Samuel L. Jackson Shares Photo From Spider-Man: Far From Home Reshoots

Samuel L. Jackson Shares Photo From Spider-Man: Far From Home Reshoots

It's currently a very exciting time for the Marvel Cinematic Universe. After a long year of waiting, Avengers: Endgame will finally arrive in theaters this week, picking up the narrative from last year's Infinity War. While all eyes are on how the survivors will face off against Thanos again, another Marvel blockbuster will arrive shortly after. Spider-Man: Far From Home will bring Tom Holland's Peter Parker to Europe, and have him interact with Marvel favorites like Happy Hogan, Maria Hill, and Nick Fury.

Spider-Man: Far From Home will mark Samuel L. Jackson's whopping 11th appearance as Nick Fury, with ranging from major roles to quick cameos. Fans are eager to see how he interacts with Peter Parker, as well as Jake Gyllenhaal's Mysterio. Jackson is currently in the midst of reshoots for the upcoming sequel, and posted a photo from the set. Check it out.

Samuel L. Jackson may have been able to discard the eyepatch for much of Captain Marvel, but it looks like he's back to his regular cycloptic appearance in order to film Spider-Man: Far From Home.

This behind the scenes glimpse comes from Samuel L. Jackson's personal Instagram page. It seems the 70 year old actor has been very busy lately, reprising his role as Nick Fury while also working on the Hitman's Bodyguard sequel. He's sure to plug both of these projects in the post, although all eyes (pun intended) are on what's next for Fury in the MCU.

The image doesn't show much, but the presence of Nick Fury's eyepatch shows that Sam Jackson is once again back in character as the S.H.I.E.L.D. legend. Fury's first appearance teased a much bigger world for Tony Stark, and his words proved to be true throughout the last decade of filmmaking. Now he'll get to team up with the friendly neighborhood Spider-Man, and see if the newest Avenger is up to snuff.

Per the Spider-Man: Far From Home trailer, it looks like Europe is seeing a bunch of enhanced beings cause a ruckus. This is likely what brings Nick Fury and Maria Hill into the action, and why he eventually recruits Spider-Man to join their efforts. Fury's ultra seriousness and Peter Parker's naivety should foil each other interestingly in the upcoming movie, and it should be interesting to see how the MCU continues after the events of Endgame.

Related: Samuel L. Jackson Really Wanted To Be In Black Panther

The stakes for Spider-Man: Far From Home seemingly got higher recently, as Kevin Feige recently revealed Jon Watts' upcoming sequel is actually the last installment in Phase Three, not Endgame. As such, it may have a closer connection to The Russo Brothers' massive blockbuster. It's going to take some creative storytelling to bring Peter, Fury, and Hill back from the dead. So perhaps Spider-Man's sequel will help get things back on track after Thanos' attack on the galaxy.

Kevin Feige's revelation also means that Spider-Man got his first two solo flick in Phase Three, in addition to his role in Captain America: Civil War and the Avengers movies. It looks like the web crawler will only continue becoming a bigger presence in the shared universe, as we watch Peter Parker mature as a hero and teenager.

Nick Fury has had a long tenure in the MCU, and it doesn't look like it's coming to an end anytime soon. But Samuel L. Jackson was noticeably missing for the majority of Phase Three, despite being an OG member of the shared universe. He wasn't seen in Captain America: Civil War, and was also absent from the events of Black Panther, both of which displeased the actor.

But Nick Fury is getting his time to shine during the final installments of this phase, starting with his post-credits scene in Avengers: Infinity War. Following that cameo, he had notable role in Captain Marvel. The origin story was set in the 1990's, with Samuel L. Jackson being digitally de-aged to play a less experienced version of Fury. The S.H.I.E.L.D. director will next set his eye on your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man, who has an upcoming role in aiding Europe from elemental antagonists.

Before Samuel L. Jackson's signature Marvel character flies to Europe and meets the web crawler, he'll presumably be revived sometime during Avengers: Endgame. Nick Fury was one of the many Marvel characters who faded to dust as a result of Thanos uniting the Infinity Stones, alongside Maria Hill. Spider-Man also perished on Titan after losing to Thanos, in Infinity War's most heartbreaking death scene.

