How To See Rocketman Weeks Before Its Release

How To See Rocketman Weeks Before Its Release

The summer movie season, which started in earnest with Avengers: Endgame, is finally upon us and the month of May is stacked with movies. From franchise sequels and franchise starters, to remakes and buzzy indie flicks, there’s plenty you’re going to want to make time for to see in the theater. Luckily, you can see one of the month’s most anticipated titles, Dexter Fletcher’s Rocketman, weeks before its theatrical release date.

The Elton John biopic technically doesn’t release until May 31 opposite Godzilla: King of the Monsters, but Paramount Pictures and online ticketing service Fandango are teaming up to offer advance screenings of the film on May 18. That’s two weeks prior to its U.S. theatrical release date. So if you’ll be spending your weekend with the Titans or you just want to see Rocketman as soon as you can, these advance screenings are a great opportunity.

The advance screenings will be held at 400 theaters nationwide including the big chains like AMC Theatres, Regal, Cinemark, Arclight Cinemas and others. The advance screenings for Rocketman are Fandango exclusives and are available to its VIP Rewards program members. You can get your tickets for these screenings through Fandango now.

In a statement reported by THR, Fandango’s president Paul Yanover referenced the success of the company’s previous Early Access Screenings for films like How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World and Shazam! and how they helped generate buzz for those titles. These advance screenings may already have some buzz to start with considering that the May 18 advance screening date is a mere two days after Rocketman premieres out of competition at the Cannes Film Festival.

Rocketman certainly has the makings of a movie that could make a splash at Cannes and go on to be a crowd-pleaser at the box office. Last year, two other music films, A Star is Born and Bohemian Rhapsody, both racked up critical acclaim and became huge successes financially. And like Bohemian Rhapsody, this film will benefit from a catalog of recognizable songs audiences will want to hear in theaters.

Dexter Fletcher actually finished Bohemian Rhapsody after Bryan Singer was fired, so it will be interesting to see what he can do with another musical icon when the film is his from start to finish. The musical fantasy element is also very intriguing and the fact that Taron Egerton is actually doing all the singing in the film gives it must-see performance potential.

Rocketman follows Elton John’s personal and professional journey in his breakthrough years as he went from the shy Reginald Dwight into the flamboyant musical superstar Elton John. Starring alongside Taron Egerton in the film are Bryce Dallas Howard, Richard Madden and Jamie Bell.

Fandango's advance screenings of Rocketman are on May 18, followed by its theatrical release on May 31. Check out our 2019 Release Schedule to keep track of all of this summer’s biggest movies.

Upcoming Disney Movies: Full List Of Titles And Release Dates

Upcoming Disney Movies: Full List Of Titles And Release Dates

Disney has had some of the biggest box office years of any studio in the history of time over the last few years. While the studio only has a handful of films planned for 2019, almost every single one of them is poised to be a major blockbuster. And then, of course, there's everything they have planned after that.

Between all the different studios that Disney owns, and with another having recently joined them, there's a nearly endless stream of movies planned for the rest of this decade. Here is everything currently on the official Disney release calendar, animated, live-action, comic book, and science fiction, even a documentary just to balance things out. This is your one-stop shop for all things Disney, including upcoming Fox projects.. Here's everything that has to yet to be released by the House of Mouse.

Aladdin

Release Date: May 24, 2019

Early looks at Aladdin had a lot of people worried. Whether it was Will Smith's Genie not being blue or the Genie being a little strange looking while being blue, fans of the animated original were less than thrilled. With the release of the first trailer, the fear seems to have largely calmed down. Considering how popular the original movie is, you can be sure Disney has high expectations for this one.

Dark Phoenix

Release Date: June 7, 2019

The X-Men haven't joined the Marvel Cinematic Universe quite yet, but the final movie in the current franchise will technically be released by Disney now that Fox is owned by the Mouse House. This one has seen several delays, making many wonder just how good it will be, but it seems we'll finally find out in June.

Toy Story 4

Release Date: June 21, 2019

Many would consider the first three Toy Story movies one of the finest trilogies in recent memory. The mere idea of a fourth film sends people into cold sweats, and yet, that film will be here soon. The story will see Woody reunited with his old flame Bo Peep as he and new friend Forky try to get back to Bonnie. The film appears to deal with questions of identity and purpose. There may be something left for this franchise to say after all.

Spider-Man: Far From Home (Sony Produced MCU Movie)

Release Date: July 5, 2019

Technically, Spider-Man: Far From Home isn't a Disney movie, but rather a Sony film. However, since it's still part of the marvel Cinematic Universe, and that's all Disney, we're going to include it here. Exactly how Spider-Man will make it from the end of Avengers: Infinity War to here we don't yet know, but however it works, it will see Peter Parker visiting Europe with school friends, where he'll be pressed into service by Nick Fury.

