Upcoming Blumhouse Horror Movies

Upcoming Blumhouse Horror Movies

Since the release of 2009's Paranormal Activity, Blumhouse Productions has been a name that's synonymous with horror blockbusters. That reputation only grew with the addition of hit franchises like Insidious and The Purge, as well as award-winning surprises like Jordan Peele's Get Out. To cap off all of the amazing happenings that have occurred under producer Jason Blum's roof, he's also successfully revitalized the legendary horror franchise Halloween as part of his genre juggernaut. Though the company hasn't always been solely about all things horror. With the production company having been in the business for almost 20 years, they've touched various genres and even have an animated film on the books for 2021, entitled Spooky Jack.

Blumhouse's bread and butter is still generally considered to be the horror genre, though. With the boom in horror still showing box office strength and Halloween making great strides for the company's bottom line in 2018, it's a good time to look forward into the future of Jason Blum's bountiful empire. So for the purposes of the following list, we'll be locked in specifically on what's coming from the corner that deals with the scary and the mysterious realm of horror/thrillers. Also, past a certain point, these titles will be subject to change. So be sure to check back often for updates. Now, let's open the gates and see what Blumhouse Productions has in store to scare the living hell out of the world in 2019 and beyond.

Thriller

The concept for Thriller is pretty simple, but it sounds awesome. Take your standard "prank gone wrong" story that spawns a vengeful killer, set it during Homecoming weekend in south central L.A., and let it rip for a modern audience to latch onto. Thriller acts as the directorial debut of Dallas Jackson, and stars a cast of newcomers like Jessica Allain and Luke Tennie, as well as established actors such as RZA and Mykelti Williamson. Yet another festival darling that took its bow during last year's LA Film Festival, Thriller has snagged a Netflix distribution deal, and will bow soon as one the platform's original films.

Release Date: 3/31/19

Ma

Usually, if a group of kids befriends an older lady, you'd think something heartwarming would come of it. In the case of director Tate Taylor's Ma, the teens who befriend Octavia Spencer's central character are going to have something to fear as a result of paling around with her. A horror film bringing the director and co-star of The Help back together makes for quite the reunion, and seeing as Spencer won an Academy Award off of their last pairing, there's a chance that lightning could strike twice. Co-starring Luke Evans, Juliette Lewis, and Allison Janney, Ma went into production this past February. Slated for a Memorial Day weekend release, this could be the horror hit that this summer needs.

Release Date: 5/31/19

The Hunt

If you're a fan of Blumhouse Production's hit horror/thriller franchise, The Purge, then The Hunt will not only sound very familiar, it'll probably be right up your alley. Starring GLOW's Betty Gilpin and It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia's Glenn Howerton, the film is said to be about a group of "working class" people that are pursued by folks that would like to have a word with them. And by have a word with them, we mean kill them. The film was written by Lost and Prometheus mastermind Damon Lindelof, and has Z For Zachariah's Craig Zobel in the director's chair, with production set to complete in early April and its release being bumped to mid October.

Release Date: 10/18/19

Boogeyman Pop

From this point on, we'll be talking about Blumhouse horror projects that are either in development or are awaiting some sort of a release platform. In the case of Boogeyman Pop, the latter is the case, as the film had a festival premiere earlier this year, at the Cineapocalypse Film Festival. An anthology film of sorts, the three stories of the film are linked by the infamous killer, armed with a baseball bat and a black Cadillac. Sadly, even after screening for a hyped up festival crowd back in June, the film still has no official release window to speak of. But Boogeyman Pop is out there, like its central killer, ready to take on unsuspecting audiences.

Release Date: TBD

Bloodline

Seann William Scott might be the last person you'd think of as a psycho killer, but Bloodline appears to be selling just that. With his character Evan ready to protect his family by any means necessary, this father figure isn't afraid to get his hands dirty when it comes to family matters. Bloodline recently premiered at September's Fantastic Fest film festival, which gives it some time to shop itself around at the market. So at the moment, there's no official distributor or release date for this potentially bloody debut. But if enough word gets around about William Scott stepping outside of the box to play to a more sinister edge of his personality, that might soon change.

