Detective Pikachu Had One Job To Do And It Nailed It

Detective Pikachu Had One Job To Do And It Nailed It

Going into Pokemon: Detective Pikachu this past weekend, there was a lot of anticipation as to how the first live-action entry in the Pokemon canon was going to pull off what seemed impossible. Indeed, there was one job that this film had to do, and it needed to get it done properly. That task was to create a world where people and Pokemon could live together in a way that was believable on film.

After seeing the film twice this past weekend, I was struck with the same feeling in each viewing of Pokemon: Detective Pikachu: the world of Pokemon was absolutely nailed in the film. What’s better is, this monumental achievement was accomplished thanks to several components the film incorporated into its whole.

While it was one job that needed to be done, to make the world of Pokemon believable on screen, several components needed to be in place in order for total success. And here’s our list of what those components were and how they benefitted the film’s overall goal of bringing these Pocket Monsters to life in a believable manner.

Pokemon Have Been Translated Perfectly To Live Action

With creatures as unique-looking as Pokemon are, there was obviously a need to get their appearance correct in Pokemon: Detective Pikachu. And if there was any component that this world would need to build the rest of its strategy upon, it’d be the fact that if you don’t have Pokemon that look comparatively believable in a world full of flesh and blood humans, your movie’s not going to make it very far.

Lucky for director Rob Letterman and the rest of the folks involved in Pokemon: Detective Pikachu, the actual creatures that populate this film's universe are absolutely stunning. In particular, the look of Detective Pikachu himself, with very wavy and texture fur covering every inch of his person, is a firm example of how getting the design of a Pokemon is so crucial to correctly conveying the entire enterprise this film represents.

Detective Pikachu Showed That A Parent/Child Friendly Tone Can Be Struck

Ryan Reynolds has basically admitted that if Warner Bros and The Pokemon Company really wanted to, they could release a separate, more mature cut of Pokemon: Detective Pikachu. While that isn’t a surprise, it’s also equally unsurprising that the finished product released into theaters this past weekend played exceedingly well for children and parents, with two levels of humor present in one package.

For the children, the physical antics involving all of the characters present throughout Pokemon: Detective Pikachu, as well as some good natured humor, are easy to enjoy while watching the Pokemon of this universe do their thing. Meanwhile, there was some subtle, line-toeing innuendos that slid into the script for parents to get some sly chuckles out of, such as Detective Pikachu’s off-handed comment about people putting their fingers in him. All in all, everyone could have a laugh, and no one had to be any wiser about the fun stuff that snuck in for older viewers.

The Movie Created A Fantastic Story Out Of An Open Ended Game Universe

When you’re trying to craft a universe as spectacular as Pokemon: Detective Pikachu in a live-action film, another key component is using the source material to your advantage. And as it turns out, Pokemon has a storied history of telling a narrative in the open-ended universe of the original games. But even with that history, this film’s story exceeded expectations.

Pokemon: Detective Pikachu not only plays around with the usual story of Pokemon and their place in a world of humans that's also been explored in animated TV shows and movies, it also dug into a story of a son dealing with his feelings towards his father. With Justice Smith’s Tim trying to sort out his feelings of his presumed dead father, while solving a case with his Pikachu partner, married a very emotional story with the usual message of co-existence between the species that Pokemon has always tried to advance.

It Proved That People Still Want To See A Pokemon Movie

You can make a movie look, sound and feel as fantastic as Pokemon: Detective Pikachu all you want, but if people aren’t interested in the content, any potential cinematic universe will fall flat on its face. Getting the world of Pokemon itself was a big step, but the greatest thing this movie did was prove the fact that people are still very much invested in the property’s fate.

Pokemon: Detective Pikachu managed to not only make itself a movie that was worth seeing, but it also attracted fans of the franchise and newbies to flock to theaters and see what it had. If anyone was wondering if what Pokemon would look like in a live-action adventure, all they have to do now is go see this film and they’ll find out. The ultimate sign that Warner Bros nailed Pokemon on the big screen is the fact that so many people have already gone to see it in its first weekend, with more weekends ahead to show just how well the idea holds up.

Pokemon: Detective Pikachu’s one important job was to convince the world that Pokemon could believably exist alongside humans, be it in the fictional confines of Ryme City or the world of our modern blockbuster box office. Through the factors described above, that job was absolutely nailed, and a promising new cinematic universe was born.

We’ll have to wait and see what the future for Pokemon looks like, as Pokemon: Detective Pikachu is still in its first week of release. But if the results are as promising as the film itself, we might not have seen the last of these lovable creatures, or the stories they can tell. Here’s hoping we get a chance to catch them all.

