Tessa Thompson Explains Her Goals For An All-Female Marvel Team

Tessa Thompson Explains Her Goals For An All-Female Marvel Team

It took over 10 years, but Marvel Studios finally has its first female-led solo movie in theaters now, and its success has been unquestionably outstanding. Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck’s Captain Marvel is among the franchise’s most successful character launches, and very soon it will join the billion dollar club at the box office. There is very clearly a demand for female-led storytelling in this arena, and it’s a drumbeat that’s growing louder and louder every day.

One person not afraid to make a lot of noise in this arena is Tessa Thompson, who made her Marvel Cinematic Universe debut in 2017 playing Valkyrie in Taika Waititi’s Thor: Ragnarok. She made headlines last year when she revealed details of a meeting she took with some of her female colleagues and Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige, and has announced ambitions to see some form of women-led team-up film. It’s a feeling that’s only been amplified with the release of Captain Marvel, as I learned speaking with the actress this past weekend:

Brie [Larson] is a friend, and I just like hanging out with her; and I'm so excited. Obviously it's been a long time coming for Marvel to have a movie led by one of their female characters that exists in the canon… Last year in the press there was this whole idea that I was on Kevin Feige about doing an all-female, A-Force or something. But really it just has to do with the fact that there's so many incredible, talented women in the MCU that I just want to work with selfishly. So I'm like, 'Well, why not do it in the context of like fighting folks and hanging out in space?’

I had the wonderful pleasure of sitting down with Tessa Thompson and writer/director Nia DaCosta on Sunday, and while the majority of our conversation was about their new collaboration – the upcoming thriller Little Woods – my last question to the actress was about her popular role in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. My way into the conversation was inspired by Thompson’s recent social media activity, specifically back-and forths between herself and Captain Marvel star Brie Larson.

The two actresses have been regularly sharing fan art depicting Valkyrie and Captain Marvel together, and it inspired me to ask about her hopes for a future movie featuring the two characters teaming up. The question inspired a laugh, and Thompson took the idea to a bigger place, explaining her real desire for collaborations with the immensely talented actresses that populate the popular franchise.

As she continued, however, she also expressed why she feels a certain special level of parity with Brie Larson. While actresses like Scarlet Johansson, Zoe Saldana, and Gwyneth Paltrow each have been in the Marvel Cinematic Universe for more than five years, the experience is still relatively new for both Larson and Tessa Thompson, and they apparently are both still reveling in all of it.

This is particularly motivated, as you might expect, simply from the impact that they both feel that they can make with such significant parts on such a significant stage. They know that there is a generation of young women who are going to have a completely different perspective on the world than what previous generations got from pop culture, and they are a part of that.

And of course, there is the geek-out factor as well, as Tessa Thompson explained, referencing the fan art,

Of course I would love the chance to work with Brie. We were just like, 'Look! It's us together!' I think we're both new to the MCU, so we both retain the sense of like, 'Can you believe!?' We're just like, 'What? We got capes? What's happening?!' We're both really geeked out by having dolls and occupying this space. We're like women's women, so the idea of getting to do something that little girls are excited about, and people that identify as women feel excited about is cool. So who knows if we'll get to do something together; it's rad. But I'm just so happy for her, and for us and what it means culturally right now.

There are definitely a lot of expectations generated from the success we’ve seen, but the level of potential is also off the charts. Along with Valkyrie and Captain Marvel, the Marvel Cinematic Universe is now filled with some fantastic, unique heroines that all bring something special to the table, including Evangeline Lilly’s Wasp, Lupita Nyong’o’s Nakia, Danai Gurira’s Okoye, Elizabeth Olsen’s Scarlet Witch, Karen Gillan’s Nebula, Pom Klementieff’s Mantis, and more. There are exciting, fun, and dramatic stories to be told with all of these characters – solo, paired, or as group – and it will be tremendously exciting to see if and how they come together in Phase Four and beyond. Maybe at least a few of them can come together to create a new version of the Guardians of the Galaxy once James Gunn is done with his trilogy?

As Marvel fans know, exactly what the future holds for the massive franchise is being kept as a closely guarded mystery for now, and we won’t have any specific answers as to what’s going on until after the release of Spider-Man: Far From Home this summer – whether that includes an all-female team movie or not. Of course, between now and then we will also see the release of Avengers: Endgame, and it’s very possible that we could see a few kick-ass female team-ups within the runtime of that adventure. Hell, for all we know it might already give us the first Valkyrie/Captain Marvel partnership, and Tessa Thompson is just trying to maintain the surprise. We’re keeping our fingers very tightly crossed.

We’ll continue to keep you up to date with all of the latest developments from the Marvel Cinematic Universe (as always), but those of you also excited for more Tessa Thompson on the big screen will be getting a fantastic dose in just a few weeks. The aforementioned Little Woods, co-starring Lily Collins and James Badge Dale, will be in theaters in limited release on April 19th.

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Joe Carnahan Says He Left Bad Boys For Life Over Differences With Will Smith

Joe Carnahan Says He Left Bad Boys For Life Over Differences With Will Smith

Development hell is a concept that isn't new to the film world. While certain projects seem to be promising and have the recipe for success, sometimes plans fail, and movies don't actually come to fruition. Highly anticipated action threequel Bad Boys For Life originally seemed like one of those movies, as it was been stuck in development hell for a number of years before finally going into production months ago.

Starting back in 2008, quite a few incarnations of Bad Boys' threequel were worked on before the current version was eventually nailed down. The Grey's Joe Carnahan was set to write and possibly direct Bad Boys III back in 2015, although he ultimately dropped out after the project stewed for a few years. Now he's explained the reasoning behind his departure, saying:

I just know myself, man. And I thought what we were doing at that point was the law of diminishing returns. I wasn’t servicing the story that I was really excited about telling, that the studio had green-lit. And again, this isn’t to throw shade at Will — it’s your face on the poster, it’s your name on the poster, you need to do things the way you want them done.

Well, this certainly sheds a light on things. Joe Carnahan doesn't seem to have sore feelings about the situation, but it appears that he had some creative differences with franchise star Will Smith. And since Smith is starring and producing Bad Boys For Life, he's got the right to have the final say. But that's just not how Carnahan wanted to make that movie.

Joe Carnahan's comments to Collider are in juxtaposition to the explanation that was given to his exit back in 2017. At that point, some reports indicated a scheduling conflict as the reason for Carnahan's departure. But it ultimately looks like it was creative differences, and a conflict with none other than Will Smith himself.

In his recent interview, Joe Carnahan was sure to not actually bad mouth With Smith over how Bad Boys For Life eventually came out. On the contrary, he understands what Smith has at stake for the project, and his own creative vision. But since they clashed, the director decided to exit the project, because he didn't want to work that way on the action sequel.

During that same conversation, Joe Carnahan was sure to pay his respects to Will Smith. Furthermore, he expressed how he was nervous to leave such a high-profile gig, explaining:

Here’s the thing. I love Will, he’s a great guy. It’s just, you get to a point where ... listen, I always say this. Harrison Ford, Tom Cruise, Will Smith, you find me a motherfucker in the modern era that’s walked away from movies with those guys and is still working in some capacity.

It looks like Joe Carnahan harbors no ill-will toward Will Smith due to his Bad Boys For Life departure. And while he was taking a risk by turning down such an opportunity, the writer/director had to follow his gut. That eventually made way for directors Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah to get behind the camera for the new blockbuster.

Bad Boys For Life recently wrapped production, and is currently set to arrive in theaters on January 17, 2020. In the meantime, check out our 2019 release list to plan your next trip to the movies.

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How The Suicide Squad Movie Characters Compare To Their Comic Counterparts

How The Suicide Squad Movie Characters Compare To Their Comic Counterparts

When Marvel released a movie about a ragtag group of prison inmates who reluctantly band together to save their world from a powerful villain (i.e. Guardians of the Galaxy), DC said, "Well, we can do that!"

