In 2008, Marvel Studios began their connected universe with the first Iron Man film. After Samuel L. Jackson's Nick Fury met with Robert Downey Jr's Tony Stark, letting him know "you've become part of a bigger universe," we have gone on many adventures, seen classic heroes come to life, and battles waged against friends and foes from Earth to the outer reaches of space. 10 years of adventures and excitement. Marvel has created a decade of heroes.
Now, we see the culmination of their work in the next installment in the Avengers ensemble saga as seeds that were laid after the first Avengers film in 2012 will chaotically bloom in 2018's Avengers: Infinity War.
When we last left Earth's Mightest Heroes, they were quarreling with each other over the policing of their activities. Captain America (Chris Evans) and Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson) went into hiding, Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr) has taken a young Spider-Man/Peter Parker (Tom Holland) under his wing. Thor (Chris Hemsworth) and Hulk (Mark Ruffalo), unaware of their former comrades issues, enjoyed their own off-world adventure. We were also introduced to a new hero, King T'Challa/Black Panther (Chadwick Boseman) of the hidden African country of Wakanda.
In the new trailer for Avengers: Infinity War, the advanced, secretive nation of Wakanda emerges from isolation in order to save a world that has otherwise viewed them as a threat.
We catch up with our other heroes such as Scarlet Witch (Elizabeth Olsen) and Vision (Paul Bettany) living together and Bruce Banner crashing in to meet Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) and librarian-warrior, Wong (Benedict Wong). But this trailer gives us the best first look at the MCU's Big Bad, Thanos (played and voiced by Josh Brolin). The purple Mad God is menacing and all powerful as he collects the infinity stones and beats down heroes such as Iron Man and Spider-Man.
Heroes such as battle-weary Captain America, a humbled Iron Man, a more human-looking Vision, and a Thor perplexed to be fighting alongside a talking teenage tree and a fast-talking raccoon are some of the dozens of Marvel heroes who are joining forces to fight the cosmic tyrant during the May 4 film.
According to the trailer, most of these heroes will stand together in the fields outside Wakanda's capital to make a stand and defend the Earth. It goes to show that those who have quarreled in the past will find common ground when an even greater threat looms.
I personally cannot wait until this decade of heroes culminates into what's to be an action-packed, emotional adventure. Avengers: Infinity War arrives on May 4, 2018.
Hello again, readers! In case that you missed Marvel's quiet drop last Monday, you missed something amazing. With the impending release of Thor's third solo adventure in two weeks, Marvel released the first full trailer for its most anticipated solo release in years with Black Panther. The first teaser laid the groundwork for the characters in the Black Panther's world and his enemies that he must face. The first full trailer expands that world.
Picking up after the events of Captain America: Civil War, newly crowned King T'Challa (Chadwick Boseman) returns home to Wakanda. He soon finds his sovereignty challenged by factions within his own country. When two enemies conspire to bring down the kingdom, T'Challa must team up, as the Black Panther, with CIA agent Everett Ross (Martin Freeman) and members of the Dora Milaje - Wakanda's Special Forces - to prevent a world war.
We finally get more of Wakanda, hidden behind the disguise of force fields, and the expansive city. Angela Bassett finally appears as T'Challa's mother, Ramonda, informing her son that it is his time to rule. T'Challa seems to be at odds on what kind of king he wants to be. As he learns more about the heritage of mantle he acquired (including an assortment of Black Panther suits, especially the nanosuit at the end!), Michael B. Jordan's villain, Erik Killmonger, seeks to overthrow T'Challa and make Wakanda into a nation under his own ideals. He'll have help from Andy Serkis' Ulysses Klawe (who finally gets to use a new hand) to fulfill his dream.
We also get a glimpse into a special trial that T'Challa must pass as he encounters a black panther, resting in a tree during a beautiful, purple background. We do not know if it is to officially be recognized as Black Panther or King of Wakanda, but anyone who has read the comics knows about these trials. This all-star cast also features The Walking Dead's Danai Gurira, Lupita Nyong'o, and Forest Whitaker.
And check out this amazing new poster!
The revolution will be televised when Black Panther strikes theaters on February 16, 2018.