Pokemon: Detective Pikachu is in theaters now. If you haven’t seen it yet, whether you’re a Pokemon fan or not, you owe it to yourself to experience the wonder first hand.

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Bird Box Is Getting A Sequel, But Not On Netflix

Bird Box Is Getting A Sequel, But Not On Netflix

Lots of movies have debuted on Netflix in the past several years, but not many inspired the kind of response that Bird Box did when it hit the streaming service right before Christmas last year. In just a few days, the post-apocalyptic film managed to set a massive viewing record for Netflix, with fans of the movie creating hundreds of memes dedicated to the film...which then led many others to watch the movie just to see what all the fuss was about. Of course, lots of people even took to blindfolding themselves to take on the so called "Bird Box challenge," with Netflix and public officials having to issue a statement that people, you know, just not do that, especially while driving.

With all the attention the movie, which stars Sandra Bullock as a woman trying to survive with her children in a world where people see their worst fears and then die, got, many people are wondering when we might get a follow up to the terrifying adventure. Fortunately, the answer is October 1, but, instead of coming by way of another Netflix movie, this new tale will be a sequel novel from Josh Malerman, who wrote the book of the same title that Bird Box was based on.

Josh Malerman's follow up to Bird Box is titled Malorie, and will, as indicated by the title, continue the story of Sandra Bullock's fierce, determined character as she continues to fight for survival. So, why did Malerman, who began working on Bird Box in 2006 and published his novel in 2014, decide to write a sequel? Here's what he had to say:

In the time between Bird Box coming out and the time since I’ve been writing Malorie, I’ve been asked a ton of times: people want to know what happened with Boy and Girl. But as much as I care about Boy and Girl, this isn’t their story. The Bird Box world is Malorie’s story, and I wanted to know more about her. I wanted to get to know her even better. At the end of the movie, I turned to my girl Allison and said, 'I want to know what happens next!' and she’s like, 'Well, you know, you could make that happen,' so it really was this warm feeling.

In his interview with Esquire, Josh Malerman revealed that some of his "warm feeling" has led to a story that will tell fans a lot more about Malorie and the creatures who have helped to decimate the population. The sequel will also pick up in a similar location to where the first story ended, with Malorie, her kids and a group of survivors "trying to make things work," but Malerman promises that the new story won't open "with them in paradise" so you can bet that there will be lots of challenges still ahead for Malorie and everyone she comes into contact with along the way.

Unfortunately, Malerman didn't have anything to say about plans for Netflix to adapt this new tale for streaming, but considering how wild people went for Bird Box, it's probably a pretty safe bet that those at the service will at least be paying attention to the reception that Malorie gets once it's released on October 1.

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Why Thor Changed So Much In Avengers: Endgame, According To The Writers

Why Thor Changed So Much In Avengers: Endgame, According To The Writers

Spoilers ahead for Avengers: Endgame. If you haven't seen the latest Marvel blockbuster, look away!

Avengers: Endgame arrived in theaters ahead of last weekend, and the internet is current buzz with the massive blockbuster's many surprising moments. The Russo Brothers crafted an emotional movie that kept the fandom on its toes, providing endless plot twists and a movie that should be void of bathroom breaks.

Chris Hemsworth's Thor was the subject of a fair amount of twists, including a drastic physical transformation. Following Endgame's five year time jump, it was revealed that the God of Thunder was wallowing in the time since decapitating Thanos, becoming an overweight alcoholic in the process. It's an unexpected change to the character that stuck throughout the course of Endgame's runtime, and the film's writers Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely recently explained his twist, saying:

MARCUS: Thor’s on a mission of vengeance. And then we were like, he was on a mission of vengeance in the last movie. This is all this guy ever does! And fails, all the time. Let’s drive him into a wall and see what happens.

McFEELY: He just got drunk and fat.

Well, this does make sense. Thor might have been progressing as a character throughout his long tenure in the MCU, but the guy hasn't had the easiest run. He's lost everything, so it make sense that he would hit rock bottom after his encounters with Thanos.

Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely's comments to The New York Times help to explain how one of the strongest Avengers ended up letting himself go so hard. When the plan to use time travel first comes to fruition, they need to assemble the surviving heroes. Rocket and Bruce Banner travel to New Asgard, and find a Thor that has more interest in Fortnite than saving the galaxy or ruling his people.

His physical transformation is a shocking moment in the movie, as is the fact that The Russo Brothers maintain his new body until his final moments onscreen. Its a constant reminder of how far Thor's character has changed since his first appearance, and how he's truly lost everyone. Besides Korg that is.

