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[Impact]Bohemian Rhapsody is Now Highest-Grossing Music Biopic Ever[/Impact]
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Despite mixed reviews, director Bryan Singer's Queen/Freddie Mercury movie Bohemian Rhapsody now stands as the highest-grossing music biopic ever. It's not really surprising that a movie about Queen would be a hit, as there are few musical artists that boast a back catalog full of so many enduring songs. Whether it be the titular track, "Another One Bites the Dust," "Somebody to Love," their "Under Pressure" duet with fellow iconic performer David Bowie, or one of many other hits, Queen's music still lives on today, decades after the early death of Mercury.

Of course, while it's a definite success now, Bohemian Rhapsody hasn't been without controversy. Before it was even released, credited director Bryan Singer was fired by Fox in the middle of production, and Dexter Fletcher was brought on to finish the film. Interestingly, Fletcher ended up fully directing Rocketman, an upcoming biopic of another British rock star, Elton John. Then, once it came out, many Queen fans were put off by some of the many alterations to both the band's and Mercury's personal history.
Yet, while many people took issue with things like Mercury being portrayed as gay rather than bisexual, or Mercury's AIDS diagnosis being moved forward by several years to coincide with Live Aid, most moviegoers embraced the film. Bohemian Rhapsody took the #1 spot domestically in its debut weekend, and has now grossed a whopping $539 million worldwide on a budget of only $52 million, according to the latest numbers from Box Office Mojo. This places it in the top spot both domestically and worldwide when it comes to music biopics.

On the domestic chart, Bohemian Rhapsody sits at $164 million, just barely topping previous record holder Straight Outta Compton, a 2015 biopic of the influential rap group N.W.A. When it comes to total worldwide gross though, Bohemian Rhapsody has no competition. Its $539 million total trounces Straight Outta Compton's $201 million worldwide gross, although to be fair, that film cost half as much to make as Singer's. Other famous music biopics like Walk the Line and Ray proved unable to even cross the $200 million mark.

In a fun side effect of Bohemian Rhapsody's box office dominance, Queen's music has also recently shot back up to the high end of the charts. Considering the amount of great Queen songs featured in the film, such a result isn't shocking. Many who loved Queen before the film likely had that love rekindled, and were inspired to buy their music. Conversely, many younger people who only knew of Queen as the guys who made "We Will Rock You" and "We Are the Champions" were also likely introduced to a world of material they hadn't heard before. One doubts Freddie would've wanted it any other way.

 

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[Impact]Crazy Rich Asians Bombs at China Box Office, Opening to $1.2 Million[/Impact]
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Crazy Rich Asians debuted in China this weekend, and promptly bombed at the box office. While the movie was a runaway hit in the U.S., grossing $173 million domestically, it has failed to translate that success abroad, earning only $64 million from international markets.

The highest grossing rom-com of the year, Crazy Rich Asians, based on the book of the same name by Kevin Kwan, tells the story of a Chinese-American woman (Constance Wu) who travels with her boyfriend (Henry Golding) to Singapore, where she discovers she’s unwittingly been dating the heir to an incredibly wealthy family and one of Asia’s most eligible bachelors.

Related: Crazy Rich Asians' Michelle Yeoh & Awkwafina Reunite For Action Film

Unfortunately, while Crazy Rich Asians was a smash success in America, the film earned a mere $1.2 million during its first weekend in China. Exhibitor Relations was the first to report the official box office numbers, but there had been much speculation about the film’s chance of success in China leading up to its release. Some industry prognosticators predicted that the level of success the movie achieved in America would be unlikely in the Asian market, for exactly the same reasons it smashed records domestically. While a film with an entirely Asian cast is refreshing and groundbreaking in the U.S., it’s not at all unusual in China, where almost all feature films include completely Asian casts.

The timing of the film’s Chinese release also likely played a part in its disappointing debut. Crazy Rich Asians was released on August 15 in the U.S. and garnered much buzz, but by its November 30 release in China, that buzz had significantly died down. The large gap in release dates also meant that most Chinese moviegoers who were interested in seeing the film were probably able to watch it online through legally dubious means before it came to theaters in their country.

Despite the lackluster showing in international markets, Crazy Rich Asians is still on track for a sequel­ - or two. Kwan turned his bestseller into a trilogy, and there is every reason to expect the films will follow suit. The first sequel, based on Kwan’s book China Rich Girlfriend, has already begun moving forward with Jon M. Chu returning to direct. The Crazy Rich Asians effect has also reached beyond its own source material to greenlight other Chinese-centric films. Following the success of Crazy Rich Asians, Warner Brothers and New Line began moving forward with Single’s Day, a China-set romantic comedy based on the popular holiday that celebrates singledom. And this is likely just the beginning of a slate of films that will be looking to bank off of Crazy Rich Asians’ domestic, if not international, success.

 

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[Impact]Doctor Sleep Director Reveals Shining Sequel Has Wrapped Production[/Impact]

Doctor Sleep director Mike Flanagan shares that his adaptation of Stephen King's sequel to The Shining has officially wrapped production. In the realm of horror fiction, few names carry with them the reputation for greatness as Stephen King. While every one of the prolific author's many stories might not hit it out of the park, King's endlessly creative mind has birthed some of the best horror in history, including tales like IT, The Stand, Pet Sematary, and of course, The Shining.

While King has never been a big fan of director Stanley Kubrick's 1980 film adaptation of The Shining starring Jack Nicholson, the masses have always disagreed, with Kubrick's Shining often being cited as perhaps the greatest horror movie ever. Doctor Sleep, King's 2013 sequel novel to The Shining, doesn't match the original when it comes to acclaim, but the book earned mostly good reviews from fans and critics. Now, Haunting of Hill House creator/director Mike Flanagan is set to bring an adaptation of Doctor Sleep to the big screen, one which will hopefully prove a worthy companion piece to Kubrick's classic film.
Production on Flanagan's Doctor Sleep began back in September, and now, the director confirms via a recent Facebook post that the film has finished production. Interestingly, the producers involved had been trying to get a Doctor Sleep movie made for several years following the book's release, but were unable to get a greenlight from Warner Bros. until after IT came out last year and made $700 million at the box office. Maybe the delay worked out though, as Flanagan's resume in horror - Absentia, Oculus, Hush, etc. - makes him a great pick for the job. Check out his post below.
https://www.facebook.com/mikeflanaganfilm/posts/2199995756922173
This won't be Flanagan's first time directing a King adaptation either, having helmed last year's acclaimed Netflix original movie version of Gerald's Game, a King story Hollywood had for decades believed to be unfilmable, Flanagan proved those beliefs wrong, and got a knockout performance out of lead actress Carla Gugino, who returned for Haunting of Hill House. Another Gerald's Game star, Bruce Greenwood, will play Dr. John Dalton in Doctor Sleep, continuing Flanagan's penchant for sticking with actors he likes. It's Flanagan's first time working with Ewan McGregor though, who stars in Doctor Sleep as an adult Danny Torrance.

