Weekly Round Up: Breaking Bad, Shrek, Deadwood

12th November 2018

Last week I wondered if this week would churn up something original. This week I can safely say, no. No, it did not. In the words of Syrio Forel, “Not today”. Oh well, maybe next week… don’t hold your breath.

So, first up; Breaking Bad: The Movie? Well, not quite, but almost. It appears that Vince Gilligan, the creator of Breaking Bad – the successful AMC television series about mild-mannered chemistry teacher Walter White (played by Brian Cranston in a career defining role) and his slow and tragic evolution into the dark and sinister drug kingpin Heisenberg – is not yet done with the world of the show.

Having written and directed several episodes of the original show, Gilligan also serves as executive producer on spin-off Better Call Saul, and has now turned his attention to a pseudo-sequel movie adaptation, which will be starting production in mid-November and is set to see series regular Aaron Paul return to the character of Jesse Pinkman. The film is going under the working title of Greenbriar.

Given that the movie is described as being about “the escape of a kidnapped man and his question for freedom”, coupled with Paul’s return, it seems a safe bet to assume the film with centre in on Pinkman, especially since when we last saw him in the show he had just escaped from a gang of neo-Nazi’s who has been using him to cook crystal meth (seriously, if you’ve not see the show check it out. The hype is true!).

It’s unknown whether the film is being made for air on AMC or as a theatrical release, but more information is certain to appear later on down the line.

It seems movies based on TV shows is very much a thing at the moment, what with Downton Abby currently filming and this week also seeing the start of production on the Deadwood movie (yes please!). HBO also announced they will be returning to the world of The Sopranos with a prequel film entitled The Many Saints of Newark, which sounds… interesting?

As if that wasn’t enough sequel new for you, this week also saw the news that Paddington 3 is now in the early stages of development. This is perhaps not a surprise, especially since the first two were monster successes (and pretty good films, to be fair, I personally loved the first), but, according to series producer David Hayman, may not see the return of director Paul King.

King is attached to both Disney’s live-action Pinocchio remake and Warner Bros. Willy Wonka prequel (Really… really… this is what you want to do with this property, Warner? Piss off!), so will probably be too busy. For me this is a bad sign, part of what makes Paddington and Paddington 2 so enjoyable is King’s direction, and I struggle in imagine the loveable bear under anyone else’s leadership. But, then, I was one of these people who just thought the whole idea of a Paddington movie was terrible, until I saw it that is, so what do I know?

We’ve also got some – sigh – reboot news for you this week. While Spielberg is busy on his adaptation of West Side Story it would seem he’s keeping busy rebooting his own 1985 Oscar nominated The Colour Purple.

Starring Oprah Winfrey, Whoopi Goldberg and Danny Glover, The Colour Purple was nominated for 11 Academy Awards. In 2005 a musical adaptation hit Broadway and this new movie is likely to be a close film version of that show. Oprah Winfrey and Quincy Jones are collaborating with Spielberg on this one, so who knows?

We’re also, for some bizarre and wholly unknown reason, getting a reboot of Shrek.

With Universal Pictures now in control of Dreamworks Animation the future for the green ogre was somewhat murky, but now Chris Meledandri, the producer behind such classics as Despicable Me and… um… he did The Secret Life of Pets? Despicable Me 2? Sing? Anyway – Meledandri is keen to see Shrek and co. return to the big screen.

While the term reboot is being bandied about it would also seem that Meledandri is eager to have the original voice cast return – well, at least Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy and Antonio Banderas (who played Puss in Boots in the sequel).

It’s not all terrible, mind you. One reboot I am personally intrigued by is the proposed live-action adaptation of Johnny Quest. Warner Bros. have had this one going for years now, but it appears movement is finally starting to happen with director Chris McKay, the man behind The LEGO Batman Movie (surprisingly good), being hired to work on the project.

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