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First Trailer for the ‘Father of the Bride’ Reboot

(L-R) Andy Garcia as Billy and Adria Arjona as Sophie in Warner Bros. Pictures’ and HBO Max’s ‘Father of the Bride.’ Photo Credit: Claudette Barius. Copyright: © 2022 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved.

When you think of the movie ‘Father of the Bride’, you’re likely to picture the 1991 movie in which Steve Martin’s George Banks stresses out upon learning that his daughter Annie (Kimberly Williams) is getting married. Cue plenty of hijinks, wise advice from wife Nina (Diane Keaton) and accented craziness from Martin Short’s wedding planner Franck Eggelhoffer.

You might also picture the 1995 sequel, in which revolves around plenty of pregnancy chaos. Now, though, current audiences may well be inclined to think of the new HBO Max update, which stars the likes of Andy Garcia, Gloria Estefan and ‘Morbius’ Adria Arjona, and gives the story a Latin flavor.

Directed by Gary Alazraki, and written by Matt Lopez, this new ‘Father of the Bride’ focuses on married couple Billy (Garcia) and Ingrid (Estefan), who are surprised when their eldest daughter Sofia (Arjona) comes home to Miami for a visit. But the surprises just keep coming when she announces a new boyfriend, Adan (Diego Boneta) — who is also now her fiancé — and their plans for a quick-turnaround wedding and a new life together in Mexico, where Adan’s family is from.

Sofia’s quickfire revelations keep Billy and Ingrid from making their own disclosure (that they’re calling quits on their marriage), but both agree to delay the news and play the loving couple for the benefit of the family.

Old-fashioned Billy is at first opposed to the wedding, but he is eventually swayed… well, as long as his opinions as father of the bride carry the most weight in all things matrimonial. A prominent architect and family man, Billy feels his hard-fought success and dedication to his heritage earn him the right to call the shots. After all his achievements, why is he suddenly seen as the bad guy?
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The same could also be said for Adan’s equally headstrong father, Hernan (Pedro Damián), who soon arrives with his own traditions and family pride in tow… plus a giant yacht which makes Billy wonder if he’s a Bond villain.

With both iron-willed fathers vying to take charge of the festivities, it becomes a prideful game of one-upmanship, as cultures clash, generations take sides and competing traditions collide. Family relationships are tested, along with the couple at the center of it all, as the roller coaster ride of wedding planning races toward the altar.

It all sounds very much of a piece with the other versions – and should anyone start decrying that the Steve Martin version should not be remade, don’t forget that that isn’t even the original version of this story. There was a run of movies in the 1950s, all drawn from a 1949 novel by Edward Streeter (to which this new one also owes a debt).

And after all, what’s a wedding without something old, something new, something borrowed and… something blue? (We’re not sure whether there’s a lot of swearing since it’s a family movie, but you never know. Maybe just people in blue clothing).

With Matt Walsh, Isabela Merced, and Chloe Fineman also in the cast, ‘Father of the Bride’ walks down the aisle to HBO Max on June 16th.

(L-R) Andy Garcia as Billy, Gloria Estefan as Ingrid, Adria Arjona as Sophie and Diego Boneta as Adan in Warner Bros. Pictures’ and HBO Max’s ‘Father of the Bride.’ Photo Credit: Claudette Barius. Copyright: © 2022 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved.
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May 11, 2022
New ‘House of the Dragon’ Teaser Trailer

(L to R) Olivia Cooke as Alicent Hightower, Rhys Ifans as Otto Hightower in HBO Max’s ‘House of the Dragon.’

“What is this brief, mortal life… If not the pursuit of legacy?” So says Lord Corlys Velaryon (Steve Toussaint) in the opening moments of the new teaser for ‘House of the Dragon’.

And given that this is the prequel series to one of the biggest TV shows of all time, you’d forgive the creators (which include George R.R. Martin, from whose novels ‘Game of Thrones’, that aforementioned TV show, sprang) for having legacy on their mind too.

Having spent a fraction under $20 million per episode on this first season of ‘Dragon’, the new series is a gamble, even if following ‘Thrones’ might be a slightly safer bet than some others.

