More Pokemon Movies? Ryan Reynolds And The Cast Sure Hope So

More Pokemon Movies? Ryan Reynolds And The Cast Sure Hope So

Pokemon is a massively popular franchise with fans all over the world. The brand has now made the jump to the big screen with the first live action Pokemon movie, Detective Pikachu. Considering how popular the Pokemon name is, the idea of the movies becoming a franchise of their own certainly has to be something that the studio and the Pokemon Company are hoping for. They're not the only ones, as the cast of Detective Pikachu is certainly hoping for sequels as well.

Ryan Reynolds says he had such a great time making Detective Pikachu that he'd love to do it again, although, he hopes more movies get made even if Pikachu is not part of them. When CinemaBlend asked Reynolds if we might see the world of Pokemon in a future film, he said...

I hope so. I really loved it. I loved making it. I loved being a part of it. Even if there's another version that doesn't involve Pikachu you could expand the Pokemon world in such a great way so I hope they do find ways to make more of these movies.

Pokemon has been a card game, a video game, and an animated series among other things. Each of these areas has been incredibly successful for the brand and so of course there is hope that there could be more films. One producer of Detective Pikachu wasn't even coy about the possibility. The idea of potentially creating a cinematic universe out of Pokemon is something that is being considered if the first movie is done right.

And considering how many hundreds of Pokemon characters there are, it would be easy to make multiple movies that spotlight different characters. You could make more movies than the MCU has made without ever showing the same Pokemon twice.

Of course, if there is a direct sequel to Detective Pikachu, the rest of the cast is also on board. Speaking with CinemBlend alongside Kathryn Newton, Justice Smith said that while they have no idea what the future holds for the franchise, they're hopeful they'll be back.

We both hope. We don't really know anything but we both hope.

Of course, Justice Smith also points out the most important thing, that it's all going to come down to box office numbers. In that regard Detective Pikachu is actually struggling a bit. The movie was projected to open with close to $100 million box office but it only ended up doing a bit over half that.

The holdover from Avengers: Endgame has been even stronger than analysts predicted and so even in its third week it was able to win the box office. Pikachu has done better overseas, but it's still not the runaway smash that many were expecting it be following the early buzz.

It will be interesting to see if the movie is able to become enough of a hit to justify another entry. If it does, at least the studio knows the cast is already on board.

Check out the cast's full comments to CinemaBlend in the video below.

It’s A Challenge Getting John Wick 3’s Weapons To International Shooting Locations

It’s A Challenge Getting John Wick 3’s Weapons To International Shooting Locations

The John Wick movies are full of highly stylized and choreographed violence. That's why we love them. The action is a beautiful thing to behold as are the locations where that action takes place. John Wick franchise director Chad Stahelski says that shooting on location is important to him, but doing so isn't always easy, because it frequently means trying to explain why you're trying to bring a truckload of guns into a foreign country. In the case of the upcoming John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum, that meant explaining to the nation of Morocco why they needed so many guns in order to be allowed to film there in the first place. As the director explains...

We had a truckload of [modified for filming] firearms that we were bringing into another country. That doesn’t guarantee you an invitation. You have to really explain it.

If the guns were all modified for filming then they likely couldn't actually function as real guns, but that likely isn't enough to impress officials when they see all the, otherwise, real weapons, you want to bring into their country. Sure, you're making a movie, but do you really need that many guns?

Well, it is a John Wick movie, so...yeah.

While the first John Wick movie stayed in New York, the second film took the story, and the title character, to Italy. For Chapter 3, John Wick will travel to the Sahara Desert. The production filmed the scenes in Morocco. Director Chad Stahelski tells THR his desire to film on location comes from a love of classic action movies like the work of Steve McQueen and early James Bond films, which always filmed on location. While these days you can take a movie anywhere in the universe with a green screen big enough, Stahelski still sees value in filming on location, but it does come with its own set of hurdles.

How much of John Wick 3 will take place in Morocco isn't clear. Chapter 2 had a strong opening that took place in Italy before the bulk of the action returned to New York. We know that the new film will open in New York, with Wick on the run from every assassin looking to cash in on his bounty, but he'll find himself in the desert looking for help from Sofia, another assassin played by Halle Berry.

