Is Star Wars’ New Character Jannah Lando Calrissian’s Daughter? Here’s What Naomi Ackie Says

Is Star Wars’ New Character Jannah Lando Calrissian’s Daughter? Here’s What Naomi Ackie Says

While the number of questions regarding how things will end for our heroes in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker are nearly infinite, Rey, Finn and Poe aren't the only characters we wonder about. Naomi Ackie has been added to the cast as an all new character, and we know essentially nothing about her, except her character's name, Jannah.

Naomi Ackie and Jannah were introduced to the crowd at the recent Star Wars Celebration in Chicago and panel moderator Stephen Colbert asked Ackie about rumors that Jannah might actually be the daughter of Lando Calrissian. As one might expect, Ackie didn't really answer the question, but she also didn't not answer the question. It's certainly possible that Jannah could be Lando's daughter, because Lando probably has a lot of daughters, and sons too. According to the actress...

Listen, Lando is a charming man, so he could have children all over the universe.

The Star Wars Celebration panel was very focused on making sure that no details about The Rise of Skywalker were revealed beyond those details that were planned to be released. We got a single still shot of the character of Jannah, but nothing beyond that, meaning that we have no idea how she fits into the story. About all we can guess is that since she was on the SWC stage in the first place, she's important.

The idea that Jannah could be Lando Calrissian's daughter is given some strength simply due to the fact that Lando himself is returning for the final episode of the new trilogy. We don't know anything as far as that character goes either. Where he's been or why he's back now is a mystery.

Based on the simple still image of Jannah, if she is Lando's daughter, she hasn't really taken after her father, one wonders if he actually raised her. Lando is always looking quite suave and that's not the vibe we're getting from Jannah here. Whatever she's up to, she's getting her hands dirty.

In the same way that Rey being a Skywalker or a Kenobi seemed a little too on the nose, I doubt Jannah is a Calrissian. It's simply unlikely that there's a need for such a connection to exist and Jannah being somebody else, anybody else, helps to expand the galaxy in a new way, which has clearly been part of the goal for this trilogy.

Odds are that if we knew who Jannah really was it would just create more questions. The big answer we were all waiting for, the film's title, certainly does that. Nobody knows what The Rise of Skywalker really means, though we all have our theories, which is the point. Jannah's history can be another topic of conversation that should keep fans busy until the new trilogy comes to a close this December.

Read More

The Conjuring Inspiration Lorraine Warren Has Died At 92

The Conjuring Inspiration Lorraine Warren Has Died At 92

Since the spine-chilling release of 2013’s The Conjuring, a successful franchise of sequels and spinoffs has ruled the horror genre. The interconnected universe is inspired by the lifelong work of Lorraine and Ed Warren (portrayed by Vera Farmiga and Patrick Wilson in the Conjuring films), who have investigated high-profile hauntings and chronicled supernatural phenomena. At 92, Lorraine passed away in her sleep on Thursday night.

The Warren’s own New England Society of Psychic Research announced the news Friday morning (via Fox 61). Lorraine was born in Bridgeport, Connecticut in 1927 and was a self-proclaimed clairvoyant and light trance medium. She and her husband founded the society in 1952 and conducted investigations into reports of paranormal activity, such as the Lindley Street poltergeist, West Point ghost and Amityville Horrors (which spawned 17 films).

The couple wrote 10 books together and traveled across the world lecturing on their findings. Ed Warren passed away in 2009 at 79 years old. One of their early cases was for Annabelle in 1968, a Raggedy Ann doll that was reportedly possessed by the spirit of a child named Annabelle Higgins. It inspired the Annabelle movies, which will continue with Annabelle Comes Home this summer. The upcoming film will see the first appearance of the Warren’s in the spinoff series, thus making it a homecoming for the Conjuring universe.

The Conjuring is based on their assistance to the Perron family in 1971, who experience frightening paranormal sighting in their farm home in Rhode Island. Lorraine Warren served as a consultant for the first movie and even had a cameo in it. She seemed to have bonded with the actress who has portrayed her for the past six years, as Vera Farmiga took to Twitter this morning to honor her following the news of her passing. Take a look:

The couple looked to be the gritty real-life Ghostbusters who certainly made a mark on the subject matter for many belovedly scary horror movies and various supernatural and psychic phenomena. The Warren’s also inspired the The Nun spinoff which became the highest-earning Conjuring film in 2018 when it racked up over $365 million worldwide. A sequel for The Nun is on the way, along with The Conjuring 3 and The Crooked Man.

Lorraine Warren’s death also comes on the same day of the release of The Curse of La Llorona, the first Conjuring spinoff film that does not tie to the couple’s paranormal investigations, though it finds itself in the universe’s timeline between the two Conjuring films.

Although Lorraine Warren was not a filmmaker herself, she will have a lasting impact on Hollywood as her experiences continue to capture the interest of audiences and be immortalized through the dramatic portrayal of her by Vera Farmiga, who will play Warren again in Annabelle Comes Home, coming to theaters on June 28.

Read More

Godzilla: King Of The Monsters Cast Can't Stop Debating The Monster's Sex

Godzilla: King Of The Monsters Cast Can't Stop Debating The Monster's Sex

For those with less free time on their hands, it may come as a surprise to hear that Godzilla’s sex is actually the source of much speculation and fierce debate. Is the monster that has been gracing cinema screens for 65 years male, female, or perhaps something else entirely? With Godzilla: King of the Monsters now in theaters, it is only natural that the cast of the latest film weighs in on this important topic and you’ll see that Vera Farmiga and Kyle Chandler had differing views.

Farmiga: Hands down it’s a male. I know the ‘A’ at the end of the name throws it. But he’s King. He’s not Queen of the Monsters. Mothra’s Queen.

Chandler: I’m saying those are semantics. I have a different view on it. I think it’s possible it’s a woman. I don’t know, I’m just not sure yet. Where did Baby Godzilla come from? This is something my wife and I had a full conversation on this morning. It’s a possibility, but it’s not a certainty.

Farmiga: But you know what? He’s sort of a hybrid himself. He’s amphibian and reptile.

I love that these two have such strong opinions on the topic of Godzilla’s sex and have actually given it some thought. Like Jason Lee’s Brodie Bruce discussing superhero sex organs in Mallrats, people want to know what parts this fictional monster has and how they work. Kyle Chandler and Vera Farmiga both make valid points too.

Vera Farmiga applies Occam’s Razor, opting for the simplest answer, which is that king is usually a title given to a male monarch or sovereign and because Godzilla is the King of the Monsters he is therefore male. If he was a female he would be Queen of the Monsters. But since that position is taken by Mothra, and there aren’t two queens, the logical assumption is that Godzilla is a dude-monster.

Kyle Chandler, however, views this argument as dealing only in semantics. And he isn’t allowing labels like ‘king’ and ‘queen’ to narrow his understanding of Godzilla’s sex. Instead he thinks there’s a solid chance that Godzilla is a girl, but he isn’t willing to deal in absolutes and is still puzzling out the question in his head.

The ever-relatable Kyle Chandler even told Yahoo Entertainment that he had a whole conversation with his wife about the subject. Which is quite hilarious to think about Emmy award-winning actor Kyle Chandler having a conversation with his wife over breakfast about the sex of a fictional giant lizard. Celebrities folks, they’re just like us.

He makes an interesting point about where baby Godzilla came from. Now if he’s talking about 1967’s Son of Godzilla, the creature Minilla was adopted by Godzilla and was not his actual progeny.

But the question can be viewed another way, as in where did the Godzilla in the film come from? If Godzilla had a mother it is possible that Godzilla too is female. These are titans and their evolution and biology are not fully understood, so it isn’t necessarily as simple as, to paraphrase Jurassic Park’s Dr. Ian Malcolm, just pulling up Godzilla’s skirt to check.

There’s also the possibility that Godzilla isn’t strictly male or female. Maybe he’s asexual like dragons in Game of Thrones are suspected to be, and he can be whatever he needs to be. Vera Farmiga raises this possibility by mentioning his amphibian traits.

So maybe Godzilla uses asexual reproduction like the parthenogenesis seen in some frogs and salamanders. Or maybe he can spontaneously change his sex like some frogs. There are also slugs with both sex organs, and some rare instances of birds and butterflies born half male and half female. Basically there are lots of possibilities if you want to apply real world biology to a fictional creature.

King of the Monsters actor Ken Watanabe refers to Godzilla as a ‘he’ and director Michael Dougherty also says that the monster is a boy-- so Vera Farmiga seems to be in the majority. For what it’s worth, the original Japanese films referred to him as an ‘it’ and the original actor who played him, Haruo Nakajima, said he had no idea of the creature’s sex.