After months of waiting, the final trailer for The Last Jedi dropped last night during the halftime of ESPN's Monday Night Football. There was a lot I wanted from this trailer before I saw it; I wanted to hear lines from Luke, more about the worlds we would explore, and how Rey's training would affect her. Without further ado, here is the video for the final trailer.
Picking up where we left off in The Force Awakens, Rey (Daisy Ridley) continues to take steps into a larger world as she seeks an isolated Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) while Kylo Ren (Adam Driver) and the First Order regroup after their defeat in this next chapter of the saga.
Director Rian Johnson has obviously taken this franchise into a new direction. While there are echoes of the Empire Strikes Back, it's obvious that this film will be the darkest we've seen this saga go into. We finally hear lines from Luke Skywalker as he reluctantly takes the former scavenger under his wing, but he's filled with fear as he sees her raw, untamed power. It's obvious that when he found the same power in Kylo and saw what it can do, it scares him.
We get a look into Kylo Ren rebounding with anger and getting into his new TIE Silencer, giving us a glimpse of the epic space battles we have come to know and love about this universe. The conflict in the young Dark Jedi is apparent when he seemingly has to decide on killing his own mother, General Leia (Carrie Fisher, in her final film performance). Chewbacca and new creatures also appear. Not one to be left out, Finn (John Boyega) gets into action as he faces his former Stormtrooper commander, Captain Phasma (Gwendoline Christie).
It's obvious that the First Order is returning in full force and with vengeance as there doesn't appear to be much hope for the Resistance and from Luke's resistance in training Rey to control her abilities. But, if the once great Jedi Master can not help Rey, who will? Possibly Kylo Ren himself? (The end of the preview definitely lays that thought into the minds of fans. We're definitely asking more questions than answers from this trailer.
Go on, watch it more than once and try to analyze this trailer. I've done it enough and, seriously, we still have two months to think about this trailer.
Star Wars: The Last Jedi blasts into theaters on December 15.
Throughout the current DC Comics film universe, the Zack Snyder-influenced film has been action-packed and honored these comic book legends. One thing that was constant was the bleak, grey tone with the heroes providing the light in the darkness. After the criticism of Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, a shift of tone was needed to ensure the survival of this universe. With Wonder Woman critical success earlier this year, it's safe to assume that DC has seen the light.
While the first trailer from San Diego Comic-Con guaranteed the action and the individual heroes uniting to fight a common enemy, this final trailer continues that promise, but also taps into the emotions behind the film.
The new footage features the return of Superman (Henry Cavill), even though it seems to be in a dream sequence with Lois Lane (Amy Adams). Included are new glimpses of epic action and, surprisingly, a couple amusing dialogue exchange between the heroes. This may (or may not) show new director Joss Whedon's influence. Whedon took over the remaining directorial duties after Zack Snyder left to attend to a family issue.
The biggest question for this new trailer would be whether or not fans would be able to get a sense of Whedon's fingerprints. While its unknown what precisely is firmly from Whedon here, the new trailer is a tone shift from the San Diego Comic-Con trailer. Following a cover of David Bowie's "Heroes, we see a flashback opening between Lois and Superman along with a collection of scenes as our heroes unite along with the damage that their enemies could inflict upon the world. We're also gifted a few quippy exchanges, and even Wonder Woman (Gal Gadot) giving a wry smile.
This superhero mashup also includes Batman (Ben Affleck), along with Wonder Woman, introducing The Flash (Ezra Miller), Aquaman (Jason Momoa), and Cyborg (Ray Fisher) as they unite to fight a new threat. The film also stars Jeremy Irons, Billy Crudup, Robin Wright, Connie Nielsen, Amber Heard, Willem Dafoe, J.K. Simmons, and Ciaran Hinds.
In 2001, video game adventurer Lara Croft was brought to life. At that time, the only woman that could fill out her curvaceous pixels was rising superstar Angelina Jolie. Jolie starred in two live-action films as the Tomb Raider but her adventures have not graced the silver screen since 2003. The Tomb Raider games have had a resurgence in popularity in a reboot that shows Lara Croft's origins before becoming the legend we all know and love.
That sounds like a great place to reboot the film series, right?
