Moviefone Editorial

Tag: aquaman

What’s New on Digital, DVD/Blu-ray, TV, & Netflix This Week: March 4-10

MGM

At a loss for what to watch this week? From new DVDs and Blu-rays, to what’s streaming on Netflix, we’ve got you covered.

NEW ON DVD AND BLU-RAY

‘Creed II’ (March 5)

Michael B. Jordan and Sylvester Stallone return as newly-crowned heavyweight champ Adonis Creed and his trainer, Rocky Balboa. In this sequel, Adonis must face ghosts from the past, in the form of rising boxer Viktor Drago, son of Ivan Drago (Dolph Lundgren) — the man responsible for his father Apollo Creed’s death.

The movie arrives on 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray, and DVD on March 5 (and is already available on Digital HD). Bonus features include deleted scenes and making-of featurettes.

‘The Favourite’ (March 5)

Girls rule, boys drool in this delightful dramedy set in the politically-turbulent English court of Queen Anne (Oscar winner Olivia Colman). The imperious and impetuous royal’s relationship with advisor/lover Sarah Churchill, Duchess of Marlborough (Rachel Weisz) is turned upside down by the arrival of Sarah’s wily cousin, Abigail (Emma Stone).

The movie arrives on Blu-ray, and DVD on March 5 (and is already available on Digital HD). Bonus features include deleted scenes and a behind-the-scenes featurette on the costumes.

‘Vox Lux’ (March 5)

The film follows Celeste, a 13-year-old who survives a school shooting, then becomes famous for singing at the memorial. Years later, the older Celeste (Natalie Portman) is a pop superstar trying to revive her career after a scandal, while struggling to be a good mother to her daughter.

The movie arrives on Blu-ray, DVD, and Digital HD on March 5. Bonus features include a music video.

‘Free Solo’ (March 5)

Prepare yourself to experience some vertigo while watching this Oscar-winning documentary, which follows free solo climber Alex Honnold attempting to achieve his lifelong dream of scaling the 3,200-foot El Capitan in Yosemite National Park without a rope.

The movie arrives on DVD on March 5 (and is already available on Digital HD).

‘Instant Family’ (March 5)

A married couple (Mark Wahlberg and Rose Byrne) who didn’t expect to have kids decide to foster three siblings. But becoming an instant family isn’t quite that easy and hijinks and mistakes ensue.

The movie arrives on Blu-ray and DVD on March 5 (and is already available on Digital HD). Bonus features include deleted and extended scenes, a gag reel, and multiple featurettes.

‘Burning’ (March 5)

The Korean psychological thriller centers on an introverted young man, Jongsu (Ah-in Yoo), whose life is complicated by the introduction of of two people into his orbit: Haemi (Jong-seo Jun), a spirited woman who offers romantic possibility, and Ben (Steven Yeun), a wealthy and sophisticated man.

The movie arrives on Blu-ray and DVD on March 5 (and is already available on Digital HD). Bonus features include a making-of featurette.

‘Ben Is Back’ (March 5)

Julia Roberts stars as Holly, a mother who is thrilled when her 19-year-old son (Lucas Hedges) comes home from rehab. The rest of the family is skeptical and wary, and Holly soon realizes the difficulties of dealing with an addict son.

The movie arrives on Blu-ray and DVD on March 5 (and is already available on Digital HD). Bonus features include audio commentary.

‘The Craft’ (March 5): This special collector’s edition arrives over two decades after the 1996 supernatural movie made waves with its dark story of outcast teen girls who start practicing witchcraft. The Blu-ray release features new interviews with co-writer and director Andrew Fleming and co-writer Peter Filardi.

NEW VIDEO ON DIGITAL, DEMAND, AND STREAMING

‘Aquaman’ (March 5)

The highest-grossing movie in the DC universe is already generating buzz around a sequel and a spinoff. Jason Momoa stars as the titular superhero AKA Arthur Curry, the half-human heir to the heir to the underwater kingdom of Atlantis. He must step forward to prevent his brother from starting a war between the worlds of ocean and land. Now available on Digital HD.

