With ‘A Minecraft Movie’s box office total currently standing at a huge $957 million, Warner Bros. has announced that a sequel to the wildly success game adaptation is already in the works.
Yes, the movie that helped kick start a revival in WB’s box office fortunes is going the sequel route as soon as humanly possible, in this case, taking aim at a 2027 release slot.
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Jared Hess, who co-wrote and directed the first movie, is back to oversee the sequel, and while the screenplay list was a bundle of people who had worked on it through its long development, the new one will come from just Hess and collaborator Chris Galletta (‘The Kings of Summer’).
Right now, there’s no official detail on storyline or if stars Jack Black and Jason Momoa will return, but we can practically hear the dump trucks of money backing up to their houses.
Honestly, the most surprising part of all this is that it took them this long to confirm a follow-up was moving forward.
If you’re not in the game’s target audience, allow us to brief you on the basics… The game, from Swedish developer Mojang AB, allows you to create and shape an entire world, and by 2014 had sold more than 35 million copies across PCs, the Xbox 360, and mobile platforms.
Much like with Lego, the only stories here are those created by users, who can choose whether to explore, create or fight with each other.
There are also nocturnal monsters stalking the place, which you must deal with. It reached 100 million users just a few years after launch and helping spark Microsoft to acquire Mojang for $2.5 billion in 2014.
Since then, it hasn’t been quite as much in the pop cultural zeitgeist (the likes of ‘Fortnite’ have tended to dominate), but it’s recognizable intellectual property.
Black and Momoa star in the movie, which follows a group of misfits who are pulled through a portal into a cubic world and guided by an expert crafter named Steve (played by Black).
There are laughs. Weird characters. Chicken Jockeys (if you know, you know).
When will ‘A Minecraft Movie 2’ be in theaters?
As confirmed by its social post below, Warners has scheduled the follow-up for July 23rd, 2027.
In theaters on April 4th, ‘A Minecraft Movie’ adapts the wildly popular (at least, a few years ago, before the likes of ‘Fortnite’ and ‘Roblox’ took over) video game where players can craft whatever they want in the blocky universe known as the “Overworld.”
While some recent game adaptations have triumphed through finding a unique way into the story, ‘A Minecraft Movie’ has only occasional nods towards that, preferring instead to appeal to its young-skewing audience via bombastic action and comedy.
Video game adaptations were tarred for years with a lack of success, and to be clearer, a lack of understanding what really needs to happen with you convert something from one medium to another. Then, the likes of ‘Detective Pikachu,’ Netflix’s ‘Arcane,’ the burgeoning ‘Sonic the Hedgehog’ franchise and even ‘The Super Mario Bros. Movie’ proved that it could work –– though that last one is more box office behemoth than true creative challenge.
Along the same lines; albeit product rather than game, is ‘The LEGO Movie,’ which showed that it you find the right creators, who hit upon a great idea, you can end up with something really special, particularly if it’s people who don’t treat the source material like gospel to be taken fully successfully.
It’s that last entry to which we might best compare ‘A Minecraft Movie’, though put up against the sheer lunatic invention of ‘LEGO,’ the new offering certainly falls a lot shorter, with fewer points with which to recommend it.
It’s normal for a project that has been in development for as long as the ‘Minecraft’ outing to boast contributions from a laundry list of writers –– let’s be honest, even the successful ones usually come to screens with a host of uncredited input by funny/professional people. Yet with five people listed on the screenplay: Chris Bowman, Hubbel Palmer, Neil Widener, Gavin James and Chris Galletta, you might expect ‘A Minecraft Movie’ to have come through with a few more original ideas.
Yet for all the concepts drawn from within the game (build anything you can imagine from the blocky source fodder of the “Overworld” and the various creatures/characters who populate the game), this still falls back on some awfully familiar structures, including Hunt for the Object, the Villain who Hates Everything the Heroes Care About and Seeks to Destroy it and the Coming of Age/Believe in Yourself storylines.
What we have here is essentially a remix of those, and while, yes, a lot of films of this genre go for that, it’s how you use them. ‘A Minecraft Movie,’ while sometimes poking fun at the ideas, goes the fairly basic route. Some of the gags land (largely sold by the performers, more on that below), but the whole is less than the sum of its parts. And some of the parts feel awfully second-hand.
