Ernie Hudson Jr. at the London photocall of Columbia Pictures’ ‘Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire’ on March 21, 2024 in London, England. Photo by Tim P. Whitby/Getty Images for Columbia Pictures.
Preview:
Ernie Hudson will be the voice of Combat Carl in ‘Toy Story 5.’
Carl Weathers previously played the role.
The new ‘Toy Story’ is due out next year.
While ‘Elio’ is the next Pixar project to hit the big screen (June 20th, in case you were wondering), there is naturally a lot of attention on the company’s next dive into franchise territory, and one of its biggest hitters returning to theaters with ‘Toy Story 5’ due next year.
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With Woody, Buzz and the gang back for more adventure, word arrives via TMZ of all places that there has been some necessary recasting among the voice ranks for the new movie.
Carl Weathers is Greef Karga in ‘The Mandalorian,’ season two, exclusively on Disney+
Following the sad death last year of Carl Weathers, the role of Combat Carl –– which Weathers performed in the 2013 TV special ‘Toy Story of Terror!’ and the most recent big screen outing, ‘Toy Story 4,’ genre stalwart Ernie Hudson will instead report for duty to provide the voice for the military man.
It’s not the first piece of re-casting in the ‘Toy Story’ world, since Blake Clark took over the role of Slinky Dog from the late Jim Varney a few years ago.
(L to R) Woody (Tom Hanks) and Buzz Lightyear (Tim Allen) in Pixar Animation Studios’ ‘Toy Story.’
In case you forgot (since it was released back in 2019), ‘Toy Story 4’ ended with Woody and Buzz parting ways when the former joined Bo Peep (Annie Potts) to live a life as a “lost toy,” free from the constraints of being owned by a child.
Throughout the film, Woody struggled to find his place with Bonnie, as she no longer needed him as much as Andy did. Buzz, understanding Woody’s choice, assured him that Bonnie would be okay without him and supported Woody’s decision to start a new chapter.
Meanwhile, Buzz stayed with Bonnie, continuing to live with Jessie, Rex (Wallace Shawn), Hamm (John Ratzenberger) and other toys, including the new addition of Forky (Tony Hale).
Director Andrew Stanton, returning to the franchise for the first time in years, revealed at the last D23 that the central conflict of the latest film will involve the toys grappling with staying relevant in the age of technology.
The concept art revealed at the same event shows the toys looking sadly at their owner engrossed in a tablet, hinting at the emotional and humorous struggles they will face as they try to reclaim the child’s attention.
And Tim Allen has also been talking about the new movie.
“It’s a very, very clever story. I don’t really believe it’s about the money. I’m sure they want it to be a success, but that’s not why they did it. Had they not come up with a brilliant script, they wouldn’t have done it. It’s really clever. It was really a struggle to get, and then maybe two hours in, I was doing Buzz. I’m so blessed to be Buzz Lightyear, to be honest. It’s gonna be fun. I think we’re a year out. I’ve gotten up to the third act. We’ll do the third act. And then, we’ll go back and clean it. And then, I’ll do it about five more times. It’s a really good story, guys. It’s really good.”
“I can tell you that it’s a lot about Jessie,” he said. “Tom [Hanks] and I do — Woody and I — do realign. And there’s an unbelievable opening scene with Buzz Lightyears. I can give you that, but I can’t give you much more.”
Few other details have been revealed about the new movie for either side of the camera.
We do know that McKenna Harris, who has worked on several other Pixar titles in various capabilities, is co-directing the movie with Stanton, and the latter worked on the script.
Beyond Allen and now Hudson, there has been no confirmation on the cast, but Hanks will return and word on Jessie surely points to Joan Cusack already having recorded some material.
We’d be shocked if most of the main voice cast –– at least those whose characters feature prominently –– wouldn’t be back.
Adam Sandler in ‘Happy Gilmore.’ Photo: Universal Pictures.
Preview:
Adam Sandler will return as Happy Gilmore.
Netflix is backing the sequel.
We’ll have to wait for other details.
1996 sports comedy ‘Happy Gilmore’ is such a key part of Adam Sandler’s career that it makes up part of his Happy Madison production company logo.
It makes sense then, that, as part of its deal with the comedy star, Netflix has officially ordered a sequel to the movie.
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What was the story of ‘Happy Gilmore’?
Adam Sandler in ‘Happy Gilmore.’ Photo: Universal Pictures.
Happy Gilmore (Sandler) has long aspired to be a hockey player. Despite a powerful slapshot, Happy’s inability to skate and his volatile behavior excludes him from being accepted by any hockey team. Furthermore, Happy’s grandma is being evicted from her home after failing to pay her taxes.
After playing with some golf clubs and learning he can shoot golf balls far distances, he decides to join the PGA Tour in an effort to win money to buy back his grandmother’s home. Happy’s bad-boy image attracts a loyal following, but also attracts the attention of Shooter McGavin, the favorite to win the PGA Tour who is worried that Happy’s rise to stardom will undermine his shot to win.
