casting news

Last week, it was all but confirmed that Michael B. Jordan would be joining the cast for The Fantastic Four reboot as The Human Torch. Now, he's been talking to Zack Snyder, director of Man of Steel, to cross the comic divide and join the DC universe as a 'recurring character' beginning with 2016's Man of Steel 2/Batman vs Superman.

This casting choice is a rumor at best, but the knowledge that Snyder is casting yet another recurring role has perked up some ears, and speculation is flying. Since Jordan is black, most are assuming that he'd be in talks for John Stewart's turn as Green Lantern, or the mechanized hero Cyborg. But this is the modern era, where actors of color are beginning to up for any superhero role, so younger roles, like Robin or The Flash could fit the bill as well. I guess we'll just have to wait until 2016.

We've known for a while that Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson would be appearing in Dc's upcoming film adaptation of Shazam, but up until today, we assumed he'd be playing the hero. In a twist, The Rock took to Twitter today, to confirm his true role, super baddie Black Adam, in a script penned by Shrek Forever After writer, Darren Lemke.

This leaves only one question, if The Rock is playing the villain, who's manly enough to take him on?

Bryan Singer tweeted last night the new cast members in X-Men: Apocalypse. Sophie Turner (Game of Thrones), Tye Sheridan (Mud), and Alexandra Shipp (Aaliyah: The Princess of R&B), will join the James McAvoy led X-Men team in the 1980's as young versions of Jean Grey, Cyclops, and Storm.

Taking over for Famke Janssen, James Marsden, and Halle Berry, these three youngsters will join the team to take on the iconic villain Apocalypse. With Nicholas Hoult returning as Beast, this is the closest we'll ever get to the original line-up.

Actor, Reg E. Cathey from The Wire and House of Cards has been cast as mentor figure Dr. Franklin Storm in the upcoming Fantastic Four reboot. The internet has been in a tizzy since Fox cast sibling Johnny and Sue Storm interracially (Michael B Jordan and Kate Mara respectively).

Since Dr. Franklin is their father, we can now safely assume that Sue is the adopted child.

It looks like Tilda Swinton is beating out Morgan Freeman, Bill Nighy and Ken Watanabe for the role of The Ancient One, the mentor and ally of Stephen Strange. Strange, played by Benedict Cumberbatch, is a former surgeon who after injuring his hands, discovers the supernatural world of magic and demons.

The Ancient One helps Strange become Earth's Sorcerer Supreme, and a prime candidate for The Avengers. While, The Ancient One has typically been portrayed as male, Tilda Swinton seems like the perfect choice to play an ethereal, immortal figure not of this world.

You may remember a couple weeks ago when Jon Bernthal was officially announced as The Punisher for Netflix's Daredevil, season 2. Well now another classic Marvel hero, Elektra appears to be joining the crew in Hell's Kitchen as well.

Played by Élodie Yung, Elektra is a trained assassin and former college girlfriend of Matt Murdock. She's also a long running romantic interest for the blind vigilante.

Marvel anti-hero, vigilante, and torture pr0n enthusiast, The Punisher is coming to the Netflix Original Series Daredevil in Season 2, and he's already been cast.

The Walking Dead alumnus, Jon Bernthal who played violent sociopath Shane, will take over as Frank Castle (so we know he'll do it perfectly). No word yet on whether he'll help or hinder the Devil of Hell's Kitchen, but chances are it'll be somewhere in the middle.

Still no word on classic Daredevil characters Elektra or Bullseye, but we're holding out hope.

The rumor mill can officially shut down production. Chris Pine is NOT playing Hal Jordan's Green Lantern in the DC universe. Instead, the Star Trek actor has signed on to a different DC franchise, Wonder Woman. Pine will be playing Steve Trevor, soldier and love interest to Wonder Woman's secret identity, Diana Prince. 



Hopefully they can stay on good terms. We'd hate to see such a good looking couple fell apart.

Former Doctor Who star David Tennant was just announced as the villainous Zebediah Killgrave (The Purple Man) in Marvel's Netflix original AKA Jessica Jones. Starring opposite Krysten Ritter, Tennant's Kilgrave is:

An enigmatic figure from Jessica's past, Kilgrave's reappearance will send shockwaves through the former super hero's world... After a tragic ending to her short-lived super hero stint, Jessica Jones is rebuilding her personal life and career as a detective who gets pulled into cases involving people with extraordinary abilities in New York City.

Move over Equestria Girls - Friendship Games, we got a real My Little Pony movie on the way. Lionsgate and Hasbro are teaming up to bring the Friendship is Magic team to the big screen in 2017. And since everyone loved Idina Menzel as Elsa, why not nab another Wicked alumnus:

"We are pleased to partner with Hasbro to bring their brands to audiences in new and exciting ways... Meghan McCarthy and the My Little Pony cast are a very talented and cohesive team whom we’re happy to be working with and we’re excited about the addition of the very talented Kristin Chenoweth, as we explore new aspects of these characters and new story opportunities for the franchise." - Erik Feig, Lionsgate Co-President

The cast to Marvel's next new super hero franchise is getting bigger and better. Benedict Cumberbatch, Chiwetel Ejiofor, and Tilda Swinton are already confirmed to star in Marvel's psychadelic, magical movie, Doctor Strange. Now, confirming her casting as the female lead, True Detective star, Rachel McAdams will head to the Scott Derrickson project.

While we still don't know who she'll play, the most likely candidates are Clea, a mystical ruler of a parallel dimension:



Or Morgana Blessing, author and occasional subject of possession by the Sorcerer Supreme:



Both are potential love interests and/or antagonists to Benedict Cumberbatch's former surgeon turned super Sorcerer. 

We've known for a while that Fox has been courting Channing Tatum to star as Gambit in their ever-growing X-Men franchise, and now it's confirmed. Producer Lauren Shuler Donner had this to say at Monday Night's Days of Future Past premiere:



And now, the Hollywood Reporter is reporting that audiences ill first see the Magic Mike star flinging explosive cards, in 2016's X-Men: Apocalypse. Soon after, audiences will be treated to a Gambit stand-alone film which is still in the very early stages of development.

Personally I feel that seeing the iconic 90's X-Man rubbing elbows with young Magneto and Professor X will be a little weird, but he's the type of character that will play both sides in the mutant debate. Where do you think Gambit will fit in?

Chiwetel Ejiofor (12 Years a Slave) will take on Benedict Cumberbatch in a sorcerer's duel next November in Marvel's next comic to movie property, Doctor Strange. Stephen Strange (Cumberbatch) is a former surgeon, who after a serious injury to his hands, discovers a secret world of arcane arts and demons. Ejiofor will play Baron Mordo, his rival and former student of The Ancient One (Tilda Swinton) who seeks power over all else.

Much like last year's Guardians of the Galaxy, Strange will open up Marvel's movie universe to a new realm. While Guardians showed audiences the galactic side to Marvel, Strange will introduce the magical/supernatural aspects. Hopefully, there's room for Blade or Ghost Rider in the near future.