A ‘Nova’ Project Is In Early Development Confirms Marvel Exec

By

-

March 18, 2024

Since MCU Phase 1 there have been rumors that a Nova movie was in the works. They really kicked into overdrive with the release of Guardians of the Galaxy and the debut of the Nova Corps, of which Nova aka Rich Rider is the most prominent member. After such a long wait, Marvel Studios finally appears to be ready to show Nova some love.

According to Marvel exec Brad Winderbaum in a conversation with Comicbook.com about X-Men ’97, a Nova project is in the earliest stages of development. Brad also revealed a different approach that Marvel Studios is taking, keeping with the “less is more” policy announced by Disney CEO Bob Iger…

“We love Nova. We are in really early development on Nova,” Winderbaum said. “We have a new system behind the scenes at Marvel Studios. We’re more like a traditional studio now. We’re developing more than we actually will produce. There are plans to develop Nova. I love Nova, too. I love Rich Rider, too. I hope it gets to the screen. The world is always chaos. There’s always things. You gotta conjure these things to make them happen, but I would love to see a Nova show one day.”

So what does all of this mean? Well, Marvel probably won’t be announcing slews of projects that haven’t begun production and might not ever happen. That’s begun to bite them in the ass of late. Anybody enjoy that Blade film that hasn’t happened in five years and isn’t close to being ready?

What Marvel Studios is doing now is indeed more traditional. A number of projects will be developed in-house, and when they are deemed ready to go, they’ll enter production and we’ll probably then start getting announcements.

As for Nova, this is a long time coming. Always a fan-favorite, he’s usually portrayed as a comedy character but can get serious when the universe is in peril. He has been a part of a few superteams, most notably the New Warriors who once had a TV show pilot filmed that never went to air. A younger version of Nova, Sam Alexander, is also out there and could eventually be part of the MCU. Maybe a Young Avenger?

‘Blade’: Aaron Pierre Has Exited Marvel’s Long-Delayed Vampire Film With Mahershala Ali

By

Travis Hopson

-

March 17, 2024

It was inevitable that Marvel’s long-delayed Blade movie would lose some actors along the way. The film was announced way back in 2019 and it has been nothing but rewrites and rescheduled with very little progress. While star Mahershala Ali continues to hold on for dear life to this project, co-star Aaron Pierre revealed to Variety that he’s left.

“Early on, there were conversations,” Pierre said of his involvement. “As the project evolved, I’m no longer part of that — attached.”

By “evolved” he likely means the many rewrites the film has undergone. Stacy Osei-Kuffour wrote the original draft for initial director Bassam Tariq. Both exited Blade, however, with Yann Demange coming on to replace Tariq, while Michael Green (of Logan fame) took over the screenplay. As many as five writers have taken a crack at the script, though, including Nic Pizzolatto and Michael Starburry, so it’s been tough sledding.

Pierre was set to star alongside Ali and Mia Goth, although honestly, it’s unclear if she is still attached at this point.

Fortunately for Pierre, he has plenty of projects to keep him busy. He can currently be seen playing Malcolm X in season four of Genius. He also has Barry Jenkins’ Disney film Mufasa: The Lion King, and Jeremy Saulnier’s Rebel Ridge.

Box Office: ‘Kung Fu Panda 4’ Easily Defeats All With $30M Weekend, ‘Dune: Part Two’ Nears $500M Globally

By

Travis Hopson

-

March 17, 2024

Kung Fu Panda 4– $30M/$107.7M

The major films did well in their repeat weekend, and that includes Kung Fu Panda 4 which held on to the top spot once again. At $117M worldwide, it looks like a stretch that it’ll come near the $521M haul of Kung Fu Panda 3, the previous franchise low. I wouldn’t be surprised to see Dreamworks/Universal stick to animated series again for a while.

2. Dune: Part Two– $29.1M/$205.3M

Denis Villeneuve’s Dune: Part Two is inching closer to $500M worldwide, and has already surpassed the $434M of Dune in 2021.

