Ryan Murphy and Blumhouse are teaming up for a Stephen King adaptation. Paul W.S. Anderson hypes up the scale of Monster Hunter’s monsters. Another day, another teasing glimpse of Wonder Woman 1984's Cheetah. Plus, Gina-Prince Blythwood on where an Old Guard sequel could go, and Doom Patrol goes to space. Spoilers away!
Mr. Harrigan’s Phone
THR reports Blumhouse and Ryan Murphy are developing a film adaptation of Stephen King’s short story, Mr. Harrigan’s Phone, for Netflix. The story concerns “a young boy who befriends an older billionaire” after “bonding over the man’s first iPhone.” When the man dies, “the boy discovers that not everything dead is gone and finds himself able to communicate with his friend from the grave by leaving voicemails on the iPhone that was buried with him.”
Malorie
Speaking with Inverse, Bird Box writer Josh Malerman revealed a film adaptation of his upcoming sequel novel, Malorie, is already in development.
I can’t say much, but I can say that it is in development. Sometimes it’s weird, all this secrecy, but I’m game.
Monster Hunter
In conversation with Empire (via Syfy), Paul W.S. Anderson hyped the level of detail Monster Hunter’s animators have given the film’s 50-60" foot tall CGI creatures.
They’re really amazing. We’re building them in even more detail than the dinosaurs of Jurassic World. And they look even better, because we shot on real locations in South Africa and Namibia, which gives the animators something to really match into: real wind, real dust, real sun-flare. The monsters are the only CG thing in there.
Meanwhile, sad news for fans of big swords, The Wrap reports the film has been pushed back seven months and will now open April 23, 2021.
Jurassic World: Dominion
Universal Pictures released a statement to Comic Book denying production has (once again) shuttered on Jurassic World: Dominion amidst (ongoing) covid-19 concerns.
The Old Guard 2
Director Gina-Prince Blythwood revealed a potential sequel to The Old Guard would hew closely to Greg Rucka’s comic book series.
It’ll be based on the graphic novel. In terms of what Greg [Rucka] has written, Quynh has reared her head, and that causes some issues, absolutely. But also, there’s a very grounded story tackling problems within the world, which again brings more villains that are not with immortality, so it’s a really cool balance between the two, in the graphic novel.
Wonder Woman 1984
A new promotional image gives us our first real look at Kristen Wiig’s transformed Cheetah, albeit in a suitably retro filter.
The Honeymoon Phase
To determine why couples fall out of love, a pair of newlyweds agree to isolate themselves in a futuristic smart home in the trailer for The Honeymoon Phase, releasing digitally August 21.
Slaxx
An intelligent pair of jeans goes on a killing spree in the trailer for Slaxx, set to premiere at Fantasia 2020.
Random Acts of Violence
The creators of a homicidal comic book character named Slasherman discover their creation has come to life in the trailer for Random Acts of Violence, premiering August 20 on Shudder.
The Lord of the Rings
Elijah Wood told Indiewire he’s open to return as Frodo Baggins in Amazon’s Lord of the Rings television series, even if the show is set hundreds of years before Frodo’s birth.
If there was a world where that made sense and was organic to what they’re doing then yes. Look, any excuse to get to go to New Zealand to work on something I am absolutely there.
Sandman
In a new interview with Comic Book discussing the Sandman audiobook adaptation, Neil Gaiman hinted Netflix’s upcoming television series will include significant changes to the original comics.
But the idea is that we tell the whole thing. We also get to do something that I think is kind of special, which is treat it as an audiobook, because doing the Netflix TV series, we’re very much looking at that as going, ‘Okay, it is 2020, let’s say that I was doing Sandman starting in 2020, what would we do? How would we change things? What gender would this character be? Who would this person be? What would be happening?’
Roswell, New Mexico
“Due to fundamental differences,” Carina Adly MacKenzie stated she’s stepping down as Roswell, New Mexico’s showrunner ahead of season three.
Stargirl
Sir Justin reveals himself in the synopsis for “Shining Knight,” the July 28 episode of Stargirl.
A BLAST FROM THE PAST — Courtney’s (Brec Bassinger) life gets turned upside down when someone from her past arrives in Blue Valley. Meanwhile, Pat (Luke Wilson) uncovers new information about the ISA’s plan and Jordan (Neil Jackson) makes a surprising discovery at work. Jennifer Phang directed the episode written by Geoff Johns (#111). Amy Smart, Yvette Monreal, Anjelika Washington, Cameron Gellman, Trae Romano, Meg DeLacy and Christopher James Baker also star. Original airdate 7/28/2020.
Doom Patrol
Speaking with Insider, Abigail Shapiro revealed production wrapped on the second season of Doom Patrol before filming could commence on an additional episode.
It was basically all finished. There was going to be one more episode and we only had a couple of scenes left, but we never got to finish that episode. So, I don’t know if that episode is ever going to air or anything. I don’t know much about what’s happening.
Meanwhile, the Doom Patrol slip the surly bonds of Earth in pictures from this week’s episode, “Space Patrol.” Head over to KSiteTV for more.
Dummy
Anna Kendrick befriends her boyfriend’s haunted sex doll in the trailer for Quibi’s new series, Dummy.
Banner art by Jim Cooke.