Songbird: STX nabs rights to Michael Bay-produced pandemic thriller

STXfilms has successfully acquired the rights to producer Michael Bay’s upcoming pandemic thriller film titled Songbird, which was one of the few projects that was able to continue filming during the widespread lockdown back in March. Starring Riverdale star KJ Apa and former Disney Channel star Sofia Carson, the film had recently wrapped its production in Los Angeles.

“We are thrilled to acquire this timely and urgent movie,” Chairman of STXfilms Motion Picture Group, Adam Fogelson said in a statement (via Deadline). “This year has irrevocably changed the way people interact with each other and their surroundings, and the reverberations will be profound; with all of 2020 underlying every frame of the movie, Songbird will be relevant, moving, and sentimental as a love story, while also scary as hell. We have been longtime fans and friends of many of the creative team behind Songbird. We are looking forward to working with Michael, Adam, Andrew, and the teams at Invisible Narratives and Catchlight Films, who have been behind some of the best recent films that marry realistic science fiction and emotional storylines in an effective and terrifying way.”

RELATED: My Spy 2: Amazon Prime & STX Looking to Reunite Team for Sequel

Songbird is said to be set two years in the future during a pandemic lockdown and follows the love story between motorbike courier Nico (Apa), who has a rare immunity to the disease, and Sara (Carson), a young artist. Nico overcomes martial law, murderous vigilantes, and a powerful, well-connected family, helmed by a matriarch who will stop at nothing to protect her family and maintain her way of life.

“Songbird is a story of hope in the midst of tragedy that we felt a pressing need to tell as we all live through the single greatest health crisis of our lifetimes. Everyone at STX understands and appreciates this film deep in their core,” Producers Adam Goodman and Andrew Sugerman said. “Their commitment to Songbird has assured us that we are in the best possible hands, and we’re excited to be working with them on this adventure.”

In addition to KJ Apa and Sofia Carson, the call sheet for the film is said to feature an ensemble cast that includes Demi Moore (Corporate Animals), Bradley Whitford (Godzilla: King of the Monsters), Craig Robinson (What We Do in the Shadows), Jenna Ortega (Elena of Avalor), Paul Walter Hauser (Da 5 Bloods) and Peter Stormare (American Gods).

RELATED: Elisabeth Moss-Led Horror Run Rabbit Run Acquired by STX

Songbird is directed by Adam Mason (Into the Dark) from a script written by Simon Boyes. Bay is producing alongside Adam Goodman and Andrew Eben Davidson of Invisible Narratives, who are also financing the project. The film is also produced by Catchlight Studios’ Jeanette Volturno, Jason Clark and Marcei Brown with Michael Kase and Invisible Narratives’ Eben Davidson set as executive producers.

The film is one of the first to go into production in Los Angeles as the real pandemic lockdown is slowly being lifted and the imposition of new safety restrictions make it possible for Hollywood to start slowly resume filming.

(Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)

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Olivia Wilde to helm secret female-led Marvel film at Sony

After breaking out behind the camera with the acclaimed coming-of-age comedy Booksmart, Olivia Wilde has been one of the most sought-after directors in Hollywood and now Deadline has brought word that she has signed on to helm a secret female-led Marvel film at Sony Pictures.

RELATED: Sony Working on Secret Female-Centric Marvel Movie With S.J. Clarkson

Though no story details or characters have been revealed for the new project, which is being penned by Wilde and her producing partner Katie Silberman (Booksmart), sources report that the film may center on Spider-Woman but without comment from Sony, this is only speculation at this point.

The project has reportedly been high on Sony’s priority list and the studio has been in talks with Wilde to direct it for a while, though she nearly passed as her upcoming lineup of projects has filled up quickly over the past year, but the prospect of launching her own female superhero swung her to close the deal.

