IMAX Is Opening World's Biggest Screen In 2020, And It's Wider Than A Boeing 737

IMAX Is Opening World's Biggest Screen In 2020, And It's Wider Than A Boeing 737

In the Golden Age of Hollywood cinema was king and one of the major ways that people spent their entertainment dollar. While movies have always remained important, the theater has seen increased pressure from sources like television, video games, and streaming services. To combat the competition, theaters have tried everything from adding color, to 3D, to increasing the size of the screen. This last item has never stopped being a point of differentiation, as companies like IMAX use their massive size as a major way to compete not only with other forms of media, but with other theaters. Now, the company is getting ready to unveil its biggest screen ever, at a massive 38 meters wide and 22 meters tall.

The screen is being installed at the Traumpalast Leonberg multiplex located in Leonberg, Germany and is expected to open sometime in 2020. Needless to say this is a huge benefit to the independent theater in a city which has a population of less than 50,000 people. It's a bit surprising to see a world record screen going into a theater in a relatively small part of Germany, but IMAX is a fairly new addition to the nation as a whole, with only 10 theaters currently open or contracted to open, so putting IMAX's biggest screen ever in the country can only help those efforts.

In imperial measurements, the screen is just short of 125 feet long and just over 72 feet tall. A standard IMAX screen, for comparison, comes in at 72 feet wide and 53 feet tall. The previous record holder for IMAX was a screen in Sydney Australia which measures 117 feet long.

It should be pointed out that when Deadline and IMAX refer to it as the world's largest IMAX screen, that appears to be in length only. The screen in Australia is apparently significantly taller than the one being installed in Germany, at 97 feet, and therefore is also larger from a square footage perspective.

While a bigger screen is certainly attractive, I can't help but wonder if there's a point of diminishing returns here. With the screen being so large the seating location to be able to take it all in is going to be that much further back as compared to standard IMAX. If you end up too far back, you're going to lose the benefits of the massive screen. Maybe some people won't mind watching movies like they're watching a live tennis match, but I'm not one of those people.

Which is not to say that if I found myself in Leonberg, Germany, I wouldn't buy a ticket to whatever was showing on the world's largest IMAX screen. Whatever Marvel or Lucasfilm has planned for 2020 will probably look absolutely amazing on a screen that size.

The Latest Hobbs And Shaw Footage Totally Kicked Our Asses

The Latest Hobbs And Shaw Footage Totally Kicked Our Asses

Back in February we got our first look at a film that seems like it could be one of the most fun blockbuster releases to come out in 2019. Spinning off from the Fast & Furious franchise with two of the most charismatic stars in the ensemble, David Leitch’s Hobbs & Shaw looks like an over-the-top, insane, and ridiculous ride, packed with some brilliant action that should seriously thrill audiences worldwide this summer.

It seems, however, that what we’ve seen so far is only the tip of the iceberg. Today at CinemaCon in Las Vegas during the Universal Studios presentation, we got to see the latest trailer for Hobbs & Shaw, and it succeeded in not just blowing our minds, but also presenting some crazy set pieces that sent legitimate chills down the spine.

Wasting no time diving straight into the ass kicking, the Hobbs & Shaw footage began with the two titular characters in the middle of a mission and standing in front of a pair of twin doors. After some quick debate over which door belongs to who, Deckard Shaw (Jason Statham) makes the call to open the one on the right – and it turns out to be not such a great choice, as he suddenly discovers a team of henchmen waiting for him on the other side. As Luke Hobbs (Dwayne Johnson) mocks the choice that was made, Shaw immediately jumps into action and starts taking down his enemies with his impressive skills.

Meanwhile, Hobbs opens his door, and though there is only one dude standing behind it, he is so big that he actually makes the former Diplomatic Security Service agent look tiny, and he wields a giant wrench. Still, the hero is able to make quick work of his enemy, felling him with a single hit. As it happens, the two opposite hallways in which the eponymous characters find themselves are separated by a glass window, and so Hobbs is able to watch his partner fight as he himself casually strolls to the exit on the other side. Eventually they both reach the end, and Hobbs picks up his single foe and pushes his face against a scanner, opening a door. Staring back daggers, Shaw tries to replicate the action with one of his unconscious “companions,” but it doesn’t quite work – leading the British fighting machine to smash the guys face into the scanner multiple times with sincere frustration.

From there the trailer offered a bit more of the plot, explaining that bulletproof villain Brixton (Idris Elba) has put a target on the back of Hattie Shaw (Vanessa Kirby), Deckard’s sister, who has stolen a virus from him that could kill half of the human population. As Shaw and Hobbs debate family business versus world saving business, we briefly see a shot of Magdalene Shaw (Helen Mirren), Deckard’s mom, during a behind glass prison visitation telling Deckard to look out for his sister.

It’s agreed between the two heroes that the only way to succeed is to work together, but a full partnership doesn’t really seem to be totally possible. After all, we then see them in a jet preparing to use their ejector seats, and as Shaw counts down Hobbs pulls his frenemy’s cord and fires him out of the cockpit – laughing as he does it.

As the action continues, Brixton expresses a high opinion of himself, calling himself Black Superman, which the lead duo gets to experience first-hand when the villain jumps on to the back of a flatbed truck with them and proceeds to kick both of their asses – leading Hobbs to later agree, “Damn, he really is Black Superman.”

Understanding that they are in serious trouble, a plan is made by Hobbs and the two Shaw siblings to get off the grid, which then takes them to the island of American Samoa, where Hobbs is reunited with his family, specifically his mother and brothers. They’re all willing to work together so that they can save the world, but they are at a bit of a disadvantage. While they have plenty of cars to get the job done, it turns out that the Hobbs household has gotten rid of all their guns.

Still, that doesn’t stop them from engaging in full on war, leading to an epic ground battle that is previewed in bits and pieces. The big showstopper is delivered at the end, however, when Hobbs, Shaw, and Hobbs’ brothers are driving cars and doing battle with a military helicopter. While driving, the giant Samoan is able to throw a giant hook on to the chopper, and at the same time more hooks and chains are connected between the family’s vehicles to combine their strength. The end result is pure cliffside madness, as the helicopter tries to fly away, pulling the cars, while the cars at the same time try to pull the helicopter down – with Luke holding on to a chain and pulling with all of his might.

Nothing previewed thus far at CinemaCon has been able to match the epic-ness that was on display in the Hobbs & Shaw footage, and while I was already way beyond simple anticipation for the blockbuster, that excitement has only gone way, way up. Everything we’ve seen from this movie thus far has suggested it could be the biggest and most bodacious story in the entire Fast & Furious canon, and it truly can’t get here soon enough.

At this time we don’t know if this specific footage will eventually be making its way online, or when the next official trailer for Hobbs & Shaw will hit, but take our word that you are going to want to pay attention. The movie is still a few months away, set for release on August 2nd, but you can be sure that we’ll be writing a lot more about it between now and then. Be on the lookout for more of our stories, as well as plenty more coverage out of CinemaCon 2019.

T2 Trainspotting Actor Bradley Welsh Is Dead At 42, And Now There’s An Investigation

T2 Trainspotting Actor Bradley Welsh Is Dead At 42, And Now There’s An Investigation

Bradley Welsh, an actor, trainer and former boxer most known internationally for his work in T2 Trainspotting, has died at 42. Welsh was allegedly found by an Edinburgh emergency services division after allegedly being shot on April 17th. The actor later died of his injuries and an investigation is underway.

Reports on the scene indicate that Bradley Welsh had been shot (possibly in the head) following some sort of incident on Chester Street in Edinburgh Scotland at about 8 p.m. on Wednesday. Police have not confirmed his death came from a shooting, but other outlets are also reporting it was a shot that killed the actor and boxer. Armed police were allegedly on the scene for hours after Welsh's death.

