Chris Hemsworth Was ‘Underwhelmed’ With Thor Franchise Before Ragnarok

Chris Hemsworth Was ‘Underwhelmed’ With Thor Franchise Before Ragnarok

Thor has been a major player in the Marvel Cinematic Universe since 2011, both leading his own film series and being one of the founding Avengers. However, the character received his biggest surge in popularity yet with Thor: Ragnarok in late 2017, and Chris Hemsworth credits the threequel with refreshing his character, as going into it, he wasn’t excited about having to play the God of Thunder again. In Hemsworth’s words:

When we came into Ragnarok, I was sort of exhausted of what I’d been doing and a little sort of underwhelmed by what I was putting out there, you know?

Thus far the Thor film series is the only one where each movie was directed by someone different, with Taika Waititi following in the footsteps of Kenneth Branagh and Alan Taylor for Ragnarok. There’s no question that tonally speaking, Ragnarok was significantly different from its predecessors, but that shift paid off, as it’s the most critically well-received of the Thor movies and made $854 million worldwide.

Chris Hemsworth admitted last year that he found Thor: The Dark World to be “meh” (it’s the lowest-rated of the MCU movies on Rotten Tomatoes’ Tomatometer), but in his recent interview with Yahoo, he clarified that his issues with the Thor of it all pre-Ragnarok weren’t due to any of the people he had worked with, but his own dissatisfaction with the character. As he put it:

That was no fault of any director or writer, that was me personally. It felt like I’d put myself in a box with what the character could do. So on Ragnarok, it was about breaking all the rules, and kinda going ‘as soon as it feels familiar, do something different’, and Taika [Waititi] – the director – had the same vision, and the same, I guess, guts to just roll the dice and [do the] ‘anything goes’ kind of thing. That was so liberating and freeing, you know, to sort of break away who the character was prior.

Mission accomplished! Not only did Thor: Ragnarok take full advantage of Chris Hemsworth’s comedic skills, but it also put shook up Thor’s world by killing his father, destroying his hammer, gouging out his eye and annihilating Asgard. Granted, the lost eye isn’t really an issue anymore since he was given a bionic replacement by Rocket Raccoon in Avengers: Infinity War, but otherwise Thor is definitely out of that box Hemsworth was worried about and has arguably hit his stride.

MCU fans can look forward to Chris Hemsworth’s Thor returning next week for Avengers: Endgame, but beyond that, the character’s future is shrouded in secrecy. Hemsworth seems open to playing the Asgardian hero again and Tessa Thompson said that a Taika Waititi-directed Thor 4 has been pitched, but for now, Marvel’s upcoming slate of films is, with the exception of Black Widow, focused around brand-new and more recently established characters.

Should there be any major update concerning Thor’s future in the MCU, we here at CinemaBlend will let you know about it. For now, the next chapter of his journey unfolds with the release of Avengers: Endgame on April 26, and you can browse through our Marvel movies guide to learn what else this superhero franchise has coming down the pipeline.

Avengers: Endgame Reviews Are In, Here’s What The Critics Are Saying

Avengers: Endgame Reviews Are In, Here’s What The Critics Are Saying

We’re almost there, folks! After more than a decade of set-up and following a year after the devastating conclusion of Avengers: Infinity War, Avengers: Endgame is only a couple days away from finally being released to the masses. However, some folks were lucky enough to see the movie early, and now, following the social media reactions that poured in last night after the Endgame world premiere, the first reviews for the movie are pouring in, and they’re overwhelmingly positive.

Let’s kick off with CinemaBlend’s own Eric Eisenberg, who awarded Avengers: Endgame a perfect 5 out of 5 stars in his review, noting that his movie is packed with all sorts of surprises, from actors you never expected to show up popping in to plot twists “coming out of left field.” While he felt it would be “reductive” to call Endgame a love letter to Marvel fans, it definitely is a “wonderful gift” for those who’ve been invested in this franchise over the last 11 years, one which audiences “are going to want to experience over and over again.”

Avengers: Endgame is one of the most ambitious, entertaining, emotional, and stunning blockbusters we’ve ever seen, and the best film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe canon thus far.

Next up, we have Germain Lussier from io9, who described Avengers: Endgame as “everything you’ve ever dreamed a Marvel movie could be” and called it a “complete, complex, and satisfying conclusion” to the last decade we’ve spent with these MCU characters. Endgame becomes more complex as it goes along, which can sometimes make the movie feel “overstuffed and overly busy at times,” but the payoffs are well worth it.

After 11 years and 21 movies, Avengers: Endgame is larger than a mere movie. It’s a personal experience. It works as a singular film and ultimately will be judged as such, but on first viewing, it works even better as a cherry on top of a decade of Marvel storytelling—the final piece of a glorious puzzle we’ve all been working to piece together since 2008.

Entertainment Weekly’s Leah Greenblat gave Avengers: Endgame a B+, declaring that the movie promises many things, like revenge, redemption and a ridiculously long runtime, and it “largely delivers” on that. And if you’re a fan of Marvel cameos, then brace yourself, because Endgame is filled to the brim with surprise appearances.

With the stakes being no less than the fate of the world (or at least approximately 50% of it), there’s an expected urgency to it all, but an underlying melancholy, too — not just for everything that’s been lost, but for what won’t be coming back. After seven years, four films, and uncountable post-credit easter eggs, the endgame of an era has finally come.

Over at Birth.Movies.Death., Russ Fischer, who was not “convinced” by Avengers: Infinity War, found Avengers: Endgame to be a more satisfiable MCU offering. The movie has an “unusual structure,” though that’s definitely appropriate for the kind of story being told, and the second act plays out as a “Marvel’s Greatest Hits” before delving into the final battle. In Fischer’s eyes, Endgame doesn’t create a “seismic shift” like Infinity War did, but it does put everything on the table.

Ultimately, Endgame is an entire movie of payoffs. It plays off and completes thoughts begun in Age of Ultron and Civil War, and even in comics. Conventional wisdom says that a sequel should be able to stand on its own. For the past decade, Marvel has worked to make that true, to whatever degree is possible in a series of more than 20 interconnected films. That changes with Endgame, which has no ambition to stand on its own, and no need to. This Avengers finale is an event as much as a movie.

USA Today’s Brian Truitt gave Avengers: Endgame a 3.5 out of 4 score, describing it as the “triple-disc greatest-hits package with the really awesome cover and a slew of familiar, comforting gems inside.” The movie loses some momentum over its three-hour runtime, but it delivers those emotional gut punches we’ve expected and an explosive finale.

Endgame is tragic and uplifting, rousing and grounding, while leaving minds racing and making everybody cry (even the toughest guys). Marvel movies have managed to find endearing, crowd-pleasing magic amid these fun and flawed comic-book characters in the past decade, and Endgame pays off all that goodwill by letting them do what they do best on the biggest stage yet.

Angie Han from Mashable didn’t find Avengers: Endgame to be the best, prettiest or even the funniest Marvel movie ever made, but she did call it the “most Marvel movie” ever made, and that’s a notable accomplishment. There are some “quibbles” to be had at certain moments, but it ultimately serves as a testament to what this franchise has become.

This is Marvel flexing, building on over 10 years and 20-plus films of careful groundwork and intricate planning to show us what it can do that no other movie franchise can. As such, it's an immensely satisfying finish to this era of the series.

Finally, IGN’s Laura Prudom awarded Avengers: Endgame a 9.5 out of 10 score, calling it a movie that “rewards your knowledge of the MCU in its entirety.” There are some parts that might feel like “outright fan service,” but they feel more as though they’re earned after everything we’ve seen over the last 11 years. Like most Marvel movies, there’s an over reliance on “overproduced CGI battles,” but fortunately, the quieter character moments are still able to shine.

A fitting and surprisingly poetic payoff to more than a decade of storytelling, and the start of a bright new chapter.

These are just a handful of the Avengers: Endgame reviews that are now available, so feel free to venture elsewhere on the interwebs to learn what other critics thought of this movie. Be careful about running into spoilers, though, as there are some reviews that delve into minor plot details that some of you might not want to know. Tread cautiously!

