A breakdown of the biggest movie news from the last week (1 November – 7 November).

New Releases

The Harder They Fall (3 Nov)

Jeymes Samuel’s Western The Harder They Fall landed at Netflix this week, starring Jonathan Majors, Idris Elba, Zazie Beetz, Regina King, and Delroy Lindo. The film depicts a Black Western story, with its characters based on real figures from 19th-century America.

The Harder They Fall saw a limited release on the 22 Oct, but is now available to stream on Netflix.

Marvel’s Eternals (5 Nov)

Marvel’s much-anticipated Eternals hit theaters this week, making numerous headlines in the process.

Starring a large ensemble cast of diverse heroes, Eternals marks a shift in the MCU, paving the way for future stories and introducing a number of new heroes into the franchise.

The film’s depiction of LGBTQ+ characters is not only a first for Marvel, but it caused a stir in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and Qatar for its inclusion of gay characters. After Disney refused to cut the scenes in question, the film received an international theatrical ban in those countries. Many have praised Disney’s choice, although the film itself remains divisive.

Trailers

Moonfall – First Trailer (1 Nov)

Lionsgate have released the first trailer for Moonfall, the upcoming sci-fi disaster movie from Roland Emmerich.

Moonfall stars an impressive ensemble cast featuring Halle Berry, Patrick Wilson, John Bradley, Michael Peña, and Donald Sutherland, and is set for a theatrical release on February 4, 2022.

Morbius – Official Trailer (2 Nov)

Sony’s upcoming Morbius also got its official trailer this week, showcasing Jared Leto’s vampiric villain and expanding Sony’s cinematic universe – which may well be linked to the MCU, if Venom is anything to go by.

The trailer shows off the titular doctor-turned-vampire, who is traditionally an adversary of Spider-Man. Morbius is set for a January 2022 release.

Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City – Nightmare Trailer (4 Nov)

Ahead of its release later this month, another trailer for Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City was released this week.

The new trailer affords a better look at some of the film’s mutant monsters ahead of Welcome to Raccoon City‘s release on November 24.

Casting

Chris Pratt – Garfield (1 Nov)

Chris Pratt will officially lend his voice to yet another beloved animated character.

The actor will lend his voice to the titular lasagna-loving feline in an upcoming movie, although no details about the film’s plot or release date have been announced.

This comes just shortly after news of Pratt being cast as Mario in the movie based on the Nintendo character of the same name.

Ariana Grande & Cynthia Erivo – Wicked (5 Nov)

Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo have been cast as Galinda and Elphaba respectively in the long-anticipared Wicked movie. The film will adapt the long-running musical of the same name, making the casting of two stars with such impressive musical talent a logical choice.

Gal Gadot – Snow White (4 Nov)

Gal Gadot has been cast as the Evil Queen in Disney’s upcoming live-action Snow White movie.

The Wonder Woman actress joins Rachel Zegler, who is set to appear at the eponymous princess, and is the latest A-lister to join the ranks of iconic live-action fairy-tale villains, following on from Angelina Jolie’s Maleficent and Cate Blanchett’s Lady Tremaine (Cinderella, 2015).

Production Officially Begins On Hocus Pocus 2 (1 Nov)

After the announcements of various castings for Hocus Pocus 2, Disney’s sequel has now officially begun development in Rhode Island.

Hocus Pocus 2 is due to release in late 2022, and will follow on from Disney’s 1993 Halloween classic Hocus Pocus, with Bette Middler, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Kathy Najimy reprising their roles as the Sanderson sisters, a trio of witches intent on devouring the souls of the children of Salem, Massachusetts.

Directed by Anne Fletcher, Hocus Pocus 2 will also feature Doug Jones and Sam Richardson, and recent set pictures indicate that it may involve flashback sequences to Salem in the 17th century, although specific details of the plot and cast are being kept under wraps.

Black Panther 2 Production Shut Down (5 Nov)

Production on Black Panther: Wakanda Forever has been halted due to an injury Leticia Wright sustained on-set.

Ryan Coogler’s follow-up to 2018’s Black Panther has already undergone significant changes due to Chadwick Boseman’s passing in 2020, with many speculating that Wright’s Shuri, Boseman’s onscreen sister, will assume the mantle of the Black Panther for Wakanda Forever.

However, back in August, it was reported that Wright had been injured on-set, and had left the production to recover. Wakanda Forever continued filming without her, but it has now been reported that the actress is still unable to return, prompting the decision to halt production while she recovers fully.

Production on Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is set to resume in early 2022 when Wright is able to return.