All kidding aside, Warner Bros' 2016 hit Suicide Squad directed by David Ayer was a rare kind of comic book movie that made heroes out of the bad guys. Alongside Jared Leto's interpretation of the Joker (who was not actually on the team), the DC supervillains who were brought on as Suicide Squad characters included Deadshot (Will Smith), Harley Quinn (Margot Robbie), and even Captain Boomerang (Jai Courtney in, maybe, his best role).

Several members of the original cast also is set to return for the 2021 Suicide Squad sequel, The Suicide Squad, written and directed by the obvious choice, Guardians of the Galaxy helmer James Gunn.

Of course, if you are a bigger fan of comic book movies than comic books, your only knowledge of the Suicide Squad is from what the movie has shown you. The truth is that the history of Task Force X goes back even further in the DC comics universe than Amanda Waller's proposal to have bad guys try on the hero life for size. So let's look at the similarities and differences between the Suicide Squad characters and their printed page counterparts. First, here's some background.

Suicide Squad (comics, 1959-present)

The Suicide Squad, a moniker now used to describe bad guys forced into doing good, has existed in multiple iterations and concepts in DC comics since 1959. For instance, the original team, created by writer Robert Kanigher and artist Ross Andru, first appeared in DC’s The Brave and the Bold series and consisted of expendable soldiers taking on more unusually dangerous assignments.

The mythos of the Suicide Squad were expanded upon in DC’s Secret Origins series, that revealed the existence of several World War II era “Suicide Squadrons” under the name Task Force X. But then in 1987, DC writer John Ostrander revived the Suicide Squad moniker to create its modern iteration, which sees powerful government official Amanda Waller forcing the world’s most feared supervillains to carry out dangerous missions to help save the world they don’t even care about.

The Suicide Squad has been made up of many superhero adversaries over the years, including Penguin, Poison Ivy, Count Vertigo, Doctor Light, Killer Frost, Blockbuster and many more. But what about the characters who did appear in the Suicide Squad movie? How do these comic book anti-heroes compare to their cinematic interpretations?

Deadshot

Floyd Lawton is an expert marksman and moonlights as one of the DC universe’s deadliest assassins under the moniker Deadshot. His first appearance as a Batman villain in 1950 saw him sporting a pair of six shooters, an eye mask and a three-piece suit and top hat combo, before his attire evolved to a red jumpsuit, white wraparound head mask and assault rifles.

In the Suicide Squad movie, Will Smith plays Deadshot as a big softie with a rough exterior who just wants to do right by his daughter, Zoe.

In the comics, Deadshot is a coldblooded sociopath with no regard for human life whose only motivation to contribute to the Suicide Squad is his desire to die in a blaze of glory, since he does not consider his life one worth living.

As for his relationship with his daughter, he only discovers her existence by accident and chooses to “do right by her” by declaring war against the local gangs plaguing his her hometown before faking his death instead of seeking a typical fatherhood role. I could never imagine Will Smith as a deadbeat dad, anyway, especially after The Pursuit of Happyness.

Harley Quinn

The Joker has never been the romantic type, yet somehow Harley Quinn is head over heels for the clown. The 2016 Suicide Squad movie reveals that Quinn (Margot Robbie) was formerly Harleen Quinzel, a psychiatrist at Arkham Asylum, before Jared Leto’s Joker manipulated her into a sadistic basket case whom he treats as a pet.

Margot Robbie just about nails the portrayal, the most crucial (and controversial) amendment being her appearance, which is a far cry from the outfit she frequently wore pre-2011.

Before Harley became a recurring member of the Suicide Squad and even before she became a staple of DC Comics, animation icons Bruce Timm and Paul Dini introduced her as Joker’s lover in Batman: The Animated Series in 1992.

To match her master - I’m sorry, "partner in crime," she dons powder white face makeup and a red and black jester outfit. She was never intended to be the highly sexualized, pigtailed, and fish-net clad interpretation the Arkham Asylum games introduced. Suicide Squad borrow from those games, as well as her New 52 look.

To be fair, who’s to say Harley Quinn would not eventually grow out of jester garb. The ‘90s were a different time.

Amanda Waller

Maintaining a ragtag group of sadistic, sociopathic outcasts would require someone just as despicable looking after them, and Amanda “The Wall” Waller is undoubtedly one mean lady.

The high-ranking government, portrayed in the Suicide Squad movie by Academy Award-winner Viola Davis, comes up with the idea of a team of some very bad people who could do some good. That said, she has no problem blowing their heads off if any of them fall out of line.

Viola Davis’ portrayal of Amanda Waller is probably the one character that best feels ripped straight from the pages of DC Comics, matching her ruthlessness and cold demeanor to a T. The biggest difference as that she is not the true founder of the Suicide Squad in the comics. The original incarnations of the team from the late '50s inspired her to propose a new Task Force X in the comic’s 1987 revival.

Amanda Waller may be DC’s most interesting anti-hero: a woman working for the law who is not afraid to break some rules to get her way.

Colonel Rick Flag

Rick Flag is a good ‘ol, all-American boy who just wants to serve his country right. That is a harder motivation to follow than it would seem when you’re in love with a powerful witch and employed by… well, essentially, the same thing (Amanda Waller).

Flag’s depiction in the Suicide Squad, as played by Joel Kinnaman, is an interesting case, as his role is both exaggerated and watered down at the same time. For one, there is not just one Flag in the DC comics continuity, but three.

Rick Flag Sr. was a founding member of the original World War II unit Suicide Squad before later joining Task Force X. He was eventually replaced as the leader by his son, Rick Flag, Jr., and later, reluctantly, [accepted to lead](https://dc.fandom.com/wiki/RichardFlag,Jr.(NewEarth) Amanda Waller’s new Squad. His estranged son, Rick Flag III, is not much of a team player, but has been rescued by the Squad on a few occasions.

Oh, and you’re probably wondering about Rick Flag’s romance with June Moone (Enchantress) and how that matches up with the comics. Well, let’s talk about her for a moment.

Enchantress

Archaeologist June Moone (Cara Delevigne) made an unusual mistake for someone in her line of work by breaking off the head of a priceless statue, which released the spirit of a powerful sorceress that is bonded with her. Perhaps if the Suicide Squad movie would have stuck with the Enchantress’ comic book counterpart’s origin, it could have seemed slightly more plausible.

First appearing in a 1966 issue of DC’s Strange Adventures, June Moone was a freelance artist who attended a costume party at an old castle inhabiting a magical being, who empowers Moone with magical abilities to defeat an evil presence in the castle. Starting out as a powerful hero, Enchantress would later turn bad after Supergirl prevented her from gaining universal omnipotence twice.

So at least the Suicide Squad movie got Enchantress’ power-hungry motivations somewhat right, but June Moone’s relationship with Rick Flag was a plot point exclusive to the movie. Care to guess who her love interest in the comics is?

Killer Croc

As Amanda Waller describes in the Suicide Squad movie, evolution took a backwards turn with Waylon Jones (Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje), a man whose rare genetic condition gives him a reptilian apperance. His animalistic reputation, which includes devouring humans, earned him the nickname Killer Croc in Gotham City.

Killer Croc's role in the movie is quite small compared to the larger than life persona he has led as one of the more dangerous recurring members of Batman’s rogues gallery since his first official appearance in Detective Comics #524 in 1983. When I say large, I mean “hulking.”

His comic book counterpart also has a tragic backstory as an orphan raised by an abusive alcoholic aunt, but has also seen brighter days with June Moone (Enchantress) as his romantic partner. No wonder he is always quiet around Rick Flag in the movie.

I should mention, Killer Croc has not been known to dress like a hooded thug and enjoy watching BET, as the Suicide Squad movie chose to depict him as, but I digress.

El Diablo

If I were to give any character in the Suicide Squad movie the most credit to be called a “hero,” it would the team’s pyrokinetic gangster.

El Diablo, whose real name is Chato Santana and is played by Jay Hernandez, is not really a bad guy, excluding his reputation as Los Angeles’ gang leader. He’s a cursed former family man with a tragic past just trying chill out for once when forced to do Amanda Waller’s dirty work.

