(L to R) Luigi (Charlie Day) and Mario (Chris Pratt) in Nintendo and Illumination’s ‘The Super Mario Galaxy Movie’, directed by Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic.
Preview:
‘The Super Mario Galaxy Movie’ has secured the biggest box office launch for the year to date.
It’s a sequel to 2023’s ‘The Super Mario Bros. Movie’.
‘Project Hail Mary’ was pushed to second, but is still performing well.
Easter Weekend feels like the appropriate date for the return of a character. In this case, it’s Mario (voiced in animated form by Chris Pratt), back in ‘The Super Mario Galaxy Movie.’
The sequel to 2023 hit ‘The Super Mario Bros. Movie’ has been scoring plenty of points at the box office –– as it was predicted to –– earning $130 million domestically and $182.4 million internationally across its five-day extended release period for a global total of $372.5 million so far.
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While the new movie didn’t quite hit the highs of the original, it certainly came close, and Universal will certainly be happy with its performance, which once again happened despite some caustic reviews.
Amazon MGM’s sci-fi outing ‘Project Hail Mary’, which enjoyed a brief run as the biggest 2026 box office launch to date, continues to do well, dropping just 43% in its third weekend. It has now earned $217 million domestically and more than $400 million internationally, and despite losing some premium format screens to ‘Mario’, is still drawing crowds.
Third place was the week’s other main new entry, A24 drama ‘The Drama’. Starring Zendaya and Robert Pattinson, the controversial movie took in $13.6 million domestically.
In fourth place, Pixar’s ‘Hoppers’ earned $5.8 million, pushing its own total to more than $332 million worldwide.
‘The Super Mario Galaxy Movie’ looks to have little major competition coming up in the family field, and next week brings rom-com ‘You, Me & Tuscany’ and thriller remake ‘Faces of Death’.
(L to R) Anna (Halle Bailey) and Michael (Regé-Jean Page) in ‘You, Me & Tuscany’, directed by Kat Coiro. Photo: Giulia Parmigiani/Universal Pictures.
List of Movies Similar to ‘The Super Mario Galaxy Movie:’
(L to R) Yoshi (Donald Glover), Mario (Chris Pratt) and Luigi (Charlie Day) in Nintendo and Illumination’s ‘The Super Mario Galaxy Movie’, directed by Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic.
(L to R) Luigi (Charlie Day) and Mario (Chris Pratt) in Nintendo and Illumination’s ‘The Super Mario Galaxy Movie’, directed by Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic.
Mario and Luigi are back with a few new friends in ‘The Super Mario Galaxy Movie’. It doesn’t take long to realize that this sequel is even better than the first movie, which felt like more of a set-up than anything else. There are infinite worlds and characters to explore now, and with the addition of fan favorites Rosalina, Yoshi, and Bowser Jr., things have been leveled up.
The Lumas in Nintendo and Illumination’s ‘The Super Mario Galaxy Movie’, directed by Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic.
Everything seems better this time around, which isn’t to say ‘The Super Mario Bros. Movie’ wasn’t good, because it was, but this time Illumination knows what they are doing and they lean into it. Now that viewers know these characters, they can deliver more action, funnier jokes, and a lot of Easter Eggs that fans will love to point out.
Story and Direction
Rosalina in Nintendo and Illumination’s ‘The Super Mario Galaxy Movie’, directed by Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic.
When it comes to the story, admittedly, there is not much of one. It is a fairly simple premise, much like the video games. A princess is kidnapped. Chaos ensues. Said princess is rescued. Illumination knows how to keep viewers entertained throughout the film, however, thanks to gorgeous animation, Nintendo Easter Egg cameos and references, and a whole lot of action.
(L to R) Bowser Junior and Bowser in Nintendo and Illumination’s ‘The Super Mario Galaxy Movie’, directed by Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic.
Thanks to those action sequences, the movie moves very quickly. It never takes a breather or slows down, which makes it the perfect film to take kids to. It is funny and sharp witted, as nearly every joke lands. The story itself is geared towards a younger audience, but gamer parents will be thrilled with all of the references that are packed into it.
Cast and Performances
(Center) Toad (Keegan-Michael Key) and Princess Peach (Anya Taylor-Joy) in Nintendo and Illumination’s ‘The Super Mario Galaxy Movie’, directed by Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic.
Just as with the first film, the cast never feels as if they are doing impressions of the video game characters. They make them their own, which is what helps this movie to work as well as it does. If that was not the case, the voices would get old very quickly, and it would distract from the story and action.
(L to R) Yoshi (Donald Glover) and the Tostarenan in Nintendo and Illumination’s ‘The Super Mario Galaxy Movie’, directed by Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic.
The new cast members stick to this as well. Honestly, because of all the action and chaos happening, there is not a whole lot of dialogue, and when there is, it is pretty basic. Still, the cast all does a great job making these characters lovable and entertaining for kids and adults alike.
Final Thoughts
(L to R) Toad (Keegan-Michael Key), Yoshi (Donald Glover) and Luigi (Charlie Day) in Nintendo and Illumination’s ‘The Super Mario Galaxy Movie’, directed by Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic.
There was never a question as to whether or not ‘The Super Mario Bros. Movie’ would end up getting a sequel, and the same is true about a third movie in the trilogy. Considering ‘The Super Mario Galaxy Movie’ not only sets up for more surprises in the end-credit scenes, but is also more entertaining than its predecessor, we shouldn’t have long to wait for the next movie to be announced.
‘The Super Mario Galaxy Movie’ recieves a score of 78 out of 100.
(L to R) Luigi (Charlie Day), Mario (Chris Pratt), Yoshi (Donald Glover) and Princess Peach (Anya Taylor-Joy) in Nintendo and Illumination’s ‘The Super Mario Galaxy Movie’, directed by Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic.
What’s the plot of ‘The Super Mario Galaxy Movie’?
