Disney’s Alan Menken Thinks One Animated Blockbuster Is Too Controversial For Live-Action

Disney’s Alan Menken Thinks One Animated Blockbuster Is Too Controversial For Live-Action

Disney has found a goldmine in the form of remaking the studio's animated classics. Movies like The Jungle Book and Beauty and the Beast have been massive box office smashes. It looks like Disney may have another hit on their hands with Aladdin opening this week, and other remakes, like The Lion King and Mulan are waiting in the wings.

With several other remake projects rumored, we know Disney is going to be continuing this franchise for quite some time, however, Alan Menken, the Academy Award winning songwriter of many of Disney's Renaissance classics, thinks there's one animated Disney movie that likely won't get the remake treatment, 1995's Pocahontas. According to Menken...

I don't know if we'll ever be able to do Pocahontas. I think that story is going to be difficult. With modern sensibilities, it'd be hard – you're going to offend somebody – so I don't know.

It's not hard to believe that Alan Menken is correct in his comments to Express. The fact of the matter is, Pocahontas was criticized for its depiction of Native Americans when it was released in 1995, so doing a note-for-note adaptation of the film now would certainly cause similar complaints, only more so.

At the very least, an adaptation would need to go through some major modifications. Considering how close movies like Beauty and the Beast and Aladdin have stayed to the source material, a version of Pocahontas that was significantly different doesn't seem like the sort of movie Disney would want to make, but if they also can't make the original version again, the movie gets stuck in limbo and probably never gets made.

It's not the first time that the test of time has not be kind to a Disney movie. Dumbo had a collection of crow characters back in the 1940s that included a character that was actually named Jim Crow. Needless to say, the recent live-action remake of that movie did not include that scene.

Song of the South is a movie that Disney would probably rather we all forgot existed. The depiction of African-Americans during Reconstruction was also criticized in its day, but that criticism has only grown over the years and the film has never been released on home viewing in North America. Disney has confirmed the film will not even be released on the Disney+ streaming service.

Pocahontas isn't Song of the South bad, Disney hasn't disowned the film, but it's still another example of a movie that simply hasn't aged well. The fact that Moana another Disney animated film focused on a cultural minority group, has a largely similar story, but is viewed much more positively, makes it feel like the film was an attempt to make up for the missteps of Pocahontas.

Disney's live-action remake slate currently includes The Lion King, Maleficent: Mistress of Evil, Mulan, and Cruella on the big screen as well as Lady and the Tramp coming to Disney+. We also know that The Little Mermaid is a project currently in development. Other projects that have been rumored include Pinocchio, Snow White, and Sword in the Stone.

Pocahontas hasn't even been rumored as a potential remake, which would seem to confirm Alan Menken's feelings. Al;though, after all the other remakes have been made, Pocahontas might start to look like a more attractive option.

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Mary Poppins Returns Has A Weird, Special Connection To The Original Through A Deleted Song

Mary Poppins Returns Has A Weird, Special Connection To The Original Through A Deleted Song

Rob Marshall’s Mary Poppins Returns is very much a love-letter to its 1964 predecessor, weaving a wonderful new story with the wonderful familiar world and characters. There are many fun and smart connections made between the two features, both stylistically and narratively, and even though they are made decades apart they still feel of a piece. Obviously 99% of that is extremely purposeful and intentional, but the sequel also has a fantastic accidental link to the first movie as well – specifically through a musical sequence that both films attempted, but ultimately decided not to use.

Last week I had the immense pleasure of sitting down with Rob Marshall to discuss his work on Mary Poppins Returns for the film’s home video press day, and during the interview talked about one song that was developed for the feature but not used: “The Anthropomorphic Zoo.” As the director explained, it was initially going to be a part of the extended journey taken by Mary (Emily Blunt), Jack (Lin-Manuel Miranda), Anabel (Pixie Davies), John (Nathanael Saleh), and Georgie (Joel Dawson), but was cut back when the sequence became too long:

There is a song that we had originally called "The Anthropomorphic Zoo," which was part of the animation sequence, but the animation sequence was way too long… It's about a zoo where people are in the cages, and the animals are walking around with Victorian garb on and pointing at the people in the cages. And it's very funny, and it comes from the books. Well, we tried it, we wrote the song, and it's there on the DVD to see with little bits some wonderful storyboarding and so forth, but we decided not to do it.

Obviously this kind of thing happens all the time, as every movie in history has at least one potentially great cut sequence that just didn’t work as part of the finished product. What makes this case special, however, is that apparently an almost identical decision was made in the making of the original Mary Poppins.

As Rob Marshall explained, the inspiration behind “The Anthropomorphic Zoo” came directly from the beloved book series by P.L. Travers on which Mary Poppins and Mary Poppins Returns are both based, and fate would have it that it wasn’t the first time that the sequence was considered for live-action adaptation. After deciding not to include the number, the filmmaker made a surprising discovery, learning that the original basically made the exact same call back in the early 1960s:

After we decide not to do it I went to the archives here at Disney, and I saw that they had tried to do the same thing in the '64 version. There was a song called "The Chimpanzoo" that the Sherman brothers wrote, and they didn't use it either. So that was the craziest thing ever. Isn't that crazy?

It’s a fantastic little coincidence – but what makes it a little extra fun is that it’s not exactly a “lost” Mary Poppins song anymore. Even though the production didn’t actually fully develop the sequence, there will be a special feature on the Digital, Blu-ray and DVD copies of Mary Poppins Returns that will give audiences a chance to listen to the track and imagine what could have been.

You can watch my full interview with Rob Marshall, including his great bit of trivia about “The Anthropomorphic Zoo” by clicking play on the video below.

Following its massively successful box office run over the past few months, Mary Poppins Returns is heading to home video very soon. The hit musical will be available for digital download starting on March 12th, and those of you who collect physical copies will be able to find 4K, Blu-ray, and DVD editions in stores on March 19th.

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Avengers 4: What We Know So Far About Endgame

Avengers 4: What We Know So Far About Endgame

The Marvel Cinematic Universe has been going strong since it launched in 2008 with Iron Man, and while movies like Spider-Man: Far From Home, Black Widow, Black Panther 2, and more will keep the franchise going into its Phase Four and beyond, the end of an era is approaching. Avengers: Endgame will conclude not just Phase Three of the MCU, but also wrap up numerous plot threads. While Avengers: Infinity War was long advertised as the biggest Marvel movie yet, rest assured that its follow-up will be just as important, if not more so.

Because Avengers: Endgame is such a big deal for the franchise, Marvel Studios is, understandably, keeping details for Earth's Mightiest Heroes' fourth epic tale close to the chest. However, there is a fair amount of information that's already available to the public, including a teaser trailer, so read on to find out what we know about the movie so far. Be warned, though. This guide is filled with SPOILERS both mild and extreme about Infinity War and Ant-Man and The Wasp, so proceed with caution if you haven't seen either film yet!

What Have We Seen From Avengers: Endgame?

Given that Avengers: Endgame is going to be one of the biggest movies of all time, the marketing team behind the movie hadn't exactly been super active - though the good news is that they have now released several trailers and teasers to get us even more pumped for the film. The first preview from the blockbuster dropped online and in theaters in December 2018, and fans have been rewatching it over and over trying to squeeze out as many details as they can (something which will probably be evident as you continue reading this guide).

While another trailer dropped during the Super Bowl, it was more of an extended TV spot than a full preview. But, of all the recent teases we've gotten of footage from the film, though, the biggest reveal may have been in the form of a series of posters which seem to confirm a lot of living and dead characters, including ones we didn't get to witness from Avengers: Infinity War.

What Is The Avengers: Endgame Release Date?

