See The Best Look At Pepper Potts’ Avengers: Endgame Transformation

See The Best Look At Pepper Potts’ Avengers: Endgame Transformation

Spoilers ahead for Avengers: Endgame

It's been two weeks since Avengers: Endgame hit theaters, and the events of the massive blockbuster are still being felt by moviegoers. The Russo Brothers exceeded all expectations, and put together a narrative that was deeply connected to the first 21 movies of the shared universe. Tons of characters were serviced throughout the course of the movie, especially during the final battle against Thanos and his forces.

When all seemed bleak and Captain America was getting beat down by Thanos, the fallen characters and various other Avengers allies appeared in the rubble of the facility, and turned the tides against the Mad Titan's army. This includes Gwyneth Paltrow's Pepper Potts, who made her debut in the very first MCU movie. Pepper suited up in her own armor for the battle, taking on the comic book mantle of Rescue. And now we can see our clearest look at the armor itself, thanks to Endgame concept art. Check it out.

I mean, how cool is that? Pepper's ascension to Rescue has been a long time coming, as she's previously worn Tony's Iron Man suit, and has engaged in a few battles throughout her tenure in the MCU. And that journey really paid off in Avengers: Endgame, as Pepper's time as an official combatant was truly epic.

Pepper Potts has a supporting role in Avengers: Endgame, popping up early in the film's runtime, watching in awe as Captain Marvel arrives on Earth with Tony and Nebula in tow. Throughout the film, she mostly stays at Tony's side, helping him get healthy in the Avengers Facility and eventually becoming a mother after the time jump.

The Rescue armor was teased shortly after the blockbuster's time jump, which introduced Tony and Pepper's daughter Morgan. Upon finding his daughter in a tent outside their new home, and she wearing the Rescue helmet. Tony jokes that Pepper never wears anything he gets her, an exchange that not-so-subtly set up Pepper's eventual fate during Endgame's third act.

Pepper Potts did some great work as Rescue in the final Avengers: Endgame battle, serving as both an attacker and protector of her fellow good guys. She also participated in the epic all-female moment, which saw the MCU's femme fatales team up to battle Thanos' forces. Pepper had already killed two Iron Man villains, so watching her become a genuine hero was massively satisfying.

Related: The 25 Most Emotional Moments In Avengers: Endgame

In addition to her work as Rescue, Pepper Potts helped to move Tony Stark's narrative forward a few times throughout the course of Avengers: Endgame's runtime. For instance, she helped change Tony's mind about time travel. And most heartbreakingly, she mourned her husband in front of our eyes after he sacrificed his life to snap his fingers and destroy Thanos forever. While Gwyneth Paltrow has been part-time in the MCU in recent years, it was great to see her get so much screen time in Endgame.

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

How Team Marvel Turned The Snap Into 'An Event'

How Team Marvel Turned The Snap Into 'An Event'

MAJOR spoilers ahead from Avengers: Endgame and Avengers: Infinity War.

Snap your fingers. Right now. Loud? Quiet? Some people have great cracking snaps, others can't get much snap at all. But to get a snap like The Snap of the past two Avengers movies took the work of professionals. As one of two re-recording mixers with Skywalker Sound, Juan Peralta was responsible for The Snap in Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame.

We needed it to be an event. We wanted to make sure the snap is felt as well as heard.

Yes, The Snap was a major event -- three times. Thanos' snap felt devastating in Avengers: Infinity War, but The Snap took on a whole other meaning in Avengers: Endgame. It felt like victory. First, The Hulk snapped back the 50% dusted in The Decimation. Then Tony dust-busted Team Thanos.

Juan Peralta told CNET his job was to blend the various sounds heard in the films, including finding a way to maximize the impact of a relatively small noise like a finger snap.

In Infinity War, the sound designers segued from the explosions of battle to a moment of quiet for The Snap, adding a metallic note for the metal of Thanos' Infinity Gauntlet. After hearing a boom and Thor's cry, the music fades and we just her the wind of 50% of our friends turning to dust.

Juan Peralta's job was different in the more intimate Endgame vs. the heavier action of Infinity War.

I was very conscious of making sure the audience wasn't just hit over the head with the sound. When we got to Endgame, it was refreshing to start the movie off with a lot of character development and a lot of emotions.

Tony Stark's own Endgame included using the Infinity Stones to snap out Thanos and his army, turning them to dust this time. Thanos initially believed he had all the Stones, dropping this confident line:

I am inevitable.

But not invincible. When Thanos snapped his fingers again, nothing happened. Instead, Tony had taken the Stones for himself. Before Stark's own powerful event Snap, he got to drop this epic reply to Thanos:

And I am Iron Man.

BOOM. Apparently that wasn't how the moment played out during original filming. As the Russo Brothers explained during an event in Washington, D.C. (via /FILM):

Tony used to not say anything in that moment. And we were in the editing room going, ‘He has to say something. This is a character who has lived and died by quips.’ And we just couldn’t, we tried a million different last lines. Thanos was saying 'I am inevitable.' And our editor Jeff Ford, who’s been with us all four movies and is an amazing storyteller, said ‘Why don’t we just go full circle with it and say I am Iron Man.’ And we’re like, ‘Get the cameras! We have to shoot this tomorrow.'

So they did. They added that scene in reshoots and it ended up the final scene they directed for Avengers: Endgame, which may be their final MCU movie.

It's amazing how much gets added after the scripts are already in. Clearly it took more than a village to make Avengers: Endgame. The credits go on and on for a reason. A lot of names you haven't heard as often as Robert Downey Jr. also had a huge hand in making this movie a Titanic-crushing success.

Some fans are already suggesting Robert Downey Jr. for an Oscar nomination, but the sound, visual effects, editing, and other behind-the-scenes teams may hear their names mentioned as well.

Whoa, Bohemian Rhapsody Just Passed $900 Million Worldwide

Whoa, Bohemian Rhapsody Just Passed $900 Million Worldwide

Mamma mia, this movie can't stop winning! Bohemian Rhapsody came out November 2, 2018, but here we are in April 2019 and it's still picking up cash around the world.

The Queen movie was made off a reported production budget of $52 million and currently has a worldwide total of $901,417,909. It's amazing. This troubled movie is pushing a billion. It isn't likely to get there, or even much closer than this, but who saw it even getting here?

Bohemian Rhapsody's current totals are $216,217,834 from the domestic North American (U.S./Canada) box office and a very strong $685,200,075 from the foreign box office, per Box Office Mojo.

As THR noted, a late run in China (with censored scenes) and popular play in Japan helped push the movie over the $900 million edge this weekend. China just gave the Rami Malek movie $13.9 million, but so far it's really Japan that has stepped up. Bohemian Rhapsody has made $114,658,629 so far in Japan alone. Apparently it has become something of a cultural phenomenon in Japan, bringing new life and popularity to Queen.

Bohemian Rhapsody is already the highest-grossing music biopic of all time, and it's now 20th Century Fox's No. 4 title of all time, if you don't adjust for inflation.

It was the sixth highest grossing movie of 2018, worldwide. Sixth may not sound that impressive, but it definitely is when you consider its peers -- Avengers: Infinity War, Black Panther, Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom, Incredibles 2, and Aquaman. Bohemian topped the worldwide grosses of Venom, Mission: Impossible - Fallout, Deadpool 2, Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald, Ant-Man and the Wasp, and Ready Player One.

All of those movies had pretty massive action blockbuster budgets and ambitions -- except Bohemian, which was "just" a music biopic made for under $55 million.

Bohemian Rhapsody was also a big winner on the 2018-2019 awards circuit, which surprised the critics who never understood any of the love for the film. Bohemian won four Oscars -- including Best Actor for Rami Malek, plus Best Film Editing, Best Sound Editing, and Best Sound Mixing. The movie itself, nominated for Best Picture at the Oscars, won Best Motion Picture – Drama at the the Golden Globe Awards.

