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  • ‘Magic Mike’s Last Dance’ Gets a Theatrical Release

    ‘Magic Mike’s Last Dance’ Gets a Theatrical Release

    Originally developed as an HBO Max original movie, it looks Magic Mike is taking to the big screen once again. Deadline reports that Magic Mike’s Last Dance is officially heading to theaters on February 10th, 2023 — just in time for Valentine’s Day and Super Bowl weekend. The date is one Warner Bros. Discovery already had on its schedule.

    Unfortunately, those hoping for a day-and-date release will be disappointed. The outlet reports there will be a window between theatrical and HBO Max, with PVOD in between. The move shouldn’t be too surprising as Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav has made it clear he’d rather get films into theaters than develop them for HBO Max. And while never a huge franchise, the Magic Mike films did pull in an impressive amount, having grossed a combined $285.6 million at the global box. While that number might seem on the lower end, it’s important to note these films were produced for $7 million and $14 million, respectively.

    Magic Mike’s Last Dance stars Channing Tatum, Salma Hayek, Caitlin Gerard and Gavin Spokes. The film was written by Reid Carolin and directed by Steven Soderbergh. Gregory Jacobs, who directed Magic Mike XXL, is on board as a producer this time around.

    Source: Deadline.

  • RUMOR: Joaquin Phoenix May Not Be the Lead of DC’s ‘Joker’ Sequel

    RUMOR: Joaquin Phoenix May Not Be the Lead of DC’s ‘Joker’ Sequel

    There have been a lot of questions surrounding the upcoming sequel of Todd Phillips‘ Joker. Not only did many scratch their head at the idea, but it became even more astounding when it was teased to be a musical. Then Lady Gaga was announced as part of the cast and hinted to be taking on the role of Harley Quinn. Now a new rumor may be hinting at a unique direction for the sequel.

    Now, The Weekly Planet’s latest podcast episode has maybe hinted that while the sequel Joker: Folie à Deux still keeps the jester in its title, it won’t be from his perspective. Rather, host James Clement hinted that the project is actually from Dr. Harleen Quinzell’s view, who seemingly sees her romance as a musical that results in the way it’s told.

    Apparently, Joker 2 isn’t so much a Joker movie, it’s a Harley Quinn… It’s from Harley Quinn’s perspective. And the reason it’s a musical is because that’s how she perceives her relationship with Joker.

    James Clement

    It’s definitely an interesting direction o take the sequel nd would make it stand out from its predecessor. Not an uncommon move from Pixar to turn its main star into a side character in the sequel, but there’s a chance this move is mostly that they could have parts switch between perspectives. There’s a chance that we’ll see it from her views when it turns into am musical and the usual ark reality when we switch to Joker, or perhaps we learn how he might see the world in a new light since the last film. We can only speculate for now.

    Source: Weekly Planet via The Direct

  • ‘The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes’ Rounds Out Cast With Fionnula Flanagan and 10 More

    ‘The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes’ Rounds Out Cast With Fionnula Flanagan and 10 More

    The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, a prequel that will follow 18-year-old Cornelius Snow in the 10th Annual Hunger Games, has added eleven actors to its roster. Tony Award nominee Fionnula Flanagan, as well as Isobel Jesper Jones, Flora Li Thiemann, Honor Gillies, Eike Onyambu, Konstantin Taffet, Burn Gorman, Scott Folan, Carl Spencer, Michael Greco, and Daniela Grubert have joined the cast.

    The film is led by Tom Blyth, who will play a young Coriolanus Snow, and Rachel Zegler, who plays tribute Lucy Gray Baird from the impoverished District 12. Other announced stars include Josh Andrés Rivera, Peter Dinklage, Hunter Schafer, Jerome Lance, Ashley Liao, Knox Gibson, Mackenzie Lansing, Aamer Husain, Nick Benson, Laurel Marsden, Lilly Cooper, Luna Steeples, Hiroki Berrecloth, Jason Schwartzman, and Viola Davis.

    Flanagan has signed on to play Grandma’am, young Coriolanus Snow’s strict grandmother. Jones will play Mayfair Lipp, the daughter of the mayor of District 12. Thiemann will portray Livia Carden, mentor to a tribute from District 1. Meanwhile, Gillies, Onyambu, and Taffet have all signed on as Barb Azure, Tam Amber, and Clerk Carmine – members of the Convey, a group of nomads in District 12. Additionally, Gorman, Folan, and Spencer will be portraying Commander Hoff, Beanpole, and Smiley – Peacekeepers sent by the Capitol to District 12. Lastly, Greco and Grubert are set to portray Strabo Plinth and Mrs. Plinth, wealthy parents to Sejanus Plinth, Coriolanus’s best friend.

