Is Dave Bautista Really Heading To James Gunn’s The Suicide Squad?

Is Dave Bautista Really Heading To James Gunn’s The Suicide Squad?

The DC live-action universe has had a fascinating life in theaters, full of highs and lows. But Warner Bros. seems to have hit some momentum, as it's currently surfing the massive success of James Wan's Aquaman. The first screenings of Shazam! have also arrived, and the early buzz is overwhelmingly positive for the upcoming blockbuster. There's also a ton of exciting projects coming down the pipeline, including James Gunn's DC debut The Suicide Squad.

After being fired from the Guardians of the Galaxy franchise over offensive tweets from a decade ago, the writer/director pivoted over to the competitor. He eventually signed on to bring a Suicide Squad sequel to life, and is making liberal changes to the cast and titular group of villains. Guardians actor Dave Bautista has expressed interest in joining the DC project, and a new report indicates that Gunn maybe looking at him to play DC hero Peacemaker.

While not quite as iconic as Batman or Deadshot, Peacemaker has had a long history on the page. And if James Gunn has a starring role for Dave Bautista in The Suicide Squad, it seems only a matter of time before he official signs on to the developing ensemble project. Of course, Bautista is also contracted with Marvel Studios, so it's unclear how the legality of it all would work. But with Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 on indefinite hold, the wrestler turned actor should have the availability in his schedule.

Peacemaker is actually more of a hero than a villain, and would presumably be doing some chaperoning of his more insidious teammates. In fact, Peacemaker (real name Christopher Smith) is actually a pacifist, but eventually gears up and becomes a superhero to make peace happen on his own terms. He's equipped with high-tech weaponry like body armor, a jetpack, and awesome helmet. On top of that, he's in peak physical shape (no stretch for Dave Bautista), and is an expert hand to hand fighter.

News of Dave Bautista's possible role in The Suicide Squad comes to us from Collider. The publication is apparently privy to insider information, and also had a list of the characters James Gunn is reportedly focusing on during his soft reboot of the franchise. Other names included are Flash villain King Shark and Gotham City rogues Polka-Dot Man and Ratcatcher. Its a group of arguably less iconic characters, which may allow Gunn to make them household names, the way he did with the Guardians.

Of course, none of this information has been confirmed by Warner Bros., so fans will have to wait to find out if Dave Bautista and/or Peacemaker will actually make it into The Suicide Squad. Luckily, development seems to be moving forward.

The Suicide Squad is currently set to arrive in theaters on August 6th, 2021. In the meantime, check out our 2019 release list to plan your next trip to the movies.

Sylvester Stallone Met The Most Adorable Rocky Fan While Editing Rambo 5

Sylvester Stallone Met The Most Adorable Rocky Fan While Editing Rambo 5

Sylvester Stallone's franchises recently collided in the sweetest way. Right now, he's busy editing Rambo V: Last Blood for the movie's release this September. But while at work, he had a visit from some Rocky fans. He shared a video meeting one young fan who was only 9-years-old, but loved Rocky. Her family told Sly she adored him -- he was truly meeting his biggest fan. Sly, age 72, was understandably both confused and very moved by that news.

The young Rocky fan asked Sylvester Stallone how he became such a good actor and a star. Here's his fantastic response:

A lot of critics would debate that! Certain characters you just feel they're part of you. It's like, playing Rocky is like breathing, I just feel it. Whereas another character I may not. But that particular one, I just believe everything the character says and what I say. That's why I like to write it. It comes from deep inside. But some other characters, it's not quite the same. But that one's just [special].

Watch the conversation play out:

How sweet is that? Also, how can people just drop by the Rambo 5 editing bay? Asking for a friend.

Sylvester Stallone's Instagram is a treasure trove for fans of both Rocky and Rambo (and also The Expendables, but we'll get there in a minute). He recently gave fans an update on Rambo V: Last Blood editing, saying sometimes editing a film is like pulling teeth, but the fifth John Rambo movie was coming together "beautifully." He also teased a battle to the end, with an "unexpected" ending.

