When anticipation for a movie is as high as it is for some of the upcoming tentpoles like “Star Wars: Episode VII” and “Avengers: Age of Ultron,” fans are desperate for any scrap of information that tell them something about the next big blockbuster.
But that frenzy for details leads to a lot of shaky info getting passed around, like casting rumors that are only partially confirmed and editorializing that gets mistaken for reporting.
To cut through some of the confusion, we’ve taken a look at five of the most anticipated movies coming out in the next two years and collected the confirmed facts about each, as a kind of cheat sheet for fans who want to know the truth and nothing but the tuth.
“Star Wars: Episode VII”
» J.J. Abrams is directing.
» It is currently scheduled to open on December 18, 2015.
» John Williams will compose the score.
» J.J. Abrams and Lawrence Kasdan wrote the script. Michael Arndt wrote a previous draft.
» Production will take place in the UK.
» There are spinoffs planned. Kasdan is writing one, and Simon Kinberg is penning the other. Each will focus on a specific character.
» R2-D2 is in the movie.
» Jesse Plemons met with J.J. Abrams, but he has yet to be cast. Others auditioning (but, again, not cast) include Saoirse Ronan and Zac Efron.
“Fantastic Four”
» The reboot will open on June 19, 2015.
» “Chronicle” director Josh Trank is helming.
» Michael B. Jordan has not been officially cast, but he’s the closest thing the movie has to a confirmed star. This is still subject to change.
» Mark Millar is working as a consultant on the project.
» Jeremy Slater wrote the original draft. Since then, Michael Green, Seth Grahame-Smith, T.S. Nowlin and Simon Kinberg have all worked on the script.
» Miles Teller wants to be in the movie, but hasn’t secured a role yet.
“Avengers: Age of Ultron”
» Joss Whedon is writing and directing.
» The sequel will hit theaters on May 1, 2015.
» James Spader is playing Ultron.
» Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Elizabeth Olsen joined the cast as Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch, respectively.
» Robert Downey Jr. will appear in both “Avengers: Age of Ultron” and the eventual “Avengers 3.”
» Scarlett Johansson and Mark Ruffalo have read the script. Both have called it “darker.”
» The film will shoot in multiple locations around the world, including the UK and South Africa.
“Untitled ‘Man of Steel’ Sequel”
» The movie will open on May 6, 2016. According to WB, it was delayed almost a year to “help fully realize the vision.”
» Ben Affleck will play Bruce Wayne opposite Henry Cavill. Zack Snyder returns as director.
» Jesse Eisenberg plays Lex Luthor. Jeremy Irons is Alfred.
» Gal Gadot won the role of Wonder Woman.
» Amy Adams, Laurence Fishburne and Diane Lane are all returning.
» Zack Snyder filmed a football game between Gotham City University and Metropolis State University.
» Several months of shooting will take place in Michigan.
» Edgar Wright is directing. He co-wrote the script with Joe Cornish.
» The movie will open on July 17, 2015.
» Paul Rudd plays Scott Lang, while Michael Douglas is Hank Pym.
» In 2010, Wright described his take as a “high-tech spy heist film.”
No Comments