It also marks the second female-centric Marvel film currently in development at Sony Pictures, with the studio landing S.J. Clarkson (Game of Thrones) to direct and develop a film that is rumored to be a Madame Webb project earlier this year, while also still developing a series adaptation of Black Cat and Silver Sable with Gina Prince-Blythewood after initially cancelling the film in the works.

RELATED: Dakota Johnson In Talks For Olivia Wilde’s Don’t Worry, Darling

Wilde also becomes the latest female talent to get her hands on a major comic book project, with last month bringing word that Candyman‘s Nia DaCosta would helm Captain Marvel 2 for the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The two follow in the footsteps of recent female filmmakers behind blockbuster properties in the genre including Wonder Woman‘s Patty Jenkins, Birds of Prey‘s Cathy Yan and The Eternals‘ Chloe Zhao.

The new project will be produced by Amy Pascal, who is currently working with Wilde and Silberman on a buddy Christmas comedy at Universal, and executive produced by Rachel O’Connor. Wilde is currently gearing up to begin shooting the psychological thriller Don’t Worry Darling at New Line, which has landed Florence Pugh (Midsommar), Chris Pine (Wonder Woman 1984), Shia LaBeouf (The Tax Collector) and Dakota Johnson (The High Note) to star.

(Photo Credit: Rachel Murray/Getty Images for MAKERS)

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The Batman to resume production in the UK next month

As a number of major Hollywood productions are gearing up overseas to make their 2021 release dates, it’s been announced that the Robert Pattinson-led The Batman will be returning to Warner Bros. Studios Leavesden in the UK to resume shooting, according to Deadline.

RELATED: Screenwriter Mattson Tomlin Talks The Batman and Mega Man

Filming on the highly-anticipated reboot was shut down in March due to the ongoing global pandemic, but sources report that construction on new sets for the film began sometime last month and that Reeves had shot roughly a quarter of the film before the halt in production. This weekend’s DC FanDome event will feature a panel focused on the still mysterious project, but with word coming that co-writer/director Matt Reeves has no plans to begin editing the film just yet, it’s likely no footage will be shown during the panel.

Starring alongside Robert Pattinson’s Batman/Bruce Wayne is Zoë Kravitz (Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald, Mad Max: Fury Road) as Selina Kyle; Paul Dano (Love & Mercy, 12 Years a Slave) as Edward Nashton; Jeffrey Wright (the Hunger Games films) as the GCPD’s James Gordon; John Turturro (the Transformers films) as Carmine Falcone; Peter Sarsgaard (The Magnificent Seven, Black Mass) as Gotham D.A. Gil Colson; Jayme Lawson (Farewell Amor) as mayoral candidate Bella Reál; with Andy Serkis (the Planet of the Apes films, Black Panther) as Alfred; and Colin Farrell (Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, Dumbo) as Oswald Cobblepot. Twins Max and Charlie Carver have also joined the movie in “sizable roles.”

Plot details are still being kept under wraps but The Batman is reportedly set to explore the Dark Knight’s younger years with Reeves further hinting at the film’s connection to the iconic comic book story arc “Year One” by Frank Miller and David Mazzucchelli which was published in 1987.

RELATED: Robert Pattinson Tried to Hide His Batman Audition from Christopher Nolan

Reeves and Dylan Clark (the Planet of the Apes films) are producing the film, with Simon Emanuel, Michael E. Uslan, Walter Hamada, and Chantal Nong Vo serving as executive producers.

The Batman opens in theaters on October 1, 2021.

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Superman Faces Lobo in New Man of Tomorrow Clip

Warner Bros. has unveiled a new clip (via IGN) to its upcoming animated movie Superman: Man of Tomorrow that sees the Man of Steel square off against Lobo. You can check out the clip in the player below and pre-order the movie by clicking here!

Produced by Warner Bros. Animation and DC, the feature-length animated film will be released by Warner Bros. Home Entertainment on Digital starting August 23, and on 4K Ultra HD Combo Pack and Blu-ray Combo Pack on September 8.