Stuber

Release Date: July 12, 2019

Another of the new "Disney" releases, by virtue of the fact that they own Fox, Stuber is a comedy that will follow Kumail Najiani as an Uber driver who gets caught up in the work of a cop chasing a killer. It looks like a pretty funny movie that will allow Dave Bautista (the cop) to show off his humorous side.

The Lion King

Release Date: July 19, 2019

The original Lion King is still one of the biggest hits Disney Animation has ever had. One can only imagine what will happen when the story returns to the screen via the same CGI/animation style that brought the animal of The Jungle Book to life. Donald Glover will voice Simba, Chiwetel Ejiofor will voice Scar, and James Earl Jones will be back to reprise his role as Mufasa. The last time this movie nearly made a billion dollars at the box office. This time that number might be low.

The Art Of Racing In The Rain

Release Date: August 9, 2019

The Art of Racing in the Rain is a movie based on a book of the same title. It will star This is Us' Milo Ventimiglia as a race car driver but the story will be told from the perspective of the character's dog, Enzo. Enzo believes that if he handles his life properly, he will be reincarnated as a human, and so he learns all he can about being human from his owner. It sounds like a heartwarming story which is right up the ally of Disney, even though this is actually a Fox product. Disney gave Racing this release date and pushed Artemis Fowl into 2020.

Ready Or Not

Release Date: August 23, 2019

Thriller's aren't exactly the genre that one associates with Disney. However, Fox Searchlight will release Ready or Not in August. It will star Samara Weaving as a new bride who gets forced to take part in a terrifying game by her new in-laws. Don't expect to see the actual Disney name anywhere near this one.

Ad Astra

Release Date: September 20, 2019

Originally scheduled for a Memorial Day Weekend release, this one wasn't pulled from that date until late April, but considering it was a Fox project scheduled to go up against Aladdin that certainly wasn't going to happen. Instead, this Brad Pitt science fiction story has been pushed into the fall where it won't conflict with any of the major Disney tentpole projects.

The Woman in the Window

Release Date: October 4, 2019

Another of the existing movies on the Fox slate that Disney just bought, The Woman in the Window stars Amy Adams as a woman who witnesses a crime, but us hesitant to report it as she discovered it wjhile spyinmg on her new neighbors. Amy Adams stars as the witness. Julianne Moore and Gary Oldman co-star as the neighbors. With a cast like that, this one looks like it could be quite strong.

Maleficent: Mistress of Evil

After waiting years for the follow-up to the hit Maleficent Disney has decided not to waste any time. Originally set for a 2020 release, Maleficent: Mistress of Evil has been pushed up to the fall of 2019. It will be the first time we've seen Angelina Jolie in front of the camera in years. If she's as deliciously evil and fun as she was he first time around, this one will have been worth the wait.

Release Date: October 18, 2019

Ford v. Ferrari

Release Date: November 15, 2019

James Mangold directs Matt Damon and Christian Bale as a team tasked with building a brand new Ford automobile that will be capable of beating of the dominant Ferreri car at the 24 Hours of Le Mans race in France in 1966. An accomplished director? Oscar winning actors? Based on a true story? a November release date? Did Disney just buy an Academy Awards contender from Fox?

Frozen II

Disney is going to be competing with itself for the box office crown this year. While it seems like Avengers: Endgame will be rthe movie to beat, one should not discount the possibility that Frozen II could play spoiler. The first movie is Disney's biggest animated hit ever and the love that many have for that movie still hasn't died down all these years later. The trailer for the sequel looks to take things down a darker path, but if it has even just one song to become the new "Let it Go," that could be all it needs to be another big hit.

Release Date: November 22, 2019

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker

Release Date: December 20, 2019

At the end of 2019, a trilogy many of us thought we'd never see will be coming to an end. The third Star Wars trilogy, will finally give a conclusion to the story of Rey, Finn, Poe, and our classic favorites from the original films. The Last Jedi was a movie that split fans. It will be interesting to see if the new film tries to unite them, or continues to carry Star Wars in to new and different places as the franchise continues to grow.

Spies In Disguise

Release Date: December 25, 2019

Will Smith is a super spy who is accidentally transformed into a pigeon. It's not exactly what you'd expect from an animated Disney movie, but this is another Fox project that actually comes from Blue Sky, the animation studio responsible for the Ice Age movies among others. Originally the film was set for September, but Disney has moved the movie to Christmas.

Underwater

Release Date: January 10, 2020

This Fox project stars Kristen Stewert as one member of a team of underwater researchers who have to find safety after their underwater lab is damaged by an earthquake. T.J. Miller and John Gallagher Jr. costar.

