Shia LaBeouf arrested at Cabaret performance

Add a new chapter to the "Shia LaBeouf is fucking weird" book as he was just arrested in New York City during a performance of the long-standing musical, Cabaret.

LaBeouf was apparently causing a disturbance during the first act of the performance including smoking cigarettes, shouting, and who knows what else. The 28-year old was escorted out of Studio 54 in handcuffs at intermission. After in handcuffs he was apparently incoherent and was later masked by police due to excessive spitting. He has been charged with two counts of disorderly conduct and one count of trespassing. He has a court date scheduled for July 24th.
Apparently observers saw LaBeouf chasing a homeless man on the street in a ripped t-shirt prior to the performance as well as people saying he was stumbling around looking confused. One onlooker was skeptical that he was practicing for a role because it seemed like he was acting and was not genuinely drunk or on drugs.

I don't know what the hell is this guy's problem is. He is always a hot mess in some way or another and I feel he is just doing it for attention at this point. Sorry you ruined your own career, man. Stop bothering everyone.

Bond 24 production delayed

Shooting of Bond 24 was scheduled to begin in October so it could meet the November 5, 2015 release date, but the project has now received a delay until December. The studio is citing extensive rewrites to the script as the reason for the setback.

Writers Neal Purvis and Robert Wade left the world of 007 after Skyfall and handed the reigns over to John Logan to write the script for Bond 24. It seems as though that was a mistake as Purvis and Wade have been brought back in to rewrite the script for to give it more "punch." Apparently this includes amping up the relationship between Bond and Miss Moneypenny (aka, Naomi Harris), placing in more gags, and a more involved interaction between Bond and Ralph Fienne's version of M. The pair previously worked on The World is Not Enough, Die Another Day, Casino Royale, Quantum of Solace, and Skyfall.

I wouldn't let this worry anyone. Skyfall was 100% awesome and it ended on a very high note. Not to mention Sam Mendes is returning to direct Bond 24. Even if the release date receives a slight delay I don't think this is a bad thing at all.

Pacific Rim 2 announced for 2017

Guillermo del Toro is bringing us back to Pacific Rim in 2017 for a second installment. Despite a disappointing box office result, Pacific Rim did gain a decent amount of positive reviews and a lot of people did like it. It was rumored that a sequel was in the works back in October of last year, but things are now official.

Pacific Rim is switching from Warner Bros. to Universal after Universal acquired Legendary Pictures last year. Zak Penn will also takeover on writing and will replace Travis Beacham while Guillermo del Toro will return to direct. Universal announced an April 7, 2017 release.

Kristen Stewart not returning for Snow White and the Huntsman 2

After the departure of director Rupert Sanders it seems that Universal has settled on a director for the Snow White and the Huntsman sequel. He is former Walking Dead showrunner, Frank Darabont. In addition to Darabont entering negotiations to direct, we also learned that Kristen Stewart is not returning for the sequel.

Snow White and the Huntsman opened back in 2012 to so-so reviews and it was severely overshadowed by the affair between Sanders and Stewart which resulted in a divorce for Sanders and a break-up for Stewart. I think most people went to see this movie primarily for that reason, but that's just a theory.
News that Stewart is apparently being omitted from the sequel isn't really a surprise for a couple reasons. First off, Universal announced over a year ago they had basically dropped her from the future films due to the drama that surrounded her at that time. The initial story then was they decided to move forward with a spin-off about the Huntsman (aka, Chris Hemsworth) instead of pursuing further projects with Stewart. In addition to that, since the famous affair that basically ruined her post-Twilight high, she has had only two film appearances with absolutely none in 2013. Her last credit prior to 2014 was The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 2 which was released in November 2012. She has recently starred in Camp X-Ray where she portrayed an Army guard in Guantanamo Bay and she was hit at Cannes last month for her portrayal of an actress' young assistant in Clouds of Sils Maria. She's currently filming American Ultra where she is reuniting with co-star Jesse Eisenberg. Point being... it is possible that Universal came back around to her and she declined. I don't think I would blame her if that is the case. I would imagine Snow White holds some bad memories and karma.

As far as Frank Darabont goes, he is a somewhat surprising addition to this project. He has apparently beat out directors Gavin O'Conner and Andres Muschietti for the job and is on board with expanding the Huntsman without any help from Kristen Stewart. It's no doubt going to be difficult to restart this Snow White tale without their leading lady. Lucky for Darabont and Universal, Chris Hemsworth has a big enough fanbase to fill theater seats.

Universal is apparently hoping for a 2016 release for Snow White and the Huntsman 2. What do you guys think about a Stewart-less Snow White adaptation? Even more important, how do you think Darabont will do?
I personally wasn't the biggest fan of Snow White and the Huntsman. It definitely won the 2012 cake in the sense that it was a lot more enjoyable than Mirror, Mirror but that still doesn't mean it was great. The best part about the entire flick was Charlize Theron. Kristen Stewart was miscast in the first place, so I think it's best that she has since departed this franchise. 

Dermot Mulroney joins Insidious: Chapter 3

Leigh Whannell announced via Twitter today that longtime actor Dermot Mulroney has joined the cast of Insidious: Chapter 3. There are no character descriptions just yet, but Whannell states he will have a lead role.

I'm not embarrassed to say the first thing I thought of when I read this was, "it's Michael from My Best Friend's Wedding!" The truth is Mulroney has been acting since 1986 and has 85 acting credits to his name. He's appeared in The Grey, J. Edgar, Young Guns, and much more. He also has television credits for The Batman, New Girl, Friends, and Enlightened. I think he will be a good fit for this franchise.

