It’ll Reportedly Be Years Before The X-Men Make Their Way To The MCU

It’ll Reportedly Be Years Before The X-Men Make Their Way To The MCU

It's no secret that superhero movies are everywhere. The comic book genre is arguably the most profitable one in the filmmaking world, leading to a variety of studios producing their own installments, and vying for box office supremacy. 20th Century Fox's X-Men franchise was there through it all, starting with Bryan Singer's original 2000 movie. But now that series of films may be coming to an end, as Disney has officially acquired Fox and its various properties.

Marvel fans seem mostly excited about the merger, as it will give the X-Men (and hopefully The Fantastic Four) the opportunity to finally join the massive Marvel Cinematic Universe. But it's unclear when this transition might occur, especially with Dark Phoenix and The New Mutants both in the can. And a new report indicates that the mutants wont join the shared universe for a number of years.

According to THR, the X-Men probably won't appear in the MCU until 2021 or later. If Kevin Feige doesn't already have a completed script for the mutant group, then it should take some time to develop a project for the titular team to star in. Marvel blockbusters don't happen over the night, so 2021 might even be a bit generous. After all, we're already waist deep into 2019, and there's been a ton of attention paid to releases like Captain Marvel and Avengers: Endgame.

With the Fox and Disney deal in ink, the House of Mouse is seemingly moving forward with its plans-- including certain characters previous owned by Fox. While the future of the X-Men is currently unclear, Walt Disney Studios has already prominently featured Ryan Reynolds' Deadpool on its website. It looks like the Merc With A Mouth is going to be left to his own devices, but that probably won't extend to the current X-Men franchise.

There's a ton of star power associated with X-Men movies, and the Marvel Cinematic Universe likely won't want to foot the bill such A-list actors. James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, Jennifer Lawrence, and Sophie Turner no doubt require some serious cash for their services. Instead, it seems more likely that Marvel Studios will start fresh, and assemble a new cast of X-Men.

Additionally, most of the starring X-Men cast has been with the franchise since 2011's X-Men: First Class. The actors' star power have grown considerably, and Dark Phoenix will mark the fourth film for the OG cast members who are still on board. As such, they might want to switch it up, and be released from their contracts with the franchise. Jennifer Lawrence has been slowly headed toward the door for years, and it looks like she's being killed off early in Dark Phoenix.

If the current cast of X-Men is let go so Marvel Studios can start fresh, it'll probably be a disappointment for some of the newer additions, including Sophie Turner, Tye Sheridan, Alexandra Shipp, and Kodi Smit-McPhee. Those actors are returning to play their respective X-Men characters in Dark Phoenix, but that upcoming blockbuster might also end up being their swan song.

While ideally Marvel Studios would adopt the X-Men cast, it would be a confusing experience for the fandom, and would seriously break the timelines. There's no reason for the world to hate mutants when The Avengers are celebrated and given great power. Furthermore, it doesn't make sense that the team would have sat out major events like The Battle of New York.

As such, it makes more sense to start fresh, whenever the X-Men finally join the greater Marvel Cinematic Universe. The MCU has a particular way of introducing new heroes, as the ranks of The Avengers were methodically filled out across the past decade of filmmaking. It doesn't make sense throwing an entire group of characters who have their own four movies of history. But that unfortunately means that the X-Men franchise as we know it will likely come to an end with either Dark Phoenix or The New Mutants.

It should be interesting to see how Kevin Feige and Marvel Studios ultimately approach the X-Men. Is it possible that the various members will be given origin stories, before colliding in an Avengers-esque crossover film? With so many of the OG Avengers coming to the end of their contracts, the MCU will need number to fill out its ranks.

Then again, the X-Men work because they're a team who count on each other. As such, the MCU may take a note from James Gunn's Guardians of the Galaxy, and figure out a way to bring the motley crew of superpowered individuals together. But the question is: who will make the team?

Wiping the X-Men slate clean also gives Marvel the chance to bring the most beloved character of them all back: Wolverine. Hugh Jackman retired from his iconic clawed role after completing James Mangold's Logan. The project even earned an Academy Award Nomination for Best Screenplay, with Jackman leaving on a serious high note. The X-Men franchise hasn't recast the role, but it's clear that the fans are hoping he'll return sooner than later. In fact, plenty of fan lists and art have hit the internet regarding who should take on the mantle.

