What It's Like To Work With Sylvester Stallone On Rambo V: Last Blood

What It's Like To Work With Sylvester Stallone On Rambo V: Last Blood

Sylvester Stallone will be returning to one of his classic action hero characters later this year in Rambo V: Last Blood. It will be the first time in over a decade that Stallone has played the character of John Rambo, but based on the testimony of his co-stars, the actor hasn't lost a step. In fact, quite the opposite, Stallone is a consummate performer and ever the professional.

Dimitri Thivaios is one of those costars and according to him, he learned more about acting watching Sylvester Stallone work than by actually taking classes. According to Thivaios...

[It] was amazing — he’s a hard-working , true professional that sees everything happening on set. You just get sucked into that vibe. I learned more from watching him work him in the time we were shooting than I did in all my years of acting class.

Sylvester Stallone shares a screenplay credit on Rambo V: Last Blood in addition to starring as the lead, so he's much more than simply an actor here. However, it seems clear based on Dimitri Thivaios' comments that Stallone had almost a director's perspective on the film, paying attention to everything that was happening on set. While Stallone isn't the director here, he's had more than his share of experience in the job, and thus probably uses those skills at all times.

Dimitri Thivaios is fairly new to acting, having made his career in the music industry under the name Dimitri Vegas. He's had a few roles in film and on TV in the past but they've been pretty small parts up until now. Exactly what role he's playing in Rambo V: Last Blood has not been revealed so it's unclear if it's another bit part or something more substantial.

The story will see John Rambo go from his family ranch in Arizona into Mexico after the daughter of a friend is taken by members of a cartel.

While the Rambo franchise doesn't have quite the passionate fan base that the Rocky movies have had, it is still a well loved character. Dimitri Thivaios himself says he has a particular attachment to the film as tells Variety that First Blood, the original film in the series, was likely the first action movie he ever saw as a kid.

He had to see it behind his mother's back, which isn't surprising. First Blood isn't just a bloody and violent action movie, it's fairly disturbing one, as, while John Rambo is the hero, he's also a man dealing with some serious issues as a result of his service in Vietnam.

Based on the title of the fifth installment, it doesn't feel like a stretch to believe that Rambo V: Last Blood will be the final part of this series. We'll see how John Rambo ends his story September 20.

Vin Diesel Breaks Silence Over James Gunn’s Reinstatement For Guardians 3

Vin Diesel Breaks Silence Over James Gunn’s Reinstatement For Guardians 3

It's an extremely exciting time in The Marvel Cinematic Universe, as the 22 film long Infinity Saga comes to a close with Avengers: Endgame. Moviegoers have spent a decade seeing each and every installment in the shared universe, and the future post-Endgame is largely a mystery. This includes the release date of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, which hasn't been revealed since James Gunn was rehired as the film's director.

The highly anticipated Guardians threequel was originally set to be one of the first installments in Marvel's Phase Four, although James Gunn's firing last July put the movie on indefinite hold. He was recently reinstated as the movie's director, which is something the fans and cast seem thrilled about. Now Vin Diesel has broken his silence on the matter, recently posting on social media saying:

Later in the week I had the luxury of seeing [Marvel Studios president] Kevin Feige and [co-president] Louis [D’Esposito], and it’s amazing to see how sacred the Groot character is to the whole Marvel universe. Shout out to Alan Horn for using his heart to in making the right decisions for Guardians 3.

While not mentioning James Gunn by name, Vin Diesel thanks Marvel producer Alan Horn for making the "right decision." I think we all know that he means by that.

Vin Diesel's comments come from his recent Instagram post, and shouldn't exactly surprise the fandom. Following James Gunn's unceremonious departure from the Guardians franchise, the cast of actors wrote a letter in solidarity with their director/producer. Diesel was included, so his feelings about the Gunn's reinstatement make a great deal of sense.

Related: How Fast Groot Is Growing In The MCU, According To James Gunn

While not ever see physically onscreen, Vin Diesel's voice performance as Groot helped the character become massively popular when the first Guardians of the Galaxy hit theaters in 2014. And when the tree alien became an adorable baby in Guardians 2, the hype got even more real. And the last we saw him, he was a teenager age in Infinity War.

