Movie/TV News (4 Viewers)

[dragon53]

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 13

ARMY OF ONE--trailer released for the revenge movie starring Ellen Hollman (SPARTACUS, THE MATRIX 4).

LINK: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hYpZ9foiGh4



CHAOS WALKING---synopsis and poster released for the Doug Liman movie, starring Daisy Ridley and Tom Holland, that is based on the sci fi novels, "From Carnegie Award-winning author Patrick Ness comes a bold cinematic experience beyond imagination. Todd Hewitt lives on the distant planet of New World—a new hope for humanity until struck by 'The Noise,' a virus which inflicts immersive visions of ones’ every thought. The cacophony drives many mad until Todd makes a hidden, silent discovery: there is a girl named Viola, who may be the key to unlocking New World’s many-layered secrets. Together, the two unlikely companions are forced on a white-knuckle adventure into an unexplored planet – trying to escape and hide in an environment where all thought is heard, all movement seen –as they both discover the truth about the lives they left behind and the spectacular world they’ve learned to call home."

WE CAN BE HEROES---photo released from the Netflix/Robert Rodriguez sequel to THE ADVENTURES OF SHARKBOY AND LAVAGIRL starring Priyanka Chopra, Pedro Pascal and Christian Slater.

MOREAU---tv series underway based on the HG Wells novel THE ISLAND OF DR. MOREAU. The tv series, set in modern times, has Englishman Edward Pendrick shipwrecked on a remote island where a mad female scientist, Dr. Jessica Moreau, and a billionaire, team up to create horrific man beasts. Movies based on the novel include the 1996 movie starring Marlon Brando and Val Kilmer, the 1977 movie starring Burt Lancaster and Michael York and the 1932 movie ISLAND OF LOST SOULS starring Charles Laughton and Bela Lugosi.

HOME ALONE---Chris Columbus, on the 30th anniversary of the classic Christmas comedy movie, commented on the Disney+ reboot, "No, nobody got in touch with me about it, and it's a waste of time as far as I'm concerned. What's the point? I'm a firm believer that you don't remake films that have had the longevity of HOME ALONE. You're not going to create lightning in a bottle again. It's just not going to happen."
He added, "So why do it? It's like doing a paint-by-numbers version of a Disney animated film - a live-action version of that. What's the point? It's been done. Do your own thing. Even if you fail miserably, at least you have come up with something original."

AQUAMAN 2---after a Johnny Depp was fired from FANTASTIC BEASTS 3 after losing a libel case against ex-wife Amber Heard, Depp fans began a petition to have Heard fired from AQUAMAN 2. Heard replied to rumors that she will be fired, "I’m super excited about the amount of fan love and the amount of fan appreciation that Aquaman has acquired and that it has garnered so much excitement for Aquaman and Mera that it means we’ll be coming back. I’m so excited to film that.”
Heard added, “Paid rumors and paid campaigns on social media don’t dictate [casting decisions] because they have no basis in reality. Only the fans actually made Aquaman and Aquaman 2 happen. I’m excited to get started next year.”

FANTASTIC FOUR---Kate Mara commented on her "horrible" experiences with FANTASTIC FOUR, supposedly with director Josh Trank, “I think that the thing that I always go back to on that one is that I think I should have followed my instincts more. Like when my gut was telling me, ‘You probably shouldn’t let that slide, what that person just said.’ Or if you’re feeling a certain way about what an energy is like and how that is affecting your performance. You’re being paid to do a certain thing. And if something is in the way of that, you have the right to speak up and say, ‘I’m actually not able to do what I am here to do because of X, Y and Z.’”
She added, “I think that speaking up is something that I think that we all probably learn it over and over again, to follow your instincts and if you’re feeling a certain thing that is uneasy or whatever, there’s a reason for it. But, because it was such a big movie and again, usually, except in this case, when you’re in a big superhero movie they usually do incredibly well, like almost always. So even if it’s challenging, or this or that, or not everything’s perfect, it’s probably good for you to do it.”

PAINKILLER---Jordan Calloway will return in this BLACK LIGHTNING spinoff tv series.

ELOISE---live-action movie underway based on the children's books.

MODERN AUSTEN---CW is developing a modern day anthology series with each season being based on a Jane Austen novel.

TRIVIA---in CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND, the ARP 2500 synthesizer that played the five alien tones was operated by "Jean Claude", who was played by Phil Dodds, who has a second credit as the "ARP Musician". Dodds was an audio engineer for ARP Instruments which supplied the synthesizer for the movie. Dodds was installing the synthesizer when Steven Spielberg hired him for the role after the original actor became sick. Dodds also had performed similar duties on several STAR TREK movies and LOGAN'S RUN.

 

[dragon53]

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 16

THE STAND---featurette released for the CBS All Access miniseries based on the Stephen King novel.

LINK: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0WhEUiHsl14



LET THEM ALL TALK---trailer released for the Steven Soderbergh/HBO Max movie starring Meryl Streep and Candice Bergen.

LINK: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q6DHWEii8eo



CONSTANTINE---Peter Stormare, who played Satan in the 2005 Keanu Reeves movie, posted a photo and caption about rumors that a Warner Bros./Bad Robot sequel is underway, "Sequel In The Works".

THE SUICIDE SQUAD---James Gunn posted that Sylvester Stallone has the movie cast, "Always love working with my friend @TheSlyStallone & our work today on #TheSuicideSquad was no exception. Despite Sly being an iconic movie star, most people still don’t have any idea what an amazing actor this guy is."
Speculation is that Stallone might be the voice of King Shark.

THOR: LOVE AND THUNDER---Chris Pratt will return as Star-Lord in the sequel. Vin Diesel is reportedly returning as the voice of Groot.

IMPEACHMENT: AMERICAN CRIME STORY---photo released of Sarah Paulson as Linda Tripp in the FX anthology series about the impeachment of Bill Clinton after the Monica Lewinsky sex scandal. Beanie Feldstein will play Lewinsky, and Clive Owen will play Clinton.

ZACK SNYDER'S JUSTICE LEAGUE---Zack Snyder commented on the expensive $70 million reshoots for the HBO Max four-part movie, “I think it’s valid, on one hand though. I will say that in the end it’s going to probably be about four minutes or five minutes of additional photography for the entire movie. In the four hours that is JUSTICE LEAGUE, maybe four minutes."

SPACE FORCE---Netflix renewed the series for Season 2.

LILO & STITCH---Jon M. Chu is in negotiations to direct the Walt Disney live-action remake of its 2002 animated movie.

DARKWING DUCK---Disney+ is reportedly developing a reboot of the animated tv series.

SHORT CIRCUIT---Spyglass Media is developing a Latinx reboot of the 1986 movie.

