Moviefone Editorial

Tag: michael-keaton

  • ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’ Poster Hints at Multiple Villains

    Spider-Man fans already had a lot of expectations for the upcoming ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home,’ and thanks to the first official poster for the movie, which earlier this week, they now expect to see the Green Goblin return as well!

    The new movie will deal with the aftermath of Peter’s secret identity going public at the end of ‘Spider-Man: Far from Home,’ thanks to Mysterio, and having Doctor Strange cast a spell so the world forgets who Spider-Man really is. However, we know from the recent trailer that things will go terribly wrong and tear a rift in the multiverse, allowing villains from the Sam Raimi and Marc Webb movies to also appear.

    Conformation of this was given at the beginning of production when it was announced that Jamie Foxx would be reprising his role as Electro from ‘The Amazing Spider-Man 2.’ Then, earlier this year, actor Alfred Molina himself confirmed in an interview with Variety that he would also be reprising his role as Doctor Octopus from ‘Spider-Man 2.’ This led to countless rumors about the film, including that Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield may also return, playing their respective versions of Peter Parker.

    Then, just last week, news hit that Empire Magazine was running an article on the film in their December issue that confirmed Rhys Ifans and Thomas Haden Church returning in ‘No Way Home’ as the Lizard and the Sandman, their characters from ‘The Amazing Spider-Man’ and ‘Spider-Man 3,’ respectively. Not to mention, and Spoiler Alert for ‘Venom: Let There Be Carnage,’ but Tom Hardy’s title character is also now running around in the MCU. Which leaves the Green Goblin, whose pumpkin bombs could be seen in the trailer, but who’s image has been kept secret until now.

    If you zoom into the background of the new poster, you can see a small image that looks to be the Willem Dafoe version of the character from Spider-Man. While the Green Goblin’s voice can be heard in the trailer, it is difficult to know if it is really Dafoe or not. Although the new poster would indicate that this version of Norman Osborne will appear in the movie, there still has been no official confirmation from Sony or Marvel that the Oscar-nominated actor will be reprising his role. Fans will also notice that the new poster teases the other three previously announced returning franchise villains, with Doc Ock’s metal tentacles, yellow lightning to represent Electro, and a sandstorm for the Sandman featuring prominent in the poster.

    But like a mirage, many online fans think that they have spotted other potential villains hidden in the poster. If you look at the Green Goblin image, there are two pieces of debris on either side of him, and some fans think that those tiny images are of James Franco and Dane DeHaan’s Green Goblins from ‘Spider-Man 3’ and ‘The Amazing Spider-Man 2,’ respectively. When I zoomed in on the poster, it just looked like debris to me, and there is absolutely nothing indicating that Franco or DeHaan will be reprising their previous roles in the upcoming film.

    But the online guessing game doesn’t stop there, as some people think that the debris in the background near the edge of Spider-Man’s right hand is the Vulture flying in the background. Some online have even said that the Lizard is hidden in the bottom right hand corner, and that Rhino’s horn can be seen just below Spider-Man’s knee, but I don’t buy that one as it just looks like a metal spike poking out of concrete. But the wildest online theory is that the metallic tentacle we see on the right hand side of the poster is not Alfred Molina’s character, but instead Kathryn Hahn’s Doctor Olivia Octavius from ‘Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse,’ which seems completely made-up if you ask me.

    The poster was dropped on the film’s official Twitter account, which even encouraged fans to use their “Spidey Senses” to look for “details,” so they clearly want fans guessing. But I think with many fans trying to find out everything they can about the upcoming movie, they are beginning to see things that are just not there, which may be exactly what Disney wants. I can’t remember a time in the past when a simple poster for a movie has caused so much excitement and online debate. I only fear that fans now expect far too much from ‘No Way Home,’ and anything short of all three cinematic Spider-Man fighting off a multiverse version of the Sinister Six will leave hardcore viewers disappointed.

    Now, assuming that Venom is not one of the Sinister Six, as he wasn’t in the comics, and also assuming that the Sinister Six is featured in the new movie at all, that still leaves one-member unknown. It likely won’t be Jared Leto’s Morbius, as his solo film is not set to release until January, but it could be Michael Keaton’s Vulture, who is also set to appear in Morbius. And let’s not forget Jake Gyllenhaal’s Mysterio, although he apparently died in ‘Far From Home,’ the character is best known for his illusions, so anything is possible.

    Vulture, or possibly Mysterio, would make the most sense to me to actually be the sixth member of the Sinister Six, if they do in fact appear. But if Green Goblin, Doc Ock, Sandman, Lizard, and Electro are in the movie, that would represent one villain from every non-MCU Spider-Man movie, and I would think that Marvel Studios would want at least one of Tom Holland’s Spider-Man villains from the MCU to appear as well.

    With Benedict Cumberbatch and Benedict Wong already confirmed to reprise their Doctor Strange roles in ‘No Way Home,’ as well as Oscar winner J.K. Simmons returning as J. Jonah Jameson, the cast is already packed with other MCU characters. So, with the exception of Molina’s Doc Ock, and maybe the Green Goblin, I wouldn’t expect any of the villains from previous Spider-Man movies to have terribly large roles, as they will most likely appear as cameos towards the end of the movie, which is rumored to run well over two and a half hours.

    Check out the new poster below, and ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’ is set to open in theaters on December 17th.

    Spider-Man: No Way Home

  • Michael Keaton’s Best Movies

    Michael Keaton’s Best Movies

    Michael Keaton in 'The Protégé' (photo courtesy Lionsgate)
    Michael Keaton in ‘The Protégé’ (photo courtesy Lionsgate)

    Few actors have managed to have had a career to match Michael Keaton. The 69-year-old Oscar-nominated actor seems to have found a second act to his career, reinforcing his worldwide renown. ‘Batman,’ ‘Beetlejuice,’ and ‘Birdman’ are just some of the movies that have proved to be an essential reason for his global recognition.

    With his latest film ‘The Protégé‘ now in theaters, it’s a good time to look at his ten best movies.

    10. Cars (2006)

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    At number 10 we have ‘Cars’ (2006), the animated comedy produced by Pixar Animation. Keaton lends his voice to Chick Hicks, a rival of the movie’s hero, Lightning McQueen.

    9. The Founder (2016)

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    At number 9 comes ‘The Founder’ (2016). Based on real-life events, ‘The Founder’ tells the captivating tale of the inception of McDonald’s. In this movie, Keaton plays the role of the unexpectedly cunning Ray Kroc. The film follows Kroc as he buys a local burger spot from two brothers and turns it into the multi-billion dollar enterprise we know today.

    8. Much Ado About Nothing (1993)

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    On number 8 is ‘Much Ado About Nothing’ (1993), an adaptation of Shakespeare’s comedy. Keaton plays the comically bumbling contable, Dogberry, and although it’s not a lead part, the role brings more than a few laughs to the movie.

    7. Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)
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    At number 7 we have a blockbuster superhero movie. Don’t worry; it’s not ‘Batman’ (spoiler: that comes later in the list). In a somewhat surprising heel turn, Keaton played The Vulture, a classic super villain and regular foe of Spidey.  This ‘Spider-Man’ movie has maybe the most believable high-school age Peter Parker in Tom Holland, and seeing him go head-to-head with Keaton’s Vulture is that much more dramatic.

    6. Jackie Brown (1997)

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    ‘Jackie Brown’ (1997), a crime movie about a flight attendant who is caught smuggling gun money and now has to choose between busting her boss or going to jail, is 6th on the list. Here, Keaton plays the role of ATF agent Ray Nicolette (the same role he played in ‘Out of Sight’). Keaton’s scenes with Pam Grier crackle, even though Grier’s Jackie is far, far smarter than Ray. .

    5. Batman (1989)

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    On number 5, we have the most-awaited and well-recognized movie of all time, ‘Batman’ (1989).  Some may remember that Keaton was not the obvious choice as the Caped Crusader, but decades later, his performance still casts a long shadow over the role.

    4. Beetlejuice (1988)

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    On number 4 is ‘Beetlejuice’ (1988), the classic and ghoulish comedy from director Tim Burton. When the recently deceased Maitlands try and rid their home of the pesky new family, they turn to the ghost with the most – Beetlejuice. Keaton swings for the fences here, making Beetlejuice manic, macabre, menacing, and moronic, sometimes all at the same time.

    3. Birdman (2014)

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    At number 3, we have ‘Birdman’ (2014),  a story about an actor trying to leave behind the superhero role he’s famous for so that he can be taken seriously as an artist.  Keaton’s casting is almost too on the nose here, but it’s a stunning performance about an artist that might just be going over the edge.

    2. Spotlight (2015)

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    Moving to number 2 on the list, we have ‘Spotlight’ (2015). This Best Picture winner is based on true story, and sees Keaton as Walter Robinson, the head of the Boston Globe’s “Spotlight” team.   As the team investigates some unusual reassignments of local Catholic clergy, they discover that the church has been covering up sexual abuse for years, and resulting scandal the story brings to light rocks the church.

    1. Toy Story 3 (2009)

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    Last but not the least, on number 1, we have ‘Toy Story 3’ (2009). It’s amazing to think that Pixar continued to make great ‘Toy Story’ movies, but here we are. The third act of this film is emotionally devastating, so get the tissue ready. Keaton lends his voice to Ken (of Barbie fame), who may be a little too happy to be a toy.  Ken gets some of the funniest jokes in the movie, and Keaton’s delivery is as perfect as Ken’s hair.

  • 15 Things You Never Knew About ‘Batman’ on its 30th Anniversary

    15 Things You Never Knew About ‘Batman’ on its 30th Anniversary

    Warner Bros.

    It’s been 30 years since the world was gripped by Bat-Mania. “Batman” truly dominated the summer movie season in 1989, giving starving superhero fans a taste of a darker, more dramatic Caped Crusader. While we wait for the dark Knight to return to the big screen in 2021’s “The Batman,” learn more about the making of Tim Burton‘s epic superhero revamp.

    1. The origins of “Batman” can be traced back to 1979, when producers Benjamin Melniker and Michael E. Uslan purchased the rights to the franchise from DC Comics in the hope of making a darker movie more in line with the original Bob Kane/Bill Finger comics.

    2. The project went through numerous incarnations over the course of that next decade. At one point “Ghostbusters” director Ivan Reitman pitched a more comedic take starring Bill Murray as Batman and Eddie Murphy as Robin.

    Columbia Pictures

    3. Despite this prolonged period of development, WB didn’t officially greenlight “Batman” until Tim Burton’s “Beetlejuice” became a box office success in 1988.

    4. Burton has admitted to never having read the Batman comics before being hired as director, though this is due to his dyslexia rather than an actual distaste for the source material (as many detractors have claimed). Burton has also said the 1988 graphic novel “Batman: The Killing Joke” helped him gain a better handle on the Batman/Joker dynamic while preparing for the job.

    Warner Bros.

    5. Jack Nicholson negotiated an extremely favorable deal with WB that granted him top billing in the credits, control over his shooting schedule and percentage points of both the box office gross and merchandise sales.

    6. In fact, Nicholson’s deal is considered to be one of the most lucrative in Hollywood history. He’s estimated to have earned at least $100 million from the franchise over the years, including being compensated for sequels in which he never appeared.

    Warner Bros.

    7. Nicholson may have eventually reprised his role had the series not been rebooted following 1997’s “Batman and Robin.” A planned fifth movie called “Batman Unchained” would have featured the Joker returning in the form of a hallucination caused by Scarecrow’s fear gas. That story pitch also introduced Harley Quinn as the vengeful daughter of Jack Napier.

    8. Robin Williams lobbied for the Joker role and came very close to winning the part when it appeared Nicholson would bow out. Williams’ remained bitter about losing the role for many years, even refusing the opportunity to play The Riddler in 1995’s “Batman Forever.”

    Warner Bros.

    9. Michael Keaton improvised some of Batman’s most memorable lines in the movie, including the now-iconic “I’m Batman.” The script has the character instead saying, “I am the night.”

    10. The newspaper cartoonist’s rendition of “The Bat-Man” is actually drawn by Batman co-creator Bob Kane. Kane was also supposed to have played the cartoonist, but he fell ill during filming.

    Warner Bros.

    11. To date, this is the only theatrical Batman movie to feature exactly one supervillain from the comics. Every other Batman movie has included at least two villains.

    12. Pat Hingle (Commissioner Gordon) and Michael Gough (Alfred Pennyworth) are the only two “Batman” actors to reprise their roles in all three sequels.

    Warner Bros.