If Disney starts a brand new X-Men cast, they can also find a new Wolverine for the group as well. While there will be endless comparisons to Hugh Jackman's long run as the character, the same can also be said for any potential new actors. After all, the X-Men franchise has been going strong for nearly 20 years. So the comparisons are going to happen regardless.

Aside from the X-Men, Marvel fans are also hoping that the Fantastic Four eventually make their way to the MCU. The last movie was a bit of a disaster, so it should be relatively easy to wipe the slate clean and start fresh. And with the cosmic side of the shared universe becoming a more important setting, it could be the perfect time to bring that quartet of heroes back to theaters.

Dark Phoenix will arrive in theaters (after a few delays) on June 7th. CinemaBlend will keep you updated on the X-Men's inclusion in the MCU as details become public. In the meantime, check out our 2019 release list to plan your next trip to the movies.

Anna Paquin Has Never Seen X-Men: Days Of Future Past

Anna Paquin Has Never Seen X-Men: Days Of Future Past

Before the Marvel Cinematic Universe and DC live-action universe were battling for box office supremacy, Bryan Singer's 2000 hit X-Men broke new ground by proving the genre could be both profitable and popular. The X-Men property is still going strong today, with fans looking forward to the upcoming release of Dark Phoenix. The First Class and original trilogy collided with the ambitious X-Men: Days of Future Past, combining both casts of characters into one massive blockbuster.

Days of Future Past arrived in theaters back in 2014, and was a multi-tiered story that took place in both a dystopian future and 1973. While X-Men fans were happy to see so many familiar faces in one movie, one major mutant got left on the cutting room floor: Anna Paquin's Rogue. While she eventually got her scenes restored in the home video Rogue Cut, it turns out that Paquin has never seen the movie-- either version. As she recently revealed:

Truthfully, I haven't actually seen either [version]. Hey, everyone with newborn twins who sits down and watches films for their own pleasure, raise their hand. Not me.

Despite being an OG member of the X-Men franchise, it looks like Anna Paquin hasn’t seen her most recent appearance, and the finale to her trilogy’s story. But she’s got a good excuse, as she was still a new mother when Days of Future Past arrived in theaters.

Anna Paquin’s comments to EW about missing Days of Future Past mentions she had recently given birth at the time the blockbuster was released. Paquin and her husband and True Blood co-star Stephen Moyer had twins Poppy and Charlie Moyer in 2012, with the challenge of two babies proving too distracting for the actress to tune into Days of Future Past. And considering how her small role was ultimately cut from the theatrical release, the movie must have been even further from her mind.

While X-Men: Days of Future Past was a brave and bold part of the X-Men franchise, in the end it's just another gig for Anna Paquin. And when things in her personal life needed attention, she became less invested in the comic book property. Rogue hadn't factored heavily into the narrative since back in The Last Stand, so you can't blame Paquin for moving on with her life, while still being open for another cameo.

Rogue's role in Days of Future Past wasn't revealed until the film came out for home release, and the Rogue Cut arrived. After Logan lashed out and injured Ellen Page's Kitty Pryde, the future characters needed Rogue to relieve her. But they had to break her out of a mutant prison first, with Iceman and Magneto doing the honors, and reuniting her with the rest of the group. Iceman even perished in the process, giving him a death separate from the mass execution in the film's third act.

Ultimately, Rogue'e scenes weighed down Days of Future Past's already long runtime, so she ended up on the cutting room floor. Luckily Anna Paquin didn't seem too heartbroken, and her scenes were eventually made available to the fandom anyway. While the character became less vital to the story as the franchise lives on, Rogue's role in the first X-Men franchise was integral to the main plot, and the conflict between good and evil.

It should be interesting to see how Rogue functions onscreen once the deal between Disney and Fox is official. Rogue hasn't been part of the First Class franchise, which is set to continue with the upcoming release of Dark Phoenix. While she hasn't been seen onscreen in a number of years, that might change once the X-Men are adopted into the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Comic book fans are eager to see the mutants finally appear in the massive shared universe, although smart money says Disney will be rebooting the property, rather than simply incorporating the existing cast into the MCU.

