How The Avatar Crew Feels About Fox Selling To Disney

How The Avatar Crew Feels About Fox Selling To Disney

Avatar is the highest-grossing movie of all time, which also makes it 20th Century Fox's highest-grossing movie. It's certainly something the studio had a right to brag about. But now Disney owns Fox, and James Cameron can no longer lean on his tight relationship with Rupert Murdoch and family. That relationship started with Aliens back in 1986 and was meant to continue through the upcoming Avatar sequels.

So how does the Avatar team feel about Fox now being owned by Disney? Bittersweet is one word to describe it. Here's what Titanic and Avatar producer Jon Landau had to say:

We're very sad the Murdochs chose to sell the company. But if they're going to sell the company, there's nobody better than Disney to sell it to. They get Avatar in terms of what its potential is, not just as a movie but as a franchise.

And Disney has enough money to fund it all, so that helps.

Jon Landau is James Cameron's producer at Lightstorm Entertainment, and he stayed positive and hopeful in his quote to The Hollywood Reporter. As THR noted, James Cameron had an unusually strong bond with Fox's Murdochs -- in one example, they gave him the extra time he needed for the much-delayed Titanic, which certainly paid off -- and now he's working for Disney. Disney is a place where IP like Marvel and Star Wars are the real stars and he's not likely to have any kind of special relationship like he enjoyed with the Murdochs.

However, the Avatar team has already worked with Disney on past projects, including theme parks, so it's not like they are all strangers starting from scratch.

There are four planned sequels to Avatar, which made $2,787,965,087 worldwide after its December 2009 release. A couple of months ago, producer Jon Landau said each movie would be a standalone movie, and you won't have had to see Avatar to enjoy Avatar 2. (But is there anyone left who hasn't seen Avatar?)

In 2016, James Cameron said the storyline of the sequels would follow Jake (Sam Worthington) and Neytiri (Zoe Saldana) and their children, as more of a family saga about the struggle with the humans.

In January 2019, Disney CEO Bob Iger referenced two Avatar sequels on the way, but noted Disney hadn't given Avatar 4 and 5 the green light at that point. However, Jon Landau followed that by saying Iger's quotes may have been misinterpreted --- telling HeyUGuys not only were Avatar 4 and 5 greenlit, they had already filmed part of Avatar 4.

In February, Jon Landau told Collider the performance-capture parts of Avatar 2 and Avatar 3 -- and part of Avatar 4 -- were complete. He said they would be filming the live-action portions in New Zealand this spring, aka right about now.

Just recently in late March, Jon Landau told THR they were moving forward on production the same way they were before the Disney/Fox deal officially closed last week.

Way back in 2006, James Cameron had said if Avatar was successful, he wanted to make two sequels. Well, it did pretty well. Sequels were originally scheduled for 2014 and 2015. Obviously that didn't happen, and future dates also didn't pan out.

James Cameron is no stranger to delays, and no stranger to gigantic blockbusters. The good news is that technology has advanced so much in the past decade that the sequels should be more impressive than ever.

As of now, Avatar 2 is scheduled for release on December 18, 2020, which would be exactly 11 years after Avatar opened. Avatar 2 is currently scheduled for December 17, 2021. The next films are expected in 2024 and 2025.

By the way, Jon Landau and James Cameron also produced Alita: Battle Angel for Fox. There are question marks on whether that film made enough to justify sequels, but it sounds like the ball might be in Disney's court for that decision.

Stop Asking O'Shea Jackson About Space Jam 2, People

Stop Asking O'Shea Jackson About Space Jam 2, People

Reporting on casting rumors in Hollywood can be a tricky business. While it’s true that stuff leaks all the time and winds up being true, there are many instances when false information makes its way around town despite not actually holding any water. This article is about a case of the latter – specifically involving actor O’Shea Jackson Jr. and the developing Space Jam 2. See what I mean by clicking play on the video below:

I recently attended the Los Angeles press junket for the new Jonathan Levine comedy Long Shot, and while sitting down with O’Shea Jackson Jr. I took the opportunity to ask him about projects that he has in the works… or at least a project that I thought he had in the works. While preparing for the interview, I noticed on the actor’s IMDb page that he was listed as a co-star in Space Jam 2, and given the heat that project has I was curious about what kind of significance it had for him.

