Avengers: Endgame Writers Discuss Ending Thor’s Arc, And His Potential Future

Avengers: Endgame Writers Discuss Ending Thor’s Arc, And His Potential Future

SPOILER WARNING: The following contains major spoilers for Avengers: Endgame. If you have not yet seen the film, read on at your own risk!

While Thor was one of the key characters who helped establish the foundation of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Avengers: Endgame leaves him in a very different place compared to some of the other Phase One heroes. Rather than getting a conclusive ending similar to Iron Man’s or Captain America’s, the God of Thunder is instead given a new beginning that will see him jet off into space for a new life full of cosmic adventures.

This may seem like a surprising direction for him, as many thought going into the film that Chris Hemsworth’s time with the franchise might be over, be there’s a very good reason for the choice – as I recently learned from Avengers: Endgame screenwriters Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely.

I had the wonderful pleasure of recently interviewing the two filmmakers for CinemaBlend’s HeroBlend podcast, and one of the many subjects we touched upon in our discussion was where the new movie leaves Thor at the end. I specifically asked if there were ever versions of the script that had a bit more “finality” for the character, but Christopher Markus explained why that was a direction for him that they felt ultimately didn’t fit:

He has suffered so much. He's lost family - his mom, dad, brother, newly-found sister that he had the murder himself, Asgard itself. And then lost to Thanos. He lost his eyeball. Killing him seemed gratuitous almost. And from Ragnarok on, he is such a joyful presence, to have him fairly well-adjusted and moving forward is just like candy. It's like you want to see more of it.

Following up, Stephen McFeely added that while Avengers: Endgame may not specifically kill Thor or turn him into an old man, what is accomplished with the end of their film is the conclusion of a specific journey that he’s been on ever since Kenneth Branagh’s Thor back in 2011. Ever since we first met the big screen version of the hero he has maintained a strong connection to his homeworld, and following the defeat of Thanos he sees an opportunity for a significant life change. Said McFeely,

Think about the journey everyone's on, to be serious for a second. Steve goes from selflessness to self-interested, and Tony sort of does it generally in reverse. And what is Thor defined by in his first movie, right? It's ambition and obligation to Asgard and the crown, right? So what's that journey over five to seven movies, right? It's releasing that burden. It's giving that up and being the person he is supposed to be, not the one who he's meant to be.

The final scenes of Avengers: Endgame see Thor not only pass on the responsibilities of being king of New Asgard to Valkyrie, but also join a brand new family: the Guardians of the Galaxy. And while nothing has been confirmed as of yet regarding Chris Hemsworth’s future in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, what seems certain is that God of Thunder will have an entirely new outlook on life the next time we see him.

One thing that must have supported this choice for the hero is the fact that Chris Hemsworth’s perspective on playing Thor has changed greatly in recent years. The actor has gone on the record saying that he doesn’t love Thor: The Dark World (his word of choice: “Meh”), and admitted that for a time he was underwhelmed by what was being done with the character. That all changed, however, with the making of Thor: Ragnarok. Director Taika Waititi and screenwriter Eric Pearson crafted an entirely new kind of adventure for the hero, and in the making of it Hemsworth gained a brand new appreciation for the role.

This revitalization was something that Stephen McFeely directly referenced during our interview, noting that the choices made in Thor: Ragnarok very much supported the decisions that he made with Christopher Markus in the writing of Avengers: Endgame’s script:

We've given it a lot of thought, and I think a lot of it lines up, and partly, frankly, because Taika [Waititi] and Eric Pearson and Chris Hemsworth sort of reinvented him. There's a whole other delightful side to him that would be great to keep seeing.

Looking into the future, given where things end in the new blockbuster there is an assumption at large that Thor will have at least some kind of role to play in James Gunn’s Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 – but it should be noted that the developments of Avengers: Endgame didn’t really come out of any kind of collaboration between the writers and Gunn. I specifically asked Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely if there had been discussions about Thor being with the Guardians, but I was surprised to learn that wasn’t really the case:

Christopher Markus: We did not talk much, to tell you the truth. We kind of just rolled it up in front of him and, yeah, I look forward to seeing what happens.

Stephen McFeely: That's right. I don't know. But I do think it becomes a nice... there's a lot of room for growth there, right? Now, again, I don't know what happens in Guardians [Of The Galaxy Vol. 3], but if they find [Gamora], that relationship is brand new. We the audience know what it could be, and there's a character that doesn't value it, or doesn't know, or whatever. I think there's some opportunity there.

This is only a small portion of my interview with Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely, and you can hear the whole thing by listening to the latest episode of our HeroBlend podcast:

As of right now it isn’t entirely clear what will happen with Thor in the future of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (new franchise announcements won’t be made until after the release of Spider-Man: Far From Home), but you can be sure we’ll have all of the latest details for you as they become available.

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Idris Elba Won’t Be Playing Deadshot In The Suicide Squad After All

Idris Elba Won’t Be Playing Deadshot In The Suicide Squad After All

Last month, it was reported that due to scheduling issues, Will Smith wouldn’t reprise Floyd Lawton, a.k.a. Deadshot, in The Suicide Squad. Days later, word came in that Idris Elba had been tapped to replace Smith as the assassin, but apparently now plans have changed. Elba is still attached to the sequel, but he won’t be playing Deadshot.

According to Variety, Deadshot has been removed from The Suicide Squad by director/writer James Gunn and the rest of the creative team, and Idris Elba will instead play a brand new character. It wasn’t revealed who Elba will now be portraying, but evidently it was decided in recent weeks that it was the “right move” for him to vacate the Deadshot role, as those involved didn’t want it to feel as if they were “disrespecting” Will Smith, who first brought the character to life on the big screen in 2016’s Suicide Squad. While it remains to be seen if Smith will ever play Deadshot again, the door is at least now open for him to return at some point rather than being prevented from doing so because Elba took on the Deadshot reins.

So now Deadshot is off the table for The Suicide Squad, although if there’s the possibility of Will Smith playing the character again, then naturally Floyd Lawton is still alive in the DC Extended Universe, and is likely either still custody at Belle Reve or managed to escape imprisonment and resume his mercenary duties. In any case, Idris Elba is too big of a Hollywood star for The Suicide Squad team to let go of, so it shouldn’t take long for them to find someone else for him to play. Bronze Tiger is a reasonable choice, since like Deadshot, he was one of the original members of the first Task Force X that debuted in the late 1980s. But he’s just one of numerous potential candidates on the table, with plenty of others, like Blockbuster and Multiplex, just waiting to be adapted for the big screen.

While The Suicide Squad had previously been described as a “total reboot,” it will maintain some connectivity with the last Suicide Squad movie through some familiar faces. Margot Robbie is expected to play Harley Quinn again following her return to the DCEU in Birds of Prey, Jai Courtney confirmed that he’ll reprise Captain Boomerang and Viola Davis is reportedly back as Amanda Waller. There are conflicting reports about whether or not Joel Kinnaman will play Rick Flag again.

However, despite a few Suicide Squad characters returning, The Suicide Squad has been conceived as a “relaunch” that will feature a mostly new cast. No plot details have been revealed yet, but it will maintain the same premise of incarcerated supervillains going on dangerous, covert black ops missions for the U.S. government in exchange for reduced sentences and other forms of leniency.

The Suicide Squad charges into theaters on August 6, 2021, so keep checking back with CinemaBlend for more updates. In the meantime, look through our DC movies guide to learn what else is coming down the DCEU pipeline.

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New Angry Birds 2 Trailer Has Birds And Pigs Teaming Up

New Angry Birds 2 Trailer Has Birds And Pigs Teaming Up

When it comes to Angry Birds, most people are familiar with the general premise: birds don't like pigs because they steal eggs, and so they aim to take the oinkers down by launching themselves with a slingshot. The bird vs. pig conflict is at the center of the whole thing, which is why it's a bit surprising to see them fighting on the same side in this new trailer for The Angry Birds Movie 2.