According to police in Edinburgh, the death is being treated as suspicious and an investigation is underway. The direct comment given on Facebook was as follows:

His death is being treated as suspicious and inquiries are continuing. Officers will continue to provide a high-visibility presence in the area to engage with the public, offer reassurance and gather information that can assist with this investigation.

Anyone who believes they have any relevant information should contact police immediately.

So details are still scarce regarding what series of events led to Welsh’s untimely passing.

In T2 Trainspotting, Welsh had played a character named Doyle, a businessman owning a rival brothel who catches wind of a scheme coming from the main characters’ and bullies them into walking home from the country to Edinburgh in the buff. T2 Trainspotting also starred Ewan McGregor, Ewen Bremner and Jonny Lee Miller.

Trainspotting writer Irvine Welsh has already responded about Bradley Welsh’s death, sending his condolences to his friend.

Bradley and Irvine Welsh are not related.

The boxer also owned a gym, Holyrood Boxing Gym, and per Variety was involved in charities that helped keep kids from getting into trouble on the streets. Welsh was also once the champion of the Amateur Boxing Association of England.

He’s a fairly well-known figure in his area, and many have commented on social media about Bradley Welsh’s passing.

We’ll update as more details come to light, but in the meantime, our thoughts go out to Welsh’s family and friends at this time.

Full Toy Story 4 Trailer Brings Back Bo Peep And Even Andy

Full Toy Story 4 Trailer Brings Back Bo Peep And Even Andy

After being introduced to a handful of new characters for the upcoming Toy Story 4, the only question remaining was exactly how they were all going to fit into whatever story the new movie was planning to tell. Now, with the first full trailer, we have our answers. We know how Woody and Bo Peep get reunited, and what the broader themes of the story will be. We meet even more new characters, and even get to see some old friends we didn't expect, like Andy himself. Check it out.

The trailer allows us to get to get to know the odd new toy of Forky a lot better. He's at the center of the story as Woody decides the craft project needs protection as Bonnie's favorite new toy. However, Forky doesn't feel like a toy and attempts to run away, which results in he and Woody getting separated from the rest of the group. From there we see Woody and Forky meet Bo Peep, and a collection of other interesting toys, while trying to get back to Bonnie.

Bo Peep appears to be found inside some sort of antique shop. Woody and Forky walk past her lamp and Woody instantly recognizes it. Although, the pawn shop is apparently the toy equivalent to a haunted hose, as the others toys inside it seem to be as scary as anything found inside Sid's house. Gabby Gabby is the name of the doll, voiced by Christina Hendricks. She appears to command a small army of ventriloquist dummies, which is just creepy.

What's potentially more interesting than some of the movie's new friends, is the return of a very special old one. The trailer contains a pair of flashback sequences that show Andy once again. One replays the moment from the end of Toy Story 3 where Andy gave his toys to Bonnie, but the other shows a scene of an even younger Andy playing with his toys. It's hard to tell if this part of a significant flashback sequence in Toy Story 4, but if it is, we might get to actually see some earlier events in the story that we never saw, like the loss of Bo Peep.

It wouldn't be a Pixar movie if it didn't bring the emotion and even this brief trailer has the potential to get you to feel something inside. The shot where Bonnie discovers her toys gone is already heartbreaking. I can't even imagine how I'm going to feel watching the entire film.

In addition to the new trailer, Toy Story 4 also released a new poster which brings all the characters, new and old, together. Check it out.

Ultimately, Toy Story 4 is a movie about self discovery. Forky doesn't understand what he is. He's a toy, but he feels like he's supposed to be something else. Bo Peep has been abandoned for years and no longer needs a child to define her purpose. Woody, it seems, will begin to question the things he's always believed about his own existence.

Many have questioned the decision to even make a Toy Story 4, with the ending of the third film being viewed by so many as a perfect cap on the trilogy. One really has to wonder just how Pixar believed it could top that. It apparently wasn't easy. There are certainly some directions this story could go that have the potential to be as emotionally impactful as Toy Story 3, though I'm not sure I want to think about them. It's too painful.

Sylvester Stallone Teases Rambo 5's Surprising 'Battle To The End'

Sylvester Stallone Teases Rambo 5's Surprising 'Battle To The End'

Apparently the previous Rambo movies were like pulling teeth to edit, but Rambo V: Last Blood is coming together "beautifully." Sylvester Stallone just gave fans a couple of updates, posting more photos from the film and also a video sharing his excitement for the fifth Rambo movie. Sly says this movie will surprise a lot of fans, especially with its "unexpected" ending...

I just want to talk about something that I think is really exciting. Usually when you're in the editing process of a film, it can be painful. What you thought was great is not so great. It's kind of like going to the dentist and having your teeth pulled with no Novocaine. Get the picture? But this last Rambo is just coming together beautifully. Today we're going to screen it for the studio and that's going to be fantastic. I'm just looking forward to of course their notes. But we'll go back. And I think this film is going to surprise a lot of people. It's a really good story, and the ending is so unexpected. So I just want to say, come September 20, Rambo is coming your way.

Hopefully the studio doesn't give Sylvester Stallone too many notes, 'cause that could certainly dampen his current high spirits. Sly shared his excitement in a cool new Instagram video, which you can watch here:

His enthusiasm is pretty infectious, and it's good to hear this movie is having an easier birth than the previous ones. I'm slightly worried about the surprise ending, though. Hopefully it doesn't mean anything bad for Vietnam vet John Rambo, although if this is "last blood" that might suggest a definitive end.

Speaking of the ending, though, right before posting that video, Sylvester Stallone posted a couple of images with the ominous caption "A brutal Storm is about to burst ... this is beginning of battle to the end ... Sept. 20..." Battle to the end, eh? Here's that post:

A brutal storm about to burst. The beginning of the battle to the end. Huh. We're on standby for a trailer, and that may help fill in some of the gaps. The movie is meant to follow Rambo as he travels to Mexico to help save a friend's daughter, who was kidnapped by the Mexican cartel.

Sylvester Stallone has been sharing photos and updates on Rambo 5 every step of the way. He wrapped filming on the movie in early December 2018, and shared some poignant words on the franchise:

Well that was it, that was my final shot [on] Rambo 5: Last Blood, at least that's what they are calling it, thus far. And it's been an amazing journey, it really has. This character was presented to me in 1980. And no one wanted to do it. As a matter of fact, I was the eleventh choice. People looked at this as almost as a cursed project. I looked at it and said this was an amazing opportunity...

The first Rambo movie was called First Blood, after the 1972 novel by David Morrell. The 1982 movie was followed by Rambo: First Blood Part II in 1985, then Rambo III in 1988, Rambo in 2008, and now Rambo V: Last Blood.

Sylvester Stallone recently said he had to take a break from gym time because making Rambo 5 roughed him up so much. But he's apparently back in the gym -- where he sometimes runs into old co-stars like Billy Dee Williams -- and I'm just hoping he's working on getting himself in top shape for The Expendables 4. There haven't been many official details on that movie in a while, but Sly hyped up the franchise just last week, reminding us all that the fourth movie should still be on its way. Stallone also has Escape Plan: The Extractors in the works. He's keeping busy at 72!

Rambo V: Last Blood is set to open in theaters on September 20, as one of the many movies worth keeping an eye on through our 2019 movie release date schedule.

E.L. James Had A Miserable Time Filming Fifty Shades Of Grey, Which Led To Christian’s Book

E.L. James Had A Miserable Time Filming Fifty Shades Of Grey, Which Led To Christian’s Book

E.L. James is an author who is happy to talk about the process of writing. We know, for example that her Fifty Shades books started as Twilight fan fiction and that her new book The Mister started coming together even before Fifty Shades of Grey. Recently, the author also revealed that her work on the Fifty Shades of Grey movie is what caused the Fifty Shades of Grey as told by Christian to come together.