Untitled Kingsman Movie

Release Date: February 14, 2020

The next Kingsman film is set to be an origin story of sorts that is set prior to the events of the existing film by a couple of hundred years. Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Ralph Fiennes are among those who will have roles in the film. The project was previously being referred to as Kingsman: The Great Game, but the most recent listing for the film from Disney/Fox is leaving it as yet untitled.

Call of the Wild

Release Date: February 21, 2020

It shows just how crowded the release calendar is for Disney after buying Fox that only one week after the new Kingsman movie, the animated Call of the Wold that stars Harrison Ford, Dan Stevens, and Karen Gillan will be released. We haven't seen this one yet, so it's too early to tell how it looks, but it's based on the calssic Jack London novel and has a remarkable cast so far.

Onward

Release Date: March 6, 2020

There's a lot of what we don't know about Onward. The know cast is made up of Tom Holland, Chris Pratt, Octavia Spencer and Julia Louis-Dreyfus, It's being refereed to by Pixar as a "suburban fantasy" film. That's about the extent of what we know. Maybe we'll get a real look at once Toy Story 4 is out.

Mulan (Live-Action)

Release Date: March 27, 2020

Disney's first live-action remake will be a new version of Mulan. Chinese star Liu Yifei will lead an all Asian cast.

The New Mutants

Release Date: April 3, 2020

The New Mutants has been delayed so frequently that there have been significant questions about whether or not the world will ever see it. The newest release calendar from Disney has pushed the movie off yet again. Originally set to release in April of 2018, it's now set to hit screens two years later.

Untitled Marvel

Release Date: May 1, 2020

The first MCU movie of Phase Four is still set for May of 2020, despite that, less than a year before it is set to open, we don't know what movie it is.

Artemis Fowl

Release Date: May 29, 2020

Artemis Fowl is based on a popular book series, but it's not exactly one on the level of Harry Potter. As such, it's hard to gauge how big this one will be. It could be a serious X-factor in the Disney schedule. If it hits as big as most of the movies on this list, it will almost certainly be the birth of a new franchise. If it doesn't it will likely be a footnote on an otherwise impressive box office year. We'll have to wait and see. Originally set for a late summer 2019 release, it's now the Memorial Day weekend release in 2020.

Untitled Pixar Animation

Release Date: June 19,2020

Free Guy

Release Date: July 3, 2020

Ryan Reynolds stars as a bank teller who realizes he's actually a character in a video game.

Bob's Burgers

Release Date: July 17, 2020

In what might be the strangest thing to happen since Disney bought Fox, the release date that was set for a Bob's Burgers movie two years ago has remained unchanged.

Jungle Cruise

Release Date: July 24, 2020

Dwayne Johnson and Emily Blunt co-star in a movie based on the classic Disneyland attraction.

The One And Only Ivan

Release Date: August 14, 2020

Based on a children's book about a silverback gorilla that lives inb captivity, The One and Only Ivan stars Bryan Cranston, Angelina Jolie, and Sam Rockwell.

Death on the Nile

Release Date: October 9, 2020

The follow up to Kenneth Branaugh's Murder on the Orient Express will again make him the director and star when he plays Agatha Christie's famous detective Hercule Poirot. As the title suggests, the story will find the famous detective solving a murder in Egypt.

Untitled Marvel

Release Date: November 6, 2020

Ron's Gone Wrong

Release Date: November 6, 2020

A new U.K animation company called LOcksmith tells the story of a child and his robot best friend who begins to not quite work right.

Untitled Disney Animation

Release Date: November 25, 2020

West Side Story

Release Date: December 18, 2020

Steven Spielberg's remake of the classic musical.

Cruella

Release Date: December 23, 2020

The origin story of the 101 Dalmatians villain starring Emma Stone.

Untitled Marvel

Release Date: February 12, 2021

Nimona

Release Date: March 5, 2021

Blue Sky's animated version of the popular web comic by Noelle Stevenson, showruner of the Netflix version of She-Ra and the Princesses of Power.

