Imagine that America made it legal for citizens to commit crimes, including murder, for twelve-hours one designated night every year, during which all emergency services would be suspended. This is the reality that filmmaker, James DeMonaco, brought to life when he wrote and directed The Purge and its two sequels, The Purge: Anarchy and The Purge: Election Year, for Blumhouse Productions.
The Purge franchise is one of the rare movie series where each installment not only made more money than the last, but was also better received by both audiences and critics. It appears that Blumhouse now plans on bringing the hit horror series to the small screen as a television show.
Bruce Willis has a new movie, Once Upon A Time in Venice, hitting theaters and VOD this summer. And it probably won’t resuscitate a career, which has turned into a bizarre disappearing act from the one-time superstar.
Where did Bruce Willis go? The dude who was once John McClance, once Butch in Pulp Fiction, who at times would branch out into smaller films where the story was the allure, who retrenched himself with M. Night Shyamalan’s first two films, who at other times looked to be having a blast cracking wise in B-grade action flicks, has vanished. He has been replaced by a placid, disinterested actor-for-hire. His slate of direct to TV low-budget action flicks – films where he gets top billing but swings by the set for a day of filming and ten minutes screen time – are beginning to outnumber his successes.
This happens sometimes. It happened to Robert De Niro, and that decline has been dissected for about a decade now. It happens to older actors and, maddeningly, middle-aged women in Hollywood. But Willis isn’t too old yet. This isn’t an age thing, it’s a combination of poor films, a massive disinterest in promotion, and picking up the reputation as a complete asshole.
Willis has been accused of being a terror on the set, especially from Kevin Smith who claimed Bruce Willis made the shoot a “soul crusher.” He has been incredibly rude and uncomfortable with interviewers on a press tour. In 2015, Willis was fired from a Woody Allen film, the third Expendables movie, leaving a trail of bad things people have said about him in his wake. His reputation is that of a curmudgeon, a diva, someone who isn’t here to collaborate. He isn’t picking bad roles so much as he is taking the junk he’s offered to grab paychecks.
Bruce Willis is the new Val Kilmer.
Val Kilmer was, much like Bruce Willis, a terrific star at one point. But then he allowed his inflated ego ruin just about every project he was involved in until he showed up less than interested in delivering good work. Nowadays, you can catch Val Kilmer’s latest films on VOD. Right next to Bruce Willis’s latest.
Like I said, Once Upon a Time in Venice does have a promising synopsis:
ONCE UPON A TIME IN VENICE tells the story of Venice Beach P.I. Steve Ford (Bruce Willis): a detective who’s good with the ladies, bad with the punches, and wild about his dog, Buddy. But when his beloved pet is stolen by local thugs, Steve makes a questionable alliance with their devious leader, Spider (Jason Momoa). Teaming up with his best friend (John Goodman), Steve pulls out the big guns in search of Spider’s stolen cocaine and cash in order to set things straight and get Buddy back where he belongs.
Jason Momoa, John Goodman, Thomas Middleditch, Adam Goldberg, Famke Janssen, and Kal Penn. That’s a solid lineup, but nothing to make sure the film is some rebound picture for Bruce Willis. Add to that the fact that Cop Out writers have written the screenplay and are directing. Yikes.
There’s no telling if Bruce Willis will ever make any sort of comeback. Any of these actors, legendary in their own ways and their own niches, have popped up from time to time to show they still have their fastball. Robert De Niro had his chance with Silver Linings Playbook; never mind that he followed that up with one garbage movie after another. Perhaps M. Night Shyamalan’s upcoming Unbreakable sequel will right the ship for Willis, at least for a little while.
A new trailer featuring all four of Marvel’s Defenders leaves more questions than answers– unless you do a little detective work yourself, according to The AV Club. The teaser is only 16 seconds long, with no dialogue or even eye contact exchanged between characters. How can you figure out anything yet?
Found Footage and Fake News: A Modern Take on The Defenders
The teaser trailer takes the form of found footage–a clip from a security camera in the elevator of the Midland Financial Circle building. All four Defenders slide into the elevator, looking worse for the wear. Luke barely looks up from the floor, Matt’s back in his super subtle mask and Danny seems winded for some reason. Only Jessica appears to have her wits about her. After choosing the floor they need to get to, she turns to the camera and punches it out.
