New Shazam! Clip Shows Billy Figuring Out How To Transform

New Shazam! Clip Shows Billy Figuring Out How To Transform

Coming off the discovery of the MCU’s introduction of the little-known origin story of Carol Danvers earlier this month, moviegoers will soon discover 14-year-old Billy Batson’s fantastic abilities when he becomes Shazam! next weekend. What looks to be especially fun about DC’s next entry is audiences will get to learn of the superhero’s powers as he does and through the eyes of two teenage boys.

More early looks of Shazam! have been making its way to us in anticipation for the upcoming release, including this new clip teasing how Billy Batson’s transformation into an adult superhero works. Check it out:

The minute snippet from the film seems to take place shortly after Billy Batson (Asher Angel) becomes Shazam (Zachary Levi) for the first time, and is sneaking back into his foster home with Freddy (Jack Dylan Grazer) in the evening, hoping to go unnoticed. One of his foster sisters Darla, played by Faithe Herman (who This Is Us fans may notice as Annie Pearson) sees the superhero’s flashy costume and is about to react before Shazam! covers her mouth.

Shazam then attempts to explain to Darla of the unbelievable circumstances. He’s Billy and a wizard approached him and made him look like … well Zachary Levi in a muscly red and yellow suit. He says the word “shazam” again, which is what made him a superhero in the first place and he is turned back to his teenage self much to his surprise.

It’s a fun explainer about how Billy will learn of one of his many abilities and means he will most definitely be able to switch in and out of his alter ego throughout the film. With little Darla in on the secret, I can see the movie having some funny moments with her where she tries to keep the secret but lets things slip, since she said she’s “moderate” at keeping them.

As other early looks of Shazam! Have shown, Billy and Freddy will also learn about Shazam’s ability of flight, super strength, super speed, invulnerability and power to summon lightning in some hilarious ways that will get them geeking out – a fun change of pace from the typical hero unphased by the amazing things they can do.

While most fans will have to wait a little longer to see Shazam! in theaters, early critical reactions have been glowing: CinemaBlend’s own Sean O’Connell gave the film a delightful 4 out of 5 stars. Preview screenings also made a splash with $3.3 million in earnings, beating out Aquaman’s preview numbers.

Shazam! seems to be doing a successful job of peaking the interest of fans and we can’t wait to see the pair of foster kids learn the scope of the superhero’s fun scope of abilities and take on the film’s villian Dr. Sivana (Mark Strong) when the film hits theaters on April 5.

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Will Smith Found The Aladdin Genie Backlash ‘Very Funny’

Will Smith Found The Aladdin Genie Backlash ‘Very Funny’

Although we got our first look at Will Smith’s Genie in the upcoming Aladdin remake last December, the character was rocking a normal human guise. It wasn’t until the special sneak that aired in February that the character was shown in all his blue glory. Well, maybe ‘glory’ isn’t the right word, as this look at the live action blue Genie was met with a lot of derision online, which included various memes and Photoshop manipulations, due to the quality of the CGI,

However, rather than be bothered or hurt by this backlash against Aladdin’s Genie, Will Smith actually found these reactions amusing. In his words:

It was very funny. There was a Sonic The Hedgehog / Genie frog. Everything is under such critical scrutiny. I came up in an era where there was no internet. It’s a new thing that I’m trying to get a handle on.

Will Smith does have a point. The internet as we know it wasn’t around when he was growing up, and even during the period when he was starring in hits like Bad Boys, Independence Day and Men in Black, the World Wide Web didn’t hold anywhere near the cultural influence it does now. Sure you might have come across some movie criticism, but that’s a far cry from someone using an Arrested Development screenshot to poke fun at the live action iteration of a Disney character only minutes after a new preview dropped.

Thing seem to have calmed down on the Genie front since then, particularly after a new Aladdin trailer dropped last month which included improved shots of Will Smith’s character. Director Guy Ritchie, who also spoke with Empire, noticed the turnaround on the reception towards Genie, saying:

It even came with apologies from the cynics who were so adamant initially. I’ve never seen apologies in that world. I thought, ‘Oh well, great, we’re back to where I’d hoped we’d be.'

