Why The Last Three Terminator Films Were ‘Forgettable,’ According To Linda Hamilton

Why The Last Three Terminator Films Were ‘Forgettable,’ According To Linda Hamilton

The Terminator franchise is still incredibly popular with fans, which is impressive considering that even many of those fans will tell you that most of the sequels aren't all that great. Linda Hamilton, who will be making her return to the franchise with the upcoming Terminator: Dark Fate, goes so far as to call the previous sequels, "forgettable," saying that the franchise lost its focus, something she feels the new movie will fix. According to Hamilton...

You start something and you’re invested in the franchise, but somehow the characters that you care about weren’t there. Too many people, too many story points. So I think we’ve done a good job of narrowing down the focus again so it will echo the first two films.

Linda Hamilton is of the opinion that the reason that the first two Terminator films worked so well is because the fans fell in love with the characters, not necessarily the broader mythology of the franchise. The sequels that we've seen tried to take the Terminator movies to different places and try different things by playing with the mechanics, but the original Sarah Conner doesn't think that's why people cared.

Of course, when talking about the characters that people care about, Linda Hamilton is clearly telling Variety that she means her own character of Sarah Conner. While the character made a return in Terminator: Genisys, it was with Emilia Clarke playing the role, so it certainly wasn't the same thing.

Hamilton is probably on to something with her assessment of the Terminator franchise. The first two films, for better or worse, were focused on very simple ideas and characters. Terminators get sent back in time to kill Sarah Conner and her son. Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines does keep the story that simple, but in doing so includes a lot more characters and tries to broaden and dive into the mythology a little deeper.

Terminator: Salvation then tried to be something entirely new by taking the story into the war with the machines. Again, many more characters and more focus on the the broader story. It gets points for trying something different, but if you weren't looking for something different, then it all comes apart.

It's understandable that movie studios would want to be able to make Terminator it's own "cinematic universe," though nobody was using that term back then. The more you can build on the mythology, the more movies you can make. However, it's still usually the characters that audiences make connections with, not just interesting plot elements.

Of course, that doesn't mean that just because Linda Hamilton is in the new Terminator, it's automatically going to be great. However, if the focus of the film also works in such a way that Terminator: Dark Fate also feels like it's more closely related to the first two movies, as Hamilton believes it is, then we might be on to something.

Dark Phoenix's Jessica Chastain Told Sophie Turner To Stand Up For Herself To Co-Star

Dark Phoenix's Jessica Chastain Told Sophie Turner To Stand Up For Herself To Co-Star

Sophie Turner will soon reprise her badass roles as Sansa Stark on Game of Thrones in the highly-anticipated final season and as an ultra-powerful Jean Grey in X-Men: Dark Phoenix. The 23-year-old actress isn’t immune to moments of timidity, and recently spoke of a time when she was lifted up by one of her co-stars on the Dark Phoenix set. One actor apparently "walked off set" just as it became time for her to say her lines and a writer had to stand in for him for the scene. Here's what Turner said of the situation:

I actually have a really big problem with not being able to stand up for myself. Especially if I’m arguing against a man. Jessica Chastain is the one that said it to me, ‘You need to stand up for yourself more!’ She said, ‘Just go and talk to him, go and say something to him!’ I’m a bit of a shy, pushover person, but I’m getting there, I’m working on it.

Jessica Chastain, who also stars in Dark Phoenix, must have witnessed the awkward and disrespectful exchange between Sophie Turner and an undisclosed male actor and encouraged her to engage in a discussion with him about it.

In Sophie Turner’s cover interview with Glamour, the actress expressed that she sometimes struggles with speaking up for herself, but thanks to amazing co-workers such as Jessica Chastain, she is starting to improve. While we’re of course wondering who had the nerve to walk out on Turner in the middle of a scene, what’s important here is the moment of encouragement between her and Chastain.

As the interview notes, she really is getting better at speaking up for herself. Back in January, Good Morning Britain presenter Piers Morgan agreed with a statement about celebrities trying to make mental health "fashionable." Sophie Turner took to Twitter to fiercely respond to his comments. Check it out:

Not so much of a pushover now! She not only clapped back, she did so with some alarming mental health statistics, and ended with a simple burn of "twat." The young actress is having a strong character arc of her own from the on-set incident to this Twitter call out – though face-to-face confrontation and typing out a tweet aren’t quite the same.

