’48 Hours In Vegas’: Phil Lord & Chris Miller To Produce Film About Dennis Rodman’s Crazy Getaway During ’98 NBA Finals

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August 31, 2021

The hit Michael Jordan/Chicago Bulls documentary The Last Dance opened up a can of worms, a lot of them, actually, about one of the greatest championship dynasties in all of basketball. One of them was eccentric and controversial power forward, Dennis Rodman, and the antics he committed on and off the court distracted the team during their second championship run. One of those was the impromptu trip to Las Vegas right in the middle of the 1998 NBA Finals against the hated Utah Jazz. As a diehard Bulls fan, I’ll never forget when Rodman left the team and showed up on muthafuckin’ WCW Nitro the same damn night.

Well, Rodman’s crazy getaway is now becoming a movie from producers Phil Lord and Chris Miller. Lionsgate has picked up the rights to 48 Hours In Vegas, a spec script about the unexpected friendship Rodman formed with a skitty assistant GM during the madcap adventure away from the team.

The script is by Jordan VanDina, a writer on Animaniacs and the recent Hulu comedy, The Binge. No word on a director or who will play Rodman. Shit, he could probably play himself still and is crazy enough to do it.

“Dennis refused to follow the herd,” said Lord and Miller. “That is what made him a target and it’s also what made him a star. His weekend in Las Vegas is full of fun and high jinks but it is also full of important questions about the way public figures, and workers are treated, especially when their individuality is expressed so vividly.”

Well, that’s one way of putting it. He was a jackass and a malcontent but his talent overshadowed all of the distractions he caused. I had a love/hate relationship with Rodman as a Bulls fan. Hated seeing him on wrestling when he was hanging out with Hulk Hogan and the NWO, but always loved the rebounds and defense he provided, plus the occasional glimpse at Carmen Electra in attendance. Can’t beat that. [Deadline]

New ‘The Rocketeer’ Movie In The Works For Disney+, David Oyelowo Possibly To Suit Up

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Travis Hopson

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August 31, 2021

David Oyelowo's THE RETURN OF THE ROCKETEER won't happen at Disney

Considering how beloved 1991’s The Rocketeer continues to be, it’s pretty amazing it took 30 years for Disney to finally bring it back. That’s what’s happening now as a new Rocketeer film is in the works and it will be exclusive to Disney+.

According to Deadline, David Oyelowo is set to produce, alongside his wife Jessica Oyelowo, and possibly star in an updated The Rocketeer movie, titled The Return of the Rocketeer. The character is based on the 1982 comic book about a 1930s stunt pilot who discovers a jet pack which he uses to become a costumed hero, gaining the attention of the FBI, Howard Hughes, and the Nazis.

This new version seems suited for Oyelowo to star in, as it will follow a retired Tuskegee airman who becomes the new Rocketeer. He played a member of the Tuskegee airmen in the 2012 film Red Tails. Ed Ricourt, best known for writing Now You See Me and episodes of Jessica Jones, is on the screenplay.

The Rocketeer didn’t do big numbers at the box office, but it has lived on as a cult favorite. Joe Johnston, who would go on to direct Captain America: The First Avenger, another movie steeped in nostalgia for the 1930s/40s era, was director with Billy Campbell and Jennifer Connelly starring.

‘No Time To Die’ Trailer: After Six Years Daniel Craig Is Finally Back As James Bond

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Travis Hopson

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August 31, 2021

It’s still unclear what the future holds for James Bond when Daniel Craig hangs up his gun. If there were no pandemic we’d probably already know the answer, but No Time to Die has been delayed so many times it’s become the measurement by which we judge the readiness of studios to release blockbusters in the midst of this chaos. And considering MGM has decided to push forward with the film’s October 8th release, we can surmise that they’re more than ready to finally get this show on the road.

The final trailer for No Time to Die confirms that, offering one more look at the new film from director and co-writer Cary Jo Fukunaga. As you all know by now, Craig’s James Bond has settled into retirement, but the 007 code name has been passed on to another…and a WOMAN (!!!) played by Lashana Lynch. Still, he’s brought back into the spy world with the arrival of a new global threat, played by Oscar-winner Rami Malek. Also in the cast are Léa Seydoux, Ben Whishaw, Ana de Armas, Naomie Harris, Jeffrey Wright, Christoph Waltz, Ralph Fiennes, Billy Magnussen, and Rory Kinnear.

This Bond promises to have a different feel than the others. For one thing, it’s been six long years since Spectre, making this the longest gap between movies. And joining longtime screenwriters Neal Purvis and Robert Wade is Fleabag creator Phoebe Waller-Bridge, bringing a female perspective to the script for the first time.

SYNOPSIS: In No Time To Die, Bond has left active service and is enjoying a tranquil life in Jamaica. His peace is short-lived when his old friend Felix Leiter from the CIA turns up asking for help. The mission to rescue a kidnapped scientist turns out to be far more treacherous than expected, leading Bond onto the trail of a mysterious villain armed with dangerous new technology.

