Debuting on digital March 31st and 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray, Blu-ray, Blu-ray 3D and DVD on May 19th, is the box office blockbuster ‘Avatar: Fire and Ash’, which is the third film in the popular franchise and was once again directed by Oscar winner James Cameron (‘Terminator 2: Judgement Day‘).
(L to R) Oona Chaplin and Stephen Lang star in ‘Avatar: Fire and Ash’, which will be available on digital March 31st.
Moviefone recently had the pleasure of visiting James Cameron’s Lightstorm Entertainment offices to sit down and speak with actors Oona Chaplin and Stephen Lang about their work on ‘Avatar: Fire and Ash’, what it was like for Chaplin to join the franchise and her approach to her character, Lang’s experience working on the films and his character’s arc, collaborating with James Cameron on set, and why Cameron reminds Chaplin of her grandfather, Charlie Chaplin.
You can read the full interview below or click on the video player above to watch our interviews with Chaplin, Lang, and producer Rae Sanchini.
Moviefone: To begin with, Oona, what was it like for you to join this franchise and did you understand right away how you wanted to play your character, or did you find it when you were working on set?
Oona Chaplin: Joining the franchise, I mean, it’s still kind of like, I’m pinching myself. It’s a very strange thing to feel like it was a dream I didn’t even know I had, and it came true. I remember watching ‘Avatar’ and falling in love with the world, but it felt so far away from me. So, I’m speechless to be a part of it, and to not just be a part of the franchise, but to have really felt welcomed in by a family, and to feel so much love, intimacy, connection, respect, and care for the people. So, it’s special and it’s a unique feeling. Then the second part of the question is, did I find the character right away? I think a part of me did. I kind of connected with her anger quickly. At the time I was angry about the state of the world, and I could connect with the visceral injustice of, why is this happening? But weirdly, through playing her, I learned to come to a greater place of peace within myself because I don’t want to be like Varang, especially before my first coffee in the morning, my husband can attest it. There are some striking similarities. There’s a little bit in there wanting to get out.
MF: Stephen, what has it been like for you to be part of this franchise and play this incredible character over three films?
Stephen Lang: Well, first, it validates my career choices. I would say I’m delighted that I became an actor, and it’s the kind of thing that you do dream about. I think when you talk about the arc of the character, that really is the key to me. I started in this one place, and he’s moved into completely different realms. So, much of it has been surprising to me, even though I know the story, and I’ve read it, I know where it goes. But to experience it, and to share it with my amazing colleagues that I’ve had starting with Sam (Worthington) at the beginning, and then to be gifted to be working within Oona Chaplin, has been just a great experience. So, no matter whatever happens from now on, it’s like I’m always a part of this. It’s funny, ‘Avatar’, in some aspect, enters my life every day. You know what I mean? Something happens that’s Pandora-ish to me. I meet someone who’s doing a little Varang kind of a thing on me, or whatever it is. It’s just being part of this family, it’s just always there. I mean, my life was good before but since ‘Avatar’, it’s just so enriched by the relationships that I have.
MF: Stephen, can you talk about working with James Cameron on these three films and watching him execute his unique vision for this world?
SL: I mean, my respect and affection for Jim are boundless because he gave me the role. But it goes well beyond that to me. I just have an appreciation for him as a visionary guy in so many respects. To me, I’ve said this before, and I stand by it, he really is the Leonardo (da Vinci) of our age, and by that, I mean not just an artistic visionary, but an engineer, an inventor, and an explorer. The thing is, every character in this franchise is a manifestation of Jim, and a part of him. He is a guy, I believe, who runs towards danger. Why else would you go to the deepest part of the planet in a submarine that you yourself have designed? But working with him, we have a lot of fun together. We’re tough on each other, I think. But I just feel such support and mutual respect and affection.
MF: Finally, Oona, can you talk about working with James Cameron and what have you learned from watching the specific way he makes movies?
OC: It was just a master class every single day. Because this universe wouldn’t have existed without his brain, but also his heart. He cares so much about this world, about Pandora, about the people in it, and he’s so curious. He really treasures questions, and he will do everything in his power to answer the good questions. He’s got this incredible rigor, and it’s incredible to live in, because he brings the best out of everybody. I could go on for hours and hours because it is boundless, and to work with that love, that breadth of genius is very humbling and inspiring. He’s the person that reminds me the most, of my grandfather, Charlie Chaplin, because of the way that he is pushing the boundaries of cinema, technology, and storytelling.
‘Avatar: Fire and Ash’ will be available on digital March 31st.
What is the plot of ‘Avatar: Fire and Ash’?
A year after settling in with the Metkayina clan, Jake (Sam Worthington) and Neytiri’s (Zoe Saldaña) family grapples with grief after Neteyam’s death. They encounter a new, aggressive Na’vi tribe, the Mangkwan clan, also called the Ash People, led by the fiery tribe leader, Varang (Oona Chaplin), who has allied with Jake’s enemy, Quaritch (Stephen Lang), as the conflict on Pandora escalates to devastating consequences.
‘Avatar: Fire and Ash’ has now crossed a billion dollars at the worldwide box office.
James Cameron’s latest has earned $306 million domestically.
Disney has now release three billion-dollar grossers in the past 12 months.
The changing of the seasons. The tides of the sea. Immutable.
Add to that list the power of director James Cameron’s ‘Avatar’ franchise entries to earn a billion dollars, with the latest, ‘Avatar: Fire and Ash’, crossing that point today according to studio backers Walt Disney.
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The official figures are that ‘Fire and Ash’ has earned more than $306 million from domestic box office and $777.1 million internationally. All in all… a billion and counting. Which makes three billion-dollar worldwide titles for Disney released in 2025, as ‘Fire and Ash’ joins ‘Lilo & Stitch’ and ‘Zootopia 2’.
A year after settling in with the Metkayina clan, Jake (Sam Worthington) and Neytiri’s (Zoe Saldaña) family grapples with grief after Neteyam’s death. They encounter a new, aggressive Na’vi tribe, the Mangkwan clan, also called the Ash People, led by the fiery tribe leader, Varang (Oona Chaplin), who has allied with Jake’s enemy, Quaritch (Stephen Lang), as the conflict on Pandora escalates to devastating consequences.
The latest entry has been praised for its visuals and its sweeping scope, though both reviewers and audiences have still been less enamored of it in general.
Still, that clearly hasn’t hurt its box office power. The bigger question is whether it can match the previous movies, which both crossed two billion. All told, the franchise has earned more than $6.35 billion to date.
“This can be the last one. There’s only one unanswered question in the story. We may find that the release of ‘Avatar 3’ proves how diminished the cinematic experience is these days, or we may find it proves the case that it’s as strong as it ever was — but only for certain types of films. It’s a coin toss right now. We won’t know until the middle of January.”
