What The Live-Action Aladdin Does Better Than The Original

What The Live-Action Aladdin Does Better Than The Original

When we first caught a glimpse of Disney’s double take at Aladdin, I would have thought only wishes out of a magic lamp would have lead us here. Since the movie was released, many Disney fans have expressed their love for the House of Mouse’s latest live-action remake. As someone who has grown quite weary of Mouse House's attempts to revisit its animated classics, I found it to be a nice surprise how much I enjoyed it!

There are quite a few aspects to the new Aladdin that make it a win for the studio besides all the money it’s already making. Hear me out ‘die hards’: parts of the 2019 film actually tell the story better than the classic animated movie we’ve loved and cherished over the past 27 years… even though this movie is clearly borrowing from the animated version. Time to break them down:

Jasmine Is An Empowering Princess

Disney Princesses have always served as role models for the young girls they are catered to, and Jasmine was certainly a ‘90s icon. From her fashion sense to her badass tiger pet Rajah, and her “screw the system” mentality, she was one high quality princesses at the time. When you compare her company, of course, which includes a mermaid trading in her life for a man she met yesterday and a bookworm who fell in love with her captor.

No offense cartoon Jaz, but Naomi Scott’s Jasmine left me speechless. Not only does she finally get her own song (that was kept in the movie this time), but it’s a powerful one. It’s the best part of the movie. The new Aladdin uses the original story to benefit a more modern and improved take on the character. Instead of feeling helpless about her suitors because she’s looking for true love - her central problem is that she is the perfect person to rule Agrabah. The trouble is misogyny is stopping her from achieving her dreams.

How crazy relatable is this to women!?!?! To feel society’s grasp on your place in the world and to actively push against it. I assure you, just about every woman in the world has dealt with this. 2019’s Aladdin updates Jasmine in the best way and heightens her character for the better. That by itself makes it a worthy remake. But let’s keep going!

The Music Better Reflects The Aladdin Story

Aladdin’s original soundtrack and score definitely still hold up, and the new album won’t replace Alan Menken’s first version. However, the new film does do something interesting with the music: it really goes for it when expressing the flavor of the cultures being depicted on screen. Even if it may look like a slight alteration to some, it makes a world of difference for those with personal roots in the region.

The music does go back and forth between borrowing from Indian and Arab influences, but this choice is apparently a deliberate choice to make the fictional city of Agrabah be a meeting point of Asian cultures as it’s an important trading port. Disney’s many animated classics have pulled from famous folktales from all around the world for decades. It's when they delve into the identities of the cultures that they really work the best (think Moana and Coco) and this Aladdin is no exception.

The use of traditional instruments like oud and doumbeks, such as in the scene-setting "Arabian Nights" opening, shows a attention to detail and greater celebration of culture that was original lacked. The music sequences also benefits from the live-action too! Seeing "Prince Ali" is effectively grand and watching Aladdin and Jasmine's thrilling ride on the magic carpet ride is captivating to see the actors express.

It’s Not Just The Genie Show

When we think back to the original Aladdin, it’s all about Robin Williams’ performance. That’s not to say there aren’t some other great ones to go around from the cast. But it doesn’t end up coming off as an “ensemble” musical or comedy, because Robin’s Genie is just so memorably good. This movie is an ensemble musical comedy!

There’s a balanced role for all the key characters to play, and Aladdin and Jasmine (which the story is really supposed to be about) have a story arc that’s just as interesting as Will Smith’s Genie performance is. The cast compliment one another and feed off one another in this version, and the movie is better for it. If Guy Ritchie had gone into it leaning on Will Smith to run the show, it would not have worked and it’s great that they didn’t try that approach.

This Aladdin offers some funny improv moments between the actors. These live-action remakes can feel stuffy and by the book, but the addition of this loosens up the audience. There’s also a real chemistry and energy between the cast that the original didn't have (mainly because of the animation). These elements make the new Aladdin a crowd pleaser! It stops being about the legacy of these characters and more about living in each scene with this approach.

The Message Shimmers Brighter

The original Aladdin’s message can be found in a key scene that’s stuck with me since childhood. It’s right before Aladdin is going to show Jasmine a whole new world and is struggling with how to talk to her. Genie gives him two pieces of advice “tell her the truth” and “bee yourself” (yes, as he’s disguised as a bee).