(L to R) Carl Weathers and Adam Sandler in ‘Happy Gilmore.’ Photo: Universal Pictures.
While there have been rumors about a follow-up to ‘Happy Gilmore’ for years, more notable news arrived recently from Christopher McDonald, who famously played Shooter in the original.
Here’s what he told the team on Audacy’s 92.3 ‘The Fan’ radio show:
“I saw Adam [Sandler] about two weeks ago, and he says to me, ‘McDonald, you’re gonna love this,’ I said, ‘What?’ He says, ‘How about that,’ and he shows me the first draft of ‘Happy Gilmore 2.’ Maybe you should cut that out [of this audio] because I don’t wanna be a liar, but he did show me that, and I thought, ‘Well, that would be awesome.’ So, it’s in the works. Fans demand it, dammit!”
Fans did indeed demand it, and now it’s happening.
But there will have to be some significant changes to the cast line-up since some of the original actors have since died.
Here’s what Sandler said about paying tribute to those we have lost since 1996:
“I would love [‘The Price is Right’ host] Drew Carey to be in this movie out of respect to Bob [Barker]. When we were writing stuff, Bob was alive. When we were writing stuff, Carl Weathers was alive. When we were writing stuff, Joe Flaherty was alive. It sucks, we love those guys. They were such a big part of the movie and just great people. But we’re going to get them involved somehow. They’ll be involved.”
There are no other details to report about the movie, beyond Netflix making it official.
When will ‘Happy Gilmore 2’ be on screens?
Netflix has yet to announce a release date for the film.
Carl Weathers is Greef Karga in ‘The Mandalorian,’ season two, exclusively on Disney+
Preview:
Carl Weathers has died at the age of 76.
He’s famous for the ‘Rocky’ movies, ‘Predator’ and more.
Tributes have already started to come in for the actor.
Sad news today as action and acting icon Carl Weathers has died at the age of 76.
Weathers, who made his name in the action-orientated likes of ‘Predator’ and the sports drama of the ‘Rocky’ movies, then segued into more comedic roles (often playing himself) and more recently became a key recurring performer on ‘Star Wars’ TV series ‘The Mandalorian.’
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Carl Weathers: Early Life and Career
Carl Weathers in ‘Action Jackson.’ Photo: Lorimar Film Entertainment.
Born on January 14, 1948, in New Orleans, Louisiana, Carl Weathers’ initial career was much more focused on sports, specifically football, relying on athletic prowess to overcome adversity.
He played on teams at Long Beach City College, San Diego State (where he also studied theatre, a nod towards his future) and signed on with the Oakland Raiders in 1970, making a mark as a linebacker.
But after various injuries through his time on the gridiron, he decided in 1974 to focus on performance, pursuing a drama degree at San Francisco State University.
Weathers took a familiar route to screens, working on commercials and smaller roles in movies such as ‘The Candidate’ and ‘Magnum Force’.
(L to R) Carl Weathers and Sylvester Stallone in ‘Rocky II.’ Photo: United Artists.
He got a big break thanks to 1976’s ‘Rocky’, where his critiquing Sylvester Stallone’s acting during his audition won him the role of the cocky, ambitious Apollo Creed, a role he’d play three further times.
(L to R) Carl Weathers and Adam Sandler in ‘Happy Gilmore.’ Photo: Universal Pictures.
Some actors might be content with just that successful run, but Weathers took the chance to re-invent himself, often playing versions of himself and appearing in the likes of ‘Happy Gilmore’, ‘Little Nicky’ and as a voice in ‘Eight Crazy Nights’, all alongside Adam Sandler.
He enjoyed several episodes on ‘Arrested Development’ playing a spoof version of himself, who had become an acting tutor.
In addition to a long resume of TV guest credits, he added a whole new generation of fans via his work as Greef Karga, the mercenary wrangler-turned-official for ‘Star Wars’ TV series ‘The Mandalorian.
Weathers also stepped behind the camera as a director, shooting episodes of ‘The Mandalorian’ as well as ‘Law & Order’, ‘Chicago Med’, ‘FBI’ and more. He served on the Directors Guild of America board and various committees, helping others navigate the job.
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Carl Weathers remembered by his family
(Center) Carl Weathers and Arnold Schwarzenegger in 1987’s ‘Predator.’ Photo: 20th Century Fox.
Weathers’ family announced his death with a statement:
“We are deeply saddened to announce the passing of Carl Weathers. He died peacefully in his sleep on Thursday, February 1st, 2024. … Carl was an exceptional human being who lived an extraordinary life. Through his contributions to film, television, the arts and sports, he has left an indelible mark and is recognized worldwide and across generations. He was a beloved brother, father, grandfather, partner, and friend.”
Weathers is survived by his ex-wife, Mary Ann, and their two sons.
‘The Mandalorian’ season 3 starring Pedro Pascal premieres March 1st on Disney+.
