Tag: Movie News

Brendan Fraser Calls Cancellation of ‘Batgirl’ “Disappointing”

We’ve found ourselves smack in a Brendanaissance as Brendan Fraser makes his triumphant return to Hollywood. The actor has been making quite the comeback in the past few years like with DC’s Doom Patrol and has been receiving quite a bit of praise for his work in the upcoming Darren Aronofsky film The Whale. Fans were excited to see Fraser return to the DC Multiverse in an antagonist role for Batgirl, but sadly Warner Brothers Discovery decided to throw a wrench into the plans and cancel the film.

In an interview with Variety, the actor shared his disappointment in an interview with Variety in regards to the decision, even going as far as to call out Warner Bros. Discovery’s CFO for downplaying the recent events.

Well stop talking about it because Gunnar Wiedenfels does not want people thinking about this, thats what I read. Its disappointing, the fans really wanted to see this film made. I was there, Leslie Grace is a dynamo, like she’s like a power q-tip, she just goes for it, she looks great in the outfit, the movie itself was shot and conceived for a smaller screen and in this age that we’ve come out of now, between streaming service vs theatrical release, it wound up being the canary in the coal mine. So, what can we learn from this? Work with trusted filmmakers, like Darren [Aronofsky].
Brendan Fraser

Fraser was set to play Firefly, a violent arsonist who’d been let down by the system and turned to a life of crime in order to support his family, taking his fiery rage to the streets of Gotham City in order to make ends meet. We can only hope that one day the film somehow sees the light of day, but for now, fans will have to get their fill of Fraser in the DC Universe with Doom Patrol, with a new season coming soon.

Source: Variety

September 12, 2022
‘Iron Man 2’ Star Open to Return as Justin Hammer for ‘Thunderbolts’

When it was first announced that we’d be getting an adaptation of Thunderbolts, theories went wild on who may have a role and who may not. While the reception has been mixed to positive, mostly due to the concern of a lack of variety given the abundance of super soldiers, there still was some excitement for a group of anti-heroes tackling a mission the Avengers wouldn’t. Still, many were definitely missing Iron Man villain, Justin Hammer.

Luckily, The Playlist got a chance to interview Sam Rockwell, who played the character in Iron Man 2 and even the All Hail the King One-Shot, if he’d be interested to join the Thunderbolts line-up. While throughout the interview, he was mostly confused about who that was, making sure it’s not a new name for War Machine he shares his excitement to potentially join.

Yeah, I would be into that. [Thunderbolts] sounds cool… What villains would be in that?
Sam Rockwell

He’d definitely make for a perfect addition to the team, especially with them going to require quite a few weapons to take on whatever they may be facing. Perhaps he’s been out of prison for a while and has been working with the Power Broker, maybe Agent 13 is also just pretending to be the face as he provides whatever weaponry she required. We’ll see if there are a few members that haven’t been revealed yet for Thunderbolts.

Source: The Playlist via The Direct

September 12, 2022
Crunchyroll Sets November Release for ‘One Piece Film RED’ in the US

The wait has been long but One Piece Film RED finally has a release date in the United States in Canada. Toei Animation and Crunchyroll will roll out the anime globally with a November 4th release planned. They have a premiere in New York planned for October 6th to go alongside New York Comic Con; further highlighting the current rise in popularity the franchise has been showing in the last few months.

RED is directed by Goro Taniguchi, who has quite a history with the franchise, and was written by Tsutomu Kuroiwa who also worked on the film Gold. The premiere will include a subtitled and dubbed version for those that prefer one version over the other. So far, the 15th entry in the franchise is the highest grossing of the franchise and has already taken in $93M in Japan since it premiered back on August 6th.

Interestingly enough, France was the only other market to also join in with an early release as it’s also one of the biggest markets for the popular manga franchise. It has managed to outsell Batman‘s total lifetime comic sales within 25 years worldwide and doesn’t have the same popularity in the US as Dragonball or even Naruto. So, with the upcoming live-action series in development for Netflix, it looks like it has the potential to grow even further.

