Hollywood was on temporary pause but productions are gearing back up, release dates continue to be tweaked in preparation for theaters reopening, and things are slowly starting to return to normal – or at least, our temporary new normal. Movie news is once again starting to flow, with us bringing you a few hand-picked stories we think you’ll like.
Let’s hop to it.
‘Spider-Man: Homecoming 3’ Is Adding Basically Everyone Who Was Ever In A Spider-Man Movie
After Jamie Foxx being confirmed as Electro for Spider-Man 3 followed J.K. Simmons returning as J. Jonah Jameson in Spider-Man: Far From Home, it seemed as though Marvel might be done with bringing back actors from previous live-action Spider-Man iterations. But the castings didn’t stop there. In the last few weeks, it’s been rumored or reported that Andrew Garfield and Tobey Maguire would be reprising their roles as Spider-Man, along with Emma Stone and Kirsten Dunst returning as Gwen Stacey and Mary Jane Watson, respectively. Now, it’s been confirmed that Alfred Molina will be returning to reprise his fan-favorite role of Doc Ock. Don’t be surprised if we hear more names being kicked around in the next few weeks, either. At this point, it’s more than clear that they’re not only building up to a Sinister Six storyline, but they’re also assembling the pieces for a Sony-Marvel multiverse crossover in Spider-Man 3. It’s an ambitious undertaking, but if they can pull it off, it might be one of the wildest superhero movies we’ve seen in ages – you know, since the last Marvel movie.
Zack Snyder Is Pushing For His ‘Justice League’ Cut To Get A Theatrical Release
Busy assembling his director’s cut of Justice League, which was announced a few months ago to be coming to HBO Max next year, director Zack Snyder took some time out to give updates on the project. Speaking to EW, Snyder revealed that the film will be dark – real dark – and ultra-violent. Here’s one piece of information nobody knows: The movie is insane and so epic and is probably rated R – that’s one thing I think will happen, that it will be an R-rated version, for sure,” Snyder said. “We haven’t heard from the MPAA, but that’s my gut.” That’s not exactly surprising, considering a.) Snyder and b.) Warner Bros, nor is the fact that Batman “drops an F-bomb.” What is surprising? That Snyder is pushing for it to be released theatrically, as he revealed when asked about theatrical releases moving to digital. “I’m a huge fan and a big supporter of the cinematic experience, and we’re already talking about Justice League playing theatrically at the same time it’s coming to HBO Max,” Snyder said. “So weirdly, it’s the reverse [of the trend].” It will be a considerable risk for Warner Bros. to release a film in theaters that already underwhelmed once when there’s still a pandemic going on, but it will be very interesting to see what happens. We’re following this one closely.
‘Spider-Man: Far From Home’ Director To Handle The Fantastic Four Reboot
Since regaining the rights from 20th Century Fox last year, it’s been clear Marvel would bring the Fantastic Four back into the MCU in some way. Rumors were kicked around for a while, but finally, during Disney’s recent year-end Investors Day livestream, a Fantastic Four movie was officially confirmed by Marvel. What’s more, the studio has even already tapped a director to bring Marvel’s First Family back into the fold. That honor goes to Spider-Man: Homecoming and Spider-Man: Far From Home director Jon Watts. Clearly, Marvel is high up on Watts. The Fantastic Four have been long beloved as characters, but, similar to Spider-Man, their brand will need some rehabilitation by Marvel after being mangled by another studio. It also presents an interesting conundrum for Spider-Man 4: Will Watts still direct that one as he has the first three MCU Spider-Man movies or will his time be taken up with the Fantastic Four reboot? My guess? There’s a good possibility Spider-Man 4 is the Fantastic Four movie. Spider-Man and The 4 have a long history of working together in the comics and with Phase 4 of the MCU opening up the concept of the multiverse, anything is possible. A Spidey-Fantastic Four team-up is entirely possible.
Patty Jenkins Is Directing A Rogue Squadron Movie For Lucasfilm
Marvel may have more projects in the pipeline, but not to be outdone, Lucasfilm also had a few exciting announcements regarding the Star Wars universe. The most exciting of those was that Wonder Woman and Wonder Woman 1984 director Patty Jenkins is set to direct a Rogue Squadron movie. Longtime Star Wars fans know it as the squadron of elite Rebellion pilots that Luke Skywalker started. Normal fans, you’ll know it as “the orange pilot guys.” Lucasfilm and Jenkins have also kept the news under wraps longer than we realized, too, with Jenkins revealing the script treatment is already almost finished. To celebrate the announcement, Jenkins shared a poignant video on her Twiter. In it, she explained how it was her dad, who was a fighter pilot who lost his life while serving, who instilled in her a love of fighter pilots and her long-time fascination with speed.
Honestly, we can’t think of a person we’d rather have on this movie.
‘Rise Of Skywalker’s Naomi Ackie Cast As Whitney Houston In Biopic
Rising star Naomi Ackie is moving on up in Hollywood: THR reports that the Star Wars: Rise of Skywalker actress has been cast as Whitney Houston in the biopic I Wanna Dance With Somebody. The biopic, which tapped Stella Meghie (The Photograph) to direct and Anthony McCarten (Bohemian Rhapsody) to write, has been in the works for a while under Sony’s TriStar division. The process to cast the right actress for the role of the iconic Houston took over a year before they found Ackie, said Meghie. The title of the movie comes from a song by the same name from Houston’s second studio album, Whitney. Over the course of her career, Houston won six Grammys and sold more than 200 million records, becoming one of the best-selling musical artists of all time. Her tumultuous life outside the recording booth, unfortunately, including drug abuse and an abusive marriage, drew as much attention as her music. When she died at the young age of 48 from an accidental drowning spurred by cocaine and a heart condition, it cut short a career that had reached heights few dreamt of. I Wanna Dance With Somebody aims to do it justice. It’s scheduled for a Thanksgiving 2022 release.
And Now…Marvel Trailers Galore
Just in case you missed them, Marvel dropped a handful of new trailers along with its Investors Day announcements, including a few for the live-action series directly spinning off the movies. They’re pretty great – check ’em out:
Loki
Let’s see what chaos the God of Mischief causes with an entire series to himself.
The Falcon and the Winter Soldier
Not enough bickering imo, but that last scene shows promise.
WandaVision
YES. Let’s get weird, Marvel. Let’s get incredibly weird.