Unlike the previous three year gaps between Avengers movies, Avengers: Engame will be released only a year after Avengers: Infinity War, on April 26, 2019. Its principal photography began in late summer of 2017, only a few weeks after Infinity War wrapped shooting. Avengers: Endgame was previously known as Avengers: Infinity War Part II, but, in 2016, that title was removed to make it clear that the film will have its own specific story to tell rather than just being the second half of its predecessor. Of course, the movies will obviously be linked because of the way in which it will deal with the fallout from Thanos' snap.

What Is The Avengers: Endgame Rating?

Movies aren't given ratings from the MPAA until the film is basically completed and ready for release, but like the rest of the MCU movies you can guarantee Avengers: Endgame will head into theaters with a PG-13 rating so that it can be accessible to both adults and younger moviegoers (but not too young). The reasons for being PG-13 will likely include having "extended/intense sequences of violence, action and destruction," along with some "suggestive comments" and language. These are nothing out of the ordinary, although keep in mind that Avengers: Endgame will probably ratchet up the intensity to an 11, so remember that if you're bringing kids along to the theater.

The Avengers: Endgame Writers And Directors

Avengers: Endgame is keeping the same creative team that guided Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Captain America: Civil War , and Avengers: Infinity War to success. Just like with those movies, Joe and Anthony Russo will be sitting in the directors chairs, while Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely (who also wrote Captain America: The First Avenger) have penned the script. As the saying goes, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it," and by keeping these creative teams intact fans can look forward to a degree of familiarity.

Iron Man

Robert Downey Jr. helped kick off the Marvel Cinematic Universe with Iron Man in 2008, and he's maintained a consistent presence in the franchise since then. However, with Avengers: Endgame ending both the MCU's Phase Three and wrapping up what the franchise has been building to for a decade, it's certainly possible that this will be the last time we see Downey's Stark. After 10 appearances, one wouldn't blame the man for wanting to retire from his Iron Man life and fully focus on other projects. For Tony Stark, this could mean anything, from dying in battle to simply leaving his superhero activities behind. All we know for certain is that at the end of Avengers: Infinity War, he was still stranded on Titan, one of the only two superheroes remaining on the dead planet after Thanos' snap. From the trailer it looks like he was able to leave Titan on a ship so that he could try and to get back to Earth, but he'll need a miracle to survive the actual journey (something tells us that he'll be getting one, though).

Captain America

Like Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans' future after Avengers: Endgame remains uncertain. Evans was originally contracted for six Captain America appearances, but he extended it for one movie so he could participate in Avengers: Endgame. That being said, there has been some implication that he will be departing the MCU after the blockbuster - though that has yet to be confirmed. In any case, rather than suiting up as Nomad as previously rumored, Steve Rogers will be reverting back to his clean shaven look and a more traditional Captain America costume for Avengers: Endgame, where he'll reportedly have a bigger role as he tries to save the lives of half the entities in existence, and reunites with his trusty shield. Beyond that, we don't know what's in store for him, though we hope that the movie will also find some way to resolve the conflict that he's had with Tony Stark since the end of Captain America: Civil War.

Thor And Loki

The ultimate fate of Asgard and most of its inhabitants was sealed once Thor: Ragnarok and Avengers: Infinity War were released, but one thing we do know is that Thor will live on to fight in Avengers: Endgame. The God of Thunder has lost a whole hell of a lot in recent features, including his brother, Loki; his best friend, Heimdall; his father, Odin; most of his people; his homeworld; and even his eye - but that's not going to stop him from continuing to fight the good fight. To no one's surprise, Thor, played once again by Chris Hemsworth, will be continuing his heroic duties and fighting alongside his fellow Avengers in the fourth chapter of the team-up series, and we can bet that the weight of all his pain will be heavy for the God of Thunder (not to mention insane regret for not going for Thanos' head with Stormbreaker). And while Loki has always been a wild card, and there has been speculation that he could still be alive, it would seem that this time his death is permanent.

Hulk

Thanks to Thor: Ragnarok, we know that Hulk had been spending the last few years killing it in the gladiator ring on Sakaar, but because of events during the opening of Avengers Infinity War he found himself back on Earth to help try and pummel Thanos and his minions. It ended up being Bruce Banner in one of Tony's Hulkbuster suits who ended up doing the fighting, however, as the green monster refused to come back out after his beatdown from the Mad Titan. Mark Ruffalo has said that Hulk/Bruce Banner's has a specific arc that's playing out across Thor: Ragnarok, Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame, and the idea is that together the story will feel like a standalone movie for the character (who hasn't been gifted with a solo movie since The Incredible Hulk in 2008). Avengers: Endgame will also be the culmination of the "huge change" Hulk will go through starting in Thor: Ragnarok, meaning that we will likely see a lot more cooperation between Bruce and Hulk by the time the film is over. Could we finally see Banner and Hulk melding into one super-strong, highly intelligent individual a.k.a. Professor Hulk?

Thanos

Ever since he smirked at the camera in The Avengers mid-credits scene, Thanos has been lurking in the background of the MCU, but in Avengers: Infinity War he finally stepped into the light when he and his Black Order minions secured all six Infinity Stones so that he could obliterate half of all life in the universe. The Mad Titan's involvement in Avengers: Endgame, on the other hand, is shrouded in mystery. Josh Brolin had said that Thanos might not get all the Infinity Stones by the time Infinity War ended, and we now know that to have been a careful misdirect. We'll go into the 2019 blockbuster with the character being a god-like entity, but beyond that we have no idea what the film has in store for him.

Guardians Of The Galaxy

With the exception of Yondu, who gave his life to save Peter Quill in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, all the Guardians of the Galaxy returned for Avengers: Infinity War. Unfortunately, due to the events of that film, we'll go into Avengers: Endgame with Bradley Cooper's Rocket Raccoon and Karen Gillan's Nebula as the only members to survive Thanos' snap. That makes it a particularly big challenge to predict what they'll be up to when we get to see the characters next (though it was originally thought that Nebula just abandoned Tony Stark on Titan and didn't take a position in whether or not he should live or die, the new teaser that was released seems to suggest that she will end up helping him). It's worth noting that if Thanos does end up dying in Avengers: Endgame, we shouldn't count out either a somehow reconstituted Drax the Destroyer or Nebula being responsible for his demise, as they're both heroes with serious vendettas against the intergalactic warlord. As we know, though, they may have to stand in a long line to get their shot at that now.

Doctor Strange

We watched Doctor Strange begin his superhero journey in late 2016, and by the time of Avengers: Infinity War his magical abilities were most beneficial to his new allies... until they weren't, anyway. While we can't predict what we'll see from the neurosurgeon-turned-sorcerer in Avengers: Endgame without knowing how the good doctor will come back into the fold, keep in mind that even with his considerable talent, Doctor Strange isn't invincible, so he may still be going through a learning curve when we see him again in the 2019 film. Still, let's not forget that before he was dusted Doctor Strange used the Time Stone to look at the all the alternate futures concerning the coming conflict with Thanos, and in only one of them were he and his allies victorious. Strange knew ahead of time how things needed to proceed, and Avengers: Endgame will see those pieces finally fall into place.

Spider-Man

From traveling to Germany to fight other superheroes, to defeating a gang of thieves armed with enhanced weaponry, Peter Parker's life as Spider-Man hasn't been lacking in excitement so far in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. In Avengers: Infinity War he put his arachnid-themed abilities to good use on a cosmic scale, and in an even more teched-out suit Tony Stark designed for him. None of his powers or technology were able to help him at the end of the movie, though, young Peter's demise at the end of that film being one of the most heart-breaking moments ever in a superhero movie. It's worth noting that Spider-Man: Far From Home will begin only minutes after Avengers: Endgame, so moviegoers will reunite with Peter immediately in the aftermath of this event and might get to watch him continue to deal with the effects of whatever brought him back to the known world.

