Arrow Stars in Other Roles

tv echo · April 5, 2020

Arrowverse composer Blake Neely scored the new film Greyhound (World War II drama starring Tom Hanks), which is scheduled to be released in the U.S. on June 12, 2020 (really??).

This film was originally scheduled for release on March 22, 2019, before being moved to May 8, 2020, and then postponed to June 12, 2020. I'm skeptical that it will actually come out on that date.

Edited April 5, 2020 by tv echo

tv echo · April 8, 2020

Colin Donnell on ‘Almost Love’, Returning for ‘Arrow’s Final Season, and the ‘Almost Famous’ Musical
BY CHRISTINA RADISH APRIL 7, 2020
https://collider.com/colin-donnell-interview-almost-love-arrow-almost-famous/

Quote

From writer/director Mike Doyle, the romantic comedy Almost Love follows a group of friends, as they navigate love, life and relationships. From Adam (Scott Evans) and Marklin (Augustus Prew) assessing where they’re at in their five-year relationship, to Elizabeth (Kate Walsh) and the questionable state of her marriage, to Cammy (Michelle Buteau) and the homeless status of her new beau Henry (Colin Donnell), to Haley (Zoe Chao) and her feelings toward the teenaged Scott James (Christopher Gray), they’re all just trying to figure out how to make things work, with the humor and heartbreak that comes with life.
* * *
Collider: This is a very different kind of love story. When this came your way and you read the script, what was it that appealed to you and made you want to be a part of telling this story?
COLIN DONNELL: First and foremost, it was (writer/director) Mike Doyle. He’s been a friend for quite some time, and he had told me that he was working on a script, long before he ever asked me to be a part of it. So, when he got into a place where he felt comfortable sharing it, he let me read it. What immediately drew me in was the fact that it was a love story and a romantic comedy that happened to center around a gay couple, but wasn’t, by any stretch of the imagination, just a gay film. It was a universal story about a group of friends, at various points in their relationships. I thought that it was such a good reflection of where we are today, in the world, that you can have a straight up romantic comedy that has the main characters be gay, and not have to call such loud attention to it.
* * *
This definitely seems like it would have been a fun character to play. Was that always there, on the page, when you first read the script, or did that evolve over time?
DONNELL: It was there. When Mike came to me, to ask maybe a part of the movie, he said, “Look, I think you’d be good in something else, but I want to give you an opportunity to do something that people don’t ever see you do.” He was very kind and said, “You’re funny. You have the ability to play outlandish characters, in a very real way. Do you wanna give it a shot?” And I jumped on it, especially considering what I was doing for 10 months out of the year. To be able to jump into something so absurd and fun. For me, that was really exciting.
* * *
There’s definitely a particularly funny moment when your character tells this woman that he barely knows that he’s actually homeless, and seems to have no self-awareness about that could be a problem for someone. Why do you think he’s someone that seems to think that this is just a perfectly okay situation and that everybody should just be perfectly okay with it?
DONNELL: I think that there’s something about him that is like an adult in arrested development. He knows that it’s not the norm, but he’s finally met somebody and he wants to figure out if she can get beyond it and maybe break the cycle that he’s been in, of screwing things up, left and right, and possibly take advantage of her. It’s interesting because, with Henry, we didn’t wanna make light of the fact that he was homeless, so it was just a circumstance that he happened to find himself in.

It’s funny because he not only is having this relationship with her, he almost feels like he’s having a relationship with her home, since they don’t go out. Does it even occur to him to want more, before all of this?
DONNELL: I think there’s something about him that sees the situation that he’s in and he’s like, “Well, this is better than what I had, so this is fine. And I’ll just try to hang onto this, for as long as possible, because something’s probably gonna screw it up, and that thing is probably gonna be me.”
* * *
I have to say that I was lucky enough to get down to San Diego to see the Almost Famous musical. I went to see it because it’s one of my favorite films, so I was very curious to see how that would translate to the stage. What was it like for you to be a part of that show and play that character, and do that in front of a live audience?
DONNELL: It sounds cliche, but it’s hard to put it into words. Like you, I was such a huge fan of the movie, before getting involved with the project. And so, when it all came about, I don’t wanna say that there’s a certain trepidation, but I was very curious about how they were gonna do it. What’s cool about the movie is that, more than some pieces out there, it really lends itself towards being adapted into a musical because of the nature of the material. It’s a love letter to music and fandom, so it’s a very easy thing to take that joy and expand it into a musical universe. It was incredible. Stepping into Russell was really exciting. There’s certainly a lot of expectation to live up to. Billy [Crudup]’s betrayal of Russell was so iconic. He was the Rock God. And so, it was fun to see Cameron [Crowe] approach it, in the room, in a brand new, fresh way, and then really hand over the reigns and say, “This is your guy now. Do with it as you will. It’s yours.” It was just amazing. The audience response was incredible, with the energy that we had every night. It was a really, really cool experience. I’m excited for it to eventually make its way onto Broadway.

