The Cool Reason Alita: Battle Angel Moved The Movie To Panama City

The Cool Reason Alita: Battle Angel Moved The Movie To Panama City

Alita: Battle Angel went to great lengths to get some aspects of Yukito Kishiro’s manga series correct on the big screen, including the way Rosa Salazar’s eyes were enhanced for the flick. However, other details were changed, including the setting of the story, and as it turns out there’s a reason Alita: Battle Angel got switched from Kansas City, Missouri to Panama City, Panama.

In fact, it’s a really cool reason. According to Director Robert Rodriguez, the change of locale had to do with the science behind the space elevator and the best location it would have worked. He said:

The original story was set in Kansas City, but Jim early on figured out that it should be set near an equator because that’s where scientifically a space elevator would work. I thought that was fantastic, so let’s do Panama City, which is a Latin country, and we’ve never seen that in a sci-fi film before. And with all the different cultures, it’s just naturally diverse, so the diversity was actually part of the original script.

Per Robert Rodriguez, it was James Cameron who figured out that Zalem and the Iron City would be better off set in a warm location near the equator rather than in a temperate one. Then Rodriguez decided Panama City would be the best place to build the 23rd century world, set several hundred years after a great war left the Earth in ruination.

With Avatar and even Titanic, James Cameron has had an avid interest in the scientific components of those properties. (Although he notably may have gotten the Titanic sinking wrong.) So, it’s not shocking to me that if he was working on a movie with a space elevator that he would have wanted to make sure the details were at least somewhat feasible.

In addition, although the story is based on a manga novel written in Japan, Robert Rodriguez also revealed to Complex that Jim’s vision was always “more of a melting pot,” meaning setting the story in a specific place wasn’t that important to the final vision of the film.

What was cool is that that’s what Jim latched onto when he first got the rights in 1999, is that it wasn’t something as Asian-specific as Ghost in The Shell or Akira, which are set in neo Tokyo. This is something that’s much more of a melting pot, it’s not set somewhere specifically Asian. It’s a cyborg girl in the lead, and even in the manga it’s set in one of the last standing cities left, so by nature there’s multiple languages being spoken, with people from all over the world could coming there, so it was always sort of a melting pot.

It took a long time for Alita: Battle Angel to come together. Robert Rodriguez previously revealed that James Cameron had approached him with the idea a long time ago, specifically back when he was working on Sin City, which was released back in 2005. That’s a long time for a project like this to gestate, but it also assumedly means that people like James Cameron and Robert Rodriguez had plenty of time to think about details like space elevators and temperature.

If you haven’t caught it yet, Alita: Battle Angel is still in theaters now. We'll of course let you know if the flick does end up getting a sequel. For now, take a look at what else is coming up with our full movies schedule.

Casino Royale’s Eva Green Doesn’t Think Bond Should Be A Woman

Casino Royale’s Eva Green Doesn’t Think Bond Should Be A Woman

With Daniel Craig’s tenure as James Bond soon coming to an end with the 2020 release of Bond 25, Hollywood has been having an ongoing conversation about who should replace the actor as the next 007. As movies are seeing success enlisting female heroines for popular franchises, some have even challenged that the character should be taken on by a woman next. Don’t count former Bond Girl Eva Green in on this idea. Here’s what she said:

I’m for women, but I really think James Bond should remain a man. It doesn’t make sense for him to be a woman. Women can play different types of characters, be in action movies and be superheroes, but James Bond should always be a man and not be Jane Bond. There is history with the character that should continue. He should be played by a man.

Eva Green’s recent comments to Vanity Fair aren’t in bias to her husband's famous role; she has a powerful point here. James Bond is inherently a male character with a long history as such. To gender-swap the character isn’t necessarily a great move for inclusivity or female empowerment, because it ignores much of the roots of Ian Fleming’s literary character and has women potentially playing second fiddle to Bond’s legacy-- instead of finding their own place in the action genre.

Eva Green isn’t the first to challenge the idea of “Jane Bond”. Longtime James Bond producer Barbara Broccoli recently echoed the actress’ statement with the words “We don't have to turn male characters into women. Let's just create more female characters”, along with Rachel Weisz who questioned “Why not create your own story rather than jumping onto the shoulders and being compared to all those other male predecessors?”