The premiere episode of hit Disney+ ‘Star Wars‘ series ‘The Mandalorian’ reminded fans exactly why it is the most popular ‘Star Wars’ show on the streamer. Now in its third season, we dive right back into the thick of it – with Din Jarin attempting to repent for his sin of removing his helmet and no longer deemed a Mandalorian.
The 8 episode series premiered on March 1st 2023 with one episode, titled “The Apostate”, after its absence from Disney+ in 2022. Despite the long wait, this premiere episode delivers on action and heart. It felt like old school ‘Star Wars,’ filled with creatures, space battles, and practical effects.
Starting off in Concordia, we see the Armorer forging a new helmet for a young member of her faction, the Children Of The Watch. A ceremony follows where the young Mandalorian takes his vow in the waters as the clan looks on. All seems to be going well until a ferocious beast suddenly breaches the water, sending everything into chaos.
A fight between the beast and the Mandalorians ensue, but the creature proves to be too large and too fierce despite being outnumbered. Just as things were getting dire, Din Jarin (Pedro Pascal) swoops in to save the day, obliterating the creature. Din has come back to beg to be let back into the convent, and the Armorer (reluctantly) agrees to do so if he bathes in the living waters of Mandalore.
Jin sets off on his new mission, with Grogu in tow, optimistic about the completing his mission and to regain the honor of being a Mandalorian once again.
It was great to see so many different Mandalorians in this episode, with different styles of helmets, some bright, some monochromatic. The Mandalorians’ style of fighting is unique and this episode showcased how they use different weapons, working together to defend against the giant creature.
Before Din and Grogu can make their way to the living water of Mandalore, they have a few stops to make. Their first stop is Nevarro, the volcanic planet overrun with Imperials in season 1. Things for Nevarro have definitely taken a turn for the better under the rule of Greef Karga (Carl Weathers), now the High Magistrate of Nevarro. The city is vibrant and busy, filled with citizens and vendors buzzing about on the street.
It’s great to see Din check in with his friend but his main goal is to rebuild the droid IG-11 (Taika Waititi). Its remainder parts is used as a part of a statue in remembrance of the droid’s sacrifice, but Din convinces High Magistrate Karga he needs to reconstruct IG-11 in order to go to Mandalore.
Din’s attempt is unsuccessful and it is here we get to meet a few Anzellan droidsmiths – the same species of Babu Frik from ‘The Rise Of Skywalker’. We knew of this easter egg from one of the trailers for ‘The Mandalorian’ but the scene still delighted the audience.
During Din’s visit, Kreef Graga tried to convince him to settled down at Nevarro, and offered him the position of Marshall. This is where the episode addresses the absence of Cara Dune. Graga explains that after she brought in Moff Guideon (Giancarlo Esposito), she was recruited by special forces. Following the news of Gina Carano being fired from the series, we wondered if the character would be recast or just simple never talked about so it is nice to see they address why Cara Dune is absent from the show.
We all fell in love with Grogu in season 1 of ‘The Mandalorian’ – the internet buzzed about him and the stores filled with Baby Yoda merchandise. In seasons 1 and 2, Mando saw Grogu as a job. As he grew more attached to the tiny being, he became more protective despite trying his hardest to stay detached. After training with Luke Skywalker, Grogu makes the choice to return to Din and we see the dynamic shift from Din’s overprotective nature to a partnership. Grogu is no longer defenseless or as dependent on Din so both are more at ease during their adventure, which is refreshing after 2 seasons of constantly worrying about Grogu’s well being.
Even though he’s more grown and in tune with the Force, Grogu is still as adorable as ever. From spinning round and round on Greef Karga’s chair, stealing candy off his desk, or those precious big doe-eyed looks, Grogu is still very much the scene stealer of the show.
After watching episode 1 of season 3, it is no wonder ‘The Mandalorian’ is a fan-favorite ‘Star Wars’ show. The characters are rich, the visuals are stunning, and the blending the technology of the volume and practical effects makes this world feel more expansive. It has that “original ‘Star Wars’” feel yet it is a breath of fresh air. The runtime of 38 minutes may seem short on paper, but director Rick Famuyiwa was able to utilize every second of the episode to give not just the title character, but supporting characters meaningful arcs, and this is just the beginning.
At the launch event – audiences were treated to two episodes. While the first episode rekindled our love for ‘The Mandalorian’, the second one was a bit heavier. Dealing with the loss of the Dark Saber, we get to see Bo-Katan (Katee Sackhoff) in her current state, and her interaction with Din as he tells her of his goal to go to Mandalore. The episode had a slight horror element to it, with Grogu taking on more of the spotlight. The action scenes are top notch in episode 2, the creatures more strange ( and creepy), leaving the audience wanting more.
It is great to be back in the Mando-verse and see where our heroes go as the stakes are higher than ever. Season 3 is off to a strong start, and with Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni at the helm, there’s no doubt this show will be in every conversation in the weeks to come.
The first two episodes of ‘The Mandalorian’ season 3 receives 9 out of 10 stars.
