🎪 Hollywood News & Entertainment

Hollywood

BY Sunit Jangir 📰 News

Universal Pictures Tops $3B At The Worldwide Box Office In 2022; First Studio To Reach Milestone Since 2019

Los Angeles, August 15 - The Hollywood box office is on the rise and Universal Pictures is leading it by producing blockbusters after blockbusters. In the major achievement, Universal Studio has crossed $3 billion at the worldwide box office in 2022, the first studio to reach the milestone since Disney in 2019.## According to Deadline, the studio has scored $1.74B at the international box office and $1.28B domestically (North America) this year. This is the eighth time Universal has topped the $3B box office mark worldwide. Jurassic World Dominion is leading the chart for the studio with $975 million ($605M overseas/$373.1M domestic) so far. It has set its eyes on touching the $1 billion mark in the coming days. ## "Jurassic World Dominion" is the 5th highest-grossing film (without exchange rates) for Universal at the domestic box office while worldwide, it ranks 8th for the studio. In 2022, the Chris Pratt-starrer is the second biggest-grossing Hollywood movie worldwide, after Paramount Pictures' "Top Gun Maverick" ($1.4B).## The second biggest film this year for the studio is Minions: The Rise of Gru, which has so far grossed $790.4M globally, including $446.7M overseas and $343.7M from domestic. It is already the biggest animated film during the covid-19 pandemic era. The movie has shot for $900 million in its final run as it is heading for China release this coming weekend. ## Among the other top releases so far for the studio, is DreamWorks Animation's The Bad Guys with a global cume of $246.8M ($150.1M int/$96.7M domestic), Blumhouse's The Black Phone at $152.7M global ($65M int./$87.7M domestic) and Jordan Peele's Nope with $113.9M globally ($6.3M int./$107.5M domestic). ## Stay tuned...

1393 days ago

2.6K views

Hollywood

BY Sunit Jangir 📰 News

Box Office: Jurassic World Dominion Sets Eyes On $1B Globally

Los Angeles, August 14 - Universal Pictures' Jurassic World Dominion has surpassed $600 million at the international box office, after scoring $4.8 million in its 10th weekend. The total overseas collection of the film now stands at $601.4 million from 88 markets, according to Hollywood trade expert Gitesh Pandya.## The Chris Pratt-starrer science fiction actioner has grossed $373.1 million at the domestic (North America) box office and has almost finished its run there. The worldwide cume total of the film has reached $975 million and now, the $1 billion global mark is looking possible.## Interestingly, "Jurassic World Dominion" is the lowest-rated film in the 6-film franchise. The Rotten Tomatoes critic' score is just 30% for the movie, and still, the film has managed to keep up the box office legacy of this blockbuster franchise. If the movie reaches the $1 billion mark, it will become the 4th Jurassic movie to do so. ## China is leading the international box office chart of the film with $157.6 million in its final run, followed by Mexico at number 2 with $42.9 million, the United Kingdom at 3 with $41.5 million, France and Australia at number 4 and 5 with $28.5 million and $24.8 million, respectively. At the Indian box office, the movie scored 92 crores ($11.6M) in its final run. ## Directed by Colin Trevorrow, the film is set four years after the events of Fallen Kingdom, with dinosaurs now living alongside humans around the world. It follows Owen Grady and Claire Dearing as they embark on a rescue mission, while Alan Grant and Ellie Sattler reunite with Ian Malcolm to expose a conspiracy by the genomics corporation Biosyn, a once rival of the defunct InGen.## The film stars an ensemble cast including Chris Pratt, Bryce Dallas Howard, Laura Dern, Jeff Goldblum, Sam Neill, DeWanda Wise, Mamoudou Athie, BD Wong, and Omar Sy. Dern, Goldblum, and Neill reprise their roles from the Jurassic Park trilogy, appearing together for the first time since the 1993 film.## Stay tuned...

1393 days ago

5.2K views

Hollywood

BY Sunit Jangir 📰 News

Harry Potter Author JK Rowling Receives Death Threats Over Tweet For Salman Rushdie

London, August 14 - British author, JK Rowling, best known for the fantasy book series "Harry Potter", has received a death threat on Twitter after she condemned the attack on author Salman Rushdie at a literary event at the Chautauqua Institution in Western New York. ## Salman Rushdie, who faced death threats for years after writing "The Satanic Verses", was stabbed by a 24-year-old New Jersey resident identified as Hadi Matar (according to NDTV), the US national of Lebanese origin, on stage on Friday. ## JK Rowling condemned this attack and tweeted expressing horror at the attempt on 75-year-old Rushdie's life. "Horrifying news. Feeling very sick right now. Let him be ok", she had posted.## A user commented on this post, saying "Don't worry you are next." He had previously described Matar as a "revolutionary Shia fighter".## Ms. Rowling on Saturday shared the screenshot of this comment and asked Twitter to take cognizance, tagging @TwitterSupport, "Any chance of some support?" She later confirmed that the police were now involved. "To all sending supportive messages: thank you. Police are involved (were already involved on other threats)", Ms. Rowling wrote.## To all sending supportive messages: thank you 💕 Police are involved (were already involved on other threats).— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) August 13, 2022 ## Warner Bros. Discovery, which backed the "Harry Potter" film franchise under Warner Bros. Pictures, in a statement to Deadline, condemned the threats against Rowling.## "Warner Bros. Discovery strongly condemns the threats made against JK Rowling. We stand with her and all the authors, storytellers, and creators who bravely express their creativity and opinions. WBD believes in freedom of expression, peaceful discourse, and supporting those who offer their views in the public arena.## "Our thoughts are with Sir Salman Rushdie and his family following the senseless act of violence in New York. The company strongly condemns any form of threat, violence or intimidation when opinions, beliefs, and thoughts might differ," the corporation in the statement.## Stay tuned...