Bryan Singer directed most of the film, and will still reportedly make some good money from it, but he was fired in December 2017. Dexter Fletcher was hired toward the end to complete the film. That led to some scene reordering and at least one editing issue.

Queen and the late Freddie Mercury's family should also pick up quite a bit of money from Bohemian Rhapsody's impressive box office run. And while that run is winding down, it's clearly not over yet. Will 2019 have another success story like Bohemian Rhapsody? We'll see. Keep up with everything headed to theaters this year with our 2019 movie guide.

Aquaman Hits #1 In Home Video Sales

Aquaman Hits #1 In Home Video Sales

The DC live-action universe has had a fascinating tenure in theaters, full of peaks and valleys. While all seemed lost after the poor critical and financial performance of Justice League and Batman v Superman, Warner Bros.' massive franchise seems to be on the upswing. The DCEU is taking a step away from serialized storytelling and crossover-heavy movies, instead allowing directors to have more creative control of each blockbuster.

This pivot for the shared universe made its debut with James Wan's Aquaman, which was wholly focused on the title character and denizens of Atlantis. The project was well received by critics, and made a ton of money at the box office in the process. And the King's reign isn't ending anytime soon, as Aquaman's home copies are selling like hot cakes.

Enough cinephiles and DC fans are getting their own copies of Aquaman that the blockbuster is currently sitting on number 1 at the home video sale charts. James Wan's underwater adventure beat out the likes of fellow Christmas release Mary Poppins Returns, as well as animated comic book movie Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse.

This report from MediaPlayNews should come as no major surprise to anyone who has been paying attention to the trajectory of Aquaman. James Wan had his work cut out for him in the movie's filming and editing process, as half of Aquaman was set underwater. Extensive wire work and visual effects were necessarily to give characters a sense of weightlessness, plus a ton of imagination to make the underwater civilization come to life.

Because of these challenges, Aquaman's success was far from guaranteed. What's more, James Wan's blockbuster was focused on a superhero who hasn't traditionally been the most badass or beloved member of the Justice League. Aquaman has often been the butt of jokes, with animated adaptations of the character making his powers seem a bit silly. But all that changed with Jason Momoa's version, after his debut in Justice League.

Jason Momoa became a household name through his brief tenure as Khal Drogo in Game of Thrones. He's a hulking physical presence, who was largely introduced to audiences by massacring his enemies across the narrow sea. So when he was cast as Aquaman, it was clear that we weren't getting the dopey blonde version from Super Friends.

In the end, audiences really responded to the colorful world of Aquaman. In fact, the box office numbers were so strong that both a sequel and spinoff are being developed by Warner Bros. The strong performance of its home sales is simply the icing on the cake, reminding DC that they might the right call in green lighting the spinoff The Trench.

You can own a copy of Aquaman now, and DC's next release Shazam! is currently in theaters. In the meantime, check out our 2019 release list to plan your next trip to the movies.

Godzilla Vs. Kong Could Be An ‘Underdog Battle,’ According To King Of The Monsters’ Director

Godzilla Vs. Kong Could Be An ‘Underdog Battle,’ According To King Of The Monsters’ Director

After a five year hiatus, Godzilla is finally returning to the MonsterVerse this weekend in Godzilla: King of the Monsters, where he’ll collide with Rodan, Mothra and King Ghidorah. After that, he won’t have much time to catch his breath as he’ll be back next year for Godzilla vs. Kong, and many have wondered how the showdown between these two Titans will go down.

In addition to directing and co-writing Godzilla: King of the Monsters, Michael Dougherty also co-wrote Godzilla vs. Kong, and he was well aware of how initially this battle could seem unfair, what with Godzilla having atomic breath and King Kong just being a giant ape. Nevertheless, he recently explained that part of the fun of watching this fight is that audiences are witnessing a “potential underdog fight.” Dougherty elaborated:

We’re looking at an almost David vs. Goliath situation. Because everyone, the moment you say Godzilla’s going to fight Kong, your first reaction is Kong doesn’t stand a chance. Godzilla’s got his radioactive breath, et cetera, et cetera. But then if you really take the time to look at Kong as a character, it’s like, okay, in Skull Island he was an adolescent, so he was still growing. So who knows how big he is since the 1970s when they first met him?

While he hasn’t been adapted nearly as much as Godzilla over the decades, we’ve seen various incarnations of King Kong, and the MonsterVerse’s version is definitely the biggest of them. That said, as Michael Dougherty noted, the ape was still a young’un in Kong: Skull Island, and he has a lot more growing to do. It’s unclear when Godzilla vs. Kong takes place, but there’s a 46-year difference between Kong: Skull Island and Godzilla vs. Kong. Just imagine how much taller Kong is after nearly five decades!

But it’s not size and brawn that factor into this upcoming battle of the ages. As Michael Dougherty also mentioned in his interview with Bloody Disgusting, King Kong also has brains on his side, and compared his clash with Godzilla to Rocky IV’s main match. As Dougherty put it:

Kong is extremely intelligent. As a primate, he’s a tool-user. So he’s got speed, he’s got agility, he might have some good size. And I like a good underdog battle. You know, it’s like watching Rocky go up against Ivan Drago. It seems like it’s unfair but clearly, this means the underdog might have a few surprises.

We saw in Kong: Skull Island how King Kong used tools like tree trunks and chains to vanquish foes like the Skullcrawlers, and whether any of Godzilla vs. Kong’s fights take place on his home turf or elsewhere in the world, perhaps this ability to think outside the box will give the ape an edge in his battle with Godzilla. He’ll need all the help he can get.

Of course, there’s still the big question of why Godzilla and King Kong are brawling. Michael Dougherty didn’t provide any specific reasoning, but did say that he hopes that their motivations for fighting each other are “sound, and not contrived,” and also that he thinks there’s “something primal” in human beings to see a fight like that which goes back to ancient myths and legends.

Naturally the main draw for Godzilla vs. Kong is seeing the two eponymous beasts coming to blows, but the movie will also follow Monarch embarking on a mission to learn about the origins of the Titans and a conspiracy to destroy the Titans being uncovered. The main cast includes Millie Bobby Brown, Kyle Chandler and Zhang Ziyi reprising their Godzilla: King of the Monsters roles, as well as Alexander Skarsgard, Rebecca Hall, Brian Tyree Henry, Eiza González, Julian Dennison, Shun Oguri, Jessica Henwick, Demián Bichir and Lance Reddick.

Godzilla vs. Kong rampages into theaters on March 13, 2020, so stay tuned to CinemaBlend for continuing coverage. In the meantime, the MonsterVerse continues this Friday, May 31, with the release of Godzilla: King of the Monsters, and you can check out our 2019 release schedule to learn what other movies are opening later this year.

Blinded By The Light Trailer Uses Bruce Springsteen Music To Change A Life

Blinded By The Light Trailer Uses Bruce Springsteen Music To Change A Life

Queen, Mötley Crüe, Elton John, David Bowie, Hollywood is churning out biopics to capitalize on popular music that audiences have been listening to for decades. It was only a matter of time before Bruce Springsteen got his due. And although he isn’t getting a traditional biopic (yet), his music will be celebrated on the big screen in a movie that speaks to the power music has to change people’s lives. Check out the trailer for Blinded by the Light below:

Based on Safraz Manzoor’s memoir Greetings From Bury Park, Gurinder Chadha’s film Blinded by the Light stars newcomer Viveik Kalra as Javed, a teenager of Pakistani descent growing up in the town of Luton, England. Adolescence is a challenge regardless of your circumstances, but in addition to girl problems, Javed has to deal with being pulled between two different and seemingly incompatible cultures.

