Chris Evans in ‘Avengers: Infinity War’. Photo: Marvel Studios.
Preview:
Chris Evans has been confirmed as returning to the MCU.
He shows up in the first teaser for ‘Avengers: Doomsday.’
The footage was shown before ‘Avatar: Fire & Ash.’
While the man himself has been cagey in the past as to whether his time with the Marvel Cinematic Universe is done, there were reports back in December of last year that pointed to more MCU time for Chris Evans as Steve “Captain America” Rogers.
Chris Evans in ‘Captain America: The Winter Soldier’. Photo: Marvel Studios.
If you haven’t taken yourself out to one of the initial showings of James Cameron’s latest ‘Avatar’ movie, and you really want to know what’s included in the ‘Doomsday’ footage, read on…
The teaser shows Steve riding home on a motorbike, wearing a helmet reminiscent of his time as Captain America. He’s then seen handling his old uniform and cradling what is presumably his and Peggy Carter’s (Hayley Atwell) newborn child.
This first tease ends with “Steve Rogers will return for ‘Avengers: Doomsday.’ ” A countdown timer begins at the end that’s set to expire a year from now when ‘Doomsday’ hits theaters.
The cast for the next big Avengers team-up promises a mix of faces both old and new.
Robert Downey Jr. is back, though this time playing Big Bad Doctor Doom (Marvel has yet to reveal whether he’ll be a new character or a variant of Downey’s Tony Stark).
Disney and Marvel have shifted the release dates for the next two ‘Avengers’ movies.
‘Doomsday’ and ‘Secret Wars’ are moving from their May slots to December premieres.
Dates for ‘The Devil Wears Prada 2’ and ‘The Dog Stars’ were also confirmed.
Turns out, making two giant ‘Avengers’ movies back to back is going to take a little longer than originally thought.
Disney and Marvel have announced that the next two team-up films from the comic book behemoth are now set to arrive a little later in theaters than originally planned –– ‘Avengers: Doomsday’ is shifting from a planned May 5th, 2026 slot to December 18th, 2026.
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Likewise, ‘Avengers: Secret Wars’ will now decamp from a May 5th, 2027 release date to –– you guessed it! –– December 18th that year.
Clearly, directors Joe Russo and Anthony Russo have decided the new movies will require some more work than they figured. Which honestly, is no bad thing –– better to wait and get it right in the hopes of an ‘Infinity War’ and ‘Endgame’-level success, than pump out something quickly.
The sprawling cast for at least the first movie (we’re expecting several to appear in both) was first announced in a viral video Marvel put online showing director’s chairs with the actor’s names on them.
Simu Liu will return as Shang-Chi, a character who really has deserved a sequel before now. And Danny Ramirez, who was introduced as Joaquim Torres in ‘The Falcon and the Winter Soldier’ and reprised the role in February’s ‘Captain America: Brave New World’ will show up as the new Falcon.
Finally, because you can’t really have ‘Doomsday’ without Doom, Robert Downey Jr. is making his big MCU return, this time playing classic ‘Fantastic Four’ villain Doctor Doom.
We’re sure more cast will be announced before ‘Doomsday’ arrives, but Disney has more time to get the message out.
“We’re very close with Kevin [Feige] and Lou [D’Esposito, Marvel Studios’ Co-President] and the entire Marvel team and we’ve had conversations through the years. We’ve talked about a lot of ideas. Really what happened was, we ended up stumbling upon a [‘Secret Wars’] idea that activated all of us, you couldn’t see it coming until it came, and once it came it was like, ‘Well, that’s a story we need to tell.’”
And that creative spark extended to regular collaborator Stephen McFeely, who is also back writing the new movies.
While other co-writer Christopher Markus is so far sticking with the Russos’ AGBO company to keep it running, McFeely was tempted back into the MCU machine.
Here’s what Joe told Empire:
“There were ideas that we were trying to wrap our heads around that preceded this one, and we just never found the story. I remember calling Steve and said, ‘Hey, crazy idea. What do you think if we all go back and do Secret Wars?’ He was like, ‘F*** no. Absolutely not.’ And then he hung up. And the next morning at 7.30 he called and were like, ‘Alright, I have an idea…’ ”
‘Secret Wars’ would draw from (through the usual Marvel movie filter where changes will be made) a pair of 1980s comic book series focused on an all-powerful antagonist known as the Beyonder, who in the first installment pitted Marvel’s heroes and villains against each other on a planet known as Battleworld.
In a 2015 revival by Jonathan Hickman, the resulting conflict left the multiverse collapsed, the survivors living on a single planet ruled by classic villain Doctor Doom.
The Russos have previously talked about their enthusiasm for ‘Secret Wars,’ so this one made sense.
What other movie release dates were announced?
Director James Cameron at D23 2024 presenting ‘Avatar: Fire and Ash’. Photo: Disney.
In a Thanos-like snap, three Marvel dates have disappeared from the calendar completely. The place holders for February 13th, 2026, November 6th, 2026, and November 5, 2027, have all been removed from Disney’s calendar, pointing towards the result of Marvel’s commitment to quality over quantity.
It wasn’t all Marvel changes –– Disney also confirmed the dates for some of the movies headed our way via its 20th Century Studios, including Ridley Scott’s post-apocalyptic thriller ‘The Dog Stars,’ starring Jacob Elordi and Josh Brolin. That one will be released on March 27th, 2026.
Then there is sequel ‘The Devil Wears Prada 2,’ which will see the return of Meryl Streep‘s imperious magazine editor Miranda Priestly as she navigates the challenges of the declining print industry. The comedy drama sequel is due on May 1st, 2026.
Marvel says Sam Wilson will assemble his Avengers team off screen before ‘Avengers: Doomsday’
Who will Sam Wilson recruit for his new team?
SPOILER ALERT: Some spoilers for ‘Thunderbolts*’ and possibly ‘Avengers: Doomsday’ below.
