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Writing Thanos Into Guardians Of The Galaxy Was A Thorn In James Gunn’s Side Marvel Studios By Devin Meenan/Sept. 10, 2022 6:29 pm EST The Marvel Cinematic Universe featured a long build-up to Thanos before the Mad Titan finally took center stage in “Avengers: Infinity War.” The villain made a cameo at the end of 2012’s “The Avengers,” played by stand-in Damion Poitier. But it took two more years for the villain to make a proper debut in “Guardians of the Galaxy,” played by Josh Brolin, who would also portray the villain in “Infinity War” and its sequel, “Avengers: Endgame....

The Thing Universal Pictures Learning that one of the most famous horror films of all time was a box office flop was a personal revelation. “The Thing,” released in 1982 and featuring a peak era Kurt Russell, follows a crew of researchers in the Antarctic. They’re terrorized by a dog who turns out to be a terrifying shape-shifting creature (surprise, that’s The Thing). Directed by John Carpenter after a string of hits that include “Halloween” and “Escape From New York,” it’s truly mind-boggling that “The Thing” didn’t make a dent in the box office....

Bodies Bodies Bodies Director Halina Reijn On Her Inspirations And Lighting With Cell Phones [Interview] A24 By Jack Giroux/Aug. 11, 2022 5:30 pm EST “Bodies Bodies Bodies” director Halina Reijn wasn’t sure about making a horror movie. It’s not a genre she’s been drawn to throughout her career, which has ranged from writing, directing, and acting on and off the stage. For her first American film and sophomore directorial effort, she decided to have some genre fun and throw in a few ingredients of her own to make, as she put it, “a cocktail” that audiences will hopefully enjoy....

Brad Pitt Channeled Buster Keaton And Jackie Chan For His Role In Bullet Train Sony Pictures By Lex Briscuso/Aug. 3, 2022 5:09 pm EST Brad Pitt is a standout in “Bullet Train,” the new Sony action comedy directed by David Leitch. But Pitt didn’t just cook up the showy and unique persona for his character Ladybug out of nowhere. The seasoned performer took his inspiration from some classic actors to shape his portrayal of an unlucky assassin trying to get out of the game....

‘He’s no longer in the leadership position that he could be’ In a display of integrity and sincerity worthy of Superman himself, Reeves was bluntly honest about his time working with Brando on “Superman” during an appearance on “Late Night with David Letterman” in March 1982, just a month after the show had debuted. When Letterman asked if “anything interesting” had come of their relationship, Reeves didn’t hold back: “I must say — I don’t say this to be vicious — but I don’t worship at the altar of Marlon Brando because I feel that he’s copped out in a certain way....

Cowboy Bebop’s Music Had A Major Impact On Every Aspect Of The Show Sunrise By Erin Brady/Sept. 26, 2022 8:00 am EST Without the music of Yoko Kanno, it is safe to say that the world of “Cowboy Bebop” would not be nearly as memorable. Sure, the story of a band of misfits traveling the galaxy is already an exciting premise. However, the composer’s music made the episodes come to life in ways that the animation alone cannot accomplish....

Watch the Creed III trailer “Creed III” sees Jordan making his feature directing debut while also starring, drawing from a script written by Zach Baylin (“King Richard”) and Keenan Coogler (“Space Jam: A New Legacy”) and based on a story credited to Ryan Coogler (yes, he and Keenan are brothers). Notably, Stallone formally retired from the Rocky role in 2021, making this the first movie set in the “Rocky”/“Creed” universe to not feature the “Italian Stallion....

Don’t Call Waterworld A Box Office Bomb Around Kevin Costner Universal Pictures By Matt Rainis/Sept. 12, 2022 4:21 pm EST Even the greatest actors in the world star in bad movies sometimes. (They can’t all be home runs!) So many things can go wrong (or change) from when the actor reads a script and agrees to star in the movie to the movie’s finished product. Financial limitations can make it tough to turn down a job — especially in this economy!...

Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery Trailer: Benoit Blanc Is Back On The Case Netflix By Sandy Schaefer/Sept. 8, 2022 8:58 am EST Is that a donut hole inside of a donut hole? No! Look a little closer, and you will see the donut hole has what seems to be a hole at its center. It’s actually not a donut hole but a sequel to Rian Johnson’s splendid 2019 whodunnit mystery-comedy “Knives Out” titled “Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery....

Glorious Review: A Goopy Lovecraftian Restroom Comedy [Fantasia] Fantasia Film Festival By Matt Donato/July 25, 2022 2:00 pm EST Rebekah McKendry’s “Glorious” answers a ravenous call for more goop in contemporary horror — a callback to the minds of Stuart Gordon, Brian Yuzna, and other sensationally sloppy (re: effects) genre filmmakers. Slimy, icky cosmic horror gets existential in a roadway rest stop bathroom to embrace single-location simplicity, yet existential provocation is infinite....

