Mckenna Grace Had A Scary Set Experience Making Annabelle Comes Home

Mckenna Grace Had A Scary Set Experience Making Annabelle Comes Home

For audience members sitting in a darkened theater, the right horror film can truly scare you and have you squirming in your seat, watching the screen through your fingers. But does that scariness extend to the making of the film itself? It seems it can, and did for Annabelle Comes Home star Mckenna Grace, who had a scary set experience making the Conjuring Universe film, as she explained:

I’ve done about three scared scenes so far, and I haven’t been too scared in those, but I do have a scary story. On one of the first days, I came and looked at the house that they built, on set. We were doing our rehearsal and my nose was pouring blood, all of a sudden. The lights were off because they had to re-set something, and I was like, “There’s blood!” And then, as soon as I stepped outside to go to the restroom to get a tissue, it stopped. It was creepy. But then we had the set blessing, so everything is good now.

Well, that’s disconcerting. The 12-year-old actress who plays the Warren’s daughter Judy in the film hasn’t been frightened by the actual scary scenes she’s filmed, where she is required to act scared, but she still experienced a creepy moment on set. As she told reporters during a set visit attended by CinemaBlend’s own Eric Eisenberg while on the set of the Warren home, which is filled with haunted objects, her nose started bleeding profusely.

She seemingly didn’t even know it was her blood at first because the lights were off. Then as she left to get a tissue and got outside of the set’s radius of supernatural effect, the bleeding stopped. A coincidence perhaps, but one that could definitely freak someone out, especially a young actress on one of her first days on a big horror film.

Also, I imagine that hearing Mckenna Grace, a child actor, scream out “There’s blood!” provided a different kind of fright for those on the set within earshot and must have given a few people mild heart attacks. Fortunately, they had the set blessing and there was no more blood. There were still some weird occurrences though. Elaborating on some of her other Annabelle Comes Home filming experiences, Mckenna Grace said:

Yes! There was this statue thing. It had its eyes closed, but to me, it looked like they were open. I was like, “Oh, that’s fun!” It was creepy. And then, one day, our trailer lights were just out, at the end of the day. None of the other trailer lights were off. There were two trailers, and the other one wasn’t off. It was so weird. They wouldn’t turn on and off, so they had to go re-set stuff. After they re-set it, they were like, “Everything is perfect. Why isn’t it turning on?” It just wouldn’t turn on. It took them 15 minutes to figure it out. It was crazy!

It’s fascinating how everyday occurrences can take on a poltergeist-like, supernatural quality when they happen in the right context. That was the case here, where the actual stuff that is supposed to be scary in the film is just cool, but it creates an environment where what in most other contexts would be a frustrating technical malfunction, here becomes something quite strange.

It even sounds like a scene out of a horror movie where the hey keep trying to flick the trailer lights on and they won’t come on, but when they do, you get a killer jump scare with a creepy doll or something. Fortunately, these were just weird occurrences and Mckenna Grace seems to have taken them all in stride. I suppose we should expect nothing less from the actress who played young Carol Danvers in Captain Marvel.

Annabelle Comes Home sees the Warrens bringing the possessed Annabelle doll into their home and locking it in the artifacts room where it can hopefully do no more harm. But that move proves to be like lighting a match near barrels of gunpowder, as Annabelle awakens the room's evil spirits, which then go after the Warren's daughter Judy and her friends. The trailer for Annabelle Comes Home debuted recently and it really is a homecoming, with the return of Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga.

Annabelle Comes Home to the Warren’s and theaters on June 28. Check out our 2019 release schedule to see this and all the other movies you can look forward to this year, and stay tuned to CinemaBlend for all the latest movie news.

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Is Bo Peep The Villain In Toy Story 4?

Is Bo Peep The Villain In Toy Story 4?

Warning: This article contains SPOILERS for a few past Pixar films along with the opening scene of Toy Story 4.

Toy Story 4 is just under three months away, and recently Pixar hasn’t been shy about pulling back the curtain a bit on what to expect from the long-awaited comeback of Andy’s gang of childhood toys. The upcoming animated sequel will also mark the return of Bo Peep, a shiny porcelain sheep-herder who was a loving confidant to Woody up until the studio decidedly cut her out of 2010’s Toy Story 3 – or perhaps just forgot to pencil her in?

