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Tag: henry-cavill

  • Henry Cavill and Jake Gyllenhaal Join Guy Ritchie’s New Movie

    Director Guy Ritchie has Henry Cavill, Jake Gyllenhaal and Eiza González starring in his new movie.
    Director Guy Ritchie has Henry Cavill, Jake Gyllenhaal and Eiza González starring in his new movie.

    Guy Ritchie has just finished shooting one movie (‘The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare’) and is looking to roll quickly –– or at least before the year is out –– into his next project.

    The new film doesn’t yet have an announced title, but Deadline has learned some information about it; written by the director, it’ll reportedly will revolve around two extraction specialists who must plan an escape path for a high-level female negotiator. And while the subject sounds serious, Ritchie has apparently laced the story with humor.

    Jake Gyllenhaal as Sgt. John Kinley in 'The Covenant,'
    Jake Gyllenhaal as Sgt. John Kinley in ‘The Covenant,’ directed by Guy Ritchie, a Metro Goldwyn Mayer Pictures film. Credit: Christopher Raphael / Metro Goldwyn Mayer Pictures. © 2023 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures Inc. All Rights Reserved.

    Who is in the cast?

    We also know the main cast: Henry Cavill, Jake Gyllenhaal and Eiza González are all on board to star in the movie, which is set to kick off shooting in Spain this summer.

    Here’s what Ritchie had to say about his choices:

    “There’s something special that happens when you collaborate with the same partners regularly: you build a shorthand and a trust that lets everybody do their best work. Jake, Henry and Eiza are all astonishingly talented, committed, and engaging actors. This is going to be an action-packed movie that is both intellectually stimulating and physically exhilarating.”

    And this is just the latest project that represents Ritchie drawing from the pool of people he’s worked with before. Gyllenhaal, of course, was the lead in war drama ‘The Covenant’, which was in theaters just last month. Cavill and González, meanwhile, are part of the sprawling cast for ‘The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare’, which also features Alan Ritchson, Cary Elwes, Alex Pettyfer, Henry Golding, Hero Fiennes Tiffin and Freddie Fox.

    That movie’s screenplay, by Paul Tamasy, Eric Johnson (who wrote the original script and pitched it to producer Jerry Bruckheimer back in 2015), Ritchie and Arash Amel, is based on war correspondent and military historian Damien Lewis’ popular book of the same name.

    Henry Cavill and Armie Hammer in film 'The Man From U.N.C.L.E.,' directed by Guy Ritchie.
    (L to R) Henry Cavill and Armie Hammer in film ‘The Man From U.N.C.L.E.,’ directed by Guy Ritchie.

    Related Article: Jake Gyllenhaal and Dar Salim Talk Making ‘Guy Ritchie’s The Covenant’

    What is the plot of the movie?

    The movie, inspired by real events, will chart British Prime Minister Winston Churchill’s and James Bond creator Ian Fleming’s secret World War II combat organization. The clandestine squad’s unconventional and entirely ‘ungentlemanly’ fighting techniques against the Nazis helped change the course of the war and in part gave birth to the modern Black Ops unit.

    Cavill, of course, has a connection with the director that goes even further, since he co-starred in 2015’s ‘The Man from U.N.C.L.E.’.

    Also on Ritchie’s schedule? Overseeing post-production on ‘The Gentlemen’ the spin-off TV series from his eponymous 2019 crime caper.

    With the new movie at a very early stage, there’s no release date set yet, but the distribution rights are on sale now at the Cannes Film Market (should anyone have a spare few million dollars lying around). ‘The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare’, meanwhile, should be out next year.

    Actor Jake Gyllenhaal (left) and director Guy Ritchie (right) on the set of 'The Covenant.'
    Actor Jake Gyllenhaal (left) and director Guy Ritchie (right) on the set of ‘The Covenant,’ a Metro Goldwyn Mayer Pictures film. Credit: Christopher Raphael / Metro Goldwyn Mayer Pictures. © 2023 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures Inc. All Rights Reserved.

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  • James Gunn Directing ‘Superman: Legacy’

    Writer, director, co-chairmen and co-CEO of DC Studios, James Gunn and Superman.
    (Left) Writer, director, co-chairmen and co-CEO of DC Studios, James Gunn. Photo courtesy of James Gunn’s Twitter account. (Right) Superman. Photo courtesy of DC Comics.com.

    While making his big reveal of the various projects he and fellow new DC Studios CEO Peter Safran are planning for the company, James Gunn announced that he was at work on a new movie featuring Superman.

