Sunday, February 8, 2015

Weekend Movie News 2-6-15 to 2-8-15

        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 provided ComingSoon.net with the new poster for Chappie, the third feature film from director Neill Blomkamp (District 9, Elysium), which will open in conventional and IMAX theaters on March 6. Written by Blomkamp and Terri Tatchell, Chappie tells the original story of a precocious robot named Chappie, the first robot with the ability to think and feel for itself. The film stars Sharlto Copley (Maleficent, District 9), Dev Patel (Slumdog Millionaire), South African rappers Ninja and ¥o-Landi Vi$$er, Jose Pablo Cantillo, with Academy Award nominee Sigourney Weaver and Hugh Jackman. Blomkamp produced the film along with Simon Kinberg. Ben Waisbren served as executive producer. In the near future, crime is patrolled by an oppressive mechanized police force. But now, the people are fighting back. When one police droid, Chappie, is stolen and given new programming, he becomes the first robot with the ability to think and feel for himself. As powerful, destructive forces start to see Chappie as a danger to mankind and order, they will stop at nothing to maintain the status quo and ensure that Chappie is the last of his kind.

chappieposterlarge

        This is a really great poster. It gives a little better look at Chappie himself and the tagline is pretty interesting. I say that because it having this character being humanity's last hope gets me really excited for the film and it could be way different than I've been thinking the film would be like. I'm looking forward to the film and I cannot wait to see it.        



        FilmNation Entertainment today revealed the poster for Terrence Malick’s Knight of Cups, which will will have its World Premiere in the Competition Programme at the 65th Berlin Film Festival today. The film stars Christian Bale, Cate Blanchett, Natalie Portman, Brian Dennehy, Antonio Banderas, Freida Pinto, Wes Bentley, Isabel Lucas, Terese Palmer, Imogen Poots, Armin Mueller-Stahl, and the voice of Ben Kingsley. Knight of Cups is described as follows: Once there was a young prince whose father, the king of the East, sent him down into Egypt to find a pearl. But when the prince arrived, the people poured him a cup. Drinking it, he forgot he was the son of a king, forgot about the pearl and fell into a deep sleep. Rick’s (Christian Bale) father used to read this story to him as a boy. The road to the East stretches out before him. Will he set forth?

Knight of Cups

        This is a really crazy and weird poster. It honestly tells us nothing about the film itself and it is starting to peak my interest. I will say for those that don't know Terrance Malick is a strange guy so this poster shouldn't be surprising. The film sounds interesting and the cast is pretty great so I can't to check out this film. 



        This time last year the Guardians of the Galaxy were a B-list superhero team in Marvel’s comics and thanks to last year’s hit feature film, they’re now household names. Before the film even opened, Guardians of the Galaxy 2 was already being planned, and writer/director James Gunn has big plans for the band of misfits. Speaking with Alison Rosen on her podcast Alison Rosen Is Your New Best Friend (via Uproxx), Gunn elaborated on his idea for the film: “It’s not really based on anything. The story for Guardians 2 is an original story that I came up with that I started working on actually while I was shooting Guardians 1, and it’ll answer some of the questions that were put forth in the first movie about Peter Quill’s father and who he is and what’s going on with that. We’ll get to know some of the characters a little bit more and then we’re going to meet a couple of new characters who will be very important to Guardians movies and probably important to the Marvel Universe as a whole.” Gunn also reiterated that Peter Quill’s father will be a different character in the MCU than he is in the comics, and that Marvel Studios thought it was a risky move. “It’s different than what’s in the comic books. Peter Quill’s father is somebody different in the comics. So then when the movie came out, we got green-lit on the sequel right away. I went in and I sat down with those guys and I’m like, ‘Okay, here’s what I think the sequel should be.’ And they were like, ‘Oh, whoa. That’s risky, but okay.’ Now I’m going to turn over the story in a few short weeks and we’ll find out how well it works.” Guardians of the Galaxy 2 will once again feature Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Dave Bautista, Vin Diesel, and Bradley Cooper as unlikely heroes who must team up in order to defeat a cosmic force of epic proportions. It will be released in theaters on May 5, 2017.

        These are some really interesting comments. James Gunn is an amazing director and I think he knows what he is doing with this next Guardians film. Yes Peter Quill's father won't be J'Son like it is in the comics, but these films are not to please fanboys they are to entertain the general public. I have a feeling that it will end up being Adam Warlock as Gunn has confirmed that he is the MCU through subtle hints. I have complete faith in Gunn and I can't wait to see what he does with the sequel.



        During an earnings call this morning, Lionsgate was asked numerous times by investors what the studio’s plans are for franchises now that The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2 is ending the story created by Suzanne Collins this November. While the studio execs initially said they had a strong slate ahead and following “Mockingay – Part 2,” CEO Jon Feltheimer finally did mention that they are “actively looking at some development and thinking about prequel and sequel possibilities” for the Hunger Games franchise. Earlier in the call, Lionsgate also mentioned that they were very interested in what Warner Bros. Pictures is doing with the re-introduction of the “Harry Potter” franchise with the upcoming Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them films. This follows news from earlier this week that the studio is also developing a sequel to John Wick. During the call, Lionsgate said they see it as a “multiple movie action franchise.” In case you missed it, Lionsgate announced this morning that The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2 will get an IMAX 3D release and that The Hunger Games: The Exhibition will open on July 1st at Discovery Times Square in New York City. In The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2, with the nation of Panem in a full scale war, Katniss (Jennifer Lawrence) confronts President Snow (Donald Sutherland) in the final showdown. Teamed with a group of her closest friends – including Gale (Liam Hemsworth), Finnick (Sam Claflin), and Peeta (Josh Hutcherson) – Katniss goes off on a mission with the unit from District 13 as they risk their lives to stage an assassination attempt on President Snow who has become increasingly obsessed with destroying her. The mortal traps, enemies, and moral choices that await Katniss will challenge her more than any arena she faced in The Hunger Games.

        This actually sounds like a great idea. Now granted I'm completely fine with the studio stopping the films after Mockingjay Part 2, but since the franchise is a money-maker it's a no-brainer to make more films. I think they will go the prequel route and try to establish everything that occurred before the events of the first Hunger Games film. I kind of don't want it to happen, but it was inevitable from the get-go that this would possibly happen. 



        With the Deadpool movie gearing up for production to start in March, 20th Century Fox has made test deals with six actresses for the female lead who will star opposite Ryan Reynolds in the film. According to Deadline, the names include (pictured in the following order above) Morena Baccarin (“Gotham,” “Homeland,” “V”), Jessica De Gouw (“Arrow,” “Dracula”), Sarah Green (“Vikings,” Noble), Crystal Reed (“Teen Wolf,” Crush), Rebecca Rittenhouse (“Red Band Society), and Taylor Schilling (“Orange is the New Black,” “Mercy”). There’s no word on which character the actress chosen will play, but what do you think? Though Reynolds previously appeared as the character in 2009’s X-Men Origins: Wolverine, given how that film was received (and the ending to this year’s X-Men: Days of Future Past), it’s possible that film will not be acknowledged at all in the 2016 release. Tim Miller is set to helm the movie from a script by Zombieland writers Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick. Deadpool is currently scheduled for a release on February 12, 2016.

        These are all really interesting names. Let me first off say that I am pretty familiar with half of the actresses listed and those three are Morena Baccarin, Jessica De Gouw and Taylor Schilling. I personally think all six of these actresses are capable of being a leading lady in a Deadpool film, but my personal choice would have to be Jessica De Gouw since I have seen more from her in her career than the others. I'm just excited that a Deadpool film is happening and I cannot wait to see it. 

        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 

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