Opening in theaters on March 3rd is the third film in the ‘Creed’ series and the ninth movie set in the ‘Rocky’ universe entitled ‘Creed III,’ which also marks the directorial debut of Adonis “Donnie” Creed actor Michael B. Jordan.
What is ‘Creed III’ about?
Following the events of 2018’s ‘Creed II,’ Adonis “Donnie” Creed (Michael B. Jordan) is about to retire as the undisputed Heavy Weight Champion of the World. But when Creed’s childhood friend and former boxing prodigy, Damian “Dame” Anderson (Jonathan Majors), resurfaces after serving a long sentence in prison, he asks Donnie for help getting back into boxing, as he is determined to win the championship. Eventually, Donnie is forced back into the ring to fight his former friend, facing an opponent he’s never fought before – a fighter who has nothing to lose!
In his third outing as Adonis Creed, Michael B. Jordan gives another strong and dedicated performance but it is his work behind the camera that is truly impressive, while Jonathan Majors steals every scene he is in with his menacing and electrifying performance as Damian Anderson.
Michael B. Jordan is one of the best actors of his generation and has demonstrated this in moving independent features like ‘Fruitvale Station,’ and strong blockbusters like ‘Black Panther’ and ‘Creed.’ Returning for his third time as Adonis “Donnie” Creed, and first time without Sylvester Stallone’s Rocky Balboa (more on that later), Jordan gives a mature performance proving that the character has grown since the last we saw him.
This is an older Donnie, a successful professional athlete on the verge of retirement looking forward to spending more time with his aging mother, musician wife, and deaf daughter. But Donnie is haunted by his childhood living in an orphanage, before his father’s widow adopted him, and the dark secrets he has been hiding for most of his life. Once Damian returns, it stirs up these old feelings in Donnie, which Dame brilliantly uses to his advantage.
It seems as if Jordan is channeling some of himself into the role, as the megastar actor can relate to being financially successful, and the problems that comes with that level of success. But as Donnie, he also wants to protect his family and their future from the sins of his past. Donnie is not a lost boy anymore, as he was depicted in the first ‘Creed,’ he is now a man and a champion, and that comes shining through Jordan’s performance.
Jordan also has an extremely impressive directorial debut with ‘Creed III.’ Jordan balances the film’s tones of fighting for survival and redemption quite well, and even injects some humor into the film. Jordan clearly has learned a lot about filmmaking from his years on sets and from watching his mentor and collaborator director Ryan Coogler on ‘Fruitvale Station,’ ‘Creed’ and ‘Black Panther.’
While Jordan handles the emotions and drama of ‘Creed III’ very well, he also makes the fight scenes interesting, moving the camera around the ring with the fighters and using slow-motion sparingly but effectively. However, there is one choice Jordan made as a director that I completely disagree with and it actually took me out of the movie for a second. It’s a scene that comes towards the end of the film’s final fight sequence, so I will be careful not to give too much away. But Jordan makes a directorial choice to inject the fight with visual metaphors that hurt the reality of the fight scene itself, and for me, took the viewer completely out of the moment. I get what Jordan was going for, but I just don’t think it worked.
(L to R) Sylvester Stallone as Robert “Rocky” Balboa and Michael B. Jordan as Adonis “Donnie” Creed in director Ryan Coogler’s ‘Creed.’
‘Creed III’ marks the first film in the trilogy to not also feature Sylvester Stallone’s Rocky Balboa character. The trilogy is clearly a spinoff of the ‘Rocky’ franchise, and while the character is mentioned once or twice in passing, Balboa’s whereabouts and why he is no longer in Donnie’s corner are never revealed.
Jordan and the other filmmakers do a good job of creating a ‘Rocky’ movie without Rocky, and while it is still in the vein of the previous films in the franchise, they go out of their way to make it different from the other movies in the series. The “Theme from Rocky” or “Gonna Fly Now,” as it is better known, is barely used, if at all, and has been modified so you can barely hear it in the background.
There is also a moment where you can tell the filmmakers wanted to step away from what you would expect from a ‘Rocky’ movie. In the inevitable training montage, Donnie runs to the top of a hill overlooking the Los Angeles skyline. This would seem to be the perfect moment to have the theme start playing and for Donnie to pump his fists in the air, recreating the iconic moment on the Philadelphia Museum of Art stairs from the original ‘Rocky,’ which has been duplicated in almost every ‘Rocky’ movie since. But Jordan avoids that moment, like so many other typical ‘Rocky’ moments that the film ignores, which really places the movie into its own chapter of the ‘Rocky’ story.
But honestly, the real reason Rocky does not appear in ‘Creed III’ is more complicated. While Sylvester Stallone did create the characters in the ‘Rocky’ franchise and the original screenplay, he sold the rights to producer Irwin Winkler and MGM decades ago to get the first movie made, and thus has no real say in the future of the franchise. Apparently, Stallone did not agree with the direction Winkler, Jordan and ‘Creed’ director Ryan Coogler, who is given story credit on this movie, wanted to take the future of the franchise. Whether Stallone will ever play Balboa again on the big screen is yet to be known, but the actor does not appear in ‘Creed III’ and the character is barely mentioned.