Altogether, we’ve only glimpsed seconds of Genie from the Aladdin marketing, so we’ll have to wait until the movie actually comes out to see whether the VFX crew stuck the proverbial landing with his blue appearance or if there are still some noticeable issues. Either way, at least Will Smith was able to get a little joy out of the mockery his version of Genie went through rather than take it personally.

Rather than radically overhauling the story of its 1992 animated predecessor, Aladdin seems to be following in the footsteps of Beauty and the Beast and going the straightforward remake route, though obviously still with some differences. Along with Will Smith, the main cast includes Mena Massoud as Aladdin, Naomi Scott as Jasmine, Marwan Kenzari as Jafar, Navid Negahban as The Sultan, Nasim Pedrad as Dalia, Billy Magnussen as Prince Anders, Numan Acar as Hakim and Robby Haynes as Razoul, as well as Alan Tudyk voicing Iago and Frank Welker reprising Abu the monkey and the Cave of Wonders.

Aladdin will work its magic in theaters on May 24. If you’re curious about what other movies are coming out later this year, head to our 2019 release schedule for that information.

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The Black Widow Movie Has Added Stranger Things’ David Harbour

The Black Widow Movie Has Added Stranger Things’ David Harbour

To say that the past couple years have been good for David Harbour’s career would be an understatement. Along with being one of the lead actors in the hit Netflix series Stranger Things, Harbour also succeeded Ron Perlman as the next cinematic Hellboy, and we’ll see how he does as Big Red come next week. But just because Harbour is portraying a Dark Horse Comics character doesn’t mean he can’t jump to an adaptation from another comic book company, as word has come in that he’s been cast in the Black Widow movie.

With Black Widow reportedly gearing up to roll cameras in London this June, the Marvel movie is slowly assembling its cast. Naturally Scarlett Johansson will be reprising Natasha Romanoff, the KGB agent-turned-S.H.I.E.L.D. operative-turned-Avenger, and last month it was reported that Fighting with my Family star Florence Pugh was in talks to join the cast. Now THR has dropped the news that David Harbour will be appearing in the movie as well, although no details about his character were provided.

It’s becoming increasingly common for actors to lend their talents to more than one comic book movie franchise, like how Josh Brolin played both Thanos in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and Cable in Deadpool 2. David Harbour already has the spotlight in Hellboy, which could lead to sequels or even a full-blown cinematic universe depending on how its received, but now he can also leave his mark on the MCU as well in Black Widow’s standalone adventure. Plus, the actor has also already lent his talents to the DC universe, as he played Dexter Tolliver in Suicide Squad. Harbour’s other notable credits include Quantum of Solace, Revolutionary Road, The Green Hornet, The Equalizer, The Newsroom and State of Affairs.

While no official plot details for Black Widow have been revealed yet, rumor has it that the movie will be a prequel set before Iron Man 2. That said, there are conflicting claims on the specific time period, with one report saying it will be set only about half a decade or so before Natasha Romanoff met Tony Stark and another saying it will occur during the turn of the millennium and involve the Y2K bug. It’s also possible that rather than explore Natasha’s time working for the KGB or her early years at S.H.I.E.L.D., Black Widow will actually take place after the events of Avengers: Endgame. For now, Marvel is keeping us in the dark, although depending on what happens to Natasha in Endgame, that could foreshadow what’s in store for her in her solo feature. Either way, whether it’s a younger version of her or her current day self, she’ll be crossing paths with David Harbor’s character, be he friend or foe.

Directed by Cate Shortland, Black Widow doesn’t have an assigned release date yet, so stay tuned to CinemaBlend for that information, more casting and other updates on its development. In the meantime, don’t forget to look through our Marvel movies guide to learn what else the MCU has coming up.

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Elton John Didn't Want Taron Egerton To Sound Like Him In Rocketman

Elton John Didn't Want Taron Egerton To Sound Like Him In Rocketman

You’ve probably heard by now that actor Taron Egerton does all of his own singing for his role as Elton John in Rocketman. It’s incredible and just adds another layer of authenticity to the performance that helps Taron Egerton disappear into the role. But while being able to sing is a huge deal, Elton John himself had a specific request for the actor playing him, as Taron Egerton explained:

He said not to try and sound like him, which is tough when you’re playing him.

