Dark Phoenix’s Reshoots Changed The Climax In A Big Way

Dark Phoenix’s Reshoots Changed The Climax In A Big Way

Like many blockbusters before it, Dark Phoenix set aside time for reshoots, with cameras rolling last fall, almost a year after principal photography had wrapped. Sometimes the extra footage gathered from reshoots is only meant to make minor changes to the movie, but in Dark Phoenix’s case, it was part of a bigger overhaul that included shifting the location of the climax.

When Dark Phoenix was rolling cameras, the plan was for the final battle to take place out in space, but once reshoots came around, the entire third act was changed and it now has the X-Men characters being kidnapped and imprisoned aboard a military train instead. We’ve seen snippets of this sequence in past trailers, and it ultimately leads to the corrupted Jean Grey lifting the train into the air while everyone is still on board.

Although Dark Phoenix is a relatively more grounded adaptation of The Dark Phoenix Saga, this version definitely has more of a cosmic feel, namely because Jean’s transformation into Phoenix occurs during a rescue mission in space and Jessica Chastain’s still-unidentified character is an alien shapeshifter. So it’s peculiar that rather than keep that cosmic flavor going in the climax, it was decided ahead of reshoots to keep the action Earthbound instead.

It wasn’t specifically explained why Dark Phoenix’s climax was changed during reshoots, although it wasn’t the only major adjustment implemented later in the game. During postproduction, the look of the Phoenix was also revamped to look more “cosmic” and less “flamy,” which is a departure from the entity’s appearance in the source material.

Director Simon Kinberg also spoke with EW about how difficult it was to make his directorial debut on Dark Phoenix, saying:

I think the biggest challenge is modulating the film so that we have the big scale and visual-effects action that these movies require, but balancing that in a way that feels calibrated with the drama. You have these big space sequences and trains flying through the air and people firing lightning bolts, but you also have a lot of emotional, four-page dramatic dialogue scenes.

Simon Kinberg confirmed at the beginning of the month that Dark Phoenix will be the last installment of the main X-Men film series that began in 2000, thus paving the way for the mutant property to be rebooted within the Marvel Cinematic Universe down the line. So ideally Dark Phoenix ends things with a bang, and while that train sequence will surely be filled with action and excitement, it feels awfully similar to what we’ve seen in past X-Men movies.

A clash in space, on the other hand, would have been unique, special and tangentially faithful to the comics, so I’m curious as to why that was tossed out during reshoots. Evidently budget wasn’t an issue if the crew had the money to film an entirely new sequence, so maybe after Dark Phoenix has been released, we’ll learn the specific reasoning for why the climax was so drastically changed.

Dark Phoenix opens in theaters on June 7, so stay tuned to CinemaBlend for more coverage. You can also check out our 2019 release schedule to find out what other movies come out later this year.

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Five Feet Apart Reactions Highlight The Divide Between Fans And Critics

Five Feet Apart Reactions Highlight The Divide Between Fans And Critics

Sometimes fans and critics just don't agree, resulting in some wildly different opinions on a single movie. Thankfully, there isn't just one right opinion and everyone else is wrong, but it's interesting to see what films can cause such different takes. The latest is Five Feet Apart, a young adult romance drama that audiences seem to love while critics were much less hot for it.

Five Feet Apart stars Haley Lu Richardson and Cole Sprouse as two people with cystic fibrosis who enter a relationship but have to stay five feet apart from each other at all times to avoid cross infection.

The film opened in theaters this weekend, and for the most part critics haven't been too smitten. Five Feet Apart has received mostly middling reviews, with critics writing that although the film features some strong performances (notably from Haley Lu Richardson), it gives in to too many cliches. The film is at 54% on Rotten Tomatoes at this point, but audiences are having much stronger reactions to the romance drama.

The audience score is currently at 83% on Rotten Tomatoes, highlighting the divide between audiences and critics on this one. I personally tend not to place too much trust in user reviews, but fans are ranking it pretty high on other review aggregators. CinemaScore, which solely measures the audience's perception of a film, gave Five Feet Apart an "A" ranking, which really good. It's important to remember that CinemaScore surveys people right after they've seen the movie, so it usually gets them at their most passionate.

I don't think that it's too surprising that there's a divide on this one. Five Feet Apart is clearly going for a specific demographic, which critics don't seem to belong to. So, you could view this as the film playing well with the audience it was made for, but doesn't do much to appeal to others.

The more interesting reaction might be in the cystic fibrosis community. Evidently, those who possess the disease at the center of the film are mixed. According to Cystic Fibrosis News Today, some like the film and believe that it will bring a lot more awareness to their disease. However, others are insulted because they view the film as a way to profit from a disease.

The cystic fibrosis community is also divided on the portrayal of living life with the actual disease. Apparently, the movie only shows patients who are very ill, and not the ones who go on to lead successful lives. Additionally, the rule is that you have to stay six feet away from someone, not five.

You can decide where you fall on Five Feet Apart, which is out in theaters everywhere. For everything else premiering this year, be sure to check out our 2019 movie release guide.

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Toy Story 4 Confirms A Character That Won't Be Included

Toy Story 4 Confirms A Character That Won't Be Included

The toybox is getting quite full with the fourth Toy Story movie. After getting to know all of Andy's toys in the first two Toy Story movies, Woody, Buzz and the gang joined the collection of toys already owned by young Bonnie in the third film. Now, with Toy Story 4, we'll be meeting even more toy characters, including Bonnie's new favorite, Forky.

It seems that, with so many characters, the fourth film wasn't able to find a place for everybody who had appeared in previous films, as the production team behind Toy Story 4 has revealed that Michael Keaton's Ken doll won't be appearing. During a press conference during my recent trip to Pixar, director Josh Cooley confirmed that Ken is still at Bonnie day care, a place the new film does not go.

Ken is not in this film. He's back at Sunnyside.

While Barbie is a character who appears in earlier Toy Story films, we don't meet Ken until the crew finds themselves at Sunnyside Day Care in the third movie. There, Ken and Barbie meet, and while the rest of Andy's toys go on to live with Bonnie, Barbie stays behind with Ken where they live together in apparent happiness.

Check out our introduction to Ken in the clip below.

If you were hoping that Toy Story 4 was taking a trip to Sunnyside, then I'm sad to report that's not the case. Since the story won't be going there, characters like Ken or Big Baby won't be appearing.

The opening few minutes of Toy Story 4 have screened in a few places and it's been revealed that as part of that Bonnie will be starting Kindergarten. Considering that, it's not too shocking to learn that Bonnie's day care won't be important to the story.

Instead, we know that Toy Story 4 will have two primary locations, an antiques store where Woody will be reunited with Bo Peep, and a carnival where Buzz Lightyear meets a pair of stuffed animals voiced by Key and Peele.

While I'm sure some fans will be sad to learn that Ken is not back, based on what I've seen of the film, there will be entirely new groups of fans excited by the new characters that are being introduced. And then, of course, there is the one big returning character of Bo Peep who was entirely absent from the last movie, but will be back in the new film, but with a very different attitude.

The producers admit that they also loved Michael Keaton's Ken, but Pixar is always very clear that the story is the thing that leads the production of a Pixar film, and the story just didn't take Toy Story 4 back to Ken and Barbie.

Toy Story 4 hits theaters June 21.

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Avengers: Infinity War Almost Had Captain America And Sharon Carter Living Together

Avengers: Infinity War Almost Had Captain America And Sharon Carter Living Together

Warning: SPOILERS for Avengers: Endgame ahead!

When we reunite with Captain America in Avengers: Infinity War, we get the impression that he and fellow fugitive Black Widow have been conducting clandestine missions on their own outside of the law. Cap and Nat enter the film right in the middle of the action though, so we never really get clear answers on what they’ve been up to other than that or their living situation in the two years since Captain America: Civil War.

