Chris Hemsworth Recalls Joss Whedon's Fury When The Avengers Kept Screwing Up A Take

Chris Hemsworth Recalls Joss Whedon's Fury When The Avengers Kept Screwing Up A Take

Chris Hemsworth has been a part of the MCU as Thor since 2011, and while he's surely had a lot of fun in his solo romps, the actor claimed his favorite on-set moment happened with the rest of his friends in The Avengers original six. Hemsworth recalled a time he was attempting to film a scene with the rest of his co-stars, but all they were succeeding in was awakening director Joss Whedon's fury.

I think it was on Avengers 1 or 2 where it was the original six trying to get -- where we had one line each in the scene, pretty simple thing, and we just couldn't get it together. We just kept cracking up and laughing. And then Joss Whedon, who was directing, was just exhausted and was just getting angrier and angrier. But the angrier he got, the funnier it got. It was like being back in high school. It was one of those moments where you're like, nothing's changed. No matter what age you're at or what point of life, there's that inherent quality to when you're not supposed to laugh, you laugh even more.

Chris Hemsworth couldn't remember the exact movie or scene -- whether from The Avengers or Avengers: Age of Ultron -- but apparently Joss Whedon's anger and the humor from it has stuck with him for quite a long time. It must've been quite a moment if it overshadowed some of the hilarity that had to have taken place on Taika Waititi's set on Thor: Ragnarok, although it's completely understandable. Who can deny that one of the times it's hardest not to laugh is when you're in a situation where you explicitly shouldn't?

Even if he pissed off Joss Whedon with his castmates a time or two in the past, Chris Hemsworth says he has no regrets about his ride thus far. The actor told MTV he wouldn't change a thing about his time in the MCU even if he could, and mentioned he feared if he did it would alter the course that it's presently on.

Not to be a conspiracy theorist, but Chris Hemsworth talking about time travel and implications of changing the future of the MCU could point to him spending too much time on the Avengers: Endgame set. After all, time travel has been speculated and teased to play a decent role in the plot, and it was a weird way to answer a question when time travel doesn't ultimately exist.

Conspiracy theories aside, it sounds like Chris Hemsworth has a lot of laughs and love for his time spent in the MCU. Whether that will be enough to keep him in the world following Avengers: Endgame is another question, as we're still not sure what Thor's fate will be in the movie. Hemsworth is also not officially on board for any future Thor films, although has hinted he'd be up for returning.

We'll see if Thor has an opportunity to have more adventures following Avengers: Endgame, which is in theaters Friday, April 26. Keep with CinemaBlend in the meantime for more updates in the MCU and an idea of what's to come after.

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Watching Rocketman Makes Elton John’s Husband Want To ‘Give Him A Hug’

Watching Rocketman Makes Elton John’s Husband Want To ‘Give Him A Hug’

Biopics can be a difficult business. Real life stories can often be the most satisfying, but it isn't always easy when it comes to dealing with the rougher elements of somebody's life. Elton John very much lived a rock and roll life and as such has many of those darker elements in his past. For John Furnish, Elton John's husband, it was especially difficult for him to be on set when the new movie Rocketman was filming some of those rough moments, as he saw the man he loved going through a very tough time. According to Furnish...

Elton John is somebody that I think I know incredibly well, but then also it’s like watching a film about somebody you don’t know at all. The Elton in all that madness is not the Elton I know. At times, he’s a bit of a monster and also, deeply unhappy. That’s hard. Many times as I watched the film, I wanted to go and give him a hug, like I could help him. I thought, ‘God, you’ve been through a lot.’

Elton John and John Furnish have been together for 26 years according to Variety, but that means that the events of Rocketman all, or at least largely, take place prior to Furnish having met the singer/songwriter. One can only imagine how unusual it must be to see the person you love at a time before you knew them. In most cases that person might be largely unrecognizable.

Based on the trailer for Rocketman we see that the film will deal with the way that the singer lived life to excess in the days of his early success. Furnish admits that Elton John is a "monster" to some degree here. Of course, he doesn't see that person now.

From John Furnish's comments one gets the distinct impression that the version of Elton John's story we're going to get in Rocketman is fairly true to life. It's been difficult to tell just how much of the film will be a true biopic and how much will simply be an Elton John rock opera. The movie itself refers to the production as a fantasy, implying the events won't necessarily be based on reality, but perhaps that's not quite the case.

Rocketman comes on the heels of Bohemian Rhapsody, which was partially directed by Dexter Fletcher who also helmed Rocketman. It was a fun time with lots of great music but it told a story that failed to add any depth to it's characters or story. It feels like Rocketman is largely going to take the same approach, but maybe these elements being mentioned here are an indication that there will be a little something more.

We'll find out for certain when Taron Egerton plays Elton John in Rocketman beginning May 31.

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How The Men in Black Universe Could Grow, According To Its Producer

How The Men in Black Universe Could Grow, According To Its Producer

When Men In Black International opens later this summer, it will be the first time that the lead agents aren’t played by Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones. The idea behind MiB always seemed bigger than the one that carried three movies, but it wasn’t until Tessa Thompson and Chris Hemsworth slipped into the tuxedos for director F. Gary Gray that he producers began thinking of ways to expand this fascinating universe.

The bulk of the early Men In Black movies took place in New York City. The franchise will branch out globally in Men In Black International, with Tessa Thompson’s agent heading to London to team with Hemsworth’s alien tracker. We have been filing reports from the UK set of the upcoming blockbuster, but it was during a conversation with longtime producer Walter Parkes that he said the creative team has its eye on the future. Parkes told CinemaBlend:

We imply that we have [headquarters in] other places and in prior drafts of the script we did [see them. But in terms of effective storytelling, we just didn’t find a way to come about that. But, if the film’s successful, we’ll certainly be going to new headquarters throughout the world.

There’s no way that a secret organization tasked with exploring and containing alien activity could or should be contained to New York City. Naturally, one way to increase the scope of your story is to expand out to new international cities. This inspires storytellers to come up with new creatures that match the cities in which you want to set your action. Think about action sequences in Egypt at the Pyramids, or along the Great Wall of China. The possibilities are endless.

The way that Walter Parkes phrased it, Men In Black International is benefitting from the current evolution of franchise storytelling, which wasn’t nearly as powerful or cohesive when the first few Men In Black movies were happening. He went on to say:

What you say about the expansion of the cinematic universe is absolutely true. I think that’s one of the most exciting things about the last 15 years that these big [franchises] exist. And what excites me is that it’s expansion -- not so much in other movies, but in other media. You know, there’s digital expressions of this, and VR expressions of this... So I think you can build out the universe, even around this movie. And I think that’s very much what modern franchises do.

That’s a very exciting premise. Who wouldn’t want to play a Men In Black VR game, or interact with the series on social media in original ways? The possibilities are unlimited, so long as you were eager to get creative.

The latest trailer for F. Gary Gray’s Men In Black International certainly looks plenty creative:

And we will see if the new movie makes enough for the cast and crew to continue telling stories in this universe for years to come. The new movie drops on June 14. Are you planning on checking it out?

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Early Detective Pikachu Reviews Are In, Here's How It's Doing On Rotten Tomatoes

Early Detective Pikachu Reviews Are In, Here's How It's Doing On Rotten Tomatoes

Pokemon is about to make its debut for a mass audience when the first live-action film in the franchise, Detective Pikachu, debuts next week. A handful of critics have already seen the movie, and their reviews are now online. So far, the new film is doing pretty well, while the movie only has 32 reviews as of this writing, the majority of them are positive, as Rotten Tomatoes currently has the film with a solid 75% positive score.

The movie has actually seen something of a boost in the last few hours. When Detective Pikachu first had enough reviews posted on Rotten Tomatoes to calculate a score, it had a 67% score after 21 reviews. Since then, 11 additional reviews have come in, and they've clearly been more positive.