Back in April, Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige announced at CinemaCon that the upcoming ‘Avengers: Doomsday’ “will focus on The Avengers, Wakandans, Fantastic Four, Thunderbolts and original X-Men all fighting Doctor Doom (Robert Downey Jr.).”
That’s quite a promise! But now that ‘Thunderbolts*’ has been released in theaters, fans have learned that they are really the New Avengers, and the movie’s end-credit scene reveals that Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie) has filed a copyright claim against the team for the rights to the name and is putting together his own group of Avengers.
Marvel has recently announced that Wilson will assemble his Avengers off screen, so the real question is who will be on his team in ‘Avengers: Doomsday’? Luckily, Marvel has also released many of the names of ‘Doomsday’s cast in a recent video stunt, which could, by process of elimination, give us a basic idea of who will be on Wilson’s team.
With other new and returning cast members yet to be announced, Moviefone is breaking down the cast list to guess who could be on Sam Wilson’s Avengers team.
‘Thunderbolts*’ is now titled ‘The New Avengers’ and is currently playing in theaters. Photo: Marvel Studios.
The end of the ‘Thunderbolts*’ sees Julia Louis-Dreyfus‘ Valentina Allegra de Fontaine saving public face by holding a press conference and announcing that Yelena Belova (Florence Pugh), Bucky Barnes/Winter Soldier (Sebastian Stan), John Walker/U.S. Agent (Wyatt Russell), Ava Starr/Ghost (Hannah John-Kamen), Alexei Shostakov/Red Guardian (David Harbour) and Bob Reynolds/Sentry (Lewis Pullman) are the New Avengers.
With Pugh, Stan, Russell, John-Kamen, Harbour, and Pullman all confirmed to return for ‘Avengers: Doomsday’, it is now clear that they will be referred to as the New Avengers and not the Thunderbolts, nor will they be members of the team Sam Wilson is recruiting. In fact, it was also recently revealed that the ‘Thunderbolts*’ end-credit scene setting up the Fantastic Four’s MCU arrival was shot on the set of the ‘Avengers: Doomsday’ by directors Anthony and Joe Russo.
Which ‘Avengers: Doomsday’ characters could be on Sam Wilson’s Avengers team?
Chris Hemsworth in ‘Thor: The Dark World’. Photo: Marvel Studios.
Now that we know the Thunderbolts are the New Avengers, and assuming none of them will crossover to Sam’s new team, it’s not hard to have an idea who might be recruited by the new Captain America for his Avengers team.
We can also eliminate the cast of ‘Fantastic Four: First Steps’ and the returning ‘X-Men’ actors, as one would assume that they will be on their own teams and not Sam’s. It is possible that Channing Tatum‘s Gambit could crossover, since he was not an “original” X-men from the previous films, but I think he will most likely be on the Mutants’ side, especially because the character has no ties to the Avengers in the comics.
As a founding member of the original Avengers, it makes sense that Chris Hemsworth’s Thor would be a member of Sam’s new team. Sam partied with him at Avengers Tower in ‘Avengers: Age of Ultron’, and even fought side by side against Thanos with Thor in Wakanda during ‘Infinity War’. We also know that Danny Ramirez’s Joaquin Torres/Falcon was asked to join the team by Sam during the events of ‘Captain America: Brave New World’, so it’s safe to say that you can expect to see him fighting as a member of Sam’s new team in ‘Doomsday’.
Besides Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) and Bucky Barnes, Paul Rudd‘s Scott Lang/Ant-Man is probably the Avenger that Sam is closest to in the MCU having appeared in 2015’s ‘Ant-Man’ and helping to recruit him for Captain America’s team in ‘Captain America: Civil War’. So, it would also make sense for Scott to join Sam’s team. Sam also has close ties to Wakanda, with Shuri (Letitia Wright) helping to create his Captain America suit and wings. Now that she is the new Black Panther, I also assume she will be on the new team as well.
Actor Winston Duke has been confirmed to return for ‘Avengers: Doomsday’ as M’Baku, and while it is possible for him to be recruited for Sam’s team along with Shuri, Feige’s CinemaCon comment mentions “Wakandans fighting against Doctor Doom”, which makes me think he will be leading the Wakandans and not joining Sam’s team.
Having been introduced in ‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’, and having a close connection to Shuri, I would also bet that Tenoch Huerta Mejia’s Namor will appear on Sam’s new team. Simu Liu’s Shang-Chi, who was introduced in his own 2021 movie will most likely join the team as well. The end-credit scene for that movie saw the character being recruited for the Avengers by Wong (Benedict Wong), Captain Marvel (Brie Larson) and Bruce Banner (Mark Ruffalo), making his inclusion almost a forgone conclusion.
Of the announced cast, that just leaves Tom Hiddleston’s Loki, but given how his character’s arc ends in season 2 of Disney+’s ‘Loki’, I’m guessing he won’t be a member of Sam’s team and instead saved for a different role in the movie.
Who could be on Sam Wilson’s Avengers team that has not been announced yet for ‘Avengers: Doomsday’?
(L to R) Charlize Theron and Benedict Cumberbatch in ‘Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.’ Photo: Marvel Studios.
There have been rumors that Wong, who is now the Sorcerer Supreme in Doctor Strange’s absence, could appear in the movie. Rumors have also swirled around the eventual return of Captain Marvel and Bruce Banner/Hulk, and with their inclusion in the ‘Shang-Chi’ end credit scene, if they are added to the cast, all three characters could align themselves with Sam Wilson and his new team of Avengers.
There have also been rumors of Benedict Cumberbatch and Charlize Theron returning as Doctor Strange and Clea, respectively, both last seen in 2022’s ‘Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness’. But, with Wong being the new Sorcerer Supreme, I doubt Strange and Clea will join Sam’s team, and more likely, just like Loki, would have a different role in the plot of the film.
