Since Disney acquired 20th Century Fox, many of the latter’s properties has been in a state of flux. One of the franchises in question is ‘Alien,’ which started with the 1979 science fiction horror film directed by Ridley Scott and its 1986 sequel ‘Aliens’ helmed by James Cameron.
While no new film projects have been seriously discussed, Marvel Comics begin releasing an ‘Alien’ comic book series starting in 2021.
Head writer Phillip Kennedy Johnson sat down with Discussing Film where he talked about the franchise following its acquisition by Disney.
“It was a huge vote of confidence on the part of Marvel and 20th Century Studios, which I was super grateful for, but honestly, an even bigger thrill for me personally,” he said. “Probably the most exciting part of it is that, with Marvel and 20th Century being part of the same company now, and the upcoming TV show being produced, we’re all adding to the same tapestry, collaborating to grow the Alien universe together in a way that feels super cohesive and consistent.”
When asked what helps inspire the story of the comic book, he explained, “The films are by far the biggest inspiration, but I also refer back to a lot of other Alien media, most notably the original Alien score by Jerry Goldsmith (the LP of which I sometimes listen to as I write) and Aliens: Salvation by Dave Gibbons and Mike Mignola.”
Johnson continued, “Aliens: Labyrinth is another one I come back to, to remind me how deeply upsetting an Alien story can and should be. Alien: Isolation is easily my favorite of the games.”
When asked if ‘Alien: Resurrection’ would play a role in the story, Johnson reacted negatively.
“There’s a specific image in Issue #1 that might make fans think of Alien: Resurrection, but generally that’s the one main-series movie I don’t give much thought, or even regard as “canon” in my heart of hearts,” Johnson said. “So no, there won’t be much Resurrection in the Marvel comic series. But I am a big fan of the prequel films, and Ridley Scott’s involvement quickly resolves any question of legitimacy.”
He added, “They’re part of the canon, no question. And although I have no immediate plans to do so, I do think there are some pretty cool ways in which we could tie those movies into the comics, and would certainly be game to do that.”
Disney announced on Twitter that an ‘Alien television show is in the works.
“Alien is currently in development at FX Networks,” they wrote. “The first TV series based on the classic film series is helmed by Fargo and Legion’s Noah Hawley. Expect a scary thrill ride set not too far in the future here on Earth.”
Marvel Comics ‘Alien’ Writer Discusses The Franchise After Disney Acquisition
Despite Allegations, Film Producer Brushes Off Kevin Spacey Controversy
Kevin Spacey has not been in any major role since he was edited out of Ridley Scott’s 2017 biopic “All the Money in the World” following allegations of sexual misconduct by fifteen accusers including ‘Star Trek Discovery’ actor Anthony Rapp. Spacey was also fired from his role in the Netflix political drama “House of Cards.”
That is why it came as a shock that he was cast in an Italian film “L’uomo Che Disegnò Dio” (The Man Who Drew God). The casting drew sharp criticism online with speculation that he would play a sex crime detective looking into a case of someone who is innocent.
Film producer Louis Nero sat down with Entertainment Weekly, where he brushed aside the controversy and praised Spacey’s acting ability.
“In Italy, we don’t know details on everything, so we don’t speak about what we don’t know about,” he said. “I cannot speak about these things. I only know that Kevin is a great actor. That was my concern, and no more than that.”
Nero continued, “We don’t want to go into the private matter. He’s still a great actor.”
He also denied that the movie has anything to do with inappropriate behavior, but is a biopic about a blind artist named Emanuele who could paint portraits based on the sound of their voice. The artist takes a female apprentice.
Though he admits Spacey will play a detective with a connection to the artist, he denied there was nothing to the online rumors about the movie’s content.
“It does not involve pedophilia, as I’ve read in the media,” he insisted. “This is wrong.”
“I hope the same attention that has been given to the start of the project continues throughout so we will be able to show it around the world,” Nero added. “I think that would be great.”
New Spawn Toys Coming Soon says Todd McFarlane
Even if you don’t follow the Spawn comics, there’s something universally cool about the character’s design. He makes for great art and toys. If I’d never picked up an issue of the comic in the ’90s, I would have still picked up the figures because they make such great display pieces.
When I logged into Facebook this morning, I wasn’t expecting to see that the toyline was still going strong but was also bringing back the classic Clown along with a Wild West Spawn! Forgive me for not knowing the details of this version of Spawn, but damn, that looks sweet!
Straight from Todd McFarlane’s Facebook, he announced four new Spawn figures and teased that pre-orders would be coming soon.
If you’re new to McFarlane’s toys, they’re detail-heavy action figures that cover several properties. Of course, Todd’s creation Spawn is what first comes to mind, but the company also produces DC characters, Warhammer, and more.