Male or female, Godzilla makes the case for his kingship in Godzilla: King of the Monsters, now playing. Check out what ticket to buy and our 2019 Release Schedule for all of this year’s biggest movies. For the latest movie news and further deep dives into the sexuality of fictitious creatures, stay tuned to CinemaBlend.

Read More

The Suicide Squad's Jai Courtney Is Psyched To Play Captain Boomerang Again

The Suicide Squad's Jai Courtney Is Psyched To Play Captain Boomerang Again

Although it is being described as more of a reboot than a sequel, James Gunn’s The Suicide Squad will be bringing back some familiar faces from David Ayer’s 2016 film. Among those faces is Jai Courtney, who played the funny and mad George “Digger” Harkness, better known as Captain Boomerang. Although his character was the most cowardly of the original group, Jai Courtney himself is psyched to hop back into the role for another go round, as he explained:

I loved playing Captain Boomerang. It's just like a rocker’s nightmare. Just looking forward to reprising that and getting the gold tooth back in and getting after it.

Captain Boomerang seems like the kind of character that would be a blast to play, and clearly Jai Courtney enjoyed his time as the Aussie bank robber. Based on what he told The Hollywood Reporter, he seems stoked that Captain Boomerang will be a part of the sequel and that he will get to have fun reprising that role, gold tooth and all.

We don’t know what writer/director James Gunn has planned, but Jai Courtney’s Boomerang does seem like the kind of odd and goofy character that Gunn does so well. And that makes him so ideally suited to this property in the first place. So it is cool that Captain Boomerang will be back and will be portrayed by an actor who relishes in the role.

Given the fact that most signs point towards James Gunn’s film doing its own thing and acting as more of a soft reboot than a true sequel, it’s difficult to know what The Suicide Squad has in store for Jai Courtney’s Captain Boomerang. At the end of Suicide Squad, having survived their mission, the team gets ten years off their sentences. Everyone except Boomerang. And while the others get special privileges, Courtney's gets put in solitary confinement.

Apparently Amanda Waller or whoever will put together the Suicide Squad in the sequel determines that Captain Boomerang isn't more trouble than he's worth and there is still some merit in keeping him around, if only for the comic relief.

Returning alongside Jai Courtney in Suicide Squad 2 is Viola Davis who plays Amanda Waller. The rest of the potential returnees are not confirmed as of yet. Despite some rumors to the contrary, it is believed that Margot Robbie’s Harley Quinn will return, but Joel Kinnaman’s Rick Flag is not expected to.

Captain Boomerang will be mixing it up with some new faces as well. Idris Elba has been cast in The Suicide Squad and for a brief time, it seemed like he would be taking over Deadshot from Will Smith. Instead he will actually be playing a new character but we don’t know who yet, although we have some guesses. Also in talks to join Suicide Squad 2 and his first superhero film, is John Cena in an undisclosed role.

The Suicide Squad is scheduled to open on August 6, 2021. Check out our 2019 Release Schedule to keep track of all the big movies coming to theaters this summer and for all the latest movie news, stay tuned to CinemaBlend.

Read More

Daniel Craig Thinks James Bond Could Change Gender Or Race

Daniel Craig Thinks James Bond Could Change Gender Or Race

Daniel Craig is coming back to play James Bond one more time, but the actor admits that this is almost certainly his last go-round as the super spy. That means the part will need to be recast for the film that comes after Bond 25, and when that happens, some have suggested that the part should go to a woman or a person of color. Craig himself seems quite open to that possibility, saying that nobody should be eliminated from consideration for the part automatically. According to Craig...

The right person for the job, I think that's what it should be. I think that everybody should be considered.

Since the character's inception, James Bond has always been a white dude. While the actors who have played him have come from all parts of the UK, and even once from Australia, the rest hasn't changed much. However, James Bond, being part of one of the longest running film franchises ever, has now become more icon than man, and there are those that believe that the character can move forward as a different race or even a different gender and still be James Bond.

James Bond certainly isn't the same character today that he was when Sean Connery originated him for the screen. The character has evolved with the times and there's no reason the character couldn't continue to evolve in this way.

At the same time, while Daniel Craig says that everybody should be considered for the role of James Bond, he also tells ET that the larger issue is that the number of great roles for women and African Americans is more limited than it should be. He seems to feel that this is part of the reason there is interest in roles like James Bond.

For women and for African Americans, there should be great parts anyway, across the board. It shouldn't have to be Bond that takes... it doesn't need to be Bond. It just needs to be written -- some good parts.

At the end of the day, the fact that James Bond as a character has survived and thrived for so long, and that there is no equivalent character played by a woman or a person of color, is certainly part of the issue. All actors want to play great roles, but some of them, surely, want to play popular ones too, and there are few bigger than James Bond. At the end of the day, whether a person can play James Bond should come down to a talent and not the happenstances of birth.

Hopefully, as Craig says, everybody will be considered and when the time comes to find a new James Bond, the right person will get the job. Until then, we have one more adventure with the current Bond, that will hit screens next year.

Read More

How Much Shazam! Made On Its Opening Night

How Much Shazam! Made On Its Opening Night

Shazam doesn't have the sort of name recognition with the average movie fan that Superman, Wonder Woman, or even Aquaman has. However, the character who has been around in the comics almost as long as Superman now has his own big screen adventure just like those top tier heroes and based on the preview night screenings, he's going to be putting up some respectable numbers against his DC brothers and sisters. While estimates were that Shazam! was going to do around $4 million, actual numbers are closer to $6 million.

While it's still a little early to know for sure, it looks like Shazam!'s Thursday night tally was in the neighborhood of $5.9 million, rather than the $4-$4.5 million that it was looking like as things were getting going last night. This is in addition to the paid previews run by Fandango a couple weeks ago, which means the movie has already grossed over $9 million. While that's certainly not going to put the film in the record books, it's a solid number that puts Shazam! just bellow Marvel's Ant-Man, on the superhero preview list, and well above movies like Captain America: The First Avenger and even Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse. It also more than doubled the preview numbers of its opening weekend competition, the remake of Pet Sematary.

But of course, these numbers are just the beginning. According to Deadline, Shazam! is expecting to bring in $45-$50 million over its opening weekend in North America, with another $100 million or more expected for overseas. If Shazam! hits the high side of all its global estimates it could be seeing a worldwide opening weekend of $170 million, which is remarkable.

Considering that Shazam! did a lot better than expected last night, hitting the high end of expectations, or even exceeding them, certainly seems possible.

Shazam! will be the domestic box office champion on Monday, as it will be putting up numbers similar to what Dumbo did last weekend even if it only does as projected. However, while that film is struggling a bit internationally as well, it's done less than $130 million globally, Shazam! international business looks to make it a solid hit.

This is good news for DC and Warner Bros. because we already knew that there were plans for more from the Shazam! corner of the DC Universe. Dwayne Johnson, who co-produced Shazam!, was cast as villain Black Adam long before Zachary Levi was ever given the nod as the title character. One fully expects these two characters to cross paths somewhere down the line.

Of course, the box office charts are about to get even more crowded than usual with comic book movies. Hellboy is set to debut next week. Which, of course, will be followed a couple of weeks later by a little indie flick called Avengers: Endgame.

Read More

Avengers Box Office: Endgame Sets Basically Every Opening Weekend Record

Avengers Box Office: Endgame Sets Basically Every Opening Weekend Record

As we've gotten closer and closer to the release of Joe and Anthony Russo's Avengers: Endgame in recent weeks, the big question wasn't whether or not the film could become the biggest film opening in history, as that was basically a given. The real question was about the ceiling. Just how much could one blockbuster make in a single weekend? Well, we now have our answer, and it's absolutely blowing minds. The Marvel Studios blockbuster has managed to basically set every record possible - not just domestically, but all around the world. Check out the Top 10 below, and join me after for analysis!

The previous record holder for biggest opening weekend ever was established last year when Joe and Anthony Russo's Avengers: Infinity War made a stunning $257.7 million domestically in its first week of release, and $640.5 million worldwide, but those look like nothing compared to what Avengers: Endgame just pulled off in its first few days of release (though admittedly it did have a big advantage by being released day-and-date in China). While some questioned whether it was actually physically possible for a movie - particularly a three hour one - to make more than $300 million in a three day weekend, the 22nd film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe totally blew away all prognostications with a $350 million start in North America, and a $1.2 billion start globally.

