Up, Up, and Away! Truth, Justice, and The American Way. These immediately cause comic fans to conjure up one specific character, The Big Blue Boy Scout. Superman. Heralded as the one that started the superhero boom in comics way back in 1938, there have been a lot of live-action versions over the years. Last year’s Flash movie highlighted some of the more popular ones and even one that had never actually been put on film. With James Gunn taking over the DCU and using a new Superman film as the starting line, what can we expect from the upcoming film?

Who’s In It?

It’s always interesting to see who will get the chance to put on the suit. Will they go more for the look of Superman, or will they find an actor who can convey the wholesomeness of the character? Sometimes, they get both. The characters surrounding him are just as crucial as the Man of Steel himself. Something past films have failed to nail. So, who is playing our favorite characters?

Clark Kent/Superman – David Corenswet

Corenswet will be donning the S this time around. Most film fans will have seen him in such films as Pearl and the upcoming Twisters. He made a quick stop for one episode of House Of Cards. Hopefully, he didn’t run afoul of Kevin Spacey’s diva behavior. With Superman, Corenswet will be pushed into the Hollywood spotlight. Fans online had pointed out his resemblance to the last actor to play the character on the big screen. When asked about possibly playing the character before he was confirmed for the role, he stated, ” I would love to see somebody do an upbeat, throwback [take on Superman].” Here’s hoping he gets his wish.

Lois Lane – Rachel Brosnahan

Lois is always a tough character to cast. She has to be tough as nails but still soft enough to fall for Superman. Margot Kidder hit it out of the park in the 1978 film, and everyone else has been trying to play catch up ever since. With Rachel Brosnahan, they may have a winner on their hands. Her turn on The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel shows she can portray someone who can hold her own but knows when she can’t do it alone. I’m excited to see what she brings to the role.

Lex Luthor – Nicholas Hoult

Many fans say that no one has really nailed the comic book version of Lex Luthor. Those of us who grew up in the 80s still have a soft spot for the Gene Hackman version, but they may be right. The closest version we may have gotten was with Michael Rosenbaum on Smallville, but he had a lot more time to develop the character than most. Hopefully, Nicholas Hoult will give us what we’ve been wanting. He’s no stranger to comic book films after playing Beast in the throwback X-Men films starting with First Class. He even talked with Rosenbaum on his podcast about playing the character. Here’s hoping we get a great version of Luthor this time around. We should be okay if he’s not the sniveling version of Snyder’s Luthor.

Others

Gunn has filled out some of the other characters with some interesting choices. Jimmy Olson will be played by Skyler Gisondo, who will be pretty spot-on. Neva Howell and Pruitt Taylor Vince will play Ma and Pa Kent. That last one seems to be a head-scratcher, but we’ll have to see what Gunn has in mind. Playing Perry White will be Wendell Pierce. He is a good choice, as many have enjoyed his turns in shows like The Wire and Treme.

Interestingly, we already know the film will have more superheroes than just Superman. Some confirmed characters are Guy Gardner, played by regular Gunn collaborator Nathan Fillion, and Kara Zor-El is rumored to be played by Milly Alcock. Edi Gathegi is listed as playing Mister Terrific, which is a pretty deep pull for casual moviegoers. Barry’s Anthony Carrigan will be playing Metamorpho, which is a great casting choice. We’ll have to see what other surprises the film will have in store.

What’s It About?

Of course, we don’t know yet. With superheroes being big money makers at the box office, they tend to get pretty tightlipped about the films’ plots until they get closer to release. As long as it’s not about Lex Luthor trying to pull off a real estate scheme or another origin story. We have gotten both done over and over again in the past. Even Brandon Routh’s Superman Returns ended up with Luthor creating an entire island of Kryptonite. When will that guy have enough land?

For years, comic fans have been clamoring to see Lex Luthor in his battle armor and for Brainiac to make an appearance. Both have happened in the TV shows that were on the CW for years, but maybe it’s finally time to happen in James Gunn’s Superman. Hopefully, James Gunn will listen, as both things are way overdue. The recent photo of David Corenswet in the new Superman suit shows something big happening in the background that could indicate a Braniac appearance.

The hope for the film is to show that Superman’s old-school morals are still relevant to a modern audience. One thing Snyder’s Man Of Steel was dinged for was throwing out his old values for a contemporary sensibility. He even kills Zod at the end. Many said his old values didn’t work anymore, but Marvel then showed that was false in Captain America: Winter Soldier. I hope Gunn keeps this in mind and brings us a throwback to what Superman used to stand for.

The Suit

An interesting thing about the new Superman suit is the biggest reappearance in the franchise. The red trunks are back! As time passed, DC Comics started to phase out the trunks of their characters. They said it was from a bygone era that had been irrelevant for decades. Strong Men in the circus were shown to wear trunks over their tights, and the characters’ original designs used this. Most don’t even know why that was a thing, and they were eliminated across the board. They have come back in the comics for Superman, and now it looks like they are back in James Gunn’s Superman.

