(L to R) Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga in ‘The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It.’ Photo: Warner Bros. Pictures.
Preview:
Michael Chaves has closed a deal to direct the next ‘Conjuring’ Movie.
Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga are likely to return as Ed and Lorraine Warren.
The movie could signal the end of the main ‘Conjuring’ run.
The ‘Conjuring’ movies have long become one of the most successful horror franchises since James Wan made the 2013 original, which went on to earn nearly $320 million worldwide from a $20 million budget.
It has spawned not just sequels but also spin-offs, including the ‘Annabelle’ movies (about the diabolical doll who lurks in the Warren’s collection of haunted objects) and the ‘Nun’ films (which fill in the backstory of the demonic habit-wearer who briefly appears in ‘The Conjuring 2’. All told, the movies have so far made a combined $2.1 billion at the worldwide box office.
It’s somewhat surprising to learn, then, that the fourth –– which currently has no official title but was at one point called ‘Last Rites’ –– could bring the films to a close, at least those directly featuring paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren, played by Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga.
We do now know, though that Michael Chaves, who directed ‘The Curse of La Llorona’ (which isn’t technically part of the ‘Conjuring’ universe but has seen a character crossover into the ‘Annabelle’ movies and was produced by Wan), ‘The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It’ (the third in the main series), and, most recently, ‘The Nun II’ is officially aboard for the new movie.
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What’s the story of the new ‘Conjuring’ movie?
(L to R) Vera Farmiga and Patrick Wilson in ‘The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It.’ Photo: Warner Bros. Pictures.
Nothing has been released about the potential story for the new movie, though the end of ‘The Nun II’ saw Ed and Lorraine show up, pointing to a possible crossover between the main movies and the nun-centric spin-off.
Here’s what Chavez told Screen Rant about the connection back in September:
“In terms of the exorcism of Maurice, that’s always been a center, a cornerstone marker in the timeline and I think it’s up to interpretation. It’s also, I think there’s a lot of things that need to align, so it could go a couple different ways. As an audience member, I would 100% see a crossover of all Conjuring demons. I couldn’t give away what I know about what’s being developed, but I know that they’re going to end with a bang. I know that there is a great finale being planned for ‘Last Rites’ and as to what or who’s in it… I don’t want to give away any spoilers.”
Regular writer David Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick returned for the new movie, and the cameras should be rolling this summer in Atlanta, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
Who will be in the new ‘Conjuring’ movie?
(L to R) Vera Farmiga and Patrick Wilson in ‘The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It.’ Photo: Warner Bros. Pictures.
We can assume Wilson and Farmiga will return, and possibly either McKenna Grace or someone else playing their daughter Judy. The movies have usually tended to be stand-alone cases, so a new cast around the leads is likely.
Even if the movies do come to an end –– and more spin-offs are likely anyway –– there is still the ‘Conjuring’ TV series in development at Max. The creative team has stayed quiet as to what that might include, but if greenlit, the series will surely continue to bring fresh terror.
(L to R) Vera Farmiga and Patrick Wilson in ‘The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It.’ Photo: Warner Bros. Pictures.
Directed once again by James Wan (who made the billion-plus success that was the first ‘Aquaman’), it arrives following a wave of delays and changes. So, does the sequel live up to the silly-but-fun original?
Regrettably, we must answer a solid no to the question. ‘The Lost Kingdom’ feels more like a senior handing in a sloppy work project, little concerned with how it’ll be received.
This is superhero storytelling on autopilot, another world-threatening situation, another rote test for the hero, another villain with even less shading than he had in the first movie. And fairly shocking given the people involved and how they managed last time.
Written once again by David Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick, based on a story by not just director Wan but also Momoa and his producing partner Thomas Pa’a Sibbett, this is the sort of film that makes you wonder just why it took so many people to come up with a movie screenplay this basic.
Mired in some very obvious tropes and storylines, ‘Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom’ is really just the 7500th telling of the “hero tested by returning villain who has found some dark ancient power to help his cause, forcing the protagonist to team up with another former antagonist to save the world”. And if you felt me falling asleep as I wrote that, imagine what I went through during the movie.