To put those numbers in perspective, it took a grand total of five days for Avengers: Endgame to become the 18th highest grossing film of all time - hitting 10 figures more than twice as fast as Avengers: Infinity War (which took 11 days to hit a billion dollars). It still has a long way to go before it starts getting closer to the top of that particular chart, with James Cameron's Avatar still firmly planted at number one with its insane $2.788 billion final figure, but no matter where it ends up, it's going to be called one of the most successful blockbuster releases of all time.

This obviously isn't going to be a flash in the pan either, as Avengers: Endgame has not only lived up to being one of the most anticipated films of all time, but it is also being warmly embraced by basically everybody. Critics have been showing it some extreme love ever since the review embargo lifted on Tuesday, as it currently has a 96 percent rating on Rotten Tomatoes - which is higher than every other Marvel Studios release other than Ryan Coogler's Black Panther (which maintains a 97 percent on the site). Obviously audiences are really loving it as well, and that's not something solely reflected with how they have voted with their dollar. CinemaScore is reporting an "A+" for the title, which is a grade only two other Marvel Studios releases have received: the aforementioned Black Panther, and Joss Whedon's The Avengers back in 2012.

How far will it ultimately climb up the all time release charts, though? That's a question that pundits will be focusing on for the next month, as it does have a certain disadvantage that's hard to ignore when you compare it to the titles that populate the top of that particular list. Avatar, James Cameron's Titanic, and J.J. Abrams' Star Wars: The Force Awakens all had the benefit of coming out in mid- or late December, and the impact of that can't be undersold in their final figures. January is notoriously one of the worst movie months of the year, and all three of those films were able to keep making money deep into the new year because they lacked any real competition.

Meanwhile, the coming weeks will see Avengers: Endgame going up against some major new titles, including Rob Letterman's Detective Pikachu, Guy Ritchie's Aladdin, and Mike Dougherty's Godzilla: King Of The Monsters. At least one of those titles is going to unseat the Marvel feature from its spot at the top of the charts, and even those that don't are going to take a bite out of the earnings it would make if they didn't they didn't exist.

As for the rest of the Top 10... nobody can really be surprised by the results. Avengers: Endgame was the movie to see this weekend, and so little else got much attention.

That being said, as though the success of the Joe and Anthony Russo film weren't enough, Marvel Studios got a minor double win this week with Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck's Captain Marvel doing a bit of chart climbing. The film has been a consistent presence in the Top 10 ever since its release in early March, but the arrival of Avengers: Endgame has definitely boosted it a bit. Two weeks ago the billion dollar hit had gone down to the number six slot, but its been moving north ever since. Last week it was positioned at number four, and now it's the second biggest movie in North America - probably because there are at least a few people out there either playing catch up (having not seen the Brie Larson feature yet), or constructing a special big screen double feature.

It's earnings have still been dropping (it made 11.6 percent less this week than last week), but the ranking situation is still a feather in its cap.

From a macro perspective, it's also worth recognizing that this was far and away the biggest box office weekend we've seen so far in 2019 - and we're talking by more than double. It's no secret that this has been a sadly slow year for Hollywood, but that shouldn't undercut this accomplishment entirely. All together, every movie showing in theaters this weekend (a total of 45 titles) made $392,178,036. The previous #1 weekend for this year was when Captain Marvel came out on March 8th, and at that time the 105 features showing on the big screen only managed to make $210,498,437. That's pretty nuts, and we probably won't see anything like it until J.J. Abrams' Star Wars: The Rise Of Skywalker hits in December.

We have every expectation that Avengers: Endgame will once again dominate next week (a serious 60 percent drop would still result in it making $145 million), but audiences will also have the chance to go see Jonathan Levine's Long Shot, Ben Bray's El Chicano, Deon Taylor's The Intruder, and Kelly Asbury's Ugly Dolls. It should result in a nice shakeup for the Top 10, so be sure to come back next Sunday to see how it all turns out.

Read More

Man Reportedly Beaten Outside Cinema For Shouting Avengers: Endgame Spoilers

Man Reportedly Beaten Outside Cinema For Shouting Avengers: Endgame Spoilers

It's been a long wait and Avengers: Endgame is finally here. Fans are packing theaters to see this movie, but not everyone is going to be able to see the blockbuster opening weekend. As such, fans are taking precautions to avoid spoilers at all costs, and even the filmmakers have taken steps to make sure that the plot is as secretive as possible. However, one man in Hong Kong apparently didn't get the memo and was reportedly beaten up for for shouting Endgame spoilers.

Part of what has made Endgame such a unique film is that Marvel Studios has taken extra precautions to keep the film as secretive as possible. Trailers have revealed little information, and the Russo Bros. made it their mission to make sure that people would have an authentic, surprising experience at the theater.

Sadly, in the age of the internet, that's just not really possible. Endgame leaked online ahead of the premiere and hours later, the Russos released a statement asking people to keep all spoilers to themselves. After all, it's one thing to seek spoilers for yourself, but it's wrong to force them on people who don't.

One man decided to take the direct approach with spoilers. According to Deadline, a man reportedly shouted Endgame spoilers to a crowd waiting in line to see the movie. Taiwanese media did not identify the man, but reported that he was left bloodied after the crowd attacked him for the spoilers.

A photo of the man bleeding out of his head and sitting on the street has been circulating the internet.

It's increasingly difficult to avoid spoilers in the age of the internet. A person could see a spoiler just from browsing YouTube and seeing a revealing thumbnail. However, it seems that there are consequences for those who choose to spoil without the anonymity of the internet.

Sometimes you just can't avoid spoilers. My friend had the ending of Endgame spoiled for him a day before he saw the film. Someone he didn't know sent him a direct message on Reddit telling him how the film ends. We determined that the guy was ultimately lying, but he had turned out to be partly correct by accident.

To say that people are excited to see Endgame is an understatement. In China alone -- where this alleged beating took place -- the film is projected to make close to $330 million by the end of the weekend. It's already grossed almost as much as the entire run of the top three films in China.

You can see Avengers: Endgame in theaters right now. After you've seen the film be sure to check back with CinemaBlend for more Marvel coverage, such as our spoiler-filled questions about Endgame or the latest box office numbers.

Read More

Gal Gadot Celebrated Zachary Levi's Shazam! Opening In The Cutest Way

Gal Gadot Celebrated Zachary Levi's Shazam! Opening In The Cutest Way

Charismatic and endearing Gal Gadot charmed the world with DC's Wonder Woman and now she's congratulating charismatic and endearing Zachary Levi for doing the same with DC's Shazam! Levi officially joins the DCEU with Shazam!, which just opened this weekend. Unlike with, say, Jason Momoa's Aquaman, Zachary Levi didn't first appear as Shazam in a previous DC movie. So Gadot took a moment to welcome Levi to the DCEU, and she did it in the most adorable way:

How stinkin' cute is that? I love that Gal Gadot was on top of some mountain but still had Wonder Woman and Shazam action figures to pose in the snow. A true goddess at work.

The love between superhero stars is a beautiful thing. Jason Momoa literally stood up to a Henry Cavill hater when that non-fan had words about Superman. When Aquaman came out, Henry Cavill returned the love with his own hilarious post.

It's not clear what Henry Cavill's true Superman status is in the DCEU at this point, but we know Ben Affleck is definitely out as Batman. Gal Gadot is definitely coming back as Diana Prince in Wonder Woman 1984. Gadot already finished filming that movie, and she had a fantastic time making it. Wonder Woman's sequel was once again directed by Patty Jenkins. It co-stars Kristen Wiig as Barbara Ann Minerva/Cheetah and also manages to bring back Chris Pine as Steve Trevor. Jenkins has said she already has plans for Wonder Woman 3, whether she gets to make the film or not.

Shazam! and Wonder Woman both have A CinemaScores from polled moviegoers, the highest grades for the DCEU to date. Shazam!'s opening of $53.4 million isn't quite in line with the other DCEU movies, but nobody expected it to be. Overall, it still feels like a breath of fresh air for the franchise.

Zachary Levi has fielded a lot of praise for his role as the adult superhero version of Billy Batson in Shazam! He has been replying to a lot of the fans -- famous and non-famous -- as he, his fellow cast members, and director David F. Sandberg bask in this moment.

There's already talk of Shazam! getting a sequel, which may move forward very quickly. Warner Bros. is reportedly not focusing as much on the share universe -- after the billion dollar success of Aquaman and frustrations of Justice League. Instead, WB plans to let the individual film directors tell their own superhero stories.