1394 days ago

1.5K views

Hollywood

BY Sunit Jangir 📰 News

Malaysia Government Commits To Banning More LGBT Films After Banning 'Thor' and 'Lightyear'

Kuala Lumpur, August 12 - The government of Malaysia is in no mood to spare any film that promotes LGBT elements. Marvel Studios' recent blockbuster, Thor: Love and Thunder, was stopped from releasing in the country, and the government has now confirmed that it was prevented from releasing in local theaters due to its LGBT. ## Thor 4 is one of the many Hollywood films that have been stopped from hitting theaters in Malaysia, and this also includes Pixar's recently released, Lightyear. As per Variety, both "Thor 4" and "Lightyear" were submitted by distributor Disney for classification and censorship by the country's Film Censorship Board (LPF). ## While the censor board of Malaysia at first was ready to allow the film in theaters, however, upon the condition of cutting some of the LGBT scenes but Disney chose not to surrender. "Lightyear" was banned in 16 or more Muslim-majority countries.## "Recently there was a film that did not pass censorship, that is the new 'Thor' film", said Deputy Communications and Multimedia Minister Zahidi Zainul Abidin. "[The movie] touched on LGBT but we see right now there are many films with LGBT elements that slip past the censorship".## Zahidi blamed foreign elements for the problem, claimed that LGBT films were becoming more subtle in their methods, and asked for public vigilance. "I am frustrated because the outside world was the one promoting LGBT,” he said responding to a question in Parliament.## While the minister said that his government is committed to banning films showing LGBT in theaters, he also revealed that beyond movie theaters and broadcast TV, his powers are limited and do not cover streaming services that are based outside the country. It has been said that "Lightyear" is already on Disney+Hotstar with an 18+ recommendation in the country. ## Zahidi advised Malaysians to exercise self-restraint and for parents to use the age-control systems contained within streaming platforms to restrict access to LGBT content.## Stay tuned...

1396 days ago

1.5K views

Hollywood

BY Sunit Jangir 📰 News

Lady Gaga Gets A Huge Payday To Play Harley Quinn In DC's 'Joker 2'

Los Angeles, August 12 - Warner Bros. is believed to be in the confusion regarding its future timeline under the new leadership of Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav. The studio under Zaslav has spoken about building a 10-year plan for DC films, that would be similar to the structure that Alan Horn and Bob Iger put together very effectively with Marvel boss Kevin Feige at Disney. ## Warner Bros., however, despite announcing its plans to expand DC Universe, has greenlit only Joker: Folie à Deux as a new film. The follow-up to the wildly successful 2019 "Joker", which grossed $1.07 billion globally, also has been set for October 4, 2024, release. ## The sequel of "Joker", meanwhile, will cost much bigger than the original film which was made in approx. $55M-$70M budget. According to Variety, both Joaquin Phoenix and director Todd Phillips will be paid a massive $20 million each to return to star and direct the movie. Meanwhile, Lady Gaga has been roped to play the iconic Harley Quinn in "Joker 2", and she will be getting $10 million for the same. ## The final cost of making the movie is expected to reach $150 million, including salaries, combined with the cost of producing complicated musical sequences. It is going to be one of the costliest DC films, however, it is still cheaper than most superhero movies. ## While only "Joker 2" has been greenlit yet, several other DC properties have been in development as feature films, some for years — "Wonder Woman 3", "Superman", "Zatanna", and "Static Shock". Writer-director Matt Reeves is also on track for a sequel of "The Batman" with star Robert Pattinson. ## Stay tuned...

1396 days ago

1.6K views

Hollywood

BY Sunit Jangir 📰 News

New Predator Film 'Prey' Sets All-Time Record Viewership On Hulu

Los Angeles, August 10 - 20th Century Studios' new film in the Predator franchise, Prey debuted directly on Disney's Hulu platform in the United States on August 5. Being a film of the blockbuster franchise, many wondered why 20th Century and Disney didn't open the movie in cinemas exclusively. ## While there is no reason given by the studio, the movie has taken the streaming platform, Hulu by storm. On Tuesday, Disney revealed (via The Hollywood Reporter) that the film scored the No. 1 premiere on Hulu to date, including all film and TV series debuts. ## Additionally, the pic was the most watched film premiere on Star+ in Latin America and Disney+ under the Star banner in all other territories, based on hours watched in the first three days of its release, however, Disney did not reveal the viewing hours. ## The development of the film, Prey, began during the production of The Predator (2018), when producer John Davis was approached by Trachtenberg and Aison, with a concept that they had been developing since 2016. The movie was always in production for direct streaming release. ## THR report says that Disney believes that sending the movie straight to Hulu — which, like other streamers, is competing to become a destination for original content — was a smart decision, and it's impossible to say whether Prey would have benefited from a theatrical release. The veteran Hollywood box office analysts also believe that it was a good move from Disney to send the movie on Hulu. ## Stay tuned...

1398 days ago

1.9K views

Hollywood

BY Sunit Jangir 📰 News

'Sonic the Hedgehog 3' Confirms Christmas 2024 Release Date

Los Angeles, August 9 - Paramount Pictures has had great success with its video game adaptation Sonic films, and now, the studio is gearing up for another film in the series. ## Paramount announced the third installment of Sonic in February this year, much before the release of Sonic the Hedgehog 2. The studio has now confirmed its release date as the iconic blue speedster will be hitting theaters on December 20, 2024. ## The first two Sonic films grossed over $720 million worldwide, which is massive for the film franchise as movies adapted from video games tend to bomb at the box office. 2020s Sonic the Hedgehog grossed over $319 million worldwide while its sequel which came out in April of this year went on to gross over 402 million. ## Sonic the Hedgehog 2 opened to a huge $72.1 million in a major boost for the domestic (North American) box office recovery. It scored the biggest opening weekend of all time for a video game adaptation, beating the first Sonic, and was also Paramount's biggest three-day opening since 2014.## Sonic 3, meanwhile, will have tough competition at the box office as James Cameron's mega movie, Avatar 3, will also be hitting theaters around the same time. The cast of Sonic the Hedgehog 3 includes James Marsden, Ben Schwartz, Tika Sumpter, Natasha Rothwell, Adam Pally, Shemar Moore, Colleen O'Shaughnessey, Lee Majdoub, and Idris Elba.## Running faster, flying higher, and punching harder. #SonicMovie3 hits theatres on December 20, 2024. pic.twitter.com/DcFGbaKUao— Sonic the Hedgehog (@SonicMovie) August 9, 2022 ## Stay tuned...