But there’s also that giant fanbase, who devoured every moment of ‘Thrones’ and who ended up having big issues with the final season of the series, to please, which is always on the mind.

‘House of the Dragon’, like its progenitor, is also based on Martin’s books, this time the 2018 novel ‘Fire & Blood’, which chronicled the history of House Targaryen, the family seen via Emilia Clarke’s Daenerys Targaryen in ‘Thrones’.

This time, though, the setting is 200 years before the events chronicled in that show, albeit with some very familiar jockeying for power.

Paddy Considine stars as King Viserys Targaryen, chosen by the lords of Westeros to succeed the Old King, Jaehaerys Targaryen. A warm, kind, and decent man, Viserys only wishes to carry forward his grandfather’s legacy. But good men do not necessarily make for great kings. Matt Smith, most recently seen in ‘Morbius’, is Prince Daemon Targaryen, younger brother to King Viserys and heir to the throne. A peerless warrior and a dragonrider, Daemon possesses the true blood of the dragon.
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Eve Best has the role of Princess Rhaenys Targaryen, a dragonrider and wife to Lord Corlys Velaryon, “The Queen Who Never Was” was passed over as heir to the throne at the Great Council because the realm favored her cousin, Viserys, simply for being male.

‘The King’s Man’s Rhys Ifans plays Otto Hightower. The Hand of the King, Ser Otto loyally and faithfully serves both his king and his realm. As the Hand sees it, the greatest threat to the realm is the king’s brother, Daemon, and his position as heir to the throne. Olivia Cooke appears as Alicent Hightower, Otto’s daughter, and the most beautiful woman in the Seven Kingdoms. She was raised in the Red Keep, close to the king and his innermost circle; she possesses both a courtly grace… and a keen political acumen.

Emma D’Arcy portrays Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen, the king’s first-born child, she is of pure Valyrian blood, and she is a dragonrider. Many would say that Rhaenyra was born with everything… but she was not born a man.

Toussaint’s Velaryon is “The Sea Snake.” Lord of House Velaryon, a Valyrian bloodline as old as House Targaryen. As the most famed nautical adventurer in the history of Westeros, Lord Corlys built his house into a powerful seat that is even richer than the Lannisters and that claims the largest navy in the world.

Sonoya Mizuno plays Mysaria, who came to Westeros with nothing, sold more times than she can recall. She could have wilted… but instead she rose to become the most trusted – and most unlikely – ally of Prince Daemon Targaryen, the heir to the throne.

As the title (and this teaser) suggests, we can expect a lot more dragon action (where do you think a chunk of that hefty budget goes?) and all the political wrangling you might hope for.

This new show comes from Martin, ‘Colony’ co-creator Ryan Condal and ‘Thrones’ show veteran Miguel Sapochnik, who is an executive producer and director here.

‘House of the Dragon’ starts on HBO Max on August 21st.

‘House of the Dragon’ is scheduled to premiere on HBO Max beginning August 21st.

May 5, 2022
Viola Davis Back as Amanda Waller for ‘Peacemaker’ Spinoff

Viola Davis as Amanda Waller in 2016’s ‘Suicide Squad.’

After scheming her way through both 2016’s ‘Suicide Squad’ and last year’s ‘The Suicide Squad’, not to mention two quick cameos in ‘Peacemaker’, Viola Davis’ Amanda Waller looks to become the focus of her own TV series.

HBO Max, which saw big success with the James Gunn-created ‘Peacemaker’ is looking to continue that story; and not just with the already-commissioned second season of the show.

According to Variety, Davis is in talks to return as Waller and to be an executive producer on the new series. Gunn, who is currently in the final stages of filming ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, won’t write or direct on the show, choosing instead to focus on the future of ‘Peacemaker’ itself and other projects he’s developing.

Instead, Christal Henry, who has worked on shows including ‘Watchmen’ (also for HBO Max), ‘The First’ and ‘APB’, will be the creative head, lead writer and executive producer of the Waller series, should it make it to production. Gunn will be involved, however, as an executive producer alongside regular producing partner Peter Safran.