    The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes was written by Hunger Games writer Suzanne Collins and was published in 2020. The book is set 64 years before the events of the Hunger Games. The film is directed by Francis Lawrence, who helmed the franchise’s Catching Fire, Mockingjay Part One, and Mockingjay Part Two. The most recent screenplay for the film has been developed by Michael Lesslie and the film is currently set to be released in theaters on November 17, 2023.

    Source: Deadline

  • Orlando Bloom Joins Playstation’s ‘Gran Turismo’ Movie

    Orlando Bloom Joins Playstation’s ‘Gran Turismo’ Movie

    Playstation Studios is kicking it into high gear with its many adaptions of beloved game franchises from its library. Spread amongst an array of different platforms, which includes films and television shows, fans will get to experience some of their favorite projects all over again. Quite recently the development of Sony’s live-action Gran Turismo film has made a lot of progress. It has recently begun to get its cast together, recently adding Stranger Things actor David Harbour in a leading role.

    The Hollywood Reporter has exclusively revealed that the film has found its next star in Orlando Bloom, who’ll be jumping into the passenger seat. The film is set to follow Harbour as a retired racer who begins to teach a young teen, played by See actor Archie Madekwe, how to drive. Bloom is set to play an eager marketing exec set on selling racing as a sport.

    The film is set to be directed by Neill Blomkamp whose best known for his work on District 9, Chappie, and Elysium with a script from Jason Hall and Zach Baylin. The project is based on a true story in which a teenage Gran Turismo player used his skills to win a series of Nissan racing competitions and went on to become a professional racecar driver.

    No other casting on the project has been announced but filming is set to begin sometime next week in Europe with an August 11th, 2023 release date currently in place for the project.

    Source: The Hollywood Reporter

  • Charlie Barnett Joins ‘Star Wars’ Series ‘The Acolyte’

    Charlie Barnett Joins ‘Star Wars’ Series ‘The Acolyte’

    Charlie Barnett is the latest actor to head to a galaxy far, far away. The Hollywood Reporter has announced that Barnett has signed on for the Star Wars series The Acolyte. While details regarding Barnett’s character are currently unknown, the outlet states his role is likely a supporting one. Should a deal make, Barnett’s casting would make for a Russian Doll reunion, as the show’s co-creator Leslye Headland is the showrunner on The Acolyte.

    Barnett joins a rather impressive cast that includes Amandla Stenberg, who is toplining the show, along with Squid Game star Lee Jung-jae, Jodie Turner-Smith (Queen & Slim) and Manny Jacinto (The Good Place). Outside of Russian Doll, where Barnett stars as Alan Zaveri, the actor has appeared in Arrow and You.

    The Acolyte is being described as a mystery-thriller that will take viewers into a “galaxy of shadowy secrets and emerging Dark side powers in the final days of the High Republic era.” The project was first announced in April 2020, with Lucasfilm finally confirming the series in December 2020.

    Russian Doll‘s Leslye Headland will serve as the series director, writer, executive producer and showrunner on The Acolyte. As of now, the series does not yet have a premiere date on Disney+.

    Source: THR.

  • Warner Bros. Discovery Leadership May Be Prepping for a Future Sale, Comcast the Likeliest Potential Buyer

    Warner Bros. Discovery Leadership May Be Prepping for a Future Sale, Comcast the Likeliest Potential Buyer

    Warner Bros. Discovery has been quite the chaotic merger for many reasons. The cancelation of almost finished products left a sour taste with many, but taking down exclusive projects from streamers may have been the straw that breaks the camel’s back. In a new report by The Hollywood Reporter, they showcase a lot of uncertainty that’s brewing between talent agencies and investors for the company.

    Their current hunt for a “Kevin Feige” for DC has many concerns as no one really would want that job. Even if you do a decent job, like Walter Hamada did dragging the franchise to its current popular standing after the Zack Snyder fallout, you’re always stuck in comparison. One talent representative highlights the biggest issue anyone would face:

    DC is so fragmented. J.J. [Abrams] had this one, Zack Snyder had that one, Todd Phillips had the other thing. And they’re all such huge egos.

    With that many egos, it’ll be hard to truly bring a united franchise together as WBD hopes to accomplish. Plus, they are still moving forward with Elseworld stories like a Joker sequel and The Batman franchise. Some are suggesting that new CEO David Zaslav, who has been reported in the past to have a harsh leadership style by former Discovery employees, is simply prepping the company for its next sale.

    Most of his endeavors and that of the CFO Gunnar Wiedenfels is to cover Warner Bros.’s massive $50B+ debt; no simple task for anyone. As such building up their biggest brands and covering as much of the debt as possible opens up that very possibility. It seems Comcast’s Brian Roberts is the one that has his eyes on the studio the most to further build up NBCUniversal and combine it with WBD. One executive with inside knowledge gave the following statement in regards to why there’s a good possibility:

    Obviously Peacock sucks. There are some good synergies. I’m sure [Roberts] is licking his chops because the [WBD] stock is so low. And I think that’s Zaslav’s endgame. Get the place sold.

