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  • ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’ Nets $610M+ Profit, Highlights Importance of Theatrical Releases

    ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’ Nets $610M+ Profit, Highlights Importance of Theatrical Releases

    If you’ve ever wondered just how profitable Spider-Man: No Way Home was, it has now been reported by Deadline that the film managed to net a profit of $610M minus all ancillaries. This matches earlier reports from December of 2021, where this was the estimated income just based on the film’s impressive momentum. While it was just shy of $2 billion, it seemingly has reinstated some hope into the theatrical release. Sony Pictures Motion Picture Group president Josh Greenstein shared his thoughts on their belief in the theatrical release:

    Our theatrical model is driving our success and that is our core business. Our biggest movie ever had the longest window.

    Josh Greenstein

    No Way Home also had the longest theatrical window release of 88 days during the pandemic. They are the only studio that has no direct connection to a streaming service but mostly has made a smart move through pay-one TV deals with Netflix (an exclusive for 18 months) followed by Disney. It supposedly brought them up to $3 billion in profit. So, they can dominate streaming without the necessary investment to keep one service running.

    Streaming is additive to our business. It’s not our core business. We participate in the streaming economy strategically with certain films. We’ve licensed some films to streamers during Covid, but our long-term big business model will always be driven by theatrical

    Josh Greenstein

    As Netflix faced its first loss in subscribers with a harsher Q2 on the horizon, Sony’s strategy is pulling off. the only drawback is that films are now dependent on making the most money within a shorter window. Streaming might face a harsh development soon and the dependency on subscriber income will lead to a long-term investment that requires time. One streaming service taking a hit will affect others as well, as the uncertainty of the market remains. For now, it’s going to be quite interesting to see how things develop but the theatrical release will remain an essential aspect of any future strategy.

    Source: Deadline, Deadilne

  • ‘Moon Knight’ Cinematographer In Talks For More MCU Projects

    ‘Moon Knight’ Cinematographer In Talks For More MCU Projects

    Moon Knight has left quite the imprint with fans, especially as the latest episode surprised many scratching their heads. It definitely looks like the team has also left an imprint with Marvel Studios, as the directing duo of Aaron Moorhead and Justin Benson were chosen to spearhead the second season of Loki. Well, it seems they aren’t the only one as Moon Knight‘s Director of Photography Andrew Droz Palermo is also currently in talks to potentially join other Marvel projects in the future.

    I’ve been asked a few things. I can’t say what. The timing hasn’t been right for me yet. But I would love to do other Marvel stuff, I’d love to get the chance to do it again. For me, it’s always about the filmmaker who is who’s leading the ship and because those are the people that I’m with day in and day out for hours and hours on end. So I really need to be excited and inspired, and also like them personally. It’s really important to me.

    Andrew Droz Palermo

    It’s great to hear that they are in talks for multiple projects, and it’ll be exciting to see what project he may end up getting his hands on. There are a lot of projects that seemingly are in an early stage of development. While he only worked on two episodes, he certainly left quite an impression and going by his incredible work on The Green Knight and A Ghost Story, there’s a lot of potentials to add a unique visual flourish for any upcoming Marvel project.

    Source: Film Speak

  • Cosmo Spotted in ‘The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special’ Wrap Gift

    Cosmo Spotted in ‘The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special’ Wrap Gift

    While it seems that production on Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 is still going to go on for another week, as revealed by James Gunn in a recent tweet, it seems they had a separate wrap gift for the Disney+ Holiday Special. It includes some ornaments featuring all the members of the Guardians, but one particular member sticks out. It looks like one of the ornaments includes Cosmo the Spacedog wearing a reindeer outfit. We haven’t seen the character since his escape from the Collector’s collection in the first Guardians of the Galaxy film. So, this hopefully hints at his return in the upcoming special and maybe even Vol. 3.

    https://twitter.com/JamesGunn/status/1518602824703102976

    Of course, this isn’t a confirmation that he’ll definitely appear but it does add some likeliness considering he’s highlighted. Perhaps the Guardians make their way to Knowhere for a holiday celebration, or Cosmo ends up joining them for an adventure after meeting at a random planet. There are a lot of ways that the character could find his way and here’s hoping we get a lot more of him moving forward. Ever since his initial introduction, he sadly has been a bit absent throughout the MCU’s last few years.