It's unclear how the dusted characters will return to life, although the most recent Avengers: Endgame trailers indicate that the survivors will attempt to unite the Infinity Stone and reverse Thanos' extermination. This should be a difficult task, and Thor is probably the most likely candidate to rock the Infinity Gauntlet. But it's also been teased that the Quantum Realm and time travel might also factor into the mysterious story.

It should be interesting to see how Nick Fury continues factoring into the Marvel Cinematic Universe, as there should presumably be a seismic shift when Phase Three finally concludes. Many of the original Avengers actors are coming to the end of their contracts, and the newer superheroes will presumably need to step up and take on leading roles.

If a new group of Avengers are keeping the team together, they may look to Nick Fury for some guidance. With cosmic and local threats, Earth's Mightiest Heroes will be all the more necessary. Fury has always been known to prepare for the worst, so he may be the perfect character to unite a new team.

Since Captain Marvel finally arrived in theaters, Nick Fury's role in the future of the MCU seems all the more important. Kevin Feige has been quoted saying Carol Danvers will help lead the next phase of Marvel movies, and Fury's relationship with Captain Marvel precedes her long awaited arrival in Avengers: Endgame. Perhaps he'll also be a supporting character in the inevitable Captain Marvel sequel.

Avengers: Endgame will arrive in theaters on April 26th, and Spider-Man: Far From Home will follow shortly on June 2nd. In the meantime, fill out CinemaBlend's Endgame death pool, and check out our 2019 release list to plan your next trip to the movies.

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6 Classic Disney Cartoons That Should Get The Live-Action Treatment After Rescue Rangers

6 Classic Disney Cartoons That Should Get The Live-Action Treatment After Rescue Rangers

It's taken five years since we first heard it was a possibility, but the feature film adaptation of Disney’s classic 1989-1990 television series Chip ‘n’ Dale Rescue Rangers has finally landed a director in The Lonely Island’s Akiva Schaffer. The live-action/CG hybrid from the Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping co-director could be bound for theater screens or Disney’s upcoming Disney+ streaming service.

There’s still a lot we don’t know about Disney and  Mandeville Films’ Rescue Rangers movie, but according to THR, it will not be an origin story or a detective agency story like the cartoon. It is instead described as something meta and self-referential. While we’ll have to wait and see what that means and how well the Rescue Rangers movie appeals to fans of the cartoon, its very existence shows that Disney’s classic cartoons are on the table for adaptation.

Disney will eventually run out of animated classics to remake and its classic animated series are another option to fill out its theatrical and future streaming calendars. Series like Chip ‘n’ Dale Rescue Rangers also carry with them major nostalgic sentiment for millennial audiences, a valuable trait in today’s marketplace.

With all of that in mind, here are 6 classic Disney cartoons that should get the live-action treatment after Rescue Rangers.

Disney’s Adventures Of The Gummi Bears

The very first animated production by Walt Disney Animation Television, Adventures of the Gummi Bears is one of the most obvious candidates for a live-action/CG hybrid akin to what Rescue Rangers is getting. Adventures of the Gummi Bears tells the story of a group of humanoid bears belonging to an ancient, magical and technologically advanced race. In the medieval kingdom of Dunwyn, the bears, along with a small group of friendly humans, go on adventures to discover their history while battling the evil Duke Igthorn and his ogres.

Gummi Bears has deeper mythology than you might expect for a cartoon. Given the magical elements and the medieval fantasy setting, a live-action feature film adaptation would have greater potential in terms of scale than some of the other titles on this list. And as Detective Pikachu recently showed, there is no need to force realism. If done well, the Gummi Bears can be just as cartoony and fantastical as their animated counterparts and still look right alongside human actors. They are magical bears after all.

Talespin

Photo-realistic CGI talking animals were one of those gambles that could have really turned people off, but based on the success of Disney’s live-action remake of The Jungle Book and what we’ve seen of The Lion King, audiences will buy in. So why not take another risk and throw some clothes on Bill Murray’s Baloo and turn him into a 1930s Pacific Islands bush pilot for a live-action adaptation of Talespin? Talespin ran for 65 episodes in the early '90s. In it, Baloo is an air-delivery pilot who, along with business owner Rebecca and orphan navigator Kit, must keep the business flying while evading nefarious air pirates.

