Avatar 2: What We Know So Far

Avatar 2: What We Know So Far

Over the last 10 years we've seen countless major movie franchises come and go, but few have had the global appeal of James Cameron's Avatar. Released in December 2009, the film continues to hold the record as the highest-grossing movie of all time, pulling in $2.782 billion worldwide and while that record may be about to fall, the strength of Avatar should not be overlooked. We have been patiently waiting for sequels to arrive ever since, and while the filmmaking team behind the franchise has been taking its time, they have some absolutely gigantic plans for the future.

Avatar 2 and its several other sequels have been in development for years and while it has looked a time or two like the movies might never actually happen, the second and third Avatar sequels are actually in production now, so baring massive disaster, they at least will happen. Here's everything we know about Avatar 2 so far.

What Is The Avatar 2 Release Date?

Avatar 2 was originally set for release back in 2015, but one delay after another set in, which pushed the date back again and again. The movie was always slated for a Christmas release, but what year that would happen was never very clear. Finally, release dates for not just Avatar 2, but all the sequels were set, with the first movie coming in 2020 and it seemed like that date might stick. However, one additional delay was announced when Disney set its first release calendar following the Fox merger. Avatar 2 is now set to open December 17, 2021.

What Is The Avatar 2 Rating?

Films with major blockbuster potential like Avatar 2 usually want to get as many butts into those theater seats as possible. So, while there's been no word on the actual story of the sequel, it's unlikely that it will drift into Rated R territory. We should also note that the original film received a PG-13 rating, and it's a good bet that Avatar 2, and the three sequels planned after it, will attempt to stick with the same rating.

The Director

The first Avatar was truly a passion project for James Cameron, as the filmmaker spent years and years developing both the script and the technological advancements that needed to be made. So, you didn't really expect him to hand off the sequels to someone else, did you? Cameron will be coming back for not just Avatar 2, but for 3, 4 and 5 as well.

He has some big plans for the technological side of things, and has talked about both filming at higher frame rates using performance capture underwater. You can be sure that Avatar 2 will push the boundaries of what can be accomplished in modern filmmaking. Cameron wants to show that the first film's success was not a fluke. The director is certainly not expecting success to come automatically to the Avatar sequels simply because the first one did well.

What's Avatar 2 Called?

Officially, Avatar 2 has no title beyond simply that, Avatar 2. A collection of potential subtitles were leaked that appeared to give the next movie the title Avatar: The Way of Water. James Cameron later confirmed that the leaked titles were potential names for the film, but he claimed nothing has been decided on yet.

The Script

James Cameron was the lone credited screenwriter on the first Avatar movie, but for the four sequels he has brought in a full team of collaborators who have helped him break down all upcoming chapters of the franchise. Josh Friedman, who penned Steven Spielberg's War of the Worlds remake and was one of the key people behind the television series Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles, was the first one to sign on.

Then, he was followed by Rise of the Planet of the Apes veterans Rick Jaffa and Amanda Silver, and Armageddon's Shane Salerno, all of whom will be working side-by-side with Cameron. Major plot details haven't been revealed yet, but the director has said that the sequels will introduce "whole new worlds, habitats, and cultures," which very well could mean that we will get to meet some different kinds of intelligent alien species.

While the Avatar sequels were written as one large, ever expanding beast, and are being largely filmed together, we're being told that each of the upcoming films, including Avatar 2, are being created as standalone films, rather than being four parts of a larger story.

With so many details about Avatar 2 and the other sequels still scarce, we recently got an update on the content of those films from James Cameron. While speaking about Toruk, the Cirque du Soleil Avatar prequel, Cameron spilled the beans on a major theme for the planned films: family.

The storyline in the sequels really follows Jake and Neytiri and their children. It's more of a family saga about the struggle with the humans.

The one thing we do know about Avatar 2 is that the story will be focused around the oceans of the planet Pandora, and what details we have about new characters would appear to confirm that much.

Jake Sully

This will come as a surprise to absolutely nobody, but the main character of Avatar might be coming back for the franchise's sequels. Sam Worthington, who has spent the years since his breakout role in the original sci-fi blockbuster starring in movies like Clash of the Titans, Man on a Ledge and Sabotage, had signed a deal that would have seen him playing human-turned-Na'vi Jake Sully for the foreseeable future.

The Aussie actor was even the first to reveal the production start date in November 2013, saying, "I'll be grateful if it finishes. I think Jim is building the ship to Pandora, to be honest." But, now that we know the Avatar sequels will each tell different stories that simply form a complete saga, it's unclear if there will even be a role for Worthington in any of the planned films. Of course, production didn't start anywhere near November 2013, and has, in fact, still not begun to any significant degree, so casting on any of the sequels could change at any time.

Neytiri

If Jake Sully comes back, you know that his alien lady love would come back as well, and that had been the case. Like Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldana had confirmed that she would be back as Neytiri in Avatar 2, 3, 4 and 5. The actress talked a bit about what she had seen from the production, and even admitted that she and James Cameron got very emotional discussing the story that was then supposed to play out over the next few years.

