Orlando getting more Potter, ‘Dark Tower’ getting made, ‘Star Wars’ getting animated and ‘Barbarella’ getting a pilot

Media Hijinks - Theme Parks, Adaptations and More Recycling

1/23/14

First up this week, good news for Harry Potter fans. It appears as if that Wizarding World expansion down at Universal Orlando is just about ready to go. Modeled after the much-loved Diagon Alley, visitors will get the chance to see more awesome scenery, ride more themed rides, shop for even more Harry Potter gifts and stuff their faces with Potter-esque food and drinks. So if you happen to be in Florida this summer, stop by and check it out. For more details one what to expect from the expansion, you can head to this site.

Second up, an update on the long-delayed and oft-forgotten Dark Tower project. In case you’re in the dark (pun not intended), Ron Howard is in charge of this one and plans on putting together three movies and a television series to ensure that he tells the complete Stephen King story. I’d almost thought this one to be dead and buried given the level of budgeting and commitment required, but it looks like they’re still working on it. And the news that it still exists came from an odd source indeed - Breaking Bad’s Aaron Paul. Apparently, he’s being eyed for the role of Eddie Dean. I can’t say that after 20 years I remember that character, but I am happy as hell that Howard may have the chance to finish this ridiculously ambitious undertaking.

Third, more Star Wars news - because you can’t live a week without it. This time, Disney is looking to take two of their properties and mix them up. They’re giving Pixar a chance to participate in all the Star Wars fun. Whether this means a movie or a television program remains to be seen. And while I may have nightmares about them producing a Star Wars version of something like Toy Story or Cars, if they actually take the project seriously we could get a beautifully animated Star Wars tale. Cross your fingers, folks.

And finally, something interesting and potentially very awesome. A pilot has been greenlit for a new television series based on the campy 60s sci-fi flick, Barbarella. While normally I would roll my eyes to this one and count it off as yet more Hollywood recycling, it’s the names involved that piqued my interest. They have the two guys that wrote the Skyfall script doing the writing and Nicholas Winding Refn is one of the executive producers. Anyone who has seen Refn’s work knows how dark and mind-blowing it can be, so this won’t be your parents’ Barbarella. It will, however, only be airing on Amazon TV, so you’ll have to buy your copy when it comes out.

Oh, and then there is this, because it is awesome: