David Harbour Admits The Hellboy Reboot Had ‘Major Problems’

David Harbour Admits The Hellboy Reboot Had ‘Major Problems’

Dark Horse Comics character Hellboy finally returned to the big screen last month after over a decade away, only rather than being played by Ron Perlman again, Stranger Things’ David Harbour donned the red makeup and sawed-off horns for this reboot. While its predecessors were met with mostly positive critical reception, the new Hellboy movie earned a lot of negative reviews, and it also ended up being a box office bomb, making only $40 million worldwide off a $50 million budget.

It had been reported shortly before Hellboy’s release that there was behind-the-scenes drama during the production, and now David Harbour has admitted that the reboot had “major problems,” namely because it was dealing with the old ‘too many cooks in the kitchen’ problem. In Harbour’s words:

We did our best, but there's so many voices that go into these things and they're not always going to work out. I did what I could do and I feel proud of what I did, but ultimately I'm not in control of a lot of those things.

Making a movie is a complicated endeavor that requires a lot of people doing various tasks, but when it comes to planning out how said movie is supposed to unfold, having too many people piping in on what should happen can definitely cause issues. This wouldn’t be the first time a blockbuster, particularly a superhero movie, has dealt with such a problem, and going off David Harbour’s comment, this was the primary reason Hellboy failed to impress.

David Harbour didn’t provide specific details how how these “many voices” dragged Hellboy down, but in the previous report about the troubled production, it was said director Neil Marshall frequently clashed with producers Lawrence Gordon and Lloyd Levin, which “boiled over” when the producers replaced Marshall’s cinematographer. No official reasoning was provided on this firing, but it was apparently a “group decision” and not, as Marshall supposedly believed, a message that he wasn’t truly in charge.

Other issues that reportedly popped up during Hellboy included Lloyd Levin repeatedly interrupting Neil Marshall to give different directions, David Harbour walking off set numerous times after refusing to deliver extra takes Marshall wanted, multiple script re-writes and, perhaps most weirdly of all, disagreements over the design of a “surreal tree.” So yeah, even though Harbour didn’t comment on the full scope of Hellboy’s problems, clearly this wasn’t a smooth creative process.

That said, David Harbour also told Digital Spy and other outlets at MCM Comic-Con in London that he also thinks the movie was unfairly compared to the Marvel Cinematic Universe franchise. As he sees it, due to what Marvel has been delivering, moviegoers have been expecting a certain “flavor” with their superhero movies, like chocolate. Harbour continued:

So everybody goes chocolate is delicious and these guys make the best chocolate. So as you judge the movies, it's like, 'Well it's not as chocolatey as this, this does not taste like chocolate at all'. And I sort of want a world where there's more flavors than just comparisons to chocolate. So in that way when Hellboy is viewed on the chocolate spectrum, it does very poorly. That being said, it also has major problems.

David Harbour then said that if one were to watch Hellboy as a rental or while on an airplane, they’d think “Oh that was fun” because it is a fun movie, but ultimately, the reboot was “unfairly bludgeoned” because it was compared to Marvel’s offerings. Whether you agree with that sentiment or not, one thing is certain: Hellboy will not go down in film history as a well-received superhero movie. It ranks at just 16% on Rotten Tomatoes and earned a C grade on CinemaScore.

With critical reception like that, it’s extremely unlikely that Hellboy will get a sequel. Maybe it’s time to finally adapt the Mike Mignola-created property as a TV series? Regardless, this doesn’t mark the end of David Harbour’s comic book movie journey, as he’s lined up to appear in Black Widow. So even though Harbour felt that Hellboy shouldn’t have been judged the same way a MCU movie would be, he’ll soon get to leave his mark on that very franchise.

Let us know what you thought of Hellboy in the comments below, and for the David Harbour fans reading, you can see him reprising Chief Jim Hopper when Stranger Things Season 3 premiers on Netflix July 4. As for what is hitting theaters later this year, check out our 2019 release schedule.

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Avengers: Infinity War’s Writer Knows Captain America Didn’t Get Enough Lines

Avengers: Infinity War’s Writer Knows Captain America Didn’t Get Enough Lines

It's an extremely exciting time in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. After a long year of waiting and theorizing, Avengers: Endgame will arrive in theaters in a matter of days. While the MCU helped satiate the rabid fanbase with the releases of Ant-Man and The Wasp and Captain Marvel, all eyes are on what The Russo Brothers will do with the final installment in Phase Three. Especially with the OG Avengers coming to the end of their contracts.

The original members of the team all miraculously survived Thanos' snap of death (aka The Decimation), allowing the original actors to take larger roles in Avengers: Endgame. This includes Chris Evans' Captain America, who had a surprisingly small amount of dialogue in the last film. Writer Stephen McFeely recently spoke to Cap's lack of lines in Infinity War, saying:

When I was talking about [Infinity War], I very often said that sometimes we gave ourselves permission to tell more story for a character in Endgame than in Infinity War. Cap’s a great example. People counted Cap’s lines [in Infinity War] and he had like 20. So Cap steps forward, as you can probably tell, pretty dramatically in Endgame. And that’s because we knew some people had more interesting stories after [the Snap] than before it. Cap and Natasha are good examples of that. So I wouldn’t say we shortchange anybody [in Endgame], but part of the reason there are only [13] people on that poster was to go deeper with fewer.

While fans may have been concerned, it looks like Stephen McFeely and co-writer Christopher Markus had a very specific plans for the Earth's Mightiest Heroes in Infinity War and Endgame. So while some heroes may have gotten the short end of the stick in the last film, the scales will even out when Endgame arrives next week.

Stephen McFeely's comments to io9 are sure to make Captain America's many fans very happy. Chris Evans' signature Marvel character is one of the largest presences in the entire MCU, alongside Robert Downey Jr's Iron Man. As such, some moviegoers were disappointed when Cap wasn't that big of a character in Infinity War. He never got to reconnect with Tony, and mostly appeared in action sequences in Edinburgh and Wakanda.

Related: 5 Ways Avengers: Endgame Can Wrap Up Captain America’s Story

But that should change with Endgame, especially once Tony is somehow rescued from being stranded in space with Nebula. Fans have been waiting to see Cap and Iron Man address their differences since Civil War arrived in theaters back in 2016. The duo will have to put their differences behind them if they have a chance at beating Thanos and reversing the snap.