The show had a classic action-adventure feel, reminiscent of movies like The Rocketeer, Indiana Jones and with a touch of Casablanca. The period-piece aspect is part of what would make a Talespin movie feel super unique in today’s landscape and I have no doubt such a film would be a blast. Admittedly, this one seems less likely given the cost rendering such a film would require, especially for a property without the name recognition of The Jungle Book.

Darkwing Duck

Anecdotally, Darkwing Duck, which aired in the early '90s as part of The Disney Afternoon slate, seems to be one of Disney’s more beloved classic cartoons (in no small part thanks to a great theme song). The tale of mild-mannered duck Drake Mallard and his superhero alter ego Darkwing Duck was a goofy and action-packed series that also had plenty of heart with Drake’s adopted daughter Gosalyn. The series acted as something of a parody of superheroes like Batman and The Shadow with the bumbling Darkwing Duck mirroring those grim and serious crimefighters.

Disney/Pixar’s Incredibles series already plays with some of the superhero tropes, but a Darkwing Duck movie could really lean into that while also making fun of spy movies and noir films. Such a film could be the detective story the Rescue Rangers movie supposedly isn’t, and more than that property, Darkwing Duck seems ripe with meta, self-referential potential. I’m not sure how exactly how well it would translate to “live-action,” but I’m interested to see it happen. Come on, let’s get dangerous.

Gargoyles

Of all the classic Disney cartoons that have live-action feature film potential, Gargoyles is the most obvious. It’s so ripe for adaptation it’s kind of baffling a Gargoyles movie hasn’t happened yet, especially considering that Jordan Peele supposedly wanted to make one. Gargoyles ran in the mid-nineties and told the story of a clan of creatures of the night who turned to stone by day and protected New York City once the sun goes down.

Gargoyles was notable for being much darker than many of its contemporaries, with complex stories and rich characters that made the show ahead of its time and an eventual cult classic. Modern CGI could finally do Gargoyles justice in live-action on the big screen and I think such an adaptation, that really took the property seriously, would have real blockbuster franchise potential. It’s got action, magic, mythology and a modern setting. It would also be completely different from both Disney’s other offerings and those from other studios and that sort of unique quality makes it worth pursuing.

Bonkers

A spinoff of the earlier Raw Toonage TV series, Bonkers bears a lot of similarities to the classic live-action/animated hybrid comedy Who Framed Roger Rabbit. Bonkers, an anthropomorphic bobcat, is a former cartoon star who has seen his fortunes fade a la BoJack Horseman and now works as a cop in Hollywood. Like Roger Rabbit, cartoons in the world of the TV show live, work and interact with human beings, including Bonkers’ partner Lucky Piquel, who hates toons, a hatred only exacerbated by Bonkers’ antics.

A Bonkers feature could be live-action with very cartoony cartoon characters populating the world and interacting with the human actors. Such a Roger Rabbit-esque approach wouldn’t require realism and would play in to the slapstick-y nature of the TV show. I don’t necessarily see this as a theatrical tentpole for Disney in the way the Gargoyles could be, but it would be ideal as a younger-skewing movie released on Disney+.

Recess

As evidenced by movies like E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, Stand By Me and Goonies, the childhood adventure story is a recipe for cinematic magic. Disney’s Recess may not have the supernatural elements of something like Stranger Things, but it delivers the great characters and relationships that are essential to making these stories work. The jock Vince, the leader T.J., the tomboy Spinelli, the genius Gretchen, the gentle giant Mikey and shy new kid Gus navigate the political battlefield of elementary school recess, while learning important lessons and forming meaningful friendships along the way.

Recess was wildly original and clever and seems like it would be an easy thing to adapt into live-action for a feature film for Disney+. Such a film could really have the childhood adventure quality of something like Goonies, while doing something unique with the mythology inherent to the Recess series. Recess already received a theatrical animated film in 2001 with Recess: School’s Out, which grossed $44.4 million worldwide on a $23 million budget. There is nostalgia and love for this property and it would really whomp if it never came back in some form.

