James Gunn Teases Rocket’s Character Arc Will Be Completed With Guardians 3

James Gunn Teases Rocket’s Character Arc Will Be Completed With Guardians 3

Major spoilers ahead for Avengers: Endgame.

The Marvel Cinematic Universe is on a serious high right now, riding the massive success of Avengers: Endgame. The movie is breaking all types of records, and is deeply connected to the other 21 movies before it. Endgame particularly focused on the heroes who survived Thanos' snap in Infinity War, including Guardians of the Galaxy favorite Rocket Raccoon.

Rocket is arguably the most damaged character in the Guardians franchise, perhaps sharing the honor with Karen Gillan’s Nebula. That’s no doubt why were they spared from the dusting, and given the chance to grow through Endgame's five- year span. And according to director James Gunn, Vol. 3 of the franchise will complete a major narrative arc for Bradley Cooper’s character. As he put it:

When you asked me what was saddest for me when I thought it was gone—and anybody at Marvel can tell you—it’s this very strange and attached relationship to Rocket. Rocket is me, he really is, even if that sounds narcissistic. Groot is like my dog. I love Groot in a completely different way. I relate to Rocket and I feel compassion for Rocket, but I also feel like his story has not been completed. He has an arc that started in the first movie, continued into the second and goes through Infinity War and Endgame, and then I was set to really finish that arc in Guardians 3. That was a big loss to me—not being able to finish that story—though I was comforted by the fact that they were still planning to use my script.

While James Gunn no doubt has plans for all of the Guardians of the Galaxy cast, it looks like we should play special attention to Rocket when the threequel eventually arrives in theaters. Because that’s the character Gunn just couldn’t say goodbye to.

James Gunn’s comments to Deadline make a great deal of sense, considering how much of an arc Groot has already had in Phases 2 and 3. Rocket was introduced in the first Guardians movie as an angry and closed off criminal. But he’s since grown into a intergalactic hero, and has a family unit in the Guardians.

Related: How Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 3 Might Be Affected By Avengers: Endgame

In fact, Guardians 2’s last shot was on Rocket. The movie leaves us with the wise-cracking Guardian watching the lights from Yondu’s funeral, having finally found a home.

Unfortunately that family was taken away from him in Avengers: Infinity War. Thanos’ assault on the galaxy hit the Guardians hard, with Gamora was murdered by her father and the affects of the snap turning Star-Lord, Mantis, Drax, and Groot to dust. Rocket and Nebula were the only survivors, and developed their own bond which should presumably have a role in the Guardians’ threequel.

It should be interesting to see what's next for Rocket in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. It looks like Thor might be joining the next movie, and Rocket's developed quite the relationship with the God of Thunder. The Guardians (or Asguardians?) are also on the search for the past Gamora, who had time traveled with Thanos to the epic final battle in Endgame.

Avengers: Endgame is in theaters now, complete with the second part of Rocket's arc. In the meantime, be sure to check out our 2019 release list to plan your next trip to the movies.

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An Update On Daniel Craig's Bond 25 Injury

An Update On Daniel Craig's Bond 25 Injury

It's been a long and difficult road getting Bond 25 to the big screen, and earlier this month, it was dealt another blow when it was reported that Daniel Craig suffered an injury during filming in Jamaica. Apparently the actor slipped while running, resulting in an ankle injury that caused the production to be temporarily suspended. Now there is an official update on the status of Daniel Craig and Bond 25. Check it out:

Daniel Craig’s ankle injury will unfortunately require surgery to repair, but the fact that it is minor surgery at least indicates that the injury is perhaps not as bad as it initially appeared or could have been. It sounds like he will be back on his feet pretty quickly too, with only two weeks of physical rehabilitation after he undergoes the surgery.

Following the initial report of Daniel Craig’s injury, we heard that production on Bond 25 would be only be briefly suspended, and that seems to be the case. According to the official James Bond Twitter account, production on Bond 25 will continue while Daniel Craig is rehabilitating. That might not have been possible had Daniel Craig’s injury been more severe and required a longer recovery time.

Fortunately, similar to what happened with Tom Cruise’s injury on Mission: Impossible - Fallout, work will still be done on Bond 25 while Daniel Craig recovers. So despite the previous delays and the potentially catastrophic consequences of a Daniel Craig injury, Bond 25 is still on track to meet its April 2020 release date.

Supposedly Daniel Craig was filming a scene where he was running when he slipped and fell in an awkward way that resulted in an extremely painful injury. This isn’t the first injury Daniel Craig has suffered as a part of his time as 007, as his tenure as the spy has been plagued with injuries from the start.

