Karen Gillan Says Moviegoers Will Be ‘Rooting For’ Nebula In Avengers: Endgame

Karen Gillan Says Moviegoers Will Be ‘Rooting For’ Nebula In Avengers: Endgame

While Thanos certainly pissed off just about the entire universe following the events of Infinity War, Nebula has some extra gripes to avenge. The villain has tortured the Marvel character played by Karen Gillan since she was a child and murdered her sister Gamora during his quest to obtain all six of the Infinity Stones. Will Avengers: Endgame be Karen Gillan’s last hurrah as Nebula? Here’s what the actress says:

I think I would be really sad to say goodbye. I've loved her from the moment I auditioned for her. She's evolved from a villain to someone we've developed empathy towards. I think she's going to be a character we're all rooting for.

While the actress couldn’t exactly answer the question, Karen Gillan’s recent comments to Empire Magazine (via ComicBook) makes it sound a bit like if Endgame is the end of her story, fans are going to be cheering for Nebula as we see the next Avengers flick unfold. Nebula could very well be the MVP of Endgame if she keeps her eyes on the prize and focuses on working with the other superheroes to defeat Thanos.

Nebula started off as a badass assassin not to be messed with in 2014’s Guardians of the Galaxy, but as her story has unfolded in the 2017 sequel and Infinity War, it’s clear the character could have a key role in what comes next. From the Endgame footage released thus far, Nebula and Tony Stark could be teaming up on a spaceship in order to join the remaining Avengers back on Earth, after they were the only two to be stranded on Titan at the end of the last movie. Just getting back to Earth could lead the audience to root for the former villain, not to mention if she comes anywhere near giving Thanos the thrashing he deserves.

When the first Endgame trailer came out and showed Tony sending out a message of distress to Pepper Potts as he starts to run out of oxygen, some theorized Nebula left him to fend for himself. A quick image of the unlikely pair on a spaceship in the final trailer, perhaps proves otherwise. Thanks to the recent trailer, we also know Nebula and Tony will find their way back to Cap, Black Widow and the rest of the gang and suit up with them in some swanky new suits.

There could also be good news for Nebula's future now that James Gunn is back on as writer and director of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 after his summer firing. But, because Gunn picked up The Suicide Squad reboot before Disney rehired him, we may not see another Guardians until 2023.

After Karen Gillan kicks ass in Avengers: Endgame, she will reprise another one of her action hero roles in the sequel to 2017 blockbuster Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle, set to hit theaters this December.

Viral Avengers: Endgame Theory Involves Ant-Man And Thanos’ Purple Butt

Viral Avengers: Endgame Theory Involves Ant-Man And Thanos’ Purple Butt

Marvel fans, we’ve almost made it! Avengers: Endgame is officially under a month away from release.... and, real talk: I think the deliriousness has finally started to set in regarding the upcoming culmination of the MCU thus far, as we are now about to discuss a totally hysterical theory that brings new meaning to the latest trailer’s iconic line, “Whatever it takes.”

Let me set the scene for this one. Imagine you’re in the theater on opening day, and you’re watching Endgame when this becomes the plan the remainder of the Avengers decide on: Ant-Man shrinking to a teenie-tiny size (as he does) and crawling up Thanos’ purple ass just before switching into his giant size inside of the villian, thus exploding him out of existence. Just...imagine.

According to a Vox explainer on “Thanus Theory,” the idea was born on a Reddit thread titled “Worst ways to stop Thanos” where one user suggested that Hulk borrow the Ant-Man suit and go from zero to hero by passing through Thanos’ mouth and straight down to his manhood before Hulking out and saving the world! One commenter replied with “holy shit you’re a genius,” and I would be lying if I said I didn’t agree. The theory has, of course, gone absolutely viral and inspired a ton of memes. Take a look:

Don’t wipe away those cry-laughing tears just yet. There’s a lot more where that came from. The meme theory was applied to the recent Avengers: Endgame character posters with an edit on Twitter as well. Check it out:

There are honestly so many hilarious memes regarding this theory. This writer is even a bit overwhelmed with it all. Of course, the question is… could it happen? Twitter user @sapphic_tracer considered the possibility with this point:

This is a valid note! I never would have guessed that the reason for Nick Fury’s eye-patch look was due to an adorable feline flerken named Goose, but here we are. Marvel isn’t a stranger to loosening up some of their plotlines in service of a good joke. However, if Deadpool was part of the Avengers, I would certainly be more convinced that the theory is possible, since something like this would absolutely be more on-brand for Wade Wilson.

The theory is over a year old, which means Paul Rudd was actually confronted by the theory back when he was doing press for Ant-Man and the Wasp. Take a look:

The Ant-Man actor actually looks rather uncomfortable and a bit thrown off addressing this theory, which could be a sign that the internet is on to something, or (much more likely) way, way off. I guess we’ll find out on April 26!! Start placing your bets now. Is “Thanus Theory” actually fact?

Academy Member Says There's 'No Way' He’d Ever Vote For An Avengers Movie To Get An Oscar

Academy Member Says There's 'No Way' He’d Ever Vote For An Avengers Movie To Get An Oscar

While there’s often a difference between what movie titles are popular with the average person and what movie titles are popular with the average Academy Award voter, it’s not as often that we hear an actual person associated with the Oscars blatantly knock on a populist title.

That’s not true this time, however, as an anonymous Oscar voter gave a lot of really blunt opinions about Best Picture nominees, including taking a jab at the Avengers-based movies, which he feels do not deserve an Oscar. He said:

First Man should have been nominated for Best Picture — it probably came in ninth or tenth — and its visual effects are pretty amazing. I think they were produced more on a stage — with models and old-school stuff — than the other nominees', which relied more on CGI, and I really respect that. There's just no way on earth that I will ever vote for anything with the word Avengers in the title; like a lot of people in the Academy, I don't respect money-grabs.

THR is the outlet that spoke with the voter, and from what we know about the unnamed person, he’s a dude and a director who votes as part of the 519-person director’s branch.

It’s interesting because there are often conversations about the differences between the critics and the audience, but this puts the lack of respect from some awards voters about what Disney and Marvel put out with the first 22 franchise movies right at the forefront.

When the 2019 Oscars nominations were officially announced, Avengers: Infinity War was largely absent except for a nod for Best Visual Effects. Marvel’s Black Panther fared better, nabbing a Best Picture nomination and other nods in numerous categories.

Black Panther ended up winning for Best Production Design, Best Costume Design and Best Original Score, but it missed out on the coveted Best Picture Award, which went to Green Book. Marvel Ceo Avi Arad would go on to say he was “heartbroken” about the loss. Clearly, though, this director voter doesn’t feel the same way.

Ultimately, this sort of goes to show you that the people who are making the decisions during awards season are not always on the same page as people who are actually going out and spending money on tickets. So far, for example, Avengers: Endgame has made over $2.7 billion at the box office. Given this year's awards haven't been voted on yet, there's still a chance Endgame could earn nods at the 2020 Oscars, too.

Related: Every Marvel Studios Movie, Ranked By The CinemaBlend Staff

Just the fact that Black Panther earned a Best Picture nod was a step in the right direction for superhero movies to be taken seriously, but it may be some time before one of those “Avengers” movies gets a nod, particularly given we don't know very much about the direction Marvel's Phase Four is headed in.

Outside of this anonymous director, however, there are plenty of people who do feel movies like Black Panther deserve nominations on the biggest movie night of the year. As time passes, we'll have to wait and see whether or not enough minds are changed about the prospect.

