Disney's Bob Iger Is Taking A Major Pay Cut Ahead Of Fox Merger

Disney's Bob Iger Is Taking A Major Pay Cut Ahead Of Fox Merger

Among the many things Mickey has in store for his Thanos-like quest for universal domination in 2019 is the closure of Disney’s purchase of 21st Century Fox. Pending any unforeseen complications, all signs point towards that deal closing sometime this year. With that merger looming, the head of the Mouse House, Disney CEO and Chairman Bob Iger, is taking a major pay cut.

Disney has adjusted Bob Iger’s compensation in a way that drastically reduces the potential pay he would have made upon the closing of the Fox deal, according to Deadline. A $500,000 annual increase has been eliminated and Bob Iger’s base salary will remain at $3 million. Also being cut is an annual $8 million increase in Iger’s annual target bonus. That potential bonus will remain at $12 million.

A long-term incentive award for the chairman has also been reduced by $5 million a year from $25 million to $20 million. Factoring in all the cuts and reductions to bonuses, Bob Iger’s potential annual pay will be reduced by up to $13.5 million. In a statement Bob Iger seemed to indicate that the reduction in his pay was a decision that he and the company came to together. He said:

I am proud to be leading The Walt Disney Company through this important time and believe the changes I, with the Board, have made are in the best interest of the company.

It seems that this pay cut was the result of mutual decision made between the CEO and Disney’s board to better position Disney for success and profitability for shareholders during this transitional period when the company has so much going on.

I think we can all agree that $13.5 million is no small amount to lose out on, but try not to feel too bad for Bob Iger. He is still one of the highest-paid executives in the industry. He made $65.7 million in 2018, an 80% increase over 2017. That included a stock grant that was an incentive for him to stay with Disney until 2021, beyond his planned retirement date to help shepherd the company through the Fox deal.

Bob Iger also received a stock award as a part of the Fox deal, valued at $35.35 million with the potential to increase to as high as $149.6 million when the deal closes and if the company performs.

Although no specific reasoning was given for Bob Iger’s reduced compensation in Disney’s SEC filing, in the company’s annual shareholder meeting last year, a majority of shareholders voted against Disney’s plan for executive compensation. At the time, the board said that it would take the vote under advisement for future decisions about CEO compensation, according to CNBC. This move comes in advance of Disney’s next annual shareholder meeting, which will be held on March 7.

Reduced pay or not, this is a big year for Bob Iger and Disney, and one that could cement the former’s legacy and set up the latter’s future for years to come. The $71.3 billion purchase of 21st Century Fox expected to close in the first half of the year, thus changing the entertainment landscape and giving Disney even more firepower at the box office. 2019 will also see the launch of the Disney+ streaming service and the addition of Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge to Disney’s theme parks, not to mention the slew of massive Disney movies headed to theaters.

Check out our 2019 release schedule to keep track of all of this year’s biggest movies.

The 10 Best Jennifer Lawrence Movies, Ranked

The 10 Best Jennifer Lawrence Movies, Ranked

Ten years ago, Jennifer Lawrence was a supporting actress on the short-lived TBS sitcom The Bill Engvall Show. Nowadays, however, the mega-famous celebrity is an Academy Award-winning superstar, who has shown her talents in blockbusters and prestige flicks alike. It's a remarkable journey that has found the talented superstar headlining no shortage of commendable, noteworthy films throughout a varied and exceptional cinematic career. It's one that will continue with her latest work in Dark Phoenix, which will be making its way into theaters and IMAX screens this weekend.

While Jennifer Lawrence has only been seen in a handful of movies these past few years, it's remarkable how many of these films have gone to to be acclaimed, distinctive achievements or pop culture phenomenons. Sometimes both! Today, I'm ranking my personal favorite Jennifer Lawrence movies, placing them in order of personal preference. There are a few that missed the cut, like Passengers and Red Sparrow, for instance. And no doubt a few of these picks might be a bit different than yours, depending on how you feel about certain titles. Nevertheless, here's the official ranking!

Joy

In their third collaboration, Joy, David O. Russell and Jennifer Lawrence brought a loose retelling of the life story of Joy Mangano, a self-made woman who went from humble beginnings to a millionaire empire, to the big screen. The results were mixed, notably compared to their other collaborations together. But while the film is flawed, to say the least, it does have the distinction of boosting yet another exceptional Jennifer Lawrence performance.

After playing the second lead in Silver Linings Playbook and a memorable supporting character in American Hustle, Jennifer Lawrence is finally (and rightfully) given the center stage in this David O. Russell joint, and she definitely makes the most of it. Filled with the passion and indignation that was seen throughout her performances, Lawrence finds herself providing another powerhouse display, even if the movie itself fumbles to make the most of this top-tier performance. Not every movie can be a winner, but this intriguing, occasionally commanding film is benefited greatly by Jennifer Lawrence.

