When you’re constructing a 30+ film universe that crosses media lines and enthralls the world consistency is key. You can’t have a new Thor popping up every other year. It’s for this reason that the OG Avengers came into the MCU and were immediately locked into 5, 6, 7 or, in Sam Jackson’s case, 9 picture deals. While this seems like the kind of business decision you’d want to stick with, it looks like Marvel Studios is going another way. Kevin Feige relayed as much to TheHollywoodReporter while doing press for this weeks huge release Black Widow.
It looks like the brass at the MCU are re-evaluating the way they approached certain things up to this point and seeing what still makes sense. In theory this is a sign of great tactical thinkers, you would think that the old “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” rule would apply but there’s a reason these guys get paid the big bucks. On the subject of locking actors into multi-picture deals which essentially ties up a decade of their lives Feige said:
“…what we want are people that come in, are excited to be in the universe, are excited at the opportunity to do more things, as opposed to being locked into contractual obligations.”
It sounds like a real nice guy move, and it would motivate the studio to treat their actors right. That being said part of me wonders if this is a good change. Whose to say that one of the up and comers doesn’t go through a phase in the middle of their story arc when they only want to paint, or star in indie film, or…more likely, get a higher dollar offer from another production. Then you’re in a scramble to move the timeline, or replace the actor. The first saga of the MCU was a miracle of moving parts, so many things lining up at just the right time to form a, forgive the pun, marvel of motion picture. Outside of Terrance Howard bowing out of playing Rhodey (a move that ended up being to the benefit of the films) there wasn’t any issue with returning headliners.
Time will tell but I think, if nothing else, Feige has earned the benefit of our doubt.
It’s already been a week since the first Fear Street film was released and it was fantastic! Part 2:1978 will be available this Friday on Netflix. The second installment ups the thrills and kills factor and has successfully added another rung to the ole’ teen slasher ladder. Last week, viewers were taken to 1994 where a group of teens are looking to finally end the curse that has haunted their town for decades. Deena (Kiana Maderia), Sam (Olivia Welch), and Josh (Benjamin Flores Jr.) must find the missing pieces by talking to someone who survived the last brutal slaying that happened in Shadyside, C. Berman (Gillian Jacobs). In order to end the witches curse, they must dive back into the memories of the Camp Nightwing slaughter, summer of 1978.
Cue another kick ass soundtrack to fit the period! In the first movie, we heard songs that rocked the 90’s grunge era. Fear Street Part 2:1978 continues the musical nostalgia and features a classic playlist of songs including Cherry Bomb (The Runaways), Slow Ride (Foghat), The Reaper (Blue Oyster Cult), Carry On My Wayward Son (Kansas), I Will Survive (Gloria Gaynor), and The First Cut Is The Deepest (Rod Stewart) with so much more. Totally setting the mood for the lake and woodsy camp style thrasher film reminiscent of the infamous, Friday the 13th (1980) and the more recent rendition (and personal favorite of all the seasons, so far), American Horror Story, 1984 (2019).
Ziggy Berman (Sadie Sink, Stranger Things) is a fiery redhead who is not afraid of doing her own thing (Girl after my own ginger heart!) and is a last year camper at Camp Nightwing. Her sister, Cindy Berman (Emily Rudd) is a preppy posing “do-gooder” counselor and stickler for rules. After having to step into more of the parental figure role due to some family issues, Cindy is doing whatever it takes to look after Ziggy while looking for a way out of Shadyside to accomplish bigger things. Her sweet, virgin, and fellow counselor is boyfriend, Tommy (McCabe Slye). Tommy keeps Cindy calm and supports her when the stresses of life, like Ziggy, become overwhelming.
Gore and sex/intimacy go hand in hand in thrasher films. Councelors are seen smoking weed and yes, sex is inevitably apparent. Still very much an R rating and to side note: I love every bit of it!
Ziggy (Sink) has her own battles to contend with at Camp Nightwing. There’s the social divide between the Sunnyvalers and Shadysiders but Ziggy is targeted and bullied by the other campers. Ziggy is outspoken and doesn’t take any shit from anyone which draws attention to everyone else. She is often referred to as the witch of Sarah Fear. First year counselor Nick Goode (Ted Sutherland) comes to her aid during one of her bully encounters and it’s quite apparent of the feelings he has for her. Fear Street Part 2: 1978 reveals the backstory of Sheriff Goode (Ashley Zuckerman).
A crazy man with an ax is now on a murderous rampage throughout Camp Nightwing. The body count quickly goes on the rise as he is influenced by the witch of Shadyside, Sarah Fear. The blood and gore intensifies in this second installment and it’s grotesquely glorious! Fear Street Part 2: 1978 is linking the ties of the serial killers to the possession and curse spanning from 1666 to the current of the three films, 1994. The ghostly killers caught in the witchy web have a 13 Ghosts (2001) vibe and I dig it.
