Tag: superheroes

  • ‘Moon Knight’ Episode 5 Recap

    Oscar Isaac as Marc Spector and Steven Grant, and Taweret
    (L-R): Oscar Isaac as Marc Spector and Steven Grant, and Taweret (voiced by Antonia Salib) in Marvel Studios’ ‘Moon Knight,’ exclusively on Disney+. Photo courtesy of Marvel Studios. ©Marvel Studios 2022. All Rights Reserved.

    Episode 4 had a lot to answer for! Welcome to episode 5 of ‘Moon Knight’!

    Marc is shown a woman claiming something is “all his fault” and he’s shot back to the asylum. Spector knows something isn’t right now. But he goes along with the Arthur Harrow look alike.

    The Doctor brings up that Marc was talking about a boy. He’s knocked out by the guard and brought back to Taweret. The god informs Marc and Steven they are, in fact, dead. Still wonderfully joyful as she goes through her motions welcoming them to the Underworld, she explains that this is Marc’s specific afterlife and that others also exist.

    Because the afterlife cannot be perceived by humans, they all look familiar, so it can be understood by mortal eyes. Marc finally says “we’re crazy” before opening a door and revealing the actual Egyptian afterlife. Rolling sands, howls of the dead, and a scale with a feather, as Taweret takes their hearts, seen as two rocks.

    If Marc & Steven’s combined hearts weigh less than the feather, they’re going to the afterlife. If it’s heavier, it’s off the boat and left for the dead. Marc tells Steven that they should kill the hippo and steal the boat, but the scale is going crazy. Taweret claims Marc & Steven’s hearts aren’t full. She tells them to go back into their afterlife and tell each other the truth.

    Oscar Isaac as Steven Grant and Marc Spector
    (L-R): Oscar Isaac as Steven Grant and Marc Spector in Marvel Studios’ ‘Moon Knight,’ exclusively on Disney+. Photo courtesy of Marvel Studios. ©Marvel Studios 2022. All Rights Reserved.

    Marc informs Steven that his memories are a mess. “Mine too” the latter responds, as they begin to go through them. They stop at a door to which Steven asks Marc if they remember something. It’s a street, with a man in front of a red car. Then they are stopped by a scream, Marc and Steven then enter a cafe with dead bodies. It’s revealed they are all people killed by Moon Knight, sentenced to death by Khonshu. This causes the scale to slow, as Steven spots a child in the room.

    He chases after him and locks the door behind Marc. He’s in a backyard, and with what appears to be his family, and him and his brother. Steven chases the kids into the woods, and into a cave, stepping on the skeletal body of a bird in the process. Steven calls to the kids, telling them to get out as rainwater is filling the cave and will most likely drown them. This appears to be a memory, as Marc is exploring the white hallways seeing others through the doors.

    This new memory he stumbles on is a funeral. It’s revealed his mother blames him for the death of his brother, and basically starts to avoid Marc, ignoring his birthday party. We’re shown that as a teenager, Marc left home thinking that his mother would never get better. Marc throws Steven out of the memory and into another one of his own, at the Egyptian tomb where he met Khonshu.

    He tells Steven how he became a mercenary, and shows him dying, crawling towards the god’s statue. As Marc is about to pull the trigger and kill himself, Khonshu begins to speak to him, offering him to become his eyes, his hands, and his warrior.

    Khonshu (voiced by F. Murray Abraham) and Oscar Isaac as Moon Knight
    (L-R): Khonshu (voiced by F. Murray Abraham) and Oscar Isaac as Moon Knight in Marvel Studios’ ‘Moon Knight,’ exclusively on Disney+. Photo courtesy of Marvel Studios. ©Marvel Studios 2022. All Rights Reserved.

    They are called outside and realize Arthur is closer to his goal back on Earth. Taweret agrees to help them get back and have Layla help rescue Khonshu. Steven claims they need to go into the bedroom Marc didn’t want them in during the funeral memory he saw earlier. The two argue, and the former breaks down. Now he’s back with Doctor Harrow.

    Harrow asked Marc if he created Steven to hide, or if Steven created him to get revenge. He tells Marc that he must open up to Steven, so they can understand each other. Marc shows Steven the room, and how his mother would threaten to beat him. We’re shown his first shift to Steven, and how his alter is based off an Indiana Jones-type movie poster. All the way down to his full name as Steven Grant.

    It’s finally revealed that Steven was made to forget that their mother abused them, and he’s told that their mother is actually dead. Now it’s Steven’s turn to meet Doctor Harrow and the man nearly takes it as a joke. Doctor Harrow tells Steven he brought him and Marc to the psyche hospital when he found out his mother died.