The Hunger Games

In the movie that turned Jennifer Lawrence from arthouse darling to movie superstar, The Hunger Games is certain a prominent and prosperous film on Jennifer Lawrence's resume. The actress was given a dystopian franchise that could've easily fizzled out from the public's conscious the way so many franchise non-starters do. But through her weighted, emotionally-resonant performance, Lawrence helped transport the ambitious franchise-starter into a bonafide box office hit.

As Katniss Everdeen, Jennifer Lawrence brought an honest emotional sincerity to the role that came from her experience of working with intense emotional dramas. That resonance helped the series become grounded and honesty in a way that most science-fiction franchises aren't. It's through those commendable talents that Lawrence was able to excel and become one of the biggest movie stars in the film business today.

X-Men: First Class

Shortly before she set the world on fire with The Hunger Games, Jennifer Lawrence got her first taste of blockbuster filmmaking when she took on the role of Mystique in the rebooted X-Men franchise-starter, X-Men: First Class. As the morphing blue mutant, one who's an adoptive sister to Charles Xavier (James McAvoy), there is no doubt that this version of the character was set to play a huge part in the retooled X-Men franchise. Sure enough, it's safe to presume that nobody involved with the film really knew just how big and famous JLaw would get in a short amount of time.

While Jennifer Lawrence's heart never seemed to be fully invested in this series after this introductory installment, Jennifer Lawrence's take on the character provided audiences with a more rich, layered take on the standout X-Men character. Allowing us to the see the emotions and depths that were often only hinted at with Mystique during the first three X-Men films prior, this new take on the character was a gentler, more sympathetic version, and that is often thanks to Jennifer Lawrence's emotional talents as an actress. These talents would shine ever brighter throughout other films in her career.

X-Men: Days Of Future Past

The X-Men series has always been on wobbly ground. For every rise, there is inevitably a fall. For every film that's on the level of X2, there's typically an X-Men: The Last Stand or X-Men Origins: Wolverine that trails behind it, shattering the potential of this superhero series. Nevertheless, after a promising start of a new, retooled franchise with X-Men: First Class, the Marvel comic property was finally brought back to its former exhilarating heights with the exceptional crossover event, X-Men: Days of Future Past.

Through this movie, which blended the high caliber talents of the new cast with the established excellence of Hugh Jackman, Ian McKellen and Patrick Stewart, to name a few, the result is a series rejuvenator that could've easily been a huge hulking mess, but one that actually turned out to be one of the most surprising and beneficial superhero blockbusters in recent memory. Filled with great action, compelling stakes and a great roaster of talent, it's an exceptional installment in the X-Men universe, and it's quite possibly the last good-to-great film we'll see with these characters in quite awhile.

The only real reason why I'm ranking it a bit lower here is because, ultimately, the film is good, but it's not the best showcase of Jennifer Lawrence's talents. It's apparent throughout the film that her heart isn't really in the series as much anymore, and while that doesn't mean her performance is bad, it doesn't have the same compelling range as some of her other, better work, seen prominently and exceptionally throughout a number of titles listed in this article. In any case, while it's not a great Jennifer Lawrence film, it's still one the best movies to feature the actress, if that ultimately makes sense.

Winter's Bone

For many folks, including myself, Debra Granik's somber, harrowing independent film Winter's Bone was their first introduction to Jennifer Lawrence. The young actress was still in her late teens when she played the lead role of Ree, an impoverished, head-strong young woman living hastily in the Ozark Mountains while also trying to track down her drug-dealing father to prevent her family from being evicted. Though the film is definitely very minor in scope, it had a monumental impact on her early career. Specifically, the small Sundance title went on to receive four Oscar nominations, including a Best Actress nomination for Jennifer Lawrence, and it introduced Hollywood to this explosively talented young actress well on the rise.

Based on the book of the same name by Daniel Woodrell, Winter's Bone is an impressively sorrowful and powerful mediation on impoverishment and self sufficient under extreme devastation and economical decline. Yet, in a weird twist of fate, this tale of loss, poverty and misfortune paved the way for an incredible successful and lucrative career for Jennifer Lawrence, one that only continues to flourish with new projects. There's no denying that she is an exceptionally talented actress, and the proof was on the screen nearly 10 years ago when Lawrence came on the scene in Winter's Bone.

Like Crazy

In 2011, Jennifer Lawrence was already a young Oscar-nominated actress set to embark on her biggest, most prominent role to date as Katniss Everdeen in The Hunger Games saga. But in this transition period in her life, she was still an up-and-coming actress who was working in a number of independent titles, hoping to make it up the ropes just like every young actor and actress in Hollywood. In any case, even by the time Like Crazy made its way into theaters, it was a little surreal to see Jennifer Lawrence play a prominent supporting role in this intimate, small-scale romantic drama.

