Apparently China Is Really, Really Into Green Book

Apparently China Is Really, Really Into Green Book

This year’s recent Oscars ceremony may have ended in shock for many when Green Book took home Best Picture, but the movie's Oscar success has definitely been beneficial. Since the win, Green Book has seen been showing off its “Oscar halo” in 63 markets – including a 121% boost at the domestic box office and has just become No. 1 in China.

That’s right, China loves Green Book! The 2019 Best Picture opened at an impressive $17.2 million opening weekend behind How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World (which made $33 million) and Alita: Battle Angel ($24 million) before rising to the top spot on Monday with an overall $25 million by Wednesday, per The Hollywood Reporter. Green Book is now the country’s second highest-grossing Best Picture winner, behind Titanic.

The movie is also scoring seriously high reviews from Chinese critics and moviegoers. For example, the movie received a 9.6 out of 10 rating on Maoyan, a Chinese ticketing app. But wait… Green Book is an all-American story about race relations in the deep South. What about that screams an instant hit for China? There are a few reasons why.

The answer is timing. The Academy Awards are well-followed in China and the Best Picture winner opened in theaters across the country just three days after the telecast. The award show created some effective buzz for Green Book, since the film took home three Oscars out of five nominations – including a second Supporting Actor win for Mahershala Ali and Best Original Screenplay.

Additionally, the richest man in China, tech tycoon and CEO of Alibaba Pictures, Jack Ma, was an investor on Green Book and made it well known to Chinese media. The film studio has also had a hand in investing Mission: Impossible – Fallout and Star Trek Beyond which made $181 and $65 million in China, respectively.

Another contributing factor to Green Book’s success in China is the same reason why the film was met with backlash and controversy over from American audiences. Many have criticized the movie for its mediocre approach in presenting the complexity of race relations and its use of the tiresome “white savoir” trope.

Green Book was also called out by the family of Don Shirley (played by Mahershala Ali), who called out the movie for being “full of lies” and the film is based off one of the film’s writers Nick Vallelonga recalling his own memories from his father (played by Viggo Mortenson). One important perspective of the race relations movie may seem to be missing due to this.

Many moviegoers in China don’t have intricate understanding of America’s complicated ties with racism, just as with Americans, many of us don’t claim to understand the history of the Chinese people. So what might have seemed “uninspired” to many in Green Book, may have been just China’s speed ­– as they needed little background knowledge to follow along.

Factors such as these is a good reminder of why some Hollywood movies become hits in unexpected markets and Green Book is the latest example.

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What Every Major Batman Actor Was Famous For Prior To Playing Bruce Wayne

What Every Major Batman Actor Was Famous For Prior To Playing Bruce Wayne

Since reports surfaced last week that Robert Pattinson would be playing the Caped Crusader in Matt Reeves’ The Batman, the internet’s outcry has revolved around memories of the actor’s iconic Twilight role of Edward Cullen. Pattinson infamously glittered as a century-old vampire in love with an awkward teenage girl in the five film franchise between 2008 and 2012.

A petition has even made its way online already to boycott Robert Pattinson's casting, as fans have started to divide over the news of the upcoming Batman flick. It’s a predictable response that has happened time and time again during the comic book character’s many iterations over the years. The Dark Knight is beloved by many and fans have been burned before, so strong opinions are bound to come up when the news doesn’t match up with what’s expected or desired.

If past Batman portrayals have taught us anything, it’s this: what they're famous for before suiting up isn’t directly related to how great or not great they’ll be once they do. The filmmakers’ vision and ability to carry this out effectively is what defines a good Batman movie. In honor of The Batman reportedly moving forward with Robert Pattinson taking on the next Bruce Wayne performance, let’s venture back to every major Batman actor's impression on the public prior to their Batman debut.

