Wednesday, December 17, 2014

12-17-14 Movie News

        Hello ladies and gentlemen, here is some movie news with some of my thoughts and opinions (which will be in BOLD print). So without further ado...


(NOTE: All of these stories come from comingsoon.net)


        In light of the decision by the majority of our exhibitors not to show the film The Interview, we have decided not to move forward with the planned December 25 theatrical release. We respect and understand our partners’ decision and, of course, completely share their paramount interest in the safety of employees and theater-goers. Sony Pictures has been the victim of an unprecedented criminal assault against our employees, our customers, and our business. Those who attacked us stole our intellectual property, private emails, and sensitive and proprietary material, and sought to destroy our spirit and our morale – all apparently to thwart the release of a movie they did not like. We are deeply saddened at this brazen effort to suppress the distribution of a movie, and in the process do damage to our company, our employees, and the American public. We stand by our filmmakers and their right to free expression and are extremely disappointed by this outcome. The original story follows: The five largest theaters in North America announced today they will no longer show Sony Pictures’ The Interview when it is released on December 25 following a threat by hacker group, which has caused major problems for the studio for weeks now. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Regal Entertainment, AMC Entertainment, Cinemark, Carmike Cinemas and Cineplex Entertainment will no longer show the film due to the hacker group, “Guardians of Peace,” saying, “Remember the 11th of September 2001. We recommend you to keep yourself distant from the places at that time. (If your house is nearby, you’d better leave.).” According to The Wall Street Journal, there are about 40,000 screens in the U.S. and Regal, AMC, Cinemark and Carmike account for almost half of them. Cineplex is the largest Canadian chain. In addition, Arclight Cinemas, Classic Cinemas and Bow Tie Cinemas won’t show the film either.

        “Due to the wavering support of the film ‘The Interview’ by Sony Pictures, as well as the ambiguous nature of any real or perceived security threats, Regal Entertainment Group has decided to delay the opening of the film in our theatres,” Regal said in a statement. Pat Marshall, Vice President, Communications and Investor Relations, Cineplex Entertainment, said: “After careful consideration of this unprecedented and complex situation, Cineplex Entertainment (“Cineplex”) will postpone presentation of the Sony Pictures movie, The Interview. Cineplex takes seriously its commitment to the freedom of artistic expression, but we want to reassure our guests and staff that their safety and security is our number one priority. We look forward to a time when this situation is resolved and those responsible are apprehended.” The Department of Homeland Security said yesterday that there is not “credible intelligence to indicate an active plot against movie theaters within the United States.” The National Association of Theater Owners, however, released the following statement earlier today: “The ability of our guests to enjoy the entertainment they choose in safety and comfort is and will continue to be a priority for theater owners. While we do not discuss security procedures or policies, NATO members are working closely with the appropriate security and law enforcement agencies. We are encouraged that the authorities have made progress in their investigation and we look forward to the time when the responsible criminals are apprehended. Until that happens, individual cinema operators may decide to delay exhibition of the movie so that our guests may enjoy a safe holiday movie season experiencing the many other exciting films we have to offer.”

        This is not surprising news. When I first heard the premise for the film I knew it was going to receive a lot of attention and sure enough it did. What ultimately hurt this film was the Sony hacks and this group known as the "Guardians of Peace" who ultimately made a threat against theaters and the U.S.A.. One thing I think a lot of people are forgetting is that the film  was supposed to come out back in October or early November before any of the hacks took place and part of me feels that if it had came out on its original date then we wouldn't be having this problem. In all honesty I was really looking forward to the film and as for right now who know what will happen with it in the future.