In writer-director Drake Doremus' tender, touching personal story, Jennifer Lawrence plays Samatha, a woman with whom our main male character, Jacob (the late Anton Yelchin), begins seeing shortly after his relationship to after his long-distance relationship with Anna (Felicity Jones), falls apart. In the broad scheme of the story, Samantha is ultimately a minor part —even though she's the third biggest character in the movie. It represents that brief window of time when Jennifer Lawrence was well-established and well-accredited, but just before the celebrity rose to international superstardom.

But in the limited role, Jennifer Lawrence's Sam gives Anton Yelchin's lovesick Jacob a small, yet loving, window into a more stable, dependable romantic relationship close to home, one that doesn't come with the aches, heartbreaks and baggage of a long-distance relationship. Ultimately, due to Jacob's heart bleeding elsewhere, the relationship doesn't last, and Lawrence conveys that sweetness and eventual sadness beautifully in this rare supporting turn.

The Hunger Games: Catching Fire

While The Hunger Games provided the backdrop to a compelling and prosperous YA film franchise, it wasn't until its stellar sequel, The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, that the series really lived up to this film's subtitle. Propelled by the commendable work of director Francis Lawrence, who took over the reins from Gary Ross, and boosted by a story with higher stakes, better action, stronger tension and greater dramatic potential, Catching Fire remains the strongest and more resilient installment of the series. It was the film where you could also see Jennifer Lawrence's acting talents take full flight.

With a higher budget, more wiggle room to evolve and elevated material that proved more world-expanding, greater challenges and more character development, The Hunger Games: Catching Fire does what every good sequel should: match or exceed what we've seen before and allow the series and the characters and the environments therein to bloom, mature and flourish in greater and more beneficial and compelling ways. In many ways, this sequel equals or exceeds the benefits of the first movie, and it's a shape that the following installments, Mockingjay - Part 1 and 2, couldn't match it.

American Hustle

Hot off the heels of Silver Linings Playbook, David O. Russell rounded up the talents of his proven stars, including Jennifer Lawrence and Bradley Cooper, and provided audiences with another sizzling, sensational dramedy, American Hustle. The period piece is a splashier, more ritzy and stylishly-mimicking film, copying more than a few notes from Martin Scorsese's filmography. Yet, through the passionate and invigoration of its exceptional cast, the film is given a great amount of spry energy and enthusiasm. That's most certainly the case for Jennifer Lawrence's character, Rosalyn Rosenfeld.

In her Oscar-nominated performance, Jennifer Lawrence plays the role with a bold ferocity that nearly outmatches her work with David O. Russell's prior in Silver Lining Playbook, and it's certainly not for a lack of trying. While American Hustle doesn't live up to the same delirious heights as that previous film from the acclaimed filmmaker, it's still a stunning display of Lawrence's passionate talents. And it's another captivating performance from a performer who was near the top of the world at that point.

mother!

Though certainly divisive among both critics and general audiences, to say the least, Darren Aronofsky's visceral, allegorical horror-drama mother! is a spellbinding film. Filled with fraught tension, rigorous intensity and commendable craftsmanship, it is definitely not a conventional crowdpleaser, or any sort of crowdpleaser at all, and it doesn't work in everyone's favor. But for me, it remains not only one of Jennifer Lawrence's best films, but also one of the actress' greatest dramatic showcases to date.

Though the movie — at face value — is meant to be seen as a biblical retelling of humanity's disturbing relationship with mother nature, mother! is best seen as a high-stakes surrealist story that portrays the ego-driven, emotionally-disastrous home life of an artist who wants to be both world-renowned and romantically reserved, and how the folks who care most for the artist are the ones who often suffer the most. It's a brutal, unbecoming movie, and it is perhaps more for the arthouse crowd than the folks who like Jennifer Lawrence's blockbuster work. But if you have the stomach for what it dishes out, it's a gorgeously unsettling work of impassioned introspection — both intentional and otherwise.

But if you have the stomach for what it dishes out in excessive helpings, mother! is a gorgeously unsettling work of impassioned introspection — both intentional and otherwise. And Jennifer Lawerence's committed powerhouse performance often harkens back to Mia Farrow's iconic role in Rosemary's Baby. Strange, mysterious and often alluring, if you feel at home with something that's more messianic and unusual than your average theater visit, this is one that worth's seeking out.

Silver Linings Playbook

With writer-director David O. Russell's winning, wonderful Silver Linings Playbook, Jennifer Lawrence fully cemented herself as a great actress. While she had already proven her chops with Winter's Bone and The Hunger Games, it was in the role of Tiffany, the vivacious, yet deeply troubled, woman who serves as the mismatched match to Bradley Cooper's equally perturbed Pat, that ultimately won the actress her Academy Award. And it remains the role that best captures and displays all of Lawrence's multitudes of talents, capabilities and emotional prowess in one firecracker of a performance.