1398 days ago

2.5K views

Hollywood

BY Sunit Jangir 📰 News

Box Office: Thor 4 Becomes Biggest Thor Movie In North America

Los Angeles, August 8 - Chris Hemsworth's newest Thor movie Thor: Love and Thunder opened in theaters last month domestically as well as internationally. The superhero movie, directed by Taika Waititi, didn't receive well by the critics as it has officially become the lowest-rated Thor movie with ratings of 65% on Rotten Tomatoes. ## Even though the Marvel movie didn't go well with critics, it put up a strong show at the box office, and now, it has become the highest-grossing film in the Thor franchise at the domestic (North America) box office. Thor 4 has grossed $316 million after the end of the 5th weekend, beating Thor: Ragnarok's $315 million lifetime domestic total. ## Thor: Ragnarok, however, is still the highest-grossing film in the franchise at the worldwide box office with $854 million, on the other hand, the latest flick has earned $700 million in total so far. Once Thor 4 tops $322 million, it will have sold more tickets than the previous Thor film.## In the film, Thor attempts to find inner peace but must return to action and recruit Valkyrie, Korg, and Jane Foster — who is now the Mighty Thor — to stop Gorr the God Butcher from eliminating all gods. It stars Chris Hemsworth as Thor alongside Natalie Portman, Christian Bale, Tessa Thompson, Jaimie Alexander, Waititi, and Russell Crowe in key roles.## Stay tuned...

1400 days ago

6K views

Hollywood

BY Sunit Jangir 📰 News

Margot Robbie Is Not Happy With The Casting of Lady Gaga As Harley Quinn In 'Joker 2'?

Los Angeles, August 7 - The casting of Lady Gaga as Harley Quinn in Joker 2 seems to be not doing well with Margot Robbie who played this iconic DC role in many movies and made this one of the most popular on-screen characters. ## Margot Robbie, who is currently working on, Barbie, is reportedly not happy after the House of Gucci actor bagged the lead role in Joker: Folie à deux. A source close to the actor told OK! Magazine (via Geo TV), "Lady Gaga playing Harley Quinn in the Joker sequel instead of Margot Robbie is a joke".## The casting of Gaga in the much-anticipated sequel came as a surprise to many in Hollywood, though her role in the movie was reportedly confirmed a long time back. It is said that Robbie is feeling nervous and insulted at the same time to get to know the fact that an attention seeker pop culture singer is replacing her to play Joker's sidekick and love interest. ## "Every real actor in Hollywood should be nervous that they are going to be replaced with some pop culture phenomenon who hasn't paid their dues", the insider added. "Margot isn't angry about the choice; she is insulted. This isn't about casting the most talented person for the role, but rather casting someone who gets the most press attention".## Meanwhile, the sequel of this psychological thriller film will be hitting theaters on October 4, 2024. Joaquin Phoenix, who scored his first Oscar for playing Joker, will be reprising his role in Joker 2 with Todd Phillips returning to direct it. ## Stay tuned...

1401 days ago

8.2K views

Hollywood

BY Sunit Jangir 📰 News

Marvel President Lends Support To 'Batgirl' Directors After DC Movie Shelved

Los Angeles, August 6 - Marvel Studios' president Kevin Feige has lent his support to the Batgirl directors Billal Fallah and Adil Al Arbi following the news of Warner Bros. shelving the release of the DC movie. ## Billal and Adil have directed one of the episodes of Marvel/Disney+ recent series, Ms. Marvel, and share a good rapport with Feige. Al Arbi posted on his Instagram Story a screenshot of an email that he recently received from the Feige.## In the message, Feige wrote, "My friends I had to reach out and let you know we are all thinking about you both. Because of the wonderful news about the wedding (congrats!) and the disappointing news about Batgirl. Very proud of you guys for all the amazing work you do and particularly Ms. Marvel of course! Can't wait to see what is next for you. Hope to see you soon".## Feige is not the only big Hollywood name who showed support to the filmmakers, Guardians of the Galaxy director James Gunn and Baby Driver helmer Edgar Wright also reach out to the directors and expressed disappointment on the shocking decision by Warner studio. ## Batgirl stars Leslie Grace in the title role along with Michael Keaton as Batman, among others. The film was supposed to release on the streaming platform HBO Max later this year but now stands canceled. Warner Bros., however, defended its bold move and shared a statement on the same. ## "The decision to not release 'Batgirl' reflects our leadership's strategic shift as it relates to the DC universe and HBO Max", it said.## The statement continued to read, "Leslie Grace is an incredibly talented actor and this decision is not a reflection of her performance. We are incredibly grateful to the filmmakers of 'Batgirl' and 'Scoob! Holiday Haunt' and their respective casts and we hope to collaborate with everyone again in the near future".## Stay tuned...