For Rocky Balboa, Sylvester Stallone had suggested he was done playing the role after Creed II. However, he still has a lot of love for the character, as you can tell in his answer to his biggest fan, and also because he's been promoting his upcoming documentary on 40 years of Rocky. The first Rocky movie came out in 1976 and won the Oscar for Best Picture; Sly was also nominated for Best Actor and for Best Original Screenplay, since he wrote the script.

Creed II came out in 2018 and Rambo V is scheduled to be released this September 20. Sylvester Stallone also has Escape Plan: The Extractors set for release this year, but so far it looks like only Russia has announced a theatrical release date of June 20. Not sure what's going on there.

What about The Expendables 4? That's my big question. Sylvester Stallone got fans excited with a recent throwback photo to the second movie in that franchise. Last we heard, the fourth movie was back on, and we're hoping the core gang will get back together soon for filming -- once Rambo 5 is done, of course.

As we wait for more updates, keep up with everything headed to the big screen this year with our handy 2019 movie schedule.

Toy Story 4 Is Adding Some Comedy Legends

Toy Story 4 Is Adding Some Comedy Legends

Toy Story 4 already had a stacked cast, from Tom Hanks and Tim Allen obviously reprising Woody and Buzz Lightyear, respectively, to newcomers like Keanu Reeves and Christina Hendricks jumping in as new toys the main characters meet during their latest adventure. But with less than two weeks to go until Toy Story 4 hits theaters, it’s been revealed that comedy icons Mel Brooks, Betty White, Carl Reiner and Carol Burnett will also be lending their talents to the latest Pixar movie.

So how are these legends participating in Toy Story 4? Well, as it most often the case with this franchise, they’ll be voicing toys, specifically ones belonging to Bonnie, just like Woody, Buzz and the gang. However, in the case of this quartet, while they were Bonnie’s favorite toys when she was a baby, as the girl’s gotten older, they’ve fallen out of favor, which is what’s happened to Woody at the start of the movie.

These already sound like worthwhile characters to bring in, but what makes them even better is their punny names. Mel Brooks is voicing a blue elephant named Melephant Brooks, Betty White is voicing an orange tiger named Bitey White, Carl Reiner is voicing a pink rhino named Carl Reineroceros and Carol Burnett is voicing a green chair named Chairol Burnett. All these toys also have a “natural personality” fitting the actor voicing them.

Here’s what director Josh Cooley told USA Today how these characters fit into Toy Story 4:

They’ve done their job and are just kind of waiting around for what happens next. And now that Woody's in there, they're accepting him into their circle and he's already pushing against that. Sometimes toys fall in and out of favor. I look at my own kid and stuff that was the favorite toy yesterday is now in the closet. We wanted to show that Woody's new life in this bedroom is not exactly what he thought it was going to be.

Josh Cooley also mentioned that he recorded Mel Brooks and Carl Reiner’s lines while the two longtime friends were together in Reiner’s living room, which the director described as “so surreal and so awesome.” He added that Brooks and Reiner did an excellent job riffing off each other, and Brooks humorously reminded Cooley that he’s directed films too.

Toy Story 3 explored people outgrowing their toys with Andy having left his playthings in the toy chest years earlier and him going to college marking his first steps into adulthood. Now, through Mel Brooks, Betty White, Carl Reiner and Carol Burnett’s characters, Toy Story 4 offers a look at the toys we leave behind even as we’re still young and our tastes change.

Since it looks like Toy Story 4 could be the last film entry in this franchise, it’s great to hear that all four of these comedy talents were able to lend their voices to it, though we’ll have to wait and see how much screen time they have. It’s also worth mentioning that Mel Brooks was good friends with Don Rickles, who passed away in 2017, but will still be heard as Mr. Potato Head in Toy Story 4 thanks to archival audio.

