New info on Marvel/Sony Spidey deal; Civil War, spinoffs & more

Source: JoBlo

Update: THR has some additional details on Marvel’s Spider-Man deal with Sony worth checking out. THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN producers Matt Tolmach and Avi Arad have apparently “been downgraded to executive producers, with no real say in the creative direction of the franchise.” Sources have also told the site that director Marc Webb won’t be back for the next Spider-Man movie, which won’t be an origin story, according to WSJ’s Ben Fritz.

But the biggest thing from THR’s report is Marvel still might eventually try to purchase the Spider-Man film rights, or (if it becomes an option) buy Sony. Thoughts?

One knowledgeable source sees the move as a first step to Marvel reacquiring the rights to Spider-Man down the road, while another believes Disney is positioning itself to acquire Sony should it ever become available.

Original: New details have emerged about Spider-Man joining Marvel’s Cinematic Universe, as well as what’s going on with Sony’s planned VENOM and THE SINISTER SIX spinoffs.

We’ll start with the WSJ, who has confirmed Spider-Man will appear in CAPTAIN AMERICA: CIVIL WAR. The character plays a major role in the Civil War comic series, so this doesn’t come as a huge surprise.

The site goes on to say Sony “will rethink its approach to Sinister Six, which remains in development, in light of the new agreement with Marvel.” Variety has heard the same thing, and they add the studio is also moving forward with the Venom movie, and “a film that features female characters in the “Spider-Man” universe,” something we learned was in the works back in August.

Andrew Garfield is out as Spider-Man, and sources have told Variety Sony “is looking to go back to Spidey’s roots and put the character back in high school, which would require it to cast a younger actor.” Hopefully this doesn’t mean we’ll be getting a third origin story.

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‘Fifty Shades of Grey’ Sequels Reportedly Already in Development

Source: FirstShowing

This coming weekend is likely going to be a steamy one as Fifty Shades of Grey heads to theaters just in time for Valentine’s Day. And as fans are eager to check out the erotic romance based on the book of the same name from E.L. James, it sounds like Universal is already keen on getting the sequels together for the big screen as well. For those who don’t know, there are two more books in the series, Fifty Shades Darker and Fifty Shades Freed. According to MTV, at an early screening of the film for fans last week, they were told sequels are coming. However, since we haven’t heard this officially, they may not be greenlit.

But considering the fan event had the film’s stars Dakota Johnson and Jamie Dornan in attendance with director Sam Taylor-Johnson and author E.L. James, we’re pretty sure that they know something that we don’t. It’s a forgone conclusion that Fifty Shades of Grey is probably going to make some serious bank this weekend, so it wouldn’t be surprising if the sequels ended up getting made too. But from what I understand from some female friends who have read the books, the sequels don’t really seem to lend themselves to the big screen very well, and the material for a good story just isn’t there. Thoughts?

Syfy May Stage 11th-Hour Move For Constantine; Network Switch Would See Series Change To Hellblazer

Source: WeGotThisCovered

NBC’s supernatural drama Constantine has been wrangling with the ratings since its inception. And given the fact that the network opted against giving the show a full 22-episode order, fans of the titular demon-hunter have been kept on tenterhooks right up until the season finale, which is due to air this Friday.

However, a new report suggests that there could be light at the end of the tunnel for the cult series, as it’s understood that Syfy may stage an 11th-hour swoop to acquire Constantine for a second season under the new branding, Hellblazer. While this remains unconfirmed by both parties at the time of writing, a network switch would make perfect sense for the troubled series, which has been lingering in limbo ever since that aforementioned decision by NBC. Moreover, in bringing the otherworldly show over, Syfy will reportedly grant the writers much more creative freedom, given that the network has an established audience for all-things-supernatural.

Should this switcheroo materialize, the creative team behind the DC Comics’ adaptation have already mapped out some formative ideas for a sophomore season, which include expanding some of the character arcs seeded in the opening episodes.

Explore The Cinematic Evolution Of Batman In This 11-Minute Video

Source: The Playlist

From Adam West to Ben Affleck, the DC Comics character Batman has come a long way from its ink and panel origins. It’s now a franchise worth hundreds of millions, even billions of dollars. The brand has extended to video games, toys, and countless items of official merchandise, but the major player, of course, is the movies. But how did we get here? Well, this terrific video essay explores Batman’s journey.