The origin of his abilities is also merely hinted at in the movie’s climax when he reveals his demonic form to defeat Enchantress’ brother, Incubus. Otherwise, how he became El Diablo is left somewhat vague, perhaps because there is more than one source to choose from.

The first DC comics character to hold the moniker of El Diablo, introduced in 1970, was 19th-century vigilante of the Old West, Lazarus Lane, who was cursed to unleash the titular demon bonded with him whenever he falls unconscious. The second iteration, a man from modern times named Rafael Sandoval who was introduced in 1989, has no other abilities than his own boxing skills, which he uses to fight street thugs.

Santana actually inherited Lazarus Lane’s curse to become a flamethrowing baddie in his first appearance as El Diablo in 2008. In The New 52, the 2011 reboot of DC’s continuity, Santana became a member of the Suicide Squad’s current iteration.

At least that clears up what that big fiery demon in the climax was all about.

Captain Boomerang

The best bragging rights that Captain Boomerang has in Suicide Squad is being Australian actor Jai Courtney’s most defining role. That's not a huge feat, I know, but that may be how the flying weapon-maker prefers it.

Boomerang (real name George “Digger” Harkness) is a scummy, drunken mess of a human being who seems to take enjoyment in being a nuisance to his fellow members of the Suicide Squad. He does not believe he has any business saving the world and would rather just go ditch the area, if not for the explosive charge in his head.

How close is this to his comic book counterpart? Pretty darn close.

Having first appeared as an adversary to The Flash in 1960 sporting a more gimmicky outfit, Captain Boomerang has also been a prominent member of the Suicide Squad since its second iteration, despite being its least respected. At this point in the continuity, he is the sole permanent member still required to wear his explosive implant, due to Amanda Waller’s complete lack of trust in him.

His reputation for betrayal and generally vile personality makes him one of the most hated characters in the DC comics universe by heroes and villains alike. You know what they say, whatever you throw at the world will just come right back to you.

Katana

Thanks to Rick Flag’s brief impromptu exposition in Suicide Squad, we know that Katana (Karen Fukuhara) can cut people in half with one stroke of her sword, which traps the souls of its victims. That's cool, so what else is there to know about her that the movie left out?

Her real name is Tatsu Yamashiro, a Japanese woman skilled in martial arts, who first appeared in DC comics in 1983. She witnessed her husband’s murder by the Yakuza with the very sword she would soon claim as her own, which she would use to fight crime in America under her new alias, Katana.

She has been affiliated with several superhero teams, including DC’s Outsiders (a team founded by Batman), Birds of Prey with Black Canary and Starling, and she was a co-captain to Rick Flag of the Suicide Squad.

Katana’s contribution to the DC universe in just 36 years deeply impressive. Perhaps I owe Rick Flag an apology. How could he have explained all of that in just 30 seconds?

Slipknot

You probably just remember Slipknot (if you can remember him at all), played by Adam Beach, as Rick Flag’s test dummy for the explosive charges placed in the Suicide Squad’s heads. His mindblowing exit early into the film’s story comes after Captain Boomerang recommends he attempt an escape.

His contribution to the Suicide Squad movie is actually not far off from the comics.

First introduced to DC Comics as an antagonist to superhero Firestorm, Slipknot (real name Christopher Weiss) was appointed to join the Suicide Squad in 1987, when they were only wearing explosive devices on their arms. After a conversation with Captain Boomerang convinces Slipknot that the bombs are fake, he makes a run for it and loses his arm in the process. How tragic.

After learning these facts about DC's most iconic anti-heroes, I am curious how much deeper into their mythology James Gunn will go in The Suicide Squad. We'll find out when the sequel/reboot/whatever you want to call it is released on August 5, 2021.

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The Secret Behind The Chemistry Of Tolkien’s On-Screen Friends

The Secret Behind The Chemistry Of Tolkien’s On-Screen Friends

The power of friendship is something that author J.R.R. Tolkien loved to explore in his writings, on par with his exploration of the power of love. One could say that the two were one in the same for him, as his heroes loved their romantic partners and their fellowship equally, as evidenced in various dissections of his worldwide phenomenon, The Lord of the Rings.

Those same powers are shown on grand display in Tolkien, this weekend’s new release that tells the story of how true love and fellowship influenced the writings that would change the world of fiction straight through to this very day. And it’s without question that the part Tolkien’s friends played in his life is a great plot point in director Dome Karukoski’s film, which shows the initial meeting and lifelong friendships built between the author and a trio of friends: Geoffrey Smith, Robert Gilson and Christopher Wiseman.

Playing the roles of J.R.R. Tolkien’s own fellowship are, respectively, Anthony Boyle, Patrick Gibson and Tom Glynn-Carney. Judging by their time together in the film, you’d be forgiven for thinking they all knew each other beforehand, however that’s not quite the case.

As CinemaBlend sat down with the three gentlemen during the press day for Tolkien, the subject of friendship was an easy one to breach. Especially when wondering what the secret was to their special brand of chemistry. In their own words, the truth behind their previous connections, or lack thereof, may surprise you:

Tom Glynn-Carney: We knew of each other before. We’d sort of met on a few occasions through mutual friends, but we’d never worked with each other, or spent any sort of concentrated time with each other.

Patrick Gibson: We’d done our best not to.

Glynn-Carney: No, yeah, in fact, actively avoided each other.

Gibson: This was our last straw.

So while these three gentlemen knew of each other, as Tom Glynn-Carney noted in their interview, they really didn’t get to know each other until they started production on Tolkien. What’s also apparent is the playful chemistry that took hold in a short time, and still holds to this day, as co-star Patrick Gibson started a chain of good-hearted kidding that suggested these gentlemen never really wanted to meet. But of course they did, and the end result is an absolutely believable friendship that stretches through almost the entirety of Tolkien’s biopic story.

Of course, it didn’t stop with this trio of fun-loving mates, as Tolkien was definitely a group effort, and everyone fell into a sort of likeable family. Tom Glynn-Carney explained further, with some help from co-star Anthony Boyle, in the following remarks:

Glynn-Carney: But then being thrown into this sort of melting pot of this cast was a great thing, and it all happened very organically. There was no conscious effort made to up the camaraderie or any of that. It just all happened organically.

Anthony Boyle: It just fell into place, really. You know, I think we all just really enjoyed each other’s companies. And we just had a lovely time.

Glynn-Carney: Nick [Hoult], and Lily [Collins], and Dome [Karukoski,] and everyone included as well.

Bringing a story as heavy as J.R.R. Tolkien’s participation in World War I needs a fair amount of levity, and the inclusion of Geoffrey Smith, Robert Gilson and Christopher Wiseman’s stories more than does the job. With earlier portions of the film focusing on their social club, the “Tea Club and Barrovian Society,” or TCBS for short, there’s a sort of Dead Poets Society energy in the group’s time swearing an oath to changing the world through art.

Without those performances landing, there’s no believable friendship that gets J.R.R. Tolkien through his experiences in World War I. If there are two relationships that build the foundation of what makes Tolkien different from the average biopic, the fellowship of the TCBS is equally as important as Tolkien’s love affair with fellow orphan Edith Bratt.

Even in the footage from our time in the interview with Anthony Boyle, Patrick Gibson and Tom Glynn-Carney, it’s apparent that the three are so perfectly matched that it was an easy feat to bring that crucial friendship to life. And you can see it for yourself in the clip below:

Just as the Fellowship of The Ring bonded over the protection of Middle-Earth, the Tea Club and Barrovian Society bound themselves over the arts, and their effect on the world at large. It’s a relationship that’s key to the overall picture that Tolkien paints, and it’s one you can currently see in theaters this weekend.

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Bond 25 Is Already Breaking New Ground For The Franchise

Bond 25 Is Already Breaking New Ground For The Franchise

The James Bond franchise is one of the longest running in history, but there are things even it has never done before. However, the new film, the 25th in the series, is breaking new ground by becoming the fist in the series to shoot scenes on IMAX cameras. Director Cary Fukunaga confirmed the use of the cameras designed for the large format screen via Instagram.

