JK Rowling Is Releasing Four New Harry Potter E-Books

JK Rowling Is Releasing Four New Harry Potter E-Books

There are few franchises quite as beloved as Harry Potter. What started with JK Rowling's acclaimed seven-book series has expanded to a massive property that includes movies, theme parks, and even a set of Broadway plays. Rowling is showing no signs of slowing down the Wizarding World, especially as the Universal theme parks add more attractions and the Fantastic Beasts franchise continues its tenure in theaters.

To the surprise and joy of the generations of Potterheads out there, it now looks like JK Rowling is releasing four new E-books set within the magical world of Harry Potter. While they're not sequels or focused on Harry and his friends, they'll shine a light on the history of magic within the canon.

The books are titled Harry Potter: A Journey Through... each focusing on a different aspect of Magical History: Divination, Magical Creatures, Potions & Herbology, and Charms/Defense Against The Dark Arts. The e-books are inspired by the British Library's Harry Potter exhibition, and the books about magical history which accompanied it.

This news comes to us from Pottermore, the go-to source for all things Harry Potter. The first of these new e-books will be available on June 27th, and Charms and Defense Against the Dark Arts, and Potions and Herbology will be the first two additions to the Wizarding World. Since it'll be some time before Fantastic Beasts 3 arrives in theaters, this is the perfect way to satiate the still rabid fanbase.

Since Harry Potter And The Sorcerer's Stone hit bookshelves in 1997, JK Rowling's Wizarding World hasn't stopped capturing the imaginations of generations. The kids who waited for each of the seven books to arrive can now pass it down to their children. And with the Fantastic Beasts movies and Harry Potter And The Cursed Child continuing the narrative that began those decades ago, the franchise remains at the top of the pop culture lexicon.

Related: Harry Potter’s J.K. Rowling Is Worried She Might Die Before She Finishes All Her Projects

Movies, plays, and amusement parks are one thing, but the true magic (pun intended) of the franchise has always been on the page. The Harry Potter movies did a great job at adapting JK Rowling's novels, but the books are filled with much more detail, allowing the universe to be more fleshed out. As such, new literature usually flies off of shelves. And in this case, fly into tablets and smart phones.

Harry Potter: A Journey Through will give the fandom a chance to get deep into the lore of the Wizarding World, and explain some of the magical events from the Harry Potter franchise. Every self-respective Potterhead has been waiting for their letter from Hogwarts, so being able to get some magical education through the new e-books is an opportunity that few are going to pass on.

The first two Harry Potter: A Journey Through e-books will be available on June 27th, and Fantastic Beasts 3 is currently set to arrive on November 12th, 2021. In the meantime, check out our 2019 release list.

James Gunn Says Superhero Horror Movie Brightburn Is A 'Great Memorial Day Movie'

James Gunn Says Superhero Horror Movie Brightburn Is A 'Great Memorial Day Movie'

The movie summer season is officially here and there will be no shortage of entertainment in the coming months. Obviously, Avengers: Endgame is the pop culture event of the moment, but there's another superhero film coming out soon and it's even produced by a Marvel veteran. Brightburn is produced by James Gunn, and while the movie has lots of competition, Gunn feels it's a great way to spend Memorial Day. What could be better than an evil psycho Superman?

While James Gunn is best known as the writer and director behind the Guardians of the Galaxy movies, the filmmaker has an all-new superhero movie featuring an original character coming to theaters. Brightburn is a Gunn family affair. Gunn's brother Brian and and cousin Mark Gunn wrote the script for the film.

Brightburn tells the story of a couple who adopt an alien baby who crash lands to Earth. However, when the troubled child begins to develop incredible powers, he doesn't exactly decide to use them for good.

If that sounds exactly like Superman but evil, well, that's because it is! The movie wears that inspiration on its sleeve to tell an alternate horror-based take on the iconic superhero. It's not a very complicated concept but it's fun, and when played for scares it could be a really entertaining way to spend the day.

James Gunn feels much the same way. He told Entertainment Weekly that Brightburn would make for a great time at the movies.

A great Memorial Day movie. Who doesn’t want to see an alien child on a murderous rampage as we begin our summer?

Summer movies are all about fun and entertainment, and Brightburn sounds like it fits that bill. The ultimate judgement will happen when the movie arrives in theaters, but thankfully we don't have to wait that long to find out for sure.

