Movies
Casting Bites: ‘Paradise Lost,’ ‘Remains’ and ‘Dark Shadows’
We have three casting bites for you to chew on beginning with Variety’s announcement that Bradley Cooper (Case 39, Hangover and the forthcoming The Crow reboot) is in talks to play Lucifer in Alex Proyas’ adaptation of John Milton’s epic 17th-century poem Paradise Lost for Legendary Pictures. Paradise Lost tells the story of the epic war in heaven between archangels Michael and Lucifer, including the latter’s role in Adam and Eve’s fall from grace. Pic will be crafted as an action vehicle that will include aerial warfare, possibly shot in 3D.
Miko Hughes (Pet Sematary, Wes Craven’s New Nightmare) is set to star in Remains the adaptation of the graphic novel by Steve Niles and Kieron Dwyer that was published by IDW, reports Shocktillyoudrop. Directed by Colin Theyes, Remains follows a blackjack dealer and a dancer in Reno, Nevada find themselves trapped in a casino when a nuclear accident zombifies everyone on earth. The Chiller original production airs this year.
MTV has debunked rumors that Academy Award nominated Michael Sheen (Underworld) would be starring alongside Johnny Depp in Tim Burton’s Dark Shadows. The original followed the life of vampire Barnabas Collins, played by Depp, and his run-ins with various monsters, ghosts, and supernatural creatures.
Brendan Fraser is back for the upcoming fourth installment in The Mummy franchise from directors Radio Silence, and Michael Johnston (Obsession) is now in talks to join him.
The Hollywood Reporter lets us know tonight that Michael Johnston is in “early talks” to join The Mummy 4, which will release in theaters on October 15, 2027 via Universal.
Brendan Fraser, Rachel Weisz, and John Hannah will reprise their iconic roles as Rick O’Connell, Evelyn O’Connell, and Jonathan Carnahan in the upcoming movie.
Radio Silence duo Matt Bettinelli-Olpin & Tyler Gillett (Ready or Not, Scream 5-6) are directing from a script by David Coggeshall (Orphan: First Kill).
Plot details are being kept under wraps at this time, but the brand new sequel is expected to disregard the events of the third movie, in which Rachel Weisz did not appear.
“It’s just really beautiful and scary and sweeping, and it’s awesome,” Gillet teases. Bettinelli-Olpin adds that the film “has all of the heart and the character that you could hope for.”
A remake of the classic Universal monster movie that took an action-adventure approach, The Mummy was released in 1999 and grossed $417 million worldwide. It was followed by The Mummy Returns in 2001 and The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor in 2008.