Standout Moments From Beyoncé’s Homecoming Doc We’re Crazy In Love With

Standout Moments From Beyoncé’s Homecoming Doc We’re Crazy In Love With

As Netflix has grown in popularity over the years, the streaming service has been getting in formation with all kinds of exclusive content to keep us on the couch, whether it’s award-winning films and TV such as Roma and Black Mirror, Noah Centineo-led rom-coms or reality television such as Queer Eye. The scrolling potential is endless and it can often be a mess to sift through. But every once in a while, the streaming giant delivers us an unforgettable gift, and this time it’s from pop superstar/angel Beyoncé.

Whether you were one of the lucky fans in the crowd of Queen Bey’s Coachella epic last year, caught the YouTube livestream broadcast or vaguely heard about the event after the fact, all the buzz surrounding it makes it one of the few concert experiences that begs to be immortalized.  Beyoncé transformed music festival expectations by turning what could have been a simple concert set into a mighty showcase of an icon’s 22-year career. Homecoming allows Netflix users to relive the event and look behind the scenes into just how the vocalist pulled it off.

The documentary is packed with memorable moments that make it spectacular, and it’s time to unbox the highlights to the left, to the left:

Her Regal Entrance

With the pound of a drumbeat, Beyoncé makes a powerful entrance to the Coachella main stage dressed in a Nefertiti-style get up, stunning the eyes on her and commanding her acclaimed status as a queen. The powerful introduction sets the stage for the caliber of performance we’re about to see as a giant pyramid full of 200 performers (including dancers and a “university” orchestra) are unveiled at center stage.

Beyoncé makes a second grand entrance at the top of the pyramid after the band hypes her up, and the crowd’s response is unlike any other. They are yelling “Beychella” before the phrase is even announced as a new iteration of “Crazy In Love” starts to play.

It’s quite the sight to behold as the singer delivers some near-perfect vocals, while dropping moves with her army of dancers. As the cinematography flips between Beyoncé in her first and second weekend performance and the amazed crowd, it’s clear the concert was orchestrated with a cinematic experience in mind all along.

Homecoming’s Concept

In between the concert, Homecoming also takes it back to the rehearsal stages of the performance, which was a massive, almost year-long undertaking by the artist. The pyramid of performers behind her, donning sorority letters of yellow and pink, signify the college experience Beyoncé never had due to her time on Destiny's Child. She’d always wanted to go to a HBCU and Beychella became a way for her to create this community she’d dreamed of.

Since her headlining had the historical significance of being the first African-American woman to get top-billing for the festival, Beyoncé took that title to heart in everything that she planned. She personally picked dancers and musicians who could represent looks and backgrounds that have been dismissed in the past on that grand stage. Beyoncé’s concept for Homecoming really shows her character of taking the opportunities given to her and putting every ounce of effort into it and giving her fans and family something to be proud of.

Another star of her status would have taken the easy way out and done a performance already decided upon from their tour or just belted out their greatest hits. Homecoming really shows to both casual listeners and fans of her just what goes into the product we often see in her music, videos and performances, and it’s as massive of a project as it looks at the end of the line.

Her Post-Pregnancy Comeback

Another unexpected bit we learn from Homecoming is just how much of a sacrifice and personal journey putting on this show was for Beyoncé. The artist has asserted herself as a very powerful woman over the years that her own personal challenges can go by the wayside. In this documentary, she gets candid about how the preparation for Beychella was an emotional trial for her, as she had just given birth to her twins Rumi and Sir when she started up plans for the Coachella performance.

Beyoncé spoke about the immensely difficult pregnancy she had, which concluded with an emergency C-section. Learning the dance choreography for a two-hour show she was leading as her body was recovering and adhering to a very strict diet (which looked like it only consisted of apples?) so she could do the performance was an incredible point for the artist to make in his documentary, because wow, did she pull it off.

She also talked of her struggles to be away from her newly born children and 7-year-old Blue Ivy during practices. Her vision of having her “homecoming” back to the stage after her pregnancy – which had her miss her first chance to headline the year before is a beautiful theme that gives viewers a new perspective on her attention to her career.

The On-Stage Reunions

Over halfway through the show, fans were already over the moon with the show Beyoncé was putting on for them, but then this happens: the trio that started it all reunite on stage looking like Charlie’s Angels. Homecoming captures the reaction of the audience really well here as fans in the crowd get emotional and devotedly sing along to “Lose My Breath,” “Say My Name” and “Soldier,” with the original members of Destiny’s Child who look badass as ever strutting the stage side by side.

It’s a nostalgic moment for those who have followed Beyoncé from the beginning and clearly an important one to the artist too whose smile especially lights up stage when beside her girl group sisters for the number.

Before Destiny’s Child hit the stage, her famous hubby Jay-Z also came onstage to duet “Deja Vu” with her in a sweet moment between the two that had their chemistry beaming on stage in a way we don’t always see between the two of them, especially after the singer belted out angry tunes of his past infidelities prior. In another cute moment to cut the overwhelmingly beautiful dance numbers and pop tunes is when Beyoncé’s sister Solange also comes on stage to bust some moves with her during the bridge of “Get Them Bodied.”

All in all, the Beyoncé film is a highlight in of itself as it showcases an incredible feat by the singer on that Coachella stage last year that will be talked about for years to come. The singer beautifully captures her memorable set, opens up about her behind-the-scenes prep and leaves a whole lot of heart on that stage. There are so many more moments I’m not over yet. Did you see Beyoncé’s Netflix movie? What were your favorite moments? Sound off in the comments below.

6 Heath Ledger Stories That Show What Kind of Actor He Was

6 Heath Ledger Stories That Show What Kind of Actor He Was

It's been more than a decade since Heath Ledger passed away and it's impossible to know where the actor would be in his career today if he were still alive. One of his last roles was as The Joker in The Dark Knight, and it went on to become the stuff of legends. People still talk about the effort that Ledger put into the character and how he delivered what's said by some to be one of the greatest performances of all time.

But Heath Ledger was in plenty of other movies before The Dark Knight, and by that point in his career, he had built up a reputation for himself as a serious-minded and very professional actor. He tackled each role by doing research and preparation, fully inhabiting whatever character he was playing. It was said that he locked himself away for a month to prepare for whatever part he was playing. As such, there are some memorable stories about his days on set and not all of them have to do with Joker. Here are six stories that remind us how great an actor Ledger was.

He Didn't Work For A Full Year To Avoid Typecasting

Heath Ledger's first Hollywood movie, 10 Things I Hate About You, introduced him to American audiences, where it didn't take long for people to fall for him as a teen heartthrob. He plays the steamy bad boy in the teen rom com, but Ledger wasn't interested in repeating himself. The only offers that were coming in after the film were for similar roles, so Ledger ended up refusing to work for an entire year until something different caught his eye. Looking back on his career, it was definitely something he succeeded at doing. He played everything from Bob Dylan to a stoner surfer dude to a Revolutionary War soldier to a clown-themed super villain. That's as varied a career as you can get.

He Kept A Joker Diary To Get Into Character

Heath Ledger turned down playing the title character in Batman Begins, but he was director Christopher Nolan's first and only choice to play the Joker in the sequel. Ledger signed on for the role before there was even a script, and part of how he prepared for the part was that he kept a diary of twisted images and things that he thought the Joker would find funny (AIDS was apparently one of them). Ledger wouldn't stay in character when not filming, so he would keep the diary with him and use it to get back into character before the cameras started rolling. Apparently, the actor was able to get into character quickly, and had no problem being chummy with the crew in-between takes (while he was still in full make-up and costume).