Written by Peter Ackerman (The Americans), and the feature directorial debut of Adventure Time and Camp Lazlo! writer Thurop Van Orman, The Angry Birds 2 seems to start with the famous aforementioned animosity still in place, but things start to change when the birds and pigs are united against a common enemy. It's not really made clear in this trailer, but it seems that this common enemy is a different race of birds who are tired of living on their frozen wasteland of an island.

Many of the actors from the original are coming back, including Jason Sudeikis, Josh Gad, Danny McBride, Bill Hader, and Peter Dinklage, but there are also a ton of newcomers joining the fray, including Rachel Bloom, Leslie Jones, Sterling K. Brown, Awkwafina, and Eugenio Derbez.

The first Angry Birds Movie, released in 2016, didn't exactly get the warmest reception from critics, but a sequel was definitely inevitable. Young audiences ate it up, having already been hooked on the brand courtesy of the popular mobile game, and the result was major box office success. Made with a $73 million budget, the film crossed the century mark in America with a $107.5 million gross - but that total balloons to $352.3 million when you also include all of the cash flowing in from foreign territories.

The Angry Birds Movie 2 won't exactly be following in the path of its predecessor, which got a May release when it hit theaters, but there may be significant chance for the sequel to hit even bigger when it comes out this summer. It's one of the few major movies coming out in the latter half of August this year, and that could lead to a lot of tickets being sold as parents try and figure out what the hell they should do with their kids in the weeks leading up to the start of the new school year.

This trailer has some funny moments, and the cast is certainly spectacular, so we'll just have to wait and see if The Angry Birds Movie 2 can outpace its predecessor in multiple areas. Sony Pictures Animation definitely hasn't been shy about promoting it, as this is our second full trailer, and there are still four months to go before the thing hits theaters. Perhaps they are just riding high on confidence following their big Oscar win for Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse last year.

The Angry Birds Movie 2 will be arriving in theaters on August 16th, and to see what else is coming up on the big screen in the months ahead, please check out our 2019 Movie Release Calendar.

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Ranking All 7 Chucky Movies - From Child's Play To Cult Of Chucky

Ranking All 7 Chucky Movies - From Child's Play To Cult Of Chucky

For a little over 30 years, and seven films, the Chucky movies have turned what started as Child’s Play into a regular Cult of Chucky. And it’s all thanks to a little black magic, a Good Guy doll, and some unsuspecting families that have taken Chucky in from time to time.

The killer formerly known as Charles Lee Ray, and played by legendary character actor Brad Dorif, has executed a reign of terror on par with some of the best slashers in the horror genre; and it’s not hard to see why.

So, with the 30th anniversary of Child’s Play just past us as of last year, and a rebooted version of the origin story headed our way very soon, it’s time to revisit our dear friend Chucky and rank his movies in the order of least favored to most.

7. Child’s Play 3 (1991)

At the bottom of the totem pole is Child’s Play 3, the entry that saw Andy Barclay (then played by Justin Whalin) heading off to military school. it isn’t long before his newly resurrected pal Chucky comes back for a third round of villainy, ready to torment Andy and an academy full of cadets that stand in his way of reincarnating himself into the body of young Ronald Tyler (Jeremy Sylvers.)

Frankly, the only reason Child's Play 3 is square at the bottom is because it’s one of the two sequels that basically remade the first film, just in a slightly re-skinned setting. The series has had its share of reinventions and retreads, but the off-kilter charisma of Brad Dourif’s Chucky basically makes even the most basic entry in the series its own brand of fun.

6. Seed Of Chucky (2004)

On the more ridiculous end of the Chucky movie scale, Seed of Chucky’s extremely meta humor came out to play in a fiercer way than any of the previous Child’s Play films had ever allowed. This time, reincarnation is a family affair, as Chucky, his girlfriend Tiffany (Jennifer Tilly,) and their child Glen (Billy Boyd) are all looking to jump into human hosts of their own.

Mixing some inside baseball humor pertaining to Hollywood into a story that follows the typical Child’s Play pattern of murder and possession might seem like a bit of a stretch, and it definitely is. But something about Seed of Chucky having Jennifer Tilly facing off against her own porcelain doppelganger, and John Waters as a sleazy paparazzi trying to get the bottom of it all, makes it just weird enough to enjoy. Though dark comedy would find its way into the series in a better way with its predecessor, Bride of Chucky.

5. Child’s Play 2 (1990)

Cycling back to the half of the Child’s Play series that plays things a bit straighter, the first sequel in the Chucky saga saw Brad Dourif’s killer doll stalk Andy Barclay for a second time. Still played by original actor Alex Vincent, Andy was placed with his first of many foster families, while Chucky was resurrected by factory refurbishment, ready to try and possess Andy yet again.

Child’s Play 2 acts as a sort of typical horror sequel that remakes the first film with different kills and a mostly new cast of characters. But the big advantage the first sequel has, in addition to keeping Alex Vincent in the picture as young Andy, is the fact that Chucky starts to play around with more gallows humor in his conquests.

So, Brad Dourif gets to still be menacing, but he also gets to have some smart-assed remarks to sprinkle through the film. When the humor is properly tempered with the right amount of edge, it works. Plus, Child's Play 2 works better when compared to Child's Play 3's slightly diminished returns on the same sort of idea.

4. Bride Of Chucky (1998)

In terms of the more humorous half of the Chucky movies, Bride of Chucky's introduction to Jennifer Tilly as Tiffany Valentine is the proof that when done right, outrageous humor can mesh rather well with the killer darkness that the Child's Play franchise has been known to contain. With a story that centers around teenaged lovebirds Jesse and Jade (Nick Stabile and Katherine Heigl) being held hostage by Tiffany and her darling Chucky, another possession is in the offing.

Instead of just focusing on the murdering spree and the intent of Chucky and Tiffany to possess Jessie and Jade, Bride of Chucky actually plays around with the comedy that comes with dysfunctional relationships. As the teens try to sort their own feelings out, the dolls find out that maybe their relationship wasn't as much about fun and games as they made it out to be.

It's interesting stuff to throw into a movie that sees kills as creative as a mirrored ceiling getting shattered, as well as an evil John Ritter playing a human protagonist that goes against his good guy image, and it's what made Bride of Chucky a series-revitalizing hit, as well as one of the better Child's Play movies.

3. Curse Of Chucky (2013)

With the Child's Play series dividing the Chucky mythos almost firmly down the line, with one half being the more serious films involving young Andy Barclay and the other pertaining to the darkly comedic relationship of Chucky, Tiffany, and their child, it's hard to reconcile the two sides of the Child's Play universe. Which makes the story started with Curse of Chucky one of the best decisions the series ever made.

While the film starts as a standard murder spree, involving young paraplegic Nica (Fiona Dorif) and her own series of escalating incidents involving Chucky (still played by Fiona's father Brad), Curse of Chucky turns into a film that eventually bound both sides of the Child's Play series into one cohesive whole.

The wicked humor is still present, but this installment of Don Mancini's horror franchise brings back the gravitas needed for fans to take things seriously again. Best of all, the film brings back Alex Vincent's Andy and Jennifer Tilly's Tiffany in the service of setting up one hell of a follow-up.

2. Cult Of Chucky (2017)

While Curse of Chucky reinvented the Child's Play franchise as a more serious, and more cohesive whole, Cult of Chucky took that foundation and turned the series into a force to be reckoned with once more. Continuing the story of poor Nica, and her incarceration in a mental health facility, the threads of her story,as well as Andy's, tie together into one frightening whole.

Somehow, Chucky's sense of humor, still crazy as ever, doesn't derail the series' trajectory in any way shape or form in Cult of Chucky. The entire story of this film puts a nasty edge back into what was once known as the Child's Play series, but at the same time it allows Chucky to be Chucky. Plus, the film's finale let's Don Mancini's franchise do something pretty spectacular with a new film, should he decide to make one outside of the upcoming TV series.

