Colin Trevorrow Out as ‘Episode 9’ Director
The Star Wars universe got another shakeup yesterday when LucasFilm announced it was parting ways with director Colin Trevorrow, who was deep into pre-production on the yet-to-be-titled Episode 9. Speculation had been swirling for months in regards to his fate after the poor critical and box office reception of this summer’s The Book of Henry. The statement by LucasFilm made it sound as though the split had been amicable, however, stating that the director and company had “mutually chosen to part ways.” Script issues had developed over recent months following the sudden death of series star Carrie Fisher late last year. This marks the second time in recent months that current LucasFilm honcho Kathleen Kennedy has parted ways with a director; earlier this summer, Kennedy announced that the co-directors of next year’s Han Solo movie, Chris Miller and Phil Lord, had been fired and replaced by director Ron Howard. No word yet on who’s set to take over for Trevorrow on the closing chapter of the Star Wars saga, though already social media campaigns have ignited in the hopes that Ava DuVarney would be given an opportunity. The Force Awakens director J.J. Abrams and The Last Jedi director Rian Johnson have also been named as potential replacements. As of right now, Episode 9 is still on track for a 2019 release date.
Greta Gerwig’s ‘Lady Bird’ Gets First Trailer
Greta Gerwig’s Telluride favorite Lady Bird released its first trailer, giving us our first look at what many are already considering an Oscar favorite for next year. Saoirse Ronan stars as the titular character in this coming of age tale, which co-stars Laurie Metcalf and Danielle Macdonald. The trailer oozes the sort of indie charm on which Gerwig has built her name and Ronan and Metcalfe seem to share a beautiful chemistry as mother and daughter. It’s not hard to see why this was a favorite at Telluride this year, though we’ll have to wait until November 10 to see it for ourselves.
(A24)
Christian Bale Goes West(ern) in ‘Hostiles’ Trailer
Black Mass director Scott Cooper heads to the old west in his latest film, Hostiles. Christian Bale and Jesse Plemons star in this story following an army captain who agrees to escort a Cheyenne chief through hostile territory. Hostiles had its premiere earlier this week at Telluride and is set to play next week at TIFF; as of yet, there’s no release date set for a wide release for Hostiles, but based on star power alone, we’ll probably be hearing more about the film in the coming weeks and months.
Will ‘Mudbound’ Be Netflix’s First Great Film?
Netflix has released plenty of decent (and not so decent) movies since they jumped into the original content game, but so far none of them have been great. That might be about to change with Mudbound. Directed and co-written by Dee Rees, the film follows the life and blossoming friendship between a black and white veteran who come home from World War II to rural Mississippi. Based on the novel by Hillary Jordan, Rees co-wrote the screenplay with veteran TV writer and producer Virgil Williams. Boasting a cast that includes Garrett Hedlund, Jason Mitchell, Carey Mulligan, and Jonathan Banks, Mudbound looks to be a poignant tale of friendship, hardship, and racism in the US south. Mudbound premieres on Netflix and in select theaters on November 17.
(Netflix)
The Gang Returns for ‘A Bad Moms Christmas’
Last year’s surprise comedy hit Bad Moms gets a Christmas sequel with A Bad Moms Christmas. The original trio of Mila Kunis, Kristen Bell, and Kathryn Hahn return, this time each facing down their own mothers in the form of Christine Baranski, Cheryl Hines, and Susan Sarandon, respectively. From this NSFW trailer, it seems like they’re doubling down on the foul-mouthed escapades that made the original movie such a hit last year. The Hangover directors Jon Lucas and Scott Moore return to helm and write the film, which is set to release on November 3.
(STX)