This potential outcome is a bummer for fans who have followed the X-Men franchise for nearly two decades, but it opens up a ton of narrative possibilities for the titular team of Marvel heroes. Marvel Studios will get a fresh start at iconic characters like Wolverine, Cyclops, Magneto, and (hopefully) Rogue. Fans of Anna Paquin's signature X-Men character know that she's got a quite different origin in the comics than what was portrayed onscreen, so the MCU could break new ground and show a new side to casual moviegoers.

In the comics, Rogue is the adopted daughter of Mystique, who was trained to be a villain. Professor X eventually calls out to her, and she joins the X-Men and becomes a beloved member of the team. What's more, the backstory behind her powers directly relates to Carol Danvers, the character Brie Larson is bringing to theaters with Captain Marvel.

When working for Mystique, Rogue uses her power-stealing abilities to attack Carol Danvers aka Miss Marvel (this was before Captain Marvel became the character's primary name). She holds onto Carol so long that she absorbs her Kree abilities permanently, retaining super strength, near invulnerability, and flight-- in addition to her normal power. With Captain Marvel is set to be a major presence in the future of the MCU, it would be the perfect time to give Rogue the spotlight comic fans have been waiting for her to inhabit.

Unfortunately, most of Marvel's plans after Avengers: Endgame are a mystery. With the exception of Spider-Man: Far From Home, it's unclear what the future of the behemoth franchise holds. Fox and Disney's merger adds extra uncertainty to the situation, with the X-Men franchise still moving forward with the release of Dark Phoenix and The New Mutants. Additionally, there's the Deadpool franchise to worry about as well. While Disney will no doubt keep Ryan Reynolds character alive and well, fans have worried as to whether or not they'll still be rated R. All that remains to be seen, as the general public is left to wait for official news from either camp.

The next installment in the X-Men franchise will be Dark Phoenix on June 7th. In the meantime, check out our 2019 release list to plan your next trip to the movies.

Check Out The Brand New Star Wars: Rise Of Skywalker Stills Shared At Star Wars Celebration

Check Out The Brand New Star Wars: Rise Of Skywalker Stills Shared At Star Wars Celebration

It's a very exciting time for the generations of Star Wars fans out there. The annual Star Wars Celebration is currently going full force, and the festivities brought the first information regarding J.J. Abrams' Episode IX. The upcoming blockbuster's title was revealed to be The Rise of Skywalker, and it should be an epic story that wraps up the last eight movies of Star Wars flicks. The title was revealed during the final moments of the first teaser trailer, which teased the epic conclusion to the Skywalker Saga.

Prior to debuting the first trailer, the Episode IX panel at Star Wars Celebration brought out the cast and crew, with host Stephen Colbert inquiring about what The Rise of Skywalker might entail. During the presentation, still were revealed of each of the characters, and they didn't disappoint. Let's dive into what we were shown.

Poe's New Look

Poe Dameron is the ace pilot of the current trilogy, and one of the main protagonists alongside Rey and Finn. Poe usually functions in his own story, separate from his co-stars. But J.J. Abrams teased that The Rise of Skywalker will have the full group going on an adventure, and they're shown in the trailer wearing some fancy duds. Just check out Poe, who is in new casual gear to traverse an unknown desert planet. Actor Oscar Isaac commented on his affinity for Poe's scarf, so let's hope that Finn doesn't end up borrowing that item of clothing as well.

Supreme Leader Kylo Ren

Adam Driver may have been absent from Star Wars Celebration, but that doesn't mean Kylo Ren was. In addition to his brief appearances in the first The Rise of Skywalker trailer, fans were also treated to the first still of Ben Solo. After killing Snoke in The Last Jedi, Kylo is officially at the head of The First Order. The image shows him looking a bit rough for the wear, so perhaps the weight of his leadership is crushing him. Is there hope for Ben, as Rey thought in the last movie? We'll have to wait and see.

Resistance Leader Finn

Finn's journey from Stormtrooper to Rebel leader started with The Force Awakens, and broke new ground for the Star Wars franchise. After getting himself accidentally involved in the galactic conflict, Finn had a bit of an existential crisis in The Last Jedi. Was he meant to join The Resistance, or was it safer to run? In the end, he affirmed his position as a rebel, reuniting with Rey in the process. The first images from The Rise of Skywalker show Finn as his own person, rocking a new hairstyle and clothes in the process. It looks like being a leader suits him.

