Hasbro PulseCon: 2-Day Virtual Convention Announced

Hasbro, Inc. today announced the first-ever Hasbro PulseCon, a 2-day virtual event that gives fans unprecedented access to their favorite Hasbro brands, music & entertainment. Taking place on September 25-26, 2020 exclusively on the Hasbro Pulse YouTube Channel and hosted by SYFY Wire on-air correspondent, writer, and producer, Jackie Jennings, Hasbro PulseCon promises fans in the US and Canada a front row seat to panels, talent appearances, brand reveals, product giveaways and more; connecting consumers to their favorite brands in an immersive, one-of-a-kind setting that, along with the eOne portfolio, will bring fans the best in entertainment, music, and toys. Announcements for new innovations and product reveals will take place for brands including Dungeons & Dragons, G.I. Joe, Magic: The Gathering, Power Rangers, Transformers as well as premiere partner brands Marvel, Star Wars, Ghostbusters, and more.

RELATED: Hasbro Marvel Fan First Tuesday Product Reveals

 

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2 epic days. All your favorite brands. Reveals. Exclusives. And SO MUCH MORE. This is the one virtual event you do not want to miss! (for US & CAN fans only) HasbroPulseCon.com #Hasbro #HasbroPulse #HasbroPulseCon #PulseCon #Pulse

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Hasbro PulseCon delivers the experience and connection of conventions for free and right from the comforts of fans’ homes. Highlights from the virtual event will consist of live unboxings, over 50 new product reveals and pre-orders, coveted Hasbro PulseCon exclusive merchandise, livestream panels featuring celebrities and audience Q&A, and surprise experiences. “To be a part of this new virtual experience that celebrates fan culture and incorporates so many different iconic entertainment properties is truly a thrilling opportunity and I can’t wait for fans to check it out,” says Jackie Jennings, Hasbro PulseCon host.

“We are constantly impressed by our fan community and their unwavering passion for Hasbro brands. The Hasbro Pulse community was built with them in mind, and we’re excited to take fan-first engagement with our Pulse platform even deeper,” says Eric Nyman, Chief Consumer Officer, Hasbro. “We’re looking forward to celebrating the fans, providing community connection at a time where everyone needs it most, and ultimately delivering a peek behind the curtain on their favorite brands in a way only Hasbro can.”

Fans will also be able to get their hands on Hasbro PulseCon exclusive items, available only at Hasbro PulseCon in the US & Canada, including:
• Ghostbusters Plasma Series Tully’s Terrible Night (Ages 4 and Up / Approx. Retail Price: $49.99 / Available: September 2020 / Images)
• G.I. Joe Classified Series Snake Supreme Cobra Commander Action Figure (Ages 4 and Up / Approx. Retail Price: $29.99 / Available: September 2020 / Images)
• Power Rangers Lightning Collection Mighty Morphin Lord Drakkon Evo III Figure (Ages 4 and Up / Approx. Retail Price: $49.99 / Available: September 2020 / Images)
• Transformers: Generations War for Cybertron Trilogy: Quintesson Pit of Judgement 5-Pack (Ages 8 and Up / Approx. Retail Price: $69.99 / Available: September 2020 / Images)
• Marvel Legends Series 6-Inch Hellfire Club Collection
(Ages 4 years and up / Approx. Retail Price: $79.99 / Available: September 2020)
• Marvel Legends Series 6-Inch X-Men Marvel’s Logan & Charles Xavier Figure 2-Pack
(Ages 14 years and up / Approx. Retail Price: $49.99 / Available: September 2020)
• Star Wars: The Vintage Collection Star Wars: The Clone Wars 501st Legion ARC Troopers Figure 3-Pack (Ages 4 years and up / Approx. Retail Price: $49.99 / Available: September 2020)
• Star Wars: The Black Series Heroes of Endor Figure Set
(Ages 4 years and up / Approx. Retail Price: $109.99 / Available: September 2020)
• Star Wars: The Black Series 6-Inch-Scale Hoth Wampa Figure
(Ages 4 years and up / Approx. Retail Price: $29.99 / Available: September 2020 / Images)

Additional details and scheduling will be announced soon. To stay up to date, fans can follow @HasbroPulse on Instagram and visit HasbroPulseCon.com for more details.

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CS Soapbox: Did Alien 3 Beget Riddick?

Director David Twohy’s 2000 Pitch Black (out this week for the first time on 4K!) would not exist without Ridley Scott’s Alien franchise. From its pacing and atmosphere to its characterization and setting, 1979’s Alien is easily one of the most influential sci-fi films of all-time. With 1986’s Aliens, Scott relinquished his directorial duties to James Cameron, paving the way for a sequel that upped the action ante while simultaneously capitalizing on everything its predecessor had put in place. That said, expectations for David Fincher’s 1992 “classic” Alien 3, were high. For many, it did not deliver. 

Click here to pick up the brand new Pitch Black 4K Blu-ray from Arrow Video!

