We look at the plot, casting, rumors, and release date for Marvel Studios’ revival series Daredevil: Born Again

What Do We Know About the upcoming Marvel Cinematic Universe series Daredevil: Born Again? More in recent weeks than ever before. The sequel to the Netflix street-level superhero series has been one of the most anticipated MCU projects since it was announced. With Vincent D’Onofrio and Charlie Cox already having appeared in Hawkeye, Echo, She-Hulk: Attorney At Law, and Spider-Man: No Way Home, fans have a tease of what they can expect from this new dive into Matt Murdock and Wilson Fisk. So, let’s dive in and take a look at what we know about Daredevil: Born Again.

This will be a two-season limited series

Development on Daredevil: Born Again began back in March of 2022. At the time, Matt Corman and Chris Ord were hired as head writers with the aim to create a lighter tone and episodic structure compared to the Netflix series. When filming began in March 2023, it was suspended months later because of the SAG-AFTRA and WGA strikes. Marvel Studios decided in September to release Matt Corman, Chris Ord, and the directors brought aboard and replaced them with new showrunner Dario Scardapane with Justin Benson and Aaron Moorehead, the helmers behind episodes of Moon Knight and the second season of Loki, aboard as primary directors. Scardapane shifted the series to a more serialized structure with direct connections to the Netflix series. Originally announced as an eighteen-episode series, Daredevil: Born Again is now being structured as two nine-episode runs connected as an overall story.

What is it about?

The exact plot of the series is unknown, but the numerous returning cast members from the Netflix series will likely mean a direct continuation of that storyline. Based on Matt Murdock’s appearance in She-Hulk: Attorney at Law and Echo, he is still out fighting crime at a street level. The conclusion of Echo saw Wilson Fisk returning to New York watching a news broadcast about a need for new leadership in the Big Apple. This could potentially mean the series is adapting the comic book arc that found Kingpin running for Mayor of NYC. The title itself, Born Again, could be a reference to the religious faith of Matt Murdock or it could be an homage to the Frank Miller comic of the same name which saw Kingpin manipulating Matt’s feelings for Karen Page to destroy Daredevil. With Karen and Matt not an item on the show, this could be changed.

Netflix characters will make appearances

Fan favorites Elden Henson and Deborah Ann Woll will be appearing in the series, reprising their roles as Foggy Nelson and Karen Page. Jon Bernthal was spotted in character as Frank Castle, but it remains to be seen how significantly The Punisher will factor into the plot. We also know Ayelet Zurer will be back as Vanessa Fisk and Wilson Bethel returns as Benjamin Poindexter who turns into the MCU version of Bullseye. New additions to the cast include Margarita Levieva as Heather Glenn, Matt’s new love interest, with Michael Gandolfini as Daniel Blade. Lou Taylor Pucci has joined in an undisclosed role with Clark Johnson, Nikki M. James, Zabryna Guevara, Harris Yulin, and Michael Gaston in additional roles.

Wait, is this a sequel series or a reboot?

The original vision for Born Again was to make it stand apart from the Netflix series, but when Marvel Studios scrapped the completed episodes that had been filmed, the new direction follows directly from the original Daredevil. With a new tone and the 18 episode series being split into two sections, this series is being envisioned as a standalone arc for the characters. Once we know more of the plot we will have a more definitive answer about where this show fits into the MCU as a whole and whether this means that Jessica Jones, Iron Fist, Luke Cage, and The Defenders are officially canon.

Are we sure?

Truthfully, no. Charlie Cox’s comments back in 2022 stated that this series is not the fourth season of Daredevil but rather a whole new thing, a true reboot. But. With casting changes, showrunner updates, and trashed footage, we won’t know for certain until Kevin Feige takes the stage this year to tell us what is going on.

This will likely be another Marvel Spotlight

The opening of Echo showcased Marvel’s new standalone projects in the MCU which are labeled as Spotlights. All signs point to this series being among them rather than an ongoing new series focused on Daredevil. Marvel Studios’ Brad Winderbaum indicated how X-Men 97 honored where it came from while forging a new direction and made that comparison with the upcoming Daredevil Born Again.

When will we see it?

Production recently wrapped on Daredevil: Born Again but that does not mean it will be premiering any time soon. Because of the SAG-AFTRA and Writer’s Guild strikes in 2023, everything got pushed back. Because of the delays on Daredevil, the series will premiere sometime in 2025. I would imagine it would be early in the year, so Disney and Marvel Studios could premiere it early as a late 2024 surprise, but don’t hold your breath.

