This week saw multiple announcements in the horror world as well as - like it wouldn’t be a complete week without it - some more Disney-related news. Check out what new developments occurred in the link below:
Mark Hamill to Voice Chucky in ‘Child’s Play’ Reboot
The reboot of Child’s Play arrives on June 21 this year, and despite trailers being released and the release date only months away, there was one overwhelmingly glaring detail that has yet to be announced: Who was voicing Chucky? Well, that was finally revealed when Mark Hamill announced in a taped statement at WonderCon in Anaheim that he is voicing the iconic character, once voiced by Brad Dourif. While Hamill has gone back to the world of live-action in recent years, reprising his iconic role of Luke Skywalker, among other roles, his bread and butter outside of the Star Wars franchise has been voice acting, most famously bringing the Joker to life in Batman: The Animated Series. Chucky, like some other iconic horror characters, is known for his darker sense of humor, especially in later installments of the original franchise. So having Hamill on board should certainly keep much of that same energy and make for a worthwhile reboot.
Ryan Reynolds and Taika Waititi Cast Together in Upcoming Comedy ‘Free Guy’
Something that’s easy to forget about director Taika Waititi - best known for Thor: Ragnarok and What We Do in the Shadows - is that he’s also an actor, having teamed up with Ryan Reynolds once in the critically panned Green Lantern movie. Now, the two are teaming up once again in a new comedy titled Free Guy. The film follows Reynolds who’s a bank teller with a routine life only to discover that he’s the background character in an action video game. The film will be directed by Shawn Levy - best known for his work on Night at the Museum - and written by Ready Player One’s screenwriter Zak Penn, while being produced by Arrowverse producer Greg Berlanti. Levy’s output tends to be hit and miss, with his hits, while serviceable, never exactly being the most adored. So this one is to be approached with a bit of trepidation. But given the cast, and the concept behind this one - which bears some similarities to The Truman Show, but with video games - this one is definitely intriguing.
Tom Hanks to Star in Elvis Presley Biopic… As His Manager
Much of Tom Hanks’ filmography past 2013 has consisted of biopics, with the legendary actor having played iconic figures ranging from Walt Disney to Mr. Rogers. And now he’s adding another real-life personality to his long list of biopic-centric roles, and that’s as Elvis Presley’s manager Colonel Tom Parker, in an upcoming untitled Elvis biopic. Directed by Baz Luhrmann, the project is still early in development, and the rock n roll musician has yet to be cast as of this time. Luhrmann certainly has the visual flare that can make an Elvis biopic fun, though his output is very “love it or hate it,” so this is another one that should be approached with some caution. Though Hanks’ involvement does certainly make it one of interest, especially due to the fact that even when he’s in a bad movie, his performance is always one of the standout elements of the film.
Cillian Murphy in Talks for ‘A Quiet Place 2’
One of the biggest hits in the horror world was A Quiet Place, the John Krasinski-directed film that blended chilling horror with heavy family drama. Recently, it’s been announced a sequel is in the works with Krasinski returning in the director’s chair with Emily Blunt also returning to star in the project. And it looks like the film will soon have its first new face, as Cillian Murphy is in talks to co-star with Blunt in the sequel. There are little to no details as of now in regards to the film’s plot, but it’s said that Murphy will be a man with mysterious intentions who joins forces with Blunt’s family. Murphy currently stars in the TV series Peaky Blinders and may be best known for his frequent collaborations with Christopher Nolan, mainly as the Scarecrow in Nolan’s Dark Knight trilogy. This also won’t be the actor’s first foray into horror, having previously made a name for himself in 28 Days Later, and he can easily turn on the “creep” element in these horror-thriller settings. So his casting should be well-suited for this highly anticipated sequel.
Ilana Glazer to Co-Write, Star in New Horror Movie, Produced by A24
Ilana Glazer’s Broad City has just recently come to an end, and already fans are highly anticipating what’s next for her. Well, they don’t have to wait long, as it’s already announced her first project will be co-writing and starring in a brand-new horror movie titled False Positive. The film will be produced by independent company A24, whose entries into the horror genre have always been some intriguing outings that range from The Witch to Hereditary. There are no other plot details, other than that it will be “a contemporary take on Rosemary’s Baby.” It’s unknown too if this will be more of a horror-comedy or a straightforward effort from Glazer, but it’s on the radar nonetheless. It’s also already been announced Justin Theroux and Pierce Brosnan will also star.