NEW ON NETFLIX

‘After Life’ (March 8)

Ricky Gervais returns to the small screen in this dark comedy about a man named Tony whose perfect life is upended when his wife dies. After contemplating suicide, he decides to live long enough to punish the world for his wife’s death by literally saying and doing whatever he wants to — which he considers a superpower. But everyone around him starts trying to make him a better person again.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S_-cQVKI2X8

‘Juanita’ (March 8)

Alfre Woodard stars in this romantic comedy about a woman who decides to reinvent herself. After leaving behind her three adult kids, she takes a bus to Butte, Montana where she takes on a new life and a new romance.

For more, see what else is new on Netflix in March 2019.

TV WORTH WATCHING

‘American Gods’ Season 2 Premiere, Starz (March 10, 8 p.m.)

After two years of behind-the-scenes drama, the fantasy series finally returns with trouble still brewing between the Old Gods and the New Gods. Shadow (Ricky Whittle) joins Mr. Wednesday (Ian McShane) in advocating for all-out war. Meanwhile, Mr. World (Crispin Glover) plots revenge for the attack against him in Season 1.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b3klnW1VjKI

‘The Case Against Adnan Syed’ Miniseries Premiere, HBO (March 10, 9 p.m.)

This four-part documentary reinvestigates the case made famous by the “Serial” podcast. It reviews the events leading up to Hae Min Lee’s disappearance and murder, and follows Syed as he awaits the outcome of a lengthy appeals process.

March 4, 2019
‘Aquaman 2’ Gets Release Date

Warner Bros. Pictures

“Aquaman 2” is catching a wave into 2022.

Warner Bros. announced a release date for the sequel to its massive superhero blockbuster: December 16, 2022.

Jason Momoa is expected to return to star as the titular character. Writer David Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick is penning the script. And the studio hopes to lure director James Wan back to helm the sequel.

“Aquaman” has grossed more than $1.14 billion at the global box office, making it the biggest film in the DC Extended Universe.

The movie was such a smash success that Warner Bros. is also developing a horror-tinged spinoff called “The Trench” focusing on the deadly creatures that attack the hero in the first movie. And there are more possibilities for further extensions of the “Aquaman” world.

Next up for Warner Bros. is “Shazam!” opening April 5, and then Joaquin Phoenix’s “Joker” movie in October.

February 27, 2019
‘Aquaman’ Sequel in the Works With First Movie’s Co-Writer on Board

Warner Bros.

The “Aquaman” sequel is setting sail.

The project is officially in the works now, with Warner Bros. hiring David Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick, who co-wrote the first movie with Will Beall, to pen the script for the follow-up.

The studio is in talks with director James Wan to produce the sequel. He will decide if he’s returning to direct after seeing the finished script. Johnson-McGoldrick and Wan have previously collaborated on “The Conjuring 2.”

“Aquaman” has earned $1.12 billion globally since opening in December and is the first DC movie to pass the $1 billion mark since 2012’s “The Dark Knight Rises.”

Making a sequel was a no-brainer, though it’s surprising how long it’s taken for Warner Bros. to move forward on one. With major franchises like this, studios often begin developing sequels as soon as the Monday after a successful opening weekend.

But Warner Bros. reportedly did not want to pressure Wan or his collaborators to make any decisions yet. Instead, they greenlit an “Aquaman” spinoff, “The Trench,” which will be a horror-type flick featuring the lost, amphibious tribe of mutants that was introduced in the flagship.

February 12, 2019
‘Aquaman’ Spinoff ‘The Trench’ Is in the Works

Warner Bros.

An “Aquaman” spinoff about the mutants known as The Trench is in the works at Warner Bros, according to The Wrap.

The Trench — a lost, amphibious tribe that evolved into mindless beasts after falling into the Mariana Trench — were featured in the “Aquaman”movie. First they attack Aquaman (Jason Momoa), then are commanded by him in his battle against Orm (Patrick Wilson).

They were first introduced in Geoff Johns and Ivan Reis’s “Aquaman” #1 comic book in 2011.

DC Comics

It’s not clear if Aquaman would appear in the spinoff.

Screenwriters Noah Gardner and Aidan Fitzgerald are writing the script. James Wan (who directed “Aquaman”) and Peter Safran are producing.

[Via The Wrap]

February 8, 2019
‘Aquaman’ Sequel in Development, With James Wan Possibly Returning as Director

Warner Bros.

