Did you know Whitney Cummings is currently making her directorial debut with The Female Brain? I didn’t. Did you know that it’s already in production? News to me. Did you know that Sofia Vergara, Cecily Strong and Blake Griffin are already signed on? If you did, you had a leg up on me. And have you heard the latest news? James Marsden, Lucy Punch and Toby Kebbell also recently joined the cast. I don’t know about you, but this one really snuck up on me. A mere few hours ago, I didn’t even know existed. Now, I’m deeply intrigued. Every day brings their fair share of surprises.
Deadline (via Slashfilm) reported on the upcoming comedy, based on Louann Brizendine’s 2006 book of the same name. It’s adapted to the screen by Cummings and Chappelle’s Show writer Neal Brennan. Based on the synopsis, it’ll center on five unsatisfied couples, and the inner workings and the power of brain chemistry during the different stages of their relationships. Sounds like some heady stuff (pun intended, unfortunately). Though a little high-concept on paper, it’ll probably be rather down-to-earth and approachable on the screen. Of course, we don’t really know what Cummings’ directorial style will be, so let’s not roll anything off the table.
In addition to co-writing and directing, Cummings also stars in the upcoming film. Along with the stars mentioned above, she’s joined by Beanie Feldstein (Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising), Xosha Roquemore (The Mindy Project), Deon Cole (Angie Tribeca) and Chris D’Elia, who previously worked with the actress/director on her short-lived NBC sitcom Whitney. There’s no word yet on when this one will hit theaters, but next year is the safest bet. Perhaps it’ll be ready for TIFF 2017, or something along those lines, will be in its future?
Although Cummings is best known for her stand-up, she’s also the co-creator of CBS’ ongoing 2 Broke Girls, and also created the aforementioned Whitney. The Female Brain, therefore, merely represents her next creative step. And, hopefully, it’ll be beneficial to everyone involved, particularly Kebbell. While he did some great work in Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, he could use another hit these days. Fantastic Four wasn’t a hit, to say the least, and this past weekend’s Ben-Hur is one of the summer’s biggest flops, financially and critically. Perhaps a career change towards comedy is the way to go. Meanwhile, Marsden soon stars in HBO’s long-awaited Westworld in October, and Punch was last seen in The Meddler.
NBA legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar has a new novel, a new comic book, and wants to save the world. Matt Sardo spoke with the student of Bruce Lee about the current state of the superhero, and how Abdul-Jabbar would like to team up with Ant-Man.
“I don’t think we are losing our moral compass. You get weary; sometimes people give in to fatigue because problems don’t every go away completely. We get rid of one set of problems and here comes another set, but that’s life we have to accept that. That’s just part of what life offers us a continuing stream of problems, but we have the means to deal with it if we want to get things done,” said Abdul-Jabbar.
We ask all our interview guests, ‘If you were to star in a buddy cop film, who would be your partner and why?’ Abdul-Jabbar is the first guest to pick a fictional character.
“I think a contrast, so I guess my partner would be Ant-Man. Somebody that can get real small because I’m real tall. We would deal with both ends of the spectrum,” said Abdul-Jabbar.
The six-time NBA Most Valuable Player had strong words for the NCAA and the NFL.
“I think it is very unfair to the college athletes. The NCAA, the people that are involved in that, they get to make all this money. They make billions of dollars, and the athletes don’t get anything except room, board, and tuition. I think that is a gross disparity, and something needs to be done about it. For a lot of businesses, the NFL really has the college football system as an unpaid minor league. All the people that go into the NFL come from basically college football. I think college athletes are really exploited, and something should be done about it to make their lives a little bit easier. I’m not saying they’re supposed to get rich or anything like that, but just making it possible to go through their college experience and not be poor and struggling all the time. I think that makes a lot of sense,” said Abdul-Jabbar.
Listen to the complete Kareem Abdul-Jabbar interview below.
The CW is developing a reboot of the 1987 vampire movie The Lost Boys.
Lost Boys is being adapted as a seven-season anthology series from Veronica Mars and iZombie creator Rob Thomas, Deadline reports.