Now, Bo Peep seems to be getting her redemption story in Toy Story 4, as the character has traded her bonnet and pink dress for a badass (but still feminine) take on her character. This includes her wearing pantaloons, a pink bow and using her crook as a powerful weapon instead of a mere accessory as she shows Woody around her new way of life, which seems to be between an antique store and lively carnival. She certainly has a prominent presence in the marketing for Toy Story 4 thus far, and now there's been speculation that this is because she is being developed into the next Toy Story villain.

But could Bo Peep really be the crook (pun intended) that Woody, Buzz and the gang will ultimately face in Toy Story 4? I certainly think there's a good case for it! Time to break this theory down.

Bo Peep is introduced in the first Toy Story film as a porcelain doll who is part of a lamp belonging to Andy’s sister, Molly. This already makes her a bit of an outsider to the other toys, but she is often used as a “damsel in distress” to Woody’s adventures during play time. The pair share an undeniable connection with one another, as she’s often thought of as Woody’s love interest. But then, something happens between Toy Story 2 and 3 that makes Bo Peep disappear from the cast of characters in the animated franchise.

Perhaps she is given away? That seems to be the way Toy Story 4 will fill in the gaps in the beginning of the film (which was recently shown at CinemaCon). The story will be set up by showing Woody and Bo Peep’s final exchange before they reunite in the upcoming movie, which includes her telling Woody that she’s okay with being given away and her asking him to come with her. He doesn’t, as his loyalty stays with Andy, though Toy Story 3 famously ends with the now-college-aged lad giving his childhood toys away to a toddler named Bonnie, who they belong to in the new movie.

Toy Story 4 will see Woody getting separated by Bonnie when he runs after her new craft project, Forky, who is having an existential crisis about his purpose. As Woody tries to rescue Forky and bring him back to Bonnie, they will come across Bo Peep. She will introduce Woody to her new lifestyle as someone who has taken control of her narrative as a toy, who roams freely without the need of one child and seems to help other forgotten toys find a home without an “Andy” to call their own. She seems to tempt Woody to adopt this life as well and the movie seems to center on a decision for him to either stay with her or again remain loyal to his kid.

Bo Peep has already been rejected before by Woody, so what if she’s not willing to take no for an answer this time? What starts off as her giving him the illusion of choice by using persuading words like “sometimes change can be good” and “kids lose their toys everyday” (which she utters in the trailer) is actually entrapment. Her story arc could easily become an origin story of the next Toy Story villain. As the other toys go out to save Woody, maybe they end up needing to confront and rescue Bo Peep. It would be the ultimate showdown if the last installment of Toy Story revolved around Woody and the gang face off with a character they love and once called a friend from the past.

The Toy Story franchise is certainly no stranger to pulling the old friend-turned-foe switcheroo. In the second film, Stinky Pete was painted as a new friend to Woody before he tried to force him and Jessie to be shipped off to a toy museum in Japan. This formula was used again in the third movie when the once welcoming Lotso tried to keep the toys from going home in order to keep them safe in the confines of the preschool, where they wouldn't be given away or replaced. Based on this track record, when toys face abandonment, something seriously cracks, and we know Bo Peep has received this treatment already.

Pixar has used this plotline in two other of their recent releases too! In Coco, Ernesto de la Cruz is introduced as Miguel’s hero, but winds up being the film’s villain, and in Incredibles 2 Evelyn is set up to be on the heroes' side before being revealed as the movie’s main baddie as well. Would Pixar dare use this familiar formula for its third release in a row? I think it’s certainly a possibility!

The villain that seems to be set up in Toy Story 4, a doll named Gabby Gabby, just doesn’t seem to hold as much emotional weight to the toys as Bo Peep would as a villain. Plus, her tragic backstory has already been revealed. She’s a vintage doll that was manufactured with a broken voice box and she has some creepy ventriloquist dummies who do her bidding. This story certainly has the makings of a sinister evil plot - such as attempting to steal away Woody’s working one so she can be finally loved by a child perhaps?

But it’s actually more predictable than Bo Peep’s potential as a villain because we don’t know yet what happened to her between Toy Story 2 and today. That’s 20 years of backstory we may learn and could play a bigger role in the story, then what’s being revealed by Pixar. Even if I’m right, Toy Story 4 could still be a really interesting and unique addition to the franchise, and there could still be a ton we don’t know about where it goes.