    Harrow offers to call her, and Steven begs him not to do that. He gets emotional, and it’s obvious what Marc had told him had an impact. He’s visually emotional and finally tells the doctor “my mother is dead.” We’re shown another funeral, and it’s revealed the earlier memory was Marc outside of that funeral. In an emotional outburst he switches back to Steven, who calls his mother like she’s still alive.

    Oscar Isaac as Marc Spector and Ethan Hawke as Arthur Harrow
    (L-R): Oscar Isaac as Marc Spector and Ethan Hawke as Arthur Harrow in Marvel Studios’ ‘Moon Knight,’ exclusively on Disney+. Photo by Gabor Kotschy. ©Marvel Studios 2022. All Rights Reserved.

    Steven tells Marc everything that happened wasn’t his fault. The ground shakes, and they realize the scales never balanced. Meaning the undead souls of everyone Marc had killed are coming after them. Marc attempts to fight back and is dragged to the ledge.

    Steven pilots the boat, attempting to help, and Marc is knocked out, once again taken to the ledge. Steven instantly starts fighting back and saves Marc. He takes out another zombie, and it’s shown that even he has some latent violence.

    Marc is once again grabbed, and Steven throws the zombie over the ledge, sending himself with it. He tries to chase after the boat but is captured by the sands and turned to stone. As Marc asks for the boat to stop, the scales balance themselves. The setting changes to a wheat field, with music playing in the background. This is paradise, at least Marc’s version of it. Then the credits roll.

    The cool aspect of this episode is the way the show has interpreted real Egyptian myth so far. Contrary to popular belief, Khonshu is not a god Marvel just made up for the comics. He was real, and the Ancient Egyptians worshipped him as a benevolent, helpful deity, and as the show mentions, protecting travelers in the night. It is incredible fascinating to see Marvel take so heavily from actual myth for a character like this, adding real, researchable history to a story.

    We have one more episode left in Moon Knight, and let’s hope the show ends as it’s been going so far; loud!

    See you all next week!

    Oscar Isaac as Marc Spector
    Oscar Isaac as Marc Spector in Marvel Studios’ ‘Moon Knight,’ exclusively on Disney+. Photo by Gabor Kotschy. ©Marvel Studios 2022. All Rights Reserved.

     

  • ‘Moon Knight’ Episode 4 Recap

    Oscar Isaac and May Calamawy
    (L-R): Oscar Isaac as Marc Spector/Steven Grant and May Calamawy as Layla El-Faouly in Marvel Studios’ ‘Moon Knight.’ Photo by Csaba Aknay. ©Marvel Studios 2022. All Rights Reserved.

    Hope you’re all ready for more action, because episode 4 of ‘Moon Knight’ is here!

    We open on one of the avatars carrying Khonshu’s statue to a pedestal that holds many other gods, like a prison. We see Layla trying to wake up Marc while also being shot at. Arthur’s men are looking for survivors, only to be stopped by Layla who distracts them and sets the truck off and destroys it. It’s revealed Steven is alive, and they head to the tomb.

    On the way, Layla tells Steven they need Marc. He explains that the two of them made a pact; when Khonshu was gone, Steven got the body. An argument breaks out between Steven and Layla and they move to foot, finding the cult (who are already inside) the tomb.

    As they ransack the camp, Marc and Steven have more of a conversation. They talk about how Marc can’t really go away and have one more argument before splitting up. Steven meets up with Layla and finally explains why Marc was so nervous, how Khonshu wanted her for his avatar, and how Marc wanted to protect her.

    She explains she doesn’t need protection and Steven kisses her (once again, odd) and the two zip down, but not before Marc punches Steven in the face. Layla brings up her father again and the two descend into the cave.

    Oscar Isaac and May Calamawy walking through dessert
    (L-R): Oscar Isaac as Marc Spector/Steven Grant and May Calamawy as Layla El-Faouly in Marvel Studios’ ‘Moon Knight.’ Photo by Csaba Aknay. ©Marvel Studios 2022. All Rights Reserved.

    They descend further only to find bullets in the sand. Something is out there. Steven discovers the tomb is a maze and finds where the inner tomb is, and that the Pharaoh was Ammit’s avatar. They find an alter for human sacrifice, covered in blood and viscera. Steven goes to the ceiling to find an exit and they are stopped by gunfire.

    It’s revealed the creature being shot at was a literal mummy, disemboweling people in the old ways. ‘Moon Knight’, in the span of a week, has gone from superhero action to flat out horror.

    The monster spots Steven, who separates from Layla, the latter crossing a deadly cavern. Another mummy tries to grab her, and she barely escapes, and a literal horror movie fight ensues. Layla throws it off the cliff and barely climbs back up.

    Across the way, she spots Arthur. Steven finds the tomb, excited out of his mind only for Marc to confront him about kissing his wife and telling her the truth. Steven cuts him off, going through the tomb and realizing they might have found Alexander the Great.