RELATED: August 18 Blu-ray, Digital and DVD Releases

It’s the dawn of a new age of heroes, and Metropolis has just met its first. But as Daily Planet intern Clark Kent – working alongside reporter Lois Lane – secretly wields his alien powers of flight, super-strength, and x-ray vision in the battle for good, there’s even greater trouble on the horizon. Follow the budding hero as he engages in bloody battles with intergalactic bounty hunter Lobo and fights for his life to halt the attack of power-hungry alien Parasite. The world will learn about Superman … but first, Superman must save the world!

Emmy and Golden Globe winner Darren Criss (Glee, American Crime Story: The Assassination of Gianni Versace) and Emmy nominee Zachary Quinto (Star Trek franchise, Heroes) lead a star-studded cast as the voices of Superman/Clark Kent and Lex Luthor, respectively.

The cast also includes Alexandra Daddario (San Andreas, Baywatch) as Lois Lane, Brett Dalton (Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.) as Parasite/Rudy Jones, Ryan Hurst (The Walking Dead, Sons of Anarchy, Remember the Titans) as Lobo, Ike Amadi (Mass Effect 3, Mortal Kombat Legends: Scorpion’s Revenge) as Martian Manhunter, Neil Flynn (The Middle, Scrubs) as Jonathan Kent, Bellamy Young (Scandal, Prodigal Son) as Martha Kent, Cristina Milizia (DC Super Hero Girls) as Maya, Petey & Kaylie, Eugene Byrd (Bones, LEGO Star Wars: The Freemaker Adventures) as Ron Troupe, April Stewart (South Park) as Mrs. Ross, and Piotr Michael (The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle) as Perry White, as well as Cissy Jones (Firewatch), and David Chen (Gotham).

Superman: Man of Tomorrow introduces a new producing vision to the DC Universe Movies series, which now numbers 41 films over its 13 years of existence. Supervising Producer Butch Lukic has a rich pedigree in DC animated productions, serving as producer on Constantine: City of Demons, Justice League Action, and the Batman Unlimited franchise, as well as directing episodes of Justice League, Batman Beyond and Beware the Batman. Lukic brings a new visual aesthetic to Superman: Man of Tomorrow that departs from the animation styles – of previous producers Bruce Timm (23 films) and James Tucker (17 films) – thus far represented in the DC Universe Movies.

Chris Palmer (Voltron: Legendary Defender) is the director of Superman: Man of Tomorrow, utilizing a script by Tim Sheridan (The Death of Superman). Producers are Jim Krieg (Batman: Gotham by Gaslight) and Kimberly S. Moreau (Batman vs. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles). Executive Producer is Sam Register.

RELATED: Superman: Man of Tomorrow Trailer & Blu-ray Box Art

The special features for Superman: Man of Tomorrow include:

-Lobo: Natural Force of Chaos Featurette

-Martian Manhunter: Lost and Found Featurette

-Look Back: Justice League vs. The Fatal Five Featurette

-Look Back: Superman/Batman: Public Enemies Featurette

-From the DC Vault: Superman: The Animated Series, “The Main Man, Part I”

-From the DC Vault: Superman: The Animated Series, “The Main Man, Part II”

-Movie trailers for Justice League Dark: Apokolips War, Mortal Kombat Legends: Scorpion’s Revenge, and Superman: Red Son.

-A Sneak Peek at the next DC Universe Movie — An advanced look at the next animated film in the popular DC Universe Movies collection.

Check out this new clip from ‘SUPERMAN: MAN OF TOMORROW’

Are you going to see it?!

pic.twitter.com/Cc2xCyY3St

— Geekly Goods (@GeeklyGoods) August 18, 2020

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HBO Max’s Class Action Park Trailer & Key Art Debuts

HBO Max has released the trailer and key art for Class Action Park, the first-ever documentary on the world’s most dangerous amusement park, set to premiere on the streamer on Thursday, August 27. You can check out the trailer below as well as the full key art!

