Michael Dorn Teases Star Trek Return, But Paramount Shoots Down Rumors

Worf actor Michael Dorn says that he's being "summoned back into action" on Twitter today, but Paramount has shot down the possibility of the beloved character appearing on one of the numerous Star Trek shows currently airing on Paramount+. "Unfortunately, I can confirm that this has nothing to do with a Star Trek Universe on Paramount+ original series," a Paramount representative told IGN. Dorn kicked off speculation that he would be joining Picard Season 2 when he tweeted "Starfleet calls" earlier today. Dorn last appeared in 2002's Star Trek Nemesis, but he has been attached to several Star Trek-related projects over the years, including Star Trek Online and the fan-made web series Star Trek Continues, where he had a cameo as the voice of a computer. Dorn has also pitched the idea of a show featuring "Captain Worf" on and off over the years. Worf received a mention in Picard Season 1, but as recently as January 2021, Dorn said he had not been contacted about a potential appearance in the show. As for whether he would be interested, Dorn rattled off a list of contingencies. "It really depends on quite a few things. It depends on the role. It depends on how they want to present it. The one thing you have to realize is that I have to get into makeup. You are talking about three hours. For me to do that, it really has to be kind of worth it, you know what I mean? I don't want to get in makeup and just stand around and scowl at people." [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/04/30/star-trek-picard-jonathan-frakes-confirms-he-will-return-to-direct-in-season-2-ign-news"] Worf is a beloved character in the Star Trek mythos, playing a massive role in both Star Trek: The Next Generation and Star Trek Deep Space Nine. If he were to return to Star Trek, he would have a multitude of options. Paramount+ is currently producing several Star Trek projects, including Star Trek Discovery, a Section 31 spinoff, and the animated series Star Trek Lower Decks. Some of the possibilities include the animated Star Trek: Lower Decks, which is set after Star Trek Nemesis in the TNG era; Star Trek: Prodigy, a show geared toward kids featuring Captain Janeway as a hologram; Star Trek Discovery, where he could hypothetically reprise the role of Colonel Worf. A film is also in the works, to be released in 2023. One way or another, we'll know soon enough when it will once again be a good day to die. In the meantime, filming has begun on the second season of Star Trek: Picard, with the release on Paramount+, set for some time in 2022. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Kat Bailey is Senior News Editor at IGN.

Worf Actor Teases Star Trek Return, But Paramount Shoots Down Rumors

Worf actor Michael Dorn says that he's being "summoned back into action" on Twitter today, but Paramount has shot down the possibility of the beloved character appearing on one of the numerous Star Trek shows currently airing on Paramount+. "Unfortunately, I can confirm that this has nothing to do with a Star Trek Universe on Paramount+ original series," a Paramount representative told IGN. Dorn kicked off speculation that he would be joining Picard Season 2 when he tweeted "Starfleet calls" earlier today. Dorn last appeared in 2002's Star Trek Nemesis, but he has been attached to several Star Trek-related projects over the years, including Star Trek Online and the fan-made web series Star Trek Continues, where he had a cameo as the voice of a computer. Dorn has also pitched the idea of a show featuring "Captain Worf" on and off over the years. Worf received a mention in Picard Season 1, but as recently as January 2021, Dorn said he had not been contacted about a potential appearance in the show. As for whether he would be interested, Dorn rattled off a list of contingencies. "It really depends on quite a few things. It depends on the role. It depends on how they want to present it. The one thing you have to realize is that I have to get into makeup. You are talking about three hours. For me to do that, it really has to be kind of worth it, you know what I mean? I don't want to get in makeup and just stand around and scowl at people." [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/04/30/star-trek-picard-jonathan-frakes-confirms-he-will-return-to-direct-in-season-2-ign-news"] Worf is a beloved character in the Star Trek mythos, playing a massive role in both Star Trek: The Next Generation and Star Trek Deep Space Nine. If he were to return to Star Trek, he would have a multitude of options. Paramount+ is currently producing several Star Trek projects, including Star Trek Discovery, a Section 31 spinoff, and the animated series Star Trek Lower Decks. Some of the possibilities include the animated Star Trek: Lower Decks, which is set after Star Trek Nemesis in the TNG era; Star Trek: Prodigy, a show geared toward kids featuring Captain Janeway as a hologram; Star Trek Discovery, where he could hypothetically reprise the role of Colonel Worf. A film is also in the works, to be released in 2023. One way or another, we'll know soon enough when it will once again be a good day to die. In the meantime, filming has begun on the second season of Star Trek: Picard, with the release on Paramount+, set for some time in 2022. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Kat Bailey is Senior News Editor at IGN.