As she displays with a ferocity and tenacity of a young performer with a mountain of talent to prove, Jennifer Lawrence's award-winning performance is an exuberant, emotional, thunderous, rousing and brilliantly realized work of excellence. It's the type of heart-wrenching acting that commands the energy of a young performer while also containing the depths of an actress with an extraordinary future. Sure enough, that most certainly became true.

Jennifer Lawrence has become one of the most well-known and well-acclaimed young actresses in Hollywood, and it's thanks to a wealth talent as well as a great fortune of luck that she rose up into international super-fame. Watching her performance in Silver Linings Playbook, it's incredibly easy to see how that became possible. She is an astonishing actress with a wide range of dramatic heft and nuance, and while Silver Linings Playbook is one of her earliest performances in her blooming career, it does remain her most well-recognized and perhaps her most beloved performance as well. And that's more than a silver lining; that's a golden opportunity, and she took it and ran with it.

While there are some notable films on Jennifer Lawrence's resume that we didn't list, this collection of titles both big and small all help to display the exceptional talent of this incredible actress. And though it sounds like Jennifer Lawrence might be taking a bit of a recess from acting while she explores different things in her personal life, the actress has proven herself dedicated, assured, confident and commendable in many different ways. We hope to see even more rousing, brave and celebratory performances from this bright and acclaimed young actress in the not-too-distant future.

Avengers: Endgame Got An A+ CinemaScore, But How Would You Grade It?

Avengers: Endgame Got An A+ CinemaScore, But How Would You Grade It?

Avengers: Endgame is already on track to have the highest opening weekend in history, but money isn't the best judgement of quality. We already know that critics mostly loved the movie, giving it a 96% over on Rotten Tomatoes at this point. We here at CinemaBlend also loved the film, but what does the moviegoing audience think? That's where CinemaScore comes in and Avengers: Endgame is sitting at an extremely healthy A+.

For those who may not know, CinemaScore doesn't work the same way as other review aggregators like Rotten Tomatoes or Metacritic. Rather than give a movie a ranking based on reviews, CinemaScore polls the feelings of the audience. Audience members are surveyed outside the theater after their showing and assign the movie a grade from A+ to F.

In that sense, the results can be a little skewed, because people are surveyed right at the height of their hype (or lack thereof) and might feel differently after a little time. Generally, though, it's a good way to get a consensus on a movie.

In the case of Avengers: Endgame, audiences love the movie right now. The Marvel blockbuster sits at the highest possible ranking of A+. CinemaScore doesn't usually go into much more detail than that, but there's plenty to love in Marvel's latest.

The score is pretty comparable to the rest of the MCU's 22 film library. The vast majority of the films got some version of an A grade. However, the only other movies that have an A+ are The Avengers and Black Panther, so Endgame is part of a select club within the MCU.

Interestingly enough, the only MCU to not have an A grade at all is the very first Thor movie, which has a B+. Not even The Incredible Hulk and Iron Man 2, generally agreed to be two of the worst MCU films, have lower than an A-.

So, people generally really love MCU movies, but only a few ever get the highest ranking. However, we want to know what YOU think of Avengers: Endgame. The movie is a finale and those tend to be divisive, but it seems like people are on the same page with Endgame.

Taking a page from CinemaScore, we've put together a poll ranking the movie based on the aggregator's ranking system. Just click the score you think applies to Endgame and we'll see were it goes. My own ranking is in the A to A+ category, but don't let me sway you.

If you haven't seen it already, Avengers: Endgame is in theaters right now and currently dominating everything in its path. For more on the hit blockbuster, be sure to visit CinemaBlend where we will continue to update you on Endgame, from its box office performance to our own questions about the movie.

Charlie's Angels: What We Know So Far

Charlie's Angels: What We Know So Far

It's no secret that this modern age of entertainment has seen remakes, reboots and re-imaginings of popular properties come and go with a speed that would leave many race car drivers dizzy. Pretty much any well-known TV show, movie, comic, book, etc has either already been re-adapted for the screen or is currently being considered for another go-round in movie or television form.

Now, it would seem that the time has come, once again, for Charlie's Angels to come back with a new cast and an updated twist on the premise that's been around in two TV shows and a previous movie franchise reboot that begin in 2000. So, let's jump right in and see what this latest version of the tale has in store for us!

When Is The Charlie's Angels Release Date?

Originally, Charlie's Angels was set to debut on November 1, 2019. As of late March of the same year, though, the movie was pushed a couple of weekends ahead to a November 15 release. So, why the change of just a couple of weeks? Well, the film's previous release date was set to put it up against the highly anticipated Terminator: Dark Fate, which will bring back both Linda Hamilton and Arnold Schwarzenegger for what's being billed as a proper sequel to 1991's Terminator 2: Judgement Day.

