Genre Flick News

William Monahan

‘JURASSIC PARK 4’ Coming In 2014?

Collider was able to speak with producer Frank Marshall about the fate of Jurassic Park 4. Currently all we know about the project is that Universal has hired screenwriters Rick Jaffa and Amanda Silver (Rise of The Planet of The Apes). Frank gives a possible release date for the fourth installment which could be out as soon as 2014. There had been talk that William Monahan (Departed, Sin City 2, Oblivion, Kingdom of Heaven) had also written a draft years back. Not to mention talk of both a direct sequel to a complete reboot of the franchise.


‘SIN CITY 2’ Coming October 2013, Returning Cast Confirmed

Variety reports that Robert Rodriguez’s Sin City 2: A Dame To Kill For has been picked up by Dimension Films and has a set release date for October 4th 2013. Included in the announcement is that the sequel will see the return of actors such as Jessica Alba (Nancy), Mickey Rourke (Marv), Rosario Dawson (Gail) and Michael Madsen (Bob). New cast members will be added to the film eventually but no names are being mentioned yet.


Nikolaj Coster-Waldau Joins Oblivion

Deadline reports yet another addition to Joseph Kosinski’s (Tron Legacy) Oblivion. Game of Thrones actor Nikolaj Coster-Waldau (Headhunters) has joined the science fiction actioner that is setup at Universal Pictures. Nikolaj will play Sykes, a battle-hardened, physically imposing, intelligent and extremely athletic military technology and weapons expert. The rest of the cast lead by Tom Cruise includes Morgan Freeman (RED, Wanted, Dark Knight), Olga Kurylenko (Centurion, Quantum of Solace, Seven Psychopaths) and Andrea Riseborough (W.E., Never Let Me Go, Brighton Rock).


Morgan Freeman Joins Oblivion/Horizons

Deadline reports that Morgan Freeman has signed on to take unnamed but important role in Joseph Kosinski’s (Tron Legacy) Oblivion/Horizons. The science fiction action film already boasts a cast that includes Tom Cruise, Olga Kurylenko and Andrea Riseborough.

UPDATE: Variety/ShowBlitz’s Jeff Sneider has confirmed via Twitter that Freeman will play Malcolm Beech, the leader of the human resistance on Earth.


Andrea Riseborough And Olga Kurylenko Join Tom Cruise In Oblivion

Variety reports that Jessica Chastain (Help, The Debt) has dropped out of the science fiction actioner Oblivion. Apparently it conflicted with Kathryn Bigelow’s (Hurt Locker) Bin Laden movie which Jessica recently committed to. However, the two female leads to star alongside Tom Cruise have been cast in the meantime. Those roles have gone to Andrea Riseborough (W.E., Never Let Me Go, Brighton Rock, Happy-Go-Lucky) and Olga Kurylenko (Quantum of Solace). The original concept comes from Tron Legacy director Joseph Kosinski who shopped around his film pitch in the form of a graphic novel entitled Oblivion. The graphic novel film pitch seems to be the new trend in Hollywood. Darren Aronofsky recently did the same for his biblical epic Noah. Screenwriters William Monahan (Departed) and Karl Gajdusek have come on to add some rewrites to the film’s script.

Cruise is currently riding high on the massive success of Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol and it seems like he’s trying his best to cement his comeback. I believe Kosinski has a lot of promise as Tron Legacy was easily one of the most beautiful films of 2010. The problem behind the Tron sequel was it’s weak script and it looks like everyone involved is trying to avoid this issue with Oblivion. Andrea Riseborough, who plays the female intruder seems like an interesting up and coming actress. Hopefully this get’s her cast in more Hollywood projects.


William Monahan Writing/Directing Remake Of Becket

This news is almost a year old but it’s still worth mentioning. Deadline reports that William Monahan’s next directorial effort will be Becket based on the play by Jean Anouilh which he’ll also write. Monahan is best known for writing the Departed which earned him an Oscar. I loved Ridley Scott’s Kingdom of Heaven which William wrote to see him revisit this genre is exciting. That being said Monahan’s first film London Boulevard had a star-studded cast but was disappointing overall.


William Monahan Tackling Sin City 2 Script

HollywoodReporter says that things might be moving forward after all on Robert Rodriguez’s Sin City 2. Screenwriter William Monahan (Departed, Kingdom of Heaven) has been hired to make a contribution to the film’s script which had been originally completed by Frank Miller himself. Robert during press for Spy Kids 4 revealed that the sequel could start shooting as early as the fall. I’m still hesitant for more Sin City films now that six years has past and the high quality of the original. It’s hard to believe it could be improved upon or even be as good.


Scorsese, DiCaprio & Monahan Re-Teaming For Gambler Remake

Deadline reports that the dynamic group of director Martin Scorsese, Leonardo DiCaprio and writer William Monahan who worked on The Departed will work together again. The project is a remake of the classic 1974 James Caan film The Gambler. Where a college professor’s gambling addiction slowly corrupts him and forces him deeper into debt with sharks. Martin’s next film is the long in development Silence but has a slew of other projects are also in works as well. They include the hitman drama The Irishman with Robert DeNiro and The Wolf of Wallstreet with DiCaprio.


Universal Could Pickup Joseph Kosinski’s Horizons With Tom Cruise Attached To Star

HeatVision reports that Universal is in final talks to pickup Joseph Kosinski’s Horizons (Oblivion). The science fiction action film had originally been setup at Disney but would eventually be dropped. Kosinski is currently working on Tron 3 along with a remake of the Disney classic Blackhole. So it’s unlikely that Joseph will direct the film. They also confirm that Tom Cruise is attached to star with a script written by William Monahan (Departed) and Karl Gadjusek.


Disney Hires William Monahan To Write Oblivion


Deadline reports William Monahan (Departed) has been set to adapt the graphic novel Oblivion for Disney. The comic was created by Tron Legacy director Joseph Kosinski and is expected to helm the film. Disney seems to have their golden director with Kosinski. The studio has also set him to direct Blackhole reboot along with two possible Tron sequels. The sci-fi epic follows an exiled soldier on a desolate planet, charged with exterminating a primitive alien race. His understanding of the mission changes when he encounters another visitor to the world.