    The first holiday special for Marvel Studios is definitely going to be something special, especially with Vol. 3 potentially ending the Guardians of the Galaxy‘s current line-up. James Gunn also has the talent to offer some real emotional gut punches and with rumors hinting at some time being spent on Earth. Perhaps Star-Lord gets one more chance to talk to his family before truly leaving his home planet behind to focus on his intergalactic family of misfits.

    Source: Twitter

  • ‘Obi-Wan Kenobi’s Ewan McGregor Was “Scared” Facing Off Against Darth Vader for the First Time

    ‘Obi-Wan Kenobi’s Ewan McGregor Was “Scared” Facing Off Against Darth Vader for the First Time

    In just a few more weeks we’ll get the next Star Wars series on Disney+. While we take a break from The Mandalorian Universe, we take a look back at the pre-A New Hope era in Obi-Wan Kenobi. Ewan McGregor returns to the iconic role, as he also will get one more time to face off against Hayden Christensen‘s Anakin Skywalker. This time around, however, he will return as the fully formed Darth Vader.

    In an interview with Total Film, the actor revealed just how surprising it was to face off against Darth Vader. It seems that it left quite an impression on him, especially because he never got to meet the character in the Prequel trilogy. He goes on to say:

    I’ve never met Darth Vader. I had rehearsed the scene with Vader, but not with the helmet on or anything like that. When we came to do the scene, when they shouted ‘action’, he had to come from behind me. I turned around, and fucking Darth Vader was coming at me. It was like I was six again. I’d never acted into Vader’s helmet. I’d never looked him in the eye.

    Ewan McGregor

    It’s great to see just how much of an impression the suit and design left with the actor. Reminds many of the first time they were faced with the imposing force that is Darth Vader and how scary he was for many of us when we saw the force of nature. He even highlighted that it was his first time working off a Stormtrooper as the Clone Troopers were CG at the time.

    It scared the shit out of me. I’m not joking. It gave me a proper jolt of absolute fear. I was like, ‘Oh my God, that’s not acting. That’s real. I’m really, truly frightened right now.’ And the same thing would happen with the Stormtroopers. I’d worked with Clone troopers before, but so many of them were CGI. I never worked with Stormtroopers, and, again, I was like seven years old again. Because when you’re actually faced with a Stormtrooper, with a blaster, it’s like: ‘Fucking hell.’

    Ewan McGregor

    It shows how much has also changed in the productions, as while CG still remains an important part of modern filmmaking, more practical elements are being integrated into the projects. his excitement and “fear” to face off against Darth Vader may hopefully even find their way into the production, as it’ll be the first time that Obi-Wan realizes what happened to his former Padawan.

    Source: Total Film

  • ‘Moon Knight’ From Page to Screen: Episode 4

    ‘Moon Knight’ From Page to Screen: Episode 4

    Marvel Studios’ Moon Knight continues to bring us an original story in which similarities to a few of its more recent comic runs are always naturally found. Following Episode 1, we looked at how the show explored Marc Spector’s dissociative identity disorder compared to the comics. In Episode 2 Mr. Knight was introduced through a rather different take than in the comics and in Episode 3 Layla’s backstory, along with her dad’s, was approached and so we delved deep into how those same events were presented in both the original Moon Knight comic run and the more recent Lemire/Smallwood one. All things considered, and even though the series has shown us that it has taken inspiration from more than just one pivotal comic run, the aforementioned Lemire/Smallwood seems to be the Moon Knight volume we keep going back to. And the end of episode 4 was no exception.

    Marvel Studios’ Moon Knight Episode 4
    Marvel Studios’ Moon Knight Episode 4
    Marvel Studios’ Moon Knight Episode 4
    Marvel Studios’ Moon Knight Episode 4

    There, we find Marc and Steven, waking up in a psych ward filled with characters and objects that have found themselves referenced throughout the entire show. From Marc’s wife Layla to other less relevant characters, from Khonshu references to paintings depicting an Austrian village in the Alps, everyone and everything that played a part in the story so far seemed to be there in one way or another. This all worked as an incredible twist since the sequence was designed to present itself after the viewer was already invested in the story through prior events and to set up the third act of the show (the final two episodes) unlike what we get in the comics. There, the same idea (introducing the reader to Marc being stuck in a mental institution) was used to set up the story itself, since it came right at the start of the run. The references were still all there: Crowley, Bobby & Billy, Marlene/Layla, and Dr. Emmet/Harrow but were presented in a way where who they were and what they represented was still something to be figured out. In magic terminology, while in the comics this sequence was the setup as the beginning of The Pledge, in the series it was presented as The Turn, ahead of the upcoming third act, The Prestige.

