What Excites X-Men Producer Hutch Parker The Most About The Team’s Move To Marvel

What Excites X-Men Producer Hutch Parker The Most About The Team’s Move To Marvel

Although The New Mutants is still set to be the last X-Men franchise movie released that was given the green light when 20th Century Fox was still its own studio, Dark Phoenix will be the last installment of the main X-Men film series. Now that the X-Men and the Fantastic Four are at Marvel Studios, it’s expected that somewhere down the line, these properties will be rebooted to fit within the Marvel Cinematic Universe continuity.

Hutch Parker, who’s been a producer on the X-Men franchise ever since 2013’s The Wolverine, is excited to see these mutant heroes and villains operate in the MCU because it allows new filmmakers tot put their own stamp on their characters. As Parker told CinemaBlend’s own Sean O’Connell during the press junket for Dark Phoenix:

[Marvel Studios is] incredibly gifted and they’ve done great work. And to see their interpretation of these characters, part of the fun of doing the X-Men movies has been seeing different filmmakers’ takes on these characters, and that’s the opportunity we going to see with Marvel, is to see their take on what they would do with these characters, and I can’t wait to see.

No doubt a lot of superhero movie fans share that sentiment, and Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige has made it clear that the X-Men will eventually be utilized within the MCU, though that won’t happen for a long time. Nevertheless, Hutch Parker acknowledged that Marvel has delivered a lot of great content over the years, and he’s eager for new creative minds to step in and adapt the X-Men in ways that are different from what we’ve seen in the Fox era.

As far as the main X-Men film series is concerned, half of it has been directed by the same man: Bryan Singer, who kicked off the franchise in 2000 and ended his run with X-Men: Apocalypse in 2016. Brett Ratner directed X-Men: The Last Stand, Matthew Vaughn directed X-Men: First Class (he was going to stick around for X-Men: Days of Future Past, but he left to work on Kingsman: The Secret Service) and Simon Kinberg, who’s been attached to the franchise since The Last Stand, is making his directorial debut with Dark Phoenix.

However, movies like Deadpool and Logan showed that you can deliver X-Men-related movies that feel neither like the main X-Men entries or ‘regular’ superhero movies. With this genre’s popularity showing no signs of dying down, it’s become more important for these kind of movies to try to stand out, particularly when it comes to tone, and the X-Men franchise was getting a good handle on that.

There were a number of X-Men spinoffs in development before Fox was purchased by Disney, such as Gambit, X-Force and X-23, but aside from Ryan Reynolds being kept around as Deadpool, it looks like Marvel will be starting from scratch on the X-Men mythos. So Dark Phoenix and The New Mutants mark the end of an era, but considering everything that MCU has churned out over the last 11 years, it will be interesting to see what kind of spin this franchise eventually puts on the mutants.

You can listen to Hutch Parker’s full remarks on the X-Men’s cinematic future at Marvel in the video below.

As for Dark Phoenix, it picks up nearly a decade after the events of X-Men: Apocalypse and sees Jean Grey being corrupted and turned into the movie’s namesake. It remains to be seen if audiences will be more impressed with this adaptation of The Dark Phoenix Saga than they were with the first one, X-Men: The Last Stand, but commercially speaking, it’s looking to come in second place at the box office this weekend, trailing behind The Secret Life of Pets 2.

Dark Phoenix opens in theaters this Friday, June 7, and stay tuned to CinemaBlend for any updates on what’s in store for the X-Men within the MCU. For now, you can look through our 2019 release schedule to learn what other movies are coming out later this year.

What Every Major Batman Actor Was Famous For Prior To Playing Bruce Wayne

What Every Major Batman Actor Was Famous For Prior To Playing Bruce Wayne

Since reports surfaced last week that Robert Pattinson would be playing the Caped Crusader in Matt Reeves’ The Batman, the internet’s outcry has revolved around memories of the actor’s iconic Twilight role of Edward Cullen. Pattinson infamously glittered as a century-old vampire in love with an awkward teenage girl in the five film franchise between 2008 and 2012.

