We’ve heard rumblings for a while about Gary Ross’ all-female ‘Oceans 11' reboot. In addition to Sandra Bullock leading the film, Cate Blanchett, Mindy Kaling and Helena Bonham Carter have all been rumored. Now three more spots have reportedly been filled in what is some of the weirdest casting news in a while.
We’re still not entirely sure what to call the new female-fronted Ocean’s Eleven movie, but whatever it is, it’s assembling some seriously great talent. In addition to Sandra Bullock, Jennifer Lawrence has been reportedly considering joining the lineup, while the latest name eyeing the sorta-sequel / Ocean’s-adjacent project is none other than the great Cate Blanchett — a name that would take this project from a curiosity to a must-see.
Unlike some of his peers, Mark Ruffalo really loves to talk about what’s up in his corner of the MCU — and you can’t really blame the guy, since Thor: Ragnarok is the closest thing Ruffalo is getting to his own Hulk movie for the foreseeable future. As you may recall, it was Ruffalo who excitedly spilled the beans about Cate Blanchett’s casting in the upcoming Thor sequel, and now he has a few more hints about what we can expect from his awesome new co-star and her “evil” role.
The Marvel Cinematic Universe is going to Hela.
In a deck of tarot cards, the Knight of Cups can signal two sides in need of balance. The armored knight atop a white horse can be a sensitive man, though one controlled by his temperamental emotions. He can be imaginative, though a dreamer distracted by fantasy, a romantic, but selfish with desires for stimulation. When the card appears in the reverse in a reading, it can signify a life struggling in transition, and a descent toward recklessness or disappointment. So is the journey of Christian Bale’s Rick, a disenchanted Hollywood screenwriter in Terrence Malick‘s ‘Knight of Cups,’ a knight trotting through a haze who seeks realization after he’s grown weary by the artifice that surrounds him.
Earlier this month, Mark Ruffalo may have accidentally let slip that Cate Blanchett is playing a “baddie” in Thor: Ragnarok, and although the actress has yet to be officially confirmed for the sequel, we may have some new intel on just which baddie she’ll be playing. A new report suggests the identity of Blanchett’s character — and it’s one that has potential to play a huge part in the future of the MCU.
And in other Marvel news… Although Cate Blanchett has not yet been confirmed for Thor: Ragnarok, that isn’t keeping one of her potential co-stars from gushing over her role in the upcoming sequel. Mark Ruffalo has maybe-possibly spilled the beans on Blanchett’s part in the film, revealing that she’s in talks to play the “baddie.”
Today is shaping up to be quite a wonderful day: the Season 2 premiere of Serial, a trailer announcement for Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, this picture of Keanu Reeves that popped up in my Twitter feed…oh, and Cate Blanchett, Queen of Earth, is in talks to join Thor: Ragnarok. Cate Blanchett in the MCU? What a time to be alive.
The Bechdel test has long been a barometer for the quality and prevalence of female characters in fiction, often cited when we discuss the discrepancy of women in meaningful roles in film and television. In a superficial sense, Jessica Jones and Carol don’t have much in common — aside from strong women in leading roles, thoughtful narratives and fantastic performances — yet both of these stories not only serve as living and breathing examples of earning an A+ on the Bechdel test, but of going a step further by defying the basic, antiquated conventions that necessitated the test in the first place.
Year-end awards are supposed to honor the best in cinema. But it might be more accurate to say they honor a narrow sliver of the best in cinema; only films released from October thru December; only the stuff promoted by the big studios; only movies deemed “important” or “serious” or “biopics about dead famous people.” The impulse to make lists and give out prizes is a good one, but more often than not that impulse results in one big echo chamber, with pundits predicting — and critics and guilds rewarding — the same half-dozen contenders.