And regardless of the final performance, the filmmaker himself is feeling like he might be ready to move on:
“I feel I’m at a bit of a crossroads. Do I want it to be a wild success — which almost compels me to continue and make two more ‘Avatar’ movies? Or do I want it to fail just enough that I can justify doing something else?”
He has a variety of other projects in the works, with an adaptation of Charles Pellegrino’s book ‘Ghosts of Hiroshima’ among them. So he may also feel like stepping away completely or handing the ‘Avatar’ directing duties to someone else. As always, though, the decision rests in Cameron’s hands.
Matthew McConaughey arrives on the red carpet of The 90th Oscars® at the Dolby® Theatre in Hollywood, CA on Sunday, March 4, 2018. Credit/Provider: Scott Diussa / A.M.P.A.S. Copyright: A.M.P.A.S.
Beyond the basic idea of “a romantic caper set in Positano” (which in case you’re unaware is a picturesque, cliffside village on Italy’s Amalfi Coast, famous for its colorful, vertically stacked houses, steep narrow streets, luxury boutiques, and beautiful pebble beaches like Spiaggia Grande), not much is known about the story.
Writers Alessandro Tanaka and Brian Gatewood crafted the script as a spec, which caught the attention of the team at Working Title.
They got it to director Daniel Roher, whose most recent movie, ‘Tuner’ starring Dustin Hoffman and Leo Woodall, made its debut at last year’s Telluride Film Festival and will be at Sundance next month, and he signed on to direct.
McConaughey and Saldaña boarded shortly after and Netflix picked up the project.
Where else can we see Matthew McConaughey and Zoe Saldaña?
McConaughey was most recently seen in Apple original movie ‘The Lost Bus’ and is attached to a couple of projects that will reunite him with ‘True Detective’ creator Nic Pizzolatto; a new, untitled TV series and a movie based on the Mike Hammer character.
He’s also been at work on a TV series co-starring Woody Harrelson, though that one has hit some creative wobbles during shooting.
Saldaña scored a Best Supporting Actress Oscar for ‘Emilia Pérez’ back in March, voiced a character in Disney/Pixar’s ‘Elio’ and is back on screens right now in ‘Avatar: Fire & Ash.’
When will ‘Positano’ be on screens?
There’s no word on when ‘Positano’ might be in theaters, or even if, given Netflix’s attitude to its movie output. But it could be ready for some point in 2027.
Zoe Saldaña at the Disney presentation at CinemaCon 2025 in Las Vegas. Photo: Disney.
I walked away from watching ‘Avatar: Fire and Ash’ having the same reaction I did to the last two ‘Avatar’ movies. I thought it was a completely entertaining and stunningly visual theatrical experience, and I will probably never watch it again. It’s a one-time theatrical experience, not unlike an amusement park ride or seeing a concert at The Sphere, it’s extremely satisfying, but only once.
The movie is meant to be seen in 3D on the biggest screen possible surrounded by an audience, and in that way, ‘Fire and Ash’ is a huge triumph, and another cinematic extravaganza from the “King of the World” James Cameron. But, with vague characters that never grow or change, a limited plot and almost no real story to tell, I fear the movie will not hold up in repeat viewings, especially on smaller home screens, with no real substance outside of the visual spectacle.
Following the events of ‘Avatar: The Way of Water’, ‘Fire and Ash’ finds Jake (Sam Worthington) and Neytiri’s (Zoe Saldaña) family dealing with the aftermath or their son Neteyam’s (Jamie Flatters) death. With their adopted son Spider’s (Jack Champion) breathing mask running out of battery, they plan to travel back to Dr. Spellman’s (Joel David Moore) base to get a new mask but are attacked by a new, aggressive Na’vi tribe, the Mangkwan clan, also called the Ash People, led by the fiery tribe leader, Varang (Oona Chaplin).
Meanwhile, Spider’s birthfather and Jake’s sworn enemy Colonel Miles Quaritch (Stephen Lang) is still in hot pursuit of Jake and his family. Soon, Quaritch makes a deal with the Mangkwan clan and teams up with Varang to wipe out Jake and his clan. Now, Jake and his family must fight Quaritch and the Mangkwan clan to save Spider, their people, and the planet from destruction.
That’s the basic plot, and let’s be honest, it’s a little thin. The visual effects and the world building that Cameron has created masks it in the first viewing, but once you take this movie out of the incredible theatrical experience, I fear the film will have nothing valuable to offer.
But it’s not just the story that is thin, there is also no real character development, and the characters are more like archetypes than real people. There are also so many characters that it’s hard to get enough time to really care about any of them. Kate Winslet’s Ronal, who was a lead in the last film is barely in this one, and even Zoe Saldaña’s Neytiri, arguably the heart of the franchise, is regulated to the background. And the two main characters of the franchise, Jake and Quaritch, now seem like characterizations of the actual characters they once played.
But at the end of the day, I guess you’re not going to an ‘Avatar’ movie for a great story or in-depth character development, you are going for the visuals and the spectacle, and in that sense, Cameron delivers a home run crafting a must-see theatrical experience. It’s kind of like eating at McDonald’s, the foods not good for you, but it tastes great going down!
With a script, story, and characters as poorly crafted as this, it seems almost unfair to criticize the actors and their performances as I’m sure they did their best, but here we go.
After three films, and almost 20 years of playing the character, you would hope for more from Sam Worthington. His Jake Sully is still the heroic leader, but we really know very little about the character at this point other than he wants to protect his family and the actor’s performance is one-note at best.
As previously mentioned, it was shocking to see how limited screen time Zoe Saldaña and Kate Winslet’s characters had, especially considering Saldaña was really the lead of the first film, and Winslet the lead of the second. Neither actress has enough to do in this installment, which is disappointing and a waste of the two Oscar winning actress’ talents.
However, the one standout performance of the film is from new edition Oona Chaplin, who gives a fiery performance as Mangkwan clan leader Varang. Actor Jack Champion is also quite compelling as Spider this time around, growing into the part and surprisingly having a bigger role in the story in this new installment.
While somewhat limited, legendary actress Sigourney Weaver returns as both Dr. Grace Augustine and her Avatar’s daughter, Kiri, who was also adopted by Jake and his family. Augustine may not appear on screen for long, but Kiri is a major part of the story and Weaver is excellent playing the rebellious teenage Na’vi.
Giovanni Ribisi and Edie Falco also return as members of the evil RDA military and mining operations, but like many of the other excellent actors in this film, are given very little to do other than move the plot forward with exposition.
Finally, Stephen Lang still plays Colonel Miles Quaritch like a generic villain, and while he does have some great moments with both Chaplin and Champion, the character, who technically died in the first movie, hasn’t changed at all and is still playing the same note.