Michael Keaton - Beetlejuice

Before taking on Batman in the first live-action version of the superhero in over 20 years, Michael Keaton was best known for playing in Tim Burton’s Beetlejuice. The actor started out in a role that bared more of a resemblance to the Dark Knight’s arch nemesis Joker. If the internet had existed in those days, a lot of folks certainly voiced their concern for the choice considering how goofy and villainous Keaton's most famous role showcased him as. Of course, this collaboration with Burton (which he recently went back to with Dumbo) may have been the very reason why he got his foot in the door to play Batman in the first place.

Michael Keaton had a couple of other roles under his utility belt too. He had his first starring role in Ron Howard’s Night Shift, starring Henry Winkler and Shelley Long. He also played in two other comedies, Mr. Mom and Touch and Go. Looking back, Keaton’s Batman movies are on the more cheesy, comedic side as opposed to the brooding Dark Knights of today but his past roles didn’t exactly scream Bruce Wayne before he nabbed the part.

Val Kilmer - Top Gun

When Val Kilmer was cast in Batman Forever for Joel Schumacher’s first of two takes on the masked vigilante, he had not yet become the action hero we know him as today. The actor broke into Hollywood at 25 with the 1985 comedy Real Genius and then starred as Iceman one year later in the box office mega hit Top Gun. Kilmer definitely had the pretty boy charm to dazzle as the well-off Bruce Wayne. With an overstuffed cast and so-so movie however, the actor won’t go down in history as the best of the Batmen, but it wasn’t his fault, and his performance as the character is actually pretty underrated.

Val Kilmer’s casting as the Caped Crusader may have been a bit more straightforward in comparison to Michael Keaton’s, but the disappointing final product had a lot to do with the movie itself. It goes to show that good casting doesn’t always pan out for both the actor and the fans because there are a lot of moving parts that contribute to a movie finding its wings. Either way, Batman Forever still did well commercially and launched Kilmer in more action roles for years to come.

George Clooney - ER

We now move from the good to the kinda bad to the ugly. Joel Schumacher had another shot at a Batman film, this time with George Clooney as the Bat, and it’s famously a doozie. Even Clooney admitted Batman & Robin “wasn’t a good film” and he doesn’t think he was good in it. However, after he starred in the film Clooney really rose to stardom, much because he learned a lesson to be more choosy in his roles. Before there was Ocean’s Eleven, Up in the Air, The Descendants and Gravity, and before he suited up bat nipples and all, he was best known for playing a hunky doctor on ER.

George Clooney was a heartthrob on the small screen when he played Dr. Doug Ross on the NBC medical drama from 1994 to 1999 before he became Batman. Playing a good-looking hero certainly can’t help one’s chances at nabbing the role of Dark Knight. The actor could have done better as the Caped Crusader if it wasn’t for all the tacky puns and choices the movie made. The role has certainly stopped Clooney from looking in even the general direction of superhero franchises since the experience though.

Christian Bale - American Psycho

After Hollywood took a long break from making more Batman movies, Warner Bros decided to take a crack at Christopher Nolan’s darker take on the comic book hero starring Christian Bale as Bruce Wayne. Before he was known for the critically-acclaimed Dark Knight trilogy, Bale was most recognized as playing Patrick Bateman in American Psycho. The haunting role had Bale playing a psychopath with a thirst for violent fantasies - which isn’t exactly in line with Batman’s m.o.

Christian Bale had just finished playing an underweight insomniac for The Machinist too when he took on the role and packed on 100 pounds to play the Bat. He actually gained too much and had to drop down 20 before starring in 2005’s Batman Begins. Bale was the first English actor to play Batman, so he likely got some flack at the time for portraying an American hero - though today tons of British actors have successfully taken on superhero roles. The actor wasn’t an obvious choice when he was cast, but now is one the highest regarded actors who have donned the cape and cowl.

Ben Affleck - Argo

Unlike the other Batman actors, Ben Affleck was quite a seasoned actor when he was cast as Bruce Wayne for the DCEU. The actor had a presence in Hollywood for over 20 years, with famed roles in movies like Good Will Hunting, Armageddon, Daredevil and so forth. At the time of Affleck’s casting in Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice, he was most remembered for starring and directing in Argo, which won Best Picture at the Oscars in 2013.

