Guardians 2 title revealed and Comic Con lineup announced

Marvel’s third phase has titled its new properties fairly simply – Ant-Man, Doctor Strange, Black Panther, Captain Marvel and Inhumans – while their sequels have received subtitles – Captain America: Civil War, Thor: Ragnarok and The Avengers: Infinity War. The new Spider-Man’s title is yet to have been revealed but the latest news from Guardians of the Galaxy director James Gunn is that the sequel has been titled: Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 2.

Gunn directs the cast of Chris Pratt (Jurassic World) as Star Lord, Bradley Cooper (Limitless) as Rocket, Zoe Saldana (Avatar) as Gamora, Vin Diesel (Pitch Black) as Groot, Josh Brolin (No Country for Old Men) as Thanos, Karen Gillan (Oculus) as Nebula, Dave Bautista (Riddick) as Drax, Seth Green (Buffy the Vampire Slayer) as Howard the Duck and Benicio Del Toro (Traffic) as The Collector

The schedule for the famed San Diego Comic Con 2015 has been revealed.

Thursday:

• Lionsgate: ‘The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2′: 12:00 PM-1:15 PM, Hall H
  Lionsgate presents an exclusive first look at one of the studio’s highly anticipated films coming to theaters this fall. Get a sneak peek into the powerful final chapter of the epic The Hunger Games film franchise. Attendees will be shown exclusive, never-before-seen footage from Mockingjay: Part 2 and treated to a cast and filmmaker Q&A session revealing details on the big-screen finale. Featuring stars Jennifer Lawrence and Julianne Moore and director Francis Lawrence.
• CBS TV Studios Comic-Con Lineup: 12:00 PM-3:30 PM, Ballroom 20
  Exclusive Sneak Previews and Panels for the CBS series ‘Extant’, ‘Zoo’, ‘Under the Dome’, ‘Limitless’, and ‘Scorpion’.
• ‘Doctor Who’: BBC America’s Official Panel: 2:15 PM-3:15PM, Hall H
  Following his record-breaking first season as the Doctor, Peter Capaldi will make his first ever appearance at Comic-Con with stars Jenna Coleman (Clara Oswald) and Michelle Gomez (Missy), and lead writer and executive producer Steven Moffat. Doctor Who follows the adventures of the Doctor, the time traveler who will continue to journey through all of space and time in epic adventures in the new season premiering this fall. Capaldi’s first season delivered BBC America its highest rated season ever and is available now on all digital platforms.
• ‘Sherlock’: 3:45 PM-5:15PM, Ballroom 20
  Steven Moffat (co-creator, executive producer, and writer), Sue Vertue (executive producer) and Rupert Graves (actor, DI Greg Lestrade) discuss the latest adventures of Sherlock Holmes and his long-suffering faithful friend, Dr. John Watson. Sherlock will return to BBC in a forthcoming special.
• MTV’s ‘Teen Wolf’: 5:00 PM-6:00PM, Ballroom 20
  Teen Wolf cast members and executive producer are taking Comic-Con by storm for the sixth consecutive year. The pack of MTV’s hit series Teen Wolf will dish secrets, share a sneak peek of the upcoming season, and answer fan questions.
• ‘Damien’: 6:45 PM-7:45 PM, Room 6A
  From executive producer Glen Mazaara (The Walking Dead, The Shield), Damien follows the adult life of Damien Thorn, the mysterious child from the 1976 motion picture who has grown up seemingly unaware of the satanic forces around him. Haunted by his past, Damien must now come to terms with his true destiny: that he is the Antichrist. Starring Bradley James (Merlin), Barbara Hershey, Megalyn Echikunwoke and Omid Abtahi. Get an exclusive first look at the show followed by a Q&A with cast and producers, plus a special guest appearance.

