Gollum Movies, Dune Franchise, PS5 Pro and some Spidey News
As well as some casting news and books added to TBR and much more.
Hello there, fellow ladies and nerds!
Welcome to a new edition of TGIAF!
This week brought some good and not-so-good news from the entertainment world, with shocking revelations and exciting casting updates. However, one thing that really struck me was the passing of James Earl Jones.
You may not know that he appeared in 190 films and TV series and over 60 plays, but for us nerds, he’ll always be known as the voice of one of the most iconic villains—Darth Vader. He also voiced Mufasa in The Lion King, a film that defined my childhood and many others, in no small part due to the gravitas of Jones’ voice. Remarkably, when Jones was growing up, he was mute due to a stutter. His journey shows us that anything is possible if you put your mind to it.
I know this is a shift from the usual format, but I couldn’t let this pass without acknowledging such a legend who enriched so many lives.
Rest in peace, James Earl Jones.
Now, back to the week’s news in entertainment:
Spidey news: Spider-Verse 3 and possible Spider-Man 4 director
Marvel’s 85 iconic MCU moments
Avengers: Secret Wars update
DCEU casting news
Ian McKellen talks about two Gollum movies
Denis Villeneuve’s final Dune film
Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 launch
PS5 Pro announcement and sales predictions
Behind the scenes of Netflix’s One Piece anime
September’s sci-fi and fantasy book releases
HBO’s new series The Franchise
Feel free to skip to the topics that catch your eye. Now, let’s dive in!
Spidey Franchise News
This week, there have been some interesting rumors about Spidey’s future on screen. Here’s a quick breakdown:
Beyond the Spider-verse
One of them is Spider-man Beyond The Spider Verse, earlier this week Jeff Sneider, who is notorious for scooping inside information from the entertainement industry, has shared that Sony scrapped most of Beyond the Spider-Verse. Seeing that made my stomach drop. Since the first two movies are not only one of my favorites superhero movies, but just one of the best movies in general, and I don’t care if they are animated.
However, later on Christopher Miller (Producer of the Spider-Verse) came to twitter saying that nothing was scrapped, and as well the composer Daniel Pemberton. However, the 3rd installament still doesn’t have a release date. So let’s just hope that we won’t to have to wait that long.
Spider-Man 4
As for Peter Parker, we know that Spider-Man 4 will take place between Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars, with a planned release in July 2026. The latest rumor is that Shang-Chi director Destin Daniel Cretton may helm the project, but nothing has been confirmed yet.
Other rumored directors include Sam Raimi, Jon Favreau, and Adam Wingard, among others. Let’s see what shakes out.
85 Iconic MCU Moments
In celebration of Marvel’s 85th anniversary, the official Marvel YouTube channel released a nearly hour-long video highlighting 85 iconic MCU moments. I haven’t had the chance to watch the whole thing yet, but seeing the clips brings back memories of where I was when I first watched these films.
Do any of these moments spark memories for you?
Share in the comments below!
Avengers: Secret Wars Update
Continuing on the Marvel train, the Studio has confirmed that Secret Wars will be the culmination of the Multiverse phase and is set to release in 2027. Brad Winderbaum, Marvel’s Head of Streaming, Television, and Animation, told Screenrant
I think that’s [what] Secret Wars is going to be, an amazing culmination to the saga, I think it’s going to make the journey feel like it was worthwhile.
So, it’s official: Secret Wars will wrap up the current phase after Avengers: Doomsday.
DCEU News
Now let’s jump into another Comic Movie universe, shalle we? And from the look of things, DC is going a to take a different approach now.
Daniel Ricthman, a Holywood scooper, said:
"The DCU will feature various projects set across different timelines, not just present day. So more in line with the approach of Star Wars than Marvel."
He also mentioned the following about the upcoming Superman movie:
"It's set in a world very different from ours and far removed from the DCEU. Heroes have been around for ages, and we'll see how it affected this world's history and has shaped the DCU."