Toy Story 4 opens on June 14, so keep checking back with CinemaBlend for more coverage. Don’t forget to also visit our 2019 release schedule to find out what other movies come out later this year.

Toy Story 4 Is Breaking Pre-Sale Records For Animated Blockbusters

Toy Story 4 Is Breaking Pre-Sale Records For Animated Blockbusters

Pixar’s upcoming Toy Story film will bring back a lovable ensemble characters and wrap up the long-running franchise with an emotional conclusion. Wait… is Toy Story 4 the Avengers: Endgame of animation? Signs point to yes (box-office wise anyway). The movie recently broke some records for the best first day pre-sale tickets for an animated movie ever. Woody and friends will not be collecting dust this summer, that’s for sure.

When Toy Story 4 pre-sale tickets went on sale on Tuesday, Fandango reported that movie outpaced the current record-holder: 2018’s Incredibles 2, which became the highest-grossing animated movie of all time during the same weekend last summer. What's more, the upcoming sequel also broke the same records for Fandango's competitor Atom.

The Pixar’s superhero sequel earned $182 million during its 3-day weekend opening and went on to make $608 million domestically and $1.2 billion worldwide. Toy Story 4 may now be on track to beat out these numbers, perhaps scoring a potential $200 million during opening weekend. This would place the flick well over last month’s tracking of $105 to $130 million previously predicted.

Toy Story 4 also brought in higher presale figures than 2016’s Finding Dory, the live-action Beauty and the Beast and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 on Fandango. And the Toy Story sequel also sold nearly 50% more tickets on Atom than the site’s top 3 animated titles combined (Incredibles 2, Ralph Breaks the Internet and Hotel Transylvania) in a 24-hour period.

If Toy Story 4 delivers on these expectations, it will easily be the most successful opening weekend for the franchise. It has been nine years since Andy’s toys graced the big screen. 2010’s third installment made $110 million during its debut and over $1 billion worldwide by the end of its run. It was 2010’s biggest movie of the year. NowToy Story 4 likely won’t top Endgame opening weekend but it has a strong chance to become the second best opening of 2019 since the MCU culmination.

Depending on how popular Frozen II fares in earnings later this year, Toy Story 4 could also become the highest-grossing animated film of the year. The first Frozen didn’t earn a huge first weekend, but became popular on the big screen as world of mouth caught on. This lead to a $1.2 million global gross, making it the most-successful animated worldwide release. On the domestic front, Toy Story 3 beat out Frozen by just $15 million, so it could be a close race to the top.

After Pixar has offered up a dizzying amount of sequels in recent years, it’s been said the studio will soon be going back to making original animated films after Toy Story 4, starting with Onward coming in 2020.

Toy Story 4 comes to theaters on June 21 and will see the return of classic characters such as Tom Hank’s Woody and a handful of new one’s such as Tony Hale’s Forky and Keanu Reeves’ Duke Caboom.

Man Reportedly Beaten Outside Cinema For Shouting Avengers: Endgame Spoilers

Man Reportedly Beaten Outside Cinema For Shouting Avengers: Endgame Spoilers

It's been a long wait and Avengers: Endgame is finally here. Fans are packing theaters to see this movie, but not everyone is going to be able to see the blockbuster opening weekend. As such, fans are taking precautions to avoid spoilers at all costs, and even the filmmakers have taken steps to make sure that the plot is as secretive as possible. However, one man in Hong Kong apparently didn't get the memo and was reportedly beaten up for for shouting Endgame spoilers.

Part of what has made Endgame such a unique film is that Marvel Studios has taken extra precautions to keep the film as secretive as possible. Trailers have revealed little information, and the Russo Bros. made it their mission to make sure that people would have an authentic, surprising experience at the theater.

Sadly, in the age of the internet, that's just not really possible. Endgame leaked online ahead of the premiere and hours later, the Russos released a statement asking people to keep all spoilers to themselves. After all, it's one thing to seek spoilers for yourself, but it's wrong to force them on people who don't.

