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A couple of weeks ago a report surfaced saying that Warner Bros. had canceled DC’s Wonder Twins movie. At the time it was said that the reason was due to the WB and Discovery merger. Well, it turns out that the real reason it was canceled was because of its high budget. This was recently confirmed by the CEO of Warner Bros. Discovery, David Zaslav.

The Wall Street Journal reports that Zaslav’s team is shutting down some of the projects that were in development under the old Warner Bros. regime. They are specifically targeting original movies that were being developed for HBO Max. Wonder Twins has and estimated budget of $75 million-plus and the was apparently too costly to make compared to a limited return for a made-for-streaming movie.

THR also reports that the studio is imposing a mandate that all DC movies should be developed for “theatrical-first” releases, and that Wonder Twins was “too niche.” It makes sense that all their big DC tentpole movies should go theatrical!

1883 actress Isabel May and Riverdale actor KJ Apa were set to co-star in the movie and Black Adam and Rampage co-writer Adam Sztykiel wrote the script and was going to direct.

May previously talked about the project during an interview with The Playlist’s The Bingeworthy Podcast saying:

“I’m so excited to work with [director Adam Sztykiel] and Marty Bowen, who’s a producer on it – this is his project just as much as Adam’s, and it’s just really cool to be a part of that world. I love learning about certain characters, so I’ve read all [of the comics]. I know they’re kind of the butt of the joke, sort of thing, but that’s what’s so fun about it is you can kind of go anywhere with it. And so I’ve read all of the comic books that they’re in and even watched the show [‘Super Friends’], and it’s not that, OK? It’s a different era, and we’re kind of doing a different thing.

“I’d never heard of them, to be honest,” May continued. “And I’m someone who is more of a Japanese Anime/Manga lover myself. I could talk all day about that, but not necessarily Marvel or DC Comics. I don’t want to lie – it’s just the truth, but I have learned everything there is to know about the Wonder Twins now. What I’m thrilled about – I guess I can’t really say anything, but I think [the approach] is really unique and fun.”

I’m fine with the movie not happening, as I’ve never really been a fan of Wonder Twins. What do you think? Are you bummed that the movie isn’t moving forward?

Sony Music and the Michael Jackson estate are putting something special together for the 40th anniversary of Jackson’s classic album “Thriller,” the biggest selling album of all time.

When I was a kid I used to listen to that album over and over and over again on my parents’ record player. I freakin’ loved dropping the needle on that album! It blew my mind and it’s easily one of my favorite records of all time.

If you’re also a fan, you’ll be happy to learn that “Thriller 40” is coming on November 18th! This is a double CD set comprised of the original album as well as a second disc which is “full of surprises for fans, including never-released tracks which were worked on by Michael for the ‘Thriller’ album.”

I gotta say, that’s pretty exciting! Thriller spent a record-breaking 37 weeks at No. 1 on The Billboard 200 and spawned three Hot 100 chart-toppers with “Thriller”, “Beat It” and “Billie Jean.”

As part of the release, different retailers in the U.S. will sell select versions of the album. In the U.S., Walmart will sell an exclusive version of the original Thriller album with an alternate 40th anniversary cover. Target will also have an exclusive version of the original album with a commemorative Thriller 40 vinyl slip mat included in the package.

In addition to the anniversary release of the album, new Thriller 40 merchandise is currently available exclusively through the MichaelJackson.com web store.

I’m looking forward to listening to those unreleased tracks that Jackson created for the album.

The team over Age of Empires recently announced the next DLC for Age of Empires III: Definitive Edition and it’s releasing later this month. The next DLC is dubbed Knights of the Mediterranean and adds 2 new Civilizations (Italians and Maltese), 30 new Random Maps, 9 new Minor Civilizations, 8 Historical Maps, and 2 new game modes.

The first new game mode is Diplomacy which allows players to change their allegiances over the course of a match. While the game mode will work with all existing random maps, the new Thirty Years’ War map has been crafted specifically for this new game mode. The other new game mode is called Tycoon and puts the focus on building your economy instead of building your armies.

Knights of the Mediterranean will launch for Age of Empires III: Definitive Edition on May 26 via Microsoft Store and Steam. What has you the most excited?

It’s been announced that the Yellowstone spinoff series 6666 is moving from Paramount+ to the Paramount Network. It was previously reported that the series would air exclusively on Paramount+.