The comment from the director that "some days" are IMAX days confirms previous reports that only some of the new James Bond film will be shot on IMAX cameras, but that's par for the course for your average blockbuster these days. While IMAX cameras are getting used more and more, it's largely only for specific sequences that can take full advantage of the format.

If you're a fan of the IMAX format, or James Bond, and especially if you're a fan of both, this will likely be great news. Large format screens like IMAX take the normal theatrical experience and amplify it to an entirely new level. While many modern blockbuster movies can be, and are, formatted to an IMAX screen, using a camera designed for that screen makes the experience noticeably better.

While the IMAX cameras might be new for James Bond, they're not new for cinematographer Linus Sandgren. The man in charge of filming Bond 25 was also the man behind the camera of First Man, which used IMAX cameras to film the iconic moon walking scenes, which we can all agree were the best parts of that movie.

Of course, while we can now be sure that the action sequences will look amazing in the new James Bond movie, we still have no idea what any of them could be. The main cast of the new film, which will include Rami Malek as the villain, was recently confirmed, but that's nearly all we know.

The basic plot of Bond 25 will see James coming out of retirement to assist his old friend CIA agent Felix Lighter in a search for a missing scientist.

James Bond has been the home to some of the most memorable action sequences in the history of film. In the Daniel Craig era alone we have had fantastic foot chases, hand-to-hand fights, gun battles, and car chases. Each new film in the series has to try to take things to the next level and while it's not always easy, it's almost always worth watching.

I don't often go to IMAX movies but part of the reason for that is that it doesn't always seem all that necessary. However, when a movie uses IMAX cameras to shoot it usually means there's a vision for a particular sequence that requires them. If there's a reason to film in IMAX, then there's probably also a reason to view the finished product in IMAX.

Are you more likely to see Bond 25 in IMAX knowing it was filmed that way? Let us know in the poll below.

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Doctor Sleep: An Updated Cast List

Doctor Sleep: An Updated Cast List

The Shining sequel Doctor Sleep has wrapped production and it won't be long until the world gets to see the next chapter of a story that's been lauded with high acclaim over the years. The legacy of Stephen King's novel and its adaptation by Stanley Kubrick will ensure many eyes are on Doctor Sleep when it hits theaters.

Though audiences today seem to love a Stephen King adaptation, it's understandable if Doctor Sleep's development got lost among the sea of various projects currently in the works in Hollywood. For those who don't know, this movie has a cast to be excited about, so hop on down below and see who all is involved, and what roles they'll be playing in this latest adaptation. First up here's Danny!

Ewan McGregor As Danny Torrance

Iconic actor Ewan McGregor is stepping into the shoes of Danny Torrance decades after the events in The Shining. Danny is now Dan, and while he's survived his childhood, he's inherited some of his father's worst traits in adulthood. Dan eventually conquers his demons, and uses his regained psychic abilities to comfort patients. This earned him the nickname of "Doctor Sleep," and eventually intertwines his fate with that of a girl with powers similar to his.

Rebecca Ferguson As Rose The Hat

Mission: Impossible Fallout and The Girl On The Train actress Rebecca Ferguson is back in Doctor Sleep, and playing a very important role opposite of McGregor's Dan. Rose The Hat is the leader of a group called The True Knot, which is comprised of a group of individuals with unique abilities. Without getting too deep into spoilers, this group is bad news and will cause some problems for Danny boy in the movie.

Kyliegh Curran As Abra Stone

Kyliegh Curran is a relative newcomer to Hollywood set to take on a key role in Doctor Sleep. Curran plays Abra Stone, a young girl who psychically links with Dan and, unfortunately, becomes aware of The True Knot. With the group setting her in its crosshairs, Dan will do all he can in order to protect the girl? Will he succeed? Remember this is a Stephen King work, so the safety of children is never guaranteed.

Bruce Greenwood As Dr. John Dalton

Not long after he played a key supporting role in the Stephen King adaptation of Gerald's Game, Bruce Greenwood is again a part of the author's film universe in Doctor Sleep. Greenwood portrays Dr. John Dalton, one of the people in the novel to whom Dan first reveals his connection with Abra. The quiet intensity Greenwood can bring to roles is great for King works in general, so he should be an excellent addition to the cast.

Zahn McClarnon As Crow Daddy

Zahn McClarnon was a great enforcer in FX's Fargo, so it's no surprise he's found his way into Doctor Sleep as another dangerous man to look out for. McClarnon plays Crow Daddy, right hand man to Rose The Hand and lover in the novels. Given this work is supposed to be a faithful novel adaptation, there's no reason to believe that will change.

Emily Alyn Lind As Snakebite Andi

If that character name wasn't any indication, Emily Alyn Lind's Snakebite Andi is a member of the The True Knot who will cause some problems for Dan and Abra. Like them and other members of The True Knot, she has a unique ability she can use on others to lull them to sleep. With an ability like that, are we sure Danny is the one who should have that nickname?

Carl Lumbly As Dick Halloran

Prolific film and television actor Carl Lumbly is a part of Doctor Sleep, and will step into the shoes of another character that was around during The Shining. For those who don't recognize the name Dick Halloran, he was the Overlook's chef who also had abilities. Dick has actually appeared as a character in quite a few Stephen King works over the years, so it's possible other nods to King works could happen via him.

Alex Essoe As Wendy Torrance

Alex Essoe will play the role of Wendy Torrance, a role made iconic by Shelley Duvall. The actress is involved in Doctor Sleep's moments in the past, so she'll probably be seen with Dick Halloran. I'm assuming she'll be in scenes with a young Danny Torrance as well. Essoe bears a resemblance to Duvall, and I'd personally love to see one or two of The Shining's iconic scenes recreated in a dream or something just to compare the two performances.

Jocelin Donahue

Jocelin Donahue is no stranger to horror films, and has been in features such as Insidious: Chapter 2, The House of The Devil and others. Donahue's role has not been officially announced, although there are some sites out there listing her role as the mother of Abra, Lucy. Provided that's legitimate, that's a big character who will help bridge the gap between the original film and the sequel.

Jacob Tremblay

One of Hollywood's most in-demand and talented child actors is involved in Doctor Sleep, and will be playing a mystery role. Many have speculated Tremblay will play a young Danny Torrance, which wouldn't be surprising considering that's who 90% of Americans would cast in the role if we were fantasy casting for a reboot of The Shining. If Tremblay does end up playing Danny, let's hope he does at least one finger wag and "redrum" for nostalgia's sake.

*Zackary Momoh *

Seven Seconds standout Zackary Momoh has been added to Doctor Sleep in a role that has yet to be revealed. With his role undefined, there's really no clear guess as to who he may be playing. Whoever he's playing, expect an emotional performance and this role to potentially be the start of a much larger career in Hollywood.

*Carel Struycken *

Famous character actor Carel Struycken is a part of Doctor Sleep, with some outlets alleging he'll play the role of Grandpa Flick. In Doctor Sleep, Flick gets his nickname for being the oldest member of The True Knot. His presence more or less is the catalyst for the The True Knot to spring into action, although his role is ultimately not that large.

As mentioned, Doctor Sleep has wrapped production, and is expected in theaters November 8. For more on the film, be sure to read up on Ewan McGregor's thoughts on the project, and the one person he's hoping is pleased with he and the cast's effort.

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Brahms: The Boy II’s Katie Holmes Admits She Gets Scared Filming Scary Movies

Brahms: The Boy II’s Katie Holmes Admits She Gets Scared Filming Scary Movies

Following 2017’s Logan Lucky, Katie Holmes is headed back to the big screen for STX Films’ upcoming movie Brahms: The Boy II. The actress plays the mother of a boy who befriends a doll he calls Brahms after moving into a creepy mansion. She’s no stranger to horror film work, but ahead of the release of this project, Katie Holmes admitted she gets scared filming scary movies.

In particular, Brahms: The Boy II was frightening at times. It was not because of the script or its creepy mansion setting, but because of the fact a doll plays a prominent role in the horror flick.