Release Date: TBD

Relive

Time travel, and protecting one's family seem to be on the menu in the "plot being kept under wraps" sci-fi/horror film Relive, which was previously titled Only You. While it isn't the first time that Blumhouse Productions has dabbled in the temporal arts, this film sounds like it'll be more emotional than most other horror films of this sort. David Oyelowo and A Wrinkle In Time's Storm Reid star in the film involves a police officer protecting his orphaned niece. From what, we're not sure of, but "sinister forces" are being mentioned as the culprit. No release date has been set, but Relive did premiere at January's Sundance Film Festival, so the film just needs to land a distribution deal to be seen by the public.

Release Date: TBD

The Gallows Act II

The Gallows shocked audiences in 2015 with both its horrific story of a High School drama production gone wrong and the supposed curse it had cast on the very show the film gets its name from. Two years later, a surprise sequel was announced in The Gallows Act II, with a viral video challenge being the catalyst for the latest round of horror. As of this past August, the film was announced as being completed, with Jason Blum saying that The Gallows Act II could be out by or around May of next year. So if you're ready for the return of the vengeful spirit known as Charlie, you might not have to wait for too much longer.

Release Date: TBD

Prey

Sometimes, a movie can go into production, but not quite so clearly come out on the other side. That seems to be what's happened to director Franck Khalfoun's Prey, a teen thriller starring Logan Miller and Kristine Froseth. Taking place on an island where Miller's lead character is apparently undergoing "behavioral rehabilitation." Usually, when a teenager is being subjected to any sort of treatment that sounds painful and traumatizing, any setting could be tense. But a desolate island definitely ramps up the stakes. Prey started shooting in 2016, and is supposedly in "post production," if IMDB is to be believed. Let's hope the film hasn't lived up to its title and been taken out forever.

Release Date: TBD

Sweetheart

And now, for the most secretive Blumhouse Productions film ever: Sweetheart. Beyond the fact that the film is set to star Kiersey Clemmons, with the director of fellow Blumhouse Productions alum Sleight, J.D. Dillard, set to helm, nothing is known about this film. The potential plot, or what sort of "survival horror" awaits its cast, are unknown at the moment. Though judging by the title, there's a chance that a romantic admirer may be stalking their prey through the events of Sweetheart. So, right now, this film could be in production in your neighborhood, staring at you from the bushes, and you'd barely even know it.

Release Date: TBD

Run Sweetheart Run

Sweetheart is not to be confused with the even more recently announced flick Run Sweetheart Run, which is also set up at Blumhouse Productions. Billed as a "feminist horror" film, we know quite a few details when it comes to this Blumhouse film. Writer and director Shana Feste's story for the movie is about what starts as a blind date, but eventually turns into a violent hunt across Los Angeles. The hunted party is the woman who went on the date, while the hunter is whatever person she decided to go out on said date with. Run Sweetheart Run is currently in development, with no cast or shooting schedule announced at the moment.

Release Date: TBD

Five Nights At Freddy's

If there were ever a video game that felt ripe for an adaptation, Five Nights At Freddy's is definitely that candidate. Based on the video game of the same name, the story of murderous animatronics looks to be aimed at its younger audience. Blumhouse Productions knew that when the company snagged the project for an intended 2020 release date, though there will be a bit of a delay. Apparently, the game's creator, Scott Cawthon just announced that he's tossed out his greenlighted and approved script to director Chris Columbus' big screen adaptation. Cawthon apparently had a better idea, and it was worth throwing away an entire script. So fans of the series will have to wait that much longer for the adaptation of Five Nights At Freddy's to come to the silver screen.

Release Date: TBD 2020

Spawn

Hardcore Todd McFarlane fans have been waiting for a proper, R-rated Spawn reboot for quite some time now. Considering the comic created by McFarlane involves some rather nasty demons (and even more depraved people), a mere PG-13 should have never been in the cards the first time around. While the project had been cooking with its creator for over a decade, Blumhouse Productions didn't jump on until 2017. Jason Blum confirmed his participation at that year's San Diego Comic Con, and a year later, two of the film's crucial roles were cast: Jeremy Renner as Detective Maximilian Steven Percival "Twitch" Williams III, and Jamie Foxx as Al Simmons / Spawn himself. Production is set to start in June 2019, after several early delays, and promises that this version of Spawn's story would make children cry if they ever saw it.

