Looks Like Aladdin’s Gilbert Gottfried Isn’t Happy About Being Replaced By Alan Tudyk

Looks Like Aladdin’s Gilbert Gottfried Isn’t Happy About Being Replaced By Alan Tudyk

Along with a brand new trailer for the new live-action Aladdin, yesterday revealed that the character of Iago, the villainous parrot of antagonist Jafar, will be voiced by Disney's go-to voice talent Alan Tudyk. In the original animated classic the character was portrayed by Gilbert Gottfried, and it appears that Mr. Gottfried isn't too thrilled with being overlooked for the live-action remake, as he's been retweeting several comments from fans who are various degrees of irate over the decision to not bring him back.

The spectrum of fans who are angry that Gilbert Gottfried isn't returning to the role of Iago covers quite a range. Some are confused, others are F-bomb dropping irate. Gottfried has had no problem over the last day retweeting angry fans, including the ones who are swearing up a storm over the decision. If nothing else, Gottfried seems to appreciate the support he's getting from fans. Clearly, his performance in the original Aladdin was quite important to a lot of people.

Many seem to feel that Gottfried's performance is on par with that of James Earl Jones in The Lion King. Some of the tweets point out that Jones is returning to the role of Mufasa for the new remake, and so, as precedent, Disney is certainly willing to bring the original voices back for the new versions.

Certainly, bringing Gilbert Gottfried back would have been a big nostalgia move, but that might also be exactly the reason it didn't happen. With Will Smith coming in to voice the iconic Genie, that character, and thus the entire movie, is going to have a very different tone and feel. Recasting another voice actor would have the effect of causing those watching the new film to remember the old one all the more while they watch it, and that might not be the best way to go. Letting the new Aladdin stand on its own and be its own thing is likely the best way to achieve success.

It's also far from clear just how much Alan Tudyk does as far as his voice of Iago. We saw Iago in the new trailer, but we have yet to hear him speak. Iago is the only animal character to be fully voiced in the animated version, and we know that the live-action movie will give Jafar a new henchman character, so the movie might just make Iago a non-speaking parrot (beyond the speaking actual parrots can do) to match Jasmine's tiger Rajah and Aladdin's monkey Abu a little better in a movie that's supposed to be more "real."

Alan Tudyk did voice the chicken Hei-Hei in Moana, who never said a word and just spent the entire film clucking, so bringing Tudyk in to record parrot squawks would not be the craziest thing he's ever done.

What do you think? Should Disney have brought Gilbert Gottfried back to voice Iago? Let us know in the poll below.

Robert Downey Jr. Calls Marvel Tenure ‘Ride Of A Lifetime’ As Avengers: Endgame Hits Theaters

Robert Downey Jr. Calls Marvel Tenure ‘Ride Of A Lifetime’ As Avengers: Endgame Hits Theaters

It's no secret that landing the role of Tony Stark was life-changing for Robert Downey Jr. In the early aughts his career was a shadow of what it was during the 1980s and 1990s, and while he was still making quality films like Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, he didn't exactly have the same level of popularity. That all changed in 2008 with the arrival of Jon Favreau's Iron Man, and 11 years later we're preparing to see the capstone of the epic adventure in the form of Avengers: Endgame.

Obviously that makes this a pretty big weekend for the actor, and while he has been very active on social media recently discussing his role in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the Tweet he posted today feels particularly poignant as a summation of his time as part of the franchise:

It goes without saying that Robert Downey Jr.'s impact on the Marvel Cinematic Universe has been absolutely massive. His ridiculous charisma is a huge part of what made the first Iron Man work so well, and rewatching the movie even now it's easy to see why people immediately fell back in love with him and became obsessed with his iteration of the character. Critics and audiences fully embraced his take on Tony Stark immediately, and it catapulted the 2008 film to a box office total of $585 million internationally.

But that was only the start. Since then he has been featured in 10 of Marvel Studios' 22 films, and his contributions are really immeasurable. It started with him giving a tiny boost to The Incredible Hulk with his quick cameo at the end of the film cementing the continuity of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and since then it's been nothing but the stuff of legends.