You can actually watch all of Steve Rogers' scenes in Infinity War below. They only add up to a few minutes of screen time.

Poor Cap. There were just too many characters in Avengers: Infinity War to give him the spotlight. But now that half the cast has faded to dust before our eyes, we should expect way more of the First Avenger once Endgame arrives in theaters to unite the survivors.

It should be interesting to see how Captain America's story is wrapped up with Avengers: Endgame. Fans have been theorizing that he might end up dying during the blockbuster, especially as Chris Evans reaches the end of his contract with the studio. Cap has already sacrificed himself for the greater good once, and it would be a full circle moment to see him do it all again.

Answers will come when Avengers: Endgame finally arrives in theaters on April 26th. In the meantime, fill out CinemaBlend's Endgame death pool, and our 2019 release list to plan your next trip to the movies.

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Avengers: Endgame Already Passed Titanic In Its Second Weekend, Only Avatar Remains

Avengers: Endgame Already Passed Titanic In Its Second Weekend, Only Avatar Remains

Well, that was quick! So much for "Never let go," eh, Titanic? Someone needs to get James Cameron on the horn to ask him about Avengers: Endgame. It took the Marvel Studios film just two weekends to topple one of JC's top-grossing films, with an eye on his other, the highest-grossing film of all time -- Avatar.

James Cameron may not care at all, it's not like he has anything left to prove. But wow! Avengers: Endgame just keeps topping expectations when the expectations were already high.

Endgame made over $1 billion in its first weekend at the worldwide box office, and it just topped over $2 billion for its second weekend. The current global tally is $2,188,698,638.

That just squeaked it past Titanic, which had a worldwide gross of $2,187,463,944. You're right, that's not adjusted for inflation. It's not comparing the exact number of tickets sold.

But it does move Avengers: Endgame up the list to dethrone Titanic as the #2 highest-grossing movie of all time. After two weekends. Only Avatar remains.

Avatar is well within reach now, despite naysayers. That doesn't mean it will be easy or happen next weekend. Don't bank on it -- unless you want to, since watching this play out in real time is pretty fun.

Avatar's worldwide gross is $2,787,965,087. That's the most total money a movie has ever made at the theatrical box office. As you can see, Endgame is still about $600 million behind Avatar. Definitely doable. When? Eh. I'll say by the end of May, but that could be off.

There's a lot of competition coming to the box office pretty soon, from Detective Pikachu and John Wick 3 to Godzilla: King of the Monsters and Toy Story 4.

There wasn't much competition at the box office this weekend, which is why Endgame's domestic tickets "only" dropped -59.2% from its massive opening, with a still crazy impressive per-screen average of $31,275.

I can feel people arguing that it's not fair to compare grosses without adjusting for inflation. If we do that, at least for domestic ticket prices, Gone with the Wind is number one, followed by the first Star Wars, then The Sound of Music, E.T., and then Titanic. You don't get to Avatar until #15 and Avengers: Endgame is currently at #74. But that's just domestic, and just so far for Endgame, per Box Office Mojo figures.

We ran a poll last weekend asking if Avengers: Endgame would pass Avatar. Most fans said yes, and I think that case just got stronger. So let's turn the conversation to when and how much for the total worldwide gross. Is $3 billion in the cards? You tell me how much, and when.

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Toy Story 4 Is Adding Some Comedy Legends

Toy Story 4 Is Adding Some Comedy Legends

Toy Story 4 already had a stacked cast, from Tom Hanks and Tim Allen obviously reprising Woody and Buzz Lightyear, respectively, to newcomers like Keanu Reeves and Christina Hendricks jumping in as new toys the main characters meet during their latest adventure. But with less than two weeks to go until Toy Story 4 hits theaters, it’s been revealed that comedy icons Mel Brooks, Betty White, Carl Reiner and Carol Burnett will also be lending their talents to the latest Pixar movie.

So how are these legends participating in Toy Story 4? Well, as it most often the case with this franchise, they’ll be voicing toys, specifically ones belonging to Bonnie, just like Woody, Buzz and the gang. However, in the case of this quartet, while they were Bonnie’s favorite toys when she was a baby, as the girl’s gotten older, they’ve fallen out of favor, which is what’s happened to Woody at the start of the movie.

These already sound like worthwhile characters to bring in, but what makes them even better is their punny names. Mel Brooks is voicing a blue elephant named Melephant Brooks, Betty White is voicing an orange tiger named Bitey White, Carl Reiner is voicing a pink rhino named Carl Reineroceros and Carol Burnett is voicing a green chair named Chairol Burnett. All these toys also have a “natural personality” fitting the actor voicing them.

Here’s what director Josh Cooley told USA Today how these characters fit into Toy Story 4:

They’ve done their job and are just kind of waiting around for what happens next. And now that Woody's in there, they're accepting him into their circle and he's already pushing against that. Sometimes toys fall in and out of favor. I look at my own kid and stuff that was the favorite toy yesterday is now in the closet. We wanted to show that Woody's new life in this bedroom is not exactly what he thought it was going to be.

Josh Cooley also mentioned that he recorded Mel Brooks and Carl Reiner’s lines while the two longtime friends were together in Reiner’s living room, which the director described as “so surreal and so awesome.” He added that Brooks and Reiner did an excellent job riffing off each other, and Brooks humorously reminded Cooley that he’s directed films too.

Toy Story 3 explored people outgrowing their toys with Andy having left his playthings in the toy chest years earlier and him going to college marking his first steps into adulthood. Now, through Mel Brooks, Betty White, Carl Reiner and Carol Burnett’s characters, Toy Story 4 offers a look at the toys we leave behind even as we’re still young and our tastes change.

Since it looks like Toy Story 4 could be the last film entry in this franchise, it’s great to hear that all four of these comedy talents were able to lend their voices to it, though we’ll have to wait and see how much screen time they have. It’s also worth mentioning that Mel Brooks was good friends with Don Rickles, who passed away in 2017, but will still be heard as Mr. Potato Head in Toy Story 4 thanks to archival audio.

Toy Story 4 opens on June 14, so keep checking back with CinemaBlend for more coverage. Don’t forget to also visit our 2019 release schedule to find out what other movies come out later this year.