Friday:

• ‘Lucifer’ Pilot Screening and Q&A: 11:30 AM-12:30PM, Room 6BCF
  Lucifer is the story of the original fallen angel. Bored and unhappy as the Lord of Hell, Lucifer Morningstar has resigned his throne and retired to the City of Angels, where he owns an upscale piano bar called Lux. When a beautiful pop star is murdered, for the first time in roughly 10 billion years, he feels something awaken deep within him. Is he actually capable of feelings for a human being? The very thought disturbs him. The murder attracts the attention of LAPD homicide detective Chloe Dancer, who finds herself both repulsed and fascinated by Lucifer. At the same time, God’s emissary, the angel Amenadiel, has been sent to Los Angeles to convince Lucifer to return to Hell. But with the City of Angels at his feet and a newfound purpose, Lucifer’s having too much fun to go back now. Sexy, dark and irreverent, Lucifer makes its Comic-Con debut with a screening of the complete pilot episode, followed by a Q&A with series stars and producers. From Jerry Bruckheimer Television and Aggressive Mediocrity in association with Warner Bros. Television, and based on characters created by Neil Gaiman, Sam Kieth, and Mike Dringenberg for DC Entertainment’s Vertigo imprint, Lucifer premieres Midseason on FOX.
• AMC’s ‘The Walking Dead’: 12:00 PM-2:00 PM, Hall H
  Andrew Lincoln, Norman Reedus, Steven Yeun, Lauren Cohan, Danai Gurira, Melissa McBride, Chandler Riggs, Sonequa Martin-Green, Michael Cudlitz and Lennie Jamesjoin executive producer and showrunner Scott M. Gimple, executive producer Robert Kirkman, executive producer Gale Anne Hurd, executive producer Dave Alpert, and special effects makeup supervisor and executive producer Greg Nicotero in a panel moderated by Chris Hardwick (The Nerdist, Talking Dead). The panelists will discuss the shocking finale of Season 5 and what to look forward to in Season 6, debuting this fall on AMC. Join the panelists for a Q&A session and an official sneak preview of Season 6.
• ‘Minority Report’: 1:45 PM-2:45 PM, Ballroom 20
  Be one of the first to take a look at FOX’s new fall sci-fi action thriller. Based on the hit futuristic Steven Spielberg feature, Minority Report follows the unlikely partnership between a man haunted by the future and a cop haunted by her past, as they race to stop the worst crimes of the year 2065 before they happen. Join Stark Sands (Inside Llewyn Davis), Meagan Good (Think Like a Man franchise, Californication) along with other cast and producers for a special screening followed by a Q&A.
• ‘Game of Thrones’ Panel and Q&A: 2:30PM-3:30PM, Hall H
  Based on the bestselling fantasy book series A Song of Ice and Fire by George R. R. Martin, HBO’s Game of Thrones concluded its 10-episode fifth season in June and will begin filming its sixth season this summer. The series, executive produced and written by David Benioff and D.B. Weiss, is an epic story of treachery and nobility, set on the continent of Westeros, where summers and winters can last years. Panelists include (in alphabetical order) Alfie Allen as Theon Greyjoy/Reek, John Bradley as Samwell Tarly, Gwendoline Christie as Brienne of Tarth, Liam Cunningham as Davos Seaworth, Natalie Dormer as Margaery Tyrell, Conleth Hill as Varys, David Nutter (director), Hannah Murray as Gilly, Carolyn Strauss (executive producer), Sophie Turner as Sansa Stark, Carice van Houten as Melisandre, and Maisie Williams as Arya Stark.
• Marvel Television Presents: 3:00 PM-4:15 PM, Ballroom 20
  Jeph Loeb (Marvel’s head of television) brings you exclusive news and surprises about your favorite action-packed Marvel series on ABC. Join Jeph, showrunners, and the casts of Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. and Agent Carter for this can’t-miss panel that’ll have everyone talking! Featuring Clark Gregg and Hayley Atwell.
• ‘iZombie’ Special Video Presentation and Q&A: 5:45 PM-6:45PM, Ballroom 20
  After the shocking events in the season finale of brainy hit iZombie, be among the first to get the scoop on what’s in store for Season 2. Now that Liv (Rose McIver) gave the cure for zombie-ism to Blaine and Major (one that she desperately wanted to take herself!) will Ravi find a way to develop another cure? Will Clive remain in the dark about the existence of zombies? A special video presentation will be followed by a Q&A with series stars as well as executive producers Rob Thomas (Veronica Mars) and Diane Ruggiero-Wright (Veronica Mars). From Bonanza Productions Inc. in association with Spondoolie Productions and Warner Bros. Television and based on characters created by Chris Roberson and Michael Allred, published by DC Entertainment’s Vertigo imprint, iZombie returns this fall with all-new episodes on Tuesdays at 9/8c on The CW. iZombie: The Complete First Season will be released on Blu-ray and DVD on September 29.
• Lucasfilm: ‘Star Wars: The Force Awakens’: 5:30 PM-6:30 PM, Hall H
  Lucasfilm president and producer Kathleen Kennedy, director J.J. Abrams, writer Lawrence Kasdan, and special guests provide a special look at Star Wars: The Force Awakens. Featuring Harrison Ford, Oscar Isaac, Lupita Nyong’o and Andy Serkis.
• ‘Orphan Black’: BBC America Official Panel: 5:45 PM-6:45 PM, Room 6BCF
  Stars Tatiana Maslany (Sarah and the Leda clones), Jordan Gavaris (Felix), Maria Doyle Kennedy (Mrs. S), Dylan Bruce (Paul), Kristian Bruun (Donnie), and Ari Millen (Mark and the Castor clones) and co-creators John Fawcett and Graeme Manson look back at last season before filming begins on Season 4. Orphan Black Season 3 is currently on VOD. For those new to the Clone Club, you can also start watching the BBC America series by streaming the first two seasons on Amazon Prime or download the entire series from any of the major digital platforms.
• Star: ‘Ash vs. Evil Dead’: 6:00 PM-7:00PM, Room 6A
  Original filmmakers Sam Raimi (executive producer, director, writer), Rob Tapert (executive producer), Bruce Campbell (executive producer and star of the series, Ash), Ivan Raimi (co-exeuctive producer), and Craig DiGregorio (executive producer), along with Lucy Lawless (Ruby), discuss the highly anticipated new series and what fans can expect in the premiere season.
• ‘Yoga Hosers’: 7:15 PM-9:00 PM, Hall H
  An evening with Kevin Smith. After all the interesting and exciting movie panels are over, Hall H belongs to a middle-aged loser who dresses like a 12-year-old! Ask Kev questions about AMC’s Comic Book Men and his forthcoming Mallrats sequel Mallbrats, and see the world premiere of the trailer to his new movie, Yoga Hosers. Wrap up a busy Friday with the Clown Prince of Comic-Con! With special guests from the Yoga Hosers cast. Featuring Johnny Depp and Haley Joel Osment.

