Following in the footsteps of “Avengers: Endgame,” the blockbuster superhero movie will get an extended release with four additional minutes of footage over Labor Day weekend.
Sony announced that a new cut of the film will be re-released in theaters in the U.S. and Canada on Thursday, August 29. The extended version features four minutes of a never-before-seen action sequence, and will be available in IMAX and large formats in select locations.
“Far From Home” earned $376.7 million domestically and $732.9 million internationally.
“Spider-Man: Far From Home” reached new heights at the domestic box office, taking in $39.3 million — a record for a movie opening on a Tuesday.
The previous record was held by 2012’s “The Amazing Spider-Man,” which earned $35 million (both figures not adjusted for inflation).
Box office experts are predicting a six-day debut, through the weekend, of more than $150 million. Sony, however, is setting the more modest expectation of $125 million.
“Spider-Man: Far From Home” is the last chapter in Phase 3 of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.” It likely got a boost as the movie immediately following “Avengers: Endgame,” which Marvel re-released in theaters last weekend. That was a bid to top “Avatar” as the No. 1 grossing movie of all time (which it landed shy of), but also to promote “Far From Home.”
“Spider-Man: Far From Home” picks up after the events of “Endgame,” with Peter Parker (Tom Holland) adjusting to a world without Iron Man and Captain America.
Sony has set release dates for a slew of movies, including “Uncharted” starring Tom Holland and “Fatherhood” with Kevin Hart.
“Uncharted,” the video game adaptation centered on treasure hunter Nathan Drake, will open Dec. 18, 2020. The project has been long in the works, with Holland jumping on board two years ago. With director Dan Trachtenberg hired in January, things finally seem to be moving forward.
Sony also announced release dates for several other movies, including “Fatherhood” starring Hart and directed by Paul Weitz. The family dramedy, adapted from a book by Matt Logelin, tells the story of a fatherleft to raise his daughter alone following his wife’s death in childbirth. It will open April 3, 2020.
A new musical-comedy take on “Cinderella” starring pop singer Camila Cabello is set for Feb. 5, 2021.
Sony also moved “Escape Room 2” from April 2020 to Aug. 14, 2020.
The story centers on Dr. Michael Morbius, a biochemist who attempts to cure himself of a fatal blood disease with a serum derived from bats. The treatment has disastrous results, turning him into the antihero Morbius, who has all the qualities of a vampire — including fangs, super strength, and a taste for human blood.
Gibson will play an FBI agent trying to hunt down Morbius.
The cast also includes Matt Smith as the main antagonist, Loxias Crown, who also suffers from the same blood disease; Adria Arjona as the love interest; and Jared Harris as Morbius’ mentor.
Sony has been developing its Spidey-verse for some time and found tremendous success with last year’s “Venom.” The studio is also working on “Silver and Black,” featuring Silver Sable and Black Cat. Their universe does not overlap with the Spider-Man played by Tom Holland in the Marvel movies.
Gibson is set to begin filming the next “Fast and Furious” movie this summer. He is also producing and starring in an upcoming biopic about Philadelphia-born R&B singer/songwriter Teddy Pendergrass.
Sony is resurrecting “Shrink,” an original superhero story from “Deadpool” creator Rob Liefield, from movie development hell.
“Shrink” follows Dr. Jessica Powers, a strong and smart psychiatrist who helps superhero clients deal with their outsized issues. Some of Liefield’s mini-comics can be found on his portfolio site.
The project first got underway at Sony in 2000, with Jennifer Lopez attached to star. Glenn Ficarra and John Requa (“Smallfoot,” “Bad Santa”) wrote a script. Then, the rights lapsed and the project withered on the vine.
Producer Adam Fields found it while exploring Sony’s development hell and the studio re-secured the rights, now that Liefield has become an even bigger name in the comic industry thanks to the success of “Deadpool.”
For Sony, this could herald a potential new superhero franchise — one that fits into its Spider-Man universe or kick off a new one.
There’s no shortage of video games being turned into movies these days, but news of the latest title set to hit the big screen may just make you want to do a happy dance.
A film based on “Just Dance,” the super popular dance game, is currently in the works at Sony Pictures’s Screen Gems. According to Deadline, the opportunity for corporate synergy is a big plus for the studio, thanks to the game’s dominance on Sony’s PlayStation platform (it’s available on other consoles, too), and the presence of plenty of music from Sony artists — including Shakira, Pharrell Williams, Alicia Keys, Camila Cabello, The Chainsmokers, Jennifer Lopez, P!nk, and Calvin Harris — in the game itself.
Of course, “Just Dance” doesn’t exactly have a narrative structure, but that hasn’t stopped other similarly story-challenged film inspirations from getting off the ground (though not entirely successfully). The game, first introduced back in 2009, is named after a Lady Gaga song, so perhaps Mother Monster can make a cameo to sing her signature tune? Or maybe the flick could take some inspiration from “Wreck-It Ralph,” and explore the behind the scenes drama of all those dancing avatars.