He Did All His Own Stunts In The Patriot

Tom Cruise doesn't own the monopoly for doing your own stunts. Case in point, Heath Ledger did all his own stunts for the Revolutionary War action-drama The Patriot. That means he handled stunts such as horseback riding, firing muskets, close-range combat and working with Mel Gibson all on his own. That's mighty impressive considering the movie had a heavy emphasis on action and could be pretty physically demanding; more than one tomahawk is thrown in this movie. One can only imagine the lengths Ledger went to while preparing for the non-combat scenes.

He Nearly Broke Jake Gyllenhaal's Nose Kissing Him So Hard

One of Heath Ledger's most significant and popular films is Brokeback Mountain, in which he and Jake Gyllenhaal star as cowboy lovers. In the movie, the two actors share a passionate kissing scene and reportedly, Ledger almost broke Gyllenhaal's nose because of how hard he was kissing. Additionally, he and Gyllenhaal would kiss off-screen for co-star Michelle Williams, who felt that it would help her get into character. Williams was dating Ledger in real-life at this point, so she felt watching him kiss someone else would really get her into her character's mindset.

He Asked Christian Bale To Punch Him In The Face For Real

The Dark Knight's interrogation scene is one of the most well-known in the movie, as Batman truly begins to realize the madness he's facing. The Joker isn't a foe he can just punch into submission because the more Batman beats him, the more he likes it. Heath Ledger was apparently getting into it, too. Christian Bale said that Ledger was egging him on to really punch him in the face, but Bale understandably wouldn't do it. After all, it looks just as good with a fake punch as it would with a real one. Bale commented that Ledger was so committed to the role, that he was cracking the tiles in the room because of how hard he was throwing himself around.

He Wore The Real Skip Engblom's Clothes For Lords Of Dogtown

In the film Lords of Dogtown, Heath Ledger plays Skip Engblom, the owner of a surf shop and promoter of a local skateboarding team in Venice Beach. To get into character, Engbolm's wife let Ledger wear some of her husband's clothes. Keep in mind that this movie took place in the '70s, so Ledger was wearing some authentically old and groovy clothes. Additionally, the real Skip originally wanted Ledger to play him in the movie and got his wish! And then the actor was wearing his clothes, so it was a double whammy.

It's sad to think that we'll never get another Heath Ledger performance, but the actor certainly left an impression on those he worked with in the short amount of time he was on this Earth. I doubt Christian Bale will ever forget that a man dressed as a psychotic clown asked him to punch him in the face as hard as he could. Based on comments from directors who worked with Ledger, he was a deeply observant and intelligent actor who throw himself fully into a wide range of roles. Ledger rarely repeated himself and it's safe to say that he avoided his fear of getting typecast. At least we have these memorable stories to remember a great talent.

8 Differences Between the Animated and Live-Action Dumbo

8 Differences Between the Animated and Live-Action Dumbo

Warning: SPOILERS for the new Dumbo are ahead!

Last weekend, Disney released the latest live-action remake of one of its classic animated films. This time the spotlight shined on Dumbo, who first appeared in 1941. Directed by Tim Burton, the new Dumbo fell short of expectations at the box office and received mixed reviews, so it hasn't caught on fire like many of Disney's other remakes. However, what sets Dumbo apart from those films is that it isn't afraid to deviate from the source material.

Not since Pete's Dragon has there been a Disney remake that changed so much from original movie. You can argue that Dumbo had to make those changes because the cartoon was only about an hour long and some of its elements haven't aged well. Regardless, the remake is really different from the original and most of the changes make it an improvement. Here are eight things that the new Dumbo did differently from its predecessor.

More Emphasis On Human Characters

1941's Dumbo was all about, well, Dumbo. Even though Dumbo never spoke, thanks to the power of animation, audiences were still able to identify with him because of how expressive he was. Plus, he had a small cast of animal characters to speak for him and to keep the plot moving. For his live-action debut, Dumbo is photo-realistic, which means its harder to base an entire movie around just him because he can't be as expressive. So, you need human characters to interpret Dumbo's feelings. Colin Farrell stars as World War I veteran Holt Farrier, who returns home to the circus to raise his two children, who become the caretakers of the newborn Dumbo. The original Dumbo only really had one human character, the ringmaster, who is played here by Danny DeVito.

No More Talking Animals

Seeing as how the remake is a mostly grounded take on Dumbo (excluding the whole flying elephant thing), the film made a decision not to include any talking animals. Dumbo never spoke anyway, but that meant no sassy elephants and no Timothy Mouse, Dumbo's sidekick. The latter is probably the most notable exclusion, but Timothy's role as Dumbo's emotional support is fulfilled by the Farrier children, so there's no real loss from a story perspective. Timothy does still have a cameo as a mouse being trained to perform in the circus. Another benefit of this approach is that the film doesn't have to deal with the talking crows, who in the 1941 version were a racial stereotype of African Americans. (The lead crow was actually named Jim Crow!)

Almost The Entire Plot

1941's Dumbo is barely over an hour long, so a modern day remake would naturally have to reenvision most of the original to fit a two-hour runtime. Additionally, most of the original is just Dumbo going through various shenanigans while trying to reunite with his mother until he learns to fly in the final five minutes(!!!) of the movie. So, a lot of the plot is entirely new to the remake. About the first 30 or so minutes of the movies are the same before the remake deviates from the path. Once Dumbo becomes an overnight sensation, theme park mogul V.A. Vandevere buys Dumbo's circus and brings it to his Dreamland amusement park so that Dumbo can be his star attraction. From there, the film is about Dumbo preparing for his debut while the Farriers hatch an escape plan after learning that Vandevere isn't such a nice guy.

Dumbo Doesn't Get Wasted

Probably the most memorable sequence in 1941's Dumbo is "Pink Elephants on Parade," in which Dumbo and Timothy (accidentally) get drunk and have a trippy hallucination of dancing pink elephants. I hate to be the one to break it to you, but no, a baby elephant doesn't get wasted in this movie. In fact, the remake makes a very quick nod to that when a clown offers to give Dumbo a celebratory drink and DeVito snaps "No champagne near the baby." However, this doesn't mean that the pink elephants don't make an appearance. In the remake, they are massive bubbles that are conjured at Dreamland before Dumbo's big act. They don't play their trumpets like horns, but it's a satisfactory sequence that doesn't leave Dumbo with a hangover.

Dumbo Is Born The Old Fashioned Way

Rather than have Mrs. Jumbo be pregnant and need to explain to kids how babies are born, the original Dumbo had a stork deliver the baby elephant to his mother. It's actually really cute, but the live-action version obviously wasn't going to go that route. Nope, Dumbo is born the old fashioned way. The actual birth isn't shown, but Dumbo shows up about 10 minutes into the movie. The movie does have another nod to the original when the pregnant Jumbo spots a stork right outside her cage the night she gives birth to Dumbo. Dumbo's father is a no-show in both versions.

Uh, Someone Dies

Dumbo is about as light of a kid's movie as you can get, though, it can be really sad in places. However, no one ever died in the original, which you can't say about the remake. Early on in the film, there's a mean circus worker who hates Holt because of... reasons, and he especially seems to hate the elephants. With Holt in charge of the elephants, the worker tries to jeopardize him during Dumbo's very first show by agitating Jumbo and setting her loose in the big top. It doesn't help that everyone was making fun of her big-eared baby, but Jumbo inadvertently knocks over one of the supporting columns during her rampage, and it crushes the worker. The movie whizzes by this and no one sheds a tear for the guy, but it's still pretty weird to say that there was death in a Dumbo movie.

Jumbo Is Sold From The Circus

The inciting incident in Dumbo is that his mother is imprisoned after she attacks people for making fun of her son. She's chained up and locked away in her own cage, which happens in both movies. However, the remake goes a step farther and sells Jumbo back to her original owner, truly separating her from Dumbo. Thus, Dumbo tries to become a circus star in the hopes that his act will raise enough money to buy back his mother. Jumbo is later sold to Vandevere and reunites with Dumbo when he arrives in Dreamland, but Vandevere decides to send her away and have her killed so that Dumbo won't have any distractions. In the original, Jumbo stays in elephant jail and is simply let go once Dumbo starts flying.

