'Star Wars': What I’m Hearing About Simon Kinberg’s Trilogy and What It May Mean for the Rest of the Franchise

Happy Thursday, folks!

Tonight marks the first anniversary of this newsletter, and though it has been a tough year, I’m also enormously proud of what I’ve accomplished these past 12 months.

I’ve broken 100+ stories and been scooped by the trades on dozens more, but I immediately made them feel the pressure, which is all you can ask of a one-man start-up. I’ll never be able to match the dizzying output of Jay Penske’s media empire, nor do I cover Hollywood’s mogul class with the same rigor as Puck and The Ankler, but if you like movies and really care about the movie business then I’d like to think that my juice is worth the squeeze.

I’ve had a horrible run of luck in this town, from the invention of Twitter, to Penske buying Variety, to a Mashable editor writing a bad headline, to the Tracking Board going under despite soaring traffic, to Collider being sold to a cost-cutting Canadian company, to Above the Line having the rug pulled out from underneath it due to Hollywood’s double strike.

But every single time, I’ve managed to rebuild, because I’m a survivor in this town. I’m like the cockroach that survives the nuclear blast. Believe me, Hollywood has done everything in its power to get rid of me for the past decade, but this town can’t kill me. I’m too damn strong and I’ve been here too damn long. Face it, you’re stuck with me now.

On that self-deprecating note, I’d like to thank every publicist, manager, agent, executive, and assistant who has subscribed this past year, or sent a tip, or bothered to return an email, or simply didn’t leak one of my scoops to Deadline where their client would obviously get more exposure.

I’m extremely grateful to my loyal sources out there, and if I can ever be helpful, you know where to find me and just how badly I owe you.

So from the bottom of my heart, thank you.

You stick your necks out for me every day, and without the information that you provide, I’d be nothing — just another movie geek in a sea of opinions, albeit one who has now had a front-row seat to this crazy business for 20+ years.

I know I lament the nature of the Hollywood circus sometimes, and I’m frequently frustrated, disappointed, and hurt by dozens of people in it, but I do know that there are still some good eggs out there — upstanding people who act with honor and integrity rather than behave like snakes lying in the grass.

And I’m sure some might call me a “snake” as well, but I’m the same guy I’ve always been, whether writing for Variety and TheWrap or running my own shop. I call ‘em like I see ‘em and in a town where honesty is in short supply, I’m one of the few writers you can trust to tell it like it is and call it like I see it.

Before we begin tonight, I want to offer a heartfelt thanks to my friends and family, my daily sounding board Jamie; my tech wizard Matt; my legal aid Dave; Stephanie, who always supported me; Madelyn, whose advice and encouragement means the world; and Patrick Graham, my piece-of-shit old boss, without whom I never would’ve had the balls to start my own business and launch this newsletter. Meanwhile, the two websites he had at this time last year are both gone. Fuck around and find out, as they say.

Finally, a special thanks to my father, Big Daddy, who is my rock, and who paid for this URL for years and years in the belief that I would one day use it. I hope I’ve made you proud. After all, I didn’t get fired this year, and I didn’t give up — a big win in my book.

Tonight, you’ll read about what I’m hearing regarding Simon Kinberg’s new Star Wars trilogy, plus my top picks to play Freddy Krueger in New Line’s inevitable remake of A Nightmare on Elm Street, which celebrates its 40th anniversary this weekend.

There are also items about the Joker series that Matt Reeves is plotting with Barry Keoghan, Macaulay Culkin joining one of the hottest shows on television, Amazon MGM hiring a writer on Mass Effect, and Mubi pulling the plug on its film festival in Turkey. I also weigh in on the trailer for Prime Video’s new crime series The Sticky.

In honor of tonight’s big anniversary, all subscribers — paid and unpaid — can enter the Sneider-Verse to read more…

Star Wars: What I’m Hearing About Simon Kinberg’s Trilogy & What It May Mean for the Rest of the Franchise

To “Episode” or not to “Episode.” That is the question…

On Thursday, with Hollywood starting to emerge from its collective post-election hangover, Disney and Lucasfilm dropped a bombshell — Simon Kinberg will write and produce a new Star Wars trilogy.

Deadline’s Mike Fleming Jr. broke the news, writing that the new trilogy would be Episodes 10-12 of “The Skywalker Saga.” Deadline’s own insiders disputed the trade’s intel, saying that the trilogy would launch a new saga. 

THR’s Borys Kit backed up those insiders, saying that Kinberg’s trilogy won’t be Episodes 10-12, and that it’ll be a new story focused on new characters, representing a new path forward for the franchise and “not have it be a continuation.” The clever reporter left himself an out, however, writing, “That doesn’t mean that some characters could not or would not pop up.”

So you’ve got Fleming in one corner and Borys in another, saying diametrically opposing things, more or less.

