Hobbs & Shaw’s Dwayne Johnson Reveals What The Goal Was With Creating A Fast And Furious Spinoff

Hobbs & Shaw’s Dwayne Johnson Reveals What The Goal Was With Creating A Fast And Furious Spinoff

Since 2001, there have been eight Fast and Furious movies which have collectively grossed over $5 billion at the box office, thus becoming Universal’s most flourishing franchise to date. So when the series decided to branch out with its first ever spinoff Hobbs and Shaw starring heavy-weight action stars Dwayne Johnson and Jason Statham coming this summer, the upcoming bags of cash coming the movie’s way isn’t tough to predict.

On Wednesday, Hobbs and Shaw came out to CinemaCon in Las Vegas to boast some new badass footage and brought together the pair of stars sharing the spotlight in the Fast and Furious spinoff. Dwayne Johnson said this about why this spinoff was decided upon:

Our goal here with the [spinoff] was to build out the Fast and Furious franchise, we wanted to create something that was special. We wanted to create something that had our own tapestry, our own feel, our own energy. But the bottom line was we wanted to make something that is fun. And when I say fun, like Fast and Furious movies are fun and this is FUN. We reached the top level of fun with the Fast and Furious movies. I’m talking about fun, good amen. That’s what we wanted to do.

A little fun never hurt a summer blockbuster, and Hobbs and Shaw looks like it has a ton of it. The upcoming spinoff plays off the scene-stealing chemistry Johnson’s Luke Hobbs and Statham’s Deckard Shaw, showed off in the Fast and Furious films. The unlikely pair team up this time around to take down a genetically-engineered superpowered and flamethrower-wielding villain named Brixton, played by Idris Elba.

Hobbs and Shaw seems to let go of the reality that once grounded in the Fast and Furious franchise, as the franchise has gone for bigger visual spectacles and stunts for fans to be in awe of. Elba’s superpowers mark a big chang, and so is a marketed scene that has Hobbs scaling down a skyscraper as Shaw sleekly goes down an elevator at the same time. So, Johnson’s emphasis on “FUN” doesn’t sound far off … the franchise is going bonkers in the best way and fans are going to eat it up.

The upcoming blockbuster isn’t the last of planned Fast and Furious spinoffs either. There is a female-led spinoff also in the works including a couple of the writers of Captain Marvel onboard, out of three overall planned spinoffs promised to Universal. Fast and the Furious 9 & 10 are also in the works for 2020 and 2021.

With Fast and Furious spinoffs on the way in addition to the main franchise, will audiences get franchise fatigue? Hobbs and Shaw certainly seems to be shaking up the series with a fresh take and not taking itself too seriously. The movie hits theaters on August 2, 2019.

When Marvel Will Finally Be Announcing Its Upcoming Movies

When Marvel Will Finally Be Announcing Its Upcoming Movies

Moviegoers are still recovering from the events of Avengers: Endgame, which arrived in theaters two weeks ago. The Russo Brothers managed to do the impossible, and included everything and the kitchen sink in the high stakes movie. What resulted was an ambitious blockbuster that had deep cut references to tons of past Marvel installments.

But now that Endgame has hit theaters, there are still a ton of narrative questions that fans are asking. Marvel Studios hasn't revealed its plans for Phase Four, and smart money says we won't hear much until Spider-Man: Far From Home arrives in theaters in July. Now Disney CEO Bob Iger has given some indication of when the plans for the MCU's future will be revealed. Without giving a date, Iger said he's "guessing they will announce later this summer."

This is pretty exciting news, as it means that the public only has a few months left to wait and wonder what might be coming down the pipeline for the behemoth shared universe. And Bob Iger's comments from Disney's Q2 conference call (via Seeking Alpha) however vague, give some idea about when to expect concrete information regarding Phase Four.

The Marvel Cinematic Universe brought serialized storytelling to theaters, and it's a method that various other studios and franchises have attempted in the decade since Iron Man debuted. Part of Marvel's typical strategy is to reveal full Phases of films in advance, allowing moviegoers to known exactly when each blockbuster is expected to arrive in theaters, and usually their titles.

But Phase Four is a total mystery at the time of writing this story, as Marvel Studios hasn't revealed its plans in the post-Endgame world. Ahead of the release of The Russo Brothers' pair of Avengers movies, it was revealed that the MCU's next phase wouldn't be revealed in advance, as the titles had the potential to spoil the events of Infinity War and/or Endgame. But now that the movies arrived and the spoiler ban has been lifted, the fans are going to get antsy about still being kept in the dark.

