Apparently Avengers: Endgame's Second Half Is Mind-Blowing

Apparently Avengers: Endgame's Second Half Is Mind-Blowing

Thanks to the intense secrecy of Avengers: Endgame, fans know very little of what to expect when they eventually sit down to watch the film later this month. Spectacle and tears have been assured by the filmmakers and cast, but specific plot details are locked in the vault. We still only have broad statements to work off of, but fans are apparently in for a treat, because a source claims that the second half of Endgame is "mind-blowing."

In Avengers: Endgame, the surviving members of the team must band together and find a way to reverse the damage done to the universe by Thanos -- or at least get revenge on the Mad Titan. That's already one epic logline that promises drama and action, and fan theories have risen up to try and plug the various holes. People have pitched everything from time travel to Ant-Man jumping up Thanos' butt, but whatever it ends up being, it will be absolutely wild.

Endgame is projected to have a record-breaking domestic opening that could earn as high as $300 million. As we get closer to the release date, that number could change depending on the reviews of the film. While a bad review can hurt box office performance, Deadline doesn't think Endgame has to worry about bad reviews. A reliable source who has seen the movie told the publication that the second half of Endgame is mind-blowing.

Deadline doesn't go any more specific than that, but mind-blowing feels like it's an accurate word for Endgame based on what we know already. Marvel has been hyping that it pulled off all the stops for this one, and while I think being overhyped is generally a bad thing, all evidence so far suggests Endgame will be a movie to remember.

And it's not just shadowy industry insiders who like the film. Test audiences apparently loved it, too! Per co-director Joe Russo during an interview with BoxOfficePro, Endgame had one of the highest test scores of any Marvel movie.

We’re vigilant about using test audiences to tell us whether we’re on the right track or we’re making bad decisions. With Endgame, it had one of the most incredible audience responses in Marvel history. Irrespective of the length, it’s been consistently embraced by the test audiences.

Butts likely won't be leaving seats during Endgame's wild runtime of three hours. Expect a lot more hype over these next coming weeks and be careful of the leaks that will inevitable arrive online. Something tells me going in as dry as possible will yield the best experience for everyone.

We'll finally have all of our questions answered when Avengers: Endgame arrives in theaters on April 26. To learn all the information that we do know, here's our helpful guide.

Woody Harrelson Is Having A Great Time With Zombieland: Double Tap

Woody Harrelson Is Having A Great Time With Zombieland: Double Tap

Fans are certainly hoping to enjoy the upcoming Zombieland sequel. Woody Harrelson is way ahead of us. The actor, who is currently in production on Zombieland: Double Tap, has nothing but good things to say so far. Not only does Harrelson say that the movie itself looks good, but he also adds he's personally just having a lot of fun making it. According to the actor...

What we’ve shot so far, I’m really impressed with. Getting to hang out with these guys — Emma, and Abbie, and Jesse, and Ruben — I feel so lucky, really, really lucky. You know, it’s literally laughing all day long, and that’s your job. Like, my job is, I laugh all day long? It seems unbelievable. So, I feel really lucky right now.

It often seems like actors just have the best job in the world already, but regardless of what your job is, if you don't enjoy it, it can still be a slog. Also, when people enjoy their work, the work itself tends to end up better. Based on that idea, it would seem that Zombieland: Double Tap is already shaping up to be a great movie.

Jesse Eisenberg had previously said the cast was working extra hard to make sure the movie was everything that fans have been waiting for. If they're both working hard and laughing all day, what more can you ask for?

A sequel to Zombieland has been one of those "maybe we'll get around to it" movies that fans have wanted, but never seemed to get much traction, since the original film came out a decade ago. However, it was a topic that screenwriters Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick continued to be asked about and with each passing day it seemed like a sequel was slowly becoming a more likely idea. Then, last year, it was finally confirmed the sequel would actually happen.

The plot of Zombieland: Double Tap has not been officially revealed. Although, there have been rumors that it will focus on the team of Colombus (Jesse Eisenberg), Tallahassee (Harrelson), and Wichita (Emma Stone) chasing after Little Rock (Abigail Breslin) who has run away. Another rumor has indicated Bill Murray may actually reprise his popular cameo from the first film. He may also bring fellow Ghostbuster Dan Aykroyd with him.