To put a number on it, prior to the release of Avengers: Endgame the total worldwide box office earnings for the Marvel Studios films in which Robert Downey Jr. has been featured is $3,960,919,900. That is unprecedented, and it's possible that Hollywood will never see another run of its kind ever again.

Clearly the actor has a tremendous amount of love and appreciation for everything that has happened in his life since the release of Iron Man, and it will be exciting to see how it winds up molding his career going forward. We actually haven't seen him in a non-Marvel film since 2014's The Judge - though that's a streak that will come to an end next year. He's already completed work on Stephen Gaghan's The Voyage Of Doctor Dolittle, which sees him playing the titular character and will be out next January, and hes also playing a role in Jamie Foxx's debut as a writer/director - All-Star Weekend. We'll have to wait and see what the future holds for Tony Stark after Avengers: Endgame, but at the very least audiences everywhere can take comfort in the fact that we'll still have many more years of Robert Downey Jr. awesomeness on the big screen to come.

Do you have a favorite Tony Stark/Iron Man moment from the last 11 years? What will you always remember about his take on the character? Hit the comments section below with your thoughts, feelings, and opinions.

The Importance Of A Good Prosthetic, According To Taraji P. Henson

The Importance Of A Good Prosthetic, According To Taraji P. Henson

Playing a figure in real life is a minefield of minute details. Everything from speech patterns to hand gestures, as well as wardrobe choices and physical appearance, can be studied and scrutinized in the name of turning yourself into another person. But even with all of that effort, it still isn’t an exact science. That is when the time honored tool of a good prosthetic suit comes in handy, and while playing The Best of Enemies’ civil rights hero Ann Atwater, actor Taraji P. Henson understood this specific point the best.

During CinemaBlend’s recent conversation with Taraji P. Henson, as part of The Best of Enemies’ promotional tour, the subject of just what it took for her to sink into character came up. And in discussing that point, it all came down to the physical transformation that Henson had to make in order to truly embody Atwater’s trademark movements and gestures.

In the effort to make this change as accurate as possible, the suit that Henson wore in the film needed to undergo some specific alterations. And those changes, as explained in our conversation, came down to the following physical attributes:

The boobs were small, and they were perky and pretty. And I was like, ‘That doesn’t match the woman.’ … When I put the suit on, it felt light. I felt like I was walking like myself, and I was like, ‘I need to walk differently, I can’t walk like Taraji. I need to be earthy, heavy, in the ground, you know?’ I said, ‘Call Tyler Perry, and ask him who made Madea’s boobs, because I need boobs like that.’ … My point is, they didn’t think I would be willing to go there, and I was like, ‘I have to. This is a real person. I would be doing her a disservice if I didn’t."

It’s that sort of dedication that’s been extremely significant in Taraji P. Henson’s evolution as an actor. In preparing for Proud Mary, Henson previously spoke to us about how she prepared to deal with a film that had more action than she was previously used to. That same dedication is what comes through in her description of how she got ready for The Best of Enemies, as everything from how Ann ate to how she walked was put on the table as qualities to be studied and mastered in her portrayal.

The end result was something that everyone on set, and especially Taraji P. Henson herself, noticed during the filming of The Best of Enemies. Even her own personal security detail, whom she hired after their work on Proud Mary, noted to her that she was a totally different person once she’d gotten into her full prosthetic suit. And thanks to her push for a more accurate design, Henson was able to proudly claim this special victory:

For me, every time I put the suit on. Every time I got suited up, and I put on that fat suit, I was Ann.

It doesn’t matter if it’s getting a prosthetic suit just right, adapting to intense stunt work or whatever other challenges she has faced in the various projects she’s been a part of, Taraji P. Henson has a process when it comes to digging into a role; and it’s a huge part of what makes her specific brand of acting so unique. Tthat process works like a charm, as it allowed her to truly dig into the personal story of Ann Atwater and C.P. Ellis’s friendship, which is at the very heart of The Best of Enemies.

The Best of Enemies will be in theaters this Friday.

