|
10/30/15 @ 2:39 pm EST
Ask anyone in the hunt for the next batch of James Bond films that are now up for grabs, and this is what you’ll hear, as voiced by one exec whose studio is among those in the chase: “They might not say they’re actively shopping it, but they are certainly making it known their deal is up and they will be.”
The James Bond distribution deal with Sony is done after Spectre bows in the U.S. on November 6. It could stay at Sony or it could head to Warner Bros., or Fox (which handles MGM’s home video), or Universal, and Paramount. Or even Disney, where Bob Iger has shown the wisdom of making big bets can work out in buying out whole companies like Marvel and Lucasfilm for cash and stock.
At a time when studios are hungrier than ever for proven global franchises, James Bond is Hollywood’s longest-running success story. Consider that 50 years after Sean Connery launched the character in 1962’s Dr No, 007’s last outing Skyfall became the series’ biggest grossing film, topping out at $1.1 billion globally. With Daniel Craig and that film’s director Sam Mendes a week away from the U.S. launch of what might be their last Bond film together, there is every expectation that Spectre will chase that high-water gross mark. It already opened briskly overseas.
So it’s not surprising that a hit-starved studio like Warner Bros, or any other major, would covet the franchise. Indeed, a source sighted Warner Bros chief Kevin Tsujihara at the Montage Hotel recently with Gary Barber, the point person at MGM whose job it is to figure out the distribution future of 007 for MGM and Danjaq producers Michael Wilson and Barbara Broccoli. According to our source, the chatter seemed more intense than a meet and greet. It looked like they were throwing around numbers. Not surprisingly, Warner Bros has been oft mentioned as the most aggressive in this hunt.
What’s odd about this is that nobody is saying that Sony hasn’t done a fine job in marketing and releasing the Bond films. But the last deal was made by Amy Pascal, and she is no longer in charge. The new guy in the seat, Tom Rothman, is known from his days running Fox as a tough, bottom-line-minded executive who most feel would walk away from a deal that gave the studio market share at the expense of profit. Indeed, some say that at Pascal’s urging, Sony gave up too much the last time around to keep 007 in the fold.
The Wall Street Journal rifled through those hacked Sony documents and pried out a memo that underscores the troubling risk-reward disparity. According to WSJ, co-financing and marketing and releasing Skyfall brought Sony $57 million on a film that grossed $1.1 billion globally. MGM, in turn, made $175 million, while Danjaq made $109 million. And that doesn’t factor in all the other things Sony gave up and the movies like the 21 Jump Street franchise that MGM was kissed into when the last re-up deal was made. Some would consider the math on this to be on par with the old first-dollar gross deal scenarios which became toxic to studios when owners like Sumner Redstone realized that a star like Tom Cruise had earned way more than $50 million on a Mission: Impossible movie through first-dollar gross participation before Paramount — which financed the whole film –had even recouped its outlay. His generous portion on video pushed that payday to an estimated $80 million.
So much is up in the air right now on 007. First off, the odds are against Craig and Mendes returning for another go, which would mean starting again with a new actor. When Craig recently observed that he would rather “slash his wrists” than do another Bond movie, it certainly echoed loudly around Hollywood, even if those close to him attributed it mostly to the bad idea of putting Craig in front of a journalist right after he completed a time-press and arduous Spectre shoot in which he seriously injured his knee. It would be similar, they said, to asking a woman just out of childbirth how eager she was to have another.
Here’s what we hear. 007 rights gatekeepers Barber, and Wilson and Broccoli, will wait until Spectre plays around the world and accumulates an ungodly global gross that will only strengthen their leverage. And then, early next year, they will make the best deal. If that means bidding farewell to Sony, so be it.
Sony had initially gotten rights to Casino Royale years ago in a deal orchestrated deftly behind the scenes by former Sony Pictures Entertainment CEO John Calley, who revived James Bond while head of United Artists. Because of that, Sony released Casino Royale with a new Bond — Craig — and grossed about $600M worldwide.
When it came time to re-up, Pascal was running the studio and people are still debating whether her zeal to keep Bond led Sony to give up too much. On the plus side, Pascal was invited to have a creative voice in the process over the last few films. Sony co-financed movies that were big hits, and received a distribution fee that some say was capped.
