This Rotten Week: Predicting Avengers: Endgame Reviews

This Rotten Week: Predicting Avengers: Endgame Reviews

It isn't often we get a movie with as much hype and star power as the one that comes out this week. It's the end of an era with the heroes of the Marvel Cinematic Universe getting one last chance to save the universe from the awful might of Thanos. Get ready for Avengers: Endgame.

Just remember, I'm not reviewing these movies, but rather predicting where they'll end up on the Tomatometer. Let's take a look at This Rotten Week has to offer.

Ever since the snap heard around the universe in Avengers: Infinity War, fans have been waiting to see how exactly this quest by Thanos would ultimately play itself out. Everyone knew immediately that the disintegration of half the Avengers into a fractal mist wouldn’t be the end of the story, but it has remained a mystery exactly how the titular team would solve the devastating crisis. Now it’s up to Captain America, Hulk, Black Widow, Thor, Hawkeye, Captain Marvel, Iron Man and a few others to right the wrongs by the Mad Titan, bring back their friends, and wrap up this era of the franchise. It looks awesome.

Rarely has a movie been met with so much anticipation, but this is a finale more than ten years in the making. Twenty-one movies after the release of the first Iron Man we get this spectacle, which looks to be a full realization of the vision Kevin Feige and company planned from the very start. It looks like it is set to be the franchise's biggest release yet, and if history is any indication, it should wind up doing quite well with critics.

Joe and Anthony Russo are back at the helm for Avengers: Endgame after previously directing Captain America: Winter Soldier (90%), Captain America: Civil War (91%), and Avengers: Infinity War (85%). It goes without saying that there's been a great number of fantastic directors helming Marvel Cinematic Universe features, but few if any have inspired the kind of awe and created the kind of spectacle that the Russos have.

Expanding to the rest of the franchise, the average Tomatometer score for the previous 21 releases is 83.9%. That in mind, I'm going to play the numbers and say that Avengers: Endgame winds up with an 84% - while at the same time expecting that the final score will actually be significantly higher.

What a week for the Rotten Watch. There were three movies in wind release, and I missed the Tomatometer score by a combined eight percent across all the projections. This is me patting myself on the back.

Penguins (Predicted: 89% Actual: 90%) may end up a direct hit when it’s all said and done. This was another big critical win for the DisneyNature franchise that just continues to pump out winners. Like I said last week, they just have a winning formula of super cute animals and stunning visuals.

Meanwhile, Breakthrough (Predicted: 61% Actual: 64%) is one of the rare, Christian-heavy films that actually ended up on the positive side with critics. Often the religious bent is just too heavy-handed to garner much critical support, but this is something of an outlier.

Finally, The Curse Of La Llorona (Predicted: 36% Actual: 32%) sucked as predicted. One could tell from the trailer that this latest chapter from in The Conjuring Universe just wasn’t bringing anything new to the table, and it seems that critics at large agreed.

Next time around we’ve got another interesting week with El Chicano, The Intruder, Long Shot, and Uglydolls. It’s gonna be a Rotten Week!

Sonic The Hedgehog Will Have 'Edgy' Moments, According To Jim Carrey

Sonic The Hedgehog Will Have 'Edgy' Moments, According To Jim Carrey

Unlike his more squeaky clean and family-friendly Nintendo counterpart Mario, Sega’s Sonic the Hedgehog has always seemed cooler, more mature and rocked way more attitude. As the Blue Blur prepares to make his big screen debut in November’s Sonic the Hedgehog, it is natural to wonder if he will retain the qualities that once had many kids swearing allegiance to Team Sega. According to Jim Carrey, who plays Dr. Ivo Robotnik, Sonic the Hedgehog will have ‘edgy’ moments, as he explained:

We're playing to families, so you can't get too crazy. But I made sure that there are some winks and nods, and edgy things that are still acceptable to both age groups.

First and foremost, Jim Carrey told IMDb that Sonic the Hedgehog is geared towards families, so anyone hoping for a dark, R-rated adaptation that has Sonic flipping people off as he speeds by will want to temper those expectations. Sonic the Hedgehog will be a family-friendly, four-quadrant movie, but that doesn’t mean it won’t have an edge to it, and Jim Carrey is making sure that it does.

The actor who plays the villainous Dr. Robotnik, or Eggman if you prefer, made sure that, at least in his performance, there are some edgier things for audiences to pick up on that will appeal to the older crowd, while simultaneously not making Sonic the Hedgehog unsuitable for younger viewers. That he will be delivering some of the film’s edgy moments just adds to the exciting prospect of seeing Jim Carrey chewing the scenery as the villainous mad scientist.

