Etiqueta: Featured

As fantastic (pun intended) as it would be to have Mads Mikkelsen step into the shoes of Dr. Doom, the Danish actor and Marvel Studios probably won’t bite. The reason is simple: Mikkelsen previously played the devious Kaecilius in 2016’s «Doctor Strange.» While it isn’t uncommon for actors to play various roles in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Mikkelsen’s inclusion would be too large to ignore. Then again, the multiverse is very much a thing in the MCU, so it is possible for Marvel to use that as an excuse for Mikkelsen’s return. It should be noted that the fan casting is sort of rooted in reality — rumors manifested in late 2023 suggesting Mikkelsen was being eyed for another Marvel role, with many presuming it was the evil «Fantastic Four» gig.

But it should be noted that Mikkelsen never ruled out a return as his nefarious «Doctor Strange» character. While speaking with IGN in 2017, the actor expressed interest in coming back to the franchise. «You can always go back, and it’s always interesting to see these character’s stories, and yes, I wouldn’t mind going back and doing that,» he told the outlet. At the end of «Doctor Strange,» Kaecilius was simply banished, so the character is technically still alive.

Following the release of «Doctor Strange,» Mikkelsen has kept extremely busy, lending his talents to box-office fare and smaller productions. He most notably appeared in Lucasfilm’s «Rogue One: A Star Wars Story» that same year. He also stepped into the shoes of Gellert Grindelwald for 2022’s «Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore.» And in 2023, he reteamed with Lucasfilm to star opposite Harrison Ford in «Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny.»

To date, the only time «Star Wars» fans have heard of Master Skwelli is through the aforementioned «The Jedi Path: A Manual for Students of the Force.» As for the Priapulin, the species only came up in the 2000s’ «Rogue Planet» by Greg Bear and 2002’s «The New Jedi Order: Traitor» by Matthew Stover. Otherwise, they neither get any time to shine in «Star Wars» Legends, nor are they factored into any canon stories. However, that’s not to say it’s impossible for Skwelli and the Priapulin to enter the main «Star Wars» timeline at some point.

Since Disney took over the «Star Wars» franchise in 2012, streamlining the canon and writing off most creative efforts as Legends material, some of these non-canon elements have crept their way back into continuity. Perhaps the most famous of the bunch is Grand Admiral Thrawn (Lars Mikkelsen), who made waves in the ’90s as the main antagonist of author Timothy Zahn’s now-Legends «Heir to the Empire» trilogy, only to reenter canon thanks to «Star Wars Rebels» and «Ahsoka.» This treatment isn’t limited to big-name characters either, with story elements like Boba Fett’s (Temuera Morrison) escape from the Sarlacc and Emperor Palpatine’s (Ian McDiarmid) cloning of himself after his Death Star II death following suit.

All of this is to say that should a «Star Wars» creative with a fascination for the Priapulin and Master Skwelli feel so inclined, fans could see the race and character reenter «Star Wars» canon in due time. If this does come to fruition, which is admittedly, a big if seeing Skwelli wield six lightsabers at once will be a sight to behold.

Discussions of Margot Robbie and Greta Gerwig getting snubbed are all the rage right now. Ryan Gosling got candid in a statement about how «there is no Ken without Barbie, and there is no Barbie movie without Greta Gerwig and Margot Robbie.» Even former presidential candidate Hillary Clinton voiced her opinion on the matter on X, formerly known as Twitter: «While it can sting to win the box office but not take home the gold, your millions of fans love you. You’re both so much more than Kenough.» There are a lot of feelings on both sides of the discourse, and there are myriad discussion points to make, from the Academy failing to give comedies their due to how female directors have to work so much harder to earn a best director nomination.

However, while there was plenty of backlash upon learning about the snubs, there’s now backlash to that backlash, with more people taking Whoopi Goldberg’s point of view. X and TikTok are filled with people offering more nuanced perspectives on the matter, such as TikToker @eleanor.stern, who said, «It’s weird to act like it’s a loss for feminism that Ryan Gosling got nominated instead of [Margot Robbie] because the category is best actress … All that happened is that a different woman got nominated instead of Margot Robbie.» 

