Joss Whedon Talks Batgirl Movie

At the LA World Premiere for Guardians of The Galaxy Vol 2 director Joss Whedon spoke about the recent news that he would be moving on from duties curating the Marvel universe to tackle a Batgirl solo movie for Warner Bros.

“She came up, and I started getting obsessed with how a young woman could get hardcore enough to need to put on the cowl. Like, what’s her damage? She didn’t have her parents killed in an alley. Who is this person, who decides — rather than being forced to by their childhood trauma — decides to pick up this life? How intense and driven that person is… I just couldn’t stop thinking about it.”

As for what version of the character he might use for the movie, that he says he hasn’t decided yet. And he doesn’t yet know who will be bringing her to life, but he knows he doesn’t really want a big name star.

“I doubt it’ll be a name, I think this is somewhere where you go and find Batgirl and then you cast her, I mean, I’m not against movie stars, they’re great, but you need somebody who is just right. And a situation with this, the name carries a lot of weight so it’s not as critical. Definitely Vin Diesel.”

Fast & Furious Spin-Off Planned

Following the  latest box office haul for Fast & Furious 8 aka The Fate of The Furious it’s little surprise that despite two sequels already planned to take the franchise to an even 10 films, there’s already talks of a new spin-off movie as well.

The studio is said to be considering teaming up Jason Statham Deckard Shaw and Dwayne Johnson’s Luke Hobbs. With the most recent film working very hard to turn their angry rivalry into something a bit more bromantc it certainly seems like the studio may see a lot of appeal in building another film around two of the bigger names in the ever growing franchise cast.

Though the spin off is only in the very early stages of development and it’s also unclear exactly how production would be fit in around the two currently planned sequels, it’s believed the studio has at least reached out to regular writer Chris Morgan to explore potential script ideas.

Amy Schumer Rebounds With I Feel Pretty

Amy Schumer has recently dropped out of the long gestating and much debated Barbie movie and has now filled that hole in her schedule with a new comedy titled I Feel Pretty. The film will mark a directing debut for the writing duo behind The Vow, How To Be Single and Never Be Kissed. While plot details are yet to be announced it seems inevitable to be a romantic comedy and given the suggestive title most likely also trading heavily on Schumer’s de facto status as a lightning rod for debates about body image and beauty standards.

Schumer already has mother/daughter kidnap comedy Snatched due for release in May co-starring Goldie Hawn. With a number of other films due for release or in various stages of production the news that Schumer is adding another film to her upcoming schedule may slightly undermine her explanation for why she won’t be playing Barbie after all.

Although Schumer cited scheduling conflicts as the reason she was leaving the high profile project, many quickly suggested that dire one star ratings for her awful Netflix comedy special and the near universally negative reaction of fans to initial news of her casting were the real reasons that the studio and toy makers may have changed their minds. The clear implication being that they allowed Schumer to make the actual announcement to let her save face and avoid further fueling debate about whether she was an appropriate choice for the iconic child’s doll.

Jumping on board a project likely to film at the same time and potentially dealing with similar themes to her proposed Barbie adventure may do nothing to dispel those suspicions.

Guardians Of The Galaxy 3 Director Confirmed

Guardians Of The Galaxy Director James Gunn has confirmed that he is definitely gong to direct the third chapter in the trilogy. He made the announcement via Facebook with the soon to be released Vol 2 already riding an impressive wave of early critical buzz and massive Marvel fan anticipation. His statement in full below:

“After many months of ruminations and discussions, I know the answer. I could save this answer for the first, random interviewer to ask me during the press junket but instead I thought I’d share it with the most important people in the Guardiansverse – you, the fans, who have been so incredibly supportive and enthusiastic over the past five years, it has moved me to tears on a regular basis. So, yes, I’m returning to write and direct Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 3.

“In the end, my love for Rocket, Groot, Gamora, Star-Lord, Yondu, Mantis, Drax, and Nebula – and some of the other forthcoming heroes – goes deeper than you guys can possibly imagine, and I feel they have more adventures to go on and things to learn about themselves and the wonderful and sometimes terrifying universe we all inhabit. And, like in both Vol1 and Vol. 2, we will work on creating the story that goes beyond what you expect. I can’t fricking wait to get started.

“Much of what’s happened in the MCU for the past ten or so years has been leading, in a big way, to the Avengers’ Infinity War. Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 3 will happen after all that. It will conclude the story of this iteration of the Guardians Of The Galaxy, and help catapult both old and new Marvel characters into the next 10 years and beyond. I will be working side-by-side with Kevin Feige and the gang to help design where these stories go, and make sure the future of the Marvel Cosmic Universe is as special and authentic and magical as what we have created so far.”

Star Wars The Last Jedi Trailer

Audiences are getting their first look at The Last Jedi, as a trailer for the Star Wars film is released online having been unveiled at the Celebration Orlando Fan Event. The next film in the central saga carries on from The Force Awakens and will feature the late Carrie Fisher as General Leia Organa. The actress features discretely in a brief glimpse in a teaser trailer that gives fans tantalising hints of the direction the new trilogy will take.  The brief trailer shows Rey being trained by Luke Skywalker and accompanies dramatic soundbites about the force with flashes of new worlds, vehicles and iconic space battles.