Annabelle 3 Has An Official Title, And It’s Great

Annabelle 3 Has An Official Title, And It’s Great

Although the main Conjuring film series began in 2013 and will return with its third installment next year, this horror franchise became a proper cinematic universe in 2014 with the release of Annabelle, centered on the eponymous creepy doll introduced in The Conjuring. She returned in 2016 for Annabelle: Creation and will be back again this summer, and we’ve now learned that Annabelle 3 will be officially, and fittingly, titled Annabelle Comes Home, as you’ll see below.

At first glance, Annabelle Comes Home may not seem like a particularly special title, but when looking at where this movie’s set within the Conjuring timeline, it makes sense. It was revealed last year that the threequel will be set after the beginning portion of The Conjuring, with Annabelle being kept in the museum of Ed and Lorraine Warren, the protagonists of the Conjuring movies. So after two movies of seeing Annabelle’s horrifying exploits in years past, she’s finally “returning” to the family that launched her film career, although within the Conjuring chronology, not much time has passed.

It’s nice to finally know what the third Annabelle movie’s being called, and this video is certainly spooky. Still, with only three months to go until the movie’s release, ideally fans will be treated to a trailer relatively soon. In a summer season that’s packed with various genre offerings, Warner Bros will want to start showing off footage from this latest Conjuring franchise fright fest to get more people hyped for its release.

The first Annabelle spinoff took place in 1967 and depicted how Annabelle Higgins died and the demon impersonating her spirit going on a killing spree, eventually inserting itself into that porcelain While met with mixed-to-negative reception, Annabelle did quite well for itself commercially, making $257 million worldwide off a $6.5 million budget. Annabelle: Creation wound the clock back even further to 1955 and show how Annabelle, originally known as Janice, became demonically possessed. Creation earned a much better critical reception than its predecessor and made $206.5 million worldwide off a $15 million budget.

For the third spinoff, Annabelle Comes Home will see Annabelle terrorizing the Warrens’ daughter, Judy, in the family’s home, and the doll’s presence will have an effect on the other supernatural artifacts being kept under lock and key. Along with Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga reprising Ed and Lorraine, respectively, Annabelle Comes Home’s main cast includes Mckenna Grace as Judy, Madison Iseman as Mary Ellen, Katie Strife as Daniela, Stephen Backehart as Thomas, Steve Coulter as Father Gordon Paul Dean as Mr Palmeri and Luca Luhan as Anthony Rios.

Directed and written by Gary Dauberman, with Conjuring mastermind James Wan producing alongside Peter Safran, Annabelle Comes Home scares its way into theaters on June 28, so keep checking back with CinemaBlend for continuing coverage. For now, don’t forget to look through our 2019 release schedule to learn what other movies come out later this year.

Why Didn't Anyone Go See Missing Link?

Why Didn't Anyone Go See Missing Link?

There's all this talk about Hellboy under-performing in its opening weekend -- the hellish, going up in flames jokes write themselves -- taking third place below both Shazam! and Little. But Missing Link would've been happy with such a finish. Instead, it opened in 9th place, even after playing on more screens than fellow newcomers Hellboy, Little, and After.

Missing Link only made $5.8 million in its opening weekend at the domestic box office. That's the lowest opening yet for Laika. The stop-motion animated adventure -- starring the voice talents of Hugh Jackman, Zach Galifianakis, and Zoe Saldana -- had been tracking for $8 million-$12 million, per THR. That's still not a wow, but this is worse.

So what happened?

Sometimes you can look to reviews. But not this time. Hellboy, After, and Little were all trounced by critics, with 15%, 13%, and 49% respective Rotten Tomatoes scores. Missing Link, on the other hand, has an 89% RT score with a still positive 74% audience score. Missing Link also earned a B+ CinemaScore from moviegoers polled opening night. That's the same score as Little, and higher than After's B and Hellboy's C.

So it wasn't bad reviews, which was probably a factor in turning people away from Hellboy. With Missing Link, I'd wager lack of publicity was a factor. I may not have been the target audience, but I saw very few ads for this movie. Then again, I could say the same for the romantic drama After, which opened above Missing Link with $6.2 million from 2,138 screens. That's a thousand fewer screens than Missing Link, which opened in 3,413 theaters.

Missing Link actually opened in about a hundred more theaters than Hellboy, and nearly a thousand more than Little. It had fewer than Shazam! but the per-screen average for Missing Link was only $1,712, vs. $5,838 for Shazam! this week, $5,811 for second place Little, and $3,638 for Hellboy.

