This week saw a return to more Marvel casting news, a new biopic in the works, two remakes, as well as another bizarre film concept being brought to life. Check out below for the latest developments from this week:
Mel Gibson to Star as Santa in Action-Comedy ‘Fatman’… No, Really
When you think of Santa Claus, you think of Mel Gibson, right? Well, you’re about to find out what that’s like when the action comedy Fatman gets brought to the big screen. Set to be directed by indie directors Ian and Eshom Nelms (who directed little-known films such as Small Town Crime and Waffle Street), the film will follow Gibson as a rowdy Santa dealing with his business in decline, while at the same time also following a 12-year-old who finds a lump of coal in his stocking and decides to hire a hitman to take Santa out because of it. So if you thought Netflix’s The Christmas Chronicles was an offbeat Santa movie, it sounds like this will make that movie look like Miracle on 34th Street. While this can easily go either way and doesn’t necessarily have a more reliable creative team at the helm, this is easily too insane of a concept not to at the very least check out.
Chadwick Boseman to Star as First African Samurai in Biopic ‘Yasuke’
When Chadwick Boseman’s not too busy playing one of the most beloved superheroes to hit the big screen in some time, he’s doing the other thing he does best: Biopics. And this time, it’s a biopic that will get to still see him be an action star. Boseman will take on the role of the titular role as the first African samurai in Yasuke. The real Yasuke was brought to Japan as a slave, where he caught the attention of a ruthless feudal lord, eventually gaining not only his trust and respect, but his friendship, allowing him to ascend to the role of samurai. The role should see Boseman well into his comfort zone, combining the two genres he’s become acclaimed for taking on. The film has long been in development hell for years, but will finally see the light of day thanks to a screenplay from Narcos co-creator Doug Miro.
Female ‘Cliffhanger’ Remake Coming From ‘A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night’ Director
Cliffhanger, the Sylvester Stallone-led action movie from the 1980s about a man fighting terrorists while rock climbing, is getting a remake. And it’s coming from a somewhat unusual choice, as it’s being directed by Ana Lily Amirpour. Best known for her acclaimed feature length debut, the Persian-language vampire western, A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night, this will be a female-led remake of the Stallone film. And this is a remake that is a little easier to get behind, considering this one isn’t exactly a classic and could use the update (much like Stallone’s Judge Dredd, which, too, got a remake that wound up being infinitely better than the original). No casting announcements have been made yet, outside Jason Momoa rumored to have a cameo.
David S. Goyer to Write ‘Hellraiser’ Remake
Another film getting the remake treatment is the 1987 classic Hellraiser. To be produced by Spyglass Media Group, the project will be fast-tracked with a script that will be penned by writer David S. Goyer. Best known for his work in bigger budgeted superhero and horror movies, Goyer’s not always a critical darling, but he did write the screenplay for one of the most beloved superhero movies of all-time, The Dark Knight. Gary Barber, who runs Spyglass and is friends with original Hellraiser writer-director Clive Barker, describes the film as a “loyal, yet evolved reimagining” of the film, itself based on Barker’s original novella “The Hellbound Heart.” No casting announcements have been made yet, including who’s to take on the role of the legendary Pinhead.
Marvel’s ‘The Eternals’ Casts Richard Madden
Marvel will soon gain another Stark, in the form of Richard Madden, known best as Game of Thrones’ Robb Stark. Madden will be joining The Eternals, one of the few known post-Endgame films currently in development from the superhero giants. Madden will play a member of the titular race of characters named Ikaris, joining Angelina Jolie and Kumail Nanjiani. The original comic book was set millions of years in the past, focusing on the Eternals, a group of super-powered humans, as they faced off against Greek, Roman, and Norse deities before heading to Earth. It’s assumed, given the state of the current Marvel Cinematic Universe timeline, that this film will do the same. Chloe Zhao is set to direct the film with a screenplay written by Matthew and Ryan Firpo.
Comments