Waller, for those who have somehow avoided both the ‘Suicide Squad’ movies and ‘Peacemaker’, is the ambitious, conniving civil servant and director of A.R.G.U.S. who established Task Force X, AKA the Suicide Squad, wanting to assemble a team of expendable metahumans who would be used to execute covert operations against even more dangerous threats.

Viola Davis as Amanda Waller in 2016’s ‘Suicide Squad.’

Gunn’s ‘The Suicide Squad’ introduced John Cena’s Christopher Smith, better known as Peacemaker, a bullish, dim-bulb hero whose stated mission is peace at any cost – even if it means killing everyone in sight. ‘Peacemaker’ developed the character in much more rounded fashion, exploring his traumatic, troubled past and seeing him confront a new enemy in the shape of alien butterfly creatures intent on taking Earth for themselves.

‘Peacemaker’, though it only featured Waller briefly, introduced some big changes into the storyline for the character as – spoiler alert – the finale saw her daughter, Leota Adebayo (played by Danielle Brooks) blow the whistle Waller’s actions and her attempts to frame Peacemaker to put him back behind bars.

That would seem to effectively close down Task Force X and other opportunities for Waller, who has always worked best in the shadows. The new series would presumably feature her attempts to deal with the fallout, and to get a new scheme and/or team into play. Brooks was entertaining and human as Adebayo, so hopefully she might also crop up in the new show.

This would by no means be Davis’ first TV series. She won an Emmy for playing brilliant criminal defense professor Annalise Keating on ‘How to Get Away with Murder’ and is currently to be found playing Michelle Obama on Showtime series ‘The First Lady’, which looks at the lives of various presidents’ wives, including Betty Ford and Eleanor Roosevelt.

And Davis will also be back in theaters with ‘The Woman King’, Gina Prince-Bythewood’s historical action drama which sees Davis as Nanisca, ruler of the kingdom of Dahomey, one of the most powerful states of Africa in the 18th and 19th centuries. That movie will be out on September 16th.
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May 3, 2022
KJ Apa and Isabel May Cast as the ‘Wonder Twins’

KJ Apa on ‘Riverdale.’ Photo: Dean Buscher/The CW. © 2016 The CW Network. All Rights Reserved.

Back in February, word first arrived that DC was looking to promote super-powered siblings Zan and Jayna, better known as the ‘Wonder Twins,’ from cartoons and cameos to their own live action movie.

Now we know who will be playing the pair, as ‘Riverdale’s KJ Apa and ‘1883’s Isabel May have landed the lead roles.

Aliens Zan and Jayna, unlike many of their comics stablemates, made their debut on TV in Hanna Barbera animated series ‘The All-New Super Friends Hour’ in 1977. Created by Norman Maurer, they went on to appear on other series before making their debut in comic books based on the show and became part of the wider DC Universe.

They’re best known for their catchphrase, “Wonder Twins power, activate!” and touching hands, leading Jayne to transform into any animal and Zan into any form of water. Which might not seem like the greatest combo when you are extraterrestrial crime fighters.

Still, they do at least have a sidekick, a monkey pal called Gleek, who is intelligent, communicates via sign language and has a stretchable, prehensile tail, which comes in handy.

They’ve rarely been given major attention, popping up on the likes of cartoon series ‘Teen Titans Go!’ and live-action show ‘The Flash’.

Now, though, ‘Black Adam’ writer Adam Sztykiel is the person who will look to bring them up to date even further and make them work on their own. But as is usual for a film like this, the plot is being kept locked behind a shield of secrecy. Sztykiel is also directing the movie.

Wonder Twins Photo Courtesy of DC Comics.

In other DC Comics movie news, Leslie Grace, the star of ‘Batgirl’ has been enthusiastically talking up working on her own superhero saga, with ‘Bad Boys For Life’ directors Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah now shepherding the movie through post-production.

As part of an interview with Variety, Grace explained that the mood on set shifted noticeably when Michael Keaton arrived in his Batman suit. “Our directors were like two little kids,” she laughs. “They’re legit Batman nerds openly. He’s Batman, man! I couldn’t even believe that I was sharing space with Batman. I want to say more, but I can’t. It was insane, surreal, incredible. It was the stuff of dreams really.”