    Moon Knight #1 (2016)
    Moon Knight #1 (2016)
    Moon Knight #1 (2016)

    Another big difference from the comics is that in the show Marc and Steven get to the psych ward at a time when Khonshu is already imprisoned in an ushabti leaving Spector and Grant’s body without both its powers and its guidance. Here they seemingly can only count on themselves to figure out what exactly are their surroundings (and if they are, in fact, real or not) and how to escape them. As for the Lemire/Smallwood run, Marc is awoken in the ward by Khonshu himself. He’s the one who tells Marc what to do and when to do it to free himself and, in Khonshu’s words “Rise.”

    Moon Knight #1 (2016)

    And this brings us to a similarity between the show and the comics that might get even clearer in Episode 5, but that is already heavily hinted at by the end of episode 4. As Marc escapes the psych ward’s rec room things get a bit.. off. This gives us signs of how fabricated the reality seems to be. In the show, this is where he and Steven find a couple of sarcophagi and come face to face with the goddess Taweret making it obvious that this was no ordinary Mental Hospital. Something that will surely be confirmed in this week’s episode 5. Similarly, in the comics, it’s when Marc finally decides to follow Khonshu’s will and prepare to escape that he sees the orderlies’ true faces as Death Dogs, Egyptian jackals, something that helps him feel validated in his eerie feelings towards the place.

    Moon Knight #1 (2016)
    Moon Knight #1 (2016)

    Then, as he finds his way through the building looking for a way out, he reaches the roof, where we are presented with one of the most ominous spreads of the entire run: New York City having been invaded by Seth, the Egyptian god of war, chaos, and storms.

    Moon Knight #1 (2016)

    If Marc and Steven end up finding something similar as they break free from what seems to be an intricate illusion we will surely see it in Episode 5. At the same time, and marking yet another way in which the series and the comic run differ from each other, it’s perhaps fair to say that while in the comics we were presented with a distorted vision of reality, the series will go beyond that and make, what seems to be the awakening following an extremely vivid dream, the dream itself.

    Marvel Studios’ Moon Knight Episode 4
    Marvel Studios’ Moon Knight Episode 4

    Marvel Studios’ Moon Knight is streaming exclusively on Disney+ with episode 5 premiering this upcoming Wednesday, ahead of the series finale on May 4.

  • New CinemaCon Poster Offers First Look at ‘John Wick: Chapter 4’

    New CinemaCon Poster Offers First Look at ‘John Wick: Chapter 4’

    It’s been some time since the John Wick franchise grace the silver screen. The last entry of the revenge story hit theaters back in May of 2019 with John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum. Of course, Keanu Reeves is set to reprise the role once again in John Wick: Chapter 4 but we’ve heard very little about the project. Luckily, a poster has found its way online offering our first look at the fourth entry.

    While it isn’t much, it is our first look at Reeve‘s return as Wick. He still has his trademark hair and beard, but he does seem a bit more disheveled from the last entry. Considering how that story ended, it’s no surprise that he might not have had time to visit a barber. This film and John Wick: Chapter 5 were originally set to film back-to-back but due to the ongoing pandemic those plans were abandoned by Lionsgate.

    Chapter 4 was originally intended to release next month but was delayed by an entire year for unknown reasons. It’s possible the studio wants to hold it so that the fifth film in the franchise has time to shoot so that they can release the films back-to-back in 2023 and 2024. Yet, we haven’t gotten an update on the production start on the fifth entry.

    Many details for the film such as plot and characters remain under wraps but the film will see the return of Reeves alongside Ian Mcshane, Lance Reddick, and Laurence Fishburne. The film has added quite a few names like Donnie Yen, Bill Skarsgard, Hiroyuki Sanada, Scott Adkins, Clancy Brown, Rina Sawayama, and Shamier Anderson.

    Source: Twitter

  • 5 Thoughts Ahead of The NFL Draft

    5 Thoughts Ahead of The NFL Draft

    About a month ago, I detailed where I think teams were leaning in a post-combine mock draft. As the first night of the draft approaches, the locations where players will most likely land is beginning to crystallize. There are still four days for a Deebo Samuel to the Jets trade to be announced, but here are 5 things I’m thinking as I sip my Monday morning coffee.