Check out Vin Diesel's Instagram video below.

It should be interesting to see where Groot goes in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. He'll presumably age more, and present another form of the character in the threequel. This may give the opportunity for Vin Diesel's real voice to be used, without the effects needed to bring the younger version of Groot to life in his most recent appearances. We'll just have to see.

It's currently unclear when Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 will hit theaters, but you can catch up with Groot in Avengers: Endgame in theaters now. In the meantime, be sure to check out our 2019 release list to plan your next trip to the movies.

Sean Gunn Is Down To Join James Gunn’s The Suicide Squad

Sean Gunn Is Down To Join James Gunn’s The Suicide Squad

The Marvel Cinematic Universe's Phase Three has been a massive success, as every single blockbuster has been a critical and box office hit. But there has been some controversy, namely James Gunn's departure from the Guardians of the Galaxy franchise. Disney parted ways with Gunn over controversial tweets from a decade ago, and Guardians 3 was put on indefinite hold. But the director has already found his next project, pivoting to DC for The Suicide Squad.

James Gunn has a list of frequent collaborators, including Michael Rooker and his brother Sean Gunn. Sean Gunn plays Kraglin in the Guardians franchise, while also doing the motion capture acting for Bradley Cooper's Rocket Raccoon. So could he also have a role in The Suicide Squad? It seems he'd be down to join the developing project, recently saying:

It's interesting to me as an artist. It's even more interesting as a brother. My brother and I have worked together in many capacities, since we were kids. If he wants me to do something, I will do it.

Well, that's going to make fans of the Gunn brothers very happy. While there doesn't seem to be any concrete plans to include Sean Gunn in The Suicide Squad, the Gilmore Girls alum is down to join the project if his director brother needs him.

Sean Gunn's willingness to join The Suicide Squad is very exciting, although it seems that the villain-centric DC blockbuster is still in the early stages of development. Being related to the writer/director would presumably grant Sean with access to early information, including information regarding a possible role. News about James Gunn's involvement and new vision have only begun trickling out, so smart money says its too early to nail down something like a part for his brother.

In his same conversation with The Hollywood Reporter at the Captain Marvel premiere, Sean Gunn also explained how James Gunn puts the narrative first, so he won't be included in The Suicide Squad unless it makes sense. He said:

But one of the things I respect most about him is that he's a storyteller first and foremost. So he's not going to try to cram me in there if I don't belong. If he has a part for me, I'd be happy to go do it, but we also have our separate careers and I'm doing my own thing as well, so we'll just see what happens there.

Sean Gunn may be a frequent collaborator with his brother James, but that doesn't mean the filmmaker will put him in a project for no reason. There has to be a character that fits and properly moves the story forward. But they've clearly got a great working relationship, as Sean Gunn has appeared in the following projects by James Gunn: The Specials, Super, The Belko Experiment, and the first two Guardians of the Galaxy movies.

While it's unclear if Kraglin will appear, Sean Gunn's contributions as the on set Rocket will be seen onscreen 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.

Matt Reeves' Batman Birthday Post Had Fans Searching For Movie Clues

Matt Reeves' Batman Birthday Post Had Fans Searching For Movie Clues

It's Batman's 80th birthday and the old man is still going strong. The next big item on Batman's agenda is a new movie that's being developed by Matt Reeves. The director has kept details about the film under tight wraps, but in honor of Batman's birthday, he may have dropped a little hint that movie fans are trying to dissect. Check out this tweet from Reeves that seems to be teasing a new logo for The Batman movie.

Batman has had a bit of a rough time in cinema over the past few years, with some uncertainty as to what was going to happen to Ben Affleck's version of the iconic character. While people liked Ben Affleck's portrayal of the Dark Knight in the DCEU, it was still unknown if the actor would return to reprise the role in a solo film. The experience was apparently rough enough that Affleck decided to exit as the character, even while Matt Reeves was developing the first solo Batman movie since The Dark Knight Rises.