From losing teeth on Casino Royale to losing the tip of his finger and tearing a muscle on Quantum of Solace to injuring his knee on Spectre to his latest ankle injury on Bond 25, it is no wonder that Daniel Craig has on occasion been quite hyperbolic in describing his reticence to return to the franchise. Are you sure you want the role, Richard Madden?

Daniel Craig’s injury isn’t the only problem Bond 25 has faced, as the sequel to 2015’s Spectre has been beset by all manner of problems. Oscar-winning director Danny Boyle left the film over the oft-cited creative differences, and he was replaced by True Detective Season 1 and Beasts of No Nation director Cary Joji Fukunaga.

The script for the film has also went through different writers with a lingering question of if it is even ready now. Oh, for the days when just getting Daniel Craig to return to the role seemed like the biggest impediment to Bond 25.

Despite the slings and arrows it has faced, this latest news is encouraging that Daniel Craig will be okay and that Bond 25 will proceed as scheduled and meet its release date.

The as-yet-unnamed Bond 25 is set to open on April 8, 2020. Check out our 2019 Release Schedule to keep track of all of this year’s biggest movies.

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Frozen 2 Will Feel Like A Superhero Movie, According To Idina Menzel

Frozen 2 Will Feel Like A Superhero Movie, According To Idina Menzel

We’re only months away from the release of Disney’s Frozen 2, and yet the details on how the new film will follow up its blockbuster predecessor are still pretty scarce. Even with a teaser trailer available to the public, there’s still a lot of questions about what this film will be about, and fans are still openly speculating in the absence of actual information.

But we now have a little more to go on in terms of how Frozen 2 will continue the story, as Queen Elsa herself, Idina Menzel, gave a little taste of what’s to come in a recent interview. Specifically, Menzel had this to say:

It's a real girl power, badass kind of superhero type of movie. They're really strong, the two sisters, and it's exciting. The music is beautiful.

So those folks that took the Frozen 2 teaser trailer released a couple months ago and redubbed it to Alan Silvestri’s theme from The Avengers were kind of onto something there. In fact, this plays into a theory that some Disney aficionados were discussing recently, in which the plot of this new film would not only see Elsa and Anna searching for their parents, but also would see an expansion of powers for the Queen of Arendelle.

Then again, there’s the possibility that Anna might have some powers, metaphorical or physical, to be discovered in Frozen 2 herself. We have seen her show familiarity with a blade in our first look at the film, so she could be a skilled fighter. And then there’s always the possibility that much like her sister, she could have powers over the elements herself.

Other than the remaining remark that the music Academy Award winners and Frozen stalwarts Robert and Kristen Anderson-Lopez will be providing is going to be “beautiful,” there’s not much more that Idina Menzel has told The Hollywood Reporter about Frozen 2. Though fans are probably thankful for that, as they wouldn’t want anything spoiled before getting their next look at just what Elsa, Anna, Kristoff and Olaf are going to be up to this next time out.

It’s pretty much a given that Frozen 2 will be a box office juggernaut, much like its predecessor. Those who latched onto that first film just haven’t let it go, and their response to the ensuing shorts, Frozen Fever and Olaf’s Frozen Adventure, is only further evidence that once the sled starts rolling on Frozen 2, it’s going to be hard to stop it. One even has to wonder, if Frozen 2 is a superhero movie experience, could it put up superhero numbers upon release?

We’ll find out soon enough, when Frozen 2 thaws the hearts of its audience on November 24. If you’re looking for more of the animated offerings 2019 will bring, our release date schedule for the rest of the year is up for grabs. Also, if you’re wondering what Disney Animation is going to be providing down the line, for 2019 and beyond, check out our Upcoming Disney Animated Movies schedule as well.

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9 MCU Movies to Rewatch Before Avengers: Endgame

9 MCU Movies to Rewatch Before Avengers: Endgame

Avengers: Endgame is almost upon us, and it's highly likely that some fans are undergoing a rewatch of the MCU in preparation for what has been teased as the culmination of 11 years of storytelling. It's a momentous occasion, but marathoning 21 films can be a little daunting. Even watching just one a day takes some commitment. Thankfully, you don't really need to rewatch every single movie to get psyched and ready for Endgame.

If you aren't up for a 60 hour marathon, there's a much easier way to bone up on your MCU knowledge before watching Endgame later this month. There are only really nine films to watch to get up to speed. Nine is still a lot of movies, but these films are important to Endgame either because they introduce important characters, set up storylines and themes, or directly lead into Endgame. We don't know what will happen in Endgame, but these are the films to watch before this pop culture phenomenon.

