The Buzz: Universal Picks Up Dark Tower, The Hobbit Surges On, De Bont Wants Mulan

The Buzz is a feature in which we round up the biggest and most popular film and television stories of the week. Why go through pages of blogs just to find out what everyone is talking about? We’ve got it all right here. Check out all the stories after the break.

Top Stories

Ron Howard and his usual team, comprised of Brian Grazer and Akiva Goldsman are trying out an unprecedented move of using both Universal’s film and tv platorms to pursue the first ever single story on the big and small screen. All this encompassed around Stephen King’s immensely successful Dark Tower series. Ron Howard has committed to direct the initial feature film, as well as the first season of the TV series that will follow in close proximity. Akiva Goldsman will write the film, and the first season of the TV series. Howard’s Imagine Entertainment partner Brian Grazer will produce with Goldsman and the author.


In other “epic” type news it seems as though Jan De Bont is ready to return to film and has a plan for a live-action Mulan film based on the long standing Chinese poem and “mythological” figure. De Bont, who hasn’t directed a film since the 2003 sequel, Lara Croft: The Cradle of Life, has also brought in Chinese actress Ziyi Zhang to star in the film.


Keeping with our trend moving with the fantasy, epic type movies, one that we all know and love is The Hobbit. A movie that has been gestating since the end of Jackson triumphant LOTR adaptation. It seems as though we are edging closer to a director and even some actors to fill roles in hopes of getting production started. Currently the topic of discussion this week was Martin Freeman, the actor best known for his role in the original BBC series of The Office. Freeman is currently rumored for the role of Bilbo Baggins, the lead hobbit in this prequel film.

Other Headlines

Jeremy Renner Locks Up Another Role! Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters


John McTiernan To Direct Action-Thriller ‘Shrapnel’


Pixar Considering Animated Dr. Strange Movie?


Guggenheim’s Updates on Green Lantern Sequels & The Flash




That’s it for this week’s Buzz. There is a lot of film and television news every week, so if you think something was big enough for us to include above, let us know in the comments below.