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‘Justice League’ Is A Big Gamble For DC And Warner Bros.

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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.

Justice League
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 Steel received 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.

Diana Prince

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.

Wonder Woman is set to release on June 2, 2017

Justice League is set to release on June 14, 2019

 

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Box Office Breakdown: ‘Star Trek Beyond’ Blasts Off, ‘Ice Age 5’ Makes Chilly Debut

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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.

Star Trek BeyondLet’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 Secret Life of Pets stillThe 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.

Absolutely FabulousAlso proving themselves surprisingly successful were Absolutely Fabulous: The Movie and 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.

  1. Star Trek Beyond Weekend: $59.6 million Domestic Total: $59.6 million
  2. The Secret Life of Pets Weekend: $29.3 million Domestic Total: $260.7 million
  3. Ghostbusters Weekend: $21.6 million Domestic Total: $86.8 million
  4. Lights Out Weekend: $21.6 million Domestic Total: $21.6 million
  5. Ice Age: Collision Course Weekend: $21 million Domestic Total: $21 million
  6. Finding Dory Weekend: $7.2 million Domestic Total: $460.2 million
  7. The Legend of Tarzan Weekend: $6.4 million Domestic Total: $115.8 million
  8. Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates Weekend: $4.4 million Domestic Total: $40.4 million
  9. Hillary’s America Weekend: $3.7 million Domestic Total: $3.8 million
  10. The Infiltrator Weekend: $3.3 million Domestic Total: $12.3 million
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‘Guardians of the Galaxy’ ride coming to Disneyland

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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.

Guardians of the Galaxy

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.

“Guardians of the Galaxy – Mission: BREAKOUT!” is set to open at Disney California Adventure Park summer 2017.

Check out the video Disney released about the project:

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After SDCC, I’m Reminded Why DC Has The Best Superhero Films

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What An Amazing Time To Be A Fan Of DC Movies!

First and foremost, let me start this by saying I am a film fan before I’m a comic book fan. Superheroes made me fall in love with them through their movies long before I even picked up a comic. Tim Burton’sBatman‘ intrigued me but ‘Spawn’ or ‘Blade‘ really showed me the dark side of comics. Fast forward to 2016 San Diego Comic-Con and I’m reminded all over again why I love superheroes & film. DC released two trailers on Saturday for ‘Justice League‘ AND ‘Wonder Woman‘; showcasing their Extended Universe after ‘Batman v Superman‘.

Seeing the first looks at both films comes as a pleasant surprise and continues the very polarizing marketing style of Warner Bros. and DC Comics. They are bold and brash; seemingly showing you too little and too much all at the same time. If you didn’t see ‘Batman v Superman’ by now then the ‘Justice League’ trailer completely thrust you into the world created in that so watch at your own risk.

“So I heard you talk to fish.”
Bruce Wayne to Aquaman

We now get to see Bruce Wayne try to bring a team together to fight the evil forces Lex Luthor hinted at. It’s awesome to see more of Ben Affleck as Batman in this trailer because he really was the best part of BvS. There is some great scenes with Barry Allen AKA The Flash where Bruce easily gets Flash to join him, much to even Bruce Wayne’s surprise. Their characters have interacted before but that was in one of the many surreal sequences in ‘Batman v Superman’. Now ‘Justice League‘ is showing us the aftermath of that and all the files found bout metahumans. The most intriguing “meta” shown here has to be Aquaman. He is handled with a great mystique and looks to maybe be a minor problem for the team. Atlantis is known to be a little aggressive at times…

What I love most about what Zack Snyder and Geoff Johns have created in the DC Extended Universe is this mashup and homage to different stories and universes within all of DC lore. Instead of just focusing on telling one story we’ve told before, the filmmakers are showing use new inspired stories. I find that refreshing; it brings something new to the film and keeps me on my toes on what’s to come.

Also, the stylized filmmaking of both ‘Justice League‘ and Patty JenkinsWonder Woman‘ offer something fresh for the genre. Not since ‘Watchman‘ has the world of comics looks so visually stunning and each DCEU film keeps looking better. Complaints rolled in about the slow-motion used but that’s a signature that I think keeps the films on brand. The overall color palette of the films also look different from one another and the previous films. Some superhero brands can all get muddled together but these have wonderful distinctions between pieces.

“What’s a secretary?”
Diana Prince AKA Wonder Woman 

Wonder Woman‘ is turning out to be this beautiful epic. Reminiscent of classic war and fantasy films, the first trailer has sold many others on her solo outing. After being introduced in ‘Batman v Superman‘, we finally get to see where the mysterious Wonder Woman came from and how she was introduced to America. Mix all of this and her hilarious scene with Bruce in the ‘Justice League‘ trailer and I’m more excited for Gal Gadot’sWonder Woman‘ film than anything else. Viewers agree as her trailer is leading the ‘Justice League‘ trailer in views on Youtube.