We of course won’t know for sure until Toy Story 4 hits theaters on June 21. What do you think? Do you think this theory will play out in any way in the upcoming sequel. Feel free to tell us your thoughts in the comments below.

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Disney Needs To Make A New Planet Of The Apes Remake, On One Condition

Disney Needs To Make A New Planet Of The Apes Remake, On One Condition

With all the excitement surrounding Marvel, Star Wars and Pixar of late, it’s easy to forget that Disney’s collection of franchises recently got bigger thanks to the purchase of 21st Century Fox. Among the studio’s new acquisitions is the Planet of the Apes film series, and during CinemaCon last month, it was one of the Fox franchises that Disney indicated would continue on post-regime change, although there doesn’t appear to be anything in active development right now.

It’s been over 50 years since the first Planet of the Apes movie was released, and thanks to the reboot trilogy than ran from 2011 to 2017, the franchise has had new life breathed into it. I’m game for Disney delivering a new Planet of the Apes movie and would especially be interested in a remake of the original, but on one condition: it needs to be set in the same continuity as the reboot movies.

Most of you are probably saying right now that we’ve been down this remake road before, and it did not go well. That’s true. In 2001, after over a decade in development hell, Fox finally released a Planet of the Apes remake, which Tim Burton directed and starred folks like Mark Wahlberg, Tim Roth, Helena Bonham Carter and Paul Giamatti. It ended on quite the cliffhanger, and it was abundantly clear that just like the original did, Fox intended for this new Planet of the Apes to spawn sequels.

This Planet of the Apes proved to be a financial success, making over $362 million off a $100 million budget, but it was met with mixed-negative critical reception. Tim Burton declared he’d rather “jump out a window” then work on a sequel, and Fox eventually just shut down plans to continue this iteration of the franchise, paving the way for what would become Rise of the Planet of the Apes.

Disney is certainly within its rights to press the reset button start on the entire Planet of the Apes franchise again, but that would be a mistake. The mythology crafted by Rise of the Planet of the Apes, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes and War for the Planet of the Apes is too rich to toss aside, and it actually makes a more direct Planet of the Apes remake sound a lot more interesting than starting from scratch.

Fox was wise to move away from the traditional Apes canon and instead use the most recent Planet of the Apes trilogy to look back on how Earth’s apes became super-intelligent and how humanity was almost wiped out and how the survivors started losing their intelligence. It was an interesting and more ‘realistic’ look at how an ape uprising would occur.

Now that the groundwork has been laid, and Caesar’s story has ended, we’re free to jump forward several centuries to see how ape society has evolved since Caesar led his followers to their promised land. Naturally it’ll look a lot like what was shown in the original Planet of the Apes movie, but naturally there’s also room to take some creative liberties in order to stand out from what’s come before.

If you’re not interested in retreading original Planet of the Apes territory, that’s fine, because Rise of the Planet of the Apes, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes and War for the Planet of the Apes work perfectly fine on their own. There’s never a guarantee that origin stories do well, but both critically and commercially, these movies all succeeded, and I’d argue that this Apes trilogy is one of the best movie trilogies of all time.

Of course, there’s also the possibility that Disney would rather have the next Planet of the Apes movie have closer ties to War for the Planet of the Apes, perhaps by following Caesar’s son, Cornelius, as an adult. That would be fine, but in terms in terms of setting and aesthetics, we’ve gotten three movies worth of apes running around on a ‘normal’ Earth. Wouldn’t it be more interesting to instead see how they’re descendants are doing in a civilization that somewhat resembles what humans once lived in?

Think about it: we’re arguably more invested in the apes than ever now that we know their background. We watched over three movies as they rose from common animals to simians with human-level intelligence, and now humans are on their way to becoming as primitive as the apes once were. Now that their ‘origin story’ is out of the way, we can finally move forward and see how the fruits of Caesar’s labor led to the apes flourishing on this new Earth centuries later.