But it was the other concessions granted by Sony that still has tongues wagging. Sony offered up some of its plum projects to be co-financed by MGM. At the time, the sexiest one the studio had was The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo. That film, which starred Craig, went into the pot and while the movie didn’t come close to meeting everyone’s out-sized expectations, 21 Jump Street — another film offered up for co-financing — certainly did. MGM got to be part of that hit and its sequel and presumably will be part of the next film that is rumored to meld that series withMen In Black. Sony, in turn, got to co-finance and release some MGM films, including the Robocop remake. Sony is now gearing up for another Dragon Tattooinstallment with The Girl In The Spider’s Web, the book written by David Lagercrantz, who was installed by the rights-holder relatives of the late author Stieg Larsson. Pascal is a producer on that movie, and MGM is expected to be in the mix if the studio wants to be.
The proceeds from these co-fi deals went into into a split pot, but the unsung coup for MGM was that it got to broker almost all of the international TV deals. That studio was still getting back on its feet after being frozen in a bankruptcy, and it’s believed they didn’t have the kind of clout to get as high a price as Sony would have. It also left Sony’s loyal global customers on the outside looking in because MGM was making the deals and had its own list of customers. The prospect of all that led to widespread internal disagreements within Sony divisions over whether the studio should make such a deal, but Pascal won the day.
Two blockbusters and Spectre later, and Pascal is now off producing movies. And the studio will have some serious decisions to make as it formulates how crucial it is to keep James Bond. Many believe that no studio will replicate the horse trading that took place in the last Sony 007 deal. It is an open question whether another studio will find some ground on which they can get the market share bragging rights that come with 007, while not feeling they made a loss leader deal.
If ever MGM was going to get back into the distribution business — it disbanded distribution when it emerged from bankruptcy and has placed big movies like the Ben-Hur and The Magnificent Seven remakes all over town — the 007 franchise would be the one to relaunch. That’s always an option, but more of a long shot than the notion of Craig returning to His Majesty’s Secret Service.
The betting here is that if Sony’s brain trust led by Michael Lynton and Rothman won’t do it, another big studio like Warner Bros — which successfully partnered with MGM on the billion-dollar The Hobbit trilogy — will swallow hard and make the deal. Tsujihara and Barber are tight, and you can bet that Warner Bros will move heaven and earth to make a hit out of MGM’s upcoming Rocky film Creed, the Ryan Coogler-directed film that opens Thanksgiving with Sylvester Stallone and Michael B. Jordan starring. Is it too much to imagine that soon, the most important entries on Tsujihara’s call sheet will be Barber, along with Harry Potter author JK Rowling and James Packer? 04/05/26 @ 4:17 pm EST
Marvel fans may finally be getting the reunion they’ve been waiting for. Mike Colter and Finn Jones were recently spotted on the New York set of Daredevil: Born Again season 3, sparking widespread excitement that The Defenders are officially back. Photos from the production show Colter and Jones alongside Krysten Ritter, who reprises her role as Jessica Jones, strongly suggesting that Luke Cage and Iron Fist are once again entering Marvel’s street-level corner. While Marvel Studios has not formally announced their return, the presence of all three actors together during filming points to a deliberate reunion rather than a coincidence. The sighting is significant because Colter and Jones last portrayed their characters during Marvel’s Netflix era, where they joined Charlie Cox’s Daredevil and Ritter’s Jessica Jones in the 2017 crossover miniseries The Defenders. With Daredevil: Born Again already reestablishing that continuity on Disney+, season 3 now appears poised to fully reassemble the team for the first time in nearly a decade. Although plot details remain under wraps, the set photos alone have reignited fan enthusiasm for Marvel’s grounded, Hell’s Kitchen–based heroes. If the reunion is confirmed on screen, Daredevil: Born Again season 3 could mark a major turning point—bringing The Defenders back together and firmly reintegrating Marvel’s Netflix characters into the broader MCU.  03/28/26 @ 1:40 pm EST
Games Workshop has officially unveiled Warhammer 40,000: 11th Edition, confirming that the next evolution of its flagship tabletop wargame will launch in June 2026. The announcement was made during the AdeptiCon 2026 preview event, where a cinematic trailer, a new starter box, and early details about rules changes were revealed. The narrative focus of 11th Edition returns players to Armageddon, one of the most iconic war zones in Warhammer 40K lore. The new storyline centers on a massive conflict between the Imperium of Man and invading Ork forces, with the Blood Angels Space Marines positioned as the headline Imperial faction opposing an Ork Waaagh!. A major lore highlight is the confirmed return of Commissar Sebastian Yarrick, a long‑standing fan‑favorite character closely associated with Armageddon’s wars. His reappearance