Mario ventures into space, exploring cosmic worlds and tackling galactic challenges far from the familiar Mushroom Kingdom.
Who is in the cast of ‘The Super Mario Galaxy Movie’?
L to R: Yoshi, Baby Luigi, Toad and Baby Mario in Nintendo and Illumination’s THE SUPER MARIO GALAXY MOVIE, directed by Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic.
Other Movies Similar to ‘The Super Mario Bros. Movie:’
(Left) Donald Glover attends the 74th Annual Golden Globe Awards at The Beverly Hilton Hotel on January 8, 2017 in Beverly Hills, California. Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images. (Right) Yoshi in Nintendo and Illumination’s ‘The Super Mario Galaxy Movie’, directed by Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic.
Preview:
Donald Glover is voicing Yoshi in ‘The Super Mario Galaxy Movie.’
Chris Pratt, Anya Taylor-Joy and Charlie Day all return to their roles.
The new movie lands on April 1.
Having seen big box office success with 2023’s ‘The Super Mario Bros. Movie,’ studio Universal and animation powerhouse Illumination have naturally come up with a sequel, this one drawing from the ‘Super Mario Galaxy’ game.
And at a recent Nintendo event, Illumination boss Chris Meledandri announced that ‘Atlanta’ star Donald Glover would be voicing dino favorite sidekick Yoshi in the movie.
What’s the story of ‘The Super Mario Galaxy Movie’?
(L to R) Luigi, Yoshi, Mario and Toad in Nintendo and Illumination’s ‘The Super Mario Galaxy Movie’, directed by Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic.
After defeating Bowser (Jack Black) in the original movie, Mario (Chris Pratt), Luigi (Charlie Day) and Peach (Anya Taylor-Joy) are back for another adventure and must face off against the evil Koopa King and his son, Bowser Jr. (Benny Safdie).
They’re also transported to outer space and explore various planets, like a fiery volcano world, an underwater planet and a techno-land with neon, gravity-defying obstacles. In the new trailer, the Mushroom Kingdom heroes team up with Rosalina (Brie Larson) and Yoshi (Glover), the egg-laying dinosaur (who’s normally silent except for the occasional “Yoshi!”).
When will ‘The Super Mario Galaxy Movie’ be on screens?
‘The Super Mario Galaxy Movie’ lands in theaters on April 1.
L to R: Yoshi, Baby Luigi, Toad and Baby Mario in Nintendo and Illumination’s THE SUPER MARIO GALAXY MOVIE, directed by Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic.
Other Movies Similar to ‘The Super Mario Bros. Movie:’
‘Mercy,’ a new sci-fi crime thriller starring Chris Pratt, arrives at a rather unfortunate time. The film’s scenes of a dystopian Los Angeles riddled with crime, anarchy, and drugs may seem like certain government officials’ feverish imaginations of how big cities really look, while the constant video surveillance and instant sentencing in A.I.-run courts – where trials are over in 90 minutes – might seem like a positive approach to them as well.
We’re not quite there yet, but the potentially provocative message half-heartedly presented by ‘Mercy’ gets muddled and buried in this otherwise flat thriller. Directed by Timur Bekmambetov in the Screenlife style that he favors these days (which features prominently in movies he’s produced like ‘Unfriended’ and ‘Searching’), ‘Mercy’ has some eerie parallels to the current moment but is an otherwise derivative, generic procedural.
The year is 2029. Crime runs rampant throughout Los Angeles and other major cities, leading the government to institute a massive surveillance network in which every citizen’s mobile device, every doorbell cam, every public camera – every form of audiovisual communication – is monitored by the authorities. And should a person be accused of a crime, they are arrested and taken to the Mercy Court, where an A.I. acts as judge, jury, and – if at the end of a 90-minute trial you are convicted – executioner, killing you right there in the so-called Mercy Chair.
Detective Chris Raven (Chris Pratt), a recovering alcoholic, wakes up in the Mercy Chair with no memory of the previous evening or morning to learn that he is accused of murdering his wife (Annabelle Wallis) in their home. The A.I. presiding over his case, Judge Maddox (Rebecca Ferguson), has a wealth of video and circumstantial evidence with which to convict him. But Raven – a proponent of the Mercy system – is convinced that even with his problems, there’s no way he would kill his wife. Can he assemble his own defense – including testimony from his daughter (Kylie Rogers) and sponsor (Chris Sullivan) – in 90 minutes, all while strapped to the death chair?
It wouldn’t be off-base to say that ‘Mercy’ reads like an off-brand combination of ‘Minority Report’ and ‘Judge Dredd,’ with Pratt’s Raven a mix of both protagonists. This is a near-future distillation of the ideas expressed in those and other properties about freedom, totalitarianism, and so on, with the surface relevance of A.I. sprinkled over it. But while highly derivative, ‘Mercy’ doesn’t add anything new to the conversation. And at a time when both A.I. and authoritarianism are legitimate existential threats to society, the film pays brief lip service to those ideas before turning into a routine police procedural with predictable villains and a pre-ordained outcome. It never digs into what’s really wrong with the system in the film — A.I. almost comes out as the hero.
Bekmambetov has apparently shot the movie for IMAX, which makes the Screenlife presentation – a large chunk of the story is told through screens, phones, cams, and the like in an increasingly frenetic, cluttered fashion – an odd choice. The rest of the movie consists of extreme close-ups of either Pratt or Ferguson’s faces, making the whole thing seem even smaller. There is some excitement and suspense generated during a few sequences, but otherwise ‘Mercy’ never fully comes to life.
Chris Pratt is good at playing either lovable, action-oriented goofballs or everyman action heroes, but anything beyond that might be trouble. Chris Raven is supposed to be a decent cop brought down by the bottle and grief, but Pratt doesn’t quite have the gravitas to pull off what’s supposed to be a deeply flawed character. Nor can he portray anything complex with the camera stuck on his face for much of the running time. This isn’t a good role for him, and between this and last year’s woeful ‘The Electric State,’ he needs to recalibrate.
