Peter Jackson Turned Down Directing Aquaman More Than Once

Peter Jackson Turned Down Directing Aquaman More Than Once

When it was originally announced that James Wan was going to direct the first ever Aquaman movie, it actually made quite a bit of sense. The filmmaker not only had some tremendous success with the making and release of Furious 7 (his debut in the blockbuster realm), but also had established a great working relationship with Warner Bros. (specifically by launching The Conjuring Universe). That in mind, it may surprise you to learn that he apparently wasn't the studio's first choice for the gig, as Peter Jackson was originally pitched on the project... not once, but twice.

This revelation comes from the latest issue of Empire, though exactly how the subject came up in conversation with the filmmaker isn't entirely clear. The director apparently was pitched on the underwater superhero adventure by Former Warner Bros CEO Kevin Tsujihara - with whom he worked on theHobbit trilogy - and an attempt was apparently made twice because the executive seemingly forgot Peter Jackson's response the first time he was asked. Said the director,

[Former Warner Bros CEO Kevin Tsujihara] said, ‘Are you a fan of Aquaman?’ I said, ‘No.’ Six months later: ‘Peter, are you a fan of Aquaman?’ I said, ’No, Kevin, I already told you this’

One can understand why Kevin Tsujihara was interested in having Peter Jackson make the Aquaman movie, given the fact that the filmmaker both has a lot of experience with giant blockbusters, and because he has a lot of ambition when it comes to the realm of visual and special effects - both of which were definitely needed in the making of the DC Extended Universe title. But apparently it just wasn't a job that appealed to Jackson, to the point where he shut down the opportunity twice.

So why did he turn down the gig? Apparently stories about costumed vigilantes just aren't really his thing - though he obviously doesn't have anything against the comic medium at large. After all, he had a major hand in developing Steven Spielberg's The Adventures of Tintin: The Secret of the Unicorn as a producer. That, however, was very much a passion project for the New Zealand-born writer/director, and he simply didn't connect with the material that inspired Aquaman in the same way. He explained,

I’m not a superhero guy. I read Tintin… Look, films are hard. I only want to make something that I have a deep passion for.

As a result, things turned out quite well for James Wan, who did connect with the adventures of Arthur Curry and made a movie that reflects that. Aquaman not only ultimately got a warm reception from critics, but now stands as the highest grossing DC Comics adaptation of all time - making more than a billion dollars at the global box office.

So if he's not making superhero movies, what is Peter Jackson doing these days? Right now we can't say with any certainty what his next narrative feature will be, but a lot of his focus and attention as of late has been in the documentary realm. Last year we saw the release of They Shall Not Grow Old, which showcases immaculately restored footage from World War I, and right now he is working on a documentary about one of the greatest and most beloved bands in rock and roll history: The Beatles.

Being big fans of Peter Jackson's work , we here at CinemaBlend will update you with all the latest news about his developing projects - and also deliver the latest about what's happening with Aquaman on the big screen. So stay tuned!

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First Look At James McAvoy’s Bill Denbrough In IT Chapter 2

First Look At James McAvoy’s Bill Denbrough In IT Chapter 2

2017 brought us the first installment of director Andy Muschietti’s adaptation of Stephen King’s legendary novel IT. It also brought the suspense of having to wait for the second half of the story, as the doorstopping length of that source book inspired Muschietti to split the story into two parts.

The first chapter delivered the childhood portion of the story, and now with a brand new photo from the director himself, we have our first look at the adult form of Bill Denbrough in IT: Chapter 2, played by James McAvoy:

While it’s not a full-body shot of McAvoy’s adult incarnation of the character originated by Jaeden Lieberher in IT, it looks like we’re seeing Bill indulging in one of his old habits. As the posture of James McAvoy’s body in the photo suggests, it looks like Bill’s riding a bike, more than likely his childhood steed Silver.

Bill is certainly going to need that bike, and any other support from his childhood memories he can get, as he and the entire Loser’s Club gang are reuniting in Derry to take on the evil known as Pennywise The Clown once again. After thirty years of relative peace, with his group of friends being scattered all over, it’s going to take more than just a slingshot to defeat the greatest fears of Bill and the rest of the gang.

With Andy Muschietti previously confirming that a lot of detail went into finding actors that could look and feel like their childhood incarnations, we’re starting to see that work really pay off. See for yourself, by comparing the photo of James McAvoy above with this photo of Jaeden Martell’s version of Bill from IT:

While we’ll have to wait until later this year to see how McAvoy’s performance captures the essence of Lieberher in IT: Chapter 2, there’s certainly a strong resemblance between the two actors in this photo from Andy Muschietti’s Instagram. This isn’t the first we’ve seen when it comes to the adult versions of The Losers Club, as we were treated to some footage of another scene at this year’s CinemaCon.