With the legacy of Christian Bale’s Batman lurking in the shadows, the studio purposely went for an older, more seasoned Batman for the movie in order to avoid comparisons and skip out on telling his origin story again. When Ben Affleck was initially cast, many fans felt he was the wrong choice for the part. However, he ended up faring quite well among audiences as the character once he played the role on the big screen. Still, he never really got time to shine as he shared his screen time with Superman and the Justice League as DCEU attempted to form. After Justice League’s critical failure and Affleck dealing with substance abuse, he left the role and left the solo film wide open for yet another actor.

So now history repeats itself! It's time for another Batman. Robert Pattinson’s resume is actually a lot more extensive than his peers, as he has branched out to dramatic roles in films such as The Lost City of Z, Good Time and High Life along with leading the highly-successful Twilight franchise at the start of his career - oh, and he was in a Harry Potter film too!

From what we know so far about Matt Reeves project has a lot going for it too! The writer/director best known for the latest Planet of the Apes entries has a noir-type tale that will have him showing off his detective skills and going head-to-head with a rogue gallery of villains. So, why not Robert Pattinson? If he was cast in the role, Reeves must have thought he was the man for the job.

What do you think? Are you excited to see Pattinson join these fellas at the next Batman? Tell us your thoughts in the comments below.

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How Shazam! Set The Stage For Black Adam

How Shazam! Set The Stage For Black Adam

Warning: SPOILERS for Shazam! are ahead!

Shazam might not have a rogues gallery as big as Batman’s, but he does had a solid collection of color villains he’s repeatedly battled over the decades. The most popular of the bunch are Black Adam and Doctor Thaddeus Sivana. The former was originally supposed to face off against the hero previously known as Captain Marvel in the Shazam! movie, but plans changed and the latter was selected to take his place. However, Shazam! nonetheless alluded to Black Adam and set the stage for his eventual DC Extended Universe debut by giving audiences a snippet of his past.

Just like in the comics, Billy Batson was brought to the Rock of Eternity in Shazam! by the wizard Shazam to become his new champion. But before giving Billy his powers, the wizard tells Billy about the last champion he chose, who isn’t named, but it’s clearly Black Adam, originally known as Teth-Adam. Thousands of years earlier, Black Adam turned to the dark side and used his powers for evil, resulting in the Seven Deadly Sins being unleashed. Once they started running rampant, numerous civilizations fell and millions died, including Shazam’s comrades on the Council of Wizards, although it was left ambiguous whether the Sins were responsible for the Council’s destruction or Black Adam.

Either way, somehow the wizard Shazam managed to contain the spirits of the Seven Deadly Sins within mystical statues, and while it wasn’t explained why happened to Black Adam, evidently his reign of terror also ended since he’s not wreaking havoc in the present day. Because everything went so horribly with Black Adam, the wizard vowed to select only someone pure of heart to be his next champion. It took several millennia for him to finally find a worthy successor, with the adolescent Thaddeus Sivana failing to impress in 1974 and Billy Batson ultimately inheriting the mantle in 2019.

That was the extent to which Black Adam factored into Shazam!, which makes sense given that Doctor Sivana was the main threat in the movie. It was important not to overshadow Sivana’s retrieval of the Seven Deadly Sins and his quest to take the wizard Shazam’s power for himself. It doesn’t matter, though, because that Black Adam seed has been planted nicely, and the character has a bright future ahead of him on the silver screen.

