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.
Netflix Secures Deal for Knives Out 2 & 3
Netflix has just closed a deal for Knives Out 2 and Knives Out 3. Director Rian Johnson, star Daniel Craig, and producer Ram Bergman are set to each make $100 million from the$469 million deal. That’s a whole lot of cash! Filming on the sequel is expected to start this June in Greece with casting beginning immediately.
Johnson and Bergman own and license the rights to the original movie, which means they were able to “make the richest sequel deal they could.” According to THR, the Netflix deal gives Johnson “immense creative control… He doesn’t have to take notes from the streamer. The only contingencies were that Craig must star in the sequels and that each must have at least the budget of the 2019 movie, which was in the $40 million range.”
That all makes sense. The sequels will follow Craig’s private detective Benoit Blanc as he solves a whole new mystery. It will be disconnected from Knives Out, so expect the sequel titles to change to something more standalone.
Overall, while I’m excited for more Benoit Blanc I’m bummed these won’t be heading to theaters. Apparently, thanks to COVID, Johnson and Bergman “questioned the near-term viability of theatrical releasing” and decided to go out to streamers for the sequels. That’s a shame, but at least we’re getting more murder mysteries.
Alex Vincent Back for More Child’s Play
The upcoming Chucky series has just added a couple of franchise veterans to its cast. Alex Vincent, who starred as Andy Barclay in Child’s Play, and Christine Elise, who co-starred as Kyle with Vincent in Child’s Play 2, have signed on for the upcoming Syfy and USA series. They previously returned to the franchise in Curse of Chucky and Cult of Chucky, but in smaller roles. It is unknown at this time if they will play a major part in Chucky‘s overall story, but let’s hope they do.
Chucky premieres this fall on Syfy and USA.
Adam Wingard Directing Thundercats Movie
Hot off the success of Godzilla vs. Kong, director Adam Wingard has already lined up his next project. He will direct Thundercats, a new adaptation of the popular ’80s series through a mix of CGI and animation.
Wingard will also write the script (a previous draft was done by David Coggeshall). Apparently, Wingard is a huge fan of Thundercats. He even wrote a 270-plus page screenplay for a Thundercats movie when he was in tenth grade. It’s that level of passion that makes me slightly interested in the project.
Salma Hayek Joins The House of Gucci
Salma Hayek has joined the cast of Ridley Scott‘s upcoming film, The House of Gucci. The film depicts the murder of Italian businessman Maurizio Gucci by his ex-wife Patrizia Reggiani and the aftermath of his murder. Hayek will play Pina Auriemma, a friend of Patrizia Reggiani and a clairvoyant.
Hayek joins a cast that includes Adam Driver as Maurizio Gucci and Lady Gaga as Patrizia Reggiani. The film hits theaters on November 24, 2021.
Borderlands Casts Edgar Ramirez as Villain
Edgar Ramirez (Gold, Point Break) has been cast as the villain Atlas, “a business titan and arms manufacturer, and the most powerful person in the universe,” in Borderlands. The video game adaptation is currently filming in Hungary and, along with the casting, we have our first official plot details. Here is the official movie snyopsis:
Anthony Ramos to Lead Next Transformers Movie
Anthony Ramos, who will be seen next in the upcoming In the Heights (above), has just been cast as the lead in the new Transformers movie from director Steven Caple Jr. (Creed II). Ramos will play a “flawed and vulnerable hero who has made mistakes in his life and is eager to redeem himself with the help of Optimus Prime.”
Joby Harold (King Arthur: Legend of the Sword) is handling the script. The film is hoping to hit theaters on June 24, 2022.
Steven Yeun Joins Next Peele Movie
Steven Yeun (Minari) is in negotiations to join writer/director Jordan Peele‘s mysterious new horror movie. He would be the third actor cast in the project after Keke Palmer (Hustlers) and Daniel Kaluuya, who worked with Peele on Get Out.
Universal will release the untitled film on July 22, 2022.
Netflix Considering To All the Boys TV Spinoff
The world of To All the Boys might not be over yet. Awesomeness and ACE Entertainment are reportedly developing a TV series spinoff of the movie trilogy that will focus on Kitty, the youngest of the Covey sisters, on the quest to find true love. Anna Cathcart is on board to reprise her role as Kitty. Netflix had no comment.
Seriously, I’m all for this. Cathcart was literally the only good young actor in those films. Hot take: Lana Condor and Noah Centineo cannot act. Especially Centineo. The dude has like two facial expressions. Why anyone would want to date his character when he’s so boring is beyond me.
Jenny Han, the author of the To All the Boys books, would be the creator, writer and executive producer on the potential half-hour romantic comedy series. Siobhan Vivian and Han are co-writing the pilot script.
Being the Ricardos Rounds Out Supporting Cast
A whole bunch of actors have joined the cast of Being the Ricardos, the upcoming biopic focusing on the lives of 1950s sitcom royalty Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz.
Tony Hale (Veep), Alia Shawkat (Search Party), and Jake Lacy (The Office) are the newest actors to sign onto the project. Hale will play I Love Lucy executive producer and head writer Jess Oppenheimer, while Shawkat and Lacy will co-star as the show’s longtime writing partners, Madelyn Pugh & Bob Carroll Jr. Clark Gregg (Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.), Nelson Franklin (Veep), John Rubinstein (Family), Linda Lavin (Alice, The Good Wife), Robert Pine (CHiPs), and Christopher Denham (Billions) have also been cast in undisclosed roles.
Being the Ricardos “is set during one production week of I Love Lucy—Monday table read through Friday audience filming—when Lucy and Desi face a crisis that could end their careers and another that could end their marriage.” Nicole Kidman and Javier Bardem will play Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz. Aaron Sorkin wrote the screenplay and is directing.
Russell Crowe Joins Thor: Love and Thunder
Russell Crowe has joined the cast of Thor: Love and Thunder. His role is currently being kept under wraps, but some sources speculate that he could be making a cameo as Fake Thanos in a dramatic retelling of the opening events from Avengers: Infinity War where Loki dies and Thanos gains another Infinity Stone.
Thor: Love and Thunder hits theaters May 6, 2022.
New Paranormal Activity Film Casts Its Lead Actors
The new Paranormal Activity movie, set to release on Paramount+, has cast its lead actors. The Wrap reports that Emily Bader, Roland Buck III, Dan Lippert and Henry Ayres-Brown will lead the cast. They also state that the sequel is now filming.
Christopher Landon (Happy Death Day, Freaky) wrote the screenplay with William Eubank directing. The new movie has been recently described as “an unexpected retooling” of the franchise, but continuing with the franchise’s found footage approach.
James Marsden and Idina Menzel Back for Disenchanted
James Marsden and Idina Menzel will reportedly be reprising their Enchanted roles for the upcoming sequel Disenchanted. The news was revealed in a recent interview between JLGB Virtual’s YouTube channel for a youth-led interview and Disney composer and songwriter Alan Menken. On the sequel, Menken said:
“It’s really good. I don’t think I’m allowed [to say much]. It’s filming. Amy Adams is in it. Patrick is in it. Idina Menzel is in it. James Marsden — they’re in it.”
Well, I guess there’s two things to take from that quote. One, that the first film’s quartet is back, and two, that the sequel is already filming! That means we are that much closer to finally seeing these characters again.
That’s it for last couple of weeks. What projects mentioned are you interested in seeing once completed? Tell us down in the comments!
