It’s been a busy weekend for cast and crew announcements as Disney’s Hawkeye series, the Snake Eyes movie and Ghost Draft all expanded their teams while we were recuperating. Here at SCR, we’ve got all those details – and quite a bit more! Sony Pictures has optioned up one of this year’s sci-fi novels for a TV series and, as Apple’s iPhone event lands later today, its also announced the acquisition of a heartfelt documentary series for its upcoming streaming service. Finally, we’ll send you off into the work week with four trailers, ranging from tear-jerking to fear-inspiring.
But first, let’s take a moment to appreciate the small things. Here are some percolating headlines you may have missed from this weekend to keep an eye on.
- DC’s upcoming Joker movie continues to ride the trend waves as it brings home the Golden Lion award from the Venice Film Festival, leaving just about everyone shocked; some with excitement and others with, well, just shock. Deadline calls Joaquin Phoenix‘s performance in the titular role “mesmerizing.”
- Also noteworthy at the event was Marriage Story, a Noah Baumbach directed Netflix film which follows Adam Driver and Scarlett Johansson through their characters’ nasty divorce.
- Hayley Atwell A.K.A. Peggy Carter has revealed that she’s taking on a major role in the next Mission Impossible movie; the franchise’s seventh is directed by Christopher McQuarrie and slated for a 2021 release date. Though she’s confirmed for the cast, Atwell’s specific role is unknown as of yet.
- The End of the F***ing World has been confirmed for a second season from Channel 4. Just as season one before it, the second will make its TV premiere first, followed by eventual transitions to Netflix UK, Ireland and, probably, U.S. The series is based on the eponymous graphic novels by Charles Forsman. We’re told to keep an eye out for a teaser in the coming weeks.
- Following a trial in which he was wrongfully accused and imprisoned for crimes of terrorism, Ukrainian filmmaker Oleg Sentsov was freed in a prisoner exchange early Saturday morning. After speaking out against a Russian-friendly Ukrainian government, Sentsov spent the last five years in a Russian prison. He survived torture and a hunger strike, which he maintained for 145 days before being threatened with forced feedings. Along with dozens of others, Sentsov was reunited with his family in the first prisoner exchange between the two countries since 2017.
And now for the main course!
The Hawkeye series secures its writer with Mad Men alum
Jonathan Igla is locked in as the writer of Disney’s streaming exclusive Hawkeye series. Maybe you haven’t heard his name before – but if you’ve heard of Mad Men, you know his work. From 2010 through 2015, Igla served as both writer and executive story editor on AMC’s wildly popular drama; it’s a bit of a resume booster to say the least. Needless to say, Hawkeye fans are excited. He’s also produced on Sorry for your Loss, Shut Eye and Pitch and written episodes for each of those as well as Masters of Sex.
As has been heavily speculated and anticipated, Igla’s work on Hawkeye will follow the titular hero as he trains Kate Bishop (also the titular hero) to take on the mantle as the Marvel universe’s ace archer.
In a way, Igla’s Hawkeye announcement is the final piece of the Disney+ Marvel puzzle, as each of the other phase four shows have already concluded their major hires. The Falcon and Winter Soldier is being written by Empire’s Malcolm Spellman and directed by The Handmaiden’s Tale’s Kari Scogland. Captain Marvel alum Jac Schaeffer is settled in as the WandaVision showrunner, while Rick and Morty’s Micheal Waldron will be writing and executive producing for Loki.
Though Disney+ arrives this fall, there’s a long wait ahead for Hawkeye which is set for a tentative 2021 release.
The G.I. Joe spin-off is recruiting The Raid star
Snake Eyes, the G.I. Joe spin-off movie is securing another cast member with Iko Uwais. The film is set to follow the titular ninja, played by Crazy Rich Asians star Henry Golding as he seeks to avenge his father’s death. Uwais, meanwhile is wrapping up negotiations to play the character with the most G.I. Joe name of all time: Hard Master. He’s Snake Eyes’ teacher and, in some continuities, is also responsible for giving the titular ninja his code name.
More importantly, though, action film aficionados should delight in Uwais’ casting. He is, after all, the star of some of the best contemporary action films in The Raid and The Raid 2. More recently, he also starred in the action/comedy Stuber as the main antagonist. With luck, his upcoming role in Snake Eyes will be half as thrilling as the scenes that brought Uwai so much critical acclaim.
