Moviefone Editorial

Tag: jon-watts

  • Destin Daniel Cretton to Direct ‘Spider-Man 4’

    Tom Holland in 'Spider-Man: No Way Home'. Photo: Marvel Studios.
    Tom Holland in ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’. Photo: Marvel Studios.

    Preview:

    • ‘Shang-Chi’s Destin Daniel Cretton is in talks for ‘Spider-Man 4’.
    • Tom Holland is back as the title character.
    • Chris McKenna and Erik Sommers will once more write the script.

    ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’ proved that even as the film industry recovered from the pandemic, audiences were still eager to embrace superhero movies if they were done well.

    It earned almost $2 billion at the box office and ranks as one of the more successful MCU entries, produced as usual alongside Sony Pictures.

    There has been chatter about a fourth entry in the franchise (more on that below), but regular director Jon Watts, who handled ‘No Way Home’ and predecessors ‘Spider-Man: Homecoming’ and ‘Spider-Man: Far from Home’ decided he needed a break from Marvel, choosing to focus on other projects, including upcoming Disney+ series ‘Star Wars: Skeleton Crew’ and Brad Pitt/George Clooney crime caper ‘Wolfs.’

    So the ‘Spider-Man’ franchise, in order to continue, has been in need of a filmmaker, and according to The Hollywood Reporter, it may have found one in ‘Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings’ director Destin Daniel Cretton.

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    What’s the story of ‘Spider-Man 4’?

    Tom Holland in 'Spider-Man: No Way Home'. Photo: Marvel Studios.
    Tom Holland in ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’. Photo: Marvel Studios.

    Given that ‘No Way Home’ changed things in a huge way for Tom Holland’s Peter Parker –– as you’ll likely recall, it ended with a spell that wiped everyone’s memory of him so as to protect the people he loves –– the storyline going forward is naturally something of a mystery.

    “The first few meetings were about, ‘Why would we do this again?’ And I think we found the reason why,” Holland told the Reporter previously about the fourth movie. But that actual reason has yet to be divulged (and with Holland not currently doing press, we’ll have to wait until he does before any details emerge accidentally).

    We do at least know that Chris McKenna and Erik Sommers, who contributed to or wrote the previous three Spider-outings, are back on board for this one.

    Related Article: Tom Holland Says “Everyone” Wants Fourth Spider-Man Movie to Happen

    Who will appear in the new ‘Spider-Man’ movie?

    (L to R) Zendaya and Tom Holland in 'Spider-Man: No Way Home'. Photo: Marvel Studios.
    (L to R) Zendaya and Tom Holland in ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’. Photo: Marvel Studios.

    Though the game was changed considerably in ‘No Way Home’, we can’t imagine that the franchise would continue without Zendaya as MJ (Peter’s big love interest) and Jacob Batalon as Ned (his best friend). Surely a way will be found to have them remember him?

    What else has Destin Daniel Cretton being doing in the MCU?

    Simu Liu in Marvel Studios' 'Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings.' Photo courtesy of Marvel Studios. ©Marvel Studios 2021.
    Simu Liu in Marvel Studios’ ‘Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings.’ Photo courtesy of Marvel Studios. ©Marvel Studios 2021.

    If his name is familiar, that’s because Cretton has already found Marvel success with ‘Shang-Chi’, which introduced the titular character, played by Simu Liu, to cinema audiences.

    Though he was originally attached to direct the next ‘Avengers’ film when it was named ‘Avengers: The Kang Dynasty,’ he departed during the legal chaos that saw the firing of Jonathan Majors –– who played Kang. We know what has happened since with the Avengers outings.

    Since then, Cretton has worked on other shows (including ‘American Born Chinese’), but returned to Marvel for ‘Wonder Man,’ which stars Yahya Abdul-Mateen II and is in post-production.

    Obviously, this impacts forward movement on a ‘Shang-Chi’ sequel, but perhaps it means Liu will get his chance to show up again before an ‘Avengers’ movie.

    (L to R) Zendaya and Tom Holland in 'Spider-Man: No Way Home'. Photo: Marvel Studios.
    (L to R) Zendaya and Tom Holland in ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’. Photo: Marvel Studios.

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  • ‘Wolfs’ Sequel in the Works Starring George Clooney and Brad Pitt

    Brad Pitt and George Clooney in 'Wolfs'.
    (L to R) Brad Pitt and George Clooney in ‘Wolfs’. Photo: Sony Pictures.

    Preview:

    • George Clooney and Brad Pitt’s ‘Wolfs’ is getting a sequel.
    • It’s the new film from ‘Spider-Man’ recent trilogy director Jon Watts.
    • Yet the movie will also now not be in wide release.

    There is some good news and bad news for the Apple-backed crime caper ‘Wolfs’ that stars George Clooney and Brad Pitt.

