Moviefone Editorial

Tag: james-mangold

  • Reynolds and Jackman Answer ‘Deadpool 3’ Wolverine Questions

    Ryan Reynolds knows a thing or two about setting the internet on fire. He and his marketing team have proved time and again that they’ll cannily drop videos to advertise everything from his gin company to his mobile phone company that get people talking.

    And when you combine that with the firepower of not only the next ‘Deadpool’ movie, but also an announcement that Hugh Jackman will be returning as Wolverine for the film, you’ve got a blaze worthy of a gasoline explosion in a fireworks factory.

    That’s what happened yesterday when Reynolds posted a video to his social media that initially seems to be just an update about ‘Deadpool 3’. “I’ve had to really search my soul on this one,” Reynolds says. “His first appearance in the MCU obviously needs to feel special. We need to stay true to the character, find new depth, motivation, meaning. Every ‘Deadpool’ needs to stand out and stand apart. It’s been an incredible challenge that has forced me to reach down deep inside. And I… I have nothing. Yeah, just completely empty up here. And terrifying. But we did have one idea.”

    Cue the random appearance of Jackman (who wanders into frame behind Reynolds, munching on an apple). Asked if he wants to play Wolverine again, Jackman casually answers, “yeah, sure Ryan.” Boom.

    Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman discuss Marvel Studios' 'Deadpool 3.'
    (L to R) Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman discuss Marvel Studios’ ‘Deadpool 3.’ Photo courtesy of Ryan Reynolds YouTube channel.

    With a logo and a release date announcement (September 6th, 2024) you have all the makings of a sensation.

    Response to the original was, naturally, all over the spectrum, with obvious delight, major concern and the now-typical criticism.

    James Mangold, the co-writer/director of ‘Logan’ had his own reaction, hitting twitter with a loop of Jackman’s character in repeated agony. He followed it up to assure fans that he harbored no ill will towards the idea of Wolverine in a ‘Deadpool’ film, insisting he was kidding.

    And if we’re honest, the man behind the next ‘Indiana Jones’ movie really doesn’t have anything to worry about… besides, you know, continuing one of the most famous franchises in cinematic history.

    There was, of course, some natural concern that the new movie might somehow undercut Wolverine’s heroic death in Mangold’s 2017 film.

    So Reynolds and Jackman showed up in a new video today, promising to answer questions fans might have. We got one serious answer, at least…“‘Logan’ takes place in 2029, totally separate thing,” Reynolds says. “Logan died in ‘Logan’. Not touching that.”

    As for what happens in ‘Deadpool 3’? Well, you can see for yourself, but suffice to say, when the audio drops out, replaced by Wham’s ‘Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go’ and the two actors pantomiming what looks like a big fight between the Deadpool and Wolverine (expect those with lip-reading skills to break down what they’re saying, though we predict it’s nonsense).

    Finally, they thank Marvel, and Kevin Feige and wrap up with a photo montage of the performers together through the years.

    ‘Deadpool 3’ is still largely a mystery for now – besides Jackman’s presence, we know that Shawn Levy is directing and that it’ll be out in September 2024. Perhaps Reynolds will be kind enough to share more videos in future – the question is, how many will just be a giant joke?

    Hugh Jackman will return as Wolverine in Marvel Studios' 'Deadpool 3.'
    Hugh Jackman will return as Wolverine in Marvel Studios’ ‘Deadpool 3.’
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  • Chris Pratt Says He Won’t Play Indiana Jones

    Chris Pratt in Prime Video’s ‘The Terminal List’
    Chris Pratt in Prime Video’s ‘The Terminal List’

    There was a time when Chris Pratt was rumored to be taking on a wide variety of roles.

    That time was during his peak career moment, around the first ‘Guardians of the Galaxy’ movie and ‘Jurassic World’, where he’d successfully made the leap from character actor and TV sitcom star to bona fide action hero.

    One of the biggest rumors was a Deadline story that had Pratt under consideration by Disney to take over playing Indiana Jones were Harrison Ford to decide he didn’t want the job going forward. The rumors persisted, though cooled off more recently after Pratt’s clout began to wane slightly.