Source: Deadline

September 12, 2022
‘Cap 4’ Director Reveals Production Timeline for the Sequel

Captain America: New World Order made some big waves at D23 Expo 2022. Director Julius Onah was officially introduced alongside the principal cast which included newcomer Shira Haas as Israeli hero Sabra and Tim Blake Nelson as the film’s primary adversary, The Leader. With the film only having been announced a few months prior, the cast reveals were a pleasant surprise and gave fans an idea of what Anthony Mackie’s Captain America and his supporting characters such as Danny Ramirez’s Joaquin Torres and Carl Lumbly’s Isaiah Bradley would be up against.

Lost in the shuffle of the big news, however, was an update from Onha as to when production on the film, which is currently set to hit theaters on May 3rd, 2024, would begin. In an interview with Phase Zero, Onah indicated that the film is on track for a Spring 2023 start of production.

The Spring start may show Marvel Studios trending back towards a more familiar production timeline than what they’ve been on since COVID shut down everything in 2020. In the past, it was the norm for a Marvel Studios film to begin principal photography an average of 13 months before the release of the film. From Onah’s comments, it sounds like that’s just about right for Captain America: New World Order. With 6-8 months to go until the start of production, fans can continue to look forward to casting news and to look for links to the plot of the film in current and upcoming projects.

Source: Phase Zero

September 12, 2022
‘The Little Mermaid’ Teaser Reels in 104 Million Views

On Friday, Disney unveiled a sneak peek at its forthcoming The Little Mermaid remake starring Halle Bailey at D23. The short clip released on social media showed brought viewers on a journey through the ocean, showcasing the stellar CGI work done on the sealife and water, while also offering a quick glimpse of Bailey as Ariel and her vocals on “Part of Your World” for the film. Since its release online, the teaser has amassed over 104 million views, per Variety.

It’s an impressive feat on its own, but especially when looking back at the teaser views of some of Disney’s other live-action remakes. Cruella, for example, pulled in 68 million views, while Beauty and the Beast and Aladdin pulled in 94 million views and 74 million views, respectively. Even more impressive is that these numbers do not include views from the U.K., Ireland or Australia. Both Beauty and the Beast and Aladdin proved to be huge successes, surpassing the $1 billion mark at the box office.

While there were some people who responded negatively to the teaser, for atrocious reasons, the overall response online has been positive. Celebrities such as Zendaya, Halle Berry, and Keke Palmer have shared the teaser online along with their excitement. While many viewers have also released heartwarming reaction videos of their young children responding to Bailey as Ariel, showcasing their elation because Ariel looked like them.

The Little Mermaid is directed by Rob Marshall and stars Bailey, Jonah Hauer-King, Art Malik, Noma Dumezweni, Javier Bardem and Melissa McCarthy. Also part of the cast are Daveed Diggs, Jacob Tremblay, and Awkwafina, who all lend their voices to characters in the film. The movie swims into theaters on May 23rd, 2023.

Source: Variety.

September 12, 2022
The Leader’s Capabilities as a Villain Lead Julius Onah to Direct ‘Captain America: New World Order’

The surprising return of Tim Blake Nelson’s Samuel Sterns to the MCU has generated a great deal of excitement and speculation about what the character’s presence in Captain America: New World Order might men for Anthony Mackie’s Captain America. It’s been 14 years since Sterns was seen in 2008’s The Incredible Hulk when his character was exposed to some of the Hulk’s gamma irradiated blood and began his transformation into The Leader.

Now, Captain America: New World Order director Julius Onah gets to tell the next chapter in Sterns’ story and, according to him, it’s one of the reasons he took the job in the first place.