As it turns out, though, the Straight Outta Compton star actually has no relationship with the production at this current time, and had a rather funny reaction when I brought the movie up in conversation.

I was clearly not the first person to bring up Space Jam 2 that day, and the confusion that the fake casting rumor evoked from O’Shea Jackson Jr. was rather entertaining. While he did note it’s a project of which he’d like to be a part, at this time it is definitely not something with which he is currently involved. And this is despite the fact that the project is STILL listed on his IMDb page as one of his upcoming movies alongside Michael Dougherty’s Godzilla: King Of The Monsters and Destin Daniel Cretton’s Just Mercy:

So what is going on with Space Jam 2? The long-awaited sequel, which has been developing for many years, is set to star LeBron James as himself, essentially taking over the role that Michael Jordan played in the 1996 original, and will see him on a special adventure featuring the familiar Looney Tunes stars. With Ryan Coogler on board as a producer, director Terence Nance is attached to make the movie as his second feature after the 2012 animated An Oversimplification of Her Beauty. There have been reports that the movie will co-star Star Trek: Discovery’s Sonequa Martin-Green, who will apparently be playing James’ wife, but given the situation with O’Shea Jackson Jr., it almost feels appropriate to throw that out there with a grain of salt until she personally confirms the casting.

I guess we’ll just have to wait and see if O’Shea Jackson Jr.-in-Space Jam 2 is a thing that really comes together, but the good news is that fans won’t have to wait until July 2021 to hypothetically see the actor back up on the big screen. Long Shot, which stars Jackson, Seth Rogen, Charlize Theron, June Diane Raphael, Ravi Patel, and Andy Serkis, will be in theaters this Friday – and we’ll have more from my interviews with the cast and director coming very soon, so stay tuned here on CinemaBlend!

Everything You Need To Know About Black Panther Going Into Phase 4

Everything You Need To Know About Black Panther Going Into Phase 4

If it was not already obvious, the Black Panther movie is getting a sequel we can expect to see in Phase Four of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, which mean's we'll be spending plenty of time with T'Challa post Avengers: Endgame.

Originally, Chadwick Boseman’s portrayal of the King of Wakanda made his first appearance in 2016’s Captain America: Civil War, before returning in his solo Black Panther movie in 2018, which grossed over $1 billion worldwide and became an Oscar-nominee for Best Picture. Now that we have seen him fight alongside the Avengers in two movies over the past year, we are anxious to see what is next in store for T’Challa in his homeland.

Speaking of, as of now, there is still very little known in regards to what we can expect. Will we see Heart Shaped Herb regrow? Will Wakanda be equipped with extra security measures meant to keep out large, purple men? Could we see Michael B. Jordan reprise his role as a resurrected Erik Killmonger?

Let's take a peek behind the scenes and between the pages of Marvel comics and see what else we could see from the titular Black Panther and the rest of the Wakandan key figures moving forward. As always, there are some minor spoilers from recent Marvel movies that can be found throughout this piece. Only keep reading on if you are caught up!

Ryan Coogler Directing Black Panther 2

We would proudly make the claim the Black Panther movies are destined for a bright future as long as Ryan Coogler is there to guide them. Thankfully, he is not going away anytime soon.

The young, yet illustrious, movie-making wizard is returning to the Marvel Cinematic Universe to direct his first sequel, a chance he actually opted out of previously, choosing Black Panther over the follow-up to his acclaimed 2015 Rocky spin-off, Creed.

Ryan Coogler has a lot to expand on with the next chapter of his most successful venture yet, following the rise, fall, and rise of T’Challa in battle against Thanos in Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame. There are very few plot details available yet to see what RyanCoogler’s vision will give us in the next film.

Fortunately, as we tend to do as fans, we have come up with a few ideas for him in mind.

T’Challa Is Still The Ruler Of Wakanda

T’Challa never yielded and, as we could see in the conclusion of Avengers: Endgame, he is not dead.

Yes, Chadwick Boseman’s T’Challa returned to Wakanda after Hulk snapped him back to life with the Avengers’ homemade Infinity Gauntlet to continue his reign as the country's leader and protector. Of course, based on the first post-credits scene in Black Panther, the African nation is due for some big changes.