But, with Saldana becoming a queen of the sci-fi genre in her own right since the release of Avatar, taking part in not just the new Star Trek films, but also Marvel Studios' Guardians of the Galaxy, along with the fact that the Avatar sequels have yet to begun production in earnest, it's no longer a guarantee that she'll be involved in a major way. As with most of what's been happening with the Avatar franchise, we'll have to wait and see.

Dr. Grace Augustine

Many of you will probably remember that Dr. Grace Augustine (played by Sigourney Weaver) actually died in her Avatar form in the last movie, but, apparently, the original plan for Avatar 2 was not going to stop her from appearing in the sequel. Less than three months after Avatar's release in 2009, it was confirmed that Dr. Augustine has a place in Avatar 2. In October 2010, James Cameron explained the character's survival by saying "Nobody dies in a science fiction movie," but the real reason will presumably be revealed in the sequel, if Weaver's character will still be involved.

What we do know is that whatever form Weaver takes in Avatar 2 will be evolving over time. A few years ago she said that her part is a little bit different in each sequel and that she'll "transform somewhat" between them. However, it's possible her character has been transforming even within the script writing process. Even more recently, Weaver has said she's not actually playing the same character in the sequels as she did in the original. So, maybe Grace Augustine is dead after all, even though Sigourney Weaver will be back. It's hard to say for sure at this point.

Colonel Miles Quaritch

Remember that quote about nobody really dying in a science-fiction movie? Well, that rule apparently applies to Stephen Lang's Colonel Miles Quaritch, who we last saw getting two arrows through the chest courtesy of Neytiri. While audiences may have assumed that the villain had passed on, it turns out that's not the case. Described as the "Darth Vader" of the franchise, our last information on Quaritch said that he was going to continue to be an antagonistic force in all upcoming Avatar sequels. James Cameron has said that he has a very interesting and unexpected arc through the movies, so he's definitely a character to keep an eye on.

Other Returning Characters

In addition to these major returning characters, several other actors will be returning to the world of Pandora for Avatar 2, if not every sequel that comes after. Dileep Rao played Dr. Max Patel, one of the scientists on the Avatar program who comes to the aid of Jake Sully. Joel David Moore will be back in the role of Norm Spellman, another friend of Sully's, and the only human allowed to remain on Pandora after the rest of humanity is booted out at the end of the first film.

CCH Pounder will be back as Mo'at, the spiritual leader of the Na'vi. Also, Matt Gerald will be back as Corporal Lyle Wainfleet, which makes him no less than the third actor who will return for Avatar 2 despite the fact that the character died in the first movie.

The Children

The bulk of the new actors joining the cast of Avatar 2 are actually quite young. We know that the story will focus largely on the children of Jake Sully and Neytiri, as many years will have passed between the events of the first two Avatar movies. Jamie Flatters will play the oldest child of the two characters, a boy named Neteyam. Britain Dalton will play middle child Lo'ak. Youngest child, and only daughter Tuktirey will be played by the young Trinity Bliss..

There is a single confirmed human character being played by a child actor, Jack Champion will appear in the role of Javier 'Spider' Socorro. He was born at Hell's Gate, the former human colony, but prefers spending his time exploring Pandora.

Avatar 2 will also introduce us to an entirely new civilization of Pandora, the ocean-based Metkayina. Three major young roles have been cast from this group. Filip Geljo will play Aonung, the son of the Metkayina clan leader. Bailey Bass will play the role of Tsireya, a character described as a graceful and strong free diver. Finally, Duane Evans Jr. will play a character named Roxto.

Other New Characters

There are plenty of new grown up characters joining the cast of Avatar 2. The biggest addition to the cast is James Cameron's leading lady from Titanic Kate Winslet. She'll play a character named Ronal, but beyond a name we don't know much about her. Based on the fact that Winslet was holding her breath for seven minutes at a time during production, it leads one to believe she'll be playing one of the reef people of Pandora.

Other new actors joining the Avatar franchise include Fear the Walking Dead's Cliff Curtis as Tonowari, the chief of the reef people. Oona Chaplain will play Varang, who sounds like another Na'vi, but we don't really no for sure. Most recently, Jemaine Clement has joined the cast as one of the few confirmed new human characters, a marine biologist named Dr. Ian Garvin

New Technologies

James Cameron is known for his love of technology. He seems to always be looking for new ways to use the newest techniques to do something unique in his movies. His use of 3D in Avatar is one of the main reasons that the technology is still used today and his work on motion capture, especially with faces, was a big part of what Cameron used to sell Avatar to both the studio and the public.

But that was 2009, what has James Cameron been up to lately? Avatar producer Jon Landau has spoken with a man named Douglas Trumbull about a new film process that combines 4K resolution, 3D and high frame rates (up to 120 per second) into one package. This sounds like a match made in heaven for James Cameron. He's a big proponent of both 3D and HFR so it would be far from surprising if this tech was adopted for this, or future Avatar sequels.

Because 3D essentially requires two frames in order to create it, getting 3D and a high frame rate at the same time is difficult, add in four thousand lines of resolution and the math gets even more complicated. All these things together, however, could bring Pandora to life like never before.

