When The Black Widow Movie Should Start Filming, According To David Harbour

When The Black Widow Movie Should Start Filming, According To David Harbour

The Marvel Cinematic Universe is in a truly fascinating place right now. Avengers: Endgame is just weeks away, and the future of the MCU is largely a mystery. Marvel Studios is keeping its plans close to chest for Phase Four, as releasing the next slate of films has the potential to spoil the events of Endgame. But there are a few developing projects to keep an eye out for, including the long-awaited Black Widow movie.

The Black Widow movie has been slowly coming together, as director Cate Shortland has been assembling her cast and crew. Joining Scarlett Johansson for her first Marvel solo flick is Stranger Things fan favorite David Harbour, who already dipped his toes into the superhero genre with Hellboy. Harbour recently revealed when Widow's movie might begin filming, saying:

I think it’s slated to start in June. I don’t think they have it fully-boarded yet, but it’s a great character. I’m really excited about it. The cast is fleshing out (with) Scarlett and Florence Pugh, I think they said. I know they were talking about Rachel Weisz. There’s some really great actresses.

Well, this is exciting. The casting process may still be under way, but it looks like Black Widow's movie may start production in the near future. June isn't all that far away, so it looks like the solo flick will end up being one of the first releases of Phase Four. As long as nothing goes awry, that is.

David Harbour's comments to Den Of Geek are sure to excite the rabid Marvel fanbase, who are eager to see Scarlet Johansson's signature Marvel character get her time in the sun. While little to no information has been shared regarding the movie's contents, development amping up and possible June filming makes it all seem much more real. And the movie is a long time coming.

Despite being an OG member of The Avengers and one of the biggest characters in the MCU, Black Widow has surprisingly not been given her own solo movie yet. Instead, Natasha Romanoff served as a supporting character in a variety of other projects, including Iron Man 2 and Captain America: The Winter Soldier. But considering how mysterious and complicated the character is, she's still been underused in this capacity.

But that should change with her solo movie, although it's unclear what that project will contain. Black Widow is one of the surviving characters in Avengers: Endgame, but it seems possible that she might perish in the battle against Thanos. If that's the case, perhaps the solo movie will be a prequel, allowing for Widow's dark backstory to finally be fleshed out onscreen.

Black Widow will return to theaters when Avengers: Endgame arrives in theaters on April 26th, and you can see David Harbour in Hellboy April 12th. In the meantime, check out our 2019 release list to plan your next trip to the movies.

Insidious Star Thinks A Fifth Movie Could Happen

Insidious Star Thinks A Fifth Movie Could Happen

In the world of the movies, especially within the horror genre, there are those actors who are easily identified by their franchises. With actor Lin Shaye, the Insidious franchise has always been one of her calling cards in Hollywood, as even character death hasn’t stopped her from returning to the Jason Blum, James Wan and Leigh Whannell-run franchise for each entry it’s racked up.

So when Lin Shaye says that a fifth Insidious movie could happen, we’re inclined to believe her. And that’s exactly what she’s saying, as per a recent interview that had Shaye state the following:

I think there is another one, that they have a story for that and it is very different. The last one, for me to have realized the character’s past, present, and future of my character, was a gift. I don’t know if there’s a script being written, but I think there will be another Insidious movie.

Now while Lin Shaye is saying that another Insidious film is possible, it’s crucial to remember that there isn’t any official confirmation that Blum, Wan and Whannell have a script draft for such a film yet. Shaye herself even says this, as she clearly nails home the fact that the possibility is one that she believes in.

Having said that, seeing Lin Shaye's unwavering faith that the Insidious franchise, which saw her character Elise Rainier etched into the minds of many a modern horror fan, could be returning could be a good sign. She was last seen in 2018’s Insidious: The Last Key. The film delved more into the backstory of Elise’s childhood, showing just how deep her connection with the world of The Further truly was. It was also the highest grossing film in the series, when accounting for worldwide grosses.

So Lin Shaye’s remarks to Forbes just might be accurate, as producer Jason Blum and Universal are such good business partners that taking another stab at the Insidious world could prove profitable. Considering the budget for the series has held steady at $10 million, and each sequel has had no problem clearing the $100 million mark, that’s some easy money that the franchise could be earning.