    Add to that, the general reaction online to anyone – but Pratt in particular – picking up the whip was negative, which probably didn’t help move anything along.

    Now, in an interview on Josh Horowitz’s Happy Sad Confused podcast, Pratt has shot down the idea of playing Indy – but for an unexpected reason.

    Asked about the concept, Pratt initially brushed it off with a joke about never having talked to one of the main people who would be making the decision as to the next fedora wearing hero.

    “I don’t even know who Steven Spielberg is. Who? Steven Who?” laughed the actor. “No, aren’t they doing Indiana Jones with Harrison Ford?” (Given his role in the ‘Jurassic’ movies, we’re fairly sure he has Spielberg’s phone number, since the latter is one of the producers).

    Harrison Ford as Indiana Jones in 'Raiders of the Lost Ark.'
    Harrison Ford as Indiana Jones in ‘Raiders of the Lost Ark.’

    “All I know,” Pratt adds, “is once I saw a quote from Harrison Ford and I don’t even know if it was really him but it was enough to scare me, that was like, ‘When I die, Indiana Jones dies.’ And I’m like, am I gonna get haunted by the ghost of Harrison Ford one day when he dies if I play… ?”

    Ford – who just turned 80 this week – is still going strong, so Pratt seems not to have to worry too much about that for the moment. Though we have seen him in ‘Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker’ as a Force Ghost, so perhaps there’s something to this.

    And Ford, of course (with the help of a stunt team and other filmmaking techniques) is still playing Dr. Jones – the next ‘Indiana Jones’ film, the fifth in the franchise has wrapped shooting.

    The first not to be directed by Steven Spielberg, the new movie is in fact from James Mangold.

    Much about the next movie is still unknown, including the adventure that Indy will be going on, or what it’ll even be titled. Still, we do at least have confirmation that legendary composer John Williams is writing the score again.

    And the cast around Ford includes Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Mads Mikkelsen, Thomas Kretschmann, Boyd Holbrook, Antonio Banderas and Toby Jones.

    Whatever it ends up being called, the next ‘Indiana Jones’ movie will be in theaters on June 30th next year.

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  • Explosive First Trailer For ‘Ford v Ferrari’ Is Fast and Furious

    Explosive First Trailer For ‘Ford v Ferrari’ Is Fast and Furious

    20th Century Fox

    The first trailer for the James Mangold-directed “Ford v. Ferrari” is here and it’s got all the speed, machismo and explosions you might hope for. For an Oscar-caliber-type movie, that is.

    Matt Damon plays  visionary American car designer Carroll Shelby, who is approached by Ford exec Lee Iacocca (Jon Bernthal) to build a car that can beat Italian racing legend Enzo Ferrrari’s cars at Le Mans in France in 1966.

    Christian Bale is hotheaded British driver Ken Miles, who isn’t exactly on board the project at first. If you ever wanted to see a movie where Bale punches Damon in the face, here you go.

    Borrowing a page from Martin Scorsese, the trailer is scored to The Rolling Stones classic “Gimme Shelter” (which, by the way, is from 1969).

    Great lines include Tracy Letts (as Henry Ford II) telling Damon “Go to war,” and Damon announcing, “We’re gonna make history.”

    “Ford v Ferrari” opens November 15.

  • Matt Damon and Christian Bale Ready to Rev in First ‘Ford v Ferrari’ Poster, Photos

    Matt Damon and Christian Bale Ready to Rev in First ‘Ford v Ferrari’ Poster, Photos

    20th Century Fox

    Enjoy the first photos and poster of “Ford v. Ferrari,” the real-life race car drama from “Walk the Line” director James Mangold starring Matt Damon and Christian Bale.

    20th Century Fox also announced that the first trailer for the movie will debut Sunday night during Game 2 of the NBA Finals.

    The story is set during the 1966’s “24 Hours of Le Mans” race in France: Damon stars as American car designer Carroll Shelby who is tasked by Henry Ford himself to build a revolutionary car that could defeat Ferrari in the famous race. Bale plays fearless British racer Ken Miles, who’s behind the wheel of the newly designed car.

    A film about Shelby and Miles has been in the works for years, with Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt at one point attached to star. (Sorry, Cruise fans, you’ll just have to go rewatch “Days of Thunder.”)

