Moviefone Editorial

Tag: amy-pascal

  • ‘Spider-Man’ Producers Tease Future Live-Action, Animated Movies

    ‘Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse’ lands in theaters on June 2nd, 2023.
    ‘Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse’ lands in theaters on June 2nd, 2023.

    All eyes are on the Spider-Verse this week thanks to the release of ‘Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse’ (find our review here), and all the positive buzz around it, but even with a follow-up on the way (‘Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse’, in theaters March 29th next year) the movie’s producers are looking further into the future.

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    Amy Pascal and Avi Arad, who are the general overseers of Sony’s Marvel-affiliated Spider-Verse, talked to Variety about possibilities for other movies.

    Among them? A live-action film focused on the Miles Morales character (the focus of the ‘Spider-Verse’ movies, there voiced by Shameik Moore), a ‘Spider-Woman’ animated spin-off and a fourth film (more directly in collaboration with the Marvel team) starring Tom Holland as Peter Parker/Spider-Man to follow 2021’s wildly successful ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’.

    What did the Spider-team say about a Miles Morales movie?

    Spider-Man/Miles Morales (Shameik Moore) in Columbia Pictures and Sony Pictures Animations’ 'Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse.'
    Spider-Man/Miles Morales (Shameik Moore) in Columbia Pictures and Sony Pictures Animations’ ‘Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse.’

    Morales, who first appeared in the pages of Marvel Comics in ‘Ultimate Fallout #4’ in 2011, has become a popular figure for fans who enjoy the more diverse characterization.

    As the emotional core of the ‘Spider-Verse’ movies, he’s also crossed over into a more mainstream movie audience, and the first entry won an Oscar for Best Animated Film.

    “You’ll see all of it. It’s all happening,” Pascal said at the ‘Across the Spider-Verse’ premiere.

    Nothing has been officially announced about any potential Miles Morales movie, but if the latest ‘Spider-Verse’ movie is as successful as the first, expect that to kick into high gear in terms of development.

    Is a Spider-Woman movie likely?

    (L to R) Jessica Drew (Issa Rae), and Gwen Stacy (Hailee Steinfeld) in Columbia Pictures and Sony Pictures Animations’ 'Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse.'
    (L to R) Jessica Drew (Issa Rae), and Gwen Stacy (Hailee Steinfeld) in Columbia Pictures and Sony Pictures Animations’ ‘Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse.’

    Related Article: Movie Review: ‘Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse’

    Much as with the Morales movie, there’s nothing official about a Spider-Woman film. The title could refer to Gwen Stacey (voiced by Hailee Steinfeld), but the Jessica Drew character, who has also gone by the title, is introduced in ‘Across the Spider-Verse’.

    According to Arad, a ‘Spider-Woman’ movie is coming sooner than you think.

    “I cannot tell you yet, but it’s coming,” he said at the premiere.

    Still, Steinfeld has told Variety that she’s up for much more Gwen time.

    Here’s what she had to say,

    “This is like my dream job, sign me up over and over again. I got to be comfortable! And it’s a dream to be in a space that feels so comfortable but also creative and free and just exciting to be a part of.”

    What about the future of movies starring Tom Holland as Peter Parker?

    Tom Holland as Spider-Man in 'Spider-Man: No Way Home.'
    Tom Holland as Spider-Man in ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home.’

    Sony is naturally looking to keep the Peter Parker Spidey train rolling, especially after the success of ‘No Way Home’. And according to Pascal, the studio is in the process of developing the fourth film, which would likely reunite Holland with co-stars Zendaya and Jacob Batalon and once more see contributions from Kevin Feige’s Marvel team.

    “Are we going to make another movie? Of course, we are. We’re in the process, but the writers’ strike, nobody is working during the strike. We’re all being supporters and whenever they get themselves together, we’ll get started.”

    Spider-Man/Miles Morales (Shameik Moore) in Columbia Pictures and Sony Pictures Animations’ 'Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse.'
    Spider-Man/Miles Morales (Shameik Moore) in Columbia Pictures and Sony Pictures Animations’ ‘Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse.’