The trailer may not look like much, but the time stamp in the right corner caught fans’ eyes early on. As soon as Jessica punches in the camera, the stamp freezes on 8:18:20:17. This piece of evidence alone could be left up to interpretation. However, the numbers on the left side of the screen look suspiciously like an IP address…
If you continue to follow the clues, you’ll arrive at The New York Bulletin’s website. The Bulletin is a literal fake news outlet reporting on the Defenders’ New York. In faint gray text at the bottom of the page, the fan theory is confirmed. The text reads: “Watch ‘Marvel’s The Defenders All Episodes Streaming Only on Netflix August 18”. Check out the trailer for yourself and let us know if there’s anything we missed.
Based on Marvel Comics, The Defenders features an ensemble cast of Krysten Ritter (Jessica Jones), Charlie Cox (Matt Murdock/Daredevil), Mike Colter (Luke Cage), and Finn Jones (Danny Rand/Iron Fist). The show releases on August 18th, 2017 exclusively on Netflix.
Two new stills and a couple of promo images have surfaced in a week jam-packed with Marvel’s Spider-Man: Homecoming news, via Comic Book Movie.
One of the photos is an action shot showing Tom Holland’s new Spider-Man in an iconic power pose as he jumps between levels on the Staten Island Ferry. It is taken from a scene teased in the new trailer (released last week) in which the young fledgling superhero attempts to halt the Vulture (Michael Keaton) on his path of destruction. An attempt which ultimately fails with potentially disastrous results, demanding the aid of the Avengers.
The second still is a behind-the-scenes shot of Holland, Keaton and director Jon Watts pictured in some sort of warehouse set. In this chilled tableau, Holland is seen wearing a homemade Spidey suit after Tony Stark/Iron Man confiscated his hi-tech outfit following the ill-fated incident on the Staten Island Ferry.
Finally, the two new promotional images feature Spider Man and his dashing civilian alter-ago.
The long-awaited regeneration of the Spider-Man story is coming very soon. Here’s the synopsis in case you need reminding:
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 super hero in Spider-Man: Homecoming. Thrilled by his experience with the Avengers, Peter returns home, where he lives with his Aunt May (Marisa Tomei), under the watchful eye of his new mentor Tony Stark (Robert Downey, Jr.). Peter tries to fall back into his normal daily routine – distracted by thoughts of proving himself to be more than just your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man – but when the Vulture (Michael Keaton) emerges as a new villain, everything that Peter holds most important will be threatened.
Directed by Jon Watts, Spider-Man: Homecoming stars Tom Holland, Robert Downey, Jr., Michael Keaton, Marisa Tomei, Donald Glover, Zendaya, Tyne Daly, Tony Revolori, Bokeem Woodbine, Hannibal Buress, and Martin Starr.
Spider-Man: Homecoming spins into theaters on July 7th this year.
The world of professional wrestling & comic books are a natural pairing. All the big characters in wrestling closely resembles the bold characters in comics but none are bigger and bolder than wrestler Joey Ryan! Now, you can finally see the “King of Dong Style” in comic form presented by Chido Comics.
Independent publishing company Chido Comics recently launched their Kickstarter for a project based on the “sleaziest wrestler in the business” Joey Ryan. The company previously teamed with Lucha Underground to bring wrestlers like Vampiro, Mil Muertes, and even Rey Mysterio to comics. Now, they plan on another project but this one seems a little different than the ones before.
Check out the link to the Chido Comics Kickstarter and official site below!
“Joey lends himself well to a variety of storytelling possibilities and we found what is, in my opinion, the perfect take. It’s gonna get weird. But the result, as long as we get funded, is going to be a comic about a wrestler dragging himself back from the brink. He’s just gonna do that by way of dick flips and a whole lot of sleaze, neon, baby oil, and one-liners.” – (Writer) Tres Dean
About “Joey Ryan: Big in Japan!”: “Joey Ryan was pro wrestling’s king of sleaze – until five years ago, when a match gone wrong left his tag team partner crippled and one of his opponents dead. Now he spends his days looking for answers at the bottom of bottles in Tokyo bars. But when he hears that his old nemesis is back in town, he decides it’s time to get back in the ring. And there’s only one way they can settle their score – in a Japanese Death Match! Witness Joey Ryan’s redemption in JOEY RYAN: BIG IN JAPAN by Tres Dean and Jamie Jones, launching this April 4, 2017 from Chido Comics.”