Alicia Vikander takes over the role as a young Lara Croft, the fiercely independent daughter of a missing adventurer. She must push herself beyond her limits when she finds herself on the island where her father disappeared. Based on the trailer, it looks as thought Lara is looking to rejoin the company her father founded (Batman Begins inspiration?) in order to find him. Most of the action takes place on a jungle covered island, akin to the rebooted game series. I found the rebooted game to be very grounded and enjoyable so let's hope that it translates well onto the big screen. And having an Oscar winner isn't a bad choice to play the lead role.
Tomb Raider will come to theaters on March 16, 2018.
Jennifer Lawrence's hot streak as Hollywood's sought-after actress. After successful runs in The Hunger Games franchise and the prequel X-Men movies and other projects like Passengers, Lawrence can be seen in theaters in Mother!, but fans can already look ahead to her next performance.
The Oscar winner will be reuniting with her Hunger Games director, Francis Lawrence (no relation) to bring to life a seductive femme fatale in the first Red Sparrow trailer.
Lawrence portrays Dominika Egorova, a former prima ballerina who is forced to give up her craft when her body and mind is pushed to the absolute limit and leads to a career-ending injury. As a devoted daughter to her mother and facing an uncertain future, Dominika finds herself manipulated into becoming the newest recruit for Sparrow School, a secret intelligence service that trains a person to become a Red Sparrow, a young person trained to use her body and mind as weapons. Dominika emerges as the most dangerous Sparrow of them all. Her first mission, targeting a CIA agent (Joel Edgerton), threatens to unravel the security of both nations and everyone she cares about as he tries to convince her he's the only one she can trust.
This movie is based on the book by author Jason Matthews. Mary-Louise Parker and Jeremy Irons also feature in the film.
Red Sparrow flies into theaters on March 2, 2018. Watch the first trailer and let me know what you think in the comments!
It's that time of year again as movie, television studios, celebrities, cosplayers and fans alike descend upon San Diego, California for the annual spectacle, San Diego Comic-Con. The event is when upcoming movies and new seasons of television shows debut any recently shot footage, future projects are announced, and fans lose their minds.
This year has been no different. While away at Rehobeth Beach in Delaware, there has been a plethora of new trailers for upcoming movies and shows that I watch (Stranger Things 2 will be amazing!). So for those who couldn't attend the event or seen the trailers, I'm going to present them all on this post for my readers to enjoy!
Kingsman: The Golden Circle
Boasting an amazing cast, including returning stars Taron Egerton, Colin Firth, and Mark Strong, this sequel finds the British spy service devastated by the destruction of their headquarters. The remaining members journey to the discovery of an allied spy organization in the US, known as the Statesman. These two elite secret organizations must band together in order to defeat a common enemy. New cast members include Halle Berry, Channing Tatum, Jeff Bridges, and Julianne Moore as the new villain. This movie looks as action packed as the first and guarantees to keep audiences entertained as the first surprise hit did.
Kingsman: The Golden Circle comes to theaters on September 22.
Ready Player One
Cinematic legend Steven Spielberg directs this adaptation of Ernest Cline's pop culture novel. When the creator of a popular virtual reality utopia known as the OASIS dies, he releases a video in which he challenges all OASIS users to find his Easter Egg. An average teenager named Wade Watts (Tye Sheridan) solves the first clue, sparking excitement and hope back to the hunt, and throwing him into a world of people willing to kill for the information he has and changing his life forever. It's welcoming to have Spielberg return to the sci-fi world and this fits his earlier works.
Ready Player One is expected in March 30, 2018.
Bright
When it comes to Netflix movies, they can be hits or misses like other mainstream films. Over time, A-list actors have joined onto projects bought by the streaming service. This film is Netflix's first $100 million dollar film, bringing Will Smith into a magical urban fantasy. Set in a world where mystical creatures live side by side with humans. A human cop (Will Smith) is forced to work with an Orc to find a weapon everyone is prepared to kill for. Directed by David Ayer, this urban fantasy is a combination of Lord of the Rings and Ayer's previous film, End of Watch. It might be best to go in with some level expectations, but Netflix has proven to put out hits before (Check out To The Bone).
Bright will be on Netflix in December.