While Doctor Sleep - both the book and film - are indeed sequels to The Shining, those unfamiliar with the story shouldn't expect a retread of Jack Torrance's adventures in the Overlook Hotel, as Doctor Sleep is far from the standard formulaic follow-up. That said, the movie does feature small roles for Wendy Torrance and physically gifted Overlook chef Dick Hallorann, the latter of which famously died in Kubrick's film, but survived King's book.

 

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[Impact]Wreck-It Ralph 2 Continues Box Office Lead; Creed 2 Defeats Rocky Balboa[/Impact]
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Ralph Breaks the Internet continued to lead the competition at the box office this weekend, while Creed II surpassed the domestic total of Rocky Balboa. Typically, the Thanksgiving window was jam-packed with several movies looking to make a splash over the holidays. Some of these projects, like the latest Robin Hood retelling, crashed and burned, but others had very lucrative weekends. Ralph and Creed were two sequels that outperformed their predecessors, riding waves of positive buzz and capitalizing on brand interest.

There's usually a bit of a slowdown at the multiplex between Thanksgiving and Christmas, as the first couple of weekends following Turkey Day primarily consist of lower-profile offerings that are just filling a void until the bigger holiday movies come out. That was certainly the case this weekend, and the top of the charts was dominated by the holdovers.
According to Box Office Mojo, Ralph Breaks the Internet earned $25.7 million domestically in its second weekend, a 54.2 percent decrease from its debut. The animated film is now up to $119.2 million domestically, ahead of the pace of the original (which grossed $101 million through 12 days). The other noteworthy box office development was Creed II raising its Stateside haul to $81.1 million, moving it past Rocky Balboa ($70.2 million) on the all-time franchise chart. It'll pass Rocky II shortly and then set its sights on the first Creed.

This weekend saw only one new wide release, horror film The Possession of Hannah Grace. That movie came to theaters with very limited fan fare, so it didn't leave much of an impression at the box office. During its first three days, it earned $6.5 million, which was good enough for seventh place. Fortunately for Sony/Screen Gems, Hannah Grace sported a micro budget of $9.5 million and has already made $10.6 million worldwide. It should be able to turn a minor profit for the studio as long as it continues to do relatively well with its target audience. Since Halloween dominated the box office back in October, there haven't been many horror films out there, so fans of the genre might seek out Hannah Grace in order to get a scare.

Looking ahead to next weekend, it should be more of the same. There are no wide releases on deck, with the likes of Ben is Back, Mary Queen of Scots, and more coming out in limited. This ensures the high-profile holdovers will be able to pad their totals going into mid-December, and they'll need all the help they can get. Several of the Christmas movies are already generating substantial buzz. Into the Spider-Verse won Best Animated Film from the New York Film Critics Circle, Mary Poppins Returns has entered the Oscar conversation, and Aquaman and Bumblebee will be looking to do well commercially. Wreck-it Ralph and Adonis Creed better enjoy the lax competition while they can.

 

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[Impact]Jason Momoa Meets His Madame Tussauds Aquaman Wax Figure[/Impact]

Jason Momoa meets the Madame Tussauds wax figure based on his look for Aquaman. The actor reprises his DCEU role as half human/half Atlantean Arthur Curry, this time in the James Wan-directed flick that will serve as the character's origin story in the franchise. The events of the upcoming film take place after Steppenwolf's failed attempt to take over Earth in Justice League. Despite that, don't expect any other hero from the DCEU to pop up in the flick, as it'll mainly be a character-driven, isolated narrative.

Marking Warner Bros.' return to the superhero film arena after taking more than a year hiatus, many are looking forward to how Aquaman builds off the established lore in the DCEU. Plot specifics are being kept under wraps, as Wan promises that there's so much more in the movie than what's been seen in the trailers. The global press tour for the film is about to start, but before Momoa, his co-stars and their director jet set around the world, the actor was first able to physically see his epic new wax figure from the famed Madame Tussauds.
Fresh off the New York press conference for Aquaman, Momoa got acquainted with the life-sized statue of Arthur Curry, inspired by his look in the upcoming film. The former Game of Thrones star was obviously thrilled and impressed by the figure, which was created by Madame Tussauds in partnership with Warner Bros. Consumer Products on behalf of DC Entertainment. Check out some photos from the event below, via Momoa's Instagram.
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bq3heZ5AAGF/?utm_source=ig_embed
The statue is the same one unveiled early last month at Madame Tussauds in Orlando as part of their Justice League: A Call for Heroes experience, which will become available for the public to check out starting December 7. Meanwhile, Madame Tussauds Sydney will open their iteration of the special display a few days later on December 13. Since the event's opening is just a couple of weeks before Aquaman hits theaters all over the globe, it's a good way to keep the hype train running until moviegoers can finally see Wan's contribution to the DCEU.

For what it's worth, marketing for Aquaman has been solid so far. Both Wan and Momoa have been very active on social media engaging their followers, and teasing them about the film. All trailers for the film have been well-received, and initial buzz following its red carpet premiere has been nothing but positive, giving many the impression that it will be a big hit for the DCEU.

 

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[Impact]Once Upon A Deadpool Includes 20 Minutes of New Footage[/Impact]

Once Upon a Deadpool will have 20 minutes of new content, as revealed by a brand new promo clip for the film. Everybody's favorite Merc with a Mouth played by Ryan Reynolds will be back on the big screen just in time for the holiday season with a tamed down version of Deadpool 2, so families, and especially kids, can finally see the movie. Announced shortly after the sequel's box office run was finished, the upcoming flick will be available in theaters for a special two-week run.

