New Shazam! Clip Shows Billy Figuring Out How To Transform

New Shazam! Clip Shows Billy Figuring Out How To Transform

Coming off the discovery of the MCU’s introduction of the little-known origin story of Carol Danvers earlier this month, moviegoers will soon discover 14-year-old Billy Batson’s fantastic abilities when he becomes Shazam! next weekend. What looks to be especially fun about DC’s next entry is audiences will get to learn of the superhero’s powers as he does and through the eyes of two teenage boys.

More early looks of Shazam! have been making its way to us in anticipation for the upcoming release, including this new clip teasing how Billy Batson’s transformation into an adult superhero works. Check it out:

The minute snippet from the film seems to take place shortly after Billy Batson (Asher Angel) becomes Shazam (Zachary Levi) for the first time, and is sneaking back into his foster home with Freddy (Jack Dylan Grazer) in the evening, hoping to go unnoticed. One of his foster sisters Darla, played by Faithe Herman (who This Is Us fans may notice as Annie Pearson) sees the superhero’s flashy costume and is about to react before Shazam! covers her mouth.

Shazam then attempts to explain to Darla of the unbelievable circumstances. He’s Billy and a wizard approached him and made him look like … well Zachary Levi in a muscly red and yellow suit. He says the word “shazam” again, which is what made him a superhero in the first place and he is turned back to his teenage self much to his surprise.

It’s a fun explainer about how Billy will learn of one of his many abilities and means he will most definitely be able to switch in and out of his alter ego throughout the film. With little Darla in on the secret, I can see the movie having some funny moments with her where she tries to keep the secret but lets things slip, since she said she’s “moderate” at keeping them.

As other early looks of Shazam! Have shown, Billy and Freddy will also learn about Shazam’s ability of flight, super strength, super speed, invulnerability and power to summon lightning in some hilarious ways that will get them geeking out – a fun change of pace from the typical hero unphased by the amazing things they can do.

While most fans will have to wait a little longer to see Shazam! in theaters, early critical reactions have been glowing: CinemaBlend’s own Sean O’Connell gave the film a delightful 4 out of 5 stars. Preview screenings also made a splash with $3.3 million in earnings, beating out Aquaman’s preview numbers.

Shazam! seems to be doing a successful job of peaking the interest of fans and we can’t wait to see the pair of foster kids learn the scope of the superhero’s fun scope of abilities and take on the film’s villian Dr. Sivana (Mark Strong) when the film hits theaters on April 5.

Godzilla: King Of The Monsters Has Original Tracks From Bear McCreary And System Of A Down's Serj

Godzilla: King Of The Monsters Has Original Tracks From Bear McCreary And System Of A Down's Serj

Few cinematic events call for music to rock out to more than giant monsters destroying cities and fighting each other. The upcoming Godzilla: King of the Monsters will have a lot of giant monsters battling for supremacy, and it needs a soundtrack worthy of that level of wild destruction. Fortunately, the soundtrack for Godzilla: King of the Monsters has enlisted some top tier talent to do just that.

Bear McCreary, who has scored all manner of genre properties, from 10 Cloverfield Lane to The Walking Dead to the most recent God of War game, is composing the soundtrack for the sequel film. For one particularly special track, he teamed up with System of a Down’s frontman Serj Tankian.

The two joined forces for a cover of Blue Öyster Cult’s classic “Godzilla” from the band’s fifth album, 1977’s Spectres. The playful and campy hard-rock tribute to the king of the monsters became one of Blue Öyster Cult’s biggest hits, and bands like Fu Manchu and The Smashing Pumpkins have covered it over the years. The song now stands as a fun piece of Godzilla’s history.

For the cover of “Godzilla” on the Godzilla: King of the Monsters soundtrack, System of a Down’s Serj Tankian provides the vocals for the song, singing lyrics like “Go, go, Godzilla” and "He picks up a bus and he throws it back down." Also contributing to the track are the members of Metalocalypse's Dethklok, Gene Hoglan and Brendon Small. The cover also incorporates a Japanese taiko drumming group, a full orchestra, chanting, kick drums and a heavy metal rhythm section. Add in Serj Tankian’s vocals, and Bear McCreary told Rolling Stone that his “Godzilla” cover is “complete musical madness.”

That sounds exactly like what you would want from a soundtrack for this movie because judging by the trailers, Godzilla: King of the Monsters is complete cinematic madness. Also, for a franchise as old and storied as Godzilla, it’s nice to see new titles recognize the franchise’s history. And while Blue Öyster Cult’s “Godzilla” isn’t an official part of the canon, it is an important part of the pop culture history of the giant monster.

You can listen to “Godzilla” off the Godzilla: King of the Monsters soundtrack in the video below

Bear McCreary and Serj Tankian’s cover of “Godzilla” won’t be the only way the soundtrack honors the history of the character though. Beyond the cover, the King of the Monsters soundtrack features 25 tracks of score music by Bear McCreary that are influenced by and incorporate elements from the music in the original Godzilla movies.

The Godzilla: King of the Monsters soundtrack drops on May 24 in advance of the film’s opening day on May 31. Check out our 2019 Release Schedule to see all the movies headed your way in a packed summer season.

The Original Scooby Doo Actors Had A Mixed Reaction To The New Cast

The Original Scooby Doo Actors Had A Mixed Reaction To The New Cast

No pop culture property is going to remain dormant for too long when Hollywood has the opportunity to use it. It's been 15 years since popular 1970s animated character Scooby-Doo and his mystery solving buddies were on the big screen, and that's more enough time to justify a reboot. A new animated film is on the way, and some of the actors from the early-2000s live-action version have feelings. Matthew Lillard, who played Shaggy, is more than a little upset to discover that he's being replaced, and also annoyed he didn't get any sort of a heads up.

Last week it was announced that a new animated Scooby-Doo movie was being produced with names like Will Forte and Gina Rodriguez attached to voice the familiar characters that we all remember from the various versions of the cartoon show that started in 1969 and has existed in one form or another ever since.

Of course, for fans of a certain age, the most well-known version of these characters may have come from a pair of live-action movies. The first was released in 2002 and, while it wasn't exactly a critical darling, it ended up grossing over $270 million around the world. That was good enough to spawn the sequel, 2004's Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed.

While it seemed highly unlikely that we were ever going to get another live-action Scooby-Doo at this point, at least with the same cast, it wouldn't be the first time that a franchise was brought back after a long hiatus. The one thing a reboot does do is seemingly make that even less likely as we rarely see a franchise go backwards, though that can happen too.

As with any reboot scenario, there are fans that are less than thrilled to learn of it. There's often a feeling that a reboot, simply by existing, is a slight to whatever came before.

Not everybody, however, seems to be too bent out of shape over the reboot. Freddie Prinze Jr. who played Fred in the live-action film, alongside wife Sarah Michelle Geller as Daphne, seems to be taking it all in stride. He's glad Scooby-Doo is making it to the screen in some form for a new generation to enjoy.

While the new movie won't have any connection to the live-action films, it will be connected to the animated characters. Frank Welker has been the voice of Scooby-Doo himself since 2002, and he'll reprise his role in the new film, so this new movie isn't entirely without pedigree.

While the main cast of the new film has been revealed, maybe the previously actors could get voice cameos as a nice nod to their previous work. We'll have to wait and see. The new Scooby-Doo and company is set to bow in May of 2020.

Could Clint Eastwood's Next Movie Land Over At Disney/Fox?

Could Clint Eastwood's Next Movie Land Over At Disney/Fox?

Disney is still figuring things out when it comes to the new Fox studio that the company now owns. There were many projects in various stages of development, and it's likely that not all of them will continue moving forward. However, one project that looks like it may have a chance at life is The Ballad of Richard Jewell and Clint Eastwood is looking at directing.