Release Date: TBD

The Craft

While a remake of The Craft is certainly not a new prospect, it appears that the 1996 cult classic is starting over with a new iteration, courtesy of Blumhouse Productions. It's early days for the project, but what we do know is that Zoe Lister-Jones, best known for her roles in TV shows like The New Girl and Life In Pieces, will write and direct this new version for Columbia Pictures. Whether the original plan of a contemporary sequel, with shades of a reboot mixed in, will be followed or discarded is up in the air, but for now, it's nice to know that the weirdos will be coming back into town at some point in the future.

Release Date: TBD

Previously Released Films

Glass

Unbreakable started M. Night Shyamalan's venture into a world where superheroes and their equally powered villainous counterparts exist underneath the surface of everyday life. Split resurrected that world, after being dormant for almost two decades. Now Bruce Willis, Samuel L. Jackson and James McAvoy are teaming up to help Shyamalan officially seal up the universe between the two films, with the third film in this trilogy, Glass. While it might have been a more even-handed battle with just Elijah and David fighting the first time around, there could be more superpowered beings where that came from. Also starring Sarah Paulson and Anya Taylor-Joy, the universe we could only dream of after Unbreakable is finally happening.

Release Date: 1/18/19

Happy Death Day 2U

Picking up where the surprise hit of 2017 Happy Death Day left off, Happy Death Day 2U sees Tree Gelbman (Jessica Rothe) re-entering the same endless loop she lived through in the first film. Much like the previous go 'round, she has to die in order to reset the loop, in hopes of figuring out how to restore her timeline. However, things are a little different this time around. Not only is there another killer on the loose this time out, but the events are just a little bit different in the new loop's chain of events. Add the fact that previous killer Lori (Ruby Modine) is back with a vengeance, and you've got a killer sequel.

Release Date: 2/14/19

Us

When Get Out became a gigantic critical and financial hit for Blumhouse, it should have been a sign that writer/director Jordan Peele would eventually team up with the studio for another spin of the wheel. Thankfully, that very scenario was confirmed when Peele dropped a cryptic tease for his next film, Us. While the story for the film is still tightly underwraps, we do know that it's a horror film dealing with a relationship of some sort. Also, the cast has been the one public point of knowledge, with Lupita N'yongo, Winston Duke, Tim Heidecker, and Elizabeth Moss being included in the ranks. So while we don't know what the story may be for Us, we do know that the cast and creative talent behind the film promises a solid experience.

Release Date: 3/15/19

Which Blumhouse movie are you most looking forward to? Take a look at what else is coming with our full movies schedule.

Dark Phoenix’s Alexandra Shipp Isn’t Sure About Joining The MCU

Dark Phoenix’s Alexandra Shipp Isn’t Sure About Joining The MCU

The superhero genre is in an interesting place right now, as there are a ton of moving parts coming from the myriad studios producing comic book adaptations. The Marvel Cinematic Universe as we know it will end with Avengers: Endgame, while Dark Phoenix may be the swan song of the long running X-Men franchise. Because with Disney's acquisition of 20th Century Fox is official, with the House of Mouse in control of all future X-Men projects.

Comic book fans are eager to see the X-Men join the greater Marvel Cinematic Universe, although it's unclear how/when that might happen. Will Disney utilize some of the current cast, or start totally fresh with the iconic mutants? Alexandra Shipp is the current Storm of the X-Men franchise, set to reprise her role in Dark Phoenix. But she's not sure she'd want to join the MCU, believing it would push her character further into the background. As she recently put it:

I would and I wouldn’t, because Storm barely has anything to say as it is. I don’t know about you all (other actors) but like we never talk. So it would be really nice if we weren’t piled into yet another jam packed cast, in which you only see me in the back of the shot like fucking sasquatch.

Well, that's one way of putting it. Sasquatch aside, Storm hasn't typically been the protagonist of the X-Men movies. So Alexandra Shipp may have valid concerns about joining an even bigger pool of iconic heroes.

Alexandra Shipp's comments come from a recent round table discussion at WonderCon (via LRM). While gearing up for her second appearance as Storm in the X-Men franchise, she also took the time to lament the character's fate in the franchise overall. While the Weather Witch is an iconic character that has already appeared an impressive five times in live-action, Ororo Munroe has never really taken the spotlight onscreen. That isn't expected to change in Dark Phoenix either, at least if Shipp's statements are any indication.

