Movie/TV News (2 Viewers)

[dragon53]

MONDAY, JUNE 19

3 BODY PROBLEM---trailer released for the Netflix sci fi series from the GAME OF THRONES creators based on the Chinese novel trilogy.

LINK: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5lj99Uz1d50



HEART OF STONE---trailer released for the Netflix spy movie starring Gal Gadot.

LINK: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XuDwndGaCFo



REBEL MOON---featurette released for the Zack Snyder/Netflix two-part sci fi movie.

LINK: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7nc4TDtogcs



WONDER WELL---trailer released for the movie which is Carrie Fisher's last role.

LINK: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B_y9OcoZuns



ALL THE LIGHT WE CANNOT SEE---trailer released for the Netflix World War II miniseries.

LINK: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hy6skssvnko



THE WITCHER---film clip released from Season 3.

LINK: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2yYoPTzAN7g



ONE PIECE---trailer released for the Netflix series based on the manga.

LINK: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lNMSqxQtO0w



STRANGER THINGS---Linda Hamilton has joined the cast of Season 5 in an undisclosed role.

AVATAR: THE LAST AIRBENDER---photo released of Ian Ousley as Sokka in the Netflix fantasy series based on the animated series.

METROPOLIS---the Sam Esmail/Apple TV+ eight-part miniseries remake of the 1927 sci fi movie has been cancelled due to, “Push costs and uncertainty related to the ongoing strike led to this difficult decision”.

STAR WARS: AHSOKA---Rosario Dawson commented on rumors that Hayden Christensen will return as Anakin Skywalker in the Disney+ miniseries, "It’s definitely one of those things that would be super cool if he was [in AHSOKA], but I’m just really grateful that we’re in the same universe.”

FUBAR---Netflix renewed the series for Season 2.

THE FLASH---director Andy Muschietti said the movie's deleted cameos include Marlon Brando (Jor-El), Lynda Carter (Wonder Woman), Burgess Meredith (The Penguin) and Cesar Romero (The Joker).

EXTRACTION 3---Chris Hemsworth thanked fans of the Netflix movies and said the third movie is underway, "We’re already talking about EXTRACTION 3, thanks to the response."

TRIVIA---more James Bond movie trivia.
Paul McCartney and his band Wings had a hit with the theme song for LIVE AND LET DIE. The James Bond movie produces asked McCartney to compose the theme for QUANTUM OF SOLACE, but McCartney declined the offer, “I definitely wouldn’t do it again. I have been trying to think of something to rhyme with solace and all I can come up with is Wallace!”
McCartney suggested Amy Winehouse to the producers, but they rejected her entry with producer Barbara Broccoli saying, “Well, that was a very very distressing meeting, she was not at her best and my heart really went out to her. She was very fragile emotionally and, you know, you understood how she could create such moving material, because she has a great depth of feeling and it was very very tragic.”
The producers chose Alicia Keys and Jack White instead which led to Winehouse publicly criticizing their theme song "Another Way to Die". White said, “I got in because Amy Winehouse wasn’t showing up to the sessions or wasn’t delivering the song that they were asking her to do. So it was, ‘We were running out of time, we need somebody else…’ And I thought, ‘Oh, this was great, because now I’m gonna get away with murder; I’m gonna put things in this song, they would never approve of this.’ And that happened. The music director was not down with anything. He was trying to convince me to turn it into a ballad or something like that.”


LINK: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YMXT3aJxH_A

 

[dragon53]

TUESDAY, JUNE 20

KRAVEN THE HUNTER---trailer released for the Sony/Marvel superhero movie.

LINK: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fbvr-G_72ic



MEGA APE---trailer released for the monster ape movie starring Tom Sizemore.

LINK: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6sWY3wRcAdg



FORCE OF NATURE: THE DRY 2---trailer released for the sequel based on the novel starring Eric Bana.

LINK: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=exK1btbNc5Q



THE FLASH---the DC superhero movie earned a disappointing $55.7 million during its premiere which is well below the DCEU average of $75.7 million and making it #9 out of 14 DCEU movies. Ranked below THE FLASH are SHAZAM!, BIRDS OF PREY, SHAZAM! FURY OF THE GODS, THE SUICIDE SQUAD and WONDER WOMAN 1984.

JOHN WICK: CHAPTER 4--Oliver Stone commented on JOHN WICK and Marvel Cinematic Universe movies, "I saw JOHN WICK 4 on the plane. Talk about volume. I think the film is disgusting beyond belief. Disgusting. I don't know what people are thinking. Maybe I was watching G.I. JOE when I was a kid. But [Keanu Reeves] kills, what, three, four hundred people in the ****ing movie. And as a combat veteran, I gotta tell you, not one of them is believable. I realize it's a movie, but it's become a video game more than a movie. It's lost touch with reality."
He added, "The audience perhaps likes the video game. But I get bored by it. How many cars can crash? How many stunts can you do? What's the difference between FAST AND FURIOUS and some other film? It's just one thing after another. Whether it's a super-human Marvel character or just a human being like John Wick, it doesn't make any difference. It's not believable."

THE WALKING DEAD: DARYL DIXON---a photo shows Melissa McBride and Norman Reedus filming a scene on the set in France.

FANTASTIC FOUR---Vanessa Kirby and Pom Klementieff were promoting MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE--DEAD RECKONING PART ONE when Kirby was asked about rumors she will play Sue Storm in the FANTASTIC FOUR reboot. Klementieff said, “Oh, yes! I’ve heard about those rumors." Kirby then replied, “It would be an honor.” Klementieff added, “We could work together!”

THE WITCHER---showrunner Lauren Schmidt-Hissrich said Season 3 will be more faithful to the books, 'The truth is that we always obviously start from the books. But I talk a lot in interviews about the fact that you cannot go straight from a page to a screen. And so what we try to do and what I’ve always talked to Sapkowski about is keeping the tone of the books the same. And I think as long as we do that, as long as we’re trying to invest in those stories in the way he wanted to tell them. Which is really about a family coming together, then I feel like we’re in safe territory. … Season 2 obviously had a lot of… There was a lot of controversy about how much we changed. … I thought that Blood of Elves was incredibly difficult to adapt, because there wasn’t a lot of big action. And as much as you can talk to book lovers and book purists and say like, ‘But no, this could have been beautiful!’ It could have been. But I actually believe over eight episodes, it would’ve been too slow to keep its momentum. Certainly to keep an audience interested. Season 3, especially on the heels of Season 2, is a much more direct adaptation. Again, just from a basic writing perspective, the book is so easily adaptable. And it really is… It can be broken down into big events.“

SCHOOL SPIRITS---Paramount+ renewed the series for Season 2.

TRIVIA---John Carpenter was asked to direct the original TOP GUN and he commented on the original script's climax involving the dogfight between Tom Cruise's F-14 Tomcat and Russian MiG-28 fighters, "And TOP GUN, come on. They fight the Russians in the third act? Come on. There’d be World War III. Stop that." The producers apparently heeded Carpenter's opinion and changed the ending to the MiG-28s being from an undisclosed nation.
Carpenter said, tongue-in-cheek, about how he would have directed the movie if he had not turned it down, "I don't know. There's nothing I could do with that movie. I have no idea. It's strange... It's such a weird movie. It is so strange. I don't know. They'd all be naked. They'd all be naked in the jets."

 

[dragon53]

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 21

PRISCILLA---trailer released for the Sofia Coppola biomovie about Priscilla and Elvis Presley.

LINK: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gxbZyvCJc6U



CHALLENGERS---trailer released for the tennis movie starring Zendaya.

LINK: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MDnVk5jIJr0



CAPTAIN FALL---trailer released for the Netflix animated comedy series.