The Ballad of Richard Jewell was already a project under consideration under the previous 20th Century Fox administration. It now belongs to the new Disney/Fox and Clint Eastwood has been in talks with the new studio about helming the film.

Not every Fox project is doing as well under the new guard. Wes Ball's Mouse Guard, which was very near going into active production, was just stopped by Disney/Fox. The project may get picked up elsewhere, but the new company is already making the call to close down projects it doesn't want. This project, especially if Clint Eastwood does agree to direct, looks to be one Disney/Fox wants to move forward with.

The Ballad of Richard Jewell is based on a Vanity Fair news article of the same name about Richard Jewell, who was a security guard during the 1996 Atlanta Olympics who recognized a suspicious package, which turned out to be a bomb, and saved many people in the process. However, after the events were over Jewell was looked at as a possible suspect. This information became public and Jewell's life was turned upside down. While he was eventually exonerated, his life, and health, were never the same and he died of heart failure at the age of 44.

The Ballad of Richard Jewell is a project that's been around for a while. The script was written by Billy Ray, who previous wrote Captain Philips. Several years ago, Jonah Hill was attached to star as Richard Jewell and Leonardo DiCaprio was considering coming on board to play Jewell's lawyer and friend. Paul Greengrass had considered taking on directing the project, but it never went anywhere. Deadline reports that Eastwood would be looking to put together his own cast with an eye toward beginning production as early as this summer.

Richard Jewell feels like just the sort of character that would be of interest to Clint Eastwood. Many of his recent directorial projects have been stories based on real people. Sully, 15:17 to Paris, American Sniper, and even Eastwood's most recent film, The Mule, in which he also starred, were all based on real people. Clearly, there's an interest in dramatizing these real events and the story surrounding Richard Jewell is one that certainly lends itself to drama.

If The Ballad of Richard Jewell does go into production this summer we could see it as early as the first half of 2020. Although, on paper, this one could have the potential to be an awards contender, which would likely give it a late 2020 release.

Queen's Brian May Says He 'Hasn't Earned A Penny' For Bohemian Rhapsody

Queen's Brian May Says He 'Hasn't Earned A Penny' For Bohemian Rhapsody

In addition to the plethora of statues to its name, Bohemian Rhapsody was a box office success in a way that people could not have predicted, a phenomenon that ended its box office run at just over $900 million worldwide, making it the most successful music biopic ever and the 6th biggest film of 2018. On a budget of $52 million, you might think that kind of return would make many involved with the Freddie Mercury biopic filthy rich.

Alas, that may not have been entirely the case. In fact, contrary to earlier reports that Bohemian Rhapsody had made Queen richer than the Queen, the band’s lead guitarist Brian May has revealed that no such windfall from the film ever materialized. He said:

It’s incredible, it’s like a billion dollar movie. I had to laugh actually the other day. Because there’s this thing in the paper saying that we were getting rich off this movie. If they only knew. We were accounting the other day, and we still haven’t earned a penny. How successful does a movie need to be before you make money?

That is a bit of a bummer to hear, considering we know that Brian May and Queen were closely involved in the development of Bohemian Rhapsody for over a decade. Brian May and Roger Taylor both received Executive Music Producer credits on a film that went on to make close to a billion dollars, so you might expect them to reap some financial rewards on the backend.

However, as of now Brian May told Zoe Ball on BBC Radio 2’s The Zoe Ball Breakfast Show that he and Queen still haven’t ‘earned a penny’ from Bohemian Rhapsody. Without knowing the exact terms and nature of the band’s deal with the studio and the various parties involved, it’s impossible to say that Brian May and Queen are owed money for Bohemian Rhapsody.

Nevertheless, Brian May’s framing of the matter makes it seem like, given the success of the film, there was some expectation on Queen’s part there would be something extra coming their way. Brian May did allude to the fact that there are a lot of people who the film’s profits go to first, so maybe the money is still being divvied up and Queen’s checks are on the way.

Perhaps the stories about Queen’s getting rich off the film have less to do with liquidity and more to do with how the film increased the band’s wealth. Even if they haven’t made a cent off of Bohemian Rhapsody yet, the movie did a lot for Queen’s exposure and increased streams and sales of the band’s albums, also presumably driving interest for upcoming shows. Bohemian Rhapsody has more people listening to Queen’s music and that has to be good for the bottom line.

Although Queen allegedly isn’t directly profiting from the film yet, some people and entities are. Bohemian Rhapsody’s success did help 21st Century Fox’s financials in a big way. Also, reports have indicated Freddie Mercury’s longtime friend Mary Austin, portrayed by Lucy Boynton in the film, is expected to have earned $60+ million for the film and his sister Kashmira Bulsara reportedly earned $25 million. Even fired director Bryan Singer is expected to have walked away with $40 million for his efforts on the film.

Bohemian Rhapsody is now on home video. Check out our 2019 release schedule for all of this year’s biggest movies, including another music biopic, Rocketman, which star Taron Egerton is hoping makes even half of what Bohemian Rhapsody did.

Universal Studios Orlando Reveals First Look At Fluffy On Hagrid's New Ride

Universal Studios Orlando Reveals First Look At Fluffy On Hagrid's New Ride

As Disneyland opens its gates to the highly-anticipated new land Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at both American parks this summer, Universal Studios will also be expanding its Wizarding World with a brand new ride coming to Hogsmeade led by the lovable and huggable Hagrid. The roller coaster coming to Universal Orlando’s Islands of Adventure on June 13 that will take thrill seekers on journey through the Forbidden Forest with the fan-favorite is now offering an inside look on what creatures to look out for once the ride arrives.

This week, Universal Studios Orlando will be revealing another magical creature that will be featured on the immersive ride titled Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure. The new coaster will include an actual forest of more than 1,200 real trees passengers will ride through while discovering a variety of species both famous to the franchise and never seen before. Take a look at the first to be revealed by Universal below:

It’s Fluffy!! Looks like the three-headed dog who was pet to Hagrid in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone and protected the titular object in the first film can be spotted on the upcoming ride. The 8,000 pound doggo was the first to be featured on the Universal Orlando Blog on Monday. Pro tip: if you remember, Fluffy falls asleep to the sound of music. Maybe this will be vital to the passengers making it alive in Hagrid’s Motorbike Adventure. Here’s another familiar creature to be found also:

Beware of the Cornish Pixies! These little electric blue monsters are mischievous and prone to grab people by their ears before throwing them off high heights. The blog indicates the Cornish Pixies will be found creating shenanigans on the Blue Car and over 20 of them can be spotted flying during the ride. The pixies were in Chamber of Secrets during Gilderoy Lockhart’s Defense Against the Dark Arts class session.

Next up, Universal is teasing a plan with constricting magical abilities that only tightens its grip as victims’ struggle. More details on it will be featured next on Wednesday morning at 11am EDT. After that, two other creatures will be revealed on the blog up until Friday, April 19.

In addition to Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure, the theme park’s classic Jurassic Park ride is currently getting an upgrade to become Jurassic World - The Ride at both US locations to match the current franchise underway also set to open this summer after nearly a 25-year-old run as its original form. There will also be an attraction based on the animation blockbuster A Secret Life of Pets coming to Universal Studios Hollywood in 2020.

Excited for what the Wizarding World of Harry Potter has in store for park guests this summer with this new ride starring Hagrid? What creatures would you like to see on the ride? Feel free to comment with your thoughts below!

Avengers: Endgame Writers Say The Runtime Is Perfect

Avengers: Endgame Writers Say The Runtime Is Perfect

It was very clear well before we knew what the runtime for Avengers: Endgame would be, and well before we even knew what the official title would be, that it would be a long movie. It is going to be a long movie, but it’s one screenwriter Stephen McFeeley feels is “exactly as long as it needs to be.”