The assumption is that they have either been living on the run or basing themselves out of Wakanda. However, according to screenwriters Stephen McFeely and Christopher Markus, Infinity War almost had Captain America and Emily VanCamp’s Sharon Carter living together. The Marvel scribes said:

Stephen McFeely: We tried to sew up all sorts of things. We had first drafts where Steve was living with Sharon Carter and it wasn’t going very well.

Christopher Markus: And those are the moments where Kevin [Feige] comes in and goes, ‘What the hell are you doing?’

In an effort to address all the lingering plot threads in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, including the heroes’ various romantic entanglements, Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely initially had Chris Evans’ Steve Rogers living with Sharon Carter in Avengers: Infinity War, as they told Yahoo Entertainment. This setup would have continued the relationship between the two characters that started in Captain America: The Winter Soldier.

But despite the function it would have served, addressing a lingering plot thread and providing some background for what Cap was up to and where he has been in the two years since Civil War, this part of the script got the axe. Elsewhere in the interview, the screenwriters said that anything that didn’t really propel the plot forward of the fast-paced film had to go. As they’ve said in the past, there simply wasn’t time for “previously on the life of Steve Rogers.”

What exactly the reason that led Kevin Feige to hilariously wonder 'what the hell' they were doing by having Cap and Sharon live together is unclear. Although I expect, if having Cap and Sharon live together was part of a romance between the characters, I’m not sure many people would have loved the idea of having the two in a troubled relationship. Nobody wants to see Cap be a bad boyfriend.

If Sharon Carter was included though, and she and Steve were on the rocks, her potentially dying in the Snap would have affected him in a major way. Beyond just being one more person Cap lost that meant something to him, it would have had an extra sting because it would have made their domestic struggles seem insignificant.

The great niece of Peggy Carter was introduced in Captain America: The Winter Soldier as a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent living undercover as Steve’s neighbor and spying on him for Nick Fury. She eventually helped Cap fight Hydra and then joined the CIA. In Captain America: Civil War, Sharon Carter helped Steve, Bucky and Sam when they were on the run, getting them their equipment back, including Cap’s shield.

After this assist, Captain America and Sharon Carter share their first kiss. Therefore it wouldn't have been out of left field to see these two in an actual relationship and living together. Of course, with the government presumably after them both at that point, it would make sense for their relationship to be a little strained.

We haven’t seen Sharon Carter since Captain America: Civil War and it would have been nice to get some closure on her relationship with Steve Rogers, but Avengers: Infinity War didn’t need it and turned out great without it. You can still include Steven and Sharon living together in your head-canon if you want, but given how he goes back to Peggy at the end of Avengers: Endgame, it’s probably best to forget their brief tryst.

Just because she and Steve never got to live a blissful domestic life together on the big screen doesn’t mean that we’ve seen the last of Emily VanCamp’s Sharon Carter in the MCU. The actress is in talks to reprise her role for the Falcon & Winter Soldier mini-series on Disney+ alongside Daniel Brühl’s Zemo.

Check out our 2019 Release Schedule to keep track of all this year’s biggest movies.

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New Mutants: What We Know So Far

New Mutants: What We Know So Far

The X-Men franchise is seriously expanding. It's true that we will no longer see any more Wolverine movies, but thanks to the success of Deadpool, 20th Century Fox has started developing big plans for the future of its flagship comic book series. A huge part of this equation is the New Mutants film that has been in development for a couple of years, and now that project is less than a year away from release. But what exactly is New Mutants? The answer to that question is what we're here to provide.

As we do with all major upcoming releases, the following What We Know So Far guide has been constructed as a means of collecting all of the information that is currently available about the New Mutants movie. When is it coming out? Who is directing it? Who are the main characters? We address all of those queries and more below, so read on... but first, give the teaser trailer a watch!

What Is The New Mutants Release Date?

While 2017 marked the first year that Marvel Studios had three comic book movies in theaters, 20th Century Fox's X-Men franchise was trying not to lag too far behind. The studio announced plans to have their own trio of blockbusters in 2018 -- with the first on the docket being New Mutants, which had a release date of April 13, 2018. Unfortunately, two big scheduling changes in early 2018 lead to New Mutants getting pushing back twice by the studio by the time early April rolled around. First, the film was pushed to February 22, 2019. Then, a couple of months later, the horror-themed superhero film was delayed again, this time until August 2019. The 1990s-set X-Men: Dark Phoenix was also moved into 2019, meaning that the only X-movie fans will see in 2018 will be David Leitch's Deadpool 2.

While an August debut might seem a bit late to capture the attention of comic book movie fans, let's remember that Guardians of the Galaxy hits screens on August 1, 2014, and matching the success of that film would certainly be considered a big win for The New Mutants.

What Is The New Mutants Rating?

Unlike the other major comic book movie franchises, the X-Men titles are the first to really experiment when it comes to exploration of different ratings. Most of these films stick to PG-13 as a way of ensuring that teenage fans can buy tickets, but both Deadpool and Logan have proven that there is a whole lot of money to be made making these titles strictly for adults. Because of these successes, it's entirely suspected that 20th Century Fox will continue making R-rated superhero flicks for many years to come... but it doesn't look like The New Mutants will be one of them.

The MPAA doesn't actually hand down a movie's rating until the nearly-completed product is getting ready to arrive in theaters, but there hasn't been any indication that The New Mutants will be aiming for a restricted label. As we will get into later in this article, the film is expected to feature a few shocks and scares, but signs have been pointing to this blockbuster getting made with audiences 13 and older in mind.

Who Is The New Mutants Director?

Looking at the past work of director Josh Boone, you might not necessarily pin him as the director of the next great superhero blockbuster. After all, he made his directorial debut in 2012 with the romantic comedy Stuck In Love, and primarily found himself garnering a lot of attention for his 2014 hit cancer drama The Fault In Our Stars. It turns out, however, that Boone is actually a big-time comic book fan, and utilized that passion to land the New Mutants directing gig.

Josh Boone first became attached to the X-Men blockbuster when it was first announced back in May of 2015, and has been working towards getting it made ever since (with only his plans to adapt Stephen King's The Stand serving as a distraction). Now, however, he has cleared his schedule, and is using 2017 as his year to bring The New Mutants to life on the big screen.

Danielle Moonstar a.k.a. Mirage

It was revealed in November 2016 that the New Mutants movie would adapt one of the comic series' most notable arcs, The Demon Bear -- and from this we can glean that Danielle Moonstar will be the central character in the upcoming film. And while we don't yet know who will be playing the mutant heroine in Josh Boone's blockbuster, we can get a solid idea of what to expect from the movie in general by exploring Moonstar's role in the story.

Danielle Moonstar is a Native American mutant with a number of impressive mental powers -- including telepathy and psionic abilities -- but they manifested in a rather horrific way when she was a young girl. Specifically, she caught a psychic glimpse of her parents being killed by a demonic bear -- and then a few weeks later both her mom and dad disappeared. She was taken in by her magically-inclined grandfather, Black Eagle, and while she continued to have nightmares about the Demon Bear, they were kept at bay thanks to Black Eagle's spells.

These horrific dreams return to Moonstar during her tenure as a member of the New Mutants team, but rather than repressing them, she prepares to take on the evil ursine. Unfortunately for her, this horrific entity proves to be far more than she can face by herself, and she turns to her teammates to assist her in her battle.

It was only just about a week before the start of production on New Mutants that the film cast its star to play Danielle Moonstar, but at least they got it done under the wire. In early July 2017, it was reported that the comic book movie blockbuster had hired newcomer Blu Hunt to take on the key role in the 2018 flick. The film will actually be her big screen debut, though she does have some notable experience in that she plays a recurring role on the CW series The Originals.