Having said that, the movie has an average rating of 6.26 out of 10, which means that while most of the reviews may think the movie is good, they're not necessarily glowing.

While most seem to be in agreement that Detective Pikachu as a character is adorable as hell, and that the digital effects are impressive, It seems the story might be a bit disjointed and convoluted.

It's certainly going to be interesting to see just how Detective Pikachu does at the box office. The size and passion of the Pokemon fan base cannot be understated. Pokemon is a huge brand globally and it seems to be almost a certainty that overseas this movie is going to do serious business.

Domestically, things might be a little different. If you're not an expert on the hundreds of types of Pokemon that exist, will Detective Pikachu still work? Some of the critics seem to indicate thew answer is no, and as such there's a segment of the potential audience for whom lukewarm reviews might be enough to keep them home.

Still, Ryan Reynolds is incredibly popular and while Pikachiu might not be Deadpool, trailers indicate Reynolds is bringing a very similar style of (more family friendly) humor that could bring in a larger audience.

For those that have been waiting their entire lives for a live-action Pokemon movie, however, this film is almost certainly "critic proof." The only question is just how big that fan base is. Box office estimates currently have the movie looking at a domestic opening weekend of $82 million. In absolute numbers, that's a solid effort, even if it still might mean coming in second to the third weekend of Avengers: Endgame, which is currently still a possibility.

Certainly, there are going to be a lot more critics that are going to be seeing Detective Pikachu before it hits theaters next Friday, and considering how the Rotten Tomatoes score jumped significantly with only 11 reviews, it has the potential to do the same, and in either direction, after many more people file their opinions.

Detective Pikachu hits theaters May 10.

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New Star Wars: The Rise Of Skywalker Rumor Claims Billie Lourd Is Carrie Fisher's Stand-In

New Star Wars: The Rise Of Skywalker Rumor Claims Billie Lourd Is Carrie Fisher's Stand-In

Following her tragic death, there was a question of what Carrie Fisher’s passing meant for her character Leia Organa in the next Star Wars film. Lucasfilm eventually made it clear that the role would not be recast, nor would Leia be a CGI creation, as she was in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. Instead Leia’s story would be concluded using unused footage from Star Wars: The Force Awakens and Star Wars: The Last Jedi.

But that may not be the only way Leia returns in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. That’s because a new rumor claims that Carrie Fisher’s daughter Billie Lourd, who also plays Lieutenant Kaydel Ko Connix in the sequel trilogy, may be a stand-in for the late actress in December’s concluding chapter of the Skywalker Saga.

However, this rumor goes beyond just Billie Lourd playing her mom’s stand-in in the film. This is firmly in the realm of rumor and speculation at the moment but, if true, it could constitute a spoiler, so proceed with caution.

According to MakingStarWars.net, sources have claimed that although Carrie Fisher’s General Leia was never recast for Star Wars: Episode IX, Princess Leia was, and Billie Lourd will be the stand-in for Carrie Fisher’s Princess Leia in scenes that will be brought to life with the help of CGI.

The General/Princess Leia thing might seem like an odd distinction, but it tracks with other rumblings that would support the need for a Princess Leia stand-in. MakingStarWars.net’s Jason Ward has heard that there is a flashback sequence in The Rise of Skywalker involving Luke Skywalker and Princess Leia post-Return of the Jedi.

In this sequence, Anakin Skywalker’s progeny are having a pivotal conversation that could supposedly change our perspective on the characters and events in the trilogy. The speculation is that this conversation pertains to some sort of premonition and that it influences Leia’s choice not to pursue becoming a Jedi.

The existence of such a scene would necessitate Leia be brought to life in a different way, assuming Carrie Fisher didn’t film footage for a young Princess Leia prior to her death. So in this instance, Billie Lourd could either be actually playing Princess Leia in a flashback or acting as a stand-in for a scene that will be created using CGI.

There would be precedent for this too. In Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, actress Ingvild Deila played young Princess Leia and was made to look like Carrie Fisher thanks to CGI. So a similar approach could be taken here, only Carrie Fisher’s daughter would be the one rocking the hair buns.

If this rumor proves true, it would also mean that someone would have to play a young Luke Skywalker. Perhaps they could just use the increasingly more impressive de-aging technology on Mark Hamill or, if they’re recasting Princess Leia with Billie Lourd, why not call in Sebastian Stan to play young Luke.

The story implications of such a flashback are quite compelling but, just on a surface level, this rumor about Billie Lourd acting as a stand-in in some fashion for Carrie Fisher is cool. While using a CGI General Leia or recasting would be perilous, this would be a way to add more to Leia’s story beyond what the unused footage contains to help close out her arc, while also honoring the actress by allowing her daughter to act as her stand-in.

There were previous rumors that Billie Lourd was going to play a young Leia in both The Force Awakens and The Last Jedi, so this may again prove false, but seeing Princess Leia again would be a nice way to close out this saga. And while she didn’t spill any details, Billie Lourd certainly sounds excited about Episode IX.

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker blasts into theaters on December 20. You can see Billie Lourd onscreen before then when Booksmart opens on May 24. Check out our 2019 Release Schedule to keep track of all this year’s biggest movies.

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Hellboy’s Milla Jovovich Says Her ‘Raddest Films’ Are Always Panned By Critics

Hellboy’s Milla Jovovich Says Her ‘Raddest Films’ Are Always Panned By Critics

The box office numbers are in and the Hellboy r-rated remake didn’t win the box office. In fact, it didn’t even get second on its opening weekend. Instead, it landed in third place, so far only pulling in a little over $12 million at the box office on a reported $50 million budget.

It doesn’t look great for the superhero reboot, but Hellboy definitely has one person championing it: actress Milla Jovovich, who plays Nimue in the film.

In fact, the actress actually seems to be actively trying to stay pumped about Hellboy’s first weekend box office total. That’s because all of her “raddest films” really haven’t ignited at the box office. Or, as she put it,

It’s always stressful on opening weekend and Hellboy is no different. You work super hard to make something fun and entertaining and have to absorb the negative reviews by movie critics, but hey! THAT’S SHOWBIZ BABY. All I’m gonna say before going to bed is this: All my raddest films have been slammed by critics. It’s fucking hilarious.

As the actress notes, when you’re well known for movies that never really made a dent in the theatrical box office total, you get pretty inured to the showbiz cycle. In Milla Jovovich’s case, box office really hasn’t had much to do with the successes in her career.

She’s made a name for herself in projects like The Fifth Element and Resident Evil – both movies that made like $17 million on their respective opening weekends but went on to become cult favorites.

She continued to talk about these cult movies on Instagram, noting,

Dazed and Confused? Seriously? Classic movie. The Fifth Element! You would have thought that was the worst movie ever made if you read the reviews in like ‘98. Zoolander? Slammed. Joan of Arc? Disaster. Resident Evil? Let’s not even go there. Anyway, every one of those films is now a cult classic. EVERY. SINGLE. ONE. And this will be too. Mark my words.

The good news for Hellboy is that even though critics do not seem to be loving the movie, the audience score for the flick is a little more on board. Hellboy does seem to have some fans out there and perhaps those fans will translate into fonder remembrances down the line.

Honestly, it was always a little confusing why Lionsgate wanted to release Hellboy in April. It seemed primed to be more of a late summer/ early fall title. Plus, April is jam-packed with superhero content. Sandwiching the R-rated movie between the PG-13 Shazam! and the PG-13 Avengers: Endgame may have seemed like counterprogramming, but to me it seemed like packing too much in. We wrote a comprehensive piece about this a couple of months ago here at CinemaBlend, although my coworker argued the movie should come out over the summer and not next fall. Either way, here we are.

Although I typically see myriad movies every month, most people don’t see three movies a year, much less three in one month and even fewer go see three superhero movies in a month! Movie also lose traction the longer they are in theaters, so it’s difficult to see where this one will earn its budget back unless it does become a cult favorite, as Milla Jovovich has suggested here.