1402 days ago

1.3K views

Hollywood

BY Sunit Jangir 📰 News

Dhanush To Reprise His Role In Russo Brothers' 'The Gray Man' Sequel

Chennai, August 6 - Actor Dhanush made his Hollywood debut with Russo Brothers' spy action thriller The Gray Man. The movie premiered on Netflix on July 22 and scored fifth biggest opening weekend ever for Netflix. Earlier, the movie had a limited theatrical release on July 15 in the USA.## Satisfied with the result, Netflix confirmed the sequel of the movie with Ryan Gosling returning to reprise his role and Russo Brothers to direct once again. It was not confirmed whether the rest of the cast will return or not, but now, Dhanush has given a major hint regarding his role in the sequel. ## Dhanush played the role of Avik San/Lone Wolf in the movie. The actor took to Twitter on Saturday (August 6) and confirmed that Lone Wolf is ready for the sequel. He shared short audio, in which he says, "Six, this is Lone Wolf. I hear we are both looking for the same man. I want to offer you some advice. Stop looking. You are wasting your time. Because if I find him first, there will be nothing for you to look for. And if you find him first, then I will find you. Nothing personal".## The Gray Man universe is expanding and the sequel is coming… Lone Wolf is ready, are you? #TheGrayMan @agbofilms @netflix @Russo_Brothers pic.twitter.com/b8FuJk9koJ— Dhanush (@dhanushkraja) August 6, 2022 ## Earlier, Russo Brothers explained in an interview why Dhanush's character was not killed off in the movie. "We're fortunate enough to use Dhanush. We were not interested in him playing a one-off character who shows up just to be overcome by the lead in the film. He is as equally skilled and determined as Gosling is in the movie. He has a story that will allow him to come back into the narrative at some point — as his own hero".## A spin-off film, written by screenwriters Paul Wernick and Rhett Reese (Deadpool, Zombieland) is also in development and is set to explore a different element of The Gray Man universe.## Stay tuned...

1402 days ago

2.5K views

Hollywood

BY Sunit Jangir 📰 News

Thor Star Chris Hemsworth Congratulates Commonwealth Games Gold Medalist Mirabai Chanu

Mumbai, August 5 - Hollywood superstar, Chris Hemsworth has congratulated India's weightlifter and gold medalist at Birmingham Commonwealth Games 2022, Saikhom Mirabai Chanu. Hemsworth is famous for playing the superhero character, Thor in Marvel movies and carries a massive fan following among the Indian audiences. ## The Australian actor, while responding to an Indian media personality, congratulate Mirabai Chanu and found her a worthy successor of his hammer called Mjolnir. "She is worthy! Congrats, Saikhom, you legend", Hemsworth wrote. ## She is worthy! Congrats, Saikhom, you legend.— Chris Hemsworth (@chrishemsworth) August 4, 2022 ## Mirabai Chanu won India's first gold medal at the Birmingham Commonwealth Games 2022 in the 49 KG weight category. The weightlifting superstar of India is also the silver medalist of the Tokyo Olympics 2020 and won the gold medal at the 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games. ## Meanwhile, Chris Hemsworth was recently seen in "Thor: Love and Thunder", which grossed over 100 crores at the Indian box office and became a big hit. He will next be seen in "Extraction 2" and "Furiosa". ## Stay tuned...

1403 days ago

1.1K views

Hollywood

BY Sunit Jangir 📰 News

Warner Bros. To Apply Marvel's Plan For DC Films

Los Angeles, August 5 - There are a lot of things going on with Warner Bros. regarding the studio's future roadmap and it seems, the studio has its plans going forward as far as DC films are concerned under the new CEO David Zaslav at Warner Bros. Discovery. ## Warner Bros. recently canceled the release of the HBO Max film "Batgirl" and has defended it saying "We’re not going to put a movie out unless we believe in it". It is clearly visible that under Zaslav, Warner Bros. is looking to boost its theatrical business model and the CEO claimed to have a 10-year plan for the same. ## "You look at Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, Aquaman — these are brands that are known everywhere in the world. We have done a reset. We've restructured the business where we are going to focus, where there is going to be a team with a 10-year plan focusing just on DC. We believe we can build a much more sustainable business", Zaslav said during an earnings call Thursday (via THR)## Warner Bros. is seen as a rival of Marvel Studios in Hollywood though the latter is far ahead of the former one. Marvel never lagged behind anyone in producing blockbuster titles and the studio already keeps plans for the future. DC is now looking to emulate the success of the Disney-owned Marvel Studios, which Kevin Feige has built into the highest-grossing film franchise in history. ## According to THR, CEO David Zaslav has been advised by Feige's former boss, retired Disney film chief Alan Horn to apply the Marvel playbook model for DC films. ## "It's very similar to the structure Alan Horn, [former Disney CEO] Bob Iger and Kevin Feige put together very effectively at Disney. We think we can build a much stronger, sustainable growth business out of DC", said Zaslav. "As part of that, we are going to focus on quality. We are not going to release any film before it's ready. DC is something we can make better".## After the cancellation of "Batgirl", there are at least 5 films already under production at DC Extended Universe. The movies include "Black Adam", "Shazam! Fury of the Gods", "Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom", "The Flash", and "Blue Beetle". Warner Bros. also has "Wonder Woman 3" with Gal Gadot, a sequel to Robert Pattinson's "The Batman" in the pipeline along with expanding the "Superhero" franchise. ## Stay tuned...

1403 days ago

1.8K views

Hollywood

BY Sunit Jangir 📰 News

'Batgirl' Star Leslie Grace And Directors Speak On The Film Being Canceled By Warner Bros.

