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  • ‘Ted Lasso’ Star Joins ‘Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning’ Sequel

    ‘Ted Lasso’ Star Joins ‘Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning’ Sequel

    Tom Cruise has continued to put on a show to highlight just how far he’ll go to create a cinematic action spectacle. While impressive, he’s not the only one that makes the films he stars in what they are and it seems that the second part of Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning has just added another member to its cast.

    Ted Lasso star and Emmy-winner Hannah Waddingham has been added to the project to star opposite Tom Cruise. The first part titled Dead Reckoning Part One is set to release in July with the sequel following next year in June. For now, who she is playing and what we can expect from the story is still being kept under wraps.

    Waddingham has made a name for herself playing the character of Rebbeca in Ted Lasso. She’s been slowly gathering new projects as the Apple TV+ series is coming to an end and Mission Impossible is definitely a big franchise someone wants to get involved with. Plus, she also joined the upcoming Fall Guy film starring Emily Blunt and Ryan Gosling. So, it seems she’s already gotten quite a few good projects to add to her filmography.

    Source: Deadline

  • Tom King May Have Confirmed James Gunn Will Direct ‘Superman: Legacy’

    Tom King May Have Confirmed James Gunn Will Direct ‘Superman: Legacy’

    While Marvel is still as omnipresent as ever, James Gunn‘s involvement as the new co-CEO of DC Studios has opened up many new opportunities for the long-dormant DC Cinematic Universe. Earlier this year he unveiled the first “Chapter” which will consist of some returning favorites and feature new faces, most notably another reboot for Superman.

    With a title like Superman: Legacy, the new take seems like a promising re-entry into the character’s roots. Zack Snyder‘s time with the character was steeped in a more mythological and darker place with many long-time fans hoping to see the more cheerful and optimistic vision brought to the screen. While Gunn is confirmed as the writer, long-time DC Comics writer may have confirmed he’s also going to direct the project.

    James Gunn is a super nerd and he’s super creative. He’s both the writer and director of the Superman movie, and he’s sort of the creative force behind all of this…and he reached out to a group of screenwriters and myself, fantastic, amazing whose names he’s put out there, and to work on making these movies and tv shows as good as they can be. And it was his way of saying, you know, we need nerds in the room we need writers and that this sort of DC renaissance, this DC revolution, is going to be very much a storytelling, it’s story first, we want to tell fantastic stories. That is where we are starting, stopping.”

    Gunn has proven his love for the character time and time again. And he usually ends up directing projects he writes, especially something as important as the film that’ll truly kick off his new universe. It’ll be interesting to see how much time he’ll have working on this project while spearheading an entire cinematic universe, but that is likely why he’s joined by Peter Safran to keep this vision alive.

    You can check out the full interview here:

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WCFHERop9HI

    Source: YouTube via Heroic Hollywood

  • ‘Scream VI’ Stabs Up Franchise’s Best Thursday Previews

    ‘Scream VI’ Stabs Up Franchise’s Best Thursday Previews

    It looks like the sixth entry of the Scream franchise has opened big, as the film pulled in $5.7M in Thursday previews, which would make it the biggest ever for the franchise. It’s also set to expand its theater count on Friday from 3,125 to 3,675 with a chance at a powerful $35M to $40M opening weekend.

    As such, it would take the top spot from the last entry which also opened a strong $34M during the pandemic. Scream VI is set to break that record and is on track to move closer to the $40M if it continues at this rate. As such, it might have a good chance to blow past the film’s $138M worldwide total, which was already impressive on a tiny $24M budget.

    The only question is if this film can stab Michael B. Jordan‘s Creed III from the top spot, which it dominated last weekend with an overperforming $58M opening. Though it does seem likely that it’ll beat it unless the boxing film has some impressive staying power for viewers that just couldn’t get enough the first time around.

    The only depressing opening is Adam Driver‘s new sci-fi film 65 which earned an okay $1.2M in previews and isn’t likely going to set the weekend ablaze. Reviews aren’t kind to the film either, as it has a critical score of 30% and an already rotten Audience Score just as it entered the weekend.