A petition has even made its way online already to boycott Robert Pattinson's casting, as fans have started to divide over the news of the upcoming Batman flick. It’s a predictable response that has happened time and time again during the comic book character’s many iterations over the years. The Dark Knight is beloved by many and fans have been burned before, so strong opinions are bound to come up when the news doesn’t match up with what’s expected or desired.

If past Batman portrayals have taught us anything, it’s this: what they're famous for before suiting up isn’t directly related to how great or not great they’ll be once they do. The filmmakers’ vision and ability to carry this out effectively is what defines a good Batman movie. In honor of The Batman reportedly moving forward with Robert Pattinson taking on the next Bruce Wayne performance, let’s venture back to every major Batman actor's impression on the public prior to their Batman debut.

Michael Keaton - Beetlejuice

Before taking on Batman in the first live-action version of the superhero in over 20 years, Michael Keaton was best known for playing in Tim Burton’s Beetlejuice. The actor started out in a role that bared more of a resemblance to the Dark Knight’s arch nemesis Joker. If the internet had existed in those days, a lot of folks certainly voiced their concern for the choice considering how goofy and villainous Keaton's most famous role showcased him as. Of course, this collaboration with Burton (which he recently went back to with Dumbo) may have been the very reason why he got his foot in the door to play Batman in the first place.

Michael Keaton had a couple of other roles under his utility belt too. He had his first starring role in Ron Howard’s Night Shift, starring Henry Winkler and Shelley Long. He also played in two other comedies, Mr. Mom and Touch and Go. Looking back, Keaton’s Batman movies are on the more cheesy, comedic side as opposed to the brooding Dark Knights of today but his past roles didn’t exactly scream Bruce Wayne before he nabbed the part.

Val Kilmer - Top Gun

When Val Kilmer was cast in Batman Forever for Joel Schumacher’s first of two takes on the masked vigilante, he had not yet become the action hero we know him as today. The actor broke into Hollywood at 25 with the 1985 comedy Real Genius and then starred as Iceman one year later in the box office mega hit Top Gun. Kilmer definitely had the pretty boy charm to dazzle as the well-off Bruce Wayne. With an overstuffed cast and so-so movie however, the actor won’t go down in history as the best of the Batmen, but it wasn’t his fault, and his performance as the character is actually pretty underrated.

Val Kilmer’s casting as the Caped Crusader may have been a bit more straightforward in comparison to Michael Keaton’s, but the disappointing final product had a lot to do with the movie itself. It goes to show that good casting doesn’t always pan out for both the actor and the fans because there are a lot of moving parts that contribute to a movie finding its wings. Either way, Batman Forever still did well commercially and launched Kilmer in more action roles for years to come.

George Clooney - ER

We now move from the good to the kinda bad to the ugly. Joel Schumacher had another shot at a Batman film, this time with George Clooney as the Bat, and it’s famously a doozie. Even Clooney admitted Batman & Robin “wasn’t a good film” and he doesn’t think he was good in it. However, after he starred in the film Clooney really rose to stardom, much because he learned a lesson to be more choosy in his roles. Before there was Ocean’s Eleven, Up in the Air, The Descendants and Gravity, and before he suited up bat nipples and all, he was best known for playing a hunky doctor on ER.

George Clooney was a heartthrob on the small screen when he played Dr. Doug Ross on the NBC medical drama from 1994 to 1999 before he became Batman. Playing a good-looking hero certainly can’t help one’s chances at nabbing the role of Dark Knight. The actor could have done better as the Caped Crusader if it wasn’t for all the tacky puns and choices the movie made. The role has certainly stopped Clooney from looking in even the general direction of superhero franchises since the experience though.

Christian Bale - American Psycho

After Hollywood took a long break from making more Batman movies, Warner Bros decided to take a crack at Christopher Nolan’s darker take on the comic book hero starring Christian Bale as Bruce Wayne. Before he was known for the critically-acclaimed Dark Knight trilogy, Bale was most recognized as playing Patrick Bateman in American Psycho. The haunting role had Bale playing a psychopath with a thirst for violent fantasies - which isn’t exactly in line with Batman’s m.o.

