Zack Snyder's Netflix Movie Has Cast Its First Star

Zack Snyder's Netflix Movie Has Cast Its First Star

Netflix has been lining up more and more big name Hollywood talent to boost up its library of big budget content. One of the streaming services latest projects comes from Zack Snyder. The film will be his first directorial effort since 2017's Justice League, and it will be a post-apocalyptic zombie movie called Army of the Dead. Not too much is known about the project, but Snyder has found his lead actor in the form of Marvel star Dave Bautista.

According to Deadline, Dave Bautista will headline Army of the Dead for Netflix and Zack Snyder. Not too much is known about his specific role in the film, but the story is set in Las Vegas amid a zombie outbreak, and a man assembles a team of mercenaries to pull of a spectacular heist. One would assume that Bautista will play said man. I'm not sure why a heist needs to be pulled when zombies are a thing, but we'll find out soon enough.

Army of the Dead was scripted by Shay Hatten and Zach Snyder. Snyder is also producing the film alongside his wife, Deborah Snyder.

This is just the latest in a growing line of projects for Dave Bautista, who hasn't had any problem building up his resume. The wrestler turned action star has appeared in such films as Spectre and Blade Runner 2049. Bautista is also a part of the Escape Plan movies starring Sylvester Stallone, with the third one, Escape Plan: The Extractors, set to arrive in theaters later this year.

Of course, Dave Bautista is best known for his role as Drax the Destroyer in the MCU's Guardians of the Galaxy franchise. We have no idea if Drax will return in the rapidly approaching Avengers: Endgame, but he's expected to be in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. James Gunn is back in the director's chair, and Bautista, who was a strong critic when Gunn was initially fired from the film, said he was excited to work with the filmmaker again.

As for Dave Bautista's upcoming films, he'll be appearing in the action-comedy Stuber alongside Kumail Nanjiani this summer on July 12. The film follows a grizzled detective (Bautista) who recruits an Uber driver (Nanjiani) to stop a terrorist after the cop crashes his car. The film premiered at South by Southwest in March to positive reviews, and thanks to the Disney-Fox merger, it'll be the first R-rated film released by Disney since 2013.

You can also catch Bautista in the family-comedy My Spy, which premiered its first trailer at CinemaCon last week. The actor will also be reuniting with director Denis Villenueve in the upcoming Dune remake.

Dave Bautista is a busy man! There's no release date for Army of the Dead just yet, but you can check all the cool movies Netflix has coming up with our streaming guide.

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Ryan Reynolds Has A Perfect Mother's Day Message For Detective Pikachu Fans

Ryan Reynolds Has A Perfect Mother's Day Message For Detective Pikachu Fans

Mother’s Day weekend is here, and so is the highly-anticipated release Detective Pikachu! For those struggling to convince their moms to go out and see the popular (and adorable) video game character over other new releases such as The Hustle, Poms, or Tolkien, you’re in luck! Ryan Reynolds is covering all his bases during the promotion of his latest film, and has released a special message for moms everywhere. Take a look:

This has been a PSA! Ryan Reynolds took to his Instagram to share a very on-brand video concerning his own reputation as a foul-mouthed actor (most certainly from playing Deadpool) and placing concerns to rest for Detective Pikachu. As he cleverly explains, the yellow fluffy detective will not be washing his mouth with soap, because he’s a PG character!

Considering the actor has played one of the only R-rated Marvel superheroes on the big screen, moms may have received mixed messages about Ryan Reynolds’ involvement in the Pokémon franchise meaning he’d be placing an edgier take on this character too. The funny video assures audiences that the movie is a-ok for the entire family! It even features a cute exchange between Reynolds’ Pikachu and Justice Smith’s Tim that screams "heartwarming."

Detective Pikachu seems to prove that Ryan Reynolds is more than capable of using his dry humor to attract a younger audience as well … even if adult audiences have grown accustomed to his f-bombs and such. The movie does have a tricky line to walk between appeasing OG fans who are now adults and introducing kids to the new franchise as well.