Michael Keaton Will Return as Batman in The Flash, Publicist Confirms

After hinting that he is hesitant to join The Flash due to concerns about COVID-19, Michael Keaton has been confirmed to reprise his role as Batman opposite Ezra Miller's Barry Allen. Keaton's talent agency, ICM Partners, confirmed the news to The Wrap. The long-delayed solo movie began production today, with director Andy Muschietti announcing the kick-off on Instagram. Keaton voiced some ease at the prospect of joining The Flash solo film in March, expressing concern over scheduling and COVID-19 transmission in the UK. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/09/12/the-flash-movie-features-lots-of-superheroes-and-will-restart-the-dceu-dc-fandome"] "I keep my eye more on the COVID situation in the UK than anything," Keaton said. "That will determine everything... That's my first thing about all projects. I look at it and go, is this thing going to kill me, literally? And you know, if it doesn't, then we talk." Keaton's involvement in The Flash brings the movie's tally of Batmen to two, with Ben Affleck also set to reprise his role as Bruce Wayne in the movie. The film is expected to confront DC's multiverse, with the story planned as a new take on the Flashpoint storyline. Alongside Keaton and Affleck, the cast also includes Sasha Calle as Supergirl, Kiersey Clemons as Iris West, and Maribel Verdú as Nora Allen, Barry's mother. Although Billy Crudup played Barry's father in Justice League, Ron Livingston will take over the role of Henry Allen for The Flash's solo film. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=ranking-the-batman-movies&captions=true"] "It's going to be fun and exciting and there are a lot of DC characters in it," said producer Barbara Muschietti. "Flash is the superhero of this film because he is the bridge between all of these characters and timelines. And in a way, it restarts everything and doesn't forget anything." Keaton played the Caped Crusader in 1989's Batman and 1992's Batman Returns, both directed by Tim Burton. The two were expected to return for a third movie, but both dropped out and Keaton was replaced by Kilmer for 1995's Batman Forever. Since then, Keaton has expressed interest in returning to the role. For more, read how Michael Keaton's involvement in The Flash could shape DC's cinematic output moving forward and why IGN thinks the actor is still the best live-action Batman. The Flash is set to hit theaters on November 4, 2022. [poilib element="accentDivider"] J. Kim Murphy is a freelance entertainment writer. 

Michael Keaton Will Return as Batman in The Flash, Publicist Confirms

After hinting that he is hesitant to join The Flash due to concerns about COVID-19, Michael Keaton has been confirmed to reprise his role as Batman opposite Ezra Miller's Barry Allen. Keaton's talent agency, ICM Partners, confirmed the news to The Wrap. The long-delayed solo movie began production today, with director Andy Muschietti announcing the kick-off on Instagram. Keaton voiced some ease at the prospect of joining The Flash solo film in March, expressing concern over scheduling and COVID-19 transmission in the UK. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/09/12/the-flash-movie-features-lots-of-superheroes-and-will-restart-the-dceu-dc-fandome"] "I keep my eye more on the COVID situation in the UK than anything," Keaton said. "That will determine everything... That's my first thing about all projects. I look at it and go, is this thing going to kill me, literally? And you know, if it doesn't, then we talk." Keaton's involvement in The Flash brings the movie's tally of Batmen to two, with Ben Affleck also set to reprise his role as Bruce Wayne in the movie. The film is expected to confront DC's multiverse, with the story planned as a new take on the Flashpoint storyline. Alongside Keaton and Affleck, the cast also includes Sasha Calle as Supergirl, Kiersey Clemons as Iris West, and Maribel Verdú as Nora Allen, Barry's mother. Although Billy Crudup played Barry's father in Justice League, Ron Livingston will take over the role of Henry Allen for The Flash's solo film. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=ranking-the-batman-movies&captions=true"] "It's going to be fun and exciting and there are a lot of DC characters in it," said producer Barbara Muschietti. "Flash is the superhero of this film because he is the bridge between all of these characters and timelines. And in a way, it restarts everything and doesn't forget anything." Keaton played the Caped Crusader in 1989's Batman and 1992's Batman Returns, both directed by Tim Burton. The two were expected to return for a third movie, but both dropped out and Keaton was replaced by Kilmer for 1995's Batman Forever. Since then, Keaton has expressed interest in returning to the role. For more, read how Michael Keaton's involvement in The Flash could shape DC's cinematic output moving forward and why IGN thinks the actor is still the best live-action Batman. The Flash is set to hit theaters on November 4, 2022. [poilib element="accentDivider"] J. Kim Murphy is a freelance entertainment writer. 

