Peter Sarsgaard gets...interesting about The Batman. Niki Caro discusses why her Mulan remake cut the songs and Mushu. Barbara Broccoli reiterates her belief that James Bond can never be played by a woman. Plus, HBO finally scraps Confederate, Snowpiercer gets a release date, and what’s to come on Nancy Drew. Spoilers, away!
Candyman
Bloody-Disgusting reports Cassie Cramer will take over the role of Helen Lyle from Virginia Madsen in Nia DaCosta’s “spiritual sequel” to Candyman.
The Batman
During a recent panel at the Television Critics Association’s press tour, Peter Sarsgaard compared the tone of Matt Reeves’ The Batman to a song by The Pixies.
Matt directing this Batman [is exciting]. The cast is so awesome. It seems different from other Batman movies to me, just with the cast. There’s something about it that has an edge, it’s young. To me, just my perception of it, it reminds me of when I was in college, and I went to go see The Pixies play, and looking around and feeling the vibe at a Pixies concert. That’s what it felt like to me, a song like ‘I Bleed.’ That it has the energy and that sort of thing, and isn’t so specifically targeted to a very young audience, or a very old audience, but has that power of chaos in it.
Space Jam 2
Meanwhile, Don Cheadle confirmed he is not playing himself in Space Jam 2 during a separate panel at the Television Critics Association.
No, I’m not playing myself. I actually can’t tell you what I’m playing.
[/Film]
Mulan
In a recent interview with Digital Spy, director Niki Caro discussed her decision to cut both Mushu and the musical numbers from the live-action remake of Mulan.
I mean, back to the realism question – we don’t tend to break into song when we go to war. Not that I’m saying anything against the animation. The songs are brilliant, and if I could squeeze them in there, I would have. But we do honour the music from the animation in a very significant way. I guess that’s the biggest thing for me about making – remaking – an iconic title like Mulan in live-action. It’s the fact that it can be real, and it’s the real story of a girl going to war.
I think we can all appreciate that Mushu is irreplaceable. You know, the animated classic stands on its own in that regard. In this movie, there is a creature representative – a spiritual representation of the ancestors, and most particularly of Mulan’s relationship with her father... But an update of Mushu? No.
However, the latest Mulan TV spot does include a new version of one of Jerry Goldsmith’s musical cues.
No Time to Die
In conversation with Variety, producer Barbarba Broccoli doubled down on her previous statement James Bond will always be played by a male.
He can be of any color, but he is male. I believe we should be creating new characters for women - strong female characters. I’m not particularly interested in taking a male character and having a woman play it. I think women are far more interesting than that.
Elsewhere, a new No Time to Die tie-in advertisement for Heineken sees Daniel Craig lose his passport.
Gretel & Hansel
Bloody-Disgusting has a new, behind-the-scenes photo of director Osgood Perkins with Sophia Lillis on the set of Gretel & Hansel.
Birds of Prey and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn
The latest TV spot reveals Black Mask is looking to retrieve a diamond that will make him “unstoppable” in Birds of Prey.
Guns Akimbo
Daniel Radcliffe wakes up with guns bolted to his hands in the first trailer for Guns Akimbo.
The Siren
A mute man finds love with an aquatic humanoid in the trailer for Perry Blackshear’s The Siren.
Peter Rabbit 2: The Runaway
After failing to rob a farmer’s market, Rose Byrne and Domnhall Gleeson must bail Peter Rabbit’s friends of out jail in the trailer for Peter Rabbit 2: The Runaway.
Aquaman: King of Atlantis
HBO Max has decided to move forward with an animated Aquaman miniseries based on the James Wan film starring Jason Momoa. According to a press release, the series—which will be produced by Wan—begins with “Aquaman’s first day on the job as king of Atlantis. Luckily, he has his two royal advisors to back him up—Vulko, the scholar, and Mera, the water controlling warrior-princess. Between dealing with unscrupulous surface dwellers, elder evils from beyond time and his own half-brother who wants to overthrow him, Aquaman is going to have to rise to the challenge and prove to his subjects, and to himself, that he’s the right man for the trident.” No word yet on whether the films’ stars will voice the characters. [Variety]
Green Lantern
Relatedly, HBO Max Head of Original Content, Sarah Aubrey, revealed Greg Berlanti’s upcoming Green Lantern series “will span several decades and focus on the origin story of two major Green Lanterns from Earth” who go on to meet Sinestro in outer space. [TV Guide]
Confederate
HBO has also decided to pass on Confederate, the, ahem, considerably questionable alternate history drama from David Benioff and D.B. Weiss in which “the southern states have successfully seceded from the Union, giving rise to a nation in which slavery remains legal and has evolved into a modern institution.” [TV Line]
Loki
According to a new report from Murphy’s Multiverse, the upcoming Loki television series begins filming on January 20.
The Continental
In conversation with Deadline, Starz President and CEO Jeffrey Hirsch revealed the John Wick TV series “will air sometime after the fourth movie” to make sure “it doesn’t interfere with the motion picture.”
Evil
Speaking with TV Guide at the Television Critics Association winter press tour, Kurt Fuller teased next week’s season finale of Evil ends on a “mind-boggling” final shot.
The last shot of the season is mind-boggling. The last thing that Kristen sees is mind-boggling. And I’m very excited for people to see that last thing.
Perhaps relatedly, TV Line’s Brian Ausiello confirms tonight’s episode of Evil sees the return of Kristen’s nightmare demon, George, in “a very different shape.”
Snowpiercer
According to a new trailer curiously set to “Pure Imagination”, Snowpiercer premieres May 31 on TNT.
Nancy Drew
Finally, Nancy Drew boards a ghost ship in the trailer for next week’s episode, “The Phantom of Bonny Scot.”
Banner art by Jim Cooke.