[Rumor] Oscar Isaac to make up for lack of Han Solo

The Star Wars rumors just keep on trucking along.

The newest thing to hit is that Oscar Isaac's role is going to be expanded to make up for a lack of Harrison Ford in Episode VII. Due to Ford's injury sustained on set, the script has gone through a minor rewrite to expand other characters to make up for his absence. The initial info we got was that Han Solo was a major character and was going to be in the film a lot. But, with Ford's injury keeping him sidelined for at least 8-weeks it is very possible that instead of delaying production they just decided to expand other characters.
What this says to me, if it's true, is that Isaac's character is on Solo's side. If he's taking over some of the responsibilities that would have been on Ford I assume their characters must be pretty similar or it wouldn't work.

Other sources are claiming that Isaac won't take on more responsibilities but that production is just shifting the order of things to save a majority of Ford's scenes until later on. Basically... what was set to be filmed later will be filmed sooner and vice versa.











Source

New teaser surfaces for Mockingjay - Part 1

We are finally starting to get some teasers for The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 1. Today we received a message from the Capitol and President Snow. You also see a familiar face standing with him. If you read the book you will know why it makes me sad.





It's about time we started getting more than irrelevant promotional posters. I am still somewhat in shock that we haven't received a trailer yet. Give us a teaser or something! Something more than just a message from President Snow. Footage. We need footage! 
But with that said, there are whispers that a teaser will premiere before Transformers: Age of Extinction this weekend, so the wait might be almost over. We will no doubt get a trailer at Comic-Con later in July, too.

The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 1 hits theaters on November 21st. Part 2 holds a release date of November 20th, 2015.

Star Wars Episode VII could be delayed

Disney has been pretty insistent that Episode VII will make its December 2015 release date despite the injury to Harrison Ford. New rumors circling around the project are contradicting this saying it's very likely the film won't make the release date.

Harrison Ford was released from a London hospital today after receiving surgery for a broken leg sustained on the set. We learned last week that the injury would sideline Ford for a minimum of 8 weeks. Disney immediately came out to make a statement saying the release date was not in jeopardy and that filming was set to resume as normal. ScreenCrush is claiming that a production meeting in England raised concerns and proposed a delay of the film's release to allow Ford proper time to recuperate.
Disney has not commented on this incident again, so take this as a rumor. Either way there is bound to be some scheduling issues with Ford out of the picture for two months. He apparently had a major role in the film, so unless they can do a quick re-write to incorporate the injury or back-off his involvement, I'm sure the usage of body doubles is bound to happen unless they are willing to delay production.

This isn't the first time this has happened, either. As many online are stating, a similar event happened during filming of Iron Man 3 when Robert Downey Jr. broke his ankle on set. Filming shut down for a week and then resumed with the usage of body doubles for wide shots and scenes that didn't involve Downey so he could heal as much as possible.
If they do wind up having to delay the release it would be somewhat funny and ironic because director J.J. Abrams initially had squabbles with Disney over the release date. He claimed a December 2015 release was too quick and they needed to delay to 2016. If they slap a delay on Episode VII I don't think Abrams will necessarily be unhappy. It might be a blessing in disguise.

Nathan Fillion to have Guardians of the Galaxy cameo

Despite director James Gunn already shooting down the character of Nova Prime, Nathan Fillion has been confirmed to have a "fun" cameo in Guardians of the Galaxy.

Fillion is a longtime collaborator with Gunn as they've worked together on Slither, PG-Porn, and Super. Gunn also went on to specify that the cameo is being done as a favor to him. SO with that said, there is no information on exactly who or what Fillion will be appearing as, but it is sure to be enjoyable. You might recognize him from television shows such as Castle, Firefly, and Buffy the Vampire Slayer. He's also done voice work for Robot Chicken, Halo 3, Halo: Reach, and King of the Hill. We will find out when Guardians of the Galaxy hits theaters on August 1st.

Daniel Radcliffe wants to be Batman's sidekick

LOL

Daniel Radcliffe, you know the kid who played Harry Potter, has made it public that he would love to play Robin in a new reboot of Batman stating he thinks he'd be perfect for the role.
During a rapid-fire Q&A with Buzzfeed, he was asked which franchise he would join if prompted and had a choice. Radcliffe answered quickly with Batman saying he'd love to play Robin.

I don't know if it's just because the guy is like 5'5" or what, but I laughed for minutes after reading this. I'm not totally ragging on Radcliffe here because he has proven he has a lot more to offer than Harry Potter. He has been very successful on Broadway and has had other performances in film that weren't all bad. Also good for him for overcoming a severe drinking problem and looking healthy once again. I just don't see him as Robin at all. No way. Not even a little bit.

Rian Johnson to direct Star Wars Episode VIII

Rian Johnson has been confirmed to write the script for Star Wars: Episode VIII and also will write a treatment for Star Wars: Episode IX. Johnson will apparently be directing VIII and potentially IX as well, so I guess that means J.J. Abrams will walk away after Episode VII.