The new Aladdin really shows us this message and it has a better payoff. We get to see Aladdin and Jasmine’s chemistry as a couple more before he turns into Aladdin, so seeing how off his game he is as the Prince really hits home. The awkwardness Aladdin faces as he tries to woo her as a prince is more painfully obvious through the new scenes and has viewers rooting for them more intently. It makes many of us want to scream these mantras at the screen.

Genie is also a bit wiser this time around and Aladdin has more responsibility for his actions. In the original, he has his sights set on Jasmine and then once he gets her he has to somehow figure out how to be Sultan… that’s concerning! In the new version, he’s the reason and supporter that leads to Jasmine and her father coming to the decision that she should rule. This ending matters a lot more and makes the titular character earn his top billing!

I’m not saying one Aladdin movie is better than the other. The animated version will always have a special place in many of our hearts and is a monumental achievement for the studio. This remake did make some good choices that improved upon what we’ve seen already from the story and it was a satisfying take on a classic that has seldom been done.

Keanu Reeves Movies That Prove He's More Than An Action Star

Keanu Reeves Movies That Prove He's More Than An Action Star

Keanu Reeves is returning for another round of chasing, shooting, knife-throwing and butt-whooping in John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum, the much-anticipated third installment in what has become an underdog success story of sorts (no unfortunate pun intended). The 54-year-old action star is spry and still kicks ass and takes names better than most people half his age can. Keanu Reeves has proven he has chops time and time again in nearly three decades of action flicks, including (but not limited to): Speed, The Matrix movies, Point Break and more.

However, to suggest that Keanu Reeves is solely an action man would sell him short.

While the actor has been mocked heavily throughout the years for his dry delivery, Keanu Reeves has shown himself to be a resilient and ever-evolving actor; he has worked through multiple different genres throughout his career, in a wide array of films — both big and small. So, we've decided tol take a look at Keanu Reeves' other films beyond his action movies, showcasing an actor who has gone on to be one of the most dedicated and commendable performers in the film business.

Keanu Reeves In Comedies

Before he made a name for himself as an action star in the '90s and early '00s, Keanu Reeves was best known for his comedic chops. Most notably, playing the latter half of the title duo in 1989's Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure and 1991's Bill & Ted's Bogus Adventure, respectively. As Ted, working alongside Alex Winter's Bill, Keanu Reeves played up his laid-back vibes to perfectly goofy effect. He had easy and winning chemistry with his on-screen friend, providing audiences everywhere with an endearing daffy slacker persona with loads of charm and heart to boot.

Surprisingly, Keanu Reeves' comedies have been few-and-far between since then. But he didn't leave the genre behind entirely. Keanu Reeves would still make appearances in the occasional comedy. Some examples include, but aren't limited to, his work in 1993's Even Cowgirls Get The Blues, 2001's The Replacements and a nice supporting turn in 2003's Something's Gotta Give. For the most part, Reeves left comedy on the back-burner to continue his action career. The actor would only dip his toes into funny territory (or, at least, intentionally funny territory) periodically for awhile, notably with his turn in 2005's little-seen indie Thumbsucker and 2015's divisive dark comedy, Knock Knock.

For my money, Keanue Reeves provided one of his best and most underrated turns in recent years in last year's winningly mean-spirited romantic comedy Destination Wedding, where he worked wonders with his sharp chemistry with Winona Ryder. Thankfully, Keanu Reeves has a new comedy lined up in the future, and it's one that has long been promised. Specifically, Reeves is set to reprise his role as Ted Logan in 2020's sequel, Bill & Ted Face the Music. Excellent!

Keanu Reeves In Suspenseful Thrillers

While the actor has often channeled his cool energy into playing the good guys, the actor has showcased a great talent for playing an opposing bad guy as well. As anyone who faced against John Wick would know, you don't want to get on the guy's bad side. Particularly when he's playing the villain, that adds a whole new layer to his capabilities as an actor. In fact, I'd argue that some of his best roles in recent years have been on the antagonist side.

More specifically, Keanu Reeves gave some of his best performances to date in a pair of controversial 2016 titles: The Neon Demon and The Bad Batch, respectively. While he doesn't have a ton of screen time in either movie, Reeves provides a menacing presence in both performances, allowing audiences to see a new side to the actor's capabilities. He can be calm and collected in an unsettling measure, and when you don't exactly know what his character is up to, it adds to the stakes enormously. Sure enough, when plays a mean, shadowy guy, you get to see more of the actor's potential.

