A piece of action-packed concept art for the upcoming Kong: Skull Island has been released by Empire Magazine. Check it out below.
“Warner Bros. Pictures and Legendary Pictures’ “Kong: Skull Island” reimagines the origin of the mythic Kong in a compelling, original adventure from director Jordan Vogt-Roberts. In the film, a diverse team of explorers is brought together to venture deep into an uncharted island in the Pacific—as beautiful as it is treacherous—unaware that they’re crossing into the domain of the mythic Kong.”
The film is directed by Jordan Vogt-Roberts and features Tom Hiddleston, Samuel L. Jackson, John Goodman, Toby Kebbel, and John C. Reilly.
Kong: Skull Island arrives in theaters on March 10, 2017.
As far as films developed from video game properties go, Assassin’s Creed is a solid entry.
It’s faithful to the source material while re-imagining its signature visuals in a manner more befitting a big budget film. The parkour-style chases, martial arts action, and the series’s labyrinthine mythology are all here, as well.
In short, fans of the popular game series shouldn’t be too disappointed with what they get.
For other audiences, however, Assassin’s Creed comes up short of satisfying entertainment. It’s just too uneven, with certain elements working well while others fall flat.
What’s it about?
Michael Fassbender (X-Men: Apocalypse) plays Callum Lynch, a convicted murderer seemingly living out his last days on death row. Haunted by a horror he witnessed as a child, Cal’s been adrift his whole life, and so has no qualms about that life finally ending.
But he gets a surprise when instead of dying, he wakes up in a scientific compound in Madrid, Spain. His “rescuer” is Dr. Sophia Rikken (Marion Cotillard, Allied), who spins for him a tale almost impossible to believe.
Dr. Rikken needs to access memories stored in Cal’s genetic code, memories of an ancestor who lived over 500 years ago, Aguilar de Nerha. Using a device she invented, Cal can relive Aguilar’s experiences to help her and her organization, Abstergo, find a relic lost to the ages.
For Dr. Rikken, the relic represents a chance at nothing less than an end to human aggression. But for her father, Dr. Alan Rikken (Jeremy Irons), the CEO of Abstergo, it’s so much more.
The Rikkens and Abstergo, as it turns out, are part of the ancient order of the Knights Templar. Templars for centuries have sought ways to bring order to the world through subjugation and control.
The Templars only true opposition are the Assassins. Bound by their creed to preserve mankind’s freedom, generations of Assassins have fought the Templars at every turn.
Cal’s ancestor, Aguilar, was an Assassin. His memories of the relic are the keys to the Templars’s final victory.
But those memories also represent answers to questions Cal has had his entire life, missing pieces of a puzzle he didn’t even know existed. Once unlocked, the memories put him on a path to a new destiny, and show him at last who the architects of his lifelong pain have been all along.
Series fans should enjoy it
To those who’ve played the games, Assassin’s Creed the film truly is the game’s world and mythology brought to life. Signature elements from game play, from the modern technology to the stylized weapons and physical feats the Assassins perform, it’s all here.
Further, some of those elements, in particular the technology used to access genetic memory, have been re-imagined. Everything looks bigger and more dramatic, in particular Callum’s adventures in the past while connected to the Animus.
It’s clear the film’s producers and its star wanted to create something fans would delight in, and for the most part, they’re successful. The “Easter eggs” from the games included in the film’s production and costume design alone should inspire knowing smiles among the faithful.
But just like adapting anything else, fidelity to source material doesn’t necessarily make for a strong overall film. You still have to tell a good story and tell it well from start to finish, and that’s where Assassin’s Creed misses the mark.
Woefully uneven
Ironically, what keeps Assassin’s Creed from sticking the landing is the time-jumping, going back and forth between Spain in 1492 and the present day. The scenes set in the past thrill with strong action choreography and compelling visuals. Costumes and production design during these sequences are also the most interesting in the film.
The 21st century scenes, meanwhile, are all dimly lit and cast in the same overused bluish filter that’s come to signify futuristic incarceration and corporate oppression in recent sci-fi cinema. It’s a cinematic shorthand that panders to audience expectations; thus, these scenes feel the laziest in terms of craft.
Plus, these scenes tend to get bogged down in exposition and somnambulent line deliveries. It’s during these sequences that the film’s oh-so-acclaimed cast looks and sounds the most like they’re slumming.
That is, with the exception of Fassbender. As the one character in the film who appears in both time frames, he delivers lethal intensity in the present day scenes while capably handling the physicality and presence demanded by his sequences as Aguilar.
But Fassbender’s efforts alone aren’t enough to lift Assassin’s Creed beyond mediocrity for casual audiences. As good as he is, you’re likely to walk away only liking certain parts of the film, rather than the cohesive whole.
Worth seeing?
Fans of the Assassin’s Creed games should put aside any trepidation caused by past bungled film adaptations of video games and give the film a try. At the very least, it’s worth catching all those nods to the games in the production design, and seeing Fassbender along with the others playing Assassins bring that aspect of the game to life.
For anyone else, however, Assassin’s Creed simply isn’t worth the leap of faith, at least not at the box office price. If you’re curious about it, wait for it on video.