A number of new characters will join the returning squad. Rosario Dawson, Zoey Deutch, and Luke Wilson are joining the cast. Most of the details are still under wraps concerning who they are or how they'll fit in the plot.

The details are less important than the film as a whole, and Woody Harrelson's comments to EW make it sound that the movie is going to be just as much fun as the well loved original. Zombieland: Double Tap is set to hit theaters October 11.

Captain Marvel Really Fumbled Two Important Characters And We Don't Get Why

Captain Marvel Really Fumbled Two Important Characters And We Don't Get Why

Warning: SPOILERS are ahead!

Just because Captain Marvel is set in 1995, 13 years before the modern events of the Marvel Cinematic Universe unfolded, doesn’t mean that the movie didn’t have ties to other corners of this superhero franchise. Unquestionably the biggest example of this was pairing Nick Fury with Carol Danvers and showing how the S.H.I.E.L.D. agent learned about superheroes and aliens, as well as how he lost his 20/20 vision. But he wasn’t the only familiar face who appeared in Captain Marvel: Guardians of the Galaxy villains Ronan the Accuser and Korath the Pursuer also popped in during Carol’s origin story. The movie could have been a platform to make both of those characters more interesting, but unfortunately, it failed to accomplish this.

It’s been nearly five full years since we first met Lee Pace’s Ronan and Djimon Honsou’s Korath, with Guardians of the Galaxy showing the latter serving the former in his quest to wipe out Xandar. Since Korath was Guardians of the Galaxy’s tertiary antagonist, it was hardly surprising that he wasn’t fleshed out during the movie, but even though we knew about Ronan’s radicalism and his disgust with the Kree empire signing a peace treaty with Xandar, he failed to come off as a fascinating villain. Ultimately both those characters were killed by the Guardians, and so naturally it was assumed for years that’s the first and only time we’d ever see them in the MCU.

Then it was announced around this time last year that younger versions of Ronan and Korath would appear in Captain Marvel, which made sense given that like her comic book counterpart, Brie Larson’s Carol’s origins are tied to the Kree. Since Captain Marvel takes place a little over two decades before Guardians of the Galaxy, that’s enough time for these two to be portrayed at least slightly differently than they were before. More importantly, Captain Marvel could foreshadow how these two are put on the path that ends with them being Kree outcasts set on destroying an entire planet.

So what does the movie do with Ronan and Korath? Well, Korath is a member of Starforce alongside Carol, Yon-Rogg, Minn-Erva, Att-Lass and Bron-Char. Outside Korath talking about his experience with facing down a Skrull and the other members joking at the beginning of Captain Marvel about how he’s humorless, which Korath strongly denies (he laughs, just on the inside), he doesn’t get any focus. He’s with the other Starforce operatives as they carry out their missions on Torfa and Earth (the latter including Mar-Vell’s base in orbit), but there’s nothing that particularly highlights him compared to his Kree partners other than Yon-Rogg. Minn-Erva arguably stands out more because at least she was gunned down by Maria Rambeau while chasing after Carol.

As for Ronan, we find out why he’s called the Accuser: because he was part of the of the same-named division of the Kree military, which would see him ordering warheads to be dropped on planets to wipe out the enemy Skrulls. Although there’s a official still of Ronan in the same room as the Starforce, in the final Captain Marvel cut, he never had any direct face time with them. Instead, he communicated with the team over hologram, first blaming Yon-Rogg for their failure on Torfa and then arriving to Earth after Yon-Rogg contacted him about eliminating Talos and the other Skrulls. Still a dutiful servant of the Kree empire at this stage of his life, Yon-Rogg ordered that Earth be bombed, but the fully-powered Carol Danvers destroyed the warheads and one of his ships, prompting him to order a retreat and declare that he would return to capture Carol and use her as a weapon.

Given how things turned out for Ronan in Guardians of the Galaxy and that Carol Danvers is alive and well in the present day, obviously he didn’t fulfill this promise, but that’s beside the point. The point is that Captain Marvel failed to effectively use Ronan and Korath. Obviously these two were never going to be the most important players in this movie, but it’s a problem when you could replace either of them with other characters, be they also from the Marvel Comics pages or original creations, and the story wouldn’t be any different. There was nothing about these younger depictions of Ronan and Korath that made them more compelling.

