Looks Like The Oscars Might Stay Hostless For A While

Looks Like The Oscars Might Stay Hostless For A While

Nobody knew quite what to expect going into this year's Academy Awards telecast as the show would be going without a host for the first time in years. However, most would probably agree that the show went pretty well, all things considered, and a significant ratings jump for the show would seem to indicate the audience was into the idea. Now it looks like the hostless show worked out so well, that the Oscars could end up sticking with that format for the foreseeable future.

The head of ABC Entertainment Karey Burke, the network that has the deal to broadcast the show until 2028, tells Deadline that the network was happy with this year's show, and has no interest in changing next year's show. According to Burke...

I believe we will not mess with that format to the best of our ability. We're extremely proud of how the show turned out creatively.

Going without a host for this year's Oscars was never the intention, but after the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences made the decision to remove Kevin Hart as host amid controversy, it seems the Oscars organization was simply unable to find a replacement. The lack of host was a necessity, but one that ended up working out largely in the show's favor.

Of course, just because ABC is ok with there not being a host doesn't mean for certain that's the way things will go. The host is actually hired by the Academy, and while ABC certainly has some influence over how the show goes, the Academy doesn't have to listen. The word is ABC was the force behind some of the recently  proposed changes, like a new "popular film" Oscar, and while that idea was not implemented this year, it doesn't mean it might not be incorporated in the future.

This year's Oscars received a 12% increase in viewership over the previous telecast which hit an all-time low in the ratings. While it's hard to know for sure exactly why more people tuned in for this year's show, it's certainly understandable that ABC would be afraid to change anything for fear of losing that ratings boost.

Of course, at the same time, it's unlikely that we'll simply be getting a carbon copy of this year's Oscars over and over again into the future. While this year might have seen a much needed ratings bump, it doesn't mean this year's ratings were all that impressive. ABC is going to want to build on the success, not simply let it ride.

I'm certainly in the camp of people who wouldn't mind seeing the show stay without a host. As a movie fan, I'm there for the awards and anything that helps to keep them front and center is a good thing. I'd rather the winners be given every possible second of time to give their speeches. While there's nothing wrong with having a host, this year's show did make it clear that one isn't needed, which at least leaves that option open if the right host isn't available.

Zack Snyder Wants Fans To Be "Open To Other Things" Beyond Marvel

Zack Snyder Wants Fans To Be "Open To Other Things" Beyond Marvel

Comic book movies are a massive force in the modern blockbuster world. Studios are producing nearly 10 of them per year at this point, but far from over-saturating the market, they are instead regularly making money hand over fist. Zack Snyder, of course, has been a key figure in the middle of it all - having made half of his movies based on material from the printed medium - but in an interesting twist, the filmmaker has recently called for audiences to expand their horizons beyond big screen superheroics.

Per a video found on Twitter, Zack Snyder recently took part in a panel discussion, and had a few things to say about where comic book movies stand in the current market. We're not sure what the question was that inspired the response, but the quote is interesting nonetheless. Specifically citing the overwhelming pop culture presence of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the Justice League director explained,

The thing with comic book movies is… you know I’m a fan. I go and see them, and I love them. I don’t have a… you know, I go and see all the Avengers movies, and I go, and enjoy them. I love it. You don’t have to not enjoy them, but you also have to be open to other things as well.

Anyone who regularly follows box office patterns likely sees that Zack Snyder has a point here. While the timing of the statement is a bit funny, as Jordan Peele's Us just set opening weekend records for an original property this past weekend, there is little question that superhero movies typically get more heat than most other releases from Hollywood. Perfectly illustrating that point is the fact that four out of the Top Five films of 2018 were examples of the genre, and six of the Top 10.

This isn't to say that audiences are totally ignoring original movies and offerings from other genres. John Krasinski's A Quiet Place was an absolutely massive surprise last year, and features like Bradley Cooper's A Star Is Born and Bryan Singer's Bohemian Rhapsody were not only award-nominated, but made north of $215 million domestically. Still, the lion's share of worldwide attention is primarily pointed towards caped crusaders and masked vigilantes - and with upcoming titles like Shazam!, Avengers: Endgame, Spider-Man: Far From Home, Dark Phoenix, and more peppered across the rest of this year's release calendar, things aren't exactly slowing down in 2019.