Alien 3 almost didn’t get made. Its muddled journey from script to screen was plagued with studio interference, contract negotiations, and a revolving door of creators. By the time a young Fincher (equally as dark and ambitious) found himself picking up the pieces, his obsessive/perfectionist nature proved incompatible with the ill-fated production. Ultimately, the director became so frustrated that he abandoned Alien 3 in post-production, the studio editing it without him, and has since disowned it. Decades after Alien 3’s disappointing reception and release, the film’s behind-the-scenes drama is more intriguing than Ellen Ripley’s Christ-like demise. 

RELATED: CS Soapbox: Why Star Wars Needs Taika Waititi

There were at least three different versions of Alien 3’s script before it even went into production. Those scripts are so dissimilar to the final product that they might as well be considered something else. One of the earliest versions of the screenplay was written by William Gibson. His script followed Aliens’ Corporal Hicks (Michael Biehn), Bishop (Lance Henriksen) and Newt (Carrie Henn) while Sigourney Weaver’s Ellen Ripley remained in a coma. Unfortunately for Gibson, this draft was shelved, although certain aspects of it found their way into the final film. Enter Pitch Black’s David Twohy.

Twohy wrote a screenplay about a Weyland-Yutani prison space station, Moloch Island, whose inhabitants served as biological warfare experiments, or hosts for Xenomorphs. The story follows the inmate Scott Styles, who is serving a 20-year sentence for fraud and two failed escape attempts. We are also introduced to a handful of other inmates, all whose crimes are much more deplorable than fraud. During his incarceration, Styles befriends an infirmary technician named Packard, and becomes her assistant. At this point in the story, Xenomorphs begin breaking out of the lab and killing inmates, something Weylan-Yutani is aware of as they attempt to cover up their experimentation on death row inmates. Having witnessed all of this, Styles is thrown into solitary confinement.

The core relationship in Twohy’s Alien 3 is that of Styles and Packard. Styles manages to convince Packard of all that is happening on Moloch Island, prompting Packard to free Styles and escape with him. During their escape, the station is ruptured by gunfire, killing thousands and releasing more Xenomorphs. Following the explosion, Styles and Packard team up with a group of survivors to get off the space station alive. Styles ends up confronting the Weyland-Yutani representative, Lone, attempting to flee aboard his shuttle, and throws him to his death, while simultaneously revealing Lone to be an android. Ultimately, Styles and Packard leap into space (wearing space suits) and board Lone’s shuttle, which they fly directly into the last Xenomorph, killing it.

Twohy ended up leaving Alien 3. While his idea of an intergalactic penitentiary made its way into Alien 3’s final draft (as well as The Chronicles of Riddick via the prison moon, Crematoria), the bulk of his plot and characters were scrapped. In case you were wondering, Twohy’s draft sidelined Ripley due to uncertainty surrounding Sigourney Weaver’s return to the franchise. So the concept of new, non-stock characters was very much at the forefront of Twohy’s mind. Years after Alien 3, Twohy was approached by Ken and Jim Wheat with a story called “Nightfall.” The brothers told Twohy that if he could refine their script, he could direct it. 

Nightfall eventually became Pitch Black, the story of a deep-space transporter’s crash landing on an alien planet inhabited by photophobic monsters. Among the crash’s survivors is a ruthless criminal: Vin Diesel’s Richard B. Riddick, the man that would become just “Riddick,” the face of two more theatrical releases, animated features, video games, and novels. A franchise that not only makes clear allusions to the Alien films early on but is intertwined with Alien 3. 

Riddick can be seen as an amalgamation of all the inmates in Twohy’s draft of Alien 3. He’s convicted of much more than just fraud, but he’s not beyond redemption. The core relationship in Pitch Black is that of Carolyn Fry and Riddick. Unlike Twohy’s Alien 3, the roles are reversed here: Instead of the convict protagonist teaming up with an inherently good female character, an inherently good female protagonist teams up with the convict. The ending of Pitch Black also seems to mirror Twohy’s ending for Alien 3, the latter sees its heroes escape their circumstances and use a craft to triumphantly slay the alien, while the former sees Riddick delay his launch to incinerate as many creatures as possible to avenge Fry.

The Riddick franchise’s Alien 3 references go beyond just Twohy’s draft. The first and most obvious wink (aside from “cryosleep”): Riddick is part of a race called Furyans who hails from a planet called Furya. The prison planet in Alien 3 is known as Fiorina “Fury” 161. The second (and less obvious) parallel to Alien 3 came early on in development.

In Twohy’s original Pitch Black script, Riddick/the convict was female (*cough* Ellen Ripley), insinuating that Alien 3 still permeated Twohy’s creativity. Make no mistake, Diesel’s Riddick is not Weaver’s Ripley. The latter can be seen as inherently “good,” while the former is presented to the audience as “bad.” Pitch Black’s Riddick arguably shares more similarities with Holt McCallany’s Ted “Junior” Gillas from Alien 3—a character that resembles a rapist character (a more deplorable convict) Howard Grimes from Twohy’s draft of Alien 3.

