Deadline is reporting that
Mike Flanagan is working on a new adaptation of
Stephen King’s The Dark Tower series. Flanagan said his plan is to adapt the beloved franchise into a five-season series that would then be capped off by two stand-alone movies. The acclaimed horror director recently told
Empire Magazine, “We’ve got a lot of scripts done for it. It’s the first priority.” He also made it clear that he doesn’t want the 2017
Idris Elba/
Matthew McConaughey film to be the final word on the property. That adaptation has a 16% critic rating on
Rotten Tomatoes. Though Flanagan and Intrepid Pictures have a deal with Amazon, the rights to the Dark Tower were specifically carved out of their arrangement and could end up with another studio, but Amazon is also a possibility. Flanagan is known for his work on films like
Gerald’s Game,
Doctor Sleep and
the Life of Chuck as well as series like
The Fall of the House of Ushers,
The Midnight Club and
Midnight Mass. He also came up with the initial story and script for the upcoming
Clayface movie that was so strong that
James Gunn and
Peter Safran has to greenlight a body horror film starring a B-level Batman villain as the third film released in their new DCU.
Now that we’re in 2026, we need to keep an ear out for casting news for the two big DC Studios films shooting this year,
Man of Tomorrow and
The Batman Part 2. The
Superman follow-up is the one going first and we already got the casting announcement for the main villain, Brainiac with the addition of German actor
Lars Eidinger to the cast. There have been rumors that there was a female role being cast for a potential hero that many have assumed was going to be this universe’s Wonder Woman, and while that has not been confirmed,
John Rocha of the
Hot Mic podcast says his sources confirm that
James Gunn is looking to cast the Amazon warrior for the film. That would make sense with the idea that DC is pushing Wonder Woman for a new film with
Supergirl scribe
Ann Nogueira said to be working on the script. This still falls into the rumor category, but Gunn has not debunked the story as of yet. With the film expected to begin production in the spring, more casting news is expected in the next few weeks/months, and we know that if the “scoopers” have it right, DC likes to get the news out their themselves as they did with Eidinger. So I wouldn’t trust any of the rumored castings as of now.
James Gunn took to social media this morning to welcome
Lars Eidinger to the DCU and
Man of Tomorrow in the role of Brainiac. Eidinger, while not a household name, is best known for his roles in
Clouds of Sils Maria and
Personal Shopper but also appeared in the recent Netflix film
Jay Kelly. Gunn talked about a worldwide search for the iconic Superman villain led to Eidinger rising to the top. He will join
David Corenswet,
Nicholas Hoult and
Rachel Brosnahan as the film is expected to begin shooting in the spring of 2026 for a release in July of 2027. There have been multiple attempts to use Brainiac in a Superman film, but each attempt has fallen to the wayside, and his only live-action appearance so far was in the short-lived SciFi series
Krypton where he was played by
Blake Ritson.
After having begun production in August of this year, director
Destin Daniel Cretton revealed that
Spider-Man: Brand New Day has wrapped filming as of Friday. The film, which is set to premiere July 31st, 2026, features the return of
Tom Holland as Peter Parker and is the first in the MCU franchise to not be directed by
Jon Watts. Cretton wrote on Instagram, “I’m so deeply grateful for the people who walked with me through the biggest, most rewarding film I’ve ever been a part of. To our amazing cast, for breathing so much life into these beloved characters and moving us every day. To our unbelievable crew, who worked tirelessly with unmatched creativity and craftsmanship, who made me laugh so hard my stomach never stopped hurting. I love you all so much and can’t wait for the world to see your stunning work on the big screen. And of course, to @tomholland2013, for your kind, generous leadership on and off screen, for your relentless work ethic, your fearless performances, and for your friendship. That’s a wrap on
Spider-Man: Brand New Day!” This is Cretton’s second MCU film after having helmed
Shang Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. He has also produced the
Wonder Man series set to debut on Disney+ next month.
Scarlett Johansson is said to be in negotiations to join the cast of the highly anticipated sequel,
The Batman Part 2. While Warner Bros. has not officially revealed which character Johansson would portray, speculation is rife across social media and film forums. Many fans are hoping she will take on the role of a major antagonist or perhaps bring a new dimension to an existing character from the Batman lore. Johansson’s acclaimed work in action and drama—especially her iconic run as Black Widow in the Marvel Cinematic Universe—positions her as a compelling choice for a complex role in Gotham’s shadowy streets.
The Batman Part 2 is currently in pre-production, with filming scheduled to commence in May of next year. The film is targeted for a theatrical release in 2026, although official dates may be subject to change. Director
Matt Reeves returns to helm the sequel, ensuring continuity in the vision and tone that made the first installment a critical and box office success. Johansson’s addition is expected to boost the already stellar lineup led by
Robert Pattinson as Bruce Wayne/Batman. Within hours of the announcement, social media platforms lit up with enthusiastic posts and trending hashtags. Speculation is running rampant with guesses of her role ranging from villains like Poison Ivy and Harley Quinn to love interests like Silver St. Cloud and Vickie Vale. One of the more popular suggestions is that Johansson could be playing Andrea Beaumont, a love interest and antagonist from the hit animated film
Mask of the Phantasm. The casting has not been confirmed and neither the studio nor Reeves has commented since the story broke.