While the story and character development are almost nonexistent, and the dialogue at times is laughable, director James Cameron still delivers a visually stunning and completely satisfying and entertaining theatrical experience, even if it will only work in your first viewing. ‘Avatar: Fire and Ash’ is worth spending money to see it in a theater, but after that, you can forget about it and will probably never revisit the film again.
‘Avatar: Fire and Ash’ receives a score of 79 out of 100.
‘Avatar: Fire and Ash’ opens in theaters on December 19th.
What is the plot of ‘Avatar: Fire and Ash’?
A year after settling in with the Metkayina clan, Jake (Sam Worthington) and Neytiri’s (Zoe Saldaña) family grapples with grief after Neteyam’s death. They encounter a new, aggressive Na’vi tribe, the Mangkwan clan, also called the Ash People, led by the fiery tribe leader, Varang (Oona Chaplin), who has allied with Jake’s enemy, Quaritch (Stephen Lang), as the conflict on Pandora escalates to devastating consequences.
With the third ‘Avatar’ movie, ‘Fire and Ash,’ headed our way next month, the promotional efforts on behalf of the franchise as a whole are ramping up.
And chief among them is this new behind-the-scenes documentary, which, thanks to its being commissioned by James Cameron, has full access to the production and the many talented people involved in these giant undertakings.
The big issue, of course, is that it’s almost entirely laudatory, the various cast and crew enthusing about how much technology is used in service of performance, to the point where it can become grating.
Script and Direction
Director James Cameron at D23 2024 presenting ‘Avatar: Fire and Ash’. Photo: Disney.
This is your basic Disney documentary format –– lots of footage of people working out the various of shooting performance capture in and under water, development trials, many, many shots of divers, all interspersed with talking heads about the process.
It doesn’t push boundaries the way Cameron tends to when he makes movies, but then, it doesn’t really need to.
As the documentary itself endlessly argues, it’s the people that make the film itself work –– the various experts in diving, stunts, cameras and more, plus the actors who were the benefit of their hard work and put their own graft in to imagining everything while acting against almost nothing.
The highlights include Kate Winslet discovering a heretofore unknown talent for holding her breath and Sigourney Weaver explaining her joy at performing certain scenes.
Perhaps the biggest issue here is that it’s all so basic; in stark contrast to the huge leaps in technology and the many inventions of Cameron especially. While a lot of the footage will be catnip (Na’vi-nip?) to those who love behind-the-scenes documentaries, it also gets awfully repetitive, battering home the message that the invention was in service of the actors’ work.
And given that it’s confusingly broken up into a 55-minute chunk and a roughly 30-minute one (plus a brief clip of ‘Fire and Ash’), some judicious editing could have squeezed this all down into little more than an hour. But since when does James Cameron do anything small scale?
‘Fire and Water: Making the Avatar Films’ receives 68 out of 100.
What’s the story of ‘Fire and Water: Making the Avatar Films’?
This new two-part documentary provides a fascinating glimpse into the making of the Oscar-winning box office phenomenon ‘Avatar: The Way of Water’ and a first look at the upcoming ‘Avatar: Fire and Ash,’ and features exclusive behind-the-scenes footage, concept art, and interviews with cast and filmmakers.
Who is in the cast of ‘Fire and Water: Making the Avatar Films’?
It’s fair to say that the Marvel movies, specifically the Marvel Cinematic Universe releases, have reached “cultural event” status. And there’s a strong case to be made that the MCU is a currently a pop culture juggernaut, the likes of which we haven’t since the original ‘Star Wars‘ trilogy hit theaters for the first time.
It is a great time to watch the Marvel movies in order now and you can watch them all on Disney Plus in 4K format. You can even plan virtual Marvel movie nights with your friends using Disney+ GroupWatch feature.
(L to R) Chris Evans and Sebastian Stan in ‘Captain America: The First Avenger’. Photo: Marvel Studios.
During World War II, Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) is a sickly man from Brooklyn who’s transformed into super-soldier Captain America to aid in the war effort. Rogers must stop the Red Skull (Hugo Weaving) – Adolf Hitler’s ruthless head of weaponry, and the leader of an organization that intends to use a mysterious device of untold powers for world domination.
The story follows Carol Danvers (Brie Larson) as she becomes one of the universe’s most powerful heroes when Earth is caught in the middle of a galactic war between two alien races. Set in the 1990s, Captain Marvel is an all-new adventure from a previously unseen period in the history of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
After being held captive in an Afghan cave, billionaire engineer Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) creates a unique weaponized suit of armor to fight evil.
Scientist Bruce Banner (Edward Norton) scours the planet for an antidote to the unbridled force of rage within him: the Hulk. But when the military masterminds who dream of exploiting his powers force him back to civilization, he finds himself coming face to face with a new, deadly foe.
With the world now aware of his dual life as the armored superhero Iron Man, billionaire inventor Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) faces pressure from the government, the press and the public to share his technology with the military. Unwilling to let go of his invention, Stark, with Pepper Potts (Gwyneth Paltrow) and James ‘Rhodey’ Rhodes (Don Cheadle) at his side, must forge new alliances – and confront powerful enemies.
Against his father Odin’s (Anthony Hopkins) will, The Mighty Thor (Chris Hemsworth) – a powerful but arrogant warrior god – recklessly reignites an ancient war. Thor is cast down to Earth and forced to live among humans as punishment. Once here, Thor learns what it takes to be a true hero when the most dangerous villain of his world sends the darkest forces of Asgard to invade Earth.
When an unexpected enemy emerges and threatens global safety and security, Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson), director of the international peacekeeping agency known as S.H.I.E.L.D., finds himself in need of a team to pull the world back from the brink of disaster. Spanning the globe, a daring recruitment effort begins!
When Tony Stark’s (Robert Downey Jr.) world is torn apart by a formidable terrorist called the Mandarin, he starts an odyssey of rebuilding and retribution.
Thor fights to restore order across the cosmos… but an ancient race led by the vengeful Malekith (Christopher Eccleston) returns to plunge the universe back into darkness. Faced with an enemy that even Odin (Anthony Hopkins) and Asgard cannot withstand, Thor (Chris Hemsworth) must embark on his most perilous and personal journey yet, one that will reunite him with Jane Foster (Natalie Portman) and force him to sacrifice everything to save us all.
(L to R) Chris Evans and Scarlett Johansson in ‘Captain America: The Winter Soldier’. Photo: Marvel Studios.
