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Costume Designer Isn't Happy About Melissa McCarthy's 'Tasteless' The Favourite Spoof Look

During this Sunday's Oscars telecast, Melissa McCarthy and Brian Tyree Henry brought a little levity to the hostless awards show when they presented the Oscar for Best Costume Design. The Oscar-nominated Can You Ever Forgive Me? actress and the If Beale Street Could Talk actor were both dressed in an extravagant display of outfits mimicking -- in hodgepodge fashion -- the costumes that were nominated that extravagant evening.

While most of the audience members in attendance appreciated the lighthearted and intentionally over-the-top attire, there was one person in particular who wasn't having it. And she wasn't afraid to voice her distain. Academy Award-nominated costume designer Arianne Phillips said this:

The woman who wasn't having it with Melissa McCarthy and Brian Tyree Henry was Arianne Phillips. She is a two-time Oscar-nominated costume designer who was previously recognized for her work in Walk the Line in 2006 and Madonna's W.E. in 2012. In the since-deleted post, saved by the BBC, Phillips was adamant about her disdain about the comedy segment, believing it belittled her craft and the field that was meant to be celebrated during this time. Suffice to say, she was not amused.

Is this response appropriate? It depends. Comedy is subjective, after all, and what one person finds humorous will rub another person the wrong way. It's hard to call this bit offense, at least in a general sense, and Arianne Phillips' complaints are less about the material itself and more about the lack of respect that is given to the craft being awarded.

After all, this is typically the one time of the year when a movie's costume design is recognized -- and, you know, literally rewarded. Melissa McCarthy and Brian Tyree Henry were essentially taking a shot at the typical stuffiness of typically Oscar-nominated costume designs. While most people likely saw it as simply a goof, it was something a little more disgraceful for Phillips.

Personally, I felt this particular Oscar bit was one of my favorites of the night (no pun intended), and I tend to enjoy when the Oscar presenters loosen up even a little bit and have some fun before awarding their respective prize. Nevertheless, it was a sign of disrespect for this one particular Oscar-nominated costume designer. And as she made clear, Arianne Phillips was most certainly not amused by this piece.

Ryan Seacrest And Shayna Taylor Have Officially Broken Up

On American Idol, Ryan Seacrest often tells the million of viewers at home that they will discover who is going home and who will stick around for another week "after the break." But Seacrest has gotten a break of his own in his personal life, this time with his girlfriend of the past three years, Shayna Taylor. And this time, he shouldn't expect to be sticking around. The television personality and his model girlfriend have officially called it quits. There is no need to watch any commercials.

The news was given to People by an undisclosed source close to the one-time couple. While Ryan Seacrest and Shayna Taylor still reportedly "love and care" about one another, it ultimately did not work out for reasons currently unknown, though the split was "amicable" and "they're still really close," despite the break-up.

It's no secret that Ryan Seacrest is a busy man. Beyond his commitments to the aforementioned American Idol, he also appears on Live with Kelly and Ryan, which certainly takes a lot of time out of his day. It can be hard to find personal time between those duties, and it's possible that making room for a fostering relationship is too much to ask. But that's simply a matter of speculation.

It should be noted that Ryan Seacrest and Shayna Taylor have broken up before. They first got to know each other in 2013 when they were introduced to one another through friends, and then they broke up in 2014. Taylor claims they "matured" after the first time they broke up. But for whatever reason, it didn't quite come together, despite their romantic relationship lasting a longer amount of time.

These things happen. They happen all the time, truth be told. Relationships can be fickle, and while the parties involved might still have affections for each other, they can also recognize that it's not meant to be and that it's best to simply move on.

Nevertheless, it doesn't sound like it's a bitter break-up. They tried to make it work and they gave it a good shot. But it didn't come together, and it's good to know that nobody is completely devastated by this news -- at least, based on the information given to the media at this time. In fact, it doesn't even sound all that definitive. Maybe they'll give it a third shot? Third time's the charm, as they will often say.

No matter. For now, Shayna Taylor and Ryan Seacrest are keeping themselves apart. And that's how it's going to be. At least, for the time being. But if something changes, you know that you'll find all the updated information you need to hear right here at CinemaBlend. And we'll be right back after this commercial break.

Jennifer Lawrence Debuts Huge Engagement Ring At Dior Show

In case you missed the news, Jennifer Lawrence is in the midst of celebrating her recent engagement to Cooke Maroney, a 34-year-old art gallery owner. And if you weren't previously aware, Lawrence is certainly not keeping it private. She has been seen wearing a giant engagement ring, particularly at the Dior show, showcasing her recent dedication of love. And it will definitely be hard for people to be in-the-dark about the news when that exceptional ring is shining exceptionally bright.

While attending the Dior Autumn-Winter 2019-2020 Show this past weekend, Jennifer Lawrence was causing quite a commotion when she was seen wearing her giant engagement ring, which certainly caught the attention of the press and photographers. Here's the official Dior photo of Jennifer Lawrence and her ring from their Instagram -- although, ironically, it is hard to see the ring in the photo.

While this particular photo doesn't properly showcase the huge ring that's currently planted on Jennifer Lawrence's finger at the moment, there was no shortage of other photos that got a better look at the expensive piece of sentimental jewelry.

For instance, the folks over at Page Six were quick to capture a better look at the engagement ring, and they gave eager onlookers and followers a better opportunity to see the dazzling bit of bling through their Twitter account. Check it out below.

Holy moly! That's one big ring. Sure enough, when you are famous and rich like Jennifer Lawrence, you're able to acquire pretty expensive rings like this one. And with a ring like that, I woudl want to make the moment count.

Meanwhile, when it comes to Jennifer Lawrence's relationship with Cooke Maroney, the two have reportedly been dating somewhere between eight or nine months. While the relationship did not receive as much notoriety as some of Lawrence's past romances, it has been blooming throughout the last year. They have been traveling the world together, as they went to Paris, Rome and other fabulous locations. During this year largely spent away from professional acting, one presumes Jennifer Lawrence got the opportunity to get even closer and bond more intimately with her new partner.

Additionally, this Dior show is not the first time Jennifer Lawrence has shown off her engagement ring. When the engagement news was first publicized, Lawrence and Cooke Maroney were seen in a New York City restaurant having a "celebratory" dinner, and the patrons told People the ring was "massive" and "very noticeable." But this is the first time the much-discussed ring has been debuted in a public forum.

Once again, congratulations to Jennifer Lawrence and Cooke Maroney on this engagement. There's certainly going to be more to report in the future. We'll continue to keep you posted on the forthcoming details right here at CinemaBlend.

See Sarah Michelle Gellar's Sweet Tribute To Selma Blair, Who Was Diagnosed With MS

Sarah Michelle Gellar and Selma Blair have known each other for a good while. They appeared in Scream 2 together, and they were also in one of the most famous scenes in 1999's thriller Cruel Intentions. While they haven't worked together in awhile, they haven't lost their affection for each other. In fact, when it was tragically announced that Selma Blair had been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, it was certainly hard news to hear. But when Blair made her way onto the Oscars red carpet this weekend, Sarah Michelle Gellar wanted to take a moment to celebrate her long-time friend and fellow actress. She posted:

The emotional message from Sarah Michelle Gellar paid tribute to her former co-star. She called Selma Blair a "dear friend" and she claimed that it would be a "gross understatement" to say she's "proud." The former Buffy star was deeply moved by Blair's confidence when she appeared in front of cameras galore at the Oscars ceremony, and she was equally gratified to see her friend talk about multiple sclerosis on Good Morning America. It can be hard to talk publicly about this personal and heartbreaking condition, especially during this early stage, but Blair used her celebrity profile to raise a wealth of awareness to the debilitating disease, and Sarah Michelle Gellar fully commended Blair for her ongoing bravery.

It was back in October when Selma Blair revealed with a heavy heart that she was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. When she first announced the news on social media, Blair paid special notice to Sarah Michelle Gellar as one of the close friends who helped her during this tremendously difficult point in her life, and the film/TV actress expressed thanks and gratitude to her other friends, along with her family and co-workers, as she continued to battle this difficult disease with each new day.

In particular, this part of Sarah Michelle Gellar's quote stood out:

Meanwhile, Sarah Michelle Gellar wasn't the only former Selma Blair collaborator who commented on the actress' return to the public spotlight this weekend. Guillermo Del Toro, who directed Blair in 2004's Hellboy and 2008's Hellboy II: The Golden Army, celebrated the star's appearance on the red carpet and he said the following flattering, fawning words on Twitter after the pictures appeared online. He said.

It remains a tough time for Selma Blair during this battle with MS. But thankfully, the actress is supported by her caring friends, including Sarah Michelle Gellar.

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Wang Xiaoshuai’s ‘Chinese Portrait’ Snapped for U.S. Release

“Chinese Portrait,” the unusual 2018 film by Wang Xiaoshuai, has been picked up for Stateside release by indie outfit Cinema Guild. The picture will have its North American Premiere at Doc Fortnight, MoMA’s annual international festival of nonfiction film, and move into commercial release later this year.

Wang’s most recent picture, “So Long, My Son,” a critique of China’s now-abandoned one child policy, played in competition this month at the Berlin Film Festival, where it won acting awards for its male and female leads. On the strength of that, Wang is currently in high demand. He recently signed a two-pictures deal with Huanxi Media.

“Chinese Portrait” is brings together the style of documentary, painting and photography, with a mixture of moving and still images. It premiered in Busan last year and recently played in documentary festival IDFA in Amsterdam.

It was produced by Isabelle Glachant at Beijing-based Chinese Shadows and Liu Xuan from Front Films, with the support of Swiss fund Vision Sud Est. Sister company, Asian Shadows is handling international sales on the picture and also recently licensed it to Trigon-Film for release in Switzerland.