With a standard two to three years gap between Insidious films, the world feels overdue for another round of spectral mayhem. Any minute now, Jason Blum and Universal could announce that James Wan and Leigh Whannell had a script for Insidious 5 sitting in their back pockets, just waiting to wow the world with a new and different adventure.

Maybe it’d be the continuing adventures of her fictional niece, Imogen Rainier, or perhaps that Sinister crossover that was once proposed might just get off the ground. Let’s not forget, she did say it’d be a pretty different film, and the rules are pretty clear on where Elise can and cannot be used in the Insidious franchise.

It’s all rumor and speculation for now, but as soon as something definite is announced in either direction, you can come back here to CinemaBlend and we’ll be reporting the cold hard facts.

Lin Shaye can currently be seen in Room For Rent, a thriller that’s available on VOD through Amazon Prime, Google Play, and YouTube for rental or purchase.

Disney CEO Says It'll Be Difficult To Keep Filming In Georgia If Abortion Law Takes Effect

Disney CEO Says It'll Be Difficult To Keep Filming In Georgia If Abortion Law Takes Effect

While Disney has always been a powerhouse of entertainment, the past decade has seen the company become even more massive in scope. With the acquisition of Star Wars and the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Disney has had the ability to grow and make even more money at the box office. The MCU has found its home in Pinewood Studios in Atlanta, Georgia, although recent legislation in the state may result in production pivoting to a different location.

Tons of TV and film projects regularly film in Georgia, as the tax breaks allow production to save some much needed funds during the shooting process. The state recently introduced a potential new law that would essentially ban abortions, and make it a felony for any doctors to go forth with the procedure. Its a decision that has caused some production companies and actors to speak out against working within state lines, and now Disney CEO Bob Iger has revealed that the House of Mouse may pull out of its Atlanta home. When he was asked if they'd stay in the city's Pinewood location, Iger said:

I rather doubt we will. I think many people who work for us will not want to work there, and we will have to heed their wishes in that regard. Right now we are watching it very carefully.

Well, that's quite the definitive statement to Reuters. Moviemaking is ultimately about making money, and filming within the state lines of Georgia allow for budgets to be stretched. While Disney is obviously focused on making a profit on its countless blockbusters, it seems that Bob Iger and company are going to listen to the concerns of their employees when it comes to the state's new abortion legislation.

When Georgia's elected officials first introduced the potential new ban on abortion, there were calls from the filmmaking community to pull productions from the state. Because while movies and TV benefit from the tax cuts that are available, the money spent on making projects like Avengers: Endgame and shows like Stranger Things also funnel large funds of money into the state. Plus, plenty of locals are hired for the cast/crew, adding jobs to the local economy as well.

This seems to be the leverage that filmmakers are hoping to use against the abortion law's potential passing in the state. A few projects have already pulled out of Georgia, but Disney's possible inclusion would be a major development. On top of the massive amount of money the studio puts into its Marvel blockbusters, it's also possible that other major studios would follow suit. After all, Disney has been known to start trends in the filmmaking world.

As of now, nothing is official in regards to Georgia's new ban on abortion, and the affect that might have on Disney's upcoming blockbusters. But CinemaBlend will be sure to monitor the situation as it unfolds. In the meantime, check out our 2019 release list to plan your next trip to the movies.

Wait, MoviePass Stock Is Up 40%?

Wait, MoviePass Stock Is Up 40%?

Around this time last year, MoviePass was still flying high, disrupting the industry and helping millions of subscribers to see more movies than ever before. Then came the Mission: Impossible – Fallout incident, which sparked a series of public and costly stumbles that dragged down the service and saw its parent company’s stock plummet along with it. Now MoviePass is rising like a phoenix from the ashes…okay, well maybe not exactly, but MoviePass stock is up 40%.

Shares of Helios & Matheson Analytics were up over 40% yesterday in over-the-counter trading, rising above a penny and reaching 1.23 cents per share before the close of the day according to Deadline. The day also saw triple the normal volume of the company’s shares changing hands. This comes after Helios & Matheson shares were delisted from the NASDAQ last month due to the foibles of its MoviePass unit, which saw the company’s shares trade under $1 since last July.

So what changed? Well, it all comes down to the new business strategy MoviePass will be employing going forward. Helios & Matheson still plans on spinning off its MoviePass business into its own public traded company, to help distinguish the beleaguered movie service from the data analytics firm and the other parts of its business.

