Predator Under Fire For Predator on Set, Pine Not Done With Trek? and More! – ComicCorp News

Shane Black Under Fire? – The Predator director Shane Black is under fire today due to reports surfacing that he had hired a registered sex offender for the film.  Black hired his friend, Steven Wilder Striegel for a bit role in the film where his character hits on Olivia Munn’s while she’s jogging.  This isn’t the first time Black has hired Striegel for a film since his 2010 arrest, having appeared in Iron Man 3 and The Nice Guys.

Black’s defense to all this, after Olivia Munn blew the whistle,  was to claim he didn’t know the severity of Striegel’s crimes and that he (seemingly) was under the impression that the arrest and subsequent trial was not as bad as it seems.

Personally, and this is just one writer’s opinion, it feels like Black is claiming that Striegel maintained his innocence in the matter, and that he was falsely convicted.  That’s just how how Black’s statements read to me.  Either way though Munn’s involvement in the matter got Striegel fired, his scene cut and the studio and the director back peddling into Apologyville, USA.

Not Done Yet? – Chris Pine and Chris Hemsworth were rumored to be done with Star Trek, as both men were set to reprise their roles as James and George Kirk respectively.  However word got out that both Chris’ were done with Star Trek 4…until now.

In speaking with Variety, Pine is still clearly open to returning to the role; saying;

I don’t know, man.  I’d love to be involved, and we’ll see what happens. I’ll await the phone call. Until then, I look forward to it.

While recasting might be in order, it could also be interesting to see what a Star Trek film would look like without James T. Kirk at the helm.

Quick Hits – Production Weekly is claiming that Zombieland 2 will begin production on January 28th under the title Zombieland Too.  Paul Feig claims he wanted to take his Ghostbusters characters to different countries in subsequent sequels; that thankfully will never happen.

 

Condolences and well wishes to the family of Burt Reynolds, after it was announced the 82 year old actor passed away.  God speed, Smokey.