    Apple has, via Deadline, decided to start developing a sequel to the Jon Watts movie that will be with us next month. That’s the good news.

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    Here comes the gut punch: instead of a wide release for the original movie, it will now land in theaters just one week before it arrives globally on Apple TV+. Seemingly gone (at least for now) are the days when any movie featuring big stars launches in cinemas and enjoys a healthy run at the box office.

    Still, it’s perhaps not surprising for Apple –– while its big-name releases (such as ‘Killers of the Flower Moon’ and ‘Emancipation’ haven’t been box office behemoths, they’ve enjoyed plenty of buzz and some awards recognition.

    Related Article: Director George Clooney and Joel Edgerton Talk ‘The Boys in the Boat’

    What’s the story of ‘Wolfs’?

    Brad Pitt and George Clooney in 'Wolfs'.
    (L to R) Brad Pitt and George Clooney in ‘Wolfs’. Photo: Sony Pictures.

    ‘Wolfs’, which Watts (currently best known for the three most recent ‘Spider-Man’ movies starring Tom Holland) wrote, directed and produced, Clooney plays a professional fixer hired to cover up a high-profile crime.

    But when a second fixer (Pitt) shows up and the two lone wolves are forced to work together, they find their night spiraling out of control in ways neither expected.

    The cast also includes Amy Ryan, Austin Abrams, Poorna Jagannathan, Richard Kind and Zlatko Burić.

    Here’s what Apple Original Films head of features Matt Dentler said to Deadline about the news:

    “‘Wolfs’ is the kind of big event movie that makes Apple TV+ such an exceptional home for the best in entertainment. With George and Brad’s remarkable and engaging chemistry under Jon Watts’ extraordinary direction, ‘Wolfs’ blends all the great elements of comedy, action, and drama into a hugely entertaining movie that will leave audiences ready for what’s next. Releasing the movie to theaters before making it widely available to Apple TV+ customers brings the best of both worlds to audiences, and we’re excited to see fans embrace the movie as we start working with Jon on the sequel.”

    What about other movies from Apple?

    Matt Damon and Casey Affleck in 'The Instigators'.
    (L to R) Matt Damon and Casey Affleck in ‘The Instigators’. Photo: Apple TV+.

    It’s a case of the company judging based on the market. The likes of new crime pic ‘The Instigators’ (which boasts Matt Damon and Casey Affleck as its leads) will be on limited release ahead of its Apple TV+ debut, while the mammoth-budget ‘F1’ that Pitt has been shooting for a while now with Joseph Kosinski directing from a script by Ehren Kruger, is still targeting a wide launch in cinemas next year.

    So, when will ‘Wolfs’ be on screen?

    Brad Pitt and George Clooney in 'Wolfs'.
    (L to R) Brad Pitt and George Clooney in ‘Wolfs’. Photo: Sony Pictures.

    The movie will have its world premiere at the Venice Film Festival before a limited run in cinemas on September 20th and then lands on Apple TV+ on September 27th.

    Director Jon Watts, Brad Pitt and George Clooney on the set of 'Wolfs'.
    (L to R) Director Jon Watts, Brad Pitt and George Clooney on the set of ‘Wolfs’. Photo: Sony Pictures.

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  • Tom Holland Talks About a Potential Fourth ‘Spider-Man’ Movie

    Tom Holland in 'Spider-Man: No Way Home.'
    Tom Holland in ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home.’ Photo: Marvel Studios.

    Preview:

    • Tom Holland is opening up about a potential fourth ‘Spider-Man’ entry.
    • He’s also closely involved as a producer on the movie.
    • Writers are currently trying to crack the story.

    While ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’ seemed to provide a natural wrap-up to Tom Holland’s tenure as Peter Parker/Spider-Man, it also offered plenty of promising storylines going forward, and its incredible $260 million opening weekend (and $1 billion-plus global haul) meant his take on Spidey was unlikely to go away.

    The one sticking point might potentially have been Holland himself looking to move on but now, talking to Deadline at this year’s Sands International Film Festival (where he was also promoting a short film directed by his brother in which he appears), he made it clear he still wants to pull on the suit when called to do so.

    Here’s what he said:

    “The simple answer is that I’ll always want to do Spider-Man films. I owe my life and career to Spider-Man. So the simple answer is yes. I’ll always want to do more.”

    And that’s not all he said…

    Tom Holland talks a potential fourth Spider-Man movie

    Tom Holland in 'Spider-Man: No Way Home.'
    Tom Holland in ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home.’ Photo: Marvel Studios.

    We all know that Marvel and Sony are looking to keep the Spidey movie train chugging along and that a fourth film is in development.

    But Holland, who success in the role has led to him being more involved behind the scenes, is clear that they don’t want to simply pump out a new entry because it could make money.