In Dark Phoenix, Jessica Chastain will play an alien shapeshifter who will be the sort of "devil on Jean’s shoulder" as Jean is faced with incredible new power she doesn’t know what to do with or control. From the footage we’ve seen thus far, the pair seem to share quite a few scenes together as Professor X, Magneto, and the mutants try to figure out how to stop their dangerous friend.

Sophie Turner will first return as her iconic Game of Thrones character on April 14 in a six-episode finale that’s sure to get the world talking. X-Men: Dark Phoenix comes to theaters on June 7, 2019.

Us’ Music Was Started Before Filming Even Began

Us’ Music Was Started Before Filming Even Began

The horror genre has been in a serious renaissance over the pat few years, partly due to releases that came from Blumhouse Productions. Rather than stale or overly gory sequels, new and exciting properties have been brought to theaters, making tons of money in the process. Perhaps the most notable is Jordan Peele's Get Out, which won an Oscar and showed the vision and directorial talent he had.

Jordan Peele followed up Get Out with Us, which was met with similar box office and critical success. Us was scarier than its predecessor, and relied more on horror tropes than thriller instincts. The music was a major part of the movie, especially ahead of its release. The tethered cover of "I Got Five On It" is bone chilling, and composer Michael Abels recently revealed the film's score was being worked on even before filming began. As he put it:

Jordan had me read the script before he had shot any of the film. This was a similar process to Get Out in that respect. Then, he is very conscious of the power of music and film, and particularly in suspense and horror. So, he’ll tell me the type of music that he’s thinking of, and, in the case of Us, he said, ‘Clearly, the whole story is about duality in both the mirror image and yet the alternate image, so why don’t you try experimenting with some sounds that don’t go together, a couple of deliberately unconventional choices, and see what happens.’ I did that and I came up with some demos, some examples of me just experimenting with things that I wouldn’t have otherwise experimented with if he hadn’t told me to go and play in that sandbox.

Once again, Jordan Peele is proven to be a methodical filmmaker, which is why both of his first two movies have resonated with audiences. There's special care taken to each frame, and that includes the music and sounds that accompany Us and its predecessor.

Michael Abels' comment to Uproxx shine a light on the creative process of Us, which pre-dates its principal photography and editing steps. Sound is a major aspect of horror production, which Jordan Peele definitely seems to understand. Music can set the tone of each scene, and elevate the terrifying and bizarre parts of the movie. Us does just that with its creep score, which buoys the tension of the movie as things descend (literally) into madness.

Get Out also used music in interesting ways, with a score that included Swahili music, as well as a suspenseful score. Meanwhile, Us used hip hop, and distorted the iconic track into a terrifying musical theme. Smart money says Michael Abels is brought on Jordan Peele's third movie, whenever and whatever that might be.

Us is still in theaters now. In the meantime, be sure to check out our 2019 release list to plan your next trip to the movies.

Both Robert Pattinson And Nicholas Hoult Are Allegedly Auditioning For Batman

Both Robert Pattinson And Nicholas Hoult Are Allegedly Auditioning For Batman

Since Matt Reeves’ upcoming movie The Batman is a just over two years away, it’s time for the movie’s pre-production to get into high gear and the new Bruce Wayne to be named. Recent reports said Robert Pattinson has been cast as the Caped Crusader, but Warner Bros has not made the announcement yet. Perhaps this is because the actor has not yet scored the role and Dark Phoenix star Nicholas Hoult is still in the running.

Umberto Gonzalez, a reporter with The Wrap, has provided a rumored development on The Batman casting. Here’s what he said:

BATMAN UPDATE: Robert Pattinson & Nicholas Hoult are screen testing for the role. I suspect they're screen testing in the Batsuit because Wardrobe Department will need full wardrobe test. Additionally, the film will now start production in Q1 2020.

Per this source’s update, there are still two actors in the running and they’re currently going head-to-head for the role with a screen test with the Batsuit. When Robert Pattinson’s name was announced a couple weeks ago, Nicholas Hoult was also said to be on the short list. However, Variety gave the edge to Pattinson, describing that he was in negotiations and the studio’s “top choice” for the Caped Crusader.

Gonzalez’s words also divulge that The Batman will begin shooting in early 2020, after it was previously reported that the film’s principal photography in London may be pushed back from November. There has been other reports supporting this theory as well.

The update does make some sense considering the decision to cast a new Batman is a huge decision for Warner Bros and DC. Very few high-profile roles such as this have one actor in the running, especially when the look of the character in costume will especially be analyzed, scrutinized and contribute to the success of the film.