TRIVIA---more James Bond movie trivia.
In LICENSE TO KILL, Timothy Dalton's second James Bond movie, the tanker truck scenes were filmed on the infamous Rumorosa Pass in Mexico where a number of bizarre traffic deaths had occurred previously and was claimed to be haunted. Director John Glen said, "There had been so many tragic accidents over the years that they closed the section of the road down and bypassed it...All kinds of things went wrong there, and we couldn't explain a lot of them."
In the exploding tanker truck scene, 2nd Unit Director Arthur Wooster said, "We shot it with four cameras and one of the special effects boys was over my shoulder, at the camera I was on, taking stills." After reviewing the still photos of the exploding tanker truck, Wooster saw a giant flaming hand in one photo. With his curiosity aroused, he wanted to see more of the flaming hand so he checked the film rushes and could not find the flaming hand, "It's got to be on the rushes because we had four cameras shooting there. I went through, and I didn't see it...frame by frame, and I could not find it."
Wooster showed the flaming hand photo and the film rushes to Glen, who also examined the film rushes frame by frame and found no flaming hand. Glen said, "There was definitely a strange atmosphere on that stretch of road. The special effects boys where convinced there was something spooky about the place. If there was any doubt left in my mind, it was dispelled by a bizarre photograph...Arthur brought me a copy of it, and my wife wouldn't have it in the house."

In LICENSE TO KILL, James Bond (Timothy Dalton) sets Bond Villain Franz Sanchez (Robert Davi) on fire, and Sanchez ignites the tanker truck.

In the exploding tanker truck scene, a giant flaming hand was photographed by a still camera that did not appear in any of the film rushes filmed by four different cameras.

In the actual movie, Timothy Dalton flees the exploding tanker truck, but no giant flaming hand is seen.

 

[dragon53]

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 17

ZACK SNYDER'S JUSTICE LEAGUE---new trailer released for the HBO Max four-part movie.
Also, Zack Snyder said he doubts there will be a sequel, “I don’t have any expectation that there would be more movies than this. If that happened, that would be amazing -- but that bridge is far away. Frankly I’m cool."

LINK: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AuedPfjBHJ0



THE FINAL GIRL SUPPORT GROUP---tv series underway based on the upcoming novel whose synopsis says, "The women in the Final Girl Support Group have been in therapy together for decades – ever since one was attacked by a cannibal family in Texas, by a machete wielding maniac at summer camp, by an older brother who returned to settle scores on Halloween, by a lunatic who allegedly entered their dreams. These are the middle-aged survivors of the real-life crimes the slasher movies are based on. Some of them are addicts, some are in denial, and some have become motivational speakers. And now the final girls are mysteriously dying, one by one."

SITCOM---Kelsey Grammer and Alec Baldwin will star in this untitled ABC comedy series about three roommates in their 20s who split because of their egos and attempt to reunite many years later. Chris Lloyd (FRASIER, MODERN FAMILY) is the creator.

THE BATMAN---Terence Winter (BOARDWALK EMPIRE) has left the untitled spinoff tv series focusing on the Gotham City Police Department due to creative differences.

DIAL M FOR MURDER---anthology tv series underway based on the Alfred Hitchcock movie and the play. Alicia Vikander will star in Season 1.

THE WALKING DEAD: WORLD BEYOND---Annet Mahendru said the tv series will lead to the Rick Grimes movies, "We're the lead-up to the movies, so we're going there. All the questions fans have had for, I don't know, inherently a decade, right? Our show is the answers to that. So we are very much heading to CRM. I mean, that's the helicopter... We're getting really close, you know?"

WONDER GIRL---CW live-action tv series about Yara Flor, an latina dreamer and the daughter of an Amazonian Warrior and the Brazilian River God, who will succeed Diana Prince as the next Wonder Woman.

TRANSFORMERS---Steven Caple Jr. (CREED II) will direct the latest sequel.

TRIVIA---Forrest Tucker, best known for starring in the comedy tv series F TROOP, starred in two 1950s British horror movies set in the mountains: THE ABOMINABLE SNOWMAN set in the Himalaya Mountains and THE TROLLENBERG TERROR (THE CRAWLING EYE) set at Switzerland's Mount Trollenberg.

Forrest Tucker is best known for starring in the comedy tv series F TROOP.

Forrest Tucker starred in THE ABOMINABLE SNOWMAN set in the Himalaya mountains.

Tucker starred in THE TROLLENBERG TERROR (THE CRAWLING EYE) set at Switzerland's Mount Trollenberg.

 

[dragon53]

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 18

THE GODFATHER CODA: THE DEATH OF MICHAEL CORLEONE---featurette and trailer released for the new cut of THE GODFATHER PART III

LINK: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y1FayIXZhm4

LINK: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nWxDwvLhkDw



A DISTURBANCE IN THE FORCE---trailer released for the documentary about the infamous 1978 STAR WARS HOLIDAY SPECIAL.

LINK: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sFxg9oMsvy4



THE WILDS---trailer released for the Amazon Prime tv series about high school girls stranded on an island.

LINK: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tUQ2vMSQf4M



ZACK SNYDER'S JUSTICE LEAGUE---HBO Max released a color version of the trailer. Also, Zack Snyder released a photo of the original design of Steppenwolf (Ciaran Hinds) which will be in the reshoots.

LINK: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XIOU_k4mwDw

THE STAND---photo released of Ezra Miller as the Trashcan Man in the CBS All Access miniseries based on the Stephen King novel. Marilyn Manson had been rumored for the role.

THE ADAM PROJECT---Ryan Reynolds, Jennifer Garner and Zoe Saldana will star in this Shawn Levy/Netflix sci fi movie about a man who travels back in time to get help from his 13 year-old self and his father.

THE UNBREAKABLE BOY---Zachary Levi will star in this Lionsgate biomovie whose synopsis says, "You’ve never met a kid like Austin. He’s not just one in a million… he’s one in four billion – the odds of being born with both a rare brittle-bone disease and autism. But what makes Austin truly unique is his joyous, funny, life-affirming worldview that transforms and unites everyone around him – especially his dad, Scott (Zachary Levi), who changes his life as he comes to see Austin not as the symbol of something broken, but the triumph of an indestructible spirit. To meet Austin is to know that being “unbreakable” is not about physical strength, but inner strength. It’s about embracing love and grace, even in the most trying times."

TRIVIA---Alan Smithee was the official pseudonym approved by the Directors Guild of America (DGA) for directors who wanted to disown a project they directed. The DGA discontinued Alan Smithee in 2000.
DEATH OF A GUNFIGHTER was the first movie that used Alan Smithee as the director after Robert Totten and his replacement, Don Siegel, did not want the credit for the Western movie after clashing with star Richard Widmark. However, the first movie released with Alan Smithee as the director was FADE IN when director Jud Taylor disavowed any responsibility for the final movie. FADE IN star Burt Reynolds said about FADE IN, "It should have been called FADE OUT." He added, "It was screened for Bob Evans at Paramount, and I think he locked it up in chains. It's never been heard from since."
With tongue in cheek, Reynolds said, "It's the best thing I've ever done. An American version of A MAN AND A WOMAN."

The first movie released with director pseudonym Alan Smithee was FADE IN starring Burt Reynolds, who said, "It should have been called FADE OUT."