Speaking of 3D technology, it's possible that the most challenging aspect of these new films will be Cameron's desire to use a 3D process that, wait for it, doesn't require the audience to wear special glasses while watching the movies. That technology is currently available, but the difficulty lies in utilizing it on a large screen meant for more than one viewer, and with people sitting at a wide variety of angles and distances from that screen.

In theory, scaling up a glasses-free 3D image should be possible, but it hasn't been done at this point, and the cost of the process isn't commercially viable yet. Of course, with all the delays that have already occurred with the Avatar sequels, it's not impossible that James Cameron's films could be delayed long enough for production and the tech to catch up to one another.

Future Sequels

Following Avatar 2 there will be at least three more movies. Avatar 3 is filming concurrently with Avatar 2, and is scheduled for a December 2023 release. Originally, the plan was to wait to film the other two movies until after Avatar 3 had been released. However, all that was before Disney purchased 21st Century Fox.

The latter two movies had not been officially given the green light by Disney at that point. but Avatar 4 and 5 are now on the official Disney release calendar and set for December 2025 and 2027 respectively. Based on how long these movies take to make, it seems likely the latter two films will be going into production earlier than previously planned.

Now, with so many delays behind this franchise already, you might be wondering if the current sequel schedule is now firmly set in stone. Well, not quite. James Cameron's high standards rule where this is concerned, and, to his mind, the important thing is doing the films right instead of simply doing them quickly. When asked a while back if the December 2018 release date for Avatar 2 was still correct, Cameron said:

We haven't moved that target yet, but we will if we need to. The important thing for me is not when the first one comes out but the cadence of the release pattern. I want them to be released as close together as possible. If it's an annual appointment to show up at Christmas, I want to make sure that we're able to fulfill on that promise.

So, it looks like, aside from some much appreciated perfectionism, Cameron is also concerned with the release pattern of all the sequels. He doesn't want Avatar 2 to be released and then end up having an unexpected delay for Avatar 3 or for one of the other films to stop the flow of Avatar goodness into theaters for the next few years. This likely means that all films will have to be pretty near to completion before we get to see Avatar 2 in theaters.

As always, stay tuned to CinemaBlend and we'll keep you up to date on all the latest in the Avatar 2 production saga.

Disney Just Confirmed What Star Wars Movie Is Next After The Rise Of Skywalker

Disney Just Confirmed What Star Wars Movie Is Next After The Rise Of Skywalker

We know that the forthcoming Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker will bring the Skywalker Saga to its conclusion after more than 40 years. More Star Wars movies are certainly on the way, and several of them were even recently given release dates, but beyond that we knew little about what was to come. We just got a bit more information on that front as Disney CEO Bob Iger has now confirmed that the first Star Wars movie after Rise of Skywalker will come from Game of Thrones showrunners David Benioff and D.B. Weiss.

We knew that the minds behind the very nearly over Game of Thrones series were working on a Star Wars project, or projects, for Lucasfilm, but we also knew that Star Wars: The Last Jedi director Rian Johnson was working on a trilogy of his own. We didn't know which of these ideas would be coming first, but now we do.

The news came from Bob Iger during a Q&A session at the 6th Annual MoffettNathanson Media & Communications Summit (via Attractions Magazine).

While we knew that David Benioff and D.B. Weiss were working on something for Lucasfilm, we still don't know much about what that is. The word is the duo have been given a three film deal but it's not even clear if that's actually a trilogy, or three separate projects.

If it is a trilogy, then it would seem that the three Star Wars movies that were recently given release dates, beginning in December of 2022 and running every other year until 2026, would make up the series. If this first film that has been confirmed in a one-off project, then the other two could conceivably be something else.

The announcement that the Game of Thrones team were working on Star Wars came after the announcement that Rian Johnson was being handed his own Star Wars trilogy. I was certainly expecting that would mean we'd see those movies first. It's possible that Johnson's ideas are just taking longer to form. It's also conceivable that Benioff and Weiss have been working on this project longer than we were aware.

It will be interesting to see how this news is taken by fans of both Star Wars and Game of Thrones. The final season of the series is being met by...we'll say mixed feelings. There was a time when the idea of the team behind Game of Thrones working on Star Wars was incredibly exciting, but right now might not be that time. A lot of people are unhappy with the storytelling that is wrapping up the show.

With that next movie over three years away, don't expect to hear a lot of details about it anytime soon. In addition to Star Wars; The Rise of Skywalker, Disney has the first live-action Star Wars series, The Mandalorian, set to debut on Disney+ later this year and the studio certainly isn't going to want anything to take the wind out of the sails of those projects.

Dwayne Johnson Reveals Plans To Start Shooting His Black Adam Movie

Dwayne Johnson Reveals Plans To Start Shooting His Black Adam Movie

After many, many years of development, and plenty of starts and stops, Shazam! finally hit theaters this past weekend, and it's proving to be a big hit. Not only is it doing tremendously well with both critics and audiences, but it also just opened number one at the box office while exceeding expectations. Naturally there are already whispers about a potential Shazam! 2, but all of the buzz also has many people talking about another massive DC project: the Black Adam movie.