Finally, there have also been rumors about Jeremy Renner’s return as Hawkeye, and Tom Holland’s return as Spider-Man. But we’ve also heard that Holland’s character may sit out ‘Avengers: Doomsday’, next appearing in ‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’ before returning for ‘Avengers: Secret Wars’.
And with Renner’s recent admission that he declined returning for ‘Hawkeye’ season 2 due to having his salary cut in half by Marvel, his return to the franchise is completely up in the air. Even if he does return, Renner could be playing a multiverse version of his character and therefore not be joining Sam’s new team.
Marvel is planning to have ‘Avengers: Doomsday’ on screens on May 1st, 2026, followed by ‘Avengers: Secret Wars’ on May 7th, 2027.
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What is the plot of ‘Avengers: Doomsday’?
Fourteen months after the events of ‘Thunderbolts*’, the Avengers, Wakandans, Fantastic Four, New Avengers, and the “original” X-Men team up to face Doctor Doom.
While Marvel usually prefers to keep its secrets close (at least, closer than the current government seems to manage), there is also the conflicting compulsion to promote the next movie in its sprawling cinematic universe, ‘Avengers: Doomsday‘.
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We’ve known for a while that the Avengers will be back to face the threat of Victor Von Doom (Robert Downey Jr.), but the rest of the cast was largely in the realm of speculation, even for those who have been part of the MCU family for years.
The company used a livestream to confirm who will show up in the new movie, consisting of footage of the backs of director’s chairs featuring the cast names.
We’re happy to see Simu Liu will return as Shang-Chi, a character who really has deserved a sequel before now. And Danny Ramirez, who was introduced as Joaquim Torres in ‘The Falcon and the Winter Soldier’ and reprised the role in February’s ‘Captain America: Brave New World’ will show up as the new Falcon.
Any surprises? We’re not sure we predicted Tenoch Huerta Mejia –– who played Namor in ‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’ coming back, but his chair is among the others (not dripping with water –– missed joke opportunity there!).
(L to R) Lashana Lynch and Kelsey Grammer in ‘The Marvels’. Photo: Marvel Studios.
Lewis Pullman, who is introduced as a character called “Bob” (but who has since been revealed to be powerful character Sentry) in ‘Thunderbolts*’ is also listed. So we’re guessing his character –– who also appears to be an antagonist in the movie given the new trailer –– factors in somehow.
Last, but by no means least, the doors to the cavernous soundstage holding all the chairs opens up, and in strides Downey Jr., who sits in his own named chair and puts his finger to his lips. It’s over!
We’re sure there will be other announcements to come –– the company loves to hold back cameos and other roles, so we’ll have to wait and see if Tom Holland or Mark Ruffalo spoil the appearances or if an official press release arrives in due time.
If you’re desperate to see the Livestream, please click on the video player at the top of the page.
The new movie is now kicking off shooting in London, with Marvel veteran directors Joe and Anthony Russo –– who count the giant two previous Avengers outings ‘Infinity War’ and ‘Endgame’ on their shared resume –– back marshalling the chaos that is a team-up movie on this scale.
“We’re very close with Kevin [Feige] and Lou [D’Esposito, Marvel Studios’ Co-President] and the entire Marvel team and we’ve had conversations through the years. We’ve talked about a lot of ideas. Really what happened was, we ended up stumbling upon a [‘Secret Wars’] idea that activated all of us, you couldn’t see it coming until it came, and once it came it was like, ‘Well, that’s a story we need to tell.’”
And that creative spark extended to regular collaborator Stephen McFeely, who is also back writing the new movies.
While other co-writer Christopher Markus is so far sticking with the Russos’ AGBO company to keep it running, McFeely was tempted back into the MCU machine.
Here’s what Joe told Empire:
“There were ideas that we were trying to wrap our heads around that preceded this one, and we just never found the story. I remember calling Steve and said, ‘Hey, crazy idea. What do you think if we all go back and do Secret Wars?’ He was like, ‘F*** no. Absolutely not.’ And then he hung up. And the next morning at 7.30 he called and were like, ‘Alright, I have an idea…’ ”
‘Avengers: Doomsday’: The Russos talk Robert Downey Jr.
Of course, one of the biggest plot elements for the new movies has already been revealed on Marvel’s terms, with Robert Downey Jr. taking the stage at last year’s San Diego Comic-Con to confirm he’s playing Victor Von Doom.
And according to the directors he’s very involved in helping to shape the character.
“It’s a very intense process developing the character. He’s so immersed in it. He is so dialed in. That’s the kind of artist he is. That’s the kind of actor he is. He just loves really rich three-dimensional characters and I think he sees a real opportunity here with that character.”
And following ‘Doomsday,’ we’ll see ‘Secret Wars’…
‘Secret Wars’ would draw from (through the usual Marvel movie filter where changes will be made) a pair of 1980s comic book series focused on an all-powerful antagonist known as the Beyonder, who in the first installment pitted Marvel’s heroes and villains against each other on a planet known as Battleworld.
In a 2015 revival by Jonathan Hickman, the resulting conflict left the multiverse collapsed, the survivors living on a single planet ruled by classic villain Doctor Doom.
The Russos have previously talked about their enthusiasm for ‘Secret Wars,’ so this one made sense.
When will the next two ‘Avengers’ movies head to screens?
Marvel is planning to have ‘Avengers: Doomsday’ on screens on May 1st, 2026, followed by ‘Avengers: Secret Wars’ on May 7th, 2027.
‘The Fall Guy’ is not just a rom-com between a stuntman and a director. It is also a love letter to the stunt community. As a former stunt performer, director David Leitch (‘Deadpool 2’, ‘Atomic Blonde’) paid extra attention to the action sequences and fight scenes in the film, ensuring they’re grand, authentic, and most importantly, highlight the men and women who perform them.
