Is there or is there not a Joker sequel on the way? Over the last day there have been two conflicting reports from rival sources. So who are we to believe in a situation like this? Probably best to just go straight to the guy who would know, and that’s director Todd Phillips.
Revealing his confusion at the reports during a guild screening of Joker, Phillips shoots down talk of a Joker sequel and confirms Deadline’s report that a meeting with Warner Bros never took place…
“Yeah that was written about today, and I have to be honest, it came out of nowhere. It referred to a meeting that was never had. I thought it was anticipatory at best. Obviously, sequels have been discussed when a movie that cost $60 million made $1 billion, but we have not had any serious conversations about it.”
Phillips continued by going into the details of what would be needed before a sequel could happen. First on that list is securing a deal for Joaquin Phoenix to return. THR’s report had said Warner Bros. was exercising its option on Phoenix. Oops.
“We don’t have a deal with Joaquin, they don’t have a deal with me and the writer. I don’t know where that came from, honest to God. It’s a hard thing to refute when you don’t have a Twitter account, and you’re not really out there. You just go, ‘Ok, this will disappear in 24 hours, let’s move on.’”
So there you have it. In a few weeks or months, this report won’t mean much when Joker 2 ultimately gets a green light because it almost certainly will
“From the producer of Get Out & Us”, says the new trailer for the super-secret horror, Antebellum. Of course, any association with Jordan Peele’s blockbuster films is going to be put on blast, but one look at this footage and it’s easy to see this is more than just a cheap marketing ploy.
Janelle Monae stars in the film which we know precious little about but resembles a combination of The Shining and 12 Years a Slave. Not much is revealed here other than Monae’s character being haunted by visions merging the antebellum south and modern-day. I think it’s safe to say the lasting impact of slavery will be under the microscope here, just as Peele’s films have used genre to explore racism and other social topics.
Here’s the meager synopsis: Successful author Veronica Henley (Janelle Monáe) finds herself trapped in a horrifying reality and must uncover the mind-bending mystery before it’s too late.
The film is written and directed by Gerard Bush and Christopher Renz, with a cast that includes Kiersey Clemons, Gabourey Sidibe, Jack Huston, Jena Malone, Marque Richardson, Eric Lange, and more. Antebellum opens on April 24th 2020.
You could count 21 ways in which cop thriller 21 Bridges looks like a thousand similar movies: dirty cops, stolen drug money, political corruption, rebellious lead detective…it’s all there. But all you really need is one reason why the film holds up better than it should and that’s Chadwick Boseman in his grittiest, tougher-than-leather role yet. He stomps his way through New York City with a massive chip on his shoulder and we can’t help but want someone to dare and knock it off.
Boseman plays gunslinging NYPD detective Andre Davis, who we know is a rebel right from the beginning. We’re literally introduced to him as he’s being interrogated by Internal Affairs for a history of shooting nearly a dozen bad guys. Andre has his own moral code to live by, one forged two decades earlier when his father, a respected police officer, was murdered in the line of duty. Now Andre is constantly on the search for justice, doing whatever it takes to achieve it.
That makes him the perfect bloodhound to sniff out Ray (Taylor Kitsch) and Michael (Stephan James), a pair of small-time criminals looking for a big drug score. What they find is a stash of coke too big for them to handle, and when the police suddenly arrive it leads to shootout that ends with eight officers murdered. Andre may be considered a loose cannon by some, but he isn’t stupid. He knows his fellow officers will be looking for revenge, the mayor wants to kick this up to the feds immediately, and those two killers are going to have a tough time getting out of the city alive. The best way to do that is lockdown all of Manhattan, shut down every bridge leading in and out, block off the tunnels, guard the seaports, and find the killers before morning traffic. No mayor in the history of the world would approve that, but it makes for a pretty nifty premise and a very cool visual as the NYPD races to shut the city down.
21 Bridges may be familiar, but the ticking clock scenario it presents is a real barnburner. Directed by Game of Thrones vet Brian Kirk, the action sequences have sizzle, in particular a foot chase through the New York subway system that’ll have you forgetting much of the film was shot in Philadelphia. Violence is at a high, with Kitch’s hardened killer never more than a few minutes away from gunning somebody down. The same goes for the trigger-happy NYPD officers who are always standing in Andre’s way.