So, how did this come about? Apparently, E.L. James’ stress on the set of Fifty Shades of Grey led to her writing the chapter from Christian's point of view that would go into Fifty Shades Freed. That led to a more extensive writing project, and the rest is history. Per the author,

In the back of the book of Fifty Shades Freed, when that came out, I actually put the first chapter of Fifty Shades of Grey in Christian’s point of view, just as a sort of bonus for readers, and people started asking me, ‘Oh, can you write this, can you write this, can you write this?’ And I didn’t have time and I didn’t expect to do it, but I had such a miserable time making the Fifty Shades of Grey movie that when I finished that I sat down and wrote that novel, and it was a really cathartic experience for me. I didn’t realize it would be quite as popular as it was.

The fact that director Sam Taylor-Johnson and E.L. James did not have the best relationship has been known for a while. Taylor-Johnson previously talked about how she and the author were not on the same wavelength, noting,

I like everyone, and I get really confused when they don't like me. I was so confused by EL James. I don't understand when I can't navigate a person, when there's no synergy.

However, E.L. James has been less blunt about her experience during the first movie in the trilogy, at least until now. In her interview with AZ Central, she touches on how unhappiness led to a fruitful writing breakthrough, but she still doesn’t get particularly gossipy about the experience.

I wish I could have been a fly on the wall on that set to see how the two interacted, however.

Ultimately, what E.L. James feels was kind of a rough situation turned out pretty happily. In general, fans seem to love the Fifty Shades of Grey movie, although Sam Taylor-Johnson did not return to the franchise.

In addition, Fifty Shades of Grey as told by Christian was given 1.25 million printings just for its initial run and the book sold over a million copies during its first week of release.

As has been common with the story of Christian Grey and Anastasia Steele, critics have been less nice about the series, but fans have totally devoured it.

We’ll have to wait and see if a fourth Fifty Shades series book ever comes to fruition. However, you can catch the full trilogy of movies on Blu-ray, DVD and Digital now, or grab your own copy of new book The Mister.

Disney Just Confirmed What Star Wars Movie Is Next After The Rise Of Skywalker

Disney Just Confirmed What Star Wars Movie Is Next After The Rise Of Skywalker

We know that the forthcoming Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker will bring the Skywalker Saga to its conclusion after more than 40 years. More Star Wars movies are certainly on the way, and several of them were even recently given release dates, but beyond that we knew little about what was to come. We just got a bit more information on that front as Disney CEO Bob Iger has now confirmed that the first Star Wars movie after Rise of Skywalker will come from Game of Thrones showrunners David Benioff and D.B. Weiss.

We knew that the minds behind the very nearly over Game of Thrones series were working on a Star Wars project, or projects, for Lucasfilm, but we also knew that Star Wars: The Last Jedi director Rian Johnson was working on a trilogy of his own. We didn't know which of these ideas would be coming first, but now we do.

The news came from Bob Iger during a Q&A session at the 6th Annual MoffettNathanson Media & Communications Summit (via Attractions Magazine).

While we knew that David Benioff and D.B. Weiss were working on something for Lucasfilm, we still don't know much about what that is. The word is the duo have been given a three film deal but it's not even clear if that's actually a trilogy, or three separate projects.

If it is a trilogy, then it would seem that the three Star Wars movies that were recently given release dates, beginning in December of 2022 and running every other year until 2026, would make up the series. If this first film that has been confirmed in a one-off project, then the other two could conceivably be something else.

The announcement that the Game of Thrones team were working on Star Wars came after the announcement that Rian Johnson was being handed his own Star Wars trilogy. I was certainly expecting that would mean we'd see those movies first. It's possible that Johnson's ideas are just taking longer to form. It's also conceivable that Benioff and Weiss have been working on this project longer than we were aware.

It will be interesting to see how this news is taken by fans of both Star Wars and Game of Thrones. The final season of the series is being met by...we'll say mixed feelings. There was a time when the idea of the team behind Game of Thrones working on Star Wars was incredibly exciting, but right now might not be that time. A lot of people are unhappy with the storytelling that is wrapping up the show.

With that next movie over three years away, don't expect to hear a lot of details about it anytime soon. In addition to Star Wars; The Rise of Skywalker, Disney has the first live-action Star Wars series, The Mandalorian, set to debut on Disney+ later this year and the studio certainly isn't going to want anything to take the wind out of the sails of those projects.

How The Avengers Team Wants Fans To View Marvel Films 30 Years From Now

How The Avengers Team Wants Fans To View Marvel Films 30 Years From Now

On the eve of the release of Avengers: Endgame, there has been a lot of looking back at the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Over the last 11 years and 22 movies Marvel Studios has done something nobody has ever done before, bringing the cross-title continuity of comic books onto the silver screen. In addition to simply succeeding in that effort, the movies have been incredibly successful. But how will history judge this incredible accomplishment? The original six Avengers and Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige were recently asked that question and they had a lot of feelings on the topic. Jeremy Renner, for one, wonders how the MCU's success could potentially change the industry decades down the road...

I wonder what the ripple effect of it will be in 30 years. 'Look what Feige’s done!' How do you do a series of films? Twenty-two films! How do you do that?

It's very likely that we will see a ripple effect down the line, considering that we largely already have. Following the beginning of the MCU, we saw Warner Bros. and DC follow suit with their own collection of comic book heroes. We've also seen a cinematic universe spring up around Godzilla and King Kong and an attempt at launching one around Universal's classic movie monsters, who arguably invented the concept back in the 1940s.

While other cinematic universes have met with varying degrees of success, and none have been as successful as Marvel, it seems unlikely that nobody else will ever try to launch one again. The opportunity for gain is simply too great. The cinematic universe gives the impression that otherwise unconnected stories need to be seen by fans who don't want to miss any elements of the larger storyline. This means that even when two and three films a year are released, fans are off to see them in the theaters, even if they don't necessarily focus on characters that fans care about.

Of course, just because other studios will almost certainly continue to try to emulate the success of the MCU, doesn't mean they will be successful. Chris Evans tells EW that what Kevin Feige and Marvel have done is something that nobody will be able to do again.

I’m always amazed with the ability that Kevin has had to house this giant tapestry of all these woven plotlines. I just don’t think it’s ever going to happen again. I don’t think anyone has the ability to launch all these different rockets, and then years down the road have them all explode at once. It’s just the planning and the care and the subtlety to it.

That's really the question. Can something like this happen again? Can even Marvel Studios do it again? While Marvel movies will continue after Avengers: Endgame, we have no idea what they will look like. Endgame is designed to be and endpoint of sorts. How much of the story will continue, how much the focus will shift to other characters or stories we still don't know. The MCU won't be starting at zero but it may very well be starting fresh, meaning even Marvel may have difficulty emulating its own success.

Brie Larson Thanks Fans For Getting Captain Marvel Up To $1 Billion

Brie Larson Thanks Fans For Getting Captain Marvel Up To $1 Billion

It was only a couple of days ago that Captain Marvel rang up its billionth dollar of grosses from eager fans all over the world. But good news never outstays its welcome, as that film’s star and the figure poised to bring the Marvel Cinematic Universe to new heights in Phase 4, Brie Larson, celebrated in a very special way. Larson shared the following artwork, as well as a heartfelt note, commemorating the occasion:

Along with her message of how higher, further and faster Captain Marvel has come in its relatively short run, Brie Larson also included a vibrant piece from artist Tracie Ching’s hand. Reflecting the red, gold and blue color scheme of the titular hero, it shows off Carol’s heroic mohawk that shows through her space helmet. It's an iconic look for a fan favorite hero brought to life in living color.

Now don’t go thinking that Captain Marvel’s cruise past $1 billion is routine, even if the bountiful empire of Marvel Studios’ recent films might have you believing otherwise. Carol Danvers’ debut is only the seventh film out of the 21 film-run that’s made movie history in the past 11 years of operation. But even with that caveat laid down, it’s still a pretty impressive feat, and it’s definitely a moment worthy of sharing some splashy artwork with the masses.

