Need a quick recap of the past week in movie news? Here are the highlights:
Creed III director confirmed: The Creed movies are further following in the footsteps of the Rocky franchise by having its star direct the next sequel. Just as Sylvester Stallone helmed Rockys II, III, and IV plus Rocky Balboa, now Michael B. Jordan is making his directorial debut with Creed III. The actor will also reprise his role as boxer Adonis “Creed” Johnson and serve as a producer. According to Variety, MGM made the news official while announcing the movie’s release date as November 23, 2022.
Kiersey Clemons is back in The Flash: Five years after being announced as the female lead in DC’s The Flash, Kiersey Clemons has been cast in the movie again. The Hearts Beat Loud actress will reprise her role as the comic book character Iris West, who makes her debut in Zack Snyder's Justice League (a.k.a. “the Snyder Cut”). Clemons filmed her scenes for the 2017 version of the superhero team-up movie, but they were removed from that release, and it was unclear if she would remain in the part. Ezra Miller plays the titular speedster in The Flash, which releases in theaters on November 4, 2022.
Steven Spielberg goes home: No filmmaker is more synonymous with family entertainment than E.T. director Steven Spielberg. Now he’s going to show us his own family in a movie based on his childhood growing up in Arizona in the late 1950s. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Spielberg co-wrote the script with his Oscar-nominated Munich and Lincoln collaborator Tony Kushner, and Michelle Williams has been cast as the character representing his mother. The coming-of-age movie is due out in 2022.
Elle Fanning is Ali MacGraw: Speaking of actresses portraying real people, Variety reports that Elle Fanning has joined Barry Levinson’s Frances and the Godfather in the role of actress Ali MacGraw. The movie will depict the making of The Godfather in the early 1970s, during which time MacGraw, best known as the female lead in Love Story, was married to Paramount production head Robert Evans (to be portrayed by Jake Gyllenhaal). The two divorced the year of The Godfather’s release.
Elizabeth Banks takes on Cocaine Bear: Another true story is being turned into a movie, but this one is even wilder than all the drama behind the scenes of The Godfather. Deadline reports actress-turned-director Elizabeth Banks (Charlie’s Angels) will helm a thriller called Cocaine Bear based on an incident in 1985 where a black bear consumed more than 70 pounds of cocaine dropped from a plane. The movie will be produced by Chris Miller and Phil Lord, who previously worked with Banks on The Lego Movie.
Kenneth Branagh to direct Bee Gees movie: Following the recent documentary about the Bee Gees made by Frank Marshall, the popular fraternal music group is receiving the biopic treatment from producers Steven Spielberg and Graham King (Bohemian Rhapsody). Variety reports that Thor director Kenneth Branagh will helm the dramatic telling of the story of Barry, Maurice and Robin Gibb, who are best known for their iconic disco tunes for the Saturday Night Fever soundtrack, including “Stayin’ Alive.”