    The Heka Priest in 'Moon Knight.'
    The Heka Priest in Marvel Studios’ ‘Moon Knight,’ exclusively on Disney+. Photo by Gabor Kotschy. ©Marvel Studios 2022. All Rights Reserved.

    “Why must men like you have to be so condescending.” Layla insults Arthur before the man tries to get in her head, talking about her Father and the fact he believed that the gods were real.

    We cut to Steven and Marc opening the tomb to try and find the artifact. He believes since Alexander was the mouth of Ammit, there’s only one place where it could be. Arthur continues to test Layla, claiming Marc was the one who killed her father.

    Marc finds the statue of Ammit, and Layla finds him. It seems like Arthur has gotten in her head, and she forces Marc to tell her what happened. He’s adamant that he didn’t kill her father but admits he was there. Layla asks how he died, and Marc says his partner killed everyone at the site.

    This isn’t good enough for Layla, and he reveals his partner also shot him, which led to Khonshu. This is how Layla and Marc met. Arthur’s men invade the room. Marc kills the cult members, only for Arthur to shoot Marc square in the chest twice. Killing him.

    Okay, things are getting weird. We’re shown what looks like a late 80s/early 90s ‘Raiders of the Lost Ark‘ type movie featuring a character named Steven Grant! A white room is revealed, it’s an insane asylum and we see a woman drawing a bird with Khonshu’s head, as well as Marc, looking totally out of it.

    May Calamawy and Oscar Isaac in a tomb
    (L-R): May Calamawy as Layla El-Faouly and Oscar Isaac as Marc Spector/Steven Grant in Marvel Studios’ ‘Moon Knight.’ Photo by Gabor Kotschy. ©Marvel Studios 2022. All Rights Reserved.

    The woman is Layla, and she offers to help him, though it’s “not really her.” Could this be a weird afterlife maybe? Marc tries to get up and falls, revealing a little Moon Knight action figure by his side.

    It cuts to Steven talking to who we can assume is a therapist, and it’s Arthur! (Looking shockingly like Ethan Hawke’s character in ‘The Black Phone’.) Explaining how Marc is indeed unwell and needs their help.

    The room looks familiar. Pillars of an old tomb, organ jars, God statues. It’s like a personal hell. Marc escapes and fights off the people trying to sedate him. It’s clear something isn’t right.

    Marc runs and locks himself in a room with a coffin that has someone locked in it screaming, only for it to be Steven. The two reunite and hug. Marc asks him what he remembers, and the two realize they haven’t gone crazy.

    They pass another coffin, staring at it, and suspiciously walk by. The door is open to a large, anthropologic Hippo who greets them … warmly and kindly? The episode then ends.

    Oscar Isaac and Ethan Hawke in a tomb
    (L-R): Oscar Isaac as Marc Spector/Steven Grant and Ethan Hawke as Arthur Harrow in Marvel Studios’ ‘Moon Knight.’ Photo by Csaba Aknay. ©Marvel Studios 2022. All Rights Reserved.

    So, a lot just happened. First, let’s cover the two name drops in the episode. In the comics, Marc’s partner is Raul Bushman. It’s right to assume that was the man who killed Layla’s father and set everything with Khonshu into motion. Layla’s father on the other hand, in the show, is the equivalent of Peter Alraune, who is Marlene’s father in the comics (Marc’s girlfriend).

    Now for the two major characters we have hinted at in the final scenes. We have a good idea who’s in that third coffin, and it’s most likely Jake Lockley. Another one of Marc’s alters, Jake is a cab driver and a more “boots on the ground” type of guy. We’ve already seen hints of him in episode 3, and it would be weird for the show to only include Steven and not Jake.

    Finally, the Hippo goddess at the end. Her name is Taweret, and in Egyptian myth she was a benevolent god of protection, specifically in fertility and childbirth. But outside of that, she was always the goddess who protected souls as they took the ferry to the afterlife. Which confirms to us where Marc and Steven could be…

    Episode 4 was an insane trip, and we’ll see where that it takes us in the last two episodes of the series! See you all next week!

    'Moon Knight' premieres March 30th on Disney+.
    ‘Moon Knight’ premieres March 30th on Disney+.
  • ‘Doctor Strange’ Sequel Brings Horror to MCU

    Benedict Cumberbatch in 'Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness' from Marvel Studios.
    Benedict Cumberbatch in ‘Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness’ from Marvel Studios.

    Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness‘ is shaping up to be a major first for the MCU. But, not in ways that people expect. The upcoming sequel, which is directed by Sam Raimi, will be the first horror movie set in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

    While this may not seem like a major upheaval of the formula Disney and Marvel have going, it could mean a change for the better for the future of the MCU and how Disney approaches its very heavily family friendly franchise.

