Nicole Kidman in Talks to Play Aquaman's Mother in AQUAMAN



Nicole Kidman may be joining the DC Cinematic Universe. The actress, who is in the Oscar mix this awards season for her work in Lion, is in early talks to play Aquaman’s mother in Aquaman, the big-screen take of the underwater-breathing comic book super hero.

Jason Momoa is playing the hero in the Warner Bros/DC Entertainment production that James Wan is directing. The studio is cruising towards an April production start in Australia and is starting to round out key members of its cast.

In traditional Aquaman lore, the hero’s mother is Atlanna, who hails from royalty in the underwater kingdom of Atlantis. She escapes her kingdom and falls in love with a lighthouse keeper, giving birth to the boy who will one day grow up to be a bridge between two worlds.

If a deal makes - it looks optimistic as she has been Wan's top choice for weeks, with an official offer finally going out yesterday - this will not be Kidman's first swim in the DC superhero waters. The actress starred opposite Val Kilmer in 1995's Batman Forever as the Bruce Wayne's love interest, Dr. Chase Meridian.

Nicole Kidman in Talks to Play Arthur Curry's Mother in James Wan's 'Aquaman' Movie (Exclusive)

Matt Reeves is the New Director of THE BATMAN After Ben Affleck's Exit



Matt Reeves is going from apes to bats. Reeves, the well-regarded filmmaker behind Dawn of the Planet of the Apes and the upcoming War for the Planet of the Apes, has the offer and is in early talks to replace Ben Affleck as the director of The Batman.

Affleck was developing the project as a directing vehicle but after considerable hand-wringing officially exited the project last week.

“Performing this role demands focus, passion and the very best performance I can give,” Affleck said in a statement. “It has become clear that I cannot do both jobs to the level they require. Together with the studio, I have decided to find a partner in a director who will collaborate with me on this massive film.”

The studio moved quickly to find a replacement and Reeves’ name shot to the top of the list. Sources tell The Hollywood Reporter multiple conversations occurred, with the director and the studio meeting Friday.

Other directors remain in the wings, including Ridley Scott and Don't Breathe director Fede Alvarez.

Affleck remains on board to portray Bruce Wayne/Batman and co-wrote the script with DC Films co-head Geoff Johns. Several sources say, however, that the script may undergo a significant overhaul.

Reeves created TV's Felicity with J.J. Abrams before making a splash with the 2008 found-footage creature feature Cloverfield. He then took on the tough task of helming the remake of acclaimed Scandinavian horror movie Let the Right One In, which was titled Let Me In.

Dawn of the Planet of Apes followed in 2014 and Reeves, repped by CAA, is now in post with War for the Planet of the Apes, which Fox opens July 14.

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/he...es-talks-ben-affleck-departs-as-helmer-972900

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Warner Bros. Courts Mel Gibson to Direct SUICIDE SQUAD 2

Mel Gibson is mulling joining the DC Extended Universe … as a director.

Warner Bros. is courting the actor-director to helm Suicide Squad 2 and the sides are early in talks, The Hollywood Reporter has learned. No official offer has been made nor has any commitment.

Sources say that Gibson is familiarizing himself with the material. But the studio is not being passive and it is also looking at other directors, Daniel Espinosa among them.

David Ayer directed the initial outing, which featured an all-star cast that included Will Smith, Margot Robbie and Jared Leto. The movie faced some hurdles during production and was met with somewhat polarizing response, but grossed $745 million worldwide, enough to put a sequel on the fast-track.

Ayer is now developing Gotham City Sirens, a project that reunites him with Robbie and focuses on the female villains of the DC Universe.

Squad told the story of villains such as Deadshot, Harley Quinn, the Joker, Captain Boomerang and Killer Croc who are forced into the service of the government in exchange for lighter sentences.

The fact that Gibson, riding high thanks to his Oscar-nominated war movie Hacksaw Ridge, is being courted by Warners marks a remarkable turnaround for the actor-director. His image took a hit in the 2000s after a drunk driving arrest and anti-Semitic comments, and he found himself losing studio work.

Gibson did nab a cameo in The Hangover: Part II — a movie made by Warners — but a backlash within the studio and parts of the cast ended with him being unceremoniously dropped.

But Hacksaw is seen as a major turning point for Gibson. His biopic of conscientious objector Desmond Doss nabbed six Oscar nominations, including one for Gibson for best director, and has made $164 million worldwide.

And he has found himself fielding a slew of offers, both from studios and indies. He is now in talks to join Will Ferrell and Mark Walhberg for Paramount's Daddy’s Home 2 and is reteaming with Hacksaw actor Vince Vaughn for the gritty crime indie Dragged Across Concrete.

Warner Bros. Courts Mel Gibson to Direct 'Suicide Squad' Sequel

Matt Reeves Drops Out of Directing THE BATMAN Movie



A week after entering negotiations to direct The Batman, Matt Reeves has exited the talks, The Hollywood Reporter has learned.

