Upcoming Live-Action Disney Movies: Remakes From Aladdin To Cruella

Upcoming Live-Action Disney Movies: Remakes From Aladdin To Cruella

Disney made its name producing animated features based on classic fairy tales. Today the company is making a killing with new live-action versions of its original classic stories. After producing more than 50 animated feature films, the studio certainly has plenty of material to draw from. In fact, there are a lot of potential live-action films in various stages of production based on previous Disney content. Not everything is based on animation, but each one is a return to a classic story from the history of Disney. 

Some of these films are confirmed with release dates, while others have only been reported to be in development and may never see the light of day, but between theatrical releases and the upcoming Disney+ streaming service, there's a good chance we'll see many of these projects eventually. Here's a look at every single one of them you should be looking out for.

Aladdin

Release Date: May 24, 2019

As strange as a Tim Burton-directed Dumbo movie sounded, a Guy Ritchie-directed Disney musical sounds even odder, though that's what we're going to get. Ritchie directing Aladdin in what will be a musical that will follow in the footsteps of Beauty and the Beast. Will Smith will step into the shoes of Robin Williams and play Genie while relative newcomer Mena Massoud will take on the title role and Naomi Scott will play Jasmine. While we expect most of the classic songs from the animated original to return, the movie will also include new music from the pair behind La La Land and The Greatest Showman.

The Lion King

Release Date: July 19, 2019

Shortly after Jon Favreau's Jungle Book became a hit, a sequel was greenlit. Shortly after that, The Lion King was announced. We're guessing that the Academy Award-winning effects of Jungle Book proved to Disney that CGI animals were realistic enough to carry a movie, meaning the studio was now willing to risk their crown jewel of the entire animation catalog. The Lion King is still one of Disney's most successful animated films ever, and a bad remake could spell disaster, but a GOOD one could be one of the biggest movies ever made. The cast includes the likes of Donald Glover as Simba, Chiwetel Ejiofor as Scar, and a returning James Earl Jones as Mufasa, because literally nobody could do it better.

Maleficent: Mistress of Evil

Release Date: October 18, 2019

Maleficent was a huge box office success and so following that with a sequel was a likely bet. Angelina Jolie reportedly signed to make a sequel some time ago, but apparently without a specific plan, as the project then when quiet for years. However, once that changed, everything moved into high gear. Once it was confirmed that Maleficent 2 was, in fact, happening, the movie went right into production and recently wrapped principal photography. Joachim Rønning, the director of Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales took on the directorial duties. Originally set for an early 2020 release, the movie was then bumped up and will open in the fall of 2019.

Lady and the Tramp

Release Date: November 12, 2019

Possibly one of the more surprising additions to this list is Lady and the Tramp. Most of the film's major roles, both human and animal have been cast, including Justin Theroux as the Tramp and Tessa Thompson as Lady. What makes this movie unique is that you won't be able to see it at your local cineplex, the plan is for the film to debut on Disney's upcoming streaming service, Disney+. The service will be available beginning November 12 2019 and Lady and the Tramp has been confirmed to be a day one release.

Mulan

Release Deate: March 27, 2020

While Mulan was announced before many of the projects on this list, some difficulties finding a director caused the production to be delayed. Originally scheduled for November 2018, the movie is now set for March of 2020. Whale Rider director Niki Caro is on board to direct the entirely Asian cast including Yifei Liu as Mulan. While the Disney animated movie dealt with an attack by a Hun army, casting has revealed a very different group of villains, with Gong Li being brought in to play a witch character as the main antagonist, a very different direction for the live-action version is expected.

Cruella

Release Date: December 23, 2020

Disney started the live-action remake train by taking a different perspective on a classic Disney villain. Maleficent was a huge hit and odds are that's the sort of success the studio will be looking for with Cruella. The film will stand as an apparent prequel to 101 Dalmatians and introduce the character of Cruella de Vile. Emma Stone is on board to star, and while we heard little more than rumors about this project for the last few years, the film now has an official release date, so it will likely be going into production soon.