“With ‘Chinese Portrait,’ Wang Xiaoshuai transcends language to present a compelling picture of the China he knows, a China that is rapidly changing. We can’t wait for audiences in the U.S. to see this visually stunning and intensely personal film” said Cinema Guild director of distribution Peter Kelly, who negotiated the deal with Asian Shadows head of sales, Maria Ruggieri.

“Portrait” is also expected to play at the True/False Film festival, in Columbia, Missouri, in early March. Wang will attend both events.

Thailand’s ‘Die Tomorrow’ Heads for China Release

“Die Tomorrow,” by Thai filmmaker Nawapol Thamrongrattanarit, is headed for a theatrical release in China. The film is a melancholy reflection on how people spend their last day on earth.

The release will be handled by Blue Media Times, a Beijing-based global program provider. Operating since 2008 it has previousy been involved with the release of Bong Joon-ho’s “The Host” and The Illusionist,” by Neil Burger.

Significantly the film stars Chutimon Chuengcharoensukying, the young actress who was the lead in hit drama “Bad Genius” and in 2017 was named by Variety and the International Film Festival & Awards Macao, as one of their Asian stars to watch. “Bad Genius” earned $41 million at the China box office in China in 2017.

“Die Tomorrow” is the fifth feature film of Thai Director Nawapol Thamrongrattanarit. He was previously director of cult hits “Heart Attack” (aka “Freelance”) and “Mary is Happy, Mary is Happy.” “Die Tomorrow” premiered at the 21018 Berlin Film Festival and picked up seven nominations at the Thailand National Film Association Awards. It won the top prize at the Five Flavours Asian Film Festival.

International sales are handled by Beijing-based Asian Shadows. The title was previously licensed for U.K. and Ireland release through Day For Night and to Taiwan through Mirror Stage Films.

Huanxi Media Strikes Two Film Deal With Double Berlin Winner Wang Xiaoshuai

Wang Xiaoshuai, the Chinese film director whose “So Long, My Son” picked up two top prizes at this month’s Berlin Film Festival, has stuck a production deal with expanding media group Huanxi Media.
Huanxi, which is backed by leading Chinese talent Ning Hao and Xu Zheng, obtains priority investment rights to two films or Internet series directed or produced by Wang and his Dongchun Films over the next six years. That brings with it global distribution and online rights.

Wang, a veteran of 11 feature films, is considered a leading light of the so-called sixth generation of mainland Chinese directors. His filmography includes 2001 breakout “Beijing Bicycle,” 2008 drama “In Love We Trust” and Cannes jury prize winner “Shanghai Dreams.”

His latest film, “So Long” tracks the intertwined destinies of two families over a period of some 30 years, and acts as a detailed analysis of the personal and social impact of China’s economic miracle and the country’s authoritarian rule. In particular, it critiques the painful impact of the now abandoned one child policy. The film’s lead actor Wang Jingchun and lead actress Yong Mei both earned silver bear prizes in Berlin for their performances.

Huanxi was founded by producer Dong Ping (“Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon”) and established itself as a talent-dominated production company. It now counts Wong Kar-wai, Peter Chan Ho-sun, and Zhang Yibai as shareholders. It recently delivered $300 million-grossing hit “Crazy Alien” and also produced the “One Second” film by Zhang Yimou that was withdrawn suddenly from the main competition in Berlin.

Through a couple of recent deals, Huanxi is now expanding to become a key player in China’s online video. Significantly it is one that owns a large amount of its own content.

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‘Dark Phoenix’ Trailer: The X-Men Universe Comes To A Close (Probably)

With the utter domination of superhero movies at the box office at virtually every time of the year (six of the highest-grossing films in 2018 came from the genre, from “Avengers: Infinity War” to “Incredibles 2” to “Aquaman”), it can be hard to remember that the genre truly began only about two decades ago, with the release of Bryan Singer’s “X-Men.”

READ MORE: Fox Pushes ‘X-Men Dark Phoenix’ To Summer 2019 Just Days After Its Trailer Debut

Now, after eleven films from Fox from within the “X-Men” universe, it seems like only the series’ spin-offs have any life to them. The “Deadpool” franchise has soared to enormous heights and “Logan” picked up an Oscar nod for Best Adapted Screenplay, but the mainline films, especially “X-Men: Apocalypse,” have progressively suffered in recent years. With the indefinite delays to “New Mutants” and the looming sale of 20th Century Fox to Disney, it seems more and more like the next entry in the series, “Dark Phoenix,” will be the last proper entry.

READ MORE: The 100 Most Anticipated Films Of 2019 

Series producer Simon Kinberg takes over directing duties from the controversy-embroiled Singer, who has directed four entries into the series. The film adapts the popular plotline of the same name from the comics, which had previously been made into the much-reviled “X-Men: The Last Stand” by a similarly contentious Brett Ratner. “Dark Phoenix” is the first film in the series to both have properly colorful costumes for its characters and take the X-Men into space, where they have often gone in the comics.

READ MORE: ‘X-Men’ Producer Says She’s “Hopeful” ‘New Mutants’ Receives A Theatrical Release; Says ‘Gambit’s Fate Is Now In Marvel’s Hands

Much of the ensemble cast from the previous films in the series return, with Sophie Turner as Jean Grey, Michael Fassbender as Magneto, James McAvoy as Professor X, Jennifer Lawrence as Mystique, Nicholas Hoult as Beast, Tye Sheridan as Cyclops, Evan Peters as Quicksilver, Alexandra Shipp as Storm, and Kodi Smit-McPhee as Nightcrawler. Jessica Chastain joins the cast as the primary villain, an as-of-yet unnamed alien shapeshifter.

READ MORE: ‘New Mutants’: Anya Taylor-Joy Has Very Awkward Response To “How The Movie Is Going”

“Dark Phoenix” will be released on June 7, 2019. Is this the last hurrah before Marvel reboots the entire series when Disney owns it in a few months? You can watch the trailer below and decide for yourself.

New #Xmen #DarkPhoenix poster. New trailer this week. pic.twitter.com/sCpWlYyK1I

— The Playlist ???? (@ThePlaylist) February 26, 2019

Will Smith Is Leaving The ‘Suicide Squad’ Role Of Deadshot

While things are on the upswing right now, following the success of “Aquaman,” here’s a lot of turmoil, commotion and churning in the DC Universe right now and it’s the combination of out with the old and in with the new. Ben Affleck is gone as Batman, Henry Cavill has essentially left the Superman role, and it looks like Jared Leto has quietly been removed from the Joker role. You can add one more to the list; Will Smith is apparently leaving his role as Deadshot in the “Suicide Squad” franchise.

‘Suicide Squad’ “Relaunch” Set For Summer 2021 With New Characters; James Gunn Confirmed

Though not official or announced by the studio (who generally doesn’t make these kinds of retirement announcements anyhow), Variety is being told that scheduling issues are a problem for Smith. “The Suicide Squad,” a soft reboot of 2016’s “Suicide Squad,” which is set to premiere in the summer of 2021 and has been taken over by ousted-Marvel filmmaker James Gunn (“Guardians Of The Galaxy”).

Updated: Margot Robbie’s Harley Quinn Reportedly Won’t Join ‘Suicide Squad’ Or Crossover Into ‘Gotham City Sirens’

The split is said to be amicable, and Smith is moving on, but Deadshot and Harley Quinn (played by Margot Robbie), were expected to take the new “Suicide Squad” forward as Gunn shed many of the old elements and just held onto the stars that made the original film bankable, Smith clearly being one of the main attractions. While it was reported recently that Robbie would not return for “The Suicide Squad” and will instead, appear in the upcoming “Birds Of Prey” which is set for a winter 2020 release, that report was walked back, and the star is still a team member.

READ MORE: Before ‘Suicide Squad,’ James Gunn Was Reportedly Offered ‘Superman’ & Possibly ‘Super Pets’

And at this point, Margot may be the only member of the team if the reports are to be all believed. Because with Smith out, Leto is likely gone, that doesn’t leave a lot of acting star power on the team outside of Viola Davis as the government black ops leader Amanda Waller and, well, maybe Jai Courtney as Captain Boomerang.

READ MORE: ‘Aquaman 2’ Has A Release Date, But Fans Will Have To Wait Several Years

But Gunn is said to be overhauling the team, tone, idea and general narrative, so it’s very possible “The Suicide Squad,” due in theaters August 6, 2021, hits the screen in a nearly unrecognizable form with new actors recast in familiar roles.

READ MORE: Jared Leto’s Joker Movies & Time As Character May Be Over At DC Films

As a side note, it’s interesting what’s so busy in Smith’s schedule that he can’t be free in, say, summer or spring of 2020 to make a film that comes out the following year. But if you pay close attention to Smith’s career, the actor doesn’t really like to act that much and sort of appears in films from time to time and when they genuinely catch his eye. In short, he doesn’t need to work, so he doesn’t if he doesn’t want to. It’ll be interesting to see if he read the new script for Gunn’s version of “The Suicide Squad” and said, “yep, that’s not for me,” considering how loyal and into David Ayers’ original version of the series he was.

Time will tell. But DCEU remains in flux as it moves forward. For every new “Aquaman” release date scheduled and an actor like Jason Momoa continuing forward with his superhero role, there appears always to be at least one performer who is leaving the costume behind at the same time. It would not surprise me if someone like Ezra Miller, The Flash, is next.  [Variety]

Disney Developing Villains-Focused Live-Action Series Titled ‘Book Of Enchantment’ For It’s Streaming Service

Disney had some success with its ABC show “Once Upon a Time,” which took the Princess characters from the studio’s popular fairy tales and brought them to live-action. And now, for its upcoming streaming service, the Mouse House is hoping to flip the script and focus on the villains.