Avengers: Endgame directors Joe & Anthony Russo’s names have been all over this one, and for good reason. It’s their first major project as producers outside of Marvel, and bringing in Boseman was a smart decision. The Black Panther star projects authority and level-headedness. While other characters in the film try to label him as a hothead, his cool is what stands out amidst the chaos. Unfortunately, Boseman is surrounded by a talented supporting cast (JK Simmons, Sienna Miller, Keith David) who aren’t given a lot to work with. Adam Mervis and Matthew Michael Carnahan’s screenplay sucks the air out of the conspiracy Andre is ensnared in. The good guys and bad guys are so obvious it’s surprising they weren’t wearing white or black uniforms to identify themselves. Events unfold at a strangely accelerated pace. The killers are uncovered and cornered before too long, making the whole “lockdown” aspect seem kinda pointless, only to give way to a reveal that we all can see coming as far away as New Jersey.
Then again, I suspect not many people are going to 21 Bridges to be surprised, but to watch Boseman be the law. If that’s what you’re in for, you won’t leave disappointed. The simple truth is that movies like this have largely been relegated to VOD or Bluray release when they used to be a major part of the multiplex experience. You have the Russos and Boseman to thank for turning that around, at least for now.
Robocop Returns has…well, returned! Earlier this year we learned MGM was planning a direct sequel to Paul Verhoeven’s 1987 classic, with District 9 director Neill Blomkamp on board. Unfortunately, he dropped out to pursue a different film, leaving the entire thing in limbo. However, THR now reports the film is back on and with Little Monsters director Abe Forsythe taking over.
Forsythe will direct Robocop Returns, based on a script by the original film’s writers, Ed Neumeier and Michael Miner with Terminator: Dark Fate writer Justin Rhodes, which I think is pretty interesting given how that turned out. Because obviously MGM is treading on dangerous ground here, trying to revive an older niche franchise by ignoring everything that came after. If it didn’t work for Terminator, why would it work for Robocop? Forsythe, who also wrote the Little Monsters script, will be giving Robocop a rewrite.
There’s even more evidence of this risky scenario, as Robocop had a halfway decent reboot in 2014 with Joel Kinnaman as the cyborg law enforcer. It didn’t really connect with audiences, though, perhaps because it lacked Verhoeven’s biting satire and dark edge. Or because younger, casual moviegoers don’t care about Robocop. I guess we’ll find out what’s true soon enough.
It’s often we get this kind of sniping between trades anymore, but Deadline definitely took a shot at THR for their earlier report on a Joker sequel (which we covered here) from Todd Phillips, along with a chance for multiple DC Comics origins. In Deadline’s update, they call THR’s story “click bait” while referencing multiple inside sources that claim “at this point there are no deals for a sequel, nor even any negotiations with director Todd Phillips or his co-writer Scott Silver.”
This obviously contradicts the earlier report that Phillips and co-writer Scott Silver are moving forward on a sequel to their $1B R-rated hit starring Joaquin Phoenix. The trade then goes on to dispute that there was ever a meeting between Phillips and Warner Bros. chief Toby Emmerich where the sequel was confirmed and more origin stories were offered…
“Multiple sources said no such October 7 meeting between Phillips and Emmerich occurred, and that Phillips hasn’t even considered overseeing other DC character films,”
So at this point who knows what’s really going on? I think logic tells us that we’re going to see Phillips and Phoenix do another Joker movie, and Warner Bros. will look for ways to replicate their successful formula. It just may not be happening yet, but give it time.
The father/daughter dynamic is complicated, to say the least, and the silver screen has seen its share of tumultuous relationships. From Paper Moon to Beasts of the Southern Wild, to last year’s Leave No Trace, the ever-complicated father and daughter relationship has seen various adaptions and emotional turns, however, none have looked quite intensely at the obligations and gender roles placed and stressed upon daughters. Actor turned writer/director, Annabelle Attanasio, takes a closer look at codependency and a girl mothering her father in the quiet yet powerful, Mickey and the Bear.