Based on what I’m hearing, I’m inclined to side with Deadline on this one, as I’m willing to bet that these three films will be positioned as Episodes X, XI, and XII. 

When Borys writes that this trilogy will explore “a new story focused on new characters,” what else were you expecting — Lucasfilm to tell the same story with the same characters?

Of course Kinberg’s trilogy will feature a new story and a bunch of new characters — but Borys left himself that “out” for a reason.

The reason?

I suspect it’s because I’m hearing that Daisy Ridley will come back for these new Star Wars movies, and her Rey “will be positioned as the Obi-Wan of the new trilogy.”

What that means for Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy’s movie is unclear. Many Star Wars skeptics assume the project dead, but it’s my understanding that Lucasfilm recently hired a new writer to replace Steven Knight — I just haven’t been able to ascertain their identity yet. 

Would Lucasfilm have paid a new writer if it had no plans to make Obaid-Chinoy’s movie, knowing full well by now that Kinberg would be writing a new trilogy? You’d think not, but honestly, who knows? There are a lot of big, fragile egos in play here.

Obaid-Chinoy’s movie is rumored to find Ridley’s Rey training a new generation of Jedi warriors, and if my source is accurate then it sounds like she’d serve a similar function in Kinberg’s trilogy — Alec Guinness’ Obi-Wan served as a mentor to Mark Hamill’s Luke Skywalker before guiding him as a force ghost… I think — which makes me wonder if Obaid-Chinoy’s movie will ultimately come to fruition.

The optics certainly wouldn’t be good if Lucasfilm pulled the plug on Obaid-Chinoy’s project at this point, but you also have to wonder how many movies we need with Ridley’s Rey — an older version of whom is also rumored to be part of Shawn Levy’s vision for his Star Wars movie. 

Regardless of whether or not Obaid-Chinoy’s movie ultimately gets made, it’s being developed as a standalone spinoff of the Skywalker Saga, not one of the franchise’s official “Episodes.”

Yet it’s the “Episodes” that audiences have flocked to see in theaters, and I imagine it’s the “Episodes” to which Lucasfilm will eventually return.

Because in Hollywood, sooner is always better than later…

As far as the bigger picture goes, I think this is Lucasfilm’s Kathleen Kennedy and Disney’s Bob Iger making one last big Star Wars push before they exit their posts next year. And I know Kennedy hasn’t formally said anything, but I fully expect her to step down once she has charted a course for the future of the franchise.

I don’t know why they turned to Kinberg, whose track record is hit-and-miss, and who has also been tasked with resuscitating the moribund Star Trek franchise. Will the two sci-fi franchises share Kinberg as they once did J.J. Abrams, and will Kinberg make a play to direct the first film, just as George Lucas did before handing the reins of sequels The Empire Strikes Back and The Return of the Jedi to other filmmakers?

Personally, I doubt that Kinberg will wind up directing a Star Wars movie, but I do wonder if Lucasfilm will have trouble filling the gig, given the company’s track record when it comes to this franchise, which some consider to be a bigger headache than it’s worth.

Who Should Play Freddy Krueger in New Line's Inevitable Remake of A Nightmare on Elm Street?

This week marks the 40th anniversary of one of the greatest horror movies ever made, Wes Craven’s 1984 classic A Nightmare on Elm Street.

The last Elm Street movie arrived in 2010 and it was so bad that Freddy Krueger hasn't been heard from since — which is insane given how hot the horror genre has become in the intervening years.

It has long been my understanding that Craven’s estate holds the rights to A Nightmare on Elm Street, and that’s why there hasn’t been a new movie since the dreadful 2010 remake that ended Samuel Bayer’s feature directing career.

Over the summer, however, I heard that the rights are tied up in court, as some lawyer found a legal loophole that allowed him to obtain a small portion of the rights, and he’s now holding them hostage for a ton of money, which is why there hasn’t been any movement on the property.

It’s unclear if that lawyer is Marc Toberoff, who has reportedly sued and been sued by multiple studios regarding various rights, but it could be another individual entirely. Toberoff is just the one who came to mind when that tip came in this past summer.

But what if, by some magical miracle, the rights situation cleared up and either New Line was allowed to make a new movie or the rights were auctioned off to the highest bidder, like the way Universal bid $400 million for the most recent Halloween trilogy?

How would Hollywood cast Freddy Krueger in the year 2024? And would the character still be a child molester? I think he has to be reintroduced as a true monster, and thus, capable of our worst nightmares.

Whereas the role of serial killer Patrick Bateman offers quite a wide net because the chosen actor will likely only have to commit to just one movie, the role of Freddy Krueger is harder to cast because it will likely involve multiple sequels. It’s also the kind of role that will follow an actor around for the rest of their career.