    1. Travon Walker going 1st overall is a mistake that the Jaguars are poised to make. This pick will create a domino effect, as with the Jags taking Walker, the Detroit Lions will be free to take hometown boy Aidan Hutchinson. With the Lions taking Hutchinson, it means the Houston Texans have their pick of any offensive lineman on the board, or a wild card like CB Derek Stingley, Jr. or S Kyle Hamilton. Walker is settling around the 50th ranked player on my big board: no, that’s not a typo, as I am pretty sure I’ll have 49 guys ahead of him and really think taking him first overall because you’re banking on a ridiculous ceiling isn’t the kind of move a team with a rookie QB should make. However, Trent Baalke has banked on upside in the past, and this is no different. Plus, he’s never drafted a Michigan player since he and Jim Harbaugh began their blood feud, so Walker at 1 feels like a lock the Jaguars will regret.

    2. Chris Olave is going to be the most productive rookie WR in year one because of how he’s being underrated and where he will end up being drafted because of it. Olave had a really good shortened season at Ohio State and would’ve been one of the first WRs taken in the 2021 NFL Draft, but he opted to go back and essentially replicate his standout sophomore season. His teammate Garrett Wilson got all the attention, but Olave’s game is just as polished as Wilson’s, and you have the benefit of Olave producing each year versus stellar competition. He will most likely go after Wilson, Drake London, Jameson Williams, and Treylon Burks, which means he will probably wind up in a situation with a veteran QB (Aaron Rodgers?). This one feels like an easy prediction.

    3. Breece Hall will be the best running back from this class. He’s a modern NFL back and, as teams go to more position-less offenses, can play in any offense even if he might be better suited for more of a wide zone. He won’t go Round 1 because running backs don’t go in the first anymore, but if a team like the Jets adds him in R2 to pair with 2nd year player Michael Carter? That’s suddenly infinitely better than the rushing attack they have now. He will outproduce his draft slot.

    4. Dax Hill is a better prospect than Kyle Hamilton, will go lower, and be an All-Pro sooner. I mentioned position-less football: defenses have adjusted to the spread offenses that offenses are using by making Nickel their base defenses. The next adjustment was drafting safeties/Uber-athletes to play closer to the ball as de-facto linebackers. Kudos if you were a unicorn like Isaiah Simmons! Kyle Hamilton is the natural evolution of that position, but given Dax Hill’s versatility in coverage (particularly his ability to play man and zone effectively) he is the better value pick. Hamilton will, if he goes to Houston, be typecast as a free safety and be used away from the line of scrimmage. A smart defensive coordinator wouldn’t do that, instead utilizing him like the Seahawks use Jamal Adams. Dax Hill won’t have those issues.

    5. Two big trades will occur, and the order we have now won’t be where we end up on Thursday. Teams have been more likely to move off guys these past off-seasons, choosing to find the replacements in the draft. Stefan Diggs to Justin Jefferson and Deforest Buckner for Javon Kinlaw are two of the most recent high-profile moves, and with Deebo Samuel, AJ Brown, Terry McClaurin, and DK Metcalf reportedly available to some degree, we could see a flurry of action this weekend. I think we get two big moves: one, the Deebo trade, is kind of expected, but one, maybe Terry McClaurin, will be unexpected. Buckle up, football fans.

  • Warner Bros. Discovery Reportedly Considering a Theatrical Release for ‘Batgirl’ After All

    Warner Bros. Discovery Reportedly Considering a Theatrical Release for ‘Batgirl’ After All

    The DC Extended Universe is in a bit of a workshop period, as the shared universe is reportedly getting an overhaul in the near future. It’s certainly a fitting timing given that The Flash will reportedly set the DCEU on a new path and see a new timeline with Michael Keaton’s Bruce Wayne now replacing Ben Affleck‘s version in this new universe. Along with Keaton comes a new Batgirl, one that many fans are excited to see. New reports may hint that we could possibly catch the film on the big screen after all.

    Puck is reporting that Warner Brothers Discovery is debating whether or not Batgirl should go theatrical. The film is currently set to be an HBO Max exclusive film as the company looks to strengthen its streaming content. The recent success of The Batman looks to be influencing this decision as it dominates on HBO Max after pulling in over $750 million in total at the box office.