Christian Bale had just finished playing an underweight insomniac for The Machinist too when he took on the role and packed on 100 pounds to play the Bat. He actually gained too much and had to drop down 20 before starring in 2005’s Batman Begins. Bale was the first English actor to play Batman, so he likely got some flack at the time for portraying an American hero - though today tons of British actors have successfully taken on superhero roles. The actor wasn’t an obvious choice when he was cast, but now is one the highest regarded actors who have donned the cape and cowl.

Ben Affleck - Argo

Unlike the other Batman actors, Ben Affleck was quite a seasoned actor when he was cast as Bruce Wayne for the DCEU. The actor had a presence in Hollywood for over 20 years, with famed roles in movies like Good Will Hunting, Armageddon, Daredevil and so forth. At the time of Affleck’s casting in Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice, he was most remembered for starring and directing in Argo, which won Best Picture at the Oscars in 2013.

With the legacy of Christian Bale’s Batman lurking in the shadows, the studio purposely went for an older, more seasoned Batman for the movie in order to avoid comparisons and skip out on telling his origin story again. When Ben Affleck was initially cast, many fans felt he was the wrong choice for the part. However, he ended up faring quite well among audiences as the character once he played the role on the big screen. Still, he never really got time to shine as he shared his screen time with Superman and the Justice League as DCEU attempted to form. After Justice League’s critical failure and Affleck dealing with substance abuse, he left the role and left the solo film wide open for yet another actor.

So now history repeats itself! It's time for another Batman. Robert Pattinson’s resume is actually a lot more extensive than his peers, as he has branched out to dramatic roles in films such as The Lost City of Z, Good Time and High Life along with leading the highly-successful Twilight franchise at the start of his career - oh, and he was in a Harry Potter film too!

From what we know so far about Matt Reeves project has a lot going for it too! The writer/director best known for the latest Planet of the Apes entries has a noir-type tale that will have him showing off his detective skills and going head-to-head with a rogue gallery of villains. So, why not Robert Pattinson? If he was cast in the role, Reeves must have thought he was the man for the job.

What do you think? Are you excited to see Pattinson join these fellas at the next Batman? Tell us your thoughts in the comments below.

Looks Like The Flash's Costume In Cancelled Justice League Mortal Would Have Been Wild

Looks Like The Flash's Costume In Cancelled Justice League Mortal Would Have Been Wild

It's no secret that superhero movies are everywhere. Comic book adaptations have proven to be the most profitable and popular genre in filmmaking, so there are plenty of studios trying to get in on the fun with their own cinematic universe. But there was a time when this wasn't the case, and back in 2007 DC tried to get together the ill-fated blockbuster Justice League Mortal, directed by Mad Max's George Miller.

Details about Justice League Mortal have slowly trickled out throughout the years, including which characters would have factored into the ensemble project. The cast would have featured The O.C.'s Adam Brody as The Flash, but it also appears that the late Anton Yelchin may have been another name floated around. A concept art just hit the internet, reportedly made for Yelchin's verison of the speedster. Check it out below.

Talk about a different look. It looks like George Miller's plans for Justice League Mortal would have been even more void of color than Zack Snyder's trilogy of DC movies. While Snyder often prefers muted tones, the above art for The Flash's costume is totally grey. You can barely even call the character the Scarlet Speedster, considering how void of the color red he is.

This new image comes to us from Instagram, and mentions Anton Yelchin as the actor it was made for. This might be surprising for moviegoers who are familiar with the ill-fated development for Justice League Mortal. A full cast was assembled (and photographed!), with Yelchin not part of the group. Instead, The Flash was going to be played by Adam Brody, who was having some success in the world of TV acting.

Anton Yelchin was also younger than Adam Brody, making the reports of his involvement all the more suspect. Yelchin would have only been about 18 years old in 2007, and didn't have the following he did later in life. As such, it seems more likely that George Miller would have chosen an older and arguably more famous actor to play the Scarlet Speedster.

Regardless of which actor was going to inhabit the role, the possible costume for The Flash in Justice League Mortal would have thrown hardcore comic book fans for a loop. The Flash almost always has a bright red suit, leaving a trail of red behind him when running at superheroic speeds. This look is void of color, possibly teasing a dark incarnation of the character than Ezra Miller eventually played in Justice League. Of course, that might be changing soon.