Through the clips shown to us from IT: Chapter 2, it sounds like James McAvoy isn’t the only example of adult actors sticking the landing on their aged portrayals of their younger counterparts. With a lot of that particular look at the film showing us Jessica Chastain’s Bev, and a few snippets of other Losers being shown, it feels like the fires of hype surrounding this momentous finale are starting to be stoked higher than ever.

IT: Chapter 2 invades our dreams, nightmares, and local theaters, on September 6; but if you want to see what else is heading our way in the months prior to the return to Derry, head over to the 2019 release schedule for further information.

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New Child's Play Trailer Will Make You Rethink Your Smart Home

New Child's Play Trailer Will Make You Rethink Your Smart Home

While the original Child’s Play had a magic angle to it, with the soul of killer Charles Lee Ray transferred into a doll, the upcoming remake goes with a different tactic. Replacing fantasy elements with science-fiction, the new take on Chucky sees him as a bit of artificial intelligence gone wrong – and that’s a pretty dangerous thing in the age smart phones and smart homes. Don’t believe me? Just check out the brand new trailer for the film that has just been released online and see for yourself:

In this revamped take on the Child's Play franchise, Gabriel Bateman stars as Andy Barclay - an introvert who is nervous to move to a new town. His mom, Karen (Aubrey Plaza), is hopeful that the change of scenery will be good for him, and that he'll be able to make friends fast, but things initially don't go as planned. To help with Andy's loneliness she buys him a Buddi– a toy designed to sync up with the other technologies created by the tech giant Kaslan Corp. – but things start to go horribly wrong when the doll, named Chucky (Mark Hamill), becomes homicidal.

The new Child’s Play has been a bit deliberate when it comes to revealing details about the evil doll at the center of its plot, with the casting of Mark Hamill only revealed a few weeks ago at WonderCon, and our first full look at Chucky dropping a couple days ago. This trailer still plays a bit coy, only showing him in brief shots, and showcasing only one line at the end (“Goodnight, Andy”), but it does leave an impression.

In addition to finally getting creeped out by an in-motion Chucky, this preview also gives us a brief glimpse at what to expect from some of the creative kills that will be featured in the movie – despite the fact that it’s a green band trailer for what will be an R-rated flick.

Those concerned that the evil doll wouldn’t get to wield his most iconic weapon – a chef’s knife – must certainly be breathing a sigh of relief, but stabbing seems like it’s only going to be one of the many causes of fatalities in this new Child’s Play. The sequence with the tangled Christmas lights and the lawnmower looks like it’s going to have a seriously bloody conclusion, and it also looks like Chucky is going to have a bit of fun when it comes to controlling various technologies, including cars. This is just a taste, though, and presumably we’ll be getting a whole lot more when the finished film comes out this summer.

Speaking of which, Child’s Play – which co-stars Brian Tyree Henry and Tim Matheson – will be in theaters in just a couple of months, set to be released by Orion Pictures on June 21st. We’ll have a lot more content about the film coming your way between now and then, so stay tuned here on CinemaBlend for all of the latest updates.

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James Gunn's Return To Disney Goes Beyond Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 3

James Gunn's Return To Disney Goes Beyond Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 3

When big news hits, as you might imagine, things at CinemaBlend go a little bonkers. Everybody goes slightly crazy as we all try to make sure we have all our bases covered. Things went crazy like that last summer when the word came down that Disney had dropped James Gunn from Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, and they went that way again just now as the news came out that he's back. While this news is huge for the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the fact is that Gunn's involvement with these characters went beyond two, and now one day, three movies. James Gunn's return is going to be very good news for Disney's theme park business as well, because the Guardians of the Galaxy are a big part of that.

James Gunn was directly involved in the development of Guardians of the Galaxy - Mission: Breakout, the first marvel themed attraction at a Disney theme park. In fact, he directed the video sequences of the ride while he was in production on Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2.

Right now, a major new E-ticket attraction is under construction at Epcot at Walt Disney World. It's a Guardians of the Galaxy themed roller coaster. While most of the details of the experience itself have yet to be confirmed, beyond some cool technical stuff, we fully expect the MCU versions of these characters to feature prominently. The initial indication was that James Gunn and the Guardians actors would film whatever sequences were required for the attraction while Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 was in production. When Gunn left the job and the movie was put on indefinite hold, it was far from clear what that meant for the theme park attraction.