The Best Zombie Movies Broken Down By Zombie-Type

The Best Zombie Movies Broken Down By Zombie-Type

Out of all the monster movie genres out there, few have gotten as many entries as the zombie genre. Some may argue hype on the genre has somewhat cooled, although with The Walking Dead set to start making Rick Grimes features, and more shows and films springing up all the time, it's safe to say the zombie genre will not die. Kind of ironic, right?

With that said, there have been so many entries in the zombie genre that some of the better quality features have been lost in the mix as decades pass. Additionally, some audiences may have specific zombies they want to see in a movie, be it the iconic walker, aggressive runners, classic voodoo, or the lighthearted funny zombie flick. These are the definitive picks for the best zombie films someone should hit up first before getting into the other offerings.

The Best Walker Zombie Movies

Walker zombies are the traditional type of zombie most people are familiar with. They're slow moving, work in large numbers and aren't always the sharpest tools in the box. There are exceptions, of course, but these types of zombies are built more towards building films more on suspense and claustrophobic situations than fast-paced over-the-top action.

Dawn Of The Dead

It's impossible to make a list of great zombie films without featuring at least one by the godfather of modern zombies. George A. Romero's Dawn of the Dead is one of his most profitable and critically acclaimed features, and has served as the inspiration for numerous zombie movies that followed. The effects may be a bit dated compared to shows like The Walking Dead, but the story is as timeless as ever and remains a classic.

Zombie

Zombie, or Zombi 2 in Italy, features the traditional type of walker zombie, although this one is technically a mixture between walker/voodoo genres. With that said, voodoo isn't as heavy to the plot as some of the entries seen later. What this movie is heavy on is some truly gross and cringe-worthy imagery to see in this feature. There's also an underwater zombie that gets into it with a shark, and that alone is worth the price of admission.

Planet Terror

Planet Terror isn't the most conventional zombie film out there, which may be why more folks are drawn to it as time goes on. While Robert Rodriguez's feature was viewed as the lesser in the grindhouse double feature, there's no denying its unique style and aesthetic have helped it become a stand out of the genre. It also helps Rose McGowan's character has a gun for a leg.

The Best Runner Zombie Movies

As the name would imply, runner zombies are more fast-moving and generally more athletic than the walker-types. These zombies plow ahead with reckless abandon, and generally have little regard for their own preservation or other zombies around them. Speed is obviously a scary attribute for a monster that doesn't have to worry about endurance, so runner zombie movies are often high-action and high intensity throughout a bulk of the feature.

28 Days Later

There are some movies that, if someone is looking to get into the zombie genre, can't be missed. 28 Days Later is mandatory viewing for its heart-pounding action, fast and strong as hell zombies, and view of just how bleak a post-apocalyptic zombie world can be. There's also times where Danny Boyle's film is beautiful, in what may be one of the most aesthetically pleasing zombie movie for film buffs.

Train To Busan

South Korea isn't typically known as a hub for films that appeal to an American audience, but the nation has had a few hits over the years. Even for those who aren't too psyched for foreign language films with subtitles, Train To Busan is worth checking out. Perhaps the best part of this film is the zombies' one weakness being an inability to see in the dark, which makes for incredibly tense and heart-pounding scenes.

World War Z

A lot of die hard zombie fans will take issue with this entry, mainly because it's not the same quality of the Max Brooks novel it was adapted from. Be that as it may, World War Z has some fantastic sequences with runner zombies, and it takes advantage of its big Hollywood budget to show some scenes most zombie movies haven't pulled off. Unfortunately, the long in-development sequel was cancelled, so chances of a follow up are slim.

The Best Voodoo Zombie Movies

Before George Romero brought zombies back into the mainstream, voodoo zombies were typically the cinematic standard for zombies in cinema. These creatures are typically similar attribute-wise to walker zombies, but enslaved throughout the use of Haitian Voodoo magic or some spell that enslaves them to an individual. For those looking for some of the beginnings of zombies in Hollywood, these are the films to start with.