RELATED: CS Soapbox: Supernatural Will Do What GoT & Star Wars Could Not—End Well

Aside from their bald heads and obvious affinity for goggles, they’re both anti-social and hate humanity (understatement). Not only is Junior a serial rapist, but he leads an attempt to assault Ripley. In the theatrical version Junior is killed in an explosion, leaving him completely amoral and unworthy of redemption. However, Alien 3’s special edition/assembly cut sees Junior survive that initial explosion, aid Ripley in saving Gregor, and sacrifice himself to lure the Xenomorph AKA “the Dragon” into a nuclear waste dump, a death that suggests something much more complex. 

The studio’s assembly cut is an edit based on notes left behind by Fincher and, presumably, other creatives who were involved early on. Due to the many conversations and drafts consolidated during the production process, it’s hard to know what details came from/inspired Twohy during the production of Pitch Black. Riddick is a “better” person than Junior but his arc in Pitch Black is certainly one that (at the very least) suggests redemption. 

Near the end of Pitch Black, Riddick means to abandon his fellow survivors and asks Radha Mitchell’s Carolyn Fry (the one character that could be equated to Ripley) to come with him. When she refuses, her selflessness inspires Riddick, even if only for a second. Like Ripley, Fry dies, leaving the worst of humanity, in this case, Riddick and a child. 

Junior’s sacrifice in Alien 3 (albeit unintentionally in the theatrical version) furthers Ripley’s survival. Riddick’s actions further Fry’s survival. While Fry’s actions inspire Riddick to be “better,” Ripley’s prevent the creation of Xenomorph bio-weapons—both circumstances creating a better future.

RELATED: CS Soapbox: Is The Last Of Us Part II A Bad Sequel? (Spoilers)

Pitch Black was an obvious response to sci-fi horror films of the late 80’s and 90’s. The idea of an external tormentor provoking the inward exploration. From its dark atmosphere to its contemplation of human nature, Pitch Black is like the second cousin of Alien 3. The preface of Pitch Black’s script reads: “the focus of the finished film will not be on what the creatures do, but on what the creatures do to reveal the inner nature of the characters.” It’s not a stretch to imagine Fincher’s mission statement for Alien 3 being similar (before he left of course). 

If it weren’t for 2004’s bombastic space opera The Chronicles of Riddick (and its protagonist’s retconned backstory), and 2013’s Riddick, Pitch Black could easily exist in the same canon as Alien 3. Twohy reportedly didn’t want to create stock characters when making Pitch Black. That said, it’s ironic that the evolution of the Riddick character saw him become just that. Like all great things, the Alien franchise has begotten many inferior spin-offs, sequels and copycats that are now something entirely their own. 

Click here to purchase the Alien 3 Special Edition, or as part of the Alien Quadrilogy!

Click here to purchase the Riddick Trilogy!

The post CS Soapbox: Did Alien 3 Beget Riddick? appeared first on ComingSoon.net.

BEGIN SLIDESHOW

Jeffrey Wright Talks The Batman and the Batmobile

In a recent interview with Heroic Hollywood (via ComicBookMovie) actor Jeffrey Wright, who plays Commissioner Gordon in Matt Reeves’ The Batman, discussed the highly anticipated film and confirmed that the tone of the film was reflected in the recent DC FanDome trailer.

To start, Wright discussed his take on Commissioner Gordon and explained that his iteration will follow in the footsteps of Gary Oldman, who, of course, played the role in Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight trilogy.

“First of all the script, when I read the script I said to myself ‘yeah, this is on it’, Wright said before adding, “Because as you described about Westworld, you know, this show is very much about mystery, Batman, the series. You go back to the original, it’s DC, it’s Detective Comics and the script is really beholden to that, beholden to this idea of Batman is the world’s greatest detective. I think, as Gary Oldman once described, you know Gordon is something of a Watson to him. The script honors that and also sets a tone that’s very clear and a tone that’s been captured in that trailer.”

Wright then spoke about the Batmobile, which he described as a crazy, hyper-modified muscle car. “And I think one of the aspects of the script that I was really stoked about was the Batmobile, the way it was described — It was described as this kind of retro, hyper-modified muscle car, that’s just the craziest coolest thing you’d ever seen. And when I read that I said ‘aha, yes.’ Because what it’s trying to achieve and what it does achieve is to create an accessibility for our Gotham, a world that is tangible and grounded in a very familiar reality. But at the same time it’s still fantastical, it’s still tweaked.”

RELATED: Batman: The Long Halloween and Justice Society Animated Films Coming In 2021

Starring alongside Robert Pattinson’s Batman/Bruce Wayne is Zoë Kravitz (Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald, Mad Max: Fury Road) as Selina Kyle; Paul Dano (Love & Mercy, 12 Years a Slave) as Edward Nashton; Jeffrey Wright (the Hunger Games films) as the GCPD’s James Gordon; John Turturro (the Transformers films) as Carmine Falcone; Peter Sarsgaard (The Magnificent Seven, Black Mass) as Gotham D.A. Gil Colson; Jayme Lawson (Farewell Amor) as mayoral candidate Bella Reál; with Andy Serkis (the Planet of the Apes films, Black Panther) as Alfred; and Colin Farrell (Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, Dumbo) as Oswald Cobblepot. Twins Max and Charlie Carver have also joined the movie in “sizable roles.”