After the cataclysmic events in New York with ‘The Avengers’, Steve Rogers (Chris Evans), aka Captain America is living quietly in Washington, D.C. and trying to adjust to the modern world. But when a S.H.I.E.L.D. colleague comes under attack, Steve becomes embroiled in a web of intrigue that threatens to put the world at risk. Joining forces with the Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson), Captain America struggles to expose the ever-widening conspiracy while fighting off professional assassins sent to silence him at every turn. When the full scope of the villainous plot is revealed, Captain America and the Black Widow enlist the help of a new ally, the Falcon (Anthony Mackie). However, they soon find themselves up against an unexpected and formidable enemy—the Winter Soldier.
Light years from Earth, 26 years after being abducted, Peter Quill (Chris Pratt) finds himself the prime target of a manhunt after discovering an orb wanted by Ronan the Accuser.
When Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) tries to jumpstart a dormant peacekeeping program, things go awry and Earth’s Mightiest Heroes are put to the ultimate test as the fate of the planet hangs in the balance. As the villainous Ultron (James Spader) emerges, it is up to The Avengers to stop him from enacting his terrible plans, and soon uneasy alliances and unexpected action pave the way for an epic and unique global adventure.
Armed with the astonishing ability to shrink in scale but increase in strength, master thief Scott Lang (Paul Rudd) must embrace his inner-hero and help his mentor, Doctor Hank Pym (Michael Douglas), protect the secret behind his spectacular Ant-Man suit from a new generation of towering threats. Against seemingly insurmountable obstacles, Pym and Lang must plan and pull off a heist that will save the world.
Following the events of ‘Age of Ultron’, the collective governments of the world pass an act designed to regulate all superhuman activity. This polarizes opinion amongst the Avengers, causing two factions to side with Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.) or Captain America (Chris Evans), which causes an epic battle between former allies.
Natasha Romanoff (Scarlett Johansson) aka Black Widow confronts the darker parts of her ledger when a dangerous conspiracy with ties to her past arises. Pursued by a force that will stop at nothing to bring her down, Natasha must deal with her history as a spy and the broken relationships left in her wake long before she became an Avenger.
Following the events of ‘Captain America: Civil War’, Peter Parker (Tom Holland), with the help of his mentor Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.), tries to balance his life as an ordinary high school student in Queens, New York City, with fighting crime as his superhero alter ego Spider-Man as a new threat, the Vulture (Michael Keaton), emerges.
Chadwick Boseman as T’Challa / Black Panther in 2018’s ‘Black Panther.’
King T’Challa (Chadwick Boseman) returns home to the reclusive, technologically advanced African nation of Wakanda to serve as his country’s new leader. However, T’Challa soon finds that he is challenged for the throne by factions within his own country as well as without. Using powers reserved to Wakandan kings, T’Challa assumes the Black Panther mantle to join with ex-girlfriend Nakia (Lupita Nyong’o), the queen-mother, his princess-kid sister, members of the Dora Milaje (the Wakandan ‘special forces’) and an American secret agent, to prevent Wakanda from being dragged into a world war.
After his career is destroyed, a brilliant but arrogant surgeon (Benedict Cumberbatch) gets a new lease on life when a sorcerer takes him under her wing and trains him to defend the world against evil.
Thor (Chris Hemsworth) is imprisoned on the other side of the universe and finds himself in a race against time to get back to Asgard to stop Ragnarok, the destruction of his home-world and the end of Asgardian civilization, at the hands of a powerful new threat, the ruthless Hela (Cate Blanchett).
Just when his time under house arrest is about to end, Scott Lang (Paul Rudd) once again puts his freedom at risk to help Hope van Dyne (Evangeline Lilly) and Dr. Hank Pym (Michael Douglas) dive into the quantum realm and try to accomplish, against time and any chance of success, a very dangerous rescue mission.
As the Avengers and their allies have continued to protect the world from threats too large for any one hero to handle, a new danger has emerged from the cosmic shadows: Thanos (Josh Brolin). A despot of intergalactic infamy, his goal is to collect all six Infinity Stones, artifacts of unimaginable power, and use them to inflict his twisted will on all of reality. Everything the Avengers have fought for has led up to this moment – the fate of Earth and existence itself has never been more uncertain.
After the devastating events of Avengers: Infinity War, the universe is in ruins due to the efforts of the Mad Titan, Thanos (Josh Brolin). With the help of remaining allies, the Avengers must assemble once more in order to undo Thanos’ actions and restore order to the universe once and for all, no matter what consequences may be in store.
Shang-Chi (Simu Liu) must confront the past he thought he left behind when he is drawn into the web of the mysterious Ten Rings organization and his father, Xu Wenwu (Tony Leung).
Peter Parker (Tom Holland) and his friends go on a summer trip to Europe. However, they will hardly be able to rest – Peter will have to agree to help Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) uncover the mystery of creatures that cause natural disasters and destruction throughout the continent.
Tom Holland in ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home.’ Photo: Marvel Studios.
Peter Parker (Tom Holland) is unmasked and no longer able to separate his normal life from the high-stakes of being a super-hero. When he asks for help from Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) the stakes become even more dangerous, forcing him to discover what it truly means to be Spider-Man. Teaming with other Multiverse Spider-Men (Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield), they must now work together to take out the Green Goblin (Willem Dafoe), Doctor Octopus (Alfred Molina), Electro (Jamie Foxx) and other Spider-Man villains from around the multiverse.
The Eternals are a team of ancient aliens who have been living on Earth in secret for thousands of years. When an unexpected tragedy forces them out of the shadows, they are forced to reunite against mankind’s most ancient enemy, the Deviants.
Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch), with the help of mystical allies both old and new, traverses the mind-bending and dangerous alternate realities of the Multiverse to confront a mysterious new adversary.
After his retirement is interrupted by Gorr the God Butcher (Christian Bale), a galactic killer who seeks the extinction of the gods, Thor Odinson (Chris Hemsworth) enlists the help of King Valkyrie (Tessa Thompson), Korg, and ex-girlfriend Jane Foster (Natalie Portman), who now wields Mjolnir as the Mighty Thor. Together they embark upon a harrowing cosmic adventure to uncover the mystery of the God Butcher’s vengeance and stop him before it’s too late.
On a dark and somber night, a secret cabal of monster hunters emerge from the shadows and gather at the foreboding Bloodstone Temple following the death of their leader. In a strange and macabre memorial to the leader’s life, the attendees are thrust into a mysterious and deadly competition for a powerful relic—a hunt that will ultimately bring them face to face with a dangerous monster.
Queen Ramonda (Angela Bassett), Shuri (Letitia Wright), M’Baku (Winston Duke), Okoye (Danai Gurira) and the Dora Milaje fight to protect their nation from intervening world powers in the wake of King T’Challa’s (Chadwick Boseman) death. 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 for the kingdom of Wakanda.
On a mission to make Christmas unforgettable for Peter Quill (Chris Pratt), the Guardians head to Earth in search of the perfect present. The special follows Drax the Destroyer (Dave Bautista) and Mantis (Pom Klementieff) as they set out to give Quill the best Christmas ever, after discovering that Yondu (Michael Rooker) ruined the holiday for him as a child.