Black Widow

Scarlett Johansson's Black Widow has been a key figure in the Marvel Cinematic Universe since the franchise's third movie, and while we won't be seeing her first solo film until we're getting deeper into Phase 4, we know that she will be back and playing a crucial role in Avengers: Endgame. She is one of the few Avengers who successfully survived Thanos' snap, and going by the first trailer for the movie it looks like the upcoming blockbuster will catch up with her as she is working with Captain America to find a fix to the whole situation. Plus, she'll be reuniting with an old colleague, who we will be discussing more in a minute...

Black Panther

At the end of Black Panther, King T'Challa (Chadwick Boseman) decided to open Wakanda up to the world, but he probably didn't expect that months later the African nation would have to repel an alien invasion. When Steve Rogers and his allies showed up asking for help protecting Vision and retrieving the Mind Stone, however, the royal superhero let them in and provided a battlefield against the deadly Outriders. Earth's Mightiest Heroes technically emerged victorious in that fight, but soon after T'Challa turned to dust thanks to Thanos' snap, and Okoye watched on in horror. Since Black Panther 2 is happening, we know T'Challa will eventually return. The question, like with all the other disappeared heroes, is how.

Hawkeye

Jeremy Renner's Clint Barton sat out Avengers: Infinity War due to being under house arrest, but rest assured that when Avengers: Endgame rolls around he'll be back in action. It's been confirmed that when we reunite with him in Avengers: Endgame he'll be known as Ronin, the identity he briefly donned in the comics following his resurrection. Why the identity change? Supposedly the events of Infinity War will leave Clint in a "very dark place," with the going theory that most, if not all, of his family was wiped out by the Thanos Snap. That would certainly put most people in the darkest of places. Exactly what his contribution to the fight against the Mad Titan will be isn't entirely clear right now, but he should be a useful tool if only just because he is chock full of motivation.

Ant-Man And The Wasp

While Ant-Man (Paul Rudd) and The Wasp (Evangeline Lilly) were initially expected to appear in both Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame, we actually didn't get to see them until their recent solo sequel Ant-Man and The Wasp. If you've seen that movie, you know that things did not end particularly well for Scott Lang and his allies following The Decimation. Thanos' snap went down as Scott was in the Quantum Realm, and it erased all traces of not only Hope van Dyne, but also Michael Douglas' Hank Pym and Michelle Pfeiffer's Janet van Dyne. Somehow he'll make it back to Earth in Avengers: Endgame, as seen in the trailer, and and there are already theories on how the Quantum Realm plays into this gargantuan story, but otherwise, we're in the dark on how Scott fits into the proceedings.

Captain Marvel

Captain Marvel's involvement in the MCU has been one of the franchise's biggest question marks, as Brie Larson's debut as Carol Danvers arrived just a couple months before Avengers: Endgame. Her whereabouts in the present day haven't been revealed yet, but Carol has been officially confirmed to appear in the Phase Three capstone project, presumably having her first opportunity to interact with the Avengers and the Guardians of the Galaxy. And, some are so excited by her appearance in Endgame, that they're even theorizing that she was digitally removed from some scenes of the new teaser to keep her time in the film a secret. Her existence was teased in Avengers: Infinity War's final moment when Nick Fury activated a suped-up pager right before disappearing that displayed Carol's insignia. Whatever the reason for her absence, her planet-moving powers will be most welcome when she finally returns to Earth.

Other Superheroes

Along with the previously mentioned superheroes, War Machine, Scarlet Witch, Falcon and Winter Soldier are all confirmed to return for Avengers: Endgame (yes, even the ones who were dusted by the Thanos Snap at the end of Infinity War). Then there's The Vision, who was especially important to Avengers: Infinity War given that he was powered by the Mind Stone, one of the six Infinity Stones that Thanos craved. And, like many of those other heroes, we have no indication what will happen to Vision in Avengers: Endgame, or how the destroyed android might be brought back to life.

The Supporting Characters

Avengers: Endgame already has a stacked lineup of superheroes, but there will still be a number of other characters filling out the cast. In the supporting character category, only Iron Man mainstays Pepper Potts and Happy Hogan, as well as Doctor Strange's most trusted magical ally Wong, have been confirmed to appear, though you can bet that plenty of other familiar faces from the heroes' personal lives will be back as well. One of those will probably be Samuel L. Jackson's super spy Nick Fury (even though, yup, he got dusted), who's been absent in the present day MCU since Avengers: Age of Ultron. As far as new faces go, The Wolverine actor Hiroyuki Sanada has been cast in an undisclosed role, along with 13 Reasons Why star Katherine Langford, and they likely won't be the only new players thrown into the mix.

We only have a few hours left until Avengers: Endgame finally hits theaters, so be sure to check back with this guide for all the updated info on the blockbuster!

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Captain America: Civil War Almost Focused A Lot More On Bucky

Captain America: Civil War Almost Focused A Lot More On Bucky

One of the biggest blockbusters of 2016, Captain America: Civil War took inspiration from Mark Millar’s 2006-2007 Marvel Comics crossover series that gave it its title, telling the story of a superhero community torn apart by philosophical differences. But it wasn’t always so. There was once an alternate version of the MCU’s third Captain America movie that originally 3 focused much more on Bucky Barnes and his journey coming out of the events of Captain America: The Winter Soldier. Screenwriter Christopher Markus recently explained,

There were outlines where we had the Zemo plotline based around Bucky. We had that whole structure. But it wasn't so much about pitting Steve and Tony together. When Civil War rose to the surface, it fit in really nicely into that.

Sebastian Stan’s Winter Soldier certainly plays a significant part in Captain America: Civil War, but according to a recent Hollywood Reporter interview with Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely he originally had an even bigger role in the narrative. Because Robert Downey Jr.’s Tony Stark wasn’t always a guaranteed part of the film, there was initially no conflict between him and Steve Rogers to set up, so in the absence of that storyline Bucky took center stage.

According to Markus, the plotline that existed in older outlines with Bucky still had Daniel Brühl’s Zemo has a key player, so it doesn’t sound like his story was drastically different in the development of Captain America 3. That being said, there probably were some key alterations made, such as the significance of the brainwashed super soldier killing Tony Stark's parents.

Ultimately the option of creating a big screen version of Civil War came along. The writers were able to work that iconic comics storyline in and make everything in the established Marvel Cinematic Universe fit and function as a cohesive story. Being able to do Civil War also apparently proved fortuitous for the writers, because apparently the Bucky and Zemo material wasn’t strong enough to carry the film, as screenwriter Stephen McFeely explained:

It wasn't a great enough A-plot. It became an excellent B-plot.

According to Stephen McFeely, having the focus of the film be Bucky Barnes and the story of Zemo controlling him wasn’t all that great. By shifting that story from the main focus to the B-plot was much more effective. It actually complemented the story of the conflict between Steve Rogers and Tony Stark too, by having their disagreement about the Sokovia Accords give way to a more personal dispute over what Bucky’s fate should be.

It’s hard to disagree with Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely given how well Captain America: Civil War turned out. It now stands as one of the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s most beloved films, and one of the most important given how the ramifications of it reverberate throughout many of the movies that followed it. The conflict between Tony and Steve ultimately carries throughout the rest of the Phase 3 films all the way until Avengers: Endgame, proving to make Zemo one of the franchise's most successful villains.

For those who might lament not getting even more of Sebastian Stan’s Bucky Barnes in Captain America: Civil War, fear not. Bucky will star alongside Anthony Mackie’s Falcon in a new series coming to Disney+, one of many MCU series on the way.

Check out our 2019 Release Schedule to keep track of all the biggest movies headed your way this summer and for the latest superhero movie news, stay tuned to CinemaBlend.