The Sword in the Stone

A remake of The Sword in the Stone is another Disney project that was announced, with Game of Thrones writer Bryan Cogman on board to pen the script, and then it seemed to fade away. Then it was announced that 28 Weeks Later director Juan Carlos Fresnadillo would direct the project and that it, like Lady and Tramp, would be a project for the new Disney streaming service rather than theatrical release. Things have gone quiet again since then, but considering the number of projects Disney is working on to bolster its upcoming service, it seems like it's only a matter of time before this one goes into production as well.

The Little Mermaid

With plans to make adaptations of Beauty and the Beast and The Lion King, it's not shocking that The Little Mermaid was added to the list as it was the film that kicked down the door for Disney's resurgence in animation 30 years ago. If there's a single thing pointing toward this project making it to the screen, it's the fact that the hottest name in music, Lin-Manuel Miranda, is attached to work on the film's songs along with Disney mainstay Alan Menken. Miranda loves the film so much that he named his son Sebastian. This one will be a labor of love for the man behind Hamilton. Mary Poppins Returns director Rob Marshall is reportedly on board to direct this film as well, and rumors have linked Zendaya with the lead role but nothing has been confirmed. Miranda posted an image of himself composer Alan Menken that included some Little Mermaid song lyrics in April of 2019, seemingly indicting this one is very much still active.

The Jungle Book 2

The original animated version of The Jungle Book had a fairly definitive ending, and even that didn't prevent a sequel from being made. The live-action version left itself open for sequels, and after the box office that it obtained, you can be sure that sequels there will be. With director Jon Favreau busy with The Lion King, Jungle Book 2 will be waiting until at least after that movie has been completed to really get moving. Screenwriter Justin Marks has indicated the story of the sequel may include ideas that were conceived for the original animated movie that never made it into the final product.

Prince Charming

This one is something of a wild card in the Disney schedule. The original script wasn't commissioned by Disney, meaning that it wasn't specifically written with any of the studio's trademark style. However, since then the project has brought on Beauty and the Beast writer Stephen Chbosky who is apparently working on a script that would focus on Prince Charming's brother. Chbosky has likened his take to The Princess Bride , which is certainly something most of us can probably get behind. This one feels like it may end up on the streaming service as well, though nothing has been officially announced.

Tink

Reese Witherspoon was reportedly on board a live action movie focused on Peter Pan's sidekick Tinkerbell some time ago  although, like several of these ideas, the movie hasn't gone anywhere recently. Tinkerbell has actually become one of Disney's most popular characters in recent years thanks to a series of home entertainment released films, so there's a good chance that this one will come together eventually as the character certainly has a lot of fans. Still, this one has been quiet for a long time, so it's possible this project may need a lot of clapping to bring it back to life.

Night on Bald Mountain

Disney's Fantasia contained animated shorts combined with classical music. One of the most memorable sequences was the animation that accompanied Modest Mussorgsky's "Night on Bald Mountain." Now, Matt Sazama and Burk Sharpless who co-wrote the scripts for Dracula Untold and The Last Witch Hunter together are reportedly working on a script that would turn the winged demon from that brief animation into the focus of a full-length motion picture. The lack of any serious narrative in the animated short would give the screenwriters the freedom to create almost anything, which could be good, or could be bad.

Pinocchio

The tale of the wooden boy who wants to be a real one was Disney's second animated feature and the Oscar-winning "When You Wish Upon a Star" has become the unofficial theme song for the entire company. Seeing a live-action version of this story was only a matter of time. The original feature wasn't without its opportunities for action or even horror, which means this could get a truly exciting remake. We're sure we'd get a CGI Jiminy Cricket out of this one. The only question is whether our title character is an actual boy or a computer-generated one, in order to make sequences like donkey transformation easier. Sam Mendes was in talks to direct the film at one point but he eventually left the project. Next, Paddington director Paul King was attached, but then he pulled out as well. It seems this project is now on hold, so it could be some time before we see it, if ever.

Rose Red

Disney's Snow White and the Seven Dwarves has become such an iconic film that for many it is the ultimate version of the fairy tale. However, the movie has become so well known that most probably don't even know that in the original version of the story, Snow White had a sister, Rose Red. There are plans to rectify that however with a movie that would focus on the character in a story that would pick up after Snow White fell asleep and followed her as she tried to find a way to wake up her sister. While no actresses are attached to play the leading role, one rumor indicated Brie Larson could play Snow White in the film

Peter Pan

Pete's Dragon wasn't a huge Disney success but it was no slouch either. The team behind that film has now been tasked with working on a live-action version of Peter Pan. It's not clear if this film will be in any way connected to the Tinkerbell movie that Disney is also working on. Live action Peter Pan movies have been less than successful in recent years, though perhaps the reason is that they haven't had the Disney name. We'll be waiting to see if this one will have the spark that previous live-action versions have been missing.