Peter Quill (Chris Pratt), still reeling from the loss of Gamora (Zoe Saldaña), must rally his team around him to defend the universe along with protecting one of their own. A mission that, if not completed successfully, could quite possibly lead to the end of the Guardians as we know them.
Super-Hero partners Scott Lang (Paul Rudd) and Hope van Dyne (Evangeline Lilly), along with with Hope’s parents Janet van Dyne (Michelle Pfeiffer) and Hank Pym (Michael Douglas) , and Scott’s daughter Cassie Lang (Kathryn Newton), find themselves exploring the Quantum Realm, interacting with strange new creatures and embarking on an adventure that will push them beyond the limits of what they thought possible and pits them against Kang the Conqueror (Jonathan Majors).
Carol Danvers (Brie Larson), aka Captain Marvel, has reclaimed her identity from the tyrannical Kree and taken revenge on the Supreme Intelligence. But unintended consequences see Carol shouldering the burden of a destabilized universe. When her duties send her to an anomalous wormhole linked to a Kree revolutionary, her powers become entangled with that of Jersey City super-fan Kamala Khan (Iman Vellani), aka Ms. Marvel, and Carol’s estranged niece, now S.A.B.E.R. astronaut Captain Monica Rambeau (Teyonah Parris). Together, this unlikely trio must team up and learn to work in concert to save the universe.
After meeting with newly elected U.S. President Thaddeus Ross (Harrison Ford), Sam (Anthony Mackie) finds himself in the middle of an international incident. He must discover the reason behind a nefarious global plot before the true mastermind has the entire world seeing red.
After finding themselves ensnared in a death trap, seven disillusioned castoffs must embark on a dangerous mission that will force them to confront the darkest corners of their pasts.
Against the vibrant backdrop of a 1960s-inspired, retro-futuristic world, Marvel’s First Family is forced to balance their roles as heroes with the strength of their family bond, while defending Earth from a ravenous space god called Galactus (Ralph Ineson) and his enigmatic Herald, Silver Surfer (Julia Garner).
Have you ever looked up at the night sky and dreamed of life that exists on worlds beyond our own? That’s the basic concept that Pixar’s latest movie takes as the jumping off point for the story of a young man who feels he doesn’t fit in, and longs for extraterrestrials to whisk him away.
‘Elio’ finds the animation studio on solid form, but does it compete with the best that the company has to offer, especially in the wake of giant box office success with ‘Inside Out 2’?
‘Elio,’ as with many animated movies, features a batch of writers, including all three directors plus Julia Cho, Mark Hammer, Mike Jones, Jesse Andrews and Hannah Friedman. Yet for all the worries you might have about scripting by committee, the film has a remarkable coherent feel –– again, not too shocking from Pixar.
There are some conventions in place here –– Elio is an orphan (well, Pixar is an arm of Disney, after all!) and the lessons he learns are relatively basic, going from alienated loner to alien-aided more rounded individual. But as with any movie of this type, it’s how you get there. And this one certainly has an interesting, welcome journey.
Several lovely touches make it all work well –– this is catnip for space enthusiasts, including nods to the Voyager space craft and clips of astronomer Carl Sagan talking about Earth reaching out to the stars. And one or two clever riffs on the likes of ‘Alien’ and other sci-fi classics.
On the storytelling front, there are some familiar challenges for our young hero, who is looking for his place in the world (and the universe), and if the dynamic between Elio and young alien Glordon is using established ideas, but the interaction between the two is so watchable that you never mind that.
On the directing side, Molina (who proved his mettle with ‘Coco’), Sharafian (making her directorial debut after years at Pixar) and Shi (who last brought us the inventive, funny ‘Turning Red’) make the most of their galactic canvas, presenting some wonderful visuals all brought to life to a suitably sweeping score by Rob Simonsen.
As Elio, Yonas Kibreab carries the weight of the story, and he’s enthusiastic and full of life, coming across as a relatable kid with a big heart who is dealing with a lot in his world. Kibreab is able to handle all sides of the performance, including Elio’s excitement at meeting aliens and his worry when things aren’t going well.
Zoe Saldaña, no stranger to galactic adventures in live-action, is soulful and determined as Elio’s Aunt Olga, introduced having to deal with the newly orphaned boy and the impact on her own life. While you initially suspect she’ll be effectively left behind once he is taken into space, some clever story ideas keep her rooted in the narrative.
Remy Edgerly voices Glordan, a young alien creature that Elio befriends. Effectively a slug-like creature, he has his own family issues (indeed, the theme of expectation placed on young people sits heavily across the story, but is handled effectively), and makes for a great foil for our hero.
Brad Garrett is a repeat Pixar voice by this point, and here he’s on good form as Lord Grigon, a warlike creature who threatens the “Communiverse” who initially bring Elio to their colorful world. But this being a Pixar movie, he’s more than that, and has some fine moments.
Around the main characters is a good collection of supporting voices, including the likes of Jameela Jamil, Brandon Moon and Matthias Schweighöfer as ambassadors of the Communiverse who bring their own comic value and emotional to the story.
Shirley Henderson has a small role as Ooooo, a supercomputer who proves very helpful to both Elio and the narrative. She doesn’t get lots to do, but is memorable.
Likewise Pixar veteran Bob Peterson –– who has voiced the likes of Dug in ‘Up’ and Mr. Ray in ‘Finding Nemo’ in addition to work as a director and story artist –– is excellent as a high-tech user manual who just wishes people would listen to him. Finally, credit to ‘Ted Lasso’s Brendan Hunt for making the small role of Gunther Melmac, an alien-obsessed tech genius who ends up being helpful to Elio and Olga, pop.
Is ‘Elio’ going to trouble the top tier of Pixar output? Probably not, but it’s certainly no misfire from the studio.
Heartstrings will be plucked, funny bones tickled and there are some inventive alien creatures. What more could you want from family entertainment?
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What’s the story of ‘Elio’?
Elio (Yonas Kibreab), a space fanatic with an active imagination, finds himself on a cosmic misadventure where he must form new bonds with alien lifeforms, navigate a crisis of intergalactic proportions and somehow discover who he is truly meant to be.
Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking in-person with Yonas Kibreab about his work on ‘Elio’, his first reaction to the screenplay and the animation, working with Pixar, recording alone and with other actors, his favorite scene, and what he hopes kids take away from watching the movie.
You can read the full interview below or click on the video player above to watch our interviews with Kibreab, asl well as directors Madeline Sharafian and Domee Shi, and producer Mary Alice Drumm.
Moviefone: To begin with, what was your first reaction to reading the screenplay and why did you want to be part of this project?