Javed is trying to reconcile his identity, desiring to make his family proud, follow their wishes and stay true to his Pakistani roots in an intolerant town. But he's also pursuing his own passions, being a teenager, and trying to fit in. It’s only when he is introduced to Bruce Springsteen’s music, music that really speaks to him, that he is able to find the confidence to be who he is.

It’s a coming of age story that is incredibly relatable and illustrates the power that music has to literally change our lives, especially when we’re young and our parents don’t approve of what we’re listening to. Music not only speaks to how we feel, but puts words to feelings we didn’t know we had, helping us understand and work through them.

Blinded by the Light looks like a pretty straightforward take on this type of coming of age story, but that is not a knock because this trailer makes it look positively delightful. Viveik Kalra looks great in the role and his unbridled enthusiasm for The Boss, even in the face of criticism and misunderstanding from his family and friends, is quite winning.

This feel-good movie sounds to be jam-packed with Bruce Springsteen classics, guaranteeing it will have a great soundtrack and be a fun theatrical experience for audiences, just like last year’s Bohemian Rhapsody. And while this isn’t a biopic of The Boss, he did give the film his blessing according to Deadline.

This trailer also has some really funny lines that paint this film as both heartwarming and hilarious. When Javed’s friend’s girlfriend lets him know that her friend would be perfect for him because she isn’t picky, you feel bad, but can’t help but laugh at the absolutely brutal backhanded compliment.

Blinded by the Light actually premiered earlier this year at the Sundance Film Festival and the early reviews were quite positive and the film currently boasts a 93% on Rotten Tomatoes. Viveik Kalra is joined in the film by Rob Brydon, Kulvinder Ghir, Nell Williams, Dean-Charles Chapman and Peggy Carter herself, Hayley Atwell.

Blinded by the Light arrives in theaters on August 14. Check out our 2019 Release Schedule to see this and all the movies headed your way in a crowded summer season.

Could Star Wars: The Rise Of Skywalker Bring Back Another Classic Character?

Could Star Wars: The Rise Of Skywalker Bring Back Another Classic Character?

The past few years have been very exciting for Star Wars fans. Since Disney acquired Lucasfilm, we've seen a variety of new and exciting projects come to life. In addition to standalone films and the upcoming Mandalorian TV series, the main franchise has also continued through the sequel trilogy. J.J. Abrams kickstarted the property back up with The Force Awakens, which introduced a new set of protagonists to interact with legends like Leia, Luke, and Han Solo.

The generations of Star Wars fans were devastated by Han's fate in The Force Awakens. After mentoring Rey, Han faced his son Ben/Kylo Ren on Starkiller base. While trying to help Ben return to the Light Side, he's shockingly murdered via lightsaber, and tossed over the bridge. But after being absent in The Last Jedi, a new rumor indicates he might pop back up in The Rise of Skywalker this December.

A new report indicated that Han Solo may appear in The Rise of Skywalker, once again attempting to appeal to his son's morality. He's not going to be resurrected, but will apparently come as as vision to Kylo Ren when he's pondering his next move and looking to Darth Vader's old helmet. That's when Han will appear to Ben, and may even forgive him for his death in Episode VII.

These rumors come to us from Making Star Wars, and are unconfirmed by the Lucasfilm or Disney. Still, it's a report that will excite the generations of Star Wars fans out there. Han Solo is arguably the most popular hero in the entire franchise, and he was noticeably missing during the course of The Last Jedi. He had a meaty role in The Force Awakens, and his death was heartbreaking-- proving the new movies weren't holding their punches.

Han's possible role in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker might be able to fix a problem in the current trilogy: the trio of original heroes never got a scene together. Leia and Han got a moment in The Force Awakens, but Luke was kept offscreen until the movie's very final moments. And once Carrie Fisher passed away, it seems we'd never see the three leads in another scene together.

Related: 12 Exciting Shots From The Star Wars: The Rise Of Skywalker Trailer

Of course, this rumor might not pan out, and Han Solo could very well stay dead and away from the silver screen during Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. Actor Harrison Ford doesn't have much of an interest in the franchise anymore, and seems happy with how he was killed off. He wanted Han to die back in Return of the Jedi, so the 76 year-old actor may have hung up his blaster for good.

In the end, there's no telling what J.J. Abrams included in The Rise of Skywalker. Palpatine's laugh at the end of the first trailer seemed to indicate an emphasis on the past, and Episode IX will end both the sequel trilogy and the Skywalker Saga forever.

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.

Chris Evans' Marvel Characters Combine In Epic Image

Chris Evans' Marvel Characters Combine In Epic Image

Given how totally and completely Chris Evans has become Captain America in the Marvel Cinematic Universe over the near decade he has played him, it would be easy to forget that Steve Rogers is not the actor’s first superhero role. That was as Johnny Storm in Fox’s Fantastic Four films. With those films, 21st Century Fox and the Fantastic Four now all under the Disney banner, some new fan art has combined Chris Evans’ two superhero roles into one epic image.

As if Captain America didn’t look badass enough already, setting him ablaze certainly does the trick. Johnny Rogers or Steve Storm (yeah, definitely that one, alliteration is a hallmark of superhero naming convention) has all the steely resolve of Cap and all the fiery intensity of the Human Torch.

Cap is already pretty darn formidable in his own right, but you give him the fire manipulation and flight powers of the Human Torch and the Avengers’ odds of victory increase several fold. This image from BossLogic is especially cool because it isn’t just imagining what an actor would look like as a character, it’s combining two Chris Evans has already played.

Chris Evans has played both Captain America and the Human Torch and with the multiverses of comic book movies colliding in the Disney-Fox deal, this amalgamation seems appropriate to commemorate the occasion. Now we just need Josh Brolin as Nathan ‘Thanos’ Summers and Michael B. Jordan’s Killmonger shrouded in fire yelling ‘Flame on!’

This image is also fun because it reminds you of the very different types of superheroes Chris Evans has played. As Johnny Storm in Fantastic Four, he was the wild and cocky jokester who didn’t take anything seriously. And as Captain America, he is the beating heart of the MCU, a serious and selfless hero. It just goes to show Chris Evans’ talents.

How much longer Chris Evans will be using those talents in the MCU is an open question. Pretty much since Captain America: Civil War we’ve been speculating that Captain America will bite the dust in tragically heroic fashion, and that question will be at its loudest right before Avengers: Endgame, especially given that the trailer showed a worse for wear Steve Rogers gritting his teeth in what looks to be a brutal battle.

Of course, if Avengers: Endgame is Chris Evans’ last appearance as Captain America, that would open him up to reprise the role of Johnny Storm when the Fantastic Four come to the MCU. Hey, it could happen! As far as what the future holds for The Human Torch and the rest of the Fantastic Four in the MCU, it is too soon to say.

The Disney purchase of 21st Century Fox just went through last week and it’s presumed that the X-Men couldn’t make their way to the MCU until 2021 at the earliest, so it would stand to reason that the same would apply to the Fantastic Four.

Before all that though, The Infinity Saga comes to an end when Avengers: Endgame hits theaters on April 26. Check out our 2019 Release Schedule to keep track of all this year’s biggest movies.

Joe Carnahan Says He Left Bad Boys For Life Over Differences With Will Smith

Joe Carnahan Says He Left Bad Boys For Life Over Differences With Will Smith

Development hell is a concept that isn't new to the film world. While certain projects seem to be promising and have the recipe for success, sometimes plans fail, and movies don't actually come to fruition. Highly anticipated action threequel Bad Boys For Life originally seemed like one of those movies, as it was been stuck in development hell for a number of years before finally going into production months ago.

Starting back in 2008, quite a few incarnations of Bad Boys' threequel were worked on before the current version was eventually nailed down. The Grey's Joe Carnahan was set to write and possibly direct Bad Boys III back in 2015, although he ultimately dropped out after the project stewed for a few years. Now he's explained the reasoning behind his departure, saying:

I just know myself, man. And I thought what we were doing at that point was the law of diminishing returns. I wasn’t servicing the story that I was really excited about telling, that the studio had green-lit. And again, this isn’t to throw shade at Will — it’s your face on the poster, it’s your name on the poster, you need to do things the way you want them done.