When Can We See It?

It’s going to be a while. Production started in March and won’t hit screens until July 11th, 2025. This year, the only DC movie we are getting in the theater is the follow-up to the Joker film. If you’re craving superhero action, head to your favorite streaming service and rent the animated Crisis On Infinite Earths films. The three-part animated film has lots of Superman action and is a fun adaptation of the classic comic story.

Are you excited for James Gunn’s Superman? Let us know in the comments.

The post Everything We Know About James Gunn’s Superman appeared first on JoBlo.

Ever since Steve Rogers decided to hand his shield off to his buddy Sam Wilson (a.k.a. Falcon) at the end of Avengers: Endgame, fans have wondered what was next. We got a Disney+ series that showed Sam’s hesitance to pick up the mantle of Captain America and the history that comes with it. By the end of the series, he knew he was the only person who could take on the role of Captain America. Now, where do we go? It looks like the upcoming story of super heroes and alter egos, Captain America: Brave New World, will tell us when it reaches theatre screens on February 14, 2025.

Official image

The first official image from Captain America: Brave New World, featuring Sam Wilson in his Captain America costume, has just (on May 3rd) been unveiled by Empire, and you can see it right here!

Director Julius Onah, whose previous credits include The Girl Is in Trouble, The Cloverfield Paradox, and Luce, told Empire that, while Sam did already suit up as Captain America in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, this movie is “really his coming-out show. It’s about putting him through the paces. Part of the challenge for Sam as Captain America, working within the government, is the way he’s going to make decisions. The point of view he’s going to have will at times put him at odds with the President.“

The action sequences will also be putting Sam to the test, especially since he doesn’t have the benefit of Super Soldier Serum giving him any enhanced abilities. As Onah put it, “The action in this movie is incredibly exciting because this is a guy who can break, this is a guy who can bleed. We get to have a lot of fun pushing him to the limit.“

A Brave New World Order

This Marvel Comics adaptation was initially revealed to be Captain America: New World Order. If you’re a wrestling fan like me, you had visions of Sam decked out in his new Captain America gear, fighting off Hulk Hogan clad in his old black and white wrestling gear from the days of his heel run as leader of the faction the nWo. While these are only fun ideas that nerds like to put together at the mention of the New World Order, others seemed very surprised by the use of the subtitle.

Even before WCW thought up the name of the renegade group, it was used by conspiracy theorists to describe the powerful elite that want to form a single-world government and enslave everyone. There is a lot more to go into, but seriously, there is not enough time, and JoBlo doesn’t want to end up on a conspiracy hit list. Google it if you feel brave enough. Some believed it also has a tinge of antisemitism within these circles as well. As production began, the name was changed to Captain America: Brave New World. Some feel this sounds like a more positive-sounding title as it looks forward to a new world. Those who have read the Aldous Huxley book think that might be a little naive.

Who’s Coming Back

With this film being in the Phase 5 lineup of the MCU, you know there have to be some returning superheroes. Of course, Anthony Mackie will be back as Sam Wilson. He’ll don the red, white, and blue as the new Captain America as we saw him embrace the part at the end of Falcon And The Winter Soldier. How will the character handle carrying his own movie? That’s the big question. As a sidekick to Steve Rogers, Sam worked as the wise-cracking guy with wings. Even as one of the main characters of the Disney+ series, he could at least share some of the lead with Sebastian Stan’s Winter Soldier. Now, he will be front and center. We’ll see if the character has the legs . . . er wings to carry the story on his own.

One of the characters we met in the series was Isaiah Bradley, who was the first African American Captain America. While Steve Rogers was taking an ice nap, the government was still working to find a way to replicate the super soldier serum. Unfortunately for Isaiah, his chance at becoming a super soldier was not his choice. He was imprisoned and experimented on until he escaped. His love for state and country is not riding very high these days.

Another character crossing over from Disney+ is Joaquin Torres, who seems to be taking up the mantle of Falcon. We saw him in some episodes of the show and had worked with Sam Wilson before. Now, it looks like he will earn his wings and help the Captain.

The two significant returns that surprised many people were two characters and actors from way back in The Incredible Hulk. Tim Blake Nelson has returned as scientist Samuel Sterns. He was contaminated by Hulk’s irradiated blood and seemed to be set up as a future Hulk villain, The Leader. His enhanced intelligence due to the irradiated blood makes him a formidable foe. The plot thread seemed to have been left dangling as no more solo Hulk films were made. Now he’s finally returning, and the director told Empire that, “Sam finds himself almost standing between Samuel Sterns and what he thinks the government owes him, and how he wants to go about getting that.“

Liv Tyler is also returning as Betty Ross. She was the love interest of Bruce Banner and the daughter of Thunderbolt Ross. The entire film of The Incredible Hulk seemed to have been forgotten except for William Hurt’s appearance in a few movies and Tim Roth’s recent return on She-Hulk. Now it looks like they are finally pulling in some other characters to fill out the Hulk’s roster. Mark Ruffalo seemed to announce he’d be coming back for this film but Marvel has said that was untrue. Maybe a post-credits scene?