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Bob Iger Explains Why Disney Ultimately Decided To Buy Fox

Bob Iger Explains Why Disney Ultimately Decided To Buy Fox

The entertainment world was in awe when it was revealed that the Walt Disney Company had been in talks to purchase 21st Century Fox from Rupert Murdoch's Fox Corporation. The awe turned to shock when the deal was done and Disney spent $71 billion to purchase the film studio and cable channels from the media company. The deal has changed the media landscape forever, but Bob Iger admits it likely would not have happened if the media landscape were not already changing, as the decision to buy Fox was entirely because of Disney's plans to launch its own streaming service.

Last week the Walt Disney Company held a grand unveiling event to show the public Disney+, the new streaming service that is set to launch in November. Included in the service will be content from National Geographic as well as many other Fox properties like The Simpsons. All this content will certainly make Disney+ a more attractive service and Disney CEO Bob Iger admits that the content was the reason Disney bought Fox. According to Iger...

We would not have done that transaction had we not decided to go in this direction. Because — if we hadn’t, we would have been looking at that business and through a traditional lens: ‘Oh, we’re buying TV channels. We’re buying more movie-making capability, et cetera.’

While buying more TV channels and movie making capability certainly has its benefit, it's not like Disney is a company in need of such things. The company's movie making arm is basically making all the money these days thanks to Marvel and Star Wars and almost every other film the studio releases. Making more money from other avenues would certainly be important, but it would take a long time for those avenues to make back the $71 billion purchase price.

However, when you add in that all of that content from those cable channels and movies will also be appearing on the new Disney+ streaming service and potentially attracting new viewers, the price begins to be paid back that much faster with every new subscription to the service. Iger tells CNBC "the light bulb went off" when it came to realizing what the Fox library could mean to the service.

When Disney revealed new Disney+ details last week National Geographic was given as prominent a place as Pixar when it came to announcing what would be available for the service. In fact, one of the original shows being produced for the service by National Geographic will follow those that take care of animals at the Disney theme parks, marking one of the first direct collaborations between Disney and a former Fox property since the acquisition.

Content is king in the streaming game and so the more Disney+ has to offer, the more subscribers it will be able to entice. The $6.99 per month price point won't hurt either.

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Avengers: Endgame Passes The Force Awakens As Fandango’s Biggest Pre-Seller

Avengers: Endgame Passes The Force Awakens As Fandango’s Biggest Pre-Seller

Despite the fact that it's only coming out this weekend, Joe and Anthony Russo's Avengers: Endgame has been breaking box office records for weeks now. It started about a month ago when tickets first went on sale, as it set the new high bar for most pre-sale tickets sold in a single day (overloading ticket purchase websites in the process), and just a couple weeks ago Atom Tickets reported that it was officially their best pre-seller of all time.

Now Fandango is saying that the Marvel Studios blockbuster has set a new record on their site as well, as Avengers: Endgame has officially sold more pre-release tickets than the previous #1, J.J. Abrams' Star Wars: The Force Awakens.

According to the company, more than 8,000 showtimes have been sold out across the United States, and theaters are being forced to add more and more showtimes in order to keep up with demand. The pace at which tickets have been selling for the film is extraordinary, as the blockbuster apparently sold five times as many tickets in its first week than the number of passes that were sold for Avengers: Infinity War this time last year.

Fandango has posted their new Top 5 rankings following this news, and you'll notice that it's entirely dominated by the world's two biggest franchises:

1. “Avengers: Endgame” (2019)

2. “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” (2015)

3. “Star Wars: The Last Jedi” (2017)

4. “Avengers: Infinity War” (2018)

5. “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story” (2016)

The big question that is still lingering is exactly how well Avengers: Endgame will be able to do in its opening weekend, and if it will be able to surpass the massive numbers that were generated by the last Avengers movie. Avengers: Infinity War was a crazy success when it was released in April 2018, not only setting a new high water mark for a domestic release in its first three days ($257.7 million), but also the same record internationally ($640.5 million). It also currently stands as the movie that took the least amount of time to hit $1 billion globally, successfully making that much money in just 11 days, and it's also the highest grossing superhero release of all time, with a total of $2.048 billion.

But just how well can Avengers: Endgame really do? After all, there are only so many theaters that can show the film, and only so much time in the day to host screenings. One important factor that must be considered is the fact that it's more than three hours long, which will ultimately effect the number of times that it can be shown in a single 24 hour period. There are many prognosticators out there wondering if a $300 million domestic release is on the table, but it might not actually be possible. It's presumably a math equation that we'll get the answer to this weekend.

Regardless, what isn't in question is that Avengers: Endgame is going to be a massive success this weekend - and we'll be following its progress very closely here on CinemaBlend.

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Is Shazam! OK For Kids?

Is Shazam! OK For Kids?

The following contains some minor SPOILERS for Shazam!

For a long time, comic books were viewed as a medium geared toward kids, but the movies based on them certainly have not been. While most aren’t as mature as Deadpool or Logan, you probably still don’t want to take really little ones to watch their favorite heroes turn to dust in Avengers: Infinity War. That was mentally scarring even for some of the grown-ups.

Part of the appeal of Shazam! as a character is that the hero is actually a young kid who gains superpowers. Even when Shazam looks like Zachary Levi, he's still mentally the same kid. You might think that this means the movie is more accessible for younger children than some of the other recent films of the genre, and while that’s largely true, there are a few elements that parents are going to want to be aware of before taking kids to see this one.

Shazam! is absolutely a movie that many kids can enjoy and it will probably work for a wider cross section of the younger audience than most superhero movies. However, the important distinction is that while Shazam! is largely going to be ok for kids, if you have the impression that Shazam! is for kids, we should clear that up right now.

As with every superhero movie, there is a lot of action that comes from the hero. Shazam and the villain Doctor Sivana fight each other in multiple bombastic, over-the-top sequences. While bodies go through walls and get hit by cars, the action is almost entirely bloodless, as is standard for PG-13 superhero movies. Shazam gets a bit of blood around his nose after being punched in the face by the supervillain, as a way to show the bad guy is actually capable of hurting the otherwise invulnerable hero.

However, while a lot of the action is what you're likely familiar with, the movie isn't without darker, and potentially scarier, elements. The film actually opens with a fairly visceral car wreck. One of the passengers is shown to be seriously injured and their ultimate fate isn't revealed until later in the movie.