Everything Coming to Amazon Prime Video in May 2021

To kick things off, Amazon Prime Video is releasing a new seven-part anthology series, titled Solos (May 21), featuring an impressive lineup of Hollywood's best, including Morgan Freeman, Dan Stevens, Anne Hathaway, Anthony Mackie, and more. Solos "spans our present and future and illuminates that even during our most isolated moments we are all connected through the human experience," according to Amazon. The streaming platform will also debut its new historical limited series called The Underground Railroad on May 14. The series comes from the mind of Oscar-winner Barry Jenkins (Moonlight), that centers on "Cora Randall’s (Thusop Mbedu) desperate bid for freedom in the Antebellum South." On the movie front, you'll be able to stream the terrifying 2020 horror film, Saint Maud, on May 13. In our full review, we praise Sait Maud for being "an impeccably crafted, deeply unsettling, and wickedly engrossing religious horror film." And if you're feeling nostalgic, James Cameron's classic sci-fi horror film, Aliens, is available to watch on May 1. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/01/02/saint-maud-official-trailer-1"] Check out the slideshow gallery below for a spotlight of some of the most notable May Amazon Prime Video releases followed by the full list: [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=amazon-prime-video-spotlight-may-2021&captions=true"] [poilib element="accentDivider"]

May 1

  • Alien: Resurrection (1997)
  • Alien 3 (1992)
  • Aliens (1986)
  • Almost Famous (2000)
  • Angels & Demons (2009)
  • Betrayed (1988)
  • Bound (1996)
  • Deuce Bigalow: Male Gigolo (1999)
  • Dinosaur 13 (2014)
  • Fascination (2004)
  • Flight (2012)
  • Flightplan (2005)
  • Georgia Rule (2018)
  • Green Zone (2010)
  • Gunsight Ridge (1957)
  • Hidalgo (2004)
  • How Stella Got Her Groove Back (1998)
  • Jumping The Broom (2011)
  • Knowing (2009)
  • Leatherheads (2008)
  • Nanny Mcphee (2006)
  • Nanny McPhee Returns (2010)
  • One Fine Day (1996)
  • Priest (2011)
  • Reign Of Fire (2002)
  • Resident Evil: Apocalypse (2004)
  • Resident Evil (2002)
  • Rio (2011)
  • Sahara (1983)
  • Scent Of A Woman (1992)
  • See No Evil, Hear No Evil (1989)
  • Shattered (1991)
  • The Age of Adaline (2015)
  • The Dalton Girls (1957)
  • The Da Vinci Code (2006)
  • The French Connection (1971)
  • The Green Hornet (2011)
  • The Haunting in Connecticut 2: Ghosts of Georgia (2013)
  • The Indian in the Cupboard (1995)
  • The Ladykillers (2004)
  • The Men Who Stare At Goats (2009)
  • The Outsider (1980)
  • The Secret Life Of Bees (2008)
  • The Sixth Sense (1999)
  • The Sweetest Thing (2002)
  • The Towering Inferno (1974)
  • Two For The Money (2005)
  • Unbreakable (2000)
  • Vantage Point (2008)

May 5

  • Skyfall (2012)

May 7

  • The Boy From Medellín - Amazon Original Movie (2020)
  • Breach (2020)

May 9

  • Robot & Frank (2012)

May 13

  • Saint Maud (2020)

May 14

  • The Underground Railroad - Amazon Original Series: Season 1

May 19

  • Red Dawn (2012)
  • Trumbo (2015)

May 21

  • P!nk: All I Know So Far - Amazon Original Movie (2021)
  • Solos - Amazon Original Series: Limited Series

May 28

  • Panic - Amazon Original Series: Season 1
[poilib element="accentDivider"] David Griffin still watches DuckTales in his pajamas with a cereal bowl in hand. He's also the TV Editor for IGN. Say hi on Twitter.