Sebastian Stan won’t be showing up as Bucky Barnes, but he is in the upcoming film Thunderbolts. Mackie has said that he was disappointed Marvel decided to move forward with a Captain America movie instead of a second season of Falcon And The Winter Soldier because he wanted to spend more time hanging out with his friends from that show, Stan and Daniel Brühl (who played Baron Zemo).

It’s not clear if Samuel L. Jackson will be around as Nick Fury. We know for sure that Iron Man won’t be showing up. Sadly, Steve Rogers was left a widower when Peggy Carter passed away, but it seems unlikely Chris Evans will be putting on old age makeup again to give us a glimpse into his current life.

New Additions

The most significant addition comes with Harrison Ford taking over the character of Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross. William Hurt, unfortunately, passed away in 2022. Before, when an actor passed away, Marvel shied away from recasting the character. This time, they decided to bring in a new actor. This seemed to raise some questions about why it was okay in this instance but not for Black Panther after Chadwick Boseman died before being able to film the sequel.

Getting Harrison Ford in the movie is definitely a plus, no matter his role. This time around, Ross will be the new President Of The United States. Now that the gruff military guy is in charge of the whole country, how will that play against the world of superheroes? Well, there are some rumors that he could end up being the villain of the film. Some rumblings have been made that Ross will be turning into the Red Hulk. In the comics, Ross had found a way to turn into a giant monster just like Bruce Banner, only with a red tint.

The comic book character of Sabra will be making her MCU debut played by Shira Haas. Some were concerned that debuting an Arab character during the times of unrest that is currently happening in the world might have consequences. Marvel has assured fans that they have taken care to update the character for a modern audience as they have with other heroes that have been brought to the big screen. In the comics, Sabra is a mutant who can transfer her life essence into others and even give them superpowers.

WWE Superstar Seth Rollins has filmed some scenes for the film. No one is sure what character he will be playing, but rumors are possibly King Cobra as part of the Serpent Society. The group was a snake-themed team that fought against Captain America numerous times. The film has undergone some reshoots with some claims that the Serpent Society arc has been completely cut out of the film. Who knows if Rollins will even make the cut?

Strikes

Filming began in March of 2023, and the looming writer and actor strikes had fans wondering if they would finish before the strikes started. Marvel indicated that it shouldn’t interrupt filming all that much as there were already planned breaks between the regular shoot and later reshoots. In theory, this film was already ahead of where Deadpool And Wolverine was at in production. They felt they should remain on course for their July 26th, 2024 release date. For whatever reason, it was decided to go full steam ahead on finishing Deadpool And Wolverine and release it on this date and push Brave New World to February 14, 2025.

In all honesty, it was probably their best decision. Deadpool And Wolverine seems guaranteed to be a billion-dollar movie. The hype is already at a fever pitch. This new version of Captain America still seems like it could end up being a gamble one way or the other. Fans can be fickle about their favorite character. Falcon And The Winter Soldier didn’t light up Disney+ but fared well enough. Gambling a summer release date on a character that is unsure if he can carry his own film might be something Marvel isn’t looking to do with some of their recent films falling below expectations lately.

Hopefully, we’ll be seeing a trailer soon. Possibly even attached to Deadpool And Wolverine. After watching Deadpool work with the TVA to clean up the Fox Marvel Universe, then maybe we’ll get the pleasure of watching Harrison Ford turn into a giant Red Hulk (not to be confused with Red Skull) and face off against the new Captain. As President Ross, do you think we’ll get to see him grab someone by the collar at some point and tell them, “Get Off My Plane!” before smashing them?

CinemaCon Preview

The first footage from Captain America: Brave New World was shown to attendees at the CinemaCon event in Las Vegas. Mackie was on hand to introduce the footage, which finds his Captain America meeting up with Harrison Ford’s President Ross, who thanks him for everything he’s done and asks him to help rebuild the Avengers. The President later honors Captain America at an event which is interrupted by Isaiah Bradley (Carl Lumbly), who attempts to kill the President along with an army of sleeper agents. Sam Wilson takes care of the sleeper agents in a very cool action scene, which ends with President Ross telling Sam, “You’re not Steve Rogers.” Sam responds defiantly, “You’re right, I’m not.”

The story of the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s Captain America began with Captain America: The First Avenger, which was primarily set during the days of World War II. That film showed us how Steve Rogers became Captain America – and ended with him waking from a state of suspended animation in modern times. The World War II era hero went on to battle all new threats in The Avengers, Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Avengers: Age of Ultron, Captain America: Civil War, Avengers: Infinity War, and Avengers: Endgame (and was also seen in Ant-Man and Spider-Man: Homecoming along the way – not to mention the time Loki took on his appearance in Thor: The Dark World).