A few of only Shadyside campers are killed off screen. We are left to see the goopy chunks of human mushiness and littered body parts. Other scenes go the full extreme of the axe chopping hot mess on the counselors and it’s amazing. I am genuinely pleased with the brilliant combination of retro and new age slasher films for this generation. There’s a wonderful display of each sister’s side that explores their horrific journey while trying to survive the Shadyside curse. For the second Fear Street film, director Leigh Janaik is killing it!
C. Berman (Jacobs) has survived the horror that occurred at Camp Nightwing. She couldn’t save those who died there by ending the curse but she can for the teens of 1994. There are two more ghostly killers, The Milkman and The Boy with the Bat, and of course the witch herself, Sarah Fear, to learn about. The third and final film hopefully acknowledges those two murderous backstories and will take us back to where the horror originally began. Fear Street Part 3: 1666 will be released next Friday, July 16th on Netflix. The last movie will also bring back cast members that are featured throughout the first two films. I certainly hope to see more of R.L. Stine’s Fear Street edition book series comes to film life. Each one keeps getting better! So good and worth a watch.
Fear Street Part 2: 1978 releases Friday, July 9th and Fear Street Part 3: 1666 will be released Friday, July 16th on Netflix.
Marvel Studios has already begun teasing the Fantastic Four’s entry into the MCU, although it won’t be until 2023 when they’ll finally appear. While you’ve undoubtedly seen a lot of fan casting that puts John Krasinski and Emily Blunt as Reed and Sue Richards, I mean they certainly look the part, a new rumor suggests Marvel will look for the team to be considerably more diverse.
Here’s what an apparent Marvel source told Fandomwire…
“They are looking to specifically cast people of color. They also want this new team to be younger, aged 20s-30s. They plan to keep Sue and Johnny as actual siblings this time in the same race, but they are open to mixing all races in casting this family. For example, Human Torch and Invisible Woman could be Latinos, allowing Mr. Fantastic to be Black or Asian. They are still very open.”
I could see this happening, but let’s not forget the heat Fox took just for adding Michael B. Jordan to their awful Fantastic Four movie. Then again that could be because it sucked.
Anyway, Marvel looking to diversify the Fantastic Four seems like something they would want to do. I’d say there’s something for keeping the team as it is in the comics, too. No idea should be excluded. Whatever makes for the best movie.
The animated films of director Ari Folman aren’t what anyone would call family fun entertainment. Waltz with Bashir and The Congress are thought-provoking exercises that look at memory, war, and identity from a broad perspective, and they are both worth rewatching to pick up on more ideas. We’ll be able to say the same about Folman’s latest, Where Is Anne Frank?, which looks at the young girl’s story in a way that has never been done before.
So what makes this version of Anne Frank’s tragic but inspiring story so different? Well, as seen in the new trailer, it’s told from the perspective of Anne’s imaginary friend, Kitty. But don’t let that fool you into thinking it will be childish. Not at all. Anne’s final days hidden away from the Nazis are accounted for, as well as her impact on the world today.
This looks truly powerful and I can’t wait to see the latest from Folman. Where is Anne Frank? will premiere at Cannes later this week. I can easily see this being a return to Oscar-nominated glory after more than a decade.
Kitty, the imaginary friend of Anne, is desperate to prove that her best friend is still alive. Kitty is a child of today, she’s wild, smart, tough, nervy,unfettered; she flees the Anne Frank House, steals the diary and sets out on the most difficult journey of all: discovering Anne’s fate after she and her family were caught by the Gestapo.
When Matthew Vaughn finally finishes up with the Kingsman franchise, he’s not going to stray too far from the spy genre. According to Observer, Vaughn will write and direct a new espionage film and he may have already begun assembling a stellar cast.
Reportedly in talks to star in Vaughn’s untitled spy movie are Bryce Dallas Howard, Sam Rockwell, and Samuel L. Jackson. The story would center on an author who regains her memories and remembers that she’s actually a super spy. Dallas Howard would play the woman who realizes she was part of the deadly organization known as The Divison, which Rockwell’s character is also a part of. Jackson will play a rogue spy.
Next up for Vaughn is The King’s Man, which has been repeatedly delayed due to COVID-19. It will finally hit theaters on December 22nd.
There’s something about The Addams Family that no matter how long they’ve been gone, audiences early show up when they return. Just as the live-action films were huge in the ’90s, so was the animated movie released in 2019 to over $200M worldwide. And now the sequel arrives at a time when family-friendly entertainment is more in-demand than ever as theaters make their recovery.
The Addams Family 2 once again features a star-studded voice cast led by Oscar Isaac, Charlize Theron, Chloë Grace Moretz, Nick Kroll, Bette Midler, Snoop Dogg, Bill Hader, and Wallace Shawn, with Javon “Wanna” Walton replacing Finn Wolfhard. This time around, the creepy and kooky fam go on a road trip before Wednesday and Pugsley head off to college.
Interestingly, this won’t be the only haunted family comedy to open on October 1st. That’s the same day we can expect Hotel Transylvania: Transformania to drop. I don’t know who gets the better of this one, but surely families aren’t going to see both?