Just as women may certainly be enraged to learn Wonder Woman, who is a character deeply rooted in the feminine was going to be played by a man next, people may look similarly on characters such as James Bond. Though I’d argue this certainly doesn’t apply to all gender-swap situations. The Ocean’s franchise isn’t particularly rooted in having to be “male”, so changing it up with a female-led team Ocean’s Eight was a fun way for the series to continue.

Eva Green moved on to discuss the iconic “Bond Girl”, a character that the actress is proud to be a part of evolving with her portrayal of Vesper in 2006’s Casino Royale. She is passionate about the females depicted alongside James Bond to continue developing away from the “bimbos” of the past and becoming “intelligent and sassy and fascinating” onscreen characters.

While Green will not star in Bond 25, the filmmakers are reportedly eyeing Lupita Nyong’o to be the next Bond Girl in the upcoming film helmed by Cary Fukunaga. Daniel Craig’s James Bond will return to theaters on April 8, 2020.

Theater Offers Showers And Yoga During Marvel Marathon Ahead Of Endgame

Theater Offers Showers And Yoga During Marvel Marathon Ahead Of Endgame

Ever since it was revealed Avengers: Endgame would be three hours long, fans have been planning ahead to skip hydrating that day… especially since Marvel chief Kevin Feige said there will not be a single lull in the movie to head to the bathroom. Some fans may be going the extra mile by buying tickets for 22-movie MCU marathon to witness the entire “Infinity Saga” from beginning to end which adds up to just about two full days of Marvel goodness.

For a feat such as this, breaks are pretty much required for survival, and one Massachusetts theater is going the extra mile to provide the best experience for MCU marathoners. At the Showcase Cinema de Lux Revere, fans can catch every single film in the cinematic universe between Tuesday April 23 to Thursday April 25, ending with an early screening of Avengers: Endgame for $90 and a few other sweet perks. The theater will be provided meal breaks, access to shower stations, phone charging stations, 22% off concessions, and the option to drop into a yoga practice and stretch their muscles in between all the movie-watching.

It seems like the ultimate fan event for those interesting in reliving over a decade of superhero origin stories, team-ups, epic battles and one-liners in one cohesive sitting. To be among stoked fans for a couple days and have the opportunity to prep yourself for the main event with these amenities is a clever idea on the Revere theaters part.

Shower stations are especially a nice touch to keep out an uncomfortable stench marinating as a theater full of fans lives there for a few days. It’s unclear just how the theater will provide them, but I’d guess you’d be able to say you’ve showered at a movie theater after the fact. Providing a form of exercise such as yoga is also a great option for the fans to move their legs and keep their energy up amidst all the MCU anticipation!

An event like this is certainly a good way to refresh one’s memory on all that’s happened throughout the 22-film journey. Since Endgame is set to be the culmination of them all, viewing the other movies right before would certainly give fans some additional insight or understanding into the upcoming wrap up. On the flip side, some fans might be so overwhelmed with all the story and battles found in the movies that by the time they get to Endgame they’re exhausted!

No matter how you choose to celebrate the MCU and check out Endgame, it’s certainly shaping up to be one of the most massive moviegoing events in cinematic history. The movie sold five times more presale tickets than the record-breaking Infinity War and is tracking to make $250 million opening weekend or higher when it hits theaters on April 26.

Why The Wild Us Theory About The Son Is Probably Wrong

Why The Wild Us Theory About The Son Is Probably Wrong

Warning: spoilers for Us are in play. If you, or your tethered haven't seen the film yet, please bookmark this article, and come back once you've caught up.

You knew this was coming. Whenever a movie like Jordan Peele's Us storms theaters, there are going to be reactions, theories, hot takes, and think pieces dissecting the film's many meanings -- and that's not necessarily a bad thing. A movie such as Us is always going to generate a lot of thought, and tons of opinions as to what's been presented. For example, there's a theory involving the son of the family, played by Evan Alex, and it makes a pretty big implication about his character. Take this as your last warning for spoiler country, as we're about to jump into just what this theory entails, and why it's probably wrong.