The post Everything We Know About Captain America: Brave New World (First official image unveiled!) appeared first on JoBlo.

C​ocaine Bear surprised everyone with its box office haul. For fans of animal attack movies, this is not a shock. People love animal attack films and can’t get enough of them. I’m not sure if it’s the man vs. nature theme of the films, the animals themselves getting revenge on humans, or just the all-around fun these films bring. No matter what, they are enjoyable for audiences in theaters. T​here has been a long history of animals attacking humans on film. Some films that are classified as ‘classic’ cinema fall into the animal attack category. We can always use more movies of animals rampaging through humans on the big screen. What are some of the best animal attack movies?

G​rizzly (1976)

S​ince bears seem to be on everyone’s brain this weekend; then we might as well start with this classic. A fifteen-foot tall grizzly bear kills hikers and campers in a state park. When the supervisor refuses to close the park (sound familiar?), a park ranger and a military helicopter pilot take it upon themselves to kill the giant bear. This horror film has lots of bear savagery, which makes it a favorite among fans of animal attack movies.

D​ay Of The Animals (1977)

W​hen the Earth’s ozone layer begins to be depleted, animals above five thousand feet start to act aggressively. Their rage focuses on any human that comes in contact with them. Before a quarantine can be implemented, a group of hikers is dropped off on a mountain. Now they have to descend the mountain to get to safety, but can they trust each other? Leslie Nielsen, Christopher George, and Lynda Day George play the hikers fighting off animals.

C​ujo (1983)

F​rom the novel of the same name written by Stephen King. A woman takes the family car to a mechanic. With her husband out of town, she takes their son Tad with her. She doesn’t know that the family Saint Bernard has gone rabid and killed everyone it has come in contact with. Now she is trapped in her broken-down car while the summer sun beats down on them. No one else knows they are stuck there. They have little chance of being rescued. The St Bernard keeps trying to get inside the car, so she has to protect herself and her son. It’s an interesting single-location thriller. There are talks about remaking the film, but I’m wondering if it would work with modern technology.

R​azorback (1984)

A​ giant wild boar is wreaking havoc in the Australian outback. Locals scoff at the story of the giant boar as nothing but a made-up story. A hunter and the husband of one of its victims set out to find the swine while trying not to fall victim to its wild rampage. Turns out, giant pigs make for a great animal attack movie.

D​eep Blue Sea (1999)

S​ure we’ve seen sharks attacking people in movies. What would happen if the man-eating sharks were genetically modified to be highly intelligent? Well, then we’d be in big trouble. A group of scientists is looking for a cure for Alzheimer’s disease. They increase the size of sharks’ brains to collect the disease-fighting enzymes found in them. Unfortunately, the sharks escape and begin to hunt down their captors. The film is star-studded, with Samuel L. Jackson, Thomas Jane, and LL Cool J leading the charge.

A​lligator (1980)

B​ased on the urban legend that someone flushed a baby alligator down the toilet in New York City, and it grew up to be a giant in the sewers. What if it actually happened? Well, this creature feature will tell you. Robert Forster is a cop looking into bodies showing up that appear to have been eaten by a giant creature. A reptile expert accompanies him as he tries to figure out what is killing people and how do they stop it.

P​iranha (1978)

T​his self-admitted rip-off of Jaws has weirdly spawned more films in its franchise than Jaws did. Joe Dante directed this Roger Corman classic. A tank of veracious piranha at a military base accidentally gets released into a river. These genetically engineered fish can survive in both fresh water and salt water. If they reach the ocean, they will multiply out of control and eat everything in their path. More importantly, the stream runs right by a summer camp on its way to a fancy country club. Carnage properly ensues. Alexandre Aja’s Piranha 3D (2010) is also well worth checking out… and speaking of Aja, his alligator movie Crawl (2019) is another great one.

T​he Birds (1963)

A​lfred Hitchcock was a master of suspense, and his entry in the animal attacks genre is no different. Only could make a gathering of birds on a school jungle gym seem ominous. Birds begin attacking people for unknown reasons. Anyone that is outdoors quickly becomes a target. Those still in the small town have to find a way to survive. A classic of Hitchcock’s filmography fits rights in. It even got a sequel called The Birds II: Land’s End in the nineties. This one is not remembered as a classic.

K​ing Kong (1933)

M​ost would probably discount this one as it features more in the giant animal category, but it still fits. A film crew heads to a remote island to shoot with their cast. They discover that the island has a giant ape that takes a liking to the lead actress in their film. Realizing they could make more money showcasing the giant gorilla, they capture and take him back to New York. When the primate breaks loose of his chains, he kidnaps the actress and takes refuge on top of the tallest building in the city. A true classic.

J​aws (1975)

It had to be the last one on the list, right? This Universal Pictures / Steven Spielberg classic is responsible for creating the summer blockbuster. The entire movie industry changed its release strategy purely based on this film. It was that big of a deal. A great white shark begins to attack people off the coast of Amity Island. The local Sheriff decides to hunt the killer down when the mayor won’t close the beaches down. The amazing part of this movie is how much went wrong during filming, which caused them to edit it in such a way that it made the film way scarier for the viewing audience. Nothing has touched the greatness of this one… but we still get several shark movies every year.

W​hat are some of your favorite animal attacks films? Let us know in the comments. Would you have included Piranha 3D, Crawl, the true story-inspired Open Water, or the “plane crash survivors vs. wolves” film The Grey?

The post Best Animal Attack Movies appeared first on JoBlo.

Marvel had a rough year in 2023. Many of its properties underperformed, and they lost their big villain due to Jonathan Majors being fired. Looking forward to their upcoming slate, comic fans have been excited about some of the studio’s projects over the next few years. Will these films help Marvel regain control? The upcoming Thunderbolts film has been one that fanboys have been hoping to see since the MCU started. With some recent news about the property coming up, it seems like the right time to break down what we know about the production.

Who Are The Thunderbolts?

The team first appeared in Marvel Comics in 1997 in an issue of The Incredible Hulk. They seemed to be a new group of superheroes that had arrived on the scene and gained acclaim very quickly. The reader was informed that the group was actually a group of supervillains led by Baron Zemo. They were posing as new heroes to gain the trust of other hero teams and S.H.I.E.L.D. to gain access to all their secrets. This would allow them to sell them to the highest bidder. Eventually, some team members felt they should try to become heroes, and the group would fall apart.

Other versions of the team would appear throughout the years, but the version that the MCU seems to be leaning toward was a government-funded strike team. It would be filled with reformed supervillains looking to reduce their imprisonment sentence or redeem themselves for their past crimes. This is comparable to DC’s Suicide Squad. In the past, it has been led by characters such as Norman Osborne, Black Widow, and Hawkeye.

MCU Team Members

For the MCU version of the team, we have seen Julia Louis-Dreyfus’ character, Valentina Allegra de Fontaine, appearing in multiple projects to recruit team members. She first appeared in Falcon And The Winter Soldier to ask disgraced Captain America replacement John Walker to join her team.

We would then see her show up in a post-credits scene in Black Widow to put Yelena Belova on Hawkeye’s trail, saying he was responsible for her sister’s death. Then, in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, she is revealed as the new head of the CIA. This puts her in the perfect position to run the team in the future. Thaddeus Ross, previously played by William Hurt, is supposed to be in the new film. With Harrison Ford taking over the character, speculation is we could finally see him turn into the Red Hulk who has been part of the team in the comics.

So, who will we see on the team? As mentioned, John Walker and Yelena Belova have already been recruited to the team. Some other familiar faces will be joining them. Red Guardian and Task Master from the Black Widow film will be showing up alongside Yelena. I’m sure she has some issues with her fake father that she would like to work out.

Then, Ghost from Ant-Man And The Wasp will be joining the group. With her phasing abilities, it should add some fun to the team. In a team leader role, we may see Bucky Barnes, The Winter Soldier. The team dynamics should be interesting. The talk is that the Thunderbolts will be brought together to take on the powerful character The Sentry.

Who Is The Sentry?

Back in 2000, then publisher for Marvel Joe Quesada announced that they had discovered a long-lost Marvel character that the company had completely forgotten about. He pre-dated Spider-Man and the Fantastic Four. Stan Lee was interviewed and said he remembered the character being created by a couple of writers, but they never did anything with the character.

Marvel said they were bringing him back into their current continuity and pushed him almost as Marvel’s version of Superman. He could fly, had super strength, and had a giant S on his belt. When his first miniseries concluded, fans discovered the whole thing had been a lie. Part of the character’s story was that this hero had disappeared, and no one in Marvel continuity remembered him. This whole thing had been a marketing ploy to introduce this new character.

On the surface, he seemed like a wholesome character like Superman, but it was revealed he was mentally unstable and threatened to destroy the entire Marvel Universe. The story was well received, and the character was believed to have a short shelf life. However, he was brought back for numerous Avengers storylines and became a compelling character in Marvel comics.

In the upcoming film, Steven Yeun was cast as the character. He had been very vocal about how excited he was to play the character and has been a fan of the MCU since it started. When the strikes happened over the summer of 2023, it was revealed that film production would have to be pushed back until they were over. Once those ended, it was put back on the schedule, which now caused issues with Yeun’s schedule. He had to drop out but hopes to return as another character at some point in the MCU. The role has not been officially recast, with Lewis Pullman being linked with the part. The Bear breakout star Ayo Edebiri also had to leave her role due to scheduling conflicts, with the reshoots. Geraldine Viswanathan of Drive Away Dolls will now be taking her place in the unidentified role.

When Can We See It?