anchors the edition firmly in classic Warhammer history while advancing the ongoing narrative following recent campaign books. The launch of 11th Edition will be accompanied by a new boxed starter set titled Warhammer 40,000: Armageddon. The set includes newly revealed Space Marine and Ork miniatures, with early previews showing updated Intercessors that blend modern Primaris design with visual callbacks to older armor marks. While the full contents of the box have not yet been detailed, Games Workshop confirmed that additional starter products at different price points will follow, continuing the company’s recent approach to onboarding new players. Unlike the dramatic overhaul that accompanied 10th Edition, early information indicates that 11th Edition is designed as an iterative update rather than a full system reset. Existing 10th Edition Codex and Supplement books will remain valid at launch, meaning players will not need to immediately replace their current army rules. Confirmed design goals include streamlined core mechanics, reduced rules stacking, and a closer alignment between narrative and matched play. Games Workshop has emphasized faster gameplay, clearer interactions, and improved balance without discarding the foundations introduced in the previous edition. Although the June 2026 release window has been confirmed, many specifics—such as the full ruleset, complete model lineup, and codex roadmap—remain under wraps. Games Workshop has stated that deeper rules previews and additional reveals will be shared in the months leading up to launch.  ... 03/28/26 @ 1:16 pm EST
While attending a comics convention this weekend, Tom King offered fans a substantive update on the long‑anticipated Mister Miracle animated series, confirming that the project has moved into a significant new phase of development. King, who serves as both lead writer and showrunner on the series, revealed that the pilot episode has now been completed. According to his comments at the event, the show is no longer in early conceptual stages but is actively progressing, with King currently involved in editing the series and writing later episodes. One of the biggest takeaways from the panel was confirmation that a voice cast has already been hired. While no names were announced, King teased that fans would be extremely excited once the cast is officially revealed, suggesting that announcements are likely forthcoming. The Mister Miracle animated series is based on the acclaimed 12‑issue comic run written by King and illustrated by Mitch Gerads. During the panel, King reiterated that the show is aiming to closely reflect Gerads’ distinctive visual style, an approach that has been a priority throughout development. This commitment aligns with previous statements that the production is pushing the boundaries of animation to faithfully translate the look and tone of the original comics. King also confirmed that the series is set within the DC Universe and that he is writing all eight episodes himself. His dual role as writer and showrunner positions the project as a deeply personal adaptation of his Eisner Award–winning work, rather than a loose reinterpretation. Although no release date was announced during the convention, King’s update makes it clear that Mister Miracle is firmly in active development rather than stalled or uncertain. The completed pilot and hired voice cast mark major milestones, signaling that the project is steadily moving forward.  ... 03/21/26 @ 1:51 pm EST
With HBO and DC Studios’ upcoming series Lanterns positioning itself as a grounded, detective‑style drama, fans are paying close attention to how the show will deploy one of the Green Lantern mythos’ most iconic figures: Sinestro. Officially confirmed to appear in the series and portrayed by Ulrich Thomsen, Sinestro’s inclusion signals that Lanterns is not just telling a crime story—it is laying the foundation for the moral and ideological conflicts at the heart of the Green Lantern universe. According to DC Studios’ official character description, Sinestro is a former Green Lantern who turned rogue after abusing his power. He is described as “ruthless yet undeniably charming,” with a manipulative obsession centered on his former mentee, Hal Jordan. Jordan is being played by Kyle Chandler. This immediately suggests that Sinestro’s role in Lanterns will be personal rather than purely antagonistic. Rather than functioning as a straightforward villain to be defeated, Sinestro is more likely to appear as a philosophical counterpoint to Hal Jordan. In the comics, Sinestro believes order must be enforced through fear, not willpower or trust. Translating that worldview into a grounded HBO drama fits perfectly with the show’s True Detective-inspired tone, where moral certainty is often elusive. Lanterns centers on Hal Jordan and John Stewart (Aaron Pierre) as intergalactic law officers investigating a murder in the American heartland. While the crime is Earth‑based, the implications are cosmic, and Sinestro’s presence may loom over the investigation rather than dominate it outright. Given Sinestro’s history as Hal Jordan’s mentor, one plausible role is that of a symbolic embodiment of Hal’s past failures. Sinestro may serve as a reminder of what happens when a Green Lantern decides the rules no longer work—or that he alone should decide how justice is delivered. This framing would reinforce Hal’s status as a seasoned Lantern nearing the end