AD
Home Blog Page 1339

‘The Call Of The Wild’ Trailer: Harrison Ford And A Heroic Canine Adventure “Beyond All Maps”

By
John Nolan
-

Outside of his most iconic roles we haven’t seen a ton on the big screen from Harrison Ford, but when he has branched out it has been to take on films skewed towards families, like his first-ever voice role in The Secret Life of Pets 2. And now Ford finds himself alongside a canine friend rather than voicing one in The Call of the Wild, based on the classic Jack London novel.

The Call of the Wild is a survival adventure story centering on Buck, a domesticated dog who is stolen from his California home and sold into servitude in the Alaskan Yukon during the 1890s Gold Rush. As leader of a sled dog team, Buck learns to master the dangers of his exotic new home, ultimately answering to the call of the wild. Ford plays John Thornton, a gold prospector whose kind-hearted ways earn Buck’s complete loyalty.

The film is directed by Chris Sanders, who knows a thing or two about family films as director of The Croods, How to Train Your Dragon, and Lilo & Stitch. This is the third adaptation of London’s novel, with Ford joining Clark Gable and Charlton Heston as Hollywood legends who have played John Thornton. Pretty good company. A mix of live-action and CGI, the great Terry Notary (Kong: Skull Island) gave the mo-cap performance for Buck.

Adapted from the beloved literary classic, 20th Century Fox’s THE CALL OF THE WILD vividly brings to the screen the story of Buck, a big-hearted dog whose blissful domestic life is turned upside down when he is suddenly uprooted from his California home and transplanted to the exotic wilds of the Alaskan Yukon during the Gold Rush of the 1890s. As the newest rookie on a mail delivery dog sled team–and later its leader–Buck experiences the adventure of a lifetime, ultimately finding his true place in the world and becoming his own master.

The Call of the Wild opens on February 21st 2020.

Lucasfilm’s Kathleen Kennedy Says Kevin Feige’s ‘Star Wars’ Film Is “A Ways Off”

By
John Nolan
-

Lucasfilm is in a state of flux like never before. This was never a problem under George Lucas, who had full creative control over everything and could do what he wanted whenever he wanted. But now as Kathleen Kennedy tries to maintain the franchise for Disney, there have been some stumbling blocks, most recently with the dismissal of David Benioff and D.B. Weiss from their planned trilogy. That has left a void following the release of next month’s The Rise of Skywalker, and so far nothing is ready to move into production.

Those hoping Marvel Studios head honcho Kevin Feige would step in with the Star Wars movie he’s producing have a long wait ahead of them. Ever since the project was announced earlier this year, there was speculation from fans that it could be next, possibly taking the 2022 date Lucasfilm has already set aside for an untitled Star Wars film. But according to Kennedy in a new interview with Rolling Stone, that’s simply not going to happen…

“Kevin has been a huge fan of Star Wars, and he’s made that pretty clear. And I think when he went off to do a couple of the Spider-Man movies, he realized that he could kind of step in and out of what he’s doing specifically with just Marvel. He talked to us, and he talked to the studio and said, ‘You know, ‘Is there any chance I could step in and do one of the Star Wars movies?’” And I thought it was a pretty cool idea. So we’re just beginning to talk about what that might be and when that might be. But it’s a ways off.”

Okay, so if it ain’t Feige’s movie, then what’s next for Star Wars? The proposed trilogy by The Last Jedi director Rian Johnson is also still in the earliest stages, so it won’t be that. Kennedy says there are plenty of options on the table, though, that we just aren’t aware of yet…

“It’s an incredible challenge, and it is something that we’re in the middle of, and I can’t even begin to tell you where this may end up, because I think you are absolutely right. I think whatever this next movie is, and how it begins to define a new way forward, it’s something we want to take plenty of time and plenty of conversation and careful thought before deciding exactly what we’re going to do.

We’ve got various things we’re looking at and various ways in which we can begin or not. As you can imagine. You know, do you go back? Do you go forward? All those questions are being asked. Do we stay in this galaxy? Do we go to another? The universe is never-ending. [Laughs.] The good news and the bad news. They have endless possibilities. It’s liberating, it’s exciting, and it creates a lot of pressure and anxiety as well.”

Kennedy doesn’t have a lot of time to figure out a path forward. If there’s nothing concrete on the horizon after The Rise of Skywalker on December 20th, fans will see it as a sign of trouble. And if the fans get too riled up, who knows how Disney will respond?

The Resistance Confronts Fear In New ‘Star Wars: The Rise Of Skywalker’ TV Spot

By
John Nolan
-



“We’re all in in this. ‘Til the end.”

