The 7 Best Action-Packed Jason Statham Movies To Watch Before Hobbs And Shaw

The 7 Best Action-Packed Jason Statham Movies To Watch Before Hobbs And Shaw

He’s been a hero, a villain, a joker and a competitive diver. But if action superstar Jason Statham is known for anything, it’s his ability to kick a lot of ass. The most recent example of that piece of his career has been his success as an ass-kicker in the Fast and Furious film series, so much so that he’s half of the new spinoff, Hobbs and Shaw.

If you’re a fan of Jason Statham's, or are looking for a reason to get into his work, we recommend you, at the very least, watch the last two films in the Fast and Furious series to get caught up to the point that Hobbs and Shaw is at in the series. However, there are other movies in the Statham catalog you should be partaking in to get yourself pumped and ready for his latest action romp, and we have a good list of what those films should be.

So schedule a little bit of “me time” on the books, make sure you do your streaming and rental research as to how to get ahold of the Jason Statham movies we’re about to lay down and prepare for your very own film festival. Let’s call it “StathamFest,” which means that the following are your required stops on the StathamFest trail.

The Italian Job (2004)

With his career as an action lead getting a huge boost out of The Transporter’s surprise success, one of the Jason Statham movies that increased his visibility exponentially was director F. Gary Gray’s remake of the 1969 crime caper, The Italian Job.

Flexing his action hero muscles as Handsome Rob, Jason Statham also got to play the eye candy of Mark Wahlberg’s band of criminals, which was certainly a bonus for the audience that made it a theatrical hit. The Italian Job not only gave Statham a chance to be a comedic heartthrob, but it also gave him even more experience with the impressive car stunts that helped make his career what it is.

While we never got the proposed sequel, The Brazilian Job, we did get a Statham/Gray reunion when the star and director paired up for The Fate of The Furious; so The Italian Job is a good film to re-watch in preparation for the further adventures of Deckard Shaw.

The Transporter 2 (2005)

The Transporter is one of the earliest successes of Jason Statham’s career, as Frank Martin was the first blockbuster character that Statham had under his action belt. And with The Transporter 2 bringing Frank to the mean streets of Miami, the scenery is closer to home, along with the high flying automotive action.

While it acts as a sort of loose remake of Man On Fire, with Jason Statham’s Frank replacing Denzel Washington’s Creasy, the film is a full throttle thrill ride, complete with one of the most ridiculous action moments in the man’s entire career. The second of three installments with Statham as Mr. Martin, our hero is charged with not only preventing a viral outbreak, but also recovering a wealthy family’s child in the process.

A positively breathless ticking clock action film, The Transporter 2 is a Jason Statham movie quick enough to fit into any day’s schedule, but it’s also weighted enough to keep an audience fixed on the screen the whole time. If you believe one of life’s rules is a person knowing their car and its contents, in and out, this one is a no-brainer.

Crank (2006)

Mixed in with all of the big budget franchises and one-off action fests that make up the body of Jason Statham’s movies are some smaller, and definitely weirder, choices. Case in point is the extremely memorable Crank, directed by Neveldine/Taylor, a duo more than familiar with the world of the weird.

Jason Statham’s character this time around is Chev Chelios, with Crank seeing his protagonist injected with a drug intended to prevent the flow of adrenaline, in hopes of killing him dead. But, of course, as this is a Neveldine/Taylor directed film, Statham’s assassin antihero does have a way out of this mess. And it’s keeping his adrenaline pumping in such an extreme fashion, that methods such as electrocution and other feats tempting death are needed at all times in this single day thriller.

Pushing the boundaries of every force it comes into contact with, Crank makes for one of the weirdest, but also one of the most exhilarating Jason Statham movies in his collected canon. Proving that he can turn his charms and action talents to 11 when need be, Crank gave Statham the range he needed to eventually jump into the sort of antics that Hobbs and Shaw will eventually demand of him.

War (2007)

While Jason Statham and Jet Li would eventually team up yet again in The Expendables, their paths would cross earlier in the gang thriller War. Except in the instance of this particular film, Statham and Li faced off as nemeses in an all-out street fight between an FBI agent and a rogue element.

Jason Statham’s John Crawford is the FBI agent who’s swearing revenge against Jet Li’s former CIA operative Rogue, a target who survived his supposed death and not only killed Crawford’s partner, but also plans on starting a gang war between the Triads and the Yakuza. Things get pretty hairy as the two play cat and mouse on the streets of San Francisco, and will use everything at their disposal to strike the other where it hurts the most.