Saturday:

• Warner Bros.: 10:30 AM-12:00 PM, Hall H
  A “sneak peek” at a few upcoming releases from Warner Bros. Likely including The Man From UNCLE (Armie Hammer, Guy Ritchie), Pan (Hugh Jackman, Joe Wright), In the Heart of the Sea (Chris Hemsworth, Ron Howard), Point Break (Edgar Ramirez), Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice (Ben Affleck, Zack Snyder), Central Intelligence (Dwayne Johnson, Kevin Hart), Tarzan (Alexander Skarsgard, Margot Robbie), Knights of the Roundtable: King Arthur (Charlie Hunnam, Jude Law), Suicide Squad (Jared Leto, David Ayer) and Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (Eddie Redmayne, David Yates).
• The Weinstein Company: ‘The Hateful Eight’: 1:30 PM-2:15 PM, Hall H
  Academy Award-winning writer/director Quentin Tarantino brings fans an exclusive look at his highly anticipated 8th film, The Hateful Eight. Followed by a Q&A session with the cast: Samuel L Jackson, Kurt Russell, Jennifer Jason Leigh and Bruce Dern.
• Legendary Pictures: 2:30 PM-3:30 PM, Hall H
  Filmmakers and talent from Legendary’s upcoming Warcraft (Duncan Jones, Dominic Cooper, Toby Kebbell) and Crimson Peak (Guillermo Del Toro, Tom Hiddleston, Jessica Chastain), distributed by Universal Pictures, will discuss the innovative slate and present never-before-seen material. Chris Hardwick (AMC’s Talking Dead) hosts the panel that will also include surprises from highly anticipated legendary movies, including Great Wall, Krampus, and more.
• 20th Century Fox: 5:45 PM-7:30 PM, Hall H
  20th Century Fox Presentation including Fantastic Four (Miles Teller), Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials (Dylan O’Brien), The Martian (Matt Damon), Bridge of Spies (Tom Hanks), Kung Fu Panda 3 (Jack Black), Deadpool (Ryan Reynolds), X-Men: Apocalypse (Jennifer Lawrence), Independence Day: Resurgence (Jeff Goldblum), Gambit (Channing Tatum), and Assassin’s Creed (Michael Fassbender).
• Warner Bros. Television and DC Entertainment Screening Block: 8:00 PM-11:00 PM, Hall H
  Includes Supergirl season 1 (Melissa Benoist), Gotham season 2 (Ben McKenzie), Arrow season 4 (Steven Amell), The Flash season 2 (Grant Gustin) and Legends of Tomorrow season 1 (Brandon Routh).