Speaking on the subject of James Gunn, the director has some other high-profile superhero projects to look forward to. The filmmaker is writing and directing a reboot of Suicide Squad called The Suicide Squad, which is slated to arrive in theaters on August 6, 2021. After that, Gunn returns to Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. The film doesn't have a release dat yet, but Marvel is sure to make an announcement concerning that soon enough.

If you are looking for a way to kill time during Memorial Day weekend, you might want to try giving Brightburn a chance. The horror film arrives in theaters on May 24. For everything else coming to theaters in the near future, be sure to check out our handy 2019 movie release guide. For more movie news, be sure to check back in with CinemaBlend and we'll be sure to keep you updated as soon as that information is available.

Elton John Keeps Sending Taron Egerton Rocketman Reviews

Elton John Keeps Sending Taron Egerton Rocketman Reviews

Biopics are a tried and true genre in filmmaking, and there are no shortage of interesting real-life figures to adapt for the big screen. Last year was a big one for biopics, as the Freddie Mercury musical blockbuster Bohemian Rhapsody cleaned up at the box office and accrued countless awards and nominations. But there's already another musical biopic on the way, as Rocketman will bring the gritty and magical world of Elton John's history to the silver screen.

Elton John himself is intimately involved in Rocketman, insisting that the darkness and mistakes in his life are vital to the story. Kingsman favorite Taron Egerton is playing the legendary singer in the biopic, and seems to have formed quit the bond with John throughout the process. And it turns out that Elton John has a penchant for sending Egerton Rocketman reviews to the 29 year-old actor. As he recently revealed:

I try to avoid reviews but Elton sends me them every day. I mean, he’s vetting my reviews. I’m sure there are bad ones that he’s not sending.

Taron Egerton may largely avoid reviews, but you can't ignore then when they're being sent by Elton John himself. Of course, the pop icon likely wasn't bringing the bad ones to the actor's attention. So Egerton should be safe from seeing anything he'd rather avoid.

The news about Elton John's relationship with Rocketman reviews come from Taron Egerton's recent appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live! While promoting the upcoming movie musical, Egerton spoke about his relationship to the real-life figure he's portraying. John's partner David Furnish is a producer on the project, so Rocketman should be an intimate look into his life and career. Warts and all.

In addition to portraying Elton John in Rocketman, Taron Egerton will also be belting out select choices from the singer's massive catalogue. It's his voice that seems to have truly captured John's attention, and the two have already done a few duets ahead of the biopics's release. Their bond is strong enough that they have private conversation-- many of which revolving around the early reviews for their collaboration.

Related: The Emotional Reason Rocketman Should Be Seen In A Theater, According To Taron Egerton

Early reception for Rocketman has been pretty positive. The movie has been praised for its over the top cinematography and movie magic, as well as Taron Egerton's performance as Elton John. But official reviews aren't up, so we'll have to wait and see if the critical community agrees.

You can see Taron Egerton's conversation with Jimmy Kimmel below.

When Rocketman is finally released, it will likely be compared quite a bit with Bohemian Rhapsody. In fact, Rocketman director Dexter Fletcher actually stepped in to complete Bohemian Rhapsody after Bryan Singer departed the project. Now he's working on another musical biopic, and this time the star is actually singing the songs himself-- unlike Rami Malek's performance as Freddie Mercury.

Rocketman will arrive in theaters on May 31st. In the meantime, check out our 2019 release list to plan your next trip to the movies.

Godzilla: King Of The Monsters Director Has An Idea For A Prequel

Godzilla: King Of The Monsters Director Has An Idea For A Prequel

The Godzilla franchise has had a long history in theaters, dating all the way back to 1954. The behemoth title character has continued to be a pop culture icon in the decades since its debut, and the franchise returns to theaters shortly. Godzilla: King of the Monsters marks the whopping 35th installment in the property, and the blossoming MonsterVerse will presumably only continue to grow in the next few years.

Krampus director Michael Dougherty is helming King of the Monsters, which will pick up on a narrative that started with 2014's Godzilla. Dougherty had to balance a ton of god-sized titans in his upcoming Godzilla movie, as the title character dukes it out with a ton of franchise favorites. And the director's already got some ideas for another addition to the franchise: a prequel. Dougherty recently opened up about this concept, saying:

I like the idea of going back in time and telling creatures' stories from different eras. Skull Island was set in the '70s, but personally I'd like to do Godzilla B.C., go back to ancient times and really see the Ray Harryhausen-esque world where primitive humans had to try to survive with these creatures. Maybe we'd get to see the first time mankind truly encountered Godzilla, and get to see how that relationship was christened.