    This was his comment on that:

    “We have the best in the business working toward whatever the story might be. But until we’ve cracked it, we have a legacy to protect, The third movie was so special in so many ways that we need to make sure we do the right thing. This is the first time in this process that I’ve been part of the creative so early. It’s just a process where I’m watching and learning. It’s just a really fun stage for me. Like I said, everyone wants it to happen. But we want to make sure we’re not overdoing the same things.”

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    Who will be making the new ‘Spider-Man’ movie?

    Tom Holland in 'Spider-Man: Far from Home.'
    Tom Holland in ‘Spider-Man: Far from Home.’ Photo: Marvel Studios.

    We’re assuming that writers Chris McKenna and Erik Sommers, who have contributed to the last couple of movies, will be part of the team developing the new movie.

    Jon Watts, who directed ‘Spider-Man: Homecoming’, ‘Spider-Man: Far‘ from Home’ and ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’, seems unlikely at this point to be back for the new movie, as he’s busy with other projects.

    When will the fourth ‘Spider-Man’ movie hit theaters?

    Neither Marvel nor Sony have made any announcement about a release date yet.

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

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  • Star Wars Celebration Day 1: TV Presentation

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    Fans got a look at a new trailer for ‘Ahsoka’ that is now online, while other series including ‘Skeleton Crew’ showed up with audience-only footage.

    While a big panel at today’s Star Wars Celebration in London was given over to the movies that the Lucasfilm team has in the works, there was plenty of attention for the ever-expanding TV portrayal of the various Jedis, bounty hunters and more.

    With Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni overseeing the ‘Mandalorian’ expanded small screen universe, the company has naturally used the success of that first show to build out others, some created by the main duo, some by different creative teams.

    There were new details and looks at a variety of shows, so here’s what was talked about…

    Rosario Dawson is Ahsoka Tano in Lucasfilm's 'Ahsoka,' exclusively on Disney+.
    Rosario Dawson is Ahsoka Tano in Lucasfilm’s ‘Ahsoka,’ exclusively on Disney+. ©2023 Lucasfilm Ltd. & TM. All Rights Reserved.

    ‘Star Wars: Ahsoka’

    In production before any of the other series spotlighted today, the series following the further adventures of the Togruta from the planet Shili, a Padawan turned Jedi known as Ahsoka Tano had the most to show off, including a trailer that is now online.

    Ahsoka, created 20 years ago by Dave Filoni and George Lucas for the theatrical launch of animated movie ‘Star Wars: The Clone Wars’, arrived in live-action form (played by Rosario Dawson) on ‘The Mandalorian’ and later popped up on ‘The Book of Boba Fett’.

    Led by Filoni behind the scenes, the series follows the former Jedi knight Ahsoka Tano as she investigates an emerging threat to a vulnerable galaxy –– specifically Grand Admiral Thrawn, a villain created by Timothy Zahn for his novel series. He’s already in screen canon thanks to appearances on Filoni’s animated series ‘Star Wars Rebels’ and will now be live-action, though his casting as yet to be announced.

    Scene from Lucasfilm's 'Ahsoka,' exclusively on Disney+.
    Scene from Lucasfilm’s ‘Ahsoka,’ exclusively on Disney+. ©2023 Lucasfilm Ltd. & TM. All Rights Reserved.
    Senator Mawood (Maurice Irvin), Senator Rodrigo (Jacqueline Antaramian), Chancellor Mon Mothma (Genevieve O'Reilly), Senator Xiono (Nelson Lee) and Gran Senator (Erica Duke) in Lucasfilm's 'Ahsoka,' exclusively on Disney+.
    (L to R) Senator Mawood (Maurice Irvin), Senator Rodrigo (Jacqueline Antaramian), Chancellor Mon Mothma (Genevieve O’Reilly), Senator Xiono (Nelson Lee) and Gran Senator (Erica Duke) in Lucasfilm’s ‘Ahsoka,’ exclusively on Disney+. ©2023 Lucasfilm Ltd. & TM. All Rights Reserved.
    Sabine Wren (Natasha Liu Bordizzo) in Lucasfilm's 'Ahsoka,' exclusively on Disney+.
    Sabine Wren (Natasha Liu Bordizzo) in Lucasfilm’s ‘Ahsoka,’ exclusively on Disney+. ©2023 Lucasfilm Ltd. & TM. All Rights Reserved.
    Hera Syndulla (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) in Lucasfilm's 'Ahsoka,' exclusively on Disney+.
    Hera Syndulla (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) in Lucasfilm’s ‘Ahsoka,’ exclusively on Disney+. ©2023 Lucasfilm Ltd. & TM. All Rights Reserved.

    Also making the leap from ‘Rebels’ (since Ashoka also appeared on that show) are Sabine Wren (Natasha Liu Bordizzo), Hera Syndulla (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) and cranky droid Chopper, with the promise of others. It’s worth noting that another Rebels regular, Garazeb “Zeb” Orrelios showed up in one scene of last week’s ‘The Mandalorian’.