Others have discussed how the «Barbie» snub discussion has distracted from genuine wins for feminism within the Oscar nominations, such as Lily Gladstone being the first Native American woman nominated for best actress. The Academy Awards still have a long way to go in terms of inclusion, but it’s essential to recognize steps forward when they occur. 

As any major «X-Men» fan knows, Charles Xavier is actually the stepbrother of Cain Marko. The two became part of the same family unit when Cain’s father, Kurt Marko, married Charles’ mother, Sharon. Years later, the two step-siblings would deploy and serve together in the Korean War, which led to Cain discovering a cave dedicated to the mystical entity Cyttorak.

This is how the Juggernaut gains the muscle and massive size that have since become trademarks of the character. As for his hatred for his younger stepbrother, Charles, that is explained by the childhood that the two shared after their parents were married.

After the wedding, Cain’s father, Kurt, begins to favor Charles over his own son, regularly mistreating and even abusing Cain as a result. This causes Cain to begin bullying Charles and helps to explain the close connection and familiarity between the two foundational X-Men characters. Furthermore, it helps to demonstrate why Juggernaut understands Charles’ powers so well.

In more recent times, the X-Men villain has also acquired a telepathy-blocking skullcap, which he uses as a secondary shield in case his helmet is removed. Though Magneto’s headgear change for the movie was in response to a plot hole, it’s entirely possible, though it’s never been confirmed, that the idea sprang from the film’s writers being familiar with Juggernaut’s comic book history.

«TR3N» was an early title tossed around back in the early 2010s when the film was first in development. However, after the production team and angle changed, years passed without much word on the project. For the last year or so, «Tron: Ares» has been the title — one pulled from Jared Leto’s own mysterious character.

The official word from Disney has also gone back and forth on whether the film is an official sequel to the «Legacy» storyline or a reboot. If the studio is going back to the «TR3N» name, that would seem to connect it more directly to the preceding films. Or, alternatively, both could be true. Disney could be deferring to a title executives believe to be catchier, while the story may still be heading for reboot territory.

What we know of the cast so far only supports the reboot. Idea. So far, Evan Peters, Jodie Turner-Smith, Greta Lee, Cameron Monaghan, Gillian Anderson, and Sarah Desjardins have been cast alongside Leto, and none of these actors have appeared in either of the previous «Tron» movies. Series mainstays like Jeff Bridges and Bruce Boxleitner — the actor behind Tron himself — don’t appear to be involved. A new narrative direction doesn’t necessarily mean that the entire world is being rebooted, but it seems safe to say that whatever the final title ends up being, the next film will be relatively independent of what’s come before.

While Jeff Sneider is a reliable source, his report should be taken with a grain of salt, especially when one considers the number of «Star Wars» projects that have been shelved since the end of the sequel trilogy. Nevertheless, it suggests that Lucasfilm is eager to get production on the Rey film going, revealing that the studio is hoping to have it hit theaters around Christmas 2026 — after the Jon Favreau-directed flick «The Mandalorian & Grogu.»

It’s no secret that «The Rise of Skywalker» ended the Skywalker saga on a sour note, so it’s interesting that Lucasfilm intends to continue Rey’s story, essentially doubling down on heavily criticized creative decisions. Regardless, the creation of a new Jedi Order opens up the possibility of several brand-new stories that could further expand the world that J.J. Abrams and co. created with the sequel trilogy, and if it’s true that Shawn Levy’s pic is also going to feature Rey, then this sets her up as a leader for the next generation of «Star Wars» heroes.

When asked by Variety if he still felt an attachment to Lex Luthor, Jesse Eisenberg opened up about his time as Superman’s arch-nemesis, saying, «Whenever you play a role you feel connected to it.» After his debut in «Batman v Superman,» Eisenberg returned as Luthor for a brief appearance in «Justice League,» setting up a Legion of Doom that never saw the light of day. Despite such a brief run as Luthor, Eisenberg explained his connection to the bad guy. «There’s no way around it,» he said. «Any time you do anything, even if it’s a movie that’s a Hollywood kind of thing, you connect.»

