This week saw the announcement of two Staten Island-set movies, as well as some announcements involving the DC Extended Universe. Check out those stories, plus more of this week’s newest developments, below:
Wu-Tang Clan Releasing a Horror Movie
Ghostface Killah and the RZA - both members of the legendary hip-hop group Wu Tang Clan - are developing a new horror movie set in Staten Island, along with BlacKkKlansman producer Shaun Redick. Titled Angel of Dust, the film is based on stories from the streets of New York, focusing on a young teenager on his own in New York after the mysterious death of his parents. RZA will reportedly write an original score and Wu-Tang Clan will write original music for the soundtrack. This announcement came right after the group’s appearance at Sundance Film Festival to promote their new documentary Of Mics and Men. The RZA’s feature debut, The Man With the Iron Fists, received mixed reviews. And while there is no word yet as to who’s directing Angel of Dust, the hip-hop group’s notable ambition - as well as the involvement of Redick - does make this one certainly intriguing.
Child’s Play TV Series in the Works From Franchise Creator
This June sees the release of a Child’s Play reboot, for the first time without the involvement of series creator Don Mancini. But those who are fans of Chucky should fear not, as Mancini is currently developing a TV series centering around the character, serving as the series’ writer and executive producer. While the quality of the Child’s Play series has deteriorated with each sequel - even in those that attempt to reimagine Chucky as a more Freddy Kreuger-type character, making humorous one-liners at every turn - there’s still a level of interest that goes into the serial killer doll getting his own series. SyFy has made some fan-favorite series before, so there’s always a chance this one could be another hit for the channel.
Peter Jackson Directing a Beatles Documentary Film
Peter Jackson just released a documentary titled They Shall Not Grow Old, which restores and remasters unseen footage from World War I, colorizing it and mixing it so that it sounds a bit more like you’re right there with the soldiers. Having already received critical acclaim, Jackson is already looking for lightning to strike twice, having just announced his next documentary, focused on Let It Be, the Beatles’ final album. Jackson will be employing the same techniques he used for They Shall Not Grow Old, using a lot of unseen footage from the original recording sessions in order to create something more modern and get the audience to feel like they’re right there with John, Paul, George, and Ringo. While I have yet to see They Shall Not Grow Old, the footage I have seen from the trailers looks fantastic, and hopefully Jackson’s next documentary will have the same feel.
Aaron Sorkin's Next Film Back on Track and Reveals Cast
Trial of the Chicago 7 - Aaron Sorkin's next film in production - was put on hold last year due to some budgetary concerns. But recently, Sorkin revealed the film is back in production, revealing a cast that includes Seth Rogen, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Eddie Redmayne, and Sacha Baron Cohen. Based on the trial of the anti-war activists who were charged with federal conspiracy, this one is high on the radar for the talent involved. While Sorkin can be a bit too much for some, due to his dialogue-heavy screenplays, his films have always had a fun, darkly comic edge to them, with his latest film and directorial debut, Molly’s Game, being a great time. While I imagine this will be some of his heaviest subject matter to date, the wildly talented cast involved should still make for a fun time.
Zack Snyder Directing New Zombie Movie for Netflix
Zack Snyder has always been a mixed bag. His contributions to the DC Extended Universe were wildly hit and miss, and his most original production - Sucker Punch - while ambitious, was all over the place. His earliest films though, are some of his more well-received features, with his most critically acclaimed film being the remake of Dawn of the Dead. Now Snyder returns to his zombie roots with a new horror movie, titled Army of the Dead (which to my knowledge bears no relation to Dawn), to be released on Netflix. This is one to be approached with caution, as Snyder can really miss the mark, when completely left to his own devices. However, considering how good of a job he did with Dawn of the Dead - as well as the involvement of Netflix - does raise a certain level of interest that can potentially make for a gory treat for horror fans.
Stephen King’s The Stand Will Be a Limited Series on CBS
The Fault in Our Stars and New Mutants director Josh Boone will be bringing Stephen King’s post-apocalyptic novel The Stand to CBS as a 10-episode miniseries. One of King’s longest and most ambitious works, The Stand was adapted once before as a four-episode miniseries on ABC. There’s not much information as of now in regards to Boone’s adaptation, but considering the success of The Fault in Our Stars, he may be able to repeat such success on the small screen. While I thought The Fault in Our Stars was a little too schmaltzy and I am a bit skeptical as CBS hasn’t always produced the strongest of network television programming, the trailers for New Mutants look like it’ll be quite a thrill ride, so hopefully that same sort of intensity will be repeated with The Stand.
Judd Apatow to Produce a Pete Davison Comedy
Universal Pictures has announced plans to release an as-of-now untitled comedy starring Pete Davidson, also to be produced by Judd Apatow. The film will be a semi-autobiographical tale set in Staten Island. Apatow will co-produce the film alongside Barry Mendel, whom he’s teamed up with on projects such as The Big Sick, Bridesmaids, and Trainwreck. This news comes right after Davidson’s latest film, Big Time Adolescence, premiered at Sundance, where it had positive reception, in particular for his performance. The SNL performer has already obtained a fairly large following in the last few years. And with Apatow’s involvement, this one has potential to make quite an impact at the box office once it’s out.
Ben Affleck Steps Down as Batman for Matt Reeves’ Upcoming Film
As mentioned earlier, Zack Snyder’s contributions to the DC Extended Universe have been wildly hit and miss. His involvement as since come to an end, with Justice League being his final entry into the series. And it looks like one of the most divisive aspects of his time in the Universe will also be coming to an end, and that's Ben Affleck as Batman. While I personally never had a problem with Affleck, his performance as the iconic superhero has been subjected to extreme criticism, and his future in the DCEU has been in question since Justice League. Originally set to direct and star in the standalone feature The Batman, he has since dropped out as both, though remaining on as a producer. The Batman, to be released in 2021, will be directed by Matt Reeves and will focus on a young Bruce Wayne, in a story that’s said to be heavily influenced by Alfred Hitchcock and older noir films. Batman has yet to be cast for Reeves’ film and while Affleck did a fine job as Batman (in my opinion), this will hopefully be a fresh new start for DC’s film series.
James Gunn to Direct New Suicide Squad Film, Now a Reboot
Another major development that also signals the shift away from the DCEU’s earlier output is the latest news regarding the new Suicide Squad film. While it was already made clear that James Gunn will write the new film, but it’s now reported that Gunn will now direct as well. The film - titled The Suicide Squad - will act as more of a reboot than a sequel to David Ayers’ 2016 film, and will primarily feature new characters. It’s unknown who will remain from the original lineup. While Margot Robbie will return as Harley Quinn in Birds of Prey, it’s unknown if she’ll remain separate from the group moving forward. This will be a return to the director’s chair for Gunn, who was fired from Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy 3 after some of his old controversial tweets containing some offensive jokes were unearthed. While Gunn had apologized and fans petitioned for him to remain on, Disney stood by their decision to keep Gunn off Guardians. Hopefully, with his quirky sense of humor and sense of off-the-wall sci-fi and fantasy fun, he’ll be a welcome breath of fresh air for the squad.
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