Well, this is an awesome idea. The Godzilla franchise may be going strong for decades, but there are still plenty of narrative possibilities for the MonserVerse to mine. And that includes an origin story for the beast in ancient times.

Michael Dougherty's comments to SFX Magazine (via JoBlo) are sure to excite the generations of Godzilla fans out there. The big green guy has battled a ton of foes throughout his time on the big screen, but we've never seen Godzilla in such early stages of mankind. It would add a unique dynamic to the dynamic between humans and the monster, and break new ground for the property as a whole.

When one thinks of Godzilla, typically moviegoers picture the title character laying waste to a city, and probably fighting another iconic kaiju. But it would be a new twist to see him back in ancient times, without any skyscrapers to destroy. Instead, Godzilla would be be given the space for his behemoth body-- one that only continues to grow in the MonsterVerse.

Related: Godzilla: King Of The Monsters Director Relates His Sequel To Aliens

It would also be fun to see how primitive humans would interact with such a creature. Rather than involving the military or the Monarch Organization, man would be left to their wits when trying to survive the kaiju's wrath. It's a new direction for the franchise to go, although it's unclear whether or not Michael Dougherty's prequel idea will ever come to fruition.

Godzilla: King of the Monsters will arrive in theaters on May 31st. In the meantime, check out our 2019 release list to plan your next trip to the movies.

Mark Hamill Went Above And Beyond To Make Chucky Special In The New Child's Play

Mark Hamill Went Above And Beyond To Make Chucky Special In The New Child's Play

Mark Hamill may be best known for his onscreen role as the heroic Luke Skywalker in the Star Wars franchise, but he is also a prolific voice actor who has voiced great villains over the years like Firelord Ozai in Avatar: The Last Airbender and Batman’s nemesis, the Joker, in DC’s animated movies and series. Now he is lending his voice to another iconic character, this one belonging to the horror genre, Child’s Play’s Chucky.

CinemaBlend’s own Eric Eisenberg spoke with Seth Grahame-Smith, one of the producers on the upcoming reboot/remake of Child’s Play in an exclusive interview, and he spoke about how Mark Hamill really went above and beyond to make his Chucky special. Seth said:

Not only was he into it, he really started wanting to talk to us a lot about it from a standpoint of creating a character, and he wanted to do it as an acting challenge. And when we showed up the first day and the first recording session, he had watched all seven of the original movies, and he had sort of written a whole series of notes about his progression through the character, and development of voice. And then he showed us some of the voices he was developing. It was insane. He really jumped into it like a serious acting challenge.

Wow, Mark Hamill was not messing around, he really approached Chucky with all the preparation that he would a live-action character and perhaps more so. Seth Grahame-Smith sounds as though he was both surprised and impressed at how Mark Hamill viewed the role as an acting challenge, and the level of homework that he put in to develop the voice for Chucky.

Even before he had recorded a single line of dialogue, Mark Hamill had already watched all of the films in the Child’s Play/Chucky franchise and was working on multiple voices for his iteration of the character. All of this for a killer doll; that’s what you get with a true pro voice actor like Mark Hamill.

I guess it should be unsurprising he puts this much thought into his characters given how vocal he has been about the direction of Luke Skywalker in the Star Wars Sequel Trilogy. He isn't just reading a script, he has an idea in his head of who his characters are and what their story should be. All that hard work paid off too, as Seth Grahame-Smith continued:

And we're still actually doing the last little records right around now, and I'm star-struck every time I'm in his presence. I can't believe that I'm in a recording booth with Mark Hamill. But that goes away really quickly when he starts to do the Chucky voice and match to picture. He becomes that character. And I think that like everything we're trying to do, there's a difference, right? You're not imitating Brad [Dourif]. That would be insane, and not respectful. I think cast-wise, voice-wise, we couldn't have done better in terms of the people that we attracted to the movie.

It sounds like Mark Hamill knew that he had the unenviable task of taking on an iconic character that already has a signature voice. Mark Hamill obviously wasn’t going to try and imitate Brad Dourif who has voiced Chucky in all the previous films and is the voice of Chucky to this point.

