Why James Wan Probably Won’t Direct Another Conjuring Universe Movie, According To Peter Safran

Why James Wan Probably Won’t Direct Another Conjuring Universe Movie, According To Peter Safran

James Wan has an impressive history when it comes to launching and contributing to franchises, but he also notably doesn’t stick around in the director’s chair for very long with them. Going back to the start of his career, he’s brought us Saw, Insidious, and chapters of both Fast & Furious and the DC Extended Universe, but of all the direct follow-ups to those movies (a total of 11), he’s only directed two.

This is a trend that most recently continued with the developing Conjuring 3, with Michael Chaves (The Curse Of La Llorona) set to replace Wan after he directed the first two chapters in the series. This was seen as disappointing, if not unsurprising news, but now a bit of salt is being put in the wound, as producer Peter Safran has gone on the record saying that he believes the filmmaker’s time helming Conjuring Universe titles in general is probably at an end:

I don't think he will [direct another Conjuring movie]. That’s just me. My instinct is that he won’t. I think he really left everything out on the field with Conjuring 2. Just being by his side as he made that movie, I feel that he put everything that he'd learned up to that point into that film, from character development to scares to crafting sequences, just everything. I love the movie and I think that he felt like he did it, he really showed people exactly what he wanted to show them. The skills of a filmmaker telling a great story.

The subject of James Wan’s future with the Conjuring Universe was one that surfaced when I joined a small group of journalists to visit the set of the in-production Annabelle Comes Home on the Warner Bros. lot in Burbank, California late last year. After having toured the Warren home and interviewed some of the lead actresses, we had the chance to sit down with Peter Safran and get his thoughts and opinions about the Annabelle trilogy-capper, and it was at the end of the conversation that the Wan question came up.

Peter Safran and James Wan have a built a solid working relationship, having made six films together in the last six years, so when the former expresses a particular read about the latter, it’s probably based on strong intuition. Furthermore, he definitely has a great beat on what the future holds for The Conjuring Universe, as he has produced every title released as part of the franchise so far.

On beyond the fact that James Wan seems to have a certain “rarely look back” perspective, Peter Safran brings up some really great points about The Conjuring 2. That movie is a beautiful and seriously scary piece of work, and one could definitely see why Wan may not feel compelled to return to the universe as a director going forward, instead pursuing other creative endeavors (like, perhaps, the developing Aquaman 2… which hasn’t yet nailed Wan down to direct just yet).

Of course, many in this situation would point out that it’s typically never smart to ever say “never” in this industry, as circumstances change all the time in Hollywood, and tomorrow James Wan could be struck with an idea he feels he must personally execute. Peter Safran most definitely left this possibility on the board with his answer, making particular note of Wan’s close relationship with the horror genre over the last 15 years. Said the producer,

I would be surprised if he ended up doing another one, but you never know. Guys like James, for him scares, it's in their blood. They need an outlet for it at some point, so maybe he is getting it as a producer. There is something very compelling about sitting there just wanting to scare the shit out of people.

Even if he’s not directing, James Wan’s relationship with The Conjuring Universe is as strong as ever, as he has produced every sequel and spin-off that has been made thus far, including the upcoming Annabelle Comes Home. We’ll just have to wait and see what the future holds.

On the subject of the third Annabelle film, it will be arriving in a theater near you very soon, as it is set up to be a nice summer scare-fest with its June 28th release date. Written and directed by Gary Dauberman (who makes his directorial debut after scripting all of the Annabelles and The Nun), the story is set over the course of one night as Judy Warren (McKenna Grace) and her babysitter (Madison Iseman) are tormented by the movie’s titular doll. Patrick Wilson, Vera Farmiga, and Katie Sarife co-star.

This is only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to stories from my Annabelle Comes Home set visit, so be sure to stay tuned here on CinemaBlend over the next few days for more!

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Yes, Sonic Is An Alien In His New Movie

Yes, Sonic Is An Alien In His New Movie

This year a couple of classic fluffy ‘90s video game characters are hitting the big screen in their first live action iterations. Ahead of Detective Pikachu’s release next week, the first trailer for Sonic the Hedgehog darted its way onto the internet this morning and it looks like there are quite a few changes from the video game fans know, love … or love to hate anyway.

