Wednesday, July 29, 2015

7-29-15 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)


        CBM has gotten a hold of the latest issue of Empire magazine featuring their cover story on next year’s Batman v Superman, including new details on Aquaman, Suicide Squad‘s connection to Batman, the state of Wayne Manor, Superman’s relationship with Lois Lane and more! “Initially I thought, ‘I’m older, it doesn’t seem like the right sort of fit for me,'” says star Ben Affleck of his decision to don the cape and cowl. “Then Zack pitched me his concept for this older, more broken, kind of f**ked up Batman. It was something we haven’t seen. We have seen that Batman is willing to cross the line to protect people. That vigilantism has been a part of his character all along, and we are tapping into that mentality when faced by something as potentially as deadly as Superman.” “We are playing him 45 or 46,” director Zack Snyder confirms. “He has been Batman for 20 years. All the history is there. Was there a Robin at one time? Possibly. We want to assume that Batman has reached this point in his life and career as a superhero, and Superman represents a sort of philosophical change. He is a paradigm shift for Batman: ‘I’ve been fighting criminals all my life, trying to find justice, and now I am confronted with a concept that is transcendent to me.’ In the face of Superman, a man robbing a bank doesn’t matter. He’s having a crisis of conscience. ‘Am I really just a vigilante who stalks the alleys of Gotham?’ It is rich stuff that he deals with. Ben does an amazing job.” The rage that has (to paraphrase a famous butler) turned this good man cruel is partly fueled by the many loved ones and heroes he has seen zipped into body bags during his two-decade tenure. “He has lost those near and dear to him, and not necessarily from old age or disease…” said producer Charles Roven of the state of Batman’s world, which could entail not just the death of Robin but also his friend and Gotham PD ally Jim Gordon.

        The darkness inherent in Snyder’s vision is an offshoot of the world established in Christopher Nolan’s stand-alone Dark Knight trilogy, which, while not technically related to the new films, does share its DNA with them. In actuality, much of the motivation for Snyder to pit Henry Cavill’s Supes against Gotham’s protector was because a solo Batman movie would be too much in the shadow of Christian Bale and Nolan right now. “If it was a Batman movie it would be a much more difficult proposition because of how good Chris’ movies are,” adds Snyder. “We live in gratitude to those movies. Chris set a tone for the DC Universe, and separated us from Marvel in a great way. We are the legacy of those movies.” Another big revelation relates to Batman’s appearance in the recent Suicide Squad trailer, which is now confirmed as a prelude to the events of that film in which the Caped Crusader captures The Joker’s right-hand woman Harley Quinn (Margot Robbie). Indeed, Batman is responsible for putting all the anti-heroes of Task Force X in Belle Reve Penitentiary for Amanda Waller (Viola Davis) to do as she pleases. “What we are doing is ground up all the way. It is one giant story,” Snyder explains. “The first thing we had was the Justice League concept. The other movies, in a way, have to support that. That is our Wonder Woman, our Aquaman. They have their own creative concepts that supports them, but they do serve Justice League in the coming together of those heroes. I want all the other directors of the other films to be able to stretch their legs and do what they want, but at the same time there is a big interconnected universe. I have given everyone amazing access to our story, to me, and what we are doing. All the films have like-minded conceptual jumping on points.” “We call it the sandbox,” adds Roven. “It has borders around it, but everybody gets to play in the sandbox. On ‘Suicide Squad,’ David Ayer has a lot of specific control over his area of the sandbox. Even if he crosses the line a little bit, we see if we can push our boundaries back a little bit.”