    “It was natural he would make the transition to live action,” Kathleen Kennedy said of Filoni on stage. “He has done a spectacular job.” Favreau concurred: “He cares deeply. He poured his heart and soul into it. Dave is unique in that he doesn’t ever squash your inspiration or idea but finds a way to fit it in, to keep it in the tradition that George Lucas started.” Dawson, for her part, said she had “so many pinch me moments” making the show. “Because if this does well, maybe we’ll get a second season. It’s up to y’all!” she told the 4,500-strong crowd.

    The trailer is stacked with action, primarily Ahsoka showing off her trademark double lightsaber skills, plus plenty of starships dogfighting.

    ‘Ahsoka’ will launch on Disney+ this August.

    Baylan Skoll (Ray Stevenson) in Lucasfilm's 'Ahsoka,' exclusively on Disney+.
    Baylan Skoll (Ray Stevenson) in Lucasfilm’s ‘Ahsoka,’ exclusively on Disney+. ©2023 Lucasfilm Ltd. & TM. All Rights Reserved.

    Related Article: ‘Star Wars’ Movie News and a New ‘Indiana Jones’ Trailer Revealed at Star Wars Celebration

    ‘Star Wars: Skeleton Crew’

    Further out is ‘Skeleton Crew’, which was created and is run by recent ‘Spider-Man’ trilogy filmmaker Jon Watts alongside ‘Spider-Man: Homecoming’ collaborator Christopher Ford.

    The pair have come up with a series set around the same time as ‘The Mandalorian’, which follows the journey of four kids who make a mysterious discovery on their seemingly safe home planet, then get lost in a strange and dangerous galaxy. Finding their way home — and meeting unlikely allies and enemies — will be a greater adventure than they ever imagined.

    Jude Law stars alongside younger actors Ravi Cabot-Conyers, Kyriana Kratter and Robert Timothy Smith and Ryan Kiera Armstrong. There’s no word yet on when the show will land on Disney+.

    'Star Wars: Skeleton Crew’ will be premiering on Disney+ in 2023.
    ‘Star Wars: Skeleton Crew’ will be premiering on Disney+ in 2023.

    ‘Star Wars: The Acolyte’

    ‘The Acolyte’ promises to take viewers into a galaxy of shadowy secrets and emerging dark-side powers in the final days of the High Republic era. A former Padawan reunites with her Jedi Master to investigate a series of crimes but discovers the forces they confront are more sinister than they ever anticipated.

    The show stars Amandla Stenberg, Lee Jung-jae, Manny Jacinto, Dafne Keen, Charlie Barnett, Jodie Turner-Smith, Rebecca Henderson, Dean-Charles Chapman, Carrie-Anne Moss, Margarita Levieva and ‘Star Wars’ Wookiee veteran Joonas Suotamo, who plays another of the race, a Jedi named Kelnacca.

    Series creator Leslye Headland wowed the crowd with a sneak peek at the upcoming show. Headland arrived on stage, escorted by Kelnacca, and previewed footage from the mystery-thriller series alongside several of the stars.

    With production underway now, the series won’t hit Disney+ until next year, but that still is likely to be ahead of the new run of another big series set in the ‘Star Wars’ galaxy…

    Lucasfilm's 'The Acolyte.'
    Lucasfilm’s ‘The Acolyte.’

    ‘Star Wars: Andor’

    There was also word from Team ‘Andor,’ with showrunner Tony Gilroy joined by stars Diego Luna, Adria Arjona, Kyle Soller, Denise Gough, Genevieve O’Reilly, Andy Serkis, Muhannad Bahair and Joplin Sibtain to talk about the successful first season and preview footage from the second and final run of 12 episodes, which have yet to schedule a release date on Disney+.

    Oh, and for fans of the show that started it all, there was naturally a ‘Mandalorian’ treat, as the next episode of the series was shown on the big screen for fans.

    There is a lot to look forward to on the TV front, and, unlike the big movie announcements, we can be reasonably assured they will all hit screens. Stay tuned for more from the event as it unfolds.

    The cast of 'Andor' at Star Wars Celebration 2023.
    The cast of ‘Andor’ at Star Wars Celebration 2023.

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  • ‘Everything Everywhere All at Once’ Directors Handled an Episode of ‘Star Wars: Skeleton Crew’

    Directors Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert on the set of A24's 'Everything Everywhere All at Once.'
    (L to R) Directors Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert on the set of A24’s ‘Everything Everywhere All at Once.’ Photo Credit: Courtesy of A24.

    A couple of weeks ago, Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert took to the stage of the Dolby theatre in Hollywood to claim several Oscars that they’d won for their film ‘Everything Everywhere All at Once’, which of course led to speculation about what they’d do for a follow-up.