 

[dragon53]

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 19

WONDER WOMAN 1984---trailer released for the Christmas Day premiere in theaters and on HBO Max. Director Patty Jenkins said, “Watch it IN THEATERS where it is safe to do so (check out the great work theaters have done to make it so) and available in the safety of your own home on HBO Max where it is not. Happy holidays to all of you. We hope you enjoy our film as much as we enjoyed making it.” The movie will premiere on December 16 in international theaters.

LINK: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PafavR0l6JI



CHAOS WALKING---trailer released for the sci fi movie starring Tom Holland and Daisy Ridley.

LINK: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nRf4ZgzHoVw



STAR WARS---In the new book THE STAR WARS ARCHIVES: 1999-2005, George Lucas gave a definitive comment on if Greedo or Han Solo shot first in the controversial cantina scene, "I never designed Han to be a ruthless killer. All the good guys shoot in self-defense. When I edited the scene in 1977 you couldn’t tell who does what."

ZACK SNYDER---Zack Snyder said he could not direct a STAR WARS movie, "I think I've gone over this a little bit in the past. I am a huge STAR WARS fan. The reason why I started making movies when I was 11 years old was because of STAR WARS. For sure it has been a huge influence on me and really got me into this mythic path with the Joseph Campbellian take on archetypes and storytelling. Yeah, STAR WARS is that to me. I have interest in STAR WARS. I don't think I have a story written now that... I don't know how I'd fit into the STAR WARS universe anymore. Like, I... I don't know what it is. So it's a thing I love, but I don't know if I... maybe it's moved on from me. I still love it and I have lightsabers everywhere around the house."

WE CAN BE HEROES---photo released of Lavagirl and Sharkboy from the Robert Rodriguez/Netflix movie.

BULLET TRAIN---Michael Shannon has joined the cast of Brad Pitt, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Masi Oka and Zazie Beetz in the movie based on the Japanese novel MARIA BEETLE which is about five assassins on a bullet train.

DEXTER---plot details for the 10-episode revival miniseries were released, "Set 10 years after Dexter Morgan went missing in the eye of Hurricane Laura, the revival sees the character now living under an assumed name in a world away from Miami." Marcos Siega is the director.

FANTASTIC BEASTS 3---Mads Mikkelsen denied reports he is the top candidate to replace Johnny Depp as Grindelwald, “Oh, that is on the rumor basis as we speak. So I know as much as you do from the newspapers. So I’m waiting for that phone call.”

CLEAR LAKE---Ruari O'Connor, Colin Hanks, Diane Guerrero and Nelly will star in this Buddy Holly biomovie.

TRIVIA---in DEATH ON THE NILE, based on the Agatha Christie novel, Hercule Poirot (Peter Ustinov) is assisted in the murder investigation by Col. Race (David Niven). In reality, during World War II, Pvt. Peter Ustinov was Lt. Col. David Niven's batman (orderly) while Niven starred in the movie THE WAY AHEAD which was co-written by Ustinov.

In DEATH ON THE NILE, based on the Agatha Christie novel, Hercule Poirot (Peter Ustinov) is assisted in the murder investigation by Col. Race (David Niven).

In reality, during World War II, Pvt. Peter Ustinov was Lt. Col. David Niven's batman (orderly) while Niven starred in the movie THE WAY AHEAD which was co-written by Ustinov.

 

[dragon53]

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 20

LETHAL WEAPON 5---Mel Gibson commented on if there will be another sequel, "Yeah!...absolutely. And the man who was behind all that, the man who brought it to the screen and gave it its, the goodies, is working on it right now: Richard Donner. He's a legend."

THE PINK PANTHER---MGM live-action/CGI reboot movie underway about a police inspector who invents an imaginary pink panther as his friend after suffering a trauma. Jeff Fowler (SONIC THE HEDGEHOG) is the director.

ALL THE OLD KNIVES---Laurence Fishburne and Jonathan Pryce will co-star with Chris Pine and Thandie Newton in the Amazon movie based on the spy novel.

BULLET TRAIN---Lady Gaga has joined the cast of Brad Pitt and Michael Shannon in the movie about five assassins on a bullet train.

THE WALKING DEAD---Season 10's final six episodes will premiere on February 28, 2021 with Robert Patrick and Okea Eme-Akwari as guest stars.

SWAN SONG---Glenn Close will co-star with Mahershala Ali and Awkwafina in this Apple TV+ sci fi movie.

STRANGER THINGS---Robert Englund will guest star in Season 4 as " Victor Creel, a disturbed and intimidating man who is imprisoned in a psychiatric hospital for a gruesome murder in the 1950s."

DMZ---HBO Max four-part miniseries underway based on the comic book about a second Civil War.

ELIJAH---horror movie about a boy who brings a mysterious man home to heal his sick mother and discovers he is not who he claims to be. Alexandre Ajay (CRAWL) is the director.

UNREASONABLE BEHAVIOR---Angelina Jolie will direct this biomovie based on the autobiography of British war photographer Don McCullin.

TRIVIA---British character actors Neil McCarthy and Donald Houston co-starred in the World War II action movie WHERE EAGLES DARE (Richard Burton, Clint Eastwood). McCarthy and Houston reunited in the original CLASH OF THE TITANS, special effects legend Ray Harryhausen's last movie.

In WHERE EAGLES DARE, Neil McCarthy played Sgt. Jock MacPherson (left), and Donald Houston played Nazi double agent Capt. Olaf Christensen (right).

In CLASH OF THE TITANS, McCarthy played the monster Calibos.

In CLASH OF THE TITANS, Houston played Acrisius.

 

[dragon53]

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 23

PREDATOR 5---Dan Trachtenberg (10 CLOVERFIELD LANE) will direct the fifth movie in the franchise. A source claims the fifth movie will be a prequel, "It will focus around Native Americans before the territories were taken by the American settlers, featuring a First Nations cast." The new Predator movie might be connected to a previous Trachtenberg project titled SKULLS, “SKULLS will follow a Comanche woman who goes against gender norms and traditions to become a warrior.”

STAR WARS---newsman Jake Tapper tweeted that Han Solo shot Greedo first in the ongoing STAR WARS controversy, "Before this conversation gets any more political allow me to state the fact that not only did Han shoot first, Greedo did not shoot second because Han was THE ONLY ONE WHO SHOT. I shed no tears for Greedo but that’s just what went down." Mark Hamill replied, "Couldn't agree more, Jake. Thanks for always telling it like it is!"

BEAU IS AFRAID---Joaquin Phoenix is in negotiations to star in this horror movie from Ari Aster (MIDSOMMAR) whose synopsis is, “Beau learns of the death of his mother under mysterious circumstances and upon traveling home makes an alarming discovery about his past. During his journey, he runs into various crazy supernatural threats.”