    Other Movies Similar to ‘Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse’:

    Buy Tickets: ‘Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse’ Movie Showtimes

    Buy ‘Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse’ on Amazon

    ‘Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse’ is produced by Columbia Pictures, Sony Pictures Animation, Marvel Entertainment, Lord Miller Productions, Pascal Pictures, and Avi Arad Productions. It is set to release in theaters on June 2nd, 2023.

     

  • Sony Plans New Marvel Spider Shows

    Marvel Comics character Silk.
    Marvel Comics character Silk. Photo courtesy of Marvel.com.

    Could Sony be looking to compete with Disney+ in terms of Marvel output? The studio certainly seems to be stepping up to the televisual plate, with word last year that it was developing a series based on the ‘Silk’ comic books.

    That has now developed into a full-blown development slate, with plans for several series. But ‘Silk’ will still be first out of the gate, albeit with new producers.

    ‘Silk: Spider-Society’ will feature the character of Cindy Moon. A Korean American classmate of Peter Parker’s, she was first created by created by Dan Slott and Humberto Ramos and introduced in the comic books in ‘The Amazing Spider-Man #1’ in 2014. Like Parker, she is bitten by a radioactive spider, which gives her the ability to move at incredible speed, shoot webs out of her fingertips, and possess an advanced Spider-Sense (known as Silk Sense). Tiffany Espensen played the character in ‘Spider-Man: Homecoming’, though not the superhero version.

    When the show was first announced, Lauren Moon, a veteran of small screen titles such as ‘Good Trouble’ and Netflix’s ‘Atypical’ was reported as being in talks to run the series, but she’s no longer involved.

    Phil Lord and Chris Miller on the set of '21 Jump Street.'
    (L to R) Phil Lord and Chris Miller on the set of ’21 Jump Street.’

    Instead, overseeing producers Phil Lord and Chris Miller (who, of course, are closely connected to the Spider-universe thanks to, well, the ‘Spider-Verse’ movies) are working with Angela Kang, who has spent the last few years as the main showrunner for ‘The Walking Dead’. Though she’s still linked to the ‘Dead’ world thanks to executive producing a Daryl Dixon spin-off of the long-running zombie show, her focus will now be ‘Silk: Spider Society’.

    Also involved is regular Spider-producer Amy Pascal, who once more team with Lord and Miller to build out the suite of shows that will follow different characters under Sony’s rights. There are plenty to choose from, as the studio controls 900 Marvel characters as part of an arrangement made before Disney bought Marvel and spawned their successful cinematic universe.

    “Angela is a pro’s pro whose perspective and creativity we greatly respect and admire. She’s also a hell of a lot of fun. She loves these characters and we feel really lucky for the chance to work with her to bring Cindy Moon’s story to the world” said Lord and Miller in a statement.

    “I’m beyond thrilled to be joining the Amazon Studios family for this next chapter of my career. I look forward to working with the executive team on diverse, character-forward, watercooler shows for a global audience and am so excited to dive in to my first challenge – bringing Korean American superhero Silk to life on screen, ” said Kang.

    In a quirk of the deal, the show will actually debut domestically on MGM+’s (you might know it as Epix) linear channel followed by a global launch on Prime Video.

    Marvel Comics character Silk.
    Marvel Comics character Silk. Photo courtesy of Marvel.com.

  • Sony Adapting Marvel Comic ‘Silk,’ Giving Cindy Moon Her Own Movie

    Cindy Moon is almost ready for her superhero close-up.

    According to Deadline, Sony and producer Amy Pascal are in early development to adapt the Marvel comic “Silk” for the big screen.

    In the Marvel comic, Korean-American high school student Cindy gets bitten by the same radioactive spider as Peter Parker:

    “When Cindy Moon was a child, her parents found out that she had an eidetic memory. Her mother wanted Cindy to focus on her studies while Cindy would rather continue playing on her school hockey team with her secret boyfriend, Hector Cervantez. When her mother found out, she was forced to go to the school field trip to General Techtronics and Cin told her she hated her.