RELATED: The Other Two & South Side Move to HBO Max in Comedy Central Programming Deal

The documentary reveals the truth about New Jersey’s Action Park, widely regarded as the world’s most dangerous amusement park and a staple of growing up in the New York/New Jersey area in the ’80s and ’90s. There have been many famous Action Park “alumni” that have shared their experiences over the years, inspiring feature films, scripted series, and most recently a tell-all book written by the son of the genius madman that founded the park. For the first time, fans new and old will be able to experience firsthand the insanity of this dangerous water park via real-life footage and testimonials.

Class Action Park is the first-ever feature-length documentary to explore the legend, legacy, and truth behind a place that long ago entered the realm of myth. To some, New Jersey’s infamous Action Park was the most spectacularly fun amusement park on Earth: A place where unruly 1980s teenagers were given free rein to go gonzo on strange contraptions that seemed to violate the laws of common sense (and perhaps physics). To others, it was an ill-conceived death trap. One thing is sure: It’s the type of place that will never exist again. Shirking the trappings of nostalgia, the film uses investigative journalism, newly unearthed and never-before-seen documents and recordings, original animations, and interviews with the people who lived it to reveal the true story for the first time. The documentary also features an original score by The Holladay Brothers.

RELATED: Mandatory Streamers: Be Careful What You Search for in HBO’s Lovecraft Country

Class Action Park is produced and directed by Chris Charles Scott & Seth Porges. Authentic Talent & Literary Management’s Liz DeCesare executive produced.

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Pete Davidson & O’Shea Jackson Jr. to Lead American Sole

STXfilms is lining up some major talent for the high-top dramatic comedy American Sole as Pete Davidson (The King of Staten Island) and O’Shea Jackson Jr. (Long Shot) are set to lead the cast while Kevin Hart and Chris Paul are attached to produce the project!

RELATED: Worst Man: Pete Davidson & Colin Jost to Star in Universal’s Wedding Comedy Film

The film, written and directed by Ian Edelman (The After Party), follows two twenty-somethings with mountains of college debt who use the fast cash of after-market sneaker reselling to achieve their American dream. But when their startup runs out of cash and a shady investor is their only way out, the dream quickly becomes a nightmare.

“We’re always looking for ways to tap into the zeitgeist, and anyone who’s paying attention to popular culture around the world knows that this particular trend authentically marries the worlds of fashion, music, sports and business and this project has garnered genuine interest in all of those key verticals,” Adam Fogelson, chairman of the STXfilms Motion Picture Group, said in a statement. “We believe we have assembled a dream team of filmmakers, and with the cast led by Pete, we couldn’t ask for a more exciting fit for STXfilms.”

Hart will produce the film via his HartBeat production banner alongside Paul via his Oh Dipp!!! Production label and Jake Stein via his Scondo Productions, while John McPheters of Stadium Goods is attached to executive produce with HartBeat’s Bryan Smiley.

“American Sole is a story about the highly exciting, very profitable sneaker industry and the secondary sneaker market,” Paul said in a statement. “With my own personal passion for sneakers and the culture that drives it,  I’m excited to be a part of telling this entertaining story.”

RELATED: STX Acquires Kevin Macdonald Legal Thriller With Foster, Rahim & More

Stadium Goods, the world’s premier sneaker and streetwear marketplace, serves as a consulting producer on the project. The resale market is one of the fastest-growing segments of the fashion industry, having reached $2 billion as some fans shell out as much as $50,000 for pairs of rare models previously made in extremely limited runs. Stadium Goods partnered with Christie’s in August 2019 to auction the Air Jordan 1 High “‘Backboard’ Origin Story” for $615,000, the record for the most expensive shoe ever sold.