Untitled Disney Live Action

Release Date: March 12, 2021

Untitled Marvel

Release Date: May 7, 2021

Untitled Disney Live Action

Release Date: May 28, 2021

Untitled Pixar Animation

Release Date: June 18, 2021

Untitled Indiana Jones

Release Date: July 9, 2021

Untitled Disney Live Action

Release Date: July 30, 2021

Untitled Disney Live Action

Release Date: October 8, 2021

Untitled Marvel

Release Date: November 5, 2021

Untitled Disney Animation

Release Date: November 24, 2021

Avatar 2

Release Date: December 17, 2021

Untitled Marvel

Release Date: February 18, 2022

Untitled Pixar

Release Date: March 18, 2022

Untitled Marvel

Release Date: May 6, 2022

Untitled Disney Live Action

Release Date: May 27, 2022

Untitled Pixar

Release Date: June 17, 2022

Untitled Disney Live Action

Release Date: July 8, 2022

Untitled Marvel

Release Date: July 29, 2022

Untitled Disney Live Action

Release Date: October 7, 2022

Untitled Disney Live Action

Release Date: November 4, 2022

Untitled Disney Animation

Release Date: November 23, 2022

Untitled Star Wars

Release Date: December 16, 2022

Untitled Disney Live Action

Release Date: February 17, 2023

Avatar 3

Release Date: December 22, 2023

Untitled Star Wars

Release Date: December 20, 2024

Untitled Avatar 4

Release Date: December 19, 2025

Untitled Star Wars

Release Date: December 18, 2026

Untitled Avatar 5

Release Date: December 17, 2027

Recently Released

Captain Marvel

While Captain Marvel is the big MCU movie set in between the two-part Avengers finale, it was set in the 1990s, predating most of the franchise. It introduced us to Brie Larson's new intergalactic hero, who promises to be a major part of Avengers: Endgame and beyond. It gave us a young Nick Fury and answered a couple of questions about the Marvel Cinematic Universe, while, of course, creating several more questions in the process.

Release Date: March 8, 2019

Dumbo

The first of three big Disney live-action remakes to hit the screen in 2019 was Dumbo. The earliest Disney animated theatrical film to receive the live-action treatment, the story about the flying elephant was spearheaded by Tim Burton and told a significantly different story, which created a collection of human characters around the baby elephant. While many praised the CGI which created the title character, the rest of the film was not viewed as favorably by many.

Release Date: March 29, 2019

Penguins

Release Date: April 12, 2019

Disney's next big release isn't likely to set pre-sale ticket records or smash the box office, but for a studio that has been in the documentary business almost as long as it's been in the animation business, it's nice that the studio still makes movies designed to educate even more than they're designed to entertain. You may not find this one easily at your major multiplex, but there's nothing wrong with seeking it out.

Avengers: Endgame

Release Date: April 26, 2019

It all comes down to this. After 22 films and 11 years the Marvel Cinematic Universe will come to a head with Avengers: Endgame. While the MCU will continue moving forward, we have no idea just what sort of shape it will be in. Who will live? Who will die? We certainly have no idea, and the only way to know for sure is to watch it and find out.

10 Great Movies Coming To Netflix In May 2019

10 Great Movies Coming To Netflix In May 2019

With every month’s refresh to the Netflix streaming library comes a list of titles that make up the best and brightest of what the platform has to offer. As such, a new crop of titles means a new opportunity for us to tell you what you should be spending your screen time on, and May has brought a good number of notable offerings to the table.

Before we head into the lineup, we’d like to remind you that if you want to see the full lineup of TV and movie titles headed to Netflix in May, as well as the best films from April’s additions to the library, you can find those lists elsewhere. If you’re still with us, let’s dive into what truly stands out in May’s additions to the platform.

Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery

Naturally the news that Mike Myers has landed himself a sketch show on Netflix is a surprise. But with the backbench of characters Myers could revisit, as well as the possibility of the new and exciting ones for him to create, it’s an exciting prospect.

Seeing that his iconic spy comedy romp Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery is headed to Netflix, along with its first sequel The Spy Who Shagged Me, it feels like a good time to revisit some material from the peak Mike Myers era of comedy. Maybe, just maybe, we can skip an entire fourth film for the time being and see more Powers on that untitled Netflix series.

Dumb and Dumber

Comedy classics are usually paragons of wit, wisdom and perfect timing. But much like the intelligence of its protagonists, Harry and Lloyd, Dumb and Dumber is only about a third of the way there. And in the name of total honestly, that’s just the way we like it.

The Farrelly Brothers broke into the movies with this legendary tale of Jim Carrey and Jeff Bridges’ monumental dolts goofing their way through a road trip that turns into a crime caper on the stop of a dime. With a perfect marriage of precise comedic timing and lowball shenanigans, there’s a reason Dumb and Dumber still stands as a laugh filled master course in how to do a toilet gag.

Fear And Loathing In Las Vegas

Most people think of Terry Gilliam’s Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas as merely a vehicle for Johnny Depp’s performance of dear friend Hunter S. Thompson to be a hysterically crude contrast to the world that he navigates in his titular adventure. And to be fair, Depp’s performance as Thompson, alongside Benicio del Toro’ s Dr. Gonzo, is quite funny in the traditional sense.

But what really makes this adaptation of the writings of Hunter S. Thompson worth your time is how, through his own comedic and drug fueled lenses, Thompson saw the truths of the early ‘70s and what they represented. So come for the jokes about relations between dogs and The Pope, but stay for the analysis on the impending crash of the peace and love that the ‘60s represented into a void of rudderless activism. Or keep your eye out for all the famous faces that pepper this film’s cast in minor roles; it’s your choice, really.