About Chido Comics: Chido Comics is an independent publishing company founded in 2016 which focus is to publish a wide variety of licensed & creator-owned comic books and graphic novels. Our goal is to publish stories by up-and-coming, talented and diverse creative teams. Along with your support, we can join forces and help some of the best independent artists bring their work to life as they intended without limitations or restrictions.
Marvel Studios and director James Gunn have released a group of character banners for Guardians of the Galaxy Vol.2. The banners feature the original members of the Guardians, including Star-Lord, Gamorra, Rocket Raccoon, Baby Groot, and Drax!
While offering us an awesome new look at each member of the team, these banners also do an amazing job of teasing the visuals that the upcoming sequel will deliver. The first Guardians is rightfully regarded as the most visually stunning film within the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and these banners prove that James Gunn is looking to improve his work with the sequel.
Check out the banners below!
Set to the backdrop of ‘Awesome Mixtape #2,’ Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 continues the team’s adventures as they traverse the outer reaches of the cosmos. The Guardians must fight to keep their newfound family together as they unravel the mysteries of Peter Quill’s true parentage. Old foes become new allies and fan-favorite characters from the classic comics will come to our heroes’ aid as the Marvel cinematic universe continues to expand.
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol.2 stars Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Bradley Cooper, Vin Diesel, Dave Bautista, Karen Gillan, Michael Rooker, Kurt Russell, Pom Klementieff, and Elizabeth Debicki. The film lands in theaters on May 5, 2017!
Game of Thrones fans have a little over 100 days to wait for season 7, which seems close to a lifetime away. The franchisation of George R.R. Martin’s creation means that the companion books and merchandise are never ending, offering ample opportunity to pass time in Westeros. But for those who can’t get enough of the fantasy world rendered in technicolor, and whose relationship with the source books is stronger and more intertwined than most marriages, how about visiting another world entirely?
Fantasy is a genre as old as time. The first stories every told were of monsters, myths and magic as ancient peoples tried to make sense of a world before science. Popular fantasy is based around magic or sorcery, and nearly always rooted in a medieval setting. Despite the clear disconnect with modernity, epic fantasies have the appeal of plots and characters whose familiar traits transcend time, but whose stories are different enough that the genre holds an escapist attraction, taking readers (or viewers) away from reality.
Besides the obvious fantasy epic fiction of J. R. R. Tolkein in The Lord of the Rings, there are a number of authors whose works have spirited this writer away to familiar and imaginary lands ringing with swords and sorcery. One of the best things about the books that follow is that none have (yet) been recreated for film or television, so you must rely on the magic of your own imagination to paint the pictures in your head.
1Belgariad – David Eddings
The Belgariad is a glorious coming of age story of a journey from rags to riches. The farm boy Garion joins Belgarath the sorcerer and a fellowship of contrasting characters as they seek to fulfil a prophecy and take down the source of all evil. There are the usual themes of sorcery, political intrigue, relatable characters and human relationships, but also no shortage of humor. Where the First Law books by Joe Abercrombie are shrouded in darkness and moral contempt, David Eddings’ books are colored vibrantly with a full spectrum of characters, cultures and emotions.
The Belgariad successfully fulfils the formula of fantasy epic, and does it more religiously than George R. R. Martin in the Game of Thrones, whose main characters die willy-nilly. But the formula is by no means dull. Based in a land divided into many kingdoms, the political complexity of the Belgariad is clearly reminiscent of Middle Earth and written in such a skilful way that every land and race is easily differentiated from the others. There is a rich reality and vibrancy to the Belgariad that sets it apart from its peers.
Book One: Pawn of Prophecy:
“Long ago, the evil God Torak fought a war to obtain an object of immense power – the Orb of Aldur. But Torak was defeated and the Orb reclaimed by Belgarath the sorcerer.
Garion, a young farm lad, loves the story when he first hears it from the old storyteller. But it has nothing to do with him. Or does it? For the stories also tell of a prophecy that must be fulfilled – a destiny handed down through the generations.
And Torak is stirring again . . .”
All the sagas listed here are worthy of the attention of the full breadth of the Game of Thrones fandom. The experience of reading of these people and places is certainly far more detailed and arguably a lot more involved than watching the same unfold on screen. Furthermore, one of the above may well be seen rendered in film before too long, so why not study up while you can? Game of Thrones is a show which could go on indefinitely, but after a year or more of speculation, the show runners finally announced at SXSW that the eighth and final season will air next year with just six episodes. The end of the Great War in Westeros will leave a gaping hole in pop culture, which producers all over the world will hope to fill. Could it be The Wheel of Time?