Stay tuned to JoBlo.com as we learn more about Daredevil: Born Again and all of your other favorite shows. What do you expect to see in the upcoming Daredevil series? Let us know in the comments and click the like and subscribe to follow all of our latest original videos.

INTRO: Director Matthew Vaughn is known for making gangster movies and comic book adaptations. Producing Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels and making his directorial debut with Layer Cake paved the way for bigger projects: Kick-Ass, X-Men: First Class, the Kingsman franchise, Argylle. But in between the gangsters and the over-the-top heroics, he decided to make a fairy tale. Based on the writing of popular author Neil Gaiman, the film tells of witches, unicorns, flying ships, lightning catchers, and a falling star… that’s actually a person. Released in 2007, the movie we’re talking about is called Stardust. And it’s time for it to be Revisited.

SET-UP: The story of Stardust goes back to the early 1990s. While out driving one day, Neil Gaiman saw a wall running along one side of the road and was struck by the idea that a magical land called Faerie might exist on the other side of that wall. So he started plotting a book that he intended to call Wall. Which would have been about a writer from America moving to England. Where he discovers this wall that separates the world we see around us from the land of Faerie. This idea was set aside when Gaiman saw a shooting star cross the sky one night. In that moment, he was inspired to write a whole different story about Faerie and the wall.

With illustrator Charles Vess, Gaiman crafted a text-heavy four-issue comic book mini-series called Stardust. The story begins in 1839, in the English town of Wall. Every nine years, on May Day, the magical beings that inhabit Faerie hold a market event in the meadow outside the town. The rest of the time, the gap in the wall between the two lands is under twenty-four hour guard. When a Wall resident named Dunstan Thorn crosses over into Faerie, he ends up being enchanted by a young woman named Una. She is kept as a slave by a witch-woman called Ditchwater Sal, who makes Una spend most of her time as a bird. But she’s in her proper form when she meets Dunstan. They have sex and Dunstan returns to Wall… where, nine months later, a baby is delivered to his door. Turns out he and Una have had a son. Dunstan raises this son, named Tristran. Eighteen years later, Tristran has become infatuated with fellow Wall resident Victoria Forester. He gets her to go out with him one night, but she won’t give him a kiss. When they see a falling star, Victoria tells Tristran she’ll give him anything he desires if he retrieves the fallen star for her. So Tristran sets out to find the star, crossing over into the land of Faerie. And going on a much bigger adventure than he anticipated.

Turns out, the star that has fallen to the ground is a person. Or at least she has a humanoid appearance. Her name is Yvaine, and she was knocked out of the sky when she was hit by a topaz pendant. Which was tossed into the sky by the dying Lord of a land called Stormhold. The Lord once had seven sons, but they’ve been killing each other off to get closer to the throne. The dead ones are still hanging around as ghosts. A few sons are left alive, and whoever finds the topaz pendant – now in the possession of Yvaine – will replace their father on the throne. Meanwhile, a trio of decrepit witches have also seen the star fall from the sky. One of them goes to find where it has landed… because if they cut out Yvaine’s heart and consume it, their youth and beauty will be restored. The witch uses magic to cover up her true appearance, but every time she uses other spells on her journey, her real looks start to come through.

Tristran is the first to reach Yvaine. Even though he’s surprised to see that the star is a woman rather than a rock, he still goes through with taking her back to Wall. And thus has to deal with witches and the sons of Stormhold coming after her. Along the way, there are encounters with a unicorn. Goats that have been transformed into people. And the crew of a ship that flies above the clouds, on a lightning-hunting expedition.

