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  • Devon Sawa Returns to Syfy’s ‘Chucky’ Season 2 as a New Character

    Devon Sawa Returns to Syfy’s ‘Chucky’ Season 2 as a New Character

    If you thought Chucky was unkillable, it seems the same could be said of actor Devon Sawa. After being killed twice in the first season of the new Chucky Syfy series, he’ll return in the next entry as well. After playing the now dead twins, Logan and Lucas Wheeler, he will take on a new role in the second season. The actor shared a video where he read his invitation to return, which was written in a way that Chucky sent him the letter.

    I don’t usually make these videos but I just wanted to read this email from my costar, so you can see what I go through,” explains Sawa in the clip. “It says, ‘Dear Gavin Sawa, I hope this email finds you well, I just want you to know that the only reason that you’re here is because I allowed it. Have a great season 2. Love, Chucky. P.S. Just kidding, you suck.

    Gavin Sawa

    Sawa has quite a history with horror films, as he’s also appeared in Final Destination, Black Friday, and many more films. It also looks like he left quite an impression with show creator Don Mancini, the creator of the Chucky‘s main character. He’s had the habit of recasting actors in the past, such as Jennifer Tilly not only playing the doll’s girlfriend Tiffany Valentine but even a version of herself.

    Fiona Dourif, the daughter of Chucky voice actor Brad Dourif, also played Nica Pierce in the 2013 film Curse of Chucky but went on to appear in the first season as the human form of the original serial killer that would become Chucky, Charles Lee Ray. So, Mancini has his fun with bringing actors back in creative ways.

    Source: Entertainment Weekly

  • Michelle Yeoh is Joined by ‘Everything Everywhere All at Once’ Co-Star in ‘American Born Chinese’

    Michelle Yeoh is Joined by ‘Everything Everywhere All at Once’ Co-Star in ‘American Born Chinese’

    The cast of the new Disney+ series American Born Chinese continues to grow, as it has now added Stephanie Hsu in a guest-starring role. The series will reunite her with Michelle Yeoh and Ke Huy Quan, who worked on the indie hit Everything Everywhere All at Once. The series will adapt the graphic novel of Gene Luen Yang, which explores the struggles of a teenager named Jin Wang (Ben Wang), as he tries to balance being at high school as an immigrant child. His meeting with foreign exchange student Weih-Chen, played by Jim Liu, will change his life as their worlds collide.

    Hsu will take on the role of the Goddess of Stones, Shiji Niangniang. She works in a jewelry shop with her magical doll. Yeoh is playing auntie Guanyin, who is trying to help her nephew navigate American school life, but also hiding the fact that she is the Buddhist bodhisattva of Compassion. Quan is taking on the role of Freddy Wong, who is a fictional character from a 1990s sitcom.

    The project is quite an exciting one, as it further explores some interesting concepts of identity and our place in the world. While it will include some mystical elements, the original graphic novel kept its strong focus on its two leads, as they explore what it’s like having similar backgrounds but different upbringings. It will be exciting to see how they also take elements from the original, as live-action adaptations still try to keep some visual flourishes from the things they are adapting.

    Source: Variety

  • ‘Scream 6’ Brings Back Four More Cast Members

    ‘Scream 6’ Brings Back Four More Cast Members

    The sixth installment of the Scream franchise has secured four more cast members.

    It was announced today that Melissa Barrera, Jasmin Savoy Brown, Mason Gooding and Jenna Ortega will return for the sixth Scream film. The actors will reprise their roles from 2022’s Scream, joining the recently confirmed Courtney Cox as Gale Weathers. As it stands, final girl Sydney, as played by Neve Campbell, is not yet confirmed, although the actress has been approached about the project.

