Matthew Monagle
Meet Gunslinger Channing Tatum in This New ‘Kingsman: The Golden Circle’ Clip
Given the fact that the first Kingsman movie was a spot-on homage to James Bond movies, you’d think we’d all be excited for more of the same. More debonair spy sequences, more dangerous undercover double-speak, and more gunfights in famous locations. Instead, 20th Century Fox has flipped the script, giving us a sequel that promises a delightful sendup of American action movies as well. What would happen if James Bond and John Rambo were forced to join forces to solve an international mystery? If the early trailers and credits are any indication, we’re about to find out.
Selma Blair on Not Joining ‘Hellboy’ Remake: ‘My Job Is Done’
While most of the articles regarding the new Hellboy remake have focused on the lack of involvement by Ron Perlman and Guillermo del Toro, it’s worth nothing that Selma Blair’s Liz Sherman was also an integral part of del Toro’s franchise. Neither fully human nor fully supernatural, Blair’s character served as an important transition point between the film’s two worlds (as well as the main love interest of the titular character). So maybe it’s about time we poured one out for Selma Blair as well; after all, she had just as much involvement in the success of the franchise as anyone.
Billie Lourd Originally Auditioned for Rey in ‘Star Wars: The Force Awakens’
We’re only months away from Star Wars: The Last Jedi, and already, it’s beginning to feel like a film that will be unbearably sad for all the wrong reasons. The loss of Carrie Fisher will be made fresh by her appearance in the upcoming film, and seeing her alongside Mark Hamill for the last time — one assumes, anyways — will be a touching moment for any fans of the Star Wars franchise. No less touching will be the opportunity for Fisher’s daughter Billie Lourd to share the screen with her one last time. All in all, The Last Jedi will be the ultimate Star Wars family reunion, biological and otherwise.
‘Wonder Woman’ Writer Jason Fuchs Will Tackle ‘Robotech’ for Sony
Let’s brainstorm for a moment. A year ago, I tell you that Sony Pictures is giving $100 million dollars to the screenwriter of Pan and the director of Mama to make a blockbuster summer movie. Furthermore, this $100 million dollar movie will be based on a popular animated television series from the 1980s. What is your gut reaction? Are you surprised? Dismayed? Cautiously optimistic? Now what if I tell you the exact same thing, but instead of Pan and Mama, I mention Wonder Woman and It, two of the most critically and commercial successful movies of 2017? Just goes to show you how much things can change in Hollywood over just a few months.
‘Fast Five’ Director Justin Lin Will Tackle Banking Crisis Drama
Nothing piques my interest quite like a feature-length film based on a documentary. It’s something of a rare occurrence in Hollywood — movies that begin their lives as documentaries aren’t commercially successful enough to encourage further adaptation — but rare doesn’t mean impossible. A quick Google search will reveal plenty of documentary adaptations, including Man on a Wire and Grey Gardens, that went onto some semblance of success with critics and audiences alike. Every now and then, you come across a story so strange — so absolutely overwhelming — that you simply have to bring it to the screen a second time.
Blumhouse CEO Says You Can ‘Kill Me’ If ‘Halloween’ Isn’t Out By October 2018
From the moment it was first announced, David Gordon Green and Danny McBride’s Halloween remake has been the Holy Grail of horror fans everywhere. Not only do the two filmmakers have the blessing of original Halloween director John Carpenter — who is reportedly very happy with the script and keen on writing the score for the new movie — they also have the backing of indie horror studio Blumhouse Productions, which has been behind two of the breakout hits of 2017: Jordan Peele’s Get Out and M. Night Shyamalan’s Split. While fans’ reactions to the Rob Zombie remakes may be mixed, there’s nothing but good vibrations going on for Green and McBride’s reboot, and Blumhouse is keen on capitalizing on the trust they’ve earned.
New Study Shows Rotten Tomatoes Scores Don’t Affect Box Office
Well, that’s kinda awkward timing. On Thursday of last week, the New York Times published an article titled “Attacked by Rotten Tomatoes,” an in-depth look at the popular review aggregation site and the role it may have played in this summer’s disappointing box office numbers. The article ends with a prolonged examination of the various ways that studios are trying to “battle Rotten Tomatoes on multiple fronts,” seemingly accepting the idea that Rotten Tomatoes has been bad for the movie industry (despite the fact that Rotten Tomatoes is, in fact, owned by said members of the movie industry). The article may have been an interesting read for those unfamiliar with the controversy, but for those in the know, it was old news, part of an ongoing debate that tried to argue that critics were duping poor, easily misled moviegoers.
The First ‘Fifty Shades Freed’ Teaser Promises Wedding Bells and Whips
Oh, Christian Grey and Anastasia Steele. When are those two crazy kids ever going to get together? There’s is a love story we can all relate to: she, the inexperienced college student and would-be journalist, and he, the millionaire Seattle playboy, willing to teach her in the practice of love. Would their shared appreciation for BDSM be enough to overcome their differences and help them find true love? I don’t know for sure, but based on this first teaser trailer for Fifty Shades Freed, I’m going to venture that the answer to that question is yes.
Weekend Box Office Report: ‘It’ Breaks a Whole Slew of Box Office Records
As we head deeper into September, two things have become pretty clear about 2017 box office numbers: one, Hollywood desperately needs to bounce back a little bit from the doldrums of August, and two, whoever decided to hedge their studio’s bets with a September release date for a movie about a killer clown is looking like a [profanity] genius right about now. We’ll get to all of that in a moment, but first, here are the box office numbers as of Sunday afternoon:
Margot Robbie Has No Idea What’s Next for Harley Quinn
I’m always of two minds when it comes to critics asking actors about superhero movies at film festivals. On the one hand, I understand the needs of our industry; if you don’t at ask at least one or two questions about Marvel and DC movies, another publication will, so there’s no point in pretending that any of us are above the fray. On the other hand, though, actors who have just put their all into a dramatic performance deserver better than questions about summer blockbusters that happen to be years away. Save your superhero questions for the very end and get off them as quickly as possible, that’s my motto.