New Child’s Play Video Shows Off Chucky’s Animatronics

New Child’s Play Video Shows Off Chucky’s Animatronics

It’s easy to remake a film like Child’s Play in the modern age, especially when the decision is made to use big ticket CGI over the old fashioned method of animatronic acting. But when a movie such as that very same remake decides to use the more practical method, in the name of more tangible realism, it’s something special. So feel free to pop a bottle of mini bottle of champagne, and take a look at this video showcasing the new Chucky’s impressive animatronic body:

Now that’s not to say that CGI won’t have its place in this new Child’s Play remake, as even those involved in the making of the animatronic component have mentioned that CG will be used to replace the eyes in the actual doll. Not to mention, there will probably be various touchups and scenes that can’t be done with the animatronic stand in that will be seen throughout the course of the film.

But from the sound of this video, the majority of the Chucky action will be courtesy of some sophisticated animatronic work, and equally specialized puppeteering that helped bring Child’s Play’s big bad to life. With three to four puppeteers on the “Robo Chucky” rig, and a total of six animatronic dolls on the roster, it looks like this new take on the killer doll mythos is taking the right steps to making a believable horror film.

Of course, this is on top of the fact that Mark Hamill has been cast as the new voice of Chucky, which means that with a voice at threatening as the look of the dolls on Child’s Play’s set just seals the horror deal. It may not totally win over those fans that are still in favor of the original franchise being the one true chronicle of Chucky’s killing spree, but decisions like these do sometimes make things easier when it comes to selling the film.

Every little bit will help when trying to get the public to see Child’s Play on the same weekend that Disney/Pixar will be opening a very sincere look at toys in their launch of Toy Story 4. But it’s not like there’s a spirit of malicious competition between the two films. No, not at all, not when Chucky’s the Buddi in play.

The Child’s Play reboot has up until now played it coy with the marketing of Chucky’s murderous abilities in this new film. And almost as if they’d heard an outcry for more material featuring the doll himself, we’ve now got our best look at him yet. The result of which has us even more intrigued to see just what new tricks this old doll has to play on anyone who gets in his way.

Child’s Play brings Chucky to a new level of terror on June 21st. If horror isn’t your thing though, you can always take a look at the 2019 release schedule to find something a little more friendly.

Wait, Is Doctor Strange Director Scott Derrickson Doing A Hellraiser Reboot?

Wait, Is Doctor Strange Director Scott Derrickson Doing A Hellraiser Reboot?

It's normal nowadays for a studio to resurrect old, familiar franchises in order to give them a second life up on the big screen. We saw an example of that last year with the new Halloween film, which sparked new life into the horror franchise. It looks like another horror icon may be getting a new film soon. Doctor Strange director Scott Derrickson tweeted an image teasing that he might be directing a new Hellraiser movie.

Fitting right in with Freddy Krueger, Jason Voorhees, and other movie monsters, Hellraiser is a series of horror films that centers around a creature named Pinhead. The storylines of the films follow a puzzle box that is a gate to the hell-like dimension of the Cenobites, an order of formerly human monsters who harvest souls to torture in sadomasochistic experiments. Pinhead is the leader of the Cenobites and the face of the franchise.

The first film was released in 1987 and spawned nine sequels, the most recent of which was released last year. However, despite the longevity of the franchise, the films vary in quality and, after the fourth film, every sequel was released straight-to-home video. Scott Derrickson himself directed the first film to be released direct-to-video -- Hellraiser: Inferno, which came out in 2000.

However, it sounds like the franchise could be making a comeback. Earlier this year, it was reported that Blumhouse -- the extremely successful horror film studio -- was interested in making a new Hellraiser film. Now we've got this tweet from Scott Derrickson seemingly teasing his involvement in said film.

Scott Derrickson didn't make any sort of announcement to go with the social media post, but it's doubtful he would just randomly share the picture if he didn't have something in the works. While Derrickson is maybe best known as the director of Doctor Strange, he's directed plenty of horror films like Sinister and The Exorcism of Emily Rose.

Scott Derrickson knows how to get scary and he seems like a good fit to continue with the Hellraiser franchise. Plus, I'm sure that fans of the series are eager to see a real high-quality theatrical release.