    Before we get into the MCU present, it’s important to note that Marvel has attempted to make horror movies in the past, outside of the Marvel Cinematic Universe brand. Marvel was dipping into the genre all the way back in 1998 with ‘Blade,’ and one can even argue 2007’s ‘Ghost Rider.’ Both films being massive successes, and ‘Blade’ being a stepping-off point for Marvel creating more comic book films in the future.

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    When most people hear of a film so successful that it allowed Marvel to continue making movies, one wouldn’t think it was a ‘Blade,’ which was dark, violent and a horror film about a B-tier superhero. Not something as big as ‘Iron Man,’ or ‘Captain America.’ While you can easily explain this away as Marvel dipping its foot into the supernatural horror craze of the era, you can’t ignore the impact the film had on the superhero genre going forward.

    Now, what does this mean for the current MCU? While we have a ‘Blade’ film currently in development, it will not be the franchise’s first horror film. But that doesn’t mean ‘Multiverse of Madness’ can’t help influence the tone the film might end up having. But to get to the bottom of that, we have to talk about the movie’s two different directors.

    The first ‘Doctor Strange,’ released in 2016, was directed by Scott Derrickson, one of the prolific horror directors of the 2010s. The mind behind ‘Sinister‘ and ‘Deliver Us from Evil,’ both of which are incredibly terrifying and disturbing. While ‘Doctor Strange’ was a different project for him, it shared similarities with what he had done before. Surreal-sometimes scary-imagery, and otherworldly evil. You can’t argue that ‘Doctor Strange’ just felt different then everything in the MCU that came before it.

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    Even with something incredibly different, ‘Doctor Strange’ still was a hit, making $677.7 million at the box office. The numbers don’t lie; audiences enjoyed, well, the strange (no pun intended) and weird. As we’ve seen before, Marvel listens to the box office and the viewers. So, what does that mean for ‘Multiverse of Madness?’

    Enter Sam Raimi, and finally, why a horror movie could lead the MCU in the perfect direction. A lot of MCU fans know Raimi was the director of Marvel’s original ‘Spider-Man’ trilogy. But many more know him as the director of the iconic comedy-horror franchise, ‘The Evil Dead,‘ which was violent, funny and most importantly, scary. Everything that Marvel can use.

    Raimi is quite possibly the best director that can integrate horror into the superhero genre. Many consider the original ‘Evil Dead’ a great first-time horror film, and a great lead into the spooky and the scary. And while ‘Spider-Man’ was a long way from being scary or terrifying, Raimi has shown his props in both genres.

    Director Sam Raimi at San Diego Comic-Con
    Director Sam Raimi at San Diego Comic-Con.

    Horror is very moldable. We’ve seen everything from psychological horror, to comedy, to even humor driven towards the young adult genre. Horror can be done without being terrifyingly scary, which is what I believe to be a major misconception the filmgoing audience has, and is prominent in how people are handling the ideas of ‘Multiverse of Madness’ being a horror film.

    When one looks at horror, all they see is jump scares or brutal, gory violence. But horror can be used in so many ways, some of which has already been shown in the trailer. Everything from dimensional beings such as Gargantos (which in the film bears a striking resemblance to Lovecraft-inspired monsters) and even from everything we’ve seen, Wanda Maximoff (Elizabeth Olsen) herself, which one can argue is a take on the monstrous feminine trope.

    What I’m trying to get at here is that Marvel would be really giving up something special if they don’t go full-in with the horror route. Horror is a genre that is very rarely touched in big name franchises like this, but the MCU has shown it’s not afraid to dip its toes into experimental works, with ‘Eternals‘ being a huge example of this.

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    But as we know, horror can scare away an all-ages audience. You alienate an audience by deviating too far from the mold, and this does seem too far to the normal viewer. This is all leading up to the reason why Marvel adding horror into such a huge franchise is fantastic.

    While early, they’ve shown that horror isn’t something they’re afraid to dive into to fit the source material. If ‘Blade’ had been released with no vampires save for Blade himself, how would that have worked? Or if the Spirit of Vengeance’s skull in ‘Ghost Rider’ was incredibly dumbed down and not realistic? For both films, the horror would have been pretty much non-existent and it would lose the point of the adaptation in the first place.

    Doctor Strange’s comics have always been weird and otherworldly. And while the first movie tackled that fantastically, the second film has a chance to continue. The first movie can be considered a toe-dip, inching people into the idea of an even freakier and out-there sequel. They’ve seen what the world looks like, now what if we go deeper?

    Benedict Cumberbatch in 'Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness' from Marvel Studios.
    Benedict Cumberbatch in ‘Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness’ from Marvel Studios.

    While going deeper keeps it close to the comics, it also helps audiences open to the idea of this sequel breaking genre expectations. While you’d have trouble calling the first movie “scary”, that leaves ‘Multiverse of Madness’ open to pick up that mantle. And as we discussed, Marvel has a crazy number of angles they can take this from.