Are you hoping to be a part of the show, whenever it does ultimately gets to Broadway?
DONNELL: Yeah. They’re gonna continue to work on the show, over the next little bit. Things are certainly in an interesting place, right now, with the industry. As far as I know, the plan is sometime in 2020, so I’m excited to see what happens. Hopefully, I will continue on with the show. That is the plan, as of right now. Certainly, things can change, but we are all very excited for New York audiences to see it ‘cause we think we’ve got a really special show that is a good fit and maybe just the thing that audiences are needing right now.
* * *
Is there a current TV show that you watch, that you’d love to do a fun guest spot on?
DONNELL: Oh, gosh, there’s so many. I’m absolutely loving Superstore. I think it’s one of the best comedies out there, so I would kill to be Random Shopper #8.

Almost Love is available to watch on-demand.

Edited April 8, 2020 by tv echo

tv echo · April 9, 2020

This must be the secret project that Arrow EP Beth Schwartz has been working on...

Netflix Orders Robert Downey Jr's Sweet Tooth to Series, Based on Jeff Lemire Comic
By SPENCER PERRY - April 8, 2020
https://comicbook.com/tv-shows/2020/04/09/netflix-orders-robert-downey-jrs-sweet-tooth-to-series-based-on-/

Quote

Jeff Lemire's wholesome and horrifying comic series Sweet Tooth has been in development as a television series for a few years now, with none other than Iron Man himself Robert Downey Jr. spearheading the project. Though the series previously had a pilot ordered at Hulu, the adaptation has now apparently moved to their biggest competition as ace scooper Daniel RPK brings word on his Patreon that Sweet Tooth has moved to Netflix. Not only has the series made the jump across town to a different streaming service, the show has reportedly been given a series order though it's unclear how many episodes that will include.

Sweet Tooth pilot is based on Jeff Lemire's Vertigo Comics series of the same name, which ran from 2009 to 2013. The series will center on the coming-of-age fable of Gus, a boy/deer hybrid who leaves home to find the world ravaged by a cataclysmic event. Gus joins forces with a family of hybrids and humans to find answers behind the apocalypse, only to discover a vast conspiracy that forces him to question his very existence.

Hap and Leonard alum Jim Mickle and Arrow's Beth Schwartz will co-showrun the series which will be executive produced by RDJ and his wife Susan Downey, plus Amanda Burrell and Linda Moran. Lemire himself previously spoke about the prospect of Sweet Tooth being adapted, previously calling it very complicated in a 2013 interview with CBR, ironically noting that he'd have liked to see a film adaptation over television.

Edited April 9, 2020 by tv echo

tv echo · April 15, 2020

Very positive review of Code 8...

Stephen Amell’s Sci-Fi Movie Code 8 Is Dominating Netflix – Here’s Why
EDWARD LAUDER on 14th April 2020
https://www.small-screen.co.uk/code-8-netflix-stephen-amell-sci-fi-movie/

Quote

Code 8 has come to Netflix this week and people have been loving Stephen Amell’s indie sci-fi movie, so much so that it’s one of the most-watched films on the streaming service.

At the moment, here in the UK it’s occupying the number two spot in Netflix’s most-watched movies and TV shows, which is crazy.
* * *
Just to make it clear, Code 8 isn’t a Netflix made movie.

It’s actually an independent movie that Robbie and Stephen Amell managed to get made through crowdfunding.

It’s very low-budget but doesn’t look it at all.

It reminded me a lot of District 9, which was made on a bigger budget, but they both look like they were made for a lot of money.
* * *
Robbie and Stephen Amell are pretty big names and Stephen is coming off of starring as Arrow in The CW’s Arrowverse.

He’s a pretty popular guy and the fact that they’re both not bad to look at helps.

However, there’s another layer to why Code 8 has preformed so well with viewers on Netflix.

It feels like there’s a lot of heart and love that’s gone into this movie.

Let me make it clear, it’s not the best sci-fi movie ever made – it’s not even the best sci-fi movie on Netflix (that honour goes to I Am Mother).
* * *
Code 8 is a very well-made movie which looks great.
* * *
It feels a lot like the X-Men, but not as comic book-y. Whilst watching it I was reminded of Chronicle, which I loved.
* * *
Another reason why the movie’s proven to be such a big hit on Netflix is probably because the short film already had a bit of a cult following online.

Honestly, Code 8 is a good fun movie to watch whilst in lockdown and I’m happy to see an interesting sci-fi movie like this one do so well on the streaming platform.

Edited April 15, 2020 by tv echo

tv echo · April 15, 2020

Mostly positive review of Code 8...