This is a film that borrows so heavily from other, better movies –– a dab of ‘The Matrix’ (in Black Manta’s squid-like attack craft), a splash of ‘The Lord of the Rings’ (the backstory for the ancient power at the heart of the story) and just a sprinkling of ‘Black Panther’ (both in Arthur’s clash with someone who feels they should have his job and in a way we won’t explore here).
Aside from a callback to the drumming octopus known as Topo (an element from the comics that served as a one-off joke in the first movie but is here revealed to be an intelligence agent and a source of more occasional humor in this one) there is very little that feels at all fresh or truly interesting here.
The whole affair is tired and repetitive, the treatment of the story beyond rudimentary and the drama only really serving to stitch together set pieces that themselves come across as several different variations on the idea of Aquaman and Patrick Wilson’s Orm running from things or punching them.
Wan, meanwhile, gets to inject some of his usual horror overtones into the movie –– one or two sequences work (such as Black Manta showing up at Aquaman’s father’s house in darkness after he has conspired to shut off the power). But in general, let down by varied quality of the visual effects (for a film that took this long to finish, you have to worry about some sequences that look like they’re from the theme park version of the movie), this is certainly among his lesser movies.
The re-shoots and changes that happened along the way clearly had an effect, and most of what still works about the movie is by sheer luck rather than design.
If there is any real saving grace in the movie, it’s Momoa’s committed performance as the leading man, full of wisecracks (even if he does start to sound like Robert Downey Jr’s Iron Man at times) and finding fun chemistry with Wilson’s Orm.
For his part, Wilson gives good snark, fully embracing the idea of the frustrated ruler who can’t stand the doofus who is on what he sees as his rightful throne.
Elsewhere? Poor Yahya Abdul-Mateen II is reduced to an afterthought as a villain, who has his vengeful mission but very little else to do. At his side is Randall Park as scientist Dr. Stephen Shin, making the most of a nebbishy stock character and scoring one or two laughs.
And the rest of the heroic characters are barely there –– Temuera Morrison as Aquaman’s father Tom has a couple of solid scenes with his son and grandson, but you have to wonder why Nicole Kidman bothered showing up again as Momoa’s character’s mother beyond a contract and a payday.
Coming out even worse, though, is Amber Heard, who occasionally appears to be added in through visual effects and beyond one helpful moment, has so little to do you can understand Heard’s concerns that her character has been reduced to nearly nothing.
As an ending to the DC universe in its pre-Gunn era, this is like the mess of sticky drinks left on the floor after a party –– there’s no real wrap-up for anything and the usual teasing hint for future stories is pretty much absent.
Given how Wan, Momoa and the rest brought some knowing fun to a character who has been a joke in the past, it’s all the more disappointing that their follow-up is a bombastic but hollow enterprise, a less-than-satisfying end to a movie universe.
‘Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom’ receives 6 out of 10 stars.
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What’s the story of ‘Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom’?
Having failed to defeat Aquaman (Jason Momoa) the first time, Black Manta (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II), still driven by the need to avenge his father’s death, will stop at nothing to take Aquaman down once and for all.
This time Black Manta is more formidable than ever before, wielding the power of the mythic Black Trident, which unleashes an ancient and malevolent force. To defeat him, Aquaman will turn to his imprisoned brother Orm (Patrick Wilson), the former King of Atlantis, to forge an unlikely alliance. Together, they must set aside their differences in order to protect their kingdom and save Aquaman’s family, and the world, from irreversible destruction.
Who else is in ‘Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom’?
The cast for the new superhero outing also includes Amber Heard as Mera, Nicole Kidman as Atlanna, Dolph Lundgren as King Nereus and Randall Park as Dr. Stephen Shin.
(Left) ‘Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom’ director James Wan at CinemaCon 2022. Photos by Eric Charbonneau. (Right) Jason Momoa on the set of ‘Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom.’ Photo courtesy of Jason Momoa’s Instagram account.
Following the huge, $1 billion-plus success of the first ‘Aquaman’ movie, a sequel was pretty much a given. ‘Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom’ originally shot in 2021, but since then has been through all manner of changes, both in terms of release date and footage.
Yet despite several stories about issues behind the scenes, director James Wan has now opened up about the process, clearing up rumors and debunking some, while admitting it has been a challenge getting the movie to this point?
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What’s the story of ‘Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom’?
Jason Momoa on the set of ‘Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom.’ Photo courtesy of Jason Momoa’s Instagram account.