GREMLINS 3---Chris Columbus commented on the status of a third movie, “I would love to do it. I wrote a script, so there is an existing script. We’re working out some rights issues right now, so we’re just trying to figure out when the best time to make that film would be. I would still do it the same way – I would do it as tangible puppets, not CGI. Maybe having — you know we had one stop-motion scene in the first GREMLINS, but I don’t think I’d use much CGI in GREMLINS 3.”
Also, Columbus will reportedly direct FIVE NIGHTS AT FREDDY'S, the movie based on the horror video game.

MURDER MYSTERY---Sam Rockwell, Saoirse Ronan and David Oyelowo will star in this untitled murder mystery movie in set in 1950s London where a veteran police inspector and a rookie female constable must stop a killer who is murdering a Hollywood film crew in London one by one.

UNIVERSAL MONSTER---Channing Tatum will star in this Phil Lord/Chris Miller monster movie inspired by the classic Universal Studios monsters. No plot details were released.

THE TWO OF US---HBO tv series underway based on the pandemic video game.

BLACK LIGHTNING---CW announced Season 4 will be the last season with a Painkiller spinoff series underway.

GLOW---Alison Brie is not optimistic about a movie based on the cancelled Netflix tv series, "I certainly think a [GLOW] movie could tie everything up. Our creators, Liz Flahive and Carly Mensch, are incredible writers. And they’re so devoted to these characters that they created. I think a movie would be a great way to wrap it up.
I’m a little pessimistic about it actually happening just in light of everything that’s gone on this year and how difficult it is to get anything back into production with COVID, and I’m also part of the COMMUNITY cast, who’s been trying to get a movie going for six years, so what I’m saying is don’t hold your breath because if it does happen, it might take a minute.”

TRIVIA---more James Bond movie trivia.
Character actor David Bauer appeared in two James Bond movies starring Sean Connery: he played a US diplomat in YOU ONLY LIVE TWICE and mortician/diamond smuggler Morton Slumber in DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER. Another of Bauer's memorable roles was Lt. Gen. Harry Buford in the German bomber strafing scene with George C. Scott in PATTON.

David Bauer played the US diplomat in YOU ONLY LIVE TWICE.

Bauer played mortician/diamond smuggler Morton Slumber in DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER.

Bauer played Lt. Gen. Harry Buford in the German bomber strafing scene with George C. Scott in PATTON.

 

[OzDigger]

OMG a Predator movie set in the wild west with a coloured female lead. What's next, Predators v Female Apollo mission Astronauts on the Moon {sm4}

 

[Desertkiwi]

OMG a Predator movie set in the wild west with a coloured female lead. What's next, Predators v Female Apollo mission Astronauts on the Moon {sm4}

I'm with you Oz, the first movie was entertaining but things went steadily down-hill after that.......

 

[OzDigger]

I'm with you Oz, the first movie was entertaining but things went steadily down-hill after that.......

Usually happens that way, and getting worse lately. Film companies seem happier with recycling earlier franchises rather than creating something original.

 

[marco55]

I agree also Oz.
Mark

 

[dragon53]

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 24

JAWS---featurette released of the only surviving shark model, Bruce, being installed in the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures.

LINK: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NX2EWAlg2fU&feature=emb_logo



THE WALKING DEAD---trailer released for Season 10.

LINK: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5vZ_DgkKS3A



THE MANDALORIAN---Williams Sonoma is selling "Neverro Nummies" macarons based on the blue cookies eaten by Baby Yoda, "Inspired by a sweet moment when a young Nevarro student debated sharing his treats with the Child, 21st-century artisans in California have created these ethereal French-style almond macarons capturing the essence of this scene with Nevarro Nummies™. For authentic galactic flavor, each exquisite treat is artfully hand-piped with a rich, creamy vanilla filling." The macarons are $49.95 for a dozen.

LINK: https://www.williams-sonoma.com/products/nevarro-nummies-macarons/

FINDING FORRESTER---NBC tv series underway based on the 2000 Sean Connery movie that will have a female in the Connery role.

KILLER KLOWNS FROM OUTER SPACE---co-writer Stephen Chiodo said a Netflix sequel to the 1988 cult classic movie is being discussed, "Look, MGM controls KILLER KLOWNS. If [fans] write MGM and say, ‘Where’s our sequel? Where’s that property?’ There’s so many ways they can exploit this thing. It’s really the fan base… We have tons of ideas to really carry that through… So there’ll be hopefully something in the future.”
He added, “We are talking to them. We’re talking all the time. Get this: we’ve been trying to do a sequel since we made the film and fans get angry with us. We don’t mention it too much, because they get angry. They say, ‘Oh, what’s the matter with you guys?’ But we’re trying. The business is just a bear, moves at a glacial pace. There’s interest, and it wanes and flows. You get some executives who really want to do it, then, all of a sudden, musical chairs. They’re out, a new regime is in, and they don’t get it. We’ll see how ALIEN XMAS does with the Netflix people. We’ll see if they can embrace our sensibility.”

THE ADAM PROJECT---Mark Ruffalo and Catherine Keener will co-star with Ryan Reynolds and Jennifer Garner in the Netflix time travel movie.

THE OGUN---Anthony Mackie stars in this Netflix movie about a man who must rescue his daughter, who suffers from a rare genetic disorder, after she is kidnapped.

BOSS LEVEL---Frank Grillo, Mel Gibson and Naomi Watts star in this Hulu sci fi movie about a special forces operative who relives his murder in an endless cycle that was created in a secret government project.

ENTOURAGE---Kevin Dillon said he and creator Doug Ellin are discussing a revival of the HBO series, "I’ve been working on Doug for months and finally, he said the other day, ‘I’ll start thinking about a reboot or revival.'”

TOM CLANCY'S JACK RYAN---Marianne Jean=Baptiste will play the Chief of Station in Season 3.

DOCTOR WHO---John Barrowman is returning as Capt. Jack Harkness in the Holiday Special.

TRIVIA---in David Cronenberg's DEAD RINGERS, twin gynecologists Elliot and Beverly Mantle were played by Jeremy Irons. The twin call girls, Mimsi and Coral, were played by real twins Jill and Jacqueline Hennessy in their first movie roles. Jill Hennessy later co-starred on LAW & ORDER.

In David Cronenberg's DEAD RINGERS, twin gynecologists Elliot and Beverly Mantle were played by Jeremy Irons.

The twin call girls, Mimsy and Coral, were played by real twins Jill (right) and Jacqueline (left) Hennessy in their first movie roles.

Jill Hennessy later co-starred on LAW & ORDER.

 

[dragon53]

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 25

CRAZY, NOT INSANE---trailer released for the HBO documentary about psychiatrist Dr. Dorothy Otnow Lewis who testified at the trials of serial killers including Ted Bundy.

LINK: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FVrOVlS5TMU



EXTRACTION 2---Joe Russo commented on the Netflix sequel starring Chris Hemsworth, “Yeah we’re still working on two. We’re in the script phase right now but we’re hoping to shoot that sometime next year. And then you know, say I’m super excited, Hemsworth’s super excited, Netflix is excited so it’s really just a function of getting the script done.”