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Wonder Woman 1984 Director Patty Jenkins Praises Co-Writer Geoff Johns

Throughout the last 20 years, Geoff Johns has presided over acclaimed runs on several DC Comics titles. Wonder Woman director Patty Jenkins even calls him “the most prolific comic book writer in DC history” (via SuperHeroHype). So when Johns began writing heroes for the big and small screens, longtime readers felt this boded well for DC’s film universe. But when he, Jenkins, and Dave Callaham began working together on Wonder Woman 1984’s script, they apparently tapped into something really special.

The trio of screenwriters recently sat down for an interview with Written By to discuss their backgrounds and collaborative process. According to Jenkins, she and Johns bonded over the role that the original Superman movie played in shaping their professional lives.

“Geoff and I clicked immediately a long time ago,” said Jenkins. “Superman changed my life and had a lot to do with what I wanted to do in this career. I always wanted to aim to make something as great as that, that touched the masses’ souls. And I was a huge admirer of his work as a writer.”

RELATED: Official Wonder Woman 1984 LEGO Set Images, With Cheetah

“And I feel so lucky to have gotten to work with both of these great artists,” added Jenkins. “This is something we all really believed in as well, and that’s a great thing. We got to do a movie and yes, we got to do a superhero movie, but we also got to contribute our souls to a story and we feel we’re putting something into the world that we believe in. And to [Callaham], thank God you joined. Geoff and I were on on a wing and a prayer.”

Jenkins’ comments come one week after Ray Fisher claimed that Johns threatened his acting career for attempting to air grievances about Joss Whedon’s “unprofessional” behavior during Justice League reshoots. It’s also worth noting that this interview took place in March, months before Fisher levied his initial accusations. With that in mind, her praise for Johns shouldn’t be viewed as a response to this affair. Regardless, it doesn’t seem like she faced similar problems while working with him. In fact, she and Johns are also collaborating on the as-yet-untitled Amazons spinoff feature.

Wonder Woman 1984 will hit theaters on October 2.

Are you excited to see what Jenkins, Johns, and Callaham came up with for the sequel? Let us know in the comments down below!

Recommended Reading: Wonder Woman By George Perez Vol. 1

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Screenwriter Mattson Tomlin Talks The Batman and Mega Man

During an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, screenwriter Mattson Tomlin (Project Power, Little Fish) spoke about his upcoming projects The Batman, directed and co-written by Matt Reeves, and the Mega Man adaptation, including how he can’t even reveal (yet) how he first teamed up with Reeves on the highly-anticipated project as “there are spoilers in that story.”

RELATED: The Batman Co-Writer Says Bruce Wayne’s Trauma Will Be Explored in Surprising Ways

When asked how he approached an established IP compared to an original property, Tomlin said: “In the case of Batman, I love that character and lots of people love that character and it comes with a tremendous amount of weight and responsibility and expectation. You want to do right by people. You want to do something new, but you also want to do something that feels like it is the thing, regardless of what it is.”

Tomlin added that Reeves is “brilliant,” sharing that the filmmaker is “just incredible and I think that one of the things that caused me to identify with him and bond with him as an artist is the fact that he is able to tell these extremely personal stories in the canvas of large blockbusters.”

As far as Mega Man goes, the screenwriter added that he hopes the fans who hit him up all the time on Twitter “love the movie.” Tomlin is reteaming with directors Ariel Schulman and Henry Joost, who helmed Tomlin’s sci-fi thriller Project Power which stars Jamie Foxx and Joseph Gordon-Levitt and is now streaming on Netflix, on 20th Century Studios’ adaptation of the hit video game series developed by Capcom.

Starring alongside Robert Pattinson’s Batman/Bruce Wayne is Zoë Kravitz (Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald, Mad Max: Fury Road) as Selina Kyle; Paul Dano (Love & Mercy, 12 Years a Slave) as Edward Nashton; Jeffrey Wright (the Hunger Games films) as the GCPD’s James Gordon; John Turturro (the Transformers films) as Carmine Falcone; Peter Sarsgaard (The Magnificent Seven, Black Mass) as Gotham D.A. Gil Colson; Jayme Lawson (Farewell Amor) as mayoral candidate Bella Reál; with Andy Serkis (the Planet of the Apes films, Black Panther) as Alfred; and Colin Farrell (Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, Dumbo) as Oswald Cobblepot. Twins Max and Charlie Carver have also joined the movie in “sizable roles.”