Another interesting connection that adds an interesting layer to watching War is the fact that Jason Statham’s character, Crawford, works with an FBI sniper by the name of Goi throughout the film’s duration. Playing Goi is none other than Sung Kang, better known as Han from the Fast and Furious universe; and considering how War ends, Jason Statham’s murder of Han in that particular series could be seen as pure revenge.

Death Race (2008)

Sometimes a movie gets remade because of its popularity. But in the case of director Paul W.S. Anderson’s Death Race, the film feels like a remake that is made to capitalize on the popularity of someone like Jason Statham. At least it feels that way, because wisecracks meet car stunts in this dystopian action extravaganza that screams its status as a Jason Statham movie.

Framed for a murder he didn’t commit, Jason Statham’s Jensen Ames is sent to prison and given the opportunity to win his own freedom through the titular Death Race. A televised pay-per-view spectacle, take The Running Man and infuse it with the DNA of NASCAR, and you’ve got the basic premise for this particular film.

As far as Jason Statham movies go, Death Race is sort of an underrated gem. Showcasing Statham’s abilities as an action lead, while also putting him into an ensemble that sees Joan Allen, Ian McShane and future Fast and Furious co-star Tyrese Gibson all mixing it up, Death Race is well worth tracking down if you’re serious about your Statham.

The Expendables (2010)

If there’s anything that the viewing public should know about Jason Statham by this entry in the list, it’s that he plays very well as both a lead and an ensemble member. The latter is part of why The Expendables is such a treat to watch, as the relatively fresh faced Statham gets to play with heavy hitters like Sylvester Stallone and Dolph Lundgren.

Hired to overthrow a villainous dictator, The Expendables sees some of the biggest names in action teaming up, or in some cases fighting against, the likes of Sylvester Stallone’s expendable team. Playing Lee Christmas, the team’s blade expert, Jason Statham gets to be a man who only talks when the conversation requires him to. And if he’s not talking, chances are his opponent is about to take some serious damage.

Whether it’s an island in the Gulf of Mexico or a basketball court on home soil, Jason Statham takes the fight to whomever stands in his way in The Expendables. Even though he appears as a member of the overarching ensemble, this Statham movie has enough action to excite the crowd and enough Statham magic for him to stand out from all the rest.

The Meg (2018)

Let’s just get something out of the way: The Meg is, by no means, a film that needs to be taken seriously. Getting past that though, it’s easy to see how people enjoyed this film so much, it became a blockbuster hit in 2018’s film market. And naturally, part of that success is Jason Statham’s Jonas Taylor.

Playing a rescue diver obsessed with proving the existence of a rare Megalodon, Jason Statham gets to be The Meg’s hero, front and center. As such, Jonas is wise, kind and not afraid to put his foot down; all the things you’d expect from a Statham performance, with a little more heroic charm allowed this time out.

In fact, it’s Jason Statham’s charm that helps anchor The Meg’s all-star cast, which also includes Rainn Wilson, Ruby Rose and Li Bingbing. And with both Statham and his cast fully in sync, the level of ridiculous spectacle and action is balanced in such a state that the audience can really sink their teeth into it. And if you want to make it a family affair, this film’s PG-13 rating will certainly allow the kids to enjoy this one alongside the adults in the room.

Jason Statham’s career is as varied as it is exciting, and this sampler pack of films is only the beginning of the proof to that point. So let StathamFest pump you up for a summer of action, as well as the eventual box office debut of Hobbs and Shaw. But more importantly, let these films entertain you while showing the many facets of Jason Statham’s career as a hero, a villain and a comic relief for the ages.

Hobbs and Shaw promises to kick the box office’s ass on August 2, but if you’re looking for some action prior to that point, check out the 2019 release schedule for more of the options available to you.

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How To Train Your Dragon’s Director Felt Like A Failure While Writing Each Movie

How To Train Your Dragon’s Director Felt Like A Failure While Writing Each Movie

The How to Train Your Dragon movies have been one of the more successful film franchises of any kind in recent years. All three films have been overwhelmingly popular with fans and have done quite well at the box office. While the creators of the series make it look easy, franchise director Dean DeBlois says it's anything but, as when he closes himself off to work on the story of each film, it feels like it's all going to fall apart. According to DeBlois...

But there is always a moment where we isolate ourselves from everyone else, and it’s just the two of us, in the case of the first film, or alone on the second and third, where I just work with an outline and kind of hammer that out in the most classic way possible. Just with pads of paper and lots of crumpled sheets in the trash. We’re trying to work out the structure of the story. Then we take that outline and transcribe it into script pages, fleshing it out and really developing character and plot that way. It’s a lonely and difficult process for me, because it’s full of self loathing and procrastination, and just feeling like a failure.