    Titled ‘Superman: Legacy’, Gunn dropped word that he was writing the script for the new movie but didn’t confirm then whether he was directing it.

    He’s now made it clear that he is indeed going to be overseeing it.

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    Why is James Gunn directing ‘Superman: Legacy?’

    Taking to Twitter, Gunn offered an insight into the thought process that went into his decision to direct.

    Here’s part of what he said:·

    “It has been a long road to this point. I was offered Superman years ago –– I initially said no because I didn’t have a way in that felt unique and fun and emotional that gave Superman the dignity he deserved. Then a bit less than a year ago I saw a way in, in many ways centering around Superman’s heritage; how both his aristocratic Kryptonian parents and his Kansas farmer parents inform who he is and the choices he makes. So I chose to finally take on writing the script. But I was hesitant to direct, despite the constant pestering by Peter Safran and others to commit (sorry, Peter). Just because I write something doesn’t mean I feel it in my bones, visually and emotionally, enough to spend over two years directing it, especially not something of this magnitude.”

    You can read his full twitter thread, including the movie’s emotional connection to his father, here:

    What’s the story of ‘Superman: Legacy’?

    Here’s what Gunn had to say about ‘Legacy’ when first announced:

    “With our stories, we want to take it away from good guy vs. bad guy. There are really good — almost saintly — people and Superman is among them. There are really terrible villains like Gorilla Grodd or the Joker. And then there’s everybody in between them, so there are all these shades of gray which allow us to tell complex stories.”

    Though the exact plot is still a mystery, Gunn has previously said that ‘Legacy’ will feature a younger Superman (but will also skip the origin story this time).

    Henry Cavill as Superman.
    Henry Cavill as Superman.

    Related Article: Dwayne Johnson Talks Henry Cavill and DC

    Is Henry Cavill coming back to star?

    Henry Cavill fans were disappointed to learn that, after having the chance to announce his return to the Superman suit on social media, the actor was unceremoniously let go.

    But short answer: no, Cavill is no longer part of the plan for DC under Gunn and Safran (though who knows whether they’ll find a place for him going forward).

    The search is no doubt already on for someone to play the part, one that we’re sure will be highly sought after by young rising stars and heretofore unknowns. It could be a star-making role for whoever plays Clark Kent/Kal-El.

    ‘Superman: Legacy’ is currently scheduled to fly into theaters on July 11th, 2025.

    Director James Gunn and actress Jennifer Holland at the World Premiere of 'Thor: Ragnarok.'
    (L to R) Director James Gunn and actress Jennifer Holland at the World Premiere of ‘Thor: Ragnarok.’

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  • Dwayne Johnson Talks Henry Cavill and DC

    Dwayne Johnson arrives on the red carpet of the 95th Oscars® at the Dolby® Theatre at Ovation Hollywood on Sunday, March 12, 2023.
    Dwayne Johnson arrives on the red carpet of the 95th Oscars® at the Dolby® Theatre at Ovation Hollywood on Sunday, March 12, 2023.

    Last year, before ‘Black Adam’ arrived on screen, Dwayne Johnson was in typically bullish PR mode, extolling the virtue of the character. And shortly after it landed in theaters, he was also talking up the presence of Henry Cavill’s Superman (in a post-credits cameo that leaked before the film was released), signaling that it meant big things for the future of Warner Bros. Discovery’s DC Studios arm.

    Unfortunately for Johnson, it didn’t work out that way for either Cavill or his own plans. Despite Cavill being given the greenlight to announce his return, a change at the top of DC Studios –– with filmmaker James Gunn and producer Peter Safran being installed as co-CEOS –– meant that there was a new plan going forward: Cavill was out as Supes and, at least according to Gunn’s initial plan, Black Adam was nowhere to be seen.

    Of course, ‘Black Adam’ didn’t exactly soar at the box office –– it made $392 million worldwide, but that was off of a $195 million budget. And despite Johnson planting stories to suggest it would be profitable, the DC team hasn’t so far considered it a hit or worthy of future use.

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    There were the initial, good-natured and curated responses from both sides –– “James Gunn and I connected, and Black Adam will not be in their first chapter of storytelling. However, DC and Seven Bucks have agreed to continue exploring the most valuable ways Black Adam can be utilized in future DC multiverse chapters,” said The Rock.

    Now, though, in an Oscars red carpet interview with Variety ahead of him presenting Best Animated Feature, Johnson has opened up a little more about the change.