Simply known as The Batman, not many details are known about the movie. It will supposedly feature a younger Batman and will be a noir detective story that places emphasis on Batman's crime-solving ability. That sounds awesome but fans are hungry for more details as Reeves preps for the 2021 release date.

Well, Matt Reeves may have given another small tease hidden inside of his birthday shoutout for Batman. The writer-director tweeted a picture of Detective Comics #27, the first appearance of Batman, in honor of Batman's 80th birthday. However, it didn't take long for fans to notice what was behind the comic. It appears to be an out-of-focus screenplay for The Batman which was given away from the giant bat symbol on the cover.

Fans are speculating that this is an all-new bat symbol for Matt Reeves' film, though it's difficult to actually tell if that's the case. The image appears similar to the fat bat symbol used for Affleck's Batman, but it could be altered in various ways. Some are theorizing that it's based on Batman's first ever logo, which is right there in Detective Comics #27.

Whatever the case may be, it's clear people are ready to start getting more details about The Batman. Casting is one of the biggest concerns, with Matt Reeves apparently looking for a big name actor, but so far there are no confirmations. Hopefully, we start getting news about that soon.

The Batman is slated to arrive in theaters on June 25, 2021. There are still a ton of questions about the project so bone up on everything there is to know about The Batman with our handy guide. In the meantime, check out what's coming to theaters this year with our 2019 movie release guide.

Superman Vs. Thanos: How the Justice League Characters Would Handle Thanos

Superman Vs. Thanos: How the Justice League Characters Would Handle Thanos

With The Avengers doing battle with Thanos in theaters at this very moment, Avengers: Endgame is answering a lot of the questions about just how Earth’s mightiest heroes would defeat a mad Titan with all of the power in the universe. More than likely you’ve seen that fight take place for yourself, but even if you haven’t, you’re probably thinking, “What would it be like to see the Justice League take on Thanos in a battle for the universe?”

It’s a scenario so awesome and so fun to think out that we just had to tackle it. Using the line-up from the recent Justice League movie, we’ve come up with a scenario in which the team members you saw in DC’s big team-up film will challenge the greatest threat in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Using their powers and abilities, we’re about to see if the greatest team in DC Comics history can take down Thanos in their own way. But before we get to the main event, let’s take a look at what sort of scenario would lead to this all out conflict.

Why Would The Justice League Ever Challenge Thanos?

As we’ve learned in the new Spider-Man: Far From Home trailer, there’s a really good chance The Snap has torn the fabric of the multiverse, allowing all sorts of stuff to bleed through the edges of reality. So let’s just say that the actions of Thanos have not only opened a gate between worlds in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but also the worlds of DC and Marvel.

This would, hypothetically, see this third version of Thanos, still crazy and mad for power as always, crossing over onto DC Comics’ home turf. With the full power of the Infinity Gauntlet in his grasp once more, he’s ready to conquer a new world that’s not so familiar with his ways. Which leaves the Justice League with a hell of a puzzle to solve.

Given their collective skill set, and the potential battleground of Metropolis/Gotham at their usage, the playing field just might be level enough for the Justice League to take on Thanos in an effective fashion. Which means it’s time to run through the team’s individual profiles, and how they fit into the fight.

How Batman Would Fight Thanos

On the ground level, Batman would be the best hero to start out with in terms of the Justice League’s roster. Not only is Bruce Wayne’s alter ego not super-powered, and thus the most physically vulnerable, he’s also the best person to get the ball rolling.

Batman’s greatest resource is the fact that he’s the world’s best detective. He researches the hell of out a subject, finds it weaknesses, and uses them for his own gain. So much like he’s done with the Justice League itself in the past, Batman can dig deep into Thanos’s legend and origins, as well as the abilities of the Infinity Gauntlet and its individual stones.