Code 8 Review – Great actors and an intriguing world with a predictable sci-fi crime plot
By Craig Risi Posted on April 15, 2020
https://www.criticalhit.net/entertainment/code-8-review-great-actors-and-an-intriguing-world-with-a-predictable-sci-fi-crime-plot/

Quote

Now, just reading the above description of the plot is possibly enough to make your eyes roll at how unoriginal the film is. And that is perhaps the biggest problem with Code 8. It may have an intriguing idea and some really well-developed and interesting characters, but ultimately there is very little in this film that you haven’t watched or seen elsewhere. Even the core of its story focusing on tough economic circumstances that lead to a life of crime, is one that’s been done hundreds of times and filled with the same cliched characters we get in many other movies.
* * *
Through the predictability of it all though, Code 8 at least does a decent job with the execution of its message. Robbie along with his brother Garett (played by Stephen Amell) are very likeable characters with equal doses of good and bad to keep you questioning their intentions, with the more grounded nature of its story making it very relatable and different from other big superhero movies we get these days. The actors do a stellar job in providing depth and realism to their characters and at times you feel like you are watching a gripping drama rather than a sci-fi/crime movie. I would’ve actually loved to have seen the story focused more on Garrett who feels significantly underdeveloped here with the only other character getting any sort of decent motivation being Kyla Kane’s Nia. The film also stars Sung Kang, Aaron Abrams and Chad Donella
* * *
Code 8, for all if of its cliché’s and predictability, is an enjoyable film that is certainly worthwhile if you’re willing to ignore some of its faults. ...
* * *
In Code 8, Netflix has a sci-fi franchise that they can definitely build on in future. Whether this film is good enough to draw in enough viewers and warrant further expansion though, is another matter entirely.

Edited April 15, 2020 by tv echo

Chaser · April 15, 2020

On 4/9/2020 at 7:09 AM, tv echo said:

This must be the secret project that Arrow EP Beth Schwartz has been working on...

Netflix Orders Robert Downey Jr's Sweet Tooth to Series, Based on Jeff Lemire Comic
By SPENCER PERRY - April 8, 2020
https://comicbook.com/tv-shows/2020/04/09/netflix-orders-robert-downey-jrs-sweet-tooth-to-series-based-on-/

I assumed Beth would also be in charge of the spin off. I wonder if this says anything about a pick up. Course she could do both or not be charge of the spin off.

tv echo · April 15, 2020

Mixed review of Code 8...

REVIEW: ‘Code 8’ is a Troubled but Engaging World
04/15/2020 - by William Tucker
https://butwhythopodcast.com/2020/04/15/review-code-8-is-a-troubled-but-engaging-world/

Quote

The world itself is more fascinating than the narrative plot within it, but Chan’s script confidently creates an overhanging feeling of hopelessness within it. The theme of classism that the screenplay is structured around creates a sense that the characters are incapable of breaching the cultural situation they’re in. This is one of the more profound perspectives of the film and really affected me while watching.

While the plot is focused on the characters portrayed by the Amells, they are actually the least interesting characters in the film. Connor’s willingness to do absolutely everything to save his mother is admirable. Robbie Amell switches between pow Garrett’s quest to be at the top of the organization but always ends up working for another top dog, instilling some weakness into a character that sees himself as a leader. Both of the cousins have a good screen presence, but it does feel like Chan reveals everything about them within their first scenes, with very little development throughout the second and third acts.
* * *
The biggest issue within the movie is the lack of chemistry between the two characters portrayed by the Amells. Much of the film features just those two alone together, but it never feels like there is a real connection between the pair. There are no small moments of warmth when both of them are on screen together, nor is there any time when you feel like they truly hate or despise each other. There is no expectation that this has to happen just because of the familial connection between the cousins, but the project was marketed around the fact that this was one of the first times the two actors acted together. Ultimately, more time should have been taken towards the dialogue between the two.

The screenplay could have taken a break from the constant glumness of the movie. There is minimal humor or light-hearted moments within the film. Every second of the movie feels dark and miserable, and just a small conversation between characters or smiles within the gang to just lift the endless feeling of darkness. With no relief, the audience can become desensitized to the negative tone and events don’t carry as much weight as they did in the first act.
* * *
While the writing isn’t at all groundbreaking and some performances could be much better, the production is well shot, well-edited and some of the scenes really are fun to watch. While the subject matter and genre may tempt others to liken it to a franchise like X-Men, I would liken it more to TV series such as Heroes or Alphas. With the budget allocated, it isn’t entirely fair to compare it to blockbusters, but it does feel more like an extended pilot for a TV show. I would definitely love for this property to grow. It is definitely worth a watch.

Edited April 15, 2020 by tv echo

way2interested · April 15, 2020

3 minutes ago, Chaser said:

I assumed Beth would also be in charge of the spin off. I wonder if this says anything about a pick up. Course she could do both or not be charge of the spin off.

Oscar and Jill would be in charge of the spinoff, Beth and MG would be the executives/co-creators.

Mellowyellow · April 15, 2020

I would probably steer clear of anything Beth is in charge of. She hasn't impressed me at all and her trying to be dark and clever didn't sit well with me. I found it pretentious.

I'm more likely to watch stuff by MG as much as I've ranted about him in the past. I've enjoyed his shows (LOVED Eli Stone) and I think he errs more on feel good side of things.