Sunday:

• TV premieres including Heroes Reborn, American Horror Story, Scream Queens, Supernatural and The Vampire Diaries.

Furious 7’s James Wan may direct DC’s Aquaman

James Wan is a filmmaker best known for his work on horror with hits such as The Conjuring, Insidious and Saw but is making his most box-office grounds on Fast & Furious 7, which just grossed $800 million in 12 days and is already set to smash the billion mark. This being Wan’s first full on action flick, studios are now very interested in snapping him up for their own franchises – which is exactly what Warner Bros just did.

It’s reported that Wan is now in early talks to be helming DC’s reboot of the amphibious adventurer Aquaman, who’ll make his screen debut as Game of Thrones’ Jason Momoa in next year’s Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice. The film comes in a long line of DC Universe related spin offs including Michelle MacLaren’s (Breaking Bad) Wonder Woman, David Ayer’s (Fury) Suicide Squad, Zack Snyder’s (300) Justice League and the so far officially unassigned Green Lantern, Cyborg, Shazam and Flash films.

Aquaman – July 28th 2018

Phil Lord and Chris Miller considered for The Flash film

Despite the muted success of Man of Steel, DC thought this was good enough grounds to launch their own mega-franchise with ten films getting confirmed – Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice, Suicide Squad, Wonder Woman, Aquaman, Shazam, Cyborg, Green Lantern and Justice League parts 1 and 2. One of the few of the projects that might actually need to be made is The Flash because who wouldn’t want Quicksilver feature film. With Ezra Miller (We Need to Talk About Kevin, The Perks of Being a Wallflower) nailed in as the lead star, the search for a director is on.

The BAFTA winning duo Phil Lord and Chris Miller are reportedly getting headhunted for the film. They’re the brilliant geniuses behind 21 & 22 Jump Street and The Lego Movie but their commitment to the Jump Street and Lego franchises and (potentially) the new Ghostbusters series may put them off this comic book spin off. Warner Bros had this to say:

“We’ve heard a bit of a tug of war going on between Warner Bros. and Sony, which would like the same two directors for one of its big franchise movie. If Warner Bros. wanted them for The Flash, and Sony wanted them for a Ghostbusters movie, which would Lord and Miller do?”

The Flash – March 23rd 2018

Jared Leto and Margot Robbie set for lead villains in new DC films

DC’s new film slate, building on the foundations of Man of Steel and 2016’s Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice, will feature the likes of Vin Diesel as Shazam, Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman, Ezra Miller as The Flash, Jason Momoa as Aquaman and Ray Fisher as Cyborg in their own spin offs while Ben Affleck, Henry Cavill and Amy Adams will star as Batman, Superman and Lois Lane in recurring roles through Justice League parts 1 and 2 (both directed by Zack “300” Snyder).

Standing out form their ten planned films is Suicide Squad as it depicts a team of villains. David Ayer (Fury, End of Watch) directs this flick and casting rumours circulated around the likes of Will Smith (I am Legend, Men in Black, The Pursuit of Happyness), Ryan Gosling (The Notebook, Drive, The Place Beyond the Pines) and Tom Hardy (The Dark Knight Rises, Inception, Locke) but more recent reports point towards specific roles.

Margot Robbie (The Wolf of Wall Street, About Time) is going to Harley Quinn. This particularly is a point of interest as the character hasn’t been played a single time on screen (despite there being seven Batman films). Quinn will be accompanied by a new iteration of The Joker, DC’s most iconic villain. Here he’s likely to get played by Oscar winner Jared Leto (Dallas Buyers Club, Panic Room, Requiem For a Dream), succeeding the likes of Jack Nicholson and Heath Ledger who in fact won an Oscar for the role. Robbie’s casting is an intelligent one but Leto may struggle between Ledger’s portrayal of a tortured soul or the more extravagant Nicholson/Mark Hamill versions. Leto did play borderline insane back in Panic Room but then he was more obviously channelling Brad Pitt in 12 Monkeys.

