Destin Daniel Cretton’s ‘Shang-Chi 2’ Eyes 2025 Shoot After ‘Naruto’, Second Seasons: ‘Ahsoka’ Starts in Q4, ‘Peacemaker’ Filming Time, ‘Goosebumps’ Filming in April, Plot Details Revealed
Plus, filming updates on Paul Mescal, Josh O’Connor’s ‘The History of Sound’ and Netflix’s ‘Zero Day’, ‘Thunderbolts’ casting for potential flashback scenes, and details on the ‘Clayface’ film.
While Disney CEO Bob Iger recently said that the company has quietly canceled several high-budget projects from their entertainment units to help cut costs and reduce their total spending (which is everyone’s crave in Hollywood and tech these days) and as Disney preps to flex their Mouse House muscles against activist investor Nelson Peltz in April, there are still some productions that are sure bets to move forward with production. Even while Peltz is armed with the backing of ousted Marvel Entertainment chairman and Iger nemesis Isaac Perlmutter, Iger and Marvel are keen that their year of internal fixing is going to pay off in the long run. With the most recent fixing victims being Disney Studios president Sean Bailey (who was close to jumping ship to Netflix before Dan Lin, who previously was in pole position to takeover DC before James Gunn and Peter Safran) and writer-producer Beau DeMayo, who was the head writer of Marvel Studios’ X-Men ’97 and worked on its first two seasons up until his firing last week (and he wrote an early draft of their long-in-development film Blade which had fired production executive Eric Hauserman Carroll attached), Marvel and Disney are sure to have a solid reason for switching out top talent and creative figures left-and-right for when things just aren’t working, though I’d sure like to know what it was this time that warranted a firing and “parted ways” wording and not some PR-friendly “creative differences” dialogue to be used, especially when the show is poised to be one of, if not the biggest, premiere for a Disney+ series, based on the total trailer views and media anticipation alone.
Whether it be creative disagreements (i.e., Edgar Wright’s exit from Ant-Man and Scott Derrickson’s departure from Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness), studio politics (Marvel Studios VP Victoria Alonso’s firing, Gunn’s own controversial firing and rehiring, and Brian Chapek’s exit before he was rehired), legal issues (Kang actor Jonathan Majors’ firing), or production issues in the case of Carroll, Marvel is known for severing ties when it does not suit its idyllic narrative or perception, especially under Disney. Perlmutter notably prevented Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige from branching out into more diverse characters with films for Black Panther and Captain Marvel; both of those films were finally released in 2018 and 2019, respectively, to over $1 billion at the box office. Those are numbers that Marvel is hoping to get back to again as they continue with their Phase Five and Phase Six slate of content following dismal responses and returns on investments. While we have yet to receive proper updates on the likes of the Don Cheadle film Armor Wars or any of the rumored projects such as ones for the Silver Surfer or Wiccan, it does appear that, in addition to the Young Avengers film that I discussed in the prior newsletter, the latest issue of Rich Browski’s credible production listing magazine Production Weekly from last week provides further insight into some of Marvel’s forthcoming productions that are progressing in development such as a long-anticipated Shang-Chi sequel, while other casting calls I uncovered provide some context to what we may expect in their film Thunderbolts.
Before I progress with the news, I want to share the work from one of my subscribers, Ryan Conde, for his stellar take on the cultural feud between Marvel fans and defenders of Martin Scorsese. If you want knowledgeable perspectives from someone who understands the cinema world from an audience's perspective, look no further than Ryan and his Random Movie Rants! He'll be sure to tell you why and how your hot takes are incorrect and nobly set the record straight on years of fan discourse with thoroughly researched points, themes, and analysis.
This past week, I decided to do some digging into some castings for projects on the horizon and stumbled upon some interesting details that haven’t made the rounds quite yet or providing further insights into others, and am sharing some minor production details throughout. In this issue, you’ll hear about the Shang-Chi sequel development timeline with Destin Daniel Cretton and Simu Liu, what Superman editor Jason Ballantine could bring to the table, Mike Flanagan and his Clayface film and how that could fit into DC’s plans, when the second season of Peacemaker begins prep work, and how a Superman fan series is tackling real life issues, as well as filming updates for the World War I romantic drama film The History of Sound with Paul Mescal and Josh O’Connor, the second seasons of Ahsoka and Goosebumps, and the Robert De Niro and Angela Bassett-led Netflix series Zero Day. As per usual, enter ablaze with TheTrailBlazer!