Since the actor has been playing Deadpool for the past few years, he has admitted that turning the switch into PG content was a bit of a struggle. He recently told CinemaBlend that there could be an entire R-rated cut of Detective Pikachu with all the improv he got out in the outtakes. He’s also pitched a grittier Pikachu that’d be a remake of Mean Streets or Goodfellas as well.

So while a Ryan Reynolds-voiced R-rated Pikachu could certainly exist, the soft and fluffy handle-with-care Pokémon will be gracing screens this weekend. Per reviews of the film, Reynolds’ comedy holds up in his new voice role, some have even said it’s the best part of the movie amidst criticism of the film’s premise.

Whether mothers hear this message or not, Detective Pikachu is heading into an impressive opening weekend after topping the box office Friday with almost $21 million, becoming the first film to knock Avengers: Endgame to second place. The movie also already broke a record to become the best opening for a video game film.

Detective Pikachu is in theaters now! Line up with your moms this weekend!

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Sylvester Stallone Gets Fans Pumped For The Expendables 4 With Badass Throwback Photo

Sylvester Stallone Gets Fans Pumped For The Expendables 4 With Badass Throwback Photo

The Expendables 4 has had a roller-coaster journey, and we still don't know exactly when it's showing up. Whether he intended to hype that movie or not, Sylvester Stallone definitely got fans ready for more action with his recent Expendables throwback photo. Here's Sly with fellow "wiseguys" Arnold Schwarzenegger and Bruce Willis from the set of The Expendables 2:

Arnold Schwarzenegger had tweeted the same pic out in October 2011 at the start of Expendables 2 production in Bulgaria.

The Expendables came out in 2010, directed and co-written by Sylvester Stallone, co-starring Jason Statham, Jet Li, Dolph Lundgren, and many more -- with uncredited cameos from Bruce Willis and Ahhhhnold.

The Expendables 2 came out in 2012, still co-written by Sylvester Stallone, but not directed by him. Jason Statham, Jet Li and Dolph Lundgren returned, along with Bruce Willis and Arnold Schwarzenegger, plus Chuck Norris, Terry Crews, Jean-Claude Van Damme and more.

The Expendables 3 came out in 2014, still co-written by Sylvester Stallone, and this time adding Mel Gibson, Harrison Ford, Wesley Snipes, and many more. (Bruce Willis didn't bring Mr. Church back for the third movie.)

Based on that release schedule, you'd think The Expendables 4 would've shown up in 2016. But things got complicated.

First, in 2016, it was announced that the fourth movie would be happening as the final movie of the franchise, with Sylvester Stallone, Jason Statham, and Arnold Schwarzenegger all expected to return.

However, in March 2017, Sylvester Stallone walked away from the franchise. According to Deadline, it was because he and Nu Image/Millennium chief Avi Lerner could not find common ground on multiple fronts, including a new director.

In April 2017, Arnold Schwarzenegger told EW he wouldn't be in The Expendables 4 without Sylvester Stallone. Also, he wasn't that happy with how his role was written in the third movie. He loved the first two, and he loves the franchise, but he wouldn't return without Sly and without a better role for himself.

Fast forward to January 2018, and Sly Stallone gave fans renewed hope with this post:

Keep going to May 2018, and it looked official -- The Expendables 4 was back! Deadline had a report on distribution rights for both Rambo 5 -- which is coming to theaters later this year -- and The Expendables 4. According to that report, Stallone would star in The Expendables 4 in early 2019.

That's the last official word on the matter, other than Terry Crews saying he was out because of a producer's involvement.

But this new throwback photo from Sylvester Stallone may be another plug. Hopefully it's telling that it's from the second movie, which was the most successful with critics, fans, and the worldwide box office. Stay tuned for more updates. In the meantime, keep up with the films coming to the big screen this year -- including Rambo V: Last Blood -- with our handy movie release date schedule.