And despite opining about the night shoots and squeezing into her costume, Grace seems excited to continue on to a sequel, even if she offers a caution that the initial outing must still be a success. “We got to see this first one first,” she says.

“But there’s definitely some talks about what it could be. I’ve seen some of what we’ve shot, obviously in the playback and stuff like that, and it’s insane. We’ve already been talking about where we do take this from here, because there’s so much that happens in this film. There are a lot of different themes in the plot that we touch on. It’s not just the action. There’s a love story. There’s this father-daughter relationship. There’s looking at the world through a lens that isn’t just black and white and seeing the color and the spectrum between things.”

‘Batgirl’ should be on HBO Max this year.

Leslie Grace in HBO Max’s ‘Batgirl.’
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April 15, 2022
Charlize Theron Producing ‘Aqualad’ Series for HBO Max

Jackson Hyde/Aqualad from DC Comics. Photo courtesy of DC Comics.

Having seen success with ‘Peacemaker’ (not to mention the sprawling universe of other superhero shows across several different platforms), DC and HBO Max are teaming up with Charlize Theron to produce new graphic novel adaptation ‘You Brought Me the Ocean’, which will introduce the origin story of DC’s Aqualad to live-action.

Well, at least this version – this being a comic book title, there have been more than one. Still, the Jake Hyde version of Aqualad first debuted in 2010 and was created by Brandon Vietti, Greg Weisman, and Phil Bourassa for the animated series ‘Young Justice.’, where he was voiced by Khary Payton.

A comic book version of the character simultaneously debuted in ‘Brightest Day #4.’ He also goes by the name Kaldur’ahm, and it was later revealed that he is the son of the supervillain Black Manta.

The HBO Max series will be based on characters from DC and the graphic novel by Alex Sanchez and Jul Maroh. This new show will explore the life of Jackson “Jake” Hyde, a gay teenager living in New Mexico. All his life, he has had a strange attraction to the water and yearns to escape his desert surroundings for the ocean. As he explores his abilities, including breathing under and controlling water, he also finds himself falling in love with his classmate, high school swim captain Kenny Liu. Hyde has since become the second Aquaman in the DC canon.

Charlize Theron in 2017’s ‘Atomic Blonde.’

It’s good to see more forward progress with LGBTQA+ issues in pop culture, and DC has been making some strides in that regard and ‘Young Justice’ has been on the forefront of that.

DC is also everywhere in terms of TV – between the CW’s “Arrowverse” (with ‘The Flash’, ‘Batwoman’, ‘Legends of Tomorrow’ and ‘Superman & Lois’ still on the air), the various animated outings and HBO Max series such as ‘Titans’ (where a different version of the Aqualad character, named Garth has appeared, played by played by Drew Van Acker), ‘Harley Quinn’ and ‘Doom Patrol’ – the company has spread its wings further than even Marvel has attempted thus far.

And the company is expanding its roster yet again with series spawned from movies including those based on ‘The Batman’ and another show from James Gunn that will complement ‘Peacemaker’. And should more of the character’s ‘Young Justice’ team members make the jump to live-action, we could see a whole new generation of heroes ready to conquer TV screens and potentially arrive on the big screen too.

Theron is no stranger to comic book adaptations – most recently, she starred in Netflix movie ‘The Old Guard’, which has a sequel in the works. And she’s also been active as a producer, working on TV and movie projects. Next up for her in acting terms is ‘The School for Good and Evil,’ which will be on Netflix this year.
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April 11, 2022
Robert Downey Jr. Plans ‘Sherlock Holmes’ TV Spinoffs

(L to R) Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law in 2011’s ‘Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows.’

Sherlock Holmes is a character that has been brought to the screen so many times at this point, it’s a wonder that TV and movie creators can find a fresh take on the idea. Robert Downey Jr. famously played the genius detective in two movies and if he has his way, there will be some Holmes extensions in the works at HBO Max.

This all stems from an interview that the actor/producer gave back in 2020 to Fast Company, where he explained he was looking to oversee some new developments in the Holmes world. “At this point, we really feel that there is not a mystery-verse built out anywhere, and Conan Doyle is the definitive voice in that arena, I think, to this day,” the star said about future installments of ‘Sherlock Holmes’. “So, to me, why do a third movie if you’re not going to be able to spin off into some real gems of diversity and other times and elements?”