LINK: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RQiqPU3Mu6Q



INDIANA JONES AND THE DIAL OF DESTINY---Matthew Belloni, entertainment observer, had negative comments about Lucasfilm and its INDIANA JONES franchise, “That’s not even a franchise. [DIAL OF DESTINY] is just a one-off cash grab. That’s like, ‘We gotta get Harrison Ford into another one of these things before he croaks.’ There’s not going to be a follow-up to this. Do you think Phoebe Waller-Bridge is going to take the mantle of Harrison Ford in Indiana Jones sequels?
In true Lucasfilm fashion, there is no plan. They don’t have this setup for five other movies. This is just, ‘Let’s get this out. Let’s figure out how to make one last one with Harrison Ford, then we’ll figure out… Maybe we do another YOUNG INDIANA JONES series, maybe we try to introduce someone else playing a different version of the character.’ I don’t think the plan is to do a new Indiana Jones movie with Phoebe Waller-Bridge.”

FORMULA ONE---the untitled racing movie's plot has Brad Pitt as a veteran racecar driver who comes out of retirement to mentor a younger driver and becomes his co-driver.

EXTRACTION 2---the Chris Hemsworth sequel drew 42.8 million viewers and 88 million viewing hours in its three-day premiere which made it Netflix's biggest premiere of 2023. By comparison, 2022's GLASS ONION: A KNIVES OUT MYSTERY had 82.1 million viewing hours and THE GRAY MAN had 88.5 million viewing hours.

SECRET INVASION---the Marvel tv series has a Rotten Tomatoes score of 69% which is the lowest Rotten Tomatoes score of any Marvel tv series on Disney+. By comparison, SHE-HULK: ATTORNEY AT LAW has a 80% score, WANDAVISION has a 91% score and LOKI has a 92% score.

NIGHT*****---the Amy Adams dark comedy movie based on the novel about a young mother who thinks she is turning into a dog has been R-rated.

TRIVIA---Guy Williams achieved stardom in the Walt Disney tv series ZORRO, but he is best known for starring in the sci fi tv series LOST IN SPACE as Professor John Robinson. Ironically, Williams' first role was in the classic sci fi movie THE DAY THE EARTH STOOD STILL in which he played the military radar operator who detected a UFO approaching Earth which lands in Washington, DC.

Guy Williams achieved stardom in the Walt Disney tv series ZORRO.

Williams is best known for starring in the sci fi tv series LOST IN SPACE as Professor John Robinson.

Ironically, Williams' first role was in the classic sci fi movie THE DAY THE EARTH STOOD STILL in which he played the military radar operator who detected a UFO approaching Earth which lands in Washington, DC. His dialogue was, "Holy mackerel! Call headquarters. Get the lieutenant."

 

[dragon53]

THURSDAY. JUNE 22

INDIANA JONES AND THE DIAL OF DESTINY---new trailer released for the sequel.

LINK: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kQqWAXUu6dc



THE BEANIE BUBBLE---trailer released for the Apple TV+ comedy movie starring Zach Galifianakis and Elizabeth Banks.

LINK: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KV32siOI9mU



THE LAST OF US---Pedro Pascal commented on if his character, Joel Miller, will die in Season 2 as he does in the video game, “I don’t know. I think Part Two has more leeway. It seemed to be a different immersive experience, while things must happen for the central narrative to occur. It seems it’s a little bit more open. That means I don’t f*cking know.”

YELLOWSTONE---Taylor Sheridan commented on Kevin Costner leaving the series, "My last conversation with Kevin was that he had this passion project he wanted to direct. He and the network were arguing about when he could be done with Yellowstone. I said, ‘We can certainly work a schedule toward [his preferred exit date],’ which we did.”
He added, “My opinion of Kevin as an actor hasn’t altered. His creation of John Dutton is symbolic and powerful … and I’ve never had an issue with Kevin that he and I couldn’t work out on the phone.
But once lawyers get involved, then people don’t get to talk to each other and start saying things that aren’t true and attempt to shift blame based on how the press or public seem to be reacting. He took a lot of this on the chin and I don’t know that anyone deserves it.
His movie seems to be a great priority to him, and he wants to shift focus. I sure hope [the movie is] worth it – and that it’s a good one. I’m disappointed. It truncates the closure of his character. It doesn’t alter it, but it truncates it.”

PRISCILLA---the Sofia Coppola biomovie based on Priscilla Presley's memoir ELVIS AND ME drew positive comments from Priscilla, "I am excited about the interpretation of my book by the masterful Sofia Coppola. She has such an extraordinary perspective and I have always been such an admirer of her work. I’m certain this movie will take everyone on an emotional journey."
However, an representative of the Elvis Presley estate was not as generous, "It feels like a college movie. The set designs are just horrific, it's not what Graceland looks like."

SECRET INVASION---the opening credits scene involving shape-shifting humans and Skrulls was created using AI. Jeff Simpson, a visual development concept artist on SECRET INVASION, who was not involved with the AI scene, criticized the use of AI, “Secret Invasion intro is AI generated. I’m devastated, I believe AI to be unethical, dangerous and designed solely to eliminate artists careers. Spent almost half a year working on this show and had a fantastic experience working with the most amazing people I ever met.”

STAR WARS: AHSOKA---Rosario Dawson said creator Dave Filoni told her AHSOKA is Season 5 of STAR WARS REBELS, "It’s hard sometimes to tell with the things you read online whether that’s actual fact or just some fan fiction, but I’m pretty sure Dave said that this is basically like the fifth season of REBELS. So it felt nice to feel that sort of continuation with these people she’s got such a rich history with. You can see that with her mission that she has, going after Thrawn, and believing that he’s still alive, and holding Ezra in her heart because they have a really beautiful, long history as well."

CAPTAIN MARVEL---Samuel L. Jackson defended Brie Larson from misogynistic attacks after she was chosen to star in CAPTAIN MARVEL, “When she got CAPTAIN MARVEL, she called me and was like, ‘They want me in the Marvel Universe. Should I do it?’ And I was like, ‘Hell yeah! Let’s do it!’ But she’s not going to let any of that stuff destroy her. These incel dudes who hate strong women, or the fact that she’s a feminist who has an opinion and expressed it? Everybody wants people to be who they want them to be. She is who she is, and she’s genuinely that.”

TRIVIA---two years before Patrick Stewart became famous as Capt. Jean-Luc Picard in the sci fi series STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION, Stewart had another sci fi role in the cult classic outer space horror movie LIFE FORCE. Stewart said LIFEFORCE director Tobe Hooper was his favorite director to work with, but he said the movie was "the nadir of his career" and took the role because he needed money to repair his house.
Ironically, Stewart's NEXT GENERATION co-star, Marina Sirtis, was a candidate to play LIFEFORCE's lead space vampire, Space Girl, but the role went to statuesque French actress Mathilda May.

Stewart said appearing in LIFEFORCE was the "the nadir of his career" and took the role because he needed money to repair his house.

Ironically, Stewart's NEXT GENERATION co-star, Marina Sirtis, was a candidate to play LIFEFORCE's lead space vampire, Space Girl, but the role went to statuesque French actress Mathilda May.

 

[dragon53]

FRIDAY, JUNE 23

DRIVE-AWAY DOLLS---trailer released for the lesbian roadshow comedy movie starring Margaret Qualley.

LINK: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oy0RYiQRWUk



STAR WARS---the title for the new STAR WARS movie with Daisy Ridley returning is reportedly STAR WARS: NEW JEDI ORDER. The synopsis says, “Set roughly 15 years after Rey’s victory over Palpatine and the end of STAR WARS: THE RISE OF SKYWALKER. The sequel delves into Rey’s courageous endeavor to restore the Jedi Order, where she assumes the role of a mentor to two promising young students—a girl and a boy. As their training progresses, it becomes evident that the girl possesses extraordinary abilities, destined to emerge as the future leader.”