With Deadpool and Terminator: Dark Fate director Tim Miller executive producing Sonic the Hedgehog, hopefully that edge exists throughout the film and not just in Jim Carrey’s character. Because although this will obviously be a film meant to appeal to kids, I think there is still a desire for it to feel cool and have some attitude to it. And there are ways to have that edge without taking the movie out of the family-friendly Green Hill Zone.

What Jim Carrey describes is a quality that all the best family-friendly films have. Lots of kid movies are a slog to sit through because they are only appealing to kids in a very simplistic fashion, but when a good movie has a compelling story with subtext, references or winks to things that work on another level for adults, that edge makes the movie great for everyone.

If Sonic the Hedgehog is able to achieve that it will be half the battle. Although there have been some highly controversial posters for the film so far (perhaps not the edginess they were looking for), we are still waiting on a trailer for the movie. When it arrives, hopefully we’ll get a taste of what Jim Carrey is alluding to with some edgy moments that inspire confidence in this latest attempt to make a great video game movie.

Sonic the Hedgehog races into theaters on November 8. Check out our 2019 Release Schedule to keep track of all the biggest movies headed your way this year.

John Wick 3 Star Thinks Franchise Could Continue For Another 10 Years

John Wick 3 Star Thinks Franchise Could Continue For Another 10 Years

No one has said John Wick will be a trilogy. It's possible Keanu Reeves' John Wick will return after John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum for John Wick 4 or beyond. Director Chad Stahelski has said he'd be down to make a fourth John Wick film if the audience wants more. And we already know a TV series is in the works following The Continental hotel.

Ian McShane plays Winston, manger of the New York City hotel. He's currently promoting Hellboy, the Deadwood movie, and John Wick 3. During a game of Would You Rather, McShane was asked whether he'd rather see the Deadwood movie remade in 10 years or John Wick remade in 10 years.

Oh gosh. Probably in 10 years, John Wick would still be going. You never know, Keanu might be running the [Continental] hotel and everything by then. [...] John Wick, the world of John Wick is being explored in the next one. That will be more about the High Table, you find out more about him, his background, whatever. Preparing for who knows what the hell will happen next time. It gets bigger. I think you'll enjoy that too.

John Wick seems darn near invincible, but part of me wondered if John Wick 3 was going to wrap up the story and maybe even kill off the Patron Saint of Puppies. After all, there's a global contract out for John Wick. Even with Halle Berry's Sofia and her two dogs in the mix, supposedly on John's side, it's going to be tough for John to get out of this jam.

But Ian McShane spoke to Collider about John Wick as if Mr. Wick is still around after Parabellum. McShane also hinted to the film preparing for whatever happens next time. That gives me hope that John Wick 3 is just the latest chapter in a story that could continue for a while.

Another 10 years? Well, they do say Keanu Reeves is immortal. He hasn't aged much in the past 10 years, so when he's 64 I don't see any reason why he wouldn't still look and act the same.

As Ian McShane noted, John Wick 3 is meant to tell us more about John Wick's background. Anjelica Huston's new character is meant to play a role there, and she's also the Director of The High Table, the council of crime lords. Maybe she'll be on John's side too? Based on the trailers, Asia Kate Dillon's Adjudicator, another member of the High Table, is not exactly on John's side. And there are plenty of new assassins in the mix, including Mark Dacascos as a John Wick fan called Zero who is now out to kill his idol.

Here's more of what we know about John Wick 3 so far. It opens in theaters May 17, and will probably have a stronger opening than the initial projections. But we'll see. If you do want John Wick to continue for another 10 years, you'll have to show him some love at the box office. In December, Chad Stahelski told EW he would happily make a fourth John Wick film if the audience enjoys John Wick 3 and wants more...

Kristen Stewart Says Charlie's Angels Will Be 'Funny And Weird' Not Just 'Woke'

Kristen Stewart Says Charlie's Angels Will Be 'Funny And Weird' Not Just 'Woke'

Anytime you reboot a classic property, there are always questions about if it will maintain the spirit of the original source material and what made it special in the first place. For the upcoming Charlie’s Angels reboot from director Elizabeth Banks, the challenge is to do that while updating things for modern times and audiences. But lest you fear that the new Charlie’s Angels won’t be any fun, one of the film’s stars, Kristen Stewart, is assuring us that it will be. She said:

At one point I think we said it was woke and grounded, and everyone was like, ‘Wait, is it still fun?’ And I’m like, ‘Yeah dude, obviously, it’s Charlie’s Angels.' ... And it’s funny and weird, too, so hopefully people have fun watching it.