Suicide Squad – August 5th 2016

McGregor, Gyllenhaal and MacConaughey in Doctor Strange rumour and DC announce new releases

The elusive casting of Marvel’s Doctor Strange still rages. Scott Derickson (Sinister) was hired shortly after the film’s confirmation but the crucial position of the lead role in the superhero fantasy has passed through many hands. So far Jared Leto (Dallas Buyers Club, Panic Room), Benedict Cumberbatch (The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug, Star Trek Into Darkness) and Tom Hardy (The Dark Knight Rises, Mad Max: Fury Road) have been named in connection until this summer when Joaquin Phoenix (Walk the Line, Her) began negotiations. Months later, Phoenix dropped out and the chase began once more.

Names such as Adrien Brody (The Pianist) and Jon Hamm (Mad Men) have been thrown up in speculation. Hardy and Cumberbatch seem unlikely but Leto is still a viable option. More recently there were rumours of Keanu Reeves (The Matrix) and Ethan Hawke (Before Sunset) being involved but a new report claims a host of actors are on a shortlist. Matthew MacConaughey (Interstellar, Mud, Dallas Buyers Club), Oscar Isaac (The Two Faces of January, Inside Llewyn Davis, Star Wars: Episode VII) and Jake Gyllenhaal (Nightcrawler, Source Code, Brokeback Mountain).

Most interestingly Ewan McGregor was also named. The Scot found fame in a Danny Boyle double bill of Shallow Grave and Trainspotting but seems to have been shying away from blockbuster roles since the subduing experience of the Star Wars prequel trilogy. He’s since taken roles in The Impossible, Black Hawk Down, Moulin Rouge and Tim Burton’s truly loveable Big Fish. McGregor would be an excellent choice.

Warner Bros are following Marvel’s suit with a cinematic universe based upon the DC comic books. Following last year’s Man of Steel, the layout of their new set of films is at last being unveiled. As expected, Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice rolls in March 25th 2016. Wonder Woman (Gal Gadot) gets a spin off in 2017 accompanied by Dwayne Johnson’s Shazam and the very first Justice League picture. Ezra Miller (The Perks of Being a Wall-Flower, We Need to Talk About Kevin) plays The Flash and Jason Momoa (Game of Thrones) is Aquaman, both arriving in 2018. David Ayer (Fury, End of Watch) also helms The Suicide Squad, now confirmed as part of the line up. Ben Affleck’s The Batman and more Henry Cavill antics in Man of Steel will follow.

Doctor Strange – July 8th 2016

Marvel hires new writer for Doctor Strange, title change for McAvoy’s Frankenstein and new Batman for 2019

Across the years, they’ve been endless variations of Frankenstein but the upcoming reincarnation does have a fair amount of hype surrounding its main cast, especially James McAvoy as Victor and Daniel Radcliffe as Igor. The film has now extended its title to Victor Frankenstein and we’re not too surprised. While nearly all of the primary characters have been cast there’s been little mention of the monster itself so it’ll probably only play a small role. Paul McGuigan (Sherlock, Lucky Number Slevin) directs James McAvoy (Atonement, X-Men: First Class, Wanted, Filth), Daniel Radcliffe (Harry Potter, The Woman in Black, Kill Your Darlings), Jessica Brown Findlay (A New York Winter’s Tale, Downton Abbey), Mark Gatiss (Match Point, Game of Thrones) and Andrew Scott (Sherlock, Locke).

As of yet, only three films have been confirmed as part of the Marvel Cinematic Universes’ Phase 3 line up, although many others are in production. First off is Peyton Reed’s Ant-Man (which I’ve now lost nearly all enthusiasm for) followed by Anthony and Joe Russo making their return to Captain America in the third instalment before Doctor Strange finally lands on our screens in 2016. Horror writer/director Scott Derrickson (Sinister, The Exorcism of Emily Rose) is the hired man for this fantasy action but he’ll now be aided by Prometheus scribe Jon Spaihts on the screenplay. Tom Hardy (The Dark Knight Rises, Bronson, Warrior), Benedict Cumberbatch (Sherlock, The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug, Star Trek Into Darkness) and Jared Leto (Dallas Buyers Club, Requiem for a Dream, Lord of War) have all been named in connection to the role.