Bringing Alex Vincent and Jennifer Tilly back to the franchise again, as Andy and Tiffany respectively, Chucky now has a stable group of characters he can play with. Amazingly, for a seventh entry in an ongoing series, Cult of Chucky has the right tools to make this old doll new again.

1. Child’s Play (1988)

After over 30 years of action, and seven movies in the Child's Play series, there are still none that have beaten the original film in its balance of horror and laughs. To be fair, Child's Play is the one Chucky movie you can take deadly seriously, even with some pieces of its lore not aging so well. Seeing Charles Lee Ray take the leap into his toy-bound form, and the slow unveiling of his actions throughout the first entry, is part of why the series has become such an iconic franchise.

It's easy to get carried away with Chucky's antics in any of the films that followed Child's Play, but the serious drama of a mother and police detective who have to wonder if young Andy is telling the truth or not is what really anchors that first film's suspense filled story. What little we get of Chucky in Child's Play is pretty effective, and preserves his threat as a serial killer hellbent on taking over young Andy's body and soul.

Without the core drama of Child's Play, none of its sequels would be the movies they are today. Even when the series was at its lowest, the basic rules and structure of a Chucky movie were present, grounding the entire universe of this horror classic in reasonable fashion. Many will try to outdo that first film's magical results, but Child's Play is an origin that may never be equaled, but merely complimented by a particularly excellent sequel.

MGM's new Child's Play reboot will obviously take a different road than the more supernaturally inclined franchise that spawned it. In time, we might even see how Mark Hamill's Chucky stacks up to Brad Dourif's original, not only in performance but also in how their cinematic universes differ. But considering what we've got now, the Chucky movies that already exist are a solid example of a series managing to perform admirably, even in the least rewarding of circumstances. Let's hope this new reboot universe takes that very lesson to heart.

Child’s Play, the reboot, will be in theaters on June 21st; while all other films are available through Digital HD and physical media releases.

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The Fast And Furious Franchise Might Give Charlize Theron’s Cipher A Spinoff

The Fast And Furious Franchise Might Give Charlize Theron’s Cipher A Spinoff

With this summer’s Hobbs and Shaw release, the Fast and the Furious franchise is officially expanding into spinoff territory. And why not? The Universal property has made the studio over $5 billion in box office earnings worldwide. After Dwayne Johnson and Jason Statham have their own blockbuster moment this summer, the next spinoff may shift its gear to techie badass Cipher, from 2017’s The Fate of the Furious played by Charlize Theron.

In addition to Hobbs & Shaw, and the upcoming ninth and tenth installments from the main franchise, Universal is reportedly exploring a female-fronted Fast and Furious spinoff built around Charlize Theron’s character Cipher. Universal reportedly has been promised three Fast and Furious spinoffs, including a previously announced female-fronted film. Is this the film starring Charlize Theron’s Cipher or an additional project?

A few months back, Vin Diesel said a female-led Fast movie was officially in the works from two of the Captain Marvel writers Nicole Perlman, Geneva Robertson-Dworet and Lindsay Beer. Furthers details have not yet been announced, but many assumed Michelle Rodriguez’s Letty would be leading the film since she’s been the franchise’s leading woman since 2001. So THR's new report about Cipher is especially surprising.

Michelle Rodriguez has also been vocal about her past disappointment with the series’ treatment of female characters. This could have led Universal to think up two female-led movies, one with Letty and one with Cipher, they could be in the same movie or Rodriguez may not be involved in the upcoming Fast and the Furious spin-offs at all.

In 2017, Charlize Theron joined the franchise as the main villain Cipher, a cyber terrorist who blackmails Vin Diesel’s Dominic into betraying his crew. In Fate of the Furious it was also revealed that she played a larger role in events in other films in the franchise, making her a key character to perhaps explored in another movie.

Not to mention the impressive track record the Oscar winner has with fronting action flicks in the past. Theron has played the lead in Mad Max: Fury Road, Atomic Blonde and The Huntsman: Winter’s War. Another notable connection here is the director of Hobbs & Shaw also helmed Atomic Blonde, so if Universal is planning a continued collaboration with David Leitch, the pair may jump at the opportunity to work with one another again.

Following Theron’s debut in the Fast and the Furious franchise, she seemed open to reprising her role in another film, hinting at impending conversations with Universal. Perhaps it lead to a more meaty role for the actress to take on in a future?

The Fast and the Furious franchise will first continue with Hobbs & Shaw coming to theaters on August 2 and then with Fast and the Furious 9 on May 22, 2020. Do you want to see Charlize Theron’s Cipher return for a spinoff? Let us know in the comments below.

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No, Disney's Controversial Song Of The South Won't Be Available On Disney+

No, Disney's Controversial Song Of The South Won't Be Available On Disney+

Do you remember when we heard that Disney was opening up its vault and would put its entire motion picture library on its upcoming Disney+ streaming service? Yeah, about that... It turns out that there will be one notable, obvious and predictable omission from the digital home of all things Disney: the controversial film Song of the South won’t be available on Disney+.

Despite Disney letting its other titles out of the vault for good, the 1946 film Song of the South will remain locked away. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Disney has no plans to make the title available alongside the rest of the company’s offerings on Disney+.

Song of the South won an Oscar for Best Original Song for “Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah,” and actor James Baskett won an honorary Oscar for his portrayal of Uncle Remus. Despite that initial acclaim, Song of the South is very controversial viewed from a modern lens, in particular for its portrayal of African-Americans.

For those reasons, it has never been released on home video in the U.S.; not on DVD, not on VHS, nothing. In 2011, Bob Iger indicated that bringing the movie back wouldn’t be in the best interests of the company’s shareholders. Therefore, Song of the South not making the jump to Disney+ should come as no surprise as Disney is just carrying over its previous policy regarding the film to the company’s new platform.

So unless you want to source an old copy of the film from overseas, the closest you’ll get to seeing Song of the South anytime soon is riding Splash Mountain at Walt Disney World, which takes its inspiration from the film’s animated sequences.

Song of the South won’t be the only omission from Disney’s catalog on Disney+. The 1941 Disney film Dumbo, which recently got a live-action remake, will be on Disney+, but it will not include the controversial crow scene. The scene features a crow named Jim Crow, which is a reference to the name of the blackface character that was later appropriated as a term for laws that enforced segregation after Reconstruction. Tim Burton’s Dumbo obviously didn’t include this scene.

Even if you want to see Song of the South get some type of modern release, either on Blu-ray or be made available for streaming or digital purchase/rental, you can understand why Disney doesn’t want it on Disney+. Disney’s streaming service is being positioned as a family-friendly offering in keeping with the brand’s reputation, and having Song of the South and Dumbo’s Jim Crow scene don’t exactly comport with that.

We’ll keep you updated on all the latest Disney+ news as we approach its November 12 launch date. In the meantime, check out our 2019 Release Schedule to see everything headed to theaters this summer.

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Universal Studios Hollywood Unveils New Details For Jurassic World: The Ride

Universal Studios Hollywood Unveils New Details For Jurassic World: The Ride

Universal Studios Hollywood opened its Jurassic Park attraction back in 1996. Nearly 25 years is a good long run for an attraction, but the franchise, much like the dinosaurs in the original film, has come back from the dead in recent years thanks to the Jurassic World films. So it was little surprise when we learned last year that Jurassic Park - The Ride was being shut down to make way for a new attraction. Get ready for Jurassic World - The Ride, set to open this summer.