Finn (John Boyega) has the right idea in the new TV spot for Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, a brief bit of footage that gets across the insurmountable task ahead for the Resistance. It works perfectly in conjunction with the new poster, a minimalist design featuring a lone X-Wing fighter, presumably piloted by Poe Dameron (Oscar Isaac), taking on an entire First Order fleet. Good luck with that, champ.

We’re now exactly one month away from the film’s release, and the marketing campaign is in full swing. Check out all of the new images that were dropped yesterday, along with some insights from the cast, right here.

Directed by JJ Abrams, Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker opens December 20th.

‘Star Trek 4’ Takes Off With ‘Lucy In The Sky’ Director Noah Hawley

By
Travis Hopson
-

I think we can put to bed any hope of seeing Quentin Tarantino’s R-rated take on Star Trek, because Paramount has given command of the Starship Enterprise so somebody else. Collider reports Fargo and Legion creator Noah Hawley will write and direct a fourth Star Trek film, keeping the same cast as the prior three movies from J.J. Abrams.

Hawley makes for an interesting choice. He recently made his feature directorial debut with Lucy in the Sky, a space drama led by Natalie Portman and Jon Hamm. The film didn’t exactly click with critics or at the box office, but obviously that hasn’t slowed Hawley down in the least. He’ll take charge of a cast that will bring back Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Zoe Saldana, Karl Urban, and more. Abrams, who directed the first two movies, will remain on board as a producer through his Bad Robot label.

We don’t know much about the plot, but the film won’t have anything to do with Tarantino’s movie written by Mark L. Smith. It also will be separate from the shelved movie from director S.J. Clarkson that would’ve seen Chris Hemsworth return as Kirk’s father. That film couldn’t get off the ground largely due to stalled contract negotiations.

 

Steven Soderbergh’s Crime Drama ‘Kill Switch’ May Reunite Don Cheadle, Sebastian Stan, And Josh Brolin

By
John Nolan
-

Never one to rest on his laurels, Steven Soderbergh already has his eyes on a new film, following this year’s High Flying Bird and The Laundromat. Next up for Soderbergh is 1950s crime drama Kill Switch, which may reunite Marvel alums Sebastian Stan, Don Cheadle, and Josh Brolin.

Collider has the news on Kill Switch, written by Ed Solomon and centering on a group of criminals in 1950s Detroit who are brought together under mysterious circumstances for a home invasion and must figure out if they’ve been double-crossed when it goes bad. Stan, Cheadle, and Brolin are in talks to play the criminals.  Solomon is well-known as writer of the Bill & Ted movies, not to mention Men in Black and Soderbergh’s experimental HBO limited series, Mosaic.

Production is expected to begin next summer, but the project will be shopped around before then. Given Soderbergh’s recent history with streamers Netflix and HBO Max they have to be considered frontrunners to land it.

Soderbergh has just completed filming on HBO Max comedy Let Them All Talk starring Meryl Streep and Gemma Chan.

Henry Cavill Isn’t Ready To Give Up Superman Role Just Yet

By
John Nolan
-

Henry Cavill hasn’t played Superman since Justice League two years ago, and it’s unclear if he ever will. Warner Bros. seems to have moved on from Superman for now, despite the occasional rumor of a sequel or reboot. In every case, however, Cavill’s involvement is in question. In a new interview with Men’s Health, Cavill doesn’t sound willing to let the role go so easily.

“I’m not just going to sit quietly in the dark as all this stuff is going on. I’ve not given up the role. There’s a lot I have to give for Superman yet. A lot of storytelling to do. A lot of real, true depths to the honesty of the character I want to get into. I want to reflect the comic books. That’s important to me. There’s a lot of justice to be done for Superman. The status is: You’ll see.”

Unlike his fellow Justice League co-stars, Cavill hasn’t been a vocal champion for the release of the infamous “Snyder Cut”, perhaps because his feelings on the film are that it “didn’t work”, although he continues to have good things to see about his previous films with Snyder.

Other than Cyborg, the only Justice League character without a movie in development is Superman, arguably the greatest of them all. It’s a strange situation, one that I can only assume will get resolved soon after the release of The Batman. Cavill’s position could be weakened if The Batman and Joker are both massive successes with brand new lead characters and disconnected from the DCEU.

Next up for Cavill is Netflix’s The Witcher series which arrives on December 20th.

New Trailer For Martin Scorsese’s ‘The Irishman’ Before It Heads To Netflix

By
John Nolan
-

After a shortened theatrical run that has pissed off theater owners, Martin Scorsese’s The Irishman is soon to hit Netflix. The streamer is putting a ton of muscle behind their awards campaign for the film, unsurprising given the huge investment and the prestige that comes with a film that unites Scorsese with Robert De Niro, Al Pacino, and Joe Pesci. Now a new trailer gives one more look at the mob drama which many are calling one of the year’s best.

