December 2020 – Page 2 – Movie Retakes

Wonder Woman 3 Fast Tracked at Warner Bros. Pictures!

Wonder Woman 3 fast tracked at Warner Bros. Pictures!

Today, Warner Bros. Pictures announced that it will fast-track development on Wonder Woman 3, the third installment of the franchise to be written by Patty Jenkins, who is attached to direct, and starring Gal Gadot. Wonder Woman 1984 easily conquered the holiday weekend, exceeding box office projections as the top post-pandemic domestic opening weekend for any feature film this year, with $16.7 million in box office. Wonder Woman 1984 took in an estimated $36.1 million globally from 42 markets in release this weekend (including U.S. and Canada). This takes the international running cume to $68.3 million, and the worldwide tally to $85 million. The film has been welcomed by fans, with an overall CinemaScore of B+. The announcement was made today by Toby Emmerich, Chairman, Warner Bros. Pictures Group.

“As fans around the world continue to embrace Diana Prince, driving the strong opening weekend performance of ‘Wonder Woman 1984,’ we are excited to be able continue her story with our real life Wonder Women – Gal and Patty – who will return to conclude the long-planned theatrical trilogy,” said Emmerich.

On HBO Max, anticipation for Wonder Woman 1984 was apparent, with nearly half of the platform’s retail subscribers viewing the film on the day of its arrival, along with millions of wholesale subscribers who have access to HBO Max via a cable, wireless, or other partner services. HBO Max also saw the total viewing hours on Friday more than triple in comparison to a typical day in the previous month.

“’Wonder Woman 1984′ broke records and exceeded our expectations across all of our key viewing and subscriber metrics in its first 24 hours on the service, and the interest and momentum we’re seeing indicates this will likely continue well beyond the weekend,” said Andy Forssell, Executive Vice President and General Manager, WarnerMedia Direct-to-Consumer. “During these very difficult times, it was nice to give families the option of enjoying this uplifting film at home, where theater viewing wasn’t an option.”

Private watch parties and large format screens (IMAX, Dolby, PLF) drove ticket sales and were the most popular option among consumers. Over the weekend, over 10,000 private rentals were booked, an innovative and popular way for audiences to feel comfortable watching the film in their own social bubbles. In the U.S., only 39% of U.S. cinemas (representing 56% of the box office) are currently open at limited capacity, with closures in top markets including New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Boston, San Francisco and Philadelphia, among others. WW1984 is playing in over 2,100 theaters nationwide with limited capacity. This represents about half of the locations and, in these theaters, half of the available seating compared to a pre-pandemic environment. The first Wonder Woman film was available at 4,165 theaters in 2017 at 100% seating. In Canada, only 5% of theatres (representing 3% of the total Canadian box-office) are open. The Canadian theatrical market was supplemented with a PVOD day and date release which yielded an additional estimated $4 million. 40 markets internationally opened Wonder Woman 1984 in the first two weeks representing 68% of total box office, compared to 2017 with 58 markets representing 77% of total box office for Wonder Woman.

Wonder Woman 1984 was released via a unique, consumer-focused distribution model in which Warner Bros. exhibited the film theatrically worldwide, while adding an exclusive one-month access period on the HBO Max streaming platform in the U.S. concurrent with the film’s domestic release. This hybrid model was created as a strategic response to the impact of the ongoing global pandemic, particularly in the U.S. Following the one-month HBO Max access period domestically, Wonder Woman 1984 will leave the platform and continue theatrically in the U.S. and international territories, with all customary distribution windows applying to the title.

From director Patty Jenkins and starring Gal Gadot in the title role, Wonder Woman 1984 fast forwards to the 1980s as Wonder Woman’s next big screen adventure finds her riding lightning across the sky, donning wings of gold, and chasing a dream while in pursuit of two new formidable foes: Max Lord and the Cheetah. In Wonder Woman 1984, the fate of the world is once more on the line, and only Wonder Woman can save it. This new chapter in the Wonder Woman story finds Diana Prince living quietly among mortals in the vibrant, sleek 1980s – an era of excess driven by the pursuit of having it all. Though she’s come into her full powers, she maintains a low profile, curating ancient artifacts and only performing her superheroic acts incognito. But now, Diana will have to step directly into the spotlight and muster all her wisdom, strength and courage in order to save mankind from a world of its own making. The film also stars Chris Pine as Steve Trevor, Kristen Wiig as the Cheetah, Pedro Pascal as Max Lord, Robin Wright as Antiope and Connie Nielsen as Hippolyta.