In Avengers: Infinity War, Thor spoke with Rocket about all that the God of Thunder had already lost at that point. Odin passed on, while Frigga, Loki, and Heimdell were all brutally murdered. What's more, Thor: Ragnarok saw the destruction of Asgard itself, so his mystical home is gone forever. All he had left was the thirst for vengeance, and wanting to kill Thanos.

And he very nearly did it. He ultimately plunged Stormbreaker into Thanos' chest, gloating over his moment of vengeance in the process. But he didn't aim for the head, and Thanos snapped his fingers and wiped out half the galaxy. That guilt weighed on Thor (literally), and it took some convincing for him to return to The Avengers and join the wild time heist.

Related: Tessa Thompson Says Taika Waititi Might Return For Thor 4

It should be interesting to see what comes next for Thor, as the future of the MCU is largely a mystery. Chris Hemsworth's contract with Marvel Studios is up, but Thor made it out of Endgame with his life. He seemingly joined the Guardians of the Galaxy, although that might have just been his way back into space before a possible fourth Thor movie. We'll just have to wait and see whenever the studio finally unveils its plans for the future post-Endgame.

Thor has already changed quite a bit throughout his long tenure in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. While his father Odin originally exiled him from Asgard due to his immaturity, he proved time and time again to be one of the bravest members of The Avengers. Sure, he's retained his ego and can sometimes be a bit head strong, but Thor has demonstrated a willingness to sacrifice himself for the greater good.

But ultimately Thor wasn't one of the OG Avengers who lost their life during the course of Avengers: Endgame. Instead, he'll presumably be given some chance to return in the post-Endgame world. And that's probably the right call for Marvel Studios, considering the character was given new life and fan excitement following Thor: Ragnarok and Infinity War.

Taika Waititi broke all the rule with his Thor threequel, destroying Asgard, the Warrior's Three, Odin, and Mjolnir in the process. He also took the character into new locations in space, pairing him with Hulk and Loki in the process. What's more, a series of colorful characters were introduced including Valkyrie and Korg.

The newcomers briefly popped back up in Avengers: Endgame, revealing that the surviving Asgardians are living peacefully on Earth. When the film ended, Thor seems to have given over the reigns of leadership to Tessa Thompson Valkyrie, but what does that mean? Could she ended up wielding the character's power as a female Thor? Or should we expect Val and Korg to pop up in Thor 4?

There's no guarantee that Thor 4 will come to fruition, although fans would love to see Chris Hemsworth have another collaboration with Taika Waititi. Tessa Thompson previously teased that talks are happening at Marvel Studios, although nothing is set in stone and she's not sure what comes next for Valkyrie after Endgame.

The final moments of Avengers: Endgame also seemingly tease that Thor will join the Guardians of the Galaxy, following their chemistry in Infinity War. It's a crossover fans will go bonkers over, so hopefully Marvel Studios will reveal its plans sooner rather than later. The God of Thunder has a particular bond with Bradley Cooper's Rocket Raccoon, so hopefully that's a character pairing we'll see more of in Phase Four.

But since Avengers: Endgame is in theaters, hopefully that means Marvel will reveal its plans soon. Of course, Spider-Man: Far From Home is only a few months away, so the studio may want to wait until after that release before unveiling the next phase of films.

Avengers: Endgame is in theaters now, and making tons of money at the box office. Be sure to check out our 2019 release list to plan your next trip to the movies.

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Avengers: Endgame Taught Taika Waititi Something About Korg

Avengers: Endgame Taught Taika Waititi Something About Korg

Spoilers ahead for Avengers: Endgame.

The Russo Brothers got a lot right with Avengers: Endgame, especially when it came to the film's myriad cameos. Countless characters popped up throughout the film's runtime, especially during the epic final battle sequence. This includes Taika Waititi's Korg, who also appeared in an earlier scene in New Asgard.

Ahead of Endgame's time heist, Rocket and Bruce Banner traveled to New Asgard to convince Thor to join the team. When they found him, the God of Thunder was in a deep depression, having gained weight and turned to alcohol to help numb the pain. He's also shown playing Fortnite with Korg and Miek, and it's a scene that taught Taika Waititi something about his signature Marvel character. Check it out.

Taika Waititi may have introduced Korg to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but that doesn't mean the director/actor knows everything about the stone monster. On the contrary, he didn't realize the quirky character only had three fingers until watching Avengers: Endgame in theaters. At least he got to enjoy the movie just like the rest of us, and share his thoughts via Twitter.

