‘Fantastic Beasts 3’: JK Rowling Gets Some Co-Writing Help From A ‘Harry Potter’ Veteran

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November 4, 2019

One might think a combined $1.4B would look pretty good to Warner Bros. from their Fantastic Beasts series, but not when they’re expected to live up to the heights of Harry Potter. The second film, The Crimes of Grindelwald, was especially disappointing on a box office level, made even worse by the lackluster critical reviews that have really put a damper on things. And so there are going to be some changes for the upcoming third film, which you may recall was recently delayed so author/writer JK Rowling could get a better handle on the script. She’s going to get some help with that.

Deadline reports that Rowling will no longer be the sole screenwriter on Fantastic Beasts 3, as she will be joined by Steve Kloves. This has to be great news for fans because Kloves was the writer on all but one of the Harry Potter movies. He knows the franchise inside and out, but has been relegated to a producer role of late.

Another change involves an expansion of Jessica Williams’ character, Professor Eulalie “Lally” Hicks, although it’s unclear how that’ll shake out. A little more diversity in the casting certainly won’t hurt. The rest of the cast remains the same, and that, unfortunately, includes Johnny Depp as Gellert Grindelwald. The controversial actor has been a deadweight ever since he joined up, and there has been a push from fans to see him removed. It doesn’t look like that’s going to happen, though.

Fantastic Beasts 3 hits theaters November 12th 2021.

DC Readers: Attend A Free Early Screening Of ‘Ford v Ferrari’

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John Nolan

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November 4, 2019

Start your engines! James Mangold’s adrenaline-pumping Ford v Ferrari is coming to DC, and we want you to attend a free early screening! The film stars Matt Damon as car designer Carroll Shelby and Christian Bale as champion racecar driver Ken Miles.

SYNOPSIS: Academy Award®-winners Matt Damon and Christian Bale star in FORD v FERRARI, based on the remarkable true story of the visionary American car designer Carroll Shelby (Damon) and the fearless British-born driver Ken Miles (Bale), who together battled corporate interference, the laws of physics, and their own personal demons to build a revolutionary race car for Ford Motor Company and take on the dominating race cars of Enzo Ferrari at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in France in 1966.

The screening takes place on Wednesday, November 6th at 7:00pm at AMC Mazza Gallerie. If you’d like to attend, register at the Gofobo site here. Please remember all screenings are first come first served and you’ll need to arrive early to ensure seating. Strap in and enjoy the show!

Ford v Ferrari opens November 15th.

Kitty Pryde ‘X-Men’ Spinoff Is Officially Dead Says Director Tim Miller

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John Nolan

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November 4, 2019

With the acquisition of Fox by Disney, the already-struggling X-Men franchise was thrown for a loop. For a while there was some question whether we would even see Dark Phoenix, and the jury is still sorta out about New Mutants. However, some were holding out hope that projects in-development could still carry on, and one of those was a Kitty Pryde movie that Deadpool director Tim Miller was attached to.

Don’t hold your breath, because Miller sure isn’t.

Speaking with Comicbook.com, Miller phases his hand through the heart of hopes for his Kitty Pryde movie, but he sure wishes it was happening…

“I love the X-Men,” said Miller. “I don’t expect Marvel to call me and say, ‘Come do the X-Men,’ so I’m not waiting for that. I was really excited about my Kitty Pryde movie. Fuck, I love that movie. It’ll never happen now.”

There are a couple of things working against Miller now. The first is the failure of Dark Phoenix, all but ensuring the only carryover X-Men franchise will be Deadpool. The second is the disastrous box office for Miller’s Terminator: Dark Fate, and we know Disney is already giving the side-eye to most of the Fox projects they’ve been saddled with. A shame, because Kitty Pryde is one of the coolest, most important X-Men around and she could definitely handle a movie focused solely on her. The film went under the working title of 143, and would’ve been an adaptation of Uncanny X-Men #143, a Christmas-themed issue that saw Kitty all alone as the mansion is attacked by a N’Garai demon.

No ‘Terminator: Dark Fate’ Sequels Planned As Film May Lose $120M

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John Nolan

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November 4, 2019

Terminator: Dark Fate begins with a flashback to Sarah Connor’s recalling of a vision. That vision is of a nuclear apocalypse that wipes out every man, woman, and child on Earth. That fiery end has indeed come to pass, only it’s for the entire Terminator franchise after the latest movie’s disappointing debut.

Following the weak $29M domestic, $101M worldwide launch of Terminator: Dark Fate, reports are out that it will lose the involved studios approximately $120M. That would include 20th Century Fox/Disney, Paramount, and Skydance.

I don’t like covering stories like this, but this case it’s necessary because Skydance, who own the Terminator rights, apparently has no plans on a sequel according to THR. While we’ve heard claims like this before, Terminator: Dark Fate was a big, high-profile whiff that saw the film receive mostly good-to-great reviews. They even went so far as to ignore all of those poorly-received sequels and bring Linda Hamilton back to the fold after two decades. This is a clear signal by audiences they don’t care about Terminator right now and may not for a long time.