Besides the character’s glaring buff and blue human legs, it looks like Sonic will also be an alien in his first big-screen iteration. In the trailer, the speedster says “looks like I’m going to have to save your planet”. Followers of his games probably don’t remember the blue hedgehog being an extraterrestrial before, but looks like he will be in the upcoming movie!

Back in 2018 when the film was seeking approval to be filmed in the town of Ladysmith, British Colombia, the film’s location manager, Abraham Fraser confirmed this Sonic is not of this world when he briefly explained the film. In his words:

Sonic is a video game character, who is an alien. The story is kind of ala E.T.. In the sense of a small town coming together to help the sheriff save our alien from the bad guys, which are the government chasing them. It’s very heartwarming. And I think it’ll be a big hit.

A blue hedgehog being of this world does make a lot more sense in an animated video game world than in a live-action one, but the movie does look to be ignoring the roots of the Sega game, even if they aren’t widely known. According to the “Sonic Bible”, which contains the complete background of the character, here is the iconic video game character’s true origins:

Sonny Hedgehog was born on Earth in the early 21st century, in the town of Hardly, Nebraska, population 1,226. He and his mother and five sisters live underneath a scraggly hedge beside the local burger joint, and subsist on burger scraps, milkshakes and the occasional slug or bug that crawls their way.

How will Sonic the Hedgehog be explaining Sonic’s home world? Is there a planet somewhere full of blue hedgehogs who where running shoes and speed around all day? I’d think an origin story about the hedge they lived under being contaminated with some chemical planet might have sufficed. Take a look at the trailer below:

Sonic the Hedgehog will star Ben Schwartz as Sonic, Jim Carrey as Dr. Robotnik and James Marsden as a cop named Tom. The movie will center on Sonic in the rural town of Green Hills as he tries to escape from the government who are trying to catch him. Sonic hits theaters on November 8.

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Rami Malek Says He Wouldn't Have Gotten Bohemian Rhapsody Role Without Mr. Robot

Rami Malek Says He Wouldn't Have Gotten Bohemian Rhapsody Role Without Mr. Robot

It is good to be Rami Malek right now. The actor was the lead in Bohemian Rhapsody, one of 2018’s most successful films, for which he won a BAFTA, a Golden Globe and an Oscar for his performance as Freddie Mercury. On top of that he’s dating his gorgeous co-star. Yet, he might never have gotten the role of Freddie Mercury in Bohemian Rhapsody if it weren’t for his breakout role in USA’s Mr. Robot. According to Rami Malek:

This seemed to propel me into a different space. I wouldn't have gotten the role of Freddie Murphy in Bohemian Rhapsody if it wasn't for this show. [I] probably wouldn't have had the type of success I'm seeing in my career right now, so I'm so fortunate to this show, especially for giving me this platform, giving me one of the greatest characters that I could ever play, anyone could ever play.

It’s impossible to know for sure what would have happened, but at least as far as Rami Malek is concerned, his current career success, epitomized by Bohemian Rhapsody, is attributable to his role as Elliot Alderson on Mr. Robot. As he told ET, Sam Esmail’s mind-bending show gave him visibility and a compelling character with whom he could show the world what he was capable of.

Prior to Mr. Robot, Rami Malek had plenty of credits to his name, but he himself wasn’t an established name by any stretch. His roles were mostly on TV shows and his biggest film credits were in the Night at the Museum movies, as well as taking roles in The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn-Part 2 and in smaller films like The Master and Short Term 12. Mr. Robot was Rami Malek’s first big starring role and it put him on the map in a way he wasn’t before.

Mr. Robot was a huge hit in its first season and was watercooler TV that had people talking. Rami Malek’s work on the show got people’s attention and it is possible that his presence in a buzzed about TV show put him on the right people’s radar. He believes that eventually snowballed into him landing the role of Freddie Mercury, a role that has changed his life. Sometimes all it takes is that breakthrough performance to get the ball rolling.

Rami Malek’s newfound success isn’t just limited to Bohemian Rhapsody and his award-winning performance as Freddie Mercury; the actor, now a name with a golden statue attached to it, is carrying that good fortune forward. Next year he joins a star-studded voice cast as Chee-Chee, opposite Robert Downey Jr.’s John Doolittle in The Voyage of Doctor Dolittle.

