Star Wars: Attack Squadrons Cancelled

Disney has cancelled development of Star Wars: Attack Squadrons, a free-to-play dogfighting game announced in December last year. “We want to thank all of the fans who participated in the closed beta of Star Wars: Attack Squadrons,” the Attack Squadrons website now reads. “After much consideration, we have decided to cease development so that we can focus on other Star Wars game experiences. We truly appreciate the time you spent engaging in the beta.” Star Wars: Attack Squadrons aimed to allow players to customise their own versions of iconic Star Wars ships such as X-Wings and TIE fighters, with multiplayer fights of up to 16 players supported. It entered a closed beta period in January; this has now been taken offline. Attack Squadrons was being developed by Area 52 Games, and was to be published by Disney Mobile. A ten-year exclusivity deal between EA and Disney was signed last year, granting EA exclusive rights to develop Star Wars games for “core audiences;” one such game in development is Visceral’s unannounced Star Wars project, which former Naughty Dog creative director Amy Hennig is now working on.

Man of Steel Sequel Titled Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice

Warner Bros. has announced the official title of the Man of Steel sequel. The film will be called Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice. Principal photography began today on the highly anticipated movie, which Man of Steel’s Zack Snyder is directing. Henry Cavill and Ben Affleck star as Clark Kent/Superman and Bruce Wayne/Batman, respectively. According to a studio press release, Gal Gadot also stars as Diana Prince/Wonder Woman, while Amy Adams, Laurence Fishburne, and Diane Lane return from Man of Steel. Warners also confirms that Jesse Eisenberg will play Lex Luthor, Jeremy Irons is Alfred, and Holly Hunter is taking up “a role newly created for the film.” Obviously the Dawn of Justice title is a reference to the birth of the JLA, or the Justice League, the DC Comics equivalent of The Avengers. As we’ve learned over the past 10 months or so that characters like Batman, Wonder Woman, and Cyborg were joining Man of Steel 2, it has becoming increasingly clear that the film would be a launching pad for a team movie featuring the JLA. And now this title all but confirms that. The studio has also released an official logo/title treatment:

 

Shooting will take place at the Michigan Motion Picture Studios and on location in and around Detroit, Michigan, as well as in Illinois, Africa, and the South Pacific. The film opens on May 6, 2016.

 

Godzilla Director Gareth Edwards to Helm First Star Wars Spin-Off Film

Dead game writer Gary Whitta will make the first Star Wars spin-off film. Lucasfilm and Disney made the announcement today. “In addition to the episodes of a new Star Wars trilogy, Lucasfilm and Disney have begun development on multiple stand-alone movies that will offer new stories beyond the core Saga,” says the press release. “Gareth Edwards will direct the first stand-alone film, with a screenplay by Gary Whitta. The film is due out December 16, 2016.” Edwards, of course, just had a huge hit with Godzilla for Legendary and Warner Bros. Prior to that he came off the very small, very good giant monster flick Monsters. He wrote, directed, shot, and did the visual effects on that film. “Ever since I saw Star Wars I knew exactly what I wanted to do for the rest of my life — join the Rebel Alliance! I could not be more excited & honored to go on this mission with Lucasfilm,” says Edwards in the release. Whitta has worked on the scripts for The Book of Eli and After Earth for the big screen, as well as the popular Walking Dead game from Telltale. It is not clear what the spin-off will be about, though rumors have pegged characters like Boba Fett, Yoda, and a young Han Solo as potential candidates to get their own movies. Lawrence Kasdan and Simon Kinberg were previously reported to be writing the spin-offs. Meanwhile, Star Wars: Episode VII is currently shooting with J.J. Abrams at the helm for a Dec. 18, 2015 release. Then Edwards’ film hits in 2016? Looks like Disney and Lucasfilm weren’t kidding about a new Star Wars movie every year!

Former Doctor Who Matt Smith Joins Terminator: Genesis Cast

A new piece of casting news could bring the space time continuum to its knees, with a former Doctor Who star joining the cast of Terminator: Genesis. Matt Smith – who shot to fame as the 11th Time Lord – will play “a new character with a strong connection to John Connor” in the film, which recently began principal photography.

He joins Emilia Clarke, Jason Clarke, Jai Courtney and Arnold Schwarzenegger in the cast, with Thor: The Dark World director Alan Taylor on helming duty. Terminator: Genesis is set to hit screens worldwide on July 1, 2015

2016 Release Date Set for Eddie Murphy’s Return as Axel Foley in Beverly Hills Cop

Make a date with the mouthiest, extra-jurisdictional cop in movie history. Paramount has scheduled the premiere for a fourth installment in the Beverly Hills Cop franchise starring Eddie Murphy. The new movie, apparently titled simply Beverly Hills Cop, is set to open March 25, 2016. Plot details are sparse but we know that Murphy will reprise his role as hip detective Axel Foley. Deadline reports the flick “will see Murphy’s Foley returning to his Detroit roots.”

The Beverly Hills Cop brand was most recently thought to be bound for the small screen. Last year CBS ordered a pilot episode for a series following Foley’s cop son, but the network passed on the show at the last minute. Jerry Bruckheimer returns to produce the new Beverly Hills Cop movie and Brett Ratner — currently finishing post-production on The Rock’s Hercules — will direct. Josh Appelbaum and Andre Nemec (Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles) will script. Doo dee doo duh dee doo dooo…