News Round-Up: Emma Watson in ‘Beauty and the Beast’; ‘Mission: Impossible 5’ Moved Up; and More
This week’s trailers, posters, and photos certainly haven’t featured the most talked-about movies in the near future. However, things on the news front didn’t slow down in the slightest. In fact, this week’s slate of news breaks may be one for the ages. Names like Emma Watson, Nicolas Cage, Julia Roberts, Melissa McCarthy, and more were cast in some big name movies that range from Beauty and the Beast to Ghostbusters. There’s also an Osama bin Laden satire (titled Army of One) sprinkled in next to a Batkid adaptation. Oh, and how could I forget about the latest X-Men: Apocalypse casting announcement? Outside of casting, I’ve got new release dates for Mission: Impossible 5 and How to Train Your Dragon 3.
Check it all out below!
In news that totally makes sense, it was revealed this week that Emma Watson would be playing Belle in the live-action Beauty and the Beast adaptation. Bill Condon (Twilight: Breaking Dawn) will direct the movie that’s still awaiting more details (like a release date). However, it makes complete sense Watson would play Belle and I, like plenty of others, am excited for it. (Source: ET)
Another big announcement this week involved Paul Feig’s (Bridesmaids) Ghostbusters reboot. Feig will team up with Melissa McCarthy and Kristen Wiig along with Saturday Night Live’s Leslie Jones and Kate McKinnon. The reboot doesn’t have an official title but it will release on July 22, 2016 with filming set for this summer. (Source: IGN)
In some of the strangest news of the week, it appears Nicolas Cage will be teaming up with Borat director Larry Charles to make an Osama bin Laden satire. Yes, you read that correctly. There’s a lot of moving parts, including a release date, but the project, which is titled Army of One, hopes to shoot in a few months in March. (Source: THR)
The story that captured our hearts in 2013 is coming to the big screen. I’m talking about the Batkid saga and it appears it got some major backing with Julia Roberts signed on to both produce and star in the film adaptation. The movie will be based on the Batkid Begins documentary with a director and release date to be announced later. (Source: Deadline)
Although we found out we won’t be seeing Ian McKellen or Patrick Stewart in X-Men: Apocalypse, we did find out we’ll be seeing three actors who will play younger versions of some of our favorite mutants. Tye Sheridan (Mud), Alexandra Shipp (Switched at Birth), and Sophie Turner (HBO’s Game of Thrones) will play Cyclops, Storm, and Jean Grey (respectively). Bryan Singer will return as director with Hugh Jackman, Jennifer Lawrence, Michael Fassbender, and more when the movie releases on May 27, 2016. (Source: VOX)
Lately, we’ve received a lot of news about movies moving back; however, Mission: Impossible 5 has done the unthinkable and will actually release five months early! Instead of releasing on Christmas Day, you can see Tom Cruise on July 31st of this year. For those that didn’t know, Christopher McQuarrie (Jack Reacher) directed the action film. (Source: IGN)
How to Train Your Dragon 3 has also updated its release date but unlike MI5, it will be moving back (like most movies). The third animated film by Dean DuBlois is now set to release on June 29, 2018. This came with the announcement that DreamWorks would be cutting production of three movies a year to two. Dragon 3 will again voice star Jay Baruchel and we can expect more casting in the coming, well, years. (Source: Collider)
Come on back tomorrow for some new movie clips.
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