White Zombie

White Zombie is regarded as the first feature length zombie film, and the movie that laid the groundwork for others. Dracula icon Bela Lugosi plays a witch doctor who is capable of taking dead bodies, re-animating them and making them his slaves. It's far from the modern interpretation of a zombie, but it is based in the Haitian voodoo interpretation of zombies. For those that want to see where it all started, this is where it starts.

Sugar Hill

One of the more contemporary voodoo zombie films, Sugar Hill is a '70s blaxploitation film about a vengeful woman who seeks revenge on the mob boss who killed her boyfriend. Diane "Sugar" Hill goes to a former voodoo queen and ends up summoning Baron Samedi and zombies to take the fight to the mob. This might be one of the only movies where the main character is actually the source of a zombie outbreak.

Voodoo Man

Voodoo Man is one of the weirder entries on this list, as it goes from traditional voodoo zombie film to meta by the movie's end. Without revealing too much about the film's ending, a character suggests making a movie called "Voodoo Man" and requests that Bela Lugosi (who is in the film) be in the movie. Considering this movie starts with a doctor tricking women into stealing their essences to resurrect his dead wife, that's kind of impressive.

The Best Comedy Zombie Films

These aren't necessarily a type of zombie per se, but there's been a handful of zombie comedy movies that are some of the best zombie films out there. These movies typically have a mixture of different zombie types, and can poke fun at the overall silliness of the genre. For those looking for a laugh just as much as gore, look no further than these great movies.

Zombieland

One of the zombie genre's funniest films is also one of its most star-studded, as Zombieland boasts talent like Emma Stone, Jesse Eisenberg, Abigail Breslin, Woody Harrelson and Bill Murray. The zombie rules of survival in this movie are great advice should an actual zombie apocalypse ever hit, and the zombie attacks highlight some of the sillier encounters a more serious zombie film wouldn't tackle. It's no wonder audiences are still excited for a sequel a decade later!

Shaun of the Dead

Had Shaun of the Dead never been made, it's possible the careers of Edgar Wright, Simon Pegg and Nick Frost wouldn't have skyrocketed to the status they enjoy now. That's not important when it comes to the film, which is a fantastic zombie flick regardless of its impact on those individuals. Shaun's story is exceptionally well told, and most zombie movie lovers can attest that strong individual stories are not a strength of the zombie genre.

Dead Alive

This is zombie comedy that's a bit of a cult classic, mainly because its relatively unknown director at the time became a pretty big deal years later. Even if most folks check this out due to their love of Lord of the Rings and Peter Jackson, Dead Alive is a pretty funny film, with some of the more obscene slapstick humor that can't be found in most zombie films.

Do you have a great zombie movie that didn't make the list that folks should check out? Be sure to post it below in the comics and keep with CinemaBlend for all the latest news on zombies, movies, and all things entertainment.

The Secret Behind The Chemistry Of Tolkien’s On-Screen Friends

The Secret Behind The Chemistry Of Tolkien’s On-Screen Friends

The power of friendship is something that author J.R.R. Tolkien loved to explore in his writings, on par with his exploration of the power of love. One could say that the two were one in the same for him, as his heroes loved their romantic partners and their fellowship equally, as evidenced in various dissections of his worldwide phenomenon, The Lord of the Rings.

Those same powers are shown on grand display in Tolkien, this weekend’s new release that tells the story of how true love and fellowship influenced the writings that would change the world of fiction straight through to this very day. And it’s without question that the part Tolkien’s friends played in his life is a great plot point in director Dome Karukoski’s film, which shows the initial meeting and lifelong friendships built between the author and a trio of friends: Geoffrey Smith, Robert Gilson and Christopher Wiseman.

Playing the roles of J.R.R. Tolkien’s own fellowship are, respectively, Anthony Boyle, Patrick Gibson and Tom Glynn-Carney. Judging by their time together in the film, you’d be forgiven for thinking they all knew each other beforehand, however that’s not quite the case.

As CinemaBlend sat down with the three gentlemen during the press day for Tolkien, the subject of friendship was an easy one to breach. Especially when wondering what the secret was to their special brand of chemistry. In their own words, the truth behind their previous connections, or lack thereof, may surprise you:

Tom Glynn-Carney: We knew of each other before. We’d sort of met on a few occasions through mutual friends, but we’d never worked with each other, or spent any sort of concentrated time with each other.