Rahne Sinclair a.k.a. Wolfsbane

Thanks to Mystique and Beast in previous X-Men movies, fans have seen plenty of mutants who have the ability to physically transform on the big screen... but Wolfsbane's particular power is a tad more traditional than what we've seen. After all, she is basically a mutant lycanthrope -- able to either turn herself into a human/wolf hybrid or go full wolf-mode.

Like most of the New Mutants team, Wolfsbane a.k.a. Rahne Sinclair was created by Chris Claremont and Bob McLeod, and her backstory involves a strictly religious upbringing in Scotland that was followed by horrific persecution. She was nearly burned at the stake, but was rescued and eventually adopted by Moira MacTaggert (who was played by Rose Byrne in X-Men: First Class and X-Men: Apocalypse). Sadly, at this stage we don't know how much of this narrative will find its way into the New Mutants movie.

What we do know, however, is the identity of the actress who will be playing the first live-action version of Wolfsbane. It was reported all the way back in April 2016 that Game of Thrones star Maisie Williams was being considered for the part, and Josh Boone basically confirmed the casting himself in February 2017 by posting concept art of a part-wolf Williams. Considering that the writer/director has been discussing the horror elements of the movie he wants to make, hopefully we can expect some very cool transformation sequences.

Illyana Rasputin a.k.a. Magik

Actress Anya Taylor-Joy caught a lot of people's attention extremely fast thanks to her fantastic performance in the 2015 indie horror movie The Witch, and her star has only been rising ever since. She played the lead role in M. Night Shyamalan's 2017 hit Split -- and now she is confirmed to be a part of her second superhero franchise. It has been confirmed that Taylor-Joy will be playing Magik a.k.a. Illyana Rasputin in Josh Boone's New Mutants.

If that last name looks familiar (beyond the notorious Russian mystic), it's because Magik is actually the younger sister of Piotr Rasputin a.k.a. the metal-covered mutant Colossus. They grew up together in Russia, though Illyana was kidnapped and brought to the United States when she was only six years old. It was after her rescue that she was first brought to the X-Mansion - though she spent most of her adolescence in the Limbo dimension being trained in the ways of magic and combat.

It was after leaving the Limbo dimension that she returned to Earth and joined the New Mutants (she was 10 years older than when she left, but no time had passed since her departure). In addition to her learned skills, her mutant power allows her to teleport -- though what sets her apart from, say, Nightcrawler, is that she can teleport through both space and time, both future and past. It's not a power that's easily controlled, and significant screw-ups have occurred -- but that should just make for great story fodder in the New Mutants movie.

Bobby da Costa a.k.a. Sunspot

Most of the characters who will make up the titular team in The New Mutants will be making their live-action debut -- but Sunspot is the exception. Director Bryan Singer enlisted actor Adan Canto to play the part in X-Men: Days of Future Past, using him as one of last surviving mutants in a future that has been destroyed by the Sentinels. Of course, the timeline shift that occurred at the end of that movie means that he's technically not part of the canon anymore, which opens up the possibility to use him in Josh Boone's New Mutants.

Hailing from Brazil, Sunspot a.k.a. Roberto "Bobby" da Costa has the mutant ability to soak in solar power and redirect it. While he ordinarily looks like a normal person, when he is in his energized state his entire body turns into a non-reflective black color, allowing him to most efficiently absorb the sun's energy. Actor Henry Zaga, who recently earned attention for his part in the Netflix series 13 Reasons Why, will be playing the part in The New Mutants, and the project will be his biggest to date. We're excited to see what he does with it.

Sam Guthrie a.k.a. Cannonball

As far as adapting mutant powers for the big screen, the introduction of Cannonball in New Mutants should be quite interesting. In the most basic terms, he has the power to fly at super speeds -- but what makes that possible is that he can release thermo-chemical energy from his skin, and basically turn the lower half of his body into a jet propulsion system. Because of this, he can fly around incredibly fast, create blast fields, and really just kick all kinds of ass.

So who will be playing the southern-fried, Kentucky-born mutant in New Mutants? For a long time it was suggested that the role could go to Nat Wolff, who previously worked with Josh Boone on The Fault in Our Stars, but that rumor hit the wastebasket in May 2017. Instead, it looks like Cannonball a.k.a. Sam Guthrie will be played by Stranger Things star Charlie Heaton. Can he pull off the accent? We'll find out soon enough!

Dr. Cecilia Reyes

Initially it was expected that Rosario Dawson would be playing the role of Dr. Cecilia Reyes in The New Mutants - the actress previously having a close relationship with comic book material through projects like the Marvel Netflix shows and the animated Wonder Woman movie. Scheduling conflicts forced her to drop out, however, leaving the production with a casting gap to fill. Fortunately, they landed on the talented Alice Braga to play the part.

As you would expect, Dr. Cecilia Reyes is a mutant herself, in addition to being a doctor, and was introduced to Marvel Comics in 1997. Her special ability is the creation of psioplasmic bio-fields... which basically means that she can generate an incredibly strong energy barrier around herself that can protect her from outside attack. It's worth noting that she doesn't really have a big connection with the New Mutants in the source material, but this would hardly be the first time details were fudged in an adaptation. Based on the trailer, it looks like she will be the primary caretaker for the titular characters as they adjust to their dangerous abilities.

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Knights Of Ren Confirmed For Star Wars: The Rise Of Skywalker

Knights Of Ren Confirmed For Star Wars: The Rise Of Skywalker

In Star Wars: The Force Awakens we were introduced to a collection of apparently villainous characters called the Knights of Ren. We witnessed them standing in the rain outside of Luke Skywalker's burning Jedi temple, and then, they were gone. We've never seen or heard a word about them since Rey's flashback in the first film of the new trilogy, but now a new report confirms that the Knights of Ren will return in for Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker.

Rumors had been swirling that the Knights would be back for the final film of the trilogy, and the characters were even spottted in a supposedly leaked poster image, but a new Vanity Fair article confirms the Knights will play a part, and even shows the characters off. The Knights of Ren are described as wearing mismatched armor with oversized arsenals of weapons. Whereas the rest of the First Order looks sleek and ordered, the Knights of Ren are put together in a much more haphazard fashion.

The article also confirms that the one good shot that we received of Kylo Ren in the Rise of Skywalker teaser trailer shows him taking down one of the Knights of Ren.

Of course, the fact that Kylo Ren is attacking the Knights of Ren in this shot creates more questions than answers. Is this a flashback? Is the reason we have't seen the Knights of Ren before because they're all dead? Does this mean Ben Solo is going to turn to the light side after all and attack those that he was previously aligned with? Does this mean the Knights of Ren have turned to the light and Kylo Ren is fighting them for that reason?

While it is now confirmed that the Knights of Ren will appear in the new film, no details are being given regarding how they're being used, so your guess is as good as mine. Where have they been all this time and why are they back now? We'll find out in December I guess. One rumor has indicated the Knights have been busy elsewhere over the course of the previous two films.

A great deal will have changed for Kylo Ren when Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker starts. He will, one assumes, have been ruling over the First Order alone for the year that has passed since The Last Jedi. How this has changed him and his relationship with these characters, is certainly an interesting question.

In Star Wars: The Last Jedi Luke Skywalker says that when Ben Solo left after destroying the temple he took some of the students with him. Whether or not these people are the Knights of Ren we don't specifically know, though it seems likely.

Since the Knights of Ren have never been anything more than a name and an image before, we have really no idea what to expect from them in the new film. Even the books and and other Star Wars material that has been released in the last few years has remained remarkably quiet on the Knights of Ren. They may not end up being anybody particularly special or they could end up becoming some of the most popular new characters of the new trilogy. We'll find out December 20.