The actor also joins one of cinema’s most storied franchises as the villain in the as yet unnamed Bond 25. As Bohemian Rhapsody propels his career into the theatrical realm, Rami Malek will return one last time to the role of Elliot Alderson, to which he credits so much of his success, when Mr. Robot airs its fourth and final season later this year on USA. And of course, there's always the off-chance Bohemian Rhapsody could get a sequel.

We’ll keep you updated on what Rami Malek is working on next and in the meantime, check out our 2019 release schedule to gear up for all of this summer’s biggest movies.

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Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge Has Blue And Green Milk But Which Is Better?

Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge Has Blue And Green Milk But Which Is Better?

Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge is a new land that is all about making you feel like you're standing on an alien world in the galaxy far, far away. You get to fly in Star Wars spaceships. You can craft Star Wars weapons and droids. You can shop in an alien marketplace. However, one thing that Disneyland is especially known for is innovative and interesting food and drinks, and Galaxy's Edge is no exception.

A number of culinary delicacies have been created for guests to try, but if you're a serious Star Wars fan, then none may be quite as important as the beverages you can find at the Batuu milk stand.

From the moment Luke Skywalker sat down to breakfast in A New Hope, fans have wondered exactly what that blue concoction he was drinking actually was. The food and beverage team at Disney Parks have come up with their best approximation of that, as well as the green liquid Luke Skywalker pulled right from the source in Star Wars: The Last Jedi.

The two drinks don't have special names. They're known simply as "blue milk" and "green milk" and are both available in a single place inside Galaxy's Edge, a location known simply as the milk stand. Both types of milk go for $7.99, so they're not cheap drinks, to be sure, but that's honestly pretty standard for a non-alcoholic specialty beverage at Disneyland.

What Exactly Is Blue Milk And Green Milk?

So, first and foremost, the most important thing to know is that neither of these drinks is technically milk. Both are beverages with a rice and coconut base rather than coming from any form of actual dairy. This is done largely to simply allow more people to enjoy the drinks. Both of them are vegan, so everybody from vegetarians to the simply lactose intolerant can still have a glass.

The drinks also are not quite the same consistency as milk. Both are closer to a milkshake than milk, or, since both have strong fruit flavors, maybe calling them a smoothie is more accurate. Either way, pouring blue milk on your morning breakfast cereal wouldn't simply change the color of your breakfast, but everything about the meal.

Blue Milk

Starting with the iconic blue milk made famous in Star Wars: A New Hope, this icy cold beverage is going to hit all your buttons, especially if you're a fan of tropical fruits. It's got flavors of pineapple and dragonfruit, but also watermelon. If you're looking for something cold and refreshing to drink on a hot day in Southern CA and there will be a lot of those this summer, or on Batuu, the blue milk is probably going to be much more your speed.

My guess is that the blue milk will be the favorite among most guests as it's something of a safer choice. The other option is a bit more adventurous.

Green Milk

Green milk is also very much a fruit smoothie, though the fruits here are quite different. The green option is very heavy in the citrus flavors -- think oranges and grapefruits above all. There's a bit of tropical fruit here as well as I think there's passion fruit also included.

This could have made the green milk the more popular choice overall, but green milk has a bit of a twist. In addition to these citrus flavors, there's also a strong element that I can only describe as floral tasting. It comes in at the back of the sip and is very strong. Because of this, it's the flavor that is still lingering after you swallow, making the green milk the more unique taste of the two.

This will be the determining factor in which of the two you like better. These floral notes are either going to appeal to you or they're going to turn you off in a big way.

So Which Is Better?

Going in I sort of assumed this would be an easy enough question to answer, but as it turns out, not so much.

Personally, I have to say I actually enjoyed the green milk more. I found the floral notes of the beverage to be quite interesting and unexpected and I love any food or drink that combines flavors I like in unique and interesting ways.

Having said that, it seems, based on those who have given both milks a try at Galaxy's Edge, that I'm very much in the minority. Odds are you will prefer the blue milk over the green. I can totally see that many might not go for the floral component of the green milk. It's not the first flavor you think of when you think "ice cold fruit smoothie."

The best comparison that I can come up with comes from the world of beer. What's often referred to as a "west coast IPA" is a beer that is usually heavy in hops and thus is more bitter. It certainly has a strong flavor to it, but it's one that doesn't appeal to everybody.