Well, we will be waiting a while before we get to see the team in action. The film is now shooting (in IMAX format).

The official release date has been set for May 2, 2025. It will be preceded by Captain America: Brave New World, which comes out next Valentine’s Day. Marvel only has one film set for release in 2024 with Deadpool and Wolverine. After that film is released, expect to learn more about this film. Until then, we’ll have to see what the MCU has to offer in its Disney+ series. Four shows are set to be released before the end of the year. The WandaVision spinoff Agatha: Darkhold Diaries, Eyes Of Wakanda, Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man, and Marvel Zombies are all scheduled to hit the streaming service before year’s end.

Will this hold fans over? The break on the films may help Marvel refigure its film strategy after the lackluster response of 2023. Most of the series won’t factor much into the current direction of the MCU. Fans should be able to skip over anything they don’t find interesting. The question will be if they will be back in 2025 to continue on the theatrical side of things. Fans have wanted a Thunderbolts film for a long time. Hopefully, they haven’t jumped ship just as they are getting what they hoped for.

Are you excited for Thunderbolts? What do you think of the direction of the MCU? Let us know in the comments.

The post Everything We Know About Thunderbolts appeared first on JoBlo.

W​ith No Hard Feelings hitting theaters last year, it seems that studios might be trying to bring back hard R raunchy comedies. The gamble of taking a well-known actor and throwing them into a raunchy, sex-filled comedy sometimes works out, and No Hard Feelings did end up pulling in over $80 million at the global box office. Could this bring about a new wave of R-rated comedies? We can only hope. So what are some of the best sex comedies? Let’s look back at this hilarious genre and find out which ones make the cut.

Z​ack And Miri Make A Porno (2008)

K​evin Smith is not a stranger to the raunchy realm of comedies, but this film is maybe his truest sex comedy out of all of his filmography. Life-long platonic friends Zack and Miri are in trouble as they are both dead broke and have mounting bills as their rent is coming due. To make a large amount of cash very quickly, they decide they should make a porno.

They set out to find some actors, film the movie, and get paid. Throughout all this, they realize they might have more feelings for each other than they thought. The film is funny but also has a lot of heart. No worries though, as it’s just about as raunchy as you can imagine.

R​isky Business (1983)

The movie that put Tom Cruise on the map. A young teenager stays home while his parents leave on a trip. While home alone, he decides to live a little and ends up with sex worker Lana. She suggests he could run a sex business out of his parent’s house, but he scoffs at the thought. When he accidentally drives his dad’s Porche into Lake Michigan, he decides that her idea might be how to earn a lot of cash quickly. As you’d expect, everything gets out of control.

The Last American Virgin (1982)

The progenitor of films like American Pie, The Last American Virgin follows three high school friends as they try to lose their virginity. They get caught in numerous situations throughout the film with their pants down. Literally. Gary delivers pizzas and finds a lonely woman whose boyfriend is never home. When he and his friends return to her house, her boyfriend chases them away.

The guys pick up a group of girls only to have one of the boy’s parent’s return home early and break up the party. Nice guy, Gary gets thrown out in just his underwear and has to make his way home. The film goes from overly comedic to dark quickly as one of Gary’s friends gets a girl pregnant and runs out on her. Gary decides to help her out and falls in love with her.

4​0 Year Old Virgin (2005)

T​his film pushed Steve Carell and Judd Apatow to the moon. When Andy’s friends discover he is a virgin, they try to set him up in situations to finally have sex. As they give him advice and try to control his sex life, Andy finds they have their own relationship problems. While he is trying to figure out what he wants, he falls for a woman that works across the street from him. He then has to decide if he is going to reveal his situation to her or try to fake his way through it.

National Lampoon’s Animal House (1978)

The college movie that all other college movies are compared. This film helped push sex comedies into another realm, and they would go on to rule the 80s. Two pledges try to get into a good fraternity house, but the only ones that will take them are Delta Tau Chi, the “worst” frat on campus.

The members party all the time and are constantly trying to score women. The college dean thinks they are a poor excuse for a fraternity and does everything he can to get them all kicked out of school. Before the film is over, Delta Tau Chi has to fight back against the dean and other frat houses to keep from getting kicked out.

Fast Times At Ridgemont High (1982)

A​ look at a group of students as they venture through a school year. Stacy wants to lose her virginity by the end of the year. Her older brother Brad decides to break up with his long-time girlfriend now that he is a senior so he can play the field. She ends up dumping him first. Spicoli finds himself at odds with his teacher. Throughout it all, the students try to figure out what their future holds and find that some of their decisions were the wrong ones. It has perhaps one of the most famous pool scenes of all time, that is the standard of what a sex comedy is.

A​merican Pie (1999)

F​our friends make a pact that they will all lose their virginity by the time they graduate. Each one takes a different approach to figure out how it’s going to happen. Jim keeps falling into various mishaps, which sees his dad catching him defiling a pie. Then he tries to seduce the foreign exchange student on video but gets too excited. This leaves him hopeless.

