OHMYGOSSIP — Rihanna was Ryan Coogler’s first choice for the ‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’ soundtrack.
The ‘Wild Thoughts’ hitmaker has just confirmed her first song from the soundtrack ‘Lift Me Up’ will arrive on Friday (28.10.22), and the movie’s director says the new mother was the perfect fit because motherhood is a big theme in the Marvel flick.
Ryan explained how they were “looking for artists who would embody it thematically.”
He added to The Hollywood Reporter: “Rihanna, man, we knew she was at a point in her life as well where she was focusing on different things — focused on business, motherhood, which is a big theme in our film. We were holding out hope that maybe it could work out and boy did it for this song.
“I can’t wait for people to hear it.”
The 34-year-old singer gave birth to her first child, a baby boy, with A$AP Rocky in May.
The song is also “a tribute to the extraordinary life and legacy of Chadwick Boseman.”
The beloved late actor starred as the titular character, whose real name is T’Challa, in the original 2018 blockbuster.
He was not recast in ‘Wakanda Forever’, however, co-writer and helmer Ryan made sure to keep Chadwick’s family and creative contacts in the loop on the re-write.
Ryan added: “Chadwick had people who were in his life creatively, as well as family, and we were in close contact with those people, very close specifically with his wife, Simone, and his creative partner Logan Coles.
“We were staying tapped in with them as much as we could, and it gave us the space to create, but obviously we were seeking out their opinion all the time. We’re looking forward to sharing it with everybody.”
The film hits cinemas on November 11.

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OHMYGOSSIP — Marvel boss Kevin Feige will be the “first in line” to see anything James Gunn does after he landed a top job at DC.
The ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3’ director and ‘The Suicide Squad’ producer Peter Safran have been appointed as co-chairmen and CEOs of newly-formed Warner Bros. division DC Studios, which is replacing DC Films, meaning they will now be in charge of DC’s film, TV and animation efforts.
Feige joked that Gunn knows he has lots to do for Marvel before taking the reins at DC, but he is looking forward to seeing what he produces.
He told Deadline: “Well, he has got a lot of work to do for Marvel between now and May, which he’s well aware of.
“But after that, I’ll be first in line to see anything he does.”
Gunn had previously helmed the first two instalments of Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) series ‘Guardians of the Galaxy’ and was on board to direct the third film before he was axed by Disney following the emergence of old offensive Twitter posts in which he joked about paedophilia, homophobia and rape.
But after fans and fellow stars rallied in support of Gunn, he apologised and wrote ‘The Suicide Squad’ for DC.
He was later reinstated as the director for ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3’, which is due to drop in May 2023.
In August, Gunn admitted the first ‘Guardians of the Galaxy’ movie “forevermore changed” his life.
He wrote on Twitter: “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 1 opened exactly 8 years ago today (and my life changed forevermore).”

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OHMYGOSSIP — Morfydd Clark and Jai Courtney are to star in the dark comedy ‘The Fox’.
The pair have signed up to feature in the folk story that marks the directorial debut from the Australian writer-director Dario Russo.
The movie tells the story of the heir to a vineyard dynasty who takes drastic action after finding out that his fiance is cheating on him. He decides to take the advice of a fox, who promises him a way to transform his doomed relationship which involves pushing his loved one down a magic hole.
Kristina Ceyton and Samantha Jennings are producing for Australia’s Causeway Films while Dave Bishop, Luane Gauer and George Hamilton are executive producers.
Principal photography on the film will commence in Australia in mid-2023.
The producers said: “Dario is a one-of-a-kind talent and a writer-director we have wanted to work with since seeing his cult hit series ‘Danger 5’.
“It’s an honour to support him to make his debut feature, which is a brilliant and absurdly funny satire about human relationships and the struggle between our desire for domestication and our animal natures.
“We are thrilled to bring together exemplary lead actors in Morfydd and Jai, who will bring reality, nuance and charisma to these roles.”
Bishop added: “Dario is a trailblazing visionary and the perfect helmer for this striking fable filled with gallows humour, which explores desire, deceit and what truly goes on behind the facade of normality.”
Morfydd has starred in the acclaimed horror film ‘Saint Maud’ and featured as Galadriel in the TV series ‘The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power’ while Jai played Captain Boomerang in the superhero blockbuster ‘Suicide Squad’.