Considering what a success every movie has been, it's hard to imagine somebody feeling like a failure, but that's what Dean DeBlois tells Cartoon Brew. At the same time, each story is created from scratch, and there's no guarantee that just because you made one good movie, the next one will be any good. While you're writing it you can't be completely sure that your ideas will work, and the more success you have, the more you second guess yourself.

As both the writer and director of the How to Train Your Dragon series, there's nobody else to help you or to even tell you that you're on the right track. Dean DeBlois worked with collaborators on the first movie, but the second and third were all him.

Luckily, whatever magic that struck on the first movie hung around on the two sequels. All three films were massive hits and the newest one, How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World is being praised for the way it brings the series to a close. Ending a franchise has to be tough, it has to be done in a way that those who have been following from the beginning feel like it's all been worthwhile. Lots of stories that start out great have difficulty sticking the landing. Not this one.

Of course, now that Dean Deblois has ended the story, he has to find a new story to tell, which likely means the process will start all over again. Of course, we know that the How to Train Your Dragon movies were no fluke, so we can be confident that wherever he goes, a good story is likely to follow.

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Avengers Writers Reveal The Two Most Difficult Plot Points To Map Out For Infinity War And Endgame

Avengers Writers Reveal The Two Most Difficult Plot Points To Map Out For Infinity War And Endgame

Warning: SPOILERS for Avengers: Endgame are ahead!

Although Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame didn’t end up being two halves of the same story, as was originally the plan, the movies were nonetheless closely tied to one another. That meant that writers Christoper Markus and Stephen McFeely had to pen these movies to both stand on their own and still ensure that they flowed smoothly together.

That’s no easy feat, and now that Avengers: Endgame is playing in theaters, Christoper Markus and Stephen McFeely have revealed that it was particularly difficult to map out where the now-infamous Snap and its reversal would be placed over these two movies. Regarding Thanos’ Snap, which occurred at the end of Avengers: Infinity War when the Mad Titan finally obtained the six Infinity Stones, Markus explained:

The biggest point was probably the Snap. And we realized fairly early on that if we didn’t do it at the end of the first movie, the first movie wasn’t going to have an end. And if we did it too early in the first movie, it would be a bit of an anticlimax after you’ve killed half the universe to have them stumbling around for half an hour.

Given that Avengers: Infinity War revolved around Thanos’ quest for the Infinity Stones, to the point that he basically served as the movie’s main character, it was a wise course of action to have him fulfill this goal at the end. It delivered a kind of shocking ending that the MCU has never delivered before, and had Thanos filled all the slots in his Infinity Gauntlet too early, then that would have infringed on Avengers: Endgame’s territory too much.

Instead, because the Snap that wiped out half of all life in the universe wrapped up the insanity that was Avengers: Infinity War, fans had to sit with that for a year, with Ant-Man and the Wasp and Captain Marvel providing no clues about how this genocide would be undone. Which brings us to Avengers: Endgame, which has been breaking box office records left and right.

As was expected, Avengers: Endgame saw those who were dusted in Avengers: Infinity War being brought back to life, and this emotional restoration occurred at the beginning of Endgame’s third act. Regarding how he and his writing partner decided when to have this occur, Stephen McFeely told The New York Times:

Another big plot point is when everyone comes back. So the question is, is it early in the second movie? Late in the second movie? You notice the players left on the board are the O.G. Avengers [Captain America, Iron Man, Thor, the Hulk, Black Widow and Hawkeye], and let’s give them their due. It meant that we were likely going to bring people back late. So that if you were a big fan of Doctor Strange or Black Panther or Bucky [the Winter Soldier] or Sam [the Falcon], you’re only going to get a little brief window on them. It can’t be all things to all people.

Avengers: Endgame picked up a few weeks after Avengers: Infinity War, and although the surviving MCU heroes were eventually able to track down Thanos’ location, the Mad Titan had already used the power of the six Infinity Stones to destroy them, ensuring that his work couldn’t be undone. Beheading Thanos may have been cathartic for Thor, but it didn’t bring his friends back.

Five years later, thanks to Scott Lang’s return, these heroes went on a time heist through the Quantum Realm to retrieve the Infinity Stones at different points in the past, bring them back to 2023 and harness their power for themselves using a nanotech-powered Infinity Gauntlet Tony Stark designed. Hulk put on the Gauntlet, snapped his fingers and undid The Decimation, although it was a while until the un-dusted characters resurfaced to help turn the tide of the battle against past Thanos and his forces.

