Moviefone Editorial

Tag: james wan

  • Here’s Why ‘Aquaman’ Doesn’t Feature Other Justice League Heroes, According to Its Director

    Here’s Why ‘Aquaman’ Doesn’t Feature Other Justice League Heroes, According to Its Director

    Jason Momoa as Aquaman
    Warner Bros. Pictures

    The DC Extended Universe has packed numerous superheroes into just a few films in recent years, but “Aquaman” is going to do it differently.

    The titular superhero, played by Jason Momoa, first surfaced in the DCEU in 2016’s “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice,” and he more recently had a bigger role in 2017’s “Justice League” alongside Ben Affleck, Gal Gadot, Henry Cavill, Ezra Miller, and Ray Fisher. With “Aquaman,” he won’t be getting help from those superhuman friends, and based on what director James Wan recently told Entertainment Weekly, that’s for good reason.

    “I wanted to keep the story to the world of Aquaman and not have to worry about what other characters are doing in their films and how that would affect us,” Wan said. “I just thought the simplest way was to keep it clean — keep it simple and let it be an Aquaman story.”

    It’s funny to hear him use the word “simple” to describe the upcoming movie (the first trailer shows its anything but that), but we get what he means. It can be fun to see a group of superhero come together, but following a single protagonist’s story is great, too. Aquaman has an exciting one, so we don’t think he needs any Justice League backup for now. There are always future DCEU movies for that.

    “Aquaman” rolls into theaters Dec. 21.

  • ‘Annabelle 3′ Will Target the Warrens’ Daughter, ‘Night at the Museum’ Style

    ‘Annabelle 3′ Will Target the Warrens’ Daughter, ‘Night at the Museum’ Style

    Annabelle
    Warner Bros.

    The “Annabelle” franchise is coming back home to torture Ed and Lorraine Warren’s daughter Judy.

    “Annabelle 3” was just teased last night during the ScareDiego panel at Comic-Con.

    We already knew it was coming — and taking a July 3, 2019 release date — as written and directed by Gary Dauberman, who also wrote the two previous “Annabelle” movies and “The Nun.”

    The first two “Annabelle” movies were prequel spinoffs of “The Conjuring,” but this new movie will drag the paranormal investigating Warrens back into the drama.

    The Conjuring
    Warner Bros.

    It certainly sounds like that means Vera Farmiga and Patrick Wilson will star in “Annabelle 3,” since this is about the haunting of their characters’ daughter, but that was not specifically announced during the panel.

    Here’s more from Gary Dauberman:

    “I’m still finalizing the script, but it really picks up with the Warrens bringing Annabelle to the place where it can really no longer wreak havoc, which is their artifact room. But, of course, it turns out she can also wreak havoc there. And she really awakens the evil within that room and they target the Warrens’ 10-year-old daughter, Judy. So, that’s the set-up.”

    James Wan, who is producing the film, added this interesting comparison:

    “Annabelle basically activates all the other haunted artifacts in that room. So, it’s basically ‘A Night at the Museum,’ with Annabelle!”

    Night at the Museum
    20th Century Fox

    Sure! Let’s hope this doesn’t come down to Ben Stiller saving the day.

    The great James Wan will be back later this week, of course, to debut the first “Aquaman” trailer. That’s happening Saturday. But now we know a bit more about the third “Annabelle” horror show, which for some reason is coming just in time for next year’s Independence Day. Secret meaning there?

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  • James Wan Had the Best ‘Foockin’ Responses to ‘Aquaman’ Poster Critiques

    James Wan Had the Best ‘Foockin’ Responses to ‘Aquaman’ Poster Critiques

    Aquaman
    Warner Bros.

    It’s “Aquaman” week, and director James Wan is here as DC’s resident swim coach/lifeguard/snarky shark.

    The first trailer will debut this Saturday during San Diego Comic-Con. The first poster just came out yesterday.

    James Wan tweeted it out himself, and also fielded some questions from fans. Some of those questions earned some pretty classic replies, hinting to a really fun promotional circuit once this thing gets going. Just picture Jason Momoa and James Wan entertaining fans and re-trolling trolls one interview at a time.