Influenced, of course, by his decade spent working with the Marvel team, he’s now looking to apply that ethos to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s creation. While the pandemic appears to have gotten in the way of plans for the shows, Deadline reports that HBO Max now has two potential spin-offs in early development.

They would extend the world created in Guy Ritchie’s two ‘Holmes’ movies, the 2009 original and 2011 sequel ‘A Game of Shadows’. The movies also starred Jude Law as Dr. Watson, but the shows are unlikely to feature the main duo.

Robert Downey Jr. in 2009’s ‘Sherlock Holmes.’

Instead, the blueprints call for the shows to be built upon characters that will be introduced in the third movie. There’s just one slight hitch to an otherwise solid idea: that movie has yet to be made.

Though ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ and ‘Rocketman’ director Dexter Fletcher remains attached to handle the movie, it has been delayed more than once, partly by the pandemic and partly by its star’s busy schedule. Still, both Downey and his chosen director have said that they intend to get the movie in production. And this news could signal some forward movement.

It’s also not surprising to see HBO Max looking to expand another movie franchise on TV – it has seen big success with ‘Peacemaker’, which James Gunn based on the John Cena character from ‘The Suicide Squad’. And there are also shows in the works that will build on characters from ‘Dune’ (the Bene Gesserit sisterhood) and ‘The Batman’ (Colin Farrell’s Penguin character).

Any ‘Holmes’ show would, of course, have to differentiate itself from the long history of Sherlock TV – besides the BBC’s successful ‘Sherlock’ and CBS’ long-running series ‘Elementary’ – there have been all sorts of variations on the basic concept of the crafty character.

But with the backing of Downey Jr. and producing partner Susan Downey, the ‘Holmes’ shows could end up being a fun new take… Assuming they can finally get to work on the third movie. The game’s afoot!
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April 6, 2022
Sharon Stone Joins DC’s ‘Blue Beetle’

Sharon Stone in 2006’s ‘Basic Instinct 2.’

With the cameras scheduled to roll soon in Atlanta on DC’s latest superhero adaptation ‘Blue Beetle’, Sharon Stone has joined the cast, according to The Wrap.

While Stone is on board to play a villain named Victoria Kord, ‘Mayans M.C.’ actor Raoul Max Trujillo is also now aboard as Carapax the Indestructible Man, a veteran villain of the ‘Beetle’ comics (find out more about him here) who will also no doubt cause problems for the titular hero.

For the movie, ‘Cobra Kai’s Xolo Maridueña is playing main man Jaime Reyes, and the cast also features George Lopez (as Jaime’s uncle), Adriana Barraza, Elpidia Carrillo, Damián Alcázar, Belissa Escobedo, Bruna Marquezine and ‘What We Do in the Shadows’ stalwart Harvey Guillén.

‘Charm City Kings’ director Angel Manuel Soto is overseeing the new movie, with Gareth Dunnet-Alcocer writing the script.

For those who may not be familiar with the character (who, after all, doesn’t have the same name recognition factor as, say, Batman), here’s a quick catch-up…

Originally created by artist Charles Nicholas Wojtkoski and writer Will Eisner for Fox Comics’ ‘Mystery Men Comics’ in 1939, Blue Beetle was introduced as Dan Garret, a vigilante who fought crime using powers gained from chemical compound Vitamin 2-X, though that origin was later retconned to an archeologist with a suit and abilities derived from the alien Khaji Da scarab living weapon. He was succeeded by tech whizz Ted Kord, first appearing in Charlton Comics (which bought Fox and was itself later taken over by DC).

DC Comics’ Blue Beetle. Photo courtesy of DC Comics.

The Jaime Reyes version, a creation of Keith Giffen, John Rogers and Cully Hamner for 2006’s ‘Infinite Crisis’ Issue 5, spawned a titular title two months later in May of that year. In his story, Reyes discovered the Blue Beetle scarab on the way home from school with two of his best friends Paco and Brenda, half-buried in a disused lot. Reyes took the scarab home, curious as to what it might be.

