There has been lots of news on upcoming geek movie productions in the last few days, and we round it up here.
Robert Rodriguez in currently in negotiations to direct 20th Century Fox’s remake of the 1980s action classic Escape From New York, The Hollywood Reporter is reporting. The original was co-written and directed by John Carpenter, who is executive producing the project, with Neil Cross penning the script (see “'Escape From New York' Reboot Gets Scribe”). BOOM! Studio recently released a six-issue Big Trouble in Little China/Escape From New York crossover series (see “BOOM! Announces John Carpenter Crossover, WWE Comics, & Movie Deal”).
Lionsgate’s rebooted Power Rangers movie got off to a solid start this weekend, coming in at #2 behind Disney powerhouse Beauty and the Beast (see “'Beauty & The Beast' Mauls the Competition Again”), and Saban is already planning for more. “We already have a six-movie story arc,” Haim Saban told Variety. The film’s budget was $120 million dollars, so it has a way to go before becoming profitable, but Saban was confident it will be a success. “If this film is as successful as I hope on March 24, on March 25 we’ll have the first story meeting for Movie No. 2.”
Valiant Entertainment’s planned feature for Archer & Armstrong has found a director and writer, THR is reporting. Ruben Fleischer (Zombieland) will direct and Terry Rossio will write the script. Rossio has written several Pirates of the Caribbean movies. Valiant is developing the project in-house before looking for a studio.
In other Valiant news, the Bloodshot adaptation Valiant is producing with Sony Pictures will be directed by Dave Wilson, BleedingCool reported. Wilson has directed video game commercials for Tom Clancy’s The Division and The Elder Scrolls Online. He replaces previously announced co-directors David Leitch and Chad Stahelski (John Wick) (see “Sony Plans Five Valiant Films”).
Warner Bros. announced that Adam Cozad (The Legend of Tarzan, Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit) will pen the script for Suicide Squad 2, ScreenCrush reported. David Ayer, who wrote and directed the original film is busy working on the Gotham City Sirens project with Margot Robbie.
The IDW/Top Shelf graphic novel The Underwater Welder by Jeff Lemire has been optioned for a film. Ryan Gosling, Ken Kao, and Anonymous Content will produce, with Jeff Lemire, Chris Staros, and Ted Adams attached to executive produce. The graphic novel follows an underwater welder who has a supernatural encounter at the bottom of the sea (see “Review: 'The Underwater Welder' TP”) .
James Cameron told The Toronto Star that Avatar 2 will be delayed again, and will not release in 2018 as previously announced. The film was originally scheduled to release in December 2014. “Well, 2018 is not happening. We haven’t announced a firm release date. What people have to understand is that this is a cadence of releases. So we’re not making Avatar 2. We’re making Avatar 2, 3, 4 and 5. It’s an epic undertaking. It’s not unlike building the Three Gorges dam.”

Late March Movie News Round-Up
Posted by ICv2 on March 27, 2017 @ 6:24 pm CT

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