Tonight’s final report concerns the recent proposed schedule for future DC films running into 2018. Including Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice, Shazam, Justice League, Sandman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern/Flash team-up and Man of Steel 2, there was no mention of a standalone Batman film. A new rumour does state that a Wayne-centred spin off titled The Batman will swoop in for 2019 meaning that we’ll have to wait another half a decade for Ben Affleck (Good Will Hunting, Argo, The Town) to take the sole lead in a superhero film. We expect Zack Snyder (Watchmen, 300, Man of Steel) to direct a few films in the series that’ll also star Henry Cavill, Gal Gadot, Jesse Eisenberg, Amy Adams, Jason Momoa, Diane Lane, Ray Fisher, Holly Hunter, Jeremy Irons and Laurence Fishburne.

The Batman – 2019

Doctor Strange – 2016

Victor Frankenstein – October 2nd 2015

First posters for Agent Carter, Gotham and more plus future X-Men to shoot back to back

There’s little over a week until the release of X-Men: Days of Future Past, a time travel sequel predicted to become the biggest film of 2014 so far. Its two settings, 1974 and 2024, are setting up two story threads that the series is attempting to follow with future instalments. The only two that we can firmly say are coming soon are Bryan Singer’s (The Usual Suspects, Apt Pupil, Valkyrie, X-Men 2) X-Men: Apocalypse and James Mangold (3:10, Walk the Line, Girl Interrupted, The Wolverine) Wolverine 3. Oscar nominee Hugh Jackman, a star busy working on Les Mis 2: Dream a Dream Harder!!!, and his iconic anti-hero Wolverine has been in every X-Men film so far and yet his involvement in Apocalypse hasn’t been confirmed.

He managed to let that slip today when he announced his intentions to film Apocalypse and Wolverine 3 back-to-back, confirming his participation in the sci-fi epic. The two projects are likely to be Jackman’s final in the role. He joins James McAvoy (Professor X), Michael Fassbender (Magneto), Jennifer Lawrence (Mystique) and Nicholas Hoult (Beast) while its rumoured that younger versions of Cyclops, Storm, Nightcrawler, Jean Grey and Gambit (traditionally played by James Marsden, Halle Berry, Alan Cumming, Famke Janssen and Taylor Kitsch) will feature. Other X-Men projects we still want to get out there are Jeff Wadlow’s X-Force, Tim Miller’s Deadpool, Lauren Shuler Donner’s Gambit and Mystique.

We recently gained the confirmation that a 13 episode first (potentially of many) season of SHIELD origin story Agent Carter will be filling in the mid-season gap between the two parts Agents of SHIELD season 2. Just to prove that the show is definite, Marvel have revealed an awesome new poster for the show which we hope will star Hayley Atwell, Dominic Cooper and Toby Jones. However, Carter isn’t the only comic book TV show to debut a new teaser image. DC and Danny Cannon’s Batman prequel Gotham (starring Ben McKenzie, Jada Pinkett Smith, Donal Logue and Sea Pertwee), which we can confirm will feature villains such as Penguin, Riddler, Poison Ivy and Catwoman, and Arrow spin off The Flash (starring Grant Gustin) also disclosed as few new sneak peeks. Note – for Gotham look out for the cat, the penguin poster, the plants running up the side of the building and the graffiti “?” hinting at what’s to come for the supporting cast.

Agent Carter – late 2014

The Flash – late 2014

Gotham – late 2014

X-Men: Days of Future Past – May 22nd

X-Men: Apocalypse – May 19th 2016

Wolverine 3 – March 2nd 2017

TV casts it’s The Flash and Mummy 4 may have it’s director

You may have heard of, or seen, this year’s horror hit Mama which starred Jessica Chastain and took $146 million. It’s director, Andres Muschietti, is now rumoured to be taking a crack at the new Mummy reboot.

The recent Mummy franchise has seen it’s ups and downs. The first two films, The Mummy and The Mummy Returns, are great fun but the third, Tomb of the Dragon Emperor didn’t do as well critically (even if it did take $400 million). The spin-off Scorpion King series didn’t take off as much as the studios would have wanted. Tomb of the Dragon Emperor’s Chinese setting was meant to then lead to a adventure set in Peru but that sequel fell down. Given Muschietti’s horror backgrounds, this will most likely be quite a bit darker than previous instalments.