Although Avengers: Endgame featured some newer heroes like Ant-Man and Captain Marvel, as Stephen McFeely noted, it primarily highlighted the original six of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes, who haven’t been all together since Avengers: Age of Ultron. With Endgame serving as the penultimate installment of Phase 3 and the conclusion of the Infinity Saga, it was important that these characters reunite one last time, as it was expected there wouldn’t be another opportunity to do so.

Sure enough, both Iron Man and Black Widow died during Avengers: Endgame, and while the latter has her own standalone movie on the way, given these latest events, the reports about it being a prequel appear right on the money. So while it is intriguing to imagine what it would have looked like if the dusted heroes had returned earlier in Endgame, their late arrival in the final version was warranted.

The Marvel Cameos We Never Expected To See In Avengers: Endgame

Fortunately, it’s not like we won’t be seeing any more of these particular heroes in the coming years. Spider-Man, Black Panther, Doctor Strange and the Guardians of the Galaxy all have more movies on the way, and it’s a good bet that Captain Marvel and Ant-Man and the Wasp will get follow-ups as well.

Then there are the TV shows being lined up for Disney+, which include Loki, WandaVision, Falcon and Winter Soldier and Hawkeye. Avengers: Endgame arguably set the stage for Falcon and Winter Soldier’s upcoming adventures the best, as an elderly Steve Rogers, who stayed in the past to live his life with Peggy Carter after returning the Infinity Stones to their proper places in time, passed the Captain America mantle onto Falcon, a.k.a. Sam Wilson.

There were a lot of moving pieces to Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame, and maybe when the latter is released on home media later this year, we’ll get a better idea of what could have been. Still, given the positive critical reception both movies received, it seems like Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely made the right call with plotting out the biggest plot points.

Don’t forget to read CinemaBlend’s review of Avengers: Endgame and keep checking back for more news about the movie. Those of you already looking to the MCU’s future can learn what’s coming up in our handy Marvel movies guide, or you can learn what other movies are opening later this year in our 2019 release schedule.

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Hellboy's David Harbour And Mike Mignola Had A Weirdly Touching Moment At Movie's Premiere

Hellboy's David Harbour And Mike Mignola Had A Weirdly Touching Moment At Movie's Premiere

Fans of the Hellboy comics and films have waited an awfully long time for a new movie. While the return of the character to the big screen didn't quite happen the way many hoped or expected, the return is almost here regardless. Hellboy creator Mike Mignola was certainly one of those people who wanted to see Hellboy return and David Harbour was the actor who brought him back to life. Maybe that's why the two shared a moment at the film's New York City premiere which Harbour calls "weirdly touching." Check out both images below.

While the moment might have been weirdly touching, it also meant the pair were touching weirdly. The first image posted by David Harbour to Instagram shows him posing with Hellboy creator Mike Mignola in a fairly standard and comfortable pose. The second image is the one Harbour refers to in his post, with his hand on Mignola's chest. It is a fairly odd looking image, which is likely why the Hellboy actor felt the need to explain himself.

It may sound slightly odd to have such an emotional reaction to a character who is a literal demon, but then, if Hellboy is a character that's important to you, it doesn't need to be explained. Harbour was clearly touched by having the chance to play the iconic character, and he has Mike Mignola to thank for that. If the worst thing that happens is awkward looking photo, it's not a problem at all.

Whether the rest of us will have the same reaction to Hellboy remains to be seen. After several years of attempts by Guillermo del Toro to complete his own Hellboy trilogy, fans learned that any chance of that was officially gone when it was revealed that instead, the character would be rebooted. A darker, and more horror inspired version, closer to the original comic, was promised. And the new movie is rated-R, so at least some of that idea appears to have been executed.

Hellboy will have its work cut out for it at the box office. The film is sandwiched between the more light-hearted (though not entirely family friendly) Shazam!, which is going into its second weekend, and the blockbuster movie more than a decade in the making, Avengers: Endgame, coming out in a couple weeks. Hellboy as a character certainly doesn't have the following of either the Marvel or DC heroes. At the same time, that makes Hellboy a more unique entry in the parade of comic book based movies, and that alone might be enough to help it stand out.

Clearly, Hellboy was a labor of love for the people involved. Whether the rest of us will have such an emotional reaction will be revealed when the new Hellboy debuts tomorrow night.

