Here’s what you missed at San Diego Comic-Con: Day 1
LOS ANGELES — The “Sherlock” gang is heading to the Victorian era after three seasons spent dwelling in modern London.
In a clip of the special unveiled at Comic-Con in San Diego on Thursday, Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman can be seen in the attire that Sherlock and Dr. Watson have traditionally worn in other renderings of the stories by Arthur Conan Doyle. Unlike past versions, however, the clip addresses the gender politics of the era with a little help from landlady Mrs. Hudson.
Steven Moffat, the show’s creator, said this shift was intentional. “One of the problems with the original is the women don’t really speak very much,” Moffat told the crowd at Comic-Con. “Mrs. Hudson barely gets a line.”
Moffat also revealed that the Victorian special will bow in select theaters when it is released next year.
The creator admitted that he hasn’t begun writing season four of “Sherlock,” but assured attendees that he knows where it’s going and how it will “sucker-punch you into emotional devastation.”
Ben Affleck is in talks to star in, co-write and possibly direct a standalone “Batman” movie.
Sources have confirmed to Variety that Affleck is in negotiations to pen the solo “Batman” film with Geoff Johns after he has finished directing “Live by Night,” which is set to begin production in November.
Warner Bros. had no comment.
Additional details are still under wraps other than the fact that Affleck will star as the Caped Crusader, a role he will first assume in “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice,” and then in “Justice League,” which bows in 2017.
Given how much time and effort goes into directing, it might be a long while before Affleck puts pen to paper. He’s currently focused on getting “Live by Night,” based on Dennis Lehane’s Prohibition-era crime novel, off the ground.
Affleck is expected to be promoting “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice” this weekend at Comic-Con in San Diego.
He can be seen next in Warner Bros.’ “The Accountant,” which bows in January. Affleck is repped by WME.
The news was first reported by Deadline Hollywood.
Halle Berry ‘absolutely’ wants to do a ‘Storm’ movie
Can “X-Men” fans expect a Storm movie? If it’s up to Halle Berry, hopefully yes.
The actress confirmed she would agree to do a standalone Storm film, and urged fans at Comic-Con to speak up if they want to see her in action again.
“Absolutely,” she said Thursday when asked about the prospect of a spinoff movie during the Con panel for her CBS drama “Extant,” saying that she loves her “X-Men” character. With a laugh, Berry added, “Fans have to tell Fox that that’s what they want to have happen!”
Berry is no stranger to superhero films. In addition to the “X-Men” franchise, in which she’s played Storm three times, the Oscar winner previously starred as the title character in 2004’s “Catwoman,” though it didn’t perform at the box office and received less-than-stellar reviews.
As for “X-Men,” Hugh Jackman has successfully spun into solo films with the “Wolverine” trilogy, which will see its third and final film out in 2017.
Bill Murray Defends Miley Cyrus, Bruce Willis in Comic-Con Debut
Bill Murray made his first-ever Comic-Con appearance on Thursday, charming the throngs of geeks who camped out for the opening day of the confab.
Dressed as his “Rock the Kasbah” character Richie Lantz, Murray spoke coolly, but passionately about everything from Barry Levinson’s new movie, which opens this October, to some of his famous co-stars.
“Is Bruce Willis really a jacka-?” one fan asked. Murray, who first worked with Willis on Wes Anderson’s “Moonrise Kingdom,” defended the actor in his absence.
“He’s a movie star,” Murray said, saying that he and Willis shared a trailer while filming “Rock the Kasbah” in the harsh conditions of Morocco, where temperatures reached up to 116 degrees.
“When you’re a movie star you sometimes have to take matters into your own hands,” he said. “In the name of entertainment and just respecting the crew … there are people who try to take advantage of a group situation and dominate (“producers slime”) and a movie star can step in and say ‘That ain’t gonna happen boss.’”
Murray also spoke about Sofia Coppola’s star-studded Christmas special on Netflix, featuring everyone from George Clooney to Miley Cyrus.
“Miley Cyrus is really f—ing good!” he exclaimed.
Although Thursday marked Murray’s debut at the pop-culture convention, he said he felt right at home among the fanboys, partly thanks to their passion and excitement. “Some of the best parties I’ve ever been to are with nerds,” he said.