    When news broke yesterday via One Take News that the duo was involved with new ‘Star Wars’ series ‘Skeleton Crew’, some took it to mean that the quirky, unique duo were somehow “selling out’ by working on a Lucasfilm show.

    As it turns out, that’s not how it happened at all.

    Taking to Instagram, Kwan responded to those concerns. Here’s what he had to say:

    ”Lol, all of the people @ing us about getting sucked up by the ‘corporate machine’ can chill. These headlines are always misleading. Don’t worry. We aren’t working on a whole series; we guest directed one episode. Jon Watts approached us to do an episode a while ago (before ‘EEAAO’ even came out). We love Jon, love ‘Star Wars,’ love learning new tech, we love meeting new cast and crew, and we needed the days to keep our healthcare (!!!) so it was an easy yes. We shot it last year and had an incredible time working with the most talented cast and crew and I’m excited for you all to see it.”

    So, there you have it –– and let’s be honest, the idea of anything directed by the Daniels is something to anticipate. Kwan also specified that whatever the duo does next in the film realm, it’ll be an original project they create. We’re not sure why anyone would have expected the people behind ‘Swiss Army Man’ and ‘Everything Everywhere’ to jump wholeheartedly into the corporate world.

    'Star Wars: Skeleton Crew’ will be premiering on Disney+ in 2023.
    ‘Star Wars: Skeleton Crew’ will be premiering on Disney+ in 2023.

    Related Article: Lucasfilm No Longer Developing ‘Star Wars’ Movies from Kevin Feige and Patty Jenkins

    What’s the story of ‘Skeleton Crew’?

    Developed by Watts and Jon Favreau and set in the same ‘Star Wars’ timeline as ‘The Mandalorian’, ‘Skeleton Crew’ has largely been under wraps, with only a few details getting out.

    The official logline for the series is sparse at this point: “‘Skeleton Crew’ tells the story of four kids who find themselves lost in in the vastness of the galaxy trying to find their way home” and we do know that Watts was working with ‘Spider-Man: Homecoming’ co-writer Christopher Ford on the scripts.

    Jude Law is starring in the series, though we don’t yet know who is playing the youngsters looking to find their way home.

    ‘Skeleton Crew’ should be hitting Disney+ this year.

    'Ms. Marvel' director Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy.
    ‘Ms. Marvel’ director Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy.

    Damon Lindelof leaves the ‘Star Wars’ movie he was writing

    In less positive ‘Star Wars’ news, Above The Line brings word that Damon Lindelof and Justin Britt-Gibson are no longer aboard the movie set in the galaxy far, far away that they had been writing.

    Lindelof offered a hint that he might have jumped (space)ship at the SXSW festival last week, where he said this to Slashfilm:

    ”I will just say, that for reasons that I can’t get into on this Sunday morning, on this day, the degree of difficulty is extremely, extremely, extremely high. If it can’t be great, it shouldn’t exist. That’s all I’ll say, because I have the same association with it as you do, which is, it’s the first movie I saw sitting in my dad’s lap, four years old, May of ‘77. I think it’s possible that sometimes when you hold something in such high reverence and esteem, you start to get in the kitchen and you just go, ‘Maybe I shouldn’t be cooking. Maybe I should just be eating.’ We’ll just leave it at that point.”

    Lindelof’s original attachment was exciting for genre fans, as the ‘Lost’ veteran had worked on ‘The Leftovers’ and ‘Watchmen’. And though his big screen work hasn’t been as warmly received (‘Star Trek: Into Darkness’, ‘Prometheus’ and ‘Cowboys & Aliens’ included), there was anticipation for how his and Britt-Gibson’s sensibilities might translate to ‘Star Wars’.

    Don’t go thinking that this marks another cancelled ‘Star Wars’ project as Disney and Lucasfilm struggle to get their cinematic universe in order. Above The Line’s story also mentions that Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy (a documentary filmmaker who has worked in animation and directed episodes of ‘Ms. Marvel’ for Disney+) is still aboard to make the movie.

    A new writer is apparently involved in working on the script, though their identity is unknown at this time. And if it all works out, the cameras should be rolling in early 2024 ahead of a December 2025 release.

    What we do know is that Star Wars Celebration, the Disney-curated convention around all things ‘Star Wars’, is happening next month in London, and that’s traditionally where Lucasfilm has announced big new movies and TV series. So that’s where audiences should learn the fate of this new movie.

    Even that is no guarantee, though, as we’ve had a variety of big announcements –– films from Patty Jenkins or Kevin Feige, for example –– that have simply never come to pass, lost in a mire of conflicting schedules and long development.

    Other movies we’re still waiting for updates include Rian Johnson’s planned return to the ‘Star Wars’ universe (on hold as he focuses on ‘Knives Out’ sequels), a movie from Taika Waititi that still appears to be happening and one produced by prolific filmmaker Shawn Levy which we’d guess is still being held up by his busy schedule, which includes involvement in the final season of ‘Stranger Things’ and gearing up to direct ‘Deadpool 3’.