Despite people's excitement over Once Upon a Deadpool, the new Fox project is not without controversy. Last month, it was revealed that the idea for the film was pitched by a fan to Reynolds on Twitter in 2017. The actor has since reached out to said fan, but details of their conversation remain private. Nonetheless, it seems like everything's good between the two. With that sorted out, marketing for the new flick continues with a brand new video.
Fox (via Comic Book) has released a brand new promotional clip for Once Upon a Deadpool featuring Julian Dennison, who plays Russel Collins/Firefist in Deadpool 2. Similar to the first trailer for the special release, the video shows the Kiwi actor reading a Christmas bedtime storybook (covered with the upcoming film's official poster) providing an explanation to why the altered version of the sequel is necessary. He also revealed that it'll have "more than 20 minutes of new footage, new jokes." Watch it below:
https://youtu.be/vf9R-H4x_ew
It makes sense that Reynolds and his team would add that much new footage, considering that the original cut was gory and full of expletives. Since Once Upon a Deadpool will have a more kid-friendly rating, they would need to replace or reshoot a good chunk of the film. Parts which cannot simply be reworked to suit its brand new target audience need to be replaced by fresh content that'll suit its PG rating. As previously reported, the cast and crew shot the new material at the end of summer. So far, the trailer for the film has already given the public a tease of what to expect, which includes a parody of UP with an old couple resembling Ellie and Carl, as well as the reveal of Fred Savage following his poster debut.

Aside from Once Upon a Deadpool being a brand new way to rack up revenue for Deadpool 2, it's also a litmus test with regard to whether or not a toned down Deadpool film can actually work. Gauging people's perception of the film will be a good indicator as to how Disney and Marvel Studios can tackle the property once rights to its characters (alongside the X-Men and Fantastic Four rosters) return to Marvel. Unlike the main X-Men film saga, there's a good chance that Kevin Feige will adapt Reynolds' established lore, what remains to be seen is how it's going to be handled moving forward.

 

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[Impact]Infinity War Cut Scene Exploring Iron Man's Civil War Conflict[/Impact]

Directors Joe and Anthony Russo talk about an Avengers: Infinity War scene featuring Tony Stark/Iron Man in his home contemplating on calling Steve Rogers/Captain America. It had been two years since the events of Captain America: Civil War when Thanos and his minions attacked Earth in the hopes of retrieving two Infinity Stones - the Mind Stone which was with Vision, and the Time Stone kept by Doctor Strange. Despite putting up a gallant fight, Earth's Mightiest Heroes suffered their first real loss as they failed to foil the Mad Titan's plans of galactic genocide.

There were a lot of elements that contributed to the heroes' losing, but Stark and Rogers' split which led to the Avengers breaking up was perhaps one of the most blatant. The latter, alongside Black Widow and Falcon, operated underground, becoming the MCU's version of the Secret Avengers. Meanwhile, the former devoted the last two years by continuing to improve on his tech in case another attack on Earth took place, as well as mentoring Peter Parker/Spider-Man on the side. Scattered around the world without any form of communication left Earth at its most vulnerable state. But as it turns out, Stark had been constantly thinking of patching things up with the super soldier even before Thanos' threat became clear.
The directing duo attended a Q&A session after a special screening of Infinity War hosted by Collider where Peter Sciretta from /Film was in attendance and shared what the Russos said during the panel. Among the slew of things they talked about is a particular deleted scene shot during additional photography that features Stark in his house fidgeting Rogers' flip phone until Pepper Potts comes home. This highlights Tony's continued conflict with regard to whether or not he's ready to patch things up with his friend after he broke his trust two years after he found out that he intentionally lied to him about Bucky killing the Starks.
https://twitter.com/slashfilm/status/1068012902454444032
Early drafts of Infinity War had the two conflicting Avengers meet before the big battle against Thanos. But the Russos and writers Stephen Markus and Stephen McFeely ultimately decided against the idea, opting to save the reunion for next year's ensemble film. Not only would it have taken time away from the Mad Titan, who was clearly the main character of the movie, but it would've also cheapened the repercussions brought about by the events of Civil War. Keeping the two separated - which in turn kept the Earth's Mightiest Heroes disassembled - drove the point that the only way they can beat the intergalactic villain is if they set aside their differences and work together for a common goal.

With the imminent return of Clint Barton/Hawkeye from his retirement (and assuming his new persona as Ronin) after sitting Avengers: Infinity War out, the stage is all set for the reassembly of MCU's six original heroes. Thor has rejoined Captain America, Black Widow, and Hulk in Wakanda, and while it's still unclear how Stark will make his way back to Earth being left trapped in Titan with Nebula, he'll eventually convene with his other Avengers pals - including Rogers. Regardless on how the Russos will play out their reunion and reconciliation, it goes without saying that it will be one of the most emotional parts of Avengers 4 considering that the mission at hand is highly rumored to be the last for both heroes.

 

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[Impact]Marvel reportedly wants to follow Black Panther’s success with Shang-Chi film[/Impact]
Screenwriter Dave Callaham linked to project; actors, director still being sought.

Marvel Studios has already teased major announcements this week in the form of new Captain Marvel and Avengers 4 film trailers. But one additional piece of big Marvel news has leaked out before either of those dropped.
According to Deadline Hollywood, Marvel Studios is moving ahead with a film based on the Shang-Chi comic series, which began in the '70s and centers around a Chinese martial arts master. That report links Hollywood scribe Dave Callaham to the project as the film's writer.

Callaham's film-writing work revolves largely around action and geek-culture films, ranging from 2005's Doom film adaptation to 2010's first Expendables film. He has also written or co-written scripts for unreleased films Wonder Woman 1984, Zombieland 2, and Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse 2.

Deadline's scoop comes ahead of any other major names attached to the project—meaning, no director or actors. It includes an indication that Marvel wants to match the project with an Asian-American director, in the same way that February's Black Panther film revolved around African-American writers and directors, and to "avoid stereotypes" found in the source comic series' original issues. In 1972, white Marvel staffers Steve Englehart (writer) and Jim Starlin (artist) were tasked with making an original series that tapped into the popularity of martial arts action films—and would make up for Marvel's failure to get the comic rights to the TV series Kung-Fu.

Though the character of Shang-Chi has persisted through Marvel Comics books over the years, particularly his recruitment to the Avengers team in 2012, the character has not been formally introduced or loudly hinted to in any recent film or TV project.

