Yes, Zachary Levi Prefers DC To Marvel, Thank You Very Much

Yes, Zachary Levi Prefers DC To Marvel, Thank You Very Much

What started off as the MCU dominating the on-screen superhero sphere and DC playing catch up has switched up n recent years. Warner Bros has made a good case for the potential of its own universe with entries such as Wonder Woman, Aquaman and most recently with the success of Shazam!.

Zachary Levi, who played the titular hero, is one of the few actors who has played comic book characters in both the Marvel and DC film worlds. Naturally, fans are curious how working under the two mantles compare. When Levi took questions at a panel at MegaCon in Orlando, here’s what he said:

I mean I had more fun working for DC. I got to be my own superhero for DC. It was super cool. While I wasn’t able to do the first Thor, I was cast in that by Kenneth Branagh, who I think is an incredible talent… and then getting cast as Fandral the Dashing, this Lothario, swashbuckling, Douglas Fairbanks - I was like ‘this is so dope!’

This isn’t a huge surprise. The actor was given an entire hero to call his own in the DC Extended Universe. For Marvel, he revealed that he was cast to play Fandral in the first Thor movie, but was unavailable. As a result, Josh Dallas took on the role for the 2011 film and Levi took over for Thor: The Dark World and Thor: Ragnarok. Although he seems to have loved his character in the Thor franchise as well, it didn’t live up to its potential. He continued with these words:

We had some fun, but we didn’t really do all that much. I mean anybody who saw the movie, as you know they really didn’t really go that direction with the movie, so I really didn’t have that much to do. So I couldn’t possibly have had as much fun and by going and being my own guy who is a 14-year-old in a superhero adult body. The fun and funny, joy and heart that comes from a premise like that, that’s a fun movie!

Fandral and the Warriors Three may have been a common thread in the Thor trilogy, but they continued to be on the sidelines as the films went on and didn’t get much screen time. Levi previously expressed interest for the Thor sidekicks to get a spinoff of their own, but they were killed off in Ragnarok. After The Dark World struggled to impress Marvel fans, Levi’s Fandral didn’t even get a line in Ragnarok. His last words (or any lines for that matter) were cut from the film.

Zachary Levi even admitted his relief that Fandral didn’t make it out alive for Avengers: Infinity War, because it may not have freed his schedule for Shazam!. He said he likely would have been a sitting duck on set for three months only to be killed off then too.

When you ask Zachary Levi to compare his experiences with the two comic book franchises, his answer isn’t tough to predict or understand. His time with Marvel may have been a bit of a letdown, but it was redeemed in a big way when he took on the role of the adult Billy Batson. His Shazam! role allowed him to really show off his acting chops and play a kid in a superhero’s body. He was far from disappointed by the product since the movie was met with positive responses from critics and fans.

Zachary Levi has also pointed out how proud he is of Shazam’s attention to diversity, as it portrayed a foster home full of different identities, including Billy Batson’s bestie, Freddy, who has a disability. Due to the film’s predominantly young cast, a sequel is already being fast tracked for Shazam! at Warner Bros.

There really is no comparison for the actor given his experiences. That said, he has spoken out to fans in the past to stop pitting the two franchises against one another when Captain Marvel and Shazam! were being placed side by side at the box office and since the two heroes once shared the same title.

Why pick a side anyway? Both the comic book universes are offering something different for fans and can be appreciated in their own lights as they both continue to stack its slates with exciting releases.

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Yes, Disneyland Will Hand Out Bathroom Passes For People In Long Galaxy's Edge Lines

Yes, Disneyland Will Hand Out Bathroom Passes For People In Long Galaxy's Edge Lines

Disneyland is a place where we love in indulge ourselves. While buying food at Disneyland tends to get expensive, it's also incredibly good, and so whether you schedule reservations for dinner at the Napa Rose or just eat your weight in churros, food is as much a part of the Disneyland experience as anything. However, with Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge about to open, and insane lines expected from day one, guests might have been afraid to drink gallons of blue milk, so as not to have to worry about bathroom runs while standing in line for Millennium Falcon: Smuggler's Run. However, you won't need to choose because Disneyland will be providing bathroom passes for those in line at the new land.