In late 2014, around the time that Warner Bros announced its initial slate of DCEU films, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson was finally confirmed to be playing Black Adam in the franchise, having previously agreed to play the antagonist in a previous live action Shazam! movie that was scrapped in 2009. Then at the beginning of 2017, it was announced that Black Adam would get his own solo movie. While the DCEU has a lot of movies in development, not all of which will never move forward, given Shazam!’s positive critical reception and the likelihood that it will do well at the box office, it stands to reason that Black Adam stands a better chance of being made. After all, if Warner Bros is willing to move forward with a Trench spinoff following Aquaman’s gargantuan success, then a Black Adam movie with Johnson, arguably the world’s biggest movie star, playing the lead, is an enticing prospect.

Although he was initially depicted as a straightforward supervillain, in the modern era Black Adam has morphed into an anti-hero, with comic book readers learning about his tragic past in ancient Kahndaq and his goals switching from generic world domination to doing whatever it takes to protect his people, usually resulting in him taking the Kahndaqian throne and still getting on a lot of DC heroes’ bad sides. Undateable’s Adam Sztykiel is writing the Black Adam movie and Hiram Garcia is producing, but no plot details have been officially revealed yet. It would be easy enough for Black Adam to be a prequel showing how he met the wizard Shazam and his fall from grace, but a rumor from That Hashtag Show claims that Sztykiel’s latest is a present day set story, with Hawkman, Stargirl and Atom Smasher appearing.

Regardless, assuming all goes according to plan, Black Adam will get the spotlight for himself, and considering how he’s been developed over the years, he’s definitely a compelling enough character to lead his own movie, not to mention that DC has already played around with villain/anti-hero-led movies with 2016’s Suicide Squad (which is finally getting a sequel in 2021). Still, at his core, Black Adam is a Shazam adversary, and it’s be foolish to think that these two won’t eventually fight in the DCEU. That said, those of you looking forward to seeing Shazam and Black Adam clash on the big screen might have to wait longer for that rumble.

In the Shazam! mid-credits scene, Dr. Sivana, who is now depowered after Billy Batson seized the Eye of Envy from him and trapped the Seven Deadly Sins back within it, was shown in prison obsessively scrawling runes on the walls in a desperate attempt to get back to the Rock of Eternity. He then hears a voice telling him that there are other ways to obtain powers, and that by teaming up together, the two of them could rule the “seven realms.” This voice belongs to the diminutive, yet sinister Mister Mind, the super intelligent worm who was seen in 1974 being held in a glass case at the Rock of Eternity, but had escaped his confinement by the time Billy Batson showing up there, breaking free after Sivana became possessed by the Seven Deadly Sins, which led to quite the kerfuffle in the wizard’s lair.

Just like how Aquaman’s mid-credits scene set up that Aquaman 2 will follow Black Manta helping Stephen Shin find Atlantis in exchange for the marine biologist assisting the mercenary in exacting revenge on Arthur Curry, Shazam! seems to be teasing that Shazam! 2 will follow Dr. Sivana and Mister Mind working together to defeat the Shazam family and conquer these mysterious seven realms. If that’s the case, then there’s a good chance that Black Adam won’t appear in the sequel either, or if he does, it will only be for a cameo.

Although Black Adam has been part of Mister Mind’s Monster Society of Evil in the comics, given how much more prominent he’s become in the DC universe, as well as the already-announced plans for him on film, it’s reasonable to assume he wouldn’t be a side player in Shazam! 2. Given how much trouble Dr. Sivana gave Billy Batson in his origin story, him returning with Mister Mind and whatever monstrous allies they’ve recruited to their cause is more than enough to cause trouble Billy and the rest of the Shazam family. That said, maybe Shazam! 2 could tease Black Adam finally preparing to face off against Billy in its own mid/post-credits scene.

As things stand now, and assuming the Shazam! corner of the DCEU will go on for a long time, I predict that Black Adam will show up in Shazam! 3, which will arrive after the Black Adam movie does. Depending on how Black Adam is received, maybe there’s even a chance that a sequel could come out before Shazam! 3, but I suspect that the Shazam vs. Black Adam brawl is being saved for the big ‘finale,’ much like how the Avengers didn’t fight Thanos in his forces until Avengers: Infinity War, with the rematch occurring later this month in Avengers: Endgame. Shazam and Black Adam is an event that’s definitely an event that’s worth spending as much time on as necessary to ensure it looks excellent. Make no mistake, though, barring some last-minute, unforeseen, radical turn of events, Black Adam is coming to the DCEU and he’ll make a lot of noise.