Snow White

Snow White set the tone for all the animated Disney films to follow. Now it will follow other successful adaptations into the live-action world. The film will be a full musical with new songs created by the songwriters behind La La Land. As with Peter Pan and Tink, Snow White has a related project with Rose Red. It's not clear if this film will be in the same universe as that one. This is another remake that seemingly hasn't had much movement recently, so it's unclear if it's still in active development or if it's been put on the shelf to make room for everything else.

Previously Released

Mary Poppins Returns

While it's not based on an animated film, or technically a remake (it's a sequel), Mary Poppins is as much a part of Disney history as anything that's been drawn. The story will return at Christmas of 2018 when Emily Blunt takes over the role that won Julie Andrews an Academy Award. With Lin-Manuel Miranda along for the ride, we're really excited to see how the practically perfect governess will come back to the big screen. This film will take its inspiration from other books written by P.L. Travers. And there are plenty more where those came from if this one is a hit. The first trailer was recently released, and, man, does this one look good.

Dumbo

Tim Burton got his start working for Disney, and the eclectic director has come back now and again, usually to put together stop-motion animation films. Considering the lead character of Dumbo is an elephant, Burton is trading in the stop-motion animation for CGI in the vein of The Jungle Book, but the one teaser that has been released doesn't show us a lot of how Dumbo will be brought to life. Colin Ferrell will play the lead human character, one that was not in the animated original, showing that this version of Dumbo will clearly diverge from the animated original.

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Rocketman’s Richard Madden Doesn’t Agree With Editing Out Gay Sex Scenes

Rocketman’s Richard Madden Doesn’t Agree With Editing Out Gay Sex Scenes

It’s not often that two music icons who rose to fame in the same era and have inspiring stories to tell get their turn at a big screen moment. Then there is Bohemian Rhapsody and Rocketman. The two biopics have the common thread of having Dexter Fletcher behind the camera at one point or another, though they take two different stances on the stars’ sexual identities.

Bohemian Rhapsody was a massive success that both garnered awards attention and earned over $900 million worldwide, making it the highest grossing music biopic of all time. However, some had one gripe with the Queen celebration: how it censored and “straight-washed” Freddie Mercury’s sexual identity. The producers chalked the choices up to intending to tell the story to a wider audience.

As Hollywood passes the microphone over to the tale of Elton John in Rocketman, the movie has taken an an R-rated approach that doesn’t shy away from gay sex scenes and the musician’s past drug use, including the movie being framed around his stint in rehab. However, rumors had emerged prior about the studio’s intention to cut a nude scene between Taron Egerton’s John and Richard Madden’s John Reid.

Director Dexter Fletcher shot down the whispers, confirming that the movie would be loud and proud about all aspects of Elton John’s life. Now, Richard Madden is also speaking out about the importance that all aspects of his life be seen. In his words:

It’s an intimate thing between these two characters and a significant moment in Elton’s life. And Elton’s life was very R-rated, wasn’t it?

Why censor a life as bold as Elton John’s has been? In Richard Madden’s interview with EW, he said it would have been a disservice to the star if the love scenes he shot with Egerton had been cut. John Reid was Elton’s first manager and a lover of his for a time, and is an important part of the film’s story.

If discussions had been made over cutting the nude and gay content in Rocketman, the reason was certainly over the opportunity of reproducing Bohemian Rhapsody. The music biopic’s box office success could have certainly benefited from a PG-13 rating, but when you think about it, most Queen fans are over 18 years old, and the same goes for those of Elton John. Considering the target audience is mature enough to see an R-rated film, why not go that extra mile to do these legends justice - and the LGBT community they represent.

Rocketman has a bit of a disadvantage to Bohemian Rhapsody because it’s opening right as the summer movie season kicks off, while the Queen film had less competition to go in with. The upcoming fantasy musical will debut at $20 to $25 million behind with Godzilla: King of Monsters this Friday, tracking at $50 million. Rocketman has impressed critics so far, who seem to like it better than Bohemian Rhapsody overall.