Charles Roven, Deborah Snyder, Zack Snyder, Patty Jenkins, Gal Gadot and Stephen Jones produced the film. Rebecca Steel Roven Oakley, Richard Suckle, Marianne Jenkins, Geoff Johns, Walter Hamada, Chantal Nong Vo and Wesley Coller served as the executive producers. Jenkins directed from a screenplay she wrote with Geoff Johns and Dave Callaham, story by Jenkins and Johns, based on characters from DC. Wonder Woman was created by William Moulton Marston. Warner Bros. Pictures Presents an Atlas Entertainment/Stone Quarry Production, a Patty Jenkins Film, Wonder Woman 1984. The film is distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures. It was released in theaters internationally beginning December 16, and in the U.S. in theaters and on HBO Max on December 25, 2020.

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CS Soapbox: Wonder Woman 1984 is Basically Superman II

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CS Soapbox: Wonder Woman 1984 is Basically Superman II

WARNING: Major Spoilers ahead for Wonder Woman 1984! If You do not wish to be spoiled, please watch the movie on HBO Max first!

It was a privilege to get to visit the set of Wonder Woman 1984 Warner Bros. Studios, Leavesden in England back in August of 2018, where I witnessed the lensing of the Amazon Olympics as well as the White House hallway shootout sequence, and got to take a casual stroll through Diana’s apartment set. Even luckier was the chance to recently be among the first to see the film itself and then speak to director Patty Jenkins and star Gal Gadot. After the film had been delayed from November 2019 to summer 2020 (pre-COVID) and then ultimately landed a post-COVID dual theatrical/HBO Max December 25, 2020 release, I had assumed the worst. No studio delays a big anticipated tentpole because it’s so awesome, right?

Luckily my assumptions were misplaced, as Wonder Woman 1984 is hardly the trainwreck many assumed. In fact, it’s a totally worthy sequel in the best sense, mainly because Jenkins chose smartly not to make a rehash of her phenomenal first Wonder Woman flick from 2017. There were probably plenty of voices telling her to simply do the first one again but set it in World War II or Vietnam or even Iraq. Instead she chose to tell a more topical story of Maxwell Lord, a secretly-broke con man business douche who uses his influence to prey on everyone’s worst instincts amplified by a media firestorm. That influence is fueled by a magical artifact which allows Diana to be reunited with her long lost love Steve Trevor (Chris Pine) while simultaneously giving mousy Barbara Minerva (Kristen Wiig) a taste of the strength that Diana possesses… at Diana’s expense.

“I really like doing things for the first time,” Jenkins told me during our discussion. “There’s something so fresh about discovery and it’s so electric not knowing how to do something. As we were finishing the first film it became clear to me, I said, ‘We’re never doing more of this.’ I made a big deal in the press to say we’re not making a sequel, we’re making a brand new film. It’s a whole new movie, so wrap your head around it. Wonder Woman is the same person, Steve is the same person. I thought it was such a journey to create Wonder Woman in the first film, so what I wanted to do this time was make a Wonder Woman movie. What does Wonder Woman stand for in this world? She stands for something so unique in that she stands for love and is godlike in the fact that she’s really trying to be the best for people.”

The movie is delightfully quirky and doesn’t really follow the template of any previous DCEU movie or even a Marvel-esque formula, as Jenkins promised during our set visit. Instead it goes in a direction that’s very true to the character herself in that she (and likewise the movie) remains eternally optimistic even in the face of utter hopelessness, and there is not ONE SINGLE ONSCREEN DEATH. In other words, it’s the anti-Zack Snyder movie.

“This is part of the reason why we decided she shouldn’t have a sword or a shield: Diana is not aggressive,” Gadot told us after our screening. “She’s not there to fight. She’s a peacemaker. She also has the higher understanding that people are not bad, per se. We’re all the same, we all have our moments where we don’t do the right thing in order to fill this hole. She assumes the best out of people, so her default is always to protect them. She leads by example. Humankind will get it eventually, but she will always give all that she has in order to bring goodness to humankind.”

“Not one person dies in the whole movie, which you may or may not notice but we went out of our way,” Jenkins added. “People are under the power of something else, so it’s not their fault. People get pretty hurt, probably!”

While Wonder Woman 1984 certainly earns its place as an outlier from the DCEU’s early grimdark fare like Batman v Superman or The Suicide Squad, and even the studio-mandated slugfest ending of the first Wonder Woman, there is one classic DC film it actually shares a deep kinship with: 1980’s Superman II.

Directed by Richard Lester (who took over from original director Richard Donner), Superman II involves the title hero (Christopher Reeve) facing off against Zod (Terence Stamp) -an adversary of equal strength- while simultaneously attempting to outwit the Machiavellian machinations of corrupt businessman Lex Luthor (Gene Hackman). Along the way Zod and Luthor team up. It also includes a subplot about Superman deciding to selfishly cast away his world-defending duties in order to be with his true love Lois Lane (Margot Kidder), at the expense of his superpowers.