Once he found the relevant information in this new world, Batman would then be able to provide strategic analysis to his team, possibly dream up some new gadgets (including a substitute gauntlet to put the stones into, should the original be destroyed) to help the team with their efforts, and help formulate the exact plan to back Thanos into a corner. And he could even use the help of a very valuable team member to create his strategy.

How Cyborg Would Fight Thanos

Victor Stone, also known as Cyborg to his Justice League teammates, is a genius of unparalleled ability. With a high IQ, and all the cybernetic enhancements one could require to use such an IQ to their advantage, Cyborg has an arsenal of weapons that could stand up against Thanos’s efforts, and he even has an ace up his robotic sleeve.

As far as Cyborg’s robotic arsenal goes, he has various gadgets that could slow down Thanos and whatever else he can throw at the Justice League. With a whole bunch of weapons built into his cybernetic body, most famously including a sonic canon, Cyborg could help clear the way for the rest of the team by using sonic waves to break apart objects that Thanos or his children might hurl at the group.

With his incredible smarts, as well as the cybernetic enhancements that Cybog has built into his person, he is also a very valuable tool in determining the strategy needed to take down Thanos. Team his cybernetic analysis abilities with Batman’s detective work, and you’ve got two pretty big brains looking to take out a Mad Titan. Of course, a lot of brawn is going to be needed to take down Thanos, which is where the next member of our team comes in.

How Aquaman Would Fight Thanos

There’s one particular scene in Avengers: Endgame that probably would make anyone, Avenger and audience member alike, wish that Arthur Curry was present to use his powers as Aquaman. While Doctor Strange did a pretty good job controlling the waters that threatened to flood the battle in the remains of the Avengers compound, one could imagine Aquaman doing even better, as controlling water is kind of his sweet spot.

But should this fight in the DC Universe take place in the waters between Metropolis and Gotham, as shown in Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice, all it would take is the Trident of Poseidon for Arthur to very easily change the state of play. Not only would he be able to control the waters, but he’d also be able to summon various sea creatures that could give Thanos a hard time in his efforts to stump the Justice League.

Of course, this would also mean that should he be able to summon them, and should they be agree to join the cause, Arthur Curry could summon the armies of his Atlantean kingdom to come to the surface and spank Thanos raw. Which has us thinking of another member of royalty in the Justice League that could bring their own army, as well as special skills, to help things along.

How Wonder Woman Would Fight Thanos

Now let’s say that between Batman and Cyborg’s intellect, there are still some questions that the Justice League needs answered regarding how to defeat Thanos. Even with the best laid plans, there’s bound to be something that goes wrong. Should there be any further questions that need to be answered in the heat of battle, Wonder Woman could help get those answers very easily.

Using her Lasso of Truth, Diana can rope Thanos or a compatriot into a position where they have to chill out and answer her questions truthfully. Through interrogation, Wonder Woman could question Thanos about his strategy to sack the universe, and see if there were any other weaknesses the team could use against him. Plus, much like Mantis in Avengers: Infinity War, this could provide a moment to try and remove that pesky Infinity Gauntlet from his hands.

If all else failed, there are two other things that Wonder Woman could provide in the fight against Thanos. With an Invisible Jet at her command, she could easily launch a sneak attack on ground forces, or even Thanos’s gigantic ship, and take some key pieces off the board. Finally, if all else failed, the Amazonian princess in the Justice League’s ranks could try to raise an army of her compatriots from Themyscira, ready to flood the field with rage and combat against Thanos’ own army.

How The Flash Would Fight Thanos

The Flash is probably one of the best heroes to have in the case of the Justice League fighting Thanos, as he has a key ability that also came in handy in the Marvel Cinematic Universe: time travel. With his usage of speed, and his ability to travel back and forth through time, Barry Allen would have two very different ways to help out his fellow Justice League teammates.

Should things go according to whatever plans Batman and Cyborg have cooked up, or if the strategies added by Wonder Woman also pan out, then Barry could just use his abilities as The Flash to be incredibly fast on the battlefield, taking out as many of Thanos’s forces as he could through agility and extreme velocity. He could even sneak up on Thanos if he’s lassoed up by Wonder Woman, in an effort to remove the Gauntlet by force. But should things not go according to plan, there’s always Plan B.