Everything Coming to Amazon Prime Video in May 2021

To kick things off, Amazon Prime Video is releasing a new seven-part anthology series, titled Solos (May 21), featuring an impressive lineup of Hollywood's best, including Morgan Freeman, Dan Stevens, Anne Hathaway, Anthony Mackie, and more. Solos "spans our present and future and illuminates that even during our most isolated moments we are all connected through the human experience," according to Amazon. The streaming platform will also debut its new historical limited series called The Underground Railroad on May 14. The series comes from the mind of Oscar-winner Barry Jenkins (Moonlight), that centers on "Cora Randall’s (Thusop Mbedu) desperate bid for freedom in the Antebellum South." On the movie front, you'll be able to stream the terrifying 2020 horror film, Saint Maud, on May 13. In our full review, we praise Sait Maud for being "an impeccably crafted, deeply unsettling, and wickedly engrossing religious horror film." And if you're feeling nostalgic, James Cameron's classic sci-fi horror film, Aliens, is available to watch on May 1. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/01/02/saint-maud-official-trailer-1"] Check out the slideshow gallery below for a spotlight of some of the most notable May Amazon Prime Video releases followed by the full list: [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=amazon-prime-video-spotlight-may-2021&captions=true"] [poilib element="accentDivider"]

May 1

  • Alien: Resurrection (1997)
  • Alien 3 (1992)
  • Aliens (1986)
  • Almost Famous (2000)
  • Angels & Demons (2009)
  • Betrayed (1988)
  • Bound (1996)
  • Deuce Bigalow: Male Gigolo (1999)
  • Dinosaur 13 (2014)
  • Fascination (2004)
  • Flight (2012)
  • Flightplan (2005)
  • Georgia Rule (2018)
  • Green Zone (2010)
  • Gunsight Ridge (1957)
  • Hidalgo (2004)
  • How Stella Got Her Groove Back (1998)
  • Jumping The Broom (2011)
  • Knowing (2009)
  • Leatherheads (2008)
  • Nanny Mcphee (2006)
  • Nanny McPhee Returns (2010)
  • One Fine Day (1996)
  • Priest (2011)
  • Reign Of Fire (2002)
  • Resident Evil: Apocalypse (2004)
  • Resident Evil (2002)
  • Rio (2011)
  • Sahara (1983)
  • Scent Of A Woman (1992)
  • See No Evil, Hear No Evil (1989)
  • Shattered (1991)
  • The Age of Adaline (2015)
  • The Dalton Girls (1957)
  • The Da Vinci Code (2006)
  • The French Connection (1971)
  • The Green Hornet (2011)
  • The Haunting in Connecticut 2: Ghosts of Georgia (2013)
  • The Indian in the Cupboard (1995)
  • The Ladykillers (2004)
  • The Men Who Stare At Goats (2009)
  • The Outsider (1980)
  • The Secret Life Of Bees (2008)
  • The Sixth Sense (1999)
  • The Sweetest Thing (2002)
  • The Towering Inferno (1974)
  • Two For The Money (2005)
  • Unbreakable (2000)
  • Vantage Point (2008)

May 5

  • Skyfall (2012)

May 7

  • The Boy From Medellín - Amazon Original Movie (2020)
  • Breach (2020)

May 9

  • Robot & Frank (2012)

May 13

  • Saint Maud (2020)

May 14

  • The Underground Railroad - Amazon Original Series: Season 1

May 19

  • Red Dawn (2012)
  • Trumbo (2015)

May 21

  • P!nk: All I Know So Far - Amazon Original Movie (2021)
  • Solos - Amazon Original Series: Limited Series

May 28

  • Panic - Amazon Original Series: Season 1
[poilib element="accentDivider"] David Griffin still watches DuckTales in his pajamas with a cereal bowl in hand. He's also the TV Editor for IGN. Say hi on Twitter.