I’m not sure why they made the change. I just watch everything on Paramount+, I never watch Paramount Network, but I guess they have their reasons.

The series takes place at the real 6666 ranch located in Texas. It was featured in the fourth season of Yellowstone, with Jimmy (Jefferson White) visiting the 6666 to learn how to be a real cowboy. That was an interesting storyline and this 6666 series is going to be great!

Founded when Comanches still ruled West Texas, no ranch in America is more steeped in the history of the West than the 6666. Still operating as it did two centuries before, and encompassing an entire county, the 6666 has inspired a new scripted series where the rule of law and the laws of nature merge in a place where the most dangerous thing one does is the next thing. The 6666 is synonymous with the merciless endeavor to raise the finest horses and livestock in the world, and ultimately where world-class cowboys are born and made.

MTV Entertainment Studios will produce along with 101 Studios and Bosque Ranch Productions. Taylor Sheridan executive produces along with John Linson, Art Linson, Ron Burkle, David Glasser, and Bob Yari.

A new teaser trailer and poster have been released for Season 2 of the Hulu hit series Only Murders in The Building. Season 2 will welcome back Steve Martin, Martin Short, and Selena Gomez, and will also include Shirley MacLaine, Amy Schumer, Cara Delevingne, and Michael Rapaport.

The first season followed Charles (Steve Martin), Oliver (Martin Short), and Mabel (Selena Gomez), three residents of the same building in New York who get together to solve a murder and chronicle their journey in real time on a podcast. In season 2, after solving the murder, they think it’s time to celebrate, but then the Arconia board president Bunny (Jayne Houdyshell) is found dead and bloodied while wearing an Only Murders merch sweatshirt in Mabel’s apartment.

Check out the trailer and poster for the second season below, and get ready to watch Season 2 of Only Murders in the Building when it premieres on Hulu on June 28th.

We’ve got a new trailer for Downton Abbey: A New Era for you to watch before the movie is released in theaters this weekend.

The film centers around a Downton being used as the setting for a Hollywood movie. Then there’s the other story that takes members of the family and servants on a “grand journey to the South of France to uncover the mystery of the Dowager Countess’ newly inherited villa.”

When I begrudgingly started watching Downton Abbey with my wife, the last thing I expected was to get hooked on it. But, that’s what happened! The show was just so well written and the character development was top-notch. That quality of development spilled over into the movies and fans are excited for this next chapter of the story.

The ensemble cast includes Hugh Bonneville, Elizabeth McGovern, Maggie Smith, Michelle Dockery, Laura Carmichael, Jim Carter, Phyllis Logan, Hugh Dancy, Nathalie Baye, Laura Haddock, and Dominic West.

The screenplay is written by Downton creator Julian Fellowes, with Gareth Neame and Liz Trubridge producing with Fellowes. Simon Curtis (My Week with Marilyn) directed, and it looks like another enjoyable Downton Abbey movie!

In a previous interview, Fellowes said the new installment is an “unashamedly feel-good movie. It’s really a new era. The further the ’20s went along, the more the world was changing in so many ways. Everything from entertainment to transport was really different by the end of the ’20s. That’s what we’re referring to in that.”

Downton Abbey: A New Era will be released in theaters on March 18th, 2022. 

MTV Entertainment Studios has announced that Taylor Sheridan’s Yellowstone spinoff series 1883 is getting a spinoff series of its own titled 1883: The Bass Reeves Story. It was previously reported that Bass Reeves would be getting a limited series with David Oyelowo set to star as Reeves, but at the time we didn’t know it would be related to 1883.

The series will follow Bass Reeves, “a legendary lawman of the Wild West. Known as the greatest frontier hero in American history, and also believed to be the inspiration for The Lone Ranger. Reeves worked in the post-Reconstruction era as a federal peace officer in the Indian Territory, capturing over 3,000 of the most dangerous criminals without ever being wounded.”

Yeah, this guy was a complete badass and real western legend, and it awesome to see that he’s going to be getting his own series! As for the 1883 series, which followed the Dutton’s trek across the U.S., there are no plans to continue that story.

1883: The Bass Reeves Story will be executive produced by Sheridan, Oyelowo, Jessica Oyelowo, David Permut, David C. Glasser, Ron Burkle and Bob Yari. MTV Entertainment Studios, Sheridan’s Bosque Ranch Productions, Oyelowo’s Yoruba Saxon, and 101 Studios will produce.