You can judge Avengers: Endgame for yourself when it’s released on April 26, but for now, keep up to date with CinemaBlend for more coverage on this blockbuster event, and be sure to look through our Marvel movies guide to learn what else this franchise has coming down the pipeline.

The Marvel Cinematic Universe Just Had Its Star Trek VI Moment

The Marvel Cinematic Universe Just Had Its Star Trek VI Moment

Warning: SPOILERS for Avengers: Endgame are in play. If you haven’t seen the film, come back once you’ve seen the film.

There’s been a lot of talk about Avengers: Endgame in the media as of late, what with the first arc of recorded history ending with the Infinity Saga’s close. For a juggernaut as huge as the Marvel Cinematic Universe, 22 films across 11 years is quite a bit of time for an audience to be invested in a story’s progression. And when I think about it, there’s only one other event that comes close to matching it.

Back in 1991, the original crew of the Star Trek series made their final appearance as a complete group. It was a moment that saw the end of one era,and the dawn of another, dovetailing each other for one brief moment in time. And as Avengers: Endgame honored its original crew’s departure in a very similar way as Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country did, I realized that the Marvel Cinematic Universe had its very own Star Trek VI moment.

What’s a Star Trek VI moment? Allow me to explain.

What Is The Star Trek VI Moment?

At the end of Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country, we see the original crew of the USS Enterprise-A prepared to sail off for decommissioning. With Captain Kirk’s orders of “Second star to the left, straight on until morning,” Kirk and his fellow Federation members make their way into the history books, retiring the original crew that started the bold journey to where no one has gone before. Ending literally with the signatures of the original Star Trek cast flying off into space, it was a truly emotional moment.

While the Star Trek franchise would continue in the decades past director Nicholas Meyer’s swan song for the original series cast, it was a moment that would stand as a fixed point in the timeline. Every crew, every captain, every ship would be compared to that original lineup and the adventures that they embarked on. With that gold standard in place, as the signatures of the original cast flew into the stars of Star Trek VI’s finale, series history had an official gold standard of what to do and what not to do in future installments.

The voyages of Starfleet would continue, surely enough; but the first storied era of adventures in the Star Trek universe were officially complete. Which paved the way for the likes of Jean-Luc Picard, Benjamin Sisko, Kathryn Janeway and Jonathan Archer to lead with distinction and carve their own legacies into the stars.

How Did Avengers: Endgame Have Its Star Trek VI Moment?

Keeping the definition of a Star Trek VI moment in mind, Avengers: Endgame approached its own version of that very ending with a battle so great, it ensured that the original lineup of Marvel Cinematic Universe heroes would never be able to return to the series. Consequences were set and honored, and the message was clear: this is the end of the MCU as we know it, but not the end of Marvel’s cinematic world by a long shot.

By time Avengers: Endgame said its final goodbyes to the Avengers that either fell in the line of duty or retired, the MCU found itself on the same sort of path that Star Trek before it had. With Phase 4 still officially unannounced and the future unknown, the landmark cinematic franchise is now at a crossroads as to how it should proceed. But as Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country had done in the past, the original six Avengers all saw their autographs commemorated on screen, as if putting their final signature on the characters they helped bring to life.

Just as we saw Captain Kirk soar into series history, Tony Stark, Steve Rogers and Natasha Romanoff all saw themselves consigned to the past when all was said and done. Avengers: Endgame served not only as the close of an arc 11 years in the making, it also opened the door for whatever came next to have autonomy to find its own voice.

Will We Ever See The Marvel Cinematic Universe Have Another Star Trek VI Moment

While it’s easy to appreciate a Star Trek VI moment, it’s not something that comes easy. Even in the Trek franchise, it only happened once or twice more, with the departure of the Next Generation and Deep Space Nine casts. It’s a fair assessment that to have a Star Trek VI moment, you really need the people to love you a ridiculous amount.

The Marvel Cinematic Universe does have a legion of loyal fans who’ll follow it to the moon and back, and that’s not too much of an exaggeration. But, again, with the future being an unspecified blank outside of Spider-Man: Far From Home, we can’t really tell if there will be a sendoff so huge that it’ll eclipse or even match this point.

That’s not to say that it can’t happen though. Much like Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country gave original series fans their goodbye, it also left them open to really invest in Star Trek: The Next Generation. And on top of that, the next phase of fandom came in, which would eventually mark the TNG cast’s departure as a cultural touchstone of their own. So while it’s unclear when or where it’ll happen, there are probably at least a couple more Star Trek VI moments waiting in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. It really just depends on the fans.

The fandom isn’t in the same place it was when the Marvel Cinematic Universe started, so some may change with the times and keep up with the MCU past Avengers: Endgame. Others may call it quits and leave the past where it lies, as they aren’t convinced the future is something they want to see.

But no matter what either of those two factions think, everyone has this one moment in time where the two halves overlapped. Past and present are one, and all got the spectacular battle that Avengers: Endgame used to close off this first arc of history. And that’s still a win on both sides of that particular fence.

Like my Trekker father did back in the day, I’ve now seen a great age of fandom come and gone. And just like he moved into The Next Generation without a hitch, I look forward to the future of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, while acknowledging all the bright and bountiful moments that came before.

Avengers: Endgame is in theaters now, waiting for history to ultimately judge its efforts. But if you’re more interested in the future of moviegoing, look at 2019’s release schedule for some more immediate fun. And be sure to keep your eyes open for any Marvel Cinematic Universe scheduling that comes to pass, with our Upcoming Marvel Movies guide.

Sarah Connor Utters The Iconic ‘I’ll Be Back Line’ In New Terminator: Dark Fate Video

Sarah Connor Utters The Iconic ‘I’ll Be Back Line’ In New Terminator: Dark Fate Video

As far as sci-fi properties go, there are few quite as beloved as the Terminator franchise. James Cameron brought the titular robot to the big screen back in 1984, and its never been far from theaters in the decades since. But out of the entire series, Terminator 2: Judgement Day remains the undisputed fan favorite. Plus, it's the last movie that Cameron was intimately involved in. That is... until now.

The franchise is coming back to theaters with Terminator: Dark Fate, which will be a direct sequel to T2. James Cameron is involved as a producer, and the new movie will also welcome Linda Hamilton back to her signature character Sarah Connor. The first Dark Fate trailer was super exciting, and a new clip has Sarah Connor uttering the most iconic line from the entire franchise: "I'll be back." Check it out below.

Does anyone else have chills? On top finally uttering the line made by Arnold Schwarzenegger in the original Terminator, Linda Hamilton does so in perhaps the most badass way possible. Namely, by popping a grenade as she did it, and calmly walking away from the impending explosion.

This new clip just hammers down what a total badass Sarah Connor has remained since we saw her in Terminator 2: Judgement Day. Linda Hamilton had a massive transformation between her two appearances, with T2 taking her from victim to deadly mental patient. And she's remained just as capable through the decades, as the first trailer for Dark Fate showed her going toe to toe with Gabriel Luna's new Terminator model.

The Terminator franchise may have never really left theaters, but the various sequels lacked the same tone as the first two. These movies resulted as a combination of James Cameron and his stars Linda Hamilton and Arnold Schwarzenegger. And now that the trio have once again collaborated on Terminator: Dark Fate, and it looks like there will be plenty of references to the start of the franchise. That includes using some iconic lines of dialogue that are synonymous with those movies.

Aside from including lines like "I'll be back", Terminator: Dark Fate will also deeply connect to Terminator 2 through the use of flashbacks. The upcoming sequel will include new scenes of a younger Sarah Connor and her son John-- who is noticeably missing from the film's cast. CGI will be used to de-age Linda Hamilton, while the same type of visual affects will bring Edward Furlong's likeness as John back to the silver screen. It's an exciting concept, especially as movies like Captain Marvel and Rogue One have proven how far that technology has come.