The best performance in ‘Mercy’ is from Rebecca Ferguson, whose piercing eyes and unnerving stillness actually make for quite an eerie simulation of artificial intelligence. There are moments when a strange smile slips across her face, and others where she goes creepily blank, that will have you believe you’re watching some form of sentience trying to imitate a human. The script lets her down too in the end, but she’s believable as an unknowable entity with the power of life and death.
The derivative nature of ‘Mercy’ and its claustrophobic use of the Screenlife aesthetic to tell its story would perhaps be alleviated if there was a story there worth telling. But the movie can’t even get its mixed messages straight. At a time when we’re seeing the very real damage that A.I. can do, ‘Mercy’ almost sidesteps that question entirely.
The simplistic ‘everyone makes mistakes’ theme doesn’t really hack it here, not with the complicated issues that the movie deals with only in the most superficial way. For a movie that touches on issues affecting us literally as this is being typed, ‘Mercy’ feels like it’s exploiting those same issues for a throwback to a less intelligent kind of sci-fi movie.
In the near future, a detective (Chris Pratt) stands on trial accused of murdering his wife. He has 90 minutes to prove his innocence to the advanced A.I. judge (Rebecca Ferguson) he once championed, before it determines his fate.
Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with Chris Pratt and Kali Reis about their work on ‘Mercy’, what fans can expect from the new movie, how Pratt shot his scenes with Ferguson, and Reis’ experience being directed by Timur Bekmambetov.
Moviefone: To begin with, Chris, what would you say to moviegoers sitting down right now to prepare them for the theatrical experience they are about to have?
Chris Pratt: Listen, I would say go pee before you see you sit down. There’s no moment in this movie that you’re going to be able to get up and leave. The minute it grabs you, it does not let go for the full 90 minutes. So, get your concessions, get your soda, get your popcorn, and get your 3D glasses ready. Turn your phone off and get ready for 90 straight minutes of sheer entertainment.
MF: Kali, is there anything you would like to add to that?
Kali Reis: That was the promo right there. The bathroom break is essential because if you must, there’s not one second because literally you will experience it in real time in those 90 minutes. There are no time jumps, time cuts or anything. So, you don’t want to miss a thing because there’s some key evidence in there. You want to be solving the crime with them, I would say.
MF: Chris, I understand that you and Rebecca Ferguson filmed your scenes separately on different soundstages and would often do 40 minute long takes. Can you talk about that and what it was like for you to work in that specific way?
CP: Well, yeah, that was some of the technical limitations of creating this Mercy chamber inside of what we call the volume, which in the filmmaking world is essentially a sound stage with LED walls and ceiling that are going to project the final image all around you of the set that you’re on. So, when we were shooting and moving the cameras around, there was no place for her to hide to have these conversations with me. So, she had to be on a different sound stage and far away that I couldn’t hear her other than through a microphone. Because I’m supposed to be looking up at this projected image of her, like an Orwellian face from ‘Nineteen Eighty-Four’ sitting in front of me. I’m having a conversation and defending my life with this entity. But we hadn’t shot that stuff yet, so I’m just looking at an eyeline up above me, and I’m hearing her voice in my ears. So that’s why we had to have that separation. Because of the limitations of my being confined, it also opened us up to be able to shoot long takes, because I wasn’t moving, and I wasn’t going from one set to the next. It was like a stage place, so we did incredibly long takes, and that was a new and exciting challenge.
MF: Finally, Kali, what was it like for you to work with director Timur Bekmambetov and watch the specific way that he executed his vision for this project?
KR: He had a very specific vision, and he’s so cool, and just nonchalant about this, but he’s very exact at what he wants. But he’s also very flexible. At one point, I think he had me hold the camera. He’s just so unique about the perspectives that he wants, but he’s the master at having the audience immersed in the actual experience, on top of having this 90-minute movie you experience. It was amazing to see how his mind works and what he was envisioning, and to see it come to life because there were so many different moving parts. There were drones with cameras in a volume stage. I’m on the squad copter but seeing where he wanted to go and how he had the editing process going while he was shooting was amazing to see because you don’t really know. I have a body camera on I’m holding an iPhone. I didn’t know what this is going to look like, but he knew, and I knew he knew because he was chilling. He always had this chill calm demeanor, and it was cool to work with him.
‘Mercy’ opens in theaters on January 23rd.
What is the plot of ‘Mercy’?
In 2029 Los Angeles, a detective (Chris Pratt) stands on trial accused of murdering his wife (Annabelle Wallis). He has 90 minutes to prove his innocence to the advanced AI judge (Rebecca Ferguson) he once championed, before it determines his fate.
‘The Super Mario Bros. Movie’ will open in theaters on April 7, 2023.
Preview:
‘The Super Mario Bros. Movie’ sequel has been confirmed as ‘The Super Mario Galaxy Movie’.
Chris Pratt, Anya Taylor-Joy and other original voice cast members will return.
The new movie is due April 3rd, 2026.
Back in 2023, ‘The Super Mario Bros. Movie’ opened to an impressive $146 million on Easter weekend, on its way to a huge $1.36 billion worldwide gross.
It was hardly a surprise then, when Universal, Illumination and Nintendo confirmed a sequel last year.
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Now, via an announcement from Illumination boss Chris Meledandri, we know what that sequel will be called: ‘The Super Mario Galaxy Movie’.
What was the story of ‘The Super Mario Bros. Movie’?
‘The Super Mario Bros. Movie’ will open in theaters on April 7, 2023.
While working underground to fix a water main, Brooklyn plumbers Mario (Chris Pratt) and brother Luigi (Charlie Day) are transported down a mysterious pipe and wander into a magical new world under threat from the powerful Bowser (Jack Black). But when the brothers are separated, Mario embarks on an epic quest to find Luigi.