Well, this certainly sheds a light on things. Joe Carnahan doesn't seem to have sore feelings about the situation, but it appears that he had some creative differences with franchise star Will Smith. And since Smith is starring and producing Bad Boys For Life, he's got the right to have the final say. But that's just not how Carnahan wanted to make that movie.

Joe Carnahan's comments to Collider are in juxtaposition to the explanation that was given to his exit back in 2017. At that point, some reports indicated a scheduling conflict as the reason for Carnahan's departure. But it ultimately looks like it was creative differences, and a conflict with none other than Will Smith himself.

In his recent interview, Joe Carnahan was sure to not actually bad mouth With Smith over how Bad Boys For Life eventually came out. On the contrary, he understands what Smith has at stake for the project, and his own creative vision. But since they clashed, the director decided to exit the project, because he didn't want to work that way on the action sequel.

During that same conversation, Joe Carnahan was sure to pay his respects to Will Smith. Furthermore, he expressed how he was nervous to leave such a high-profile gig, explaining:

Here’s the thing. I love Will, he’s a great guy. It’s just, you get to a point where ... listen, I always say this. Harrison Ford, Tom Cruise, Will Smith, you find me a motherfucker in the modern era that’s walked away from movies with those guys and is still working in some capacity.

It looks like Joe Carnahan harbors no ill-will toward Will Smith due to his Bad Boys For Life departure. And while he was taking a risk by turning down such an opportunity, the writer/director had to follow his gut. That eventually made way for directors Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah to get behind the camera for the new blockbuster.

Bad Boys For Life recently wrapped production, and is currently set to arrive in theaters on January 17, 2020. In the meantime, check out our 2019 release list to plan your next trip to the movies.

How Pixar Figured Out How To Tell More Stories After Toy Story 3’s Ending

How Pixar Figured Out How To Tell More Stories After Toy Story 3’s Ending

For a lot of people, Toy Story is an absolutely perfect trilogy. It tells a complete story over the course of three movies and comes to a perfect, and perfectly satisfying, end. However, many of those fans who felt the story had reached a perfect end are now largely concerned, because Toy Story 4 is on the way and it's ready to continue the story we thought was finished.

Last month I got to sit down with Toy Story 4 director Josh Cooley and Producers Jonas Rivera and Mark Nielsen, and the three of them spoke to me about how, while they agreed that the ending of Toy Story 3 was something special, it wasn't quite the ending that many people thought it was. Eventually, Toy Story 4 found its story by realizing that the first three movies weren't about Andy, but actually all about Woody, which meant there was clearly story left to be told. As Jonas Rivera told me...

In a weird way, Toy Story 3’s ending helped us, because it felt like a little bit of a misdirection. It was this idea that, if Toy Story 3 is an end. I mean really, the saga of Toy Story is about Woody, right? We kinda kicked that around for a while. He’s the protagonist. Andy’s a driver of the story but Woody is the main character.

It's the simplest idea in the world to be sure, but one that could be easily overlooked, the Toy Story movies are about Woody. Andy is only actually important to the story of the first three because he is important to Woody, we only really see him through Woody's eyes.

Certainly, much like Andy, Woody's story has come full circle, but just because he's back to being the toy of a young child, doesn't mean that Woody's life hasn't drastically changed. Woody now finds himself the property of Bonnie, in a new home with a bunch of new toys in addition to the ones that he's known. In the end, it was the simple idea that "what if this time things were different this time" that led to the story that became Toy Story 4. Again, from Jonas Rivera...

What that was, was just that idea of like, what if you took Woody, and [had] gone through everything that he’s done, tracked it, and he’s always landed on his feet. He literally gets a second chance. What if we could dramatize something about that second chance and show that it wasn’t the same, he’s didn’t land in the same spot. It is different. It is upending his life in ways he hasn’t experienced before.

Pixar creates some pretty interesting worlds, to be sure, and if you look too closely at them, they tend to fall apart, but the simple fact is that in the world of Toy Story, these characters aren't simply toys. They are conscious living being, and that means that just because ownership of them might change, things don't simply reset. The lives of these characters move forward and that's what is happening to Woody in Toy Story 4.

I got a chance to see a significant part of Toy Story 4 while visiting Pixar Animation Studios in Emeryville, CA last month. As part of that, I can certainly say that Toy Story 4, while still feeling like another Toy Story movie, also very clearly feels like a necessary and important chapter in that larger story. This is a piece of Woody's life that has value and it feels like it will all be a story worth telling.

Early in the new movie we see that Woody isn't the favorite toy that he once was. He's also not the defacto leader of the group. His status in the bedroom isn't what it once was, and while Woody rolls with the punches pretty well, he's clearly found himself in unfamiliar territory.

Director Josh Cooley compared Woody's situation to a parent dealing with "empty nest syndrome" after the kids have moved out of the house. Woody's relationship with Andy, while being his toy, was also that of a caretaker, Woody watched out for Andy and tried to keep him safe. Now that's successfully done that, what's next?

The idea that there still was a "next chapter" for Woody was vital to the trio of Josh Cooley, Jonas Rivera and Mark Nielsen as they were among those who loved the ending of Toy Story 3, and as such, even they only wanted to make Toy Story 4 if there was a compelling reason to do so.

We were among the people saying 'Toy Story 3 was a great ending, so you better not just make another adventure.’ We can’t have this feel like ‘oh, we forgot a part, audience.’

Certainly, the audience doesn't want to feel that way either. Fans almost certainly want to love the new Toy Story, even if they're not so sure about it. We'll all find out whether this story was really necessary when the movie arrives June 21.

The Avengers: Endgame Plot Twist That Is Both Fitting And Frustrating

The Avengers: Endgame Plot Twist That Is Both Fitting And Frustrating

Warning: MAJOR SPOILERS for Avengers: Endgame are ahead!

For years, Marvel Cinematic Universe fans have prepared themselves for two possibilities concerning Steve Rogers: that he’ll die and that the Captain America mantle would be passed along to a worthy successor. Cut to Avengers: Endgame, Steve is still alive, although now an old man due to traveling back to the 1940s and living a life with Peggy Carter. So even with that Super Soldier Serum coursing through his veins, he likely doesn’t have that many years left.

However, as far as the Captain America identity is concerned, Steve did indeed pick a successor: his longtime friend and crimefighting partner, Sam Wilson, a.k.a. Falcon. We’ll have to wait until the Falcon and Winter Soldier Disney+ series premieres to see if Sam dons his own red, white and blue uniform, but him being chosen to be the next Captain America was one of Avengers: Endgame’s most touching moments, and it definitely makes sense for Sam to take over for a variety of reasons.

However, this moment also came at the expense of Bucky Barnes, a.k.a. Winter Soldier, who, despite also being close with Steve Rogers, was sidelined in Steve’s final scene, even though their friendship has been spotlighted much more throughout the MCU. It’s not an issue of Bucky deserving the virbranium shield over Sam, but the fact that he didn’t get a proper final goodbye with his longtime friend. Thus, it all results in Endgame’s Captain America change-up feeling both fitting and frustrating.

Let’s start off with why it’s fitting that Sam Wilson is now the new Captain America. Getting the obvious reason out of the way first, it’s inspired by the source material. Half a decade ago in the comics, Steve Rogers was drained of the Super Soldier Serum, which aged him to an old man. Because he was no longer physically capable of being Captain America anymore, he appointed Sam to be the new Captain America.

Sam Wilson had a solid run as the Star Spangled Avenger, blending the patriotic motif with his longtime Falcon look. Sam has since reverted to being 100% Falcon, but his time as Captain America definitely stands out in the Marvel canon. But hey, Bucky Barnes also became Captain America in the comics, so why does it make more sense for Anthony Mackie’s Sam to inherit the mantle rather than Sebastian Stan’s Bucky?