Dave Franco To Direct Alison Brie And Kiersey Clemons In Amazon Rom-Com ‘Somebody That I Used To Know’

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Travis Hopson

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August 30, 2021

It’s so nice to see a husband and wife duo that enjoys working together the way Dave Franco and Alison Brie do. Following on Franco’s directorial debut, The Rental (which was pretty damn good), that starred Brie in a lead role, the two are teaming up again on an “elevated” rom-com titled Somebody that I Used to Know for Amazon Studios.

Brie and Franco co-wrote the film together, and she will take an acting role while he steps behind the camera as director. Also in the cast are Jay Ellis (Insecure) and Kiersey Clemons (Dope). The story “follows workaholic Ally (Brie) who, on a trip to her hometown, spends a night reminiscing with her ex-boyfriend Sean (Ellis), which makes her start to question everything about the choices she’s made and the person she’s become. And things only get more confusing when she meets Cassidy (Clemons), a younger woman who reminds her of the person she used to be.”

Here’s what Franco had to say about the announcement:

“Alison and I love romantic comedies and were inspired by the classics from the 80’s and 90’s,” said Franco. “We couldn’t be more excited about working with Jay and Kiersey, who are both extremely natural performers, capable of bringing levity and drama in equal measure. And we’re so grateful to have partnered with Amazon Studios, who have been incredibly supportive in helping bring this project to life.”

Franco and Brie previously acted together in The Disaster Artist and The Little Hours. What’s that they say? The couple that plays together, stays together? Well, this is work but clearly they love it and so far it’s brought them both success.

Review: ‘Zone 414’
Dreary 'Blade Runner' Knockoff Wastes The Talents Of Guy Pearce, Matilda Lutz, And Travis Fimmel

By
Travis Hopson
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A Blade Runner knockoff that’s less ambitious and curiously lacking in suspense, Zone 414 is a waste of a talented cast that includes Guy Pearce, Matilda Lutz, and Travis Fimmel. Set in the not-too-distant future where lifelike androids are a regular part of life, and humans take liberties with them in very Westworld-esque fashion, the film is essentially a detective story, led by Pearce as troubled P.I. David Carmichael. We first meet him as he brutally guns down a woman who claims visions of the future. Moments after he puts a bullet right between her eyes, we learn she’s an android. David, however, didn’t know that when he did it. This cold, maliciousness is teased but never followed up on, a recurring theme for a film that is constantly spinning its wheels.

David agrees to take a dangerous gig for creepy android inventor and billionaire Marlon Veidt (an unrecognizable Travis Fimmel, originally cast in the lead role) to head into Zone 414 aka the “City of Robots”, to find his wayward daughter. In the Zone, androids and humans are free to interact socially, which means rich men routinely go there to act out their sexual desires. One android that happens to be Marlon’s favorite creator, Jane (Lutz), is growing more despondent over her lot in life. It’s clear she wants more, just as it’s also clear she won’t get it from psychopathic boss Royale (Olwen Fouéré) who doesn’t even intercede when an unseen stalker starts issuing violent threats towards Jane.

The plot sets itself as a classic film noir with sci-fi elements, and there could have been an effective examination of man’s inhumanity as opposed to androids whose only desire is to be human. But to say the script by Bryan Edward Hill is uneventful would be an understatement. Once David and Jane connect and set out to find Marlon’s daughter, all of the air is sucked out of the story. They venture to a few shady places and meet equally dubious people but nothing of substance occurs. There’s little action, and even less room for Pearce to be the charismatic force we know he can be. He’s actually pretty well-suited to this kind of conflicted gumshoe role but the script doesn’t allow for it. The same goes for Lutz, who was such a presence in the violent rape/vengeance thriller Revenge. Jane’s desire to be more than just a robot isn’t fleshed out (no pun intended) in any way we haven’t seen before, and Lutz struggles to bring the role to life. Music video director Andrew Baird gives the film as much gloss as he can with a few shades of neon here and there, but nothing stands out other than how dreary it is.

Zone 414 opens in theaters and digital on September 3rd.

Dwayne Johnson And Emily Blunt Are Returning For A ‘Jungle Cruise’ Sequel

By

Travis Hopson

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August 30, 2021

The pandemic has forced studios to completely reevaluate what a hit movie is. Take for instance, Jungle Cruise, which made just $186M worldwide, $100M of that here in the States. While that might not sound great, it’s pretty good for the current state of affairs. Plus, it has obviously done well on Disney+ Premier Access, because just like Cruella which was released the same way, Jungle Cruise is getting a sequel.

Coming as a shock to absolutely nobody, Dwayne Johnson and Emily Blunt are ready to set sale on Jungle Cruise 2. Also coming back are screenwriter Michael Green and director Jaume Collet-Serra, who has become a running buddy of Johnson’s. The duo are also working together on Black Adam.

No details on the plot, but we can assume river boat captain/conquistador Frank Wolf and Dr. Lily Houghton will be adventuring in another jungle locale. Honestly, the story probably doesn’t matter that much. I couldn’t begin to tell you what any of the Pirates of the Carribean movies were about and there were five of those damned things with a sixth on the way. Disney is building franchises based on star power, and it looks like they’ve found another one with Jungle Cruise.

