How else to explain the fact that they’re both clearing space in busy calendars to re-team on a new movie called ‘The Dog Stars’?
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With both Scott and Mescal out stumping for the ‘Gladiator’ sequel, Deadline reports that Scott has decided to next make the adaptation of Peter Heller’s 2012 post-apocalyptic novel.
Paul Mescal plays Lucius in ‘Gladiator II’ from Paramount Pictures.
Adapted by ‘The Revenant’s Mark L. Smith, ‘The Dog Stars’ is set in a near future where an unnamed pandemic has decimated American society.
A civilian pilot lives a lonely life on an abandoned Colorado airbase with his dog and a tough ex-marine. The two men couldn’t be more mismatched but depend on each other to fend off roaming invaders.
When a random transmission beams through the radio of his 1956 Cessna, the voice ignites a hope deep inside the pilot that a better life exists outside their tightly controlled perimeter. Risking everything, he flies past his point of no return and follows its static-broken trail.
The new movie will squeeze into a potential spring filming spot for the director, who as always has been juggling a number of potential projects. It appears this will leapfrog ahead of his planned Bee Gees biopic.
Mescal, meanwhile, will be taking to the Broadway stage this winter, in ‘A Streetcar Named Desire.’ Mescal is reprising his turn as Stanley Kowalski from the praised London production.
Scott has also expressed an interest in reuniting with Mescal for another project, one even more closely linked to their new release –– a third ‘Gladiator’ outing, as reported recently.
What has happened with ‘Gladiator III’ so far?
Paul Mescal plays Lucius in ‘Gladiator II’ from Paramount Pictures.
While a third ‘Gladiator’ movie is strictly at the discussion stage right now, Scott told France’s Premiere magazine that he’s considering ideas for it.
Here’s what Scott had to say:
“I’m already playing with the idea of ‘Gladiator III’ “No, seriously! I lit the fuse… The ending of ‘Gladiator II’ evokes that of ‘The Godfather,’ with Michael Corleone finding himself with a job he didn’t want and wondering, ‘And now, Father, What am I doing?’ So, the next film will be about a man who doesn’t want to be where he is.”
That concept points to a return for Paul Mescal, who plays main character Lucius.
In a follow-up interview with the magazine, the actor admitted that he’d spoken to Scott about a potential next outing.
This is what Mescal had to say:
“Yes, Ridley spoke to me about it, but only yesterday! So I’m waiting to see what will happen, but it interests me, of course. But we must not rush anything: the story must hold together.”
Whether it interests Mescal or not is only part of the issue here; ‘Gladiator II’ is a big, expensive bet by Paramount (to the tune of, according to different reports, of between $200 and $300 million), so it will need to make some serious profit to trigger spending on another sequel.
But let’s be honest here, if any director can wrangle studios to his will, it’s Scott.
‘Gladiator II’ battles its way into theaters on November 22nd.
(L to R) Director Ridley Scott and Paul Mescal on the set of ‘Gladiator II’ from Paramount Pictures.
Other Movies and TV Shows Similar to ‘Gladiator II’:
(L to R) Lupita Nyong’o as “Samira” and Joseph Quinn as “Eric” in ‘A Quiet Place: Day One’ from Paramount Pictures. Photo: Paramount Pictures.
Preview:
Paramount revealed a lot of news on future movies at its CinemaCon Presentation.
Other movies highlighted included ‘Transformers One’ and ‘A Quiet Place: Day One’.
Ridley Scott’s ‘Gladiator 2’ provided the big finish.
Paramount had a solid if uninspiring 2023, including a disappointing result for the oft-delayed ‘Mission: Impossible –– Dead Reckoning Part 1’ (which suffered in competition, particularly for IMAX screens, against ‘Barbie’ and ‘Oppenheimer’). But’s best not to bet against Tom Cruise, who will no doubt be doing something to promote the next ‘Mission’ (odds are good we’ll learn the new title). Still, the more recent likes of ‘Mean Girls’ and ‘Bob Marley: One Love’ were reasons to be grateful, even as talk of the studio being up for sale continues to swirl.