During DC FanDome, Reeves confirmed the movie will focus on Bruce Wayne’s second year as Batman, and, per Walter Hamada, that the film is set in a different universe separate from the Justice League DCEU characters. Reeves also revealed that the movie is a detective story that follows a series of murders that open up the history of corruption in Gotham and how Bruce’s family is linked.

RELATED: New Photos From The Batman Show Robert Pattinson’s Bruce Wayne

Reeves and Dylan Clark (the Planet of the Apes films) are producing the film, with Simon Emanuel, Michael E. Uslan, Walter Hamada, and Chantal Nong Vo serving as executive producers.

The Batman opens in theaters on October 1, 2021.

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Scream 5 Gets a Release Date!

Get ready for more Ghost Face as Scream 5 will slash its way into theaters on January 14, 2022. The date was revealed via a tweet by the film’s official Twitter account which you can see below! That is already a crowded date, with the Blue Sky animated movie Nimonia, the Sesame Street movie and untitled event films from Warner Bros. and Universal all scheduled for that January 14.

RELATED: Exclusive: David Arquette Talks Scream Reboot!

David Arquette became the first actor from the original franchise to sign on for Scream 5, with Courtney Cox signing on at the end of July for the film and word coming earlier this year that lead heroine Neve Campbell is currently in talks to reprise her role of Sidney Prescott.

While plot details are currently scarce, it is being reported that the film will follow “a woman returning to her home town to try to find out who has been committing a series of vicious crimes.”

The new film will be produced by Project X Entertainment’s James Vanderbilt (Zodiac), who is also co-writing the screenplay with Guy Busick (Ready or Not), as well as Paul Neinstein and William Sherak for Spyglass, with original screenwriter Kevin Williamson executive producing with Radio Silence’s third member Chad Villella.

The first film, released in 1996, was a surprise smash upon its debut, helping to revive the horror genre for the decade and becoming the highest-grossing slasher movie of all-time until it was dethroned by last year’s Halloween reboot. The first’s success spawned a franchise that includes three sequels, the first of which remained equally as successful as the first while the previous two saw middling box office returns and mixed reviews.

After years of struggling to get another film off the ground, MTV picked up a series adaptation that became a cult hit, with two well-received seasons from fans before it was passed off to VH1 for its rebooted third season, which saw mixed-to-negative reviews from critics and audiences alike, but was a minor improvement in the ratings from the second season.

The Scream revival marks the second major horror franchise reboot Spyglass is working on, with the studio developing a remake of the Clive Barker cult horror classic Hellraiser, with David S. Goyer (Terminator: Dark Fate) attached to pen the script.

Neve Campbell (Party of Five, The Craft) has played Sidney Prescott in the original blockbuster hit Scream way back in 1996. Since then, she became the face of the popular slasher franchise as she also starred in three follow-up sequels. The most recent entry, Scream 4, released in 2011 and grossed $97 million worldwide on a $40 million budget. Campbell recently appeared in Netflix’s House of Cards and the film Castle in the Ground.

On January 14, 2022… We’re going to hear you SCREAM. pic.twitter.com/X83ENIj3Hm

— Scream (@ScreamMovies) August 29, 2020

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New Mutants Lands at the Top of the Weekend Box Office!

The box office is back! Well, kinda. Even though a majority of theaters still haven’t opened, a handful of releases earned a semi-respectable amount of cash in limited release. Taking the top spot was Disney/20th Century Studios’ The New Mutants, which hauled in $7 million in its first weekend. Keep in mind that, according to Deadline, only 62% of theaters are open and auditorium capacity restrictions allow for only 25%-50% occupancy. Even so, the $3.1 million opening day gross won’t knock anyone’s socks off, neither will the $2.45 million the flick grossed on Saturday, even if it marks the highest gross for a film since mid-March. When combined with overseas numbers, the long-delayed Josh Boone thriller only managed to pull in $10 million, which just goes to show we’re still a long way off from normalcy.

RELATED: Watched at Home: Top 20 Streaming Films for the Week of August 21

Initially planned to release in 2018, New Mutants was delayed due to a number of factors and was ultimately lost in the shuffle during Disney’s acquisition of Fox. Despite rumors of reshoots and multiple cuts of the film, Disney opted to release Boone’s original version and neither critics nor audiences were impressed. Currently, the film holds a 32% on RottenTomates from 38 critics and a 53% audience rating. Ouch.

Landing in second place was the Russell Crowe thriller Unhinged, which collected $2.6 million (-35%) from 2,331 theaters for a $8.8 million total. The thriller scored a 48% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, but has amassed a 76% audience rating out of 1,068 reviews.