INDIANA JONES---Lucasfilm head Kathleen Kennedy said it is “entirely possible” for a Helena Shaw spinoff movie starring Phoebe Waller-Bridge, “We’re not having any of those conversations right now. We’re just focused on finishing this with Harrison.”
However, if there is a Helena Shaw movie, director James Mangold said he will not direct it, “I’m not interested. I refuse. I just can’t do it. The amount of lore and Easter eggs and fan service starts to become antithetical to any of this stuff at a certain point. It isn’t storytelling anymore. It’s large-scale advertising.”
Also, Harrison Ford commented on his last Indiana Jones movie, “I don’t [plan to retire]. I don’t do well when I don’t have work. I love to work. I love to feel useful. It’s my jones. I want to be helpful."
He added,"... It’s time for me to grow up. Six years ago, I thought maybe we ought to take a shot at making another one … And I wanted it to be about age because I think that rounds out the story that we’ve told and we brought it to the right place. I mean, the last one ended in kind of a suspended animation. There was not a real strong feeling of the conclusion or the closure that I always hoped for, the roundness and speaking to this issue of age. Not making jokes about it, but but making it a real thing.”

STAR TREK---Patrick Stewart said since STAR TREK: PICARD has ended, he would like to return as Jean-Luc Picard in another movie, “I think we could do a movie, a Picard-based movie. Now not necessarily at all about Picard but about all of us. And to take many of those wonderful elements, particularly from Season 3 of PICARD and take out of that what I think could be an extraordinary movie. I keep telling people and mentioning it, and so far there’s been no eager response, but it might well happen. And that would be I think a very appropriate way to say, ‘And goodbye folks.'”
The last movie with THE NEXT GENERATION cast was the 2002 sequel STAR TREK: NEMESIS which is considered one of the worst movies in the franchise.

EXTRACTION---director Sam Hargreave said a spinoff movie with Nik (Golshifteh Farahani) and Yaz (Adam Bessa) is underway, “Here's a fun kind of spoiler alert, we did this scene that was in and out, and it was out, and it was in – where Nik is talking, she brings in the strudels to the mom and kid who are in the bed in Vienna, and they have a talk about second chances.
That was a scene that was kind of in, it was out, but we left it in because one, it means multiple meanings; she's talking, yes, about the kid, but she's also talking about Rake, and she's also talking about the son. And we threw a line in there when she's kind of empathizing with the mom, and saying, 'I know what it feels like, I've been there,' and it's subtle, it's an Easter egg, but that's kind of hinting towards her and Yaz’s own spinoff movie. So we're gonna get to follow them.”

THE WALKING DEAD: DARYL DIXON---Jeffrey Dean Morgan posted a photo of Melissa McBride returning for the spinoff series and took a jab at fans, "Well well. We’re sorry Norman… fer talking oodles of ***** to you when we thought melissa wasn’t doing show! Golly… this must of been in the works for ages! (Twas from start) Go**amn it’s great seeing these two together! Can’t wait!"

THE ASSESSMENT---Elizabeth Olsen and Alicia Vikander will star in this sci fi movie whose synopsis says, “Set in a world destroyed by climate change. Part of society has created a parallel world for itself. Life is controlled and optimized, and the desire to have children is also not left to chance. The lives of a successful young couple are therefore put under close scrutiny by a female assessor over the course of seven days.”

MALCOLM IN THE MIDDLE---Bryan Cranston confirmed he is working on a revival of the Fox comedy tv series, “Yes, I would say that on a scale of 1-10, I’d say an 8 that we’ll do a reunion, movie or show or something, and yes we have been working on concepts of story, plots and things like that."

TRIVIA---Quentin Tarantino, in a conversation with Judd Apatow, said he wrote the INGLORIOUS BASTERDS role of Sgt. Donny "The Bear Jew" Donowitz for Adam Sandler, but Sandler had to turn the role down because of a schedule conflict with Apatow's FUNNY PEOPLE. Tarantino said, “Obviously he should’ve done yours because of the whole thing of it. I mean, you start with the f*cking video cassette of you guys as kids. But yeah, the Bear Jew was going to… I wrote the Bear Jew for Adam Sandler."
Tarantino added, "When I was doing LITTLE NICKY, he’s telling me like, ‘Oh man, I get to f*cking beat up Nazis with a bat? F*cking script! F*cking awesome! I can’t f*cking wait!’. He was like telling every Jewish guy, ‘I’m going to f*cking play this guy who beats up Nazis with a f*cking bat.'”
In the original script, Sgt. Donowitz had a bigger role in which he bought a baseball bat before shipping off to Europe. He asked Jewish friends to inscribe names of loved ones being oppressed by the Nazis on the bat with Anne Frank being one of the names.

 

[dragon53]

MONDAY, JUNE 26

WALT DISNEY---YouTube movie industry analyst Valliant Renegade estimates that the Walt Disney Company has lost $890 million over its last eight movies. The movies are BLACK PANTHER: WAKANDA FOREVER, THOR: LOVE AND THUNDER, ANT-MAN AND THE WASP: QUANTUMANIA, GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY VOL. 3, STRANGE WORLD, LIGHTYEAR, ELEMENTAL and THE LITTLE MERMAID. AVATAR: THE WAY OF WATER was not included because it was financed with James Cameron's Lightstorm Entertainment and 20th Century Fox before it was acquired by Disney.

LINK: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bNgbuv6wVPc



THE WALKING DEAD: DARYL DIXON---film clip released from the spinoff series.

LINK: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kt96dkHpIYk



THE WITCHER---trailer released for Season 3.

LINK: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fZo5tGoLuFM



THE FLASH---the superhero movie box office dropped a whopping 73% from its opening weekend which makes it the second biggest decline of a comic book movie since 2022's MORBIUS with a 74% decline. By comparison, BLACK ADAM had a 59% decline and SHAZAM: FURY OF THE GODS had a 69% decline. Part of THE FLASH's decline was due to it being leaked on Twitter which drew 1.7 million views in eight hours before it was deleted.
THE FLASH opened with $55 million, but an anonymous industry observer said it, “should be opening at $120 million domestic” and added, “This is an unmitigated disaster."
Another industry analyst estimated that Warner Bros. could lose $200 million on THE FLASH.

INDIANA JONES AND THE DIAL OF DESTINY---director James Mangold commented on the sequel's negative reviews, “When you’re in franchise land, it’s very hard for critical thinkers [movie critics] to overlook what I’m sure their editors want, which is this business prism of how does it rate to the other ones? I always thought if I were second or third best to one of the greatest films of all time, I’d be good. I mean, it all vaporizes later. Either the movie will live or it won’t.”

MAGNUM P.I.---NBC cancelled the series.

PARAMOUNT+---Paramount+ cancelled STAR TREK: PRODIGY, GREASE: RISE OF THE PINK LADIES, THE GAME and QUEEN OF THE UNIVERSE.

RED NOTICE 2---Gal Gadot commented on the status of the Netflix sequel, “We're all talking about it. I don't know if I can say anything! I already read the second script and it’s… whoo! We're all very excited about it!"

TRIVIA---more James Bond movie trivia.
In GOLDENEYE, Bond Villain Xenia Onatopp was supposed to seduce a US Navy admiral in order to hijack a helicopter gunship, but the the Department of Defense did not approve of it, so the admiral was changed to a French admiral. However, the French Navy also protested, so the admiral was changed to a Canadian admiral. As a result, the US Navy provided Marines and helicopters rescuing James Bond and Natalya Simonova at the end of the movie, and the French provided the Tiger helicopter gunship.

In GOLDENEYE, Bond Villain Xenia Onatopp was supposed to seduce a US Navy admiral in order to hijack a helicopter gunship, but the Department of Defense did not approve of it, so the admiral was changed to a French admiral. However, the French Navy also protested, so the admiral was changed to a Canadian admiral.

As a result, the US Navy provided Marines and helicopters rescuing James Bond and Natalya Simonova at the end of the movie.

After the French admiral was changed to a Canadian admiral, the French provided the Tiger helicopter gunship.

 

[dragon53]

TUESDAY, JUNE 27

NATTY KNOCKS---trailer released for the horror movie starring Robert Englund.

LINK: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HrmcIKl3RpM



GLADIATOR 2---photos from the Malta film set show construction of what appears to be a Roman temple and coliseum.

SUPERMAN: LEGACY---sources claim the two leading candidates to play Lex Luthor are brothers Alexander and Bill Skarsgard.