Those very fans have carried this film past a lot of the early trolling that was visited upon Captain Marvel, a phenomenon that reportedly had pretty big effects on YouTube’s proprietary algorithm. Not to mention, there was that time that some ill-tempered fans tried to pit the film against what was, in name, the original “Captain Marvel,” DC’s current superhero offering Shazam!

But, as in most superhero tales, the goodness of the fans prevailed, and Captain Marvel went on to crush the box office. While the film’s actual story content may not have an effect on how Avengers: Endgame is going to play out thematically, it definitely sets up a foundation of success for the film’s blockbuster debut, set to bow at the end of this month. In fact, it doesn’t look like an eighth billion dollar hit for Marvel Studios will probably be too far behind.

As Avengers: Endgame is breaking all sorts of presale records, and ticketing apps, in its quest to box office glory, this Twitter post commemorating the continued success of the MCU through Captain Marvel promises fans, and the entire world, that the best is yet to come. And Carol Danvers is going to be around for all of the festivities, as she and the Avengers have a plan to defeat Thanos once and for all.

That plan will come into full effect in Avengers: Endgame, which infiltrates theaters on April 26.

Looks Like The Fox And Disney Merger Will Cause A Ton Of Layoffs

Looks Like The Fox And Disney Merger Will Cause A Ton Of Layoffs

Even if you've never personally been part of a business merger of any kind (and I have), it's not hard to predict many of the things that will happen as a result. When two companies that used to do largely the same thing come together, you end up with one company that has a lot more employees doing the same job than it may necessarily need. That means layoffs. When two companies the size of Disney and 20th Century Fox come together, that's a lot of employees, and that means a lot of potential layoffs. Specifically, 7,500 people are expected to end up unemployed as a result of the merger.

Needless to say, 7,500 people is a lot of people who likely will be viewed as redundant after the dust settles. The Disney/Fox merger is expected to be finalized on paper as early as next week. We likely won't see a bunch of people out of work on day one. A lot of the work of combining these two massive companies together likely hasn't even started yet, waiting for the merger to become official.

Certainly, not everybody coming on board is going to lose their job. Fox, and its various subsidiary divisions, is going to remain as a separate distribution label under the Disney umbrella, similar to Marvel Studios or Lucasfilm. Those parts of the company will still need people to run them and handle various jobs inside.

While it's easy to assume that layoffs will hurt a lot of the people in smaller positions, and it certainly will, nobody is entirely immune from layoffs. The new company doesn't necessarily need any more vice presidents or other top level executives than it already has, so some layoffs will take place at every level. Though, certainly things will hurt the lower level employees more.

Most of these layoffs will likely come from the Fox side of things. Disney is the company retaining control over the new company, it's easier for Disney to simply keep all its people in place and simply add in the necessary Fox people, but there's no way to know for sure.

It shows just how big the new Walt Disney Company will be that it is adding an entirely new film division, some smaller film subsidiaries, like Fox Searchlight, as well as new cable channels, and more, and will still need to layoff something close to 7,500 people. THR says that the massive merger between AT&T and Time Warner won't result in nearly as many lost jobs. While there are some undeniably cool things that a Disney/Fox merger may create on the content side of things, it can't be overstated that this merger is changing the media landscape forever.

Wheels will begin turning next week once the merger is official and the new Walt Disney Company begins to move forward and figure out what it is going to be. Hopefully, the people who find themselves without a home in the new company won't be without a job for too long.

Sean Gunn Was Surprised By Guardians Of The Galaxy's Massive Success

Sean Gunn Was Surprised By Guardians Of The Galaxy's Massive Success

It seems so silly in hindsight knowing what we know now, but prior to its release, the first Guardians of the Galaxy movie was seen as a big gamble on the part of Marvel Studios. These were quirky D-list characters with zero name recognition that were almost completely divorced from the heroes the studio had spent six years building up. How could they possibly succeed?

Of course, Marvel knew better and Guardians of the Galaxy went on to become a major hit, so much so that even those who believed in the project were blown away. Among them was writer-director James Gunn’s brother, Sean Gunn, who plays Kraglin and the on-set Rocket Raccoon in the films. Sean Gunn was surprised by just how massive the first movie's success was, as he explained:

I always felt pretty confident that we would have something on our hands, at least that people liked, but I never ever imagined that it would be the massive, massive hit that it was. I never thought that they would be able to sell so much; that it would be marketed so well; and that kids would identify so well to it; and that people would compare it to their favorite 80s movies.

As someone who was aware of what his brother was capable of and had read the script, Sean Gunn knew that the doubters were wrong. He saw the potential of Guardians of the Galaxy and how special it could be, and that audiences would like it. Yet even with the confidence of having been a part of the film, Sean Gunn still couldn’t have predicted that it would be a hit on the massive level that it was.

As Sean Gunn told ComicBook.com, Marvel marketed this seemingly risky movie well and Guardians of the Galaxy wound up striking a major chord with audiences. Moviegoers of all ages found something to love, from younger audiences falling in love with the characters to how it reminded older audiences of the films of the 1980s. This brilliant alchemy resulted in an unqualified smash hit.

That first Guardians of the Galaxy came out in August of 2014 and went on to make $773.3 million worldwide to become one of Marvel’s biggest movies, surpassing all but Iron Man 3 and The Avengers at the time. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 was even bigger and earned $863.7 million worldwide.

These former D-listers are now a billion dollar property and household names. They even have their own ride at Disneyland and one coming to Walt Disney World. That level of massive success probably would have surprised even the most pie-in-the-sky optimist of Guardians of the Galaxy.

Guardians of the Galaxy succeeded on its own merits, but also because it no longer matters if characters are considered A-list. As Guardians of the Galaxy, Doctor Strange, Black Panther and Captain Marvel have proven, Marvel is the selling point that gets people in the door and then the characters do the rest.

The success looks to continue for the Guardian,  because Sean Gunn’s brother James is returning to direct Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. That film is still a few years away, but when it becomes another box office hit, no one will be surprised.

You don’t have to wait that long to see the Guardians though, because they, along with the rest of the MCU, are a part of this weekend’s Avengers: Endgame. Check out our 2019 Release Schedule to see what you can look forward to this summer movie season.

Watch Nicolas Cage Go Ham Recording His Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse Role

Watch Nicolas Cage Go Ham Recording His Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse Role

In recent years, Oscar winner Nicolas Cage has become best known for what we’ll call his engrossing and often over-the-top acting style. That meme-worthy charisma and recognizable voice made him ideally suited to playing Spider-Man Noir in Best Animated Feature Film winner Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse. In advance of the film’s upcoming home video release, a new featurette shows Nic Cage going ham recording his role as the hardened crime fighter. Check it out:

You have to love how self-aware Nicolas Cage is that upon getting notes during his first recording session. The veteran actor could sense that what the director really wanted was for him to let loose and go ham (not unlike his co-star Spider-Ham). With no need to hold back or be more reserved, the veteran actor went ‘Full Cage,’ and if Robert Downy Jr.'s character in Tropic Thunder were here, I imagine he would say "You always go Full Cage."

Going 'Full Cage' brought what the director wanted and audiences demand, delivering one of the film’s standout performances. Spider-Man Noir wasn’t exactly the kind of yelling and screaming Nicolas Cage that we saw in Face/Off or last year’s Mandy (solid 2018 for him), but that wasn’t what the role called for and he ‘brought the Cage’ in a different way, delivering some truly ridiculous and hilarious lines as the color blind crime fighter.

The actor, who is a noted comic book fan, totally gets what this hard-boiled Spidey is supposed to be, comparing him to the work of author Raymond Chandler, who wrote The Big Sleep and Farewell, My Lovely. Spider-Man Noir is the prototypical noir detective, he just also happens to be Spider-Man. Nicolas Cage also said that Spider-Man Noir is probably a fan of The Public Enemy actor James Cagney and Cage definitely seemed to be channeling Cagney in his performance.