The Theory About Jason

First, Young Jason, son to Adelaide and Gabe and brother to Zora, has been theorized to have switched places with his Tethered doppelganger, Pluto. Fans feel that during the events of Us, there was somehow a switch that allowed Pluto to become a secret part of the Wilson family, and the look of understanding with Adelaide, a known underground dweller who swapped places with her surface counterpart, was one of collusion.

Previously, we had already seen a switch between Lupita N'yongo's Adelaide and Red happen during their childhood years, and taking into account the fact that Jason is the only other family member to go into that underground bunker besides his own mother, there's definitely enough material to raise the question. Furthermore, there are a couple of instances where folks may believe that's exactly what the movie is trying to tell them. But does it make sense?

What Led To This Theory

There are two pieces of information that have people thinking Jason and Pluto somehow swapped places, and they're valid concerns. The first supposed clue is, obviously, the fact that Jason and Pluto spend an extended amount of time in the closet of the Wilson family beach house in Us. If you had two characters who look almost identical trapped in a room for a long period, with no one observing them, you wouldn't be wrong to think that maybe a swap had taken place.

But it's the second piece of information that's probably triggering audiences the most. Towards the end of Us, there's a moment where Jason looks at Adelaide with a face of fear and understanding. In that moment, it's presumed that he knows the entire truth about the swap with her surface doppelganger, and her assumption of her identity. Whatever the case, Jason knows something's off, and rather than freak out, he slips his mask back on and stays silent.

There's a case to be made regarding why this theory could be true. Us is the sort of movie that will  lay out the details it has to in order to tell the story, but also doesn' lock them in so tight they can't be interpreted another way. There's enough room for theories, but after really digging into what was shown in the film, as well as piecing together some key details, I believe the theory that Jason and Pluto switched places by the end of the movie is indeed false. While Jason best understands the Tethered, catching on quickly as to who they are and being able to interact with his doppelganger in a meaningful way, he's not one of them.

Why The Son Theory Is Probably Wrong

There are just too many pieces of supporting evidence scattered throughout Us that dictate Jason and Pluto have not switched places. Starting on the surface level, the fact that Jason still has normal speech is an important clue to his true identity. Pluto wouldn't have that sort of capability yet, because as we saw with Adelaide/Red, it takes time for a Tethered to learn how to speak like a normal person. Red couldn't have taught him in that short of a time, and even if she could, Pluto's English wouldn't be passable enough for him to seamlessly integrate into the family. Even with her ability to speak better than the rest of the tethered, Red's speech pattern was altered into a sort of hybrid between surface and Tethered.

While we're on the subject of Red, as we know in her recitation at the Wilson home, her children are monsters that even she has issues with. One of the main points of the narrative thrust in Us is that she wants what Adelaide has, and that includes her family. Red wouldn't have taken Jason if he were Pluto, and his kidnapping takes place right after Pluto incinerates himself in the car fire, with just one child left in play. This is another logistical hurdle the film just doesn't clear to support Pluto being the kid going home at the end.

Most importantly, Pluto has extensive facial scarring, undoubtedly a consequence of his pyromaniacal tendencies. Unless the Tethered have a really good plastic surgeon that can get the job done in an afternoon, or possess some sort of makeup that can erase that sort of scarring very easily, there's no way that Pluto and Jason have done a quick switcharoo. It's this last fact in particular that supports Jason just being himself, able to interact and understand the Tethered best in his family, but ultimately debunking theories that he himself has been swapped out.

Over time, there's always the possibility there are clues in Us that will surface to either reinforce or reexamine the theory that Jason was really swapped for Pluto. Based on the evidence currently observed, I do not think that is the case. That said, if more supporting arguments emerge to support that suggestion, and they pan out, I honestly wouldn't be mad. If Jason and Pluto somehow took a page out of the Prince and the Pauper playbook, it'd be the ultimate statement in Jordan Peele's examination of class warfare by means of infiltration. It'd also be extremely chilling, because then the question of whether we really know the ones we love would be raised with a rather effective exclamation point. For now though, let's consider that theory sent back underground, because it has no place here.