Related: Arnold Schwarzenegger Looks Totally Badass In First Terminator: Dark Fate Image

Given the footage from the above video, it should be interesting to see if more iconic Terminator lines end up making their way to Dark Fate. "Come with me if you want to live" seem like an easy bit of dialogue to fit into such an action-packed sequel. And with the original Terminator and Sarah Connor reuniting, there's also the opportunity for Arnold Schwarzenegger to say "I'm a friend of Sarah Connor." We'll just have to wait and see what Deadpool director Tim Miller has up his sleeve for the generations of Terminator fans.

All will be revealed when Terminator: Dark Fate arrives in theaters on November 1st. In the meantime, check out our 2019 release list to plan your next trip to the movies.

Star Wars: The Rise Of Skywalker Has Been Planned Since The Force Awakens

Star Wars: The Rise Of Skywalker Has Been Planned Since The Force Awakens

The past few years have been great for Star Wars fans, as there's been a ton of new and exciting projects hitting theaters since Disney acquired Lucasfilm. The House of Mouse has produced standalone films and an upcoming live-action series, although fans are most invested in the main franchise. The nine-film narrative will end with Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, with J.J. Abrams returning to the director's chair to tie up a variety of stories.

The pressure is on for J.J. Abrams to conclude the story he began with The Force Awakens, as well as the entire franchise up to this point. Adam Driver has starred as the villainous Kylo Ren in the sequel trilogy, and recently revealed that his character's story was planned from back in Episode VII, and has remained consistent through The Rise of Skywalker. As he put it:

An overall arc was very, not vague, the opposite, it was very clear—[there was] an end in sight even from the very beginning. The details obviously hadn’t been worked out, but we had talked about the very thing that we’d been working towards with this last one.

Well, this is a relief. Because while The Last Jedi shocked audience and The Rise of Skywalker was originally set to be directed by Colin Trevorrow, it looks like the overall story hasn't been changed much since The Force Awakens was in production.

Adam Driver's comments to Vanity Fair are sure to excite the hardcore Star Wars fandom, who might be nervous about what J.J. Abrams is bringing to the franchise with The Rise of Skywalker. Rian Johnson purposefully subverted fan expectations with The Last Jedi, and the blockbuster is the most divisive installment in the long running property. His bold choices didn't vibe with some of the hardcore fandom, although now it looks like the current trilogy's core narrative has remained consistent across all three movies.

Related: Knights Of Ren Confirmed For Star Wars: The Rise Of Skywalker

The Star Wars franchise is beloved by entire generations of fans, so the pressure is on for J.J. Abrams to deliver with The Rise of Skywalker. But since he was the architect of the property's return to theaters, Abrams has a full understanding of the story, and will be able to wrap it up on a way that (hopefully) satisfies the rabid fanbase. Although the contents of Episode IX are still a total mystery at the moment.

There are a ton of balls in the air for the current Star Wars trilogy, so J.J. Abrams' narrative possibilities are seemingly endless. Audiences will follow the final battle for Ben Solo's soul, General Leia's final appearance, as well as the trio of new heroes. The first trailer for The Rise of Skywalker was truly epic, so the wait until Episode IX's will be excruciating for hardcore fans.

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker will arrive in theaters on December 20th. In the meantime, check out our 2019 release list to plan your next trip to the movies.

Disney Is Bringing Its Entire Vault To Streaming Service Disney+

Disney Is Bringing Its Entire Vault To Streaming Service Disney+

Disney is getting ready to launch it's own streaming service later this year and while the company has been largely tight lipped regarding what we'll actually get when Disney+ launches, beyond a few officially announced original productions, during the annual Disney shareholder meeting today CEO Bob Iger confirmed that every film in the Disney library, including those movies normally locked away in the "Disney vault" will be on Disney+. either at launch or shortly thereafter. According to Iger...

At some point, fairly soon after launch, it [Disney+] will house the entire Disney motion picture library, so the movies that you speak of that have traditionally been kept in a vault and have been brought out basically every few years, will be on the service.

The biggest bullet in the Disney+ gun is that the studio has an impressively big, and impressively popular, collection of movies that have been released over the decades. However, how much of that we were going to see on Disney+ was never made clear.

Back in the days before home video, Disney would routinely re-release its popular animated classics in theaters every few years so that new generations could experience them. The studio was originally apprehensive about the home video business, fearing it would cut in to those regular box office profits. In the end, Disney compromised and started to release its classic films on VHS, but it would pull them off of shelves after a while and put them back in the "Disney vault" for a few years, then bring trhem back. That process has remained largely intact since the 1980s.

This led to the question from a Disney stockholder during The Walt Disney Company’s 2019 Annual Meeting of Shareholders. Did the Disney vault mean that some Disney movies would not be available on the service? The answer is no. It sounds like the vault is being emptied and closed for good.

In addition to those films, everything else produced by Disney will be on the service. We know that Disney has existing deals with Netflix as well as the Starz cable channel. The movies committed to those platforms won't be on Disney+, but it sounds like the plan is to move them over as soon as those commitments are done. Bob Iger also revealed that every Disney movie being released in 2019, From Captain Marvel to Star Wars Episode IX, will be on Disney+ within the first year of the service.

Confirmation that there are no plans to hold anything back from Disney+ is sure to get people excited. If you want to binge watch the entire history of Walt Disney animation, from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs to Frozen II, you'll be able to do that within a year of the service starting up, and you'll be able to watch most of those films probably on day one.

More details on Disney+ were not revealed at the meeting today, but a previously announced meeting April 11 will likely give us all the specifics we're waiting for, like a specific release date, subscription cost, and more information on the launch day content.

Shazam! Reviews: What CinemaBlend Thought Of DC's Newest Big Screen Hero

Shazam! Reviews: What CinemaBlend Thought Of DC's Newest Big Screen Hero

DC Comics is home to some of the biggest names in the entire superhero genre. Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman all call DC home. One character that predates most of DC's heroes is Shazam. However, while the character has a long history, he's not necessarily that well known by the average moviegoer. That may be about to change as the new Shazam! movie is finally here, and according to pretty much everybody here at CinemaBlend, it is absolutely worth seeing.

The CinemaBlend review for Shazam! was written by Managing Director Sean O'Connell who gave the film four out of five stars. Sean thought the film did a great job handling the necessary information requited in every superhero origin story, and was quite well cast, especially with Zachary Levi as Shazam. He's already looking forward to sequels.

More Shazam! movies will be welcome, so long as Zachary Levi remains in the suit. He’s the right lead for this blend of action and comedy, and while it doesn’t mean that every DC movie moving forward needs to embrace the lighter tones and smaller scale on display in Shazam!, I’m grateful that Sandberg brought that touch to this delightful material.

Zachary Levi plays Shazam, but he's only half of the main character. Asher Angel plays Billy Batson, the 14-year-old boy who gains the ability to transform into a superhero. The catch, is that grown-up Shazam still has the mind of Billy, so a 14-year-old boy is still the one navigating the world with these new found powers.

It's this premise which gives the movie license to be a bit lighter than your average superhero movie. This is what Marketing Editor Adrienne Jones particularly loved about Shazam! It sets itself apart from pretty much every other superhero movie out there.

Shazam! is exactly what DC (and superhero movies in general) needs right now because it's just pure fun. Zachary Levi throws his whole being into embodying a teen who becomes a superpowered adult, and he's surrounded by other wonderful performers who help make the movie a joy to watch while still being able to touch on some serious themes and, of course, throwing a few surprises our way. Can't wait for the sequel!

That feeling of fun, and love for Zachary Levi's performance, is echoed by Events Editor Eric Eisenberg. While the movie may be a fairly predictable origin story movie, it's one that has so much more going for it that you won't care.

DC is finally building a solid run: Shazam! is a delight! Its familiar origin structure is forgivable because of all the new it brings to the table - primarily it's gleeful, childlike enthusiasm, & heartfelt perspective on family. It's also the role Zachary Levi was born to play.

Staff Writer Mike Reyes largely feels the same way. He calls the movie familiar, but credits director David F. Sandberg with finding ways to make Shazam! feel different by including elements we don't always see in this genre.