Thor: Ragnarok
Phase Three of the MCU has been off to a great start and, as we march towards Marvel Studios' 10th anniversary and next year's Avengers: Infinity War, Marvel presented the third solo film for an original Avenger. The first trailer did a proper set-up, but this trailer does that and more. After losing his hammer and imprisoned on the other side of the universe, Thor (Chris Hemsworth) must team up with his former ally, The Hulk (Mark Ruffalo), in order to prevent the Goddess of Death, Hela (Cate Blanchett) from destroying his home and the Asgardian Civilization. It was great to see more of Hela, Hulk, Loki (Tom Hiddleston) and Tessa Thompson's Valkyrie. The colors are brightest as they've ever been for a Marvel film. While I think this movie might feel too similar to Guardians of the Galaxy, it could provide a bridge to next year's ensemble superhero epic.
Thor: Ragnarok blasts into theaters on November 3.
Justice League
Aquaman. The Flash. Cyborg. Wonder Woman. Batman. Say what you will about the DC Comics film universe; this ensemble film brings some of the most well known heroes of all time. This trailer is definitely more action packed as we see the league in action and working together, some of them learning courage (like the Flash). We also get a first glimpse at Steppenwolf, the film's main villain. As the great evil comes to the Earth, Batman (Ben Affleck) assembles the four single heroes to face this great enemy. By the end of the trailer, we also see that the League will get some help.
We get a lot at the different players from DC lore: Commissioner Gordon (J.K Simmons), Alfred (Jeremy Irons), and the return of Queen Hippolyta (Connie Nielsen) as we go return to Diana's home island. In the trailer, we also hear Steppenwolf mention the very powerful guardians known as the Lanterns (could we see a Green Lantern in this film?). After the success of Wonder Woman earlier this year, I'm going into this film with more hope.
Justice League comes to theaters on November 17.
Well, which one are you excited for? Personally, Thor still looks like the best out of them all. Let me know in the comments.
For more than fifty years, martial artist and actor Jackie Chan has dazzled audiences all over the world. He has amazed viewers with his acrobatic fighting style, use of improvised weapons, comic timing, and the innovative stunts, many which he performed himself. Chan didn't become popular in 1995's Rumble in the Bronx. His first Hollywood blockbuster came in 1998's buddy-cop film Rush Hour, which spawned two more sequels
As his career evolved over the years, Jackie Chan has become a more well-rounded actor while reducing his action stunts in order to take better care of his body. So imagine my surprise when I came across one of Chan's new films coming out this year where he returns to the action genre.
Jackie Chan plays a restaurant owner who goes on a mission of revenge after his daughter is killed in a bombing by Irish terrorists. According to the trailer, it looks like he'll be going up against action veteran Pierce Brosnan. Jackie Chan looks to be going into the Taken bag of tricks by using a certain set of skills to go against the terrorists. The trailer is full of action and looks to be an exciting popcorn flick for audiences to see Chan return to action films. Directed by Martin Cambell, we are guaranteed enough action scenes to balance the drama of the story. What crazy stunts will Chan try himself at the age of 63?
Hello, readers! I'm sorry that I have been away for so long. I took a break to recharge my creative batteries and handle some personal business (busy weekends!), but I'm back with a new review for a film that I'm very interested in.
Being a Baltimore native, one of our most famous sons was Thurgood Marshall. The first African-American appointed to the Surpreme Court is known best for his defense and victory in Brown v. Board of Education, the 1954 decision that ruled that segregated public schools were unconstitutional. During a time of civil unrest and change in the country, he was a beacon of hope that change would be fair and just. But who was the man known as Thurgood? This film seeks to answer that question.
Bio-pic veteran Chadwick Boseman (42, Get On Up, Black Panther) stars as a young Thurgood Marshall as he battles through one of his career-defining cases. Based on the preview, Boseman channels charisma and passion into his role of the future Surpreme Court Justice as he fights to clear a black man from a wrongful conviction. We also see Josh Gad as his co-star, moving away from his comedy films into a dramatic setting. With Boseman having two previous biopic films on his resume, this role should be familiar to him but no less important.
Hollywood has had a long history of adapting literature classics into big screen events. From modern classics such as Harry Potter, The Hunger Games, and The Help to all-time great works like The Great Gatsby, To Kill a Mockingbird, and Gone With The Wind. It seems like they have gone back to the bookshelf as Agatha Christie's 1934 novel of the same name comes to life.
A lavish train ride through Europe unfolds into a suspenseful mystery. From the novel of Agatha Christie, Murder on the Orient Express tells the story of thirteen stranded strangers & one man's race to solve the puzzle before the murderer strikes again.