Related: Marvel's 2020 Movie Schedule Will Be A Little Different Than What We're Used To

This summer makes sense as an appropriate time for Marvel to unveil its plans for Phase Four, as there is still one more blockbuster coming down the pipeline: Spider-Man: Far From Home. While it was originally teased to be the first entry in the new slate of movies, Jon Watts' upcoming sequel is actually the final installment in Phase Three. As such, we shouldn't expect the studio to reveal the next release schedule until after that project arrives.

The MCU is very methodical about when new information is released, with each new blockbuster given its change to take the spotlight. And considering how much of the world was changed throughout the events of Infinity War and Endgame, there's no telling what might come next.

Avengers: Endgame is in theaters now, and Spider-Man: Far From Home will follow suit on July 2nd. In the meantime, check out our 2019 release list to plan your next trip to the movies.

Jurassic Park’s Jeff Goldblum Had The Best Response To Real Life Scientists Trying To Create Dinosaurs

Jurassic Park’s Jeff Goldblum Had The Best Response To Real Life Scientists Trying To Create Dinosaurs

When Jurassic Park was first written and then transformed into a blockbuster movie, the idea of recreating dinosaurs was pure science fiction. However, so often the only thing keeping science fiction from becoming reality is time, and now it appears that researchers think that bringing dinosaurs back from extinction is only a matter of time. If this strikes you as a supremely bad idea, because you've seen how this movie ends, you're not the only one. Jeff Goldblum sounded off on the news as well, as only he could...

Jeff Goldblum channels his character from Jurassic Park, Ian Malcolm, and quotes himself in reference to whether or not bringing dinosaurs back is a good idea. As every Jurassic Park movie showed us, it was all a very bad idea.

And yet, it seems that scientists are trying to do exactly that. To be fair, it's not all exactly like Jurassic Park. It seems that due to the degradation that happens to DNA over time, actually finding actual dinosaur DNA would never actually work. Instead, it seems that the idea currently being worked on is taking the relationship between dinosaurs and modern birds and using that as the gateway to bring them back. The feeling is that it's possible to take a chicken's DNA and modify it in such a way that you could turn it into a small dino-chicken.

I don't see that as the plot of a future Jurassic Park sequel, but it is, without question, the the premise of a low budget knockoff where a flock of genetically modified chickens destroy a small Midwestern town.

In the end, this wouldn't recreate any species of dinosaur that ever existed, but I suppose it would give scientists an opportunity to study the closest possible thing. At the same time, one has to wonder what this does to the "chickensoras" which is seriously what they're actually calling it. Isn't it cruel and unusual to turn a chicken into something like that?

If we are really only five years away from a creating a version of a dinosaur, that is surely impressive, but Jeff Goldblum's comments do come ringing back. Just because science is capable of doing that, is that really something that science should be doing? It's not really clear exactly what the point actually is. There's only so much you'll be able to learn about actual dinosaurs by creating this artificial one. It seems like most of the important stuff would still be out of reach.

Still, we'll want to keep our eyes on this. If we're really only five years away, then somewhere between now and 2024 we could be looking at our own Jurassic Park. Even if it turns out to be little more than a petting zoo.

Are The Spider-Man Movies Building To The Sinister Six?

Are The Spider-Man Movies Building To The Sinister Six?

Once upon a time, there was a plan. The Spider-Man movies being made by Sony were going to introduce a bunch of villains – including the Rhino (Paul Giamatti), a Green Goblin (Dane DeHaan) and Electro (Jamie Foxx) – and eventually team them in a villain ensemble movie, The Sinister Six. Those plans changed when Sony shifted its Spider-Man to Marvel Studios, with Tom Holland taking over for Andrew Garfield.

But the idea of a Sinister Six movie still sounds incredibly intriguing, and there’s no shortage of bad guys at play in the MCU’s version of Spidey. Michael Keaton already has introduced The Vulture. Michael Mando briefly appeared as a possible Scorpion. And we saw two Shockers in Spider-Man: Homecoming. We’re about to meet a bunch of new villains in Spider-Man: Far From Home, and Venom (Tom Hardy) now exists in the universe, so we wondered if The Sinister Six was somewhere on the radar.

While interviewing Spider-Man: Far From Home executive producer Eric Carroll on the film’s London set, we asked him about this idea, and he told us:

I don't know some of these plans for what's going forward. I do know that, obviously, getting someone like Jake [Gyllenhaal] to do a role like [Quentin] Beck is something we definitely think sets some really fun things up. But as to specifics, right now, I think everyone thinks we're dodging these questions -- and I especially don't want to speak to Sony's plans -- but we kind of take these movies one at a time. If we have that right idea, I think that's something audiences would love, for sure. I do think it's something people have been wanting for a long time. So, I can't imagine it's not somebody's dream project? But it's not something we're specifically building to at the moment.