    “Ford v Ferrari” was initially set for a summer release, but Fox (which is now owned by Disney) pushed the film to a more awards-friendly November 15.

    We imagine the race will also be between which actor gets more screen time, and who is positioned for Lead vs. Supporting Actor.

    20th Century Fox
    20th Century Fox
    20th Century Fox

    [Via Collider]

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  • Star Wars Boba Fett Movie In Development From ‘Logan’ Director

    Lucasfilm and Disney are hard at work on multiple Star Wars project, and the latest to join the list is yet another spinoff.

    The new film in the works centers on Boba Fett, THR reports. The bounty hunter — a clone of Jango Fett — was first introduced in the original trilogy. In “Episode V — The Empire Strikes Back” and “Episode VI — Return of the Jedi,” he worked under Darth Vader and Jabba the Hutt. The character later was part of “Episode II — Attack of the Clones,” the TV series “Star Wars: The Clone Wars,” as well as numerous comic books, video games, and more.

    Lucasfilm and Disney have tapped “Logan” director James Mangold to both write and direct the standalone movie. He has a number of high-profile films on his resume, including “Walk the Line” and “Girl, Interrupted.” The Boba Fett project would, of course, be another.

    The cloned bounty hunter is in good company when it comes to Star Wars universe characters set to be featured in their own film. Han Solo’s smuggling days are the focus of the forthcoming “Solo: A Star Wars Story,” and there is an Obi-Wan Kenobi movie currently in development.

    [via: THR]

  • Christian Bale & Matt Damon ‘Ford vs. Ferrari’ Movie Adds Two More Stars

    Tell us Christian Bale and Matt Damon are in a “Ford vs. Ferrari” movie and you’ve already done your job. We’re in.

    Tell us Outlander” lead goddess Caitriona Balfe and “A Quiet Place” breakout star Noah Jupe to the stellar cast.

    The movie doesn’t actually have an official title yet — although they really should just stick with “Ford vs. Ferrari,” since it sells it pretty well. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the film follows Ford’s quest to beat Ferrari as the top maker of race cars.

    It sounds like the stars are on Team Ford. Matt Damon plays Carroll Shelby, described as “the eccentric engineer who designs from scratch the Ford GT 40, the car that just may win the 1966 Le Mans race.” Christian Bale plays Ken Miles, “the hotshot British racer who drives it.” Caitriona Balfe plays Miles’ wife, who is also an accomplished driver herself, with Noah Jupe as Miles’ son, who is worried about the dangers his dad faces on the track.

    Based on that description, it’s hard to say if we’ll definitely be getting the highbrow “Fast and Furious” currently in our heads. But fingers crossed.

    THR says the movie will film this summer. There’s no release date yet from Fox. Stay tuned for more cast and premiere details.

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  • ‘Logan’ Director Originally Planned Brutal, Tragic Opening Sequence

    There was no escaping tragedy in “Logan,” but believe it or not, there was almost even more of it.

    Director James Mangold recently opened up to IGN about the Hugh Jackman-staring film, and he revealed that an earlier version of its opening kicked off with a number of deaths. (If you haven’t seen “Logan” yet, there are spoilers ahead!) Instead of letting it come out subtly that Professor X (Patrick Stewart) accidentally caused multiple X-Men to die, the film was going to actually show their demises.

    “I literally had written an opening which started with that sequence,” Mangold told IGN. “And so it was quite literal, who was dead.”

    In later drafts, however, the scenes were changed because Mangold felt the opening “redefined the movie” in a way he didn’t want it to.

    “It made the movie about the X-Men, instead of being about Logan and Charles,” he said. “And irrevocably, when you read the script opening that way, it became about this other tragedy, as opposed to that tragedy being something hovering like a shadow in the background for these characters.”

    There were other benefits to the change, too. Killing members of the X-Men on-camera would have made it clear which of the mutants died. By having it happen off-camera, Mangold didn’t have to “nail … down” exactly what happened. Since there are bound to be more films in the franchise, the creative leeway could prove helpful.

    And let’s be honest: We couldn’t have dealt with much more emotional upheaval. Mangold’s goal may not have been to go easier on us, but we’re glad he did.