While speaking with Deadline in 2022, Eisenberg described his experience with the character as personal and reflected on how he joined «Batman v Superman» because of writer Chris Terrio’s strong abilities, not Luthor’s comic book legacy. «He’s a very emotional person,» the actor said of Terrio. «He thought a lot about my character, and I thought a lot about my character, too. I talked with my acting coach about the character a lot, about his backstory with his father and his emotional life — and then people hate me.»

The vitriol surrounding Eisenberg’s take on the character was toxic, to say the least, but it did result in an extremely unique performance. It’s safe to say that Hoult will take Eisenberg’s advice and make the role his own. Zack Snyder and James Gunn are very different filmmakers and it’s hard to imagine the new DCU boss wanting to create a Luthor that resembles a tech mogul. We’ll have to wait until «Superman: Legacy» flies into cinemas on July 11, 2025 to see what direction Hoult is taking the iconic character in.

What’s brilliant about «Edge of Tomorrow» is how it subverts the cultural standing that Tom Cruise has. Cruise has carved out a generation-spanning reputation as an action superstar who always lives to tell the tale. From franchises like «Mission: Impossible» to «Top Gun,» Cruise is always portrayed as a perfect hero who laughs in death’s face. «Edge of Tomorrow» plays with this persona, flipping it on its head by being one of the few films to show the actor die. Director Doug Liman has also spoken about how «Edge of Tomorrow» is unique in that Cruise plays a coward. «The amount of times he squeals in this movie — he’s an amazing squealer! Other movie stars, in my experience, would have been more hesitant about being that vulnerable,» Liman said (via The Guardian).

In an interview with ScreenSlam, Cruise discussed the importance of death in «Edge of Tomorrow» and how it comes in many different ways, which is what makes the movie so compelling. «In this film, death is emotional and it’s also quite humorous,» he said, before discussing how he wanted the stunt team to make each death feel unique. Emily Blunt, for her part, loved having to kill Cruise several times, telling the same outlet that it was «so much fun,» adding, «I got to kill him in many different ways.» Of course, at the end of «Edge of Tomorrow,» Cruise’s character breaks out of his death cycle, but fans would love to see Cage thrust back into his nightmare — there’s been talk of an «Edge of Tomorrow» sequel for some time now.

Acting in a major CGI blockbuster for the first time can be a jarring experience, no matter how talented the performer is. When the actors can’t see what they’re interacting with or responding to, even more responsibility falls on the director’s shoulders to make sure they carry the point home. Such was the case on the set of «Madame Web,» according to Dakota Johnson. «I trusted her so much,» she told Entertainment Weekly, referring to director S.J. Clarkson. «She works so hard, and she has not taken her eyes off this movie since we started.» For hopeful fans, that’s encouraging to hear. The marketing campaign for «Madame Web» hasn’t exactly been met with universal excitement, and a few choice trailer lines quickly turned into memes on the Internet.

The film faces something of an uphill battle, largely due to the SSU’s previous performance record. Neither of the «Venom» films have been critical darlings, and «Morbius» has become one of the most lambasted comic movies ever made — Sony rereleased it in cinemas just months after its initial poor run and, unsurprisingly, it flopped for a second time. Of course, trailers can’t tell the whole «Madame Web» story, and the film has plenty going for it. Its relative independence from other comic book movies might make it an appealing standalone installment, and Johnson is flanked by a number of talented young stars including «Euphoria» alum Sydney Sweeney, Isabela Merced, and Celeste O’Connor.

Pazuzu, the antagonist of «The Exorcist,» has affinities for priests, pea soup, and petty vandalism. That’s not a great start when it comes to fighting Godzilla, but if the two were ever to end up in a battle, the ancient demonic entity would likely come out on top, and here’s why. Pazuzu has been at this whole demon thing for a long time, which means he’s had many years to hone his skills and drills. In fact, he’s one of the few movie monsters that potentially predates Godzilla as an ostensibly immortal and timeless being.