The film is (loosely) based on the 80’s TV show of the same name, starring Lee Majors. In the show, Majors’ Colt Seavers works as a bounty hunter on the side, where his stunt skills come in quite handy in apprehending the wanted. In Leitch’s film, Colt is played by Ryan Gosling, who is tasked to find the missing action star Tom Ryder. All the while he is trying to win back the love of his life – Jody Moreno, played by Emily Blunt.
The film premiered at SXSW on March 12, 2024, before arriving in theaters on May 3. ‘The Fall Guy’ opened to $27.7 million and has grossed $81.9 million domestically since. The movie has a runtime of 2 hours and 6 minutes.
Just under three weeks after its release, the action flick became available on digital platforms as of May 12, 2024. Missed it in theaters? Now you can enjoy all the action from home – rent for $19.99 or purchase for $24.99 on VOD platforms such as Apple TV, Prime Video, Google Play, YouTube, and Vudu.
The digital release features an extended cut of the film, with an additional 20 minutes of never-before-scene footage, with more action and even more stunts.
Ryan Gosling is Colt Seavers in ‘The Fall Guy,’ directed by David Leitch.
With former stunt performer David Leitch at the helm of a film about a stuntman, one can expect the movie to showcase some of the most daring stunt sequences. Not only is ‘The Fall Guy’ filled with spectacular action, but it broke the record for most cannon rolls in a film. The record was previously held by ‘Casino Royale,’ where James Bond’s Aston Martin rolled seven times as it swerved off the road.
Performed by stunt driver Logan Holiday, the cannon roll sequence in ‘The Fall Guy’ broke records when it rolled eight and a half times, setting the new record for most cannon rolls performed in a film.
Ryan Gosling is Colt Seavers in ‘The Fall Guy,’ directed by David Leitch.
While ‘The Fall Guy’ will definitely be available on DVD, Blu-Ray, and 4K UHD, no official release date has been announced. In the meantime, retailers such as Target, Amazon, and Wal-Mart have pre-orders available.
Watch the official trailers for ‘The Fall Guy’ below:
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The official synopsis for ‘The Fall Guy’ is below:
After a severe injury sidelines him for a year, stuntman Colt Seavers (Ryan Gosling) is recruited to perform stunts for action star Tom Ryder (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) in a new epic directed by Colt’s ex-girlfriend, Jody Moreno (Emily Blunt). Ryder’s sudden disappearance from the shoot, however, not only complicates Colt’s attempt to get back in Jody’s good graces, but finds the fall guy enmeshed in an increasingly sinister plot.
Who’s In the Cast of ‘The Fall Guy’
(L to R) Ryan Gosling is Colt Seavers and Emily Blunt is Judy Moreno in ‘The Fall Guy,’ directed by David Leitch.
Ryan Gosling (‘Barbie’) as Colt Seavers
Emily Blunt (‘Oppenheimer’) as Jody Moreno
Aaron Taylor-Johnson (‘Furiosa’)as Tom Ryder
Hannah Waddingham (‘Ted Lasso’) as Gail
Winston Duke (‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’) as Dan
Stephanie Hsu (‘Joy Ride’) as Alma
(L to R) Ryan Gosling is Colt Seavers and Emily Blunt is Judy Moreno in ‘The Fall Guy,’ directed by David Leitch.
The best part about ‘The Fall Guy’ is its clear affection and loving respect for stuntpeople and the incredibly dangerous work they do to make movies as exciting as possible. Some of the film’s many – almost too many – action sequences are designed just for this. It’s too bad, then, that the rest of the film is hampered by a sloppy script and halting pacing that the undeniable charm of Ryan Gosling and Emily Blunt can only do so much to smooth over. It’s all in the execution, and ‘The Fall Guy’ never commits to what kind of film it wants to be.
(L to R) Director David Leitch and Ryan Gosling (as Colt Seavers) on the set of ‘The Fall Guy.’
‘The Fall Guy’ is based loosely – very loosely – on the hit 1980s TV series starring Lee Majors as a stuntman who uses his skills to moonlight as a bounty hunter. Aside from the title and the main character’s name, however, nothing else remains of the series in this film from stuntman-turned-director David Leitch (‘John Wick,’ ‘Deadpool 2,’ ‘Bullet Train’). In this version, Colt Seavers (Ryan Gosling) is quite satisfied with just being a stuntman – even if the star he’s been doubling for six years, the insecure and self-obsessed Tom Ryder (Aaron Taylor-Johnson), earns all the glory for Seavers’ risky, often awe-inspiring stunts.
All that comes crashing down, however, when Colt suffers a severe injury on the set that takes him out of commission for a year, reduces him to working as a valet, and sends him into a deep depression. It also estranges him from his girlfriend, Jody Moreno (Emily Blunt), an aspiring director who in the interim lands her feature directorial debut – a sci-fi blockbuster starring none other than Ryder.
But then Colt gets a call out of the blue from the movie’s producer, Gail (Hannah Waddingham), who insists that Colt fly down to Australia to perform stunts on the film. Fearful of getting back on that horse, so to speak, Colt nevertheless heads down to the set in the hope that he can pick up his career and rekindle the spark with Jody. But when it turns out that Ryder has gone missing from the shoot, Colt is tasked with finding him – and discovers that Ryder’s disappearance may be part of a much more sinister plot than most Hollywood thrillers.
There’s no question that Ryan Gosling and Emily Blunt both have charisma and screen presence to spare, and their verbal jousting and fast-paced repartee often provides enough entertainment to just get by when ‘The Fall Guy’ lags in the pacing department. There’s also no question that David Leitch loves the profession he came up in, and the movie goes to great lengths to show just how stuntpeople do their jobs – you may come away from the movie with a newfound respect for the craft (and an understanding of why stuntpeople really do deserve to get their own Oscar category).