    Source: The Numbers, Variety, Rotten Tomatoes

  • ‘Super Mario Bros. Movie’ Early Projections Eyeing $100M+ Easter Opening

    ‘Super Mario Bros. Movie’ Early Projections Eyeing $100M+ Easter Opening

    The long-awaited return o Super Mario to the silver screen is almost upon us. While they took a safer route and avoided a live-action take on the classic plumber and his brother Luigi, The Super Mario Bros. Movie offers a fantastical look at the iconic Mushroom Kingdom through the lens of Illumination’s animation style.

    It’s avoided the usual trappings of that production studio so far with some impressive trailers and very promising visuals highlighting just how involved Nintendo was in bringing their biggest mascot to life. Now, early projects are already seeing some positive development for the April release.

    As it stands, the film is likely to open somewhere between $71M to $105M. The project is hard to truly pin down on just how successful it’ll be but seems like a very possible front-loaded must-see for those growing up with the character. Chris Pratt‘s casting as the main character though has softened some expectations as the Social Media buzz is surprisingly lower than what was expected.

    Though game adaptations aren’t always box office hits, Illumination has quite a strong track record with how they push their projects. Just last year, Minions 2: The Rise of Gru made a huge splash in theaters and adds to the potential that this film’s release with an iconic mascot as Mario offers. For now, we can only see how media buzz increases as we get closer to the film’s release.

    Source: Box Office Pro

  • RUMOR: Marvel Studios’ ‘Blade’ May Have Found its Cinematographer

    RUMOR: Marvel Studios’ ‘Blade’ May Have Found its Cinematographer

    We’ve long been wondering what Marvel Studios has planned for their unique take on Blade. There hasn’t been much news on the project that seemingly went through quite a turbulent production cycle before any cameras got rolling. Once it lost its initial director Bassam Tariq, it seemed like the project might end up getting pushed back further and further away. Then we heard that they are completely reworking the script with Beau DeMayo‘s involvement rumored before Michael Starrbury was confirmed.

    It took some time before Mahershala Ali‘s Blade truly picked up steam once Lovecraft Country director Yann Demange was confirmed as the new director. The film is still set to start production sometime this year and Cosmic Circus may have uncovered some more from the project hinting that the cameras might get rolling sooner rather than later. According to them, Matthew Libatique has joined the project as its cinematographer.

    What is interesting is that this isn’t his first Marvel project. LIbatique not only worked on Venom but also was the director of photography on the original Iron Man. He’s also been quite busy with his work on the recent releases of The Whale and Don’t Worry Darling. He also was involved with the DC film Birds of Prey, and has quite an extensive resumé. It’ll be interesting to see what he brings to this gothic take on the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Whatever it may be, here’s hoping that the film starts rolling sooner rather than later.

    Source: Cosmic Circus

  • RUMOR: Marvel Studios to Cast a Jewish Actor for ‘Fantastic Four’s The Thing

    RUMOR: Marvel Studios to Cast a Jewish Actor for ‘Fantastic Four’s The Thing

    In the world of Marvel Studio’s castings, the discussions surrounding the Fantastic Four might have been the most trailblazing. Everyone is excited to finally know who will play Marvel’s First Family in their first Marvel Cinematic Universe adaptation. After a decent comedy spin and a dreadful reimagining, it was time to see these iconic characters reunited once again as part of a bigger universe.

    Ever since the project lost Jon Watts as a director, many were wondering what the future might hold for the project. WandaVision‘s Matt Shakman took over the project and hinted that castings have yet to truly being. Many rumored front runners have found their way online for Mr. Fantastic with some hoping to see the return of John Krasinski after Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness, or rumors surrounding Penn Badgley, Dev Patel, and countless others.

    Now, it seems that we have a new rumor stirring the pot but this time for the casting of The Thing, better known as Ben Grimm. While no specific name is set, The Hot Mich’s Jeff Sneider has shared that Marvel Studios is actively looking to cast the role with a Jewish actor. They also considered going for a person of color but are focusing on Grimm’s heritage potentially in the casting process.

    That would make him the second openly Jewish character in the franchise after Oscar Isaac‘s Marc Spector in the Disney+ series Moon Knight. Though, there was some controversy in how it was portrayed in that series, which didn’t ignore it but skimmed over some parts that many felt were important to the character.