So, Terminator: Dark Fate may have done what nothing else could, and that’s make sure Arnold Schwarzenegger does not come back.

‘The Banker’ Trailer: Samuel L. Jackson And Anthony Mackie Take It To The Man

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John Nolan

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November 4, 2019

Marvel alums Samuel L. Jackson and Anthony Mackie are getting Apple TV+ started on the right track with The Banker, a historical drama/heist film that marks the streamer’s first star-studded movie event.

Jackson stars as real-life entrepreneur Joe Morris who, alongside his partner-in-crime Bernard Garrett (Mackie), cook up a scheme to stick it to the man and the racially oppressive financial establishment of the 1960s. To do that, they pose as janitors and chauffeurs while secretly training a working-class white man (Nicholas Hoult) to serve as their public face and infiltrate the real estate industry. Also in the cast are Nia Long, Michael Harney, Colm Meaney, and Jessie Usher.

Behind the camera is George Nolfi, who is probably best known for directing The Adjustment Bureau.

SYNOPSIS: Based on a true story, “The Banker” centers on revolutionary businessmen Bernard Garrett (Anthony Mackie) and Joe Morris (Samuel L. Jackson), who devise an audacious and risky plan to take on the racially oppressive establishment of the 1960s by helping other African Americans pursue the American dream. Along with Garrett’s wife Eunice (Nia Long), they train a working class white man, Matt Steiner (Nicholas Hoult), to pose as the rich and privileged face of their burgeoning real estate and banking empire – while Garrett and Morris pose as a janitor and a chauffeur. Their success ultimately draws the attention of the federal government, which threatens everything the four have built.

The Banker hits theaters on December 6th and Apple TV+ in January.

Robert Rodriguez Deveoping Big-Budget Sci-Fi Film ‘Hypnotic’ With The Writer Of ‘Kong: Skull Island’

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John Nolan

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November 4, 2019

While fans of Alita: Battle Angel hold out hope for a sequel, Robert Rodriguez is moving on to another big-budget sci-fi movie. Deadline reports Rodriguez is moving forward on Hypnotic, a sci-fi thriller he co-wrote with Kong: Skull Island‘s Max Borenstein.

It’s unclear if Rodriguez will also direct, but he’s listed as a producer on the $60M-$80M project about a detective embroiled in a mystery involving a shadowy government program, his missing daughter, and the investigation into a series of impossible high-end heists. Casting is apparently underway but no names are officially attached.

This is a busy time for Rodriguez. Whether the Alita: Battle Angel sequel happens or not, he’s already got the Netflix superhero movie We Can Be Heroes with Priyanka Chopra, Pedro Pascal, and more.

Benedict Cumberbatch, Jodie Foster, & Shailene Woodley To Lead ‘Prisoner 760’

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Travis Hopson

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November 4, 2019

Benedict Cumberbatch. Jodie Foster. Shailene Woodley. Any film that can bring actors like this together must have a lot going for it already, and that makes Prisoner 760 one to keep an eye on going into next year.

Deadline reports Cumberbatch, Foster, Woodley, and underrated A Prophet actor Tahar Rahim will star in Prisoner 760, from The Last King of Scotland director Kevin Macdonald. Penned by former 60 Minutes producer Michael Bronner, it’s based on the true story of “Mohamedou Ould Slahi (Rahim), who is captured by the U.S. government and languishing in prison without charge or trial. Losing all hope, Slahi finds allies in defense attorney Nancy Hollander (Foster) and her associate Teri Duncan (Woodley). Together, they face countless obstacles in a desperate pursuit for justice. Their controversial advocacy, along with evidence uncovered by formidable military prosecutor, Lt. Stuart Couch (Cumberbatch), eventually reveals a shocking and far reaching conspiracy.”

Production begins next month in South Africa, and I’m thinking this will be a big awards season player next year. Just a feeling.

Dwayne Johnson To Play UFC Champ Mark Kerr In Upcoming Biopic

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John Nolan

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November 4, 2019

As if Dwayne Johnson isn’t busy enough, he’s now adding a biopic on UFC and MMC champ Mark Kerr to his list of planned projects. Johnson made the announcement at a surprise press conference over the weekend during UFC 244, in which he was a guest presenter.

Johnson will producer and star in the film about Kerr, a two-time UFC champ regarded as one of the best fighters in the world during the height of his fighting career. Known by nicknames The Smashing Machine, The Titan and The Specimen, Kerr was the subject of a 2003 HBO documentary that chronicled his life and career, the overcoming of an addiction to painkillers, and the brutality of the sport.

“Mark Kerr’s story is such an incredible story,” Johnson said. “Like all of us, and like a lot of these fighters, he battled these demons — these demons of addiction, these demons of mental health, these demons of getting out and the pressure of fighting in front of 50,000 people and what that does to somebody. Here’s a guy who has gone through it all, hit rock bottom, but the best part about Mark Kerr is that, like all of us in this room and all these fighters, these warriors, is that everyday, we get up and we want to do a little bit better tomorrow than we did today.”