Even before the presentation proper kicked off, there was news of new movies in the works. The studio is developing a reboot of the ‘Scary Movie’ spoof franchise to shoot this year for release next year via Paramount’s Miramax subsidiary.
And while a sequel to last year’s family friendly ‘Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem’ is moving forward, the company also intends to go in a more grown-up direction with a new live-action ‘Turtles’ offering called ‘The Last Ronin’ that will adapt a dark comic book tale set in a totalitarian New York where Shredder’s grandson has employed artificial ninjas to slaughter all but one of the Turtles. The lone survivor swears vengeance. So… yes, definitely a less kid-centric take on the characters, and one that feels even closer to the black and white origins of the story. That one will be produced by former DC movie boss Walter Hamada, who has a multi-year deal with Paramount and ‘Boy Kills World’ writer Tyler Burton Smith is on script duty.
(L to R) April O’Neil, Donatello, Raphael, Michelangelo and Leonardo in Paramount Pictures and Nickelodeon Movies in a Point Grey Production ‘Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem.’
After a glitch with the opening reel (effectively a tour of the Paramount lot), the presentation commenced with another highlighting Paramount’s considerable movie history and spotlighting successes such as ‘Sonic’, ‘Mean Girls’ and ‘TMNT: Mutant Mayhem’.
And, as suspected, the world of ‘Gladiator’ is a focus, as Roman soldiers stride on to the stage to shepherd the executives. Will those who backed unsuccessful movies have to battle lions? Doubt it, but… would watch.
First up to tout two very different movies is one John Krasinski, who is appearing via video from London. He talks first about…
(L to R) Cailey Fleming and Blue star in Paramount Pictures’ ‘IF.’ Photo: Paramount Pictures.
As Krasinski (who wrote and directed this one) explains, ‘IF’ posits a world where everything kinds imagine is real –– and some imaginary friends are looking to find their humans again (or be connected with new ones).
It has Ryan Reynolds starring, a stacked celebrity voice cast and leans heavily into the Pixar style of movie making.
He cues up the final trailer for the film, which you can see here:
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‘IF’ is in theaters May 17th.
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Krasinski also mentioned ‘A Quiet Place: Day One’, but more on that later…
Paramount Presentation: Other News
The Bee Gees in ‘The Bee Gees: How Can You Mend a Broken Heart.’ Photo: HBO.
In between teases for this year’s releases, there were more news announcements, including confirmation of a ‘Transformers’ and ‘G.I. Joe’ crossover movie, Edgar Wright landing Glen Powell to star in his new take on Stephen King’s ‘The Running Man’, Ridley Scott officially boarding the Bee Gees musical biopic and Damien Chazelle seemingly handed a second chance after the floptastic ‘Babylon’, getting ready to shoot his next movie this year for the studio, with a release planned for 2025.
Also touted? ‘South Park’ duo Trey Parker and Matt Stone are working on a new, live-action comedy musical with Kendrick Lamar, which will debut on July 4 next year.
With the title very much back in the public consciousness thanks to the Netflix live-action show, Paramount has the likes of Dave Bautista and Eric Nam lending their voices to what is currently title ‘Aang: The Last Airbender’, with Bautista playing a villain. The movie will be in theaters on October 10th next year.
In fact, lots of future slate info dropped, including that the next ‘Star Trek’ movie (whichever it might be from the various options) and the new, Seth MacFarlane produced ‘Naked Gun’ with Liam Neeson starring, will both also arrive next year.
Oh, and if you, like us, had “next Mission movie title announcement” on your bingo card, no scratching it off –– there was a mention of it, but zero footage and no word on title.
Following a video introduction from Johansson, Hemsworth (who, if we’re honest, was already in Vegas because of the Warners presentation) arrived on stage to talk up the film. He voices Optimus Prime, with Brian Tyree Henry (who joined him at the event) as Megatron.
From the looks of the footage, the tone is aiming for more of a family adventure style, leaning closer to comedy than the live-action/CG movies. And it’s an origin story for many of the characters we love, with Keegan-Michael Key voicing Bumblebee.