In a dramatic shift for the entertainment industry, Netflix has announced its acquisition of Warner Bros, one of Hollywood's most iconic studios. This unprecedented deal marks a pivotal moment in the ongoing evolution of media and streaming services. Netflix, already a leader in streaming content, has been searching for ways to expand its library and production capabilities. Warner Bros, with its vast catalog of beloved films and television franchises—including the Harry Potter, DC, and Looney Tunes properties—represents a treasure trove of content and creative resources. The acquisition signals Netflix's commitment to not only dominating streaming but also to strengthening its influence in theatrical releases and television programming. Though Netflix has been against theatrical releases in the past, in a recent statement they said they planned to continue them for Warner Bros films just with a shorter release window. By purchasing Warner Bros, Netflix gains access to a library of classic and highly profitable intellectual properties. This move allows Netflix to offer exclusive streaming rights to blockbuster franchises, while also leveraging Warner Bros’ production infrastructure. The deal also positions Netflix to compete more directly with other major studios and streaming platforms, such as Disney and Amazon. Industry analysts predict that this acquisition will accelerate the consolidation trend within the entertainment sector. Other studios and streaming services may seek mergers or partnerships to remain competitive. Audiences can likely expect a surge in new content, including reboots, spin-offs, and original productions drawing from Warner Bros' legacy. For Netflix subscribers, the platform could soon become the go-to destination for both new releases and classic favorites. While some industry veterans express concern about further consolidation of media power, others see this as an opportunity for innovation and greater investment in high-quality storytelling. Only time will tell how this landmark deal reshapes Hollywood and the global entertainment landscape.
...
If you’re of a certain age, then you realize that
Peter Hammond was not the first live-action Spider-Man to appear on television screens. That honor goes to
Jim Hensen puppeteer
Danny Seagren who was a regular on both
Sesame Street and
The Electric Company. Seagren was both a puppeteer and puppet maker and was the right hand of Ernie along with putting on the Big Bird suit on several occasions including an appearance on
the Ed Sullivan Show. He was also the web slinger on the show that started the careers of
Rita Moreno and
Morgan Freeman as both shows fell under the Children’s Television Workshop. He went on to create puppets for other series like
Curiosity Shop,
Captain Kangaroo and
Who’s Afraid of Opera. “Danny will be greatly missed by his family, friends and those throughout the community he loved living in,” his family said in his obituary. Seagren died on November 10th at the age of 81.
Director
Shawn Levy has officially hired renowned composer
Thomas Newman to craft the score for his upcoming
Star Wars: Starfighter film. The collaboration marks a significant moment for the celebrated sci-fi franchise, as Newman steps into a universe long defined by the iconic music of
John Williams. His distinguished career includes memorable scores for films such as
The Shawshank Redemption,
Finding Nemo, and
1917, brings a fresh perspective to the Star Wars saga. Over the years, Newman has earned an impressive 15 Oscar nominations, a testament to his exceptional talent and enduring impact on the film industry. Levy, celebrated for his work on blockbusters like
Free Guy and
Deadpool and Wolverine, and the hit series
Stranger Things, expressed enthusiasm for the partnership. He highlighted Newman's ability to blend sweeping orchestral moments with subtle, character-driven motifs—a style well-suited to the expansive and adventurous spirit of Star Wars. While plot details remain under wraps, Levy and Newman’s collaboration promises a thrilling and emotionally resonant cinematic experience.
While most of the focus over at Marvel Studios is currently on the pair of upcoming
Avengers films,
Ryan Coogler is ready to return to Wakanda for a third
Black Panther film. We’d heard of the possibility of the film originally from
Denzel Washington who, while speaking of his potential retirement, mentioned the film as one of his future projects and then when
Nate Moore left Marvel last year, he said he would be back producing the third
Black Panther film. Now, Coogler himself said while on stage talking about his film Sinners, that Black Panther 3 would be his next movie. The series kicked off with
Chadwick Boseman as T’Challa, king of the African Nation of Wakanda and while he reprised the role in Avengers: Infinity War and Endgame, he sadly passed away shortly after. The sequel dealt with the characters death and passed the mantle on to his sister Shuri played by
Letitia Wright who is expected to reprise the role in the upcoming Avenger films, but with talks of a potential soft reboot of the MCU, it’s unclear who will be wearing the mask for the third film.
The most recent news on the DCU has to do with Jimmy Olsen.
Variety is reporting that
Skyler Gisondo will reprise his role from
Superman in a true-crime docuseries style show that focuses on villains in the universe starting with the Flash rogue, Gorilla Grodd.
Tony Yacenda and
Dan Perrault are set to write and showrun with
James Gunn and
Peter Safran joining them as executive producers. The show is planned for HBO Max and will be a mockumentary style similar to Yacenda and Perrault’s previous series like
American Vandal and
Players. In the original report,
Variety claimed the series would be called
DC Crime, something Gunn took to social media to debunk, saying there had never been any project in production called
DC Crime, he then added that his saying that doesn’t mean that the rest of the report is false. This sounds like a pretty good confirmation to me.