3. Arthur the King– $7.5M

Mark Wahlberg’s man’s best friend adventure Arthur the King opened kinda soft with $7.5M. It’s possible that Wahlberg just isn’t a draw anymore. Channing Tatum’s Dog opened to twice as much just two years ago.

4. Imaginary– $5.6M/$19M

5. Cabrini– $2.8M/$13M

6. Love Lies Bleeding (review)- $2.4M/$2.7M

Adding over 1500 theaters in its second week and earning $2.4M is Love Lies Bleeding. The buzzy Sundance thriller starring Kristen Stewart and Katy O’Brian got off to a hot start last week in only 5 locations, but dwindled upon expansion. Still, I expect A24 will find they’ve got a cult hit on their hands, similar to director Rose Glass’s previous film, Saint Maud.

7. Bob Marley: One Love– $2.3M/$93.3M

8. One Life (review)- $1.7M

Bleecker Street released the Anthony Hopkins “British Schindler” drama One Life into just 983 theaters, for only $1.7M. Despite solid reviews, especially for Hopkins’ performance, there just wasn’t a lot of buzz for this one here. Meanwhile, it’s pulled in over $30M internationally so it’s doing well overall.

9. The American Society of Magical Negroes (review)- $1.2M

And it was another dud for Focus Features as The American Society of Magical Negroes opened to just $1.2M. The Justice Smith/David Alan Grier satire about a literal group of magical Black folks who help ease white anger had a catchy title and modest reviews out of Sundance. I think the hope was that it would be the next Dear White People. It’s not…in any way, shape, or form. For Focus, it’s the latest dud after failed comedies Drive-Away Dolls and Lisa Frankenstein.

10. Ordinary Angels– $1M/$18M

DC Readers: Attend A Free Early Screening Of ‘Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire’

By

Travis Hopson

-

March 17, 2024

We’re happy to offer our DC readers the chance to attend a free early screening of Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire!

SYNOPSIS: In Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire, the Spengler family returns to where it all started – the iconic New York City firehouse – to team up with the original Ghostbusters, who’ve developed a top-secret research lab to take busting ghosts to the next level. But when the discovery of an ancient artifact unleashes an army of ghosts that casts a death chill upon the city, Ghostbusters new and old must join forces to protect their home and save the world from a second Ice Age.

The screening takes place on Tuesday, March 19th at 7:00pm at AMC Tysons Corner. If you’d like to attend, RSVP at the Sony Pictures site here. Please remember all screenings are firs come first served and you’ll need to arrive early to ensure seating. Enjoy the show!

Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire opens in theaters on March 22nd.

Greta Gerwig Joins Huge Ensemble For Noah Baumbach’s Next Netflix Film

By

Travis Hopson

-

March 16, 2024

While partners in life, Noah Baumbach and Greta Gerwig have worked together creatively multiple times, culminating in last year’s hit, Barbie which they co-wrote. And now as Baumbach prepares the next film that he’ll direct for Netflix, they’ll work together again. Deadline reports that Gerwig is part of a huge ensemble that we know already includes George Clooney, Adam Sandler, Riley Keough, Laura Dern, and Billy Crudup.

Joining the cast alongside Gerwig are Jim Broadbent, Jamie Demetriou, Lars Eidnger, Grace Edwards, Patsy Ferran, Isla Fisher, Thaddea Graham, Josh Hamilton, Eve Hewson, Stacy Keach, Nicôle Lecky, Emily Mortimer, Louis Partridge, Alba Rohrwacher, Charlie Rowe, Kyle Soller, and Patrick Wilson.

That’s an absolutely massive ensemble for a movie we know next to nothing about. Baumbach will direct, and co-wrote the screenplay with actress Emily Mortimer. It’s been described as a coming-of-age story for adults, but that’s about all that we know. Hopefully a title and synopsis will arrive soon.

