Watch Brie Larson Surprise Fans At A Captain Marvel Screening

Watch Brie Larson Surprise Fans At A Captain Marvel Screening

Captain Marvel had a big opening in theaters this weekend, and lead actress Brie Larson did her part to garner some additional excitement around the film. Over the weekend, she headed to an AMC theater in Clifton, NJ, where she sold snacks and surprised audiences. You can take a look at the actress wandering into a theater below.

Forget surprising fans at a screening for a movie you just starred in. The real joy, here, is how much Brie Larson seemed to be enjoying sucking down that beverage with her face on it. Seriously though, the actress threw on a fun store bought version of Captain Marvel’s jumpsuit. (I would guess it was a mite more comfortable than the real thing.)

She said of carrying the giant drink around that she had “just heard” she was on the cup and needed to see it herself. What a weird experience that would probably be, finding your likeness on a cup for the first time. In the Facebook video, you can also see the myriad flashes of people taking shots of the actress in the theaters. There are plenty of hoots and hollers as well, which the actress takes in stride.

I’ve been to public screenings before where celebrities show up and the experience is quite unlike anything else. These sorts of things generally happen on opening weekend when people really, really want to see the movie anyway. Throw in a celebrity and the energy becomes palpable.

In addition to showing up in the theater, Brie Larson even handed out popcorn and other snacks to other moviegoers at the AMC theater, which was some free labor AMC likely didn’t expect.

That’s not all of the snack shots Brie Larson posed for either. The actress was also seen posing for photos with fans and even filling up buckets of popcorn.

Captain Marvel opened to $153 million domestically at the weekend box office, so it really didn’t need any pr from Brie Larson to be successful. However, the gesture seems to have really been appreciated by the Clifton crowd and the actress herself seemed to be having a blast. You can catch Carol Danvers having a blast, as well, in theaters now.

The John Wick Franchise Methodically Plans Out Its Use Of Blood

The John Wick Franchise Methodically Plans Out Its Use Of Blood

If things had played out differently with director David Leitch and Chad Stahelski’s John Wick franchise, we might have seen a franchise that splattered a whole lot more blood onto the screen. But as their intentions were to have a more realistic, but still brutal series of kills in their film, the directors instructed their visual effects team to bring things down a notch.

So while you do see blood in the John Wick series, it’s very methodically placed in its usage. Part of that is due to the reality of the wounds the series inflicts on its various baddies, as you’ll see in the following remarks from Kirk Brillon, the VFX supervisor from John Wick: Chapter 2:

A lot of times when you’re doing special effects for action movies, when someone gets shot, the blood explodes out toward you, toward the camera. But when you’re actually shot by a bullet, the blood’s coming out the back.

Apparently, the call for more realistic gore in the John Wick universe came from the fact that David Leitch and Chad Stahelski, both trained stuntmen who worked on The Matrix with Keanu Reeves, are versed in how things like gunshot wounds, snapped limbs and other sorts of grotesqueries look in the practical world. So rather than ramp things up Tarantino style, the call was made early on to keep it real, straight on through to John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum.

Comparatively, that decision was, and still is, a wise play to keep in the John Wick series of films. The action pretty much speaks for itself, with the blood being an accent of realism showing that those bone crunching stunts hurt the characters as much as you thought they would.

Ultimately, the policy on blood in the John Wick universe can be summed up in the following words spoken by Kirk Brillon, also spoken during this very interview he gave to Variety:

The blood’s gonna be there, but it’s gonna be subtle, and it’s gonna be behind them.

While there’s not an excess of blood shed during the course of John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum, there’s certainly a lot of cash and goodwill being thrown around by its audience. Weighing in with $109 million in its first week at the box office, this third film opens the door wide open for a fourth chapter, both in terms of where the plot winds up in the ending, and with Lionsgate excited to get to work on that very film’s scheduling.

John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum is currently in theaters, making peace and preparing for war. But if you’ve already caught that film, or if you want to check something else out at the movies, take a look at our 2019 release schedule for futrher information.

Steven Spielberg Clarifies His Opinion On Netflix

Steven Spielberg Clarifies His Opinion On Netflix

Last year’s awards buzz for Alfonso Cuaron’s Netflix film Roma rocked the boat in Hollywood for a number of reasons. One, because it started a kerfuffle between Netflix and theater chains about their 90-day exclusivity window. Two: it began a conversation about whether films produced by streaming services should be eligible for Oscar nominations and also sparked the alleged “Spielberg vs. Netflix” conflict.