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Issa Rae May Be Doing a Lot More Projects With Will Packer After Little

Issa Rae May Be Doing a Lot More Projects With Will Packer After Little

Insecure series creator and star Issa Rae is making her leading big-screen debut this weekend alongside Marsai Martin in Big switcheroo, Little. The comedy may be the start of a beautiful partnership between the talent and Will Packer Productions, who has previously given Kevin Hart and Tiffany Haddish breakout movie roles (Ride Along and Girls Trip) that rocketed them into super-stardom.

Only time will tell if Little is Issa Rae’s, but you can bet Will Packer fell head over heels for Rae’s comedy chops in their first collaboration. In my recent interview with the producer, he couldn’t help gushing about her. In Packer’s words:

I love Issa, I would do a lot with her.

Yes! The actress has made a name for herself on HBO as the voice of her own series that centers on her own awkward experiences (mostly hilarious, sometimes a whole lot of dramatic) living in Los Angeles but more roles on the big screen is certainly the next step for her. Will Packer continued showing his love for Issa Rae by discussing the next he has going with her. Check out what he told me:

We've got another movie that is actually shooting right now. It's a love story called The Photograph and it's her and LaKeith Stanfield, a movie that's written and directed by a young female filmmaker named Stella Meghie. I'm very excited about it. I think that it's going to allow Issa to do something different. She's still going to bring her charm and her charisma. She's got a very unproduced quality about her. She's very natural, straightforward, what you see is what you get quality that I think is relatable to audiences. So she's bringing that to that project. But I just think that she is somebody that is the voice of the millennial generation in a different way than anybody else is doing right now.

This is definitely exciting. We may be witnessing the start of a very successful comedic career for Issa Rae with her work with blockbuster producer Will Packer. The Photograph is her next project that Universal has wasted no time getting up and running as it’s currently in production. According to Variety, the romantic-drama will focus on two intertwining love stories in the past and present and has a release date set for Valentine’s Day in 2020.

Issa Rae will be starring alongside LaKeith Stanfield who recently starred in Sorry to Bother You and Get Out. The actress also just wrapped filming a rom-com with Kumail Nanjiani called The Lovebirds. The film also set for release in early 2020 will be directed by Michael Showalter, who helmed Oscar-nominated rom-com The Big Sick. Issa Rae is also signed on to star in two other comedies in the future called Empress of Serenity and American Princess.

Get ready for a whole lot of more Issa Rae! The actress certainly has a relatable and funny charm that looks to be taking her far. Her new comedy Little is in theaters now.

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The Battle For SPECTRE - The Rights War That Complicated James Bond For Decades

The Battle For SPECTRE - The Rights War That Complicated James Bond For Decades

Time and time again, we’ve seen issues surrounding intellectual property rights complicate everything from a film’s production to its theatrical release. But some cases are so complicated that they don’t simply go away after the cameras are packed and the posters are removed. And in the case of most other areas of his expertise, nobody does complicated rights better than James Bond.

What started as an idea for a film became a flashpoint of massive legal proportions that, until recently, left the 007 franchise without the usage of one of its most iconic bodies of villainy for quite some time. With the resolution of this conflict still pretty fresh in recent history, and Bond 25 currently in production, the battle for SPECTRE’s very place in the series’ canon is a vital piece of history to revisit.

What Is SPECTRE?

In the history of the film adaptations to Ian Fleming’s James Bond novels, the most formidable threat to the world was the SPecial Executive for Counterintelligence, Terrorism, Revenge, and Extortion. Known as SPECTRE for short, it was the one stop shop for villainous personalities like Dr. Joseph No, Auric Goldfinger, and most notably Ernst Stavro Blofeld, the leader and “Number One” in charge of SPECTRE’s operations.

SPECTRE and its personnel were used in the films intermittently, starting with 1962’s series starter Dr. No, with 1971’s Diamonds Are Forever marking the supposed end of the organization and the one true death of Ernst Stavro Blofeld. It wasn’t until 2015’s Spectre that the James Bond series would reintroduce both that character (through the casting of Christoph Waltz), as the rights issues surrounding the creation and implementation the man and his legacy were subject to legal challenges that weren’t easily circumvented.

The Movie That (Almost) Started It All

When author Ian Fleming looked towards turning his literary franchise into a box office hit, Thunderball was originally considered to be the first film to do so. The eighth novel in his series, his 1961 book was a creation that drew on a rather controversial source: an original screenplay that was written between himself and screenwriters Kevin McClory and Jack Whittingham in the late 1950s. While Fleming eventually decided to distance himself from the writing process, McClory and Whittingham would finish the screenplay, which eventually got its title from Ian Fleming himself.

After reading the finished novel before publication, McClory felt that Ian Fleming had plagiarized the screenplay of Thunderball for his novel. Even with some differences separating the two projects, one such difference being the alleged creation of SPECTRE to stand as the villains, Kevin McClory tried to stop the book from being published. While that tactic failed, McClory eventually pursued further legal action that granted him the literary and film rights to Thunderball, leaving Ian Fleming with the rights to the novel he wrote from its screenplay.

The End Of SPECTRE

With Kevin McClory owning the rights to Thunderball, this kind of threw the question of who created SPECTRE into the air, with McClory and Ian Fleming being the two parties the issue landed in-between. In the end, while the matter wasn’t officially resolved, Ernst Stavro Blofeld would make his final appearance in Diamonds Are Forever, with SPECTRE not even being named in the film at all. While there were intentions to use Blofeld and his criminal enterprise in 1977’s The Spy Who Loved Me, McClory was ready with another injunction to prevent this from happening.

Instead of fighting another court battle to continue, the film was altered to omit the organization and its leader, opting instead for an original character, shipping magnate Karl Stromberg, as its villain. Though turnabout was fair play at that same point in Bond history, as Kevin McClory and Sean Connery had worked on a story entitled Warhead, which would be the first of several attempts to revive Thunderball in his own image. With the rights firmly in his hands, it was only a matter of time before he tried again.

The Remakes That Stoked The Fires

Sure enough, Kevin McClory would go on to two more attempts at remaking Thunderball in his own way image. The first was 1983’s Never Say Never Again, in which James Bond and Ernst Stavro Blofeld fought for custody of two nuclear warheads yet again. And oddly enough, Sean Connery was convinced to play the character of 007 yet again, after famously saying he’d never return after Diamonds Are Forever. With this film being released in the same year as the official Bond series’ Octopussy, there was obviously a competition between the two films. Ian Fleming’s estate attempted to prevent such a race, but lost their bid to stop the film’s release. In the end, the two films only saw a $27.5 million difference in their grosses, with Roger Moore’s official James Bond movie winning out.

The second, and final, time that Kevin McClory would try to remake his intellectual property was with the film known as Warhead 2000 A.D. With Sony spurring him on in hopes it could create further competition with its own James Bond franchise. But, much as McClory prevented MGM from using SPECTRE and Blofeld for The Spy Who Loved Me, the studio was able to successfully prevent Kevin McClory from achieving his goal, through a deal with Sony. If the film had progressed, there would have been a chance that either Timothy Dalton or Liam Neeson would have played the role of Bond. But alas, it was never meant to be.

Reuniting Bond and SPECTRE

It seemed that the true James Bond series would never see SPECTRE again in its lifetime. Even Albert Broccoli and EON Productions, the parties that practically ran the show with MGM, thought it to be so. Nowhere was that clearer than in the bold statement they made in the prologue to For Your Eyes Only. With a huge action sequence that saw Bond tormented by and dispatching of a bald man sitting in a wheelchair with a white cat in a smokestack, the message was clear: that contractually complex character is dead, and they didn’t need him anymore.