Be sure to read CinemaBlend’s review of Shazam! and what other members of our staff thought of the movie. We’ll be sure to keep you updated on all things Shazam and Black Adam-related as more details come in. For now, look through our DC movies guide to learn what else is in development for the DCEU.

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The Rocketman Scene That Deeply Moves Taron Egerton When He Watches It

The Rocketman Scene That Deeply Moves Taron Egerton When He Watches It

This May, the next chapter in a recent string of high profile musical films arrives in the form of Rocketman. The film stars Taron Egerton as Elton John in a fantasy musical that chronicles the life of the international superstar. Speaking about the film recently, Taron Egerton highlighted one scene in particular that really moves him to watch: the sequence at Dodger Stadium, as he explained:

We are phenomenally proud of it. It feels weird for me to say it, and narcissistic but it moves me when I watch it.

Taron Egerton was almost bashful when he spoke about the Dodger Stadium scene to AMC Theatres. He seemed like he really wanted to talk about the sequence because he was so proud and excited about it. But he also didn’t want to be boastful or spoilery. Fully aware of how it might come off though, Egerton couldn’t help but admit that the scene at Dodger Stadium genuinely moved him.

As has been glimpsed in the trailers, one of the scenes in Rocketman shows Taron Egerton’s Elton John playing Dodger Stadium. In 1975, Elton John played two sold-out shows on back to back nights in Dodger Stadium to over 100,000 fans combined. Elton John was the first musical act to perform in the stadium since The Beatles in 1966 and these massive and historic concerts were career defining for the man born Reginald Dwight.

Taron Egerton is actually doing all of the singing as Elton John himself in Rocketman, so that must have made him especially proud of his work in the film and in this huge scene. Given the magnitude of the concert being replicated, this enthusiasm and pride is exactly what you want to hear from Taron Egerton about the Dodger Stadium scene in the movie. We want to be sitting in the audience of a theater and be moved and blown away by the spectacle, the music and the performances on display.

It’s impossible to hear Taron Egerton pump up the Dodger Stadium sequence in Rocketman and not draw comparisons to Bohemian Rhapsody and its Live Aid sequence. That film, which Rocketman director Dexter Fletcher came on to finish (although the final sequence was directed by Bryan Singer), built towards the climax of the 1985 Live Aid concert. That concert was the centerpiece of the film and even some of those that didn’t like Bohemian Rhapsody overall still found a lot to love in the thrilling concert that closed the show.

Hearing how Taron Egerton feels about the Dodger Stadium sequence in Rocketman, it’s easy to get hyped to see what he and Dexter Fletcher have put together. And unlike Bohemian Rhapsody, which some criticized for glossing over certain elements of Freddie Mercury's life, Rocketman is said to not be holding anything back. Perhaps it will capture the brilliance of the Live Aid scene while adding a little more substance in other areas.

Rocketman opens in theaters on May 31. That’s only one of the exciting movies too look forward to in the coming months, check out the rest in our 2019 release schedule.

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Dark Phoenix Director Explains Why The Hellfire Club Wasn’t Included

Dark Phoenix Director Explains Why The Hellfire Club Wasn’t Included

Superhero movies are everywhere, but there was a time when the genre seemed like a serious gamble for studios. Before shared universes became commonplace, 20th Century Fox (RIP) brought X-Men to theaters back in 2000. The property hasn't been far from theaters in the nearly two decades since, although it will all come to an end with Dark Phoenix.