Universal Studios Hollywood today confirmed that Jurassic World - The Ride will open sometime later this summer. No specific date was given but a number of new details about the upcoming refresh to the classic theme park attraction were unveiled. For the most part, those familiar with the classic Jurassic Park ride will likely find the new experience familiar. It will still put guests aboard rafts that will take you through a jungle like environment, inhabited by numerous dinosaurs. However, everything about the specifics of that has been redesigned and re-imagined. Newly created dinosaurs, new scenery and an all new storyline exclusive to the park have been created. The attraction will also boast an all new entrance for the rafts to pass through, including a new Jurassic World logo supported by new stone work pillars topped with flames, just like you see when entering the famous park in the movies. Likely looking something like this...

The new attraction will still sport the major high point of the previous iteration, an 84-foot waterfall drop that will bring guests splashing down to ground level. However, it will be part of an all-new sequence where a Tyrannosaurus Rex goes up against. what's being called one of the attractions "new behemoth dinosaurs." It doesn't say you'll see an Indominous Rex, but it certainly sounds like it.

In addition to the ride itself, the attraction will also include a couple of brand new areas. The Raptor Encounter will allow guests to get face-to-face with Blue and the other raptors from the Jurassic World films. Universal Studios has brought out free roaming "dinosaurs" for guests to interact with in the past and this sounds like a way to add that option permanently to the park. There will also be a Dino Play area that will give kids a chance to hunt for their own dinosaur fossils. Again, this part of the attraction seems to take strong inspiration from a segment of the films.

The new ride was developed by the likes of Industrial Light & Magic as well as franchise producer Steven Spielberg and Frank Marshall as well as director Colin Trevorrow. One certainly has to wonder if some bits of ideas from the upcoming Jurassic World 3 might make their way into the attraction.

The original Jurassic Park ride was a lot of fun so seeing it get refreshed for the current franchise, with a lot of new cool stuff to go along with it, looks pretty awesome. While no specific opening date has been given, expect to see it hit as soon as possible in order to bring in as many summer tourists as it can. There's nothing quite like a good splash down for a hot Southern California day, and this should be just what the doctor ordered.

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Don't Call It Suicide Squad 2, James Gunn Film Is A 'Total Reboot,' Producer Says

Don't Call It Suicide Squad 2, James Gunn Film Is A 'Total Reboot,' Producer Says

As of Friday, James Gunn is helming upcoming movie projects for both Marvel and DC -- Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 and The Suicide Squad. His opportunity to write and direct for the latter came after Disney fired him from the former. Disney just pulled a 180 on Guardians, but The Suicide Squad will have priority over Peter Quill and his unlikely space friends’ next adventure.

The filmmaker’s next Suicide Squad looks to be moving further away from what was established in David Ayer's 2016 movie than one might have expected. Just check out what DCEU producer Peter Safran recently teased in an interview with JoBlo Movie Network:

First of all, we don’t call it Suicide Squad 2 'cause it’s a total reboot, so it's The Suicide Squad and I think people should be extremely excited about it. It’s everything you would hope from a James Gunn script and I think that says a lot and that promises a lot and I know that we will deliver a lot.

These words shouldn’t be a complete surprise to DCEU fans following information that has come so far for The Suicide Squad. Upon the official announcement of the movie, it was described as a "relaunch" of the franchise with a unique vision from James Gunn and "mostly all-new cast of characters and actors."

For many, this still left potential for the franchise to draw from some elements of the 2016 movie, such as bringing back some of the cast, but Peter Safran’s words make it sound like James Gunn goes back to the drawing board for the project.

Idris Elba has already been cast as Deadshot to replace Will Smith’s past role. Smith has a packed schedule ahead of him, but that may not be the only reason he will not reprise the role if the studio is opting for a clean slate for the group of misfits. Another actor in question is Margot Robbie’s Harley Quinn. Recent reports indicate the fan favorite will likely return to the franchise, since she also will star in Birds of Prey and was key to the initial success of Suicide Squad.

Would it really be a "total reboot" if Margot Robbie came back for The Suicide Squad as a key player? It certainly could be done -- and the character is an important enough asset to the universe to run through some sticky continuity red tape -- but Safran's words beg the question.

So let’s stop calling The Suicide Squad a sequel, because it most certainly is not one. The film is expected to begin production this year and has a release date of August 6, 2021. As for Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3? James Gunn’s deal with Disney was made around his plans for The Suicide Squad and will pick up after he’s finished up with the DC film and perhaps not come to theaters until 2023, per our calculations.

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Marvel Has Given The First Three Phases Of The MCU An Epic Name

Marvel Has Given The First Three Phases Of The MCU An Epic Name

In just over a month’s time, the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s Phase 3 will come to an end in Avengers: Endgame. More than closing out Phase 3 though, Endgame also puts a cap on the first eleven years of the MCU, a journey that consists of three Phases and twenty-one films. We’ve been told that Avengers: Endgame represents a culmination; the end of the book and narrative that began with Iron Man. Now, as we race towards its climactic conclusion, we finally know what it’s called. And it is epic.

According to Empire Magazine, Kevin Feige has revealed that the first three phases of the MCU are called The Infinity Saga.

Yup, that is an appropriately epic and fitting name for the 21-film journey we have been on since 2008. It’s a super cool name that is going to look awesome emblazoned on a massive and expensive Blu-ray box set one day. Considering that we didn’t even know that these first three phases would have a specific name (think of all the speculation we missed out on!) beyond just Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, it is a pleasant surprise as well.

Marvel has clearly taken a page out of corporate brother Lucasfilm’s book with this name. Like ‘The Skywalker Saga’, the word ‘saga’ just conveys an extra level of grandiosity and has an epic quality to it, befitting a heroic tale, vast in scope and long in telling. Series or chronicle doesn’t have quite the same ring to it. The only thing that comes close is ‘cycle’ which is what George R.R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire novel series is often referred to as.

Sometimes the most obvious answers are the right ones and The Infinity Saga frankly sounds like the most obvious and appropriate name for the Marvel Cinematic Universe films to date.

The Tesseract, which contained the Space Stone, was introduced all the way back in Phase 1 in Captain America: The First Avenger and the Infinity Gauntlet (albeit a replica) first appeared in Thor. Thanos first appeared in the end-credits scene of The Avengers and he and the Infinity Stones have acted like a specter hanging over everything and propelling the plot ever since. That the Infinity Saga built to the Avengers: Infinity War shows that this name is the right one.

I’m honestly not sure what the MCU’s first three Phases would be called other than The Infinity Saga. The Stan Lee Saga would honor the man who Marvel owes so much to and left such a legacy in the films, but it wouldn’t speak to the story. The only other choice would have been The Avengers Saga, but we may get more Avengers movies after Endgame, so that wouldn’t hold as much weight.

There are more stories yet to come in the MCU, and Endgame is a demarcation line between what came before and what comes after. What’s interesting about finding out this name is that if The Infinity Saga is book 1 of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, what’s book 2?

We know so little about Phase 4 (if it’s even called that) that it’s difficult to make an educated guess at this point. The New Avengers Saga? The Secret Invasion Saga? The Galactus Saga? Or, wishful thinking here as this may be more book 3 material but The Mutant Saga? We probably won’t know for some time, maybe in another 21 films, but it’s fun to think about.

Avengers: Endgame concludes The Infinity Saga on April 26. Check out our 2019 Release Schedule to keep track of all of this year’s biggest movies.

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Daniel Craig Has Been Working Out For 12 Hours At A Time For Bond 25

Daniel Craig Has Been Working Out For 12 Hours At A Time For Bond 25

If you're a good worker, you do what you have to in order to get the job done. Maybe it's putting on a tie around the office and being a good listener, or making sure your emails have that polished sheen of professionalism that gets the point across. The point is, when you give 150% to your chosen profession, you're going to do what needs to be done. And if you're Daniel Craig, it's apparently working out in multiple 12 hour power sessions to become physically fit for his fifth, and presumably last, outing as James Bond in Bond 25.

