‘Constantine’ Film Reportedly in the Works at DC Studios, ‘Blade’ Stakes Q4 Shoot in the UK, Zach Cregger’s ‘Weapons,’ Celine Song’s ‘Materialists’ Both Eye May Filming Starts, Amazon Freebie Error
Plus, my thoughts on Scott Derrickson’s next works, when Ryan Coogler/Michael B. Jordan's vampire pic is filming, a brief ‘Young Avengers’ update, and ‘Fear Street: Prom Queen,’ ‘You’ now filming.
Welcome back, and so soon, to a brand-new, flaming hot issue of TheTrailBlazer! It’s another spooky issue with enough thrills, and chills, in store before we wrap up this eerie month. Not only has winter come again where I live even though it is officially spring, or the fact that I’ve written four stories this month (with this being the fifth), but Production Weekly decided to have some fun with horrors of their own as the latest issue from Rich Browski’s reliable production listing magazine has a plethora of updates tailored to the ghastly undead, supernatural depths, and creeps of the world of entertainment. And I’m here to break it all down for you!
Given yesterday’s issue was a long one, I’ve tried to keep it simple with this all, especially given not much in-depth details were available, though it sure is a lot to think about, so let’s stake out the details and get right into it! Due to the shorter length, I’ve also decided to let this one go up for free to you all! Cheers!
‘Constantine’ Feature Film Being Conjured at DC Studios, Could Scott Derrickson Be Summoned to Helm?
A new live-action Constantine feature film is in development at DC Studios, according to the latest issue of Production Weekly. It lists the film, which would follow the John Constantine occult detective character from the Hellblazer story of DC Comics, as being produced by DC Studios co-chiefs James Gunn and Peter Safran, undoubtably for their franchise the DC Universe (DCU). No further details were provided on the pic, which is in the early stages of development.
Another Constantine pic is already in development at the studio in a sequel to the 2005 Constantine film with director Francis Lawrence and star Keanu Reeves returning. That feature is being produced for the “DC Elseworlds” label of DC content separate from the DCU, though inevitable multiverse shenanigans make me ponder if/when this Constantine could meet up with the DCU’s version. I could definitely see someone like Austin Butler being cast as the titular character, especially given his versatility in his most recent roles in Baz Luhrmann’s biopic Elvis, Denis Villeuneuve’s Dune: Part Two, Jeff Nichols’ The Bikeriders, and now Darren Aronofsky’s upcoming pic Caught Stealing.
I will warn DC of concerns that two competing Constantine films could detract audiences from focusing on one or the other, and it may be too early for a reboot of this property as I know many are still intrigued for Keanu Reeves’ sequel to happen first before a new interpretation is made, though I will note that DC wants to ensure audiences know the difference between these different interpretations, which is a similar case to having Robert Pattinson’s Batman from Matt Reeves and Andy Muschietti’s Batman from The Brave and the Bold. These two different takes on Constantine could work as long as DC prepares audiences and makes them distinct from each other. You do have to be cognizant with what audiences have come to expect from these superhero pics, and if they make a reboot alongside a sequel to a legacy franchise, you risk confusing audiences with what your focus is and potentially drawing on the same mistake Sony made in their Ghostbusters franchise by assuming a franchise needs to be redone when it just needs to be reinvented.
Now, the question bogs down to who could tackle such a supernatural IP for the DCU? Well, I would look no further than a master of horror and the mystic arts, Scott Derrickson! While some may argue that Derrickson is not nearly as great as those directors, and that another “hot name” director like Zach Cregger (who I talk about later in this issue; he would be an ideal choice for what talent Gunn and co. may be looking for) should take the reigns, I am inclined to disagree. Derrickson, who is best known for making films such as The Black Phone, 2016’s Doctor Strange for Marvel Studios, Sinister, and The Exorcism of Emily Rose, has previously expressed interest in tackling a Constantine film for DC if asked (and last October, he reiterated his ongoing desire for it). It is right up his dark alley, if you ask me.