Korg entered the MCU in Thor: Ragnarok, while the title character was stuck on Sakaar. Taika Waititi played the character to perfection, and brought a particular sense of humor to the shared universe that was wholly unique. Korg was quick to join Thor's rebellion, and joined the motley crew of Revengers in Ragnarok's big action sequences.

But Korg was noticeably absent from Avengers: Infinity War, alongside Miek and Tessa Thompson's Valkyrie. But they all made their comebacks in Avengers: Endgame, revealing half the Asgardains survived Thanos' opening assault and had found a new home on Earth. Korg and those Asgardian forces ultimately participated in the epic final battle in the rubble of The Avengers Compound, being transported via mystical portals.

Related: Thor: Ragnarok’s Tessa Thompson Maintains Valkyrie Survived Thanos’ Snap

It should be interesting to see how Asgardian characters like Korg function within the MCU's Phase Four. Endgame made it seem like Thor was joining the Guardians of the Galaxy, and Valkyrie was named the leader of New Asgard. Its unclear if another Thor movie is even on the way, or if the cosmic characters will once again take to the skies and interact with the Guardians.

You can watch Korg in all his three fingered glory in Avengers: Endgame-- in theaters now. Be sure to check out our 2019 release list to plan your next trip to the movies.

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A Django Unchained Sequel Is In The Works, And Zorro’s Involved

A Django Unchained Sequel Is In The Works, And Zorro’s Involved

With the exception of Kill Bill: Volume 1 and Volume 2, which were filmed simultaneously and are really just two halves of the same story, Quentin Tarantino has delivered a sequel to any of his movies. However, that could soon change, because word’s come in that Django Unchained is getting a follow-up that’s based on the comic book series where he teamed up with legendary pulp hero Zorro.

Dynamite Entertainment and DC Comics jointly published the Django/Zorro seven-issue miniseries from 2014 to 2015, which Quentin Tarantino worked on with longtime comic book writer Matt Wagner. Fast-forward to now, plans are in motion to adapt this story into a movie, as Collider reports that Tarantino has tapped Jerrod Carmichael of The Carmichael Show fame to write the script for this Django Unchained/Zorro crossover project.

Apparently Sony has been interested in tackling such a project since around the time the comic book series was being published. One of the emails in the infamous 2014 Sony hack showed that Quentin Tarantino told the studio’s then-head honcho Amy Pascal that a team-up between those characters sounded “super cool.”

While it’s unclear if the Django/Zorro movie is officially set up at Sony, the studio did handle the international release of Django Unchained, and after Quentin Tarantino cut ties with The Weinstein Company, he brought his latest movie, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, to Sony. So it would make sense for this movie to find a home there.

It hasn’t been clarified if Jerrod Carmichael is working on the Django/Zorro script on his own, if Quentin Tarantino is tackling it with him or if another, unidentified writer is involved. It also remains to be seen if Quentin Tarantino would direct Django/Zorro, though as the report notes, Tarantino has said many times that he plans to retire after making his tenth film, and Once Upon a Time in Hollywood is Film #9. So it’s a good bet that he may end up simply producing Django/Zorro should it get the green light.

For those unfamiliar with the original Django/Zorro comic book, it took place several years after the events of Django Unchained and followed the Jamie Foxx-portrayed character continuing his bounty hunting and sending money from his jobs back to his wife, Hildi. During one job in the Southwest, he crosses paths with Diego de la Vega, a.k.a. Zorro, and the two join forces to the local indigenous people from slavery.

No doubt Jamie Foxx would reprise Django in this adaptation, as it’s hard to imagine anyone else playing the character. As for Zorro, it’ll be a while until we learn who will don the mask and wield the sword, but this would mark the character’s first big screen appearance since 2005’s The Legend of Zorro, where he was reprised by Antonio Banderas.

Stay tuned to CinemaBlend for more news on how Django/Zorro is coming along. In the meantime, you can plan your trips to the movie theater this year accordingly by looking through our 2019 release schedule.

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Patty Jenkins Drops New Wonder Woman 1984 Photo For Gal Gadot’s Birthday

Patty Jenkins Drops New Wonder Woman 1984 Photo For Gal Gadot’s Birthday

For superhero fans, all eyes are currently on the Marvel Cinematic Universe and the wild events of Avengers: Endgame. But while the Infinity Saga has concluded, there's still plenty to come from the DC side of things. The DCEU has been making serious changes, stepping away from crossovers and serialized storytelling in favor of director-driven capsule projects.

This was a method that worked out great for Patty Jenkins' Wonder Woman, which was the first critical success from the shared universe. Diana Prince's story really resonated with audiences, and the movie was a massive success. Jenkins is reuniting with Gal Gadot for the highly anticipated sequel Wonder Woman 1984, and just shared a new still from the movie in celebration of Gadot's 34th birthday. Check it out.