SUPERHEROES---James Gunn commented on the current state of superhero movies, “We’re going to be very careful with the product that we put out and making sure everything is as good as it can possibly be.
People have gotten really lazy with their superhero stories, and they have gotten to the place where, ‘Oh, it’s a superhero, let’s make a movie about it.’ And then, ‘Oh, let’s make a sequel, because the first one did pretty well’.
They aren’t thinking about, ‘Why is this story special? What makes this story stand apart from other stories? What is the story at the heart of it all? Why is this character important? What makes this story different that it fills a need for people in theaters to go see?'”

THE FLASH---box office analyst Luiz Fernando posted that Warner Bros. Discovery would have lost less money if it had cancelled THE FLASH and never released it, "Painful, but needs to be mentioned: if #TheFlash ends up within the projection, since studio just keeps half share from #BoxOffice global grosses, it won’t even pay its total 150M marketing campaign. WB would have lost less money releasing it on Max or not releasing it at all."

NAPOLEON---Ridley Scott's Napoleon Bonaparte biomovie starring Joaquin Phoenix received an R-rating due to “strong violence, some grisly images, sexual content and brief language”.

SKINCARE---Elizabeth Banks, Nathan Fillion and Lewis Pullman will star in this "vanity thriller" movie.

THE TRUMAN SHOW---Peter Weir said there might be a tv series based on his 1998 movie starring Jim Carrey, “There has been talk of doing a musical – believe it or not – or a series. When it’s a different art form, I don’t think it takes anything away from the original.
In my version of a series, I thought it would be fun, if after Truman walked through the sky, the audience clamored for more (which you sense at the end of the film). I imagine there would be a network with multiple channels all starring a subject born on the show.
If I set it in New York City, there would be girl living on the Upper East Side, a boy from Harlem, a kid from Chinatown, etc. Since they are all on their own channel and move in their own circles, they are never meant to meet.
But at the end of the first season, the boy from Harlem and the rich girl find themselves drawn to each other. They both sense that the other is acting differently from anyone they’ve ever met…because for the first time, they’ve met someone who is not acting! In the second season, the Network would desperately try to kill off their romance.”

MORTAL KOMBAT 2---producer Todd Garner confirmed that Baraka will be in the sequel.

WES ANDERSON---Wes Anderson commented on his next movie, “My next feature film will be linear, with Benicio del Toro in every shot. I can’t tell you much more than that except that it will be about espionage, a father-daughter relationship, and, let’s say, with a rather dark tone.”

THE FAMOUS FIVE---Nicolas Winding Refn/BBC miniseries underway based on the children's adventure books.

TRIVIA---in the STAR TREK episode "By Any Other Name", actress Julie Cobb, daughter of actor Lee J. Cobb (ON THE WATERFRONT), played Yeoman Leslie Thompson, the first female redshirt Enterprise crew member to be killed. Yeoman Thompson was reduced into a small cube and then crushed by Rojan, the leader of Kelvan Empire aliens who hijacked the Enterprise. Cobb said about her death, “It’s meaningful to be the first female anything!”
She added, “I was nervous at the audition. Nervous in the makeup trailer. Nervous on set. My first job! I was terribly nervous. In those days, pre-hi-def, the pancake makeup was almost orange and it was applied generously. My hair was teased up and rounded into a sort of dome on my head. I loathed the way I looked in the mirror. Seeing myself on TV was far easier. And you couldn’t see my knees shaking.” Cobb said William Shatner, who played Lee J. Cobb's son in the 1957 movie THE BROTHERS KARAMAZOV, made the role a lot easier, "Bill was especially good to me. It was a blast. Bill and I were aware of the connection with my dad, but I don’t remember how much we discussed it.”
Ironically, Julie's husband, James Cromwell, later played Zefram Cochrane, who invented warp drive, in STAR TREK: FIRST CONTACT. Cromwell also appeared on STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION, DEEP SPACE NINE and ENTERPRISE.

In the STAR TREK episode "By Any Other Name", actress Julie Cobb, daughter of actor Lee J. Cobb (ON THE WATERFRONT), played Yeoman Leslie Thompson, the first female redshirt Enterprise crew member to be killed.

Yeoman Thompson was reduced into a small cube and then crushed by Rojan, the leader of Kelvan Empire aliens who hijacked the Enterprise.

Ironically, Julie's husband, James Cromwell, later played Zefram Cochrane, who invented warp drive, in STAR TREK: FIRST CONTACT. Cromwell also appeared on STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION, DEEP SPACE NINE and ENTERPRISE.

 

[dragon53]

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 28

BIRD BOX: BARCELONA---trailer released for the Netflix sci fi monster spinoff movie.

LINK: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zdDN_mflfSY



BILLIONS---trailer released for the last season.

LINK: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hm4tSDlBqyU



SUPERMAN: LEGACY---DC Studios has chosen David Corenswet to play Superman and Rachel Brosnahan to play Lois Lane in the new Superman movie.

STAR WARS: NEW JEDI ORDER---Lucasfilm head Kathleen Kennedy commented on the new movie with Daisy Ridley returning as Rey, “I think what’s always great about STAR WARS is it’s a big galaxy, and we’re coming off what was a major war with the First Order. And now, Rey has made a promise to Luke and that’s really the core of where we’re going and what this story will be.
I think it offers just tremendous opportunity to introduce new characters and start with something fresh, because we culminated with what George [Lucas] was creating, and now we take all of that and move it to the next chapter.”
She added, “It was something that Jim [Mangold] immediately sparked to, and I think it’s a really nice compliment to what we’re doing with moving into the future with Rey, and then understanding a bit more of where this all came from. Because it will be at the heart of creating the new Jedi Order, so to get a real sense of where that might have began with the dawn of the Jedi could be pretty cool.”

THE WALKING DEAD: DEAD CITY---co-star Pallavi Sastry commented on a possible Season 2 for the miniseries, “I’m trying to figure out how to say this. I think it’s okay to say that [it’s fun] when you’re part of one of the last episodes when you’re in a show towards the end, and then you sort of feel like, ‘Oh, I feel like I see where this is going’ [and] ‘I feel like there is more.’ There’s definitely more.”
She replied to a question to clarify about a Season 2, “I think so. I feel that way, and the ratings are good. The ratings are looking good, and the reviews are looking good, so I think all of us are pretty hopeful.”

HONEY, I SHRUNK THE KIDS---Josh Gad said his sequel to the 1989 Rick Moranis comedy movie has been shelved by Disney, “A lot of [you] ask me what’s going on with this film. Truth is, we were inches from starting and then COVID hit, inches from starting again & then my schedule exploded with conflicts, inches from starting again & budget got the best of us. If you want it, let your local @disney know."

SPACE NATION---Roland Emmerich is developing a sci fi franchise for television, video games and animated shorts focusing on a spaceship sent to explore the aliens of the Telikos Cluster.

WARRIOR NUN---showrunner Simon Barry said the Netflix-cancelled series will return for Season 3, but he did not release who is bringing it back, “Today I’m happy to officially report that because of your combined voices, passion and amazing efforts – #WarriorNun will return and is going to be more EPIC than you could imagine. More details to come! SOON! Thankyou!!”

TRIVIA---while filming the classic Western movie THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN, Yul Brynner got fed up with Steve McQueen's scene-stealing antics that would draw the audience's attention away from Brynner to McQueen. The antics included McQueen rattling his shotgun shells and flipping a coin while Brynner was speaking. Another antic supposedly had McQueen kicking away at a mound of dirt Brynner stood on to make him look taller than McQueen. Co-star Eli Wallach said Brynner had his assistant count the number of times McQueen touched his hat while Brynner was talking. When the sequel, RETURN OF THE SEVEN, was being developed, Brynner agreed to return, but only if McQueen was not included.
Years later, Brynner starred in the comedy cop movie FUZZ with Burt Reynolds and Raquel Welch. Ironically, Reynold's wife was played by Neile Adams, Steve McQueen's real wife. Even more ironic is Brynner's character and Adams' character were both deaf.
When McQueen was dying of cancer, he called Brynner to apologize. Brynner accepted his apology and said, “I am the king and you are the rebel prince. Both are dangerous.”