Now that “Aquaman” is officially the biggest DC Comics movie, a sequel is getting put on a priority track.

Warner Bros. hopes to bring back director James Wan. Deadline reports that the plan is for Wan to oversee development on “Aquaman 2” and then decide if he’ll direct after seeing the script.

The superhero flick starring Jason Momoa has made $1.09 billion worldwide. It has now passed the $1.085 billion mark set by Christopher Nolan’s “The Dark Knight Rises.”

With that kind of success, Warner Bros. wants to repeat the magic. And just like the studio courted Patty Jenkins heavily (and gave her a raise) to do “Wonder Woman 2,” they’re eager to bring back Wan. He is the only director who has made a billion-dollar film for two different studios (2016’s “Furious 7” made $1.5 billion for Universal).

Deadline’s sources say it’s likely Wan will return as he is “deeply invested in the world creation aspect of ‘Aquaman’” and sees it as “a fantasy setting that can be cinematically comparable to Middle-earth, the Jedi galaxy or the wizarding world of the Harry Potter films.”

January 28, 2019
Box Office: ‘The Upside’ Dethrones ‘Aquaman,’ ‘Replicas’ Flops

STX Entertainment

“The Upside,” starring Bryan Cranston and Kevin Hart, surprisingly put an end to “Aquaman“‘s three-week reign. The dramedy, a remake of the 2011 French film “Les Intouchables,” earned $19.5 million to become the new box-office champ.

The continued controversy and speculation about whether or not Hart would host the Oscars — he finally turned the gig down for good — seems to have helped, not hurt, him at the box office.

The film comes with its own drama: It premiered at the 2017 Toronto International Film Festival and was set to be distributed by the Weinstein Company. It was shelved after sexual assault allegations against Harvey Weinstein came to light. STX and Lantern Capital then purchased the rights and worked with director Neil Burger to re-cut the movie from an R rating to PG-13 to make it more accessible for a broader audience. The strategy seems to have paid off.

Critics didn’t love it — it has a 40% rating on Rotten Tomatoes — but audiences gave it a an “A” CinemaScore.

Warner Bros.

Meanwhile, “Aquaman” may not be the number one film in America any more, but this weekend it became the first DC comic-book movie to gross more than a $1 billion in global ticket sales since “The Dark Knight Rises” in 2012.

Annapurna Pictures

It’s also good news for Nicole Kidman, who costars in the top two movies at the box office right now. And this weekend, her indie cop drama, “Destroyer,” (which had last week’s best screen average) expanded to 21 more theaters and saw a boost of 54.4%. In three week of limited release, with a solid $5,620 per-screen-average, it’s earned $426,264.

Columbia Pictures

The family film “A Dog’s Way Home” opened in third place. The “Homeward Bound“-esque adventure about a dog (voiced by Bryce Dallas Howard) who gets separated from her owner earned $11 million from 3,090 theaters. It’s a promising start since the movie, which cost $18 million to produce.

Entertainment Studio

Sadly, Keanu Reeves‘s latest sci-fi film is no “Matrix.” “Replicas,” in which his character tries to bring back his dead wife and children, misfired with a dismal $2.5 million from 2,329 locations. It didn’t do much better overseas, earning only $3.5 million from foreign territories. It currently has a 12% critics rating on Rotten Tomatoes, and a 43% audience rating.

20th Century Fox

Winning two Golden Globes gave “Bohemian Rhapsody” a big boost at the box office in its 11th week of release. This weekend it rang up another $3 million, a 33 percent hike from last weekend. So far, it’s earned $198 million in North America and $574 million internationally. Its sales were helped by sing-along screenings at 750 domestic locations that let audiences stomp and clap along with the band’s arena anthems like “We Will Rock You.”

Here are the top 10 estimates for January 11-13, 2019

1. “The Upside,” $19,590,000
2. “Aquaman,” $17,265,000
3. “A Dog’s Way Home,” $11,300,000
4. “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse,” $9,000,000
5. “Escape Room,” $8,900,000
6. “Mary Poppins Returns,” $7,215,000
7. “Bumblebee,” $6,775,000
8. “On the Basis of Sex,” $6,227,000
9. “The Mule,” $5,545,000
10. “Vice,” $3,278,644

[Via Variety]

January 13, 2019
Box Office: ‘Aquaman’ Reigns Supreme, ‘Escape Room’ Edges Out ‘Mary Poppins Returns’

Warner Bros.