Previously, Kristen Stewart mentioned that the new film would be very grounded and wouldn’t be quite as kitschy as what we are accustomed to with the franchise. She also mentioned the intentions of the film to show how women can work together. Taken as a whole, some may have read those comments as meaning that Charlie’s Angels would be a more serious film and one concerned with social issues, but not one that would be particularly fun.

Kristen Stewart must have heard some of the reaction to those comments, because when she spoke with Variety, she made it clear that the new Charlie’s Angels would still be well, Charlie’s Angels. Although it may not be the exact same as what came before (if it were, what would be the point?), it is still meant to be a fun and entertaining film that has some weirdness and makes audiences laugh.

By the sound of it, Kristen Stewart’s previous comments contained things that people latched on to and extrapolated to be indicative of the whole movie, and inaccurately so. The new Charlie’s Angels might not be as over the top campy as previous iterations, which might not work with modern audiences, but it isn’t going to be the Bourne franchise either.

From what Elizabeth Banks has said, it is the action that will be more grounded, and she has compared it to the Mission: Impossible franchise. The action-comedy will have more girl power as well because it technically takes place in the same universe as the previous films and series and sees the Townsend Agency expanded into an international operation with teams and Bosleys all over the world.

Being a part of that international crime-fighting organization might sound dangerous, but Kristen Stewart actually came out of Charlie’s Angels relatively unscathed, as she explained:

This is the first movie I’ve ever done that was pretty active and I did not injure myself. I usually ram my head against the entire movie and go, ‘Oh shit, my head broke.'

Despite playing a fairy tale princess and a character with the last name Swan during her career, grace may not be Kristen Stewart’s forte because she has been rather accident-prone in the past. The actress has suffered sprains, broken bones and cuts on films over the years. Thankfully, she managed to play a hard-partying and highly skilled spy in Charlie's Angels without injuring herself or suffering a broken head, which may not be the proper medical term.

Charlie’s Angels arrives in theaters on November 15. Check out our 2019 Release Schedule to see everything headed your way this summer, and for all the latest movie news, keep it locked to CinemaBlend.

A Website Is Going To Pay Someone To Binge The First 20 MCU Movies

A Website Is Going To Pay Someone To Binge The First 20 MCU Movies

The clock is ticking down to the premiere of Avengers: Endgame and the hype is real. There are no doubt a number of fans who are planning their own personal rewatch of the MCU, be it just a couple of their favorites or the entire library of movies. Well, if you're going watch all of them anyway, you might as well get paid to do it. One website is offering one fan the opportunity to binge 20 MCU movies for $1,000 and a handful of other prizes.

Movie marathons are a fun way to celebrate a particular series, and there's no grander marathon than the MCU. After more than 10 years, the cinematic universe consists of 21 films, one which is in theaters right now. To undertake a rewatch of these films is a daunting task, but if you are going to be paid $1,000, it probably gets a little easier.

A website called CableTV is offering one fan the chance at what it calls a "Dream Job." The site wants someone to watch 20 MCU films in preparation for Avengers: Endgame. Captain Marvel isn't included because it is in theaters now and doesn't have a DVD. That's still over 40 hours of content, truly testing the might of the superfan CableTV is looking for.

If you are selected for the binge, you will be paid $1,000 (thats 50 bucks per movie) and CableTV will send you a ton of additional prizes. The fan will receive every MCU movie on Blu-ray (the three boxsets, specifically, plus the films not collected in those sets). Additionally, they will get a Captain America popcorn popper, an Infinity Gauntlet mug, an Iron Man snuggie, and a $100 Grubhub gift card.

The only requirements are that the fan has to be 18 years or older, a U.S. citizen, and an "active, outgoing social media personality," according to the site. The social media part is important because the selected fan will have to live-tweet their experience and tag CableTV in all of their posts.

To apply for the contracted position, you have to submit a 200 word essay making your case and proving your MCU expertise and fandom. If you want extra brownie points, you can also submit a video message. Should you be selected, you will have three days to watch all the movies, so you will get some amount of sleep.

I once tried to watch four MCU films in a row and it was emotionally and physically exhausting, so good luck to whoever can watch 20 of them.

For the rest of us, we'll just have to watch the movies with no promise of a pay check like a bunch of animals. Avengers: Endgame hits theaters on April 26. To learn more about the film, here's what we know so far.

8 Marvel Characters Who Could Be The MCU's First Gay Hero

8 Marvel Characters Who Could Be The MCU's First Gay Hero

Inclusion and diversity are slowly-but-surely coming to superhero movies. Wonder Woman, Black Panther, and Captain Marvel have all been massive successes, but even after 22 movies and 11 years, there has yet to be an openly gay Marvel superhero on the big screen. Marvel has promised the MCU will become a more diverse place in the near-future, and the first LGBTQ character looks to be right around the corner.