While the series would eventually move on for decades without official use of SPECTRE or its main villain, circumstances eventually saw those rights landing with MGM and EON Productions once more. After Kevin McClory passed away in 2006, his family would move on to the point where they sold the rights to the intellectual property he held onto through the rest of his life back to the studio. So it came to pass that in 2013, SPECTRE became a part of the official 007 playground once again, just in time to tie the organization in with its modern counterpart, Quantum, in the 2015 film named for this shadowy group of newly restored evil.

At this point, the only way that Ernst Stavro Blofeld won’t return would be due to Christoph Waltz not wanting to portray the character again. Though if the history of Blofeld has taught us anything, it’s that he can always be rewritten for a new actor through cosmetic surgery. It’s worked for him in the past, though if the casting of Rami Malek goes through, it seems unlikely that this route is going to be taken. But at the very least, SPECTRE will be around for any future villain to take their place in, ready to use its apparatus to make James Bond’s life a living hell.

James Bond will return in Bond 25, when it hits theaters on April 8, 2020.

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The Cat From Pet Sematary Has Died For Real

The Cat From Pet Sematary Has Died For Real

In Pet Sematary, the Creed Family cat named Church, short for Winston Churchill, is hit by a truck on Halloween and killed. The beloved cat is buried in the titular pet sematary and comes back to life, notably dirtier and more aggressive than he was before. Now comes the sad news that the cat that played Church in Pet Sematary has died for real. Take a look:

The cat actor that played Church in Pet Sematary was named Leo in real life and he has sadly passed away. The Instagram post from Leo’s trainer and owner Kirk Jarrett assures us that Leo will be missed by his friends and family, as you would expect and hope would be the case for any beloved family pet. Leo will just have more people mourning him than the average pet thanks to his role in Pet Sematary.

There may be no supernatural burial ground inhabited by the evil spirit Wendigo to bring him back, and doing so would be against the message of Pet Sematary anyways, but Leo’s star will indeed always shine bright. Not many cats get to be immortalized in film, and playing an iconic feline character no less. More than that though, Leo’s star will continue to shine in the hearts and minds of his family.

Although we didn’t know him and never got to pet the fluffy Leo, any of us who have owned and lost a pet can sympathize with what Leo’s family is going through. It does seem odd that he has passed so soon when we just saw him on the big screen only a couple months back. That said, we don’t know how old Leo was or what caused his death, but I like to think that he lived a long, happy and full life.

Judging by his Instagram, the beautiful and photogenic Leo had quite the life, playing outside, having photo-shoots and getting to hang out on the set of the movie. Leo was also apparently extremely well trained and a very mellow cat because he is seen wearing all kinds of costumes and hats, the likes of which would send most cats into a resurrected Church-esque rage.

Although Leo has died, he is not the only cat who played Church in Pet Sematary. Cats are notoriously uncooperative creatures, so it was a joint effort with Leo and other cats, eight in total, to create the performance in the film. Each cat brought their own special skills, like jumping, hissing and staring, to the role, and they all proved to be quite the divas on set.

We offer our condolences to Leo’s family and say Leo, you were fluffy and gorgeous and terrifying, so rest in peace. Check out Leo’s performance in Pet Sematary, arriving on digital on June 25 and Blu-ray on July 9. Take a look at our 2019 Release Schedule to keep track of all the biggest movies headed to theaters this summer.

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Avengers: Endgame Writers Say The Runtime Is Perfect

Avengers: Endgame Writers Say The Runtime Is Perfect

It was very clear well before we knew what the runtime for Avengers: Endgame would be, and well before we even knew what the official title would be, that it would be a long movie. It is going to be a long movie, but it’s one screenwriter Stephen McFeeley feels is “exactly as long as it needs to be.”

First and foremost, Avengers: Endgame isn’t going to be long, it’s going to be hella long, clocking in at 3 hours and 1 minute in length. AKA 181 minutes. A movie which you could also think of as "not short."

That’s the sort of length of time that’s comparable to hobbits traveling away from the Shire for the first time or the length of time it takes for scientists to explore Pandora’s biosphere and mess with the environment in the process.

Per Stephen McFeeley, however, the movie’s lengthy runtime works and he's happy to talk about why it works, saying,

It's exactly as long as it needs to be. Any shorter and it would have felt like we weren't honoring all the threads and franchises that are feeding into this climax. Twenty-two movies in, not only has the movie earned its length, but people deserve a movie of that substance.

He also revealed why, noting it’s very important that each of the individual franchises are highlighted in this final movie focusing on the original Avengers. In total, the movie will feel as if it has weight and substance, according to the writer. (Although he did write it, so I’d hope he didn’t have the opinion he was just putting fluff out into the universe.)

Related: Why Avengers Endgame Should Be Exactly As Long As It Needs To Be

However, if you are worried that three hours will drag on and on and on, Stephen McFeeley also claimed in his interview with Vulture that the time will fly.

I swear to God, it sounds like a paradox to say this, but it's a lean three hours.

In fact, we’ve already heard this super long movie is extremely tight and that every single scene will matter to the whole (along with hopefully being fun, funny and epic). Unlike some of those early episodes of Game of Thrones, there really won’t be much filler, to the point where Marvel's Kevin Feige basically stated there won’t be a good time to get up and use the bathroom in the middle of the movie. The flick, in fact, was designed that way.

We are fans of movies that you wish didn’t end. Movies that you want to see again as soon as it’s over. And movies that you just don’t ever find a good time to run out to the bathroom. That’s when a movie’s working. And if a movie doesn’t feel like that to us we continue to trim, we continue to shape, we continue to bring that time down. That happened to a certain extent on this movie. But we got to a point where it feels very exciting and goes by very quickly and in the end is the perfect length.

Spoiler alert: I still plan to get up and use the bathroom in the middle of the movie. Someone probably should have worked a bathroom break in there, because I’m 100% positive I’m going to miss at least two minutes of this movie. I just have to hope I won’t miss something super important.

To that point, this movie is so long there has been some chatter online that we should get a bathroom break in the form of an intermission.

Our own Mike Reyes would argue against the inclusion of an intermission, and he has some valid reasons for why he’s opposed to that sort of addition; however, I do have fond memories of getting up in the middle of a special showing of Gone with the Wind as a kid and grabbing more popcorn. So, intermissions could theoretically work for modern audiences.

Either way, we aren’t getting an intermission with Avengers: Endgame, so this sort of argument is rather moot. What’s not moot is figuring out how to hold your bladder for three hours if you are hyper invested in this superhero and space story.

If not, we already have seen a small chunk of Avengers: Endgame in the form of footage revealing the plan to take on Thanos. Unfortunately, given the context of the scene, even if you've seen that entire segment already, it's likely to come closer to the beginning of the movie rather than the middle, which means it may not be a great opportunity for you to get up and stretch your legs.

At the end of the day, Avengers: Endgame's other writer Christopher Markus also defends the length of Endgame because a shorter movie would not be capable of wrapping up the entire Phase Three of the MCU (and possibly all the phases that came before it). After all, Thanos not only has to be defeated but a slew of character arcs also have to be tied up! A lot needs to happen. He said:

If we told you the entire universe got snapped out and we were gonna wrap it up in a tight 85, you’d have issues.

I mean, 85 minutes at this point is short for even an animated movie, but I take his point. At least everyone is guaranteed to get bang for their buck with this movie, as well. It's the longest movie in the MCU so far, competing only against its predecessor Avengers: Infinity War, a movie that is a whopping 32 minutes shorter.

Get prepared for the long and arduous journey your bladder is about to go on, because Avengers: Endgame is finally out next week. At that point we'll find out whether this arduous movie works or you'll likely start seeing headlines akin to "Should this have been a trilogy?" Either way, I'm pumped to see how it all pans out.

Catch it starting on April 26, 2019. Be sure to also check out what we know about Phase Four if you haven’t already. Best of luck avoiding spoilers on the Internet for the next few days. We're in the endgame now.