How Much Avengers: Endgame Made Opening Night

How Much Avengers: Endgame Made Opening Night

Avengers: Endgame pre-sales have been insane ever since they went on sale, so people should already be fully aware that the new Marvel movie was going to have a big opening night. But being aware that a movie is big and understanding exactly how big a movie is are two different things, which is why we’re about to talk opening night numbers here.

Obviously, Avengers: Endgame absolutely dominated on opening night, with early reports indicating the flick could bring in at least $43 million. At the time, thanks to all the myriad showings that happened beginning at 6 p.m. yesterday evening, Deadline reported that the number could ultimately be as high as $57 million. Yes, for one evening of showings.

In fact, however, once the final numbers dropped, the movie made even more money domestically. Variety is reporting Avengers: Endgame opened to a record-breaking $60 million dollars. That would be a lot for an entire opening weekend, but it's an excessive number for just one night.

The previous number to beat for opening night was for Star Wars: The Force Awakens, which made $57 million domestically in its initial entrance into theaters. Over the weekend, Avengers: Endgame will play in over 4,600 theaters, so the numbers should only grow moving forward.

We’ve been reporting for weeks that Avengers: Endgame would open to record numbers. Certain showtimes have been sold out in various parts of the country for days and days. The AMC on 42nd Street had most showtimes until the middle of the night sold out, with only screenings at 1:45, 2:30 and 3:30 a.m. available, for example.

If Avengers: Endgame actually hit $57 million last night, the final Phase Three movie could be well on the way to making the $800 million that was estimated as a possibility by early box office trackers in terms of worldwide numbers. And I’m not talking $800 million in total; instead, I’m saying this movie could make $800 million during opening weekend. How ‘bout them apples?

To compare, when Avengers: Infinity War opened around this time last year, that movie also had an incredible opening weekend, pulling in $640.4 million during its first few days in theaters worldwide. For that movie, the flick opened a little later in China, which is why some are anticipating Endgame could blow past the $800 million mark.

This time around Avengers: Endgame is already breaking records in China in terms of pre-ordered ticket sales, so theoretically the numbers could be even higher there.

Domestically, Avengers: Endgame is also expected to be a winner and early numbers have U.S. and Canada totals at just under $300 million. With $57 million to kickstart that, the movie should be in good shape, as Friday nights and Saturdays are even bigger moviegoing days. (Although presumably a lot of people went Thursday night so as not to get spoiled.)

Ultimately, so far this year the box office has been a little sluggish compared to previous years. While titles like Glass, Us, and Captain Marvel have done well, there hasn’t been a Black Panther-type of movie to really rally insane numbers into theaters prior to this weekend. Avengers: Endgame could ramp things up considerably. I’m sure theaters are hoping it does.

Are we on our way to a record box office year? Only time will tell. But we will definitely keep you updated in regards to Endgame. In addition, to see when the likes of Godzilla: King of the Monsters and The Lion King will have their own chance to shine in the sun, take a look at our full movies schedule.

New Aladdin Trailer Teases Way More Action Than The Original

New Aladdin Trailer Teases Way More Action Than The Original

Disney is swinging big this year on the live-action remake offerings. While Dumbo was a bit of a disappointment for the studio in comparison to its other recent re-imaginings, it may be all uphill from here as Aladdin and Lion King soon approach theaters. Aladdin is a beloved musical comedy from Disney Animation’s Renaissance Era, but it also looks like the upcoming version will also be packed with fun action sequences as well. Check it out in the new trailer:

Exciting! While the previous trailer for Aladdin highlighted the lively musical numbers for “Friend Like Me,” “Prince Ali” and “A Whole New World,” this recent TV spot, titled “Rags to Wishes,” showcases some thrilling elements of the live-action movie. The trailer starts off with Aladdin (Mena Massoud) and Princess Jasmine (Naomi Scott) sharing a cute exchange about how he managed to get into the palace (that is, if breaking and entering can be considered cute). It’s a new bit from the couple not found in the movie as shots from what looks to be “One Jump Ahead” flash in between.