Expect a lot of chatter about the Hellboy reboot and what that could mean, but I'm wondering what this could mean for the studio behind Oscar-nominated films Coraline, ParaNorman, The Boxtrolls, and Kubo and the Two Strings. Maybe the international box office will help.

None of the Laika films have been blockbusters, but worldwide Coraline made $124.6 million in 2009, with $75M of that from the domestic box office. Subsequent films made a bit less money, per Box Office Mojo. Kubo and the Two Strings has the lowest total so far with $69.9 worldwide -- $48M from domestic -- after its opening in 2016. Missing Link looks to be on track to end with less.

Missing Link could be one of those films that picks up as it goes along, but with Avengers: Endgame coming April 26, there isn't much time to build momentum. That thing is going to take over all screens. As we wait to see what happens from here, be sure to come back to CinemaBlend to check out our weekend box office roundup, and bookmark our 2019 movie schedule to keep up with everything headed to theaters this year.

The Top 5 Memorial Day Opening Weekends Of All Time

The Top 5 Memorial Day Opening Weekends Of All Time

It's strange to say "Happy Memorial Day weekend," considering the serious holiday. But it is known to be a big weekend for movie openings, and it's been a pretty happy weekend so far for Aladdin. The 2019 remake topped the weekend box office and, depending on how things go tomorrow (Monday, May 27), it has a strong chance of joining the list of Top 4-Day Memorial Day Weekends.

Aladdin has already cracked the top 10 Memorial Day weekend openings just from three days, but does it have a chance at the top 5? Here are the current top five, with this list just covering the domestic box office from the four-day Memorial Day weekend openings in their respective years:

1. Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End

Opening weekend: $139,802,190

The third film in the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise came out May 25, 2007 and really broke the bank, at least at first. This is the most a film has made over Memorial Day weekend to date. Critics were harsh on At World's End, but fans embraced it with scores/grades and money. When all was said and done, it's total domestic and foreign gross was $963,420,425. That's certainly impressive, but it still placed it third on the list of Pirates movies, behind Dead Man's Chest and On Stranger Tides, which both cracked $1 billion worldwide.

2. Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull

Opening weekend: $126,917,373

There were high hopes and expectations for the fourth Indiana Jones movie, which opened May 22, 2008. The movie was met with mixed reviews, and ultimately made $786,636,033 worldwide. There are more measured hopes, I'd say, for Indiana Jones 5, which is taking forever to get off the ground. But better to take the time to get it right than rush, I suppose.

3. X-Men: The Last Stand

Opening weekend: $122,861,157

As you can see, sequels rule when it comes to Memorial Day weekend. Once you've successfully launched a franchise, you can use the holiday weekend to serve eager fans the sequels. The Last Stand was the third movie in the X-Men film series, directly following X2. It came out in May 26, 2006 and faced mixed reviews -- which happens a lot when expectations are high. Ultimately, it made $459,359,555 total worldwide.

4. Fast & Furious 6

Opening weekend: $117,036,995

Fast & Furious 6 opened on May 24, 2013 to strong reviews. The first four movies in the franchise weren't embraced by critics, but it helped that Fast 6 came off the heels of Fast Five, which got even better reviews and was credited with injecting new life into the franchise. Worldwide, Fast 6 made $788,679,850, which puts it third overall behind Furious 7 and The Fate of the Furious (aka Fast 8).

5. X-Men: Days of Future Past

Opening weekend: $110,576,604

Yep, another X-Men. If we kept going, you'd see X-Men: Apocalypse on this list at #11 too. If it ain't broke, don't veer from the Memorial Day opening. Dark Phoenix is coming in a couple of weeks, but apparently it wasn't up to the challenge of Memorial Day 2019. Days of Future Past came out May 23, 2014 as the sequel to X-Men: First Class. It ended up making $747,862,775 worldwide, which places it third on the worldwide charts behind the two Deadpool movies.

There's a solid chance Aladdin will kick X-Men: Days of Future Past off Box Office Mojo's Memorial Day chart (which is not adjusted for inflation), but we'll have to wait and see how the final four-day numbers come in. And then the whole list could be shaken up again in 2020.

Mark Hamill Says Luke Didn’t Die A Virgin

Mark Hamill Says Luke Didn’t Die A Virgin

Through the entire Star Wars saga, fans have had a pretty good beat on exactly where Luke Skywalker has been at all times. The movies have shown everything from his birth to his death, and while there have been some time jumps installed in the storytelling, various exposition and material deemed canonical has filled in the gaps. Despite all of this, however, one question has continued to make fans scratch their heads: did Luke ever have sex?