Prolific writing duo Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman will produce the film with Sean Daniel and the writing team of Billy Ray (The Hunger Games) and Jon Spaihts (Prometheus). The plot is yet unknown, as is it’s main cast. Will Brendan Fraser return?

Just a quick bit of news to say that CW has cast it’s The Flash. The DC Comics hero will debut in the series two of hit show Arrow. Glee’s Grant Gustin will play Barry Allen in episodes 8, 9 and 20 before he’s likely to have his own show. This could lead up to him having a role in Superman vs. Batman in 2015 or Justice League in 2017 should Gustin be a success.

The Mummy 4 could be out 2016

Arrow season 2 premiers October 9th on The CW

X-Men unveil Trask, Red Tails pair join Interstellar and Flash rumours

Peter Dinklage’s role in the upcoming Days of Future Past has been known across the internet for some time but confirmed at Comic-Con that he is indeed playing industrialist Bolivar Trask. Marvel has expanded their viral website for his fictional company Trask Industries as well as a mug-shot of Dinklage in character for Bryan Singer’s new X-Men epic.

Here’s the link for the website itself where you’ll find dozens of realistic charts and graphs detailing Trask’s (note: Trask you may have noticed is an anagram of other Marvel industrialist Stark) rise to success in protecting humanity in the form of his really creepy robots: The Sentinels. Hopefully they’ll make these villainous androids the highlight of the film. There’s definitely fun in their scary potential to be had (see the media page of Trask for some of the most oddly terrifying promotion art in a long time). The genetics page is an interesting read with the low affect mutations such as Heterochromia (mentioned in X-Men:First Class), premature balding and heightened athletic ability ranging to the high affect mutations (see if you can spot the references to major Marvel characters): flight, telepathy, rapid healing, excessive strength to weight ratio, shape-shifting and sonar.

There’s plenty of interesting facts to be found, such as homo-sapiens to X-Gene ratios being 40:1 whilst low affect mutation to high is 99:1 making 0.025% the superpowered mutants we’re after. The Here’s to the Next 50 Years video shows Trask’s development over 50 years. Given that the only scenes of Bolivar himself see him sporting a 70s style moustache we can probably assume that in 2020 (the film’s main setting) he’ll have died and his Sentinels have gotten out of hand under a new regime. We know Trask began his work in 1962 and that in 1973 he began the Sentinel programme. In 2020 the Sentinel Mark X is launched but key date is 1973. It’s the time that Wolverine travels back to to prevent and assassination and prevent the Sentinel’s creation but Mystique’s (Jennifer Lawrence) new brotherhood could end that.

Recent events may sadly diminish the rumours of DC’s The Flash coming to cinemas 2016 to follow Superman VS Batman in 2015 before Justice League in 2017. Flash will be appearing on the successful DC TV show Arrow which brings the chronicles of Green Arrow to the small screen. It’s confirmed that the speedy hero will have his story told in an episode the the upcoming series 2 but it’s not yet known if this will lead to Flash’s own spin-off series. After having hits Smallville and Arrow, will DC be expanding it’s small screen universe just as Man of Steel sets up a movie Justice League? Marvel are managing a co-existing movie and television universe with Agents of SHIELD coming this autumn but a Wonder Woman series titled Amazon has had a development stall for some time.

Finally, just as you thought Christopher Nolan had finished completing his cast for Interstellar he makes another two additions. The sc-fi thriller has had regular casting updates over recent weeks, John Lithgow, Mackenzie Foy, Wes Bentley and Topher Grace joining Matthew Mconaughey, Jessica Chastain, Anne Hathaway, Michael Caine and Casey Affleck. The newest additions are David Oyelowo and David Gyasi. The two were both stars of Red Tails as well as plenty of separate projects. Oyelowo is an Oxford born rising star with supporting roles in Jack Reacher, The Paperboy and Rise of the Planet of the Apes behind him and The Butler and Default both to come. Gyasi is possibly less established but you may have caught him in The Wachowski sibling’s Cloud Atlas or a small role in The Dark Knight Rises (which would have got him on Chris Nolan’s radar).

A plot update tells us that Interstellar tells the story of a futuristic group of adventurers going through a wormhole to discover what’s really on the other side…

X-Men: Days of Future Past is out May 22nd 2014

Arrow season 2 premiers October 9th on CW

Interstellar is out November 7th 2014