This Week in Movie News 2/27-3/6

Tristan Baez, Writer

Spielberg scores big

Director Steven Spielberg is teaming up with composer John Williams again to work on Spielberg’s Cold War thriller, recently titled ‘Bridge of Spies,’ starring Tom Hanks. Spielberg also has cast Jennifer Lawrence in his next project revolving around a war photographer titled ‘It’s What I Do.’

Beauty and the Beauty… err Beast

2016’s live-action retelling of the Disney classic ‘Beauty and the Beast’ has casted the Beast, breakout actor Dan Stevens (Downton Abbey, The Guest) and will play opposite to Emma Watson’s Belle. The Guillermo del Toro produced film will also star ‘The Hobbit’ actor Luke Evans as Gaston.

Neil Bloomkamp signs on to ‘Alien’ franchise

Director of ‘District 9’ and the upcoming ‘Chappie’ film has signed on for a new ‘Alien’ movie. This will be Bloomkamp’s first attempt at a franchise, as he has only worked on original films. This sequel will “erase” ‘Alien 3’ and ‘Alien Resurrection’ while continuing after ‘Aliens.’ This installment will be in the same universe as 2012’s ‘Prometheus.’

Leonard Nimoy passes at 83

The ‘Star Trek’ star passed away on Feb. 27 at the age of 83. After being hospitalized for a week, suffering end-stage chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Condolences and “live long and prosper.”

Spider-Man reboot has its director

After closing the deal on an appearance in ‘Captain America: Civil War,’ SONY will make a solo Spider-Man. Drew Goddard, director of ‘Cabin in the Woods,’ is in talks to direct. Goddard was lined up to direct SONY’s ‘Sinister Six,’ before the project was scrapped due to a deal with Marvel. The role of Spider-Man aka Peter Parker has yet to be cast, as rumored Dylan O’Brien has denied him even being contacted.

Magnificent Seven’s cast is, well, magnificent

Ethan Hawke, Denzel Washington, and Chris Pratt have all been cast in the western, directed by Antoine Fuqua. Hawke and Washington are teaming up again from ‘Training Day,’ also directed by Fuqua. The film is expecting a 2016 release.

Leonardo DiCaprio is playing 24 personalities?!

DiCaprio is finally getting his 17 year old project off the ground based on the 1981 book ‘The Minds of Billy Milligan’ where he will be portraying a convicted criminal with 24 different personalities. DiCaprio is currently working with Oscar winning director, Alejandro González Iñárritu’s on ‘The Renevant.’