The anticipated threequel Bill & Ted Face the Music grossed $1.06 million overall from 1,007 theaters which may not sound like much for a blockbuster film, but consider that the flick was also released on PVOD where it landed at No. 1 on iTunes with the franchise bundle trailing at No. 2. We’re still waiting on the PVOD numbers to determine just how big (or small) of a hit the Keanu Reeves/Alex Winter flick will be.

Up next was The Spongebob Movie: Sponge on the Run with $604,000 (+9.8%) from 314 theaters for a total haul of $2,019,824 after three weeks of release.

The Personal History of David Copperfield made its debut with $520,000 from 1,360 theaters, while Words on Bathroom Walls rounded out the top six with $453,360 (+4.7%) from 1,356 theaters in its second week of release.

RELATED: Tenet Review: It’s Hard Not to Be Impressed

As for Tenet, The Hollywood Reporter revealed that Christopher Nolan’s latest mind bender grossed more than $53 million internationally in 41 markets. The U.K. led with $7.1 million while France and Germany chipped in $5.7 million and $4.2 million, respectively. The film cost $200 million to produce and much more to market, so this looks like a huge win for WB. The pic collected $5 million from 248 Imax theaters, which is akin to Nolan’s Dunkirk and Interstellar. The film is expected to make a decent-sized splash when it hits the U.S. this week.

The post New Mutants Lands at the Top of the Weekend Box Office! appeared first on ComingSoon.net.

Black Panther + Tribute to Chadwick Boseman Tonight on ABC

Marvel Studios, ABC Entertainment and ABC News will present a special Sunday evening to remember the late Chadwick Boseman. Marvel Studios’ blockbuster hit film Black Panther will debut on ABC, SUNDAY, AUG. 30 (8:00-10:20 p.m. EDT). The film broadcast will be followed by the ABC News special “Chadwick Boseman – A Tribute for a King” (10:20-11:00 p.m. EDT).

RELATED: Black Panther Star Chadwick Boseman Dead at Age 43

Black Panther stars the late Chadwick Boseman, Michael B. Jordan, Oscar winners Lupita Nyong’o and Forest Whitaker, Danai Gurira, Oscar nominees Daniel Kaluuya and Angela Bassett. The Oscar-winning film will be presented commercial-free. The ABC News special will celebrate Boseman’s storied life, legacy and career, and the cultural imprint he made on- and off-screen. It will feature tributes that have poured in from celebrities, political figures and fans across the world, special words from those who starred alongside him and knew Boseman best, and shine a light on the medical condition he privately battled.

Marvel Studios’ Black Panther follows T’Challa (Boseman) who, after the death of his father, the King of Wakanda, returns home to the isolated, technologically advanced African nation to succeed to the throne and take his rightful place as king. But when a powerful old enemy reappears, T’Challa’s mettle as king – and Black Panther – is tested when he is drawn into a formidable conflict that puts the fate of Wakanda and the entire world at risk. Faced with treachery and danger, the young king must rally his allies and release the full power of Black Panther to defeat his foes and secure the safety of his people and their way of life.

The film received seven nominations at the 91st Academy Awards including Best Picture, with wins for Best Costume Design, Best Original Score and Best Production Design. Black Panther is the first superhero film to receive a Best Picture nomination and the first MCU film to win an Academy Award. It also received three nominations at the 76th Golden Globe Awards, two wins at the 25th Screen Actors Guild Awards, and three wins at the 24th Critics’ Choice Awards from 12 nominations, among others.

RELATED: Hail to the King: Hollywood Reacts to Chadwick Boseman’s Death

Based on the Marvel Comics by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, Black Panther also stars Martin Freeman, Letitia Wright, Winston Duke and Andy Serkis.

The film was directed by Ryan Coogler, who co-wrote the screenplay with Joe Robert Cole. Kevin Feige and David J. Grant were producers; and Louis D’Esposito, Victoria Alonso, Jeffrey Chernov, Nate Moore and Stan Lee served as executive producers. The film was produced by Marvel Studios and distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures and is currently available on Disney+.

“Chadwick Boseman – A Tribute for a King” is executive produced by Steven Baker.

The post Black Panther + Tribute to Chadwick Boseman Tonight on ABC appeared first on ComingSoon.net.

Rating: 

BEGIN SLIDESHOW

3.5/10

Cast:

Maisie Williams as Rahne Sinclair

Anya Taylor-Joy as Illyana Rasputin

Charlie Heaton as Samuel “Sam” Guthrie

Alice Braga as Cecilia Reyes

Blu Hunt as Danielle “Dani” Moonstar

Henry Zaga as Roberto “Bobby” da Costa

Adam Beach as William Lonestar

Co-Written and Directed by Josh Boone; Co-Written by Knate Lee

The New Mutants Review:

DISCLAIMER: ComingSoon.net does not endorse or condone attending screenings at indoor movie theaters/cinemas at this time due to risks of contracting COVID-19. I was not assigned to write this review by my fellow editors, nor did I visit my local indoor theater, but only chose to see this film as part of a drive-in experience, which I will happily endorse during this time of extra safety measure. There will also be spoilers near the latter half of this review so please proceed past that point at your own peril.