Each season of the series will take place in a different decade, but would feature the same group of vampires.
The setting and human characters would change, with the show covering 70 years in total. The first season will be set in San Francisco during 1967’s “Summer of Love.”
The announcement comes as The CW prepares for the eighth and final season of its hit show, The Vampire Diaries.
In case you don’t know anything about the original The Lost Boys, here’s the trailer:
It appears that Hugh Jackman has grown the token Wolverine chops for the last time, as production has wrapped on his last Wolverine film. The actor posted a video on Twitter Monday morning, shaving off the iconic look.
It appears the film will be loosely based on the ‘Old Man Logan’ storyline by Mark Millar.
The untittled Wolverine film is directed by James Mangold, and stars Patrick Stewart aswell. The last ride hits theaters on March 3, 2017.
Kurt Sutter’s limited series Lucas Stand is halfway through its run, and things are looking rather interesting for our protagonist. Hunting demons, avoiding premature dying, and learning the finer points of interacting with soiled doves definitely made the third issue worth the wait.
So far, the series has been a treat to read, especially if you are a fan of Sons of Anarchy. The roughness of Lucas fits in with Sutter’s anti-hero style. Though I’m certain Stand would give Jax Teller a couple of sleepless nights.
Or they might go for a drink; Sutter is good with pulling out a twist.
It’s nice to see a story not being limited by network censorship or budgets. It makes you wonder how the full narrative of SoA would have been if it was a comic book series first.
Lucas Stand also works in the same philosophy that one is not truly all evil or all good, and that we all fight demons we try to hide from the world. Furthermore, effort we make to erase these sins can sometimes be worse than the guilt we have.
However, there are a couple of bumps in the road with the story. Nothing to take away the joy of the ride, but they are noticeable from what I’ve seen.
One bump is the way the story shifts sharply from one direction to the other, and in some cases it can be a bit disconcerting to the reader. Usually these turns are fleshed out, but they can still confuse the reader if they’re not paying attention.
Second, this is not a story you read for a quick go over. This is very much a thinking man’s story and if one doesn’t go in with that frame of mind, it can take longer for you to enjoy the story.
Finally, if one was going in thinking this would be SoA with monsters, then you may want to rethink that. To his credit, Sutter is not resting on the laurels of his past works. Though I’d love to see an SoA jacket on a background character eventually.
Overall, I am loving this series and I am eagerly looking forward to seeing how the series turns out.
So Marvel’s Civil War II event is roughly half way through its overall arc. Lines have been drawn. the teams have collected their respective members. and the final push is about to begin. Having read the main story and a few of the subsequent tie ins, I wanted to discuss the one major weakness throughout the entire event, Ulysses.
Now this is my opinion alone, you will probably have your own thoughts on the character. And perhaps what I don’t like about this guy is the same reason you love him. More power to you. But on my end of the spectrum, he is not a character I’m rooting for.
The first issue I have with the character is how, for being a catalyst of the main arc by Brian Michael Bendis and even in his own series, he doesn’t have much of a presence in the story. He’s a background character who is treated like he’s in the main cast.
Most of the time he’s mentioned in conversations, usually in a passing manner, making his contributions to the story in a very indirect manner. If his role was filled in by an already existing character then it would probably have a greater impact to the narrative.
Even in his own limited series, Ulysses has a very limited role. And most of what he does is react to other characters or just complain. There’s nothing really to him. No depth, no mystery. Just a whiny guy who seems to be the single most important character in the Marvel Universe.
The second issue I have with Ulysses is in his actual character. He’s just so…boring. We never get to know him as a person. So far two of Marvel’s heavy hitters are out and I don’t really think we’ve seen his reaction to the situation. I mean I think he was moping, but to be honest…all he does is mope.
We don’t know why exactly he feels guilty. And I can see how he could feel this after the death of War Machine and the Hulk, but no one seems to give the guy a moment to explain the guilt.
Is he upset he never saw that part of the vision that could’ve saved either hero?
Is he upset that his visions led to their deaths?