The Love, Simon actress does have a point, and highlights the potential problem with bringing the X-Men to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The MCU has grown exponentially over the first decade of filmmaking, and there are a ton of heroes already in play. Just look as the massive ensemble cast of Avengers: Infinity War. And while some OG Avengers are set to depart the franchise after Endgame, there still doesn't seem to be enough room to add a large group of heroes into the mix. Even ones as iconic as the X-Men.

Storm is a beloved X-Man, and one that has had a fascinating life in theaters. While she's been more of a supporting character in the X-Men franchise, perhaps she could become a larger presence once the character is brought into the MCU. Although whether or not Alexandra Shipp will be offered the opportunity to stay on (and whether she'd take it) is another conversation entirely.

Alexandra Shipp's comments about Storm are brutally honest, but she's not wrong. The mutant character may have been in the X-Men franchise since Bryan Singer's original 2000 flick, but that doesn't mean she's gotten nearly as much screen time as Wolverine or Jean Grey. Originally played by Halle Berry, she was a supporting presence in the first two X-Men movies, failing to really progress or develop as a character. And while Scott and Professor X's deaths in X-Men: The Last Stand let Berry get a few more lines, the character still didn't really go anywhere.

X-Men: Apocalypse welcomed Alexandra Shipp's version of the character, as a younger mutant girl trying to survive in Egypt. After being given more power by the titular villain, Storm was one of Apocalypse's four horsemen of death, helping him in his quest to end the world. But she eventually saw the error in her ways, and joined the good guys in the final moments of the battle. She was last seen in the Danger Room with the new team of X-Men as Apocalypse concluded.

Despite having only one movie under her belt, Storm's showing in Apocalypse is arguably the most complex version we've gotten on screen. It should be interesting to see how Ororo Munroe changes during the course of Dark Phoenix. She's been with the team for a decade, so Storm should have specific relationships with each of her fellow mutants. And when the Phoenix Force takes control of Jean Grey, the conflict will split the X-Men.

Alexandra Shipp has teased that Storm will get to really unleash her weather manipulation mutation during Dark Phoenix, so we should expect some pulse pounding action from the upcoming blockbuster. She's been shown flying and firing electric bolts from her hands, and mourning during Mystique's funeral at the X-Mansion. She also has a chilling warning in a recent trailer, teasing she may be against Jean once dark cosmic power consumes her.

It should be fascinating to see what Marvel Studios ends up doing with the X-Men, now that Disney has the rights to the characters. Will they slowly trickle in mutant characters to existing franchises, like the founding Avengers were individually introduced before their crossover movie? Or will the studio go the more classic route, and assemble a new class of X-Men to introduce in an ensemble film? The MCU managed to start a new Spider-Man franchise just years after the Andrew Garfield movies, so anything is possible.

Dark Phoenix is hitting theaters this June, but it's unclear if any other planned X-Men movies will ever make it to theaters. This includes Josh Boone's The New Mutants, which has already been pushed back a number of times. The horror inspired blockbuster has yet to commence reshoots, and not even the cast seems to know what's going on how if/when the movie will be released. With Disney+ starting up shortly, some believe New Mutants may end up on the streaming platform. But hopefully reshoots will occur first, so the film could be actually completed.

Alexandra Shipp will make her sophomore appearance as Storm in Dark Phoenix on June 7th. In the meantime, check out our 2019 release list to plan your next trip to the movies.

Disney And Fox’s Merger Is Officially Complete

Disney And Fox’s Merger Is Officially Complete

Back in November 2017 the first news leaked revealed the Walt Disney Company had been in talks with Fox to purchase the company's film and cable television divisions. It was massive news from both a business and entertainment standpoint. Over the next few weeks, the potential merger seemed to become more and more likely. It was only a month later that the two sides came to agreement. A year after the deal was struck, the respective shareholders of the two companies approved the merger. Now it's official. 21st Century Fox is part of the Walt Disney Company. Nothing will ever be the same again.

Officially, the ownership transition will happen at 12:02 a.m. eastern time on March 20th, but for all intents and purposes, the deal is done, according to a press release from 21st Century Fox.

There's really no understating just how big a deal this is in the entertainment industry. A company that used to be one of the major film studios in the world, one of the "big six," is now a subsidiary of another. Whatever your thoughts on Fox or Disney, there's now less competition among the remaining film studios. That's not necessarily a good thing. If nothing else, it's a major change to the industry landscape that will surely have repercussions, some we may not even be able to predict.