    This would not be a decision that’s out of the ordinary as Warner Brothers made a similar move last summer with another DC film. Originally announced as an HBO Max exclusive film, Angel Manuel Soto‘s Blue Beetle is set to hit theaters in August of 2023. It was an exciting announcement as it also moves away from relegating smaller projects to streaming-only releases.

    This would definitely be a decision that would delight a lot of fans similar to what happened to Blue Beetle. The film has the star power to carry a theatrical release and draw the crowds with Leslie Grace, Keaton, and the possible big-screen return of Brendan Fraser. The film could make for the perfect Holiday 2023 release as it is set during Christmas and Warner Brothers Discovery currently has no DC films dated following the release of Blue Beetle in august.

    Source: Puck News

  • ‘Sonic the Hedgehog’ Writer Teases Shadow as Sonic’s Biggest Challenge

    ‘Sonic the Hedgehog’ Writer Teases Shadow as Sonic’s Biggest Challenge

    The post-credit sequence for Sonic the Hedgehog 2 revealed that the few Sonic Adventure references weren’t just window dressing. It was unveiled that Robotnik’s past will come to haunt him, especially with the reveal of Project Shadow. The first tease of Shadow the Hedgehog is definitely something fans were excited to see in the live-action film series, and we got quite the confirmation in the post-credit sequence. Yet, it also opened up the question of just how they might tackle the character.

    While the second entry did introduce Knuckles on the villain’s side early on, he was more misled by Robotnik and his own honor code. Still, having a “bad guy who becomes a good guy” storyline in two films in a row might be overkill. Luckily, writer Pat Casey offered some insight into what makes Shadow stand out in his interview on The GHZ Podcast.


    He’s a match for Sonic, but like with such a different personality. And not like Knuckles, who is sort of mislead. Shadow is driven by anger and revenge, you know? I almost feel like Sonic, when he encounters Shadow, he’s like: “Well, I’ll just teach him about the power of friendship like with Knuckles, bada bing bada boom,” but that not going to work on Shadow, you know? This is like, Sonic’s never had to deal with someone as emotionally damaged as Shadow but he has with Robotnik.

    Pat Casey

    It definitely sounds like they are fully embracing Shadow’s character from the original films. Sonic having a family and a few victories against Robotnik might put him on a high horse. Especially as it’ll be his first time seeing another hedgehog-like him, which may add to his hope to befriend him. We don’t know if we might expect other new characters to get introduced like Rogue or Amy, but there’s definitely the possibility that the cast will grow. So, it’ll be exciting to see what the third entry has to offer and maybe even a more mature storyline as Sonic faces his biggest challenge yet.

    You can watch the full interview with writer Pat Casey here:

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YExgbNku6JQ

    Source: YouTube

  • First ‘The Boys’ Season 3 Synopsis Teases A New Anti-Supe Weapon

    First ‘The Boys’ Season 3 Synopsis Teases A New Anti-Supe Weapon

    The Boys is definitely one of Amazon Primes’ most popular original series. It adapts the comic book series of the very same name written by Garth Ennis. The series’ third season is set to return on June 8th with a three-episode premiere. The rest of the eight episodes will release weekly on the streamer, similar to what they did with the second season. As the debut gets closer and closer, we finally have a synopsis that gives us a bit more context on what to expect this upcoming season.

    It’s been a year of calm. Homelander’s subdued. Butcher works for the government, supervised by Hughie of all people. But both men itch to turn this peace and quiet into blood and bone. So when The Boys learn of a mysterious Anti-Supe weapon, it sends them crashing into the Seven, starting a war, and chasing the legend of the first Superhero: Soldier Boy.

    When we last left the gang they’d been recruited by the government to do some similar business by the books, keeping the Supes in check. This season will see the playing field a bit leveled as it was previously revealed that Billy Butcher will be getting some abilities of his own. The interesting piece of this synopsis is the “Anti-supe weapon”, which seems like it’ll be causing quite the fuss amongst the characters.

    This season will see the debut of many new Supes from the comics like Crimson Countess, Blue Hawk, and the long-awaited arrival of Soldier Boy, who is the very first superpowered individual and is set to be played by Jensen Ackles. Somehow he’s made a mysterious return after being presumed dead. Fans will have to wait just a little longer before what will surely be another bloody good time.

    Source: Amazon Prime