This was pretty terrifying to make when we were working with the doll. It was a lot. I was scared. I love dolls; I have a conflict because I have so many, growing up with a lot of baby dolls I never thought of a doll being creepy and now I have to rethink everything.

Brahms: The Boy II isn’t Katie Holmes’ first horror project by a long shot. She’s been in movies like Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark, Teaching Mrs. Tingle, and Disturbing Behavior. However, some of these aren’t even straight horror flicks and it’s been a while since she dipped into the horror well.

She said she took on this role because it was a mom character and her child and how it “was such a universal fear for every parent” to want to protect their kid from danger and badness.

While filming the role, however, she said she got a little bit jumpy when asking whether or not she believes in supernatural forces. She said:

Well, when we were making this there were a couple of times I would be in my bed and start to fall asleep and like my pillow would fall, but I was like [creeped out].

When asked during the CinemaCon 2019 panel which horror movies influenced her most over the years, the actress cited a lot of classic films like The Shining, Rosemary’s Baby, Halloween, and Scream. So although she said it’s “hard” for her “to watch them,” she has at least seen some of the big horror movie moments of the past several decades.

Brahms: The Boy II is a sequel to the 2016 film The Boy, also produced by STX, which started its feature length career with another horror film, The Gift. This new iteration will return to the Heelshire Mansion to tell a brand new story. You’ll be able to see it for yourself on July 26, 2019 – the same week as Once Upon A Time In Hollywood.

In the meantime, Katie Holmes better start preparing herself for the premiere now given the rough time she seems to have with scary moments, although, as long as no one hands her a doll at the premiere I assume she'll be fine.

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How Shazam! Set The Stage For Black Adam

How Shazam! Set The Stage For Black Adam

Warning: SPOILERS for Shazam! are ahead!

Shazam might not have a rogues gallery as big as Batman’s, but he does had a solid collection of color villains he’s repeatedly battled over the decades. The most popular of the bunch are Black Adam and Doctor Thaddeus Sivana. The former was originally supposed to face off against the hero previously known as Captain Marvel in the Shazam! movie, but plans changed and the latter was selected to take his place. However, Shazam! nonetheless alluded to Black Adam and set the stage for his eventual DC Extended Universe debut by giving audiences a snippet of his past.

Just like in the comics, Billy Batson was brought to the Rock of Eternity in Shazam! by the wizard Shazam to become his new champion. But before giving Billy his powers, the wizard tells Billy about the last champion he chose, who isn’t named, but it’s clearly Black Adam, originally known as Teth-Adam. Thousands of years earlier, Black Adam turned to the dark side and used his powers for evil, resulting in the Seven Deadly Sins being unleashed. Once they started running rampant, numerous civilizations fell and millions died, including Shazam’s comrades on the Council of Wizards, although it was left ambiguous whether the Sins were responsible for the Council’s destruction or Black Adam.

Either way, somehow the wizard Shazam managed to contain the spirits of the Seven Deadly Sins within mystical statues, and while it wasn’t explained why happened to Black Adam, evidently his reign of terror also ended since he’s not wreaking havoc in the present day. Because everything went so horribly with Black Adam, the wizard vowed to select only someone pure of heart to be his next champion. It took several millennia for him to finally find a worthy successor, with the adolescent Thaddeus Sivana failing to impress in 1974 and Billy Batson ultimately inheriting the mantle in 2019.

That was the extent to which Black Adam factored into Shazam!, which makes sense given that Doctor Sivana was the main threat in the movie. It was important not to overshadow Sivana’s retrieval of the Seven Deadly Sins and his quest to take the wizard Shazam’s power for himself. It doesn’t matter, though, because that Black Adam seed has been planted nicely, and the character has a bright future ahead of him on the silver screen.

In late 2014, around the time that Warner Bros announced its initial slate of DCEU films, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson was finally confirmed to be playing Black Adam in the franchise, having previously agreed to play the antagonist in a previous live action Shazam! movie that was scrapped in 2009. Then at the beginning of 2017, it was announced that Black Adam would get his own solo movie. While the DCEU has a lot of movies in development, not all of which will never move forward, given Shazam!’s positive critical reception and the likelihood that it will do well at the box office, it stands to reason that Black Adam stands a better chance of being made. After all, if Warner Bros is willing to move forward with a Trench spinoff following Aquaman’s gargantuan success, then a Black Adam movie with Johnson, arguably the world’s biggest movie star, playing the lead, is an enticing prospect.

Although he was initially depicted as a straightforward supervillain, in the modern era Black Adam has morphed into an anti-hero, with comic book readers learning about his tragic past in ancient Kahndaq and his goals switching from generic world domination to doing whatever it takes to protect his people, usually resulting in him taking the Kahndaqian throne and still getting on a lot of DC heroes’ bad sides. Undateable’s Adam Sztykiel is writing the Black Adam movie and Hiram Garcia is producing, but no plot details have been officially revealed yet. It would be easy enough for Black Adam to be a prequel showing how he met the wizard Shazam and his fall from grace, but a rumor from That Hashtag Show claims that Sztykiel’s latest is a present day set story, with Hawkman, Stargirl and Atom Smasher appearing.

Regardless, assuming all goes according to plan, Black Adam will get the spotlight for himself, and considering how he’s been developed over the years, he’s definitely a compelling enough character to lead his own movie, not to mention that DC has already played around with villain/anti-hero-led movies with 2016’s Suicide Squad (which is finally getting a sequel in 2021). Still, at his core, Black Adam is a Shazam adversary, and it’s be foolish to think that these two won’t eventually fight in the DCEU. That said, those of you looking forward to seeing Shazam and Black Adam clash on the big screen might have to wait longer for that rumble.

In the Shazam! mid-credits scene, Dr. Sivana, who is now depowered after Billy Batson seized the Eye of Envy from him and trapped the Seven Deadly Sins back within it, was shown in prison obsessively scrawling runes on the walls in a desperate attempt to get back to the Rock of Eternity. He then hears a voice telling him that there are other ways to obtain powers, and that by teaming up together, the two of them could rule the “seven realms.” This voice belongs to the diminutive, yet sinister Mister Mind, the super intelligent worm who was seen in 1974 being held in a glass case at the Rock of Eternity, but had escaped his confinement by the time Billy Batson showing up there, breaking free after Sivana became possessed by the Seven Deadly Sins, which led to quite the kerfuffle in the wizard’s lair.

Just like how Aquaman’s mid-credits scene set up that Aquaman 2 will follow Black Manta helping Stephen Shin find Atlantis in exchange for the marine biologist assisting the mercenary in exacting revenge on Arthur Curry, Shazam! seems to be teasing that Shazam! 2 will follow Dr. Sivana and Mister Mind working together to defeat the Shazam family and conquer these mysterious seven realms. If that’s the case, then there’s a good chance that Black Adam won’t appear in the sequel either, or if he does, it will only be for a cameo.

Although Black Adam has been part of Mister Mind’s Monster Society of Evil in the comics, given how much more prominent he’s become in the DC universe, as well as the already-announced plans for him on film, it’s reasonable to assume he wouldn’t be a side player in Shazam! 2. Given how much trouble Dr. Sivana gave Billy Batson in his origin story, him returning with Mister Mind and whatever monstrous allies they’ve recruited to their cause is more than enough to cause trouble Billy and the rest of the Shazam family. That said, maybe Shazam! 2 could tease Black Adam finally preparing to face off against Billy in its own mid/post-credits scene.

As things stand now, and assuming the Shazam! corner of the DCEU will go on for a long time, I predict that Black Adam will show up in Shazam! 3, which will arrive after the Black Adam movie does. Depending on how Black Adam is received, maybe there’s even a chance that a sequel could come out before Shazam! 3, but I suspect that the Shazam vs. Black Adam brawl is being saved for the big ‘finale,’ much like how the Avengers didn’t fight Thanos in his forces until Avengers: Infinity War, with the rematch occurring later this month in Avengers: Endgame. Shazam and Black Adam is an event that’s definitely an event that’s worth spending as much time on as necessary to ensure it looks excellent. Make no mistake, though, barring some last-minute, unforeseen, radical turn of events, Black Adam is coming to the DCEU and he’ll make a lot of noise.