‘Shang-Chi’ Sequel Eyes 2025 Production Start Following Destin Daniel Cretton’s Work on ‘Naruto’ Pic
As Marvel is reconfiguring their internal operations to provide a better content output, it makes sense that the studio is looking for key players who can stand their own in solo features that can make a big buck as well as feature prominently for years to come in whatever their next crossover turns out to be. Marvel needs a guaranteed hit, and while they could rush into introducing the X-Men as some have theorized, they need to weaponize their strongest talent and heavy hitters that are still on the table. Marvel should look no further than their sequel to Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, which is gearing up to be one of the many project next on their agenda.
The sequel to Marvel’s first film starring an Asian superhero, played charmingly by Simu Liu, is sure to be a hit after the first film won audiences over with its fresh take on the character by not shying away from exploring Asian culture, its impressive action and stunt sequences, and director Destin Daniel Cretton’s approach to bringing the world of the Ten Rings and the controversial and often stereotypically depicted antagonist the Mandarin (played by Tony Leung). That film, released in September 2021, grossed over $432 million against an estimated $150-200 million budget. That gross is admittedly not where Marvel would want for such a delicate and desired property to remain at. This was, of course, hampered by the COVID-19 pandemic still having a major impact on movie theater attendance, but was more than Jon M. Chu’s Crazy Rich Asians ($239 mil gross, $30 mil budget) and In the Heights ($45.2 mil gross, $55 mil budget), though the latter was also affected by the pandemic and the controversial day-and-date HBO Max release), although a sequel is likely to surpass that film’s box office revenue given more audiences are familiar with the characters and the draw that Liu has attracted since his role. I mentioned the Black Panther and Captain Marvel grosses above because that scale is ideally what this type of film embracing Asian culture should be making. Especially in light of the rise in xenophobia and hate crimes since the pandemic, it is crucial for Marvel to leverage its influence in delivering what has the potential to become the highest-grossing film with a predominantly Asian cast and crew, thereby celebrating and promoting diversity and representation in the film industry.
Cretton originally signed on to write and direct a sequel shortly after the film’s release in December 2021 through an overall deal his production company Family Owned has with Marvel Studios and Hulu’s Onyx Collective; Cretton is developing Marvel’s Wonder Man series with Onyx Collective through this deal, as well. While Cretton had been focused on directing what was supposed to be Avengers: The Kang Dynasty since July 2022, he notably dropped out to focus on his other Marvel projects, while also recently boarding the live-action Naruto film from producer and former Marvel Studios chairman Avi Arad at Lionsgate. That film has Arad and his son Ari, as well as Emmy Yu, former Marvel Studios executive Jeremy Latcham (Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves), and Jeyun Munford involved in various producer roles, with Cretton also listed as the writer after Tasha Huo (Red Sonja, the Tomb Raider animated series) was previously attached to write the script, though is not mentioned in this listing. It is likely that Cretton is working from scratch on the script from Huo’s draft. When news broke about Cretton’s Naruto commitments, some felt this would cause a delay for the Shang-Chi sequel, which Liu previously shared was intended to release after The Kang Dynasty before it was delayed from its May 2025 release to May 2026, though that release is already doubted by many.
Now, some of those concerns may hopefully be put to rest as Production Weekly has listed that production on the Shang-Chi sequel is set to begin sometime in 2025. Liu is listed as the only cast member thus far, while Shang-Chi producer Jonathan Schwartz is returning, and will be joined by Asher Goldstein, Cretton’s producing partner at Family Owned, which appears to also be linked to Cretton’s company Hisako that is producing Naruto. That Lionsgate pic is set to begin production in Q4 of this year, per Production Weekly, so it seems that there is still plenty of time for Marvel to work on this sequel. Should Cretton’s Naruto begin filming around October-December 2024, that would likely mean Shang-Chi 2 would not begin filming until well into the summer of 2025. Marvel currently has scheduled releases in 2026 for February 13, July 24, and November 6, alongside the May slot, so expect to see either one of those filled by this sequel.