While it’s obviously not something to count on as a major strategy, should the plans drawn up by the Justice League team fail, Barry can always use his speedster ability to go back in time and warn the team of what works and what doesn’t. Though he’ll want to take some really good notes as to just how exactly the team gets their asses handed to them, as that sort of option takes a lot of energy and effort.

How Superman Would Fight Thanos

Here it is: the moment you’ve all been waiting for. With all of the other core Justice League members plying their trades, and bringing the fight to Thanos, it’s time to talk about what Superman’s role would be in defeating the mad titan. Besides, of course, Superman’s ability to smash and bash Thanos around quite a bit, which still leaves him pretty ready to bring Thanos to his knees, and quite possibly finish him.

With both his heat vision and freezing breath, the last son of Krypton could do quite a number on Thanos to get the Infinity Gauntlet off of his hand. Weakening the gauntlet, there’s a chance that Superman could get it off of Thanos, either intact or by destroying the vessel holding the Infinity Stones and scooping them up.

With a suitable vessel, Superman could easily use any sort of Infinity Gauntlet to snap Thanos and his armies out of existence. As a Kryptonian, there’s a good chance that the Gamma radiation that the usage of the gauntlet puts out won’t affect him in an adverse way. He might get banged up, and he just might take a lot of damage when using the Infinity Gauntlet, but Superman would be able that gauntlet no problem and not have to die in the process.

Could The Justice League Handle Thanos Better Than The Avengers?

So with all of their collective abilities, one final query slips into the minds of audiences all over: Could the Justice League handle Thanos better than The Avengers did in Avengers: Endgame? Quite frankly, to me the answer feels like a resounding yes, and it’s because of the approaches of DC Heroes versus Marvel Heroes. Boiling it all down to the fact that the world of DC Comics has a lot of Gods or godlike creatures involved, you can see how the Justice League would have the upper hand in fighting Thanos.

With a super team that includes Wonder Woman and Superman amongst its ranks, that’s a huge part of the battle fought right there. But with the extraordinary abilities of Flash, Cyborg, and Aquaman, plus the extra brain power of Batman slotted into the team, these six heroes have a good chance of getting the job done amongst themselves.

Though it also helps that the armies of both Wonder Woman and Aquaman would have the numbers to help soften up Thanos and his own forces. Even in that respect, without the powers of the six members of the Justice League put together, the fight is pretty much lost. So with huge military ranks to fight the ground battle, as well as a pretty fantastic team of six heroes with powers and tactics beyond compare, it’s fair to say that the Justice League would have a handle on beating Thanos; especially with The Flash being able to run the time travel play if need be.

Of course, there are all sorts of caveats, variants, and conditions that can be added into the argument in order to change the arguments of how the Justice League would take on Thanos. But as it stands, this is the strategy that I believe would best suit DC’s legendary super team, and their best chance of saving the day. Should you have any notes or factors that you think should be taken into account, changing the playbook of the Justice League being pitted against Thanos, we encourage you, the audience, to comment below.

Should you want to do some additional research to support or refute this case, Avengers: Endgame is currently in theaters, with Justice League being available on home video, in all formats.

Sylvester Stallone Shares Action Footage From The Set Of Rambo V: Last Blood

Sylvester Stallone Shares Action Footage From The Set Of Rambo V: Last Blood

As the final installment of the Rambo series, Rambo V: Last Blood is looking to close out the series strongly. Sylvester Stallone has promised quite a bit when it comes to how John Rambo’s story will finish, and on top of those promises is a bit of behind-the-scenes footage showing Stallone do what he does best. As you’ll see in the video below, that’s being a bad-ass:

Included in this bad-ass starter kit of footage for John Rambo’s swan song is the sharpening of such implement of doom as a knife and a pitchfork, both in Rambo’s rustic workshop he operates on the family farm. Also shown in Rambo V: Last Blood’s teaser reel are some gunfire, Rambo setting up for some action with a bow and arrow and some random shots of setting up moments ready to be captured on film.