Keanu Reeves In Dramas

While Keanu Reeves is primarily known for his genre films, the actor has found himself in a few dramas throughout the years. Notably, Reeves has found himself working with esteemed directors like Gus Van Sant, Francis Ford Coppola, Kenneth Branagh and Sam Raimi, to name a few, and his work in the dramatic arts has always been a bit wavering. Some of his best performances have been his dramatic ones. Some of his worst have been dramatic roles too, however.

His work in 1991's My Own Private Idaho was a respected departure from his established comedic work at the time. His performance in 1992's Bram Stoker's Dracula is often considered a low-point for the actor. Though the movie itself has its fans, Keanu Reeves was considered miscast in the prominent part. Luckily, it didn't deter the actor, and he continued to appear in drama films, including 1993's Shakespeare adaptation, Much Ado About Nothing, 1995's A Walk in the Clouds, 2000's The Gift and 2001's Sweet November.

Furthermore, Keanu Reeves received good notices in 2001's Hardball. While the film itself received tepid notices, his performance was praised, and it showcased a new emotional range for the actor. His last drama was 2017's Netflix film, To the Bone, which also starred Lily Collins.

Keanu Reeves in Romances

Like many of us, Keanu Reeves appears to be a romantic at heart. The actor can be the opposite of passionate in a few of his calmer or hard-edged performances. Yet, when you see the actor as the romantic love interest, you begin to see the softer, sweeter side of his persona. Some examples include 2006's The Lake House, which reunited Keanu Reeves with his Speed co-star Sandra Bullock. Prior to that, Keanu Reeves showcased his love for Cameron Diaz in 1996's Feeling Minnesota. He also showed his romantic side in 1997's drama The Last Time I Committed Suicide.

Furthermore, as mentioned earlier, Keanu Reeves appeared in Destination Wedding, though the film tends to pride itself on being a bit of an anti-romantic comedy until it's, you know, a traditional romantic comedy. But in both the romantic and unromantic sides of things, Keanu Reeves excels. When it comes time to stop making as many action flicks, it might be wise for the actor to consider more fluttering romances. Just a thought.

Keanu Reeves in Animation

Keanu Reeves has a very defined, distinctive voice. It's surprising to me that he hasn't done a lot of voiceover work, honestly. The actor's cool, commanding vocal chords can carry a lot of gravitas in the right role. That makes his rather limited voice-only appearances kinda confounding. Seems like untapped potential, if you ask me. Nevertheless, the actor has lent his pipes to a few animated projects throughout his varied career. Though notably, most of these VO parts are comedic in nature.

For instance, Keanu Reeves reprised his role as Ted Logan in 1990's short-lived animated series, Bill & Ted Excellent Adventures. The series, which only lasted 13 episodes, came out between the original film and its sequel, and it didn't make a big splash. Nevertheless, it was the first time Keanu Reeves dove into animation. It wasn't until Richard Linklater's underrated 2006 drama A Scanner Darkly that he worked in the medium again. Though the rotoscoped film is a bit of an exception, since the animation style was created by actors filming their parts on set and then being animated over in post-production through an elaborate roundabout process.

Since then, Keanu Reeves has remained in live-action, though that will change this summer. He will be playing the role of Duke Caboom in Pixar's upcoming Toy Story 4, which will be the actor's next high-profile sequel following John Wick: Chapter 3. Details about the part have been slowly creeping out before the film's release, but we should expect the part to be at least a little bit different than what we're used to getting from the actor. That's a pretty fitting way to finish up this particular piece.

In addition to the films listed above, Keanu Reeves has also proven himself in several other respects beyond his acting. He directed his first movie, the decent martial arts movie Man of Tai Chi, back in 2013. Additionally, Reeves has served as a producer on a number of films — many of which are upcoming — since 2010. He is also a musician. There's no doubt that his action career is only a small portion of his capabilities, even if it might be what he's known for best these days. Though it sounds like Keanu Reeves is willing to push himself into other projects outside of the action genre, particularly as he gets older. No matter what's next, we'll continue to keep an eye out for what's in store for Keanu Reeves.