Also, it must be mentioned that Nicolas Cage’s noir attire in this featurette with the fancy black jacket is a nice touch; call it method with style. If there is any justice in this world, in addition to the previously announced sequel and spinoff to Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, we’ll get another spinoff featuring Nicolas Cage’s Spider-Man Noir. He's just such a fun character and Nicolas Cage is so delightful in the role. There are limitless possibilities with the Spider-Verse and this one needs to be realized.

Fans can relive all the inter-dimensional hijinks and adventures when Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse hits Blu-ray, DVD and 4K Ultra HD on March 19. The film is already available on Digital HD.

Check our 2019 release schedule to keep track of all of this year’s biggest movies, including the return of Spider-Man in live-action and stay tuned to CinemaBlend for all your movie news.

How Little's Marsai Martin Became The Youngest Executive Producer Ever

How Little's Marsai Martin Became The Youngest Executive Producer Ever

Sometimes getting what you want is all about carving out your own opportunities for yourself, and Marsai Martin was ready to take that plunge at 10 years old. The young actress had just finished off her first season on the ABC comedy Black-ish as Diane, one of four children in Anthony Anderson and Tracee Ellis Ross’ TV family. Take a break? Take a summer vacation like the other kids her age? Nah. She decided to pitch what became this weekend’s comedy release Little to the production company behind Think Like a Man and Ride Along. Doing so, she’d become the star and youngest executive producer in Hollywood history.

Will Packer Productions has grown in the past few years, including the 2017 mega-hit Girls Trip, and has boosted black comedians Tiffany Haddish and Kevin Hart into blockbuster leads. Here’s what Packer told me during a recent Little press day about the time Marsai Martin pitched her idea for the upcoming body-switch comedy:

This 10-year-old little force of nature comes into my office with Kenya Barris, who I knew very well, but I did not know [Marsai Martin]. She comes in, she has this pitch and I hear pitches all the time at various stages, some well thought out, some not so much. She came in with this really well thought out, structured pitch that was good and worked! I said ‘You know what? I can see this movie!' She had some scenes that she acted out in the moment and I was like ‘Okay, this young lady is not shy, she’s got a very strong sense of self but also a very strong sense of story.’ That’s what stood out.

If only we all had that kind of confidence that that age! Not only did the actress have the courage to step into the Hollywood executive’s office with creator of Black-ish, Kenya Barris, but she convinced Will Packer to actually make the movie too. Little is about successful tech entrepreneur Jordan Sanders (Regina Hall), who wakes up one morning as her younger self and must renavigate life as middle-schooler, as her assistant April (Issa Rae) covers for her back at work.

Tina Gordon, who also penned the script for What Men Want, was hired to write and direct the project and collaborated with Marsai Martin during the development process. Gordon admitted that she had some different ideas going into the project about what Marsai Martin’s character would take on. Here’s what she told me:

Originally, she had a lot of scenes with the kids in the movie, but after I met her, I realized that comedically she could really go toe-to-toe with Issa Rae. She is beyond her years as far as comedic timing and they had a great chemistry together. So a lot of the buddy comedy came through meeting and collaborating with Marsai. A big part of the collaboration between us came because she was really able to inform me about the pressures of social media and bullying. She has her finger on the pulse of her generation.

Early in the process, Little was going to primarily take place in the halls of Jordan’s old middle school, but Marsai Martin’s ability to take more on blew the writer/director away. The comedy instead is more about the growing relationship and hilarious quips between little Jordan and Issa Rae’s April as they form an unlikely friendship through the events on the film.

Marsai Martin also helped Tina Gordon implement how relevant social media is on her young generation and place it in the DNA of the film, in addition to it touching on the prevalence of bullying in middle school as well. When I asked the youngest executive producer ever if the job she took on was a different experience then she was expecting, here’s what she confidently said:

I thought it was going to be more difficult because it is my first film. I was going to be nervous and I just had to get my mind right and really pay attention, but then they just made it so comfortable for me. Most of the people on set I probably knew already or seen them on Black-ish. It was more like a reunion when working with Regina and Issa, they just made it comfortable for me and it was all fun.

This 14-year-old is thriving in the cutthroat world of Hollywood without batting an eye. Marsai Martin did seem to place the right people around her for her film debut, as she had previously worked with both of the film’s stars before and much of the crew behind Black-ish followed her for Little. Think we’re going to have to watch out for this one! You can catch Little in theaters this Friday, April 12.

Looks Like Netflix May Officially Buy Its Own Theater

Looks Like Netflix May Officially Buy Its Own Theater

Netflix has built itself into an entertainment juggernaut specifically by giving consumers a seemingly endless number of reasons, first on DVDs and then on streaming, not to leave their home and go to the theater. This has put the company at odds with entrenched parts of the film industry, exhibitors in particular. Now, although Netflix hasn’t beat the theaters, it looks like it could still join them as the streaming service may officially buy its own theater.

Netflix is in early talks with the non-profit American Cinematheque to buy the Egyptian Theatre on Hollywood Boulevard in Los Angeles. If it comes to pass, this deal, which could be worth tens of millions of dollars, would get Netflix its very first physical movie theater. The purchase is far from done and there are issues with real estate and permits that must be settled before it can be finalized, but Netflix is on its way to owning a theater, and a historic one at that.

However, despite the fact that Netflix (and Amazon) has flirted with purchasing a theater chain in the past, Deadline’s sources indicate that this should not be viewed as Netflix diving headfirst into its own operational theater business. So don’t expect every town to have a Netflix theater anytime soon.

While it may be a one-off thing for now and not the first domino to fall in a plan to conquer the theater industry, Netflix’s potential purchase of the Egyptian Theatre offers a number of positive outcomes for the streaming service, the Egypitian Theatre, American Cinematheque and the film community.

The Egyptian Theatre is a Hollywood landmark; built by Sid Grauman in the early 1920s, the theater hosted Hollywood’s first movie premiere (Robin Hood) in 1922. The Egyptian last underwent a renovation in 1998 and this deal would help preserve the historic theater and its mission to keep the big screen movie tradition alive for years to come.

American Cinematheque currently screens classic, historic, foreign, independent and rarely seen films, amongst other things, at both the Egyptian Theatre and the Aero Theatre in Santa Monica. Under the deal, the non-profit American Cinematheque would gain a much needed influx of cash to help it stay afloat and expand its programming.

Netflix and American Cinematheque look at this potential purchase as a partnership that would establish a mutually beneficial relationship. Netflix would screen its films on weekday nights, as well as have special screenings and events for its bigger titles. Also, this purchase would not impact Netflix’s existing relationships with chains like IPIC or Landmark Theatres that play the service’s films. American Cinematheque would retain the freedom to play what it wants, while getting the financial support to continue running screenings, lectures and festivals on weekends.

You can see how purchasing the Egyptian Theatre would be something of an olive branch, meant to ingratiate the disruptive streaming service to cinephiles and those in the industry that have a negative view of Netflix. Netflix, the company that made it so you could watch movies on a 4” phone screen, would be preserving a historic theater whose mission is to champion the big screen experience. This move would show that Netflix values that experience.

This news comes on the heels of an Oscar season where Netflix’s Roma made a major splash, raising the issues of whether or not streaming movies should be eligible for Academy Awards. Some in the industry, like Steven Spielberg, who are champions of the theatrical experience are against streaming movies with short theatrical windows being eligible. At the upcoming Cannes Film Festival, Netflix will be sitting out for the second year in a row in part because of the tension with exhibitors. Hopefully this will be the first step towards everyone getting along.

Netflix is out here trying to change hearts and minds. We’ll see if it works.

Check out our 2019 release schedule to keep track of all the biggest theatrical releases this year.

