Nicolas Cage discusses his role in Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, Jasmine’s finally going to get a solo song thanks to Disney’s live-action Aladdin, and some behind-the-scenes drama from Child’s Play. Plus, more members of DC Comics’ Secret Six may be making their way to live-action soon. Duck! Spoilers ahead!
2nd Born
American History X director Tony Kaye is looking to cast a real-life artificial intelligence for the sequel to his upcoming indie comedy starring Val Kilmer, 1st Born.
According to Deadline, “Kaye is aiming to cast a real robot, who will be trained in different acting methods and techniques. The idea, which originated from Kaye and producer Sam Khoze, is to forgo the use of computer-generated effects in favour of a physical AI robot as an actor, who they are hoping will get SAG recognition.”
Killroy Was Here
In a recent Facebook post, Kevin Smith revealed wrestler Chris Jericho has joined the cast of his “modern-day Creepshow kinda flick” concerning a deformed veteran who resembles the famous, long-nosed graffiti character, Kilroy. According to Smith, Jericho will play a character called The Gator Chaser, “a nasty-arse South Florida streamer”.
Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse
In a recent interview with Entertainment Weekly, Nicolas Cage revealed he based his performance as Spider-Man Noir on Humphrey Bogart, James Cagney and Edward G. Robinson.
There are multiple Spider-Men in different dimensions that are kind of colliding together. My character’s Spider-Man Noir. He’s really Peter Parker from the ’30s. I tried to channel those noir films with [Humphrey] Bogart, and have those kinds of sounds that he might make with [James] Cagney, or Edward G. Robinson, that kind of way of talking. I tried to give the character that. It was a lot of fun. I think it should be quite funny. The movie definitely has a sense of humour, and that’s a good thing because it’s good for the whole family.
Aladdin
Songwriting duo Benj Pasek & Justin Paul revealed to Variety they’ve written a new song for Naomi Scott’s Jasmine with composer Alan Menken.
We got to write a new song for Jasmine. Alan wrote a beautiful piece of music and [Scott] is incredible. It’s a sweet song.
Child’s Play
Speaking with Horror Geek Life, Child’s Play 2 star Christine Elise stated she believes the upcoming Child’s Play remake is “an unbelievably huge dick move” on the part of MGM, in light of the upcoming television series set in the franchise’s original continuity.
I think it’s an unbelievably huge dick move. I think it’s a douche move, absolutely. I don’t know why they would fuck with a healthy franchise. To make a competing franchise with an existing, and like you said healthy, robust franchise is super douchey. And nobody from the original franchise is involved; they’re not gonna have Brad Dourif, they’re not gonna have Don, and they’re not gonna have any of us.
Elise also stated the remake will involve a rogue AI instead of a serial killer-possessed doll.
I think the doll is going to be an artificial intelligence doll that goes haywire, so it’s not going to have the whole element of the serial killer possessing it, et cetera, so it’s not going to be, really, a Chucky film. So I don’t know why they’re just taking the title and stealing it and mucking up the waters. It’s especially douchey when you know that Don is developing a TV series and going back to using the title Child’s Play; not Bride of, Seed of, Curse of, Cult of Chucky, it’s going back to the Child’s Play name and it’s deep into development. So this MGM project could have, it hasn’t but it could have, really, easily derailed the TV show project, which would be devastating, because fingers crossed it happens and fingers crossed I’m involved in it, as much as I would like to be. It’s an opportunity here where Don can further a story he’s been telling for 30 years, but rather than tell it in 90-minute segments every three years or more, he can tell 10 hours of story in 10 weeks, he can get that much more story ahead. And if you’ve seen Cult and you see how Cult ends, you know how rich in story it is, there’s so many doors open now, and to so insensitively threaten the Don Mancini empire I think, is fucked up.
The Aeronauts
Coming Soon has our first look at Felicity Jones and Eddie Redmayne as balloon pilot Amelia Wren and scientist James Glaisher.
Halloween
Michael Myers poses with a pair of stranglin’ bells in the latest issue of Entertainment Weekly.
New promo photo of #michaelmyers in #HalloweenMovie. I guess he’s gotten a little creative after 40 years being locked up, if he’s going to kill somebody with bells. ???? pic.twitter.com/WPHyxDcBuI
— LRODTV (@lrodtv) August 14, 2018
The Nun
Damian Bechir is looking in all the wrong places on a new international poster from Bloody Disgusting.