 

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[Impact]Bumblebee Will Feature His Original Voice, Provided By Dylan O'Brien[/Impact]
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Dylan O'Brien is voicing Bumblebee in the character's solo movie spinoff/prequel. The live-action Transformers adventure takes place in the 1980s and follows Bee as he ventures to earth to carry out a secret mission for Optimus Prime, ultimately teaming up with a teenager named Charlie (Hailee Steinfeld) along the way. Since the movie revolves around Bumblebee as a younger Autobot, producer Lorenzo di Bonaventura says the film's creatives wanted Bee's voice to have a youthful quality that reflects his relative inexperience in the story.

Those who saw last year's Transformers: The Last Knight may recall that, during his climactic showdown with Optimus, Bumblebee spoke in his "real" voice for the firs time (with the film's sound designer and supervising sound editor, Erik Aadahl, providing the character's vocals). However, now that Michael Bay - who helmed the previous five live-action Transformers movies - has stepped away from the series and Kubo and the Two Strings' Travis Knight is directing Bumblebee, the film aims to partially reboot the series' mythology in the wake of Bay's departure, beginning with Bee's voice.
IGN has confirmed that O'Brien is voicing Bumblebee in the character's solo film and even has a quote from Bonaventura, explaining why it was necessary for the Transformer famous for not having a voice in the live-action franchise to finally get one:

"Since we were approaching this as an origin story, we felt that it was appropriate that you got to hear his voice. That’s the simple logic that we employed. The longer term implication of that is different. But the short-term implication of that is, since we really are resetting the mythology, essentially, of who Bumblebee is. And so, that seemed to us to be the appropriate, to get the chance to hear what he sounds like."

Best known for his roles in the Teen Wolf TV series and The Maze Runner movie trilogy, O'Brien is trying his hand at something new with Bumblebee, in the wake of the final Maze Runner movie, The Death Cure, hitting theaters near the start of this year. During his interview with IGN, Bonaventura further explained that the actor possesses "that great quality in his voice of youthful exuberance, and also sort of trustworthiness" that he, Knight, and the film's other creatives wanted Bee to have in his '80s adventure.

It's fitting that Bee is getting a brand-new voice, seeing as Bumblebee itself (like Bonaventura said) is meant to serve as a fresh start for the Transformers movie franchise. While the film is currently projected for the lowest box office opening for a live-action Transformers movie yet, it's generating positive pre-release word of mouth and may prove to have long legs in theaters, assuming that the actual film lives up to all the initial hype. Between O'Brien voicing Bee, Steinfeld playing the human lead, and the talent behind the camera (including, writer Christina Hodson, the first woman to script a Transformers movie), Bumblebee certainly has a good deal working in its favor, quality-wise.

 

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[Impact]Indiana Jones 5: Karen Allen Hoping To Return As Marion[/Impact]
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Karen Allen is hoping to return as Marion Ravenwood in the upcoming Indiana Jones 5, but she hasn't heard anything about the project yet. While Lucasfilm has spent the past several years bringing back the Star Wars franchise to the limelight, they've also been piecing together another adventure for world-famous archeologist Dr. Henry Jones, Jr. Unfortunately, that project's encountered numerous hurdles through development. Star Harrison Ford and director Steven Spielberg have been attached since the official announcement in 2016, but Indiana Jones 5's release keeps getting pushed back. It's now targeting a July 2021 premiere, meaning it'll reach theaters to celebrate the 40th anniversary of Raiders of the Lost Ark.

The most recent delay was due to concerns over the script, as Solo: A Star Wars Story co-writer Jonathan Kasdan was brought in to give Indy 5 a proper rewrite. As a result, it's anyone's best guess what historical artifact Dr. Jones will pursue this time around, and which allies will be joining him for the ride. But if one franchise veteran gets her wish, Indy could be going on another quest with the love of his life.
In an interview with Cinema Blend, Allen discussed her potential involvement with Indiana Jones 5, admitting she hasn't been contacted by Lucasfilm about it. She chalked that up to the fact the studio's still figuring out the narrative in an attempt to make the sequel as strong as it can be:

"I'm patiently waiting, no they haven't [called]. I'm very much hoping that I will be a part of it and I think, from my understanding, they are creatively working away on a script that they will be happy enough with. They don't want to rush into it If they're going to do this they want it to be wonderful."

Allen, of course, first appeared as Marion in Raiders, where she won the hearts of viewers (and Dr. Jones) with her feisty tenacity. But, in keeping with the Indiana Jones films' James Bond influences, the next two installments gave the daring hero a new romanic interest, and Marion wasn't even mentioned. Allen came back for 2008's Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, which ended with Marion and Indy tying the knot. With that in mind, it'll be interesting to see how the fifth movie handles her. Of course, if there's a natural place for Marion in the story, the filmmakers and fans would enjoy seeing her return. There's no denying Marion has a great dynamic with Indiana, with Allen and Ford's chemistry lighting up the screen for several memorable scenes.

At the same time, it's far from a guarantee the new movie includes Indiana's family. Kingdom of the Crystal Skull had the rather infamous inclusion of Shia LaBeouf as Indy and Marion's son Mutt, and based on comments by the actor himself and former Indy 5 writer David Koepp, that character will be absent from the forthcoming sequel. What that means for Marion remains to be seen, but it's a distinct possibility Lucasfilm tries to minimize any direct connections to Crystal Skull and have Indiana Jones 5 operate more as a standalone adventure to send Ford off on a high note. If that's the case, hopefully Marion and Mutt's absence is explained in some dialogue.

 

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[Impact]Scrapped The Blob Remake Concept Art Reveals Rob Zombie's Vision[/Impact]
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Early concept art for Rob Zombie's The Blob remake surfaces online and the images illustrate the different vision he may have had for the film. At one point 10 years ago Zombie had his eyes set on remaking the classic horror film, The Blob. Zombie's take on the horror classic was set to be darker in tone, but no such film ever happened.