Featherhat · April 15, 2020

I've liked many episodes that Beth wrote for Arrow so I might give her new show a chance. Although I won't be rushing and it will depend on other factors as well. I do wonder how much control she had over a lot of the S7 stuff. That's not me trying to rescue her or take blame away from her if it's due and she did double down on some irritating stuff but at least some of it was left over from S6 like prison, Pod Diggle and Diaz and they were actively trying to find a SA replacement so I'm not sure *all* of the Emiko stuff can be blamed on her, though I remember her trying to push Rene/Emiko as something to tune in for at one point. 🙄 The flashforwards were talked about as a possibility a couple of seasons before they appeared and whilst making them unrelentingly grimdark was a terrible idea, MG also expressed surprise that many in the fandom had problems with them, beyond "are Oliver and Felicity are evil/dead?"

I've watched and enjoyed some of MG's other stuff but Carnival Row got pseudo "gritty" and trying to be clever in places and I actually enjoyed that.

Edited April 15, 2020 by Featherhat

tv echo · April 20, 2020

ETA: Wow - the acting is so bad in this movie!

Edited April 20, 2020 by tv echo

tv echo · April 25, 2020

REVIEW: Kingdom Hearts 3
This video game is ideal for Disney and action fans under stay-at-home orders
Angel Cazares, Staff Writer April 24, 2020
https://sdcitytimes.com/top-stories/2020/04/24/review-kingdom-hearts-3/

Quote

A company by the name of Square Enix came up with a way for Final Fantasy and Disney to do a mashup, something that will shake up how JRPGs are perceived.

This became Kingdom Hearts, an action-based, role playing game.
* * *
We play a boy named Sora. His goal was to find his friends and fight back the darkness that is destroying worlds. This is the plot for the entire series and is the same for Kingdom Hearts 3, the finale of the saga.
* * *
Voice acting is a mixed bag, some are phenomenal like Axel voiced by Quinton Flynn or Xehanort played by Rutger Haur. But there are also some like Aqua, played by Willa Holland which feels very static and emotionless.
* * *
In the end, I recommend this to fans of the series, fans of Disney and someone just looking for a fun action game.

Edited April 25, 2020 by tv echo

tv echo · April 26, 2020

Not surprising that Bamford would move from directing Arrow to directing Batwoman...

Quote

The premier director of the Arrowverse, James Bamford, directed the May 3 episode of Batwoman which is called “If You Believe In Me, I’ll Believe In You.”

Edited April 26, 2020 by tv echo

tv echo · April 26, 2020

Meanwhile, MG is directing an upcoming LoT episode titled "The One Where We're Trapped On TV" (5x14)...

Edited April 26, 2020 by tv echo

tv echo · April 26, 2020

In that April 22nd KIDS FIRST! (Calista B.) interview that's posted in the Social Media thread here, KC revealed that she'll be directing her first film, a "raunchy comedy" titled Daddy Issues, and that they'll be shooting in Los Angeles, but she didn't know when yet.

Edited April 26, 2020 by tv echo

tv echo · April 26, 2020

It was during the summer of 2013 when Colin Donnell and Patti Murin finally went out on a date for the first time (they had known each other for a long time), after both having been cast in Shakespeare in the Park's Love's Labour's Lost (source)...

-- CD: "By the end of the summer, I was completely head over heels for Patti."

Scenes from Love's Labour's Lost
PublicTheaterNY Aug 7, 2013

Edited April 26, 2020 by tv echo

tv echo · April 27, 2020

Some of the info in this article is info that we already knew (like SA's Heels, EBR's RAGs. and the GA and the Canaries spinoff), so I only quoted info that was new or somewhat new...

Arrow: What Are The Cast Members Up To Next?
NICK VENABLE APR. 26. 2020
https://www.cinemablend.com/television/2494081/arrow-what-are-the-cast-members-up-to-next

Quote

Paul Blackthorne (Quentin Lance)
... With Quentin in his rear-view, Blackthorne will co-star with Gotham vet Morena Baccarin and Legends of Tomorrow vet John Noble in the extraterrestrial-hinged crime drama TV series Home Invasion. Blackthorne is also part of the star-studded voice cast for the upcoming animated feature Pierre the Pigeon Hawk, which also has Kenan Thompson, Howie Mandel, Nick Cannon, Whoopi Goldberg and more involved. Though it's not an on-screen role, Blackthorne serves as a producer on the upcoming females-in-football documentary Victorious.
* * *
Rick Gonzalez (Rene Ramirez/Wild Dog)
... Gonzalez landed a role in Langdon,* which is NBC's upcoming episodic take on Dan Brown's puzzle-cracking historian Robert Langdon, of DaVinci Code fame. (Don't forget about that Calvin Klein ad he was in, either.)
* * *
Katherine McNamara (Mia Smoak/Blackstar/Green Arrow)
... Beyond that CW project, McNamara will be making waves on another big TV show, CBS All Access' take on Stephen King's The Stand. On the film side, she'll be seen in the romantic drama Finding You, as well as It's Always Sunny vet Charlie Day's comedy feature El Tonto.
* * *
Colton Haynes (Roy Harper/Arsenal)
... Beyond trying to get his YouTube video-creation mojo going, Haynes may soon be seen in Brett Leonard's feature drama Triumph opposite Breaking Bad's R.J. Mitte and Empire's Terrence Howard.
* * *
John Barrowman (Malcolm Merlyn/Dark Archer)
... However, the theatre veteran is set to star in the upcoming UK production of Snow White as the Wicked Queen herself. The Hollow Earth YA fantasy novel series that he writes with his sister Carole was optioned several years ago, with X-Men: First Class screenwriter tapped to pen it, but all has been quiet on that front.