Ezra Miller's Flash solo movie has been sitting in development hell from years, suffering multiple set backs and losing quite a few directors along the way. The latest report indicates Miller is trying to help the writing process, and make the film darker in tone. Could he also end up with a grey suit? We'll just have to wait and see.

CinemaBlend will keep you updated on all things DC and Flash, as details become public. In the meantime, check out our 2019 release list to plan your next trip to the movies.

Keanu Reeves Really Tried Not To Imitate Buzz Lightyear For Toy Story 4 Role

Keanu Reeves Really Tried Not To Imitate Buzz Lightyear For Toy Story 4 Role

We probably said this in 2010 about Toy Story 3, but this time, Toy Story 4 might really mark Buzz Lightyear's last appearance on screen, so we’d hate to see anyone stealing the thunder of the iconic toy voiced by Tim Allen. When Keanu Reeves came on board to play a new character named Duke Caboom on the upcoming film, there was some discussion regarding the similarities of their Pixar personas.

In Toy Story 4, Keanu Reeves plays "Canada’s favorite stuntman," a mustachioed motorcyclist who loves to show off his poses. When Duke Caboom was first pitched, both Tim Allen and Reeves sensed the two characters had some similarities. However, the John Wick actor assured that he had no intention of imitating the space cadet the role. Here’s what he recently told EW:

I wanted to make sure I didn’t do anything that would go into Tim Allen’s space as Buzz Lightyear. That was one thing I was really paying attention to when I was thinking about the character and how he would talk. So I made Duke a little more gravelly but still tried to give him energy and a big personality… I just thought that Duke should love what he does. He’s the greatest stuntman in Canada! I wanted him to be constantly doing poses on the bike while he was talking, to have this great extroverted passion.

The new character actually has a pretty tragic backstory! He’s advertised as an Evil Knievel-esque stuntman but he cannot actually perform what the commercials say he can do. Because of this, Duke Caboom let his kid down and has a fear of failure. In Toy Story 4, it looks like he will have an important role to play as Woody and Bo team up to rescue Forky and get back to Bonnie.

A new trailer for the film heavily features the Keanu Reeves’ Duke Caboom. See it for yourself:

I guess we’ll have to check out the movie if we want to see how Duke’s important motorcycle stunt pans out! The final trailer ahead of the movie’s release next month also features some more footage of the other new characters ,including Forky, who is central to the movie’s plot. Key and Peele’s Ducky and Bunny also deliver some funny moments to look forward in the film as well.

When a franchise such as this one has had many entries, it’s easy for some plot points and characters to start running together a bit, but Buzz Lightyear and Duke Caboom don’t look to be stepping on each others’ toes as far as we can see. Keanu Reeves found it important to give Duke a gruffer voice and inject some sensitivity and heart to him amidst his enthusiasm for motorcycle stunts.

Funny enough, the actor is actually Canadian and rides motorcycles of his own, so perhaps Duke is a bit of a character of himself in some ways.

Pixar recently said Toy Story 4 will be its last sequel for a while, so fans can look forward to more new characters from the story! The movie is expected to make a grand entrance when it opens on June 21, as tracking has its first weekend at as much as $130 million.

Keanu Reeves has just seen success with his latest John Wick film, which dethroned Avengers: Endgame at the box office over the weekend after reigning for almost a month at number one. It has also just been announced that John Wick 4 is in the works.

Are you excited to see Keanu Reeves Toy Story 4 character? Let us know in the comments below!

7 Changes The Sonic The Hedgehog Movie Should Make So He Looks More Like The Video Game Character

7 Changes The Sonic The Hedgehog Movie Should Make So He Looks More Like The Video Game Character

On Tuesday, Paramount unveiled the first official trailer for Sonic the Hedgehog, the long-gestured live-action film adaptation of Sega's beloved video game creation. On social media, it caused a commotion. And the fan response was far from flattering.