A couple years after the Stardust comic book was published, Gaiman also released the story as a novel without Vess’s illustrations. But even before that, Miramax had picked up the film rights to Stardust. They had Gaiman write a treatment for the adaptation. But they didn’t like what he wrote. So they had Ehren Kruger write another treatment. Which they didn’t like, either. So they lost interest and Gaiman got the rights back. Disappointed with the Miramax experience, he spent the next few years rejecting people and companies that wanted to make a Stardust movie. Then, in 2003, he made a short film called A Short Film About John Bolton. Which was produced by Matthew Vaughn. They had a good time working together – and around this time, Vaughn’s wife Claudia Schiffer read and fell in love with Stardust. So Gaiman felt comfortable moving forward with a Stardust adaptation that would have Vaughn involved. At first, Vaughn was going to produce the film. Terry Gilliam was going to direct it. But then Gilliam made the 2005 fantasy film The Brothers Grimm. Which centers on the legendary fairy tale tellers and sends them on their own fairy tale adventure. After making that movie, Gilliam said there was no way he could go right back into the world of fairy tales. So he dropped out of Stardust. In the meantime, Vaughn had gotten into directing when Guy Ritchie decided not to make Layer Cake. On the strength of that film, 20th Century Fox hired him to direct X-Men: The Last Stand. Two weeks before that movie was going to start filming, he stepped away due to creative disagreements with the studio. That’s when Vaughn decided he was going to direct Stardust himself.

At Gaiman’s suggestion, Vaughn brought Jane Goldman in to write the screenplay with him. Establishing a partnership that would continue through several more of Vaughn’s films. Whittling Gaiman’s story down into a two hour film presented multiple challenges. They had to simplify portions of the story. Which included having to remove a really fun character known as “the little hairy man” so they could get Tristran to Yvaine quicker. They also changed Tristran’s name to Tristan and called the magical land Stormhold instead of Faerie. They expanded some elements of the story. For example, Gaiman didn’t write much about Tristan and Yvaine’s time on the flying ship. Vaughn and Goldman put a lot more focus on that, turning Captain Alberic into Captain Shakespeare. A gay man who puts on drag shows in private. Then puts on a macho act in front of his crew. The screenwriters also had to figure out how rough-edged the film should be. Gaiman’s story has been described as a fairy tale for grown-ups. Most of the text is quite family friendly. But then there’s the sex scene between Dunstan and Una in the first chapter. Another sex scene involving a prostitute later. An F-bomb. A throat slitting. A unicorn’s head being hacked off with a meat cleaver. Vaughn and Goldman chose to soften the edges. Keeping things family-friendly throughout. And while Gaiman’s story has a rather low-key resolution, for a movie they had to keep things action-packed.

Seeking an unknown to play Tristan, Vaughn chose Charlie Cox. Who, these days, is best known for being Marvel’s Daredevil. Bigger names were cast around Cox. Claire Danes plays Yvaine (although Bryce Dallas Howard was Vaughn’s original choice). Michelle Pfeiffer is the witch Lamia. Some of the sons of Stormhold are played by Mark Strong, Jason Flemyng, and Rupert Everett. Their father is played by the great Peter O’Toole. Robert De Niro took on the role of Captain Shakespeare. Ricky Gervais plays Ferdy the Fence, a character who was created for the film. Sienna Miller is Tristan’s crush Victoria, while Henry Cavill has a small role as a rival for her affections. Ian McKellen provides the narration. Tristan’s parents Dunstan and Una are played by Ben Barnes and Kate Magowan, with Nathaniel Parker as the older Dunstan.

REVIEW: Vaughn and Goldman changed a lot about Stardust on the way from the page to the screen. Reading the book and watching the movie are very different experiences. This could cause some disappointment for those who decide to check out both. If you watch the movie first, you may be let down when you find that Captain Shakespeare is nowhere to be found. Or that the climactic action isn’t there. If you read the book first, the way things are presented in the movie may not live up to the magical world you imagined. Where’s the little hairy man? The vampire trees? The talking badger in a dressing gown? The fight between the lion and the unicorn? Some of the changes were budgetary. It was going to be way too expensive for Vaughn to put a lion and unicorn battle on screen. Some were creative. He wanted to spend more time on the flying ship. Build in a lesson that you shouldn’t pretend to be something you’re not just to impress others. Work in some entertaining action. And present this fairy tale in a more down-to-earth way. Even with the witch’s magic, he didn’t want it to be too outlandish. His approach was to make something that would feel like a blend of The Princess Bride and Midnight Run.

Gaiman acknowledges that the movie is different from what he wrote. And he wasn’t sure about some of the changes that were being made. But in the end, he seemed pleased with and accepting of the film. As he told USA Today, it’s better that Vaughn didn’t try to exactly replicate what was on the page, because, “I would hate for people to go and see a version of Stardust that is Stardust the book, only not as good.” He went on to tell Empire, “I sort of feel like my grounding in comics was actually very useful because in my head, that’s just the Earth-Two version of Stardust. It’s a parallel Earth version of Stardust, which has Robert De Niro and stuff.”