Episode VII will no doubt lay the groundwork for Episodes VIII and IX in terms of catching us up on Luke, Leia, and Han as well as introducing all of our new characters. This is somewhat interesting because a lot of people, including myself, assumed that J.J. Abrams was taking over Star Wars and would be directing the new trilogy in its entirety. However, with Johnson being involved with the last two episodes as a writer and director this could prevent a lot of hurdles that have come into play with VII, so far. The main example is writer Michael Arndt being booted from the film and having the script completely re-written by Lawrence Kasdan and J.J. Abrams. With Johnson writing both VIII and IX, that will boost up continuity and severely decreases the risk of massive re-writes and firings.

If you're unfamiliar with Rian Johnson you can't really be blamed because he only has three directing credits (Looper, The Brother's Bloom, Brick) and a couple television credits (Breaking Bad, Terriers). His writing credits are just as small and the only include the three movies he's directed and a couple short films. I was personally disappointed with Looper, but I think he has the potential to make decent Star Wars movies. It seems that Disney is mainly seeking out directors with a science fiction background, so they're at least trying to stick to the genre.

Standalone Batman film rumored for 2019

It looks as though we will have to wait another 5 years to see another Batman film.

Latino Review claims that Warner Bros/DC are continuously trying to model themselves after Marvel Studios in the sense of looking ahead. Disney and Marvel already confirmed that they are working on plans through the year 2028 while Warner Bros. and DC Comics plans seem to end just in the next couple years. We recently received a possible leak of the studios' Comic-Con plans to announce films through 2018, but that still puts them 10-years behind the curve.
Apparently there are whispers that Ben Affleck will suit up on his own for a standalone Batman film in 2019. If the Comic-Con leak is true it would be the next release after Man of Steel 2 is 2018. It would also make Affleck the oldest actor to portray Bruce Wayne as he will be 47 in 2019.

If this is true (keep in mind this is a rumor) it would give a potential filming date of 2017 after Justice League is released. It would also be the first standalone Batman since Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight Rises was released back in 2012.
We will see Batman next in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice which is currently set for release on May 6, 2016.

The real reason behind Jupiter Ascending's delay

I don't think it necessarily disappointed anyone that the newest Wachowski Siblings film, Jupiter Ascending, was unexpectedly delayed but we now have some information as to why it was.

According to Yahoo! Movies, the studio decided to scrap the July 2014 opening after test screenings documented a large number of complaints about the film's incomplete digital effects and wacky plot. WB President of Worldwide Marketing and Distribution Sue Kroll and other film executives also saw the film and decided it wasn't quite ready for release.
Jupiter Ascending is already sitting on a $175 million budget and the cost of the fixes that need to be made and general marketing costs to delaying a film is no doubt going to skyrocket it even higher. The estimated figure for the new worldwide marketing alone is $100 million. Not to mention the film already has gone through two reshoot schedules this past January and April to clarify plot points and gain extra footage.

This isn't the first time Warner Bros. has delayed a film feeling it wasn't quite completed. Studios have recently become more apt to delay a film, despite the ridiculous cost to the studio, to ensure a better product in the end. The CEO of Framestore, who did the effects for Jupiter Ascending, backed this up citing examples such as Gravity and 300: Rise of an Empire. Gravity was completed a year prior to its release and 300 was delayed several months as the studio received complaints that the film's effects were not ready.
Warner Bros. no doubt remains hopeful that this delay will gain more interest for Jupiter Ascending. I saw a preview for this before Godzilla and I thought it looked ridiculously stupid. The effects looked bad and I'm sorry, but Channing Tatum shouldn't be in a film like this.
It also is leaving a big gap in the schedule for the studio's films. Godzilla did well, but both Blended and Edge of Tomorrow did not do as well as expected. Edge of Tomorrow isn't even close to breaking even on its $175 million budget. This also hurts the Wachowski's as their previous two films (Speed Racer and Cloud Atlas) were complete bombs at the box office. Jupiter Ascending was supposed to be their big return to the sci-fi genre.

First image of Fifty Shades of Grey

Here is a first glimpse of Jamie Dornan as Christian Grey in the upcoming adaptation of EL James' erotic novel Fifty Shades of Grey.

Fifty Shades follows Anastasia Steele, a young college student who enters a sexual contract with a young BDSM practicing billionaire. Anastasia is being played by Dakota Johnson and the film also stars Rita Ora, Luke Grimes, Marcia Gay Harden, Jennifer Ehle, and more. Fifty Shades of Grey is set to hit theaters on February 13, 2015.
There is no telling how well this movie will be received, but there was a rumor that there would be both an R-rated version and an NC-17 version. There are also no projected release dates for Fifty Shades Darker and Fifty Shades Freed (aka, adaptations of the second and third books). I would imagine we'll get a trailer, or at least a teaser, for Fifty Shades of Grey before too long seeing that the release is like 6 months away.

The Flash - Extended Trailer

The CW keeps jumping on the DC bandwagon and here is an extended trailer for the upcoming series, The Flash. It is kind of a crossover show with Arrow, starring Stephen Amell, and it premieres this Fall.




I honestly don't know how I missed this trailer as it hit like a month ago, but what can you do. I think it looks more interesting and well done than I expected, but I don't think I am going to watch it. My history with CW shows hasn't been very good. I still haven't watched Arrow, either.

Guardians of the Galaxy - International Trailer

Welcome to the final trailer I am watching for Guardians of the Galaxy.

Kathryn Bigelow developing Bowe Bergdahl movie

Of course this is happening.