    Henry Cavill Officially Returning as Superman.
    Henry Cavill as Superman.

    Related Article: James Gunn Says Henry Cavill Won’t Return as Superman

    What did Dwayne Johnson say about the DC/Henry Cavill situation?

    Here’s what Johnson had to say about the switch:

    “It’s almost like when you have a pro football team and your quarterback wins championships and your head coach wins championships and then a new owner comes in and says, ‘Not my coach, not my quarterback. I’m going to go with somebody new.’ ”

    The Rock also commented on the reception for ‘Black Adam’ itself, which was not as positive as he might have preferred:

    “All that I can do, and all that we could do when we were making ‘Black Adam,’ was to put our best foot forward and surround ourselves with the best people and deliver the best movie we could. Our audience score was in the 90s. Critics took a couple shots, but that’s just the business of it.”

    Which is not to say that Adam won’t one day be seen again, but it’s highly doubtful at this point. Gunn has his plans for DC, while Johnson has other franchises he can keep nurturing, including Netflix’s ‘Red Notice’ and a potential sequel to Disney’s ‘Jungle Cruise’. Next up for the actor/producer/tequila promoter, however, is Holiday adventure film ‘Red One’.

    Dwayne Johnson as Black Adam in New Line Cinema’s action adventure 'Black Adam.'
    Dwayne Johnson as Black Adam in New Line Cinema’s action adventure ‘Black Adam,’ a Warner Bros. Pictures release. Photo Credit: Courtesy Warner Bros. Pictures. Copyright: © 2022 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved.

    Other Movies Similar to ‘Black Adam:’

    Buy Tickets: ‘Black Adam’ Movie Showtimes

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    ‘Black Adam’ was produced by New Line Cinema, Flynn Picture Company, Seven Bucks Productions, and DC Films and was released on October 21st, 2022.

     

  • James Gunn Denies Gal Gadot was “Booted” From DC Movies

    Gal Gadot in 2017's 'Wonder Woman.'
    Gal Gadot in 2017’s ‘Wonder Woman.’

    It’s never easy to be the head of a studio division––your every decision is scrutinized at a microscopic level, and you’re often held responsible if your movies tank. And if you’re already a recognizable person already in popular cultural, such as James Gunn, that is magnified even more.

    So, when he’s not busy working with fellow incoming DC Studios boss Peter Safran to figure out a workable slate of movies for Warner Bros. moving forward, Gunn is on social media, engaging with fans, and in some cases that means quashing rumors.

    Answering a commentator on Instagram who expressed concern over his “booting” of Henry Cavill and ‘Wonder Woman’ star Gal Gadot from the DC Universe, the filmmaker replied, “I’m not sure where you’re getting that we ‘booted’ Gal,” Gunn replied.

    The question, of course, rose from word that the DC team (though not directly Gunn and Safran, despite their being involved in the decision-making process) had rejected director Patty Jenkins’ plan for the next ‘Wonder Woman’ movie, and effectively closed the door on at least her continued involvement. Gadot’s status starring as the character remains in limbo.

    Henry Cavill Officially Returning as Superman.
    Henry Cavill Officially Returning as Superman.

    Henry Cavill, of course, had announced his return as Superman, only for Gunn to reveal that, while a new Superman movie was in the works, Cavill would not star.

    Gunn has, of course, come in for a fair amount of criticism, but hit Twitter in recent days for a thread in which he hit back. “One of the things Peter & I were aware of when we took the job as heads of DC Studios was a certain minority of people online that could be, well, uproarious & unkind, to say the least,” he wrote. “Our choices for the DCU are based upon what we believe is best for the story & best for the DC characters who have been around for nearly 85 years. Perhaps these choices are great, perhaps not, but they are made with sincere hearts & integrity & always with the story in mind. No one loves to be harassed or called names––but to be frank, we’ve been through significantly worse.”

    Gunn continued, “Disrespectful outcry will never, ever affect our actions. We were aware there would be a period of turbulence when we took this gig, & we knew we would sometimes have to make difficult & not-so-obvious choices, especially in the wake of the fractious nature of what came before us. But this means little to us in comparison to our jobs as artists & custodians in helping to create a wide & wonderful future for DC.”

    Beyond the news on a movie about a younger Superman, we don’t yet know much about Safran and Gunn’s plans for the future of DC. But they’re set to start announcing their slate early next year, and you know the internet will be ready with opinions.