The ride has something of a hard deadline. While no official opening date has been given, the ride has been promised to be open in time for Walt Disney World's 50th anniversary, which will be in 2021.

While we have no idea at this point when Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 will be going into production, we do know that it will happen sometime after The Suicide Squad aka Suicide Squad 2 is completed. With that film looking at a summer 2021 release date, Gunn might not even get around to Guardians 3 until the end of 2021 or so.

Still, I would fully expect James Gunn to spearhead whatever production is necessary for the new Epcot attraction. This means that Gunn's first work back with Disney might not actually be Guardians of the Galaxy 3, it could actually be whatever theme park work is required. It likely can't wait until the movie goes into full production and will probably be handled separately.

The Guardians of the Galaxy are an important part of Disney's plans for Marvel, as the team is one of the few parts of the Marvel Cinematic Universe that Disney can use freely due to old agreements Marvel made with Universal theme parks before the company was purchased by Disney. At the same time, no part of the MCU is as closely tied to a single creator as the Guardians are to James Gunn.

One of the nice things about Guardians of the Galaxy - Mission: Breakout is that the structure of the experience allows for new content to be filmed and added to the ride over time. This is now that much more likely happen now that Guardians 3 is back on and Gunn is back involved. This will give the attraction the ability to stay relevant for a longer period of time, and keep guests going back.

What the future holds for the Guardians of the Galaxy at Disney Parks is far from clear, but there is now a brighter future to be sure.

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New John Wick: Chapter 3 Parabellum Clip Has Him Taking Care Of His Dog, Because Duh

New John Wick: Chapter 3 Parabellum Clip Has Him Taking Care Of His Dog, Because Duh

Sure, John Wick might be a former hitman with a kill count in the triple digits, but he’s not a bad guy. We know this because of how much he loves his dogs and will do anything to protect them, including literally killing people. Even with the world’s assassins united against him in John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum, this animal lover will still make sure to take care of his pit bull, because of course he will. Check it out in the clip below:

He may occasionally shoot the wrong people in the wrong places, but John Wick still has his priorities in order, and that means taking care of his unnamed dog just as we’d expect him to. Baba Yaga pays the cab driver a gold coin to take his dog to the concierge at the Continental, thus ensuring his safety. And of crucial importance, John Wick tells his dog that he is a good dog before he goes.

This is incredibly endearing and exactly why we root for John Wick. He’s got an army of highly trained assassins out for his head and he’s worried about his dog. It’s also encouraging because it hopefully means that no harm will come to John Wick’s pit bull in John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum since it’s being taken care of at the Continental.

Which makes me wonder, if he is cut off from all Continental services, are dogs the exception, never suffering consequences for their owner’s actions? Or is he still within the 1 hour window and the dog will be grandfathered in to protection? Also, if NYC cabbies are part of this underworld too, who isn’t?

It’s unclear in this clip if John Wick is still within the one hour grace period before the excommunicado order goes into effect that Winston gave him at the end of John Wick: Chapter 2 (it’s nighttime, so I don’t think so), but he is clearly in a race against the clock. So I’m wondering what his plan was.

If he’s still within the time window, maybe he initially thought he could take his dog with him to the New York Public Library and then drop him off at the Continental after and still be within the time window to take advantage of those services. Then when he saw the traffic would be too great a time suck, he opted to take care of his dog now and find a different route to where he has to go.

We’ve seen John Wick riding on horseback through rainy NYC streets, so maybe that comes after this scene as he makes his way towards the library and whatever is there that can help him, comfortable in the knowledge that at least his dog is safe.

John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum opens on May 17. Check out our 2019 Release Schedule for all the biggest movies headed your way as the summer movie season kicks off.

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Wait, MoviePass Stock Is Up 40%?

Wait, MoviePass Stock Is Up 40%?

Around this time last year, MoviePass was still flying high, disrupting the industry and helping millions of subscribers to see more movies than ever before. Then came the Mission: Impossible – Fallout incident, which sparked a series of public and costly stumbles that dragged down the service and saw its parent company’s stock plummet along with it. Now MoviePass is rising like a phoenix from the ashes…okay, well maybe not exactly, but MoviePass stock is up 40%.

Shares of Helios & Matheson Analytics were up over 40% yesterday in over-the-counter trading, rising above a penny and reaching 1.23 cents per share before the close of the day according to Deadline. The day also saw triple the normal volume of the company’s shares changing hands. This comes after Helios & Matheson shares were delisted from the NASDAQ last month due to the foibles of its MoviePass unit, which saw the company’s shares trade under $1 since last July.