As a director, Jared Hess has put out fiercely original, goofy takes on life such as his breakout ‘Napoleon Dynamite,’ and he does manage to bring some of his offbeat comic energy to the film. It’s also credit to him and his team that the world comes across as decent, as opposed to the rushed, cloudy CG-scapes that have brought the likes of ‘Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania’ low.
Still, there remains the feeling that ‘Minecraft’ has seen Hess’ voice fed through the studio machine to some degree.
If there’s one element that feels like it drives everything else, it’s the paired zaniness of Jack Black and Jason Momoa.
Black, of course, is bringing his usual manic energy to the role of Steve, the crafter who found his way to the Overworld and in it, discovered what he was looking for (alongside a loyal, blocky wolf companion named Dennis).
If you’re not a fan of Black’s particular, enthusiastic and occasionally musical delivery, you’ll probably be turned off by his wild-eyed posturing and his gesticulating. But vibe with him (and a lot of the kid audience already does) and he brings the role to vivid life, managing to be silly and heartfelt in one package.
Jason Momoa, meanwhile, has proved in the past that he can lean into weirdness when called upon, and here his Garrett, a shaggy-haired, pink-tasseled leather jacket-wearing wannabe badass is another solid comic creation for the actor to bring to life. By turns fake-macho and sensitive, he wouldn’t be out of place in the world of video game documentary ‘The King of Kong’ and he’s just on the right side of annoying as to be watchable.
Also on a comic vibe –– though sidelined to such a degree as to almost be completely detached from the narrative at points –– is Jennifer Coolidge, whose kooky energy serves her well as Vice Principal Marlene, who ends up on a dinner date with one of the Minecraft characters who makes it into the real world and chews on her lines almost as much as her meal.
Elsewhere, the other human characters such as Emma Myers‘ Natalie and Sebastian Hansen’s Henry are there to provide the heart, which makes them much blander, though they do get their moments.
And while her specific comedy vibe is mostly wasted, Danielle Brooks also has one or two decent gags.
On the villainous side, we have the always-reliable Rachel House (‘Thor: Ragnarok‘ and many of Taika Waititi’s other movies), who voices piggy witch Malgosha, a creature with a dark, destructive agenda. She might not sound all that threatening, but she sells the character’s comic business, particularly during a climatic showdown with Black’s Steve.
‘A Minecraft Movie’ never hits the heights of ‘The LEGO Movie,’ but it’s certainly more willing to take risks than Illumination’s ‘Mario’ effort.
Definitely aimed more at younger audiences (this is a real case of “parents, ask your kids,” it’s overstuffed and under-considered, but does the job.
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What is the plot of ‘A Minecraft Movie’?
Four misfits—Garrett “The Garbage Man” Garrison (Jason Momoa), Henry (Sebastian Hansen), Natalie (Emma Myers) and Dawn (Danielle Brooks)—find themselves struggling with ordinary problems when they are suddenly pulled through a mysterious portal into the Overworld: a bizarre, cubic wonderland that thrives on imagination. To get back home, they’ll have to master this world (and protect it from evil things like piglins and zombies, too) while embarking on a magical quest with an unexpected, expert crafter, Steve (Jack Black). Together, their adventure will challenge all five to be bold and to reconnect with the qualities that make each of them uniquely creative…the very skills they need to thrive back in the real world.
Directed by Jason Hand, Dana Ledeoux Miller, and David Derrick Jr., the follow-up to 2016’s ‘Moana’ is ready to sail into theaters on November 27, 2024. Auli’i Cravahol and Dwayne Johnson return to voice Moana and Maui once again as they dive into a brand new adventure.
‘Moana 2’ takes the audience on a brand new adventure as Moana and her crew venture into uncharted waters. While the new characters bring some excitement to the sequel, the movie truly shines when Moana and Maui are on screen together, which doesn’t come until later on in the film. The friendship and chemistry between the tattooed demi-god and Wayfinder is truly the glue and heartbeat of the film.