    Director James Gunn and actress Jennifer Holland at the World Premiere of 'Thor: Ragnarok.'
    (L to R) Director James Gunn and actress Jennifer Holland at the World Premiere of ‘Thor: Ragnarok.’
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  • Black Adam Not Part of DC’s Next Chapter

    Dwayne Johnson as Black Adam in New Line Cinema’s action adventure 'Black Adam.'
    Dwayne Johnson as Black Adam in New Line Cinema’s action adventure ‘Black Adam,’ a Warner Bros. Pictures release. Photo Credit: Frank Masi. Copyright: © 2022 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved.

    He might have used it as an ongoing refrain when ‘Black Adam’ was on its way and in theaters, but the hierarchy of power in the DC Universe has not exactly changed in Dwayne Johnson’s favor.

    The Rock hit social media to admit that: “James Gunn and I connected, and Black Adam will not be in their first chapter of storytelling. However, DC and Seven Bucks have agreed to continue exploring the most valuable ways Black Adam can be utilized in future DC multiverse chapters.”

    Which is not to say that there will never be another ‘Black Adam’ movie, but it won’t happen any time soon.

    For his part, Gunn commented, “Love @TheRock & I’m always excited to see what he & Seven Bucks do next. Can’t wait to collaborate soon.” Again, which might be a diplomatic way to say that Black Adam is effectively dead at DC for now.

    It’s somewhat of a blow for Johnson, who had championed making ‘Black Adam’ for nearly two decades, only for it to somewhat underperform at the box office. There had been recent reports that the movie would be headed for profitability, but they appeared to be largely placed by the superstar’s production company and new reporting from The Hollywood Reporter casts a less favorable light on the financials.

    Dwayne Johnson as Black Adam in New Line Cinema’s action adventure 'Black Adam.'
    Dwayne Johnson as Black Adam in New Line Cinema’s action adventure ‘Black Adam,’ a Warner Bros. Pictures release. Photo Credit: Courtesy Warner Bros. Pictures. Copyright: © 2022 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved.

    Though the movie apparently had a $190 million budget, that ballooned to $260 million after test screenings generated 20 days of additional photography and tinkering (Johnson had mentioned reshoots back before the movie came out). That also included adding Henry Cavill in a late-hour end credits cameo as Superman, though we all know that he’s not going to be in the DCU going forward.

    And with more than $100 million in promotional costs, a $391 million global haul does not a happy studio accounting department make.

    Johnson had been talking up development of a ‘Black Adam’ sequel and potential sequel for Aldis Hodge’s Hawkman character, but all that seems unlikely, at least for the foreseeable future.

    Proof, then, that there are some things even the Rock can’t shoulder.

    But what of the other side of the ‘Shazam’ spectrum (since Black Adam was created as villain for that character)?

    With Cavill out and Gal Gadot and other actors’ status in DC’s future in a state of limbo, fans reached out to ‘Shazam!’s Zachary Levi, worried that he’s similarly headed for the super-unemployment line, even though sequel ‘Shazam! Fury of the Gods’ is headed to theaters on March 17th.

    Levi replied in typically whimsical style that he’s all “Gucci” (see the tweet below) but of course a lot might ride on how ‘Fury of the Gods’ performs.

    We’ll still have to wait for Gunn and co-chief Peter Safran to announce their plans (they have a multi-year idea in play), but for now, DC’s immediate future includes ‘Fury of the Gods’, ‘The Flash’ (even with its attendant issues) on June 16th, ‘Blue Beetle’ on August 18th and the ‘Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom’ on December 25th.

    Director James Gunn and actress Jennifer Holland at the World Premiere of 'Thor: Ragnarok.'
    (L to R) Director James Gunn and actress Jennifer Holland at the World Premiere of ‘Thor: Ragnarok.’
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  • Henry Cavill to Lead ‘Warhammer’ Series

    Henry Cavill as Geralt of Rivia in Netflix's 'The Witcher.'
    Henry Cavill as Geralt of Rivia in Netflix’s ‘The Witcher.’ Photo: Jay Maidment.

    It’s been a rough couple of months for Henry Cavill, career-wise. At the end of October, the announcement came that he was stepping away from Netflix’s ‘The Witcher’, with Liam Hemsworth taking over playing the lead role, Geralt of Rivia (Cavill will still be seen as the character in the upcoming third season next year).

    At the time it was thought that the decision was down to him deciding to focus instead on his big screen career, since just before the ‘Witcher’ news broke, he’d taken to social media to confirm his return as Superman in the DC movies, with––spoiler alert––a cameo in the end credits of ‘Black Adam’. As it turns out, more recent reports suggest that he’d become increasingly dissatisfied with the creative direction of ‘The Witcher’ and made the choice to move on.