Dwayne Johnson has been attached to play the character for years - one of the great adversaries of Shazam - but it's never been clear exactly when the film would start to really come together. Now that David F. Sandberg's movie is out and proving to be excessively popular, however, Johnson has provided an update on Black Adam, and it will definitely get fans excited:

Those who know the comic books and the mythology of the comics of Shazam know that Shazam is connected to Black Adam. Black Adam is an anti-hero, or villain, who I cannot wait to play. I've been developing this, and it's been with me and my DNA for over 10 years now. We should start shooting that in about a year.

Despite the fact that he doesn't actually appear in the movie, Dwayne Johnson is credited as an Executive Producer on Shazam! via his Seven Bucks Productions shingle, and earlier today he posted a video on Instagram celebrating the new film's success. While discussing the long road that the project has taken, and discussing its popularity, he let slip his plans to start production on his Black Adam movie, which will apparently start filming in the first half of 2020.

This is obviously exciting, and it means that we will probably start hearing some big announcements about the feature very soon. After all, there are some key roles that still need to be filled, and that includes the person who will be sitting in the director's chair. The project does currently have a script in the works, with Adam Sztykiel (Due Date, Rampage) credited with the screenplay, but the identity of the filmmaker who will be bringing it to life has not yet been revealed. If this project really wants to see any forward movement, it's going to have to find somebody for that job first.

As Dwayne Johnson further explained in his social media post, there was originally a plan to introduce Shazam and Black Adam simultaneously in the same project, but complications arose in the creative process that prevented that from happening. Specifically, the project was trying to pack two full origin stories into one blockbuster, and it was felt by Johnson the filmmakers developing the movie that the feature was trying to do too much. As a result, the Black Adam part of the tale was put on the shelf, and Shazam was given some breathing room in a true blue solo movie. In the actors' own words,

This project, Shazam, we had some challenges and we took a risk. And that risk is, as we were developing this a few years ago, the challenges and the struggles that we were having and that was gnawing at my gut is that we were trying to tell two origin stories in one script.... The challenges were, as you guys can imagine, you're trying to tell two very big origin stories in the world of comic books of this DC universe. Two very important characters trying to tell both their origin stories in one script. I didn't think it was working. Finally I called up Warner Bros., Toby Emmerich, my good buddy who runs Warner Bros., and I said, 'Brother, we have to split these stories and make two different movies.' He said, 'You know what? It is a great idea and let's do it.'

Now that Shazam has been made and is proving to be successful, now it's apparently Black Adam's turn to be in the spotlight.

Created by Otto Binder and C. C. Beck back in 1945, Black Adam a.k.a. Teth-Adam in the comics was born in ancient Egypt, and initially seen as a potentially great hero by the wizard Shazam. He was granted powers because of this potential, however, things didn't exactly turn out as planned. Teth-Adam was corrupted, and after killing the Pharaoh installed himself as a fascistic leader, ultimately murdering swaths of people. As a result of this, the wizard becomes extremely wary about the prospect of sharing his powers again, and decides not to do so for more than a century.

If this sounds familiar, it's probably because you just saw a version of this story play out on the big screen this past weekend - albeit not specifically starring Dwayne Johnson. Audiences got to see a preview of this origin tale in Shazam!, as it was told using a light show projected by the wizard (Djimon Hounsou) in the Rock of Eternity when he is introduced to Billy Batson (Asher Angel).

You can watch Dwayne Johnson discuss his history with the project, and demonstrate his elation about the success of Shazam!, by clicking play on the embed below.

Dwayne Johnson is one of the most popular and productive actors currently working in the industry, regularly starring in three to four movies per year, and if everything goes according to plan it seems like Black Adam is going to be one of his films for 2021 (the same year as Matt Reeves' The Batman and James Gunn's The Suicide Squad) or possibly 2022 (the same year as Aquaman 2). We won't have a clearer understanding of exactly when it will get going until more pieces start to fall into place, but regardless of when it starts coming together we're just excited that it's actually happening.

Hopefully it won't be too long until we start learning more about the progress of Black Adam - and you can be sure that we will keep you updated with all of the details here on CinemaBlend as they become available. For now, though, be sure to head to your local theater and check out Shazam!, which is now being projected on screens all around the world.

Bradley Cooper Wants To Do A Live A Star Is Born Show With Lady Gaga

Bradley Cooper Wants To Do A Live A Star Is Born Show With Lady Gaga

Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper shared a whirlwind of success since the release of A Star is Born this fall that lead to box office triumphs, No. 1 hits, Grammy wins and tons of other award season accolades. Over six months after its release, the duo’s undeniable chemistry and beautiful performances in the film (and on Oscars night) still has fans talking, so why not give them more?

When Star is Born actor/director/writer interview with Ellen DeGeneres, Bradley Cooper was asked if he’d go on tour with his pop superstar friend. Here was his response:

I mean, no. But you know what I thought would be a cool thing to do, maybe one night, is do a live reading of the movie, of the script and sing all the songs as you’re reading the script, like at the Hollywood Bowl or something. That would be cool, right?