Green milk isn't bitter, but it has a strong flavor in the same way. You're either going to like the taste or you're going to hand the glass to your friend and see if they want to finish it.

Blue milk is more like your session IPA. Its flavors are smoother and more balanced. It's easier to drink. It's designed specifically to appeal to a wider variety of palettes.

If you're going to be checking out Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge and you want to try something at the milk stand, my recommendation is go with the blue milk first. If you're there with a group of friends, consider getting one green milk among the group so that everybody can at least give it a try. There's a decent chance somebody will like it enough that it won't go to waste, and if everybody loves it, you can always get more.

You can still check out Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge now by booking a stay at a Disneyland Resort hotel, everybody booked in the room will get access to a four hour visit to Batuu. Starting June 24, no reservations will be required.

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The Guardians Of The Galaxy Cameo You Probably Missed In Avengers: Endgame

The Guardians Of The Galaxy Cameo You Probably Missed In Avengers: Endgame

Warning! The following contains spoilers for Avengers: Endgame. Read at your own risk!

Avengers: Endgame's battle sequence at the end was massive. So massive, that if an unexpected character happened to help out, many in the audience may have missed it. Fortunately there were some who happened to catch an entirely unexpected Guardians of the Galaxy cameo, as a character from the movie popped in to lend a hand in the Avengers' time of need. Howard the Duck, of all people, showed up to fight for the world alongside the universe's mightiest heroes.

For those attending another showing in the near future, Howard can be spotted amongst the many warriors showing up when Doctor Strange, Wong, and the rest of the sorcerers start opening portals. When Hope Van Dyne is spotted, viewers should move their eyes to the blueish alien to her right, and then follow that character's gun downward. There's Howard, in the distance, looking a lot like he did in his cameo scene following Guardians of the Galaxy.

Howard's packing heat in lieu of a drink this time around, and he's looking poised to kick some Earth invader ass when the signal is given. His contributions beyond that are unknown, as he doesn't get a big action sequence to show what he's up to like other key characters in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Apparently, the Russos didn't find it pertinent to zero in on what one of the MCU's most bizarre characters was up to.

Here's the good news: There's still a chance we may learn what role Howard played in the battle. That's all thanks to an upcoming Howard The Duck television series which will feature the Marvel hero trapped on Earth. Provided this series takes place post-Avengers: Endgame, there's certainly an opportunity for the series to show that scene from Howard's perspective, or have him recall something from the event. Hell, this may even be the event that strands him on earth!

Whatever the case regarding the future series, it's been known that the Russos have wanted to include Howard in the action since Avengers: Infinity War. According to Joe Russo, the original idea was to have Peter Quill go to Howard and ask him about the whereabouts of an Infinity Stone while he was in the midst of a poker game. That would've been great to see, although one could argue this is better.

The real question now is, what was Howard The Duck up to before his arrival? The Russos confirmed he survived the snap, so there could be some deleted scene or one shot in the future that outlines what Howard was up to in the time between Infinity War and Endgame. If not, at least it's good to see him alongside the rest of the good guys, and possibly making a case to become a future Avenger?

Stick with CinemaBlend for more Avengers: Endgame analysis, and news on what is becoming a monumental box office run.

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This Rotten Week: Predicting Us Reviews

This Rotten Week: Predicting Us Reviews

We’ve only got one movie on the docket this week, but it’s definitely an exciting one, as we are once again seeing writer/director Jordan Peele return to the horror genre following the Oscar-winning success of Get Out two years ago. Get ready to meet the doppelgangers of your nightmares in Us.

Just remember, I'm not reviewing these movies, but rather predicting where they'll end up on the Tomatometer. Let's take a look at This Rotten Week has to offer.

After taking the horror world by storm, combining legit creeps with a commentary about race in America in the award-winning Get Out (98%), Jordan Peele is back. And his latest one looks, well, pretty fucked up in all the right ways. The guy is taking over the genre, and Us looks like it is going to be another huge win for the filmmaker

As we've seen previously in the genre, what we have here is another family outing/get together gone horribly wrong - this time the story playing out in a beach town where the Tyler family is stalked by... well, the Tyler family (just a creepier version). Where Get Out had plenty of frights with a slightly tongue-in-cheek tone, Us looks like a full-out horror fest. Even from the trailer one can tell the visuals will keep you up at night. Critics thus far are all over this movie. Following its debut at the SXSW Film Festival, it’s currently sitting at 100% through more than 50 reviews. I doubt it slips much, if at all. It’s tough to ever predict a movie hitting the 100% mark, and I don’t think this one will end up at the top of the mountain - but it'll be damn close. We’ll have one or two negatives come in over the course of the week, but the sentiment will remain the same.