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Frozen 2: What We Know So Far

Frozen 2: What We Know So Far

Frozen was the biggest movie that the animation division of Disney had seen in a very long time. Between the fact that the film put a major twist on the princess tropes that Disney themselves had helped to create, and the fact that the movie had that song you couldn't escape, Frozen was absolutely everywhere. While Disney Animation frequently avoids making theatrical sequels to their animated movies, it was obvious that if an exception was going to be made, Frozen would be it, and after rumors implied one was probably happening, it was eventually confirmed to be on its way.

Here's a breakdown of everything we know about Frozen II so far, starting with a look at the exciting first official trailer for the upcoming hit!

What Have We Seen From Frozen II?

The tone is probably a bit more epic and tense than most people were expecting, but that only makes us that much more excited to see what is coming when the film finally arrives. The trailer doesn't give away a great deal of the film's story, but it does give hints, and when we combine those hints with everything else that has been revealed, the picture becomes a bit clearer.

When Is The Frozen II Release Date?

Frozen II was originally set for release on November 27, 2019. This is the Wednesday before Thanksgiving in 2019, which is a release date that Disney has had nailed down for years. It's the same spot where the original Frozen was released back in 2013.

However, Disney recently decided to move Frozen II up and the film is now set for release on November 22, the previous Friday. No major tentpole releases were planned for that weekend and so Disney apparently decided to give itself the extra weekend to so that Frozen II would have possible chance. At this point the only other major releases set for November are the Charlie's Angels reboot and the next Terminator movie. Both will be released the first weekend of November, leaving things open for Frozen 2 to take over the box office until Star Wars: Episode IX hits in December.

What Will Frozen II Be Rated?

This early it's impossible to know what the MPAA rating of Frozen II will be, but the studio's recent efforts, including the original Frozen, have been rated PG rather than the more traditional G, and there's a good chance that Frozen II will follow suit. And, it's a safe bet we won't see anything beyond PG. Disney Animation has never gone that far before, and we wouldn't expect Disney to do anything that might cause families to reconsider which members should be attending the film.

The Directors

Frozen II is set to be co-directed by Jennifer Lee and Chris Buck. This will be good news for Frozen fans as it means both of the directors of the original Frozen will be making their return. Chris Buck has been very Frozen focused since the original film, with his other major project in the intervening years being the writing and directing of the Frozen Fever animated short.

Jennifer Lee has been a bit busier since the original Frozen, while she co-write and directed Frozen Fever as well, she also co-wrote the story for Disney's other recent smash hit, Zootopia, and she also wrote the screenplay for the adaptation of A Wrinkle in Time. This may be Lee's final gig as a director as she was named the head of Walt Disney Animation Studios following the departure of John Lasseter, so those duties may take her away from hands-on film making.

The Writers

Jennifer Lee wrote the original screenplay for the first Frozen and, based on comments from Kristen Bell, it appears she was involved in writing the sequel as well. However, officially, the only screenplay credit Frozen 2 has belongs to Allison Schroeder. Schroeder was previously nominated for an Oscar for her work on the screenplay for Hidden Figures and she also previously worked with Disney as part of the team that wrote the live-action Winnie the Pooh movie, Christopher Robin. We do know that the songs for the new film will be written by the same husband and wife team of Robert Lopez and Kristen Anderson-Lopez who wrote the music for the first film and brought us the epic "Let it Go."

What Will Frozen II Be About?

The new trailer is very careful not to reveal too much about the actual story of Frozen II. We see our group of heroes, Anna, Elsa, Kristoff, Olaf, and Sven going on some sort of journey together, though where they're headed and why we aren't told. The one hint the trailer does give are these crystals that we briefly see in the trailer. They appear to be surrounding Anna and she is clearly distressed by them. They also show up in the sequel's first poster. We don't know what they are, but they're important.

Chris Buck has said that we'll see more of Elsa enjoying her new found freedom, something that was touched on in the Frozen Fever short. In addition, Josh Gad has said he would like to see Olaf grow up a bit, since he is essentially a child in the first film and should hopefully mature, at least a bit, in between films. Kristen Bell has said her own personal struggles as her life changed helped inform the next stage of Anna's character growth as well.

Elsa

In the first Frozen, we watched Elsa ascend to the throne of Arendelle and come to terms with her magical abilities. There really wasn't anything specifically set up for Elsa to do next, so while she'll almost certainly take a lead role in the new film, who knows what she'll be doing. She currently stands as one of the few Disney heroines who doesn't have a romance during her film, so, perhaps, that will happen here. If it does, there's a significant contingent of fans who would love to see Elsa's love interest be female. Considering the way the original Frozen was willing to go against Disney's own established traditions, perhaps they'd be willing to take this major step as well, one that we're sure will happen one day.

The first trailer opens with Elsa fighting against the waves, though for what purpose we don't know. She's clearly focused and determined. This is a side of Elsa we didn't really see in the first film. She has a strength of Will that is driving her forward which will likely carry the entire movie.

Anna

Much like her sister, we see a very different Anna in the Frozen II trailer than we saw in the first film. In the clip's final seconds, we see Anna grab Kristoff's sword and swing it at something or someone coming up behind them. She doesn't hesitate and really seems to know how to use the weapon. While we mostly see Anna and Elsa together in the trailer, we also see Anna by herself, making a leap of faith over a large gap between rocks.

Anna was, possibly, the more interesting princess in the original Frozen. She is, at least, the one who fell in love with a character she just met, in traditional Disney fashion, though, by the end, it was her act of true love that broke the spell that was hurting her. At the film's close, Anna and Kristoff had begun a relationship. Depending on how much time will have passed between Frozen and Frozen II we could see that relationship become more serious, or, if they want to drive home the idea that the pair are taking it slow, we could see them together, but without making the relationship itself important to the story.

Olaf

Olaf took center stage a couple of years ago as the lead character in the holiday special Olaf's Frozen Adventure. When it comes to Disney sidekick characters Olaf is pretty popular. In the first film, he was solid comic relief without being over the top or childish. Could Olaf taking on a larger role in the holiday special be an indication that he'll be more important in the theatrical sequel?

If that's the case, the trailer hides it well, as we barely see the walking snowman at all. He appears a couple of times, but the trailer never focuses on him at all.

One of the never answered questions in Frozen is why Elsa's magic has the power to give Olaf life. If that question is in any way at the center of the film's plot, it could very likely mean that Olaf will be quite important.

Kristoff and Sven

The other two characters that we know we'll see in Frozen 2 are Kristoff and his reindeer Sven. Much like Olaf, the pair are largely relegated to the sidelines of the new trailer. However, one of the more epic moments that we do see includes Kristoff riding Sven and leading a charging herd of other reindeer. Sven, like everybody else in the trailer, looks incredibly serious and determined. Is he riding to somebody's rescue? We'll just have to wait and see.

Other Characters

We do know from what Kristen Bell told us that Frozen II will include a pair of brand new characters, though she was certainly tight-lipped about them, which means we don't know anything beyond the fact that they'll exist. Are these new allies or is one of them a villain? While Disney animated films have had some of the best villains in movie history, not all films even have traditional villains. The original Frozen being a prime example.

The trailer does show off a pair of new character in one brief sequence. A young woman is standing on some fallen leaves and a moment later a young man appears to be blown up in the air from under the pile. Evan Rachel Wood and Sterling K. Brown are reportedly lending their voices to Frozen II and so these two could be their characters, but the scene doesn't tell us much, except possibly that somebody in the movie might have magic wind powers.

There's a decent chance that we'll see the Duke of Weselton again, if only in a brief cameo. The character was voiced by Alan Tudyk, and he has been lending his voice to every Disney feature in recent years, so there's a good chance we'll see that character again. If not, expect to hear Tudyk's voice, but in a less recognizable place. He played a chicken in Moana, so he could voice an animal, or something else that doesn't speak, if they don't want a character to sound too much like the Duke of Weselton.

