Doug Liman has abandoned the long-gestating, always delayed Gambit film over at Gambit, and has hopped on with DC to direct Justice League Dark. It’s actually called Dark Universe, but hey, the bigger news here is that Doug Liman is finally getting his shot at superhero cinema!
Justice League Dark is an awesome premise, but how will it fare in a world that’s had to endure Suicide Squad? This team is another set of antiheroes, albeit different ones, and it also means Swamp Thing is headed back to the big screen. Swamp Thing, Constantine, Deadman, Zatanna, and Etrigan the Demon are the key characters of Justice League Dark/Dark Universe.
Guillermo del Toro was originally circling the project, but schedules conflicted and del Toro moved on while DC cooked up other projects. Now, Doug Liman is on board, and it will be interesting to see what he can do with a team of supernatural superheroes. The guy can handle action, that’s for sure. Of all the Bourne films, his Identity has aged the best, and Edge of Tomorrow was brilliant work.
No casting or release date was attached to the report, but it will be interesting to see how DC recasts Constantine, previously played by Keanu Reeves on the big screen and Matt Ryan on the short-lived TV show.
With Spider-Man now existing in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, there are plenty of opportunities for him to interact with other superheroes. Tony Stark will appear in the upcoming ‘Spider-Man: Homecoming’ but could we see Captain America?
Chris Evans and Tom Holland have displayed interest in the crossover, and at the end of the day, this is Marvel. Take a look below as we compare the positives and negatives of Cap appearing in Spider-Man: Homecoming.
Why Captain America Should Appear in Spider-Man: Homecoming
Spider-Man was a key highlight in Captain America: Civil War. The interplay Spidey has with each character is a unique experience. With thedialogue between him and Cap being a personal favourite. It looks like the cinematic Spider-Man will look to Tony Stark for advice, but it would be great to see Peter look elsewhere when questioning his morality.
The MCU introduced Spider-Man as an enemy to Cap. The communication between them was fun, but at the end of the day, they were still fighting. For the MCU to move forward, it is important for these characters to get on the same page. We want our heroes to fight alongside one another, not against each other.
The Civil War still needs a resolution. Spider-Man: Homecoming could bring Tony Stark and Cap onto the same team. With Infinity War coming up it’s important for these characters to stick together, and fight side by side. It can’t be easy to win a war when you’re butting heads.
Why Captain America Shouldn’t Appear in Spider-Man: Homecoming>
If Age of Ultron taught us anything it’s that there truly can be too many heroes. Marvel tried to balance all of their characters, resulting in what can only be described as a messy and distracting experience. It is important for Marvel to focus on what is important in Spider-Man: Homecoming, which is Spider-Man. Tony Stark is OK, but if Cap joins the film, it could take away from what the film should be about.
If the movie can find a way to naturally have Cap appear it could work well. If Chris Evans feels crammed in and unnecessary it could ruin the first experience of this new Spider-Man, and waste a movie on Evans’ contract.
What do you think? Should Captain America appear in Spider-Man: Homecoming? Be sure to let us know in the comments section below.
Spider-Man: Homecoming will swing into theatres on July 7, 2017.
Casey Affleck goes for Oscar gold with his performance in ‘Manchester by the Sea.’ Amazon Studios and Roadside Attractions released the first trailer Wednesday afternoon.
In ‘Manchester by the Sea,’ the latest film from award-winning writer and director Kenneth Lonergan, the life of a solitary Boston janitor is transformed when he returns to his hometown to take care of his teenage nephew. The story of the Chandlers, a working-class family living in a Massachusetts fishing village for generations, Manchester by the Sea is a deeply poignant, unexpectedly funny exploration of the power of familial love, community, sacrifice and hope.
After the death of his older brother Joe (Kyle Chandler), Lee Chandler (Casey Affleck) is shocked to learn that Joe has made him sole guardian of his nephew Patrick (Lucas Hedges). Taking leave of his job, Lee reluctantly returns to Manchester-by-the-Sea to care for Patrick, a spirited 15-year-old, and is forced to deal with a past that separated him from his wife Randi (Michelle Williams) and the community where he was born and raised. Bonded by the man who held their family together, Lee and Patrick struggle to adjust to a world without him.
In his first film since 2011’s acclaimed Margaret, Lonergan once again proves himself a powerful and visionary storyteller as he seamlessly weaves past and present together, crafting a tension-filled tale that deftly eschews sentimentality in favor of penetrating emotional insight and deeply affecting human relationships.
‘Manchester by the Sea’ can be seen in select theaters November 18.