Apparently some of Craig's co-workers on the set of the latest 007 film have noted that the man who's played the suave asskicker since 2006's Casino Royale has paid important attention to keeping his physique in tip top shape. On top of working out for basically half a day, Daniel Craig has also been keeping a strict diet regimen that is helping give him the look that he's rocked in all of his outings as the character.

Keep in mind, this isn't just Daniel Craig cramming in a bunch of exercise to get ready for Bond 25. The man certainly hasn't let himself go by any means. True, it's been almost four years since Spectre brought the action, but with work in other projects like Steven Soderbergh's Logan Lucky, and this year's Knives Out with Rian Johnson, it's safe to assume that Daniel Craig hasn't been slacking off.

Still, James Bond movies must attempt to go above and beyond what the public is expecting. So this report from the Daily Mail stating that Mr. Craig is undergoing several 12 hour workout sessions in a week is no surprise. It's certainly not the most insane plan we've seen, as Dwayne Johnson probably has Daniel Craig beat out in that respect. But it definitely highlights why Bond 25 is probably going to be Craig's last time out in the role.

Playing a character like James Bond is much like the experience that Hugh Jackman had while playing Wolverine in his X-Men films and spin-offs. There's opportunity to stretch the acting legs in-between goes, but ultimately there comes a time when you want to ditch the diets and the workouts and just play the field of acting in a much less physically demanding way. Perhaps the most important part of such a decision, especially in the Bond franchise, is to quit while people still believe you're able to do the stunts.

When all is said and done with Bond 25, Daniel Craig will have given roughly 15 years and five movies to the franchise that helped skyrocket him to the megastar that he is today. And he'll have paid for it with the crazy sorts of diet and exercise routines that he's currently working with. It's an insane method, but the results for sure cannot be argued with.

Bond 25 will cross the gunbarrel in theaters on April 8, 2020; but you can see Daniel Craig much sooner when he takes part in Knives Out on November 27th, 2019.

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New Mortal Kombat Movie Gets A Release Date, And Some Powerful Competition

New Mortal Kombat Movie Gets A Release Date, And Some Powerful Competition

It seems like a feature film reboot of Mortal Kombat has been talked about for a long time, and even once James Wan was brought aboard to produce a few years ago, it still seemed like it was quite a ways off. Then few days ago, we heard that the new Mortal Kombat had finally started pre-production. Now we know when Mortal Kombat will arrive and the powerful competition it will face when it does.

According to Variety, Warner Bros. has picked March 5, 2021 as the date the next Mortal Kombat tournament begins in theaters. In keeping with the spirit of the property, Mortal Kombat is ready to fight some formidable competition -- because just days ago, it was announced that March 5, 2021 is also the new release date for the latest Masters of the Universe adaptation.

Masters of the Universe was at one point supposed to release this year, but that obviously isn’t happening. Now the Sony film from directors Adam and Aaron Nee and starring Netflix heartthrob Noah Centineo as He-Man will arrive in 2021. It will do battle with producer James Wan’s Mortal Kombat, which is being directed by Australian director Simon McQuoid, who has done commercial work for popular video games including Halo and Call of Duty.

Other films with their flag planted on March 5, 2021 are the animated Nimona and an Untitled Universal Event Film. The latter may make this one-on-one fight into a triple threat depending what it is, but at the moment the story of March two years from now will be Mortal Kombat testing its might against Masters of the Universe.

It’s an interesting bout given that both properties hold nostalgic sentiment for kids of the '80s and '90s. Both properties have also had previous feature film adaptations. The 1980s cartoon He-Man and the Masters of the Universe was adapted into Masters of the Universe starring Dolph Lundgren in 1987, and Midway’s video game series, which first debuted in 1992, received a feature film in 1995. That film is still held up as one of the best video game adaptations to date.

Anecdotally, I think Mortal Kombat has maintained more cultural relevance and awareness than Masters of the Universe and that may help it in this fight. In fact, the latest Mortal Kombat video game, Mortal Kombat 11, was just released to rave reviews back in April.

We don’t know much about either film yet, and neither directing team -- Aaron and Adam Nee vs. Simon McQuoid -- has enough of a track record to say one film has the competitive advantage creatively. I will be curious to see if Mortal Kombat goes the R-rated route, as its bloody source material would dictate and many fans might hope for. That would certainly impact its chances to defeat the almost assuredly PG-13 Masters of the Universe.

Of course, two years from now is a long time and it is entirely possible that one of these films will blink and seek greener pastures elsewhere on the calendar. Regardless of ratings, I feel these two films are essentially competing for the same millennial audience and would probably be better served not cannibalizing each other. Because whoever wins, it won’t be a flawless victory.

With pre-production beginning soon and filming starting later this year, hopefully we’ll begin to hear more details about Mortal Kombat, like which characters will be showing up and who will be playing them.

Mortal Kombat looks to fatality Masters of the Universe when both open in theaters on March 5, 2021. Check out our 2019 Release Schedule to see all of this year’s biggest movies and let us know in the poll below what ticket you’ll be buying in 2021.

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Brie Larson Thanks Fans For Getting Captain Marvel Up To $1 Billion

Brie Larson Thanks Fans For Getting Captain Marvel Up To $1 Billion

It was only a couple of days ago that Captain Marvel rang up its billionth dollar of grosses from eager fans all over the world. But good news never outstays its welcome, as that film’s star and the figure poised to bring the Marvel Cinematic Universe to new heights in Phase 4, Brie Larson, celebrated in a very special way. Larson shared the following artwork, as well as a heartfelt note, commemorating the occasion:

Along with her message of how higher, further and faster Captain Marvel has come in its relatively short run, Brie Larson also included a vibrant piece from artist Tracie Ching’s hand. Reflecting the red, gold and blue color scheme of the titular hero, it shows off Carol’s heroic mohawk that shows through her space helmet. It's an iconic look for a fan favorite hero brought to life in living color.

Now don’t go thinking that Captain Marvel’s cruise past $1 billion is routine, even if the bountiful empire of Marvel Studios’ recent films might have you believing otherwise. Carol Danvers’ debut is only the seventh film out of the 21 film-run that’s made movie history in the past 11 years of operation. But even with that caveat laid down, it’s still a pretty impressive feat, and it’s definitely a moment worthy of sharing some splashy artwork with the masses.

Those very fans have carried this film past a lot of the early trolling that was visited upon Captain Marvel, a phenomenon that reportedly had pretty big effects on YouTube’s proprietary algorithm. Not to mention, there was that time that some ill-tempered fans tried to pit the film against what was, in name, the original “Captain Marvel,” DC’s current superhero offering Shazam!

But, as in most superhero tales, the goodness of the fans prevailed, and Captain Marvel went on to crush the box office. While the film’s actual story content may not have an effect on how Avengers: Endgame is going to play out thematically, it definitely sets up a foundation of success for the film’s blockbuster debut, set to bow at the end of this month. In fact, it doesn’t look like an eighth billion dollar hit for Marvel Studios will probably be too far behind.

As Avengers: Endgame is breaking all sorts of presale records, and ticketing apps, in its quest to box office glory, this Twitter post commemorating the continued success of the MCU through Captain Marvel promises fans, and the entire world, that the best is yet to come. And Carol Danvers is going to be around for all of the festivities, as she and the Avengers have a plan to defeat Thanos once and for all.

That plan will come into full effect in Avengers: Endgame, which infiltrates theaters on April 26.

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Zack Snyder Has Blunt Words For Any Fans Mad That Batman Killed Someone

Zack Snyder Has Blunt Words For Any Fans Mad That Batman Killed Someone

Whatever your view of Zack Snyder's DC superhero movies, there's little argument that his particular take on Batman and Superman would qualify as "non-traditional." One specific way that Snyder broke with previous versions of the character was when he made a version of Batman who had no problem with actually killing people, a line that the character traditionally would not cross in modern films and comics.