In the previous movie, Aquaman, AKA Arthur Curry (Jason Momoa) embraced his destiny as a leader of Atlantis and thwarted the devious schemes of half-brother Orm (Patrick Wilson).
For ‘Lost Kingdom’, the feuding siblings form an uneasy partnership to take on another of the first film’s big bads, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II’s Black Manta, a vengeance-seeking and now hugely powerful supervillain in possession of the Black Trident, which gives him the ability to command an ancient evil.
James Wan on whether Batman is in ‘Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom’
(L to R) Ben Affleck and Jason Momoa on the set of ‘Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom.’ Photo courtesy of Jason Momoa’s Instagram account.
Originally planned to surface in theaters last December, the ‘Aquaman’ sequel has seen several different release dates and is also caught up in the end of the DC Extended Universe (and the shift to James Gunn and Peter Safran’s new plans).
The change in arrival dates also meant Wan and co. had to work to figure out cameos and more so as to fit into the storyline following ‘The Flash’.
A big part of that is which version of Batman would appear in the film (if at all), with scenes shot featuring either Michael Keaton’s take (as returned to screens in ‘The Flash’) or Ben Affleck.
“The tricky thing early on was not knowing whether ‘Aquaman’ would come out first or come out after ‘The Flash’. So, we just had to be prepared. At the end of the day, the best thing I would say about this movie is that it is not connected in any way to any of those films.”
He won’t be drawn on whether Batman actually shows up, preferring to go no comment on that front.
The chatter about additional photography has also been a big part of the rumor sphere, but Wan is quick to explain…
“We have big actors in this movie, and everyone’s schedule is really hard. So, we had to break up our shooting schedule into sections. We’ll shoot a bit here now, because this actor’s available, and then we’ll do another shoot now, because this guy’s available. People are like, ‘Oh, they’re doing a whole bunch of different shoots!’ No. If we actually combined them all together, it’s actually not that many number of days at all.”
Wan on Amber Heard’s claims that her role as Mera was “pared down”
Amber Heard in 2010’s ‘The Ward.’
Amber Heard, who plays Atlantean warrior Mera in the first movie and returns for the second, made comments in 2022 that she felt her role in the new movie felt “pared down”.
But for Wan, it was simply a case of David Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick’s script focusing on a different dynamic this time:
“I always pitched this to everyone from the get-go. The first Aquaman was Arthur and Mera’s journey. The second movie was always going to be Arthur and Orm. So, the first was a romance action-adventure movie, the second one is a bromance action-adventure movie. We’ll leave it at that.”
You’ll get your chance to see more of the movie when the first trailer arrives online tomorrow. For now, check out the teaser below:
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‘Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom’ will be in theaters –– hopefully –– on December 20th.
‘Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom’ is produced by Warner Bros. Pictures, Atomic Monster, The Safran Company, and DC Films. The movie is scheduled to release in theaters on December 20th, 2023.
Jason Momoa on the set of ‘Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom.’ Photo courtesy of Jason Momoa’s Instagram account.
‘Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom’ already had some pressure attached to it. As the sequel to 2018’s ‘Aquaman’ it had to live up to an original movie that earned more than $1.1 billion.
Which for someone like director James Wan, who is also responsible for giant horror franchises such as the ‘Saw’ films and particularly the ‘Conjuring’ franchise, might not be quite as daunting as for others.
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But there were lots of other factors in play around the new movie –– it was greenlit by a former Warner Bros./DC regime (to be specific, Toby Emmerich and Walter Hamada) back when the DC Extended Universe originated by movies such as ‘Man of Steel’ and ‘Justice League’ was still a going concern and Aquaman, played by Jason Momoa was one of its big breakout stars.
But with principal photography completed in January 2022, the rough waters for the movie were just beginning to swirl.
What happened with ‘Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom’?
Jason Momoa on the set of ‘Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom.’ Photo courtesy of Jason Momoa’s Instagram account.
According to a new story in The Hollywood Reporter, the movie started to face issues almost immediately. The initial test screenings for the movie indicated that audiences weren’t reacting well to the movie.
The studio authorized two rounds of reshoots, but it appears that nothing produced was helping the test scores. Incoming Warner Bros. bosses Michael De Luca and Pamela Abdy got involved, and Abdy led a new cut, but that tested even less successfully.
