New STAR TREK Film In The Works (Again)

new star trek film confirmed by paramount

After many starts, pauses and stops, a new Star Trek film is once again in the works at Paramount. Toby Haynes, who directed several episodes of the Star Wars series Andor (and, even more appropriately, was behind the celebrated Star Trek-inspired episode of Black Mirror, “USS Callister”) is the latest director attached to helm the new feature, with Seth Grahame-Smith on writing duties. The project will be a joint production between J.J. Abrams’ Bad Robot Productions and Paramount Pictures.

The film is said to take place decades before the events of 2009’s Star Trek, which starred Chris Pine and Zachary Quinto as Jim Kirk and Spock, respectively. The last Star Trek project to hit the big screen was 2016’s Star Trek Beyond, directed by Justin Lin. Since then, the iconic sci-fi universe has lived largely in the world of TV and streaming, with shows like Strange New Worlds, Discovery, Picard, and Lower Decks.

Paramount is also still developing a fourth Star Trek movie that will feature Pine, Quinto, Simon Pegg, Karl Urban, Zoe Saldaña, and John Cho. It’s previously been described as this crew’s final chapter. The project is still missing a director and writer, so we wouldn’t suggest holding your breath for this one.

Stay tuned for more information on casting and a release date for this new Star Trek film.

28 DAYS LATER Sequel Trilogy In The Works

cillian murphy as jim in zombie apocalypse film 28 days later by danny boyle and alex garland

28 Days Later, a modern classic of the zombie genre, is getting a new sequel! Danny Boyle and Alex Garland, the director and writer (respectively) of the 2002 hit, are reuniting for 28 Years Later. The new feature is expected to hit studios, streamers and other buys in the coming days.

The 2002 original already had a sequel in 2007’s 28 Weeks Later, though Boyle and Garland were only involved as executive producers on the project. The hope now appears to be for them to launch a new trilogy, with Boyle directing the first and Garland writing all three films, according to The Hollywood Reporter, which broke the news.

28 Days starred Cillian Murphy as a man who wakes from a coma after a bicycle accident to find that England is now a desolate, postapocalyptic hellscape, thanks to a virus that turned its victims into raging killers. He must then navigate this new landscape, meeting survivors along the way. Naomie Harris, Christopher Eccleston, Megan Burns, and Brendan Gleeson also star.

28 Days Later is notable for popularising the idea of ‘fast zombies’, i.e. zombies that could run. Though Night of the Living Dead had previously experimented with the idea, the effect was played for laughs. It also spring-boarded a revival in the zombie genre, paving the way for films, shows, and novels like Shaun of the Dead, Planet Terror, Zombieland, World War Z, Warm Bodies, and The Walking Dead.

Stay tuned for more updates on 28 Years Later as the project looks for financial backers.

THE MANDALORIAN & GROGU Film Is A-Go

lucasfilm announces the mandalorian & grogu film to be directed by jon favreau

That’s right folks, we’re getting baby Yoda on a big screen! The Mandalorian & Grogu, a new film in the Star Wars universe to be directed by everyone’s fave, Jon Favreau, is set to launch at Lucasfilm.

Favreau – who created The Mandalorian series for Disney+ and Lucasfilm –, Lucasfilm head Kathleen Kennedy and Lucasfilm chief creative officer Dave Filoni will produce the feature, which the studio said will be the first Star Wars movie to go into production since 2019’s Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker saw fans bid farewell to Daisy Ridley’s Rey and Adam Driver’s Ben Solo/Kylo Ren.

“I have loved telling stories set in the rich world that George Lucas created,” said Favreau. “The prospect of bringing the Mandalorian and his apprentice Grogu to the big screen is extremely exciting.” Meanwhile, Kennedy said: “Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni have ushered into Star Wars two new and beloved characters, and this new story is a perfect fit for the big screen.”

Pedro Pascal has led the series since its premiere in 2019 as the titular Mandalorian, also known as Din Djarin, a warrior who reluctantly (at first) must ensure Grogu’s safety. The show’s third season released last year, and it has served to launch a number of spinoffs, including The Book of Boba Fett and Ahsoka.

Filming on this The Mandalorian & Grogu feature is expected to begin in Spring. While Lucasfilm has yet to specify a date for the film, there is currently an untitled Star Wars feature set for December 19th, 2025.

Kaitlyn Dever Is THE LAST OF US’ Abby

kaitlyn dever to play abby in the last of us season 2

You know that here at STARBURST, we are big fans of The Last of Us (and if you’d like to know how much, you should absolutely grab a copy of our latest issue, which celebrates the very best 2023 had to offer) – which is why we’re incredibly excited to learn that Kaitlyn Dever has officially been cast as Abby in the show’s upcoming second season!