Because the movies are aimed at audiences of all ages, it's not a subject that has specifically made its way into the movies - though it has been pointed out that Luke has never been shown to have any kind of on-screen romance. This has kept speculation alive, but now Mark Hamill has offered his two cents on the matter via his Twitter account:

Earlier today a Twitter user posed a question to her followers asking if Luke Skywalker died a virgin, and while he wasn't actually tagged in the post, Mark Hamill found it and addressed the topic from his own perspective. He offered that fans can really make up any version of events that they want based on the evidence presented, but according to his own view of the character and his personally-constructed backstory, Luke did at some point find an opportunity to have a sexual relationship.

Of course, knowing this opens up a whole lot of other questions that we may never get specific answers to - unless Mark Hamill decides to offer them at some point down the line. The big one, of course, is the identity of the person with whom Luke had sex - but speculation in that arena comes part in parcel with queries such as when they were together; if they were in a romantic relationship; and what happened between them both before and after the sexual encounter.

One can expect that this revelation will also add some fuel to the flame in the on-going conversation regarding the parentage of Daisy Ridley's Rey. While Star Wars: The Last Jedi told us who Rey's mom and dad were, there are some who continue to not accept the word of Adam Driver's Kylo Ren, and they have continued to wonder if the heroine might be Luke's offspring. Knowing that Luke did have sex at some point in his life does technically increase the chances of a closer familial relationship with Rey... but there is also still plenty of evidence out there that suggests that possibility is not really on the table (not to mention the fact that the statement makes it sound like the topic isn't going to be addressed in the upcoming Star Wars: The Rise Of Skywalker).

Right now this is all the information that we have to go on, but it's certainly a subject that could easily be fleshed out at some point in the future. Beyond the blockbuster movies there are still comics, novels, and television shows being produced at a constant rate, and there is every possibility that one of them will eventually address the subject of Luke's sexuality and sexual history. We'll just have to wait.

Avengers: Endgame Taught Taika Waititi Something About Korg

Avengers: Endgame Taught Taika Waititi Something About Korg

Spoilers ahead for Avengers: Endgame.

The Russo Brothers got a lot right with Avengers: Endgame, especially when it came to the film's myriad cameos. Countless characters popped up throughout the film's runtime, especially during the epic final battle sequence. This includes Taika Waititi's Korg, who also appeared in an earlier scene in New Asgard.

Ahead of Endgame's time heist, Rocket and Bruce Banner traveled to New Asgard to convince Thor to join the team. When they found him, the God of Thunder was in a deep depression, having gained weight and turned to alcohol to help numb the pain. He's also shown playing Fortnite with Korg and Miek, and it's a scene that taught Taika Waititi something about his signature Marvel character. Check it out.

Taika Waititi may have introduced Korg to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but that doesn't mean the director/actor knows everything about the stone monster. On the contrary, he didn't realize the quirky character only had three fingers until watching Avengers: Endgame in theaters. At least he got to enjoy the movie just like the rest of us, and share his thoughts via Twitter.

Korg entered the MCU in Thor: Ragnarok, while the title character was stuck on Sakaar. Taika Waititi played the character to perfection, and brought a particular sense of humor to the shared universe that was wholly unique. Korg was quick to join Thor's rebellion, and joined the motley crew of Revengers in Ragnarok's big action sequences.

But Korg was noticeably absent from Avengers: Infinity War, alongside Miek and Tessa Thompson's Valkyrie. But they all made their comebacks in Avengers: Endgame, revealing half the Asgardains survived Thanos' opening assault and had found a new home on Earth. Korg and those Asgardian forces ultimately participated in the epic final battle in the rubble of The Avengers Compound, being transported via mystical portals.

Related: Thor: Ragnarok’s Tessa Thompson Maintains Valkyrie Survived Thanos’ Snap

It should be interesting to see how Asgardian characters like Korg function within the MCU's Phase Four. Endgame made it seem like Thor was joining the Guardians of the Galaxy, and Valkyrie was named the leader of New Asgard. Its unclear if another Thor movie is even on the way, or if the cosmic characters will once again take to the skies and interact with the Guardians.

You can watch Korg in all his three fingered glory in Avengers: Endgame-- in theaters now. Be sure to check out our 2019 release list to plan your next trip to the movies.

Josh Brolin Shares Photo Featuring Thanos’ Butt Ahead Of Avengers: Endgame Release

Josh Brolin Shares Photo Featuring Thanos’ Butt Ahead Of Avengers: Endgame Release

Of all the things I thought I'd be talking about on the eve of the release of Avengers: Endgame, I never would have guessed that Thanos' ass would be on the list. And yet, here we are. The meme brought about by fans on Reddit has made that particular orifice a major topic of conversation, and nobody is enjoying the fact more than Thanos himself, Josh Brolin. As we stand here just days before the release of the big MCU finale, Brolin is treating us all to buck naked Thanos. Check it out.