Shazam! is a fun addition to the DC Comics canon of films, with a good heart and some well earned menace thrown into the usual superhero origin story. Which is probably why director David F. Sandberg's film most comes alive at the moments where it pivots to either the family drama of Billy Batson and his foster family or the creepy quest for power undertaken by the film's villain, Dr. Silvana. Put those two strong pillars together, and mix in an endearing performance by the ever solid Zachary Levi, and you've got yourself a fun, but very familiar, day at the movies!

Shazam! does a remarkably good job dealing with some of the problems that modern superhero movies tend to have. It gives a decent amount of screen time to the movies villain, Mark Strong as Doctor Silvana. By doing so, it helps develop the character better than the bad guys in most comic book films from DC or Marvel. He's also a fairly chilling character, making him feel more threatening and evil than most.

The movie also doesn't short change the human story. While Shazam the superhero has his battles to fight, Billy Batson the teenage orphan does too. He's dealing with trying to find his family, while also navigating the new foster family he's become part of. There's a lot going on in this movie, and somehow, it's able to juggle everything expertly.

CinemaBlend Editor Adam Holmes is another who loved the movie. However, he also really loved the particular way that this classic comic book hero was finally brought to the big screen.

Shazam! is a delightful DCEU entry that delivers on its promise of blending Big with superhero mythology. It effectively translates Shazam’s New 52 origin story to the big screen while also including elements from the character’s classic eras. The main cast also shines bright, particularly Zachary Levi and Jack Dylan Grazer. It’s about time that Shazam finally got to lead his own full-length theatrical film, and I’m looking forward to seeing more cinematic stories centered around the World’s Mightiest Mortal and his family.

CinemaBlend writer Sarah El-Mahmoud puts it as plainly as it can be done. She loved it. Even up against critical and crowd favorites like Wonder Woman, she thinks Shazam! is as good as DC has done to date.

I was not prepared for how good Shazam is!! Hands down my favorite thing DCEU has done so far.

As for myself, I absolutely adored this movie. It sort of runs the gamut of emotions. You'll laugh, you'll cheer, you might cry or even scream. As a particular fan of Zachery Levi since his days on Chuck, it's great to see him in a high profile role like this, and it's even better to see him knock it out of the park.

Shazam! is everything. It's got great action, great humor, some surprising scares, and real heart. Zachary Levi is the definition of perfect casting. Bring on the sequels.

Sometimes, all you want is a fun movie here a superhero fights a supervillain. Shazam! is absolutely that. It's also a lot more, but it's able to be more without losing the core parts of what makes a modern superhero movie that so many people love. Also, it's probably a lot funnier than Avengers: Endgame is going to be in a couple weeks.

What the future holds for Shazam in the DC Universe is anybody's guess. The movie's success at the box office this weekend, and in the long term, will certainly go a long way to determining that. But, if we do get sequels, you can bet that the CinemaBlend team will be looking forward to them. Considering that the movie is already doing better than expected at the box office, we're probably not the only ones.

Shazam! is in theaters now.

How Much John Wick 3 Could Make In Its Opening Weekend

How Much John Wick 3 Could Make In Its Opening Weekend

The "Parabellum" of John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum means "prepare for war." The spring 2019 box office is going to be quite a minefield, but I have a feeling Mr. Wick will put up a worthy fight. He's beaten the odds before.

John Wick 3 opens in theaters Friday, May 17, and BoxOfficePro is estimating it will make $30-40 million. That would set it up for the best debut of the franchise, especially if it opens on the higher end of that prediction.

Here are the past two opening weekends for the franchise to date:

John Wick opening weekend: $14,415,922 from 2,589 theaters

John Wick: Chapter 2 opening weekend: $30,436,123 from 3,113 theaters

As you can see, the second film's opening doubled the first film's take. It did have more screens, and hopefully The Powers That Be take the hint and open Chapter 3 on even more screens for even more chances at even more money.

I'm going to go out on a limb and say John Wick 3 will open to $43 million. Chapter 2 ended on a great cliffhanger, with John Wick declared excommunicado. There's a $14 million global contract out on his head. He's on the run with his post-puppy dog. If you caught up on the first two movies, wouldn't you be curious how John Wick gets out of this latest mess? What if he doesn't?

Plus, Chapter 3 adds Halle Berry in a major role, with her own lethal two dogs. Anjelica Huston is also in the mix, among the other new characters. Old favorites like Ian McShane's Continental manager Winston; Laurence Fishburne's Bowery King; and Lance Reddick's Charon will also be back.

Director Chad Stahelski -- who met Keanu Reeves as his stunt double for The Matrix, which is just a fun fact on that movie's 20th anniversary -- has said John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum is 20% more movie than Chapter 2. It has more characters, and more action by at least three sequences. So the body count is substantially higher. John Wick and John Wick: Chapter 2 were more two-act stories, he added, and in Parabellum there are two storylines going on, so it's more of a three-act film.

There seems to be a lot of interest in this movie, so I'm sticking with my $43 million domestic opening guess, and I'll go ahead and lock in a high total worldwide gross guess of $210 million. It's not even clear how many countries will be getting John Wick 3, and when, but the trend is upward so I'm sticking with it.

Here are the total grosses for the previous two films, per Box Office Mojo:

John Wick

Domestic: $43,037,835

Foreign: $45,723,826

Worldwide total: $88,761,661

John Wick: Chapter 2

Domestic: $92,029,184

Foreign: $79,510,703

Worldwide total: $171,539,887

It's kind of surprising these films don't make more money in theaters, but they do seem to -- ahem -- make a killing with fans in repeat viewings at home. Just through sheer buzz, there seems to be a lot of interest in Parabellum, so I'm pretty confident it will have the best opening of the franchise.

That said, there's a lot of competition out there. May 10 has Ryan Reynolds' Pokemon: Detective Pikachu, with Aladdin and BrightBurn following John Wick 3 on May 24. The month is ending with Godzilla: King of the Monsters. There's not going to be a lot of time to make money, at least in the domestic opening.

Follow every opening with our 2019 movie release date schedule, and post your own John Wick 3 opening prediction below. Do you plan to see the movie when it first opens May 17-19, or wait a bit? Does it depend on reviews, or you wouldn't care?

With Disney And Fox's Merger Official, What Happens To These X-Men Movies?

With Disney And Fox's Merger Official, What Happens To These X-Men Movies?

Well folks, it’s officially official, Disney’s purchase of 21st Century Fox and all its properties is complete, meaning that the X-Men have returned home and now belong under the same corporate umbrella as the heroes of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Naturally this now begins a fan countdown to some unknown future date when we see the mutants standing across from the Avengers on the big screen.

That reportedly won’t happen until 2021 at the earliest, but the X-Men will not remain completely stagnant from now until then. This June brings what will presumably be the last of Fox’s mainline X-Men films with Dark Phoenix; and The New Mutants is supposed to arrive this year, but when and where it arrives are open questions. Nevertheless, those aren’t the only two mutant properties that Fox was working on when it came across a particularly hungry mouse named Mickey.

Fox was developing multiple X-Men movies, some for quite a while, in an effort to continue to broaden the universe, but with everything now owned by Disney, there is an open question as to what will happen with those titles or whether they will get scrapped entirely. Read on as we look at some of the X-Men movies that were in development and talk out what could happen to them.

Gambit

Gambit has been in development for years with Channing Tatum set to star as the ragin’ Cajun. Given Tatum’s involvement, Gambit seemed like a priority among the X-Men projects and at one point was expected to have a $150 million budget. It always seemed like Gambit was getting close to production, only to never escape development hell. Over the years Gambit has gone through multiple directors, starting with Rise of the Planet of the Apes’ Rupert Wyatt, then Edge of Tomorrow’s Doug Liman, then Pirates of the Caribbean’s Gore Verbinski.

The film was, at different points, a mutant mob movie, and according to Simon Kinberg, something with elements of a romantic comedy. As of last year, Gambit was set to film in February and was schedule for release this June. That didn’t happen and that won’t happen. With a serious case of director curse, earlier this year we heard that Channing Tatum might want to helm the movie himself. So what happens now?