Iron Man

What better place to start than at the very beginning? While Iron Man doesn't tease anything about Mad Titans, Infinity Stones, or any sort of cosmic adventures, the film is an incredibly important step. It's the foundation of the whole MCU and it introduces the franchise's flagship character, Tony Stark. Stark's journey throughout the MCU has been one of a man slowly learning to become a hero, and we'll likely see the completion of that arc in Endgame as he works with the Avengers to stop Thanos once and for all. Plus, Iron Man teases the scope and ambition of a cinematic universe in a post-credits scene with something called the Avengers Initiative.

The Avengers

After years of buildup and introducing each of the core members in their own films, Marvel's grand experiment finally paid off in The Avengers. The movie went on to break a ton of box office records and change the landscape of how studios create franchises. The film teams up Iron Man, Captain America, Thor, the Hulk, Black Widow, and Hawkeye for the first time as they combat an alien invasion. It's no coincidence that these six original members are all alive after Avengers: Infinity War, and they almost certainly have big roles to play in Endgame. However, The Avengers was also our introduction to Thanos and the overarching story that would guide the MCU for the next several years.

Guardians of the Galaxy

This was the film that truly proved Marvel could make almost any comic property a blockbuster sensation. Guardians of the Galaxy made household names out of D-list characters, in part thanks to the unique tone of director James Gunn and his catchy soundtracks. The movie is our first introduction to Rocket Raccoon and Nebula, two characters who are all over the marketing for Endgame. While the team dynamic is the core of the film, it does a lot of legwork for the MCU's future. The movie introduces Nebula and Gamora's complicated family history, explains the backstory of the Infinity Stones, and give the very first look at Josh Brolin as Thanos. The latter wasn't earthshaking, but Marvel had a couple more years to get it right.

Avengers: Age of Ultron

Avengers: Age of Ultron didn't quite live up to the hype, but any Avengers movie is important enough to rewatch. The film is an important step for Tony Stark as his guilt and fear pushes him to create Ultron, who nearly makes humankind extinct. Thanks to some visions from Scarlet Witch, we get brief teases into the future, perhaps the most important of which is the Avengers lying dead while an alien army advances toward Earth. We also get a big info dump on the Infinity Stones and the coming threat of Thanos courtesy of Thor's hot tub visions. Additionally, Age of Ultron sets in motion events that would shatter the Avengers after the destruction of Sokovia.

Captain America: Civil War

The Russo Bros. themselves said that that this was one of the two most important movies to watch before Endgame and it's easy to see why. Captain America: Civil War would have long-lasting consequences for Marvel's superheroes as a feud between Tony Stark and Steve Rogers drives the Avengers apart. The disbandment of the Avengers is the crucial takeaway as it played a key factor in the heroes losing against Thanos. Endgame will almost certainly see Stark and Rogers finally settle their beef, making the moment that the Avengers unite once again all the sweeter. Civil War was also something of field test for how many characters could fit into one movie as it added Ant-Man to the ranks and introduced viewers to two important characters: Black Panther and Spider-Man.

Ant-Man and the Wasp

The big draw of the Ant-Man franchise is that it's a light, low-stakes comedy, so it might be surprising to learn that it's an essential piece to the Endgame puzzle. While nothing in the film's actually plot will likely be important in Endgame, the sequel does further showcase the Quantum Realm, which is heavily rumored to be vital in the upcoming blockbuster. In fact, Ant-Man and the Wasp might have set up the first real tease of time travel in the MCU, which also has a million Endgame rumors. Additionally, Scott Lang is left trapped in the Quantum Realm after the movie, setting up his involvement in Endgame and how he escaped the Decimation.

Thor: Ragnarok

Thor: Ragnarok is as stand alone as it gets. It takes place in the middle of space, far away from all that Earth drama, but it still ends up leading directly into Avengers: Infinity War. The comedic sequel finds Thor and the remaining Asgardians heading towards Earth, only to be confronted by the massive ship of Thanos. The immediate aftermath of that encounter kicks off Infinity War. Ragnarok is also crucial for both Thor and Bruce Banner, setting up their arcs for the next two movies. Thor loses his entire family and that grief and anger drives him, ultimately leading to his inability to kill Thanos. Meanwhile, this film was the beginning of Banner's three part character arc dealing with the Hulk that will conclude in Endgame.

Avengers: Infinity War

This is a no-brainer. Endgame is a direct sequel to Infinity War, so of course it needs to be on the rewatch list. Pretty much everything in this film is important to Endgame. Infinity War sets up the major conflict of Endgame, which is the Avengers coming together to defeat Thanos and somehow undo the damage he's done to the entire universe. The movie left Tony Stark and Nebula on an alien planet far from Earth, Thanos reveling in his victory, half of the cast annihilated in a fit of cosmic genocide, and the survivors grieving over their loss. Endgame can be considered Part II of the story that Infinity War began, and we'll finally learn how it all concludes later this month.