Fans have been hesitant about this Sonic movie ever since it was first announced. And the movie's weird first poster — which featured the character hidden in shadows, but sporting a pair of very beefy legs — was received with more trepidation than anticipation. Sure enough, what they got from this trailer wasn't great. And people didn't take kindly to the changes made to Sonic's iconic design.

Video game lovers worldwide revolted at the sight of Movie Sonic, while even casual movie fans were left puzzled by the anthropomorphic blue hedgehog's look and its unfamiliarity. This new Sonic the Hedgehog movie is the culmination of years of fandom and wavering appreciation for the video game series. As a result, this new Sonic design felt personally insulting to their their long-standing fandom, and the fans voiced their distain online loudly.

But in a surprise turn of events, director Jeff Fowler announced publicly to Sonic fans that he would make it up to them by changing the look of Movie Sonic before it debuted in theaters this November. Whether you consider it constructive criticism or damage control, Jeff Fowler is taking the negative word-of-mouth to heart, and Paramount and Sega want to win fans over again. With that, here are seven changes that could (and should) be made to make the animated speedster a little more likable to the fans.

Change Sonic's Eyes

It's often said that the eyes are the window into one's soul. If that's true, then people drew the curtains on Sonic, refusing into glance into his pixelated perspective. In the games, Sonic has one distinctively interloping eye.

While it would be hard to make that look realistic, it does disappoint fans of the long-running video game series to see Sonic with two little beady, well-parted eyes staring back at them. It's one of those things that instantly makes this design wrong to people. If there's one thing that should be changed, it's making the eyes bigger and more reflective of the well-accustomed, well-established character design of the video game persona.

No Human Teeth

It sounds weird to say (or, rather, type out), but Sonic the Hedgehog shouldn't have human-style teeth. One of the main reasons why many people were immediately off-put by the reworked design of Movie Sonic is because every time the character opened his tiny CG-ed mouth, fans bore witness to those strange little choppers.

At best, they were weird. At their worst, they were utterly terrifying. And they instantly turned some viewers away from appreciating this new character design. It's a hard fix, to be sure, but something that's even a little less... life-like would be preferable.

Extend The Head

Simply put: Movie Sonic's head is a little too small. In addition to the number of issues with his face and figure, his noggin could use a size adjustment or two. Of all the things listed so far, Movie Sonic's head size is probably the closest to accurate when it comes to how it looks in the original games and cartoons.

But it's still a smidge too small. Inflate his ego a bit and make his head a few sizes larger. As someone with a small head myself, I realize this might be a bit of a sensitive topic. But if the animators have the means to change it, they should definitely fix it.

Rework The Torso

In some of the games, Sonic the Hedgehog is rather barrel-chested. His stomach sorta rounds out compared to the rest of his features, and it looks like Sonic is a little too thin in this trailer. If they want to make him look a little more in-line with the character's design in the games, Movie Sonic could afford to run to a McDonald's or two to beef up his size.

Right now, he's looking a little too skinny. Side note: this one is up-for-date since Sonic's figure in some games is skinner than others. So, if he remains skinny, it's not the end of the world, but if he wants to look closer to some of the past designs, it might help to beef him up just a touch.

Widen The Hands

While Sonic is often using his feet to jog great distances, one of the character's most distinctive features remains his oversized hands. Often standing out with his distinctive white gloves, his hands are a key feature to his general design. And the weirdly smaller fists that were seen in the trailer don't quite cut it, frankly.

It seems like it would be a pretty minor tweak, from what I can gather, but it'd definitely be beneficial. At the very least, it would certainly help to have a firmer, ahem, grasp of the character. But also, don't get out of hand! Let's move on from my corny jokes.

Fix The Legs

Considering how Sonic is super-runner and all, one of the most crucial elements of Sonic the Hedgehog is his legs. His quads have been a source of controversy from the get-go when it comes to his film personification. As mentioned earlier, his beefy-looking limbs in the poster left many people completely puzzled. And when it came to his look in the trailer, while it wasn't quite as jarring as that first poster reveal, it still wasn't quite right.

In the video games, Sonic's legs are long and thin. In comparison, his legs in this trailer looked nothing like what we're used to seeing from the character. It would definitely help to change the runner's lower half.