(* Per IMDb, RG plays a character named Nunez in Langdon.)

Edited April 27, 2020 by tv echo

tv echo · May 1, 2020

Edited May 1, 2020 by tv echo

tv echo · May 5, 2020

Edited May 5, 2020 by tv echo

tv echo · May 8, 2020

The bolded part sounds familiar...

Marc Guggenheim Set By Studio 8 To Script ‘Prophet’ From Character Hatched By ‘Deadpool’ Creator Rob Liefeld
By Mike Fleming Jr May 7, 2020
https://deadline.com/2020/05/prophet-rob-liefeld-deadpool-marc-guggenheim-studio-8-1202927677/

Quote

EXCLUSIVE: Marc Guggenheim has been set by Jeff Robinov’s Studio 8 to adapt Prophet, the Image Comics character hatched by Deadpool creator Rob Liefeld.

The aim is to build a franchise around John Prophet, a DNA enhanced super-soldier placed into a cryogenic freeze for a future mission only to awaken prematurely in the present, searching for a mission that does not exist. The ruthless berserker must find his humanity.

Pic is produced by Adrian Askarieh (Hitman: Agent 47), Brooklyn Weaver (Run All Night), and Rob Liefeld. John Hyde and Terissa Kelton will also be involved in producing capacities.

Edited May 8, 2020 by tv echo

tv echo · May 9, 2020

From 2008 - KM was around 11 years old at the time she shot this movie ("And introducing Katherine McNamara")...

Matchmaker Mary - Trailer | Jeff Fahey, Dee Wallace, Jacob Hays, Katherine McNamara
Fantastic Films May 8, 2020

Edited May 9, 2020 by tv echo

tv echo · May 12, 2020

Edited May 12, 2020 by tv echo

tv echo · May 13, 2020

Congrats to Beth...

‘Sweet Tooth’: Netflix Gives Series Order To Team Downey’s DC Comics Adaptation Starring Christian Convery & James Brolin
By Peter White May 12, 2020
https://deadline.com/2020/05/sweet-tooth-netflix-team-downey-dc-comics-james-brolin-1202932691/

Quote

Netflix has handed a series pick-up to Sweet Tooth, a drama based on characters created for DC Vertigo by Jeff Lemire. The project hails from Robert Downey Jr. and Susan Downey’s Team Downey, Hap and Leonard co-creator Jim Mickle, Arrow showrunner Beth Schwartz and Warner Bros. TV.

Christian Convery (Beautiful Boy), Nonso Anozie (The Laundromat), Adeel Akhtar (Les Misérables) and Will Forte (The Last Man on Earth) star with James Brolin as the voice of the narrator.

The streamer has ordered eight, one-hour episodes. The project was previously handed a pilot order by Hulu in 2018 but the project did not go forward there.
* * *
Sweet Tooth follows the adventures of Gus — part deer, part boy — who leaves his home in the forest to find the outside world ravaged by a cataclysmic event. He joins a ragtag family of humans and animal-children hybrids like himself in search of answers about this new world and the mystery behind his hybrid origins.

Mickle and Schwartz will write, exec produce and co-showrun, with Mickle also acting as a director. Team Downey’s Robert Downey Jr., Susan Downey and Amanda Burrell will also exec produce alongside Linda Moran and Evan Moore producing. It is being produced by Team Downey in association with Warner Bros. Television.

Edited May 13, 2020 by tv echo

tv echo · May 21, 2020

Edited May 21, 2020 by tv echo

tv echo · May 22, 2020

Congrats to MG...

Marc Guggenheim Scripting Spider-Man Universe Heroine ‘Jackpot’ Movie For Sony Pictures
Mike Fleming, Jr. May 21, 2020
https://deadline.com/2020/05/marc-guggenheim-scripting-spider-man-universe-heroine-jackpot-movie-for-sony-pictures-1202940719/

EXCLUSIVE: Sony Pictures is determined to expand its Marvel Spider-Man universe headlined by a female superhero. The studio has Marc Guggenheim writing the script for Jackpot, a feature about a crime fighting mom in the comics. Guggenheim has written episodes of that comic series, with Brian Reed.
Jackpot is a superheroine with exceptional strength, and her history in the comics is a complicated one. First incarnation was Sara Ehret, a scientist, who, while pregnant, is doing gene therapy research and is exposed to “Lot 777,” a virus that rewrote the DNA in her cells. Her baby is born healthy but she realizes in addition to being a new mom she has superhuman strength after she is forced to save her family.