Robert Pattinson and Nicholas Hoult may have already made it through a long casting process, and this screen test could be either the first of many or the last audition between one of them nabbing the role. Even if Variety’s initial report of Pattinson being the favorite is in fact true, the filmmakers may still want to compare two screen tests to finalize their decision.

Considering all the press Robert Pattinson has received over the past couple of weeks, it would be a strange turn of events to later learn Nicholas Hoult has been cast instead. The internet blew up (and even petitioned) against the news, but Pattinson ultimately has won over a lot of fans interested in his portrayal. A phrase for his version has even been coined reminiscent of “Batfleck” titled “Battinson”. How would Hoult's name garner a catchy title?

This is good news for those rooting for Nicholas Hoult to take on Batman after his four-movie run as X-Men’s Beast which will presumably end with the upcoming release of Dark Phoenix.

The Batman has a June 25, 2021 release date to make, so sooner or later the new Dark Knight will be announced, maybe with a behind-the-scenes picture of this alleged screen test? That would be cool! Either way it’ll be exciting to see how the upcoming DC project shapes up.

Are you team Battinson or Nicholas Hoult? Let us know in the comments below.

First Terminator: Dark Fate Trailer: Sarah Connor Is Back With A Vengeance

First Terminator: Dark Fate Trailer: Sarah Connor Is Back With A Vengeance

The sci-fi genre has been rather popular since it's inception, but there are a few titles that stand out among the rest. Chief among those properties is James Cameron's Terminator, which has never really been far from theaters. The fan favorite installment of that franchise is Terminator 2, and the upcoming sequel Terminator: Dark Fate is a direct sequel to that movie.

Moviegoers have been seriously excited about Terminator: Dark Fate, particularly because it marks the return of actress Linda Hamilton as Sarah Connor. Luckily for us, the first trailer for Dark Fate has just been released, and it didn't disappoint. Check it out below.

Does anyone else have chills? The Terminator and Sarah Connor are both back, and the duo has quite the fight ahead of them.

The first Terminator: Dark Fate trailer opens with the trio of new characters. Mackenzie Davis' newcomer Grace is shown trying to keep Dani (Natalia Reyes) and her brother Miguel (Diego Boneta) away from danger. Specifically, the newest Terminator model, which is able to split itself into two separate entities. Played by Gabriel Luna, Dark Fate's big villain had a ton of screen time, and may be the most deadly version of the Terminator that we've seen in the franchise's long tenure.

Just when all seems lost, the trio of newcomers are saved. Not by Arnold Schwarzenegger's T-800, but Linda Hamilton's Sarah Connor. The decades since we saw her in Terminator 2 have hardened the iconic heroine even further, and she quickly disposes of the new villain through some heavy artillery. Namely, by shooting him with a massive gun, and then setting the bad guy aflame with another weapon.

While Sarah Connor may have saved Grace and Dani, smart money says taking down the new Terminator won't be quite that easy. Gabriel Luna's character has a ton of screen time in the first trailer, and may be even more deadly than Robert Patrick's T-1000 from T2. But Grace is also a new type of Terminator, one that identifies as a human. So clearly the Terminator canon is going to be going through some exciting changes.

Related: Terminator: Dark Fate Used A Clever Sarah Connor Callback To Reveal New Poster

Terminator fans may be hyped to see Linda Hamilton and Arnold Schwarzenegger back on screen together, but the most exciting scene from the first Dark Fate trailer comes in the final moments-- in an epic plane chase sequence. In what will no doubt be a thrilling experience in theaters, we see the Gabriel Luna's character crash into another plane, in an attempt to procure and/or murder Dani. We also see Grace dangling in the air, hanging onto debris that is slowly parachuting toward the ground.

Overall, the first Terminator: Dark Fate trailer was purposefully vague regarding its plot, as the film won't arrive until the fall. So we should expect more trailers to arrive in the coming months, revealing more about what to expect from the highly anticipated sequel.

Terminator: Dark Fate is set to arrive in theaters on November 1, 2019. In the meantime, check out our 2019 release list to plan your next trip to the movies.

Hellboy’s Rotten Tomatoes Score Is Here, and It’s Rough

Hellboy’s Rotten Tomatoes Score Is Here, and It’s Rough

Guillermo del Toro's two Hellboy films struggled at the box office, but both movies reviewed quite well when they were released. The box office prospects of the newly rebooted Hellboy have yet to be realized, but on the review side of things...it's not going well. Just hours before the first general audiences get a look at the new Hellboy, the movie sits with a Rotten Tomatoes score of an abysmal (demon joke) 12%.