By contrast, Wonder Woman 1984 is about… the title hero attempting to outwit the Machiavellian machinations of corrupt businessman Maxwell Lord (Pedro Pascal) while simultaneously facing off against Cheetah/Minerva (Kristin Wiig)… an adversary of equal strength. Along the way Lord and Cheetah team up. It also includes a subplot about Wonder Woman deciding to selfishly cast away her world-defending duties in order to be with her true love Steve Trevor, at the expense of her superpowers.

Much like Superman wishing to simply be Clark Kent but ultimately realizing that not having his powers will have dire consequences for the world, Diana verbally spars with Steve about wanting to have something (him) for herself, with Steve ultimately convincing her that she needs to renounce her wish to have him back in order to return to full strength and stop the damage that Lord is doing. The biggest difference is the plots are flipped: Lord is the main baddie. Cheetah is more of a side villain, only squaring off two times over the course of the film, once with Diana in a weakened state at the White House and then again at the broadcast station once Minerva has fully been transformed by the power of the Dreamstone. Incidentally, the Dreamstone created by the God of Treachery and Mischief is a glowing green rock that weakens Diana in much the same way Kryptonite weakens Superman.

Once you realize the similarity between the two films it’s not surprising in the least, as Jenkins has gone on record many times saying Richard Donner’s original 1978 Superman was the biggest influence on the first Wonder Woman, saying “It was my Star Wars.” That’s right down to a catching-the-bullet scene in an alleyway as homage to the same scene in Donner’s picture. It only seems fair that she should appropriate the essential core of Superman II to hang the second Wonder Woman story on. However, pointing out the similarity is not a criticism but rather a strong point. Jenkins and her co-writers Geoff Johns and David Callaham go to great lengths to make this a WONDER WOMAN-style story as opposed to a Superman story because Diana truly goes to great lengths not to destroy her enemies, in fact making Lord the engine for saving the human race that he has blindly endangered.

That is no small difference, as both versions of Superman II (including the 2006 Donner cut) depict Supes blithely dispatching Zod, Ursa and Non in the Fortress of Solitude battle, while they’re de-powered no less. The deaths are played almost for laughs, yet elicited nowhere near the controversy of Zack Snyder’s 2013 Man of Steel where Supes grimly snaps the neck of Zod in a visceral moment of inner conflict. Snyder’s first Superman outing is also essentially a remake of Superman I & II in drab modern drag: Kryptonian backstory intro, childhood origin stuff with Ma & Pa Kent, then meeting Lois and duking it out in a city with Zod. The difference between Man of Steel and Wonder Woman 1984 is the latter carries forward the hopefulness of Donner’s original Superman while the former, uh, goes its own way.

Even the setting of Jenkins’ sequel feels distanced from the second Superman, because even though Superman II was released in 1980 a great bulk of it was shot in 1977 simultaneously with the original, so it still has the feeling of a 70’s-set movie. The Reagan-era 80’s were famously a time of selfishness and greed, where the Gordon Gekko’s of the world thrived and the myth of trickle down economics left Americans in a financial and spiritual deficit. This is the perfect point for Diana to intervene and try to bring a sense of humanity back to humankind, as she valiantly does in her final plea to the people of earth. Without even revealing herself to the world, she manages to be its savior… by helping us save ourselves. In that way she’s even greater than Superman, and ultimately why Wonder Woman 1984 is the movie we so very much need right now.

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The Top 5 Best Killer Santas in Movies

ComingSoon.net is getting in the Christmas spirit by looking at the best killer clown in film history. Check out our selections below!

The iconic jingle, ‘Santa Claus Is Coming to Town,’ clearly states that “he’s making a list, and checking it twice; gonna find out who’s naughty and nice.” Because of his revered ability to dish out coal, people rarely question Kris Kringle’s integrity. However, Hollywood loves to subvert expectations (or at least try).

On numerous occasions, filmmakers have employed the killer Santa trope—turning jolly old Saint Nick into a mass murderer, not unlike slasher icons Halloween’s Michael Myers or Friday the 13th’s Jason Voorhees. This subgenre of horror sees the once benevolent figure come to town and take his naughty list a bit too seriously. Coal is no longer on the menu and misdeeds are punishable by death. While many killer Santas have been depicted in film, all are not created equal. We’ve compiled a short and sweet naughty list, taking a look at the very best.