It’s been a long and harrowing road for Josh Boone to bring the world of Marvel’s The New Mutants to life on the big screen with his own unique vision for the team and despite it seeming pretty clear that this would be the end of the road for Fox’s X-Men franchise, there’s nothing in this unoriginal, unscary and disappointing retread of what’s come before to suggest they were ready for the end.

Rahne Sinclair (Williams), Illyana Rasputin (Taylor-Joy), Sam Guthrie (Heaton) and Roberto da Costa (Zaga) are four young mutants being held in an isolated hospital for psychiatric monitoring. Dr. Cecilia Reyes (Braga), believing the teenagers are a danger both to themselves and to society as a whole, keeps a close eye on them as she struggles to teach them how to rein in their mutant abilities. When newcomer Danielle “Dani” Moonstar (Hunt) joins the other patients in the facility, strange occurrences begin to take place. The hospital’s patients are plagued by hallucinations and flashbacks, and their new mutant abilities—and their friendships—will be tested as they battle to try to make it out alive.

While the opening of the film proves to be an interesting and chilling experience, the second audiences and Dani are put into the hospital and introduced to the rest of the titular group, Boone slams his foot down on the gas pedal in the worst possible way. Thinking a group session in which everyone discusses their powers and their pasts is not inherently a bad process, but its arrival in the film and speed at which it occurs is so rushed that we don’t even get to learn who these characters are as people or why we should care about them. The scene is the first major indicator of one of the film’s biggest problems that was consistently on display: corny and unoriginal writing.

Borrowing from the most basic formula of the horror genre, Boone and Lee have minimized the majority of the group to tropes that aren’t interesting to watch, Illyana being the queen bitch, Roberto being the rich boy jock, Sam being the damaged good boy and Dani the innocent soul still finding her footing in her new world, with Rahne being the only one with some decent layers to her. There are plenty of ways to make a character detestable or hard to connect to and set up a potential redemption later in the film, but the blatant racism that Illyana displays for the majority of the film is just so groan-worthy and disgusting it makes it hard to ever like her, even when she starts to get a grip on her insecurities, with insults thrown Dani’s way such as “Standing Rock” and “Pocahontas” just coming across horrendous.

Alongside some horrific dialogue throughout, the awful writing also extends to the plotting and character development itself, with the film feeling like one extended first act and never taking off in any interesting direction before shit finally hits the fan in the final 20-30 minutes of the film. The explanation to the “hauntings” around the hospital is plenty fine and does away with a simplistic comic book villain, but the problem is it tries to balance too many things at once with a moving teen drama, a haunted house/mental asylum attraction and paving the way for sequels.

Understandably, Boone and Lee had envisioned the film as the first in a trilogy and with the Disney-Fox merger occurring during post-production it put the film in a weird limbo, but given he had the opportunity for reshoots, he really should’ve taken them to make a scarier and more self-contained story. From the kids making explicit references to Professor X and the X-Men to the revelation that Dr. Reyes is actually working for the Essex Corporation, it’s clear the writers couldn’t decide whether they wanted this to stand on its own or rely on what’s come before.

The most egregious example came in the form of a vision Dani has while Reyes is conducting a test on the protagonist, giving her a sedative to allow her to open up and discover the root of her powers, but during this Dani has a flash of young children being tested and trained in a laboratory with armed soldiers surrounding them. If this sounds familiar to you, it’s because it was a major plot point of 2017’s Logan, but Boone takes it even further to hammer this home by using the exact same cell phone footage the titular hero watched in Dani’s vision. Not only is it confusing as to whether this is a flashback of Dani or Reyes or simply a vision of what’s to come, but given that New Mutants takes place long before the best film in X-Men franchise, it just further damages the already-broken timeline of the series.

This also taps into the problem of the fact there are so many setups in the film that will neither pay off nor do so in interesting fashion that it makes the preceding hour or so worthwhile. By the time these characters come to grips with their powers and the real “villain” is revealed, the film was just such an uncsary bore that there’s no longer any interest in seeing the rest of their story and a hope it would end sooner.

The two real positives this film has going for it are the performances of Heaton and Taylor-Joy and the relationship between Rahne and Dani. While Taylor-Joy’s character is horribly written and Heaton’s backstory is the most worn-out in the X-Men universe, she does perform it believably and with charisma to make audiences detest Illyana and Heaton does deliver an amiable enough performance to allow viewers to connect to him. In an age in which blockbusters think a brief kiss or longing looks between same-sexed characters are acceptable representations of LGBTQ relationships — looking at you, Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker — Boone and Lee allow Rahne and Dani’s romantic connection to feel somewhat organic and real and give it plenty of screen time.

The road to release for The New Mutants was a long and tiresome one and though it doesn’t quiet feel the former to watch it, the latter is a valid feeling due to the film’s horrible and corny writing, countless plot threads left open at the end of a franchise, lack of scares or interesting conflict, becoming the third worst film in the X-Men franchise ahead of Origins: Wolverine and Dark Phoenix.