Specifically, as of this writing, that number represents 60 total reviews, with only seven of them qualifying as positive. That's actually a fairly small number of reviews for a wide release film that's expected to be the biggest opener of the weekend. However, in many markets, press were not given screenings of the film prior to release, so a lot of critics simply haven't seen the film yet. Of course, when critics aren't given screenings, that's frequently a sign of something bad, and the reviews that have come out have clearly confirmed that.

Still, there are always movies that critics don't love, but 88% of critics disliking a movie is quite a feat. For comparison, that puts Hellboy a point below Tyler Perry's A Medea Family Funeral which scored a 13% positive score. It's bringing up the rear for this weekend's major releases. Laika's Missing Link is sitting at a healthy 89% while the comedy Little isn't fairing well, but with a 52% score it looks like an Oscar contender compared to Hellboy.

There was a time when we expected genre material based on comic books to not be great. It was frequently reviewed poorly whether or not it found an audience. However, these days we're much more used to seeing this sort of material actually turn out well. The reasons that Hellboy has crashed so hard with critics are as varied as the critics themselves. The CGI is bad. The story is a mess. The characters go nowhere. It's all sizzle and no steak. If you like over the top violence with a story that seemingly goes everywhere at once, then maybe this is the movie for you after all.

Of course, it remains to be seen if any of this actually matters. While audiences and critics tend to be in rough alignment more often than people realize, the fact is that the two sides can certainly diverge. Critics can love movies that audiences don't bother with, this happens frequently with "awards bait" movies in the last quarter of the year, and audiences can embrace movies that critics hate. In the end, it's the audience response that will determine whether Hellboy is truly a success, or if it becomes the beginning of the new franchise is obviously would like to be.

There will likely be an influx of additional reviews for Hellboy as more critics see the film over opening weekend, but there's certainly no reason to expect a massive change in the overall response. If the film was on the border between "Fresh" and "Rotten" a couple decent reviews might make the difference, but that's far from where this one finds itself.

Joe Russo Wants Marvel Fans To See Endgame Opening Weekend To Avoid Spoilers

Joe Russo Wants Marvel Fans To See Endgame Opening Weekend To Avoid Spoilers

The stakes for the Marvel Cinematic Universe could not be higher. With Captain Marvel in the rear view, there's only one movie left in Phase Three. Avengers: Endgame will be the cumulation of the entire MCU thus far, and will finally catch up on the surviving heroes in the wake of Thanos' mass murder. Marvel Studios has been keeping its cards close to the chest for the last year, so the general public has no idea what might go down during the highly anticipated movie.

But the wait is nearly over, as Endgame is set to arrive in less than a month. The marketing material has been purposefully vague, not revealing much about the contents of the Russo Brothers' highly anticipated blockbuster. Everyone involved seems to be worried about spoilers, including The Russo Brothers themselves. Joe Russo recently encouraged fans to see the film on opening weekend in order to avoid spoilers, saying:

I think this one has even more spoilers than the last one. This is a culture that wants everything now, and it’s getting worse. The world is connected via social media, and information travels within seconds. If you’ve been following along with this narrative for 10 years, you’re going to want to protect yourself. It’s best to go in clean. I encourage people to go opening weekend because I’m sure everything is going to hit the internet the moment the movie hits the screen.

When it comes to the biggest blockbuster of the year, timing matters. So Joe Russo wants the fans to run to theaters during Endgame's first weekend of showings. Because we all know that the internet and social media isn't a safe place for spoilers.

Joe Russo's comments to Box Office Mojo make a great deal of sense, as the public knows little to nothing about the contents of Avengers: Endgame. As such, basically every frame of the upcoming blockbuster can be considered a spoiler. Infinity War showed that the Russo Brothers were pulling no punches when it came to their pair of blockbusters, so the narrative possibilities and consequences are totally in their court.

Avengers: Infinity War saw a ton of characters perish, both by the physical hands of Thanos and by The Decimation. This gives the chance for the surviving heroes to carry the events of Endgame. But smart money says there will be more character deaths in the new movie. Many of Marvel's biggest stars are coming to the end of their contracts, including Robert Downey Jr. and Chris Evans. So it seems more than possible that they could perish in order to save the universe and hopefully reverse the affects of the snap.

Luckily, answers are coming. But in order to see Avengers: Endgame without Twitter ruining major plot points, you may want to head to theaters as soon as it hits theaters next month. At least, that's Joe Russo's suggestion.

Avengers: Endgame will finally arrive in theaters on April 26th. In the meantime, check out our 2019 release list to plan your next trip to the movies.