After earning critical acclaim for her Sundance darling “The Rider,” director Chloe Zhao looks ready to step up to the big leagues as the up and coming director has been set to direct “The Eternals” for Marvel.

Matthew and Ryan Firpo are on board to pen the script with Marvel president Kevin Feige producing.

Created by Jack Kirby, the story of “The Eternals” is set millions of years ago when the cosmic beings known as the Celestials genetically experimented on humans, creating the super-powered individuals as well as more villainous off-shoots known as the Deviants.

The two groups went on to battle each other throughout history to see which would eventually become the ultimate race.

Marvel sees this as the perfect transition into its next phase along with “Captain Marvel,” which released its recent trailer to huge acclaim earlier this week.


As for Zhao, the rising star in the director ranks delivered one of the best reviewed films of the year when “The Rider” bowed at the Sundance Film Festival and was also nominated for an Indie Spirit award. She has since been eyed for directing assignments on several major studio films, and sources say Zhao’s meeting with Marvel execs impressed so much that the studio moved fast to book her before she landed another job.

Zhao is repped by WME and Lichter Grossman Nichols Adler & Feldman.

At today’s FX TCA today, Thor: Ragnarok director said he’s definitely not directing Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3., “however I’m still hanging out with those guys (Marvel) and talking about new stuff.”

“I want to do another movie with them,” said Waititi who woke up the Thor franchise to see its highest grosses for an installment with his direction of Ragnarok which rang up $315M-plus domestic, $854M worldwide.

Did he meet with Marvel before he decided not to? “I didn’t really. For me, those are James (Gunn)’s films. Going into something like that with his stamp all over his films, would be like going into someone’s house and saying ‘Hey, I’m your new dad, and this is how we make peanut butter sandwiches now. It feels kind of awkward.”

Disney Promises Marvel Will Keep Making R-Rated ‘Deadpool’ Movies
By Executive Editor of Film and Media @BrentALang

There may be a few more F-bombs dropped around the Magic Kingdom.

The Walt Disney Company has enjoyed a squeaky clean image as the preeminent provider of family-friendly entertainment. However, things may get a little less wholesome with the upcoming acquisition of much of 21st Century Fox’s film and television assets, a $71.3 billion purchase that will bring darker brands such as FX and Fox Searchlight into the Disney fold. It also means that Fox, which has reaped big profits making R-rated Marvel superhero films such as “Deadpool]” and “Logan,” will now be reunited with the Avengers, a team of heroes that never breaches the PG-13 parameters while saving the world.

On a call with investors, Disney Chairman and CEO Bob Iger said that Disney will continue to make R-rated Deadpool movies and other adult-oriented Marvel adventures after it absorbs much of Fox.

“We will continue in that business,” promised Iger, adding, “There’s certainly popularity” with those types of films.

Iger hinted that these films won’t be released under the traditional Marvel or Disney banner. The company will make it an effort to ensure it is “carefully branding [R-rated films]…so we’re not in any way confusing the consumer,” Iger said.

That will come as a relief for fanboys and fangirls who worried that the Disney might scrub a certain Merc’s mouth out with soap. However, it probably means that any Deadpool and Toy Story crossovers will have to remain in the realm of perverse pop culture fan fiction.

For the last decade, Gwyneth Paltrow has popped up in the Marvel Cinematic Universe as Pepper Potts, Iron Man’s secretary and eventual girlfriend. But in an interview with Variety, the actress said that she’s planning on retiring the character after this summer’s “Avengers: Endgame.”

“I mean, I’m a bit old to be in a suit and all that at this point,” Paltrow, 46, told Variety in this week’s cover story. “I feel very lucky that I did it, because I actually got talked into it. I was friend with [‘Iron Man’ director] Jon Favreau. It was such a wonderful experience making the first ‘Iron Man’ and then to watch how important it has become to fans.”

Although she doesn’t see herself committing to any more sequels, Paltrow left open the possibility that she could make a cameo — or appear in flashbacks — down the line. “I feel honored to be a part of something that people are so passionate about,” she said. “Of course, if they said, ‘Can you come back for a day?,’ I will always be there if they need me.”

Paltrow spends most of her time now running the lifestyle brand Goop, as the company’s CEO. She spoke to Variety for our pre-Oscars issue, to commemorate the 20th anniversary of her winning the best actress statue for “Shakespeare in Love” at the 1999 Academy Awards. “I think that the movies and the business around them have changed so much in the last 20 years,” Paltrow said. “I don’t think any of the movies I’m known for would get made today.”

Given recent trends at the box office, Paltrow isn’t opposed to the Academy Awards crowning a comic-book tentpole as the next best picture winner. “So if they vernacular in film is superhero movies and they’re great movies, then I guess why not, right?” Paltrow said. “I loved ‘Black Panther.’ I thought it was a really powerful movie and culturally very important. So that’s great that it was nominated. I mean that’s so cool.”

With Disney CEO Bob Iger recently hinting at an R-rated brand of Marvel movies, which would include Deadpool and the recently rumored Blade follow up with Wesley Snipes, it is now rumored that Marvel Studios is developing a rated-R Ghost Rider movie starring Norman Reedus as well.

The rumor has it that early talks about launching an arm made for producing darker Marvel titles is in the works which would see characters like Deadpool, Blade, Ghost Rider, and more making their debut/return to the big screen. Since the Disney/Fox is almost finished, Kevin Feige and the folks at Marvel Studios want to continue producing solo films for Deadpool that will stay in the R-rated realm.

Yesterday, wegotthiscovered.com reported that a new Blade movie is in early development and has an early script that is complete. Wesley Snipes is rumored to return as Blade who will train his daughter, who in the comics would have been a sixteen-year-old girl named Fallon Grey, but the comic was scrapped when the writer quit Marvel and transitioned to DC.

Now as for this new Ghost Rider movie, not much is known about it other than it reboot the Johnny Blaze version of Ghost Rider and Norman Reedus is being eyed for the role. Along with multiple reports, In late 2018, The Walking Dead star expressed interest in playing Ghost Rider saying , “Hell yeah. It would be a blast. Do I get a skull face that’s on fire and all that stuff? Fuck yeah. I’m down.” There is currently no story details, script or drafts to a new Ghost Rider movie nor any cast/crew attached. This is only a rumor so it could be very well that this film isn't even in the works.