For one thing, even when Bucky was serving as Captain America on the printed page, the only reason he initially filled Steve Rogers’ shoes was because he didn’t trust anyone else to be Cap. As time wore on, he started to feel more comfortable in the role, and he even continued on as Captain America for a little bit after Steve Rogers came back to life. But eventually, he went back to serving as plain ol’ Winter Soldier, which will always be a better fit for him.

Ultimately, it boils down to Bucky’s tragic past. Whether he was a brainwashed assassin for the Soviet Union or HYDRA, he will always be weighed down by those decades when he wasn’t in control and force to kill scores of people. He’s seeking redemption for all the harm he caused, but being Captain America is not the way to go about doing that.

In the case of Sebastian Stan’s Bucky Barnes, if he had his way, he wouldn’t be fighting at all, as evidenced by how he was leading a quiet life in Wakanda before the events of Avengers: Infinity War unfolded. Alas, life doesn’t always give us what we want, and for now, Bucky’s still in the superhero game. But as Winter Soldier, he still do some good and carve out his own legacy, and it’s also a better identity to rock when going on covert missions.

As far as Sam Wilson goes, while he’s certainly not free from darkness or inner turmoil, he’s ultimately a more hopeful and optimistic character. He can serve as a better beacon of positivity to the public than Bucky can, not to mention that he isn’t weighed down by the same kind of baggage. Bucky didn’t bomb the Vienna UN summit in Captain America: Civil War, but as far as the general public is concerned, he’s still a wanted criminal.

There’s also the fact that since he was unfrozen, Steve Rogers has spent way more time with Sam Wilson than he has with Bucky Barnes. This wasn’t a purposeful decision, just a matter of circumstance given Bucky’s unusual situation. Nevertheless, Steve and Bucky definitely aren’t the same men they were during World War II, and one could argue that Steve and Sam now have a closer relationship, hence why the former knew the latter was a better fit for the Captain America mantle.

So now that the Captain America of it all has been addressed, let’s go back to Bucky Barnes’ overall role in Captain America’s final Avengers: Endgame scene. Before heading into the Quantum Realm, Steve and Bucky had a reversed back-and-forth of their interaction in Captain America: The First Avenger (“Don’t do anything stupid until I come back.” “How can I? You’re taking all the stupid with you.”), but Bucky also seemed to know that Steve didn’t plan on coming back, and when we spotted Old Man Steve at the nearby bench, Bucky allowed Sam to talk to him first.

Avengers: Endgame directors Joe and Anthony Russo have since confirmed that Bucky Barnes was aware that Steve Rogers intended to stay in the past, with Joe saying to EW:

Especially when he says goodbye. He says, ‘I’ll miss you.’ Clearly he knows something.

Okay, so evidently Steve informed Bucky of his plan ahead of time, which is fine. It enhances the surprise of seeing Steve as an old man, and I also don’t mind that Sam and Steve were conversing privately for the handoff of the shield.

The problem is that the meaningful farewell these two shared occurred offscreen. We never see these two share a proper goodbye. They might not be as close as they once were, but Steve and Bucky are still tight, and given all the time the MCU has spent highlighting their friendship, you’d that would warrant the audience get to see one last meaningful moment with each other.

Bucky Barnes has been a part of the Captain America mythology since the very beginning and was a key player in all of the Star-Spangled Avenger’s films. For all we know, Chris Evans will never reprise Steve Rogers again, so it’s a shame that Steve and Bucky might never share screen time again. It’s great that Steve informed Bucky about what he planned to do, but we the viewers deserved a better final interaction between the two on the big screen.

Of course, as mentioned earlier, Disney+ has that Falcon and Winter Soldier series coming up, so maybe this isn’t the end of Steve’s time with Bucky and/or Sam. Maybe that show has Chris Evans lined up to make a cameo as Old Man Steve in an episode or two.

Still, given that Avengers: Endgame concluded the Infinity Saga and wrapped up a lot of lingering plot threads, not to mention that not everyone who watches the MCU movies will necessarily watch the Disney+ shows, it would have been better if the movie had better closed the book on Steve and Bucky’s time together, like it did with Steve and Sam. It would have been appropriate and likely squeezed out a few extra cries in a movie that was already quite the tearjerker.

Let us know what you thought of how Avengers: Endgame handled the Captain America twist in the comments below, and be sure to read CinemaBlend’s review of the latest MCU movie.

Maisie Williams Drops F-Bomb Over The New Mutants’ Fate

Maisie Williams Drops F-Bomb Over The New Mutants’ Fate

Josh Boone's The New Mutants is currently quite the enigma. Thanks primarily to the Disney-Fox merger, the project has existed in a nebulous state for months now, and nobody seems to be quite sure what its ultimate fate is going to be. This clearly extends to the cast as well, as Maisie Williams recently dropped some profanity-laced comments that basically sum up everything we know about the state of the film:

Who knows when the fuck that’s gonna come out.

That statement comes from an interview that Maisie Williams recently did with Rolling Stone, paired with her Game of Thrones co-star Sophie Turner. Most of the piece is about the two actress' experience making the beloved HBO series leading up to its final season, but a portion of the conversation turned at one point to The New Mutants. Another thing that both Williams and Turner have in common is the fact that they are part of upcoming X-Men projects, but while the latter has Dark Phoenix confirmed for release this June, the former doesn't have much clue what's going to happen with her's.

A significant part of the problem here is the fact that The New Mutants has been planning reshoots, but those reshoots still haven't happened. As explained by Maisie Williams in the interview, the extra days of production are supposed to help the film be a bit scarier - in an attempt, presumably, to try and take advantage of the current horror boom - but if new material has been written, it still hasn't been shot.

In The New Mutants, Maisie Williams is set to portray the first live-action version of Rahne Sinclair a.k.a. Wolfsbane, a mutant who has the ability to shapeshift into both a wolf and a werewolf-like hybrid. She is part of a talented ensemble that includes Anya Taylor-Joy (Illyana Rasputin a.k.a. Magik), Charlie Heaton (Sam Guthrie a.k.a. Cannonball), Blu Hunt (Danielle Moonstar), and Henry Zaga (Roberto da Costa a.k.a. Sunspot), and the story finds them as dangerous young mutants grouped together in a hospital where they can try and gain control over their abilities.

Speaking of the rest of the cast, apparently nobody really seems to know what's going on - or at least that's the sense that Maisie Williams has provided. According to the actress, she recently saw Charlie Heaton, and learned that he has about as much information about The New Mutants as she does.

Right now the movie is on the release calendar for August 2nd, but it's unclear if that date is actually going to happen. For what it's worth, though, it seems that Maisie Williams is eager for the film to be completed and released. Not only did she express hope that the Rolling Stone interview would help light a fire under those making decisions for The New Mutants, but she wants to somehow get the opportunity to star opposite Sophie Turner as Jean Grey in another X-Men title:

It would be ridiculously stupid if they didn’t do that.

We're clearly still in "wait and see" mode when it comes to New Mutants, but you can be sure that as more information about the film becomes available, we'll have them for you here.

Shazam Was Made Into A Life-Sized Phone Charger, And There's Video

Shazam Was Made Into A Life-Sized Phone Charger, And There's Video

In the very first trailer for DC’s Shazam! we see Zachary Levi’s Billy Batson using his newfound superpowers to correct one of the first-world’s most troubling ills, inferior battery technology. The hero uses the lightning power of Zeus to do people a solid, topping off their phone batteries. It’s a super cool way to charge your phone, so cool in fact that Shazam was made into a life-sized phone charger, check it out:

I only have one question: how much? In his Instagram post, Shazam! director David F. Sandberg wonders whether it is the world’s most expensive phone charger so I’m guessing the answer is ‘a lot’, although maybe less than Shazam’s seven-figure suit. Whatever it is, it might be worth it though. Imagine having friends over and they ask if they can charge their phones, only for you to point them to the Shazam statue taking up half your living room.