First and foremost, Avengers: Endgame isn’t going to be long, it’s going to be hella long, clocking in at 3 hours and 1 minute in length. AKA 181 minutes. A movie which you could also think of as "not short."

That’s the sort of length of time that’s comparable to hobbits traveling away from the Shire for the first time or the length of time it takes for scientists to explore Pandora’s biosphere and mess with the environment in the process.

Per Stephen McFeeley, however, the movie’s lengthy runtime works and he's happy to talk about why it works, saying,

It's exactly as long as it needs to be. Any shorter and it would have felt like we weren't honoring all the threads and franchises that are feeding into this climax. Twenty-two movies in, not only has the movie earned its length, but people deserve a movie of that substance.

He also revealed why, noting it’s very important that each of the individual franchises are highlighted in this final movie focusing on the original Avengers. In total, the movie will feel as if it has weight and substance, according to the writer. (Although he did write it, so I’d hope he didn’t have the opinion he was just putting fluff out into the universe.)

Related: Why Avengers Endgame Should Be Exactly As Long As It Needs To Be

However, if you are worried that three hours will drag on and on and on, Stephen McFeeley also claimed in his interview with Vulture that the time will fly.

I swear to God, it sounds like a paradox to say this, but it's a lean three hours.

In fact, we’ve already heard this super long movie is extremely tight and that every single scene will matter to the whole (along with hopefully being fun, funny and epic). Unlike some of those early episodes of Game of Thrones, there really won’t be much filler, to the point where Marvel's Kevin Feige basically stated there won’t be a good time to get up and use the bathroom in the middle of the movie. The flick, in fact, was designed that way.

We are fans of movies that you wish didn’t end. Movies that you want to see again as soon as it’s over. And movies that you just don’t ever find a good time to run out to the bathroom. That’s when a movie’s working. And if a movie doesn’t feel like that to us we continue to trim, we continue to shape, we continue to bring that time down. That happened to a certain extent on this movie. But we got to a point where it feels very exciting and goes by very quickly and in the end is the perfect length.

Spoiler alert: I still plan to get up and use the bathroom in the middle of the movie. Someone probably should have worked a bathroom break in there, because I’m 100% positive I’m going to miss at least two minutes of this movie. I just have to hope I won’t miss something super important.

To that point, this movie is so long there has been some chatter online that we should get a bathroom break in the form of an intermission.

Our own Mike Reyes would argue against the inclusion of an intermission, and he has some valid reasons for why he’s opposed to that sort of addition; however, I do have fond memories of getting up in the middle of a special showing of Gone with the Wind as a kid and grabbing more popcorn. So, intermissions could theoretically work for modern audiences.

Either way, we aren’t getting an intermission with Avengers: Endgame, so this sort of argument is rather moot. What’s not moot is figuring out how to hold your bladder for three hours if you are hyper invested in this superhero and space story.

If not, we already have seen a small chunk of Avengers: Endgame in the form of footage revealing the plan to take on Thanos. Unfortunately, given the context of the scene, even if you've seen that entire segment already, it's likely to come closer to the beginning of the movie rather than the middle, which means it may not be a great opportunity for you to get up and stretch your legs.

At the end of the day, Avengers: Endgame's other writer Christopher Markus also defends the length of Endgame because a shorter movie would not be capable of wrapping up the entire Phase Three of the MCU (and possibly all the phases that came before it). After all, Thanos not only has to be defeated but a slew of character arcs also have to be tied up! A lot needs to happen. He said:

If we told you the entire universe got snapped out and we were gonna wrap it up in a tight 85, you’d have issues.

I mean, 85 minutes at this point is short for even an animated movie, but I take his point. At least everyone is guaranteed to get bang for their buck with this movie, as well. It's the longest movie in the MCU so far, competing only against its predecessor Avengers: Infinity War, a movie that is a whopping 32 minutes shorter.

Get prepared for the long and arduous journey your bladder is about to go on, because Avengers: Endgame is finally out next week. At that point we'll find out whether this arduous movie works or you'll likely start seeing headlines akin to "Should this have been a trilogy?" Either way, I'm pumped to see how it all pans out.

Catch it starting on April 26, 2019. Be sure to also check out what we know about Phase Four if you haven’t already. Best of luck avoiding spoilers on the Internet for the next few days. We're in the endgame now.

New DVD Releases March 2019: All The Latest Movies And TV Shows Coming This Month

New DVD Releases March 2019: All The Latest Movies And TV Shows Coming This Month

March may not be the most notable month at the movies, but it is a month where a bunch of big releases from the year prior start being made available to families at home. I say families, but many of the releases this month are decidedly grownup, including titles like Ben Is Back, Green Book, Creed II, The Favourite and If Beale Street Could Talk.

Having said this, there is plenty for families to get excited about, as well. Probably the most notable family title this month is Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse, the new animated classic that went on to win Best Animated Feature at the recent Academy Awards ceremony. Plus, older kids should relish Aquaman and Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald while Mary Poppins Returns should speak to the kid in all of us.

But don’t take my word for it. You can check out the list of what will be made available on Blu-ray, DVD and Digital in March of 2019, below.

Per usual, Digital releases are the same day as Blu-ray and DVD releases, unless otherwise noted in the “Early Digital Releases” column. Spider-Man: Into The Spider-verse, for example, was made available on Digital on February 26. Take a look at other February releases with our guide.

Tuesday, March 5 DVD, Blu-ray And Digital Releases

Creed II

Instant Family

The Favourite

Ben Is Back

Fear The Walking Dead: The Complete Fourth Season

Vox Lux

Free Solo

Gunpowder

Krypton: The Complete First Season

Of Fathers and Sons

The Mercy

Burning

Dead Ant

Don't Go

House of Cards: Season 6

Prospect

The Clovehitch Killer

The Standoff at Sparrow Creek

The Vanishing

Week of March 5 Early Digital Releases

Aquaman

Vox Lux

Tuesday, March 12 DVD, Blu-ray And Digital Releases

Green Book

Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes Of Grindelwald

Mortal Engines

The Last Ship: The Complete Fifth Season

London Fields

Piercing

The Last Man

Divide and Conquer: The Story of Roger Ailes

Tyrel

Week of March 12 Early Digital Releases

Mary Poppins Returns

Vice

If Beale Street Could Talk

They Shall Not Grow Old

Second Act

Tuesday, March 19 DVD, Blu-ray And Digital Releases

Mary Poppins Returns

Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse

Chesapeake Shores: Season 3

Pokemon The Movie: The Power Of Us

The Final Wish

The Quake

Week of March 19 Early Digital Releases

Bumblebee

The Mule

Triple Threat (March 22)

Tuesday, March 26 DVD, Blu-ray And Digital Releases

Aquaman

Stan & Ollie

If Beale Street Could Talk

Legion: The Complete Season Two

Second Act

Midnight, Texas: Season Two

Capernaum

Columbus

Kim Possible

King of Thieves

MFKZ

Week of March 26 Early Digital Releases

Welcome To Marwen

On The Basis of Sex

Holmes & Watson

All in all, there are some good releases coming out this month. Which will you be adding to your collection? Be sure to let us know in the comments, below.

Terminator: Dark Fate Used A Clever Sarah Connor Callback To Reveal New Poster

Terminator: Dark Fate Used A Clever Sarah Connor Callback To Reveal New Poster

There's no fate but what we make for ourselves, and fans took that very seriously when it came to the Terminator: Dark Fate poster. You may know that tomorrow -- Thursday, May 23 -- we are getting the first official trailer for Terminator 6. A day ahead of schedule, the movie's official poster was revealed. The reveal used a perfect callback to the first movie, 1984's The Terminator, just using social media instead of a phone book.