The Debut Of Jannah

While Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker has the pressure of wrapping up nine movies and servicing a variety of beloved characters, we should still expect some newcomers. Case in point: Jannah, played by Naomi Ackie. Not much is known about Ackie's mysterious character, but we got our first glimpse of Jannah during the panel presentation for Episode IX. She looks totally unique to any of the other characters, and it should be interesting to see how she affects the narrative of the upcoming blockbuster. Some fans are theorizing she could be Lando Calrissian's daughter, although the actress sidestepped the question by Stephen Colbert.

Rey's Classic Appearance

Daisy Ridley's Rey is the hero of the current Star Wars trilogy, and the first two movies have already shown her tremendous growth and Force Abilities. But this new still showed Rey in her classic signature costume, looking pretty consistent to her other appearances. And despite her Force Abilities and skill with a lightsaber, the image shows her still using a crude stick as a weapon. What's more, it's not even her signature staff. So many questions, so little time.

Finn And Poe Laughing

There's plenty of comedy in the current Star Wars trilogy, and some of the best moments have come from Poe Dameron. From his very first scene in The Force Awakens, Oscar Isaac's character was cracking jokes in the face of danger. The character's penchant for jokes was a major talking point for Isaac during the Episode IX panel, and this delightful photo was briefly shown. Despite the high stakes, it looks like Finn and Poe will find time to enjoy themselves in The Rise of Skywalker. And given all the fan rumors about the duo, this will only add fuel to the fire about a Poe/Finn romance.

The Return Of Rose Tico

Rose Tico was a new addition to the cast in The Last Jedi, and the rebel maintenance worker will likely have a significant role in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. The character was the subject of much controversy, as actress Kelly Marie Tran was a victim of intense online harassment and hate, eventually leaving social media altogether. She got a standing ovation at Star Wars Celebration, and it seems the fandom is eager to see how Rose factors into Episode IX. Looks like she's out of that coma, and is seen sharing a scene with Rey in her first still.

As a reminder, you can check out the first Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker trailer below. While it may be relatively short, there's enough reason for a re-watch. I've probably done it about 6 times already today.

These stills and the first trailer will come into context when Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker arrives in theaters on December 20th. In the meantime, check out our 2019 release list to plan your next trip to the movies.

More Layoffs Coming To Disney And Fox After Merger

More Layoffs Coming To Disney And Fox After Merger

As Disney continues to merge the 21st Century Fox organization into its existing structure, it's being reported that another round of significant layoffs are taking place. This time, layoffs are hitting both sides of the fence, with people within both the previous Fox company as well as Walt Disney Studios employees being cut. While no official statement has been made by Disney, the divisions that handle marketing, publicity, and domestic film distribution are expected to be the ones facing the biggest cuts.

It's too surprising to see cuts to these particular divisions happening now. It was just about 10 days ago that Walt Disney Studios released an updated release calendar, the first to include Fox projects. Making this decision was a major priority for the new company, and now that it was made, Disney knows exactly what its needs in the realm of distribution and marketing will be, and with that information, it knows how many employees will actually be needed. Clearly not as many as it has.

The Fox studio used to release a dozen or more movies in a year when it was a separate company, but is set to release only nine in 2020. Disney CEO Bob Iger says that he expects Fox will produce something life five to six films a year once things get settled. Clearly, with a reduction like that, there are going to be fewer employees needed to do the work of distribution and marketing those films.

We saw a first significant round of layoffs on March 21. The acquisition of Fox had been made official earlier that month. Those cuts reportedly were exclusive to the Fox side of the business, so this appears to be the first round of layoffs to have a significant impact on existing Disney cast members.

While the Disney/Fox merger may have some exciting possibilities when it comes to content, there are downsides from every other perspective. Having one fewer major studio will simply reduce the number of movies being made, which means fewer voices getting a chance to have their stories heard. It also means fewer people working in general, as these layoffs show.

The purchase of Fox in the first place was designed to make Disney more competitive in a modern media marketplace. Disney is launching the Disney+ streaming service in November and the Fox owned content like National Geographic adds to the depth of material the service will be able to provide.

At the same time, Disney has to keep its costs down as much as possible in order to remain as profitable as possible. Disney has already said that Disney+ will actually be a money loser in the short term of the next couple of years. Those loses will need to be offset by gains elsewhere, and that means keeping costs down at the movie studio.