One man decided to take the direct approach with spoilers. According to Deadline, a man reportedly shouted Endgame spoilers to a crowd waiting in line to see the movie. Taiwanese media did not identify the man, but reported that he was left bloodied after the crowd attacked him for the spoilers.

A photo of the man bleeding out of his head and sitting on the street has been circulating the internet.

It's increasingly difficult to avoid spoilers in the age of the internet. A person could see a spoiler just from browsing YouTube and seeing a revealing thumbnail. However, it seems that there are consequences for those who choose to spoil without the anonymity of the internet.

Sometimes you just can't avoid spoilers. My friend had the ending of Endgame spoiled for him a day before he saw the film. Someone he didn't know sent him a direct message on Reddit telling him how the film ends. We determined that the guy was ultimately lying, but he had turned out to be partly correct by accident.

To say that people are excited to see Endgame is an understatement. In China alone -- where this alleged beating took place -- the film is projected to make close to $330 million by the end of the weekend. It's already grossed almost as much as the entire run of the top three films in China.

You can see Avengers: Endgame in theaters right now. After you've seen the film be sure to check back with CinemaBlend for more Marvel coverage, such as our spoiler-filled questions about Endgame or the latest box office numbers.

Why I'm Excited For Disney+

Why I'm Excited For Disney+

At The Walt Disney Company’s Investor Day presentation last week, the Mouse House finally revealed what it has in store for its upcoming Disney+ streaming service, and it is a lot. Disney is coming out guns blazing with a slew of content and an aggressive price point that make Disney+ a compelling value proposition for consumers in a crowded streaming field.

There’s a lot to be excited about when the service debuts this November, from the first ever live-action Star Wars series The Mandalorian to all the MCU series to the Imagineering documentary series. And I’m hopeful that classic Disney catalog animated series like Adventures of the Gummi Bears, Gargoyles and Recess will finally be available in their entirety on Disney+.

All the TV coming to Disney+ is great, but I’m also really excited for the potential benefits this new platform offers on the movies front. Read on to see why.

The MCU And Star Wars All In One Place

The Marvel Cinematic Universe and Star Wars are the two most successful franchises ever, and eventually they will both be viewable in their entirety on Disney+. These franchises both have a high re-watchability factor, and if you’re a fan of either of them, having guaranteed access to them anytime on Disney+ is an enticing prospect.

Once Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker is out, you’ll be able to binge all nine films in the Skywalker Saga in one place. Consider the current situation with Avengers: Endgame as well. Many Marvel fans want to re-watch some of the previous MCU movies before The Infinity Saga comes to a close, but currently you can’t do that on streaming, even across multiple services. You would have to own physical copies or pay rental fees. Even as an advocate of physical media, I find this appealing, especially since Disney+ will support 4K and HDR, so I won’t need to upgrade nearly two dozen movies to get great quality.

New And Original Movies

Disney has found a lot of success theatrically thanks to its massive brands and recognizable IPs. The studio makes the most successful and popular blockbusters in the industry, but that’s basically all it makes. There is a sameness and safety to Disney’s theatrical strategy of rotating tentpoles from established properties that is wildly lucrative, but predictable. The Disney+ platform provides the company a way to do something different, as Walt Disney Studios Motion Picture Productions President Sean Bailey said at the Investor presentation:

Disney+ affords us the opportunity to tell more stories from a variety of genres. We will always remain true to the values of what a Disney live-action film offers, but we’re able to take some risks, which is really exciting. While theatrical box office right now is being driven by giant blockbuster events, there are amazing stories and characters that are yearning to be enjoyed by the whole family.

For a studio sometimes criticized for only making blockbusters, this is exciting. Already Disney+ has the holiday comedy Noelle starring Anna Kendrick, the coming-of-age novel adaptation Stargirl and the kid caper Timmy Failure, to name a few. It’s awesome to see Disney branching out, taking risks and allowing for more creative freedom by telling different kinds of stories than it does on the big screen. Sean Bailey also indicated that the same love and care will be given to these Disney+ movies as the company’s theatrical titles, and that’s exciting.