Before the official Terminator: Dark Fate site shared the poster of Linda Hamilton's Sarah Connor, the wise sages at The Terminator Fans discovered that the poster had already been quietly shared another way:

Yes, there's a new account called @SarahConnor829 -- with that August 29 date having special significance as Judgment Day itself. That account just opened and only shared one tweet, the poster that the fans quickly found.

The official Terminator: Dark Fate Twitter account reposted the above tweet with congratulations:

You've identified the official poster. She is the one we've been looking for.

Here's a little more background on Paramount's clever marketing twist for the poster. In an ode to Arnold Schwarzenegger's 1984 Terminator going through the phone book to find and kill off any and all Sarah Connors to get to the right one, there was a Twitter list created of Sarah Connors. A Sarah Connor account within the list launched the poster early Wednesday morning -- the day before the trailer release -- and The Terminator Fans site found the right one.

Here's a full look at the poster, which was shared with the caption "Welcome to the day after Judgment Day":

Terminator: Dark Fate is meant to be a sequel to both The Terminator and Terminator 2: Judgment Day -- considering "forgettable" films Terminator 3, Terminator Salvation, and Terminator Genisys as happening in alternate timelines. T2 ended with Sarah and John Connor driving away down a highway, and that's another reference you can see in the new Dark Fate poster.

As you can see with this poster, Linda Hamilton's Sarah Connor is front and center in the promotion for Terminator: Dark Fate. In this case, she walks alone, even though she will be joined by several old and new characters. Arnold Schwarzenegger will be returning as T-800, with newcomers including Mackenzie Davis as assassin-from-the-future Grace, Natalia Reyes as Dani Ramos, Diego Boneta as Dani's brother, and Gabriel Luna as the new Termintator. The new liquid metal Terminator can duplicate himself, and apparently he has been sent to terminate Dani, while Grace is meant to protect her.

Linda Hamilton said James Cameron is the one who convinced her to come back for Terminator: Dark Fate. He directed her in the first two movies, but now he's "just" a hands-on producer, although he's also on the list of story-by credits. Tim Miller (Deadpool) is the one who directed Terminator 6.

CinemaBlend already got to see some early footage from Terminator: Dark Fate at CinemaCon 2019 and shared a promising update.

Fans will get their first looks at Terminator: Dark Fate footage when the first trailer drops tomorrow morning, Thursday, May 23. The movie is scheduled to open in theaters on November 1, 2019. Keep up with all of the 2019 release dates with our handy guide.

It: Chapter Two Director Andy Muschietti Reveals How The Adult Losers Club Was Chosen

It: Chapter Two Director Andy Muschietti Reveals How The Adult Losers Club Was Chosen

In 2019, director Andy Muschietti is bringing the second chapter of IT to the big screen. This time around, he’s also bringing together the adult version of the Losers Club, who will share screentime with their younger counterparts, the stars of IT: Chapter One. We’ve known for a while now the casting for several of the adult Losers is uncanny, but at CinemaCon 2019, Andy Muschietti revealed how he decided on who to cast in terms of the adult actors in the movie.

I wanted the adult Losers to be believable and that people believed that we’re talking about the same people. It was a journey of finding and looking. I’m proud to say that all of the people I wanted in the movie finally landed in it. It was incredible to find that all the people standing here were so excited to be a part of it.

When looking at casting, Andy Muschietti also mentioned he was looking for “the same energy and DNA” between the youngsters and the older cast while IT: Chapter Two was coming together.

At CinemaCon 2019, the audience became the first to see both iterations of The Losers Club come out onstage together. Jessica Chastain stood next to Sophia Lillis, James Ransome next to Jack Dylan Glazer, James McAvoy (although Jaeden Martell was not present), Bill Hader next to Finn Wolfhard, Isaiah Mustafa next to Chosen Jacobs, and Jay Ryan next to Jeremy Ray Taylor.

IT: Chapter Two – An Updated Cast List

The whole gang was onstage together and even just looking at them side-by-side, a lot of the castings are pretty uncanny, particularly Bill Hader and Finn Wolfhard. Hader was actually cast thanks to Wolfhard’s wishes and Hader credited the younger actor for landing the role. This happened after Wolfhard admitted he just started thinking about an actor who he felt was already like his character Richie. He said:

We always talked about it. We didn’t know for sure if there was going to be a Part 2 or anything. Well I didn’t at least, and I was like, you know, Richie’s funny to himself.

Quipped Bill Hader,

Yeah, Richie thinks he’s funny. Who’s an asshole who thinks he’s really funny? Who’s a guy who laughs at himself a lot? Who laughs at his own jokes a lot? There’s only one guy in the universe.

Although he's joking above, Bill Hader ultimately credited Finn Wolfhard for thinking of him before casting commenced. Wolfhard’s not the only one who picked out the actor he wanted to play an adult version of him. Sophia Lillis had previously said she wanted Jessica Chastain for the role of Beverly and that panned out as well.

While the rest of the castings didn’t play out exactly like the kids originally guessed, there’s no doubt IT: Chapter Two’s cast is stacked. Now we’ll just have to wait and see how it pans out on the big screen.

The good news? Along with the cast, CinemaCon also revealed some first look footage at IT: Chapter Two with a scene featuring Jessica Chastain. If you’d like to get a little more spoilery than that, we have you covered.

James Cameron Congratulated Avengers: Endgame For ‘Sinking’ Titanic’s Box Office Records

James Cameron Congratulated Avengers: Endgame For ‘Sinking’ Titanic’s Box Office Records

Avengers: Endgame has been in theaters for two weeks, and has become a true pop culture sensation. The Russo Brothers crafted a story that was built on the myriad movies before it, and moviegoers flocked to theaters in droves to see how it all goes down. Endgame is also such a complicated tapestry of stories that it totally warrants a rewatch from the hardcore fandom, selling more tickets in the process.

The anticipation and rave reviews for Avengers: Endgame have resulted in some insane box office numbers. And aided by the blockbuster's fantastic performance internationally, the movie has even surpassed James Cameron's Titanic in its earnings. After Endgame passed Titanic's $2.187 billion (which was adjusted for inflation), Cameron went to social media to congratulate the team at Marvel Studios. Check it out below.

How cool is that image? The Marvel Cinematic Universe's box office power has been steadily building for the last decade, and the anticipation and celebration of Avengers: Endgame proved to be enough to sink the titanic. Again.

Aside from the narrative feats and positive reviews, Endgame's legacy in the film world can be seen by its unprecedented box office success. The 22nd installment in the MCU is currently the second highest grossing film in movie history, second only to another James Cameron classic: Avatar. So it probably wasn't too hard for the director give up the #2 spot to Marvel Studios, considering Avengers: Endgame is sandwiched between two of Cameron's blockbusters.

Related: James Cameron Reveals What Really Happened With Matthew McConaughey And Titanic

James Cameron has had some insanely successful movies during his long career, and he's not stopping anytime soon. The 64 year-old actor has a slew of Avatar sequels in the works, although it's taken quite a long time to get the ball rolling. In fact, Avatar 2 recently got pushed back yet again, as a result of Disney's acquisition of Fox and its properties. It's currently set to arrive during the 2021 holiday season, a whopping 12 years after the original broke records back in 2009.

The Avatar sequels are coming out eventually, and they have the potential to break box office records as well. Although given the long gap between films, it'll be interesting to see if moviegoers are still invested in the colorful world of pandora. Luckily, an attraction at Disney's theme parks may help satiate the fans, and keep the public curious about the film's eventual sequel.