Silent Night, Deadly Night (1984)

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Charles E. Sellier Jr.’s Silent Night, Deadly Night tells the story of Billy (Robert Brian Wilson)—a young man suffering from PTSD in the wake of his parents’ murder on Christmas Eve by a man dressed as Santa Claus when he was a kid. His subsequent upbringing was spent in an abusive Catholic orphanage, worsening his condition. As an adult, the silly season truly makes Billy silly. Following in the footsteps of his parents’ killer, Billy dons the red suit and goes on a killing spree. Silent Night, Deadly Night is largely praised as the best killer Santa movie of all-time.

Santa’s Slay (2005)

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David Steiman’s Santa’s Slay put professional wrestler Bill Goldberg (yup) in the role of buff and brutal Santa Claus. This version of Claus was originally a demon who lost a bet with an angel, condemning the former to a millennia worth of gift-giving. Unfortunately, for fans of holiday cheer, Santa’s thousand years of servitude are up and it’s time for some cathartic murder.

Silent Night (2012)

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Steven C. Miller’s loose remake of Silent Night, Deadly Night (and the last entry in the Silent Night, Deadly Night franchise) sees a respected lawman dress up as Santa Claus and wreak havoc on a small town’s annual festivities. This time the killer is an owner of a local chimney cleaning and repair service (of course), who, angered by the death of his father (who took a flamethrower to his ex-wife and was then gunned down by police officers), dresses as Santa to get revenge on the Sheriff involved. This Santa gets points for perhaps being the most inventive on this list—using everything from Christmas lights to a wood-chipper on his victims.

To All a Good Night (1980)

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David Hess’ To All a Good Night throws Santa Claus in the most cliché slasher narrative on this list. The film follows a group of sorority sisters who, after being involved in a deadly prank the year before, are hunted by a psychopath dressed as Santa Claus during their Christmas party. To All a Good Night lacks tension, suspense, and the surviving characters are incredibly dumb—they rarely noticing when their friends go missing. Throw in excessive nudity and you have a film elevated only by its killer, a vengeful Santa Claus.

Christmas Evil (1980)

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Lewis Jackson’s Christmas Evil AKA “You Better Watch Out” AKA “Terror in Toyland” was prosecuted for its obscenity in the UK. Since then, it’s warranted a cult following thanks in large part to Brandon Maggart’s Harry, an underappreciated toymaker who takes Christmas way too seriously—the man worships Santa, even spying on the neighbors’ kids and making naughty/nice lists. Harry inevitably snaps when he witnesses too much naughty among the people in town and goes on a killing spree. Christmas Evil is essentially the Taxi Driver of killer Santa movies.

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CS Video: Co-Writer/Director Paul Greengrass on News of the World

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CS Video: Co-writer/director Paul Greengrass on News of the World

Ahead of the film’s theatrical release for Christmas Day, ComingSoon.net got the opportunity to chat with Oscar nominee Paul Greengrass (Bourne franchise, Captain Phillips) to discuss his latest film, the Tom Hanks-led Western News of the World. Our interview can be viewed in the player below!

Five years after the end of the Civil War, Captain Jefferson Kyle Kidd (Hanks), a veteran of three wars, now moves from town to town as a non-fiction storyteller, sharing the news of presidents and queens, glorious feuds, devastating catastrophes, and gripping adventures from the far reaches of the globe. In the plains of Texas, he crosses paths with Johanna (Helena Zengel, System Crasher), a 10-year-old taken in by the Kiowa people six years earlier and raised as one of their own. Johanna, hostile to a world she’s never experienced, is being returned to her biological aunt and uncle against her will.

Pick up a copy of the novel here!

Kidd agrees to deliver the child where the law says she belongs. As they travel hundreds of miles into the unforgiving wilderness, the two will face tremendous challenges of both human and natural forces as they search for a place that either can call home.

News of the World is directed by Greengrass (the Bourne films, United 93) from his screenplay co-written with Luke Davis (Lion), based on the National Book Award finalist and best-selling novel by Paulette Jiles.

Hanks, who previously worked with Greengrass on the Oscar-nominated thriller Captain Phillips, produces alongside Gary Goetzman (Mamma Mia! franchise, Greyhound), Gail Mutrux (The Danish Girl, Donnie Brasco), and Gregory Goodman (22 July, 8 Mile). The executive producers are Steven Shareshian and Tore Schmidt. The film’s music is by eight-time Academy Award nominee James Newton Howard.

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News of the World Review: Bland & Predictable Oscar Bait

Rating:

4/10

Cast:

Tom Hanks as Captain Jefferson Kyle Kidd

Helena Zengel as Johanna Leonberger

Michael Covino as Mark Edgefield

Fred Hechinger as John Calley

Neil Sandilands as Wilhelm Leonberger

Thomas Francis Murphy as Merritt Farley

Mare Winningham as Jane

Elizabeth Marvel as Ella Gannett

Chukwudi Iwuji as Charles Edgefield

Ray McKinnon as Christopher John “C.J.” Kidd

Bill Camp as Corey Farley

Co-Written and Directed by Paul Greengrass; Co-Written by Luke Davies

News of the World Review:

The film industry is one full of rarities. Sequels that outshine their predecessor(s), biopics that aren’t watering down the true story of its subjects, but one of the rarest is Tom Hanks starring in a bad movie, and while his latest effort, News of the World, may not be an entirely bad film, it’s certainly very disappointing given all involved.

