5 Questions About Captain Marvel We Want Answered In Avengers: Endgame

5 Questions About Captain Marvel We Want Answered In Avengers: Endgame

The following contains MAJOR SPOILERS for Captain Marvel**.**

Captain Marvel is finally here, and that means we’ve had a chance to finally see the hero that we all expect is going to be the key to victory in the forthcoming Avengers: Endgame. While the movie did answer a few interesting questions that we’ve had about the MCU, like what happened to Nick Fury’s eye, it also created a bunch of new questions for us to ponder.

On the plus side, we don’t necessarily have to wait too long to get answers to those questions because Avengers: Endgame is only a few short weeks away, but while that movie may be focused on saving half of all life in the galaxy, we certainly hope it leaves time to answer these burning questions about the movie we just saw.

Where The Hell Has Captain Marvel Been?

At the end of the movie, our hero leaves Earth with apparently two major goals in mind. She plans to help the Skrulls find a new home where they can live in peace, and to take the fight to the Kree, with her eye on ending the galactic control the Kree have been attempting. And then, as far as we know, she’s never seen again on Earth until post-Decimation.

Now certainly, fighting a one-woman war against the Kree is going to be a time consuming endeavor, but it’s been two decades since the events of Captain Marvel, and not only has Carol Danvers not returned to Earth, she’s been so far off the radar that nobody knows anything about her. We see Ronan the Accuser take a particular interest in Danvers, but when we see Ronan later in Guardians of the Galaxy, he’s focusing on entirely different things, when clearly he hasn’t killed Captain Marvel yet. When Ronan attacks Xandar, where the hell is the lady who made it her mission to defeat the Kree?

Did Captain Marvel Cause The Kree/Xandarian Peace Treaty?

There is one possible answer to the above question, but if true, it also raises other questions. Is Captain Marvel the ultimate reason that Roan the Accuser goes rogue in Guardians of the Galaxy and works works with Thanos. When we first meet Ronan in Guardians of the Galaxy, we learn that he's no longer part of the Kree collective, but is instead working alone. The Kree and the planet Xandar have signed a peace treaty, but Ronan doesn't agree with it. The war between these two has apparently raged for generations, causing the deaths of many in Ronan's family. It's never made clear why the Kree have made peace now, based on the way we see them in Captain Marvel, they don't seem like a race that makes peace easily.

However, if the Nova Corps were to get some additional assistance by somebody like Captain Marvel, it's possible that could have thrown the balance of the war off in such a way that the Kree had no choice but to make peace. Of course, if all this were true, it wouldn't explain why Carol Danvers didn't show up to help at the end of that movie when Ronan attacked Xandar.

What Happened To Maria And Monica?

One of the biggest questions we had after Avengers: Infinity War involved taking stock of the MCU and figuring out who might still be alive following The Snap. Anybody that we didn’t see on screen in the final minutes of that movie has no clear fate, and that’s a lot of people that fans care about. Captain Marvel added two more, Maria and Monica Rambeau. Carol Danvers' friend and fellow pilot was one of the highlights of the new movie, and her daughter was also instantly endearing.

Did one or both of them fall victim to Thanos or are they still with us? While the post-credits scene of Captain Marvel showed us Carol Danvers hasn’t aged much, likely due to her powers, Maria and Monica would be 20 years older, meaning Monica is now an adult. As comic book fans know, she potentially has a superhero life in front of her as well, so the question of their fate, both now and in the future, is potentially important.

Is Goose Still Around?

If there’s one thing that pretty much everybody who saw Captain Marvel can agree on, it’s that Goose is just the best. Say what you will about the movie itself, but Goose the cat is getting rave reviews from every corner, and so we have to wonder, is the little guy still around?

Goose would be something over 20 years old, which is damn old for a cat and would mean that’s unlikely, but as we know, Goose isn’t actually a cat. He's an alien called a flerken that simply resembles a cat. Exactly what the lifespan of the flerken is, we don’t really know. It appears that Nick Fury has kept Goose around, which isn’t good news since Fury is now gone. Who’s going to feed Goose? Even if the little fuzzball has survived this long, he may have been dusted himself, which is just too heartbreaking to think about.

How Did Mar-Vell Get The Tesseract?

We know more about the history of the Tesseract, a.k.a. the Space Stone, then we do any of the other Infinity Stones. We know it was being hidden in Norway in the 1940s when the Red Skull obtained it. Captain America then defeated the Skull and the stone was lost, along with Cap himself, but Howard Stark recovered the Tesseract while looking for Steve Rogers. The next time we saw it, it was in the hands of SHIELD, so it appeared that Stark handed it over to his bosses at the SSR, which later became SHIELD, and they'd had it all this time.

