Walking Dead Creator Says Spinoff Will be Different
While we already know that the Walking Dead spinoff will be set and LA, as well as star Kim Dickens (Sons of Anarchy), Cliff Curtis (Training Day), Frank Dillane (Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince) and Alycia Debnam Carey (The 100), comic book co-creator Robert Kirkman (an executive producer on both Walking Dead TV shows) has opened up about the many differences between the companion series and the original, which include a new visual aesthetic and a "different" type of family at its core.
Stewart Says He and McKellan Won’t be in X-Men: Apocalypse
On the heels of the time-jumping Days of Future Past, it looks like the new X-Men film will indeed stick with only one incarnation/era of the team, as Patrick Stewart says neither he nor Ian McKellen will reprise their roles as Professor X and Magneto, respectively, in X-Men: Apocalypse.
When asked about the chance of returning for the Days of Future Past sequel on Larry King Now (via Yahoo! Movies), Stewart told King, “No. Nor Sir Ian McKellen, either."
Patton Oswalt & Patrick Wilson Reflect on Watchmen
A polarizing movie for comic book fans, Zack Snyder's 2009 film version of Watchmen still garners much discussion today. While Watchmen faithfully recreated panels from the Alan Moore/Dave Gibbons comic series, it also changed major aspects of the source material (especially the ending) - while some felt Snyder's attempts to generally replicate the comic sometimes left the film feeling cold. Now comedian Patton Oswalt and one of the star's of the film, Patrick Wilson (Nite-Owl) are looking back on it, years after its release.
On a panel at Word Bookstore Cafe in Jersey City (via The Playlist), Oswalt and Wilson opened up about their thoughts on Watchmen -- with Wilson believing the movie's similarities to the source material helped his performance, while Oswalt says the movie worked best in the sequences Snyder added for the film version.
Blair Witch Project 3 Is ‘Inevitable’ Says Director
Eduardo Sanchez, director of of The Blair Witch Project, is considering a third film in the cult horror/found-footage series, although there has been no movement on the film yet.
Speaking to Dread Central about his upcoming film, Exists, Sanchez was asked about the possibility of a third Blair Witch movie, to which the original film's writer/director gave a lengthy (but optimistic) reply: “We have been talking to Lionsgate and there has been a little bit of movement but nothing is concrete. The film seems inevitable to me, but really it’s just a matter of it being the right time. I’m thinking it’s going to happen sooner than later at this point, but I always say that. There’s always rumblings and certain ideas being pushed around and such. While I don’t have anything firm to talk about now, it wouldn’t surprise me if something happened within the next year or two.”
Mandy Patinkin Is Papa Smurf in Movie Reboot
Homeland and Princess Bride star Mandy Patinkin will voice Papa Smurf in the animated reboot of The Surfs on the big-screen.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Patinkin is in final negotiations to lend his voice to The Surfs reboot, which is being helmed by Shrek 2 and Gnomeo & Juliet director Kelly Asbury. Jordan Kerner (The Smurfs 2) and Mary Ellen Bauder (Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs) are producing the film for Sony.
While the previous two Smurfs movie employed a live-action/animation hybrid, the reboot will be a fully-animated feature, and is touted to fall in line with the artistic style of Peyo -- the Belgian creator of the beloved comic series-turned-popular 1980's animated series.
M. Night Tackles ‘New Twin Peaks’ with Wayward Pines
If new Fox summer drama Wayward Pines reminds you of a little old show called Twin Peaks, know that you’re supposed to make that comparison. The novels on which the project is based were written by Blake Crouch — a self-proclaimed fan of the cancelled (and soon to be revived) series.
According to producers Chad Hodge and M. Night Shyamalan, who were part of the show’s panel during the 2015 TCA Winter Press Tour, this TV show goes to “very different places” than Peaks did in its day, though “that was an inspiration for the show for sure.”