While getting all those weapons into Morocco for filming might have required a bit of extra work, I feel confident that it will all be worth it. The John Wick series has created some of the most memorable action sequences of any recent films and whatever it was that led the production to film in the desert, we can be confident that the location for used to its fullest potential.

John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum hits theaters May 17.

Shazam! Star Zachary Levi Is Proud Of The Movie’s Diversity

Shazam! Star Zachary Levi Is Proud Of The Movie’s Diversity

There are a lot of things that anyone involved in the production of Warner Bros’ Shazam! can signal as being proud of. With its deft mix of horror and comedic tones, as well as its continued revitalization of the DC Comics canon’s film branch, the movie has been well received by critics and fans alike, and one of the film’s stars, Zachary Levi, knows it as well as anyone!

But when it comes to what he’s particularly proud of in director David F. Sandberg’s comic caper, it’s the wide breadth of diversity that’s on display in the film. Zachary Levi explained his position in the following remarks during a recent interview:

And such an incredibly diverse and beautiful rainbow of diversity in that family, ethnically, but also one kid being disabled and all of them being foster kids. I have never in my life seen a movie, even not something that I haven't been a part of, that is so inclusive of so many groups of people that have not felt included. So I was like, 'This is gold. I'm so stoked. I'm so stoked that this is the heartbeat of what this movie is.' So it's an honor. It genuinely, is an honor. And it's been so cool being on social media and seeing so many people who have felt that, and felt seen, finally. Foster kids or people who were in the foster system, are now adults and out of it, or kids that are in right now. And them feeling seen.

At the heart of Shazam! is the story of the foster family, with its children of various ages coming from various ethnic backgrounds, and in the case of Jack Dylan Grazer’s Freddy Freeman, possessing a physical disability. Rather than showcasing a uniform example of diversity, the casting of the various family members was a truer portrait of diversity than most films get to show, and it’s clearly exciting for Zachary Levi to see that this is something that’s helped moviegoers identify with the film.

What’s even better is the fact that when you look at the marketing for Shazam!, it doesn’t oversell the idea of the family’s diversity as a marketing point. Which only makes the big spoilery reveal in the film’s third act all the more exciting, as the efforts that went into that particular scene’s production also required the same sort of diverse casting of characters, but on another level.

During his talk with Comicbook.com, Zachary Levi continued to praise the progressive portrayal of Billy Batson and his foster family in Shazam!, with his ultimate point being the following:

If we can do anything in this world, I hope that we can always be, again, looking at people and saying to them, even just in the way we treat them, 'I see you. I see you and I value you. And you're worthy of living the life that you're living.'

As Shazam! is looking to be fast tracked for a sequel in the near future, that message of acceptance, value and representation is likely to continue in the DCEU. Should that be the case, the comic franchise will only rise in personal value, as its efforts to reach out to a more diverse crowd of moviegoers will have been more than worth their inclusion the first time around.

Shazam! is currently in theaters, but if you’ve already seen it and would like to try out a new adventure at the movies, feel free to use our 2019 release schedule to help guide the way.

How The Men in Black Universe Could Grow, According To Its Producer

How The Men in Black Universe Could Grow, According To Its Producer

When Men In Black International opens later this summer, it will be the first time that the lead agents aren’t played by Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones. The idea behind MiB always seemed bigger than the one that carried three movies, but it wasn’t until Tessa Thompson and Chris Hemsworth slipped into the tuxedos for director F. Gary Gray that he producers began thinking of ways to expand this fascinating universe.

The bulk of the early Men In Black movies took place in New York City. The franchise will branch out globally in Men In Black International, with Tessa Thompson’s agent heading to London to team with Hemsworth’s alien tracker. We have been filing reports from the UK set of the upcoming blockbuster, but it was during a conversation with longtime producer Walter Parkes that he said the creative team has its eye on the future. Parkes told CinemaBlend:

We imply that we have [headquarters in] other places and in prior drafts of the script we did [see them. But in terms of effective storytelling, we just didn’t find a way to come about that. But, if the film’s successful, we’ll certainly be going to new headquarters throughout the world.

There’s no way that a secret organization tasked with exploring and containing alien activity could or should be contained to New York City. Naturally, one way to increase the scope of your story is to expand out to new international cities. This inspires storytellers to come up with new creatures that match the cities in which you want to set your action. Think about action sequences in Egypt at the Pyramids, or along the Great Wall of China. The possibilities are endless.