In addition, Mark Strong’s villain Doctor Sivana works alongside physical manifestations of the Seven Deadly Sins. They are represented as a collection of monstrous creatures with demonic faces. Young children might be truly terrified by these monsters. The recent character Venom comes to mind as a comparison, probably because one of the monsters has an incredibly long tongue that's meant to creep you out, and many of the creatures have some disturbing teeth as well. This image isn't quite what you get from the Sins, but it's close. If the picture below is too disturbing for your child, then a few parts of Shazam! might be as well.

However, beyond what the creatures look like, what they do is equally disturbing, The Sins kill an entire conference room full of people at one point. One victim is thrown from a window dozens of stories in the air, and we watch the body go falling out of sight. We see several others get killed by the creatures from the other side of a translucent wall. Their bodes are thrown up against the wall and we hear them screaming. Again, there's no blood, but what's happening to them is being made perfectly clear.

I’m not sure if the way we see these characters die is inherently any more violent than characters in other superhero movies, but the juxtaposition feels far greater because so much of the rest of the film is silly fun. These potentially scary moments feel that much more violent because you didn't see them coming. I could certainly see some kids hiding their faces to avoid seeing some of this. Shazam! director David F. Sandberg compares the scares and the violence to the original Jurassic Park, and that's probably a fair comparison. If the viewer can handle watching a dinosaur eat somebody, as well as the tension of velociraptors stalking children, then they can handle Shazam!'s darker moments.

Beyond the violence, there are a few other elements parents should be aware of. Shazam! is a funny movie, and while most of the humor is perfect for kids, some of that humor, as is often the case with young teenagers, is sexual in nature. During the sequence when Billy Batson is first testing his grown-up body, he uses his new adult look to get by the doorman at a strip club. He comes out with chicken wings, but all his friend Freddy wants to know is what he saw inside. The same location makes a second appearance later in the film as well and several kids end up inside the club. The camera never goes inside the building either time, so we never see anything, but references to what can be seen are certainly made. Freddy takes his time exiting in the latter sequence. Somehow he ended up with some glitter on his face.

Another scene played for laughs sees our two main characters purchase beer at a convenient store, since Zachary Levi clearly looks older than 21. For what it’s worth, both characters take one sip of the beer, spit it out because they think it tastes awful and go back to buy soda, energy drinks and junk food.

Finally, we have the question of language. As a PG-13 movie, Shazam! is allowed to use profanity in a limited fashion and it certainly does. A few characters do use profanity but it is primarily, if not entirely, the adult characters (I don't recall hearing the teen or child characters using words they should not), who tend to use it to punctuate lines of dialogue at highly emotional moments. The movie never uses any F-bombs, although one minor character does break into a profanity laced diatribe near the end of the movie that clearly would include the F-word if you could hear it. Because the scene takes place as part of a television news broadcast inside the movie, everything gets bleeped.

Everybody's kids are different, and so how much any of these issues are actually problems will certainly not be the same across the board. Still, it's best to go in knowing what you're going to get.

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Explaining John Wick, The Continental, And The Rules The Assassins Follow

Explaining John Wick, The Continental, And The Rules The Assassins Follow

Last weekend, action fans flooded movie theaters to check out John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum, the latest adventure of Keanu Reeve's increasingly iconic, deadpan, dog-loving assassin. The John Wick films are known for incredibly slick choreography and memorable action sequences, but one thing that never gets much attention is the surprisingly complex mythology. John Wick may go around tallying up head shots left and right, but even he has a strict set of rules that he needs to follow.

Obviously the main draw for a John Wick movie is action over the story, but the films place such emphasis on the hitman's world that it's tough to ignore. There's a unique mythology at play here, as John Wick's word is populated by secret clubs, assassin hotels and a whole network of goods and services purely for people of the underworld.

Each film expands the lore, but it doesn't give any real explanation. It lets the audience try to figure it out before moving right into the next action scene.

It can be kind of confusing, but that's where we come in! John Wick likes to throw a lot of seemingly random rules at you, but when you piece them all together, it starts to make some sense. Here are some of the most important aspects of John Wick's underworld and how it works.

The Baba Yaga

It makes sense to start right at the beginning with the man himself. John Wick's backstory is never really brought up in detail, though Parabellum tries to shed some light on the subject.

While the movie doesn't spend a lot of time explaining, it's implied that John Wick was raised by Angelica Houston's The Director, the leader of the Ruska Roma. In addition to teaching ballet, she apparently trains orphans to become assassins, and John Wick (whose real name is Jardani Jovonovich) eventually became her most successful student.

Basically, John was one of the greatest assassins who ever lived. He was so deadly that he earned the nickname Baba Yaga, which means The Boogeyman. John Wick spends an unknown amount of years racking up the kill count, building his reputation, and meeting a ton people.

The movies make it seem like basically every assassin knows who John Wick is. However, one day he falls in love with a woman named Helen and decides to get out of the life, something that is implied to be very hard to do and no one has ever done.

Apparently, you can't just leave the underworld, so John had to undergo an "impossible task" to earn his freedom. We don't know what he did, but it involved killing a lot of people. He succeeded and left his old life behind to start a new one with Helen. It didn't last long however, and that's where the first John Wick begins.

Assassins Have Unbreakable Vows

In John Wick: Chapter 2, we learn that John didn't complete his impossible task on his own. He needed help from an Italian crime lord named Santino D'Antonio. In order to secure this help, John offered his marker, which is the underworld's version of an unbreakable vow from Harry Potter.

The marker is essentially an amulet with a bloody fingerprint inside. If someone gives their amulet away for a favor, it means that they are making a blood oath to do any task the person asks of them in the future. If someone like John Wick gives away his marker, then that means you basically have the world's greatest assassin in your pocket for one favor.

If you give away your marker, then the debt must be honored. You have to do whatever it is that the person asks. The assassin world takes this very seriously, and it's one of the only two unbreakable rules. John Wick tried to break it and his house was burned to the ground as a result.

The Continental

One of the major locations of the John Wick films is the Continental, and it's more than just a fancy New York City hotel. The building caters exclusively to assassins and all its amenities are geared toward their specific purposes. For example, instead of recommending a nice restaurant, the concierge will point you to the secret backdoor of your target's safe house.