But the movie itself is never quite sure what it wants to be. Is it a rom-com? A movie industry satire? An action thriller? It tries to be all three, but the script by Drew Pearce (‘Hotel Artemis’) never leans fully into any of those genres, creating a tonal and narrative hodgepodge that doesn’t quite come together as a cohesive whole or has much of anything to say. The tonal shifts give ‘The Fall Guy’ a herky-jerky feel, with some scenes coming to a standstill while the action sequences are frantic if exceptionally well-staged (although one highly destructive chase through the streets of Sydney has one wondering, even in the reality of the film, why not a single cop shows up).
Of the narrative’s three threads, the mystery involving Ryder’s disappearance is the weakest and most easily dispensable: it comes across as merely a means to create some action scenes. The romance probably plays the strongest, thanks to Gosling and Blunt’s chemistry, but even aspects of that are contrived (it’s kind of murky why the relationship ended in the first place). As for the film’s satirical aspects, they jump in and out of the story, fighting for space with Leitch’s yearning to show the below-the-line folks in the best possible light.
No Stunt Casting Here
Ryan Gosling is Colt Seavers in ‘The Fall Guy,’ directed by David Leitch.
Anyone who watched the Oscars could see that Ryan Gosling and Emily Blunt had comic chemistry together as presenters, and that connection is evident in ‘The Fall Guy’ as well. The two leads are the strongest aspect of the movie. Gosling’s comedic chops are on full display again, and he can’t help but be endearing and watchable even if he is playing a variation on the lovable but dim persona we’ve seen in ‘Barbie’ and ‘The Nice Guys.’ His Colt Seavers can barely articulate himself in front of Blunt’s Jody as the story begins, locked in his own sense of failure, but his character does evolve by the climax.
Like Gosling, Blunt is always a striking, strong presence on screen, and her Jody is someone who lets her own ambitions – her heartfelt desire to become a director – get in the way of real life to a degree. One of the best aspects of the movie is the way in which Jody and Colt initially communicate through the action they’re staging on the set; as she sets him on fire over and over again, among other things, they keep talking about how to fix the movie’s third act, when clearly they’re discussing what happened to their own broken relationship. Moments like that are clever indicators of the movie’s better intentions.
The most hilarious supporting character is Taylor-Johnson’s Tom Ryder, who also represents the film’s most satirical aspects (we have to wonder which major real-life A-lister this narcissistic, petty, spoiled man-child was patterned after). His complete insecurity in the face of Colt’s immense physical talents, his inclination to believe that his delivery of even the most brainless rallying-cry speech to a crowd of extras is some sort of Shakespearean monologue, and the post-it notes that cover his apartment – constant little reminders to himself that often contradict each other – are spot-on, and Taylor-Johnson plays him at a slight remove, as if the Ryder persona is just another role for this rather small person.
The rest of the cast are terrific in smaller roles, even if many of them don’t get much to do. Hannah Waddingham (‘Ted Lasso’) fares best as Gail, the producer who knows exactly what to say to everyone and how to manipulate them to get what she wants, while Winston Duke (M’Baku from the ‘Black Panther’ movies) is a welcome wingman who we’d like to see more of. Stephanie Hsu (‘Everything Everywhere All at Once’) and Teresa Palmer (‘A Discovery of Witches’) also make good impressions even if they largely disappear from the second half of the film.
Final Thoughts
Ryan Gosling is Colt Seavers in ‘The Fall Guy,’ directed by David Leitch.
‘The Fall Guy’ has crowd-pleaser written all over it: a couple of big, attractive leads in a zany rom-com scenario, a mystery of sorts at its center, and a parade of “watch this one” action setpieces serving as its spine. Some of its elements get their chance to shine, but only intermittently, and not enough to make ‘The Fall Guy’ the fully satisfying popcorn picture it’s clearly engineered to be.
Luckily, Ryan Gosling and Emily Blunt have enough sheer star power to keep the movie from becoming the kind of empty tentpole that it pokes fun at (with ‘Metalstorm,’ the ‘Dune’ knockoff movie inside the movie), and if David Leitch and Drew Pearce found a more seamless way to blend their romance with a bit more satirical zing, we’d be rooting for them all the way.
‘The Fall Guy’ receives 6 out of 10 stars.
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What is the plot of ‘The Fall Guy’?
After a severe injury sidelines him for a year, stuntman Colt Seavers (Ryan Gosling) is recruited to perform stunts for action star Tom Ryder (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) in a new epic directed by Colt’s ex-girlfriend, Jody Moreno (Emily Blunt). Ryder’s sudden disappearance from the shoot, however, not only complicates Colt’s attempt to get back in Jody’s good graces, but finds the fall guy enmeshed in an increasingly sinister plot.
Who is in the cast of ‘The Fall Guy’?
Ryan Gosling as Colt Seavers
Emily Blunt as Jody Moreno
Aaron Taylor-Johnson as Tom Ryder
Hannah Waddingham as Gail
Winston Duke as Dan
Stephanie Hsu as Alma
(L to R) Ryan Gosling is Colt Seavers and Emily Blunt is Judy Moreno in ‘The Fall Guy,’ directed by David Leitch.
In 2018, Chadwick Boseman donned the claws and took on the role of T’Challa in Marvel’s ‘Black Panther’. We first saw Boseman debut the role in 2016’s ‘Captain America: Civil War,’ where he mourns the loss of his father King T’Chaka due to a terrorist attack. The event pits him against Team Captain America as he fights alongside Ironman, War Machine, Black Widow, Vision, and Spider-man.
T’Calla would go on to appear in ‘Avengers: Infinity War’, ‘Avengers: Endgame’, and Marvel’s animated series ‘What If’. The reactions to Black Panther’s entry into the MCU were positive, and his appearance in ‘Captain America: Civil War’ perfectly sets up the stand-alone film, directed by Ryan Coogler (‘Creed‘). The film opened in 2018 to $202 million domestically and has a critics’ score of 96% on Rotten Tomatoes today.