Only time will tell if Hellboy lands closer to something like The Shadow in the superhero spectrum or ends up being a film that goes gently into the good night. We’ll keep you updated either way.

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To 3D Or Not To 3D: Buy The Right Wonder Park Ticket

To 3D Or Not To 3D: Buy The Right Wonder Park Ticket

The days are getting longer, the weather is getting nicer, and it's almost time for that age-old tradition of strapping oneself inside a metal roller coaster and defying gravity for fun! However, you might not have a local theme park open for the season, depending on where you hail from, so a movie like Wonder Park could be the thrill ride fix you need, mixed in with a family drama about the power of imagination. But, of course, there's something else we have to wonder about with this particular film. Yes, it's time to ask that beautiful question, “To 3D, or Not To 3D?”

If you're wondering what we thought about Wonder Park as a movie, head over to our official review for the full scoop. But if you're wondering whether the film is worth the extra ticket money, or if you'd be better off throwing that money towards a box of popcorn at your local theme park, you've come to the right place. Glasses on, as we're about to ride the 3D attraction that is Wonder Park.

Wonder Park, at its heart, is a film about a young girl's imagination, and the theme park it inspires. So that alone would be a pretty big treat in 3D, especially during the theme park sequences in the film. But Wonder Park isn't content with just showing off impressive attractions with 3D panache, as it takes both the real and imaginary worlds of its protagonist and does a pretty bang up job of finding something to surprise the eye with in both.

Looking at the finished product of Wonder Park's 3D conversion, it's a clear verdict in how much time and effort was put into the execution of this enhanced version of the film. The overall package is crisp and eye pleasing, with none of the defects that crop up in some lesser 3D presentations. While there's still some holding back with the film's visuals, it's not to the extent that the film suffers from it.

There are a couple of key shots in Wonder Park that show the perfect example of a self-imposed limitation when it comes to the 3D presentation. Those shots have objects like ice cream cones and other debris from the various adventures the film engages in hitting an invisible camera lens / glass wall and bouncing back into the picture. While those little touches are kinda fun, and definitely play with the visual fourth wall, they cause the film to stop short of any sort of thrills involving the objects in play flying out towards the audience.

While objects may not fly out of the screen, and into the audience's laps, Wonder Park does happen to boast some of the best depth in a 3D animated film. And that's besides the standard shots flying through roller coaster loops and the far off vistas of Wonderland being shown in fantastic depth and clarity. This film goes the extra mile, and includes impressive panning shots of crowds occupying the park that are so well drawn, you can feel each individual guest standing in front of you. It actually feels like a crowd shot, and not just a background effect, which is the ultimate cherry on top of this visual sundae.

There are a lot of beautiful colors and night shots at work in Wonder Park, which are both the types of aspects that get lost in a film with sub-par brightness. Now your mileage may vary when it comes to the brightness of your Wonder Park showing, as theaters maintain their projection rigs to varying degrees. That fact alone throws in a variable that can't always be accounted for. But in this screening of Wonder Park, there was only a slight dimming between putting the 3D glasses on and taking them off at various points in the film. The colors still look beautiful, and the night shots aren't a pain to look at.

Speaking of taking your glasses off, if you're tempted to remove your glasses during any point of Wonder Park, you'll see that classic blur that is a significant part of any good 3D film's visual language. The level of blur you experience in a movie such as this usually indicates how well the 3D effects are being manipulated in service of the thrills portrayed on screen. In the case of Wonder Park, there is a beautiful spectrum of blurred vision, from the extremely blurred backgrounds to the subtle blur of close up shots with characters and objects they're interacting with.

As with any good theme park, there's a lot of fast motion, with spirals, dips, and whipping around in the visuals of Wonder Park. But don't get intimidated by that, as it all flows smoothly, and with great precision. Rather than confuse your eyes, or your stomach, the 3D thrills in this film will not rattle either into a sense of discomfort. So if you decide to take this ride, you won't have to keep a waste bag or eye drops handy, as you'll be able to enjoy Wonder Park with no discomfort whatsoever.

Wonder Park is a stunning film to look at, with the 3D aspect making things only that much more interesting. If you're going to see this movie, you're getting the best return on your hard earned ticket money by seeing it with the added bells and whistles. There's extra wonder in Wonder Park's 3D conversion, and you owe it to yourself to experience every bit of it.

Be sure to visit our full To 3D Or Not To 3D Archive.

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This Rotten Week: Predicting Shazam!, Pet Sematary, And The Best Of Enemies Reviews

This Rotten Week: Predicting Shazam!, Pet Sematary, And The Best Of Enemies Reviews

As we make our way into the fourth month of the year, we have a wide variety of features going into wide release. This week we have another big superhero blockbuster, terrifying burial ground, and a civil rights story. Get ready for Shazam!, Pet Sematary, and The Best Of Enemies.

Just remember, I'm not reviewing these movies, but rather predicting where they'll end up on the Tomatometer. Let's take a look at This Rotten Week has to offer.

Most superhero stories are geared toward a young man’s fantasy. Get super powers, overcome obstacles, save the world. It’s a pretty standard formula. And then sometimes you get a story in which the hero IS a kid who can transform into an adult with the super powers. That’s the fantasy cranked up another notch. Such is the case with Shazam! in which young Billy Batson must merely yell out the titular word and become a Superman-like hero. How he explores these new powers (with all of their ups and downs) is the theme of this latest addition to the DC Universe. It looks pretty great.

After stumbling out of the gate, the DC Universe is making something of a comeback. Three of their last four movies - Wonder Woman (93%), Aquaman (65%) and now Shazam! - have scored well with critics. Only the absolute mess of Justice League (40%) sandwiched in there was a stumbling block. Critics are really taking to this latest offering, appreciating the candid nature of the story and the fun-loving tone.

Don’t let the comical misspelling of “Cemetery” fool you. There’s nothing funny about Stephen King’s story of an ancient burial ground that can revive the dead and turn the reanimated bodies into all-encompassing evil. Such is the case with Pet Sematary, in which the Creed family makes the bad mistake of buying a new house that just happens to have serious evil in the backyard.

Stephen King’s classics still hold up as horror fare, evidenced by the remake of IT (85%) two years ago. His storytelling and high concept plots translate well to the big screen and this latest fits the bill as well. Early sentiments are overwhelmingly positive with the Tomatometer sitting at 85% through more than 40 reviews. I don't think it drops all that much over the course of the week but it will just a bit. Pet Sematary looks creepy as hell and critics seem to enjoy the ride.

Based on a true story, Best of Enemies centers around the desegregation movement and the relationship between a Ku Klux Klan leader and an African-American civil rights activist - clashing over a local school system in the early 1970s. From an historical perspective, this flick looks like it hits all of the right notes without ever getting into the nitty-gritty. My fear with this kind of film is, in an effort to make it mass appeal to a large audience, the tone becomes more comedic/melodramatic rather than what was found in reality.

I don't think it looks bad, but rather a movie that doesn't really want to offend anyone. And I think the critics see it for that and the score doesn't quite get to "Fresh" status.

The Rotten Watch went one for two last week with The Beach Bum (Predicted: 47% Actual: 52%) falling within my range of succes. Harmony Korine’s story of Matthew McConaughey doing something like a career-achievement role as a stoner author living through a psychedelic background didn't land with the whole crowd. Moondog and his exploits weren't for everyone, and critics were basically split it right down the middle.

Coming in with some rather high expectations, Dumbo (Predicted: 67% Actual: 50%) ended up being a disappointment for Tim Burton and company. Despite the hype around the live action remake, critics weren't over the moon with the result, mostly agreeing it was a big time missed opportunity considering the source material. It finished right down the middle with both the positive and negative reviews carrying mostly the same theme. Most say it was underwhelming across the board.