Based on Paulette Jiles’ novel of the same name, the story is set five years after the end of the Civil War and centers on Captain Jefferson Kyle Kidd (Hanks), a veteran of three wars, who moves from town to town as a non-fiction storyteller, sharing the news of presidents and queens, glorious feuds, devastating catastrophes and gripping adventures from the far reaches of the globe. In the plains of Texas, he crosses paths with Johanna (Helena Zengel), a 10-year-old taken in by the Kiowa people six years earlier and raised as one of their own. Johanna, hostile to a world she’s never experienced, is being returned to her biological aunt and uncle against her will. Kidd agrees to deliver the child where the law says she belongs. As they travel hundreds of miles into the unforgiving wilderness, the two will face tremendous challenges of both human and natural forces as they search for a place that either can call home.

The story for the film offers a lot of unique angles not previously explored in the Western genre, from its specific time period to the fact its protagonist was actually on the side of the Confederates during the Civil War, yet it frequently feels like it doesn’t take full advantage of these elements or uses them in very believable fashions. The locals in a few of the towns Kidd and Johanna visit are just outright mean and hostile, but despite the location and time, they feel really watered down. There’s little-to-no hateful sentiments spat from their mouths in regards to Native or African-Americans, the worst being a settlement leader trying to claim he’s successfully wrangled racial problems in his area by dominating with his white posse and a group of men attempting to steal Johanna to turn into a sex worker.

The latter point may sound disgusting, and it most certainly is, but the writing makes it all feel too bland and too safe of an approach to the subjects it presents that it frequently feels like it wants to be a Western of Oscar-worthy proportions akin to True Grit and 3:10 to Yuma. It’s also these clear aspirations that just keep the film from ever taking off, with the pacing never really getting going and the story frequently proving far too predictable to be compelling. The film really only sees two areas in which things become interesting to watch, a chase scene between the sex slave bandits (not their real names, but what else is there to call them, really) and the final 30 minutes or so in which we finally learn some backstory on why Kidd pushed himself to always be on the road and never return home.

While generally known for the shaky camerawork of the Bourne franchise and another Hanks-starrer Captain Phillips, co-writer/director Paul Greengrass displays a better grip, both literally and figuratively, on properly blending steadier camerawork with the shakier moments, most notably in the standoff between said bandits and Kidd and Johanna. It’s a very well-shot and well-executed bit of action that taps into some of the best tropes of Western shootouts while also offering a few unique twists in how they normally play out.

Despite all these problems, one would hope at the very least to see another great performance from its two-time Oscar-winning star, but unfortunately even Hanks proved to be fairly underwhelming in the film. When the moment called for it, he was plenty warm and charming, as comes natural to him, but the rest of the film really just feels as though he’s sort of going through the motions and more detached from the material than some of the weaker films he at least shined in.

It’s by no means a bad performance, as the final chunk of the film opens it up for him to show the dramatic chops that generally make him a marvel to watch, but given Hanks’ general consistency for greatness, it’s kind of disappointingly basic, much like the film as a whole. There are certainly worse Westerns out there to avoid, but there are certainly better one to visit before turning to News of the World.

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Promising Young Woman Review: Subversive, Timely & Wildly Entertaining

Rating:

9.5/10

Cast:

Carey Mulligan as Cassandra “Cassie” Thomas

Bo Burnham as Dr. Ryan Cooper

Alison Brie as Madison

Clancy Brown as Stanley Thomas

Jennifer Coolidge as Susan Thomas

Laverne Cox as Gail

Chris Lowell as Alexander “Al” Monroe

Connie Britton as Dean Elizabeth Walker

Adam Brody as Jerry

Max Greenfield as Joe

Christopher Mintz-Plasse as Neil

Sam Richardson as Paul

Alfred Molina as Jordan

Molly Shannon as Mrs. Fisher

Written and Directed by Emerald Fennell

Promising Young Woman Review:

The rape and revenge subgenre of thrillers is one that goes way back in films, but generally its titular violent crime generally acts as a catalyst for breeding equally brutal violence for the remainder of the story, either at the hands of the original victim or someone close to them, but what if it didn’t have to? What if, instead of delivering (incredibly justified) graphic kills and torture to perpetrators, audiences were left unsure as to what happened to each antagonist encountered by the protagonist and the film took a more psychologically destructive approach to knocking them down a peg? This is the path that Carey Mulligan’s Cassie takes in Emerald Fennell’s black comedy thriller, Promising Young Woman, and it proves to be one of the smartest decisions any film in the genre has made.