Alongside Boseman, the ‘Black Panther’ cast includes Angela Bassett as Queen Ramonda, Letitia Wright as his sister Shuri, Lupita Nyong’o as Nakia, Winston Duke as M’Baku, Danai Gurira as Okoye, Daniel Kaluuya as W’Kabi, and Michael B. Jordan as Erik Killmonger. The film would go on to win Academy Awards for Best Achievement in Costume Design, Best Achievement in Production Design, and Best Original Score.
The movie received glowing reviews from critics and fans alike, warranting a sequel and likely more appearances of the Black Panther in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Unfortunately, Chadwick Boseman was diagnosed with colon cancer and passed away before the second movie was made. His untimely death sent a shock wave through the community. Bose was 43 at the time.
Chadwick Boseman as T’Challa / Black Panther in 2018’s ‘Black Panther.’
The official synopsis for ‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’ is as follows:
“Queen Ramonda, Shuri, M’Baku, Okoye and the Dora Milaje fight to protect their nation from intervening world powers in the wake of King T’Challa’s death. As the Wakandans strive to embrace their next chapter, the heroes must band together with Nakia and Everett Ross (Martin Freeman) to forge a new path for their beloved kingdom.”
Many were left to wonder, what is the story of Black Panther and Wakanda without its lead? Director Ryan Coogler revealed that initially, the story was going to focus on T’Challa and how he comes to grips with fatherhood. ‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’ focuses on grief and mourning, and serves as a beautiful tribute to Chadwick Boseman.
Returning to the sequel to reprise their roles are Angela Bassett, Letitia Wright, Lupita Nyong’o, Danai Gurira, Florence Kasumba, Winston Duke, and Martin Freeman. The movie is joined by Tenoch Huerta (‘The Forever Purge‘) who plays the film’s antagonist, Namor. Dominique Throne (‘Judas and the Black Messiah‘) enters the franchise as Riri Williams/Ironheart, who will also appear on Marvel’s ‘Ironheart’ series for streamer Disney+.
Without Boseman in the lead, the story focuses on the citizens of Wakanda and how they protect their nation from a new threat – Atlantis and their ruler, Namor. The movie opens with a chaotic scene where Shuri is trying to recreate the heart-shaped herb. She was unable to complete the process before Queen Ramonda delivered the news of her brother’s passing. The funeral procession for T’Challa follows. The film is filled with many emotional and powerful moments such as Queen Ramonda’s speech to the United Nations, and the burning of the funeral garb with Shuri. Ultimately, Shuri takes the helm as the new Black Panther and faces off against Namor in the final act.
Where Can I Watch ‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’?
There’s still a chance to see ‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’ in theaters! The film premiered on November 11, 2022, and has a runtime of 2 hours and 41 minutes. There is one mid-credit scene.
Additionally, you can now pick up the DVD and Blu-ray of the film in stores. For the collectors, retailers such as Target, Best Buy, and Walmart have exclusive editions.
Academy Award Nominations For ‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’
The Ryan Coogler-directed sequel opened to $181 million during opening weekend and has grossed over $800 million worldwide. The film has a critics score of 84% and an audience score of 94% on Rotten Tomatoes. It has already received many awards including a Golden Globe Award (Best Supporting Actress, Angela Bassett) and two Critics Choice Awards (Best Costume Design and Best Supporting Actress).
It has received five Academy Award nominations including:
Throughout his career, Boseman has received many awards including a Golden Globe award, a Critics Choice Movie Award, two Screen Actors Guild Awards, an Emmy award, and an Oscar nomination. Aside from appearing as T’Challa aka the Black Panther in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, you can find the star’s work below:
‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’ was released in theaters on November 11th, 2022 from Marvel Studios. Directed by Ryan Coogler, and written by Coogler and Joe Robert Cole, the film stars Letitia Wright, Lupita Nyong’o, Danai Gurira, Winstone Duke, Dominique Thorne, Martin Freeman, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Tenoch Huerta, and Angela Bassett.
Watch Moviefone’s interviews with director Ryan Coogler and the cast of ‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’ below:
They may come from very different screen worlds – Winston Duke is currently best known for playing M’Baku in Marvel’s ‘Black Panther’ (and is a winning part of sequel ‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’ which just hit theaters), while British theatre actor Hannah Waddingham broke big with TV’s ‘Ted Lasso’ – but the pair of performers are about to unite on ‘The Fall Guy’.
When his movie work starts to dry up, Seavers pivots to become a bounty hunter, using all the know-how he’s acquired to craft film action to track down and defeat swindlers, thieves, bikers, conmen, fugitives, and corrupt officials using his fists and his vehicle skills.
Majors starred alongside Douglas Barr and Heather Thomas as Colt’s colleagues Howie Munson and Jody Banks, who helped him out on his missions. Though the show was often a giant slab of ‘80s cheese TV, the concept clearly has legs, with at least two movies going through development
(L to R) Heather Thomas and Lee Majors in ‘The Fall Guy.’ Photo courtesy of IMDB.
Word of Leitch and Gosling’s take first surfaced in 2020, then referred to as ‘Unknown Stuntman Movie’ and backing via Universal.
When Taylor-Johnson was cast, we got fresh information as to the storyline for this one, which looks to be largely jettisoning the side-hustle part of the original show.
Gosling is playing the battered and past-his-prime stuntman who finds himself back on a movie with a star he worked with long ago and who replaced him. The problem, however, is that the star is now missing…
Taylor-Johnson will be the movie star that Gosling is doubling, while Blunt is a prosthetic makeup artist that has a romantic past with our hero. Hsu, on screen this year in ‘Everything Everywhere All at Once’ will be a no-doubt harried assistant to Taylor-Johnson’s character.
Duke is on board to play the best friend of Gosling’s character, while Waddingham will bring all of her comic and dramatic chops to the role of the movie’s producer, likely none too happy that her production is going off the rails.
