Movies
[News Bites]: Cameron Brainstorms ‘Terminator 5,’ King’s Latest Optioned, Snipes on ‘Blade’s Return & More
“The Silence of the Lambs” helmer Jonathan Demme has optioned feature film rights to Stephen King’s upcoming novel “11/22/63” and is set to write, direct and produce, Variety reports. The book follows Jake Epping, a 35-year-old high school English teacher from Maine who travels back in time to try and prevent President John F. Kennedy’s assassination in Dallas on Nov. 22, 1963. It’s unclear how this is remotely horror, but other sites are reporting on it. Figured we might as well squeeze it in this edition of News Bites.
In prison for tax evasion, Blade star Wesley Snipes chatted with IGN about a possible return to the vampire franchise that’s already spawned two sequels, a TV and cartoon series. “It would be nice to fulfill some of the really cool plans we had for ‘Blade’ but didn’t get the chance to go live with. Some people forget or overlook my/our contribution to this current trend,” says Snipes. “The ‘Gaming’ community knows and the streets give us credits, but the movie world frequently plays us like the ‘ugly stepchild’ or the ‘kitchen help,’ especially when the conversation revolves around the ‘boys in tights’ or ‘the bat’.” Snipes continues, “Getting asked this question all the time, my response is: ‘Under the right circumstances, with the right team, yes, I’d do another one.’ But don’t get me wrong; I’m not waiting around for the opportunity. I’ve got plenty to do, plus an unraveled character in the works who I think will give ‘Blade’ a helluva run for his money.”
The official website has now been launched for Filmax’s Sleep Tight, which opens in Spain on October 14. Directed by [REC]‘s Jaume Balagueró, the pic follows the residents of the building where Cesar works as a doorman are not aware of the overtime he has been putting in. Apparently, he is at their service both day and night.
The Playlist is reporting that director Justin Lin says that he’s met with both James Cameron(!) and Arnold Schwarzenegger to talk about Terminator 5. Lin will first direct the next Fast and the Furious sequel, while Arnie is commited to The Last Stand, but what comes after could be something of wonder. “Just even this week, I had a great meeting with Arnold and James Cameron, just sitting down unofficially. And James is so gracious because he’s not part of the project, he’s not going to be producing, but it was great of him just as a filmmaker to take time out to just talk.” Click the link for more.
Hitfix confirmed old news that both Steve Kloves and David Yates, who wrote/directed the last four Harry Potter films, will be teaming for Warner Bros. Pictures’ adaptation of Stephen King’s apocalyptic tale The Stand. The 1978 “The Stand” is a story of good vs. evil after a virus wipes out most of the American population. While it features dozens of characters (such as the Trashcan Man and Mother Abigail) and overlapping story lines running over many years, the struggle boils down to a group of survivors fighting the Antichrist-like Randall Flagg.
Movies
’28 Years Later’ – Ralph Fiennes, Jodie Comer, and Aaron Taylor-Johnson Join Long Awaited Sequel
Danny Boyle and Alex Garland (Annihilation, Men), the director and writer behind 2002’s hit horror film 28 Days Later, are reteaming for the long-awaited sequel, 28 Years Later. THR reports that the sequel has cast Jodie Comer (Alone in the Dark, “Killing Eve”), Aaron Taylor-Johnson (Kraven the Hunter), and Ralph Fiennes (The Menu).
The plan is for Garland to write 28 Years Later and Boyle to direct, with Garland also planning on writing at least one more sequel to the franchise – director Nia DaCosta is currently in talks to helm the second installment.
No word on plot details as of this time, or who Comer, Taylor-Johnson, and Fiennes may play.
28 Days Later received a follow up in 2007 with 28 Weeks Later, which was executive produced by Boyle and Garland but directed by Juan Carlos Fresnadillo. Now, the pair hope to launch a new trilogy with 28 Years Later. The plan is for Garland to write all three entries, with Boyle helming the first installment.
Boyle and Garland will also produce alongside original producer Andrew Macdonald and Peter Rice, the former head of Fox Searchlight Pictures, the division of one-time studio Twentieth Century Fox that originally backed the British-made movie and its sequel.
The original film starred Cillian Murphy “as a man who wakes up from a coma after a bicycle accident to find England now a desolate, post-apocalyptic collapse, thanks to a virus that turned its victims into raging killers. The man then navigates the landscape, meeting a survivor played by Naomie Harris and a maniacal army major, played by Christopher Eccleston.”
Cillian Murphy (Oppenheimer) is on board as executive producer, though the actor isn’t set to appear in the film…yet.
Talks of a third installment in the franchise have been coming and going for the last several years now – at one point, it was going to be titled 28 Months Later – but it looks like this one is finally getting off the ground here in 2024 thanks to this casting news. Stay tuned for more updates soon!
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