The animation is gorgeous and seems to be even more colorful than the first. It should also mentioned that the representation of the Pacific Islanders is even more so highlighted in this. ‘Moana 2’ starts strong but loses its pacing in the second act. However, the third act brings the excitement right back, with quite a few heartfelt and emotional moments.
The movie opens with Moana exploring an unknown island, searching for any traces of life, past or present. With her trusty, but not exactly helpful, animal sidekicks Pua and Heihei by her side, Moana stumbles upon a partially broken pottery with a motif depicting people next to a mountain – eluding that there are other inhabited islands out there.
As Moana sails home with her new discovery, she’s welcomed back by her village with open arms. This is where the film introduces Moana’s little sister Simea. Though there is a pretty large age gap between Moana and Simea, the two have an extremely close-knit relationship.
That evening, Moana is to receive her title as Chief, but the ceremony is interrupted by a powerful lightning that nearly strikes Moana, sending her a vision from her ancestor, Matai Vasa. She sees her ancestors looking for Motufetu – the island that was depicted on the pottery she found. The vision also shows Moana what will happen if she fails to find Motufetu, her own island will meet its demise.
The vision also tells Moana that Motufetu once had channels that connected people across the ocean, but the Storm God Nalo wanted more power and put a curse upon the island, therefore separating the people of the ocean. To break the curse, Moana must travel beyond the waters that she knows and find Motufetu.
In the meantime, Maui is seen standing in front of a purple portal, as he mentions that the powerful Storm God Nalo has started something sinister. Maui is interrupted by Matangi – a mysterious figure who is shrouded in shadow and bats. Turns out that Matangi works for Storm God Nola and will do anything to prevent Maui or anyone else from reaching Motufetu to break Nalo’s curse.
From there, the adventure kicks off as Moana and her crew – Kele, Moni, and Loto, sail across the ocean in search of Motufetu. On the way, they encounter several ferocious sea monsters and the fearsome Kakamora. The stakes feel even higher for Moana this time around as the film explores the close relationship between Moana and Simea. The little sister has a hard time seeing Moana leave, not knowing when she’ll return. Moana shows Simea that they are always connected by the ocean, no matter how far apart they may be.
As for Moana and her crew, while they prove to be helpful in the journey to Motufetu, there is little emotional attachment to these characters. Moni seems to be the most highlighted out of the group as he is a self-proclaimed Maui superfan, which became a hilarious running gag throughout the movie. Kele has a bit of a character arc as he sheds a little of his initial grumpy persona towards the end. Loto, as brilliant of an engineer as she was, was not given more to do other than making improvements on their boat.
The same can be said about the villain, who has incredible character design and animation (and a really awesome song) but falls flat. Matangi is initially presented as a dangerous and powerful adversary to Maui and Moana but is barely used to her full potential.
The film was at its strongest when Moana and Maui shared the screen during an action-filled third act. Despite showing the close connection between Moana and Simea earlier, it is really the friendship between Moana and Maui that’ll give you a lump in your throat.
‘Moana 2’ is a fun sequel and has gorgeous animation. It clearly shows Moana’s growth since the last movie. She is comfortable in her skin and is on her way to becoming a capable leader to her people. This new adventure puts difficult challenges before her that’ll make her question her abilities but will also see her find her footing in unfamiliar situations. The movie has a strong first and third act but loses steam in the second act due to little character development between Moana and her crew, and it felt like there were pieces of story or scenes missing.
How Do the Songs of ‘Moana 2’ Compare To the First?
(L to R) Emily Bear and Abigail Barlow. Photo: Walt Disney Animation.
Songwriters Abigail Barlow and Emily Bear are tapped to pen new songs for ‘Moana 2’, with composers Opetaia Foa‘i and Mark Mancina also returning. Songs like ‘Beyond’ and “Get Lost” were the two most memorable, with “Can I Get A Chee Hoo” and “We’re Back” being a close second. As much as the new songs have the flavor from the first film, it doesn’t quite capture the magic that was created by Lin Manuel-Miranda.