That night, the scarab came alive, and grafted itself to the base of Jaime’s spine, and provided him with a suit of extraterrestrial armor, which can be modified to enhance his speed and strength, as well as to create weapons, wings, and shields.

Stone’s character is a new one, created for the movie, but that Kord surname already suggests a connection to second Blue Beetle Ted Kord – speculation has it that she’ll play his wife. Perhaps she’s looking for vengeance after something happened to him, and she’s none too happy about anyone else using the suit?

The actress, who has been working consistently, will next be seen in the second season of ‘The Flight Attendant’, opposite Kaley Cuoco.

And ‘Blue Beetle’, which represents a healthy step forward for Latino lead representation in superhero movies, has also scored an upgrade from a direct-to-HBO Max title to theatrical release, flying into theaters on August 18th, 2023.
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April 1, 2022
Colin Farrell’s ‘The Batman’ Penguin Scores Own Series

Colin Farrell as Oswald Cobblepot/the Penguin in Warner Bros. Pictures’ action adventure ‘The Batman,” a Warner Bros. Pictures release. Photo Credit: Jonathan Olley/™ & © DC Comics. Copyright: © 2021 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Colin Farrell clearly didn’t mind wearing prosthetics to play the Penguin in ‘The Batman’ – as he’s set to slap them on again for a fair bit longer. The actor is now attached to star in a spin-off TV series featuring his character for HBO Max.

Originally reported as in development back in September last year (a clear vote of confidence from Warner Bros., as the movie was still months from release), the show is moving forward from the pilot stage with a straight-to-series order.

The series, which has been described as in the style of classic crime drama ‘Scarface’ will pick up the story of ambitious criminal type Oswald “Oz” Cobblepot as he rises to power in Gotham City. Mild spoiler alert in case you’ve yet to see ‘The Batman’, but part of the movie involves Oz’s bosses either dying or heading to jail, leaving him a path to achieve his aims.

Yet given that there’s a whole series to fill with this story, we doubt the road will be an easy one. And there’s still that pesky Caped Crusader lurking around (even if Batman likely wouldn’t appear much in the show).

Matt Reeves, who co-wrote and directed ‘The Batman’ is an executive producer here, but while he’ll certainly have input (alongside the movie’s fellow producer, Dylan Clark), he won’t be overseeing the day-to-day work of the show. That job falls to Lauren LeFranc, who has worked on series including ‘Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.’, ‘Chuck’ and ‘Hemlock Grove’.

Colin Farrell as Oswald Cobblepot/the Penguin in Warner Bros. Pictures’ action adventure ‘The Batman,” a Warner Bros. Pictures release. Photo Credit: Jonathan Olley/™ & © DC Comics. Copyright: © 2021 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved.

“Colin exploded off the screen as the Penguin in ‘The Batman’ and having the chance to thoroughly explore the inner life of that character on HBO Max is an absolute thrill’” Reeves says in a statement. “Dylan and I are so excited to work with Lauren in continuing Oz’s story as he grabs violently for power in Gotham.”

“I have long been a fan of the world of ‘The Batman’, and Matt’s film is such a powerful and bold entry into the canon. I am excited and humbled to continue telling stories in the grimy world of Gotham City – and what better excuse to channel my inner villain than to tell the story of Oswald Cobblepot?” adds LeFranc. “I am thrilled to work with Colin, Matt, Dylan, 6th & Idaho, Warners, and HBO Max as we work to bring this story to the screen.”

“The world that Matt Reeves created for ‘The Batman’ is one that warrants a deeper gaze through the eyes of Oswald Cobblepot,” Farrell comments. “I couldn’t be more excited about continuing this exploration of Oz as he rises through the darkened ranks to become The Penguin. Will be good to get him back on the streets of Gotham for a little madness and a little mayhem.”

This news comes on the heels of word that another ‘Batman’ spin-off, one focused on the corrupt Gotham PD from the POV of one of its cops, has been tabled for now, with Reeves and the rest focusing instead on developing a series about Arkham Asylum. You can read more about that change right here.

