996 flick Twister.

Twister centred on Bill and Jo Harding (Bill Paxton and Helen Hunt), advanced storm chasers on the brink of divorce who must team up to test an advanced weather alert system by putting themselves in the cross-hairs of extremely violent tornadoes sweeping across Oklahoma.

In this next chapter, Edgar-Jones will star as a former storm chaser who, after surviving a disastrous tornado encounter, now works a desk job. However, she will soon be forced to go out into the breach once more.

Twisters also co-stars Kiernan Shipka, future Superman David Corenswet, Sasha Lane, Maura Tierney, Katy O’Brian, Brandon Perea, Daryl McCormack, Harry Hadden-Paton, Nik Dodani, and Tunde Adebimpe.

Chung directs from a script by Mark L. Smith, with Patrick Crowley, Kathleen Kennedy, Frank Marshall, and Steven Spielberg producing (the latter of whom also produced the original film).

Watch the Twisters trailer below, ahead of its release in cinemas July 19th.

DEADPOOL & WOLVERINE Drops First Teaser Trailer

deadpool 3 aka deadpool & wolverine teaser trailer released during super bowl

The Super Bowl is a magical time of year not for sports, but for movie trailers: case in point, this weekend granted us a look at the very first footage for the long-awaited Deadpool 3, which we also found out will be titled Deadpool & Wolverine.

The trailer confirmed rumours that the Time Variance Authority, the multiverse-monitoring organisation centred in both seasons of the Disney+ series Loki, will play a key role in the film’s storyline. This third instalment in the Deadpool franchise will fold Ryan Reynolds’ Merc with a Mouth into the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Deadpool & Wolverine will mark a number of firsts for Marvel Studios: not only will it be its first R-rated film, it will also be the first film to star a character that originally appeared in movies made by 20th Century Fox (the studio that owned the IP to key characters like the X-Men before Disney swallowed up the company in 2019). As part of that, Hugh Jackman will also be returning to his role as Wolverine.

“Your little Cinematic Universe is about to change forever. I’m the Messiah. I am Marvel Jesus,” says Deadpool, aka Wade Wilson, in the trailer. Given the recent slate of MCU let-downs, we sure hope that’s true.

Deadpool & Wolverine releases in cinemas July 26th. Watch the trailer below:

A New TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE May Be On The Way

We all know you can’t keep a good horror icon down, but even by those standards, our old chainsaw-wielding, face-wearing, pal Leatherface seems to be as durable as those chainsaws he swings about, lobs at young folk and uses to duel with Dennis Hopper! And if this recent story ends up being true, he’s heading home!

Last seen in 2022’s critically maligned but underrated legacy sequel for Netflix in 2022, a new report by Geek Vibes Nation, picked up by Bloody Disgusting, has suggested that the series and its grisly star are revving up again for a new instalment titled ‘Texas Chainsaw Legacy’.

We even have an “official” (again nothing is confirmed and set in stone) synopsis, as this new alleged film, “is set to explore the seemingly peaceful façade of Oasis Oaks, a gated community in rural Texas…Within the manicured lawns and vigilant security, a protagonist family enjoying suburban bliss becomes entangled in a harrowing battle for survival as they confront the infamous Leatherface and his macabre kin on an abandoned property nearby”. 

So this new film would also see the Sawyer clan back in action too, if all this is to be believed, and frankly as set-ups go, this sounds pretty credible and believable. So we will have to see if it all pans out. Again, no word on whether this film is related to the last one, or yet another reboot for this series, linked only to the original Tobe Hooper classic.

Family really is forever it seems. Keep your eyes peeled for more news!

JIM CARREY Will Return (From Retirement) For SONIC THE HEDGEHOG 3

Jim Carrey’s rise to cinematic comedy stardom came in some of the most high energy comedy characters to ever hit the ’90s and considering the craziness of that era, that is saying something. From The Mask to Ace Ventura: Pet Detective, Liar Liar to Dumb and Dumber, so many of us grew up on this sublime brand of crazy. And we love it!

So it was particularly gratifying, after a fair few years of varying projects, to see Carrey back to his old self in the villainous role of Dr. Robotnik in the two smash hit Sonic The Hedgehog movies, based of Sega’s beloved speedster. However, his future in the role (and acting) was cast into doubt after the second film, when Carrey suggested he was retiring in a talk with Access Hollywood.

Well thankfully, the world domination playlist will keep on rolling, because Carrey is indeed stepping back onto the big screen, and donning the moustache again as the tech-wielding menace in this year’s Sonic the Hedgehog 3, releasing on December 20th.

Director Jeff Fowler’s third film in the series, already has folks excited with the appearance of the character of Shadow, but with Carrey confirmed officially by the recent teaser (via his cackling villain laugh). We now have even more reason to celebrate and go running back to cinemas this Christmas!

Is CHUCKY Heading To Space? It May Be Up To You…

There comes a point in any horror franchise where there is nowhere to go but up, up, and away, to the final frontier that is space. Pinhead’s been there in Hellraiser IV: Bloodline. Jason’s been there in Jason X (which is by far the best space jaunt for a horror icon). Heck, even Leprechaun’s been there in Leprechaun 4: In Space. But now, it may be time for Don Mancini’s red-headed serial killer doll to go boldly, where a few others have gone before.

Mancini’s creation has endured and constantly transformed over the year’s from the original Child’s Play films, to the darkly comic later films, to the resurgence, to the excellent jump to TV of late. Chucky has proved to be one of horror’s most diverse creations, so if anyone can pull off swapping dungarees for a spacesuit it is him.

Speaking with Screenrant at the Saturn Awards, Mancini said of the idea to take the character(s) to space, “Everyone’s asking me that question! So, MY question is, “Do you want him to go to space?” Do you personally want him to go? If there’s enough of a demand for that, eventually – I don’t know how quickly – I have an idea for that”.

So, while not a dead cert, the idea has already been floated and it seems that if fans are up for seeing Brad Dourif’s foul-mouthed murderous doll go into orbit, we will indeed see it. After all, this franchise has proved itself constantly to be very genre flexible, so why the heck not give it a stab…ahem.