McFarlane Toys has been around since 1994. I remember his first series of Spawn action figures. They were basic, but this was also the time of alternative comic book publishers giving the big two some real competition. Spawn was dark, bloody, and awesome. So, getting an official figure with his massive cape led to a toy line spanned many years.
You can check out the history of the company and all the toys here. Man, that’s one hell of a trip down memory lane.
I recently picked up one of McFarlane’s Ultramarines from Warhammer 40k. It was surprising at just how much articulation that thing had. These marines are bulky guys with huge torsos and massive shoulder armor. Regardless, I got him into the pose I wanted, and he now has a permanent home on the studio’s display shelf.
Hordak Joins Mondo’s Masters of the Universe Line!
Hordak! Proper Hordak! Not that weirdo Hordak from She-Ra and the Princesses of Power garbage. This is the leader of the Evil Horde we all know and love. The guy who throws Skeletor’s sass right back in his boney face!
Like with other Mondo releases, this 12″ figure has added details not typically seen in previous Masters of the Universe toys. Hordak, as he is seen here, is more in line with the 200X version that appeared in the King Grayskull story.
His color scheme is still in line with the classic Mattel toy, except for his head. This one keeps the chalky white, as seen in the Filmation cartoon. However, Hordak does not come with an interchangeable cannon arm. He does get a staff, crossbow, and a few extra hands.
The leader of the Evil Horde, and former master of Skeletor, Hordak is one of Eternia’s most infamous adversaries. Betrayed by his former pupil, Skeletor, Hordak was locked away in a different dimension only to soon escape and plot his revenge on Skeletor and all of Eternia. Returning with his army called the Evil Horde, Hordak vowed to destroy Skeletor and take down He-Man and Castle Grayskull in the process!
After many years, Hordak has finally arrived in Mondo’s Masters of the Universe 1:6 Scale figure line. Featuring an awesome updated looked to his amor and weapons, this figure is covered in rich detail. Hordak also comes with a removable cape, staff, crossbow and 4 pairs of swappable hands.
- Approximately 12 inches (30.48cm)
- Made of plastic and fabric
- Over 30 points of articulation
- Wide selection of accessories
- Sculpted by Matt black
- Hordak figure
- 4 Pairs of hands
- Staff
- Crossbow
- Cape
- Stand
To preorder your leader of the Evil Horde, head on over to the Big Bad Toy Store. You can also place an order directly through Mondo here. Hordak will run you $230 and will ship this August.
Who should be next in Mondo’s line? The Sorceress? Ram Man? Mekaneck? Orko? Let us know in the comments.
Elizabeth Banks’s ‘Red Queen’ Series Picked Up By Peacock
Red Queen, a young adult fantasy novel written by Victoria Aveyard, has been a project Elizabeth Banks has been after for a few years. It had stalled in the past but is going full steam ahead. This turn of events is thanks to the NBCUniversal streaming service Peacock.
Banks will, of course, write, direct, produce, and play a “major” supporting role in the series. Arrow writer/producer Beth Schwartz co-wrote the pilot with Aveyard. This is a good sign, as some of her Arrow episodes were quite enjoyable. Then again … some were not.
The plot description of the series given by Variety is succinct enough, “…set in an alternate near-future America where democracy is replaced by a monarchy led by a group of humans with superpowers who rule with an iron fist over those without powers. Mare, a fiery young woman born to poverty without powers, is doing the best she can to survive and protect her family when she discovers the unthinkable: She somehow has powers too. This shocking discovery turns our world upside down and catapults our unlikely hero to become the face of a revolution for the oppressed while searching for the truth behind the greatest mystery of all…how she became so powerful in the first place.”
Not overly original, but it’s nice to see a project with superpowers that isn’t clothed in DC or Marvel spandex. There is an underlying worry that crept up while reading that, though.
If the plot of this series feels like it has the potential to be politically charged, that’s up Elizabeth Banks’s alley. She is no stranger to pushing activism in her work to disastrous effect. Anyone who saw the Charlie’s Angels reboot could agree. Banks may not have had input into the pilot script, but what will be her input afterward?
Her adversarial view of men may not go over well when she tries to market a new project to the masses. Do men watch strong women on TV? This was her preemptive statement before Angels flopped, “If this movie doesn’t make money it reinforces a stereotype in Hollywood that men don’t go see women do action movies.”
I’ll give most things in the entertainment industry a chance. If the writing sucks, I leave. If the characters are boring, I turn it off. If the plot has the consistency of a rural back road in Florida, I’ll pass.
I’m all for an underdog story. Taking out the powers that be by using their own strengths against them? Yes, please. Load it up with dialog and talking points that are as subtle as a sledgehammer to the testes? No, thank you. If I wanted that, I’d go back on Twitter.
What are your thoughts on Banks adapting this young adult novel? Let us know in the comments.