    But let’s also look at how crazy appealing this can make the horror genre. While we have had superhero horror films in the past, they have been considered cult. ‘Multiverse of Madness’ has a huge chance to change that, welcoming so many viewers into a genre that would have once scared them off, now having them in with open arms.

    It can also show that horror doesn’t just need to be for adults, and can create something that nearly every audience can lose themselves in, without returning home with nightmares (at least I hope not!) With ‘Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness,’ Marvel seems to be setting up their chance at branching out into other genres and experimental plans in the process.

    Whether this works out or not is still to be seen, but I think if any company can pull off getting a massive audience into a new genre of film; it’s Marvel. And I can’t wait to see how spooky they take it!

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  • New ‘The Batman’ Clip Description, Music and Runtime

    Robert Pattinson as Batman in Warner Bros. Pictures’ 'The Batman.' Photo Credit: Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures/ ™ & © DC Comics.
    Robert Pattinson as Batman in Warner Bros. Pictures’ ‘The Batman.’ Photo Credit: Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures/ ™ & © DC Comics.

    There have been a lot of Batman movies at this point, but ‘The Batman’, co-written and directed by Matt Reeves, promises to be even moodier and more exciting than some recent efforts.

    If you were wanting to get a taste of what we’re in for (beyond the trailers, which naturally include plenty of choice material), then the first clip has arrived online via an ad that ran in front of some YouTube videos. Warner Bros. has yet to officially release the clip, but it’s been doing the rounds on social media.

    The Batman’ stars Robert Pattinson as Bruce Wayne, the billionaire who moonlights as the Caped Crusader, AKA the masked vigilante Batman. Reeves’ movie tracks his early days of fighting crime in Gotham City.

    Batman is a character that filmmakers just can’t stop bringing to cinema screens – the most recent example was 2017’s ‘Justice League’, which featured Ben Affleck playing the character (and that’s without mentioning Zack Snyder’s cut of the movie, which debuted on HBO Max last year). There’s a reason for that: he’s a compelling crime fighter with lots of emotional issues ripe for writers and directors to exploit, and scope for impressive action on screen.

    Robert Pattinson as Batman in Warner Bros. Pictures’ 'The Batman.' Photo Credit: Jonathan Olley/™ & © DC Comics.
    Robert Pattinson as Batman in Warner Bros. Pictures’ ‘The Batman.’ Photo Credit: Jonathan Olley/™ & © DC Comics.

    One big part of Bruce’s backstory that we’re unlikely to experience this time is his parents’ murder, the deaths in a Gotham alleyway that spur him into action once he grows up. That’s something which has popped up in countless Batman movies and shows, but Reeves appears to be going his own way.

    We also don’t see Pattinson in Bat-costume in this clip, as it kicks off with Bruce Wayne attending the lavish funeral of Mayor Don Mitchell Jr (Rupert Penry-Jones). He’s confronted by political candidate Bella Réal (Jayme Lawson), who remarks on how he’s not doing anything to help Gotham (as the wealthy Wayne family historically has) and tells Bruce about her plans to change the city by running for mayor. Which seems to us a bad case of not reading the room, since they’re attending the previous incumbent’s funeral, and the fact that Bruce is putting his life on the line every night!

    Meanwhile, police lieutenant James Gordon (Jeffrey Wright) is consulting with some of his fellow officers as to why the District Attorney, Gil Colson (Peter Sarsgaard) is missing. Little do they know he’s about to crash the event. Literally.

    A car careens into the church, running into pews and mowing down attendees. Bruce saves a young boy and is almost hit by the car itself. When the vehicle finally comes to rest, Bruce can glimpse up into one of the viewing galleries, where he sees a costumed individual surveying the chaos before stalking off. This is Paul Dano’s The Riddler, who is one of the main villains of the film and has arranged the attack.

    As Gordon and the police drawn their weapons and demand the driver step out of the car (which is covered in words scrawled in white writing), we see the door open and Colson stumbles out, clearly dazed and, as someone shouts, with a bomb around his neck. A ringing phone sends everyone diving for cover, but instead of setting off the explosive, it has a message. And, taped to Colson’s chest is a note addressed “To The Batman”. Gordon orders the church cleared as Bruce stares at Colson. It’s thrilling and visceral, and while it doesn’t offer Pattinson a lot to do, he gives good stare.

    This first glimpse of the film certainly points to Reeves making a dark (so, Batman, then), realistic crime thriller more in the mold of Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight trilogy than the more bombastic superhero style of Zack Snyder. The movie also features Zoe Kravitz as Selina Kyle (AKA Catwoman), Andy Serkis playing Wayne family butler Alfred Pennyworth, Colin Farrell (who will be almost unrecognizable as classic Batman villain The Penguin) and John Turturro, as crime lord Carmine Falcone.