    The cast of Lucasfilm's 'Star Wars: The Force Awakens,' which was directed by J.J. Abrams.
    The cast of Lucasfilm’s ‘Star Wars: The Force Awakens,’ which was directed by J.J. Abrams.

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  • Matt Shakman in Talks to Direct Next ‘Fantastic Four’ Movie

    Marvel Studio's 'Fantastic Four.'
    Marvel Studio’s ‘Fantastic Four.’

    Even before Marvel boss Kevin Feige formally confirmed at this year’s San Diego Comic-Con that the company had set a release date for a new ‘Fantastic Four’ movie, there had been chatter about the possibilities for Marvel’s “first family” and their future in the MCU.

    Yet while Jon Watts, director of the successful most recent ‘Spider-Man’ trilogy had been tasked with shepherding the new movie, he left the gig in April, citing a need to focus on other projects (he has a movie with Brad Pitt and George Clooney starring and is also overseeing a ‘Star Wars’ series for Disney+, among other things).

    Now, though, it appears Marvel has found a replacement. First broken (albeit in rumour form) by The Direct, word has hit the trades that ‘WandaVision’ director Matt Shakman is in talks to handle the movie.

    Shakman, of course, did a great job with the stylish, quirky and emotional ‘WandaVision’ and would appear to be a good fit for the Four. Though his big screen directorial experience has so far been limited to indie crime thriller ‘Cut Bank’ in 2014, he has an extensive resume on TV, including shows such as ‘Succession’, ‘The Boys’, ‘Game of Thrones’ and ‘Billions’.

    Paramount, meanwhile, clearly thought he was up to the task of a ‘Star Trek’ movie, putting him at the helm for the latest, in-development installment of that franchise. Though if he locks in the job on ‘Fantastic Four’, that might mean that the Enterprise will need a new cine-captain.

    So, the Fantastic Four, then. They’re among the most famous superheroes from the comics world, but in case you’re not that aware of them, the Four were introduced into the pages of Marvel comics in 1961 by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby.

    Fantastic Four comic book characters
    Marvel’s Fantastic Four. Photo courtesy of Pinterest.

    The core characters are Mister Fantastic/Reed Richards, a scientific genius and the leader of the group, who can stretch his body into incredible lengths and shapes; the Invisible Woman/Susan “Sue” Storm, who eventually married Reed, who can render herself invisible and project powerful invisible force fields and blasts; the Human Torch/Johnny Storm, Sue’s younger brother, who can generate flames, surround himself with them and fly; and the monstrous Thing/Ben Grimm, their grumpy but benevolent friend, a former college football star, Reed’s college roommate and a good pilot, who possesses tremendous superhuman strength, durability and endurance due to his stone-like flesh.

    The characters have been brought to screens several times before, including an unauthorized Roger Corman adaptation (“to screens” is a misnomer in that case, since it’s mostly available as a bootleg), comedy drama takes in Fox’s 2005 outing ‘Fantastic Four’ and 2007 sequel ‘Rise of the Silver Surfer’, followed by a darker reboot in 2015, which didn’t thrill fans or score well at the box office.

    As with the introduction of Spidey back in ‘Captain America: Civil War’, the studio is keen on skipping the origin story for the Four. “A lot of people know this origin story. A lot of people know the basics. How do we take that and bring something that they’ve never seen before?” Feige told The Hollywood Reporter in July after stepping off the convention stage. “We’ve set a very high bar for ourselves with bringing that to the screen.”

    If Shakman’s deal goes through, we’d expect to see the Marvel boss announce him at next month’s D23 event.

    ‘Fantastic Four’ is currently scheduled for release on November 8th, 2024, forming part of the MCU’s Phase 6.

    Elizabeth Olsen is Wanda Maximoff and Paul Bettany is Vision in Marvel Studios’ 'Wandavision.'
    (L to R) Elizabeth Olsen is Wanda Maximoff and Paul Bettany is Vision in Marvel Studios’ ‘Wandavision,’ exclusively on Disney+.
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  • ‘Star Wars’: Latest News on the Movies and TV Series

    Director Rian Johnson and Carrie Fisher
    (L to R) Director Rian Johnson and Carrie Fisher on the set of ‘Star Wars: The Last Jedi.’

    While ‘Star Wars’ remains in the middle of a fallow period in terms of its movie output, the televisual galaxy on Disney+ seems to be ever expanding. According to Lucasfilm boss Kathleen Kennedy, plans are moving forward on both fronts.

    Speaking to Vanity Fair as part of a long article about the various big and small screen ‘Star Wars’ projects, Kennedy offered an update on the movie front.