Dark Phoenix is the franchise's final run in theaters, and the second attempt at adapting the titular comic book story. On the page, the Hellfire Club is an integral part of the plot, manipulating Jean and the dark power that lives inside her. But they won't be in the upcoming blockbuster, and director/writer Simon Kinberg explained this choice, saying:

I think if I had four hours to tell this story I would've included the Hellfire Club, I might've included Lilandra. Because I wanted it to be so focused on Jean and I wanted to really tell a character story a little differently than we have in the past in the X-Men. In the past it's been a little more horizontal, meaning there was a breadth of character, there was a bunch of characters. In this one I wanted to go a little more vertical, I wanted to go deep with our main characters, and especially with Jean.

Simon Kinberg has been a long-time producer in the X-Men franchise, so he clearly knows the mutants and their adversaries very well. And while he may have liked to include the Hellfire Club and cosmic character Lilandra in Dark Phoenix, the full story is simply too dense for one movie. Instead, he pivoted his focus onto the psyche of Sophie Turner's Jean Grey, giving the title character the chance to carry the movie.

Related: Why Dark Phoenix Reshot Its Original Ending, According To Simon Kinberg

From the looks of Dark Phoenix's trailers, Sansa Stark is going to be given the true focus of the movie, with Sophie Turner getting the chance to show off a different side of her acting abilities. This should hopefully streamline the narrative, while also allowing the other mutants to split in their allegiances in the wake of Jean's dark power. Even if that means comic book characters ended up on the cutting room floor.

In his same conversation with Digital Spy, Simon Kinberg went on to explain how The Hellfire Club's inclusion may have weighed down Dark Phoenix. As he put it:

So while I loved the Hellfire characters and their role in the Dark Phoenix saga in the comics, and I loved the Lilandra storyline in the comics, all of those felt like they were going to start to compete with the main story of Jean and her emotional crack-up and the break-up of the X-Men family. And I didn't want to draw away from that main emotional through-line.

Simon Kinberg may be making his directorial debut with Dark Phoenix, but he's been working on the franchise since the very beginning. As such, he's seen all the peaks and valleys of the X-Men movies over the years. This no doubt helped his creative process with the upcoming blockbuster, as well as his decision to exclude certain comic book characters.

Members of the Hellfire Club have already appeared in an earlier installment in the franchise, so adding them to Dark Phoenix would make the timeline a bit more confusing and convoluted. Sebastian Shaw and Emma Frost were antagonists in X-Men: First Class, and that's a timeline that is still being utilized in Dark Phoenix. The characters have a relationship with the Hellfire Club, especially Professor X, Mystique, and Magneto.

While Lilandra hasn't been adapted to live-action, there were many thought that Jessica Chastain would be playing the character in Dark Phoenix. Chastain's role still hasn't been revealed, although the trailers show her manipulating Jean to give into her new dark persona. Only time will tell who she ends up playing, and how similar to Lilandra the character ends up being.

All will be revealed when Dark Phoenix arrives in theaters on June 7th. In the meantime, check out our 2019 release list to plan your next trip to the movies.

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Zack Snyder Saw Shazam! Late, But Still Shared What He Thought

Zack Snyder Saw Shazam! Late, But Still Shared What He Thought

While he’s not part of the inner workings of the DC Extended Universe, director Zack Snyder is still a figure that fans of the DCEU like to consult from time to time. And when not asking him about whether or not the Snyder Cut will ever be released, or pouring over the details of what Darkseid would have looked like in Justice League: Part 2, fans have taken to asking Snyder about his thoughts involving the current state of the film franchise meant to give Marvel’s Cinematic Universe a run for their money. Which is why it’s pretty awesome to hear that when asked about Shazam!, not only did Snyder respond, he actually seemed to like the film.

Previously, Zack Snyder was asked to provide his opinion on the David F. Sandberg directed film, and unfortunately for the fan who had asked he hadn’t seen it yet. Though it was only a handful of days before the Justice League director actually did go and see Shazam!, which prompted him to respond that he thought the movie was fun.