De Niro plays mob hitman Frank Sheeran, whose book I Heard You Paint Houses recounts a wild career of criminality, including his claim to have murdered Teamsters boss Jimmy Hoffa. But if you go into The Irishman expecting another Goodfellas, you’ll be sorely disappointed. This is Scorsese exploring what happens when time catches up to those who have lived a life full of murder and betrayal. Can there be any peace for someone like Sheeran? The rest of the cast includes Ray Romano, Harvey Keitel, Bobby Cannavale, Anna Paquin, Stephen Graham, Stephanie Kurtzuba, Jack Huston, Kathrine Narducci, and Jesse Plemons.

The Irishman is in theaters now but comes to Netflix on November 27th.

‘Mission: Impossible’ Sequels Add ‘Guardians Of The Galaxy’ Star Pom Klementieff

By
John Nolan
-

For many stateside moviegoers their first exposure to Pom Klementieff was as Mantis in Guardians of the Galaxy 2, followed by her appearances in the latter two Avengers films. The French actress has been acting since long before that, including a role in Spike Lee’s Oldboy remake, and now she’s landed another blockbuster role that could make her known beyond her Marvel output.

Klementieff is the latest star to join Tom Cruise in the upcoming Mission: Impossible sequels directed by Christopher McQuarrie.  The two films, the 7th and 8th of the long-running franchise, will be shot back-to-back by McQuarrie, who confirmed Klementieff’s casting in a tweet.

Damn, Mission: Impossible is absolutely loaded with awesome, tough ladies between Klementieff, Rebecca Ferguson, Vanessa Kirby, and the recently-cast Hayley Atwell.

Klementieff will be seen next alongside Adam Sandler in Uncut Gems, a film that many see as a major player this awards season.

Misison: Impossible 7 and 8 open July 23rd 2021, and August 5th 2022, respectively.

Fede Alvarez To Produce Yet Another ‘Texas Chainsaw’ Reboot, Direct White House-set Horror Film

By
John Nolan
-

Fede Alvarez is looking to bounce back from The Girl in the Spider’s Web, which failed to catch on in just about every way imaginable. The director, whose more promising credits include the Evil Dead remake and Don’t Breathe, is teaming up with Legendary Pictures on a pair of horror pics that are sure to catch the attention of genre fans.

As part of Alvarez’s new deal with Legendary, he will produce a new Texas Chainsaw Massacre film written by Chris Thomas Devlin. This will be yet another attempt to make Tobe Hooper’s 1974 classic fresh for a new generation, just a couple of years removed from the prequel Leatherface attempted to do the same. Every few years somebody gives this a go and maybe Alvarez is the guy who can make the horror franchise relevant again.

And there’s also going to be something for us DC politicos, as Alvarez will direct a horror film set within the White House. Isn’t that place enough of a Goddamn nightmare already?  Anyway, it’s being described as “The Shining’ set in the White House,” which sounds amazing. Will the tortured souls of past Presidents return to terrorize the new occupant? Sounds like a cool idea to me. [THR]

Zoe Saldana To Star In CIA Thriller ‘Sabaya’ From ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’ Director Reed Morano

By
John Nolan
-

Zoe Saldana has found a comfortable home as part of three huge franchises: Marvel, Star Trek, and Avatar, but her films outside of them have struggled to catch on. Perhaps her next film, Sabaya, will help change that narrative as she’s working with one of Hollywood’s most reliable writers and a rising star filmmaker.

Deadline reports Saldana will star in Sabaya, a thriller directed by The Handmaid’s Tale and I Think We’re Alone Now‘s Reed Morano. Writing the script is William Monahan, best known for penning The Departed, Kingdom of Heaven, The Gambler, and more.

The story is based on true events surrounding the CIA mission that eventually led to the downfall of ISIS. Here’s the synopsis:

A female CIA officer (Saldana) befriends a recently escaped ISIS sex slave, or “sabaya,” a 15-year-old Yazidi girl who can neither read nor write. Together, as they piece together the sabaya’s harrowing odyssey out of Syria, the CIA officer finds that the abused girl has pinpointed the nerve center of the Caliphate. The subsequent dramatic raid on the site of the young woman’s captivity results in the capture of intelligence that spells the end of the Islamic State.


No word on when Sabaya goes into production or when it will hit theaters, but Saldana is eager to see it happen…

“It is an honor to be a part of the telling of this story. This young woman’s journey is one for the books, and I am beyond grateful we will get to immortalize it on the silver screen.”

1...1,3381,3391,340...1,888Page 1,339 of 1,888
Want To Advertise With Punch Drunk Critics?
Contact us: info@punchdrunkcritics.com
Facebook Instagram Mail Twitter Youtube
© Copyright 2020 PDC Entertainment