Okay, so where is Ducktales? Well, Ducktales is currently back on the air with a new animated series starring the voice of David Tennant, so a live-action movie seems unnecessary at this point. And Goof Troop? I think Goofy is best served by staying in the fully animated realm as a jump to live-action of any sort could result in the kind of nightmare fuel that would give Pennywise bad dreams.

Disney has classic, beloved cartoons, with name recognition and strong nostalgia capital in its stable that could be brought back to life in wonderful fashion with live-action adaptations. Chip ‘n’ Dale Rescue Rangers may be the first, but it is hopefully not the last.

Check out our 2019 release schedule to see all the biggest movies heading to theaters this year and let us know in the poll below which classic Disney cartoon you think should get the live-action treatment.

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Watch Keanu Reeves Recap The First Two John Wick Movies Ahead Of Parabellum

Watch Keanu Reeves Recap The First Two John Wick Movies Ahead Of Parabellum

Among the many summer movies to look forward to in the coming months is John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum, which is finally arriving a little over two years after its predecessor. But what if you haven’t seen the first two John Wick movies. Well, the first course of option is to actually watch them, but if you find yourself strapped for time, not to worry. Keanu Reeves has provided the following minute-long recap of what has already happened to his assassin character.

Talk about cutting to the chase! Keanu Reeves does a great job summarizing the events of 2014’s John Wick and 2017’s John Wick: Chapter 2, from how this all kicked off when the idiotic son of a mobster stole his car and killed his dog, to how John is now on the run after killing someone on Continental grounds, which is a big no-no. In just a minute, folks who’ve never seen these movies are caught up to speed, and those who only saw them once will have their memories refreshed.

Of course, there’s obviously a lot that this video didn’t cover, like John’s relationship to Willem Dafoe’s Marcus in the first movie to his short-lived conflict with Santino D’Antonio’s second-in-command, Ruby Rose’s Ares, in Chapter 2. Nevertheless, if all you’re looking for is a bare-bones summarization of the John Wick franchise thus far, then watching this video is your best bet. You’ll definitely be able to follow along with John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum’s overall story, even if some of the subtler character dynamics are foreign.

Which brings us to John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum, which picks up immediately after the events of Chapter 2 with John on the run with no access to his underworld resources and a $14 million bounty on his head going live in one hour. John is no stranger to fighting off assassins, but this is unquestionably his biggest fight yet, as it’s the High Table, the council of crime lords that are the ultimate authority in the underworld, that wants his head.

John’s main goal will be to escape New York City at the start of John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum, and the previews have shown that he manages to this since he’s also seen walking through a desert. Beyond that, we don’t know what specifically is in store for John, though you can count on him leaving a trail of bodies wherever he goes.

Along with Keanu Reeves obviously being back for a third round of bullet-riddled action, John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum also sees the return of Ian McShane’s Winston, Lance Reddick’s Charon, John Leguizamo’s Aurelio and Laurence Fishburne’s Bowery King. As for new faces, they include Halle Berry’s Sofia, Angelica Huston’s The Director, Asia Kate Dillon’s The Adjudicator, Mark Dacascos’ Zero, Robin Lord Taylor’s The Administrator and Jason Mantzoukas’ Tick Tock Man.

John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum hits theaters on May 17, so keep checking back with CinemaBlend for more coverage on the threequel and our review. In the meantime, you can scan through our 2019 release schedule to plan your moviegoing trips later this year accordingly.

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11 Major Ways Avengers: Endgame Has Changed The Marvel Universe Moving Forward

11 Major Ways Avengers: Endgame Has Changed The Marvel Universe Moving Forward

It goes without saying, but there are MAJOR SPOILERS for Avengers: Endgame ahead! You've been warned.

Although each Marvel Cinematic Universe story has helped the franchise move forward, some movies have obviously been more important than others. Avengers: Endgame can definitely count itself among this group, if not outright take the #1 spot, as the final installment of the Infinity Saga shifted the MCU status quo several times over by the time those three hours and two minutes were over.