Oscar-winning director Kathryn Bigelow and writer Mark Boal are evidently developing a film about the recently obtained American "POW" Bowe Bergdahl. Bigelow has a history of military and police themed movies including The Hurt Locker, K-19: The Widowmaker, Point Break, and Zero Dark Thirty.
If you live under a rock and haven't heard about this guy, he was apparently captured by the Taliban in Afghanistan back in 2009. He was recently recovered after President Obama traded 5 terrorist detainees from Guantanamo Bay back to Qatar for the Army sergeant. The swap was quickly met with controversy as fellow soldiers from Bergdahl's unit claim he was not captured but abandoned his post and went AWOL to join the Taliban. Bergdahl is currently recovering at Fort Sam Houston in Texas.

This projhect will apparently be featured under Boal's new production company, Page One, and Bigelow will direct. There is no telling which angle this film will approach the Bergdahl controversy or what will happen with this guy from now until this film would be released. There are lots of people calling for him to face court-martial and be tried by the US Army for going AWOL.
Apparently these two have been following this story for quite sometime and have been working on a script. Similar things happened with Zero Dark Thirty as Bigelow was following the US search for Osama Bin Laden and had Boal rewrite the script after he was killed by US Navy SEALS.

Either way this is a ways away as Bigelow is currently set to direct The True American, a story of an immigrant from Bangladesh who was maimed in an attack by an American seeking revenge for 9/11. Tom Hardy is set to star as the American inmate, Mark Stroman, but a start date has not been officiated. 

Harrison Ford out for 8 weeks?

It was confirmed last week that Harrison Ford sustained an ankle injury during on the set of Star Wars Episode VII. He was reported to be receiving care at a local hospital after a set piece fell on him. There is news now that the injury could sideline him for up to 8 weeks.

Rumors stated that it was the door of the Millennium Falcon that landed on Ford at Pinewood Studios in England, but that hasn't been confirmed. He was airlifted to an area hospital where he's been recuperating. Due to the project's ensemble cast filming has resumed as normal, but with this news there is no telling how long they can postpone any scenes with Han Solo. But with the magic of body doubles and and CGI I don't think this is anything to fret over.

[Updated] Steve Martin to return for Father of the Bride 3

Steve Martin is apparently returning to the loveable nutcase George Banks for a third installment of Father of the Bride. The first film, also starring Diane Keaton and Kimberly Williams-Paisley, came out over 20-years ago and had a sequel released in 1995. It was a 90's remake of the 1950 film about a father's financial and emotional struggles over his daughter getting married. This twist for this upcoming wedding is the bride is now Banks' gay son, Matty.

Matty Banks was originally played by Kieran Culkin and if he returns this wouldn't be the first time he has portrayed a gay character. He was Scott Pilgrim's cool gay roommate Wallace Wells in Scott Pilgrim vs The World. The buzz on this new story is about George's struggle with his son marrying a Navy SEAL's son. He acts so out of sorts that Nina (played by Diane Keaton) kicks him out of the house.
There is no telling whether this is actually happening and if all the original cast members would return. In order to attempt the same charm we would no doubt have to see Franck and Howard (aka, Martin Short and B.D. Wong) organize yet another event for the Banks family.

I thought the two Father of the Bride movies were funny as hell and I still get laughs out of them if I watch them now. However, I think this is rather stupid. I'm not a very political person or anything like that, but this seems like another desperate attempt by Hollywood to prove that they are LGBT friendly. Add in the recent confirmation that Gobber from How to Train Your Dragon 2 is gay (plus the gay jock brother in ParaNorman) it just keeps pushing along. Plus, wouldn't the title "Father of the Bride" be rather offensive? Shouldn't it be Father of the Groom?
Not to mention Father of the Bride Part 2 is just about 20-years old meaning the child that Annie and Brian had is college-aged and might even be grandparents already. Hell, the child that George and Nina had would be the same age. The timeline is just lame and there is absolutely no reason to make another film. I am not on board with this.


UPDATE:  This was news to Steve Martin as well and he pretty much shot this down as a rumor. He posted on Twitter, "So excited to read I'm doing Father of the Bride 3 since I haven't seen a script or been offered the role!"

Jason Momoa to play Aquaman in Batman v Superman

Game of Thrones veteran Jason Momoa is rumored to have been cast to play Aquaman in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. The role will apparently expand into Justice League and maybe more.

Momoa was previously rumored for the role of Doomsday in the DC Universe, so I don't know if I would take this too seriously just yet. The plot that is circling around states that Lex Luthor (to be played by Jesse Eisenberg) will attempt to turn Metropolis against Superman after the destructive events in Man of Steel. Aquaman (aka, Arthur Curry) comes in after his irritation about General Zod's destruction in the Indian Ocean with the World Engine

I personally think Momoa is an interesting choice for Aquaman. By interesting I mean weird. He doesn't resemble the comic character one bit and I just don't think he's the right fit for this specific character. This is how we are used to seeing Aquaman:

 

Now, take a look at Jason Momoa:

The guy was previously rumored for the role of Drax the Destroyer in Guardians of the Galaxy, but that role went to Dave Bautista. He has also starred in the rather terrible reboot of Conan the Barbarian along with shows like Game of Thrones, Stargate: Atlantis, and Baywatch.
I think he would probably suit Green Lantern a bit better than Aquaman.

Harrison Ford injured on Star Wars set

Han Solo isn't invincible after all. Harrison Ford reportedly broke his ankle on the set of Star Wars Episode VII today and is recovering in a local hospital. Rumors are already circulating that the door of the Millennium Falcon fell on him.