The Blob first terrified audiences in 1958, and focused on an alien life form consuming everything in sight in a small town. Directed by Irvin S. Yeaworth, and penned by Kay Linaker and Theodore Simonson, the film would become a cult classic. It would launch the career of Steve McQueen and would spawn a sequel in 1972 and a remake in 1988. Chuck Russell directed the late 80s re-imagining that altered the alien's back story. While the films have a following (specifically the 1958 & 1988 versions), they are still considered underrated gems for the science fiction horror sub-genre. Now, while Zombie's plans for his remake may have fallen through the cracks, at least now a taste of what his vision could have looked like is accessible.
Posted by Alex Horley, the concept art for the unmade Zombie The Blob remake shows off humans with mutated skin, and a fifth annual event being held in the town. Judging from one image, it seems a graveyard would have been featured in the film with the mutated victims. Another image highlights a woman battling deformed, conjoined blob attack victims in front of a local diner. This role was presumably for Sheri Moon as she has always participated, in some fashion, in Zombie's films in the past. Take a look at Horley's concept art below.
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Zombie's remake faced some issues with others involved in the project, so that's what ultimately led to him stepping away. Zombie wanted to give his own twist to the story just like he had done with his Halloween films before that. In response to his disagreements with those involved in the project, Zombie stated:

“The Blob was going to happen. I was dealing with people on the movie, even though I was on the fence about doing anything that was considered a remake again. I really didn’t like the idea of that, but just as I went down the road further with the producers and the guys that owned the property, I didn’t feel good about the situation and I just walked away from it. My gut told me this was not a good place to be.”

Zombie felt the horror aspects from the 50s and the 80s versions wouldn't scare modern audiences so he wanted to avoid that familiar territory. This would explain the humanoid nature of the blob victims illustrated in the images, but it seems that Zombie was still going to involve the armed forces, similar to the 1988 remake, based on one of the images.

Whether or not Zombie's vision would have actually gone over with audiences is anyone's guess, but one has to wonder why he thought the gooey alien wouldn't have been enough to scare audiences. If done right, the film could have been well received. Nothing regarding another film has been discussed recently but Samuel L. Jackson was at one point set to star in yet another remake for The Blob, directed by Simon West.

 

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[Impact]Exclusive: Noah Segan Doesn't Know If He's On A Date In California No Clip[/Impact]

After recently learning that he’s in an open marriage, Elliot (Noah Segan) has to come to terms with whether or not he wants to start dating again in an exclusive clip from California No. Gravitas Ventures will release this comedy on Digital HD, VOD, Blu-ray and DVD on December 2. The comedy also explores the entertainment press industry, with Noah Segan’s Elliot described as a “rudderless junketeer” who interviews celebrities on the press junket circuit.

The story follows Elliot, who is taken aback when he learns in a marriage therapy session that his wife Allison (Ursula Mills) is under the impression they are in an open marriage. Needless to say, this throws Elliot for quite the loop, especially when he starts falling for another woman, Kaley (Jordan Hinson). His professional life also takes a turn when he convinces a former A-list star, Colton Jane (Jesse Bradford) to give him access to his home and life in exchange for a profile that could kickstart his career anew.
The clip features Elliot, who, after drinks with Samantha (Tracie Thoms), ends up back at her place for a nightcap. After a conversation about work runs stale, Samantha mentions shop talk isn’t exactly “stimulating date conversation,” which is when Elliot finally realizes he’s on a date. This naturally doesn’t go over well with Samantha, who goes on a brief rant about how “vague” the Los Angeles dating scene is, while clarifying that when a woman invites a man to her house, ‘it generally means one thing.”
https://youtu.be/evNqMuRtJ70
California No marks the feature debut of writer-director Ned Ehrbar, a former “junketeer” himself who used to write for Metro, CBS News, Variety, Yahoo! Movies, Out and The Wrap. He has also written and directed award-winning shorts like Bunker, and segments for horror anthologies Fun Size Horror: Volume 1 and Volume 2, while creating the web series Co-Op of the Damned. California No has won Best Narrative Feature at the 2018 Ridgefield Independent Film Festival and recently it won five awards at the Reel East Texas Film Festival - Best of Festival, Best Actress (Jordan Hinson), Best Director (Ned Ehrbar), Best Screenplay (Ned Ehrbar) and Best Comedy.

The cast also includes Breckin Meyer, Brea Grant, Paul Telfer, Drew Droege, Baron Vaughn and Jeffery Self, along with a few appearances from real journalists/junketeers like Eric Eisenberg, Todd Gilchrist, Damon Houx, Sasha Perl-Raver and Jen Yamato. With this first feature, Ehrbar joins the ranks of former film journalists and critics who have transitioned to filmmakers such as writer-director Rod Lurie (The Contender), screenwriter C. Robert Cargill (Doctor Strange) and producer Ryan Turek (Halloween). Given the praise his debut feature received on the indie film festival circuit, it’s certainly possible that Ehrbar could have just as much success as his journalist/filmmaker predecessors, in the near future.

 

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[Impact]Aquaman Director James Wan Wanted To Direct A Batman Horror Movie[/Impact]
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The director of Aquaman, James Wan, wanted to do a horror movie about Batman before he landed the big-time undersea gig. Wan has quite an eclectic career as a director. Aquaman is his first foray into official superheroes, though Wan did direct Furious 7, which was essentially a pulse-pounding superhero movie without any actual superpowers or costumes. Before Aquaman and Furious 7, though, Wan’s career was entrenched in the horror genre.

The director rose to prominence first with 2004’s Saw, a movie he also helped write. After Saw, Wan moved onto Insidious and The Conjuring franchises. It’s this horror background and sensibility that Wan believes could be a great fit for the Dark Knight. However, it’s unclear if Wan will ever be able to make his horror dreams or nightmares become a DCEU reality.
In an interview with Heroic Hollywood, Wan was asked about his superhero ambitions before landing the Aquaman gig. While Wan's heart currently is with the King of Atlantis, he did consider taking the reins of the Caped Crusader. It wasn't just an idle daydream either. Wan explained:

In the past like most people I loved the idea of directing Batman, but a horror version of Batman. That would be a potential fantasy of mine, but I feel like he’s been done quite a fair bit. But, I do love the idea of doing an outright scary Batman. I feel like that’d be really cool.

The concept of Batman as a horror figure has been played out on the big screen before Wan floated this idea. Tim Burton’s Batman had obvious Gothic overtones. As it dealt with the villain Scarecrow, Batman Begins had a few choice moments that could’ve belonged in a horror movie. Even Batfleck’s DCEU debut in Batman V Superman had the masked vigilante skittering on the ceiling like something out of a creature feature. Batman movies have always come up short of really embracing the scary elements of the character, though.

Currently the only known Batman movie in the near future is the Matt Reeves-helmed The Batman. It’s a project that’s shrouded in a lot of mystery with rumors that it’ll be prequel that recasts Affleck as Batman and others that suggest it won’t even be a part of the DCEU. In other words, it’s far too early to guess at what type of tone Reeves wants his Batman to have in the cinemas.

