Image: Everett
Star Wars: Ava DuVernay, the director of the stirring civil rights drama Selma, would be a great choice for the Star Wars universe, according to J.J. Abrams. The director and cowriter of Star Wars: The Force Awakens noted DuVernay's passion for genre movies and expressed his belief that the "sophistication" and "humanity" of Selma proved she would "kill it" with an episode of Star Wars. DuVernay already passed on Black Panther, though she has yet to commit to directing another feature yet. [Nerdist]
Image: Everett
The Dark Tower: Idris Elba is said to be the leading candidate to star as gunslinger Roland Deschain in the upcoming adaptation of Stephen King's The Dark Tower. Matthew McConaughey is in talks to portray the villainous Man in Black; the story takes place in a world filled with magic. Nikolaj Arcel (A Royal Affair) is set to direct; the plan is for a multi-movie franchise that will include a television series. [Deadline]
Romeo and Juliet: The War: A new twist on William Shakespeare's tale of star-crossed lovers is on its way to the big screen. Published in 2012, the graphic novel Romeo and Juliet: The War recasts the Montagues as cyborgs and the Capulets as genetically enhanced humans; against that battling background, a boy from one family and girl from the other fall in love. Stan Lee is one of the creators. [Variety]
The Legend of Tarzan Trailer: Alexander Skarsgard and Margot Robbie star as Tarzan and Jane, respectively, in the first trailer for The Legend of Tarzan, which shows the king of the jungle looking quite comfortable swinging through gorgeous African landscapes. Christoph Waltz and Samuel L. Jackson also star; the movie opens in theaters on July 1. [Movieclips]