In the meantime, you can perhaps try one of the games.
Assassin’s Creed
Starring Michael Fassbender, Marion Cotillard, Jeremy Irons, Brendan Gleeson, Michael K. Williams. Directed by Justin Kurzel.
Running Time: 116 minutes
Rated PG-13 for intense sequences of violence and action, thematic elements and brief strong language.
Born on December 28, 1922, Lee grew up in New York City. After graduating high school, he began working for Timely comics, eventually moving from office work and normal tasks to writing his own comics.
Lee stopped working in the comics industry to serve 3 years in the military – from 1942 to 1945.
Following his time in the military, he teamed up with artist Jack Kirby and created the Fantastic Four for Marvel Comics, which was originally Timely Comics. After the success of Fantastic Four, Kirby and Lee created iconic characters such as Hulk, Spider-Man, X-Men, Iron Man, and many others.
Since creating so many characters still popular today, Lee has been actively involved in the films and current pop culture scene; he has made cameos in 28 Marvel films and even has his own convention, Stan Lee’s Los Angeles Comic-Con!
Socialite Violet Paige returns to Gotham City followed by a media frenzy. The heiress of a fortune left to her by a father who died a victim to a suspicious accident, Violet is a social media star, gaining fans and critics alike. But she hasn’t just returned to Gotham to care for her sick mother. Like many of Gotham’s populace, Violet hides a secret life and secret abilities. And as she takes to the streets as the city’s newest vigilante, Mother Panic, she will not only embark on a personal quest, but dive into the world’s infamous underworld, and gain the attention of Gotham’s most famous protector.
Mother Panic #2 “A Work in Progress Part 2”
Written by Jody Houser
Art by Tommy Lee Edwards
Mother Panic created by Gerard Way, Jody Houser and Tommy Lee Edwards Published by DC/Young Animal
Writing
After a solid first issue, Mother Panic #2 jumps right into some major revelations for the titular character. In one of the issue’s best sequences, Violet goes to a Gotham City victims charity ball where many of the attendees are garishly dressed as some of Batman’s most famous rogues. Violet is disgusted by the city’s social elite, and is merely there to continue the murder investigation started in issue one. This is strong writing from Jody Houser (who is also killing it on Faith from Valiant, a completely different book) for three reasons. One, it’s a call back to all the great classic Batman stories where Bruce Wayne used his image as cover. Two, it uses Gotham as a character (a theme I can already see as being a big part of Mother Panic). And three, in Violet’s behavior and observation we get a bigger picture of her and who she is. Houser, along with Young Animal curator Gerard Way, has created a dynamic and relevant young comic book character with an attitude. And scenes like this are a perfect showcase.
Another great, quick scene was the cameo appearance by Kate Kane, aka Batwoman. Her reaction when seeing the costumed Mother Panic in action is not only funny but also kind of meta, as it’s probably what many people were thinking when they first laid eyes on the all-white clad character.
But it’s the story’s end that is the best bit. We get a great action scene as Violet, in costume, catches up with her prey and unleashes a frightening amount of fury and intimidation. But it’s the reason that she doesn’t kill her target that is the issue’s narrative highlight, and it’s a detail best left unspoiled, but it adds even more layers of tragedy to her past and deepens the mystery of the death that befell Violet’s father.
Art
Tommy Lee Edwards (who worked with Mark Millar on the great mini-series 1985 for Marvel Comics) is simply destroying on this title. The line work is sketchy yet defined, giving the book a look that separates it from most of the output from DC. The coloring is also refreshingly handmade looking and almost rough. And when juxtaposed with the use of thick, clean white panel borders and creative layouts, it all gives it a nice and even flow.
The coloring stands out as well. It’s appropriately dark for a tale taking place in Gotham City, yet there are splashes of color in action scenes and solid panel backgrounds that make those moments pop and add to the visual rhythm of the book.
There is also a great use of lettering and font choice, as word balloons and sound effects work great, giving the issue various voices and noises; details like that help bring it all to life.
Mother Panic continues to be one of the best-designed characters in recent comics. Additionally, it’s a thrill to see Edwards draw some established Batman family members, even if it’s just in passing (issue #1 had a Batman cameo). Mother Panic clearly takes place in the main DC universe, yet it still stands with its own identity.
Conclusion
If you have been sitting on getting onboard with any of the Young Animal titles, Mother Panic is probably the best title to get started with. It will give you the unique experience that the comic book line provides, yet it’s accessible enough for mainstream fans. This creative team has introduced a new addition to Gotham’s mythology that I believe could be here to stay. I can’t wait to read issue #3.
20th Century Fox has released a stunning new poster for James Mangold’s Logan. Hugh Jackman revealed the poster on his official Facebook and Twitter accounts, giving fans a new look at his clawed hero. The poster shows Jackman’s iconic Wolverine in the desert with a stunning sunset in the background.
Logan will be the final time Hugh Jackman will portray Wolverine, a character he has embodied a total of eight times since 2000. Directed by James Mangold, the film is taking the character in a more realistic and gritty direction, which will only be made more enjoyable by its r-rating.