    Still, he had Superman waiting, right? Wrong! The other shoe dropped just this week when new DC Studios co-chief James Gunn used his own twitter feed to announce that the movie universe would be going forward with a new movie he wrote… One that won’t star Cavill.

    So, what is the actor to do? Fortunately, he can fall back on something that has long been a passion: ‘Warhammer 40,000’.

    Amazon has secured the rights to the game, produced by Games Workshop, after months of negotiations and fending off rival companies, aiming to make both TV for its Prime Video service, and movies. It appears that Cavill is aboard to star in and produce the initial series alongside Vertigo Entertainment.

    Henry Cavill Officially Returning as Superman.
    Henry Cavill Officially Returning as Superman.

    “I have loved ‘Warhammer’ since I was a boy, making this moment truly special for me. The opportunity to shepherd this cinematic universe from its inception is quite the honour and the responsibility,” said Cavill. “I couldn’t be more grateful for all the hard work put in by Vertigo, Amazon Studios and Games Workshop to make this happen. One step closer to making a nigh on lifelong dream come true.”

    If you’re looking at ‘Warhammer’ and saying “Whathammer?”, allow us to provide a military briefing. The ‘Dungeons & Dragons’-style sci-fi dice game is set 40,000 years into the future where the situation is dark and dire.

    Human civilization has stopped progressing and is in an unending war with aliens and magical beings, with gods and demons figuring into a theological class system.

    The humans make up the Imperium of Man, who are militaristic. A race of skeleton-like androids are known as the Necron; there is an elvish race known as Aeldari as well as Orks; Tyranids are nasty aliens; and the T’au is a blue-skinned alien race that may offer some hope. So now you know.

    ‘Warhammer’, which first launched in 1987, is one of those games that has influenced lots of other projects and faces potential criticism that it is like all of its cinematic and TV progeny.

    But at least it means Cavill has a new gig, and one he absolutely will be committed to.

    Henry Cavill as Geralt of Rivia in Netflix's 'The Witcher.'
    Henry Cavill as Geralt of Rivia in Netflix’s ‘The Witcher.’ Photo: Jay Maidment.
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  • James Gunn Says Henry Cavill Won’t Return as Superman

    Henry Cavill as Superman in 'Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice.'
    Henry Cavill as Superman in ‘Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice.’

    The ripples of writer/director James Gunn and producer Peter Safran taking over as the heads of the renamed DC Studios at Warner Bros. Discovery continue to spread.

    Taking to twitter, where he has been countering what he views as misinformation about the new regime, Gunn dropped some fresh information, a chunk of which will come as disappointing to fans of Henry Cavill as Superman.

    “Peter and I have a DC slate ready to go, which we couldn’t be more over-the-moon about; we’ll be able to share some exciting information about our first projects at the beginning of the new year,” Gunn says. “Among those on the slate is Superman. In the initial stages, our story will be focusing on an earlier part of Superman’s life, so the character will not be played by Henry Cavill.” It won’t according to Gunn, be an origin story, though.

    This despite Cavill getting the greenlight from the previous bosses back in October to announce that he’s officially back, and appearing as the character––spoiler alert––in a ‘Black Adam’ post-credit scene.

    Looking to soothe over the matter, Gunn continues, “But we just had a great meeting with Henry and we’re big fans and we talked about a number of exciting possibilities to work together in the future.” You can read the full thread here, where Gunn goes on to say that he’s been writing a new Superman movie as part of his and Safran’s future slate, but that he won’t be directing it.

    Director James Gunn and actress Jennifer Holland at the World Premiere of 'Thor: Ragnarok.'
    (L to R) Director James Gunn and actress Jennifer Holland at the World Premiere of ‘Thor: Ragnarok.’

    For his part, Cavill wrote his own response to the news on Instagram, expressing sorrow but acceptance at the news. “I just had a meeting with James Gunn and Peter Safran, and it’s sad news, everyone,” the actor posted. “I will, after all, not be returning as Superman. After being told by the studio to announce my return back in October, prior to their hire, this news isn’t the easiest, but that’s life. The changing of the guard is something that happens. I respect that. James and Peter have a universe to build. I wish them and all involved with the new universe the best of luck, and the happiest of fortunes.”