READ MORE: Josh Gad Reportedly Teaming With ‘Once Upon A Time’ Creators For New ‘Muppets’ Series On Disney+

According to THR, Disney has hired Michael Seitzman to write and produce the upcoming series “Book of Enchantment” for its upcoming Disney+ streaming service. The series will be based on the series of novels from author Serena Valentino, which put famous villains like Ursula, the Beast, Maleficent, and more. No plot details are known, as the novel series dedicates an entire book to each villain. We’re guessing the “Once Upon a Time” model will probably apply here, with each villain being part of an ensemble cast of characters.

In a weird way, “Book of Enchantment” can almost be seen as a re-imagining of one of the studio’s already-popular children’s film series, “Descendants.” That franchise is an ensemble piece focused on the offspring of the famous Disney villains. This time, obviously, we’re going to the real goods and probably putting a more adult-oriented spin on the source material.

READ MORE: Disney To Outspend Netflix And AT&T/Time Warner In 2019 As Studio Prepares Streaming Launch

Seitzman is probably best known for his work on series like “Quantico” and “Code Black.”

There’s no release date for the series, as of now. As with the rest of the streaming service’s lineup of original series, “Book of Enchantment” is added to the list of upcoming projects that don’t have any release details or really any details at all. The only project that we have concrete evidence that it exists at this point is the “Star Wars” spin-off series “The Mandalorian.”

Disney+ is expected to launch sometime in late-2019.

‘A Star Is Born’ Gets Theatrical Re-Release With New Footage & The Honest Trailer Writes Some Songs Of Its Own

Without a doubt, the most memorable, and possibly only real, “holy shit!” moment from this past Sunday’s Oscars ceremony (other than “Green Book’s” win, of course) was the performance of “Shallow” by “A Star is Born” leads Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga. And while all the recent scuttlebutt around the ol’ social medias is whether or not the duo’s chemistry was a sign of some…extracurricular activities on set, Warner Bros. is building on that buzz by bringing the film back to theaters with even more singing.

READ MORE: Watch Lady Gaga & Bradley Cooper Reduce Viewers To Emotional Mush With Their Incredible ‘Shallow’ Performance [Oscars 2019]

According to Deadline, “A Star is Born” is going to bank on its Oscar win for Best Original Song by coming back to theaters with a new “Encore” cut of the film. As you might expect, the film is going to have new footage (approximately 12 minutes worth), with most of it coming in extended versions of songs that were already-featured. There will also be footage of Jackson Maine and Ally working on a new song, “Clover.” Basically, if you liked the music of “A Star is Born” and want to watch it all over again on the big screen, this is probably a ticket you’ll want to buy.

But the Oscars performance and re-release aren’t the only ‘Star’ news making its way around the Internet. The folks over at Screen Junkies trained their satirical eye on the romantic, musical drama for their most recent Honest Trailer. Yes, the ‘Junkies aren’t always known for hitting it out of the park, but this time, the folks really did take it to a new level by not only skewering certain aspects of the film that some find troublesome (the evil British manager trope and, of course, the remake-of-a-remake-of-a-remake-of-a-remake angle), but they also added some Weird Al Yankovic-style parody songs of their own.

READ MORE: Lady Gaga Wins Her First Oscar For Best Original Song [Oscars 2019]

That being said, for this writer, the single biggest LOL of the video came from the “Starring…” section with the name “Hanging with Mr. Cooper.” You see, it’s funny because of the ending and because it’s the name of a terrible ‘90s sitcom!

You can watch the whole trailer below. And since we can’t stop watching it ourselves, here’s the Oscars performance (she’s totally going in for a kiss at the end, right? Right?!):

Paul Schrader Escapes Facebook Jail & Talks De Niro’s Desire For A ‘Taxi Driver’ Sequel: “Stupidest F–king Idea I’ve Ever Heard”

For film fans, Paul Schrader is the gift that keeps on giving. Not only is he an incredible writer, an accomplished director, and all-around creative genius, but he’s also one of the few people in Hollywood that has a zero-fucks-given mentality. If there were a “Zero Fucks Given” Mount Rushmore of directors, you’d have monuments dedicated to modern masters of interviews like Lars von Trier, Nicolas Winding Refn, John Carpenter, and of course, Schrader. And recently, he’s proven his status among those elite storytellers with a hilarious anecdote about “Taxi Driver 2” and his triumphant escape from Facebook jail.

READ MORE: Ethan Hawke No Longer Attached To Paul Schrader’s New Surreal Western

As part of a recent episode of “The Q & A Podcast,” the filmmaker was asked a variety of questions about his career and his most recent feature, “First Reformed.” But the part that stood out most to us is a story he shared when asked about the possibility of a “Taxi Driver” sequel.

“No, no, no. That was a stupid idea that [Robert] De Niro had,” Schrader quickly refuted.

“Marty [Scorsese] said, ‘Bobby [De Niro] wants to do a sequel to ‘Taxi Driver.’’ I said, ‘That’s the stupidest fucking idea I’ve ever heard,’” the filmmaker eloquently stated.

Alas, Schrader goes on to explain that Scorsese wasn’t trying to discuss it with his writer. Instead, the director wanted Schrader to be the one to break it to De Niro.

“And with Marty, you quickly realize that he gets you to play the bad guy. He’s not going to tell Bob this is the stupidest idea he’s ever heard,” Schrader said. “So, we have lunch together and I said, ‘Bob, this is the stupidest idea I’ve ever heard.’…But then I thought, ‘Well, wait a second, Bob. Maybe [Travis Bickle] is still alive.’ You know, he was on a death trip. I don’t think he lived more than six months after that movie, but maybe he is still alive.”

READ MORE: Paul Schrader Is Conflicted About His First Oscar Nomination: “I Have Never Really Respected The Academy For Their Choices”

He continued, “Maybe he’s [infamous “Unabomber”] Ted Kaczynski. Maybe the whole movie takes place in a cabin in Montana, where he’s writing in his journal, sending out bombs. Now, that would be cool. But De Niro doesn’t like that idea.”

Speaking of stupid ideas, and Schrader’s knack for saying things that most Hollywood types would never dare, the filmmaker was released from his self-imposed Facebook jail post-Oscars. And in typical fashion, the man didn’t take long before letting out some things he has been holding back.

First, you may be wondering, “Why was the Oscar-nominated writer of ‘First Reformed’ in self-imposed exile during awards season?” Well, Schrader has your answer.

READ MORE: Paul Schrader Talks Favorite Films He Directed & Why He Released The Director’s Cut Of ‘Dying Of The Light’ On Torrent Sites

“Last fall, after I admitted that I’d like to work with Kevin Spacey, A24 requested that I stay off from [Facebook] until award season was over. It’s over and I’m out of FB jail,” he wrote in a recent Facebook post.

But then Schrader launches into some of his thoughts on issues that happened while he was away, which included one statement that shows just how amazing he is, and why film fans around the world should be envious of his position. “…ran into Spike Lee, Alfonso Cuaron, Pavel Paveloski (sic), Bo Burnham and Barry Jenkins so often at so many ceremonies and events I never need to see them again,” he continued.

READ MORE: The 2019 Oscars: A Diverse “New” Academy At War With Itself

However, the last point is something that is sure to stoke the flames of Oscar debate that has risen up since “Green Book” took home the Best Picture award. In a veiled statement, that isn’t so subtle when you look at Schrader’s reported dislike of the Peter Farrelly film, he wrote, “…learned anew never to underestimate the power of mediocrity.”

Welcome back to the social media world, Paul Schrader. We sure did miss you.

Hello. Last fall, after I admitted that I'd like to work with Kevin Spacey, A24 requested that I stay off from FB until…

Posted by Paul Schrader on Tuesday, February 26, 2019

Netflix Reportedly Looking At A Wide Theatrical Release Strategy For Scorsese’s ‘The Irishman’

We are only a few days removed from this year’s Oscars telecast. However, it’s never too early to talk about the 2020 Oscars, right? And right now, the film that’s on everyone’s radar as an awards season lock is Martin Scorsese’s “The Irishman.” There’s only one problem – the film is going to be released by Netflix. After all the controversy that surrounded the validity of “Roma” as a “real film” that should be honored by the Academy, it would appear that Netflix is going to take the theatrical release strategy a step further for “The Irishman.”

READ MORE: ‘The Irishman’ Announcement Teaser: Martin Scorsese’s Long-Awaited Film Is Confirmed For A Fall Release

As you are probably aware, Alfonso Cuarón’s “Roma” forced Netflix to break its rule of releasing awards-contender films day and date in theaters and on the streaming service. Instead, the streamer gave select theaters a three-week window of exclusivity to show “Roma” before it hit online. This allowed folks at the Academy to breathe a little easier when voting for Cuarón’s film come Oscar time. But according to a new report from THR, Scorsese doesn’t just want a “select” theatrical run. The filmmaker is working with Netflix to secure a wide release, which the company has simply never done before.

Wanting to do a wide theatrical release and actually doing it are two completely different things, however. You see, the only way that “Roma” got into theaters last year was because Netflix “four-walled” theaters that would allow them to do so. That meant that the streamer bought out the theaters and therefore, didn’t have to reveal box office numbers or be beholden to release windows that would have prevented the film from hitting the streaming service on its launch date.

READ MORE: The 2019 Oscars: A Diverse “New” Academy At War With Itself

But chains like AMC and Regal don’t play by those rules. This could lead to Netflix greatly changing how it does business, turning into a studio along the same lines as Amazon that distributes the films in major theaters and waits a little while before releasing it on its Prime Video platform. This also means that Netflix will have to release box office numbers, which we know the company is not very keen on doing. Netflix likes to keep its numbers close to the vest, when possible.