Plot details are still being kept under wraps but The Batman is reportedly set to explore the Dark Knight’s younger years with Reeves further hinting at the film’s connection to the iconic comic book story arc “Year One” by Frank Miller and David Mazzucchelli which was published in 1987.

RELATED: Robert Pattinson Tried to Hide His Batman Audition from Christopher Nolan

Reeves and Dylan Clark (the Planet of the Apes films) are producing the film, with Simon Emanuel, Michael E. Uslan, Walter Hamada, and Chantal Nong Vo serving as executive producers.

The Batman opens in theaters on October 1, 2021.

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Lord, Miller & Lucas Brothers team up for untitled comedy

After working together on the acclaimed buddy cop sequel 22 Jump Street, Phil Lord and Chris Miller (Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse) are reuniting with The Lucas Brothers for an untitled feature comedy at Universal Pictures, according to Deadline.

RELATED: Afterparty: Apple Orders Chris Miller & Phil Lord Murder Mystery Comedy Series

Plot details are currently being kept under wraps on the project, but the film is being described as “a unique high concept comedy,” with Kenny and Keith starring as well as writing the script alongside writing partner Max Reisman.

Lord and Miller, who recently inked a first-look deal with Universal Pictures, will produce via their Lord Miller production banner alongside its President of Film Aditya Sood, with Will Allegra from the label set to executive produce while Universal’s Executive Vice President of Production Matt Reilly is set to oversee the film on behalf of the studio.

Sources report that after the duo broke out in the early 2010s with their well-received animated comedy Lucas Bros. Moving Co. and supporting turn in 22 Jump Street, Universal has been looking to work with the brothers on a project for the past few years. After appearing as themselves in a number of comedies over the years, as well as their 2017 Netflix comedy special On Drugs, the Brothers most recently returned to the film world in the upcoming Fred Hampton biopic Judas and the Black Messiah, which they helped conceive the original story idea with director and co-writers Shaka King and Will Berson.

RELATED: Ryan Gosling-Led Astronaut Film Lands Phil Lord & Chris Miller To Helm

The untitled comedy marks the latest project in Lord and Miller’s already packed upcoming schedule, with the duo recently having signed on to helm the Ryan Gosling-led astronaut film at MGM, Apple acquiring the murder mystery comedy series Afterparty, which Miller created and is showrunning, and a reboot of their cult hit series Clown High at MTV Studios.

(Photo Credits: Getty Images)

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Eternal Beauty trailer starring Sally Hawkins & David Thewlis

Samuel Goldwyn Films has released the official trailer for their upcoming comedy-drama film titled Eternal Beauty, featuring Sally Hawkins and David Thewlis as their characters find themselves in an unusual romance. The film had its world premiere at the 2019 BFI London Film Festival and is scheduled to arrive on VOD on Friday, October 2. Check out the video in the player below!

RELATED: David Thewlis Discusses Avatar 2 Character Details

In Eternal Beauty, when Jane (Sally Hawkins) is dumped at the altar she has a breakdown and spirals into a chaotic world, where love (both real and imagined) and family relationships collide with both touching and humorous consequences. The film is written and directed by Craig Roberts with Adrian Bate set as a producer.

The film will be led by Golden Globe winner Sally Hawkins (The Shape of Water), Emmy nominee David Thewlis (Harry Potter films). It will also feature Billie Piper, Penelope Wilton, Alice Lowe, Robert Aramayo, Robert Pugh, Paul Hilton, Morfydd Clark, and Banita Sandhu.

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