Naturally this paves the way for the original Planet of the Apes story to unfold, albeit with some adjustments to ensure it fits within this reboot continuity properly, such as the newest Cornelius (i.e. the one that Roddy Mcdowell played) being a direct descendant of Caesar. And naturally if Disney delivers a Planet of the Apes remake, that doesn’t have to mark the end of this iteration of the franchise. With all the money that Disney paid for Fox, you can be sure the company’s not going to bring Planet of the Apes back to the big screen for a one-and-done tale.

The key difference, though, for any sequels to follow Disney’s Planet of the Apes remake is that outside of George Taylor coming to the future (Rise of the Planet of the Apes has a news report of the Icarus leaving Earth, and a later newspaper headline reveals the ship was lost), time travel would be incorporated. In the original Planet of the Apes film series, Zira and Cornelius were transported in time to the contemporary United States, and their son, Caesar, ended up the catalyst for the future his parents came from. It was a cyclical timeline!

That doesn’t need to happen in this version of the franchise. The apes became smart through exposure to a viral-based drug, so there’s no reason to go back to this period. Instead, we can focus on more on fleshing out this strange society even more so than the original Planet of the Apes movies did. Rather than eventually nuke the world, which is what happened in Beneath the Planet of the Apes, we can explore a different kind of aftermath from George Taylor’s presence, one that perhaps leads to human and ape relations improving and, over time, Earth returning to something more familiar.

Since Fox will now only be making five to six movies per year under the Disney banner, it remains to be seen when the studio will decide to tackle Planet of the Apes. Whenever that time comes, the studio would be better served piggybacking on what Fox delivered earlier this decade and presenting a Planet of the Apes remake through that lens as opposed to beginning completely anew.

Let us know what you’d like to see next from the Planet of the Apes franchise in the comments below. Stay tuned to CinemaBlend for any updates on what Disney has in store for the Planet of the Apes, and for now, you can learn what movies are hitting theaters later this year in our 2019 release schedule.

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Should Robert Downey Jr. Get An Oscar Nomination For Avengers: Endgame?

Should Robert Downey Jr. Get An Oscar Nomination For Avengers: Endgame?

Mild spoilers ahead.

The name "Stark" was synonymous with "hero" last week, from Avengers: Endgame to Game of Thrones. For Robert Downey Jr. as Tony Stark, Endgame marked his crowning achievement in the Marvel Cinematic Universe he helped found with Iron Man back in 2008. RDJ's performance, and career as a whole, have led some to push his name forward for very early Oscars 2020 consideration.

Robert Downey Jr., now 54, has had a fascinating career with major highs and extreme lows. He does have two previous Oscar nominations under his belt -- Best Actor for Chaplin in 1993 and Best Supporting Actor for Tropic Thunder in 2009 -- but no wins so far.

After Marvel's Black Panther was nominated for Best Picture last year, the door seems open for serious consideration of a superhero star for an acting award. If that's going to happen for someone (after Heath Ledger's posthumous win for The Dark Knight), why not RDJ?

It's early to be putting Robert Downey Jr.'s name out there for Oscars consideration without knowing the rest of the potential competition in 2019, but several fans are already on board.

Some fans are already pushing for Robert Downey Jr. to not just be nominated for an Oscar, but to definitely win:

Marvel is busy promoting Avengers: Endgame -- as if it needs any marketing to sell tickets -- and highlighting praise for the performances:

The Russo Brothers, who directed both Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame, also seem down with a Downey Oscar win. Joe Russo didn't specify any moments from Endgame in particular when talking to the Washington Post, but he praised RDJ's entire career:

His cumulative body of work from these movies is staggering. If you look at the work over just even the last four [Marvel] films he’s done, it’s phenomenal. ... He deserves an Oscar perhaps more than anyone in the last 40 years because of the way that he has motivated popular culture.

That sounds dangerously close to the dreaded popular movie Oscar, so let's just stick to the idea of awarding Robert Downey Jr. for his performance. The man has a presence! He has carried this multi-billion-dollar franchise on his charismatic back. He has also shown he can believably carry Tony Stark from one-liners to deep emotion -- making us laugh, cry, or both depending on what he wants to deliver with a snap of his fingers.

Anthony Russo recently said Robert Downey Jr. had mixed emotions about Tony Stark's storyline in Endgame, but ultimately accepted it. It doesn't require spoilers to say Tony was just one of many characters to face massive changes in Endgame. We knew going in that Avengers 4 would shake up the MCU, and that certainly happened.