While only one of the movies fell within ten percent of my predictions last week, the other two came incredibly close to being called wins. When it’s all said and done, and a few more reviews come trickling in, this week could look a lot better. Captive State (Predicted: 48% Actual: 49%) was nearly right on the money, dipping down under the 50% mark from Saturday into Sunday. Critics fell mostly in line with what I suspected was the case: the movie had too many moving parts. While the central theme is intriguing, they tried to do too many things within the framework and it ended up being confusing.

Meanwhile, Five Feet Apart (Predicted: 39% Actual: 52%) was looking like a clear win until it ticked up over 50% in the last two days. Frankly, I’m kind of shocked it fell out of range. Of the three movies from last week, this prediction was my most confident. Critics seemed to mostly agree that the two leads carried the movie out of the sappy and cliched depths it could have ventured considering the subject matter.

And finally, Wonder Park(Predicted: 41% Actual: 30%) also just missed the mark. See what I mean with this week? This could easily be a three-for-three. This animated movie had critics incredibly un-enthused. The general theme of the reviews was the plot line was just way too sad for what should be a sort of joyous kids’ flick about imagination and, well, wonder.

Next time around we’ve got Dumbo. It’s gonna be a Rotten Week!

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Detective Pikachu Cinematographer ‘Is So Glad’ He Turned Down Sonic The Hedgehog

Detective Pikachu Cinematographer ‘Is So Glad’ He Turned Down Sonic The Hedgehog

If you logged on to the internet in the past few days or glanced at the image above, then you’ve likely witnessed some of the anxieties many fans have dealt with about the upcoming live-action Sonic the Hedgehog release. The first trailer for the video game adaptation was packed with odd moments, between the use of Coolio’s “Gangsta’s Paradise” to soundtrack the introduction, to the iconic blue hedgehog having human-like teeth and being an alien now.

At least one person out there gave one big sigh of relief upon witnessing the early look at Sonic the Hedgehog in all its glory: Detective Pikachu cinematographer, John Mathieson. Here’s what he had to say:

Funny enough, I was offered [Sonic the Hedgehog] and after watching the trailer I thought I’m so glad we don’t look like that.

That’s some shade! Mathieson is an experienced cinematographer who has worked on fan favorites such as Logan and X-Men: First Class, and has earned Oscars nominations for his photography on The Phantom of the Opera and Gladiator. The filmmaker is certainly feeling like he dodged a bullet right about now. He attributes the difference between his video game adaptation of Pokemon and Sonic by the fact that he opted to shoot the former on traditional film. Check out more of his words to Newsweek below:

If all we’re talking about is how these two films look, our film is better than Sonic the Hedgehog and I’m sorry, I don’t care who I upset by saying that, but I think it looks better. There’s no reason why you can’t shoot a film like [Detective Pikachu] or Sonic the Hedgehog on film. If you had, [Sonic the Hedgehog] would look more realistic. I look at Sonic the Hedgehog and I just go ‘yeah whatever.’

It is unlikely that shooting on film instead of digital would have made a difference regarding fans’ most popular gripe with Sonic the Hedgehog: the character design of the ‘90s icon. Some artists have even gone so far as to take matters into their own hands and rework some of the images. Take a look this one from Twitter user @EdwardPun1:

John Mathieson said the contrast in colors between Detective Pikachu and Sonic the Hedgehog makes a difference, especially since shooting a movie on digital film doesn’t capture colors such as blues and reds as well. The look of Pikachu is certainly more stylized and true to the character fans know and love. Just look at this fluffy pika-pika voiced by Ryan Reynolds:

Detective Pikachu has screened for critics ahead of its release on May 10 and the response has been positive, but before that, the movie had also been marketed in a way that has drummed up positive buzz with its first trailer. At this point, Sonic the Hedgehog won’t likely go down the same road when it hits theaters on November 8.

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