Yonas Kibreab: Okay, so when I first got the full script, what tied me to this character of Elio was that he can relate to me in a lot of ways. I feel like he’s such a quirky kid. He doesn’t care about what people think, and he’s not afraid to be himself. I think that’s something that I must really channel, just like Elio. He’s taught me to always be myself, the best self I can be. When reading the script, the writers at Pixar did such an amazing job describing everything, although I couldn’t see the animation yet, I could picture everything in my mind. It turned out exactly what I imagined and more.
MF: What was your first reaction to the animation and the way your character would look on screen?
YK: I saw storyboards of it. He didn’t look the same. But he had a little bit longer hair. But other than that, he looked similar. I think when I saw the first animated footage was at D23 in 2023, when they first announced the movie. I think that was the first time I’ve seen him. It’s just so crazy to see somebody who you’re playing, especially in an original Pixar movie because I’ve watched Pixar movies since I was little, and I still do today.
MF: What was your experience like working with Pixar?
YK: It was great. When I got to go to the Pixar studio up in Emeryville, California, it was the most magical campus I’ve ever been to. I want to work there, and just being able to be in that same studio where Jamie Foxx and Tom Hanks were recording all these famous Pixar movies, was so surreal to me. Meeting all the very talented artists at Pixar, it was just so great to meet them.
MF: Did you work with any of the other actors, or did you record your dialogue alone?
YK: Yes, usually I am by myself, but I’ve been lucky enough to record with Remy Edgerly who plays Glordon. He’s such an amazing kid and it’s been great because usually, I worked on stuff with adults. Being able to also work on a voiceover animated movie where you don’t record with anybody, but to record for the first time with a kid, is so refreshing. It was so great to work with him and I’ve got to know him off-screen as well. We did press stuff in Disney World, and we got to go on rides together. It’s so cool. I feel like we should always experience that. That’s the one thing I wish I could change about the way movies are recorded, especially animated ones. Because I don’t know how they did it back then, but now, usually you’re recording by yourself, and I feel like it’s so important to play off the people you’re working with.
MF: Is there a particular scene in the film that you were excited to see on the big screen for the first time?
YK: Yes. I think I’m going to have to say the scene where Elio and Glordon are crawling in the lava tunnel. Glordon’s like, “Just get in my mouth.” And I’m like, “No, I don’t want to do that. I’m not fireproof.” That’s probably one of my favorite scenes also to record.
MF: Finally, can you talk about the movie’s message and what do you hope young audiences take away from seeing the film?
YK: I hope the first thing that they take away is just how amazing this movie is, but also just how important your friends and your family are. Friendship is very important, just like Elio and Glordon, and your friends are always going to be there for you, including your family members. Also, if you’re feeling alone, if you’re feeling like it’s hard to find friends and you’re going through grief, it’s all going to be okay, and you will find your people. Just stay positive.
Editorial Note: Tessa Smith conducted this interview and contributed to this article.
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What is the plot of ‘Elio’?
Elio (Yonas Kibreab), a space fanatic with an active imagination, finds himself on a cosmic misadventure where he must form new bonds with eccentric alien lifeforms, navigate a crisis of intergalactic proportions and somehow discover who he is truly meant to be.
Disney presentation at CinemaCon 2025 in Las Vegas. Photo: Disney.
Preview:
Disney brought several movies to its CinemaCon 2025 presentation.
The likes of ‘Tron: Ares,’ ‘The Fantastic Four: First Steps’ and more were showcased.
‘Avatar: Fire and Ash’ also showed footage, alongside Pixar’s Elio, Freakier Friday and the new, live-action/CG ‘Lilo & Stitch
While it is still looking to rebuild its fortunes, Disney can at least look back on 2024 as one with several big hits, especially ‘Inside Out 2’ and ‘Deadpool & Wolverine.’
But it will have to prove that this year’s slate can match past successes. Luckily, the Mouse House has more strings to its bow than even the likes of Universal or Warner Bros., and heavy hitters including Pixar, Marvel and James Cameron’s ‘Avatar’ series primed and ready with new entries, plus the return of ‘Tron’ to the grid… er, cinemas.
Following the usual stuff about sponsors and theater owners (got to play to the crowd!), the Disney presentation signaled the end of CinemaCon’s studio events and began with the traditional sizzle reel of upcoming movies, framed in amusing fashion by having ‘Lilo & Stitch’s titular blue troublemaker wander through the rest of the slate.
Getting the presentation off to its formal stage start was Alan Bergman, co-chairman of Disney Entertainment.
He was joined by Andrew Cripps, head of theatrical distribution at the studio to unveil the typically packed schedule of movies the studio will have across the rest of the year, and to extol the fact that Disney movies are Disney movies are typically in theaters an average of three weeks longer than any other studio.
2025’s live-action ‘Lilo & Stitch’. Photo: Walt Disney Pictures.
The latest animated-to-live-action conversion project faces additional pressure following ‘Snow White’s poor showing at the box office this past month. With Disney bosses pushing pause on a planned ‘Tangled’ live-action movie, ‘Lilo’ will need to perform in order to keep that particular strand of the company’s strategy alive beyond ‘Moana,’ due next year.
Some fresh, sneak peek footage from the new movie was screened for the crowd, featuring Stitch on a trip with Lilo and family; they go to a restaurant where the little blue alien causes the requisite chaos even as Lilo tries to teach him to behave. Some of what was shown has already popped up in the trailer, including Stitch squirting her with a soda gun.
(L to R) Lindsay Lohan and Jamie Lee Curtis at the Disney presentation at CinemaCon 2025 in Las Vegas. Photo: Disney.
Jamie Lee Curtis and Lindsay Lohan were ushered on stage to promote this sequel to the 2003 original, which moves the story forward and features even more body-switching chaos than last time as Curtis’ Tess and Lindsay’s Anna Coleman switch places with their teenage daughter/granddaughter.
Curtis and Lohan cued up a look at some brand new footage from the movie, which according to the duo has been playing well with test audiences.
Curtis says that the film was…
“Made to be seen on a big screen.”
The scene played showed Tess and Anna trying to win back Anna’s boyfriend –– but in different bodies.
‘Freakier Friday’ brings body swap chaos to theaters on August 8th.
(L to R) Jared Leto and Jeff Bridges at the Disney presentation at CinemaCon 2025 in Las Vegas. Photo: Disney.
The studio went all out with a light show to promote the third ‘Tron’ movie, and also brought Jeff Bridges and new franchise face Jared Leto to the stage.
Bridges said,
“To be back on the grid was incredible, and working with Jared… It was a great time.”
For his part, Leto said he was obsessed and this was everything he wanted from a movie. It took him to a world he had never seen before.