Variety reports that the total number of layoffs could reach as many as 4,000 people before it's all over. We don't even know how many have been given the pink slip yet, so that means we also don't know how many more times this is going to happen.

How Avengers: Endgame Could Set Up Hawkeye's Partnership With Kate Bishop

How Avengers: Endgame Could Set Up Hawkeye's Partnership With Kate Bishop

With just weeks to go until Avengers: Endgame, more and more news about the film and what comes after is slowly but surely circulating the web. The latest is that Disney+ will reportedly have a Hawkeye series that will focus on the hero passing the torch to another character that some have speculated will appear in Avengers: Endgame for some time, Kate Bishop.

With reputable sources reporting Kate will be a part of the Hawkeye series, it's a possibility Marvel fans will get to see her first at some point in Avengers: Endgame. How this would go down, like most things about Avengers: Endgame at the moment, is a mystery, but here are some logical guesses that could predict how she's brought into the picture in the upcoming movie and how she links up with Clint Barton.

Kate Appears As An Adolescent

As we've mentioned in past coverage, there's something suspicious about that scene from the Avengers: Endgame trailer that shows Hawkeye training a young girl how to use a bow. While some have speculated this is his daughter, there are others who think it's actually a misdirection and that he's training a young Kate Bishop to be Hawkeye.

There's even a possibility it could be both, although there would be questions as to why Clint's daughter would be Kate Bishop and not Lila Barton. There are simple explanations for this that fans needn't get hung up on, and there's probably just as many scenarios in which these two have no relation and were brought together by circumstance. After all, quite a few kids surely lost parents in the snap, so perhaps Kate and Clint formed a bond through that.

One would assume that any scene with a young Kate Bishop in Avengers: Endgame wouldn't feature a ton of hero work, as her training to be Hawkeye is said to be a premise of the upcoming Disney + series. Therefore, if we do see Kate Bishop as a kid, don't expect a lot of ass-kicking. At least, not so much ass-kicking that she's already made hero status or something.

Kate Appears As An Adult

Regardless of whether Kate Bishop is the girl Hawkeye is teaching archery to or not in the trailer, it's also possible she's seen as an adult. Kate Bishop's origin typically starts with the Young Avengers, as she's a combat-skilled civilian and capable archer who sneaks onto the team by stealing the gear of Mockingbird and Hawkeye.

Things probably won't happen exactly like that in Avengers: Endgame, given the premise of the television show. That said, it's not an entirely impossible scenario as Hawkeye has traded out his gear for Ronin duds, and Kate could be an emboldened civilian wishing to help and stop feeling so helpless following the snap. A situation similar to her origin plays out where she takes Hawkeye's gear, but is sent away by the hero with a promise he'll train her later.

An adult version of Kate Bishop feels likely, especially given that we still don't know what Katherine Langford's role in Avengers: Endgame is. She has the look and the television experience thanks to her breakout role on the Netflix original series 13 Reasons Why to shoulder a lead role in the Hawkeye series. Introducing her in the film as Kate Bishop would be a subtle way to introduce her and promote the upcoming show which would explore more of her story.

Kate Appears As Hawkeye

Clint Barton's been separated from The Avengers from some time, so it's possible he may have been training Kate Bishop and none of Earth's Mightiest Heroes was aware of it. This would explain why he's Ronin now, as Bishop may already have the mantle of Hawkeye. It's a quick turnaround to create a hero, but when half of existence gets wiped out, one could imagine no one's complaining about beefing up the hero numbers a bit.

Should this be the case, there's a chance that the young girl shown with Hawkeye in the Avengers: Endgame trailer is not Kate Bishop. Some time will pass in Avengers: Endgame, but I would assume not so much that a child can go from middle-schooler to young adult. If that did happen, it could be because The Avengers used time travel and Hawkeye stayed behind to train Kate and keep the world safe in the time between the heroes traveling.

Which isn't a bad idea, because that leaves a gap of time for the Hawkeye series to take place. A series set within a timeline before the Avengers reset the events of the Snap would be cool to explore, and not entirely impossible to believe considering that Loki series could be a prequel. Not every Disney+ Marvel series necessarily has to take place post-Avengers: Endgame, so don't rule this one out as a possibility just yet.