Everyone said Cassie (Carey Mulligan) was a promising young woman — until a mysterious event abruptly derailed her future. But nothing in Cassie’s life is what it appears to be: she’s wickedly smart, tantalizingly cunning, and she’s living a secret double life by night. Now, an unexpected encounter is about to give Cassie a chance to right the wrongs of the past.

Breaking the story down into various chapters not only allows for a great trickle of expository revelations, namely in the past and Cassie’s motivations for her actions throughout, but it also helps keeps the proceedings moving smoothly and its various genre transitions from feeling too jarring. Jumping between a seemingly unconnected string of perverted men passing themselves off as nice guys being tormented by Cassie to a slow-building romance between her and former classmate Ryan (Bo Burnham) to the outright reveal of her past trauma may seem like a truly impossible task and yet with skillful writing infusing everything with a simultaneous dark wit and sympathetic heart, Fennell pulls it off with ease.

In addition to the stellar writing, Fennell displays a remarkably stylish eye for direction in the film, never over-saturating the proceedings with its neon colors like Nicolas Winding Refn’s Elle Fanning-led disappointment but still utilizing plenty of vibrant colors in both set design and wardrobes that make every shot of the film a visual work of art. She also does a great job of electing to not show some of the things audiences are most wanting to see, but rather leaving them to their imaginations and keeping the lens on the talented ensemble roster.

Speaking of, one would be hard-pressed to go back over the course of the past 16 years and find a bad performance on Carey Mulligan’s resume, but her turn as Cassie in this film is Oscar caliber and a career best. She brings a real charm and easily sympathetic presence to the film’s protagonist that further bolsters the story and the audiences’ desire to root for her as she seeks to expose the nasty nature of men one at a time and shifts between carrying herself with confidence and struggling to pick herself back up effortlessly. Alongside Mulligan, the supporting ensemble cast are all remarkable to watch, with Bo Burnham proving to be a solid romantic leading man and all of the “nice guys” making the most of their short screen time by chewing up every bit of dialogue and scenery possible.

One of the best things about the film that is sure to spark endless debate and conversation moving forward is its insane ending. Now don’t fret, no spoilers will be spilling from my fingers in writing this, but with a story that already proves to be wildly unpredictable in the lead up to its final act, audiences will surely never see the genius and shocking finale coming.

Admittedly, as much as I love the ending for its unpredictability, it was the only thing that kept the film from being a full-fledged masterpiece in my eyes, but thanks to its wonderfully subversive nature, the darkly hilarious and far-too-authentic timeliness of its story and characters, a career-defining performance from Mulligan and phenomenal writing and stylish direction from Fennell in her feature debut, Promising Young Woman is a brilliant film from start to finish.

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Warner Bros. Announces Furiosa Release Date & More!

Warner Bros. Pictures announced today the release dates for three upcoming theatrical titles: Furiosa, Coyote vs. Acme and The Color Purple musical feature. Each film is scheduled to hit theaters worldwide in 2023. The announcement was made today by Toby Emmerich, Chairman, Warner Bros. Pictures Group.

Up first in the lineup will be writer/director/producer George Miller’s Furiosa, a prequel to his hit Mad Max: Fury Road that introduced the wildly popular character. Set for June 23, 2023, it will star Anya Taylor-Joy in the title role, alongside Chris Hemsworth and Yahya Abdul-Mateen II. Miller penned the script and produces alongside his longtime partner, Oscar-nominated producer Doug Mitchell (Mad Max: Fury Road, Babe).

Also that summer, Warner Animation Group (WAG) delivers the live- action/animated hybrid Coyote vs. Acme, racing into theaters on July 21, 2023. From director Dave Green (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows), it will feature the age-old rivalry between the Roadrunner nemesis and his preferred mail order supplier. The screenplay is from James Gunn, Jeremy Slater, Jon Silberman and Josh Silberman and Samy Burch, based on the Wile E. Coyote character and fictitious Acme corporation from the Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies series of cartoons, and the fictional New Yorker magazine article entitled “Coyote v. Acme,” written by Ian Frazier. Chris DeFaria and James Gunn will produce, the latter under his Two Monkeys, A Goat and Another, Dead, Monkey production banner.