Derrickson’s taste for the dark fantasy and supernatural and knowing how to be genuinely scary would definitely compliment another DCU film, director James Mangold’s Swamp Thing. Constantine first appeared in DC Comics in Swamp Thing #37, published in June 1985, from writer Alan Moore, artist Steve Bissette, and illustrator John Totleben. It could be very possible that the Gothic con man may debut in the Swamp Thing pic ahead of a new solo film, though that is speculation on my part.
Derrickson recently set up his next directorial effort, an adaptation of Davis Grubb’s 1953 novel The Night of the Hunter, with his writing partner C. Robert Cargill at Universal. The duo are in post-production on their next in-line film, the Skydance/Apple TV+ action romance The Gorge starring Miles Teller, Anya Taylor-Joy, and Sigourney Weaver, while they are gearing up to film Uni’s The Black Phone 2 this fall, with Ethan Hawke, Mason Thames, Madeleine McGraw, Jeremy Davies, and Miguel Mora all starring. The Black Phone was a well-deserved success for Derrickson and Universal, so the fact that a sequel is being made so soon is quite a promising sign that we may have a brand-new horror franchise on our hands, similar to John Krasinski’s A Quiet Place. I am looking forward to The Gorge because that is a stellar cast, especially with Miles Teller. He’s a real movie star!
It would make sense for Derrickson to go after Constantine once he gets all of his other horror pics out of his system, and I can imagine that he would want to make them first before committing to a big studio superhero feature such as Constantine given that is surely going to be an offer open for a while, whereas these opportunities to tell other, lesser-known horror stories are unlikely come up again in the same vein if he were to pass on them now.
Superhero Bits: ‘Blade’ Stakes Q4 Filming Start in the United Kingdom, ‘Young Avengers’ Pic to Assemble There in 2025
The latest issue of Production Weekly has verified some insights into the productions of some forthcoming Marvel productions, namely their Blade and Young Avengers films. Blade is listed as having a Q4 filming start with the United Kingdom listed as the sole location. That late 2024 filming in the UK was previously reported by Charles Murphy, though the production company is still being listed as based at Tyler Perry Studios and was still expected to shoot at Trilith Studios. Filming in the UK can save studios millions of dollars and see them receive returns on investments with Britain’s tax credit system, the Film Tax Relief scheme. After this film’s long development process, delays, and creative shifts, I don’t blame Disney for wanting to get back some money for their troubles. After all, these movies don’t come cheap.
I should note that despite prior listings including New Orleans, Cleveland, and Morocco as filming locations, none of those are present in the latest version. The production listing also only includes stars Mahershala Ali and Mia Goth as among the cast, notably excluding Delroy Lindo, who was confirmed by Disney to be cast in November 2021, and obviously Aaron Pierre, who recently confirmed he was no longer attached due to the pic’s constant creative changes, with rumors indicating his role was replaced by Goth’s down the line. There is no word on if Lindo has exited or if the shoot is moving exclusively to the UK. The pic currently holds a November 7, 2025, release in its clutches, though many expect a delay to February 2026 is likely given the production setbacks already. Kudos to Jordan Ruimy of World of Reel for beating me to getting this out there, and he also heard earlier this week that it was targeting a production start this fall, so this seems pretty solid (assuming it doesn’t hit another vampire hunter trap).
While everyone is recently talking about Marvel’s next team-up endeavor Thunderbolts, they have another team of rising stars on their initiative. The Production Weekly issue has also listed that the Young Avengers film that it previously listed as starting filming in 2025 is also set up for a UK shoot. Not much else was included, although its logline shared the same basic premise for the team’s first volume. No casting has been announced for the pic yet, let alone an official announcement, although it can be expected that many of Marvel’s younger actors playing the next generation superheroes in their recent features and Disney+ series are going to be featured in this eventual film.
Zach Cregger’s ‘Weapons’ Eyes May Filming Start Alongside Pedro Pascal Snatcher ‘Materialists’; ‘Fear Street: Prom Queen,’ ‘You’ S5 Now Filming, Ryan Coogler & Michael B. Jordan’s Vampire Pic Filming Timeline Revealed
Zach Cregger took the horror genre by storm two years ago with his September release of Barbarian, which was a critical and commercial success. Many have been wondering what he’ll do next with his hotly-anticipated feature Weapons, which is described as “an interrelated, multistory horror epic about the disappearance of high school students in a small town”. The multistory epic aspect is described as similar to Paul Thomas Anderson’s Magnolia.