While Charlie's Angels might not necessarily be looking at the same target audience as Dark Fate, the studio behind the film is said to believe that it will have strong legs overseas, which tends to be true for big budget action movies like Dark Fate as well. It would seem that they're trying to give Charlie and his (her?) Angels some more breathing room at the box office, both domestically and internationally.

Right now, there are no other action / adventure movies debuting on November 15, but Frozen 2 will finally hit theaters the next weekend, so time will tell whether or not Charlie's Angels can gain and hold onto an audience.

What Is The Charlie's Angels Rating?

Movie edits are basically living, breathing entities that take on lives of their own. Well, ok, not really. But, the final edit of a movie that we end up seeing in theaters takes months to assemble, and can change, sometimes kind of a lot, up until a month or so away from the release date.

This means that, in every case, the MPAA waits until very near the release to bug studios about screening a finished cut of each film, so that what they watch and rate for us is actually the film that the filmmakers will be putting into theaters. As such, we won't know for sure what Charlie's Angels will be rated for quite some time yet, even though the movie is (as of late April 2019) listed as being in post-production, which is an indication that editing is already likely underway.

However, based on some previous comments about the tone of the new film, and what's come before, we can speculate. While the movie will be a comedy, star Kristen Stewart has said that it will lack the kitsch element that the Drew Barrymore films were fond of. Additionally, star and director Elizabeth Banks (more on her later) said while she was still developing the movie that she was working with the studio to see what would be right for Charlie's Angels, but was open to making it R-rated.

That said, both previous big screen installments were PG-13, but without that slightly silly element, we could see a Charlie's Angels that really kicks things up a notch and gives us an R-rated adventure.

What Is The Charlie's Angels Story?

After months of hearing reports of there being multiple Bosleys and the Townsend Agency going global, late April 2019 brought us some clearer information regarding the new film. First of all, this is not a remake of either the original 1970s show or the early '00s movies, but a continuation of the franchise that will expand upon what we've already seen. According to star Elizabeth Banks (who we'll get into more in a bit), Charlie's Angels will, in fact, feature a Townsend Agency that has grown a lot since we first saw Sabrina, Jill and Kelly go undercover and fight crime.

The success of that first agency has led to branches all over the world, which will, naturally, lead to there being many more than three Angels and multiple Bosleys (one of whom will be played by Elizabeth Banks). Part of the focus of the movie will be on these groups of Angels working together to take down the bad guys, with Banks saying that the action will be more grounded than what we saw in the Drew Barrymore / Lucy Liu / Cameron Diaz films, adding that team dynamics will likely remind audiences of those seen in more recent Mission: Impossible movies.

And, if you're worried there will be too many Angels involved for you to get to know any of them well, don't worry. This new tale will still see the story from the point of view of three main ladies, played by Kristen Stewart, Ella Balinska and Naomi Scott.

Who's Directing And Writing Charlie's Angels?

Back in the fall of 2015, when a new Charlie's Angels movie was just starting to get off the ground, actress Elizabeth Banks became attached as director. While she was mostly known for her work in a wide variety of comedies, she had just released her directorial debut with Pitch Perfect 2, which turned out well for her, as the movie was a hit with audiences and critics alike.

That success likely put her on Sony's radar for Charlie's Angels, and it seems that she had an idea for the movie that they loved as well, because not only did she nab the directing gig and get a part in the movie as one of the Bosleys, but she also stepped in to help write the script.

The screenplay has gone through a few writers at this point, including Evan Spiliotopoulos (Hercules), Pulitzer Prize winner David Auburn and the team of Doug Miro and Carlo Bernard, so it seems that Banks had a clearer idea of how to fulfill her desire to make the story matter and bring some richly developed characters to the screen.

Kristen Stewart - Sabina Wilson

Let's start with the most well-known of the main three Angels, shall we? And, this isn't just because Kristen Stewart's Sabina is described as being the team's leader. Apparently, when director / writer / co-star Elizabeth Banks decided to take on this project, one of the first things that came to her was the idea that the erstwhile Twilight star should be one of Charlie's Angels. Here's what she said at a recent luncheon during CinemaCon:

I’m somebody who believes that 90% of the job is casting. I mean, I’m an actor so of course I believe that [laughs]. But I really do believe that is key. I want to see from Robert Downey Jr. play Tony Stark; I don’t want to see anyone else do it. I want to see Kristen Stewart be a Charlie’s Angel and I didn’t want to see [anyone else do it.]