    [via: IGN]

  • Why Patrick Stewart Enjoyed Playing a Sick, Unstable Professor X in Logan

    Patrick Stewart from Logan
    Patrick Stewart from Logan

    Why Patrick Stewart Loved Playing an Unstable Professor X in Logan

    The final Wolverine movie has Patrick Stewart’s Charles “Professor X” Xavier at his worst — and the actor couldn’t be happier.

    “When we meet Charles in this episode of the X-Men he is fragmenting, seriously falling apart, not only at risk to himself but a massive risk to others,” the “Logan” star tells Made in Hollywood reporter Damaris Diaz. “There is an instability in his mind which can create mayhem in the outside world, serious mayhem. That was intriguing because there was 17 years of being the calm, controlled intellectual that was Charles Xavier. Then to explore what would happen if this person would disintegrate is the kind of thing that actors just relish.”

    Patrick Stewart Almost Turned Down Professor X Role

    Playing Professor X has been a long cinematic journey that Stewart nearly didn’t make. “I almost said no to the role,” he says. “In fact, for a moment I think I did say no. But lunch with (director) Bryan Singer persuaded me that I was wrong for doing that. Thank you, Bryan Singer.”

    Also influential was an office meeting with “X-Men” franchise producer Lauren Shuler Donner.

    “I pushed the door open and and she picked something off her desk and held it up in front of her, and I said, ‘Why are you showing me on the front cover of a comic?’ And she said, ‘Exactly!’” he recalls. “That’s how it began: with a vote of confidence from our producer.”

    Taking the role was a decision he would never regret.

    “I have loved the experience of the companionship that I have found with my colleagues on this project, ranging from getting to know actors who I had admired for a long time better — Halle Berry, Anna Paquin, James Marsden — and finally becoming close, deep friends with a man who I had admired at close range for a long time, Ian McKellen,” he says. “It was only because we spent so many hours in our adjoining trailers during the long times that you wait for the cameras to roll that he and I found out we had much in common and that this developed not into a serious friendship, but also a collaboration. I had just finished six months on stage with Ian in London.”

    The pair starred in Harold Pinter’s comic classic “No Man’s Land” on the West End.

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  • ‘Logan’s’ Original Opening Scene Would Have Broken Your Brain

    [SPOILERS AHEAD. Big ones. So don’t read any further if you have yet to see the movie.]

    “Logan” is, hands-down, Wolverine’s best solo movie. And if director and co-writer James Mangold had his way, it could have opened with one of the best (and darkest) X-Men movie moments ever.

    At the film’s recent press day, Mangold shared with Moviefone his original plans for how Hugh Jackman‘s last time poppin’ the claws was supposed to open. It was a scene that only got as far as the original story treatment, one that ended up in Patrick Stewart’s hands. Which is fitting, because it involves the event that puts his character, Charles Xavier, on the broken path “Logan” finds him on.

    “The idea was — all (or most of) the X-Men were dead. And that Charles had accidentally killed them,” Mangold revealed, almost like a mic drop.

    “I had an opening where Logan comes into [Xavier’s School for Gifted Youngsters] and finds that a tragedy has occurred. He would have found certain X-Men, and, Charles at the center of it.”

    So, basically, Logan would have found most, if not all, of the X-Men dead or dying with their father and teacher tragically being the cause of it all.
    The seizures Charles suffers throughout the film would have started at least a year prior to the events of “Logan,” in Westchester, NY, where Xavier’s school is located. (The seizures resemble a more violent and scarring form of Charles’ ability to freeze people and time, which he exhibited in both the first two “X-Men” films.)

    The final film alludes to this tragic event at least twice, but only through dialogue. We never see it on-screen. The most we ever learn about it comes via a radio broadcast in the second act, which tells us that Charles’ psychic seizure in Oklahoma City is identical to an event that happened at the school, which killed several people — civilians and mutants.

    So, why did Mangold cut it?

    “The more I drilled into it, the more it turned into feeling like a standard X-Men movie,” the director said. “The point here would be to say just enough to understand what the characters are feeling. But not enough that you open up the gates of the kind of expositional madness that is part of the comic book [movie] world.”