    And he struck a positive final note: “Superman is still around. My turn to wear the cape has passed, but what Superman stands for never will. It’s been a fun ride with you all, onwards and upwards.”

    In related DC news, Gunn, in replying to a question on the twitter thread, commenting that he has met with Ben Affleck, who wants to direct a future DC movie.

    It’s just the latest development, coming on the heels of Patty Jenkins’ departure from a third ‘Wonder Woman’ movie. The director, who had made the first two films starring Gal Gadot as the character, clarified that she hadn’t walked away from the new project when Warner Bros. studio bosses (including input from Gunn and Safran) decided to pass on her latest treatment. You can read more about that here.

    What this means for Gadot, Jason Momoa’s Aquaman and other legacy DC Extended Universe actors is anyone’s guess, but it is truly feeling like a new broom approach for the new bosses.

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  • New Teaser for Netflix’s ‘The Witcher: Blood Origin’

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    There was bombshell news for fans of ‘The Witcher’ last weekend, as it was announced that Henry Cavill would be hanging up his swords as Geralt of Rivia, handing over the role to Liam Hemsworth.

    But in case you think this spells doom for the entire franchise, take heart because it keeps expanding. Case in point: the teaser for limited series prequel spin-off ‘The Witcher: Blood Origin’.

    Unlike animated adventure ‘Nightmare of the Wolf’, this live-action adventure will fully connect to the ‘Witcher’ universe already established, though it’s set in an elven world 1200 years before the world of the main show. ‘Blood Origin’ will tell a story lost to time – the creation of the first prototype Witcher, and the events that lead to the pivotal conjunction of the spheres, when the world of monsters, men, and elves merged to become one.

    The four-part series is being overseen by showrunner and writer Declan de Barra, with Sarah O’Gorman and Vicky Jewson sharing directing duties. ‘Witcher’ developer and showrunner Lauren Hissrich is an executive producer here.

    A definite highlight is having Michelle Yeoh as Scían, a sword master, the last of her tribe, who is key to the story. And with the star of ‘Everything Everywhere All at Once’ – who has a long history in action movies to go with her dramatic side – leading the cast, this is a series we’re looking forward to.

    Michelle Yeoh as Scian in Netflix's '‘The Witcher: Blood Origin.'
    Michelle Yeoh as Scian in Netflix’s ‘‘The Witcher: Blood Origin.’

    Sophia Brown and Laurence O’Fuarain, meanwhile, play Éile and Fjall, two warriors estranged from their opposing clans. Mirren Mack is Princess Merwy, Francesca Mills appears as Meldof, Zach Wyatt and Lizzie Annis are celestial twins Syndril and Zacaré, while Huw Novelli is Brother Death.

    More intriguing are Lenny Henry (with the British actor having quite the time in fantasy between this, ‘The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power’, a voice cameo in ‘The Sandman’ and next year’s upcoming ‘Anansi Boys’) as Chief Sage Balor and Minnie Driver as a Seanchai, a shapeshifting collector of old lore with the abilities to travel between time and worlds. In other words, she’s a tour guide of sorts for those who might need more of an introduction to the ‘Witcher’ universe.

    Other supporting cast members include Amy Murray as Balor’s apprentice Fenrik, Mark Rowley as King Alvitir, Daniel Fathers and Faoileann Cunningham as Osfar and his daughter Ryl. Kim Adis is Merwyn’s handmaid Ket, Nathaniel Curtis portrays Brían, Dylan Moran is Uthrok One-Nut and Hebe Beardsall is the lowborn Catrin. Ella Schrey-Yeats portrays the young prophet Ithlinne and her mother Aevenien is played by Claire Cooper.

    ‘The Witcher: Blood Origin’ arrives on Netflix on December 25th, so it’ll count as a holiday gift to fans of the show.

    Michelle Yeoh as Scian, Sophia Brown as Éile, and Laurence O'Fuarain as Fjall in Netflix's '‘The Witcher: Blood Origin.'
    (L to R) Michelle Yeoh as Scian, Sophia Brown as Éile, and Laurence O’Fuarain as Fjall in Netflix’s ‘‘The Witcher: Blood Origin.’
    ‘The Witcher: Blood Origin’ arrives on Netflix on December 25th.
    ‘The Witcher: Blood Origin’ arrives on Netflix on December 25th.

  • Henry Cavill Leaving ‘The Witcher’

    Henry Cavill as Geralt of Rivia in Netflix's 'The Witcher.'
    Henry Cavill as Geralt of Rivia in Netflix’s ‘The Witcher.’ Photo: Susie Allnutt.