Why yes, it would be! The movie gained tons of fans with its release as it made $434 million worldwide and “Shallow” became a chart-topping single. Months later, the song is still in sitting cozy in the Top 20 of Billboard’s Hot 100 chart. Getting a chance to see the pair perform these heart wrenching songs live together and even perform some of the dramatic scenes live in front of an audience would be an incredible experience for fans to witness.

THe Hollywood Bowl does often take iconic movies and play them for audiences and replace the audio with live performances from orchestras or singers depending on the movie. Annually, The Nightmare Before Christmas plays at the venue as Danny Elfman and Catherine O’Hara come on stage to sing Jack and Sally’s parts. The venue has also played the Star Wars and Harry Potter films and replaced the score with a live orchestra playing John Williams’ beautiful score. Maybe this is what Bradley Cooper has in mind for a live Star is Born performance?

The actor debuted his singing talent in the film before taking the stage with Gaga at one of her Vegas shows to sing “Shallow” and wowing audiences at this year’s Oscars highlight – their raw live performance which they meticulously prepared for before winning Best Original Song. So, they’ve certainly proved they’re on-screen performance can be replicated for a live audience.

Check out Bradley Cooper talk about A Star is Born during his recent visit to the The Ellen Show below:

Bradley Cooper sharing his idea unfortunately didn’t garner much of a reaction from the talk show’s audience. Taped shows like this usually tell them when to clap and react so maybe at this specific moment there was a weird miscommunication. If the Star is Born leads did decide to do this, it would certainly take quite a bit of preparation but be the ultimate experience to see the songs performed live for film performed in front of our faces.

Suicide Squad 2: What We Know So Far

Suicide Squad 2: What We Know So Far

David Ayer's Suicide Squad is a film with a complicated history. The film was famously rushed through development, had to undergo many mid-production changes, and ultimately received some vicious reviews from professional critics when it came out in the summer of 2016. Despite all of this, however, the movie wound up being a massive hit all around the world -- bringing in nearly $750 million worldwide -- so it's not really a huge surprise that Warner Bros. and DC Comics are currently developing a Suicide Squad 2.

The status of the sequel was up in the air for several months, but we know have more crucial details about things like who'll be writing and potentially directing the film that's now known as The Suicide Squad. We also finally have a release date and some information on how this long-gestating sequel is being viewed by the studio, and many of these new tidbits are sure to get you excited for the film! We plan to address all of those things and more with this new edition of our What We Know So Far guides. So read on, and find out absolutely everything we've learned about the development of The Suicide Squad!

What Is The Suicide Squad Release Date?

It's become customary for major movie franchises to announce full slates of projects that look as many as five years into the future -- but that route hasn't worked out so well for the DC Extended Universe so far. As a result, until recently, the only developing blockbuster with actual release dates were James Wan's Aquaman, which dominated the box office when it came out on December 21, 2018, and Shazam!, which is heading for release on April 5, 2019. Recently, though, we actually got the specifics of when we will be seeing Warner Bros. release The Suicide Squad into theaters: August 6, 2021. And, the movie is coming along with an intriguing slate of other DC films now due out in the same year.

As we know, DC and Warner Bros. have been very good at announcing new projects that are in development, without giving so much as a hint as to when they plan for those projects to begin filming or even when we should expect to see them on the big screen. But, this changed in late January 2019, when the release date for The Suicide Squad was revealed along with another long developing and hotly anticipated project, Matt Reeves' The Batman, which is due in theaters on June 25, 2021, and something that hadn't been announced previously, DC Super Pets, which is looking at a May 21, 2021 debut. While it originally seemed as though Suicide Squad 2 could hit a 2019 release, and the wait may seem excruciating, there are reasons to be happy for the delay, which we'll get into in just a bit.

What Is The Suicide Squad Rating?

Films like Deadpool, Deadpool 2 and Logan have done a radical job completely changing the comic book movie game where ratings are concerned. While it was once believed that the blockbusters had to be PG-13 in order to bring in key teenager demographics, it has been shown multiple times that it's very possible to make a crazy amount of money while only appealing to adults. It's not an industry development that Warner Bros. has yet to take advantage of with their DC Extended Universe franchise just yet, and as a result there's every possibility that Suicide Squad 2 will have the same rating as its predecessor -- but it remains a question that doesn't actually have a firm answer.

Prior to the release of Suicide Squad in the summer of 2016, writer/director David Ayer told a reporter that the thought of an R-rated Suicide Squad 2 was an idea "worth lobbying for" -- so with the right minds at work, one could see the approach as still being on the table. That being said, Ayer is not actually making the sequel himself anymore, and the man who is handling The Suicide Squad might wind up thinking that an R-rated approach is stupid. We won't know more on this front until the project moves further into development, which makes for a perfect segue into our next point of discussion...

Who Is The Suicide Squad Writer And Director?

Until recently, the subject of who Suicide Squad 2's director would be was a fluid one, as the project existed without a mind to guide it for a while. Given the financial success that the first movie experienced, you'd expect that Warner Bros. would bring David Ayer back for the follow-up, but he's actually unavailable because of his work on another DC Comics property. In early September 2017, the studio finally filled the vacancy, with The Accountant's Gavin O'Connor being hired to direct and write the upcoming blockbuster.