    Behind the scenes, one of Reeves’ most important collaborators is working with him once again. Michael Giacchino, who has provided music for Reeves‘ movies including both ‘‘Planet of the Apes’ films that he made, plus ‘Cloverfield’s monster end credits theme, vampire tale ‘Let Me In,’ and now ‘The Batman’.

    Giacchino has become a sought-after composer, working on movies such as the more recent ‘Star Trek’ entries, the current ‘Spider-Man’ trilogy and ‘Rogue One: A Star Wars Story.’ It’s fair to say audiences were looking forward to see what the Oscar-winning Giacchino would come with for ‘The Batman‘ and indeed his theme doesn’t disappoint, managing to be both grounded and soaring. It’ll be fascinating to see how it works on the big screen and how it develops as the story unfolds.

    (L to R) Robert Pattinson and director Matt Reeves on the set in Warner Bros. Pictures' 'The Batman.' Photo Credit: Jonathan Olley/™ & © DC Comics.
    (L to R) Robert Pattinson and director Matt Reeves on the set in Warner Bros. Pictures’ ‘The Batman.’ Photo Credit: Jonathan Olley/™ & © DC Comics.

    Finally, we now know the official running time for the movie, and it sounds like you’ll want to make sure not to load up on soda. Reeves’ movie runs to two hours and 55 minutes including eight minutes of end credits. That makes it the longest solo film for Batman and one of the longest superhero adventures to come along for a while. It’s close to the likes of ‘Avengers: Endgame’, which ended up at a minute over three hours, but that was a gigantic story capper for the Infinity saga and a whole load of heroes and villains.

    The news comes via the ratings board the MPA, which has handed down a PG-13 rating for (and we quote) “strong violent and disturbing content, drug content, strong language, and some suggestive material.” Take from that what you will, but it certainly points to some flirting between Pattinson and Kravitz’s characters.

    The Batman’ will be in cinemas on March 4.

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  • Alicia Silverstone On Leslie Grace’s ‘Batgirl’

    Alicia Silverstone as Batgirl in 1997's 'Batman & Robin'
    Alicia Silverstone as Batgirl in 1997’s ‘Batman & Robin’

    Last weekend, actress Leslie Grace posted on her Instagram account a photo of herself in her new costume for HBO Max’s upcoming ‘Batgirl’ movie.

    The movie, which is currently filming in Scotland, will be the first time the character has appeared in a live-action feature film since Alicia Silverstone first played the role in ‘Batman & Robin.’ Silverstone, best known for playing the iconic Cher Horowitz in Clueless, starred opposite George Clooney and Arnold Schwarzenegger in the 1997 movie, which was directed by Joel Schumacher.

    Moviefone recently had the chance to speak exclusively with Alicia Silverstone about her upcoming shark movie, ‘The Requin,’ which will be released in theaters, on digital, and On Demand beginning January 28th. We also asked the actress her thoughts on Leslie Grace’s new Batgirl costume, and if she had any words of encouragement for the young actress taking on the iconic role.

    Leslie Grace as 'Batgirl'
    (Via Instagram)

    “I didn’t get to see it,” Silverstone said of Grace’s Instagram post. “I’m going to look it up now when we get off the phone. I’m just so excited for her. What an amazing experience she is going to have on this journey. I’m sure she is going to kill it. She doesn’t need any words (of encouragement) from me. She’s going to be great!”

    Grace, who was last seen in director Jon M. Chu’s ‘In the Heights,’ will be joined in ‘Batgirl’ by Oscar winner J.K. Simmons, who is reprising his role from ‘Justice League’ as Barbara Gordon’s father, GCPD Commissioner James Gordon. Also reprising his role from ‘Batman,’ ‘Batman Returns,’ and the upcoming ‘The Flash,’ will be Michael Keaton as Bruce Wayne/Batman.

    Directed by Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah (‘Bad Boys for Life’), the movie will also feature Brendan Fraser as the villain, Firefly. ‘Batgirl’ is scheduled for release on HBO Max sometime later this year.

    (L to R) Alicia Silverstone, George Clooney, and Chris O'Donnell in 1997's 'Batman & Robin'
    (L to R) Alicia Silverstone, George Clooney, and Chris O’Donnell in 1997’s ‘Batman & Robin’
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  • Kevin Hart Set to Star in Superhero Comedy ‘Night Wolf’

    Kevin Hart Set to Star in Superhero Comedy ‘Night Wolf’

    Kevin Hart in Night School
    Universal Pictures

    A superhero project has caught Kevin Hart‘s attention.