Dumbo Is Released From Captivity

Perhaps nothing highlights the differences between the two movies and the decades they were created than the ending. At the end of the original film, Dumbo learns to fly and is reunited with his mother, living a life of luxury at the circus as a superstar. The remake goes in the exact opposite direction. The Farrier family and the circus performers decide to help Dumbo and his mother escape Dreamland after learning Vandevere will kill Jumbo. Realizing that Dumbo shouldn't be forced to live a life of captivity performing, the Farrier's get Dumbo and Jumbo on a boat to East Asia, where the two can live in freedom. The film ends with Dumbo soaring above a herd of elephants and the circus flourishing with no animal captivity.

The Dumbo remake made a ton of changes to the original, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. The original is less than perfect, and if Disney was gung-ho about redoing it, then a lot needed to be updated and changed. Again, Dumbo doesn't fly until the last five minutes of the original, which is INSANE. The remake has him airborne relatively fast, which is an example of a change that was for the better. While none of these changes necessarily make Dumbo a better movie, they certainly don't hurt it.

Marvel Comics Won't Kill Off Characters For Shock Value (Anymore), Chief Says

Marvel Comics Won't Kill Off Characters For Shock Value (Anymore), Chief Says

In the Marvel movies, death has not always been permanent. Before he really died in Avengers: Infinity War, Loki had faked his death twice by that point, and now, thanks to time travel shenanigans, he might not even be dead anymore. However, the fickle life and death of superheroes isn't just a movie thing. It originates from the comics, which often kill superheroes for publicity and bring them back down the road. Marvel Comics Editor in Chief C.B. Cebulski hopes to change all of that.

I don't want death to be used to boost sales or to use as a shock value so people go 'Oh my God, Johnny Storm is dead!' or 'Wolverine is dead!' knowing that they're going to be coming back. If we choose to do it now, we're going to add a little more weight and permanence to the situation.

In an appearance at a Swedish conference (via ComicBook), C.B. Cebulski said that Marvel was moving on from the shock value approach to character death. If someone dies in the comics now, it will have more weight and will likely be permanent. Whether this means no more major characters will die is unclear.

Both Marvel and DC are known for killing off major characters, only to resurrect them some time later. It's just the standard of the trade, but it's likely long past the point where it has any real effect on the readers. After all, why get sad Wolverine died when you know he's going to come back in a year or two? Marvel clearly understands this, and is looking to change the trend.

You know, death is a part of comic book universes, particularly a part of the Marvel Universe. Every character has been killed off and come back at some time or the other. We always say there are two characters that will never come back and that's Gwen Stacy and Uncle Ben. We even said back in the day that Bucky would never come back and now we have the Winter Soldier.

However, just because death was less than permanent before doesn't mean that Marvel didn't treat the decision seriously. Cebulski also went into detail on how Marvel comes to the decision to kill a character.

But the process of killing off a character is not an easy one, and a lot of people think death is something that we don't take seriously in the Marvel Universe but it really is. There's a lot of debates that happen because if a writer suggests that we should kill a character, it always has to be story driven first. It can't just be for shock value and normally it's a discussion that we have between first the writer and the editor and then the writer and the editorial team, so the process of killing off a character really is a group decision, and it's made always with the best story in mind.

Comic book characters having been coming back to life ever since the infamous "Death and Return of Superman," so I'm curious why Marvel is only now trying to alter its approach to death. The movies heavily influence the comics, so I wonder if the reaction to the most likely permanent deaths of Iron Man and Black Widow in Avengers: Endgame had any sway in the decision.

We'll find out soon enough if Marvel Comics will keep to its word here. In the meantime, keep track of all the big movies coming to theaters with our 2019 movie release guide.

Roman Polanski’s Wife Isn’t Happy About Once Upon A Time In Hollywood

Roman Polanski’s Wife Isn’t Happy About Once Upon A Time In Hollywood

Quentin Tarantino’s upcoming directorial effort Once Upon a Time in Hollywood is his “love letter” to Los Angeles as he plays and tinkers with the city's happenings in 1969, with a focus on the film industry’s state and the infamous Manson Family murders. Roman Polanski is at the center of both these subjects. At the time, the director had just found success with his film Rosemary’s Baby when his pregnant wife Sharon Tate was brutally murdered by Manson’s cult following.

Roman Polanski will be portrayed in the film by Polish actor Rafal Zawierucha alongside Margot Robbie’s Sharon Tate. The couple look to live next to fictional film star Rick Dalton, played by Leonardo DiCaprio. Fact may be being mixed with fiction in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, but Polanski’s wife Emmanuelle Seigner has shown her discomfort with his presence in Tarantino’s flick. Check out her words, translated from French by THR:

I am just saying that it doesn’t bother them [in Hollywood] to make a film about Roman and his tragic story, and make money with it… while at the same time they have made him a pariah. And all without consulting him of course. How can you take advantage of someone's tragic life while trampling on them?

The French actress and model is angered by the inclusion of her husband’s personal life in the highly-anticipated Quentin Tarantino movie which recently premiered at Cannes to high applause.

Emmanuelle Seigner also touches on Hollywood’s making him into a “pariah”, likely a reference to the Academy kicking him out of the Academy last year for his 1977 rape charges. Roman Polanski fled the United States in 1978 after pleading guilty for drugging and raping a 13-year-old girl, and hasn’t since returned to the states.

Seigner added that she is not attacking the film itself, but pointing out the “bothersome” move by Quentin Tarantino not to approach Polanski about his depiction in the film. Tarantino recently commented (prior to her words) that he is a huge fan of the director’s work, particularly Rosemary’s Baby.

Roman Polanski was briefly shown in the latest trailer for Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. The movie will also include portrayals of Bruce Lee, Steve McQueen, film producer Marvin Schwartz (played by Al Pacino) and so forth. Margot Robbie’s Sharon Tate looks to be central to the story of the film, making Roman’s portrayal also important to the events Tarantino wanted to explore.

Emmanuelle Seigner’s words do spark a continuous debate between Hollywood and the people they’ve depicted over the years. Should the real figures being used as a source of entertainment be consulted or compensated in order for their appearance on screen to be allowed?

Once Upon a Time in Hollywood comes to theaters on July 26.

New Detective Pikachu Trailer Shows Off Gyarados And Mewtwo

New Detective Pikachu Trailer Shows Off Gyarados And Mewtwo

For the very first live-action Pokémon movie, Detective Pikachu, the obvious choice was made to kick things off with the ultra-cute and ultra-popular Generation I, electric-type Pokémon Pikachu, who is basically the mascot of the franchise. He’s the most recognizable, but far from the only Pokémon out there though, and fortunately for those fans that want to see some badass Pokémon alongside Pikachu, the latest trailer for Detective Pikachu shows off Gyarados and Mewtwo. Take a look:

Wow, how awesome does Gyarados look? The water/flying Pokémon that evolves from the useless Magikarp looks absurdly huge and awesome here. And Mewtwo looks every bit as powerful and enigmatic as he did in 1998’s Pokémon: The First Movie – Mewtwo Strikes Back. In addition to the Pokémon we’ve glimpsed in the previous trailers, I think I also spotted a Pidgeot giving Pikachu a ride.

Pikachu may get top billing, but Detective Pikachu clearly isn’t holding back on giving fans all the coolest Pokémon that they’ve always wanted to see in live action. I imagine spotting all the Pokémon in this movie is going to be quite the task and may be like trying to spot all the pop culture references in Ready Player One. Gotta catch ‘em all! This movie is going to make so much money.