        Two weeks ago, Warner Bros. revealed their version of Task Force X for the big screen adaptation of Suicide Squad. A few factors remained up in the air, like who would be playing the woman at the center of it all, Amanda Waller. It was reported at the time that three names (including Octavia Spencer and Oprah Winfrey) were in contention, and now Latino Review reports that Viola Davis has landed the role of “The Wall.” Davis has secured two Academy Award nominations previously, making her the third Oscar-nominated actor in the film’s cast. She can currently be seen on ABC’s “How to Get Away With Murder.” Created in 1986 by John Ostrander, Len Wein, and John Byrne, Waller is the creator and government liaison of the Suicide Squad. Waller hand selected the members of the team which are housed in Belle Reve Prison. Her inability to compromise and relentlessness earned her the nickname “The Wall.” Written and directed by David Ayer, Suicide Squad will also star Will Smith as Deadshot, Tom Hardy as Rick Flagg, Margot Robbie as Harley Quinn, Jared Leto as the Joker, Jai Courtney as Captain Boomerang, and Cara Delevingne as Enchantress. The film is set to hit theaters on August 5, 2016.

        This is amazing casting. For right now this is a rumor, but if true then this is amazing casting. Viola Davis is a Academy Award nominated (should have won for The Help) actress and she can also be very intimidating which makes her perfect for the role. Amanda Waller is an amazing and interesting character that has been explored on the unbelievable tv show Arrow (which everyone should watch), but I'm excited to see her on the big screen and Viola Davis will do an amazing job in the role.



        It surprised many when WB’s DC comics film slate was revealed and there was one notable absence, Sandman from Joseph Gordon-Levitt and David Goyer. We later learned that since the film is under’s the Vertigo banner, it was never going to be a part of the DC announcement and JGL offered a brief update on the film at the start of the month. One notable difference in this attempted adaptation is that series creator Neil Gaiman has been present for many meetings, and read the drafts of the script. “I really am [glad to have more input],” Gaiman tells RadioTimes. “My position on it has always been, for over 25 years now, I would rather see no Sandman movie than a bad Sandman movie. A couple of times, people say, ‘It’s a crime there’s never been a Sandman movie’, and a couple of times, to be honest, I have thrown my body in front of a bus on a couple of bad ones over the years. I’m just happy that no bad Sandman movie has ever been made. But I’m really hoping that a good one will be. They’re a good team. And with Joseph Gordon-Levitt in charge, his instincts are good and he loves the material. He wants it to be true to the material.” Gaiman went on to talk about the current draft of the script, which he says should be arriving shortly. “Every now and then, I’ll come in and last time I was in was earlier this year spending a day in a hotel room with Joe, and going over everything and answering questions with him and so on and so forth. So they’ve written a script. I got a phone call about two, three weeks ago from Joe and David saying, ‘Jack did a script, we read it, we want some things done to it. We want you to see it, but not this version. The next version will be in three weeks and then you’ll be the first person to see it.’ So I am now a week before seeing the script. It’s going to come in just before Christmas. I’m nervous, I’m on tenterhooks. But do I have good feelings? Yeah I do.”

        Who should play the titular character of Morpheus though? Gaiman has thoughts that should delight fans, despite the two of them having strong Marvel Studios ties. “It’s a funny thing with Morpheus. Again, it’s that thing where you look around and think, ‘Yes this person would be a fantastic person’, and then time passes. There was a time Johnny Depp would’ve been a great Morpheus, but now he’s too old and it’s fine. I think the first time I saw Benedict was as Sherlock Holmes, I thought, ‘Wow, that’s incredibly Morpheus’. And fans probably thought the same because they immediately started doing fan-art, meshing the two of them up…Then again, Tom Hiddleston is still out there! And the truth is, as far as I’m concerned, anybody who sounds English with great cheekbones can probably pull it off.” Sandman, which launched DC Comics’ Vertigo imprint, ran for 75 issues beginning in 1989. Gaiman’s worlds-within-worlds weaved an episodic anthology, focusing on the allegorical character of Dream and his brothers and sisters, known as the Endless (Death, Desire, Despair, Delirium, Destruction and Destiny). Levitt is set to direct the film which features a script by Jack Thorne. A release date has yet to be set.