Los Angeles, August 4 - Actress Leslie Grace has opened up on the news that Warner Bros. is shelving DC Superhero movie Batgirl, in which Grace plays Barbara Gordon, aka the titular hero.## The actress took to Instagram and shared her thoughts on the latest development that shocked the Hollywood industry. The actress, who appeared in Warner Bros.' 2021 film "In the Heights", also shared BTS pics and videos from the sets of "Batgirl", which was supposed to release on HBO Max later this year. ## "On the heels of the recent news about our movie "Batgirl", I am proud of the love, hard work, and intention all of our incredible cast and tireless crew put into this film over 7 months in Scotland", wrote Grace. "I feel blessed to have worked among absolute greats and forged relationships for a lifetime in the process! To every Batgirl fan - THANK YOU for the love and belief, allowing me to take on the cape and become, as Babs said best, "my own damn hero!" #Batgirl for life!"## Meanwhile, the directors of the film Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah also reacted on the same and said that they are shocked and saddened by the news. "We still can't believe it. As directors, it is critical that our work be shown to audiences, and while the film was far from finished, we wish that fans all over the world would have had the opportunity to see and embrace the final film themselves. Maybe one day they will insha'Allah", they said in a statement posted to Instagram.## Yesterday (August 3), Warner Bros. said in a statement that they are canceling the release of "Batgirl" and "Scoob!: Holiday Haunt". "Batgirl", which cost an estimated $90 million, has already completed filming and was in post-production. It is believed that Warner Bros.' new leadership has understood the importance of theatrical over streaming titles and is looking to boost its big event DC Superhero theatrical titles. ## Adil and Bilall, however, applauded the cast and crew of the film for doing a tremendous job and working hard to bring the film to life, "especially the great Leslie Grace, who portrayed Batgirl with so much passion, dedication, and humanity".## "In any case, as huge fans of Batman since we were little kids, it was a privilege and an honor to have been a part of the DCEU, even if it was for a brief moment. Batgirl For Life", they added.## View this post on Instagram A post shared by Adil El Arbi (@adilelarbi) ## Stay tuned...

1404 days ago

2K views

Hollywood

BY Sunit Jangir 📰 News

Warner Bros. Seals Release Date For Joaquin Phoenix's 'Joker 2'

Los Angeles, August 4 - Warner Bros., in the quest of boosting its big event theatrical titles, has sealed the release date of the much-awaited Joker 2, to be directed by Todd Phillips. ## The sequel to this DC Comics-based psychological thriller film, titled Joker: Folie à deux, will be hitting theaters on October 4, 2024. Joaquin Phoenix, who scored his first Oscar for his performance in Joker, will be reprising his role as the DC villain. ## Interestingly, the original Joker movie also debuted on October 4 in 2019 in North America and went on to gross $1.07 billion at the worldwide box office. The film legged out to $335.4M domestic and globally it is the highest-grossing R-rated movie of all time. It was also nominated for 11 Oscars and went on to win two of them. ## Meanwhile, Warner Bros. hasn't officially revealed the title of the sequel despite giving a hint of its being titled, Joker: Folie à deux, which is a French reference for a medical term pertaining to a mental disorder that affects two or more people of a family. ## As reportedly previously by The Hollywood Reporter, Lady Gaga is said to be playing Harley Quinn in Joker 2. ## As of now, the Joker sequel is on track to start filming in December this year. Todd Phillips recently confirmed that the script of the film has been completed, which he has co-written with Scott Silver. ## Stay tuned...

1404 days ago

1.7K views

Hollywood

BY Sunit Jangir 📰 News

Warner Bros. Will Not Release DC Superhero Movie 'Batgirl'

Los Angeles, August 3 - In a major development, Warner Bros. Studio has decided to scrap the release of its upcoming film Batgirl, budgeted $80 million -$90 million. The DC superhero film, which has already completed filming, was supposed to arrive on the studio's streaming platform HBO Max later this year. ## According to The Hollywood Reporter, Warner Bros. is looking to boost its big event theatrical titles and "Batgirl" doesn't fall in that category. The studio has also canceled the release of the animated feature Scoob!: Holiday Haunt, which had a budget in the $40 million range.## The decision of scrapping the release of the two aforementioned films comes after a change in leadership at Warners, with newly appointed Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav prioritizing cost-cutting measures and refocusing Warners on creating theatrical films rather than projects for streaming, as had been a priority for former WarnerMedia CEO Jason Kilar, per THR.## Directed by Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah, "Batgirl" stars Leslie Grace as Barbara Gordon/Batgirl — the first Latina to play the role, along with Michael Keaton, back as Batman, J.K. Simmons as Barbara's father, Commissioner James Gordon, and Brendan Fraser as the villain Firefly.## During the covid-19 pandemic, Warner Bros. was the first to send its movies day-and-date on HBO Max and in theaters in a one-year experiment, a decision, which was largely criticized by some of the biggest Hollywood filmmakers. Under the new leadership at the company, will be looking to emphasize the importance of theatrical over streaming in terms of original movies. ## Stay tuned...

1405 days ago

1.5K views

Hollywood

BY Sunit Jangir 📰 News

Chris Hemsworth's 'Thor: Love and Thunder' Becomes The Lowest-Rated Film In Thor Franchise

Los Angeles, August 2 - Actor Chris Hemsworth's Thor: Love and Thunder has been in theaters for almost a month and has grossed over $660 million worldwide so far. However, the film has scored another benchmark, which the makers would have liked to avoid.## The 4th installment of Thor, "Love and Thunder" has become the lowest-rated film in the franchise and the second-lowest rated film in the entirety of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. At the time of writing this article, the film has a 65% critics' score on Rotten Tomatoes from 408 reviews. ## The highest-rated film in this superhero franchise is "Thor: Ragnarok" (93 percent), followed by "Thor" (77 percent) as the second best-rated film and "Thor: The Dark World" at number 3 with 66% rating. In the MCU, the only Marvel Studios flick with a worse rating is "Eternals" with a 47% score from 398 critics. ## Most importantly, despite the poor reviews, the film has managed to stay in theaters. It will soon be entering the $700 million club at the global box office, and even though the film hasn't performed in the way Marvel/Disney would have hoped for, they will take this result. ## Taika Waititi, who directed Thor: Ragnarok, returns to direct Thor: Love and Thunder. He also co-wrote the film's screenplay with Jennifer Kaytin Robinson. The film stars Chris Hemsworth, Tessa Thompson, Natalie Portman, Christian Bale, Chris Pratt, Jaimie Alexander, Pom Klementieff, Dave Bautista, Karen Gillan, Sean Gunn, and Vin Diesel.## Stay tuned...