    Still, we now has the question remaining of who they might cast for the role. The Direct pointed out that Jason Segel might be a popular choice, and has also been among the many rumored for a part in the Fantastic Four film. It’ll be interesting to see if this new rumor might spark a new wave of

    Source: YouTube via The Direct

  • Matt Shakman Rumored to Have Struck Fantastic Deal with Marvel Studios

    Matt Shakman Rumored to Have Struck Fantastic Deal with Marvel Studios

    Following his work on WandaVision, Marvel Studios turned to director Matt Shakman to take the lead on their Fantastic Four project when original helmer Jon Watts departed. With Fantastic Four now casting ahead of a 2024 start of production, news comes that Shakman may already be lined up for a pair of Marvel Studios projects in addition to the film.

    During a segment on the Hot Mic Podcast, Jeff Snieder indicated that Shakman may be Marvel Studios choice to lead a Disney Plus streaming series focused on the Silver Surfer and is lined up to direct a portion of the Disney Plus streaming series Vision Quest. While there has been no official word from Marvel Studios concerning a Silver Surfer project, a Special Presentation introducing the character has been rumored for some time . Vision Quest, on the other hand, is known to be in the works and is reportedly headed into production in 2024.

    Shakman has a strong background in TV beyond WandaVision, having worked on HBO’s Game of Thrones. Given Vision Quest is all but guaranteed to be a sequel to WandaVision, Shakman’s participation in the series would provide an opportunity for narrative continuity and consistency to be present in the new series.

    Source: YouTube

  • Jenna Ortega Circling a Role in ‘Beetlejuice 2’

    Jenna Ortega Circling a Role in ‘Beetlejuice 2’

    Wednesday actor Jenna Ortega is looking to stay within the Tim Burton universe. It was revealed on Thursday that the actor is currently circling a role in Beetlejuice 2. A deal has not been officially set, however, should one take, Ortega would play the daughter of Lydia, the character originated by Winona Ryder in the original movie. Burton is expected to return as the director for Beetlejuice 2, while Michael Keaton is expected to return as the titular character. The sequel, which has been in the works for a long, long time, will finally kick off production in either May or June in London.

    Beetlejuice 2 would serve as a reunion between Ortega and Burton. The duo worked together on the first season of Netflix’s Wednesday, which was renewed for a second season back in January. It’s currently unclear if Ryder will return for the sequel, although the actor was attached to the project as of a year ago.

    Beetlejuice, which was released in 1988, also starred Alec Baldwin, Geena Davis, Jeffrey Jordan and Catherine O’Hara, earned an impressive $80 million on a $15 million budget. Talks of a sequel being in the works have been ongoing since 2017, however, this marks the closest the film has come to entering production. As of now, the movie does not have a release date.

    Source: THR.

  • Marvel Studios Eyeing Sam Raimi to Return for ‘Doctor Strange 3’

    Marvel Studios Eyeing Sam Raimi to Return for ‘Doctor Strange 3’

    Following Scott Derrickson‘s departure from Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, Sam Raimi stepped in to take the reigns and put together one of Marvel Studios’ best Phase 4 films. Raimi infused the film with his signature style, providing audiences with a giant walking eyeball, a zombie Doctor Strange and a reminder that Marvel Studios films can be both “comic booky” and fun. Rumors have begun to swirl that Stephen Strange has a major role to play in the Multiverse Saga and that the studio is keen on pushing out another Doctor Strange solo film sooner rather than later and now that they might just have Raimi in their sights to helm it.

    During a segment of the Hot Mic Podcast, co-host Jeff Sneider indicated that it’s his belief that Raimi will return to direct the third installment in the Doctor Strange franchise. Though Sneider was clear that he was not confirming Raimi’s return, he hinted that it was pretty clear that was the direction things were headed.

    Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness grossed just short of $1B at the box office ($955.8M), making it the fourth highest-grossing film of 2022. The film’s post-credit scene, which introduced Charlize Theron as Clea, hinted at Strange playing a major role in the larger narrative of the Multiverse Saga and recent rumors have suggested that the character will essentially fill the shoes Tony Stark wore towards the end of the Infinity Saga.