Next time around we’ve got After, Hellboy, Little and Missing Link. It’s gonna be a Rotten Week!

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DC's Super Pets Movie Has Been Pushed Back

DC's Super Pets Movie Has Been Pushed Back

Early this year, Warner Bros. planted its flag on the calendar, setting release dates for a few of its upcoming DC films, including Matt Reeves’ The Batman, James Gunn’s The Suicide Squad soft reboot and the newly-announced animated movie DC Super Pets. The latter of those films was set for release on May 21, 2021 but has now been pushed all the way back into the following year.

Warner Bros. has pushed its DC Super Pets movie back an entire year and the movie about the crime-fighting pets of DC’s biggest superheroes will now release on May 22, 2022 according to Deadline. No specific reason has been given as of yet to why DC Super Pets has been pushed back so far.

Earlier this week, on the heels of John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum’s successful box office debut, John Wick: Chapter 4 was announced and slated for release on May 21, 2021. That would have had it opening the same weekend as DC Super Pets, although I doubt that was the reason for the move. There may be some small overlap, but in general an animated kids movie and an R-rated action film aren’t competing for the same audience.

DC Super Pets now lands in a 2022 calendar that is largely populated by untitled films from the various studios and franchises. The dates have been claimed, but we don’t know what will be coming out on them as of yet. But we can now look forward, way forward, to seeing something quite different from DC in the form of DC Super Pets in three years time.

It's worth clarifying that DC Super Pets, from directors Jared Stern and Sam Levine, is not based on the Capstone Publishing line of the same name, though there could be some similarities. That imprint followed the crime-fighting adventures of the pets of DC characters like Batman, Superman and Wonder Woman. Among the furry heroes were Superman’s Krypto the Super-Dog, Batman’s Ace the Bat-Hound, Wonder Woman’s kangaroo Jumpa, Aquaman’s seahorse Storm and the space squirrel and Green Lantern B’dg.

From 2012-2013, a series of animated shorts based on the characters aired on Cartoon Network’s DC Nation block. It will be interesting to see how this DC Super Pets movie compares to the previous comics and animated shorts, but feel free to check out a clip of DC Super Pets from Cartoon Network below to see what the previous onscreen incarnation was like.

While we all love cohesive cinematic universes like the MCU, it is exciting that something as obscure and silly and fun as DC Super Pets is going to eventually make its way to the big screen. Last year’s big screen DC animated film, Teen Titans Go! To The Movies only made $52 million. But its budget was only $10 million and it gave audiences, especially the younger ones, something different from the standard superhero blockbuster.

Hopefully DC Super Pets can continue that trend and like Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, give us some variety in our cinematic superhero adventures.

DC Super Pets may be delayed until 2022, but 2021 still has two huge DC movies with The Batman on June 25 and The Suicide Squad on August 6. That’s all a long way off though so check out our 2019 Release Schedule for movies you can see this year.

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Why Didn't Anyone Go See Missing Link?

Why Didn't Anyone Go See Missing Link?

There's all this talk about Hellboy under-performing in its opening weekend -- the hellish, going up in flames jokes write themselves -- taking third place below both Shazam! and Little. But Missing Link would've been happy with such a finish. Instead, it opened in 9th place, even after playing on more screens than fellow newcomers Hellboy, Little, and After.

Missing Link only made $5.8 million in its opening weekend at the domestic box office. That's the lowest opening yet for Laika. The stop-motion animated adventure -- starring the voice talents of Hugh Jackman, Zach Galifianakis, and Zoe Saldana -- had been tracking for $8 million-$12 million, per THR. That's still not a wow, but this is worse.

So what happened?

Sometimes you can look to reviews. But not this time. Hellboy, After, and Little were all trounced by critics, with 15%, 13%, and 49% respective Rotten Tomatoes scores. Missing Link, on the other hand, has an 89% RT score with a still positive 74% audience score. Missing Link also earned a B+ CinemaScore from moviegoers polled opening night. That's the same score as Little, and higher than After's B and Hellboy's C.

So it wasn't bad reviews, which was probably a factor in turning people away from Hellboy. With Missing Link, I'd wager lack of publicity was a factor. I may not have been the target audience, but I saw very few ads for this movie. Then again, I could say the same for the romantic drama After, which opened above Missing Link with $6.2 million from 2,138 screens. That's a thousand fewer screens than Missing Link, which opened in 3,413 theaters.

Missing Link actually opened in about a hundred more theaters than Hellboy, and nearly a thousand more than Little. It had fewer than Shazam! but the per-screen average for Missing Link was only $1,712, vs. $5,838 for Shazam! this week, $5,811 for second place Little, and $3,638 for Hellboy.

Expect a lot of chatter about the Hellboy reboot and what that could mean, but I'm wondering what this could mean for the studio behind Oscar-nominated films Coraline, ParaNorman, The Boxtrolls, and Kubo and the Two Strings. Maybe the international box office will help.

None of the Laika films have been blockbusters, but worldwide Coraline made $124.6 million in 2009, with $75M of that from the domestic box office. Subsequent films made a bit less money, per Box Office Mojo. Kubo and the Two Strings has the lowest total so far with $69.9 worldwide -- $48M from domestic -- after its opening in 2016. Missing Link looks to be on track to end with less.

Missing Link could be one of those films that picks up as it goes along, but with Avengers: Endgame coming April 26, there isn't much time to build momentum. That thing is going to take over all screens. As we wait to see what happens from here, be sure to come back to CinemaBlend to check out our weekend box office roundup, and bookmark our 2019 movie schedule to keep up with everything headed to theaters this year.

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What Dumbo’s Cast Thinks About Animals Being Used In Entertainment

What Dumbo’s Cast Thinks About Animals Being Used In Entertainment

Looking back on the original Dumbo, it’s not exactly a film with a big message. After all, it only clocks in at a little over an hour long, and basically just about the misadventures of a baby elephant with big ears and his mouse friend. The same cannot be said about Tim Burton’s new live-action adaptation, however, and I recently had the chance to ask the film’s cast about one of the blockbuster’s key themes: the treatment of animals in entertainment.

Earlier this month I participated in the domestic press day for Dumbo in Los Angeles, and having the opportunity to sit down with Colin Farrell, Eva Green, and Danny DeVito, one subject that I brought up in every interview was one of the movie’s key messages. Each of them had a different perspective on the question, but also expressed a certain pride in how it comes across in Dumbo.

If the opportunities aren’t obvious, you might just not be familiar with the plot of the new film. Set in the wake of World War I, and primarily following a low-rent circus, Dumbo not only features all of the trauma of watching the titular elephant get forcibly separated from his mother, but also has a frank discussion about the exploitation of animals in entertainment. And not only is this something important to the plot of the film, but it’s also worth noting that the production itself made significant use of CGI animals instead of real ones (including for the creation of its eponymous character).

Not every animal in Dumbo is digitally added, as Colin Farrell’s character rides some very real horses in the movie. Interestingly, though, this led to some further consideration of their use in the movie by the actor, who definitely took the message of the movie to heart:

I've often questioned the use of horses and stuff, because at least a human being says, 'Yes, I want to be there,' and is getting paid for their services. Whereas a horse has no choice... I'd always be very adamant to make sure the horses, certainly anywhere close to me, aren’t mistreated in any way. And, and across the board, by in large, the horses have always, as far as I could see, have been treated wonderfully. But this film does make statements on the cruelty of the circus at that particular time, especially in relation to animals.

Playing aerialist Colette Marchant in the movie, who winds up performing an act with Dumbo, Eva Green had a lot of opportunity to do some non-animal acting in the film, and it seems that it wasn’t something that made the experience any more of a challenge. Even though working with a big green stuffed animal instead of a real creature meant using her imagination a bit more during production, being a part of a story like Dumbo and getting across its messaging was a point of pride for the actress. Green said,

We didn't have real elephants in, in this movie. We had wonderful CGI people who created some magic. I'm super proud to be in a Disney movie that promotes animal free circuses. Animals are not meant to live in captivity.