    The comedian is set to star in and produce “Night Wolf,” an upcoming STXfilms comedy that’s been likened to “Meet the Parents” with a superhero twist, Deadline reports. It centers on an average guy who meets his future in-laws and discovers that his father-in-law-to-be is a superhero called the Night Wolf. Hart says he “instantly fell in love with” the pitch.

    STXfilms brought the project to Hart thinking it would be a good fit. As the studio’s chairman, Adam Fogelson, put it (via Deadline), “It is a big, broad comedy and the idea is great fun and perfectly matched with Kevin’s comedic talent.”

    Hart is, of course, well-known for that comedic talent. He got his start in stand-up and has gone on to have a booming career on screen. Some of his more recent movies include “The Secret Life of Pets 2” and “Night School.” Additionally, he’ll be seen in “Jumanji: The Next Level” later this year.

    The actor will produce “Night Wolf” through his banner, HartBeat Productions, alongside STXfilms’ Drew Simon. We’re ready for the superhero family shenanigans.

    [via: Deadline]

  • Superhero Fans to Get New High-Tech Experience at 2 Disney Parks

    Superhero Fans to Get New High-Tech Experience at 2 Disney Parks

    Tom Holland as Spider-Man
    Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

    Disney Parks & Resorts are always growing, and as promised, there is a new attraction headed to two parks that promises to give guests a superhero-like experience.

    In a Disney Parks Blog post Thursday, Scot Drake, creative executive of Marvel Global Portfolio, shared details about the “immersive, interactive experience” that will be found at Disney California Adventure’s Disneyland Resort and Disneyland Paris. He announced that the experience will be set in a new organization called the Worldwide Engineering Brigade. It is “grounded in characters like Peter Parker,” Drake said, and it “invites us to engage with these iconic heroes like never before.”

    Again, Drake didn’t share exactly how visitors will get to engage, but he did promise “never-before-seen technology and practical effects.” Apparently, guests will get to see what it’s like to possess superhuman abilities. That’s definitely intriguing, so we’re sure plenty of people will assemble once the attraction opens.

    [via: Disney Parks Blog]

  • ‘Justice League’ Character Posters Star Wonder Woman and More Ahead of New Trailer

    The whole of “Justice League” might be greater than the sum of its parts, but even so, its stars got a chance to shine independently in the film’s new character posters.

    Teasing a trailer set to be released on Sunday, Warner Bros. unveiled five new posters on Wednesday. They each feature one of the movie’s superheroes, including Wonder Woman (Gal Gadot), Batman (Ben Affleck), Cyborg (Ray Fisher), The Flash (Ezra Miller), and Aquaman (Jason Momoa). Unfortunately, a poster centering on Superman (Henry Cavill) wasn’t among the group. Still, the posters that were revealed carried the message “all in” and highlighted the forthcoming trailer in accompanying tweets.

    As you likely know by now, the upcoming superhero flick stars numerous DCEU superheroes who team up to take on a global threat. We’ll see them have to learn to work together after Diana Prince (Wonder Woman) and Bruce Wayne (Batman) convince them to join forces. Their adventure will be the first of at least two “Justice League” movies.

    We’re ready to go “all in” when the film hits theaters on Nov. 17.

  • Box Office: ‘Wonder Woman’ Repeats Box Office Victory, Tom Cruise’s ‘The Mummy’ Misfires

    Different weekend, similar story: “Wonder Woman” is box office royalty.

    The Warner Bros. and DC Comics standalone will have earned $57.2 million from 4,165 theaters by the end of its second weekend, putting it solidly in first place. That’s only a 45% drop from its opening weekend, giving the film an estimated $205 million domestically in two weekends.

    The Gal Gadot-starrer will also make more during its second frame than did both “Suicide Squad” and “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice,” despite those films having larger opening weekends than “Wonder Woman” ($133.7 million for “Suicide Squad” and $166 million for “Batman v Superman”). Unlike those two films, Patty Jenkins’ has critical support — a current 93% on Rotten Tomatoes.

    Universal’s “The Mummy,” meanwhile is counting on a strong overseas total to make up for less impressive domestic earnings. As of Sunday morning, the film is eyeing $32.2 million from 4,035 locations. That’s a slow start for the film intended to launch an extended universe of monster-related titles. Overseas it looks to fare better with $141.8 million, lifting its anticipated global take to $174 million.

    “We would love to see more gross domestically,” said Nick Carpou, Universal’s president of domestic distribution, who asserted that “a lot of the attention that ‘The Mummy’ garnered here, aggregated to the international total.” Carpou cited the 75-foot-tall sarcophagus unveiled at the intersection of Hollywood and Highland, and the movie’s VR experience as potential buzz generators.