    13. Sam Hamm’s original screenplay included a pre-Robin Dick Grayson. Child actor Ricky Addison Reed was cast in the role, but the character was cut when Warren Skarren revised Hamm’s script shortly before filming commenced.

    14. The ending was another source of many last-minute revisions. Originally, the climax revolved around an enraged Batman attacking Joker after the death of Vicki Vale.

    Warner Bros.

    15. “Batman” became the highest-grossing DC Comics movie of all time and wasn’t unseated until 2008’s “The Dark Knight.”

  • A ‘Beetlejuice’ Sequel Probably Won’t Happen

    A ‘Beetlejuice’ Sequel Probably Won’t Happen

    Warner Bros.

    More than 30 years after the film hit theaters, talk of making a sequel to classic horror-comedy “Beetlejuice” is still percolating. But how likely is it that that film will ever materialize?

    According to director Tim Burton, fans shouldn’t hold their breath. A new report from USA Today says that when asked what was happening with “Beetlejuice 2,” the filmmaker “mumbled” an answer of “Nothing, nothing.”

    When asked directly if the movie would ever get made, Burton replied, “I don’t know. I doubt it.”

    Warner Bros. also seemed to put the nail in the sequel’s coffin, with a studio spokesperson telling USA Today that “the project isn’t in active development.”

    So what gives? After all, Burton and stars Michael Keaton and Winona Ryder have all publicly discussed the sequel in recent years. Warner Bros. even hired a new screenwriter for the project back in 2017, and reportedly had plans in place to get “Beetlejuice 2” into theaters in time for the 1988 film’s 30th anniversary.

    Original co-screenwriter Larry Wilson thinks that it all comes down to the story, and trying to put a new spin on the original writing and offbeat vibe of the first film is no small task.

    “The bottom line is, Tim Burton and Michael Keaton are not going to think about a ‘Beetlejuice’ sequel unless it somehow catches the energy of the first film. And that’s not easy,” Wilson explained to USA Today. “‘Beetlejuice’ really was lightning in a bottle.”

    That being said, Wilson added that the creative team was very eager to check out the new “Beetlejuice” musical, which is opening on Broadway later this month. If all goes according to plan, it could perhaps relaunch plans for a sequel.

    “It seems like they have really reinvented the movie and it’s looking like a real hit,” Wilson told USA Today. “So we’ll sit tight until then.”

    Maybe keep your striped suit on standby, just in case.

    [via: USA Today]

  • Every Tim Burton Movie, Ranked From ‘Beetlejuice’ to ‘Batman’

    Every Tim Burton Movie, Ranked From ‘Beetlejuice’ to ‘Batman’

  • ‘Dumbo’ Star Danny DeVito Had No Idea Jack Nicholson Was Going to Be in ‘Hercules’

    ‘Dumbo’ Star Danny DeVito Had No Idea Jack Nicholson Was Going to Be in ‘Hercules’

    Disney

    Danny DeVito, like much of the cast of Disney’s new live-action “Dumbo,” is something of a Tim Burton MVP. DeVito, who plays Max Medici, the ringleader of a charming small circus that is swallowed up by a more menacing circus owner (played by Michael Keaton, another Burton alum), has already memorably starred in three of the director’s works (and two of them involved circuses) – “Batman Returns,” “Big Fish” and “Mars Attacks!” Those turns are pretty unforgettable. And so is his performance in “Dumbo,” as one of the first humans who understands that Dumbo isn’t just a floppy-eared anomaly but a creature capable of making audience’s hearts soar.

    We were lucky enough to recently sit down with DeVito and spoke about his history with Disney (he’s one of the only actors who has voiced a character in an animated classic and starred in a live-action remake of another classic), what it was like re-teaming with Burton, and whether or not he watched that old hotel topple while making “Mars Attacks!”

    Moviefone: You are one of the few actors who have starred in a live-action adaptation of a Disney animated movie and been a voice in a Disney animated movie, “Hercules.”

    DeVito: That’s right. Philoctetes.

    What do you remember from that?

    I remember that being a great experience. And also a big thing is that … what’s fun is when you’re talking to people and some kid will go [makes quizzical face] or say, “I recognize your voice from …” I say, “What?” And they say, “Hercules,” and that’s really fun. I’ve done a couple of voices. I did “My Little Pony” years ago because my daughter was into it and so I played a part in that. And then “The Lorax” was fun too. So I’ve done that kind of thing a few times. It’s really good. Right now I’m doing another Disney movie called “The One and Only Ivan” and I play a dog.