Detective Pikachu is making a brilliant and bold choice to not give in to the temptation to try and make the Pokémon look ultra-realistic. Unlike something like Sonic the Hedgehog, which appears to be (we haven’t seen the final look yet to be fair) attempting a realistic lightning-fast humanoid hedgehog, Detective Pikachu is adapting the Pokémon to the big screen and maintaining the looks fans have grown up with and loved since the mid-'90s.

The nice thing about this latest trailer and what we’ve seen so far is that while seeing all these awesome Pokémon is the selling point, the story and the character interactions also look to be a ton of fun. The interplay between the gung-ho Lucy, played by Kathryn Newton, Justice Smith’s completely out of his element Tim and Ryan Reynolds witty Pikachu is delightful and hilarious.

Poor Tim trying to be smooth and failing spectacularly is great as Ryan Reynold’s Pikachu then rips him for it. Detective Pikachu will get people in the door with the Pokémon, but this relationship is critical to keeping them entertained after that. Thankfully, it appears to be a unique and funny buddy cop dynamic, with Pikachu as a snarky Sherlock Holmes and Tim as an awkward and insecure Watson.

Detective Pikachu opens in theaters on May 10. Check out our 2019 release schedule to see the biggest movies headed your way this year and stay tuned to CinemaBlend for all your movie news.

There's A Fun Avengers: Endgame Cameo No One's Really Talking About

There's A Fun Avengers: Endgame Cameo No One's Really Talking About

Warning: spoilers for Avengers: Endgame are in play. If you’re looking to stay

For all of the special appearances that were had by folks just passing through Avengers: Endgame, there’s one that’s such a deep cut, no one’s really talking about it. That is, unless you’re a fantasy football player, and you happen to be a huge fan of ESPN. In which case, internet expert/sports fiend Matthew Berry’s cameo during the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s latest adventure at the movies.

Matthew Berry’s role as a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent flanking Robert Redford’s Alexander Pierce came about through some interesting circumstances, which he described as follows:

It happened through the grace of Joe Russo. He’s been reading my column for years and he’s a big fantasy football player. And about two years ago he gave me a call and said ‘Hey man, I got a part that I think is perfect for you if you want to be in the movie’. And I was like ‘Yeah of course,’ obviously.

Present during the scene where Avengers: Endgame revisited the Battle of New York, Matthew Berry’s character was seen in the segment of the Time Heist, with Tony Stark witnessing the previously untold story of how Alexander Pierce and his cronies on the STRIKE team tried to recover the Tesseract and Loki’s scepter for their own evil gains. Though, based on the details that Berry gave about his time shooting his cameo, that was something that even he didn’t know at the time.

As he spoke with io9, Matthew Berry gave the details on how even the few pages of the Avengers: Endgame script he was given were very confusing, as this scene was actually shot before Avengers: Infinity War was even released, much less seen by the public. So with a script that includes characters like Alexander Pierce, Captain America, and “Other Tony,” the words being provided were lacking more than a little context. Though, Berry’s lucky he wasn’t given a fake script to protect the secrets in his portion of the film.

Still, acting in a scene with Robert Redford, Chris Evans, and Robert Downey Jr. proved to be a dream for Matthew Berry. Though that dream was more of a nightmare when Berry had to bury the details of his involvement in his mind for two whole years, as he had to wait for Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame to be released before he said anything. And you thought waiting two weeks to share spoilers was hard!

It’s amazing how just as you think you’re getting over the unexpected cameos of a film like Avengers: Endgame, there are even more surprises that are waiting to be discovered. With Matthew Berry’s involvement now known, it’s easy to think about whether or not more figures of note are hidden somewhere in the film’s cast roster.

Just to be sure, we’ll probably head out to see Avengers: Endgame again, as it’s currently in theatrical release. However, if you’re curious as to what else is headed to theaters this weekend, feel free to read through our 2019 release schedule to find your next adventure.

Will Laura Dern Be In Jurassic World 3? 'I Could Never Say No’

Will Laura Dern Be In Jurassic World 3? 'I Could Never Say No’

This year marks the end of an era for a ton of franchises we love -- including Avengers: Endgame and Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, plus Game of Thrones on the television side. As these beloved storylines come to an end in 2019, fans love seeing their conclusions pull out all the stops and bring back some original key characters, such as Lando Calrissian and Palpatine returning for the end of Star Wars. In a couple of years, the Jurassic World trilogy will also come to a close, and we hope it will mean the return of Laura Dern’s iconic 1993 character.

When the actress was recently asked about the chances of her involvement in Jurassic World 3, she cemented her interest, but emphasized uncertainty whether it will actually happen. Here’s what Laura Dern said:

I don't know. I have no idea. I mean, I love Dr. Ellie Sattler, so I could never say no to that on any level. But I really don't know. I don't even know what they're cooking up yet.

Are you listening, Universal? Ellie Sattler is ready to come back and inherit the Earth! Make. It. Happen. After how Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom left us hanging last summer, Chris Pratt’s Owen Grady and Bryce Dallas Howard’s Claire Dearing are going to need all the help they can get. If you remember, dinos are loose everywhere!

During Laura Dern’s ET interview (via Yahoo!), she was asked if she had any discussions with Chris Pratt about the upcoming sequel, and she said this:

I met Chris recently at a restaurant, we didn't even know each other. It was really funny. We ran into each other's arms and hugged each other like we were family because we were both in the same movie [franchise] and he just seemed fantastic and is hilarious. But yeah, I don't know any more.

Recently, Laura Dern seems to be reuniting with other actors from the Jurassic Park franchise left and right. She ran into Sam Neill at an HBO event a few months ago and Joseph Mazzello (who played Tim in the 1993 classic) at the Critics’ Choice Awards as well. I think it’s a sign: Laura Dern needs to come back to her rightful place in the franchise.

Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard have both been vocal about their interest in Laura Dern joining them for Jurassic World 3, and Jeff Goldblum (who made a short appearance in Fallen Kingdom) said this last year of his hope for her return:

I don't want to pass on gossip like my character. But it would be good news to me and to everyone, [to] millions and billions of people all over the world... all over the universe and cosmos when Ellie Sattler returns.

Agreed! The badass paleobotanist has been absent from the big screen since she made an appearance in 2001’s Jurassic Park III. Capping off the Jurassic World trilogy with her return when the film hits theaters almost exactly 20 years later on June 11, 2021 would make a lot of fans happy (if done right, of course)! As we wait for more updates, here's what we know so far about Jurassic World 3.

Rupert Wyatt’s Gambit Would Have Been A Mutant Mob Movie

Rupert Wyatt’s Gambit Would Have Been A Mutant Mob Movie

Some superhero films face an unobstructed path on their journey to production, while others face numerous obstacles. Gambit falls into the latter category, as it’s been over four years since the project was officially announced, and it’s still in development hell. Captive State’s Rupert Wyatt was the first director hired to helm Gambit, and his version of the movie would have seen the eponymous protagonist, played by Channing Tatum, in New Orleans and involved with other mutants in a mob environment. As he put it:

What I do know is that Channing Tatum and his producing partner Reid Carolin had an amazing idea of what that movie was going to be, and Josh Zeutemer, the writer, as well. It was terrific, it was a really exciting sort of Godfather with mutants set in the world of New Orleans with different gangs.

Rupert Wyatt added that Gambit would have taken place from the 1970s to the present day and been about “the notion of what it means to belong, tribalism in this bayou-like environment” among these mutant gangs. The X-Men film franchise hasn’t been shy about telling stories set in the past, which began with X-Men Origins: Wolverine and has been a mainstay of the “First Class” era main films. The focus on New Orleans’ criminal underworld would also have been fitting given Gambit’s past as a thief in the comics.

You’ll recall that last fall, X-Men franchise producer Simon Kinberg said that Gambit would be a romantic comedy highlighting the character’s hustling and womanizing ways. That doesn’t sound anything like what Rupert Wyatt had planned, although one would imagine that Remy LeBeau would still have had a love interest. Rupert Wyatt also clarified in his interview with Collider that Channing Tatum “sort of worked on the script” to make it into a romantic comedy, and while Wyatt liked what he read, it was “very different” from what he was involved in.