After her mother dies of cancer, Mickey (Camila Morrone) is left alone in a small Montana town to care for her Iraq War vet father, Hank (James Badge Dale). Despite turning 18 and finishing up her senior year of school, she spends her days bailing her dad out of jail, cooking and cleaning for him and having sex with her boyfriend. Mickey clearly struggles with her codependency towards the men in her life, especially with her dad, refilling his medication and making sure he wakes up from his benders and medication blackouts. Her personal life is not much better. Her boyfriend Aaron (Ben Rosenfield) gleefully ignores Mickey’s wishes from seeing her more as a possession than a loving partner, a trait shared by her father. As the similarities between the two deepen, Mickey starts to long for the unknown, college in California and the new boy at school (Calvin Demba).
A former marine, Hank is still caught in his own war between the love of his daughter and unresolved feelings of abandonment left by the war. He wants her to leave their Montana town and live her life but is clearly and purposefully holding her back, straddling the line between sweet and deeply manipulative. James Badge Dale, last seen as Tiffany Haddish’s mobster husband in this summer’s The Kitchen, uncovers Hank’s layers, bringing something else to the character beyond the page. This is a shining moment for the veteran character actor, who otherwise has been unable to find a star-making performance in a solid career.
As it becomes clear to Mickey that she cares more for her father than he does for her, the desire to leave overwhelms the relationship, pushing her to her emotional limits. Camila Morrone is a raw revelation, bringing an expertise yet fresh presence to the screen in Morrone’s first major starring role since breaking out with stoner comedy Never Goin’ Back. Her unease permeates through the screen, creating a soft understandable anxiety of a character dealing with their codependency and the destructive behaviors of others. Similar to last year’s Eighth Grade, if you were to break down the plot of this film beat by beat, it seems like nothing really happens. However what Attanasio does brilliantly is getting the viewer on the same heartbeat and emotional wavelength as Mickey, creating a captivating and heartbreaking character study.
The concept, one of a small-town girl feeling trapped by her irresponsible father, is one we’ve seen before. However, with two fresh and raw performances at the film’s center and the emotional intensity they’ve created, Mickey and the Bear is an indie darling in a crowded award season.
Okay, so maybe the future of Star Wars only appears to be in flux to us on the outside, because it seems Lucasfilm is at least trying to get their shit together. While we don’t know who will be directing the first post-Rise of Skywalker film in 2022, an announcement is expected soon. But what could be a bigger issue is the future of Lucasfilm’s longtime president, Kathleen Kennedy.
THR reports that Kennedy’s Lucasfilm contract expires in 2021, and some consideration is being made that she may leave for new challenges. Kennedy has been spearheading the creative direction of Star Wars since Lucasfilm was acquired by Disney in 2012. If she were to leave, a brain trust of familiar names could be in line to step and take control of the franchise’s future.
Part of that creative coalition would likely be The Mandalorian creators Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni. Both are fan favorites who have to be considered possibilities to direct the next Star Wars film, and have proven reliable to Disney repeatedly over the years. Kennedy also hopes to have The Rise of Skywalker producer and Senior VP Michelle Rejwan as part of the team.
Not on the team yet is Marvel Studios head and Chief Creative Officer Kevin Feige. While the Star Wars film he’s producing is still in the distance, he’s considered way too busy with Marvel projects to fully commit to Lucasfilm right now, although that is clearly the hope Disney has for him down the line.
Whether Kennedy re-ups or not, Star Wars will be looking very different going forward, and I think it’s a change that is sorely needed.
I thought about whether to post this or not because it’s just so stupid and hard to believe. If you thought white-washing was a big deal now, imagine how bad it used to be before social media gave people a platform to complain about it. In the pantheon of horrible Hollywood ideas must go one idea a studio had about the casting of Harriet. Suffice it to say, a woman like Cynthia Erivo was not on their list.