However if The Batman is a part of the DCEU, a horror movie tone would fit quite nicely with the character’s journey in the DCEU. Affleck’s Batman has been one of the most brutal parts of the movie universe even by the character’s usual dour standards. Batman is not someone who is as respected and revered like other superheroes. He’s a violent figure, who's lurking in the shadows. But to make Batman a completely terrifying figure, turning him into something that even the most hardened criminals are frightened of would be an interesting and unique take on the character. Sadly with Wan committed to Aquaman, which is on track to become the second best received entry in the DCEU, it's likely the DCEU won't make a horror movie with Batman in the foreseeable future.

 

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[Impact]Marvel's Shang-Chi Film Moving Forward, Looking For Asian Director[/Impact]
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Marvel Studios is actively developing a Shang-Chi movie, with Wonder Woman 1984 co-writer Dave Callaham penning the script. Shang-Chi was actually originally part of the ten-movie line-up that Marvel had planned out in 2005, but fell by the wayside along with other projects, like a Hawkeye solo movie and a Power Pack movie. This will mark the first ever blockbuster Asian superhero film made by an American studio. Callaham is Chinese-American, and Marvel is reportedly seeking a director of Asian descent to helm the film.

Created by Steve Englehart and Jim Starlin, Shang-Chi is a master of martial arts who made his debut in 1973, in the pages of Special Marvel Edition #15. In the comics, Shang-Chi is the son of Fu Manchu, and was molded by his father to be a "living weapon." However, after being sent upon his first mission - to assassinate an elderly man sleeping in his bed - Shang-Chi became disillusioned about his father's supposed goodness and nobility, and ultimately turned against him.
According to Deadline, Marvel is seeking an Asian or Asian-American director for Shang-Chi, hoping to replicate the success of this year's Black Panther with "a new hero who blends Asian and Asian American themes, crafted by Asian and Asian American filmmakers." Callaham has quickly become a sought-after screenwriter for comic book movies, not only working on the script for Wonder Woman 1984, but also tapped to write the screenplay for the upcoming sequel to Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse. His previous writing credits include 2014's Godzilla and The Expendables.

Because of the era in which Shang-Chi was created, the original comics contain a lot of Yellow Peril tropes and stereotypes, and the bad guys throw quite a lot of racial slurs and comments at Shang-Chi during fights. According to Deadline, the new script will "modernize the hero to avoid stereotypes that many comic characters of that era were saddled with." Marvel is likely trying to avoid a repeat of the controversy over Doctor Strange casting Tilda Swinton as Asian mentor figure the Ancient One, so it makes sense for the studio to seek out an Asian or Asian-American creative team for Shang-Chi.

At one point Marvel TV was rumored to be casting an actor in the role of Shang-Chi for Netflix's Iron Fist TV show, but nothing ever came of those rumors. Perhaps Marvel Studios already had plans to put a Shang-Chi movie back on the front-burner, and vetoed use of the character on the TV side. As mentioned above, a Shang-Chi movie was in development at Marvel Studios way back in 2005, and Marvel has been gradually getting around to making a lot of movies that were part of that original line-up - including Doctor Strange, Black Panther, and Ant-Man.

We'll keep you updated on Marvel's Shang-Chi movie as development continues.

 

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[Impact]Jason Momoa Reveals Justice League Snyder Cut Ending Details[/Impact]
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Zack Snyder's original Justice League ending featured a direct lead up to James Wan's Aquaman, Jason Momoa reveals. It's no secret that while Snyder got the sole directing credit for Warner Bros.' first superhero ensemble film, it was Joss Whedon who had the ultimate say on the cut that people saw in theaters. The former MCU director took over directing duties for the DC project when Snyder had to step away from the gig due to a personal tragedy. Whedon manned extensive reshoots that significantly changed the film's narrative.

It's been more than a year since Justice League was released but it remains a favorite topic of conversation among fans, especially considering the mystery surrounding the so-called Snyder Cut. Fans of Snyder have been campaigning for its release and while Warner Bros. remains mum about the issue, new details regarding the matter emerge every so often - the latest of which comes from Momoa, who details how the ensemble movie would've connected to Aquaman.
Speaking with Chris Van Vliet to promote Aquaman, Momoa was asked how his upcoming film connects to Justice League and how Arthur transitioned from being a part of the team to his own adventure. As it turns out, Snyder's original ending to the DC ensemble film included a scene where he's with Mera (Amber Heard) and Vulko (Willem Dafoe) as they reach out to him for help, possibly because Orm is gearing up to wage a war to the surface world. Momoa said:

In Zack [Snyder]’s cut, we had it where I was with Vulko and Mera and I say that I have to go home. And they say there’s this force coming that I need to help. I’m like, “I’m going home to see my dad.” I get into the back of a pickup truck and pound a bottle of something and off he goes, the wanderer. So that was kind of the end of Justice League - where I was going. Cut to me coming home, and run into a submarine.

It's unclear if the scene Momoa is talking about was supposedly the end of the main movie or if it was a post-credits scene - something that the DCEU hadn't really done until Justice League - although he initially filmed the stinger featuring Deathstroke's meeting with Lex Luthor (Whedon, however, reshot a part of it) which many assumed to be a set-up for a Legion of Doom movie. Based on the actor's comments, Snyder included the perfect launchpad to Wan's Aquaman that would've highlighted the interconnectivity of the DCEU. Instead, the flick incorporated an early look at what would be the Hall of Justice, which would've been a great way to tease Justice League Part 2. But since Warner Bros. seemingly has no plans of pushing through with the sequel (at least for now), the scene now feels out of place.

Good thing the changes made in Justice League don't seem to have affected how Wan tackled his standalone project; it seems like the only difference is that the pivotal sequence Momoa described happened off camera. The movie is set after the hero joined the League in foiling Steppenwolf's plans of taking over Earth. Aquaman, however, will incorporate flashbacks to establish Arthur's life prior to Bruce Wayne (Ben Affleck) tracking him down. Trailers for the film revealed key scenes in the past, including how Atlanna (Nicole Kidman) and Thoma Curry's (Temuera Morrison) love affair began as well as looks at Arthur's upbringing.