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Why 'Lord Of War' Starring Nicolas Cage Bought 3,000 Real Guns Instead Of Props

Why 'Lord Of War' Starring Nicolas Cage Bought 3,000 Real Guns Instead Of Props

There are a lot of guns in the In the 2005 movie Lord of War. And we mean a lot of guns. The underrated crime drama is loosely based on real events and real-life arms dealers and smugglers, and it follows Yuri Orlov (Nicolas Cage), an illegal arms dealer who amalgamates a great deal of business — and quite a bit of trouble along the way — as he sells high-power rifles, machine guns and other weapons to war-driven countries from the '80s through the early '00s. If you are making a movie about a guy who sells a lot of guns, you're gonna need a whole lot of guns. It's basically a given.

Oftentimes, however, the guns you see in the movies are just props. Fakes. There are exceptions to be found throughout the movie business, obviously, but it's generally known that the guns you see in the movies may not always be the real deal. However, when it comes to Lord of War, those weapons were not the result of movie magic. Instead, writer-director Andrew Niccol went ahead and bought a whopping 3000 Kalashnikov automatic rifles.

But here's the kicker: the movie team didn't purchase these high power rifles simply to make the flick a bit more authentic or realistic. Instead, the filmmakers behind Lord of War discovered that it would ultimately be cheaper to buy real guns instead of fakes. Yes, really.

In an interview with The New York Daily News (via The New Zealand Herald), Andrew Niccol — who is also known as the screenwriter of The Truman Show and the director of In Time, Gattaca, The Host (2013) and, most recently, Netflix's Anon — explained how it was easier to acquire real guns and sell them back after filming. Also, Niccol realized that it wasn't quite as easy to make a profit off of weapons as his lead character made it seem.

In a way, my film is a how-to about becoming an arms dealer. During the making of it, I needed guns in the Czech Republic, and it was cheaper to use real guns than replicas. I bought 3000 Kalashnikovs and then sold them back at a loss. I wouldn't make a very good arms dealer.

Meanwhile, Andrew Niccol was apparently not entirely keen on selling the guns back into circulation. Yet, because the budget of his movie was fairly small, he wasn't able to destroy them. Or, at least, not all of them. As the writer-director explained, there were a few guns that he was able to dispose of.

In South Africa, we did cut some guns in half to stop them from getting into circulation. The fact that it was so easy to buy guns was disturbing. We also got some tanks, and the guy said, 'I need them back by December because I'm selling them to Libya.'

Furthermore, while the movie itself does showcase an array of guns and results in a fun and engaging film about crime and weaponry, Lord of War isn't necessarily a celebration of gun culture. Or, at least, it doesn't sound like Andrew Niccol is a fan of the illegal arms culture, which could be why he destroyed some of what the Lord of War team purchased for the film.

Also starring Ethan Hawke, Bridget Moynahan and Jared Leto, Lord of War was met with modest reviews by critics when it was released in 2005. However, in the time since its release, the crime drama has gone on to receive high praise from audiences — particularly with its 7.6 rating on IMDb. Though the movie isn't perfect, it is a thoughtful and compelling examination of the gun trade, particularly in the years before and after 9/11, and it is certainly worth a watch if you haven't had a chance to see it yet.

Additionally, if you do get a chance to check out Lord of War, you should definitely take note of the guns found on display throughout the film — though it would be hard not to, given the movie's subject matter. Because they are the real deal, folks. Those guns aren't make-believe. And that most certainly adds to the film's heightened realism.

Lord of War is currently available streaming on Netflix or you can pickup your own copy -- in 4K even -- on Amazon.

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Avatar and New Mutants Just Pushed Back Their Release Date... Again

Avatar and New Mutants Just Pushed Back Their Release Date... Again

If you thought that things were a little too comfortable in terms of the Avatar sequels, or even the status of The New Mutants’ release dates, you were right. As it turns out both of these oft delayed properties have been pushed back yet again, as part of a slew of release dates being shifted in a post Fox/Disney merger climate.