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6 Questions We Still Have About Captain Marvel

6 Questions We Still Have About Captain Marvel

We are just a few days away from the release of a brand new Marvel movie. Thanks to critics, we have an idea of Captain Marvel's quality, and it's tracking for a massive $100 million domestic opening, with some analysts going as high as $135 million. But there's still a whole bunch that we don't know about Captain Marvel. Those answers aren't going to come to us until Thursday night, but we can't help lingering on the mysteries.

Marvel has gotten pretty good at keeping its cards close to the chest for its blockbusters; It wouldn't even share the title of Avengers: Endgame until last December. That secrecy extends to Captain Marvel, which has a few mysteries involving characters names, origins and the true nature of a certain cat. Things are bound to leak, but unless it's been confirmed by Marvel, then it doesn't really count. Here are the six big questions we still have about Captain Marvel.

How Does Carol Get Her Powers?

Captain Marvel is an origin story, but it bucks the trend by starting with a fully-formed superhero. The twist is that Carol doesn't remember how she got her powers, and it's an answer she (and the audience) will discover throughout the film. That's a nice way to ditch the origin story formula, and at the moment we are left guessing as to how she learned to shoot photon blasts. There aren't too many hints, but footage has shown Carol during her years as pilot getting caught in an explosion that's likely related to the Kree. In the comics, a blast of Kree DNA is what gives Carol her tremendous powers, so we'll see if that's still the case for the film.

How Does Carol End Up On Hala?

Captain Marvel was raised on Earth, but she somehow finds herself on an elite team of warrior heroes for the Kree. Carol lives on the homeworld of the Kree, known as Hala, which is maybe trillons of light years away from Earth. One would figure that the Kree took her under their wing after whatever incident grants her her powers. It's pretty significant when you just move to a new state, so a new planet is a pretty far leap. With Carol's amnesia, I have to wonder if her relocation was entirely her choice to begin with. Given that Carol doesn't know anything about her past, that increases the chances that the Kree haven't been entirely truthful to her.

Why Does Captain Marvel Have Amnesia?

Well, this woman is just a regular bag of mysteries, right? The reason that Carol doesn't know the origin of her powers or of her time on Earth is because she has amnesia. An incident with the Skrulls sends her back to Earth in search of answers, which are likely to be a big revelation. It's possible that the incident that gave her powers also caused the amnesia or that her memories were hidden by the Kree to cover something up. Amnesia is usually a pretty suspicious thing to have and I doubt it's a random side effect of her powers. At least a good chunk of the film will be devoted to Carol piecing together the remnants of her past.

How Will Nick Fury Lose His Eye?

You know that joke in Hot Tub Time Machine where the guy is destined to lose his arm, and you just keep waiting for some horrible accident to take it from him? That's what I'm going to feel like watching young Nick Fury in Captain Marvel. Nick Fury's eye patch is an iconic part of his look, but he hasn't yet lost an eye when he first meets Carol Danvers in the '90s. There's no way that we aren't going to see him lose the eye, so it's just a matter of how. Fury once said it was because he trusted someone, so could a shape-shifted Skrull be the cause? Another important question with Fury is how this experience leads him to become the always-prepared Director of S.H.I.E.L.D. we know best.

What Are the Skrulls After?

The center of the conflict of Captain Marvel is the centuries-old war between the Kree and the shapeshifting Skrulls. Captain Marvel and Earth will be right in the middle of this conflict, and the Skrulls have been billed as the main villains of the movies. We can see a group of them on Earth led by Talos (Ben Mendelsohn), but their ultimate objective is unclear. Are they looking for Carol? If so, then why? Is there some kind of MacGuffin on Earth to turn the war in their favor? They must have a reason for infiltrating the planet and it might be leading to a major comic book storyline called Secret Invasion for further down the road.

Is This Cat An Alien Or What?

Finally, we get to the most important question! Goose the cat may seem like an ordinary cat, and for all we know he will be, but comic book fans know that he's more than what he seems. In the comics, Goose -- actually called Chewie -- is an alien that just looks like a cat, but on the inside it's got a bunch of purple tentacles for swallowing people whole. The alien species is called Flerken, they lay eggs and are generally really weird. There's been no indication that's the case for the movie, but given how much the cat has been involved in the marketing, it might just be a secret alien.

