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

James McAvoy is Frankenstein and new poster for Romeo and Juliet

Next year, two Frankenstein films are to be released but at different ends of 2014. The first is I, Frankenstein and is from director Stewart Beattie (writer of Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl, Australia and GI Joe: Rise of Cobra plus director of Tomorrow, When the War Began). It’s set in modern day with Aaron Eckhart as the Frankenstein Monster as he’s caught up in a war between two immortal clans and stars Bill Nighy (Pirates of the Caribbean, Love Actually) and Miranda Otto (The Lord of the Rings, War of the Worlds). The year’s other release is simply titled Frankenstein.

It has a screenplay by Max Landis (son of horror legend John Landis) and directed by Paul McGuigan (Lucky Number Slevin). The only casting so far was Daniel Radcliffe. The English star is most likely to be remembered by all for the Harry Potter films but has done excellent post-Potter work with The Woman In Black (with Ciaran Hinds), Kill Your Darlings (with Dane de Haan, Elizabeth Olsen and Ben Foster) and the upcoming Horns (with Juno Temple).

He will play Igor, the assistant of Victor Frankenstein who’s casting is the subject of this post. James McAvoy will be taking the main role as the lonely, mad scientist who robs the local cemeteries to put body parts into his monster. We’re still not sure who will be playing The Monster itself and whether this will introduce the Bride or if they’ll be producing something similar Danny Boyle’s stage-play where Johnny Lee Millar and Benedict Cumberbatch play both Victor and the Monster.

McAvoy will be best known for The Last King of Scotland (for which he won multiple awards), Wanted, The Chronicles of Narnia: Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe and is now the young Charles Xavier in the X-Men films. He’s got plenty of upcoming projects now. After early this year’s Welcome to the Punch and Trance, he has Filth, The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby: Him and Hers and next year’s Bryan Singer superhero adaptation X-Men: Days of Future Past.

Finally, a new poster for Carlo Carlei’s new Shakespeare adaptation. It’s adapted by the Elizabethan playwright’s most famous production: Romeo and Juliet. True Grit’s Academy Award nominee Hailee Steinfeld and Douglas Booth play the leading duo with Damian Lewis, Paul Giamatti, Ed Westwick and Stellan Skarsgard. The man who made Downton Abbey a worldwide success, Julian Fellowes writes a screenplay that’ll hopefully be staying truer to Shakespeare’s original than Baz Luhrman’s Romeo + Juliet’s modern setting or the complete garden themed revamp animation seen in Gnomeo and Juliet. Here’s the poster and an earlier trailer for Romeo and Juliet.

Romeo and Juliet is out September 6th

Frankenstein is out October 17th 2014