Eventually, she tired of the crime fighting burden and hands the suit to Alana Jobson, an ambitious pal who takes over the character but must ingest a Mutant Growth Hormone to live up to Jackpot’s superhuman abilities. Long story short, she is killed when teaming with Spider-Man to track down the villain Menace and is killed in action. A guilt-ridden Ehret returns to the job, keeping her identity secret as she raises a family while fighting crime.

Guggenheim has such comic book credits as Aquaman, Amazing Spider-Man and Superman/Batman, and videogame credits including Call of Duty 3. On the film/TV front, his work includes Law & Order, Jack & Bobby, CSI: Miami and most recently he was set by Jeff Robinov’s Studio 8 to adapt Prophet, the Image Comics character hatched by Deadpool creator Rob Liefeld. His work also includes Arrow, Trollhunters: Tales of Arcadia, and he’s making his directorial debut on DC’s Legends of Tomorrow, a crossover from CW’s The Flash. He’s already in business with Sony Pictures adapting the graphic novel Gantz.

tv echo · May 23, 2020

Exclusive: Marc Guggenheim Offers Update on ‘Prophet’, His Super-Soldier Comic Book Movie
BY VINNIE MANCUSO MAY 22, 2020
https://collider.com/prophet-movie-update-marc-guggenheim/

Quote

Guggenheim is still plugging away at Prophet—which is set up at Jeff Robinov‘s Studio 8—and trying to find a unique way into the crowded comic book movie world.

“It’s, how do you be original, and how do you not make it feel derivative? That way that I tend to look at superhero movies, both as a writer and as a viewer and audience member is that I now think of superheroes as its own sub-genre. You can do a superhero movie that feels like a Western, or you can do a superhero movie that feels like a horror movie. If you approach it with that in mind, you can avoid things that have become cliche. But you always have to find the thing that makes the character unique and different, and that’s what will make the movie unique and different. Another way of putting it is, why does this character have to get adapted into a movie? What is it about this character that is different from all of the other characters that you could be making a movie about, or all the other characters that have already had movies made about them?”
* * *
Prophet, a character that first showed up in Liefeld’s Youngblood series, is a genetically-enhanced super-soldier who wakes up in our modern-day from cryogenic sleep. He also just happens to be the result of Nazi experiments, which Guggenheim finds to be an interesting moral dilemma for the character.

“Interestingly enough, in the comics and in my adaptation, he was created by the Nazis. My goal with the movie is to place him in a position where he has to face very similar, almost parallel moral questions. I’m a big fan of stories that place the hero on the horns of an ethical and moral dilemma. Having come out of great evil, to then have to go and face a new form of that evil, is very interesting to me. I’m being vague because I don’t wanna get too specific about my take.”

In the comics, Prophet often teams up with fellow suped-up soldier Cable—portrayed in 2018 by Josh Brolin in Deadpool 2—but a live-action reunion seems unlikely, given the various character rights. But still, Guggenheim says “conversations” have been had about creating some kind of shared universe with Prophet. But first, he has to make his own Iron Man.

“Certainly, those conversations have been had, and whenever they’re had, I always say the same thing, which is that I think the biggest mistake a lot of people make is they run before they can walk. The reason the Marvel Cinematic Universe exists is because they made one good movie. They made Iron Man. And then, they made another good movie, and another good movie after that. So, while I’d be lying, if I said that we never discussed the possibility of a larger cinematic universe, I’m a firm believer that you don’t truly talk about that stuff, until you have the bones of just a very good, independent, standalone film.”

Edited May 23, 2020 by tv echo

tv echo · June 10, 2020

I was flipping through cable channels the other day and caught sight of a young David Ramsey on an old episode of the original Charmed series. It was episode 6.21 (Witch Wars). According to IMDb, he played an "Upper Level Demon."

paulvdb · June 18, 2020

I was just watching The 100 and who showed up there? It's Damien Darkh as another bad guy.

tv echo · June 19, 2020

Audible Announces Star-Studded Slate of New Scripted Originals Starring Christian Slater, Kevin Bacon, Alicia Silverstone, Yvette Nicole Brown #Audible
By Davey N - June 17, 2020
https://redcarpetreporttv.com/2020/06/17/audible-announces-star-studded-slate-of-new-scripted-originals-starring-christian-slater-kevin-bacon-alicia-silverstone-yvette-nicole-brown-and-more/

Quote

Audible, Inc., the world’s largest producer and provider of spoken-word entertainment and audiobooks, today announced a robust programming slate of new scripted Audible Originals, set to debut this summer. ....
* * *
Vroom Vroom, produced by Audible and Studio71, is a scripted comedy about the high-speed pursuit of the American dream, is written by award-winning playwright and screenwriter Josh Koenigsberg (High Fidelity, Orange is the New Black) and stars Andy Richter (Conan), Yvette Nicole Brown (Community), John DiMaggio (Adventure Time, Futurama), Rick Gonzalez (Arrow), Lucy DeVito (Deadbeat), Mic Daily (Accepted) and Azhar Khan (Mr. Robot). When a used Fjord dealership in upstate New York finds out its local rival, Wild Ron, is trying to put it out of business, the dealership has one week to band together to keep its business alive. Vroom Vroom is produced in collaboration with Studio71.

