News Shotgun 8/25
- Galaga TV show in development: Galaga Chronicles is an upcoming animated series based on the classic Bandai/Namco arcade game. Roberto Orci is producing the series and the show will have an anime-inspired design from ShadowMachine, the animation house behind Bojack Horseman and Robot Chicken. No word on release date or network it will air on.
- Danny Boyle leaves Bond 25: Announced as director of the next Bond movie a few months ago, Danny Boyle has left the project over “creative differences”, apparently in regards to the storyline and casting. A shortlist has quickly sprung up for new directors which includes Edgar Wright, Jean-Marc Vallee, David Mackenzie and Yann Demange. The movie was originally looking at a November 2019 release date but if a new director isn’t found soon, it will obviously be delayed.
- Jon Hamm and Ed Harris join Top Gun: Maverick: Two big names have joined Tom Cruise for the upcoming Top Gun sequel with Jon Hamm and Ed Harris signing on. No details about their characters but you have to assume Ed Harris will be the head of the flight school Maverick is now teaching at and Jon Hamm possibly a fellow instructor. Miles Teller is playing Goose’s son and Jennifer Connelly, Val Kilmer, and Glen Powell are co-starring as well. The movie is looking at a July 12th release next year.
- Superman back for the Arrowverse crossover: Tyler Hoechlin will return as Superman for this December’s big Arrowverse crossover as Supergirl, Flash, and Arrow head to Gotham City and encounter Batwoman, played by Ruby Rose. Lois Lane will also make her Arrowverse debut but casting is still ongoing. The crossover will be three parts spread across Arrow, Flash, and Supergirl and the Legends seem to be sitting this year out and Black Lightning exists in his own universe, so he will not be involved either. The crossover starts on December 9th.
- Hans Zimmer scoring Wonder Woman 84: After helping give Diana her iconic theme music in Batman v Superman, the legendary Hans Zimmer has signed on to compose the entire score for the upcoming Wonder Woman 84. Zimmer most recently composed Dunkirk and Blade Runner 2049 and did the score for the upcoming heist movie Widows.
- Charlie Heaton starring in new Elephant Man miniseries: Charlie Heaton aka Jonathan Byers on Stranger Things, has been cast in a two-part BBC series as Joseph Merrick aka The Elephant Man. The mini-series will be two 90 minutes episodes and retell Merrick’s life story from being an attraction in freak shows and circuses to moving into London Hospital and befriending Dr. Frederick Treves.
- Dora’s parents cast for Dora the Explorer movie: Michael Pena and Eva Longoria will play the parents of now high school age Dora, played by Transformers and Sicario actress Isabela Moner. Apparently, something happens to them that involves a lost Incan civilization and Dora has to team up with her friends to save them. The movie is looking to release in August next year.
- Classic Monsters Maze Coming to Halloween Horror Nights: Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Studios Hollywood will be getting a maze based around the iconic classic monsters, with a musical score by Slash. Horror Nights starts on September 14th.
- Hell Fest attraction coming to Six Flags: Speaking of theme park based horror, Six Flags Magic Mountain, Great Adventure and Great America are getting a maze attraction for that chain’s Fright Fest event that is based on the upcoming movie Hell Fest. Hell Fest is a slasher movie that takes place during a Fright Fest/Halloween Horror Nightsesque event and guests will enter four different rooms based on the movie and also be stalked by the movie’s masked killer. Fright Fest starts on September 15th.
- Monument Valley getting a movie: Critically acclaimed mobile game Monument Valley is being adapted into a movie by the director of Disney’s animated short Feast, Patrick Osborne. Paramount is developing the movie and says it will be a live action/CG hybrid and will, “send contemporary live-action characters into the game’s extraordinary, mind-bending world.”
- Doom Patrol casts Brendan Fraser: A Doom Patrol is one of the original series hitting the DC Universe streaming services and it’s cast Brendan Fraser in the lead as Robotman. Robotman was formerly race car driver Cliff Steele, who suffered a terrible accident but had his brain saved and placed into a powerful robotic body. Fraser will voice the character and appear in flashbacks. Doom Patrol is set to debut sometime in 2019 and will be directly connected to the service’s upcoming Titans series.
- Veronica Mars may be coming back: Hulu is apparently looking to revive Veronica Mars as a new Hulu original series. Kristen Bell would return in the title role with show creator Rob Thomas returning as well. Bell is currently on The Good Place and Thomas is the showrunner on iZombie on The CW, which is ending next season. Hulu is looking at an 8 episode limited series, most likely picking up after the 2014 movie that was made via Kickstarter.
- Double Dare roadshow coming soon: After a successful revival this summer on Nickelodeon, Double Dare is going on tour across the country this fall. Mark Summer and new co-host Robin Russo will take the show on road and have audience members compete live in physical challenges. Tickets are on sale now here: https://doubledarelivetour.com/
- GLOW renewed for Season 3: The Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling will be back for another season as Netflix has renewed GLOW for Season 3. The series recently snagged six Emmy nominations.
- Dominic Monaghan joins Star Wars Episode IX: The former Lord of the Rings and Lost star has joined the cast of Star Wars Episode IX, reuniting him with director JJ Abrams, but no word on who he will be playing, much like everyone who isn’t a returning cast member.
- Black-ish creator rebooting Bewitched: Kenya Barris, the creator of Black-ish on ABC, will have a reboot of Bewitched airing on the network. The new Bewitched will find witch Samantha as a single, black mom who marries a slacker named Darren and magical hi-jinks ensue. The last attempt to bring back Bewitched was the bland and forgotten Will Ferrell/Nicole Kidman movie version in 2005.