        Indeed, the characters within the DC Extended Universe don’t necessarily reflect the black & white “good guy/bad guy” paradigm of the Marvel movies, with Affleck’s Batman essentially the antagonist of Batman v Superman… depending on your own idea of what makes a hero, that is. “It’s a point of view thing,” opines Snyder. “That is why ‘Dawn of Justice’ is the full title. What it does is allow us to start this conversation.” As for Jason Momoa’s Aquaman, don’t expect to see too much of The King of The Seven Seas in Dawn of Justice besides an “elusive cameo.” “You will understand he exists,” Snyder promises of Aquaman, who will get his own solo film written by Kurt Johnstad (300) and directed by James Wan (Furious 7). Lastly, production designer Patrick Tatopoulos (Independence Day, 300: Rise of an Empire) helps put to rest rumors of where Bruce Wayne hangs his hat since the trailer revealed a crumbling, decayed Wayne Manor. Is Bruce homeless? When we pick things up in the film, Bruce is actually living comfortably in an idyllic lakeside structure known as the Glasshouse. “Its footprint is minimal, it is part of nature,” Tatopoulos says of Wayne’s new home. “You are designing a house that would have been designed by van der Rohe, how ballsy is that? Bruce is the Bruce Wayne you know. He’s a playboy, he’s got money. He has this strength, but also an artistic sensibility. He’s got a past, a family who got him where he is today.” The designer also reveals that Clark Kent and Lois Lane (Amy Adams) have shacked up together in a Metropolis apartment of their own, while all of Lex Luthor’s (Jesse Eisenberg) dwelling was shot in a Detroit museum.  “There are other things happening too,” says Tatopoulos. “Gotham is a very different city from Metropolis. Metropolis is Toronto on Steroids. Gotham is Detroit.” Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice stars Henry Cavill in the role of Clark Kent/Superman, and Ben Affleck as Bruce Wayne/Batman. The film also stars Gal Gadot as Diana Prince/Wonder Woman, with Amy Adams, Laurence Fishburne and Diane Lane returning from Man of Steel, Jesse Eisenberg as Lex Luthor, Jeremy Irons as Alfred, and Holly Hunter in a role newly created for the film. Jason Momoa will also be making an appearance as Aquaman. Directed by Zack Snyder, written by Chris Terrio, from a screenplay by David S. Goyer, the film is produced by Charles Roven and Deborah Snyder with Benjamin Melniker, Michael E. Uslan, Wesley Coller, David S. Goyer and Geoff Johns serving as executive producers. Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice is set to open worldwide on March 25, 2016.

        Ok I know there is a lot to take in, but I'm just going to sum it all up. First off I'm glad that Zack Snyder went into detail about the cinematic universe. We all have joked a lot about how DC doesn't really have a gameplan going into this and to be honest they are sort of laughing stock and haven't made a great movie without Superman or Batman being the main focus. But after reading this transcript it looks as if DC has really thought this plan through and they know what they are doing. They have been building a lot of momentum and gaining a lot off attention since the announcement of their movie slate and I think that this is just the tip of the iceberg. I also like how they are letting directors make the films they want to while keeping it within the realm of the cinematic universe and that's something Marvel didn't do and a great example is Edgar Wright leaving Ant-Man after working on the film for 8 years and then being told he has to make the movie a certain way and then he bailed and that just shows you that Marvel wants to make the films they want to make and you have to make them a certain way or else it won't work unlike DC who is telling the filmmakers to make the films they want to, but just add in a few things to show how you're connected to the bigger picture. I love that concept and I think this will help DC in the long run.  



        Open Road Films has debuted the new Spotlight trailer, which you can watch below. Starring Mark Ruffalo, Michael Keaton, Rachel McAdams, Liev Schreiber, John Slattery, Stanley Tucci, Brian d’Arcy James and Billy Crudup, Spotlight tells the riveting true story of the Pulitzer Prize-winning Boston Globe investigation that would rock the city and cause a crisis in one of the world’s oldest and most trusted institutions. When the newspaper’s tenacious “Spotlight” team of reporters delve into allegations of abuse in the Catholic Church, their year-long investigation uncovers a decades-long cover-up at the highest levels of Boston’s religious, legal, and government establishment, touching off a wave of revelations around the world. Directed by Academy Award-nominee Thomas McCarthy, Spotlight is a tense investigative thriller, tracing the steps to one of the biggest crime stories in modern times. The November 6 release is produced by Michael Sugar, Steve Golin, Nicole Rocklin, and Blye Pagon Faust, and executive produced by Jeff Skoll, Jonathan King, Pierre Omidyar, Michael Bederman, Bard Dorros, Tom Ortenberg, Peter Lawson and Xavier Marchand.


        I really liked this trailer. Now I think it did show a little too much of the movie, but I don't think it was enough to temper my expectations for the film. The cast alone makes you want to see this film and with it being a true story and it has a prime release date, I think this film has a shot to garner a few Oscar nominations. Probably not in the acting categories, but it has a shot to get nominated for Best Picture. I really like the idea of making this investigation into a film and I think the film is going to be fantastic and I cannot wait to see it. 



