Stephen King’s 'Salem’s Lot Is Finally Being Made Into A Movie, And James Wan’s Involved

Stephen King’s 'Salem’s Lot Is Finally Being Made Into A Movie, And James Wan’s Involved

The work of Stephen King is as hot a property now as it has ever been. In just the last couple years we've seen adaptations of IT, The Dark Tower, and a remake of Pet Sematary. Now, one of the author's earliest works 'Salem's Lot is set for its first big screen adaptation and modern horror master James Wan is on board the project.

James Wan is set to act as a producer of the new 'Salem's Lot while Gary Dauberman, the writer of several installments of Wan's Conjuring franchise, as well as the recent Stephen King adaptation of IT, and the upcoming IT: Chapter 2, will pen the script. According to THR, the film is currently without a director, though Wan could certainly fill that void if his schedule permits, and Dauberman's directorial debut, Annabelle Comes Home, is about to bow, so he could take the chair as well, especially if that movie is well received.

'Salem's Lot was Stephen King's second published novel after Carrie and it's essentially King's version of Dracula. It follows an author (go fig) who returns to the small Maine town he lived in as a boy, Jerusalem's Lot, shortened by the residents to 'Salem's Lot, only to discover that the residents are turning into vampires. These new vampires have a source of course, which the author, named Ben Mears, finds himself at odds with.

The book has never been adapted as a theatrical feature before, though it has twice been made for television. First, in 1979 as two-part miniseries, then again as TV movie starring Rob Lowe in 2004.

While Stephen King is a go to source for theatrical inspiration these days, the results have certainly been mixed. IT was a massive hit, that much is true. However, the recent Pet Sematary remake has had a lukewarm reaction by both audiences and critics. The less said about The Dark Tower the better.

Having said that, this 'Salem's Lot adaptation is certainly starting out on the right foot. You can't new much better in the horror genre right now than James Wan. While he's still riding high on the success of Aquaman, horror is Wan's home and he clearly still loves it. While Wan has a number of projects in the pipeline as a producer, he hasn't signed on to his next directing job yet, so it's certainly possible this could be it.

The book is also one of Stephen King's personal favorites of his own work, so you can be sure he'll be watching this project closely.

This is certainly a lovely time to be a movie fan if you're also a Stephen King fan. Hopefully, with this strong pedigree behind 'Salem's Lot, this one will turn out a lot more like IT and less like The Dark Tower.

Sad News, Aunt May Turned To Dust From Thanos’ Infinity War Snap

Sad News, Aunt May Turned To Dust From Thanos’ Infinity War Snap

Just your friendly neighborhood writer giving you the heads up that there are SPOILERS ahead for Avengers: Endgame.

Avengers: Endgame may have offered the universe some much-needed avenging, but there’s still a lot to be addressed about what’s next for many of the MCU's characters after the snap. When things pick up next with Peter Parker in Spider-Man: Far From Home, we’ll learn more about the fallout of Thanos’ Infinity War with the Avengers, including the new dynamic between the dusted and the those who have lived five years without them.

According to a recent Fandango interview with Far From Home director Jon Watts, we have some clarity about the fate of Aunt May prior to the upcoming Spidey film. Here’s what he said:

She disappeared and came back.

It looks like Marisa Tomei’s May suffered the same fate as her nephew. Strangely enough, this is probably preferable to if she’d survived, because she would then be mourning Peter following the previous death of Uncle Ben if she had. How heartbreaking! Directors Joe and Anthony Russo said in an interview last year that she had survived, but during the making of Far From Home, things changed.

Jon Watts also teased how the Spider-Man movie will tie into Endgame with these words:

So many things happened in Endgame, but you don't see any of the fallout. So I used Peter Parker/Spider-Man as an opportunity to get that ground-level perspective to show you what it would look like if all these crazy things had happened. What would day-to-day life be? If you were snapped away, you’d have to work backwards and retake your midterms.

The biggest way Endgame shifts the Spider-Man sequel is he’ll be going to high school in a world where half of his past classmates now have an age gap with him, and Watts has confirmed that Far From Home will definitely be addressing this. Looking at this through the world of Peter Parker’s story arc is a great choice to because he’s the most ground-level hero dealing with everyday life as a student in NYC.

Jon Watts said Far From Home will pick up almost immediately after Endgame and deal with the implications of the Infinity Saga culmination. In addition to Peter and May, it looks like Ned, Michelle Jones, Flash Thompson and Betty Brant were victims of the snap as well since they don’t look like they got older and will be going on a class trip to Europe.