One bit of good news for this adaptation is that the creative team includes Will Gluck, the director behind films including “Easy A,” “Friends With Benefits,” “Annie,” and “Peter Rabbit.” While Gluck is likely not directing, per Deadline, he is producing, and his eclectic resume should help bring plenty of ideas to the table.
And if all else fails, we’d suggest filmmakers just — well, you know.
Sony released the first trailer for “Spider-Man: Far From Home,” the follow-up to 2017’s introductory “Homecoming.” Tom Holland returns as the teen Peter Parker, who heads to Europe on a school trip — without bothering to pack his Spidey suit. He just wants to have fun, with his friends, with no superhero-ing involved.
Unfortunately, Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) shows up with a mission for Peter that involves the villain Mysterio (Jake Gyllenhaal).
The teaser is highly evocative; just as other Spider-Man movies have made much of showing Peter web-slinging his way through the iconic New York City skyline, this one shows him web-slinging around London Bridge and through the canals of Venice.
There aren’t many clues in the trailer about when “Far From Home” takes place or how it addresses the events of both “Avengers: Infinity War” or the upcoming “Endgame.”
“Venom 2” will be slithering into theaters in the not-too-distant future.
A sequel to Sony’s mega hit super anti-hero movie is in the works, with Kelly Marcel — who co-wrote the original along with Jeff Pinkner and Scott Rosenberg — on deck to pen the script.
Tom Hardy will return as lobster-diving journalist Eddie Brock and his alien symbiote Venom, as will Michelle Williams as love interest Anne Weying. A new director will come aboard, as Ruben Fleischer is busy with “Zombieland 2.”
“Venom” was a surprise hit last fall. Despite receiving lukewarm reviews, it premiered to record-breaking $80 million and went on to earn more than $855 million worldwide.
The sequel will likely expand Woody Harrelson’s role. He made a cameo in a mid-credits scene as Cletus Kasady, a serial killer known as Carnage who becomes a major archnemesis for Venom.
Sony hasn’t set a date for the “Venom” sequel, though the studio’s open slot on October 2, 2020 looks very likely.
It feels like they’re really getting close to the holy grail of castings. Just one more new announcement and they should arrive at Betty White.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Mattel is partnering with Warner Bros. for a movie based on the doll, with WB’s Harley Quinn herself — Margot Robbie — in early talks to star.
THR‘s sources added that “Wonder Woman” director Patty Jenkins was “circling the Warners project but indicate there are no substantive talks or offers that have taken place.”
This is either an elaborate troll … or already a better “Barbie” movie than Barbie could ever dream of — even from the best room of her dreamhouse.
The “Barbie” rights reverted back to Mattel earlier this year, after a Barbie movie was in development at Sony for years.
Sony Pictures Entertainment
A Sony/Mattel movie was first announced in 2014, attached Amy Schumer in 2016, and then lost her but added Anne Hathaway in 2017. At that point, Sony also gave the film a June 2018 release date. Earlier this year Sony moved the movie to May 8, 2020.
But now … apparently Hathaway is out and Robbie is in? Will the release date move too?
Whatever happens from here, as long as Robbie does sign on, it’s a big step up all around. No offense to Oscar winner Anne Hathaway, or Amy Schumer, but Oscar nominee Margot Robbie is currently on a hot streak and it’s a coup to get her on board. Plus, she already looks like a Barbie doll.
Sony’s upcoming “Spider-Man” spinoff, “Venom,” looks pretty dark, but apparently it’s not going to lean into that vibe too far: The flick is reportedly no longer aiming for an R rating.
That’s according to Variety, which reports that an R — which was to have been a first in the Marvel-Sony partnership — is “unlikely” at this point for “Venom,” which will instead “push the very limits of PG-13 without crossing over into a higher rating.” And you can thank your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man for that.
Per Variety, Sony executives are worried about an R rating restricting future crossover potential into the world of Peter Parker and co., who have been part of the MCU for several films now. “Venom,” starring Tom Hardy as the titular villain, is currently totally separate from those heroes, and was originally aiming to play up the villain’s horror elements before eventually striking a compromise to also play up the some of the lighter elements of the gritty character.
“The feeling is [the lower rating] will give the studio greater leeway for future installments that will feature Spider-Man,” Variety reports. ” … Any ‘Spider-Man’ movie will carry a PG-13 rating because the wall-crawler is more family friendly, and if ‘Venom’ is too dark and gory, it might preclude other film match-ups, not just with Peter Parker’s alter-ego, but also with other members of the extended Marvel Cinematic Universe.”
While that’s certainly disappointing from a creative standpoint, it does make the most financial sense for Sony. We’ll just have to see if fans are understanding about the compromise.
