There’s a lot of breaking news in Hollywood happening every minute. In the age of the blockbuster, it’s easy for some smaller movie and television news to slip through the crack. Last Week in Hollywood is our new weekly series highlighting all the interesting news from the last week that we thought didn’t warrant its own post, but was still worth mentioning. It’s less personal opinions and more a hearty roundup of what you might have missed.
Danny DeVito Joins Haunted Mansion
Danny DeVito is the latest actor to join Haunted Mansion, the new adaptation of the popular Disney theme park ride. LaKeith Stanfield, Tiffany Haddish, Owen Wilson, and Rosario Dawson are already on the call sheet.
Justin Simien (Dear White People) is directing. Production began last week in New Orleans and Atlanta. The film follows “a mother and her son who come across a mansion that is more than it seems and meet various eccentric characters key to unlocking the spooky mystery.” DeVito will play “a smug professor.”
The Continental Expands Cast
According to Variety, The Continental, the upcoming John Wick prequel TV series, has cast six more actors. Colin Woodell (The Flight Attendant) is set to play a younger version of Winston, played by Ian McShane in the movies. The remaining five new cast members are Mishel Prada as KD, Hubert Point Du-Jour as Miles, Jessica Allain as Lou, Nhung Kate as Yen, and Ben Robson as Frankie. Mel Gibson was the first actor cast in the series. He will play Cormac.
The Continental will “explore the origin behind the titular hotel-for-assassins through the eyes and actions of Scott, who is dragged into the Hell-scape of a 1975 New York City to face a past he thought he’d left behind. Winston charts a deadly course through the New York’s mysterious underworld in a harrowing attempt to seize the iconic hotel, which serves as the meeting point for the world’s most dangerous criminals.”
Emily Blunt in Talks for Oppenheimer
Emily Blunt is currently in talks to appear in Christopher Nolan‘s next feature-length film, Oppenheimer. If cast, she will play Oppenheimer’s wife, Katherine “Kitty” Vissering. It will also reunite Blunt with her A Quiet Place Part II co-star Cillian Murphy, who is already on board as J. Robert Oppenheimer.
Oppenheimer is set to begin filming in early 2022. It will hit theaters on July 21, 2023.
Ryan Gosling is Ken to Margot Robbie’s Barbie
Deadline reports that Ryan Gosling is in final negotiations to star in Barbie as Ken, the iconic Mattel doll. The project is set up at Warner Bros. with Greta Gerwig (Lady Bird) directing and Margot Robbie playing Barbie. Gerwig co-wrote the script with Noah Baumbach.
Sources say Gosling initially passed on the role, but “as pre-production dragged out and the studio remained persistent with him being their only choice, an opening in his schedule appeared, allowing him to sign on.” The plan is to shoot at the top of 2022.
James Bobin to Direct Percy Jackson Pilot Episode
Rick Riordan, author of the Percy Jackson series of novels, has announced on his blog that James Bobin, director of Dora and the Lost City of Gold and The Muppets, will helm the pilot of the upcoming Disney+ series adaptation of the books.
Riordan also shared where pre-production on the series is at with the first two scripts written and casting about to begin. He also revealed that the series plans to shoot in Vancouver.
Riordan also mentioned that his latest book, Daughter of the Deep, will be getting a Disney+ feature film adaptation. Riordan will co-write the screenplay with Aditi Brennan Kapil (American Gods).
Sam Richardson Joins Hocus Pocus 2
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Sam Richardson (Werewolves Within) is in final negotiations to join Hocus Pocus 2. No word yet on who he might play. We also have no clue when production will begin, but the movie will debut next year on Disney+.
If cast, Richardson will join original cast members Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Kathy Najimy, who are returning as the Sanderson Sisters.
David Chose Toying With Sopranos Prequel Series
According to Deadline, WarnerMedia is in talks with David Chase for another project set in the Sopranos universe. Ann Sarnoff, CEO, Studios and Networks, WarnerMedia, said that they are “talking to [‘Sopranos’ creator] David [Chase] about a new series, ‘Sopranos’ related, on HBO Max.” She added:
“You see The Sopranos pop into the top ten of viewed series on the service and it’s given it an entirely new life. It’s literally lifted all of The Sopranos franchise in a new way. You can’t measure just by the box office.”
Chase recently signed a new deal with HBO, so a Sopranos project is certainly in the cards. Chase has hinted about doing a series or film focusing on Tony in his 20s. Michael Gandolfini, who played Tony, the role originated by his late father James Gandolfini, has also expressed interesting in that idea. We’ll keep you posted if anything comes of all this talk.
Lucas Bravo Secures His Ticket to Paradise
Lucas Bravo (Emily in Paris) has joined the cast of Ticket to Paradise. The upcoming romantic-comedy is set to star Julia Roberts, George Clooney, and Kaitlyn Dever. Ol Parker (Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again) directs for Universal Pictures.
In the film, “a couple of exes find themselves on a shared mission: stop their lovestruck daughter from making the same mistake they once made.” Parker wrote the script with Daniel Pipski. Ticket to Paradise hits theaters on October 21, 2022.
Sony Mixes Up Its Release Calendar
Sony is keeping us guessing. The studio has just set aside June 23, 2023 and October 6, 2023 for “Untitled Sony/Marvel Universe” movies. Remember, Morbius is out January 28, 2022 and Kraven the Hunter on January 13, 2023. People are suspecting the October slot to go to a third Venom film. The other one could be a fourth Spider-Man film starring Tom Holland (if Sony keeps him in the MCU).
Furthermore, Sony has also moved A Journal for Jordan from December 10 to December 22, 2021. They’ve also pulled The Nightingale from its December 23, 2022 release date. It is currently undated.
That’s it for last week. What projects mentioned are you interested in seeing once completed? Tell us down in the comments!