Right now, Avengers: Endgame is busy taking everyone's money. It is set to pass $2 billion this weekend, possibly on the way to beating Avatar. But even if it doesn't, it's still one of the biggest pop culture events of our lifetimes.

We just have to see if the buzz can carry through to the end of 2019, when the Oscar talk really heats up. Usually major movies open in late fall, with more dramatic thespian roles getting eyed for Academy Awards. But Black Panther stayed on the radar until Oscar night, so there's no reason why RDJ's fans can't at least hope that he is remembered by the Academy when nominations are announced in early 2020.

Do you think RDJ deserves an Oscar nomination for Avengers: Endgame? Vote in the poll below.

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Den Of Thieves 2 Is Happening, Here’s What We Know

Den Of Thieves 2 Is Happening, Here’s What We Know

January often finds itself referred to as a dead period at the movies, but January 2018 managed to produce some surprisingly fun and profitable cinematic offerings. One of the most notable of the bunch was Christian Gudegast's Den of Thieves, which surpassed expectations at the box office and has thus far grossed roughly $57 million worldwide. Now it seems that the folks involved in the movie are keen on capitalizing on that success, as Den of Thieves 2 is currently in development with several key players returning for the next outing.

That's right. Den of Thieves is getting a sequel, and it looks like it's going to bring Gerard Butler back to headline the affair as Nick O'Brien, and O'Shea Jackson Jr. will join him as Donnie. Director Christian Gudegast is also returning behind the camera, which means audiences can likely expect a similar style and flavor to the story. That said, things won't be too identical this time, as the sequel is trading in the mean streets of southern California for Europe, as Nick (aware of Donnie's criminal genius status) chases after the young con artist. Meanwhile, the two find themselves embroiled in a massive diamond heist and a conflict with the Panther mafia.

We're about to get into some spoilers ahead for Den of Thieves! Knowing what happens in the original Den of Thieves, it does make a certain degree of sense to see that a sequel has entered development. The film (very much an ode to classic crime thrillers) ends with a Usual Suspects-esque conclusion in which Gerard Butler's Nick O'Brien puts together the pieces of the mystery and realizes that Donnie Wilson (O'Shea Jackson Jr.) was actually the mastermind behind the entire Federal Reserve heist. Now, we see where he goes with that information.

Then there's also the matter of the narrative loose ends left by the first movie, particularly as they relate to Nick O'Brien's personal life. One major subplot of the film involves watching Nick's family and home life fall apart as he descends further and further into the Merrimen case. This storyline never really ties into the final scenes of the film when we learn about Donnie's true nature or Nick's realization of what happened, so Den of Thieves 2 l could help pay off moments from the first installment that arguably need more attention.

One thing not mentioned by Deadline's report of the Den of Thieves sequel is whether or not we will see any members of the Merrimen gang return. Although Merrimen (Pablo Schreiber), Enson Levoux (50 Cent), and Bosco (Evan Jones) all die in the climactic shootout of the first film, Den of Thieves used quite a bit of flashback and non-linear storytelling. If the sequel continues that and fleshes out the events of the first movie, then it's entirely possible that we could see some cameos when it debuts. We'll just have to wait and see.

The original Den of Thieves is still playing in select theaters, so read our in-depth review of the film and make sure to check it out if you haven't already. Looking ahead to Den of Thieves 2, CinemaBlend will bring you more information related to the project as it becomes available to us. For now, hop over to our 2018 movie premiere guide to get more information on all of the films set to debut this year.

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Final Godzilla: King Of The Monsters Trailer Teases A Ton Of Destruction

Final Godzilla: King Of The Monsters Trailer Teases A Ton Of Destruction

We’ve been pretty talkative about that whole Avengers: Endgame movie here, and for good reason. It looks like an all-out spectacle that’ll take our breath away and make us believe in magic at the movies. But it might also bring some extra special wonder for the month ahead, as we’ve just gotten a hold of a new trailer for Godzilla: King of the Monsters, and it looks absolutely stunning. Watch the destruction yourself, below:

So this time out, Godzilla: King of the Monsters has treated us to a new cover of “Somewhere Over The Rainbow” that totally compliments the action and adventure being shown in this clip. And with that new music, comes a new tune for the story to follow: the quest for an alpha kaiju.

