Status Updates on 13 Film Sequels/Remakes and Adaptations You Might Actually Want to See

By Dustin Rowles | Lists | April 28, 2015 |

By Dustin Rowles | Lists | April 28, 2015 |

Beetlejuice — Tim Burton is all for it; Michael Keaton is a star again thanks to Birdman and he wants to get the sequel off the ground, Winona Ryder will allegedly appear and says that the sequel “will happen.” Seth Grahame-Smith (Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter and Pride and Prejudice and Zombies) is penning the screenplay, but it hasn’t moved beyond that stage yet.

Bill and Ted’s 3 — The sequel has been in development hell for over a decade, but anytime you ask Keanu Reeves about it, he says it’s going to happen, including statements to that effect earlier this month: “There’s now talk of contracts and maybe paying the writers to go and write. There might be some support for making the picture.”

Cowboy Ninja Viking — Based on the comic book series by A.J. Lieberman and artist Riley Rossmo, the project has gone through a couple of studios (and director Marc Forster), but it looked to be on track earlier this year with reports that Chris Pratt will take the lead and John Wick directors David Leitch and Chad Stahelski were in line to direct. However, there have also been suggestions that Pratt is not attached and the project hasn’t been discussed since earlier this year when the John Wick directors were in talks to take over the project.

Bridget Jones 3 — Renee Zellweger mentioned late last year that another Bridget Jones film would be “fun” and Colin Firth is “open” to it, but Hugh Grant has outright refused to return. There’s currently no momentum on the project.

Step Brothers 2 — Adam McKay has an outline for the sequel, and he’s leaving the door open for it, but he’s in no hurry whatsoever to take on the project. He’s currently filming The Big Short with Ryan Gosling and Brad Pitt, and he’s allegedly in line to become a director for a future Marvel film.

The LEGO Movie 2 — Lord and Miller have moved on to the animated Spider-Man film, but they are writing the screenplay for the The LEGO Movie 2, which is moving ahead with Rob Schrab making his directorial debut. A 2018 release date has been set, and it will reportedly introduce Emmet’s sister.

Dark Tower — Some version of Stephen King’s Dark Tower series has been in development for years, but earlier this month, it finally seemed to shake loose. Sony has signed on to finance and distribute the first movie, which will be written by Akiva Goldsman (Winter’s Tale, Da Vinci Code), which zero people are excited about. The project is on the fast track, but it still has not landed a director.

Neuromancer — The movie based on the William Gibson novel went into pre-production back in 2011, and Liam Neeson and Mark Wahlberg were considered for roles in the movie in 2012, but the project has quietly died since then.

Robopocalypse — Steven Spielberg had big plans to direct the Daniel H. Wilson novel several years ago, and release dates for the film have even been announced. But Spielberg has since moved on, and according to Wilson, Robopocalypse has gone back into Spielberg’s queue. He already has several other movies in line, including BFG, which he’s currently filming, and Ready Player One, which is reportedly next in line.

The Crow Reboot — Luke Evans dropped out of the long-in development project earlier this year (Bradley Cooper had once been attached) but Jack Huston (Boardwalk Empire) was recast in the lead role in March. Filming is set to begin in the UK sometime this year with Corin Hardy at the helm.

Paradise Lost — Bradley Cooper had also been in line to star in the Alex Proyas film, but Legendary Pictures scrapped it back in 2012 and it has seen no slivers of light since.

Wicked — Stephen Daldry (Billy Elliot, The Reader, and Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close) is attached to direct an adaptation of the Broadway musical, and a release date has been set for 2016. Winnie Holzman is apparently working on a screenplay, but no one has been cast and 2016 sounds awfully ambitious at this point.

Guys and Dolls — Danny Strong was hired to write the script back in 2013, and Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Channing Tatum briefly circled the musical project, but there have been no recent movement on the project.