Late last year Simon Kinberg said that like the rest of the X-Men movies, Fox was continuing to work on Gambit prior to the closure of the Disney deal. That said, this project has had nothing but problems. With Channing Tatum’s interest, Disney may still want to keep him on board, but the film would probably undergo some changes. Gambit is a fan favorite character and Disney will want to take advantage of that and maybe even have Tatum play the character in an ensemble X-Men film in the MCU. I expect Gambit to show up eventually, but when, in what capacity and who will be playing him are unclear for now.

X-23

In Fox’s 19-year history making X-Men movies, 2017’s Oscar-nominated Logan stands among the very best. That film introduced Dafne Keen’s Laura, codename X-23, a ferocious mini-Wolverine who seemed poised to take the mantle from Hugh Jackman’s iconic hero.

For a brief time it seemed like that was the idea. Fox had interest in a possible spinoff solo film starring the character and Logan director James Mangold talked about the possibility and what such a film would be about. However, talk of this film has been quiet for a while and it seems extremely unlikely that solo film will still happen given its seemingly nascent stage of development. If it wasn't dead before, it may be a casualty of the Disney deal.

That’s not to say the character, if not Dafne Keen, could make her way to the MCU someday. Hugh Jackman left massive shoes to fill and Marvel could opt to go a different route and introduce X-23 first to put more distance between whoever plays Weapon X next and the actor who so defined the role on screen.

Kitty Pryde

One of the most curious X-Men films Fox was working on is one we first heard about a little over a year ago. Deadpool director Tim Miller was set to helm a mystery project called 143 with Marvel Comics legend Brian Michael Bendis set to write the script. We later learned that 143 was a reference to Uncanny X-Men 143, a story that focused on Kitty Pryde A.K.A. Shadowcat as she fought off a demon while alone in the X-Mansion on Christmas.

Given the talent involved and the small scale story, this project sounded really cool and different than what we’ve seen before in this universe. We don’t know exactly where the Kitty Pryde movie stands now. Tim Miller is in post-production on Terminator: Dark Fate and could presumably tackle 143 after. Back in February, Bendis said that he was still working on the script and he seemed excited about it, but it should be noted this was before the closure of the Disney-Fox deal.

Like the rest of the X-Men films outside of Deadpool, 143 is up in the air at the moment. It doesn’t seem like it would fit with Disney’s big MCU type approach to superhero films, but we don’t know what the plans are for the X-Men or Phase 4, so that could change. Honestly, with the MCU content coming to Disney+, this sounds like a perfect project for that service, or Hulu, if it works with Disney’s plans.

X-Force

The success of the first Deadpool opened up a whole new world of possibility. That possibility began to be realized with Deadpool 2. That film partially setup a future R-rated X-Force movie from Drew Goddard. We know that Deadpool himself will be making the jump to Disney, although not necessarily the MCU. Disney is in the business of making money and the Merc with a Mouth makes a lot of it.

So, Deadpool is safe, he’s even on Disney’s website and he will remain rated R. As for his superteam, their future is less certain. Deadpool and X-Force co-creator Rob Liefeld recently said that the X-Force movie has been cancelled, a victim of the Disney-Fox deal. But, Rob Liefeld is not necessarily an authority on what is going on in the executive offices of Disney, so he could be wrong.

If Disney is keeping Deadpool and its rating, I don’t know what the justification would be for cancelling X-Force, unless Disney just wanted to take time to figure out what the plan is with Deadpool, how it will be branded and such. I wouldn’t rule out an X-Force movie down the line, though, because if Disney is in the Deadpool business, X-Force would provide some variety beyond Deadpool 3. And Drew Goddard did just ink a new deal with Disney.

Multiple Man

In late 2017, we heard that Fox was developing a Multiple Man movie with Simon Kinberg producing and James Franco set to star as the mutant with cloning abilities. Wonder Woman writer Allan Heinberg was set to write the script for the film.

We haven’t heard much since that announcement other than Simon Kinberg mentioning that the script was being worked on about six months ago. But Simon Kinberg has always been very savvy in this whole Disney-Fox deal, basically saying that everything is still happening and in the works. With the Disney-Fox deal now closed, that may no longer prove true.

This is just speculation based on the most recently available information about these projects. The truth is, we don't have access to a Cerebro and there are far more questions than answers when it comes to the future of the X-Men and many properties now that they are under the Disney banner. The X-Men are destined for the MCU at some point, so whether it is these films or not, mutant lovers will have plenty to look forward to.

For movies you can look forward to this year, check out our 2019 Release Schedule.

A True Cloverfield Sequel Is Happening, Here’s What We Know

A True Cloverfield Sequel Is Happening, Here’s What We Know

The Cloverfield Universe has grown and expanded since the original Cloverfield flick came out back in 2008. In the time since, producer J.J. Abrams and co. have expanded the universe with stories that touched on the original premise, but were also wholly their own distinct stories. However, at CinemaCon this week, Paramount and Abrams revealed that another Cloverfield movie is in development, and this time it is planned to be a "true, dedicated" sequel to the original film.

During a panel created for all things Paramount, J.J. Abrams was talking about the upcoming film Overlord. That flick is definitely not a Cloverfield sequel, as the horror film is set during WWII and will feature supernatural stuff and other strange happenings, although it was previously rumored to be the project that could be the Cloverfield sequel. During the taped introduction of that movie, J.J. Abrams admitted that a real sequel is in the works and that it will be heading to theaters sooner rather than later. The news comes a couple of months after reports indicated the still-untitled Cloverfield 4 had already been greenlighted, although that news was tied to Overlord and now holds at least somewhat untrue.

If you are familiar with the Cloverfield Universe, the original film introduced us to an invasion and a new sort of movie monster. The movie was well-received, and in 2016, 10 Cloverfield Lane was introduced. Intriguingly, the movie had not started out as another movie in the universe J.J. Abrams had created. By the time Bad Robot nabbed it and the final product was created, those two movies were on different timelines, although they still work within the confines of the same universe. This year, Netflix and Paramount also released The Cloverfield Paradox. While less well-received overall, that movie is also set in the same universe and answers some questions previously put forth by the universe. Again, The Cloverfield Paradox was a situation where the movie didn't start out in the Cloverfield Universe and the concept was added to the movie when it was already filming, as Abrams has previously confirmed.

However, neither 10 Cloverfield Lane nor The Cloverfield Paradox are direct sequels to Cloverfield. They don't pick up after the time the U.S. government nabbed the camera documenting Rob and Beth's day together in New York, and they feature very different characters and settings. So, the idea that a direct sequel to the 2008 film should be very exciting for anyone who has been keeping tabs on the universe in the decade since its inception.

We'll keep you updated as more details about Cloverfield 4 (or 2?) are confirmed. However, one other tenet of this universe happens to be the secretive way that it has been pushed out in the past, with The Cloverfield Paradox getting its first trailer during the Super Bowl this year, and spectacularly coming out just after the game. For now, keep your eye on the prize with our full movie schedule and stay tuned for more CinemaCon coverage from on the ground.

The Russo Brothers Suggest How Long Avengers: Endgame Spoilers Should Be Protected

The Russo Brothers Suggest How Long Avengers: Endgame Spoilers Should Be Protected

Avengers: Endgame has officially been out for a week now, and is making a ton of money at the box office. Plenty of moviegoers have been running to theaters to check out the 22nd installment in the MCU, hoping to get the full theatrical experience before any of the myriad twists were spoiled for them. Clearly, the stakes were sky high.

Ahead of Endgame's release, the Russo Brothers encouraged moviegoers to try and see a screening on opening weekend, to help ensure it's a spoiler-free experience. What's more, a social media campaign with #DontSpoilTheEndgame also went viral last week. But now that the movie is out, how long do we have to keep its secrets for? The co-directors recently appeared on CinemaBlend's ReelBlend podcast, where Joe Russo revealed how long he thinks the statute of limitations is. He said:

You have to be fair about it because we are, as you know, exceedingly anti-spoiler and I feel it, for the same reason, it's bullying. It could even be sociopathic to go online or, or walk out of a theater like some guy did and shout out the end of a movie while a bunch of people are standing in line waiting to go see it. And they've got 10 years of their life and their time and their emotions invested in it. It's a despicable thing to do. But I think you have to be fair. Two weekends feels like enough time for everyone to get to see it and then people should be… because you also want people to be able to talk about it. And so at a certain point, I think after the second weekend, it's okay to share spoilers.