Given Leitch’s experience (and Gosling’s past playing stuntmen in ‘Drive’ and ‘The Place Beyond The Pines’), we’d expect a funny, action-packed movie.
With a script from ‘Iron Man 3’s Drew Pearce and cameras rolling in Australia, ‘The Fall Guy’ is taking aim at a March 1st, 2024, release.
Hannah Waddingham in “Ted Lasso” season two, now streaming on Apple TV+.
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Easily one of the most anticipated movies of the year, superhero sequel ‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’ carries more than just the expectations for a follow-up to a huge box office hit and pop cultural moment.
In continuing the story from 2018’s ‘Black Panther’, the movie, its cast and crew must also wrangle with the emotional fallout after the death of leading man Chadwick Boseman, who died in 2020 from colorectal cancer.
And there is a threat from beneath too – beneath the surface of the ocean, that is – as Tenoch Huerta’s Namor, ruler of the undersea kingdom of Talokan, who has his own reasons to attack Wakanda.
As the Wakandans strive to embrace their next chapter, the heroes must band together with the help of War Dog Nakia (Lupita Nyong’o) and Everett Ross (Martin Freeman) and forge a new path.
Moviefone had the chance to attend a press conference where Nyong’o, Wright, Huerta, director Ryan Coogler and Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige talked about the new film.
Kevin, work on the script was in progress when Chadwick Boseman died, which meant a big change. How did that process start, and how did it shift as you guys were going about the task?
Kevin Feige: In my memory of it, the shock turned into, “Well, you know, what do we do? What should we do? Should we do anything?” And I think relatively soon, it was determined that this amazing ensemble of characters and this world that had been created onscreen needed to continue. Ryan pours everything and all of himself into everything he does and had been working for almost a year on a version of the movie with T’Challa in it. And was finding and pouring his life experience from making the first movie into that. And then when we lost Chad, all of that, obviously, was then poured into this movie, as well. And keeping the idea of a celebration of Wakanda and the character at the forefront, in addition to the grief that, of course, is gonna come with that.
Ryan, this was a collaborative project. So, tell us about some of the fun collaborations you had on set.
Ryan Coogler: It was great. I think that’s one of the great things, when you get to do a series of films, is that you get to have these mini reunions. It was such an amazing time that we had making the first one. Now, four years had passed. It was just great to see everybody again and to catch up and to see how everybody had grown. We were also coming off of a pandemic. We actually started the film right smack in the middle of it. I think everybody experienced a sense of loneliness, you know, during the years that followed, that crisis. It was just great to see some of these folks and give ‘em a big giant hug again.
Letitia, talk about playing a different, angrier, grieving side of Shuri in this film?
Letitia Wright: We meet her in the first film and she is that ray of sunshine. She’s so clothed and protected in royalty and love. And proud of her big brother taking the step, following on his father’s legacy. She just wants to create. I love Shuri in the first one because there was no limit to her. She was the person her brother went to for his protection, his armor. He encouraged that. Her family encouraged her to be a genius and to be faithfully and wonderfully made.
So, we follow on from that. What does that look like when your heart is broken? I think it was just Ryan (Coogler)’s guidance on how do we create a full arc of this human being? Of this young woman going to through something alongside her fellow family members, in general, and Wakandans. I think the way it was written and the delicacy, the gentleness of how we approached it. We always spoke, we always communicated, at every step of the way. We were able to bring something that felt real, that felt truthful. I was able to really give my heart to it and give Shuri a full arc. Hopefully people can really resonate with that and find some healing, you know, alongside us, with it.
Lupita, you play Nakia, who seems out of all the characters to best have a handle on her grief, until she admits she doesn’t. And that’s not an easy thing to portray as an actor, right?
Lupita Nyong’o: I remember, in the beginning, reading the script, and I was so envious of Letitia because she gets to be chaotic! That’s how I felt, I felt raw and, you know, wanted to express it. Nakia, though, she’s just a little further along in terms of her processing. It’s not like she has it all figured out, but in the first film, Ryan described her as T’Challa’s oasis. That really, really resonated with me. So, when I was reading this script and thinking about where she is, I realized that what she was once to T’Challa, she now has the opportunity to offer Shuri. It made a lot of sense in terms of the structure and architecture of the story.
LN: When we’re talking about exploration of grief, it’s really grounding to have someone who is, I want to say, befriending of the change for the people in the story, but also for an audience. The fact that she was T’Challa’s love, in a way I guess it allows an audience to know that it’s okay, you know? It’s okay. As much as I was frustrated with Ryan for doing that with Nakia, actually playing her was very therapeutic for me. You know, because I had to look beyond my frustrations with losing Chadwick and learn from her. Learn from that wisdom that she seems to possess.
Tenoch, how was it coming in and playing essentially a villain here as Namor?
Tenoch Heurta: It is tricky, when you have a character like this, because you are the antagonist. You’re gonna destroy something that is vital, not just in the story, but to the people. The people outside. A lot of people feel identification with Wakanda, and I include myself in that, and the narrative and representation and everything. So, now I must play the bad guy who tries to destroy that legacy! But at the same time, Ryan, in the script, he found a way to make it human, to justify why that people do that kind of thing.
They share the same wound, you know, historically. I mean, like, representation of their cultures. But at the same time, as individuals, they share that wound. How they solve the problem is about their personality and their own history. So, that’s beautiful. That balance in a movie. It doesn’t happen too much and it’s enjoyable.
In the underwater scenes, how much swimming experience did you have before this and how much did you have to get?
TH: I didn’t know how to swim before this movie! But now I can hold my breath for five minutes.
Ryan, what was the thinking behind having the women of Wakanda take center stage?
RC: Yeah. Joe Robert Cole my cowriter, and I, this was what made sense to us. What we wanted to look at was, you know, when you lose somebody, there’s, like, a blast radius. You know, that’s like a bomb that goes off. Who was the closest to it, you know? That’s who we explored.