Gremlins

Few films deserve to be shielded from further sequelization and/or full on remakes, and director Joe Dante’s classic Gremlins is one such film. There’s, quite simply, no way that another version of this film could be as successful as that original streak of madness, and anyone who thinks otherwise is an absolute fool.

The balance of scares and comedy in Gremlins’ story of the titular creatures running rampant on small town America is so perfect, very few could ever nail it the way Dante did. So unless you’re going to hire James Wan, Jordan Peele or Jason Blum to develop this one into a modern context, you’re probably better off watching the original and seeking out the more comedically-inclined sequel.

Just Friends

Ryan Reynolds is a genius, full stop. Between his timing, physical spryness, and handsome air about him that anchors even his most outlandish/egotistical moments in film, you couldn’t have cast a better person to play the fat kid turned heartthrob exec in Just Friends.

What’s even more impressive is landing the supporting cast of Amy Smart, Anna Farris and Julie Hagerty, among others, to make that particular sandbox even more fun to play around in. Though it should be warned that if you’re thinking of watching this one with your kids after Pokemon: Detective Pikachu, you may want to see it for yourself and see if it’s right for them.

Scarface

The tragedy of Tony Montana is not an obscure tale of woe, but it’s one that still keeps its freshness every time you watch Scarface. A rise-and-fall tale of a man who chased the American dream and wouldn’t stop shooting for it even until the very end, it’s one of Al Pacino’s most magnificent performances outside of The Godfather.

Director Brian De Palma and writer Oliver Stone nail the excess of the ‘80s before it ever kicked into full gear, and through extreme violence and colorful profanity, they paint a portrait of a landscape that was just beginning to take shape as morning rose in America. Both a perfect period piece, and a timeless classic, Scarface is a quotable classic that maintains its place in pop culture.

Snowpiercer

While audiences will be watching Chris Evans in the latest Avengers film in the very near future, it’s nice to take a break and sample some of Evans’ finest work outside of that huge tentpole monolith. And if you’re not in the mood to watch Not Another Teen Movie, then Snowpiercer is probably your best non-MCU bet for some Evans greatness.

Set in a dystopian future that sees humanity’s last survivors permanently living on a train circling the world, Snowpiercer is all about a class struggle between the poor lead by Chris Evans, and the rich lead by Tilda Swinton. These two factions go to war in some of the most impressive action you’ll ever see, which only masks the underbelly that truly defines the society, and the message, that the film has to offer.

The Matrix

2019 marks the 20th anniversary of The Matrix, a film that redefined action in its own time and still inspires imitators to this very day. And while the reboot machine is currently trying to find a way to bring this film series back online, the original is still celebrated with great reverence.

The entire Matrix trilogy is coming to Netflix, as it periodically does from time to time, but this most recent addition feels as close to an official celebration of its two decades of existence as we’ll get. If you want to skip the sequels, you’re more than welcome to, but at the very least, paying homage to the journey that kicked off a new era of action filmmaking seems appropriate.

Zombieland

This October is another anniversary worth noting: it’ll be a decade since Zombieland first landed in movie theaters all over. While there is definitely a proper celebration in the works for that event, with the sequel Zombieland: Double Tap being slated for release in that very month, you’ll be able to revisit the one that started it all on Netflix in May.

Undoubtedly, a lot has changed since that original film, but the public’s obsession with zombies certainly hasn’t. And while Zombieland has tried to revive itself a couple of times between then and now, the original film stands as the best example of it particular apocalyptic formula at work.

Olympus Has Fallen

Sometimes cloning the style of a storied franchise can work well enough that the results are exciting in their own right. In a lesser incarnation, Olympus Has Fallen would have been a subpar action film, but thankfully, history shook out differently and provided the world with a highly entertaining spin on the Die Hard style of action-adventure antics.

With Gerard Butler being the John McClane stand-in and his bromance with Aaron Eckhart’s president replacing the need for a Holly Gennaro to bookend him, this brutal action flick plays close to the playbook while injecting some of its own charm to spare. And by charm, we mean explosions.

No matter which of these films you’re looking to enjoy, you’ll want to keep your eyes out for any changes and surprises that may crop up, as all titles are subject to availability. But other than that, we wish you Netflix subscribers happy hunting and hope that you enjoy streaming these and other top notch titles available in your own fashion.

Should you want to head out to the movies for something more recent, our 2019 release schedule is your gateway to all that has come to the box office this year and all that’s headed our way in the months to come.