As for why Rupert Wyatt’s Gambit never moved forward, the director claims it’s because the 2015 Fantastic Four reboot was a critical and commercial bomb. With just 10 weeks before Gambit was supposed to begin filming, 20th Century Fox slashed the budget “quite considerably,” leading to the brakes being pumped. Wyatt departed Gambit in September 2015, just three months after he signed on to direct. In the following years, both Doug Liman and Gore Verbinski were separately hired as Gambit’s replacement directors, but both men ultimately left as well, with Liman withdrawing because he didn’t care for the script and Verbinski exiting due to scheduling conflicts.

With only days remaining until the Disney and Fox merger closes, leading to (among many other things) the X-Men and Fantastic Four properties finally residing at Marvel Studios, it’s unclear if Gambit will ever be made. A Channing Tatum-led Gambit movie, whether it’s a mob movie or a romantic comedy, could still work even if the X-Men franchise was rebooted, but it’s possible Marvel and Disney would prefer putting out a more conventional, ensemble X-Men movie first. In any case, considering that the character’s only theatrical appearance so far has been in the critically-derided X-Men Origins: Wolverine, Rupert Wyatt’s Gambit movie sounds like it would have treated him much better.

Stay tuned to CinemaBlend for any updates concerning Gambit’s future, but for now, look through our 2019 release schedule to learn what movies are opening later this year.

People Are Trying To Resell Avengers: Endgame Tickets For Hundreds

People Are Trying To Resell Avengers: Endgame Tickets For Hundreds

Tickets for Avengers: Endgame went on sale yesterday and it was a madhouse. Websites crashed due to the demand, but pre-sales still set records on sites like Fandango and Atom. While getting tickets to a screening of Endgame on opening weekend is still very much possible, if you were looking to get a particular seat to a particular show, you might be out of luck. Unless, of course, you're willing to spend some more money. In some cases a lot more money.

Tickets for opening weekend showings of Avengers: Endgame went up on eBay almost as soon as tickets went on sale. Most of the tickets are for theaters in New York or Southern California, but several other theaters are sprinkled throughout the country so you can check to see if somebody from your neck of the woods got the tickets you could not. Some of them go for around $50, a price that's probably five times what the ticket cost, but an amount somebody might be willing to pay for the one time experience of seeing a major movie in the perfect seat. Other tickets are on offer for hundreds, and even thousands, of dollars.

While some of the offers are clearly excessive and aren't likely to garner much interest, some of the more reasonable offers still might. If you really want to be among the first people to see Avengers: Endgame on Thursday night and you don't already have your ticket, there may not be many other options. How often do you get to be in the first group of people to see the finale of an epic film franchise 22 movies long? Maybe that's worth $40 or $50.

If, however, you can wait just a little while, and I would expect many can, you don't need to pay more than face value for tickets. A quick check online shows that, as one example, perfectly reasonable seats at Disney's own El Capitan Theater in Southern California are still available for many showings on opening weekend. You wouldn't be among the very first to see the movie but you can certainly avoid spoilers for a few hours and see it before most.

Of course, the eBay situation certainly spotlights the idea that many believe these tickets will be in extremely high demand to the point that people will pay these prices.

On the one hand, scalpers do provide a service to some. With the issues that many of the ticket selling websites had yesterday, it's very possible that people who made every effort to get tickets early weren't able to do so. While they'll now have to pay a premium, they still get the thing they wanted.

Of course, on the other hand, some of these resellers are clearly trying to take advantage of people with these insane markups. Hopefully nobody will pay four figures for Endgame tickets. That's simply not necessary.

Martin Lawrence Talks Making Bad Boys For Life Without Michael Bay

Martin Lawrence Talks Making Bad Boys For Life Without Michael Bay

The stars of the Bad Boys franchise, without question, are Will Smith and Martin Lawrence. Their chemistry and comedic interplay is what makes those movies stand out from the buddy-cop formula pack. But one could argue that the third “star” of those two movies was the director, Michael Bay. The bombastic Transformers director cut his teeth early on with the stripped down and streamlined Bad Boys, then kicked it up several notches to the expected Bay-hem with Bad Boys II.

Michael Bay will not return to helm 2020’s highly anticipated Bad Boys for Life. Those duties will fall to relative newcomers Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah. When we got a moment to speak with Martin Lawrence at the South By Southwest premiere of his new movie The Beach Bum, we asked Lawrence if it was strange doing a Bad Boys sequel without Bay, and he told us:

Well, it’s not so strange because Bilall and Adel are doing a great job. It’s just different directors, but we’re still going to bring you that Bad Boys stuff.

That begs the question, is it Bad Boys simply because Will Smith and Martin Lawrence are returning, or does the franchise actually need Michael Bay’s attitude and visual approach? We’re certainly eager to find out! Just last year, Paramount’s Bumblebee proved that a Bay franchise could survive the addition of a different director. But action franchises in the past have shown mixed results when they lose their original voice.

Die Hard, for example, usually floundered when original director John McTiernan wasn’t at the helm for a sequel. The Lethal Weapon franchise stayed steady with Richard Donner. And the best Terminator movies, so far, have had James Cameron in the director’s chair.

That’s not to say that co-directors Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah don’t have their own opinion on how to use Martin Lawrence and Will Smith in a Bad Boys movie. Clearly they had a pitch that sold Sony on their ability to get the gig directing Bad Boys For Life. And if Martin Lawrence is giving them the thumbs up for the work that they have done on the sequel so far, then we’re going to take him at his word.

We don’t know a ton about the plot details for Bad Boys For Life, but every once in a while, Will Smith posts an entertaining behind-the-scenes video on his YouTube page. Like this one:

Will Smith and Martin Lawrence will be reteaming for Bad Boys For Life, and the movie is due in theaters on January 17, 2020. Right now, there’s no Michael Bay, but Lawrence tells CinemaBlend that’s no problem. Do you agree with him? Let us know in the comments section below.

Shazam! Has Screened, Here Are The Early Reactions

Shazam! Has Screened, Here Are The Early Reactions

While we are still only in the early months of 2019, new superhero movies are very quickly pouring into the box office. A few weeks ago saw the debut of M. Night Shyamalan’s Glass, and this weekend will see the debut of Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck’s Captain Marvel. Before too long, however, we’ll also be seeing the third big genre release of the year, David F. Sandberg’s Shazam!, and now the first reactions to the film have started rolling in.

I personally am one of the people who got an early look at Shazam! (in full disclosure it was an unfinished cut), and I thought it was fantastic. As noted in my Tweet below, it doesn't exactly do a lot to separate itself from the pack when it comes to the structure of its story as a superhero origin tale - but the elements that make it legitimately special make that feel largely inconsequential:

And our own Managing Director Sean O'Connell chimed in with:

Echoing some of my own thoughts is also Germain Lussier from iO9, who also made special note of the importance of family and the movie's core themes. He's apparently taking points off because he doesn't love what Shazam! does with the dynamic between Zachary Levi's titular hero and Mark Strong's Dr. Sivana, but his reaction is primarily praise.

Ash Crossan from Entertainment Tonight also has a lot of love to share for Zachary Levi's performance, and went as far as to call the movie "damn near perfect" - while placing it at the top of her personal DC Extended Universe movie rankings. That's pretty big praise now that we have both Patty Jenkins' Wonder Woman and James Wan's Aquaman in the mix, but she has a lot of love for Shazam!'s humor and personality.

The new DC film has apparently also won the heart of Collier's Perri Nemiroff, who has a lot of similar sentiments to share as many of her colleagues. Again there is a lot of love for Zachary Levi, and themes regarding family - but she also throws in some specific love for Jack Dylan Grazer, who plays the best friend of Shazam a.k.a. Billy Batson (Asher Angel).