All that being said, if Netflix wants to be a major Oscars player in the future, many believe that the company will have to begin to play by typical Hollywood rules instead of Hollywood bending over backward to accommodate the streamer. With people like Steven Spielberg still not convinced that Netflix is the home of “real films,” the company still has a lot of work ahead of it before it can be considered an equal player during awards season.

READ MORE: Why Steven Soderbergh Sent ‘High Flying Bird’ To Netflix Instead Of Theaters

“The Irishman” might not only be the biggest film in Netflix’s history (with a legendary director, an iconic cast, and a huge price tag of $125 million), but it might be its best shot at legitimacy in many critics’ eyes. But “The Irishman” isn’t the only 2019 film on Netflix’s slate that is expected to garner some awards consideration.

Films like Steven Soderbergh’s “The Laundromat,” David Michôd’s “The King,” Dee Rees‘ “The Last Thing He Wanted,” and Fernando Meirelles‘ The Pope” are all expected to gain interest as they’re released later in the year. We’ll just have to see how the distribution strategy changes in light of “Roma’s” Oscar success.

‘Hail Satan?’ Trailer: New Documentary Shows That Satanists Are People Too

If you grew up in a religious family, you probably heard that Satanists are these mysterious, evil folks that steal animals for sacrifice and are probably possessed by demons of some sort. And they’re, most definitely, not normal people that live typical day-to-day lives like the rest of us. That’s where the new documentary “Hail Satan?” comes in.

The Satanic Temple might not be a household name, but you probably are aware of their actions. The religious group garnered headlines a few years ago when they challenged the addition of the Ten Commandments to a government building. The group claimed that the government should also allow the Satanists to put their own monument, in a way of showing freedom of religion. From there, The Satanic Temple has made it their mission to spread the word of Satan by using courts and legal rulings to further their cause. Think of them as religious freedom fighters, but with a lot of tattoos, piercings, and black clothing.

READ MORE: ‘Knock Down the House’: Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Will Fire Up Your Political Spirit [Sundance Review]

The documentary “Hail Satan?” attempts to highlight their cause in an educational, but also very humorous way. By showing these Satanists aren’t horrible demons hellbent on spreading evil throughout the world, the documentary paints a very different picture of Satanism than you might be aware of. It shows that yes, these folks don’t necessarily believe in the same things that most Americans believe in, but they are far from scary. They’re just people with different beliefs.

“Hail Satan?” is directed by Penny Lane, who is probably best known for her work on projects like “Our Nixon” and “Nuts!”

“Hail Satan?” hits theaters on April 19.

Here’s the film’s synopsis:

Chronicling the extraordinary rise of one of the most colorful and controversial religious movements in American history, Hail Satan? is an inspiring and entertaining new feature documentary from acclaimed director Penny Lane (Nuts!, Our Nixon). When media-savvy members of the Satanic Temple organize a series of public actions designed to advocate for religious freedom and challenge corrupt authority, they prove that with little more than a clever idea, a mischievous sense of humor, and a few rebellious friends, you can speak truth to power in some truly profound ways. As charming and funny as it is thought-provoking, Hail Satan? offers a timely look at a group of often misunderstood outsiders whose unwavering commitment to social and political justice has empowered thousands of people around the world.

‘Aquaman 2’ Has A Release Date But Fans Will Have To Wait Several Years

Despite over a billion dollars in box office around the globe, it would appear that Warner Bros. is in no hurry to get a sequel to “Aquaman” in theaters. Typical Hollywood studio behavior would dictate that a superhero sequel film should probably arrive around two years after its predecessor. Instead, WB has decided it will wait four years for “Aquaman 2.”

So, DC film fans, it’s time to pace yourselves and not get too worked up about an “Aquaman” sequel coming anytime soon. According to EW, WB has greenlit the upcoming sequel but given it a date of December 16, 2022. Now, after the initial shock of that date is almost exactly four years after last year’s surprise hit, we have a couple of ideas as to why this delay is happening.

READ MORE: James Cameron, Creator Of Cyborgs And Blue Aliens, Calls ‘Aquaman’ Unrealistic

First, and probably foremost, “Aquaman 2” is going to take a long time to make. Writing a script, going into pre-production, getting the cast back together, and filming a sequel that somehow builds on the already massive first film will easily take 2+ years of production. So, even if they started today, we’re looking at nothing sooner than 2021.

Second, James Wan doesn’t seem to be in a hurry to return to the universe. That doesn’t mean that he’s not amped on a sequel. By all accounts, he’s excited to return, but a contract isn’t in place yet. At least not something that can be reported. So, it would seem that maybe the director is wanting to take his time, possibly knock out a horror film or some other project in between, and then return to the DCEU.

READ MORE: ‘Aquaman’ Sequel Moves Forward With Original Screenwriter

And finally, December 2022 is a very strategic date when you look at the competition. You see, there’s a little film franchise called “Avatar” that has already staked its claim to the month of December in the upcoming years. And considering James Cameron has made no secret that “Avatar” sequels will have a quite a bit of underwater scenes, why would WB even bother to go toe-to-toe with the sequels to the biggest film of all time?

So, with Cameron already planting a flag in December 2020 and December 2021, with a two-year break before ‘Avatar 3’ comes in December 2023, that leaves 2022 as the prime spot for “Aquaman 2.”

Yes, four years is a long time, but with those reasons above, it’s likely the only option for WB. And we’d much rather Wan, Jason Momoa, and Co. take their time before rushing out something subpar.

That leaves “Aquaman 2” for December 16, 2022. Plan accordingly.

‘The Tick’ Season 2 Trailer: A New Wave Of (Ridiculous) Heroes Is Coming

After “The Tick” became a modest hit as an animated series (spun off of the popular indie comic book) in the ’90s, the series was quickly adapted for live-action in a very short-lived series in 2001. However, after that series crashed and burned, it was deemed unlikely that we’d ever get to see the superhero satire grace TV screens ever again. Enter Amazon Prime Video.

Fifteen years after the original live-action series was canceled, Amazon rebooted the series for live-action one more time for its Prime Video streaming service. Against all odds, the series was popular enough to not only finish its first season but also spawn a Season 2. And in 2019, fans of the silly superhero and his universe are in for a treat, as “The Tick” returns in just over a month.

READ MORE: Amazon’s ‘The Tick’ Is An Oddball Answer To ‘The Dark Knight’ [Review]

As you can see in the new trailer for the second season, Amazon is still embracing the wackiness and absurdity of “The Tick,” as the series introduces new heroes and villains, each with their own satirical bite. For those superhero fans looking for something a bit more ridiculous, this series has you covered.

The series stars Peter Serafinowicz as the titular crime fighter, Griffin Newman, and Valorie Curry.

“The Tick” returns to Amazon Prime Video on April 5.

Here’s the synopsis:

Tick and Arthur have freed the City from The Terror — now they must defend it from new villains and old enemies. That is if they can convince AEGIS, the government agency in charge of superhero regulation, that they deserve the job. But now that the City is ‘safe enough to protect’ Tick and Arthur begin to see they’ve got competition…

You can watch the trailer below:

‘Billions’ & ‘Homeland’ Star Damian Lewis Moves Into Factual With ‘Spy Wars’ For A+E Networks UK’s History

EXCLUSIVE: Damian Lewis is doing factual; the Billions and Homeland star has signed up for an eight-part documentary series about spies for A+E Networks’ UK network History.

The Wolf Hall actor is to front Damian Lewis: Spy Wars (w/t), a docu-drama that will tell the true stories behind some of the most important international spy operations of the last forty years. It is produced by Alaska TV, the British production company responsible for series including BBC Earth’s Fishing Impossible and Channel 4 comedy series Very British Problems.

Using reconstructions, the show will see Lewis act as the guide with each episode telling a different spy story from the Cold War through to the ‘war on terror’ and the renewed espionage hostilities of present day. It is shot on location in Moscow, Israel and London. It will feature experts and former spies including ex-Mossad, ex-CIA, ex-KGB and ex-MI6.

The series has been financed by A+E Networks UK, which will air it later this year on History, and A+E Networks, which will also sell the series to international broadcasters starting at Mip TV.

Commissioned by Dan Korn, VP of Programming at A+E Networks UK, and Diana Carter, Commissioning Editor and Head of Talent at A+E Networks UK, it will be exec produced Alaska TV’s Chris Fouracre, Ian Lamarra, Paul Sommers and Gareth Lewis.

Korn said, “We’re thrilled to have Damian Lewis on History for his first foray into factual television and with the ramping up of intelligence activities on all sides, and renewed tensions between East and West, there can be no better time to explore some of the most iconic spy operations of recent years.”

Patrick Vien, Executive Managing Director, International, A+E Networks added that the company was pleased to be working with “top tier talent” such as Lewis. “Damian Lewis: Spy Wars takes an unparalleled, wide-ranging approach to unravelling the fascinating world of global espionage, with an incredibly ambitious production that aligns perfectly with our strategy to deliver premium content for a global audience,” he said.

Alaska’s Chris Fouracre said, “Working with Damian is fantastically exciting for Alaska TV as well as firmly establishing us as producers of really creative docu-drama.”

Creative Director Ian Lamarra added, “This series continues Alaska TV’s track record of bringing the biggest names to unscripted television.”

‘The Masked Singer’ Unmasks Last Three Contestants, Crowns Winner

Lisa Sheridan, ‘Halt and Catch Fire’ Actress, Dies at 44

Lisa Sheridan, who had roles in the television series, Invasion and Halt and Catch Fire, has died. She was 44.