In a Focus Features interview with Harriet screenwriter Gregory Allen Howard, he talks about the movie’s two-decade-long journey to the big screen, and recounts a memorable 1994 meeting with a studio that thought…well, maybe a black woman wasn’t right to play legendary abolitionist Harriet Tubman. What Harriet really needs is a Pretty Woman!
“I was told how one studio head said in a meeting, ‘This script is fantastic. Let’s get Julia Roberts to play Harriet Tubman,’” Allen said. “When someone pointed out that Roberts couldn’t be Harriet, the executive responded, ‘It was so long ago. No one is going to know the difference.’”
Yes, the industry was a different place back then. The country was a different place back then. HOWEVER, the idea that Roberts could ever, should ever, play Tubman is about as insulting and flat-out stupid as it gets. I dare to say Roberts would have turned that shit down, anyway, hopefully recognizing the deadweight it would be on her career forever.
Howard credits Black Panther and 12 Years a Slave for helping to change the short-sighted Hollywood narrative that black leads don’t lead to big box office…
“Two films really changed the climate in Hollywood to allow ‘Harriet’ to be made. “When ‘12 Years a Slave’ became a hit and did a couple hundred million dollars worldwide, I told my agent, ‘You can’t say this kind of story won’t make money now.’ Then ‘Black Panther’ really blew the doors open.”
Cultural diversity rules right now and I hope we never return to the way things used to be. Harriet is in theaters now and has some looking at Erivo as a possible Oscar contender. Roberts, you missed out.
When Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker hits theaters exactly one month from today, it will be the end of the decades-long Skywalker Saga. In addition, it will usher in a time of uncertainty as no new Star Wars projects have been announced, other than an untitled film planned for December 2022 in the spot vacated by the departure of Benioff and Weiss.
But according to THR, Lucasfilm’s Kathleen Kennedy knows who she wants to direct that film, but it won’t be announced until January. The timing is advantageous. It quiets any fans who may be concerned about Star Wars‘ lack of direction and gives them something to look forward to. Whoever this director turns out to will have no current ties to any Star Wars film.
So let the speculation begin! Rian Johnson has a trilogy in the works but it’s still very early by all accounts. A film produced by Marvel’s Kevin Feige was also said by Kennedy to be “a ways off”, but is 2022 just the right timing? With Disney+ series The Mandalorian the hottest thing on TV right now, Jon Favreau or Dave Filoni have to be considered possibilities. Favreau’s importance to Disney as a director can’t be understated, and Filoni is one of the great Star Wars architects.
My hope is that Lucasfilm breaks its habit of hiring whoever the hot-at-the-moment director is, because that hasn’t worked out too well, lately. The last thing Kennedy needs is to fire another high-profile filmmaker over creative differences. This would also be an opportunity for her to hire a woman or a person of color. Both Rick Famuyiwa and Deborah Chow are directing episodes of The Mandalorian and would be fantastic choices.
In news that should shock absolutely nobody, THR reports that a Joker sequel is in the works from director Todd Phillips. When your movie unexpectedly takes in nearly $100M on opening weekend and ultimately breaks the $1B mark, all the denials in the world don’t mean a thing.
The report says Phillips and his Joker screenwriter Scott Silver are working on a sequel, but it may just be the start of something larger. Phillips is said to have an idea for similar Joker-esque origin stories for a whole slate of DC Comics characters, but it’s unclear if and when those will actually happen. In the initial post-opening weekend meeting with Warner Bros. chief Toby Emmerich, the only thing that was immediately agreed on was a sequel to his R-rated smash hit.
So we’re definitely getting more Joker, and it will obviously return Joaquin Phoenix to the role of Arthur Fleck. It’s a performance that is earning Phoenix some of the best of his career and has him in the thick of the awards season race. As for what the sequel’s story could entail, Phillips laid out a number of possibilities. We could see a sequel explore the relationship between Arthur and a young Bruce Wayne, who is strongly hinted at being his half-brother.
A lot is on the table, and I continue to agree with myself that Joker will eventually tie-in with Matt Reeves’ The Batman. A couple of months ago we were being told a Joker sequel wasn’t going to happen, and now look where we are. Anything is possible.