The Continental is a branch of worldwide hotels, and each one is run by a manager. Ian McShane's Winston runs the New York location, Halle Berry's Sophia is in charge of the Casablanca Continental and Julius looks after the Rome Continental. It's implied that each Continental offers the same services and follows the same guidelines, but the day-to-day stuff depends on the manager.

The most important thing about the Continental is that absolutely no business can be conducted on hotel grounds. In other words, no assassin is allowed to kill another assassin inside the hotel. It's the No. 1 rule of the underworld, and if broken, it's punishable by death or being labeled as "excommunicado."

That means that the assassin loses all access and privileges to the Continental's underworld resources. That's a major setback for any professional hitman, but it becomes a real headache if they have an open contract on their head. John Wick dealt with that exact scenario after he killed Santino in the Continental, as the High Table doubled the contract that was already out on him.

The Goods And Services

The life of a professional killer is dangerous and there are a number of resources scattered around the world to help assassins. For instance, a seemingly ordinary doctor's office can be a late night emergency room for a quick patch up if a mission goes wrong. Or you can visit a historian and get old blueprints or maps to find secret pathways to a seemingly impenetrable fortress. Even taxi drivers are in on it.

Assassins can also find the best guns and ammunition to fit their specific needs. There are also tailors who will custom make bullet proof suits to help protect the killers who still want to look damn good. All of these services are pretty much hidden right in the open, but a well-connected assassin knows the best spots.

All of these services don't come free. The underworld has its own special form of currency in the form of gold coins. If an assassin kills their mark, they get rewarded with coins, which can then be spent at the Continental or any other underworld establishment. A skilled assassin like John Wick will tally up enough coins to save for emergencies and keep secret stashes in convenient places.

The High Table

All these rules had to come from somewhere, and in the underworld, the High Table is the highest authority. Not much is known about the group, but they are a council of crime lords who oversee all the wheeling and dealings. They set the rules and if anyone breaks them, then they decide the punishment through an agent called The Adjudicator.

Basically everyone in the underworld works for the High Table in some form or they are at least expected to serve when called. For example, the Continentals all answer to the Table.

The only person that we know of who is ahead of the High Table is the Elder, who lives out in the middle of dessert and does... something. His job is pretty unclear, but he's the only one who can reverse a decision made by the Table. Only a few people know who he is or how to find him.

We don't know the identity of anyone currently on the High Table, how many members there are or what their origins are. However, they seem to be fairly disliked by the people who have to answer to them, and John Wick is especially not a fan by this point. The High Table essentially marked him for death, and he's been a frequent source of trouble.

It's not every day that an action franchise comes along that tries to build its own unique world. The star of John Wick is unquestionably the action, but part of the reason that these movies are so popular is that it's a cool world. Nothing is every really explained and literally everyone seems to know who John Wick is, but that does help to make the world feel lived in.

At the end of the day, you don't want your action movie to spend five minutes explaining the bureaucracy of the hitman's job when you could be watching a sword fight on motorcycles. However, it's still fun to piece it all together once the gunfire dies down.

The John Wick franchise will continue with the release of Chapter 4 on May 21, 2021.

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Elizabeth Moss Replaces Johnny Depp In The Invisible Man

Elizabeth Moss Replaces Johnny Depp In The Invisible Man

Although Universal’s Dark Universe franchise is no longer focusing on interconnectivity between its movies following the underwhelming performance of The Mummy in 2017, some of its announced projects are still moving forward. The Invisible Man is one of them, only rather than Johnny Depp playing the lead as previously announced, that role will now be filled by The Handmaid’s Tale star Elisabeth Moss.

Back in January, at the same time it was announced that future Dark Universe movies would be standalone stories, it was revealed that Johnny Depp, who had been attached to The Invisible Man since 2016, would no longer appear in the movie, although he could still appear in a different Dark Universe project down the line. A little over a month later, it was reported that Elisabeth Moss was being eyed to take over the leading role.

Now EW has confirmed that the actress, also well known for her time on Mad Men, has officially boarded The Invisible Man, which Jason Blum is producing through his Blumhouse Productions company. This will be Moss’ second Blumhouse picture, as she recently starred in Jordan Peele’s Us, which has been met with critical acclaim and made over $220 million worldwide so far.

It’s also important to mention that this isn’t a case where Elisabeth Moss will lead a movie that was originally intended for Johnny Depp. The current version of The Invisible Man is being written and directed by Upgrade and Insidious: Chapter 3’s Leigh Whannell, so he’s crafting a brand new story that Moss will star in. Whether that means the title will be changed to The Invisible Woman (assuming she’s the one pulling off the disappearing act) or something else remains to be seen.

It was clarified in January that just because The Invisible Man was being retooled didn’t necessarily mean it would be the next Dark Universe movie to be released. However, the fact that Elisabeth Moss has officially been cast just a month after her name was mentioned for the project could indicate Universal is pushing towards getting The Invisible Man off the ground sooner rather than later.

Originally a novel penned by The Time Machine author H.G. Wells, The Invisible Man was first adapted as a movie in 1933, with Claude Rains playing the eponymous role. Although the Invisible Man (a moniker adopted by several individuals) would be a recurring antagonist in the golden age of Universal Monsters, the character hasn’t been the star of his own movie in recent decades, although one named Rodney Skinner did appear in 2003’s The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen.

As for Elisabeth Moss, along with the previously mentioned projects, her credits include The West Wing, Top of the Lake, Get Him to the Greek and The Old Man & The Gun. Along with reprising Offred in The Handmaid’s Tale Season 3 this June, she can be seen later this year in The Kitchen and Shirley.

The Invisible Man doesn’t have an assigned release date yet, but production will take place in Australia. We here at CinemaBlend will keep you updated on how the project is coming along as more news comes in, but for now, head to our 2019 release schedule to plan your trips to the theater later this year accordingly.

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New Shazam! Clip Shows Billy Figuring Out How To Transform

New Shazam! Clip Shows Billy Figuring Out How To Transform

Coming off the discovery of the MCU’s introduction of the little-known origin story of Carol Danvers earlier this month, moviegoers will soon discover 14-year-old Billy Batson’s fantastic abilities when he becomes Shazam! next weekend. What looks to be especially fun about DC’s next entry is audiences will get to learn of the superhero’s powers as he does and through the eyes of two teenage boys.