Diana Prince is back, and she's looking fly as hell. When we followed the events of Wonder Woman, the title character was a fish out of water in the world of men. But it's been decades since she first left home, so this new image from Wonder Woman 1984 teases a much more confident version of the Amazonian princess.

Patty Jenkins' birthday post offers a rare glimpse into Wonder Woman 1984, as the sequel's contents have been largely kept under wraps. While conversation about Wonder Woman's sequel began immediately after the first film arrived in theaters, Jenkins has taken her time bringing the highly anticipated blockbuster to theaters.

In fact, Wonder Woman 1984 was originally going to arrive this coming November, before eventually being pushed back. The answer was largely chocked up to development and scheduling issues, as Patty Jenkins recently directed the TNT series I Am the Night. The film was rescheduled to arrive in theaters on June 5th 2020, which almost the same date the original movie had back in 2017. And that's a fact that seems to thrill Jenkins.

The story of Wonder Woman 1984 is largely a mystery, but the upcoming blockbuster should put the title character in conflict with the Soviet Union, and into the conflict of the Cold War. The movie will also somehow bring back Chris Pine's Steve Trevor, while debuting Kristin Wiig's villainous Cheetah. There's some exciting balls in the air for Wonder Woman 1984, which is why the fandom is so eager for any new information or images.

Related: Patty Jenkins Calls Wonder Woman 1984 Mind-Blowing

Unfortunately for the rabid fans, Wonder Woman 1984 is still over a year away from theaters. So we it'll probably be a while before Warner Bros. releases any footage of Patty Jenkins' return to the DCEU.

In fact, Wonder Woman 1984 isn't even the next release to come from the shared universe. That honor goes to Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn), which will feature a cast of primarily female DC characters. Although the idea of two female-led DC movies in a row is certainly an exciting one.

Wonder Woman 1984 is currently set to arrive in theaters on June 5th. In the meantime, check out our 2019 release list to plan your next trip to the movies.

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Avengers: Endgame Made Even More In Its Opening Weekend Than We Thought

Avengers: Endgame Made Even More In Its Opening Weekend Than We Thought

It's hard to believe, but Avengers: Endgame is officially running in theaters, and blowing minds of the collective Marvel fandom. The Russo Brothers crafted an absolutely massive story, which was truly the cumulation of the last 21 movies ahead of it. Because of the high stakes and Marvel's long history in theaters, moviegoers have been running to theaters to see Endgame, and hopefully avoid any spoilers that might come first.

Since its release, Avengers: Endgame has been breaking box office records left and right, despite only being in theaters for less than a week. One of those records include the biggest opening night and weekend, as the masses assembled in theaters and some theaters included round the clock screenings. And it turns out the opening weekend made even more millions than we thought.

Originally, it was reported that Avengers: Endgame took home a whopping $350 million during its first weekend of showings, already recouping the cost of the massive blockbuster's budget. But turns out that Endgame made a few more millions, ultimately capping out at over $357 million in a matter of days.

This new numbers from Box Office Mojo further shows just how much moneymaking power Avengers: Endgame has. Every single installment in Phase Three has been a critical and box office success, and anticipation over Infinity War drove cinephiles to theaters. And when Josh Brolin's Thanos managed to snap half of all life out of existence, fans could barely stand the year-long wait before Endgame.

Avengers: Endgame's box office run should be a long one, as it's a dense movie that seems to invite multiple showings. The Russo Brothers included everything and the kitchen sink, including surprising cameos, references to past Marvel films, and a ton of breathtaking action. With so much in play, it's easy for you to miss moments on the first screening. So fans will be going to multiple screenings, and shelling out even more money over the next few weeks.

Related: Man Reportedly Beaten Outside Cinema For Shouting Avengers: Endgame Spoilers

The Marvel Cinematic Universe is great at serialized storytelling, but the massive franchise is even better at making money at the box office. And given the finale of Endgame, it should be interesting to see what the future has in store. There are certainly fans who will be eager for any/all new content, especially given Endgame's wild ending.

As for Marvel Studios' plans for the future, much of that currently remains a mystery. Spider-Man: Far From Home will arrive in theaters next, but the schedule for Phase Four hasn't been released. As such, it's unclear when the next movies will arrive in theaters, and give the House of Mouse the opportunity to make even more money at the box office.

Avengers: Endgame is in theaters now, and Spider-Man: Far From Home will follow up on July 5th. In the meantime, check out our 2019 release list to plan your next trip to the movies.

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