It's also all the more important as Disneyland will apparently make snacks and drinks available for purchase to people standing in line. The queues for both new E-ticket attractions will also be designed with interesting things for guests to look at and interact with to keep guests' attention as a way to make the prolonged waits a little easier to deal with. Although, Disney has yet to reveal much about exactly what the queues will include. A collection of app based games that are only available while inside Galaxy's Edge will also be playable for guests to keep them busy while in line.

In actuality, according to People, hopping out of line to use the bathroom has always been an option at Disney Parks, though it's not something that the parks have made much a point to publicize. Still, it's good to know for sure that the option will be available when Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge opens, as it's likely to be even more important. Galaxy's Edge will be the first place the public can purchase alcohol at Disneyland, so the restrooms will probably be getting more a workout than ever before.

Star Wars; Galaxy's Edge is set to open at Disneyland in less than two months. The crowds might not be quite as insane on opening day as anticipated, because for the first three weeks after opening the land will require reservations to enter. Still, one certainly expects that nearly everybody who can get into the land will be making their way to the Millennium Falcon attraction first. The Rise of the Resistance attraction won't be available on opening day, which means the crowds won't even be broken up between the two attractions and the line for Smuggler's Run will be even longer than expected until the second attraction opens. That will happen later this year, though an exact date is unknown.

So the good news is you can drink as much blue or green milk as you want an you won't need to worry about losing your place in line. Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge opens at Disneyland May 31  and at Disney's Hollywood Studios at Walt Disney World August 29.

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Yes, Sonic Is An Alien In His New Movie

Yes, Sonic Is An Alien In His New Movie

This year a couple of classic fluffy ‘90s video game characters are hitting the big screen in their first live action iterations. Ahead of Detective Pikachu’s release next week, the first trailer for Sonic the Hedgehog darted its way onto the internet this morning and it looks like there are quite a few changes from the video game fans know, love … or love to hate anyway.

Besides the character’s glaring buff and blue human legs, it looks like Sonic will also be an alien in his first big-screen iteration. In the trailer, the speedster says “looks like I’m going to have to save your planet”. Followers of his games probably don’t remember the blue hedgehog being an extraterrestrial before, but looks like he will be in the upcoming movie!

Back in 2018 when the film was seeking approval to be filmed in the town of Ladysmith, British Colombia, the film’s location manager, Abraham Fraser confirmed this Sonic is not of this world when he briefly explained the film. In his words:

Sonic is a video game character, who is an alien. The story is kind of ala E.T.. In the sense of a small town coming together to help the sheriff save our alien from the bad guys, which are the government chasing them. It’s very heartwarming. And I think it’ll be a big hit.

A blue hedgehog being of this world does make a lot more sense in an animated video game world than in a live-action one, but the movie does look to be ignoring the roots of the Sega game, even if they aren’t widely known. According to the “Sonic Bible”, which contains the complete background of the character, here is the iconic video game character’s true origins:

Sonny Hedgehog was born on Earth in the early 21st century, in the town of Hardly, Nebraska, population 1,226. He and his mother and five sisters live underneath a scraggly hedge beside the local burger joint, and subsist on burger scraps, milkshakes and the occasional slug or bug that crawls their way.

How will Sonic the Hedgehog be explaining Sonic’s home world? Is there a planet somewhere full of blue hedgehogs who where running shoes and speed around all day? I’d think an origin story about the hedge they lived under being contaminated with some chemical planet might have sufficed. Take a look at the trailer below:

Sonic the Hedgehog will star Ben Schwartz as Sonic, Jim Carrey as Dr. Robotnik and James Marsden as a cop named Tom. The movie will center on Sonic in the rural town of Green Hills as he tries to escape from the government who are trying to catch him. Sonic hits theaters on November 8.

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Yes, Disney Will Be Changing Some Release Dates Thanks To The Disney Fox Merger

Yes, Disney Will Be Changing Some Release Dates Thanks To The Disney Fox Merger

The film world is a fascinating place right now, especially as Disney continues to acquire more assets and iconic brands. The House of Mouse's merger with 20th Century Fox recently became official, so the time has come to sort out exactly how two massive studios will end up combining. Disney acquired the rights to some very exciting properties from Fox, although it makes navigating a release schedule all the more confusing. Luckily, some answers are coming from this year's CinemaCon.