Just in case you thought Rambo V: Last Blood was going to be a story of the human condition, trade negotiations and international relations, these clips of lights, camera and plenty of action are here to say that you’re not going to be disappointed by Rambo’s latest mission. Setting out to recover the missing daughter of a good friend, John Rambo is about to unleash this sort of hell on an unsuspecting drug lord. As you’ve seen, the tools he’s got ready to do the job are varied, and he knows how to care for them.

This is only the continuation of the social media campaign that Sylvester Stallone has successfully waged to get folks talking about Rambo V: Last Blood. Courtesy of his favorite social media platform, Instagram, Stallone has not only promised that this new Rambo film will be an action packed ride, but it’ll contain a finale that no one could possibly expect.

Seeing as we’re so close to the aftermath of Avengers: Endgame’s own ending that no one could possibly expect, we’re beginning to wonder if John Rambo is going to be able to survive Rambo V: Last Blood’s big finish. Just as that cultural phenomenon drew to an end with some grand sacrifices, Rambo’s last frame could very well be the troubled Vietnam vet giving his life in the name of the mission.

If there’s a heroic death in the works for John Rambo, Rambo V: Last Blood looks like it’s going to make him earn it by taking down as many villains as possible. And with Sylvester Stallone in fighting shape to make this the fitting end to the Rambo story, it feels like they hype is not only real, but easily sustainable between now and opening night.

Rambo V: Last Blood brings revenge to those who deserve it on September 20. That said, if you’re looking to see what else is coming to theaters in the more recent future, you can check out our 2019 release schedule for further information.

Don't Freak, But The Genie Isn't Always Blue In The New Aladdin Trailer

Don't Freak, But The Genie Isn't Always Blue In The New Aladdin Trailer

When the first pictures of Will Smith's Genie appeared, people were shocked and even slightly outraged that Will Smith looked like, Will Smith. He wasn't blue, and as all fans of the classic Disney Aladdin know, the Genie was blue. Will Smith told people not to freak out and when the first footage of Genie came with an early teaser, we saw the Genie being blue. And then everybody freaked out again. Now, the first full trailer is here, and get ready for everybody to freak out again, because the Genie is blue, and also not blue.

This morning we got out best look yet at Disney's live-action Aladdin and it may set a lot of people's minds at ease, because it looks pretty good. We got to really see Aladdin, Jasmine and Jafar in action. We heard a couple pieces of some popular songs and everything looks good. Except maybe the Genie depending on your perspective.

When He's Blue

The trailer shows us Aladdin making his way through the Cave of Wonders, finding the magic lamp and then rubbing it to release the Genie. As we saw in the last teaser, when he is released, the Genie looks how you might have expected. He's big and blue and looks like a pumped up Will Smith. If you're not a fan of the CGI job, this trailer isn't going to change your mind.

It's here we also get the first part of an actual musical performance, some of the Will Smith version of "Friend Like Me." Smith will remain blue throughout this section. The last time that we see him in full CGI mode is during the "Making Aladdin a prince" scene. After that, everything changes.

When He's Not Blue

We first see Genie looking more like normal Will Smith earlier in the trailer, during the scene where Al is asking Genie if he can be made into a prince. We also seem him looking that way later, after "Prince Ali" has made his way into the palace. This is actually the last we see of Genie in the trailer, so it's possible we could see him transforming back and forth several times throughout the movie, depending on whether or not anybody is looking.

What seems likely, and has been my theory from the beginning, is that Genie has made himself look human as a disguise. This way he can interact with the other characters of the film without raising suspicion.

It's what the Genie actually did in the animated movie during the "Prince Ali" song. Genie performed it, and looked like a normal person, before disappearing and keeping himself hidden from the other characters. This way, Disney gets their money's worth out of having Will Smith in the movie. He doesn't need to stay off-screen the whole time.

Whichever version of the Genie you prefer, you're going to have to deal with the other version to some degree, but this way it seems everybody should get what they want at least part of the time.