Dark Phoenix's Director Assures Fans The Movie Connects To X-Men: Days Of Future Past

Dark Phoenix's Director Assures Fans The Movie Connects To X-Men: Days Of Future Past

Back in 2014, X-Men: Days of Future Past brought the original X-Men film series and the ‘First Class’ series together in a time travel epic that resulted in the timeline being changed and 2023 now being a peaceful time for mutants as opposed to being hunted by Sentinels in a post-apocalyptic wasteland. Since then, the main X-Men movies have kept following with the ‘First Class’ characters in the past, with X-Men: Apocalypse being set in 1983 and the upcoming Dark Phoenix being set in 1992.

It’s been all but confirmed that Dark Phoenix will be the final chapter of the X-Men saga that began in 2000, but lest you think this franchise has forgotten about that brighter future ahead for the mutants, director and writer Simon Kinberg stated that he has an idea about how Dark Phoenix will connect to X-Men: Days of Future Past, saying:

I have some sense of it, yes, because I always feel as though I'm sort of responsible for the architecture of this and making sure that it all lines up. So I do have some sense of it, but I really did imagine this movie, in truth, as the culmination of this cycle of X-Men films and so I wasn't really thinking past this film other than wanting to make sure that the logic was all sound.

Whether this means that Dark Phoenix will allude to or establish a direct connection to X-Men: Days of Future Past remains to be seen. However, Simon Kinberg’s comments confirm that rather than X-Men: Apocalypse and Dark Phoenix establishing yet another separate continuity, which would muddy the X-Men film series mythos even more, these events are still leading towards the future shown at the end of X-Men: Days of Future Past, while simultaneously serving as the last chapter of this iteration of the franchise.

Of course, let’s not forget that Logan, which takes place in 2029, revealed that no new mutants had been born in the last 25 years, and the X-Men were no more after Professor X suffered a seizure that unleashed a destructive telepathic wave, killing several mutants. So if you assume that Logan is meant to follow after X-Men: Days of Future Past, then the future still doesn’t look good. However, if you’d rather consider Logan a one-off tale set in a separate universe, then things will eventually become better for mutants, or at least the ones under Professor X’s care.

In any case, Simon Kinberg also mentioned during his interview with ScreenRant that it was working on X-Men: Days of Future Past that helped him conceive the idea for Dark Phoenix. Kinberg recalled:

I actually would say that the Dark Phoenix idea was was set up in the end of Days of Future Past. In changing the timeline of Days of Future Past, part of the reason I did that was I wanted a chance to tell the Dark Phoenix story in a more fulsome way where it's really like the full Dark Phoenix story and focuses on Jean's story different than X-Men: The Last Stand.

X-Men: The Last Stand’s adaptation of The Dark Phoenix Saga was not well-received among fans, particularly because it had to share screen time with the mutant cure storyline. For Dark Phoenix, Jean’s corruption is the main attraction and like the source material, it involves aliens. We’re only a couple weeks away from learning how Dark Phoenix specifically unfolds, but Jean Grey, Beast, Cyclops, Storm and Professor X (among others) are all still alive in 2023, so we at least know they’ll make it out in one piece.

Dark Phoenix opens in theaters on June 7, and if you’re curious about what movies are hitting the big screen this year, look through our 2019 release schedule.

The Suicide Squad's Jai Courtney Is Psyched To Play Captain Boomerang Again

The Suicide Squad's Jai Courtney Is Psyched To Play Captain Boomerang Again

Although it is being described as more of a reboot than a sequel, James Gunn’s The Suicide Squad will be bringing back some familiar faces from David Ayer’s 2016 film. Among those faces is Jai Courtney, who played the funny and mad George “Digger” Harkness, better known as Captain Boomerang. Although his character was the most cowardly of the original group, Jai Courtney himself is psyched to hop back into the role for another go round, as he explained:

I loved playing Captain Boomerang. It's just like a rocker’s nightmare. Just looking forward to reprising that and getting the gold tooth back in and getting after it.

Captain Boomerang seems like the kind of character that would be a blast to play, and clearly Jai Courtney enjoyed his time as the Aussie bank robber. Based on what he told The Hollywood Reporter, he seems stoked that Captain Boomerang will be a part of the sequel and that he will get to have fun reprising that role, gold tooth and all.

We don’t know what writer/director James Gunn has planned, but Jai Courtney’s Boomerang does seem like the kind of odd and goofy character that Gunn does so well. And that makes him so ideally suited to this property in the first place. So it is cool that Captain Boomerang will be back and will be portrayed by an actor who relishes in the role.

Given the fact that most signs point towards James Gunn’s film doing its own thing and acting as more of a soft reboot than a true sequel, it’s difficult to know what The Suicide Squad has in store for Jai Courtney’s Captain Boomerang. At the end of Suicide Squad, having survived their mission, the team gets ten years off their sentences. Everyone except Boomerang. And while the others get special privileges, Courtney's gets put in solitary confinement.

Apparently Amanda Waller or whoever will put together the Suicide Squad in the sequel determines that Captain Boomerang isn't more trouble than he's worth and there is still some merit in keeping him around, if only for the comic relief.

Returning alongside Jai Courtney in Suicide Squad 2 is Viola Davis who plays Amanda Waller. The rest of the potential returnees are not confirmed as of yet. Despite some rumors to the contrary, it is believed that Margot Robbie’s Harley Quinn will return, but Joel Kinnaman’s Rick Flag is not expected to.

Captain Boomerang will be mixing it up with some new faces as well. Idris Elba has been cast in The Suicide Squad and for a brief time, it seemed like he would be taking over Deadshot from Will Smith. Instead he will actually be playing a new character but we don’t know who yet, although we have some guesses. Also in talks to join Suicide Squad 2 and his first superhero film, is John Cena in an undisclosed role.

The Suicide Squad is scheduled to open on August 6, 2021. Check out our 2019 Release Schedule to keep track of all the big movies coming to theaters this summer and for all the latest movie news, stay tuned to CinemaBlend.

Tom Holland Explains Why He Missed The Avengers: Endgame Premiere

Tom Holland Explains Why He Missed The Avengers: Endgame Premiere

Did we make it? Tonight millions will see Avengers: Endgame on the big screen for the first time on opening night. For many going out to see the superhero epic, it’s all about going out to see it before we stumble on spoilers online. (Pro tip: Avoid the comment section, that’s how Force Awakens was ruined for me back in 2015.)

While it will certainly be tough for fans to keep quiet about Endgame once it comes out, imagine the stress the star-studded cast of the franchise who have had to remain tight-lipped about the blockbuster for YEARS. Especially, poor ‘ole Tom Holland and Mark Ruffalo, who have proven that secrets aren’t the safest under their protection in the past.

Have no fear! The Russo Brothers seemed to have taken extra measures to keep Holland from having loose lips about the highly-anticipated flick: he died in Infinity War, therefore wasn’t part of the Endgame press tour and was not present at the Los Angeles premiere on Monday. While many would guess Spidey just wasn’t invited to keep him from spilling any Endgame details, looks like he was just tied up on another film set. Holland took to his Instagram (via People) to explain:

Hey everyone. I just wanted to do a little message and say sorry I wasn’t at the premiere last night. I’m here in Alabama — not I’m not, I’m in Atlanta — shooting Chaos Walking.

It’s a better excuse than what the world was already thinking! Chaos Walking is a post-apocalyptic thriller also starring Star Wars’ Daisy Ridley, Nick Jonas, Cynthia Erivo and David Oyelowo about a world where there are no women and all living creatures can hear each other's’ thoughts. The film is undergoing major reshoots after initial cuts were reportedly deemed “unreleasable”. Tom Holland continued his message with these words:

I noticed on the red carpet that there was a thank you cam for all our fans, our amazing fans, so I wanted to do my own and say thank you for letting me be part of this amazing Marvel journey. It’s really changed my life and I could’ve never imagined this would happen to me. So, thank you so much.

