Happy Friday, and welcome back to Movie Morsels! To close out the week, we’ve got a jam packed column with the latest Batman rumor, a breakdown of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows trailer, the first Legend of Tarzan trailer, and the first poster for X-Men: Apocalypse.
We’ve also got a double-dose of Godzilla, as Legendary’s founder reveals why the King of the Monsters will be facing King Kong. There’s also a surprising choice to play the lead role in the adaptation of Stephen King’s The Dark Tower.
Movie Morsels starts now!
Batman
Will Smith is headlining next summerâs Suicide Squad movie as Deadshot, one of the most infamous assassins in the DC Universe. And it may not be Smithâs only appearance as Deadshot in the near future. According to a rumor on Latino Review, Smith is in talks to join the upcoming Batman solo movie opposite Ben Affleckâs Dark Knight.
The potential deal would reportedly give Smith a substantial role in the next Batman film, which Latino Review equated to The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly. However, this doesnât completely track with the previous rumors which indicated the “Death in the Family” and “Under the Hood” storylines would be used as the basis for the next Batman solo flick. When you have Batman, the Joker, Red Hood, and potentially Nightwing in play, it doesnât leave much room for anyone else…even if theyâre played by Will Smith.
For now, this is just a rumor, and Warner Bros. hasnât even set a start date for the next Batman film.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2: Out of the Shadows
The trailer for  Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2: Out of the Shadows is out, and itâs very retro. As in â80s animated TMNT. Itâs got the Turtle Van, Stephen Amell as Casey Jones, the mutated versions of Bebop and Rocksteady, and Tyler Perry as Baxter Stockman.
Nerdist Newsâ Jessica Chobot has a helpful breakdown of the new Turtles trailer, and she even offers up a few theories about the origins of the TMNT and a few other things from the original animated series that might show up in the film when it opens on June 3, 2016.
[Nerdist]
The Legend of Tarzan
Original pulp hero Tarzan is making his big screen comeback next summer, courtesy of director David Yates. Alexander SkarsgÃ¥rd is cinemaâs latest Tarzan and Margot Robbie will be his Jane.
This time out, Tarzan and Jane have been away from the jungle for a few years, but now Lord Greystoke has re-embraced his inner Lord of the Jungle to save his wife from the dastardly Christoph Waltz. Samuel L. Jackson has a co-starring role in the film, and one of the funnier moments in the trailer.
Tarzan will swing into theaters on July 1, 2016.
[Nerdist]
The Dark Tower
For years, Idris Elba has been dogged by rumors connecting him to James Bond. While Elba may not get a chance to play 007, he could be the leading man of another franchise. Elba is reportedly the top choice to play gunslinger Roland Deschain, the main character of Stephen Kingâs The Dark Tower.
Roland was a white man in the original novels, and he even seemed to resemble Clint Eastwood. But no one should question Elbaâs ability to play the role. Elba is a pretty fantastic actor, and he currently has Oscar buzz for his starring turn in Beasts of No Nation. The Dark Tower would be Elbaâs first headlining role in a major movie franchise, if he signs on to do it.
[Nerdist]
X-Men: Apocalypse
20th Century Fox isnât going to let Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and Captain America: Civil War hog the pre-Christmas spotlight. Later today, Fox will release the first trailer for X-Men: Apocalypse, which will introduce Oscar Isaac as the title character and unveil Magneto (Michael Fassbender), Psylocke (Olivia Munn), Storm (Alexandra Shipp), and Angel (Ben Hardy) as his Horsemen. To build up anticipation for the trailer, the first poster for X-Men: Apocalypse has also been released.
X-Men: Apocalypse will open on May 27, 2016.
Zootopia
Disney may own Lucasfilm, but that doesnât mean that they canât be a little cheeky about Star Wars. Disney has released several parody posters for its upcoming animated film Zootopia, which spoof several of the biggest films of 2015. Included in the current batch are parodies of Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Fifty Shades of Grey, and Jurassic World.
Zootopia will be released into the wild on March 4, 2016.
Godzilla vs. King Kong
Weâve known for a few months that Godzilla and King Kong are going to get their cinematic rematch in Godzilla vs. King Kong. The upcoming Kong: Skull Island will even begin paving the way for that crossover to take place. But why are two of the biggest movie monsters of all time heading for another showdown? Legendary Pictures founder and CEO Thomas Tull had a succinct explanation.
âIâm juvenile,â said Tull. âI wanted to see them fight.â
Good enough for us. Letâs go!
Editorâs note: Nerdist Industries is a subsidiary of Legendary Digital Networks.
[Variety]
Godzilla: Resurgence
If you like your Godzilla to be a little more OG, Toho has the Godzilla movie for you. For the first time in 11 years, the Japanese studio is making its own Godzilla film, which will reportedly feature a redesign of Godzilla that will be âthe most terrifyingâ version yet.
The new redesign for Godzilla hasnât been unveiled yet, but the first poster and teaser trailer for Godzilla: Resurgence have arrived.
Godzilla: Resurgence will be released in Japan on July 29, 2016. An American release has not yet been announced.
That’s a wrap for todayâs Movie Morsels! Share your thoughts on todayâs stories in the comment section below.
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Featured Image:Â Warner Bros./DC Entertainment