As for the Marvel Cinematic Universe, there's going to be another blockbuster in theaters before we know it. Spider-Man: Far From Home will be the final installment in Phase Three, revealing how Earth has recovered from Thanos' assault and The Decimation. So we should expect plenty more money to come form both the Avatar and Marvel franchises.

Avengers: Endgame is in theaters now, and Avatar 2 is currently set to arrive in theaters on December 17, 2021. In the meantime, check out our 2019 release list to plan your next trip to the movies.

The 7 Best Action-Packed Jason Statham Movies To Watch Before Hobbs And Shaw

The 7 Best Action-Packed Jason Statham Movies To Watch Before Hobbs And Shaw

He’s been a hero, a villain, a joker and a competitive diver. But if action superstar Jason Statham is known for anything, it’s his ability to kick a lot of ass. The most recent example of that piece of his career has been his success as an ass-kicker in the Fast and Furious film series, so much so that he’s half of the new spinoff, Hobbs and Shaw.

If you’re a fan of Jason Statham's, or are looking for a reason to get into his work, we recommend you, at the very least, watch the last two films in the Fast and Furious series to get caught up to the point that Hobbs and Shaw is at in the series. However, there are other movies in the Statham catalog you should be partaking in to get yourself pumped and ready for his latest action romp, and we have a good list of what those films should be.

So schedule a little bit of “me time” on the books, make sure you do your streaming and rental research as to how to get ahold of the Jason Statham movies we’re about to lay down and prepare for your very own film festival. Let’s call it “StathamFest,” which means that the following are your required stops on the StathamFest trail.

The Italian Job (2004)

With his career as an action lead getting a huge boost out of The Transporter’s surprise success, one of the Jason Statham movies that increased his visibility exponentially was director F. Gary Gray’s remake of the 1969 crime caper, The Italian Job.

Flexing his action hero muscles as Handsome Rob, Jason Statham also got to play the eye candy of Mark Wahlberg’s band of criminals, which was certainly a bonus for the audience that made it a theatrical hit. The Italian Job not only gave Statham a chance to be a comedic heartthrob, but it also gave him even more experience with the impressive car stunts that helped make his career what it is.

While we never got the proposed sequel, The Brazilian Job, we did get a Statham/Gray reunion when the star and director paired up for The Fate of The Furious; so The Italian Job is a good film to re-watch in preparation for the further adventures of Deckard Shaw.

The Transporter 2 (2005)

The Transporter is one of the earliest successes of Jason Statham’s career, as Frank Martin was the first blockbuster character that Statham had under his action belt. And with The Transporter 2 bringing Frank to the mean streets of Miami, the scenery is closer to home, along with the high flying automotive action.

While it acts as a sort of loose remake of Man On Fire, with Jason Statham’s Frank replacing Denzel Washington’s Creasy, the film is a full throttle thrill ride, complete with one of the most ridiculous action moments in the man’s entire career. The second of three installments with Statham as Mr. Martin, our hero is charged with not only preventing a viral outbreak, but also recovering a wealthy family’s child in the process.

A positively breathless ticking clock action film, The Transporter 2 is a Jason Statham movie quick enough to fit into any day’s schedule, but it’s also weighted enough to keep an audience fixed on the screen the whole time. If you believe one of life’s rules is a person knowing their car and its contents, in and out, this one is a no-brainer.

Crank (2006)

Mixed in with all of the big budget franchises and one-off action fests that make up the body of Jason Statham’s movies are some smaller, and definitely weirder, choices. Case in point is the extremely memorable Crank, directed by Neveldine/Taylor, a duo more than familiar with the world of the weird.

Jason Statham’s character this time around is Chev Chelios, with Crank seeing his protagonist injected with a drug intended to prevent the flow of adrenaline, in hopes of killing him dead. But, of course, as this is a Neveldine/Taylor directed film, Statham’s assassin antihero does have a way out of this mess. And it’s keeping his adrenaline pumping in such an extreme fashion, that methods such as electrocution and other feats tempting death are needed at all times in this single day thriller.

Pushing the boundaries of every force it comes into contact with, Crank makes for one of the weirdest, but also one of the most exhilarating Jason Statham movies in his collected canon. Proving that he can turn his charms and action talents to 11 when need be, Crank gave Statham the range he needed to eventually jump into the sort of antics that Hobbs and Shaw will eventually demand of him.

War (2007)

While Jason Statham and Jet Li would eventually team up yet again in The Expendables, their paths would cross earlier in the gang thriller War. Except in the instance of this particular film, Statham and Li faced off as nemeses in an all-out street fight between an FBI agent and a rogue element.

Jason Statham’s John Crawford is the FBI agent who’s swearing revenge against Jet Li’s former CIA operative Rogue, a target who survived his supposed death and not only killed Crawford’s partner, but also plans on starting a gang war between the Triads and the Yakuza. Things get pretty hairy as the two play cat and mouse on the streets of San Francisco, and will use everything at their disposal to strike the other where it hurts the most.

Another interesting connection that adds an interesting layer to watching War is the fact that Jason Statham’s character, Crawford, works with an FBI sniper by the name of Goi throughout the film’s duration. Playing Goi is none other than Sung Kang, better known as Han from the Fast and Furious universe; and considering how War ends, Jason Statham’s murder of Han in that particular series could be seen as pure revenge.

Death Race (2008)

Sometimes a movie gets remade because of its popularity. But in the case of director Paul W.S. Anderson’s Death Race, the film feels like a remake that is made to capitalize on the popularity of someone like Jason Statham. At least it feels that way, because wisecracks meet car stunts in this dystopian action extravaganza that screams its status as a Jason Statham movie.

Framed for a murder he didn’t commit, Jason Statham’s Jensen Ames is sent to prison and given the opportunity to win his own freedom through the titular Death Race. A televised pay-per-view spectacle, take The Running Man and infuse it with the DNA of NASCAR, and you’ve got the basic premise for this particular film.

As far as Jason Statham movies go, Death Race is sort of an underrated gem. Showcasing Statham’s abilities as an action lead, while also putting him into an ensemble that sees Joan Allen, Ian McShane and future Fast and Furious co-star Tyrese Gibson all mixing it up, Death Race is well worth tracking down if you’re serious about your Statham.

The Expendables (2010)

If there’s anything that the viewing public should know about Jason Statham by this entry in the list, it’s that he plays very well as both a lead and an ensemble member. The latter is part of why The Expendables is such a treat to watch, as the relatively fresh faced Statham gets to play with heavy hitters like Sylvester Stallone and Dolph Lundgren.

Hired to overthrow a villainous dictator, The Expendables sees some of the biggest names in action teaming up, or in some cases fighting against, the likes of Sylvester Stallone’s expendable team. Playing Lee Christmas, the team’s blade expert, Jason Statham gets to be a man who only talks when the conversation requires him to. And if he’s not talking, chances are his opponent is about to take some serious damage.

Whether it’s an island in the Gulf of Mexico or a basketball court on home soil, Jason Statham takes the fight to whomever stands in his way in The Expendables. Even though he appears as a member of the overarching ensemble, this Statham movie has enough action to excite the crowd and enough Statham magic for him to stand out from all the rest.

The Meg (2018)

Let’s just get something out of the way: The Meg is, by no means, a film that needs to be taken seriously. Getting past that though, it’s easy to see how people enjoyed this film so much, it became a blockbuster hit in 2018’s film market. And naturally, part of that success is Jason Statham’s Jonas Taylor.

Playing a rescue diver obsessed with proving the existence of a rare Megalodon, Jason Statham gets to be The Meg’s hero, front and center. As such, Jonas is wise, kind and not afraid to put his foot down; all the things you’d expect from a Statham performance, with a little more heroic charm allowed this time out.