Does he feel like maybe he should’ve stayed hidden from the Inhumans?
Maybe he regrets having these powers?
Is his resolve to master his power strengthened or shaken?
None of this is ever explored. Ever!
While not following this example to the letter, they could try and use the example of Cassandra of Greek mythology. Cassandra had the ability of prophecy, but it eventually leads to her downfall and her city of Troy. There is an emotional pull to her tragedy in that she tries to avoid this fate, and it is through this effort that leads to the destruction she is trying to avoid.
You get no such feeling from this guy. And it really hurts the Civil War II story.
Miriam Sharpe, a character introduced in the first Civil War story, and who is strictly a supporting character, pulls more than her weight in the story. She represents the reason for the Registration Act, aside from Tony Stark, and her cause is relatable. It resonates with us, even if we may not be on her side. And when the story is over, you still think of her when you think about Civil War I.
You can’t really say that about Ulysses. Which is sad, because a plethora of Marvel writers are trying to make you care. Really really hard.
I hate to say this about the character, since he’s a creation of one writer I truly respect. And the same for the company, as they have been one I’ve enjoyed reading over the years. But this guy…this guy is just hard to sell to me. And it’s hurting the Civil War II story arc more than it should.
What do guys think of the Civil War II story? Who’s your favorite character so far?
The official trailer for Yu-Gi-Oh! The Dark Side Of Dimensions has been released on Youtube. Watch it down below.
“The stakes have never been higher; the rivalries never as fierce; the risks never so great. One wrong move—one card short—and it’s game over for good. A decade in the making, Yu-Gi-Oh! The Dark Side of Dimensions features new designs and an all-new story from the original creator of the global phenomenon, Kazuki Takahashi. His masterful tale features anime’s most beloved characters in their long-awaited return: Yugi Muto, Seto Kaiba, and their faithful friends Joey Wheeler, Tristan Taylor Téa Gardner, and Bakura.”
The Yu-Gi-Oh! franchise was started with a manga series back in 1996, and was then adapted into two different anime series; one in 1998, and one that aired from 2000-2004. The trading card game remains very popular to this day, as does the franchise as a whole.
Yu-Gi-Oh! The Dark Side Of Dimensions comes out in 2017. A specific release date has not been announed yet.
Some people say this is the last weekend of the summer movie season. While I still consider the Labor Day weekend part of the fun, it does feel like the end of summer is upon us — especially with this weekend’s disappointing box office numbers.
Suicide Squad is, once again, in the number one spot, but it’s hard to call its third weekend a full-out success. It earned $20.7 million, which is another steep drop for the anti-superhero WB blockbuster after earning $43.7 million last weekend. This one is plummeting, but hardcore DC fans probably just look at the number one spot and believe it’s another rousing hit. If that’s the case, then congratulations: Suicide Squad is number one again. Enjoy your cake, and eating it too.
Meanwhile, Sausage Party is in the number two spot again, but it’s celebrating some more genuine success. It earned an additional $15.3 million over the weekend, which propels it further into the black after it cleared its $19 million budget last weekend. It now holds $65.3 million in its domestic gross, which is another good win for originality. Although, it’s disappointing to hear animators now claiming that the filmmakers’ means of making such a box office smash were, well, a little sour. Or spoiled. Or rotten. Pick your food pun.
Speaking of rotten (supposedly), this weekend’s biggest loser is Ben-Hur, Paramount’s rather uninvited remake-of-a-remake hoping to win over the religious crowd through some revamped chariot races. But it was a failure of biblical proportions (as expected), as it opened in sixth place with poor reviews, audience indifference and a meager $11.4 million earned during its first weekend. With a $100 million budget, it’s safe to call this one a flop, unless it has some incredible legs these next few days. It’ll need a miracle if it wants to ascend.
Meanwhile, the weekend’s best performing newcomer was War Dogs, the latest from director Todd Phillips (The Hangover trilogy), which came in third place with a rather okay $14.3 million. That marks Phillips’ worst opening in ten years, behind 2006’s School for Scoundrels, but it wasn’t expected to earn the same dough as his comedy sequels. With a budget projected around $40 million, however, it’s not impossible for the Jonah Hill-Miles Teller buddy war dramedy to sneak its way into the black. Time will have to tell, however, if that’s the case for this dog.