That new company, MoviePass Entertainment Holdings will be made up of three separate pillars, each addressing a different part of the business. MoviePass Films will be the company’s production arm, producing new movies under the MoviePass banner; the MoviePass subscription service and app for which the company gained its name; and the Moviefone brand that Helios & Matheson and MoviePass acquired from Verizon last year.

MoviePass said that this new three-pillar model would generate its own revenue, without reliance on studios and exhibitors. This is in stark contrast to the MoviePass of a year or so ago that entered the room with all the subtlety of the Kool-Aid man and wanted to strike deals with studios to promote movies and get a share of tickets and concessions from theater chains.

The idea is that the three parts of the business will work in concert, sharing each others resources in an ecosystem where each part benefits the others. The MoviePass Films arm will make movies with an eye towards transcending theaters, and get deals for home video releases and international distribution. That should then help the MoviePass theatergoing subscription service to grow. The Moviefone digital platform will then be used as a promotional tool for the other two pillars.

MoviePass admits it has made mistakes and it appear to be trying to remedy them with the hard-learned lessons of 2018. The MoviePass subscription service recently relaunched with 3 new pricing plans and now this new business model is another attempt by the service to regain its footing.

If this strategy works as intended, MoviePass can generate its own revenue and won’t be burning cash with the hopes of striking lucrative deals with entrenched parts of the industry. It’s obviously too early to say if that will be the case and one day’s stock increase is no guarantee that MoviePass has turned a corner, but it’s still a positive sign that shows that there is some optimism in the financial sector that this is a step in the right direction for the service.

Stay tuned to CinemaBlend for all your movie news and check out our 2019 Release Schedule to keep track of the biggest movies headed your way this year.

Unused Avengers: Endgame Photo Gives Pepper And Tony An Epic Moment

Unused Avengers: Endgame Photo Gives Pepper And Tony An Epic Moment

Spoilers ahead for Avengers: Endgame

Avengers: Endgame debuted in theaters over a month ago, and has amassed a giant sum of money in the process. The Russo Brothers crafted a complicated narrative that was built on the previous 21 movies in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Plenty of major payoffs were included, especially in the epic final battle sequence in the ruins of the Avengers facility.

The final battle allowed Gwyneth Paltrow's Pepper Potts to become a bonafide superhero, taking on the mantle of Rescue after suiting up in armor that Tony custom made for her. It was an epic moment, and she even personally blasted Thanos alongside Wasp and Shuri. And now an unused promotional image has surfaced, which puts Rescue and Iron Man together. Check it out below.

I'm not crying, you're crying. Pepper Potts and Tony Stark are one of the true love stories of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, which made the ending of Endgame all the more tragic. Gwyneth Paltrow's character encouraged her husband's superheroic ventures throughout the blockbuster, and was left mourning after the battle against Thanos was finally won.

This image comes to us from Marvel Studios artist Liz Georgoff, who stepped into Rescue's armor for a promo shot. Gwyneth Paltrow was presumably only on set for a limited time, so she wasn't going to be available for images that might have never seen the light of day. Georgoff has been involved in the MCU since Iron Man 3, so this moment must have been an exciting one.

Marvel fans had been waiting for Pepper to suit up as Rescue since the Marvel Cinematic Universe's inception. She's become the heroic superhero a few times throughout her tenure on the page, so it seemed like only a matter of time before Rescue finally took flight. But the wait ultimately lasted a decade, as she didn't get the iconic blue armor until Endgame arrived in theaters.

Those eagle-eyed fans might have seen this coming during Avengers: Endgame, as Morgan Stark made her debut wearing the helmet Tony created for her mother. And while Pepper stayed out of the Time Heist sequence, she joined the battlefield alongside most of the MCU's characters after Hulk snapped everyone back to life.

Related: Gwyneth Paltrow May Have Revealed A Big Avengers Spoiler

Rescue and Iron Man never met on the battlefield in an embrace like the above image, but they had some seriously epic shots together during Avengers: Endgame's epic last battle. They fought Thanos' forces back to back, and Pepper Potts used the suit's abilities in a variety of ways throughout that epic sequence.