In an announcement made by The Walt Disney Studios, the Avatar series has now been slated to open every other year, on the weekend before Christmas, starting in 2021. Which means that Avatar 2 looks to be opening on December 17, 2021; with 2023, 2025, and 2027 being the release years for each of the proposed sequels following after. Though if you were wondering about Avatar 4 and 5 ever being formally green-lit, both films were announced as getting the go-ahead as of today.

Meanwhile, The New Mutants has been shifted to April 3, 2020; which is almost two years after the film’s originally slated opening for April 13, 2018. This is a confirmation that, at least for now, the film will be released theatrically, and also means that director Josh Boone can finally undertake the reshoots that were supposed to have already been done on the film.

It’s rather interesting that both the Avatar franchise and The New Mutants would be pushed back again, after both projects have become notable for their delays. But looking into the prospects of both properties, it’s not hard to see why the Fox/Disney merger would result in their delays.

With the release schedule of two studios to content with, the newly cemented studio family was always going to have to play musical chairs with their slate of finished or in-production films. But in the case of The New Mutants, the opportunity to start a new franchise of mutant powered adventure is something that Fox/Disney is going to want to put its best foot forward out on.

As Dark Phoenix is supposedly closing out the X-Men saga for the foreseeable future, The New Mutants could not only keep the mutant fires lit, it could be the next big movie hit in the Marvel Comics’ stable. However, the Avatar franchise has a little more to worry about with such a delay taking place.

Avatar 2 was originally meant to be released in December of 2014, but everything from three new movies being added to the docket to he revitalization of the Star Wars franchise caused it get pushed further down the line. Though with release dates now intended for the fully green-lit compliment of films, and the odd bit of new casting news coming up in the public eye, it feels like this delay could be the one that allows the series to come back to life after almost a decade of dormancy.

For reference, here’s the full rundown of when the Avatar sequels will be released, under the new strategy that alternates their Christmas release slot with the continuation of the Star Wars universe:

Avatar 2 – 12/17/21

Avatar 3 – 12/22/23

Avatar 4 – 12/19/25

Avatar 5 – 12/17/27

The Fox/Disney family is about to get a lot more interesting, especially if The New Mutants and the Avatar franchise take off like they have the potential to do. It certainly helps to have new release dates that will help them take on the world in the fighting shape that they need to be in.

However, if you’re looking for something a little more recent to kill the time waiting for both of these box office events, you can check out our 2019 release schedule for your best options.

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The Part of Rocky IV That Makes Dolph Lundgren Emotional

The Part of Rocky IV That Makes Dolph Lundgren Emotional

The Rocky movies have been something of a, well, rocky franchise. The original Rocky was a deeply involved character study of an underdog boxer that earned multiple Academy Awards. Rocky IV was more about Cold War flag waving. Having said that, the movie does get a very strong emotional reaction from co-star Dolph Lundgren, who says the scene where Ivan Drago emerges to fight Apollo Creed always gets to him. According to Lundgren...

I remember when we shot the Apollo Creed fight. Yeah, it was at the MGM Grand in Vegas. They had me down in this elevator that was going to go up, part of the stage show...When I came up the elevator, I was stunned. That's the one moment in Rocky IV where you see Dolph Lundgren, at 27, because that Drago mask kind of fell off and I'm just there going, 'What the hell happened,' you know? And that's kind of a beautiful moment. I always get a little emotional when I see that, because I see that young kid."

Rocky IV was the movie that introduced the world to Dolph Lundgren, but at the same time it was also the movie that introduced Dolph Lundgren to the world. Lundgren had technically made his acting debut a few months earlier when the James Bond movie A View to a Kill came out, but when Rocky IV hit the screen he made a massive leap to playing the opponent of Rocky Balboa in a much larger role.