Leto described his character, Ares:
“An advanced program that crosses over to real world to fulfill his directive.”
After confirmation of Nine Inch Nails doing the music for the new movie, we got a look at some new footage.
What was screened was a look at Ares riding his bike in the real world, with Bridges’ Kevin Flynn narrating. We also see him ask Ares, “Are you ready? Because there is no coming back…”
‘Tron: Ares’ departs the grid for our world on October 10th.
With ‘The Amateur’ due on screens next week, its chunk of the presentation was minimal, limited to a full version of the scene in the pool we glimpse in the trailer, but show full-length here. It was followed by the trailer.
‘The Amateur,’ as mentioned, will find a way into theaters on April 11th.
Elle Fanning at the Disney presentation at CinemaCon 2025 in Las Vegas.Photo: Disney.
The new ‘Predator’ movie from ‘Prey’s Dan Trachtenberg immediately looked interesting, since the Predator creature is more of a protagonist in this one, and it takes place on a new planet where he’s been exiled and must fight his way back.
Star (no, not as the Predator!) Elle Fanning arrived on stage to confirm that this movie breaks new ground in the ‘Predator’ universe. She also said something unprecedented happens. Her character is not being chased, she teams up with Predator and you see him in new light.
She cued up the first trailer for the new movie, which sees the Predator battling a giant, nearly invincible beast with Fanning’s help.
‘Predator: Badlands’ stalks into cinemas on November 7th.
Strong, for the record, plays Jon Landau, Springsteen’s manager and producer. He said he sees the role as Lewis to Springsteen’s Clark.
White, meanwhile, explains that the movie charts Springsteen’s teenage years to around 1982.
Jeremy Allen White as Bruce Springsteen in ‘Deliver Me From Nowhere.’ Photo: 20th Century Studios.
We got a first look at the trailer for the new movie, which is directed by Scott Cooper. The footage wraps up showing Springsteen in concert performing ‘Born to Run.’
‘Deliver Me from Nowhere’ has yet to announce when it’ll be delivered to theaters.
(L to R) Emma Mackey and Jamie Lee Curtis at the Disney presentation at CinemaCon 2025 in Las Vegas. Photo: Disney.
James L. Brooks’ new comedy drama stars Emma Mackey as an idealistic young politician who juggles familial issues and a challenging work life while preparing to take over the job of her mentor, the state’s longtime incumbent governor (Albert Brooks).
She co-stars with Jamie Lee Curtis, and the latter returned to the stage alongside Mackey for the presentation.
Brooks, meanwhile, received the Cinema Vérité Award on stage and called for more movies to have a 35-day window in theaters.
Director James L. Brooks receives the Cinema Vérité Award at the Disney presentation at CinemaCon 2025 in Las Vegas. Photo: Disney.
He also had a great quote about previewing movies with audiences:
“A woman came up to me and said the loveliest words: ‘they’re crying in the ladies toilet.’ Compare that to data.”
After Brooks’ emotional speech, we got a first look at the movie itself. The scene that played took place in a bar, where Curtis’ character takes Ella to meet her father, Woody Harrelson. They haven’t spoken in years after he dated her friend.
That was followed the trailer.
‘Ella McCay’ will be in cinemas on September 19th.
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From there, it was time to look at team Searchlight’s output, following a victory lap for the awards success of ‘A Real Pain’ and ‘A Complete Unknown.’ The studio arm’s new offering is…
Unlike the 1989 version, this Jay Roach-directed sees Cumberbatch and Colman as a successful chef and her businessman husband whose lives start to fall apart when he’s fired.
Things go from bad to worse, and as we saw in the trailer that played, it gets to the point where she has him at gunpoint.
‘The Roses’ fights for its place in theaters on August 29th.
Talking of guns, we moved on to one of the studio’s biggest… Marvel!
First up was the next movie from the prolific superhero franchise.
(L To R) David Harbour, Hannah John-Kamen, Wyatt Russell, Florence Pugh, David Harbour, and Julia Louis-Dreyfus at the Disney presentation at CinemaCon 2025 in Las Vegas. Photo: Disney.
The ‘Thunderbolts*’ portion of the show kicked off with a funny bit about the cast being MIA –– Wyatt Russell appeared to have lost a lot of cash in the casino with co-star Julia Louis-Dreyfus hoping the movie makes money so they can pay his debts!
The scene featured the Thunderbolts driving through New York as Harbour’s Red Guardian tries to bond with Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan). The team has to fight their way through bad guys to Avengers tower.
(L To R) Hannah John-Kamen, Sebastian Stan, Florence Pugh, David Harbour, and Wyatt Russell in ‘Thunderbolts*’. Photo: Marvel Studios.
We got an extended look at the Avengers Tower scene where Louis-Dreyfus gathers the gang –– after having sent them to kill each other and being frustrated that they teamed up.
There was also a very brief look at the introduction of Sentry (Lewis Pullman). And following that? A sizzle reel of scenes from the movie, which appears to be full of chaotic fun.
‘Thunderbolts*’ heads to cinemas on May 2nd. Less than a month for this one, folks!
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That was followed by Marvel boss Kevin Feige, currently in the UK on the set of ‘Avengers: Doomsday,’ (which is “days away from the start of production”) confirming the appearance of the original X-Men team in the new movie.
We also got our first look at Julia Garner as the Silver Surfer, who cautions that planet Earth is “marked for death.” Kirby’s Sue Storm says they’ll “fight the threat as a family”.
‘The Fantastic Four: First Steps’ flies into theaters on July 25th.
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To switch tracks (but still be galactic rather than Galactus), it was the turn of the animation arm(s).
Zoe Saldaña at the Disney presentation at CinemaCon 2025 in Las Vegas. Photo: Disney.
Pixar’s latest finds a young lad dreaming of being abducted by aliens.
Zoe Saldaña, who plays the title character’s Aunt Olga, arrived on stage to talk about the new ‘toon.
A scene from the movie was shown in 3D, showing Elio brought on board an alien spaceship that is more like a living planet via a tractor beam, where he meets the vessel’s AI. He’s been recruited to join the universe’s smartest creatures to work together as a collective… But have they made a mistake? Elio meets and bonds with a young alien creature.
‘Elio’ heads into space (and theaters) on June 20th.
Ke Huy Quan introduces ‘Zootopia 2’ at the Disney presentation at CinemaCon 2025 in Las Vegas. Photo: Disney.
Thanksgiving sees the return of Judy Hopps (Ginnifer Goodwin) and Nick Wilde (Jason Bateman), the mismatched buddy duo of rabbit police officer and crafty fox. This time around, they’re on an undercover mission to stop a murderous reptile (Ke Huy Quan’s Gary).
