[Weekly Netflix Fix] Nightcrawler, Rosewater, and Primer
I know what you're all thinking - Orange is the New Black Season 3 comes out on Netflix tomorrow, and there's nothing more alluring than spending a weekend in Litchfield with Piper, Red, Taystee, Crazy Eyes, and more. However, you still have a few good hours, so why not check out some of Netflix Instant's new offerings?
Some of my personal recommendations include the first Mortal Kombat film, Shane Carruth's debut film Primer, Jake Gyllenhaal's award-winning Nightcrawler, and Jon Stewart's directorial debut Rosewater. Check out the full list of new titles below.
Asmodexia
Bad Asses on the Bayou
Diplomacy
El Niño
God's Slave
The Lost Boys: Special Edition
Mortal Kombat: The Movie
My Mistress
The Nun
Sense8: Season 1
Happy Valley
The Kidnapping of Freddy Heineken
Killers
On the Road
Primer
Words and Pictures
Grace of Monaco
The Dramatics: A Comedy
Farewell Herr Schwarz
Free the Nipple
It's Tough Being Loved by Jerks
Nightcrawler
Quiz Time
Remote Area Medical
Rosewater
Quiz Time: Season 1
The Garfield Show: Season 1
The Garfield Show: Season 2
The Sisterhood of Night
Taratabong: The World of the Meloditties
Trotro
New Scream TV Series Trailer Reveals New Killer
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Everything under the sun is getting remade, revamped, re-imagined, and rebooted these days, whether it be a new Mega Man cartoon, Bruce Campbell returning to the Evil Dead world in Ash vs. Evil Dead, ReBoot getting its own live-action/CG hybrid reboot, and the Powerpuff Girls are getting a makeover. I know I only focused on TV shows, but really - is nothing sacred?!
I say that with my tongue firmly in my cheek, as we all know the Hollywood cycle by now, as it has also found its next target: Scream. In case you haven't heard, the popular metafictional film series that ruled the mid-'90s through the early '00s. This time around, however, MTV is adapting the franchise for a new generation and a new format as Scream will be premiering as an MTV series on June 30th.
This first trailer for the series introduces us to the new generation of potential Ghostface victims, complete with a modernized version of the popular "Scream" mask that, quite frankly, is a lot more frightening. The premise, which revolves around a YouTube video gone viral that resulted in the death of a high school student, is similar to this year's Unfriended, albeit without the angle of utilizing a computer screen to depict the film.
Watch the trailer above and let us know what you think!
Jon Bernthal Joining Marvel's Daredevil as The Punisher
Jon Bernthal has been had quite the acting repertoire since being killed off in the second season of The Walking Dead, appearing in films like The Wolf of Wall Street, Fury, and one of my current favorite films of the year, Me and Earl and the Dying Girl. However, Bernthal's next role could be his biggest to date.
Yesterday, Marvel announced that Bernthal has been cast as Frank Castle/The Punisher for the next season of Marvel's Daredevil. For those unaware, The Punisher is a brutal vigilante/anti-hero unlike any of the other mainstream Marvel superheroes who has no problem killing villains for the greater good. In saying that, Bernthal has the look and demeanor necessary to portray such a character. Marvel's Head of Television Jeph Loeb had the following to say about Bernthal's casting:
Jon Bernthal brings an unmatched intensity to every role he takes on, with a potent blend of power, motivation and vulnerability that will connect with audiences. Castle’s appearance will bring dramatic changes to the world of Matt Murdock and nothing will be the same.
This will be the fourth time The Punisher has been depicted in a live-action film or series, but the first time under the watchful eye of Marvel Studios. With rumors that Marvel Studios has plans to incorporate its TV series characters with the rest of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, could it only be a matter of time before we see Bernthal and the rest of the Daredevil cast side-by-side with Robert Downey, Jr, Chris Evans, Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson, et. al.? It's an exciting time to be a Marvel fan.
Daredevil Season 2's Showrunner Writing Akira Remake Script
We all know the sad tale of the live-action Akira remake by now - it's gone through numerous rumors, delays, budgetary problems, and more since Warner Bros. acquired the rights back in 2002. The last we heard, Non-Stop director Jaume Collet-Serra was on board to direct the film and bring the project's budget down to the $60m - $70m range. Since then, production was cancelled (yet again), leaving the film in limbo once again.
Fast forward to this week when it was announced that Marvel's Daredevil's Season 2 showrunner, Marco J. Ramirez, has been hired by Warner Bros. to write a new script treatment for Akira. Ramirez served as a writer and producer for the first season of Marvel's Daredevil, and has also written for Sons of Anarchy, Da Vinci's Demons, and Orange is the New Black (for which he was nominated for three awards). There's no word on which volumes of Akira Ramirez will be adapting, or if Collet-Serra is still slated to direct.
At this point, it's hard to get excited for Akira remake news, given how many false starts fans have experienced over the past decade. Once again, the best course of action is to play the waiting game to see if Warner Bros. is confident enough in the script to finally move forward.