[Source: Variety]
Funimation Announces English Dub Cast For ‘Kemono Jihen’
‘Kemono Jihen’ is a popular dark fantasy Shonen manga released through ‘Jump Square’ magazine since 2016. A twelve-episode anime adaption was announced at the Jump Festa ’20, the Japanese studio Ajia-do Animation Works developing the series.
Funimation recently announced on their blog that they have acquired the license to produce an English along with a cast list of who will portray the characters.
“If you haven’t experienced the supernatural shounen series Kemono Jihen just yet, there’s never been a more perfect time,” they write. “Why? Well, we’re excited to announce that the Kemono Jihen English dub is officially on its way.”
The includes Madeleine Morris (Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation) as Kabane, a 13-year-old ghoul-human hanyo or hybrid who was raised by his abusive aunt. He discovers his parents went on a journey to find the “Life Calculus” and cure him. He sets off on an adventure to find them. Patrick Seitz (My Hero Academia) will portay Inugami, a detective who solves mysteries regarding ghouls and takes care of Kabane.
The rest of the cast includes A.J. Beckles as Shiki; Cassie Ewulu (Horimiya) as Akira, Kristen McGuire (Dr. STONE) as Inari.
Brittany Lauda will serve as ADR Director with Jessica Cavanagh as Scriptwriter and Tyler Walker as Script Supervisor.
The first two episodes will debut on the Funimation NOW streaming service on May 23. In Japan, the series was directed by Masaya Fujimori with Nozomi Tachibana designing the characters.
Check out the trailer:
Written and illustrated by Shō Aimoto, the official synopsis for ‘Kemono Jihen’ explains, “Special detective Kohachi Inugami is sent to investigate a grisly phenomenon involving animal corpses near a remote mountain village. But after meeting a strange boy who agrees to help, he discovers cursed supernatural forces at work. Little by little, Inugami uncovers the truth behind the killings and the boy who may not even be human.”
‘Star Trek: Lower Decks’ Creator: “I’m such a fan of Star Trek.”
‘Star Trek: Lower Decks’ is an animated series following the starship U.S.S. Cerritos and the crew featuring the unlucky Boimler (Jack Quaid), rebel Mariner (Tawny Newsome), naive Tendi (Noël Wells), and eager engineer Rutherford (Eugene Cordero). The wackiness of acts as a sort of self-parody of Gene Roddenberry’s science fiction adventure franchise.
Series creator Mike McMahan sat down with Collider to discuss the show and what he has in store for season two.
“I think that parody and homage kind of live hand in hand when you’re doing the kind of stuff we’re doing,” he said. “We did kind of edge into parody because we are fitting an entire two-hour something movie into less than 30 minutes and you want to hit all of the beats that makes it feel like a Star Trek movie, but also say something about your characters so it comes fast, it comes hard, it’s a little bit more on the nose, maybe, in a good way.”
When asked how much freedom he was given, he answered, “Total freedom.”
“And on no other show do I police myself as much, because I’m such a fan of Star Trek that it’s important to me that we are as funny as we can be without breaking Star Trek at all times and without being mean about Star Trek,” McMahan explained. “But the bedrock of everything is we just want to make an amazing Star Trek show that happens to be fast, funny and animated.”
The showrunner also teased what is coming for the second season.
“The new security officer, I just want to tease, is very funny and I love him as well,” he said. “I think we’re going to be seeing Boimler’s got a bit of a be careful what you wish for, with being on the Titan. So we’re going to have Jonathan Frakes as Riker back and the Pakleds still remain a threat. I don’t know. Season 2 feels like the last three episodes of Season 1, but just right from the get-go. It feels like we know what we’re doing, we’re having a good time doing it, and then we’re actually writing Season 3 now.”
The second season of ‘Star Trek: Lower Decks’ is set to premiere in August on the Paramount Plus streaming service.
Dune’s Timothee Chalamet Cast As A Young Willy Wonka
Remakes, reboots, soft reboots, semi-sequels, semi-prequels, or soft stools. Call them what you will, but Hollywood will never stop producing them. As long as there was once an audience for a property and the nostalgia can still be tapped, studios will resurrect properties.
Not even the candyman is safe. Seriously. Candyman got a reboot. Now Willy Wonka is too.
Over at Variety, we learned that the Willy Wonka prequel ‘Wonka’ has its lead actor. Timothee Chalamet of 2021’s Dune and Call Me by Your Name has been cast as the conjuror of sweets and the teacher of strict lessons to children.
The 26-year-old actor will be playing a younger version of Willy Wonka, possibly before gaining fame and fortune. The plot details are scarce, but there’s some information that will help us speculate.
The big question is, where will the story sit in the world of Wonka films? Will it be standalone? Will it be set before the Mel Stuart movie or Tim Burton’s? Will the Oompa Loompas be in it, and will they be orange little child-tormenting jerks?