So taking Stardust the movie on its own terms, it’s an entertaining fantasy film. Vaughn was admittedly better at shooting action and keeping things moving along quickly than he was with the human relationship stuff. Stardust may still be over two hours long, but it moves through those two hours at a fast pace. Some of this is due to the way the script condensed the original story. But it’s also due to the fact that Vaughn is always bouncing back and forth between the various characters. Never giving any of them scenes that are too drawn out. There’s so much bouncing around, the witch Lamia and Septimus of Stormhold almost start to overshadow Tristan and Yvaine in a story that’s meant to revolve around them. But that’s where Goldman steps in. Gaiman suggested having her co-write the script with Vaughn because she could help him with the relationship side of things. And there are some sweet moments with Tristan and Yvaine as we watch them gradually fall in love.

Sure, the livelier and occasionally over-the-top performances from the supporting cast do steal the show. But Charlie Cox and Claire Danes are able to keep their section of the story grounded.

The climactic action sequence Vaughn and Goldman came up with feels absolutely right for their telling of the story. It wraps things up in a fun way. And even if you’re hung up on the fact that it’s so different from the book… how could you ever complain about a sequence that lets you watch a swordfight where one of the participants is a corpse that a witch is using like a puppet?

LEGACY/NOW: Test audiences were so pleased with Stardust, producer Lorenzo di Bonaventura was even surprised at how highly they scored it. He told Rotten Tomatoes, “It’s a weird thing to say. I don’t think everybody’s going to love the movie because it’s not a movie that’s designed to be that. And yet, when we went and tested it, they really flipped for it. It just caught me off guard. It was a movie where I expected to have a larger portion of the audience sort of go, ‘Well, that’s sort of out there. Not sure it’s for us.’ And what happened was that we delivered a romance so spectacularly well, Matthew Vaughn did such a good job with it, that it caught a segment of the audience that I wasn’t expecting.” The test audiences did bring up an issue on how the movie should be marketed, because they strongly disagreed that it should be described as a fairy tale. So di Bonaventura wasn’t sure what they should call it. As he said, “It is an adventure movie, it is a romance, it is fantasy, it is Neil Gaiman’s bizarre world view.”

Whatever it is, it had a budget somewhere in the range of seventy to ninety million dollars. So it needed to do well. Paramount Pictures gave it a wide release in the United States in the summer of 2007… and it opened at number four. Its opening weekend was described as a crash-landing and Stardust was compared to the fantasy films that flopped in the 1980s. Still, the U.S. ended up being the film’s largest market, as it made a total of thirty-eight million there. The U.K. release followed a few months later and added thirty-one million to Stardust’s haul. It ended up with a total of one hundred and thirty-seven million at the global box office. Not a big success, but not a bomb, either. The film was well-received by critics and the audiences that did show up to see it. It gathered a cult following… and that following grew when it reached home video, where it was more successful than it was in theatres.

That wasn’t enough to get a sequel greenlit, though. Seven years after the movie was released, Vaughn revealed to Den of Geek that he had really been hoping to get the chance to make a follow-up. He said, “I had a really crazy fun idea for a Stardust 2. The opening scene was Charlie Cox’s character, being the King and throwing out the necklace. This time the necklace goes over the wall and bounces off Big Ben, and you’re suddenly in London in the early 1960s, with these mad kings and princes and princesses running around London. All on the quest for the stone. That was my idea for the sequel, but sadly the film didn’t make enough money for anyone to want to make it.”

It’s a shame that Vaughn didn’t get to make his return to the world of Stardust. But at least he got to make one trip to that world. And delivered a film that has been loved by many of its viewers. If you haven’t seen it yet, it’s worth checking out, as it still holds up all these years later. And where else are you going to see a swordfighting corpse being puppeteered by a witch?

As Johnny Depp awaits his return to cinema on home turf, many of us are wondering just what his Hollywood career will look like. After all, Jeanne du Barry — a period piece in which he plays Louis XV — isn’t exactly going to be a mainstream hit in North America. Will he work for Disney again in another Pirates of the Caribbean movie or has that opportunity walked the plank? Judging by recent comments, he may be after more original material in this new phase of his career, which may also allow him to avoid the studio system.