Assuming that Scott Derrickson is directing a new Hellraiser, one would assume that this would come after Doctor Strange 2. While not officially confirmed, it's long been rumored that Doctor Strange 2 is in the works with Derrickson back in the director's chair. Without either film actually being confirmed, it's tough to guess what Derrickson's schedule would look like.

Either way, a new Helllraiser might be in-bound. Get a blast from the past with the trailer for the very first film in the series.

Make sure to stick with CinemaBlend and we'll keep you updated on all the latest movie news as soon as it becomes available to us. For everything that is definitely coming to theaters this year, be sure to check out our handy 2019 movie release guide.

5 Things I Like About Being An AMC Stubs A-List Member

5 Things I Like About Being An AMC Stubs A-List Member

After resisting the urge to sign up for AMC Theaters' Stubs A-List program, I finally bit the bullet and converted my Premiere tier membership. I had my reservations, but eventually I put them aside with the intent that if I didn't like the service's offerings, I could always just cancel after a month--a pro to trying out something new. It's a good thing I finally got over myself and jumped into the world of the A-List, as I really can't see myself dropping the pass in the foreseeable future.

While I've tried and even studied up on the various competitors offering similar services in the past, I've enjoyed the Stubs A-List treatment the most. In particular, there are five particular aspects of the overall program that I really think make the moviegoing experience all the easier to enjoy. A word of warning though, these reasons may be seen as objective. So if you're really curious about if AMC Stubs A-List is right for you, it's recommended that you personally research the service through the official website. But for the moment, here are my five reasons why I like being on the A-List!

It Really Helps Me Budget My Movie Spending

The biggest criticism people have when going to the movies, besides the usual concerns with etiquette, is that it's too expensive to experience often. No matter what market you're in, the price of one movie ticket can be quite high, especially for first-run movies and on weekends. But with AMC Stubs A-List, all you need to do is pay one flat rate for three movies a week. And honestly, even if I wasn't in the world of entertainment journalism, I'd sign up for this program because I'm a huge movie fan, and it's a hell of a bargain. While it ensures I get to see the most prolific titles any given month, it also gives me a lot more options to choose from, which leads me to reason #2.

I'm Open To Seeing More Unusual Movies

Taking away the threshold of affordability, AMC Stubs A-List leaves me, and any other viewer, with one key question to answer: What do I see next? This past weekend, I knocked out Us and Captain Marvel in one fell swoop, and those are just two of the month's biggest releases. If I were still worried about buying individual tickets, I might be more conservative and save my budgeted ticket costs for those films individually. With an A-List membership, I'm thinking about throwing in a showing of Gaspar Noe's Climax, and thanks to AMC's Independent initiative, it's actually showing at a theater near me. Murderous LSD dance party, here I come.

Any Format Is Available For Enjoyment, No Strings Attached

I firmly believe that one of the biggest reasons to still go to the movies in our modern era is the fact there are just some formats that aren't available at home. Sure, TVs are getting bigger, surround sound rigs are evolving, and 3D is still viable for certain movies, but those experiences may not be enough to invest most people. Which is why the fact that AMC Stubs A-List lets you pick any format available without an upcharge is another credit to its existence. Watching Us in Dolby Cinema and Captain Marvel in IMAX were experiences that really transformed how I saw each of those films, and I probably wouldn't have bought into either if I didn't have my A-List membership.

It Pays For Itself Really Quickly

One of my biggest hangups when it came to signing up for AMC Stubs A-List was that I'd be paying roughly $25, but might not be seeing as many movies as I'd like to make the cost of signing up worth the while. But looking into the ticket prices in my market, and comparing them to that figure quoted above, I found that the threshold wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. In truth, all I have to do is see two movies in one month, and I'm square with the house. Anything past that is, in concept, pure profit on my end. With the summer movie season not being too far off, that will probably make up for the months I'm not as huge on going to the movies. Again, I'm a pretty cinematically inclined person; so seeing two movies in one month isn't hard. So the fact that it's that easy to recoup my investment into AMC Theaters' continued existence is enough for me to keep enrolled in this program for quite some time.