Additionally, it looks like Peter will be dealing with the death of his mentor Tony Stark and a new exciting addition to the MCU: the multiverse. According to the recent trailer, one of the Infinity Stones-powered snaps ripped a hole in the universe, bringing in a much nicer Mysterio than comic book fans remember, as well as the Elementals. The film will wrap up Phase 3 when it hits theaters on July 2.

California Avengers: Endgame Screening May Have Exposed Moviegoers To Measles

California Avengers: Endgame Screening May Have Exposed Moviegoers To Measles

The United States is currently dealing with the worst outbreak of measles since the disease was considered eradicated in the nation back in 2000. The outbreak has hit 22 states and has recently made headlines for being detected in Southern California.The large population there already makes the possibility for widespread infection significant, but the timing is also unfortunate. A woman infected with the disease may have infected a large number of people when she attended one of the first screenings of Avengers: Endgame last week.

According to NBC 7 in San Diego, the woman attended the AMC Theater in Fullerton on Thursday, April 25 for a midnight screening. People who were in that theater beginning at 11:00 PM that evening are being asked to contact their health provides as they may have been exposed.

Measles is an incredibly infectious disease, and so places like movie theaters where large numbers of people are in very close proximity to each other, are perfect for the spread of the disease. The fact that the biggest movie in years, that's drawn record numbers of people to theaters over the last week, has been released in the middle of this outbreak, is simply the worst kind of luck.

The woman in question apparently had just returned from a trip abroad, so it's being implied that she may have contracted the disease elsewhere in the world, rather than getting it from another person during this recent domestic outbreak.

Because of the infectious nature of the disease people who have been diagnosed are being put in quarantine or being asked to voluntarily quarantine themselves. It doesn't appear the woman knew she was carrying the disease when she went to the theater, as people can be infections before symptoms even begin to present.

The majority of the cases come from those who were unvaccinated.

Certainly, nobody who was going to check out a midnight showing of Avengers: Endgame was expecting to have to deal with a serious disease. Those in the theater for the midnight screening that the infected woman was in certainly run the greatest risk but anybody in the building could have been infected and even those who arrived after the woman left could have contracted the disease simply by touching the wrong thing.

Because some AMC theaters were running later than usual screenings of Avengers: Endgame in order to deal with the high demand, even more people than usual could have potentially been exposed.

Hopefully, this infection will run its course and the herd immunity of vaccination will help prevent it from spreading to those who are unable to get vaccinated. While no movies as big as Avengers: Endgame are likely to come out this summer, this is the season for theaters to be full of people, and with that comes increased risks that could potentially last all summer.

First Joker Poster Will Creep You Out

First Joker Poster Will Creep You Out

The DC live-action universe has had a fascinating life in theaters, full of peaks and valleys. Despite the success of Wonder Woman, the DCEU seemed in jeopardy after the poor reception of Batman v Superman and Justice League. But Warner Bros. seems to have pivoted away from serialized storytelling and ensemble projects, instead allowing filmmakers to work on a project unencumbered by crossovers.

Perhaps the biggest example of this is Todd Phillips' Joker, which will give the Clown Prince of Crime an origin story. The upcoming spinoff will be disconnected from the rest of the DCEU, and will star Joaquin Phoenix as the title character instead of Jared Leto. Phillips recently debuted the film's first poster, while also revealing that a trailer is (finally) coming shortly. Check it out.

Does anyone else have the chills? The Joker has always been a beloved and scary aspect of Batman lore, and this first Joker poster shows what an intimate look we'll get at the villain. And the teaser trailer is coming in just one day.

The above Joker poster has the title character largely absent, with this painted face taking up only the last quarter of the space. But it's a powerful image, that teases the emotionality and violence we'll be privy to when the film arrives in theaters this coming October. Joaquin Phoenix is shown in full makeup, although it looks like he's got some blood smeared on his face as well. There are tears in the characters' eyes, while his makeup keeps a grin painted on his face. That's what the tagline references, saying "Put on a happy face."

Joker will follow the title character, and watch as he eventually starts a life of chaos and destruction as the Clown Prince of Crime. But Joaquin Phoenix's Arthur Fleck won't start off as a violent anarchist. Instead, he'll be a failing standup comic, and a clown. Audiences will watch as he descends into madness, and eventually becomes the villain we know and love. The project will also reportedly focus quite a bit on Arthur's mental illness, explaining how he ends up becoming Batman's biggest foe.

The entire concept of a Joker origin story is somewhat counterintuitive, as part of the character's appeal is his mysterious background. Just look at Heath Ledger's characterization in The Dark Knight. His scars had a different story every time he told it, and his mysterious unknown only makes him more terrified and unhinged. As such, Joker will be in stark juxtaposition to that version, as the audience is privy to the psychological and emotional traumas that result in the title character's birth.

Todd Phillips has assembled an impressive cast to join Joaquin Phoenix in this unique take on a comic book movie. Robert De Niro has a role, as well as GLOW's Marc Maron and Deadpool 2 standout Zazie Beetz and Frances Conroy. The movie will also be connected to the Batman lore by including Thomas Wayne as a major character.

Joker will arrive in theaters on October 4th, 2019. In the meantime, check out our 2019 release list to plan your next trip to the movies.

Mark Hamill Is Totally Into The First Joker Trailer

Mark Hamill Is Totally Into The First Joker Trailer

A lot of opinions are flying around out there pertaining to just what to think of the new Joker film that’s set to debut this fall. While fans of the character are certainly one of the most of the most vocal bodies of response out there, someone quite close to the character has just thrown down their two cents. And as you’ll see in the tweet below, Mark Hamill himself is very much on the accepting side of this new film.

If anyone were to pass on the torch of playing this iconic prince of crime, Hamill would certainly qualify as one such party. Portraying the character on and off through voice-over work between 1992 and the present era, Mark Hamill is synonymous with the role of The Joker, as his work on Batman: The Animated Series only further entrenched the already popular character into the pop culture consciousness. So knowing how connected he is to the role, it’s particularly exciting to see him approve of this bold move forward for the character.

Seeing Mark Hamill approve of Joaquin Phoenix’s Joker, via this post in his personal Twitter, is kind of like when Tom Holland, the director of Child’s Play, piped up with his approval of Hamill taking over the role of Chucky for the MGM branded reboot. Though a closer analogue would be if actor Brad Dourif happened to chime in with blessing, that’s the closest example we have to how cool this seal of approval really is. And it is indeed, pretty damned cool.

With Joker’s new incarnation of the character, the proceedings look like they’re going to get grittier and possibly more disturbing than we’ve ever seen before. Or at the very least, the disturbing stuff is going to hit closer to home, as the iconic world of Gotham and its most infamous villain look as grounded as when Christopher Nolan unveiled his version of the character, played by the late Heath Ledger, in his Dark Knight Trilogy.

As history has taught us, this doesn’t always go over well with folks who are as associated with a character as Mark Hamill is. But, in true Hamill fashion, you could picture the man smiling in his chair, waiting to get a load of what Joaquin Phoenix and Todd Phillips will bring to the lexicon of lunacy that Arthur Fleck is about to enter.

Joker smiles for the camera on October 4th, with Child’s Play hitting June 21st. But if you want to get some villainy or heroism into your life a lot sooner than that, you should visit our 2019 release calendar to find it.

Fantastic Four Director's Perfect Tweet Reminds Us Superhero Movies Can Fail

Fantastic Four Director's Perfect Tweet Reminds Us Superhero Movies Can Fail

Many superhero movies like to emphasize that their characters are flawed but, more often than not, they still save the day and slay at the box office. But not all superheroes win in the end. This weekend, Captain Marvel raced to a $153 million domestic opening, leading at least one pontificator to spout that no superhero movie fails. Well, Josh Trank -- director of the ill-fated 2015 Fantastic Four movie -- had something to say about that:

Burn. On himself. It's true, though. Captain Marvel's domestic gross alone is already almost more than Fantastic Four made during its entire worldwide run. Not that Fantastic Four is the only movie to tank (or Trank?). Still, since he brought it up...

Fantastic Four only made $56,117,548 at the domestic box office and $111,860,048 internationally for a total of $167,977,596 worldwide. That's just four years ago, and it only made $168 million worldwide. That was off a reported production budget of at least $120 million, per Box Office Mojo, and the film was ultimately said to have lost around $100 million.

That's not good.

Captain Marvel has already made $455 million worldwide, and it just opened. And Captain Marvel isn't even the biggest superhero movie of all time. It may or may not follow previous MCU movies and the DC movies that have crossed the $1 billion mark. But clearly it's doing a lot better than Fantastic Four ever did, and it's not a given that any and every superhero movie will succeed. That was the self-deprecating point Josh Trank seemed to be making. Sometimes superhero movies do fail.

Fox's 2015 adaptation of the Marvel Comics characters was panned by both critics and fans. Fantastic Four only has a 9% rating from critics and 18% rating from audiences on Rotten Tomatoes. It got a C- CinemaScore from polled moviegoers. It "won" Razzies for Worst Director; Worst Prequel, Remake, Rip-off or Sequel; and Worst Picture (tying with Fifty Shades of Grey).

Fantastic Four was infamously troubled, with Josh Trank reportedly clashing with 20th Century Fox. A lot of blame was put at his doorstep, alleging the director behaved erratically. Trank criticized the final cut right before its release, writing in a later deleted tweet, "A year ago I had a fantastic version of this. And it would've received great reviews. You'll probably never see it. That's reality though."

One of the Fantastic Four producers tried to explain what went wrong, saying it wasn't just one thing. One of the screenwriters also apologized to fans for the movie going wrong.

You could blame lack of interest in Fantastic Four vs. other Marvel characters, but the 2005 Fantastic Four movie -- the one with Chris Evans as Johnny Storm/The Human Torch -- made $330.5 million worldwide. That's not exactly blockbuster level these days, but it was off a reported $100 million production budget. So a modest profit was probably made.

Still, it is pretty rare for major superhero movies to fail these days. The DCEU took a beating from critics for a while -- and there was certainly trouble behind-the-scenes, especially with Justice League -- but even the least successful of the six DCEU movies (Justice League) made $658 million worldwide. Meanwhile, the least successful MCU movie was The Incredible Hulk in 2008, which "only" made $263.5 million worldwide off a reported production budget of $150 million. Halle Berry's Catwoman only made $82.1 million in 2004 (off a reported $100 budget), and Green Lantern also only made $219.8 million worldwide in 2011 (reported $200 million budget).

This is not to restart the never-ending Marvel vs. DC battle. It's just to show it's rare but not unheard of for a superhero movie to flop the way Fantastic Four did. We keep hearing that moviegoers just love superhero movies -- like we'll see anything with a superhero in it -- but it's clearly not that simple. Just let it be a lesson, a reminder, a fear to keep your kids in line. This too could happen to YOU if you don't eat your vegetables and finish your homework.

Now that Fox and Disney are joining forces, and the Fox Marvel characters will fall under Disney's Marvel umbrella, fans are curious to see what might happen with characters like the X-Men and Fantastic Four.

As we wait for updates on that front, keep up with everything that's playing in theaters this year with our handy 2019 movie schedule.

Marvel Boss 'Heartbroken' About Black Panther's Oscar Loss

Marvel Boss 'Heartbroken' About Black Panther's Oscar Loss

A decade after the injustice of The Dark Knight’s Best Picture snub, a superhero movie was finally nominated for the Academy Awards’ highest honor. That film was Marvel Studios’ Black Panther, a box office behemoth and cultural phenomenon that went on to collect three golden statues, but missed out on Best Picture. That was a disappointment to many, including Avi Arad, the former Marvel Studios CEO and Chairman and longtime Marvel producer. Speaking about Black Panther’s Oscar loss, Avi Arad said:

I was heartbroken that Black Panther didn’t get the Academy. It could have, but you know, [the voters] they always looked at superheroes like it was a ‘Yabba dabba doo’ kind of a thing versus something that mattered or something that was going to last.

Despite no longer being with Marvel Studios, Avi Arad was still rooting for Black Panther to get the win for Best Picture at the 2019 Academy Awards, so much so that he was heartbroken when the statue went to Green Book instead. Avi Arad clearly believed that Black Panther was deserving of the award, but as he told Deadline, he thinks that Academy voters still look at superheroes as some Fred Flintstone silliness that is beneath more traditional Oscar films.

That Academy bias against from superhero movies is well established, but the tide has slowly begun to turn, especially after The Dark Knight, with movies like Logan earning an Oscar nomination and Black Panther’s 7 nominations. Nevertheless, Avi Arad still seems to believe that some voters feel that superhero movies don’t matter and won’t stand the test of time.

You can certainly understand Avi Arad’s investment in comic book movies and desire to see them not only succeed, but also be recognized as art with value that is deserving of the kind of recognition that films considered more highbrow receive. Avi Arad has been working on Marvel projects for decades and believes in the brand.

Avi Arad was an executive producer on the beloved 90s X-Men animated series, and the 2000 X-Men film that began the comic book movie age. He’s had his hands in the genre’s highs like Spider-Man 2 and its lows like Fantastic 4: Rise of the Silver Surfer. It must mean a lot to him to see the genre come so far, and it makes sense that he would want it to finally attain the respect and legitimacy that a Best Picture win rightfully or wrongly confers.

Alas, Black Panther did not win Best Picture, but it did win three other Oscars: Best Costume Design, Best Original Score and Best Production Design. Avi Arad wanted it to win more, but Best Picture was always a long shot and it is certainly a trend in the right direction. And he is far from the only one who is disappointed with how Best Picture turned out.

The night wasn’t a total loss though, far from it. Through his Avi Arad Productions, Avi Arad was a producer on Sony’s Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, which took home the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature.

The next Marvel film Avi Arad is a producer on is this summer’s Spider-Man: Far From Home, continuing the producer’s long tenure with the web-slinger. Far From Home hits theaters on July 5. Check out our 2019 Release Schedule to keep track of all the biggest movies coming your way this year.