This Shazam phone charger looks heavy and highly detailed too; you can even see the texture on his suit and the boots. Sadly, this live-sized Shazam doesn’t appear as though it actually shoots lightning out of its fingertips like the scene in the trailer. That’s probably for the best though because even the fanciest modern phones don’t support that format.

Therefore you have to plug in your phone via USB on the base of the charger, like you would with any $10 charger. Maybe those ports charge ultra fast. Even if they don’t, Shazam’s finger lights up, as does the lightning bolt symbol on his chest, and he even has a voice function like a giant action figure, saying “Your phone’s charged.” So even if it's basically charging your phone as normal, you'll feel way better about it.

The charger's effects mirror the delightful scene from the film where the young superhero does what any kid with powers would do, show them off and use them in silly ways to improve everyday life. This phone charger is one very cool bit of functional marketing or, if it winds up being for sale, memorabilia that deep-pocketed DC fans can lust after.

Shazam! is looking to begin paying off that expensive phone charger when it opens in theaters in April. The film is tracking to enjoy a $40 million to $45 million opening weekend. Word of mouth should be good too. Although the full reviews haven’t dropped yet, the early reactions are incredibly positive indicating that DC is really on a roll.

Shazam! bolts into theaters on April 5th, make sure you charge your phone before you see it and then turn it off in the theater. Should this Shazam phone charger go on sale, we’ll keep you updated. In the meantime check out our 2019 Release Schedule to keep track of all the biggest movies headed to theaters this year.

Colin Farrell Loved The Dumbo Sets So Much He Spent Extra Time Just Wandering Around

Colin Farrell Loved The Dumbo Sets So Much He Spent Extra Time Just Wandering Around

Few auteurs have made as big an impact on modern cinema than Tim Burton. The filmmaker’s style is identifiable from a mile away, and it’s a specific aesthetic that has driven some of the most visually interesting features to be released in the last 35 years. His work possesses many charms, including a wonderful practicality, and it’s that particular element of Burton’s filmmaking process that really boggled the mind of Colin Farrell in the making of Dumbo.

Unlike many of the stars of the new Disney film (including Eva Green, Danny DeVito, and Michael Keaton), Colin Farrell didn’t have the experience of working with Tim Burton prior to the making of the new live-action adaptation, but that just meant that the entire experience was brand new to him. This was something that he very much reveled in during production, as he recently told me about how he would actually spend extra time on set when nobody was around, taking it all in. Discussing his expectations for working with Burton, Farrell explained,

I expected... My mind is not potent enough to have expected the degree of elaborateness that was present on the sets of this film. But I knew that it would be elaborate, and I knew that it would be big, and I knew that it would be beautiful, and colorful, and noisy. But I had no idea. And when I saw some of the sets, I mean they were just the most beautiful, you know? I'd find myself walking on to the sets when there was nobody there and just looking around.

Colin Farrell wore his appreciation for the beauty of Tim Burton’s Dumbo on his sleeve when I had the opportunity to sit down with him earlier this month during the new film’s Los Angeles press junket. During the interview he mentioned that he had met the director years before making the new movie – specifically they had a chat while drinking coffee poolside at the Roosevelt Hotel (don’t you just love Hollywood?) – but that meeting apparently didn’t fully prepare the actor for the experience of collaborating with the filmmaker. So when he arrived and saw the massive, practical, and colorful sets that had been built for the live-action adaptation of the Disney animated classic, he was really blown away.

There are some actors who can’t get off set fast enough when they are done with a day of production on a movie, but that most definitely wasn’t the case for Colin Farrell in the making of Dumbo. Instead, he found that the experience of being alone on the massive circus sets that had been built overwhelmed him with emotions – particularly a thankfulness that he has a life that allows him to be a part of beautiful art. Said Farrell,

And talk about moments of nostalgia! Even though I didn't have relationship with Dumbo or circuses, it's just honestly a lot of gratitude, actually, for living in such a beautiful world, and being a part of telling a story, albeit for a finite moment in time.

In Dumbo, Colin Farrell stars as Holt Farrier, a circus performer who we first meet at the start of the story when he returns from fighting in World War I. He is beyond elated to once again be with his two children, Milly (Nico Parker) and Joe (Finley Hobbins), but he’s also not quite the man he used to be, as an injury sustained during battle led to him losing his left arm. He does his best to try and return his life to what it was before he left, but finds challenges from his disability. It’s a scary and hard time, but optimism soon arrives in the form of a young elephant with ears so big that they allow it to fly.

The seventeenth film from Tim Burton, and also starring Alan Arkin in addition to all the names mentioned above, Dumbo will soon be arriving in theaters – scheduled to land on March 29th. Between now and then, be sure to stay tuned here on CinemaBlend, as we have plenty more coming from my interviews with the movie’s cast and filmmakers.

Rocketman’s Richard Madden Doesn’t Agree With Editing Out Gay Sex Scenes

Rocketman’s Richard Madden Doesn’t Agree With Editing Out Gay Sex Scenes

It’s not often that two music icons who rose to fame in the same era and have inspiring stories to tell get their turn at a big screen moment. Then there is Bohemian Rhapsody and Rocketman. The two biopics have the common thread of having Dexter Fletcher behind the camera at one point or another, though they take two different stances on the stars’ sexual identities.

Bohemian Rhapsody was a massive success that both garnered awards attention and earned over $900 million worldwide, making it the highest grossing music biopic of all time. However, some had one gripe with the Queen celebration: how it censored and “straight-washed” Freddie Mercury’s sexual identity. The producers chalked the choices up to intending to tell the story to a wider audience.

As Hollywood passes the microphone over to the tale of Elton John in Rocketman, the movie has taken an an R-rated approach that doesn’t shy away from gay sex scenes and the musician’s past drug use, including the movie being framed around his stint in rehab. However, rumors had emerged prior about the studio’s intention to cut a nude scene between Taron Egerton’s John and Richard Madden’s John Reid.

Director Dexter Fletcher shot down the whispers, confirming that the movie would be loud and proud about all aspects of Elton John’s life. Now, Richard Madden is also speaking out about the importance that all aspects of his life be seen. In his words:

It’s an intimate thing between these two characters and a significant moment in Elton’s life. And Elton’s life was very R-rated, wasn’t it?

Why censor a life as bold as Elton John’s has been? In Richard Madden’s interview with EW, he said it would have been a disservice to the star if the love scenes he shot with Egerton had been cut. John Reid was Elton’s first manager and a lover of his for a time, and is an important part of the film’s story.

If discussions had been made over cutting the nude and gay content in Rocketman, the reason was certainly over the opportunity of reproducing Bohemian Rhapsody. The music biopic’s box office success could have certainly benefited from a PG-13 rating, but when you think about it, most Queen fans are over 18 years old, and the same goes for those of Elton John. Considering the target audience is mature enough to see an R-rated film, why not go that extra mile to do these legends justice - and the LGBT community they represent.

Rocketman has a bit of a disadvantage to Bohemian Rhapsody because it’s opening right as the summer movie season kicks off, while the Queen film had less competition to go in with. The upcoming fantasy musical will debut at $20 to $25 million behind with Godzilla: King of Monsters this Friday, tracking at $50 million. Rocketman has impressed critics so far, who seem to like it better than Bohemian Rhapsody overall.

Jumanji 3: What We Know So Far

Jumanji 3: What We Know So Far

The game isn't over! While the third movie in the Jumanji series, following 1995's Jumanji and 2017's Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle, has yet to reveal its official title, we can still fill you in on what information has been made available. Fans can expect a steady stream of Jumanji 3 news after filming starts, with updates continuing until the adventure movie arrives in theaters in late 2019. Here's what we know about the sequel so far.