Pepper was still in the Rescue armor when Tony managed to swipe the Infinity Stones from Thanos, and snap the Mad Titan and his forces out of existence. Iron Man saved the entire galaxy in that moment, and sacrificed his life for the one chance to defeat Thanos once and for all. Her armored hand was over his heart as the light on the Iron Man suit went out, signaling that Tony's body had succumbed to the radiation and trauma of the stones.

Gwyneth Paltrow's Pepper Potts has the distinction of being one of the very first characters in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. She was a love interest and business associate of Tony's in the original Iron Man, and moviegoers were able to watch as their relationship developed over the years. Although after starring in the Iron Man trilogy and the first Avengers movie, Paltrow started stepping back from her signature Marvel role.

That eventually changed as we got deeper into Phase Three, with Gwyneth Paltrow returning for some cameos in the final installments of the current slate of films. Pepper made a brief role in Spider-Man: Homecoming, revealing that she and Tony had patched things up and were back together following an unseen breakup prior to Captain America: Civil War.

Pepper also had a brief scene in Avengers: Infinity War, shown jogging with Tony in Central Park before Doctor Strange appeared to whisk of the hero to the Sanctum Sanctorum. It was unclear if Ms. Potts had survived Thanos' snap, until character posters for Endgame confirmed she had made it out without being dusted.

Her role was eventually expanded in Avengers: Endgame, first popping up at the Avengers facility when Captain Marvel towed The Benatar (complete with Tony and Nebula) to Earth. And when the time jump happened, it was revealed that the couple got married and had a daughter named Morgan.

It should be interesting to see how the legacy of Pepper Potts continues on through Phase Four, and if there's any possibility for Gwyneth Paltrow to return to her role in the future. The 46 year-old actress has stated that she'd be open to more small roles in the future if the studio needed it. And although Tony Stark's fate is sealed, the fandom will no doubt be curious to how she and Morgan are getting on in the wake of his death.

It's currently unclear if the Iron Man franchise would continue. While Steve Rogers passed on the mantle of Captain America to Sam Wilson in Avengers: Endgame, no one has take on the role of Iron Man. Spider-Man: Far From Home looks like it'll address that issue, as Peter Parker is rocking the Iron Spider suit during its first trailer.

Morgan also seems like a prime candidate to be the next Iron Man, especially if there's another time jump that can move her aging process forward. If Morgan ever ends up returning to the MCU, it would be logical that her mother might as well. But as of now, there's no telling what Marvel Studios is planning for the shared universe beyond Spider-Man: Far From Home.

Regardless, fans will be happy to have seen Tony and Pepper get their happy ending. They were extremely lucky in the wake of Thanos' snap, and lived a happy life in their lake house with their daughter. And while that makes Tony's death all the more tragic, Pepper seemed to understand that her husband needed to do the right thing in hopes of bringing back the dusted denizens of the galaxy.

You can watch Rescue's long awaited MCU debut in Avengers: Endgame, in theaters now. Be sure to check out our 2019 release list to plan our next trip to the movies.

Eagle-Eyed Fan Seemingly Spotted A Touching Avengers: Endgame Nod To The Dusted Characters

Eagle-Eyed Fan Seemingly Spotted A Touching Avengers: Endgame Nod To The Dusted Characters

It was shocking to see half of all life in the universe turn to dust at the end of Avengers: Infinity War, but it was arguably equally as devastating seeing the reactions of those who survived having to watch their loved ones disappear. Avengers: Endgame showed the survivors coping with these losses five years later, and in Rocket Raccoon’s case, it appears he paid tribute to the fallen Guardians of the Galaxy, namely Peter Quill, with a wardrobe choice, as you’ll see below.

Over on Reddit, an eagle-eyed Marvel fan noticed that Rocket Raccoon is wearing the same crimson scarf that Peter Quill wore in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, or at least one that looks just like it. I’m leaning towards the former, because Quill wasn’t wearing that scarf during Avengers: Infinity War, so it wouldn’t have turned to dust with him.

Those familiar with the Guardians of the Galaxy comics, particularly the ones from before the first Guardians of the Galaxy movie’s release, will recognize that Bradley Cooper’s Rocket Raccoon finally wore the same costume as his comic counterpart did. The scarf isn’t part of that ensemble on the printed page, but it’s a subtle, yet nice way for him to honor the Guardians, i.e. his family.