Different Shoes

In the video games, Sonic's footwear is pretty solid and compact. They need to be. He's constantly running, after all, and this speed-loving hedgehog needs a pair of kicks that are pretty durable. Particularly during his usual high-energy sprints. In the trailer we saw, however, he appears to be wearing a fairly plain pair of sneakers. Those would not come in handy when he's running at over 700 miles an hour.

In the broad scheme of things, this is a minor nitpick. But if they're changing things, it's worth considering. Sonic shouldn't be running around in subpar shoes. And please, for the love of God, avoid the temptation to give him product placement-friendly footgear in lieu of these tennis shoes. Though, if the film's budget is gonna balloon through these last-minute changes, I understand if you need the extra cash.

Will any of these changes be made? Only time will tell. But one thing was made evident here: the fans were not the least bit happy about Sonic's new look, and the filmmaker responded in kind, promising to fix Sonic the Hedgehog before the film's November 8 release date. We'll have to wait and see if he is true to his word.

The Dead Don’t Die Trailer: Watch Bill Murray Face The Zombie Apocalypse (Again)

The Dead Don’t Die Trailer: Watch Bill Murray Face The Zombie Apocalypse (Again)

A decade ago, Bill Murray lent his talents for a small, but memorable appearance in Zombieland, although unfortunately for the fictionalized version of the Ghostbusters star, things didn’t end well for him. Now Murray is back to face down another zombie apocalypse, only this time he gets to be one of the stars of the show. This summer sees the release of Focus Features’ The Dead Don’t Die, and you can watch the trailer for the Jim Jarmusch-directed and written movie below.

I have to say, even for a zombie comedy, the characters in The Dead Don’t Die are handling the undead invading their small town rather cavalierly. Even after it’s discovered that Centerville (population: 738) is dealing with a zombie epidemic rather than an issue with wild animals, none of the main characters seem that frightened. Bill Murray’s Cliff Robertson and Adam Driver’s Ronald Peterson are particularly unfazed, although that’s probably a good thing since they’re responsible for keeping the peace with Chloe Sevigny’s character. If the police officers are freaking out about the zombies, then what chance do the other townsfolk have of staying safe?

Along with the previously mentioned actors, The Dead Don’t Die’s cast includes Tilda Swinton, Selena Gomez, Austin Butler, Steve Buscemi, Rosie Perez, Calbe Landry Jones, Danny Glover, Sarah Driver, IZA, Carol Kane, Iggy Pop and Tom Waits. Swinton’s character, like the three police officers, also seems to be handling the zombie invasion calmly. Granted, working at a funeral home, she’s used to dead bodies, but when two of the corpses she’s basically decorating open their eyes, she simply inquires if they’re “together.” Even after zombies have overrun Centerville, she’s confident she can defend herself against the undead with a katana in her hands. Look, if there aren’t any police officers around, I have no trouble sticking close to the Scottish swordswoman.

One of the other funny things shown in the trailer for The Dead Don’t Die trailer is that these zombies gravitate towards things that they did when they were alive, like play tennis or drink coffee. In the case of Carol Kane’s zombie, she asks for chardonnay, and I can’t figure out if a zombie on booze will make them more or less dangerous. In any case, while things are dire in Centerville, The Dead Don’t Die will definitely be a more lighthearted entry to the catalog of zombie movies, so here’s hoping those who manage to avoid being bitten by the undead will keep their cool and either defeat their slow-moving adversaries or escape to another town to warn others about this epidemic.

The Dead Don’t Die scares its way into theaters on June 14. If you’re curious about what other movies are coming out later this year, look through our 2019 release schedule.

Us Reviews: What CinemaBlend Thought Of The New Jordan Peele Horror Movie

Us Reviews: What CinemaBlend Thought Of The New Jordan Peele Horror Movie

Jordan Peele's first movie was as big a success as any writer/director could have possibly hoped for. It was a massive box office success, it got audiences talking, and it won him an Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay. That's a tough act to follow, but now Peele is back with his brand new movie. Us hit theaters today and it had a lot to live up to. However, in the opinion of most of us here at CinemaBlend, Peele has another huge winner.