When Will Jumanji 3 Be Released?

Jumanji 3 is currently scheduled for release on December 13, 2019. That gives it exactly one week before Star Wars: Episode IX takes over the box office. Jumanji has faced Star Wars in a showdown before, when Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle opened on December 20, 2017, just after Star Wars: The Last Jedi. Considering that both films picked up piles of money in 2017, there will still probably be room for both of them at the 2019 box office.

Star/producer Dwayne Johnson announced the current Jumanji 3 release date on Instagram back in June 2018:

Officially planting our JUMANJI flag.

On DECEMBER 13th, 2019 - the game is not over.

I hold JUMANJI very close to my heart and I'm beyond grateful you made our movie into the global juggernaut ($1BILLION+) it became.

Can't wait for you to see what our new adventure & new characters have in store as Christmas comes early.

And once again, I get to slap @kevinhart4real's lip's into next week. The world is happy.

FearTheDrums #TheGameIsNotOver #JUMANJI DECEMBER 13th, 2019

Dates can change without notice, but this one should stick.

What Is The Jumanji 3 Rating?

The MPAA has yet to announce an official rating, but it will probably be PG-13. The first Jumanji in 1995 was PG, but this is more of a direct sequel to Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle, which earned a PG-13 rating in 2017 for "adventure action, suggestive content and some language."

It's still early days for Jumanji 3 news, but considering how well Jumanji 2 did, there's a very high chance they won't change much about the basics for the 2019 movie. Welcome to the Jungle had a reported budget of around $100 million and the film made nearly $1 billion at the worldwide box office, per Box Office Mojo figures. It was the fifth-highest-grossing film of 2017 and the 42nd-highest-grossing film of all time. Of that total, $404.5 million came from the domestic box office, and $557.5 million from the foreign box office. No one really saw this coming, since the 1995 Robin Williams movie just made $262.8 million (not adjusted for inflation).

Who Is Writing And Directing Jumanji 3?

If it ain't broke... As suggested in the previous entry, the second Jumanji film was such a hit that Sony is bringing back the major players for Jumanji 3. According to Deadline, Sony asked Scott Rosenberg and Jeff Pinkner back to write a sequel, with Jake Kasdan returning to direct and help shape the story. Matt Tolbach will be producing, along with the Seven Bucks Production team of Dwayne Johnson, Dany Garcia, and Hiram Garcia.

Production Weekly (via MovieWeb) said Jumanji 3 is scheduled to start production January 21, and wrap filming around April 26. Jumanji 2 filmed in Hawaii and Georgia, but it may be something of a storyline change hint that filming for Jumanji 3 is meant to take place in Los Angeles, Atlanta, and Canada. We should be getting more official information very soon. Dwayne Johnson will probably continue to share casting scoops and set photos from his Instagram, since he is a producer -- and he just loves to engage with fans in that way.

What Is The Plot of Jumanji 3?

This is the big question! So far, the Jumanji 3 team is staying secretive, but we're expecting more details to come out once filming gets underway. Back in June, Dwayne Johnson shared a photo from a development meeting, teasing just this on the plot:

Ladies, gents and children of all ages.. The JUMANJI SEQUEL is officially underway.

Holy shit what a dynamite pitch from our writer/director Jake Kasdan.

We couldn't stop laughing and most importantly - like our first JUMANJI - the HEART in our story is our anchor. [...] And sorry for the spoiler but @kevinhart4real dies in the first 15 seconds of the movie, to what I'm assuming will be a HUGE standing ovation from the audience and the cast @karengillanofficial @jackblack @nickjonas

He just loves to mess with Kevin Hart! So, we know the main actors from Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle are all meant to return, presumably back in their roles as avatars for new players. And if Kevin Hart's avatar does die, at least he should be able to come back two more times. The four high school teens of Welcome to the Jungle left the film as newfound friends, and they destroyed the game in the end. But, since we're dealing with fantasy and magic, no one should expect the game to truly be destroyed. Jumanji 2 had some alternate endings that were discarded, THR reports, and it's possible the filmmakers will dip back into that well at some point.

Some of the actors have shared ideas for the sequel. Jack Black wants to head into space for an origin story. He wants to know where the game comes from, and who invented it, figuring it must be alien technology or from some "crazy jungle medicine man magic." I'd be down with an origin story, but we don't know if that's in the cards for this movie or any further movies. Karen Gillan added that she'd like to see a really old man choose her avatar, Ruby Roundhouse, so she could go from playing an introverted teen in Welcome to the Jungle to channeling the mannerisms of an old man. It would be funny if she got her way with Danny DeVito's new character since, at this point, we don't know who he is playing. (See below.)

What Characters Are Returning For Jumanji 3?

Here's what we know: Dwayne Johnson, Jack Black, Kevin Hart, Karen Gillan, and Kevin Jonas will return. In Jumanji 2, they played the respective avatars Smolder Bravestone, Sheldon Oberon, Franklin Finbar, Ruby Roundhouse, and Jefferson "Seaplane" McDonough.

Back in August, /FILM talked to director Jake Kasdan and asked if the same kids would play a new game of Jumanji (despite thinking they destroyed it). Kasdan said they were busy figuring all of that out. He did say he believed it would be a continuation of Jumanji as a video game, rather than the board game of the first film.

Dwayne Johnson As Dr. Smolder Bravestone

The Rock's game avatar, Smolder Bravestone, plays to his literal strengths. He's a confident and clearly very muscular archaeologist and international explorer. In Jumanji 2, Dwayne Johnson got to play against type when the person playing his avatar was nerdy, allergy-prone Brantford High School student Spencer. Playing strong Dr. Bravestone helped Spencer develop his own confidence and leadership skills. It'll be interesting to see how Smolder Bravestone returns. Who will play him next?

Jack Black As Professor Sheldon "Shelly" Oberon

Jack Black had a fun role in Welcome to the Jungle as Professor Sheldon Oberon. His cartographer was played by popular, self-absorbed pretty girl Bethany, who was not expecting to be Black's "overweight middle aged man" when she picked the avatar descriptor "curvy genius" when deciding to play the game. But, her character evolved over the course of the adventure. Hopefully Jack Black gets to continue to stretch his comedic chops in Jumanji 3.

Kevin Hart As Franklin "Moose" Finbar

Brantford High School football jock "Fridge" picked weapons and zoology expert Franklin "Moose" Finbar because he sounded "like a badass." To his surprise, he ended up in the much shorter body of Kevin Hart. Hence, size jokes. We get that Hart is on the short side, but hopefully Jumanji 3 doesn't go for that particular joke again. The set-up of Fridge and Spencer being former friends who reconcile through the game of Jumanji worked perfectly for the dynamic of Dwayne Johnson and Kevin Hart. The Central Intelligence co-stars have great comedic chemistry, so Jumanji 3 is going to have to harness that magic again.

Karen Gillan As Ruby Roundhouse

Karen Gillan plays "killer of men" Ruby Roundhouse, a fierce martial arts and dance fighting expert. Her avatar was played by shy high school student Martha. But Guardians of the Galaxy and Avengers: Endgame star Gillan has gone on the record to say she'd love to see an old man play the Ruby avatar in a future movie. We'll see if she gets her wish.

Nick Jonas As Jefferson "Seaplane" McDonough

Nick Jonas was something of a surprise addition to the group as avatar pilot Jefferson "Seaplane" McDonough. He was the avatar of gamer Alex Vreeke, a teen who got stuck in the Jumanji game in 1996. This storyline was a direct tie to the original 1995 Jumanji film, since Alex had taken shelter in the game world in a house built by the previous Jumanji player, Alan Parrish, portrayed on film by Robin Williams.