Next up, the DCEU has Birds of Prey, starring Margot Robbie's Harley Quinn, which is scheduled to open February 7, 2020. Then Wonder Woman 1984 arrives June 5, 2020. Keep up with all things DCEU with our guide, and keep up with everything heading to theaters in 2019 with our movie release date schedule.

Read More

6 Fun Video Game References In Shazam!

6 Fun Video Game References In Shazam!

The following contains MAJOR SPOILERS for Shazam!

Shazam! sets itself apart from your normal superhero blockbuster by having a hero who is, basically, a 15-year-old kid. As such, Shazam/Billy Batson’s passions are largely similar to the sorts of things that average teenagers love, like eating junk food and occasionally skipping school.

One other thing that’s a big part of Shazam! is video games. We see our main characters playing against each other at one point, but that’s far from the only time that video game references are made in Shazam! Here are five surprising references to video games found in the new DC superhero movie.

Mortal Kombat

As mentioned, there is one very clear video game reference in Shazam! As we see the adult superhero and his friend/brother Freddy playing the classic fighter Mortal Kombat, apparently using money they swiped from ATMs, based on all the new stuff we see surrounding them. Specifically, the two are playing the recent Mortal Kombat X and Shazam is playing as Raiden, the god of thunder. It's a fitting choice considering both Raiden and Shazam can shoot lightning from their hands.

However, that’s not the only reference to Mortal Kombat in Shazam! Another reference comes later, when the superhero version of foster brother Eugene, uses a classic Mortal Kombat line. The game series is best known for its collection of brutal and violent finishing movies, where characters can eviscerate their opponents in various ways. It’s called the Fatality, and Eugene uses the classic phrase after Shazam has taken Silvana’s eye and defeated him for good.

Street Fighter

Mortal Kombat is one of the best known tournament fighter games ever made, but one title that might be even more well known is the Street Fighter series. The title predates Mortal Kombat by a few years and has had several more games to its name.

Again, the reference here comes from Eugene at the end of the film. His adult superhero version has the lightning power of Zeus that he gained from Shazam. At one point, upon firing his lightning at one of the Seven Deadly Sins, he shouts “Hadouken,” a reference to the call of Street Fighter members Ryu and Ken, who use the word when sending a fireball toward an opponent.

Watch Dogs

While Street Fighter and Mortal Kombat are two game series that many people are familiar with, even if they’ve never touched a video game console, the rest of the references begin to get a bit more obscure. While those familiar with AAA console games will know the name Watch Dogs, others may not. The game is an open world action game in the vein of Grand Theft Auto but with the twist that the player has the ability to “hack” computer systems in order to manipulate the environment.

Eugene makes reference to the game as one of the reasons he has picked up some skills as a hacker. I’m not entirely clear how, since all hacking in Watch Dogs is done by pressing a single button. There really isn’t much opportunity to learn actual hacking.

Uplink

Alongside Watch Dogs, however, is a reference to another hacking-themed video game, and one that might be slightly more useful to learning hacking. Uplink is another game that Eugene apparently plays, or did play, quite a bit. It’s actually sort of impressive since the game was originally released back in 2001, making the title older than Eugene is. It’s possible Eugene played the mobile version that was released in 2012. Still, it’s nice to know the kid likes to play older video games too.

Uplink doesn’t have you control an avatar of any kind, but instead is a game that looks like you’re using an actual PC interface. The “hacking” works more like the way that you see hacking portrayed in movies, as opposed to actual hacking, but since Shazam! is a movie after all, it seems likely that Uplink is a realistic version of hacking for that world.

PlayStation Move

The most utterly bizarre video game reference is the unlikeliest one in the movie to notice. Rather than being referenced in dialogue or shown clearly on screen, one scene shows one of the supporting characters armed with a Sony Sharpshooter, a gun peripheral that was designed to be used with the PlayStation 3’s Move motion control.

Back when the Nintendo Wii was the biggest thing to hit video games since, well, the original Nintendo Entertainment System, Sony tried to come up with its own version of the tech. The Sharpshooter was essentially a plastic shell for the system that turned the standard Move controller into a light gun. The thing is, the Move was never a major hit, and the Sharpshooter was an additional peripheral, making it even less popular. Where somebody found one of these, and why they thought using it was a good idea, is anybody’s guess.

Fortnite?

This last one I’m not sure is specifically meant to be a video game reference, but it’s too close to one not to mention. During the Shazam “super power testing” montage, we see the superhero doing a little dance while he’s waiting for Freddy to get ready to film him.

The dance he’s doing is called the Floss, and, while it wasn’t created for a video game, its popularity as a dance move has become immensely more popular thanks to being an available emote option in Fortnite, the most popular game in the world right now. The dance and the game have become so popular together that they're currently the subject of one of several lawsuits against the game.

From the obvious to the obscure, there are some really fun video game references in Shazam! With all indications being that we're going to get a sequel to Shazam! sooner rather than later, video games will probably continue to be a touchstone of this franchise, and we can look forward to more references in the future. Shazam has made appearances in real life video games before. One has to wonder if Shazam could actually become a video game character within the DC film universe, allowing Billy Batson and Freddy to actually play as their superhero counterparts in some future movie.

Read More

Kevin Feige Explains Why Captain Marvel Wasn’t Given A Love Interest

Kevin Feige Explains Why Captain Marvel Wasn’t Given A Love Interest

Spoilers ahead for Carol Danvers' origin story.

The Marvel Cinematic Universe is an ever expanding place, and the stakes couldn't be higher at the moment. Captain Marvel has finally arrived, and has made a ton of money in theaters. After years of waiting, Brie Larson's Carol Danvers has joined the massive shared universe, and she'll crossover with the rest of The Avengers when Endgame arrives next month.

Captain Marvel's brief scene in the final Endgame trailer shows her interacting with Chris Hemsworth's Thor, with the two powerful heroes having a silent standoff of some kind. He eventually says he likes her, and some Marvel fans have been hoping that the duo might have a romantic connection in the upcoming blockbuster. But Marvel Studios' Kevin Feige recently addressed the lack of a love story in Captain Marvel, saying:

Well that was something as we were developing the script and queuing off of the comics as always, it never even occurred to have a love interest. That's not what the movie was about. It was about Carol finding herself and growing and making mistakes and being bolstered up by her female mentors and female friends. And that relationship with Maria was very important.

It looks like Carol Danvers was always going to fly solo in Captain Marvel. Instead of navigating a romantic connection on top of her memory loss, Captain Marvel focused on its title character's interpersonal relationships with her friends, and her former Kree allies.

Kevin Feige's comments to ScreenRant show that Captain Marvel was never going to be a love story. Kevin Feige previously promised that the movie would be a new type of origin story, and the project ultimately did just that. Carol's fractured memory served as the backdrop behind her journey on Earth, and she had a unique family unit with Maria and Monica Rambeau. Their connection was the heart of the movie, so there was no need to get Captain Marvel all dewey eyed about a boy.

If Carol Danvers was given a love interest in Captain Marvel, the movie would have been closer to the origin stories from back in Phase One. Iron Man, Thor, The Incredible Hulk, and Captain America: The First Avenger all saw the title character fall in love, while also becoming a superhero. It would have been too by the numbers to have Captain Marvel follow suit, especially when Phase Three has been such an ambitious and artistic set of films.

But just because Carol Danvers doesn't have a love interest yet doesn't mean that it can't occur sometime in the future. Captain Marvel has had romantic storylines in the comics, after all. As for those rumors about Thor in Endgame, the God of Thunder has been single for a while now. So who knows?

Captain Marvel is in theaters now, and she'll return to the MCU when Avengers: Endgame arrives on April 26th. In the meantime, check out our 2019 release list to plan your next trip to the movies.

Read More

Apparently Avengers: Endgame's Second Half Is Mind-Blowing

Apparently Avengers: Endgame's Second Half Is Mind-Blowing

Thanks to the intense secrecy of Avengers: Endgame, fans know very little of what to expect when they eventually sit down to watch the film later this month. Spectacle and tears have been assured by the filmmakers and cast, but specific plot details are locked in the vault. We still only have broad statements to work off of, but fans are apparently in for a treat, because a source claims that the second half of Endgame is "mind-blowing."

In Avengers: Endgame, the surviving members of the team must band together and find a way to reverse the damage done to the universe by Thanos -- or at least get revenge on the Mad Titan. That's already one epic logline that promises drama and action, and fan theories have risen up to try and plug the various holes. People have pitched everything from time travel to Ant-Man jumping up Thanos' butt, but whatever it ends up being, it will be absolutely wild.