    The head of another company highlighted just how sad this development would be as it would mark the end of another massive studio after Disney purchased Fox some years ago. The issue is simply becoming challenging for these massive studios to stay afloat and handle their debt management. Not everything is doom and gloom, as some are highlighting that some additions have been more talent-friendly unlike under AT&T’s leadership and a seller isn’t something that’s definite as of yet.

    Source: THR

  • Charlie Cox Shares an Emotional Connection with Fans Over the Classic DD Suit

    Charlie Cox Shares an Emotional Connection with Fans Over the Classic DD Suit

    With Charlie Cox’s MCU as Daredevil in She-Hulk: Attorney At Law just a few weeks away, hype is at an all-time high, especially given his recent appearance and subsequent interviews at D23 Expo 2022 in Anaheim. At the event, fans were shown a Hall D23 exclusive clip of Daredevil interacting on a rooftop with Jen Walters. The clip showcased a new take on the character as well as a new look: a yellow and red costume.

    The yellow costume pays homage to the one worn by the character in 1964’s Daredevil #1 and has been teased in promotional material for the show. It’s also something fans of the character have been asking to see in live-action for some time now and has been the topic of social media talk in the months since it was first seen in the trailer for She-Hulk: Attorney At Law. As it turns out, fans aren’t the only ones excited about the yellow suit.

    In an interview with Rotten Tomatoes, Cox detailed his emotions when he first learned he’d be wearing the classic suit in his appearance on She-Hulk.

    I got to go to LA to go to a fitting and I walk in and the suit is hanging there but then there’s a drawing on the wall and it has the gold and red. And I was like, “no way.” It’s funny because when you play the character this long, you’re emotionally connected to the fans’ response. So you see something like that and it means something to you, but you know what it means…what it’s gonna mean. You start to have a sense of how people are going to respond to that.

    Charlie Cox

    Cox, who has been playing Daredevil since 2015 and who returned to the character after a long hiatus, is not only a fan favorite but also seems to clearly love the role and appreciate what it means to the massive fanbase that’s been built up over the years. With at least two future appearances set in stone for the character, it’ll be fun to see what other Daredevil costumes Cox gets to suit up in over the next several years.

    Daredevil can be seen in an upcoming episode of She-Hulk: Attorney At Law ahead of an appearance in 2023’s Echo and 2024’s Daredevil: Born Again.

  • REVIEW: ‘Fate: The Winx Saga’ Season 2

    REVIEW: ‘Fate: The Winx Saga’ Season 2

    Fate: The Winx Saga quickly became one of Netflix’s most popular titles when Season 1 was released in January 2021. It wasn’t without controversy, though. The series is an adaptation of the animated series, The Winx Club, and fans of the original show were quick to note that the Netflix series had seemingly whitewashed some of the characters for live-action. Criticism which some of the actors took to heart. Now, with Season 2, the series seems keen to try to do better by being more inclusive, and ultimately, these decisions help to carry an otherwise uneven season.

    The second season of Fate: The Winx Saga picks up after the events of Season 1. The students of Alfea College are adjusting to life at school with headmistress Farah Dowling (Eve Best) still missing and Miranda Richardson‘s Headmistress Rosalind seeking to take back control. She’s strict, secretive and focused on Bloom because she’s the first fairy to transform at Alfea College in a long time. Sadie Soverall‘s Beatrix and Ken Duken‘s Andreas remain by her side as she seeks to right the “wrongs” of Dowling. Unfortunately for her, though, Bloom and the girls are not on board with her secrecy and the mysterious disappearance of Dowling. Eager to seek answers, Bloom and the others will have to take risks that could ultimately cost them everything.

    Fate: The Winx Saga Season 2 is a lot better than the first season. But there is one issue the writers seem to continue to struggle with. Bloom remains the least interesting character of the group, which is unfortunate given her powers and what she’s meant to be capable of doing. It’s frustrating because it’s not the actress that fails in the role. Abigail Cowen gives her all to Bloom’s story. The problem is in the writing. It feels like Bloom’s story is never going to change. She has the dragon flame, yes, but when will she be able to be more than the fairy with the dragon flame? Allow the character to grow instead of making her reckless, leaving those around her to constantly clean up her mess. Thankfully, the other girls are fascinating.