Why David Dastmalchian Can’t Wait To Get Started Filming Dune

Why David Dastmalchian Can’t Wait To Get Started Filming Dune

Nearly 55 years after its publication, Dune remains an acclaimed piece of sci-fi literature. David Lynch adapted Frank Herbert’s novel for the big screen back in 1984, now Denis Villeneuve is putting his own stamp on the property. Among the many people attached to this Dune reboot is Ant-Man star David Dastmalchian, who is playing the dangerous Mentat known as Piter De Vries and is confident that Villeneuve has the skill to deliver a Dune movie that a lot of people will enjoy.

I recently had the opportunity to talk with David Dastmalchian about his new movie All Creatures Here Below, and when the conversation turned to Dune, he mentioned that he was leaving soon to do more prep work and then begin shooting his scenes. The actor continued:

I’m so grateful and excited to be a part of Denis’ vision. I think that he is one of the greatest filmmakers of our time and any time, and I believe what he’s going to do here, it’s just going to take people to a whole other place. He brings so much. When you think about Arrival and Blade Runner 2049 specifically, because those are the two science fiction films that he’s crafted, you see his gift for telling stories that are visually stunning, but that are also rooted in really complex ideas and really fascinating characters.

Arrival and Blade Runner 2049 definitely established Denis Villeneuve’s sci-fi cred, with both earning positive reception and numerous accolades. So even though it will be a while before we see any footage from Villeneuve’s version of Dune, one can imagine it’s in safe hands given his resume. Dune also marks David Dastmalchian’s third time working with Villeneuve, having previously appeared in Prisoners and Blade Runner 2049.

Of course, if you’re performing in an adaption, it often helps if you’re already familiar with the source material, Fortunately for David Dastmalchian, he’d both read the Dune novel and watched the David Lynch movie, although he only relied on the former when preparing for his role in Denis Villeneuve’s Dune. Dastmalchian recalled:

I’d read the book and I’d seen the film. I’m a very big David Lynch fan, so there was so much about the film that I had loved, but to be quite honest, I had not seen the film since probably college. It had been a long time since I’d seen the film. Once I got cast in [Dune], I decided not to revisit the film. But I did go back and revisited the book because like I said, I love it. I’ve only read the book once, but I’ve gone back to it many times just to dip in and out and pull quotes. It’s just a fun and very dense piece of philosophical writing… It’s so exciting the thought that this level of maturity and complexity in Herbert’s writing is going to be put on a giant screen by Denis Villeneuve. And the cast that he’s put together, it’s so awesome.

Although David Lynch’s Dune was met with numerous negative reviews when it was initially released and ended up being a commercial failure, it’s morphed into a cult classic over the years. Nevertheless, from what’s been revealed thus far, Denis Villeneuve’s Dune is going to feel incredibly different from its theatrical predecessor, not the least of which is because the plan is to adapt the original novel across two movies rather than just one.

In terms of Dune’s cast, David Dastmalchian is correct that the lineup that Denis Villeneuve has assembled is impressive. He’s joined by Timothée Chalamet, Rebecca Ferguson, Oscar Isaac, Josh Brolin, Dave Bautista, Stellan Skarsgard, Zendaya, Charlotte Rampling, Jason Momoa, Javier Bardem, Chang Chen and Stephen Henderson.

As for what we can expect from David Dastmalchian’s version of Piter De Vries, who serves the main antagonist, Stellan Skarsgard’s Baron Vladimir Harkonnen, the actor wasn’t willing to delve into specifics, but he’s hopeful that his interpretation and the rest of the Dune movie will strike the right chord with longtime fans of the book. As Dastmalchian put it:

The Piter De Vries that I’m playing I hope will resonate with and reflect the Piter de Vries that people who loved the books associate with. I can’t really discuss much about the script or the plot itself, but I can just tell you that that old phrase ‘True to the spirit’ or ‘honoring the spirit of’, and to be quite honest I haven’t even seen the most recent of the script, but in the way Denis has talked about the film and what I’ve seen, it’s absolutely true to and in honor of everything that Frank put into the novel. And translating something from novel form to cinema form requires a lot of mastery as storytellers go, and I think there’s no one better for that job than Denis. He’s just so fearless, man. He makes choices and then he goes into the places that we need right now as audiences.

David Dastmalchian is the third actor to bring Piter De Vries to life on screen; he was preceded by Brad Dourif in the 1984 Dune movie and Jan Unger in the 2000 Sci Fi channel Dune miniseries. As a Mentat, Piter has been trained to perform mental functions comparable to what a computer can accomplish, but he was also twisted into a sadist. Dastmalchian has played numerous villains over the years, so it will be interesting to see how his version of Piter looks and acts.