So what’s to come? These were just the Comic-Con trailers for the film so don’t expect to see any other looks at the films for months. We can expect much hype leading up to the 2017 releases. Viewers still have ‘Suicide Squad‘ to look forward to. Many are suspecting that will further establish the universe and the upcoming ‘Justice League‘. Who knows what kind of madness lies within that film.

These movies give me an overwhelming feeling of joy. As someone who doesn’t enjoy the Marvel Cinematic Universe, I’ve been desperate for something different. I’m happy that my hopes have been answered with the DCEU. It feels like someone crafted together this universe with things I enjoy like extremely dark humor & an astounding visual style. My only fear is the upcoming films will lose the social commentary that ‘Batman v Superman‘ had. I don’t want it replaced it with mindless action. Nonetheless, this feels like Christmas for fans of DC movies.

Are you excited for the upcoming DC Extended Universe films?

Which one are you most looking forward to?

Let me know in the comments below!

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Review: Star Trek Beyond Goes Where Not Many Have Gone Before

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Star Trek Beyond
Does this poster bring back memories of past Trek films?

It’s hard to believe that Star Trek is now fifty years old. Ever since its debut in 1966, the franchise has spawned several movies and television spin-offs. Now, director Justin Lin delivers the 13th film with Star Trek Beyond.

Captain James Kirk (Chris Pine) is nervous about his upcoming birthday, because he’ll be older than his late father. He is offered a promotion to vice-admiralty, but he doesn’t know how to tell Spock and the crew.

Spock (Zachary Quinto) wrestles with mortality after learning Spock-Prime has died. Having split with Nyota Uhura (Zoe Saldana), he wonders if he should leave Starfleet to help the Vulcan race.

During a layover at Starfleet’s Yorktown outpost, Kirk discovers a distress signal and launches a rescue mission. It turns out to be a trap set by Krall (Idris Elba), who commands a swarm of alien ships. Krall is hellbent on locating an object that Kirk recovered during a former mission. In an intense sequence, the Enterprise is ripped apart, and the disc section of the ship crashes on an unnamed planet.

John Cho Star Trek Beyond

On the planet’s surface, Kirk and Chekov (Anton Yelchin) struggle to contact the survivors. Leonard McCoy (Karl Urban) and an injured Spock need to put aside their differences and work together. Meanwhile, Uhura and Hikaru Sulu (John Cho) are taken as Krall’s prisoners. As the odd man out, Scotty encounters a scavenger named Jaylah (Sofia Boutella), who needs his help in powering an old Starfleet ship.

The groups have to find their way back to each other and find a way to stop Krall, whose next target is Yorktown. To do so, they must face dense jungle, harsh terrain and a lack of resources. Along the way, they learn the truth about Krall and why he hates Starfleet.

The cast does a great job. Pine delivers a charismatic performance as Kirk, and he has proven to have made the role his own. He is older, wiser and mature as a leader, especially when his main concern is the crew. Quinto is a somber, thoughtful Spock, because he must deal with his older counterpart’s death.

Karl Urban Star Trek
Karl Urban’s gruff portrayal of Bones is spot-on. DeForest Kelley would be proud.

Urban gets a lot of great lines as the ornery McCoy, and his banter with Quinto is one of the film’s highlights. The chemistry of Bones and Spock is like that of a married couple who can’t stand each other. Saldana shows depth as Uhura, especially when she holds her own against Krall. Nor does she need to rely on Kirk or Spock to come and rescue her.

Pegg steals the show as Scotty, who is out of his depth. His cheeky witticisms and technical know-how demonstrate his comedic timing. Although Yelchin doesn’t have many big scenes, his growth as Chekov is poignant, because his passing has cost us a great actor.

Sofia Boutella provides a welcome addition to the series. As Jaylah, she is assertive, confident and goal-oriented. She is significant, because she isn’t a helpless victim or Kirk’s love interest.

Star Trek Beyond
Yes, that is Idris Elba. Keep watching the film.

Elba is especially good as Krall, because he brings a cynical, menacing presence to the role. Near the end, his true face is shown, and the result is difficult to watch. As the viewer learns who Krall was, one cannot help but feel sorry for him.

Justin Lin’s experience on The Fast and the Furious franchise has served him well. He succeeds in deconstructing Star Trek and focusing on what makes the characters great.

Some fans say the Enterprise’s destruction is repetitive, because it has been done in The Search For Spock. However, Lin’s decision succeeds in taking the crew out of their comfort zone. There is a moving tribute to Nimoy, Yelchin, and the original cast.

Star Trek Beyond is a great addition to the franchise. The movie feels like a big-budget version of the show, but it keeps entered on the characters and plot. Pine, Quinto, Saldana, Pegg, and Elba give great performances.

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Spider-Man Reveals The Vulture In Hall H

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‘Spider-Man: Homecoming’ took over Hall H Saturday as Chris Hardwick moderated the short panel with Kevin Feige. Tom Holland, Zendaya, Jacob Batalon, Laura Harrier, Tony Revolori and Director Jon Watts welcomed the first footage of the film to San Diego and released the first concept art of the villain of the film, the Vulture.

