Dumb and Dumber To - First Trailer

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

The Purge: Anarchy delayed by Universal

Universal's upcoming release, The Purge: Anarchy, has received almost a full month delay from June 20th to July 18th. This is an attempt to avoid some box office competition as the film was originally set to face-off against Think Like a Man Too and Jersey Boys. It will now compete with Jupiter Ascending and Disney's Planes: Fire and Rescue.

I often wonder if these release shifts are even worth it in the end given the amount of money it takes to reprint posters, re-edit trailers, etc.. But whatever. It seems to be the way of things now.

Godzilla - Full Trailer

We have the first, full-length trailer for Godzilla set to hit theaters this May. I wasn't totally on board, but I will admit I kind of am now. It looks pretty legit.

Most anticipated films of 2014

With the year wrapping up shortly it is that time to look ahead and see what we have coming to us in 2014. We won't be getting as many blockbusters as 2015 will have in store, but we are still expecting some major releases. Here are my most anticipated films of 2014:

February:

The LEGO Movie
The Monument's Men

March:

Veronica Mars
Nymphomaniac: Part One
Noah
The Raid: Berandal

April:

Captain America: The Winter Soldier

May:

Godzilla
X-Men: Days of Future Past
Maleficent

June:

22 Jump Street

July:

Dawn of the Planet of the Apes

August:

Guardians of the Galaxy
Sin City: A Dame to Kill For
Jessabelle

November:

Interstellar
Dumb & Dumber To
The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 1
Horrible Bosses 2


Not a bad list for what we have official as of right now. A couple movies shifted from 2014 to 2015, like Fast & Furious 7 and Fifty Shades of Grey, so hopefully this list stays accurate and we don't get any surprise delays.

Here's to a better 2014! Happy new year, everyone.

Frank Grillo joins The Purge 2

Universal sure isn't wasting any time with The Purge 2, that's for sure. Frank Grillo has joined the cast in a lead role that is unspecified as of right now. The film has already received a release date of June 20, 2014 so all of the prep and filming needs to be quick to make that date. Grillo has recently starred in Warrior and Homefront and will be seen in Captain America: The Winter Soldier.

The Purge told the story of a society that suspended all law and order for one night out of the year to purge criminals and deviants. It did fairly well at the box office and even earned its own "scare zone" at Universal Studios Halloween Horror Nights in Hollywood. There are no immediate details on exactly what the sequel will be about, but I don't think it will be much different.

Planet of the Apes takes Fast & Furious 7 release date

Fox has shifted its schedule a bit to cater to the delay of Fast & Furious 7. Dawn of the Planet of the Apes has shifted and will now be released on July 11, 2014, the slated release weekend of Fast & Furious 7. Planet of the Apes previously had a release date of July 18th. There is still no news on exactly when Fast & Furious 7 will resume filming, so my guess is a late 2014 release date or a push all the way to 2015. Even with that said, Universal still hasn't announced an official release date shift so as of right now the plan is to still have Fast and Furious on July 11th. Obviously Fox doesn't think they'll make it either.

Universal moving forward with The Purge 2

Universal has sent a release announcing a sequel to The Purge, which was released this past summer, is officially getting a sequel. The sequel will be released on June 20, 2014.

If you didn't see The Purge, which still includes me, it is a thriller about when crime is legalized for one night out of the year to ensure peace for the other 364 days. A family is put in danger after they rescue an injured citizen during the purge. I haven't seen it yet for the sheer fact that it took forever to go on Netflix and I bumped movies ahead of it.
The Purge did seem to be a success, though. Universal Studios Hollywood even picked it up and create a "scare zone" during Halloween Horror Nights. A sequel isn't necessarily surprising.

Here is the trailer:

Paramount at odds with Darren Aronofsky

Darren Aronofsky's biblical epic, Noah, has hit a crossroads with Paramount Pictures. After disappointing test screenings of the film, Paramount is wanting to change the final cut of the film and Aronofsky is not too pro on the idea. He has enjoyed success, including Oscar attention, from films such as Black Swan, The Wrestler, and Requiem for a Dream. However, his independent style is clashing with a company that wants a blockbuster hit at the box office.

Noah had a budget of $130 million and managed to draw an impressive cast including Russell Crowe, Logan Lerman, Emma Watson, Jennifer Connelly, and Anthony Hopkins. Given the subject matter, Paramount chose to do the test screenings with largely religious audiences including a screening in a largely Jewish area in New York, a mostly Christian audience in Arizona, and a control group in Orange County. All three areas reported concerns and troubling responses from the viewers and has prompted the studio to want to change the film. Darren Aronofsky has been unresponsive so far.

At this point there is no telling how this one will end or if Noah will make its planned release date on March 28, 2014.

Fifty Shades of Grey loses Charlie Hunnam

All the fangirls who were complaining can rejoice all at once.

Charlie Hunnam was the lucky one to sign on last month to play Christian Grey in the film adaptation of Fifty Shades of Grey. However, he has reportedly dropped out of the project.
Universal released the following statement:

“The filmmakers of FIFTY SHADES OF GREY and Charlie Hunnam have agreed to find another male lead given Hunnam’s immersive TV schedule which is not allowing him time to adequately prepare for the role of Christian Grey.”

Filming for the adaptation was supposed to begin later this month to meet the August 1, 2014 release date, but with this announcement that could change if they can't find an immediate replacement for Hunnam. This does make sense as Hunnam has a very busy schedule with Sons of Anarchy and that role requires him to maintain a specific look for an extended period of time.
I'm not upset that he dropped out because I think this movie would have ruined his career. Bottom line. He can do better things and not have the Fifty Shades stigma looming over him like Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson are still living with the Twilight stigma. It lasts a long time. Hell, people still pigeonhole Sigourney Weaver for Alien and that came out in 1979.

How much you want to bet people are going to immediately go out and start demanding Matt Bomer again.


Adios, Charlie. You have chosen wisely. 

Horrible Bosses 2 gets 2014 release date

Horrible Bosses 2 has received an official release date!

Sean Anders' sequel to the hilarious 2011 comedy will be released on November 26, 2014. It will face-off against the Fox animated film, Home, at the box office and will try to take away the second weekend numbers from The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 1. The sequel will have returning actors Jason Bateman, Charlie Day, and Jason Sudeikis and has been written by John Morris and Sean Anders.

I personally loved Horrible Bosses so I am really excited for more. I am a bit curious how they are going to do this, though. Are they now the hated bosses or do they have new bosses to hate on?

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles pushed to August 2014

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles has been delayed about two months from June 6, 2014 to August 8, 2014. The new adaptation, directed by Jonathan Liebesman, will now face-off against the new Dracula film and The Hundred-Foot Journey. Apparently the push is to separate TMNT from Transformers 4 so each film can enjoy decent profits from toys and other merchandise.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles stars Megan Fox, Will Arnett, William Fichtner, Alan Ritchson, Noel Fisher, Jeremy Howard, and Pete Ploszek.