Edited June 19, 2020 by tv echo

tv echo · June 27, 2020

Congrats to RG - another Arrow alum moves to major network TV (KL was a regular on Hawaii Five-0's final season)...

‘Langdon’: Sumalee Montano, Rick Gonzalez & Beau Knapp Cast In NBC Pilot Based On Dan Brown’s ‘Lost Symbol’
By Denise Petski June 26, 2020
https://deadline.com/2020/06/langdon-sumalee-montano-rick-gonzalez-beau-knapp-cast-nbc-pilot-dan-brown-lost-symbol-1202970482/

Quote

EXCLUSIVE: Sumalee Montano (Star Trek: Picard), Arrow alum Rick Gonzalez and Beau Knapp (The Good Lord Bird) are set as series regulars opposite Ashley Zukerman in Langdon, NBC’s drama pilot based on Dan Brown’s best-selling thriller novel The Lost Symbol.

The project, which hails from Imagine Television, CBS TV Studios and Universal Television, is among five 2020 pilots which NBC has committed to filming later this year, once production can safely begin amid coronavirus restrictions.

Written by Dan Dworkin and Jay Beattie, Langdon follows the early adventures of famed Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon (Zukerman), who must solve a series of deadly puzzles to save his kidnapped mentor and thwart a chilling global conspiracy.

Montano will play Sato, Director of the OS. Gonzalez is Nunez, a uniformed Capitol policeman. Knapp portrays Mal’akh, who takes Langdon on a dangerous and arcane mission.

In addition to Zukerman, they join previously announced Valorie Curry and Eddie Izzard.
* * *
Gonzalez is coming off a four-year run as Mad Dog on the CW’s Arrow. His previous credits include an arc on Mr. Robot and the series regular role of Manny Maquis on the USA series Rush. He’s repped by Domain Talent and Framework Entertainment.

Edited June 27, 2020 by tv echo

tv echo · June 28, 2020

OK - this I have to see...

Quote

J.K. Simmons, who has appeared in nearly all of Reitman’s movies, will also play a role, along with the filmmaker’s sister Catherine Reitman, best known for the Netflix comedy Workin’ Moms. The rest of the cast is an IMDB-busting litany of who’s who: Andy Serkis, Elijah Wood, Beanie Feldstein, Dave Bautista, Dennis Haysbert, Taika Waititi, David Spade, Jon Hamm, Stephen Merchant, Mackenzie Davis, Nicholas Braun, Robert Wuhl, Don Johnson, Ari Graynor, Thomas Lennon, Brandon Routh, Courtney Ford, Zoey Deutch, and Zazie Beetz—among many others still under wraps and some TBD.

Edited June 28, 2020 by tv echo

tv echo · July 1, 2020

This Cast and Crew Made a Film in Quarantine Without Ever Meeting
BY ANTHONY BREZNICAN JUNE 30, 2020
https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2020/06/the-first-movie-created-entirely-during-quarantine

Quote

You know that scene in a disaster movie when the pilot gets knocked out, and an air traffic controller has to tell a nervous passenger how to land the plane over the radio?

That’s what it was like for filmmaker Nick Simon and his crew as they shot a movie in quarantine. They sent makeup, camera equipment, props, and lights to all the actors, who were each isolating at home, and explained how to set it all up over Zoom conference calls.
* * *
The horror comedy is about a group of needy and desperate young stars from a once-popular TV series who learn, via video conference, that their show has just been canceled. Fearing obscurity, they decide to stay in the spotlight by making a quickie horror film—but while shooting it, they perform a ritual that accidentally invokes an actual demonic spirit. Mayhem follows. “We kind of described it going into it as Scream meets For Your Consideration,” Simon said.

There’s a meta quality built into the premise, since it stars a slate of actors from actual hit TV shows. Claire Holt (The Originals and The Vampire Diaries) plays the prima donna starlet with a Chardonnay problem; Katherine McNamara of (Shadowhunters and Arrow), the ambitious brand-building newcomer; Emmy Raver-Lampman (The Umbrella Academy and a member of the original Broadway ensemble for Hamilton), a former child star who is used to managing big egos; Darren Barnet (Never Have I Ever), a heartthrob trying to prove he’s a serious actor; and Timothy Granaderos (13 Reasons Why), the affable nice guy who is friends with everyone in the cast (except maybe his ex). Cowriter Luke Baines (also from Shadowhunters), plays another of the suddenly out-of-work TV stars, an arrogant substance abuser who desperately needs some new success.