With that in mind, Mark Hamill really wanted to put his own spin on Chucky and work hard to make sure that this new Chucky was memorable and unique and that he sounded the way he does for a reason that is informed by his character.

This makes sense too considering that the Chucky in the new Child’s Play isn’t a doll with the spirit of a serial killer in him. This new Chucky is more a Black Mirror-esque killer A.I. that turns smart home products into tools to kill. So he should have his own unique voice and Mark Hamill took that responsibility very seriously.

We haven’t heard (or seen) much from Mark Hamill’s Chucky in the trailers so far, and they seem to be really building him up. If Seth Grahame-Smith’s comments are anything to go by, the famous actor disappeared and really became Chucky for Child's Play. And given Mark Hamill’s track record, we have no reason to doubt that he will be a worthy torchbearer for this horror icon.

Child’s Play slashes its way into theaters on June 21. Check out our 2019 Release Schedule to see all the movies headed your way as we enter the summer movie season.

Watch Robert Downey Jr. Wrap On Avengers: Endgame

Watch Robert Downey Jr. Wrap On Avengers: Endgame

If the conclusion of Avengers: Endgame had us all kinds of emotional, imagine how the cast felt experiencing these scenes firsthand and saying their goodbyes to an end of an era. That's especially the case with Robert Downey Jr. He kicked off this whole saga eleven years ago with Iron Man and was able to explore Tony Stark in nine other appearances in Marvel films right up to the end.

Though he doesn’t find the words to express it, RDJ took to Instagram to be a bit sentimental and share the day he wrapped his Iron Man role for Endgame. Check it out below:

I love this 3000. While Robert Downey Jr. admits he’s “got a lot of feelings” about the milestone while at the set at Pinewood Studios in Atlanta, instead of going into a speech about it, he took a note from his co-star Chris Evans and said he’d save it for social media. The massive crew cheered as Downey reached for hugs for some of them, including Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige, Marvel producer Trinh Tran and directors Joe and Anthony Russo.

Katherine Langford and Tom Holland were also among the crowd in the wrap video. Langford was cast in the film as an older version of Tony’s daughter Morgan in a cut Endgame scene. When the hero snaps using the Infinity Gauntlet at the end of the film, he was originally going to enter the metaphysical way station that Thanos enters in Infinity War to reunite with Gamora, only Tony would see the older version of Morgan.

The scene didn’t make it into the film because test audiences didn’t resonate with it as much as the Russos had envisioned. Considering Katherine Langford’s attendance, perhaps it was one of the last scenes Robert Downey Jr shot? Tom Holland’s presence also could mean the Iron Man actor shared a scene or two with Spider-Man before wrapping the role. Perhaps it was of this emotional hug he also released on his social media a few days ago.

While this is the wrap video, this moment probably wasn’t Robert Downey Jr’s official last hurrah as the hero. The actor returned for reshoots, which included adding his big line in the film “I am Iron Man.” The memorable scene almost didn’t happen because Downey originally didn’t want to say it. He was thankfully talked into it and it rounded out his storyline nicely.

Since the spoiler ban was lifted by the Russos last week, many of the Avengers: Endgame actors have also taken to social media to share their “illegal videos” on the set of the movie during its most iconic moments. It brought just about everyone in the cast together in a culmination that won’t happen the same way again.

Avengers: Endgame is currently in theaters, approaching its fourth weekend at the box office and has yet to be dethroned for the top weekend spot.

What's The Deal With Peggy Carter In Avengers: Endgame?

What's The Deal With Peggy Carter In Avengers: Endgame?

Avengers: Endgame has been said to be a culmination of the MCU thus far, particularly for Robert Downey Jr’s Iron Man and Chris Evans’ Captain America, and because of this fans are likely expecting to gain some closure for the heroes. (Especially if and as they exit the franchise and hand off Avengers leadership to Captain Marvel). The most recent trailer for the highly-anticipated MCU Phase Three flick highlights these heroes, even giving us nostalgic black-and-white flashbacks to their pasts. Which, yes, even means Peggy Carter was brought into the fold.

The attention to Tony Stark in the Avengers: Endgame trailer was unsurprising since we knew from previous footage he will be sending a heartfelt message to Pepper Potts as his oxygen runs low in space. In the latest look, when it came to the segment devoted to Steve Rogers, his tragic love story with the late Peggy Carter was the focus, even featuring a voiceover from her from Captain America: Winter Soldier saying these words as a flashback of Cap holding up her casket was shown onscreen. Here's the quote in question:

The world hasn’t changed. None of us can go back. All we can do is our best and sometimes the best we can do is to start over.