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How Detective Pikachu May Set The Stage For Major Pokemon Character Ash Ketchum

How Detective Pikachu May Set The Stage For Major Pokemon Character Ash Ketchum

Warning! The following contains spoilers for Detective Pikachu. Read at your own risk!

Detective Pikachu is a great movie, and a wonderful nostalgia trip for those who were a part of Pokemon's original run 20-plus years ago - but there are bits of the film where older fans may have been a bit out of the loop. Those only familiar with the franchise up to the 151st Pokemon may have missed some of the deep cut references to successive games, not to mention been unfamiliar with some of the new species that are prominently featured. It still makes for a fun time at the cineplex, but imagine if there was a movie that focused on the Pokemon of the late 1990s.

Not to get anyone's hopes too high, but there's a possibility something like that could happen now that the new film is a hit. You may have missed it, but Detective Pikachu has a very subtle reference to past stories that very well could tie the movie into the anime world of Pokemon and the franchise's most famous human character. To spell it all out, below you'll find the details behind the reference that some may have missed, and an exploration into how it may set the stage for a popular figure who didn't appear in the film: Ash Ketchum.

Detective Pikachu's Reference To The Pokemon Anime And Pokemon: The First Movie

Detective Pikachu does a lot to establish Rhyme City as a part of the greater Pokemon universe, and surprisingly added a bit that may tie in the movie with the actual canon of the Pokemon anime and Pokemon: The First Movie. The moment comes when Tim, Pikachu, Lucy, and Psyduck explore Clifford Industries' lab, and learn more about the mysterious origins of the Pokemon, Mewtwo.

In a bit of dialogue, it's revealed that Clifford Industries managed to catch Mewtwo after it escaped the Kanto region 20 years ago. In the Pokemon anime, Mewtwo was in the possession of Viridian City Gym Leader and leader of the Team Rocket syndicate Giovanni, who operates in the Kanto region. Giovanni used Mewtwo (who was subdued with electronics) to defeat Ash's rival Gary in a gym battle. Mewtwo escaped shortly after that, which became the basis for Pokemon: The First Movie.

What makes this reference all the more interesting is the revelation that it happened 20 years ago, which is essentially how long it's been since Pokemon: The First Movie was released in theaters. It could be a coincidence, but there's something really intentional about that time frame that seems to show Detective Pikachu is wanting to align itself with the show's original canon.

Why Didn't Detective Pikachu Reference Ash Ketchum Then?

If researchers knew of Mewtwo's escape, then why didn't they know about Ash, Misty, Brock, or Team Rocket? Better yet, considering Tim believed he was going up against one of the strongest Pokemon in existence, why didn't he ring up one of the world's most prolific Pokemon trainers for some advice on how to bring him down?

There's actually a rather simple explanation for this: Ash Ketchum and his friends don't remember their encounter with Mewtwo. The powerful psychic Pokemon ended up wiping everyone's memory following the climax of Pokemon: The First Movie, and the characters resumed their lives as though nothing had ever happened. So, if Ash saw the news about Mewtwo in Rhyme City, he was probably just as shocked and as oblivious as anyone else who may have seen it.

While Mewtwo doesn't make any reference to Ash in Detective Pikachu, there are parts that imply he lived through the events of Pokemon: The First Movie. For example, he seemed far less ruthless and more forgiving of human kind in Detective Pikachu, whereas the version featured pre-Pokemon: The First Movie would've turned all the humans he encountered to stone really quickly. Fortunately, he only had to turn Ash to stone that one time to figure out it was a terrible idea he should never replicate.

Where Is Ash Ketchum In The Detective Pikachu World?

Ash was a little older than 10 when he faced off against Mewtwo, which would make him around 30 years old when the events of Detective Pikachu go down. Like most cartoon characters, Ash is basically ageless in the Pokemon anime, but while that would be an absolutely riveting plot point to tackle in a Detective Pikachu sequel, it feels more likely he would show up as an seasoned Pokemon Trainer played by an adult actor.

Ash travels around a lot, and he's gotten into some crazy situations. If Tim managed to run into Ash in the midst of some big mystery it wouldn't be the least bit surprising, and the two might even join forces. Of course, the question is, is there really a need for Detective Pikachu 2?

It would appear that Tim's issues are largely resolved with his father back in his life. Tim could still have some adventures with his dad and a non-speaking Pikachu sidekick, but that doesn't sound nearly as cool as the general premise. Ash Ketchum would certainly sweeten the deal, but maybe not enough that audiences would sign on for another Detective Pikachu where Ryan Reynolds isn't the voice of the yellow mouse.

Will Detective Pikachu Lead To A 90s Pokemon Film?

Detective Pikachu's mention of Mewtwo's origins could be the link needed for the franchise to take a trip back in time, making a movie that could potentially use Ash Ketchum as a way of telling the origin story of Mewtwo once again. Yes, it would essentially be a live-action remake of Pokemon: The First Movie, but could be completely different than the film with which American audiences are familiar.

For those that aren't aware, the story differences between the Japanese and American versions of that Pokemon movie are substantial. In fact, it's fair to say they're basically entirely separate movies, as the American version of Pokemon: The Movie was heavily edited and had its script changed to cater to American audiences. Had they stuck with the original, Americans could've had a deeply nuanced story about Mewtwo, his existential crisis, and a movie that honestly made the diminutive Mew seem like the true villain.

It's a story far better than what the American version of Pokemon: The First Movie delivered, which essentially stated that fighting is wrong in a franchise where the world's entire economy revolves around fighting. Now, Detective Pikachu has presented an opportunity to tell that story right if it wants to, and the company could retcon a very bad Pokemon feature and give America its first live-action Ash Ketchum in the process. Sounds like a win-win to me!

Should Ash Ketchum appear in the next Pokemon movie? Is remaking Pokemon: The First Movie a good idea? Sound off in the comments below, and be sure to stick with CinemaBlend for all updates regarding movies, television, and pop culture.

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When Marvel Will Finally Be Announcing Its Upcoming Movies

When Marvel Will Finally Be Announcing Its Upcoming Movies

Moviegoers are still recovering from the events of Avengers: Endgame, which arrived in theaters two weeks ago. The Russo Brothers managed to do the impossible, and included everything and the kitchen sink in the high stakes movie. What resulted was an ambitious blockbuster that had deep cut references to tons of past Marvel installments.

But now that Endgame has hit theaters, there are still a ton of narrative questions that fans are asking. Marvel Studios hasn't revealed its plans for Phase Four, and smart money says we won't hear much until Spider-Man: Far From Home arrives in theaters in July. Now Disney CEO Bob Iger has given some indication of when the plans for the MCU's future will be revealed. Without giving a date, Iger said he's "guessing they will announce later this summer."

This is pretty exciting news, as it means that the public only has a few months left to wait and wonder what might be coming down the pipeline for the behemoth shared universe. And Bob Iger's comments from Disney's Q2 conference call (via Seeking Alpha) however vague, give some idea about when to expect concrete information regarding Phase Four.

The Marvel Cinematic Universe brought serialized storytelling to theaters, and it's a method that various other studios and franchises have attempted in the decade since Iron Man debuted. Part of Marvel's typical strategy is to reveal full Phases of films in advance, allowing moviegoers to known exactly when each blockbuster is expected to arrive in theaters, and usually their titles.

But Phase Four is a total mystery at the time of writing this story, as Marvel Studios hasn't revealed its plans in the post-Endgame world. Ahead of the release of The Russo Brothers' pair of Avengers movies, it was revealed that the MCU's next phase wouldn't be revealed in advance, as the titles had the potential to spoil the events of Infinity War and/or Endgame. But now that the movies arrived and the spoiler ban has been lifted, the fans are going to get antsy about still being kept in the dark.