In Jumanji 2, the four main players are rescued by Alex, who was the fifth player that was missing and unplayable when the teens first picked up the game. Welcome to the Jungle ended with Alex being able to go back to his own time, and grow up to be Colin Hanks, who named his child after Bethany after she saved his life. We'll have to see how the pilot character of Seaplane is used in the third film.

What New Characters Are Joining Jumanji 3?

Just recently we got word on the first new stars joining the Jumanji 3 team. Ocean's 8 and Crazy Rich Asians star Awkwafina is said to play a "key" and "significant" character in this movie. Shortly after that news came out, it was revealed that household name Danny DeVito would also be joining Jumanji 3. About a week later, it was revealed that Danny Glover would also be joining the cast. We'll be updated this guide, and our Jumanji 3 cast list, as new additions come in.

Dwayne Johnson, of course, posted about the new additions but didn't reveal anything about their characters beyond this little tease with his Danny Glover post: "The magic of our JUMANJI Universe is 'who turns into who?' and I'm excited for our [global] audience to join Danny and our entire cast on another wild and fun adventure." It's possible this level of secrecy will keep up until the first trailer comes out, or even the film itself. It's kind of fun seeing what surprises may be ahead, but there's more attention being paid to this movie, since Welcome to the Jungle was such a success, so they may not be able to hide all the tricks up their sleeves.

How Will Jumanji 3 Connect To The Previous Films?

It was initially thought that Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle would be a reboot of the Jumanji franchise. Instead, it was a sequel to the 1995 Robin Williams movie. It didn't have many references to the original, but it was clear that it was set in the same universe. Director Jake Kasdan said he plans to have Jumanji 3 connect to both previous films, but especially Welcome to the Jungle:

Our hope is to keep a long continuity through the whole thing, even though the story that we're telling in the second movie, the movie that we're working on right now is much more connected to the first movie that I made a year ago than it is to the original. We love the idea of keeping all of this together and connected in some way or another.

Jake Kasdan also seems fond of the timeline element -- that players return to where they started in the real world once they win, even if years have passed in the game; while the in-world game retains elements from previous players, like the nod to Alan Parrish.

Will There Be A Jumanji 4?

This is most likely up to the box office. You'd be hard-pressed to find anyone who expected Jumanji to get a sequel, never mind Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle getting a sequel, too. Some people consider this to be Jumanji 2, since it's more of a direct sequel to Welcome to the Jungle with only passing references to the first film. But, some people also think 2005's Zathura: A Space Adventure is part of the Jumanji franchise, even though that movie's plot has no references to any Jumanji films. It was marketed as being set in the Jumanji world, as it's based on Chris Van Allsburg's sequel to the Jumanji novel.

Either way, it's too soon too to say if Dwayne Johnson, Jake Kasdan and company will return for a Jumanji 4. If Jumanji 3 cleans up at the box office this December, and into early 2019, that'll be a good sign. But, they'd also have to come up with a worthy idea, instead of just continuing because it might make more money. If Jumanji 3 disappoints on the story front, it would put a damper on any hopes for a fourth film. So, we shall see.

This Jumanji 3 guide will be updated periodically as more news, trailers, photos, and updates from The Rock come out before the December 2019 release. In the meantime, keep track of all the amazing films coming to theaters in 2019 in our handy film schedule.

The Russo Brothers Are Developing A Stan Lee Documentary

The Russo Brothers Are Developing A Stan Lee Documentary

This weekend’s Avengers: Endgame marks the end of the MCU’s 11-year journey and the story of The Infinity Saga. It also sadly marks the end of the late Stan Lee’s iconic comic book movie cameos, as he makes his final bow in the Russo Brothers’ film. Although his cameos have come to an end, Stan Lee’s memory will live on. And it seems that the Russo Brothers will do more than they already have to make sure of it.

Speaking about Stan Lee, Anthony Russo revealed that he and his brother are developing a documentary about the comic book legend. Anthony said:

We love Stan Lee and I think it's incredibly special that Endgame will be his final cameo. We are fascinated by the life of Stan Lee and we are actually developing a little something that has to do with his work in the history of Marvel. But we are not ready to present it or talk about it yet. It's more of a documentary.

Although we obviously all wish Stan were still alive and healthy to make cameos for decades to come, the Russo Brothers seem honored that Stan Lee’s final cameo came in their culmination film. The Russo Brothers clearly had a lot of love for Stan Lee and his creations and that fascination has led them to begin developing a documentary of some sort about him.

In his comments to IANS, Anthony Russo indicated that he wasn’t ready to reveal too much about the project just yet, so we don’t really know when, where or what format it will eventually arrive in. But it seems that it will be either a full on documentary or something with documentary elements that looks at Stan Lee’s Marvel career. And that alone is enough to be excited for.

This won’t be the first Stan Lee documentary out there because in 2010 there was the excellently titled documentary With Great Power: The Stan Lee Story. That doc is currently available to watch on Amazon Prime Video streaming.

Now that his long and immeasurably influential life has come to an end, it is fitting that we take a look back and celebrate that life and a documentary is a great way to do that. It is also fitting that the two directors who have given so much to the MCU and its fans are developing a documentary about the man who gave so much to them, and without whom the MCU wouldn’t even be possible.

This isn’t the only tribute of sorts to Stan Lee in the works. Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige recently revealed that the studio is putting together a compilation video of all of Stan Lee’s cameos as well as the behind-the-scenes footage and B-roll from the filming of those cameos. I anticipate that will be a lovely tearjerker.

You can catch Stan Lee’s final MCU cameo in Avengers: Endgame, which arrives in theaters this weekend. We’ll keep you updated about the Russo Brothers’ Stan Lee documentary and check out our 2019 Release Schedule to see all the big movies headed your way this summer.

Bill Skarsgard Promises A More Vicious Pennywise In IT Chapter Two

Bill Skarsgard Promises A More Vicious Pennywise In IT Chapter Two

Clowns are scary. This is an empirical fact and anybody that disagrees is wrong. This is why Stephen King's novel It was so utterly terrifying and why the movie of the same name became one of the highest grossing horror movies ever made. However, if you thought that the forthcoming sequel would just be another installment of "scary clown theater" you'd be wrong.

Bill Skarsgard, who plays Pennywise the clown, says that his character in It Chapter Two is going to be even more terrifying the second time around.

He’s inflicted fear on his prey, and he’s very focused on fear, but he’s never experienced it himself. Now he’s experienced something that he has been inflicting on others and … there’s a shift leading into the second movie. It fuels hatred and anger towards the kids, who will be adults in this one, so I think there might be an even more vicious Pennywise. He’s really going after it

At the end of It, the band of kids that had been terrorized by Pennywise are able to turn the tables on him and get the upper hand. They drive the monster away, but they don't actually destroy him. This is something that they don't actually realize until many years later when the same terrible things that were happening in their hometown when they were children begin to happen again.

Only this time, based on what Bill Skarsgard tells EW, it seems Pennywise is pissed. He doesn't just want to make the kids fear him, he has it out for them for what they did to him before. It's not shocking to think an embodiment of evil is capable of holding a grudge.

And of course, Pennywise has to become a bigger threat in It Chapter Two because it has to make sense that the creature that the group defeated as children is somehow still a threat to them as adults. You'd think if they could do it once, they could do it again.

In the original Stephen King novel, the story jumps back and forth between time periods, so you don't really know what happened to Pennywise the first time around when you're reading the book. The movie audience will be sitting down knowing the character was beaten once, which will likely require the sequel to take a slightly different tact in order to raise the tension.

IT was a massive success when it came out. That success led to the sequel being given the green light in the first place. With most of the team that made the first film returning, both in front and behind the camera, as well as the addition of new actors like Jessica Chastain and James McAvoy, it seems It Chapter Two is looking to be another big success.

If you're a fan. keep your eyes on CinemaBlend later today, as the first trailer for IT Chapter Two is scheduled to drop in just a couple hours.