But now Captain Marvel has revealed that may not actually be the case. Somehow, Mar-Vell got her hands on the Tesseract and used it to create a lightspeed engine. By the end of the film, the Tesseract is in the hands of SHIELD, or at least Nick Fury, but exactly how Mar-Vell got it is still a mystery, Did Mar-Vell get it, or take it, from Howard Stark at some point in the past? Did she steal it from the SSR/SHIELD? At this point we don't know.

At this point, we have no idea what's next for the MCU after this year's films wrap up, which means we have no clue when we might get an answer to any of these questions unless they're actually part of Avengers: Endgame. Could we have to wait multiple years to learn what happened to Goose? Please don't let that be so.

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Aladdin Actor Tries Not To Slack Off After Being Called 'Hot Jafar'

Aladdin Actor Tries Not To Slack Off After Being Called 'Hot Jafar'

A Disney remake is bound to draw reactions of all sorts when it’s announced. That being said, no one could have predicted how fans anticipating director Guy Ritchie’s big ticket blockbuster would dub actor Marwan Kenzari’s interpretation of Aladdin’s famous villain as “Hot Jafar.”

With such a title comes certain expectations, especially when you have a co-star like Will Smith busting your chops for what you wear to a premiere. Decked out for the L.A. premiere of Aladdin in a classic black tuxedo, Marwan Kenzari gave his adoring public the following message:

Thanks guys, I think of you. It’s very kind I do my best as you can see to keep [Hot Jafar] up. I cannot slack.

Marwan Kenzari has certainly lost the right to slack, as Aladdin has not only shown him what internet fandom looks like, but also what successful premiere attire looks like as well. And that is partially because of the film’s London premiere, which saw Will Smith and Guy Ritchie both making comments on Kenzari’s more subdued look for Aladdin’s regional bow, that the actor is paying more attention to his look.

For comparison, take a look at the side by side photos below, with Marwan Kenzari’s London outfit on the left, and his L.A. outfit on the right:

While ET Online started out with the question of how Marwan Kenzari’s been responding to his duties as “Hot Jafar,” a charismatic ambush from Will Smith during their red carpet interview triggered the discussion of what to wear to an event as big as the premiere of a major motion picture. While it’s important to be impartial, the tuxedo look on Kenzari is undoubtedly the killer.

As Aladdin opened to an $86 million weekend, going by the standard weekend timeframe as opposed to an extended Memorial Day weekend, the fans are still in the mood to see the Disney brand of magic make its way into a more live-action friendly context. That's something that even the villainous Jafar could smile about, when you think about where his story ends up in the animated canon.

Rest assured, should another Aladdin film find its way to a green light over at Disney, Marwan Kenzari is now fully briefed as to how he should work the red carpet in the future. And classic tuxedos are probably only the start, as any further action could see him mix it up with red and black outfits that hew closer to his infamous character’s color scheme. The sky’s the limit at this point.

Aladdin is currently in theaters now; but if you’ve already taken that trip to a whole new world, you can see what else is in store for this year with the 2019 release schedule.

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Why The Villain In Dumbo Was A Bigger Shock Than We Expected

Why The Villain In Dumbo Was A Bigger Shock Than We Expected

The following contains MAJOR SPOILERS for the new live-action Dumbo.

It was clear from the very first trailers that the live-action Dumbo was going to tell a very different story than the original animated classic. Throughout the film's promotion, we were introduced to entirely new characters and settings that showed us the new film would definitely not be a standard remake. The original Dumbo was a movie without a villain, and the new version never entirely tipped its hand in that regard during marketing. It seemed clear that Michael Keaton's character was being set up as the bad guy, but details were left to a minimum. Still, I found myself watching the new film in utter amazement this week when I realized that the villain in Disney's newest movie... is basically an evil Walt Disney.

Michael Keaton plays the role of V.A. Vandevere in the new Dumbo. In the film, as soon as he learns of the existence of the flying elephant, he travels to the Medici Brothers circus in order to obtain the spectacle for his own entertainment venue. However, Vandevere doesn't run a competing circus. Instead, he has build an entertainment mecca, a massive complex where people come from all around to see a variety of different shows and experience unique attractions. It's called Dreamland. He built a theme park.