Ronan in particular suffers as a result. Xandar doesn’t factor into Captain Marvel whatsoever, but it still would have been great if something laid the groundwork for Ronan to become the zealot we met in Guardians of the Galaxy. Maybe something could have happened during his mission on Earth that made him realize the Kree empire, more specifically the Supreme Intelligence, is not infallible. Instead, he’s just as loyal to his Kree superiors at the end of the movie, and now we’ve been teased about a goal of his that we probably won’t ever see. Although a hypothetical Captain Marvel 2 could take a page from Wonder Woman 1984’s book and be set in the interim decades between when she left with the Skrulls and when she returned post-Decimation, but that hasn’t even been rumored yet.

In Korath’s case, it would have been nice to learn how he became affiliated with Ronan, because while the two of them do technically share screen time since Korath is near Yon-Rogg as the Starforce leader talking with Ronan over hologram, Korath and Ronan never actually interact with one another. Korath presumably already knew about Ronan by reputation, but we get no sense in Captain Marvel in why Korath would be willing to abandon the Kree empire to serve Ronan years later. Maybe Starforce’s failure to eliminate the Skrulls and bring back Carol Danvers resulted in Korath, Yon-Rogg and the surviving members being demoted, which could lead to Korath’s own disillusionment, but there’s absolutely no hint of that by the time the credits roll.

Captain Marvel did a good job of telling Carol Danvers’ origin story, revealing how Nick Fury started to become the badass spymaster we know best, and delivering a welcome twist by not depicting the Skrulls as pure evil. Unfortunately for Ronan and Korath, they were underserved in the story, and their actions here don’t do anything to improve how they were shown in Guardians of the Galaxy. It was definitely a wasted opportunity.

Let us know what you thought of how Ronan the Accuser and Korath the Pursuer were used in Captain Marvel below. While it remains to if we’ll ever see these incarnations of the characters ever again, Carol Danvers will be back for Avengers: Endgame on April 26.

Mark Ruffalo's Marvel Behind-The-Scenes Tribute Video Will Make You Feel All The Feels

Mark Ruffalo's Marvel Behind-The-Scenes Tribute Video Will Make You Feel All The Feels

Ending a run of films as big as the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s Infinity Saga is bound to be emotional for both fans and cast members alike. This is especially true when it comes to fans making tribute videos in honor of films like Avengers: Endgame that are so touching, people like Mark Ruffalo just have to share. That’s exactly what the big guy has done with the video below, complete with a beautifully emotional message, take a look:

Comprised of outtakes from what looks like almost every film from Marvel Studio’s first cinematic arc, there’s plenty of goofing around from cast members included in this tribute reel, set to ELO’s “Mr. Blue Sky.” Among some of the highlights are the many funny faces that Chris Evans has been known to make, even in costume as Captain America. You'll also see a lot of smiles from cast members ranging from Chadwick Boseman and Scarlet Johansson, to of course, a lot of Robert Downey Jr. smiling mischievously and making faces that might not make it into a Disney-produced picture!

So yeah, it’s a video that’ll make Avengers: Endgame fans totally emotional, as it acts as kind of a family scrapbook of moments that led to the huge finale that fans had been waiting for across the span of 11 years and 22 movies. With the finale also marking the end of Joe and Anthony Russo’s current tenure at Marvel Studios, the reaction seems to indicate that emotional isn’t even the word for how folks may be feeling at the moment.

With Avengers: Endgame poised to surpass Avatar at any moment in the near future, this Twitter post is a good reminder of just how and why the Marvel Cinematic Universe has hit with the folks that helped make it possible. Even Mark Ruffalo knows that as he shares this video, honoring both his co-stars and the moviegoers who made their collective job an honor and a privilege.

The future of the MCU, and just what its next saga will entail, is still up in the air to a certain point. We’ll probably receive a lot of clues with Spider-Man: Far From Home acting as the official end of Phase Three, and the first step into a post-Infinity Saga world. Even then, the announcement of whatever Phase Four and beyond hold will be the ultimate clue as to where fans will be headed next.