Now if you haven't read this mystery novel, it's fantastic and one of Christie's best. This movie looks excellently crafted and with style by leading man and director Kenneth Branagh.. A stellar cast joins Branagh such as Penelope Cruz, William Dafoe, Dame Judi Dench, Johnny Dep, Josh Gad, Daisy Ridley, Derek Jacobi, Leslie Odom Jr, and Michelle Pfeiffer. I've always been a fan of Branagh's work, especially with his Shakespearean works so I know that he will treat this property with respect and honor towards the source material.
This movie looks like it could be an interesting who-dun-it film; a mystery sub-genre that Hollywood hasn't had come out in a few years. I'm prepared to take this ride and see where it takes me.
Murder on the Orient Express pulls into theaters on November 10, 2017.
Before Sony and Marvel cut a deal to bring Spider-Man to the Marvel Cinematic Universe for the next Captain America film, the world was set to be introduced to an iconic Marvel character known as Black Panther. The king of the isolated nation, Wakanda, had never been seen in live action before. Once the Marvel Cinematic Universe got the ball rolling, Black Panther was a property that loyal fans wanted to see happen.
In Captain America: Civil War, rising star Chadwick Boseman (42, Get on Up) donned the vibranium-laced suit and gave fans an amazing performance as his character went through his own conflict among the main plot. After that, Black Panther was announced in Marvel's Phase 3 of the universe. Yesterday, fans were gifted the first poster for next year's superhero film.
Along with the poster, during Game 4 of the NBA Finals, Marvel dropped the first teaser for the eighteenth film in Marvel Studios' film universe.
After the events of Captain America: Civil War, King T'Challa (Chadwick Boseman) returns home to Wakanda, but soon finds his sovereignty challenged by factions within his own country. When two enemies conspire to bring down the kingdom, T'Challa must team up, as the Black Panther, with C.I.A. agent Everett Ross (Martin Freeman) and members of the Dora Milaje - Wakanda's special forces - to prevent a world war.
The teaser doesn't go deep into the plot, but the film looks amazing and providing a glimpse into the African nation of Wakanda. Based on the premise, it looks that T'Challa's will have a tough beginning as king within his own nation. While this film is based in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, I like the smaller scale of this film, showing that there are conflicts in smaller - or in Wakanda's case, isolated - corners of the universe and how this could affect the world.
Director Ryan Coogler (Creed, Fruitvale Station) will definitely have his own touch on this Marvel film, which definitely interests me after being a fan of his two previous films. Along with Chadwick Boseman, Coogler has assembled a star-studded cast including Coogler vet Michael B. Jordan (Creed), Academy Award winner Lupita Nyong'o (12 Years a Slave), The Walking Dead's Danai Gurira, Forest Whitaker, and Angela Bassett. Martin Freeman and Andy Serkis reprise their previous roles as C.I.A. agent Everett Ross and Ulysses Klaue, respectively.
Black Panther leaps into theaters on February 16, 2018.
Director Matthew Vaughn (Kick-Ass, X-Men: First Class) delivered an entertaining surprise of 2014 with the spy-action-comedy Kingsman: The Secret Service. The loopy, anarchic energy of the first film which put Bond to shame with its pyrotechnics and infectious energy that made the film re-watchable when it came out on Blu-Ray. The ending left it open for a sequel and after a year of rumors and teases, 20th Century Fox has released the first trailer to reveal a solid look at Kingsman Esq.'s second act.
When their headquarters are destroyed, Eggsy (Taron Egerton), Merlin (Mark Strong), and Roxy (Sophie Cookson) head to the United States to join forces with the Statesmen, Kingsmen's American counterpart. These two elite secret organizations must band together in order to defeat a common enemy.
Taron Egerton, who made his feature film debut in the original, is back as the super-spy named Eggsy, looking more comfortable in his role as a Kingsman. After rumors of his return ran rampant in movie news, Colin Firth makes his return as Eggy's mentor Harry; despite his character's apparent demise at the hands of Samuel L. Jackson's villain in the first film. These two are joined by a deep cast of Oscar-winners, including Jeff Bridges and Halle Berry, as members of the Statesmen. Julieanne Moore, Channing Tatum, Pedro Pascal, and the Rocket Man himself, Elton John, round out the new cast.
