Congratulations, guys! You made it all the way to Tuesday — that’s not something everyone can say. As a reward, we’ve cooked up a fresh batch of Movie Morsels just for you, and there’s a little something for everyone. On today’s menu: Jason Bourne is back by popular demand, a look into who Adam Driver might be playing in Star Wars: Episode VII, Ben Affleck sounding off on playing Batman, a reboot of I Know What You Did Last Summer, and much more.
Jason Bourne
Listen, Jeremy Renner can only play so many secret agent types before he reaches peak espionage saturation. The point is, Matt Damon is Bourne again. News broke yesterday that Paul Greengrass and Matt Damon would be reuniting for another Jason Bourne flick. Damon first expressed interest in returning to the role this past May:
“I’ve always been open to it if Paul Greengrass is the director. We’ve just never been able to come up with a story… It felt like such a good way to end it last time. Having said that, I love that character. I’d love to see what happened to him.”
This statement gained even more traction when Latino Review reported that the reason the next Bourne film had been delayed to 2016 was in order to get series stalwart Matt Damon back in the saddle. Little else is known at this time, but Universal is very keen on reuniting Damon and Greengrass for their third Jason Bourne-centric outing together. And if you dug The Bourne Legacy, don’t worry — Jeremy Renner’s spinoff sequel is still in the works with Fast & Furious director Justin Lin attached, but now Universal, a studio hungry to build franchises (e.g. what they’re doing with the Universal Monsters), has two reasons to be very happy in the next couple of years. [Deadline]
Star Wars: Episode VII
Note: if you don’t want Star Wars spoilers, well, sorry.Â
This film has more leaks than the original trilogy has special editions. The latest tidbit coming out of the Star Wars: Episode VII set is a blurry photograph of Adam Driver wearing an X-Wing pilot uniform. Wait a minute, wasn’t he supposed to be the bad guy? Maybe he isn’t a bad guy after all and that was just a red herring to throw us off the scent, or maybe he’ll go full Space Benedict Arnold and betray our heroes at a crucial moment. Either way, it’s something to scratch that daily Star Wars itch. [Badass Digest]
Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice
Hey, remember all that shit you’ve given Ben Affleck over the years for starring in Gigli? Remember all those awful things you wrote when he first got cast as Batman? Well, they’re only making him stronger. In an interview with The Sunday Times, Affleck was candid about why he’s perfect for the role — he and Bats both have an incredible capacity for rage.
“For me, anger is so deeply buried and contained that when it does kind of come out, it comes out in stronger bursts. I tend to be respectful, polite, get along, put up with, put up with, put up with… then, when it finally emerges, it’s not something I have a ton of control over.”
Sure, Batman is partially motivated by rage, but I’d argue it’s more impressive how Batman is able to keep that rage in check with a stringent ethical and moral code. Otherwise, he’d be straight up murdering the shit out of all of Gotham City’s supervillains. Affleck sees the other side of the coin though.
“That’s a character flaw, I think. I should sit down and say, ‘Listen, I just want to let you know what happened there wasn’t OK’, instead of going, let it go, let it go, let it go … ‘Ah, that’s not a big deal’, until finally you just pop!”
Sounds good to me, Batfleck. One question: is it March 25, 2016 yet? [CinemaBlend]
Avengers: Age of Ultron
Are you impatient? Does the prospect of not knowing something about a major Hollywood blockbuster send you into a tizzy? Well, chill out because yesterday Disney unveiled the first official synopsis for 2015’s Avengers: Age of Ultron. [Nerdist]
I Know What You Did Last Summer
At long last, 1997’s I Know What You Did Last Summer, the film literally no one was asking to be rebooted, is getting a remake courtesy of Oculus director Mike Flanagan, who is teaming up with the original producer Neal Moritz to remake the film. The only way I’ll stomach this remake is if a) they don’t let whoever penned that godawful Oculus ending anywhere near the script and b) if they use the exact same costumes. THE EXACT SAME. [MTV]
The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1
In case you missed it, yesterday brought with it our longest look yet at The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1. It’s all doom, gloom, bullets, and ‘splosions as the rebel forces begin going head to head with the might of the Capitol. [Nerdist]
The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies
While we continue waiting for the third and final installment of the longest adaptation of a single book in the history of cinema, those tricksy hobbitses have unveiled a brand new tapestry poster for The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies. The full piece is a thing of beauty, and you can click through to check it out in all of its majesty. [Nerdist]
Stretch
The marketing blitz for Joe Carnahan’s upcoming limo ride gone haywire film continues with a new clip featuring Ed Helms and Norman Reedus that involves a crossbow and a severed penis. [YouTube]
Effie Gray
The first trailer for director Richard Laxton’s long-delayed period drama Effie Gray is here and it’s quite droll, madam, quite droll indeed. The film, written by Emma Thompson, takes place in 1840s London and follows Effie Gray (Dakota Fanning) and her destructive marriage to art critic John Ruskin (Greg Wise). All in all, it looks positively smashing, my dear boy. [Collider]
Vacation
National Lampoon is gearing up to take another fun-filled family trip in Vacation, and they’ve finally found their Audrey: Leslie Mann. Read all the details here, and be sure to listen to what Rusty (Ed Helms) had to say on the latest Nerdist Podcast. [Nerdist]
Dead Snow 2: Red vs. Dead
Nazis and zombies — two great tastes that taste great together. Martin, the only survivor of Dead Snow, is back in this new trailer for Dead Snow 2: Red vs. Dead, and he’s got a zombie arm hellbent on helping Hitler from beyond the grave. The film hits theaters on October 10, but this should help stave off the otherworldly hunger for more until then. [Slashfilm]
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What do you think of today’s top stories? Sound off in the comments below or whisper it to me gently on Twitter (@osteoferocious)
Loving the daily movie morsels, Dan. Thanks!