In a new interview with Metro, Johnny Depp noted that, no matter how much money franchise films may make, he suspects moviegoers still ultimately crave something original. “By and large, for the majority of the years I’ve been wandering around aimlessly talking to people, they really want the same thing…They don’t want to be fed dreck. They’re happy when they experience something new or different. So that’s why I’ve always felt, as an actor, it’s your responsibility. When you come out of the gate each time… you’re putting as much at stake as anybody.”

Considering Johnny Depp has been on a hiatus — having not appeared in a film since 2020 and having been wrapped up in a 2022 trial with ex Amber Heard — he has a lot at stake himself. That will be seen first with Jeanne du Barry, which hits domestic theaters next month.

Through this, the star can also show what he has outside of mainstream cinema, perhaps also pointing at his days as a blockbuster star being over. On studio heads and the industry as a whole, he said, “They’re disposable and they realise it. Glorified accountants who have the ability to press the green light and make studio films… but they press the green light, they spent s***loads of money. Budgets are ridiculous on these films… some romantic comedy with two very popular people. People – the real people – they’re sick of it.” Of note, the average budget for a Pirates of the Caribbean movie was $255 million, with On Stranger Tides hitting a once-record-breaking $379 million!

Whether or not we see Johnny Depp lead another blockbuster remains to be seen, but if he sticks by his word, it looks like he may be putting most of his effort into participating in original stories with sensible budgets, something we haven’t really seen him dive into since the 1990s…And we are here for it!

What do you want to see Johnny Depp do next? Do you want blockbusters, more original works or a combination? Let us know below!

Deadpool & Wolverine brings big laughs with nine minutes of exclusive footage at CinemaCon, which was VERY R-rated.

Last Updated on April 14, 2024

There may be minor SPOILERS in the footage description. Be warned. After several disappointments in the past year, Marvel Studios is looking to get back on track with Deadpool & Wolverine. This highly anticipated sequel will bring ol’ Wade Wilson into the MCU and finally team him up with Wolverine. The audience at CinemaCon in Las Vegas got a peek at some exclusive footage from Deadpool & Wolverine, which will make you wish the movie was coming out tomorrow.

Deadpool and Wolverine actually opened Disney’s presentation with a foul-mouthed “turn off your cell phones” PSA. It showed Hugh Jackson in full costume and featured the pair yelling directly at the audience. Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige teased that the film will receive an “intentionally gross” popcorn bucket to rival the one from Dune: Part Two.

Finally, CinemaCon audiences were treated to nine minutes of Deadpool & Wolverine, which Feige called “F***ing amazing.” If you want to stay completely spoiler-free, I would remind you that you might want to call it quits here as there may be minor SPOILERS, but know that the footage was VERY R-rated and hilarious.

The footage opens with Wade Wilson working as a used car salesman alongside Peter (Rob Delaney). He attempts to sell a Kia to a family in a particularly filthy manner. While hanging out with Blind Al (Leslie Uggams), he’s asked if he wants to do cocaine, which prompts him to reply, “Cocaine is the one thing Feige said is off limits.” Wade is then kidnapped by the TVA and sent on a mission by Matthew MacFayden’s character, which includes “lots of gratuitous cameos,” including one from a current MCU star we won’t mention here. A sizzle reel followed which includes Deadpool and Wolverine in a car together.

Deadpool & Wolverine stars Ryan Reynolds as Deadpool, Morena Baccarin as Vanessa, Leslie Uggams as Blind Al, Karan Soni as Dopinder, Brianna Hildebrand as Negasonic Teenage Warhead, Shioli Kutsuna as Yukio, Stefan Kapičić as the voice of Colossus, and Rob Delaney as Peter. Deadpool 3 will also star Emma Corrin, who is expected to play the villain, and Matthew Macfadyen as a TVA agent. Of course, the biggest addition to the Deadpool 3 cast is Hugh Jackman as Wolverine, who finally broke down after being pestered by Ryan Reynolds for so many years. The film is also expected to feature cameos from characters throughout the history of 20th Century Fox’s Marvel movies, with a few already being revealed in the trailer, including Aaron Stanford as Pyro.

Deadpool & Wolverine will hit theaters on July 26th, making it the only MCU movie to be released this year.

Marvel Studios plants its flag at CinemaCon to treat the crowd to a Captain America: Brave New World preview.