The exchange took place through Snyder’s preferred social network, Vero, and what’s even more surprising is the fact that Zack Snyder responded to the user who’d asked him without any prompting. So while the man may be busy preparing to return to the world of zombies with Netflix’s Army of the Dead, he’s not too busy to take some time out and answer some fan mail.

While not the uber-blockbuster success that Aquaman found itself to be, Shazam! has made a pretty generous bankroll at $347 million in international grosses. With a fifth place showing in the first week of Avengers: Endgame’s box office conquest, it’s not a bad place to be for a movie that’s already been out for about a month in theaters. Though with the new superpowered competition in town, it probably won’t last too much longer once May’s would be blockbusters take the field.

So it’s probably a good thing that Zack Snyder went and saw Shazam! now, before it left his local movie house. Especially since there were fans out there that really wanted to know what the director thought of Billy Batson’s origin story.

It’ll be interesting to see what Zack Snyder thinks about the future of the DC Extended Universe, with films like Joker and Wonder Woman 1984 in the pipeline. In fact, if there was any film that fans would probably want to know Snyder’s reaction to, it’d be the Todd Phillips directed head trip about the potential origin to Gotham’s clown prince of crime. So if you’re a Vero user, and you’re connected with Zack Snyder, you might want to keep your eyes peeled for the next chance to ask him about those films, when they hit theaters.

Shazam! is in theaters now, should you want to return to the world of DC Comics after Avengers: Endgame.

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Daniel Craig Has Been Working Out For 12 Hours At A Time For Bond 25

Daniel Craig Has Been Working Out For 12 Hours At A Time For Bond 25

If you're a good worker, you do what you have to in order to get the job done. Maybe it's putting on a tie around the office and being a good listener, or making sure your emails have that polished sheen of professionalism that gets the point across. The point is, when you give 150% to your chosen profession, you're going to do what needs to be done. And if you're Daniel Craig, it's apparently working out in multiple 12 hour power sessions to become physically fit for his fifth, and presumably last, outing as James Bond in Bond 25.

Apparently some of Craig's co-workers on the set of the latest 007 film have noted that the man who's played the suave asskicker since 2006's Casino Royale has paid important attention to keeping his physique in tip top shape. On top of working out for basically half a day, Daniel Craig has also been keeping a strict diet regimen that is helping give him the look that he's rocked in all of his outings as the character.

Keep in mind, this isn't just Daniel Craig cramming in a bunch of exercise to get ready for Bond 25. The man certainly hasn't let himself go by any means. True, it's been almost four years since Spectre brought the action, but with work in other projects like Steven Soderbergh's Logan Lucky, and this year's Knives Out with Rian Johnson, it's safe to assume that Daniel Craig hasn't been slacking off.

Still, James Bond movies must attempt to go above and beyond what the public is expecting. So this report from the Daily Mail stating that Mr. Craig is undergoing several 12 hour workout sessions in a week is no surprise. It's certainly not the most insane plan we've seen, as Dwayne Johnson probably has Daniel Craig beat out in that respect. But it definitely highlights why Bond 25 is probably going to be Craig's last time out in the role.

Playing a character like James Bond is much like the experience that Hugh Jackman had while playing Wolverine in his X-Men films and spin-offs. There's opportunity to stretch the acting legs in-between goes, but ultimately there comes a time when you want to ditch the diets and the workouts and just play the field of acting in a much less physically demanding way. Perhaps the most important part of such a decision, especially in the Bond franchise, is to quit while people still believe you're able to do the stunts.

When all is said and done with Bond 25, Daniel Craig will have given roughly 15 years and five movies to the franchise that helped skyrocket him to the megastar that he is today. And he'll have paid for it with the crazy sorts of diet and exercise routines that he's currently working with. It's an insane method, but the results for sure cannot be argued with.

Bond 25 will cross the gunbarrel in theaters on April 8, 2020; but you can see Daniel Craig much sooner when he takes part in Knives Out on November 27th, 2019.

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