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.
I Am Legend Sequel Officially in the Works
Warner Bros. is officially at work on a sequel to I Am Legend. Will Smith is back and he’s bringing Michael B. Jordan with him. Both will star and produce.
Plot details are being kept under wraps. Released in 2007, I Am Legend followed Smith’s character in a nearly deserted postapocalyptic New York City amid zombies. Akiva Goldsman, who adapted the Richard Matheson’s 1954 novel for the 2007 movie, is returning to script (and produce) the sequel. No director is attached yet. Francis Lawarence directed the first film.
Bill Burr to Write, Direct & Star in Old Dads
Comedian and actor Bill Burr (F Is for Family) will write, direct, and star in the original comedy film Old Dads for Miramax. Bobby Cannavale and Bokeem Woodbine will also star. The film will act as Burr’s feature directorial debut.
Old Dads centers on “a middle-aged father (Burr) and his two best friends (Cannavale and Woodbine) who after selling their company to a millennial, find themselves out of step and behind the times as they hilariously struggle to navigate a changing world of culture, career and fatherhood.” Burr wrote the script with Ben Tishler. Production started earlier this month.
God of War Series Might Be Coming to Prime Video
Amazon’s Prime Video is currently in negotiations with Sony Pictures Television and PlayStation Productions for a live-action TV series based on the hugely popular ancient mythology-themed video game franchise, God of War.
The series adaptation hails from Mark Fergus and Hawk Ostby (creators of The Expanse) and Rafe Judkins (showrunner of The Wheel of Time). No word on when in the franchise’s timeline the series might be set. The eighth installment in the series, God of War Ragnarök is set to hit PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 later this year.
Billy Joel Biopic in the Works
You saw Rocketman, now get ready for Piano Man. A Billy Joel biopic is in the works at Jaigantic Studios. Adam Ripp is attached to write and direct the feature film.
The biopic will follow “Joel’s early years — from being discovered by Irwin Mazur, who managed the band The Hassles that Joel joined as a teenager, to his breakout performance in 1972 that captured the attention of Clive Davis.”
But here comes a big “YIKES!” Apparently, per Billy Joel’s rep, Joel is not involved with the project, and that no rights in music, name/likeness or life story will be granted. Instead, Jaigantic has acquired “the life rights to Mazur, who was Joel’s music rep from 1970 to 1972, the year before his commercial breakthrough.” I guess the film should be called Piano Man’s Music Rep.
Harley Quinn Spin-Off in the Works for HBO Max
Noonan’s, a spin-off series of Harley Quinn, is currently in the works at HBO Max. Harley Quinn co-creator Patrick Schumacker teased the spin-off during the Not Kidding Around: Warner Bros. Animation and the Reimagining of Iconic Characters for an Adult Audience panel at SXSW.
According to Schumacker, Noonan’s will follow Kite Man as he buys Noonan’s Bar, an infamous hangout spot for hitman and henchmen of Gotham. It’s been described as “Cheers for supervillains.”
As for season 3 of Harley Quinn, the show will reportedly premiere soon and will have an episode focused on Harley’s first appearance in Batman: The Animated Series as while another will have James Gunn playing himself and directing a movie about Thomas Wayne.
Fede Álvarez to Direct New Alien Movie
Fede Álvarez (Don’t Breathe) has been tapped to write and direct an original stand-alone Alien feature for 20th Century Studios. Ridley Scott will produce via his Scott Free banner. According to sources, Álvarez casually pitched a take to Scott “many years ago” where it remained at the back of Scott’s mind until “late last year, when he called Álvarez out of the blue and asked him if he was still up for it. Álvarez didn’t have to be asked twice.”
The project is intended for release on Hulu as part of the studio’s plans to release 10 films a year on the streaming service. No details have been released yet about the film, but sources describe it as unconnected to the previous movies. 20th Century Studios president Steve Asbell said that it is “a really good story with a bunch of characters you haven’t seen before.”
HBO Max & Discovery+ to Become One Service
Discovery has confirmed its plans to combine Discovery Plus and HBO Max into one streaming service once its merger with AT&T’s WarnerMedia closes, and the company is renamed Warner Bros. Discovery.
The company is already making preparations to combine the two streamers. Apparently, until they figure out the best way to merge the two platforms, both services will be offered as a bundle to potential subscribers. However, don’t expect it to happen fast. The merging of platforms could take several months.
Discovery Plus currently costs $4.99 per month with ads or $6.99 without ads. HBO Max is priced at $9.99 per month with ads and $14.99 a month as an ad-free service. No price points were given for how much the combined service would cost, but the service will still have ad-free and ad-lite options. (I’m guessing it will cost $19.99 a month at launch before bumping up to $22.99 within a year.) | Source: Variety
Michael Giacchino to Direct Marvel’s Disney+ Halloween Special
Michael Giacchino is switching careers. The Oscar-winning composer will direct the upcoming Marvel Studios Halloween Special, rumored to be based on the Werewolf by Night comics, for Disney+. It will be Giacchino’s first foray into longer-form directing.
Gael García Bernal is set to star in the project. No word yet on whether it will be live-action or animated, or if it will indeed focus on Jack Russell / Werewolf by Night. We’ll keep you posted. The special is set to hit the streaming service in 2022. | Source: The Wrap
Third Hercule Poirot Movie Being Written
20th Century Studios president Steve Asbell revealed that a third feature-length film starring Agatha Christie detective Hercule Poirot is in the works. Kenneth Branagh will once again direct the adaptation and star as Poirot.
Michael Green is writing the script. Asbell said the third film will be set in “post-war Venice” and is “an adaptation of one of the lesser-known novels.” It will also feature “a pretty daring shift in genre and tone.” | Source: The Hollywood Reporter
That’s it for last couple of weeks. What projects mentioned are you interested in seeing once completed? Tell us down in the comments!