This certainly seems counterintuitive and Taron Egerton said as much when speaking with The Hollywood Reporter at the premiere of Rocketman. When you’re an actor in a biopic, the logical assumption is that you should try to become that person in any and every way possible, from look and mannerisms to way of speaking and, when the subject is a famous rock star, as is the case in Rocketman, singing.

But Elton John did not want Taron Egerton to try and sound like him which is something that the actor had to work on because it went against his instincts in the role. He’s dressed as Elton John and singing Elton John songs, but Elton John doesn’t want him to sound like Elton John. Who knows how much practice was for naught after that request.

Taron Egerton must have been quite taken aback upon hearing this request and had to adjust his whole approach to the singing in the film. Yet, he has said that he really just wanted to make Elton John happy with his performance, so if that’s what Elton wants, that’s what Elton gets.

Taron Egerton didn’t reveal why Elton John made the request that he not try and sound like him, so we are left to speculate. Perhaps hearing Taron Egerton’s singing chops, Elton John just wanted the actor to use his own voice and not try and imitate him because it wouldn’t be as powerful and authentic, and he would sound better if he didn’t.

We know Elton John thought highly of Taron Egerton’s singing, and it sounds like he wanted him to put his own spin on the beloved tunes and express himself as an artist without being afraid to try things because they wouldn’t adhere to what Elton sounds like. The important thing is that the songs sound good and Taron Egerton captures the essence of Elton John’s music, even if he doesn’t sound exactly like him.

This request seems to have worked all around. Rocketman is receiving rave reviews and given that Elton John is sending positive notices to Taron Egerton, one assumes that he was happy with how it all turned out.

Rocketman launches in theaters today. This is just one of the exciting movies arriving this summer, check out the rest in our 2019 Release Schedule and for all your movie news, stay tuned to CinemaBlend.

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Who Idris Elba Could Play In The Suicide Squad

Who Idris Elba Could Play In The Suicide Squad

Recent reports on The Suicide Squad have revealed that Idris Elba will not be replacing Will Smith's Deadshot, and that the actor will be playing another character within the movie. So if Elba isn't playing Deadshot, which villain will director James Gunn have him play? Here are some villains that would be a good fit for the actor, and one just may be the villain he'll portray in The Suicide Squad.

Bronze Tiger

A frequent face on the Suicide Squad, Bronze Tiger is a martial arts master and ranked among some of the best fighters in DC Comics. He's not a metahuman, which should speak to just how capable of a fighter he is. Including Bronze Tiger in the squad introduces some muscle, and some badass kung fu skills that would make for great action-packed scenes.

It's worth mentioning that Idris Elba has some professional fighting experience, which could point to Bronze Tiger. Of course, a stunt double can be used for other stuff, but Elba's fighting experience should be enough to get face shots of him dealing justice. Plus, Bronze Tiger is a frequent presence in John Ostrander's comic book run, which James Gunn recently referenced in his Instagram stories (via We Got This Covered). Of all the options, this one feels incredibly likely.

Nemesis

Though the name may suggest otherwise, Nemesis is one of the few non-criminal members of the Suicide Squad. Thomas Andrew Tresser was a vigilante turned operative who joined the team as a debt after his life was saved by Amanda Waller and Rick Flag. Nemesis is a master of disguise and all in all a capable operative with some deep roots within the team.

Adding Nemesis to the team may not be the sexiest option for The Suicide Squad, but there's some potential there in giving him some chemistry with quite a few members. Nemesis has ties to the returning Waller, but also historically has a romantic relationship with Nightshade. Should she and her bonkers skill set join the team, there's a chance for some love to develop in a way that isn't nearly as toxic as Harley and Joker's relationship.

Black Spider

A character mainstream audiences may not be familiar with, Black Spider was first introduced in the mid-70s as a former heroin addict turn vigilante. Eric Needham takes his fight to the drug trade, and becomes a killer of those who push drugs. His methods have put him at odds with heroes like Batman, who he's clashed with in the past for trying to stop him. With that said, he's more apt to fight villains than he is heroes.