    “We have a road map,” Kennedy says, before admitting that Rian Johnson’s planned new movie – announced five long years ago after he made ‘The Last Jedi’ – are essentially in limbo because of other commitments. “Rian has been unbelievably busy with ‘Knives Out’ and the deal that he made at Netflix for multiple movies,” she says, before clarifying that a ‘Wars’ movie from Taika Waititi and ‘Last Night in Soho’ co-writer Krysty Wilson-Cairns is most likely to be first out of the gate in the new era.

    ‘Rogue Squadron’, which ‘Wonder Woman’ director Patty Jenkins has been developing, is further off, amidst chatter about script issues and Jenkins’ own schedule (she’s also still planning a third outing for Gal Gadot’s DC heroine).

    The biggest idea to come out of the Kennedy interview is that Lucasfilm is not looking to continue the breakneck pace that saw the sequel trilogy, plus other titles including ‘Rogue One’ and ‘Solo: A Star Wars Story’ rattle out within a year (or less) of each other. The latter’s less successful box office was also factor, leading to concerns about a glut of ‘Wars’ stories causing fandom fatigue.

    Yet the company is keeping the pipeline flowing on the Disney+ front, with studios in California, London and Vancouver cranking out shows including more ‘Mandalorian’, and various spins on catalogue characters including ‘Andor’ and ‘Ahsoka’.

    Diego Luna, Felicity Jones and the voice of Alan Tudyk as K-2SO in 'Rogue One: A Star Wars Story.'
    (L to R) Diego Luna, Felicity Jones and the voice of Alan Tudyk as K-2SO in ‘Rogue One: A Star Wars Story.’

    There’s ‘Obi-Wan Kenobi’ due on May 27th, with ‘Andor’ – following the earlier days of Diego Luna’s Resistance fighter from ‘Rogue One’ – late in the summer.

    Season 3 of ‘The Mandalorian’ will follow that in late 2022 or early 2023 with all the Baby Yoda you might want, and ‘Ahsoka’, starring Rosario Dawson as the titular Jedi, next year.

    Further away is the intriguing likes of ‘The Acolyte’, which is being led by filmmaker Leslye Headland. Set 100 years before the events of ‘The Phantom Menace’, it chronicles the time of the High Republic.

    “We’re taking a look at the political and personal and spiritual things that came up in a time period that we don’t know much about. My question when watching ‘The Phantom Menace was always like, ‘Well, how did things get to this point?’” says Headland. “How did we get to a point where a Sith lord can infiltrate the Senate and none of the Jedi pick up on it? Like, what went wrong? What are the scenarios that led us to this moment?”

    Describing her series as a mystery thriller set in a prosperous and seemingly peaceful era, when the galaxy is still sleek and glistening, she explains that the Jedi will be different from how we’ve usually seen them. “The Jedi uniforms are gold and white, and it’s almost like they would never get dirty. They would never be out and about,” Headland says. “The idea is that they could have these types of uniforms because that’s how little they’re getting into skirmishes.”

    Headland has Amandla Stenberg starring in her show so far, but even further out from a production point of view is a series from Jon Watts, who has been behind the last three ‘Spider-Man’ movies.

    His show is described as a galactic version of classic Amblin coming-of-age adventure films of the ’80s. Casting notices are out for a group of kids, while Watts has been developing the scripts alongside ‘Spider-Man: Homecoming’ writer Chris Ford. So far, it’s still known by its codename: ‘Grammar Rodeo’, which references a ‘Simpsons‘ episode in which Bart and his schoolmates steal a car and run away for a week, using a phony educational event as an alibi.

    Wherever you want to watch ‘Star Wars’, it sounds like you’ll have plenty to keep you busy in the future of that galaxy far, far away.

    ‘Star Wars: Obi-Wan Kenobi’ Poster Courtesy of Disney+
    ‘Star Wars: Obi-Wan Kenobi’ Poster Courtesy of Disney+
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  • Jon Watts Departs Marvel’s ‘Fantastic Four’

    Director Jon Watts and Tom Holland
    (L to R) Director Jon Watts and Tom Holland on the set of ‘Spider-Man: Homecoming.’

    Chalk up another director stepping away from a franchise in the wake of Justin Lin departing ‘Fast X’. Though in Jon Watts’ case, it A) isn’t in the middle of shooting and B) is simply because he’s ready for a break from the genre he’s worked in for the last few years.

    Watts, who directed the last three ‘Spider-Man’ movies for Sony and Marvel, including last year’s huge hit ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’, had been scheduled to stay with the MCU for its new iteration of ‘Fantastic Four’.

    But now, according to Deadline, Watts is stepping away from Marvel’s First Family.

    “Collaborating with Jon on the Spider-Man films has been a true pleasure. We were looking forward to continuing our work with him to bring the Fantastic Four into the MCU but understand and are supportive of his reasons for stepping away,” say Marvel boss Kevin Feige and co-president Louis D’Esposito. “We are optimistic that we will have the opportunity to work together again at some point down the road.” Well, at least it’s not clobberin’ time.