There you have it. There's no one more anti-spoiler than Joe and Anthony Russo, who have spent the past three years guarding the secrets of the secrets of their record-breaking pair of Avengers movies. And with Endgame marking the end of the Infinity Saga and containing a ton of crazy plot twists, they've had to keep especially tight lipped. Until now.

Joe Russo's comments on ReelBleend may surprise the fandom, as the directors don't expect the public to stay mum for much longer. Spoiler alerts might be in order, but Joe believes that those moviegoers truly invested and worried about spoilers will make their way to theaters within the first two weeks of Endgame's release.

The time for spoiler-filled conversation will come up after this coming weekend, with Monday being the official day the directors suggest breaking the fan imposed gag order. Aside from the Thursday opening night and various weekday screenings that have happened over the past few days, this date will also give moviegoers two weekends to make seeing Avengers: Endgame a priority.

Related: Avengers: Endgame Proved We Should Stop Worrying About Toy Spoilers

While these comments might jive well with the hardcore fandom who broke the internet by getting pre-sale tickets, it might not sit well with casual moviegoers. Not everyone is quite as into the MCU, and folks may be trying to catch up on the previous 21 movies ahead of seeing Endgame. But considering what a massive event Avengers: Endgame is, places like the water cooler and social media have become landmines for spoilers.

Spoilers for Avengers: Endgame are unique because there are simply so many surprising moments and plot twists. The Russo Brothers crafted an absolutely massive narrative, with deep cuts and connections to multiple movies in the MCU's history. Because there are so many mind-blowing moments throughout the movie's runtime, one spoiler can't really ruin Endgame's contents. So even if a few plot points end up revealed, there are still a plethora of big moments that should follow.

Since The Russo Brothers have such a specific date picked out to lift the ban on Avengers: Endgame spoilers, I have to wonder if the movie's marketing campaign will take a shift. Ahead of its release, the trailers revealed a small amount of footage, mostly coming from the first 30 mins of the Endgame. But after the two weekend mark, should we expect some of the movie's biggest moments appearing in TV spots and commercials?

Spoilers ahead for Avengers: Endgame. You have been warned, click away!

This shift has already begun ahead of Monday, as a recent TV spot revealed some new footage of Gwyneth Paltrow's Pepper Potts. While the character was hidden from the first trailer, she was shown in her Rescue armor in the newest Avengers: Endgame commercials. This was a long awaited moment that happens super late into the film's runtime, so it's surprising that Marvel Studios loosened the reigns for Tony Stark's true love. But considering Paltrow essentially spoiled this while filming, perhaps Pepper's superhero debut wasn't the biggest plot point that had to be kept under wraps.

Since so little is known about the future of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, opening up the conversation regarding Avengers: Endgame is a way to satisfy the rabid fandom, and their endless questions. After Spider-Man: Far From Home, the public has no semblance of when the next Marvel movies will arrive, or what their titles might be. But Endgame is finally here, and moviegoers are eager to freely discuss the record-breaking blockbuster.

The secrets of Avengers: Endgame are finally out, but Marvel Studios is still keeping its cards close to the chest. Spider-Man: Far From Home will the final installment in Phase Three, and the first movie post Infinity Saga. While this project is arriving in a few months and will help to bring the MCU back into its regularly scheduled programming, no one is sure what comes next. What's more, there's been no clue as to when Phase Four might be reveled.

The Russo Brothers might hope that the public keeps Avengers: Endgame's secrets for a few more days, but they were happy to talk about the movie's contents with ReelBlend hosts Sean O'Connell, Kevin McCarthy, and Jake Hamilton. The pair of directors are no doubt relieved that the pressure of spoilers is gone-- a responsibility that seems to have weighed on the actors as well.

Avengers: Endgame is in theaters now. Be sure to check out our 2019 release list to plan your next trip to the movies.

Rumored Bond 25 Title Just Got Shut Down

Rumored Bond 25 Title Just Got Shut Down

There has been a ton of talk about Bond 25, starting almost directly after the release of Spectre. Daniel Craig's comments about not wanting anything to do with the role gave fans reason to pause, although he ended up singing on to play 007 one last time. Fans are eager to see how Craig's version of the character will be sent off, as the project continues its development and pre-production process.

In addition to casting rumors, there's also been a few potential titles being thrown around by the rabid Bond fandom. One of them is Shatterhand, a theory that has made the rounds online. Now it's been officially given the kabosh by the very head of the Bond franchise: Barbara Broccoli. While signing a Shatterhand logo designed by a Bond fan, Broccoli also made sure to clarify that was not the title of the 25th installment. You can check out a photo of the autograph, reposted by the official James Bond Instagram page.

Well, that's seems pretty cut and dry. With just a little bit of social media sass, the James Bond franchise has officially put the name Shatterhand to bed. Of course, that likely won't stop other fan theories from popping up in its place, until the official name of Bond 25 is finally revealed to the public.

007's Instagram post may have retired Shatterhand from the rumor mill, but the franchise was careful to not actually release any information about the developing project. Considering the early stages of the film's life, there's a certain level of care and secrecy needed, as the pieces of the cast and crew are assembled. But that won't stop Barbara Broccoli from not so subtly nipping false information in the bud. We'll just have to wait and see how long it takes for the official title to be released.

Considering Bond 25 will be Daniel Craig's swan song as James Bond, the pressure is on to deliver a satisfying finale for this set of 007 movies. Spectre spent a ton of time setting up the iconic villain Ernst Stavro Blofeld, played by Christoph Waltz. The origin story was finally completed with Spectre's ending, but it's unclear if Waltz will be back to play Blofeld. Rami Malek is reportedly in talks to play the film's villain, following up his Oscar win for Bohemian Rhapsody with the longest running franchise in film history. What a year.

But Rami Malek's involvement hasn't been officially confirmed, nor has any of the cast aside from Daniel Craig. So the generations of Bond fans will have to patiently wait for Barbara Broccoli and the rest of Eon Productions to settle down on a concrete plan, and allow the public to be privy to what is coming next. Regardless, it's clear that fan interest is there, which should hopefully spell further box office success for the franchise. After all, Spectre was one of the most expensive films of all time.

Bond 25 is currently set to arrive on April 8th, 2020. In the meantime, check out our 2019 release list to plan your next trip to the movies.

Idris Elba Won’t Be Playing Deadshot In The Suicide Squad After All

Idris Elba Won’t Be Playing Deadshot In The Suicide Squad After All

Last month, it was reported that due to scheduling issues, Will Smith wouldn’t reprise Floyd Lawton, a.k.a. Deadshot, in The Suicide Squad. Days later, word came in that Idris Elba had been tapped to replace Smith as the assassin, but apparently now plans have changed. Elba is still attached to the sequel, but he won’t be playing Deadshot.

According to Variety, Deadshot has been removed from The Suicide Squad by director/writer James Gunn and the rest of the creative team, and Idris Elba will instead play a brand new character. It wasn’t revealed who Elba will now be portraying, but evidently it was decided in recent weeks that it was the “right move” for him to vacate the Deadshot role, as those involved didn’t want it to feel as if they were “disrespecting” Will Smith, who first brought the character to life on the big screen in 2016’s Suicide Squad. While it remains to be seen if Smith will ever play Deadshot again, the door is at least now open for him to return at some point rather than being prevented from doing so because Elba took on the Deadshot reins.

So now Deadshot is off the table for The Suicide Squad, although if there’s the possibility of Will Smith playing the character again, then naturally Floyd Lawton is still alive in the DC Extended Universe, and is likely either still custody at Belle Reve or managed to escape imprisonment and resume his mercenary duties. In any case, Idris Elba is too big of a Hollywood star for The Suicide Squad team to let go of, so it shouldn’t take long for them to find someone else for him to play. Bronze Tiger is a reasonable choice, since like Deadshot, he was one of the original members of the first Task Force X that debuted in the late 1980s. But he’s just one of numerous potential candidates on the table, with plenty of others, like Blockbuster and Multiplex, just waiting to be adapted for the big screen.