With the assistance of a Mushroom Kingdom resident Toad (Keegan-Michael Key) and some training from the strong-willed ruler of the Mushroom Kingdom Princess Peach (Anya Taylor-Joy), Mario taps into his own power.
What’s the story of ‘The Super Mario Galaxy Movie’?
‘The Super Mario Bros. Movie’ will open in theaters on April 7, 2023.
There are no official details for the movie’s plot, but that title suggests it’ll draw in part from the ‘Super Mario Galaxy’ video game, promising a cosmic adventure for our hero and his friends.
The ‘Super Mario Galaxy’ game centers on the character of Rosalina, a space princess that Nintendo itself has said shares similarities with Princess Peach. Within the first Galaxy game, Rosalina’s backstory is revealed through pages of a storybook, with her journey through the stars explained as her searching for her long-lost parents.
Rosalina’s parentage is kept vague, with her mother pictured but kept largely obscured. But Nintendo is said to have once planned a more concrete backstory that linked Rosalina and the Mushroom Kingdom, with her being related to Princess Peach in some way.
We do know that the likes of Mario (Pratt), Princess Peach (Taylor-Joy), Luigi (Day), Bowser (Black), Toad (Key), and Kamek (Kevin Michael Richardson) will all be back for the sequel.
When will ‘The Super Mario Galaxy Movie’ be in theaters?
The movie will arrive on screens on the previously-confirmed date of April 3rd, 2026.
‘The Super Mario Bros. Movie’ will open in theaters on April 7, 2023.
Other Movies Similar to ‘The Super Mario Bros. Movie:’
It’s fair to say that the Marvel movies, specifically the Marvel Cinematic Universe releases, have reached “cultural event” status. And there’s a strong case to be made that the MCU is a currently a pop culture juggernaut, the likes of which we haven’t since the original ‘Star Wars‘ trilogy hit theaters for the first time.
It is a great time to watch the Marvel movies in order now and you can watch them all on Disney Plus in 4K format. You can even plan virtual Marvel movie nights with your friends using Disney+ GroupWatch feature.
(L to R) Chris Evans and Sebastian Stan in ‘Captain America: The First Avenger’. Photo: Marvel Studios.
During World War II, Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) is a sickly man from Brooklyn who’s transformed into super-soldier Captain America to aid in the war effort. Rogers must stop the Red Skull (Hugo Weaving) – Adolf Hitler’s ruthless head of weaponry, and the leader of an organization that intends to use a mysterious device of untold powers for world domination.
The story follows Carol Danvers (Brie Larson) as she becomes one of the universe’s most powerful heroes when Earth is caught in the middle of a galactic war between two alien races. Set in the 1990s, Captain Marvel is an all-new adventure from a previously unseen period in the history of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
After being held captive in an Afghan cave, billionaire engineer Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) creates a unique weaponized suit of armor to fight evil.
Scientist Bruce Banner (Edward Norton) scours the planet for an antidote to the unbridled force of rage within him: the Hulk. But when the military masterminds who dream of exploiting his powers force him back to civilization, he finds himself coming face to face with a new, deadly foe.
With the world now aware of his dual life as the armored superhero Iron Man, billionaire inventor Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) faces pressure from the government, the press and the public to share his technology with the military. Unwilling to let go of his invention, Stark, with Pepper Potts (Gwyneth Paltrow) and James ‘Rhodey’ Rhodes (Don Cheadle) at his side, must forge new alliances – and confront powerful enemies.
Against his father Odin’s (Anthony Hopkins) will, The Mighty Thor (Chris Hemsworth) – a powerful but arrogant warrior god – recklessly reignites an ancient war. Thor is cast down to Earth and forced to live among humans as punishment. Once here, Thor learns what it takes to be a true hero when the most dangerous villain of his world sends the darkest forces of Asgard to invade Earth.
When an unexpected enemy emerges and threatens global safety and security, Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson), director of the international peacekeeping agency known as S.H.I.E.L.D., finds himself in need of a team to pull the world back from the brink of disaster. Spanning the globe, a daring recruitment effort begins!
When Tony Stark’s (Robert Downey Jr.) world is torn apart by a formidable terrorist called the Mandarin, he starts an odyssey of rebuilding and retribution.
Thor fights to restore order across the cosmos… but an ancient race led by the vengeful Malekith (Christopher Eccleston) returns to plunge the universe back into darkness. Faced with an enemy that even Odin (Anthony Hopkins) and Asgard cannot withstand, Thor (Chris Hemsworth) must embark on his most perilous and personal journey yet, one that will reunite him with Jane Foster (Natalie Portman) and force him to sacrifice everything to save us all.
(L to R) Chris Evans and Scarlett Johansson in ‘Captain America: The Winter Soldier’. Photo: Marvel Studios.
After the cataclysmic events in New York with ‘The Avengers’, Steve Rogers (Chris Evans), aka Captain America is living quietly in Washington, D.C. and trying to adjust to the modern world. But when a S.H.I.E.L.D. colleague comes under attack, Steve becomes embroiled in a web of intrigue that threatens to put the world at risk. Joining forces with the Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson), Captain America struggles to expose the ever-widening conspiracy while fighting off professional assassins sent to silence him at every turn. When the full scope of the villainous plot is revealed, Captain America and the Black Widow enlist the help of a new ally, the Falcon (Anthony Mackie). However, they soon find themselves up against an unexpected and formidable enemy—the Winter Soldier.
Light years from Earth, 26 years after being abducted, Peter Quill (Chris Pratt) finds himself the prime target of a manhunt after discovering an orb wanted by Ronan the Accuser.
When Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) tries to jumpstart a dormant peacekeeping program, things go awry and Earth’s Mightiest Heroes are put to the ultimate test as the fate of the planet hangs in the balance. As the villainous Ultron (James Spader) emerges, it is up to The Avengers to stop him from enacting his terrible plans, and soon uneasy alliances and unexpected action pave the way for an epic and unique global adventure.
Armed with the astonishing ability to shrink in scale but increase in strength, master thief Scott Lang (Paul Rudd) must embrace his inner-hero and help his mentor, Doctor Hank Pym (Michael Douglas), protect the secret behind his spectacular Ant-Man suit from a new generation of towering threats. Against seemingly insurmountable obstacles, Pym and Lang must plan and pull off a heist that will save the world.
Following the events of ‘Age of Ultron’, the collective governments of the world pass an act designed to regulate all superhuman activity. This polarizes opinion amongst the Avengers, causing two factions to side with Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.) or Captain America (Chris Evans), which causes an epic battle between former allies.
Natasha Romanoff (Scarlett Johansson) aka Black Widow confronts the darker parts of her ledger when a dangerous conspiracy with ties to her past arises. Pursued by a force that will stop at nothing to bring her down, Natasha must deal with her history as a spy and the broken relationships left in her wake long before she became an Avenger.
Following the events of ‘Captain America: Civil War’, Peter Parker (Tom Holland), with the help of his mentor Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.), tries to balance his life as an ordinary high school student in Queens, New York City, with fighting crime as his superhero alter ego Spider-Man as a new threat, the Vulture (Michael Keaton), emerges.
Chadwick Boseman as T’Challa / Black Panther in 2018’s ‘Black Panther.’
King T’Challa (Chadwick Boseman) returns home to the reclusive, technologically advanced African nation of Wakanda to serve as his country’s new leader. However, T’Challa soon finds that he is challenged for the throne by factions within his own country as well as without. Using powers reserved to Wakandan kings, T’Challa assumes the Black Panther mantle to join with ex-girlfriend Nakia (Lupita Nyong’o), the queen-mother, his princess-kid sister, members of the Dora Milaje (the Wakandan ‘special forces’) and an American secret agent, to prevent Wakanda from being dragged into a world war.
After his career is destroyed, a brilliant but arrogant surgeon (Benedict Cumberbatch) gets a new lease on life when a sorcerer takes him under her wing and trains him to defend the world against evil.
Thor (Chris Hemsworth) is imprisoned on the other side of the universe and finds himself in a race against time to get back to Asgard to stop Ragnarok, the destruction of his home-world and the end of Asgardian civilization, at the hands of a powerful new threat, the ruthless Hela (Cate Blanchett).
Just when his time under house arrest is about to end, Scott Lang (Paul Rudd) once again puts his freedom at risk to help Hope van Dyne (Evangeline Lilly) and Dr. Hank Pym (Michael Douglas) dive into the quantum realm and try to accomplish, against time and any chance of success, a very dangerous rescue mission.
As the Avengers and their allies have continued to protect the world from threats too large for any one hero to handle, a new danger has emerged from the cosmic shadows: Thanos (Josh Brolin). A despot of intergalactic infamy, his goal is to collect all six Infinity Stones, artifacts of unimaginable power, and use them to inflict his twisted will on all of reality. Everything the Avengers have fought for has led up to this moment – the fate of Earth and existence itself has never been more uncertain.
After the devastating events of Avengers: Infinity War, the universe is in ruins due to the efforts of the Mad Titan, Thanos (Josh Brolin). With the help of remaining allies, the Avengers must assemble once more in order to undo Thanos’ actions and restore order to the universe once and for all, no matter what consequences may be in store.
Shang-Chi (Simu Liu) must confront the past he thought he left behind when he is drawn into the web of the mysterious Ten Rings organization and his father, Xu Wenwu (Tony Leung).
Peter Parker (Tom Holland) and his friends go on a summer trip to Europe. However, they will hardly be able to rest – Peter will have to agree to help Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) uncover the mystery of creatures that cause natural disasters and destruction throughout the continent.
Tom Holland in ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home.’ Photo: Marvel Studios.
Peter Parker (Tom Holland) is unmasked and no longer able to separate his normal life from the high-stakes of being a super-hero. When he asks for help from Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) the stakes become even more dangerous, forcing him to discover what it truly means to be Spider-Man. Teaming with other Multiverse Spider-Men (Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield), they must now work together to take out the Green Goblin (Willem Dafoe), Doctor Octopus (Alfred Molina), Electro (Jamie Foxx) and other Spider-Man villains from around the multiverse.
The Eternals are a team of ancient aliens who have been living on Earth in secret for thousands of years. When an unexpected tragedy forces them out of the shadows, they are forced to reunite against mankind’s most ancient enemy, the Deviants.
Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch), with the help of mystical allies both old and new, traverses the mind-bending and dangerous alternate realities of the Multiverse to confront a mysterious new adversary.
After his retirement is interrupted by Gorr the God Butcher (Christian Bale), a galactic killer who seeks the extinction of the gods, Thor Odinson (Chris Hemsworth) enlists the help of King Valkyrie (Tessa Thompson), Korg, and ex-girlfriend Jane Foster (Natalie Portman), who now wields Mjolnir as the Mighty Thor. Together they embark upon a harrowing cosmic adventure to uncover the mystery of the God Butcher’s vengeance and stop him before it’s too late.
On a dark and somber night, a secret cabal of monster hunters emerge from the shadows and gather at the foreboding Bloodstone Temple following the death of their leader. In a strange and macabre memorial to the leader’s life, the attendees are thrust into a mysterious and deadly competition for a powerful relic—a hunt that will ultimately bring them face to face with a dangerous monster.
Queen Ramonda (Angela Bassett), Shuri (Letitia Wright), M’Baku (Winston Duke), Okoye (Danai Gurira) and the Dora Milaje fight to protect their nation from intervening world powers in the wake of King T’Challa’s (Chadwick Boseman) death. As the Wakandans strive to embrace their next chapter, the heroes must band together with the help of War Dog Nakia (Lupita Nyong’o) and Everett Ross (Martin Freeman) and forge a new path for the kingdom of Wakanda.