Dumbo, which also stars Michael Keaton, Alan Arkin, Nico Parker, and Finley Hobbins, arrives in theaters this Friday – and stay tuned here on CinemaBlend for more from my interviews with the actors and filmmakers!

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Star Wars: Everything You Need To Know About Emperor Palpatine

Star Wars: Everything You Need To Know About Emperor Palpatine

In the canon of Star Wars history, there’s one villain who looms above any and all others that have been featured. His shadow is a dark, vast legacy that even Supreme Leader Snoke couldn’t eclipse, and it’s by his hand that the entire cinematic franchise became what it is today. You may know him as Emperor Palpatine, but he wasn’t always the all-powerful, all controlling figure he was when he died in 1983’s Return of the Jedi.

The road to Palpatine’s reign was the result of a long game that saw Sheev Palpatine go from a seemingly kind politician with aspirations for higher office to the most powerful man in the galaxy. His life, aside from the lives of the Skywalker family, is probably the most important to Star Wars history, and his potential resurrection in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, it seems like a good time to go over the man’s history.

He Was A Respected Senator Of The Republic

In the first episode of the Star Wars cinematic universe, The Phantom Menace, we’re introduced to Sheev Palpatine as a kindly senator from the lush planet of Naboo. A representative of the planet that, at the time, was dealing with some rather aggressive trade negotiations, Palpatine also took a rather keen interest in Jedi politics.

Most importantly, he befriended a young Anakin Skywalker, promising the Republic would watch his career with great interest after seizing power of the Republic senate. It was these twin passions that would see Sheev rise to power and amass the means to keep it.

Palpatine Overthrew The Government By Playing By Its Own Rules

As it turns out, Senator Palpatine didn’t overthrow the Galactic Republic by any sort of armed coup, at least not in the beginning with his role in The Phantom Menace. Rather, the shrewd politician used an interesting tactic to install himself as the Supreme Chancelor of the Galactic Republic: he triggered a no confidence vote.

He manipulated Queen Amidala, as well as the rest of the Senate, to cast doubt on then Supreme Chancellor Valorum, by painting him as a leader that was ineffectual during the blockade of Naboo by the Trade Federation. The vote ousted Valorum, with Palpatine being elected into the position he would eventually abuse to the fullest extent.

Palpatine’s Hand In Political Turmoil

We saw his opening gambits towards galactic chaos in The Phantom Menace, but Sheev Palpatine had been working behind the scenes under another name: Darth Sidious. To create the conditions to bring himself to power, Palpatine engineered not only the Trade Federation blockade scenario, he also spurred Count Dooku and his confederates to create the Confederacy of Independent Systems.

Operating as a separatist movement that looked to leave the Galactic Republic, this rogue body would eventually become the other half of the Clone Wars conflict that weakened the republic to a state where anyone who was smart enough could collapse it. And Sheev was not only smart, he was the Sith Lord who put it all into play.

The Last Supreme Chancellor Of The Republic

Supreme Chancellor Palpatine’s reign extends from the end of The Phantom Menace to a decade later in Attack of the Clones, thanks to some more political wrangling. Eventually, he was able to weaken the Galactic Republic’s government to the point where he could grant himself a longer than usual term, as well as find himself granted some emergency powers. And all he had to do was get the Senate to approve of the measures he saw fit, which was easy considering his charming demeanor, as well as the fact that junior representative Jar Jar Binks helped convince the Senate to grant him said emergency powers.

What did Palpatine do with those powers? Why, he ordered the creation of a clone army, of course. While the Grand Army of The Republic was supposed to fight the supposed threat of the Separatist Army, but in time would be used to execute the most infamous executive order in Star Wars history.

Emperor Palpatine Manipulated Anakin Skywalker, Turning Him To The Dark Side

Throughout his political climb, Sheev Palpatine had been interested in one person’s parallel rise to power: Anakin Skywalker's. Brought into the Jedi Order as a Padawan under Qui-Gon Jinn and eventually becoming an apprentice/partner to Obi-Wan Kenobi, Anakin would fight valiantly as a member of the Jedi Order during the eventual Clone Wars.

But during that time, he would not only find himself falling in love with childhood crush Padme Amidalla, he’d also become embittered about being denied a seat on the Jedi Council. Also denied the rank of Jedi Master, Anakin had one person that he really felt saw his potential: Supreme Chancellor Palpatine. Feeding on the young man’s fears and insecurities, Palpatine convinced him to betray the Jedi Order and become his right hand man, Darth Vader.

He’s Really Anakin’s Father

While Palpatine was particularly focused on Anakin Skywalker as his Sith apprentice, there was another reason that he was interested in the young man’s well being. According to recent comic lore, it was Darth Sidious who was the father of Anakin “Darth Vader” Skywalker.

As shown in issue 25 of Darth Vader, the canon now supports the theory that Palpatine/Sidious manipulated Midi-chlorians and created Anakin as a child of virgin conception in his mother, Shmi. This tracks with Palpatine’s big speech at the opera in Revenge of the Sith, in which he describes his Sith Lord master, Darth Plageuis, as a man that could control Midi-chlorians and create life itself.

Palpatine Nearly Exterminated The Jedi, Installing Himself As The Emperor of the Galactic Empire

Perhaps the biggest blow to the freedom of the galaxy in Star Wars was the fact that Sheev Palpatine eventually made himself the Emperor of what eventually became the Galactic Empire. It was in this position of authority that he executed an order that he had built into his legion of Clone Troopers: Order 66. Once granted, this order saw the clones that were sworn to fight for galactic peace commanded to turn on the Jedi and purge them from the galaxy. All but a scarce number of Jedi died that day, with Obi-Wan Kenobi and Yoda being the most notable survivors.

Both went into hiding after they were clued into a potential hope for the galaxy, but at this point in time, it appeared that Emperor Palpatine crushed the Jedi. Moving on to dissolving the Imperial Senate, the only measures Palpatine thought he needed to take to keep the universe to himself was the Death Star in his arsenal, and Darth Vader by his side.

Emperor Palpatine Was Looking For A Way To Cheat Death

The animated series Star Wars Rebels saw Emperor Palpatine searching for something that could grant him even more Force powers than he already had. Located on the planet Lothal, a local Jedi temple had an opening to a sort of pocket universe. Though once a person entered this pocket universe, they could manipulate events throughout time and space, which was exhibited in a moral quandry faced by Rebels’ protagonist Ezra Bridger.

Eventually, Palpatine attempted to seduce Bridger to the Dark Side, much like he did with young Anakin Skywalker, but this attempt failed. Bridger destroyed the temple that housed the portal to this universe of unlimited power, with Palpatine trying to kill him as a result. An important detail to note is that Palpatine names this very portal as, “a conduit between the living and the dead.” So, if someone really wanted to avoid the finality of morality, this would be the way to do it.

Darth Vader Killed Emperor Palpatine, Sacrificing Himself In The Process

Flash forward to the Original Trilogy era of Star Wars, and we see Emperor Palpatine seemingly high on the hog. The Death Star works perfectly, despite some pesky Rebels blowing one up; and Darth Vader just might bring his son, Luke Skywalker, over to the Dark Side of the Force.

But during a climactic confrontation on the second Death Star, The Emperor was betrayed by his apprentice and thrown down an energy shaft that supposedly incinerated him. Darth Vader, in his final moments with his son, felt more like Anakin Skywalker again, and would eventually appear as his younger self in his Force Ghost form. We’re left with the sense that Palpatine is dead, and peace will now ring out through the Galaxy.