As a spiritual entity, Pazuzu is invulnerable to just about anything the mortal realm can throw at him. If the physical form he is inhabiting comes under attack, he can simply weasel his way into the next human or beast that comes along and then rinse and repeat. Once inside a being, the ancient villain has a whole arsenal of demonic tricks at his disposal. He can levitate, making him a worthy adversary for Godzilla should the lizard choose to use his powerful breath like a jetpack as he did in «Godzilla Vs. Hedorah.»

As those who have seen «The Exorcist» know, Old Patzy also has telekinetic abilities that can move matter. Sure, shaking a bed around isn’t going to intimidate the king of the monsters, but this ability opens up a whole host of potential. If he put his mind to it, he could literally move mountains, which just so happen to be one of the few things on Earth that could crush Godzilla. And, if push came to shove and nothing else worked, Pazuzu could just possess the beast and call it a day.

The «Abigail» trailer dropped on January 11, and it embraces a classic horror movie truism: little girls are creepy. Especially when said girls are outfitted with razor-sharp teeth and tutus.

Initially, the trailer unfolds like a classic heist movie. A gang of anonymous criminals is assembled, each presumably with their own set of skills. Joey (Melissa Barrera) is tasked with watching Abigail (Alisha Weir), and the two appear to bond. But the set-up is a red herring. Abigail says menacingly, «I’m sorry about what’s gonna happen to you.» The girl shows off her monstrous fangs and superhuman strength, and Joey delivers the kicker: «We kidnapped a f***ing vampire.»

The dark comedy shines in the trailer, which shows the criminals rattling off different pop culture vampires as they figure out how to kill Abigail. Meanwhile, Abigail twirls around the house in her ballerina get-up, doing pliés and taking names. Blood and gore abound, as does a TikTok-friendly dance move in the vein of «M3GAN.»

The «Imaginary» trailer starts off innocently enough. With «Just My Imagination (Running Away with Me)» by The Temptations playing in the background, Jessica and her family move into their new home, where Alice meets her new friend, Chauncey, and does a scavenger hunt. When the game implores Alice to do «something that hurts,» she willingly plunges a nail into her arm. From that point on, it’s clear that Chauncey has sinister motives rooted in the supernatural. «You were always playing with your imaginary friend,» one character tells Jessica. «When the connection is severed, the entity becomes enraged.»

The trailer dropped online in November, but before it did, Lionsgate launched a theatrical campaign teasing «Imaginary» before screenings of «Five Nights at Freddy’s.» The promo featured a child’s voice saying, «Hi, wanna play a game with me? Close your eyes and use your imagination.» During the teaser, the screen stayed mostly black as menacing sounds played in the background, suggesting that one’s imagination can be a scarier place than actual images.

Jeff Wadlow insisted that even the full online trailer is just a glimpse at what «Imaginary» has to offer. «I’m so excited for people to see the trailer because it barely scratches the surface of our movie,» he told Fangoria. «There is so much more to show… But we’re holding it back, letting you fill in the blanks yourself.» The director went on to add, «Nothing is scarier than your own imagination.»

«Fountain of Youth» is written by James Vanderbilt, a screenwriter with decades of Hollywood experience under his belt. Vanderbilt has had his share of blockbuster duds — most notably the «Amazing Spider-Man» films, though those movies have gained some positive reputation in more recent years — but he’s also delivered a number of certified hits. Most significantly, he penned the script for «Zodiac,» the 2007 David Fincher true crime film viewed widely as one of the acclaimed director’s best works. More recently, Vanderbilt wrote and produced the 2022 «Scream» reboot, which remains well-regarded, and its 2023 sequel, «Scream VI.» A source told Deadline in January that Vanderbilt’s script for «Fountain of Youth» apparently «blew execs away» when the film was being shopped around.