of his career, forced to confront the ideological consequences of the Corps’ authority. Production reports confirm that Sinestro is a recurring character, not necessarily the central antagonist of every episode. That opens the door for a more subtle narrative function: Sinestro as a background manipulator. Rather than openly opposing the Lanterns, Sinestro could be: Feeding Hal Jordan information to test his judgment, quietly steering events tied to the murder investigation or Serving as a warning figure for John Stewart, illustrating what a Lantern can become when certainty replaces empathy. This approach aligns with comments from Ulrich Thomsen, who hinted on social media that his time as Sinestro may not be finished, suggesting long‑term narrative relevance beyond a single season. While Lanterns is firmly Earth‑based, it exists within DC Studios’ broader DC Universe (DCU). Sinestro’s introduction here may function less as a payoff and more as setup. In DC canon, Sinestro is to the Green Lanterns what Lex Luthor is to Superman—a recurring ideological nemesis rather than a one‑time foe. By grounding Sinestro early as a calculating, persuasive presence rather than a spectacle‑driven villain, Lanterns could be positioning him as: A future architect of larger DCU conflicts, a connective figure between cosmic and Earth‑level stories or as a moral antagonist whose philosophy spreads rather than attacks. Nothing beyond Lanterns has been officially confirmed, but Sinestro’s stature in DC lore makes his appearance here feel intentional rather than incidental. Based on what is known, Sinestro’s role in Lanterns is unlikely to hinge on spectacle. Instead, he appears poised to challenge the core identity of the Green Lantern Corps—and of Hal Jordan himself. Whether he appears as a mentor‑turned‑enemy, a manipulative observer, or a philosophical provocateur, Sinestro represents the question at the heart of the series: Is justice about enforcing order—or believing people can choose to do better? In a show built around investigation, doubt, and moral consequence, Sinestro may not be the loudest presence—but he could be the most dangerous one.  ... 03/21/26 @ 1:35 pm EST
The entertainment world is mourning the loss of Nicholas Brendon, the actor best known for his role as Xander Harris on the beloved television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Brendon passed away at the age of 54, his family confirmed, stating that he died in his sleep of natural causes. News of his passing has prompted an outpouring of tributes from colleagues, friends, and fans who grew up with his work and were touched by his honesty and humanity. Born in Los Angeles in 1971, Brendon rose to international fame in 1997 when he was cast as Xander Harris, the witty, loyal, and often self‑deprecating heart of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Appearing in all seven seasons of the series from 1997 to 2003, Brendon helped shape one of television’s most enduring ensemble casts. Xander, the lone member of the group without supernatural powers, became a relatable stand‑in for audiences—grounded, flawed, brave, and deeply human. Following Buffy, Brendon continued to work steadily in television and film. His credits included recurring roles on Criminal Minds and Private Practice, as well as appearances in Kitchen Confidential, Faking It, and cult films such as Psycho Beach Party and Coherence. While none matched the cultural impact of Buffy, his performances were often praised for their sincerity and emotional openness. In later years, Brendon spoke candidly about his personal struggles. He was open about living with addiction, mental health challenges, and serious medical conditions, including a congenital heart defect and complications from spinal injuries that required multiple surgeries. His willingness to discuss these issues publicly resonated with many fans, who saw in him not just a television star, but a person navigating real and painful challenges while continuing to create. Despite these difficulties, Brendon remained creatively driven. According to his family, he found renewed passion in painting and visual art in recent years, sharing his work with friends and supporters. In their statement announcing his death, they remembered him as “passionate, sensitive, and endlessly driven to create,” and asked for privacy as they grieve and celebrate his life.  ... 03/14/26 @ 2:53 pm EST
Multiple sites, including Deadline and Variety, are reporting that one of the stars of the upcoming HBO series Lanterns will be making taking his character to the big screen. Aaron Pierre, who plays new Green Lantern John Stewart, is now set to appear in the upcoming James Gunn film Man of Tomorrow. Though not officially a Superman sequel, MoT stars David Corenswet and Nicholas Hoult reprising their roles as Superman and Lex Luthor along with other returning cast members Rachel Brosnahan, Skyler Gisondo and Sara Sampaio. This film will also introduce another popular DC Comic’s villain, Brainiac, played by German actor Lars Eidinger. Pierre joins DC’s cosmic police force along with Kyle Chandler as Hal Jordan as they team up to investigate a murder in Nebraska. The tone of the Lanterns series is much darker and grounded, in the style of a True Detective season, but this move drives home that the series is connected to Gunn’s growing DC Universe that also includes Peacemaker and the animated Creature Commandos. The interesting thing to note is that while Pierre’s Stewart will appear, there is no word on whether Nathan Fillion’s Guy Gardner, the Green Lantern introduced in Superman, will return. Fillion is also set to appear in Lanterns, having told reporters he has sworn more in his appearance in the upcoming series than in all of his previous roles combined. This may not bode well for the ring-wielding hero or his bowl cut. Lanterns is set to debut in August on HBO Max and Man of Tomorrow is scheduled for July 2027.  03/14/26 @ 2:34 pm EST