I wrote the official review and there really wasn't enough good that I could say about Us, I gave the movie 4.5 stars out of five. It is a chilling horror movie while being an equally chilling allegory. Much like Get Out, it's a movie that leaves you questioning not only the world around you, but also yourself.

Once again, as in Get Out, Jordan Peele finds the greatest way to scare the hell out of you is to make you take a good hard look at yourself.

Us follows a family of four on vacation in Santa Cruz when their peaceful time together is interrupted by another family of four, a quartet of twisted doppelgangers who have arrived to torture and torment their opposites. The who and the why of it all is the stuff of serious spoilers, but needless to say it's all pretty terrifying.

But there's also so much more to it than that. There's a lot to potentially dissect about Us. While the movie works as a straight forward horror movie if that's all you're looking for, there are many layers to what Jordan Peele has put in front of us. Some are obvious, others less so. This makes it the sort of movie you'll want to run out and talk to people about as soon as you see it. CinemaBlend Managing Director Sean O'Connell recommends that you not only see Us, but you see it with friends...twice...

Us proves that Jordan Peele isn't a one-hit wonder. It also proves that, after only two films, he's already operating on a higher level than most seasoned storytellers. Going more "horror" than the socio-political commentary of Get Out, Us tells a twisted tale of doppelgängers and home invasions, suggesting that the enemies who should scare us the most might just be ourselves. See it with a group, because you're going to want to discuss this with people immediately after you see it... and then go see it again.

Is there anything that can even be said about Jordan Peele that hasn't already been said? The man had already proven himself to be one of the smartest comedians out there, and he shows how closely comedy and horror are truly linked by proving he's the best working today when it comes to horror movies. As the creative force behind, now, two of the best movies of the last two years, We know Jordan Peele is everything he appears to be.

Sr. Movie Contributor Mike Reyes is another who sings the praises of Jordan Peele, but is also sure to give a shout out to the real MVP of Us, star Lupita Nyong'o.

With Us, writer/director Jordan Peele only further cements his position as a storyteller and satirist of the highest order. His story of doppelgangers out for revenge dives deep into some dark waters of paranoia and social commentary, but does so in such a manner that it never forgets to entertain its audience. Furthermore, Lupita N'yongo delivers a masterclass of acting, as her dual role is the centerpiece of a complex film that's only going to get better with age and repeated views.

Jordan Peele's previous directorial effort Get Out, was one of those films that many have a tough time classifying. While most would certainly call it a horror movie, it was one made without some of the elements that many would closely associate with the genre. Us, is a much more straight forward horror movie, as it has monsters and more on-screen violence, but that doesn't mean it's an easier movie to categorize. CinemaBlend's Braden Roberts loved the way Us was able to be more than one thing, and be all of them so well.

Jordan Peele’s Us is a trapeze act that manages to juggle horror, thriller and even comedic elements on an increasingly intense scale. To place a single genre on the film would be wrong as it’s a harmonious amalgam of fear and delight. Not to mention Luipta Nyong’o, whose performance alone is reason enough to get out and see Us in theaters.

Of course, while most of us who saw Us loved it, there is rarely complete agreement when it comes to art, especially here at CinemaBlend. Product Manager Cody Beck just wasn't able to connect with Us in the way that the rest of us were. While he certainly appreciated various elements of the film, he felt those elements just weren't able to come together in a satisfying way.

Us definitely did a beautiful job of telling a story, it was just a story that never fully pulled me in. Peele’s sophomore film was intense and brutal, yet also funny and full of great pop culture references spanning decades and while the story itself was unique and clearly symbolic of real-world issues, it was also just a bit too bizarre for me to fully accept. I still recommend horror fans check it out and I’m still just as eager to see his upcoming reboot of The Twilight Zone.

While the praise might not be universal, it is largely positive. Jordan Peele certainly has another thrilling movie on his hands that is going to get audiences talking. If the box office estimates are any indication, it will also be a huge financial success as well. If we all run out to see it more than once, as many are suggesting is worth doing, that's only going to make it that much more of a success. This is the one everybody is going to be talking about, and it's one you're going to want to ask everybody about after you see it.

Us is in theaters now.