Micheal Keaton doesn't bear any physical resemblance to Walt Disney in the film; the trademark mustache is missing, but the parallels are clear. The character certainly has other influences as well, like Thomas Edison, who by all accounts actually was an asshole like Vandevere. There's maybe a little J.D. Rockefeller and J.P Morgan there as well, but Walt Disney certainly has a lot in common with this entire class. All are titans in an industry that they've largely created themselves. Of course, Disney is the only one who also built a theme park.

The existence of the park isn't the only connection to Disney. When we first meet Vandevere, he convinces Danny DeVito's Max Medici that the days of the circus are numbered. Now, rather than forcing a show to travel around the country to where the guests were, the way to be successful is to build a permanent entertainment installation and make the guests come to you.

This was basically the entire argument that led to the creation of Disneyland in the first place. Walt wasn't necessarily trying to put the circus out of business, but it's absolutely true that he wasn't a huge fan of the carnivals and circuses that were the popular form of "family" entertainment in the days before his theme park. He found them to be dirty, thought many of the attractions to be cheap and felt they were mostly only fun for kids, leaving their parents to sit around, probably drinking, while the kids went on the rids. He wanted a place where parents and their kids could have fun together.

It seems like Vandevere built his park simply because it's less work to build a fixed location complex then one that travels. The rationale is different, but the result is the same. It's these simple twists that make Michael Keaton's character the "evil" version of the real man.

You simply can't have a villain who owns a theme park and not make people think of Walt Disney. The man and the concept are forever linked together. However, things go so much further than that. Vandevere's Dreamland has attractions that are specifically designed to remind guests of early Disneyland attractions, like the Carousel of Progress and Rocket to the Moon. Dreamland is actively trying to make you think about Disneyland.

This decision, needless to say, is remarkable. Walt Disney is still very much idolized within the company that bears his name. The idea that a villain could be created that would even suggest Walt himself is a thing to behold. Walt Disney's reputation has been an important pillar of the entire company for decades, making the idea that he could inspire a villain seem impossible before now. When Walt Disney was alive he was very careful about the reputation he cultivated. He was very open and honest about this, saying once...

I’ve worked my whole life to create the image of what ‘Walt Disney’ is. It’s not me. I smoke, and I drink, and all the things we don’t want the public to think about. My whole life has been devoted to building up this organization that is represented by the name ‘Walt Disney'

V.A. Vandevere has clearly done this too. When he first arrives at the Medici Brothers circus, everybody is in awe of him. When he shows up in his own theme park, he gets noticed. He clearly has his own public persona.

After Walt's passing, the company that carried on his name continued to build up the image of who Walt Disney was. Even as recently as 2013, when Tom Hanks, the nicest actor who ever lived, played the man himself in Saving Mr. Banks, it was a major breakthrough just to have a shot of Disney holding a lit cigarette. Many old publicity images of the man where he was holding a cigarette would actually airbrush it out of the picture. That film never showed him actually smoking it, of course. That would have been a bridge too far, but that's how carefully the Walt Disney legacy is guarded.

Walt Disney wasn't perfect, he was just a person. However, as has happened with many real people who have obtained such massively popular reputations, there has been a backlash. A lot of the negative things that have been reported about Walt Disney are utterly untrue (that's an entirely separate column), but that hasn't stopped many from viewing the man as exactly the ruthless capitalist monster that Michael Keaton portrays in Dumbo. That's all the more reason that this fictional character in this movie is shocking to see.

V.A. Vadevere is an over-the-top cartoon villain. He intentionally screws Max Medici and everybody in the circus to get what he wants. He orders Dumbo's mother killed to eliminate her as a distraction. He pushes his performers to perform in unsafe circumstances to make the show better. All of this is out of a desire for money.

While V.A. Vandevere may be all about watching his theme park make money, Disney once said of his business of making movies...

We don’t make movies to make money, we make money to make more movies.

V.A. Vandevere clearly has far more capitalistic notions than this when it comes to his theme park. He wants Dumbo because Dumbo will bring him money. That money can be used to grow his business. Greed is a fairly common motivation for villains in Disney movies today, so Michael Keaton's character falls right in line with that, but in Walt's day, painting making money as a bad thing was much less prevalent.

This is because Walt Disney himself was an unapologetic capitalist. If there's a difference between Walt Disney and V.A. Vandevere in this regard, it's only by a matter of degree. This is the same Walt Disney who has successfully and permanently linked his name to centuries-old fairy tales. He took public domain concepts that cost him nothing, and created versions that for many are now the standard, making him and his company rich in the process. Maybe Walt saw financial success as a means to an end, rather than an end to itself, as Vandevere seems to, but both of them were certainly focused on making their businesses financially successful.

