Michael Fassbender recently talked Alien: Covenant with Collider, promising a film that is much more akin to Ridley Scott’s 1979 original than the sprawling sci-fi expanse of Prometheus:
“This Alien is going to be… I’m very excited to see it and everybody in the film was saying this is a film that we all want to see. It’s much scarier than Prometheus but it’s got the same sort of scope of Prometheus. It’s kind of got more of the sort of thriller, imminent disaster feel that Alien had, so it’s kind of a beautiful meeting of both of those films. I’m really excited to see it, I think it’s gonna be super scary number one and then again with the massive scope of Prometheus… Once it starts and the ball starts rolling, it doesn’t let up. It’s really gonna bring chills to the cinema.”
So it’s going to be scarier than Prometheus while staying at least in the same arena of scope as the 2012 film. That’s positive news. The biggest issue most had with Prometheus was the bloated storytelling, which seemed to get away from Scott. Telling an expansive story while ratcheting up the thriller elements feels like the best of both worlds.
We’ll see when Alien: Covenant opens August 4, 2017.
If you haven’t watched at least part of Netflix’s Stranger Things, why do you hate fun? The original series, set in 1983, is like an 80s movie encyclopedia fell all over the floor and was put back together in different order, with different characters. References to E.T., Close Encounters, Poltergeist, The Gate, Firestarter, and all manner of Steven Spieberg/Stephne King classics color each and every scene of The Duffer Brothers’ brilliant nostalgic thriller done right.
It also seems like a self-contained season, like it could end with these 8 episodes and everything would be fine. According to executive producer Shawn Levy, that isn’t the plan, and not only will be blessed with season 2, we could get “multiple seasons” and new characters along the way.
Levy spoke to slashfilm about the future of the show:
“We definitely are hopeful to go several more seasons. And the plan is to continue with this set of characters while introducing a few critical key new ones next season. So I’ll just say that a lot of the big mysteries get answered at the end of Season 1, but we are very much kind of unearthing new problems and questions that merit future stories and future investigation in the most enjoyable way. So we are in love with our cast and our characters.”
There are a few directions season 2 could head, and a few theories out there, but for now, let’s just enjoy the fact that Stranger Things will return.
Bad Santa 2 is on the way, and now we have a new teaser trailer. It doesn’t show us much, but what it does show us stays in, should we say, the spirit of the original.
Here goes:
It’s been forever since I’ve seen Bad Santa – it’s not really in my Yuletide movie rotation – but this has reignited the fire of cynicism and booze that colored the original so perfectly.
This time around, the story from director Mark Waters (Mean Girls) focuses on Billy Bob Thornton’s Willie Stokes and his mother (Kathy Bates) joining forces to rip off a holiday charity.
Director Danny Boyle, reunites the original cast of Ewan McGregor, Ewen Bremner, Jonny Lee Miller and Robert Carlye for ‘T2: Trainspotting.’ Sony released the first teaser Monday morning.
In one brief moment, you’re sucked back to 1996 as the crew is back.
Heroin addict Mark Renton and his circle of friends; amoral con artist Simon “Sick Boy” Williamson (also an addict), simple-minded, friendly Daniel “Spud” Murphy (another addict), clean-cut athlete Tommy MacKenzie, and psychopath Francis “Franco” Begbie, who picks fights with people who get in his way.
The odds of ‘T2’ recreating the same magic are long, but you can bet the Gen Xers are downloading the original soundtrack as we speak preparing for round two with ‘Sick Boy.’
‘T2: Trainspotting’ hits theaters February 3, 2017
Robert Kirkman’s ‘Outcast’ is seven episodes into its first en-episode season on Cinemax, what started off strong has dragged as of late. but the San Diego Comic-Con panel trailer gives hope that the series will end on a high note.
Based on the Skybound/Image Comics title by Kirkman and artist Paul Azaceta, ‘Outcast ‘stars Patrick Fugit as Kyle Barnes, who has been plagued by demonic possession all his life and has sequestered himself from those he loves for fear of causing greater hurt. Now, with the help of Reverand Anderson (Philip Glenister), a West Virginia evangelist who believes he is a soldier in God’s holy war against the forces of evil on Earth, the young man embarks on a journey to find answers and regain the normal life he lost. But what Kyle discovers could change his fate — and the fate of the world — forever.
Are you watching ‘Outcast,’ what do you think of the series so far?
DC may have led with the information about Wonder Woman and Justice League but they still had more up their sleeves. While at The San Diego Comic-Con, the Warner Bros. panel took the time to show a new trailer for The Lego Batman Movie.
The new trailer (featured below) finally shed more light on what fans can expect in the continued adventures of the Lego version of the Dark Knight. The movie will focus on Batman trying to learn to be less self centered which will be hard given the personality of this version of the character. In an effort to move forward he will be working to train the kid he adopted and help him become Robin. By the look of it, someone may want to call Child Services.