Kate Appears As A Member Of Young Avengers

Another popular theory surrounding Avengers: Endgame is the possibility of a Quantum Realm-fueled jump into the future that puts the original Avengers face to face with The Young Avengers. There the team could meet Kate Bishop as the new Hawkeye and fight alongside her in battle. Once back in a present timeline, Clint realizes he needs to find that girl and train her to be the hero she could eventually become.

It's a far-reaching theory considering fans know nothing about the latter acts of the 3+ hour film that apparently won't have dull scenes for pee breaks, but there are some roots. Marvel's dropped breadcrumbs that imply an older Cassie Lang will appear as a hero, and she just so happens to be another key member of the Young Avengers alongside Kate Bishop. Now that Kate is confirmed to be a part of Marvel's future plans, this somewhat strengthens the theory.

We could speculate all day, but if there's one theory I'm feeling confident on, it's that Kate Bishop will appear in Avengers: Endgame in some way. Excluding her when there's a chance to promote the upcoming series with her appearance would be a mistake, and Marvel has been pretty good about cross promotion. Then again, the studio has somewhat dropped the ball on that in regards to television, but with Marvel Studios involved in these shows, things may be different.

The world will see if or how Kate Bishop appears in Avengers: Endgame when it premieres Thursday, April 25. Stick with CinemaBlend for all updates on the film and other entertainment news in the meantime.

Can Any Upcoming Movie Top Endgame's Opening Box Office Weekend?

Can Any Upcoming Movie Top Endgame's Opening Box Office Weekend?

In the months leading up to the release of Avengers: Endgame, box office projections varied on just how much the eagerly anticipated film would make opening weekend. Forecasting in the preceding months had it anywhere from $200 million to close to $300 million. A massive amount, to be sure, but not a guarantee to become the biggest domestic opening weekend of all time held by last year’s Avengers: Infinity War with $257.7 million.

As we got closer to the film’s release and pre-sales records were being shattered, it seemed obvious that Endgame would snag the top spot, and the fantasy of a $300 million opening seemed like it could become a reality. But even a box office Nostradamus, possessed with Captain America’s giddy optimism couldn’t have predicted what actually happened.

Avengers: Endgame was a cultural event like no other, baffling the industry by rocketing past $300 million and ultimately landing at $357.1 million. This was a feat that seemed not only improbable given previous box office records, but nearly impossible given its three-hour runtime. This was cinematic history and at least from an opening weekend standpoint, Avengers: Endgame is the biggest movie of our lifetimes.

The opening weekend for Avengers: Endgame was so big, I have to ask, can any upcoming movie possibly top it?

Avengers: Endgame is 2019’s biggest movie, but it is far from this year’s only massive tentpole. This summer has some huge releases like the long-awaited Toy Story 4. That film has mass appeal ,and last year’s Incredibles 2 showed the power of nostalgic Pixar franchises, but no animated film has ever opened to over $200 million, much less $300 million. Toy Story 4 would have to nearly double Incredibles 2’s $182.7 million opening weekend to get the job done, and it’s only tracking for $130 million at the moment.

After that, Spider-Man: Far From Home should certainly benefit from being the first MCU film after Endgame, but the highest the Web-Slinger has ever climbed is Spider-Man 3’s $151.1 million, and no MCU solo movie except for Black Panther has topped $200 million opening weekend.

Moving on, in July we have one of this year’s strongest contenders, the "live-action" reimagining of The Lion King. Of the films in the Disney Renaissance, The Lion King anecdotally seems to be the one with the highest nostalgia quotient, alongside Beauty and the Beast. The live-action reimagining of that film opened to an incredible $174.7 million in 2017.

I expect The Lion King to best that and actually cross the $200 million barrier in its opening weekend. However, no matter how beloved The Lion King is, it is still something we’ve seen before, so there won’t be the same kind of necessity to rush out to the theater to avoid spoilers that Avengers: Endgame had going for it. Crossing $350 million for a remake is a big ask.

In November, Disney’s dominant year continues with Frozen II. The first film had major legs at the box office as it snowballed into a phenomenon, so I expect the sequel to open bigger than the original’s $67.4 million, but over five times as much seems like a stretch.