While filming the classic Western movie THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN, Yul Brynner got fed up with Steve McQueen's scene-stealing antics that would draw the audience's attention away from Brynner to McQueen.

Years later, Brynner starred in the comedy cop movie FUZZ with Burt Reynolds and Raquel Welch. Ironically, Reynold's wife was played by Neile Adams, Steve McQueen's real wife. Even more ironic is Brynner's character and Adams' character were both deaf.

 

[dragon53]

THURSDAY, JUNE 29

DUNE: PART TWO---trailer released for the sequel.

LINK: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wM3PGU3dnao



RETRIBUTION---trailer released for the thriller movie starring Liam Neeson.

LINK: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k-9gcV26_eE



FULL CIRCLE---trailer released for the Steven Soderbergh/Max miniseries.

LINK: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IZh4E9ICcI4



SECRET INVASION---Sampa TV analytics said the Marvel miniseries drew a disappointing 994,000 viewers in its first five days. By comparison, LOKI drew 2.5 million viewers, MOON KNIGHT and THE FALCON AND THE WINTER SOLDIER drew 1.8 million viewers, WANDAVISION had 1.6 million viewers and HAWKEYE and SHE-HULK had 1.5 million viewers.

THE WINTER OF FRANKIE MACHINE---Christopher Storer (THE BEAR) will direct the long-gestating movie based on the novel about a mob hitman who comes out of retirement after he is targeted for death.

TRON: ARES---Evan Peters will co-star with Jared Leto in an undisclosed role in the sequel.

THE SEVEN HUSBANDS OF EVELYN HUGO---Netflix movie underway based on the novel about a 79 year-old Hollywood starlet who grants a tell-all interview to an unknown journalist about her seven husbands and her many scandals. Leslye Headland (THE ACOLYTE) is the director.

COMMUNITY---Joel McHale commented on the status of the movie based on the tv series, “We’re shooting it next summer. [Donald Glover’s] coming back, and that’s really important. Well, the fact that we even got Donald to do it… that was the big piece. But, I think everyone’s coming back. So far, we’re pretty good, and I think that will happen. If not, then, you know, Donald will be there. See? It’ll just be Donald. It’ll just be an episode of ATLANTA.”

FROM---MGM+ renewed the series for Season 3.

TRIVIA---Richard Pryor's first acting role was in the 1966 THE WILD WILD WEST episode "The Night of the Eccentrics" where Pryor played Villar the Ventriloquist, who was a part of a carnival whose members were really assassins. The voice of Villar's dummy, Julio, was provided by co-star Ross Martin.

 

[dragon53]

FRIDAY, JUNE 30

WARHORSE ONE---trailer released for the movie about a SEAL rescuing a girl after the disastrous US withdrawal from Afghanistan.

LINK: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EneKHPEOFPg



STAR WARS: SKELETON CREW---co-creator Chris Ford commented on the upcoming Disney+ tv series starring Jude Law, "SKELETON CREW‘s tone is an adventure. We wanted it to be a lot of fun. But of course, along with adventure comes the downside of it, which is danger. And when the kids are in danger, it’s extra fraught. So we played with that, but overall we wanted it to be just a fun adventure. When we told Kathy Kennedy about that we wanted to go for that Amblin tone, which she perfected over the years, what she would say is that they never thought of those as movies for kids. They just happen to be about kids, a story of a kid going on an adventure. So it could be for anyone.“
Law added, “I can’t tell you very much about my character. He is someone the children meet on their attempt to get home. He is like a lot of the world that they experience: contradictory, and at times a place of nurture and other times a place of threat.”

VENOM 3---Tom Hardy posted a photo of him wearing the same clothes he wore in VENOM: LET THERE BE CARNAGE and SPIDER-MAN: NO WAY HOME.

THE BONDSMAN---Kevin Bacon will star in this Amazon Prime tv series as a backwoods bounty hunter who comes back from the dead for a second chance at life but with a demonic twist.

JAMES BOND---Idris Elba said he lost interest in being the new James Bond due to racism, “Essentially, it was a huge compliment that every corner of the world except from some corners, which we will not talk about, were really happy about the idea that I could be considered. Those that weren’t happy about the idea made the whole thing disgusting and off-putting, because it became about race. It became about nonsense and I got the brunt of it.”

RESERVATION DOGS---creator Sterlin Harjo said Season 3 will be the last season.

THE OTHER TWO---Max cancelled the series before the Season 3 finale.

SHOWTME---Showtime shelved the proposed GATTACA tv series based on the 1997 sci fi movie and three other series under consideration.

TRIVIA---Peter Mark Richman starred in "The Fear", the last episode of THE TWILIGHT ZONE written by Rod Serling and the penultimate episode of the series, and he starred in THE OUTER LIMITS' last episode "The Probe".
In THE TWILIGHT ZONE's "The Fear", Richman played a highway patrol trooper stranded with a woman in a remote cabin that is under attack by giant aliens. In THE OUTER LIMITS' "The Probe", Richman played one of four survivors of a plane crash that have been captured by an alien probe and are under attack by an alien.

Peter Mark Richman starred in "The Fear", the last episode of THE TWILIGHT ZONE written by Rod Serling and the penultimate episode of the series. Richman played a highway patrol trooper stranded with a woman in a remote cabin that is under attack by giant aliens.

Richman also starred in THE OUTER LIMITS' last episode "The Probe" where he played one of four survivors of a plane crash that have been captured by an alien probe and are under attack by an alien.

 

[Grey Heron]

Thanks for the news update. Looking forward to the release of Star Wars Skeleton Crew and Dune 2.

Cheers,
Grey

 

[dragon53]

MONDAY, JUNE 3

INDIANA JONES AND THE DIAL OF DESTINY---the premiere drew a disappointing $60 million in the US and $130 million globally. By comparison, INDIANA JONES AND THE KINGDOM OF THE CRYSTAL SKULL had a $272 million global premiere. Also, SOLO: A STAR WARS STORY, the only STAR WARS movie with a lackluster box office premiere, drew $84 million in its US premiere. DIAL OF DESTINY's budget is reportedly $300 million plus another $100 million in marketing.

REBEL MOON---photo from the Zack Snyder sci fi movie of Jimmy the robot whose voice is provided by Anthony Hopkins.

GLADIATOR 2---Russell Crowe commented on the endless questions about the sequel he is not involved with, “They should be f*cking paying me for the amount of questions I am asked about a film I am not even in. It has nothing to do with me. In that world, I am dead. Six feet under. But I do admit to a certain tinge of jealousy because it reminds me of when I was younger and what it meant for me in my life.
I don’t know anything about the cast, I don’t know anything about the plot. I am dead! But I know that if Ridley has decided to do a second part of the story over 20 years later, he must have had very strong reasons. I can’t think of this movie being anything other than spectacular.”

CLEOPATRA---Gal Gadot said her Cleopatra biomovie will change the perception of the Egyptian queen, “Israel borders Egypt, and I grew up with so many stories about Cleopatra, and she’s like a household name. You know, if Wonder Woman is the imaginary strong female leader, Cleopatra’s actually the real one.
That’s a perfect example of a story that I wanted to tell because I started reading different books about Cleopatra, and I said, ‘Wow, that’s fascinating.’ All I ever saw in regard to Cleopatra from the film was that she was this seductive woman who had an affair with Julius Caesar and Marc Anthony. But the truth is, there’s so much more to her.
This woman was so ahead of her time. Egypt and what Egypt was back then was still futuristic to where we are today. I can’t say much. But to me, I’m so passionate to tell her story and to bring justice to this character and her legacy and celebrate her and her legacy. We have a beautiful script, and I cannot wait to share this story with the world and change the narrative of Cleopatra simply being a seductor.”

THE CHRONICLES OF NARNIA---Greta Gerwig (BARBIE) will be the writer/director of two Netflix movies based on the CS Lewis books.