Should Idris Elba play the Black Spider, we're imagining The Suicide Squad will feature an alternative costume of the character without the mask. After all, why pay for such a talented and recognizable star only to cover his face for a bulk of the movie? His hatred of criminals (despite being one) would create an interesting dynamic between him and the other roster, which may justify his place on the team more than anything else.

Manhunter

Idris Elba could be the character Manhunter, specifically the Mark Shaw version. Shaw's crime fighting abilities are a result of the Manhunter cult, which has provided him with the training and equipment capable of tracking targets across several terrains. Basically, he's the guy The Suicide Squad will turn to to find a missing person, and he'll find them sooner than later. He's kind of like the Yautja Predator, but if they were human.

Manhunter is as solid a choice as any, and his power baton allows for close quarters fighting that makes for some cool sequences. Plus, the Manhunter cult gives an added dimension to the story that could be examined in a spinoff should the character prove popular with audiences. DC never seems to miss an opportunity for a spinoff, so why not bring in a character with the potential to make one?

Sportsmaster

Sportsmaster has had quite a few interpretations of the character over the years, and has been everything from a criminal who dons sports equipment to a metahuman with "photographic reflexes." Lawrence Crock, Victor Grover, Martin Mantle Jr., there's a lot of characters with a lot of backgrounds and powers that Idris Elba could portray, or he could play some entirely new interpretation made for The Suicide Squad.

If there was one director fans would trust with changing a goofy villain up a bit, it's James Gunn. Plus, he's got the chops to make a villain like Sportsmaster look dangerous, and dare I say, cool? It's certainly a possibility if Gunn is running the show, and Idris Elba's comedic chops are there to make for a funny character. At the same time, he's naturally badass, so he may be the perfect person to play this character.

Bane

We know him, we love him, and there's no denying the world would go crazy if the character appeared in The Suicide Squad. Bane is one of Batman's fiercest adversaries, not to mention an incredibly strong and intelligent villain in the DC Universe. Bane's appearance would be such a big deal it would effectively make Harley Quinn the second most interesting Batman villain in the project. Given the amount of love Margot Robbie's character has, that's an impressive feat.

Now, there's a small army of folks that really want to see Dave Bautista play Bane in The Suicide Squad, but imagine how cool Idris Elba would look wearing the mask? Size would be a bit of an issue, as while Elba is well-built, he's not quite the hulking behemoth Bane has been shown to be. CGI can fix that, though, if he uses the venom, and the film could also get away with a grounded look with Elba's physique.

Chronos

Here's another character that could have varied interpretations, as Chronos can be anyone from a villain that's really good at timing to a literal time traveler. Hell, he can be both, which could position him as one of the most powerful villains to be a part of The Suicide Squad. That said, it would be hard to have a villain capable of time travel in custody, so maybe just the time mastery would be a part of the character?

What if Chronos' powers were limited by being in the Suicide Squad, but a future version of himself pops into the adventure and helps him get out of his contract? Something like that is why Idris Elba should play Chronos, if only to shake up the The Suicide Squad and make this film more than just villains working together to defeat other bad guys. Raise the stakes, and perhaps lay the groundwork for another true follow up film.

The Suicide Squad is expected to arrive in 2021, which is still a ways off. CinemaBlend will continue to report on updates on the movie in the meantime, and hopefully, we'll learn which character Idris Elba is playing soon.

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Looks Like Godzilla Vs. Kong Has Wrapped Filming

Looks Like Godzilla Vs. Kong Has Wrapped Filming

We're still over a month away from Godzilla: King of the Monsters, but that movie is only a stop along the road to the main event. Godzilla is getting ready to go head to head with King Kong, and that battle is now one step closer to the big screen as filming has apparently wrapped on what is currently set to be the finale of the giant monster smashing cinematic universe.

Adam Wingard, director of Godzilla vs. Kong announced at the end of the last week on Instagram (via EW) that the production had hit the "final slate" meaning that the last piece of filming for the project was now done. Now the move goes into post-production for the creation of what will certainly be a large number of digital effects.

The announcement comes two weeks after Wingard announced the end of production in Australia. It wasn't clear at that point if wrapping in Australia meant the end of principal photography. We know now there was a bit more work to do, but now the movie is ready.