It all had to feel somewhat surreal to Lundgren, and based on comments the actor makes on the special features attached to the Creed II Blu-ray release, it absolutely was. The actor says the look on his face as he came out into the MGM Grand wasn't acting anymore, it was his actual feelings as he saw this massive crowd that had come to watch him film the boxing match between himself and Carl Weathers. You can watch the sequence play out in the clip below.

It's been a while since I've seen Rocky IV but I'd forgotten how much of a deer in the headlights Ivan Drago looks like here. He's clearly out of his element, which is an odd thing to see from a character who's supposed to be an unstoppable machine. He shows basically no emotion for the entire film, but he''s clearly off balance here. It turns out that part of the reason for that is that this isn't really the reaction of Ivan Drago, it's the reaction of Dolph Lundgren.

Rocky IV would help launch Lundgren's career in action movies throughout the 80s and 90s before coming full circle and seeing him return to the role of Ivan Drago in Creed II, a movie which shows us a side of the character we never saw the first time around.

Creed II is available now on Blu-ray and Digital HD.

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8 Marvel Characters Who Could Be The MCU's First Gay Hero

8 Marvel Characters Who Could Be The MCU's First Gay Hero

Inclusion and diversity are slowly-but-surely coming to superhero movies. Wonder Woman, Black Panther, and Captain Marvel have all been massive successes, but even after 22 movies and 11 years, there has yet to be an openly gay Marvel superhero on the big screen. Marvel has promised the MCU will become a more diverse place in the near-future, and the first LGBTQ character looks to be right around the corner.

While one Marvel producer has stated we've already met the upcoming LGBTQ big screen character, there's no doubt new heroes will be introduced as the MCU enters Phase Four. With that in mind, there's no shortage of gay comic characters who have yet to make the leap to the big screen. Marvel likely already has its picks, but these are perhaps some of the strongest candidates for the MCU's first gay superhero. Take a look.

Wiccan

Wiccan doesn't have that long of a history in the comics compared to some other characters, but he's built up a loyal fanbase and appeared in numerous books since he debuted in 2005. He's a powerful magic user and is so strong that he's one of the candidates to be the Sorcerer Supreme. Wiccan is frequently associated with the Young Avengers and his long-term boyfriend, Hulkling.

If Wiccan does show up in the movies, he likely won't be the exact same character from the comics universe. That's because his backstory is that he's actually the long-lost son of Scarlet Witch and Vision, but he's conceived by an ordinary couple because of confusing reality-altering magic which is complicated to explain. With Vision being dead and all, the MCU version of Wiccan might not have any relation to Wanda other than as a mentor figure.

Hulkling

Teddy Altman may have based his identity after the Hulk, but he's got nothing to do with Bruce Banner. Hulkling is a Kree/Skrull hybrid, possessing the powers of both races. His shapeshifting powers let him take a Hulk-like appearance, in addition to growing wings, claws, or whatever else he needs in a given moment. Like his boyfriend Wiccan, Hulkling was a frequent member of the Young Avengers.

It wouldn't take much to bring Hulkling into the MCU fold. His father is actually Captain Marvel (the original, not Carol Danvers), who doesn't really exist in the movies. Annette Bening's Mar-Vell could always end up being his mother though, so perhaps he'd get introduced in Captain Marvel 2 before getting a Young Avengers film? There are options, is all I'm saying.

Moondragon

Moondragon has got one hell of a complicated backstory, but she's definitely a candidate. Her real name is Heather Douglas and she is the human daughter of Drax the Destroyer. In the MCU, Drax has always just been an alien, but in the comics, he was a human who was reborn into a cosmically manufactured body to kill Thanos. Heather gets dragged along for the ride and goes on a bunch of space adventures, learning psionic powers and becoming a martial arts master.

Moondragon has long been associated with the Guardians of the Galaxy and her comic book history with Drax is an interesting wrinkle. Making them father and daughter in the movies might be too ridiculous, but The MCU has found clever twists to tie back to the comics before. As the MCU expands its cosmic world, Moondragon is a pretty logical choice to make an appearance.