However, at a recent Q&A following a screening of Snyder's earlier comic book movie, Watchmen, the director made it clear that he has little sympathy for people who took issue with his version of the classic DC characters, as seen in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, as he feels they made sense for a modern comic book movie. According to Snyder...

Someone says to me 'Oh Batman killed a guy.' I'm like 'Really?' I'm like 'Wake the fuck up.' ... I guess that's what I'm saying about, once you've like lost your virginity to this fucking movie and then you come say to me something about like 'Oh my superhero wouldn't do that.' I'm like 'Are you serious' I'm down the fucking road on that. And it's a cool point of view. Look, I'm 100% fine, it's a cool point of view to be like 'My heroes are still innocent. My heroes didn't lie to America. My heroes didn't embezzle money from their corp, my heroes didn't commit any atrocities.' That's cool, but you're living in a fucking dream world, OK?

Snyder's comments at least make it clear where he was coming from in creating his version of the DC Universe. His earlier film Watchman, and the comic it was based on, argued that if superheroes were real, they would not be the paragon of virtue we're used to seeing in comic books. Snyder believes this idea so strongly that he carried it over to characters like Batman and Superman. He thinks viewing any sort of hero with that sort of idolization is akin to living in a dream world. Everybody has flaws and that should be understood.

While many might agree, the response on Reddit, where Snyder's comments were posted, is largely negative. Many feel that while a story like Watchmen has its place, Batman is something quite different and should be treated as such. Batman's decision not to kill his enemies is a key aspect of the character, and if you change it, he's simply not Batman anymore.

Of course, there's really no right answer to questions like these. There will always be fans of the traditional view of any character with a history as long as the one Batman has. Changes and new interpretations will always happen, but exactly what aspects of the character are immutable won't always be agreed upon. A Batman willing to kill certainly opens up interesting ideas to be explored that wouldn't be there with a more traditional iteration of the character.

What do you think about Zack Snyder's perspective on Batman? Let us know in the poll below.

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8 Things You Might Have Missed In The Joker Trailer

8 Things You Might Have Missed In The Joker Trailer

This morning, Warner Bros and DC Comics released their first look at the Todd Phillips directed Joker film, set to be released this October. While the project has always sounded like a very experimental prospect, seeing it in action just made us all the more aware of how exciting this film could be. Not only is it a period piece, but it’s also a version of the Joker we’ve never seen before; a man who we literally get to see crumble before our eyes.

And along the way through the Cliff’s Notes version that the trailer presented us of said downfall, there were some interesting nods and clues that show a very interesting first look at what the world of Joker is going to look and feel like. Some are quick references to history, others are interesting points of interest that have us thinking what they’ll mean in the long run. All are present in the first trailer for Joker, which you can watch below before we start to dive into the deeper details:

Now let’s take a look at some of the little things scattered through Joker’s trailer that caught our eye.

The Bob Kane Tribute

One of the legendary forces behind Batman’s creation, Bob Kane was one of the two men that made the Caped Crusader the man that he is. The same applies for his archnemesis, as The Joker was also one of Kane’s legendary creations. So throughout the Batman universe, it’s been a tradition to include his name among the various easter eggs that can be found through various mediums, and Joker gives up one pretty quickly. At the beginning of the trailer, if you look closely at the ID tag of the social worker that’s speaking with Arthur, you’ll see that her name is Debra Kane, undoubtedly a nod to the man who helped both Gotham’s greatest hero, and its biggest villain, come to living breathing life.

Wayne Hall

What would a movie taking place in Gotham be without having at least one reference to the richest, most visible family that lives in the city? Though judging by what we’ve read on Joker’s plot, as well as its cast of characters, it feels like the Waynes will make more than just cameo appearances in the film. Still, when the name “Wayne Hall” flashed up on the screen, it was something we’d totally have noticed without the gold letters and spotlights. Though judging by what we’ve heard about the incarnation of Thomas Wayne in this film, that was probably the only way to play this whole thing.

Modern Times

During the split second of Wayne Hall’s exterior being shown, it’s revealed that Charlie Chaplin’s classic film Modern Times is playing at the grand opening of that very event space in the fall. This is doubly interesting, first because Joaquin Phoenix’s Arthur has a bit of a Charlie Chaplin-esque look about him when he’s dancing as a sign spinner towards the beginning. So one of his comedic influences is, undoubtedly, The Tramp himself. But even more surprising is the fact that Modern Times was a satire that drew attention to the economic hardship of the Great Depression era worker, which looks like something the Wayne family didn’t take into account when deciding to use it as their self-named hall’s opening event.

Thomas Wayne Gets Political

As if on cue at the thought of his very name, Thomas Wayne appears in the trailer for Joker. First coming in as a voiceover, but then showing his face through actor Brett Cullen, Thomas is afraid for Gotham City. He thinks it's lost its way, and that only a cold blooded coward in a mask could perpetrate the crime he's lamenting in this clip. It very well may be a murder, probably Arthur's first in a possible series. But even scarier is the fact that we've previously assumed that while Thomas isn't the same man he's portrayed to be in previous incarnations, his deadly fate might be just the same. In which case, this sort of taunting might not be wise in hindsight.

A Very Different Arkham

Arkham Asylum is one of those locations that undeniably anchors the Batman series in the consciousness of its fans. Usually depicted as a high tech facility with all the bells and whistles and an extremely gothic flavored decorative style, it’s where all of the baddies that Batman catches tend to go to. Before they break out into the world again, that is. But in Joker’s version of Arkham, it’s not even labeled as an asylum, as it’s known in this world as Arkham State Hospital. And rather than look like somewhere you’d expect The Riddler to be hatching his next, post-escape plan, it looks like the sort of run down mental facility you’d expect from the 1980’s lowest of lows. Gritty realism has found a new way to infiltrate the world of Gotham, and it’s super effective.

The Killing Joke

One of the plot aspects that’s been brought to mind with Joker is the fact that Arthur is trying to be a stand-up comedian during the course of the film. We see several shots of him going to Pogo’s Comedy Club, laughing it up, and eventually taking his own spot on the main stage. Which nails one particular Batman story right on it’s head: The Killing Joke. Part of The Joker’s origins in the Alan Moore penned story involved him being a frustrated wanna-be comedian, in the hopes of going pro and caring for his pregnant wife. While there’s no wife here, there is his mother. And as we see in some flashes of footage, it looks like he might make it to a certain point of stardom as a funnyman. Which leads us to one of the most surprising references in this entire trailer.

The King Of Comedy

Martin Scorsese’s underrated classic The King of Comedy told the story of, get this, a frustrated wanna-be comedian who would do anything to get his moment in the spotlight. That film’s protagonist was played by none other than Robert DeNiro, which was a fact that was not unseen when his casting in Joker was announced to be for the role of a TV host that drives Arthur mad. With Scorsese executive producing this film as well, it feels like Joker is a pseudo remake of that very film, with DeNiro playing a role similar to the one Jerry Lewis played against him in the original. Extra bonus points go towards the production designers for invoking the look of the 80’s era sets that Johnny Carson used during his tenure as the host of The Tonight Show.

Bruce Wayne Behind Bars

Just as I discussed the inclusion of the Wayne family in Joker, there was one pretty big piece of that puzzle dropped into place during a scene where Arthur befriends a little boy. That young lad seen in the trailer just happens to be none other than Bruce Wayne, as played by Dante Pereira-Olson. Separated by a gate with iron bars, Arthur tries to get his young friend to smile, albeit in a creepy, hands on sort of way. How this budding friendship will turn out is yet to be seen, but if our hunch is correct, it’s not going to last for long, if it gets to start at all.