According to legendary E.T. director, the latter has been blown out of proportion in the media in recent months. Steven Spielberg penned an email to the New York Times to clarify his comments on streaming services. Take a look:

I want people to find their entertainment in any form or fashion that suits them. Big screen, small screen — what really matters to me is a great story and everyone should have access to great stories. However, I feel people need to have the opportunity to leave the safe and familiar of their lives and go to a place where they can sit in the company of others and have a shared experience — cry together, laugh together, be afraid together — so that when it’s over they might feel a little less like strangers. I want to see the survival of movie theaters. I want the theatrical experience to remain relevant in our culture.

Steven Spielberg also noted that his gripes weren’t with Netflix specifically about producing movies for home viewing, but the various theater chains who have turned the streaming giant away from showing their original films because of the 90-day exclusivity window theaters have been sticking to. He’s advocating for the continuation of the theater experience more than anything, though his comments have previously been characterized as an attack on Netflix and streaming as a medium.

When major chains AMC and Regal rejected the idea of showing Roma in their theaters because of the fact it would be available to stream before the three month period, the filmmaker actually called them up and asked them if they’d make an exception and they refused. Spielberg is only opting for streaming services, theater chains and traditional studios to work together to preserve moviegoing over couch-potatoing. Here’s some of his comments from his infamous speech in February that was part of the “conflict”:

I hope all of us really continue to believe that the greatest contributions we can make as filmmakers is to give audiences the motion picture theatrical experience. I’m a firm believer that movie theaters need to be around forever.

It was said that Spielberg was heading to a board meeting with the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences on Tuesday night to change the rule about the current eligibility of streaming service films to be nominated for Oscars, the filmmaker did not attend and no amendments to the rules were made.

While Steven Spielberg has been vocal about his ongoing intentions to preserve the theater experience, his production company Amblin is working on three television series with streaming platforms: Amazon Prime’s Cortes and Moctezuma, Apple’s Amazing Stories and Hulu’s Animaniacs reboot. He is also a Netflix subscriber himself who has binged original content such as The Haunting of Hill House.

The ongoing conflict here seems to primarily be between streaming services and theater chains. Recently reports that Netflix may buy its own theater (The Egyptian on Hollywood Boulevard) could signal the start of an expansion in the way the platform does business and makes their films accessible.

Tron: Legacy Producer Is Still Hoping Tron 3 Will Happen Eventually

Tron: Legacy Producer Is Still Hoping Tron 3 Will Happen Eventually

It’s not as uncommon nowadays for a movie to get a sequel decades later. Take 2010’s Tron: Legacy. That movie arrived 28 years after the original Tron movie was released, and the plan was for another sequel to follow after Legacy. However, due to Legacy’s mixed critical reception and underwhelming box office performance, Tron 3 was put on the back burner and now essentially rests in development hell. Nevertheless, Legacy producer Justin Springer is hopeful that Tron 3 will one day actually be made. As he put it:

Look, I will never stop being interested in making a TRON movie. I love the opportunity to do it. It’s a title that never really goes away internally. There’s always people around the company who like it a whole lot. And so, we’ll see what happens. It would be great to get the opportunity to do it again. It’s interesting – what I will say is that I think it continues to be relevant both in its ideas and also just the visual iconography of it. I think people are still are interested in it and it still feels contemporary to me. So it’s just about finding the right time, right script, and the right people at the studio saying ‘yes.’ You know, just the usual.

While Justin Springer’s comments don’t provide any renewed hope that Disney will want to move forward with Tron 3, it’s still good to hear he’s interested in keeping the franchise going. While 1982’s Tron was certainly a visual triumph for its time, Tron: Legacy kicked up several levels with its impressive effects and production design, making it look like a proper Hollywood blockbuster. Alas, who knows if we’ll ever return to the digital realm, although Ehren Kruger, who co-produced Dumbo with Springer, stated during the Slashfilm interview that all Springer needs is for the fans to demand it, “just like last time.” That might not carry the same weight it did a decade ago, but enthusiasm from the fanbase certainly doesn’t hurt.

Tron: Legacy certainly set the stage for Tron 3, mainly with Olivia Wilde’s Quorra, the sole surviving ISO (isomorphic algorithm) from The Grid, being brought back to the real world with Garrett Hedlund’s Sam Flynn, who was planning to take back his father’s company, ENCOM. We were also treated to a minor appearance from Cillian Murphy as Edward Dillinger Jr., whose father was the villain from the first Tron movie, so perhaps Jr. would have followed in those sinister footsteps.