So long as Marvel Studios and the cast of those upcoming movies continue to uphold the believe that fan and actor alike are what make this enterprise truly special, the success is likely to follow in both the undertaking and release of such projects.

Avengers: Endgame is in theaters now; with the final flick in the phase, Spider-Man: Far From Home, webbing up the box office on July 2nd. However, if you’re ready to look for another movie to entertain yourself with, you can take a look at the 2019 release schedule to see what other options are open.

Why Shaft Is Changing The Relationship Between Samuel L. Jackson And Richard Roundtree's Characters

Why Shaft Is Changing The Relationship Between Samuel L. Jackson And Richard Roundtree's Characters

Back when Samuel L. Jackson first took up the mantle of Shaft in director John Singleton’s 2000 reboot, John Shaft II’s relationship with Richard Roundtree’s John Shaft was that of a nephew and an uncle. It may not have been what folks were expecting back then, as typically two generations of character would be assumed to follow a straight line of parent and child, but it’s what worked back in the days of that first reboot.

Now however, that relationship is about to assume the more traditional path, as director Tim Story’s Shaft reboot has retconned John and John II to be father and son. An interesting choice to make 19 years later, granted, but when CinemaBlend was on hand for a set visit early last year, the question was put into the room asking why that decision was made at this point in time.

The answer we got, courtesy of Samuel L. Jackson himself, was the following:

That choice is because they want three generations, in terms of grandfather, father, and son. And it’s not unusual, strangely enough, in black families for somebody to think their ‘uncle’ was their uncle.

With no further films existing between Shaft 2000 and Shaft 2019, there should thankfully be no issues involving continuity in the extended run of the franchise. That having been said, it’s a pretty interesting decision to make the previous two generations of John Shaft father and son. But looking at the story for Shaft on the whole, it makes total sense.

John Shaft II is trying to protect his son JJ (played by Jessie T. Usher), as well as teach him the ropes of the family’s private investigator game. After 25 years of being separated from his son and Maya, the woman who raised JJ and still holds a special place in John II’s heart (played by Regina Hall), he’s getting reacquainted with the family.

Bringing John Shaft I into the mix, and as John II’s father, only makes sense when you look at Shaft as an action comedy that literally brings the family together. During the set visit we took part in early last year, we saw a sizzle reel of footage that showed us bits and pieces of the film that gave us a taste of the tone the film was aiming for. The decision to bring in three generations of Shaft men is one that totally works, as the comic energy shown in both that reel, and the trailer for Shaft, confirms this team-up is a wise one.

Should Shaft’s latest reboot happen to do well enough, it wouldn’t be all that surprising if this family matter sparked another entry into this already legendary canon. In which case, it’ll be interesting to see if any other family members in the Shaft family tree find their way into this ever-growing picture.

Shaft is in theaters on June 14th, and we’ll have more coverage as we get closer to the film’s release date. So, be sure to stay tuned to us here at CinemaBlend.

All The Star Wars Movies Will Be Made Available On Disney+

All The Star Wars Movies Will Be Made Available On Disney+

Ever since the Lucasfilm purchase was finalized in 2012, the Star Wars franchise has been part of the Disney empire… I mean, family, with The Force Awakens being the first movie to kick off this new era. So when it was announced that Disney was launching its own streaming service, Disney+, it was expected that Star Wars would feature prominently. Now it’s been officially announced that along with all the original Star Wars programming already announced, all of the Star Wars movies will be made available on Disney+, including the pre-Disney ones.

In case you’re wondering why this is surprising, it’s because last summer, Disney CEO Bob Iger said that pre-2019 Star Wars movies would not be available on Disney+ at the beginning due to licensing rights. It was also reported around the same time that Turner Broadcasting System owning the TV rights to most of the Star Wars movies prevented Disney from folding them into Disney+, and since this deal didn’t expire until 2024, the Mouse House was working to buy those rights back.

Evidently the company succeeded, because all the Star Wars movies will be viewing options on Disney+. However, don’t expect all of them to be available right at launch. The first two Star Wars trilogies, The Force Awakens and Rogue One will be there on Day 1, with The Last Jedi, Solo and Episode IX coming within the first year.