While one Marvel producer has stated we've already met the upcoming LGBTQ big screen character, there's no doubt new heroes will be introduced as the MCU enters Phase Four. With that in mind, there's no shortage of gay comic characters who have yet to make the leap to the big screen. Marvel likely already has its picks, but these are perhaps some of the strongest candidates for the MCU's first gay superhero. Take a look.

Wiccan

Wiccan doesn't have that long of a history in the comics compared to some other characters, but he's built up a loyal fanbase and appeared in numerous books since he debuted in 2005. He's a powerful magic user and is so strong that he's one of the candidates to be the Sorcerer Supreme. Wiccan is frequently associated with the Young Avengers and his long-term boyfriend, Hulkling.

If Wiccan does show up in the movies, he likely won't be the exact same character from the comics universe. That's because his backstory is that he's actually the long-lost son of Scarlet Witch and Vision, but he's conceived by an ordinary couple because of confusing reality-altering magic which is complicated to explain. With Vision being dead and all, the MCU version of Wiccan might not have any relation to Wanda other than as a mentor figure.

Hulkling

Teddy Altman may have based his identity after the Hulk, but he's got nothing to do with Bruce Banner. Hulkling is a Kree/Skrull hybrid, possessing the powers of both races. His shapeshifting powers let him take a Hulk-like appearance, in addition to growing wings, claws, or whatever else he needs in a given moment. Like his boyfriend Wiccan, Hulkling was a frequent member of the Young Avengers.

It wouldn't take much to bring Hulkling into the MCU fold. His father is actually Captain Marvel (the original, not Carol Danvers), who doesn't really exist in the movies. Annette Bening's Mar-Vell could always end up being his mother though, so perhaps he'd get introduced in Captain Marvel 2 before getting a Young Avengers film? There are options, is all I'm saying.

Moondragon

Moondragon has got one hell of a complicated backstory, but she's definitely a candidate. Her real name is Heather Douglas and she is the human daughter of Drax the Destroyer. In the MCU, Drax has always just been an alien, but in the comics, he was a human who was reborn into a cosmically manufactured body to kill Thanos. Heather gets dragged along for the ride and goes on a bunch of space adventures, learning psionic powers and becoming a martial arts master.

Moondragon has long been associated with the Guardians of the Galaxy and her comic book history with Drax is an interesting wrinkle. Making them father and daughter in the movies might be too ridiculous, but The MCU has found clever twists to tie back to the comics before. As the MCU expands its cosmic world, Moondragon is a pretty logical choice to make an appearance.

Miss America

One of the youngest characters on this list, America Chavez has nevertheless been making an impression on readers. Operating under the name Miss America, she possesses strength, durability, and the ability to kick open portals to other dimensions. With all of this talk of a multiverse in Spider-Man: Far From Home, that power becomes awfully useful.

America is known for being on a bunch of different superhero teams such as Young Avengers, the Ultimates, and the all-female team A-Force. There's no Avenger who's tied to her in the same sense as say, Captain Marvel and Miss Marvel, but there should be simple ways to introduce her to audiences should that be the direction Marvel chooses. America is Marvel's first Latin-American LGBTQ character to star in an ongoing series, so she's already trampled one record.

Hercules

I'm cheating a little bit with this one, because it's technically an alternate universe version of Hercules that is bisexual, but I think he would be a stronger addition to the MCU than the "canon" version. Hercules is the same demigod from Greek mythology and much like Thor, he spends his time nowadays adventuring with Earth's modern-day heroes. Hercules is a frequent member of the Avengers, and his habit for boasting and storytelling often makes him a fun personality to throw into the mix.

Seeing as how Hercules has a lot of similarities to Thor, I think Marvel could ditch the Greek god angle to help set the characters apart. It might be a great idea to make Hercules one of the Eternals, the advanced race of beings who will be the focus of the upcoming Eternals movie. There's been no indication he will be in that movie, but it could be a smart way to include him and his core character traits while really only altering his backstory a little.

Phylla-Vell

Phylla-Vell is another of Marvel's cosmic characters who has yet to make the jump to the comics. Phylla is a member of the Kree and has held a couple of different titles in her career. She was notably Captain Marvel for a time and she also served as a hero known as Quasar. She possesses a couple of different powers such as super strength, flight, and energy projection, and she's most commonly associated with carrying a big energy sword around. Phylla is usually in a relationship with Moondragon.