Joe Exotic Series with Kate McKinnon Casts Its Tiger King

Kate McKinnon's Carole Baskin has met her match. John Cameron Mitchell has been cast opposite the SNL star as the infamous Joe "Exotic" Schreibvogel aka the Tiger King in an upcoming scripted series, per Variety. “I’m thrilled to take on the role of this modern folk antihero,” Mitchell said. “Joe and I are the same age and like him, I grew up queer in Texas, Oklahoma, and Kansas so I feel like I know a little bit about this guy and his desperate attempt to conquer an inhospitable world.” [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/04/01/tiger-king-whos-the-worst"] Mitchell is most well-known for co-creating and performing in the stage musical Hedwig and the Angry Inch. He also directed and starred in the film adaptation of the show. Mitchell has directed films like Rabbit Hole and How to Talk to Girls at Parties and has numerous TV acting credits such as Girls, Mozart in the Jungle, and Shrill. [caption id="attachment_2502518" align="alignnone" width="1920"]John Cameron Mitchell. John Cameron Mitchell.[/caption] The limited series, currently titled Joe Exotic, will air across NBC, Peacock, and USA Network. The story will focus on Baskin, a big cat advocate, as she attempts to shut down Joe Exotic's zoo operation. The real clash ended with Exotic serving a 22-year sentence for planning to have Baskin murdered. Exotic and Baskin's saga was covered in Netflix's hit documentary series Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem, and Madness, which reached over 30 million viewers in its first 10 days on the streamer. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=the-10-best-reviewed-shows-on-netflix-in-2020&captions=true"] Another scripted Tiger King series is in development at Amazon. Nicolas Cage is attached to play Joe Exotic. It will mark the actor's first regular television role should the project get ordered to series. In our review of Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem and Madness, IGN gave the docuseries an 8, calling it a "fascinating and repelling look inside a little-known circle." [poilib element="accentDivider"] J. Kim Murphy is a freelance entertainment writer. (Photo by Jenny Anderson/Getty Images)

New Cyberpunk 2077 Mods Make Unused Quests Playable

Cyberpunk 2077 modders have not only made certain unused quests playable, they have also been working on restoring the look of male and female V as they appeared in E3 demos and trailers. As reported by Eurogamer, one of the bigger finds is a group of gig quests called Cut Gigs Save Game. While these gigs aren't quite as polished as what is found in the main game, they are playable and even offer two car chases. Modder romulus_is_here even made a save-game mod that allows you to access them without messing around in debug mode. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2018/08/27/cyberpunk-2077-gameplay-demo"] Another group of modders has been focused on "restoring" the look of male and female V from E3 demos and trailers. The female V mod restores E3 mesh and textures found in the files "back to their glory," while the male V from almico was created by a combination of real and custom files. Modder KickingWriter and Wulfgaardian have even restored female E3 V's clothes, while modder Spookie has brought back the look of the E3 2018 samurai jacket. Spoilers ahead for Cyberpunk 2077's main story. Modders like Romulus have also used the Ghosts of Night City mod to find placeholders models for several characters from wider Cyberpunk 2077 lore that never made it into the main game outside a reference in files. One of these characters is named Garven Haakensen, who first appeared in the pen and paper RPG Cyberpunk 2020 as the deputy mayor of Night City. Haakensen is listed as appearing in a playable side quest featuring River Ward, but he seems to have not made the cut to the final release. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2021/04/01/cyberpunk-2077-ps4-ps5-xbox-series-xs-console-performance-review-patch-12"] Another notable character that is referenced in the files is Morgan Blackhand, who is the solo player character of Cyberpunk creator Mike Pondsmith for Cyberpunk 2020. In the files, Blackhand is included as an "obsolete" NPC in the Love Like Fire mission. This is the flashback mission where Johnny Silverhand and Rogue head to Arasaka Tower to plant a bomb. In the lore of Cyberpunk, Blackhand was part of this mission and even fought Adam Smasher on the top of the roof. It appears CD Projekt Red had considering adding him to the mission, but ended up not going forward with it. For more on Cyberpunk 2077, check out the recent patch that contained unreleased DLC quest files and read as to why the 1.2 patch is "a step" towards bringing the game back to the PlayStation Store. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2021/03/30/cyberpunk-2077-update-12-the-biggest-changes-and-updates"] [poilib element="accentDivider"] Have a tip for us? Want to discuss a possible story? Please send an email to newstips@ign.com. Adam Bankhurst is a news writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @AdamBankhurst and on Twitch.