Endgame is projected to have a record-breaking domestic opening that could earn as high as $300 million. As we get closer to the release date, that number could change depending on the reviews of the film. While a bad review can hurt box office performance, Deadline doesn't think Endgame has to worry about bad reviews. A reliable source who has seen the movie told the publication that the second half of Endgame is mind-blowing.

Deadline doesn't go any more specific than that, but mind-blowing feels like it's an accurate word for Endgame based on what we know already. Marvel has been hyping that it pulled off all the stops for this one, and while I think being overhyped is generally a bad thing, all evidence so far suggests Endgame will be a movie to remember.

And it's not just shadowy industry insiders who like the film. Test audiences apparently loved it, too! Per co-director Joe Russo during an interview with BoxOfficePro, Endgame had one of the highest test scores of any Marvel movie.

We’re vigilant about using test audiences to tell us whether we’re on the right track or we’re making bad decisions. With Endgame, it had one of the most incredible audience responses in Marvel history. Irrespective of the length, it’s been consistently embraced by the test audiences.

Butts likely won't be leaving seats during Endgame's wild runtime of three hours. Expect a lot more hype over these next coming weeks and be careful of the leaks that will inevitable arrive online. Something tells me going in as dry as possible will yield the best experience for everyone.

We'll finally have all of our questions answered when Avengers: Endgame arrives in theaters on April 26. To learn all the information that we do know, here's our helpful guide.

Read More

Looks Like Disney Is Pulling Back On Fox Projects After Merger

Looks Like Disney Is Pulling Back On Fox Projects After Merger

We knew that once Disney took full ownership of Fox, things would change, but until it actually happened, we had no idea what that change would really look like.Yesterday, on the Walt Disney Company's quarterly earning call, CEO Bob Iger spoke a lot about Fox, as this was the first call since the merger was complete.

One of the things Iger said on the call was that he expected Fox to produce five to six films a year once the current slate of inherited movies is complete, which, if true, would be about half the number of movies the studio had been producing in recent years.

20th century Fox released 12 movies in 2018 and 14 in 2017, and that doesn't include Fox Searchlight and the other divisions of the company that Disney now owns. Clearly the new Fox is planned to be a much leaner and meaner company.

This isn't all that surprising. 20th Century Fox was a full production studio like Disney, and now its owned by Disney. For Fox to continue to output 12 movies a year would mean doubling the total output of Disney as a whole.

Disney only released 10 movies in 2018 and released all of 8 films in 2017. However, it led the box office both of those years. The Disney focus has clearly been about making fewer films that bring in more money and this strategy is sure to be used when approaching Fox movies. Maybe they'll only make six movies, but if the studio can bring in the same amount of money with fewer films, so much the better for the bottom line.

There are a couple of potential caveats to this. First off, while Iger says five or six movies is likely, he's leaving the door open for more, saying...

I'm guessing that it'll be somewhere in the neighborhood of 5 or 6 films a year. But we're not locking ourselves into that, from that end.

The other thing to keep in mind is Disney+. Bob Iger also said during the call that projects from the Fox library that would be unlikely to see movies released theatrically would probably end up on the forthcoming streaming service. It seems that some of Fox's resources will be focused on Disney+, so while we might see fewer theatrical films from Fox we could see several online.

Clearly, Fox will not be the studio it once was again. It will be yet another label underneath the Walt Disney Company, and so, like Pixar or Marvel Studios, it will be working on a limited number of projects at any one time.

This isn't unexpected but it is upsetting. One of the unfortunate side effects of the purchase, in addition to there simply being fewer big studios, is that now there will likely be fewer theatrical releases overall. That just not a positive thing if you're a fan of movies or the industry as a whole.

For has seven projects planned for 2019 and nine set for 2020. After that, the only confirmed films are the animated Nimona and the multiple sequels to Avatar.

Read More

Guardians Of The Galaxy’s Sean Gunn Reveals How He First Brought Rocket To Life

Guardians Of The Galaxy’s Sean Gunn Reveals How He First Brought Rocket To Life

After a long year of waiting, Avengers: Endgame is just days away from arriving in theaters. Moviegoers are eager to jump back into the MCU, and see how the galaxy is recovering after losing half of all life. Infinity War shocked fans by killing off a ton of characters, with the upcoming movie reportedly focusing on the survivors. From the Guardians of the Galaxy, the only ones left are Nebula and Rocket.

Rocket Raccoon is a fan favorite of the Guardians franchise, and is brought to life by a pair of actors. While Bradley Cooper voices the foulmouthed pilot, actor Sean Gunn stands in and plays the role throughout filming. Gunn recently opened up about this process, and how he essentially invented the method on the spot. As he tells it,

When I arrived in London just about a week later, it all moved really fast. It was like, OK, you ready to go? You're coming to London in a week for six months. And so when I arrived then we sort of figured out Rocket on the fly. I read Rocket in the first table read that we did, and then when we started rehearsals, I just got down on my hands and knees and started doing it from the character's height and position. And lo and behold, that's what ended up really working. And since the formula worked, we've stuck with it for four movies.

Well, this is an interesting peek behind the curtain. Because while Sean Gunn and Marvel Studios have Rocket's motion capture work down to a science, the kinks weren't worked out prior to filming the first Guardians of the Galaxy movie. And Gunn's willingness to use his body and transform into Rocket on set is part of the reason why the CGI character seems so real.

Standing in for Rocket during rehearsals and filming might seem like a thankless job, but Sean Gunn has another role in the Guardians of the Galaxy franchise. He also plays Ravager Kraglin, one of Yondu's closest buddies. Of course, Kraglin hasn't been included in Infinity War and Endgame, so Gunn has an under the radar part in those massive ensemble projects.

Sean Gunn might not be voicing Rocket, but he has just as much ownership over the character. Since he's the one inhabiting the fan favorite Guardian during all of his scenes, he's spent more time with Rocket than Bradley Cooper. Cooper's voice performance is stunning, but someone needs to be on set to act along Rocket's scene partners. Enter Mr. Gunn.

Rocket is one of the survivors of Thanos' snap (aka The Decimation), so he should presumably have a meaty role in Avengers: Endgame. The Russo Brothers keeping Rocket and Nebula alive is an inspiring creative choice, as they're the most damaged members of the Guardians. The apocalypse may just force them together, and hopefully change their dynamic in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.

Sean Gunn's work as Rocket can be seen when Avengers: Endgame arrives in theaters on April 26th. In the meantime, fill out CinemaBlend's Endgame death pool, and check out our 2019 release list to plan your next trip to the movies.

Read More

Captain Marvel Really Fumbled Two Important Characters And We Don't Get Why

Captain Marvel Really Fumbled Two Important Characters And We Don't Get Why

Warning: SPOILERS are ahead!

Just because Captain Marvel is set in 1995, 13 years before the modern events of the Marvel Cinematic Universe unfolded, doesn’t mean that the movie didn’t have ties to other corners of this superhero franchise. Unquestionably the biggest example of this was pairing Nick Fury with Carol Danvers and showing how the S.H.I.E.L.D. agent learned about superheroes and aliens, as well as how he lost his 20/20 vision. But he wasn’t the only familiar face who appeared in Captain Marvel: Guardians of the Galaxy villains Ronan the Accuser and Korath the Pursuer also popped in during Carol’s origin story. The movie could have been a platform to make both of those characters more interesting, but unfortunately, it failed to accomplish this.

It’s been nearly five full years since we first met Lee Pace’s Ronan and Djimon Honsou’s Korath, with Guardians of the Galaxy showing the latter serving the former in his quest to wipe out Xandar. Since Korath was Guardians of the Galaxy’s tertiary antagonist, it was hardly surprising that he wasn’t fleshed out during the movie, but even though we knew about Ronan’s radicalism and his disgust with the Kree empire signing a peace treaty with Xandar, he failed to come off as a fascinating villain. Ultimately both those characters were killed by the Guardians, and so naturally it was assumed for years that’s the first and only time we’d ever see them in the MCU.

Then it was announced around this time last year that younger versions of Ronan and Korath would appear in Captain Marvel, which made sense given that like her comic book counterpart, Brie Larson’s Carol’s origins are tied to the Kree. Since Captain Marvel takes place a little over two decades before Guardians of the Galaxy, that’s enough time for these two to be portrayed at least slightly differently than they were before. More importantly, Captain Marvel could foreshadow how these two are put on the path that ends with them being Kree outcasts set on destroying an entire planet.