Disney is bringing more than emotional teenagers to CinemaCon 2024, with Marvel Studios ready to unleash superheroes on an already riled-up crowd. In addition to teasing the audience with footage from Deadpool and Wolverine, an F-bomb-dropping Kevin Feige introduced Anthony Mackie to give CinemaCon a taste of Captain America: Brave New World.

Before covering the CinemaCon stage with stars and stripes (metaphorically), Feige added that production on Fantastic Four will start in a few months and confirms that the title of Thunderbolts* does include an asterisk. As for why that is, Feige isn’t about to spill the beans. “We don’t tell you any more about that until the film comes out,” he said. What the hell does that mean? We’ll need to wait to find out.

Anthony Mackie then took the stage to show off the first footage from Captain America: Brave New World, which Feige says will be more “grounded” similar to The Winter Soldier. The footage finds Mackie’s Captain America meeting up with Harrison Ford’s President Ross, who thanks him for everything he’s done and asks him to help rebuild the Avengers. The President later honors Captain America at an event which is interrupted by Isaiah Bradley (Carl Lumbly), who attempts to kill the President along with an army of sleeper agents. Sam Wilson takes care of the sleeper agents in a very cool action scene, which ends with President Ross telling Sam, “You’re not Steve Rogers.” Sam responds defiantly, “You’re right, I’m not.” You tell ’em, Sam!

Directed by Julius Onah, Captain America: Brave New World opens in theaters on February 14, 2025. The highly-anticipated superhero sequel stars Anthony Mackie as Sam Wilson/Captain America, Harrison Ford as Thaddeus’ Thunderbolt’ Ross, Live Tyler as Betty Ross, Rosa Salazar, Shira Haas as Sabra, Time Blake Nelson as Samuel Sterns/The Leader, Carl Lumbly as Isaiah Bradley, and Danny Ramirez as Joaquin Torres.

What do you make of Isaiah Bradley trying to assassinate the President? That seems uncharacteristic. Then again, maybe he’s got a damn good reason. After all, where was the government when Isaiah was being experimented on and tossed aside like a failed test subject? I’m excited to find out.

Does Marvel’s CinemaCon presentation for Captain America: Brave New World have you excited about the movie? Should Marvel slow its role by reducing the output it releases yearly? Let us know in the comments section below.

About the Author

Born and raised in New York, then immigrated to Canada, Steve Seigh has been a JoBlo.com editor, columnist, and critic since 2012. He started with Ink & Pixel, a column celebrating the magic and evolution of animation, before launching the companion YouTube series Animation Movies Revisited. He’s also the host of the Talking Comics Podcast, a personality-driven audio show focusing on comic books, film, music, and more. You’ll rarely catch him without headphones on his head and pancakes on his breath.

Alien: Romulus brings plenty of blood and practical effects in exclusive footage screened at CinemaCon in Las Vegas.

Last Updated on April 14, 2024

Last month, 20th Century Studios unveiled a teaser trailer for Alien: Romulus, director Fede Álvarez’s contribution to the Alien franchise that is set to reach theatres on August 16th. (You can watch the teaser HERE.) With the release date just four months away, Alien: Romulus received some love during the Disney panel at CinemaCon.

An exclusive extended scene from Alien: Romulus was screened a CinemaCon which followed Cailee Spaeny’s character wandering through a broken-down spaceship corridor with Aileen Wu’s character. They see a ripped-apart android among the debris. David Jonsson’s character, who is an android himself, is rebooting with an interesting effect in his eyes, but at that moment, a swarm of face-huggers burst into the room, chasing the characters out. We saw a bit of this scene in the teaser.

One character turns out to have been impregnated by a face-hugger, with a baby xenomorph bursting through their ribcage in an extremely bloody scene. The face-hugger and baby xeno are quite close to their appearances in the original movie, and best of all, they’re done with beautiful practical effects. The tone is said to be very similar to Álvarez’s Evil Dead movie, although not quite as bloody but still far more visceral than either Prometheus or Alien: Covenant.