This movie looks like it could be as fun, if not better, than the original and it could open up this world more. When I saw the first Kingsman, I wasn't thinking it would become a franchise. But since that's the cool thing to do in Hollywood these days, why not go for it? Unlike other possible franchises, this one could have the potential to be very successful. One thing is for sure: they won't be able to top the church scene from the first film!
Kingsman: The Golden Circle hits theaters on September 29. If you haven't already, check out the trailer!
Disney has remained quiet as far as any news about the next Star Wars film. After the success of the standalone story Rogue One, fans were ready to return to the original story. After the title was revealed late January, fans have had theories behind the mystery while Disney kept up their radio silence.
During the Star Wars Celebration this past weekend, director Rian Johnson (Brick, Looper) and the stars of the second installment of the Star Wars sequel trilogy presented the first teaser trailer for Episode VIII.
Not much is known as far as where this entry is picking up after the events of The Force Awakens, but it's obvious that Rey (Daisy Ridley) is going through her Jedi training under the watchful eye of legendary hero, Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill). Rey seems to have honed her Jedi powers as she see the light, darkness, and the balance of the Force.
The trailer shows us the dark silhouette of General Leia Organa, played by the late Carrie Fisher in her final film role, the smashed mask of Kylo Ren (Adam Driver), who we also see taking aim at someone with his lightsaber. There is also a burning temple with R2-D2 watching in the distance along with a hooded figure (one could assume that is Luke), Finn (John Boyega) still in a coma, Ace pilot Poe Dameron (Oscar Issac) running to his soon-to-be destroyed X-Wing fighter, and an epic space battle.
But the final statement is what starts fan theories: "I only know one truth. It is time for the Jedi to end." Why would our once proud hero, Luke Skywalker, say this? And who is he saying this to? Maybe Rey will learn the lesson that you shouldn't want to meet your heroes.
Star Wars: The Last Jedi blasts into theaters on December 15, 2017.
Out of the entire Marvel Cinematic Universe, I think that Thor, one of the original Avengers, has had one of the weakest movie series so far. The first outing for the God of Thunder was decent in introducing him to the world. The sequel, Thor: The Dark World, is almost what I consider the Batman and Robin of the MCU, but better. With the announcement of Thor: Ragnarok, I was concerned with how this sequel will be. After the events of Avengers: Age of Ultron and Civil War, how would the resident deity fit into the world?
That answer was revealed today in the first teaser trailer for Thor: Ragnarok. And it looks like Thor has gotten himself into a bit of trouble.
After the events of Avengers: Age of Ultron, Thor (Chris Hemsworth), held captive on the planet Sakaar without his hammer, must win a gladiatorial duel against an old friend - the Hulk (Mark Ruffalo) - in order to return to Asgard in time to stop the villainous Hela (Cate Blanchett) and the impending Ragnarok, the doom of the Asgardian civilization.
We get a look at Cate Blanchett looking her most wicked as Hela, known as The Goddess of Death. Her villain looks to be the most powerful that Thor has ever encountered as she takes away his trusted hammer and obliterating it. Thor, is sent to the planet and taken hostage. Captured by Tessa Thompson's Valkyrie and taken to the pastel colored Grandmaster (Jeff Goldblum), Thor is relieved of his long locks and dons gladiator gear (including his infamous helmet)! But that's not the only familiar thing that we see.
Mark Ruffalo, although not actually seen, returns as the Hulk and the Incredible one looks his most ferocious. Thor thought he had found an ally in "his friend from work" but that couldn't be further from the truth as these old friends collide in battle.
I was overly impressed with this teaser trailer. This trailer was definitely inspired by the upcoming Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 and this solo adventure looks like it could be the biggest and most fun Marvel adventure to date.
The first Homecoming trailer gave us a glimpse into Peter Parker's high school life after his role in the airport battle during Captain America: Civil War. We did get a bit of action, but that trailer was more of a set-up for what to expect. Today, Marvel and Sony dropped the new Spider-Man: Homecoming trailer and it was well worth the wait.
Following the events of Captain America: Civil War, Peter Parker (Tom Holland), with the help of his mentor Tony Stark (Robert Downey, Jr), tries to balance his life as an ordinary high school student and fighting crime as his superhero alter ego Spider-Man as a new threat, the Vulture (Michael Keaton), emerges.