DC Notebook Dump: ‘Peacemaker’ Season 2 to Begin Prep in July, What Jason Ballantine Could Bring As A ‘Superman’ Editor, Details on That ‘Clayface’ Film; Plus, A ‘Superman’ Fan Series Is Tackling Real Issues
While James Gunn is off shooting his first DC Universe film Superman, the filmmaker has also been busy with other parts of the DC Universe. In addition to his work on the animated series Creature Commandos, Gunn has said he will work on the second season of Peacemaker concurrently with the final months of his Superman shoot, with that series starting filming this summer. Before Gunn’s comments clarifying the production timeline of Peacemaker in relation to Superman, Production Weekly listed that filming is set to take place from June to September 2024 at Mammoth Studios in Vancouver where the first season was made. By this point, filming on Superman would be nearly complete with a few months remaining, so that would leave Gunn enough time to manage between post-production on the super film and being part of shooting a fun series with his friends and cast mates.
Speaking of Superman, I first shared on Twitter that that film has Jason Ballantine (The Flash, The King’s Man, It) attached as a co-editor and that he is currently working on the film in Atlanta before post-production work is set to occur in Los Angeles, as noted on his official resume. While I know some are not as keen to these below-the-line details of “whose producing this, whose editing that?”, I quite like to know as much I can about a production before I go in and see it. As a person who loves gathering information and noticing specific details and patterns, knowing helps add to the experience for something I am deeply invested in, though it’s like flipping a switch when I actually watch the content as I don’t let my research and knowledge detract from the actual work in front of me. It’s a little trick I picked up on from years of writing, art, and engineering courses and being in online fandom communities: seeing other people’s art and products without seeing them and to pinpoint how their vision or intentions are being conveyed.
I believe that, while Ballantine is not an obvious first choice and a total Gunn newbie, he has some credence in the fact that he’s already worked on a sprawling superhero pic, The Flash, with director Andy Muschietti, who remains close to DC Studios in directing the upcoming DCU Batman and Robin film The Brave and the Bold. It is possible that Muschietti convinced Gunn to use Ballantine on Superman in addition to one of Gunn’s preferred editors, such as Fred Raskin who did work with Hughes Winborne and Craig Wood on the first Guardians of the Galaxy, Christian Wagner on The Suicide Squad, and Greg D’Auria on Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, so it is not out of the real of possibility that a film likely to have immense visual effects and worldbuilding would utilize two editors whom Gunn can trust. Ballantine’s work on The King’s Man, the It films, and as an additional editor on Mad Max: Fury Road make him well-suited to take on a James Gunn feature film with sprawling worlds and immersive, colorful, and beautiful visuals that can also explore the underlining darkness within.
I also want to take some time to note what may seem like an obvious choice to some: that the Clayface film that filmmaker Mike Flanagan and his Intrepid Pictures producing partner Trevor Macy pitched to Gunn and his DC Studios co-chief Peter Safran last March has been in development for a while now, as Production Weekly listed it in an August 2023 issue. While the Hollywood strikes were still ongoing at that point, it is likely a deal was signed before the writers strike began in May, as the listing notes that Flanagan is set to write and direct the film through Intrepid Pictures with Gunn and The Batman helmer Matt Reeves listed as producers; Reeves’ company 6th & Idaho is also listed among the studios.
Based on the production listing, it appears that Flanagan’s film is being developed to work in tandem with Reeves’ shared universe spinning out from The Batman. Reeves has been developing a number of film and TV series spin-offs for other Batman universe characters, with Clayface listed as one of them and being expected to appear as an antagonist in The Batman - Part II, which I shared in my first issue was set to begin filming in August 2024; that pic has since been delayed a year to October 2, 2026, leaving more time for Reeves and co. to work on finalizing and perfecting their plans (ala the COVID shutdown of the first film) and distance it from Gunn’s Superman film, resulting in filming reportedly being delayed until next year at the earliest. There is no indication if the Clayface pic would be set before or after Part II, though if The Penguin (another standalone villain story) and reports of this film not having the Clayface character be a real villain and more of a protagonist are any indicator, it could seem that this tragic character, who is known for taking on different forms, may be gaining a new identity after the events of Part II in one way or another.