T’Challa announced to the United Nations that Wakanda would be going public with its super advanced technology and plentiful resources, which has us curious about what sort of sociopolitical commentary Ryan Coogler will use as a jumping-off point in the Black Panther sequel.

My biggest questions regard how T’Challa plans to move forward following the Decimation. The king has five years of absence to make up for and we imagine the newly resurrected Wakandans have a lot of questions about the state of their country in a post-Thanos world. What sort of issues are there left to solve and what changes is Wakanda destined to go through?

Regardless, we are just as excited to see more of T’Challa the leader as we are to see more of T’Challa the Black Panther. However...

T’Challa Is Not The Only Black Panther In The Marvel Universe

Shuri, T’Challa’s sister and princess of Wakanda brought to life by Letitia Wright, has proven herself to be one of the best Black Panther characters as a heroine on the battlefield and in the lab. A brilliant scientist, she has designed many of Wakanda’s most innovative creations, improved her brother’s Black Panther suit with nano technology, and came closer to saving Vision from death by Mind Stone removal in Avengers: Infinity War than Bruce Banner did.

As we have seen in Black Panther and Avengers: Endgame, she can kick butt just as well as her brother. Her comic book persona is no exception, given that Shuri would eventually inherit his title.

When T’Challa suffers critical injuries from battle, Shuri must assume the role of Wakanda’s leader and as the Black Panther, as her brains and brawn have proven her worthy. Currently, we have no way of knowing that such a situation will occur with the Black Panther characters in the sequel, but we would love to see at least a hint about this heading into Phase Four.

Furthermore, given that we have seen a rise in more female-centric films in the Marvel Cinematic Universe with the success Captain Marvel and the anticipation for Scarlett Johansson’s solo Black Widow movie, we would not be surprised to see Shuri get her own moment in the spotlight.

A Fun Idea For The Next Black Panther Villain

There has been much speculation over who T’Challa will face off against in the Black Panther movies moving forward, particularly in Black Panther 2.

Rumors say Michael B. Jordan might reprise his role as Black Panther villain Kilmonger (somehow). There have been reports that Ryan Koogler has spoken to Donald Glover about appearing in the film, perhaps as his Spider-Man: Homecoming character if we don’t want to mess with continuity. There is even support for Black Panther soundtrack producer Kendrick Lamar to be the bad guy.

I may have a better idea.

Black Panther has fought many adversaries throughout the Marvel universe in the comics, among them is the ruthless Latverian leader Victor Von Doom. Not only does that concept give us the perfect set up for a battle between two warriors of royal authority, but also paves way for another group of superhero favorites to finally make an introduction into the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Since Doctor Doom is the archenemy of the Fantastic Four, why not see a team-up between Black Panther and Marvel’s first superhero family? Given the Black Panther character's first appearance was in a Fantastic Four comic, we cannot think of a better way to introduce them into this world now that Disney holds the keys to serve them justice. Still, given rights are still a complicated issue and it may be years before Fox's Marvel characters are shuffled into continuity, this may just be wishful thinking on my part.

Speaking of the Disney taking control of Fox characters…

Could A Future Black Panther Movie See Wakanda Getting A New Queen?

The end of the first Black Panther movie hinted that T’Challa would not rule Wakanda alone, taking Nakia (Lupita N’Yongo) as his wife and queen. Yet, the Wakandan covert operative was absent from both Avengers: Infinity War and Endgame.

So, either she has just been carrying out her royal responsibilities behind the scenes and has yet to return in the Black Panther sequel, or maybe she and T’Challa broke up. While we would love to see the great Lupita Nyong'o reprise her role, if she were to exit the franchise, this would also leave room for another Marvel character to accept the throne.

In the comics, T’Challa befriends and eventually marries Ororo Munroe, better known under her X-Men alias, Storm. The Avenger and the mutant rule hand-in-hand and fight alongside in battle. What better way to kick off the X-Men’s role in the Marvel Cinematic Universe following the Disney-Fox merger but with Storm as Queen of Wakanda?

While it may seem like overkill in passing to have the Black Panther sequel as a jumping off point for this many characters to become a part of the MCU (and Dark Phoenix’s Storm actress Alexandra Shipp has already voiced against this idea), to many fans, this would a sweet trip to Nerdvana if at some point during Phase Four the Black Panther universe got a storyline of this ilk.