Needless to say there was a lot to absorb in Avengers: Endgame, but as far as where the movie leaves thing off, here are all the ways it changed the MCU, some of which we can expect to be followed up on in the future.

Black Widow Is Dead

Natasha Romanoff, who’s been in the MCU since Iron Man 2 and was one of the founding Avengers, was the first notable casualty of Avengers: Endgame. She and Hawkeye traveled to Vormir to collect the Soul Stone, and when Red Skull, a.k.a. the Stonekeeper, informed them a soul needed to be exchanged for the orange rock, the longtime friends fought over who would give up their life.

In the end, Black Widow won out, willingly falling from that cliff so that the family she’d become a part of would finally be whole again (meaning that the reports of her upcoming standalone movie being a prequel were true). Her sacrifice wasn’t in vain, as by the end of Avengers: Endgame, all of her loved ones were back together again… well, with one big exception.

Iron Man Is Dead

Tony Stark kicked off the MCU in 2008, and 11 years later, he delivered the killing blow against past Thanos and his forces by sacrificing his life. Although it looked as though the Thanos from 2014 would get the six Infinity Stones and remake the universe from scratch, Tony managed to steal the Stones from Thanos’ gauntlet, insert them into the nanotech gauntlet Hulk used earlier and turn Thanos and his minions to dust.

Sadly, the power of the six Infinity Stones is too much for any normal human to control, and after bidding goodbye to War Machine, Spider-Man and Pepper Potts, Iron Man died. His time in the MCU is over, but his legacy won’t fade away. Tony is also survived by his young daughter Morgan, who could potentially become a more important player in this franchise years from now.

Captain America Is An Old Man

After Tony Stark’s funeral, Captain America volunteered to return the Infinity Stones back to their proper places in time. From the perspective of Hulk, Falcon and Winter Soldier, who supervised Cap’s latest journey through the Quantum Realm, he should only have been gone for several seconds, but he was nowhere to be seen. At least, not as they remembered him.

After fulfilling his task, Steve Rogers decided to use the Pym Particles one last time to travel back to the 1940s, reunite with Peggy Carter and live that happy life Tony had told him to get. Thanks to a combination of good genes and the Super Soldier Serum, the now 106-114-year old Steve was sitting on a bench near where his younger self had departed, and he had one last deed to accomplish.

Falcon Is The New Captain America

Ever since he was introduced in 2014’s Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Sam Wilson, a.k.a. Falcon, has been one of Steve Rogers’ closest allies, so needless to say it was great to see him return alongside everyone else who was un-dusted in Avengers: Endgame’s climax. And while Steve’s superhero journey is finished, Sam’s is turning to a new chapter.

Although Captain America’s shield was destroyed by Thanos in Avengers: Endgame, while he was living in the past, Steve Rogers somehow obtained an undamaged version of his trademark weapon. By giving the shield to Sam, the elderly Steve bestowed the Captain America mantle onto him, and while Sam was initially hesitant to fill his friend’s shoes, he graciously accepted and said he’d do his best. Count on the upcoming Falcon and Winter Soldier series on Disney+ to explore this new status quo further.

Thor Is With The Guardians Of The Galaxy

Avengers: Endgame may have closed the book on Tony Stark and Steve Rogers’ stories, but not Thor’s. The God of Thunder was hit especially hard by half the universe being dusted and spent the next five years in a funk. Fortunately, he was convinced to participate in the Time Heist, and when the climactic battle was over and the un-dusted were back, Thor finally seemed like his old self again. However, even a long-lived Asgardian needs to switch things up.

Rather than continue leading the people of New Asgard in Tønsberg, Norway, Thor appointed someone new to look after the community (more on them later) and he hitched a ride back into the cosmos with the Guardians of the Galaxy. It remains to be seen if Thor will be sticking around with the team for a while or he’s only spending short amount of time with them; if it’s the former, then that bodes well for Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.