John Constantine, the chain smoking occult detective is back to fight against evil whether he likes it or not. His new series has begun, and one of the first problems which won’t leave him alone is his old buddy Swamp Thing. These are the top five moments to come out of the first issue.
5. History Lesson
The issue opens up by showing two siblings at a pinnacle moment in history. One is trying to stop the other from causing the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria. Unfortunately, it succeeds anyway and leads to the start of World War I. The panel used to highlight the death and destruction which took place really works to show just how devastating the consequences were.
4. Sibling Rivalry
Those same siblings from the beginning of the issue show up again and this time in modern times. How did they manage to survive for over a hundred years and not look a day over 50? This question is not answered but one thing is sure, Constantine is going to have to deal with at least one of them in the near future.
3. Friend In The Greenhouse
When Swamp Thing comes calling, it’s best to just answer. As the DC Comics protector of the plants works desperately to get a side down with Constantine, he eventually gets through by appearing in a Greenhouse close to the Hellblazer. Watching him pull himself together is definitely an interesting sight.
2. Double Standards
In an effort to help his buddy Swamp Thing out, Constantine decides to pay an old associate a visit. Unfortunately, the first thing she does once she sees him coming is point a shotgun in his face. Soon after, he finds she gives Swamp Thing a much more friendly welcome. This amusing scene really helped to lighten the mood, if just for a moment.
1. Stroll In The Park
Sometimes just a good interaction between characters is all you need for an issue to be memorable. Here as Constantine and Swamp Thing take a walk through a park, the two of them talk about old times and Swamp Thing takes the time to explain the trouble he is having in his life. This great exchange between two characters who have shared a lot over the years easily stole the number one spot on this list.
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What were your favorite moments from The Hellblazer #1? Leave a comment below and let us know.
The Flash Season 3 is ever closer, and new information is coming out in smaller drips, as the majority of the general information has dropped during San Diego Comic Con 2016. The Flash Season 3 is going to bring a whole slew of new DC Comics characters into the fold, in part because of The Flash meddling with the timeline, and Kid Flash, Savitar, Magenta, and others are said to be a part the Fall 2016 season.
Comicbook reports that future Magenta actress Joey King took to Twitter to tease fans with her Season 3 look for The Flash.
Magenta is a DC Comics character that operates much like a female DC Comics version of Marvel’s Magneto. Magenta is a Wally West/The Flash villain when Wally wasn’t Kid Flash, so it seems to fit partially into this Flashpoint Paradox/CW universe that Barry Allen messed with and formed.
The Flash Season 2 finale saw the end, and almost disembodiment and actual decay of, Zoom at the hands of the “Time Wraiths.” However, there was a slight hint that he could return as a DC Comics character known as “Black Flash.” The running dead look that Zoom donned as the Time Wraiths were decaying and taking him away is the DC Comics look for the said character.
So, should fansexpect Black Flash in Season 3? Producer Andrew Kreisberg was cryptic but suggests that Black Flash might be rearing his decayed head in the future.
“Obviously we did that on purpose. We love working with Teddy [Sears]. He’s such an amazing actor and amazing person and was so much a part of the success of this show last season. There aren’t any immediate plans for that, but you can’t keep a good Black Flash down, so I’m sure we’ll be seeing him in the future.”
Another DC Comics character that menaces The Flash is also on his…or rather “her” way to Season 3. The Top was a male character, now a female on the CW, who often tagged along with the much-anticipated villain Mirror Master. Though, there does not seem to be any sign of Mirror Master heading to the show anytime soon.
However, executive producer Aaron and Todd Helbing say The Top’s entrance into the fourth episode will be part of an origin story for Mirror Master.
“It’s kind of the origin of Mirror Master…We’re really excited. It’s the origin story of him, but it’s this struggle between Mirror Master and Captain Cold, and you get to see who comes out on top.”
So, it sounds like Mirror Master is confirmed after all, but no further details seem to exist at this time. How will The Top, Mirror Master, and the other aforementioned villains play into the Season 3 Flashpoint Paradox? It is likely you’ll have to wait until October.
However, you may leave your speculations, opinions, and theories below.
Don’t Breathe is a bare-bones, straight-to-the-point, plot-driven thriller. There’s no excess exposition, no attempts at fleshing out characters beyond what’s necessary to make the terror work.
That’s not to say it’s not good. Taken for what it is, Don’t Breathe is an engrossing, cleverly conceived piece of suspense, high on concept and low on gore and overused tropes.
What’s it about?