1406 days ago

13.2K views

Hollywood

BY Sunit Jangir 📰 News

Box Office: Hollywood Movie 'Everything Everywhere All at Once' Tops $100M Worldwide For The First Time For A24 Studio

Los Angeles, August 1 - A24 Studios' absurdist black comedy-drama film Everything Everywhere All at Once has topped a major milestone at the worldwide box office. The film has crossed the $100 million mark globally, becoming the first ever film for the studio to reach the mark, as per Variety.## Directed by Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert "Everything Everywhere All at Once" was released in March this year and went on the become a sleeper hit at the box office. The multiverse adventure was re-expended at the USA theaters this past weekend from 170 to approx. 1500 theaters and this helped the movie to achieve the milestone of $100 million worldwide. ## So far, "Everything Everywhere All at Once" has generated $69 million in the United States and another $31 million internationally, putting its global tally at $100 million. Outside the domestic (USA) market, the United Kingdom has contributed the most with $6.2 million, followed by Canada ($5.1 million), Australia ($4.5 million), Russia ($2.4 million), and Taiwan ($2.3 million). ## For A24 Studio, the previous highest-grossing film worldwide was "Hereditary" (2018), which is a horror film that grossed $79 million globally while at the North American box office, it was "Uncut Gems", which was the biggest earner for the studio with $50 million. ## The movie stars Michelle Yeoh as a Chinese-American woman being audited by the Internal Revenue Service who discovers that she must connect with parallel universe versions of herself to prevent a powerful being from causing the destruction of the multiverse. Stephanie Hsu, Ke Huy Quan, Jenny Slate, Harry Shum Jr., James Hong, and Jamie Lee Curtis appear in supporting roles. ## Stay tuned...

1407 days ago

2.1K views

Hollywood

BY Sunit Jangir 📰 News

Leonardo DiCaprio And Martin Scorsese Team Up Yet Again For 1740s Shipwreck Thriller

Los Angeles, July 30 - Hollywood superstar Leonardo DiCaprio and filmmaker Martin Scorsese are joining forces again for their next film together, which is an adaptation of the upcoming David Grann nonfiction book, The Wager: A Tale of Shipwreck, Mutiny, and Murder, according to The Hollywood Reporter. ## The film rights of the book, due out in April 2023, have been acquired by Apple Original Films. Scorsese is attached to direct the movie, with DiCaprio set to headline. Interestingly, the duo is already working on "Killers of the Flower Moon", and as per THR, the key players and companies behind the film are also working on Wager. ## Set in the 1740s, Wager's story is set in motion when a patched-together boat with 30 emaciated men lands on the coast of Brazil. The men were the surviving crew of a British ship that was chasing a Spanish vessel and had crashed onto an island in South America’s Patagonia region. Their tales of surviving the seas and elements made them heroes.## However, six months later another vessel, even more, beat up than the first, showed up on the coat of Chile, this one with three sailors — who accuse the passengers on the other boat of being mutineers.## The British Admiralty launched a special trial to learn the truth about what actually occurred on the island as accusations and denials flew, according to the "Hollywood Reporter." The trial revealed a tale of a captain and crew struggling to survive while fending off some of the world's most extreme elements as well as struggling against their own human natures.## DiCaprio and Scorsese have regular collaborators in Hollywood and have worked together in 5 films, excluding the upcoming two projects. Their films together have won multiple Oscars. ## Stay tuned...

1409 days ago

8.1K views

Hollywood

BY Sunit Jangir 📰 News

Marvel President Kevin Feige Defends Six-Year Gap Between Avengers Movies

Los Angeles, July 29 - Marvel Studios' president Kevin Feige announced a handful of upcoming Marvel titles at San Diego Comic-Con recently. Among studios' exciting line-up, Fiege also finally announced two more "Avengers" films in the Marvel Cinematic Universe - "Avengers: The Kang Dynasty" and "Avengers: Secret Wars", releasing in 2025. ## The last Avengers movie was "Avengers: Endgame", which was released in 2019, so the gap between "Endgame" and the next in the franchise "Avengers: The Kang Dynasty", is officially 6 years which is the highest between two Avengers movies. There have been a total of four films released in the franchise so far, and there was three years gap between the first three films, while one year separated the releases of "Infinity War" and “Endgame".## Kevin Feige, meanwhile, has a point to justify the 6 years gap between "Avengers 4" and "Avengers 5", and also explained why the first 4 films didn't take much time. He was in conversation with MTV News (via variety). ## "The truth is, when we were doing Phase 1, Phase 2 and Phase 3, there were less projects over more years. They were smaller projects and individual character stories, and it felt appropriate at that point, that after every two or three years that it took for a phase, we would do an 'Avengers' film", Feige said. ## "As [Phase] 4, 5 and 6 were coming together, there are more projects in less years – because of all the amazing stuff we're now allowed to do on Disney+, and getting characters from Fox, Fantastic Four and Deadpool — that it felt like, certainly after 'Infinity War' and 'Endgame', that we thought 'Avengers' movies aren't cappers. So many of our movies now and what you're about to see in 'Ant-Man 3', are big team-up films introducing big parts of the mythology... 'Avengers' films really should be the capper to a saga", he added.## "Avengers: The Kang Dynasty" will be directed by "Shang-Chi" filmmaker Destin Daniel Cretton while there is no director set yet for "Secret Wars", which will conclude MCU's "The Multiverse Saga" as the name of Marvel Phases 4-6. Interestingly, both Avengers films will be released in the same year, on May 2 and November 7, 2025.## Stay tuned...