    Mangold found it more rewarding to take a “less is more” approach for the audience, so “that it would be up to [them] to figure out what went down and who died.”

    But, Mangold added, that “maybe we will define it at a later date.” Here’s hoping that means we’ll see this scene in some form on the Blu-ray.

    “Logan” hits theaters Friday. Buy your tickets here.

  • ‘Logan’ Director James Mangold Reveals How You Get Away With Harpooning a Little Kid

    Fans can’t stop gushing about awesome, and R-rated, “Logan” is. And it’s all because of James Mangold.

    The director and co-writer of Hugh Jackman‘s last turn as Wolverine recently told Moviefone how he got away with making one of the best, and most R-rated, comic book movies ever made. Especially that scene where a little girl gets harpooned right through the heart.

    He also revealed how he and his co-writer pulled off two of the film’s best emotional moments — so emotional, they might make you cry.

    Moviefone: “Logan” is great. I love how it — the action — everything comes from a character-first place. And I can’t believe you got away with so much R-rated stuff.

    James Mangold: Me too!

    Was there ever any push-back from the studio on some of the more violent beats? Like, that first fight with X-23 — did they ever say “um, does this little kid have to get harpooned through the heart?”

    [Laughs]. I think if we had previewed or tested the movie, and audiences rejected the movie on the basis of violence, I think we probably would have gotten some push back. But when we tested the film, the audiences were like: “AWESOME!” The reality was that, we hit a vein; something that audiences really wanted to see — which was a totally feral lead character, who is famous for his berserker rage… it just seems logical that you would allow him to exhibit that rage. If for no other reason to let it finally be felt for the audience.

    And I think another reason we succeeded with the film, and with the studio is that — death is not trivial at all. There are lots of PG films, comic book movies, where people are getting mowed down by the dozens and they have no names. They’re just people falling from building tops, and this movie — it feels the loss of each and every one of its characters, with a kind of finality that is different.
    To that end, two beats I love in this movie are: One, where Xavier is mumbling “I’m sorry” to the people in the Oklahoma City casino that are victim to his latest seizure. And two, one of Wolverine’s great, last lines — “This is what it feels like.” Can you walk me through how you came up with those?

    “This is what it feels like” was — that was written by (screenwriter) Scott Frank. He was my writing partner on this, and when he wrote it, I was just like: “Yeah, that’s perfect.” And the “I’m sorry, I’m sorry” beat just seemed obvious and logical to us, you know? And it was heartbreaking. Because it’s — once you get into the skin of these characters, in the twilight moment of their lives — losing control of their powers, and in the case of Charles, a degenerative brain disease — it becomes really interesting with writing the dialogue and getting under the skin of these characters becomes a really interesting proposition.

    The side-story involving the farmer played by Eriq LaSalle and his family are people he cares about… I can’t imagine getting away with that in a big studio tentpole like this.

    We had concerns about it — I had concerns. When I was writing it with Scott, we got to it and were like: “This is like a whole [mini] movie within this movie.” But it very much fit the model of the kind of road picture we were talking about, where very often, characters will have this very full, mini three-act experience in the middle of this story. So we just went for it. And again, we never got in trouble.
    DF-09788 - Hugh Jackman as Logan/Wolverine in LOGAN. Photo Credit: Ben Rothstein.How much of your original pitch ended up in the final film? What were the big emotional tentpoles you wanted to thread the action through?

    I pitched them that Wolverine would die, that Charles would die. And, in between, there would kind of be this “Little Miss Sunshine” road trip, with them driving across the country. And I pitched them that X-23 would be in the movie.

    When I finished the last one, and started thinking about the script for this one — one of the major ideas for me was to have Logan confronting the things he is most frightened of, which, in a nutshell, isn’t death or the destruction of the world… but was just, love. And intimacy. Those things he finds impossible to do.

    And that’s something his movies haven’t explored as deeply as this one. And the fans, I think they want to see that. They deserve to see that in all its R-rated, but nuanced, glory.

    In between all the exciting action and fights, it becomes this mediation on a character who is steadfast in his refusal to love. Because, like he says in the movie, “bad sh** happens to people I care about.

    “Logan” hits theaters Friday. Get your tickets now.