Jane Levy (2013 Evil Dead remake) stars as Rocky, who’s feels stuck along with her kid sister living with their deadbeat lush of a mom. Rocky wants to get them both out of that life, and she’s turned to breaking into houses to do it.
She’s not committing the crimes alone. Helping her is Alex (Dylan Minnette), an otherwise smart kid with a crush on Rocky. Alex plans their break-ins and steals keys and alarm codes for houses from his security guard dad to get the jobs done.
Alex also tries to enforce a set of rules for their break-ins. He keeps the group to stealing smaller stuff that’s insurable in order to keep them clear of grand theft charges if they get caught.
Rounding out the trio is “Money” (Daniel Zovatto), Rocky’s boyfriend, who’s in it for his namesake and the thrill. Money fences what the group steals, and its his connection that provides the tip on potentially their biggest score ever.
The set-up
Their new target is an old Gulf War veteran, living alone in a house in an all-but-deserted, dilapidated Detroit neighborhood. Word is the old codger is sitting on a mountain of cash, a settlement from the tragic car accident that killed his daughter.
And, as the would-be thieves discover upon surveying their victim, the man is blind. No neighbors, a seemingly helpless victim, and enough cash to stop stealing for good. For Rocky, it’s too good an opportunity to pass up.
But once the group is inside and committed, they discover they’re way in over their heads. Their target is blind, yes, and he is sitting on all that money.
But he’s anything but helpless. Once he’s aware his home has been invaded, he draws on his old training and his knowledge of his home to defend himself. Soon, the trio finds themselves trapped with a man trained to kill and with his own dark secrets to hide.
Not exactly a horror film
Though billed as a “horror thriller”, Don’t Breathe is a lot more of one than the other. The film relies on the set-up and payoff of suspense, rather than visual frights and gore, to achieve its ends.
In this respect, it’s quite a departure from the last film from this writer/director/producer team. Writer-director Fede Alvarez, working with producers Sam Raimi and Rob Tapert, brought to the big screen a remake of Raimi and Tapert’s cult classic Evil Dead back in 2013, an effort distinguished by lots and lots of SFX gore and visual nightmares.
With this film, Alvarez works a lot more with creating an effective sense of claustrophobia in a setting made realistically almost impossible to escape. The house itself, with its long, eerily lit corridors, steep staircases, and basement full of twists and turns, becomes as bewildering and unpredictable an adversary as the man living in it. Though it has no ghosts, it winds up being as fright-inducing as any haunted house seen in recent film.
That said, hardcore classic horror buffs may come away from Don’t Breathe feeling cheated. Though the film’s primary antagonists turn out to be quite the terrors, the movie itself isn’t “scary.” Suspenseful, yes, but scary? Not unless you’re really afraid of the dark.
Stephen Lang a terrific terror
Speaking of that antagonist, veteran character actor Stephen Lang (Avatar, TV’s “Into the Badlands“) is as formidable and intimidating as ever in Don’t Breathe. Lang delivers a raw and muscular (literally) performance, easily the most memorable in the film. To a point, audiences may even find themselves rooting for him — after all, the thieves did invade his home, thinking he was a helpless mark.
The young actors who fill out the film’s tiny ensemble do their best to keep up with Lang, with mixed results. The minimal script really does them no favors — it provides them with motivation and gets them into the situation, and that’s it. The film clearly wants you to like them, or at least empathize with them, but it’s a tough sell. At least, until the twist comes along.
Worth seeing?
If you’re in the mood for a good thriller at the movies this weekend, you could do a lot worse than Don’t Breathe. However, there’s nothing in the film that would preclude it being just as enjoyable on the couch as a digital download or Netflix rental. See it now, or see it later — either way, it’s perfectly serviceable entertainment.
Don’t Breathe
Starring Jane Levy, Dylan Minnette, Daniel Zovatto, and Stephen Lang. Directed by Fede Alvarez.
Running Time: 88 minutes
Rated R for terror, violence, disturbing content, and language including sexual references.
Jaime Reyes has returned with the scarab on his back which allows him to turn into an armored alien weapon. In his new series, he’ll be getting backup from Ted Kord, the second Blue Beetle, who will help Jaime as he works to balance school and fighting crime. This issue serves to set up what to expect from the new series and these are the top five moments to come out of it.
5. Back Breaking Work
It’s never easy being a hero. It’s also not easy when you’re fighting off super villains and civilians are still in the area. Still, thanks to the armor, Jaime is able to deploy his wings in time to stop the roof from crushing a group of people, and gives them the time they need to evacuate. It’s a very catching scene which causes even Ted Kord to give a cheer.