There are tons of rumors that Ford is a central character and has a major role, but Disney confirmed that shooting will continue despite the injury:

"Harrison Ford sustained an ankle injury during filming today on the set of Star Wars: Episode VII. He was taken to a local hospital and is receiving care. Shooting will continue as planned while he recuperates."

Well, that's a bummer.

The Amazing Spider-Man 3 pushed to 2017?

After a rather disappointing opening for The Amazing Spider-Man 2, it is a big possibility that we might have to wait an additional year to receive the third installment of the new franchise. Rumor has it that The Amazing Spider-Man 3 might be delayed until 2017.

Sony already has things locked down through The Amazing Spider-Man 4 as well as two spin-off films (aka, Sinister Six and Venom), but potentially delaying the third installment might indicate that the studio is rethinking their strategy. It currently holds a release date of June 10, 2016.
The Amazing Spider-Man 2 opened this past May and was not only knocked out of the #1 spot after just one week, but it also recorded the lowest box office numbers of the entire franchise. Yes, that includes Sam Raimi's trilogy. The film is also expected to be surpassed by X-Men: Days of Future Past which would mark the first time in history that an X-Men film beat out Spider-Man.
The script for the third film is already completed, Marc Webb is set to return to the director's chair, and production was supposed to begin later this year. However, after the overwhelmingly negative reviews of TASM2 and underwhelming box office numbers we have not seen any signs pointing to a quick start for TASM3, thus making the rumored delay somewhat feasible.

Now... if this movie is delayed it will cause a ripple effect. With Sinister Six and Venom being pushed through rather quickly, it is possible that we might see the spin-offs before the third Spider-Man. It has already been said that Sony planned to cram Sinister Six in 2016 with TASM3 as a setup for TASM4 and Venom.
Seeing that the villains were one of the biggest complaints about TASM2 I won't be surprised if one or both of the spin-offs gets scrapped. Trying to revive a quickly dying franchise with an all villain installment might not be the best move at the current moment. Seriously, when people say the villains in Spider-Man 3 were better executed you know you have a major problem. With this it is also a possibility of TASM3 being limited to one villain instead of multiples.

Either way, I think we are bound to see some changes with this franchise. It's unfortunate seeing that The Amazing Spider-Man is only two years old.

Did Warner Bros' Comic-Con plans just leak?

According to a source, Warner Bros. plans for Comic-Con have leaked a bit early. All I have to say is if this is true they are showing their desperation and showing it hard.

Apparently, the plan was to announce the release dates for upcoming DC Comics films at SDCC and to announce certain team-ups and pretty much confirm that Justice League is filming back to back with Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. Also, a hint that BvS might not be a Man of Steel sequel after all. Here is the "leaked" schedule:

• Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice will kick things off in May 2016
• Shazam will be released in July 2016
• Sandman will round out 2016 with a Christmas release
• Justice League kicks off 2017 in May
• Wonder Woman gets her own film in July 2017
• Green Lantern and The Flash team up for a film at Christmas 2017
• Man of Steel 2 hits theaters in May 2018

Along with this, the leak includes that  the reason BvS was delayed was so Warner Bros. could finalize contracts with actors so there can be numerous Justice League cameos in the film as a lead into the remaining 2017 films.
This all is very crammed and close together, but it isn't out of the realm of possibility. Joseph Gordon-Levitt is already attached to star in a Neil Gaiman adaptation of Sandman, so seeing a 2016 release date for that isn't too surprising. However, we have heard absolutely nothing about Shazam so that very well could be WB's big announcement at SDCC. In order for all of this to be announced with any substance, WB is no doubt rushing to finalize even more contracts to go with the announcement.
Previous rumors included a 2016 release for a Suicide Squad film, but that was apparently scrapped by the studio.

One major thing missing from this list, if it is indeed real, is a standalone Batman film. Ben Affleck has signed a multi-film contract, but there was no info on whether it was mainly as a supporting role or if he would star in a separate Batman film.
It was also included that Ryan Reynolds will not be reprising his role as Green Lantern, so they will be starting from scratch there. We already have Wonder Woman cast, so I guess we can expect to see what Gal Gadot can do on her own. We don't have any further casting regarding the Justice League or The Flash so that should be coming soon even if the solo movies are bullshit.

This is one hell of a schedule. We will see if there is any substance to all this in about a month.

First images from Jurassic World

We still have a year of waiting to do for Jurassic World, but we have our first images of the film. They aren't revealing in any way and don't feature any dinosaurs,  but we get our first glimpse at the setting and some of the cast.

Jurassic World takes place 22-years after the events of the first film in a fully functioning park on Isla Nublar. It will apparently feature new dinosaurs genetically engineered by park scientists.

Jurassic World is set for theaters on June 12, 2015. It stars Chris Pratt, Bryce Dallas Howard, Ty Simpkins, Judy Greer, Omar Sy, and Vincent D'Onofrio.

Amazon suspends pre-orders for Warner Bros merchandise

Unfortunately if you wanted to pre-order some Warner Bros. titles on Amazon you will have difficulty. The online marketplace has suspended pre-orders, including The Lego Movie, over contract and pricing disputes.