Disney already has a ton of projects coming down the pipeline, including animated blockbusters, the Star Wars franchise and the Marvel Cinematic Universe. As such, acquiring 20th Century Fox is it a bit of a logistical nightmare, as that studio had a bunch of releases scheduled as well. Disney won't want to cannibalize its own box office numbers, and while presenting at CinemaCon in Las Vegas, President of Distribution Franchise Cathleen Taff mentioned the adjustments to film's releases. She said:

So much has happened this year. Of course, the biggest news in the year of big news is welcoming the Fox filmmaking team studios to Disney, greatly expanding our collection of world class brands… It’s an incredible collection of films with truly something for everyone. As you probably know, a couple of these films do share the same release date. We know some adjustments are going to need to be made, but we’ll have updates for you very soon.

Well, that seems pretty cut and dry. The House of Mouse isn't intending on shooting itself in the foot regarding the release schedule, so some changes may be made to either Fox or Disney flicks in order to avoid conflicts at the box office. Because if there's one thing the studio is good at, it's making money.

Cathleen Taff's comments from CinemaCon are sure to turn a few heads, as there are a ton of highly anticipated movies arriving in theaters over the next two years. It's perfectly logical that the release schedule might be altered, although the question is: how? Cinephiles have been eager for any and all information regarding Disney's merger with Fox, and the recent convention in Las Vegas has provided the first concrete information now that the deal's in ink.

While Disney didn't reveal which upcoming movies would be shifting their release date, they did unveil the next year or so of programing. This includes the fate of Josh Boone's The New Mutants, which seemed like it was in jeopardy before CinemaCon. Not only is the horror inspired X-Men movie still getting a theatrical release, but it'll arrive shortly after Dark Phoenix on August 2nd. That should be a relief to comic book fans, although the public will have to sit tight for a better idea regarding the scheduling adjustments.

CinemaBlend will keep you updated on Disney's' acquisition of Fox as more details become public. In the meantime, check out our 2019 release list to plan your next trip to the movies.

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Yes, J.J. Abrams Consulted George Lucas Over The Rise Of Skywalker

Yes, J.J. Abrams Consulted George Lucas Over The Rise Of Skywalker

The Star Wars franchise has been expanding impressively over the last few years, thanks to Disney's acquisition of Lucasfim. It all started with J.J. Abrams' Star Wars: The Force Awakens, which introduced a new class of characters to interact with franchise favorites like Luke, Leia, and Han. Since then, the galaxy has continued to grow through standalone films and the upcoming Mandalorian live-action TV series. But all eyes are on the main franchise, especially since Episode IX will end the Skywalker Saga forever.

J.J Abrams is back in the director's chair for Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, and there's a ton of pressure to deliver. In addition to wrapping up the current trilogy, the upcoming blockbuster must also end the narrative George Lucas began back in A New Hope. But the generations of fans should rest easy, because Abrams consulted with Lucas early in the process. As he recently revealed:

There have been a lot of ideas since the beginning, since George first came up with this, of where things could go. We had a meeting with him before we even wrote the script about this. So a lot of what we have taken, is really taken to heart, everything that's come before. While it's been obviously significantly challenging, it's been a greater opportunity than a challenge. I cannot wait for you to see what this movie is.

Well, this is exciting. Because although George Lucas isn't intimately involved in the current trilogy of Star Wars movies, it appears he did have some input regarding The Rise of Skywalker. So perhaps we'll all get the ending the beloved space opera deserves.

J.J. Abrams' comments to MTV News are sure to excite Star Wars fans, especially the OG moviegoers who saw Episodes IV-VI in theaters in the 70s and 80s. While the prequel series left something to be desired, Star Wars is only possible through George Lucas' vision and ambition. The last few movies may not have been what Lucas planned for the sequel trilogy, but at least he was consulted ahead of the franchise's big finale.

