Welcome to Rumor Has It, Player Affinity’s weekly roundup of highly buzzed-about movie rumors circulating throughout Tinseltown. On this week’s docket, we have some news bits from this year’s Comic-Con.
Will Django Unchained be ready for December?
Quentin Tarantino’s World War II film Inglourious Basterds was a big Oscar hit for The Weinstein Company, and that film distributor has high hopes for the director’s upcoming feature Django Unchained. Several minutes of the film, which takes place in a pre-Civil War South, played at Comic-Con, but it isn’t quite ready for release just yet. In fact, it’s not even completely ready for the editing room.
Christoph Waltz, who stars in “Django” as a bounty hunter, told Cinema Blend that “there’s six more days to shoot.” With the film’s set release date for Dec. 25, that doesn’t leave too much time editing and post-production work. When inquired about whether or not Tarantino would meet the deadline, he didn’t seem to have an answer one way or the other.
It already seems that “Django” is behind schedule, as shooting was supposed to be done by the end of June. The film looks to have a great performance from Jamie Foxx as the titular character, so hopefully we won’t have to wait but so long for “Django” to hit theaters, whenever that may be.
Arnold Schwarzenegger confirms Twins sequel
The panel for The Expendables 2 was clearly more about machismo action than anything else, but one of its biggest reveals involved a comedy that hit theaters more than 20 years ago and its sequel. Arnold Schwarzenegger confirmed that the often-discussed sequel to the 1988 comedy Twins is actually happening. He’ll reprise his role alongside Danny DeVito, and Ivan Reitman will return to the helm.
Last time we heard about this follow-up, it was to be called Triplets and would include Eddie Murphy. However, neither has been confirmed or denied at this point. The project is currently seeking a screenwriter.
Is a Samurai Jack movie happening?
Genndy Tartakovsky has worked in television animation since the early 1990s and even has three Emmy Awards for his efforts, but he’s finally making the leap to the silver screen. His upcoming animated comedy Hotel Transylvania features the voice talents of Adam Sandler, Kevin James, and Andy Samberg, and it looks much better than what one might expect with such names involved.
While talking about “Transylvania” at Comic-Con, Tartakovsky stated that a film adaptation of Samurai Jack “feels like it’s getting closer.” The series focuses on a samurai who is thrown several millennia into the future by the evil shape-shifter Aku and his plight to return home.
There have been several attempts to get this movie off the ground, including one that J.J. Abrams would have directed. Only time will tell what happens with this one, but if Tartakovsky has his way, “Jack” will make his way to the silver screen; he might even take up the helm himself if “Transylvania” is a success.
Tartakovsky recently signed a big deal with Sony Pictures, which distributes "Transylvania" on Sep. 21.