For now though, there’s still no movement on Tron 3, and when asked last year why this threequel never happened, Garrett Hedlund attributed it to Disney getting cold feet following the disappointing performance of 2014’s Tomorrowland. In fact, the Tron franchise as a whole seems to be dormant. Two years after Tron: Legacy came out, the prequel TV series Tron: Uprising aired on Disney XD, but that only lasted a season. In 2017, it was reported that Disney was considering making a Tron reboot instead starring Jared Leto, but that project hasn’t had any traction either. Still, there is a Tron rollercoaster at Shanghai Disneyland and another one is being constructed for Disney World, so the franchise will at least still be somewhat in the public consciousness.

Rest assured, if there’s any news about another Tron movie, we here at CinemaBlend will let you know about it. For now, take a look at what movies are coming out later this year in our 2019 release schedule.

Godzilla: King Of The Monsters Director Has Big Ideas For What Happens Right After His Movie Ends

Godzilla: King Of The Monsters Director Has Big Ideas For What Happens Right After His Movie Ends

Warning: SPOILERS for Godzilla: King of the Monsters are ahead!

The general public wasn’t aware that the Titans existed before the events of Godzilla, but the giant reptile’s clash with the MUTOs changed everything. Five years later, Godzilla’s collision with Rodan, Mothra and King Ghidorah in Godzilla: King of the Monsters resulted in even more destruction across the world, and now the public is fully in the loop on these beasts since Monarch shared the information it’d collected about them over the decades.

So how does humanity go forward from here? Obviously we’re not done with Titan fights by a long shot, as Godzilla vs. Kong is less than a year away. But in terms of the overall status quo, Godzilla: King of the Monsters director Michael Dougherty told CinemaBlend’s own Jeff McCobb that the population will need to heed the late Dr. Ishiro Serizawa’s (played by Ken Watanabe) advice and make peace with the Titans’ existence. As Dougherty put it:

I feel like humans have no choice but to live by Serizawa’s words, which is that we have to learn how to coexist with the Titans. Now that the genie’s out of the bottle, we have no choice but to accept the fact that mankind is no longer at the top of the food chain.

During Godzilla: King of the Monsters, there was a debate over whether it was better to learn to coexist with the Titans or if we were better off killing them. The U.S. government certainly tried its best to kill both Godzilla and King Ghidorah with its Oxygen Destroyer, but the weapon only seriously harmed Godzilla, with King Ghidorah barely being fazed.

Had Dr. Ishiro Serizawa not sacrificed his life to revive Godzilla so that the reptile could defeat his arch-nemesis once and for all, Earth would be destroyed. So as Thomas Middleditch’s character, Sam Coleman, mentioned early in the movie, there are some Titans that are here to help us, and some that are here to threatens us. It’s great to learn which is which, but humanity now needs to learn that the beasts have been here longer than us and are here to stay.

Judging by the Godzilla: King of the Monsters credits, it looks like a lot of folks are getting used to this. Along with Monarch publishing all its research, it was also revealed that some cruise ships have passed by Godzilla himself, prehistoric plants are popping up that some consider to be “superfood,” and Earth is starting to be healed thanks to the Titans no longer being influenced by King Ghidorah, who wasn’t even native to our world.

Still, that doesn’t mean that everything is all fine and dandy in the MonsterVerse now that King Ghidorah is gone. It was also noted in the Godzilla: King of the Monsters credits that Skull Island has started to become unstable, with many new Titans setting up shop there, which will undoubtedly not sit well with the island’s ruler, King Kong.

This sets the stage for Godzilla vs. Kong, which will see these two behemoths clash for the first time in an American production. While their battle will be the main draw, the fourth MonsterVerse entry will also show Monarch delving into the Titans’ origins and a conspiracy to wipe out these creatures being uncovered.

You can listen to Michael Dougherty’s full remarks about the post-Godzilla: King of the Monsters MonsterVerse in the video below.

Be sure to read CinemaBlend’s review of Godzilla: King of the Monsters, and stay tuned for coverage on Godzilla vs. Kong, which hits theaters on March 13, 2020.

Shazam!’s Director Wants To Return For A Sequel

Shazam!’s Director Wants To Return For A Sequel

The next DCEU film may not have hit theaters just yet, but it looks like the filmmakers had such a blast working on the movie that they would say yes to making a sequel in a Shazam! Director David F. Sandberg and producer Peter Safran have confirmed their interest in continuing Billy Batson’s story past his upcoming superhero origin story, so stay tuned!

