NETFLIX SNAGS ALL QUIET: The big-budget adaptation, All Quiet on the Western Front, has been snapped up by Netflix. Daniel Bruhl stars and Edward Berger directs what is believed to be Germany’s biggest-budget film ever. Production will kick off in March. Earlier this year, Berger called the project a “physical, visceral and very modern film that has never been told from my country’s perspective.” The story follows teenagers who enlist in the German army in World War I.
COVID DOC IN THE WORKS: The global race for a vaccine against the COVID-19 virus has hatched a feature doc from CNN and the BBC, according to The Hollywood Reporter. “How pandemics end depends so much on how they begin, so I wanted to tell the story of the scientists who were ready and waiting for COVID-19. The story of their race against time to develop vaccines, and the lessons we take from it, will shape the future for us all, so it’s never been more important that we dive into their world. I’ve been truly inspired by them,” said director Catherine Gale in a statement.
BEN AFFLECK TO STAR IN THE TENDER BAR: After winning an Oscar together on Argo, George Clooney is tapping Ben Affleck to star in The Tender Bar for Amazon Studios. The story is based on J.R. Moehringer‘s memoir about growing up in Long Island and looking for father figures at his uncle’s bar.
'BLACK PANTHER II WILL BE RELEASED IN JULY 2022: Marvel has announced that Black Panther II will be released on July 8th, 2022. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the film will still be directed by Ryan Coogler and “explore the world of Wakanda & the rich characters introduced in the first film.” Meanwhile, Marvel studios president Kevin Feige says that Chadwick Boseman's character “T'Challa” will not be recast in the upcoming film.
MARGUERITE RAY DIES: Marguerite Ray, the American actress who starred on The Young and The Restless, has died at age 89. She also appeared on shows like Bewitched, The Bill Cosby Show, Ironside, Sanford And Son and The Odd Couple.