Yet with a lot invested in the movie, Warners kept moving on, authorizing an unprecedented third round of reshoots –– which reportedly went very well, Wan able to complete what was needed in less time than planned.
A big issue for the film’s process were several delays, including work traffic jams at VFX companies requiring that ‘The Lost Kingdom’ jump around the schedules.
Not helping matters was a killer combo of changing fortunes for DC movies –– Hamada would be gone before the movie ever saw screens and DC Studios changed hands to James Gunn and Peter Safran.
But both were committed to helping Aquaman keep swimming; Safran in particular because he’s a producer on the film.
(L to R) Ben Affleck and Jason Momoa on the set of ‘Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom.’ Photo courtesy of Jason Momoa’s Instagram account.
While the movie largely sees Momoa’s Arthur Curry struggling with a new threat to his underwater kingdom (one that will force him to team up with half-brother and former rival Orm, played by Patrick Wilson), there was supposed to be a cameo from Batman.
But which Bruce Wayne? When ‘The Flash’ looked to be kickstarting a universe where Michael Keaton’s Bruce is sort of a Nick Fury-style connective character between other heroes, a cameo for his Batman was filmed. When those plans changed, Ben Affleck’s Wayne was subbed in (that reshoot was “accidentally” revealed by Momoa to a studio tour group).
And now? ‘The Flash’ is a flop and other Keaton-featuring projects such as ‘Batgirl’ have been shelved. Gunn and Safran are reportedly nervous about connecting the film to a movie universe that is effectively over or making promises about crossovers that may never come to pass now that Gunn has his own big plans for the future.
The mood is still positive around ‘The Lost Kingdom’, though, but we’ll see how it performs when it lands in theaters on December 20th.
Jason Momoa in 2018’s ‘Aquaman.’
Other Movies Similar to ‘Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom’:
‘Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom’ is produced by Warner Bros. Pictures, Atomic Monster, The Safran Company, and DC Films. The movie is scheduled to release in theaters on December 20th, 2023.
Time to meet your new best friend in the latest thriller from Blumhouse Productions, ‘M3GAN.’ M3GAN, AKA Model 3 Generative Android is the perfect storm of an artificial intelligence program becoming self-aware, and taking her job entirely too seriously.
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The trailer already created a buzz on the internet ahead of the films release, prompting endless memes of M3GAN performing a series of (now signature) dance moves before switching to slasher mode. In fact, prior to the movie’s premiere, a team of M3GAN doll dancers could be spotted at various events and venues performing the signature number. The film opened on January 6, 2022 to $30.4 million domestically and has earn over $171.2 million worldwide as of today. The story comes from the minds of Aleka Cooper (‘Malignant‘) and James Wan (‘The Conjuring‘ franchise), and was directed by Gerard Johnstone (‘Housebound‘).
In the film, toy designer/robotist Gemma (Williams) was working on a child-sized android A.I. companion, which she named M3GAN (Model 3 Generative Android). When Gemma becomes the parental guardian of her niece Cady (McGraw), she uses the opportunity to put M3GAN to the test. All things were going well until M3GAN’s artificial intelligence programming began to take its tasks too seriously, going to the extreme to protect Cady by brutally taking down anyone who rebels against her.
The official synopsis for ‘M3GAN’ is:
“M3GAN is a marvel of artificial intelligence, a lifelike doll that’s programmed to be a child’s best friend. When a brilliant roboticist gives her young niece an M3GAN prototype, it soon becomes violent and does anything to protect the girl.”
We will get to see M3GAN again! The PG-13 horror flick received positive reviews, warranting a 93% Fresh score on the Tomato-meter from critics and 78% from the audience. Thanks to its popularity, the sequel ‘M3GAN 2.0’ is now in the works at Universal, set for release on January 17, 2025. In an interview with Variety, producer Jason Blum admitted that they were already playing with the idea of a sequel before the first film was even released.
“After I saw the first movie, we had a good sense that a sequel might really work. So, we broke our cardinal rule and we started t walking about a sequel before the movie was released. I felt so bullish that we started entertaining a sequel earlier than we usually do.”
Set to return to the follow-up film are stars Allison Williams and Violet McGraw to reprise their roles as Gemma and Cady. Screenwriter Aleka Cooper will also return. No word yet on whether Gerard Johnstone will return to direct or if Blumhouse is eyeing a new director. Plots are under wraps for now.