The new western version of Godzilla was introduced in the 2014 movie named after the creature, which was then followed by Kong: Skull Island in 2017. Godzilla: King of the Monsters will arrive in May, which will likely help set up Godzilla vs. Kong which is set to come out next year.

There clearly was confidence that this franchise would work. No secret was made of the fact that Godzilla vs. Kong was the goal when both creatures were announced to be getting new reboots, and the fact that almost as soon as Godzilla: King of the Monsters finished filming, Godzilla vs. Kong got started, shows that the studio was quite sure the project was a sure bet.

Based on the fact that 2014's Godzilla saw a domestic opening weekend of just short of $100 million on its way to a half billion dollar global box office, it almost certainly seemed to be the case. Kong: Skull Island didn't do quite as well domestically, but actually outperformed Godzilla internationally, making it another significant hit.

Currently, Godzilla: King of the Monsters is looking at a domestic opening closer to that of Kong: Skull Island, which might mean it won't be quite the massive hit that the first Godzilla was, but it will almost certainly still bring in strong international numbers and be a financially successful movie.

By the same token, Godzilla vs. Kong seems destined to be a success. It's one of the most epic battles in cinematic history and it's one that audiences haven't seen in decades.

The films have been so successful that it seems highly unlikely that we've seen the end of them. While we have no idea what is planned after Godzilla vs. Kong, there's a good chance we will see something. We haven't even seen Mechagodzilla yet.

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New Avengers: Endgame Trailers Memorializes The Dusted Heroes

New Avengers: Endgame Trailers Memorializes The Dusted Heroes

It is an extremely exciting time in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. With Captain Marvel in theaters and raking in cash money, there is just one more movie left in Phase Three. Avengers: Endgame will be the cumulation of 21 movies and a decade of filmmaking, ending the narrative that began back with Iron Man. Anticipation is palpable after the harrowing events of Infinity War, which saw a ton of beloved heroes fade to dust before our eyes.

Thanos won the day in Infinity War, uniting all the Infinity Stones and wiping out half the galaxy with the snap of his finger. Audiences were left stunned at this twist ending, and the fandom has been eager for any information regarding Endgame's contents, and how the surviving Avengers will somehow reverse things. Trailers for The Russo Brothers' upcoming blockbuster have been purposefully vague, and the newest one serves as a memorial for the fallen heroes. Check it out.

I'm not crying, you're crying. The effects of Thanos' snap are very much at the heart of Avengers: Endgame's marketing material, as the surviving heroes attempt to live in an apocalyptic world. And there were a ton of characters lost throughout the course of Infinity War's runtime.

This new trailer opens on the various fan favorite heroes who faded to dust as a result of Thanos' snap (aka The Decimation). It opens on T'Challa in Wakanda during the events of Black Panther, surrounded by his trusted Dora Milaje. Wakanda opened its doors and joined the fight against Thanos during Infinity War, and it didn't end up well for the technologically advanced society. Black Panther ultimately faded to dust in front of Okoye's eyes, presumably putting the entire country into chaos. Who is going to rule Wakanda now?

The next fallen Avengers featured is none other than Doctor Strange. Strange had a major role in Infinity War, as he was involved in the battles on New York and Titan. But ultimately the good doctor surprised everyone by handing the Time Stone over to Thanos, in exchange for Tony Stark's life. He also saw millions of possible outcomes for the battle, with only one resulting in their victory. So smart money says he had a master plan all along.

Hope van Dyne is the next character to appear. Evangeline Lilly's character wasn't in Avengers: Infinity War, but the mid-credits scene of Ant-Man and The Wasp revealed she and her parents all faded to dust. What's more, this left Ant-Man stranded in the Quantum Realm. Smart money says that mysterious setting has a major role to play in Endgame.

The Guardians of the Galaxy are also featured in the new trailer, as the motley crew were hit hard during Thanos' assault on the galaxy. Gamora was the first casualty, killed by her adoptive father so he could acquire the Soul Stone. And when the snap happened, moviegoers watched Mantis, Drax, Star-Lord, and Groot all fade to dust. Nebula and Rocket are the only ones left, and they're shown joining The Avengers in Endgame.

Avengers: Endgame will answer our questions when it arrives in theaters on April 26th. In the meantime, check out our 2019 release list to plan your next trip to the movies.

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