Britt Hayes
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James Gunn Confirms Ayesha’s Return in ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3’
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 has only been in theaters for less than a week, which — in the internet’s infinitely fickle estimation — means it’s time to start focusing on the next chapter in Marvel’s intergalactic superhero saga. It’ll probably be another three or four years before we see our favorite bunch of a-holes back on the big screen, but director James Gunn is already fielding questions about his plans for Vol. 3.
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‘Aquaman’ Unveils New Logo and First Set Photo as Production Officially Begins
There are a few standouts in the Justice League trailer (aside from Zack Snyder’s glaring obsession with making audiences feel like they’re trapped in a 2001 NuMetal music video): Ezra Miller’s Barry Allen / The Flash, Gal Gadot’s Wonder Woman, and Jason Momoa’s Aquaman — all of whom inject the trailer with enough personality to make up for Ben Affleck’s affectless Batman. Momoa’s humorously gruff take on Aquaman is a pleasant surprise, and it’s really piqued our interest in his upcoming solo film from director James Wan, which has officially begun production.
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‘The Dark Tower’ Trailer Features Two Major Stephen King Easter Eggs
If you’re a huge Stephen King fan (like me!), then you undoubtedly noticed two fairly huge easter eggs in the first trailer for The Dark Tower, which finally — after months of anticipation and growing concern — debuted online early this morning. Those less familiar with the SKU (the Stephen King Universe) may have missed the pair of references to two of King’s most iconic stories, both of which have also been adapted before.
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J.J. Abrams Embraces the ‘Inevitable’ End of the Theatrical Window Like It’s a Good Thing (It’s Not)
According to J.J. Abrams, the closing of the window between theatrical releases and at-home viewing is nigh. The director is one of a handful of Hollywood filmmakers to have endorsed Screening Room, a premium VOD service cooked up by Sean Parker (you may remember him best as Justin Timberlake in The Social Network) which would make new movie releases available to rent at home for 50 bucks. Despite push-back from fellow directors like Christopher Nolan, Abrams remains dedicated to the concept, something he says is “inevitable” as the quality of the theatrical experience continues to decline.
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Robert Downey Jr. Invites You to the ‘Avengers: Infinity War’ Set in New Charity Video
Wanna hang with Robert Downey Jr., Tom Holland and the rest of the Avengers: Infinity War cast? Now’s your chance. Today Marvel launched its latest Omaze campaign with a new video, in which the eternally charismatic RDJ invites you to join him for a special trip to the set of Marvel’s upcoming superhero crossover epic. All you have to do is make a small donation. That’s it. Easy, right?
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These New ‘Wonder Woman’ Photos Will Hold You Over Until Tonight’s Sneak Peek on ‘Gotham’
Although Warner Bros. released a handful of TV spots late last week, there’s some concern among fans about the lack of promotion for Wonder Woman, which hits theaters in just a few short weeks. In comparison to other big-budget blockbusters (and superhero films in particular), the marketing for Wonder Woman has been relatively low-key — strange, since it’s such a highly-anticipated summer release for several reasons, not the least of which is that it’s the first solo female superhero film in over a decade.
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Ewan McGregor to Play Winnie the Pooh’s BFF in ‘Christopher Robin’
Even though Jean Dujardin was the obvious choice, Ewan McGregor delivered a perfectly charming take on Lumiere in Disney’s live-action remake of Beauty and the Beast. Not only was the film a huge hit at the box-office (breaking a record previously held by Star Wars — STAR WARS), but it seems like McGregor was a hit with Disney, as the studio is eyeing the actor to take the lead in another live-action project based on a beloved classic property.
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M. Night Shyamalan Sets ‘Unbreakable’ Sequel ‘Glass’ for 2019
After years of toying with and publicly teasing the possibility of a sequel to his 2000 film Unbreakable, M. Night Shyamalan is finally ready to pull the trigger. The director has officially set a return to his darkly subversive take on the superhero genre as his next project. The follow-up, titled Glass, will hit theaters in 2019 — and those are the basics. If you want to know more, you’re warned of potential SPOILERS for another Shyamalan film with connections to Unbreakable.
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‘The Lion King’ Casts Billy Eichner and Seth Rogen as Live-Action Timon and Pumbaa
Jon Favreau’s “live-action” (let’s use that term loosely, here) remake of The Lion King is batting 1,000 when it comes to casting, with Donald Glover in the role of Simba and Beyoncé (rumored) for the role of Nala. But today’s additions might be the most perfect yet, as Billy Eichner and Seth Rogen have signed on to voice Timon and Pumbaa, everyone’s favorite unlikely-but-lovable meerkat and warthog buddy duo. Meanwhile, we’ll just be waiting for the other shoe to drop in this casting situation — like, say, if Favreau decides to cast Steve Bannon as Scar. Wait, actually that would be sort of perfect.
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‘Star Wars: Episode IX’ Gets an Official Release Date
When Lucasfilm initially announced Star Wars: Episode IX, the tentative plan was to release it in theaters on May 23, 2019 — that date was never confirmed, however, and when the studio shifted their releases to December (with the exception of the young Han Solo spinoff), everyone just assumed that it was only a matter of time before Episode IX’s release date was changed, too. That’s definitely not the case, as Disney and Lucasfilm have announced a metric Jabba-ton of new release dates, officially confirming the final film in their Star Wars trilogy for May 24, 2019.
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‘Justice League’ International Trailer: Batman Makes Some New Super-Friends
This new international trailer for Justice League isn’t nearly as long as the domestic trailers, but the latest sneak peek at Zack Snyder’s ambitious superhero team-up should hold you over until the next full-length preview drops. And despite its compact runtime, it does feature a little bit of new footage while teasing the mysterious new villain that will bring these heroic titans together, all set to a generic heavy rock cover of The Beatles’ “Come Together” that was clearly lifted from Snyder’s iPod circa 2001.
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You Need to Hear David Hasselhoff’s Ridiculous ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2’ Song
Young folks are probably best acquainted with David Hasselhoff in the ironic sense, like some kitschy relic unearthed in their parents’ attic during a recon mission to find the most absurd pop culture fossil for their growing collection of dank memes. But us olds know The Hoff as a beloved ’80s icon, star of Baywatch and Knight Rider, and a weird German pop music icon — so it’s not entirely surprising that James Gunn solicited Hasselhoff to help record a song for Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2. And it is special.