“Aquaman” easily retained its No. 1 spot for a third weekend, pulling in a solid $30 million for a domestic haul of $259 million.

And overseas, Jason Momoa as Arthur Curry is even more popular: With $940 million worldwide, the superhero’s first solo film is now DC’s highest-grossing title overseas, surpassing the record previously set by Christopher Nolan’s “The Dark Knight Rises.” It’s well on its way to becoming the first Warner Bros. comic-book movie to cross $1 billion globally since “The Dark Knight Rises.”

Columbia Pictures

The only new major film in release, “Escape Room,” debuted in second place with $18 million from 2,700 locations. Since the thriller about a group of strangers trapped in an escape room only cost $9 million to make, that’s a strong start indeed.

Walt Disney

Just behind was “Mary Poppins Returns,” which was in third with an estimated $15.8 million. The Disney musical, starring Emily Blunt and Lin-Manuel Miranda, has earned $138 million at the domestic box office.

Annapurna Pictures

The best screen average of the weekend went to the crime drama “Destroyer,” starring Nicole Kidman and Sebastian Stan. It pulled in $110,012 from six venues, which works out to $18,335 per location. It’s made $260,000 since its Christmas Day release.

Sony Pictures Classics

Also performing well: “Stan & Ollie,” with John C. Reilly and Steve Coogan as comedy legends Laurel and Hardy. It averaged $12,022 from eight screens for a weekend take of $96,173. It’s gotten significantly better reviews than Reilly’s other buddy comedy, “Holmes & Watson,” and a Golden Globes nod for his performance as Oliver Hardy.

While “Aquaman” is racking up cash left and right, January 2019’s box office is still behind the same weekend last year when “Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle” was number 1, according to Comscore.

But things should really start cooking over the Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday. M. Night Shyamalan‘s “Glass,” which opens January 18, is expected to earn between $50 million and $70 million over the holiday weekend.

Here are the top 10 estimates for January 4-6, 2019

1. “Aquaman,” $30,700,000
2. “Escape Room,” $18,000,000
3. “Mary Poppins Returns,” $15,773,000
4. “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse,” $13,010,000
5. “Bumblebee,” $12,775,000
6. “The Mule,” $9,040,000
7. “Vice,” $5,803,490
8. “Second Act,” $4,910,000
9. “Ralph Breaks the Internet,” $4,685,000
10. “Holmes & Watson,” $3,400,000

[Via Variety, BoxOfficeMojo.com]

January 6, 2019
James Wan Furious Over ‘Aquaman’ Oscar VFX Snub

Warner Bros.

“Aquaman” did not make the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ shortlist for a special effects Oscar and director James Wan is less than pleased.

On Facebook, Wan called the omission a “f***ing disgrace.”

For months, he’s talked about the hard work in creating the underwater effects for the DCEU film, which was one of the reasons for the film’s many delays.

Before its release, Warner Bros. chief Toby Emmerich praised the “incredible job” that Wan and his team did on the film, which is “imagining the underwater world in a way you haven’t seen before.”

“You and your department are the unsung heroes of this film,” Wan told visual effects supervisor Kelvin McIlwain in a Facebook comment. “The fact that your VFX peers in the Academy aren’t recognizing or appreciating what we/you’ve all contributed to the film and cinema is a f–king disgrace.”

Mcllwain replied, “It was a complete shock to everyone that we are not in the final 10 films that will be presenting at the Academy VFX Bake-off.”

The films that have been announced for the VFX shortlist include a lot of Disney/Marvel films, which surely adds insult to injury.

The 10 films on the VFX Oscars shortlist:
“Ant-Man and the Wasp”
“Avengers: Infinity War”
“Black Panther”
“Christopher Robin”
“First Man”
“Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom”
“Mary Poppins Returns”
“Ready Player One”
“Solo: A Star Wars Story”
“Welcome to Marwen”

At least “Aquaman” has lots of lovely gold coin in its coffer to ease the sting. It’s well on its way to becoming Warner Bros’ first billion-dollar release since “The Dark Knight Rises” in 2012.