    Scream 6 will see Sam (Barrera), Mindy (Brown), Chad (Gooding) and Tara (Ortega) leaving Woodsboro in an attempt to start a new chapter in their lives. The characters, though new, have ties to some of the most iconic characters in the Screamfranchise. Ortega and Barrera star as sisters in the franchise, but Barrera’s character, Sam, is actually the biological daughter of Skeet Ulrich’s Billy Loomis. While Gooding and Brown play twins in the franchise and are related to Jaime Kennedy’s Randy Meeks.

    The sixth Scream film will be directed by Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett from a screenplay by James Vanderbilt and Guy Busick. The project will be produced by Project X Entertainment’s Vanderbilt, Paul Neinstein and William Sherak. Kevin Williamson, who penned the first Scream film, is also on board as a producer.

    Principal photography on Scream 6 is slated to kick off this summer. The film is set to hit theaters on March 31, 2023.

    Source: Variety.

  • ‘Moon Knight’ Originally Included a Kang Reference

    ‘Moon Knight’ Originally Included a Kang Reference

    Loki set up the big bad of the multiversal conflict in He Who Remains, who is actually a Variant of Kang the Conqueror. We did get a good look at a statue of Jonathan Majors wearing the iconic look from the comics. We know he’ll make an appearance in the upcoming Ant-Man and the Wasp sequel but was surprisingly absent in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. Though, it seems that he was originally going to be referenced in Moon Knight according to head writer Jeremy Slater.

    There was a line in the script, and I don’t know if it survived. I can’t remember. But there was a line where, I think Steven, is sort of rattling off some Egyptian history that he has locked away in his brain, and he did mention Rama-Tut. I don’t remember if that scene, if that line is still in the show or not. But it was that small, it was him mentioning a list of famous pharaohs or something like that. But that was Nick Pepin, one of our executives at Marvel, that was his idea to sort of slip that in there as a fun Easter egg.

    Jeremy Slater

    There was a visual reference that was still included that seemed like it was taken from the comics, but you don’t get a good enough look at what it is. The fact we may explore Kang’s time as Rama-Tut would be quite interesting, and hopefully, we’ll see a lot more of his many Variants in the future, as He Who Remains was only one of many. For now, we’ll have to wait but Kang’s future role in the MCU is definitely going to be an exciting one.

    Source: The Direct

  • Taika Waititi Praises Russell Crowe’s Zeus in ‘Thor: Love and Thunder’

    Taika Waititi Praises Russell Crowe’s Zeus in ‘Thor: Love and Thunder’

    Some time ago, Russell Crowe flat out talked about his role as Zeus in the upcoming Marvel Studios film, Thor: Love and Thunder. While the trailers are still keeping his face a secret, they did tease their take on the Greek’s God of Thunder. In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, director Taika Waititi praised his friend and teased that the film will feature “a way you’ve never seen Russell before.” He goes on to highlight that:

    I consider Russell a friend, and I forget that there are some friends I have who are really incredible at what they do. [laugh] When I was on set with Russell, I was like, ‘Oh shit, that’s right! You’re Russell Crowe! You’re a really amazing actor.’

    Taika Waititi

    It’s definitely great to see him enjoy his work with his friends and it definitely was Waititi’s connections that probably convinced Croew to give the film a shot. It’s unclear what exactly his future is going to be in the MCU, especially if he appeared as a god in a film that features Gorr the God Butcher. Though, hopefully, we get to enjoy the confrontation between Thor and Zeus, who both wield lightning and thunder. It wouldn’t be too surprising if they try to one-up each other while they share the screen.

    Source: Entertainment Weekly

  • Taika Waititi Describes ‘Thor: Love and Thunder’ as a “Midlife Crisis Film”

    Taika Waititi Describes ‘Thor: Love and Thunder’ as a “Midlife Crisis Film”

    Thor: Love and Thunder‘s trailer promised a very different kind of film, as Taika Waititi takes Thor down a more personal story. Even as he travels the galaxy with the Guardians, he’s slowly losing his warrior spirit and is trying to take a step back. In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, the director talks about how the film stands out from his last entry, Thor: Ragnarok.