Set in the future of 2024, Wolverine and Professor Charles Xavier must cope with the loss of the X-Men when a corporation lead by Nathaniel Essex is destroying the world leaving it to destruction, with Logan’s healing abilities slowly fading away and Xavier’s Alzheimer’s forcing him to forget. Logan must defeat Nathaniel Essex with the help of a girl named Laura Kinney, a female clone of Wolverine.
The third and final Wolverine movie stars Hugh Jackman, Patrick Stewart, Boyd Holbrook, Stephen Merchant, Richard E. Grant, and will introduce Dafne Keen as X-23.
A young George Lucas is set to appear as a character in an upcoming DC’s Legends of Tomorrow episode, reveals Entertainment Weekly.
The CW show, about a group of time-traveling superheroes, makes frequent use of historical figures. But this is perhaps their most ‘pop-culture’ person to appear yet. And character Rip Hunter did make his long-awaited reappearance in the mid-season finale as a director making a sci-fi film in 1967. Here’s a snippet of the interview:
Because of circumstances, the time aberration in episode 209 is George Lucas quits film school,” executive producer Marc Guggenheim tells EW. “As a result, he never makes Star Wars or Raiders of the Lost Ark. As a result, Ray, who became an engineer because of Star Wars, and Nate, who became a historian because of Raiders, slowly start to lose their brilliance, because those things that inspired them to become who they are didn’t exist.
DC’s Legends of Tomorrow stars Arthur Darvill as Rip Hunter, Brandon Routh as the Atom, Victor Garber and Franz Drameh as Firestorm, Caity Lotz as White Canary, Maisie Richardson-Seller as Vixen, Dominic Purcell as Heatwave and Nick Zano as Citizen Steel. The show returns to television on Tuesday, January 24, 2017, at 9 p.m. ET on The CW.
We’re just month’s away from the release of Logan, and one day closer to Hugh Jackman’s final outing as Wolverine. With the release of the third Wolverine film quickly approaching, Jackman has revealed a new image giving fans a look at Wolverine suited-up in his Sunday finest.
The image shows Wolverine wearing a black suit leaning against a pretty slick looking car. This could be because he’s injured, or perhaps simply needs a rest.
We’re sure with the release date just around the corner, the marketing for the third and final Wolverine movie will begin to speed up. The film will land in March so expect more trailers, posters and TV spots to land in the coming weeks and months. If you haven’t already, or just want to watch again check out the first trailer for Logan below:
Set in the future of 2024, Wolverine and Professor Charles Xavier must cope with the loss of the X-Men when a corporation lead by Nathaniel Essex is destroying the world leaving it to destruction, with Logan’s healing abilities slowly fading away and Xavier’s Alzheimer’s forcing him to forget. Logan must defeat Nathaniel Essex with the help of a young girl named Laura Kinney, a female clone of Wolverine.
Logan is will be land in theaters on March 3, 2017.
A family spokesperson has confirmed that early Tuesday morning, Carrie Fisher passed away at the age of 60 due to complications stemming from the massive heart attack she suffered on a flight from London and Los Angeles. Carrie is survived by her daughter, Billie Lourde, her three siblings (Joely, Todd, and Tricia), and her mother, Debbie Reynolds. Our thoughts and prayers are with her family.
Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson has posted an Instagram photo which shows he and Henry Cavill sharing a drink, captioned: “Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from Black Adam and Superman”, with the hashtag #DCWorldsCollide among others.
After announcing that he would play Black Adam as long as two years ago, this tease comes as a welcome reminder of what the future has in store for DC fans.
Black Adam’s first appearance is reported to be as the villain in the standalone movie Shazam!, currently scheduled for release in April 2019. The film is expected to follow Billy Batson, an orphan who is given the ability to become an adult superhero with a single magic word.
Although a finished script is in place, according to ComicBook, Johnson is the only confirmed cast member so we still can’t be sure how or when he and Cavill will meet on screen. We can however be confident that in his anti-hero/villain capacity, Dwayne Johnson will bring some winking humor to future DC movies. Not forgetting a physique that was without doubt made for involvement in the DC Cinematic Universe.
Are you excited for Black Adam’s live action debut? Let us know your expectations in the comments.
In a recent converation with The Daily Beast, Kylo Ren actor Adam Driver gave Rian Johnson and the Star Wars: Episode VIII script high praise.
“He’s a brilliant filmmaker. And he wrote the script also, and he understands the importance of ambiguity and nuance. He wrote something that I think is remarkable.”
Additionally, the actor talked about what it feels like, as a fan, to be part of the Star Wars films.
“I’ve been lucky to get these opportunities. It’s very surreal to me. In working on the jobs—and actually doing the thing—I block that stuff from my mind as much as possible, because it’s not good to get nostalgic or overthink it. That might be a good strength of mine: not thinking a lot.”
Did you enjoy Driver’s performance in The Force Awakens? Let us know in the comments!
The so far untitled Star Wars: Episode VIII hits theaters in less than a year, on December 15, 2017.
Mother Panic #2