One of the things that really drew me to this project is The Leader is a man who operates from intellect. And it’s so great to have an adversary who is working with this incredible intellect to really put Sam through the wringer in this story. And again, it’s a paranoid thriller; it’s this grounded adventure where I think everything that happens in this film feels so real and intense because of who this adversary is. What he’s going to have to go through in this film is because he’s got an adversary who is so terrifyingly intelligent.
Julius Onah

Onah’s enthusiasm for The Leader and the challenge he’ll pose for Sam Wilson is encouraging. It sounds like Sam will find himself no closer than one step behind Sterns (and any possible accomplices of his) as he’s picked apart. Wilson may have to lean on his newly formed support network of Joaquin Torres and the Bradleys for some help as the “terrifyingly intelligent” Sterns’ plan unfolds. Just what Sterns will have in store for Cap will likely be kept in the dark until promotion for Captain America: New World Order starts ahead of its May 3rd, 2024 theatrical release.

Source: Phase Zero

September 12, 2022
RUMOR: Ryan Coogler Could Be up for ‘Avengers: Secret Wars’

In July, shortly after Marvel Studios announced the next two Avengers films, Deadline revealed that Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings director, Destin Daniel Cretton, had signed on for Avengers: The Kang Dynasty. It was a smart choice, following Cretton’s work on Shang-Chi, however, it also left many curious which director would step in to direct the other Avengers film — Avengers: Secret Wars. A new report from The Weekly Planet podcast suggests that Black Panther director Ryan Coogler might be in the running to direct Secret Wars.

“And Ryan Coogler, here’s another scoop, Mason, is at the very least one of the directors, is currently in talks for Secret Wars. Which makes a lot of sense and yeah, the source here says, this is a reliable source, this person says ‘a fairly obvious choice.’ And it is. That makes sense.”
The Weekly Planet Podcast

Of course, this should currently be taken as a rumor. While Coogler would be an obvious choice for the gig, the director does have a lot on his plate. Along with finishing up work on the highly-anticipated Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, Coogler also has an overall deal with Disney+. One of those projects he’s developing as part of his deal is Ironheart, which is currently in production in Atlanta. However, he’s also rumored to be developing a Dora Milaje-centric television series. It’s currently unknown if he’s developing any further television shows, but if he is, that could also prove to be a hindrance as Secret Wars is slated for release in 2025.

If Coogler were to be selected for Secret Wars, it would be a smart choice on Marvel Studios’ behalf. Like with Cretton, Coogler retained his own personal style while working on a massive superhero film. If given the chance to bring that to Secret Wars, Coogler could deliver something truly special to end Phase Six of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Source: The Direct

September 12, 2022
The Leader Won’t Be Sam Wilson’s Only Adversary in ‘Captain America: New World Order’

As Anthony Mackie’s Sam Wilson has grown into larger roles over the course of his time in the MCU, there’s been a concerted effort on the part of Marvel Studios to evolve his fighting style. While he relied heavily on his sidearms during Captain America: The Winter Soldier and Captain America: Civil War, his array of flying fighting moves and the utility of his wings has grown over time. As The Falcon and The Winter Soldier VFX supervisor, Eric Leven, told Murphy’s Multiverse, a great deal of thought was put into his action sequences in that series, including how to incorporate the shield and how to reduce the amount of shooting he would do as Captain America.

Moving into his first feature film, Captain America: New World Order, Wilson’s action sequences have been handed off to Julius Onah, who is stepping into the MCU for the first tie. In an interview with Phase Zero, Onah discussed how they planned to handle Cap’s action without retreading old ground.

There’s a lot we’re going to bring to the table. Again, this is a new set of challenges and a new set of adversaries. I love classic, paranoid thrillers and that’s a big part of the inspiration for this film. We want to find action that is grounded and tactile and give him new things to do that you haven’t seen in those other films. I don’t want to spoil too much, but let’s just say we are planning some really, really exciting things.
Julius Onah

Onah’s mention of new adversaries is of note to those with a keen ear. While Tim Blake Nelson was announced as part of the cast at D23 Expo and his Samuel Sterns poses a formidable and cerebral threat, he’s certainly not the kind of character who typically engages in fisticuffs. Suddenly, who Cap might find himself squaring off against in the film becomes a very interesting question.