New Cyberpunk 2077 Mods Make Unused Quests Playable

Cyberpunk 2077 modders have not only made certain unused quests playable, they have also been working on restoring the look of male and female V as they appeared in E3 demos and trailers. As reported by Eurogamer, one of the bigger finds is a group of gig quests called Cut Gigs Save Game. While these gigs aren't quite as polished as what is found in the main game, they are playable and even offer two car chases. Modder romulus_is_here even made a save-game mod that allows you to access them without messing around in debug mode. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2018/08/27/cyberpunk-2077-gameplay-demo"] Another group of modders has been focused on "restoring" the look of male and female V from E3 demos and trailers. The female V mod restores E3 mesh and textures found in the files "back to their glory," while the male V from almico was created by a combination of real and custom files. Modder KickingWriter and Wulfgaardian have even restored female E3 V's clothes, while modder Spookie has brought back the look of the E3 2018 samurai jacket. Spoilers ahead for Cyberpunk 2077's main story. Modders like Romulus have also used the Ghosts of Night City mod to find placeholders models for several characters from wider Cyberpunk 2077 lore that never made it into the main game outside a reference in files. One of these characters is named Garven Haakensen, who first appeared in the pen and paper RPG Cyberpunk 2020 as the deputy mayor of Night City. Haakensen is listed as appearing in a playable side quest featuring River Ward, but he seems to have not made the cut to the final release. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2021/04/01/cyberpunk-2077-ps4-ps5-xbox-series-xs-console-performance-review-patch-12"] Another notable character that is referenced in the files is Morgan Blackhand, who is the solo player character of Cyberpunk creator Mike Pondsmith for Cyberpunk 2020. In the files, Blackhand is included as an "obsolete" NPC in the Love Like Fire mission. This is the flashback mission where Johnny Silverhand and Rogue head to Arasaka Tower to plant a bomb. In the lore of Cyberpunk, Blackhand was part of this mission and even fought Adam Smasher on the top of the roof. It appears CD Projekt Red had considering adding him to the mission, but ended up not going forward with it. For more on Cyberpunk 2077, check out the recent patch that contained unreleased DLC quest files and read as to why the 1.2 patch is "a step" towards bringing the game back to the PlayStation Store. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2021/03/30/cyberpunk-2077-update-12-the-biggest-changes-and-updates"] [poilib element="accentDivider"] Have a tip for us? Want to discuss a possible story? Please send an email to newstips@ign.com. Adam Bankhurst is a news writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @AdamBankhurst and on Twitch.

Mad Max: Furiosa Will Be Structured Very Differently Than Fury Road

Nearly six years after its release, director George Miller is preparing to shoot a prequel to Mad Max: Fury Road with Anya Taylor-Joy playing a younger version of Furiosa, the role originated by Charlize Theron in the 2015 blockbuster. While Fury Road was structured as a prolonged car chase, Miller has teased that its prequel will take on a very different structure. "Whereas Fury Road essentially happened over three days and two nights, this happens over many years," Miller told The Sydney Morning Herald. "You try to make films that are 'uniquely familiar...' This will be familiar to those people who know Mad Max, and in particular Fury Road, but also it will be unique." [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/07/07/mad-max-charlize-theron-on-heartbreaking-recasting-of-furiosa"] New South Wales Premier Gladys Berejiklian stated that the upcoming production will be "the largest film ever to be filmed" in the state during an announcement event held alongside Miller, producer Doug Mitchell, and star Chris Hemsworth. Furiosa will bring around $350 million and 850 jobs into New South Wales' economy. Hemsworth expressed his excitement at joining the iconic Australian action series. "It's a huge honor," he said. "A lot of pressure but exciting pressure that is certainly motivating." Along with Taylor-Joy and Hemsworth, Aquaman's Yahya Abdul-Mateen II has also been cast in the Furiosa prequel. While Warner Bros. has decided to release its 2021 theatrical slate simultaneously on HBO Max, Miller conveyed his eagerness to watch his upcoming movie on a big screen, saying "this is a story that I can't wait to see in a cinema." Miller expressed interest in making a Furiosa movie as early as 2016. "Her backstory is pretty interesting, we only allude to it in [Fury Road]," Miller said. "You have a sense of her having gone through stuff, that's what the movie is trying to do. You know, you're trying to put a lot of iceberg under the tip, I like saying." [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=the-best-movies-of-the-decade-2010-2019&captions=true"] Meanwhile, Miller is currently in the middle of post-production on his next film Three Thousand Years of Longing, a romance starring Idris Elba and Tilda Swinton. Miller plans to shoot the Furiosa prequel after completing the project. Warner Bros. Pictures has set Furiosa to release in theaters on June 23, 2023. In our review of Mad Max: Fury Road, IGN gave the film a 9.2, calling it "one of a kind... a thing of beautiful brutality." [poilib element="accentDivider"] J. Kim Murphy is a freelance entertainment writer.