    It’s a good news/bad news situation for fans of ‘The Witcher’, and for fans of Henry Cavill in particular.

    Because Netflix has announced that the fantasy series will be back for a fourth season. That’s the good news.

    The bad? Cavill will no longer be playing main character Geralt of Rivia. In a surprising move, the character is not being killed off, nor is Netflix taking the opportunity to cancel the show (not surprising given that it’s one of the streamer’s most popular series).

    Instead, Liam Hemsworth will finally realize the sort of warrior role he was denied when another Hemsworth – Chris – scored ‘Thor’ back in 2011. He’s stepping into Cavill’s armor.

    “My journey as Geralt of Rivia has been filled with both monsters and adventures, and alas, I will be laying down my medallion and my swords for Season 4,” Cavill said in a statement on Instagram. “In my stead, the fantastic Mr. Liam Hemsworth will be taking up the mantle of the White Wolf. As with the greatest of literary characters, I pass the torch with reverence for the time spent embodying Geralt and enthusiasm to see Liam’s take on this most fascinating and nuanced of men. Liam, good sir, this character has such a wonderful depth to him, enjoy diving in and seeing what you can find.”

    Hemsworth, meanwhile, was suitably enthusiastic about the new gig in his own social media statement…

    “As a ‘Witcher’ fan I’m over the moon about the opportunity to play Geralt of Rivia,” he says. “Henry Cavill has been an incredible Geralt, and I’m honored that he’s handing me the reins and allowing me to take up the White Wolf’s blades for the next chapter of his adventure. Henry, I’ve been a fan of yours for years and was inspired by what you brought to this beloved character. I may have some big boots to fill, but I’m truly excited to be stepping into ‘The Witcher’ world.”

    Miley Cyrus and Liam Hemsworth in 2010's 'The Last Song.'
    (L to R) Miley Cyrus and Liam Hemsworth in 2010’s ‘The Last Song.’

    Cavill has played Geralt, stern slayer of supernatural creatures since the show launched in 2019. ‘The Witcher’ itself is a story of the intertwined destinies of three individuals in the vast world of The Continent, where humans, elves, witchers, gnomes, and monsters battle to survive and thrive, and where good and evil is not easily identified. The show also stars Anya Chalotra and Freya Allan.

    And while fans will have to wait until summer 2023 to see Cavill take his final stab/slash etc. at the role for Season 3, a spin-off is on the way before that.

    ‘The Witcher: Blood Origin’ stars Michelle Yeoh, Sophia Brown and Minnie Driver and will launch on Netflix on December 25th this year.

    The decision to depart ‘The Witcher’ comes as Cavill’s movie career continues to expand in healthy directions, and he has plenty of future work on his plate. And here, we’ll offer a spoiler alert in case you haven’t seen a recent big movie.

    He’s officially announced that he’ll be back as Superman following his recent – don’t say we didn’t warn you – post-credits appearance as the character, meeting Dwayne Johnson’s Black Adam in the anti-hero’s eponymous recent movie.

    Plans are a little less clear beyond that, though we do know that Warner Bros. Discovery has a follow-up to ‘Man of Steel’ at the script stage, which would certainly be a big way to bring his take on Krypton’s famous son back in even bigger fashion.

    He’ll also most likely interact with other DC heroes, assuming there is any sort of team-up movie planned by incoming DC Studios CEOs James Gunn and Peter Safran.

    Henry Cavill Officially Returning as Superman.
    Henry Cavill Officially Returning as Superman.

    Beyond the Man of Steel, there are other jobs he’s busy with.

    In the “already filmed” category, we have his return as Sherlock Holmes opposite Millie Bobby Brown’s title character in ‘Enola Holmes 2’, landing on Netflix next week. And he’s playing the lead in new Matthew Vaughn spy movie ‘Argylle’ alongside the likes of Bryce Dallas Howard, Samuel L. Jackson, John Cena, Ariana DeBose, Sam Rockwell, Dua Lipa, Bryan Cranston and Catherine O’Hara.

    There’s a further connection to a just-announced job, as he’ll be back in spy territory for Guy Ritchie’s next film.

    The director has Cavill and ‘Baby Driver’s Eiza González starring in ‘The Ministry Of Ungentlemanly Warfare’, a World War II action adventure. The script, by Ritchie and Arash Amel, is based on war correspondent and military historian Damien Lewis’ popular book of the same name.

