5-18-16 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)

        Sony Pictures has released a brand new Ghostbusters trailer that features a lot of new footage (and ghosts!) from the summer reboot. You can check out the Ghostbusters trailer below. The new Ghostbusters film sees Kristen Wiig and Melissa McCarthy as scientists Erin Gilbert and Abby Yates, respectively. Gilbert is a particle physicist while Yates, Gilbert’s close friend, is an expert in the paranormal. As ghost sightings ramp up, they team with Kate McKinnon‘s Jillian Holtzmann, a nuclear engineer who winds up creating the team’s tech. Leslie Jones‘ Patty Tolan, then, is the team’s everyman character who winds up playing an important role connected to an early supernatural encounter. It also stars Chris Hemsworth as the new secretary, Andy Garcia as the Mayor of New York City, Michael K. Williams as a character named “Hawkins,” Matt Walsh as a character named “Rourke,” and Neil Casey as the film’s villain. New York City’s NY1 news anchor Pat Kiernan is also set to appear as news anchor in the film. The Ghostbusters movie is directed by Paul Feig from a script he co-wrote with Katie Dippold. It will debut in theaters on July 15.



        I honestly don't think I've ever hated a trailer more than this one. People keep saying that this trailer is better than the last one and I just don't see it. At least the last trailer made me laugh a little bit and while watching this one I was able to keep a straight face because nothing if funny. One of the big things from the original Ghostbusters films was that that they were silly and was meant to be a sci-fi action comedy and this doesn't even try in the comedy department. It looks like a really bad sketch from SNL and I';m really worried about the film. It could still be great, but these trailers has basically shot all confidence I had in the film down the drain.



        The Hollywood Reporter brings word of more changes at Warner Bros. with the revelation that executive VP Jon Berg and DC CCO Geoff Johns will be co-running the DC Films banner. The studio is reportedly hoping to emulate the success of Marvel Studios’ Kevin Feige with the combined efforts of “a seasoned film exec and a comics veteran” as its captains. As a result of their new jobs, the pair will become producers on the Justice League movie. The outlet reports that Johns’ involvement in the Suicide Squad film is what elevated his position at the studio, as he’s working with director David Ayer on the film’s post-production process. Johns is also co-writing the new solo-Batman movie with Ben Affleck. Berg, on the other hand, has worked at the executive level on Batman v Superman, Suicide Squad, Wonder Woman, and Justice League, while also shepherding Ben Affleck’s other projects like Argo and Live by Night. In related DC news, THR also notes the studio is still searching for a replacement director for The Flash following the departure of Seth Grahame-Smith. They report DC Films was uncomfortable with a first-time filmmaker helming the project and is seeking “a more seasoned filmmaker” who can not only handle the film’s massive budget but also put their own personal stamp on the feature. Production is already underway for Justice League in London with Ben Affleck, Henry Cavill and Gal Gadot reprising their roles as the DC Trinity, Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman. Joining them are Jason Mamoa as Aquaman, Ray Fisher as Cyborg, and Ezra Miller as The Flash. Amber Heard is set to play Queen Mera in the film as well before moving to the solo Aquaman movie in 2018, Willem Dafoe is appearing in a mystery role, with Jeremy Irons returning as Alfred Pennyworth and J.K. Simmons playing Commissioner Gordon. Justice League will debut in theaters on November 10, 2017. 

        I love this news. I'm glad DC and Warner Bros. has finally announced someone to be the head of the DC Films department so that they can have someone to oversee everything. Now some people are complaining that Geoff Johns isn't experienced enough to be a studio executive and while I completely agree, we have to remember that he is only 1 half of the duo. I think that Berg is going to be the one overseeing everything  while Johns uses his vast knowledge of comics to help shape the universe from story perspective. Having this duo really takes a lot of pressure off of a guy like Zack Snyder who can now focus solely on the films he is directing. This is a brilliant move for DC and hopefully it bring a lot of success to the DCCU. 