Just like the original story, Dune will take place in the far future, where Paul Atreides and his mother must flee for their lives after their family is betrayed by Baron Harkonnen, who seizes their the planet Arrakis from them, which is the only source of spice, the most valued substance in the universe. With the help of Arrakis’ native Fremen, Paul and Jessica will fight to take back what is rightfully theirs.

Dune will be released in theaters on November 20, 2020, so keep checking back with CinemaBlend for more updates on how it’s coming along. In the meantime, you can keep up to date with what’s coming out later this year in our 2019 release schedule.

Avengers: Endgame And Infinity War Shot A Whopping 900 Hours Of Footage

Avengers: Endgame And Infinity War Shot A Whopping 900 Hours Of Footage

An achievement in filmmaking, comic book adaptation and blockbuster franchise work in general, Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame brought eager audiences almost 6 hours worth of story to close out the first saga in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. But if you thought that was a mammoth undertaking, just wait until you dive into the fact that this trim and svelte package came from 900 hours of footage cultivated through the film’s back-to-back shoots.

This wonderful nugget of information comes from Jeffrey Ford, the co-editor of Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame, who, alongside fellow co-editor Matthew Schmidt, was tasked to help directors Joe and Anthony Russo craft their unique vision for the grand finale of the original Avengers lineup. And alongside that figure, Ford provided the following commentary for just why there was so much footage at the end of the day:

We were cutting every day, we were refining, we were figuring out what we were going to reshoot, figuring out what we had to finish. It was a constant state of pre-production, production and postproduction all at the same time for almost a year straight.

It kind of makes even more sense that when we interviewed the Russo Brothers about the production of Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame, they had no problem confirming that the production of one film right after the other was one of their big regrets. Just imagining all of the shooting and editing on Infinity War running into pre-production, and eventually the shooting and editing of Endgame, is enough to potentially drive any civilian mad.

Jeffrey Ford confirmed as much when he spoke to Business Insider, as he continued to talk about that process in the following details:

And then when we finished that year of insanity we went right into an absolutely hellish, almost impossible postproduction period that lasted from January to April when we delivered Infinity War, and that was one of the most intense periods of filmmaking I ever experienced, and I have worked on some crazy movies.

Looking at how Ford has edited or co-edited each Avengers film, the entire Captain America trilogy and Iron Man 3 since 2012, those claims are as water tight as the work that’s come out of the editing rooms at Marvel Studios. It should be noted that the figure of 900 hours’ worth of footage, while daunting, should have some caveats attached to its existence.

This is probably counting multiple takes of certain scenes and even moments where scenes are being set up and broken down. However, that also means that with the reshoots and retooling we’ve heard about with Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame, there are moments we haven’t seen hidden in the fray.

Those moments include Tony’s daughter Morgan appearing to him in the post-snap afterlife, or that alternate battle that Black Widow and Hawkeye engaged in on Vormir in Avengers: Endgame. Add in other moments, like the Hulk being present in the line-up on Wakanda in Avengers: Infinity War, or other moments created specifically for trailer fodder, and you can see some potential for this treasure trove of footage.

Namely, if Disney+ really wanted to give themselves a killer edge over the competition, not only could they offer the theatrical cuts of both films, they could provide alternate versions that fans will not be able to find anywhere else. And with this much footage available, it might be easy to smooth out some of the edges and provide a whole new experience fans didn’t know they wanted.

Still, even if that 900 hours of footage is just sitting somewhere in the Marvel Studios vault, it’s good to know that out of that massive wall of movie came two spectacular halves to an event we’ll be lucky to see as many times as we want in our lifetimes. And it’s all thanks to the efforts of Jeffrey Ford and Matthew Schmidt.

Avengers: Infinity War is available on Netflix for streaming, as well as Digital HD and home video release, while Avengers: Endgame is currently in theaters now, and will be on Disney+ as of December 11.

How Lashana Lynch Thinks Maria Would React To Her Daughter Becoming a Superhero

How Lashana Lynch Thinks Maria Would React To Her Daughter Becoming a Superhero

This article contains SPOILERS for Captain Marvel, so turn back if you haven’t yet blasted off with the high-flying hero in theaters yet.

The MCU’s latest movie, Captain Marvel, unveiled Carol Danvers' origin story and introduced quite a few other crucial comic book characters to screen, such as with Lashana Lynch and Akira Akbar as mother-daughter pair Maria and Monica Rambeau. As fans of the source material may know, Monica also has gone by “Photon," “Pulsar," “Spectrum” and, at one time, “Captain Marvel” – the leader of the Avengers.