The Untitled Horror Movie is not just a placeholder title. It’s part of the joke—at least for now. “Until a distributor buys it and takes it away,” Baines said. “That was one of the recurring jokes we had with it. This group of actors couldn’t name their own movie. So it is right now called The Untitled Horror Movie.”
* * *
The filmmakers insist that this is not Zoom: The Motion Picture. Only part of the story involves a video chat (and it won’t be identified onscreen as that particular brand). The rest of the film is shot traditionally, so all the department heads had to figure out how to instruct the actors to do their respective jobs remotely. “We sent every actor cameras and lights and microphones. And we used Zoom as a way for for me to direct the actors,” Simon said.
* * *
Each package held cameras, lights, reflective bouncer screens, makeup and hair materials, and lots of extra batteries and gaff tape. “We had to think of every single thing that could possibly go wrong,” Simon said.
* * *
Stefanie Terzo, the head of hair and makeup, sent out video tutorials so the actors could do their own bruises and wounds. Meanwhile, action consultants Shara Kim and Anita Nittoly helped choreograph the actors’ fight scenes without ever being in the room with them. “The spirit attacks the actors, [so there are] invisible forces throwing them, or the actors hitting themselves uncontrollably,” Baines said. “They pre-taped themselves performing the choreography and then did step-by-step tutorials to explain how to achieve the desired action.”
* * *
The actors also learned to rig lights and activate cameras, while cinematographer Kevin Duggin would study the setups via the conference call, making adjustments just before shooting started. “It was quite extraordinary, not only Kevin’s patience, but his ability to amazingly see and understand the light without physically being in the room,” said Cornelius. “He’d be like, ‘Is there a window in the back to your right?’ And they would say, ‘Yeah.’ He'd be like, ‘Can you go close that? Put a blanket over that?’ It was extraordinary to watch his talent in working, and the videos and workbooks that he and Luke had to create as tutorials for all of the actors.”
* * *
The characters themselves are never united, so their main interaction is only via video conference. The coronavirus is never mentioned, and neither is the quarantine. The story just happens to be playing out while they’re separated, with just a handful of exceptions. “There is some kind of interaction that does happen where more than one character is sharing a space with another character, albeit through glass so that nobody has contact,” Baines said.

Edited July 1, 2020 by tv echo

tv echo · July 4, 2020

Mike O'Malley, who plays Brakeman Roche on Snowpiercer, is also the showrunner of SA's new Starz series Heels...

Mike O'Malley on the Post-Apocalyptic World of TNT's ‘Snowpiercer'
NBC LA entertainment reporter Heather Brooker talks with Mike O'Malley about the parallels between "Snowpiercer" and current events.
Published June 7, 2020 • Updated on June 8, 2020
https://www.nbclosangeles.com/entertainment/mike-omalley-on-the-post-apocalyptic-world-of-tnts-snowpiercer/2376327/

Quote

In addition to starring in “Snowpiercer,” O’Malley is also the showrunner for the new Starz series “Heels,” starring Stephen Amell and Alexander Ludwig. The 8 episode drama follows the men and women in the world of small town professional wrestling in a close-knit Georgia community. “Heels” was in pre-production when the shut down order came due to the coronavirus.

“We were shooting 8 episodes for Starz and we were going to go down to Atlanta on April 1. We’ve obviously been put on pause,” O’Malley explains. “I believe we’re going back to work at the end of August. We’re waiting for all the protocols to get together but we are still going to be making this show. And we’re so lucky to have Steve and Alexander starring in this.”

Edited July 4, 2020 by tv echo

statsgirl · July 5, 2020

On 7/1/2020 at 7:42 AM, tv echo said:

This Cast and Crew Made a Film in Quarantine Without Ever Meeting
BY ANTHONY BREZNICAN JUNE 30, 2020

I heard an interview with the filmmaker about how he thought it up during the lockdown and then created it. Something I'd definitely like to see.j

Kat really seems to be keeping busy during this time.

tv echo · July 10, 2020

Apparently Arrow actor Amy Gumenick also guest-starred on Supernatural and Bones...

11 ‘Supernatural’ Actors You Forgot Guest-Starred on ‘Bones’
BY KENEDI JULY 9, 2020
https://www.nerdsandbeyond.com/2020/07/09/11-supernatural-actors-you-forgot-guest-starred-on-bones/

Quote

4. Amy Gumenick (Young Mary Winchester) – 5×04 “The Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood”
...
In this episode, Gumenick plays Paige Sayles, a member of the community involved in a luau barbecue gone wrong. Booth and Brennan must parse out the killer of the victim who was found in the barbecue pit by sorting out a tangle of scandalous inter-community relationships, making everyone who lives there and attended the luau a suspect, including teenage Paige. Gumenick’s performance here is quite different than her one on Supernatural, playing a “girl next door” type in comparison to the badass Mary Winchester (then Campbell), but it only endears us to her more.

Edited July 10, 2020 by tv echo

tv echo · July 12, 2020

Arrow writer Rebecca Rosenberg has joined The Outpost's writing staff...