    The movie, inspired by real events, will chart British Prime Minister Winston Churchill’s and James Bond creator Ian Fleming’s secret World War II combat organization. The clandestine squad’s unconventional and entirely ‘ungentlemanly’ fighting techniques against the Nazis helped change the course of the war and in part gave birth to the modern Black Ops unit.

    Cavill will play the leader of the secret combat organization, while González, most recently seen in Michael Bay’s ‘Ambulance’, is a military sniper with extraordinary spy craft abilities.

    Ritchie, as with Vaughn, is hoping this one might spawn a new film franchise, and according to Deadline, the cast around the main pair will be filled with colorful characters, bringing to mind Quentin Tarantino’s ‘Inglourious Basterds’.

    Despite the presence of power producer Jerry Bruckheimer behind the scenes, Ritchie’s latest hasn’t had the easiest journey to screens – in development at Paramount originally (where Bruckheimer has a longstanding deal), the studio has opted not to move forward with the movie, and financiers Black Bear will have the distribution rights up sale at next month’s American Film Market.

    No doubt Ritchie will be keeping in mind the last time he tried to launch a spy franchise with Cavill as one of the leads and is hoping that this one has better luck than ‘The Man From U.N.C.L.E.’ in 2015.

    He was also probably hoping that this would be the biggest Cavill news to happen along this weekend, but Netflix (and Cavill himself) had other ideas. Still, perhaps Netflix will look to keep its relationship with the actor strong and swoop in to add this to their roster of splashy, star-lead spy thrillers including the likes of ‘The Gray Man’ and ‘Extraction’.

    Henry Cavill as Geralt of Rivia in Netflix's 'The Witcher.'
    Henry Cavill as Geralt of Rivia in Netflix’s ‘The Witcher.’ Photo: Jay Maidment.
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  • Henry Cavill Officially Returning as Superman

    Henry Cavill Officially Returning as Superman.
    Henry Cavill Officially Returning as Superman.

    There has been much talk of Henry Cavill’s status as Clark Kent – AKA Krypton’s most famous son, Kal El AKA Superman – in recent years. Some has pointed to him being ditched from Warner Bros. DC Extended Universe film franchise altogether.

    Then there were stories about him entering talks to return fully as Superman. It appears those particular stories were correct, as Cavill hit Instagram today to announce that he’ll officially be donning Supes’ unform again following… Well, that constitutes a big SPOILER ALERT, so please stop reading if you don’t want to know any more.

    Henry Cavill as Superman in 'Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice.'
    Henry Cavill as Superman in ‘Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice.’

    Still with us? Okay… Cavill has already made his return to the franchise via this weekend’s ‘Black Adam’ and a post-credit scene in which Viola Davis’ Amanda Waller threatens Dwayne Johnson’s title character with “people not from this planet” to keep him in line. “Send them all,” growls Adam, and there’s a sonic boom followed by a familiar figure descending from the sky. It’s Cavill’s Superman, looking more like the Christopher Reeve version than ever and with the John Williams theme to drive the point home.

    “Black Adam,” he says. “We should talk.”

    Cavill’s post doesn’t go into specifics beyond mentioning that we can expect a lot more from Superman going forward. We know that Johnson wants to see his Adam go up against Superman in future, and Warner Bros. does seem intent on figuring out a second ‘Man of Steel’ solo movie after Cavill made his debut in Zack Snyder’s 2013 outing.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/CkGjGIZL4rk/

    Don’t expect (despite calls) for the Snyderverse to be restored, though – instead The Hollywood Reporter has heard that producer Charles Roven is spearheading the search for writers for that solo Supes movie, and that a director wish list is being drawn up, with Christopher McQuarrie. Which sounds great, but if they want to get moving, he’s unlikely to be available (let alone interested), since he’s too busy working with real-life man of steel Tom Cruise on the next two ‘Mission: Impossible’ movies and will have those on his plate until at least late 2023/early 2024 including post-production and promotional duties.

    Still, at least it’s good news for fans of Cavill’s Superman, who have wanted to see him return to the role. With luck any new movie will allow him to channel the feel-good interpretation of the hero after the doomy vibes of ‘Steel’, ‘Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice’ and ‘Justice League’ (be it Whedon or Snyder cut). At least let the man smile! Cavill has bags of charm, and his Clark Kent could really use some of that energy.

    So it appears there’s a little more stability in the chaotic DC universe, at least on the Superman front.

    Henry Cavill as Superman in 'Man of Steel.'
    Henry Cavill as Superman in ‘Man of Steel.’
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