    Ragnarok felt a bit like a party. It was quite festive. This one is still fun, and it’s got moments of being over the top, but thematically, it’s about something a bit deeper than the last film. It’s not a serious film, and it’s not a drama, but we do deal with ideas that I think a lot of humans deal with — universal themes about love and loss and our place in the world. Everyone sort of asks this question in the film: What is your purpose? What is the reason that you’re a hero, and what do you do when you have these powers.

    Taika Waititi

    Waititi goes on to highlight how different his approach was towards Thor: Love and Thunder, as he views it as a “midlife crisis film” for Thor, which was hinted at in the trailer.

    It’s sort of like a midlife crisis film, really. That’s the question we ask everyone: Are we doing the right thing, and are we doing all we can in the world? I think right now, while the world is still healing from this pandemic, it’s a good question to ask. It’s like, well, are we doing enough to look after each other and to look after ourselves.

    Taika Waititi

    It’ll certainly be an interesting idea for a storyline, especially as we already explored PTSD with Iron Man 3. A story about a hero facing his midlife crisis, especially one that also further explores a romantic outing for that hero, could make for a very different style of story. The trailer already hints at it being a very different kind of Marvel film, which continues Phase 4’s re-exploration of its heroes in a post-Endgame world. Here’s hoping the next trailer offers a better look.

    Source: EW

  • ‘West Side Story’s Ariana DeBose Joins ‘Westworld’ Season 4

    ‘West Side Story’s Ariana DeBose Joins ‘Westworld’ Season 4

    Westworld has hit the jackpot, as they have added West Side Story actress and Oscar winner Ariana DeBose in the fourth season. The actress has been on a hot streak after winning a Golden Globa, a SAG Award, and an Oscar for her performance as Anita in the Steven Spielberg remake of the classic musical. So, it’s no wonder that any project is trying to get her to join and it seems Westworld won out.

    Sadly, details on her character remained undisclosed, but she will have a recurring guest star role throughout the series’ upcoming season. The news is also perfectly timed, as we just got the teaser trailer for the fourth season, which is given a vague description as “a dark odyssey about the fate of sentient life on earth.” The trailers highlight just how far the series came from its initial season of a robot-filled Western holiday park.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_-0MwZPWKD4&feature=emb_title

    DeBose is a fantastic addition and it’ll be interesting to see how her character plays into the story. She joins an already stacked cast that includes Evan Rachel Wood, Ed Harris, Jeffrey Wright, Tessa Thompson, Aaron Paul, Angela Sarafyan, Luke Hemsworth, and Thandiwe Newton. We’ll see if we get more teases and cast additions as the show continues to build up to its upcoming season’s release.

    Source: THR, YouTube

  • ‘Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness’ Crosses $200 Million Stateside

    ‘Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness’ Crosses $200 Million Stateside

    Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness continues to dominate at the box office.

    The latest film from Marvel Studios has already crossed $200 million at the domestic box office after earning $13.3 million on Monday. This brings the film to $200.7 million domestically as of yesterday. That’s well ahead of the first film, which finished its domestic run with $232 million in 2017. Multiverse of Madness’ numbers are on par with what Avengers: Age of Ultron did on its first Monday in 2015, which saw the film earn about $13.2 million and pulled that title through to $204.4 million after four days. 

    Going into its second weekend, box office experts are expecting a 60% decline for the film with estimates looking for a 3-day haul of approximately $74 million. With little to no competition, outside of Universal/Blumhouse’s Firestarter remake, the film should be able to retain the top spot at the box office for a second week and perhaps even longer. The biggest competition Multiverse of Madness will face will be over Memorial Day weekend when Top Gun: Maverick flies into theaters with estimates currently seeing the film looking to rake in between $75-$100 million over the course of its opening weekend.

    Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness should cross the $500 million mark at the worldwide box office by the end of the week. And it should easily top its predecessor – which finished with $677 million worldwide – by the end of its theatrical run. How high the film flies, however, remains to be seen. For now, fans can relive the Multiverse of Madness in theaters.