More early looks of Shazam! have been making its way to us in anticipation for the upcoming release, including this new clip teasing how Billy Batson’s transformation into an adult superhero works. Check it out:

The minute snippet from the film seems to take place shortly after Billy Batson (Asher Angel) becomes Shazam (Zachary Levi) for the first time, and is sneaking back into his foster home with Freddy (Jack Dylan Grazer) in the evening, hoping to go unnoticed. One of his foster sisters Darla, played by Faithe Herman (who This Is Us fans may notice as Annie Pearson) sees the superhero’s flashy costume and is about to react before Shazam! covers her mouth.

Shazam then attempts to explain to Darla of the unbelievable circumstances. He’s Billy and a wizard approached him and made him look like … well Zachary Levi in a muscly red and yellow suit. He says the word “shazam” again, which is what made him a superhero in the first place and he is turned back to his teenage self much to his surprise.

It’s a fun explainer about how Billy will learn of one of his many abilities and means he will most definitely be able to switch in and out of his alter ego throughout the film. With little Darla in on the secret, I can see the movie having some funny moments with her where she tries to keep the secret but lets things slip, since she said she’s “moderate” at keeping them.

As other early looks of Shazam! Have shown, Billy and Freddy will also learn about Shazam’s ability of flight, super strength, super speed, invulnerability and power to summon lightning in some hilarious ways that will get them geeking out – a fun change of pace from the typical hero unphased by the amazing things they can do.

While most fans will have to wait a little longer to see Shazam! in theaters, early critical reactions have been glowing: CinemaBlend’s own Sean O’Connell gave the film a delightful 4 out of 5 stars. Preview screenings also made a splash with $3.3 million in earnings, beating out Aquaman’s preview numbers.

Shazam! seems to be doing a successful job of peaking the interest of fans and we can’t wait to see the pair of foster kids learn the scope of the superhero’s fun scope of abilities and take on the film’s villian Dr. Sivana (Mark Strong) when the film hits theaters on April 5.

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Toy Story 4 Producer Teases Woody Will Be Changed Big Time

Toy Story 4 Producer Teases Woody Will Be Changed Big Time

The journey of the first three Toy Story movies has certainly been emotional for the audience that has been along for the ride, but it's also been quite the journey for the characters as well. It's also one that's not quite over yet for Woody the cowboy. In the end, the Toy Story movies have really been all about Woody's journey. He's gone through major changes in the previous films, and now it looks like the biggest change of all may be coming in Toy Story 4.

While many have felt that Toy Story ended perfectly with its trilogy, the fact is that, for Woody, the third film ended with the biggest change yet to the character's life. He now has a completely different owner. It's all part of the larger story of change in Woody's life. As Toy Story 4 producer Jonas Rivera puts it...

All of these movies are about how Woody changes: From going selfish to selfless in the first one, the second one is him understanding that things don’t last forever. The third one is about letting go. These are big changes.

With such massive changes having taken place already, what could Toy Story 4 possibly add to the story? While Rivera isn't going into too many specifics, he tells THR that the return of Bo Peep into Woody's life will be the catalyst for another major change...

We thought, if we’re going to do this, we need to think about, ‘What is the biggest change?’ What if [his relationship with Bo] was the thing that really changed him?

Bo Peep disappeared after Toy Story 2, and was only briefly referenced in the third film. It's not made clear where she went or why, though those details have been revealed through footage in the new movie that was shown at CinemaCon. We know that Bo Peep had a very close relationship with Woody, so it's not surprising that her return would be important to him, but she's clearly been leading a very different life than he has these past several years, and that will seemingly influence Woody in some way.

Bo Peep was never a major part of the Toy Story films, even the ones that she was in. While the relationship between her and Woody was made clear, we'll certainly get a much stronger look at her as a character in Toy Story 4 than we ever have before. We've already seen in trailers that her life away has caused her to go through major changes, it's likely these changes which will then have an impact on Woody.

We also know that Woody won't start the story in quite the same place that we might expect. While the toys now have a new child as their owner, it doesn't mean that everything has simply returned to the status quo. As Jonas Rivera told me when I visited Pixar last month.

What that was, was just that idea of like, what if you took Woody, and [had] gone through everything that he’s done, tracked it, and he’s always landed on his feet. He literally gets a second chance. What if we could dramatize something about that second chance and show that it wasn’t the same, he’s didn’t land in the same spot. It is different. It is upending his life in ways he hasn’t experienced before.

I described my impression of Toy Story 4 to the director Josh Cooley as Woody's mid-life crisis story. It looks he will be dealing with some really conflicting emotions and begin to really consider what his life is all about. What is his true purpose as a toy and what does that mean, not only for the children, but for him personally.

Josh Cooley told me that Woody is suffering from something of an "empty nest" feeling. While Woody may be nothing more than a toy that Andy played with, in the context of the story his relationship to the boy is actually more like that of a parent. Having successfully protected and cared for Andy to the point where he moved away, Woody is now wondering what to do with the rest of his life, a life which, as far as we know, is essentially forever.

One thing that does seem quite clear is that Toy Story 3 certainly wasn't the ending that many of us thought it was. While it wrapped up Andy's story nicely, the movies were never about him. They were always about Woody. The next chapter actually makes Woody's story more interesting because so much in his life has already changed.

As somebody who likes, but doesn't love, the Toy Story franchise, I may be more excited for a fourth film than some, as I don't feel any sort of need to close the story down after a trilogy. As the Toy Story films have grown, they've matured with their audience. And now that the fans that fell in love with the first story as children may have children of their own, the new film looks to be telling a story very much geared toward the adults in the audience.

Not that there won't be plenty for younger viewers as well. Toy Story 4 is still looking like it's going to be a very funny movie, with new characters like Ducky, Bunny, and Forky that kids will almost certainly love. It's also got a plot outside of the serious grown-up themes, involving a villainous dolly named Gabby Gabby. Even if the kids don't "get" the broader themes for years, they'll likely still love this one.

Of course, when people change, those changes effect others, and one question nobody has asked is what Toy Story 4 means for other characters. Woody's best friend Buzz Lightyear will almost certainly have a part to play in what happens to Woody in this new film, but we've seen very little, beyond, some gags, of him in the trailers. One can only assume a major change to Woody will have repercussions.

All these questions will be answered soon. Toy Story 4 will be here before we know it, it's only a month away, debuting June 21.