Source: Deadline

A teaser trailer has been released for the HBO limited series remake of Olivier Assayas’ film Irma Vep. The series adaptation stars Alicia Vikander in the starring role, and Assayas is back to write and direct. In the series, “Vikander plays Mira, an American film star fresh out of a relationship and disillusioned by her career. She comes to France to play the role of Irma Vep — an anagram for ‘vampire‘ — in a remake of the French silent film ‘Les Vampires.’ As she takes on the role, the line between fiction and reality begins to blur, and Mira struggles to grasp the world around her.”

The series also stars Vincent Macaigne as the film-within-the-film’s director, René Vidal; Jeanne Balibar plays Zoe, Mira’s ex-assistant and ex-girlfriend; Devon Ross is Mira’s current assistant Regina; Carrie Brownstein plays Mira’s agent Zelda, who is uninterested in the “Les Vampires” project; Fala Chen is Cynthia Keng, Mira’s co-star. Additional cast includes Lars Eidinger, Vincent Lacoste, Nora Hamzawi, Adria Arjona, Byron Bowers, Hippolyte Girardot, Alex Descas and Antoine Reinartz. Tom Sturridge plays Eamonn, Mira’s ex-boyfriend. Previously, Jerrod Carmichael was attached to play the role, but was replaced by Sturridge due to scheduling conflicts.

Check out the trailer for Irma Vep below, and watch the limited series when it premieres on HBO and HBO Max on June 6th.

via: Variety

Mindy Kaling recently shared the first look at her upcoming animated Scooby-Doo spinoff series Velma. The series is described as a “comedic origin story” focusing on Velma, and this first image shows the titled character discovering a young women’s dead body on the floor of a girl’s locker room. As you can see, her skull sliced off and her brain was removed. There are several other female characters in the image including Daphne, who seems to have just jumped out of the shower.

Mindy Kaling shares a first look at HBO Max’s #Velma, her upcoming “Scooby-Doo” spinoff aimed at adult audiences. https://t.co/tFGsadbjCu pic.twitter.com/oa2giwNy0N

— Variety (@Variety) May 18, 2022

Kaling addressed the fact that Velma is a woman of color in the series saying:,”Hopefully you noticed my Velma is South Asian. If people freak out about that, I don’t care.” She defended her decision to change up the character saying that if “Scooby-Doo had a talking dog that could solve crimes, then her Velma can be brown.” 

During a previous interview with Seth Meyers on his Late Night show, she addressed the social media backlash to her new vision of Velma, saying:

“When it was announced that I was going to do the voice of Velma, people were very supportive and happy on Twitter. So I felt great because these are really intense fans—cartoon, comic book fans. And especially [for] a legacy show like this… People were not happy. There was a lot of, ‘So, not Velma?’ Those kind of tweets. ‘Not the classic Velma that I’m always thinking about?’

“First of all, I didn’t know that she elicited such strong reactions in either direction. I just couldn’t understand how people couldn’t imagine a really smart, nerdy girl with terrible eyesight who loved to solve mysteries could not be Indian. There are Indian nerds. It shouldn’t be a surprise to people, but people are like, ‘No, no, no.’ But it made me think, ‘OK, we’ve got to be really careful with this character,’ which we will be because we love her.”

I’m just waiting to see if the series actually ends up entertaining me! If it tells fun stories and makes me laugh, that’s all I’m really hoping for. The series is coming to HBO Max. What do you all think?

Focus Features has released a wonderful trailer for an upcoming film titled Brian and Charles. The story follows a lonely inventor who builds a robot that ends up being his best friend. It looks like a charming and quirky film that is sure to entertain audiences.

In the film, “Brian, a lonely inventor in rural Wales, spends his days building quirky, unconventional contraptions that seldom work. Undeterred by his lack of success, Brian attempts his biggest project yet. Three days, a washing machine, and various spare parts later, he’s invented Charles, an artificially intelligent robot who learns English from a dictionary and has an obsession with cabbages. What follows is a humorous and entirely heartwarming story about friendship, family, finding love, and letting go.”

The movie was directed by Jim Archer from a script written by David Earl and Chris Hayward. The movie stars David Earl, Chris Hayward, Louise Brealey, James Michie and Nina Sosanya.

The movie is set to be released June 17th, 2022. Watch the trailer and I hope you enjoy it!