Hearing Zack Snyder take this point of view, one has to wonder what it could mean for his potential future as a director. A lot of his success has come thanks to his work adapting stories from comics, and the truth is that it's been nearly a decade since he made a film not based on the material (2011's Sucker Punch). However, he does seem to be moving away from that arena with his in development projects. We know he is doing a zombie action movie called Army Of The Dead as his next feature (a movie he's been wanting to make for a long time), and he is also working on making an adaptation of Ayn Rand's The Fountainhead. Could his desire to see fans open themselves up to material beyond the comic book realm be a reflection of his own trajectory?

You can make your own judgments watching Zack Snyder speak in the brief clip below:

Zack Snyder doesn't currently have any films in production, but he is certainly never shy about sharing his comic book movie thoughts, and you can continue to regularly find them here on CinemaBlend.

The Hulk Originally Could Have Turned To Dust In Avengers: Infinity War

The Hulk Originally Could Have Turned To Dust In Avengers: Infinity War

The Marvel Cinematic Universe has been on a serious roll in Phase Three, as every new blockbuster has been met with critical and box office success. The last decade of filmmaking will come to a head when Avengers: Endgame arrives in a matter of days, picking up the narrative from the shocking ending of Infinity War. The Russo Brothers broke fans hearts by wiping out half of all life, as moviegoers watched countless fan favorite characters fade to dust.

I didn’t know until I saw the movie. For one take, I did disappear, and then the other one I didn’t.

Well, this is wild. Bruce Banner/Hulk has been in every Avengers movie, so it's hard to imagine Endgame without the big green guy. But it looks like that was on the table for a while, as The Russo Brothers had Mark Ruffalo film a dusting scene of his very own.

In the end, all of the OG Avengers managed to survive The Decimation, along with supporting characters like War Machine, Rocket, Okoye, and Nebula. But it turns out that Bruce Banner could have perished, as Mark Ruffalo filmed both endings for his character. Ruffalo recently revealed this, saying:

Mark Ruffalo's comments to Yahoo are sure to puzzle cinephiles, given how Infinity War and Endgame were filmed directly after each other. As such, Hulk's fate presumably was only a question for a limited time. Because The Russo Brothers had the scheduling nightmare of working out shooting for Endgame, and would need Ruffalo to clear up his schedule in order to play Banner/Hulk alongside the rest of the living heroes.

The ending of Avengers: Infinity War was truly devastating, as the fandom didn't expect Thanos to win and exterminate so many iconic characters. And it seems The Russo Brothers experimented a bit with who would be a victim of the snap, and fade to dust before our eyes. Instead of merely being phased into a rock in the Hulkbuster armor, Bruce Banner could have also faded to dust from within the suit. And with that ending, Hulk wouldn't have gotten another chance to face off against the Mad Titan.

Luckily, Bruce Banner survived the snap, and should have a meaty role alongside the rest of the survivors when Avengers: Endgame finally hits theaters. Fans are especially eager to see Hulk return to the screen, as he was largely absent in Infinity War after losing a fight in the film's opening scene. As a reminder, you can check out that scuffle below.

Merchandise from Avengers: Endgame hints at a rematch for these two powerful characters, so it's a good thing that Hulk wasn't dusted during The Snap. It's also poetic to see the original team reunited in the upcoming blockbuster, allowing The Russo Brothers to end the narrative that started back with Iron Man in 2007.

Answers will come when Avengers: Endgame arrives in theaters on April 26th. In the meantime, check out our 2019 release list to plan your next trip to the movies.

Daniel Craig Thinks James Bond Could Change Gender Or Race

Daniel Craig Thinks James Bond Could Change Gender Or Race

Daniel Craig is coming back to play James Bond one more time, but the actor admits that this is almost certainly his last go-round as the super spy. That means the part will need to be recast for the film that comes after Bond 25, and when that happens, some have suggested that the part should go to a woman or a person of color. Craig himself seems quite open to that possibility, saying that nobody should be eliminated from consideration for the part automatically. According to Craig...

The right person for the job, I think that's what it should be. I think that everybody should be considered.

Since the character's inception, James Bond has always been a white dude. While the actors who have played him have come from all parts of the UK, and even once from Australia, the rest hasn't changed much. However, James Bond, being part of one of the longest running film franchises ever, has now become more icon than man, and there are those that believe that the character can move forward as a different race or even a different gender and still be James Bond.

James Bond certainly isn't the same character today that he was when Sean Connery originated him for the screen. The character has evolved with the times and there's no reason the character couldn't continue to evolve in this way.