This isn't the first standoff Amazon has had recently as they have suspended sales and pre-orders of Hachette Book Group merchandise. However, this might backfire as the new JK Rowling book is set for release soon. That is no doubt a potential cash cow for Amazon seeing that they are basically telling consumers to buy elsewhere. They have also halted business with the Bonnier Media Group in Germany.
In addition to suspending the pre-orders for The Lego Movie they have also suspended sales of 300: Rise of an Empire, Transcendence, and Winter's Tale. This is basically an attempt by Amazon to gain leverage against Warner Bros. You can still purchase select Warner Bros. titles that are older releases and Amazon Instant Video is still up and running, but good luck finding any new titles. The Lego Movie isn't listed in new releases nor in the Kids and Family section and it is projected to be one of the highest selling home releases of 2014.

Dumb and Dumber To - First Trailer

I am so disappointed. This doesn't look funny at all.

The Walking Dead set through season 12

AMC is apparently not planning on ending The Walking Dead anytime soon. At a recent Producers Guild event, David Alpert stated that they are planning to run the show at least through 12 seasons.

“I happen to love working from source material, specifically because we have a pretty good idea of what season 10 is gonna be. We know where season 11 and 12…we have benchmarks and milestones for those seasons if we’re lucky enough to get there.”

Season 5 of the show is set to debut this October, but with this news I guess we can expect to keep seeing hints and premonitions for many seasons to come. It is no secret that the series has strayed from the comics a lot. However, the so-called "milestones" of the series have pretty much stayed true to the comics so far (ex. The Governor, Terminus, etc.). There is no telling how future milestones and introductions will be handled.
Screenrant has an interesting perspective and basically pointed out that in four seasons we have seen four different settings and tons of new characters. We started out with the camp and Atlanta, season two went to Hershel's farm, season three was Woodbury and the prison, and season four had the fall of the prison and the road to Terminus. The point being is, can this show survive a long-standing run if the setting is not changed up so much? There have also been complaints, especially during season four, that the show was getting very slow and boring.

I love The Walking Dead. I am saying that up front, but I don't believe this show can last too much longer. It's only as matter of time before the current characters get too old and have to die out. I liked season four when it did pick up, but as a whole it was pretty boring. I also think the introduction of characters only to kill them within the episode or an episode later is getting very annoying.
Similar to how I feel about True Blood, I am giving The Walking Dead a max of 7 seasons, maybe 8. If it goes beyond that it will just feel tired and the excitement will wear off. It's clearly starting to wear off already and how trends go these days the zombie trend will be over in a couple years anyway. There will be some new phenomenon to sweep through and grab everyone's attention.

Dumb and Dumber To poster debuts

In addition to this new poster, we are set to receive the first trailer later today on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon. The film is set for release on November 14th.

Vincent D'Onofrio cast in Daredevil

Vincent D'Onofrio has been cast as The Kingpin in the upcoming Daredevil series on Netflix. Charlie Cox was recently cast as Daredevil and he now has his nemesis.

If you're unfamiliar with The Kingpin, aka Wilson Fisk, he is a pretty big supervillain crime boss. The character was previously played by Michael Clark Duncan in the 2003 film adaptation. The character has no superhuman powers or abilities, but he is very strong. He has even thrown people across the room and is skilled in forms of combat including sumo wrestling and jujutsu. He has even defeated Spider-Man and Captain America with his bare hands.
D'Onofrio is a television and film veteran. He has starred in Law & Order: Criminal Intent for the past decade and is most recognized for his roles in Men in Black, Full Metal Jacket, Ed Wood, and The Cell. He is also starring in Jurassic World. 

Peyton Reed to direct Ant-Man

It's been a long couple weeks, but Ant-Man finally has a new director. Peyton Reed has been hired to replace Edgar Wright in the director's chair. Along with this news, we learned that director Adam McKay, who was initially rumored to have the job, is onboard as a screenwriter.

Reed hasn't directed a whole lot, but titles you might recognize are Yes Man, The Break-Up, and the semi-cult adored cheerleading comedy Bring it On. He also directed episodes of the Back to the Future television series back in 1991 as well as 13-episodes of The Weird Al Show in 1997.

Marvel also decided to release an initial synopsis for Ant-Man to try and get interest back up:

"Armed with the astonishing ability to shrink in scale but increase in strength, con-man Scott Lang must embrace his inner hero and help his mentor, Dr. Hank Pym, protect the secret behind his spectacular Ant-Man suit from a new generation of towering threats. Against seemingly insurmountable obstacles, Pym and Lang must plan and pull off a heist that will save the world."

Ant-Man is still slated for release on July 17, 2015 and stars Paul Rudd, Michael Douglas, Evangeline Lilly, Patrick Wilson, Michael Pena, and Corey Stoll.

More actors rumored for Doctor Strange

So far we have Jared Leto, Johnny Depp, and Viggo Mortensen on the rumored shortlist for the role of Doctor Strange. Now there are two new additions that have surfaced.

Apparently Marvel has added Tom Hardy and Benedict Cumberbatch to the shortlist of potential actors for this role. Both of these guys are no stranger to the sci-fi world. Hardy played Bane in The Dark Knight Rises and Eames in Inception. Cumberbatch was Khan in Star Trek Into Darkness and is also the voice of Smaug in The Hobbit.
Now, because of these two guys' fairly recent popularity they definitely have busy schedules and a very high paycheck. Due to their schedules it is likely that neither of these guys could clear their schedules for enough movies as this role would require.

I don't think we will have to wait too much longer to learn who will be leading Doctor Strange seeing that a director has already been confirmed, but the rumors just keep coming. Out of the names released so far I think Jared Leto is on the top of the list for me.