While The Suicide Squad had previously been described as a “total reboot,” it will maintain some connectivity with the last Suicide Squad movie through some familiar faces. Margot Robbie is expected to play Harley Quinn again following her return to the DCEU in Birds of Prey, Jai Courtney confirmed that he’ll reprise Captain Boomerang and Viola Davis is reportedly back as Amanda Waller. There are conflicting reports about whether or not Joel Kinnaman will play Rick Flag again.

However, despite a few Suicide Squad characters returning, The Suicide Squad has been conceived as a “relaunch” that will feature a mostly new cast. No plot details have been revealed yet, but it will maintain the same premise of incarcerated supervillains going on dangerous, covert black ops missions for the U.S. government in exchange for reduced sentences and other forms of leniency.

The Suicide Squad charges into theaters on August 6, 2021, so keep checking back with CinemaBlend for more updates. In the meantime, look through our DC movies guide to learn what else is coming down the DCEU pipeline.

Jean-Claude Van Damme Has His Own Version For Why He Left His Predator Role

Jean-Claude Van Damme Has His Own Version For Why He Left His Predator Role

'80s action icons Arnold Schwarzenegger and Jean-Claude Van Damme didn’t square off in a movie until decades after their primes in 2012’s The Expendables 2. They almost crossed paths much earlier though, because before his breakout role in Bloodsport, Jean-Claude Van Damme was cast to play the titular alien hunter in Predator. There are seemingly countless stories about why the Muscles from Brussels left that role, but he has his own version of what happened, as he explained:

I go to this place and they put me on sticks and woods and they start to melt all the cast on me, and it’s boiling hot. I like to breathe, you know? They’ve got to do my head and everything. I’ve got my friend next to me and I said, ‘Man, I ain’t going to make it.' When Joel asked me to jump, I knew it was going to be a bad one. I said, 'This is impossible, Joel. I think we're going to have a problem.' Then he replaced me.

The Predator originally didn’t look like how we know it now. When Jean-Claude Van Damme was a part of the movie, it looked way less awesome and more like a lobster. From what JCVD told The Hollywood Reporter, it sounds like getting that costume molded for him was an extremely unpleasant experience. The actor felt like he was unable to breathe as the hot cast was poured all over his body.

It sounds torturous and claustrophobic, and Jean-Claude Van Damme admits that he didn’t think he was going to make it. Then, when the actor was wearing some sort of stilts and was asked to jump in them, he couldn’t do it or didn’t feel safe to. So he was unable to showcase the athleticism that he showed out of the costume. He couldn’t do what producer Joel Silver needed him to do for the role and he was replaced.

This certainly isn’t the first time we’ve heard about an actor leaving a role or hating their time in it due to nightmarish makeup or costumes. James Purefoy left V for Vendetta because of the mask. He was replaced by Hugo Weaving, who didn’t seem to love the makeup he wore as Red Skull in Captain America: The First Avenger. And Jennifer Lawrence’s feelings about the Mystique makeup are well known. So JCVD is not alone.

We can now add Jean-Claude Van Damme’s version of why he left Predator to the many existing accounts of what happened in what has essentially become a cinematic urban legend. Director John McTiernan said that they never shot anything with Jean-Claude and the whole situation was a mess because of his agent.

The visual effects supervisor on the film Joel Hynek’s account is one of the more outlandish and hilarious. According to him, Jean-Claude Van Damme wouldn’t stop kickboxing because he saw the alien hunter as having prodigious martial arts talents. When he was asked to stop, he refused. So producer Joel Silver fired him and JCVD fired off an insult and left.

Given Jean-Claude Van Damme’s seeming willingness to laugh at himself late in his career, someone really should put together a short or an internet video with the actor about this situation. It could have a Rashomon-like structure with each of the accounts of Jean-Claude Van Damme’s exit from Predator as a different chapter, with the audience left to decide where the truth lies.

Whatever happened, it all worked out for the best. Predator eventually changed the creature design for the better and became an action classic, and Jean-Claude Van Damme broke out in Bloodsport, where he was able to do all the kickboxing he wanted.

Jean-Claude Van Damme’s latest film, We Die Young, is now in select theaters and on demand. Check out our 2019 release schedule to keep track of everything else you can look forward to seeing this year.

Forget John Wick, Detective Pikachu Dominated The International Box Office

Forget John Wick, Detective Pikachu Dominated The International Box Office

After three weekends atop the domestic box office charts and plenty of broken records, Avengers: Endgame finally fell from its perch as John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum took first place with an incredibly impressive performance. But while John Wick was catching bodies and the attention of domestic audiences, our friends overseas were still trying to catch ‘em all helping Detective Pikachu to dominate the international box office.

Over the weekend, Detective Pikachu made $53.8 million from 72 foreign markets, giving it the top spot at the international box office for the second straight weekend, according to Variety. A nice $17.2 million chunk of that came from China, where Pikachu and friends have done particularly well with a $70.3 million total. Detective Pikachu also added $2.25 million from Mexico, $3.5 million from the United Kingdom, $2.1 million from Germany and debuted in Russia to $4.3 million.

Detective Pikachu’s weekend performance overseas brings it to $193.4 million internationally, which, combined with its domestic performance, totals out to a solid $287.4 million worldwide. That is testament to the power of the Pokémon brand all over the world and its viability as a future franchise/cinematic universe. Given the interest of those involved, the myriad possibilities and this continued box office success, those outcomes seem more and more likely.

John Wick may not have been able to outgun Pika power, but the hitman still collected his share of gold coins from overseas moviegoers. In the United Kingdom, John Wick 3 opened to a cool $4.6 million, followed by Russia with $3.8 million, Austalia with $2.8 million and Mexico with $2.1 million. All in all, John Wick 3 debuted in 66 markets over the weekend and made $35 million.

That puts the international opening weekend for John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum at $92 million. That’s pretty impressive considering that the first John Wick didn’t hit that number in its entire worldwide run and 2017’s John Wick: Chapter Two’s final domestic total was just over $92 million.

It may not have been enough to topple a Ryan Reynolds-voiced Pikachu with international audiences, but this is illustrative of how the organically grown John Wick franchise, which didn’t have the benefit of existing IP, is still getting bigger for Lionsgate.

Elsewhere on the weekend charts was, of course, Avengers: Endgame, which added another $46.8 million overseas to its absurd run to bring it to $1.88 billion internationally and $2.6 billion worldwide. It has now passed Avatar to become Number 2 on the domestic charts (Star Wars: The Force Awakens’ $936.6 million is almost certainly out of reach) and now trails only James Cameron’s film for the all-time international and worldwide box office crowns.

You can catch both John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum and Detective Pikachu in theaters now. Check out our 2019 Release Schedule to see all of this summer’s biggest movies and for all the latest box office coverage, stay tuned to CinemaBlend.

The Best Netflix Documentaries You Can Watch Right Now

The Best Netflix Documentaries You Can Watch Right Now

Movies where one can shut their brain off and enjoy are great, but sometimes the mind needs to be engaged. Documentaries are perfect for that, and Netflix is a great place to go for diving down the proverbial rabbit hole and coming out a well-informed viewer of whatever subject they just watched. For those looking to do that sometime in the near future, check out some of the best documentaries to stream right now below. Let's start with the Netflix-exclusive ones, i.e. you won't find them anywhere else.

Jim & Andy: The Great Beyond

There are plenty of documentaries on various topics worth checking out, but we'd be remiss not to give a nod to one of the better movie documentaries out there at the moment. Jim & Andy: The Great Beyond is a documentary in which Jim Carrey gives interviews of his making of Man On The Moon 20 years later. It's paired with never-before-seen footage of Carrey on the set, completely in character as Andy Kaufman.

The documentary is a fantastic examination of two different comedians and a fascinating show of the pain and sacrifice that can go into a theatrical performance. Perhaps the most amazing thing is how a documentary about two funny men gets so deep and introspective. I guess that's kind of the point of the documentary genre, so mission accomplished.