Along with a trailer, a first clip screened –– in 3D, no less –– to wide approval for its epic scale and comedy value.
(L to R) Lupita Nyong’o as “Samira” and Djimon Hounsou as “Henri” in ‘A Quiet Place: Day One’ from Paramount Pictures. Photo: Paramount Pictures.
Stars Lupita Nyong’o and Joseph Quinn were on hand to debut an extended trailer for the thriller prequel showing how the scary creatures first arrived and began to terrorize New York. As the previous trailer hinted, this one will see devastation, fear and, ultimately… quiet.
‘A Quiet Place: Day One’ heads to theaters on June 28th.
Jim Carrey as Dr. Robotnik in ‘Sonic the Hedgehog 2.’ Photo: Paramount Pictures.
Given that Sonic and pals have become one of the biggest recent franchises for the studio (even extending to the upcoming ‘Knuckles’ series), it’s almost surprising how low key the talk of the new movie was.
The studio team just showed a trailer, which went heavily on Jim Carrey’s villainous, maniacal Dr. Robotnik and introduced Shadow the Hedgehog.
‘Sonic The Hedgehog 3’ is racing into theaters on December 20th.
Caitlin Stasey in Paramount Pictures Presents in Association with Paramount Players A Temple Hill Production ‘Smile.’
A follow-up to the 2022 horror sleeper hit, the new movie will see a Lady Gaga-esque pop star confronted by smile-affected people around a concert venue.
(Right) Russell Crowe in director Ridley Scott’s ‘Gladiator.’
Sir Ridley Scott appears on screen from London (where he’s still finishing post-production on the movie), to hype his return to the world of ‘Gladiator’.
It might be unfinished, but that didn’t stop Scott unleashing a five-minute look at the movie.
“I remember that day. I never forgot it. That a slave could take revenge against an emperor,” says Paul Mescal’s Lucius. A boat battle is seen taking place in the Colosseum. Paul Mescal and other Gladiators fight vicious monkeys. “Rage is your gift,” Denzel Washington tells Mescal. Washington and Pedro Pascal watch on as Mescal fights a rhinoceros. The footage ends with a brutal fight between Pedro Pascal and Paul Mescal.
Are we not entertained? Yes, we were entertained. Though animal rights activists and worried Pedro Pascal fans might think differently.
‘Gladiator II’ returns to the theatrical arena on November 22nd.
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Director John Krasinski on the set of Paramount Pictures’ ‘IF.’ Photo: Paramount Pictures.
(Left) Ridley Scott attends the Academy’s 7th Annual Governors Awards in The Ray Dolby Ballroom at Hollywood & Highland Center® in Hollywood, CA, on Saturday, November 14, 2015. (Left) The Bee Gees in ‘The Bee Gees: How Can You Mend a Broken Heart.’ Photo: HBO.
Preview:
Ridley Scott’s in talks for a Bee Gees biopic.
Paramount has been developing the movie for a few years.
The script comes from ‘Gladiator’ scribe John Logan.
As ‘Bob Marley: One Love’ –– the movie about the reggae music superstar –– performs well at the box office following its Valentine’s Day midweek release ($17.9 million and counting), Paramount is looking to give a long-gestating other film in the genre a boost.
The studio has had a movie chronicling the extraordinary story of the Bee Gees in the works since at least 2019 but has seen it burn through a couple of directors already (that would be Kenneth Branagh and John Carney).
Now, as his schedule starts to open up again, Ridley Scott is the studio’s target to get the Bee Gees project to screens.
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Who are the Bee Gees?
The Bee Gees in ‘The Bee Gees: How Can You Mend a Broken Heart.’ Photo: HBO.
If you know the name, but don’t know the story of sibling musicians Maurice, Robin and Barry Gibb, just say, lay it on me.
The group enjoyed worldwide sales of more than 220 million records, cementing them as one of the biggest-selling groups of all time. While the brothers first began performing together in the late 1950s with folk and soft rock, their popularity mushroomed after they wrote songs for ‘Saturday Night Fever’ that boosted the popularity of disco and led to one of the top-selling albums ever, winning five Grammys including Album of the Year.