A studio source confirms that negotiations have broken down. The possibility, however, exists that talks could resume when heads cool. The studio is intent on making the movie no matter what as the Batman franchise has proven to bigger than one person.

Reeves is currently deep in post-production on the Apes sequel, War for the Planet of the Apes, which is shaping up to be the biggest entry in the Fox franchise.

Ben Affleck was set to helm the superhero feature but ultimately decided not to pull double-duty as both director and Dark Knight. Affleck co-wrote the script with DC Films co-head Geoff Johns.

Prior to Reeves receiving the offer, Ridley Scott and Don't Breathe helmer Fede Alvarez were among the names being floated for the director's chair.

The Batman is the latest DC/Warner Bros. project to undergo a director shuffle. The Flash standalone has gone through directors, including Seth Grahame-Smith and Rick Famuyiwa.

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/he...ations-break-down-director-matt-reeves-977266

LIGHTS OUT's David F. Sandberg in Talks to Direct SHAZAM Movie



David F. Sandberg is in talks to direct Shazam, for New Line, TheWrap has exclusively learned.

Sandberg has Annabelle 2 the sequel to 2014 supernatural horror film, Annabelle, set to be released by New Line on August 11th, 2017.

The Swedish filmmaker broke out with his 2016 debut Lights Out, which is based on his 2013 acclaimed horror short of the same name. A sequel to the film is also in the works at New Line.

Dwayne Johnson is attached to star as anti-hero Black Adam in Shazam and also Black Adam, a standalone film also for New Line. The Black Adam movie will be developed concurrently with New Line’s Shazam. Both films are part of the DC Cinematic Universe.

David F. Sandberg in Talks to Direct ‘Shazam’ For New Line (Exclusive)

It's Official: Matt Reeves to Direct and Produce THE BATMAN



After Ben Affleck dropped out as director of The Batman a couple of weeks ago, it was said that Matt Reeves would step in and take his place. Reeves later backed away, and the search was on once again.

Today, Warner Bros. has reported that Reeves will, in fact, helm the upcoming Ben Affleck film. The press release from WB noted that he would direct and produce the film.

This is Reeves' statement:

“I have loved the Batman story since I was a child. He is such an iconic and compelling character, and one that resonates with me deeply. I am incredibly honored and excited to be working with Warner Bros. to bring an epic and emotional new take on the Caped Crusader to the big screen,” said Reeves.

Reeves' latest film War For The Planet Of The Apes is hitting theaters this summer. The director previously helmed the films Dawn Of The Planet Of The Apes, Let Me In, and Cloverfield.

Warner Bros. Announces Matt Reeves is the Director for The Batman

Thank God......Stop playing with my emotions Warner Brothers.

Warner Bros. Planning NIGHTWING Movie With LEGO BATMAN MOVIE Director



Warner Bros. is plotting a new DC superhero film based on the Batman-centric character Nightwing.

Chris McKay, who most recently directed the Lego Batman Movie for Warner Bros., is in negotiations to helm the new film, and Bill Dubuque (The Accountant) is writing the script.

Nightwing, aka Dick Grayson, is perhaps best known for being the original Robin. Grayson was the youngest member of a family of acrobats known as the "Flying Graysons." He was created by Bob Kane and Bill Finger and illustrator Jerry Robinson, and first introduced in Detective Comics #38 in April 1940. After his parents were murdered, he was taken in as the legal ward of Bruce Wayne/Batman. He then became Robin and teamed up with Dark Knight on many an adventure to fight crime in the city of Gotham.

Grayson famously shed his persona in the 1980s as the character aged up, and became the leader of the Teen Titans. (In the DC Universe, a succession of young men took on the mantle of Robin while Nightwing became a popular character in his own right, headlining his own comics and appearing in animated movies.)

McKay has already directed a film with Dick Grayson in it: The character appeared in the LEGO Batman Movie, as Robin, and was voiced by Michael Cera.

The character of Robin has yet to officially appear in the new Warner Bros. movies, although his graffiti-covered suit was shown in Batman v. Superman, and director Zack Snyder has said that at that point in time Robin had been killed by the Joker (there have been multiple Robins over the years in the comics, and Snyder did not say which one was killed by the Joker in his film). It's unclear where this new Nightwing story will fit in on the timeline.

Warner Bros. Plotting 'Nightwing' Movie With 'Lego Batman Movie' Director (Exclusive)

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New Trailer for WONDER WOMAN Explores Her Origin Story

Before she was Wonder Woman, she was Diana, princess of the Amazons, trained to be an unconquerable warrior. Raised on a sheltered island paradise, when an American pilot crashes on their shores and tells of a massive conflict raging in the outside world, Diana leaves her home, convinced she can stop the threat. Fighting alongside man in a war to end all wars, Diana will discover her full powers…and her true destiny. Wonder Woman is in theaters June 2, 2017.