Related: Let's Talk About That Death Star Shot In Star Wars: The Rise Of Skywalker's Trailer

From the first The Rise of Skywalker trailer, it does look like J.J. Abrams is taking a more traditional approach to the sequel. While Rian Johnson subverted fan expectations in The Last Jedi, Abrams will have to provide a satisfying conclusion, and wrap up a ton of narrative threads. That includes taking the group of characters on an adventure together, rather than keeping their plots separate.

As a reminder, you can check out the first trailer for The Rise of Skywalker below.

The gang's all there, including Carrie Fisher's Leia, courtesy of unused footage from the last two movies. The movie's trailer and title were released last week at Star Wars Celebration, and set the internet aflame. While anticipation was already high, Palpatine's laugh in The Rise of Skywalker's trailer proved that J.J. Abrams could potentially go anywhere for Episode IX.

More information should come as the movie draws closer. Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker is set to arrive on December 20th. In the meantime, check out our 2019 release list to plan your next trip to the movies.

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Yes, Taron Egerton Threw Himself Down Some Stairs While Filming Rocketman

Yes, Taron Egerton Threw Himself Down Some Stairs While Filming Rocketman

Taron Egerton really put his all into playing Elton John in Rocketman, the new musical biopic from director Dexter Fletcher that is out in theaters right now. There’s already been a lot written about how Egerton did his own singing as Elton John, but we’ve heard less about the stunt work Taron Egerton did, of which there was a surprising amount.

In fact, in a recent interview, Taron Egerton revealed that one particularly harrowing scene in Rocketman involving a dangerous-looking stairwell. He noted he ultimately decided to shoot the scene himself, mentioning,

I felt keenly that I could do that and do it safely. I have a back pad on. And I threw myself down the stairs. It looks painful and dangerous. But I didn’t get hurt in the slightest. And it’s quite shocking in the film. I’m so glad we did it.

The things we do for love and art... In the past, Taron Egerton has left some of the stunt work to the professionals, but in Rocketman, it’s clear he, the actor, actually fell down those stairs as the camera pans in rather close during the sequence.

Looking back, Taron Egerton told USA Today he’s super happy he took the task on himself because of how it comes off in the film. He also said he really wanted to make sure that the Elton presented in the movie was his Elton, thus explaining the need to do his own stunt. He said:

The character of Elton is my character, and I didn’t want any moment in the film to be anyone else's.

The moment – and minor spoilers if you aren’t familiar with the life of Elton John – comes when Elton John is at his lowest. The singer and performer could always captivate an audience, but it took a lot out of him. And Rocketman seems to push the idea that Elton’s deep-seeded issues from childhood spawned a dislike for his person and an abundance of drug abuse.

Following a night of rampant drug use, he tumultuously falls down some stairs.

Of course, all of this pales in comparison to something like Tom Cruise breaking his ankle jumping off a building. But sanely, Taron Egerton doesn’t seem like the type who would want to compete with Cruise, which is likely why he leaves a lot of the Kingsman stunts to the professionals. Still, it’s good to know he’s game to try new things when it can improve a scene.

Rocketman didn’t win the box office this weekend, but it was still a good start for the biopic, which kicked off to $25 million domestically and $56 million worldwide. While not a box office behemoth, there’s obviously a lot of interest around the movie and with a lower budget, it should end up being a hit.

Related: How Rocketman’s Box Office Compares To Bohemian Rhapsody

A lot of the reason I personally enjoyed Rocketman was because Taron Egerton and Dexter Fletcher did a good job of making Elton John seem vulnerable and someone the audience can empathize with even at his lowest. Part of that may have to do with the work Taron Egerton put in with things like the stair scene and the portion of the movie where he had to figure out how to “sing” underwater with a camera trained on him.

Taron Egerton also doesn’t just mimic Elton John in the role, a request he said Elton John made of him, noting,

He said not to try and sound like him, which is tough when you’re playing him.

Luckily, it all seems to have worked out, as Rocketman is rapidly becoming one of the movies that both the critics and the audience seem to really be latching onto this year.

If you haven’t caught the movie for yourself you can check out Rocketman, in theaters now. Or take a look at its summertime competition with our full movies schedule.

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