A fun sequel to the 2016 film. It’s great to see Moana’s story continue and to see the representation of the Pacific Islanders’ culture on screen. The film starts off strong by building up the anticipation for the journey to Motufetu. However, it loses its footing in the second act, and aside from the excitement of seeing the army of Kakamora and the sea monsters, it felt much to be desired. Moni, Kele, and Loto’s characters could have been fleshed out a bit more, and at times, it felt like too much was cut out of a scene to meet the 1 hour and 40 minutes run time.
The movie does regain momentum in the final act, where Moana and Maui share the most screen time. The friendship and chemistry between the two is unmatched. This movie is a great way to continue Moana’s journey. It shows there are more stories to be told and places to explore. With that said, make sure you stay all the way through the credits for an extra surprise.
‘Moana 2’ receives 7 out of 10 stars.
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What’s the story of ‘Moana 2’?
Following the 2016 movie, ‘Moana 2’ will reunite audiences worldwide with Moana (Auli’i Cravalho) as she embarks on an all-new adventure with a new crew of seafarers. After Moana receives an unexpected call from her ancestors, she sets out on an expansive journey to the far seas of Oceania – exploring dangerous and uncharted waters..
Explore the depth of Hollow Earth as Kong finds his family when he uncovers an unbelievable threat to mankind – the Skar King. Kong and Godzilla team up in this next installment in the Monsterverse, helmed once again by Adam Wingard (‘Godzilla vs Kong’).
The film premiered at the Grauman’s Chinese Theater on March 25, 2024, and arrived in theaters on March 29. The movie received mixed reviews, with a 53% Rotten Tomatoes score from critics and a 91% from the audience it has grossed over $196.3 million domestically and over $567.6 worldwide, making ‘Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire’ the highest-grossing movie in the Monsterverse franchise. The film has a runtime of 1 hour and 55 minutes.
Missed it in theaters? Don’t worry. The movie is now available for rent or purchase on digital for $19.99 and $24.99, respectively, on platforms such as Amazon, Apple TV, YouTube, Vudu, and more. If you’re looking for a deal, it is currently on sale for $5.99 for rental or $12.99 for purchase. There’s no telling how long this deal of a titan proportion will last, so take advantage of it while you can. Subscribed to Max? The title is available to stream on the platform as of July 4, 2024, so you can enjoy all the action from home.
After directing two films in the MonsterVerse, Adam Wingard has departed the franchise due to scheduling conflicts. However, the studio already has the next film in motion. The next installment is scheduled for release on March 26, 2027 with a new director – Grant Sputore, at the helm. The sequel could see the returns of characters such as Rebecca Hall’s Dr. Ilene Andrews, Kaylee Hottle’s Jia, Brian Tyree Henry’s Brnie Hayes, and potentially Dan Stevens’ Trapper.
For physical media lovers, the monster action flick is now available on DVD, Blu-ray, and 4K UHD, and will include featurettes such as an in depth look at Hollow Earth and the Monsters of Hollow Earth, behind-the-scenes look at some of the film’s most epic scenes, and a commentary track featuring director Adam Wingard, visual effects supervisor Alessandro Ongaro, production designer Tom Hammock, and editor Josh Schaeffer.
For fans of the Monsterverse, a new five-film collection celebrating the 10th anniversary will be available, including 4K UHD copies of ‘Godzilla,’ ‘Kong: Skull Island,’ ‘Godzilla: King of the Monsters,’ ‘Godzilla vs. Kong,’ and ‘Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire’.
Watch the official trailer for ‘Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire’ below:
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The official synopsis for ‘Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire’ is below:
This latest entry in the Monsterverse franchise follows up the explosive showdown of Godzilla vs. Kong with an all-new cinematic adventure, pitting the almighty Kong and the fearsome Godzilla against a colossal undiscovered threat hidden within our world, challenging their very existence – and our own. The epic new film will delve further into the histories of these Titans, their origins, and the mysteries of Skull Island and beyond while uncovering the mythic battle that helped forge these extraordinary beings and tied them to humankind forever.
Who’s In the Cast of ‘Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire’
It’s definitely not one for newcomers, stuffed full of continuing story threads, though it doesn’t exactly put storytelling depth ahead of big beasts destroying infrastructure as they do battle.