So, clearly, there's still a lot that we don't know about Captain Marvel. Carol Danvers is a ball of secrets wrapped inside of an enigma waiting to be unpackaged by moviegoers. Marvel has become so skilled at secret-keeping over the past decade that it can build hype for their films by barely telling us anything. At least we don't have to wait too much longer for the answers to finally be revealed because the movie is out in theaters on March 8. But seriously, that cat better be an alien.

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During Clueless Cast Reunion, Paul Rudd Finally Explained Why He Never Ages

During Clueless Cast Reunion, Paul Rudd Finally Explained Why He Never Ages

Clueless came out in 1995, and it has become a running joke that Paul Rudd -- who will turn 50 on April 6, yes, 50! -- simply does not age. The cast of Clueless just reunited for a panel at Chicago's C2E2 expo. Paul Rudd (Josh) ended up a main attraction, after he arrived a little bit late, sitting next to co-stars Alicia Silverstone (Cher Horowitz), Breckin Meyer (Travis Birkenstock), and Donald Faison (Murray).

During the panel, Ant-Man star Paul Rudd was asked about the recent death of Stan Lee, and told a wonderful story. Rudd was also asked about his own apparent lack of aging, and had a great response, with backup from Breckin Meyer:

Paul Rudd: I'm 80-years-old on the inside. It's a mess underneath all this.

Breckin Meyer: On the set of Clueless they would come and they would get us like 20 minutes before set, and then on Paul's trailer they would knock like an hour beforehand because he had to finish sucking the lifeblood out of the babies he takes in order to maintain [his youth], and then he was camera-ready.

Paul Rudd: Hey, it's a tough business.

As IF the rest of the cast has aged much in the past 24 years either.

Thanks to Danielle Solzman for asking that question during C2E2, and sharing more of the context around his answer. This next one is great, with Ant-Man star Paul Rudd talking about "the real thrill" of meeting and working with Marvel icon Stan Lee for his cameo:

One of the things that I will always treasure was when we were working on the first movie and he did his cameo, he showed up and it was like the president showed up. Everyone on the crew, we were all kind of starstruck and reverential. He couldn't have been sweeter to everybody. Then he stayed and watched a bit of the scene. We were sitting and he was telling me how happy he was that Ant-Man was being made into a film....

Paul Rudd's story continued, and you can watch in a fan's full video below. Rudd said Stan Lee was excited to see his vision of Ant-Man from the comic book finally play out on screen.

Very sweet. Since it was a Clueless panel, they did talk some Clueless. @ClareKramer was there with some great live feed Q&A reactions. Here's one funny exchange:

Of course, Paul Rudd was partly a focus of attention because there's so much hype for Avengers: Endgame, and he seems to be a major player in what happens. Ant-Man and the Wasp ended up a key bridge between Infinity War and Endgame with the Quantum Realm factor, and we'll have to see how it all plays out when Endgame opens April 26. That hugely anticipated movie is just one of the many titles heading to the big screen in 2019.

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Why Movie Franchise Fatigue Isn’t Really Happening, According To One Theater CEO

Why Movie Franchise Fatigue Isn’t Really Happening, According To One Theater CEO

If you’ve been to the movies in recent years, it’s hard to miss the fact that the film industry -- particularly domestically but also internationally -- has heavily relied on franchise content, returning to stories, universes and characters that breed familiarity and (often) fond feelings. However, at the same time, there is a faction of people who are vocal about not wanting interconnected franchises, and there are common gripes about the proliferation of remakes and reboots as well.

If you ask Jane Hastings, however, movie franchise fatigue isn’t really a thing. At least, not yet.

Speaking during an event at CinemaCon 2019, Jane Hastings, CEO & Managing Director, Event Hospitality & Entertainment Ltd. spoke out about the biggest movies of 2018, noting that all of them were in some ways continuations of popular franchises.

She said at CinemaCon that box office year over year has shown that franchise fatigue isn’t really a thing and that the audience still has an appetite for the larger budget franchise movies, noting,

Regardless, if a franchise is new, if it’s good, if it’s quality, it will work… So, we’re in good shape. Why? Because people always want to be entertained.