His friends have different degrees of success, but they all find it will come down to who can score on Prom night to fulfill their pact. The film doesn’t shy away from being overly raunchy and puts its characters in embarrassing situations. Even if some of them haven’t aged very well.

B​achelor Party (1984)

Before Tom Hanks became an A-List star, he used to do fun comedies like this one. Here he plays Rick, who is about to get married to his girlfriend, Debbie. Unfortunately, Debbie’s parents hate him and wish she would get back together with her ex-boyfriend.

Rick’s friends decide to throw him the ultimate Bachelor Party with just about all the debauchery you could imagine. When those that hate Rick find out what is happening, they hope to use that to sabotage the upcoming nuptials. Rick has to make his way through the party and keep from losing Debbie.

R​evenge Of The Nerds (1984)

F​or sure, not a movie that could be made today. Two nerds are starting their freshman year at Adams College. They immediately run afoul of the jocks from the fraternity Alpha Beta. In order to fight back, they create their own fraternity and take in the misfits that the popular crowd has rejected.

Lewis falls in love with a sorority girl but finds out that she is the girlfriend of the leader of Alpha Beta. As the two frats go to war, the nerds try to get the full college experience by scoring with any women that will accept them. Lots of problematic things in this film from a modern point of view, but it still is one of the best sex comedies to come out of the 80s.

P​orky’s (1981)

W​hen you think of the term “sex comedy,” this is exactly the movie you are thinking of. A group of friends set out to lose their virginity (I see a theme in all these movies) and get into various crazy scenarios. They end up spying on the girls in the locker room shower, get pranked by a local sex worker, and end up getting on the bad side of the owner of a local strip club. While they try and get into the strip club, they are humiliated by Porky.

They then come up with a plan to get even with him. When they attempt it, they find that Porky’s brother is the sheriff, and he can do anything he wants to them. They vow revenge and set out to get their payback one way or another. The movie is full of scenes you couldn’t even imagine filming today, but at the time, it was one of the biggest sex comedies ever made. Most people don’t realize that it was written and directed by Bob Clark, who would go on to make the holiday classic A Christmas Story.

W​hat do you think is the best sex comedy? Surprisingly, no road trip movies made the cut on this list. Would you have included one? Let us know in the comments.

The post Best Sex Comedies appeared first on JoBlo.

Since his first film, Writer/Director Wes Anderson has become known for his highly visual combination of bright colors with an older aesthetic. His costuming and set design have a very specific signature that makes it easy to identify when watching a Wes Anderson movie. With him currently working on a new film, The Phoenician Scheme, which reunites him with his muse Bill Murray, we take a look back at all his feature-length films and try to figure out where they rank. To note, his recent Netflix shorts, including the Oscar-winning The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar aren’t included.

1​1. The French Dispatch (2021)

T​he only anthology movie Anderson has done so far, this film details the final issue of The French Dispatch. The paper will be shut down, so the editor brings together his best reporters and storytellers to publish one more edition. Each reporter narrates a section of the film as they go over what their story will be. We’re shown imprisoned artists, a May-December romance set among a student revolt, and the kidnapping of a police officer’s son. Anderson’s usual style is broken up a little for each segment but still keeps the overall quirky attitude of most of his work. A fun way to break down one of his movies and the cast – from Benicio del Toro, Timothée Chalamet, and Elisabeth Moss to Anderson regulars Bill Murray and Owen Wilson – is incredible.

10​. The Darjeeling Limited (2007)

Three brothers attempt to reconnect on a train trip across India. A year after their father’s funeral, they are coming together for the first time on a trip to see their mother. As the siblings try to figure out what each of them has taken from their father’s death, they realize that none of them have been happy with their life. The train keeps getting detoured and sending the brothers off into random situations. The cast of Adrian Brody, Jason Schwartzman, and Owen Wilson put in a lot of work as the brothers, but the story keeps straying from its focus too much.

9. Asteroid City (2023)

In what is Anderson’s largest cast to date, we see some new additions to his usual cadre of performers. Tom Hanks, Scarlett Johanssen, Bryan Cranston, and Steve Carell join the group. A small, roadside attraction, called Asteroid City gets a variety of visitors during a Junior Stargazer/Space Cadet event. While the scientists do their usual presentation and a young group of inventors show off their gadgets, a spaceship arrives. This sends the whole area into a frenzy, and the families try to figure out what it all means in the days that follow.

8. Bottle Rocket (1996)

A​nderson’s first movie, starring Luke and Owen Wilson. When Anthony (Luke Wilson) is released from a mental hospital, he reconnects with his friend Dignan (Owen Wilson). He says he needs Anthony’s help pulling a heist for his mysterious boss Mr. Henry. As the two fumble their way through preparing for the heist, Anthony meets and falls in love with the motel’s maid Inez. This movie helped put Anderson and the Wilson brothers on the map during the slowing indie boom of the 90s. This film has very little of the visual look Anderson has become known for but still has some quirky qualities that would continue throughout the rest of his work.