DEADPOOL 3---a rumor claims Owen Wilson will have a cameo as Mobius in the sequel after Wilson posed for photos with fans in London where the sequel is being filmed.

TRON: ARES---Greta Lee (PAST LIVES) and Jodie Turner-Smith (QUEEN & SLIM) have joined the sequel cast.

DUNE: THE SISTERHOOD---Olivia Williams (THE SIXTH SENSE) and Jodih May (THE WITCHER) have joined the cast of the Max spinoff series.

HIGH DESERT---Apple TV+ cancelled the series.

TRIVIA---more James Bond movie trivia.
While filming THE AVENGERS, Diana Rigg gave her pet macaw, Chrome, to her stunt double and friend, Cyd Child. When Child was performing stunts for Carole Bouquet in FOR YOUR EYES ONLY, Chrome appeared in the movie as Max. Chrome returned in THE LIVING DAYLIGHTS as the macaw in MI6's Blayden safe house which was attacked by Bond villain Necros. Child and Chrome appeared together in THE PINK PANTHER STRIKES AGAIN, Blake Edwards' James Bond parody movie.

While filming THE AVENGERS, Diana Rigg gave her pet macaw, Chrome, to her stunt double and friend, Cyd Child.

When Child was performing stunts for Carole Bouquet in FOR YOUR EYES ONLY, Chrome appeared in the movie as Max.

Chrome returned in THE LIVING DAYLIGHTS as the macaw in MI6's Blayden safe house which was attacked by Bond villain Necros.

Cyd Child (as the bouncer) with Chrome, who just crapped on Chief Inspector Jacques Clouseau's shoulder, in THE PINK PANTHER STRIKES AGAIN, Blake Edwards' James Bond parody movie.

 

[dragon53]

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 5

KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON---trailer released for the Apple TV+ movie starring Leonardo DiCaprio.

LINK: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EP34Yoxs3FQ



21 JUMP STREET---Sony Pictures is reportedly developing a 21 JUMP STREET spinoff movie with Brie Larson returning as Molly Tracey.

REBEL MOON---Zack Snyder commented on his movie which was originally his proposal for a STAR WARS movie that was turned down by Lucasfilm, “It was SEVEN SAMURAI in space. I knew that the origins for George [Lucas] were a lot of those Kurosawa films. The sale [of Lucasfilm to Disney] had just happened.
There was that window where, you know, who knows what’s possible? I was like, ‘I don’t want any of your characters. I don’t want to do anything with any known characters. I just want to do my own thing on the side.’ And originally, I was like, ‘It should be rated R!’ That was almost a non-starter.
I knew it was a big ask, to be honest. But the deeper I got into it, I realized it was probably never going to be what I wanted.”

CITADEL---the Amazon Prime/Russo Brothers spy tv series Season 1 cost $250 million, but it did not make Amazon's top 10 most-watched programs.

JOHN WICK 5---director Chad Stahelski commented on a possible fifth movie in the franchise, “Now we’ve done the four and completed the circle, so to speak, I think it’s pretty good closure for the series. And then there’s the competitor, or the real director in me who goes, ‘F*ck it, let’s just see if we can do it.’ It’s very appealing. I just don’t have the ‘why’ yet. But that doesn’t mean we should stop looking.”

KILL BILL VOL. 3---Quentin Tarantino commented on a possibility of VOL. 3, “I don’t see that happening. My last film is about a film critic, a male critic and it’s set in the 70s.”

DOCTOR STRANGE---Benedict Cumberbatch commented on if he will return as Dr. Strange, “There are some Marvel capers in the making next year.”

CRATER---Disney+ is no longer streaming the sci fi series. No explanation was given.

TRIVIA---producer Ilya Salkind said he considered Neil Diamond to play Superman, but later decided on then-unknown Christopher Reeve, "After meeting a lot of actors, such as Jon Voight, we even met Neil Diamond, don't ask me why--I knew in my heart of hearts it had to be an unknown."

 

[dragon53]

THURSDAY, JULY 6

HAUNTED MANSION---trailer released for the Disney movie based on the theme park ride.

LINK: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MYmx_87Lmr4



THE LOST FLOWERS OF ALICE HART---trailer released for the Amazon Prime series starring Sigourney Weaver based on the novel.

LINK: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MEL7AFepZTI



INDIANA JONES AND THE DIAL OF DESTINY---Box Office Mojo said on July 4, THE DIAL OF DESTINY's $11.6 million came in second to the faith-based indie movie SOUND OF FREEDOM which made $14.2 million ($2.7 million of the $14.2 million was from tickets bought via a "Pay It Forward" option in which the tickets are bought to be used by others at a later time). SOUND OF FREEDOM stars Jim Caviezel as an ex-Department of Homeland Security agent who travels to Colombia to rescue children from sex traffickers.
China's propaganda newspaper, GLOBAL TIMES, said the failure of THE DIAL OF DESTINY is indicative of Hollywood's upcoming collapse, “If production costs and theater revenue sharing are taken into consideration, the film would need to earn at least $800 million to break even. In comparison, the first film in the series, released in 1981, had a budget of $20 million and grossed $389 million worldwide.
[T]raditional adventure movies are on the decline, with predictable plotlines and action sequences that significantly reduce their appeal. Even the introduction of new elements like time travel and changing history has become repetitive for audiences.
Hollywood blockbusters, especially those released after the pandemic, have visibly declined in quality. Beneath the flashy special effects, the dated universality of the US’ prevailing values is becoming more apparent. As Hollywood becomes increasingly out of touch and indulges in ‘political correctness’ without knowing when to stop, classic IPs must be squeezed bone-dry before they are discarded...This has led to severe audience fatigue with Hollywood films and forebodes the total collapse of the box office.”

APEX---photo released from the Apple TV+ Formula 1 racing movie starring Brad Pitt.

MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE---Tom Cruise, who turned 61 on July 3, said he has no plans to retire,“Harrison Ford is a legend. I hope to be still going. I’ve got 20 years to catch up with him. I hope to keep making MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE films until I’m his age.”

CAPTAIN AMERICA: BRAVE NEW WORLD---someone working near the BRAVE NEW WORLD film set in Washington, DC said Robert Downey, Jr. was spotted on the film set, "They are filming Captain America 4 around the White House and near my office. I was on a quick errand walk as I noticed all the lights and equipment and finally asked one of the security folks about it. He was so talkative and nice, said — (SPOILER) — Robert Downey Jr was there last night and they were driving all sorts of super cars. We had a good talk and some laughs.”

NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET---Robert Englund said he will no longer play Freddy Krueger, “I was in my 50s, and FREDDY VS. JASON took a lot out of me." Englund said he was “still doing a lot of my stunts...But I kind of knew I didn’t have a lot of stunt work left in me, or a lot of takes to physicalize it. And my torso had shifted, along with my face getting older, which doesn’t matter because I’m under all that crap — that makeup. But my torso… your weight shifts, and you get thicker as you get older. And I sort of lost Freddy’s silhouette.”

STRANGE PLANET---Apple TV+ released a synopsis for the adult animated tv series based on the graphic novel, “The series is a hilarious and perceptive look at a distant world not unlike our own. Set in a whimsical world of cotton candy pinks and purples, relatable blue beings explore the absurdity of everyday human traditions.”

THE SHARDS---HBO tv series underway based on the Bret Ellis novel. Ellis will write all the episodes for the three seasons. Luca Guadagnino is the director.

TRIVIA---Lucille Ball appeared on TV GUIDE's cover a record 34 times. Johnny Carson was second with 28 covers. Mary Tyler Moore and Michael Landon were tied with 27 covers each.