4. Robots?!
Don’t you just hate it when you think you have beaten your opponents only to find they are robots who can put themselves back together? Rack and Ruin, two villains who specifically call out the Blue Beetle, end up getting destroyed in the heat of battle. This is surprising considering earlier in the issue they took a coffee break. It makes you ask, “Why would a robot drink coffee?”
3. My Best Friend’s Aunt
The issue closes by revealing Jaime’s friend Brenda has an Aunt who is in actuality more than she seems. She appears to be behind the attack involving Rack and Ruin and seems to have her sights set on the Blue Beetle. What is her plan and what does she want with Jaime? This will no doubt be revealed in the new series.
2. New and Old
There is a good dynamic going on between the two Blue Beetles and it’s best shown here as Ted calls Jaime into battle. Ted informs him of Rack and Ruin showing up, and Jaime is just trying to make it to school on time. It’s an interesting conversation but really shows what kind of relationship the two of them possess.
1. The Doctor makes a house call
Dr. Fate is the DC Universe’s expert in all things magical. He is always a force not to be taken lightly. Him appearing out of nowhere in your base and telling you how much of a mistake you are making is never a good thing. Still, this is what happens to Ted Kord, and Dr. Fate informs him that the scarab is dangerous. This out of nowhere appearance, complete with a dangerous warning about the future, easily stole the number one spot on this list.
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What were your favorite moments from Blue Beetle: Rebirth #1? Leave a comment below and let us know.
Where were you when you first saw the poster for the 2016 Ben-Hur remake? It had to be a memorable time, a surreal moment of realization, however indifferent, that Hollywood had lost its damn mind.
I think I was walking through the movie theater, and if memory serves I pulled a muscle in my neck doing a double take. Was that… Jack Huston? As Mr. Hur? Surely not, unless, was this new Ben-Hur set to be a gritty, low-budget indie remake of the 1959 William Wyler epic? Maybe that was the case. It’s really the only explanation for the lead role being occupied by an actor (and an impressive one, make no mistake) recognizable to less than 10% of the population, mostly as a supporting character he played on an HBO series that ended two years ago. Yeah, this Ben-Hur was surely going to be a bare-bones character study.
But that poster sure didn’t indicate as much.
Of course, nobody really thought this Ben-Hur was going to be a low-budget indie rehash of a massive biblical tale. It was definitely going to be an empty, soulless remake made for a King’s ransom that would wind up tying a big ungainly bow on one of the most mediocre summer movie seasons in recent memory. I had no interest in seeing this thing, and I could not for the life of me imagine anyone I knew, even remotely through friends of friends of acquaintances, who would waste their time seeing a product so obviously inferior to the original.
So yeah, I didn’t see Ben-Hur2.0, but I didn’t need to to know it was a horrible idea and undoubtedly a thankless endeavor. Sometimes expectations turn into reality without having to fully experience said reality. Huston in the lead role was weird enough, but then there was Morgan Freeman – not really Se7en or Shawshank Morgan Freeman, more like High Crimes or Transcendence “I-Need-A-New-Beach-House” Morgan Freeman – in gray dreadlocks. Beyond that, there was not one marketable name attached to the project. The director? Timur Bekmambetov, of Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter and Wanted fame. Again, the lack of marketable names isn’t an issue… when you’re making a small film.
What. The. Hell.
Look, all of these people deserve the best. They’ve made a name for themselves in Hollywood, more than what most can accomplish in their lives, and they’ve all turned in some good work. Huston has legit potential in the right role – he was haunting in Boardwalk Empire – and Morgan Freeman is Morgan Freeman. Even Bekmambetov’s breakout feature, Night Watch, is good stuff. But how on earth or any other celestial body in the galaxy could any of these people, not to mention the studios (Paramount and MGM shelled out hella cash for this thing) think this was going to be a success? It’s one of the more baffling decisions on which tinseltown has followed through, and the end result is now one of the definitive cautionary tales of big-studio misfires in cinematic history.
Ben-Hur brought in just a little over $11 million last weekend. In it’s first weekend. The budget JUST FOR MAKING THE THING was $100 million, and untold dozens of millions followed that on the marketing side. When all is said and done, this turd is expected to lose $100 million at the box office. Reviews weren’t the absolute worst, plenty of movies register under 29% (cough, Suicide Squad, cough), but this was more about the conception, the execution, and the very reason (or lack thereof) for its existence; and in the end the reviews didn’t help quell what so many millions of us already knew.