    When high school student Cindy Moon was attending a public exhibition demonstrating the safe handling of nuclear laboratory waste materials, sponsored by the General Techtronics Corporation, a spider irradiated by a particle accelerator used in the demonstration, bit Peter Parker on the hand and fell from his hand, it then bit Cindy in her ankle before dying. The first manifestation of her powers happened when her uncontrollable organic webbing accidentally caused her to web up her parents….”

    As Deadline noted, this standalone movie wouldn’t be the first on-screen appearance for the character of Cindy Moon. She’s already featured in “Spider-Man: Homecoming,” which was produced by Pascal and Sony. She’s part of the same decathlon team as Peter Parker. She also returns briefly in “Avengers: Infinity War,” on the bus with Peter and Ned.

    It’s not clear if actress Tiffany Espensen (who was actually born in China) would continue in the role in a “Silk” adaptation, but since she has now been featured in the background of two movies, it would make sense for this to be part of her slow introduction into the universe.

    Then again, this movie might stay exclusively with Sony and be separate from Tom Holland’s Peter Parker and the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The Wrap reports that “Silk” would be a part of Sony’s universe of Marvel-licensed characters along with “Venom” and such.

    Still…

    Stay tuned for details on this movie, since they emphasized that it’s early in development.

    “Venom” is the next Spidey spinoff ahead, starring Tom Hardy, and opening in theaters October 5. “Silver and Black” was pulled from the 2019 release schedule, but is still happening. The sequel to “Spider-Man: Homecoming” is scheduled to start filming this July for release in theaters July 2019.

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  • ‘Spider-Man: Homecoming’ Sequel Picks Up ‘a Few Minutes’ After ‘Avengers 4’

    Tom Holland is Spider-Man in Columbia Pictures' SPIDER-MAN: HOMECOMING.It sounds like Underoos won’t even have time for a shawarma break after “Avengers 4.”

    Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige told FANDOM that “Spider-Man: Homecoming” picks up “right after Peter Parker’s adventures in “Captain America: Civil War,” and Tom Holland‘s second Spider-Man movie will pick up right after the events of the fourth “Avengers” movie. As Sony boss Amy Pascal put it to FANDOM:

    “What I think we should focus on is this Spider-Man who started in ‘Civil War’ and then has this movie, and then will be in the ‘Avengers’ movie. And we are starting now the next one which will start a few minutes after ‘Avengers 4’ wraps as a story.”

    Feige had previously said “Avengers 4” did have a title, but they can’t release it yet because it’s too much of a spoiler. We’ll have to wait for “Avengers: Infinity War” (aka “Avengers 3”) to air next year before hearing too much more about “Avengers 4.” (FYI, Spider-Man is meant to have about the same amount of screen time in “Infinity War” as he had in “Civil War.”)

    Feige and Pascal confirmed to Collider that the second Spider-Man movie will be titled “Spider-Man: Subtitle,” with the subtitle to be named later. There will be no “2” in the title, although Feige said internally they are still calling it “Homecoming 2” for now. It’s also known that Holland’s Peter Parker will hang out with a different Marvel Cinematic Universe character in the sequel, it won’t be Robert Downey Jr.’s Tony Stark again.

    Feige and Pascal also noted, to Collider, that prep for “Homecoming 2” will start in August, and they’re thinking about starting filming in April or May, with “Homecoming” director Jon Watts likely to return.

    “Avengers: Infinity War” opens May 4th, 2018. “Avengers 4” will be released May 3, 2019. “Homecoming 2” is scheduled for July 5, 2019, making it the first MCU movie out after “Avengers 4,” and now we know Spidey’s sequel will pick up just minutes after that behemoth.

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  • Here’s Angelina Jolie’s Classy Response to Leaked ‘Spoiled Brat’ E-mails

    WSJ. Magazine 2015 Innovator Awards - ArrivalsAngelina Jolie Pitt is currently promoting her new movie “By the Sea,” which she wrote, directed, produced, and stars in alongside husband Brad Pitt. But while the New York Times had her handy, they asked for her reaction to those hacked Sony e-mails.