In fact, it’s Jason Statham’s charm that helps anchor The Meg’s all-star cast, which also includes Rainn Wilson, Ruby Rose and Li Bingbing. And with both Statham and his cast fully in sync, the level of ridiculous spectacle and action is balanced in such a state that the audience can really sink their teeth into it. And if you want to make it a family affair, this film’s PG-13 rating will certainly allow the kids to enjoy this one alongside the adults in the room.

Jason Statham’s career is as varied as it is exciting, and this sampler pack of films is only the beginning of the proof to that point. So let StathamFest pump you up for a summer of action, as well as the eventual box office debut of Hobbs and Shaw. But more importantly, let these films entertain you while showing the many facets of Jason Statham’s career as a hero, a villain and a comic relief for the ages.

Hobbs and Shaw promises to kick the box office’s ass on August 2, but if you’re looking for some action prior to that point, check out the 2019 release schedule for more of the options available to you.

Dumbo Is Expected To Have A Big Worldwide Opening Too

Dumbo Is Expected To Have A Big Worldwide Opening Too

Disney has never had trouble making money with the remakes of animated classics. It's the main reason that we're getting three of them this year. However, the level of success can still be quite variable. Beauty and the Beast make a billion dollars while Cinderella made only half a billion. Dumbo may turn out to see numbers on the lower end of that spectrum, but it's still looking like it will have a pretty impressive global opening, as the film is currently tracking to bring in something around $140 million for it's opening weekend.

Dumbo is opening in nearly every territory where it is opening at all by this Friday. That means that this weekend is going to be key to the overall success of the film. It's opening in the U.S. and China, the two biggest box office markets in the world, which means it's pretty much all downhill from here.

The official range for Dumbo's opening weekend, according to Deadline is between $137-$155 million. The U.S. is looking to make up a bit less than half that business as the domestic number currently projected is around $60 million at the low end. It doesn't have much competition for the box office title. No other major wide releases are hitting screens on Friday. Jordan Peele's Us will probably have a solid second weekend, but that movie really isn't competing with Dumbo for audience share.

For comparison, 2015's Cinderella saw a domestic opening weekend of $67 million and ended up grossing $543 million globally. If Dumbo finds itself on the low end of projections, it could end up coming in beneath that number. Still, when your competition is a series of films that have largely made a half billion dollars or more, you can come up short by comparison and still be a massive hit in absolute numbers.

Dumbo is the earliest of the Disney animated films to be given the remake treatment, which is something of a double-edged sword. On the one hand, it's had the longest time to become popular to multiple generations. At the same time, it may not resonate with fans in quite the same way as a more modern film simply because of its age.

Of course, the last time Tim Burton directed a Disney remake it was a little film called Alice in Wonderland that made a billion dollars, so who knows? If lightning strikes twice we could see Dumbo become an absolutely massive hit.

Regardless of Dumbo's numbers, it is sure to be a big year for Disney remakes. In just two months we'll see the live-action version of Aladdin, and two months after that we'll get the new version of The Lion King. Those two films are almost certainly destined to be box office successes. The latter film could find itself competing for the box office crown of the year if it does as well as the animated original.

Why Mothra Was Difficult To Design For Godzilla: King of the Monsters

Why Mothra Was Difficult To Design For Godzilla: King of the Monsters

One of the Titans being introduced to the MonsterVerse at the end of the month in Godzilla: King of the Monsters is Mothra. While Godzilla has already had a couple go-arounds in American productions, King of the Monsters marks Mothra’s debut in such a project after decades of appearing in Japanese movies. As it turns out, it was the simplistic designs of the earlier Mothras that made it difficult for Mothra to be visually developed for King of the Monsters, as I learned during an interview with production designer Scott Chambliss. He explained:

The earliest incarnations of all our creatures have an unrefined comic book simplicity to them, and Mothra was arguably the least ‘designed’ of all as her initial versions are standard moths blown up to a zillion times their actual scale. In developing Mothra, our intention was to give her an essentially feminine power in contrast to the hypermasculinity of the other three creatures, and to imbue her with undeniable strength and grace plus an ability to be incredibly frightening at the same time. We went through endless design iterations striving to nail down what all that meant visually. One of the more memorable moments was when we hit a phase of ‘armourized’ Mothra. For a moment in time her cocoon looked like a military tank.

While Mothra is unquestionably a force to be reckoned with in the Toho monster movies, like Scott Chambliss pointed out, she doesn’t look as monstrous as her cohorts, instead just looking like if a regular, unassuming moth had been blown up to the size of a building. Godzilla: King of the Monsters’ Mothra still has those insectoid features and looks more realistic in some regards, but Chambliss and his team made sure that she also looked more powerful and intimidating. Those praying mantis-like legs and the bigger wingspan definitely help convey that.

As Scott Chambliss also mentioned, unlike fellow newcomers Rodan and King Ghidorah, Mothra will have more than one form in Godzilla: King of the Monsters, which is in keeping with the source material. She’ll be discovered by some of the main human characters in her impressive cocoon and eventually emerge in her larva form. But once those wings stretch out and Mothra takes to the skies, she’ll get to take part in the explosive action and show American moviegoers unfamiliar with her why she shouldn’t be underestimated, with her most unique power being the ability to unleash ‘god rays.’

As for whether or not Mothra will be an ally or enemy to Godzilla in this next MonsterVerse entry, that hasn’t officially been clarified yet. However, given Mothra’s benevolent nature in the Japanese movies, her behaving friendly to Millie Bobby Brown’s Madison Russell and her shown fighting King Ghidorah, it seems likely that Godzilla won’t have to worry about Mothra giving him too much trouble, if any at all.

It’s also worth mentioning that in a previous interview, director Michael Dougherty revealed that the eye spots on Mothra’s wings were designed to resemble Godzilla’s eyes, thus creating a connection between those two. Whether that will be significantly explored in Godzilla: King of the Monsters or saved for a future MonsterVerse movie remains to be seen.

Godzilla: King of the Monsters rampages into theaters on May 31. If you’re curious about what other movies are opening in theaters later this year, look through our 2019 release schedule.

Why Keira Knightley Isn’t Down With Nude Scenes Anymore

Why Keira Knightley Isn’t Down With Nude Scenes Anymore

Keira Knightley’s new movie The Aftermath came out earlier this year. It’s notable for being a period drama that Knightley took that’s not set in the corset era, but also because it has nude scenes, scenes Knightley notably used a body double for. While Knightley has revealed she was excited about using a body double, she’s not particularly excited about getting naked on the big screen these days. She said:

I have been comfortable earlier with more nudity than I am now. I have had a kid, I am in my 30s, I am very happy with my body, but I don’t feel I need to get it out that much anymore.

Speaking to the Sunday Times, the actress noted that she’s a mom now. Her body has changed thanks to bearing a child and she’s simply not as excited about foisting her naked body on the entire moviegoing audience anymore.

It’s not that she’s seemingly opposed to nudity or topless scenes like some actress are. She notably has filmed a slew of sex scenes during her career and some of them have bared more than others. While filming The Edge of Love she opted to go topless, saying at the time she doesn’t love bras in sex scenes. That's not the only time she's done a scene of that ilk either, although she's previously said she's never revealed her bottom half.

This time around, though, she was all about the body double, also telling Good Morning America that she had the best time picking out a woman to play her body in The Aftermath.

Well they said, ‘Look we want to do a nude scene.’ And I said, ‘Yes, that’s a very good idea.’ They said, ‘Are you comfortable with that?’ I said, ‘Well, I’m really comfortable as long as I don’t have to do it.’ They said, ‘OK great, you can choose your own body double.’ It was absolutely brilliant.

