Need a quick recap of the past week in movie news? Here are the highlights:
Vin Diesel is a Rock ‘Em Sock ‘Em dad: Vin Diesel may have found his next big action franchise with Rock ‘Em Sock ‘Em Robots. According to Variety, the actor is working with Mattel to adapt the toy for the big screen for his Fast and the Furious studio, Universal, with a script by Ryan Engle (Rampage). Diesel will produce the movie and star as a father who, with his son, forms a bond with an “advanced war machine.” The game’s red and blue boxing robots previously appeared as characters in Toy Story and also inspired a scene in the 1976 sci-fi sequel Futureworld.
Dear Ghost People: Disney is moving ahead with a new Haunted Mansion movie based on the iconic theme park attraction and ride of the same name. Deadline reports Dear White People writer and director Justin Simien is in negotiations to helm the adaptation following his pitch to the studio for how he’d like to take on the beloved material. Whether his plan would fit with the latest screenplay draft from Ghostbusters reboot co-writer Katie Dippold is unknown, but one thing is clear — this version will not connect to the 2003 Haunted Mansion movie starring Eddie Murphy.
Jim Henson’s life story gets a rewrite: Speaking of Disney, the studio continues its plans for a movie about Muppets creator Jim Henson, and they have a new writer on board the project. According to Deadline, Michael Mitnick, who wrote the biographical drama The Current War, about the rivalry between Thomas Edison and George Westinghouse, is now rewriting the Henson biopic, titled Muppet Man, which originated as an award-winning screenplay by Christopher Weekes. The subject’s daughter, Lisa Henson, is producing the feature via The Jim Henson Company.
Martin Scorsese loves a Gershwin tune-inspired musical: While not a biopic, another movie inspired by an artistic icon of the 20th century is in the works, with Martin Scorsese and Irwin Winkler (Goodfellas) on board as producers. According to Variety, Sing Street and Once writer/director John Carney is working on a musical drama called Fascinating Rhythm, which is named for a George Gershwin tune and influenced by the composer’s life and music. The plot will follow a young woman’s “magical journey through past and present New York City.”
Antoine Fuqua to revive Cat on a Hot Tin Roof: The director of the 2016 version of The Magnificent Seven has found another classic film to remake — sort of. Variety reports that Antoine Fuqua, who also gave us Training Day and the Equalizer movies, is working on a new adaptation of Cat on a Hot Tin Roof. However, this version will be based on and expanded from the all-Black version of Tennessee Williams’ play that was launched on Broadway in 2008 rather than redoing the original 1958 feature adaptation starring Elizabeth Taylor and Paul Newman.
Kemp Powers heads into the Spider-Verse sequel: The follow-up to the Oscar-winning animated feature Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse has revealed its directorial team, including current Oscar-nominee Kemp Powers. According to Variety, the One Night in Miami… playwright and screenwriter, who is up for Best Adapted Screenplay for that effort and who also co-wrote and co-directed Pixar’s currently Oscar-nominated film Soul, is one of three helming Spider-Verse 2. The other two are Justin K. Thompson, the production designer of the first movie who will be making his directorial debut with the sequel, and the previously announced Joaquim Dos Santos (Avatar: The Last Airbender).
Brian Duffield to Save You with Kaitlyn Dever: Following the success of his 2020 YA adaptation Spontaneous, Brian Duffield continues his rise in Hollywood with announcement of his next feature. Deadline reports he has sold his spec script No One Will Save You to 20th Century Studios with plans to also direct the project. While no plot details have been revealed, the movie will star Booksmart actress Kaitlyn Dever, who recently earned some of her greatest acclaim for the limited series Unbelievable and who will be seen later this year in the musical Dear Evan Hansen.
Indiana Jones 5 casts an Avengers 2 actor: We close out this week’s roundup with the latest casting news regarding the next Indiana Jones movie. The Wrap reports that German actor Thomas Kretschman, who portrayed the comic book villain Baron Wolfgang von Strucker in Marvel’s Avengers: Age of Ultron, has been added to the cast of Indiana Jones 5. He has the distinction of being the first person not previously involved with Star Wars to join the ensemble for the sequel, which already includes Harrison Ford, Phoebe Waller-Bridge and Mads Mikkelsen.