On a mission to make Christmas unforgettable for Peter Quill (Chris Pratt), the Guardians head to Earth in search of the perfect present. The special follows Drax the Destroyer (Dave Bautista) and Mantis (Pom Klementieff) as they set out to give Quill the best Christmas ever, after discovering that Yondu (Michael Rooker) ruined the holiday for him as a child.
Peter Quill (Chris Pratt), still reeling from the loss of Gamora (Zoe Saldaña), must rally his team around him to defend the universe along with protecting one of their own. A mission that, if not completed successfully, could quite possibly lead to the end of the Guardians as we know them.
Super-Hero partners Scott Lang (Paul Rudd) and Hope van Dyne (Evangeline Lilly), along with with Hope’s parents Janet van Dyne (Michelle Pfeiffer) and Hank Pym (Michael Douglas) , and Scott’s daughter Cassie Lang (Kathryn Newton), find themselves exploring the Quantum Realm, interacting with strange new creatures and embarking on an adventure that will push them beyond the limits of what they thought possible and pits them against Kang the Conqueror (Jonathan Majors).
Carol Danvers (Brie Larson), aka Captain Marvel, has reclaimed her identity from the tyrannical Kree and taken revenge on the Supreme Intelligence. But unintended consequences see Carol shouldering the burden of a destabilized universe. When her duties send her to an anomalous wormhole linked to a Kree revolutionary, her powers become entangled with that of Jersey City super-fan Kamala Khan (Iman Vellani), aka Ms. Marvel, and Carol’s estranged niece, now S.A.B.E.R. astronaut Captain Monica Rambeau (Teyonah Parris). Together, this unlikely trio must team up and learn to work in concert to save the universe.
After meeting with newly elected U.S. President Thaddeus Ross (Harrison Ford), Sam (Anthony Mackie) finds himself in the middle of an international incident. He must discover the reason behind a nefarious global plot before the true mastermind has the entire world seeing red.
After finding themselves ensnared in a death trap, seven disillusioned castoffs must embark on a dangerous mission that will force them to confront the darkest corners of their pasts.
Against the vibrant backdrop of a 1960s-inspired, retro-futuristic world, Marvel’s First Family is forced to balance their roles as heroes with the strength of their family bond, while defending Earth from a ravenous space god called Galactus (Ralph Ineson) and his enigmatic Herald, Silver Surfer (Julia Garner).
Chris Pratt will return to voice Garfield for a sequel to ‘The Garfield Movie’.
The 2024 movie made more than $257 million worldwide last year.
There are no details on who will write or direct the sequel yet.
Lasagna-scoffing feline Garfield has been a pop culture fixture for nearly 50 years by now, with Jim Davis’ iconic character adapted various times for screens big and small.
The most recent version, last year’s animated outing ‘The Garfield Movie’, was a success, so it should surprise absolutely no one to learn that a sequel is now in development via producers Alcon Entertainment.
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While there is little to truly report about this one yet –– according to Deadline, no writer or director has made a deal to craft it at this point –– but we do know that Chris Pratt, who lent his vocal tones to the main character, will be officially back in the recording booth for the new one.
Garfield (Pratt), the world-famously lazy, Monday-hating indoor cat, is about to have a wild outdoor adventure.
After an unexpected reunion with his long-lost father – scruffy street cat Vic (Samuel L. Jackson) – Garfield and his canine friend Odie (Harvey Guillén) are forced from their perfectly pampered life into joining Vic in a hilarious, high-stakes heist.
Reviews for the movie weren’t particularly positive, but audiences embraced it, with a worldwide box office haul of more than $257 million.
And there is still plenty of source material to be mined: the original ‘Garfield’ comic strip debuted in June 1978, appearing in 41 newspapers, but its success and immediate popularity made it one of the fastest-growing comic strips of all time, ultimately appearing in 2,580 newspapers and journals, with an estimated readership of 260 million.
‘Garfield’ currently holds the record for being the most widely syndicated comic strip in the world.
What we don’t yet know on the sequel front is whether any of the original creative team (or other cast) will be back; it’s early days on this one.
When will ‘The Garfield Movie’ sequel be in theaters?
While this is the sort of movie you expect to see racing to meet a release date that was set well in advance, it looks like Alcon and Sony are taking a slower approach on this one, with no date in place just yet.
Probably a smart move given the lack of writer or director in place just yet.
(L to R) Luna Blaise and the T-Rex in ‘Jurassic World Rebirth’, directed by Gareth Edwards. Photo: Universal Pictures.
Everyone loves dinosaurs!!!
Based on author Michael Crichton‘s book ‘Jurassic Park’ and beginning with director Steven Spielberg‘s classic 1993 movie, the ‘Jurassic Park‘ and subsequently the ‘Jurassic World‘ series of movies have become one of the top 15 highest grossing franchises of all time earning just over $6 billion worldwide, not to mention spawning countless animated TV shows and specials.
‘LEGO Jurassic World: The Secret Exhibit’. Photo: NBC.
It’s 2012, and Simon Masrani (Dhirendra) has an idea for a new attraction that is guaranteed to keep Jurassic World at the forefront of theme park entertainment. It’s the greatest thing since the discovery of dinosaurs, but in order for it to succeed, he needs his right-hand, can-do problem solver, Claire Dearing (Britt McKillip), to get a trio of dinosaurs across the park to the new, super-secret exhibit. Reluctantly teaming up with newcomer Owen Grady (Ian Hanlin), the animal behaviorist she hired sight unseen to deliver the dinosaurs, the duo sets out on a fun-filled adventure across the island. Unfortunately, delivering the dinosaurs to the new attraction is not as easy as they thought.