Whether this film will be a new take on the character based more on Roald Dahl’s books than the classic 1971 adaptation is unknown. It will, however, be a musical. So, I’m leaning towards this being a loose prequel. This would allow Warner Bros. to cash in on nostalgia and republish the blu-ray.
On the other hand, trying to recreate a young version of Gene Wilder would be unfair to Chalamet. It’d be unfair to anyone who took the role, honestly. We’ve seen how these things have turned out before … like Solo.
Wonka ’71 is a family favorite, but I would like to see the studio try something new or closer to Dahl’s original works than copying Mel Stuart’s film. Just don’t make WW out to be a creepy Michael Jackson clone like Tim Burton did. Ugh.
Paul King, the director of the two live-action Paddington films, is slated to direct Wonka. Paddington was very charming and inoffensively heartwarming at times. It may not have been my cup of tea as a cynical journo, but I’ll admit that the films do have a Wonka-ish feel to them.
Do you think the origin story of a young Willy Wonka needs to be told? Is the journey of the confection creator an interesting story to tell? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.
[Source: Variety]
Dwayne Johnson Teases Dark Turn For ‘Black Adam’
The DC Extended Universe film franchise has been in a state of flux since the release of Zack Snyder’s ‘Justice League’ and the recent merger between Warner Media with Discovery after AT&T spun the company off.
Despite this, several projects are in production including ‘The Batman,’ ‘Shazam: Wrath of the Gods,’ as well as ‘Black Adam,’ starring Dwayne Johnson as the DC Comics villain.
The ‘Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle’ actor took to Instagram where he elaborated more on Black Adam and how he will impact the DCEU.
“If you know the comic book mythology, then you know where his pain comes from,” he wrote. “His rage. His wife and children killed. His people brutally enslaved. He is not a superhero, but rather a champion. Champion of the poor and beaten down. Champion of the people. And he is the most unstoppable force in the DC UNIVERSE.”
Johnson added that he “wanted to give you guys a little (Black Adam) update and share this image with you from set. Production is coming along GREAT and I’m very pleased with the movie we’re making. Black Adam’s mythology, ethics and actions no doubt will create a new paradigm in the world of superheroes, villains & antiheroes. The power will shift.
The line will blur. From a slave to a God.”
As previously reported by D-Rezzed, Dwayne Johnson announced the release date of the film on Instagram.
“A disruptive and unstoppable global force of a message from the man in black himself,” the caption reads. “BLACK ADAM is coming July 29, 2022. The hierarchy of power in the DC Universe is about to change.”
Besides Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, the movie will also feature James Bond star Pierce Brosnan as Kent Nelson aka Dr. Fate, Aldis Hodge as Hawkman, Noah Centineo as Atom Smasher, Adrianna Tomaz as Isis, and Quintessa Swindell as Cyclone.
‘The Commuter’ director Jaume Collet-Serra will helm the movie.
Alleged ‘Sonic The Hedgehog 2’ Movie Plot Leaked
‘Sonic the Hedgehog 2’ is one of the most anticipated upcoming movie sequels. Based on the SEGA video game, speculation has run wild on what the plot of the film will be and what nefarious plot Dr. Robotnik has planned.
According to GeekVibes Nations, one leak may have the answer. A Twitter user going by the screen name of “Rocks the Squirrel” posted a screenshot from a copyright website which he claims is the plot to ‘Sonic the Hedgehog 2.’
The text explains, “After settling in Green Hills, Sonic is ready for more freedom, and Tom and Maddie agree to leave him home while they go on vacation. But, no sooner are they gone, when Dr. Robotnik comes back, this time with a new partner, Knuckles, in search for an emerald that has the power to both build and destroy civilizations. Sonic teams up with his own sidekick, Tails, and together they embark on a journey to find the emerald before it falls into the wrong hands. Being directed by Jeff Fowler, and starring Jim Carrey, James Marsden, and Ben Schwartz.”
While this is an exciting development, it must be taken as a rumor as it has not been independently confirmed.
It has not been announced who will portray Knuckles in the sequel or whether his homeland of Angel Island will appear on screen.
As D-Rezzed previously reported, leaked images from the set of the film did show props resembling Sonic’s longtime flying fox sidekick Tails and his “friendly nemesis” Knuckles the Echidna.
It has been confirmed that Tim Folwer is returning to direct with Ben Schwartz returning to voice Sonic. ‘Horton Hears a Who’ actress Colleen O’Shaughnessey will voice Tails for the Paramount Pictures production.
The two-tailed fox made his first appearance in the 1992 SEGA Genesis game Sonic the Hedgehog 2 and has been Sonic’s consistent sidekick throughout the game series. Knuckles made his debut in the third entry to the original Sonic franchise.
