Austin Powers may return
Yeah, baby? Mike Myers says Austin Powers could be ready for another outing. The character, a British spy with an outsized appetite for sex, last appeared on screen in 2002.
It’s been a long break, and Myers hasn’t had a major hit in the years since. Whether audiences would welcome Austin back is another question. Late sequels have gone both ways, from the success of “Top Gun: Maverick” to the much less successful “Independence Day: Resurgence.” And Austin’s particular brand of sexual humor might be harder to pull off in a post-MeToo era. An intimacy coordinator on set? It’s a strange image, but not an impossible one.
Gunn’s DC chapter ends
James Gunn’s time leading DC’s film division has reportedly come to an end, following Skydance’s acquisition of Warner Bros. One account suggested Gunn’s planned “Superman” follow-up, “Man of Tomorrow,” was in trouble, though that may not be the whole story.
Gunn’s team had reportedly discussed bringing Wonder Woman back for the film. Gal Gadot wasn’t included in those plans, and the character was apparently set to take a very different direction. It’s fair to wonder whether those choices played a part in Gunn’s departure.
A claim about emancipation
Sunny Hostin of “The View” stirred controversy this week with an argument about how enslaved people gained their freedom. She said that enslaved people who left to join the Union Army were fighting for their freedom, and that they had, in effect, emancipated themselves.
“People often say that Abraham Lincoln emancipated the slaves,” Hostin said. “The slaves basically emancipated themselves because they wanted freedom and they fought for their freedom.”
The remark drew criticism, with some observers questioning how a program billed as news could present such a sweeping claim without more context.
A crowded writers’ room
“Avengers: Doomsday” has named 10 screenwriters, a notably large group for a film. Among them are Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman, better known for playing Deadpool and Wolverine.
Reynolds has co-written the two most recent “Deadpool” films and is known for his quick wit. Jackman, by contrast, has no previous screenwriting credits. The film is also expected to bring together a large cast of actors from earlier superhero movies, though Reynolds and Jackman had not previously been listed among the announced ensemble.
Perhaps they’ll contribute more than a few lines for their own characters. It seems less likely they’re writing dialogue for Thor or Ant-Man.
Huppert’s departure from “Inglourious Basterds”
Quentin Tarantino says Isabelle Huppert was dropped from “Inglourious Basterds” after contract talks became difficult and she missed a table read for the 2009 film.
“She didn’t show up, so f**k it. I fired her,” Tarantino recalls in a new book about the making of the movie.
Maggie Cheung eventually took the role. “Inglourious Basterds” went on to receive eight Oscar nominations, including Best Picture. Christoph Waltz won the film’s sole award, for Best Supporting Actor.
Schwarzenegger considers more sequels
Arnold Schwarzenegger is 79, but he’s still considering new projects. He has discussed possible follow-ups to “Conan,” “Commando” and “Predator.” A return to “Predator” may be especially appealing: the 1987 original remains a much-loved science-fiction action film, and the franchise has recently had success with “Prey” and “Predator: Badlands.”
The original film’s human characters didn’t survive their encounter with the alien hunter, but the creature itself became a lasting part of pop culture. If Schwarzenegger does return, the clock is ticking. As his character Dutch once put it: “Come on! Come on! Do it! Do it!”