“The guy was a beast and he was dominant and there was only one like him at that time,” Johnson continued. “When you think about these fighters, there is no other sport like MMA — the multiple disciplines and the pressure and the fact that you put your life on the line, literally, every time you step in the cage — and if you dig a little deeper than the physicality that they have, there’s a real character of depth to a lot of these warriors, and Mark is one of them.”

Johnson also revealed that he had spoken to Kerr and has been “entrusted” with telling his story. Given Johnson’s extremely busy schedule, who knows when this will get off the ground, but you know the very-vocal former wrestler will keep his fans updated on social media. Hopefully this happens and doesn’t fall into limbo like that Charley Pride movie Johnson wanted to make. [Variety]

Box Office: ‘Terminator: Dark Fate’ Takes Top Spot, But The Future Is Grim

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John Nolan

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November 3, 2019

1. Terminator: Dark Fate (review)- $29M
The future is bleak for Terminator: Dark Fate, as the sixth movie in the franchise won the weekend with $29M domestic, $101M overall if you include international, but is performing way below expectations. The $186M feature returned James Cameron to the fold as a producer, with Linda Hamilton and Arnold Schwarzenegger leading a new cast of freedom fighters, but audiences just didn’t seem to care. At what point do they get the hint? We’ve seen Terminator revived time and time again, each with a new hook, and the results are always mediocre. Perhaps Dark Fate should be seen as a proper jumping off point, with loose ends tied up, the future saved, and that’s it. Put this thing to bed for a decade and start fresh?
2. Joker– $13.9M/$299.6M
Another strong week for Joker, which nears the $300M mark domestically, and edges closer to $1B worldwide. Remember when we were questioning whether this movie was even a good idea? At $934M globally, Warner Bros. is facing the prospect that Joker could out-perform The Batman at the box office. Just putting that out there.
3. Maleficent: Mistress of Evil– $12.1/$84.3M
4. Harriet (review)- $12M
I had serious misgivings that audiences would turn out for a Harriet Tubman biopic, but I’m happy to see strong support for Harriet. The Kasi Lemmons-directed drama, which features Cynthia Erivo as the famed abolitionist, is unusual for its superhero-esque origin story, but that may also be what attracted people who didn’t want another dry, oppressive walk through history.
5. The Addams Family– $8.4M/$85.2M
6. Zombieland 2: Double Tap– $7.3M/$59.3M
7. Countdown– $5.8M/$17.7M
8. Black and Blue– $4M/$15.4M
9. Motherless Brooklyn (review)- $3.6M
I don’t know what the audience was ever going to be for Edward Norton’s Motherless Brooklyn, but it’s disappointing to see it be so small. The adaptation of Jonathan Lethem’s novel, reimagined as a 1950s noir with Norton as writer, director, and star, opened with just $3.6M. This despite a solidly star-powered cast that includes Bruce Willis, Alec Baldwin, Willem Dafoe, and Gugu Mbatha-Raw. I feel like the market can only support one adult-skewing drama at a time and Harriet had the market cornered. It’s sad things are that way now, but there you have it.
10. Arctic Dogs– $3.1M
They didn’t even bother to screen the animated Arctic Dogs for us here in DC, which is never a good sign. The $3.1M debut isn’t a good sign, either, for the $50M (Say wha now?) film which features the voice of Jeremy Renner as an arctic fox with dreams of leaving his mailroom job and becoming a top husky mail courier. I guess technically this is the second dud of the week for Alec Baldwin, who voices an introverted polar bear.

Elaine May To Make Directing Comeback With ‘Crackpot’ Starring Dakota Johnson

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John Nolan

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November 3, 2019

It’s a shame that the many acclaimed contributions by comedienne, actor, screenwriter, and director Elaine May have been lost to a generation. She hasn’t directed a feature film since 1987’s critical disaster, Ishtar, but she’s found the right project to make her comeback with the Dakota Johnson-starring Crackpot.

First noted by Deadline then expanded by The Film Stage, the 86-year-old May will direct Johnson in Crackpot, which we have no details about. Honestly, the movie isn’t really the story here, it’s the return of May behind the camera. It’s funny, because she’s only directed four movies- 1971’s A New Leaf, 1972’s The Heartbreak Kid, 1976’s Mikey and Nicky, and 1987’s Ishtar, that May has managed to build such a sterling reputation despite that. While some of her films received critical acclaim, they were largely met with studio resistance and then ignored at the box office. The most recent project May directed was the TV documentary Mike Nichols: American Masters, about her longtime comedy collaborator.

May recently won the Best Actress Tony Award for Kenneth Lonergan’s The Waverly Gallery, and is now coming back to her directing career. Hopefully, this time will be smooth sailing and make this return more than worth the long wait.