THE BATMAN---photo shows the exterior of the Batcave on the film set that is described as an, “immense rock face which had been decorated with trees and shrubbery to exaggerate how vast the structure is”.

CHERRY---photo released from the Russo Brothers movie starring Tom Holland as an Iraq war veteran, suffering from PTSD, who goes on a crime spree.

DMZ---photo released from the HBO Max miniseries based on the comic book that stars Rosario Dawson and Benjamin Bratt.

THE EXPANSE---Amazon renewed the series for Season 6 which will be the last season.

CHAPELLE'S SHOW---Netflix removed the show at Dave Chapelle's request. He claimed Viacom CBS owns the rights to the show and has never paid him for it. He claimed Netflix offering the show was like "fencing stolen goods".

ONE DAY AT A TIME---Pop TV cancelled the series.

TRIVIA---5' 2" character actor Lou Wagner appeared in two hit movies that led to a series of other hit movies. Wagner played the obnoxious, know-it-all Schuyler Schultz in AIRPORT, the hit disaster movie that led to other hit disaster movies including THE TOWERING INFERNO, THE POSEIDON ADVENTURE and EARTHQUAKE.
Wagner is best known, but not recognized, for playing the chimpanzee Lucius in the original PLANET OF THE APES and the busboy in CONQUEST OF THE PLANET OF THE APES. Seven more PLANET OF THE APES movies were filmed.

In AIRPORT, Lou Wagner played the obnoxious, know-it-all Schuyler Schultz (left).

Wagner is best known, but not recognized, for playing the chimpanzee Lucius in the original PLANET OF THE APES. In the photo are (left to right) Charlton Heston, Linda Harrison, Kim Hunter, Roddy McDowall and Lou Wagner. Harrison and Wagner are the only living members of the main cast.

 

[dragon53]

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 30

DOCTOR WHO---trailer released for the BBC America Holiday Special.

LINK: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OEVWuYVUsBs



STAR WARS: DETOURS---a six-minute episode of the Lucasfilm Animation tv series that never aired was leaked.

LINK: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1wO0ZudtGeU



SPIDER-MAN 3---a Walt Disney/Marvel Studios source said Alfred Molina will return as Doctor Octopus in the Tom Holland sequel, "to work on some stunt choreography and has started filming his scenes in the past couple weeks." The "Boogie Nights" star is reported to appear in "full Doc Ock mode," but it's unclear "whether this version of the tentacle laden doctor was the same from Raimi's 'Spider-Man 2' or a new version."

THE ADAM PROJECT---photo released of Ryan Reynolds starring in the Netflix time travel movie.

WISTERIA---David Lynch is reportedly developing this Netflix project, but no details are known about it.

THE NEVERS---Joss Whedon has left the HBO sci fi series in which was the co-writer/director. Speculation is that Whedon left because of the ongoing Warner Bros. investigation into allegations by Ray Fisher and Jason Momoa that Whedon engaged in unprofessional behavior during the controversial JUSTICE LEAGUE reshoots.

FANTASTIC BEASTS 3---Warner Bros. confirmed that Mads Mikkelsen will replace Johnny Depp as Grindelwald.

THE CHRISTMAS CHRONICLES---director Chris Columbus said Kurt Russell might retire with Santa Clause being his last role, “[Kurt] said to me, ‘I want to walk into the sunset, this being the last role I play. He wants to continue doing it. Deep down into his soul, he’s committed to this role. That means eight weeks growing the beard with little additional flourishes, working with the script every night before he shoots with me. It’s an intense commitment. And he takes it very seriously.”

UTOPIA---Amazon cancelled the series.

HEART--Amazon biomovie underway about the rock group and its sister vocalists, Ann and Nancy Wilson.

TRIVIA---more James Bond movie trivia.
Timothy Dalton replaced Roger Moore as James Bond in THE LIVING DAYLIGHTS. Ironically, in World War II, Dalton's father, Peter Dalton-Leggett, was a captain in the British SPECIAL OPERATIONS Executive (SOE), a top secret organization that engaged in spying, sabotage and supporting resistance movements in Nazi-occupied Europe and Southeast Asia.

 

[dragon53]

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 1

DUNE---Frank Herbert's son, Brian, commented on the Denis Villeneuve remake movie, "I was very impressed by the trailer, and I was thrilled to actually be on the movie set in Budapest last year, where my wife and I watched the filming of several scenes. This is a really big movie, a major project that will forever be considered THE definitive film adaptation of Frank Herbert’s classic novel. Fans are going to love this movie. Denis Villeneuve is the perfect director to do DUNE."

ALIEN---Noah Hawley commented on his proposed ALIEN tv series and STAR TREK movie, “I know that there’s an effort to reshuffle a lot of things post-Disney takeover and [ALIEN tv series] was a conversation that I had a couple years back. And I have not in the last few weeks been having those conversations about it. But I know that like any studio that there’s a great desire to make the most of one’s library so I wouldn’t be surprised to see something like that. Ya know, I have conversations from time to time but I’m not committed."
He added, "[STAR TREK] doesn’t appear to be in my immediate future. I think when Emma [Watts] came [to Paramount], she took a look at the franchise and wanted to go in a different direction with it. But you know, life is long, we were very close to production but in this business that doesn’t mean much. You got to get out of the gate to be in the race if you know what I mean.”

THE TOXIC AVENGER---Peter Dinklage will star in the reboot of the 1984 horror movie. Macon Blair is the writer/director.

WILLOW---Erin Kellyman (SOLO: A STAR WARS STORY), Cailee Spaeny (BAD TIMES AT THE EL ROYALE) and Ellie Bamber (LES MISERABLES) are in talks to play the undisclosed lead female roles in the Disney+ tv series sequel to the 1988 movie.

STAR WARS HOLIDAY SPECIAL---Anthony Daniels commented on the 1978 tv special, "This thing was meant to be a happy Life Day, then we're in this giant set draped with black, it was just awful. It was like being at a weird funeral, you have to watch it on YouTube for the full horror. Watch the last ten minutes, and you'll see why [the new show] contrasts rather well and is rather fun. Poor Mark, poor Carrie, poor Harrison - you can see it on their faces! They're gritting their teeth and it shows; they're like hanging onto each other. I think people learn their lesson, and I think we may be on track to make a regular Life Day holiday special, and why not?"

THE WALKING DEAD: WORLD BEYOND---Scott Gimple commented on rumors that Rick Grimes will appear in the CRM labs in Season 2, "You know what? I'm going to say this because I think it's critical to be straight with it. He is not at that facility. Definitively. Some people might be annoyed that I'm saying that, but I just, I wouldn't want people expecting that. You know what I mean? I could tease it out, but I want to be straight with the people. I will say though — even as much as like with the A's and the B's — do we find out more about this mythology that Rick is tied up in? Absolutely. Is Rick hanging out there? No, he is not. Could Rick have ever been there? Certainly possible, but we're not going to be rolling up to him hanging out there."