In an image that Josh Brolin calls an April 26 spoiler on Instagram, we see Thanos wearing nothing but his Gauntlet, with a clear view of his backside. We also get a few other fun hashtags, which imply that Thanos is planning to use his powerful ass muscles to squish Ant-Man if he tries to get up in this business.

Your extra helping of naked Thanos is all due a funny thread on Reddit that first supposed one particularly bizarre and terrible way for Thanos to be defeated. It involved Ant-Man shrinking in size, entering Thanos' body, and then enlarging himself, causing the Mad Titan's body to be torn apart. Why the best point of entry was determined to be the rectum, we can only imagine.

Josh Brolin has been having a bit of fun with this theory. He previously, posted a video of himself on a toilet in reference to the theory, seemingly trying to dislodge a troublesome Avenger.

We're all pretty sure that this won't be the way that the Avengers finally win in Endgame. Of course, the movie has been so good about keeping spoilers mostly locked away, that we really don't know how it happens. I mean, making Thanos explode from the inside would certainly get the job done, and there are a lot of methods that would certainly be less successful.

Ant-Man is also one character who wasn't involved in the fight with Thanos the first time around, and it certainly seems likely that if the fight comes down to the same people that were in it last time, it's going to have much the same sort of result.

Of course, if you were expecting a Thanos takes a shower before he puts on his armor scene in Avengers: Endgame, you can probably write that off. If nothing else, the movie is rated PG-13 and an excessive amount of Thanos nudity would put that rating in jeopardy.

Of course, we all want to see how the Avengers truly do triumph over Thanos, assuming of course that they do. To that end, the wait is almost over. Avengers: Endgame arrives in theaters this weekend.

Josh Brolin Hilariously Responds To Viral Ant-Man Theory

Josh Brolin Hilariously Responds To Viral Ant-Man Theory

It's an extremely exciting time in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Avengers: Endgame is less than a month away, so moviegoers will finally see what happened after Josh Brolin's Thanos snapped his finger and destroyed half the galaxy. But until then, the rabid fandom will continue pouring over the brief trailers and making their own creative (and sometimes ridiculous) theories.

A new fan theory went viral this week that is absolutely bonkers. It involves Paul Rudd's Ant-Man, and alleges that he's the key to killing Thanos one and for all. The theory says that Ant-Man should use his shrinking abilities, and then jump into the big purple butt of the Mad Titan. And once he grows, he should tear the villain apart from the inside out. It's scatalogical and kinda brutal, and now Josh Brolin himself has responded. And in the best way possible.

Seriously, how can you not love this man? On top of bringing a surprisingly vulnerable performance to Thanos through motion-capture, Josh Brolin also has a good sense of humor about playing the Mad Titan. So much that he's willing to record viral content from a porcelain throne.

Josh Brolin's video comes from his personal Instagram, and shows that the actor is definitely aware of what the internet says about his signature MCU villain. While not explicitly referencing the wild theory about Ant-Man, Brolin takes the time to get real punny about Endgame's imminent arrival in theaters. His miming of using the toilet was apparently meant to show the tension of the upcoming blockbuster. He also references the marketing "push" ahead of its release. It's all very delightful and gross.

The theory about Ant-Man using Thanos' butt against him has actually been around for a while, although it gained some serious traction in the last week. Plenty of viral memes and videos have hit social media, each more bonkers than the next. While the fans are almost salivating with anticipation ahead of Avengers: Endgame, it's nice that everyone can lighten up and have some fun in the interim period. Because the stakes for the MCU couldn't be higher leading up to the blockbuster's release.

The ending of Avengers: Infinity War shocked everyone, as Thanos assembled the Infinity Stones and wiped out half the galaxy's life with the snap of his finger. Both the audience and surviving heroes were left to watch in horror as countless fan favorite characters faded to dust. It's been a year since that movie arrived in theaters, so the wait for answers has been excruciating.

It should be especially fascinating to see how Josh Brolin's Thanos functions within Endgame's plot. While he finally succeeded in his quest, he did so at great cost. Gamora and the Black Order all perished during Infinity War, and clearly Nebula has it out for him. Thanos has been noticeably absent from the film's marketing material, save for his armor and a quick shot of his hand in a field. Does retirement suit the Mad Titan? And how will he react to the the upcoming battle against The Survivors?

All will be revealed when Avengers: Endgame arrives in theaters on April 26th. In the meantime, check out our 2019 release list to plan your next trip to the movies.