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OHMYGOSSIP — Henry Cavill has promised an “enormously joyful” future for Superman.
The 39-year-old actor has confirmed that he is returning as the legendary superhero in a new movie after making a brief cameo in the blockbuster ‘Black Adam’ and can’t wait to don the cape again.
Speaking during a live recording of the ‘Happy Sad Confused’ podcast in New York City, Henry said: “The character means so much to me. It’s been five years now. I never gave up hope.
“It’s amazing to be here now talking about it again. There is such a bright future ahead for the character. I’m so excited to tell a story with an enormously joyful Superman.”
Henry explained that he got the call to shoot his cameo in ‘Black Adam’ while he was filming for the TV series ‘The Witcher’ and he had to ask for permission to take a break from the project while keeping his Superman return a secret.
He recalled: “I went to Warner Bros.’ studio in the UK and got back in the suit.
“It was a very powerful moment for me. I wasn’t sure how I would feel… whether it would be something very emotionally connective because I put the ‘Man of Steel’ suit back on.
“I chose that one in particular because of the nostalgia attached to the suit. It was important for me to be standing there and enjoying the moment. That is one of the top moments in my career. It feels great to have the opportunity to wear it again.”
Cavill did remain tight-lipped when it came to details about potential writers and directors involved in the new Superman project.
He responded: “You know I can’t tell you that.”

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OHMYGOSSIP — Harris Dickinson would be up for playing James Bond.
The ‘Triangle of Sadness’ actor has been tipped as a potential replacement for Daniel Craig as 007 and revealed that he is open to playing the famous spy on the big screen.
Harris told the i newspaper: “One of my friends called me the other day and was like: ‘Mate, are you Bond?’ I’m always ready.
“I would welcome the opportunity. I think it can be a wonderful role and I love what Daniel Craig did with it.”
Harris has starred in major movies such as ‘See How They Run’ and ‘Where the Crawdads Sing’ this year and explained the differences between working on a blockbuster compared to smaller projects.
The 26-year-old actor said: “When I’m embarking on bigger (blockbuster) films, I used to think there was a way to make those films just as intimately.
“But there isn’t. You have to be prepared for something much larger and much less personal.”
‘Triangle of Sadness’ is the latest comedic film that Harris has featured in and the star feels at home in the genre.
He said: “I find comedy natural. I’m not saying I’m funny – I’m saying I’m silly.
“I started in comedy when I was a kid, doing impressions for family members. Comedy was the way to engage people.”
Ruben Ostlund’s movie premiered at the Cannes Film Festival earlier this year and Dickinson found it surreal to be on the red carpet.
He explained: “I have this thing with red carpet premieres, where I go into shock.
“I seem very calm, but I’m not. I think my way of coping is like: ‘None of this is real, or this is just a simulation, what I’m going through right now’. Otherwise, I feel like I would be out of control.”

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OHMYGOSSIP — Universal Pictures chief Donna Langley hopes to make a female-led ‘Fast and Furious’ spin-off.
The high-speed franchise is due to come an end after a two-part finale that begins with the upcoming ‘Fast X’ but Langley is keen to make a separate project that focuses on the female characters.
In an interview with Business Insider, Donna said: “I would love to see a female ‘Fast’.
“So would Vin (Diesel). We have so many great and amazing female characters in our franchise and now there’s the new addition of Brie Larson to add to this incredible roster. I would love to see us do a female ‘Fast’.”
‘Fast and Furious’ cast members have previously backed a female spin-off with stars such as Jordana Brewster, Michelle Rodriguez, Nathalie Emmanuel and Dame Helen Mirren all featuring in the long-running series.
Jordana – who first appeared as Mia Toretto in the original 2001 film – said: “That would be awesome. I’ve heard these rumours. I think that would be incredible. Think about all the people we could bring back, right? We could bring back Eva Mendes, who’d be incredible to work with.”
The 42-year-old star added: “It would be really, really cool. So, I can’t speak to the discussions, but I think it would be awesome. So, fingers crossed.”
Nathalie revealed earlier this year that she was “demanding” for a female spin-off to be made.
The ‘Game of Thrones’ actress said: “I want a girl spin-off.
“We find a way to bring everybody back, and we make a badass girl ‘Fast’ movie. I’m so here for that. That’s the ‘Fast’ spin-off that I want, that I demand!”