The film will be produced by Guy Ritchie, as well as David Ellison, Dana Goldberg, Don Granger, Tripp Vinson, William Sherak, Paul Neinstein, Ivan Atkinson, and Jake Myers. Ellison, Goldberg, and Granger will be producing from the Skydance side, while Sherak and Neinstein come to the film from Project X. Matt Bettinelli-Olpin, Chad Villella, and Tyler Gillett will executive-produce through Radio Silence.

Sure, Marvel would absolutely be able to use characters like Batman and Superman in future projects … but it might not be worth the hassle. Marketing such inclusion would be treacherous territory due to DC’s many trademarks, and the pool of content available for adaptation would initially be severely limited. «DC should continue to add elements and make minor changes to its characters to further separate them from the original, unprotected characters,» Tre Lovell advised. «In addition, the more DC portrays its characters in alliance with ‘DC characters,’ the more people will acquaint them with DC and strengthen trademark rights.»

Of course, there are other considerations as well, such as brand dilution. Marvel might not be interested in centering characters that will never fully be theirs to control. As long as DC continues to make tweaks to its roster, the modern versions of its heroes and villains will always fall under its control exclusively, and lesser uses from a rival like Marvel could even help build brand awareness for DC’s projects.

Let’s not forget that blockbuster comic book movies may no longer reign supreme by the time DC’s characters enter the public domain. DC and Marvel have struggled at the box office over the last couple of years. In reality, Batman and Superman’s public domain debuts will probably be accompanied by more indie comics and low-budget horror parodies than cross-brand cameos.

The fact that «Lift» is drawing in so many subscribers in spite of reviews essentially warning viewers away from the film is unsurprising. Working alongside Hart are recognizable actors like Gugu Mbatha-Raw from «Loki»; «Avatar» star Sam Worthington; popular singer Kim Yoon-ji, aka NS Yoon-G; and even frequent action movie character actor Jean Reno. This collection of stars covers an atypically wide range of styles in their past work, with the capability to capture a diverse viewership.

In an interview with USA Today, Mbatha-Raw described «Lift» as a project not necessarily meant to win awards but meant to serve as something akin to cinematic comfort food. «It’s a light popcorn movie,» she said. «There’s a lot of intense things going on in the world right now. To be able to have an escapist movie like this that really captures your attention, that is something everybody can watch together with their family on a Friday night, we need that right now.»

The appeal of «Lift,» then, is intentionally broad, and its spot on Netflix’s Top 10 list suggests that the film accomplished just what it was supposed to.

It’s sort of fascinating how quickly Twitter turned a simple, visually inspiring popcorn bucket design into the joke of the day. Most tie-in products are lazy, so it’s genuinely great that the creatives behind the popcorn bucket found a way to make a product that’s directly related to the film that’s being promoted. A lazier approach would have been simply plastering the «Dune 2» characters on a basic popcorn bucket. Of course, the greatest thing that the popcorn bucket has done (so far) is show just how deranged Twitter can be. 

«Another day working at the multiplex. everyone keeps asking me if they can [have sex with] the Dune 2 popcorn bucket. buddy, this is an AMC, of course you can [have sex with] the popcorn bucket,» shared Twitter user @davidehrlich in a tweet with over 2500 reposts and 2.3 million views. «Gonna get the maximum amount of butter on my popcorn for no particular reason when I see dune 2,» said user @Dave_Tonight. Warning: please don’t actually do that — it’s not safe. 

For what it’s worth, American cinema chain Alamo Drafthouse tweeted that it wouldn’t be selling the bucket. «No, we will not have the cursed DUNE popcorn bucket,» before writing, «We’ll have something better!» One can only imagine that their promotional product will be more… grounded in reality. 

Please consult your doctor before buying the «Dune 2» popcorn bucket. The sequel hits cinemas on March 1, 2024. 

Since 2018, Patel has been hard at work on «Monkey Man.» The actor-turned-director crafted the film’s story and co-wrote the picture alongside Paul Angunawela and John Collee. Having Jordan Peele hop on as producer to give the film a theatrical release — as opposed to a straight-to-streaming release — is a major win for Patel’s directorial debut.