When this project was announced near the start of 2022, it was said that Álvarez pitched the idea to Ridley Scott years ago and it stuck with Scott. So in late 2021, he called Álvarez and asked if he still wanted to make an Alien movie. Clearly, the answer was yes. 20th Century Studios division president Steve Asbell told The Hollywood Reporter that they picked up the project “purely off the strength of Fede’s pitch. It was just a really good story with a bunch of characters you haven’t seen before.“

It has also been said that the story Álvarez and his frequent collaborator Rodo Sayagues crafted for Alien: Romulus is not connected to the other films in the Alien franchise – but it’s not ignoring any of the other entries, either. Álvarez has been clear about the fact that his story takes place within the established franchise continuity, slotting in between the events of Alien and Aliens. It has the following official logline: The sci-fi/horror-thriller takes the phenomenally successful “Alien” franchise back to its roots: While scavenging the deep ends of a derelict space station, a group of young space colonizers come face to face with the most terrifying life form in the universe.

The cast of Alien: Romulus includes Cailee Spaeny (Priscilla) and David Jonsson (Industry), as well as Isabela Merced (Madame Web), Archie Renaux (Shadow and Bone), Spike Fearn (The Batman), and Aileen Wu (Away from Home). Merced has said there’s a scene in the film that’s so disgusting that a lot of viewers will have to look away, so that goes along with the “graphic and gruesome” description. “Graphic and gruesome” is what we expected from this movie as soon as it was announced that it was being made by the director of Evil Dead 2013 and Don’t Breathe.

This new Alien movie is coming to us from Momentum and 20th Century Studios, with Ridley Scott producing through his Scott Free banner.

In addition to Alien: Romulus, the CinemaCon crowd also got a look at The Amateur, starring Rami Malek as a computer tech for the CIA. When his wife dies during a terrorist attack, he uses his unique set of skills to find who did it and blackmails the CIA into training him to kill all the people responsible. His trainers are Laurence Fishburne and Jon Bernthal.

Are you looking forward to Alien: Romulus? What do you think of the footage description that came out of CinemaCon? Let us know by leaving a comment below.

Disney dazzles the audience at CinemaCon in Las Vegas with new footage from Mufasa: The Lion King and Moana 2.

Disney’s presentation at CinemaCon made sure to carve out some time to focus on their upcoming animated movies. We’ve already covered Inside Out 2, but CinemaCon audiences were also treated to teasers for Mufasa: The Lion King and Moana 2.

Director Barry Jenkins took the stage to promote the Lion King prequel, adding that he had seen the original Disney animated movie over 200 times and knew he had to take the gig. “When the script came to me I was fascinated by watching these complex people dealing with complex emotions…this film explores Mufasa rise to become the heroic king that we know,” Jenkins said.

Jenkins wanted to make a movie that tackled the same issues as the first, hoping that it would help a new generation of children become who they really are. The teaser trailer for Mufasa: The Lion King then began with those iconic notes from Circle of Life before zipping around many different parts of Africa as a young Mufasa runs free and gets into trouble, just like his future offspring. In a voiceover, Rifiki says, “This is the story of a lion who is born without a drop of nobility in his blood.” According to our own Chris Bumbray, the animation is even more impressive than Jon Favreau’s movie with some huge set pieces.

Next up was Moana 2, which was introduced by none other than Dwayne Johnson, flanked by a group of Polynesian dancers. “It’s so much deeper of a movie to me, and it’s so much deeper of a movie to Disney as well,” Johnson said. “We are so excited to welcome back audiences all over the world to a new adventure.” Johnson then played a clip from the sequel, which finds Moana returning to her home island and the debut of a brand-new song, “We’re Back.” At least one character isn’t big on belting out the tune, as they ask “Do we have to sing?” To which everyone responds, “Yes, we have to sing!“

“Walt Disney Animation Studios’ epic animated musical Moana 2 takes audiences on an expansive new voyage with Moana, Maui and a brand-new crew of unlikely seafarers,” reads the official description. “After receiving an unexpected call from her wayfinding ancestors, Moana must journey to the far seas of Oceania and into dangerous, long-lost waters for an adventure unlike anything she’s ever faced.“

Moana 2 will hit theaters on November 27th, followed by Mufasa: The Lion King on December 20th.

About the Author

Born and raised in New York, then immigrated to Canada, Steve Seigh has been a JoBlo.com editor, columnist, and critic since 2012. He started with Ink & Pixel, a column celebrating the magic and evolution of animation, before launching the companion YouTube series Animation Movies Revisited. He’s also the host of the Talking Comics Podcast, a personality-driven audio show focusing on comic books, film, music, and more. You’ll rarely catch him without headphones on his head and pancakes on his breath.