I understand the circumstance, and think it was probably best to continue the Creed story without Rocky, however, I would have liked a little more explanation as to why the character doesn’t appear, and why he is no longer in Donnie’s corner. In fact, Rocky is only really mentioned in passing as “that guy your dad fought,” and the other ‘Creed’ movies certainly established a close if not father/son relationship between Rocky and Donnie. So, it is weird that there is no character update in ‘Creed III’ regarding Rocky or why he is no longer Donnie’s trainer, and it seems that a simple line of dialogue or two could have fixed that issue.
To be accurate, Adonis begins the film with a rematch against his opponent from ‘Creed II,’ Viktor Drago (Florian Munteanu). But it is his old friend Damian “Dame” Anderson (Jonathan Majors) that is Donnie’s main opponent in ‘Creed III,’ both in the ring and out. Anderson is Donnie’s oldest friend, who has just been released from prison, something Donnie blames himself for.
At first, Damian asks Donnie for help training, as he is determined to win the championship, despite his age and lack of experience as a professional boxer. Donnie agrees, but bumps heads with Damian, who clearly has a chip on his shoulder. Donnie eventually helps Damian become champ, but it’s not enough for Dame, and he goes after Donnie and his family personally and publicly in order to convince Donnie to get back into the ring so he can show the world he is the better fighter and have payback for what happened between them in the past.
After fantastic performances in last year’s ‘Devotion’ and ‘Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania,’ which hit theaters last week, ‘Creed III’ is poised to cement Jonathan Majors reputation as one of the finest actors working today. Majors gives an absolutely stunning and menacing performance as Damian Anderson, and at times, even out shines Jordan himself. Majors plays Damian as a brooding and calculating character, one who knows just how to push his old friend’s buttons perfectly to get the desired reaction. Damian is a real threat to Donnie, in the ring and out, but their former friendship is what keeps the dynamic fresh and interesting.
Majors is also in top physical shape for this movie, lending to his threat to Donnie, making the idea of Creed winning their fight impossible, which adds to the film’s suspense. In the world of ‘Rocky’ movies, I would put Damian Anderson right up there with Mr. T’s Clubber Lang from ‘Rocky III,’ and of course Ivan Drago (Dolph Lundgren) from ‘Rocky IV,’ as the strongest opponents in this franchise.
Besides Majors and Jordan, the strongest performance in the movie comes from Tessa Thompson as Donnie’s wife Bianca Taylor, and the actress has really made this character her own. Even from the first ‘Creed,’ Thompson has taken the role and elevated her from the “sideline support” that Adrian (Talia Shire) gave Rocky in the original. Bianca has always had her own storyline, whether it is concentrating on her music career, or dealing with her progressive degenerative hearing disorder.
In the new film, she is a mother of a deaf child, the wife of a boxing champ, and also a successful music producer. Thompson plays the role of supporting wife well, but is at her best in scenes dealing with her family, the secrets that Donnie has been keeping from her, or her reluctance to except Damian as a friend. Thompson elevates the role, and over three films, has created a fully formed character that you can really relate to.
Phylicia Rashad also returns as Donnie’s adopted mother Mary Anne Creed, the widow of Apollo Creed (Carl Weathers). The actress is given a little more to do this time around, as Donnie’s childhood plays into the main story with Damian. Wood Harris also reprises his role from the other ‘Creed’ movies as Tony “Little Duke” Evers Jr., who is Donnie’s trainer and the son of Apollo Creed’s trainer. Harris is fine in the role, but again, it is strange to look in Donnie’s corner and not see Rocky!
Final Thoughts
In the end, while ‘Creed III’ does exist in the ‘Rocky’ universe, it is completely its own film. This is Adonis “Donnie” Creed’s story, and a satisfying conclusion to the trilogy. Star Michael B. Jordan gives another strong performance as the character and also gives an impressive directorial debut, while Jonathan Majors continues to dazzle in another remarkable and transformative performance.
‘Creed III’ is produced by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, Chartoff-Winkler Productions, Outlier Society Productions, Proximity Media, and Balboa Productions, and is scheduled for release on March 3rd.
With ‘Creed III’ arriving next month, star (and, on this occasion, director) Michael B. Jordan is being asked about the future of the boxing movies that feature him as Adonis “Donnie” Creed, the son of the late Apollo (Carl Weathers in the ‘Rocky’ movies).
Talking with IGN about ‘Creed III’, Jordan didn’t expand much on his ideas, but did say that he intends to stick with the ‘Creed’ franchise. Answering questions about a potential fourth movie, he said it was “for sure”.
And, as with every popular movie from a studio these days, it appears there will be spin-offs of some fashion. “I just want to expand the ‘Creed’-verse within reason, but definitely expect other things around ‘Creed’ for sure.”