    Alex Kurtzman directed “The Mummy,” a revival of the franchise spawned by Universal’s 1932 original and re-popularized by Stephen Sommers’ 1999 fright-fest starring Brendan Fraser, and the three other Mummy films that followed. In the 2017 update, Cruise plays a freelance treasure hunter who resurrects a princess (Sofia Boutella). Annabelle Wallis, Jake Johnson, Courtney B. Vance, and Russell Crowe are also in the mix.

    “The Mummy” was announced as the kick-off to a “Dark Universe” of monster movies. 2014’s “Dracula Untold,” it turns out, is not canon. The studio that was built on classics including “Dracula,” “The Wolf Man,” and “Frankenstein” has already slated a “Bride of Frankenstein” movie for 2019 with half a dozen or so others in the works.

    “Every movie is it’s own DNA,” Duncan Clark, Universal’s president of international distribution commented about the “Dark Universe.” “It’s not about which one went first.” Clark said “Bride of Frankenstein” is on deck, and there are “others in place.”

    Cruise mostly recently opened “Jack Reacher: Never Go Back” to a $22.9 million domestic opening, “Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation” to $55.5 million, and “Edge of Tomorrow” to $28.9 million. Cruise with reunite with “Edge” director Doug Liman for Universal’s “American Made.” The studio dropped the trailer for the crime-centric action biopic on Monday, presumably a strategic move to get audiences excited about its star.

    But that couldn’t save “The Mummy” from having the lowest domestic opening of any in the recent iteration of the franchise — 1999’s “The Mummy,” ($43.3 million); 2001’s “The Mummy Returns,” ($68.1 million); 2002’s “The Scorpion King,” ($36.1 million); 2008’s “The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor,” ($40.5 million).

    Rotten Tomatoes was blamed for “Baywatch’s” Memorial Day weekend flop, but it wasn’t enough to save two new wide releases this weekend in A24’s “It Comes At Night” and Bleecker Street’s “Megan Leavey.” Both films won over the critical consensus — “It Comes At Night” at 86% fresh, and “Megan Leavey” at 80% — but are lacking so far in box office receipts. A24’s horror release will scare up $6 million from 2,533, which is fine for the low price tag, but below expectations. “Leavey,” meanwhile, is earning a mere $1.9 million from 1,956, making it a complete dud.

    In limited release, “My Cousin Rachel” is tracking to break $1 million from 523 locations. And “Beatriz at Dinner” from Roadside Attractions is gobbling up $139,000 from only five spots.

    Landing in third overall, “Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie” from Fox should take in an additional $12.3 million from 3,529 locations — that’s only a 48% drop from last weekend. Disney’s “Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales” will sail to fourth with an additional $10.7 million from 3,679 theaters. The franchise’s fifth starring Johnny Depp now has over $600 million worldwide. “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2” will round out the top five for the weekend with $6.2 million from 2,911 locations. The studio is scaling back on domestic locations for both “Pirates” and “Guardians” by about 500 apiece.

  • ‘Suicide Squad’ Only Has Three Girls, But ‘They Have the Best Roles’

    What’s more important: Quantity or quality? Cara Delevingne is playing Enchantress in “Suicide Squad,” a superhero/villain movie based on the DC Comics characters, and she said the few female roles in the movie are the best roles.

    Will Smith has arguably the lead role as Deadshot, with Jared Leto as Joker, and Jai Courtney, Joel Kinnaman, Adam Beach, Jay Hernandez, Scott Eastwood, Common, Jim Parrack, and Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje picking up other main roles. But Margot Robbie has one of the most anticipated roles as Harley Quinn — she’s front and center in the character photo above — and Karen Fukuhara is taking on the role of Katana. Viola Davis plays Amanda Waller, who has no superpowers, but she’s the head of the agency so that’s its own power, even outside the Squad.

    Delevingne — who is everywhere lately — talked to Empire Magazine about the movie, and superhero films in general. “There are only three girls in [the Suicide Squad] but in my opinion they have the best roles,” she said (via Yahoo). “Generally though, superhero movies are totally sexist. Female superheroes are normally naked or in bikinis. No-one would be able to fight like that. Wonder Woman, how the hell does she fight? She would be dead in a minute.”

    At the very least Wonder Woman would be a little chilly on a cool night, but Harley Quinn also lacks a bit of cover-up, as the photo above hints. Plus, check out the pic below. Director David Ayer retweeted this Instagram pic from a fan who noted, “Crazy to think Harley Quinn is going to be on the big screen in just over a year. #DCCU @DavidAyerMovies”:

    Crazy to think Harley Quinn is going to be on the big screen in just over a year. #DCCU @DavidAyerMovies

    A photo posted by Geoff Johns (@geoffjohns0) on


    Size and clothing do not sum up a person’s powers, and we already figured Harley would be one of the best characters of “Suicide Squad.” Now we’re looking forward to seeing the other women in action as well. “Suicide Squad” is scheduled to be released on August 5, 2016.

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