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OHMYGOSSIP — Joe Alwyn is joining the cast of ‘And’.
The ‘Conversations With Friends’ star, 31, will star alongside Emma Stone, Jesse Plemons, Willem Dafoe, Margaret Qualley and Hong Chau in the new flick, which will be helmed by Yorgos Lanthimos, who also directed both Emma and Joe in 2018’s ‘The Favourite’.
Matthew Greenfield and David Greenbaum, the two presidents of Starlight Pictures, told the Hollywood Reporter: “We are so excited to be collaborating with Joe once again after our extraordinary journey together on The Favourite. He is a brilliant actor and a welcome addition to the all-star cast Yorgos has put together here.”
Production for the movie will commence in New Orleans this month with a script written by Efthymis Filippou – who directed ‘The Lobster’ – and developed by Element Pictures and Film4.
The plot is being shrouded in secrecy but brings together the same production houses that made both the Queen Anne movie that gave Olivia Coleman her first Oscar and ‘Poor Things’, which is still in post-production.
Recently Emma called working with Yorgos “a great gift” after working with him again on the short movie ‘Bleat’.
The 33-year-old actress said: “I don’t know if it’s the hardest project I’ve ever done, but it was definitely a challenge. I could talk for hours about the things I like in working with Yorgos.”
The ‘Catherine Called Birdy’ star recently provided his musical talents for his long-time girlfriend Taylor Swift’s recording-smashng 10th studio album ‘Midnights’ under his pen name ‘William Bowery’ on the songs ‘Sweet Nothing’ after working with the 33-year-old pop star on 2020’s ‘Folklore’.
The LP – which also features credits from Zoe Kravitz and Jack Antonoff – has been breaking all sorts of records across streaming and physical purchases, such as selling more than a million copies in three days.

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OHMYGOSSIP — Jamie Lee Curtis is to receive the Maltin Modern Master Award at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival next year.
The 63-year-old actress will be presented with the film festival’s highest honour on February 11, 2023, at Santa Barbara’s Arlington Theatre following an in-depth interview about her career, conducted by the accolade’s namesake, historian and film critic Leonard Maltin.
He said in a statement: “Jamie Lee Curtis has long proven that she has staying power.
“People want to watch her, whether it’s in a Halloween movie or an offbeat character role. She’s talented and charismatic, and in the process does her movie-star parents proud.”
Curtis – whose parents are legendary late actors Janet Leigh and Tony Curtis – is best known for starring in slasher film franchise ‘Halloween’, as well as 1983 movie ‘Trading Places’, 1988’s ‘A Fish Called Wanda’, and 1994’s ‘True Lies’, as well as appearing in ‘Knives Out’ alongside Daniel Craig in 2019.
The Modern Master Award prize was first established in 1995 and renamed the Maltin Modern Master Award in 2015.
Clint Eastwood, Denzel Washington, Glenn Close, Brad Pitt, Christopher Plummer, Nicole Kidman, George Clooney, Ben Affleck, and Michael Keaton are among other previous winners of the prize.
Curtis said farewell to her iconic ‘Halloween’ character Laurie Strode after 44 years in the latest movie, ‘Halloween Ends’, and she admitted the part is her “legacy”.
She said: “The universal understanding of Laurie Strode is that as this original ‘final girl’ she never gave up, always pushing through no matter what.
“It is beyond comprehension that that is my legacy. I feel like I haven’t given up, that I have continued to try, but not at the level of Laurie Strode.
“What I’ve gotten from her is way more than she’s gotten from me. Because when I’m gone, her legacy will be mine.
“Now, of course, I have my children, and that’s crucial. But in the films, she is my legacy, and I could not be prouder of any legacy – unless it’s like Mother Teresa or, you know, a great great Nelson Mandela or somebody like that – but in a film character, there’s not one you could name that I would rather be than Laurie Strode.”

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