Also in the world of DC is a growing rise in fan-made adaptation of beloved characters, before several early iterations of their prominent characters enter the public domain 10 years from now. While the parody film The People’s Joker, a queer coming-of-age story from filmmaker Vera Drew who stars as an aspiring clown trans woman who becomes “Joker the Harlequin”, recently dropped a trailer for its April 5 release after Warner Bros. Discovery previously attempted to block the film’s release and premiere last year, another DC fan project is gearing up production, this time, for Superman. Backstage has posted a casting call for a “Superman Fan Series” hailing from actor, performer, and YouTuber Christian Castro, otherwise known as SuperChris_17, who has been making a series of superhero shorts and episodes for years with a goal to “inspire people in every way possible in there lives”. Each episode is described as having a “great message” dealing with real-life issues that modern everyday people are forced to go through, ranging from some more mature and serious topics to those that tackle some politicized issues of today.
‘Thunderbolts’ Casting Calls Indicate “Red Room”-Esque Flashback Scenes for Florence Pugh’s ‘Black Widow’ Character, Additional Filming Details Revealed
Marvel Studios’ next feature film that is currently in production is Thunderbolts, an ensemble piece featuring a group of antiheroes and villains from prior MCU films and series who become unlikely allies after they are recruited by the American government (no doubt by Harrison Ford’s President Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross, for whom the titular team is aptly named after) to go on covert missions that are supposed to get them killed.
Thunderbolts began filming earlier this month, and we now have some additional details as to what its filming may entail thanks to some open casting calls for its known working title “Oops All Berries”. At the end of February, casting took place for a minor to photo double for one of the film’s main cast members: a female Caucasian, with a height around 4’11 eyed for the part. Casting is also underway for young women aged 11-16 years old to portray “young recruits” skilled in hunting and/or marksmanship. Casting agency Project Casting describes one “Featured Young Recruit” as a “key player” in one scene with a select group of these young recruits demonstrating these skills, and calls the featured recruit a “pivotal part of [the] film’s narrative”. The film itself is described as having a “unique storyline and dynamic characters”.
I believe these castings for young recruits are no doubt referring to the young Black Widows being forced to train in the Red Room program, which could indicate that Thunderbolts is exploring the past of Florence Pugh’s spy character Yelena Belova, one of the Black Widows who is rumored to be the lead of the film and the titular team. I had already theorized that the film could be playing into the family dynamics of its characters given the inclusions of David Harbour’s fatherly figure the Red Guardians as well as the castings I reported in my first newsletter issue of Rachel Weisz’s motherly spy Melina Vostokoff and Laurence Fishburne’s scientist Dr. Bill Foster, who is the surrogate father of Hannah John-Kamen’s Ava Starr / Ghost, one of the team members. It would be a nice nod to Scarlett Johansson’s Red Room flashback scene in Avengers: Age of Ultron for Thunderbolts to harken back to one of the MCU’s original mainstay heroes’ most impactful scene which helped usher in the increased demand for her solo film. Giving audiences a similar experience with Pugh’s Belova would make them further connect to her character and emphasis her newfound role as a future face of the franchise moving forward.
The Trail House: ‘Ahsoka’ Season 2 Eyes Q4 Filming Start; ‘Goosebumps’ Season 2 Filming, Plot Details Revealed; Paul Mescal, Josh O’Connor’s WWI Romance Pic ‘The History of Sound’ Now Filming; Netflix Series ‘Zero Day’ to Resume Production
With all of the superhero fare out of the way, let’s get into the juicy nitty gritty of the filming details. Paid subscribers can access The Trail House column below for production updates on the likes of the Star Wars series Ahsoka’s second season, the Netflix series Zero Day starring Robert De Niro and Angela Bassett, the second season of Disney+ and Hulu’s Goosebumps, and the World War I romantic drama film The History of Sound starring Paul Mescal and Josh O’Connor.
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