A critical component Perhaps the most important aspect of the in-production episode is that it will feature Syed himself. While “Serial” and “The Case Against Adnan Syed” both prominently featured his story, neither actually featured him directly. HBO Documentary Films is billing this episode as having “exclusive access” to the acquitted man “leading up to and following his release from prison.” It is also important to note that this announcement creates a further divide between the documentary and the podcast....

How Matt Reeves Muscled His Way Into Planet Of The Apes 20th Century Studios By Ernesto Valenzuela/July 8, 2022 11:50 am EST The “Planet of the Apes” franchise that began with “Rise of the Planet of the Apes” could easily be considered one of the few modern sci-fi trilogies that only got better with each installment. The story of Caesar (Andy Serkis) and his rise to the status of a mythic leader is one of epic proportions....

How Two World Leaders Helped Casablanca Launch Humphrey Bogart To Superstardom Warner Bros. By Devin Meenan/Sept. 4, 2022 5:00 pm EST Unlike many classic movies about World War 2, “Casablanca” was made during the war. The film was released in 1942, just under a year after America entered the conflict, and is set a year earlier in the eponymous Moroccan city. Club owner Rick Blaine (Humphrey Bogart) discovers that his old flame Ilsa (Ingrid Bergman) and her husband Victor Laszlo (Paul Heinrid), both Nazi resistance fighters, are in Casablanca and looking to escape to America....

I Am Groot Trailer: A Hero Of Few Words Marvel By Chris Evangelista/July 22, 2022 3:11 pm EST San Diego Comic-Con is in full swing, and the overpacked, overhyped event just revealed a new trailer for “I Am Groot.” The upcoming Disney+ title isn’t exactly a full show — it’s actually five shorts, all featuring everyone’s favorite monosyllabic tree-person, Groot. Vin Diesel is back again to voice Groot, and Bradley Cooper will also return as the voice of Rocket....

‘Horror magic is the magic of chance.’ Monkeypaw Productions It’s only natural for the hottest names in the business to quickly find a home at a given studio, whether it be Christopher Nolan making the shocking move from Warner Bros. to Universal late last year or Rian Johnson taking his wildly successful “Knives Out” franchise to Netflix. While many naturally assumed that Jordan Peele’s feature debut “Get Out” heralded a long-term collaboration with Universal, it’s easy to forget that Peele’s Monkeypaw Productions long predated his big screen efforts, going back to his Comecy Central sketch comedy series “Key and Peele....

One Piece Film: Red Antagonist Uta Breaks The Trend Of ‘Gruff Villain Dudes’ [NYCC] Crunchyroll By Caroline Cao/Oct. 8, 2022 4:23 pm EST “One Piece” is a sprawling franchise of nearly 25 years, kicking off with Eiichiro Oda’s Weekly Shōnen Jump manga in July 1997 before getting a rollicking anime adaptation from Toei Animation. The manga series is known for breaking the World Guinness Record for most printed comic series by one author....

Only Murders In The Building Season 3 Will Put Martin Short’s Character Back In The Spotlight [Exclusive] Hulu By Valerie Ettenhofer/Aug. 23, 2022 4:15 pm EST This article includes spoilers for the season 2 finale of “Only Murders in the Building.” “Only Murders in the Building” just ended its second season on a wacky high note, solving one murder (in the most hilariously complex way possible) and leaving neighbors and amateur sleuths Charles (Steve Martin), Oliver (Martin Short), and Mabel (Selena Gomez) smack-dab in the middle of another....

Persuasion Review: The Fleabag-Ification Of Jane Austen Netflix By Hoai-Tran Bui/July 8, 2022 3:00 am EST Jane Austen is frequently misunderstood. A deft social satirist, many of Austen’s works are surprisingly unsentimental despite her reputation for crafting sweeping romances that are still beloved today. Her heroines would often reflect Austen’s own sharp writing: witty, clever, strong-willed, and unwilling to bow to the pressures of society. But then there’s Anne Elliot, the sad, dejected protagonist of Austen’s posthumous 1817 novel “Persuasion....

A return to Neverland Disney The footage starts off, rather appropriately, with Captain Hook asking, “Tell me, how did you come to Neverland?” We then see Wendy on a windy shore as she encounters the Lost Boys on a cliff — and this time, there are some girls among them. This is even remarked upon with the line, “You’re not all boys.” Which elicits the response, “So?” The trio of Darling kids we know from the original animated classic meet Peter Pan in their pajamas and fly off to Neverland from Big Ben, the face of the clock shattering as they take flight from it....

Strange World Is Expected To Lose Disney $100 Million In Its Theatrical Run Disney By Jeremy Mathai/Nov. 28, 2022 10:17 am EST You know how the saying goes: If you build it, they will come. So when a studio does the exact opposite of “build it,” well, I guess we can’t be too surprised by the inevitable outcome. The release of “Strange World” (you can read /Film’s review by Josh Spiegel here) should’ve been cause for celebration....