It’s possible it could still get nominated in other technical categories.

Nominations for the 91st Academy Awards will be announced on Tuesday, January 22.

[Via The Wrap]

January 4, 2019
Box Office: ‘Aquaman’ Surges Into New Year With Fourth-Best Numbers

Warner Bros.

“Aquaman” remained king of the box office into 2019. It earned $16.78 million on Tuesday, the fourth best New Year’s Day take after “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” ($34 million), “Avatar” ($25 million), and “Meet the Fockers” ($18 million).

The Jason Momoa-starrer has now earned $216 million in North America and over $600 million overseas. It could become only the third DCEU film, after “The Dark Knight” and “The Dark Knight Rises,” to reach $1 billion.

Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

Meanwhile, Disney’s “Mary Poppins Returns” just reached $200 million globally and $114.5 stateside. It rang up a jolly $8.6 million on New Year’s Day.

Paramount Pictures

“Transformers” prequel “Bumblebee” earned $7 million on Tuesday. It’s made $78.5 million in the states and $90 million globally. It’s basking in a lot of audience and critics’ love, but has a long way to to go to earn back its $135 million budget.

Annapurna

Dick Cheney biopic “Vice” made off with $2 million on Tuesday, taking its North American total to $22 million. More awards attention (it’s up for six Golden Globes) might help justify its $60 million budget.

Columbia Pictures

Terrible reviews and bad word of mouth (including walkouts) have slowed the take for the reteaming of Will Ferrell and John C. Reilly in “Holmes & Watson.” It’s earned a disappointing $23.4 million since its Christmas Day release.

[Via Variety, Deadline]

January 2, 2019
Box Office: ‘Aquaman’ Is the Christmas Day Champ

Warner Bros.

“Aquaman” was the movie of choice for Christmas Day. The Jason Momoa-led DC adventure racked up an additional $22 million, bringing its five-day total to $105 million. It’s now grossed over $550 million worldwide.

Settling for second place was Disney’s “Mary Poppins Returns” with $11.6 million. Featuring the combined star power of Emily Blunt and Tony winner Lin-Manuel Miranda, the sequel to the 1964 classic has now earned $50 million since it opened on December 19.

Columbia Pictures

Despite scathing reviews and a dismal audience reaction, “Holmes & Watson,” starring Will Ferrell and John C. Reilly as the famed crime-solving duo, managed to snag fourth place with $6.4 million. The movie wasn’t screened ahead of time for critics, who’ve given it (at last check) a bleak 4% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Audiences weren’t much more impressed: It currently has a 26% audience score. Several moviegoers, even diehard Ferrell/Reilly fans, tweeted that it was “the worst movie of the year” and that it prompted mass walkouts.

The much better-reviewed Reilly movie “Stan & Ollie,” in which a heavily made-up Reilly plays Oliver Hardy to Steve Coogan‘s Stan Laurel, opens December 28.

Annapurna Pictures

Among the other new releases is the political satire “Vice,” starring a nearly unrecognizable Christian Bale as former vice president Dick Cheney. It’s gotten mixed reviews, but did receive six Golden Globe nominations. It opened in seventh place with $4,784,212.

Focus Features

Also opening Christmas Day: “On the Basis of Sex” starring Felicity Jones as a young Ruth Bader Ginsburg. It earned $466,825 from 33 venues. That works out to $13,000 per location, which was the best per-screen average of the holiday.

Annapurna Pictures

Karyn Kusama‘s thriller “Destroyer,” starring Nicole Kidman as an LAPD cop with a troubled past, made $30,738 when it debuted in three theaters on Tuesday.

Here are the top 10 estimates for December 25, 2018

1. “Aquaman,” $22,065,000
2. “Mary Poppins Returns,” $11,457,469
3. “Bumblebee,” $8,887,978
4. “Holmes and Watson,” $6,425,000
5. “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse,” $5,635,000
6 “The Mule,” $4,900,000
7. “Vice,” $4,784,212
8. “Second Act,” $3,070,000
9. “Dr. Seuss’s The Grinch” (2018), $2,083,630
10. “Ralph Breaks the Internet,” $1,681,922

[Via Variety]

December 27, 2018