The other major character from the original Frozen who is a question mark at this point is Hans. He was the underhanded prince who tried to marry Anna in order to gain the throne. At the end of the film, he's sent back to his home, where his elder siblings were, apparently, none to happy with his plot. We see Hans briefly at the end of Frozen Fever, so perhaps he, or the rest of his family, will also play a part in the sequel.

Frozen Fever

The first piece of Frozen material that we got following the film was the animated short Frozen Fever. It followed Elsa's attempt to throw a birthday party for her sister. While it's easy to write this off as simply a bit of fun, and it is mostly that, the short does include some material that's potentially relevant to the sequel. First, we see Elsa conjure dresses for herself and Anna using magic. While we saw Elsa do this in Frozen, these dresses are green and distinctly non-ice related. It would appear that her magic has some additional power beyond simply the ability to make ice. We also see her accidentally create tiny snowmen (called "snowgies," if you're wondering) due to her being sick. At the end of the short, we see the snowgies move into Elsa's ice palace with Marshmallow, the abominable snowman. We could potentially see them in Frozen 2.

Olaf's Frozen Adventure

Olaf's Frozen Adventure is Disney's newest holiday special that saw a brief theatrical release along with Pixar's Coco before debuting on television. It follows Olaf's attempts to find a holiday tradition for Anna and Elsa, something they never found themselves due to being separated for so long because of Elsa's powers. Ultimately, it's discovered that the two did have a tradition, as Anna would make Olaf-inspired gifts for Elsa every Christmas. This gave us a look at a previously unknown part of their lives that took place during the "Do You Want to Build a Snowman" montage in the first film. It's possible there could be more information during that part of their lives that could be created in order to give Frozen II a place to start.

We don't have that much longer to wait until Frozen II is finally out in theaters, so more news on the film will likely be coming along on a regular basis in the intervening months. As such, be sure to keep your eye on this guide, so you can stay on top of all the new details as they become available to us!

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The Russo Brothers Share Set Photo From Stan Lee’s Final Cameo

The Russo Brothers Share Set Photo From Stan Lee’s Final Cameo

Spoilers ahead for Avengers: Endgame

The Marvel Cinematic Universe is in a fascinating place, as 21 movies collided with The Russo Brothers' Avengers: Endgame. The massive blockbuster was deeply connected to the MCU's past, and contained a ton of surprise cameos and long awaited moments. And aside from the narrative implications of Endgame, the latest Marvel release also contains its final cameo from comic book legend Stan Lee.

Stan Lee died in November of 2018, and it was a loss felt by generations of comic book fans. Lee's creations are currently dominating the movie landscape, and it's doubly sad that he didn't get to see Endgame in full. Now that spoiler ban on Avengers: Endgame has officially been lifted, The Russo Brothers shared a behind the scene glimpse at Lee's final appearance in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Check it out.

As always, Stan Lee looks pleased to be back on set. The comic visionary thoroughly enjoyed his various onscreen appearances, totaling in 22 roles in the MCU. And that doesn't even include the Spider-Man and X-Men franchises.

Stan Lee pops up in Avengers: Endgame during the blockbuster's second act. During the masterfully crafted time heist, Iron Man and Captain America travel to the year 1970. As the S.H.I.E.L.D. location is shown to the audience, we also see a vintage car driving with the license plate "excelsior". That ride is being driven by none other than Lee himself, who encourages the agency to make love and not war.

While not quite as emotional as his role in Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, Stan Lee is quickly able to steal the scene, and make the audience laugh. Given how high the stakes of Avengers: Endgame are, moments of levity are sorely needed, and help to buoy the movie's complicated narrative. And Lee's message of love is all the more powerful in the wake of his death.

It's hard to imagine the Marvel Cinematic Universe without Stan Lee's presence, as his creativity and excitement over the genre flow through the franchise's blood. Lee passed shortly away before Captain Marvel arrived in theaters, with his cameo in that movie being super self-aware. Additionally, screenings of Captain Marvel opened with a tribute to Stan Lee, which was particularly touching.

Stan Lee has obviously had a ton of Marvel cameos, and he wasn't shy about sharing his excitement for each new one. Lee loved getting some screen time, listing his role in Avengers: Age of Ultron as his favorite before his passing. His reasoning? Because it was the most lines, as he had two smaller scenes instead of one.

When discussing his Age of Ultron role, Stan Lee previously made his feelings known, saying:

Well, I think the cameo that's my favorite is the one I did [with] Thor. I'm standing in a bar with him and he's drinking this Asgardian drink, which is very powerful, and I ask for a sip and he says, 'No, it would kill you,' and I insist. And he gives me a sip and then in the next scene, they're carrying me out. Now you're saying to yourself, 'Why is this Stan's favorite cameo?' and you haven't thought of the real reason. It's the only one I did that has two scenes. So I'm hoping it does well. Next time, they'll give me three scenes. You never know where it'll end.

Stan Lee truly never disappointed the Marvel fandom, constantly showing his enthusiasm for the shared universe, as well as life on the page. This excitement obviously bled over to his onscreen roles, with the comic book visionary hoping to get even more screen time. But Age of Ultron remains his biggest role, unless you count the myriad hidden Stan Lees in Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse.

As a reminder, you can check out Stan Lee's Avengers: Age of Ultron cameo below. below.

Remember folks: when Thor offers you a drink, you might want to be careful. The God of Thunder has a far stronger tolerance for intoxication than we mere mortals.

Looking back on this Age of Ultron scene is quite different after seeing Avengers: Endgame, and for a multitude of reasons. To start, it seems to tease Thor's eventual problem with alcohol after the five year time jump. Thor sunk into a deep depression after Thanos' snap, and he relied heavily on beer and Fortnite to get him through.

Additionally, the rest of the party scene includes Captain America attempting to lift Thor's hammer. While he seemingly failed, Endgame revealed Steve Rogers was worthy all along. He was just sparing his friend's feelings.

Stan Lee's role(s) in the Marvel Cinematic Universe took an interesting turn during Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2. Lee was shown in space, speaking with cosmic characters The Watchers. In the brief scene, Stan Lee made reference to multiple past cameos, not so subtly implying that he's actually been playing one character the whole time. Unfortunately, it looks like that plot point will likely not reach its fruition, as Lee died before he could record an appearance in the upcoming Guardians threequel.

Then again, James Gunn has been known to take creative risks, so it's doesn't seem out of the question that Stan Lee's Guardians 2 role and/or The Watchers. Gunn meticulously crafted the first two installments, and no doubt has a master plan for Vol. 3. So Lee might end up getting at least a reference in final addition to the Guardians trilogy.

It should be interesting to see how Marvel Studios continues to honor Stan Lee, as he'll no longer be able to film new appearances. But given the MCU's connection to the legendary icon, it wouldn't be surprising if Kevin Feige and company are finding a new way to pay tribute. The shared universe will need to continue strong not only without Stan Lee, but also its stars in the form of Chris Evans and Robert Downey Jr.

Avengers: Endgame is in theaters now, including Stan Lee's final Marvel cameo. Be sure to check out our 2019 release list to plan your next trip to the movies.

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6 Characters Hobbs And Shaw Needs To Bring Back

6 Characters Hobbs And Shaw Needs To Bring Back

Is it weird to say that it’s so damned easy to keep going back to watch the latest Hobbs and Shaw trailer over and over again? Revving up the motors for one of the potentially largest hits of 2019 certainly isn’t a hard prospect, especially when you have the right people for the job.

But mixed in the new footage we saw was an interesting development: Helen Mirren’s Magdalene, the matriarch of the Shaw clan, and in jail nonetheless. Which brings up one of the most fun pieces of the Fast and Furious franchise’s arsenal: surprise returning characters.

