After a few slower news weeks, this week saw an increase in some major announcements. While Marvel shifts their focus on the highly-anticipated global event that is Avengers: Endgame, DC had one announcement of their own, as do some other names in the horror and sci-fi genres. Check out this week’s biggest stories below:
‘The Six Billion Dollar Man’ Movie in the Works from Travis Knight
An adaptation of the classic sci-fi TV series The Six Million Dollar Man has been in the works for years, going back as far as being in development by The Weinstein Company, with Mark Wahlberg attached to star. However, once the company went under, the project was in development hell for some time, only to be eventually picked up by Warner Bros, though Wahlberg had briefly left. Now, it’s been announced that production will finally get off the ground, as director Travis Knight has been signed on to helm the project, with Wahlberg back in. Knight is quickly making a name for himself as a hot commodity, having helmed Laika’s hit Kubo and the Two Strings, as well as the surprise success that was the Transformers spin-off, Bumblebee. Both films were visually fantastic ventures that also contained a surprising amount of depth an emotion. If Knight continues this momentum, The Six Billion Dollar Man - currently with no release date just yet - is sure to be another hit for the director.
Alex Ross Perry to Write and Direct an Adaptation of Stephen King’s ‘Rest Stop’
Director Alex Ross Perry has been tapped by Legendary Pictures to write and direct an adaptation of Stephen King’s short story Rest Stop. Published in 2003, the story revolves around an author who overhears and breaks up a domestic spat at a rest stop, only to find themselves on the run shortly after. Perry’s adaptation - which is said to be a cat-and-mouse thriller - is expected to diverge from the source material, including swapping the genders of the main characters and focusing on two characters rather than one. Perry is just coming off the just-released Her Smell, a punk rock drama starring Elisabeth Moss about a musician with a deteriorating mental state. Perry is acclaimed for his smaller scale independent dramas, although he did write the screenplay for the live-action Winnie the Pooh film, Christopher Robin, which received modest reviews. Considering his success in the independent circuit, hopefully his first directorial effort in mainstream territory will be even greater.
Jennifer Lawrence to Lead Secret A24 Movie
After a year off from filming, Jennifer Lawrence has announced her next big project, which will find her scaling back from her bigger blockbuster efforts that she’s become known for in recent years. Lawrence has announced that she’s working on an upcoming film that will be produced by independent powerhouse company A24. The untitled film will be directed by theater director Lila Neugebauer in her directorial debut, and will focus on Lawrence as “a U.S. soldier who suffers a traumatic brain injury in Afghanistan and struggles to recover back home.” The film also stars Brian Tyree Henry, who has been making a name for himself as well appearing in acclaimed independent dramas such as Widows and If Beale Street Could Talk. Lawrence first made a name for herself in independent dramas, with her big break being in 2010’s Winter’s Bone. Considering the talent behind the camera as well as in front of the camera, this will be a welcome return back to her roots.
John Cena to Join ‘The Suicide Squad’
Development on DC’s upcoming The Suicide Squad is ramping up, with another major casting announcement. The James Gunn-directed reboot has now eyed John Cena for a major role in the film, which will see him joining returning cast members Margot Robbie, Viola Davis, and Jai Courtney, as well as DC newcomer Idris Elba. It’s currently unknown what role Cena would take on, leaving him in the same boat as fellow newcomer Elba, whom was originally supposed to replace Will Smith as Deadshot following the latter’s announcement he was unable to return due to scheduling conflicts. Cena has proved to have a very charismatic screen presence, following lead roles in films such as Blockers and Bumblebee. The Suicide Squad will find the highly likable wrestler-actor venturing into more bizarre territory, considering with Gunn’s involvement and the nature of the eponymous team, The Suicide Squad will be DC’s own equivalent to Marvel’s delightfully strange Guardians of the Galaxy.
Lucasfilm Confirms ‘Knights of the Old Republic’ Movie in Development
As this year’s Rise of the Skywalker concludes the main Star Wars trilogy as well as the focus on the titular family, Lucasfilm - after a recently announced break - will shift their focus on Star Wars films that take place in other parts and time periods of their vast universe. There have been announcements in the last few years that trilogies from both Last Jedi director Rian Johnson as well as Game of Thrones creators David Benioff and D.B. Weiss being in development. In an interview with Lucasfilm president Kathaleen Kennedy, she announced that one of the films in development will be Knights of the Old Republic, focusing on the time period 4000 years before the foundation of the Galactic Empire. Originally a highly acclaimed video game, fans have been wanting a film focusing on the time period for quite some time, so this is a major announcement for many diehard fans of the series. While there have been rumors that the film will be part of Benioff and Weiss’ trilogy, Kennedy did not confirm the details of the announcement, nor did she give a projected release date. Regardless, as the Skywalker saga dies down, fans will surely be eagerly awaiting what’s coming next in the galaxy far, far away.
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