While I can only approximate where you, dear reader, are, where I am is finally light jacket weather and I am just so excited to be producing vitamin D again.
Let’s start off with a few tributes to the legendary Jessica Walter, who might be best known for playing Lucille Bluth in Arrested Development but whose career spanned over fifty years of television and film. John [Deadline]
Jessica Walter never missed. If she didn’t get a laugh there was a problem with the script.
— John Levenstein (@johnlevenstein) March 25, 2021
John Levenstein was a writer and co-executive producer on Arrested Development, Aisha Tyler was a co-star on Archer.
Jessica Walter was a queen in every way: kind, classy, incredibly talented, generous with love & support. And so insanely funny. She was the brilliant center of our @archerfxx universe. Sweet flight to you, dear Jessica. You were so loved, and we were so lucky to know you. 💔 pic.twitter.com/0fsXh6CwbS
— Aisha Tyler (@aishatyler) March 25, 2021
Movies
I saw Starro and okay fine I’ll watch James Gunn’s Suicide Squad. (Also, keep your eyes peeled for a John Ostrander credit AND cameo).
If the SnyderCut didn’t quench your thirst for variations on a theme, a black and white version (Zack Snyder’s Justice League: Justice is Gray) will be dropping on HBOMax “soon.” While there’s a precedent — Mad Max Fury Road’s Black & Chrome edition, and Logan: Noir, it’s tough to make a film shot in color really sing in black and white, so hopefully they’ll take the time to make a crisp version rather than just finishing the desaturation job already happening. [SlashFilm]
The WB is done with the SnyderVerse, no matter how many stingers he tried to include. [Variety]
Pierce Brosnan has joined the cast of Black Adam as Doctor Fate, which is a solid but extremely safe (and a little bland) choice imho. [THR]
Filmmaker Kevin Hanna is creating a documentary on the work and life of Hellboy-creator Mike Mignola, and is Kickstarting to film additional interviews and footage. [THR]
Vin Diesel’s ten year old son, Vincent Sinclair, will play a young version of Dominic Toretto in the upcoming Fast and the Furious film. I’m hoping it’s some kind of X-Men joint where kiddo versions of the fambly show up and wreak havoc (in space?) but I’m guessing it’s probably going to be a flashback. [Vulture]
Disney is shaking up their slate of releases — Black Widow and Cruella will hit streaming the same time they hit theatres. Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings will roll out in theatres in September. [Variety]
The Oscars are adamantly insisting that nominees should attend the ceremony in person, even international ones. This is a terrible idea and I hope enough people yell at the Academy that they change their mind. [The Guardian]
Wondering how the media can be complicit in stereotyping people of color? Check this in-depth discussion with Asian filmmakers from Variety: How Anti-Asian Hate Crimes Echo Hollywood’s Failings [Variety]
Television
Alaqua Cox is apparently killing it on Hawkeye, as Disney is in the early stages of developing a whole Echo spin-off show based on the Deaf, Native American character. Cautiously optimistic? [Variety]
Kate Kane has been recast on CW’s Batwoman — but actress Wallis Day won’t be donning the cape and helm, which will remain with Javicia Leslie’s Ryan Wilder. [Out]
We’ve previously written about Black screenwriter Nadria Tucker’s dismissal from Superman & Lois’ writers’ room — and The Root has interviewed her about her experiences with the show, Geoff Johns, and the follow-up response from WB. [The Root]
Do you want to see what happens if you fire a gun on the moon? For All Mankind has got you covered. [Space.com]
Industry Bad Actors
content warning: domestic violence, racism
Johnny Depp will NOT be able to appeal his libel case, where it was ruled that The Sun was not libelous by labeling Depp a “wife beater.” This bodes poorly for his upcoming defamation lawsuit against Amber Heard in the Us. [Deadline]
All Rise, a courtroom drama led by Black actress Simone Missick, had a chaotic last year when “five of the original seven staff writers mutinied over the actions of [showrunner and creator] Greg Spottishood, including the three highest-ranking writers of color.” This also included his co-showrunner, Sunil Nayar, who was sidelined and tokenized. Despite all this, CBS stood by their man…until now. Spottishood has been let go, for “unprofessional conduct in the series’ writers’ room, including the use of offensive language that triggered accusations of racism.” Who could have predicted? [Pajiba]
But hey y’all, it’s Friday, so watch Lil Nas X’s new video and sit on a stoop if it’s sunny where you’re at:
