New Aladdin Trailer Teases Way More Action Than The Original

New Aladdin Trailer Teases Way More Action Than The Original

Disney is swinging big this year on the live-action remake offerings. While Dumbo was a bit of a disappointment for the studio in comparison to its other recent re-imaginings, it may be all uphill from here as Aladdin and Lion King soon approach theaters. Aladdin is a beloved musical comedy from Disney Animation’s Renaissance Era, but it also looks like the upcoming version will also be packed with fun action sequences as well. Check it out in the new trailer:

Exciting! While the previous trailer for Aladdin highlighted the lively musical numbers for “Friend Like Me,” “Prince Ali” and “A Whole New World,” this recent TV spot, titled “Rags to Wishes,” showcases some thrilling elements of the live-action movie. The trailer starts off with Aladdin (Mena Massoud) and Princess Jasmine (Naomi Scott) sharing a cute exchange about how he managed to get into the palace (that is, if breaking and entering can be considered cute). It’s a new bit from the couple not found in the movie as shots from what looks to be “One Jump Ahead” flash in between.

The trailer then moves to Aladdin’s dealings with Jafar (Marwan Kenzari), who leads him to the Cave of Wonders where he finds the magic lamp and meets Will Smith’s Blue Genie. The trailer then transitions to quick cuts from various points in the movie, including recognizable musical numbers and moments such as Aladdin asking Jasmine “Do you trust me?” before taking her on a magic carpet ride, and new ones like Aladdin running from Iago.

The TV spot concludes with some quips between Aladdin and Genie as our hero critiques his top knot hairstyle to which Will Smith says “That’s my little cherry on top!” Overall, the new look at Aladdin seeks to show another side to the upcoming fantasy film by showing a mix of new dialogue among the characters with the highly-anticipated musical numbers many people are excited to see and some action to look forward to.

It’s looks to be trying to set itself apart from the original a bit so audiences don’t feel like they have a rerun in store for them, which is a good move for the studio to take after the last trailer was primarily a nostalgia trip for the 1992 animated original. Early on in the film’s marketing, Will Smith’s Blue Genie look received some backlash as well, but with each new preview, fans are seeing a better picture of the character.

While Dumbo had a debut of just under $46 million in its first weekend, early tracking for Aladdin shows it will be a much more popular release for the studio as it is expected to make between $70 to $95 million during its opening during Memorial Day weekend.

Aladdin comes out on May 24 alongside James Gunn’s Brightburn, comedy Booksmart and the Brad Pitt-led Ad Astra. Will you be seeing it opening weekend? Let us know in the comments below.

Star Wars: Episode 9 - What We Know So Far About The Rise Of Skywalker

Star Wars: Episode 9 - What We Know So Far About The Rise Of Skywalker

Star Wars: Episode IX is still several months away but it's never too early to look forward to what the Star Wars galaxy will be bringing to our movie screens. While most of the details are still being tightly guarded, that doesn't mean we don't know anything about the movie that's set to be the end of the Skywalker Saga.

A lot of what we do know comes from the first teaser, which was recently released at Star Wars Celebration. Check it out.

Let's Talk About That Title

One of the biggest questions about Star Wars: Episode IX was what the movie itself would actually be called. The question was answered at the end of the trailer, with the subtitle The Rise of Skywalker. Of course, with that answer comes a host of new questions.

What exactly does that mean? With Luke Skywalker apparently dead, it seems unlikely the title refers to him. With Carrie Fisher's role of Princess Leia limited due to her death, it would be difficult for the film to focus too much on her. There are many theories already about what the title could mean. We likely won't know the truth until we actually see the movie.

What Is The Star Wars: Episode IX Rating And Release Date?

There was a time when the one thing that we knew for sure about Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker was its release date. It was set for May 24, 2019. Following the delay in Star Wars: The Last Jedi which shifted it from a summer to a holiday release in 2017, the Star Wars franchise was set to move into the summer of 2018 with Solo: A Star Wars Story and Star Wars: Episode IX was set to hit almost exactly a year later.

However, due to one very big change the movie is going through, which we'll be getting into in a minute, Star Wars shifted back to a holiday release schedule. The movie is currently set to debut on December 20, 2019. This will see it open against the cinematic adaptation of the Broadway show Cats, and a week after the third Jumanji.

While it's far too early to know the MPAA rating of The Rise of Skywalker, thus far, every Star Wars film under Disney has obtained a PG-13 rating. At this point, we have to assume that Star Wars: Episode IX will also be a PG-13 film.

Who Is Directing Star Wars: Episode IX?

At least when George Lucas was in charge, we knew the answers to such complicated questions as, "who's directing this?" Star Wars had been looking to fairly new, but accomplished, directors to make a lot of their new movies. Following names like Gareth Edwards and Rian Johnson, Jurassic World director Colin Trevorrow had been tapped as the man taking the reins to close out this new trilogy. However, in September of 2017, it was announced that Trevorrow and Lucasfilm had mutually agreed to part ways.

Trevorrow's last movie, The Book of Henry was critically slammed, leading many to wonder if the director's chair would be reconsidered, and while it's not clear what role, if any, that movie played in the decision, Trevorrow has now followed Josh Trank, Phil Lord, and Chris Miller into the "almost Star Wars directors" club. A few days after the announcement of Trevorrow's departure it was confirmed that Star Wars: The Force Awakens director J.J. Abrams would be returning to finish the trilogy he started.

What Is Star Wars: Episode IX About?

Well, that is the question now, isn't it? On the one hand, we know exactly what Episode IX will be about, as it will close out this third Star Wars trilogy, bringing the stories of Rey, Finn, Poe, Luke Skywalker and everybody else to some sort of conclusion. We fully expect the First Order to be defeated and for a new era in the galaxy to begin.

But, as far as how any of that might happen, we have almost no clue. Certainly, with Star Wars: The Last Jedi having left things in a particular way, we can now speculate where the final movie will start, based on where the previous one ended. There's a lot that can still happen to our favorite characters. The new movie is set to pick up about a year after the events of The Last Jedi. This means we'll find our characters in a very different place compared to how we left them, but how much has changed?

What About Carrie Fisher?

Star Wars fans were rocked in December of 2016 when Carrie Fisher passed away. While she had completed her work in Star Wars: The Last Jedi, nothing had even begun to get started on Star Wars: Episode IX. This left us with a finale to The Last Jedi that left Leia's story open for the next chapter, but now without an actress to finish it out.

For a long time, things were left up in the air, it was clear that even Lucasfilm needed to sit down and figure out what to do. In the end, the studio found a way to include Carrie Fisher and General Leia.

It was an odd coincidence that, in the days immediately prior to Carrie Fisher's death, we saw another actress play the role of Princess Leia in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. Thanks to advances in CGI, the actress playing the part looked just like Carrie Fisher circa 1977. This led to the obvious question of whether or not Lucasfilm might try to do the same thing for an entire movie, allowing General Leia to finish out her story arc, looking like Carrie Fisher but being played by somebody else. Disney eventually quelled the fears and confirmed that this would not happen.

Instead, it was decided that there was enough unused footage of Carrie Fisher from the two previous Star Wars films that could be re-purposed to bring Leia back for the final entry in the film. We got to see a brief moment of this in the new teaser.

All of this is especially sad and confusing because, based on comments by Lucasfilm chief Kathleen Kennedy, Episode IX was originally going to spotlight General Leia. According to Kennedy...

The minute she finished, she grabbed me and said, 'I'd better be at the forefront of IX!' Because Harrison was front and center on VII, and Mark is front and center on VIII. She thought IX would be her movie. And it would have been.

Just how much Leia will be at the center of the story of The Rise of Skywalker remains to be seen, but simply the fact that she'll be there at all is a comfort.

Rey

Rey has been our focus character since the beginning of Star Wars: The Force Awakens and we expect that will continue through the end of this trilogy. In the first movie, she became aware of her Force abilities and in Star Wars: The Last Jedi she was trained by Luke Skywalker. In many ways, her arc appears to mirror that of Luke himself. If we continue this idea through The Rise of Skywalker then we would expect to see Rey as a powerful Force user in the movie leading toward a final confrontation with Kylo Ren.

Another thing we learned about Rey in The Last Jedi is that her parentage was apparently of no consequence. While many theories had Rey herself as a Skywalker or a Kenobi, that seems not to be the case. However, J.J. Abrams recently said there is still more to Rey's story that we will learn in the final movie. Perhaps it will be something that helps the title make sense.

Who is Rey? Was Kylo Ren lying about her parents? Why did they leave her on Jakku as a child? Will she lead a new Resistance? We certainly expect that all of our questions about Rey will be answered by the end of Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker.

Finn

Finn may be the biggest question mark of a character in Star Wars: Episode IX. He started his life as a brain-washed drone, a Stormtrooper working for the First Order. In The Last Jedi, Finn tried, and failed, to rescue the Resistance alongside new ally Rose Tico. His ultimate goal then was to be reunited with his friend Rey. At the end of the last film that finally happened, and every indication is that the pair will be together for The Rise of Skywalker, though Finn may be bringing his new friend Rose along for the ride, because they've become close.

Poe Dameron

Poe was a popular character in Star Wars: The Force Awakens, even though he had relatively little screen time in the movie. Poe did a lot more in Star Wars: The Last Jedi, though he was fighting Leia and her decisions the entire way. Mutiny? Poe, you surprise us. Where will this pilot go in Episode IX? He's an important part of Leia and Rey's new band of Rebels. And with the promise of Force sensitive younglings, Poe could be a mentor to many a young freedom fighter. He certainly looks like he's taken on the role of a leader in the brief scenes we see of him in the new trailer.

Kylo Ren

While Snoke used to be the brains behind the First Order, Kylo Ren is the real villain of the story (and Snoke died, unceremoniously, at the saber of the former Ben Solo). His conflicted nature regarding the Dark Side of the Force might lead us to believe he's headed for some sort of redemption story, similar to the one that his idol, Darth Vader, eventually had.

However, that's going to be much more difficult here as Kylo Ren is ultimately responsible for the death of Han Solo, something that we don't think the other characters of the trilogy, or the fans watching it, would be quite as willing to accept. Also, in The Last Jedi, Kylo Ren seemed to reject both the Light AND the Dark side of the Force, begging Rey to join him in the founding of something entirely new. Will that quest continue in Episode IX? How will the First Order be different under the complete leadership of Ben Solo?

Rose Tico

Kelly Marie Tran had an important role in The Last Jedi. Tran played a Resistance maintenance worker named Rose. She seems like an odd sort of character to make a focal point of the story, but she was important because of the ways that she contributed to the Resistance. We expect that Rose and Finn may continue to spend a lot of time working together as part of the Resistance now that Leia and Rey are building a new army.

Rose never appears in the new teaser trailer, including in scenes when the rest of our heroes are together, so how she fits in is anybody's guess at this point.

Luke Skywalker

Star Wars: The Last Jedi ended with an epic confrontation between Luke Skywalker and Kylo Ren that was made all the more amazing when it was revealed that Luke wasn't even there. Light years away we would watch Luke vanish and his robes fall to the ground, much as his mentor, Obi-Wan Kenobi, had done so many years before.

The expectation by many is that we'll see Luke Skywalker in Episode IX as a Force Ghost, the same way Alec Guinness appeared in the original Star Wars sequels. The fact that we heard Mark Hamill's voice in The Rise of Skywalker teaser would seem to confirm that, though it should be pointed out that Mark Hamill lent dialogue to the original teaser for Star Wars: The Force Awakens, and we all know how much he actually spoke in that movie.

Lando Calrissian

While some of our biggest and most popular characters from the original trilogy may be gone, Star Wars: Episode IX will see at least one return. Billy Dee Williams will reprise his role as Lando Calrissian in the new film. The teaser showed him back at the helm of the Millennium Falcon alongside Chewbacca. Exactly how, or why, Lando returns to join our new band of heroes has not bee reveled, but certainly, fans will be glad to see him back. Almost as glad as Lando appears to be to finally be flying the Falcon again.

Emperor Palpatine

The single biggest piece of information revealed in the new trailer was a laugh. At the end of the teaser, just before the title was revealed, we heard a familiar, evil, laugh. Fans instantly recognized it as belonging to Emperor Palpatine. Just to prevent any confusion, when the teaser was first shown at Star Wars Celebration in Chicago, Ian McDiarmid, the actor who played the role of the Emperor, appeared on stage.

The prequels saw Palpatine enact his plan to create the Galactic Empire, and the original trilogy, seemingly, showed that Empire fall and Palpatine himself be killed. And yet, somehow, the Emperor will return for Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. Is the Emperor truly alive? Will he be a Force Ghost? What does this mean for everything that came in the previous episodes of the trilogy?

New Characters

While most of our questions about Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker focus on the characters we already know, there will also be new characters for our heroes to contend with. Naomi Ackie was on the stage at the recent Star Wars Celebration, though all she could really do was confirm her character's name, which is Jannah. Rumors that Jannah might be Lando's daughter went unanswered. We did get the one still image, above, of Jannah to give us an idea what she looks like, but that's about it.

One other new character that we know even less about will be played by Keri Russell. She's a frequent collaborator of J.J. Abrams, so seeing her join the cast is no real shock. However, the only thing she has revealed about her character is that she wears a really cool costume.

What Happens Next

Once the current Star Wars trilogy ends, fans will almost certainly wonder what's going to happen after that. At this point, we simply don't know. We do know that Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker will mark the end of the Skywalker Saga, but that doesn't mean we won't ever see the likes of Rey and Finn again. However, it appears that Disney will be taking a break from Star Wars movies for a while. We know the likes of Rian Johnson and the creative team behind Game of Thrones are working on new projects, but we have little idea what any of these ideas are.

Be sure to bookmark this guide, as we'll be updating it when relevant new information comes in regarding Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker!

Jurassic World 3: What We Know So Far

Jurassic World 3: What We Know So Far

It's only been a week since Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom captivated the imaginations of the entire planet, with big box office numbers and an ending that got everybody talking. And yet before any of his landed on fan's mental doorsteps, there was another sequel waiting in the wings, ready to take the stage once those closing moments played out. So naturally, now is the perfect time to start talking about the future installment in the series, Jurassic World 3. While not everything is known at this moment, there's a good amount of information we do know, which we'll share here. But be warned, there will be some speculation based on the ending to Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom, and as soon as we have updated information, this guide will be refreshed to reflect it. For now though, let's dive into the future of Jurassic World 3.

When Will Jurassic World 3 Be Released?

Before Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom was even released into the wild, a date was set for Jurassic World 3 to take its place on the world stage. The film will be released theatrically on June 11, 2021, competing against an untitled Disney live-action film opening the week before it on May 28th, and an untitled Pixar film opening on June 18th. That's a pretty special date too, considering it's also the exact day that Jurassic Park opened in 1993, making this film the perfect 28th anniversary present for dinosaur fans.

What Will Jurassic World 3 Be Rated?

It's most likely that Jurassic World 3 will be rated PG-13, as the whole series has followed that pattern. The precedent goes all the way back to Steven Spielberg's original film, which balanced the heart of a family friendly blockbuster with the fierce nature of Michael Crichton's harsher, more terrifying source material. Both films in the series, Jurassic World and Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom, were rated PG-13 for "intense sequences of science-fiction violence and peril." So unless the peril and violence become either scaled back, or more intense, expect more of the same.

Who Is Writing Jurassic World 3?

With such a quick release window approaching, Jurassic World 3 obviously needs a story written before cameras can start shooting in the near future. As luck would have it, the film's script will be written by two writers. The first is Emily Carmichael, whose recent credits saw her name listed in connection to this year's Pacific Rim: Uprising, as well as a past re-write on Disney's remake of The Black Hole. The second is not a surprise, considering he's been working on the franchise since day one: Colin Trevorrow. After his indie success with Safety Not Guaranteed, Trevorrow was hired to direct and co-write Jurassic World with writing partner Derek Connolly. The two reteamed for Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom, but now the team is broken in the name of progress. But Emily Carmichael will also be involved, adding another perspective.

Who Is Directing Jurassic World 3?

In keeping with the latest trend to bring back your first director to close out a trilogy, Colin Trevorrow, the director of Jurassic World, and co-writer both that film and Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom, is back in the director's chair for Jurassic World 3. This is mostly because of his dismissal from the director's chair / writing room on Star Wars: Episode IX which, along with his work on The Book of Henry, prevented him from returning to the series. Trevorrow didn't remain a complete stranger to the franchise though, as he not only co-wrote the sequel to his first effort, he also helped approve the hiring of J.A. Bayona on they film as well.

What Will Jurassic World 3 Be About?

While there are a lot of questions that are left open at the end of Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom, we're not sure which ones would be a priority when it comes to providing any answers in Jurassic Park 3's story. However, it can be assumed that this third, and possibly final, film in the Jurassic World franchise deals with rounding up the surviving dinosaurs scattered across the world. It's even a good bet to think that Claire and Owen will be trying to recover and relocate all of those creatures on the island that Eli Mills originally pitched as the supposed dinosaur sanctuary at the beginning of Fallen Kingdom. Most importantly, this should be the defining chapter of the story between Owen and Blue the Velociraptor, as her escape into the wild left the door wide open for a reunion in the future.

Though as far as Colin Trevorrow is concerned, the following angle will be important to Jurassic World 3, per an interview with EW:

I think we've built enough of a popcorn empire that for the third film we can really start addressing some themes and ideas and laying out some clear facts to make sure kids recognize that science is real and dinosaurs are real and we didn't make this stuff up.

Will There Be A New Hybrid Dinosaur In Jurassic World 3?

As both Jurassic World and Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom have used hybrid dinosaurs as their showstopping creations / partial antagonists, a third go 'round must have some audience members asking, 'how the hell are they going to top the Indominous Rex and Indoraptor creations?' Thankfully, whether that question was asked with a serious or derisive tone, an answer has already been made apparent. There will be no hybrid dinosaur in Jurassic World 3, per Colin Trevorrow's wishes to get back to basics with the dinos of the series, which is probably the best decision. Not only does this mean that folks will not be given the chance to get tired of hybrid dinosaurs, it fits perfectly with the ending in which all of the "pure" dinosaurs were let into the wild. At this point, the series doesn't need more species, especially if this film is supposed to wrap things up.

Owen Grady

A Navy vet turned animal behaviorist, Owen Grady was a crucial part of Jurassic World's operations, as he trained Blue and her Raptor Squad siblings for the park's benefit. Losing all but one of those Raptors in the events of the previous film, Grady took to building himself a cabin and living a quiet life. Then the events of Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom happened, and once again, Owen was thrown into a nightmarish clash of dinosaurs, as he helped track, and eventually save, the dinosaurs of Isla Nublar. By the end of the new film, Owen is presumably reunited with his ex-girlfriend, Claire Dearing, and on good terms once more. Even more surprising is the fact that the two of them now have a child to watch after: Maisie Lockwood, the genetic clone of Benjamin Lockwood's daughter.

Claire Dearing

Once a corporate figure in the pecking order at Jurassic World, Claire Dearing went from being a Masrani Global stooge obsessed with investors and attractions to a full blown dino supporter. Working with the Dinosaur Protection League in Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom, Claire actually cares about the creatures she once profited off of, though in the end, she obviously knew that releasing dinosaurs into the wild was a bad idea. Unfortunately for her, Maisie Lockwood had other plans, as she hit the button to release the dinos into our world. With her new improvised family unit, comprising of she, Owen Grady, and Maisie, they will be venturing off into a world of dinosaur peril, and whatever else meets their path.

Maisie Lockwood

A mysterious child who roamed the estate of her supposed grandfather, Benjamin Lockwood, Maisie turned out to be someone completely different. She was revealed to be the cloned copy of Lockwood's daughter, created after her genetic sources' untimely death in a car crash. Coming to terms with who she is, it was she that decided to release the dinosaurs into the wild, as Maisie felt that they deserved to live as much as she did. While there may be more secrets hiding in the shadows, the present seems peaceful as she's with Owen and Claire at the end of Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom, and is presumed to be their responsibility still in Jurassic World 3.

Dr. Henry Wu

One of the connective threads between the Jurassic Park and Jurassic World franchises is expert geneticist Dr. Henry Wu. Initially hired to help John Hammond realize the park of his dreams, Dr. Wu eventually became part of InGen and then Masrani Global's efforts to create the second, more successful bid at a viable theme park. And through each instance of dinosaur laden mayhem he's orbited, he's survived the fallout without a problem. That tradition still stands post Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom, as the character portrayed by B.D. Wong doesn't die in the finale, and Colin Trevorrow has even stated in interviews that he feels the character's story isn't finished. In fact, he could always turn back to the side of good again, after witnessing what happened when he threw his lot in with inGen during Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom. What's more, after reading that Wong sees the character as a non-villainous presence, there's a chance for redemption, even after Dr. Wu's turncoat past.

Blue

Bred in captivity and part of the Raptor Squad that resided in Jurassic World, Blue the velociraptor retreated to the wilds of Isla Nublar when all was said and done with the Indominous Rex. Years later, through Owen Grady's assistance, the mercenaries hired by InGen eventually captured her for the purpose of using her DNA to refine the Indoraptor prototype, and give it a mother to raise it. After being set loose, and helping kill the Indoraptor prototype in Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom, Blue ran off into the wild again, seemingly upset that she would wind up in a cage and taken somewhere unfamiliar yet again. We last saw her stumble on a housing development in the desert, so Jurassic World 3 undoubtedly will see our favorite velociraptor possibly running into new and exciting humans in the near future.

Potentially Returning Characters From The Jurassic Park Series

Besides Dr. Henry Wu, who returned in 2015's Jurassic World, no other original trilogy characters have returned besides Jeff Goldblum's Dr. Ian Malcolm. However, with Jurassic World 3 opening the field of play in such a manner that anyone could possibly come back, we might see some more Jurassic Park characters making their on screen returns. One name that was explicitly mentioned was Laura Dern, who played Dr. Ellie Sattler in Jurassic Park and Jurassic Park III, and was alluded to as a possible returning cast member by Goldblum in press before Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom. Though you can't mention Ellie without mentioning her potentially ex-boyfriend Dr. Alan Grant, played by Sam Neill. While we don't know anything yet, it'd be foolish not to admit that getting the gang back together would be the perfect capper to the Jurassic World trilogy - something that even Colin Trevorrow seems to be on the same page with.

James Gunn Opens Up About Guardians Of The Galaxy Firing

James Gunn Opens Up About Guardians Of The Galaxy Firing

The Marvel Cinematic Universe's success is no secret, and serialized storytelling has changed the face of moviemaking. Phase Three has been the most successful yet, and every installment has been a critical and box office success. But it hasn't been void of controversy, especially where Guardians of the Galaxy director James Gunn is concerned.

James Gunn was fired from the Guardians franchise by Disney this past July, after offensive tweets from a decade ago resurfaced. His absence put Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 on hold, and months went by without any notice. But Gunn has since been rehired, and finally broke his silence about what his experience was like. And that includes understanding why Disney decided to distance itself from the director/writer:

I don’t blame anyone. I feel and have felt bad for a while about some of the ways I spoke publicly; some of the jokes I made, some of the targets of my humor, just the unintentional consequences of not being more compassionate in what I’m putting out there. I know that people have been hurt by things that I’ve said, and that’s still my responsibility, that I wasn’t as compassionate as I should be in what I say. I feel bad for that and take full responsibility. Disney totally had the right to fire me. This wasn’t a free speech issue. I said something they didn’t like and they completely had the right to fire me. There was never any argument of that.

Despite how difficult the months following his firing may have been, it seems that James Gunn doesn't have any ill-will toward the House of Mouse. Instead, he acknowledges that his tweets were indeed offensive, and therefore bad for business. While he eventually ended up being reinstated, Gunn also stresses the importance of taking responsibility for his actions.

As soon as James Gunn's tweets resurfaced, the director took to social media to address the situation. He acknowledged their offensive nature, and claimed the past decade of personal development have turned him into a different man-- one that wouldn't make the same jokes. But Gunn was ultimately fired, an event which he thought might ruin his career.

In his same conversation with Deadline, James Gunn spoke about how he felt directly after he was fired and the story went public. And it certainly sounds like a dark and unsure place. As he put it:

That first day… I’m going to say it was the most intense of my entire life. There have been other difficult days in my life, from the time I got sober when I was younger, to the death of friends who committed suicide. But this was incredibly intense. It happened, and suddenly it seemed like everything was gone. I just knew, in a moment that happened incredibly quickly, I had been fired. It felt as if my career was over.

James Gunn had a series of months before any news came from his career, although his firing did make the room for an unexpected collaboration with DC. Because before stepping back behind the camera for Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, he'll handle another scrappy group of comic book characters in The Suicide Squad.

Related: James Gunn Thanks Fans After Being Reinstated For Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 3

While it took some time for James Gunn to be reinstated to finish his Guardians trilogy, he was in contact with the folks over at Disney. He explained he had a meeting and made piece with the studios decision, saying:

I wanted to feel that way about Disney. I didn’t want to look back and feel bitter, upset or angry. Of course all sorts of emotions are attached to it. But I just wanted to be comfortable saying goodbye and splitting up, and that’s where my head was at, even in the very early meeting we had, a week or two weeks after it all happened.

James Gunn's firing was met with major backlash from the fandom, as well as members of the filmmaking world. The Guardians of the Galaxy cast signed a letter in solidarity with their director, and the movie remained in development hell without anyone to get behind the camera. But now Gunn has been brought back, essentially saving Guardians 3 in the process.

Spoilers ahead for Avengers: Endgame

Narratively, there are a ton of threads for James Gunn to pull on for Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. Avengers: Endgame concluded with Thor joining the group, which he named "Asgardians of the Galaxy". He had a great rapport with characters like Rocket and Star-Lord, and it should be interesting to see how the God of Thunder's inclusion changes the group dynamic.

And while Gamora perished at the hands of Thanos for the Soul Stone, a version of the character from 2014 time traveled during Endgame's third act, and is somewhere out there for the group to find. And if/when they do, everyone but Nebula will have to start fresh, with a new Gamora and a new relationship to forge. This will no doubt especially challenging for Peter Quill, whose feelings are so strong he ruined the battle on Titan in Infinity War.

It should also be interesting to see exactly what James Gunn does with The Suicide Squad, as it isn't a project totally dissimilar to the Guardians of the Galaxy franchise. Once again, he'll be tasked with bringing a motley crew of comic book characters, likely creating a dysfunctional family unit in the process. This tasked was attempted by David Ayer in the original Suicide Squad, but only certain characters like Harley Quinn and Deadshot managed to really resonate with audiences.

James Gunn is reportedly wanted to look at The Suicide Squad as a reboot, rather than a traditional sequel. But there are also plenty of returning faces attached to the developing blockbuster, including Jai Courtney's Captain Boomerang, Viola Davis' Amanda Waller, and Margot Robbie's Harley Quinn. But there's also new talent and characters coming, including Idris Elba and David Dastmalchian.