        Fox Searchlight Pictures has released a new look at writer, director, producer and star Nate Parker’s acclaimed slave drama in the form of a Birth of a Nation poster You can check out the Birth of a Nation poster below! Set against the antebellum South, The Birth of a Nation follows Nat Turner, a literate slave and preacher, whose financially strained owner, Samuel Turner, accepts an offer to use Nat’s preaching to subdue unruly slaves. As he witnesses countless atrocities – against himself and his fellow slaves – Nat orchestrates an uprising in the hopes of leading his people to freedom. The Birth of a Nation stars Parker himself opposite Armie Hammer, Penelope Ann Miller, Jackie Earle Haley, Mark Boone Jr., Colman Domingo, Aunjanue Ellis, Dwight Henry, Aja Naomi King, Esther Scott, Roger Guenveur Smith and Gabrielle Union. The film is a Bron Studios, Phantom Four, Mandalay Pictures and Tiny Giant Productions production and is produced by Parker, Kevin Turen, Jason Michael Berman, Aaron L. Gilbert and Preston L. Holmes with David S. Goyer, Michael Novogratz, Michael Finley, Tony Parker, Jason Cloth, Andy Pollack, Allan J. Stitt, Jane Oster, Barb Lee, Carl H. Lindner III, Derrick Brooks, Jill And Ryan Ahrens, Armin Tehrany, Edward Zwick and Mark Moran serving as executive producers. Fox Searchlight will release The Birth of a Nation in theaters on October 7.

        I really love this poster. It has a lot of symbolism to it and it really just shows what this film is going to be about. I mean portraying the red stripes as blood with various members of a military unit and basically making the poster into an American Flag to symbolize a birth of a nation which is what the Civil War did. This film looks absolutely brilliant and I honestly think we are looking at the Best Picture winner at next year's Oscars. I think this film is going to be a film that everyone needs to see and hopefully it lives up to the hype. 

        Following the announcement yesterday of the official title for Transformers 5 as Transformers: The Last Knight, Paramount Pictures has confirmed that actor Josh Duhamel will reprise his role of Lieutenant Colonel Lennox. Duhamel appeared in the first three films in the franchise but did not appear in the fourth. The Transformers: The Last Knight cast also includes the return of Transformers: Age of Extinction star Mark Wahlberg as Cade Yeager as well as newcomer Isabela Moner (100 Things to Do Before High School, Growing Up Fisher) as the film’s female lead, Izabella. Jerrod Carmichael (The Carmichael Show, Neighbors) is also set to play an unspecified leading role. Production on Transformers: The Last Knight is set to begin June 6 in Detroit with production planned to take place at various locations around the world.  Michael Bay returns to the director’s chair for the film, which is set to be written by Iron Man scribes Art Marcum & Matt Holloway and Ken Nolan (Black Hawk Down). Lorenzo di Bonaventura, Don Murphy and Tom DeSanto will produce the sequel. Combined, the previous four Transformers films have brought in over $3.7 billion at the global box office with 2014’s Age of Extinction the second-highest grossing in the series. Current plans call for Transformers: The Last Knight to be released on June 23, 2017. It will be followed by a Bumblebee spin-off film in 2018 before Transformers 6 arrives in 2019.

        I'm a little indifferent about the news. One one hand his character was a key part in the first three films and it'll be nice to see a familiar face back in the franchise. On the other hand, Duhamel is a horrendous actor and he makes me cringe every time he speaks a line of dialogue so having to hear him might make my ears bleed if the film isn't doing that to me already. I just hope I don't get fooled by the trailers becasue I want this film to be great just as much as I have wanted this franchise to be great, but I can't really get a true feeling about how much I want to see the film until that first trailer. 

        Last month came the revelation that musician Sir Elton John was in talks for a role in the upcoming Kingsman: The Golden Circle, and the man himself has taken to Instagram to confirm the casting.  Parodying the previous poster for the film, which itself teased the return of Colin Firth’s Harry Hart, the image reads “Wednesday night’s alright for fighting” (a parody itself of John’s song “Saturday Night’s Alright for Fighting”) but also featuring a pair of his trademark sunglasses. “It’s been a long time since Tommy…..” John wrote in his post, citing the last time he acted in a feature film. Taron Egerton returns as Eggsy with Mark Strong reprising the role of Merlin for the upcoming film. Halle Berry is appearing as the head of the CIA, Pedro Pascal as a character conveniently named “Jack Daniels,” with Channing Tatum, and Julianne Moore in talks to play the film’s central villain. Edward Holcroft is also set to appear in the film, though whether he will reprise as his character from the first is unclear.  Matthew Vaughn returns to write and direct Kingsman: The Golden Circle, which sees Eggsy heading to the United States where he’ll meet his match in a “swaggering, sharpshooting cowboy.” 20th Century Fox has set a June 16, 2017 release date for the sequel. The first film, Kingsman: The Secret Service, earned $414.4 million at the worldwide box office in 2015.

        I don't how to feel about this. I say that in the sense that I don't know if his role will be cameo or if he'll be involved with one of the two organizations. Adding him to something like this really helps out with the popularity of the film to some people and it might bring in a different type of audience, but it probably won't do much. Hopefully we'll get some clarification in the next few announcements and maybe everything will fall into place.

        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