    Season 2 sees the rest of the girls spread their wings – pun intended. Aisha (Precious Mustapha), Musa (Elisha Applebaum) and Terra (Eliot Salt) all get a chance to shine. Especially Aisha, who was often used to drive the plot forward in Season 1 by “snitching.” Season 2 allows her to become a fully realized character. She’s allowed the chance to be an actual student and, more importantly, an actual teenager. The first season made Aisha out to be a goody two shoes who had no problem snitching on her friends. Her entire identity was the upstanding student who dared not to be reckless like her friends. This season, though, she’s allowed to have faults, she’s allowed to have relationships outside of the girls. It’s a much-appreciated change. The same can be said regarding the others, too. Terra and Stella, especially, feel as though they’ve grown tremendously since the first season. The only character to feel poorly conceived is Beatrix, who doesn’t change much from the first season. She’s a frustrating character who truly sees no real character development; it’s hard to decipher who she truly is as the show still remains unclear of who she is until the very last episode of the season. As for the boys? Some of them make strides this season, but honestly, they’re around more so to serve the plot than to truly become their own important characters.

    As for the story, well, this is where Fate: The Winx Saga struggles a bit. Overall, it’s a strong season, sure, but there are plenty of issues throughout that do pull it down quite a bit. The fight scenes are still incredibly short; it usually takes a matter of five minutes for someone to come out on top and it’s always rather predictable. More importantly, though, the story has not changed much since the first season. Which is frustrating because by season’s end? There’s still plenty we don’t know regarding questions brought up during the first season. Should a third season be ordered, there’s sure to be plenty of new and exciting stuff to cover judging by the ending, however, the season does often feel like filler because it doesn’t advance nearly as much as it should. With that in mind, the character moments this season make for a strong sophomore effort. The young cast gives it their all, delivering some stellar moments in an otherwise uneven season.

    Is it the best sophomore season of a Netflix series? Far from it. Is it still enjoyable? Yes.

    While there’s still plenty of things Fate could do better, it does make an effort to try to be more inclusive this season. That, of course, does not make up for the casting issues many brought up during season one, but there is an obvious effort being made this time around and it doesn’t feel forced, which is a nice change.

  • ‘Squid Game’ Season 2 Eyes 2024 Release, Director Hopes to Add Leonardo DiCaprio One Day

    ‘Squid Game’ Season 2 Eyes 2024 Release, Director Hopes to Add Leonardo DiCaprio One Day

    We’ve long waited for an update on what the future has in store for Squid Game. During a Netflix-hosted press conference in Seoul, we finally got a few teases of what’s to come from the series writer and director Hwang Dong-hyuk, who teased what his hopes are for the South Korean hit series.

    In it, he confirmed that the second season will not include a Hollywood actor but is open to expanding in future seasons. In fact, he already has someone in mind potentially. It seems that he hopes to have Leonardo DiCaprio on board at one point in a future season.

    There will be no known Hollywood actor in Season 2. That’s not in the plan and if the stage changes, maybe in Season 3 – but for Season 2, it is still set in Korea. Leonardo DiCaprio did say he’s a big fan of ‘Squid Game,’ so maybe if time or chances allow, we can ask him to join the games.

    Hwang Dong-hyuk

    He also has confirmed that production will start in 2023 on the second season and Squid Game may finally make its return in 2024. There’s also a real-world replica in development by Netflix that’ll see real people imitating the games just without the deadly consequence. There’s no word of a Western adaptation but perhaps we’ll simply see these worlds collide as the in-universe game goes international.

    Source: Variety

  • RUMOR: ‘Shang-Chi’ Sequel Eyeing Early 2025 Release

    RUMOR: ‘Shang-Chi’ Sequel Eyeing Early 2025 Release

    There’s been a lot of rumors making the rounds before San Diego Comic-Con and D23 gave us a tease of what’s to come. Among them was the hint that we’d get the announcement for a Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings sequel that was surprisingly never revealed. We did find out its direct Daniel Destin Cretton will be tackling the next Avengers movie titled The Kang Dynasty, but it seems he may be getting busier than expected.

    According to a new Reddit rumor as shared by The Direct, it seems that Shang-Chi is getting a sequel and is likely eyeing a 2025 release window. It is even surprisingly more exact with February 15th as the potential release window. Of course, we still have to take this with a grain of salt but given the first film’s success, a sequel seems like a no-brainer, especially if Cretton proved himself enough to take on an Avengers movie.

    It looks like he’ll be quite a bit busier in the near future, especially with him also producing an adaptation of Wonder Man for Disney+. Of course, there’s no clear news if that series is also set to release ahead of the new Avengers films, or perhaps it might be something that takes place afterward.

    There are a lot of possibilities and there’s a question about how the director might tackle the production; there’s a chance they might be currently mapping out the next few years for the director and it’ll be interesting to see if Kang might even have a role in the Shang-Chi sequel potentially.

    Source: Reddit via The Direct