The main characters, their identities were kinda wrapped up in this man, you know, like, is the truth of it. You know, and Shuri, every day she was alive, she had her brother. So, when she lost him, what we discovered while we were working on the script, and then eventually bringing it to life with the actors, was that she really lost her sense of self. She identified herself as this guy’s little sister. As his protector and as the person who looks out for him. So, when she loses that, it makes her very unmoored. It wasn’t really about gender, directly. It was about who was the most, you know, who would be most affected, you know?
‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’ debuts in theaters on November 11th.
The long-awaited sequel to 2018’s Oscar-nominated Marvel movie, ‘Black Panther,’ which is entitled ‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever,’ finally opens in theaters on November 11th.
The film was put in jeopardy in 2020 when the franchise’s lead actor, Chadwick Boseman tragically died of cancer. Returning director Ryan Coogler and co-writer Joe Robert Cole were forced to rewrite the script, and choosing not to recast the character, find a way to explain his absence. Their choice was to kill off the character, which would be the second and ultimately last time T’Challa died in the Marvel Universe, after disintegrating when Thanos snapped his fingers in ‘Avengers: Infinity War.’
The sequel begins shortly after King T’Challa‘s death, but I’ll let the film itself explain exactly what he died from. The Kingdom of Wakanda is mourning their fallen king, as Shuri (Letitia Wright), Nakia (Lupita Nyong’o), Okoye (Danai Gurira), and M’Baku (Winston Duke) rally around their Queen, Ramonda (Angela Bassett), while a new threat emerges from the hidden undersea nation of Talokan ruled by Namor (Tenoch Huerta).
With war brewing between the two powerful nations, the CIA dispatches Everett K. Ross (Martin Freeman) to keep an eye on the situation, and while Wakanda’s royal family decides what to do with the Black Panther mantel, they seek the aid of MIT student and genius inventor Riri Williams (Dominique Thorne), who in the comics is known as the hero Ironheart and soon will have her own Disney+ series.
The result is a solid and entertaining sequel that truly explores the concept of grief and loss, and introduces some great new characters to the MCU, however, unfortunately never overcomes the unmeasurable absence of Boseman and his character.
The film does have a few issues, and one of the problems with the movie is it is just too long for the story it is telling. At 2 hours and 41 minutes, it’s longer than ‘Infinity War’ and the story just does not warrant it. Also, without giving anything away, the character of Black Panther does not show up until after the two-hour mark, and that is a problem for a movie with the words ‘Black Panther’ in the title.
Ultimately, the film suffers from the loss of Boseman, and in turn T’Challa, but obviously there is nothing that could be done about that. But now that we’ve mentioned all of that, let’s talk about what does work. Director Ryan Coogler has crafted an epic film, huge in scope, that basically deals with the simple idea of grief and how we as people deal with loss.
The returning cast is excellent, and every actor has a chance to step-up their roles in the wake of Boseman’s absence. Leading the charge is Oscar-nominated actress Angela Bassett, who gives a passionate performance as the Queen of Wakanda, and a mother who has lost her son. Her performance is the heart of the film.
Danai Gurira is also a standout, with Okoye questioning her place in the world after the death of T’Challa. Her character comes in conflict with Ramonda and has some terrific scenes with Bassett. Winston Duke’s M’Baku also has a larger role this time around, now as an advisor to the royal family.
Lupita Nyong’o’s Nakia is also a welcomed return to the franchise, and while she plays a pivotal role in the story, her character does not have as much screen time as I had hoped.
But Letitia Wright’s Shuri is clearly the focal point of the film, and while the actress gave a strong performance in the original as a supporting character, she stumbles a little leading the movie on her own but is ultimately helped by the rest of the cast’s strong supporting performances.
But it’s the movie’s new characters that really shine including the MCU introduction of Dominque Thorne as Riri Williams/Ironheart and Tenoch Huerta as Namor.
Thorne, who actually auditioned to play Shuri in the first ‘Black Panther,’ is excellent as the MIT student that will eventually become the MCU’s new Iron Man. Williams and Shuri hit it off right away, and the two actresses have great chemistry together. The character is a great addition to the MCU, and while the movie acts as a backdoor pilot to her upcoming Disney+ series, I can’t wait to see what they do with the show.
But the standout of the film is truly the introduction of Namor and the career-making performance by Tenoch Huerta. Namor first appeared in Marvel comics in 1939, but due to the film rights being tied-up at another studio, Marvel was not able to bring the character to the big screen until now.
It’s a shame that DC was able to launch an ‘Aquaman’ franchise first, because there will unenviably be comparisons. The Talokan people will also undoubtedly be compared to the characters in Disney’s other big sequel opening this year, ‘Avatar: The Way of Water,’ as they are blue and have a passing resemblance to the Na’vi.
But the character looks very comic book accurate on screen, and the effects used for his ankle wings is fantastic. Huerta brings a lot of passion and gravitas to his role and is extremely commanding as Namor. While the character is basically a hero in the comics, he has had arcs where he is an anti-hero, so using him as the antagonist for this movie makes sense, but there is still room in the future of the MCU for the character to play a more heroic role.
There are a few surprise cameos that I won’t give away, one connected to the original ‘Black Panther,’ and another connecting to presumably the upcoming ‘Thunderbolts.’ And while there is no end-credit scene, there is a mid-credit scene that adds a heart-warming element to the franchise for future installments.
In the end, director Ryan Coogler has crafted a strong sequel and a truly beautiful film about loss and dealing with grief, that unfortunately can never surpass the original due to the seismic loss of Chadwick Boseman. Coogler and the cast have created a loving tribute to the late actor, but we’ll always have to wonder what this sequel could have been if Boseman had survived.
‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’ receives 4 out of 5 stars.