Well, that's simple enough. Once Banks had one Angel in mind, she just worked to convince Kristen Stewart that the film was one she should be a part of. Aside from being the group leader, the only other thing we know about Sabina is that she's good at partying. How that will help in her work as an Angel, I don't know, but Stewart has taken on a wide variety of intriguing roles since her time with the sparkly vamps of her youth, so there's no doubt that the role, and film as a whole appealed to her, and that she'll bring something cool to her work as Sabina.

Naomi Scott - Elena Houghlin

Next among our main Angels is Naomi Scott, who will be making her second blockbuster appearance just a few months before Charlie's Angels when she stars as Princess Jasmine in Disney's live action Aladdin. When Elizabeth Banks spoke about how she cast the other Angels, once she had Kristen Stewart on board, she noted that making sure she had actresses who could provide something very different from Stewart was important. Here's what Banks said about it during that same CinemaCon panel:

I wanted to give her other Angels that were not anything like her so that she could pull energy from and bounce off of and work off of. Because it’s the dynamism in the scenes that makes her really fun.

So, Banks wanted Scott's Elena, and the third Angel (who we'll talk about in a bit), to really provide a nice counterpoint to what Stewart was doing as Sabina. Scott, who also played the Pink Ranger in 2017's Power Rangers reboot (alongside Elizabeth Banks' Rita Repulsa) is said to be portraying the “heart of the movie,” and her character is also the science whiz of the group, so we'll see before long what kind of energy she brings to the role, and Charlie's Angels as a whole.

Ella Balinska - Jane Kano

To complete the main Angelic triangle, Ella Balinska will round out the cast as Jane Kano. All we know about Jane so far is that she's an ex-MI6 agent who's very skilled. Skilled at what, you might ask? Well, she survived a stint in MI-6, so I imagine she's skilled at lots of fancy spy-type things that will make her a wonderful addition to the Charlie's Angels team.

You can be forgiven for not having heard of Ella Balinska at this point, as the London-born actress has mostly worked in TV in her home country, and just got her first film credit in 2015. But, considering the effort that Elizabeth Banks has put into this project from the beginning, and her desire to have all the characters have depth and personality, there's no doubt that Balinska (and Jane) will help make the team great fun to watch.

Djimon Hounsou - Bosley

As was mentioned earlier, while there is a main team of Angels that we will follow as they attempt to foil some fiendish plot, the ladies will be working in conjunction with other groups of Angels. Because of this, the film will have multiple Bosleys, with the name now being used as a title within the much-expanded Townsend Agency. Right now, we only know for sure that the movie will have three of these characters, and Djimon Hounsou will be joining Elizabeth Banks in this role.

We don't know what city (or country) Hounsou's Angels will operate out of, but considering the actor's action-heavy resume, it's possible we might actually get to see him get in on some of the adventure. The two-time Oscar nominee has now been in some of the biggest blockbusters of all time, with his work being seen in Captain Marvel, Aquaman, Shazam! and Guardians of the Galaxy, along with films like In America, Gladiator, Furious 7 and the upcoming Kingsmen: The Great Game.

Patrick Stewart - Bosley

And now we come to Bosely number three, who will be portrayed by a man known for leading many a team of intrepid adventurers as they try to save the world. Patrick Stewart, probably best known either as Star Trek's Jean-Luc Picard or X-Men's Charles Xavier, looks to be rounding out our Bosley contingent for this iteration of Charlie's Angels.

Just like with the Bosley played by Djimon Hounsou, though, we don't know where Stewart's Bosley and his particular Angels will call home. And, while the acclaimed actor certainly has the gravitas to lead his Angels with Shakespearean class, it would be nice if his Bosley allowed Stewart to bring some of his daffy American Dad-esq tendencies to the role, just so we could get a different version of big screen leadership from Sir Patrick Stewart.

Noah Centineo - Langston

OK, everyone can go ahead and get really excited about Charlie's Angels now, because your favorite rom-com boyfriend, Noah Centineo, has a part in the film. Fittingly, the To All The Boys I've Loved Before star is rumored to be playing a character named Langston, the love interest of one of the Angels. While we don't know anything else about his character, my bet is on him either being totally in the dark about his potential love's line of work, or being a bad guy who's cozying up to the Angel in the hopes of getting info he shouldn't be able to get.

After breaking out on the Freeform show The Fosters, Centineo has quickly become known for his Netflix teen romantic comedies, which also include Sierra Burgess Is a Loser and The Perfect Date. He's currently filming the sequel for To All The Boys I've Loved Before, and recently confirmed that he'll be taking on the super-powered role of He-Man in the upcoming Masters of the Universe remake.

We just have a few months until Charlie's Angels hits theaters, so be sure to check back with this guide to get all the latest updates on the film!