If Mother Shaw can cross over between franchises and return in Hobbs and Shaw, then the door is open for so many more possibilities. More specifically, there’s six characters that need to return in the Hobbs and Shaw side of the house, and they’ve all got some pretty good reasons to be brought back into the fold.

Cipher

At the end of The Fate of The Furious, Charlize Theron’s techno baddie Cipher escaped and made her way to Athens, probably planning some new plot to send the world into chaos. If that’s not the definition of a loose end, then the term needs to be revised for clarity.

However, with the Hobbs and Shaw team specializing in franchise extension, via saving the world from threats to security and intelligence, there’s a chance to tie off said hanging thread. With the titular pair ready to take on those who set out to destabilize the status quo, and Cipher being owed a proper villain rematch, the path is pretty clear to seeing these irresistible forces collide with more than a couple immovable objects.

Mr. Nobody

Returning audiences to the world of espionage in the Fast and Furious cinematic racetrack almost requires bringing other figures of the Diplomatic Security Service back into the fold. While we’ll probably be meeting some new personnel in this fairly new and shadowy organization in Hobbs and Shaw, it’d be nice to have a familiar face to help explain what’s going on.

It’d also be helpful to see professional smart ass/secret agent Mr. Nobody return in Hobbs and Shaw, because who doesn’t enjoy some good Kurt Russell snark? Of course, that snark is usually helpful whenever Nobody shows up, seeing as he’s the one with the intel for important missions ahead. When Mr. Nobody comes to town, you know the situation is serious, and we’d seriously like to see him back.

Little Nobody

The man we know as Little Nobody is a given for who should be brought into the Hobbs and Shaw world. Just as Mr. Nobody is the guy with the information and the plans needed to get the job done, Little is equally helpful, though a bit wet behind the ears.

As such, he still has something to learn when it comes to saving the world, and his lessons would be best conducted in the field, with bullets flying past his head. Scott Eastwood’s young spy in the making was a fun addition to The Fate of The Furious, and even if the character eventually stays in the more driven part of the canon, a Hobbs and Shaw mission wouldn’t hurt in the character development of Little Nobody.

Owen Shaw

Family is who you fight alongside, no matter the challenge. We’ve seen that Magdalene Shaw is coming back in Hobbs and Shaw, and with Vanessa Kirby being added to the family tree, it feels like another reunion is in order. Which means Owen Shaw needs to return yet again.

Undoubtedly Magdalene is going to need some help leaving her current place of incarceration. Knowing the Shaw family, reunions are always at the most inopportune times, so the quest to break mother out of the slammer will require all three of her currently known children. Not to mention, much like Deckard himself, Owen is owed a redemption, with Hobbs and Shaw feeling like the best place to get it.

Sean Boswell

While we saw Fast And Furious: Tokyo Drift’s Sean Boswell return for a cameo in Furious 7, we didn’t see him at all during The Fate of The Furious. This is in spite of the fact that we were told actor Lucas Black would be back for two more installments in the series, which has us thinking that a new plan may be in order.

Sean could easily become a cadet in the Diplomatic Security Service, as he’s dealt with underground criminal operations in international settings. Also, with his connection to the Toretto gang not being as strong as some of the other members, it wouldn’t be hard to win him over onto the side of the law. Of course, it’d be nice for him to have a partner to navigate this new world with, which leads to the most important character return for the Fast and Furious extended universe.

Han Lue

No one is going to let go of the fact that Deckard Shaw killed Han Lue in Fast and Furious 6, and some how became accepted as a good guy later on in this particular universe. But, as we’ve learned in the past, just because they say you’re dead doesn’t mean you died. Just as Letty came back from the dead, it’s time for Han to come back to the world of the living.

In fact, there’d be no better way to do that then to reveal that, surprise, he was drafted into the Diplomatic Security Service and has been working as a deep cover agent. Right there, you not only bring back a fan favorite, you also squash a serious beef in the Fast and Furious canon. Also, reuniting Sean and Han for some excitement is too good of an opportunity to pass up, and since he’ll definitely be coming back in some way for the Fast and Furious sequels, you’re basically killing two birds with one stone.

The Hobbs and Shaw franchise is just starting up with this first film, so the possibilities are still up in the air. But there’s plenty of good characters to pursue once things get going, provided that they don’t already show up in this initial entry.

We’ve still got some time to see where things go, as Hobbs and Shaw doesn’t hit theaters until August 2; but if anyone wants to get out there and film some nifty post credits scenes with any of the characters above, we’re willing to accept an Executive Producer credit as a thank you.

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Jean-Claude Van Damme Has His Own Version For Why He Left His Predator Role

Jean-Claude Van Damme Has His Own Version For Why He Left His Predator Role

'80s action icons Arnold Schwarzenegger and Jean-Claude Van Damme didn’t square off in a movie until decades after their primes in 2012’s The Expendables 2. They almost crossed paths much earlier though, because before his breakout role in Bloodsport, Jean-Claude Van Damme was cast to play the titular alien hunter in Predator. There are seemingly countless stories about why the Muscles from Brussels left that role, but he has his own version of what happened, as he explained:

I go to this place and they put me on sticks and woods and they start to melt all the cast on me, and it’s boiling hot. I like to breathe, you know? They’ve got to do my head and everything. I’ve got my friend next to me and I said, ‘Man, I ain’t going to make it.' When Joel asked me to jump, I knew it was going to be a bad one. I said, 'This is impossible, Joel. I think we're going to have a problem.' Then he replaced me.

The Predator originally didn’t look like how we know it now. When Jean-Claude Van Damme was a part of the movie, it looked way less awesome and more like a lobster. From what JCVD told The Hollywood Reporter, it sounds like getting that costume molded for him was an extremely unpleasant experience. The actor felt like he was unable to breathe as the hot cast was poured all over his body.

It sounds torturous and claustrophobic, and Jean-Claude Van Damme admits that he didn’t think he was going to make it. Then, when the actor was wearing some sort of stilts and was asked to jump in them, he couldn’t do it or didn’t feel safe to. So he was unable to showcase the athleticism that he showed out of the costume. He couldn’t do what producer Joel Silver needed him to do for the role and he was replaced.

This certainly isn’t the first time we’ve heard about an actor leaving a role or hating their time in it due to nightmarish makeup or costumes. James Purefoy left V for Vendetta because of the mask. He was replaced by Hugo Weaving, who didn’t seem to love the makeup he wore as Red Skull in Captain America: The First Avenger. And Jennifer Lawrence’s feelings about the Mystique makeup are well known. So JCVD is not alone.

We can now add Jean-Claude Van Damme’s version of why he left Predator to the many existing accounts of what happened in what has essentially become a cinematic urban legend. Director John McTiernan said that they never shot anything with Jean-Claude and the whole situation was a mess because of his agent.

The visual effects supervisor on the film Joel Hynek’s account is one of the more outlandish and hilarious. According to him, Jean-Claude Van Damme wouldn’t stop kickboxing because he saw the alien hunter as having prodigious martial arts talents. When he was asked to stop, he refused. So producer Joel Silver fired him and JCVD fired off an insult and left.

Given Jean-Claude Van Damme’s seeming willingness to laugh at himself late in his career, someone really should put together a short or an internet video with the actor about this situation. It could have a Rashomon-like structure with each of the accounts of Jean-Claude Van Damme’s exit from Predator as a different chapter, with the audience left to decide where the truth lies.

Whatever happened, it all worked out for the best. Predator eventually changed the creature design for the better and became an action classic, and Jean-Claude Van Damme broke out in Bloodsport, where he was able to do all the kickboxing he wanted.

Jean-Claude Van Damme’s latest film, We Die Young, is now in select theaters and on demand. Check out our 2019 release schedule to keep track of everything else you can look forward to seeing this year.

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