But! That was not the end of the writer/director saga that will eventually bring The Suicide Squad to theaters. In early October 2018 it was announced that James Gunn had been hired to write the film, with word coming in late January 2019 that he was also now set to direct the newest villain team up. Both these bits of news came as a pleasant surprise to superhero movie fans everywhere, as Gunn had been fired from Marvel in the summer of 2018 (after completing the script for Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 3) when old, offensive tweets of his were dredged up online. As of this writing, Guardians 3 is in serious limbo with no director and pre-production having been shut down months ago, but Suicide Squad 2 has netted itself a fine creative mind.

What Is The Suicide Squad Story?

It's early days yet for The Suicide Squad, so we don't know much about the story or who will be included in it. But, when word came down about the new title and release date, there was also a tidbit on information that tells us that this film might be significantly different from its predecessor. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the studio see this movie as more of a relaunch than a direct sequel, with Gunn being free to take the property in a new direction and use a mostly new cast of characters, if he so chooses.

Of course, the whole "rag tag band" concept behind The Suicide Squad already fits with Gunn's aesthetic. Plus, at one time he was interested in writing and directing a Thunderbolts movie for Marvel, but, because that comic book team is so similar to DC's Suicide Squad, the idea for that movie was abandoned once Suicide Squad got off the ground. No matter what he decides to do with the story, though, it's sure to be intriguing and likely a lot more fun than what we saw in the original.

Deadshot

Given the star power of Will Smith, talk about a possible Deadshot spin-off began almost immediately after Suicide Squad's release in the summer of 2016. However, when Warner Bros. and DC announced their upcoming slate at San Diego Comic-Con in 2017, that particular project wasn't revealed as part of their plans. As such, we were basically led to believe that the next time we would see the sharpshooter antihero would be in The Suicide Squad - but apparently that won't be the case.

In late February 2019 it was reported that Will Smith would not be able to reprise his role as Deadshot in The Suicide Squad due to scheduling conflicts. It's not entirely clear what project it is that is keeping Smith out of the blockbuster sequel, but the word is that there is no ill will felt by either party, and the split was amicable.

Harley Quinn

The first Suicide Squad was as divisive as big blockbusters really get, but if most movie-goers and critics could agree on anything, it was appreciation for Margot Robbie's Harley Quinn. Sure, her involvement in the story didn't make a lot of sense (given that she was primarily being used for her connections with the Joker, and the Joker wasn't a part of the actual mission), but, still, it was easy to enjoy Robbie's take on the vivid personality, and it satisfied years of anticipating the character's big screen debut. As entertaining as the performance was, however, right now there doesn't seem to be an absolute guarantee that Harley will be coming back for Suicide Squad 2.

We've heard rumblings that Warner Bros. is interested in creating a trilogy of new films that star the mallet-obsessed former psychologist, and while The Suicide Squad could certainly end up being one of those, there are several other movies in the works set to star Harley Quinn. Part of the reason why writer/director David Ayer isn't coming back for the sequel is because he's been actively developing Gotham City Sirens -- and should that fully move forward, it may see the DC Extended Universe prefer to pair Harley Quinn with Poison Ivy and Catwoman instead of reuniting her with the Suicide Squad. The character will next be seen in Birds of Prey (And the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn), which began filming in mid-January 2019, and there have also been rumors of a Harley / Joker film. Nothing is set in stone yet, and it's very possible that Harley will ultimately be back for Suicide Squad 2, but right now it's a situation that's very much up in the air.

The Joker

There is no future more unclear in the DC Extended Universe than that of Jared Leto's The Joker. The Oscar-winner notoriously acted like a total (admittedly in-character) nutcase while filming the original Suicide Squad, and not only was his performance ultimately derided by critics, but Leto himself was also very outspoken about the final cut of the blockbuster. As a result, we really have no idea when we can next expect him to appear in the franchise, whether it be in Suicide Squad 2, or possibly never again.

Certainly one major factor in all of this will be whether or not the sequel winds up seeing the return of Margot Robbie's Harley Quinn, as we just discussed. If it's decided that she should be used in Birds of Prey, then saved for Gotham City Sirens and left out of Suicide Squad 2, the studio may also not bring back the Clown Prince of Crime either. Another thing potentially standing in the way of Leto's version of The Joker coming back for the sequel? He's currently attached to star in Sony's Spider-Verse film Morbius The Living Vampire, which has been adding to its cast and seems to be moving right along through production. So, where will The Joker show up next? We'll just have to wait and see.

Killer Croc

Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje's Killer Croc was one of the main characters in the first Suicide Squad, but we didn't exactly get to know too much about him. We know he prefers living underwater, eats raw meat/flesh, has tough lizard-like skin, and enjoys watching BET, but that's really all the backstory that the DC Extended Universe provides for the anti-hero. As such, we hope that he will wind up getting more opportunities to shine in Suicide Squad 2 -- should he return.