At the same time, while Daniel Craig says that everybody should be considered for the role of James Bond, he also tells ET that the larger issue is that the number of great roles for women and African Americans is more limited than it should be. He seems to feel that this is part of the reason there is interest in roles like James Bond.

For women and for African Americans, there should be great parts anyway, across the board. It shouldn't have to be Bond that takes... it doesn't need to be Bond. It just needs to be written -- some good parts.

At the end of the day, the fact that James Bond as a character has survived and thrived for so long, and that there is no equivalent character played by a woman or a person of color, is certainly part of the issue. All actors want to play great roles, but some of them, surely, want to play popular ones too, and there are few bigger than James Bond. At the end of the day, whether a person can play James Bond should come down to a talent and not the happenstances of birth.

Hopefully, as Craig says, everybody will be considered and when the time comes to find a new James Bond, the right person will get the job. Until then, we have one more adventure with the current Bond, that will hit screens next year.

Sinemia Has A Brand New Plan To Compete With Stubs A-List And Other Movie Ticket Apps

Sinemia Has A Brand New Plan To Compete With Stubs A-List And Other Movie Ticket Apps

Although they’ve been around for years, movie theatergoing subscription services only really rose to prominence in the past year or two. And the market still seems wide open with plenty of room to grow and multiple competitors vying for the top spot. One of those competitors, Sinemia, has just announced a brand new plan to compete with the likes of AMC Stubs A-List and MoviePass by offering something different from everyone else.

Sinemia’s newest offering is called the Sinemia Limitless plan, and it is quite different than what we are accustomed to seeing with theatergoing subscription services-- mainly because it is not a subscription. The plan provides a 30% savings, allowing you to get $100 worth of movies for $70, no subscription or app required. The plan also allows you to get an additional 5% discount on tickets purchased at Sinemia partner theaters through the company’s direct ticketing feature.

The way the plan works is that for $70, you get $100 to spend on movies delivered to you via a digital card, or if you prefer, a physical one. The digital card allows you to buy tickets online, which it should be noted, would still be subject to the convenience fees associated with online ticket transactions. The physical card can be used to buy tickets online, or at the box office, where they wouldn’t incur a convenience fee.

Sinemia Limitless is a one-time payment that is valid for one year, so you’d want to make sure you spend that $100 within a year. After the year is up or after you’ve spent the $100, you can sign up again for the plan, but as it is not a subscription, there is no recurring payment. Additionally, those who are already Sinemia subscribers can add the new Limitless plan at any time rather than renewing their existing plan.

Unlike certain subscription plans that Sinemia and other companies offer, Sinemia Limitless allows you see any movie, at any theater, in any format, at any time. No blackout dates or restrictions on premium screenings. The other big differentiator is that you can purchase multiple tickets per day and you can use Sinemia Limitless to buy tickets for your family and friends.

This is an interesting value proposition from Sinemia that eschews the subscription model most theatergoing subscription services, including Sinemia, made their name on. Nowadays it seems like most forms of entertainment require some sort of subscription, a guarantee that your bank account will be a little bit smaller each month.

Some moviegoers are tired of the commitment that comes with subscriptions, and would rather just pay a chunk of money up front and that’s what Sinemia Limitless is offering. It’s essentially just you buying tickets in bulk at a discounted rate and for some people that may be exactly what they are looking for.

There is a simplicity to this plan in that there is no smartphone requirement, no checking in or guesswork about what movies you can and can’t see and when. It would also be a good option for people who want to see more movies but aren’t sure they will actually go and don’t want to commit to a subscription just yet.

Sinemia Limitless is one of the least risky offerings in the space right now for consumers, who will get their money’s worth as long as they use the $100 within a year, which considering you can bring guests shouldn't be difficult at all. The average ticket price rose to $9.11 last year so at that rate, Sinemia Limitless would get you about 11 tickets for $70, before any extra discounts at Sinemia partner theaters.

Sinemia still has quite a few subscription plans available and this newest offering just goes to show how all of these companies are trying things out and experimenting to see what works, what’s sustainable and what consumers are looking for. MoviePass has relaunched and is trying to pull itself back up and AMC Stubs A-List is flying high. If nothing else, Hollywood should be encouraged that people are trying to see more movies, even if they are trying to do it on the cheap.

You can check out Sinemia Limitless and the company’s other plans on its website. To see how fast you could blow through $100 worth of movies, take a look at our 2019 Release Schedule.

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.