Where Can I Watch ‘M3GAN’ and The Unrated Version?
The movie is still playing in select theaters. The film premiered on January 6, 2023, and has a runtime of 1 hour and 42 minutes.
Can’t get enough of the evil AI android going on a killing spree? You’re in luck. There’s also an unrated version with never-before-seen footage available exclusively on Peacock as of February 24th. The theatrical version is available on Peacock as well.
Watch the official trailer for ‘M3GAN’ below:
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When Will It Be Available To Stream Online?
You can currently purchase a digital copy of ‘M3GAN’ from Amazon Prime Video, Vudu, Google Play, or iTunes. Additionally, you can rent a digital copy of the movie (with a 48-hour watch window) on Amazon or iTunes.
Other Movies That’ll Make You Question Your Smart Device
‘M3GAN’ delivers on suspense and comedy for its PG-13 rating, and it is certainly on its way of becoming a cult hit. But the premise of an A.I. gone awry or a doll coming to life isn’t the first of its kind. Here are a few movies that’ll make you question the smart devices or child-sized dolls in your home.
‘M3GAN’ was released in theaters on January 6th, 2022 from Universal Pictures, Blumhouse Productions, and Atomic Monster. Directed by Gerard Johnstone, and written by Akela Cooper, based on a story by James Wan, the film stars Allison Williams, Violet McGraw, Ronny Chieng, Brian Jordan Alvarez, Lori Dungey, Amie Donald, and Jenna Davis as the voice of M3GAN.
Watch Moviefone’s interviews with the cast and crew of ‘M3GAN’ below:
Even before ‘M3GAN’ arrived in theaters the titular doll-sized android has become a cult figure. Between her dance moves and her murders, she’s a new pint-sized horror icon joining the likes of Chucky and Annabelle.
Given its thrifty budget (boosted by backers Blumhouse from their usual $5 million tier to around $12 million), the movie’s more than $95 million global box office haul since its January 6th debut means it is handily in profit already.
It’s almost a no brainer, then, that Blumhouse and co-producers Atomic Monster (James Wan’s company) would look to get a sequel in the works as soon as possible, with ‘M3GAN 2.0’ now on the calendar. And that’s despite Blumhouse boss Jason Blum’s usual reticence for jumping the gun on sequels. “After I first saw the movie, we had a good sense that a sequel might really work,” he told Variety a few days ago. “So, we broke our cardinal rule and we started talking about a sequel before the movie was released. I felt so bullish that we started entertaining a sequel earlier than we usually do.”
‘M3GAN’ in case you’ve yet to see it, tells the story of tech toy creator Gemma (Allison Williams) who designs M3GAN (Model 3 Generative Android), who can listen, watch and learn as it plays the role of friend and teacher, playmate and protector.
When Gemma becomes the unexpected caretaker of her 8-year-old niece, (Violet McGraw’s Cady, orphaned in a tragic accident) she decides to give the girl a M3GAN prototype (brought to life by a combo of actress/dancer Amie Donald, the voice of Jenna Davis and some CG additions), a decision that leads to unimaginable consequences. Murder bot consequences. There, we imagined it for you.
In short, M3GAN, who pledges to protect Cady at all costs, starts a campaign of terror against anyone who dares threaten the girl. Soon, kids are being lured into traffic, others are stabbed and it’ll be up to Gemma and Cady to shut down the killing spree. It’s campy, often hilarious horror.
We won’t give away here exactly what happens in the big finale but suffice to say there are hints that M3GAN could return––whether it’s in her doll form or some other way. The joy of being an AI for her is that she can go anywhere she wants and the possibilities are endless.
The challenge of figuring all that out now rests with writer Akela Cooper, who worked on the first film’s story alongside Wan and wrote the eventual script. Williams and McGraw will both return in front of the camera, but there’s no news yet on whether director Gerard Johnstone is coming back for more M3GAN madness.
It’s yet another success for the Blumhouse team, which has gained a real reputation for low-budget horror hits and is currently exploring a merger with Wan’s Atomic Monster company, itself no slouch in the scary franchise department.
Universal has dated ‘M3GAN 2.0’ for January 17th, 2025.