So what does the movie do with Ronan and Korath? Well, Korath is a member of Starforce alongside Carol, Yon-Rogg, Minn-Erva, Att-Lass and Bron-Char. Outside Korath talking about his experience with facing down a Skrull and the other members joking at the beginning of Captain Marvel about how he’s humorless, which Korath strongly denies (he laughs, just on the inside), he doesn’t get any focus. He’s with the other Starforce operatives as they carry out their missions on Torfa and Earth (the latter including Mar-Vell’s base in orbit), but there’s nothing that particularly highlights him compared to his Kree partners other than Yon-Rogg. Minn-Erva arguably stands out more because at least she was gunned down by Maria Rambeau while chasing after Carol.

As for Ronan, we find out why he’s called the Accuser: because he was part of the of the same-named division of the Kree military, which would see him ordering warheads to be dropped on planets to wipe out the enemy Skrulls. Although there’s a official still of Ronan in the same room as the Starforce, in the final Captain Marvel cut, he never had any direct face time with them. Instead, he communicated with the team over hologram, first blaming Yon-Rogg for their failure on Torfa and then arriving to Earth after Yon-Rogg contacted him about eliminating Talos and the other Skrulls. Still a dutiful servant of the Kree empire at this stage of his life, Yon-Rogg ordered that Earth be bombed, but the fully-powered Carol Danvers destroyed the warheads and one of his ships, prompting him to order a retreat and declare that he would return to capture Carol and use her as a weapon.

Given how things turned out for Ronan in Guardians of the Galaxy and that Carol Danvers is alive and well in the present day, obviously he didn’t fulfill this promise, but that’s beside the point. The point is that Captain Marvel failed to effectively use Ronan and Korath. Obviously these two were never going to be the most important players in this movie, but it’s a problem when you could replace either of them with other characters, be they also from the Marvel Comics pages or original creations, and the story wouldn’t be any different. There was nothing about these younger depictions of Ronan and Korath that made them more compelling.

Ronan in particular suffers as a result. Xandar doesn’t factor into Captain Marvel whatsoever, but it still would have been great if something laid the groundwork for Ronan to become the zealot we met in Guardians of the Galaxy. Maybe something could have happened during his mission on Earth that made him realize the Kree empire, more specifically the Supreme Intelligence, is not infallible. Instead, he’s just as loyal to his Kree superiors at the end of the movie, and now we’ve been teased about a goal of his that we probably won’t ever see. Although a hypothetical Captain Marvel 2 could take a page from Wonder Woman 1984’s book and be set in the interim decades between when she left with the Skrulls and when she returned post-Decimation, but that hasn’t even been rumored yet.

In Korath’s case, it would have been nice to learn how he became affiliated with Ronan, because while the two of them do technically share screen time since Korath is near Yon-Rogg as the Starforce leader talking with Ronan over hologram, Korath and Ronan never actually interact with one another. Korath presumably already knew about Ronan by reputation, but we get no sense in Captain Marvel in why Korath would be willing to abandon the Kree empire to serve Ronan years later. Maybe Starforce’s failure to eliminate the Skrulls and bring back Carol Danvers resulted in Korath, Yon-Rogg and the surviving members being demoted, which could lead to Korath’s own disillusionment, but there’s absolutely no hint of that by the time the credits roll.

Captain Marvel did a good job of telling Carol Danvers’ origin story, revealing how Nick Fury started to become the badass spymaster we know best, and delivering a welcome twist by not depicting the Skrulls as pure evil. Unfortunately for Ronan and Korath, they were underserved in the story, and their actions here don’t do anything to improve how they were shown in Guardians of the Galaxy. It was definitely a wasted opportunity.

Let us know what you thought of how Ronan the Accuser and Korath the Pursuer were used in Captain Marvel below. While it remains to if we’ll ever see these incarnations of the characters ever again, Carol Danvers will be back for Avengers: Endgame on April 26.

Read More

J.R.R. Tolkien’s Family Does ‘Not Approve’ Of The Tolkien Biopic

J.R.R. Tolkien’s Family Does ‘Not Approve’ Of The Tolkien Biopic

Update: Fox Searchlight Pictures has responded to Tolkien's family's statements, saying:

We are so proud of Dome Karukoski’s film TOLKIEN which focuses on the early years of J.R.R. Tolkien’s extraordinary life and does not depict subject matter from his novels. While we did not work with the Tolkien Estate on this project, the filmmaking team has the utmost respect and admiration for Mr. Tolkien and his phenomenal contribution to literature.

The Lord of the Rings movies were one of the most epic undertakings in cinema history. It's only fitting that the man behind those stories gets some screen time of his own, right? That's the idea behind Tolkien the new biopic of J.R.R. Tolkien that stars Nicholas Hoult as the man who wrote The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. However, on the eve of the film's release, the family of Tolkien has said they do not endorse the new movie.

It's certainly not uncommon for family of a biopic subject to be critical of a film. It can frequently happen after a movie has been released and it is seen just how the movie takes license with the real life story, changing events in order to make a better movie, even if it's not perfectly historically accurate.

However, in this case, THR reveals that nobody in the Tolkien family has actually seen the movie in question. They're not criticizing the movie or any particular element of it. That's not the point of the statement. Instead, this appears to be a more preemptive move. The family doesn't want there to be any confusion surrounding how the film was made. Nobody from the Tolkien family was consulted or gave approval to have the movie made in the first place and the family is simply putting this fact on record now.

Tolkien is set for release May 10 and tells the story of the author as a young man, including how events in his life, such as World War I, helped shape his life and lead to the creation of the epic fantasy world he is best known for.

It's certainly understandable that the family of J.R.R. Tolkien would want to be sure to tell the world that they were not involved in the new film in any way. It would be easy for some to make the assumption that they were, many who never hear of this statement will likely do just that.

At the same time, since nobody has seen the movie yet, it's certainly possible that Tolkien tells its story with an even hand that the family will end up appreciating. It's equally possible that the movie will turn out to be a good one, even if it does play fast and loose with the truth.

If the movie does change things drastically in a way that the family doesn't like, we'll likely hear more from the family about that. The family of Don Shirley made their problems with Oscar winning film Green Book known as they felt the movie was inaccurate in some respects and that's far from the first time such a thing has happened.

Nobody likes to see their family portrayed in a negative or incorrect fashion. At the same time, sometimes the stories of real people are simply better stories than anything a fiction writer could possibly come up with.

Read More

James Gunn Has Returned To Direct Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 3

James Gunn Has Returned To Direct Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 3

Well, folks, it happened. Last summer, one of the biggest news in the movie-sphere was how James Gunn was fired from Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 due to controversial social media posts he’d made over a decade ago resurfacing. However, today it’s been announced that Gunn has been reinstated into the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and will return to direct Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.

You’ll recall that last August, approximately a month after James Gunn was let go from Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, it was reported that Disney had not changed its mind and would not rehire him. Well, according to Deadline, Gunn has returned to helm the threequel, and apparently this was decided months ago among the respective Disney and Marvel Studios leadership teams. Walt Disney Studios president Alan Horn reportedly met with Gunn several times and, persuaded by Gunn’s public apology and handling of the matter afterwards, decided to bring him back into the fold.

Now some of you may be asking, “Wait, what about Suicide Squad 2, a.k.a. The Suicide Squad?” After all, several months after James Gunn was let go from Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, he hopped aboard the DC train to write and direct the next movie starring Task Force X, which is said to be less of a direct sequel to 2016’s Suicide Squad and more of a relaunch of the property. Well, Gunn signing on to The Suicide Squad complicated Marvel’s plans to bring him back for Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, but as things stand now, Gunn will work on The Suicide Squad first, and once it’s finished, then he’ll turn his attention to Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. So Gunn gets to wrap up his Guardians trilogy as originally intended and leave his stamp on another superhero franchise.

While Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 was initially believed to be one of the first Phase 4 movies to be released, but James Gunn’s firing last year placed the project on indefinite hold. Since The Suicide Squad is set for release on August 6, 2021, that means Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 will probably arrive a year or two later at the very least, so we’re still in for a long wait for it to arrive. Nevertheless, this is a major turn of events following months of reports, and while Marvel was already planning on using James Gunn’s Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 script regardless of who direct the movie, now Gunn gets to oversee the production just like he did two times before.

No plot details for Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 have been revealed yet, although the story is reportedly quite the tear-jerker. Regardless, before we get to that adventure, we have to see what goes down next month in Avengers: Endgame. Avengers: Infinity War saw all the Guardians except for Rocket Raccoon and Nebula being turned to dust by Thanos, and while Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Dave Bautista and Pom Klementieff are all confirmed to be appearing in Endgame (hopefully Vin Diesel will provide some Groot vocals as well), we don’t know with absolute certainty yet which of their characters will be brought back to life and which will appear in flashbacks, hallucinations etc.