Related: Marvel's 2020 Movie Schedule Will Be A Little Different Than What We're Used To

This summer makes sense as an appropriate time for Marvel to unveil its plans for Phase Four, as there is still one more blockbuster coming down the pipeline: Spider-Man: Far From Home. While it was originally teased to be the first entry in the new slate of movies, Jon Watts' upcoming sequel is actually the final installment in Phase Three. As such, we shouldn't expect the studio to reveal the next release schedule until after that project arrives.

The MCU is very methodical about when new information is released, with each new blockbuster given its change to take the spotlight. And considering how much of the world was changed throughout the events of Infinity War and Endgame, there's no telling what might come next.

Avengers: Endgame is in theaters now, and Spider-Man: Far From Home will follow suit on July 2nd. In the meantime, check out our 2019 release list to plan your next trip to the movies.

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How Much Money Will Other Movies Make During Endgame's Opening Weekend?

How Much Money Will Other Movies Make During Endgame's Opening Weekend?

As you must have heard by now, Avengers: Endgame is in theaters and it's doing pretty well for itself. That's obviously an understatement, as the film shatters box office records and is poised to break a few more before long. However, Endgame isn't the only movie in theaters right now. Those films have absolutely zero hope of getting first place, but how will they perform when one movie is the center of all the attention? Relatively decent, by the looks of it.

Other than Endgame, the other films currently in nationwide theaters include The Curse of La Llorona, Shazam!, Captain Marvel, Breakthrough, Dumbo, Little, Missing Link, Pet Sematary, and Us. A lot of different options for moviegoers to choose from, but on the whole, none of these films are projected to make more than $11 million this weekend.

The Curse of La Llorona is likely to take second place this weekend. The horror film, which follows a mother in the 1970s trying to protect her kids from a ghost, is currently projected to gross $10.5 million, according to Box Office Mojo. The movie opened last week to $26.3 million. Llorona has grossed $65.2 million worldwide. Overall, the Conjuring Universe film has performed well and, seeing as its one of the newer releases, it makes sense that it takes second place.

Following Llorona is likely to be DC's Shazam! The superhero movie is projected to close out the week with $9.1 million. Shazam! opened a few weeks ago to favorable reviews and has enjoyed a healthy box office run so far. The film currently sits at $328.6 million worldwide, which isn't too bad for standalone first time superhero.

Endgame isn't the only Marvel movie in town. Captain Marvel is still kicking. The film has already made over $1 billion worldwide and cemented Carol Danvers into the MCU, but this weekend will still see it gross around $7.3 million more. Funnily enough, you can also see Captain Marvel appear in Endgame for a double dosage of Carol.

Those three are the most significant numbers of the bunch. The rest are currently projected to be as follows: Breakthrough, $6.1 million; Dumbo, $3.8 million; Little, $3.8 million; Missing Link, $2.4 million; Pet Sematary, $2.3 million; and Us, $1.9 million. Not exactly numbers to write home about, but some of these titles have been in theaters for a while now, so it's natural that they are grossing much smaller numbers.

We'll have to wait and see how next week shakes out. The two big releases are Ugly Dolls and the comedy Long Shot, but it doesn't seem likely that either will be able to dethrone Endgame. That honor might go to Detective Pikachu the following week on May 10, but who can say at this point?

You can see any of the above movies in theaters (unless your local theater shut out anything not called Endgame), or you can go see Avengers: Endgame again.

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How Robert Downey Jr. And Jeremy Renner Feel About Crazy Endgame Theories

How Robert Downey Jr. And Jeremy Renner Feel About Crazy Endgame Theories

It's an extremely exciting time for Marvel fans out there. Because in a matter of days, Avengers: Endgame will finally arrive in theaters, and continue the narrative that The Russo Brothers started with Infinity War. Given the horrifying twist ending of the last film, moviegoers are eager for any and all information regarding Endgame's contents.

In the year-long wait between Avengers flicks, the fandom was left to its own devices, void of any information about what comes next. As such, plenty of wild fan theories have hit the internet, with varying levels of believability. And the theories seem to tickle the actors pink, especially Jeremy Renner and Robert Downey Jr. The OG Avengers recently opened up about fan theories at a press conference, with Renner saying:

I just love the creativity that comes from theories.They’re hilarious, they’re pretty crazy… but it means people are invested in the stories.

During his long tenure in the MCU, Jeremy Renner has likely heard a variety of crazy theories. But the Mission: Impossible alum seems to enjoy the creativity that cinephiles need in order to craft such complicated narratives. And he loves how much the fans are into the Avengers franchise.

Jeremy Renner saw firsthand how much the fandom loves his Marvel character when Hawkeye was noticeably absent during Avengers: Infinity War. As soon as the posters dropped, it became clear that the bowman was going to be left out, leading to some fan backlash ahead of Infinity War's release. But Hawkeye/ Ronin is heavily featured in Endgame's trailers, so justice will be served in a matter of days.

In the same Endgame press conferences in Seoul (via CNA Lifestyle), Robert Downey Jr. echoed Jeremy Renner's statements. But he explicitly mentioned one fan theory that's been viral over the past few weeks: that Ant-Man will kill Thanos by shrinking, entering his big purple butt, and then growing to rip him apart from the inside. It's already been addressed by Josh Brolin and Paul Rudd, and now Tony Stark himself has chimed, saying:

My favorite [fan theory] is Ant-Man goes up Thanos’ butt and then makes himself big. And that’s exactly what happens.

Just like his Marvel character, Robert Downey Jr. loves to crack a joke, and bring some sarcasm to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. And when it comes to The Mad Titan finally being killed via his big purple butt, RDJ just couldn't pass up the opportunity. And really, who can blame him?

As far as fan theories go, there have been a ton regarding the mysterious contents of Avengers: Endgame. Marvel Studios has been keeping its cards close to the chest for the past year, allowing room for Ant-Man and The Wasp and Captain Marvel to have their time to shine in theaters. Endgame's trailers have been purposefully vague and skimpy with footage, so audiences should be able to go into theaters fresh, and see if any fan theories come to fruition.

Avengers: Endgame will arrive in theaters on April 26th. In the meantime, be sure to fill out CinemaBlend's Endgame death pool, and be sure to check the 2019 release list to plan your next trip to the movies.

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So, The New Pet Sematary Ending Makes A Major Change To The Book

So, The New Pet Sematary Ending Makes A Major Change To The Book

Warning: SPOILERS for Pet Sematary are in play. If you haven’t seen the new adaptation of the same-named Stephen King novel, come back later once you’ve caught up.

Pet Sematary is one of those stories that has such a built-in fanbase, they practically know the basic beats by heart. The big scares, the great heartbreaks and the chilling final moments are all etched in to the minds of those who read the 1983 novel, and that sort of knowledge sits in a book fan’s mind pretty tightly. So obviously, whenever there’s a change to the source material, be it the Creed family being from Boston instead of Chicago or Ellie dying instead of Gage, it’s going to stick out in the mind of those who really liked the source material.

Except in the case of Pet Sematary, there’s a change so great that it alters the outcome of the book to a major degree. And much like with Frank Darabont’s adaptation of The Mist, it all results in an ending that’s absolutely chilling. If you’re still reading, and you haven’t seen the new film currently in theaters, now’s a good time to leave. Otherwise, let’s exhume the film’s ending and do an autopsy of what changed and why it works.

The Ending

Much like both the novel and the previous film adaptation of Pet Sematary, all of the trouble comes down to Louis Creed resurrecting the family cat and a departed child. Only this time, Ellie Creed is the child who dies at the hand of an Orinco oil tanker, and with this switch comes an entirely different set of problems. After burying Ellie in the sour earth that brings the dead back to life, she comes back to her father, but she’s not quite the same. Much like Church the cat, something evil’s come back with her, and it’s not long before it unleashes itself upon the Creed family.