Lastly we have Erik Davis from Fandango, who writes in his Tweet that he wishes he had the ability to hug the blockbuster. It seems he really appreciated the various references made in Shazam! - including not only to other heroes in the DC Extended Universe, but to pop culture in general - and also notes the positive trend for the DC Extended Universe.

It won't be much longer until audiences everywhere will be able to see Shazam! for themselves and make their own opinions. The movie will be arriving in theaters on April 5th - and be sure to stay tuned here on CinemaBlend for a lot more of our coverage between now and then.

Lebron James’ Space Jam 2 Is Having Trouble Casting NBA Players

Lebron James’ Space Jam 2 Is Having Trouble Casting NBA Players

As LeBron James’ first season with the Los Angeles Lakers closes out next week, he’s gearing up to shoot a sequel for Space Jam alongside some lovable Looney Tunes icons his summer. As was done with the Michael Jordan-led 1996 original, the basketball star has been recruiting additional high-profile players to also make appearances in the nostalgia trip, but he’s reportedly not having much luck welcoming other NBA players to the jam.

According to Brian Windhorst of ESPN, LeBron James has his eye on a few top players to join in with him on the Space Jam 2 fun, but he "hasn’t been able to close some of those deals." During the ESPN sports writer’s recent report during a telecast, he speculated other NBA players may have turned him down because “you put me in the movie where you're the star, I'm going to be the one you're dunking on." Check out what he said below:

Maybe some of the other players aren’t interested in being a side player in the “LeBron James Show”? Hoop Hype writer Bryan Kalbrosky said in a tweet that he’d been told star players may be turning down Space Jam 2 because the pay may not be high enough to convince them. Conversely, Kalbrosky said he also spoke to entertainment industry insiders who told him the amount being offered is quite high for a cameo.

James is an executive producer on the film who certainly has pull to have these discussions with other basketball names. In the first Space Jam, mega-star Michael Jordan was also joined by Charles Barkley, Larry Bird, Shawn Bradley, Larry Johnson, Patrick Ewing and Muggsy Bogues. The addition of other talent from the basketball world would certainly buff up interest in the movie from the fandom and allow some other players to be a part of this movie event.

Space Jam 2 will follow LeBron James’ last big-screen role as himself in 2015’s Trainwreck. The basketball star also recently contributed his voice to the character Gwangi in 2018’s Smallfoot. The new Looney Tunes-meets-basketball movie will also be produced by Black Panther director Ryan Coogler and Star Trek Beyond director Justin Lin. Space Jam 2 will be directed by Terence Nance, who created the HBO series Random Acts of Flyness.

So far, Star Trek: Discovery’s lead Sonequa Martin-Green was cast last week as LeBron James’ wife (though it’s unclear if she’ll be playing the high school sweetheart he’s married to in real life). One certainly wonders which basketball players LeBron has asked so far? Kobe Bryant? Michael Jordan? Perhaps some other of his team mates from the Lakers?

LeBron James still has time to recruit more players for Space Jam 2 and we hope he does! The movie is set to be released on July 16, 2021.

Zack Snyder's Response To Fans Wanting A Justice League Snyder Cut

Zack Snyder's Response To Fans Wanting A Justice League Snyder Cut

When it was announced that Zack Snyder would be holding a three-day event screening his director's cuts, and holding Q&A sessions, you knew it was coming. Someone was going to ask about The Snyder Cut for Justice League. In this case, they shouted about it, and Snyder didn't have much of a response -- other than to nod and drop a line about "subversion." Here's a transcript of the conversation, with a video below so you can hear for yourself:

Audience member: You probably have the most director's cuts out of most Hollywood directors, so congratulations on that, because that's...

Zack Snyder: I don't know if that's a good thing or not.

Audience member: No, well you definitely fight for your visions, and that's definitely inspiring to the artists that want to get out there, so, you know, hopefully that tradition continues on in the future.

Zack Snyder: I hope so, too. [turns to Debbie Snyder] Is that right? Is it right to hope for that? I guess...

Another audience member: Release the Snyder Cut!

[The audience applauds]

Zack Snyder: [nods in acknowledgment] I see. Subversion. It's fine.

Some fans thought they heard him say "some version" instead of subversion, thinking he meant to release some version of Justice League. But it sounds like he was making a joke about fans being subversive, to undermine the authority of Warner Bros. and push for his director's cut on Justice League.

Here's a video from Twitter so you can watch and listen for yourself.

The "I hope so too" -- and the way he said it -- to me, that said the most. I'm kind of surprised he didn't take that moment to thank the passionate fans for pushing for his vision of Justice League. They are the ones that still tweet #ReleaseTheSnyderCut. The Justice League cast would like to see Snyder's intended director's cut too; Jason Momoa said he was obsessed with the Snyder Cut and wanted to see it.

Zack Snyder ended up stepping away (or was forced away) as the director of Justice League due to a personal family tragedy. Joss Whedon took over for reshoots, and a lot changed from what Snyder had envisioned for the film -- and pretty much negated what he had planned to do next. The resulting Justice League film made a decent amount of money ($657,924,295 worldwide) but it didn't really make anyone happy.

Recently, one of Zack Snyder's longtime collaborators, photographer Clay Enos, said what happened with Justice League would "go down in film history as some sort of terrible wrong that can be righted, creatively." He said we need a cultural shift that prioritizes auteur filmmaking from director's with a specific vision.

It does seem like Warner Bros./DC may have learned some lessons after the frustrations of Justice League. They found a hit with James Wan's $1 billion Aquaman and look to have a crowd-pleaser with Shazam! Word is, Warner Bros. is shying away from the shared universe to focus more on individual stories and director's visions. So some good seems to be coming out of the whole mess.

Wait, Does Bond 25 Not Have A Script?

Wait, Does Bond 25 Not Have A Script?

Yesterday James Bond fans were treated to a major reveal event online which presented the cast of the upcoming 25th James Bond film. We saw who was returning to the franchise, including, of course, Daniel Craig, in the lead role. We also saw some brand new faces, such as Rami Malek who will play the unnamed film's unnamed villain. However, while everything appears to be ready to rock for the new movie, a new report claims the movie is about to get underway without a completed script.

The report comes from Page Six an it cites and unnamed source, "close to Bond 25" that says the reason that we didn't get a title for the new Bond movie as part of yesterday's reveal is that there isn't one, and also, there's no script. It seems that the plot synopsis that was given, which sees the film open with James Bond retired in Jamaica, is set, but what exactly happens after that isn't exactly clear.

It's certainly no secret that the latest Bond movie has had some issues when it comes to the script. The first script for the movie was written by John Hodge when Danny Boyle was going to direct the movie. However, when Boyle left the production, that script was thrown out.

The script was then given back to Neal Purvis and Robert Wade, who have been responsible for the last several James Bond scripts, including all of them during Daniel Craig's tenure as the character.

However, it seems that whatever Purvis and Wade came up with wasn't quite what people were looking for either, as Scott Z. Burns, a noted script doctor, was reportedly brought in overhaul the story.

As part of yesterday's reveal, it was confirmed that Neal Purvis, Robert Wade, and Scott Z Burns, all have writing credits on the new script. It also adds a fourth name that was recently announced Phoebe Waller-Bridge. It seems Daniel Craig himself has brought in Waller-Bridge at the last minute to add some wit to the story..

Bond 25 has already seen its release date pushed back once and it's difficult to imagine that the big casting reveal would have taken place yesterday if everybody involved wasn't at least confident enough in the information that was shared. That means it's unlikely the story is going to change so much that anybody who was announced as being in the movie won't actually be in the movie.

It's certainly possible that there are some questions in the script and that it isn't technically "final," but lots of films go through changes while shooting and it would be a mistake to read too much into that.