Remakes Of Less Popular Disney Animated Movies

There is an argument to be made that Disney is going for cheap nostalgia dollars by remaking its animated classics in live-action, but people love them and they are largely successful. Yet as Dumbo recently showed, not all of the studio’s animated classics are really built to be box office smashes. But that doesn’t mean they don’t deserve a solid live-action remake, and Disney+ provides a place for a smaller-budgeted remake to land.

One of the launch titles for Disney+ is a live-action reimagining of Lady and the Tramp starring the voices of Justin Theroux and Tessa Thompson. There’s also a remake in the works of The Sword in the Stone. Disney may run out of titles popular enough to be big screen blockbusters, but its catalog is extensive and has many films that could find new life in remakes on Disney+. We’d love to see Atlantis: The Lost Empire and Treasure Planet get some love too, but those two might require big screen budgets. The Black Cauldron maybe?

Live-Action Sequels And Reboots Could Have A Chance On Disney+

This isn’t so much a promise of Disney+, but a hope for the nascent streaming service. Disney has a long history full of great and beloved titles beyond its revered animated movies. Disney hasn’t indicated as such, but it seems like an ideal place for reboots and sequels of the studio’s live-action properties that no longer fit within its big-screen strategy. Or more specifically, the long awaited, frequently-asked-for National Treasure 3.

Bob Iger hasn’t doused hopes for National Treasure 3, and if finding a place for it on Disney’s crowded theatrical calendar was a problem, that obstacle could be removed if it releases on Disney+ instead. The hope for National Treasure 3 isn’t the only exciting possibility though. A reboot of The Rocketeer was in the works, and while we haven’t heard much about it recently, that too may be have a better chance to soar on Disney+. And that reported TV movie reboot of Hocus Pocus should really be a proper sequel dropping on Disney+ next Halloween.

No More Vault

Has there ever been a more brilliant and infuriating invention than the Disney Vault? Disney’s strategy of only making its animated movies available on home video for a limited time to create demand and make each re-release an event has long frustrated fans of the studio’s classic films. Disney has even employed this tactic in the streaming and digital realms; with the Aladdin remake on its way, the 1992 original is unavailable for streaming or digital purchase.

Like Robin Hood stealing from Prince John, Disney+ is busting that vault wide open and raiding it for subscribers. The vault program will not apply on the service and Disney+ will be the one-stop shop for fans of Disney’s animated classics. That means no more searching stores or different streaming services in vain when the mood strikes you to watch one of your childhood favorites. That convenience is awesome and as someone who grew up with Disney’s animated movies, it will be nice to know I can watch them all in one place.

It is still early and Disney+ hasn’t even launched yet, but it already has a lot going for it. The potential for Disney+ to reward Disney fans by offering both beloved existing films and unique new movies is immediately evident and exciting.

Disney+ launches in the United States on November 12 with a monthly rate of $6.99 or an upfront yearly price of $69.99. We’ll keep you updated on all the latest news on Disney+ as it arrives.

Reviews For Matthew McConaughey's The Beach Bum Are In, And They Are Brutal

Reviews For Matthew McConaughey's The Beach Bum Are In, And They Are Brutal

Next weekend, if you’re not looking to get high with Dumbo (you know, because he flies!) there’s always the alternative to catch Matthew McConaughey play a middle-aged stoner / poet named Moondog in the upcoming release The Beach Bum. The filmmaker who brought you James Franco in cornrows and platinum teeth in 2012’s Spring Breakers is back with another neon bright flick about excess and hedonism.

