Several geek-related movie projects have seen recent updates, and we round them up here.
World War Z II moves forward with a new writer, Dennis Kelly (Utopia) taking over for Steven Knight (Burnt), according to The Hollywood Reporter. The movie is schedules for a June 9, 2017 release, with Brad Pitt starring and producing, and J.A. Bayona (The Orphanage) directing.
A live-action The Witcher film is in the works, according to /Film. The Polish novel series has already been adapted into a series of critically acclaimed video games, board games and more (see "Dark Horse Does 'The Witcher'"). The movie is being produced by Sean Daniel (The Mummy) and directed by Tomek Baginski (The Cathedral), with a 2017 release date.
The breathlessly awaited Alien sequel is on hold for now. Director Neill Blomkamp (District 9) recently tweeted that the movie is on hold pending Ridley Scott's Prometheus 2, though he didn't give any more details.
Pacific Rim 2 gets a step closer to production, with director Guillermo del Toro tweeting that the budget and script for the movie were submitted to the studio. This signals some new potential for life in the movie that was first delay (see "'Pacific Rim 2,' 'Warcraft' Release Dates Shift") and then removed from Universal Studios' release calendar altogether. No word yet from del Toro or the studio on whether production will take place.
Famed comic book mogul Stan Lee is working on a new film titled Realm, which will star Chinese actress Bingbing Li as the "first Chinese female superhero," according to THR. The plot has not been released. Geek fans might recognize the Chinese-born Li for her role as Ada Wong in Resident Evil: Retribution. The film is being produced by Stan Lee Global Entertainment and Fundamental Films.
Dates have been set for the Victorian-era special of BBC's Sherlock: The Abominable Bride. In additional to a January 1 debut for the U.S. and UK, the ninety-minute special episode will also hit the big screen in cinemas on January 5 and 6, according to Deadline.
Hotel Transylvania 3 will open on September 21, 2018 (see "Best in Shows-Q3 2018"). The popular animated franchise still doesn't have a director, but expectations remain that the all-star voice cast will still be on board. The second film was a huge hit in theaters in September (see "'Hotel Transylvania 2' Sets September record").