But as we see, or rather hear, in the trailer for Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, Emperor Sheev Palpatine, dark lord of the Sith, may not be as dead as we thought. He may have found his loophole between the worlds of the living and the dead, and merely bided his time until he knew the conditions would be optimal for another bite at the galactic apple. There were plenty of Jedi temples out there, and any one of them could have a portal similar to the one on Lothal. It wouldn’t be that much of a surprise, and honestly, it’s better than the clones that the previous Expanded Universe canon used to keep the character in the picture.

For the moment though, this is everything you need to know about Emperor Palpatine, and with that knowledge, let the speculation begin! Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker finishes the Skywalker Saga on December 20.

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How Ma Became A Completely Different Movie When Octavia Spencer Got Involved

How Ma Became A Completely Different Movie When Octavia Spencer Got Involved

Tate Taylor’s Ma is a clear-cut high-concept film. Octavia Spencer stars as Sue Ann, a lonely woman with a traumatic past who sees an opportunity for popularity when she is approached by a group of kids in search of alcohol – but things turn terrifyingly sour when the group starts to find her a bit overbearing and obsessive. On its feet it’s a classic setup for a horror movie… but that just makes it all the more surprising how much it actually changed through its development.

As I recently learned during an interview with the film’s director, while some of the ideas for the story were in place from the start, it’s a project that really didn’t come together as we see it in its final form until both he and Octavia Spencer got involved. Originally it was more of a serial killer story, featuring a white woman luring teenagers to a horrific fate, butt in the hands of the long-time collaborators it ultimately became much more.

I sat down with Tate Taylor earlier this month during the Los Angeles press day for Ma, and it was when I asked about how much the movie changed from the first draft of the script to the final cut in the editing room that I learned just how much it evolved thanks to the creatives developing it. It started with a bit of “crazy” serendipity, with the director simply taking a meeting with producer/studio head Jason Blum, who presented him with a screenplay that he admitted still needed quite a bit of workshopping. Said Taylor,

A month before, Octavia told me she was sick of only being offered the same role and never getting to be a lead. A month later, I go to – Jason is a friend - I go to his office to talk to him about what we could possibly do together. And they're thinking like a drama, you know, they branch out, and I said I want to do something fucked up. And he's like, 'Really?' I'm like, 'Yes!' And the day before they had gotten Ma and he goes, 'This needs work. See if you could do anything with this.' And it was written for a white woman.

But just because the early draft of the script was written specifically for a white woman didn’t stop Tate Taylor from seeing it as a potential vehicle for his best friend, former roommate, and longtime collaborator – with whom he has worked now on four of his five features as a director.

Coming out of the meeting, Taylor’s first instinct was to call Octavia Spencer and gauge her interest in making the movie with him – and while she was initially hesitant about taking on a horror project because one of the more significant and outdated tropes of the genre, she quickly got more interested when he started to describe what kind of role he had in mind for her:

The first thing I did is I called Octavia, and I said, 'Would you want to be in a horror movie?' She's like, 'Am I the black person who gets killed first?' I go, 'No, you get to kill the people.' She goes, 'Yes.' She goes, 'Fuck yes, I don't need to read it, I trust you!' 'Well, you're gunna read it.' So I came back to Jason, and they were like, 'Really?' And I'm like, 'Yeah!'

That simple hook was apparently enough to draw Octavia Spencer to Ma, but Tate Taylor further stressed that what he had in mind for the project was a lot more than just having her as a psychotic serial killer who murders teens for essentially sport. And in that sense, the script needed a lot of work. It was a crumb of an idea that he enjoyed for nostalgic reasons, fondly remembering his time as a kid hanging out in front of liquor stores trying to get adults to buy booze for him and his friends, but where his interest really took hold was in exploring Sue Ann as a real character and giving her not only real motivation, but an in-depth backstory.

According to Taylor, none of that was present in the Ma script he originally got from Jason Blum, which was apparently had a lot more focus on body horror than it did on character and drama. Said the director,

There was no back story. It was not in the script at all. A woman buys beer and then they end up... well, the script then had their heads being chopped off and sewn on different bodies. So then I'm like, 'Well, you got to keep it in reality, you know?' So that was the journey. The shifts in the script came from me creating her backstory, which has empathy, and as it came in some of the scenes just had to reflect that.

To explain the exact beats that were ultimately injected into Ma and its backstory for Sue Ann would be giving away too much prior to the film’s release, the film really did become something much different than what was initially envisioned before Tate Taylor and Octavia Spencer became involved. And while the project evolved to become the first horror feature developed by them as a director/actor duo, the work really did become more familiar to them as the themes and proper story developments emerged. Taylor explained,

I said this needs to be about something - about trauma, and the sins of our parents and how we treat people, and then I wove that into it. For me, when movies are successful your lead is not so honorable. You relate to them, and you feel bad for them.

Like any film, Ma took months of work to become what it was ultimately meant to be, but now audiences will be able to experience it all for themselves. The movie, which co-stars Diana Silvers, Juliette Lewis, Luke Evans, Missi Pyle, Allison Janney, McKaley Miller, and Corey Fogelmanis, arrives in theaters this weekend – and be sure to stay tuned here on CinemaBlend for more about the film from my interview with Tate Taylor!

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How The Child's Play Reboot is A 'Greek Tragedy' For Chucky

How The Child's Play Reboot is A 'Greek Tragedy' For Chucky

This summer, movie fans will be reunited with a beloved toy-based franchise: Childs' Play, which coincidentally comes out on the same day as Toy Story 4. The horror movie reboot will be changing a few key traits of the murderous Chucky, such as making him a twisted AI, but this brings some depth to the character, according to director Lars Klevberg. In fact, the director sees this reboot as a Greek tragedy for what Chucky goes through in the film.

If you are a fan of the original Child's Play movies, then you've likely noticed that the reboot has gone off script a bit. Rather than having Chucky be a serial killer who used voodoo to transfer his soul into the body of a doll, the reboot's version is an AI that goes bad.

It's certainly less complicated and maybe less fun, but this gave the reboot a chance to make a more sympathetic Chucky who changes over the course of the film. Director Lars Klevberg told Collider that in this way, the story becomes more tragic for Chucky.

When I read the script, one of the first things I recognized was that Chucky was a great character in terms of that he changed. He had his motivations, and it came through his interaction with humans. His way of becoming sympathetic – that was something I really wanted to look into. I viewed the story as a Greek tragedy [for] Chucky… So Chucky having different emotions in this film was important to me.

The jury is still out on whether the story is as tragic for the people that Chucky is definitely murdering.

However, despite the fact that Chucky will become close friends with a knife before the end of the movie, the character will go through numerous changes to reach that point. Whereas in the original films he was always crazy, the new Child's Play will show how the AI reaches its murderous conclusions.

[Chucky’s] motivation is understandable from his point of view but also to us. We can understand why he’s behaving like that. If you understand the antagonist and his motivations, then you can identify with him. That’s why Mary Shelly’s Frankenstein is one of my key inspirations… [How Chucky questions] his purpose once he starts to understand from us human beings.

The Child's Play series has always undergone changes from movie to movie. The original was a straight-up horror film before later sequels become more comedy-driven. Making Chucky more sympathetic sounds like it could round him out as a villain and while the end result (him trying to murder everyone) is probably the same, it might make for a better ride.

The Child's Play reboot is all set to hit theaters on June 21. For everything else hitting theaters, check out our 2019 movie release guide.

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Some Guy On The Internet Figured Out How Fast Sonic The Hedgehog Is, Spoiler: It's Fast

Some Guy On The Internet Figured Out How Fast Sonic The Hedgehog Is, Spoiler: It's Fast

Sonic the Hedgehog's whole thing is about moving fast. Speed is the name of his game and the speedy little blue fuzzball certainly movies quickly in the trailer for the live action movie. But just how fast is he actually going? Somebody has done the math and figured out exactly how fast Sonic is moving, and it might be even faster than you think.