From the looks and sounds of things, we might not be seeing the Pirates of the Caribbean actress undress on the big screen in the future either, since she seems to be having a lot of fun with the finding a body double stuff.

For more on nudity in R-rated films, take a look at our full history.

Interestingly, it’s not like Keira Knightley just recently hired her first body double. She also used one in the 2007 film Atonement for her feet and she used a body double for her butt in the flick Domino.

So, she’s sort of waffled back and forth between what she’s willing to throw up on the big screen and what she’s less jazzed about. In this case, the postwar film has a lot of moments between the sheets, but it’s not Keira Knightley you’re looking at. When she is shown onscreen in the early previews for the movie, she’s covered up by sheets or wearing lacy bits.

The Aftermath is still out in limited release.

Wizarding World Of Harry Potter: 5 Must-See Attractions At Harry Potter World

Wizarding World Of Harry Potter: 5 Must-See Attractions At Harry Potter World

As someone who grew up adoring theme parks of all shapes and sizes, I don't often truly feel as if I've been transported to another place and time whenever I'm visiting one. One obvious exception – or several, technically – is the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, located at both Universal Studios in Orlando and at Universal Studios Hollywood (and in Japan). Within the many brilliantly designed walls of Harry Potter World, fans can feel like wizards, monster hunters and more, instead of the silly Muggles we all are.

In Orlando, Harry Potter World is split into two different parks that are actually connected by the Hogwarts Express, a train ride that is worthy of one's time even if there's no reason to use it beyond geeking out. The first Wizarding World of Harry Potter attraction within the Islands of Adventure park in 2010, while the Universal Studios Florida park opened its own Wizarding World of Harry Potter attraction in 2014. Meanwhile, the Wizarding World within Universal Studios Hollywood was the latest to open, debuting in 2016.

While "Everything and Then Some" would likely be the main entry in this list if I was being casually frank about what fans should experience in Harry Potter World, we've got to set some boundaries. As such, here are 5 must-see attractions and rides to enjoy when wandering around the Wizarding World of Harry Potter.

Harry Potter And The Forbidden Journey

I think many would agree that Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey became a watershed moment for fan-based theme park attractions, and if it contained the entirety of the Harry Potter World experience, it would suffice. Well, at least it would if some of the physical shops were set in there, and if libations were sold.

In any case, Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey is a dark ride (non-coaster) that embraces the film and novel franchises entirely through both the pre-ride queue and through the 3D visuals of the ride itself. It's one of the few theme park rides where fans will want to spend as much time as possible just waiting in line, which takes future riders through Hogwarts Castle. Not a detail is spared from floor to ceiling, as there are pitch-perfect replicas of famed areas within Hogwarts, not to mention the Sorting Hat.

Then there’s the ride itself, which takes fans on a virtual trip around the castle and through other non-Hogwarts areas of Harry Potter’s world. Get a bird’s eye view of Black Lake or get lost in the Forbidden Forest, and don’t be nervous about saying hello to the dragon. He won’t really burn you. All in all, an A+ experience from beginning to end.

Ollivanders

Quick trips to smallish shops generally don’t allow for some of the most hype-worthy moments of a theme park visit, but only Harry Potter World features magic wand stores where the wand sometimes chooses the patrons. It feels magical just to say something so gloriously absurd.

The Ollivanders within the fabulous Daigon Alley area is the bigger of the two, though the Hogsmeade location has its own worthwhile surroundings. Potential customers are perfectly free to quickly pick up one of the many wands, either the plain versions or the more interactive ones, but everyone should stick around for a few minutes to check out the fun and slightly spooky wand-choosing shows that are held throughout the day. Younger kids are generally the recipients, but it’s a blast to take part in for older visitors as well.

Though certain Wizarding World of Harry Potter attendees might not want to shell out the money for a souvenir wand – surely a low percentage – the park experience is made all the more enjoyable by the slightly more expensive interactive wands. They perform a variety of enchanting tasks throughout the areas, with a handy map showing the less randomly adventurous fans where the wands can be used.

Flight Of The Hippogriff

The coaster in question started its life in Islands of Adventure as Flying Unicorn, but then became the Flight of the Hippogriff once the Wizarding World of Harry Potter updates went into effect. Retooled and re-themed for a more Harry Potter-esque experience, the ride is a junior coaster, but while it’s not meant for extreme heart-pounding thrills, it does deliver fan-friendly thrills in spades.

It’s not as extensive a Wizarding World set-up as the one in Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey or Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts, but having Hagrid offer instructions on Hippogriff-handling is a treat. This queue also provides a great time for picture-taking, with various Hippogriff replicas all around.

Riders are in for both a visual and visceral treat with Flight of the Hippogriff, which starts off with a lift boasting a full overview of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. Then, it gets busy making people scream with some twists, dives and swoops throughout the lands surrounding Hagrid's hut. Thankfully, none of the previous information needs to be put to memory, as the Hippogriff here does all the flying for you.

Three Broomsticks

You know what they say about magic: don't do it on an empty stomach. Or is it not to swim in magical rivers until until 30 minutes after you eat? However it goes, Wizarding World of Harry Potter has an assortment of locations for park-goers to grab a bite and/or a drink, such as the Leaky Cauldron. However, it goes without saying that the key location everyone should want to attend first is the Three Broomsticks restaurant.

Set inside the Hogsmeade area, Three Broomsticks is as hearty a Harry Potter World eatery as one could hope for. The open-spaced inn allows for just about all the details to be marveled at no matter where you're sitting, and fans can imagine themselves hanging out with Harry & Co., shooting the breeze while waiting for some fish and chips.

For those looking for something a bit more adult, the back of Three Broomsticks features a Hog's Head pub that will do the trick, even without a wand to stir things with. Try some of the signature Hog's Head Brew (especially if it's a hot mother-Felix-Felicis outside), or other iconic potables such as Butterbeer and Pumpkin Juice. Just be sure to save room for a visit to Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlour.

Hagrid's Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure

While this Wizarding World of Harry Potter roller coaster won't actually go live for park attendees until June 13, 2019, just the preview information for Hagrid's Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure is enough to make one want to book a Universal Studios trip ASAP. Clearly, Hagrid is the Harry Potter World character with the biggest stronghold on top-notch rides.

Taking the place of the enjoyable-if-tangential Dragon Challenge coaster, Hagrid's Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure is a steel coaster that promises to be as epic an experience as anything a lowly Muggle could enjoy outside of Harry Potter World. Using cars modeled after Hagrid's own motorcycle, the coaster takes riders on a unique experience filled with beloved characters and locations. Here's the tantalizing way Universal Studios describes it:

For the first time ever, fly deep into the wilds of the Forbidden Forest, beyond the grounds of Hogwarts castle. As you twist past towering trees, magical creatures and wondrous surprises surround you. One misstep could drop you into an endless pit of Devil’s Snare, or put you in the sights of a centaur’s bow. Anything can happen here.

Anything can happen, people! Of course, it can only happen once you're actually inside the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, so getting there is Step 1.

Obviously, there are plenty of other amazing and mesmerizing moments and experiences to be had within Universal's Harry Potter World, from the Dark Arts light show to the puppet performances to the aforementioned Escape from Gringott's ride. Hopefully the future will bring more unrivaled wizardry, as J.K. Rowling's Pottermore expands into new formats through a recent deal with Warner Bros.

Marvel’s Kevin Feige Says Disney Won’t Be Changing Deadpool

Marvel’s Kevin Feige Says Disney Won’t Be Changing Deadpool

Superhero movies have become the biggest genre in filmmaking over the past few years, in no small part due to the massive success of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Plenty of studios have gotten in on the action since Iron Man debuted in 2007, and the genre is about to get more complicated since Disney officially acquired Fox. This seemingly put Fox properties like X-Men in jeopardy, although The House of Mouse already made it clear that the Deadpool franchise was here to stay.