Convinced that doll you gave your daughter or niece for Christmas is watching you?
Then you’ll relate to Allison Williams’ plight in ‘M3GAN,’ the latest horror offering from fear factory Blumhouse Productions, screenwriter Akela Cooper (‘Malignant’) and horror auteur James Wan (here co-writing and producing). Williams plays Gemma, an ambitious but OCD toymaker/roboticist who creates the film’s titular treat, the ultimate interactive doll, and then introduces her to her niece Cady (played by ‘The Haunting of Hill House’s Violet McGraw). Gemma assumes custody of Cady after her parents are killed in a car accident. Unfortunately, she’s much more interested in finishing her latest invention than being a parent.
M3GAN (played by Amie Donald and voiced by Jenna Davis) sits firmly at the bottom of the uncanny valley, with shiny silicone skin and just-shy-of-human voice and mannerisms. But director Gerard Johnstone and the wizards at Weta FX are smart enough not to make her too creepy at first glance, lest audiences wonder why any grown-up would leave their child alone with the android plaything.
The shivers begin in earnest when M3GAN starts taking her job as Cady’s guardian a little too seriously – and moves from making sure her charge brushes her teeth to murdering anyone who threatens her. Gemma’s then forced to decide between helping her hot-tempered boss (Ronny Chieng) launch a ten-thousand-dollar retail version of M3GAN and finally deciding to face her responsibility as caregiver.
While ‘M3GAN’ takes some admirable jabs at parents who too often rely on technology to babysit their kids, its principal strength is its campy black comedy. As ‘Chucky’ fans well know, it’s hard not to laugh at the sight of a four-foot doll slaughtering people; and Johnstone pushes his modest budget and PG-13 rating about as far as they can go. Like Chucky, M3GAN knows the value of a well-timed zinger, and her dance moves made for some much-shared memes months before the film’s release. ‘M3GAN’ also pulls a page from Sam Raimi’s scare-humor playbook in its editing, with several quick-cut mini montages amping up the absurdity of the film’s violence.
Unfortunately, there’s only so much an over-the-top horror movie can do when it’s PG-13. Which means our enjoyment of M3GAN’s kills is frequently curtailed by shots that cut away from the payoff gore. As proven by classics like ‘Re-Animator’ and ‘Return of the Living Dead,’ when it comes to splatter comedy more is most definitely more. The film also plays it too safe in its storytelling. Innocent lives are spared, as all of M3GAN’s victims are portrayed as bad people who had it coming.
If there’s an upside to this tidiness, ‘M3GAN’ could prove to be a gateway drug for budding young fright fans who might otherwise be prevented from witnessing on-screen mayhem. (The screening I attended had far more tweens in its audience than most horror movies.) Thankfully, ‘M3GAN’ is clearly made by people who know and love the genre, and it wears its influences on its sleeve. In its tale of a woman who creates – and ultimately rejects – a female without the aid of a partner, it functions as a twenty-first century take on Mary Shelley’s ‘Frankenstein.’
It also offers nods at plenty of other sci-fi fables, from long-forgotten TV sitcoms like ‘My Living Doll’ and ‘Small Wonder’ to cinematic masterpieces like ‘Robocop’ and ‘A.I.’ It’s the sci-fi equivalent of such fantasy-fueled killer doll films as ‘Child’s Play’ and ‘Annabelle’ (also produced by Wan), but unafraid to play with its genre’s big ideas.
The cast is more than up to what’s asked of them. Williams (who shined in Jordan Peele’s ‘Get Out’) gives an earnest performance as a woman more at home with machines than humanity. In that, she’s well-partnered with McGraw, who convinces as a trauma survivor in need of tenderness. (The always amusing Chieng is a fitting foil, taking his douche-bro persona – on full display in ‘Crazy Rich Asians’ – to hilarious extremes.)
But while many of last year’s most acclaimed fright flicks – including ‘Barbarian,’ ‘Smile,’ and ‘Pearl’ – exploited their characters’ trauma to the point of exhaustion, ‘M3GAN’ gives audiences an opportunity to have fun with the genre again, while them that laughter and terror are close cousins.
Just make sure the inevitable sequel is R-rated, Blumhouse, and we’ll forgive the gore deficit.