    Disney

    What do you remember when Jack Nicholson, your buddy, was also in “Hercules?” Do you know that he was originally Hades?

    Oh.

    Did he ever talk to you about it?

    No. He was in it?

    He was going to be in it and then he asked for a percentage of the merchandise revenue. But you can see actual artwork of him as Hades with the sunglasses on and everything.

    Oh they were going to use his imagery? I guess this is a big thing about Jack. He’s iconic and I think that if you’re going to put them up there with sunglasses and looking like him and he probably should give him a piece of the action. Lucrative is what they say.

    How how did you get involved in this project?

    Tim It has been working on this for a while, I imagine. And when he called me a couple of years ago, I was doing “The Price” on Broadway and he said, “What is your schedule? What are you doing?” And I was tied up with “The Price” for a few months and we just hoped for the best because he thought that it was almost overlapped. And I wouldn’t leave them the play.

    And it worked out great. I don’t think I would be really happy with myself right now if I wasn’t in “Dumbo.” It was just having the family together again with Tim and with Michael; that was really special for us. We had such a good time on the set. Of course, “Big Fish” was like a similar character, but of course I was a werewolf in that and that was my first nude scene. But Max Medici is really special because he has his family circus. Theater was hard. He wants to do everything he can to make ends meet, to keep the circus afloat during the tough times.

    Why does Tim Burton always think about you in relation to circuses?

    Well, so far it’s been “Batman Returns” and I don’t know, I guess we’re odd people. He is and I am and we like that. There’s a kind of an oddity in what he likes about me and I like about him. We get along in that way. We’re odd people out. Tim is always perceived as being like a certain way and he’s been dealing with that for many years and he deals with it really well. He’s actually just a funny, outgoing, sweet, shy, artist.

    Warner Bros.

    What was it like working with Michael Keaton again?

    Keaton and I, we go back to “Johnny Dangerously.” He’s always been just one of those guys, a really good guy. And when you’d see him around do whatever, whether it was at some function or wherever we bumped into each other, we always have really a good feeling about each other. And it was nice. Of course being The Penguin in Batman was great. Very happy that I got to do that. And, and now here we are again, a Medici and Vandevere – we’ll take it on the road!

    Warner Bros

    You haven’t talked a lot about your “Mars Attacks!” experience.

    It was a great experience. Vegas baby! What was unique about that one was working with Tim, he said I was going to get killed by Martian and I thought, Well, I’m going to definitely do this movie. But we worked at night in Vegas because we had to have the casinos. We were shooting at night. I was only there for four nights and it was really a lot of fun. Very glitzy, very circus-like in a way. It’s not the exact same. It wasn’t Circus Circus. I don’t know where we shot. God, if we, if we shot at Circus Circus. That’s a good question because that would make it… Right now we have a circus trilogy going on. Right? What do you call that if we had four?

    I don’t know, a quadrilogy?

    Yeah. You’re the guy with the pad and the beard. You’re the one who’s supposed to know these answers.

    Did you watch them blow up the old hotel?

    Oh yeah.

    What do you find that to be the most satisfying aspect of re-teaming with Burton?

    I love watching them work. You went to the set, so you know. I would stay on the set even when I’m not needed, just to watch him work. Because I love watching him put it all together. I am forward about that with him. I like hanging out at the monitor and watching him paint.

    Have you seen a finished movie?

    Oh yeah. I knew it was going to be a beautiful. The people could do this stuff are artists themselves. So MPC is … I’m actually working with them on “The One and Only Ivan.” They’re really a pack of artists in their own right. Everybody from the animators to everybody and if you have guidance from Tim who is a visual artist. That was amazing to see. I saw the elephant in different stages, like, because they had models of it. They were keeping it secret. They wouldn’t show anybody. But I was getting in the back there and had to take a look. So I knew it was going to be outrageously wonderful and you beyond my wildest dreams. But it really looks good. I’m very pleased with the way it came out.

    “Dumbo” flies into theaters nationwide tomorrow night.