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Hail to the King: Hollywood Reacts to Chadwick Boseman’s Death

Last night brought the shocking news that actor Chadwick Boseman (Black Panther, 42, 21 Bridges) had passed away tragically at the age of 43. According to his family, the actor was diagnosed with colon cancer four years ago, though never spoke about his fight publicly. Now Boseman’s friends, fans and contemporaries in Hollywood are reacting to the news of a supremely talented actor taken far too young.

RELATED: Black Panther Star Chadwick Boseman Dead at Age 43

“Chadwick’s passing is absolutely devastating. He was our T’Challa, our Black Panther, and our dear friend,” Kevin Feige, President, Marvel Studios and Chief Creative Officer at Marvel said in a statement Friday night. “Each time he stepped on set, he radiated charisma and joy, and each time he appeared on screen, he created something truly indelible. He embodied a lot of amazing people in his work, and nobody was better at bringing great men to life. He was as smart and kind and powerful and strong as any person he portrayed. Now he takes his place alongside them as an icon for the ages. The Marvel Studios family deeply mourns his loss, and we are grieving tonight with his family.”

I’m absolutely devastated. This is beyond heartbreaking.

Chadwick was special. A true original. He was a deeply committed and constantly curious artist. He had so much amazing work still left to create. I’m endlessly grateful for our friendship. Rest in power, King pic.twitter.com/oBERXlw66Z

— Chris Evans (@ChrisEvans) August 29, 2020

 

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“It was meant to be for Chadwick and me to be connected, for us to be family. But what many don’t know is our story began long before his historic turn as Black Panther. During the premiere party for Black Panther, Chadwick reminded me of something. He whispered that when I received my honorary degree from Howard University, his alma mater, he was the student assigned to escort me that day. And here we were, years later as friends and colleagues, enjoying the most glorious night ever! We’d spent weeks prepping, working, sitting next to each other every morning in makeup chairs, preparing for the day together as mother and son. I am honored that we enjoyed that full circle experience. This young man’s dedication was awe-inspiring, his smile contagious, his talent unreal. So I pay tribute to a beautiful spirit, a consummate artist, a soulful brother…”thou aren’t not dead but flown afar…”. All you possessed, Chadwick, you freely gave. Rest now, sweet prince.” #WakandaForever

A post shared by Angela Bassett (@im.angelabassett) on Aug 28, 2020 at 8:43pm PDT

Our hearts are broken and our thoughts are with Chadwick Boseman’s family. Your legacy will live on forever. Rest In Peace. pic.twitter.com/DyibBLoBxz

— Marvel Studios (@MarvelStudios) August 29, 2020

We are all heartbroken by the tragic loss of #chadwickboseman — an extraordinary talent, and one of the most gentle and giving souls I have ever met. He brought enormous strength, dignity and depth to his groundbreaking role of Black Panther; shattering myths and stereotypes,

— Robert Iger (@RobertIger) August 29, 2020

For his friends and millions of fans, his absence from the screen is only eclipsed by his absence from our lives. All of us at Disney send our prayers and heartfelt condolences to his family.

— Robert Iger (@RobertIger) August 29, 2020

i will miss you, birthday brother. you were always light and love to me. my god … forever and ever … https://t.co/9pORaKZuQN pic.twitter.com/awX3DiTVwn

— Don Cheadle (@DonCheadle) August 29, 2020

Your light brightened our days. It will continue to brighten our hearts and minds. Let the heavens be blessed as you illuminate the sky. Sending my love and prayers to the family. May god continue to hold you in his everlasting embrace. RIP Chadwick pic.twitter.com/wIUaooHLqq

— Forest Whitaker (@ForestWhitaker) August 29, 2020

I don’t have words. Rest In Peace, Bruh. Thank you for all you did while you were here. Thank you for being a friend. You are loved. You will be missed. https://t.co/8rK4dWmorq

— Sterling K Brown (@SterlingKBrown) August 29, 2020

 

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All I have to say is the tragedies amassing this year have only been made more profound by the loss of @chadwickboseman. What a man, and what an immense talent. Brother, you were one of the all time greats and your greatness was only beginning. Lord, love ya. Rest in power, King.

A post shared by Mark Ruffalo (@markruffalo) on Aug 28, 2020 at 8:52pm PDT

Your light brightened our days. It will continue to brighten our hearts and minds. Let the heavens be blessed as you illuminate the sky. Sending my love and prayers to the family. May god continue to hold you in his everlasting embrace. RIP Chadwick pic.twitter.com/wIUaooHLqq

— Forest Whitaker (@ForestWhitaker) August 29, 2020

I don’t have words. Rest In Peace, Bruh. Thank you for all you did while you were here. Thank you for being a friend. You are loved. You will be missed. https://t.co/8rK4dWmorq

— Sterling K Brown (@SterlingKBrown) August 29, 2020

The true power of @ChadwickBoseman was bigger than anything we saw on screen. From the Black Panther to Jackie Robinson, he inspired generations and showed them they can be anything they want — even super heroes. Jill and I are praying for his loved ones at this difficult time.

— Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) August 29, 2020

Heartbroken. My friend and fellow Bison Chadwick Boseman was brilliant, kind, learned, and humble. He left too early but his life made a difference. Sending my sincere condolences to his family. pic.twitter.com/C5xGkUi9oZ

— Kamala Harris (@KamalaHarris) August 29, 2020

The post Hail to the King: Hollywood Reacts to Chadwick Boseman’s Death appeared first on ComingSoon.net.

Black Panther Star Chadwick Boseman Dead at Age 43

It is with tremendous sadness that ComingSoon.net must report (via The San Diego Tribune) that Black Panther star Chadwick Boseman has died tragically at the age of 43. According to his family, the actor was diagnosed with colon cancer four years ago, though never spoke about his fight publicly.

“A true fighter, Chadwick persevered through it all, and brought you many of the films you have come to love so much,” his family said in the statement. “From ‘Marshall’ to ‘Da 5 Bloods,’ August Wilson’s ‘Ma’ Rainey’s ‘Black Bottom’ and several more- all were filmed during and between countless surgeries and chemotherapy. It was the honor of his career to bring King T’Challa to life in ‘Black Panther.’”

pic.twitter.com/aZ2JzDf5ai

— Chadwick Boseman (@chadwickboseman) August 29, 2020

Originally intending to work behind the camera, Boseman graduated from Howard University in 2000 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in directing. His first television role was on an episode of Third Watch in 2003. His first feature film work was in the 2008 sports drama The Express: The Ernie Davis Story. He received accolades for his first starring role in 2013’s Jackie Robinson baseball biopic 42, and followed that historic portrayal with two more: As singer James Brown in 2014’s Get on Up, and then as Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall in 2017’s Marshall.

Boseman launched to superstardom in the Marvel Cinematic Universe as T’Challa/Black Panther, first in a supporting role in 2016’s Captain America: Civil War, and then as the lead in 2018’s Black Panther. The latter Ryan Coogler-helmed film was a milestone for representation in pop culture, grossing $1.347 billion worldwide and making the fictional nation of Wakanda and its hopeful slogan “Wakanda Forever” a household word. It would also become the first Marvel film nominated for Best Picture at the Academy Awards. Boseman reprised the role of King T’Challa that same year in Avengers: Infinity War and then in 2019’s Avengers: Endgame, the latter becoming the highest-grossing movie of all-time. A Black Panther 2 with Coogler returning to helm is currently in development at Marvel Studios, although the death of Boseman throws its status into uncertainty.

Other film roles for Boseman included the Kevin Costner vehicle Draft Day, Alex Proyas’ fantasy Gods of Egypt, the cop drama 21 Bridges, and Spike Lee’s Da 5 Bloods. His final performance opposite Viola Davis in Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom is currently in post-production for Netflix.

Although he has yet to release a statement, Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige has seemingly changed the logo of his Twitter account in tribute to the late actor…

Boseman himself posted his final Tweet on August 11 in support of Vice Presidential nominee Kamala Harris, encouraging people to vote in the 2020 election…

YES @KamalaHarris! #WhenWeAllVote #Vote2020 pic.twitter.com/iOU3duBAcA

— Chadwick Boseman (@chadwickboseman) August 11, 2020

(Photo Credit: Getty Images)

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Russell Crowe’s American Son adds Stephan James

After seeing the film move from Sony Pictures to Paramount, the Russell Crowe-starring thriller American Son is getting back on track as it has cast Golden Globe nominee Stephan James (If Beale Street Could Talk) to co-star in the film, according to Deadline.

RELATED: Lionsgate Acquires Kevin Coughlin & Ryan Grassby’s Mother Land

Based on Jacques Audiard’s 2009 French film A Prophet, the story follows a man (James) as he falls under the control of a ruthless mobster (Crowe) and helps build a multiracial crime syndicate, takes down his mentor and earns a place for his crew alongside the Italian and Russian mafias.

Click here to rent or purchase the original film!

The new film is set to be directed by Andrew “Rapman” Onwubolu, who previously worked with Paramount Pictures on his feature directorial debut Blue Story, which hit theaters in his home country of the United Kingdom late last year and digital platforms in the US earlier this year to rave reviews from critics. Rapman is directing the film on a screenplay by acclaimed novelist/screenwriter Dennis Lehane (Mystic River, The Outsider), while Neal H. Moritz and Toby Jaffe are attached to produce the project via Original Film.

RELATED: Russell Crowe Mob Thriller American Son Moves to Paramount

After starring in supporting roles in the sports drama When the Game Stands Tall and Oscar-nominated historical drama Selma, James broke out with his starring role in Barry Jenkins’ If Beale Street Could Talk and the Amazon psychological thriller Homecoming, for which he earned his Golden Golden nomination. He was most recently seen in the Quibi crime drama #FreeRayshawn, for which he is nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Actor in a Short Form Comedy or Drama Series.

(Photo Credit: Steven Ferdman/WireImage)

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