Patrick Gibson: We’d done our best not to.

Glynn-Carney: No, yeah, in fact, actively avoided each other.

Gibson: This was our last straw.

So while these three gentlemen knew of each other, as Tom Glynn-Carney noted in their interview, they really didn’t get to know each other until they started production on Tolkien. What’s also apparent is the playful chemistry that took hold in a short time, and still holds to this day, as co-star Patrick Gibson started a chain of good-hearted kidding that suggested these gentlemen never really wanted to meet. But of course they did, and the end result is an absolutely believable friendship that stretches through almost the entirety of Tolkien’s biopic story.

Of course, it didn’t stop with this trio of fun-loving mates, as Tolkien was definitely a group effort, and everyone fell into a sort of likeable family. Tom Glynn-Carney explained further, with some help from co-star Anthony Boyle, in the following remarks:

Glynn-Carney: But then being thrown into this sort of melting pot of this cast was a great thing, and it all happened very organically. There was no conscious effort made to up the camaraderie or any of that. It just all happened organically.

Anthony Boyle: It just fell into place, really. You know, I think we all just really enjoyed each other’s companies. And we just had a lovely time.

Glynn-Carney: Nick [Hoult], and Lily [Collins], and Dome [Karukoski,] and everyone included as well.

Bringing a story as heavy as J.R.R. Tolkien’s participation in World War I needs a fair amount of levity, and the inclusion of Geoffrey Smith, Robert Gilson and Christopher Wiseman’s stories more than does the job. With earlier portions of the film focusing on their social club, the “Tea Club and Barrovian Society,” or TCBS for short, there’s a sort of Dead Poets Society energy in the group’s time swearing an oath to changing the world through art.

Without those performances landing, there’s no believable friendship that gets J.R.R. Tolkien through his experiences in World War I. If there are two relationships that build the foundation of what makes Tolkien different from the average biopic, the fellowship of the TCBS is equally as important as Tolkien’s love affair with fellow orphan Edith Bratt.

Even in the footage from our time in the interview with Anthony Boyle, Patrick Gibson and Tom Glynn-Carney, it’s apparent that the three are so perfectly matched that it was an easy feat to bring that crucial friendship to life. And you can see it for yourself in the clip below:

Just as the Fellowship of The Ring bonded over the protection of Middle-Earth, the Tea Club and Barrovian Society bound themselves over the arts, and their effect on the world at large. It’s a relationship that’s key to the overall picture that Tolkien paints, and it’s one you can currently see in theaters this weekend.

Why Horror Movies Like The Curse Of La Llorona Can Be Exhausting To Film

Why Horror Movies Like The Curse Of La Llorona Can Be Exhausting To Film

Horror films may not have insane stunts like people jumping across rooftops or the intense fight choreography you might find in many blockbuster action movies, but that doesn’t mean that they’re a breeze to make. On the contrary, horror films like this weekend’s Conjuring Universe title The Curse of La Llorona can be downright exhausting to film. In an exclusive interview with CinemaBlend’s own Sean O’Connell at SXSW, The Curse of La Llorona’s star Linda Cardellini explained why making it was so tiring:

Absolutely. And you’re shooting at night quite a bit too, so your hours are shifted as well. So it’s like full mental workout and full physical workout everyday. Which I didn’t know, I’d never really done a film like this before so I had no idea going in that I would be that kind of exhausted.

Linda Cardellini brings up a great point about shooting at night. Long days of filming often require actors and crew to arrive when it’s still dark out and leave long after the sun has set, but horror movies like The Curse of La Llorona need to actually film certain scenes in the dark. The need to shoot those outdoor night scenes shifts around the working hours and messes with your sleep schedule, making them an exhausting part of horror films.

There is also the fact that horror films often require intense performances out of actors who are playing characters that are in fear for their lives. That’s an emotionally draining experience. Not to mention that screaming and running from supernatural threats takes a lot out of them. And by the time they're done, actors can end up completely exhausted.