Considering that we're dealing with unnamed sources with mysterious connections to the production, it's hard to be particularly confident in this report.

If there is truth to this, we could see the new film's production get delayed once again, or see it potentially take much longer than anticipated to film. If neither of those things happen, then it would seem that whatever issues the script might be having, they're not all that important.

Jared Leto 'Definitely' Wants To Play The Joker Again

Jared Leto 'Definitely' Wants To Play The Joker Again

DC has two hits in a row with Aquaman and Shazam! both scoring positive reviews and nice box office totals. The next film to hit theaters will be Joker, an alternate take on the classic villain that's entirely divorced from the DCEU. That means that the film, which stars Joaquin Phoenix, will have nothing to do with the Joker played by Jared Leto. The future of Leto's Joker is pretty up in the air right now, but as far as the actor is concerned, he's down to clown whenever.

Jared Leto's take on the Joker has appeared so far in just one movie: Suicide Squad. The film was hit with negative reviews, many of which took issue with Leto's performance. Both critics and fans have had issues with the version of the Joker, from his controversial face tattoos to his odd acting choices.

Ultimately, several scenes featuring the Joker were cut, and it's been unclear what the future holds for character after he was poorly received. Despite the bad reception, Jared Leto wouldn't turn down a chance to play the character again.

I would definitely play the Joker again. It all depends on the script and the circumstances, as it always does.

Though it depends on a few factors, Leto told Variety that he would definitely return as the Joker if the stars aligned in just the right way.

While there were rumors that Jared Leto's Joker would get his own standalone film, that doesn't seem to be in the cards anymore. However, he's been rumored to appear in the upcoming Birds of Prey movie that features Margot Robbie's Harley Quinn. So, could he be back for that? Leto isn't quite sure.

I don't think so, but you have to ask them.

Either he's been purposefully cagey to hide spoilers or we genuinely shouldn't expect to see the Joker in Birds of Prey (which I am okay with). Either way, Jared Leto doesn't seem to mind much which film he's in. He had a great time filming the Joker in Suicide Squad and he thinks it's a real great time to be excited by superhero movies.

I loved it. I love these films because they get people excited to go to the movies again, or just period, I don't know about again. So I think that's a miracle. Five, 10 years ago, I don't know if we thought there would be people this excited to go to the movies this weekend. So I think that's a celebration. It created a mythology that people love, and the actors are phenomenal. I mean, I'm all in. I love it. I think it's a blast.

He's definitely right about how superhero movies are attracting large crowds to the theater. Avengers: Endgame is the ultimate proof of that and you can't blame Jared Leto for wanting to be a part of something so large.

It's cool that Jared Leto is still upbeat about his experiences as the Joker, considering the online reaction to both his performance and the movie itself. It's unclear if Leto will get a second chance, but he's currently busy filming another superhero movie with the Sony/Marvel film Morbius. Stick with CinemaBlend and we'll keep you updated on all the latest news.

Aladdin’s Will Smith Really Wanted To Pay Homage To Robin Williams

Aladdin’s Will Smith Really Wanted To Pay Homage To Robin Williams

It’s been a while since Will’s Smith musical career was as hot as his acting gigs, so it would be easy to forget the man’s capable of bringing a lot to the table in the way of music. In the case of Disney’s live action Aladdin, Smith has revealed that it was through the movie’s musical components that he was able to channel and pay homage to late actor Robin Williams.

Previously, Will Smith has talked about how he was able to lend a hip-hop influence to songs like “Friend Like Me,” but in a recent interview he took this explanation further, explaining how playing with the BPM range allowed for both his vision and Robin Williams’ original to shine through. He said:

The music was really how I saw my way in to be able to play the Genie. That first day messing around with ‘Friend Like Me,’ I noticed that it was in the BPM range of old-school hip-hop. So when I started playing with it, it was like, ‘Oh man — this really lends itself to a tempo and a flavor that I really understand.’ And that showed me how I could pay homage to Robin and not change the songs so much, so people would have the nostalgic value, but then also be able to come with my own flavor.

Of course Robin Williams’ version has a lot of energy and enthusiasm. It’s a big number and it even won a nod for best song at the 65th Academy Awards, so it's no real surprise Will Smith would tell Variety that he looked at the iconic performance and what it did while he was crafting his own version. But first, here's the Williams version:

Along with the in-movie song, a separate rap version with DJ Khaled is incorporated into the end credits of Aladdin. Will Smith also brings his own energy to the performance, as he has shown to the press in the weeks leading into Aladdin.

The original animated Aladdin was one of Robin Williams’ most notable performances, winning awards and nods when it came out back in 1992. With Disney remaking a lot of its live action properties, it was only a matter of time before Aladdin got the call.

It would have taken a pretty special performer to even try to measure up to the voice work Robin Williams put in. Of the choices, Will Smith is a big, bold personality with his own ideas.

Related: In Defense Of Will Smith’s Big, Blue Genie In Aladdin

Will Smith has also mentioned that he almost said no to taking on the role, specifically because Robin Williams knocked it out of the park when he played the Genie nearly thirty years ago. Ultimately, the hip-hop narrative is what drove the actor to say “yes” and the rest is history.

The kind of history that makes $86 million domestically and $207 million worldwide on opening weekend. It seems like people dig whatever Will Smith and co. are doing.

John Wick 3's Big Spoiler Scene Caused A Bunch Of Challenges

John Wick 3's Big Spoiler Scene Caused A Bunch Of Challenges

The following contains spoilers for John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum.

The newest installment of the John Wick franchise once again puts the title character through hell. He's set upon by another army of assassins trying to kill him and he must fight them off almost entirely alone, and while Wick has proven resilient, he hasn't made it this far without some scars. However, the biggest injury John Wick has yet sustained comes in John Wick Chapter 3 - Parabellum, and it's an injury that caused problems not just for the character, but also the production of the movie itself.

Without diving too deep into spoiler territory, John Wick sustains a serious injury to his left hand, one that required the use of CGI in order to recreate the damage any time you saw Keanu Reeves left hand throughout the rest of the movie.

The problem is that Keanu Reeves is left-handed, which meant that a not insignificant amount of money was going to need to be spent on CGI for the new movie because you were going to be seeing that hand a lot. According to director Chad Stahelski...

No one creatively saw a problem with it, but it comes down to a simple matter of financials. Without giving away the spoiler, you saw it; you know what he does. That’s on his lead hand. You have a left-handed actor who’s just deformed his left hand and that left hand is in every shot of the third act of the movie. VFX wise, there’s a cost associated with that. There’s logistical problems and practical filming that are associated with that. The studio does their job of questioning my visions and my methods to see if I really like it

It seems that Lionsgate, the studio behind the John Wick franchise, had to at least ask the director if this decision was really a necessary one. While it was understood from a story perspective, movies are a commercial venture after all, and so cost is always going to be a concern. According to THR, The director apparently had to make concessions in the budget in other places in order to make sure the money was there to handle the CGI costs.

For whatever it's worth, odds are that the studio probably doesn't mind the additional CGI costs as much right now. John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum had the biggest opening in the franchise history this past weekend, and a fourth film has already been green lit. Of course, most of John Wick: Chapter 4 is going to be that much more expensive because the injury in question won't be healing in the next movie, so the next film will need to use CGI for the entire run.

John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum is in theaters now.

Bruce Campbell Is Playing Evil Dead’s Ash Again, But Not How You’d Think

Bruce Campbell Is Playing Evil Dead’s Ash Again, But Not How You’d Think

Heroes may come and go, but only the most resilient find their way back to the danger. Just ask Bruce Campbell, as his most famous role as the Evil Dead franchise’s Ash Williams is one that’s waxed and waned like our fickle moon. And just when everyone thought he was gone for good, Ash is about to saddle up for action yet again. Only this time, it’s going to be in another realm he’s not unfamiliar with: the world of video games.

