Exciting cinematic projects are in the pipeline, and we’ve got the latest skinny on two exciting IPs.
From a now-legendary director teaming up with the world’s favourite spy, to a highly-anticipated, based-on-true-events movie currently in development – here’s the latest news on two major, upcoming films out of Hollywood.
Denis Villeneuve Set To Direct Next “007” Movie
Though he may be neck deep in the sand while gearing up for “Dune: Messiah”, Oscar-nominated director Denis Villeneuve is actually diving into another project from another storied franchise — James Bond. That’s right! Three years since the release of the latest spy installment, “No Time to Die”, the French-Canadian director is swapping the stillsuits for a two-piece one as he’s set to spearhead the next entry in the 007 franchise.
As leaked by industry insider Matt Belloni in a newsletter, Villeneuve has been shortlisted as one of the candidates to direct the 26th Bond movie. But before that, he was joined by other would-be candidates such as Edward Berger (Conclave), Edgar Wright (Baby Driver), Paul King (Paddington), and Jonathan Nolan (Fallout). However, after a lengthy and messy change of hands on the producers’ side, Amazon is ready to bring in the next era in MI6’s legacy.
Being a well-established franchise, Villeneuve has openly admitted that this project is placing an enormous amount of pressure on him — an element intimately and comfortably familiar to him. In a statement during this surprise announcement, Villeneuve has explained that this franchise is “sacred” to him, as he mentions that his “earliest movie-going memories are connected to 007”.
“I grew up watching James Bond films with my father, ever since Dr. No with Sean Connery,” said Villeneuve. “I intend to honour the tradition and open the path for many new missions to come. This is a massive responsibility, but also, incredibly exciting for me and a huge honour. Amy, David, and I are absolutely thrilled to bring him back to the screen. Thank you to Amazon MGM Studios for their trust.”
Unfortunately, he and all the spy fans have to wait a tad longer, as his planner is absolutely packed with other projects. Aside from “Dune: Messiah”, Villeneuve will be going down his list of backlogs, namely, “Rendezvous With Rama”, “A Nuclear Scenario”, and “Cleopatra”, so we can’t immediately tell when filming will begin. Of course, the Bond 26 movie is taking its earliest step in its development life cycle; there’s no script, no cast, and no actor for James Bond just yet. This gives us plenty of time to speculate and wait while the decorated director is tying up loose ends.
Channing Tatum To Play Escaped Convict In “Roofman”
To say that the past year has been a great year for Hollywood star Channing Tatum would be a huge understatement. The actor went to the moon and back with “Fly Me To The Moon”, became a freshly-robbed billionaire in “Blink Twice”, and kicked some multiversal asses in “Deadpool & Wolverine”.
But now, the “Magic Mike” star is stepping away from the world of fiction and fantasy, as he is working on a project that is based on a true story. Directed by Derek Cianfrance, “Roofman” follows the story of Jeffrey Manchester, a kind former soldier, who robbed McDonald’s, was arrested, busted out of jail, and hid away in a Toys ‘r Us for months while stealing toys for his new girlfriend’s kid. It’s as wild as it sounds, and you can catch a glimpse of it in the trailer above.
Known for his kind demeanour throughout his crime spree, Manchester’s story is an exceptionally bizarre yet interesting tale, especially when it begins to unravel. That fact alone warrants an interesting retelling on the big screen, and who better to do it than Tatum? Though the story is based on a true story, we can expect the writers and the director to take some liberties with the source material; after all, you’re more than welcome to read the Wikipedia article of the actual criminal if you don’t mind the spoilers.
Rounding out the cast are Kirsten Dunst, LaKeith Stanfield, Juno Temple, and Peter Dinklage. “Roofman” is set to hit theatres later this year.