We’ve still got some time between now and Joker’s debut in theaters, and a whole bunch of surprises are probably still waiting to be thrust upon the public at the right time. In fact, I could still be totally wrong about what we think is going to happen in the film. But what's been seen so far is promising, and definitely invoking the right spirit to become a socially subversive take on a classic comic villain. You could even say, it puts a smile right on our faces.

Joker takes the stage in theaters on October 4th. Though laughs aren’t that far off in the box office future, as you’ll see by consulting our 2019 release schedule. That's no joke!

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Walt Disney World's April Fools Day Joke Is So Great I Wish It Was Real

Walt Disney World's April Fools Day Joke Is So Great I Wish It Was Real

You've got to be careful when you're checking out social media on April 1st, because there's a good chance a lot of what you're seeing isn't real. Unfortunately, the way a lot of April Fool's Day jokes get you is by telling you a story that you want to be real. That was the way that I felt when I first saw Walt Disney World's Twitter post this morning, revealing the newest addition to the park, a glorious combination of theme park merch and theme park food. Check out Snears.

While the attractions are always a major draw when it comes to visiting Walt Disney World, the importance of the food and gear cannot be overlooked. As such, it makes perfect sense to combine these two popular elements with Snears, which take the most popular piece of merchandise in the park, Mickey Mouse ears, and gives them cups which can be filled with your favorite park snack.

This is, of course, not real. It's an April Fool's Day joke. As somebody who writes news for a living, I sort of hate this day with a deep passion. However, I can get behind a joke like this, because it's clearly and obviously a joke. You might be taken in for a brief instant, but then you realize that if these things were real they'd be ridiculous. It's just a funny thing that Disney Parks did, as opposed to something truly meant to fool you. Although, if, in that brief moment, you considered buying a pair of Snears, you might not feel like this is a very nice joke.

Putting a pair of turkey legs in your ears might sound awesome, but actually walking around with them in there isn't feasible. The weight distribution is so uneven they'd obviously fall out. Filling them with popcorn might work slightly better, as long as you don't look down at your phone to confirm your upcoming FastPass+ reservation, because then it's all coming out. It's a shame that this isn't practical because sometimes you want to carry your favorite snack while also keeping your hands free to take pictures or while checking out the gift shop.

Although, I do like the idea that the band is supposed to be refrigerated, because keeping cold Dole Whip on your head might actually work out ok, and it would be nice to have it available whenever you needed it. I could use some right now.

While Snears might not be practical, that doesn't make them less fun. The essential premise, that Mickey Mouse ears and Walt Disney World food are two essential parts of any vacation to the park, is absolutely true. My biggest problem when visiting Disney World or Disneyland isn't that I might not have enough time to experience all the attractions I want, it's that my stomach isn't big enough to eat all the food that I want. There are simply too many great restaurants and too many tasty snacks worth checking out.

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Idris Elba Has A Flamethrower In New Hobbs And Shaw Image

Idris Elba Has A Flamethrower In New Hobbs And Shaw Image

The life of the Fast and the Furious franchise has been fascinating. What started as car racing movies has become one of the biggest action franchises in the world, consistently making a ton of money at the box office. And it's showing no signs of slowing down, with a variety of different projects coming down the line. The franchise is breaking new ground with Hobbs & Shaw, the property's first spinoff starring The Rock and Jason Statham.

The many Fast and the Furious fans are eager to see the franchise branch out, especially as Hobbs & Shaw will focus on a pair of fan favorite badasses. There's some serious talent attached to join the duo of actors, with the most notable being Idris Elba as the superpowered villain Brixton Lore. Brixton has been genetically engineered to have superpowers, and that's not going to be the end of his badassery. Because a new image just dropped featuring Elba with a massive flamethrower. Check it out.

What. A. Badass. This image reiterates that Hobbs & Shaw is leaning into the over the top action that the larger franchise has become known for. And the title characters have one seriously tough enemy to unite against when the spinoff arrives in theaters.

This new image comes to us from producer Hiram Garcia's personally Twitter page. While the Fast and the Furious franchise is known for being larger than life, Idris Elba is taking things to another level as Brixton Lore in Hobbs & Shaw. The villain's superpowers is a game changer, and arguably taking the franchise farther from reality than ever before. Rather than trying to ground the character in other ways, he's going to be even bigger. Like giant flamethrower big.

Idris Elba's latest photo as Brixton is undeniably badass, and will likely add more fuel to the rumors about his possible involvement in the James Bond franchise. With Daniel Craig leaving the role of 007 after Bond 25, the franchise will soon have to find a replacement to take on the mantle. Fan lists have been happening for years, and Elba is usually toward the top. While the actor has shut down these reports, seeing him with a flamethrower is sure to cause endless more rumors.

Idris Elba's starpower has been steadily building over the past few years, so it's a great time to play the central villain in a Fast and the Furious movie. The franchise is insanely popular, and there will be a mass of moviegoers who shell out cash to see all the action on the big screen. Aside from fans of the franchise, Elba was also recently named the Sexiest Man Alive, which should excite more casual moviegoers.

Aside from Hobbs & Shaw, Idris Elba has another big blockbuster coming in the form of James Gunn's The Suicide Squad. Elba will be playing the role of Deadshot, the character played by Will Smith in the original film. He also recently wrapped up his tenure as Heimdall in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, playing the Asgardian in all three Thor movies and two Avengers appearances.

Hobbs & Shaw will arrive in theaters on August 2nd, complete with Idris Elba's flamethrower-toting villain. In the meantime, check out our 2019 release list to plan your next trip to the movies.

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What is Disney Movie Rewards? How Does It Work?

What is Disney Movie Rewards? How Does It Work?

Whether you're buying Blu-ray discs or going to the theater, movies can be an expensive form of entertainment. It would be nice to be able to get something a little more out of it. Luckily, if you're a Disney fan (and let's be honest, who isn't a fan of something from Disney these days), there is a way to get a little something more out of your movie experience through Disney Movie Rewards.

But what is Disney Movie Rewards and how does it work? It it worthwhile to get an account? Below you'll find answers to all your Disney Movie Rewards Questions.

What is Disney Movie Rewards?

Disney Movie Rewards is essentially a loyalty program. It's not that different from the programs you might use at your local supermarket or coffee shop. While those might get you a free latte now and then after you buy several of your own, Disney Movie Rewards does the same thing for movies. Purchase Disney films on Blu-ray or buy tickets to see them in the theater and you'll earn points.

Then, you take those points and redeem them for Disney-related stuff. You can turn right around and buy more Blu-rays or movie tickets, or you can buy Disney stuff like t-shirts, Disney gift cards or even a tour of the Walt Disney Studios, though I'll tell you, you have to buy a lot of Blu-Rays to earn that one.

How Do I Get My Disney Movie Rewards?

The first thing to do is set up an account on the Disney Movie Rewards website. It doesn't cost anything, which means it doesn't require even giving up a credit card number. All you need to do is create a username with an email address and then make a password.

Once you have the account, you can start accruing points. The main way to ear Disney Movie Rewards is by buying stuff. If you purchase a Disney Blu-Ray or DVD that has a Disney Movie Rewards logo on the outside, inside the case, you'll find a piece of paper with a code on it. Simply input the number on the Disney Movie Rewards home page and you'll get your points. Points vary on discs between around 50 and 200 points, depending on what version of a disc you buy.

Getting points for buying movie tickets is a bit more involved. In that case, you'll need to make sure you keep your ticket stub and be sure it actually says the name of the Disney movie in question. Select the movie you saw on the Disney Movie Rewards site and you'll be given a unique ID number. Write that number on your ticket, then take a picture of the ticket and upload the photo to the Disney Movie rewards website. Tickets are usually good for about 75 points.

Another thing to keep in mind is that points can only be earned on tickets for movies currently in theaters, so you don't want to stock up on your tickets and try to redeem them all at once. Be sure to get your points as soon as you can so you don't miss your window.