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Check Out Jumanji 3’s Main Cast Assembled For Action

Check Out Jumanji 3’s Main Cast Assembled For Action

Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle was a surprise hit when it came out back in 2017. It put up the sort of box office numbers that virtually guarantees a sequel is going to get made. That movie is now in production and co-star Karen Gillan shared a new look at herself along with her three main co-stars. Along with the image comes a bit of rhyming verse that sets an ominous tone for Jumanji 3.

The rhyming verse is a standard part of the Jumanji movies, so it fits perfectly with the picture that brings Karen Gillan, Dwayne Johnson, Jack Black and Kevin Hart together again. In Welcome to the Jungle they played the four video game avatars that were inhabited by four teenagers. While those teens took steps to ensure nobody would play the Jumanji game again, it seems that the effort was in vain.

Of course, one has to wonder exactly what Karen Gillan means by saying "some things aren't as they seem." She's implying that there's something about the team that is not as it seems, though there's nothing about any of them that stands out. They certainly look like the same characters they were last time.

Of course there are a number of reasons things could be slightly different this time around. We know that the same group of kids who controlled the Jumanji avatars will be back in major roles. Of course, that doesn't necessarily mean they'll be the ones playing the game. We could see all new players who would in turn give these four characters entirely new personalities.

Alternatively, and probably more likely, we could see the same four kids switch around who is playing as which avatar. This means that we could see very different performances from these four characters. Each pairing in Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle was about matching each teen with a particular insecurity they had, but by the end of the story, they appeared to have overcome those issues. This may free them up to pick a new character and potentially explore a new story by doing so.

We'll likely have to wait and see, at least until the first trailer, to get an idea of how Jumanji 3, which probably won't be called that, will differentiate itself from the previous film. It may be some time before we see much, however. The movie is only filming now and plans to hit screens in December, which is a remarkably fast turn around for a film of its size. There may not be that much time between getting digital effects completed in post-production, and the film's release, making the window for a trailer a small one.

Still, based on the success of the last movie, marketing is the least of the concerns for the new Jumanji. There's a fan base looking forward to this sequel that will only need to wait until this holiday season.

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Captain Marvel Fan Watches Film 116 Times To Break World Record

Captain Marvel Fan Watches Film 116 Times To Break World Record

A Wisconsin chiropractor has been workin' like a Flerken to watch Captain Marvel over and over in local theaters to break the Guinness World Record.

Steve Ruppel "only" had to watch the MCU movie 104 times to break the current record for most times seeing the same movie in the theater, but he went for 116 times to try and make sure he'll keep the record for a while.

To be official, I have to have certain pictures taken, like in front of a movie poster, and I need to have two written witness statements saying that I was actually there. So I'm trying to think, if anyone wanted to break this, I really don't want to re-break it. Cause this has been pretty tough. It's been a finite amount of time, but I don't think I'm going to try this one again.

Can you imagine? The person with the previous record must be seething with Seinfeld/Newman resentment that this guy swooped in and stole his superheroic title.

Steve Ruppel told his local WSAW news the most he's ever seen is seven showings in one day. So far, his 116 viewings total 14,268 minutes of Captain Marvel footage:

The amount of time that it takes, I've had to take time off work, I would take long lunch breaks to accommodate watching an entire movie in that particular time frame. And then just time on the weekends where I'm not doing other things.

So the big question: Why? For the love of Goose, why do this?

I thought it was the most insane thing ever, I thought it was impossible. I wasn't even sure why it was even a record, but I thought after a while 'I should probably do that.'

This is not Steve Ruppel's first Guinness World Record. Apparently he has made it a hobby to break records, and this is his fifth -- the Wisconsin news reports one of his previous four included running a half marathon wearing the most amount of t-shirts.

So it's not like he's just such a massive Captain Marvel superfan he HAD to see Carol Danvers (Brie Larson) and Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) on screen 116 times. However, he did add that he picked this movie because he loves superhero films and figured it would be a good fit to break this particular record, since he knew Captain Marvel would be playing in theaters for a while. If you're wondering why he didn't pick a movie under two hours, well...

Looking back on it now, I might almost consider a Disney movie, because they're usually shorter and probably around for a while, but that singing would drive me crazy. It really would.

Watching the same movie 116 times in a theater would drive me crazy. I'm still amazed that he had the time and money to do that. Good for him, I guess? Marvel Studios should send him a thank you card for contributing to all of the money Captain Marvel has made at this point, over $1 billion and counting.

He probably didn't wait to try to break the record with Avengers: Endgame viewings because that movie is over three hours long and many other MCU fans will surely watch that hundreds of times.

Clearly, Steve Ruppel is prepared for Carol Danvers' role in what's to come, since he must have everything she said and did memorized by now. How about you? Are you ready for Endgame? It opens in theaters this Friday, April 26. Be careful of spoilers, since even more may come out in the days leading up to the opening. Here's what else is headed to theaters in 2019.

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Why Patty Jenkins Is Now Frustrated By Wonder Woman 1984's Release Date Change

Why Patty Jenkins Is Now Frustrated By Wonder Woman 1984's Release Date Change

Be careful what you wish for! DC's Wonder Woman follow-up, Wonder Woman 1984, was originally set to come out this November 1. That was pushed back to June 5, 2020 -- which is exactly what director Patty Jenkins wanted. Then. Now? She wants her ex back.

I can't wait! I can't believe -- it's so funny, for all the entire time that we were making the movie, I was lobbying. They were wanting to move it up much earlier. And I was like 'You guys, it’s got to be the summer of 2020, like it’s got to be!' And that was what I always wanted. And now, I’ve just screened a version of the film and I’m like 'Oh my God, can we move it back up again?' I’m dying to release this film! But of course it's good and it's fine, but it's frustrating to have to wait.

So Patty Jenkins is now frustrated, but in a good way because she doesn't want to have to wait for the movie to hit theaters. It sounds like this early screening went well, which is great news. If only Wonder Woman could find a way to sneak into the June 2019 schedule.

When the word first came down that Wonder Woman 1984 was pushed back seven months, there was concern that there were production issues or other problems behind-the-scenes. Instead, Wonder Woman herself, Gal Gadot, tweeted excitement that they were able to move the Wonder Woman sequel "back to its rightful home" in June 2020, three years after the June 2017 release of Wonder Woman.

Patty Jenkins also expressed excitement, at the time, about the new June 2020 release. But now that production is in the rear-view mirror she's understandably eager to just get the movie out in front of the audience.