What would you like to see from Wakanda in future Marvel movies? Let us know in the comments below and be sure check back for more updates here on CinemaBlend. Oh, and Wakanda forever!

Sounds Like Avengers: Endgame Was Always Going To Be The Movie’s Title

Sounds Like Avengers: Endgame Was Always Going To Be The Movie’s Title

When it was first announced, many years ago, it was known as Avengers: Infinity War - Part 2. In time, that vague subtitle was dropped, and the legitimate title reveal was left a mystery. But eventually, the conclusion to the cliffhanger left at the end of Avengers: Infinity War became known as Avengers: Endgame, lifted (in part) from Doctor Stephen Strange’s hint to Tony Stark that he is “in the endgame now.” When CinemaBlend got a chance to interview Endgame co-director Anthony Russo, we asked him flat out if he and his brother, Joe, ever considered any other subtitles for the upcoming Marvel movie, and he confirmed:

Yeah, you know, look, you might get different answers from different people about this. But, my brother and I, we've been very focused on Endgame ever since, you know what I mean? Ever since we started writing those scripts with [Christopher] Markus and [Stephen] McFeely. So yeah, we've been very focused on that. There was never another title.

The subtitle Endgame doesn’t only have to refer to the line spoken by Benedict Cumberbatch before he turns to dust. Tony (Robert Downey Jr.) actually spoke it in this pivotal scene in Avengers: Age of Ultron.

The Avengers can deal with small threats on Earth all day long. Tony knew that the real battle had to be taken to the skies – to the galaxies – if our planet ever was going to feel real peace. So, is that what we are going to see in Avengers: Endgame?

There are subplots that need to play out in this upcoming movie. The Avengers need to avenge the fallen, and make Thanos pay for his crimes. But what if that’s only half of Endgame? In the recent Captain Marvel, we met two significant alien life forms in the Kree and the Skrulls. Could there be a lot more space stuff coming up in Endgame than what we anticipate? Could the team encounter even stranger stuff in the Quantum Realm?

We’re so close to finding out. Joe and Anthony Russo’s pending blockbuster will be the culmination of a journey that began way back in Iron Man, and has powered through the past 11 years with one overarching story, broken in numerous parts. We, personally, can’t wait to see how it ends on April 26. And as of today, tickets for Avengers: Endgame are currently on sale, so be sure to hurry and grab seats at your favorite local theater, before they are all gone.

Mark Hamill Reveals His Favorite Star Wars Film

Mark Hamill Reveals His Favorite Star Wars Film

There is arguably no film franchise quite as big as Star Wars. George Lucas' colorful world has entranced audiences for decades, as each new installment in the epic space opera results in massive box office numbers. And with Disney in charge of Lucasfilm, new and challenging installments have been brought to theaters every single year. The Skywalker Saga started back with A New Hope, and will conclude with J.J. Abrams still untitled Episode IX later this year.

With so many installments in the galaxy far, far away, the rabid fandom has plenty of options regarding which Star Wars movie is their favorite. This includes those intimately involved in the property, like franchise hero Mark Hamill. Hamill recently revealed his favorite Star Wars flick, saying:

It's like pick your favorite child. You like them all for different reasons. I guess I'd probably have to go with Empire [Strikes Back], only because it was so unexpected to have the protagonist be so soundly defeated, losing the hand and the dad Vader, all of it was pretty unexpected. And it was much more cerebral: Yoda is such an important addition to the mythology and I thought it was so clever of George [Lucas], the concept of the Force, so that you could talk about religion and spirituality without making people uncomfortable. So for that alone.

Luke Skywalker has spoken. And he's chosen perhaps the most popular Star Wars movie in the entire franchise. Everyone loves the twist and turns of Empire Strikes Back, and that includes the film's protagonist as well.

Mark Hamill's comments to THR echo the general feelings of the Star Wars fandom. Empire Strikes back may be fifth in the franchise's timeline, but it was actually the second Star Wars movie to ever hit theaters back in 1980. The movie is decidedly darker than its predecessor, and contains some mind blowing twits thanks to Luke's parentage. Plus, it introduces Frank Oz's beloved Jedi Master Yoda on Dagobah.

