On this episode of Collider Movie Talk (June 17, 2016) Mark Ellis, Kristian Harloff, John Rocha, and Sinead DeVries discuss the following:
- Steven Spielberg adapting West Side Story remake with Lincoln scribe Tony Kushner
- Wicked movie adaptation gets prime holiday release date
- Snowpiercer director Bong Joon-ho adds more cast members to Okja
- Lady Gaga in talks for Bradley Cooper’s A Star Is Born remake
- New trailer for Storks released
- Spider-Man: Homecoming adds two new mysterious roles
- Box Office Predictions
- Mail Bag
Rumors have been swirling for years now that Steven Spielberg had his eye on a potential West Side Story remake, and now, according to Spielberg himself, those rumors are have turned out to be true. Spielberg recently sat down with The Hollywood Reporter for a lengthy interview revealing that he has, in fact, secured the rights to remake the Oscar-winning West Side Story with his Lincoln screenwriter Tony Kushner currently working on a script. Spielberg said it’s no secret that the West Side Story remake is a longtime passion project of his, and something he’s hoped to adapt “for decades,” adding that he originally tried to get the rights 15 years ago. Although the script is currently being worked on at the moment, no casting or a release date have been set.
The long-anticipated Wicked movie is finally taking flight with Universal Pictures announcing that it will release the film adaptation of the Tony-winning musical on Dec. 20, 2019, bringing the witches of Oz to the big screen once again. Billy Elliot director Stephen Daldry is developing the movie for theaters with producer Marc Platt. The adaptation will bring back composer/lyricist Stephen Schwartz, with book writer Winnie Holzman adapting the musical from the Gregory Maguire bestselling novel of the same name. Holzman and Schwartz are also writing the film’s screenplay. There’s no casting info yet, but Idina Menzel and Kristin Chenoweth originated the roles of Elphaba and Glinda on Broadway, both earning Tony nominations in 2004, with Menzel beating out Chenoweth for best actress in a musical. In all, Wicked has earned 10 Tony Award nominations and three wins, becoming the fastest Broadway musical in history to earn more than $1 billion dollars.
Snowpiercer and The Host director Bong Joon-Ho continues to form an amazing cast of actors for his next movie, the sci-fi pic Okja, produced by Brad Pitt’s production company Plan B. In addition to adding Tilda Swinton, Jake Gyllenhaal and Paul Dano, THR is reporting that Breaking Bad stand-out Giancarlo Esposito is in final negotiations to join the film. The story centers on a young girl named Mija who risks everything to prevent a powerful, multinational company from kidnapping her best friend — a massive, genetically manufactured pig named Okja. Swinton, who reunites with her Snowpiercer director, will play the head of the corporation - and her twin sister - Gyllenhaal will portray a zoologist and Dano has been cast as an animal activist looking to expose the corporation’s dealings. Esposito will play Swinton's right-hand man. No release date has been set.
BUY OR SELL
In a report from Deadline, Lady Gaga is in talks to star in Bradley Cooper’s remake of A Star Is Born, for which he is making his directorial debut and will will also star. Gaga tested with Cooper for the studio, who loved the results. This all came to fruition after things didn’t work out with Beyonce, who was originally approached to the role. Cooper is producing the movie with his Hangover director Todd Phillips through their Joint Effort banner, and Bill Gerber, who has been working on this remake for a long time with a draft by Will Fetters, reworked with Cooper. A release date has yet to be set.
Warner Bros. has released their newest trailer for Storks, the movie that revolves around the fantastical, famed baby delivery service, with Andy Samberg voicing the company’s top delivery stork, Junior. When Junior accidentally creates a wholly unauthorized baby girl, he sets out alongside Tulip, the only human on Stork Mountain, to make their first-ever baby drop before his boss finds out. The film also features the voices of Kelsey Grammer, Katie Crown, Keegan-Michael Key, Jordan Peele, and Danny Trejo. Storks opens in theaters on September 23rd.
Sony and Marvel Studio’s Spider-Man: Homecoming continue to add to their cast list, with THR reporting that Prometheus star Logan Marshall-Green will be taking on a villainous role as a secondary antagonist alongside Michael Keaton‘s lead villain, rumored to be the Vulture. At the same time, Deadline reports that Silicon Valley standout Martin Starr has also been cast in a mysterious role that has yet to be revealed as friend or foe to Tom Holland’s Spider-Man/Peter Parker. The Jon Watts helmed franchise reboot is set to head into filming later this month, and the production is filling up its roster with exciting talent that includes most recently, Donald Glover. They all join Marisa Tomei as Aunt May and Robert Downey Jr. as Iron Man/Tony Stark alongside newcomers Tony Revolori and Zendaya as the female lead named Michelle, with Laura Harrier and Michael Barbieri in unspecified roles. Spider-Man: Homecoming arrives in theaters July 7, 2017.
BOX OFFICE PREDICTIONS
Now it’s time for Box Office Predictions brought to you by our friends at AMC Theatres. This is the part of the show where we make our predictions on what movies are opening this weekend and in what order they will top the weekend’s box office.
MAIL BAG
Kyle Jerke writes
Hey Collider Crew!! Love all your shows. Been a follower ever since the road to the Force Awakens. I have been watching the Indiana Jones Trilogy, thats right Trilogy, and I cant get enough of those great punch sound effects. My question is there any sound effect that gets you guys all sweaty up to hear in your favorite movie. Thanks again and keep up the great work!!
Jason Boyce writes:
Greetings Collider crew! Thank you so much for what you guys do, you're the best. In honor of Father's Day, which is also the same day as my birthday this year, I was wondering what is your favorite movie memory with your dad? Star Wars will always be one for me but my all time favorite movie memory with my dad is when he brought home Braveheart, Gladiator and The Patriot from Blockbuster for my brother and I to watch with him as our first R rated movies. This was big for my brother and I as our dad is very strict and he would never allow us to watch anything R rated growing up and the films all became some of our all time favorites to this day. Keep up the great work guys and keep bringing on the filthy.
P.S. Kristian, if you could say happy birthday in Arnold's voice it'd be the coolest birthday present ever!
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