The trailer then moves to Aladdin’s dealings with Jafar (Marwan Kenzari), who leads him to the Cave of Wonders where he finds the magic lamp and meets Will Smith’s Blue Genie. The trailer then transitions to quick cuts from various points in the movie, including recognizable musical numbers and moments such as Aladdin asking Jasmine “Do you trust me?” before taking her on a magic carpet ride, and new ones like Aladdin running from Iago.

The TV spot concludes with some quips between Aladdin and Genie as our hero critiques his top knot hairstyle to which Will Smith says “That’s my little cherry on top!” Overall, the new look at Aladdin seeks to show another side to the upcoming fantasy film by showing a mix of new dialogue among the characters with the highly-anticipated musical numbers many people are excited to see and some action to look forward to.

It’s looks to be trying to set itself apart from the original a bit so audiences don’t feel like they have a rerun in store for them, which is a good move for the studio to take after the last trailer was primarily a nostalgia trip for the 1992 animated original. Early on in the film’s marketing, Will Smith’s Blue Genie look received some backlash as well, but with each new preview, fans are seeing a better picture of the character.

While Dumbo had a debut of just under $46 million in its first weekend, early tracking for Aladdin shows it will be a much more popular release for the studio as it is expected to make between $70 to $95 million during its opening during Memorial Day weekend.

Aladdin comes out on May 24 alongside James Gunn’s Brightburn, comedy Booksmart and the Brad Pitt-led Ad Astra. Will you be seeing it opening weekend? Let us know in the comments below.

Avengers: Endgame Passes The Force Awakens As Fandango’s Biggest Pre-Seller

Avengers: Endgame Passes The Force Awakens As Fandango’s Biggest Pre-Seller

Despite the fact that it's only coming out this weekend, Joe and Anthony Russo's Avengers: Endgame has been breaking box office records for weeks now. It started about a month ago when tickets first went on sale, as it set the new high bar for most pre-sale tickets sold in a single day (overloading ticket purchase websites in the process), and just a couple weeks ago Atom Tickets reported that it was officially their best pre-seller of all time.

Now Fandango is saying that the Marvel Studios blockbuster has set a new record on their site as well, as Avengers: Endgame has officially sold more pre-release tickets than the previous #1, J.J. Abrams' Star Wars: The Force Awakens.

According to the company, more than 8,000 showtimes have been sold out across the United States, and theaters are being forced to add more and more showtimes in order to keep up with demand. The pace at which tickets have been selling for the film is extraordinary, as the blockbuster apparently sold five times as many tickets in its first week than the number of passes that were sold for Avengers: Infinity War this time last year.

Fandango has posted their new Top 5 rankings following this news, and you'll notice that it's entirely dominated by the world's two biggest franchises:

1. “Avengers: Endgame” (2019)

2. “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” (2015)

3. “Star Wars: The Last Jedi” (2017)

4. “Avengers: Infinity War” (2018)

5. “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story” (2016)

The big question that is still lingering is exactly how well Avengers: Endgame will be able to do in its opening weekend, and if it will be able to surpass the massive numbers that were generated by the last Avengers movie. Avengers: Infinity War was a crazy success when it was released in April 2018, not only setting a new high water mark for a domestic release in its first three days ($257.7 million), but also the same record internationally ($640.5 million). It also currently stands as the movie that took the least amount of time to hit $1 billion globally, successfully making that much money in just 11 days, and it's also the highest grossing superhero release of all time, with a total of $2.048 billion.

But just how well can Avengers: Endgame really do? After all, there are only so many theaters that can show the film, and only so much time in the day to host screenings. One important factor that must be considered is the fact that it's more than three hours long, which will ultimately effect the number of times that it can be shown in a single 24 hour period. There are many prognosticators out there wondering if a $300 million domestic release is on the table, but it might not actually be possible. It's presumably a math equation that we'll get the answer to this weekend.

Regardless, what isn't in question is that Avengers: Endgame is going to be a massive success this weekend - and we'll be following its progress very closely here on CinemaBlend.