Heads will roll on this one. I’m sure more than one suit in So Cal has lost hours upon hours of sleep these last few days, but if they had the foresight so many millions of moviegoers had in the weeks and months leading up to this colossal failure last weekend, this all could have been avoided. Remaking Ben-Hur is a profoundly terrible idea in and of itself. What’s more, remaking a film beloved by so many with a cut-rate cast and a budget that appears to have gone mostly to craft services, then dumping it in the purgatory that is late August, is one of the most confounding series of events, so much so that trying to cobble together some Mad Libs style remake pitch and throwing “release date darts” at a calendar would end up making more sense.
To be fair (sorta), studio execs might have hoped for international box office and the “Christian Right” to recoup the budget. But that’s, quite frankly, an insult to Christians on rights or lefts or anywhere else, and a big “F You” to foreign audiences. You think these people couldn’t tell what a piece of shit this movie was going to be from the outset? It was more obvious than Rudy Giuliani’s upcoming November ballot.
When all is said and done, though, Ben-Hur won’t change things in Hollywood. They’ll still churn out ill-conceived remakes and sequels to movies nobody wants, and they will lose money too. Someone will probably get fired for thinking they were good ideas, even though at least a dozen people surrounding the poor bastard who’s now cleaning out his or her office should have sensed the impending disaster. Then again, perhaps – and this is such a stretch I can barely type it out – Ben-Hur will wind up being such a colossal failure, things will change.
What if this debacle has made some studio execs tuck that spec script for a Lawrence of Arabia reboot back in the bottom drawer of their desk, lock the drawer, and throw the key out of the open window of their Tesla as they speed down the 101? Maybe some cigar-chomping suit called McG and told him “let’s hold off on that Casablanca reimagining for the time being.” The head of Paramount might think twice when he hears Max Landis’s idea for a “millennial’s take” on Network.
The hydrogen-filled zeppelin that is Ben-Hur might have actually saved the world from Brett Ratner’s The Godfather.
Surprise! Here comes Rings, a sequel/reboot to the 2002 hit horror film The Ring – an adaptation of the 1998 Japanese thriller, Ringu. There was already one sequel, The Ring 2, back in 2005, but really nobody remembers that one.
Samara is back, and her tech has been updated for 2016. Now she has to crawl out of flatscreens. Check out the trailer:
Julia becomes worried about her boyfriend, Holt, when he explores the dark urban legend of a mysterious videotape said to kill the watcher seven days after viewing. She sacrifices herself to save her boyfriend and in doing so makes a horrifying discovery: there is a “movie within the movie” that no one has ever seen before.
So there you have it. Relative unknowns Matilda Lutz, Alex Roe, Bonnie Morgan, and Aimee Teegarden star alongside Johnny Galecki and Vincent D’Onofrio, who’s always nice to have around for a little bit of weird craziness. I like the new tricks in the film, especially the airplane scene where Samara gets into all those personal monitors.
Rings will open October 28. Are you pumped to see this new entry?
Comics creators come together to celebrate their mutual love of the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers! From short stories like “The Origin of Goldar” to “What Would Happen If Bulk and Skull Became Rangers?”, this oversized anthology collection features contributions from creators like Terry Moore (Strangers in Paradise), Rob Guillory (Chew), James Kochalka (Monkey vs Robot), and more!
Writing
The first Mighty Morphinannual from Boom! Studios is a wonderful offering of different short stories all taking place in the Power Rangers Universe. Tales such as “A Week in the Life” by Kyle Higgins tells a simple story of Jason trying to balance his school, his life, and being a Ranger all at the same time. “A Spot of Trouble” looks at Trini and Kimberly as they try to help with a party, only to find it under attack by monsters. Each of these stories offers a very interesting look at what different writers and artists can accomplish with the different characters and settings.
The story which really makes the annual so good is “Only The Strong” by Trey Moore. It offers a perfect mixture of deep storytelling while tapping into the different mythologies which came together to make Power Rangers the long saga is has become. With any luck, Mr. Moore will have another opportunity in the future to write and draw more stories in this series.
Artwork
The different art styles in the book don’t really accentuate one another, but instead seem to stand out on their own. Marguerite Bennett’s style in “A Spot of Trouble” helps to sell the story as much more whimsical, like something out of a fairy tale. Jorge Corona’s style from “What Makes A Ranger” has a roughness to the story which makes it appear harsh but heartwarming all at the same time. Each story is unique and offers a different take on many familiar characters.
Conclusion
This celebration of the Power Rangers truly is a welcomed sight. It helps to prove all which can be done with the tapestry of the mythology behind the Power Rangers Universe. Hopefully this is not the last time a group decides to get together to celebrate how much this series means to them.
