The sixth Mission Impossible gets a title. Another familiar face is returning for the Avatar sequels. A major character could make a comeback in Agents of SHIELD. Arrow is bringing back another character from last season’s climax. Plus, behind-the-scenes on Altered Carbon, and even more new Black Panther footage. Spoilers!
Image: DC Comics. The Multiversity: Thunderworld #1 cover by Cameron Stewart.
Shazam
Salt shakers at the ready, but Revenge of the Fans claim Henry Cavill will reprise his role as Superman in the movie, and the character will play an important role in inspiring Billy Batson as a hero.
All I’ve been told, story-wise, is that Superman has had an impact on Asher Angel’s Billy Batson. Batson sees the Man of Steel as an inspirational figure in his life, and that seems to feed into how he conducts himself when he eventually transforms into a cape-wearing, square-jawed superhero himself, in the form of Zachary Levi.
Avatar 2-5
Dileep Rao will reprise his role as Dr Max Patel in James Cameron’s myriad Avatar sequels. [Deadline]
X-Men: Dark Phoenix
Despite announcing last year that he’s “retiring from the superhero business”, Hans Zimmer has been hired to score Dark Phoenix, according to actor Evan Peters on the latest episode of the Happy Sad Confused podcast.
[The set] was actually very tame. Simon directed this one, and came in very prepared, very professional. It was a different energy on set and everything got done like clockwork. It was very seamless. Everybody was a little bit more level-headed, so it was a very pleasurable, light experience. I think the film is gonna be incredible. Hans Zimmer’s scoring it – I don’t know if I was supposed to say that or not. Simon has surrounded himself with incredible people, and Simon knows this world better than anybody, so it was just cool to see him – he’s so happy and in his element in that world, and also being able to direct and guide everybody in this way. I was very happy for him and I think it’s gonna be great.
Mission: Impossible – Fallout
The film’s official title is Mission: Impossible – Fallout. According to director Christopher McQuarrie, “The title has multiple meanings in the film, from the literal to the figurative.”
There is the threat of nuclear terrorism hanging over the movie, which is the literal threat. There’s the notion that what’s happened in the movie is the end result of choices that Ethan Hunt has made in his life. It’s Ethan’s past come back to haunt him. It’s the fallout of all his good intentions.
[Empire]
Ready Player One
Ready Player One will now be released in the US one day earlier than originally intended. Its new release is date is March 29. [Deadline]
Upgrade
Leigh Whannel’s latest horror film, about a paralysed man learning to walk again with a murder-minded computer chip, is now looking at a 1 June 2018 US release date. [Bloody-Disgusting]
Halloween
Laurie Strode will be packing heat in the new Halloween, according to Jamie Lee Curtis.
First shot. 357. ❤️ Feels good to have Laurie back on set for @halloweenmovie #HalloweenMovie pic.twitter.com/4PBGAl1anI
— Jamie Lee Curtis (@jamieleecurtis) January 25, 2018
The Endless
Entertainment Weekly has the first poster for The Endless, an upcoming sci-fi/horror film about two brothers who escape a cult only to learn that the group’s otherworldly beliefs are factually true.
Black Panther
War comes to Wakanda in the latest TV spot.
We also have a minute-long commercial for the film’s tie-in Lexus sports car. I kind of like thinking that the Dora Milaje just have a fleet of Lexuses on hand to help T’Challa out.
Winchester
Either the wallpaper goes or Helen Mirren does on the latest poster for Winchester [Bloody-Disgusting]
Krypton
Hannah Waddingham has been cast as Jax-Ur – a character typically presented as male in the comics – the Kryptonian scientist who leads the underground terror group Black Zero. [Deadline]
Arrow
Katrina Law is slated to return as Nyssa al Ghul in episode 16 of the current season, “The Thanatos Guild”, marking the character’s first return since she was seemingly bumped off in the explosion on Lian Yu at the climax of the last season. [Variety]
Charmed
The CW has ordered a second pilot for a reboot of Charmed, this time set in the present day. [TV Line]
The Greatest American Hero
ABC has officially picked up the female-led Greatest American Hero reboot to series. THR reports the new version will concern a 30-year old Indian-American woman named Meera, whose “talents include tequila, singing karaoke and not much else” until aliens gift her with a super suit.
MaddAddam
Deadline reports Paramount has acquired the television rights to Margaret Atwood’s MaddAddam Trilogy, which concerns a post-apocalyptic world ravaged by a deadly plague.
Critters: The New Binge
Speaking with /Film, director Jordan Rubin revealed the new Critters TV series will be comprised of eight 10-minute episodes, forming an 80-minute movie. The New Binge will follow the continuity of the original series, with two new alien bounty hunters stepping in to fill the roles of the “probably retired” Ug and the late Lee (eaten in Critters 2). In the interview, Rubin states he’s spoken to the Chiodo Brothers about returning to design the web series’ puppets but is still “trying to make that work”.
Gotham
TV Line reports David W. Thompson will be taking over the role of The Scarecrow from Charlie Tahan, who’s busy filming Ozark on Netflix.
Alongside the new Scarecrow, Gotham returns in the US March 2 with Peyton List (the 1986 version, not the 1998 one) stepping in as the show’s *third* Poison Ivy.
Agents of SHIELD
Brett Dalton is teasing a reprisal as Ward in an upcoming episode of season five.
Altered Carbon
Finally, a new featurette spotlights the series wirework and fight choreography.
Banner art by Jim Cooke. The Multiversity: Thunderworld #1 cover by Cameron Stewart.