    You may remember the exchanges between producer Scott Rudin and Sony Pictures Entertainment co-chairman Amy Pascal, discussing the idea of Angelina Jolie wanting David Fincher to direct her in a “Cleopatra” movie.

    Gawker has a full breakdown, but at one point Rudin wrote to Pascal, “There is no movie of Cleopatra to be made (and how that is a bad thing given the insanity and rampaging ego of this woman and the cost of the movie is beyond me).” He added later, to the same e-mail, “I have zero appetite for the indulgence of spoiled brats and I will tell her this myself if you don’t.” In another e-mail, Rudin wrote of Jolie, “I’m not destroying my career over a minimally talented spoiled brat who thought nothing of shoving this off her plate for eighteen months so she could go direct a movie. […] She’s a camp event and a celebrity and that’s all and the last thing anybody needs is to make a giant bomb with her that any fool could see coming.” Yikes.

    So the NY Times asked Angelina Jolie if she was surprised when she read “the bruising exchange” about her between Amy Pascal and Scott Rudin. Jolie said she didn’t real the emails, but she knew what was in them. Here’s her response:

    Someone told me. There are certain things that bother me and certain things that don’t. Personal attacks on me? I think I’m just so used to it. Honestly, my first instinct was that I was worried about Amy. I had someone call her and ask if she was O.K. Not because I’m a saint, but because I think we have to look at the bigger picture. She’s got kids. I knew it was going to unravel for her.”

    Sony Pictures Classic 68th Annual Golden Globe Awards PartyThat’s a classy reaction, but considering most of the vitriol was from Scott Rudin, it’s not too shocking to see her take the high road. It’s also in keeping with her aim to stay positive instead of negative, when it comes to everything, including gender discrimination in Hollywood. As she put it at one point in the Times interview:

    I just think that sometimes people in the business focus on the fact that you’re a minority. I don’t want people saying, “Should we get a female director?” I want to hear, “Should we get a great director for this movie?” But I’m the first female director that Brad’s ever worked with. That doesn’t seem right when you think about it. […] Sexism is part of every industry and must be addressed. But I try not to focus on the negative but the positive side of what we can bring. I want to support other women because of the opportunities I’ve had — and I’ve had a lot of opportunities. What I try as a female director is to do the best job I can and in the meantime bring attention to as many other female directors and writers as I can. Right now I am producing “The Breadwinner,” an animated film about Afghanistan. Nora Twomey is the director.”

    Good for her. Considering all she’s accomplished on- and especially off-screen, “spoiled brat” seems like the least apt description.

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  • Sony Chief Amy Pascal Stepping Down Amid Hacking Scandal Fallout

    Premiere Of Columbia Pictures'
    The hacking attack that crippled Sony and threw its release of “The Interview” into disarray has claimed another victim: Amy Pascal, who will step down from her post as the studio’s co-chairman and chair of its motion picture group.

    Pascal will officially leave those roles in May, though she is slated to stay on at Sony as a producer. Her replacement is likely to be an existing Sony exec, according to Variety, and top candidates include TriStar Pictures chief Tom Rothman, Sony Pictures Entertainment Motion Picture Group president Doug Belgrad, and Columbia Pictures production president Michael De Luca.

    While Pascal has largely been hailed in her role at Sony — shepherding hits like “Spider-Man,” “The Social Network,” and “21 Jump Street” — the scandal surrounding alleged North Korean hackers’ release of detailed Sony documents and emails was ultimately too much for the executive to face. Pascal faced universal backlash after a racially-tinged email exchange with producer Scott Rudin speculating about President Barack Obama’s movie taste was unveiled.

    Despite that embarrassment, Pascal put a positive spin on her exit.

    “I have spent almost my entire professional life at Sony Pictures and I am energized to be starting this new chapter based at the company I call home,” Pascal said in a statement. “I have always wanted to be a producer.”

    Per Variety, Pascal’s four-year production deal will be based at Sony, which will provide funding for all her projects.

    [via: Variety]

    Photo credit: Getty Images

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