Avengers: Endgame Made Even More In Its Opening Weekend Than We Thought

Avengers: Endgame Made Even More In Its Opening Weekend Than We Thought

It's hard to believe, but Avengers: Endgame is officially running in theaters, and blowing minds of the collective Marvel fandom. The Russo Brothers crafted an absolutely massive story, which was truly the cumulation of the last 21 movies ahead of it. Because of the high stakes and Marvel's long history in theaters, moviegoers have been running to theaters to see Endgame, and hopefully avoid any spoilers that might come first.

Since its release, Avengers: Endgame has been breaking box office records left and right, despite only being in theaters for less than a week. One of those records include the biggest opening night and weekend, as the masses assembled in theaters and some theaters included round the clock screenings. And it turns out the opening weekend made even more millions than we thought.

Originally, it was reported that Avengers: Endgame took home a whopping $350 million during its first weekend of showings, already recouping the cost of the massive blockbuster's budget. But turns out that Endgame made a few more millions, ultimately capping out at over $357 million in a matter of days.

This new numbers from Box Office Mojo further shows just how much moneymaking power Avengers: Endgame has. Every single installment in Phase Three has been a critical and box office success, and anticipation over Infinity War drove cinephiles to theaters. And when Josh Brolin's Thanos managed to snap half of all life out of existence, fans could barely stand the year-long wait before Endgame.

Avengers: Endgame's box office run should be a long one, as it's a dense movie that seems to invite multiple showings. The Russo Brothers included everything and the kitchen sink, including surprising cameos, references to past Marvel films, and a ton of breathtaking action. With so much in play, it's easy for you to miss moments on the first screening. So fans will be going to multiple screenings, and shelling out even more money over the next few weeks.

Related: Man Reportedly Beaten Outside Cinema For Shouting Avengers: Endgame Spoilers

The Marvel Cinematic Universe is great at serialized storytelling, but the massive franchise is even better at making money at the box office. And given the finale of Endgame, it should be interesting to see what the future has in store. There are certainly fans who will be eager for any/all new content, especially given Endgame's wild ending.

As for Marvel Studios' plans for the future, much of that currently remains a mystery. Spider-Man: Far From Home will arrive in theaters next, but the schedule for Phase Four hasn't been released. As such, it's unclear when the next movies will arrive in theaters, and give the House of Mouse the opportunity to make even more money at the box office.

Avengers: Endgame is in theaters now, and Spider-Man: Far From Home will follow up on July 5th. In the meantime, check out our 2019 release list to plan your next trip to the movies.

Chewbacca Actor Joonas Suotamo Pens Tribute To Peter Mayhew

Chewbacca Actor Joonas Suotamo Pens Tribute To Peter Mayhew

There’s a disturbance in the Force. The Star Wars family lost one of their own when the original Chewbacca, Peter Mayhew, died last week at 74. There’s since been an outpouring of love and homage paid to the actor who portrayed the lovable Wookie for almost 40 years.

Peter Mayhew’s apprentice, Joonas Suotamo, who shared the Chewbacca role with him in The Force Awakens before completely taking on the role for The Last Jedi, Solo: A Star Wars Story and The Rise of Skywalker, has joined in to pay tribute as well. Suotamo reminisced about working with the icon with these words:

We had a camp-like session together at [London's] Pinewood [Studios] for a week or so before we began filming The Force Awakens. We watched footage of the original movies and talked about Chewbacca's mannerisms, his nature, his attributes, his physical movements. It was the cocking of the head in a certain way, and also the proud chest of Chewbacca and the way the arms flail all over when he gets angry or excited. We talked a lot about all that.

Joonas Suotamo talked about the memorable time he shared with Peter Mayhew to The Hollywood Reporter when they worked together for the 2015 Star Wars film. It looks like Mayhew set up a Chewbacca boot camp of sorts for him to teach Suotamo how the character moves and acts – including to lead with the chest. Suotamo continued by describing how the actor felt about passing the character to him:

I think it was a tender situation for Peter because he'd been Chewbacca all his life, and to pass the baton — it's not easy. But I always told him, he's the original Chewbacca, and everything I would do was to pay homage to how he set up the character. He took it so well.

George Lucas cast Peter Mayhew for 1977’s A New Hope, and he reprised the role for the entire trilogy whilst keeping his other job at a hospital. Due to his love for the character (and Chewbacca’s global popularity), Mayhew made his living in the role and through public appearances. In a recent tribute, Lucas said he was “more like a Wookie than I originally imagined a Wookie to be.” Mayhew reprised the role in Revenge of the Sith among other reappearances.

Joonas Suotamo closed out his recent words about his Wookie mentor by saying:

Peter was always a very kind, very likable person who didn’t make a big deal about himself. He was quiet but very wise in his words — he chose his words carefully. And he was honest. The first time when I met with him, he told me I was too skinny to play a Wookiee. We laughed a lot about that. He was a giant man with a big heart.