Peggy told Steve this in another time of uncertainty, but it may resonate with the hero more than ever. Following the events of Infinity War, he is certainly dealing with a longing to go back and save the half of the universe turned to dust thanks to Thanos’ snap. Peggy’s voice is telling Steve he can’t go back, that it’s time to start over. This time around it reads as less of a longing for the past as it does foreshadowing for the future.

In the first trailer for Endgame, the picture of Peggy that Steve Rogers had when he crashed the Hydra bomber back in the ‘40s is shown in a moment in the upcoming film when Cap looks back at it and Black Widow stands beside him, right before the pair discuss their "plan," a plan they hope will work. Why does Peggy have such a prominent focus in setup for Endgame? Will we see her again as Captain America’s story wraps up or is Marvel tugging our heartstrings without the payoff these characters deserve?

Peggy Carter was introduced in 2011’s First Avenger as Steve Rogers’ love interest, but had to leave her behind when he was chilling in some ice for 70 years. In Winter Soldier, Cap gets to visit her in her elder years, when she says those recently referenced lines, again in Age of Ultron when Cap sees an illusion of her and referenced in Civil War when she passes. Peggy is also featured in the opening scene of Ant-Man and on ABC’s Marvel television series Agent Carter and Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.

She is really important to Cap’s character arc. Peggy symbolizes the life he could have had and lost because of taking up the mantle of Captain America. He’s never quite felt like he could really move forward because the life he wanted was taken from him, which also plays into his story arc with Bucky Barnes. He’s been displaced by time but what if he could go back? The popular theory for Avengers: Endgame is that the Avengers will travel back in time and reverse what’s been done by Thanos, so if that’s possible, a reunion with Peggy would also be.

With Cap always going back to Peggy in his mind, she really is the last loose end for the character to move on and wrap up his eight-year storyline. Since the teasers for the film are taking the time to touch on their tragic story, one would think we haven’t seen the last of Peggy or that she will fact in somehow during Endgame. There are a few ways this could go down.

Time travel through the Quantum Realm is certainly on the table here and depending where the Avengers land, Peggy could be alive in the timeline. A reunion with Peggy back in the ‘40s could also be a favor Ant-Man drums up for Cap after they save the universe. Guys. Just imagine if Steve Rogers’ story ended with him getting to keep that date with Peggy. I would never get over it. The hero certainly deserves a happy ending or a brief moment like this if he’s going to go out, given all he’s been through in the MCU.

Maybe Cap stays in the ‘40s or another point in the past. Then again we’ve all seen Back to the Future and changing things in the past can completely change the future and there would be consequences there. In fact, Peggy Carter is pretty important to the formation of S.H.I.E.L.D., which likely wouldn't be possible if she becomes a '40s era housewife. Plus, considering many have theorized Captain America will die in Avengers: Endgame, maybe self-sacrifice will be the character’s ticket to his love and he’ll have a sequence with her in the Soulworld, as Thanos had with young Gamora at the end of Infinity War.

If Hayley Atwell is in fact returning to the MCU for Endgame, she’s great at playing coy about it -- unlike some other MCU spoiler personalities out there. There has been zero word about her joining the cast on set. Still, almost a year ago she said “I wouldn’t rule it out” when asked if she might return to the franchise. Her comments hint at the possibility, but I’d hate to sound too hopeful when it may not happen. The past could stay in the past as far as Peggy goes. And the nods to Peggy could always be part of that extra footage The Russo Brothers have admitted adding to the trailers.

Marvel could be implementing Cap’s lost love in the set up for Endgame to just get us nostalgic for Cap’s emotional story arc. Peggy could simply be symbolism for all that Cap has lost or to remember the mantra she’s told him. While it’s tempting to manipulate time travel for his personal happiness, that may not really be in Cap’s wheelhouse. He’s pretty idealistic in his decision-making and I doubt he want be a staunch advocator of disrupting the time continuum and such.

There are tons of possibilities for the end of Captain America’s time in the MCU, but we hope it includes Peggy Carter. What do you think? Will she pop up in Avengers: Endgame and how do you think it will happen? Share your thoughts in the comments below.