From an effects standpoint it was very cool to see a strange comic book character like Killer Croc come to life in Suicide Squad, but it also wasn't hard to be disappointed by the lack of characterization he was provided. He has a very long history in DC Comics, primarily going up against Batman under the streets of Gotham City, and, hopefully, if James Gunn decides to use him he can figure out a proper way to utilize Croc beyond "he can swim really well."

Captain Boomerang

While both Deadshot and Killer Croc walked away from their first Suicide Squad mission with a few perks, Jai Courtney's Captain Boomerang really got screwed. Thanks to his perpetual escape attempts, the Australian thief doesn't get a TV in his room or even an espresso machine -- but instead is rewarded with what looks like a permanent stay in solitary confinement where he is monitored constantly by an armed guard. Basically, Karma is a bitch.

Captain Boomerang has long been a mainstay in Suicide Squad comics, and considering he was one of the actual highlights of the first movie, one would like to assume that we will see him return in Suicide Squad 2, but there are no guarantees right now. Another thing don't know is, if he does show up, what kind of shape will he be in? When we first met him he was constantly cracking jokes and being generally offensive, but maybe time in his tiny, tiny cell will help adjust his attitude a bit.

Katana

Provided that she actually comes back, Katana would need some serious redemption in the storyline of Suicide Squad 2. While Karen Fukuhara certainly looked badass in the role, she was given nothing to do in the first movie other than swing her special sword and be the target of other character's exposition, and it's hard to even recall if she had any lines. The character's legacy from DC Comics deserves much more than that, and we'll see if the sequel actually delivers.

In the DC Extended Universe, Katana isn't a rehabilitating prisoner, but instead is an associate of Rick Flag's who was apparently asked to be a part of the first Suicide Squad mission. Given the flimsiness of that set-up, properly fitting her into The Suicide Squad might actually be a tricky endeavor for Gunn, but it's not an impossible job. That being said, she could ultimately be left out of the sequel entirely.

Rick Flag

Last time around, Rick Flag (Joel Kinnaman) was supposed to be the true leader of the Suicide Squad -- the moral soldier who could control the supervillains -- but that didn't exactly work out as planned. Instead, the guy pretty much screwed up his entire job by getting super emotional about Dr. June Moone (Cara Delevingne), and letting the Enchantress go wild. As far as overall job performance goes, the guy basically got a "D-" ... which is why we're not entirely sure if he'll be coming back as part of the Suicide Squad 2 ensemble.

Being a team that is technically representative of the government, the Suicide Squad makes a bit more sense as a unit when it's led by someone who isn't criminally insane, but that job doesn't have to belong to Rick Flag -- and in the world of the DC Extended Universe it would probably make sense if it doesn't going forward. Even if the character doesn't come back with a key role to play, however, we can at least hope that The Suicide Squad gives us an idea of what happened to him. Joel Kinnaman seems confident that the project will find a role for him to play, so we'll have to wait and see how it all shakes out.

Amanda Waller

Amanda Waller is one of the toughest tough cookies in all of DC Comics lore, and that definitely came across in Viola Davis' first Suicide Squad performance. The woman not only has an extremely clear idea of what she wants in this life, but is also willing to go to some pretty extreme personal lengths in order to get the job done. Most importantly, though, she rules the titular team with an iron thumb, and it's why we definitely expect her to be back in action in Suicide Squad 2.

Admittedly things didn't exactly go as planned the first time that Amanda Waller worked to assemble a team of supervillains, but if there's anyone out there who can convince her higher ups of giving her another shot, it's Waller. One can assume she will once again be put in the position of not only assembling the eponymous unit in The Suicide Squad, but will also be the one to assign them whatever mission they need to accomplish.

Be sure to keep checking back with this guide to get updated information on The Suicide Squad prior to its release. In the meantime, you can check out a wide array of our What We Know So Far Guides right here!

Luke And Leia Being Siblings Started A Decades-Long Inside Joke With Mark Hamill And Carrie Fisher

Luke And Leia Being Siblings Started A Decades-Long Inside Joke With Mark Hamill And Carrie Fisher

While the original Star Wars trilogy will always be remembered first and foremost for the big twist revealing the relationship between Darth Vader and Luke Skywalker, there was also a second Skywalker family twist that few people saw coming. The revelation that Luke and Princess Leia were actually siblings.

Recently, Mark Hamill responded to a fan on Twitter, and revealed that when the actors themselves learned about the twist, it spawned a on going joke between the two that would continue for years to come.

It seems Carrie Fisher quite enjoyed being Star Wars royalty, and either didn't want to share, or just enjoyed telling Mark Hamill that he didn't get to join the club. Considering the sort of friendship that the two apparently had, it was likely the latter.

To be fair, I'm not sure that Carrie Fisher was entirely wrong here. Leia was a princess of Alderaan but was adopted, so her having a sibling shouldn't matter when it comes to the family line. Luke and Leia's mother was a Queen of Naboo, that is true, but on that planet the position of Queen was actually an elected position, not one that came about via bloodline. And Amidala wasn't even Queen when her kids were born, she was a senator of the Galactic Republic.