V.A. Vandevere isn't Walt Disney, but let's not pretend that nobody on the production of the new Dumbo didn't make that connection, just as I, and many others, already have. That's assuming that it wasn't the goal from the outset. They knew the link would be made, and they went ahead with it. I can't decide if this decision is simply insane or the bravest thing that the Walt Disney Company has ever done. This likely won't change many opinions on old Uncle Walt, for good or ill, but it causes me to look at his company in a whole new way.

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How Dennis Quaid Got The Dogs’ Attention On The Set of A Dog’s Journey

How Dennis Quaid Got The Dogs’ Attention On The Set of A Dog’s Journey

The story in the Dog's movies center on a pooch who finds his way back to his owner across a number lifetimes as different dogs. It will soon continue with A Dog’s Journey, which will pick up with Dennis Quaid’s character, who is now a grandfather.

Since the film will follow a new generation of Bailey’s reincarnations, Dennis Quaid is one of the few threads that bind the pair of movies together and it sure showed on set when he’d work with the puppers. When Iwe recently sat down with Quaid and Marg Helgenberger, who plays Ethan’s wife Hannah in the flick, she shared a bit of the actor’s claim to fame. Check it out in their words:

Marg: Dennis just knew how to work with dogs. The way he put food on his face to get the dogs to react or be on his shoulder on a certain spot.

Dennis: You look like a dog whisperer when you do stuff like that.

Marg: Yeah, you seem like a real trainer. I was impressed.

Dennis: Yeah, well, I'm the one who was trained.

Ah yes, food! That’s definitely the ticket to get in with the dogs!! As Marg explained, Dennis would place some on his face to get the animal actors to react to him on camera or do specific tricks, and it looks like it worked. He of course has had some experience on the prior film, while she was stepping onto the saga for the first time with A Dog’s Journey. The actress played Hannah for the sequel, replacing Peggy Lipton, who passed away a few days ago of colon cancer at the age of 72.

Dennis Quaid isn’t only a skilled dog whisperer of sorts, he’s a lover of man’s best friend. In our interview, he elaborated about why they’ve been an important element of his life. Here’s what he said:

I’ve always had dogs, all my life, and I need them around. They chew me out and look at me like: ‘What’s the problem?’ They are always there for you, they’re your best friend, they don’t judge you and they’re always ready to go.

Isn’t that the truth! Dennis Quaid is certainly passionate about puppers and having them there to keep him in check is one of the many reasons why. You can imagine how great of an acting partner a dog is with all those traits above their paws. Check out the pair talk during the exclusive interview below :

A Dog’s Journey comes a few months after the release of A Dog’s Way Home, which may not be directly connected storywise, but shares the same roots – they’re both based on novels and scripts by W. Bruce Cameron. This film centers on Ethan’s granddaughter CJ as she must grow up apart from them, but has a protector in Bailey as his reincarnations continually bring him back to her.

The film opens this Friday, May 17 alongside John Wick 3 and The Sun is Also A Star. Will you be checking out the touching tale this weekend? Let us know your thoughts below.

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10 Great Movies Coming To Netflix In April 2019

10 Great Movies Coming To Netflix In April 2019

There are a lot of movies and shows that go up whenever Netflix does its monthly refresh. But out of the ones that get thrown into the mix, there are those vaunted few that the folks at home will get to say hello to when that moment comes. April brings yet another opportunity for subscribers to get some new thrills from the comfort of their own home. The cream of the crop is what we're focusing on here, so get your pencils ready, as the following movies should be on your to do list.

Bonnie and Clyde

Now here's a pick that's the best example of perfect timing. Just as the Netflix original The Highwaymen is about to tell the story of the law enforcement agents that chased down the outlaws Bonnie and Clyde, the classic 1967 film version of the criminal side of the equation will be available just a couple short days after. An iconic, if not entirely accurate romp, it's one of the films that made Faye Dunaway and Warren Beatty household names. So find a partner in crime, and make it a double feature to remember!

Deliverance

While Burt Reynolds was mostly known for being one of the most laid back comedy talents this side of the Mississippi, he was known to be quite the dramatist when he got the right material. You can bet on Deliverance being the right material, as he not only got to kick some revengeful ass with his friends in the Everglades, he even did one of the most dangerous stunts of his career and got a nice trip to the hospital because of it. Burt Reynolds didn't have to go that hard so early in his career. But then again, if he didn't, would this tale of backwoods savagery and retribution be the legend it eventually became?