Is Robert Pattinson the new Indiana Jones?

Please note this is just a rumor. A very sad, revolting rumor.

The Daily Star in Britain is claiming that Disney is considering Robert Pattinson for the role of Indiana Jones in a new franchise. If this is true, he would be replacing Harrison Ford in the iconic role. The tabloid is insisting that Disney is seeking a young star to exercise the long-term options of the franchise and Pattinson is on the top of the list because he has proved himself beyond the Twilight franchise.
It is no secret that Disney is interested in continuing or rebooting the Indiana Jones franchise. They shelled out a ridiculous amount of money to buy the rights from Paramount and acquired a bit of the franchise with the purchase of Lucasfilm. Not to mention the Indiana Jones rides inside the Disney theme parks. However, Robert Pattinson does not belong in this franchise. Sure he looks scruffy but that is because he apparently doesn't like to shave and looks like he never showers.

It was previously rumored that Bradley Cooper was being considered for the role but nothing has come of that just yet. Pattinson is too young and just doesn't seem rugged enough. Plus, if his desire was to back away from being nothing but a franchise actor he shouldn't accept this deal or go anywhere near it. At least we hope so.

Josh Trank to direct Star Wars spin-off

Fantastic Four director Josh Trank has been hired to direct another standalone Star Wars spin-off film. It was announced by Disney that they intended to make at least three separate Star Wars films and they just are keeping the ball rolling. Godzilla director Gareth Edwards was confirmed to be directing one of them last week.

Trank hit the scene with the 2012 film Chronicle and since then has been hired to direct Fox's Fantastic Four reboot. Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy stated, "we are thrilled to welcome Josh into the family."

JJ Abrams responds to leaked Star Wars images

TMZ was busy the past couple days leaking almost 100 set photos from Star Wars Episode VII including the Millennium Falcon being built. Well, apparently being built. Director JJ Abrams has gone to Twitter to respond to the leaks:

That picture was posted on Bad Robot's Twitter page (here) and shows that he is trying to do his best to keep things a little under the tarp. It seems that the trend these days is to spoil just about everything in a movie before it's even released. This note sent by Abrams is a polite way of saying, stop stealing our shit.

Jared Leto rumored to play Doctor Strange

Add another actor to the rumor pit!

Recent Oscar winner Jared Leto is apparently being considered for the role of Doctor Strange in the upcoming movie to be directed by Scott Derrickson. If you are unfamiliar, this character has his hands mangled in an accident and begins learning mystical art to heal his injuries. He eventually becomes a Sorcerer Supreme to protect our world from magical threats. That is why rumors initially circulated that he would have a cameo in Guardians of the Galaxy and/or The Avengers: Age of Ultron.
Back to the point, Jared Leto would be a very interesting choice for this role. Stephen Strange is often compared to Tony Stark when it comes to arrogance and I don't really think Leto has that kind of self absorption in him. However, he is by no means a bad actor. He won an Oscar for Dallas Buyers Club that was well deserved and he delivered rather good performances in Panic Room, Requiem for a Dream, and Mr. Nobody as well as a nice support in American Psycho.
He has also been known to really submerge himself in his roles (similar to the so-called Heath Ledger effect). He starved himself down 28lbs for the role of Harry Goldfarb in Requiem for a Dream, he gained 62lbs for the role of Mark David Chapman in Chapter 27, and he dropped 30lbs and shaved his eyebrows for the role of Rayon in Dallas Buyers Club. 

However, with Leto kind of disappearing from Hollywood since his Oscar win and now focusing on 30 Seconds to Mars there is a possibility that he won't accept this if it is offered. It is no secret that committing to Marvel takes up a lot of time and most likely involves multiple movies and a long contract. So far in his career Leto hasn't appeared in one sequel or continuation of a film he already starred in. Truth be told his filmography only contains 22 films over the span of 19 years.
But even with all that, I don't think I would be upset if Leto was cast. I like him and I don't think I have ever been disappointed with anything I have seen him in. Just prepare to probably have 30 Seconds to Mars playing during the credits.

Ant-Man vacancy saga continues. Who will direct?

There are two conflicting sides to this bit of news today.

Initially there were reports that director Rawson Thurber was offered the director's spot for Ant-Man and quickly turned it down. There was no reasoning given and it made him the second director in a week to turn it down after director Adam McKay passed on it.
However, Jeremy Smith from AICN (Ain't it Cool News) has come out saying Thurber was never even offered the job and people need to change their stories.

Either way, Ant-Man is proving to be very difficult and with the production start date coming up fast there is no doubt that Marvel is probably scrambling at this point. My guess will be we will see either a very familiar face or someone we don't even know. With that said, I won't be surprised if we see a familiar name like Gore Verbinski or Brett Ratner. I won't like it but it won't be surprising.

Personally, I think the only other director I would like to give this one a go would be Matthew Vaughn. Between X-Men: First Class and Kick-Ass I think he would be a great fit for Ant-Man, but it probably won't happen. He's currently on as a producer for Fox's Fantastic Four reboot and will be doing press for Kingsman: The Secret Service later this year. Another one I would love to see get a chance (think about it) is Spike Jonze. Other good possibilities would be Gareth Evans, Rupert Wyatt, McG, or Jeff Wadlow.

Any directors you would like to see get a chance with Ant-Man or is this movie doomed before it even gets rolling?