New ‘Expendables’ Film Confirmed With Megan Fox, 50 Cent, And Tony Jaa As New Recruits

By

Travis Hopson

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August 30, 2021

The Expendables weren’t so expendable after all. It’s been seven years since Sylvester Stallone, Jason Statham, and a slew of action stars mounted up for the last Expendables movie, and following rumors that a new movie was in the works and shooting in October, THR confirms it along with a trio of new additions to the cast.

Megan Fox, Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson, and martial arts superstar Tony Jaa are the newest recruits to The Expendables franchise. They’ll be joined by Stallone, Statham, Randy Couture, and Dolph Lundgren who will reprise their earlier roles.

Just as we had learned recently, the focal point of this new movie will be Statham’s character, Lee Christmas. The working title had been revealed as “Christmas Story”, giving that aspect away clearly. Fox will take the female lead.

Behind the camera is Scott Waugh, known for directing Need for Speed and the military flick Acts of Valor. The script is by Spenser Cohen wrote the script with revisions by Max Adams and John Joseph Connolly.

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Previous Expendables films were basically a showcase for action stars of the ’80s and ’90s, and featured appearances by Arnold Schwarzenegger, Chuck Norris, Mel Gibson, Antonio Banderas, Wesley Snipes, Harrison Ford, and Jean-Claude Van Damme. The addition of Jaa more than fits the bill, although some of us have been waiting patiently for Jackie Chan to show up.

DC Readers: Attend A Free Advance Screening Of ‘The Card Counter’

By

Travis Hopson

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August 30, 2021

We’re happy to offer our DC readers the chance to attend a free early screening of Paul Schrader’s The Card Counter, starring Oscar Isaac, Tiffany Haddish, Tye Sheridan, and Willem Dafoe.

SYNOPSIS: Redemption is the long game in Paul Schrader’s THE CARD COUNTER. Told with Schrader’s trademark cinematic intensity, the revenge thriller tells the story of an ex-military interrogator turned gambler haunted by the ghosts of his past decisions, and features riveting performances from stars Oscar Isaac, Tiffany Haddish, Tye Sheridan and Willem Dafoe.

The screening takes place on Wednesday, September 8th at 7:00pm at AMC Tysons Corner. If you’d like to attend, go to the Focus Features screening site here. Please remember all screenings are first come first served and you will need to arrive early to ensure seating. Enjoy the show!

The Card Counter opens in theaters on September 10th.

Tom Cruise Was “Adamant” Val Kilmer Return For ‘Top Gun: Maverick’

By

Travis Hopson

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August 30, 2021

Val Kilmer, dead at 65 — TOP GUN, Val Kilmer, 1986

When a sequel to Top Gun was announced many years ago, one of the first to say he was involved was Val Kilmer. But was that really true? The film struggled to get going for so long, it’s hard to be sure what was going on through most of it. But one thing we know for sure, Tom Cruise was key to making sure Kilmer got to suit up as “Iceman” once more.

Speaking with People, producer Jerry Bruckheimer spoke about how Cruise was instrumental in Kilmer returning for Top Gun: Maverick. Does that mean we’ll get a new volleyball scene? Um, probably not with these guys and their advanced ages.

“He said, ‘We have to have Val, we have to have him back. We have to have him in the film,’” Bruckheimer said. “And he was the driving force. We all wanted him, but Tom was really adamant that if he’s going to make another ‘Top Gun,’ Val had to be in it.”

While everyone is eager to see Cruise back in the cockpit as Maverick, those who saw the recent Val Kilmer documentary Val will have an altogether different emotional reaction. Kilmer has been going through a lot, battling personal demons in the past and most recently a fight with throat cancer. To have him back for Top Gun: Maverick feels right, and at the right time, too. Personally, I can’t imagine the film without him.

Top Gun: Maverick opens November 19th.

‘Resident Evil: Welcome To Raccoon City’ Images Feature First Looks At Claire Redfield, Jill Valentine, & More

By

Travis Hopson

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August 30, 2021

Screen Gems didn’t let their Resident Evil franchise lay dormant for very long before launching into a reboot. The final Milla Jojovich movie was in 2016 and by 2017 they were already underway on a revival, Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City, a title that should make fans of the hit Capcom video games very happy. And now a few years later we’re getting the first official images (via IGN) featuring the cast as popular characters Claire Redfield, Leon Kennedy, and more.

The photos include star Kaya Scodelario as Claire Redfield, Robbie Amell as Chris Redfield, Hannah John-Kamen as Jill Valentine, and Avan Jogia as Leon S. Kennedy. No coincidence these characters were chosen as they are the most iconic of the entire series of horror-surival games. The only one missing is Umbrella Corporation’s villainous Albert Wesker, who will be played by The Umbrella Academy‘s Tom Hopper. He and John-Kamen starred together recently in SAS: Red Notice.

The film is written and directed by Johannes Roberts, best known for 47 Meters Down and The Strangers: Prey at Night.

Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City opens November 24th, 2021

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