John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum hits theaters on May 17th.

Godzilla: King Of The Monsters Definitely Won't Include Certain Iconic Monsters

Godzilla: King Of The Monsters Definitely Won't Include Certain Iconic Monsters

When Godzilla returns to the big screen later this year, he will be fighting in a battle royal opposite monsters both good and evil for dominion over the Earth and the title King of the Monsters. Yet while Mothra, Rodan and King Ghidorah will be appearing in the film, the upcoming Godzilla sequel won’t be including every iconic monster from the character’s 65-year history. Speaking about monsters that aren’t in the movie, O’Shea Jackson Jr., who plays one of the soldiers in the film and is a big Godzilla fan, recently said,

I’m gonna’ tell you about my most feared Godzilla monster. One time as a kid, Godzilla was about to die and it was Gigan. Gigan is a problem. There’s like – there’s no way Godzilla should have won. Gigan is a real problem, so I hope we don’t see him, because this is going to be way worse nowadays. But you know, MechaGodzilla. MechaGodzilla is like a hidden gem right now.

We’ve speculated about what classic monsters might make an appearance in Godzilla: King Of The Monsters, with Gigan and MechaGodzilla among them, but if O’Shea Jackson Jr. is to be believed here, those two definitely won’t be part of the festivities (i.e. apocalyptic destruction) this time around. As the expressed to Collider, though, things would be way worse for Godzilla if those two were to show up.

The actor has distinct memories of Gigan, who is one of Godzilla’s most formidable and crazy-looking opponents. An alien cyborg kaiju, Gigan has deadly hooked claws on his appendages, a spiked tail, and vertical spikes that go all the way up his torso. He also has a cybernetic visor for an eye, out of which he can shoot lasers.

Gigan basically looks like he was designed by an 8-year-old: ridiculous looking with lots and lots of weapons. Aliens originally deployed him alongside King Ghidorah as part of a conquest of Earth, but that won’t be the case this time around it seems, as the trailer has shown Ghidorah frozen in ice and intimated that all the Titans are Earth’s pre-human inhabitants.

As for MechaGodzilla, he is one of the more popular Godzilla monsters, at times being both heroic and villainous. He has been depicted as an alien weapon or as a human creation meant to fight Godzilla. MechaGodzilla recently had a big cameo in Ready Player One and as you saw in that film, this robotic Godzilla is the War Machine of the kaiju, with missiles, lasers, energy beams and the power to fly.

Interestingly, O’Shea Jackson Jr. said that MechaGodzilla is “a hidden gem.” He could just mean that he simply likes the monster and can’t wait to see him utilized at some point in the future, but perhaps there is more to it. O’Shea Jackson has also teased that Godzilla: King of the Monsters will have Easter Eggs, so maybe there will be some reference to MechaGodzilla blueprints, or something of that sort.

It is probably for the best that Gigan and MechaGodzilla won’t be in Godzilla: King Of The Monsters. Godzilla has his hands plenty full with King Ghidorah, and Gigan and MechaGodzilla historically have more fantastical stories that don’t exactly mesh with the prehistoric mythology the MonsterVerse seems to be going for. Perhaps eventually they could be given new origins, though, while maintaining their looks and names.

It also makes sense for some iconic monsters to sit out Godzilla: King of the Monsters to save them for future movies in the franchise. King Kong and Godzilla will face off in 2020, but as they are both good monsters, they will presumably have to unite to face a common enemy by that film’s end - and perhaps that enemy could be either alien or man-made.

Godzilla: King of the Monsters stomps into theaters on May 31st. Check out our 2019 Release Schedule to keep track of what’s coming out when for the rest of this year.

This Rotten Week: Predicting John Wick: Chapter 3, A Dog’s Journey, And The Sun Is Also A Star Reviews

This Rotten Week: Predicting John Wick: Chapter 3, A Dog’s Journey, And The Sun Is Also A Star Reviews

This week we've got the ultimate contract killer coming back for more killing, a dog getting reincarnated over and over again, and one night for love in the city. Get ready for John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum, A Dog’s Journey, and The Sun Is Also A Star.