Despite Campbell, for the most part, retiring the role of Evil Dead’s Ash Williams after the cancelation of Ash vs. Evil Dead, it looks like he’ll be strapping on the chainsaw again for the multi-platform game, Dead By Daylight. Currently available on PC, Playstation 4, and Xbox One, the concept of the game is very much an Evil Dead inspired affair.

With the objective of the game being that the four survivors in play must repair the required number of emergency generators that will allow for their escape, it’s already terra firma for the man who survived three films, three seasons of his own TV show, and various comic book appearances. The similarities only increase in Dead By Daylight’s gameplay when it’s hindered by the fact that there’s one player hunting those survivors as the killer, whose objective is to clear the board in vicious, bloody fashion. And, you’ll get to play through it all, with the likeness and vocal stylings of Bruce Campbell being fully integrated into the game’s killer engine.

So, yeah, adding Ash Williams as a playable survivor is as good of an idea as when a previous Dead By Dayilght update brought fellow horror legend Laurie Strode to the game. If you’re one of those types that’s liable to want to cross over famous franchises such as Halloween and Evil Dead, this news from Variety just gave you further incentive to go out and buy yourself a copy. Unless you’re a Nintendo Switch owner, in which case you’ll have to wait until this fall. Still, it’s pretty exciting news.

Though he’s had plenty of video game adventures of his own on various console generations, seeing Ash Williams heading to Dead By Daylight so soon after being told we would probably never see or hear from him again has us hopeful. Should this recent offering in a long line of famous franchise themed DLC sell like hotcakes, maybe there’s a possibility that Bruce Campbell could snag an Evil Dead themed game franchise as previously promised; which opens up a pathway for him to rope dear friend and series creator Sam Raimi back in to tell more stories in that particular sandbox. It’s far from a given, but fans can dream, can’t they?

If you’re looking to try out Dead By Daylight’s latest, boomstick toting survivor, and just happen to be at the PAX East convention this weekend, stop by their booth and hail to the king! Otherwise, the DLC featuring Ash Williams will be available on April 2nd.

Bond 25, An Updated Cast List

Bond 25, An Updated Cast List

It’s hard to believe it has been four years since Spectre came out in theaters and it will be five years before the still-untitled Bond 25 comes out. For a short while we were on a fairly steady diet of Daniel Craig movies, with Skyfall and Spectre coming out three years apart and Casino Royale and Quantum of Solace coming out two years apart.

However, there was a four-year gap between Quantum of Solace and Skyfall, so I suppose we shouldn’t fret too much about Bond 25 and how long it is taking to come together. On that note, casting is finally a reality for the new movie, which will bring Daniel Craig back, assumedly for the last time.

If you are as pumped for the still-untitled Bond 25 as we are, be sure to check out our updated cast list below and check back for new add-ons to the cast and more.

Daniel Craig as James Bond

Yes, Daniel Craig is game for at least one more round as the famous British agent 007. The actor was confirmed to be returning in July of 2017 and has been allegedly working out like a fiend since then in order to whip himself into shape for his final hurrah.

He has said it should be his last time playing the iconic character and he would be open to any gender or race taking over the role.

Rami Malek as The Villain

Following his star-making turn as Freddie Mercury, the Mr. Robot actor will be joining the Bond franchise in a currently-unnamed villainous role. He’s already spoken to fans with a first message about his inclusion into the cast.

Due to the fact the movie will be filming in Jamaica like Dr. No, some have speculated his character will be somehow related to that character or flick, but this has currently in no way, shape or form been confirmed. Stay tuned.

Jeffrey Wright as Felix Leiter

That’s “Wright,” the fan-favorite Westworld actor is returning to the Bond fold to play Felix Leiter in Bond 25. Like Rami Malek, this had been speculated for a while.

However, Barbara Broccoli and co. recently confirmed Jeffrey Wright’s return for the first time since he appeared in Quantum of Solace (in a role that was ultimately cut down). Bond’s friend is mentioned in Spectre and he’ll be back in this next film.

Ralph Fiennes as M

Taking over for the former M played by Judi Dench, this M’s full name is Lieutenant Colonel Gareth Mallory. We know this because he was originally introduced in Skyfall as the head of the Intelligence and Security Committee.

He’ll be back in Bond 25, although a month ago he said he still didn’t have any details on the movie. Ultimately, M won’t be the only MI6 character to be returning, either.

Naomie Harris as Moneypenny

Miss Moneypenny is an iconic Bond character. In Daniel Craig’s version, she’s been given the first name Eve and has been played by Naomie Harris since 2012.

Her version was given some backstory in which she was once a field agent. She messes up royally in Skyfall during a mission in Istanbul and later is given desk work, but has occasionally taken on field work since. When last we saw her she was back in the office, so we’ll have to wait and see where Bond 25 goes, particularly given the flick is shooting in Jamaica.

Lea Seydoux as Madeleine Swann

Madeleine Swann, or rather Dr. Madeleine Swann, is the daughter of Mr. White, a member of SPECTRE. She had grown up resenting her father for his criminal dealings and it was those dealings that led James Bond to her.

She first pops up in – you likely guessed it – Spectre, and although she shares some “moments” with Bond, she has said in interviews that she doesn’t really feel like a stereotypical Bond girl. This is likely one of the reasons she’ll be back for another round.

Ben Whishaw as Q

Q and Daniel Craig’s Bond meeting for the first time is a highlight of Skyfall as the older British Agent realizes he will be dealing with a veritable youngster as his new quartermaster.

These days, Whishaw is nearing 40 (!) and is very much a major part of the Bond franchise popping in to confirm pieces of information and more. He’ll be a welcome face when he comes back for Bond 25.

Rory Kinnear as Tanner

Rory Kinnear’s big claim to fame in this franchise is playing the youngest version of Bill Tanner to exist.

Tanner is M’s Chief of Staff and Kinnear’s version first popped up in Quantum of Solace. These days, Bill Tanner is a regular fixture in Bond films, or at least this iteration of Bond films.

Dali Benssalah

A French actor known for the Nox miniseries and Interrail, Dali Benssalah was confirmed to be joining the franchise during a recent press event for Bond 25.

We currently do not have details on who the actor will be playing.

Ana De Armas

Like Dali Benssalah, Ana De Armas will be a newcomer in the Bond universe. The Cuban actress has been an actress for the past decade, more recently appearing in Hollywood movie projects like Blade Runner 2049 and War Dogs. She’ll next pop up in Danny Boyle’s highly-anticipated Yesterday and Daniel Craig's upcoming flick Knives Out.

In Bond 25 she looks as if she's set to appear as a Bond girl. More details to come.

Lashana Lynch

Captain Marvel’s Lashana Lynch is also joining Bond 25.

We don’t know who she will be playing, but jumping from Marvel to Bond is not a bad franchise hop.

Billy Magnussen

Game Night’s Billy Magnussen hops genres and projects all the time. He’s done comedy, as evidenced. He’s also played princes in the likes of Into The Woods and the upcoming Aladdin and he’s been involved in plenty of TV projects from Black Mirror to Tell Me A Story.

Now, he’ll be joining Bond 25. My vote is as a henchman. He just looks henchman-esque. We’ll have to wait and see though.

David Dencik

Our final entry so far is David Dencik, a Swedish actor known for The Snowman and TV’s Rig 45 and Quicksand.

He’ll be joining Bond 25 in a currently unnamed role.

As for rumors about Bond 25, there have been some suggestions the movie will also bring back returning characters like Blofeld back to wrap up this era of 007. We’ll be sure to confirm as soon as Barbara Broccoli and the studio does. For now please put this one squarely in the rumor mill.

Bond 25, which by then should have a title, will officially hit theaters on April 8, 2020. For now, take a look at what is heading to theaters with our full movies release date schedule.