It’s just the latest step for the ever-expanding spin-off from the ‘Rocky’ movies, though the ‘Creed’ films are moving away from Sylvester Stallone’s veteran boxer.
Through 2015’s ‘Creed’ (directed by Ryan Coogler) and 2018’s ‘Creed II’ (with Steven Caple Jr. in the director’s chair), Donnie has battled his demons, fought powerful opponents in the ring and tried to forge a family life with Bianca (Tessa Thompson) and their daughter, who has inherited her mother’s hearing difficulties.
‘Creed III’ moves the story forward a few years but also back several, as the story sees Donnie reconnecting with old friend and prodigy Damian Anderson (Jonathan Majors), who went to prison, and resents that Adonis did not (as he was involved in the incident).
Out of Jail and quietly burning with vengeance, Anderson threatens Donnie – and Adonis decides to face him in the place he knows best – the ring. And without Rocky in his life for this round, this time, the fight is truly personal.
And it’s even more personal for the man in front of the camera – who steps behind it for the first time. Michael B. Jordan, who has played Adonis since the first film, is also here the director.
“I think for me it was the perfect time,” says Jordan.. “I finally got to this place in my career where I wanted to tell a story and not just be in front of the camera, not just execute somebody else’s vision. And having a character that I’ve played twice before, it’s been seven, eight years living with this guy. So to be able to tell a story of where I believe Adonis is at, and also at 35 years old, I had a lot to say as a young man, as a young Black man, just my life experiences and how I could actually share that, share a piece of myself with the world––through these characters and through this story. You just gotta jump in the deep end and go for it, you know?”
‘Creed III’ will be in theaters on March 3rd.
Michael B. Jordan in ‘Creed III.’
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2022 might have offered the ‘Star Wars’-flavored delights of ‘Andor’ and ‘Obi-Wan Kenobi’ to name just two, but it was testament to just how important ‘The Mandalorian’ has become to Disney+, Lucasfilm and fans that when Pedro Pascal’s Din Djarin––AKA The Mandalorian––appeared in a few episodes of ‘The Book of Boba Fett’, the spin-off series suddenly came to life in a way that Boba and co. had never really managed.
Indeed, the stealth return of Mando, Grogu (better known in pop cultural circles as Baby Yoda) and the like, including another cameo for de-aged Luke Skywalker, was a way remind everyone that, yes, ‘The Mandalorian’ was first in this new age of live-action content from the Galaxy far, far away and remains among the best.
It’s still been a long wait for a third season, and we’ll be waiting until March to see it properly, but a new trailer is now online.
A teaser for the new season that dropped in September as part of the company’s D23 event offered tantalizing hints of what we can expect this time around: Mando’s still wrangling with his wider connection to the Mandalorian faith and the people who took him in, and despite leaving Grogu with Luke for Jedi training, the two are now adventuring around the galaxy again.
Plus there’s Katee Sackhoff’s Bo-Katan Kryze, who still disputes Mando’s ownership of the Darksaber and its impact on her home of Mandalore––there’s plenty of drama to come there. And Mando’s decision to remove his helmet and reveal his face also keeps him in conflict with The Armorer (Emily Swallow) and her followers.
In the new trailer, Mando announces that he’s headed to Mandalore, and appears to be recruiting some of his fellow warriors to help out. There are scenes of a Mandalorian strike group, Grogu using his forces powers on some sort of beast and Mando teaching his little green charge how to navigate the galaxy.
Also returning is Paul Sun-Hyung Lee as Captain Carson Teva, who warns Mando that he could soon face something even he can’t vanquish. Plus, Imperial forces threatening our hero surely point to a return engagement with Giancarlo Esposito’s calculating Moff Gideon.
This is less breaking news and more “I must break you” news.
Given how successful the two ‘Creed’ movies – which continue the story of the ‘Rocky’ films while focusing on Adonis Johnson (Michael B. Jordan), the son of Apollo Creed, as so memorably played by Carl Weathers in the 1970s and ‘80s – it’s not surprising that studio MGM might be considering spin-offs.
Word arrives today that just such an idea, a movie based around Dolph Lundgren’s Ivan Drago, is moving to the script stage.
Drago, of course, was the hulking Russian antagonist in 1985’s ‘Rocky IV,’ (who kills Apollo Creed, the fiend). Continuing the family theme, his son Viktor Drago (Florian Munteanu) was the threat to Adonis in 2018’s ‘Creed II’.
Lundgren himself acted as hype man for a Drago movie back in November last year when talking to The Hollywood Reporter. After admitting his disappointment that a fan-pleasing fight with Sylvester Stallone’s Rocky Balboa hit the cutting room floor from ‘Creed II’, he teased seeing more of Drago: “I think there’s some talk about doing a whole spinoff on Drago with MGM. So you may get more of that.”
According to The Wrap, Robert Lawton is now on board to write the script for the new movie. He reportedly impressed executives with his spec screenplay ‘Becoming Rocky’ which chronicled the behind-the-scenes efforts to make the 1976 original.