That’s sad to hear, but somewhat understandable. If there was going to be a Sinister Six movie, we actually could see it taking shape on the Sony side of things, where the studio has successfully launched its own Spider-Universe with Venom and the in-production Morbius. There are plans underway for stories with Silver Sable and Black Cat, so if a Six feature were to form, it likely would be born from those collaborations.

That’s also a great excuse to bring Tom Holland over from his Marvel Studios duties and use him in a Sony Spider-Man movie. But this would happen way down the road, as these large ensemble pics take years to develop properly, and the way that Eric Carroll tells it, no plans currently are underway.

For now, Spidey fans can look forward to the young hero’s European vacation, which will take him away from New York City and pair him with Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) and Mysterio (Jake Gyllenhaal) as they battle Elemental creatures from a multiverse dimension. Crazy!

Spider-Man: Far From Home opens in theaters on July 2.

Chris Pratt Is ‘Really Proud’ Of Disney For Rehiring James Gunn

Chris Pratt Is ‘Really Proud’ Of Disney For Rehiring James Gunn

The Marvel Cinematic Universe has been on a serious roll in Phase Three, as every single blockbuster has been a critical and box office hit. The last decade of filmmaking will come to a head when Avengers: Endgame arrives in theaters, and the reviews and early reception are overwhelmingly positive. As the current phase of movies comes to a close we must look to the future, including James Gunn's Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.

The Guardians threequel was originally set to be one of the first installments in Marvel's Phase Four. But James Gunn was fired this past July, after controversial tweets from a decade ago resurfaced and Disney attempted to distance itself from the writer/director. The House of Mouse recently did an about-face, signing Gunn back on to complete Guardians 3 following his DC debut, The Suicide Squad. Chris Pratt recently responded to Gunn's reinstatement, saying:

I was so thrilled, so excited. I think it’s the right move, I really stand behind it. I’m really proud of Disney for hiring James back and ultimately thrilled for not only us, but also for the fans. I think it’s going to wrap up the trilogy in the best way.

Despite originally not wanting to audition for Star-Lord, it looks like Chris Pratt couldn't imagine Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 without the full crew. This obviously includes James Gunn, who puts everything from his music taste, to his dance moves, to his sense of humor into the beloved Marvel franchise.

Chris Pratt's comments to People echoes the the sentiments of most Marvel fans. The Guardians of the Galaxy franchise is arguably the MCU's most director-driven property, and the threequel seemed all but impossible without James Gunn's perspective. What's more, he had completed a draft of Guardians 3's script shortly before being fired, and that script was necessary in order to keep the story and maintain the cast.

Of course, Star-Lord's support of James Gunn shouldn't come as much of a surprise. Shortly after his departure, the Guardians of the Galaxy cast penned a letter in support of the director, signed by the all the starring actors. This includes Chris Pratt, who kept the secret of Gunn's pending reinstatement as he took questions about the Marvel drama.

Related: Sean Gunn Explains Why Brother James Wasn’t At The Avengers: Endgame Premiere

There were a number of months between James Gunn's firing and reinstatement, with production on Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 put on indefinite hold following his departure. This opened Gunn open to take on projects like The Suicide Squad, so it's unclear exactly when the Guardians threequel will arrive in theaters. But hopefully those answers will come once Marvel revealed its post-Endgame plans.

Despite fading to dust in Avengers: Infinity War's horrifying twist ending, Chris Pratt's Star-Lord is expected to (somehow) appear in Avengers: Endgame when it hits theaters on April 26th. In the meantime, fill out CinemaBlend's Endgame death pool, and check out our 2019 release list to plan your next trip to the movies.

How Dennis Quaid Got The Dogs’ Attention On The Set of A Dog’s Journey

How Dennis Quaid Got The Dogs’ Attention On The Set of A Dog’s Journey

The story in the Dog's movies center on a pooch who finds his way back to his owner across a number lifetimes as different dogs. It will soon continue with A Dog’s Journey, which will pick up with Dennis Quaid’s character, who is now a grandfather.

Since the film will follow a new generation of Bailey’s reincarnations, Dennis Quaid is one of the few threads that bind the pair of movies together and it sure showed on set when he’d work with the puppers. When Iwe recently sat down with Quaid and Marg Helgenberger, who plays Ethan’s wife Hannah in the flick, she shared a bit of the actor’s claim to fame. Check it out in their words:

Marg: Dennis just knew how to work with dogs. The way he put food on his face to get the dogs to react or be on his shoulder on a certain spot.