    Source: Deadline.

  • ‘John Wick: Chapter 4’ Director Wants to Make the Character Suffer

    ‘John Wick: Chapter 4’ Director Wants to Make the Character Suffer

    If there’s one way to describe the John Wick franchise, it’s as a series of increasingly brutal events. A journey that began with the death of a man’s dog has resulted in the demise of countless assassins, security guards, and left the main character on Death’s door. Last we saw Keanu Reeves‘ vengeful hitman, he was clinging to life in the secret underground bunker of Laurence Fishburne‘s equally damaged Bowery King. It doesn’t seem possible that the next film, titled simply John Wick: Chapter 4, could figure out how to make things any worse for Wick, but series director Chad Stahelski is going to do his best to make it happen.

    In a recent interview with The Hollywood Reporter, the former stuntman and current filmmaker explained that the goal of every John Wick entry is to make the character suffer. Without that as a starting point, there is nothing else. He elaborated:

    We keep finding new and interesting ways to have John Wick suffer. That’s where the action comes from. Figure out how to make him suffer, and then design backward.

    Chad Stahelski

    Reeves, who has done many of his own stunts during filming, added that he often helps in coming up with ideas on how to make his own life harder:

    I’ve called out a couple of things, like, let’s get on a horse in the desert. Let’s drive a little bit.

    Keanu Reeves

    The film’s trailer played at CinemaCon, and featured a series of explosive action sequences and voice overs that indicated this could be the last installment in the franchise. When pressed to reveal if this was the case, Stahelski and Reeves both admitted that they haven’t thought past Chapter 4 just yet. “We just attack one at a time,” explained the former Matrix star. His fearless leader said further:

    We do it chapter by chapter. Just like an author; write the chapter, scratch head, write next chapter.

    Chad Stahelski

    John Wick: Chapter 4 is scheduled to hit theaters on March 24, 2023.

    Source: The Hollywood Reporter

  • ‘Doctor Strange’ Sequel Writer Reveals a Surprising Inspiration for the Illuminati

    ‘Doctor Strange’ Sequel Writer Reveals a Surprising Inspiration for the Illuminati

    *SPOILER WARNING*

    By now, it’s pretty widely known that the Illuminati appear in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. The superhero team were teased in the final trailers for the film, but the exact part they played in the plot remained a mystery until the full movie hit theaters. When the group was ultimately introduced on screen, audiences were ecstatic. They seemed mighty, confident, and unbeatable. Patrick Stewart made a triumphant return as Charles Xavier; John Krasinski surprised everyone with his debut as Reed Richards; and Anson Mount was finally able to bring Black Bolt to the big screen. Then, after only a few moments of glorious screen time, every single one of them died.

    Screenwriter Michael Waldron recently sat down with Rolling Stone to discuss some of his choices while developing Multiverse of Madness, and the Illuminati were among the central topics. He revealed the inspiration behind the team’s role in the film, and how their scenes played out, came from another famous sequel released in 1986:

    I was watching Aliens a lot as I was writing. Because just tonally this movie is a thriller and a [feature-length] chase. I just love how Aliens goes to great lengths to tell you how badass the space Marines are – and then they just get slaughtered. Then you are really scared of the Xenomorphs for the rest of that movie, and that’s what I wanted to accomplish with Wanda. At the end of the Illuminati sequence, I hope you were truly terrified of the Scarlet Witch. It’s been awesome being in the theater hearing the cheers, then the gasps and the groans. [Laughs] I mean, you know, people were feeling something at the movies. That’s good!

    Michael Waldron

    The tactic was definitely successful, with Wanda’s single-handed killing of Earth-838’s Mightiest Heroes instantly solidifying her as one of the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s greatest threats. Head to the theater now and relive one of the most talked-about moments in Marvel movie history, and bring a friend to see if Waldron‘s writing strategy works just as well on them.

    Source: Rolling Stone