[via IGN]
New Powerpuff Girls Series Coming in 2016
Cartoon Network is getting in on the remake/reboot fun (following the very recent announcements of the ReBoot re-imagining and a new Mega Man cartoon series) with a new, revamped Powerpuff Girls series coming in 2016. The new series won't stray too much from the established story from the original Powerpuff Girls series, but there's no word or confirmation on whether the same stable of villains will be around.
Also of note is the re-casting of each girl's voice. Blossom, Bubbles, and Buttercup will now be voiced by Amanda Leighton (The Fosters), Kristen Li (Monsters University), and Natalie Palamides, respectively, with Tom Kenny returning as the Narrator/Mayor of Townsville. The previous voice actresses (Catherine Cavadini, Tara Strong, and E.G. Daily) expressed both their support of the newer, younger actresses, but also their disappointment in not being contacted:
I wish the new girls well but Wow! does this hurt my heart:( https://t.co/OzchpdAXFR
— Catherine Cavadini (@CatCavadini) June 9, 2015
I have NO ILL FEELINGS 4 the actresses in the new #ppg, We were just beyond hurt we were NEVER asked..every role I breathe life into I love
— tara strong (@tarastrong) June 9, 2015
Owie! Rt in the kisser ! Hurts 😥Xxeg https://t.co/nq9xQQOvUs
— RealEGDaily (@RealEGDaily) June 8, 2015
I don't blame Cartoon Network for not contacting Cavadini, Strong, and Daily, wanting to go for a cleaner slate with younger actresses. Nevertheless, when the trio played such vital roles for one Cartoon Network's most popular and successful series, you'd at least think they'd be contacted.
[via IGN]
ReBoot Returning to TV as Live-Action/CG Series
As 80s nostalgia gives way to '90s nostalgia, it's been a great time to be a 90s kid like myself. Shows from our childhood are getting big screen adaptations, Full House is coming back for a sequel for some reason, and now one of the more asked for shows on the Internet is coming back in a big way. The semi popular computer animated series ReBoot (which ran from 1994 to 2001 on ABC very early in the morning, and that's why few folks remember it), is now getting a reboot itself as a live-action/CG hybrid show according to The Hollywood Reporter.
While the original series was a fully computer animated series (notably the first of its kind) that followed its main character Bob as he fought a being known as "The User" in the Mainframe, the sequel/reboot series titled Reboot: The Guardian Code will focus on four teens (Austin, Grey, Parker, and Tamra) who find out that they're next generations Guardians and have to travel into cyberspace to fight an evil hacker's (named "The Sorcerer") viruses.
The new series, produced Corus Entertainment, Rainmaker Entertainment, and TWC/Dimension Television, will intially run for 26 episodes, and apparently won't even look like the show we remember because kids these days use new technology. As series creator Michael Hefferson puts it:
Technology is ever-changing and Reboot: The Guardian Code will utilize the very technology inherent in the concept of the show—and prevalent in kids’ everyday lives—to drive a new type of relationship across multiple platforms...[ReBoot] will deliver mass appeal with a technology focus, empowering kids with the tools and confidence to chart their own course in a world that is increasingly dependent on and powered by technological knowledge.
Well, here's hoping the actual show isn't as bad as this sounds.
[via THR]
Bart Simpson is Getting Killed Off This Season
After 25 years, Sideshow Bob is finally getting his revenge against Bart Simpson in the next season of The Simpsons. During a panel at this past weekend's ATX Festival in Austin, TX, The Simpsons producers revealed that Sideshow Bob will achieve his goal of killing Bart during this year's annual Treehouse of Horror episode. Of course, as is the nature of the Treehouse of Horror episodes, the death won't be permanent.
The Simpsons executive producer Al Jean explains why the team finally relented to Sideshow Bob's wishes by using classic Looney Tunes characters Wile E. Coyote and Road Runner as an analogy by stating, "I hated frustration comedy so we’ll scratch that itch." It appears that the true "horror" for the vignette will not stem from Bart's death, but from Bob's realization that he has nothing to live for following the accomplishment of his life's goal.
The producers were coy on the ongoing Harry Shearer situation, providing no update on whether Shearer would be replaced or brought back on board. For a show that's been running somewhat stagnant for several seasons now, an announcement such as Bart's death was meant to draw headlines, even if the move is only temporary. Still, what will it take to help elevate The Simpsons back to the top of primetime animated comedies? Only time can tell.
[via Entertainment Weekly]
[This Week In TV] Hannibal; Sense8; Community
With the TV season drawing to a close, This Week In TV is following it into a summer break. Reviewed in this final edition, Hannibal opens its third season with a gialli-inspired detour through Florentine high society, Sense8 proves that moving to Netflix has done nothing to dilute the Wachowskis' eclectic vision or ambition, and Community's first season on Yahoo comes to a close with an episode which could bow out the series for good.