Tom Holland’s Marvel journey started with the Russos when he was cleverly introduced in 2016’s Captain America: Civil War before getting his own flick in 2017’s Spider-Man: Homecoming and reprising his role in Infinity War. So of course he wanted to be there and would have been welcome if he wasn’t half across the U.S. working on another project.

There’s a solid reason why many might have been under the impression he just wasn’t invited. Remember that time when he yelled “I’m alive!” in a theater full of people who had not yet seen Infinity War? For Endgame he wasn’t trusted with a script, just his own lines. We do know one thing… we’ll be seeing Spidey again after Endgame, since he’ll return for Spider-Man: Far From Home on July 3.

Rupert Wyatt’s Gambit Would Have Been A Mutant Mob Movie

Rupert Wyatt’s Gambit Would Have Been A Mutant Mob Movie

Some superhero films face an unobstructed path on their journey to production, while others face numerous obstacles. Gambit falls into the latter category, as it’s been over four years since the project was officially announced, and it’s still in development hell. Captive State’s Rupert Wyatt was the first director hired to helm Gambit, and his version of the movie would have seen the eponymous protagonist, played by Channing Tatum, in New Orleans and involved with other mutants in a mob environment. As he put it:

What I do know is that Channing Tatum and his producing partner Reid Carolin had an amazing idea of what that movie was going to be, and Josh Zeutemer, the writer, as well. It was terrific, it was a really exciting sort of Godfather with mutants set in the world of New Orleans with different gangs.

Rupert Wyatt added that Gambit would have taken place from the 1970s to the present day and been about “the notion of what it means to belong, tribalism in this bayou-like environment” among these mutant gangs. The X-Men film franchise hasn’t been shy about telling stories set in the past, which began with X-Men Origins: Wolverine and has been a mainstay of the “First Class” era main films. The focus on New Orleans’ criminal underworld would also have been fitting given Gambit’s past as a thief in the comics.

You’ll recall that last fall, X-Men franchise producer Simon Kinberg said that Gambit would be a romantic comedy highlighting the character’s hustling and womanizing ways. That doesn’t sound anything like what Rupert Wyatt had planned, although one would imagine that Remy LeBeau would still have had a love interest. Rupert Wyatt also clarified in his interview with Collider that Channing Tatum “sort of worked on the script” to make it into a romantic comedy, and while Wyatt liked what he read, it was “very different” from what he was involved in.

As for why Rupert Wyatt’s Gambit never moved forward, the director claims it’s because the 2015 Fantastic Four reboot was a critical and commercial bomb. With just 10 weeks before Gambit was supposed to begin filming, 20th Century Fox slashed the budget “quite considerably,” leading to the brakes being pumped. Wyatt departed Gambit in September 2015, just three months after he signed on to direct. In the following years, both Doug Liman and Gore Verbinski were separately hired as Gambit’s replacement directors, but both men ultimately left as well, with Liman withdrawing because he didn’t care for the script and Verbinski exiting due to scheduling conflicts.

With only days remaining until the Disney and Fox merger closes, leading to (among many other things) the X-Men and Fantastic Four properties finally residing at Marvel Studios, it’s unclear if Gambit will ever be made. A Channing Tatum-led Gambit movie, whether it’s a mob movie or a romantic comedy, could still work even if the X-Men franchise was rebooted, but it’s possible Marvel and Disney would prefer putting out a more conventional, ensemble X-Men movie first. In any case, considering that the character’s only theatrical appearance so far has been in the critically-derided X-Men Origins: Wolverine, Rupert Wyatt’s Gambit movie sounds like it would have treated him much better.

Stay tuned to CinemaBlend for any updates concerning Gambit’s future, but for now, look through our 2019 release schedule to learn what movies are opening later this year.

First Look At Billy Dee Williams Back As Lando Calrissian In Star Wars: Episode IX

First Look At Billy Dee Williams Back As Lando Calrissian In Star Wars: Episode IX

Although we recently reunited with Lando Calrissian in Solo: A Star Wars Story, that was with Donald Glover playing a younger version of the future Cloud City administrator. As far as Billy Dee Williams’ version is concerned, it’s been almost 40 years since we last saw him on the big screen in Return of the Jedi, but that finally changes later this year in Star Wars: Episode IX. Now we finally have our first look at Williams’ Lando back in action. Check it out!

As you can see, rather than wear the same kind of duds he wore in The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi, Billy Dee Williams’ Lando Calrissian has pulled from his Solo: A Star Wars Story wardrobe, donning a yellow shirt like the one Donald Glover wore. However, if there’s one consistent thing we can expect from any iteration from Lando, it’s a cape, and Williams looks great wearing one of those again.

As for Lando Calrissian’s location in this Star Wars: Episode IX picture, while I originally thought it was the cockpit of the Millennium Falcon, the ship that belonged to him before Han Solo won it in a game of sabacc, it’s also possible this is simply someone’s humble abode somewhere in a galaxy far, far away. Either way, Lando’s doing a spectacular job of brightening the room.

Although Billy Dee Williams vocally reprised Lando Calrissian a few years back for two episodes of Star Wars Rebels, there’s nothing like seeing Williams in person inhabiting the role again after all this time. And while Mark Hamill will be back as Luke Skywalker (undoubtedly as a Force ghost) and unused footage of Carrie Fisher from The Force Awakens and The Last Jedi will allow Leia Organa to have a presence, it’s nice to have another member of the Original Trilogy guard participate in Episode IX, especially with this being the final installment of this trilogy.

While it’s nice to have this picture of Billy Dee Williams back as Lando Calrissian, the character’s specific role in Star Wars: Episode IX is still being kept under wraps, which is par for the course with this franchise, as it’s ridiculously careful not to divulge too many plot details. But here’s what Williams had to say about reprising Lando after all these years:

I didn’t expect to be in this adventure, but I got lucky. I ended up working for someone I have a tremendous regard for J.J. Abrams. He’s a beautiful man. I’ve been doing this for a long time, 60 years… but I regard this as a real highlight, a true, genuine highlight.

Billy Dee Williams also added that it wasn’t hard to get back into character, as Lando Calrissian never “left” him. However Lando ends up fitting into Episode IX, it’ll be good not just to see him back in action, but also interacting with the protagonists who have lead the charge in this current Star Wars trilogy.

Star Wars: Episode IX, or as it’s now officially known, Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, opens in theaters on December 20. Stay tuned to CinemaBlend for more updates, and check out our 2019 release schedule to learn when this year’s other movies are coming out.

Brad Pitt And Edward Norton Talk Fight Club Getting Booed In Early Screenings

Brad Pitt And Edward Norton Talk Fight Club Getting Booed In Early Screenings

Today, David Fincher’s Fight Club is considered a true cult classic, one of the director’s best movies and one of the most enduring titles of the banner year that was 1999. But 20 years ago, when the movie was first coming out, that level of adoration and appreciation was much more difficult to find. The film was a box office flop and was critically lambasted in some corners, for being irresponsible and deplorable. It was even booed.

Fight Club premiered in September of 1999 at the Venice Film Festival and in an excerpt from Brian Raftery’s book Best. Movie. Year. Ever. on The Ringer, Brad Pitt recalls the reaction to that early screening:

It gets to one of Helena’s scandalous lines—‘I haven’t been fucked like that since grade school!’—and literally the guy running the festival got up and left. Edward and I were still the only ones laughing. You could hear two idiots up in the balcony cackling through the whole thing.

What an amusing image that is, a crowd of aghast and offended festivalgoers watching Fight Club for the first time while Brad Pitt and Edward Norton are cracking up like teenagers, enjoying every second of the film and finding it hilarious.

The audience at Fight Club’s premiere clearly did not see the satire in Fight Club or find any humor in it, especially when it comes to Helena Bonham Carter’s most notorious line as Marla Singer. The line was so offensive that the person running the festival decided he had seen enough and decided to leave.