Be sure to read CinemaBlend’s review of Shazam! and what other members of our staff thought of the movie. We’ll be sure to keep you updated on all things Shazam and Black Adam-related as more details come in. For now, look through our DC movies guide to learn what else is in development for the DCEU.

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Why Watching Detective Pikachu Makes Ryan Reynolds ‘Sea Sick'

Why Watching Detective Pikachu Makes Ryan Reynolds ‘Sea Sick'

It's no secret that Ryan Reynolds' career as at an all-time high. His work on the Deadpool franchise broke new ground for the superhero genre, proving that an R-rating isn't a death sentence at the box office. But before Deadpool 3 or X-Force arrives in theaters, Reynolds is lending his signature voice and comedic chops to another iconic property: Pokemon.

Ryan Reynolds is playing the title character of Detective Pikachu, which is getting some serious buzz ahead of its official release. Reynolds is finally giving the beloved mascot a voice, and the trailers are inducing nostalgia among the generations of Poke-fans. But it turns out that seeing footage elicits a more negative experience for the actor. As he recently explained:

When I see Pikachu, I see all my micro facial expressions and the most subtle facial expressions they’ve learned how to map on to this so I have this… weird seasick feeling sometimes when I stare at Pikachu, because I’m seeing me, but not me.

Well, I didn't expect this to be his reaction. But it looks like watching the motion capture of Detective Pikachu can be a bit jarring for Ryan Reynolds. Because he's on screen, but not. Looks like Pikachu got hit with confusion attack

Ryan Reynolds' comments to Extra make a great deal of sense, because motion capture technology is really reaching the peak of its possibilities. This opens up filmmaking possibilities, especially when it comes to genre work. Avengers: Infinity War brought Josh Brolin's massive Thanos to life, while Detective Pikachu will focus on a distinctly smaller CGI protagonist.

Related: Ryan Reynolds Has A Colorful Way Of Describing His Detective Pikachu Character

The Detective Pikachu footage may give Ryan Reynolds a feeling of seasickness, but it's delighting moviegoers who are anxiously awaiting the ambitious movie's arrival in theaters. The trailers are essentially a 90's kid dream, as the pocket monsters that became a pop culture phenomenon are brought to life, and added to the real world. There's already been a ton of Pokemon shown from various generations of the games, and the world-building has been one of the aspects of Detective Pikachu that has been most celebrated from its early screenings.

On top of feeling seasick, Ryan Reynolds might not be able to fully enjoy the nostalgic appeal of Detective Pikachu. In the same interview with Extra, he revealed the film helped introduced him to the property, saying:

Then I was first approached by them, I admittedly didn’t know much about Pokémon… they sent me a fully rendered Pikachu paired to my voice — they used some dialogue from Deadpool 1 — That sold me, I said yes. I read the script. It was amazing, it was this great mystery wrapped in kind of the universal themes of love and loss and home and family.

Indeed, it looks like Ryan Reynolds is bringing the same wise cracking energy from Deadpool, and applying to his role in Detective Pikachu. Reynolds' comedic chops have been on display for his entire career, and it should be interesting to see him reel things back and keep Detective Pikachu family friendly. But he managed to make Deadpool 2 PG-13 through Once Upon A Deadpool, so just about anything is possible.

Detective Pikachu will arrive in theaters on May 10, 2019. In the meantime, check out our 2019 release list to plan your next trip to the movies.

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Captain Marvel's Directors Have A Deleted Scene They Wish Made The Theatrical Cut

Captain Marvel's Directors Have A Deleted Scene They Wish Made The Theatrical Cut

Warning: SPOILERS for Captain Marvel ahead!

Audiences will soon get to relive one of the biggest movies of the year when Captain Marvel arrives on home video. One of the most exciting parts of any home video release is getting to see some of the stuff that didn’t make it into the final film. Speaking with CinemaBlend’s own Eric Eisenberg in advance of Captain Marvel’s Blu-ray release, directors Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck revealed the one scene they wish had made the theatrical cut, saying:

Anna Boden: I think the scene where Jude visits his Supreme Intelligence is really fun - I think it's on the deleted scenes - and it's just one of those delicious after scenes where Jude Law is playing both characters and being both brutal and vulnerable in the same space.

Ryan Fleck: Yon-Rogg, of course he's himself when he visits the Supreme Intelligence.

Anna Boden: Because you see the person who you admire the most, right?

In the theatrical cut of Captain Marvel, we never get to see Jude Law’s Yon-Rogg visit the Kree Supreme Intelligence, nor do we know for sure what form the Supreme Intelligence takes for him. But it turns out that such a scene was filmed, and in the deleted scene, Yon-Rogg visits the Kree Supreme Intelligence, which takes the form of…Yon-Rogg.

The Supreme Intelligence takes the form of whomever you most admire, so for Vers that’s Dr. Wendy Lawson/Mar-Vell, even though she doesn’t remember who that is or why she admires her. But for the villainous Yon-Rogg, the person he most admires is himself. This underscores what a narcissist Yon-Rogg really is, that he can’t think of anyone more aspirational and perfect than himself.

This is fun to hear because who Yon-Rogg sees when he visits the Supreme Intelligence is actually brought up in the film. In the beginning of the movie, Brie Larson’s Vers asks him whom he sees and he refuses to tell her. That the answer is himself makes it clear why.

Directors Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck like this scene especially because it gives Jude Law the fun opportunity to play both himself and the Supreme Intelligence. Fortunately, it will be one of the deleted scenes on the Blu-ray release of Captain Marvel, so fans will get to see it. The scene is called “Who Do You Admire Above All Others?” and it sees the Supreme Intelligence questioning Yon-Rogg’s leadership ability.

As Anna Boden said, that allowed for Jude Law to play the unforgiving Supreme Intelligence demanding results from Yon-Rogg, and the ever-confident Yon-Rogg showing actual vulnerability in the face of the highest authority. Although it’s not in the film, if we take this scene as canon, it not only gives us greater understanding of Jude Law’s character, it also adds something to the end of the movie.

The Supreme Intelligence already doubted Yon-Rogg and he was eager to please it. That makes the end where Carol Danvers defeats him and sends him back to Hala alive with a warning for the Supreme Intelligence all the more devastating for Yon-Rogg, a failure that was likely worse than death for the devout soldier.

While this scene sounds cool and likely works on a couple of different levels, you can see why it may have been cut. If we had seen Yon-Rogg meeting the Supreme Intelligence, it would have given away the game as to what kind of person he really is. Sure, I think his evil turn was pretty predictable, but this would have blasted away any bit of uncertainty. Still, it would have been cool to see a scene after he got sent back to Hala, pleading to an angry Supreme Intelligence.

Captain Marvel is now on digital and arrives on Blu-ray on June 11. Check out our 2019 Release Schedule to keep track of all of this year’s biggest movies.

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Jordan Peele Reveals His Favorite Horror Villain

Jordan Peele Reveals His Favorite Horror Villain

In recent years, the horror genre has entered a renaissance, and Jordan Peele’s stunning directorial debut, 2017’s Get Out, certainly played a part in getting audiences captivated to see more terrors and frights on screen. The sketch comedian-turned-critically acclaimed filmmaker is a huge horror fan, who recently revealed one icon he sees as the scariest villain. Here’s what he said:

I'm gonna say Michael Myers. He's not even evil, he's just curious. You know you can't talk him out of whatever he wants to do and he'd always do that thing where he'd stab somebody and he's sort of turn his head like that, which is the international symbol for 'fascinating.'

It looks like the star of the Halloween franchise, Michael Myers (a.k.a. The Shape), caught Jordan Peele’s eyes as the creepiest horror antagonist of them all, per a WSJ Magazine interview. It’s for a good reason too – his motivations behind that his wrongdoings seem to simply stem from curiosity above anything else. Cue the chills!