Here’s the big, main, glaring problem with ‘Godzilla x Kong’… It very much takes an “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” attitude. But a lot about ‘Godzilla vs. Kong’ was broken, and this latest effort definitely doesn’t do anything to fix it.
So while there are certainly elements that work to some degree, the movie as a whole falls down whenever (most of) the humans are on screen. And unless you’re the world’s biggest fan of monsters hitting/blasting/whatever-ing each other, the feeling is very much one of numbing familiarity. While Wingard certainly knows his way around a witty, wrestling move-inspired set piece, even he can’t paper over the giant cracks appearing.
‘Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire’: Script and Direction
In truth, though, this really is one of those movies that leaves you wondering how it took so many experienced writers to come up with something so basic. There’s a new monster threat. Kong and Godzilla end up forming an unlikely alliance to deal with it. The humans either deliver exposition or quips (sometimes both). That’s it. There are times where the storytelling has all the complexity of a kid smashing their toys together.
Naturally, no one comes to these movies expecting Dostoevsky-level depth, but ‘The New Empire’ really doesn’t offer much in the way of anything beyond creature rumbles.
As mentioned, Wingard (and the effects team) conjure up some fun fights and brings plenty of knowing winks to monster mythology within them –– one of the big new threats, for example, is a classic kaiju, while our main duo is helped by a well-known creature (we’d joke about their name, but it’s too much of a spoilery giveaway).
Yet so much of the movie takes place within the Hollow Earth that it devolves into a mess of CGI that sometimes looks rubbery and fake (and far less effective than some atmospheric shots of Godzilla that could have been ripped straight from a classic Toho title.
Most people are coming to these movies for the bigger names, and we don’t mean any of the humans. In keeping with Wingard’s style, all the monsters have their own personalities (even if Godzilla is more animalistic than Kong’s recognizable emotions) and offer up perfectly serviceable actions. Highlights include the sight of the big lizard curled up to nap in Rome’s coliseum and Kong meeting a new mini version of himself).
Beyond the beasts, there are far slimmer pickings. Rebecca Hall has proved in the past she’s adept at bringing humanity to genre characters, but her Dr. Ilene Andrews serves either as an exposition delivery service (she might as well as be the narrator of the movie, stitching together plot threads and scenes because the title characters can’t) or the emotional heart of the movie alongside adopted daughter Jia (Kaylee Hottle).
Yet her connection with Jia is so cliched and basically emotional that it’s never satisfying. Of the other returning characters, Brian Tyree Henry’s Bernie Hayes is once more very standard comic relief, beneath his talents.
Possibly the best character in the new movie is Trapper, the wackily charming character brought to life by Dan Stevens, who completely understands the assignment and clearly looks to be having a blast working with his old friend Wingard (who directed him in the excellent ‘The Guest’ in 2014 –– which we’d heartily recommend watching instead of this film). In fact, he’s having more fun than most people in the audience are likely to.
Exhausting in its CG mishmash, the new monster movie seems unlikely to appeal to all but the monster committed fans of the title characters. It doesn’t re-invent the wheel and it still has no idea what to do with its characters besides have them explain what is going on or look scared.
“Big and dumb” isn’t always a criticism for a giant movie such as this, but in the case of ‘Godzilla x Kong’, it’s an apt description.
‘Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire’ receives 5.5 out of 10 stars.
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What’s the story of ‘Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire’?
The new installment in the Monsterverse puts the mighty Kong and the fearsome Godzilla against a colossal deadly threat hidden within our world that threatens the existence of their species and our very own, as well as diving deep into the mysteries of Skull Island and beyond.
Delving straight into the origins of Hollow Earth, this film will explore the ancient Titan battle that brought man and monster together forever.
Who else is in ‘Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire’?
Alongside the giant creature characters (who play themselves), the human cast for this one includes the returning likes of Rebecca Hall as Dr. Ilenes Andrews, Brian Tyree Henry as monarch conspiracy podcaster Bernie Hayes and Kaylee Hottle as Jia., who has a connection to Kong.
‘Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire’ is in production right now and will be in theaters on March 15th next year. Photo courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures and Legendary Pictures.