What’s particularly ironic about that is that her scandalous line was actually the result of the original line being considered too offensive and alienating by one of the film’s producers, Laura Ziskin. The original line in the script is the same as in Chuck Palahniuk’s book; after sex Marla turns to Tyler and says ‘I want to have your abortion.’ As retold by The Wrap, Ziskin begged David Fincher to take the abortion line out and the grade school line is what replaced it.

That line may or may not be more offensive, but either way, it didn’t play well, nor did the film overall, as Edward Norton recalled:

It got booed. It wasn’t playing well at all. Brad turns and looks at me says, ‘That’s the best movie I’m ever gonna be in.’ He was so happy.

You occasionally hear stories about films getting booed at festivals, and it ascribes a scarlet letter of sorts to the movie, branding it as something terrible, indecent or both. That a more prudish audience might boo Fight Club is one thing, but a festival attended by adherents of the art from is something wild to consider. Still, no amount of boos were going to rain on Brad Pitt’s parade.

As Edward Norton recalled, Brad Pitt was positively cheery, thrilled with the film itself, regardless of how it was received. Whether it wound up really being the best movie he’s ever been in is up for debate, but it is definitely a career highlight.

For Edward Norton, the hostile response Fight Club received at those early screenings from critics and audiences was something of a defensive response to the messages in the film itself. He said:

I think the establishment, the critical culture, felt a little bit indicted by it. So they responded to it with a little bit more seriousness, and I think they missed the satirical edge of it.

The subversive, anti-establishment message espoused by Tyler Durden in Fight Club was viewed as a dangerous and irresponsible thing to be in a Hollywood film. And rather than take a nuanced look at the satirical nature of the story, the response was to condemn it. It should also be noted that Fight Club came out the same year as the Columbine Shooting happened, so like The Matrix, it also arrived at an inopportune time and was an easy scapegoat and example of the things that caused society’s ills.

The people involved knew that Fight Club was going to have an uphill battle in the public eye, so two days before its opening, Fox Filmed Entertainment Chairman at the time Bill Mechanic let David Fincher know what to expect. He said:

I said there would be two judgments in the movie. One would be on Friday—which I wasn’t so sure about. But there was also the judgment of history. And I thought this would be one of the great films of the decade. So I was fine to take the pummeling.

Bill Mechanic proved prescient in his thoughts. Fight Club was judged a failure when it opened, managing just $11 million in its opening weekend. Yet as predicted, history judged David Fincher’s film far kinder. Fight Club is now a classic and indeed one of the great films of the decade. Sometimes faith in a film is rewarded, but those rewards don’t always come when you expect them. From booed and walked out on to cult classic; Jack’s smirking revenge indeed.

Check out our 2019 Release Schedule for all the films coming to theaters this year.

Captain Marvel Fan Watches Film 116 Times To Break World Record

Captain Marvel Fan Watches Film 116 Times To Break World Record

A Wisconsin chiropractor has been workin' like a Flerken to watch Captain Marvel over and over in local theaters to break the Guinness World Record.

Steve Ruppel "only" had to watch the MCU movie 104 times to break the current record for most times seeing the same movie in the theater, but he went for 116 times to try and make sure he'll keep the record for a while.

To be official, I have to have certain pictures taken, like in front of a movie poster, and I need to have two written witness statements saying that I was actually there. So I'm trying to think, if anyone wanted to break this, I really don't want to re-break it. Cause this has been pretty tough. It's been a finite amount of time, but I don't think I'm going to try this one again.

Can you imagine? The person with the previous record must be seething with Seinfeld/Newman resentment that this guy swooped in and stole his superheroic title.

Steve Ruppel told his local WSAW news the most he's ever seen is seven showings in one day. So far, his 116 viewings total 14,268 minutes of Captain Marvel footage:

The amount of time that it takes, I've had to take time off work, I would take long lunch breaks to accommodate watching an entire movie in that particular time frame. And then just time on the weekends where I'm not doing other things.

So the big question: Why? For the love of Goose, why do this?

I thought it was the most insane thing ever, I thought it was impossible. I wasn't even sure why it was even a record, but I thought after a while 'I should probably do that.'

This is not Steve Ruppel's first Guinness World Record. Apparently he has made it a hobby to break records, and this is his fifth -- the Wisconsin news reports one of his previous four included running a half marathon wearing the most amount of t-shirts.

So it's not like he's just such a massive Captain Marvel superfan he HAD to see Carol Danvers (Brie Larson) and Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) on screen 116 times. However, he did add that he picked this movie because he loves superhero films and figured it would be a good fit to break this particular record, since he knew Captain Marvel would be playing in theaters for a while. If you're wondering why he didn't pick a movie under two hours, well...

Looking back on it now, I might almost consider a Disney movie, because they're usually shorter and probably around for a while, but that singing would drive me crazy. It really would.

Watching the same movie 116 times in a theater would drive me crazy. I'm still amazed that he had the time and money to do that. Good for him, I guess? Marvel Studios should send him a thank you card for contributing to all of the money Captain Marvel has made at this point, over $1 billion and counting.

He probably didn't wait to try to break the record with Avengers: Endgame viewings because that movie is over three hours long and many other MCU fans will surely watch that hundreds of times.

Clearly, Steve Ruppel is prepared for Carol Danvers' role in what's to come, since he must have everything she said and did memorized by now. How about you? Are you ready for Endgame? It opens in theaters this Friday, April 26. Be careful of spoilers, since even more may come out in the days leading up to the opening. Here's what else is headed to theaters in 2019.

Ford V Ferrari Trailer: Watch Christian Bale And Matt Damon Race Behind The Wheel

Ford V Ferrari Trailer: Watch Christian Bale And Matt Damon Race Behind The Wheel

We're only just now getting into the summer movie movie season, but that means it's now time to take a look forward to the end of the calendar year and the films on the way. The awards season films are beginning to make themselves known and one has to assume that Ford V Ferrari is looking to be an early front runner.

The first trailer for the Matt Damon/Christian Bale vehicle (see what I did there), is here and from first glances this one looks like it could be pretty good, with a pair of performances from strong actors and exactly the sort of underdog story that audiences tend to enjoy. Check out the trailer below.

The 24 Hours of Le Mans race is a test of endurance for both automobile and driver that, in the 1960s, was basically owned by Ferrari. Ford V Ferrari will follow the attempt by the American Ford Motor Company to build a car, and find a driver, capable of overthrowing the champion. Matt Damon plays car designer Carroll Shelby and Christian Bale is Ken Miles, the slightly hot-headed driver brought on board to handle the new car.

The movie looks to be hitting the Oscar bait Yahtzee, as it has a pair of Academy Award winning lead actors and an Academy Award nominated director (though not actually for directing) in James Mangold. It's also a movie based on a true story about overcoming the odds. We're sure to get at least one of those every awards season. It's also got a prime, mid-November release date.

While Ford V Ferrari may seem factory made to win awards, that doesn't mean the movie won't work on its own and overall the trailer does make the film look interesting. It's not overly dramatic and serious, as so many awards season movies can get. That can also help the movie find an audience, something that doesn't always happen with these end of the year films, no matter how many awards they rack up.

It's been a few years since we've gotten ourselves a good racing movie, unless you want to count Cars 3. While racing isn't necessarily something every audience member is going to be a huge fan of, it's an easy thing for them to understand, and it has built in drama that will make for an exciting climax.

Also, the trailer takes the easy way out by using The Rolling Stones "Gimme Shelter" as background music, but there's a reason this is millionth film to do that, the song works.

If Ford V Ferrari does become a major Best Picture contender, it could make history. As the movie is a Fox production, that means it's now technically a Disney movie, which means the Mouse may have just bought itself a win in an Oscar category it has never taken home.