Laura Dern, Benedict Cumberbatch and Noah Jupe will get sleepless for Justin Kurzel’s next sci-fi movie. New Book of Boba Fett posters welcome back a familiar face. Plus, American McGee’s riff on Alice in Wonderland is heading to TV, and even more new pictures from The Batman. To me, my spoilers!
The Boogeyman
Deadline reports Yellowjackets and The Book of Boba Fett star Sophia Thatcher will star alongside Chris Messina in The Boogeyman, the upcoming film adaptation of Stephen King’s short story at 20th Century Fox. Directed by Rob Savage, the original short story “dealt with a man’s visit to a psychiatrist where he recounted how his children were each killed by a sadistic presence, the title character. The story follows a teenage girl who is still reeling from the tragic death of their mother, find herself along with her brother plagued by a sadistic presence in their house and struggle to get their grieving father to pay attention before it’s too late.”
Morning
Laura Dern, Benedict Cumberbatch and Noah Jupe will star in Morning, a new sci-fi/action film from Assassin’s Creed director, Justin Kurzel. Set in “a society that has evolved beyond the need to sleep thanks to a new pill and artificial sun”, the story follows Cathy (Dern) an “ambitious proponent of the new normal – until the death of her husband, Frank (Cumberbatch). As her sleepless world crumbles around her, her memories began impinging on her waking hours. Meanwhile her son Danny (Jupe), part of a new generation that has grown up without ever sleeping, is drawn into a ‘subversive underworld of dreamers’ who begin to rebel in an attempt to reclaim their dreams. Cathy must fight to reclaim her son and confront her nightmares.” [Variety]
The Substance
Meanwhile, Demi Moore and Margaret Qualley will star in Revenge director Coralie Fargeat’s latest, The Substance. Though details on the plot are currently under wraps, Deadline reports it’ll be an “explosive feminist take on body horror.”
Starve Acre
Deadline also reports Matt Smith and Morfydd Clark are attached to star in Starve Acre, a new “folk horror” movie from director Daniel Kokotajlo based on the novel by Andrew Michael Hurley. The story follows Richard and Juliette, “whose seemingly idyllic rural English family life is thrown into turmoil when their son Ewan starts acting out of character. At Starve Acre, their remote family home, archaeologist Richard buries himself in exploring a folkloric myth that the ancient oak tree on their land is imbued with phenomenal powers, while Juliette turns to the local community to find some kind of peace.”
Hocus Pocus 2
Production has officially wrapped on Hocus Pocus 2 according to director Adam Shankman on Instagram. The sequel is scheduled to air just in time for Halloween 2022 on Disney+.
SISTAAAAAHHHHSSS! Aaaaand that’s a WRAP!!! #hocuspocus2
Congratulations to the amazing team @bettemidler @sarahjessicaparker @kathynajimy @567and8 @mrsleshem and the WHOOOOLLLEEEE cast and crew!!!
Coming to you #halloween #2022 on @disneyplus
The Batman
Total Film (via Games Radar) has three new images from The Batman.
The Necromancer
British soldiers trundling through the Black Forest during the Napoleonic War discover a forest nymph won’t allow them to die in the trailer for The Necromancer.
The Ice Demon
In the trailer for The Ice Demon, a family is forced to care for their estranged father after he lapses into a coma. Further complicating matters: he’s now astrally projecting as a vengeful gust of cold air.
She-Hulk
Tim Roth answered “Oh yeah!” when asked by The DisInsider if Emil “The Abomination” Blonsky would appear on the upcoming She-Hulk TV series in human form. Roth went on to describe his character’s return as “weird”.
American McGee’s Alice
American McGee (via THR) also revealed a TV series based on American McGee’s Alice is in development at Radar Pictures with X-Men and Metal Gear Solid’s David Hayter attached to executive produce.
I’d hinted at a big news announcement and it’s finally here just in time for Chinese New Year and the year of the Tiger 🐯
Let’s make it happen @DavidBHayter https://t.co/vgOiGSNtD5
— ⚓ American McGee 🏴☠️ (@americanmcgee) January 31, 2022
Fall of the House of Usher
Production has begun on Mike Flanagan’s latest series, Fall of the House of Usher.
And we’re off. pic.twitter.com/UWT9mMPnMH
— Mike Flanagan (@flanaganfilm) January 31, 2022
Every new journey begins with a single step. pic.twitter.com/tcl1yuwaMF
— Kate Siegel (@k8siegel) January 26, 2022
Tales of the Federation
In conversation with SFX Magazine (via Comic Book), Akiva Goldsman stated he’d like to make a Star Trek anthology series in the vein of Picard at Paramount+.
There’s something that I like, which I think Robert Kirkman is doing right now with The Walking Dead, which is a kind of… I’ll call it Tales Of The Federation, where you would just do one-offs, right? So you could bring George Takei back for an hour, and do a show about Sulu as an older man, or find Jonathan Archer having now retired from his Enterprise and being on Earth, just do these certain really interesting ones.
You could grab anybody, from all the shows, because it’s really hard to find enough for a series, but there are an endless amount of episodes, as anthology series are finding their way back. They were sort of a staple when I was a boy. A Star Trek-based one of those I think would be super fun.
The Book of Boba Fett
Din Djarin, The Armorer and Peli Motto are the latest characters to enjoy their own Book of Boba Fett posters.
This is the way.
Check out these brand new character posters from Chapter Five of #TheBookofBobaFett, now streaming on @DisneyPlus. #TheMandalorian pic.twitter.com/VYA4Oixdwm
— The Book of Boba Fett (@bobafett) January 31, 2022
The Cuphead Show!
Finally, Netflix has released a new clip from its upcoming Cuphead animated series, premiering February 18.
Banner art by Jim Cook