Looking at this preview, Peter is enjoying the new suit that was gifted to him from Stark. We also get a better idea behind Keaton's Adrian Toomes. From what I've read, Toomes works as a "clean-up guy" after the Avengers' battles in New York City and only wants what's best for his family. Will news like this convince us to sympathize with the villain. What I find amazing is that with this movie, Toomes is just a regular guy who becomes a supervillain, much like Peter is a regular guy who becomes a superhero.
We also see more interaction between Peter and Tony beyond the limo conversation that we saw in the last trailer and this one as well. After some heroics to save a ferry, Tony is cold to his protégé by telling him, "I want you to be better" and even requesting the suit back. While I was growing attached to the suit, it looks like this setback doesn't deter Peter as he swings back to fight the Vulture in his self-made suit.
One of the best lines from the trailer happened during Tony's conversation with Peter when Parker said that he's nothing without the suit. Tony responds and tells him: "If you're nothing without the suit, then you shouldn't have it."
This brings a good question that some superheroes encounter: Does the suit make the man?
I guess we'll find out in theaters as Spider-Man: Homecoming arrives on July 7.
As much of a Marvel fan that I am, my first experiences with superheroes came from the world of DC Comics. From Superman's All-American values watching the old cartoons to the detective skills of the Caped Crusader during Batman The Animated Series, DC is where I watched these comic book legends enter my life. I watched episodes of SuperFriends on Cartoon Network and then the amazing animated adventures in Justice League of America. Back then, I never thought that I would see a live action film with DC's mightiest heroes.
On Saturday, the time finally came where we got a glimpse of these heroes in action after months of press releases and set photos.
Set months after the events of Batman v Superman, Bruce Wayne/Batman (Ben Affleck), inspired by Superman's (Henry Cavill) sacrifice for humanity, and Diana Prince/Wonder Woman (Gal Gadot) assemble a team of metahumans consisting of The Flash (Ezra Miller), Aquaman (Jason Momoa), and Cyborg (Ray Fisher) to face the catastrophic threat of Steppenwolf (Ciaran Hinds) and the Parademons who are on the hunt for three Mother Boxes on Earth.
From this trailer, this movie was more about setting the tone and introducing the heroes as Bruce Wayne does a roll call of his recruits. These characters were mentioned in that forced scene during Dawn of Justice where Bruce looked over the files that he took for Lex Luthor. Seeing the Flash in action was definitely a thrill for me but I'm still not sold on Cyborg as of yet. One thing is for sure: no one will be poking fun at Jason Momoa's Aquaman.
The Zack Snyder-directed film looks promising, but I'm keeping my expectations level. Considering that the same director and writing team that wrote Batman v Superman is also behind Justice League, my faith is not entirely that strong. This trailer looks like this movie should be coming out during the summer rather than in November, but the DC Extended Universe already has the summer covered with Gal Gadot's solo adventure Wonder Woman. I suppose that all we can do is wait and see.
Heroes will unite in Justice League on November 17.
Hollywood loves to resurrect old television shows and give it a modern makeover on the silver screen. Not all of them have been a success (I'm looking at you, Starsky and Hutch and The Dukes of Hazzard!), but we can't blame them for trying. With the news of Baywatch being adapted for the big screen, who knew what to expect?
That's when you bring in "Hollywood Viagra"...or as I like to call him, Dwayne Johnson. Since the former wrestler joined the Fast and Furious franchise in Fast Five, each movie or franchise that he has joined has reached a new level of success. Not saying that it was all due to Johnson, but he helped. This new preview shows that with the right cast and story, Dwayne Johnson can start or save a franchise.
Baywatch is based on the TV series, which ran for 10 years from 1989-1999. It stars Dwayne Johnson as Mitch Buchannon, the role that previous belonged to David Hasselhoff, and Zac Efron as Matt Brody. These two lifeguards must put aside their differences in order to stop a criminal plot. ABC's Quantico star Priyanka Chopra plays villain Victoria Leeds, who we finally get a look at in this preview. Johnson and Efron are joined by Alexandra Daddario and supermodel Kelly Rohrbach to complete the Baywatch team.