Even though the soaring success made them world famous, rich and an indelible part of the ’70s zeitgeist, their position as the symbol of disco put them unexpectedly on their heels when there was an eventual backlash to the whole vibe. When Maurice Gibb died suddenly in January 2003 at the age of 53, the remaining brothers retired the group’s name after 45 years of work. They re-formed in 2009, but Robin died three years later at age 62 and that has left Barry to maintain the band’s legacy.
It’s just his latest project, and he has plenty of other potential movies in development, but the studio is hoping he’ll set the Bee Gees film as a priority. Scott actually has a connection to the group, as he was offered the chance to direct a movie called ‘Castle Accident’ starring the brothers way back in the 1970s, but it never came together.
The Bee Gees in ‘The Bee Gees: How Can You Mend a Broken Heart.’ Photo: HBO.
The film is not yet at a point where it can schedule a release date –– even with modern studio policies of assigning a date before most of the creative elements are in place. But if Scott does agree to make it, we can expect him to have it moving quickly.
Next up for the director is the aforementioned ‘Gladiator’ sequel, which is scheduled to arrive in theaters on November 22nd.
The Bee Gees in ‘The Bee Gees: How Can You Mend a Broken Heart.’ Photo: HBO.
SAG-AFTRA members walk the line in Northhampton on 9/21. Photo courtesy of SAG.
Preview
The latest talks between the striking actors’ union and the studio representatives have ended without much progress.
The actors are seeking a similar new deal to what the writers recently secured, albeit with their own extra points.
Studio representative body the AMPTP claims that the gap between the parties is “too great” right now.
Just when it looked like there was hope for an end to the actors’ strike following the resolution of the writers’ industrial action (the new contract for writers was officially ratified by 99% of the WGA membership on Monday), some cold water was thrown by news yesterday that performers’ union SAG-AFTRA and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers that represents studios were “too far apart” on talks for their own deal.
The actors have now been officially on strike since July 14th, essentially bringing Hollywood production in the States and elsewhere in the world to a standstill with the impact felt in shut down movies, delayed release dates and a shaken-up TV schedule, networks filling fall slots with reality shows and series that had already been in production.
And, as has been the case throughout the strike, the two sides are waging a war of words to present their side of negotiations.
SAG-AFTRA members Nia Vardalos and Octavia Spencer walk the line at Disney Studios in Burbank, CA on 9/20. Photo courtesy of SAG.
Here’s what SAG-AFTRA’s leadership told members in its latest release:
“We have negotiated with them in good faith, despite the fact that last week they presented an offer that was, shockingly, worth less than they proposed before the strike began. These companies refuse to protect performers from being replaced by AI, they refuse to increase your wages to keep up with inflation, and they refuse to share a tiny portion of the immense revenue YOUR work generates for them. The companies are using the same failed strategy they tried to inflict on the WGA –– putting out misleading information in an attempt to fool our members into abandoning our solidarity and putting pressure on our negotiators. But, just like the writers, our members are smarter than that and will not be fooled.”
The actors’ union has been pushing for various new deal points, including protection against the use of AI to replace some performers and an 11% increase in minimum payments (by comparison, both the Directors Guild and the writers secured 5).
AMPTP put out its own statement on the talks
WGA + SAG-AFTRA members walk the line at Paramount on Sept. 20. Photo courtesy of SAG-AFTRA.
The alliance offered its usual publicity blast to explain its side of the matter:
“SAG-AFTRA’s current offer included what it characterized as a viewership bonus that, by itself, would cost more than $800 million per year – which would create an untenable economic burden. SAG-AFTRA presented few, if any, moves on the numerous remaining open items. After meaningful conversations, it is clear that the gap between the AMPTP and SAG-AFTRA is too great, and conversations are no longer moving us in a productive direction.”
We would expect this back-and-forth to continue for some time, with little forward movement (and it feels like the studios are once more the main sticking point). So, if you were hoping that your favorite show or that movie you were anticipating would be back on the schedule soon, we’d say patience is a virtue.