Opening in theaters on January 6th is the new sci-fi horror film ‘M3GAN,’ which was produced by Jason Blum and James Wan, based on a story by Wan, and directed by Gerard Johnstone (‘Housebound’).
The movie stars Allison Williams (‘Get Out’) as Gemma, a brilliant roboticist at a toy company who uses artificial intelligence to develop M3GAN, a lifelike doll programmed to be a child’s greatest companion and a parent’s greatest ally.
After the unexpected death of her sister, Gemma gains custody of her niece, Cady (Violet McGraw) and enlists the help of the M3GAN prototype. However, her decision has horrific consequences when the doll becomes self-aware and overprotective of Cady, leading her to kill everyone!
Moviefone recently had the pleasure of sitting down in-person with Allison Williams to talk about her work on ‘M3GAN,’ her first reaction to the screenplay, her character’s parental situation, the challenges of acting opposite M3GAN, and working with director Gerard Johnstone.
Allison Williams stars in Blumhouse Productions’ ‘M3GAN.’
You can read our full interview below or click on the video player above to watch our interviews with Williams, director Gerard Johnstone, and producers Jason Blum and James Wan.
Moviefone: To begin with, what was your first reaction to the screenplay and did the scares in the film read on the page?
Allison Williams: I read it really quickly and in one sitting. I found it just impossible to put down. I probably was sweating by the end, just wondering like, “Oh God, what’s going to happen? How are they all going to get out of the situation? Who’s going to come out of the situation alive?”
So, it definitely had that momentum to it, and I didn’t want to put it down. I found it just super compelling. I mean, Akela (Cooper) writes a good screenplay, so it was a good experience to sit down and read it, for sure.
MF: Your character suddenly becomes the guardian of her niece after her parent’s death. Can you talk about how that changes Gemma’s life?
AW: She has total myopia. All she cares about is what she does for a living. She’s super passionate about it. She’s really brilliant. She’s really good at it. I have a ton of friends like this, she’s the kind of person who If you say, “Do you want a family?” She’s kind of like, “Yeah, maybe later, but probably not. We’ll see how life goes, but I’m kind of loving being focused on work right now.” Then boom, she’s an instant parent.
I think that is just something she never saw coming in a million years. She probably promised her sister and then didn’t really remember, and now suddenly, here she is, with this little girl who went from having a very full life with two parents, to just living with her aunt in a less than ideal situation. So, it’s possible to imagine why Gemma thought, “Oh, I have just the thing to help me with this quagmire.” Enter M3GAN.
MF: As an actress, can you talk about the challenges of working opposite M3GAN?
AW: Without sort of ruining the magic of how M3GAN came to be, I’ve had many experiences that helped, and kind of added together, prepared me for the experience of working with her.
On ‘A Series of Unfortunate Events,’ the Netflix show, I worked often with kids who either were or weren’t there, but there was a piece of tape on the camera. So, I had that experience. I’ve done work with puppets before and stuff like that, so I think that helped prepare me for what was happening.
MF: Finally, can you talk about how Gerard Johnstone was able to help direct you in your scenes with M3GAN?
AW: Gerard has the most specific tone, and it is very easy to read these things on the page and be like, “I’m not totally sure how this is going to translate to film.” But he just always saw and understood how that was supposed to look.
For example, the dance, it reads one way on the page and you’re like, “Ooh, that’s probably spooky and eerie.” But it’s entirely another thing to see it in that hallway, the way it was choreographed, the way it was filmed. It just works perfectly in this way that only he can conceptualize.
Tobin Bell as John Kramer / Jigsaw in James Wan’s ‘Saw.’
Since James Wan and Leigh Whannell’s first ‘Saw’ movie way back in 2004, the crafty, trap-setting killer John Kramer – better known as “Jigsaw” – has been kidnapping and murdering people in fiendish fashion.
Even his death from a slashed throat in ‘Saw III’ didn’t stop him; he continued to posthumously oversee his schemes through recordings and videos. And then there were the flashbacks that explored his tragic history and the reasons he punishes others (or has them make tough choices based on their dodgy moral behavior, depending on how you look at it).
His return might not be as surprising as thought, though – writer Josh Stolberg teased Jigsaw’s return in the new movie, writing, “What I can promise you is that this is gonna make John Kramer fans very happy!!!” on social media last December.