Empire Strikes Back is such a great movie that it's often considered one of the best sequels in the film world. As such, plenty of filmmakers have compared their sequels with Empire. George Lucas built upon the galaxy he created with A New Hope, and brought all the leading characters to new places, further developing their characters. Add in the twists and dark ending, and there's a recipe that has resonated with cinephiles for decades.

It should be fascinating to see where Luke Skywalker's story ultimately ends with J.J. Abrams' mysterious Episode IX. While Luke seemingly perished in The Last Jedi after using Force Projection, Mark Hamill is set to return in some capacity with the next movie. Smart money says he'll be a Force Ghost, but we'll just have to wait and see how it all shakes up.

Episode IX will arrive in theaters on December 20th. In the meantime, check out our 2019 release list to plan your next trip to the movies.

Wait, Was Kraglin In Avengers: Endgame?

Wait, Was Kraglin In Avengers: Endgame?

Once Captain America says the words “Avengers Assemble” in Endgame’s final battle sequence, the big screen crowds with MCU characters from every corner of the universe including the Wakandans, Masters of the Mythic Arts, the Valkyrie and the rest of the Guardians of the Galaxy. There’s so much happening that we certainly missed the entire roll call of Marvel characters.

In celebration of the movie’s release, Robert Downey Jr. took to Instagram to share the massive amount of people involved in the scene, with a four-photo wide group photo of the cast and crew. In the second shot, Sean Gunn is dressed in character for Guardians of the Galaxy’s Kraglin. This is awkward… was he in the movie? Take a look:

If you’re having trouble finding the fan-favorite Ravager, Sean Gunn can be seen behind and to the right of Chris Hemsworth’s Thor – just look for that braided beard. This is a bit of a surprise because Kraglin didn’t have a big moment in Endgame. Perhaps he was in the background while our eyes were focused on another dominant character and we missed him?

Just about every character showed up for the battle scene, so it’s not tough to imagine that the new leader of the Ravagers came out to assemble for battle. Fans spotted a Howard the Duck cameo during the sequence, and there were tons of unexpected MCU characters in the movie, including Robert Redford’s Alexander Pierce, Natalie Portman’s Jane Foster, Harley Keener from Iron Man 3 and Edwin Jarvis from ABC’s cancelled Agent Carter series.

Perhaps you spotted Sean Gunn’s Kraglin fighting the good fight in Endgame? According to Fandom’s MCU Wiki, the character led the Ravagers into battle through one of the portals. Kraglin certainly wasn’t in Infinity War, so the group shot had to be from Endgame.

For the finale scene, the Russos likely shot more moments including various MCU characters then what made the final cut so while Kraglin didn’t have a particularly memorable moment in Endgame, he may have still filmed one.

If Sean Gunn wasn’t donning Kraglin’s gear (with a new fin) in the picture, we could easily count him in for his work as Rocket the Racoon. While Bradley Cooper voices the furry Guardian, Gunn has played the stand-in on set since the 2014 film and did so again for Infinity War and Endgame. Since he’d be on set already for Rocket, it would be easy for him to make a quick change to Kraglin for a scene in the battle.

While now we’re second guessing Kraglin’s appearance in Avengers: Endgame, he’ll likely return to the upcoming Phase 4 film Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, to be helmed by his brother James Gunn. Did you see Kraglin in Endgame? Tell us in the comments below.

Captain Marvel's Lack Of Endgame Screen Time Explained By The Russo Brothers

Captain Marvel's Lack Of Endgame Screen Time Explained By The Russo Brothers

Spoilers ahead for Avengers: Endgame.

The Russo Brothers did the seemingly impossible with their pair of Avengers movies, expertly balancing a massive cast and keeping the movie remarkably character-driven. Endgame exceeded even the expectations set with Infinity War, as the survivors of Thanos' snap teamed up to Avenge the fallen and get back what they lost.

Endgame also brought Brie Larson's Captain Marvel to the greater MCU, following her first solo movie. And while she factored into both of the battles with Thanos in the movie, Carol Danvers wasn't a huge presence in the film. The Russo Brothers recently explained the character's lack of screen time compared to other heroes, with Joe Russo saying:

It was a story about the original six. That was the focus of the film, to conclude a 10-year saga about those characters. And Carol’s a fairly new character.