The math isn't all that complicated when it comes down to it. Kyle Hill of Because Science takes the brand new trailer for the Sonic the Hedgehog movie and, by using the dividing line on a two-way highway that Sonic runs down, where the dots have a fixed distance of three to four and a half meters, we can tell approximately how far Sonic is running. Because we know the trailer is running at 24 frames a second, we know exactly how long Sonic is running for. These two data points allow Hill to calculate Sonic's speed to be between 108 and 162 meters per second, or between 341 and 362 miles per hour, depending on the distance between the road marks, which vary slightly depending on where the road is located.

Needless to say, that is certainly some serious speed. Of course, it's not nearly as fast as the movie claims he is going. In the opening scene of the trailer a police radar gun appears to clock Sonic at 760 miles per hour, which is just short of the speed of sound. Considering we also see Sonic's speed set off a visible shock wave at the end of the scene that's being used to calculate these numbers, the movie is certainly trying to tell us that Sonic can break the sound barrier.

It's certainly possible that the scene in the trailer is Sonic just warming up, and he'll increase speed to a much faster pace closer to what we're being shown. What's more likely, however, is that showing Sonic move that quickly would actually have him move out of the frame so quickly that we'd never really see him, and so Sonic had to slow down to make the movie work as a movie. If Sonic moved so quickly that you could never really see him, it wouldn't be all that exciting.

Of course, showing people move at incredibly high speeds in a movie or on TV is always a difficult balancing act. How to show the speed while still making the scene look exciting is complicated. This is probably why the movie has at least one sequence that shows speed from Sonic's perspective, which has everything around him moving incredibly slow, similar to how the recent X-Men movies have shown Quicksilver's speed in the same way.

Check out the full explanation of Sonic's speed in the video below.

Of course, right now, few people, even Sonic the Hedgehog fans, are all that excited about how fast Sonic is moving. The focus is instead on what he looks like when he stands still. The design of the character has received a lot of negative feedback, so much so that the movie's director has said that changes to the character design will happen before the movie comes out later this year.

Sonic the Hedgehog hits theaters November 8.

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Disney’s Full Aladdin Trailer Has A Ton Of Songs And Magic

Disney’s Full Aladdin Trailer Has A Ton Of Songs And Magic

Disney has been on a roll with its live-action adaptations, as each new release has a mixture of nostalgia and modern hype attached. Starting with Maleficent, many of the House of Mouse's most beloved animated features have been brought back to the silver screen, with dazzling visual affects to bring extra bit of Disney magic. The next of these releases is Aladdin, with the project slowly building anticipation since it was announced.

While there's been some brief clips released, Disney Studios has finally revealed the full trailer for Aladdin, and it didn't skimp on the magic or musical numbers. Check it out below, and transport yourself back to Agrabah.

Well, this is exciting. It looks like Aladdin will be a pretty spot-on recreation of the 1992 classic animated film. And with Disney capable of wild effects in bringing the project to live-action, smart money says that generations of fans will be clamoring to theaters when the blockbuster arrives in May.

The Aladdin trailer starts right with the love story that is motivating its title character. While trying to escape the city's police, the street rat (Mena Massoud) has a meet-cute with the princess Jasmine (Naomi Scott). He's determined to become suitable enough to woo Jasmine, and is manipulated by Jafar (Marwan Kenzari) into finding the magical lamp. It's the story old as time, but this time it'll feel all the more real.

There's plenty of Will Smith in this first trailer, featuring his version of Robin Williams' Genie, including his signature song "Never Had A Friend Like Me." The character has gotten quite a bit of pushback ahead of its release, with fans worried when the first look showed Smith looking noticeably non-blue. Both the actor and Disney maintained the character would indeed have his blue appearance, although the first look of Smith's complete look went viral for all the wrong reasons.

But now it looks like the character will spend significant time without his blue pigment, presumably to disguise himself and help Aladdin as he attempts to become Prince Ali. This is no doubt going to turn some heads, so stay tuned as the twittersphere blows up.

Perhaps the most exciting moment of this new trailer is the clips from "A Whole New World", the movie's love ballad. We see as Jasmine and Aladdin take that iconic magic carpet ride, and belt it out as they soar through the clouds. The new trailer provided glimpses at the two most beloved musical numbers from the original, so it's clear that Disney is going to tug on our nostalgic hearts throughout the upcoming movie.

Aladdin will fly into theaters on May 24th. In the meantime, check out our 2019 release list to plan your next trip to the movies.

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Chris Hemsworth's Blunt Reason For Turning Down Star Trek 4

Chris Hemsworth's Blunt Reason For Turning Down Star Trek 4

J.J. Abrams' Star Trek came out 10 years ago this spring. It was not only a huge hit, spawning two sequels, it introduced Chris Hemsworth as George Kirk, father of Chris Pine's James T. Kirk. George was killed on his ship at the start of the movie, so that was the last we saw of him. Fast-forward to today, and Star Trek 4 was supposed to bring back both Chrises as both Kirks. That didn't happen, and the movie is now reportedly shelved.

The rumored reason for both Chrises dropping out was money, with both high profile superhero stars reportedly wanting more than what Paramount was willing to pay after the relative disappointment of Star Trek Beyond.

However, if you ask Chris Hemsworth, he turned down the next Star Trek sequel because he wasn't into the script and he's gotten more selective over time:

I didn’t feel like we landed on a reason to revisit that yet. I didn’t want to be underwhelmed by what I was going to bring to the table.

So Chris Hemsworth told Variety the fault was with the story/script/his role, not the budget. Maybe he didn't want to bring up money -- considering Forbes said he made $64.5 million last year. But he could've been honest about that and people would've understood his worth has gone way up since Star Trek. It's very possible the contract issues that made headlines weren't the full story and this note about the script is at the heart of things.

Back in 2016, Paramount officially announced Chris Hemsworth's return as George Kirk, saying the fourth movie in that franchise would be written by J.D. Payne and Patrick McKay. Here's what the studio said the movie would be about:

In the next installment of the epic space adventure, Chris Pine’s Captain Kirk will cross paths with a man he never had a chance to meet, but whose legacy has haunted him since the day he was born: his father. Chris Hemsworth, who appeared in 2009’s Star Trek, will return to the space saga as George Kirk to star alongside Pine.

On paper, I loved that idea. It's a way to get father and son together on screen, and also pair up two charismatic Chrises. But apparently something went wrong in the screenwriting phase, and/or Paramount wasn't willing to pay up after the under-performance of the third movie at the box office.

It's possible Chris Hemsworth was saying that if the story were stronger, he would've done Star Trek 4 for less money. Obviously he doesn't need the money. But if the script didn't impress him much and he was getting less than his usual amount? I can see him walking out. That's just speculation, but it would be a way to combine both the money reason -- which never came from either actor -- and the script reason coming from Hemsworth himself.

At least Quentin Tarantino still sounds into his mysterious Star Trek movie. And Chris Hemsworth has plenty of other projects to keep him busy, from Men in Black: International to whatever is next for Thor.

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Triple Frontier's Twist Was Actually Ben Affleck's Idea

Triple Frontier's Twist Was Actually Ben Affleck's Idea

Warning: spoilers for Netflix's Triple Frontier are in play. If you haven't seen the film yet, and want to remain unspoiled, bookmark this page and come back later.

It's a moment that comes as a shock to everyone who watches Triple Frontier: the moment where Ben Affleck's Tom “Redfly” Davis is taken out by a fatal headshot, thanks to a rash action he'd taken earlier in the film. The karmic consequence of killing a handful of farmers, it's a kill that shocks and surprises anyone who would expect someone like Affleck to make it to the end of the movie. But as co-writer/director J.C. Chandor recently explained, the decision to kill Ben Affleck's character was not only spawned in a re-write, it was from a note from Affleck himself. Chandor's version of events goes like this:

When I first read the script it was a secondary character [who got killed], I can’t even remember which one of the other guys it was. It was someone else… It was actually in meeting with Ben for the first time, he suggested it. He said would you ever be willing to do that? I had actually moved it to a different character than the one that I originally read [in Mark Boal’s draft of the script]. I won’t get into who, but it was to another character and it was very secondary. Ben said, ‘Would you ever be willing to, if I got the studio to agree to it, to allow that to be me?'

