News Shotgun 10/18
- Guillermo Del Toro gives Pacific Rim 2 update: GDT said that Pacific Rim 2 is going to be much different from 1, with lots of new characters and only a few returning characters from the first. GDT is also trying to shoot 2 movies back to back and the sequels will be directly connected. There’s also the upcoming animated series, that will bridge the gap between 1 and 2.
- Scarlett Johansson offered Ghost in the Shell: Margot Robbie was apparently in talks a few weeks ago but now it seems like Scarlett Johansson might be getting offered the lead in the live action Ghost in the Shell adaptation, starring as Motoko Kusanagi.
- NBC trying to remake The IT Crowd again: Before joining Community, Joel McHale starred in a pilot for an American version of The IT Crowd, but it never aired. Now NBC is teaming with Bill Lawrence of Scrubs to try it again, ordering another pilot.
- Poltergeist remake rated PG-13: The Sam Raimi produced remake of the 80’s classic is going to be PG-13 when it hits theaters next summer. The original was actually rated PG because it hit just before the PG-13 rating was created.
- Night of the Living Dead origin getting crowd funded: G. Cameron Romero, George Romero’s son, is trying to get funding on Indiegogo to try and get Cameron Romero’s Origins made, which will be an official prequel to Night of the Living Dead, which would attempt to explain how the outbreak of zombies occured.
- Warwick Davis will appear in Star Wars Episode VII: Another Star Wars veteran will return to the series as Warwick Davis announced that he will be in the upcoming Episode VII in an unnamed role. Davis most famously played Wicket the Ewok in Return of the Jedi and also the characters Weazel and Wald in The Phantom Menace.
- Pedro Pascal joins Ben-Hur remake: The Red Viper is in talks to play Pontius Pilate in the upcoming Ben Hur remake, directed by Wanted’s Timur Bekmambetov. Gal Gadot also joined the cast in the female lead and the movie will also star Morgan Freeman, Toby Kebbell and Jack Huston.
- RIP Elizabeth Pena: Prolific Hispanic actress Elizabeth Pena passed away earlier this week. She appeared in movies like Rush Hour, The Incredibles, Jacob’s Ladder, La Bamba, Lone Star and much more.
- Rumored Suicide Squad offers: The Suicide Squad is arriving in theaters in 2016, according to DC’s massive schedule released earlier this week, and now there are rumors that WB is aiming for some A-list talent including Ryan Gosling, Will Smith, Margot Robbie and Tom Hardy, who all apparently have offers to star in the movie. The rumored squad members who will appear are Amanda Waller, Deadshot, Harkness and Vixen.
- Separate HBO Go coming in 2015: HBO’s online streaming service for their movies and shows will finally be available separate from a cable TV package next year, although no pricing structure or really any further details were revealed.
- Neil Patrick Harris hosting the Oscars: Harris will host the Academy Awards next year, which will air on February 22nd on ABC.
- Dave Bautista is the major henchman in the next Bond: Bautista will co-star as Hinx, the main henchman to the as yet uncast main villain in Bond 24, directed by Skyfall’s Sam Mendes.
- More movies getting turned into TV shows: Resident Evil, Perfume: The Story of a Murderer, The Mortal Instruments, The Illusionist and Underworld are all apparently going to attempt to become TV series in the near future.
- Christian Bale in talks to play Steve Jobs: Most everyone has already forgotten the Ashton Kutcher “Jobs” movie but Christian Bale may step in the role of the late Apple founder in a new biopic from Danny Boyle, written by Aaron Sorkin.
- Doctor Strange new shortlist: With Joaquin Phoenix passing on Doctor Strange, Marvel is back to looking for Doctor Strange and some of the names on the list include Ewan McGregor, Matthew McConaughey, Jake Gyllenhaal, Oscar Issac and Jared Leto.
- Robert Downey Jr joins Captain America 3 to start the Civil War: RDJ will co-star as Iron Man in the upcoming Captain America 3, which will be based on the Civil War storyline from the comics where Iron Man and Cap were on opposite sides of the issue of registering super powered people and both gained support until things culminated in a massive battle.