Well, that was honest. Captain Marvel may have had a strong origin story that made a ton of money at the box office, but The Russo Brothers simply weren't focusing on Carol Danvers much for Avengers: Endgame. It was primarily a story about the OG team, although Captain Marvel saved the day more than once.

Avengers: Endgame was deeply connected to the previous 21 movies in the MCU, especially when it came to the long tenure of the original lineup. Members of the first team like Iron Man, Captain America, and Black Widow were given the focus they deserve, while the other characters like Captain Marvel helped move that story forward.

Related: Captain Marvel Will Lead The MCU, Kevin Feige Says

In their same conversation with Empire (via Fatherly), The Russo Brothers also revealed that Carol Danvers' lack of a relationship with the surviving Avengers also prevented her from being essential to the main storyline. As Anthony Russo put it,

[Carol] had no depth of relationship with those other characters, which on one side is an opportunity, but also – when you have a story that’s this size – you have to work with an economy of storytelling in order to maximize the journey in the movie.

Time is money, and The Russo Brothers had to cram a ton of content into the runtime of Avengers: Endgame. And since Carol Danvers didn't have any super interesting personal dynamics with the rest of the survivors, she functioned on more of a tertiary level to the blockbuster. Still, Thanos' death wouldn't have been possible without her. Both times.

Carol Danvers first appeared in Avengers: Endgame in space, rescuing Nebula and Tony in the knick of time. Shortly after, she and the rest of the heroes boarded The Benatar to track down Thanos at The Farm. But after the time jump, she was absent from the Time Heist-- citing issues across the galaxy she had to tend to.

Captain Marvel returned to Earth in the knick of time, destroying Thanos' massive ship in the process. She also helped transport the Infinity Gauntlet through the warzone, before engaging with Thanos directly. She stopped the Mad Titan from snapping his finger, allowing the time for Tony to steal the stones and end him once and for all. Now we'll have to see what's next for Carol in the post-Endgame world.

Captain Marvel's presence in Avengers: Endgame wasn't all that substantial, but it was still exciting to see Carol Danvers crossing over and interacting with Earth's Mightiest Heroes. And much of the film's events wouldn't have been possible without her role. After all, Tony Stark seemed moments away from death when she appeared to tow him and Nebula home to Earth.

While Brie Larson's fans might have been disappointed that the Room star didn't have as big a role in Avengers: Endgame as the original team, but her massive powers have the potential to complicate scenes like the Time Heist and Thanos' assault on the Avengers Compound. Captain Marvel is by far the most powerful hero in the MCU, surpassing the likes of Thor and Scarlet Witch. So she has the potential to end certain conflict before they start. Just look at how quickly Thanos was decapitated in Endgame.

Captain Marvel's big entrance in the Avengers: Endgame final battle was an epic one, and helped turn the tide of the battle for Earth. She evened the odds by destroying Thanos' ship, preventing him from raining fire on the battlefield. Thanos also could have snapped his fingers and ended everything, but was stopped by Captain Marvel. At least until he used the Power Stone to send her flying.

It should be interesting to see how Captain Marvel factors into the Marvel Cinematic Universe during its mysterious Phase Four. There's bound to be a passing of the guard in the new slate of movies, where the newer heroes step out of the background and into the main narrative. Iron Man and Captain America's tenures are up, and Black Widow likely won't be revived in the main timeline. As such, the newer characters should get more of a spotlight.

Considering the massive box office performance of Captain Marvel, we should expect the title character to have a big role in Phase Four and beyond. Additionally, Anthony Mackie's Sam Wilson was given the mantle of Captain America, and Spider-Man: Far From Home may be setting up Peter Parker as the next Iron Man. Smart money says that Doctor Strange and Black Panther also get their first sequels as well, transitioning the fandom to a new class of Avengers.

Captain Marvel's sequel could go seemingly anywhere, as there's decades of time between her solo movie and eventual appearance in Avengers: Endgame. She's been helping to police the entire galaxy, so there's plenty of stories to be explored. Plus, we never saw how her conflict with the Supreme Intelligence went.

There are some fans hoping that Ms. Marvel might be introduced in the follow-up to Captain Marvel, including Brie Larson herself. We'll just have to wait for Marvel Studios to finally reveal its plans for the future.

Avengers: Endgame is in theaters now. Be sure to check out our 2019 release list to plan your next trip to the movies.