The way that Walter Parkes phrased it, Men In Black International is benefitting from the current evolution of franchise storytelling, which wasn’t nearly as powerful or cohesive when the first few Men In Black movies were happening. He went on to say:

What you say about the expansion of the cinematic universe is absolutely true. I think that’s one of the most exciting things about the last 15 years that these big [franchises] exist. And what excites me is that it’s expansion -- not so much in other movies, but in other media. You know, there’s digital expressions of this, and VR expressions of this... So I think you can build out the universe, even around this movie. And I think that’s very much what modern franchises do.

That’s a very exciting premise. Who wouldn’t want to play a Men In Black VR game, or interact with the series on social media in original ways? The possibilities are unlimited, so long as you were eager to get creative.

The latest trailer for F. Gary Gray’s Men In Black International certainly looks plenty creative:

And we will see if the new movie makes enough for the cast and crew to continue telling stories in this universe for years to come. The new movie drops on June 14. Are you planning on checking it out?

Marvel Is Making A Supercut Of Stan Lee Cameos And Unused Footage

Marvel Is Making A Supercut Of Stan Lee Cameos And Unused Footage

It's a very exciting time to be a Marvel fan. Avengers: Endgame is days away from arriving in theaters, and Disney's merger with Fox means that comic book favorites like the Fantastic Four and X-Men may make their way to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. And although there's plenty to celebrate in the world of Marvel comics, it's sad that visionary Stan Lee is no longer with us to enjoy it all.

But while Stan Lee passed away in November, he's still got a few more appearances on screen. Lee was known for his fantastic Marvel cameos, able to steal the show with one quick line reading. And it looks like Marvel Studios has found another way to honor him, by compiling all his cameos and even some unused footage into one epic tribute. As Kevin Feige recently revealed:

We’ve put a video together. We’ve never done this before, a behind-the-scenes of every cameo. All the B-roll that was shot and his stand-ups there. His passing was very emotional for all of us, but it suddenly all came back to me just when I watched it.

Well, this is exciting. In addition to compiling Stan Lee's countless cameos, it looks like the new tribute video will also include deleted scenes and B-roll of the comic book visionary at work. In short: excelsior!

Kevin Feige's comments to EW are sure to delight the generations of Marvel fans who are missing Stan Lee during this exciting time in film history. Avengers: Endgame will be the cumulation of 21 movies and a decade of filming, and Stan Lee was there throughout almost all of it. The comic book creator always delighted in seeing Marvel's finest on the big screen, and Endgame has been teased to be bigger and better than anything we've seen before.

Given how delightful Stan Lee was up until his death at age 95, many moviegoers who would love to see extra footage of the Stan the Man in action. Many of his MCU roles included one liners, but that doesn't mean those were the only lines offered. Typically Lee tried a few different versions of his cameos, so there should be plenty of unused footage to mine from. So while Avengers: Endgame may be his final cameo in the MCU, the public should expect new clips from him regardless.

Related: Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse Director Reveals Stan Lee's Cut Lines

The stakes for Avengers: Endgame are already sky high, but Stan Lee's cameo gives the upcoming blockbuster yet another goal to live up to. Luckily for us all, Endgame looks like it will do just that. The early response from the movie's premiere is overwhelmingly positive, and The Russo Brothers might just top the massive success of Infinity War.

Stan Lee will return to screens when Avengers: Endgame arrives on April 26th. In the meantime, check out CinemaBlend's Endgame death pool, and be sure to check out our 2019 release list to plan your next trip to the movies.

Sean Gunn Is Determined To Make Guardians Vol. 3, Even Without James Gunn

Sean Gunn Is Determined To Make Guardians Vol. 3, Even Without James Gunn

The future of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 3 is still very much in question. While Marvel seems dedicated to making the movie happen, the film is still on hold and with no apparent movement forward with no director attached. However, at least one person seems quite focused no making sure Guardians Vol. 3 does happen. Sean Gunn, the brother of the film's previously attached director James Gunn, says that, one way or another, the movie needs to happen. According to Gunn...