Just how Ryan Reynolds' signature mercenary will work under the Disney umbrella is a total mystery, as is his possible inclusion in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. While fans may be concerned about the Deadpool franchise being held back in the new studio, Kevin Feige is here to quell your fears. He recently spoke about Disney CEO Bob Iger's intentions with Wade Wilson, saying:

When we were purchased, Bob said to us, ‘If it’s not broke, don’t fix it.' There’s no question that Deadpool is working, so why would we change it?

Well, that's a relief. While Deadpool's future with the MCU is still a mystery, cinephiles should rest easy knowing that Ryan Reynolds' franchise won't be given the Disney gloss for future installments. So we should expect plenty of violence, cursing, and fourth-wall-breaking in Deadpool 3 and/or X-Force.

Kevin Feige's comments to Variety should please the many Deadpool fans out there who might be nervous about his adoption by Disney. The franchise became such a massive success because Ryan Reynolds brought something totally unique to the franchise. He references the various cinematic universes, and Wade Wilson is constantly making jokes that aren't family friendly. It's this comedic approach to the genre that has resonated with audiences, as well as casual moviegoers who simply want to enjoy an R-rated comedy.

Deadpool's rating has been the biggest concern about Disney's acquisition of the property, as dumbing down a future installment to PG-13 would lose the spirit of the franchise. But Kevin Feige's recent statement indicates that Bob Iger isn't planning on making any liberal changes to the successful property. Considering what a massive box office and critical success the first two movies were, it stands to reason that he'd let Ryan Reynolds and company continue doing their thing.

While the details regarding the Disney and Fox deal are still coming to light for the public, one thing is clear: Wade Wilson is going to have a field day referencing the events of the merger when he returns to theaters. Deadpool loves referencing the various cinematic universes, and now that his franchise is at the center of two of them colliding, the jokes will write themselves.

CinemaBlend will keep you updated on all things Deadpool, especially as news is released regarding Disney's plans for his future. In the meantime, check out our 2019 release list to plan your next trip to the movies.

Jennifer Lopez' Bikini Body Is Insane From The Set Of Hustlers Movie

Jennifer Lopez' Bikini Body Is Insane From The Set Of Hustlers Movie

Singer and actress Jennifer Lopez is currently filming a new movie called Hustlers, where she plays the ringleader of a group of strippers who band together to hustle their Wall Street clients. Given the nature of the role, it's understandable that Jennifer Lopez will be showing off her famously curvy body that has been dropping jaws for two decades. Jennifer Lopez decided to show off her body from the set of Hustlers and it is insane. Take a look:

With summer fast approaching, here comes J.Lo to give everyone an extremely lofty beach body goal to shoot for. It will shock absolutely no one that Jennifer Lopez looks good in a bikini. You’d be hard-pressed to find an outfit she didn’t look good in, but her bikini body here is insane. The actress, who hasn’t been shy about showing off her body in the past, looks to have taken her fitness to another level to play a stripper in Hustlers.

In her Instagram photo, Jennifer Lopez is showing off a toned body with some seriously rock hard abs that you could probably do your laundry on. She even appears to have the highly coveted V-cut on her lower abs. It’s an impressive physique no matter her age, but made even more so by the fact that J.Lo will be 50 this year.

The actress clearly takes care of herself and trains hard to get these results. All in all, she looks to be in phenomenal shape and definitely fits the part of a woman who can seduce men with her body while hustling them with her mind.

J.Lo is clearly feeling the part too, captioning her photo with lyrics from Jay-Z’s “I Just Wanna Love U (Give It 2 Me).” Given that this song from The Dynasty: Roc La Familia is from a male player’s perspective, it is fun that J.Lo is quoting it here, as her character Ramona will flip that power balance on its head.

Hustlers is based on a magazine article titled The Hustlers at Scores by Jessica Pressler, and is being adapted for the screen by the film’s director Seeking a Friend for the End of the World’s Lorene Scafaria. Joining the ultra fit J.Lo in Hustlers is a killer cast of actresses, including Julia Stiles, Riverdale’s Lili Reinhart and Crazy Rich Asians’ Constance Wu. In another case of the blurred lines between art and life, rapper and former stripper herself, Cardi B has also joined the film.

Hustlers does not currently have a release date, but I expect this photo from the set of the film likely put it on many a person’s radar. Check out our 2019 release schedule to keep track of all the biggest movies coming out this year, and for more celebrity fitness goals to aspire to, stay tuned to CinemaBlend.

Looks Like Some Theaters Are Warning Moviegoers About Avengers: Endgame’s Credits

Looks Like Some Theaters Are Warning Moviegoers About Avengers: Endgame’s Credits

Warning: SPOILERS for Avengers: Endgame are ahead!

If there’s one thing the Marvel Cinematic Universe is known best for, it’s giving audiences a little something extra after the main story is finished. The superhero franchise didn’t create post-credits scenes, but it certainly popularized them, as nearly all the MCU movies feature at least one extra scene either in the middle of the credits or after they’ve finished rolling. But then Avengers: Endgame had to go and break the streak.

Yes, as a first in MCU history, once the actual Avengers: Endgame story concluded, there wasn’t any additional footage for audiences to chew on, and evidently some theaters are now making sure that audiences are aware of this ahead of time. Said theaters are posting a message on the silver screen ahead of time to inform people that they will not be treated to a post-credits scene in Endgame.

Why are these theaters doing this? As the title of the Reddit post showing this message indicates, it’s so that the movie theater employees have an easier time cleaning up the theater. Needless to say that picking up fallen popcorn and mopping up spilled drinks are easier endeavors when there are fewer patrons staying in their seats.

While I still see a scattering of people leaving the theater once a Marvel movie has wrapped up the main story, for the most part Marvel has trained moviegoers to stay in their seats until the credits are finished. That’s not to say that one can’t stay to watch all of the credits just because (a lot of people put time and sweat into making movies, after all), but for the sake of saving time and making theater employees’ jobs easier, that no post-credits scene message certainly comes in handy.

Of course, as those of you who’ve seen Avengers: Endgame already know, just because the movie doesn’t have a post-credits scene doesn’t mean that there isn’t an extra surprise to enjoy. Once the credits finish rolling, the sound of a hammer striking metal can be heard, harkening back to when Tony Stark was building his suit of armor in Iron Man. Given that Endgame marked the end of the Infinity Saga and ended up being the final chapter of Tony’s story, it’s fitting that we hear something that reminds us of the movie that kicked off the MCU.

As for why Avengers: Endgame didn’t include a post-credits scene, directors Joe and Anthony Russo explained how because this movie marked the end of a 22-movie saga, they didn’t want to tease anything about the future and instead focused firmly on honoring the past, which Endgame does in spades. Oh, and there’s also the fact that the Russos currently don’t have any more Marvel projects lined up, so they aren’t in the loop about what’s to come.

One thing is definitely clear: Avengers: Endgame’s theatrical run is not ending anytime soon. With its second weekend over, the latest MCU movie has collected nearly $2.2 billion worldwide, making it the second highest-grossing movie of all time and knocking Titanic down to third place. Endgame has also been doing quite well on the critical front, ranking at 95% on Rotten Tomatoes and earning an A+ on CinemaScore.

If you haven’t already, be sure to read CinemaBlend’s review of Avengers: Endgame, and stay tuned for more coverage about the movie in the coming weeks. For now, you can browse through our 2019 release schedule to learn what other highly-anticipated movies are on the way this year.