Film Development For 5/12/16: All the Acquisitions Out of Cannes, Alicia Vikander to Produce/Star in ‘Euphoria’
Just an enormous amount of news out of Cannes this week, plus some co-stars for Ethan Hawke in his new thriller, a potential new franchise for the still on the mend Dylan O’Brien, a new role for Clive Owen and a new voice roll for Oscar winner Eddie Redmayne. As always, there’s more, so click on the link for the full skinny. (SSN)
After Almost Two Decades, CBS Finally Brings the ‘CSI’ Franchise To a Close
It’s the end of a major franchise at CBS. The network has opted to cancel CSI: Cyber after two seasons. It brings an end to the storied franchise whose flagship series was once the most-watched show in the world. The decision to end the series comes as little surprise. The third spinoff in the CSI: Crime Scene Investigation franchise was left off of CBS’ midseason schedule as well as its massive 11-show renewal earlier this season. (LF)
In a Casting Move That Makes Perfect Sense, Lupita Nyong’o Joins ‘Black Panther’
Oscar winner’s exact role has yet to be announced, and there has been no official statement from Marvel about it, but speculation centers on her playing star Chadwick Boseman’s love interest. Ryan Cooler is directing from a script he’s writing with Joe Robert Cole. The film will explore more of T’Challa’s story as the warrior prince who becomes King of the African nation of Wakanda. The cameras will roll early next year ready for a February 2018 release. (EMP)
Today In Prequel/Remake/Franchise News: ‘Brave’ Director Making Her Live Action Debut With ‘Pater Pan/Alice In Wonderland’ Prequel
Undeterred by Pan and likely spurred on by the lucrative public domain dollars wrought by Alice in Wonderland, a prequel to Peter Pan and Alice in Wonderland is in the works with Brave co-director Brenda Chapman making her live-action debut on the feature Come Away. Marissa Kate Goodhill has written the script, based on the premise that the Alice and Peter characters were a brother and sister who dealt with tragedy by going to Wonderland and Neverland. (COL)
So, Not Dead After All: ‘Pacific Rim 2’ Lands a Brand New Writer
Steven DeKnight is on board to direct the sequel to Guillermo del Toro’s 2013 gigantic monsters vs. huge mechs film, and now Universal Pictures and Legendary have finally found a screenwriter to write it. Jurassic World co-writer Derek Connolly has been hired to pen the script, which is currently going under the working title Pacific Rim: Maelstrom. Del Toro remains involved with the project as one of the producers. (SF)
DC Has More Movies On the Way, as Greg Berlanti Confirms Involvement In a ‘Booster Gold’ Project
Last year, a rumor popped up that Warner Bros. was quietly developing another addition to their roster of DC Films, a buddy cop film starring Booster Gold and Blue Beetle which Arrow, The Flash, and Supergirl executive producer Berlanti would direct. No confirmation ever came on the project however, until now. In an interview, he confirmed he is involved in the project, and that scribe Zack Stentz is working on the script. (CS)
Joel Kinnaman To Make a Return To TV, Will Headline New Netflix Sci-Fi Series
The Killing alum is set as the lead in the streaming giant’s Altered Carbon, a futuristic drama series conceived, written and executive produced by Laeta Kalogridis. Miguel Sapochnik has come on board to direct the first episode of the series, from Skydance Television. Based on Richard Morgan’s 2002 cyberpunk sci-fi novel, series is set in the 25th century when the human mind has been digitized and the soul is transferable from one body to the next. (DH)
James Gray Fires Up His Next Project, Will Shoot Sci-Fi Flick ‘Ad Astra’ Early Next Year
Casting is currently underway for that long gestating sci-fi project (Latin for “to the stars”), production is slated to start in early 2017, and we’re excited to see what the director does with the genre. While story details are being kept secret for now, the director has previously talked about a conceptually amazing concept, rather than a visually amazing one. (TP)
The Chessboard That Is the Cannes Film Festival
It’s tough to care much about the Cannes Film Festival anymore, because the movies that appear in competition there tend to not have an enormous effect on the domestic box office, nor do they tend to show up with any regularity in awards discussions. But what happens behind the scenes on the French Riviera is a different matter. That is downright fascinating. (TB)
Trailer Buzz: ‘Hell or High Water’
CBS Films has released the new look at its upcoming crime thriller, starring Chris Pine, Ben Foster and Jeff Bridges. Directed by David Mackenzie and written by Sicario scribe Taylor Sheridan, it hits theaters in August. (VUL)