DOCTOR WHO---BBC America announced that Bradley Walsh and Tosin Cole will not be returning for Season 13.

THE PLAGUE YEAR---History/Michael Hirst (THE TUDORS, VIKINGS) miniseries underway about the bubonic plague in London during the 1665.

THE DONNER PARTY---History miniseries about the infamous pioneer group traveling from Missouri to California that was stranded in the Sierra Nevada mountains and resorted to cannibalism to survive.

A GERMAN LIFE---Maggie Smith will star in the movie based on the play about Nazi Joseph Goebbels' secretary, Brunhilde Pomsel.

TRIVIA---two actresses from the 1950s hit sitcom FATHER KNOWS BEST co-starred on STAR TREK. Emmy-winning Jane Wyatt, who played Margaret Anderson on FATHER KNOWS BEST, played Spock's mother, Amanda Grayson, on the original STAR TREK tv series episode "Journey to Babel" and in STAR TREK IV: THE VOYAGE HOME. Elinor Donahue, who played "Princess" Anderson on FATHER KNOWS BEST, played Federation Commissioner Nancy Hedford on the "Metamorphosis" episode of the original tv series. Donahue was married to producer Harry Ackerman (FATHER KNOWS BEST, LEAVE IT TO BEAVER, BEWITCHED, THE FLYING NUN, DENNIS THE MENACE).

Emmy-winning Jane Wyatt, who played Margaret Anderson on FATHER KNOWS BEST, played Spock's mother, Amanda Grayson, on the original STAR TREK tv series episode "Journey to Babel" and in STAR TREK IV: THE VOYAGE HOME.

Elinor Donahue, who played "Princess" Anderson on FATHER KNOWS BEST, played Federation Commissioner Nancy Hedford on the "Metamorphosis" episode of the original tv series. Donahue's appearance on the episode turned out to take a month and half due to a technical problem, "I was on [STAR TREK] for quite a while because something happened to the film midway through shooting… and there was some kind of jagged thing running through all the film, and they’d already torn the set down, so they had to completely rebuild the set, but they were already shooting something else on that same stage, so they couldn’t rebuild the set until they were finished what they were shooting now."
Donahue commented on working with William Shatner and Leonard Nimoy, "He was fun. He was tough. Very tough. Leonard Nimoy was fun. I loved watching him have his ears put on in the morning. All the guys were terrific."

 

[dragon53]

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 2

VAN HELSING---Universal Pictures reboot of the 2004 Hugh Jackman vampire movie is underway with Julius Avery (OVERLORD) as the director/co-writer. James Wan is the producer.

THE OFFER---Armie Hammer will star in this Paramount+ (CBS All Access) ten-part miniseries about producer Albert S. Ruddy's never-revealed story about the making of Francis Ford Coppola's THE GODFATHER.

THE HOBBIT---Jed Brophy, who played Nori, said Warner Bros.interfered with Peter Jackson's vision of the trilogy, "They [studios] get in the way. I may be speaking out of turn here, and probably if those people ever find me I'll get slammed, but I think that Warner Brothers kind of got in the way of Peter and THE HOBBIT."
He added, "None of them are people that can actually look at a script and in their head imagine how you can actually get the best drama out of that. And if you get in the way of that process you're actually stopping someone from actually getting a flow on, and that's what I think happened, that's what I could see happening is that there was not that same flow. Now, Peter would see stuff on LORD OF THE RINGS and get this amazing idea about how he could shoot the next scene from stuff that was already happening on set, but if you've got people dictating what your day is going to be then that stops it."

STAR WARS: THE LAST JEDI---Rian Johnson said in the scene with Yoda's ghost force, he almost used Anakin's ghost force with Hayden Christensen, “Briefly for the tree burning scene, but luke’s relationship was with Vader not really Anakin, which seemed like it would complicate things more than that moment allowed. Yoda felt like the more impactful teacher for that moment.”
Johnson, in a reply to a fan's question, tweeted he came up with the sequel's title, not Lucasfilm, "It was me, had it very early in the writing process."

FEAR THE WALKING DEAD---Scott Gimple hinted Kim Dickens may return, "I believe that not only within 'FEAR, but just within the greater WALKING DEAD universe, there's absolutely a chance that we could see Madison. There's a lot of narrative possibilities that we're exploring and then certainly, you know, [we] got to work it out with everybody involved and Kim Dickens is a very, very busy person. But I think it's entirely possible."

PHANTOM OF BELGRADE---Alex Pettyfer is the writer/director of this movie set in 1979 Belgrade when a man stole a white Porsche 911S Targa and led pursuing police in high-speed chases through the city for ten straight nights. Tens of thousands of people turned out to watch the spectacle which was seen as a political protest.

GOD'S FAVORITE IDIOT---Melissa McCarthy and Ben Falcone will star in this Netflix workplace comedy series about a tech support guy who falls in love with a co-worker at the same time he becomes God's unwilling messenger.

THE UMBRELLA ACADEMY---Ellen Page came out as transgender Elliot Page and will continue to play Vanya Hargreeves in Season 3.

TRIVIA---since 2015, Netflix subscribers have watched 2 billion hours of Adam Sandler movies on the streaming service.

 

[dragon53]

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 3

GRIZZLY II: REVENGE---trailer released for the recently-completed 1983 sequel to the 1976 giant bear movie. The sequel cast includes Deborah Raffin, George Clooney, Charlie Sheen, Laura Dern, Louise Fletcher and John Rhys-Davies.

LINK: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z8ESXMnn3FY



THE LORD OF THE RINGS---Amazon Studios announced 20 new cast members for the tv series including Benjamin Walker (ABRAHAM LINCOLN: VAMPIRE HUNTER). The other cast members are Cynthia Addai-Robinson, Maxim Baldry, Ian Blackburn, Kip Chapman, Anthony Crum, Maxine Cunliffe, Trystan Gravelle, Sir Lenny Henry, Thusitha Jayasundera, Fabian McCallum, Simon Merrells, Geoff Morrell, Peter Mullan, Lloyd Owen, Augustus Prew, Peter Tait, Alex Tarrant, Leon Wadham and Sara Zwangobani.

HEART OF STONE---Gal Gadot will star in this spy movie which is intended to be a franchise. Tom Harper (THE AERONAUTS) is the director.

SPYS---Jason Statham and Aubrey Plaza will star in this untitled Guy Ritchie movie in which a MI6 agent and a female CIA agent team up to stop a high-tech arms deal that would disrupt the world order.

HAWKEYE---Hailee Steinfeld will play Kate Bishop in the Disney+ miniseries starring Jeremy Renner.

BABYLON---Margot Robbie is in talks to replace Emma Stone in this Damien Chazelle movie starring Brad Pitt. Stone left due to a schedule problem. Li Jun Li will play Anna May Wong. The movie is set in the 1920s and 1930s, but no plot details were released.