‘LEGO Jurassic Park the Unofficial Retelling’. Photo: NBC.
After finding his journal, Chaos Mathematician Dr. Ian Malcolm (Bradley Duffy) recalls the mishaps and mayhem from 30 years ago about the island amusement park filled with prehistoric dinosaurs who escape and run amok…
‘LEGO Jurassic World: Legend of Isla Nublar’. Photo: Nickelodeon.
Set in 2012, three years before the ‘Jurassic World’ movie, Owen Grady (Ian Hanlin) and Claire Dearing (Britt McKillip) team up on Isla Nublar to deal with everything the Jurassic World park throws their way, including a mysterious saboteur who wants to destroy the park forever!
‘Jurassic World Camp Cretaceous: Hidden Adventures’. Photo: Netflix.
After a big storm, food is scarce — and hungry dinos are everywhere. It’s up to you to help the Camp Fam survive in this thrilling interactive special.
The Camp Cretaceous gang comes together to unravel a mystery when they discover a global conspiracy that brings danger to dinosaurs — and to themselves.
(L to R) Bryce Dallas Howard and Chris Pratt in 2018’s ‘Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom.’ Photo: Universal Pictures.
Three years after Jurassic World was destroyed, Isla Nublar now sits abandoned. When the island’s dormant volcano begins roaring to life, Owen (Chris Pratt) and Claire (Bryce Dallas Howard) mount a campaign to rescue the remaining dinosaurs from this extinction-level event.
(from left) Dr. Ian Malcolm (Jeff Goldblum), Dr. Alan Grant (Sam Neill), Dr. Ellie Sattler (Laura Dern), Claire Dearing (Bryce Dallas Howard), Owen Grady (Chris Pratt), Maisie Lockwood (Isabella Sermon) and Kayla Watts (DeWanda Wise) in Jurassic World Dominion, co-written and directed by Colin Trevorrow.
Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard star as Owen Grady and Claire Dearing and are joined by Academy Award® winner Laura Dern, Sam Neill and Jeff Goldblum, who reprise their roles as Dr. Ellie Sattler, Dr. Alan Grant and Dr. Ian Malcolm.
Scarlett Johansson as skilled covert operations expert Zora Bennett in ‘Jurassic World Rebirth’, directed by Gareth Edwards. Photo: Universal Pictures.
Five years after the events of ‘Jurassic World Dominion’, covert operations expert Zora Bennett (Scarlett Johansson) is contracted to lead a skilled team on a top-secret mission to secure genetic material from the world’s three most massive dinosaurs. When Zora’s operation intersects with a civilian family whose boating expedition was capsized, they all find themselves stranded on an island where they come face-to-face with a sinister, shocking discovery that’s been hidden from the world for decades.
William H. Macy in ‘Jurassic Park III’. Photo: Universal Pictures.
In need of funds for research, Dr. Alan Grant (Sam Neill) accepts a large sum of money to accompany Paul (William H. Macy) and Amanda Kirby (Téa Leoni) on an aerial tour of the infamous Isla Sorna. It isn’t long before all hell breaks loose and the stranded wayfarers must fight for survival as a host of new — and even more deadly — dinosaurs try to make snacks of them.
(L to R) Bryce Dallas Howard, Chris Pratt, Nick Robinson and Ty Simpkins in 2015’s ‘Jurassic World.’ Photo: Universal Pictures.
Twenty-two years after the events of ‘Jurassic Park’, Isla Nublar now features a fully functioning dinosaur theme park, Jurassic World, as originally envisioned by John Hammond (Richard Attenborough).
Julianne Moore in ‘The Lost World: Jurassic Park’. Photo: Universal Pictures.
Four years after Jurassic Park’s genetically bred dinosaurs ran amok, multimillionaire John Hammond (Richard Attenborough) shocks chaos theorist Ian Malcolm (Jeff Goldblum) by revealing that he has been breeding more beasties at a secret location. Malcolm, his paleontologist ladylove (Julianne Moore) and a wildlife videographer (Vince Vaughn) join an expedition to document the lethal lizards’ natural behavior in this action-packed thriller.
Jeff Goldblum as Dr. Ian Malcolm in director Steven Spielberg’s ‘Jurassic Park.’
A wealthy entrepreneur (Richard Attenborough) secretly creates a theme park featuring living dinosaurs drawn from prehistoric DNA. Before opening day, he invites a team of experts and his two eager grandchildren to experience the park and help calm anxious investors. However, the park is anything but amusing as the security systems go off-line and the dinosaurs escape.
(L to R) Ben Affleck, Cynthia Addai-Robinson, Daniella Pineda and Jon Berthal at the Amazon/MGM presentation at CinemaCon 2025 in Las Vegas.Photo: Amazon/MGM.
Preview:
‘Project Hail Mary’ and more were showcased at Amazon MGM’s CinemaCon presentation.
There was news of ‘Masters of the Universe’ and Luca Guadagno’s latest.
Ryan Gosling, Ben Affleck and more showed up to support their movies.
Amazon has popped up at CinemaCon a couple of times in the past, but usually partnered with one of the big theatrical studios. But as Amazon MGM Studios plans to hugely expand its cinematic footprint (having also joined the Motion Picture Association), it is also making its big, proper debut at the movie trade show.
Given the recent giant news about Amazon gaining full control of the Bond franchise, there was plenty of expectation of some announcement about that, though even with the hiring of producers Amy Pascal and David Heyman to oversee the company’s plans, unless the deal to bring them in was sealed a lot earlier than reported, was it likely that we’d have anything beyond the company touting the new arrangement?
It was an unusually late schedule time-wise, presumably because the likes of Sony, Warners, Disney and co. had snapped up the prime spots. But as a statement of intent from the new kid on the block, it had to deliver.