I don’t know exactly how that’s all gonna work. But I feel like we are going to make the third movie, I’m excited to make it, I think it’s a disservice to the fans if we didn’t make it and I know the people who worked on the Guardians movies are really a family, and we’re gonna come together and make the best movie we can regardless of who’s in charge.

While Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 was supposed to be the first of Marvel's Phase Four productions, hitting screens in May of 2020, all of that was thrown into chaos when James Gunn was unceremoniously removed as director of the film following the revelation of social media posts he had made years ago.

At the time, it wasn't clear if the movie would ever actually happen or if the already completed script James Gunn had written would be used. Marvel Studios chief Kevin Feige has since conformed that the plan is still to make the movie, and to use Gunn's script, but the project has yet to find a new director.

Sean Gunn has been an unequivocal supporter of his brother from the beginning, but he's also been a supporter of the film franchise as well. He wants to make this movie and finish the trilogy, He tells Variety that he truly believes that things will work out and the movie will get made, though he admits he has no idea exactly how that will happen.

While a social media campaign by fans and even an open letter written by the cast in support of James Gunn came in the wake of Disney's decision, the studio has not altered its stance on the situation at all. James Gunn has since moved over to the other side of the fence, writing the script for the Suicide Squad sequel with every expectation that he will direct it as well.

Certainly, many fans likely want to be as optimistic about the future of the Guardians of the Galaxy franchise as Sean Gunn is. While the movie will clearly be something a little different without James Gunn in the director's chair, the fact that it will at least tell the story he wrote may be enough. Of course, the movie has to actually get made first, and we're still waiting for movement in that regard.

The Suicide Squad's Jai Courtney Is Psyched To Play Captain Boomerang Again

The Suicide Squad's Jai Courtney Is Psyched To Play Captain Boomerang Again

Although it is being described as more of a reboot than a sequel, James Gunn’s The Suicide Squad will be bringing back some familiar faces from David Ayer’s 2016 film. Among those faces is Jai Courtney, who played the funny and mad George “Digger” Harkness, better known as Captain Boomerang. Although his character was the most cowardly of the original group, Jai Courtney himself is psyched to hop back into the role for another go round, as he explained:

I loved playing Captain Boomerang. It's just like a rocker’s nightmare. Just looking forward to reprising that and getting the gold tooth back in and getting after it.

Captain Boomerang seems like the kind of character that would be a blast to play, and clearly Jai Courtney enjoyed his time as the Aussie bank robber. Based on what he told The Hollywood Reporter, he seems stoked that Captain Boomerang will be a part of the sequel and that he will get to have fun reprising that role, gold tooth and all.

We don’t know what writer/director James Gunn has planned, but Jai Courtney’s Boomerang does seem like the kind of odd and goofy character that Gunn does so well. And that makes him so ideally suited to this property in the first place. So it is cool that Captain Boomerang will be back and will be portrayed by an actor who relishes in the role.

Given the fact that most signs point towards James Gunn’s film doing its own thing and acting as more of a soft reboot than a true sequel, it’s difficult to know what The Suicide Squad has in store for Jai Courtney’s Captain Boomerang. At the end of Suicide Squad, having survived their mission, the team gets ten years off their sentences. Everyone except Boomerang. And while the others get special privileges, Courtney's gets put in solitary confinement.

Apparently Amanda Waller or whoever will put together the Suicide Squad in the sequel determines that Captain Boomerang isn't more trouble than he's worth and there is still some merit in keeping him around, if only for the comic relief.

Returning alongside Jai Courtney in Suicide Squad 2 is Viola Davis who plays Amanda Waller. The rest of the potential returnees are not confirmed as of yet. Despite some rumors to the contrary, it is believed that Margot Robbie’s Harley Quinn will return, but Joel Kinnaman’s Rick Flag is not expected to.

Captain Boomerang will be mixing it up with some new faces as well. Idris Elba has been cast in The Suicide Squad and for a brief time, it seemed like he would be taking over Deadshot from Will Smith. Instead he will actually be playing a new character but we don’t know who yet, although we have some guesses. Also in talks to join Suicide Squad 2 and his first superhero film, is John Cena in an undisclosed role.

The Suicide Squad is scheduled to open on August 6, 2021. Check out our 2019 Release Schedule to keep track of all the big movies coming to theaters this summer and for all the latest movie news, stay tuned to CinemaBlend.