How he’ll factor into ‘Saw X’ (or whatever they decide to call it) is anyone’s guess at this point. Will he show up somehow back from the dead? Will it be his heretofore-unknown twin brother? Unlikely.
“What a thrill to be reuniting with Tobin Bell,” say producers Mark Burg and Oren Koules in a statement. “His performance as John Kramer is part of the magic that made this franchise a phenomenon and his character is an active part of this film.”
Tobin Bell as Billy Ford in 2021’s ‘A Father’s Legacy.’
The ‘Saw’ franchise has become a big money-spinner for Lionsgate, which has pumped out nine main entries and also the mythology-expanding ‘Spiral’, which starred Chris Rock and directed by Darren Lynn Bousman. And no, in case anyone was reaching for the easy joke, the villain was not Will Smith (you’d have had to have a time machine to make that work, since the Oscars slap didn’t happen until 2022).
Together, the main movies have earned more than $1 billion in box office and retail income, which is not bad for a franchise that is relatively cheap to produce. The original movie, for example, was made for $1.2 million.
Those who have worked on the various movies have gone on to successful careers in horror and beyond, not the least Wan, who is behind both another massive horror franchise in the ‘Conjuring’ movies, has directed big films in other genres such as both ‘Aquaman’ outings and a ‘Fast & Furious’ entry and has become quite the producer, backing a variety of other movies.
And it has also gone on to be a regular favorite beyond the movie screen, with a live experience touring several cities and appearing for years as part of Universal Studios’ Halloween Horror Nights.
The next ‘Saw’ movie will be directed by Kevin Greutert, who has been with the franchise since the beginning. He edited the first five movies before stepping up to direct ‘Saw VI’ and ‘Saw 3D’. He went off to direct his own movies but did edit ‘Jigsaw’ and acted as an executive producer on ‘Spiral’.
‘Saw X’ is shooting and will head to theaters on October 27th next year – just in time for Halloween.
Jigsaw in 2004’s ‘Saw.’
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(L to R) Ben Affleck and Jason Momoa on the set of ‘Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom.’ Photo courtesy of Jason Momoa’s Instagram account.
Warner Bros. Discovery has, according to Deadline, decided to shift the release dates for a batch of its upcoming movies. And it mostly means that those expecting to see James Wan’s ‘Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom’ next March will be waiting a few months longer.
No, the much-anticipated ‘Aquaman’ sequel isn’t suddenly headed off into a vault as a tax write-off. Instead, the reasoning is that the backlog of visual effects work means that Wan and co. need more time to finish the FX-heavy superhero sequel.
The result? Instead of its original planned March 17th, 2023 release in theaters, the new movie will be a DC Christmas present for fans, releasing on December 25th next year.
Disney is already busy priming the pump for the sequel’s arrival by yanking the original from tis Disney+ servers and putting the movie back in theaters from September 22nd in a shiny new 4K remastered version.
Anticipation for the next ‘Avatar’ remains high despite naysayers trying to claim that it won’t have the same impact. Even if it gets close, ‘The Way of Water’ will be a giant movie, and no one should ever bet against James Cameron.
So ‘Shazam’s second outing (which sees Zachary Levi back leading the cast as the titular hero, who transforms upon saying his name from more regular teen Billy Batson, played by Asher Angel) will now reside in the much more comfortable March 17th slot vacated by its watery superhero sibling, and won’t have to worry about fighting for regular screens and IMAX slots with Cameron’s behemoth.
It also represents Warners considering a March slot to be a winner following this year’s ‘The Batman’.
‘The Conjuring’s ever-expanding franchise continues, meanwhile, with ‘The Nun 2’, directed by Michael Chaves, set for September 8th, 2023. Fellow horror ‘Salem’s Lot’ had been penciled in for April but is now awaiting a new date.
Those weren’t the only announcements. A ‘House Party’ reboot is headed our way this December 9th, while Lee Cronin’s ‘Evil Dead Rise’ is scheduled for an April 21st slot. Both of those movies had originally been targeted for HBO Max, which will add fuel to the fire of those rightfully upset that ‘Batgirl’ is being denied a similar chance.
Finally, Warners also confirmed an untitled event film (whether that’s DC or something else) for February 10th next year, to take advantage of Super Bowl Weekend.
Jason Momoa in 2018’s ‘Aquaman.’
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