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

The original John Wick (87%) was something of a critical surprise considering the violent nature of the the revenge/vigilante film, but it sure was a fun watch and critics saw it as such. The filmmakers then followed up with an even more successful sequel, John Wick Chapter 2 (89%), which performed slightly better using basically the same premise and just ramping up the action that much more. Now we're getting ready for the third installment, John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum, and if it continues getting the solid write-ups it's already received, it will finish as the best of the group so far

In the new film, which picks up moments after the end of the last movie, John Wick (Keanu Reeves) has to withstand an onslaught of those out to kill him as a 14 million global contract is taken out on him. These movies have found success mixing insane action and fantastic world-building, and it seems like that's continuing in John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum. Chad Stahelski is back directing this third installment, and early sentiments are overwhelmingly positive with the Tomatometer sitting at 98% through 40 reviews. I suspect the score will dip a bit as we get closer to release, but ultimately be considered one of the best-reviewed action films of 2019.

In A Dog’s Purpose, audiences were introduced to Bailey, a young pup who lives a multitude of lives, regularly reincarnated with the purpose of trying to help the boy who first owned him, Ethan. It was a nice enough story about pets, love and friendship, though it wasn't exactly beloved by critics (landing a 34% score on Rotten Tomatoes). The sequel, A Dog’s Journey, is about, well, the exact same thing. Replace Ethan with his granddaughter CJ and just about everything else looks identical.

A Dog’s Purpose was a massive commercial success, earning more than $200 million at the box office, so it’s no wonder we’re getting another chapter of this particular story. Considering the vanilla nature of the narrative, it’s tough to imagine critics panning it all that hard, but like its predecessor, there’s likely a ceiling on just how high it can reach on the Tomatometer. I suspect A Dog’s Journey winds up with a score better than its predecessor, but still not quite "Fresh."

In The Sun Is Also A Star, adapted from the book by author Nicola Yoon, audiences are introduced to Natasha, whose family is about to be deported. Things seem quite grim right up until she meets Daniel, who’ll convince her they are destined to fall in love in the course of just a few hours. From the trailer it seems to be jam-packed with dialogue you'd never hear in real life, but I imagine the teenage crowd will eat up with a spoon.

It doesn't look downright terrible (I'd go as far as to say it will definitely appeal to its target demographic) but I can’t imagine it winds up being a movie for everyone. And unfortunately for The Sun Is Also A Star, there aren't a ton of teens on Rotten Tomatoes having their voices count towards the score. It’s directed by Ry Russo-Young, who previously directed Before I Fall (63%), but I don’t think it will finish as high as that one. It just looks very cookie cutter and unrealistic.

I had merely a so-so week last time around with my predictions resulting in two hits and two misses. Detective Pikachu (Predicted: 67% Actual: 63%) finished well within range, and still I thought it was something of a surprise that it scored this high on the Tomatometer. But the filmmakers clearly had fun with the concept of Pokemon living in the real world, giving Pikachu something of a snarky demeanor to boot. It didn’t finish off the charts, but this is more than an acceptable score, and the first ever "Fresh" video game movie.

Tolkien (Predicted: 44% Actual: 49%) was the other film I was on target with, and I was helped by having some early reviews in at the time of publication. Based solely on the trailer I would have likely gone a little higher on the score, as I thought it looked solid, but critics were apparently not impressed with it, and deemed it bland. It sure seems like this was a missed opportunity considering the author’s legacy and the incredible real world adventures that inspired the fantasy series by which all others are judged.

Meanwhile, Poms (Predicted: 51% Actual: 29%) was a bad miss. I wish I had stopped halfway through the trailer because then my prediction would have been more accurate. But the sentimental aspect of the main character dealing with a terminal illness definitely swayed me on where it would land with critics. It turns out that part of the story wasn't appreciated, and this was apparently a stinker.

Finally, The Hustle (Predicted: 41% Actual: 16%) was a really bad miss. Critics hated this thing, and it isn’t extremely hard to see why. My prediction was that the characters would be completely irredeemable, but the laughs would help people appreciate the movie on the whole. Unfortunately I was much more correct about the first half than the second.

Next time we’ve got Aladdin, Booksmart and Brightburn. It’s gonna be a Rotten Week!

Horror Legend John Carpenter Is Ready To Step Back Into The Director’s Chair

Horror Legend John Carpenter Is Ready To Step Back Into The Director’s Chair

Though it’s been almost a decade since John Carpenter has directed a feature film, with 2010's The Woods holding that distinction, the prospect of returning to the chair has always been on his mind. And while he’s certainly produced and guided some projects here and there, he hasn’t landed into a directing gig that’s given him the chance just yet.