Fyre: The Greatest Party That Never Happened

We're not the first people to tell you to watch Fyre: The Greatest Party That Never Happened, and we certainly won't be the last. The documentary goes from one crazy story to the next, with several high profile figures appearing in and out of various scenes all throughout. It all culminates to the disaster that made several headlines throughout 2018, and how people were affected by its failure.

The best part about the whole thing is that knowing what happened only enhances the tale. Everything else is just icing on the cake, and stories like the promoter prepared to perform fellatio to get water into the country is just one example of how decorative this cake can get. Those who think the stories can't get any crazier than that just need to strap in for this one and check back after the viewing.

ReMastered: Tricky Dick And The Man In Black

Netflix's ReMastered documentaries highlight the music world and interesting stories surrounding musicians throughout the years. One of the best the collection has to offer is Tricky Dick And The Man In Black, which chronicles Johnny Cash's invitation to the White House by Richard Nixon. The President is hoping the grassroots singer will strengthen the support of his base and gain him additional support, but what's in it for Cash?

That's what the documentary covers, as Johnny Cash undergoes some personal reflection as the days tick down. As a true blue American, will he respect the honor of playing at the White House or will he use his platform to talk about the issues he thinks are relevant? Folks can probably guess which route he goes, but that doesn't make the story any less riveting.

13th

Ana DuVernay partnered with Netflix to shed some light on America's incarceration problem. As the beginning of the film states, America is home to 5% of the world's population, but 25% of the world's prison population. As the title implies, DuVernay argues the current prison problem is, in part, tied to the 13th Amendment, and has created a widespread issue in American society. It's heavy stuff for sure, and definitely a topic that doesn't end when the credits roll.

13th received strong critical acclaim, Emmys and an Oscar nomination for its presentation of a subject others might have balked at. The fact that it won a few Emmys and had a shot at an Oscar should be proof it's one worth checking out, and one of Netflix's best original documentaries to date.

Gaga: Five Foot Two

Hot off her latest batch of award show glory, now is the perfect time to watch Lady Gaga's Netflix documentary. Gaga: Five Foot Two follows the singer along the making of her album Joanne and ends with her iconic halftime show performance during Super Bowl LI. It's also a look behind the struggles of touring, life on the road, and how much one sacrifices for the amount of fame she's celebrated.

Those who watch will even notice the doc features Gaga discussing talks she had with Bradley Cooper, and a movie they're planning that later became A Star Is Born. This is perfect for those who appreciated her work in the movie and want to see more of her as the artist removed from the various Hollywood performances and shock art over the years. The whole thing skews positive, but it's not like Gaga's image was suffering prior to its release.

Now that we've gone over the Netflix-exclusive documentaries, let's look at the ones that didn't start out on the streaming platform, but can easily be accessed there.

Abducted In Plain Sight

Abducted In Plain Sight has gotten a lot of buzz lately, as parents continue to fear for their children's safety in an ever-expanding world. This story is quite unlike anything folks may expect, however, as the man responsible for one family's misery is someone they loved deeply and all considered a close friend. If you can't trust those closest to you, who can you trust?

That's what Abducted In Plain Sight covers, as it travels back through various encounters that the family should've seen as red flags at the time. It's chilling and from an era that shows that while the internet presents a fresh set of problems for today's kids, danger can still exist very close to home.

Michael Jackson's This Is It

The mystery of Michael Jackson continues to be unraveled to this day, and while some details regarding his personal life are up in the air, his passion as a performer cannot be denied. This Is It chronicles Jackson's big concert tour that never was, as the singer died a little over two weeks prior to its beginning.

Michael Jackson fans are treated to his final performance just before his death. It's a great swan song to a legendary professional career, and the perfect movie for any Jackson fan. Even those only casually familiar will appreciate the amount of hard work that goes into putting together a massive tour, and the hours performers and crew put in to make it happen.

The Bill Murray Stories: Life Lessons Learned From A Mythical Man

Bill Murray is an interesting dude who's only gotten more interesting in his older age. He's made a habit of getting into some weird situations, but really they're only weird because he's injected himself into them. The Bill Murray Stories chronicles some of these events from the people who were there, and tells the story from their perspective.

Which is way more fascinating than it sounds, at least from an audience perspective. It's like hearing a friend recall a story of some crazy encounter, but if that encounter involved Bill Murray doing the types of things Bill Murray could only do without anyone getting upset. Seriously, who else could wave a tambourine in a cop's face and get away with it?

Studio 54

It's not often that old nightclubs get movies and documentaries made about them, but when they do, it's Studio 54. This documentary looks at it from the perspective of co-owner Ian Schrager, and offers a different perspective on one of the most famous nightclubs of all time.

After watching the documentary, it isn't hard to see why this place is still talked about to this day. It's one of those unique places that came around at the right place and right time, and nothing like it will ever happen again. If it does, let's hope we get an invite!

Harold Shipman: Driven To Kill

It wouldn't be a documentary list without highlighting at least one serial killer, and who better than one of Britain's most prolific murderers to date. Harold Shipman is believed to have killed around 250 people all whilst serving the public as a doctor for years. Harold Shipman: Driven To Kill highlights his childhood and the early adult years of the physician who would hurt far more than he would ever heal.

It's one of those documentaries that can make a person question everything. If someone can get away with killing that many people before being caught, are there other people in our own lives who have done the same?

Documentary lovers with suggestions or opinions to add on the above picks feel free to share their thoughts in the comments below. For more on documentaries, read up on the latest buzzworthy docuementary Leaving Neverland, and why Macaulay Culkin was not asked to participate in it.

Jesse Eisenberg Says Zombieland: Double Tap Went Through A Bunch Of Scripts

Jesse Eisenberg Says Zombieland: Double Tap Went Through A Bunch Of Scripts

Zombies have captivated audiences for decades, starting with 1968's Night of the Living Dead. Nowadays they're perhaps most associated with popular TV empires The Walking Dead and Game of Thrones, Ruben Fleischer's horror/comedy Zombieland actually pre-dated both shows. The Venom director brought levity to the zombie apocalypse, with Zombieland quickly becoming a cult favorite.

Fans have been calling for a Zombieland sequel for years, and now it's finally happening. Zombieland: Double Tap will arrive a decade after the original film hit theaters, so it's been a long time coming. The full cast is returning, including Jesse Eisenberg as the protagonist/narrator Columbus. The Social Network actor recently spoke to the long development and multiple scripts, saying:

We would never have made another one if we didn’t think it was going to be great. They wrote a ton of scripts for this movie and we went through a lot of different ideas.

It looks like quite a few scripts were brought to the table for Zombieland: Double Tap. But those involved in the franchise wanted to make sure it was the right one, which is why it took so many years for the sequel to finally get green-lit. But Zombieland is finally getting its follow-up, so we should expect big things from the movie's script.

Sequels are a tricky game, as there are tons of expectations associated with follow-up movies. And more often than not, they fail to capture the same magic as the original film. This is no doubt a concern for Zombieland: Double Tap, especially now that zombies have become such an integral part of the pop culture zeitgeist. The first film had a tone wholly unique, and the project defied genre in a many ways. So can Ruben Fleischer and the cast strike gold twice?

In his same conversation with The Toronto Sun, Jesse Eisenberg spoke to this pressure, and how those involved with Zombieland didn't want to put out a sequel to simply grab at more money. Instead, they want to produce another film that is just as great. As Eisenberg tells it:

We didn’t want to do a typical sequel to try and capitalize on something that was popular. We waited 10 years until we had a great idea.

You have to respect this craftsmanship and professionalism in this statement. When sequels fail, it's usually because not enough attention was paid to the story. Instead, blockbuster are rushed out in order to make the most money at the box office. That's not the case with the Zombieland franchise. In fact, director Ruben Fleischer passed on directing the Venom sequel in order to pay full attention to Zombieland: Double Tap. Given how successful the comic book movie was, that's saying something.

Zombieland: Double Tap will arrive in theaters on October 11, 2019, just in time for Halloween. In the meantime, check out our 2019 release list to plan your next trip to the movies.