Ford v Ferrari Wins the Race
Ford v Ferrari – aka Le Mans ’66 – roared into cinemas, grossing a bit over $31 million in its inaugural weekend. This sports drama by James Mangold (Logan, 3:10 to Yuma) follows the American automotive team competing against Ferrari at the 1966 24 Hours of Le Mans race in France. The stellar cast features Christian Bale (Dark Knight trilogy), Jon Bernthal (Punisher, Walking Dead), Caitriona Balfe (Outlander) and Matt Damon (The Martian) in lead roles.
In its second weekend in cinemas, Roland Emmerich Midway dropped to the second place at the box office, earning $8,7 million. In the third place with $8,6 million is the second newcomer of the weekend – action-comedy Charlie’s Angels. Written and directed by the actress Elizabeth Banks (The Hunger Games film series), the third installment in this franchise features Ella Balinska, Naomi Scott (Aladdin) and Kristen Stewart (Twilight) in leading roles. Family comedy Playing with Fire is in fourth place with $8,5 million. The list of top five highest-grossing movies of the weekend closes of with Last Christmas. In its second weekend in cinemas, this romantic comedy featuring Emilia Clarke (Game of Thrones), Michelle Yeoh (Star Trek: Discovery) and Emma Thompson (Men in Black: International) earned $6,7 million. All of this data comes courtesy of the Box Office Mojo.
Universal Developing New Movies About Dracula and Frankenstein
Dark Universe is dead, but Universal is still trying to cash in on those sweet 1930’s monster movies. GeekTyrant says the studio is developing a new take on the story of Dracula. Titled Renfield, this movie will focus on the character of the same name from Bram Stoker’s 1897 novel. In Dracula, Renfield is an inmate in an insane asylum. While doctors believe Renfield is mad, he is the vampire’s servant. The story was pitched by Robert Kirkman, comic book writer best known for Walking Dead. Screenwriter Ryan Ridley, who previously worked on shows like Rick and Morty and Ghosted, then developed it into a script. Dexter Fletcher (Bohemian Rhapsody, Rocketman) will direct the film.
This isn’t the only new Universal project inspired by its classic horror catalog. According to Bloody Disgusting, the studio is also approaching directors for the James Wan-produced remake of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein. Simultaneously, Paul Feig (Bridesmaids, Ghostbusters) is working on the film called Dark Army that may, or may not, be a horror-comedy. Finally, Universal released the first full trailer for Leigh Whannell’s version of Invisible Man, starring Elizabeth Moss (Handmaid’s Tale, Us). All of these movies are part of Universal’s new strategy: instead of developing a big-budget shared cinematic universe, the studio is entrusting its classic horror properties to experienced directors to remake them as (relatively) low-budget movies.
Nicolas Cage May Star As Nicolas Cage in a Movie About Nicolas Cage
If the stars align, deals close and the project doesn’t end up in development hell, we may get a movie where Nicolas Cage plays a fictionalized version of himself. According to The Hollywood Reporter, this movie is called The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent and is as meta as they come. In it, mounting debts force Nicolas Cage to appear at the birthday party of a Mexican billionaire. The CIA then hires Cage to gather intelligence about the billionaire who leads a drug cartel. Also, Cage’s wife and daughter are somehow at the same party. Cage is also constantly tormented by an imaginary 1990s version of himself who criticizes him about his failed career.
This project originated with Tom Gormican and Kevin Etten. Gormican previously wrote and directed the 2014 romantic comedy That Awkward Moment that featured Mackenzie Davis (Blade Runner 2049), Zac Efron (The Greatest Showman), Michael B. Jordan (Creed), Imogen Poots (Green Room) and Miles Teller (Whiplash). Together with Etten, Gormincan created the sitcom Ghosted, starring Craig Robinson (Hot Tub Time Machine) and Adam Scott (Parks and Recreation). The duo started writing The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent as a mere spec script until people suddenly got interested in it. Cage himself might both star in the film and help produce it under his Saturn Films banner.