So what changed? Well, it all comes down to the new business strategy MoviePass will be employing going forward. Helios & Matheson still plans on spinning off its MoviePass business into its own public traded company, to help distinguish the beleaguered movie service from the data analytics firm and the other parts of its business.

That new company, MoviePass Entertainment Holdings will be made up of three separate pillars, each addressing a different part of the business. MoviePass Films will be the company’s production arm, producing new movies under the MoviePass banner; the MoviePass subscription service and app for which the company gained its name; and the Moviefone brand that Helios & Matheson and MoviePass acquired from Verizon last year.

MoviePass said that this new three-pillar model would generate its own revenue, without reliance on studios and exhibitors. This is in stark contrast to the MoviePass of a year or so ago that entered the room with all the subtlety of the Kool-Aid man and wanted to strike deals with studios to promote movies and get a share of tickets and concessions from theater chains.

The idea is that the three parts of the business will work in concert, sharing each others resources in an ecosystem where each part benefits the others. The MoviePass Films arm will make movies with an eye towards transcending theaters, and get deals for home video releases and international distribution. That should then help the MoviePass theatergoing subscription service to grow. The Moviefone digital platform will then be used as a promotional tool for the other two pillars.

MoviePass admits it has made mistakes and it appear to be trying to remedy them with the hard-learned lessons of 2018. The MoviePass subscription service recently relaunched with 3 new pricing plans and now this new business model is another attempt by the service to regain its footing.

If this strategy works as intended, MoviePass can generate its own revenue and won’t be burning cash with the hopes of striking lucrative deals with entrenched parts of the industry. It’s obviously too early to say if that will be the case and one day’s stock increase is no guarantee that MoviePass has turned a corner, but it’s still a positive sign that shows that there is some optimism in the financial sector that this is a step in the right direction for the service.

Stay tuned to CinemaBlend for all your movie news and check out our 2019 Release Schedule to keep track of the biggest movies headed your way this year.

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Sylvester Stallone Compares Rocky's Grandson To Adrian In Sweet Photo

Sylvester Stallone Compares Rocky's Grandson To Adrian In Sweet Photo

Warning: SPOILERS For Creed II Ahead!

One of the ways in which Creed II expands on the four-decade Rocky saga is that it makes Rocky a grandfather. At the end of the film, Rocky visits his estranged son Robert (Rocky Jr.) and he meets his grandson Logan. It’s a heartwarming moment in its own right, but Sylvester Stallone has made it extra poignant by sharing a photo of Rocky and Logan together and comparing the tyke to Rocky’s love Adrian. Take a look:

They may not actually be related but Sly is right that Logan Balboa, played by Robbie Johns in Creed II, does look a bit like Adrian. Especially in the eyes and with the smile, the young actor looks like Talia Shire’s character from the early Rocky films, who would be his in-universe grandmother. Rocky even mentions this to Rocky Jr. in Creed II, with his son responding, “Yeah, I know.”

It is clear that the casting director did a solid job with finding a child actor who looked like he could belong to the Balboa family, even though he only appears briefly in the film. Although Logan definitely seems to favor his father and grandmother more than Rocky himself, something I think Rocky would prefer.

In addition to just being a sweet sentiment, Sylvester Stallone’s Instagram post shows how emotionally layered the end of Rocky’s story is in Creed II. At the end of the film, after waffling over calling his son and bridging the gulf that had widened between them over the years, Rocky shows up on Rocky Jr.’s doorstep. There he sees his son, once again played by Rocky Balboa and This is Us’s Milo Ventimiglia in a surprising cameo, and he meets his grandson for the first time.

This moment has weight not only because it represents that wounds are beginning to heal and gives Rocky a happy ending, but because Rocky’s son and now his grandson couldn’t have existed without Adrian. The loss of Adrian, Rocky’s great love, has hung over the modern Rocky films from Rocky Balboa onward, imbuing Rocky with a constant sense of longing and melancholy.

When Rocky met Logan, he was not only seeing his grandson, he was also seeing something of his dear, departed Adrian, telling Logan he looked like her. He then begins to tear up. It is both very sad, but also beautiful and joyous, signaling that although Adrian is gone, she lives on in this new life and Rocky can find happiness in the world without her.

It’s really the perfect ending for the character, and this ending might actually stick because Sylvester Stallone has said that he is done playing Rocky.

While, we'll see if he holds true to his word on playing Rocky, another iconic character that Sly will soon be done with is John Rambo. The actor returns to the role in Rambo V: Last Blood on September 20. Check out our 2019 Release Schedule to keep track of all the movies headed to theaters this year.

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