The preview is definitely funny; showing the extreme training competitions that the team puts themselves through, Zac Efron going undercover in a dress, and we can't forget about Dwayne's front bump! Overall, this movie seems a lot more fun that I originally thought and I think it's worth giving a chance, especially coming out this early in the summer movie season.
If you have seen films like Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz, or The World's End, you have seen the brilliance of writer-director Edgar Wright. After leaving Marvel Studios' Ant-Man, which he co-wrote and set to direct but left due to creative differences, fans have been waiting for his next project.
Well, wait no longer. The director's latest project, Baby Driver, made its world premiere on Saturday night during the SXSW Film Festival in Austin, Texas. While everyone wishes they were there, the rest of the world was treated to the official trailer.
This musically-charged action thriller stars Ansel Elgort (The Fault in Our Stars, The Divergent Saga) as Baby, a young getaway driver working for a crime boss (Kevin Spacey). Baby listens to music almost constantly - a way to drown out the ringing in his ears - and makes him the best driver.
From looking at this preview, Baby looks ready to get out of the game, especially when he meets and falls in love with a diner waitress (Lily James). The rest of the cast his loaded with the acting talent of Jon Bernthal, Jamie Foxx, Jon Hamm, and Eiza Gonzalez. Music looks to be a prime factor in the film as it plays during the action sequences. This film has remained fairly quiet since nothing has been heard from the Scott Pilgrim vs. The World director after leaving the Marvel Studios project, but he has stated that this is his passion project that was sprung from an idea more than two decades ago.
Not that I'm complaining, but it looks like August is becoming the month for sleeper hits as we wind down from the barrage of big-budget blockbusters during the Summer. This is one film that I'm looking forward to experiencing.
I will admit to being a harsh judge of the DC Comics Extended Universe given the movies that we have been given so far. However, after the first preview of this summer's Wonder Woman, it's obvious that DC is going into a brighter direction. It's a direction that DC comics is more known for and something the film universe needs.
Saturday night, a new trailer was released for the Amazon princess and if you didn't believe in this movie before, you might now.
This origin story tells the tale of Diana (Gal Gadot), princess of the Amazons and trained to be an unconquerable warrior. Raised on a sheltered island paradise, she knows nothing of the outside world. When an American pilot, Steve Trevor (Chris Pine), crashes on their shores and tells of a massive conflict raging in the outside world, Diana leaves her home, convinced she can stop the threat. Fighting alongside man, Diana discovers her full powers and her destiny.
From the trailer, you can tell the comparison between the worlds Diana enters; from her beautiful island paradise to the grey of the outside world. Diana tries to adjust to the world she has entered, playing on the fish-out-of-water storyline, but not losing herself. This superhero period piece looks to be the breath of life that the DC Extended Universe needs going forward. Not to mention that DC can one-up Marvel Studios by having a strong, female superhero lead a film while Marvel plans out Captain Marvel for 2019.
So what do you all think? Is Wonder Woman the saving grace and turning point for this superhero franchise? Will this put DC ahead of Marvel for a little while? Please leave comments to let me know what you all thought.
No one expected Guardians of the Galaxy to be the hit that it was in 2014 as Marvel banked on another relatively unknown property to sell to audiences. We all bought in and became Hooked on a Feeling with the surprise hit. This summer, the Guardians are back and from the new trailer, it looks like we're in for more characters, worlds, but the same that we came to love from the first film all to Fleetwood Mac's '70s hit "The Chain".
Set two-to-three months after the events of the first film, the Guardians of the Galaxy travel throughout the cosmos and struggle to keep their newfound family together, while helping Peter Quill (Chris Pratt) learn more about his true parentage.
From the line up, it looks like the family has gotten bigger beyond the key members with Ravagers leader, Yondu (Michael Rooker), Gamora's estranged sister, Nebula (Karen Gillan), and newcomer, Mantis (Pom Klementieff). Drax (Dave Batista) looks to be flexing more of his comedic muscles along with Rocket (voiced by Bradley Cooper). Let's not forget that adorable tree-like humanoid, Baby Groot (voiced by Vin Diesel). We don't know who the Guardians are fighting against but Marvel needs to leave some surprises for us. One thing they didn't keep hidden was Kurt Russell's role as Ego, Peter Quill's father!
Judging from the two songs that we have gotten in the previews, we should also prepare for another awesome soundtrack in this installment.
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 flies into theaters on May 5, 2017.