I Am Legend

It's an oft overlooked film in the Will Smith canon, but I Am Legend showcases some of the actor's best work for a solid majority of the film. Playing a doctor who's lone goal is to survive the byproducts of a viral apocalypse, seeing Smith playing off of some mannequins and a dog for two thirds of a major blockbuster is a pretty impressive feat. Based on Richard Matheson's legendary novella of the same name, the film definitely took liberties with the source material. But what it lacks in direct adaptation, it gains in a modern context that sees Will Smith play more of a remorseful hero, rather than his usual comedic self.

Valkyrie

Going into any discussion of Valkyrie, it's going to bring up the fact that there are some problematic people that made this film about the real life attempt on Adolf Hitler's life. But special context aside, the film stands as a fantastic historical drama that focuses on the intricacies that went into Operation Valkyrie, and the lengths that Col. Klaus Von Stauffenberg and his conspirators would go through. Valkyrie also boasts one hell of an ensemble, as Tom Cruise is joined by the likes of Eddie Izzard, Bill Nighy, Tom Wilkinson, and Kenneth Branagh to tell this important story.

Pineapple Express

It's probably just a coincidence that Pineapple Express happens to be coming to Netflix in the month of April, right? Surely there isn't an unofficial holiday then that would require a film with an extremely pro marijuana message for celebration. But, even if there were, or even if you aren't the type to partake in such a ritual, this Seth Rogen / James Franco comedy is still enough of a gutbuster to have a good, sober time. No pressure, but there are multiple options with this one.

The Hateful Eight

Quentin Tarantino's Once Upon A Time In Hollywood is set to debut this summer, bringing the director's self imposed ten movie limit ever so closer. But this is the same conversation we were having when The Hateful Eight was first announced and eventually released to a public eager for smart dialogue and liberal blood splatter. The big difference between those two films is, you can actually watch The Hateful Eight on Netflix next month. And what makes this occasion even more special is the fact that the version hitting the streaming world is the extended, roadshow version shown in theaters.

Burning

Burning is a film that wasn't a widely released blockbuster, but earned a lot of recognition as a potential candidate for Best Foreign Film at last year's Oscars. While those hopes sadly were never realized, the film is about what starts as a reunion of childhood friends, but turns into something more dangerous, and possibly deadly. With The Walking Dead's Steven Yeun in its cast, this film was bound to turn some heads; but the air of mystery surrounding the picture makes it all the more tantalizing to dig in ourselves and enjoy.

Snatch

Everybody likes to fall back on Lock, Stock, and Two Smokin' Barrels when it comes to picking a Guy Richie film. While that's not a bad choice, it is one of the reasons why those who've seen Snatch, Richie's second film, tend to bind together in mutual admiration. A funny, frenetic, and weird film about fixed boxing matches, angry gangsters from both sides of the pond, and a man who actually has teeth made out of the bullets that were used in his attempted murder, so you can kind of see where this is going. But if you're going to see Snatch for one reason, and one reason alone, it has to be Brad Pitt's inspired performance as a boxer with one hell of an accent.

Freddy vs. Jason

Is Freddy vs. Jason the scariest of either the Friday the 13th or Nightmare on Elm Street franchises? Not in the slightest. Is it the culmination of one of the most anticipated slasher movie match ups of all time? Oh yes, it is! Let's face it: this movie was going to happen some day, and in the wrong hands, it would have been dismal. But what we got instead was one gigantic showdown between the dream master himself, and the goalie from Hell. It's just a shame we can't get a sequel, but at least there's this one, special film to hold onto for all dear death.

The Fifth Element

Sometimes, when you make a film inspired by a property that you're itching to get the rights to, the new version plays better than the source material. It's what happened to Luc Besson, as The Fifth Element was what happened when his wishes to make Valerian: The City of a Thousand Planets was thwarted in the 1990s. So, instead of whomever the '90s equivalent of Dane DeHaan and Cara Delevingne were tearing up the big screen, we got Bruce Wills and then newcomer Mila Jovovich as the mismatched pair trying to prevent the end of the galaxy as we know it. And you know something? We're probably all the better for it.

If you're ready for more Netflix action in the month of April, you can find it by looking through the total lineup of April's incoming content. We'll see you again next month, when a new crop of excellent films will be brought to everyone's attention.

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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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