Jordan Peele brings up a good point here. While many villains have evil intentions because of their nature (maybe they’re a demon or a wicked doll) or are inspired by power or revenge, the Halloween villain is purely kills out of fascination and enjoyment of the chase. When a killer such as Michael Myers is getting pleasure out of murder, ­there is no changing their mind. It's truly horrifying!

The Halloween films has had 40 years of staying power, as eleven films have been made starring Jordan Peele’s pick for favorite villain. Michael Myers recently saw a comeback with the 2018 direct sequel to the original Halloween starring Jamie Lee Curtis back as Laurie Strode. 2018’s Halloween made over $253 million worldwide at the box office, becoming one of the most successful films for the franchise.

The Get Out writer and director certainly brought a new definition of “horror” to the big screen when its exploration of liberal racism in America today was the centerpiece jump scare. Get Out went on to be nominated for four Oscars and score one win for Jordan Peele’s original screenplay.

Jordan Peele is gearing up for the release of his second film Us this month, which will be full-on horror and promises to be way scarier than Get Out. The upcoming movie is about a family of four (played by Lupita Nyong’o, Winston Duke, Shahadi Wright Joseph and Evan Alex) who become terrorized by doppelgängers of themselves during a summer getaway. Us also stars Elisabeth Moss, Tim Heidecker and Yahya Abdul-Mateen II.

Us will premiere at SXSW in Austin, Texas on Friday, March 8 and hit theaters on March 22, with early tracking at a $35 million opening weekend. The movie’s monsters seem to be about ourselves being our worst enemies… I’d say that’s up there as far as scary premises.

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Marvel's 2020 Movie Schedule Will Be A Little Different Than What We're Used To

Marvel's 2020 Movie Schedule Will Be A Little Different Than What We're Used To

While some in the industry have regularly warned about "superhero fatigue," Marvel Studios has spent the last few years proving that it's basically just a myth. After all, since 2017 they have been releasing three movies per year, and in that time they have produced four billion dollar hits. It's basically become the standard release plan for the company, but according to a new release schedule from Walt Disney Studios that will be changing a bit in 2020.

Per an official release from Disney, next year will mark the first time since 2016 that Marvel Studios will only be releasing two movies instead of the standard three. While it was initially said that we would get new blockbusters in May, July, and November, the middle title in that schedule has now been erased. We're still not actually entirely sure what either title is going to be, but it's an interesting shake-up nonetheless.

Furthermore, it would appear that it's not exactly the permanent plan going forward. In addition to revealing their plans for 2020, Disney has also laid out their slates for 2021 and 2022, and both still include three different Marvel Studios releases (which we previously knew about). So rather than being the new normal, next year will be a bit of an anomaly for what is arguably the most powerful subsidiary currently operating in Hollywood.

So why the change? Disney hasn't officially given a reason, but it's pretty easy to deduce what has caused this shift. There were plans for months to have Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 come out at some point in 2020, but then things got a bit messed up last summer when writer/director James Gunn was fired by the studio. Production, which was supposed to start earlier this year, was put on hold, and while the gears are now turning again thanks to Gunn's reinstatement, the larger plans for the release schedule surely had to change as a result. Hence we are getting two features next year instead of the standard three.

Related: Marvel's Kevin Feige Confirms Shang-Chi Is Coming In Phase Four

Unfortunately we still don't know exactly what the two titles are going to be, as Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige has said that Phase Four projects for the Marvel Cinematic Universe won't be announced until after the release of Spider-Man: Far From Home later this year. At the same time, there are definitely films that are clearly further along in the development process than others - including Cate Shortland's Black Widow, and Chloe Zhao's The Eternals. Neither project has announced a start of production just yet, but as of right now those two features are the safest bets for release in 2020.

This is obviously a development that we are keeping a very close eye on, so be sure to stay tuned on CinemaBlend for all of the latest updates. And to get the full rundown on what's happening in the future of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, be sure to check out our Upcoming Marvel guide.

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Viola Davis Officially Returning As Waller For The Suicide Squad

Viola Davis Officially Returning As Waller For The Suicide Squad

DC's live-action universe has had a fascinating tenure in theaters, with plenty of twists and turns accompanying each blockbuster. During the DCEU's early stages, Warner Bros. failed to acquire a true critical and box office darling. Batman v Superman, Justice League, and Suicide Squad all failed to live up to their expectations, and it seemed like the behemoth franchise was in jeopardy. But DC seems to have course correct, focusing less on crossovers and serialized storytelling and more on individual director-driven blockbusters.

Just look at The Suicide Squad, which will be written and directed by Guardians of the Galaxy visionary James Gunn. Gunn will take on the titular team of villains from David Ayer, who helmed the somewhat disappointing first film. Gunn has been focused on bringing his cast together, featuring both newcomers and returning players from Suicide Squad. And now another returning face has joined the new project, as Viola Davis will reportedly reprise her role as Amanda Waller.

This news comes to us from The Wrap, as the publication has contacts with someone close to production. While Viola Davis' involvement hasn't been officially confirmed by the studio, it's a development that should get DC fans very excited. Because while not every aspect of the first Suicide Squad was successful, Davis brought a tenacity and ruthlessness to Amanda Waller that the next movie would be remiss to exclude.

If the report is to be believed, Viola Davis is the second Suicide Squad actor to officially sign on for James Gunn's developing movie. She joins Jai Courtney, who played the rowdy Captain Boomerang in the first film. It's also widely believed that Margot Robbie will return to play Harley Quinn for the third time, although that hasn't been officially confirmed by the studio yet.

Viola Davis returning as Amanda Waller potentially provides The Suicide Squad with an enemy for the titular team of villains to face off again. David Ayer's Oscar winning movie showed what Waller was calculating, manipulative, and steadfast in her beliefs. She was willing to kill the Squad as well as her own team in order to accomplish her goals, and make it out of the conflict with The Enchantress alive.

Suicide Squad's post-credits scene also saw Amanda Waller come face to face with Ben Affleck's Batman. What's more, she knew his true identity as Bruce Wayne. But with Affleck officially hanging up his cowl and cape, we probably won't see this plot line come to fruition. But at least Oscar and Emmy winner Viola Davis is returning to bring life to Waller once more.

It should be interesting to see who else returns for The Suicide Squad. Idris Elba is taking on the role of Deadshot, while it's also been reported that James Gunn is bringing new characters into the team. We'll just have to wait and see.

Viola Davis' potential involvement in The Suicide Squad is fascinating, and might tease what James Gunn has in store for his upcoming DC debut. The writer/director reportedly wants to approach the blockbuster more like a reboot than a sequel, not necessarily picking up the narrative after the first film. This seems like a great idea considering the movie's disappointment performance, and would allow Gunn to do some world-building and assemble a motley crew of comic book characters.

James Gunn's reported commitment to a full reboot gained steam with Idris Elba's casting as Deadshot. Will Smith's performance as the character was one of Suicide Squad's stronger points, so having him return to the role seems like a no brainer. But he ultimately tapped out, leaving room for Elba to take on the mantle. Since then, DC fans waited to see what other characters could be recast.

But so far Deadshot is the only character who will be played by a new actor. What's more, James Gunn is reportedly bringing back a variety of characters from the first film for The Suicide Squad, including Captain Boomerang and Amanda Waller. Margot Robbie's Harley seems like an obvious choice to help roundup the cast, although she'll first appear in Birds of Prey (And the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn).

Amanda Waller's inclusion in The Suicide Squad also makes a great deal of sense, as the Viola Davis' character didn't actually change much throughout the course of the first movie. When Enchantress is taken down by the motley crew of characters, Waller seems just as dedicated to her cause. And while the titular team was given a decade off their sentences and some special privileges, they were all promptly sent back to Belle Reve at Waller's behest.

If The Suicide Squad's narrative is at all influenced by the events of the first movie, Amanda Waller should be floating on her success. The concept of the Squad worked out in the end, even if her treatment of Enchantress was also the cause of the conflict. Since then, there have been even more superheroic events from Justice League, Aquaman, and even Shazam! It seems the DCEU needs Waller's team of villains more than ever. At least, that's what she'd want the authorities to think.