        I really love these comments. This is Neil Gaiman's baby and I can understand why a Sandman film hasn't been made because he wants it to be amazing. I think with it being in JGL's hands that it will be amazing. Also I would absolutely love to see Hiddelston or Cumberbatch in the role, but I think the former is more likely than the latter. I'm not to familiar with the character of Sandman, but form what I've heard and read about him makes me interested in the film.



        We’re less than six months away from the grand opening of Universal Pictures’ much-anticipated franchise sequel, Jurassic World! If the recent trailer wasn’t enough to get you excited, director Colin Trevorrow has today taken to Twitter to reveal an exciting new still from the film featuring leading man Chris Pratt (Guardians of the Galaxy, “Parks and Recreation”) alongside a pretty excited looking raptor and you can check it out below!Opening in 3D, 2D and IMAX theaters, Jurassic World offers a terrifying sci-fi adventure set 22 years after the events of Steven Spielberg’s original 1993 Michael Crichton adaption, Jurassic Park. According to Trevorrow, a huge part of what sparked his take on the blockbuster franchise was the image of a teenager texting, unimpressed with the T. Rex behind the glass in front of him. You can read more about Trevorrow’s thoughts on the film from earlier this year by clicking here. “Happy Holidays from the editing room,” Trevorrow writes alongside the new still. “Do not try this at home.” Jurassic World, which hits 2D, 3D and IMAX 3D theaters on June 12, 2015, also stars Bryce Dallas Howard (The Help, Spider-Man 3) Ty Simpkins (Insidious, Iron Man 3), Jake Johnson (Let’s Be Cops, “New Girl”), Nick Robinson (The Kings of Summer), Irrfan Khan (Life of Pie), Vincent D’Onofrio (“Daredevil”), BD Wong (Jurassic Park), Omar Sy (X-Men: Days of Future Past), Judy Greer (Dawn of the Planet of the Apes), Katie McGrath (NBC’s “Dracula”), Lauren Lapkus (Blended) and Andy Buckley (Bridesmaids).

Jurassic World Still
(courtesy of @colintrevaorrow)

        This is an amazing picture. It's cool to see a raptor standing next to a human being and they aren't trying to kill each other. The picture somewhat confirms what a lot of us have speculated and that's that the raptors in the film are trained and that they are the good guys which makes me giddy as can be. I'm a huge fan of the franchise and I cannot wait to this new installment in the franchise. 



        Touchstone Pictures and Lucasfilm have debuted the first poster for their upcoming animated film Strange Magic which you can check out below.  Strange Magic is a madcap fairy tale musical inspired by “A Midsummer Night’s Dream.” Popular songs from the past six decades help tell the tale of a colorful cast of goblins, elves, fairies and imps, and their hilarious misadventures sparked by the battle over a powerful potion. Lucasfilm Animation Singapore and Industrial Light & Magic, which created the CGI animation for 2011′s Academy Award-winning film Rango, bring to life the fanciful forest turned upside down. With a story by George Lucas, Strange Magic is directed by Gary Rydstrom (“Toy Story Toons: Hawaiian Vacation,” “Lifted”), produced by Mark S. Miller (associate producer Mars Attacks!) and executive produced by George Lucas, with a screenplay by David Berenbaum (Elf), Irene Mecchi (Brave, The Lion King) and Rydstrom. The voice cast includes Alan Cumming, Evan Rachel Wood, Kristin Chenoweth, Maya Rudolph, Sam Palladio, newcomer Meredith Anne Bull, Alfred Molina, Elijah Kelley, Bob Einstein and Peter Stormare. Strange Magic will open in theaters on January 23, 2015.

strange-magic-poster

        This is a really nice poster. It does a great job of showing us the main characters in the film and how they will look. My Only question is what in the world are they staring at? The film sounds really neat and this has the chance to do very well and it will be a big hit with the kids.

        So there you have it ladies and gentlemen, which of these stories peaked your interest or was there another story that interested you? Let me know in the comments section below and let your voice be heard.

                                                                                                                                         Jonah Sparks

No comments:

Post a Comment