Sheridan’s manager, Mitch Clem, confirmed her death to Deadline Wednesday evening.

“Lisa passed away on Monday morning. She was at home in New Orleans. Cause of death is not known at this time. We are waiting for the coroners,” Clem said in a statement. “Obviously, we were all blindsided with this devastating loss. Lisa was deeply loved. We are heartbroken.”

Sheridan worked as an actress for more than two decades and had dozens of credits, including in the 2018 film Strange Nature, and the television series CSI: Miami and Still the King.

Friends of the actress also shared the news of her death on social media, including actress Donna D’Errico, who worked with Sheridan on the 2015 film Only God Can.

“I just received news that my dear friend, actress Lisa Sheridan, has passed away. She was found Monday morning. I am sitting here stunned. Lisa and I filmed a movie together 5 years ago and became very close on set and remained close friends after filming ended,” D’Errico wrote Wednesday on Facebook.

She continued: “It’s so rare to find kind, gentle souls like hers in this industry, this city…even this world. Truly one of the most genuinely sweet and gentle people I’ve ever come across in my life. She brought a sweetness and bright energy to any room she happened to walk into…even in her darker times. I am devastated by this loss. I had just spoken with her and everything seemed great and she seemed happy and in good spirits. Everyone who knew her loved and adored her. Goodbye and goodnight sweet angel…I will miss you terribly. Please send up prayers for her family.”

Despite reports on social media saying Sheridan may have taken her life, Clem said her death was not the result of suicide.

“The family has unequivocally confirmed that this is not a suicide. Any suggestion to the contrary is absolutely, 100% unfounded,” he said.

People magazine first reported the news of Sheridan’s death.

‘Suits’ Creator Aaron Korsh Talks Game-Changing Finale Ending & Surprise Exit, Teases Marriage & Death In Final Season

Seth Meyers: Donald Trump Finally Went To Vietnam And Got Killed Back Home By Michael Cohen

Republicans were clearly freaking out in the walk-up to Wednesday’s televised testimony of President Donald Trump’s former fixer Michael Cohen, NBC Late Night star Seth Meyers told viewers.

No one more so than GOP Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz, who threatened to Cohen, to try to intimidate him on Tuesday night with a tweet wondering if Cohen’s wife knows about his girlfriends and wondering if she would remain faithful to him when he’s in jail.

“I didn’t think anyone could out-sleaze Donald Trump, but you did it my friend,” Meyers snarked at Gaetz, who is now being invested for the threat by the Florida state bar.

Meanwhile, over in Vietnam for a second summit with North Korean ruler Kim Jong-Un, Trump got asked what he thought of Cohen’s testimony during a photo op with Kim, who seemed tickled by the question.

“Look at Kim’s face. Even he is like, ‘I’m so happy I’m not Donald Trump right now!'” Meyers marveled. He added,  of the president who got a bone spurs draft deferment back in the day, “Trump finally went to Vietnam and he’s getting killed back home.

Trump never thought he was going to win the White House, seeing his campaign only as a means to build his brand and enrich himself. Trump, Cohen said, would often say his campaign was “going to be the greatest infomercial in history.”

“Donald Trump is the Slanket of presidents,” Meyers snarked.

The president’s former personal lawyer recounted how he had been asked to threaten Trump’s high school and college not to release his grades and his SAT scores – after Trump waged a racist campaign to get President Obama to release his college records, Meyers noted.

And, shortly before the infamous Trump Tower meeting between Donald Jr. and Russians promising dirt on Hillary Clinton, Junior walked into Dad’s office while Cohen was present , and stage whispered to Trump that the “meeting was all set” to which Trump responded “Okay, good. Let me know,” Cohen recounted, saying it stood out to him because “Mr. Trump frequently told me and others his son Don Jr. had the worst judgement of anyone in the world.”

Added Meyers: “You know it’s bad when you get dissed for being dumb by a man who threatened his college not to release his SAT scores.”

Ex-NBC Chairman Bob Greenblatt in Talks to Run WarnerMedia’s TV, Digital Units: Report

Longtime television executive Bob Greenblatt is in talks with AT&T to join WarnerMedia and oversee the company’s potentially combined TV units, including HBO, Turner and an upcoming streaming platform.

The former NBC chairman has been in “advanced” negotiations with WarnerMedia chief John Stankey for a role in the company, the Wall Street Journal reported Wednesday night.

News of the negotiations comes after the Court of Appeals this week rejected the Justice Department’s final challenge to stop AT&T from acquiring Time Warner. The ruling paved the way for AT&T to accelerate implementation of its plans for WarnerMedia. The company already announced a new streaming platform, which will include HBO Now.

As Deadline previously reported, there had been talk about who would run the new network group, with HBO Chairman and CEO Richard Plepler considered the obvious internal candidate. Greenblatt’s name was also being bantered about.

Greenblatt ran NBC Entertainment and sister studio Universal TV from 2011 to 2018, after he was handpicked by Comcast to lead the broadcast network following the company’s acquisition of NBCUniversal. He left his post as chairman of NBC in September of last year.

Will Smith Will Not Return As Deadshot In James Gunn’s ‘Suicide Squad 2’

Deadline has confirmed that Will Smith will not reprise his role as Deadshoot in Warner Bros.’ James Gunn-directed Suicide Squad 2. 

Word is that Smith’s exit was amicable, he wasn’t officially set to do the sequel, and it came down to scheduling in regards to his backing out. Deadline hears that Gunn is looking to start production in Atlanta in September. No cast is set as of yet, but the plan here is to, of course, have Margot Robbie return in the signature role of Harley Quinn. She’s already reprising the Joker’s girlfriend in Cathy Yan’s Birds of Prey which is slated to open on Feb. 7, 2020.

The release date for the sequel is Aug. 6, 2021. The first movie grossed $746.8M worldwide, 44% of that made in U.S./Canada.

Variety first had the news.

‘L.A.’s Finest’ Co-Showrunner Has Leg Partially Amputated As Questions Mount About Horrific On-Set Accident

Mahershala Ali To Star In Sci-Fi Film ‘Sovereign’ From 21 Laps And eOne

Fresh off his Oscar win for Green Book, Mahershala Ali is diving into the sci-fi world in the upcoming Entertainment One film Sovereign. Details about the plot are being kept under wraps, but it will be directed by Marc Munden (Utopia) and produced by eOne along with 21 Laps Entertainment’s Shawn Levy, Dan Levine and Dan Cohen.

Munden will direct a screenplay from A Quiet Place scribes Scott Beck and Bryan Woods. An original draft was written by Greg Weidman and Geoff Tock, with revisions by Jack Thorne. eOne will also finance the film.

“We have long loved this project and have been patiently waiting until we found the right leading actor, which we no doubt have found in the incredibly talented Mahershala Ali,” said Nick Meyer, eOne’s President of Film, in a release Wednesday. “The cast is clearly shaping up well and is backed by a creative team with a proven track record and the ability to tell a story that will resonate with audiences around the world.”

“Much like our film Arrival, this project is for us a dream pairing of an inspired screenplay with a truly visionary director. Marc Munden has been an exceptional collaborator in shaping this singular story into one that jumps off the page and with the phenomenally talented Mahershala Ali at the heart of this film, we feel we now have the dream creative partners to tell a story that audiences won’t forget,” said Levy, Levine and Cohen. The trio also produced the Netflix’s uber-popular sci-fi ’80s romp Stranger Things.

Ali is no stranger to the sci-fi and fantasy world. He most recently showcased his sci-fi chops in Fox’s Alita: Battle Angel and also starred in the Academy Award-winning Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse. He also appeared in Luke Cage as well as The Hunger Games franchise. In addition to winning the Oscar for Green Book, he won the Academy Award for his role in Barry Jenkins’ Best Picture winner Moonlight.

Ali is repped by WME, Anonymous Content and Sloane, Offer, Weber and Dern. Beck and Woods are repped by ICM Partners and Anonymous Content. Munden is repped by WME and Independent Talent Group.

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The Masked Singer Finale Revealed The Big Winner

After weeks of crazy performances, guesses, and reveals, The Masked Singer Season 1 has finally come to an end. The three remaining competitors sang their hearts out, but in the end only one could be crowned champion of the crazy singing competition that is already set to return for Season 2. In the end it was The The Monster that ended up claiming the top honor, and upon unmasking, the world collectively learned it was T-Pain underneath this whole time!

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Beverly Hills 90210 Reunion Ordered To Series With Original Cast Members

This won't just be six former coworkers hanging out and working on a project, though, as getting the reboot off the ground "may make for an even more delicious soap than the reboot itself." Between Jason Priestley, Jennie Garth, Ian Ziering, Gabrielle Carteris, Brian Austin Green, and Tori Spelling -- or at least these heightened versions of them -- there are first loves, old romances, friends, and frenemies. Is this a recipe for magic, or disaster?

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Mary Elizabeth Ellis, Tawny Newsome to Star in Zoe Lister-Jones’ Comedy Pilot at ABC

Mary Elizabeth Ellis and Tawny Newsome have been cast in the lead roles of the ABC single-camera comedy pilot “Woman Up,” Variety has learned.

Ellis will play Liz and Newsome will play Phoebe, two former teen moms who worked their asses off to see their daughters all the way through high school graduation. And now at 35, they’re ready to make up for the youth they never had.

In addition, Kym Whitley will play Phoebe’s mom Edna, Gabrielle Elyse will play Phoebe’s daughter Angela, and Abby Quinn will play Liz’s daughter Grace.