    Despite the rumors, Marvel Studios has not officially announced the Doctor Strange threequel; in fact, Disney Chairman Bob Iger recently indicated that the studio may be less inclined to revisit characters for a “third and a fourth” film in the future in favor of bringing new characters to the screen. Additionally, news of a slow down and increased measures of quality control within Marvel Studios don’t seem to match up with the rumored “fast-tracking” of Doctor Strange 3. Disney will be in attendance at April’s CinemaCon, providing them with an opportunity to publicly address any additions, subtractions or delays to Marvel Studios’ slate, should they chose to do so. Otherwise, fans may have to wait until SDCC ’23, or later, to see what Iger’s return to the company means for Marvel Studios theatrical plan.

    Source: YouTube

  • REVIEW: ‘Chang Can Dunk’ is Worth a Shot

    REVIEW: ‘Chang Can Dunk’ is Worth a Shot

    Chang Can Dunk is the latest Disney film that explores what it means to live in high school as an underdog and the overall challenge of somehow growing up while finding your place in the modern world. The main storyline set seems quite simple with 16-year-old Chang making a bet with the popular kid that he can slam dunk within a few weeks just to prove himself to his peers. Yet, while the story seems like your typical sports-drama, director Jingyi Shao uses it more as a template to explore some heavy-hitting themes.

    On the surface level, Chang Can Dunk seems rather superficial as its main hero portrayed by Bloom Li goes out of his way to impress a girl. As the popular basketball kid starts hitting on her, he awkwardly tries to get her attention before making a bet he can’t really back out from. It becomes a classic underdog story of a young kid proving to himself and everyone around him that he’s not worth ignoring.

    Without giving away any major spoilers, what makes this Disney+ original so interesting is that the film keeps its focus tight on Chang’s overall character arc. We don’t get this happy-go-lucky home life as his mother is overworking herself and doesn’t show any active interest in what he cares for. We don’t often see a mother and son that drifted apart as much as they did, but their acts of desperation in how they show concern for the other.

    Technically, Chang’s struggle of connecting with his mother is at the core of the story, and it’s also the strongest element at play. It’s similar to how Turning Red challenges the overprotectiveness of parents that can end up pushing them away, or simply alienating them from the high expectations put upon them. There’s also the cultural relevance of that pressure that adds to the overarching message.

    We see Chang build a rather strong support system around him with some of the highlights just being him hanging out with his best friend Bo (Ben Wan), his mentor De-Andre (Dexter Darden), and Kirsty (Zoe Renee). It’s especially sweet to see the way he connects with De-Andre, who was a former pro-basketball player that lost his dream, and the way it further strengthens the dangers of popularity and fame.

    The film has a strong focus on going viral online, and it’s not just a tool for some creative shot composition. They truly go all out with the concept, as Bo becomes this vocal point of evolving the way he films online videos that just add a few creative and unique shots to make the film stand out. Overall, the film has some really strong shots and makes good use of empty space to highlight headspace of Chang at times. Of course, it’s also carried by Bloom Li‘s performance who can sell the highs of falling into the beauty of stardom and the depression of feeling alone.

    The only real drag on the overall story is the cliché it is built around. It feels like a project that wants to subvert the usual stories we see in high school-focused sports dramas. The moment a classic trope is unveiled, the film actually surprises by pushing the story into a whole new direction focusing on the actual core narrative that was more sidelined up to that point. We don’t harp too long on the misbegotten actions, as eventually, people forgive those they care about. It’s sometimes family that has the hardest time forgiving themselves.

    The message overall is powerful and makes the film stand out. It just struggles through the clichés at times and ends up dragging out the reveal that just sticks too much to the cliché. It had me dreading the moment due to how predictable it was and it still happened exactly how it is set up. It’s saved by what happens after but it still feels like it fell into the cliché pool rather than just dipping its toes.

    The film is definitely worth a shot for those that love these types of films, especially once the story starts coming together. Jingyi Shao definitely offers an inspiring story that should not be missed out on. It may sometimes fall a little too far into clichés and isn’t the slam dunk it truly could be, there’s something special about this project that makes it worth watching. It’s a perfect watch for a young audience that may not yet know the dangers of online fame and trying to fit in.