However, when talking to the press during his attendance at this year’s Cannes Film Festival, one of the horror genre’s masters said some things that sound like that could change at any moment. Specifically, John Carpenter had the following remarks to make:

I don’t have one scheduled but I’m working on things. I made a lot of movies and I got burned out and I had to stop for a while. I have to have a life. Circumstance would have to be correct for me to do it again. I’d love to make a little horror film… that would be great. Or a big adventure film. It would be a project that I like that’s budgeted correctly. Nowadays they make these young directors do movies for $2 million when the movie is written for $10 million. So you have to squeeze it all in there and I don’t want to do that anymore.

So while John Carpenter isn’t signed up for any specific project just yet, it looks like he has some irons in the fire that could poke out a monster or two, if need be. Though should he return to the directing game, it sounds like it’s all or nothing for the man who brought us such visionary hits as Halloween, The Thing and They Live.

Without a question, John Carpenter isn’t interested in revisiting his old stuff, so a remake job is out of the question. And looking at his comments about budgeting above, he’s going to need a figure that properly reflects how he sees the movie on the page coming to life. Meaning, as he mentioned above in his discussion with Collider, if it’s a $10 million movie, he’s going to need that full $10 million to make it.

In his downtime from feature directing, Carpenter hasn’t been a slouch. With a strong video game habit and a thriving musical career, the famed horror legend has been putting his art into the universe through other methods. And the world of film has been one of them, albeit in the way of a music video he filmed for his theme to Christine, which he dropped back in 2017. You can watch, and listen, to that particularly awesome track unfold below:

Considering his input on last year’s Halloween sequel led that film to a $254 million take internationally, on a $10 million production budget for director David Gordon Green, it’s fair to say that the John Carpenter touch is far from gone. His sabbatical has done him well, and under the right conditions, you could have a Carpenter-directed film yourself in the near future. So get to it, Hollywood!

Halloween (2018) is currently available on most streaming platforms for rent, with most of the original canon, including Carpenter’s classic original film, being available on Shudder.

Brightburn Ending: What Happened, And What It Means

Brightburn Ending: What Happened, And What It Means

Warning: Spoilers for Brightburn are in play. If you haven’t seen the film yet, turn around before it’s too late, and come back once you’ve caught up.

When writers Brian and Mark Gunn’s Brightburn was first announced, it looked like a thrilling cross between Superman The Movie and The Omen was about to head our way. And sure enough, the David Yarovesky directed film played out just as we’d hoped it would, right down to its uber-bleak ending.

But there’s more to Brightburn’s finale than just what happened, as a mid-credits sequence opens the door to a wider world of havoc and mayhem. So we’d like to break down Brandon Bryer’s fate at the end of the film, and ask some questions about what it means and what the future could hold for Brightburn.

If you haven’t seen the film yet, this is your last chance to turn away before spoilers are in full effect. But if you’re ready to jump into the Brightburn fray, let’s start with talking about what the ending entailed.

The Ending To Brightburn

After an increasingly disturbing pattern of behavior, Brandon Bryer (Jackson A. Dunn) makes his full turn into becoming the superpowered villain he was seemingly always meant to be. Using his powers to intimidate and murder those who would try to make him answer for his deeds, Brandon eventually kills his parents.

He kill his father Kyle (David Denman) on what’s supposed to be a camping trip, but was secretly Kyle’s attempt at killing his son. Kyle tries to kill Brandon with a hunting rifle, but Brandon’s invulnerability sees him safe and sound. The son kills the father with his heat vision, and returns home just as his mother, Tori (Elizabeth Banks) accepts the fact that her adopted alien son is, in fact, evil.

Brandon returns home after Tori makes a call to Kyle, siding with him on the issue of their son’s villainy, which leads to Brandon’s greatest outburst. He destroys the family home, kills a couple of police officers, and eventually drops his mother from the sky after she tries to stab him with the only thing that could hurt him: the glass from the spaceship he crashed in.