TERMINATOR: DARK FATE---Mackenzie Davis said her character, Grace, died in DARK FATE but would have returned for the sequel, "It was gonna be a sort of timeline thing, where there’d be another timeline that you’d explore. Like, there’s no resurrection, but she came from the future, so…"

SMALL DARK LOOK---Jason Statham may star in this semi-sequel to EASTERN PROMISES which starred Viggo Mortensen.

THE WALKING DEAD HOLIDAY SPECIAL---AMC+ special will include current and cast members. Streaming premiere is December 13.

VANTAGE POINT---NBC tv series underway based on the 2008 presidential assassination movie that starred Dennis Quaid, Sigourney Weaver, Matthew Fox and William Hurt. The synopsis is, “In the age of fake news, the truth can seem inadequate at best and skewed at worst. By embracing a multitude of different perspectives – ranging from government operatives to civilian informants to innocent bystanders – viewers will find themselves in the unique position of deciding what actually happened.”

LAW & ORDER: SVU---Christopher Meloni is returning to the tv series.

TRIVIA---Lycia Naff is perhaps best known for playing the triple-breasted mutant hooker in the original TOTAL RECALL starring Arnold Schwarzenegger. However, three years earlier, Naff played another hooker, Dixie, in LETHAL WEAPON where Dixie puts liquid drain cleaner in Amanda Hunsaker's barbiturates which causes Amanda to jump off a hotel balcony to her death. Amanda was played by Jackie Swanson, who is better known for playing Kelly, Woody's girlfriend/wife, on CHEERS.

Lycia Naff is perhaps best known for playing the triple-breasted mutant hooker in the original TOTAL RECALL starring Arnold Schwarzenegger. Naff said, "I was the triple-breasted hooker from Mars! [Laughs.] They originally were going to give me four breasts, but the feedback was that I looked too bovine, like a cow ready to be milked, and that wasn’t sexy."

Three years earlier, Naff played another hooker, Dixie, in LETHAL WEAPON where Dixie puts liquid drain cleaner in Amanda Hunsaker's barbiturates which causes Amanda to jump off a hotel balcony to her death.

Amanda was played by Jackie Swanson, who is better known for playing Kelly, Woody's girlfriend/wife, on CHEERS.

 

[dragon53]

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 4

SPIDER-MAN 3---a trailer from Sony Pictures Latin America appears to suggest that SPIDER-MAN 3 will have Tobey Maguire, Andrew Garfield and Tom Holland returning as Spider-Man. Sony later removed the trailer, but it can be seen on the link below.

LINK: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EYCZ8yz7MBw



WE CAN BE HEROES---trailer released for the Netflix superhero movie.

LINK: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=omn2PJEuOTw&t=9s



THE MARKSMAN---trailer released for the Liam Neeson action movie.

LINK: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CURfgGd3ACw



HOUSE OF THE DRAGON---concept art released for the dragons from the GAME OF THRONES prequel series.

METAL GEAR SOLID---Oscar Isaac will star as Solid Snake in the movie based on the video game.

HAWKEYE---Jeremy Renner posted a photo of himself and Hailee Steinfeld filming in New York's Chinatown for the Disney+/Marvel miniseries. Also, Vera Farmiga and Florence Pugh have joined the cast.

THE GODFATHER---Paramount Pictures said, following the release of the recut third movie THE GODFATHER CODA: THE DEATH OF MICHAEL CORLEONE, it could release a fourth movie in the franchise, “While there are no imminent plans for another film in the ‘Godfather’ saga, given the enduring power of its legacy it remains a possibility if the right story emerges."

SLEEPAWAY CAMP---Felissa Rose, who starred in the 1983 cult classic slasher movie, said she hopes a prequel is in the future, "...there’s been so much looming around the SLEEPAWAY CAMP universe for so long. Will they remake it? Will there be another sequel? I know that something’s in the works. I don’t even really know exactly how it will be, but I can tell you that definitely like - we just had our 37th anniversary - I would love to say that, mark my words, by the 40th, something will be out. Now, if they ever consulted with me, I would love to see a prequel to the SLEEPAWAY CAMP world. Because this is one of those movies that is driven by the circumstances that happens in the beginning of the film. And I would love to understand who is Aunt Martha? What happened to her in creating all that she did with Angela and Ricky? Why didn’t Angela go to camp with Ricky the other summer? With all of this, I would love to see a prequel. I would love to make the prequel. So, definitely we haven’t seen the end of SLEEPAWAY CAMP."

THE POPE OF GREENWICH VILLAGE---eight-part miniseries underway based on the book. The 1984 movie based on the book starred Mickey Rourke, Eric Roberts and Daryl Hanna.

FEAR THE WALKING DEAD---AMC renewed the series for Season 7.

SUPERSTORE---NBC cancelled the series.

DUCKTALES---Disney XD cancelled the series.

MEMORIAL DRIVE: A DAUGHTER'S MEMOIR---Sony Pictures Television tv series underway based on the memoir.

TRIVIA---Gary Sandy, who played radio program director Andy Travis on the sitcom WKRP IN CINCINNATI, was often asked, "Jennifer or Bailey?" as to which of his female co-workers, Jennifer Marlowe (Loni Anderson) or Bailey Quarters (Jan Smithers) would he like to have sex with. Loni Anderson answered the question in her memoir, MY LIFE IN HIGH HEELS, when she commented on her real life affair with Sandy, ”It was like experiencing a nuclear explosion in a very small place. I was sexually addicted to him.” She added, “I couldn’t keep my hands off him. I admit that I was sexually addicted to him. We would go out to dinner and not even make it home from restaurants; we had to pull over to the side of the road. On a busy street!”

 

[dragon53]

MONDAY, DECEMBER 7

WONDER WOMAN 1984---new trailer released for the sequel.

LINK: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d8dTrOamm8k



BOBA FETT---a rumor claims a THE MANDALORIAN spinoff series featuring Boba Fett is underway with casting looking for an athletic British actor and a"preppy, strong build" female. The rumor claims the series is set between the time Boba Fett fell in the Sarlacc pit and his appearance on THE MANDALORIAN.

EXTRACTION 2---the Russo brothers gave an update on the Netflix sequel starring Chris Hemsworth, “We are working at building out a universe of films that could potentially explore some of the other characters from the first movie and some new characters, and see more historical interaction between the characters. So if you’re interested in David Harbour’s character, you just may get to see him in a future EXTRACTION movie.”

PLASTIC MAN---Warner Bros. has revamped its movie based on the DC comic book with the movie now being female-led. Cat Vasko is the writer.

NAOMI---CW/Ava DuVernay tv series underway based on the DC comic book.

OUTER RANGE---Josh Brolin and Imogen Poots star in this Amazon tv series about a Wyoming rancher who struggles to save his land and discovers a mystery at the edge of the wilderness.

SWITCHBOARD---movie underway about a 1940s female switchboard operator who gets a call from a serial killer who may have her as his next victim. Matt Reeves is the producer.