1410 days ago

1.7K views

Hollywood

BY Sunit Jangir 📰 News

Ben Affleck Officially Confirmed To Returning As Batman In Jason Momoa's 'Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom'

Los Angeles, July 29 - Ben Affleck is officially returning as Batman in Warner Bros' Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom and will be reuniting with his Justice League costar Jason Momoa, the latter confirmed via social media. ## Momoa, who will play the title role of Aquaman in this DC Superhero film, took to Instagram and revealed the news of Affleck joining this blockbuster film. Momoa also shared a video along with pictures with Affleck. In the video, fans on a Warner Bros. bus tour apparently caught the glimpse that Affleck was there filming with him. ## "REUNITED bruce and arthur. love u and miss u Ben WB studio tours just explored the backlot alright. busted on set all great things coming AQUAMAN 2 all my aloha j", Momoa wrote in the caption. ## View this post on Instagram A post shared by Jason Momoa (@prideofgypsies) ## Ben Affleck was last seen in "Zack Snyder's Justice League" which was released on HBO Max last year. The actor, however, previously announced his retirement as Batman in 2019 and has been open about the personal and professional strife that came with the role. He was supposed to take up this iconic role for one last time in Ezra Miller's "The Flash", due on June 23, 2023, and that will also feature Michael Keaton as Batman.## Since he has been confirmed to reprise his role in "Aquaman 2", which will release on March 17, 2023, it will mark his return as Caped Crusader before he possibly says goodbye to this role in "The Flash". "Aquaman 2" also stars Amber Heard, Willem Dafoe, Patrick Wilson, Dolph Lundgren, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Temuera Morrison, and Nicole Kidman.## Stay tuned...

1410 days ago

1.5K views

Hollywood

BY Sunit Jangir 📰 News

Five Confirmed MCU Titles That Weren't Announced At SDCC 2022

Los Angeles, July 27 - Marvel Studios once again has proved that it is way ahead of its competitors and certainly the biggest movie brand in the world. After the "Avengers: Endgame", there were a lot of questions about what is next in the store Marvel, but now, Marvel has answered all the questions at once by lining up titles till 2025. ## At the San Diego Cinema-Con 2022, held a couple of days ago, Marvel Studios revealed its theatrical and streaming plans till 2025 in Phase 5 and 6 apart from the ongoing Phase 4 which will conclude with Black Panther: Wakanda Forever in November this year. Phase 5 will start with "Ant-Man 3" (Feb. 17, 2023) and will conclude with "Thunderbolts" (July 26, 2024). ## Taking a step ahead, Marvel also announced Phase 6, in which 11 titles have been announced, including two new Avengers movies that will release in May and November 2025 and "Fantastic Four" (Nov. 8, 2024). Meanwhile, Marvel also confirmed the release dates of 8 untitled movies in Phase 6. While the studio surprisingly has not revealed the titles of those films, there are at least 5 projects that are confirmed to fill those slots. ## 1. Shang-Chi 2 - The sequel to 2021's blockbuster has already been announced and will surely take one of the slots in Phase 6. Director Destin Daniel Cretton, who has been attached to direct "Avengers: The Kang Dynasty", will return to helm "Shang-Chi 2" while Simu Liu will be reprising the title role. ## 2. Deadpool 3 - Another anticipated Marvel movie that was not announced officially at Cinema-Con but it will come out sometimes in 2024 or 2025. Ryan Reynolds will return to reprise his role in this R-rated film. Deadpool 3 writer Rhett Reese recently teased the plot details and confirmed that the movie will keep its R-rated tone. ## 3. Spider-Man 4 - Sony Pictures confirmed after the release of "Spider-Man: No Way Home" that they are working on one more Spider-Man trilogy with Tom Holland. It is almost confirmed that the next Spider-Man movie will debut in Phase 6 and is likely to release in late 2024. ## 4. Nova - Earlier this year, Deadline reported that "Moon Knight" writer Sabir Pirzada has been attached to write a Nova project for Marvel. While it is not yet confirmed whether it will be a feature film or a limited series for Disney+, it will surely debut in Phase 6. If reports are to be believed, it will be a feature film. ## 5. Armor Wars - One of the most exciting projects that was not announced in SDCC 2022, due to unknown reasons. However, the show's head writer Yassir Lester confirmed that the show hasn't been canceled. Though there is no shooting timeline set yet, the show will most likely to release in MCU's Phase 6. ## Apart from the aforementioned titles that are almost confirmed to release in Phase 6, the other projects that could fill these gaps are The Mutants or another X-Men series/film, Young Avengers, Hawkeye Season 2, Eternals 2, the already-announced Ten Rings series, a Wakanda series, Doctor Strange 3, and Thor 5. ## Stay tuned...