Keep checking back with CinemaBlend for more updates on Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3’s development, but for now, look through our Marvel movies guide to learn what else is coming down the MCU pipeline.

Read More

It: Chapter Two Director Andy Muschietti Reveals How The Adult Losers Club Was Chosen

It: Chapter Two Director Andy Muschietti Reveals How The Adult Losers Club Was Chosen

In 2019, director Andy Muschietti is bringing the second chapter of IT to the big screen. This time around, he’s also bringing together the adult version of the Losers Club, who will share screentime with their younger counterparts, the stars of IT: Chapter One. We’ve known for a while now the casting for several of the adult Losers is uncanny, but at CinemaCon 2019, Andy Muschietti revealed how he decided on who to cast in terms of the adult actors in the movie.

I wanted the adult Losers to be believable and that people believed that we’re talking about the same people. It was a journey of finding and looking. I’m proud to say that all of the people I wanted in the movie finally landed in it. It was incredible to find that all the people standing here were so excited to be a part of it.

When looking at casting, Andy Muschietti also mentioned he was looking for “the same energy and DNA” between the youngsters and the older cast while IT: Chapter Two was coming together.

At CinemaCon 2019, the audience became the first to see both iterations of The Losers Club come out onstage together. Jessica Chastain stood next to Sophia Lillis, James Ransome next to Jack Dylan Glazer, James McAvoy (although Jaeden Martell was not present), Bill Hader next to Finn Wolfhard, Isaiah Mustafa next to Chosen Jacobs, and Jay Ryan next to Jeremy Ray Taylor.

IT: Chapter Two – An Updated Cast List

The whole gang was onstage together and even just looking at them side-by-side, a lot of the castings are pretty uncanny, particularly Bill Hader and Finn Wolfhard. Hader was actually cast thanks to Wolfhard’s wishes and Hader credited the younger actor for landing the role. This happened after Wolfhard admitted he just started thinking about an actor who he felt was already like his character Richie. He said:

We always talked about it. We didn’t know for sure if there was going to be a Part 2 or anything. Well I didn’t at least, and I was like, you know, Richie’s funny to himself.

Quipped Bill Hader,

Yeah, Richie thinks he’s funny. Who’s an asshole who thinks he’s really funny? Who’s a guy who laughs at himself a lot? Who laughs at his own jokes a lot? There’s only one guy in the universe.

Although he's joking above, Bill Hader ultimately credited Finn Wolfhard for thinking of him before casting commenced. Wolfhard’s not the only one who picked out the actor he wanted to play an adult version of him. Sophia Lillis had previously said she wanted Jessica Chastain for the role of Beverly and that panned out as well.

While the rest of the castings didn’t play out exactly like the kids originally guessed, there’s no doubt IT: Chapter Two’s cast is stacked. Now we’ll just have to wait and see how it pans out on the big screen.

The good news? Along with the cast, CinemaCon also revealed some first look footage at IT: Chapter Two with a scene featuring Jessica Chastain. If you’d like to get a little more spoilery than that, we have you covered.

Read More

Marvel’s Kevin Feige Really Isn’t Worried About Superhero Fatigue

Marvel’s Kevin Feige Really Isn’t Worried About Superhero Fatigue

Spoilers ahead for Avengers: Endgame.

It's a very good time in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Avengers: Endgame arrived weeks ago, the true cumulation of 22 massive blockbusters. But the future of the MCU is largely a mystery, and it's unclear exactly what is coming next now that the Infinity Saga has wrapped up. There are also concerns of superhero fatigue, where the genre will become too saturated and ultimately cannibalize itself.

But Marvel Studios' head Kevin Feige doesn't seem concerned about superhero fatigue at all. The MCU only continues to get bigger and more interconnected with each new release, and the studio is showing no signs of slowing down. Feige described his confidence in the franchise's continued storytelling, saying:

Nobody would get fatigued before the creative forces at Marvel Studios who do this 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, so we believe that if we're still taking risks and making unique choices to keep ourselves excited, the audience will feel the same way.

Touche, Mr. Feige. He seems to think the team behind the Marvel Cinematic Universe would get exhausted with the genre far before the general public, as they're living in it every single day. What's more, he teased some big risks being taken in the mysterious Phase Four.

Kevin Feige's comments come from his recent Reddit AMA, where he fielded all sorts of questions about the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The fandom is able to get a peek into the inner workings of the behemoth franchise, and it's clear that Feige and company have big plans for us after Spider-Man: Far From Home completes Phase Three.

Related: Kevin Feige Says The ‘Real Mandarin’ Is Coming

The last two Avengers movies broke all the rules, and introduced some big concepts to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Quite a few characters deaths occurred, which will no doubt shake those who survived the battle(s) with Thanos. And with time travel and the multiverse also in play, it seems Kevin Feige and company can take the story anywhere.

Superhero fatigue has become a concern over the past few years, and tons of studios are trying to get in on the action, and create cinematic universes. The X-Men franchise has been going on since 2000, Sony has the growing Spider-Verse, and Warner Bros. has the DC Extended Universe. There's a ton of comic book movies in theaters, potentially having the power to give each new release less power at the box office.

Regardless of the competition, the MCU has continued to make more and more money in Phase Three, and Avengers: Endgame is the second biggest movie in film history. The blockbuster also did some set up for the franchise's future. But we'll likely have to wait until Spider-Man: Far From Home comes out for any answers.

Avengers: Endgame is in theaters now, and Spider-Man: Far From Home will arrive in theaters on July 2, 2019. In the meantime, check out our 2019 release list to plan your next trip to the movies.

Read More

The 5 Best Jennifer Aniston Movies, And The 5 Worst

The 5 Best Jennifer Aniston Movies, And The 5 Worst

Though some folks might know her best as Rachel Green during her long-standing stint on NBC's Friends, Jennifer Aniston has been on the big screen more than a few times, in a variety of different movies — including the upcoming Netflix picture Murder Mystery with Adam Sandler. For more than twenty years, she has split her time on screens both big and small, although a few of her cinematic performances remain her best to date. Some of these films are well-known. Other titles are often forgotten — or, in some cases, best forgotten.

There are several good Jennifer Aniston movies, and there are several other Jennifer Aniston movies that make you wish she chose a different project altogether. Or maybe fired her agent. Opinions may vary. Jennifer Aniston has, of course, been in some great comedies. But of course  she has, unfortunately, been involved with a few stinkers in her career. Not every film can be a winner. Let's take a look at the best and the brightest, and some of the worst.

It should be noted there are a few popular titles that didn't make the list, for several different reasons. For instance, I still consider The Iron Giant to be the best movie that Jennifer Aniston has ever been in. But while she did lend her voice to a prominent role, it's not necessarily a "Jennifer Aniston movie." At least, not in the way most people would categorize that distinction. Additionally, Horrible Bosses 1 & 2, for better or for worse, fall under a similar umbrella. They're movies that star Jennifer Aniston, but they're not quite "Jennifer Aniston movies" in my view. I hope that makes sense.

The Best Jennifer Aniston Movies

The Good Girl

Simultaneously one of Jennifer Aniston's best and most underrated movies, Miguel Arteta's The Good Girl was well-regarded by critics, particularly during its film festival runs. However, it never earned a wide audience — despite Jennifer Aniston's enormous celebrity and fame from Friends. That's really a shame, because it's a fantastic character study, built quietly and impeccably by Aniston's graceful, compelling performance.

Playing Justine Last, a discount store clerk stuck in a dead-end town in a passionless marriage, our titular good girl starts to make some morally-grey decisions (at best) when she fancies an affair with a stock boy, played by Jake Gyllenhaal. Bolstered by lovely cinematography and another fantastically resounding screenplay by Mike White (School of Rock), The Good Girl is a stunner, and it deserves to be acclaimed and celebrated more than it is. In my view, Jennifer Aniston gives a career-best performance in here. She's not just good; she's great.

Office Space

A true cult classic, Mike Judge's often-quoted dark comedy Office Space initially didn't find its audience when it first rolled into theaters back in 1999. Yet, once it made its way onto home video, there were folks everywhere who found themselves relating to the exhausted struggles of its lead characters, as well as their desire to rebel against their brain-dead managers. In the midst of these office struggles, however, is Peter's (Ron Livingston) fostering a relationship with a waitress named Joanna, played by Jennifer Aniston.