In the comics, Sterns was part of a group of radical and genius super-minds called the Intelligencia. However, like Sterns, most of them are more cerebral and less hands-on, though they could certainly devise a devious plan that could result in Captain America, Joaquin Torres, and new hero Sabra up against some major muscle.

We’ll wait to find out more as Captain America: New World Order won’t hit theaters until May 3, 2024.

Source: Phase Zero

September 12, 2022
Director Julius Onah on New Challenges Facing Sam Wilson in ‘Captain America: New World Order’

Captain America: New World Order was among the biggest MCU noisemakers at D23 Expo 2022. Director Julius Onah was officially introduced alongside star Anthony Mackie, whose journey in The Falcon and The Winter Soldier ended with him taking on the mantle of Captain America. Mackie was joined on stage by fellow The Falcon and The Winter Soldier cast members Danny Ramirez, who is returning as Joaquin Torres, and Carl Lumbly, who stole the show as Isaiah Bradley, newcomer Shira Haas, who will play Sabra, and D23’s biggest surprise, Tim Blake Nelson, who is returning as Samuel Sterns, aka The Leader, after a 14-year hiatus.

While the direction of the film is still unknown, the return of Samuel Sterns certainly threatens to throw a major curveball at Sam Wilson just as he begins to spread his wings as Captain America. In an interview with Phase Zero, Onah talked about how Sam’s new title will also come with a change in responsibilities.

He is in a new position. Stepping up to be the leader as Captain America is going to be a new set of challenges for him. And in this story, a big part of his journey is how do you define that leadership? That’s the thing that he hasn’t had to deal with just yet. As the Falcon, he was always there supporting the rest of the team, but now he’s the man leading the team and I think that’s going to be a really exciting journey to go on with him.
Julius Onah

The Falcon and The Winter Soldier saw Sam come to terms with what picking up the shield and becoming Captain America would mean after initially struggling with the legacy of not only his friend, Steve Rogers but the hidden history of the Super Soldier program. Interestingly enough, Sterns represents another branch of that same legacy with his connections to Bruce Banner and Emil Blonsky, both of whom were dosed with Super Soldier Serum. Whether or not that connection is drawn on remains to be seen, but Sterns’ superior intellect is sure to provide its own set of challenges either way. How Sam will choose to handle them as the Star-Spangled Man with a Plan that everyone looks to will ultimately begin to define his time as Captain America.

Captain America: New World Order will hit theaters May 3rd, 2024.

Source: Phase Zero

September 12, 2022
Rian Johnson Doesn’t Want to Stop Making Benoit Blanc Movies

One of cinema’s most delightful surprises in the last few years was Rian Johnson’s Knives Out. The cozy, star-studded whodunnit was a massive hit with critics and audiences alike, who praised its clever nature and over-the-top performances. Crafted in the style of an Agatha Christie novel, Johnson has said before that he intends to continue writing mysteries for lead detective Benoit Blanc, played by Daniel Craig, to solve with his charming southern drawl. The first step in expanding Blanc’s legacy will be this year’s Glass Onion, the first sequel to Knives Out and the second Blanc case to hit screens.

The real question, however, is just how many Blanc movies Johnson is willing to make. Filmmaking is a little more labor intensive than writing a novel, and it wouldn’t be unrealistic for the acclaimed director to backtrack on previous sentiments after spending the last several years with the same character. Luckily for fans, there’s apparently no need to worry just yet. During a recent Q&A for those in attendance at the Toronto International Film Festival, Johnson reconfirmed his plans to make as many Blanc films as humanly possible while he’s still a working man.

Asked if there will be more Blanc adventures, the creative responded:

I’m going to keep making these until Daniel blocks me on his phone.
Rian Johnson

This seemingly translates to something along the lines of, “I will never stop doing this.” Which, by all accounts, should be fine by the first film’s many fans. After all, Blanc was heavily inspired by Christie’s detective Hercule Poirot, and that character has appeared in 33 novels and over 50 short stories. Johnson better get busy if he hopes to match that in this lifetime.

Source: Twitter

September 12, 2022