Back in December, Jordan Ruimy at World of Reel reported that Weapons was set to film from February 20 to April 18, although, that didn’t quite happen as planned. After a quiet few months on Weapons, Production Weekly has now reported that filming will begin this May in Atlanta.
Weapons stars Renate Reinsve, Josh Brolin, Brian Tyree Henry, Tom Burke, Austin Abrams, and June Diane Raphael, though it originally was going to look a bit different. Pedro Pascal was originally attached to Weapons in Brolin’s role before he exited in February due to his The Fantastic Four schedule, which I was first to tell you will begin shooting in August. Weapons is produced by Cregger, Roy Lee, J. D. Lifshitz, Raphael Margules, and Miri Yoon for New Line Cinema, BoulderLight Pictures, and Vertigo Entertainment with Warner Bros. Pictures distributing.
While some thought a fall release this year could be possible, I believe an early winter 2025 release would make more logical sense for this pic, and Warners could date it on February 7, 2025, against the recently scheduled With Love from Universal Pictures / 87North Productions that stars Ke Huy Quan and Ariana DeBose. Warners has a packed 2025 start with Mickey 17 in January, as well as Ryan Coogler and Michael B. Jordan’s vampire pic (more on that in a minute) and Alto Knights. The February date could prove to be good counter-programming against the following week’s The Smurfs Musical, especially given the likelihood that Marvel’s Captain America: Brave New World could fly away from that date, which would leave February as open season for Creggor’s Weapons to thrive.
In a peculiar turn of events, Past Lives writer/director Celine Song’s next feature Materialists is also set to begin filming soon, in mid-May in New York, per Production Weekly. That pic stars Dakota Johnson and Chris Evans alongside Pascal, so it should be interesting to see how long the Internet’s favorite father has for filming that and if it will be complete in time before The Fantastic Four, though it would have been fun to see this and Weapons fighting for who gets dibs on Pascal. What a shame. It is rather pleasing to see that Pascal’s filming schedule that EmpireCity Box Office and I discussed back in February is still panning out on track.
Materialists sees Song re-teaming with production studios Killer Films and 2AM, and A24, which is handling the film’s global release. Sony acquired international distribution from its launch at the European Film Market in Berlin. The pic is produced by Christine Vachon and Pamela Koffler from Killer Films and David Hinojosa of 2AM. Executive producers include Andrea Roa, Len Blavatnik, and Danny Cohen. Production Weekly also shared a logline:
“Set against the vibrant backdrop of New York City, a city that never sleeps and is known for its diverse and dynamic relationships, Materialists provides a unique glimpse into the lives of the city’s elite. Lucy’s expertise in matchmaking is highly sought after by those willing to pay a premium for her services. However, the film hints at complications that arise, leading to a toxic love triangle that threatens to unravel the lives of all involved.”
That premise gives off complete Guillermo del Toro’s Nightmare Alley vibes to me, as well as some familiarity with Edgar Wright’s Last Night in Soho, both phenomenal entries in the psychological horror film genre. No release date has been given yet, though I would imagine this would be coming in 2025.
As I mentioned above, Ryan Coogler and Michael B. Jordan’s vampire pic, which is described as a genre style vampire thriller, set in 1930s Jim Crow South, now has a specific filming timeline revealed by Production Weekly. The duo will sink their teeth in New Orleans on April 22 when filming commences, and it will last until June 26, using the working title “Grilled Cheese”. (I previously pondered about what this may entail here, so check it out.) Coogler writes and directs through his Proximity Media banner, with his partners Zinzi Coogler and Sev Ohanian producing and Will Greenfield, Rebecca Cho, and Oscar-winning composer Ludwig Göransson as executive producers. Jordan stars in the pic as multiple vampires. Warners has dated the fanged feature for March 7, 2025.