Dever joins the hit HBO show in a key role, her character having been described as “a skilled soldier whose black-and-white view of the world is challenged as she seeks vengeance for those she loved.” Abby is a central character in the video game’s Part II.

“Our casting process for season two has been identical to season one: we look for world-class actors who embody the souls of the characters in the source material,” said series co-creators Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann. “Nothing matters more than talent, and we’re thrilled to have an acclaimed performer like Kaitlyn join Pedro, Bella and the rest of our family.”

Kaitlyn Dever is best known for her starring role in the comedy Booksmart, and has earned Golden Globe and Emmy nominations for her roles in the series Unbelievable and Dopesick.

The Last Of Us is due back in production this spring, in time for a 2025 season 2 premiere.

Gerard Butler Returns To HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON

stoick the vast (voiced by gerard butler) in how to train your dragon

You’ll be hearing a familiar voice in the upcoming live-action remake of How to Train Your Dragon, as Gerard Butler is reprising his role as Stoick the Vast, Hiccup’s father and the Viking Chief, Deadline reports. The upcoming project, a Universal Pictures adaptation of the DreamWorks Animation franchise, hails from original trilogy helmer Dean DeBlois. DeBlois will write and direct the adaptation, having both written and directed each of the three animated How To Train Your Dragon films.

As previously announced, Mason Thames (The Black Phone) and Nico Parker (The Last of Us) are leading the project as Hiccup and Astrid (voiced by Jay Baruchel and America Ferrera, respectively, in the original). Marc Platt is producing via his production banner, alongside Adam Siegel, with Lexi Barta overseeing for Universal.

As an animated trilogy, How to Train Your Dragon centred on the growing relationship between a young, clumsy Viking teen and aspiring dragon hunter named Hiccup and Toothless, an injured dragon he saves. Meanwhile, the female lead, Astrid, progresses from someone prejudiced against dragons to a warrior bonded to one. 

Gerard Butler was recently seen in Lionsgate’s actioner Plane and action-thriller Kandahar.

How to Train Your Dragon is due to fly into cinemas on June 13th, 2025.

Julia Garner To Star In WOLF MAN

ozark actress julia garner to star in wolf man

Invisible Man filmmaker Leigh Whannell has found the second star for his Blumhouse and Universal Pictures werewolf thriller, Wolf Man: Julia Garner has been confirmed to star opposite Christopher Abbott in the upcoming film.

Garner will play a mother whose family is being terrorised by a lethal predator, while Abbott will play the father. It marks a reunion for the pair, who previously worked together in the 2011 drama Martha, Marcy, May, Marlene – which also happened to be Garner’s first acting role.

Whannell directs Wolf Man from a script he co-wrote with Corbett Tuck, as well as Dumb Money’s Lauren Schuker Blum and Rebecca Angelo. Plot details are being kept top secret, but the story will reportedly focus on a man whose family is being terrorized by a lethal predator. The 1941 original film told the story of Larry, a man who returned to his Welsh ancestral home from the United States upon learning of his brother’s passing. It’s there that, when he tries to save a rural girl named Jenny from a werewolf attack, he gets bitten by the supernatural creature and starts a life-changing transformation.

Julia Garner is best known for her television work, having won three Emmys for her performance in crime drama Ozark, as well as receiving Emmy and Golden Globe nominations for her work in Inventing Anna.

Wolf Man will release in cinemas on October 25th, 2024.

Steven Yeun Exits Marvel’s THUNDERBOLTS

nope star steven yeun exits thunderbolts film

Nope and Minari actor Steven Yeun will no longer be starring in Marvel Studios’ villain-centric Thunderbolts film, reportedly because of scheduling conflicts due to production being pushed by last year’s WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes.

Yeun was expected to star opposite Florence Pugh, David Harbour, Sebastian Stan and Wyatt Russell (all of whom have previously appeared in the MCU), who had been announced as the main ensemble at D23. It was never confirmed who Yeun was expected to play.

Jake Schreier is still attached as director, with Black Widow writer Eric Pearson penning the screenplay. In Thunderbolts, a group of supervillains (presumably including the White Widow, the Red Guardian, Winter Soldier, and U.S. Agent) are recruited by Thaddeus ‘Thunderbolts’ Ross to go on missions for the government. Harrison Ford takes over the role of General Ross from the late actor William Hurt.