Ellis is known for her role as the Waitress on “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia” and has also appeared on shows like “Santa Clarita Diet,” “The Grinder,” and “New Girl.” Newsome’s TV credits include “Brockmire,” “The Comedy Get Down,” and “Bajillion Dollar Propertie$.” Whitley has previously starred on shows like “Young & Hungry” and lent her voice to the “Black Dynamite” animated series, reprising her role from the live-action film. Elyse starred in the show “Snatchers” and guested on shows such as “Teen Wolf,” “The Catch,” and “One Day at a Time.” Quinn’s credits include “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit,” “Black Mirror,” and “Better Call Saul.”

Ellis is repped by UTA and Haven Entertainment. Newsome is repped by CAA, Artists First, and Hansen, Jacobson. Whitley is repped by ICM, Untitled Entertainment, and attorney Darrell D. Miller. Elyse is repped by AEFH Talent and MAKE GOOD Content. Quinn is repped by CAA, Rebecca Kitt & Associates, and attorney Emily Downs.

Lister-Jones will write, direct, and executive produce “Woman Up” under her Ms. Lister Films banner. In addition to Lister-Jones, Liz Meriwether will also executive produce. Meriwether recently co-created the ABC comedy series “Single Parents” and worked with Lister-Jones when the latter guest starred on “New Girl.” Jason Winer and Jon Radler will also executive produce via their Small Dog Picture Company. 20th Century Fox Television will produce along with ABC Studios.

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‘Alien 3’ Effects Person Talks The Time David Fincher Dared The Head Of Fox To Fire Him

“Alien 3” holds an odd status in the beloved franchise. Following what are regarded as two incredible films, in “Alien” and “Aliens,” the third film had so much hype that it was almost going to be impossible to please fans. However, the film wasn’t nearly as well-received as the first two films and derailed what was one of sci-fi’s greatest franchises at the time. Of course, “Alien 3” was followed by some terrible sequels, which sort of made the David Fincher-helmed third film seem almost…good?

However, even though the merits of “Alien 3” can be debated, what can’t be is the drama that happened behind the scenes. And thanks to an interview with HN Entertainment, special effects wizard Alec Gillis details his experience on the film and why he thinks it ultimately failed, as well as telling perhaps one of the best David Fincher stories ever.

READ MORE: Rumor: 2 ‘Alien’ TV Series Are In The Works, One At Hulu

“Well, my attitude towards ‘Aliens’ was always that kind of [James] Cameron kind of leaped forward like two sequels down the line which set the bar so high, right?” said Gillis.

He continued, “Cameron made vast numbers of aliens and a Queen alien, and to balance out the power of the Queen alien and Ripley with the power loader, not to mention spaceships and marines, smart-weapons and all this stuff that was just such an amazing build on everything, even the tennis shoes…So he did an amazing job but he made it very difficult for every other filmmaker after him.”

The effects master then chalked up the problem with “Alien 3” to a very interesting problem – you can’t get lightning in a bottle three times in a row. “[Having Ridley Scott] was its own lightning-in-a-bottle. Cameron then on ‘Aliens’ had lightning-in-a-bottle. There wasn’t that lightning-in-a-bottle on ‘Alien 3,’” said Gillis.

READ MORE: James Cameron Teases Involvement In ‘Aliens’ Franchise & Possibly Neill Blomkamp’s ‘Alien 5’

Alas, Fox wasn’t going to let the franchise die. So the studio turned to a first-time director by the name of David Fincher to helm the three-quel. At the time, Fincher was not Fincher and didn’t command the same respect he does now, which Gillis surmises is why Fox hired him in the first place.

“You know I’ve seen this with studio films where a first-time director is brought in so they can push him around, you know,” he said.

“Whereas if you pick a director who does have the talent and the vision if you can find a guy like Cameron and you actually give that person the reins your chances are better of having a successful product,” continued Gillis. “But if it doesn’t happen you’re the studio executive that let that first time director run amok and fuck up the franchise. It becomes this fear-based mentality.”

But Fincher’s lack of experience wasn’t going to step the filmmaker from putting his foot down and stand up for what he believed, which according to Gillis, led to some very uncomfortable phone calls between the director and studio.

READ MORE: Paramount Pulls The Plug On David Fincher’s ‘World War Z’ Sequel [Exclusive]

“We go in and there is first time director 27 years old David Fincher with his feet up on the desk and he’s going ‘then ship me home right now and take my name off this fucking piece of shit,’” said Gillis. “This was before we started shooting, ‘take my name off this piece of shit’ and he hangs up the phone and we go ‘wow! who were you talking to?’ And he said ‘the head of Fox, what do you got what do you have to show me?’. So we showed him a bunch of stuff and we’re like ‘this guy is unbelievable, he’s amazing.’”

Of course, we know how that relationship ended, with Fincher basically disavowing himself from the franchise. Ultimately, “Alien 3” is widely regarded as one of the lesser entries in the franchise. However, in hindsight, compared to some of the later sequels, Fincher’s entry into the ‘Alien’ universe isn’t so terrible. And if anything, at least we got some great stories out of the film!

Ouch! Peter Jackson’s WWI Documentary Has Outgrossed ‘Mortal Engines’ At The Box Office

If you’re a fan of box office stats, then we have a treat for you. As of last Friday, Peter Jackson’s World War I documentary, “They Shall Not Grow Old,” which is great, has outgrossed one of the biggest bombs of 2018, and other Jackson project, “Mortal Engines” at the domestic box office. You read that right. The massive sci-fi franchise-starter was beaten by 100-year-old archival footage.

READ MORE: Peter Jackson’s ‘Mortal Engines’ Could Lose Up To $150 Million After Terrible Box Office Debut

In all the talk about “Alita: Battle Angel” and the possibility of it becoming a major bomb, which in fact it looks to be only a modest box office success (and still not profitable), the cautionary tale of “Mortal Engines” was brought up quite a bit. You see, “Mortal Engines” and ‘Alita’ share a lot of the same characteristics. Both were based on successful source material. Both relied heavily on CGI and sort of silly premises. And both carried major filmmakers as producers and writers, with Jackson on ‘Engines’ and James Cameron on ‘Alita.’

However, at the end of the day, ‘Alita’ survived and “Mortal Engines” died a quick and painful death. The box office crater that was left by the “Mortal Engines” bomb was so deep, it’s reported that the film will likely cost the studio upwards of $150 million. But perhaps the biggest embarrassment of all is the fact that the filmmaker’s arthouse documentary about WWI that was quietly released in select theaters has outgrossed “Mortal Engines.”

READ MORE: Peter Jackson’s Stunning Documentary ‘They Shall Not Grow Old’ Brings World War I Into 3D [LFF Review]

As of this writing, the totals are (per BoxOfficeMojo):

“Mortal Engines” – $15.95 million domestic
“They Shall Not Grow Old” – $16.4 million domestic

Granted, “Mortal Engines” received a huge global release and has earned a worldwide total of $82.9 million, but with “They Shall Not Grow Old” not getting an international release, it’s difficult to make a true apples to apples comparison. So, we’re stuck with domestic results, which paint a truly grim picture for ‘Engines.’

What does this mean for Peter Jackson’s future in Hollywood? Probably not much. Is he going to forgo narrative filmmaking and live the documentarian life? Obviously not. But perhaps a studio is going to think twice before throwing the filmmaker $100 million to make a risky film.

Sophie Turner Reveals She Landed A Role On A Project Due Solely To Her Social Media Following

Lately, in light of the Time’s Up movement and Hollywood’s apparent interest in making sure women and people of color get more representation, there has been a vocal segment of film fans that say, “Actors and filmmakers should be hired based on their talent alone, and not because of diversity.” A silly statement that misses the point completely, but alas, that’s the hill these folks want to die on. But what would those people say when confronted with the news that Sophie Turner was hired for a role based on her social media base and not on her talent?

READ MORE: ‘Game Of Thrones’: HBO Used “Drone Killers” & Other Extreme Measures To Prevent Final Season Leaks & Spoilers

In an interview with Porter (via the Telegraph), the “Game of Thrones” star, who will next be seen in the upcoming ill-advised ‘X-Men’ film “Dark Phoenix,” revealed that she landed a job on an unnamed project based solely on the number of followers she has on her various social media accounts and not on her talent. How does she know this? Well, she is self-aware, and humble, enough to understand that the female that was up for the same role was “far better” than she is.

“A lot of what I have achieved is about timing and luck, but it is also, and I hate to say it, about a big social-media following,” said Turner.

She continued, “I auditioned for a project and it was between me and another girl who is a far better actress than I am, far better, but I had the followers, so I got the job. It’s not right, but it is part of the movie industry now.”

What film is she referring to? We’re not quite sure. It’s difficult to figure out because the actress rose to prominence thanks to “Game of Thrones,” which happens to be her first major role. Seemingly every project she landed after ‘Thrones’ is at least partially due to her popularity on the show.

READ MORE: ‘Dark Phoenix’ Trailer: The X-Men’s Deadliest Foe Is Jean Grey

However, as she states, this is far from an ideal scenario, and one that shows that Hollywood isn’t totally out to find the best person for each and every job. Sometimes, it comes down to how many social media followers the person has. Might explain why Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson seems to be in every film. Let’s just hope the Kardashians aren’t poised to take over the film industry in the future.

Topher Grace Edited The Entire ‘Star Wars’ Film Series Into One 5-Minute Trailer Called ‘Star Wars: Always’

Topher Grace has been on a mission to re-edit franchise films that have been debated by fans for years now. He recently explained how he re-edited the ‘Hobbit’ trilogy as a way to relax during the stress of “BlacKkKlansman,” and Grace has previously tackled some pet projects in the “Star Wars” universe. Ultimately, what the actor (and for funsies editor) likes to do is take something entirely too long and, perhaps a wee bit convoluted, and try to distill it down to its bare essentials. And that’s exactly what he’s done with his latest project, “Star Wars: Always.”