For all of these horror pics, I think veering away from the traditional spring, fall, or winter months could benefit the genre by embracing one blockbuster season: the summer! We don’t really get major or indie hit horror pics breaking out in the summer, though what’s stopping them from doing so? The answer is simple: Nothing! The audience for this genre and these films in particular is going to be there not matter what. The studios just need to be bold again and take risks in their release strategies for these features to keep staying ahead of the curve. Studios, you’ll thank me later. I didn’t work at a movie theater and analyze attendance and audience trends for years all for nothing!
The fifth and final season of the Netflix series You began filming on March 25, and now, Production Weekly has some further insights into it. It lists filming is taking place under the working title “Blue Hat”, an obvious nod to the cap worn by Penn Badgley’s Joe Goldberg throughout the series. Filming is scheduled to last until August 1, occurring throughout New York. The season was originally scheduled for a 2024 premiere, though that remains in doubt given the strike-caused delays. Netflix has not provided an updated release, although one could likely expect a fall/winter release or something closer in 2025.
Another horror-esque project that began filming on March 25 is the Netflix film Fear Street: Prom Queen, according to Production Weekly. As I previously shared from an earlier listing, filming on the R. L. Stine novel adaptation is set to last until May 10, in Toronto. A logline described the film’s plot as follows:
“A spring night...soft moonlight...five beautiful Prom Queen candidates...dancing couples at the Shadyside High prom -- these should be the ingredients for romance. But stir in one brutal murder -- then another, and another -- and the recipe quickly turns to horror. Lizzie McVay realizes that someone is murdering the five Prom Queen candidates one by one -- and that she may be next on the list! Can she stop the murderer before the dance is over -- for good?”
The film stars India Fowler, Suzanna Son, Fina Strazza, David Iacono, Ella Rubin, Chris Klein, Lili Taylor, Katherine Waterston, and Ariana Greenblatt. The film, directed by Matt Palmer (Calibre) from a screenplay he wrote with Donald McLeary (Fags, Mags, and Bags), is produced by Peter Chernin, Jenno Topping, and Kori Adelson of Chernin Entertainment, with Chernin’s David Ready, as well as Jane Stine, Joan Waricha, Tracey Cook, Adam Wingard, Dani Bernfeld, and Andrew Dansker serving as EPs. Release is to be determined.
Oh, and not to mention that Don Mancini, the director and screenwriter of Child's Play, Chucky, and Bride of Chucky, has revealed that he is developing a new Chucky movie, while writer/director Luc Benson (DogMan) confirmed he has begun shooting his Dracula pic, reportedly titled Dracula - A Love Tale, in Lapland, Finland. Filming is set to last until this July, with Caleb Landry Jones and Christoph Waltz starring. The pic produced by Virginie Besson-Silla is described as “a reimagining of the Dracula story that has an origin story element to it exploring in a little more depth the gothic romance between Prince Vladimir and his wife whose loss turns him to forsake God and become a vampire”. How blood curdling! I had my own ideas for a Dracula pic with Nicholas Hoult as Vlad the Impaler and Kenneth Branagh as famed author Bram Stoker, though I’m confident that this will scratch my itch for a Dracula reinvention.
No, Amazon Did Not Just Make Freevee Irrelevant With “Free” Prime Video Movies, At Least, Not Intentionally
Yesterday, reports and social media accounts ran rampant stories that Amazon had released multiple classic films on their Prime Video service to be available for free. This was quickly picked up by a variety of sites as many users flocked to the service to “buy” the supposedly free films for their own leisure, as pointed out by a Twitter account who claims to be an associate of the company and included affiliate links to the free versions. These included 2001: A Space Odyssey, A Nightmare on Elm Street, A Christmas Story, The Replacements, You, Me and Dupree, The Fugitive, and Ernest Saves Christmas.
However, Amazon swiftly countered this and adjusted the prices back to their prior listings and notified any users via e-mail who had received a free copy that this price change was “incorrect” and had been reversed. No reason was given for why the error took place, what was the cause of it, how long it was up, or how many users “purchased” the free versions and watched them before the company took notice and action.
Amazon did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the matter.
As always, thank you for reading TheTrailBlazer! Got a hot tip or an intriguing pitch to highlight for the next issue? Email me at trailblazer101@thetrailblazer.net or 101blazertrail@gmail.com. Don’t forget to comment and subscribe to help support what I do and see us grow!
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