However, there is an easier way to get your ticket purchases added to your Disney Movie Rewards account. Disney Movie Rewards allows you to link your Rewards account to Atom Tickets, Fandango VIP and the Regal Crown Club. This means that if you buy tickets to a Disney movie through one of these online sites, your points will be automatically added to your Disney Movie Rewards account.

The other purchasable item that earns you points is Disney music. Many Disney movie soundtracks, as well as the popular collectible, vinyl "picture discs," are good for 100 points or more.

How Do I Use My Disney Movie Rewards?

Once you have enough points to redeem them for something you want, simply go to the Disney Movie Rewards website, log in and select the item. If it's an item that requires physical shipping, like a movie poster or DVD, you have the choice of paying for shipping and handling separately, or using additional points to cover the cost, so you really can get something for no additional cost to you.

Do Disney Movie Reward Points Expire?

Disney Movie Reward points only expire if your Disney Movie Rewards account sees no activity for 365 consecutive days. This means as long as you add points to your account or redeem points for something once a year, your points won't go anywhere. With the frequency with which Disney releases new movies in theaters and on Blu-ray, odds are you'll be spending money on at least one a year.

One nice way to make sure that doesn't happen is to log in and take the Disney Challenge. This is a brief Disney trivia quiz that won't take you more than a minute to complete. Doing so will earn you all of five points (unless you're really good, in that case you can get bonuses), but those five points will keep your account active for another year.

Do I Need To Cancel Disney Movie Rewards?

There isn't really much need to cancel your account. You can certainly do so, but Disney Movie Rewards doesn't cost anything, so even if you decide to stop using it, you can just ignore it and let it go.

Can I Get Disney Movie Rewards Points For Digital Movies?

At this point, purchases of Disney movies through digital storefronts cannot be used to earn Disney Movie Rewards points, although based on the Disney Movie Reward FAQ, it sounds like the implementation of such a thing could happen, so keep checking back.

Is Disney Movie Rewards Worth It?

Disney Movie Rewards doesn't cost you anything beyond the money you were probably going to be spending on Disney movies anyway, but does that mean it's obviously something you should do?

Most of the rewards are some pretty simple stuff like movie posters and t-shirts, and if they end up having something you want, that's great. However, little of seems like "must have" merch. Still, is there a better cost than free?

A Blu-ray disc goes for something like 700-800 points, and if you receive 150 points for buying one, you end up getting a movie free for every five you buy, which is a pretty decent ratio so if you're building a serious Disney movie collection, it's worth incorporating Disney Movie Rewards into that plan. This goes double if you join the Disney Movie Club, as most of those movies will earn you points alongside your obligation to the club.

Keep checking back with CinemaBlend for all the latest and greatest news concerning Disney. The company's latest movie, the live action Aladdin remake, hits theaters this Friday, May 24.

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Glass’ Original Opening Scene Was Way More Chilled Out

Glass’ Original Opening Scene Was Way More Chilled Out

Here’s a new M. Night Shyamalan twist: the Glass director famous for his unexpected endings actually has an alternate opening he’s revealed as it's released digitally today. The final film in the trilogy that began with 2000’s Unbreakable and continued with 2016’s Split was going to begin at the psychiatric facility that much of the film is set in.

The brief alternate opening (via Entertainment Weekly) has men on ladders installing cameras to the walls of Glass' main location before the eerie string music sets the scene for the movies and the opening titles roll. M. Night Shyamalan has explained why he originally thought this scene would open the movie thusly:

Structurally, what I wanted to do with the movie was to kind of say to the audience that the whole movie is going to take place in one location… My original concept of how to set up that premise: the whole movie is going to take place in this one place, we’re going to come back here. So, I wanted to start in this mysterious place where they were setting up this ambiguous kind of rooms and things for we don’t know what purpose.

This alternate scene certainly builds a bit of tension for the audience in the beginning of Glass, but it was decided that it wasn’t particularly necessary to the film. Since many of us went into the movie knowing the facility was going to be a huge part of Glass’ storyline, I’d say it was a good call. Directors such as M. Night Shyamalan have to make a ton of tough decisions when cutting together their movie, and this is an interesting one that certainly would have worked. However, here’s why he decided against it:

Ultimately it didn’t end up in that structure because there were too many beginnings and the beginning of the movie. What I did was move Patricia to the front, immediately start with her and pick up right after Split.

So instead of starting with the mysterious, Shyamalan went for the familiar. James McAvoy’s Split character was likely what many had most recently seen from the franchise, so it served as a great refresher to pick up with the story with Patricia, one of the Horde’s identities. The director also said Glass already had too many beginnings, since it also needs to quickly fill a large gap of time between David Dunn’s role in the franchise, so taking this portion out likely served the movie well.

Shyamalan has said that Glass used to be way longer, with a runtime of three hours and 20 minutes before shaving it off to a more reasonable time of 2 hours and 9 minutes. The director certainly seems like he had a grand vision for the trilogy closer. Considering the overall positive reactions of fans (polarizing the brutal critical reviews) and its $246 million worldwide gross, things turned out great.

Glass is available on Digital HD today and will be released on Blu-Ray and DVD on April 16.

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Wait, MoviePass Stock Is Up 40%?

Wait, MoviePass Stock Is Up 40%?

Around this time last year, MoviePass was still flying high, disrupting the industry and helping millions of subscribers to see more movies than ever before. Then came the Mission: Impossible – Fallout incident, which sparked a series of public and costly stumbles that dragged down the service and saw its parent company’s stock plummet along with it. Now MoviePass is rising like a phoenix from the ashes…okay, well maybe not exactly, but MoviePass stock is up 40%.

Shares of Helios & Matheson Analytics were up over 40% yesterday in over-the-counter trading, rising above a penny and reaching 1.23 cents per share before the close of the day according to Deadline. The day also saw triple the normal volume of the company’s shares changing hands. This comes after Helios & Matheson shares were delisted from the NASDAQ last month due to the foibles of its MoviePass unit, which saw the company’s shares trade under $1 since last July.

So what changed? Well, it all comes down to the new business strategy MoviePass will be employing going forward. Helios & Matheson still plans on spinning off its MoviePass business into its own public traded company, to help distinguish the beleaguered movie service from the data analytics firm and the other parts of its business.

That new company, MoviePass Entertainment Holdings will be made up of three separate pillars, each addressing a different part of the business. MoviePass Films will be the company’s production arm, producing new movies under the MoviePass banner; the MoviePass subscription service and app for which the company gained its name; and the Moviefone brand that Helios & Matheson and MoviePass acquired from Verizon last year.

MoviePass said that this new three-pillar model would generate its own revenue, without reliance on studios and exhibitors. This is in stark contrast to the MoviePass of a year or so ago that entered the room with all the subtlety of the Kool-Aid man and wanted to strike deals with studios to promote movies and get a share of tickets and concessions from theater chains.

The idea is that the three parts of the business will work in concert, sharing each others resources in an ecosystem where each part benefits the others. The MoviePass Films arm will make movies with an eye towards transcending theaters, and get deals for home video releases and international distribution. That should then help the MoviePass theatergoing subscription service to grow. The Moviefone digital platform will then be used as a promotional tool for the other two pillars.

MoviePass admits it has made mistakes and it appear to be trying to remedy them with the hard-learned lessons of 2018. The MoviePass subscription service recently relaunched with 3 new pricing plans and now this new business model is another attempt by the service to regain its footing.

If this strategy works as intended, MoviePass can generate its own revenue and won’t be burning cash with the hopes of striking lucrative deals with entrenched parts of the industry. It’s obviously too early to say if that will be the case and one day’s stock increase is no guarantee that MoviePass has turned a corner, but it’s still a positive sign that shows that there is some optimism in the financial sector that this is a step in the right direction for the service.

Stay tuned to CinemaBlend for all your movie news and check out our 2019 Release Schedule to keep track of the biggest movies headed your way this year.

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