July 9, 2015

No Image

A Solo Batman Movie is Coming With Ben Affleck Directing

Ben Affleck Batman

Warner Bros. big Comic-Con panel isn’t until Saturday morning, but it would seem like the Internet has already scooped what would certainly have been one of their big reveals: Ben Affleck will star in, co-write, and direct a solo Batman movie.

This isn’t exactly coming out of left field since rumors about a new Batman movie have been swirling for a while, but now we have some finer details about who all is involved. Affleck’s writing partner on the project will be Geoff Johns, one of the most important figures in DC Comics. He’s not only a prolific writer in print and the Chief Creative Officer of DC Comics, but he’s also currently a writer and producer on the surprisingly great DC Comics shows Arrow and The Flash.

The news gets better from there, too. According to Deadline, Affleck and Johns will be turning in their script before the summer is over, but that they won’t actually be shooting the movie until probably a year later at the earliest. So this project isn’t just some rush job being churned out to fill a release date slot. They’re taking their time with this one, which is understandable considering they’ve got Christopher Nolan’s shoes to fill.

So while this solo Batman movie may not come out until 2018 at the earliest (it won’t come out before 2017’s Justice League), fans can see Affleck’s caped crusader twice in 2016 thanks to both Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and an appearance in Suicide Squad.

[embedded content]

Follow @PeterSHall Follow @MoviesDotCom

This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service – if this is your content and you’re reading it on someone else’s site, please read the FAQ at fivefilters.org/content-only/faq.php#publishers.






No Image

Former NFL Quarterback Ken Stabler Dies

Oakland Raiders quarterback Ken Stabler, right, and receiver Fred Biletnikoff celebrate the Raiders' 1976 Super Bowl victory over the Minnesota Vikings.

Oakland Raiders quarterback Ken Stabler, right, and receiver Fred Biletnikoff celebrate the Raiders’ 1976 Super Bowl victory over the Minnesota Vikings. AP hide caption

itoggle caption AP

The Oakland Raiders say their former star quarterback Ken Stabler died from complications associated with colon cancer. Stabler was 69.

NPR’s Tom Goldman tells our Newscast unit:

“It was one of the iconic images of the 1970s NFL — left-handed Kenny Stabler dropping back to pass, long hair flopping out of the bottom of his helmet. More often than not, he’d complete the throw to star receivers such as Fred Biletnikoff, Cliff Branch and Dave Casper.

“Stabler was nicknamed ‘the snake’ for his ability to elude and slither away from defenders.

“Former Raiders head coach John Madden said if he had one drive to win a game, he’d pick Stabler to lead it.

“During his 10 years with the team, Stabler led Oakland to five straight conference championships and a Super Bowl title in 1977.”

Stabler’s family released a statement, saying he died on Wednesday, “surrounded by the people he loved most, including his three daughters and longtime partner, as some of his favorite songs played in the background, such as Lynyrd Skynyrd’s ‘Sweet Home Alabama’ and Van Morrison’s ‘Leaves Falling Down.’ “

[embedded content]

This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service – if this is your content and you’re reading it on someone else’s site, please read the FAQ at fivefilters.org/content-only/faq.php#publishers.



No Image

Jail health care costs exceed budgets

Brunswick County has spent $825,000 in fiscal year 2014-15 — its budget was $785,000. In New Hanover County, the jail needs an additional $400,000 beyond its $2 million budget. We have a moral and legal…



No Image

Update: 'Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them' Casts a Few More Magical People

Update 7/9/15: Variety is reporting that the singer Alison Sudol will be playing Queenie, the younger sister of the previously cast Katherine Waterston. They also say that Ezra Miller ahs joined the cast in an unknown capacity and that Josh Gad and John Krasinski are both up for the same role.

Previously: The wizarding world of Harry Potter is two things: A) wonderful, and B) very, very British. Sure, the eight movies made from seven books do mention places outside of the Hogwarts homeland of Britain, and there are some characters and references from other countries thrown in the mix, but America is not one of them.

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, the new Harry Potter spin-off franchise written by J.K. Rowling herself, is set in America, however, and it just cast its female lead. Katherine Waterston (Inherent Vice) will play Porpentina, shortened to just Tina, a witch who the main character Newt Scamander (recently cast as Eddie Redmayne) teams up with when he visits New York City in search of magical creatures to document.

That said, it doesn’t seem like Waterston will be playing the first American in a Harry Potter movie. According to The Wrap, Porpentina “works her magic in the U.S.,” which would imply she’s not from there. Plus, Waterston was born in London and Fantastic Beasts producer David Heyman told us that the British parts would go to British people. Which means that we’re still waiting to find out who the first major American witch or wizard is in the Harry Potter universe.

Perhaps what’s most telling about this news is that we know now both leads are over 30 years old. That age increase from the kiddos of the first Harry Potter series should give Fantastic Beasts a different tone overall. We have no doubt younger characters will be in it as well, but this definitely just won’t be yet another story about magical teenagers.

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them hits theaters on November 18, 2016.

Follow @PeterSHall Follow @MoviesDotCom

This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service – if this is your content and you’re reading it on someone else’s site, please read the FAQ at fivefilters.org/content-only/faq.php#publishers.