Movies Similar to ‘Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire:’
Opening in theaters on November17th, ‘Next Goal Wins’ is the latest movie from New Zealand filmmaker Taika Waititi and sees him deploying a familiar blend of sweet and silly.
In the past few years, Waititi has spent his time flip-flopping between the giant likes of Marvel movies (he directed 2017’s ‘Thor: Ragnarok’, which was a resounding success and last year’s ‘Thor: Love and Thunder’, generally seen as less of a hit) and the territory at which he has excelled, the low-key comedy.
This new effort, which Waititi actually shot before ‘Love and Thunder’, got caught up in the bizarre Armie Hammer sex text scandal, which resulted in the actor being replaced in the film by Will Arnett, with scenes re-shot to accommodate the change.
Yet with extra time to noodle on the movie, has the usually reliable (and Oscar-winning) filmmaker scored a winner? The answer is yes and no.
‘Next Goal Wins’ was always going to be tricky proposition given its soccer content (a sport that, while it has vastly grown in popularity in the States, in large part to the efforts of its women’s national team is still sometimes niche entertainment.
Yet the focus here is on the personalities and the underdog spirit of the natives of American Samoa, who for years had the reputation of the worst national soccer team in the world (well earned, since they could seemingly not score a goal –– and lost 31-0 to Australia in a world cup qualifier back in 2001.
What could have been seen as mocking of small-town (or island mentality) is instead a warm embrace –– not that anyone would have expected that of the director with some Māori in his family background and who makes strides in representation.
Because the movie is based on the 2014 documentary and references real-life events, there are only so many paths he could have taken with this one, but the road he chooses to travel is genuinely funny and moving places, even if it can feel familiar at times.
Waititi wrote the script with Iain Morris, an English writer who created British sitcom ‘The Inbetweeners’ and collaborated with the director on HBO’s ‘Flight of the Conchords’. The combination works here; it all feels very much in the Waititi style and comedy patter, featuring lots of undercutting of moments and confounding expectations. It chugs along at a fair pace, though at an hour and 45 minutes, there are moments that could still have been trimmed.
Sometimes, though, like Rongen’s habit of cribbing from other speeches to power his own motivational locker room talks, Waititi and Morris do end up borrowing from other, better movies from the genre and the style to find meaning and heart in the movie.
There are some very expected steps here, and not every plotline hits its mark. The interaction between Rongen and transgender player (Kaimana) turns nasty at one point, fueled by Rongen’s frustration with the team’s lack of ability, and he calls her by her old, “registered” name. The incident is soon glossed over and is never really addressed again. Though the two do have a touching/inspirational moment later in the film, it feels like an untied thread.
In terms of the directing style, Waititi largely lets the story lead the flow of the film and has the benefit of some beautiful locations (albeit in Hawaii, not American Samoa).
Michael Fassbender is the driving force of the film, showing off some solid comic chops and making you believe in Rongen’s arc as he evolves from frustrated former pro to happy coach.
But the various players all have a moment or two to shine, with newcomer Kaimana proving more than up to the challenge of the conflicted Jaiyah, who is struggling with her own gender identity and confidence issues. There’s also great work from the likes of Oscar Kightley as the endlessly positive Tavita, president of the local island’s football association (not to mention also restauranter and cameraman for the local TV show that interviews notable people arriving at the airport).
And, of course, Waititi regular Rachel House makes an impact as Tavita’s wife, Ruth, the power behind the throne.
The more famous actors, such as Elisabeth Moss and Will Arnett, largely take a backseat (Moss’s character in particular is mostly thankless), but another Waititi repeat collaborator, Rhys Darby has a fun moment near the start.
There is plenty of gentle joy to be found here. ‘Next Goal Wins’ definitely won’t be accused of being startlingly original or game-changing in any way, but it fits perfectly into the director’s canon of movies such as ‘Hunt for the Wilderpeople’ and ‘What we Do in the Shadows’. It can’t compare to either or those (or his award-winning ‘Jojo Rabbit’), but it’ll certainly be the cause of a few smiles and one or two tears.
If this is the result of Waititi taking more time away from the MCU, then the audience is the real winner.
‘Next Goal Wins’ receives 7 out of 10 stars.
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What’s the story of ‘Next Goal Wins’?