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The 6 Best Jim Carrey Movies, And The 4 Worst

The 6 Best Jim Carrey Movies, And The 4 Worst

If high-energy slapstick with rambunctious, rubber-faced characters is the kind of comedy you crave, there is no better person to look to than Jim Carrey. The man behind icons like Ace Ventura, the title character of The Mask or Lloyd Christmas in Dumb and Dumber is a one-man army of non-stop explosive hilarity,

The actor is also never afraid to bring out the deeper side of his acting talent for more dramatic roles like The Truman Show. Jim Carrey’s versatile talent has resulted in some of the funniest comedies and most moving dramas of the last few decades… not to mention a few forgettably laughless bores and overblown messes.

Shall we take a look back at Jim Carrey’s fascinating career by analyzing our picks of his biggest hits and most sheepish misses among the Jim Carrey movies? Allllllllrighty then!

The Best Jim Carrey Movies

Ace Ventura: Pet Detective (1994)

It seems pretty obvious to include the film that skyrocketed Jim Carrey to fame on his best list. Yet, by that criteria alone, it deserves it.

Jim Carrey is Ace Ventura, a private investigator with a knack for solving animal-related crimes and has a tremendously bizarre personality. When he is hired to find Snowflake, the kidnapped mascot for the Miami Dolphins, Ace’s unusual detective methods keep putting him in the hot seat, but still closer to solving the case than anyone else.

Following his successful run on In Living Color, this was the film that introduced audiences to Jim Carrey’s definitive, rubber-faced character traits. With Ace Ventura: Pet Detective, Carrey led a one-man comedy revolution by doing what no actor had ever done before: talking through his butt.

The Mask (1994)

Boy, was 1994 a good year for Jim Carrey. First Ace Ventura: Pet Detective makes a box office killing, then Dumb and Dumber finds critical success later that year. That summer, however, there came a movie that defied expectations, solidified Carrey as a multi-layered comedic tour de force and earned him his first Golden Globe nomination.

The Mask, a much, much lighter interpretation of a Dark Horse comic book series, stars Jim Carrey as down-on-his-luck bank clerk Stanley Ipkiss, who gets a chance to turn his life around when he finds a mysterious mask. Putting it on turns him into living cartoon character with superhuman powers and a menacing disposition.

Never has Jim Carrey been so animated, versatile and out of control. He carries this inventive story with Oscar-nominated special effects to comedic gold of historical measure.

Liar Liar (1997)

Jim Carrey put his manic, explosive acting style to its most appropriate and uproarious use in this story of an average person (unusual for Carrey at the time) with a really weird problem.

In Liar Liar, Lawyer Fletcher Reede (Jim Carrey) makes a living out of stretching the truth to help get his clients out of trouble. Unfortunately, his dishonest habit often pours into his personal life, feeding into his strained relationship with his ex-wife and dwindling trust from his son, Max (Justin Cooper). When Max makes a birthday wish that Fletcher can not tell a lie for just one day, suddenly, he finds himself literally unable to tell a lie for the next 24 hours.

Watching Jim Carrey drive himself to the brink of insanity over his inability to lie is painfully hilarious, but watching him facing his demons and learning to be a better person and father is heartwarming. Liar Liar was one of Jim Carrey’s first roles that allowed him to show his sensitive side to wonderful effect.

The Truman Show (1998)

Jim Carrey’s next major role took far more advantage of the actor’s sensitive side than ever before. I would even consider Truman Burbank to be one of the most soulful and devastating performances of his career.

Truman (Jim Carrey) is an average, likeable, married insurance salesman who cannot seem to escape his mundane existence, let alone his picturesque hometown. Little does he know that his unexplained sense of entrapment is by design of the creator of a television show that gives hope and joy and inspiration to millions, and he is the star.

Nominated for three Academy Awards, The Truman Show is a brilliant satire on the influence of “reality” television on its viewers and its subjects, tackling themes more relevant now than ever. As one of Jim Carrey’s first departures from his comedic reputation into a more dramatic setting, he knocks it out of the park.

Bruce Almighty (2003)

Jim Carrey re-teamed with the director of Ace Ventura: Pet Detective and Liar Liar for this ambitious romp of heavenly proportions. That is not me being incredulous. It is thematically appropriate.

After dissatisfied field reporter Bruce Nolan (Jim Carrey) loses his job, he blames God for his current losing streak. Thus, the Almighty One himself appears to Bruce, in the appropriately cast form of Morgan Freeman, to offer him His job and endow him with his powers. Thrilled, at first, by his omnipotence, Bruce soon realizes that being God is no easy feat.