Dennis: You look like a dog whisperer when you do stuff like that.

Marg: Yeah, you seem like a real trainer. I was impressed.

Dennis: Yeah, well, I'm the one who was trained.

Ah yes, food! That’s definitely the ticket to get in with the dogs!! As Marg explained, Dennis would place some on his face to get the animal actors to react to him on camera or do specific tricks, and it looks like it worked. He of course has had some experience on the prior film, while she was stepping onto the saga for the first time with A Dog’s Journey. The actress played Hannah for the sequel, replacing Peggy Lipton, who passed away a few days ago of colon cancer at the age of 72.

Dennis Quaid isn’t only a skilled dog whisperer of sorts, he’s a lover of man’s best friend. In our interview, he elaborated about why they’ve been an important element of his life. Here’s what he said:

I’ve always had dogs, all my life, and I need them around. They chew me out and look at me like: ‘What’s the problem?’ They are always there for you, they’re your best friend, they don’t judge you and they’re always ready to go.

Isn’t that the truth! Dennis Quaid is certainly passionate about puppers and having them there to keep him in check is one of the many reasons why. You can imagine how great of an acting partner a dog is with all those traits above their paws. Check out the pair talk during the exclusive interview below :

A Dog’s Journey comes a few months after the release of A Dog’s Way Home, which may not be directly connected storywise, but shares the same roots – they’re both based on novels and scripts by W. Bruce Cameron. This film centers on Ethan’s granddaughter CJ as she must grow up apart from them, but has a protector in Bailey as his reincarnations continually bring him back to her.

The film opens this Friday, May 17 alongside John Wick 3 and The Sun is Also A Star. Will you be checking out the touching tale this weekend? Let us know your thoughts below.

New Godzilla: King Of The Monsters Video Pokes Fun At Ghidorah’s Name

New Godzilla: King Of The Monsters Video Pokes Fun At Ghidorah’s Name

If you thought 2014’s Godzilla and 2017’s Kong: Skull Island were crazy, Godzilla: King of the Monsters is kicking things up several notches on the chaos scale. This latest MonsterVerse entry is introducing three new monsters (that we know of), including the three-headed King Ghidorah. While Ghidroah is arguably the most dangerous of Godzilla’s new foes, a new preview for King of the Monsters takes some shots at the beast’s unusual name.

T here’s no question that King Ghidorah is a towering monstrosity and looking to be the biggest threat the MonsterVerse has introduced yet, but that doesn’t take away from the fact that it has a weird name. This Godzilla: King of the Monsters TV spot highlights that when one of the characters asks about its “catchy name.” Kyle Chandler’s Mark Russell doesn’t understand it right away and Thomas Middleditch’s Sam Coleman notes how the name sounds like ‘Gonorrhea.’ They’d better hope that Ghidorah doesn’t have enhanced hearing on top of its many other abilities.

Weird name aside, King Ghidorah is shaping up to be the biggest threat in Godzilla: King of the Monsters, which is saying a lot given how much destruction we’ve seen in the footage shown so far. Ghidorah is joined by Rodan and Mothra, though it should be noted that the latter is usually depicted as a benevolent creature in the Toho monster movies from Japan, so perhaps it won’t be giving humanity too much trouble. Regardless, in keeping with the monster’s numerous appearance in the Toho movies over the decades, King of the Monsters’ King Ghidorah is described as Godzilla’s arch-nemesis, so it’s a good bet that the sequel’s climactic confrontation will be between these two.

Picking up five years after the events of Godzilla with the entire world now knowing about the existence of the Titans, Godzilla: King of the Monsters sees Monarch crossing paths with all of these monsters as they vie for supremacy and put humanity’s very existence at stake. We can at least take comfort knowing that Earth won’t be destroyed since Godzilla vs. Kong arrives next year, but there will definitely be mass casualties due to these monsters wreaking havoc, many of which we can likely lay at Kind Ghidorah’s feet… or wings.

Along with the previously mentioned actors, Godzilla: King of the Monsters’ main cast includes Millie Bobby Brown, Vera Farmiga, Ken Watanabe, Sally Hawkins, Bradley Whitford, Charles Dance, Aisha Hinds, O’Shea Jackson Jr., David Strathairn and Zhang Ziyi. Each of King Ghidorah’s heads is played a different actor: Jason Liles, Alan Maxson and Richard Dorton.

Directed by Michael Dougherty, who also co-wrote the script with Zach Shields, Godzilla: King of the Monsters rampages into theaters on May 31. If you’re interested in learning what other movies are coming out later this year, head to out 2019 release schedule.