    Watts says: “Making three Spider-Man films was an incredible and life changing experience for me. I’m eternally grateful to have been a part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe for seven years. I’m hopeful we’ll work together again, and I can’t wait to see the amazing vision for Fantastic Four brought to life.”

    Though this might be disappointing for fans of Watts’ Marvel work; he, along with regular writers Chris McKenna and Erik Sommers brought a real light, funny touch to their ‘Spider-Man’ films and Watts felt like a potentially good fit for Reed Richards and his hero team.

    Marvel Studio’s ‘Fantastic Four.'
    Marvel Studio’s ‘Fantastic Four.’

    For those who don’t know their ‘Fantastic Four’ from their ‘Fantastic Beasts’, the Four were introduced into the pages of Marvel comics in 1961 by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby. The core characters are Mister Fantastic/Reed Richards, a scientific genius and the leader of the group, who can stretch his body into incredible lengths and shapes; the Invisible Woman/Susan “Sue” Storm, who eventually married Reed, who can render herself invisible and project powerful invisible force fields and blasts; the Human Torch/Johnny Storm, Sue’s younger brother, who can generate flames, surround himself with them and fly; and the monstrous Thing/Ben Grimm, their grumpy but benevolent friend, a former college football star, Reed’s college roommate and a good pilot, who possesses tremendous superhuman strength, durability and endurance due to his stone-like flesh.

    The characters have been brought to screens several times before, including an unauthorized Roger Corman adaptation (“to screens is a misnomer in that case, since it’s mostly available as a bootleg), comedy drama takes in Fox’s 2005 outing ‘Fantastic Four’ and 2007 sequel ‘Rise of the Silver Surfer’, followed by a darker reboot in 2015, which didn’t thrill fans or score well at the box office.

    Watts was attached to the developing MCU version in December 2020, and it has been quietly bubbling away ever since.

    But he’s seemingly looking to focus instead on an untitled film snapped up by Apple in a rich deal, which is set to star George Clooney and Brad Pitt in the story of rival “fixers” who are hired for the same job. Not a web-slinger or superpowered person to be found, but certainly a couple of superstars.

    Now, of course, we wait to see who takes over the job of bringing the next stage of the ‘Fantastic Four’ story to screens…

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  • Marvel Is Reportedly Done Making ‘Spider-Man’ Movies After Sony Money Dispute

    Marvel Is Reportedly Done Making ‘Spider-Man’ Movies After Sony Money Dispute

    Sony Pictures

    Marvel Studios and “Spider-Man” are once again parting ways.

    A new report from Deadline says that the partnership between Disney and Sony that finally united the webslinger with the Avengers — paving the way for hits including “Avengers: Infinity War,” “Avengers: Endgame,” “Spider-Man: Homecoming,” and “Spider-Man: Far From Home” — is effectively over, following a dispute over money. According to the trade, Disney was attempting to broker a new deal with Sony that would see both studios put up a 50-50 financial stake in future “Spider-Man” flicks (and essentially earn 50-50 in profits), rather than the reported 5 percent of first-dollar grosses it currently earns.

    But Deadline says Sony scoffed at that idea, and after Disney declined to keep the current terms of the partnership, the studios decided to part ways entirely. Now, Marvel Studios — and its chief and super producer, Kevin Feige — will no longer be involved in the “Spider-Man” franchise going forward, though star Tom Holland and director Jon Watts are still attached to two more movies featuring the hero.

    Deadline speculates that Sony simply didn’t want to share such a large piece of its most profitable franchise with Disney, and the studio does already have plans in place for a “Venom” sequel and several other spin-offs in the Spidey-verse. Just how successful those will be without the golden touch of Marvel Studios and Feige remains to be seen.

    [via: Deadline]

  • ‘Spider-Man’ Director Jon Watts in Talks to Direct Michael B. Jordan in ‘Methusaleh’

    ‘Spider-Man’ Director Jon Watts in Talks to Direct Michael B. Jordan in ‘Methusaleh’

    Sony

    The long-in-development “Methusaleh” movie may have found its director.

    Jon Watts (“Spider-Man: Homecoming” and “Far From Home”) is in early talks to direct the film, which will star Michael B. Jordan, according to Deadline.

    Jordan is also set to produce under his Outlier Society banner, which has a deal with Warner Bros.

    The story follows a man who has managed to stay alive for over 400 years, though he does not physically appear to age. In that time, he has accumulated vast intellectual knowledge, from multiple languages to the sciences, as well as survival skills.

    The project has been in the works for a long time at Warner Bros. At one point, Tom Cruise was interested in playing the central character. The “Highlander”-like mythology has franchise potential.