James Gunn signed onto The Suicide Squad before Disney welcomed him back to the fold for Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. As such, his DC movie should come to theaters before the Guardians get their eventual threequel. And he seems like an inspired choice to take on the franchise, as he's clearly demonstrated a knack for ensemble comic book movies with a motley crew of underdogs. So perhaps he'll be able to bring the Suicide Squad to where the team deserves.

The first trailer for David Ayer's Suicide Squad was hot fire, as "Bohemian Rhapsody" played to accompany the wild characters and action shots. Unfortunately, that same energy failed to transfer to the final cut, although the movie still made great money, won an Oscar for makeup, and kickstarted a spinoff and eventual sequel.

The Suicide Squad is currently set to arrive in theaters on August 6th, 2021. In the meantime, check out our 2019 release list to plan your next trip to the movies.

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The Cute Homage Peter Parker Pays To Tony Stark In New Far From Home Trailer

The Cute Homage Peter Parker Pays To Tony Stark In New Far From Home Trailer

Warning: SPOILERS for Avengers: Endgame are in play. If you still want to avoid being spoiled, head on to another story and come back once you’ve seen the film.

In the wake of Avengers: Endgame’s climactic finale, the world is mourning Tony Stark’s death after he used the Infinity Gauntlet to take down Thanos and his invasion army. And one of the most prolific mourners is, undoubtedly, Peter Parker, who became a sort of son to the genius billionaire playboy philanthropist before he had a family of his own.

So obviously, when someone as influential as Tony was to Peter passes, the young hero is going to want to pay tribute to the man who helped him become an Avenger in the first place. And in Spider-Man: Far From Home’s latest trailer, we saw a fitting homage to Tony Stark, as Peter Parker now has Tony's last pair of iconic sunglasses, as you’ll see in the screenshot from the trailer below:

First seen in Avengers: Infinity War, Tony Stark had been wearing a pair of rather sharp Dita Mach-One sunglasses in his final arc in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. So naturally, upon his passing, someone had to inherit them. While his wife, Pepper Potts, or even his daughter, Morgan, might have been good heirs, seeing those shades go to Peter feels rather apt.

Despite not being an actual heir by blood, Peter Parker is the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s current heir to Tony Stark’s mantle. He even says in the new trailer, “The world needs the next Iron Man,” and looking at the rest of the trailer at hand, it looks like Peter might be keen on trying to fill that void. Though if Tony were to give him advice on the matter, he’d probably tell him not to try so hard, and to just be that friendly neighborhood Spider-Man he’s always been.

We’ll see Peter Parker undoubtedly learning some similar lessons in Spider-Man: Far From Home, as a class trip to Europe starts out like the usual fun and games, but turns into serious business. With Nick Fury and Maria Hill drafting Spider-Man into assisting Quentin Beck’s Mysterio in fighting the Elementals waging war on the continent, the usual teenager abroad antics are going to be the least of Peter’s worries on his itinerary.

And where else would be a better place for someone like Peter Parker to learn the lessons of being a hero than in a variety of beautiful European settings? We don’t know where we’d suggest as alternatives, but we do suggest that you watch the Spider-Man: Far From Home trailer again (or for the first time) below:

You still have some time to prepare for Spider-Man: Far From Home, as it takes its first bows on July 2, with tickets now available for opening weekend showings. Which means you have plenty of time to see Avengers: Endgame, which is currently in theaters.

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Chris Pratt, Bryce Dallas Howard And More Are Returning For The Jurassic World Ride

Chris Pratt, Bryce Dallas Howard And More Are Returning For The Jurassic World Ride

After the Jurassic Park ride had an over 20-year run in Universal Studios, the attraction became extinct last year to give way for an upgrade reflecting the current Jurassic World movies. Ahead of the new ride opening its gates sometime this summer, it has been revealed that a few of the franchise's stars will be part of the Jurassic World - The Ride experience.

Chris Pratt’s Owen Grady, Bryce Dallas Howard’s Claire Dearing and BD Wong’s Dr. Henry Wu will each reprise their Jurassic World roles for the upcoming ride, which will feature an original storyline. The cast will offer facts and information about the dinos (presumably as guests wait in line) and may have roles in the interactions with the prehistoric creatures on the ride itself.

This is an exciting addition to the upcoming ride! It always helps with the immersion in the experience when your favorite characters get to tag along, and Jurassic World - The Ride is doing just that. Additionally, the new Universal attraction will feature the Aquatic Mosasaurus in a massive aquarium observatory appearing to be 60 feet in length, 30K pounds and enclosed in 3.5 million gallons of water.

Industrial Light & Magic assisted in giving spectators an authentic view of the Mosasaurus. The creature’s tank will have different lighting depending on the time of day it is visited. The trailer for the ride offered a sneak peek of Mosasaurus, along with a sure appearance from T-Rex. Take a look:

The ride will also see the opening gates and outside landscapes and will feature additional appearances from the more gentle Stegosaurus and Parasaurolophus before encounters with Velociraptors and Dilophosaurus disrupt the peace. Jurassic World - The Ride will still have guests boarding rafts and finishing their journey on a 84-foot waterfall drop at the end as the previous version did. This time it looks like riders will be escaping a battle between T-Rex and “new behemoth dinosaurs.”

Along with the redesigned ride, there will be a “Raptor Encounter” next to it, which will include Blue meeting with guests. “Dino Play” will be an area catered to kids exploring and finding giant dino fossils in the Universal land as well.

The ride comes right in between the success of Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom last year and the upcoming third film coming in June 2021. The main cast will soon be returning to close out the trilogy after the dramatic events of the sequel, and could potentially feature the return of some of the original Jurassic Park cast.

Universal Studios has not yet given a specific open date for Jurassic World - The Ride, except for indicating it will come in the summer. The park also has a special Dark Arts at Hogwarts experience going on over at its Wizarding World of Harry Potter area, including a new show projected on Hogwarts Castle.

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Star Trek’s Zachary Quinto Is Still Hoping To Play Spock Again

Star Trek’s Zachary Quinto Is Still Hoping To Play Spock Again

Star Trek found new life on the big screen when J.J. Abrams brought the franchise back with a new timeline in 2009. That film's success spawned a pair of sequels and we were expecting a fourth film to come along in short order. However, the most recent word is that the film is not currently an active concern for the studio. Having said that, Zachary Quinto certainly hopes that he gets a chance to play Spock again at some point.

When recently asked by Vulture about the status of Star Trek 4, not to be confused with The Voyage Home, Zachary Quinto stated that he had no idea what the plan for the franchise was at this point, though he made it clear that he certainly wants a fourth movie to happen, saying...

I don’t know what’s happening with that, and I’m trying to figure out what, if anything, will be the future for it. I feel glad that the franchise is having its own life continuing on [with Star Trek: Discovery] and my hope is that we’ll also get to go back and play those roles again. But there’s no telling right now if it’ll happen or not.

Almost as soon as Star Trek Beyond hit theaters we were expecting a fourth film to get the green light. Franchise producer J.J. Abrams was already talking about an idea that would have brought Chris Hemsworth, who had a cameo in the first film as the father of James T. Kirk, back into the series, and everybody seemed very excited. Director S.J. Clarkson was brought on to direct the film and everything appeared to be going smoothly.

However, it seems that because Star Trek Beyond had a somewhat lackluster box office, Paramount Pictures was looking to save money and wanted Chrises Pine and Hemsworth to take pay cuts for the project. Negotiations stalled out, and from there what had seemed to be a promising new movie appears to have fallen apart.

Chris Hemsworth has recently stated that, in the end, he didn't think there was enough of a reason to move forward with the film, and so he decided to walk away from it.

Star Trek as a franchise certainly isn't going anywhere. As Zachary Quinto mentions, Star Trek: Discovery, which includes his character Spock, though played by a different actor, is still keeping the popular brand going. It seems almost certain that we will get more Star Trek on the big screen at some point, but we simply have no idea what form that will take.

Quentin Tarantino has mentioned an idea for a Star Trek movie that looks like it has as good a shot as anything of getting made, though it's unclear if his idea would include the current movie cast or not.

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