Need a quick recap of the past week in movie news? Here are the highlights:
Indiana Jones 5 recruits Mads Mikkelsen: Another Star Wars actor is joining Lucasfilm’s next Indiana Jones sequel. According to Deadline, Rogue One’s Mads Mikkelsen, who is also known for playing characters in the James Bond, Marvel and Harry Potter franchises as well as the starring role in the current Oscar-nominated film Another Round, has been cast in an undisclosed part in Indiana Jones 5. James Mangold will direct this installment, which will also see Harrison Ford reprising his titular role and Solo’s Story’s Phoebe Waller-Bridge in another as-yet-unknown part.
Laura Dern and Hugh Jackman to star in The Son: Speaking of current Oscar-nominated movies starring actors who played Hannibal Lecter (Mikkelsen in TV’s Hannibal and Anthony Hopkins in The Silence of the Lambs and two other movies), The Father writer/director Florian Zeller has just cast two leads for his follow-up. Variety reports Laura Dern and Hugh Jackman have joined Zeller’s sophomore directorial effort, The Son, which like The Father is also based on his own stage play. The duo will portray a divorced couple who have a troubled teenage son together.
Ramy Youssef joins Poor Things: Another new project from a prestigious filmmaker is in the news this week, as Yorgos Lanthimos (The Favourite) has found another of his two male leads for the adaptation Poor Things. Deadline reports award-winning Ramy co-creator and star Ramy Youssef is in talks to join Emma Stone in the movie, which also might co-star Willem Dafoe. While it’s unknown which role will be which for the male actors, Stone is playing a woman brought back from the dead Frankenstein-style but with a brain transplant courtesy of her own unborn child.
Chris McKay to direct Renfield: Speaking of projects inspired by classic Universal Monsters, the Dracula spinoff Renfield has potentially found its director. According to Deadline, The Lego Batman Movie helmer Chris McKay is in talks for the gig and reportedly would also produce the feature. Rick and Morty writer Ryan Ridley handled the script, which focuses on the titular servant of the iconic vampire who, in Bram Stoker’s original story, winds up in a mental institute. This take on the character is expected to be set in present day.
Shazam vs. Lucy Liu: The DC sequel Shazam! Fury of the Gods now has the titular superhero facing at least two main villains. According to Variety, Kill Bill actress Lucy Liu is joining the movie as Kalypso, one of the daughters of the Greek god Atlas. That means she’s also the sister of Hespera, whom Helen Mirren is playing, and together they’ll form an antagonistic duo. In other DC superhero sequel news, Deadline reports that Jason Momoa will be joined by a fellow Game of Thrones veteran in Aquaman 2, as Pilou Asbaek has been cast in an unrevealed role.
Disney’s conjures an evil stepsister movie: Speaking of actresses who play DC villains, Wonder Woman 1984 baddie Kristen Wiig now has another project involving famous nemeses. According to Deadline, Cinderella’s wicked stepsisters, Anastasia and Drizella Tremaine, are the latest Disney Villains to get their own movie. And the studio has tapped Wiig and Annie Mumolo, who wrote and star in the recent hit comedy Barb & Star Go to Vista Del Mar and previously earned an Oscar nomination for their Bridesmaids screenplay, to handle the script.
House Party reboot finds its new lead duo: Two rising stars are in talks for a potential breakout movie. Deadline reports Jorge Lendeborg Jr. (Bumblebee) and Tosin Cole (Doctor Who) will likely co-lead New Line’s reimagined reboot of the House Party franchise, filling the shoes of the original duo known as Kid ’n Play. This version is scripted by Atlanta writers Stephen Glover and Jamal Olori and will be helmed by music video director Calmatic as his feature debut while original House Party writer/director Reginald Hudlin is serving as an executive producer.
Paul Greengrass to helm a presidential thriller: News of the World and The Bourne Ultimatum director Paul Greengrass has found his next movie. According to The Hollywood Reporter, he will adapt the 1965 political novel Night of Camp David, which follows a young U.S. senator and VP hopeful during his visit with the president at the titular retreat. While there, the guest realizes the American leader is secretly unstable, suffering from extreme paranoia and believing the media is conspiring against him. British TV writer Jed Mercurio (Line of Duty) is handling the script.