No one is still referring to Christian Bale as Patrick Bateman, but everywhere he goes, Robert Englund is Freddy Krueger — not that Englund is a movie star in the same way as Bale, but still… this kind of commitment is no joke.

So, who has what it takes to play Freddy, and who has what it takes to direct? That may be another list for another time, but off the top of my head, I think Fede Alvarez (Alien: Romulus) and Coralie Fargeat (The Substance) would crush a new Nightmare movie.

As for Elm Street’s new leading man, here’s a list long in the making — my Top 30 picks for Freddy Krueger:

The Cheekbones: Willem Dafoe (69) & Richard Brake (59)

Robert Englund was 37 when A Nightmare on Elm Street came out, and Jackie Earle Haley was 49, so Dafoe and Brake would be a “break” from tradition, but look at these guys! Are you kidding me? Brake, in particular, would be a fascinating choice, as he gives off great “scumbag” vibes. He’s the kind of character actor who might thrive in a leading role like Freddy.

The Bikeriders: Beau Knapp (35) & Karl Glusman (36)

Glusman has worked with Tom Ford and Nicolas Winding Refn, popped up in interesting genre movies such as Reptile and Watcher, and most importantly, he was fantastic as the villain in God Is a Bullet. Next up is a role in Edgar Wright’s The Running Man. He’s recognizable, and yet not so well known that he’d distract from the character of Freddy.

But I’ve always loved Knapp’s gritty look. I’ve been a fan since his very first film — Super 8. He’s a great villain who rarely gets the chance to show what he’s truly capable of, and I think he’d relish the chance to play a character like Krueger.

The Rising Stars: Cory Michael Smith (37) & Lewis Pullman (31)

I had both of these guys on my list for the new Patrick Bateman in Luca Guadagnino’s remake of American Psycho, but they’d be just as good as Freddy — especially Smith, whose size would bring a new dimension to the character. Then again, I loved what Pullman did in this summer’s indie thriller Skincare, which suggested a darker side to him as a performer, one I’d love to see him embrace.

The Blue Collar Guys: Clayne Crawford (46) & Pat Healy (53)

Crawford is the guy who was fired from Lethal Weapon for having a bad temper, but that’s kinda what I like about him. He radiates intensity, and reminds me of Stephen Dorff, in a way. Dorff might make a good Freddy Krueger himself. But Crawford feels dangerous, and that’s why I dig him.

Meanwhile, I love Healy’s work in Compliance, and so much of the power of his performance comes from his ability to modulate his voice. He’s also great in Cheap Thrills, and he stood out in the first season of the Prime Video series Them. If Crawford reminds me of Dorff, then Healy reminds me of Paul Bettany, whose ability to act through makeup as Vision in the MCU may make him a good candidate for Freddy.

The Brits: Will Poulter (31) & Dan Stevens (42)

Listen, the Brits typically come over here and “steal” the best American roles anyway, so it wouldn’t shock me to see it happen again. Stevens is the kind of genre icon who may very well appeal to the Elm Street audience, while Poulter was poised to play Pennywise in the It movies before Cary Fukunaga was replaced by Andy Muschietti, who cast Bill Skarsgard instead. And don’t worry, we’ll get to him later, but Poulter would be awfully menacing in a red-and-green striped sweater.

The Guys Who Are Hiding Something: Ben Foster (44) & Scoot McNairy (46)

Even when Foster and McNairy are playing nice, normal guys, they feel like they’re hiding something. They both strike me as a little weird, but the kinds of guys who can pass for normal, which may be even scarier than the guys who simply can’t hide it. Guys like…

The Creepy Weirdos: David Dastmalchian (49) & Caleb Landry Jones (34)

I’m sure that David and Caleb are lovely guys in real life, but on screen, they’re almost always cast as creepy weirdos, God bless ‘em. We need guys like them in movies, as they’re the kinds of guys who make movies more interesting. Dastmalchian may, admittedly, be something of a stretch here, but Jones strikes me as an inspired choice if I don’t say so myself. I don’t know that New Line needs to cast a major star here, and the studio could opt to go with a bigger name than Jones, though they shouldn’t forget that he co-starred in the biggest genre movie of the past decade — Get Out.

The Lil’ De Niros: Adam Driver (40) & Jon Bernthal (48)

Driver hasn’t had a very good run as a movie star, but A Nightmare on Elm Street feels like a surefire hit, and considering how badly he could use a hit, I could see him agreeing to star in this franchise and spending hours in a makeup chair each day. I bet he’d find a way to put an interesting spin on the character.

Meanwhile, Bernthal is a talented actor who also feels genuinely scary, which is kind of key to Freddy’s appeal. I don’t know if he’d say “yes” to something like this, but I think he’d be absolutely terrifying if he ever got the chance to don the glove.