It’s 2023 In The Present Day MCU

As many had speculated, time travel did indeed play a big role in Avengers: Endgame. However, rather than overwrite the events of Avengers: Infinity War entirely, Endgame instead had its heroes bring the Infinity Stones back to the present to return the dusted back to life without rewriting the last five years.

So now as far as the MCU is concerned, the ‘present day’ is 2023, and those who survived the dusting back in 2018 still have all those experiences and memories of the past five years. In other words, they’re not exactly the same as they were as when they lost their loved ones to the Thanos snap. That’ll surely provide an interesting ‘separation’ of sorts between those who lived and those who were dusted. And speaking of the people who returned to life…

The Dusted Are Now Five Years Younger Than Everyone Else

Five years passed for those who survived Thanos’ genocide, but for the people who were resurrected when Hulk channeled the power of the Infinity Stones, no time had passed at all. This was made clear when Spider-Man told Iron Man how it’d just felt like he’d passed out after getting “dusty,” unaware that it’d been half a decade since Tony Stark last saw him.

Peter Parker and those who came back to life now have to life in a universe where half the population did its best to move on. One would think this will be touched upon later this summer in Spider-Man: Far From Home, because even though it’s now 2023, Peter is still in high school with Ned, Flash Thompson and Betty Brant.

An Even Younger Gamora Is Running Around

Gamora met her demise during Avengers: Infinity War when Thanos threw her off a cliff on Vormir to obtain the Soul Stone, and that version of her remains dead. But thanks the Avengers: Endgame’s time travel shenanigans, a younger version of Gamora from the Guardians of the Galaxy era is now in the present day MCU. In other words, she’s nine years younger than she would have been if she’d survived Infinity War and live on into Endgame.

Like her original iteration, the younger Gamora turned to the light and fought against her “father” when push came to shove. However, this Gamora also doesn’t have any connection to the Guardians of the Galaxy, so once the battle was over, she bailed on everyone else. It’s likely then that part of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 will see Star-Lord and the gang trying to find Gamora and convince her that she belongs with them.

Valkyrie Is Queen Of New Asgard

Valkyrie made her debut less than two years ago in Thor: Ragnarok and quickly became a fan favorite. She wasn’t anywhere to be seen in Avengers: Infinity War, but it was confirmed earlier this year that she did survive the snap. Sure enough, Valkyrie retuned for Avengers: Endgame alongside Korg and Miek, but unlike those two, she got a promotion at the end of the movie.

With Thor heading back into space following Thanos’ defeat, he appointed Valkyrie the Queen of New Asgard. She’s definitely qualified to lead the Asgardian survivors in the God of Thunder’s absence, but there’s no word yet on if/when we’ll see how she’s doing in this position, whether it’s in Thor 4, a Valkyrie series for Disney+ or elsewhere.

Professor Hulk Is Here To Stay

It’s been said for years that Thor: Ragnarok, Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame would form a special trilogy for the Hulk, and Endgame finally delivered the resolution that many had expected. After years of Bruce Banner and Hulk fighting for control, the two merged together sometime in the five years after Infinity War. The brawn of the Hulk now lives simultaneous with the mind of Bruce. Welcome, Professor Hulk!

Avengers: Endgame also left the door open for Hulk to return to the MCU down the line, and Mark Ruffalo has at least one movie left on his six-picture deal. As of yet, it hasn’t been announced if/when Hulk will return, but it’d be nice to see more of Professor Hulk down the line in a less explosive story. Just don’t get your hopes up about another solo Hulk movie, as that appears to still be off the table.

Loki Is Still Alive In An Alternate Timeline

Loki was murdered by Thanos at the beginning of Avengers: Infinity War, and as far as the main MCU timeline is concerned, the Asgardian God of Mischief is still dead. In an alternate timeline, however, he’s not only still alive, but on the loose. Some complications arose while Tony Stark was trying to retrieve the Tesseract in 2012, and it led to the freshly-captured Loki seizing the cube-encased Space Stone again and escaping from his captors.

While there is a Loki series confirmed to be airing on Disney+, it’s not clear if this alternate timeline Loki will factor into it. It’s been reported the show will involve Loki influencing various events in human history, so it’d be easy enough to have that function as a straightforward prequel without bringing in the alternate Loki. Still, at least now there’s the option to pluck this other Loki into the main MCU timeline should those in charge want to throw the character properly back into the mix.