Though he told his mother he wanted to do good, that’s no longer an option at the end of Brightburn, as we see Brandon Bryer wreck a commercial airliner to cover his tracks, and allow himself to go on to commit unspeakable acts. As the world starts to learn of his misdeeds, and his infamous reputation as a menacing force grows, he’s branded with a new name: Brightburn.

Could Brightburn Ever Become A Force For Good?

With Brandon becoming the all punishing villain at the heart of Brightburn’s super-powered universe, there’s still a question of whether he could become a force for good. As a young child, he’s still kind of in that phase where he doesn’t want anyone to tell him what to do, and seeing as he has the ability to use Superman-like powers with a moral code similar to Damien from The Omen, it’s a question that could pan out either way.

On one hand, Brandon could find himself mentored by someone down the road who could keep him in check. Maybe someone else out there will give him the patience and time that it needs to reform a child of his temperament, and humanity could be spared.

Then again, even Tori, his own mother, eventually turned to trying to kill her baby boy. So if your own mother tries to take you out, your position on your adopted species might be a little less than optimal.

It could be hard, but there’s always a slim possibility that Brandon/Brightburn could run into someone else that would change his worldview; but it all depends on how long he holds onto his superiority complex, and how long it’s allowed to grow unchecked by parental or societal figures.

Is There Really A Team Of Super Powered Villains/Heroes In The Brightburn Universe?

During the mid-credits sequence that sees Brightburn’s world turned upside-down by his heel turn, there’s a familiar face spouting conspiracy theories on the internet. He’s credited as a character known as “The Big T,” as played by Gunn family friend Michael Rooker. And in what looks like a rant in full-on meltdown mode, The Big T theorizes that Brandon might not be the only super in the Brightburn universe.

We see a quick glimpse of six supposedly super-powered menaces, and The Big T warns the audience that if they aren’t quickly dealt with, the world could be overtaken by them. While this feels like a natural setup for another entry in the Brightburn universe, there are two things that make this feel like this small moment is an extra bit of seasoning for this mid-credit roll.

First, one of the heroes in the six figure lineup happens to be Rainn Wilson’s Frank Darbo/Crimson Bolt from director James Gunn’s movie Super. While that movie set up its own problems for its central hero, having actual super powers and/or invulnerability was never in the cards. And seeing as he kind of owns the diner in the Brightburn universe, we’re not so sure he’s using that location as a hero base of sorts.

But the second, and more doubtful, proposition is the fact that Michael Rooker’s Big T comes off as an Alex Jones/InfoWars type personality, who really likes a conspiracy theory, but doesn’t provide a lot of evidence to support it. This isn’t a wholesale write-off of there being more supers in Brandon Bryer’s world, but until we see hard proof, we’re going to say that there’s no superteam awaiting the future of Brightburn. But it’d be kind of cool if there eventually was.

Where A Potential Brightburn Series Could Go From Here

There are several distinct paths that the Brightburn series could take from this point. The first of which is a possible super-villain team lead by Brandon Bryer. With Jackson A. Dunn’s ultimate bad seed being a creature of unknown planetary origin, there’s always a possibility that more like him are on this planet, waiting for a leader.

Of course, if Brian and Mark Gunn really wanted to go full Omen with their potential scripts for Brightburn sequels, we’d see Brandon wrestle with the quandary of being good versus being bad, ultimately siding fully and firmly on the villain’s side of the fence and trying to seize ultimate power. Which honestly, isn’t a bad option at all, because it’d be compelling to see a supervillain’s rise to power.

Ultimately, there’s no real limit to where Brightburn could go. The real question is which path the audience, and the creative team behind any hypothetical sequel, would find more rewarding. In which case, continuing the hybridization of The Omen and Superman franchises might be the best option; with the possibility of Brandon being adopted by a Lex Luthor-esque figure offering a hell of a sequel premise.

Seeing another Brightburn film would be a real reward, as this homage to two of director Richard Donner’s best films is a thrilling surprise at the summer box office. But it can’t remain a surprise if it wants to ever see another installment. Audiences attendance will be the key to whether or not Brandon Bryer’s story continues, and with Brightburn currently in theaters, we’ll have to wait to see if this evil is vanquished into cinematic obscurity, or allowed to flourish into something more menacing.