The MCU film is now due to go into production this year and to release in July 2025. Meanwhile, Steven Yeun will next be seen in the sci-fi romance Love Me opposite Kristen Stewart, which will premiere later this month in Park City’s Sundance Film Festival. Stewart previously described the Sam and Andy Zuchero-directed film as “a love story between a satellite and a buoy; it’s hard to explain. I hope I don’t botch it, because it’s a really revolutionarily written script.”

Blumhouse-Atomic Monster Merger Is Set In Stone

blumhouse atomic monster merger finalised

Two horror powerhouses are merging into one behemoth, as Jason Blum’s Blumhouse and James Wan’s Atomic Monster have completed their long-awaited merger, Blum announced on Tuesday via X (formerly Twitter).

“Our deal is …. Done. @blumhouse and #AtomicMonster have officially joined forces,” the prolific producer wrote in a message including a reel showcasing both companies’ filmographies. “The preeminent homes for horror are now under one roof.”

The merger news comes just days ahead of the release of supernatural horror pic Night Swim, which is produced by both companies and stars Falcon and the Winter Soldier‘s Wyatt Russell alongside The Banshees of Inisherin actress Kerry Condon. The two production houses previously collaborated on last year’s TikTok sensation M3GAN.

Per Deadline, “the companies will continue to operate as separate labels, with each maintaining its own creative autonomy and brand identity. The alliance is expected to increase their combined output, with Atomic Monster to utilize Blumhouse’s existing infrastructure to scale its activities across film, TV and new content areas including games, live experiences and audio. Going forward, Atomic Monster will also benefit from the first-look deal with Universal Pictures that Blumhouse is currently under, having come to the conclusion of its own deal with Warner Bros.”

So essentially, this Blumhouse-Atomic Monster merger just means more horror entertainment all around!

THE FIRST OMEN Unleashes Trailer

the first omen drop sfirst trailer

Say hello (again) to the Antichrist, returning for the first time since 2016’s ill-received series Damien, in the trailer for the upcoming horror The First Omen.

The prequel movie from 20th Century Studios is due to release in cinemas on April 5th, 2024, and follows four movie instalments in the original franchise, a 2006 remake, and the above-mentioned show. The Omen was followed by Damien: Omen II, then 1981’s The Final Conflict, and 1991’s The Awakening. John Moore’s reboot starred Liev Schreiber, Julia Stiles, and David Thewlis starring.

“To control those who don’t believe, create something to fear,” the new trailer teases. In the film, “When a young American woman is sent to Rome to begin a life of service to the church, she encounters a darkness that causes her to question her own faith and uncovers a terrifying conspiracy that hopes to bring about the birth of evil incarnate.”

Nell Tiger Free, Tawfeek Barhom, Sonia Braga, Ralph Ineson, and Bill Nighy star in The First Omen, which is directed by Arkasha Stevenson from a story by Ben Jacoby and a screenplay by Tim Smith, Stevenson, and Keith Thomas. David S. Goyer (Sandman, Hellraiser reboot, Foundation) and Keith Levine produce, with Tim Smith, Whitney Brown and Gracie Wheelan aboard as exec producers.

Watch the trailer for The First Omen below:

FrightFest Icon Comes to NYX UK This January

The New Year brings a new series on the free streaming platform NYX UK hosted by former STARBURST writer and genre guru Alan Jones. Entitled FrightFest Saturday Scares with Alan Jones, the show will see the respected critic, author, broadcaster, and festival director (not to mention punk and disco legend!) introduce some of his favourite films. He’ll be revealing facts and sharing his personal anecdotes about the movies.

The series starts on Saturday, January 20th with Mara Bava’s amazing Blood and Black Lace, with William Castle’s 13 Ghosts screening the following week. The show is produced by Alan’s FrightFest co-directors Ian Rattray and Greg Day.

Alan said of the show: “When NYX offered me the opportunity to talk about some of my favourite titles they have in their impressive and extensive library, I jumped at the chance. This FrightFest-produced show allows me to share my memories, fun facts and rarely reported information, but primarily to delight the NYX audience who will hopefully make ‘FrightFest Saturday Night Scares with Alan Jones’ an appointment destination”.

There are also more reasons to tune to NYX UK, as the channel has a host of great films for January, including Troll Hunter (Saturday, Jan 13th), The Satanic Rites of Dracula (Sunday, Jan 14th), John Carpenter’s The Ward (Tuesday, Jan 16th, to celebrate the Horror Master’s birthday), Jess Franco’s Female Vampire (Friday, Jan 19th), Lucio Fulci’s The House by the Cemetery (Tuesday, Jan 23rd) and the controversial nasty The House on the Edge of the Park (Friday, Jan 26th)

NYX UK is available on Freeview 289, Channelbox App, TCL TVs, and Distro TV.