Much of this week’s announcements were dominated by the announcement of Disney’s new streaming service, Disney+, as well as much of the new content that will be available then (which will get covered below), so there weren’t many other major announcements this week (that were worth noting). In addition to some Disney+ coverage, here’s what’s new in the movie world this week:
Elisabeth Moss Joins ‘Invisible Man’ Reboot
Elisabeth Moss recently had a supporting role in this year’s Us, and she already has another horror role on her itinerary coming up, as she joins the upcoming reboot of The Invisible Man. To be produced by Jason Blum and directed by Leigh Whannell, the film was originally intended to be part of a shared universe of monster movies, known as Universal’s Dark Universe. But after the poor reception of 2017’s The Mummy, this idea was scrapped, and this movie is now a standalone feature (for now). Moss is currently the only star attached to the project, as Johnny Depp was once signed on and then dropped before much else could get off the ground. Whannell’s most recent effort was last year’s sci-fi/horror mashup Upgrade, a darkly comic tale with some sinister undertones reminiscent of 2001: A Space Odyssey. If The Invisible Man is anything like Upgrade, this should be a fun monster movie for universal.
‘Mighty Mouse’ Live-Action Movie in the Works from ‘The Meg’ Screenwriters
Mighty Mouse isn’t exactly someone people have been clamoring for to return to either the big or small screen, but a movie’s coming anyway. A live-action effort that should mix in some CGI for the titular hero, the film will be written by Jon and Erich Hoeber, who recently wrote the shark movie The Meg, and also wrote the Red movies. While Mighty Mouse was more of a family-friendly hero, hopefully this will be some indication that the movie will go more towards over-the-top territory as opposed to playing it completely safe. There’s currently nothing else known about this project, other than that it will be produced by Paramount Animations, and this can easily go drastically either way, so only time will tell for this one.
Marlon Wayans Joins Sofia Coppola Movie
On the Rocks, the latest from director Sofia Coppola, has added to its cast in the form of Marlon Wayans. First announced in January, the joint venture between Apple and A24 will star Bill Murray and Rashida Jones as an estranged father and daughter who reconnect on an adventure. Wayans is mostly known for the Scary Movie and A Haunted House franchises as well as his many other comedies written and produced by the Wayans family, but has appeared in movies from more well-known filmmakers like the Coen Brothers’ The Ladykillers and Darren Aronofsky’s Requiem for a Dream, and this will be another break from his usual shtick. This will be the first feature-length film on Apple’s new streaming service, AppleTV+ though it’s unknown if it will also receive a theatrical release. Though either way, this should be a film to look forward to.
‘Shazam!’ Sequel Announced, Original Writer and Director Returning
It’s only been a week since Shazam! hit theaters, but a sequel is officially on the way. While it’s totally unknown what the movie will be about, or who’s getting added to the cast, it is known that director David F. Sandberg will return, along with screenwriter Henry Gayden. Shazam! is currently the biggest hit for the DC Extended Universe, being both a box office and critical success, something that the franchise desperately needed after getting off to an extremely rocky start back in 2013. The film is a stark departure from many of the DCEU’s previous entries, being much more light-hearted in tone, and having a bigger sense of fun and heart. So the original creative team on board for the sequel means lighting should easily strike twice for the comic book giants. The film set up plenty to explore in the sequel, while a solo feature focusing on Shazam’s nemesis in the comics, Black Adam, is also in the works. While DC will shift their focus for their next few movies, including Birds of Prey, Wonder Woman 1984, The Batman, and The Suicide Squad all next up, Shazam! will surely be revisited as DC’s most beloved film franchise.
Disney Announced Disney+ Content, Including Debut of ‘Lady and the Tramp’ Remake
The biggest announcement that has taken up much of this week’s spotlight is the presentation of Disney+, the company’s new streaming service that will bring together many of the company’s acquisitions such as Pixar, Marvel, and Star Wars altogether on one family-friendly platform. Disney announced that the first 30 seasons of The Simpsons, one of their newest acquisitions, thanks to the merger with Fox, will be available on day one of streaming. Meanwhile, the Star Wars series The Mandalorian will debut on the platform, as well as new series set in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, such as WandaVision, Falcon and the Winter Soldier, and an untitled Loki film. The platform will also feature a documentary series starring Jeff Goldblum aptly titled, The World According to Jeff Goldblum, while also serving as the debut of their live-action remake of Lady and the Tramp. Disney+ will launch on November 12, and with plenty of content already announced, is sure to be a big hit among fans.
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