Citing 2018’s box office as evidence, Jane Hastings also mentioned the top five movies in the past year were all returns to worlds and characters that have found love with audiences in prior years and movies.

The five biggest movies last year were as follows:

Avengers: Infinity War

Black Panther

Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom

Incredibles 2

Aquaman (With a late release date, this box office also led into 2019)

It’s not just franchise movies that are absolutely dominating the box office, but bigger movies in general. Last year, a whopping 83% of movie box office totals came from “the majors,” or what Janes Hasting cites as the biggest budget movies with the most oomph in terms of budget and advertising from the major studios.

This means that fewer titles are actually contributing to more of the box office intake than happened in the past within the theater and movie industries. It's a trend that should continue into 2019 as there are a slew of franchise movies set to launch this year from the major studios. This includes but is definitely not limited to Avengers: Endgame, Godzilla: King of The Monsters, Frozen 2, Hobbs and Shaw, Jumanji 3 and plenty more.

Looking at two of the biggest movies of last year, Black Panther and Aquaman, both are origin stories, yet they do fall within the larger Marvel and DC comics universes. They are part of a bigger picture, and despite only having one solo appearance, the character of T’Challa, for example, has already made three big screen appearances so far. The trajectory is similar for Jason Momoa’s Aquaman character. Both origin flicks also have a lot of additional stuff in common, including making over a billion dollars internationally and easily earning greenlights for Black Panther 2 and Aquaman 2.

So, people are still clearly seeing these franchise movies, and Jane Hastings cites an increase in connecting with fans and creating good products as to why franchise fatigue isn’t really a thing.

It's not like every franchise movie that comes out is great. The same is true of original movies, which run the gamut from good to bad. There may come a point when we've hit franchise fatigue, too. Sort of like how some long-running TV shows go on a little too long and a percentage of the audiences loses interest after a while. Clearly we aren't there with Marvel or DC content yet, but we have seen recent Transformer movies do less well than their predecessors. When that happened, Paramount pivoted and gave us Bumblebee, a spinoff that renewed interest in the franchise.

It's also true that every franchise has to start somewhere, and there are still a lot of studios pushing out interesting and new content at all budget levels. We will get plenty of original movies this year, ranging from Once Upon A Time In Hollywood to Artemis Fowl. Then again, with the latter, there is presumably the hope of a franchise given the large number of books to draw from; Disney will just have to wait and see how the box office pans out.

So, if you were hoping for more original movies – at least of the big budget variety in the future – the box office itself is telling a different story. Which leads me to the question: Do you agree? Has box office intake taken over quality or have franchises managed to create engaging stories with familiar characters and universes?

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Will Ferrell And Adam McKay Are Breaking Up, Creatively, After 13 Years

Will Ferrell And Adam McKay Are Breaking Up, Creatively, After 13 Years

Like Detectives Gamble and Hoitz, racers Ricky Bobby and Cal Naughton Jr., newspeople Ron Burgundy and Veronica Corningstone, and stepbrothers Brennan Huff and Dale Doback, Will Ferrell and Adam McKay have been an unstoppable team, finding success in Hollywood for over a decade. But all good things must come to an end, and Will Ferrell and Adam McKay are breaking up, creatively.

The two men have decided to go their separate ways for future creative endeavors, thus ending a creative partnership that has lasted 13 years. Together Will Ferrell and Adam McKay formed the comedy generating production company Gary Sanchez, which spawned a spinoff company, the female-centric Gloria Sanchez. Those Paramount-based production companies will see through development and completion of their existing projects, but will probably be winding down as Will Ferrell and Adam McKay move on to new things.

In a statement released to Deadline, Will Ferrell and Adam McKay confirmed the split while ending things on a thankful and positive note. The statement reads:

The last 13 years could not have been more enjoyable and satisfying for the two of us at Sanchez Productions. We give massive thanks to our incredible staff and executives and all the writers, directors and actors we worked with through the years. The two of us will always work together creatively and always be friends. And we recognize we are lucky as hell to end this venture as such.

Although they may be breaking up from their formal creative partnership, this parting is not an unhappy one, as the two seem to be quite thankful and proud of the time they spent together and projects they worked on. This is not an acrimonious split, but an amicable and mutual decision. While their business relationship is coming to an end, their personal one is not, and Will Ferrell and Adam McKay remain close friends.