Be sure to let us know in the comments which of these Avengers: Endgame changes to the MCU was your favorite, and stay tuned to CinemaBlend for more updates on the future of this superhero franchise. You can learn what movies are already in development with our handy guide.

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Aquaman Hits #1 In Home Video Sales

Aquaman Hits #1 In Home Video Sales

The DC live-action universe has had a fascinating tenure in theaters, full of peaks and valleys. While all seemed lost after the poor critical and financial performance of Justice League and Batman v Superman, Warner Bros.' massive franchise seems to be on the upswing. The DCEU is taking a step away from serialized storytelling and crossover-heavy movies, instead allowing directors to have more creative control of each blockbuster.

This pivot for the shared universe made its debut with James Wan's Aquaman, which was wholly focused on the title character and denizens of Atlantis. The project was well received by critics, and made a ton of money at the box office in the process. And the King's reign isn't ending anytime soon, as Aquaman's home copies are selling like hot cakes.

Enough cinephiles and DC fans are getting their own copies of Aquaman that the blockbuster is currently sitting on number 1 at the home video sale charts. James Wan's underwater adventure beat out the likes of fellow Christmas release Mary Poppins Returns, as well as animated comic book movie Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse.

This report from MediaPlayNews should come as no major surprise to anyone who has been paying attention to the trajectory of Aquaman. James Wan had his work cut out for him in the movie's filming and editing process, as half of Aquaman was set underwater. Extensive wire work and visual effects were necessarily to give characters a sense of weightlessness, plus a ton of imagination to make the underwater civilization come to life.

Because of these challenges, Aquaman's success was far from guaranteed. What's more, James Wan's blockbuster was focused on a superhero who hasn't traditionally been the most badass or beloved member of the Justice League. Aquaman has often been the butt of jokes, with animated adaptations of the character making his powers seem a bit silly. But all that changed with Jason Momoa's version, after his debut in Justice League.

Jason Momoa became a household name through his brief tenure as Khal Drogo in Game of Thrones. He's a hulking physical presence, who was largely introduced to audiences by massacring his enemies across the narrow sea. So when he was cast as Aquaman, it was clear that we weren't getting the dopey blonde version from Super Friends.

In the end, audiences really responded to the colorful world of Aquaman. In fact, the box office numbers were so strong that both a sequel and spinoff are being developed by Warner Bros. The strong performance of its home sales is simply the icing on the cake, reminding DC that they might the right call in green lighting the spinoff The Trench.

You can own a copy of Aquaman now, and DC's next release Shazam! is currently in theaters. In the meantime, check out our 2019 release list to plan your next trip to the movies.

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Dana Carvey Actually Quit The Wayne's World Movie Over The Script

Dana Carvey Actually Quit The Wayne's World Movie Over The Script

Mike Myers and Dana Carvey reprised their roles as Wayne and Garth for the 1992 feature film adaptation of their recurring Saturday Night Live sketch, Wayne’s World. That film remains the most successful film based on an SNL sketch and Wayne and Garth are two icons of the '90s. However, it almost didn’t happen, or history might have viewed Wayne’s World differently, because Dana Carvey actually quit the film at one point over the script, as he explained:

Mike was writing it, and I was putting stuff in. Then I would see that the stuff wasn’t in anymore. And so I actually, three weeks before we started shooting, said ‘thanks, but no thanks.’ I actually quit the movie.

Mike Myers, Bonnie Turner and Terry Turner are credited with writing the script for Wayne’s World, but during the writing process, Dana Carvey was trying to have some creative input by adding things in. As he told Howard Stern on The Howard Stern Show, everything that he was putting into the story was getting cut and that led to him quitting the film shortly before production was set to begin.

Based on his conversation with Howard Stern, Dana Carvey was trying to beef up his role in the film and give the character of Garth Algar more to do. He still viewed Garth as the sidekick, but wanted to add in things to the story to give him more of an arc. Carvey felt that he had nothing to do otherwise and there was no point in him even being in it with such a limited role.