Then we get to December, and here is where things get interesting. In 2015, the return of Star Wars in the form of J.J. Abrams’ Star Wars: The Force Awakens set the $247.9 million opening weekend mark that Infinity War bested last year. Even with a decade’s worth of waiting for the franchise to return, that incredible box office is still over $100 million south of what Avengers: Endgame just did. Beyond that, Star Wars: The Last Jedi opened to less than The Force Awakens with $220 million.

Given that trajectory, the divided fanbase after Episode VIII and the disappointing performance of Solo: A Star Wars Story, what hope does Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker have of besting Endgame?

If I had to guess, I don’t think it will, but The Rise of Skywalker has a lot going for it. J.J. Abrams seems to be trying to unite the fanbase and appeal to fans of the Original Trilogy, and by bringing back Emperor Palpatine, he caters to both the OT and the Prequel fans. Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker also has the same special thing that Avengers: Endgame had; it’s the end of a Saga, and it’s being billed as such.

That’s a powerful thing, and disaffected or not, all fans will want to know how this trilogy and nine-film saga ends. The Rise of Skywalker will carry the same must-see quality and fear of spoilers that Avengers: Endgame did, and it will be a cinematic event that everyone is talking about. So I think it has a shot, but it’s a long one.

Looking at both the 2019 and 2020 calendars, next year looks somewhat barren by comparison. Things have yet to be announced and we still don’t know exactly what Marvel’s 2020 releases are, but there aren’t as many obvious contenders for Endgame’s crown.

The MCU films will be big, but without a team-up movie, I doubt any title, especially one with new characters, will have the juice to climb that mountain. If Black Panther 2 hits in 2020, I could see it surpassing the first film and nipping at Infinity War’s heels, but not Endgame’s.

Christopher Nolan has a big new movie coming out next summer as well, but without an established brand attached, it would be more likely to develop into a phenomenon over time versus debuting as one opening weekend. Beyond that, there aren’t a lot of great prospects. Bond 25, Birds of Prey and Wonder Woman 1984 all belong to big franchises, but aren't nearly big enough to surpass Avengers: Endgame.

Fast and Furious 9 is scheduled for next year, and although that will likely be one of the year’s biggest movies, in that franchise, only Furious 7 has cracked $100 million domestic in its opening weekend. The Fast and Furious franchise is much bigger internationally and it’s not fair to compare those opening weekends since not all films release at the same time in different markets.

Pending a delay, 2020 will finally see the release of James Cameron’s Avatar 2, which will be very interesting to watch. I’ve written before about why the Avatar sequels will not fail, but not failing and making $350+ million opening weekend are two different things entirely. I expect Avatar 2 to do well, but primarily overseas.

It just doesn’t seem like there will be the necessary kind of hype and anticipation domestically. If Avatar 2 is to be a hit here, I think a strong, but not insane opening, followed by major box office legs, similar to its predecessor, seems more likely than a record-breaking opening weekend.

As far as the known knowns are concerned, there are some intriguing contenders like The Rise of Skywalker, but there don’t look to be any films that would be favored to wrest the opening weekend record away from Avengers: Endgame. So what about the known unknowns and the unknown unknowns?

J.K Rowling’s Wizarding World is one of the most powerful and popular brands out there, but the Fantastic Beasts franchise has never attained the heights of Harry Potter. After Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald, I don’t expect 2021’s Fantastic Beasts 3 to change that.

Star Wars is taking a break from the cinema after The Rise of Skywalker, so depending how that film ends and is received, and how long the wait is until whatever’s next, the return of the franchise could be pretty big. That hypothetical scenario might have a real shot at Endgame’s record.

There is also Matt Reeves’ Batman movie that we’re all eager to see. But because that film will introduce a new Caped Crusader, it won’t have the established audience investment to open at Avengers: Endgame’s level.

Frankly, from our current vantage, the most likely film to unseat Avengers: Endgame will be something from the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and Black Widow, The Eternals and Shang-Chi won’t be enough. Five of the top 10 opening weekends of all time are MCU team up movies and it will likely take another strong team to dethrone the current king. But it will take a while to do that.

Part of why Avengers: Endgame was so big was because it was, like Marvel said, the culmination of a decade’s worth of nearly two-dozen films. Audiences followed its characters for years and wanted to see how their stories ended. With the mantle being passed to new characters and new franchises, it will take time to build that same level of investment.