Wayward Pines revolves around an idyllic but mysterious town that’s shrouded in secrecy. We enter it though the eyes of Ethan Burke (Matt Dillon), a special agent who has been sent to the town to track down two missing agents. From the moment audiences meet the characters in the town there will be plenty of questions, leading up to a big reveal around the midway point. From there, the show will “change genres,” although producers Hodge and Shyamalan remained tight-lipped on what the genre for the second half of the season would actually be.
Rainn Wilson Happy to Play Backstrom After 10 Years of Dwight Schrute
When Rainn Wilson was wrapping up his run as The Office’s lovable kook Dwight Schrute, his agents begged him to read a little old script called Backstrom. It sent him into a tizzy.
“I almost fired them on the spot,” Wilson, who obviously wound up taking the role, told reporters at the 2015 TCA Winter Press Tour on Saturday. “It really hooked me in. (These roles) just don’t come along often for weird looking, pasty white dudes.”
In the end taking the role worked out for Wilson. Originally commissioned by CBS, Backstrom was dropped and then picked up by FOX, which allowed everyone involved more development time and Wilson a year off between gigs.
The detective drama comes from former Bones showrunner Hart Hanson and is based on the Swedish books series from Leif GW Persson of the same name. Wilson stars in the title role, alongside Kristoffer Polaha (Life Unexpected), Thomas Dekker (The Secret Circle), Page Kennedy (Blue Mountain State), Genevieve Angelson (House of Lies) and the voice of God himself, Dennis Haysbert (24). Robert Forster will also guest as Backstrom’s dad and Canadian Sarah Chalke stops by as his ex-fiancée.
Elisha Cuthbert, Kelly Brook Talk One Big Happy
NBC's new comedy One Big Happy, starring Elisha Cuthbert, Nick Zano, and Kelly Brook, kicks off on March 17th. The cast, along with executive producers Ellen DeGeneres and Liz Feldman (The Ellen DeGeneres Show, 2 Broke Girls), recently sat and answered questions about their new series at the Television Critics Association press tour.
But before we get into what DeGeneres and others had to say about the series, let's check out the trailer.
Best friends Lizzy (Cuthbert) and Luke (Zano) are like family. As kids they saw each other’s parents go through divorce and have had an inseparable bond ever since. We join them as they’re all grown up, still single, and having decided to start a family of their own, but in a nontraditional way. Lizzy, who is a lesbian, wants to raise a child with Luke by her side, but as luck would have it, Luke falls for Prudence (Brook), a free spirited British girl who is due to go back to England in just a matter of days. It all comes together to be the most nontraditional modern family around as Lizzy discovers she’s pregnant and Luke announces that he and Prudence have gotten married. In an instance, their nontraditional family is born.
The Order: 1886’s Trophy List Posted Online
Those wondering what they'll have to do to earn a platinum trophy in The Order: 1886 can now view the entire trophy list online.
Posted over at Exophase.com, a majority of the trophies appear to be skill-based, rewarding players for accomplishing feats such as killing an enemy with every weapon, firing off 100 headshots, performing seven stealth takedowns, and earning every trophy on the list. No narrative secrets are shared, so those worried about being spoiled can rest easy.
Developed by Ready at Dawn Studios, The Order: 1886 is a third-person horror action game centered around a group whose purpose is to rid the Earth of supernatural foes. It is scheduled to release for the PlayStation 4 on February 20.
Sleepy Hollow To Become More Episodic
FOX announced early renewals for Gotham, Empire, and Brooklyn Nine-Nine at today's TCA (Television Critics Association) press tour. Sleepy Hollow, however, is in a wait and see mode. The network has requested some creative changes of the producers, as they decide on a renewal.
Dana Walden. Co-Chairman/CEO, Fox Television Group told reporters that the show would be crafted as a more episodic, less serialized show moving forward. "We were responding to the fact that the show has a high level of difficulty," Walden said, referring to the mix of fantasy, period, and iconic characters that Sleepy Hollow incorporates.