Loosely based on a true story (first chronicled in a 2014 documentary of the same name), ‘Next Goal Wins’ looks to tell a heartwarming underdog tale.
The American Samoa soccer team suffered the worst loss in World Cup history, crashing out to Australia 31-0 in 2001. With the 2014 World Cup approaching, the team recruits down on his luck, maverick coach Thomas Rongen (Michael Fassbender) to help turn their fate around.
Who else is in ‘Next Goal Wins’?
The ‘Next Goal Wins’ ensemble also includes Oscar Kightley, David Fane, Rachel House, Will Arnett, Elisabeth Moss, Chris Alosio, Rhys Darby, Kaitlyn Dever and Waititi (who pops up a couple of times as a local priest).
Leah Harvey, Jared Harris and Lou Llobell in ‘Foundation,’ premiering July 14, 2023 on Apple TV+.
Returning to Apple TV+ on July 14th , the second season of ‘Foundation’ builds on the first, stretching even further forward through time and visiting some new places while checking in on familiar faces.
Those who enjoyed the first season will find more of the ambitious, weighty science fiction they enjoyed, but newcomers who were daunted by the colder tone will latch on to some more humorous, human characters this time out.
What’s the story of ‘Foundation’s second season?
Cassian Bilton, Lee Pace and Terrence Mann in ‘Foundation,’ premiering July 14, 2023 on Apple TV+.
More than a century after the season one finale, tension mounts throughout the galaxy.
As the cloned emperor Cleons (Led by Lee Pace’s Brother Day) unravel, a vengeful queen plots to destroy Empire from within. Hari (Jared Harris), Gaal (Lou Llobell) and Salvor (Leah Harvey) discover a colony of “Mentalics” with psionic abilities that threaten to alter psychohistory itself. The Foundation has entered its religious phase, spreading the Church of Seldon throughout the Outer Reach and inciting the Second Crisis: war with Empire.
The new season chronicles the stories of four crucial individuals transcending space and time as they overcome deadly crises, shifting loyalties and complicated relationships that will ultimately determine the fate of humanity.
Who else appears in ‘Foundation’?
Ella-Rae Smith in ‘Foundation,’ premiering July 14, 2023 on Apple TV+.
Lee Pace in ‘Foundation,’ premiering July 14, 2023 on Apple TV+.
Whether you enjoy this adaptation of the ‘Foundation’ stories, which re-define the term “sprawling” might depend on your tolerance for high-minded science fiction and treatises about the human condition, war, ethics and more.
But don’t let that turn you away: because the series also manages to be very entertaining and, in this latest season, has struck more of a balance between the complex and down to Earth (even if Earth is just a memory at this point).
It still has the big clashes between the Empire and Seldon’s prediction that the galaxy-spanning authority will fall, but it also finds time for quieter moments between characters and developments on their journey.
Big highlights this time come from three new characters. Ghir plays the grown version of Poly Verisof, who we first met as a child on the planet Terminus (settled by the followers of Hari decades ago after he and they were exiled from the Empire). The adult Poly, a holy man who preaches Seldon’s wisdom, is a delight, introduced lying in a messy, hungover heap on his bunk. And through the season, he’s a constant source of laughs, whether he’s overindulging or finding his faith enough to be a hero.
Playing perfectly off of Poly is fellow monk Brother Constant (Laughland), a devout follower of the Church of Seldon, who is witty and eager for adventure beyond her home. She gets far more than she ever imagined, including a flirtatious relationship with swaggering scoundrel Hober Mallow (Leonidas).
Hober is effectively ‘Foundation’s Han Solo, a thief who pulls scams, but who is eventually dragooned into the effort against Empire. He’s crafty, vulnerable and relatable.
Of course, the returning cast wouldn’t be complete without Lee Pace as the imperious Brother Day. The current ruler of Empire (who in his line’s tradition, all clones of the original Cleon, has a younger Variant named Dawn, played by Bilton and the older Dusk, brought to life by Mann) is a pouty, feather-puffing pleasure who is re-introduced to us during a bout of particularly passionate lovemaking with female robo-servant Demerzel (Birn) before assassins arrive to try and take him out. A fight scene featuring a totally nude Pace is quite the way to ensure that this isn’t all stuffy sci-fi.