Rocket Raccoon was one of the only two Guardians who survived Avengers: Infinity War, Nebula being the second. Those two were hardly close in the first two Guardians of the Galaxy movies, but at the beginning of Avengers: Endgame, they held hands in grief over their fallen allies.

In the following five years, it looks like those two worked closely together on various missions, and when the opportunity to came to time travel through the Quantum Realm, retrieve the Infinity Stones and snap the dusted back into existence, naturally both were on board with the plan. Rocket accompanied Thor to 2013 Asgard and Nebula joined War Machine on Morag in 2014.

One time heist and massive battle against 2014 Thanos and his army later, and the Guardians of the Galaxy are whole again. Peter Quill, Drax the Destroyer, Groot and Mantis were among the many heroes who arrived during the portals sequence, and while the present day Gamora is still dead, her 2014 self followed in her earlier self’s footsteps and betrayed Thanos, which luckily meant she wasn’t turned to dust when Tony Stark sacrificed his life to destroy the Mad Titan and his forces using the Infinity Stones.

Even though it’s been five years since Rocket Raccoon last saw the Guardians of the Galaxy together again, he didn’t miss a beat getting back into his usual rhythm with them, offering knives to Peter Quill and Thor for a fight to decide who will lead the team. I also wonder if Quill is going to ask for his scarf back or let Rocket keep it.

Now that all the Guardians of the Galaxy members are back in action, that sets the stage for Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, which is rumored to begin filming sometime next year. No plot details have been revealed yet, but along with Thor potentially coming along, it also looks like we’ll follow Peter Quill searching for the past version of Gamora, who doesn’t have that history with the Guardians that her older self did.

You can still see Avengers: Endgame in theaters now, and we here at CinemaBlend will let you know once Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 has an official release date. For now, you can browse through our Marvel movies guide to learn what other movies this superhero franchise has coming up.

Jennifer Lawrence Wouldn't Return For Dark Phoenix Unless Simon Kinberg Directed, He Says

Jennifer Lawrence Wouldn't Return For Dark Phoenix Unless Simon Kinberg Directed, He Says

After writing and producing several of the X-Men movies, Simon Kinberg finally sits in the director's chair for Dark Phoenix, the last film of Fox's superhero franchise. This is Kinberg's feature debut, and while taking on the final film in the saga may seem like a daunting task for a first time director, Kinberg had full support from the cast. In fact, Jennifer Lawrence apparently wouldn't return as Mystique unless he was the director, Kinberg recently said.

Since X-Men: First Class, the X-Men franchise has been led by Jennifer Lawrence, James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, and Nicholas Hoult. The actors signed deals for three movies, and it was unclear if any of them would return for Dark Phoenix after X-Men: Apocalypse. Eventually, all of them eventually signed on for one more ride, and while it was unclear to all of us what was going to happen, Kinberg didn't doubt they'd be back.

In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Simon Kinberg revealed that they had always written drafts of the script expecting the actors to return. Kinberg knew they would be back because they had told him they would as long as he directed.

We presumed the First Class core cast — Fassbender, McAvoy Jennifer, and Nic [Hoult] were coming back for this film. Part of the reason I presumed that was at the end of finishing X-Men: Apocalypse, when it was clear Bryan Singer was not going to direct the next movie, it was the actors that approached me about directing the next of the X-Men movies. Jennifer especially. Jen said she wouldn’t come back for another movie unless I directed it. So, I had a lot of support from them.

With Bryan Singer -- who is the subject of multiple cases of alleged sexual assault on minors -- not returning for Dark Phoenix, Simon Kinberg was the logical choice to take the reins. He likely knows these characters inside and out, and the actors clearly had an admiration for him if he's the whole reason they came back.

Ultimately, everyone is back for one last hurrah. While this will be the last of Fox's X-Men movies, it wasn't always clear that would be the case. The Disney-Fox merger seemed to put an expiration date on the franchise, but according to Simon Kinberg, he went into it knowing that this would likely be the end.

I feel as though the notion of this being the last of this cycle of X-Men movies is tied for a lot of people, at least in the industry, to the Disney-Fox merger. In truth, when I sat down to write this movie, which was three years ago, I thought about it as the culmination of this cycle of X-Men movies.

The X-Men will one day be seen in the MCU, but until then, Dark Phoenix arrives in theaters on June 7.