The Color Purple musical feature comes to theaters around the globe on December 20, 2023. Based on the Tony Award-winning Broadway musical, the film will be directed by Blitz Bazawule (Black is King, The Burial of Kojo, Cherish the Day), and produced by Oprah Winfrey under her Harpo Films production banner, Steven Spielberg under his Amblin Entertainment production banner, Scott Sanders and Quincy Jones. The executive producers are Alice Walker, Rebecca Walker, Mara Jacobs, Carla Gardini, Kristie Macosko Krieger and Adam Fell. The script is by Marcus Gardley (The Chi), with a score including music and lyrics from the stage musical by Brenda Russell, Allee Willis and Stephen Bray. Both the new film itself and Gardley’s script are based on Alice Walker’s book, the 1985 Warner Bros. Pictures film and the stage musical.

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CS Interview: Roberto Benigni on the New Reimagining of Pinocchio

CS Interview: Roberto Benigni On Matteo Garrone's Reimagining of Pinocchio

CS Interview: Roberto Benigni On Matteo Garrone’s Reimagining of Pinocchio

ComingSoon.net had the opportunity to speak with Oscar winner Robert Benigni (Life Is Beautiful) about his role as Geppetto in Matteo Garrone’s English-language visionary reimagining of the treasured family classic Pinocchio, debuting on Christmas Day in a limited theatrical release from Roadside Attractions.

In the film, Geppetto, an old woodcarver’s puppet creation, Pinocchio (Federico Ielapi), magically comes to life with dreams of becoming a real boy. Easily led astray, Pinocchio tumbles from one misadventure to another as he is tricked, kidnapped, and chased by bandits through a wonderful world full of imaginative creatures – from the belly of a giant fish, to the Land Of Toys and the Field Of Miracles.

“This is really a marvelous movie,” said Benigni, who described the film, as well as his character of Geppetto, as being “loyal” and “true to the book.” The actor shared his profound love for the project, as well as his excitement for the upcoming release in the U.S., saying how audiences, “Will love it because there is something really special, really beautiful about the movie.”

“It’s so funny,” Benigni added. “It’s a marvelous puppet that wants to be happy.”

Benigni also discussed the gap between his last two movie projects, with his previous film To Rome With Love having premiered in 2012. “If I am to star in a movie, I like to do what I really love, especially if I love the script. But I prefer to play on stage. I did a tour around the world with The Divine Comedy, Dante Alighieri. I did a lot of television in Italy. Many, many things.”

When asked if he had ever considered adapting The Divine Comedy into a movie, Benigni revealed he had received many offers, including a “movie for Netflix,” but declined. “No. This is a masterpiece. It’s a masterpiece because of the language and because of the poetry, because of the rhymes… I decided it’s not a good idea.”

Garrone’s rich world of mystery and wonder premiered at the 2020 Berlin Film Festival. Garrone (Dogman, Tale of Tales, Gomorrah) co-wrote the screenplay with Massimo Ceccherini. Producers are Archimede’s Matteo Garrone, Le Pacte’s Jean and Ann-Laure Labadie, Recorded Picture Company’s Jeremy Thomas, and Rai Cinema’s Paolo Del Brocco. Executive producers are Alessio Lazzareschi, Peter Watson, and Marie-Gabrielle Stewart.

One of the world’s most loved children’s literature classics, Pinocchio has been translated into more than 300 languages from the original 1883 novel written by Carlo Collodi, and remains among the top 50 bestsellers globally.

The post CS Interview: Roberto Benigni on the New Reimagining of Pinocchio appeared first on ComingSoon.net.

Mandatory Streamers Special Edition Highlighting the Best Movies to Stream Over the Holiday!

Welcome to Mandatory Streamers, our column covering the best new streaming content coming your way every week! For the week of December 21, we’re changing things up a little to highlight the best new movies to stream over the holiday, from Patty Jenkins’ Wonder Woman 1984 to Disney and Pixar’s new animated feature Soul, Hulu’s Happiest Season starring Kristen Stewart, and many more. You can check out our selections below, and be sure to visit our mother site Mandatory by clicking here!

HBO Max

Wonder Woman 1984: Fast forward to the 1980s as Wonder Woman’s next big-screen adventure finds her facing two all-new foes: Max Lord and The Cheetah. With director Patty Jenkins back at the helm and Gal Gadot returning in the title role, Wonder Woman 1984 is Warner Bros. Pictures’ follow up to the DC Super Hero’s first outing, 2017’s record-breaking Wonder Woman. The highly-anticipated sequel will launch on Christmas Day!

Disney+

Soul: In Soul, Joe Gardner (voice of Jamie Foxx) is a middle-school band teacher who dreams of playing in the best jazz club in town, with the fantasy adventure drama’s filmmakers finding they could relate to the character’s passion for music. The animated movie, directed by Pete Docter, debuts on Christmas Day!