After racing home with little Gage, who saw the spirit of dead patient/portent of doom, Victor Pasgow, Rachel and the young one are surprised that Ellie is back in the house. Louis tells his wife tearfully that he needed more time to say goodbye to her, and urges Rachel to accept her and hug her tight. But his wife cannot accept her, to which Ellie merely replies that it’s ok, she doesn’t want her mother here either. And she’s does something about that rather quickly.

While Louis leaves the house to search for Ellie, his daughter is really at home, terrorizing her mother with a vision that preys on the guilt of her ill sister’s death. After snapping out of that vision, Rachel is attacked by Ellie and eventually stabbed with a kitchen knife. Running from her daughter, with Gage in her arms, she breaks a window when she sees Louis returning to the house. Dangling Gage out of the window, she pleads that he catch the baby and drops Gage as she’s stabbed in the back by Ellie. After locking Gage in the car, Louis rushes up to the room where his wife was attacked, and before she dies, she begs not to be buried in “pet sematary.”

The final moments of the film run totally against Rachel’s wishes, as not only does Ellie knock Louis out in order to bury her mom, Rachel then kills Louis before he murders Ellie’s undead form and buries him in the soil. At the very end of the film, we see little Gage waking up in the car, with his now resurrected family coming to see him. As we cut to Gage, Louis clicks the car unlocked, and we fade to black.

How It’s Different

A huge chunk of the original third act of Pet Sematary is changed from the initial intent of the novel, as well as the first adaptation. While Rachel did die, and Gage was the child terrorizing the family, Ellie was nowhere near the conflict as she was still with her grandparents in Chicago. So originally, the final act of the story was Louis squaring off with the resurrected Gage and Church, the eventual result being that Louis kills both of them in a combination of a morphine overdose and a housefire. Which leaves the classic final hook that Stephen King’s novel and the eventual screenplay for director Mary Lambert’s adaptation would play to end the film.

Louis, no wiser than he was when he buried Gage, thinks that since he’s burying Rachel quicker than he did any of his other loved ones, it’ll work this time. So he puts his wife in the ground, only for her to return just as screwed up as the rest of the family did, and as she approaches him with a kitchen knife, we cut to black and hear a screaming Louis reaping what he’s sewn. Now while that ending is a classic, and pretty chilling in both classic versions of Pet Sematary, this new ending works quite a bit better, and if Stephen King’s reaction to the film is any indication, he probably agrees.

Why The New Ending Works Better

Pet Sematary is ultimately a meditation on death and how grief clouds our minds. Of course, this being a Stephen King story, that grief happens to go hand in hand with a supernatural entity. In this case, the Wendigo is what haunts the woods of Ludlow, Maine, and just as the textbook definition of this creature says, it possesses anything buried in that sour earth and turns them into an unnatural killing machine. But it lures people into dying, as we saw with Church luring Ellie into the middle of the road, as well as baiting them into burying their loved ones.

In this new ending, the call of the Wendigo isn’t merely something that people hear and heed out of grief; it’s downright psychotic. We see it in Louis’s behavior, right up to Rachel’s death, following a pattern of delusion that all started with his resurrection of Church. Part of it is, indeed, the Wendigo, but Louis’ belief that there’s nowhere to go to in death shakes him to his core. So instead of just grieving for a dead child, he’s dealing with his own feelings on the subject of mortality, and this change digs into deeper, scarier waters. Ellie gets to put the final nail in the coffin when she tells her mother that she technically wins in the argument of if there’s an afterlife or not, but it’s not the type of place you’d want to go.

The best part about Pet Sematary’s new ending though is that it’s a subversive gut punch to audiences old and new, and the proper steps taken to set it up. Every move seems to counter the standard expectations from an adaptation of Pet Sematary. The audience expecting Gage to die gets a shock when they see Ellie get taken out by the tanker truck, provided they haven’t seen the film’s later marketing materials. But even if you’ve had that spoiled for you, when Rachel tells Louis not to bury her in order to trigger a resurrection, seeing Ellie knock him out and do it anyway is a pretty big jaw dropper. From that point on, we’re really in new territory, leaving the big turn where the undead Creed family comes to claim Gage as a cold, haunting finale for all to digest mentally.

It’s a new ending to Pet Sematary, with new quirks thrown in to modernize and update the story for current audiences. But the end, the message is the same: if we’re not careful while grieving, we’re likely to make mistakes that might take everything away from us, especially if there’s a Wendigo involved. In the world of Ludlow, Maine, if you aren’t done with grieving before long, you just might find out that what you grieve isn’t done with you. The Creed family learned this the hard way, as being consumed by grief eventually turned them into literal monsters, and their youngest member is as doomed as he was in that original ending.

Pet Sematary is in theaters now, ready to live its life again as a new haunt for the old crowd.

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6 Criticisms People Have Of Avengers: Endgame

6 Criticisms People Have Of Avengers: Endgame

Minor spoilers for the new Marvel movie can be found in this article.

Avengers: Endgame is killing it at the box office, and it's looking more and more likely it will become the highest-grossing film of all time. There are plenty of viewers who think the film is the ultimate swan song to the first 10 years of the MCU, with plenty of exciting and heart-wrenching moments for audiences to chew on. Those voices have expressed themselves well enough over the internet so far, but what about those who were disappointed by certain aspects?

These voices are quieter, and possibly keeping their opinions to themselves as opposed to the internet, particularly given the recent spoilers climate. Now that the Russos have given the OK on spoiling Avengers: Endgame, we're happy to talk out more specifically what we've seen and heard from fans as them feel more emboldened to share the issues they had with the MCU movie. Here are some that are out there already. Avengers lovers, assemble your counterpoints.

Avengers: Endgame Is Too Long

Audiences surely knew of Avengers: Endgame's roughly three-hour runtime ahead of their viewings, as headlines about not having a chance to pee circulated the web in the days before release. With hype like that, and spoilers on the movie kept largely under lock and key, many may have been glued to their seats denying themselves of snacks, bathroom breaks, or the birth of their children in fear of missing some huge MCU moment, but ended up underwhelmed by how the lengthy movie ran on and on and on.

In the case of one USA Today writer, Avengers: Endgame's runtime may have been justified had some of the plot been committed to re-introducing some characters. Instead, there were deep cuts and cameos by characters even those who had seen a vast majority of MCU movies may have struggled to remember. Other folks may just not have the patience for a three-hour movie, which is likely why studios tend not to make a lot of them.

Avengers: Endgame Has A Lot Of Downtime

Superhero movies are, typically, big on action. Avengers: Endgame does have one of the largest action sequences in the MCU, but this Avengers entry does have significant chunks of downtime between its fight scenes (the lengthy runtime likely contributes to this as well). The common complaint from a chunk of moviegoers is that things slow down shortly after the opening moments, and go between rising and falling action quite a bit leading up to the final battle.

Part of this may be audiences coming in expecting an experience closer to Avengers: Infinity War, which felt action heavy in comparison. Of course, given where Infinity War ended, we had to pick up at an interesting point in time, which means the first hour of Avengers: Endgame has a lot of downtime. Fans have to catch up with characters in the five years after the time-jump, which would not have the same emotional impact if characters were kicking ass all through those scenes.

Avengers: Endgame Requires A Lot Of Marvel Knowledge To Fully Appreciate

While the Russos stated that all audiences can enjoy Avengers: Endgame without a vast knowledge of the MCU, that's up to the individual to decide. Someone could see Avengers: Endgame having only seen Infinity War or a handful of other Marvel movies, but there's a good deal of references that will go right over his or her head.

Even those well-versed in the MCU may have missed deep references as the movie even managed to work in scenes from iconic comic book storylines. A great example is Captain America's "Hail Hydra" scene, which is a reference to Captain America: Winter Soldier, but also a polarizing comic storyline in Secret Empire. It's never fun to feel out of the loop in the theater, which may have been why some folks didn't enjoy the flick as much as others.