The anticipated reboot of Buffy the Vampire Slayer will not be moving forward at Hulu. The news was broken to disappointed fans by producer and returning star Sarah Michelle Gellar on her Instagram this morning. The streamer had originally ordered a pilot to be directed by Eternals director Chloé Zhao from a script written Poker Face writers by Nora and Lilla Zuckerman. Gellar wrote in her post, “I want to thank Chloé Zhao because I never thought I would find myself back in Buffy’s stylish yet affordable boots. And thanks to Chloé, I was reminded how much I love her and how much she means, not only to me, but to all of you. This doesn’t change any of that, and I promise if the apocalypse actually comes… you can still beep me.” Sources say that the initial reaction to the pilot were not good and while discussions were had about reworking the pilot, Hulu has decided not to proceed but remains excited about the Buffy IP and will likely regroup and find a new approach to move the franchise forward.  02/21/26 @ 2:38 pm EST
You may have noticed that I’m not the biggest fan of ‘Industry Insiders’ who have paywalls set up to dole out rumors like… well, I couldn’t find a metaphor that wasn’t extremely insulting so we’ll just move on. Those ‘insiders’ need to have a ready supply of rumors to keep their subscribers coming back and since there is no accountability for erroneous rumors, one has to wonder if some of them are just made up out of thin air. James Gunn, co-head of DC Studios, has a times come out and addressed a batch of rumors that fans ask him about on social media. He did this again recently and here are some of the rumors he addressed along with his response. A report that the upcoming Man of Tomorrow has changed its title to Superman: Man of Tomorrow. Gunn has said before that this was more than a Superman movie and confirms the title has NOT changed by simply saying, “Nope.” Another report says that the film with begin filming in a few weeks, and while it will begin shortly, he says “by strict definition of Few, nope.” Reports say that he’s trying to rush through Matt Reeves’ The Batman Epic Crime Saga so he can then get to Brave and the Bold. That’s another ‘Nope’. Scoopers claim that Paradise Lost, the Wonder Woman prequel series was now dead or shelved. I know this will surprise you, but he said, “Nope”. And he did confirm one thing, that Superman does not believe in Santa Claus because, “He’s an adult.” Rumors can be fun to talk about and debate, but if they set unrealistic expectations that ruin the film for someone, then that’s a problem. And paying for rumors… that seems a bit crazy to me.  ... 02/21/26 @ 2:21 pm EST
Many MCU fans wonder why the events of Daredevil: Born Again won’t be even referenced in upcoming films like Spider-Man: Brand New Day. In Born Again, Wilson Fisk ( Vincent D’Onofrio) is the new Mayor of New York and has declared martial law along with creating a taskforce to hunt down vigilantes and you would think someone like Spider-Man ( Tom Holland) would be on his radar. But that’s not going to happen on the big screen, no Fisk in BND and SFX Magazine thought that would be a good thing to ask Born Again showrunner Dario Scardapane about. “I’d be into it, because I dig the comics! But no, that’s been kind of a fun and challenging thing. We know there’s a huge world out there of the MCU. This corner of it has crossovers. We’ve seen Daredevil in other shows, there are other characters that are going to be popping up in movies and stuff, and that all goes into the larger MCU of it all. The joke we make is, ‘Oh, those guys are uptown – we’re downtown!’ We kind of have a pocket that’s in this world of Hell’s Kitchen, in this world of New York. I always think that maybe these characters take a little vacation into the larger world but the story that we’re focusing on is really granular.” Let me translate that, “They can borrow our toys, but we can’t touch there’s.” A shame as we all want a real Daredevil/Spider-Man crossover.  02/14/26 @ 2:33 pm EST
“You have failed this beach!” Okay, there is probably no way Stephen Amell will say that line in the new Baywatch reboot, but I can’t be the only one who thought about it. Fox announced yesterday that the former Arrow, Heels and Suits LA star would be the lead in the networks bid to recapture the popularity of their lifeguard themed drama from the 90s. Amell will be playing the role of Hobie Buchannon, a role first introduced in the OG series. Hobie’s world turns upside down when Charlie, the daughter he didn’t know he had, shows up ready to put on the red bathing suit and follow in the family business. The show got a straight-to-series 12-episode order back in September, so the network is moving quickly. An interesting note is that Amell is the right age if the network wanted to bring back David Hasselhoff to reprise the role of Hobie’s father Mitch for an episode or two.  |
|
|
|
|