These additions were not accepted though and they all got the axe, resulting in a story where he felt his character was getting short-changed. Dana Carvey understandably became frustrated that he wasn’t getting a creative say, and that frustration built to the point that he no longer wanted to even be a part of the film.

Apparently the powers that be didn’t initially believe that Dana Carvey was really quitting, and had he not come back, Wayne’s World would have presumably recast the role of Garth if it went forward at all. Fortunately, Dana Carvey’s exit wasn’t permanent.

Although the comedian/actor didn’t elaborate on what specifically changed his mind, Wayne’s World got to party on and went forward with him and Mike Myers as the two metalheads, ultimately becoming the cult classic it is today. Dana Carvey also said that he and Mike Myers wound up getting along during the making of the film and noted how great Wayne’s World turned out.

It is unfortunate that Dana Carvey felt like he didn’t get much creative input, but given Wayne’s World’s classic status, it’s hard to say that changing it would have improved it. Wayne does have a more robust story arc with his various girl troubles, but the film needs Garth too, even if his story is very much tied to Wayne.

Mike Myers and Dana Carvey reprised their roles as Wayne and Garth for the Saturday Night Live 40th anniversary a few years back and the two comedians showed up on stage together at this past Academy Awards. Whether that means we’ll ever get a Wayne’s World 3 is anyone’s guess, but Mike Myers hasn’t closed the door on it.

Dana Carvey lends his voice to the character Pops in The Secret Life of Pets 2, in theaters on June 7. Check out our 2019 Release Schedule to keep track of all this year’s biggest movies.

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New Aladdin Clip Is Set Right Before ‘A Whole New World'

New Aladdin Clip Is Set Right Before ‘A Whole New World'

Disney’s live-action remake undertaking will soon continue with the release of a new Aladdin and fans are especially awaiting the new versions of the beloved songs from the 1992 animated musical. Is it from a new fantastic point of view? Check out this new look that sets up the highly-anticipated “A Whole New World” reimagining:

Swept away yet? The glimpse from Walt Disney Studios shows the beginning of Aladdin and Jasmine’s night before they board their magic carpet ride and break into song. Under the alias of “Prince Ali”, Aladdin is convincing the princess of Agrabah to leave her comfort behind the walls of the castle her confined world of books and maps and really go out and see the world with him. Before she can shoot out a round of excuses as to why she can’t, he reveals his magic carpet and asks her if he trusts her.

Disney fans know the “do you trust me?” line is straight out of the animated film. In the original, Jasmine first meets “street rat” Aladdin who feeds the same quote. So when the princess hears this from Ali, she knows it’s the guy she’d been crushing on from her rogue adventure outside the castle walls.

It’s a sweet moment between the couple that is lovably reminiscent of the 1992 classic. Aladdin exudes confidence with his prince persona, as he offers to show her the world and the couple will soon break out into song. The clip ends conveniently right before the track begins, serving as the perfect tease for the upcoming live-action flick. I for one am happy they cut it where they did, a moment like this should be seen for the first time on the big screen.

The first Aladdin trailer did include a bit of the “Whole New World” song including the new vocals by Mena Massoud and Naomi Scott, but we’ll likely have to wait until the movie hits theaters later this month before we see the full sequence.

Aladdin is a remake of the fairytale, this time with the Genie to be played by Will Smith. The actor will be adding his own comedic flavor to the film and rapping the character’s signature track “Friend Like Me”. Smith recently paid a visit to Jimmy Fallon and spit a few bars and while it’s a departure from what we remember, it’s a fun new take on it.

The movie will also include two brand news songs, one another duet between Aladdin and Jasmine and the other a solo tune from Jasmine. Mena Massoud also recently teased an all-improv scene between him and Will Smith in the film.

After the under-performing result of Disney’s last live-action offering Dumbo, Aladdin is tracking to have a more successful opening weekend during the Memorial Day holiday with four-day weekend projections between $85 million and $115 million.

Did the new clip get you excited for the upcoming magic carpet ride in Aladdin when it hits theaters on May 24? Sing your song in the comments below.

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