 

[dragon53]

FRIDAY, JULY 7

GREATEST GEEK YEAR EVER: 1982---synopsis and trailer released for the CW four-part docuseries which premieres on July 8, "An inside look back at the greatest geek year in cinema ever, 1982, with stars, directors, writers, producers, critics and pop culture historians sharing their insights about such classic films as E.T. THE EXTRA-TERRESTRIAL, BLADE RUNNER, STAR TREK II: THE WRATH OF KHAN, POLTERGEIST, TRON, and many more. Filled with exclusive interviews, rare behind the scenes footage and incredible never before seen clips in a fun, lively, no holds barred celebration of the legendary moviegoing year, GREATEST GEEK YEAR EVER: 1982 will take viewers behind the scenes of the biggest and most influential movies ever made at a time when fandom was in its infancy."

LINK: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EJKxaC_fLIY&t=19s



CORNER OFFICE---trailer released for the movie starring Jon Hamm.

LINK: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iEbvLxU8vMI



THE NUN 2---trailer released for the sequel.

LINK: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QF-oyCwaArU



BEETLEJUICE 2---photos from the film set in England show Winona Ryder and Jenny Ortega during Ortega's wedding scene.

BARBIE---the movie was banned in Vietnam because a scene in the movie shows a child-like map that supposedly supports China's territorial claims in the South China Sea which Vietnam disputes. Warner Bros. replied to the map, "The map in Barbie Land is a child-like crayon drawing. The doodles depict Barbie’s make-believe journey from Barbie Land to the ‘real world.’ It was not intended to make any type of statement.”

ASH---photo released from the sci fi movie starring Eiza Gonzalez and Aaron Paul in which a female astronaut is the sole survivor of a mysterious massacre on a space station and a mysterious man sent to rescue her.

PASSION OF THE CHRIST---Jim Caviezel commented on the status of the Mel Gibson sequel, “I asked him would you be ready to go in January, he said ‘yeah, maybe.’ I said ‘how about the end of fall,’ he said ‘yeah, maybe.’ So who knows...it might be two films, maybe three, but I think it’s two.”

PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN---according to "a trustworthy source close to" Johnny Depp, he might return to the PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN franchise, "Anything is possible. If it’s the right project, he’ll do it."

THE SHROUDS---Diane Kruger said she will play three roles in the David Cronenberg movie starring Vincent Cassel as a man who invents a device that allows after-death communication in the deceased's burial shroud. Kruger said she will play the wife of Cassel's character, the wife's sister and “an avatar, a sort of personal assistant.”

LUTHER: THE FALLEN SUN---Idris Elba said a Netflix sequel is a possibility, “Yeah, it did really well. LUTHER ended up being one of the top five most streamed films on Netflix, which is an incredible achievement since it was the first film from the television show. I’m hoping to make another one. I love Luther. I love that character, and I love where I can possibly take him as a story and as a character. So, yeah, keep your fingers crossed.”

TRIVIA---just before the DIRTY HARRY scene where Inspector Harry Callahan asks the wounded robber, "Do you feel lucky, Punk?", Callahan enters a diner and Clint Eastwood's PLAY MISTY FOR ME is playing on the nearby theater.

 

[dragon53]

MONDAY, JULY 10

NAPOLEON---trailer released for the Napoleon Bonaparte biomovie starring Joaquin Phoenix.

LINK: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OAZWXUkrjPc



MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE--DEAD RECKONING PART ONE---new trailer released for the sequel.

LINK: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HurjfO_TDlQ



MEG 2: THE TRENCH---new trailer released for the sequel.

LINK: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Zzh7CkzGnA



ZOMBIEVERSE---trailer released for the Netflix South Korean zombie series.

LINK: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ARmXaUm_H34




INDIANA JONES AND THE DIAL OF DESTINY---spoiler alert (see below).

DEADPOOL 3---photo released from the sequel. Also, Jennifer Garner will return as Elektra after originating the role in 2003's DAREDEVIL.

BARBIE---a Ken spinoff movie starring Ryan Gosling is reportedly in the early stage of development at Warner Bros. Discovery.

DUNE: PART TWO---the first cut of the sequel reportedly has a running time of three hours and 15 minutes.

BONES---creator Hart Hanson commented on a revival of the tv series, “We are in contact with each other. Everybody on BONES is in contact with each other. At separate times, it’s like, ‘What are you doing? What’s the availability?’
It’s complicated now because Fox broadcasted BONES, but Disney now bought 20th, so they own [the show]. It would take a million agents and lawyers to figure out who owns what and what platform it would show on.
But we do keep talking. And every once in a while, we are all nostalgic enough to think, ‘Maybe we should do it again.’ Who knows? Maybe this [the writer’s strike] will bump-start us. I could see it. I could see it. Of course, it all depends on David [Boreanaz] and Emily [Deschanel]. Without both of them, no.”

TRIVIA---more James Bond movie trivia.
Quentin Tarantino said his favorite James Bond movie was FROM RUSSIAN WITH LOVE and his favorite James Bonds were Sean Connery and Pierce Brosnan, “Connery’s at the top, but I really, really like Pierce Brosnan. I didn’t care for the movies that they put him in, which I always thought was a bit of a tragedy because I thought he was a very legitimate Bond.”

Quentin Tarantino's favorite James Bond movie and his favorite James Bond: FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE starring Sean Connery.

Tarantino's second favorite James Bond is Pierce Brosnan.

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INDIANA JONES AND THE DIAL OF DESTINY---THE DIAL OF DESTINY had a 56% drop in box office and was knocked out of the Number One position after the premiere of INSIDIOUS:THE RED DOOR with $15.2 million.
Also, Karen Allen said her cameo as Marion Ravenwood was originally a bigger role in which Indiana Jones and Marion are grieving after their son, Mutt, was killed in the Vietnam War, “When Steven [Spielberg] was still going to direct the film, I didn’t have the opportunity to read any of those scripts, although I know that Marion was much more involved in the story at that juncture. Steven and I had spoken after he decided he was going to step down as director, and he said to me, ‘You’re going to love working with James Mangold.’ And I said, ‘Oh, great.’
So I knew James had hired new writers and that there was going to be a whole new approach with a new director and new writers, but I was really going into the unknown. And the next thing I knew, I was reading a script that told [DIAL OF DESTINY’s] story, and of course, I was disappointed. I had thought that I would be majorly a part of the film, and that was just not the direction they decided to go.
I think they had some problems to solve with the story in terms of Shia LaBeouf not coming back, and they chose to create this story that Mutt had been killed in the war and that it put a wedge between Marion and Indy. I mean, you could have knocked me over with a feather when I read it. (Laughs.) But I was really happy that they came back together in the end.”

 

[Warrior]

"Napoleon" looks spectacular, covers his entire military career from late 1700's to Italy to Egypt, looks like Austerlitz, Eylau, the Russian campaign and Waterloo...........wonder how long it will be..........regardless, I'm in.

 

[dragon53]

TUESDAY, JULY 11

SPECIAL OPS: LIONESS--trailer released for the Taylor Sheridan/Paramount+ CIA tv series starring Zoe Saldana and Nicole Kidman.

LINK: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y11p6YzdKHw



TWISTED METAL---trailer released for the Peacock tv series based on the video game.

LINK: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5QNZ44zKzjo



THE WALKING DEAD: DARYL DIXON---teaser trailer released for the spinoff series.

LINK: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=--kREnf2VHY



END TIMES---trailer released for the zombie movie.

LINK: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a0qqGD_Anwc



DUNE: PART THREE---entertainment insider Richard Richtman said a rumor claims Warner Bros. signed Timothee Chalamet for a third DUNE movie. Earlier, writer Jon Spaihts commented on a third movie, “There are a few tantalizing strands that lead into the future and suggest that we might not be done in this universe, despite the fact that the ending of DUNE as a novel, which will be the ending of the second film, is a very satisfying conclusion. There are a number of ways in which the book also sounds ominous notes, and there are hints of foreboding about what made be yet to come.”
He added, “DUNE MESSIAH is the next book, and it’s one of three books with DUNE, DUNE MESSIAH and CHILDREN OF DUNE that covers the lives of the characters we meet in the first novel. Subsequently, there’s a giant leap in time and the series gets stranger and more epic as it carries on. But DUNE MESSIAH picks up years after the close of DUNE and yes, Denis [Villeneuve] has talked seriously about making that film as well, as a conclusion of the trilogy.”