The Bad Boys: James Franco (46) & Shia LaBeouf (38)

OK, these guys are both long shots, but Franco is a better actor than he gets credit for, and if audiences are willing to accept him, I think casting him as a loathsome character like Freddy might make his return more palatable from a PR perspective.

Meanwhille, Shia recently co-starred in Francis Ford Coppola’s Megalopolis and the world continued on its axis, so I hope people were paying attention to that. There were no protests or boycotts. I hope he gets the help he needs — I think he has been — but I’ll always show up to support the work because I think he’s ridiculously talented.

The Older, Nicer Bad Boys: Walton Goggins (52) & Billy Bob Thornton (69)

Goggins broke out as a crooked cop on The Shield and these days, he’s playing the Ghoul in Prime Video’s acclaimed Fallout series, where he looks an awful lot like Freddy Krueger without a nose. His casting as Freddy may be a little too on the nose, but I also think he’d crush the part as I envision it — skinny Southern with slicked-back hair.

If we’re going by that description then who better than Billy Bob Thornton, who brings the perfect amount of sleaze to the role? He might be a little too close to Jackie Earle Haley, but I think he’s talented enough to put his own spin on things.

The Vanishing Acts: Bill Skarsgard (34) & Andy Serkis (60)

This category is dedicated to the guys who disappear into their characters. Serkis will win an honorary Oscar one day, having played so many iconic characters including New Line’s most iconic, Gollum. Meanwhile, Bill Skarsgard played Pennywise in It and will soon be seen as the title character in Nosferatu, so he knows how to act through makeup and he can still scare the hell out of you.

The Emmy Winners: Evan Peters (37) & Billy Crudup (56)

I don’t know if Crudup missed his window, but back in the Watchmen days, I thought he would’ve made a great Freddy. He’s got the cheekbones, and I don’t know why I’m so hung up on those for this character, but I am. I just think he can get really creepy when he needs to be. Obviously, Peters can too, having played Jeffrey Dahmer in the acclaimed Netflix series Monster.

The Oscar Nominees: Jake Gyllenhaal (43) & Paul Dano (40)

Gyllenhaal can do no wrong in my book, and I love it when he channels his dark side for movies like Nightcrawler and Prisoners. He might be a cost-prohibitive choice, but I think he’d make a meal out of Freddy — like, really go for it.

Gyllenhaal’s pal Dano would also make a chilling Krueger, and the part would bring his career full circle in a way, as he broke out in L.I.E., but I wonder if he could do the character’s sense of humor justice.

The Oscar Winners: Jared Leto (52) & Rami Malek (43)

If New Line aims high, these are the two Oscar winners I’d look at for Freddy. Leto is a genuine madman and I don’t think he’d mind spending hours in the makeup chair every day so long as he got to terrorize his cast mates afterward. Meanwhile, Malek is a bit of an oddball who underwent a physical transformation to play Freddie Mercury in Bohemian Rhapsody, so perhaps he’d be willing to do it again for the right price. Can you see it?

The Villains: Hugo Weaving (64) & Ben Mendelsohn (55)

If you’re looking for someone to play a villain, look to the actors who do it on the regular, as they’re often cast for a reason. Weaving and Mendelsohn are two of those actors, as is Mads Mikkelsen. They just look like they’re up to no good. Weaving worked wonders as Agent Smith in The Matrix, and Mendelsohn broke bad in the Star Wars franchise, so they’re no stranger to evil.

Bits and Bobs (A Daily News Roundup)

Trailer Time: Margo Martindale Leads a Maple Syrup Heist in Prime Video’s Canadian Crime Series The Sticky

Last night, I started watching the upcoming Prime Video series The Sticky, and so far, it’s been a real treat. I’m not sure how much I can say about it since it’s probably under embargo, but check out the trailer and tell me that this Canadian show doesn’t look pretty darn sweet.

Margo Martindale, Chris Diamantopoulos, and Guillaume Cyr play a trio of thieves who team up to pull off a multi-million-dollar heist involving maple syrup.

Martindale plays a maple syrup farmer who is in danger of losing her prized trees, while Diamantopoulos plays a Boston mobster, and Cyr plays the heist’s inside man, so to speak. I’m also looking forward to seeing actor Mark O’Brien from City on a Hill and Ready or Not.

The Sticky hails from writers/showrunners Brian Donovan and Ed Herro, who executive produce alongside directors Jonathan Levine and Michael Dowse as well as Jason Blum and his Halloween star Jamie Lee Curtis, who guest stars in the crime comedy.

You’ll be able to tap into The Sticky when it sweetens Prime Video’s offerings on Dec. 6.

That’ll do it for me, folks. Have a good night…

Follow TheInSneider on Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok.

Got a hot tip, or an interesting pitch? Want to buy an ad or ask a provocative question for future mailbag installments? Email me at [email protected]. Anonymity guaranteed!