Planning Future Movie Trips Is Absurdly Easy

Perhaps the coolest feature of the AMC Stubs A-List program is the fact that as soon as tickets for a movie go on sale, you can use future reservations for said film. Avengers: Endgame just revealed its running time, and folks are thinking this could be an indication that tickets will finally go on sale for opening weekend. Now the theater I trust the most with quality 3D in my area happens to also be an AMC owned establishment. It is also notoriously small, and if I don't reserve as soon as possible, I'll end up frozen out on the early showings I'll need to attend in order to get in before spoilers run rampant. So if Kevin Feige himself does a livestream event right this moment, or any other moment after reading this sentence, announcing that tickets to the MCU's biggest event film were going on sale today, I'd be able to snag some prime seats, worry-free.

I'm sure there are other reasons to enjoy the AMC Stubs A-List other than those I've listed above. But those are the most important to my personal experience, and I think they're pretty appealing to subscribers at large, especially if you are big movie fan. However, it should be restated that if you're looking for some specific answers to questions and aspects not addressed here, you can go to the program's official website in order to potentially find the answers that you seek.

Avengers: Endgame Originally Gave Black Widow A Heartbreaking New Job

Avengers: Endgame Originally Gave Black Widow A Heartbreaking New Job

SPOILERS ahead for Avengers: Endgame.

Oof. Avengers: Endgame almost got even darker and deeper into the mythology of what happens when you snap out 50% of all life.

The Decimation hit all of the Avengers hard, and they each handled it differently. Black Widow didn't run away or start a family. She got to work. We saw her running point for the surviving Avengers at the compound. She also kept up training. She was quick to speak up and say they needed to try whatever they could to reverse Thanos' Snap, for the people who weren't there with them. She said she never had a family until she was part of the Avengers.

Speaking of family, that's where directors Joe and Anthony Russo almost got extra bleak. Anthony Russo said they did spend a lot of time thinking about the realities and logistics of what would happen if 50% of all living creatures simply vanished. Black Widow almost got a new job in the time jump trying to care for the kids who were left behind:

One thing that we talked about a lot -- and I thought was really profound, but it was almost too large of an idea for us to wrangle, but we did try for a while -- is just the idea that one-quarter of all children have no parents. Assuming you started with two parents. So that’s a lot of global orphans. Just the staggering number of that. I believe at one point really early in development, Black Widow was actually leading the organization in D.C. that was in charge of orphans, basically. That was what she was heading up five years later. But yes, it’s fascinating when you start running it down.

Wow. Yeah, I think it was the right call to skip that storyline. Endgame was dark enough without bringing the reality of millions of orphans into it. That's a completely different movie. Actually, maybe it's HBO's The Leftovers.

In Avengers: Age of Ultron, Natasha revealed to Bruce that she couldn't have her own children, since she was sterilized as part of her spy initiation. The scene caused some controversy, but it would've been an interesting tie-in to see Natasha caring for so many children years later. In a way, it could've been like she'd adopted the Thanos orphans.

It is fascinating when you start running it all down, as Anthony Russo told Slate. Avengers: Endgame did show the day-to-day changes that happened after The Decimation -- like Steve Rogers' support group, and the trashed and abandoned streets poor confused Scott Lang walked. But they didn't go too deep into how the rest of the world was affected because it was already a three-hour movie and they had to get busy reversing Thanos' call.

The Russo Brothers may have changed Black Widow's post-Snap job, but they kept her sacrifice intact. They recently explained why they had her sacrifice herself for the Soul Stone.

Despite that sacrifice, we are still getting her first Black Widow movie. Cate Shortland is directing Scarlett Johansson, with the supporting cast including Florence Pugh, David Harbour, and Rachel Weisz. Production may already be in motion to start filming soon for its Phase Four release.