Avengers: Endgame's Time Travel Is Confusing

This is, perhaps, the biggest criticisms fans have felt comfortable talking about since Avengers: Endgame's release. Time travel can always create issues in storytelling, especially when the movie outright explains it's not going to follow the rules of traditional time travel established by films of the past. There's even a discrepancy between the Russos and screenwriters Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely on explaining how it works, which should be a sign.

Answers are, presumably, going to come via Disney+'s Marvel shows or in other Phase 4 films, but there's a sense Avengers: Endgame passed the buck onto someone else to explain away some of the decisions the movie made. Granted, a lot of it wouldn't be too difficult to grasp if it wasn't for Captain America's end scene, which kind of puts a lot of theories fans have to that point on their heads. Bottom line, some fans need a real and official explanation to feel satisfied.

Avengers: Endgame Use Of The Hulk Is Underwhelming

Avengers: Endgame viewers were treated to a wildly different version of the Hulk, who now lived as a superhero with the body of the green gamma radiated giant and the brain of counterpart Bruce Banner. He was, with maybe the exception of Hawkeye, the most transformed of all of the Avengers 5 years after Infinity War. However, with Hawkeye, we witnessed what he lost following the snap, saw the person he became afterward, and then saw how he reclaimed who he was in the process.

With Hulk, we saw the once intimidating and most destructive force in the Avengers dab in front of children. Sure, he did more, but Banner's reconciling with Hulk is a big deal, and some fans feel like it's a shame we didn't see more of him figuring that out. We also really didn't see the two sides as equals, as Banner used very little of that patented "smash" ability. His part was enjoyable, but there wasn't a lot to love for classic Hulk fans.

Avengers: Endgame's Deaths Shouldn't Even Matter

Avengers: Endgame features two huge deaths when --and big spoilers here -- we lose Black Widow and Iron Man. Theoretically, the movie lays out how the MCU can bring neither back thanks to the rules of the Soul Stone etc. However, Gamora being snatched up from the past and brought to the present brings an earlier version of her character back into the Guardians franchise, so why wouldn't they do that immediately? I don't think it can be because it would change the past, because Nebula killing her past self seems to have done nothing.

Using Pym Particles and the Quantum Realm, it would theoretically be easy to bring back both Tony and Natasha from a time prior to their death so that the entire squad can be together again. It may not happen to keep the emotion of Avengers: Endgame, but from a plot perspective, this timey-wimey stuff in Endgame's realm still seems shaky from a lot of fan perspectives. Of course, we know Tony won't be coming back because of his Marvel contract, but still.

Of course, these are just a few of the popular criticisms moviegoers have had for Avengers: Endgame, so readers with other qualms can throw them down in the comments below. Otherwise, stick with CinemaBlend in the meantime for all the latest and greatest news in movies, television, and pop culture.

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Original Child’s Play Director Co-Signs Mark Hamill’s Casting As Chucky

Original Child’s Play Director Co-Signs Mark Hamill’s Casting As Chucky

The next big horror franchise to get the reboot treatment is Child's Play. Over the weekend at WonderCon it was revealed that the new voice of the killer doll will be none other than Mark Hamill. The remake is currently a somewhat controversial project, but the announcement of Hamill's involvement has received a major endorsement from the co-writer and director of the original film, Tom Holland, who took to Twitter to call the casting a "smart movie."

While Chucky might not be quite in the same league as horror icons like Jason Voorhees or Freddy Krueger, the homicidal little doll certainly has a devoted fan base, which has been enjoying new Chucky films right up until recently. It's only been two years since the last film in the franchise was released, making the reboot a somewhat surprising decision for many.

Don Mancini, who originally created the character, and co-wrote the screenplay for the first film with Holland, has made it clear that he's less than thrilled with the remake. He's currently working on his own Child's Play TV series, but since he doesn't own the rights to the original movie, the remake is moving forward without him.

Tom Holland, not the Spider-Man guy, who also directed the original Fright Night and wrote Psycho II, has largely remained quiet regarding his feelings about the Child's Play remake. His endorsement of Mark Hamill isn't necessarily an endorsement of the project as a whole. One can certainly agree with a casting choice, even in a movie that you don't care for overall.

And it's unlikely many will take issue with this casting choice. While Mark Hamill will forever be known first as Luke Skywalker, the second thing that he's known for is his career as a voice actor. His most famous role in that regard is as the Joker in Batman: The Animated Series, which he has gone on to continue in numerous other Batman video games, animated movies, and other series.

Hamill is a great voice actor and there's little doubt he'll create a unique and interesting character with the new Chucky. The trailers haven't given us that good a look at the crazed doll, and his voice was obviously being kept back for a major reveal. Now that we have it, perhaps we'll get a new trailer soon that lets us hear Chucky's new voice.

Fans, especially those that strongly support Child's Play creator Tom Mancini, are likely still withholding judgement. Many like Jennifer Tilly who co-starred in several of the Child's Play sequels, have come out very publicly against the remake. Will the new Chucky be able to sway any of them to give the new movie a chance? We'll have to wait and see.

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Robert Pattinson Read Christopher Nolan's 'Unreal' New Script While Locked In A Room

Robert Pattinson Read Christopher Nolan's 'Unreal' New Script While Locked In A Room

The prestigious filmmaker behind Inception, the Dark Knight trilogy and, most recently, Dunkirk has another film abrewing and we can’t wait. We literally have no idea what the movie is titled or about, but that hasn’t stopped Christopher Nolan’s next endeavor from becoming one of the most highly-anticipated films.

The untitled Nolan project that has been described as a “massive innovative action blockbuster” will star Twilight’s Robert Pattinson, who recently admitted he already has all the details for the new movie. Here’s what he said:

I got locked in a room to read the script – I don't have it myself. I've been a little wary of doing big movies for years and years, but there's just something about Chris Nolan's stuff. He seems like the only director now who can do what is essentially a very personal, independent movie that has huge scale. I read the script and it's unreal.

Robert Pattinson’s words to USA Today certainly spark some further excitement for Christopher Nolan’s next movie. Since the Twilight franchise, the 32-year-old actor has stuck to independent, arthouse films such as last year’s critically-acclaimed Good Time, but starring in a Nolan movie will certainly place him back into the spotlight in a big way.

Considering the actor’s distaste for the typical big-budget blockbuster, which he no doubt has been offered and turned down, the upcoming Nolan movie seems to have him excited about doing a movie with a lot of eyes on it again. We can’t wait to see the actor take on another high-profile role all these years later.

Robert Pattinson will also be joined by John David Washington and Elizabeth Debicki, from the other casting information released so far. Washington recently led Spike Lee’s BlacKkKlansman and Debicki is a rising actress who was Ayesha in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 and in Steve McQueen’s Widows.

Early reports about Christopher Nolan’s next movie had it pegged as a romantic thriller that would be a cross between North by Northwest in tone meets Inception, though these rumors were debunked by an unnamed source. So fans can expect the unexpected, though there is a certain flavor to Nolan’s filmmaking that has been woven into each of his movies so far, and we assume to see it continue in his next film.

Additionally, Christopher Nolan is known for enlisting Tom Hardy, Cillian Murphy, and Michael Caine in a majority of his projects. Will the talents, or any of his other previous collaborators, also find a place in his next movie, or will he break this tradition and go for a completely fresh faces?

Robert Pattinson said he’s “sworn to secrecy” regarding the project, and considering he was literally locked in a room to read the script, Nolan is keeping this one especially under wraps. The movie will begin filming this year and hit theaters on July 17, 2020, back-to-back with a few other highly-anticipated summer releases Morbius and Ghostbusters 3. In the meantime, check out Pattinson’s newest sci-fi drama High Life in select theaters now.