 

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[Impact]Star Wars 9: Kylo Ren Reportedly Has A New Helmet[/Impact]
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Kylo Ren will reportedly wear a new helmet during the events of Star Wars: Episode IX. The mask has been an integral aspect of the character ever since his debut in 2015's The Force Awakens, as it's always been more than just a neat-looking visual designed to sell merchandise. It's directly connected to the former Ben Solo's psychology; he originally wore it to conceal his identity as he studied the dark side of the Force, in an obvious homage to his grandfather, Darth Vader. In The Last Jedi, Kylo actually destroyed it after being chastised by Supreme Leader Snoke.

After his failure at Starkiller base, Kylo obviously felt the need to prove himself to Snoke (which explains why he wrecked the helmet), but the troubled youngster went a completely different route as The Last Jedi progressed. In one of the more shocking cinematic twists in recent memory, Ren killed Snoke and appointed himself as the new Supreme Leader. With Snoke, mocker of helmets, out of the way, some might be wondering if Kylo will have some new headgear in Episode IX. And it definitely sounds like that's the case.
According to Making Star Wars, Kylo will be in possession of a mask in Episode IX. From the sound of things, it could be his damaged one repaired, as it's being held together by "red crystalline bonding material" and has a "very corrupted look." Of course, this is just a rumor for the time being, but it's nevertheless an interesting development.

Considering it was Rian Johnson who destroyed the helmet (mainly to showcase the full range of Adam Driver's performance), it'd be easy for the Last Jedi detractors to point to this as an instance of J.J. Abrams retconning in Episode IX. However, a twisted, "corrupted" helmet actually sounds quite appropriate for Kylo Ren's current mental state. Through his actions, Ben Solo found himself completely alone in the universe. Leia gave up on him, Rey severed their connection, and his colleagues in the First Order despise him. Whatever was left of Ben's humanity has likely vanished, and he's chosen to live life like a hateful monster. There's no telling what happened to Kylo during the presumed time jump leading into Episode IX, so the mask will make for a compelling visual.

Fans continue to debate about whether or not Ben Solo will be redeemed by the end of Episode IX, but right now, most of the evidence points to him remaining a villain. The Last Jedi firmly established him as the trilogy's big bad moving forward, and unless there's some unforeseen Darth Plagueis twist forthcoming, there isn't another powerful Force user at the top for Rey to defeat. Many people saw Snoke as the Emperor surrogate for the sequels, and he's gone. Besides, having Ben return to the light steers too close to the ending of Return of the Jedi, and though there will be parallels to previous films, Abrams may try to avoid going that far if he can.

 

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[Impact]Jason Momoa Describes His Batman Audition For Zack Snyder[/Impact]
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Before landing his Aquaman role, Jason Momoa auditioned to be the Caped Crusader in Zack Snyder's Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice. Fans will soon see Momoa again in the James Wan-directed film, which will tackle his own journey of becoming the rightful king of Atlantis. But before becoming Arthur Curry, the former Game of Thrones star had another DC character in mind that he wanted to play: Batman.

As fans know, Ben Affleck ultimately got the role and has so far played the character three times - in Batman V Superman and Justice League, plus a cameo in Suicide Squad. However, despite being technically attached to reprise the character in Matt Reeves' The Batman, it's still unclear whether or not he will ever be the Bat of Gotham again due to persistent rumors he wants out of the role. Momoa, on the other hand, is busy gearing up for the release of his first solo DC flick.
Sitting down with Jake's Takes during the press tour for Aquaman, Momoa recalled when he auditioned to play Batman in Snyder's Batman V Superman. He may not have gotten the gig he wanted, but the audition paved the way for him to nab the role of Aquaman.

Yeah I kind of visualized, because it was a generic kind of just general scene from the Christian Bale movie The Dark Knight and I just, it was a big casting call so I knew a lot of people were going to be doing it and I just felt like it was a booby trap and I just didn’t want to do it.

So, we did it and I just pretended like Batman got killed in an alleyway and I picked it up and tried to play him like I was just down and out, poor, over it, just done wrong and he wasn’t afraid to punch even good people in the face. And just go like unforgivable about certain things but also like flawed, like the kind of person who would jump off a cliff and figure out on the way down what we’re going to do.

So, they liked that and then I got called in about probably two to three weeks later and that’s when Zack laid it down and said ‘I want you to play Aquaman’, which was completely like ‘Excuse me?'

Aside from trying to play Batman, Momoa was also up for a couple of Marvel characters. At one point, he was in the running to play Drax the Destroyer in Guardians of the Galaxy - a role that ultimately landed went to Dave Bautista. He also met with Avengers: Infinity War directors Joe and Anthony Russo for a potential villain role in the MCU. It was never revealed what his supposed role was exactly considering that out of the three films the Russos directed for the franchise (Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Captain America: Civil War and Avengers 3), no villain really fits Momoa's carefree, cool vibe.

In the end, Momoa nabbed the superhero role he's meant to play. Since his cameo in Batman V Superman that led to a bigger role in Justice League, it's clear Snyder made the right call to choose him as Aquaman. It's an understatement to say that adapting the character in live-action is tricky given his silly reputation in the pages of the comics as well as the animated TV show. But Momoa brings a certain edginess and personality to the character that makes his version equal parts threatening and charming. And judging by the initial reactions to Aquaman, it's safe to say Wan capitalized on this aspect. Luckily, fans won't have to wait that long to see more of the actor as the hero with the film hitting theaters later this month.

 

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[Impact]The Predator Alternate Ending Had Alien Franchise Connections[/Impact]

An alternate ending for The Predator featured several callbacks to the Alien series - and possibly set up the return of a major character. While 1987’s Predator is considered a classic of the genre, the sequels have a mixed reputation. Shane Black’s The Predator was intended to bring the series back in a big way and lay the groundwork for future entries. Sadly, it didn’t work out that way, with the movie proving to be a box office disappointment, in addition to receiving polarizing responses from fans and critics.