Ian Fleming would have preferred Richard Burton, James Mason or James Stewart to play the first James Bond.

The name’s Fleming, Ian Fleming. And boy did he have some problems with how his James Bond character was being adapted for the big screen. As we all know, Sean Connery was cinema’s first 007, but Fleming himself hated the idea, concerned that he didn’t have the right voice.

As revealed in Nicholas Shakespeare’s new book, Ian Fleming: The Complete Man (via IndieWire), the process to find the perfect James Bond was an arduous one. Per Fleming’s agent Robert Fenn, “We tried twenty or thirty [potential prospects]. No major actor would play the part for more than one picture, and we couldn’t set up a deal with a distributor without commitment from a main actor.” Of course, Bond would go to Connery, who Fleming didn’t care for because “he couldn’t speak the Queen’s English…He’s not my idea of Bond at all, I just want an elegant man, not this roughneck.”

To many, that “roughneck” would go on to be the quintessential Bond. But it could have been quite different, with Shakespeare noting that Ian Fleming “had entertained several possibilities, from Richard Burton (‘I think that Richard Burton would be by far the best James Bond’), to James Stewart (‘I wouldn’t at all mind him as Bond if he can slightly anglicise his accent’), to James Mason (‘We might have to settle for him’).” Let it be known that Mason in particular would have been a terrible Bond, more than likely butchering the suaveness, action and iconic lines. And Jimmy Stewart? Just try to imagine him seducing Pussy Galore!

At one point, George Ratoff – one of the men who tried getting the Bond franchise off the ground back in the 1950s – even considered having Oscar winner Susan Hayward step into the role, a progressive move that is still being shut down even today.

We could wonder “What if?” all day but the vast majority would agree that Sean Connery is the James Bond. Really, would Ian Fleming’s world have taken off like it did had anybody else – especially the named stars – if Connery hadn’t led it off?

If Sean Connery hadn’t been cast as the first Bond, who do you think would have been the best fit? Do you like any of Ian Fleming’s picks? Give us your dream back-up pick in the comments section below!

The first film in the Avatar sequel trilogy is set to take place when Aang has grown up. Eric Nam and Dave Bautista will have main roles.

While fans of Avatar: The Last Airbender receive two more seasons of the new Netflix live-action version of the popular 2005 animated series from Nickelodeon, Paramount has unveiled new details of the animated trilogy that was announced years ago. These new details come as the Netflix show proved to be a big success for the streamer. However, news also recently broke that the live-action show will be getting new showrunners for the next two seasons after Albert Kim steps down. Kim remains a part of the series as an executive producer for seasons two and three. Christine Boylan and Jabbar Raisani will lead the show as executive producers in the future.

As for the upcoming animated trilogy of Avatar: The Last Airbender, according to Entertainment Weekly, the Paramount panel at CinemaCon has announced some further information. The working title for the trilogy is currently Aang: The Last Airbender. Eric Nam has been cast as the voice of Aang, and the start of the trilogy will focus on an adult Aang. Dave Bautista, who was also featured at Lionsgate’s CinemaCon panel for The Killer’s Game, has been attached to voice a villain in the series. Nam and Bautista will be joined by Dionne Quan, Jessica Matten, and Roman Zaragoza in the cast.

Avatar veteran Lauren Montgomery is attached to direct the first film. Avatar co-creators Bryan Konietzko and Michael DiMartino will produce the first film in the series, along with longtime producing partner Eric Coleman. Avatar Studios will produce with Coleman executive producing. Coleman was the executive producer and production manager of The Last Airbender series.

Ramsey Naito, President of Animation & Development at Paramount Animation and Nickelodeon Animation, had shared, “As original creators, Mike and Bryan expand the Avatar universe with us, we’re keeping it all in the family with Lauren bringing the same kind of expert, beautiful work she did on the original series to her new directing duties on the forthcoming theatrical.” 

The first film in the trilogy is set to hit theaters on October 10, 2025.

About the Author

E.J. is a News Editor at JoBlo, as well as a Video Editor, Writer, and Narrator for some of the movie retrospectives on our JoBlo Originals YouTube channel, including Reel Action, Revisited and some of the Top 10 lists. He is a graduate of the film program at Missouri Western State University with concentrations in performance, writing, editing and directing.