Ah, Wednesday, the eternal glass half full, glass half empty of the work week. On the one hand, you’ve come this far, but on the other, there’s still half a week until you can kick back and relax. But who needs all that stress when there’s delectable Movie Morsels to consume? In today’s edition, we’ve got more details about Sony’s Venom movie, an update on the future of Studio Ghibli, a replacement for Roger Deakins on the new James Bond flick, and much more.

Venom

Alex Kurtzman has been making the rounds recently in support of his new CBS series Scorpion, the cast of which we interviewed at Comic-Con, and as a result we’ve had our first tidbits about Sony’s Venom film. Recently, he mentioned that the film would be very dark in tone, but yesterday in a new interview, he spoke about the story’s progress thus far:

“Yeah, before last Friday came out, we started kind of roughing out a story. Ed Solomon’s going to be writing it very soon. I can’t tell you too much, but I’m really excited about it.”

As for whether it will be Eddie Brock under the symbiote suit, Kurtzman remained tight-lipped, offering up that it might not be exactly who we expect:

“I would not say it’s an easy choice. I would say that there are quite a few things about Venom that are interesting. Venom had several different iterations, and there are several things that are very unique, interesting and specific. And so I think we all want to make sure that we’re making the right choices for a character that’s so beloved.”

Honestly, as long as he’s got that horrifying tongue, I’m down for whoever they decide stick in the iconic black costume. [Comic Book Resources]

Studio Ghibli

After a tumultuous couple of weeks that saw rumors flying that Studio Ghibli was closing for good, we got a glimmer of hope in a new interview with Ghibli co-founder Isao Takahata. While at the Toronto International Film Festival where his new film The Tale of Princess Kaguya screened, Takahata had this to say:

“I don’t really know what will happen to Studio Ghibli in the future, but I’m sure that there’s a great chance that they will continue to make films.  Although the production department may have been closed, normally what we do per project is to hire people for that project as well, including the way The Tale of the Princess Kaguya was made.  So, I’m sure we can gather members to create a team for any production that will be made.

As to whether I can make films in the future depends on my physical state, my mental state, and the financial state—whether people would be willing to invest money into a film I would make.  And whether I would have cooperation and collaboration with a good producer like I’ve been able to have so far.  Those kinds … many conditions exist, so I’m not sure at all whether I could make another film.” 

I don’t know about you guys, but I’m confident in Ghibli’s future. Whether or not Miyazaki or Takahata make another film, though, is another matter entirely. [Collider]

James Bond

Things are about to get shaken up, not stirred on the production of the newest James Bond film. Longtime cinematographer Roger Deakins will not be returning for the Sam Mendes-directed sequel to Skyfall; rather, Hoyte van Hoytema will be stepping into Deakins’ formidable shoes. Van Hoytema has the Midas touch it seems, as his work on Interstellar, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, Her, and Let the Right One In have been solid gold. New desktop wallpaper, here we come! [HitFix]

Ben-Hur

At last! The recently cast Morgan Freeman has someone to train to be a champion charioteer in MGM and Paramount’s Ben-Hur remake! We have our Ben-Hur, and I think you’re gonna dig the choice: Boardwalk Empire‘s Jack Huston, fresh off his seriously impressive turn as the scarred assassin Richard Harrow. The Timur Bekmambetov-directed epic is starting production in Europe next year, and is already looking like it’s going to be one of the biggest-scale productions we’ve seen in a while, which could be a huge opportunity for Huston. Next up on the major casting slate: Messala, the longtime friend turned bitter rival. Might I suggest Michael Pitt? [Deadline]

Into the Woods

Remember that big budget movie version of Into the Woods? Disney did too! It’s been a minute since they released anything about the Sondheim adaptation, and the first trailer had absolutely zero singing, but today we have a creepy new poster that answers the question of what happens when you stare into the abyss: Meryl Streep as a witch stares back, and it’s mildly terrifying. [JoBlo]

Interstellar

As Interstellar lurches every closer to blasting off and into our eyeballs on November 7, our anticipation continues to build to a fever pitch. Now, we have yet another tantalizing look at what we can look forward to in the latest from director Christopher Nolan thanks to a gorgeous-looking new one-sheet. [Empire]

20,000 Leagues Under the Sea

For better or for worse, David Fincher’s adaptation of Jules Verne’s classic 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea is well and truly sunk, scuttled on the shores of Disney’s development department. In an interview, Fincher revealed why the film sank to the briny deep:

It became very hard to appease the anxieties of Disney’s corporate culture with the list of names that allowed everyone to sleep at night. I just wanted to make sure I had the skill-sets I could turn the movie over to. Not worrying about whether they’re big in Japan.”

Well, rats. It’s a shame that it couldn’t tread water, but now he can focus on adapting Utopia for HBO, so hey, everybody wins. [CinemaBlend]

Jack Reacher 2

While I may be one of the three people that genuinely enjoyed Jack Reacher, the Tom Cruise-starring adaptation of Lee Child’s novel One Shot, it appears that a sequel is still in the works. Although, according to Child, it won’t be with original writer/director Christopher McQuarrie, who is currently directing Mission: Impossible 5 and then moving on to adapt Star Blazers. The sequel, based on Child’s book Never Go Back, is in pre-production with a script evidently in the works (by who, exactly, remains a mystery). Here’s hoping that Jack Reacher villain Werner Herzog will step behind the camera for the eventual sequel. Come on, Tom Cruise directed by Werner Herzog? It’s too good. [Screen Rant]

Skull Island

The biggest story to drop yesterday may well have been that Legendary’s Skull Island, the King Kong origin story, has tapped Jordan Vogt-Roberts to direct and Tom Hiddleston to star. Find out what Hiddles McGriddles addition to the film might portend for a shared cinematic universe in yesterday’s Nerdist News.

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What do you think of today’s top stories? Let us know in the comments below or tell me on Twitter (@osteoferocious).