INVINCIBLE---synopsis released for the Amazon Prime animated tv series based on the Robert Kirkman comic book, “Invincible is an adult animated superhero series that revolves around 17-year-old Mark Grayson (Steven Yeun), who’s just like every other guy his age — except his father is the most powerful superhero on the planet, Omni-Man (J.K. Simmons). But as Mark develops powers of his own, he discovers his father’s legacy may not be as heroic as it seems. From Robert Kirkman, the creator of The Walking Dead.” The cast includes Mahershala Ali, Jon Hamm, Clancy Brown, Jeffrey Donovan, Ezra Miller and Djimon Hounsou.

KINGSMAN---MARV Group CEO Zygi Kamansa said Matthew Vaughn has “something like seven more Kingsman films" planned. He added,“We want to grow the business and the output. We have a Kingsman TV series in the works and there are two-three other franchises that are being developed alongside the Kingsman world.”

FEEL GOOD---Netflix renewed the series for Season 2 which will be the last season.

TRIVIA---today is the 79th anniversary of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor which was portrayed in the movie TORA! TORA! TORA!
The TORA! TORA! TORA! scene in which a female flying instructor is giving a flying lesson and is surrounded by Japanese bombers on their way to bomb Pearl Harbor is based on a true incident. Flying instructor Cornelia Fort was giving a flying lesson when her airplane was surrounded by Japanese bombers headed to Pearl Harbor. Fort wrote"...saw something detach itself from a plane and come glistening down. My heart turned over convulsively when the bomb exploded in the middle of the Harbor.” Fort took control of the biplane and landed at an airport where a Japanese bomber strafed the runway. She later wrote in her logbook, “Flight interrupted by Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor."
After the US declared war on Japan, Fort was the second woman to enlist in the Women's Auxiliary Ferrying Squadron (WAFS) which ferried military airplanes. She was later killed in a mid-air collision with another WAFS airplane.

The TORA! TORA! TORA! scene in which a female flying instructor is giving a flying lesson and is surrounded by Japanese bombers on their way to bomb Pearl Harbor is based on a true incident. Flying instructor Cornelia Fort was giving a flying lesson when her airplane was surrounded by Japanese bombers headed to Pearl Harbor.

After the US declared war on Japan, Fort was the second woman to enlist in the Women's Auxiliary Ferrying Squadron (WAFS) which ferried military airplanes. She was later killed in a mid-air collision with another WAFS airplane.

 

[dragon53]

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 8

GODZILLA VS KONG---teaser trailer released for the sequel..

LINK: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6VyrLOJJpoQ



STAR WARS---in the book STAR WARS ARCHIVES: EPISODES I-III, George Lucas explained why he sold Lucasfilm to the Walt Disney Company, “At that time I was starting the next trilogy; I talked to the actors and I was starting to gear up. I was also about to have a daughter with my wife. It takes 10 years to make a trilogy – ‘Episodes I ‘ to ‘III’ took from 1995 to 2005. I’d still be working on ‘Episode IX!’ In 2012, I was 69. So the question was am I going to keep doing this the rest of my life? Do I want to go through this again? Finally, I decided I’d rather raise my daughter and enjoy life for a while.”
Lucas added, “I could have not sold Lucasfilm and gotten somebody to run the productions, but that isn’t retiring. On ‘The Empire Strikes Back‘ and ‘Return of the Jedi‘ I tried to stay out of the way but I couldn’t. I was there every day. Even though the people were friends of mine and they did great work, it wasn’t the same as me doing it. It was like being once removed. I knew that probably wouldn’t work again, that I’d be frustrated.
I’m one of those micro-manger guys and I can’t help it. So I figured I would forgo that, enjoy what I had and I was looking forward to raising my daughter. Also, I wanted to build a museum, which I’d always wanted to do, so I was thinking, ‘If I don’t do this now, I’ll never get that done.’”
Lucas sold Lucasfilm to Walt Disney for $4.05 billion.

WARNER BROS./HBO MAX---Christopher Nolan commented on the Warner Bros. decision to release its upcoming movies in theaters and on HBO Max simultaneously, “Some of our industry’s biggest filmmakers and most important movie stars went to bed the night before thinking they were working for the greatest movie studio and woke up to find out they were working for the worst streaming service.” The deal involves all 17 of the studio's 2021 movies including DUNE, THE MATRIX 4, and GODZILLA VS KONG.
Legendary Pictures will reportedly try to block Warner Bros. from releasing DUNE and GODZILLA VS KONG in theaters and on HBO Max simultaneously after the studio did so without consulting Legendary. Legendary financed about 75% of both movies. Warner Bros. blocked Legendary's attempt to sell GODZILLA VS KONG to Netflix for $250 million.
Gal Gadot, whose WONDER WOMAN 1984, will be released in theaters and on HBO Max on Christmas day, received over $10 million in compensation due to the deal. Keanu Reeves, the star of THE MATRIX 4, did not receive a bonus due to the deal.

THE STAND---photos released of Amber Heard, Nat Wolff and Ezra Miller co-starring in the CBS All-Access miniseries based on the Stephen King novel.

SAM SPADE---Scott Frank (THE QUEEN'S GAMBIT) said he is developing a Sam Spade tv miniseries starring Clive Owen, “I got the rights, through a couple wonderful producers, to the character of Sam Spade… They called me and said, ‘Would you ever want to do something with it?’ and I said, ‘No, I don’t know what to do with Sam Spade. It feels a little retro to me, I don’t want to do it,’ and I hung up. The minute I hung up, I got an idea. I thought, wait, what if you do Sam Spade later in life, when he’s 60 years old? I thought, Let’s not have him be living in San Francisco anymore. He’s now an ex-pat living in the south of France…he’d gone over there to help some woman, who owned a winery, with a problem. He’d gone over professionally, fallen in love with her, she died of cancer, he inherited her winery, and now he’s living in Bozel, France. It’s 1963, the end of the Algerian War, so all these guys are coming back into the country and there’s all this sort of Muslim sociopolitical stuff happening. He’s in this little town, and the daughter of Sam Spade and [THE MALTESE FALCON character] Bridget O’Shaughnessy he has in a convent living nearby, and he doesn’t even know if it’s his daughter or not. It’s very complicated, but basically his past comes and finds him in this little town in the south of France.”

GUCCI---Jeremy Irons will play the father of fashion leader Maurizio Gucci in the Ridley Scott movie about Gucci, whose murder was orchestrated by his ex-wife. Lady Gaga, Adam Driver, Al Pacino and Jared Leto also star.

DARK MATTER---Apple TV+/Sony Pictures Television tv series underway based on the novel. Author Blake Crouch is the writer.

TRIVIA---more James Bond movie trivia.
The Walther PP pistol used by Sean Connery in the first James Bond movie, DR. NO, sold for a surprising $256,000 at auction to an anonymous US buyer. The Walther had been expected to sell for $150,000-$200,000. The seller, producer/prop collector Dan Lanigan, said the pistol is incorrectly referred to as a Walther PPK in DR. NO, “I tried to get to the bottom of that, but couldn’t get a real answer. Most people wouldn’t know the difference.”