        Warner Bros. Pictures has revealed the new Black Mass poster, which you can view below. Director Scott Cooper’s crime drama stars Johnny Depp, Joel Edgerton, Benedict Cumberbatch, Rory Cochrane, Jesse Plemons, Kevin Bacon, W. Earl Brown, David Harbour, Dakota Johnson, Julianne Nicholson, Corey Stoll, Peter Sarsgaard, Adam Scott, and Juno Temple. In 1970s South Boston, FBI Agent John Connolly (Edgerton) persuades Irish mobster James “Whitey” Bulger (Depp) to collaborate with the FBI and eliminate a common enemy: the Italian mob. The drama tells the true story of this unholy alliance, which spiraled out of control, allowing Whitey to evade law enforcement, consolidate power, and become one of the most ruthless and powerful gangsters in Boston history. “He could be charming. He could be ruthless. He was like a cobra—you never knew where he could strike,” director Scott Cooper (Crazy Heart) said previously of Bulger, who was imprisoned with two life sentences in November of 2013. “A lot of people on set knew Whitey intimately. They got chills at [Depp’s] resemblance. Some of them couldn’t even look at him. It’s easy to be the mustache twirling villain but this performance couldn’t be further from that. He is truly gifted.” Black Mass hits theaters on September 18. The film was written by Mark Mallouk and Jez Butterworth, produced by John Lesher, Brian Oliver, Scott Cooper, Patrick McCormick and Tyler Thompson, and executive produced by Brett Ratner, James Packer, Peter Mallouk, Ray Mallouk, Christopher Woodrow, Brett Granstaff, Gary Granstaff, Phil Hunt and Compton Ross.

Black Mass

        I really like this poster. Now I know it's not original by any standards, but it doesn't peak your interest especially if you don't know what the film is about or who it's about. Johnny Depp looks so menacing in the poster and the trailers look fantastic for the film. Now Depp has dug himself a hole due to his recent performances (not as big as Adam Sandler's but still a hole) and this performance coupled with a few more dramatic pieces like this could potentially help him out a lot. I personally think he'll get an Oscar nomination and that's without seeing the film. It looks dark and creepy, but I cannot wait to see the film.



        Deadline has revealed that “True Detective” star Vince Vaughn will head to war with Andrew Garfield and Sam Worthington in Lionsgate’s Hacksaw Ridge, the next outing as a director for Academy Award winner Mel Gibson. This marks the fifth film behind the camera for Gibson (The Passion of The Christ, Apocalypto). The movie tells the true WWII story of Corporal Desmond Doss (Garfield), the first conscientious objector to receive the US congressional Medal of Honor after acts of bravery and sacrifice saving 75 men during the Battle of Okinawa. Vaughn has signed to play Sgt. Howell, a non-commissioned officer who prepares his soldiers for battle by pushing them to their limits both physically and mentally in order to keep them alive. When Doss refuses to shoot and kill the enemy, it contradicts everything the sergeant knows about war. Hacksaw Ridge is scripted by Robert Schenkkan and Randall Wallace, the latter of whom wrote Braveheart for Gibson and directed him in the Vietnam film We Were Soldiers. Terry Benedict, Bill Mechanic, Steve Longi and David Permut are all attached to produce, with a reported budget of $45 million dollars.

        I think this is great casting. Say what you want to about Mel Gibson and the controversy that surrounds him, but he is one heck of a director. There isn't a film I haven't like of his when he is behind the camera and from the sounds of this one I think this one has the potential to be great. As for Vaughn joining the film, I think he is a perfect fit and this is the type of role we really haven't seen him that often, but he has the potential to be really good. There is a small (and by small I mean tiny) resemblance to Fury that came out last year, but this will be a different film entirely and I can't wait to see it. 



        It was revealed back in April that Warner Bros. Pictures had picked up the rights to the popular video game series Five Nights at Freddy’s with plans for a feature film adaptation. Today, Deadline reports that the film has found a director in Gil Kenan, whose big screen credits include Monster House, City of Ember and, most recently, the new Poltergeist. He’s also set to script the film alongside Tyler Burton Smith. Five Night’s at Freddy’s challenges players to survive for five nights as a security guard in a demented pizza entertainment restaurant where homicidal, possessed animatronics roam the halls in search of their next victims. Though the first game only debuted back in August of 2014, a sequel was released in November of 2014 with a third chapter making its way online this past March. The series has played with non-linear and non-traditional storytelling. The second game in the series was actually a prequel with the third game taking place thirty years after the original. Mini-games also inhabit the titles offering even more clues to the lore of the franchise and the underlying story of what caused the animatronics of Freddy Fazbear and his friends to haunt the location. Five Night’s at Freddy’s reunites Kenan with Poltergeist producer Roy Lee of Vertigo Entertainment. He’s producing alongside Seth Grahame-Smith (Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter) and David Katzenberg (Stephen King’s IT) of KatzSmith Productions. Jay Ireland and Adam Stone are executive producing with Jon Berg and Nik Mavinkurve overseeing for Warner Bros.

        This is an interesting choice. I say that simply because of the last film this guy did (Poltergeist 2015) and that film was atrocious. Now granted every director has at least one bad film on their resume and this guy is no different. I think he has a grasp on the horror genre, it will just take putting the right pieces around him for the film to be successful. This will be an interesting  film to see since the concept of the game is so simple. The film may over complicate the game materiel and that doesn't spell good news. Now we are probably at least two maybe three years away from the film getting released, but I'm glad knowing it is getting made. 

        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