Episode IX not being available at the get-go makes sense, as Disney+ will be launching before the movie even hits theaters. As for The Last Jedi and Solo, I suspect the delay getting them to Disney+ involves Disney letting its old deal with Netflix run out. Once that happens, it’s only a matter of time before these are added to the streaming service’s catalog.

Star Wars was always going to be one of the main Disney+ draws, so for those of you who had been hoping that you’d be able to watch all the movies set in a galaxy far, far away on the service, your wish has been granted. It’s also logical to assume that more upcoming Star Wars movies, like the Rian Johnson trilogy and the film series being worked on by David Benioff and D.B. Weiss, will be thrown onto Disney+ after their theatrical runs have ended.

Of course, these movies are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to Disney+ Star Wars content. So far two live action original shows have been announced: The Mandalorian, which is set in the decades between Return of the Jedi and The Force Awakens and will be available on Day 1, and the officially-untitled Cassian Andor and K-2SO series, which sees Diego Luna and Alan Tudyk reprising their respective Rogue One roles.

On the animation side of things, along with housing the previous seasons of Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Disney+ will also debut the show’s seventh season, which will be comprised of 12 episodes. One would imagine that Star Wars Rebels and Star Wars Resistance will also be thrown onto the service eventually, but so far there’s no official word on those two shows.

Stay tuned to CinemaBlend for more updates on the Star Wars franchise, which continues with the release of Episode IX on December 20. In the meantime, browse through our 2019 release schedule to learn what other movies are opening later this year.

12 Exciting Shots From The Star Wars: The Rise Of Skywalker Trailer

12 Exciting Shots From The Star Wars: The Rise Of Skywalker Trailer

We knew that Star Wars Celebration was going to have some surprises in store pertaining to Star Wars: Episode IX. Even after learning the official title of the film is Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, thanks to a trailer showing the first footage from the film, we’re still stunned.

In particular, there are 12 moments in director J.J. Abrams’ new film that have caught our eyes and already planted themselves into our imaginations. Before we run through what we’ve noticed and why it’s exciting, take a look at the trailer for Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, in case you haven’t already done so, or want to go again.

Now let’s dive into the most amazing pieces in this first look.

Rey Has Inherited Luke's Lightsaber

We open the trailer with a good look at Daisy Ridley's Rey, who definitely seems comfortable with the mantle of being the best hope for the future of Force users. And as if that wasn't apparent by her confident stance and new wardrobe, the fact that she's using Luke Skywalker's legendary lightsaber is the icing on the cake. While this particular historical relic was seen snapped in half during Star Wars: The Last Jedi, it is part of a Jedi's training to build their own lightsaber; so this basically qualifies Rey's usage of the weapon more than anything else. Of course, with new adventures come new obstacles and old foes to present them. And it looks like Rey has spotted one such threat in this early moment.

An Interesting Rematch Between Rey And Kylo

If you're still not convinced that the events of Star Wars: The Last Jedi have given Rey the skills she needs to be the sort of hero the galaxy needs, then this next scene should be all you need to dispel those thoughts. Her training has brought her to a point where she's able to do one hell of a flip with a lightsaber ignited, and she's about to give Kylo Ren something to think about. He might feel safe in that TIE Silencer of his, but lightsabers make quick work of pretty much any metal known to the Star Wars galaxy.

An Ice, New Village

It could be the quickness of this rather weather-laden shot from Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, but it does look like it's snowing or icing pretty hard in this new location. While we don't have a name, we do have a look at this mountainous hideaway that looks like it's being approached by an A-Wing fighter. Wherever it is, we have a good feeling that we'll be meeting someone new in this location. The possibilities are as endless as the view, and just as breathtaking.

Kylo Ren Bodyslamming A Rando

The world has given Adam Driver's Star Wars villain Kylo Ren quite a hard time, as he sometimes comes off as a bit of a whiny fanboy to the Empire that came before The First Order. Well, it looks like people might want to start filing their apologies now, as Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker sees Kylo not only wielding his cross-hilted saber, but also slamming folks into the ground with it. And here we thought Star Wars: The Last Jedi might have calmed that temper just a little bit.