A similarly disgruntled employee who also doesn't appreciate her management, to put it mildly, Joanna seems like the right match for Peter. Sure enough, she and Peter begin to form a relationship through their distain for their jobs. And it provided Jennifer Aniston with one of her most relatable, down-to-earth performances. That's particularly noteworthy since the movie was filmed in between seasons of Friends, which was easily becoming one of the most popular sitcoms in TV history. Foxy, funny and strong-willed, Jennifer Aniston's performance in Office Space is a stand-out. There's no denying that Office Space holds a special place in people's hearts for many reasons, and Jennifer Aniston's involvement is certainly one reason why. Work might suck, but Office Space most certainly does not.

The Break-Up

In Peyton Reed's charming, endearing anti-rom-com, The Break-Up, Jennifer Aniston acts alongside Vince Vaughn as one-half of a disgruntled couple who decide to call it quits, only to continue living together in their luxurious Chicago condo. Not too far-fetched as far as comedy premises go, truth be told. And that is part of what makes this movie work. Acting alongside one another, Aniston and Vaughn have an enjoyably prickly chemistry — which sounds like an oxymoron, but it actually fits the film's surprisingly effective tonal mix of loose comedy and serious drama.

There are no meet cutes here; only un-cute, well-established disgruntlements. That doesn't roll off the tongue quite so well. While this premise could've easily been a major turn off if it had been done wrong, Jennifer Aniston and Vince Vaughn (who actually became a couple after filming The Break-Up), strike the right off-kilter balance and sell the hardships of their uncoupling in amusing, yet believable, ways. And Aniston fully commits to this premise. Whether it's creating authentic, convincing arguments with her on-screen partner or prancing around the apartment naked in order to spite her ex-lover, Aniston is dedicated to this break-up comedy. The movie is all the better for it.

Bruce Almighty

Admittedly, Bruce Almighty might be more of a Jim Carrey picture than a Jennifer Aniston film. Much like the main character, I'm bending the rules a little bit here. Still, this original, inspired early '00s comedy, which imagines what would happen if an average man were given the powers of God, finds Aniston playing a good romantic and comedic companion to the typically-hysterical Jim Carrey in one of his most liberating cinematic performances.

No doubt, it's hard to go toe-to-toe with Jim Carrey — most particularly at the height of his cinematic fame. Yet, Jennifer Aniston was far from a nobody at this point in her career. She confidently brings the comedy and heart, helping to craft the romantic centerpiece that's at the root of this farce. As a result, as funny as Bruce Almighty can be, it wouldn't be quite as memorable or winning if it weren't for Jennifer Aniston's performance. It's divine.

Dumplin'

A winsome and warm-hearted adaptation of Julie Murphy's novel of the same name, Dumplin' is the tale of Willowdean Dickson (Danielle Macdonald), also known as "Dumplin," an overweight teenager who decides to spite her beauty queen mom, played by Jennifer Aniston, by participating in the local beauty pageant. The result is an inviting, good-natured and emotionally rewarding coming-of-age story that would've made quite a splash in theaters as an underdog hit if it had been made 10 years earlier. Alas, in 2018, however, it was put on Netflix with only moderate fanfare. That's a shame, truly, because Macdonald and Aniston each give one of their best performances to date.

Empowered by good morals and the wonderful guiding music of Dolly Parton -- who also produced a pair of original tunes for the film -- Dumplin' gives Jennifer Aniston a role that benefits her comedic and dramatic talents, while not always taking the center stage. Nevertheless, in the movie's best moments, Aniston provides a commendable, heartfelt performance that showcases what she can do with her talents as an actress. Notably in a way that other recent movies like Cake tried and didn't succeed in doing (at least in this writer's humble opinion). Netflix's Dumplin' is most certainly a winner.

The Worst Jennifer Aniston Movies

The Bounty Hunter

Much like relationships, romantic comedies don't always work out. You can try your best to squish two bankable stars together, but if the sparks don't fly, there's nothing worth celebrating. Sure enough, 2010's grating, unlikable rom-com The Bounty Hunter is a poorly-calculated, constantly overblown flop that tries to sell the the idea of Gerard Butler having a cold-then-hot on-screen relationship with Jennifer Aniston. It simply doesn't work. At all.

The story wants us to fall in love with a bounty hunter who discovers that his next target is his ex-wife, only to finds themselves on the run with their lives on the line. You can definitely see why these two ex-lovers wouldn't want anything to do with each other, and never get the understanding of why they might want to fall in love again. The result is a painful, unrewarding studio comedy that isn't worth the finder's fee. Try to find a better movie.

Leprechaun

Before she became Rachel Green, Jennifer Aniston was a young up-and-coming actress trying to make a name for yourself. You can't be too picky at that stage in your career. And when you're given your first leading role, you take it — even if the movie might not win you any Oscars. Sure enough, Jennifer Aniston made her movie debut (if you're not counting her brief, random appearance in Mac & Me) in 1993's schlocky horror flick, Leprechaun.

As Tory Reding, Jennifer Aniston did the best she could with the material. Leprechaun was the first in the series, before the franchise fully embraced its comedic side, and Aniston is given no favors as she tries her best to sell the idea that a leprechaun is running around town and killing people. Not even Meryl Streep could sell this convincingly. While the film would spawn an oddball series, it wouldn't be until her days on NBC when Jennifer Aniston found fame and popularity for her acting work. She certainly didn't find a lot of luck with her pre-fame role in Leprechaun, however. Oh well. At least it gave us this memorable scene from Wayne's World 2.

Mother's Day

The movie that has the unfortunate distinction of being director Gary Marshall's final picture, Mother's Day is yet another loosely-assembled ensemble piece based around a commercially-popular holiday. In this case, it's not Valentine's Day or New Year's Eve, but rather — as the title would suggest — Mother's Day. In the film, Jennifer Aniston plays Sandy, a recently-divorced mother of two whose husband has recently remarried a younger woman.

While generally harmless in its cutesy execution, this deeply bland family dramedy plays like a bad sitcom with an overqualified cast playing broadly-drawn characters that are beneath their established talents. It's a waste of a great cast, and that's certainly true for Jennifer Aniston. It's also lazy and woefully generic, much like a tacky Mother's Day card that you would pick up at the supermarket for 99 cents. In that case, with many sincere apologizes to the late, great Gary Marshall, Mother's Day is far from a holiday.

Rumor Has It ...

With The Princess Bride and When Harry Met Sally..., director Rob Reiner proved himself to be one of the best romantic comedy-makers of the 20th century. Unfortunately, when it came time to transition into the 2000s, something got lost in the last millennium. That was made evident with Rumor Has It..., a deeply mediocre, poorly realized rom-com with a fun premise: What if you found out your mother AND grandmother inspired The Graduate?

A film with a troubled production, with screenwriter Ted Griffin fired from the director's chair 12 days after filming began and Reiner coming on at the last minute to retool it, the result is a middling, meandering, dull and deeply forgettable comedy that never makes good use of Jennifer Aniston's on-screen talents. She does the best she can, but there was no sense trying to save this sinking picture. Perhaps some rumors are better left unsaid.

Along Came Polly

I used to have a running gag with a couple of my friends where I start to describe the trailer for an exceptionally generic romantic comedy with two miscast actors. And it always (intentionally and unintentionally) turned into the plot synopsis for 2004's Along Came Polly. The film, which finds a neurotic Ben Stiller learning to let loose and have fun when he falls in love with free-spirited Jennifer Aniston, hits almost all of the expected corny beats of a predictable, run-of-the-mill early 2000s romantic comedy, and it never strives to do anything better or worse than its other contemporary romantic comedies.

Instead, Along Came Polly is the type of movie that once used to fill the shelves of Blockbusters and became an easy pick for couples to select on date night, only to turn it off or not pay attention. It's not necessarily the worst rom-com out there, but it has nothing to make it particularly noteworthy or distinctive — beyond the absurdly weird choice to have the late, great Phillip Seymour Hoffman plays second fiddle to Ben Stiller's nervous antics. You can move along. There's nothing to see here.

Also, we didn't find the time to write about a few other Jennifer Aniston movies, including We're the Millers, Cake, Marley & Me, Wanderlust, Picture Perfect, Rock Star, Just Go With It... or Friends with Money, though each of those movies have their fans and critics. Even though they're not included, they were not forgotten. Do you think these are Jennifer Aniston's best and worst movies? Let us know what you think below if you agree or disagree with our Jennifer Aniston movie selections and tell us your personal favorites/least favorites.

Read More