So far, fans love Patel’s gritty and mythical vision of Mumbai: a city of contrasts, corruption, and crime. Peele’s decision to take the film from Netflix seems like a brilliant move for Patel’s career, as it also opens the star to be eligible for awards show consideration and gives the film a fighting chance to find its audience. Sadly, Netflix films are often dropped on the service with little to no ceremony. But based on its blood-pumping action sequences, «Monkey Man» genuinely has what it takes to become a box office success story, similar to this year’s Jason Statham-starring film «Beekeeper.» If action diehard fans show up for it, «Monkey Man» has what it takes to become a bonafide franchise.

But beyond that, it’s great to see an Indian cast truly shine in a big-screen production. «Monkey Man» features heavy hitters like Sobhita Dhulipala, who stars in Prime Video’s «Made in Heaven» — one of the best international offerings from the streamer. 

Peele and Patel’s «Monkey Man» hits cinemas on April 5, 2024. 

«The Garfield Movie» is written by Paul A. Kaplan, Mark Torgove, and David Reynolds. The three scribes have diverse CVs, which should hopefully lead to an emotional and hilarious Garfield story. Kaplan is a veteran television writer, having worked on sitcoms like «George Lopez» and «Outsourced» — two projects he also executive produced. Togrove has worked with Kaplan in the past, working on the aforementioned shows as well as the Ken Jeong sitcom «Dr. Ken» and the film «The Late Bloomer.» They’ve been collaborating for decades, and «The Garfield Movie» is poised to be their biggest project to date.

Perhaps the most notable writer on board the Sony Pictures flick is Reynolds, who previously penned the script for Mark Dindal’s «The Emperor’s New Groove.» Reynolds has worked on several other Disney projects in various capacities, helping bring classics like «Mulan,» Pixar’s «Finding Nemo,» and «Chicken Little» to life.

On the production front, several creatives are responsible for ushering in the next generation of «Garfield» storytelling. Broderick Johnson, the co-founder and co-CEO of Alcon Entertainment, is one of the driving forces behind the picture. He’s produced several notable features, including director Denis Villeneuve’s «Blade Runner 2049» and «Prisoners.» Johnson is producing «The Garfield Movie» alongside Andrew Kosove, who also serves as the co-founder and co-CEO of Alcon Entertainment. Other notable talent involved in the movie includes Namit Malhotra, who heads the visual effects company DNEG Animation, the studio responsible for the film’s animation.

While he may have missed out on a chance to return to Ridley Scott’s Rome, Djimon Hounsou doesn’t have much of a reason to feel left out. The 59-year-old has been both busy and popular since he fought in the Colosseum nearly a quarter of a century ago. In the wake of «Gladiator,» the West African actor appeared in films like «The Four Feathers» and «Lara Croft: Tomb Raider – The Cradle of Life,» where he played Abou Fatma and Kosa, respectively.

Over the ensuing decades, he popped up over and over again. He played Ajhad in «Eragon,» voiced Drago in the «How to Train Your Dragon» franchise, and most recently played Titus in Zack Synder’s «Rebel Moon» saga. (It was during the press tour for «Rebel Moon» that he revealed his non-involvement in the «Gladiator» sequel.)

Hounsou has also been a popular face throughout both the DC and Marvel cinematic universes. He played the villain Korath the Pursuer in both «Guardians of the Galaxy» and «Captain Marvel.» He also voiced the character in Disney+’s animated «What if…?» series. In the DCEU, his rap sheet is slightly longer. He’s played the wizard Shazam in «Shazam!,» «Black Adam,» and «Shazam! Fury of the Gods,» and he voiced King Ricou in «Aquaman.»

From off-beat space operas to magical superhero appearances, historical dramas, and multiple animation voiceovers, Hounsou has remained busy throughout his career. Even so, the fact that he officially won’t be appearing in «Gladiator 2» is disappointing, especially if it was simply due to an inability for the stars to align. Fans of Scott’s soon-to-be two-part story will have to remain content with the fact that Juba was a stand-out element of Maximus’ story and Maximus’ story alone.