The Predator underwent substantial reshoots and re-edits prior to release, with the original third act being completely scrapped. Two additional “friendly” Predator characters dubbed The Emissaries and an entire battle sequence against Predator hybrid creatures were removed, and the movie bears the scars of its radical restructuring, with odd pacing and tonal issues. The ending was also considered out of sync with the rest of the movie, with the sudden introduction of a Predator Killer suit gifted to humanity.
This suit was a late addition to The Predator and was a transparent pitch for a sequel. Now it seems the production toyed with another ending, where the pod is opened to reveal somebody inside of it, and not a Predator suit. VFX artist Jon K. Miller recently posted to his Instagram some behind the scenes images of a breathing apparatus wore by the pods' occupant and designed to evoke the Facehugger from the Alien franchise. The mask also comes with a distinct Weyland – Yutani logo on it.
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bq5QUEUlO5g/?utm_source=ig_embed

Concept designer Fausto De Martini has also posted artwork on Instagram of the pod this unnamed character was supposed to emerge from. Interestingly, De Martini reveals this pod isn’t a Predator design, but one built by Weyland – Yutani. Both De Martini and Miller mention this mask was built at the last minute, and it appears this scene was actually shot since they both hope it appears on the upcoming Blu-ray release.
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bo2U-LegobP/?utm_source=ig_embed
Unfortunately, neither elaborate on the context of this scene, or who the occupant of the pod is supposed to be. In the original cut, the pods were occupied by the Predator hybrids creature, but since this narrative thread was cut, the final film replaced this with the Predator Killer suit instead. Presumably, the person inside was supposed to be another “gift” from the Fugitive Predator, with all signs pointing to Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Dutch. Considering the Facehugger mask completely covers the wearers face, maybe it was intended to be ambiguous until a sequel arrived.

All signs point to both this ending the Predator Suit one being ideas that were thrown together at the very last minute, with the suit idea eventually being deemed more appropriate. The nods to Alien are a real surprise though, with Shane Black himself stating in an interview prior to release there were no ties to that series. De Martini even notes the Weyland – Yutani logo was requested, so perhaps one idea for The Predator’s sequel would have featured a xenomorph appearance.

 

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[Impact]Black Widow Screenwriter Jac Schaeffer Credited on Captain Marvel[/Impact]
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Black Widow standalone film writer Jac Schaeffer gets a writing credit in Ryan Fleck and Anna Boden-directed Captain Marvel. Introduced in the MCU in 2010's Iron Man 2 by Nick Fury, the trained spy played by Scarlett Johansson has been a staple of the figure in the franchise and is one of the six original Avengers. But despite fan's clamor for her own film, it's really only been this year when the project took a huge step by hiring Schaeffer to write the film's screenplay.

The Black Widow film is supposedly set for a May 2020 release date and will be directed by Cate Shortland. Since it's still in the middle of development, story details have been scant so far. But an unusual connection between Captain Marvel and the upcoming Black Widow standalone has been recently spotted and may provide clues as to what the latter's story could be about.
The recently-released one-sheet for Captain Marvel lists down names of those who have contributed to the project, apparently including Schaeffer, who gets a writing credit for the film alongside Geneva Robertson-Dworet and Boden & Fleck, as spotted by Comic Book. The film is based on a story by Nicole Perlman, Joe Shrapnel, and Anna Waterhouse. Considering that Schaeffer is writing Johansson's solo MCU flick, this raises the possibility that the Larson-starrer may actually lead to Romanoff's eventual entanglement with Fury, who had been the common denominator to all Phase 1 films resulting to their culmination in 2012's The Avengers. Should this be the case, it reinforces the notion that Carol Danvers' arrival paved the way for the assembly of Earth's Mightiest Heroes.

Details regarding the Black Widow have been largely kept under wraps, but it's believed to be a prequel film tackling Romanoff's days as a Russian spy before officially working with Fury in S.H.I.E.L.D. A rumored synopsis for the film claims that it will be set 15 years after the fall of the USSR, but as it turns out, this version of the narrative is from the old script from David Hayter's scrapped Lionsgate-produced Black Widow project and not the one Schaeffer has been working on for the MCU. That said, there's still a chance that there will be similarities between the two movie din it all goes back to the character's known personal arc.

Chances are that fans will get a better sense of things after Captain Marvel hits theaters this March. But before the public finds out how Danvers' MCU origin story connects to Romanoff's (if it does) in Black Widow, the two MCU heroines will first team-up on the big screen in next year's Avengers 4 as Captain Marvel officially joins Earth's Mightiest Heroes as the attempt to restore order in the universe following Thanos' deadly snap in Avengers: Infinity War.

 

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[Impact]Aquaman Earns Nearly $3 Million During Early Screenings[/Impact]
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DC's Aquaman took in nearly $3 million from its early screenings, surpassing last year's Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle. The latest addition to the DC Extended Universe, Aquaman is already doing well financially, ahead of its U.S. theatrical release next weekend. James Wan's superhero movie is also generating overall positive word of mouth at the moment, with early Aquaman reviews praising the film for being a properly entertaining (and properly weird) popcorn movie anchored by Jason Momoa's charismatic performance as a dude-bro Arthur Curry (reprising his role from last year's not-so-beloved Justice League).

Aquaman enjoyed a big opening weekend in China last week and has grossed $261 million at the international box office so far. Similarly, the film grossed $2.9 million from its early screenings with Amazon Prime this weekend. That's much more than Sony's Jumanji made with its own Amazon Prime early showings a year ago ($1.8 million), and good enough to land the film a spot in the top 10 at the U.S. box office.
As reported by Deadline, Aquaman scored $2.9 million from its sneak peek screenings on Saturday evening at 1,225 theaters nationwide. Technically, that makes Wan's tentpole the 10th highest-grossing movie in the U.S. this weekend, besting the total for Green Book (which landed $2.78 million to claim the official #10 spot). Aquaman's Saturday night grosses were even higher than Once Upon a Deadpool's three-day opening weekend take of $2.6 million.

Deadline has further revealed that Transformers spinoff Bumblebee (which will open directly against Aquaman next weekend) took in around $500K from its own Saturday night sneak peeks earlier this month. It's worth noting, however, that Bumblebee was only screened in 325 theaters, so it's early showings gross can't really be compared to Aquaman's. As it stands, DC's latest is expected to secure $115 million over its first five days playing in the U.S. (on through to Christmas), with Bumblebee following suit with around $35-40 million. Both films are predicted to have strong legs after that - especially the latter, with Bumblebee being haled as (easily) the best Transformers movie yet, as well as one of 2018's best tentpoles in general.

That will certainly come as welcome news for Warner Bros., which was banking on Aquaman being a rebound for the DCEU (both critically and commercially). Talks for an Aquaman sequel have already begun and should only pick up speed, in light of the film's strong start at the global box office. Assuming those who caught the movie's early screenings continue to spread good word of mouth, the odds are in favor of Aquaman surpassing the latest box office projections and making (forgive the wording) quite the splash in its stateside debut.