    Here’s James Wan replying to fans with questions on Aquaman/Arthur Curry’s leather pants, his underwater look, and the non-trident trident. (It’s not meant to be a trident, it’s a quindent, and the movie will explain how it once belonged to his mother, Nicole Kidman’s Queen Atlanna).

    https://twitter.com/creepypuppet/status/1018941905961246720

    https://twitter.com/creepypuppet/status/1019048689426313217

    https://twitter.com/creepypuppet/status/1018933551440453634

    Haha. When he’s not busy replying to fans, he’s busy tweaking the film:

    https://twitter.com/creepypuppet/status/1018702099725479936

    “Aquaman” will open in theaters December 21.

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  • ‘Aquaman’ Photos Reveal Nicole Kidman, Black Manta, New Mera Look

    DC is finally giving fans a deep dive into its upcoming standalone feature “Aquaman,” revealing two new characters — and a brand new look for another character — in some first look photos.

    The images come courtesy of Entertainment Weekly, which features the cast of “Aquaman” on its cover this week. In addition to the the titular hero, played by Jason Momoa, the cover includes the film’s two female leads: Amber Heard as Mera, Aquaman’s wife (reprising her role from “Justice League”), and Nicole Kidman making her debut as Queen Atlanna, Aquaman’s mother.

    This is the first time fans have seen Kidman’s character, and she looks just as regal as you’d expect the Oscar-winning actress to look as underwater royalty, sporting an awesome silver headpiece and a scaly silvery jumpsuit. Heard is also wearing a similar look, though her character’s color scheme has been amped up considerably from the last time fans saw her onscreen; now, Mera is resplendent in a bright emerald green suit and fiery red hair.

    Aside from those fierce females, EW also debuted a sneak peek at one of the film’s villains, Black Manta, though not in costume just yet. Instead, we see his alter ego, David Kane (played by “The Get Down” star Yahya Abdul-Mateen II), tinkering with the character’s helmet, which features its signature red eyes (which will eventually shoot plasma beams).

    DC is already hyping the flick pretty hard, branding it as “extraordinary” and a rebirth of sorts for its beleaguered DCEU. Based on what we’ve heard and seen so far, “Aquaman” certainly seems like a step in the right direction.

    The film is due to make waves in theaters on December 21.

    [via: Entertainment Weekly, Entertainment Weekly]

  • ‘Aquaman’ Producer Says ‘Extraordinary’ Movie Puts DCEU ‘On the Right Path’

    It will be a while before fans get to see upcoming DC standalone flick “Aquaman,” but according to the team behind the film, it will be more than worth the wait.

    In a series of interviews with Entertainment Weekly, producers and Warner Bros. executives touted the Jason Momoa flick, and director James Wan‘s vision in particular. Warner Bros. chief Toby Emmerich praised the “incredible job” that Wan and his team have done on the film, which is “imagining the underwater world in a way you haven’t seen before.”

    The labor-intensive effects that went into the flick have been duly noted (and are at least partially responsible for all of the delays that have plagued the project). But it’s the film’s eclectic tone that will really set it apart from other DC Extended Universe offerings, producer Peter Safran told EW.

    “[The film has] the great action you expect, it’s got a lot of great humor, it works on so many levels … it’s a testament to James’ unique vision,” Safran explained. “I think it’s an extraordinary step in [the] DC Universe that sets it on the right path.”

    That should certainly be music to DC fans’ ears — and have them eager to open their wallets. “Aquaman” is due in theaters on December 21.

    [via: Entertainment Weekly]

  • ‘The Conjuring 3’ Is Coming, But Probably Without Director James Wan

    Evil spirits are apparently a renewable energy, as there is another “Conjuring” movie on the way.

    Deadline reports that New Line Cinema is working on “The Conjuring 3,” with “Conjuring 2” writer David Leslie Johnson on board to pen a sequel in the hit horror movie franchise. However, original “Conjuring” director/writer/producer James Wan probably won’t return to sit in the director’s chair.

    “The Conjuring” movies follow paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren (Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga) as they help families experiencing hauntings, evil spirits, and other poltergeist-like activity.

    “Conjuring 3” would be the seventh film in the burgeoning, successful franchise. In addition to the two original flavor movies, it has yielded the spinoffs “Annabelle,” “Annabelle: Creation,” “The Nun,” and “The Crooked Man” (which is in development).

    Wan himself is likely too busy to direct “The Conjuring 3,” as he is currently in production on “Aquaman,” which is due in theaters in 2018.