As for when the Penguin series might see the light of day? That all depends on how quickly it all comes together. Yet we’d imagine Warners Bros. would want to have it out as soon as possible, especially since ‘The Batman’ recently crossed $300 million at the worldwide box office. Holy earning power, Batman!

Colin Farrell as Oswald Cobblepot/the Penguin in Warner Bros. Pictures’ action adventure ‘The Batman,” a Warner Bros. Pictures release. Photo Credit: Jonathan Olley/™ & © DC Comics. Copyright: © 2021 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved.
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March 10, 2022
‘The Batman’ TV Spinoff Shifts from Cops to Arkham

Robert Pattinson as Batman in Warner Bros. Pictures’ action adventure ‘The Batman,’ a Warner Bros. Pictures release. Photo Credit: Jonathan Olley/™ & © DC Comics. Copyright: © 2021 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved.

As ‘The Batman’ continues to do decent numbers at the box office ($134 million domestically, and more than $258 million worldwide) attention is naturally still on this latest live-action incarnation of the Caped Crusader, which stars Robert Pattinson as Bruce Wayne.

And that attention includes the planned TV spin-offs that were announced even before the movie itself came out. Now, according to director Matt Reeves, at least one of the shows is evolving into something new.

Originally planned to focus on corruption at the heart of the Gotham Police Department, the show initially had ‘Boardwalk Empire’ boss Terrence Winter as head writer and showrunner. The narrative focus would have been on Batman’s first year as a vigilante (though without really featuring the character in any major fashion) as his presence starts to send waves through the city’s criminal underworld. And the main character was planned as a crooked cop, which made it sound a little like ‘The Shield’.

Yet after some creative differences, Winter left the series, to be replaced by ‘Giri/Haji’ writer Joe Barton in January. Back then it was still described as featuring the police. Now, though there, is a big change afoot, at least according to Reeves.

Talking on the Happy/Sad/Confused podcast, the director/producer explained the change. “One thing that we’re not doing that I was gonna do… So, there’s the Gotham police show, which, that one actually is put on hold. We’re not really doing that,” he told host Josh Horowitz.

(L to R) Robert Pattinson and director Matt Reeves on the set in Warner Bros. Pictures’ ‘The Batman,’ a Warner Bros. Pictures release. Photo Credit: Jonathan Olley/™ & © DC Comics. Copyright: © 2021 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved.

So, what form might it take now? Reeves shared that in a separate interview, this one with The Cyber Nerds YouTube channel. “That story has kinda evolved,” explained Reeves. “We’ve actually now [moved] more into the realm of exactly what would happen in the world of Arkham as it relates coming off of our movie, and some of the characters … almost leaning into the idea of … it’s like a horror movie or a haunted house that is Arkham.”

“The idea, again the way that Gotham is a character in the movie, I really want Arkham to exist as a character,” he continues. “You go into this environment and encounter these characters in a way that feels really fresh. And so, in our work on Gotham, that story started to evolve, and it started feeling like, ‘Wait, we should really lean into this.’ And then that’s kinda where that’s gone.”

There has also been talk that Reeves and the HBO Max team were also wanting to shift the focus to a recognizable character instead of a completely original one. Who that might be is anyone’s guess, though Arkham is usually full of Batman’s opponents.

The changing series is just one of the spin-offs in the works – the other is focused on The Penguin’s rise to power. The criminal character played Colin Farrell in ‘The Batman’ will be at the center of a series that has been compared to ‘Scarface’ in tone. If you’ve seen the movie, you know the character isn’t quite in as powerful a position as he is in other versions of the Batman story, so there’s plenty of material to mine here.

Farrell is reportedly attached to reprise the character, and will be an executive producer on the show, which comes from Reeves and producing partner Dylan Clark. ‘Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.’ veteran Lauren LeFranc is in board to run the show itself assuming it makes it out of development.

(L to R) director Matt Reeves and actor Robert Pattinson on the set in Warner Bros. Pictures’ ‘The Batman,’ a Warner Bros. Pictures release. Photo Credit: Jonathan Olley/™ & © DC Comics. Copyright: © 2021 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved.
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March 8, 2022
Jamie Dornan Talks ‘The Tourist’

Jamie Dornan in HBO Max’s ‘The Tourist.’