It’s another tale of a reluctant astronaut, this one played by Ryan Gosling, who has to try and save the Earth. The presentation kicked off with the impressive first teaser for the sci-fi movie. Set to Harry Styles’ ‘Sign of the Times,’ it looks very different to other Lord/Miller movies, but also great.
Gosling plays a schoolteacher recruited by Sandra Huller to save the planet, which is threatened by a dying sun. “You want the right stuff. I’ve got the wrong stuff! I put the NOT in astronaut. I can’t even moonwalk!” he claims amusingly (it’s even funnier coming from the man who played Neil Armstrong in ‘First Man.’)
Mike Hopkins, Head of Prime Video and Amazon MGM Studios took the stage to announce that the company is committed to theatrical releases, with 14 working titles being readied for next year and 15 planned for 2027. They’re apparently ahead of schedule.
And the ‘Project Hail Mary’ team –– Lord, Miller and Gosling –– arrived on stage to caution the crowd that all the footage was work in progress, with Gosling singling cinematographer Greig Fraser (who also worked on the ‘Dune’ movies) out for particular praise.
Lord and Miller explained how much of themselves they poured into the movie, the biggest project they’ve ever worked on.
Gosling: “This is why we go to the movies, and I’m not just saying it because I’m in it. I’m ALSO a producer on this movie.”
Says Miller:
“Thank you for seeing movies on the big screen with the most weird and disturbing popcorn buckets imaginable.” Can’t wait to see their ‘Hail Mary’ bucket…
‘Project Hail Mary Blasts’ off in theaters on March 20th, 2026.
‘The Thomas Crown Affair’ apparently “has a few unexpected, modern twists.” Bradford Young is the cinematographer on the movie, and ‘Black Panther’s Ruth E. Carter will handle the costumes.
‘Verity,’ meanwhile, had a teaser to show, featuring the song ‘Fade Into You’ by Mazzy Star, and introduced by a fun video by the cast.
‘Verity’ has a May15th, 2026 release date set, while ‘Thomas Crown’ is too early in the process to score its own slot yet.
The latest drama from the prolific Luca Guadagnino stars Julia Roberts and Andrew Garfield and follows a professor whose career is derailed by scandal. Andrew Garfield’s character is accused of assaulting Ayo Edebiri’s, and it becomes major news after Julia Roberts’ character, an attorney, takes on his case.
Edebiri and Garfield showed up on stage with Guadagnino, and Garfield praised his director, who he said he’d wanted to work with for 15 years.
The first footage from the movie was screened for the audience via a trailer.
‘After The Hunt’ will head to theaters on October 17th.
The new Chris Pratt sci-fi pic ‘Mercy’ was the next to be spotlighted, with the first footage of the movie, directed by Timur Bekmambetov.
It’s a blend of courtroom drama and action where an AI program serves as the judge, jury, and executioner. Pratt has 90 minutes to prove he didn’t kill his wife, using all technology available.
Since the trailer introduces the audiences to a high-tech chair where Pratt’s character is confined, what better way to promote than by having Pratt in said chair on stage for the presentation, jokingly forced to say a proper thank you to the assembled exhibitors, lest he had to Uber home.
Co-starring Rebecca Ferguson, the film will be in cinemas on January 23rd, 2026.
Lest you start checking again whether we’ve turned the clock back to April Fool’s Day, this is in fact a very real movie, directed by ‘Despicable Me’ veteran Kyle Balda, and is a live-action murder mystery where the detectives are sheep.
Director Layton, who says that from the very beginning, this movie was written, imagined, planned and dreamed for the big screen, is joined by Hemsworth and Berry on stage to introduce a trailer.
Layton also says he wrote Keoghan’s part as a dirt bike-riding maniac especially for him.
Hemsworth added that they wanted to make a gripping and thought provoking thriller that really captures L.A.
Director Aleshea Harris makes her cinematic debut with an adaptation of her play.
Vivica A. Fox took the stage with some of the other cast to show a trailer.
It’s the story of two little girls and their mother who were the victims of an arson attack at the hands of their father (Sterling K. Brown). Their mother’s dying wish? That the two girls, now adults, kill their father.
After that, head of film Courtenay Valenti and marketing chief Sue Kroll were introduced to extoll the company’s commitment to theatrical and that it is ramping up more productions from the Orion and United Artists.
From there, it was back to film promotion with…
Daniel Craig as James Bond in ‘Casino Royale.’
Bond! But there isn’t very much to tell yet (as we guessed), with more of a mention that chosen producers Amy Pascal and David Heyman are getting down to work in London to figure out next steps.
“(We are) committed to honoring the legacy of Bond while bringing a fresh take.”
With the movie finally in production after years in development limbo, a behind-the-scenes featurette screened, which included a lot of work-in-progress props, and some sound bites from the powers that be promising a movie that is loyal to the cartoon and the toys.
Director Travis Knight gushed about having wanted to make this movie for years, adding:
“I have been a fan of Masters of the Universe pretty much my entire life. It was something I lived and breathed. I had the toys. I even had a He-Man haircut.”
‘Masters of the Universe’ will be on screens on June 5th, 2026.
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Headed our way more imminently (as in, a couple of weeks) is…
(L to R) Ben Affleck, Cynthia Addai-Robinson, Gavin O’Connor, Daniella Pineda a and Jon Berthal at the Amazon/MGM presentation at CinemaCon 2025 in Las Vegas.Photo: Amazon/MGM.
Affleck, Bernthal, Cynthia Addai Robinson and O’Connor were there to present an extended trailer for the action movie, which indicates that this sequel leans into the buddy comedy interplay between the brothers played by Affleck and Bernthal. While the trailer’s humor worked, the scripted banter on stage left something to the imagination, though it wasn’t really the fault of the cast.
‘The Accountant 2’ shoots for screens on April 25th
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Amazon MGM Studios’ presentation wrapped up with much talk of the past, present and future for the company’s ambitions –– and the assembled talent from their projects taking a selfie.