Miss America

One of the youngest characters on this list, America Chavez has nevertheless been making an impression on readers. Operating under the name Miss America, she possesses strength, durability, and the ability to kick open portals to other dimensions. With all of this talk of a multiverse in Spider-Man: Far From Home, that power becomes awfully useful.

America is known for being on a bunch of different superhero teams such as Young Avengers, the Ultimates, and the all-female team A-Force. There's no Avenger who's tied to her in the same sense as say, Captain Marvel and Miss Marvel, but there should be simple ways to introduce her to audiences should that be the direction Marvel chooses. America is Marvel's first Latin-American LGBTQ character to star in an ongoing series, so she's already trampled one record.

Hercules

I'm cheating a little bit with this one, because it's technically an alternate universe version of Hercules that is bisexual, but I think he would be a stronger addition to the MCU than the "canon" version. Hercules is the same demigod from Greek mythology and much like Thor, he spends his time nowadays adventuring with Earth's modern-day heroes. Hercules is a frequent member of the Avengers, and his habit for boasting and storytelling often makes him a fun personality to throw into the mix.

Seeing as how Hercules has a lot of similarities to Thor, I think Marvel could ditch the Greek god angle to help set the characters apart. It might be a great idea to make Hercules one of the Eternals, the advanced race of beings who will be the focus of the upcoming Eternals movie. There's been no indication he will be in that movie, but it could be a smart way to include him and his core character traits while really only altering his backstory a little.

Phylla-Vell

Phylla-Vell is another of Marvel's cosmic characters who has yet to make the jump to the comics. Phylla is a member of the Kree and has held a couple of different titles in her career. She was notably Captain Marvel for a time and she also served as a hero known as Quasar. She possesses a couple of different powers such as super strength, flight, and energy projection, and she's most commonly associated with carrying a big energy sword around. Phylla is usually in a relationship with Moondragon.

Much like another character on this list, Phylla is the daughter of Captain Mar-Vell, the original Captain Marvel, so there's a legacy angle to explore if Marvel wants. Phylla has done some time as a member of the Guardians of the Galaxy, so she could also have a future in that franchise depending on how Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 shakes out.

Iceman

The X-Men have no shortage of gay members, and while we wouldn't get to see any of these characters in the MCU for years, we can cherry pick a few of the most notable for speculation. That list would have to include Iceman, who made headlines a few years ago when he finally came out of the closet after decades of publication history. Iceman is an original member of the X-Men and one of the most powerful mutants alive with the near-unlimited control over ice.

Introducing Iceman (and really any mutant character)into the MCU is super complicated, but it's something that will happen eventually. How it does is anyone's guess right now, but I don't think that there's any question that he will be a gay man. It's possible that Marvel will keep his closeted story line, but that might be too similar to the scene in which Iceman "comes out" as a mutant to his family in X2.

Northstar

It's hard to talk about introducing the first gay hero without mentioning Marvel's actual first gay hero, Northstar. A frequent member of the X-Men, Northstar is one of the first openly gay characters in comics and the first openly gay character to come out in a book published by Marvel Comics. He married his husband, Kyle Jinadu, in the first-ever same-sex marriage in Marvel and DC, so it would be extremely fitting for him to be the first gay MCU character.

Being a mutant, it's tough to introduce Northstar without dealing with how a whole section of the populace that suddenly gained superpowers, but in Northstar's case, I think we can get away with side-stepping that. While he's a member of the X-Men, I don't think he has to be introduced as one. Maybe he can be out on his own and then join the X-Men later when those characters can be brought into the fold? Either way, when the X-Men do show up, Northstar is a strong candidate to be on the team.

Marvel has said it will be focusing on bring more diversity into the movies during Phase Four. Marvel comics made a lot of history in that area, so it's nice that the movies are finally making strides to catch up. There are plenty of options for characters who have yet to arrive on the big screen and with so much unknown about the future of Marvel, it's a very exciting time to be a fan right now.

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