As far as Lord Vader goes. That title was clearly honorary and did not denote any actual royal position. He was a Lord of the Sith, after all. Since the Sith are only supposed to have two positions, a master and an apprentice, it's not even clear what Vader was actually supposed to be a lord over.

So I'm pretty sure that Luke Skywalker really was just a commoner, though the title of Jedi Knight is nothing to sneeze at.

Still, one can imagine Carrie Fisher frustratingly, and hilariously, putting up with Mark Hamill's various arguments over the years as to why his character should be considered royalty.

While Hamill and Fisher may have been siblings on screen they were clearly close friends off and the loss of the actress has weighed heavily on him. He still continues to remember her and speak openly about her over two years after her death. He must miss asking her questions about his royal status.

While we thought we were witnessing Carrie Fisher's final performance in Star Wars: The Last Jedi, we know now that wasn't the case. The actress will return in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker via the use of inserting unused footage from the previous films in the trilogy. Exactly how that will work remains to be seen, but Fisher was seen in the Episode IX teaser trailer in a shot that's already breaking my heart.

We don't really know what The Rise of Skywalker has in store for us. Perhaps Luke Skywalker will posthumously be given a royal title. I'm sure Carrie Fisher would have loved that.

How A Romantic Relationship Introduces A Big Change For Shaft

How A Romantic Relationship Introduces A Big Change For Shaft

John Shaft and his son John Shaft Jr. (evidently their familial relationship has changed) have both been known for two things: their reputations as ladies’ men and tough crime fighters who know how to get answers. With the addition of the third generation in JJ, Shaft is going to add some interesting dynamics to the world of that character. And one of the most surprising is the relationship between Samuel L. Jackson’s John Shaft Jr. and the mother of his child, Maya, played by Regina Hall.

For a man who followed in his father’s footsteps as being very social with women, John Shaft Jr. apparently found his romantic Achilles’ heel in Maya, as we’ll see in director Tim Story’s Shaft reboot. And during a set visit early last year, CinemaBlend was on hand with other journalists to learn just how that relationship will affect not only the story of the Shaft reboot, but also how it effects the legendary image of this character.

To start us off, here’s what we learned from Regina Hall, in terms of why Maya is so attractive to Shaft, but also why their relationship broke up at the beginning of Shaft:

She’s very good in bed. That’s how she got [John] Shaft. You know, Shaft has a lot of ‘em, but Maya came along, and he was like ‘That, right there.’ … His lifestyle is the problem, so when they have a child and she becomes a mother, and they get shot at by about 10 men, she decides that it’s probably safer for her to raise the baby away from Shaft.

While the trailer for Shaft showed audiences a lot of the set-up for three generations of John Shafts running around and fighting crime, we do get to see a little bit of Maya putting John Jr. in his place when confronting him about their son’s involvement in the film’s central case. And instead of the typical argument you would expect to ensue, we see Samuel L. Jackson’s second generation John take their encounters in stride.

It’s this fact that Regina Hall continued to elaborate on, as she further discussed the relationship between John Jr. and Maya as follows:

It’s good to see him in a position where he cares, so he’s not in a power position. And that’s the only time he’s not in the power position is when he’s with Maya. He’s like a man in love.

One of the core tenets of Shaft’s central character is that he is, in fact, a sex machine to all the chicks. But with JJ hot on the case of a murdered friend, and his father John Jr. helping him investigate, John Jr. and Maya get to bristle with energy

During that same day on the set visit for Shaft, we got to also talk to Samuel L. Jackson, as he walked into the room during our discussion with Regina Hall. And like any good partner, Jackson jumped in with further details about how John Jr. and Maya’s relationship is different from a typically conflicting romance. He laid down the following clues as to what we’ll see in their interactions during Shaft:

It’s not even a love/hate thing, it’s just a love/safety thing. She took him away from me, because my lifestyle is too dangerous. It had nothing to do with her falling out of love with me. But in the absence, people create and fill their space how they need to fill it. And she’s done that in those 25 years. … The separation is one thing. It’s like we literally don’t see each other, so all of a sudden when we see each other you can see, when they look at each other, this thing happens that’s almost irresistible. But it’s like, I’m not letting you pull me back in.

As there’s more of a careful mix between comedy and action in director Tim Story’s Shaft reboot, one of the binding agents that seems to balance those two factors out is this family reunion of John Jr., Maya and JJ; as well as the addition of Richard Roundtree’s original John. In a series primarily known for a single protagonist solving a crime, doing the legwork to find those responsible, and bringing them to justice, you need a strong hook to introduce such a dynamic this late in the game.

And the best description of just how the John Jr./Maya relationship balances those tones in Shaft is the one that both Samuel L. Jackson and Regina Hall gave as they discussed their on-screen romance:

Jackson: And generally, every time they’re together, something fucking dangerous happens.

Hall: Within six minutes, some shit pops off.

Jackson: Or I say something wrong.

Let’s just hope that Regina Hall’s Maya gets to be one bad mother herself, once it all hits the fan. We certainly won’t have to wait too long to find out, as Shaft is in theaters on June 14, and we’ll have more coverage available on CinemaBlend as we get closer to that film’s launch.