During the Captain Marvel press junket in Los Angeles, I asked Lashana Lynch how she thinks her character might take Monica’s crime-fighting future, assuming that the MCU decides to embrace her story past Captain Marvel. Here’s what she said:

I think she’d be really cool. She in my eyes is a superhero anyway. She doesn’t have the usual superhero powers, but in being a fighter pilot, in being a mother and someone who represents a real woman in her society, she is almost like raising Monica to be a superhero anyway. I feel like when we see Monica in the future, we’re going to be like “Of course she turns out this way” because she brought her up well! She just had a good mother.

There you have it! In Lashana Lynch’s eyes, Maria’s daughter becoming “Photon” or the next Captain Marvel wouldn’t even phase her because it makes sense within Monica’s character arc. In the movie, Monica looks to be single-handedly raised by her fighter pilot mother, who may have “lost” her best friend for some time, but it didn’t stop her from raising her kid to be strong, disciplined and… well, like a hero.

In the few scenes we see Monica Rambeau, she’s definitely comes off as fearless, takes an interest to the circumstances of the film and seems to look up to her mother and Carol Danvers, along with being unafraid of the intergalactic stakes in front of her.

Following the previous answer, I asked Lashana if she thinks we might see Maria join in with Monica on the action, since her character fits right in as a superhero as well. In her words:

There’s a moment when Maria and Monica have to have a conversation about what’s going to happen next and Monica is the adult in the situation and is like ‘Mom, I’m going to take care of this, you go do your thing.’ So I feel like Maria would be like, ‘I trust you, you’re my daughter, I brought you up well, I’m going to let you live in your truth and do your own thing.’

There’s nothing like having a trusting mother, and per Lashana’s answer, she thinks once it comes time for Monica to suit up, Maria will step back and let her do her thing – even if she’s a badass fighter pilot who can totally kick some ass too!

If you’d like to take a look at the short discussion for yourself, you can watch a clip from the interview below:

Lashana Lynch certainly gives an empowering answer about her character being a superhero already and raising up her daughter touch and strong, so she can later trust her to potentially save the world. While it’s unclear if and how their storylines will expand in future MCU stories, Lynch certainly seems to enjoy playing with the idea.

With Monica being introduced as a kid in the ‘90s, the present-day timeline would see her as a 30-something-year-old woman who belongs among the other Avengers. What do you think? Would you like to see Monica Rambeau grow into her origin story on the big screen? Let us know in the comments below.

Star Wars Exec Shoots Down Latest Rumor About Han Solo And Rey

Star Wars Exec Shoots Down Latest Rumor About Han Solo And Rey

The Star Wars franchise has been going strong for decades, accruing generations of fans in the process. And once Disney acquired Lucasfilm, the galaxy was expanded through the sequel trilogy, standalone films, and small screen adventures. J.J. Abrams kickstarted the property back up with The Force Awakens, and returned to the director's chair for The Rise of Skywalker, which will be the cumulation of the nine film narrative of the main franchise.

All eyes are on what J.J. Abrams will do with Episode IX, and if he will retcon any of the plot twists Rian Johnson brought with The Rise of Skywalker. One of the biggest twists was that Rey's parents were revealed to be nobodies, but a new rumor claims her father might have actually been Han Solo himself. Now Star Wars exec Pablo Hidalgo has shut down this fan theory, saying:

That doesn’t fit with the timeline. Han and Leia were together up until about 5 years before TFA when it all went to hell, and Rey is 19.

Well, that was easy. While Pablo Hidalgo obviously is privy to the future of the Star Wars franchise and what to expect with The Rise of Skywalker, it looks like he just used simple math to shoot down the rumor about Han Solo being Rey's actual father. And Han, Leia, and Ben were a happy family until a few years before audiences met Daisy Ridley's new hero in The Force Awakens.

Pablo Hidalgo made this revelation on his personal Twitter account. Hidalgo regularly communicates directly with the fandom in this way, helping to squash rumors and drum up excitement for each new Star Wars release. And he's intimately involved in the process, helping to craft the story from an executive level as Lucasfilm. So he's a trusted source of information.

It turns out that the fans should stop worrying about a possible connection between Han Solo and Rey, as he didn't have the time to run off and have an affair in order to be her father. But while that rumor has been shut down, the conversation about Rey's parentage will likely continue until The Rise of Skywalker finally hits theaters this December.

Related: All The Major Theories About Rey's Parents

After the release of The Force Awakens, there were countless theories about who Rey's parents might have been. They ranged from Luke Skywalker to Obi-Wan Kenobi, but Rian Johnson threw the fandom for a loop during The Last Jedi's third act. Kylo Ren revealed that Rey came from nobody, a child of smugglers who sold her off and abandoned her in Jakku.

It was a narrative choice that subverted fan expectations, just like Rian Johnson killed off Snoke before we learned of his backstory. But with J.J. Abrams back in the driver's seat for The Rise of Skywalker, the fandom is wondering whether or not he changes some of the plot twists from the previous movie.

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