WIRE Buzz: The Falcon and The Winter Soldier filming; Books of Blood film in development; more

First up in this TV and streaming service development-centric edition of SYFY’s WIRE Buzz, just after it was announced that Marvel Studios has no plans to slow down its cinematic output, it’s been revealed that filming for The Falcon and The Winter Soldier has begun. Executive producer Malcolm Spellman took to social media on Thursday to let it be known that production is underway for the Marvel Cinematic Universe-based spinoff miniseries for Disney+.  

“Day 1,” Spellman wrote underneath pictures of his on-set chair via his Instagram account. “Craaazy to see it come to life. Marvel ain’t allowing photos from set right now but this a huge day for a lot of people including me.”

The Falcon and the Winter Soldier follows the further adventures of Sam Wilson, aka The Falcon (Anthony Mackie) and Bucky Barnes/The Winter Soldier (Sebastian Stan) after the events of Avengers: Endgame. In addition to Mackie and Stan, the cast includes Emily VanCamp (Sharon Carter), Wyatt Russell (John Walker), and Daniel Bruhl (Helmut/Baron Zemo).

The six-episode miniseries premieres in the fall of 2020. 

Up next, Books of Blood, a six-volume collection of horror stories by Clive Barker (Hellraiser), is getting made into a feature film for Hulu, Variety has reported. 

Star Trek franchise producer Brannon Braga will co-write, executive produce, and direct the film for the streaming service, making it his feature directorial debut. Braga has directed episodes of the shows Salem, Cosmos, and The Orville, the latter of which he is currently an executive producer. Seth MacFarlane of Family Guy and The Orville fame will also produce. 

In the upcoming film, Anna Friel plays Mary, a psychologist and famed fame skeptic/supernatural debunker who loses her seven-year-old son to leukemia. Her skepticism is put to the test when she meets Simon (Rafi Gavron), a charismatic young man who claims he is a “ghost whisperer” who speaks for her dead child.

Meanwhile, Britt Robertson plays Jenna, a hypersensitive girl who suffers from misphonia (an abhorrence of sound). As she learns her mother is about to send her back to the “Farm” (whatever that is, though it doesn’t sound good), she steals her mother’s cash and sets out for Los Angeles.

Yul Vazquez plays Bennett, a professional killer whose latest hit clues him in on a priceless book that may allow him and his wife to permanently retire. Of course, since we’re in Clive Barkerville, his quest for the tome leads him straight into supernatural terror.

And just like The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, Books of Blood is also expected to debut in fall 2020. So watch out, Sam and Bucky!

And finally, Lionsgate and Playground Entertainment have optioned the rights to develop Tamora Pierce’s Tortall Universe 22-book series into a TV show, Deadline has revealed. 

The Tortall Universe series, which explores such themes as feminism, LGBQT, love, lust, coming of age, diversity and class relations, is set in a kingdom within a medieval fantasy realm where only few people possess magical powers. The kingdom of Tortall is surrounded by military dangers from its neighbors, so there’s always a risk of conflict. Fortunately, Tortall is home to an assortment of heroes, many of them who happen to be young girls.

“Not only am I over the moon that the Tortall books will be adapted by Playground, but I know my fans will be ecstatic,” said Pierce in a statement issued to the media outlet.

The producers are currently in discussions with potential showrunners for the show.