As we hear in various voice-overs throughout this trailer, the Titans are returning, and they all answer to one dominant creature in their ranks. King Ghidorah is the current alpha, but with 17 Titans confirmed as active, there’s a lot of competition that could unseat his reign. Given the title of the film is Godzilla: King of the Monsters, and the legendary Toho creation is usually the horse to back in these scenarios, we’re going to put our money on the lizard that breathes atomic fire.

But at the heart of this exploration of socio-political dealings in the Titan world is a family story, which sees Vera Farmiga’s Monarch operative trying to loose these Titans upon the Earth, and Kyle Chandler as her estranged, anti-Titan husband. Both parties are trying to do what’s best for their daughter, played by Millie Bobby Brown, who seems to be sharing a special connection with some of these larger than life beasts.

It’s true that Godzilla: King of the Monsters is going to be a destructive thrill ride, with some gorgeous scenery and wisecracks courtesy of Bradley Whitford. But there’s obviously a big beating heart that’s going to be at work at the center of director Michael Dougherty’s follow-up to 2014’s Godzilla. And if you don’t believe that, go back and take a look of that shot with Ken Watanabe having a Dr. Grant from Jurassic Park moment with Godzilla himself.

Avengers: Endgame is going to leave a huge crater in its wake, with very few films able to make their way through the dust and into the light. Godzilla: King of the Monsters keeps looking like one of those winners with every moment it’s shown us, and we can’t wait to see the finished product in the near future. Let them fight again, for the crown.

Godzilla: King of the Monsters stomps into theaters with a look in its eye, and danger on its mind, on May 31st. And if you’re an HBO subscriber, you can check out an exclusive clip with some more fantastic action involving Titans, set to the tune of “Nessun Dorma.”

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Jesse Eisenberg Says Zombieland: Double Tap Went Through A Bunch Of Scripts

Jesse Eisenberg Says Zombieland: Double Tap Went Through A Bunch Of Scripts

Zombies have captivated audiences for decades, starting with 1968's Night of the Living Dead. Nowadays they're perhaps most associated with popular TV empires The Walking Dead and Game of Thrones, Ruben Fleischer's horror/comedy Zombieland actually pre-dated both shows. The Venom director brought levity to the zombie apocalypse, with Zombieland quickly becoming a cult favorite.

Fans have been calling for a Zombieland sequel for years, and now it's finally happening. Zombieland: Double Tap will arrive a decade after the original film hit theaters, so it's been a long time coming. The full cast is returning, including Jesse Eisenberg as the protagonist/narrator Columbus. The Social Network actor recently spoke to the long development and multiple scripts, saying:

We would never have made another one if we didn’t think it was going to be great. They wrote a ton of scripts for this movie and we went through a lot of different ideas.

It looks like quite a few scripts were brought to the table for Zombieland: Double Tap. But those involved in the franchise wanted to make sure it was the right one, which is why it took so many years for the sequel to finally get green-lit. But Zombieland is finally getting its follow-up, so we should expect big things from the movie's script.

Sequels are a tricky game, as there are tons of expectations associated with follow-up movies. And more often than not, they fail to capture the same magic as the original film. This is no doubt a concern for Zombieland: Double Tap, especially now that zombies have become such an integral part of the pop culture zeitgeist. The first film had a tone wholly unique, and the project defied genre in a many ways. So can Ruben Fleischer and the cast strike gold twice?

In his same conversation with The Toronto Sun, Jesse Eisenberg spoke to this pressure, and how those involved with Zombieland didn't want to put out a sequel to simply grab at more money. Instead, they want to produce another film that is just as great. As Eisenberg tells it:

We didn’t want to do a typical sequel to try and capitalize on something that was popular. We waited 10 years until we had a great idea.

You have to respect this craftsmanship and professionalism in this statement. When sequels fail, it's usually because not enough attention was paid to the story. Instead, blockbuster are rushed out in order to make the most money at the box office. That's not the case with the Zombieland franchise. In fact, director Ruben Fleischer passed on directing the Venom sequel in order to pay full attention to Zombieland: Double Tap. Given how successful the comic book movie was, that's saying something.

Zombieland: Double Tap will arrive in theaters on October 11, 2019, just in time for Halloween. In the meantime, check out our 2019 release list to plan your next trip to the movies.

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