(L to R) Michael B. Jordan and Florian Munteanu in 2018’s ‘Creed II.’
And he had an idea for a Drago-centric movie that excited MGM’s team enough to score him the job. No details have emerged about what that story might be, but there is plenty of scope for more of Drago and potentially Viktor’s story to be told.
Now we wait to see whether the bell rings on this one and if a director steps aboard to guide it out of the development dressing room.
There is related, and not so good news about the next iteration of the main ‘Creed’ franchise, though chances are it’s more to give the movie time to be finished.
Star Jordan – who once again leads the cast as Adonis – stepped up to direct this latest movie, but while it was targeting a November 23rd release date until recently, it is now on the move to March 3rd next year.
And this ‘Creed’ will be without possibly its heaviest hitter besides Jordan, as this is the first in the new series not to include Stallone.
Still, ‘Creed III’ still boasts Tessa Thompson reprising her role as Donnie’s girlfriend Bianca and Phylicia Rashad is returning as his stepmother Mary Anne in its corner.
(L to R) Sylvester Stallone and Dolph Lundgren in 1985’s ‘Rocky IV.’
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Yesterday at Star Wars Celebration, the official Star Wars convention currently being held in snowy Chicago, fans were treated to something genuinely new: a peek at “The Mandalorian,” the first-ever live-action “Star Wars” television series and the first flagship series on the soon-to-launch direct-to-consumer Disney+ platform. And as both the first step into a new corner of the “Star Wars” galaxy and the initial offering for a game changing service, what we were shown exceeded expectations. Disney+ already has its “Game of Thrones” and it hasn’t even started yet.
After a brief intro from Lucasfilm chief Kathleen Kennedy (who serves as an executive producer on the series), creator, writer and showrunner Jon Favreau was joined on stage by executive producer and director Dave Filoni (making his live-action debut), who more or less served as the emcees for the hourlong panel. The two have a jovial, brotherly charm, coming from the fact that Filoni directed Favreau, who appeared on Filoni’s “The Clone Wars” animated series (as a Mandalorian!) and you could tell they were very excited to finally tell people about the project.
Favreau said that he was compelled to see “what happened after the celebration at the end of ‘Return of the Jedi.’ What would happen and what type of characters would survive before the New Republic took over? You have chaos taking over the galaxy.” He said that this setting provided “a rich environment and tone.” Inspired by “old westerns and samurai films,” as well as the “post-Civil War old west” (the character of the Mandalorian was often described in the panel as a “gunslinger”), Faveau was inspired by a rich melting pot of ideas. Amongst the other “elements” he wanted to contribute to this new series was “everything from the original trilogy, the prequels, the sequels, ‘Clone Wars,’ even bringing in things from Legends” (the decommissioned official “extended universe” that Disney jettisoned after purchasing Lucasfilm). Filoni noted that they even tipped their collective hat to the infamous “Star Wars Holiday Special,” which marked the first appearance of Boba Fett (you can see that influence in The Mandalorian’s pronged weapon that looks like a cross between a shotgun and a tuning fork).
One of the more interesting anecdotes that Filoni and Favreau shared was that the Mandalorian’s ship, The Razorcrest, was brought to life via models. Favreau joked that Guillermo del Toro taught him to “make practical effects so that you can have them in your place” and that “you can’t hang a QuickTime file up in your office,” so they built a miniature Razorcrest, first as a kind of test, and then to actually appear in the show, with Jon Knoll, an absolute visual effects legend at Industrial Light & Magic, building the motion control rig that photographed the miniature ship. It seemed to really bring out some enthusiasm at ILM, with Favreau joking that “a lot of people came out of the woodwork” to be a part of it. They then showed lighting passes on the ship, including a really cool pass with just the ship’s engines firing (thanks to flickering LED lights). The mood and texture of these test alone was jaw-dropping; seeing them composited into a final shot will be pretty transcendent.
And, of course, we were introduced to the cast of the show. Pedro Pascal is playing the titular “bounty hunter and gunfighter” (according to Favreau). Pascal described him as “a mysterious gunfighter in the outer reaches of the galaxy. I would say he has moral questionable.” Also, quipped Pascal: “He’s a bad-ass.”
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Meanwhile, former MMA fighter Gina Carano plays another new character named Cara Dune, another soul searching for stability in the post-war galaxy. “She’s an ex-Rebel shock trooper,” Carano said. “I’m a bit of a loner. I’m having trouble reintegrating myself into society.” (Carano seemed very excited to be a part of the project but also very scared about spilling any secrets prematurely.)
Lucasfilm
And Carl Weathers, who was also on hand for the panel (“I’m really happy to be here, of all the things I’ve been involved with, I don’t think anything has come close to this”), is playing a character called Greef Karga. “He’s a guy who is running a group of bounty hunters,” Weathers explained. “The Mandalorian is a guy he figures can get the job done so he hires him and sends him out there.” (More on this in a minute.)