In a video introduction, we got Bateman changing the show’s title to “ZinemaCon” and there are animal jokes about theaters –– AMZ, Pandango, Fur D X, followed by giving other Disney movies critter-like makeovers (‘Thundercolts,’ ‘Sealio,’ ‘The Fantastic Fur.’)
‘Zootopia 2’. Photo: Disney.
Quan arrived on stage to discuss the sequel and his role as Gary the snake. And that Judy and Nick go to a therapy animal (played by ‘Abbot Elementary’s Quinta Brunson) to sort their strained friendship –– which we saw in a scene from the movie. That was followed by a scene of Nick and Judy at Marsh resort trying to track down Gary.
‘Zootopia 2’ goes wild in theaters on November 26th.
Zoe Saldaña at the Disney presentation at CinemaCon 2025 in Las Vegas. Photo: Disney.
James Cameron appeared via video from New Zealand, where he’s still at work on the latest ‘Avatar’ outing. He was sorry he isn’t there in person, but he did tell the crowd he’d sent some footage.
He promised “increased emotional heart and soul,” and that the Sully family will be put through the wringer (again) as they face the Ash People. We’ll also meet the Wind Traders.
Saldaña (who has been part of the franchise since the 2009 original) returned to the stage to introduce the footage.
Zoe Saldaña at the Disney presentation at CinemaCon 2025 in Las Vegas. Photo: Disney.
We saw Jake and wife Neytiri (Saldaña) flying a dragon creature to Wind Traders’ ship where Miles “Spider” Socorro (Jack Champion), the son of Miles Quaritch, lives now.
That preceded a reel of other scenes, including Jake telling Neytiri they can’t live in hate, humans attacked the Na’vi, a shot of the whale-like creatures we met in ‘The Way of Water,’ the return of Stephen Lang’s Quaritch and Varang, the Na’vi leader of the volcano-dwelling Ash People threatening Kiri (Sigourney Weaver), the daughter of Dr. Grace Augustine’s Na’vi avatar who was adopted by the Sully family.
‘Avatar: Fire and Ash’ welcomes us back to Pandora on December 19th.
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And that’s all, folks!
(L To R) Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Wyatt Russell, and Hannah John-Kamen at the Disney presentation at CinemaCon 2025 in Las Vegas. Photo: Disney.
The film is set after the events of ‘Thor: Love and Thunder’ and ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special’, where we find the band of misfits in their new home on Knowhere. Unexpectedly, a new powerful enemy crashes in and injures Rocket, and if the Guardians don’t act fast enough, it could mean life or death for their teammate.
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The official synopsis for ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3’ is below:
“In Marvel Studios ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3’ our beloved band of misfits are looking a bit different these days. Peter Quill, still reeling from the loss of Gamora, must rally his team around him to defend the universe along with protecting one of their own. A mission that, if not completed successfully, could quite possibly lead to the end of the Guardians as we know them.”
‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3’ opened in theaters on May 5th, 2023, to $118.4 million domestically and has grossed over $348.5 million since its opening. Worldwide box office earnings have grossed over $825.3 million since its release. This was a highly anticipated film among Marvel fans and is certified Fresh on aggregator site Rotten Tomatoes, with an 82% score from critics and a 94% score from the audience.
The team faces brand new threats in this movie, with the stakes being higher than ever when it involves one of the members of the team. Still recovering from his heartbreak and loss of Gamora, Peter Quill and his band of misfits are settled in on Knowhere when Adam Warlock crashes in.
Adam Warlock has long been teased to appear in the MCU since ‘Thor: Dark World’ and the first ‘Guardians of the Galaxy.’ However, it was in the post-credit scene in ‘Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol 2’ that confirmed his appearance. Played by Will Poulter, the MCU’s Adam Warlock origin differs from the comics. Instead of being created by scientists, Adam Warlock in the film is a Sovereign warrior created by the high priestess Ayesha and The High Evolutionary.
The film also introduces The High Evolutionary (played by Chukwudi Iwuji) to the MCU. A geneticist whose personal mission is to create the perfect species, he abducted various creatures for his experiment, with Rocket Raccoon (then named 89P13) being one of his test subjects. When Rocket points out the flaws in The High Evolutionary’s project, it confuses and angers him to the point where he orders Rocket’s brain to be removed so that he can study him.
Rocket manages to escape. Years later, when The High Evolutionary learns of his involvement with the Guardians of the Galaxy, he orders Adam Warlock to retrieve him at all costs.
When it comes to the Guardians of the Galaxy, we know we’re in for a grand space adventure, with hilarious banter between the Guardians. However, ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3’ takes on a more somber and emotional tone. With director James Gunn being the co-chairman of DC Studios, this is likely the final film he’ll direct for Marvel. This movie not only wraps up the adventures of the current team of the Guardians, but it also dives into the origin story of Rocket.
Previously named 89P13, Rocket Raccoon is subjected to tests and experiments by The High Evolutionary. In flashback scenes, we meet Rocket’s fellow cagemates Floor, Teefs, and Lylla. The four friends found comfort in each other, often playing games and daydreaming about the “forever and beautiful sky.” The message of animal cruelty is not missed in the film, and what The High Evolutionary does to Rocket and his friends will send a shock through your system and gives you an insight into some of Rocket’s hardened personality.
Though the Guardians tend to bicker with each other, the group has become quite close-knit. Once Rocket’s life is on the line, his friends will stop at nothing to save him, even if it means sacrificing themselves. Rocket is definitely the heart of this story and we suggest you have some tissues on standby when you watch.
Where Can I Watch ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3’?
(L to R) Karen Gillan as Nebula, Chris Pratt as Peter Quill / Star-Lord, and Dave Bautista as Drax the Destroyer in ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.’ Photo courtesy of Marvel.com.
The film premiered at Disneyland Paris on April 22nd, 2023. Later, the US premiere was held at the Dolby Theater in Los Angeles, California, on April 27th, 2023. The movie is still showing in theaters, so be sure to check with Moviefone below for showtimes in your area. ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3’ has a total runtime of 2 hours and 30 minutes, making it the longest film in the Guardians franchise.
Watch the official trailers for ‘Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol. 3’ below:
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Can’t make it out to the theater? You will soon have the option to rent or purchase the movie on VOD. Services such as Prime Video, Apple TV, Google Play, and Movies Anywhere will have the movie available digitally on July 7th, 2023.
As for as streaming goes, an official date hasn’t been confirmed. The movie is released by Disney so it is likely to end up on Disney+ once it is ready to go to streaming.
For those who prefer physical copies, ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3’ will be available on DVD/Blu-Ray on August 1st, 2023, complete with special features such as featurettes, deleted scenes, director’s commentary, and gag reel.
To watch our exclusive interview with writer/director James Gunn and Chris Pratt about ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 3,’ please click on the video player below.