James Gunn’s DCU Has A ‘Teen Titans’ Movie In The Works From ‘Supergirl’ Writer

By

Travis Hopson

-

March 16, 2024

When James Gunn and Peter Safran announced the first chapter of their new DC Studios, titled “Gods and Monsters”, they made it clear that there would be more projects to be revealed later. Well, later is here, and it’s also go time for the Teen Titans who will be getting their own live-action movie.

THR confirms that a Teen Titans live-action film is in the works, with a script by playwright Ana Nogueira. Nogueira is already writing Gunn’s Supergirl movie, and wrote a previous version that would’ve starred The Flash actress Sasha Calle.

I make the case that the Teen Titans are the most popular DC Comics superteam out there, even more than the Justice League. And that’s because the Titans have been adapted in so many different forms, from the zany antics of the Teen Titans Go! cartoon and movie (including the funny Teen Titans Go! To The Movies), to the gritty live-action Titans series that ran four seasons on Max.

Created by George Perez and Marv Wolfman in 1964, the Teen Titans began as a team of sidekicks with Robin, Kid Flash, Aqualad, and Wonder Girl. Over the years they have added new members, such as Superboy, Cyborg and Beast Boy, while evolving into their adult, more mature personas.

It’s unclear who will direct this new film, or what approach will be taken to the characters. Will Gunn aim for a YA style aimed at teens, or something more serious? Also, where will this film fit into the overall DCU scheme? As of now, only Gunn’s Superman movie has a release date in July 2025.

Review: ‘Problemista’
Julio Torres' Surreal Directorial Debut Features A Monstrous Tilda Swinton

By
Cortland Jacoby
-

Julio Torres made a name for himself writing surreal sketches on Saturday Night Live. His most famous, “Papyrus” starring Ryan Gosling and “Wells for Boys” with Emma Stone, blended specificity and cerebral self-awareness, two things he applies to his brilliant directorial debut, Problemista. Unexpected and surreal with a career-best performance from Tilda Swinton, the film sheds comedic light on the kinds of people who thrive and wallow in conflict.

Torres plays Alejandro, an aspiring toy designer who immigrated to the US with the hopes of working as an intern for Hasbro. After a stint as an archivist for a cryogenics company, he must find another job to sponsor him if he hopes to stay here and eventually get the internship. His only option seems to be working for the obsessive and obstinate wife of his former charge. Elizabeth, an art critic, is the kind of woman who will tell someone to stop yelling at her when she is the one raising her voice. She is critical of everyone around her yet will not do anything about her own hair, which is bulky, frizzy, and a washed out ungodly shade of red.

Of course, her visa sponsorship comes with caveats: She will only sponsor Alejandro if he helps her curate a show for her dead husband. As her demands get more demanding including her insistence that he learn Filemaker Pro, Ale starts to wonder what is he doing all of this for.

Problemista is at its best when it leans into its surrealist elements. When Alejandro is trying to find under-the-table work, he turns to Craigslist, personified by the ethereal Larry Owens who speaks only in its listing titles and gives the role the tantalizing sexiness that it deserves. During one of their pivotal arguments, he envisions Elizabeth as a hydra, part shadow puppet, and part elaborate costume that Swinton wears. At one point Greta Lee receives the most detailed and hilarious written apology in cinema history. The more specific and out-there Torres is with his material, the more enjoyable the film is.

Many people would – and will – call Elizabeth a “Karen”. I associate the term with racist undertones, which Elizabeth does not have. She will yell at just about anyone, especially if they are white. It’s in these moments of conflict that Torres and Swinton bond. The former brings out the humanity in the latter, admiring her determination without condoning it. The push and pull between the two holds the heart of the film. While parts of Torres’ direction feel fragmented from the rest of the piece, he always returns to the screwed-up relationship between them, making Problemista oddly heartwarming.

Problemista opens wide Friday. Watch the trailer below.