Captain Marvel

At the end of Infinity War, Nick Fury sent out a distress signal right before turning to dust. That signal went out to Captain Marvel, the MCU's newest hero. Marvel has been hyping up the appearance of Captain Marvel for years, and she finally made her debut in her stand alone film in March. The film showed the origins of the hero, how she met Fury, and why exactly he turned to her as his last resort. Captain Marvel is the most powerful hero in the MCU, and she might be the only character who can defeat Thanos. Her solo movie certainly makes that argument as she plows through space ships like tissue paper. Captain Marvel officially joins the anti-Thanos team in Endgame, and we'll learn how she stacks up against the Mad Titan.

It's tough to say exactly what films will end up being crucial to Endgame because we know so little about the movie. Maybe The Incredible Hulk will end up being the most important piece of the puzzle after all! But these nine films are the best guess based on what we do know and it just goes to show the work that Marvel put in over this past decade to get us all the way to this epic finale. There's still plenty of time to get that one last marathon done before April 26, so check out these nine films and have a walk down memory lane. If you're feeling brave and want to tackle more than just the list above, check out our Marvel Movies Timeline and watch all the films from beginning to Endgame.

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Watching Rocketman Makes Elton John’s Husband Want To ‘Give Him A Hug’

Watching Rocketman Makes Elton John’s Husband Want To ‘Give Him A Hug’

Biopics can be a difficult business. Real life stories can often be the most satisfying, but it isn't always easy when it comes to dealing with the rougher elements of somebody's life. Elton John very much lived a rock and roll life and as such has many of those darker elements in his past. For John Furnish, Elton John's husband, it was especially difficult for him to be on set when the new movie Rocketman was filming some of those rough moments, as he saw the man he loved going through a very tough time. According to Furnish...

Elton John is somebody that I think I know incredibly well, but then also it’s like watching a film about somebody you don’t know at all. The Elton in all that madness is not the Elton I know. At times, he’s a bit of a monster and also, deeply unhappy. That’s hard. Many times as I watched the film, I wanted to go and give him a hug, like I could help him. I thought, ‘God, you’ve been through a lot.’

Elton John and John Furnish have been together for 26 years according to Variety, but that means that the events of Rocketman all, or at least largely, take place prior to Furnish having met the singer/songwriter. One can only imagine how unusual it must be to see the person you love at a time before you knew them. In most cases that person might be largely unrecognizable.

Based on the trailer for Rocketman we see that the film will deal with the way that the singer lived life to excess in the days of his early success. Furnish admits that Elton John is a "monster" to some degree here. Of course, he doesn't see that person now.

From John Furnish's comments one gets the distinct impression that the version of Elton John's story we're going to get in Rocketman is fairly true to life. It's been difficult to tell just how much of the film will be a true biopic and how much will simply be an Elton John rock opera. The movie itself refers to the production as a fantasy, implying the events won't necessarily be based on reality, but perhaps that's not quite the case.

Rocketman comes on the heels of Bohemian Rhapsody, which was partially directed by Dexter Fletcher who also helmed Rocketman. It was a fun time with lots of great music but it told a story that failed to add any depth to it's characters or story. It feels like Rocketman is largely going to take the same approach, but maybe these elements being mentioned here are an indication that there will be a little something more.

We'll find out for certain when Taron Egerton plays Elton John in Rocketman beginning May 31.

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How If Beale Street Could Talk Reminds Regina King Of A Classic TV Show

How If Beale Street Could Talk Reminds Regina King Of A Classic TV Show

If you've seen If Beale Street Could Talk then you know that it's one of the most original love stories ever put on the big screen. The film focuses on Tish Rivers (KiKi Layne), a 19-year-old pregnant woman whose life long friend and now fiancé, Fonny (Stephan James) has been imprisoned for a crime he did not commit. As we follow Tish and Fonny's love story, we also see the efforts of Tish and her family to prove Fonny's innocence as the young couple struggles to keep their love alive through near impossible circumstances.

While the movie is far from a comedy, it turns out that Oscar-winning star Regina King, who plays Tish's mom Sharon, actually feels that the strong family bonds exemplified by the Rivers family (which is also comprised of Colman Domingo as dad Joseph and Teyonah Parris and sister Ernestine) remind her of those of a popular sitcom family from a classic show. Here's what King had to say:

The Rivers family is a family that exists, but even now, in 2018 when this comes out, we don't get the opportunity to see that family; where the father is there and the mother is there, and the children. You know Good Times? It's like that. That was a [TV] family in the '70s. They were poor, but there was a lot of laughter in the home, music in the home. I always say the Rivers are very similar to the Evans family!