How are you passing the time between now and July 16th? Let us know in the comments below.
Director James Gunn will begin posting a behind-the-scenes photo from Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 every day up until release of the film. Kicking off his series of pictures was a BTS shot of Dave Bautista as Drax The Destroyer.
“I will be posting a #GotGPicoftheDay every day from now through the movie opening. They’ll be composed of behind-the-scene shots from Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 I took on my iPhone, my Leica Q, and a few select unseen set stills. Here’s the first one, Dave Bautista (Batista) as Drax in quite a mess. This was uncomfortable as all get out for Dave but, as usual, he puts up with many feats of discomfort to make the Guardians great. #GotGVol2#Drax#movies“
Are you looking forward to Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2? Why wouldn’t you be? Comment below, let us know!
“Set to the backdrop of ‘Awesome Mixtape #2,’ Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 continues the team’s adventures as they traverse the outer reaches of the cosmos. The Guardians must fight to keep their newfound family together as they unravel the mysteries of Peter Quill’s true parentage. Old foes become new allies and fan-favorite characters from the classic comics will come to our heroes’ aid as the Marvel cinematic universe continues to expand.”
Guardians Vol. 2 stars Chris Pratt as Star-Lord/Peter Quill, Zoe Saldana as Gamora, Bradley Cooper as the voice of Rocket Raccoon, Vin Diesel as the voice of Groot, Michael Rooker as Yondu, Kurt Russel as Ego The Living Planet, Karen Gillian as Nebula, Dave Bautista as Drax, Pom Klementieff as Mantis, Sean Gunn as Kraglin, and Sylvester Stallone in a currently unknown role. The film is directed by James Gunn.
The film hits theaters on May 5, 2017. If you’re interested in picking up tickets for opening night, click here.
Wonder Woman director Patty Jenkins talked to the Toronto Sun about Joss Whedon’s recently announced Batgirl film.
“[On Joss Whedon’s involvement] I don’t even know if that deal is done or not – I don’t have the inside scoop on that. But if it is done, then I’m excited about it. I think it’s super exciting. The tone of Joss’ work is great for female superheroes. He takes such a fun approach and I think he’ll have fun in the DC universe, which will be excited to have him.”
Later in the interview, Jenkins gave Gal Gadot a series of compliments.
“Gal’s supernaturally beautiful and unbelievably kind and thoughtful and intelligent and wise, yet bright and youthful and hopeful in such a sweet way.”
Just before the interview ended, Jenkins talked about why she’s excited for the DC Extended Universe to move forward.
“There are a lot of directors I’m really excited about and the storylines are all vastly different, with different tones and very different approaches to storytelling. I think there’s a treasure trove of great characters here. Jason (Momoa) is off to do Aquaman right now – that’s such a cool story. It has its own vibe and dynamic completely. I’m excited to see each one of these films.”
Are you looking forward to seeing Jenkins’ Wonder Woman film? How about Whedon’s take on Batgirl? Comment below, let us know!
“Wonder Woman hits movie theaters around the world next summer when Gal Gadot returns as the title character in the epic action adventure from director Patty Jenkins. Before she was Wonder Woman, she was Diana, princess of the Amazons, trained to be an unconquerable warrior. Raised on a sheltered island paradise, when an American pilot crashes on their shores and tells of a massive conflict raging in the outside world, Diana leaves her home, convinced she can stop the threat. Fighting alongside man in a war to end all wars, Diana will discover her full powers…and her true destiny.”
Wonder Woman stars Gal Gadot as the title character, Chris Pine, Robin Wright as Antiope, David Thewlis, Danny Huston, Elena Anaya, Connie Nielsen, Ewen Bremner, and Lucy Davis.
The Walking Dead made up for its pretty underwhelming seventh season with an excellent, albeit predictable, season finale this past Sunday. While there were many fist pumping moments in the episode – from Rick defiantly threatening Negan, to Shiva leading the cavalry into Alexandria at precisely the right moment – what the finale, and the season overall, did best was set up season eight and the upcoming war between Alexandria, the Hilltop, the Kingdom, the Saviors, and the Scavengers.
Based on the events of the finale, here are five predictions that I have for the upcoming eighth season of the hit television show. Please bear in mind there might be some slight comic book spoilers – though I am trying to make my predictions based solely on the television show’s canon and not my knowledge of the comics.