‘Poolman’ Trailer: Chris Pine’s Critically-Panned Directorial Debut Arrives In May

By

Travis Hopson

-

March 15, 2024

Aw man, have I heard some shit about Poolman, Chris Pine’s directorial debut from out of TIFF last year. The LA-set noir was absolutely savaged by critics, but now that’s close to release and a trailer is here, perhaps it’ll get a warmer reception. I mean, who doesn’t love Chris Pine? ::raises hand::

Anyway, Pine directs, stars, and co-wrote Poolman which is a mystery about a Poolman who gets swept up in a conspiracy involving a water heist. It’s meant to be Pine’s zany, absurdist riff on films such as Chinatown and Under the Silver Lake.

Pine surrounds himself with an amazing cast, all playing wacky characters. Annette Benning, Danny DeVito, Jennifer Jason Leigh, DeWanda Wise, Ray Wise, Juliet Mills, Stephen Toblowsky, and Clancy Brown co-star. The script was co-written by Ian Gotner, who its rumored was part of a joke that led to Poolman being made in the first place. Also, it should come as no surprise that Pine’s Wonder Woman director Patty Jenkins is a producer. The two are very good friends.

I’ll be honest, this does not look very good. But I want to see it for myself. Poolman opens in theaters on May 10th.

‘The Listener’ Trailer: Tessa Thompson And Her Dog Star In Steve Buscemi’s Crisis Drama

By

Travis Hopson

-

March 14, 2024

Steve Buscemi has been making us laugh for so long that we forget he’s also had quite a career as a filmmaker. With films such as Lonesome Jim, Trees Lounge, and most recently 2007’s Interview, Buscemi takes his time in picking the projects he wants to direct. His latest, The Listener, is a drama starring Tessa Thompson and her real-life dog, Coltrane.

Thompson is the only human actor to appear in The Listener, playing Beth, a crisis helpline operator taking calls throughout a trying night. While we never see them, some of the voices you’ll hear are by an A-list cast of Rebecca Hall, Alia Shawkat, Margaret Cho, Derek Cecil, Blu Del Barrio, Jamie Hector, Casey Wilson, and Logan Marshall-Green.

Buscemi is directing from a script by The Messenger co-writer, Alessandro Camon.

Here’s the synopsis: Directed by Steve Buscemi and starring Tessa Thompson as Beth, a helpline volunteer who is part of the small army that gets on the phone every night across America, fielding calls from all kinds of people feeling lonely, broken, hopeless. Over the last year, the tide has become a tsunami. As Beth goes through her shift, the stakes rise: is this the night she will lose someone? Save someone? Eventually, Beth’s own story comes to light, revealing why she does it. All along we remain with her: listening, comforting, connecting – patching the world back together, one stitch at a time.

The Listener debuts day and date on March 29th.

‘Kinds Of Kindness’: Yorgos Lanthimos’ Next Film With Emma Stone Set For This Summer

By

Travis Hopson

-

March 14, 2024

Fresh off Poor Things‘ four wins at the Oscars, Yorgos Lanthimos’ next film already has a release date. And fans of the filmmaker won’t have to wait long, as Searchlight Pictures has set Kinds of Kindness for June 21st. That’s right, this summer.

There’s still a lot we don’t know about Kinds of Kindness, but it’s been described by Lanthimos as “a contemporary film, set in the US – three different stories, with four or five actors who play one part in each story”.

We also know something about the cast, which is pretty incredible. Along with Stone, the film stars Jesse Plemons, Willem Dafoe, Margaret Qualley, Hong Chau, Joe Alwyn, Mamoudou Athie, and Hunter Schafer. Lanthimos co-wrote the script with frequent creative partner Efthimis Filippou. Filming was completed in New Orleans back in 2020.

This will be Lanthimos and Stone’s fourth collaboration and the dark comedy Save the Green Planet coming up along with a mystery project shot in Greece.

KINDS OF KINDNESS. The new film from Yorgos Lanthimos. Starring Academy Award winner Emma Stone, Jesse Plemons, Willem Dafoe, Margaret Qualley, Hong Chau, Joe Alwyn, Mamoudou Athie and Hunter Schafer. In theaters June 21st. #KindsofKindness pic.twitter.com/53NOTpEgRA

— Searchlight Pictures (@searchlightpics) March 14, 2024