Colin Firth, Benedict Cumberbatch to Star in Sam Mendes World War I Drama
It’s been a while since we’ve seen a non-franchise film from Sam Mendes, who’s spent the last decade focused on the James Bond series, having given us Skyfall and Spectre. So it’ll be refreshing to see a new film from the director that’s not focused around the secret agent. Mendes’ next film will be titled 1917, a World War I-centered drama that’s focused on a single day at the height of the war. While the film will focus on two young soldiers played by George MacKay and Dean-Charles Chapman (aka Game of Thrones’ Tommen Baratheon), the supporting cast has been announced, which will include big names such as Colin Firth and Benedict Cumberbatch, alongside Chapman’s fellow Game of Thrones co-star Richard Madden. While details are still a bit scarce right now, the cast and crew involved definitely leave plenty of interest.
Jim Jarmusch Zombie Movie Announced, to be Released in June 2019
A movie that I would have loved to include in my “Most Anticipated of the Year” list would have been Jim Jarmusch’s upcoming zombie comedy film. While announced last year to star Adam Driver and Bill Murray, details regarding an actual release date and title were still unknown so it was unclear whether or not it would even be seen this year. Though now, fans of Jarmusch can rejoice as the film - now titled The Dead Don’t Die - has been announced to see release on June 14, from Focus Features. And the cast is stacked. In addition to Driver and Murray, the film also stars Chloe Sevigny, Selena Gomez, Steve Buscemi, Danny Glover, Tilda Swinton, Rosie Perez, Tom Waits, Iggy Pop and the RZA. No trailers or any other sort of details have yet to be announced, though that currently doesn’t matter as everything else about this certainly makes it high on the radar.
Don Rickles Will Reprise His Role as Mr. Potato Head in 'Toy Story 4' After All… Sort Of
When Toy Story 4 was first announced, one of the first cast members announced to reprise his role was Don Rickles as Mr. Potato Head. Unfortunately, Rickles passed away back in 2017, and it was confirmed that the iconic comedian had yet to record any lines of dialogue for the film. It was highly speculated who would replace Rickles in the role, as Potato Head has been confirmed to still appear in the film. Well, as director Josh Cooley stated, “nobody can replace him,” and has stated that Rickles’ voice will still be heard in the upcoming sequel after all. At the rest of Rickles’ family, Disney has gone through 25 years of unused recordings from not just the first three Toy Story films, but from various video games and theme park-related recordings to make for Potato Head’s dialogue in the film. Considering the film is mainly focusing around newer characters, it’s almost guaranteed Potato Head will have something that’s more of a glorified cameo, though it will still be comforting for fans of both Rickles and the beloved character, and will also serve as a nice tribute to the legendary comedian.
Denzel Washington and Frances McDormand to Star in Joel Coen’s ‘Macbeth’
Joel Coen has never worked on a major project without his brother Ethan, and every one of their projects - even if one had larger involvement than the other - are always known to be by “the Coen Brothers.” Well, there’s a first time for everything, and it’s been announced that Joel is working on his first film without any involvement from his brother. And that project is an adaptation of Shakespeare’s Macbeth. A24 is backing the project and will be produced by their longtime collaborator Scott Rudin, who has given them Oscar-nominated films in the past such as Lady Bird. While Macbeth has been remade plenty of times - most recently in 2015 with Michael Fassbender and Marion Cotillard, to critical acclaim - this is still a high-ticket item, considering all who are involved here, especially as it will be interesting to see a film by Joel without Ethan. No release date is currently set but the plan is to have the film shot by the end of the year, so this may not see release till early-to-mid next year.
Angelina Jolie to Join Marvel Cinematic Universe in ‘The Eternals’
It’s almost impossible for a week to go by without some sort of development in the gargantuan Marvel Cinematic Universe. This week’s development involves one of Hollywood’s biggest names, with Angelina Jolie set to star in The Eternals, a film centered around near-immortal humans who gain superpowers given to them by aliens. It’s presumed Jolie will play the leader of the Eternals, though that has yet to be officially announced. While a release date has yet to be announced, it’s been confirmed this film will be part of the Phase Four initiative, which will be the first phase set after the long-gestating Infinity Saga. The Eternals will be written by Matthew and Ryan Firpo, and will be directed by Chloe Zhao, best known for her critically acclaimed independent rodeo drama The Rider.
#AngelinaJolie #Marvel #TheEternals #Disney #ToyStory #DonRickles #IlanaGlazer #BroadCity #CillianMurphy #AQuietPlace #JoelCoen #Macbeth #ColinFirth #BenedictCumberbatch #FrancesMcDormand #DenzelWashington #MarkHamill #ChildsPlay #TaikaWaititi #RyanReynolds #TomHanks #BazLuhrmann #BillMurray #JimJarmusch #Film #Movies
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