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  • What It Was Like on the Set of ‘Dumbo,’ Tim Burton’s Latest Marvel

    What It Was Like on the Set of ‘Dumbo,’ Tim Burton’s Latest Marvel

    Disney

    Disney’s original “Dumbo,” released in 1941, was a deliberate attempt at doing something lean, mean and emotionally resonant. It followed “Fantasia,” Walt’s wildly ambitious concert film, one that didn’t do what the studio had hoped on either a critical or commercial level. “Dumbo” was seen, in many ways, as a course correction; it was based on something inherently populist (a roll-a-book aimed at children) and clocked in at just over an hour (“Fantasia” had a runtime of a whopping 126 minutes). This was a movie that aimed to tug at your heartstrings, with messages that were simple and relatable. It was a far cry from the knotty intellectualism that tripped up “Fantasia.” And in some ways, Tim Burton’s new “Dumbo” can been seen as a similar attempt to recapture authenticity, after his earlier Disney live action remake “Alice in Wonderland” (a blockbuster, for sure, but one that was awash in computerized sets and imagery). Visiting the set of “Dumbo” back in 2017, it was easy to understand what the film would become because so much of it was physically there.

    Burton’s “Dumbo” (out March 29th everywhere) takes its inspiration from the animated classic but doesn’t adhere much to the narrative. This movie is much bigger and more complicated, as everyone on set (from costume designer Colleen Atwood to production designer Rick Heinrichs, both longtime Burton collaborators) stressed how important it was for Burton to have actual sets, costumes, and props this time around. (“Alice in Wonderland” was groundbreaking in a number of ways, not least of which because of its status as a “virtual production,” wherein almost everything was created inside the computer.) The new film follows the small traveling Medici circus, run by Danny DeVito, as it is absorbed, following the arrival of Dumbo (a computer-generated character dreamed up by the geniuses at visual effects house MPC), by Dreamland, a corporate, stationary “destination circus” ruled over by Michael Keaton.

    Disney

    That meant that everyone had to work extra hard, creating custom, period-specific looks for not just a single circus, but several circuses, including Dreamland, a kind of proto-Disneyland whose stages were so large they were housed in a facility that used to build blimps for World War II. We were visiting some stages at Pinewood, outside of London, that were plenty huge, so you can imagine how immersive and complex those stages were.

    Among the sets that we got to meander through were Valdevere’s apartment, which Heinrichs pointed out anachronistically embraced some art deco design (the movie is set in 1919), festooned with images of Eva Green’s trapeze artist (an element that isn’t lingered on in the final film); a trapeze area where Green’s character was practicing; and a large circus set that is integral to the final moments of the film so we will just keep mum about it besides to say that it was beautiful and enchanting and full of the kind of life and energy that Burton’s key collaborators kept reinforcing was integral to this project.

    Disney

    Atwood stressed how much more colorful the film was compared to some of Burton’s other, more monochromatic productions and said it was “very full of life, color, and joy.” She also stressed how important the original animated film was to this production, and touring the costumes, it was easy to see why, with nods to not only the circus and general atmosphere of the original movie, but specifics like the firefighter scene. (Producers Justin Springer and Derek Frey also promised a nod to the famous “pink elephants” sequence of the original in this new film. Hiccup.) Heinrichs promised a “storybook” feeling to the material, which is very promising given his background as a Disney animator, alongside Burton, in the early 1980s (a time when many of the fabled animators who worked on the original “Dumbo” were still at the studio).

    And while Dumbo wasn’t there, for obvious reasons, there was tons of reference photos all over what we saw, to help everyone recognize what he would look like and just how central a role he would play. Springer and Frey teased that Burton had come up with a visual language that would make the audience feel like they were looking out through the pachyderm’s eyes. There was also a small stunt performer, who would act as a stand-in for eyelines for the actors. So even though Dumbo wasn’t really there, he was always represented.

    Besides the movie’s missing star, though, it was staggering to see how little other visual effects work there would be; mostly set extensions and digital skies (inspired by Edward Hopper) courtesy of some very large green screens that were draped behind all of the sets we visited. But it was a far cry from the everything-but-Johnny-Depp-is-digitally-created ethos of “Alice in Wonderland,” in which actors wandered through a sea of green. Again, that worked and was a huge success, but it seems to have generally stressed out Burton to the point that his next animated-to-live-action-adaptation had to be done his way. Even the sawdust underneath the trapeze was real and very dusty. Heinrichs says that the stages were decided on early on: “Being on stage allows you to focus more, and to light expressively and focus the audience’s attention much more specifically.”