Following The Beach Bum’s recent premiere at SXSW, the movie isn’t lighting a fire in most critics. In fact, many reviews sound like a sobering recount of a regretful crazy night out. Check out what the New York Post’s Johnny Oleksinski paint a brief picture of the movie from his one-star review:

The one very funny scene is provided by Martin Lawrence as a dolphin spotting boat tour guide who’s had ‘only four deaths on my watch in eight years’ and owns a coke-addicted parrot. That bit is the height of this film’s sophistication.

Wow, there you have it! This detail is probably a good gauge of what to expect from the stoner comedy set in Florida and starring Martin Lawrence, in addition to Snoop Dogg, Zac Efron (who dons panini-inspired facial hair), Jonah Hill and Isla Fisher. Don’t sign up for The Beach Bum next weekend if is kind of plot point doesn’t amuse. The reviewer also noted that the movie is so deplorable that he wanted to punch McConaughey’s character in the face.

Rolling Stone’s David Fear took to his review to also recount some of the wildness of The Beach Bum, describing that it’s all about McConaughey having a good time but that’s pretty much it. In his words:

The Beach Bum is not about plot. It’s about having the good taste to live like trash, or maybe the bad taste to live really well and NGAF… It’s about giving McConaughey the space to really cut loose, and we do mean loose — the actor is constantly engaging in some sort of funky, rubber-limbed dancing, or faux-drunkenly breezing through his scenes, or passed out ‘n’ drooling.

Critics don’t seem to be allergic to a good party either, it’s the way The Beach Bum does it that seems to bother them. According to Dan Caffrey of Consequence of Sound, early in the movie he already grew tired of Moondog’s antics of pool parties, weed-smoking and living by his own rules. Here’s what he had to say about the movie:

...it’s the same sun-baked atmosphere, tired stoner humor, and fortune-cookie platitudes from Moondog, over and over and over. His outlook and musings never evolve or amplify; they flatline almost as soon as the movie begins. Contrary to what everyone in his world seems to believe, he’s exhausting to hang out with before long.

Harmony Korine’s movies do tend to have this effect on audiences. The filmmaker angered critics with his 1997 debut Gummo and Spring Breakers certainly divided people do to its niche provocativeness that allowed Disney Channel stars Selena Gomez and Vanessa Hudgens to shed their clean on screen presence.

The movie didn’t completely fall flat for some viewers. Variety’s Peter Debruge found McConaughey’s performance to be a fun take on his persona. Here’s what he said:

Moondog feels less like a transformation than a gross exaggeration of McConaughey’s preexisting off-screen persona: the blissed-out, bongo-playing stoner, with the anything-goes attitude and dog-whistle laugh. But more than that, the star is clearly having such a blast inhabiting this character, it doesn’t actually seem like work.

Back in the day, the actor actually was arrested for causing too much noise in his home playing the bongos naked for his neighbors to handle so The Beach Bum can play sort of as an exaggerated take on the actor known as a laid-back beach bum himself. The actor has given some memorable performances before and The Guardian’s Kristy Puchko was among the few who found some depth in McConaughey’s performance. In her words:

Moondog 'just keeps living' – McConaughey’s personal motto. But in quiet closeups, McConaughey reveals the emotional labor behind this choice. We see Moondog take in a situation, a flirtation, a farewell and see him process the pain of it. Then he slides into something sweeter – a pool, a puff, a holiday, or a hook-up. While he laughs and dances and makes his mirth contagious, the ache sinks beneath the surface. Moondog becomes a metaphor for the human condition, where we are painfully aware of the horrors of life and our own mortality, yet persevere to find joy anyway. In that way, The Beach Bum is glorious inspiration. But more than that it is a spirited sermon.

Looks like the actor does an alright, alright, alright job of bringing some weight to the carefree character in her eyes. Overall, The Beach Bum has a 53% Tomatometer score and from these reviews I’d say the enjoyment of the movie will really depend on if the viewer is up for sitting through a lot of crazy parties, over the top moments from McConaughey and … a coke-addicted parrot.

The Beach Bum arrives in theaters on March 29. Will you be checking it out?