Hulu

Happiest Season: Happiest Season stars Kristen Stewart and Mackenzie Davis as a lesbian couple, happily cohabitating in the hip neighborhood of Lawrenceville. With the holidays fast approaching, both are considering big steps in their relationship. Abby (Stewart) is planning to pop the question, and even bought a ring for the occasion. For the first time, Harper (Davis) is bringing her girlfriend home for Christmas. That could prove the perfect moment for a proposal–except Harper’s not out to her family yet. This throws Abby into the awkward spot of being the tag-a-long friend at family gatherings, and watching awkwardly as Harper’s parents (Mary Steenburgen and Victor Garber) push hard for her to reconnect with her high school beau Connor (Jake McDorman). Seasonal shenanigans ensue in the rom-com drama from Clea DuVall, streaming now!

Amazon Prime Video

Sylvie’s Love: In Sylvie’s Love, the jazz is smooth and the air sultry in the hot New York summer of 1957. Robert (Nnamdi Asomugha), a saxophonist, spends late nights playing behind a less-talented but well-known bandleader, as a member of a jazz quartet. Sylvie (Tessa Thompson), who dreams of a career in television, spends her summer days helping around her father’s record store, as she waits for her fiancé to return from war. When Robert takes a part-time job at the record store, the two begin a friendship that sparks a deep passion in each of them unlike anything they have felt before. Written and directed by Eugene Ashe, the movie will launch on the streamer on Friday, December 25!

Netflix

Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey: From the imagination of writer-director David E. Talbert, Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey is a wholly fresh and spirited family holiday event. Set in the gloriously vibrant town of Cobbleton, the film follows legendary toymaker Jeronicus Jangle (Academy Award winner Forest Whitaker) whose fanciful inventions burst with whimsy and wonder. But when his trusted apprentice (Emmy winner Keegan-Michael Key) steals his most prized creation, it’s up to his equally bright and inventive granddaughter (newcomer Madalen Mills) — and a long-forgotten invention — to heal old wounds and reawaken the magic within. The feel-good holiday movie is now streaming on Netflix!

The Christmas Chronicles 2: It’s been two years since siblings Kate (Darby Camp) and Teddy Pierce (Judah Lewis) saved Christmas, and a lot has changed. Kate, now a cynical teenager, is reluctantly spending Christmas in Cancun with her mom’s new boyfriend and his son Jack (Jahzir Bruno). Unwilling to accept this new version of her family, Kate decides to run away. But when a mysterious, magical troublemaker named Belsnickel threatens to destroy the North Pole and end Christmas for good, Kate and Jack are unexpectedly pulled into a new adventure with Santa Claus (Kurt Russell). Written and directed by Chris Columbus (Home Alone, Harry Potter) and co-starring Goldie Hawn, The Christmas Chronicles 2 is an action-packed adventure for the whole family that’s full of heart, humor, and holiday spirit. The movie is now streaming!

The Midnight Sky: The Midnight Sky is a post-apocalyptic tale that follows Augustine (George Clooney), a lonely scientist in the Arctic, as he races to stop Sully (Felicity Jones) and her fellow astronauts from returning home to a mysterious global catastrophe. Clooney directs the adaptation of Lily Brooks-Dalton’s acclaimed novel Good Morning, Midnight, from a screenplay written by Mark L. Smith. The sci-fi fantasy drama is now streaming!

The post Mandatory Streamers Special Edition Highlighting the Best Movies to Stream Over the Holiday! appeared first on ComingSoon.net.

Loot Crate Announces Wizarding World January Subscription Box!

Wizarding World January 2021 Loot Crate

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Loot Crate Announces Wizarding World January Subscription Box!

Gear up to travel the Wizarding World in the new year as Loot Crate announces its Wizarding World January subscription box, themed after the Department of Magical Transportation. Inspired by the transportation branch of the Ministry of Magic, January’s crate features an exclusive Hagrid Motorcycle Umbrella, an exclusive Nimbus House Scarf, an exclusive Knight Bus Lunch Tin, an exclusive “Muggleworthy” Luggage tag, and more. You can check out the photos for the January Wizarding World items in the gallery below. Click here to order!

Wizarding World Loot Crate pricing starts at $39.99 plus shipping and handling. This bi-monthly subscription will include unique and officially licensed collectibles, apparel, figures, memorabilia, and more.

Orders for the Wizarding World Department of Magical Transporation crate must be placed by January 3 at 9:00 p.m. PST. Supplies are limited! You can subscribe to the Loot Crate for exclusive collectibles inspired by the Wizarding World by clicking here!

For today’s growing worldwide Harry Potter fan community, and for generations to come, the Wizarding World welcomes everyone to explore more of this magical universe — past, present, and future. The Wizarding World also provides fans with an instant, trusted kite-mark of quality and authenticity.