Jupiter Ascending delayed until 2015

This is a rather surprising move since the release is a month and a half away, but Warner Bros. has decided to push Jupiter Ascending from July 18th to February 6, 2015. The sci-fi flick directed by the Wachowski siblings Mila Kunis and Channing Tatum.

The July release put the film against The Purge: Anarchy, Planes: Fire and Rescue, and Sex Tape so to say the weekend was crowded is not stretching it. The new release puts it against Mortdecai, Seventh Son, and Run All Night. However, I personally don't understand this move. That is how much money wasted on marketing, materials, post-production, etc.. Not to mention the fact that 2015 is much more crowded than 2014.

But at the same time I don't give a shit because this movie looks terrible. Bummer.

Batman: Arkham Knight delayed until 2015

What was supposed to be a big draw for the next-gen consoles has now been delayed. Rocksteady Studios announced that the PS4 and Xbox One release of Batman: Arkham Knight has been delayed from October 14th to an unspecified date in 2015.
This is the fourth game in the Arkham series which started with Arkham Asylum back in 2009. Since then we have received Arkham City and Arkham Origins.

Rocksteady claims that although they believe Arkham Knight is a great game, they want to make sure it is as great as it can be and if they released it on the October date they would be releasing a game they weren't happy with.

Along with the delay, we got this new trailer for the game:



This delay is coming with some mixed reviews. While most are annoyed and upset, there are some who are hoping by the time Arkham Knight is released that the prices for the PS4 and/or Xbox One are lowered. I highly doubt the latter because with this delay, Sony and Microsoft have even more time to try and put together Batman special edition bundles.

Scott Derrickson to direct Doctor Strange

Marvel pretty much just confirmed a Doctor Strange movie as director Scott Derrickson is in negotiations to direct the film.

Derrickson's filmography includes The Day the Earth Stood Still, The Exorcism of Emily Rose, Sinister, and the new release Deliver Us From Evil. Seeing this filmography it is a bit of a surprising choice. Not to mention the studio seems to be iffy on wildcards (example being Edgar Wright's departure from Ant-Man).
There is no one currently set for the lead role but rumors have previously swirled around Viggo Mortensen and Johnny Depp. No details about a potential release date have been revealed, either.

Ouija set for October release

Universal has set a release date for their upcoming horror film based on the board game, Ouija. The film will be released on October 24, 2014. The plot apparently follows a group of friends who unleash a dark, ancient spirit of the board.

Ouija stars Bates Motel alum Olivia Cooke alongside Douglas Smith and Bianca Santos. It is being put forward by Universal and Platinum Dunes along with Blumhouse and Hasbro. And just putting this out there, I am betting there will be an Ouija themed maze at Halloween Horror Nights this year. Universal doesn't skip a beat with promoting this shit.

Oliver Stone to direct film about Edward Snowden

Because naturally we can't have anything happen and not have a movie made about it.

Director Oliver Stone is attached to direct a film about NSA hacker Edward Snowden. The film will apparently be based off The Snowden Files, a novel by Luke Harding. It explores how Snowden reached the NSA ranks only to turn around and leak American secrets and information about global surveillance. Stone is hoping to start production by the end of this year as a rival Snowden film, No Place to Hide, is already in the works.

Stone is no rookie to films like this as he has directed pictures based on JFK, The Vietnam War (aka, Platoon), George W. Bush (W.), and Alexander the Great (Alexander).

Lupita Nyong'o joins Star Wars Episode VII

This had been rumored a while ago, but there is now confirmation that Oscar winner Lupita Nyong'o has joined the cast of Star Wars Episode VII. Also joining the cast is Game of Thrones star Gwendoline Christie.

Christie can also be seen in The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 2 and Nyong'o was last seen in Non-Stop alongside Liam Neeson. There is no confirmation on exactly what their roles are going to be, but this adds a bit more to the lack of female characters that was brought up when the cast was first announced.

Star Wars Episode VII set photos leak already

Leave it to TMZ. The gossip website that you can't seem to hide anything from has leaked 45 set photos from the production of Star Wars Episode VII. There are too many to post on here and they're all watermarked, so head on over to TMZ to take a look.

I hope you're all prepared to go back to Tatooine and back to some practical effects.

Maleficent - Review

In this revision of the classic tale where a young princess falls into an eternal sleep, a fairy named Maleficent explores the valley of revenge and evil after her wings are cut off.


Spoilers below, so beware if you even care. 



All I really have to say is this was a terrible movie. They ruined Disney's best villain and stomped on the remains. It was like they brainstormed ideas of how to destroy Maleficent and then took a giant CGI shit on it.
I'm not trashing Angelina Jolie's portrayal of the icon because she wasn't that bad. She looked the part and played it fairly well. However, I can't say the same for everything else. Elle Fanning was the biggest casting goof of the whole movie, making the king crazy was dumb, and making the fairies ridiculously stupid was even worse.

To spoil everything here, making Maleficent a hero was the dumbest fucking thing I have ever seen. She is the only Disney villain who was truly, deeply evil. In this one she was a good fairy who went bad because she got her heart broken. It's so lame I could spit.
Not to mention her changing her pet crow into whatever she wanted. As a result, SHE NEVER TURNED INTO A DRAGON. That is like, the most famous thing Maleficent is recognized for. Plus, Maleficent's kiss awakening Aurora instead of Philip's? Fuck that.

I just can't. If you are a fan of Maleficent at all or of the Sleeping Beauty tale, do not go see Maleficent. You will be just as mad as I am right now.