The Happytime Murders
Speaking on behalf of the Alamo Drafthouse, foul-mouthed puppet Goofer warns audiences not to talk in movie theatres.
Smallfoot
The latest TV spot takes a documentary approach to the Smallfoot legend.
Kin
A new clip has Myles Pruitt, armed with a pulse rifle, blowing a pool table into a neon-lit rainstorm.
Living in the Future’s Past
Jeff Bridges hosts a new documentary on… consciousness, I think… in the first trailer for Living in the Future’s Past.
The Bray Road Beast
We also have the latest trailer for The Bray Road Beast, a far less opaque documentary investigating the legend of a Wisconsin werewolf.
The Flash
That Hashtag Show reports the series is looking to cast a contortionist in his 20s for the role of Peter Merkel, a triple-jointed supervillain better known as Rag Doll.
Peter is described as an incredibly emotional damaged criminal who has the power to bend out of shape and fit his whole body into small spaces. As he is enjoying his criminal activities, Team Flash will be challenged by the Rag Doll in shocking ways as his sick plan is revealed. The breakdown specifies that they would ideally like to get actual Contortionists/Dancers or any kinds of performers who are able to contort their bodies in very disturbing ways.
Gotham
That Hashtag Show also has word Gotham is looking to cast Bane’s father, Eduardo Dorrance.
Supernatural
Speaking with Entertainment Weekly, showrunner Andrew Dabb confirmed the Wayward Sisters will appear in “multiple episodes” of Supernatural’s 14th season.
All of the characters are going to make their return one way or the other. We found a way to fold [them] organically into the plot line, and some of the hanging chads from the pilot last year ended up dovetailing nicely with some of the stuff Michael’s looking to do, and some of the stuff that’s going on in our world just generally. It all folds together pretty well, but they’ll definitely be in multiple episodes this season.
Wu Assassins
JuJu Chan and Mark Damascos have joined the cast of the upcoming Netflix series, Wu Assassins. Deadline reports Chan will play Zan, “a lieutenant in the Triads and elite martial artist who is the bodyguard and sole confidant to Byron Mann’s character, Uncle Six”, while Damascos will portray “an extremely fit and strong monk who can take down any evil force that comes his way”.
Arrow/Supergirl/Legends of Tomorrow
Speaking with Digital Spy, Stephen Amell commented on Batwoman featuring prominently in the next Arrowverse crossover.
I can’t say sh*t! But I do know that when it got pitched to me, when Greg [Berlanti, executive producer] pitched it to me, I was like, “Oh man, that’s awesome! Really?!”… Because we went so big with the crossover last year, you can’t go bigger, so you have to go more about the characters and the story.
Melissa Benoist told the outlet she’s eager to meet Ruby Rose’s Batwoman.
Throughout the seasons, Kara’s had a few funny quips about Batman and her opinions on him – she thinks vigilantes are nuts. So I’m excited to see her meet Batwoman, and see how they interact.
Regrettably, Caity Lotz re-confirmed the Legends will not be taking part in this year’s crossover.
We’re not in the crossover this year – Legends are not in them at all.
The 100
The first two episodes of season six are titled “Sanctum” and “Red Sun Rising”, respectively.
Stranger Things
Speaking with THR, David Harbour revealed Chief Hopper has settled into fatherhood by season three.
I wish I could characterise the season, but to me it’s so big. For example, did you find last season to be darker? There were certainly elements of it that were scary, but I thought there was also a lot of fun, a lot of joy and a lot of silliness, with Steve being a dad and the kids as Ghostbusters. Just taking my story, for example, it’s fun to see Hopper having adopted Eleven. She’s become legitimized in the society, in the world of Hawkins. And he’s a father now. He’s raising a teenage daughter, with all that that entails. So I think that can be pretty funny to see his inadequacies in all of this.
Westworld
Finally, also speaking with THR, executive producer Jonathan Nolan teased “a radical shift” is coming in season three of Westworld.
I think it’s a radical shift. What’s compelling and appealing about these characters is that they’re not human. As we said in the show, humans are bound by the same loops the hosts are, in some ways even smaller. You couldn’t expect human characters to withstand and survive the kind of story that we’re telling. The hosts have a different version of mortality, a different outlook. I think clearly with Dolores, as she’s laid out, there is a longer view here, a larger set of goals. They’re existential. They span eons. And that’s a fascinating level of story to engage in.
Banner art by Jim Cooke.