“Everyone’s favorite spooky family is back in the animated comedy sequel, The Addams Family 2. In this all-new movie, we find Morticia and Gomez distraught that their children are growing up, skipping family dinners, and totally consumed with “scream time.” To reclaim their bond, they decide to cram Wednesday, Pugsley, Uncle Fester, and the crew into their haunted camper and hit the road for one last miserable family vacation. Their adventure across America takes them out of their element and into hilarious run-ins with their iconic cousin, IT, as well as many new kooky characters. What could possibly go wrong?”
Val Kilmer will be hopping back into the cockpit as Iceman in Top Gun: Maverick, but the “need for speed” is long gone in the new documentary for Val. The Cannes selection, which premiered yesterday, charts 40 years of Kilmer’s life as seen through a myriad of home videos.
The film takes a look at Val Kilmer’s career, which began with my favorite comedy of all-time, Top Secret!, and his breakout role in Real Genius. A heartthrob and sex symbol throughout the ’80s and ’90s, Kilmer went on to star in Top Gun, Willow, Batman Forever, The Doors, and more. Then in 2014 he was diagnosed with throat cancer and nothing was ever the same.
Kilmer isn’t just the subject, but is also on board as an exec-producer. The film is directed by Ting Poo and Lee Scott, who spent nine months digitizing Kilmer’s home movies, of which there was over 200 hours shot by the actor.
Amazon Studios will release Val in theaters on July 23rd. The documentary will begin streaming on August 6th on Amazon Prime Video.
Before the Army of the Dead, there was Army of Thieves! Zack Snyder and Netflix have revealed first images from the filmmaker’s prequel to his zombie heist film, directed by returning star Matthias Schweighöfer. He reprises his role as chatty safe cracker Ludwig Dieter, who quickly became a fan-favorite.
Written by Shay Hatten from a story he conceived with Snyder, Army of Thieves takes us back to events before the zombie outbreak that infected Las Vegas. Taking a look at the images reveals another familiar face, Nathalie Emmanuel, probably best known to viewers as Missandei in Game of Thrones and Ramsey in the Fast & Furious flicks.
Here’s the synopsis: “Small-town bank teller Dieter gets drawn into the adventure of a lifetime when a mysterious woman recruits him to join a crew of Interpol’s most wanted criminals, attempting to heist a sequence of legendary, impossible-to-crack safes across Europe.”
Also in the cast are Stuart Martin, Guz Khan, Ruby O. Fee, Jonathan Cohen, Noemie Nakai, Peter Simonischek, and John Bubniak.
Army of Thieves will hit Netflix this fall, and is part of a growing cinematic universe. An anime Army of the Dead prequel series titled Lost Vegas is in the works, while chances of a true sequel are looking very good.
The Book of Boba Fett‘s December premiere is coming fast, and star Temuera Morrison shed some details in a recent interview with The Express. The Attack of the Clones actor wouldn’t reveal much about the plot, which seems to deal with Fett’s taking over of the criminal underworld, but he did talk about the directors who will make the series happen. Fans of The Mandalorian should be very happy indeed.
“Jon [Favreau] has come up with some magical formulas. We’ve got some great directors onboard – Robert Rodriguez, Favreau, Bryce [Dallas Howard], Dave Filoni”, Morrison said.
Pretty much everybody on that list worked on The Mandalorian and know this part of the Star Wars universe extremely well.
Morrison also said, “It’s in the timeline of The Mandalorian so, I guess, we gotta go back and see. It’s a duo thing. We’ve got Ming-Na Wen in there – she’s playing the master assassin Fennec Shand.”
Perhaps the most intriguing part, “We’ve gotta look at the timeline, we gotta look at where [Boba] has been. We gotta keep the fans happy.”
Sounds like the show will be digging into Boba Fett’s past quite a bit. There’s a lot of unknown ground to cover since his “death” in the Sarlaac Pit. What was he doing during that long stretch working from the shadows? And what ultimately led to him meeting with Din Djarin and Grogu? And how long until he comes face-to-face with Timothy Olyphant’s Cobb Vanth, the man who last wore his Mandalorian armor? That should be fun.
Truth: I’ve never seen a moment from The Kissing Booth or its sequel. So there’s no point in me even trying to pretend I know what’s going on. Here’s the only thing that matters: these movies are wildly popular, Netflix has the market cornered on teen romance franchises, and the trailer for The Kissing Booth 3 is here.
Joey King, Jacob Elordi, and Joel Courtney return to wrap up this epic love triangle. It’s taking a familiar turn, too; one that is very similar to Netflix’s other hit romance To All the Boys, since the eventual getaway to college threatens to tear relationships apart.
Here’s the synopsis: It’s the summer before Elle heads to college, and she’s facing the hardest decision of her life: whether to move across the country with her dreamy boyfriend Noah or fulfill her lifelong promise to go to college with her BFF Lee. Whose heart will Elle break?
Molly Ringwald, Maisie Richardson-Sellers, and Taylor Zakhar Perez are all back, along with writer/director Vince Marcello.