There will probably be another Avengers movie eventually or some other team-up that mixes characters new and old, but even without yet knowing Marvel’s Phase 4 plans, that doesn’t appear to be on the horizon. Maybe in 5+ years we’ll get the X-Men introduced into the MCU and that will lead to Avengers vs. X-Men, it'll just take some time.

The difficulty of this exercise illustrates just how incredible Avengers: Endgame’s opening weekend was. The fact that even the final Star Wars film in the Skywalker Saga is an underdog against it is testament to Endgame’s nearly unfathomable achievement. So can any upcoming movie top Endgame’s opening weekend box office?

Looking at the calendar, the short answer would appear to be no, but if you would have asked people a month ago if Avengers: Endgame would make over $350 million domestically in its opening weekend, they too would have had complete confidence responding in the negative. Records are made to be broken and you can never say never.

Clichés aside, before 2012’s The Avengers, no film had made over $200 million in its opening weekend, and before Spider-Man in 2002, no film had ever made more than $100 million opening weekend. Inflation goes up, films keep getting bigger and as Deadline’s Anthony D’Alessandro has explained, the once unthinkable $300 million weekend was possible because of the infrastructure in place thanks to the digital cinema revolution.

If the demand is there, theaters are able to meet it by programming their screens for the hottest titles, and they aren’t limited by only having a certain number of physical prints of a film. Therefore, it stands to reason that eventually Avengers: Endgame’s record and even the $400 million opening weekend barrier will fall.

But it will take a movie with four-quadrant appeal, a favorable rating, a massive build and a powerful brand or franchise name attached to it. That perfect storm doesn’t look like it will happen anytime soon, but hey, it would be great to be surprised.

J.J. Abrams Compares His Last Days On Rise Of Skywalker And The Force Awakens

J.J. Abrams Compares His Last Days On Rise Of Skywalker And The Force Awakens

Fans just got their first look at Star Wars: Episode IX - The Rise of Skywalker, but the journey is already over for most of the cast and crew. Not J.J. Abrams, though. He finished filming but, as the director of the movie, he's still working hard in post-production before the film's December release. Abrams also directed Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens, the first film in this sequel trilogy. Now he's closing out the entire Skywalker Saga.

J.J. Abrams was recently asked to compare his last days filming the two Star Wars films. As you can imagine, Rise of Skywalker had more emotional impact than Force Awakens:

The last day on this one [Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker] was a more emotional last day, because we knew it was the last day. There wasn't another movie, there wasn't another plan to get together. This was the end of what for I think all of us felt like a blink of an eye. And here we are at the end of this moment. The truth is, though, as a director, the end of the shoot is the beginning of post, and the beginning of post is the beginning of a long road of luckily getting to work with a lot of great people. ... In post, it's mostly editors and visual effects artists, and of course like John Williams, which is maybe the best part of the entire experience, getting to go to recording sessions with the orchestra.

Yes, we so often focus on first and last days of filming, but there's so much that happens before the actors even get to set, and still more after they leave. It would be a dream to watch John Williams and the orchestra working on any Star Wars score.

J.J. Abrams continued telling Jake Hamilton how the end of his first Star Wars movie was quite different from his (probably) last:

The end of Force Awakens, we felt like 'Oh my god, we did it.' But we still didn't quite know what it would even look like, in a way. And on this one it was more like 'Oh no, we're not going to see each other again in this way maybe ever.'

There's a lot of hugging in the Star Wars galaxy, and you'll probably remember the Rey/Finn/Poe hug photo J.J. Abrams shared on February 15 to mark the official end of Episode IX filming.

Thanks to his new interview with Jake Hamilton at Star Wars Celebration 2019, we have more insight into how J.J. Abrams was feeling that day. We'll be hearing a lot more from Abrams and the cast as we get closer to The Rise of Skywalker's release.

Once the movie opens, we'll hear even more from J.J. Abrams as he explains the decisions that were made along the way. He had to do a lot of that after The Force Awakens, just as Rian Johnson did after The Last Jedi, and George Lucas has had to do for decades now, especially after the prequels. Fans love Star Wars films, but they also feel so passionately about them -- well, you know.

Here's more of what we know so far about Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. The film opens in theaters December 20, as one of the many films worth keeping track of with our handy 2019 movie release date schedule.