ALITA: BATTLE ANGEL---James Cameron confirmed sequels are underway after he was asked why he is selling his $33 million house in California, “On AVATAR, I’m working in Wellington and Los Angeles. And on the new ALITA: BATTLE ANGEL films, I’ll be working in Austin, so it just didn’t make sense for us anymore.”

APEX---Javier Bardem will co-star in an undisclosed role with Brad Pitt in the Formula 1 racing movie.

SPACEX---Tom Cruise commented on the status of his outer space movie involving Elon Musk's SpaceX, "I don't know yet. We've been working on it diligently, and we'll see where we go."

NONNAS---Vince Vaughn will star in this comedy movie whose synopsis says, “Brooklyn native Joe Scaravella, who, after losing his beloved mother, realizes he’s wasted time as a single man at a dead-end job and yearns for a second chance at life. Motivated by his Italian mother’s love of cooking, but with no culinary experience and dwindling funds, he opens a restaurant unlike any other by hiring the most unlikely team of chefs — one consisting of grandmothers.
Italian nonnas make their Sunday dinners every day of the week (except Christmas and Easter) for anyone who needs to feel at home. Joe finds a new purpose, community and love interest in the process, and, along with the nonnas, discovers it’s never too late to start again.”

TRIVIA---July 10, 2023 was the 83rd anniversary of the Battle of Britain in which the Royal Air Force withstood the Luftwaffe's campaign to destroy the RAF as a prelude to the cancelled German invasion of England in World War II.
Patrick Wymark played a British military officer in two World War II movies in which a Luftwaffe Ju-52 was in the opening credits.

In BATTLE OF BRITAIN, Wymark (left) played RAF Air Vice-Marshal Trafford Leigh-Mallory, and a Luftwaffe Ju-52 was in the opening credits.

In WHERE EAGLES DARE, Wymark played Col. Wyatt Turner, who was really a double agent, and a Luftwaffe Ju-52 was in the opening credits.

 

[dragon53]

WEDNESDAY, JULY 12

STAR WARS: AHSOKA---trailer released for the Disney+ miniseries.

LINK: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vvt8FhkDIEg



GODZILLA MINUS ONE---trailer released for the Toho Godzilla prequel movie.

LINK: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YlceGpbGgvE



THE RETIREMENT PLAN---trailer released for the Nicolas Cage comedy action movie.

LINK: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i2Xc4qq-5Ww



WONKA---trailer released for the prequel movie starring Timothee Chalamet.

LINK: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DBoZ2e9D03c



BLUE BEETLE---new trailer released for the DC superhero movie.

LINK: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BGlpjrSaeCY



THE WINTER KING---trailer released for the MGM+ tv series based on the novels.

LINK: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rnZSkEBC_Y4




SUPERMAN: LEGACY---new cast members were announced: Nathan Fillion will play Green Lantern, Isabela Merced will play Hawkgirl and Edi Gathegi will play Mister Terrific.

MY ADVENTURES WITH SUPERMAN---Adult Swim renewed the animated series for two more seasons.

ROBERT DOWNEY, JR.---Robert Downey, Jr. said the two biggest flops of his career are the most important movies in his 21st century career, “I finished the Marvel contract and then hastily went into what had all the promise of being another big, fun, well-executed potential franchise in DOLITTLE.
I had some reservations. Me and my team seemed a little too excited about the deal and not quite excited enough about the merits of the execution. But at that point, I was bulletproof. I was the guru of all genre movies.
Honestly, the two most important films I’ve done in the last 25 years are THE SHAGGY DOG because that was the film that got Disney saying they would insure me. Then the second most important film was DOLITTLE because DOLITTLE was a two-and-a-half-year wound of squandered opportunity.
The stress it put on my missus as she rolled her sleeves up to her armpits to make it even serviceable enough to bring to market was shocking. After that point – what’s that phrase? Never let a good crisis go to waste? – we had this reset of priorities and made some changes in who our closest business advisers were.”

AI---Christopher Nolan commented on AI, "I feel that AI can still be a very powerful tool for us. I’m optimistic about that. I really am. But we have to view it as a tool. The person who wields it still has to maintain responsibility for wielding that tool. If we accord AI the status of a human being, the way at some point legally we did with corporations, then yes, we’re going to have huge problems.
The whole machine learning as applied to deepfake technology, that’s an extraordinary step forward in visual effects and in what you could do with audio. There will be wonderful things that will come out, longer term, in terms of environments, in terms of building a doorway or a window, in terms of pooling the massive data of what things look like, and how light reacts to materials. Those things are going to be enormously powerful tools.”
Nolan also commented on how he will use AI, “I’m, you know, very much the old analog fusty filmmaker. I shoot on film. And I try to give the actors a complete reality around it. My position on technology as far as it relates to my work is that I want to use technology for what it’s best for. Like if we do a stunt, a hazardous stunt. You could do it with much more visible wires, and then you just paint out the wires. Things like that.”

BLADE---Kit Harington commented on rumors he will play Dane Whitman in the reboot movie, "The honest answer is I think that’s the intention with the character. I think there was some misunderstanding about whether he was going to be in the Blade movie. He was never meant to be in the Blade movie and isn’t."

TRIVIA---Melora Hardin is perhaps best known for playing Jan Levinson on THE OFFICE. Her father is Jerry Hardin, perhaps best known for playing "Deep Throat" on THE X-FILES.

Melora Hardin is perhaps best known for playing Jan Levinson on THE OFFICE.

Her father is Jerry Hardin, perhaps best known for playing "Deep Throat" on THE X-FILES.

 

[dragon53]

THURSDAY, JULY 13

THE WITCHER---new trailer released for the final episodes with Henry Cavill.

LINK: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NXgNtafDWeY



TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES: MUTANT MAYHEM---film clip released from the animated movie.

LINK: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MvWE4EkzVJs



RIVER WILD---trailer released for the movie starring Adam Brody and Leighton Meester that is a remake of the 1994 movie starring Meryl Streep and Kevin Bacon.

LINK: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J1Cr-y83-c0



TRON: ARES---Cameron Monaghan (GOTHAM) and Sarah Desjardins (YELLOWJACKETS) have joined the sequel cast in undisclosed roles.

SUPERMAN: LEGACY---Anthony Carrigan (GOTHAM) will play Metamorpho in the superhero movie. Also, James Gunn replied to a fan's question that Daniel Craig was offered the Lex Luthor role, "That is not true."

MR. AND MRS. SMITH---photo from the Amazon Prime tv series starring Donald Glover and Maya Erskine based on the 2005 assassin movie that starred Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie.

MARVEL STUDIOS---Disney head Bob Iger said Marvel Studios' tv series on Disney+ have hurt Marvel's movies, “You pull back not just to focus, but also as part of our cost containment initiative. Spending less on what we make, and making less."
Iger added, “Marvel is a great example of that. It had not been in the television business at any significant level, and not only did they increase their movie output, but they ended up making a number of TV series. Frankly, it diluted focus and attention.”
Iger will head the company through the end of 2026. Iger, who makes over $25 million annually, originally returned to replace fired Bob Chapek for only two years, but Disney Board Chair Mark G. Parker said, “Bob has once again set Disney on the right strategic path for ongoing value creation, and to ensure the successful completion of this transformation”.

EENIE MEANIE---Samara Weaving will star in this 20th Century movie whose synopsis says, “The film follows a former teenage getaway driver who is dragged back into her unsavory past when a former employer offers her a chance to save the life of her chronically unreliable ex-boyfriend."

TRIVIA---in the Adam Driver sci fi movie 65, when Driver wakes up after his spaceship crashed, the pulsing red light and pulsing electronic sound in the cockpit is the same pulsing sound used in THE WAR OF THE WORLDS when the Martian War Machine rises from its crashed spaceship.

LINK (7:48 elapsed time): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2kgJuEX4yhc&t=168s

LINK: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IixELyhvSKc