This is so sweet! The two developed a great relationship and Joonas Suotamo got to get to know Peter Mayhew as he genuinely was. The new Chewbacca actor joined in tribute after Star Wars actors including Harrison Ford and Mark Hamill reacted to his passing. Mayhew died soon after suffering a heart attack and had undergone spinal surgery last year to improve his mobility. The actor was over seven feet tall due to a connective tissue disorder called Marfan Syndrome.

Joonas Suotamo was a Finnish basketball before taking on the role of Chewbacca, and he towers at 6'11''. He was approached while the search was on for a very tall man with blue eyes and the role fit the bill for him. Chewbacca will live on in Suotamo when he reprises the role in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker on December 20.

Toy Story 4 Producer Teases Woody Will Be Changed Big Time

Toy Story 4 Producer Teases Woody Will Be Changed Big Time

The journey of the first three Toy Story movies has certainly been emotional for the audience that has been along for the ride, but it's also been quite the journey for the characters as well. It's also one that's not quite over yet for Woody the cowboy. In the end, the Toy Story movies have really been all about Woody's journey. He's gone through major changes in the previous films, and now it looks like the biggest change of all may be coming in Toy Story 4.

While many have felt that Toy Story ended perfectly with its trilogy, the fact is that, for Woody, the third film ended with the biggest change yet to the character's life. He now has a completely different owner. It's all part of the larger story of change in Woody's life. As Toy Story 4 producer Jonas Rivera puts it...

All of these movies are about how Woody changes: From going selfish to selfless in the first one, the second one is him understanding that things don’t last forever. The third one is about letting go. These are big changes.

With such massive changes having taken place already, what could Toy Story 4 possibly add to the story? While Rivera isn't going into too many specifics, he tells THR that the return of Bo Peep into Woody's life will be the catalyst for another major change...

We thought, if we’re going to do this, we need to think about, ‘What is the biggest change?’ What if [his relationship with Bo] was the thing that really changed him?

Bo Peep disappeared after Toy Story 2, and was only briefly referenced in the third film. It's not made clear where she went or why, though those details have been revealed through footage in the new movie that was shown at CinemaCon. We know that Bo Peep had a very close relationship with Woody, so it's not surprising that her return would be important to him, but she's clearly been leading a very different life than he has these past several years, and that will seemingly influence Woody in some way.

Bo Peep was never a major part of the Toy Story films, even the ones that she was in. While the relationship between her and Woody was made clear, we'll certainly get a much stronger look at her as a character in Toy Story 4 than we ever have before. We've already seen in trailers that her life away has caused her to go through major changes, it's likely these changes which will then have an impact on Woody.

We also know that Woody won't start the story in quite the same place that we might expect. While the toys now have a new child as their owner, it doesn't mean that everything has simply returned to the status quo. As Jonas Rivera told me when I visited Pixar last month.

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.

I described my impression of Toy Story 4 to the director Josh Cooley as Woody's mid-life crisis story. It looks he will be dealing with some really conflicting emotions and begin to really consider what his life is all about. What is his true purpose as a toy and what does that mean, not only for the children, but for him personally.

Josh Cooley told me that Woody is suffering from something of an "empty nest" feeling. While Woody may be nothing more than a toy that Andy played with, in the context of the story his relationship to the boy is actually more like that of a parent. Having successfully protected and cared for Andy to the point where he moved away, Woody is now wondering what to do with the rest of his life, a life which, as far as we know, is essentially forever.

One thing that does seem quite clear is that Toy Story 3 certainly wasn't the ending that many of us thought it was. While it wrapped up Andy's story nicely, the movies were never about him. They were always about Woody. The next chapter actually makes Woody's story more interesting because so much in his life has already changed.

As somebody who likes, but doesn't love, the Toy Story franchise, I may be more excited for a fourth film than some, as I don't feel any sort of need to close the story down after a trilogy. As the Toy Story films have grown, they've matured with their audience. And now that the fans that fell in love with the first story as children may have children of their own, the new film looks to be telling a story very much geared toward the adults in the audience.

Not that there won't be plenty for younger viewers as well. Toy Story 4 is still looking like it's going to be a very funny movie, with new characters like Ducky, Bunny, and Forky that kids will almost certainly love. It's also got a plot outside of the serious grown-up themes, involving a villainous dolly named Gabby Gabby. Even if the kids don't "get" the broader themes for years, they'll likely still love this one.

Of course, when people change, those changes effect others, and one question nobody has asked is what Toy Story 4 means for other characters. Woody's best friend Buzz Lightyear will almost certainly have a part to play in what happens to Woody in this new film, but we've seen very little, beyond, some gags, of him in the trailers. One can only assume a major change to Woody will have repercussions.

All these questions will be answered soon. Toy Story 4 will be here before we know it, it's only a month away, debuting June 21.