Bruce Almighty succeeds at being more than a story of a man who fixes his problems by acquiring great power. It is a clever, heartfelt morality tale about a man who learns to rediscover his humanity by becoming larger than life. Not to mention, I laugh painfully hard at the scene where Jim Carrey makes Steve Carell speak gibberish every single time.

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004)

Maybe director Michel Gondry’s critically acclaimed 2004 dreamy fantasy does not come to mind when you think of Jim Carrey. Nevertheless, if you have seen Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, it should come to mind when you think of stunningly unique and remarkably absorbing dramas.

Following a painful break-up with his girlfriend, Clementine (Kate Winslet), Joel (Jim Carrey) undergoes a procedure to have her erased from his memory. It is not until he is knee-deep in the procedure when he realizes that he would rather keep the memories.

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind is a visually hypnotic, unfathomably clever and ultimately heartbreaking masterwork. Few films before or since have come close to its level of originality and its authentic examination of the complexities of tragic romance is gripping.

This is Jim Carrey like you have never seen him before in a world like you could never imagine.

The Worst Jim Carrey Movies

Batman Forever (1995)

There is a lot of back-and-forth among Batman fans about what should be considered the shining example of the comic character as portrayed on film. Rarely does one agree which is best, but many agree that it is certainly not Joel Schumacher’s 1995 revamp of the franchise.

Batman Forever is the third installment in Warner Bros’. Batman franchise that started with Tim Burton’s interpretation. Following lackluster box office results and parent protests over 19922’s Batman Returns being “too dark,” the studio put Joel Schumacher in the director’s chair, Val Kilmer in the cowl and Jim Carrey in the villainous role of The Riddler, partnered with an unnecessarily unplugged Tommy Lee Jones as Two-Face.

To be clear, the faults of Batman Forever are not to be put on Jim Carrey, even if his performance gets to be a little much sometimes. What this overblown, nonsensical, uncomfortably goofy toy commercial does to deserve a spot on this list is make a mockery out of its title character and all he stands for.

Me, Myself & Irene (2000)

The Farrelly Brothers brought out the lovably kooky side of Jim Carrey in Dumb and Dumber. Somehow they must have felt that a good way to stretch their legs a bit was to bring out a more unlikeable and inappropriate side of him.

In Me, Myself & Irene, Jim Carrey plays Charlie, Rhode Island state trooper who has allowed a life’s worth of misfortune bottle up inside, resulting in a condition referred to as “advanced delusionary schizophrenia with involuntary narcissistic rage.” That’s the movie’s highly incorrect way of describing Charlie’s split personality, Hank, who gets him a whole heap of trouble involving a woman in need of protection named Irene (Renee Zellwegger).

Peter and Bobby Farrelly are behind some of the most celebrated comedies of the 1990s (Kingpin, There’s Something About Mary), but there is a reason this R-rated 2000 critical failure has been since forgotten. It is a lazy, laughless bore that lacks any much-needed heart and makes poor use of Jim Carrey’s talents in physical comedy.

The Number 23 (2007)

Perhaps director Joel Schumacher realized that Batman Forever was too lighthearted and decided that his next collaboration with Jim Carrey should be much darker. He forgot another Batman Forever mistake that The Number 23 could have also used: a story that makes sense.

Jim Carrey goes completely humorless for this thriller inspired by a real-life conspiracy theory that all bad things are somehow related to the number 23. Carrey plays a man who becomes obsessed with a disturbing book that seems to be imitating his life while the aforementioned number keeps popping up everywhere he turns.

The Number 23 is another example of Jim Carrey not being at fault for a film’s failure. He struggles to carry a plot that barely keeps your attention until it reaches its irritatingly unoriginal “twist” conclusion. If the conspiracy of tragedy related to the number 23 is true, this movie is some fine evidence.

Yes Man (2008)

Remember Liar Liar, in which Jim Carrey is unable to tell a lie? What if we basically remade that with one crucial twist.

Yes Man, from future Ant-Man director Peyton Reed, stars Jim Carrey as a guy who compulsively says no to everything, even things that sound pleasant. When he decides to make the decision to compulsively say yes to everything, even things that do not sound pleasant, his life begins to change for the better… until it doesn’t.

Yes Man has a wonderful, inspirational message that encourages living life to the fullest, but in the end, it defeats itself by admitting that saying yes can eventually prove problematic. It’s hard to decide what Jim Carrey and Peyton Reed wanted people to take this film. Laughter? Nah, it can’t be that.