This isn’t the end of their work together either. As they say in their statement, they will continue to work together creatively. The two still have a huge slate of shared projects, so although this is the end of one chapter of the Ferrell/McKay partnership, we may still see Adam McKay and Will Ferrell’s name in the credits of future movies (fingers crossed Step Brothers 2 will reunite them one day).

The two have begun to diverge in their creative pursuits, with Adam McKay moving more towards politically charged films, like last year’s Vice, while Will Ferrell continues with the more traditional comedy fare that has made him a household name. As far as the future is concerned, the details are still being worked out, but both Ferrell and McKay will explore new endeavors and projects individually, and they are each expected to form new ventures for their post-Gary Sanchez careers.

So ends a partnership that is probably best measured in the number of laughs delivered. In addition to collaborating as producers on films like Daddy’s Home, Adam McKay directed Will Ferrell in a slew of modern comedy classics, including Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby, Anchorman and Anchorman 2, The Other Guys and Step Brothers.

Will Ferrell will next be onscreen later this year in James Franco’s long-delayed Zeroville, a star-studded film about Hollywood in 1969, not to be confused with Quentin Tarantino’s Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, which is also a star-studded film about Hollywood in 1969. That should make for an interesting double feature.

After his multiple Oscar nominations for Vice, Adam McKay is next attached to direct Bad Blood, another ripped-from-the-headlines story, this one about biotech entrepreneur Elizabeth Holmes. The film is supposed to star Jennifer Lawrence and Will Ferrell is also attached as a producer.

Check out our 2019 release schedule to keep track of all the movies coming to theaters this year, and let us know your favorite Will Ferrell and Adam McKay film in the comments below.

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Richard Madden As The Next James Bond? Rocketman Star On His 'Flattering' Odds

Richard Madden As The Next James Bond? Rocketman Star On His 'Flattering' Odds

Now that the new Batman has been found in the form of Robert Pattinson (probably), it's time to turn to another pop culture icon with casting rumors: James Bond. Daniel Craig is reprising the role for the final time, but that hasn't stopped people from speculating on who will pay James Bond in the next movie. One of the most popular rumors has been Richard Madden, and while the actor is flattered by the speculation, he denied being up for the part.

Ever since Daniel Craig famously said he'd rather "slit his wrists" than make another James Bond movie after the release of Spectre, rumors have run rampant about who the next Bond could be. Names have included Tom Hiddleston, Tom Hardy, and Idris Elba, but Richard Madden has become a recent favorite for the iconic spy.

Daniel Craig is evidently not slitting his wrists and will play Bond one last time in Bond 25, but after that it's anyone's game. Madden's name is once again popping up as a potential candidate, but the actor is (predictably) denying any intention to play the character.

Richard Madden might be an unfamiliar name to some, but fans will most likely recognize him from his work on Game of Thrones as Robb Stark. The actor also proved his action chops in the acclaimed BBC series Bodyguard, which helped add fuel to the James Bond fire. Madden can be seen in the upcoming Elton John biopic Rocketman, which premiered at Cannes this week to rave reviews.

Richard Madden was at Cannes this week promoting Rocketman, and it didn't take long for someone to ask him a James Bond question. One journalist told him that the odds of him playing James Bond increased 2-1, and the white suit that Madden wore on the red carpet certainly put James Bond in people's minds (via Variety). Here's what Madden said:

It’s very flattering to be involved in that conversation at all, but it’s all just talk, and I’m sure next week it’ll be someone different.

Well, he's not wrong that someone else will inevitably be the next rumor, but it's not like Richard Madden would be able to give any definitive answers if he were up for the part. However, Madden is also up for a lead role in Marvel's Eternals, which would presumably take up most of his time.

Thankfully, his Rocketman co-star Taron Egerton was there to have some fun with the situation. After Richard Madden gave his answer, Egerton starting humming the iconic James Bond theme, which got a good laugh from from Madden.

It's unclear who will play the next James Bond, but lets not put the cart before the horse. We still have to deal with Bond 25, which is slated to release in theaters on April 8, 2020. That's less than a year away, but you can keep yourself occupied with our 2019 movie release guide.

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