1. Fox’s Freddie Mercury biopic under pressure

With Bryan Singer fired from Bohemian Rhapsody, the upcoming Freddie Mercury biopic, Twentieth Century Fox have moved fast on a replacement. It has fallen to Sunshine On Leith’s Dexter Fletcher to pick up the pieces ahead of the film’s planned release date in December, next year. Deadline reports that Fletcher will resume production this week, with another fortnight’s worth of shooting planned. For Fletcher, who is set to direct an Elton John biopic, this marks a pretty healthy move.

The circumstances surrounding Singer’s removal are still murky. While Singer claims that Fox wouldn’t permit him to care for his sick parent, the common consensus is that Fox removed the director after he recently went AWOL for three days. This was only the trigger point though. The move came after longstanding rumours of Singer’s unstable behaviour and his creative differences with the film’s lead, Rami Malek.

2. Pokémon film’s casting aims to pique a’your interest

Legendary’s Detective Pikachu picture – yes, a film about a pokémon solving mysteries, what’s your point? – has  According to The Hollywood Reporter, Ryan Reynolds is all set to join the production. As Detective Pikachu. This comes three weeks after Justice Smith, known for Paper Towns and the upcoming Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom, was hired as lead and Kathryn Newton also joined the cast. Goosebumps’ Rob Letterman is directing the picture which, again, follows a Pikachu that solves mysteries. The specific mystery sees Smith’s character enlisting the help of Detective Pikachu after his father is kidnapped. Newton will play “a sassy journalist”.

3. Jurassic World sequel teaser falls into our lap

Welcome… to Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom. It’s a bit of a mouthful, but we’re sure Chris Pratt will find a way to say it in a charmingly disarming manner. Fallen Kingdom’s trailer is here. The film sees Pratt’s Owen Grady called back to Isla Nubar by Claire Dearing (Bryce Dallas Howard) to help protect the dinosaurs – now threatened by an imminent volcanic eruption. It’s basically Love’s Labours Lost In Space. Nevermind, Jeff Goldblum’s around to sort things out. Dear God, he better survive…

4. Quentin Tarantino’s next has a release date

Now that Quentin Tarantino has a release date for his as yet untitled ninth film (it’s August 9, 2019), he’s busy looking at other projects. Surprisingly, that main project could be Star Trek. According to Deadline, Tarantino has an idea for am R-rated Star Trek movie which Paramount are keen to see developed. So keen they assembled a writers room and had Tarantino meet with four prospective scribes. Word is The Revenant’s Mark L. Smith is the frontrunner to interpret QT’s vision.

Tarantino has dabbled in franchise work before though. The director helmed two episodes of CSI and one of ER. Alright, those are nothing like Star Trek – though Bones does look a little like Dr. Luka Kovač – but Paramount’s Star Trek franchise is one that has failed to build on the momentum provided by its first instalment. If this shakes out, it seems like a no brainer.

5. Disney eye director for Little Mermaid

Rob Marshall, the director of Into The Woods, Nine and the upcoming Mary Poppins Returns, is apparently Disney’s favourite to helm the upcoming live action remake of The Little Mermaid. It’s understood that Marshall is reading the script – by Kingsman: The Golden Circle’s Jane Goldman – and Disney expect a decision after the holidays. If Marshall does decide to direct the picture, he’ll get another chance to work with his Mary Poppins Returns’ lyricist, Lin-Manuel Miranda. Miranda is writing songs alongside the legendary Disney musician Alan Menken. [via Deadline]

6. 2 minutes, 30 seconds in 7 Days In Entebbe 

Plane hijackings used to be a dime a dozen. Hell, people used to do the thing multiple times. Plane hijacking films, not so much. 7 Days in Entebbe may change that. The based-on-a-true-story tale recaps the events of a 1976 hijacking that saw Air France Flight 139 diverted to Entebbe, Uganda – prompting an Israeli special forces rescue mission. Daniel Brühl, Rosamund Pike, Vincent Cassel and Eddie Marsan all star. Robocop helmer José Padilha directs for a March 9 release.

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