MONSTERS DARK CONTINENT Screenwriter Joins Universal Monsters Writers Collective

Deadline reports another screenwriter has joined Universal Picture's writer collective for their cinematic universe set around the Universal Monsters. The co-writer of The Pier and Monsters: Dark Continent Jay Basu will help the studio reboot their classic monster franchises. Those projects include The Mummy, The Wolf Man, The Invisible Man, Creature From The Black Lagoon, Frankenstein, Bride of Frankenstein, and Van Helsing. Other characters part of this world could include the Phantom of The Opera, Hunchback of Notre Dame and other properties under the roof of the Universal Monsters genre.

Alex Kurtzman is directing the reboot of The Mummy which will be released in 2016, and a new Wolf Man film is also on it's way. The monsters collective includes Kurtzman (Transformers, Star Trek 1-3, Amazing Spider-Man 2), Chris Morgan (Wanted, 47 Ronin, Legend of Conan, Fast And Furious Franchise), Ed Solomon (Men In Black, Now You See Me, Bill And Ted's Excellent Adventure) Aaron Guzikowski (Prisoners, The Red Road), and Noah Hawley (Fargo). Screenwriter Jon Sphaits (Doctor Strange, Prometheus) helped pen The Mummy reboot, but it's unknown if he has been contributing to other monster films.



SOURCE: DEADLINE

Writers Ed Solomon And Noah Hawley Hired For Unnamed Universal Monster Movies

Universal is moving forward world-building their horror universe with their iconic Universal Monsters. Dracula, The Mummy and The Wolfman are already set for the franchise. Dracula played by Luke Evans has already come and gone with Dracula Untold, and will be seen in other films in the future. The Mummy directed by Alex Kurtzman is about to head into production, and The Wolfman has a writer with Aaron Guzikowski (Prisoners).

THR has even more news concerning more writers joining the universe. As Ed Solomon and Noah Hawley have been tasked to write for unnamed projects for the studio. Solomon is best known for his work on Men In Black and Bill And Ted's Excellent Adventure. Ed also recently worked on Now You See Me and was planning on doing rewrites on Alex Kurtzman's Venom movie at Sony. It's possible that Ed is working on The Mummy because of working with Alex previously, or it's something else entirely. Fargo writer Noah Hawely is also in the mix and seems like a good fit for these films.

The other films in the works include The Invisible Man, Van Helsing, Frankenstein and Bride of Frankenstein. We know that Guillermo del Toro has sort of reserved Frankenstein for himself, I would also assume he would want more control over the script as well. Since it's passion project for the filmmaker, I assume it'll be next for him after he completes production of Pacific Rim 2.

The Invisible Man seems like the next logical project to move forward with. Since, the studio will likely wait for del Toro to direct Frankenstein and you need that go first before Bride happens. I feel like with Noah Hawely's background on Bones and Fargo, it might be a dark character that he can write for extremely well.

Oddly enough, Guillermo was also interested in making a new Val Helsing film with Tom Cruise in the lead role. That seemed to be a bit more interesting, and I wouldn't be too shocked if this how we get our modern Dracula film. I don't doubt that this could be good stomping grounds for Solomon, interchanging hunting aliens for monsters wouldn't be too hard for him.

Luke Evans is indeed set to return for more films as tortured vampire, and it was confirmed via a button scene at the end of Dracula Untold with Evans in modern London. He could also bleed over to The Mummy and The Wolfman as well, becoming the monster that connects all the films.


SOURCE: THR