    And what he brings up is a very good point, in regards to being able to draw out of an audience a very specific emotional response, which seems both easy (Dumbo is so cute) and incredibly difficult (especially as we’re expected to invest in an all new family, led by Colin Farrell, whose story runs parallel to the main narrative). We got the sense from everyone on set that they were taking this project very seriously even though, as he rushed in between set-ups, Burton joked that he didn’t know if he was making a comedy or a drama. Maybe, just maybe, he’s making a new classic.

  • The 14 Best Ron Howard Movies

    The 14 Best Ron Howard Movies

  • 2019 Oscars Reveal More Presenters, Including ‘Black Panther’ Stars

    2019 Oscars Reveal More Presenters, Including ‘Black Panther’ Stars

    Marvel Studios

    The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is desperately trying to win back some public goodwill, after a disastrous few weeks of poor decision-making surrounding the Oscars telecast. And one way it’s hoping to mend some fences is by inviting a bunch of awesome people to serve as presenters at the ceremony.

    This week, the Academy revealed another round of stars who will hand out awards at the Oscars, which will air without a host for the first time in 30 years. It remains to be seen how that choice will affect the broadcast, but at least the banter between presenters should be pretty solid, if this lineup is any indication.

    The latest batch of presenters is:

    Elsie Fisher, Danai Gurira, Brian Tyree Henry, Michael B. Jordan, Michael Keaton, Helen Mirren, John Mulaney, Tyler Perry, Pharrell Williams, Krysten Ritter, Paul Rudd, and Michelle Yeoh.

    They join the previously announced group from round one:

    Awkwafina, Daniel Craig, Chris Evans, Tina Fey, Whoopi Goldberg, Brie Larson, Jennifer Lopez, Amy Poehler, Maya Rudolph, Amandla Stenberg, Charlize Theron, Tessa Thompson, and Constance Wu.

    The group from round two:

    Javier Bardem, Angela Bassett, Chadwick Boseman, Emilia Clarke, Laura Dern, Samuel L. Jackson, Stephan James, Keegan-Michael Key, KiKi Layne, James McAvoy, Melissa McCarthy, Jason Momoa and Sarah Paulson.

    And the previously snubbed — but thankfully finally invited — acting winners from last year:

    Allison Janney, Frances McDormand, Gary Oldman, and Sam Rockwell.

    The 91st Annual Academy Awards will take place on Sunday, February 24. The show airs live on ABC.

    [via: Oscars.org]

  • New ‘Dumbo’ Sneak Peek Proves Magic Is Possible and Miracles Happen

    New ‘Dumbo’ Sneak Peek Proves Magic Is Possible and Miracles Happen

    Disney

    Anything is possible and miracles happen in a new sneak peek at the upcoming live-action “Dumbo.”

    In addition to releasing a much-talked-about TV spot for “Aladdin” yesterday, Disney also unveiled a new teaser for its live-action remake of “Dumbo.”

    There’s new footage of the titular little elephant, whose high-flying feats leave audiences stunned and Michael Keaton whispering, “He’s made me a child again.”

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fOJ9YhY9v0Q&feature=youtu.be

    We also get to see a bit more of Colin Farrell’s one-armed animal trainer, Danny DeVito’s circus owner Max Medici, and Keaton’s villainous entrepreneur.

    The CGI Dumbo looks fantastic and moviegoers will likely be as thrilled as the circus audience at the breathtaking flying scenes.

    Here’s the official synopsis of the movie:

    Circus owner Max Medici (Danny DeVito) enlists former star Holt Farrier (Colin Farrell) and his children Milly (Nico Parker) and Joe (Finley Hobbins) to care for a newborn elephant whose oversized ears make him a laughingstock in an already struggling circus. But when they discover that Dumbo can fly, the circus makes an incredible comeback, attracting persuasive entrepreneur V.A. Vandevere (Michael Keaton), who recruits the peculiar pachyderm for his newest, larger-than-life entertainment venture, Dreamland. Dumbo soars to new heights alongside a charming and spectacular aerial artist, Colette Marchant (Eva Green), until Holt learns that beneath its shiny veneer, Dreamland is full of dark secrets.

    “Dumbo” opens in theaters March 29.