Jim Carrey is one of our most beloved iconic comedians, but like any actor, his career is not without its missteps. However, The Number 23 or Me, Myself & Irene will not be what he's remembered for best. We will always think of him as a comedian with unprecedented energy and enthusiasm who taught that world that a man who talks with his butt actually can be pretty funny.

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Fantastic Beasts 3: Warner Bros. Reportedly Worried About Johnny Depp Backlash

Fantastic Beasts 3: Warner Bros. Reportedly Worried About Johnny Depp Backlash

Warner Bros. is currently preparing for Fantastic Beasts 3, the third of five planned movies in Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling's series. Johnny Depp has a lead role as dark wizard Gellert Grindelwald. But now executives are reportedly worried about backlash as the legal battle between Depp and ex-wife Amber Heard rages on.

You may recall Johnny Depp's $50 million defamation suit against Amber Heard, alleging her abuse allegations against him were part of an elaborate hoax to advance her career; he also claimed her op-ed cost him his job with the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise.

Amber Heard just responded to Johnny Depp's lawsuit by detailing some graphic allegations against him, via The Post, claiming he became "the Monster" when drunk or medicated, and kicked and choked her, and then often wouldn't remember his violent behavior. She shared text messages said to be from him and his assistant acknowledging and apologizing for Depp's alleged behavior.

Johnny Depp’s lawyer, Adam Waldman, claimed again that Amber Heard's allegations were a hoax, and said they were currently interviewing other women who had come forward claiming they were victims of violence and other abuse by Heard.

But the continued play of abuse allegations in headlines has reportedly concerned some Warner Bros. execs, at least according to sources who spoke to The Post.

Executives at Warner Bros. are wondering how to deal with the backlash of the Depp matter on the Harry Potter franchise. High-level female execs at the studio are extremely worried about working with Depp and the message it sends to the public, especially after the recent sordid departure of CEO Kevin Tsujihara. [...] This is yet another blow to the morale of female employees at the studio. If Warner Bros. continues to stick by Depp, it would reveal a lot about the values the company holds.

CEO Kevin Tsujihara recently exited Warner Bros. after a sexual misconduct casting couch scandal.

J.K. Rowling backed Johnny Depp when concerns were previously voiced about including him in the Fantastic Beasts franchise. She wrote on her website in December 2017 that Harry Potter fans had "legitimate concerns" but "[b]ased on our understanding of the circumstances, the filmmakers and I are not only comfortable sticking with our original casting, but genuinely happy to have Johnny playing a major character in the movies."

Now, this source claims not everyone is happy that J.K. Rowling made such a public statement:

Many at Warner Bros. wish that Rowling hadn’t come out so strongly behind Depp, because having made her opinion so public boxes them into a corner.

Warner Bros. reps didn't respond to The Post's requests for comment, so all we have to go on is the word of these unnamed sources -- who do seem to be in Amber Heard's corner -- plus Johnny Depp's attorney -- who is clearly in Depp's corner.

Whatever the truth of this short-lived but apparently never-ending marriage, it's still not over yet. Johnny Depp's lawyer has issued subpoenas to Amber Heard, "her hoax assisting friends, Elon Musk and other witnesses" to explain the evidence they plan to show on their end.

Fantastic Beasts 3 was meant to start filming this summer, but production was delayed to fall 2019 to give the film more prep time. According to Dan Fogler (Jacob) the third movie is going to be "gigantic" and "bigger than the first two combined," including travel to Brazil.

The last we heard about Fantastic Beasts 3 was last month from the now ousted Kevin Tsujihara, who acknowledged that the second film -- Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald -- didn’t perform as well as Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, "but I think we know what we need to do to get the third film hopefully even better than the first one. And J.K. Rowling is really working hard now on that third script, and we’re going to get it right."

Here's everything we know about Fantastic Beasts 3 up to this point. J.K. Rowling is the screenwriter of the entire series, and she said she has a plan for five movies, leading up to the big duel between Albus Dumbledore (Jude Law) and Gellert Grindelwald (Johnny Depp).

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Every Marvel Studios Movie, Ranked By CinemaBlend Readers

Every Marvel Studios Movie, Ranked By CinemaBlend Readers

Earlier this month we took on a not-so-minor endeavor. Wanting to determine the true rankings of all of the movies in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, we not only polled the entire CinemaBlend staff asking them to order the films from best to worst, but we then had all of you lovely readers take on the same task. We released a survey on our site, promoted it on our HeroBlend podcast, and nearly a thousand of you did us the favor of responding – which has led us to this moment.

