Production On STAR TREK 3 Halted As Roberto Orci Exits And Edgar Wright Linked To Replace

This was a bad idea from the start. Deadline is reporting that first-time director Roberto Orci has exited the director's chair on Paramount's Star Trek 3. Details for the exit aren't being reported, but I've heard he bullied his way onto the job and creative differences have lead to the exit. Originally, directors like Attack The Block's Joe Cornish were in talks to direct. One of the new directors on the studio's shortlist is Edgar Wright (Scott Pilgrim, Shaun of The Dead, The World's End, Hot Fuzz), who recently exited Marvel's Ant-Man over creative difference.

I hear that that exit was due to Wright's unwillingness to include elements of the Marvel Cinematic Universe and other Marvel films into his script. Edgar Wright wouldn't be a stranger to the Star Trek set as he directed a few shots in Into Darkness, during the fight between Khan and the Klingons. We'll be keeping our fingers crossed that Cornish and Wright are frontrunners for the gig. You might remember that Edgar Wright had also been on Paramount's radar to direct Mission: Impossible Ghost Protocol.

SOURCE: DEADLINE

John Boyega And Chadwick Boseman Talk BLACK PANTHER Role

Black Panther has been a hot-topic in development project at Marvel for years now, at one point Wesley Snipes was considered for the role. More recently, Mark Bailey completed a draft for the script which seemingly impressed insiders and the Marvel offices. However, the studio has pushed it back to make way for projects like Guardians of The Galaxy, Ant-Man and Doctor Strange. Kevin Feige stated last year, that they were indeed still developing the film. It's a bit more reassuringly than the shutdown on the Black Widow film.

When it comes to grilling potential actors about Black Panther, none are betting than BlackFilm. They've been getting a bunch of responses from actors over the last year or so. Another T'Challa candidate (according LatinoReview) is up-and-comer Chadwick Boseman (Get On Up, 42), and he commented on the possibility of doing Black Panther. He starts out coy, but eventually gives the impression the character would have to standout for him to do it. We currently don't even know if he's even in the running anymore.

Could you see yourself playing Black Panther?

Chadwick Boseman: I could see myself doing anything in terms of comic book, action, or anything like that. Black Panther, in particular, I’m not going to answer that.

If not, then which character?

CB: Let me put to you this way. If it’s character driven, I’ll do it. As long as it’s character driven, I would love to do it. If it’s just you in a suit and you with powers, then it doesn’t interest me, no matter how big it is. As long as it’s character driven, I’m totally into it. If they could figure out how to do Black Panther and make it fit the original or adapt to the times we’re in now and be new and innovative and be character driven and has the sense of what the comic book is supposed to be, but not bound by it, then yes, of course, I would want to do it.

As he finished speaking on the record, he asked if folks wanted to see a Black Panther film and I said yes. Then he asked, “What about Green Lantern?”

Attack The Block's John Boyega has been more vocal about his desire of playing a Marvel role. Speaking to FlicksAndTheCity he mentioned inspiring actors which included Sam Rockwell (Iron Man 2), Anthony Hopkins (Thor 1-2), and fellow Star Wars candidate David Oyelowo (also a favorite for Panther). He was also asked about Marvel and Joss Whedon calling, and he specifically names Black Panther and Blade as dream-roles.

"First of all, if Joss Whedon called. I would leave my life behind and fly out to L.A., and train for the role...But I'm a big Marvel fan and I'm a big DC fan, so I'm into all that stuff. I know of what film is auditioning, I can tell you right now and futuristically speaking, that's just because I'm a fan. So, obviously I'd be very happy if that happened. And, I'm pretty sure hopefully if everything goes well, it might just happen."

"So..I'm just going to be specific.. I would play the Black Panther in Marvel, Joss Whedon if you're listening make a good choice. I don't know there's loads, there's Black Panther, there's Blade, they want to do a Blade reboot. If Wesley Snipes handed the baton to me, that'd be good."

Back in December, John spoke to Metro explaining why the Black Panther story speaks to him.

"The Black Panther, the Marvel character. For me it’s the back-story. My family is originally from Nigeria and the Black Panther comics are about this African nation that is wealthy and healthy and totally cut off from the world. It’s never known slavery, it’s the ultimate nation – it neither buys nor sells oil. The Americans and the British want to know: ‘What’s the deal with these people?’ – they see the Black Panther as a kind of panther god. If I ever got that role, I’d think I’d died and gone to heaven."

It doesn't hurt his Marvel connections working with Ant-Man's Edgar Wright and Joe Cornish on Attack The Block. Walking the red carpet to support Joss Whedon (Avengers) and Drew Goddard's (Daredevil) horror hybrid Cabin In The Woods, which co-starred Thor's Chris Hemsworth. Having experience at Comic-Con and being a comic book fan might be asset as well.