On the content side, there certainly are some potentially good things on the horizon. Fox had the rights to make and distribute films about Marvel's X-Men and Fantastic Four as part of a deal the company had made before being acquired by Disney. This deal will bring the rights back to Disney, setting up the opportunity to see all the characters become part of the popular Marvel Cinematic Universe franchise, which certainly has the potential to add new and interesting stories.

Fox also had a number of rights attached to the original Star Wars movie, which will now also revert to Disney, who acquired Lucasfilm back in 2012.

While the merger may be done expect for the ink drying, it will likely still be some time before we really begin to see it have an impact on the industry. Fox has numerous films in various states of production that will almost certainly continue forward and be released just as they would if 21st Century Fox was still an independent entity.

Of course, it's also possible Disney could hit the ground running. We will likely see some changes to the release calendar, if only to see Fox and Disney films moved around the schedule so that they don't compete with each other too much. There's also the question of the two oft-delayed X-Men franchise films, Dark Phoenix and The New Mutants, it's been suggested that one or both movies could end up being moved to a streaming service like Disney+ or Hulu. If something like that is in the cards, those announcements could come as early as tomorrow.

Tomorrow, everything changes. It's the end of an era, as a company that's been around since 1935 becomes part of the Disney machine.

How Shazam! Managed To Keep Its Major Spoiler A Secret

How Shazam! Managed To Keep Its Major Spoiler A Secret

Warning: spoilers for the third act of Shazam! are in play. If you haven’t seen the film yet, please bookmark this article, and come back once you’re caught up.

Despite the fact the comic history behind Shazam! has integrated the idea of an entire family of heroes, all signs pointed to the DC Comics film being centered solely around Asher Angel’s Billy Batson and his super heroic alter ego played by Zachary Levi. Prior to the film’s release, there wasn’t even a whisper about the rest of the family’s eventual appearance during a pivotal moment in the third act. This is a pretty rare occurrence in this modern age of spoilers and leaks, and director David F. Sandberg recently revealed the following strategy was what made such a unique surprise possible:

We cast the kids first, and then sort of looked for a physical resemblance. And then, to keep things under wraps, just because things leaked as much as they do, we actually wrote custom scenes for each character that weren't from the movie. So the people who came in to audition had no idea that they were basically reading for a superhero.

As seen in this weekend’s #1 movie, Shazam! eventually expands the roster of superheroes to include Billy Batson’s five foster siblings. Just as Asher Angel and Zachary Levi were cast to be the mortal and magic halves of the child/hero coin, there was obviously a need for other adult versions of all the other children in the family. Which eventually lead to the need to cast said adults, without letting them in on any big secrets that could accidentally leak into the world.

It’s an ingenious move that other top secret productions have used to help throw off the scent of any potential spoilers. Basically, instead of having actors like D.J. Catrona or Adam Brody reading for the big showdown at the Chilladelphia Winter Festival towards the end of Shazam, fake scenes were written so the actors would get the gist of their characters during auditions, without revealing the big secrets.

One can never be too careful when it comes to a project as high profile as Shazam!, or any superhero franchise entry for that matter, because while it’s easy to discredit any leaks under the guise of fake spoilers, the eventual truth comes out once those first showings hit. David F. Sandberg not only understands this, but he also broke down the strategy, and one of the alternate scenes written, in the example from his talk with Screen Rant:

It was just sort of everyday scenes with characters that had the traits of them. So for Darla, Meagan Good, she read for a scene with a girl that's doing a driving test, and she's like a fast-talking character... I hope we can maybe put that on the Blu-ray or something, because they're fun scenes with these great actors.

Based on the results shown in the film, this method paid off, especially in the case of Good’s portrayal of Darla, because it bases itself off of the very same sort of principal that any good comic adaptation like Shazam! builds its proper screenplay around. While nailing the look of a hero is important, getting the language and feel of the story into the script is paramount as well. If you can put that to bed easily, then you can write the characters you’re tackling in any context, as seen here.

With Shazam! in theaters now, and Shazam! 2 retaining that first film’s screenwriter, it’s probably a safe bet that whomever auditions for crucial roles in that film’s narrative might not even know it until they’ve signed on. So if you happen to be auditioning for Warner Bros and/or David F. Sandberg in the near future, you’ll probably want to make sure you take that SAT prep scene uber-seriously.

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.