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The Important Hulk Story That Almost Showed Up In Avengers: Infinity War

The Important Hulk Story That Almost Showed Up In Avengers: Infinity War

Warning: SPOILERS for Avengers: Endgame are ahead!

After getting a beating from Thanos at the beginning of Avengers: Infinity War, not only did Hulk not emerge for the rest of that movie, that ended up being the last time we saw the Green Goliath in this brutish form. During Avengers: Endgame, sometime in the five years after The Decimation occurred, Bruce Banner merged his intellect with Hulk’s brawn, resulting in the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s version of the Professor Hulk personality.

However, it turns out we could have seen a more intelligent Hulk earlier in the MCU, as Stephen McFeely, who co-wrote both Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame with Christopher Markus, revealed:

We originally had Smart Hulk in Infinity War.

You’ll recall that in Avengers: Infinity War, Bruce Banner tried several times to get the Hulk to come out, but his monstrous other half refused, requiring Bruce to don the Hulkbuster armor when Thanos’ forces invaded Wakanda. While some speculated that Hulk was scared to jump back into battle after being pummeled by Thanos, directors Joe and Anthony Russo explained that Hulk had actually “had enough of saving Banner's ass.”

Either way, as Stephen McFeely and Christopher Markus explained to Fandango, originally the plan in Avengers: Infinity War was for Bruce Banner to fix his “communication problems” with Hulk and transform into Smart Hulk just in time for the final conflict in Wakanda. However, it was decided late in the creative process that this shift didn’t feel tonally right, so it was scrapped and saved for Avengers: Endgame.

Which brings us to the above moment that was shown in the first Avengers: Infinity War trailer, where Hulk is charging into battle alongside his allies. Obviously that moment never occurred in the movie, but rather than simply being filmed to fool audiences, this was originally intended to be an actual scene, only rather than getting more of normal, angry Hulk, that’s a Hulk with significantly improved intelligence who’s getting ready to kick some ass.

This makes for a cool ‘what could have been’ scenario (another if Hulk had been dusted), but within the actual MCU timeline, it took a little longer for Bruce Banner to finally achieve a balance with The Hulk. When he finally stopped looking at Hulk as a problem and instead as a solution, Bruce brought the best of both worlds together through gamma radiation, allowing him to finally achieve a sense of peace and the world to see Hulk as a proper superhero.

The emergence of Professor Hulk marked the conclusion of the special Hulk “trilogy” that began in Thor: Ragnarok. There’s no word yet on if we’ll be seeing more of Hulk going into the MCU’s Phase 4 and beyond, but Mark Ruffalo has at least one movie left on his contract, so perhaps Marvel Studios will give fans another taste of this more reasonable and dignified version of the Green Goliath in action.

Make sure you read CinemaBlend’s review of Avengers: Endgame and stay tuned to CinemaBlend for all the biggest updates concerning the MCU. If you’re curious about what movies the superhero franchise has coming, check out our comprehensive guide.

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Godzilla Fan Dies Before Drive-In King Of Monsters Screening Can Be Arranged

Godzilla Fan Dies Before Drive-In King Of Monsters Screening Can Be Arranged

It's a scenario we've seen several times in the last few years. Somebody is a huge fan of a particular movie property, excited to see the next installment that's set to come out. Unfortunately, this fan is terminally ill and may not live until the official release date. Social media then picks up the call to try and make an early screening happen. It's remarkable how frequently these stories have had happy endings. Unfortunately, the most recent example has had no such result. George Root III, who wanted nothing more than to see Godzilla: King of the Monsters, has passed away before having a chance to do so.

It was only within the last couple of days that the story of George Root III broke through the noise of the internet to really get noticed. Root had stage four cancer and was a massive fan of two things, Godzilla and the Transit Drive-In in Lockport, New York. Root was friends with the theater's owner, Rick Cohen and it was Cohen who attempted to get his friend's dying wish to come true and get a screening of the upcoming Godzilla: King of the Monsters to screen at the theater for Root.

Unfortunately, almost as soon as the request began to pick up steam, it was announced that it was already too late. George Root III died Thursday of the cancer he'd been fighting for four years.

Part of what makes this all the more heartbreaking, is that there's a pretty decent chance that if Root had lived, he would have received his wish. This is far from the first time that a terminally ill person has made a request like this and frequently, those requests have been granted. Disney has granted personal screenings of both Star Wars: The Force Awakens and Avengers: Endgame to under similar circumstances. Studios have been remarkably willing to accommodate these requests so there's no reason to believe this one would have been any different.

Yesterday Godzilla: King of the Monsters director Mike Dougherty retweeted a post referencing George Root's struggle, after he had passed, which means the director had been made aware of the situation. Things really might have worked out if only the timing hadn't been so tight.

Considering that we're dealing with terminally ill patients, it's actually remarkable just how often these stories have happy endings. Of course, that makes it all the sadder that this one does not.

Still, those that picked up the call for George Root III aren't done simply because he's gone. According to the Buffalo News, those that were once campaigning to get him a screening are now campaigning to get him added to the credits of Godzilla: King of the Monsters. It would certainly be nice to see a dedication or "In memory of" added to the beginning or end of the film. Such a tribute would probably mean the world to the loved ones he left behind.

We'll have to wait and see if anything like that happens. Godzilla: King of the Monsters will be in theaters May 31.

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The Russo Brothers Reveal The One Avengers: Endgame Actor Who Got The Full Script

The Russo Brothers Reveal The One Avengers: Endgame Actor Who Got The Full Script

If you were one of the many fans who broke the internet (and records) when Avengers: Endgame pre-sale opening night tickets went online, today it’s time to start the final week countdown. Due to all the secrecy surrounding this MCU installment, you better believe the Avengers cast are feeling the anticipation about the release – partly so they can finally talk about it but also to find out what happens in their own movie.

Much of the Avengers cast were not trusted with the full scripts for the Avengers films, except for one per recent comments by the Russo Brothers. In Joe Russo’s words:

[Robert Downey, Jr.] was probably the only one to actually read the entire script. I think Benedict [Cumberbatch] got the script that included his scenes only. [Chris] Evans might have read the whole script.

Looks like Iron Man may be the only actor entrusted with keeping the entirety of Endgame underwraps ahead of the release. The remainder of the cast were only given parts of the script that included their character’s lines or in Tom Holland’s case only his own lines as Joe Russo recently told IndieWire:

He doesn’t even know who he’s acting opposite of. We use like, very vague terms to describe to him what is happening in the scene because he has a very difficult time keeping his mouth shut.

Wait… was Tom Holland’s Spider-Man dusted in Infinity War just so he wouldn’t be able to do press for Endgame? The press tour has been a stressful undertaking for the surviving Avengers cast, who have had to dance around questions about the little they do know about the movie. So imagine what it’s like for RDJ, who may know just as much as the filmmakers. He does have the talent of being a good actor on his side to cover up the secrets for fans.

It makes sense that Iron Man and potentially Captain America would be on the shortlist of the actors able to read these scripts since their story arcs are at the forefront as Endgame closes out their arcs with this film. Anthony Russo did admit in the Rotten Tomatoes interview that behind-the-scenes this method isn’t always an easy option with these words:

It is a more tedious way to work to be honest with you because we do have to do more discussion on set about context because they don’t have the entirety of the script to work off of. So you do need to work harder this way but we believe it’s worth it because that pay off is that special experience in the movie theater for all the audiences.

The Russo’s explained that they keep the scripts away from the cast to make it easier for the actors to not have conversations about spoilers and because they want to replicate the unique experience they had as a kid going to the movies when the spoiler-ridden internet wasn’t a place they could go.

There is something special about going into a movie and not knowing what you’re going to see and it’s why Avengers: Endgame will be such an exciting experience for fans. The movie arrives on April 26th.

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