His storyline as Brother Day this year revolves around his decision to change the lineage from the endless cycle of clones to finding a wife who can give him children. And the choice found for him, Smith’s Queen Sareth, is a great counterpoint to his energy. She’s burning with vengeful fury following the murder of her family and has no truck with his pompous, childish ways.
Elsewhere, as the synopsis suggests, the story builds to a conflict, so if you’d been hoping that things would kick off more this season, you certainly get your wish towards the end. And this is still a show that looks like the team spent every dollar of the considerable budget bringing it to life –– beautiful landscapes merge with artfully designed palaces and spaceships.
‘Foundation’ fumbles
Leah Harvey and Lou Llobell in ‘Foundation,’ premiering July 14, 2023 on Apple TV+.
Not everything works as well. The storyline between Seldon, Gaal and Salvor is frequently over-serious, carrying over its weight from the first season. Which is not to say it doesn’t function, since Harris, Llobell and Harvey are all convincing enough in their roles, it’s just that their story –– at least, until it intersects with the likes of Brother Day –– doesn’t quite hold your attention in the same way.
And there will certainly be those who feel like they need an encyclopedia handy to keep track of everyone, the timelines and the arcane terms used by the various characters. But turning to Issac Asimov’s books is likely to be no help in this case, since show developer David S. Goyer and his team have made considerable changes in order to have the story be digestible for this different medium.
Plenty of potential viewers will be turned off by the feeling that the show is stuffy, worthy and slow, but our advice is to stick with it –– ‘Foundation’ builds in this season to something satisfying. Though we would definitely advise starting with the first season if this is your initial watch of the show.
‘Foundation’ receives 7.5 out of 10 stars.
Lee Pace and Terrence Mann in ‘Foundation,’ premiering July 14, 2023 on Apple TV+.
While Legendary and Warner Bros.’ “Monsterverse” movies –– the series of connected films featuring giant beasts such as Godzilla and King Kong –– have seen mixed fortunes at the box office, they have enjoyed enough success that it is continuing.
Partly that’s thanks to 2021’s ‘Godzilla Vs. Kong’, which saw the two headliners face off against each other (and another dangerous, more human-forged creature). The movie itself had to contend with a troublesome patch in the ongoing pandemic and a day-and-date release on HBO Max as well as theaters but managed to overcome both challenges to become the second film of the Covid era to cross the $100 million mark at the domestic box office, en route to $468 million globally.
Yes, it does sound a little bit like the two beasties are starting a fashion collab together, but in reality, it’s just the next big movie to feature them.
So, the next question of course, is…
‘Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire’ is in production right now and will be in theaters on March 15th next year. Photo courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures and Legendary Pictures.
What’s the story of ‘Godzilla x Kong’?
Here’s the official synopsis…
This new movie follows up the explosive showdown of Godzilla vs. Kong with an all-new cinematic adventure, pitting the almighty Kong and the fearsome Godzilla against a colossal undiscovered threat hidden within our world, challenging their very existence –– and our own.
The epic new story will delve further into the histories of these Titans, their origins, and the mysteries of Skull Island and beyond, while uncovering the mythic battle that helped forge these extraordinary beings and tied them to humankind forever.
‘Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire’ is in production right now and will be in theaters on March 15th next year. Photo courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures and Legendary Pictures.
Wingard made his name with clever, low-budget horror, but has gone on to a varied genre career that also included a new ‘Blair Witch’ movie and manga adaptation ‘Death Note’ before he was hired to wrangle giant CG creatures.
He has several returning cast members, including Rebecca Hall as Dr. Ilene Andrews, Brian Tyree Henry as fan-favorite Bernie Hayes and Kaylee Hottle as young human Kong friend Jia.
The screenplay is by Simon Barrett, a regular colleague of Wingard’s, who is building on work from Jeremy Slater and Terry Rossio.
‘Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire’ is in production right now and will be in theaters on March 15th next year.
‘Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire’ is in production right now and will be in theaters on March 15th next year. Photo courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures and Legendary Pictures.
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