Debuting on HBO Max March 3rd is the new television series ‘The Tourist,’ which stars Jamie Dornan (‘Belfast’).

In the series, Dornan plays a man who wakes up in Australia with amnesia after a car accident and has no idea who he is. As he begins to discover clues about his former life, with the help of a local police officer (Danielle Macdonald), he learns that there are people trying to kill him and that he might not like the person he used to be.

In addition to Dornan and Macdonald, the cast also includes Shalom Brune-Frankilin (‘Thor: Ragnarok’), Alex Dimitriades (‘Ghost Ship’), Olafur Darri Olafsson (‘The Secret Life of Walter Mitty’), and Damon Herriman (‘Once Upon a Time in Hollywood’).

Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with Jamie Dornan about his work on ‘The Tourist.’
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You can read a full transcript of our interview with Jamie Dornan below, or click on the player above to watch a video of our interview with Dornan and actress Danielle Macdonald.

Moviefone: To begin with, can you talk about the challenges of playing a character with amnesia who wakes up in a world where he doesn’t know who to trust, including himself and his own memories?

Jamie Dornan: It’s a big challenge, to be honest with you, like the biggest challenge of my career for so many reasons. For the hostility of where we were shooting and for the madness of the predicament he finds himself in, it all getting pieced together for him, and the fear that would bring upon you.

But also, it’s a different way of working. It’s like the opposite of how you usually work in building a backstory and trying to discover and understand how your character reacts, and why they react to certain scenarios. It’s none of that. It’s the opposite of that.

Acting is all about staying in the present, but it’s doing it in a very different way. Where you’re trying to block out knowing what was in the past, because it’s going to be told to you in the future, it’s a very strange way of working. But it was exciting and challenging, and for me, that’s what it’s all about.

MF: The series deals with the theme of “who are we?” Are we what we’ve done in our past? Or are we what we’re doing in the present, and what we can do in the future? Can you talk about that theme and what did you think the answer is?

JD: Yeah, I think it calls into question all of those things. Judgment is a big, big part of it. We’re talking about a journey that he goes on, that the audience go on with him, and he discovers as the audience discovers, and it’s not all good. It gets to the point where you’re hoping the audience are on his side and they’re feeling his predicament, and they want only good things for him. But then morally horrendous stuff is revealed to the audience about who this guy is. It calls into question all kinds of stuff.

But then, there’s also a whole thing of which it’s revealed to him in episode five. He’s under the influence of a different force, and how much of that you can even fully believe and how much you can play with that. So, it’s asking a lot of questions, but I thought that was a really interesting aspect of it.

Jamie Dornan in HBO Max’s ‘The Tourist.’

MF: Can you talk about the relationship between your character and Officer Helen, and why does he choose to trust her?

JD: Well, how brilliant is Danielle McDonald? She’s just so brilliant in it. She comes at a time where she’s someone who’s showing an interest in him, showing she cares, and showing she’s willing to help. When he has nobody, and it’s an unlikely combination of people. Where they begin to where they end is nuts.

I love that about them. It’s such an unexpected, odd relationship. On the surface sits different energies between them, but they have this sort of commonality with each other. You are, as an audience, as involved in Helen’s story as you are in the man’s. She is the audience. She’s the relatable one in many respects. You can relate with the madness of what he’s going through her. But you can truly relate with what Helen’s going through.

MF: Finally, what was it like working with Danielle Macdonald on the relationship between those two characters?

JD: She was just fun. I think for both us, it was just knowing where to pitch it. When the show plays with tone so much. When she turns up and starts talking, you’re like, what is this? Who’s this person? This isn’t the world I thought I was in, you know? But she does it so brilliantly, with such a proper laugh.

A lot of my stuff was either with Shalom (Brune-Frankilin) or it was with Danny. There’s only one scene where the three of us are all together. But I just got lucky, as I feel like I have so often in my career. I’ve been surrounded with people who have come to play. I have a great affinity with them and a lot of fun with them, and Danny was certainly no exception. I think she’s just so brilliant in the series, and I loved every minute we had together.

Jamie Dornan in HBO Max’s ‘The Tourist.’

March 1, 2022