Holland talks about the Vulture in a post-Hall H interview.

A young Peter Parker/Spider-Man (Tom Holland), who made his sensational debut in ‘Captain America: Civil War,’ begins to navigate his newfound identity as the web-slinging superhero in ‘Spider-Man: Homecoming.’

Jon Watts directs ‘Spider-Man: Homecoming’ starring Holland, Marisa Tomei as Aunt May, Robert Downey Jr., Michael Keaton, Zendaya, Donald Glover, Martin Starr, Angourie Rice and Hannibal Buress.

The film hits theaters on July 7, 2017.

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‘Spider-Man: Homecoming’ Reveals Trailer And Villain Rumors

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Comic-Con 2016 was a busy event for Marvel Studios. On top of releasing new movie information on Doctor Strange, Black Panther, and Thor: Ragnarok, they also took the time to give everyone’s favorite wall crawler a moment to shine.

They started by releasing the new trailer for Spider-Man: Homecoming. Unfortunately, it has been kept under wraps so there will be a small delay for everyone who wasn’t at the panel to witness it. Reports from the panel said Director Jon Watts described the film as:

“a straight-up high school movie, about a 15-year old kid. We know what it’s like to be a billionaire playboy inventor. We learned what it’s like to be an alien God… We’re going to learn what it’s like to be kid in 10th grade going through puberty.”

The convention wasn’t done with Spider-Man as a rumor was leaked at another panel. At the Diamond Select panel, the toy company let it slip they were already working on figures for the film and let three names slip out, Shocker, Tinkerer, and the Vulture. The Vulture had already been rumored to be the key villain in the film but this potential appearance of the Tinkerer and Shocker came out of nowhere. Hopefully these rumors will be found truthful later on. Let’s also hope the movie doesn’t get overloaded with villains like the last Spider-Man film was. With any luck it will just turn out the Tinkerer won’t actually fight but will just supply the technology for The Vulture and Shocker to commit crimes with. Further details can be seen in the video below.

Are you eager to see the new trailer? Does the idea of three villains thrill you? Leave a comment below and stay tuned to Monkeys Fighting Robots for all the Spider-Man: Homecoming and Comic-Con news you can handle.

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Brie Larson Announced As ‘Captain Marvel’ At SDCC

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Moments ago during the Marvel Panel at San Diego Comic-Con, President of Marvel Studio, Kevin Feige made this announcement about Captain Marvel. 

After months of speculation, Academy Award Winner Brie Larson has been cast as Captain Marvel (AKA Carol Danvers) in a film due out in March of 2019. However, it is likely that we will see  her make an initial appearance during the course of Avengers: Infinity War. How do you guys feel about this casting news? Do you think Marvel made the right choice? Who else do you think should be cast in the new film? Let us know your thoughts.

Captain Marvel

The Announcement of Brie Larson being cast as Captain Marvel was just one in a number of thrilling moments during the course of the Marvel Panel.

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‘The Flash’ Season 3 Trailer Teases Flashpoint Storyline

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If you watched season 2 of The Flash, you surely understand how crazy this upcoming season will be. With the entire timeline being messed up, fans have no idea what direction the show’s going; well, that was until the official trailer was released. Check it out below.

The trailer shows just how twisted the timeline really is, which begs the question – how will Barry restore the timeline he knows and exists in? Do you have any theories? Let us know in the comment section of this article.

The Flash season 3 premieres on Tuesday, October 4, on The CW.

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Ray Wise Talks Twin Peaks 2017 Revival

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Twin Peaks
Are you ready to return to the town where nothing is what it seems?

At San-Diego Comic Con, Ray Wise reveals he will be starring in David Lynch’s Twin Peaks revival.

According to Bloody-Disgusting, the actor made the announcement during the panel for Batman: The Killing Joke. He will reprise his role of Leland Palmer, the father of teenager Laura Palmer, whose murder haunts the town of Twin Peaks.

As previously confirmed, Lynch will direct all 18 episodes of the revival. Previously, the showrunner’s involvement was in doubt in 2015.

Little is known of the revival’s plot, but it will be set twenty-five years after the original show. Since the series ended with Laura Palmer promising to return in twenty-five years, the timing seems appropriate.

Twin Peaks

At the end of Twin Peaks, Laura Palmer made the cryptic remark, “I’ll see you in twenty-five years.” How prophetic.

Wise joins former co-stars Kyle MacLachlan, Sheryl Lee, David Duchovny, Miguel Ferrer, Russ Tamblyn, Richard Beymer and Harry Dean Stanton. The show’s ensemble will also star Jim Belushi, Monica Belluci, Michael Cera, Ashley Judd, Tim Roth, Tom Sizemore and Naomi Watts.

In 1990, Twin Peaks made its debut to stellar ratings and critical acclaim. After the ABC network made Lynch reveal Laura’s killer, the show ended in 1991. A 1992 film, Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me, was subject to poor box office returns and reviews.

The revival is set to air on Showtime in summer 2017.

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