Why Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge Designed An Entirely New Planet

Why Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge Designed An Entirely New Planet

The Star Wars universe is a vast place that has created numerous planets over the years. From the desert of Tatooine to the forest moon of Endor, we all have different places that we love to visit in the films. When Disney began to actually create a Star Wars location for the new land dedicated to Star Wars at Disneyland and Walt Disney World, the team could have decided to build one of these iconic locations, so that fans could actually visit a place in the galaxy, far, far away that they'd always wanted to see. However, in the end, they decided to instead create someplace new.

Over this past weekend at Star Wars Celebration, several of the people who have helped bring Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge to life, spoke about the process, and while they apparently did consider recreating known locations in the Star Wars universe, in the end, the team realized that the new land needed to be new place in order to be the home to new stories, not the ones we'd seen before. As Chris Beatty, the Executive Creative Director of Walt Disney Imagineering explained, it had to be a new place because it had to be a different story...

That was important, as we said when we started designing Black Spire Outpost, it wasn’t about a single person. It wasn’t about Luke or Anakin’s journey. It was about your journey. And that was, I think, the turning point in design for us, when we said ‘you know what? It’s really about you. You are that rogue adventurer scoundrel, that person on the edge of wild space. That was the moment, I remember sitting at the table when we said, ‘you know what, this is it. This is the switch that we needed to flip to really start to think about crafting a place we’ve never been before.

While many of us would love to find ourselves inside a Star Wars movie, most of would probably want to be the star of that movie. The feeling from Lucasfilm and Disney Parks was, that if they simply created a place we'd seen before, it would feel like we were on the outside looking in at somebody else's story, and they wanted Galaxy's Edge to be our story.

As Lucasfilm VP Doug Chiang put it, other locations in the Star Wars universe were specifically designed in order to reflect particular characters, so while we'd all love to visit the Mos Eisley cantina ourselves, if we did, we'd be telling Luke Skywalker's story. According to Chiang...

When we were trying to figure out what the land should be we started to explore all the places we could take our guests. LIke Tatooine, or maybe even Mustafar. When you think about it, those places are a reflection of the characters that they represent. For example, when you think about Tatooine in A New Hope, Luke is a moisture farmer, he’s a simple person and he wants to escape this mundane life. He has a longing for adventure. So the bleak desert landscape reflects this emptiness. And so, when we approached our designs for the environments, we really want to design the environments with purpose.

Nobody wants guests to feel emptiness when visiting Walt Disney World, so a bleak desert location doesn't fit with the design goals. Black Spire Outpost is a location at the edge of the galaxy. It doesn't get visited as much as it once did, which means that it's a place where all sorts of people who don't want to be noticed might end up. Thus the variety of people who wander into the land (you and me) feel normal. Both the Resistance and the First Order have taken residence on the planet, which means guests will have the ability to join whichever side they want.

Of course, while the team may have gone all in creating a new location in the Star Wars universe, it doesn't mean they were entirely sure they had made the right call. Chris Beaty admits that taking on the responsibility of creating an entirely new land was a little scary...

It was a little scary for us at the same time because we know, as fans, we want to visit those classic places, but at the same time we wanted to build a place that, the new characters, the new stories that come to life, you could go and have those moments with them in a land that was timeless.

Of course, the other thing that creating a whole new world allows Disney to do is have the freedom to create whatever they need for the land. If we were walking on to Tatooine or Coruscant, we'd have an expectation of what we were going to see that would potentially limit the creativity that could be exercised by the design team.

Of course, just because a new world was created for Galaxy's Edge doesn't mean that Batuu is going to feel in any way separated from the rest of the Star Wars universe. Black Spire Outpost on Batuu has been referenced in films like Solo: A Star Wars Story and has also been an important part of several books that have been written in recent months. For fans, Batuu will eventually be as much a part of the Star Wars universe as Mustafar.

As excited as I am for a new Star Wars movie, I might actually be more excited for the moment I actually step onto an alien world in the Star Wars universe. Everything from the environment to the food to the merchandise is designed to make you feel like you're actually part of the galaxy far, far, away. As a Disneyland fan, I can't wait to check out the next level attractions that have been designed, but as a Star Wars fan there's so much more going on. Getting a drink in Oga's Cantina is going to be as much an experience as flying the Millennium Falcon.

We'll all get to experience what's in store for us at Black Spire Outpost when Star Wars :Galaxy's Edge opens at Disneyland May 31 and Walt Disney World August 29.