I have to say, as I was watching the special features on the Blu-Ray for If Beale Street Could Talk (which is out now), I was very surprised to find that Regina King could make any comparison between the Rivers family in this sad, yet hopeful and lyrical love story and the Evans family from Good Times, which ran from 1974 through 1980 on CBS. But, after seeing how King manages to make the connection I can certainly understand how she came to such a conclusion.

As King mentioned, the Rivers and Evans families both share an easy closeness and are capable of having lots of fun with each other. Both families also deal with poverty and the dire circumstances that can cause, especially when things go wrong, but each group is also completely dedicated to supporting its members and showering them with as much love as possible to help them get through all the trials that life throws at them.

As you might imagine, getting a cast together that feels like a real family can be difficult, and director Barry Jenkins, who spoke about If Beale Street Could Talk during the same featurette, explained how the cast became like a real family during shooting.

Filming it, it was really important in the casting process to cast these actors who could literally, legitimately, you know, become a family. So, casting Regina King and Colman Domingo and Teyonah Parris, like, if you were on set with us you would see they all kind of huddled around KiKi, because this is KiKi's first role. She was literally the baby of the family.

No wonder the positive feelings of love and never-ending support for one another, no matter the situation, came through so well in If Beale Street Could Talk. If you want to check the movie out for the first time, or give it another watch, it's available right now on Blu-Ray, DVD and Digital HD.

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This Rotten Week: Predicting Avengers: Endgame Reviews

This Rotten Week: Predicting Avengers: Endgame Reviews

It isn't often we get a movie with as much hype and star power as the one that comes out this week. It's the end of an era with the heroes of the Marvel Cinematic Universe getting one last chance to save the universe from the awful might of Thanos. Get ready for Avengers: Endgame.

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.

Ever since the snap heard around the universe in Avengers: Infinity War, fans have been waiting to see how exactly this quest by Thanos would ultimately play itself out. Everyone knew immediately that the disintegration of half the Avengers into a fractal mist wouldn’t be the end of the story, but it has remained a mystery exactly how the titular team would solve the devastating crisis. Now it’s up to Captain America, Hulk, Black Widow, Thor, Hawkeye, Captain Marvel, Iron Man and a few others to right the wrongs by the Mad Titan, bring back their friends, and wrap up this era of the franchise. It looks awesome.

Rarely has a movie been met with so much anticipation, but this is a finale more than ten years in the making. Twenty-one movies after the release of the first Iron Man we get this spectacle, which looks to be a full realization of the vision Kevin Feige and company planned from the very start. It looks like it is set to be the franchise's biggest release yet, and if history is any indication, it should wind up doing quite well with critics.

Joe and Anthony Russo are back at the helm for Avengers: Endgame after previously directing Captain America: Winter Soldier (90%), Captain America: Civil War (91%), and Avengers: Infinity War (85%). It goes without saying that there's been a great number of fantastic directors helming Marvel Cinematic Universe features, but few if any have inspired the kind of awe and created the kind of spectacle that the Russos have.

Expanding to the rest of the franchise, the average Tomatometer score for the previous 21 releases is 83.9%. That in mind, I'm going to play the numbers and say that Avengers: Endgame winds up with an 84% - while at the same time expecting that the final score will actually be significantly higher.

What a week for the Rotten Watch. There were three movies in wind release, and I missed the Tomatometer score by a combined eight percent across all the projections. This is me patting myself on the back.

Penguins (Predicted: 89% Actual: 90%) may end up a direct hit when it’s all said and done. This was another big critical win for the DisneyNature franchise that just continues to pump out winners. Like I said last week, they just have a winning formula of super cute animals and stunning visuals.

Meanwhile, Breakthrough (Predicted: 61% Actual: 64%) is one of the rare, Christian-heavy films that actually ended up on the positive side with critics. Often the religious bent is just too heavy-handed to garner much critical support, but this is something of an outlier.

Finally, The Curse Of La Llorona (Predicted: 36% Actual: 32%) sucked as predicted. One could tell from the trailer that this latest chapter from in The Conjuring Universe just wasn’t bringing anything new to the table, and it seems that critics at large agreed.

Next time around we’ve got another interesting week with El Chicano, The Intruder, Long Shot, and Uglydolls. It’s gonna be a Rotten Week!

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