Full disclosure: I haven’t seen War Dogs yet, so I don’t actually know if it’s a “dog.” To be honest, it looks kinda fun, and I’m looking forward to checking it out sometime in the relatively near future. But I wanted to make that joke, and here we are. Anyway, back to the box office reports. I apologize for the interruption.
Actually, the reason I missed War Dogs was because I went to see Kubo and the Two Strings instead, which I positively adored. That’s why I’m sad to see it’s not quite making a dent in the box office. It came in fourth place with a rather meddling $12.6 million, which is slightly lower than Laika’s last three releases, 2009’s Coraline, 2012’s ParaNorman and 2014’s The Boxtrolls. The key to their successes, however, were their legs, which I’m really, really, really hoping leads to Kubo‘s eventual success. It’s unquestionably one of the year’s best films, and it’s a major step up for the Oregon-based animation studio. I want nothing but good things for the stop-motion animated release. It deserves to be seen, loved and eventually cherished in the years to come.
On the brighter side, the timely, well-made modern western Hell or High Water is doing some nice business in its theatrical rollout. Expanding into 472 theaters, it earned a commendable $2.6 million, bringing its domestic total to $3.5 million. I don’t quite love it as much as some others did, but it’s definitely a taunt and engaging character drama-thriller, and I’m glad to know it’s finding its audience.
Alright, time to wrap up the weekend report. Pete’s Dragon is still doing decent enough, earning $11.3 million and making its domestic gross $42.9 million. It’s not great, but with a budget of $65 million, it’s working its way up. Just another reminder: it’s a good one. If you’ve already seen Kubo and the Two Strings, make a point to check it out.
Additionally, Bad Moms, continues to astound. It earned an extra $8.1 million, which makes its domestic gross total a healthy $85.8 million. And in limited release, Natalie Portman’s directorial debut A Tale of Love and Darkness debuted to $36,000 in two theaters within New York and Los Angeles, which an average of $18,000 per theater.
Nuttavut Baiphowongse, a concept artist from Thailand, is known for his work on the failed Independence Day: Resurgence, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and the recent Netflix phenomenon Stranger Things.
The artist somewhat recently dropped a gallery of conceptual art for Krang, Bebop, and Rocksteady from 2014’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles film, in which the characters were cut. Take a look.
In a recent Instagram post, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson cleared up confusion about whether the upcoming Jumanji film is set to be a continutation of the Robin Williams led classic, or a reboot of the story altogether.
“Finished strong and on to the next. That’s an officially wrap on #FastAndFurious8. Thank you to our director @fgarygray for the vision and execution. Thank you UNIVERSAL for being tremendous partners as always, thank you to all my fellow co-stars for the daily effort and grind. Scott Eastwood you handsome sumbitch! Natalie Emmanuel I have a cold Budweiser ready for you and Tyrese Gibson you still have the biggest smile and forehead I’ve ever seen.😂 And a huge THANK YOU to our hard working production crew – the backbone of our business. Your kind words meant a lot to me last night – thank you! In the end, we all rallied, as great teams do, kicked ass and will deliver an amazing movie to the world. Proud of our entire FAST FAMILY. And now in two weeks I’ll reunite with ol’ friends Kevin Hart & Jack Black and we have the honor to introduce a whole new generation to the amazing world of #JUMANJI. *(for the record we are NOT making a reboot, but rather a continuation of the awesome JUMANJI story). It’s also crazy to me how much me, Kev and Jack look like triplets when we’re together. 👶🏽👶🏻👶🏿. Man this is gonna be FUN.”
https://www.instagram.com/p/BJTMZqIDCCA/
Are you glad to hear that the new Jumanji movie won’t be a reboot, or do you just not care? Let us know in the comments section.
Meanwhile, 
Meanwhile, the weekend’s best performing newcomer was 
Actually, the reason I missed War Dogs was because I went to see