There’s still a couple of weeks before Shazam! hits theaters, but the movie has already received some early positive buzz from critics and will follow the DCEU hype after the recent massive success of Aquaman. So, whispers of sequels may not be completely beating the studio to the punch.

During an interview with ComicBook, Sandberg and Safran were asked if they were ready to take on a second Shazam! The producer jumped in first with an enthusiastic “Absolutely!” before turning to the Shazam! director, who said “Let’s do it!” How the movie is received when it makes its way to theaters does have quite the pull, so if you’re already excited for a sequel go see Shazam! On the big screen!

Early tracking estimates that the superhero flick will makes around $50 million during its opening weekend, as Stephen King remake, Pet Sematary treads closely behind with at around $40 to $45 million. In comparison, Aquaman nabbed $67 million during its first weekend alongside other big new openers Mary Poppins and Bumblebee and went on to become an over $1.1 billion hit. On the other hand, Aquaman wasn’t sandwiched between Captain Marvel and Avengers: Endgame.

Shazam! will also follow the releases of Disney’s live-action Dumbo and Jordan Peele’s second film after his buzzy Get Out debut. How will this change how much attention the next DCEU film gets in the midst of so many exciting releases? Only time will tell.

The movie starring Zachary Levi has been getting a warm reception so far, as early audiences have called it delightful, funny, heartwarming and a sweet call back to classics such as Big, The Goonies and Superman. Shazam! is unique from other superhero films because it is told from the perspective of kids and also looks to feature tons of DCEU jokes with jabs at Batman and Aquaman.

Shazam! follows Billy Batson (Asher Angel) and Freddy Freeman (Jack Dylan Grazer), a pair of foster kids, as Billy obtains the ability to transform into an adult hero with superpowers (Zachary Levi). While the teenagers start off having a fun time playing around with his abilities, Billy must learn to become an actual superhero and take on a formidable foe named Dr. Sivana (Mark Strong).

The DCEU has had a mix of successes and disappointments, but from the looks of it, Shazam! has the makings of starting a hot streak for the franchise that could call for a sequel. Check out Shazam! on April 5 and maybe David F. Sandberg and Peter Safran will get their wish after all.

Jared Leto Shares Moving Image From Morbius

Jared Leto Shares Moving Image From Morbius

Jared Leto already showed off a first look at his main character in Morbius last month, but that was really more of a glimpse. This new motion photo gives a full figure look at his Dr. Michael Morbius in the second movie in Sony's Marvel Universe following Venom:

OK. If he's a vampire, maybe the people don't see him as he stands there right in the middle of the sidewalk. Still seems rude, though.

Morbius the Living Vampire started as a nemesis for Spider-Man in Marvel Comics' The Amazing Spider Man in the 1970s. In the comics, Dr. Michael Morbius is a biochemist who tries to cure a fatal blood disease by injecting himself with a bat-based treatment serum. That little trick gave him a form of vampirism, including superhuman strength but also a love for human blood. Over time, Morbius evolved into an antihero with his own comic.

Morbius is now filming, with Adria Arjona reportedly playing Martine Bancroft, who is engaged to Dr. Michael Morbius in the comics. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Matt Smith will play the film's villain, Loxias Crown, Morbius’ best friend who also suffers from the same blood disease. Jared Harris is meant to play Morbius’ mentor, with Tyrese Gibson as an FBI agent trying to hunt down Morbius. Jared Leto -- aka the Joker in DC's Suicide Squad -- is taking the lead here as the Marvel antihero himself.

After the huge $855 million success of Venom, Sony has big plans for its universe, which it's technically calling Sony's Marvel Universe -- not to be confused with the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and also not quite confused with the Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse movie and its sequel/spinoffs. Spider-Man is part of too many universes, in my opinion. There's been talk of MCU peeps possibly eventually squaring off with Tom Hardy's Venom, and maybe Morbius will be part of that action someday, if it ever happens.

Tom Holland's Spider-Man is busy with his own problems in Spider-Man: Far From Home, which arrives in theaters this July, not quite three months after Avengers: Endgame hopefully explains how Peter Parker is getting his own film when he was snapped by Thanos in Avengers: Infinity War.

Venom is getting its own sequel, which is now in the works. Morbius -- directed by Daniel Espinosa (Safe House) -- is scheduled for release in theaters in the U.S. on July 31, 2020. That's already looking like a very busy month. (Release dates may change, though, so stay tuned.) As we wait for more news about Morbius, and eventually a trailer, catch up on everything you need to know about Marvel's Living Vampire. And be sure to keep our 2019 movie release date schedule handy to stay up-to-date on everything opening on the big screen this year.