It's currently unclear when Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 will arrive in theaters, but Marvel Studios is expected to provide a look into the future this summer. The Guardians are in Avengers: Endgame, in theaters now. Be sure to check out our 2019 release list to plan your next trip to the movies.

Samuel L. Jackson Confirms Sequel The Hitman's Wife's Bodyguard Is Finally In Production

Samuel L. Jackson Confirms Sequel The Hitman's Wife's Bodyguard Is Finally In Production

We’re only two films in to Samuel L. Jackson’s especially stacked 2019 and the prolific actor is already hard at work making sure he’ll be lighting up the silver screen for years to come. In 2020, the actor will star in The Hitman’s Wife’s Bodyguard, the sequel to the 2017 action-comedy The Hitman’s Bodyguard, which starred Samuel L. Jackson and Ryan Reynolds. Now, the busy actor has confirmed The Hitman’s Wife’s Bodyguard is finally in production. Take a look:

This image confirms The Hitman’s Wife’s Bodyguard is now in production and shooting in Croatia, the European country where Game of Thrones spent so much time and that also served as Canto Bight in Star Wars: The Last Jedi. It may technically be work, but as you can see from Samuel L. Jackson’s Instagram photos, the picturesque country on the Adriatic Sea is lovely and definitely not a bad place to be filming a fun action movie.

Croatia won’t be the only place The Hitman’s Wife’s Bodyguard shoots though. The sequel will also be filming in London and Italy, giving the action sequel even more international, European flavor after the first film shot in London, The Netherlands and Bulgaria. Ryan Reynolds’ Michael Bryce and Samuel L. Jackson’s Darius Kincaid won’t just be sightseeing or going on a vacation in Europe, they’ll actually be trying to save it.

The Hitman’s Wife’s Bodyguard will find Michael Bryce attempting to live a peaceful life after the events in the last film where notorious hitman Darius Kincaid and his wife, Salma Hayek’s Sonia, drag him in to their mission to cause chaos on Italy’s Amalfi Coast that is somehow meant to help save Europe. Needless to say, Ryan Reynolds’ character will once again find himself with a difficult job and even more difficult clients.

The first Hitman’s Bodyguard earned $176.6 million worldwide back in 2017, sitting atop the domestic box office for three straight weeks from August to early September. On a modest $30 million budget, that made it a big enough of a hit to warrant a sequel, a sequel that looks to be upping the ante by putting together an impressive cast.

In addition to the delightful returning cast of Samuel L. Jackson, Ryan Reynolds, Salma Hayek and Richard E. Grant, The Hitman’s Wife’s Bodyguard will also star Antonio Banderas, Frank Grillo and, in his first ever film with Samuel L. Jackson, Morgan Freeman. The sequel also recently added Tom Hopper, who you may know from Netflix’s The Umbrella Academy, Starz’ Black Sails or as the riotously named Dickon Tarly in Game of Thrones.

The Hitman’s Wife’s Bodyguard is expected to arrive in theaters in 2020. There’s plenty to see before then though and you can check it all out in our 2019 release schedule. Stay tuned to CinemaBlend for all the latest movie news.

Sony Won The Rights To Britney Spears Movie Musical Once Upon A One More Time

Sony Won The Rights To Britney Spears Movie Musical Once Upon A One More Time

With the recent success of musicals such as The Greatest Showman and Mary Poppins Returns… oops, let’s do it again! Sony Pictures is getting on the movie musical bandwagon with a fairytale set to the tune of Britney Spears’ biggest hits called Once Upon A One More Time, which will soon debut on a Chicago stage this fall before making its way to Broadway in 2020.

Sony has won an auction for the rights to adapt the musical for the big screen, and according to Deadline, it will be produced by Britney Spears, her manager Larry Rudolph and John Davis, who has done projects including The Predator and the upcoming Jungle Cruise. The musical follows iconic princesses such as Cinderella and Snow White, who often gather for their book club to read Grimm’s Fairy Tales. Then, a rogue fairy godmother introduces them to The Feminine Mystique and break out into Britney songs such as “Toxic” and “Circus” amidst their introduction to second-wave feminism.

Once Upon A One More Time is based on a book by Jon Hartmere, it will be directed by Kristen Hanggi, who is best known for developing and directing the musical Rock of Ages, and choreography is being handled by Keone and Mari Madrid, leads of Justin Bieber’s “Love Yourself” music video. Britney Spears recently celebrated 20 years since her debut album, ...Baby One More Time, which is still her highest-selling album to date.