All I have to say is that I am game, and would be curious to see what James Gunn manages to cook up for us. For the release date of Superman, it is scheduled for July 11th, 2025.
DCEU Casting News
A few months ago, it was reported that Pom Klementieff (Mantis in Guardians of the Galaxy) was in talks to join Gunn’s DCU. No confirmation on her role yet, but she’s hinted she’d love to continue working with Gunn.
As for the role of Hal Jordan, last week I mentioned that Josh Brolin was offered the role, but he declined. Matthew McConaughey also passed on it, leaving Ewan McGregor as the next candidate. We’ll have to wait and see who ultimately lands the role.
Ian McKellen and Gollum Movies
Our dear Sir Ian McKellan has shared some details about upcoming Lord of the Rings movies. That’s right, there will be two movies of the Hunt for Gollum, and that the script for the first one should be arriving around new years.
Mckellen spoke with This Morning:
"Well, all I know is that they called me up and said these films were going to happen, that [they're] mainly going to be about Gollum, Andy Serkis who played Gollum is going to direct, and there will be a script arriving sometime in the new year [...] and then I'll judge whether I want to go back.
“I'm told it's two films. I probably shouldn't be saying this [laughs]. But I haven't read the script, and I don't know when it is, and I don't even know where it will be filmed."
And he added:
"But I would. I would love to go back. I would love to go back to New Zealand, number one. I also don't like the idea of anyone else playing [Gandalf]."
Peter Jackson will be producing the films along with his partners Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens who will write the scrips along with Phoebe Gittins and Arty Papageorgiu.
So let’s see what this hunt will have in store.
Denis Villeneuve’s Final Dune Movie
Now let’s move away from Middle Earth, and travel all the way to Arakis.
Denis Villeneuve has announced that the third Dune movie (Dune: Messiah) will be the last one he directs. However, he’s leaving the door open for another ambitious director to take the reins for future projects. Dune 3 is set for release in December 2026, though production hasn’t started yet.
So while we wait, patience will be our spice.
Launch of Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2
One of the most anticipated shooters is out now on Xbox Series X, PS5, and PC! Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 is finally here, and crossplay is available if you want to team up with two friends.
Will this be your weekend adventure?
Let me know in the comments!
PS5 Pro Announcement and Sales Predictions
Sony has announced the PS5 Pro, expected to launch in November at a price of $699.99 / £699.99 / €799.99 / ¥119,980. While it’s a mid-tier upgrade from the PS5, many were surprised by the high price tag. Some even mentioning that if you add a couple more hundred dollars you could get a decent gaming PC.
Despite the price, analysts predict Sony will sell around 1.3 million PS5 Pros in 2024 and 13 million by 2029.
Are you planning to get one, or are you happy with your current PS5?
Behind the Scenes of Netflix’s One Piece Anime
A 20-minute behind-the-scenes video of the One Piece anime was released on X/Twitter, with the creators still exploring the right style for Luffy and his crew. If you’re a fan of One Piece, this video might be worth checking out!
Sci-Fi and Fantasy books releases for September
Each month, Tor releases a list of new sci-fi and fantasy books, and September has some exciting new reads. If your TBR pile needs to grow (because let’s face it, it’s never complete), check out these lists:
Sci-Fi books coming out in September
Fantasy books coming out in September
The Franchise - A Satirical Look at Superhero Movie Productions
Every week I want to find something funny, cool or unusual from the entertainement industry.
HBO has released a trailer for The Franchise, a series set in the chaotic world of superhero movie production. It looks like a fun and absurd behind-the-scenes peek at the industry. The series drops on October 6th, and it’s definitely on my watchlist.
That’s all, folks!
We’ve had some exciting announcements this week, and with fall rolling in, more games and movies are on the horizon. What are you most looking forward to?
Let me know, and have a great weekend, everyone!
Evald Smilskaln
If you enjoyed this edition of TGIAF, then don’t forget to subscribe.
Every Friday I’ll be sharing some of the news from the entertainement industry, so that you could choose your own adventure for your weekend!