The film will be released on February 10, 2017. Are you eager to see Lego Batman in action? Leave a comment below and stay tuned to Monkeys Fighting Robots for all the Lego Batman Movie and Comic-Con news you can handle.
During the 2016 San Diego Comic-Con, we got our first good look at Ezra Miller’s interpretation of Barry Allen/Flash. Although the DC Cinematic Universe is just now introducing the scarlet speedster into the mix, The CW has had a Flash for a couple of years now, where fans have grown to love Grant Gustin’s character on the small screen. Gustin commented on Miller’s look as the character, as well as the difference in the two interpretations:
“Oh sick, I haven’t seen it [is handed phone displaying Justice League image]… They’re completely different. Yeah, I mean I was kind of expecting this, I heard it was going to be kind of like Injustice. I hadn’t seen this yet, what else is out. Sorry I’m scrolling through the whole thing, I haven’t seen this picture. Yeah, that’s sick. Um… yeah, it’s sick. I’m glad it’s really different though [laughs]. Because ours is like a street, vintage feel that I don’t think has been done in any other version of the character.”
You're about to have 2 different takes on Barry Allen, played by 2 different actors that I think are equally thrilled to have the chance.
See Ezra Miller as The Flash in next year’s Justice League, and check out The Flash on The CW to get an idea of Gustin’s interpretation of the character.
In the midst of the pop culture tornado that is San Diego Comic Con, Warner Bros. released footage from two big upcoming releases. Wonder Woman, which looks pretty solid, and Justice League, which should make fans feel excited, but seems to be underwhelming.
Can ‘Justice League’ be the big hit WB needs it to be?
This is not about Marvel versus DC. This is more about the tone that DC & Warner Bros. are striking with these movies. When Man Of Steel was released in 2013 it was intended to reinvigorate Superman on film and hopefully kick off DC’s extended movie universe. A box office success, Man Of Steelreceived a lukewarm reception from critics. A dour Superman, lackluster characterizations of Jonathan and Martha Kent, and a third act that becomes disaster porn left a bad taste in the mouths of fans and critics. The release of 2016’s Batman v Superman: Dawn Of Justice was more of the same on a larger scale, a financial success but still poorly received by a large part of the audience and critics. It seemed to take the formula from Man Of Steel. Showcasing a dour Superman, a darker than usual Batman, and the fleeting presence of Wonder Woman was essentially a test ad for the upcoming Justice League.
These recent releases are not bad movies by any means, but they seem to not be fun or all that engaging. They lack a certain excitement of their Marvel Studios counterparts and that doesn’t lend itself to much confidence going forward. Marvel’s ‘Phase One’ was five films leading into The Avengers with a focused narrative and smart marketing. Warner Bros. is attempting to replicate that success in three films and half the critical reception, and that is a shaky bet to be making. Warner Bros. seems to be pushing all their chips into the middle of the table on Wonder Woman and Justice League, but they seem to not be playing the same game that Marvel Studios & Disney have been winning for the past few years. There is also something to be said when a film like Suicide Squad seems to have better marketing, positive buzz, and a better tone than the ‘flagship’ characters of Batman and Superman. This also places pressure on Wonder Woman to be a success, as it looks to be one of maybe two DC films, the other being the announced Batman solo movie, prior to the release of Justice League.
The advantage that DC Comics has is name recognition. Superman is easily the most recognizable super hero on the planet, with Batman not far behind. If Suicide Squad (which will have an appearance by the Dark Knight) does well, along with Wonder Woman, which looks to be the best film of the bunch, than Justice League can be a bigger hit than The Avengers, but it’s not a bet most fans would make with any confidence.
This weekend comes with its fair share of celebrations and disappointments. While this weekend saw Star Trek Beyond and Ice Age: Collision Course making their reputable debuts, both found themselves making less than their recent predecessors. That’s not to say either of them did bad, but Hollywood typically doesn’t like it when you open with $10-20 million less than your last film. At least, not from my past experiences.
Let’s start with Star Trek Beyond, Justin Lin’s sequel to J.J. Abrams’ rebooted film series, which opened in the number one spot with a respectable $59.6 million — at least until you consider how Star Trek Into Darkness opened with $70.2 million and Star Trek 2009 opened with $75.2 million. Even though some consider Lin’s latest the best in the new trilogy, it does look like it’s a series of demising returns. But that’s not stopping producer Abrams from making a fourth film, evidentially.
I still need to see the film for myself, but word of mouth suggests it’s better than the last (which I actually liked, by the way) and that it brings the fun and adventure of the original series back to the forefront, which is fitting since this is the 50th anniversary of the Gene Roddenberry program. I’m hoping to check it out soon.