Killing off any random character that wasn't Ben Affleck might have worked in Triple Frontier. Doubly so, considering that by time Affleck's lead is killed while defending his friends in a mountain range fire fight, it really felt like the whole team would be walking away from this caper with their lives. But even in the movies, when it's your time to go, it's time to go.

According to remarks Ben Affleck made to Collider during the Triple Frontier press day, that decision was inspired by, among other things, a random crime drama from the 1980's. That specific film, and the effect it had on Affleck's decision, can be read below:

I thought that would be interesting and I wanted to see somebody actually pay a price for what happened. I always liked To Live and Die in L.A., how Bill Peterson’s character died. It kind of takes you off guard. I wanted to do the same thing. This is a little bit later in the movie than Bill Peterson’s character, but it highlights the risk to people’s lives. It focuses on the mortality question and theme, which I think is really interesting.

As mentioned before, Tom's death is the consequence of his cold blooded murder of South American farmers trying to claim some of the money stolen in Triple Frontier as their own. If it wasn't for that particular incident, Ben Affleck's character wouldn't have been hunted down by one of the farmer's sons, and he would have lived happily ever after. Or as happily as he could have with $5 million. But who was originally supposed to die?

While J.C. Chandor isn't divulging which Triple Frontier character was originally on the chopping block, the smart money would be on either Garrett Hedlund's Ben or Charlie Hunnam's William originally taking the big dirt nap. With one being shot during the actual robbery, and the other going out of their way to protect their brother, the process of elimination helps narrow it down to those two characters. And comparatively, they could be considered characters secondary to Affleck's Tom or Oscar Isaac's Santiago.

This only makes the effect of this big rewrite all the more impressive. The finished film doesn't feel like it has just two “star” team members and three “secondary” characters. Rather, the entire team of Triple Frontier is important in their own individual ways. So no matter died, it would have stung. But the fact that it was Ben Affleck is even more shocking, as it violates the conventional wisdom that a star of his stature always makes it to the end. A decision to which we, as movie fans, must say bravo.

Triple Frontier is currently available on Netflix, and being shown in limited theatrical release.

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Avengers: Endgame Had An Awesome Easter Egg For Another Marvel Character

Avengers: Endgame Had An Awesome Easter Egg For Another Marvel Character

Warning: SPOILERS for Avengers: Endgame are in play. If you’re worried about spoiling the fun, bookmark this piece and come back once you’ve experienced the magic for yourself.

While a movie like Avengers: Endgame is designed to wrap up a lot of history in a neat and tidy package, the expectation is also set for that same film to drop some hints towards the future. And if some eagle-eyed, or rather eagle-eared, moviegoers are right, a pretty big clue towards another hero’s debut may have been woven into the film’s narrative. And that hero just might be Captain Britain himself, Brian Braddock.

As the story goes, during the 1970 section of the big time heist in Avengers: Endgame, Steve Rogers hides in what he finds out is Peggy Carter’s office as the S.H.I.E.L.D. director at Camp Lehigh. While seeing the love of his life in her prime, we overhear something about how an operative named Braddock hasn’t checked in.

This small reference doesn’t come up again in Avengers: Endgame, but some fans think that this particular name drop means that Captain Britain might be on his way to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Looking into the history of the character’s existence in reality, as well as the timeline of this particular scene, just might tell us what this could mean for the MCU.

Debuting in 1976, Captain Britain’s origin story involved Brian Braddock’s isolated, but well-off, beginnings, which eventually saw him gaining superpowers after being visited by Merlin himself. Captain Britain would later go on to work for the U.K.’s version of S.H.I.E.L.D., names S.T.R.I.K.E. This connection is interesting, considering it furthers the connection between Captain Britain and the existing Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Should this reference picked out by ComicBookMovie.com be true, and Captain Britain is being seeded into the MCU, then the S.T.R.I.K.E. team, introduced with Brock Rumlow and his associates in Captain America: The Winter Soldier, could be that very same team. So not only could Captain Britain become another entry in Marvel’s cinematic canon, whether it be in Phase 4 or beyond, there’s a chance we could see another period piece fleshing out the backstory of this very universe.

Considering we’ve seen several rounds of speculation and backtracking around the fact that Simon Pegg once said he’d want to play Captain Britain, it wouldn’t be a bad idea to possibly start sniffing around a scenario that would see Pegg brought on to bring this legendary hero to life.

Maybe this could even be the project that would act as the ultimate mea culpa to director Edgar Wright. With full creative control possibly being granted to the man who was once set to direct Ant-Man, before circumstances spun out of control, we might see a new age of filmmakers being brought into Marvel Studios history.

For now though, all we have is a fun reference that could pan out into a future round of fun. With everything else that’s already in the works for the future of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, it’s not like the company is hurting for options. But at the same time, if the hypothetical scenario we described is the best chance for this reference to pay off, then we’re going to cross our fingers and let the wishing begin!

Avengers: Endgame is currently in theaters now, ready for you to experience for the first or fifth time.

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When The Black Widow Movie Should Start Filming, According To David Harbour

When The Black Widow Movie Should Start Filming, According To David Harbour

The Marvel Cinematic Universe is in a truly fascinating place right now. Avengers: Endgame is just weeks away, and the future of the MCU is largely a mystery. Marvel Studios is keeping its plans close to chest for Phase Four, as releasing the next slate of films has the potential to spoil the events of Endgame. But there are a few developing projects to keep an eye out for, including the long-awaited Black Widow movie.

The Black Widow movie has been slowly coming together, as director Cate Shortland has been assembling her cast and crew. Joining Scarlett Johansson for her first Marvel solo flick is Stranger Things fan favorite David Harbour, who already dipped his toes into the superhero genre with Hellboy. Harbour recently revealed when Widow's movie might begin filming, saying:

I think it’s slated to start in June. I don’t think they have it fully-boarded yet, but it’s a great character. I’m really excited about it. The cast is fleshing out (with) Scarlett and Florence Pugh, I think they said. I know they were talking about Rachel Weisz. There’s some really great actresses.

Well, this is exciting. The casting process may still be under way, but it looks like Black Widow's movie may start production in the near future. June isn't all that far away, so it looks like the solo flick will end up being one of the first releases of Phase Four. As long as nothing goes awry, that is.

David Harbour's comments to Den Of Geek are sure to excite the rabid Marvel fanbase, who are eager to see Scarlet Johansson's signature Marvel character get her time in the sun. While little to no information has been shared regarding the movie's contents, development amping up and possible June filming makes it all seem much more real. And the movie is a long time coming.

Despite being an OG member of The Avengers and one of the biggest characters in the MCU, Black Widow has surprisingly not been given her own solo movie yet. Instead, Natasha Romanoff served as a supporting character in a variety of other projects, including Iron Man 2 and Captain America: The Winter Soldier. But considering how mysterious and complicated the character is, she's still been underused in this capacity.

But that should change with her solo movie, although it's unclear what that project will contain. Black Widow is one of the surviving characters in Avengers: Endgame, but it seems possible that she might perish in the battle against Thanos. If that's the case, perhaps the solo movie will be a prequel, allowing for Widow's dark backstory to finally be fleshed out onscreen.

Black Widow will return to theaters when Avengers: Endgame arrives in theaters on April 26th, and you can see David Harbour in Hellboy April 12th. In the meantime, check out our 2019 release list to plan your next trip to the movies.

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