Imagine the entire “Star Wars” film franchise (10 films in all) was one big, expensive TV limited series. Well, that seems to be the premise that Grace has adopted when creating a new “trailer” for the “Star Wars” franchise, particularly the Skywalker Saga. Jumping around from film to film, generation to generation, ‘Always’ attempts to boil the entire franchise down to 5 dense minutes. And for the most part, you could argue that he succeeds.

READ MORE: Topher Grace Re-edited ‘The Hobbit’ To Help Deal With The Stress Of Playing A Racist For Spike Lee

Dubbing it a trailer, however, isn’t truly accurate. This would be best described as the Cliff’s Notes/SparkNotes version of “Star Wars” with the final chapter left out. So, yes it’s a teaser, in a sense, but it also spoils quite a bit of the prequels and original trilogy. Darth Vader dies, Luke is his son, Anakin and Obi-Wan were friends but eventually fought, and so on. With that in mind, its a fun, short encapsulation of 10 mythology-filled films, with all those boring parts (looking at you, trade negotiations!) cut out.

And while you would expect that if this franchise was rebooted as a TV series, the same actors would be able to reprise their roles and we wouldn’t have Harrison Ford replaced in the ‘Solo’ episode, for example, it is still a fun little experiment.

For Grace, according to his tweet, it was just a fun weekend he spent with a friend while the wives were gone.

You can watch the trailer below:

10 movies. 2 nerds. 1 weekend (when our wives were out of town). Enjoy… #everypartofthebuffalo @jeffyorkes @louscafe_edit https://t.co/aYE4ZI2iHb

— Topher Grace (@TopherGrace) February 26, 2019

Sony To Release ‘Alt-Universe Cut’ Of ‘Spider-Verse’ Featuring Popular Comics Character Ganke Lee

When filmmakers create live-action projects, it’s very easy to do alternate takes, extra scenes, and whole new set-ups. The fact that it just means re-positioning actors, filming longer takes, and such makes it so that the average film could be 3+ hours before being cut down to normal size. However, with animation, that’s not really the case. Everything is so thoroughly planned, once a film is fully animated, so much thought has been put into it, that there’s hardly any deleted scenes.

That being said, as we’ve discussed before, “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse” isn’t your average animated film. And thus, apparently, there were plenty of extra scenes. Enough for a whole new cut of the film.

READ MORE: ‘Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse’ Takes Home Academy Award For Best Animated Feature [Oscars 2019]

Fresh off its Oscar win for Best Animated Feature, ‘Spider-Verse’ is almost ready to make its debut in homes around the world. And while the home release will feature a ton of behind-the-scenes content, perhaps the most exciting is what is being dubbed by the directors as the “Alt-Universe Cut.”

Speaking to CinemaBlend, directors Rodney Rothman, Bob Persichetti, and Peter Ramsey discussed the unusual fact that their animated feature had quite a bit of footage that ended up on the cutting room floor. Enough to make a brand-new cut of the film.

“[‘Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse’] had an unusual amount of material at every stage of production,” explained Rothman. “So, an insane amount of storyboard material, like insane, like break your high end edit systems insane. An insane amount of layout, an insane amount of finished animation that didn’t make it into the movie… an unusual amount. So the Alt-Universe Cut contains a bunch of that stuff that we chose not to put in the movie, but that in an alternate universe easily could have ended up in the movie. So, uh, that’s kind of the premise behind it.”

READ MORE: ‘Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse’ Wins Top Prize At 2019 Annie Awards

And it would appear that most of the footage that was cut out of the film featured ‘Spider-Man’ comic book favorite Ganke Lee, Miles’ roommate and LEGO-collecting best friend. Sadly, all this footage was cut due to the fact that Marvel Studios beat ‘Spider-Verse’ to the punch by releasing “Spider-Man: Homecoming,” which featured supporting character Ned, who was very, very similar to Ganke. Thus, to avoid confusion and similar material, ‘Spider-Verse’ had its Ganke scenes cut.

“The alt version is more beholden to the idea that Miles and Ganke were buddies and roommates, and there’s a lot more of roommate stuff happening,” revealed director Bob Persichetti. “And what we ended up running into was just to two things. It was just like, ‘Oh, wow. Homecoming, Ned – very similar to Ganke.’ Really. And then, ‘Well, maybe it’s actually better if Miles experiences these things without a really well-educated Sherpa holding his hand through all the powers coming on and everything,’ and it ended up helping us out for that place where Peter comes into the movie.”

READ MORE: Tobey Maguire, Andrew Garfield, & Tom Holland Almost Made Appearances In ‘Spider-Verse’

SlashFilm actually adds, in its report, that Ganke would have been voiced by Peter Sohn. While that name doesn’t hold the same star power as Jake Johnson, Nic Cage, or John Mulaney, Sohn is a Hollywood powerhouse, nonetheless. You probably would know him as the Pixar director, storyboard artist, voice actor, and animator who has worked on films like “Ratatouille,” “The Incredibles,” and “Finding Nemo,” just to name a few.

“Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse” hits digital today and will be released on 4K, Blu-ray, and DVD on March 19.

Oscar Winner Spike Lee Directs Michael B. Jordan In New Coach Ad/Short ‘Words Matter’

Oscar winner Spike Lee (feels right saying that, huh?) is not one to rest on his laurels. After celebrating Sunday night for his first-ever Academy Award win, the filmmaker has just released a brand-new project. Albeit, this probably isn’t the project that film fans were hoping for when they hear that Lee has teamed up with Michael B. Jordan.

That’s right. Michael B. Jordan, who is quickly becoming one of the biggest stars in the world, has teamed up with Spike Lee on a new “short film” (aka commercial) for Coach, titled “Words Matter.” And as you might expect from a film from Lee with that title, the minute-long project highlights the fact that bigotry of all forms still exists in our society, but ultimately, can be conquered with love. It also features Jordan wearing a badass outfit and riding a motorcycle in the desert, so there’s that too.

READ MORE: Spike Lee Gets Called Out By Trump For “Racist” Speech As Filmmaker Calls ‘Green Book’ Win A “Bad Call”

This Coach ad follows in the footsteps of countless other filmmakers of similar ilk that have made the leap into the world of commercial “shorts.” Recently, we’ve seen the likes of Ridley Scott promote Turkish Airlines on Super Bowl Sunday and Spike Jonze try to sell website creation with Idris Elba. Even though there’s a thick layer of commercialism as a foundation, these are ultimately quick little glimpses at what makes these filmmakers so special. Plus, there’s the chance that the paycheck helps fund bigger, more important projects down the line.

Either way, commercial or “short film,” “Words Matter” is a quick little ditty that can be easily digested and shared appropriately through all the social media around the Internet. So, enjoy!

You can watch the full short below:

‘Green Book’ Producer Sent An Angry Email To Writer Who Criticized The Best Picture Winner

Let’s play a game. Imagine you’re one of the people involved in the production of “Green Book.” Writer, producer, director, star, whatever. After winning Best Picture Sunday night at the Oscars, you are riding high. Parties are thrown. Compliments are given. Your dreams have come true. But then you wake up on Monday morning. And boy, oh boy, the party is quickly over. The LA Times and others published thinkpieces calling your film the worst Best Picture winner since “Crash.” Ouch. Social media is on fire with negative comments about “Green Book.” That would make anyone mad, right? Well, apparently, for one of the producers on “Green Book,” he was so sick of all the hate his film was receiving, he took it upon himself to let a writer know.

READ MORE: The 2019 Oscars: A Diverse “New” Academy At War With Itself

Justin Chang of the LA Times said, in a post-Oscars article, “‘Green Book’ is the worst best picture Oscar winner since ‘Crash,’ and I don’t make the comparison lightly. Like that 2005 movie, Peter Farrelly’s interracial buddy dramedy is insultingly glib and hucksterish, a self-satisfied crock masquerading as an olive branch. It reduces the long, barbaric and ongoing history of American racism to a problem, a formula, a dramatic equation that can be balanced and solved. ‘Green Book’ is an embarrassment; the film industry’s unquestioning embrace of it is another.”

“Glib,” “Embarrassment,” “Hucksterish.” Not the words that are associated with most Best Picture winners. This would be enough to really get under the skin of anyone working on the film, right?

READ MORE: ‘Green Book’ Writer Says Dr. Shirley Wanted His Family Excluded: “I Didn’t Even Know They Really Existed” [Oscars 2019]

However, the article that really pissed off producer Charles Wessler was printed back in November, around the official release of the film. The article was written by Jenni Miller of NBC News, with the headline “Green Book’ is a movie about racism, made by white people for white people. See the problem?” You can probably glean from that headline what Miller’s thesis is.

Well, after the surprise Best Picture win, Miller went on Twitter to publish screenshots of a very…uncomfortable email received from Wessler, where the producer thoroughly tears apart her article in a way that is most definitely not very professional.

He opens by saying, “‘Green Book’ is the furthest thing from a racist movie.”

Wessler continues [punctuation and emphasis are his own, and not ours], “It was made by white people and black people. There is no ‘problem’ as you say in your Click Bait headline. African Americans for the most part LOVE this film. How can you determine that this is made for white people when IN FACT you do NOT know.”

READ MORE: Spike Lee Gets Called Out By Trump For “Racist” Speech As Filmmaker Calls ‘Green Book’ Win A “Bad Call”

From there, he continues in a similar fashion. The full email is below, if you’re so inclined. But the interesting thing is how defensive the folks behind “Green Book” have gotten in the weeks leading up to the Oscars. With multiple reports highlighting writer Nick Vallelonga’s anti-muslim tweets, Peter Farrelly’s questionable behavior with Cameron Diaz, and what many consider to be a classic example of “white savior” filmmaking, it appears that the folks behind the scenes are reading it all and getting very, very upset.

