Update:
Shortly after rumors about Kenneth Branagh adapting the classic animated series Gargoyles to the silver screen took flight, writer Greg Weisman is out here clipping wings, saying the story is false. Many credit Weisman as the creator of Gargoyles, lending more weight to his word than a group of stone-encased protectors of New York City.
“I’m thinking… that it’s flat-out not true,” Weisman tweeted hours after the rumor spread like wildfire on Monday.
“Gargoyles is still my baby. I don’t own it. I don’t get a dime off of it being on Disney Plus. And yet I’m so thrilled that it is, I’m thrilled that it represents a chance — even if it’s a slim chance — to bring it back,” Weisman previously said to Polygon. “I’ve always wanted to do more. I’ve got a timeline for the show that’s 315 pages long. I’ve got notebooks and comp books full of ideas for it. Spinoff notions and all sorts of things. Literally nothing would make me happier than to go back and do more Gargoyles.”
Weisman hopes his new Gargoyles comic series at Dynamite will stoke the flames of interest for a revival, but seeing as Gargoyles is considered “the old guard” by Disney execs, he’s not holding his breath. Still, Weisman takes a “never say never” approach to the possibility of Gargoyles shedding their stone again to protect New York City. Here’s hoping Weisman and fans get their wish.
Original Article:
I can’t say I saw this one coming — According to the Belfast Telegraph, Kenneth Branagh is set to direct a live-action Gargoyles movie based on the classic ’90s animated series.
The animated Gargoyles series followed a group of nocturnal creatures known as gargoyles who turn to stone during the day. They originally lived in medieval Scotland but were betrayed and cursed to remain frozen in stone until the castle “rises above the clouds.” After being transported to modern-day New York City, they are reawakened and serve as the city’s night-time protectors. The animated series was known for its dark tone and complex story arcs, which was surprising as it was produced by Disney. Gargoyles aired for three seasons before it was cancelled, but it quickly developed a passionate fan following who have kept the series alive for the last three decades.
There have been rumblings of a live-action Gargoyles movie since the animated series began. Jordan Peele reportedly pitched a Gargoyles movie to Disney in 2018, but nothing ever came of it. As far as Kenneth Branagh taking the helm, we’ll have to wait for more information, but the director has made plenty of movies for Disney, including Cinderella, Thor, and the Hercule Poirot franchise (which started at 20th Century Fox).
Speaking of Poirot, Kenneth Branagh will be following Murder on the Orient Express and Death on the Nile with A Haunting in Venice. The sequel takes place in post-WWII Venice on All Hallows’ Eve and finds Hercule Poirot now retired and living in self-imposed exile in the world’s most glamorous city. Reluctantly attending a séance at a decaying, haunting palazzo, the celebrating detective is thrust into a sinister world of shadows and secrets when one of the guests is murdered. In addition to Branagh, the film stars Kyle Allen, Camille Cottin, Jamie Dornan, Tina Fey, Jude Hill, Ali Khan, Emma Laird, Kelly Reilly, Riccardo Scamarcio, and Michelle Yeoh. A Haunting in Venice will hit theaters on September 15th.
What would you hope to see in a live-action Gargoyles movie?