Burton For Beetlejuice Sequel?

It appears that Tim Burton may well be involved in the planned sequel to smash 80s hit Beetlejuice.

According to Slashfilm, Burton is "very serious" about becoming involved, and has even rejigged his schedule to allow for filming.

It's long been believed that the script - a direct continuation of the original - will only go ahead with the blessing of Burton and star Michael Keaton. As writers Seth Grahame-Smith and David Katzenberg said in 2011:

"When Warner Bros. came to us about it, we said the only way we’d do it if we got Tim [Burton’s] blessing and involvement, and we got that, and the star of the movie has to be Michael Keaton as Beetlejuice,

  and it’s a true continuation 26 years later. Not just throwing him in as a cameo going, “Hey, it’s me. I endorse this movie.” We’re not there yet [with Keaton] because we don’t have a film to present to him."

Slashfilm seem to believe that Burton is willing to go ahead with the project, and that Keaton is very positive about the idea.

So it seems that things could well be gearing up for production.

This is a change of heart for Burton - after the original, he was so opposed to the sequel that the studios were demanding that he apparently scripted the worst possible story: Beetlejuice Goes Hawaiin. The fact that the film never surfaced is testament to how well Burton's gambit paid off.

We assume that there's no floral shirts and surfboards in this version of the sequel...

The Raid 2 Poster Revealed

A teaser poster to Gareth Evans' highly anticipated sequel The Raid 2 has been unveiled.

The Indonesian movie, which is apparently set mere hours after the 2011 original and features a prison riot sequence at some point, will see the return of Iko Uwais as lead character Rama.

What's more interesting, though, is that the poster also seems to hint at the return of Mad Dog, the standout enemy from the first. How this is possible is beyond me (think a Commando sequel that sees Bennett return sans steam pipe) but it's very welcome.

Evans claims that the most recent cut of the film features "One hour and five minutes" of solid action, so presumably he's going for the same "fight now, plot later" policy that carried the first film.

And quite right, too - the original is, in my opinion, the very best action movie to be released since Die Hard.

The Raid 2 has a lot to live up to when it is released next year.

Josh Brolin For Jurassic World Lead?

The supporting cast for Colin Trevorrow's Jurrassic World is already fleshed out, with Bryce Dallas Howard and Ty Simpkins being the big hitters, but attention is now turning towards the lead role.

And while there is no return for Sam Neill or Jeff Goldblum in sight, there is a chance that Josh Brolin may step up to the plate.

The Hollywood Reporter claims that the No Country For Old Men and Men In Black 3 star is lined up to take the central role, and is in the early stages of talks.


The fourth entry in the dinofranchise is expected to see a return to Isla Nublar, now a fully open dinosaur park, and to see the debut of underwater dinosaurs, although no plot details have yet been confirmed.

Jurassic World opens its gates to the public in June 2015.

Worthington: Avatar Filming A Long Way Off

Sam Worthington has been speaking to NovaFM about the progress of the next three movies in the Avatar franchise.

James Cameron has been working on the sequels to the phenomenally successful original pretty much since the first was released, but the series' star says that filming is still a long way from beginning.

"They are still writing it," Worthington said, before jokingly adding, "I think Jim is building the ship to Pandora, to be honest. We are going to start this time next year and we will do two, three and four. In one shoot, we'll do them simultaneously."

Perhaps worryingly for Cameron, Worthington finished by saying: "I'll be grateful if it finishes", implying that the actor perhaps isn't as confident in the massive scope of the project as the director.



Avatar 2 was previously rumoured to be courting Arnie for a villain role, but that seems to have fizzled out. A pity, really - who didn't want to hear Arnie's one-lines in this franchise?

"What's da mattah? Feeling BLUE?!"

Avatar 2 is currently scheduled for December 2016, with the following films releasing in December 2017 and 18.

Universal Monstervese A Go?

 

Last month, Geekin' Out speculated about the possibility of a shared cinematic universe for the classic Universal Studios monsters.


Now there're the first official rumblings that suggest that this could well be something that is in the pipeline.

In an interview with IGN, Roberto Orci, who along with Alex Kurtzman is currently helming remakes of Van Helsing and The Mummy , seemed to drop hints that he too would be in favour of such a project.

"There's an interesting thing that could happen at Universal where they have this amazing library of their old monsters and these kinds of heroes, and the idea of trying to create a universe. Van Helsing, and we're also producing The Mummy for them. We're kind of imagining updating these kinds of things. You don't want to just make remakes when you're doing a thing, unless it's worthy of being a remake, but when you have an idea for something that can actually be made different and yet be true to what it was. We just had a notion of how to make it modern and have a slightly different tone. It's not going to be just a remake."

Crucially, when asked about his favourite Universal monster, Orci didn't mention one of the franchises currently in the works, implying he's not yet done with the studio and their freaky stars: "I love Frankenstein just cause it's such a twisted, complicated monster. A monster that's not really a monster."

The classic Universal monster movies remain amongst the very best creature features ever produced, so please, Universal, make this happen. 

Royal Family Throw Doctor Who A Birthday Party

Sophie, Countess Of Wessex is to throw a royal party in honour of Doctor Who's fiftieth anniversay, according to The Radio Times.

The swanky bash will be held on the 18th of November at Buckingham Palace. Palace representatives have yet to confirm a guest list, but it is thought that cast and crew from all eras of the show will be invited.

The Countess has been chosen to host because she herself is understood to be a big fan of the series. However, Charles, Prince of Wales and his wife the Duchess of Cornwall are also said to be very fond of the show, with Charles having paid a visit to the set in July, where he got a chance to play with the Daleks, and use a Dalek voice modulator to utter their famous "Exterminate" catchphrase.

Showrunner  Steven Moffat said of the Prince's visit: "I haven't thought about how I could weave a meeting between the Doctor and the royal family. But Prince Charles's attempt at being a Dalek was great. There would be a part in the show for him if he wanted it."

 

Prince Charles has previously appeared in an episode of Coronation Street. HRH The Queen has appeared (as a character, not in person) in Who twice before, in The Voyage Of The Damned and in the twenty-fifth anniversary story Silver Nemesis.

But given the severe acting chops she showed when she performed alongside Daniel Craig at the Olympics last Summer, can an actual appearance in Who be far off?

 

Lots of planets have a Queen Elizabeth II

Yeah, probably.

Ming-Na Wen Wants Episode VII Role

Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D. actress Ming-Na Wen has expressed an interest in appearing in JJ Abrams' Episode VII.

She turns fifty next month. Fifty!!!

Speaking to Access Hollywood Live, the star - Melinda May in the ABC show - said:

"[There's] nothing better than having a lightsaber in your hand. I don't care, I could have a walk on, just like passing Han Solo. I don't care.

"That's [on] my bucket list, to somehow get in one of those movies. Wouldn't it be great?"

Meanwhile, Star Trek legend William Shatner has thrown his support behind director Abrams, who he had previously branded a "pig" for jumping from Star Trek to the rival franchise.

"JJ is a terrific director, and he gives you a great ride," Shatner declared on Entertainment Weekly Radio. "He knows how to make the movie large with the special effects and everything. And that's going to be wonderful."

He continued: "It's going to be wonderful for both franchises. He certainly has enlivened Star Trek. I'm looking forward to seeing what he's going to do because he's going to do something different, that's for sure. There are very few people who can make those kinds of movies, to have the sensibility. He's got a lot of wonderful people around him. He'll make a fabulous movie."


Episode VII is expected in 2015