Meanwhile, Ice Age: Collision Course slipped down 55 percent from the last installment, bringing in $21 million on its opening weekend after its predecessor, 2012’s Ice Age: Continental Drift, brought in $46.6 million. This is the worst showing for an animated studio tentpole in over a decade, according to THR, but maybe it’s not all doom-and-gloom for the Blue Sky Studios property. The fourth animated sequel is still holding its own overseas, having earned $127 million before its U.S. debut, where it came in fifth place. I missed my screening, but reviews suggest I didn’t miss much, and there’s probably a good reason why U.S. audiences didn’t show up for this one. I’m just saying.
The real animated champion this weekend was The Secret Life of Pets, which came in second place with a solid $29.3 million during its third weekend. For those keeping track at home, The Secret Life of Pets made $8.3 million more on its opening weekend than the Ice Age sequel made during its first weekend. That’s gotta burn. But in any case, the Illumination Entertainment release now has a domestic total of $260.7 million and a worldwide haul of $323.7 million. I’ve said it once, and I’ll say it again: this one is a hit.
Also a hit, it seems, is Lights Out, this weekend’s other new release, which scared itself into a $21.6 million debut from its $5 million budget. The James Wan-produced horror flick didn’t quite impress me as it did other critics, including some of our own, but it appears the PG-13 horror flick did well with its effective marketing and will prove a rare success for Warner Bros these days. We’ll see how well it holds up on its second weekend, as these kind of horror flicks tend to drop quicker than a 500 pound weight in the ocean. But for now, the studio is certainly pleased.
Also proving themselves surprisingly successful were Absolutely Fabulous: The Movieand Hillary Clinton: The Secret History of the Democratic Party, the latest from conservative Michael Moore-wannabe and convicted felon Dinesh D’Souza. The former made a $1.9 million splash in its U.S. debut, which bodes the big screen spin-off well, especially with how well it’s doing overseas. While I don’t get its appeal, it’s certainly attracting its audience, and they should probably expect a sequel.
Meanwhile, D’Souza’s latest cracked its way into the top 10 during its nationwide expansion, riding on the coattails of the Republican National Convention. It earned $3.7 million over the weekend, which put it in ninth place. It also comes before the Democratic National Convention, which kicks off in Philadelphia starting Monday.
To round up the report, Paul Feig’s Ghostbusters tied for third place during its second weekend with $21.6 million added to its domestic gross, which is now at $86.6 million. That’s not terrible, but it’s not quite great either. And Finding Dory is now in seventh place with an extra $7.2 million swimming into its sea pocket, which brings its astounding domestic gross to $460.2 million.
Check out the full box office results, via THR and Box Office Mojo, below.
Star Trek Beyond Weekend: $59.6 million Domestic Total: $59.6 million
The Secret Life of Pets Weekend: $29.3 million Domestic Total: $260.7 million
Ghostbusters Weekend: $21.6 million Domestic Total: $86.8 million
Lights Out Weekend: $21.6 million Domestic Total: $21.6 million
Ice Age: Collision Course Weekend: $21 million Domestic Total: $21 million
Finding Dory Weekend: $7.2 million Domestic Total: $460.2 million
The Legend of Tarzan Weekend: $6.4 million Domestic Total: $115.8 million
Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates Weekend: $4.4 million Domestic Total: $40.4 million
Hillary’s America Weekend: $3.7 million Domestic Total: $3.8 million
The Infiltrator Weekend: $3.3 million Domestic Total: $12.3 million
It’s official: Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy is coming to Disneyland in California.
During Comic-Con on Saturday, Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige announced “Guardians of the Galaxy – Mission: BREAKOUT!”
The ride will replace Twilight Zone Tower of Terror, which will close for good in January. The elevator ride is based on the classic TV show, The Twilight Zone.
The elevator’s free fall will remain, but everything else will be completely overhauled. New visual and audio effects will be added, Disney representative said.
Disney’s official parks blog also released artist rendering of what the attraction could look like.
This will mark the first time Disney has incorporated characters from the Marvel universe into the theme parks.
Fan Reaction
For months, rumors circulated that the beloved Tower of Terror attraction would be replaced at the park.
However, many Disney fans did not take the news well, even expressing outrage on social media.
THEY TOOK THE ALADDIN SHOW. THEY CHANGED SOARIN OVER CALIFORNIA. THEY CANT HAVE TOWER OF TERROR TOO pic.twitter.com/akpuQRf24i
Let’s start with Star Trek Beyond, Justin Lin’s sequel to J.J. Abrams’ rebooted film series, which opened in the number one spot with a respectable $59.6 million — at least until you consider how Star Trek Into Darkness opened with $70.2 million and Star Trek 2009 opened with $75.2 million. Even though some consider Lin’s latest the best in the new trilogy, it does look like it’s a series of demising returns. But that’s not stopping producer Abrams from making a fourth film, evidentially.
The real animated champion this weekend was 
Also proving themselves surprisingly successful were 