Snake Eyes is a joint effort between Paramount, Skydance and AllSpark Pictures, the movie division of Hasbro. Joining Golding and Uwais is Andre Koji as Storm Shadow, while Evan Spiliotopoulos writes and Lorenzo di Bonaventura and Brian Goldner produce.
Ghost Draft, a time travelling sci-fi flick, adds two more to its cast
Ghost Draft, the Chris Pratt led sci-fi/thriller, signed on two more cast members this weekend with Mary Lynn Rajskub and Edwin Hodge. The Paramount and Skydance collaboration depicts a war between earthlings and aliens. In desperation, humanity realizes that the best course of action is, of course, to enlist history’s greatest soldiers, bringing from the past to the future. Looking at the cast list – that may not be a bad idea. Along with Pratt and the two newcomers, the flick has also drafted Yvonne Strahovski, Betty Gilpin, Theo Von and J.K. “bring me pictures of the Spider-Man” Simmons.
Rajskub has a varied resume including credits as Chloe O’Brien on the Fox thriller 24, Theresa in the Tiffany Hadish and Kevin Hart led Night School, Elizabeth in Punch Drunk Love and much more. Hodges, meanwhile, has spent a large chunk of time in the horror genre with the Purge movies. He’s also worked in TV on Sleepy Hollow, Chicago Fire and, most recently, Mayans M.C. as Officer Franky Rogan.
Ghost Draft is directed by Chris McKay (The Lego Batman Movie) with scripts by Zach Dean and Bill Dubuque; the crew is set to begin shooting later this month in Atlanta.
Sony options The City in the Middle of the Night as a TV series
Charlie Jane Anders’ The City in the Middle of the Night has been optioned for a TV series, thanks to Sony Pictures Television. Sharon Hall’s (The Expanse, Utopia) Mom de Guerre Productions will also work Sony and Anders on the show. The novel hit shelves earlier this year through the sci-fi/fantasy publisher, Tor.
Taking place on the planet January, The City in the Middle of the Night tells the tale of two cities separated by a vast body of water; Argelo and Xiosphant. While the former is lax and loose, the latter is rigidly structured. When our main character, Sophie, is banished from Xiosphant, she meets the planet’s native inhabitants who see her as the perfect bridge between their species.
Apple TV Plus has bought Bryce Dallas Howard’s Dads
In a Variety exclusive, it was revealed that Apple has purchased Dads, a documentary by Bryce Dallas Howard. It’s billed as a light-hearted examination of fathers of all kinds, from your average Joes to your unique cases including Will Smith, Jimmy Fallon and Neil Patrick Harris.
The news comes shortly before the film makes its premiere at the Toronto Film Festival, where it will appear in the official documentary section. Appropriately, Howard is working with her own dads on the project as Ron Howard and his partner Brian Grazer are set to produce through Imagine Entertainment. Its slated to make as of yet undecided runs on both Apple TV Plus and in theaters.
Now, time to plug in the headphones and crank the volume; we’ve got four trailers from the weekend you don’t want to miss.
From writer and director Trey Edward Shults, Waves looks enticingly emotional – and with a cast including Kelvin Harrison, Jr., Lucas Hedges, Taylor Russell, Alexa Demie, Renée Elise Goldsberry and Sterling K. Brown, it’s not one to be missed when it hits theaters in November.
Many of us were not aware that we needed to watch an entire HBO miniseries starring Helen Mirren as Catherine the Great. Now, we are very aware. Beginning on October 21, this series will tell the ruler’s story in four parts.
The Limetown season one trailer has also dropped over the weekend. Based on a podcast, the story follows Jessica Biel’s character as she tries to unravel the 10 year-old mystery of how 300 people disappeared from a neuroscience facility. It all starts when the series premieres on October 16 on – ah, yes – Facebook Watch.
Fair warning: if you are a person who hates clowns, you might want to avoid this last trailer!
If you recall from the real-life horror film that took place about five years ago, Wrinkles the clown is a man you can hire to scare the living bejeezus out of anyone you know, including innocent children! Well, as you saw, some brave souls from Magnolia Pictures and director Michael Beach Nichols researched the incidents and even spoke to Wrinkles himself (shudders).
After watching that last trailer I might not sleep tonight. But that’s fine because I can use that time to stay vigilant for you, dear reader, as I hunt for the week’s most alluring and glamorous entertainment news to populate this Friday’s Studio Coffee Run. See you then!