The Return Of Kylo Ren's Helmet

What would Star Wars be without a villainous headdress to strike fear into the folks at home? Apparently Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker thinks that it would be a boring place, as co-writer/director J.J. Abrams looks to have resurrected Kylo Ren's helmet from Star Wars: The Force Awakens. With a rather furry pair of arms working hard on welding it together, it looks like the original pieces from Kylo's big blow-up in the previous film may have been used to bring his original look back into vogue.

The Boys Are Back In Town

Seeing John Boyega and Oscar Isaac clowning around on the Star Wars Celebration panel was enough to make us miss seeing Poe and Finn in action, and Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker looks like it knows that fact all too well. We not only got this awesome shot of the two friends/potential romantic partners standing out in the desert, but we also saw some pretty intense action involving what looks desert speeder bikes from the First Order chasing them through the sands of what could be Tatooine or Jakku. We can practically hear the quips already.

BB-8's Brand New Friend

We were introduced to BB-8's new friend at today's presentation for Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, and it wasn't a moment too soon as the new droid D-O was also seen in the film's teaser trailer. It's a simple moment, with both droids cocking their heads in interest, but it's absolutely adorable to watch. Of course, it wasn't too long ago that a new, rival droid for BB-8 was teased, only to show up for a paltry couple of minutes of screen time in Star Wars: The Last Jedi, so we're going to keep out hopes of seeing this little guy for too long in check. That being said, he's still adorable, and you're welcome for the BB-8/D-O desktop.

Lando's Back In The Falcon

The look on Lando Calrissian's face as he's piloting the Millennium Falcon is what any Star Wars fan probably looks like when a new trailer is released. With Billy Dee Williams returning to his iconic role in the ship that once belonged to him in an earlier era of series lore, Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker looks ready to put that smile on fans faces throughout this third installment of the final trilogy to the Skywalker Saga. And seeing Lando back in action definitely helps the corners of our mouths pull up in joy.

A Perilous Sand Escape

So we'd like to talk a little more about that desert chase we saw in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker's big teaser trailer. More importantly, with all of the laser blasts and explosions that we saw in this sequence, we also saw Finn and Poe joined by none other than C-3PO in this little journey. Knowing that the protocol droid is infamous for being 'a bit' of dramatic, as well as the fact that the two human characters involved are pretty funny whether they bicker or get along, has us thinking this could be one of the funniest scenes of the movie. But don't tell us the odds.

A Teary Reunion With General Leia

Ever since the decision was made to use previously shot footage of the late Carrie Fisher to finish out this Star Wars trilogy, we've been wondering how that prospect might look on screen. Without question, what we've seen in the trailer to Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker has us convinced that not only is General Leia Organa's return to the battlefield going to look convincing, it's definitely going to make us cry. Rey's tears in the frame after this are pretty much our tears, as this fitting goodbye to a legendary character promises to be respectful, while also rewarding.

The Wreck'd Star

The last actual shot of action we have in this rundown shows Rey staring down the wreckage of what looks like a Death Star. Now there are a lot of questions this sort of image raises, such as which Death Star could this wreck be a part of? Did parts of Starkiller Base survive being destroyed, only to crash into this planet our heroes are visiting? We're inclined to think that this is an earlier Death Star, considering the moment after this shot is a couple frames of darkness that are accompanied by the laughter of deceased Emperor Palpatine. Of course, as Luke taught us in The Last Jedi, no one's ever really gone; and that door looks like it opens both ways.

That Title Looks Beautiful

We finally have a damned title for this movie. After countless references to what was previously known as Star Wars: Episode IX, we can finally call this movie by its proper given name. From where we're standing, Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker sounds a lot better, as it definitely fits into the pattern of titles in this trilogy, and it just sounds momentous. How will Skywalker rise now that Luke's dead? Is this now a title bestowed upon people in a new order of Force users? Is Rey's parentage going to be retconned to make her part of the family?

We may not have the answers to this questions just yet, but being able to ask fresh queries about Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker feels almost as good; especially with images like this accompanying them. Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker will burn brightly in the name of the Resistance on December 20.