We have tabulated the results of your submissions, and by taking a weighted average of all your responses we have put together this special ranking of every movie released by Marvel Studios so far. We have a special breakdown of both the bottom five and the top five featured in our latest episode of HeroBlend, which you can listen to right here:

But to get into the full list, keep on reading!

The Bottom Five

22. The Incredible Hulk

21. Thor: The Dark World

20. Iron Man 2

19. Thor

18. Iron Man 3

We were a bit surprised to see Kenneth Branagh’s Thor wind up on this portion of this list (the CinemaBlend staff had it at #16), but really the rest of this didn’t end up being shocking at all – given that the four other titles all had the exact same rankings on our staff list. Louis Leterrier's The Incredible Hulk is just kind of a muddled mess; Alan Taylor's Thor: The Dark World features what is unquestionably the weakest villain plot in all of the Marvel titles released thus far; Jon Favreau's Iron Man 2 notably just has too much going on; and not everyone really loved the big Mandarin twist in Shane Black's Iron Man 3 (or the fact that it’s much more of a Tony Stark movie than it is an Iron Man movie).

What’s particularly interesting about this grouping, though, is that all of the titles come from Marvel Studios’ first five years producing movies – a.k.a. the period when the company was still figuring out the kinks of a cohesive, multi-tiered franchise that didn’t include major characters like Spider-Man and the X-Men. Obviously that era also delivered us the first Iron Man as well as The Avengers, but still there’s nobody out there who would argue that the brand hasn’t come a long way since 2013.

The Middle Of The Pack

17. Captain Marvel

16. Ant-Man and Wasp

15. Ant-Man

14. Captain America: The First Avenger

13. Avengers: Age Of Ultron

12. Doctor Strange

11. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2

The middle of our CinemaBlend reader rankings is populated entirely by two kinds of Marvel Studios releases: origin stories and first sequels. Within the former category, fans apparently don’t put Scott Derrickson’s Doctor Strange, Joe Johnston’s Captain America: The First Avenger, Peyton Reed’s Ant-Man, or Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck’s Captain Marvel as high on the shelf as some of the other Marvel releases of their ilk (which we’ll get to in a second), but there is definitely appreciation for what they contribute to the universe. The CinemaBlend staff shows the first Captain America movie a bit more love than readers, as we put it at #11 on our averaged list, but mostly we seem to be in sync in this realm.

As for the first sequels, it’s interesting that most of them wound up ranking below their series predecessors on this list, with the lone exception being Captain America: The Winter Soldier. In many cases it can be hard for filmmakers to follow-up their own work, particularly when the first movie earned a lot of love and raised expectations. It’s an interesting pattern to recognize when you realize that the upcoming Phase Four of the Marvel Cinematic Universe is expected to include Black Panther 2, Captain Marvel 2, and Doctor Strange 2 – not to mention the fact that the next Marvel release is set to be the Spider-Man: Homecoming sequel Spider-Man: Far From Home.

The Top Ten

10. Spider-Man: Homecoming

9. Black Panther

8. Iron Man

7. Guardians of the Galaxy

6. The Avengers

5. Thor: Ragnarok

4. Captain America: Civil War

3. Captain America: The Winter Soldier

2. Avengers: Infinity War

1. Avengers: Endgame

If anyone out there is looking for evidence of fan appreciation for the contributions that Joe and Anthony Russo have made to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, you need look no further than the results of our survey. All four movies that the brothers have directed for the franchise landed in the top spots here, with the most gratitude being expressed towards the absolutely massive Avengers blockbusters that were released in the last two years. It was clearly a ridiculously huge endeavor to take on, but the best word to describe the results of the execution is “beloved.”

All of you also showed a tremendous amount of love for Taika Waititi’s Thor: Ragnarok – which has a ranking that arrives in sharp relief compared to its predecessors in the God of Thunder series – and even after 11 years people are still showing Jon Favreau’s Iron Man the respect it deserves. Clearly there is also a lot of love for the more modern franchise-starters, with Jon Watts’ Spider-Man: Homecoming, Ryan Coogler’s Black Panther and James Gunn’s Guardians of the Galaxy all earning spots on the Top 10, and all of us will certainly never forget the game changer that was Joss Whedon’s The Avengers.

How did these final results wind up comparing with your own submissions to our survey? Is there any film that you personally love and now feel is totally underrated? Do you think there is any movie in the franchise that gets way more praise than it actually deserves? Hit the comments section below, and tell us what you think of this vox populi ranking - and, as always, be sure to stay tuned here on CinemaBlend for all of the latest news, updates, features, and reviews of Marvel Cinematic Universe releases!

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