Much like another character on this list, Phylla is the daughter of Captain Mar-Vell, the original Captain Marvel, so there's a legacy angle to explore if Marvel wants. Phylla has done some time as a member of the Guardians of the Galaxy, so she could also have a future in that franchise depending on how Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 shakes out.

Iceman

The X-Men have no shortage of gay members, and while we wouldn't get to see any of these characters in the MCU for years, we can cherry pick a few of the most notable for speculation. That list would have to include Iceman, who made headlines a few years ago when he finally came out of the closet after decades of publication history. Iceman is an original member of the X-Men and one of the most powerful mutants alive with the near-unlimited control over ice.

Introducing Iceman (and really any mutant character)into the MCU is super complicated, but it's something that will happen eventually. How it does is anyone's guess right now, but I don't think that there's any question that he will be a gay man. It's possible that Marvel will keep his closeted story line, but that might be too similar to the scene in which Iceman "comes out" as a mutant to his family in X2.

Northstar

It's hard to talk about introducing the first gay hero without mentioning Marvel's actual first gay hero, Northstar. A frequent member of the X-Men, Northstar is one of the first openly gay characters in comics and the first openly gay character to come out in a book published by Marvel Comics. He married his husband, Kyle Jinadu, in the first-ever same-sex marriage in Marvel and DC, so it would be extremely fitting for him to be the first gay MCU character.

Being a mutant, it's tough to introduce Northstar without dealing with how a whole section of the populace that suddenly gained superpowers, but in Northstar's case, I think we can get away with side-stepping that. While he's a member of the X-Men, I don't think he has to be introduced as one. Maybe he can be out on his own and then join the X-Men later when those characters can be brought into the fold? Either way, when the X-Men do show up, Northstar is a strong candidate to be on the team.

Marvel has said it will be focusing on bring more diversity into the movies during Phase Four. Marvel comics made a lot of history in that area, so it's nice that the movies are finally making strides to catch up. There are plenty of options for characters who have yet to arrive on the big screen and with so much unknown about the future of Marvel, it's a very exciting time to be a fan right now.

The Conjuring Inspiration Lorraine Warren Has Died At 92

The Conjuring Inspiration Lorraine Warren Has Died At 92

Since the spine-chilling release of 2013’s The Conjuring, a successful franchise of sequels and spinoffs has ruled the horror genre. The interconnected universe is inspired by the lifelong work of Lorraine and Ed Warren (portrayed by Vera Farmiga and Patrick Wilson in the Conjuring films), who have investigated high-profile hauntings and chronicled supernatural phenomena. At 92, Lorraine passed away in her sleep on Thursday night.

The Warren’s own New England Society of Psychic Research announced the news Friday morning (via Fox 61). Lorraine was born in Bridgeport, Connecticut in 1927 and was a self-proclaimed clairvoyant and light trance medium. She and her husband founded the society in 1952 and conducted investigations into reports of paranormal activity, such as the Lindley Street poltergeist, West Point ghost and Amityville Horrors (which spawned 17 films).

The couple wrote 10 books together and traveled across the world lecturing on their findings. Ed Warren passed away in 2009 at 79 years old. One of their early cases was for Annabelle in 1968, a Raggedy Ann doll that was reportedly possessed by the spirit of a child named Annabelle Higgins. It inspired the Annabelle movies, which will continue with Annabelle Comes Home this summer. The upcoming film will see the first appearance of the Warren’s in the spinoff series, thus making it a homecoming for the Conjuring universe.

The Conjuring is based on their assistance to the Perron family in 1971, who experience frightening paranormal sighting in their farm home in Rhode Island. Lorraine Warren served as a consultant for the first movie and even had a cameo in it. She seemed to have bonded with the actress who has portrayed her for the past six years, as Vera Farmiga took to Twitter this morning to honor her following the news of her passing. Take a look:

The couple looked to be the gritty real-life Ghostbusters who certainly made a mark on the subject matter for many belovedly scary horror movies and various supernatural and psychic phenomena. The Warren’s also inspired the The Nun spinoff which became the highest-earning Conjuring film in 2018 when it racked up over $365 million worldwide. A sequel for The Nun is on the way, along with The Conjuring 3 and The Crooked Man.

Lorraine Warren’s death also comes on the same day of the release of The Curse of La Llorona, the first Conjuring spinoff film that does not tie to the couple’s paranormal investigations, though it finds itself in the universe’s timeline between the two Conjuring films.

Although Lorraine Warren was not a filmmaker herself, she will have a lasting impact on Hollywood as her experiences continue to capture the interest of audiences and be immortalized through the dramatic portrayal of her by Vera Farmiga, who will play Warren again in Annabelle Comes Home, coming to theaters on June 28.