The pop star is famous for her early ‘00s music videos complete with iconic dances and costumes from Britney Spears. The princess of pop has created radio hit after radio hit and has a huge fan base, so Once Upon A One More Time is sure to peak the interest of them everywhere. It also seems to be trend for musicals including famous singers to be getting big screen debuts recently.

Bohemian Rhapsody recently not only rocked the box office with over $900 million in earnings worldwide, it also won some Oscars as well. The upcoming Rocketman will reenact and take some creative liberties with Elton John’s life and legacy.

The highly-successful Mamma Mia movies seem to be the closest to Once Upon A One More Time, as they both explore the libraries of one famous artist to tell a completely different story in a musical. Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again was quietly successful last summer with $394 million in worldwide earnings. Princesses are also quite popular, especially for Disney – audiences will either be excited to see them spoofed through Britney’s music or scoff at yet another recycled use of their well-known stories.

Once Upon A One More Time is an exciting, new kind of musical that looks to celebrate Britney Spears’ music in a unique and fun way, along with having an empowering message about The Feminine Mystique and retelling the classic stories of princesses from what we are used to seeing from them. Sign me up for Snow White belting out “Toxic” - that’ll be worth the price of admission on its own!

Avengers: Endgame Red Carpet Censors Gwyneth Paltrow After Slipping Up With A Spoiler

Avengers: Endgame Red Carpet Censors Gwyneth Paltrow After Slipping Up With A Spoiler

If you’re a part of a superhero movie, then you always need to be careful about not revealing spoilers ahead of release. The cast of Avengers: Endgame, though, have had to work extra hard not to accidentally reveal anything to the public, and despite trying hard not to do so, Gwyneth Paltrow, a.k.a. the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s Pepper Potts, accidentally let something slip, requiring the Marvel censors to get involved.

Gwyneth Paltrow was one of the many celebrities to attend the Avengers: Endgame world premiere yesterday, and while on the red carpet, she was asked about her final day of shooting, i.e. when she knew the endgame was indeed the endgame. She responded:

I have an indelible moment from filming. I don't know if it was the actual last day, but we were all together and shooting at this beautiful, on this beautiful lake in Atlanta, and it was amazing to be with everybody. The casts of multiple movies all at the same time...

The actress then looked to Iron Man director and Happy Hogan performer Jon Favreau and asked him if she could say that, prompting him to answer, “I don’t know,” which then led to her saying “Oh shit!” This moment can still be seen on the video presenting the full Avengers: Endgame red carpet event, but if you watch the video highlighting just Gwyneth Paltrow, the part where she mentions the casts of multiple movies has been cut out.

It’s obviously common knowledge that Avengers: Endgame has a stacked cast, from the original six of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes to the likes of Captain Marvel and Ant-Man. However, Gwyneth Paltrow’s comment reveals that there will be a moment in Endgame that has the largest collection of MCU characters together ever, something that not even Avengers: Infinity War delivered last year.

How will this be accomplished? It likely involves all the characters who were dusted at the end of Avengers: Infinity War. All of those actors have played coy about whether or not their characters will actually be brought back to life, but it’s basically a given that most, if not all of the dusted heroes will be brought back, namely because folks like Spider-Man and Black Panther have sequels on the way. Once you throw them into the equation, such a huge gathering is possible, though that doesn’t make it any less cool to see on the big screen.

In the grand scheme of things, Gwyneth Paltrow’s comment is a minor slip-up at best, but Marvel doesn’t take any chances. The studio has been very keen on revealing as little as possible about Avengers: Endgame, to the point that Scarlett Johansson said that the press tour was making her lose sleep out of fear she said something she wasn’t supposed to.

It’s also worth noting that this isn’t the first time time Gwyneth Paltrow has dropped a potential Avengers: Endgame spoiler. Last year, shortly after Avengers: Infinity War came out, she noted that Tony Stark and Pepper Potts' relationship evolves to the point that they’re married and have a child. We already knew that the couple had nuptials on the calendar, but evidently these two will also be parents when we reunite with them.

All we know about Avengers: Endgame for certain is it will see the surviving Avengers, Guardians of the Galaxy and other heroes banding together to try and undo the genocide Thanos unleashed with the snap of his fingers. Their initial plan to accomplish this is to steal the Infinity Stones from the Mad Titan and harness their power for themselves, but we have no idea if the protagonists will be successful doing this, let alone what else is in store for the movie.

Avengers: Endgame finally bows in theaters on the evening of Thursday, April 25, but rest assured that we here at CinemaBlend will have plenty more coverage of the movie in the weeks to follow. For now, you can learn what the MCU’s future looks like by looking through our handy guide.