He was recently connected to roles in both Star Wars: Episode VII and Terminator: Genesis (didn't end up with the part). The former could allow extra international exposure which would be needed for the Black Panther lead role (similar to Hemsworth's Star Trek exposure prior to Thor). At the moment, we don't expect the Panther solo movie to show-up until Phase Four, allowing Boyega to knock-out a couple of Star Wars films first (if he ends up landing a role). ThePlaylist has also made the case to consider John for the T'Challa role.


SOURCE: BLACKFILM

SPECULATION: Could Joe Cornish Direct A Federation/Klingon War In STAR TREK 3?

It's starting to look like J.J. Abrams really won't be coming back to make the third Star Trek. As there is talk via LatinoReview on Twitter that J.J. and Paramount are possibly looking at an up and coming writer/director to direct the third installment. The name they are likely referring to is British comedian turned writer/director Joe Cornish. Joe is best known for his breakout sci-fi comedy Attack The Block and he also co-wrote Marvel's Ant-Man with Edgar Wright.

Details of the third film aren't exactly known but the seeds of a massive war between the Federation and Klingon Empire were planted in this recent installment. I wouldn't be shocked to see The Enterprise given another galaxy saving mission soon but we might not see the crew again until 2016. No word if the writers have started on turning their outline into a full fledged shooting script. If Cornish is indeed the person who takes over the franchise he has the writing chops to put a script together on his own.

Joe Cornish To Direct Cyberpunk Thriller 'SNOW CRASH'

Joe Cornish has lined up his next film which will be a cyberpunk thriller based on the novel Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson. Cornish has had an interesting bit of success with his first film Attack The Block becoming a big hit among genre fans. He also helped write the Tintin script with his Ant-Man co-writer Edgar Wright. Joe had been in the mix to replace Hunger Games director Gary Ross for it's sequel Catching Fire.


Set in the near future, when the U.S. exists as a patchwork of corporate-franchise city-states, and private enterprise and the mafia control everything. The plot involves a computer virus that is manifested as a drug called Snow Crash that is transmitted visually from computer screens to unsuspecting users, frying their brains. Hiro Protagonist – that’s the character’s name – a computer hacker/samurai swordsman/pizza delivery driver who investigates and tries to stop the takeover of postmodern civilization.

 SOURCE: Deadline

Kevin Feige Hopeful Ant-Man Will Happen Soon

BleedingCool was able to speak with Marvel's Kevin Feige who calls the shots when to comes the Marvel Cinematic Universe at Marvel Studios. He gives another encouraging statement on Ant-Man which has Edgar Wright (Scott Pilgrim) attached to direct. The film is co-written by Joe Cornish (Attack The Block) and Wright, the pair previously worked together on the script for Tintin: The Secret of The Unicorn.

"It’s somewhere. I’ll just say it’s closer than it’s ever been in its long maybe eight year history, and I usually e-mail Edgar every two or three days and over those eight years its got further away and closer… we are now closer than we’ve ever been. So I hope it will come together shortly."

Wright's other projects could conflict with him directing Ant-Man as he's also lined up Baby Driver, World's End starring Nick Frost/Simon Pegg and Disney's The Night Stalker which stars Johnny Depp. I wouldn't be surprised to see Joe Cornish end up taking over directing duties on the superhero film.

Could Joe Cornish Direct Ant-Man?

We've been hearing lots of updates concerning the script of Marvel Studios' Ant-Man which is being written by Edgar Wright and Joe Cornish. The pair previously worked together on Steven Spielberg's The Adventures of Tintin: The Secret of The Unicorn that's being produced by Peter Jackson. Last thing we heard is that the duo handed in a second draft which the studio seemed thrilled about. Now word from HitFix is that they're aren't finished the script leading us to believe that a third draft is currently being worked on. Joe also stated Edgar hasn't been announced as the official director and that he would leave all the announcements about the film to him [Wright]. Marvel Studios has neither announced a release date or even a director for the film.


I'm getting the feeling that Joe might be in a better position to direct Ant-Man than Edgar. Cornish is slowly gathering steam as a director with his cult film Attack The Block and unlike Wright doesn't have his plate full of projects. Marvel is notoriously cheap and would likely lock a director into a two picture deal. Something I feel could be too much for Wright who does as much producing as he does directing. Likely wanting the breathing room to make his passion projects such as Baby Driver, Them and World's End along with producing other things. Cornish was recently linked as a candidate to direct A Good Day To Die Hard the fifth film in the Die Hard franchise before John Moore was hired.

FIRST LOOK: Joe Cornish's Attack The Block

Basement Jaxxx Scoring Attack The Block

Edgar Wright just spilled the beans on Basement Jaxxx's involvement with Joe Cornish's directorial debut Attack The Block. The science fiction action comedy will feature Nick Frost (Paul, Shaun of The Dead, Hot Fuzz) and focuses on a teen gang in South London defending their block from an alien invasion. Wright Tweeted about enjoying Basement Jaxxx's score for the science fiction comedy. Cornish is a good friend of Wright's and the two worked together on the script for Steven Spielberg's Adventures of Tintin: The Secret of The Unicorn. I love the work of Basement Jaxxx with their blending of British Hip-hop, Trip-hop, Bollywood and Electronic music.