But then again, wouldn’t you do the same? Obviously, the email to the writer could have been worded very differently. It definitely could have been a bit more friendly. (Side note: this writer has had his fair share of letters written by directors, producers, etc. regarding articles published. And while I won’t name names, I will say that each one that I’ve received has been professional and courteous, even in times when my article probably didn’t deserve that courtesy.)

The full legacy of “Green Book” will be written in the years to come. However, at this time, all signs point to the film being a cautionary tale of when the Academy just gets one wrong.

here’s the email I received about Green Book from one of the producers. I censored the name of the editor he cc’d, which I guess was supposed to be a power move? anyone who has received something similar, feel free to reach out. pic.twitter.com/LIiV4CEp3Z

— Jenni Miller (@msjennimiller) February 25, 2019

Rotten Tomatoes Changes Audience Ratings System After ‘Captain Marvel’ & ‘Star Wars’ Drama

Recently, Rotten Tomatoes has been in the news, but for all the wrong reasons. Instead of people commenting on how the review aggregation website is a useful tool for film fans to use to see what the general consensus on a movie is, the site has been in the crosshairs of fans, as trolls have taken over and used its audience rating system to attempt to sabotage films like “Captain Marvel” and “Black Panther.” Well, as “Star Wars: Episode IX” begins getting attacked, Rotten Tomatoes has decided to take matters into its own hands and change the way it handles audience scores.

Previously, we reported that a vocal minority of angry fans (aka misogynist trolls) have taken it upon themselves to submit early audience reviews of the film, in an attempt to lower the score so much that it might have some sort of effect on the box office. Largely, this is seen as a symbolic gesture by these toxic fans to show that there’s…uhhh…no room for female empowerment and diversity in superhero films? Is that actually what they’re trying to say? Ugh. So stupid.

READ MORE: ‘Captain Marvel’ Early Reactions: “Pure Joy” and “Super Empowering”

Anyway, the latest film to get dragged by these trolls on Rotten Tomatoes is “Star Wars: Episode IX.” We are still almost a full year away from the film actually hitting theaters. Hell, we don’t even have a trailer or a title for the film yet. That hasn’t stopped these toxic people from going on Rotten Tomatoes to submit bogus, terrible ratings to attempt to derail the film. Apparently, J.J. Abrams’ film is automatically bad because ‘The Last Jedi’ wasn’t the film that “true fans” wanted? Who knows?

Regardless, Rotten Tomatoes has decided to end this madness, thankfully. With revamped rules, the site will now only allow audience ratings after the film has been released, and will change the way the audience ratings are shown on the site. All this in an attempt to better qualify and quantify just what these ratings mean.

READ MORE: Brie Larson Clarifies ‘Captain Marvel’ Inclusivity Statements: “No One Is Getting Their Chair Taken Away.”

“Over the past few years, Rotten Tomatoes has been evolving into a robust movie and TV show recommendations platform that celebrates the views of professional critics and fans alike, and encourages discussion and debate,” said Ara Nalbandian, Head of Product and Technology, Rotten Tomatoes. “We continue to invest in our product to deliver useful and relevant resources for fans and are in development on new tools to help fans express their opinions and connect with others.”

Translation: “Trolls have taken over our audience rating system and made too many horrible headlines, so we need to adjust it to avoid further embarrassment.” Or some such.

READ MORE: Zachary Levi Says ‘Captain Marvel’ Trolls Should Stop & Aren’t Doing ‘Shazam’ Any Favors

Either way, this is nothing but good news for film fans that want a little less trolling in their lives.

Melissa McCarthy Fully Supports Jason Reitman & His ‘Ghostbusters’ Sequel: “I’m All For It”

We have reached the point where it would seem that any potential candidate running for President of the United States in 2020 is going to have to add “Ghostbusters Stance” to their political agenda. Like it or not, the most polarizing news item in the film industry right now seems to be the upcoming Jason Reitman-helmed “Ghostbusters” sequel. And while we really don’t have any clue what to expect from the film, it’s expected by now that you have already made up your mind about it. So, where do you stand? Huh? Speak up! Well, for Melissa McCarthy, she’s made her thoughts known, and unsurprisingly, she was sweet, calm, and fair about what she believes. Therefore, we must hate her.

READ MORE: ‘Ghostbusters’ Drama: Jason Reitman Explains “Back To The Fans” Remark & Paul Feig Defends Him

Speaking to ET, the Academy Award-nominated actress was asked her thoughts about the upcoming “Ghostbusters” sequel, considering she was part of the 2016 “Ghostbusters: Answer the Call,” which is seemingly being forgotten moving forward. Unlike Leslie Jones, who didn’t mince words with her dislike of the sequel idea, McCarthy seems to not only be okay with the new film, but welcomes any film that Reitman wants to helm.

“I’m for anybody who’s making movies. I talked to Jason about it, he’s just always had this idea, and his goes back to the world where the guys did exist and I’m like, ‘I want to see that,'” McCarthy said. “I’m all for it. I say like, ‘Tell the story.'”

She continued, “I think there’s a million stories to be told. He’s a really, really good filmmaker and a really good storyteller, so I will be there buying my ticket. I’m all for it.”

READ MORE: Leslie Jones Says New ‘Ghostbusters’ Film Ignoring Female Reboot Is A “Trump”-Like “Dick Move”

How will social media react to one of the *GASP* female Ghostbusters being excited about the classic universe getting a sequel? How can men around Twitter get upset when McCarthy not only says she’s “all for” the sequel but also compliments Reitman, who is the son of the original film’s director? No doubt, people will find a way to get angered and argue endlessly. We can already smell the misogynist gifs from here.

Now, the ball is in your court Bernie Sanders? What are your thoughts on “Ghostbusters 3?” Huh? We’re waiting! I mean, we can already guess what side of “Ghostbusters” history Trump will be on, right?

‘Hotel Transylvania 4’ To Open Doors Christmas Season 2021

Sony Pictures Animation is moving ahead with Hotel Transylvania 4 with the fourthquel to the $1.3 billion-grossing franchise opening on Dec. 22, 2021. 

The latest installment, Hotel Transylvania 3: Summer Vacation (out July 13, 2018) became Sony Pictures’ biggest animated film of all time with north of $528M WW (32% of that from domestic), passing the previous part 2’s global box office of $474.8M.

Summer Vacation opened #1 in multiple countries and passed $100 million at the domestic box office its 12th day of release.

‘Detective Pikachu’ Trailer: Ryan Reynolds and Justice Smith Are Holding Out For A Hero In Live-Action Pokemon Adventure

In the new trailer for the forthcoming Warner Bros. pic Detective Pikachu we are thrown into the world of Pokemon featuring Ryan Reynolds voicing the titular character and Justice Smith as his newfound friend. And it’s all set to the adrenaline-pumping classic “I Need A Hero” by Bonnie Tyler.

The new trailer gives us more action and a look at more monsters from the Pokemon universe (Psyduck! Bulbasaur! Charizard! Mr. Mime! Jigglypuff!) and we get to see the monsters go head to head in the arena. Above all, we get to see a lot of explosive action with Tim (Smith) and his unlikely relationship with Pikachu as he attempts to find his missing dad. The movie also stars Kathryn Newton, Ken Watanabe, Iran Soni, Paul Kitson, and Bill Nighy.

The first-ever live-action Pokémon adventure is directed by Rob Letterman and follows Tim as he searches for his ace detective father Harry Goodman. Aiding in the investigation is Harry’s former Pokémon partner, Detective Pikachu: a hilariously wise-cracking, adorable super-sleuth who is a puzzlement even to himself. Finding that they are uniquely equipped to communicate with one another, Tim and Pikachu join forces on a thrilling adventure to unravel the tangled mystery. Chasing clues together through the neon-lit streets of Ryme City—a sprawling, modern metropolis where humans and Pokémon live side by side in a hyper-realistic live-action world—they encounter a diverse cast of Pokémon characters and uncover a shocking plot that could destroy this peaceful co-existence and threaten the whole Pokémon universe.

Detective Pikachu opens in theaters May 10. Watch the trailer above.

The CW Pilot ‘Glamorous’ Finds Its Gender-Nonconforming Teen Lead In Ben J. Pierce, Casts Pierson Fodé, Adds EP

Imax Beats Q4 Revenue Estimates But Profit Slumps On Weaker Holiday Film Slate

Imax beat Wall Street estimates for fourth-quarter total revenue, reaching just shy of $109 million, but a weaker film slate in the quarter compared with 2017 kept a lid on results.

The revenue figure slid 13% from the year-earlier quarter, while earnings per share of 3 cents declined from 8 cents and fell short of forecasts.

Gross box office from Imax films was $236.7 million in the quarter, down from $278.1 million in the 2017 period. The stronger slate a year ago included Star Wars: The Last Jedi. Gross box office was generated primarily by the exhibition of 29 films (22 new and 7 carryover), compared with 26 films (22 new and 4 carryover) exhibited in the 2017 quarter.

On a full-year basis, the company noted that it cracked the $1 billion box office barrier for the first time, and posted record results in China.

“The story is quite simple. Beginning in 2017 we made a series of strategic decisions to turn around our business,” CEO Rich Gelfond said. “From top to bottom, the evidence is clear in 2018 that these initiatives are working as our growth, margin and return metrics are on solidly positive trend lines. We have confidence each of these trends will continue in 2019 and our margin and return improvement should accelerate as we continue to execute against the initiatives we laid out.”