But the actors were joined on set one day by some very special guests: members of the 501st Legion, a group of amateur Stormtroopers that are recognized by Lucasfilm and called on for special events or charity functions. “We had production meetings and after seeing the set we realized that we didn’t have Stormtroopers and there were only so many uniforms we had and thought it wasn’t going to do the trick for the storytelling,” Favreau said. “But I know a bunch of Stormtroopers,” Filoni interjected. So the team called on the 501st. Filoni said that he wasn’t worried about the costumes. “They held up,” he said. They initially weren’t even told what they were needed for. “They said, ‘What for?’ And we said, ‘Just come down,’ Filoni said. To which Jon Favreau responded, “I didn’t realize that they weren’t told what it was for.” Later, he said they were “so polite and nice.” And Carano seemed genuinely shocked at the level of detail in their handmade costumes and Weathers expressed even more admiration: “They work really hard. They were on point the entire time they were there. It was so cool. I learned stuff from watching those guys and women.” Well said!
Lucasfilm
There were also two batches of footage that they showed: initially they showed a kind of behind-the-scenes sizzle, showcasing the talent behind the camera (including directors Bryce Dallas Howard and Taika Waititi) as well as in front of it, with rough, approximate shots that might end up in the series. Then, at the end of the panel, as people were streaming out of the auditorium, Favreau told everybody to turn around and sit down because he had some “real” footage to show them. And it was pretty great.
This “real” footage started with a fairly prolonged scene. The Mandalorian was in some kind of cantina-like space, sitting across from Greef. Greef is offering him jobs, which are too low for the Mandalorian’s liking. He asks for a bigger job but Greef says that this one is more dangerous. The Mandalorian takes it anyway.
We then cut to him visiting a hole in the wall (he’s scanned by the same robot that Jabba has at his palace), taking an audience with an unnamed character played by the great German filmmaker Werner Herzog. Herzog is surrounded by dirty Stormtroopers and a weaselly guy in a lab coat named Dr. Pershing (played by Omid Abthai). The bounty that Herzog gives him requires him to bring back the mark alive but, hey, if the target dies, he understands.
From there we were treated to a really fabulous montage, featuring (but not limited to) shots of the Razorcrest flying through deep space, Cara Dune kicking ass, Giancarlo Esposito as an unnamed character flanked by Death Troopers (the super scary Stormtroopers first introduced in “Rogue One“), another shot of Esposito piloting a TIE Fighter, lots of creatures (including the same kind of creature Salacious Crumb is, plus various crazy monsters from the Mos Eisley Cantina), an assassin droid voiced by Waititi (rumored to be named IG-11) and the Mandalorian, running, hiding, shooting but never, ever taking off his helmet.
The footage made the show look huge, which is not an easy feat, especially considering it was shot entirely in Los Angeles. (It is the first “Star Wars” project filmed in the United States.) Still, this is the one of the few television series ILM has ever worked on and they seem to be working at the absolute top of their game. The tone definitely seems like it has wandered from the hopefulness of most “Star Wars” projects, and the amount of deep cut characters and references seems to lend it its own idiosyncratic, esoteric vibe. The television format seems to have freed the show’s creators from having to color inside the lines. It’s a show set in wild, untamed space, and the show feels like it is charting similarly adventurous ground. Must-see TV doesn’t even justly describe “The Mandalorian;” it is now one of the most rabidly anticipated events in all of pop culture. And for good reason too – it looks that good.
“The Mandalorian” launches with the rest of Disney+ on November 12.
The upcoming live-action “Star Wars” series “The Mandalorian” has officially unveiled its full cast. And while several names should already sound familiar, the ensemble also includes some impressive — and frankly, a bit odd — surprises.
The rest of the cast features Giancarlo Esposito (“Breaking Bad”), Emily Swallow (“Supernatural”), Carl Weathers (“Predator”), Omid Abtahi (“American Gods”), and Werner Herzog (“Grizzly Man”). That latter selection may be a bit head-scratching to those who only know Herzog from his directorial work, though the filmmaker has acted in several film and TV projects over the years. (Remember him as the oddball owner of the creepy house April and Andy buy in the final season of “Parks and Recreation”?) We’re definitely curious to see how he fits into the ensemble of this series.
“We’re having a great time working with this incredibly talented group and excited for everyone to see what we’re up to,” said writer and executive producer Jon Favreau (“Iron Man,” “The Jungle Book”) in a statement.
“The Mandalorian” is set in between the events of “Return of the Jedi” and “The Force Awakens.” Episodes will be directed by Dave Filoni (“Star Wars: The Clone Wars,” “Star Wars Rebels”), Deborah Chow (“Jessica Jones”), Rick Famuyiwa (“Dope”), Bryce Dallas Howard (“Solemates”), and Taika Waititi (“Thor: Ragnarok”).
The series is in production now. Expect “The Mandalorian” to debut on Disney’s new streaming service, Disney+, sometime in late 2019.