Check out her excitement in the new interview clip:

One of Wonder Woman 1984's producers, Charles Roven, previously explained the film's delay from the vantage point of Warner Bros. and the production schedule:

We always wanted the date that we are on right now. The studio felt that until their slate for the year before came together -- and they had an amazing end of 2018 -- that they needed to have a big what I call aircraft carrier, a ‘tentpole’, in [2019]. We had a very rushed pre-production because Patty also did the TNT show and we had a very rushed post-production schedule in order to make the date that we were on, which was November 1, 2019. We were doing it because the studio said they really needed it, and then at a certain point they came to us and they said, ‘You know what, you guys are right. Let’s go back to the month that you guys released Wonder Woman 1 in, and take the extra time.’

Gal Gadot wrapped her role in Wonder Woman 1984 back at the end of December 2018, gushing over her fantastic experience making the movie. That month, DC got its first billion dollar baby in star Jason Momoa's Aquaman. In April, Gal Gadot congratulated the DCEU's newest recruit, Zachary Levi, on the (more modest, but still) success of Shazam! at the box office.

Wonder Woman 1984 will be set in the 1980s, bringing back not only Gal Gadot as Diana Prince, but also Chris Pine as Steve Trevor, Connie Nielsen as Hippolyta, and Robin Wright as Antiope. Newcomers include Kristen Wiig as Barbara Ann Minerva/Cheetah and Pedro Pascal's as-yet-unnamed mystery character.

Next up for the DCEU is Birds of Prey, which is coming out February 7, 2020. Then Wonder Woman 1984 will arrive on June 5, 2020 ... unless Warner Bros. decides to move the release date. Keep up with the 2019 release dates with our handy guide.

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When Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 3 Might Open

When Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 3 Might Open

In an absolutely shocking move, Disney yesterday rehired James Gunn as the director of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. Gunn was fired from his position last year after poor-taste decade-old social media posts resurfaced. Fans, filmmakers, and actors voiced their displeasure over the decision at the time. Now, Gunn is back in the director's chair, but this does raise some questions about when Vol. 3 will hit theaters.

By our calculations, it's possible that Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 won't arrive in theaters until 2023, due to James Gunn's new commitment to DC and The Suicide Squad.

After James Gunn was let go by Disney, it wasn't that long until Warner Bros. scooped him up to write and direct the Suicide Squad reboot. It was a big story at the time that one of Marvel's most prominent directors made the jump to DC. Even though Gunn is back with Marvel, his Suicide Squad movie is reportedly still on, and Marvel is willing to wait for Gunn to wrap that project to finally move forward with Vol. 3.

The Suicide Squad is currently expected to begin filming this fall with a release date set for August 2021. That means Gunn probably won't be able to start production for Vol. 3 until either late 2021 or early 2022. Marvel's normal production schedule usually takes about one year, so that puts Vol. 3 in theaters by 2023 -- six years after the release of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2.

Thankfully, there may already be some shortcuts Vol. 3 can take. James Gunn had already finished the script before he was fired. There are no doubt some rewrites and tweaks still left to be done, but at least there's a complete draft of the screenplay.

Of course, this is all assuming that The Suicide Squad keeps its release date and shooting schedule. Whether or not that gets pushed backward or forward really impacts what Vol. 3 will do and how much focus James Gunn can devote to it.

As of now, Marvel doesn't have any films slated to release in 2023. It has three films slated for 2022, but it's unclear which of its in-development projects will be attached to the dates. The other films that Marvel has in the pipeline are Black Widow, The Eternals, Shang-Chi, Black Panther 2, Doctor Strange 2, and the inevitable but still unannounced Captain Marvel 2. A movie like Guardians 3 will likely need that prime May real estate, so we will have to wait and see how Marvel's schedule shakes out.

There used to be a big question mark on Guardians 3, but now it's just a little bit smaller as fans can relax knowing the franchise is back in James Gunn's hands. We'll be paying close attention to how this all shakes out so stick with CinemaBlend and we'll keep you updated.

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The Comic Character The Directors Almost Included in Captain Marvel

The Comic Character The Directors Almost Included in Captain Marvel

From inception to release, Marvel films go through a ton of reworks, leading to some characters originally intended to debut on screen to be cut by the time the movie hits theaters. And Captain Marvel is no exception. In my recent interview with the movie’s directors Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck, I asked them about this. Here’s what Boden said:

We were always kind of obsessed with Helen Cobb and she didn’t make it into the movie. I think we thought about her a lot in terms of when we were trying to develop the story.

Interesting! For those unfamiliar with the Captain Marvel character, Helen Cobb is a famous pilot that inspired Carol Danvers to pursue her career in the Air Force and holds the highest-record for flight, which she wishes to break. In one story, Carol travels back in time (in a time-traveling plane, because she cannot time travel on her own), meets her, and joins the Banshee Squadron-- an all-female fighting unit in World War II.

When Helen Cobb dies of old age back in her timeline, Carol is given her airplane. The character exemplifies the importance of female role models, so it’s no wonder the directors considered her during the development of Captain Marvel. Check out the directors talking about it below:

While Helen Cobb was in the running, she didn’t make it past script development, as Kevin Feige recently confirmed with ComicBook.com. Here’s what the Marvel chief said about Helen Cobb:

She was in some drafts… But ultimately, the story is about Carol Danvers, so everything had to focus and funnel through her.

There are certainly tons of exciting characters found in between the pages of Captain Marvel comics who would have been an exciting addition to the big-screen origin story of Carol Danvers. In the end, the filmmakers had to focus on telling her story first and foremost, which left out room for Helen Cobb.

While Helen Cobb won’t be seen in Captain Marvel, she would be a fantastic addition for a potential sequel. It would allow for more of Carol’s roots and inspirations to be delved and seeing the hero join the Banshee Squadron in WWII sounds badass. This also opens the window for Captain Marvel to run into some other characters in the MCU from the past and fill in some more gaps in the universe that have yet to be explored!

But wait… we’re getting ahead of ourselves. You’ll have to first check out Captain Marvel in theaters on March 8. The origin story follows Brie Larson as Carol Danvers as a Starforce officer who falls to Earth in 1995 and teams up with Nick Fury, in his first intergalactic mission and amidst a war between the Kree and Skrull races.

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