1412 days ago

4.1K views

Hollywood

BY Sunit Jangir 📰 News

Disney Plus' 'I Am Groot' First Critics' Reactions Are Out Online

Los Angeles, July 27 - Disney Plus is preparing for its next and probably the most unique series "I Am Groot". The adorably chaotic Baby Groot, one of the Guardians of the Galaxy, is set to headline his first own show on the streamer. ## "I Am Groot" is Marvel Studios' second fully animated Disney+ series after "What If...?". The upcoming series consists of five shorts that make up the entire series. These shorts will all premiere at once on Wednesday, August 10 on Disney+/Disney+Hotstar. ## It will be a completely different series in the MCU, meaning nothing Groot does in this show will have any effect on the live-action Guardians movies. This new series will give a fun look into the fan-favorite Guardian of the Galaxy, also called a hero of a few words as he takes on his own battles and challenges. ## Meanwhile, the first critics' reactions to the series are out online two weeks before it officially debuts on the streamer. Going by the reactions, it seems Baby Groot will make everyone fall in love with him once again. ## #IAmGroot is undeniably the most adorable project in the MCU. Pure fun, pure chaos, and it had me smiling the entire way through. If you’re looking for something entertaining and easy to watch, with a few surprises, this short series is for you.The visuals are amazing too! pic.twitter.com/TSfIqf6F1M— Richard Nebens - The Direct (@RichardNebens) July 26, 2022 ## Just watched #IAmGroot and I can already tell my niece is going to watch this thing no less than 200 times. So much fun. So fun to look at. And who doesn't love Baby Groot?People forget that Baby Groot walked to Baby Yoda could run.— Matt Roembke (@mattroembke) July 26, 2022 ## I just watched all episodes of #IAmGroot and holy moly did @kirstenlepore nail it. Such cute moments with some fun reveals about Groot we always wondered but didn't know. Absolutely captured the character @jamesgunn debuted in GOTG Vol. 2 pic.twitter.com/V4Y0DMU03F— James Viscardi (@JimViscardi) July 26, 2022 ## Just watched all 5 episodes of #IAmGroot and they are an excellent watch if you have 20mins to spare.Brilliant photo-realistic type animation combined with some fun wacky ideas, I enjoyed it and can imagine kids will love rewatching these constantly. pic.twitter.com/pcZJOEDKci— Jacob (@JacobFisherDF) July 26, 2022 ## Disney+'s new #IAmGroot quickly grows on you. It's bite-sized shorts about the pint-sized Marvel superhero. Each one explores a bit more of Baby Groot's personality. Clever, funny & sweet w/ a slight dark touch - also beautifully animated. Maybe it should be retitled 'I Am Cute.' pic.twitter.com/2oP8mJuDlB— Steven Prusakowski (@FilmSnork) July 27, 2022 ## #IAmGroot could not be more charming if it tried. It captures the weird humor of the Guardians movies in spades in such an understated, smart way. The animation and creature designs are stunning. Episode 4 is definitely my favorite. Good vibes all around. pic.twitter.com/KkoS5Z4QQS— Jenna Anderson (@heyitsjennalynn) July 26, 2022 ## We just watched all 5 episodes of "I Am Groot" and it's Pure Perfection. #IAmGroot An original series with amazing animation showcasing Baby Groot on his fun adventures with a few surprises. Very entertaining and family friendly. @MarvelStudios Streaming on Disney+ Aug 10! pic.twitter.com/FamQa56N2c— Socalthrills (@socalthrills) July 26, 2022 ## 'I Am Groot' is the perfect vehicle for Baby Groot to shine. Proving once again what we love about him: he brings a little chaos everywhere he goes. Short, sassy, and sweet: your whole family will love this series- especially #4. On Disney+ August 10 #IAmGroot #disneyplus pic.twitter.com/EtPTJ6mu6q— PattyCakeToast (@noguiltlife) July 26, 2022 ## #IAmGroot? More like "cute," because Disney+'s Groot shorts are delightful little snippets featuring everyone's favorite mono-phrased tree alien. The comedy is surprisingly dark, though still family friendly, and often feels like lost bits from the Guardians movies. Two Groots up pic.twitter.com/JbIZYAPlr3— Alex Zalben (@azalben) July 26, 2022 ## The little man and I just watched all of #IAmGroot and he was cracking up the whole time. It’s a set of fun little adventures that feature incredible animation and some clever storylines. Also it has the best @MarvelStudios intro yet. Sure to be a big hit! pic.twitter.com/AQse0l5PiA— Anthony Taormina (@ANTaormina) July 26, 2022 ## Stay tuned...

1412 days ago

2K views

Hollywood

BY Sunit Jangir 📰 News

Ryan Gosling and Russo Brothers Set To Return as Netflix Greenlit 'The Gray Man' Sequel and Spinoff

Los Angeles, July 27 - Netflix is expanding the "The Gray Man" universe and officially confirmed a direct sequel and a spinoff to the Russo Brother spy action thriller film. Following the Ryan Gosling and Chris Evans-led film's arrival on Netflix this past Friday, which debuted at #1 on Netflix, the streamer is making plans for the film to be just the first piece of a "major spy franchise".## The sequel will see Ryan Gosling and director duo Joe and Anthony Russo, and co-writer Stephen McFeely, returning. Russo Brothers are super excited about the worldwide response to the movie that clocked nearly 88.5 million viewing hours in the first three days and opened in the top 10 in 93 countries. ## "The audience reaction to The Gray Man has been nothing short of phenomenal. We are so appreciative of the enthusiasm that fans across the world have had for this film. With so many amazing characters in the movie, we had always intended for the Gray Man to be part of an expanded universe, and we are thrilled that Netflix is announcing a sequel with Ryan, as well as a second script that we're excited to talk about soon", Russo Brother said. ## Apart from the direct sequel, Netflix is also developing the spinoff of the film that will explore a different element of The Gray Man universe. This untitled spinoff will be scribed by Deadpool writers Paul Wernick and Rhett Reese.## The Gray Man opened to poor critics' reviews as it currently sits at a 48% critic rating on Rotten Tomatoes, however, the audience score is excellent with 91%. Thanks to the positive response from the audience to the movie, which is the costliest Netflix film ever with a $200 million budget, the streamer is looking forward to partnering with Russo Brothers for more films.## "With The Gray Man, the Russos delivered an edge-of-your-seat spectacle that audiences around the world are loving", Netflix Head of Global Film Scott Stuber said. "We're excited to continue to partner with them and the team at AGBO as they build out The Gray Man universe".## Stay tuned...

1412 days ago

1.6K views