The Curse of La Llorona was Linda Cardellini’s first film like this too; the Scooby-Doo movies aren't quite the same kind of horror experience. So even as a veteran actress with tons of film and TV credits to her name, she was still unprepared for the level of exhaustion that was in store for her making this Conjuring Universe movie.

The cast didn’t really get to ease into things either by saving the more intense and exhausting scenes for later in the shoot. As The Curse of La Llorona’s director Michael Chaves told CinemaBlend:

I was kind of talking about how this, because I come from commercials beforehand and how so much of that it’s the difference of a sprint to making a movie is a marathon. But it’s funny because in reality thinking about our schedules and each day that we had, each day was a sprint. Each day we had so many big set pieces and crazy things, it was always at a fever pitch.

The Curse of La Llorona is Michael Chaves’ first feature film. And although he might have expected a more measured pace, what he wound up with was a breakneck one. It sounds like there were no easy days with everyday involving some challenge that resulted in an exhausting filming experience. Fortunately, Michael Chaves was prepared for this kind of sprint because of his previous work commercial work.

You can check out Sean O'Connell discussing the filming experience with the cast and director of The Curse of La Llorona below.

The Curse of La Llorona, which looks terrifying, tells the story of an apparition, the Weeping Woman, stalking the children of 1973 Los Angeles. Linda Cardellini's social worker and her kids are drawn into the supernatural realm and must try and escape the wrath of this evil spirit. This is the sixth film in the Conjuring Universe and is the first feature film for Michael Chaves who will follow La Llorona up with The Conjuring 3.

The Curse of La Llorona opens in theaters this Friday, April 19. Check out our 2019 Release Schedule to keep track of all the movies you need to see as we approach the jam-packed summer movie season.

Joe Russo Is Interested In Directing A Batman Movie

Joe Russo Is Interested In Directing A Batman Movie

By now, you are likely more than a little familiar with Avengers: Endgame, the massive comic book movie that is climbing its way to being the highest-grossing film of all time. In that case, you also might know Joe Russo, the co-director of Endgame and three other of Marvel's best films. With Endgame out in theaters, Joe Russo and his partner/brother Anthony Russo are done with the MCU, but not necessarily with comic book movies. If given the chance to direct a DC movie, Joe Russo would like to take his shot at Batman.

Hot off of co-directing two massive and successful Avengers films, the Russo Brothers are taking a break from Marvel for the foreseeable future. The duos' next project will reunite them with Tom Holland for the drama film Cherry. While the two talked about what projects would bring them back to the MCU, nothing is in the works at the moment.

However, that doesn't mean that they are done with superheroes. There are plenty of non-Marvel options out there, with the biggest one being DC over at Warner Bros. While appearing in a live chat with ComicBook, Joe Russo was asked by a fan what DC Comics character he'd like to direct in a movie. The answer was one of the biggest superheroes of all time.

As far as what I collected as a kid, I collected Batman. [That] was one of the DC characters I collected. So it would have to be Batman.

If Joe Russo wants to direct a Batman movie, he'll have to get in line. Matt Reeves is currently working on the next Batman film. The project has been a little touch-and-go, with Ben Affleck leaving the role and a few behind-the-scenes changes before Reeves stepped in.

There haven't been many updates about The Batman, but it'll be a noir detective-style story. The script is still being worked on and there's no shortage of casting rumors for Batman.

After tackling the Avengers franchise, there's little doubt the Russos are more than up to the task of directing a Batman movie. After handling a cast of over, like, 20 characters, I'm sure it'd be refreshing for the brothers to turn their gaze to just one superhero.

Given the almost unprecedented success of the MCU and the Russo Bros.' role in it, I would wager that Warner Bros. would offer them any superhero movie that struck their fancy. Much like with James Gunn taking over The Suicide Squad, I'm sure DC is willing to play ball with the Russos if they want. The door is wide open for the duo after Avengers: Endgame.

You can see the Russo Bros.' latest film (as if you haven't already) Avengers: Endgame in theaters right now. For everything else coming to theaters near you this year, check out our 2019 movie release guide.