7​. The Life Aquatic With Steve Zissou (2004)

W​es Anderson regular Bill Murray takes center stage as Steve Zissou. He is an aquatic documentary filmmaker along the lines of the famed Jaques Cousteau. After a shark kills his friend and filmmaking partner, Steve declares his intention to find and kill the shark. He puts together a team for the outing but quickly learns he has a son he never knew about. He invites him along on the trip along with a reporter to cover the hunting of the shark. Now he has to juggle finding the shark, learning to be a dad, and sparring with his son over the reporter’s affections.

6​. Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009)

A​nderson’s first stop-motion animated film is an adaptation of the book by Roald Dahl. Mr. Fox is used to stealing from the local farmers but has to put that life behind him to be a good father to his kids. Before he finally calls off his wild ways, he wants to pull one more heist to put one over on three of the meanest farmers in the area. He gathers all his friends to see if they can get one more score.

5. Moonrise Kingdom (2012)

Sam and Suzy have fallen in love with each other. These two children decide to run away together, but they don’t realize a massive storm is about to hit their small town in a few days. Once their guardians realize what happened, they set out to find the duo before the storm. Once everyone sets out, relationships get complicated, and Sam may be sent away once he’s found. A fun movie from Anderson that explores the fun of youth and how love can make us do things we wouldn’t normally even consider.

4​. The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014)

A​ recounting of the history of The Grand Budapest Hotel. Set in 1932, we meet our narrator, Zero as a lobby boy as he learns the ropes from the hotel’s devoted concierge Gustave. They try to make all the experiences of the guests a pleasant one. When one of the guests ends up killed, it is blamed on Gustave. Zero and his friends set out to clear his name and discover what happened to a famous painting the deceased’s son is looking for. A fun and quirky look at the running of a hotel in all the usual Anderson fashion.

3. Isle Of Dogs (2018)

A​nderson’s second stop-motion film is set in the near future, where a bad dog flu has spread through the canine population. To keep it from spreading to humans, it’s decided to send all dogs to Trash Island. Six months later, Atari decides to go to the island to rescue his beloved pet. Once he lands, a pack of friendly dogs offers to help him find his friend and fend off a rescue party sent by his uncle.

2​. The Royal Tenenbaums (2001)

The Tenenbaum children were all geniuses. Once their mother and father split, these early gifts fell apart, and the family turned into a dysfunctional mess. Royal Tenenbaum has brought the whole family back together to tell them he only has six weeks left to live. Once everyone is back under the same roof, the same squabbles, tension, and betrayal enters back into their lives. Royal wants to fix everything before his time is up, but he isn’t sure he can. One of Wes Anderson’s best films which is no surprise it ranks so high.

1​. Rushmore (1998)

Max Fisher is a gifted playwright who loves attending the Rushmore private school. He befriends a local businessman and falls in love with a new teacher. As he tries to impress everyone, he finds out that his new friends have fallen in love with each other. He gets kicked out of school when he tries to take measures to impress the teacher. From there, he has to find a way to get his friends back and figure out what his life will be.

Where do your favorite Wes Anderson films rank? Let us know in the comments.

The post Wes Anderson Movies Ranked appeared first on JoBlo.

The Fantastic Four are called Marvel’s First Family because, well, they actually are. Back in 1961, the company formerly known as Timely Comics transitioned into Marvel Comics. They kept some of their titles, such as Journey Into Mystery, but began a new approach to superhero comics with The Fantastic Four. These new titles would show the internal drama between the characters and not just their superheroics. After these characters became a big hit, the company created other heroes such as The Incredible Hulk, Spider-Man, and Iron Man.

Fox would end up with the movie rights to bring these characters to the big screen but ultimately would produce content that really didn’t live up to what the comics promised. After four attempts (ironic), the rights have finally reverted back to Marvel Studios through Disney’s purchase of Twentieth Century Studios. Now that the MCU is around, fans are interested in seeing how the family will fit into the complex web of continuity that has become a bigger problem for Marvel.

Who Are The Fantastic Four?

While there have been some replacement characters throughout the years, the main cast of the FF (as they are often referred to in comics) are the primary family members. Sometimes, when rights become sticky, you’ll get a H.E.R.B.I.E. robot that was created for the 1978 animated series. Or, in the comics, a storyline will come up that will require Spider-Man, Wolverine, Hulk, and Ghost Rider to take over the mantle of the team when they go missing. Even sometimes Marvel will decide not to use the name Fantastic Four since Fox had the movie rights, and they wanted to lessen the popularity of the brand. Corporations can be shady.

Mister Fantastic Reed Richards

When the team went on a space mission and was bombarded with cosmic rays, the family patriarch, Reed Richards, gained the ability to stretch his body like a rubber band. His intellect is second to none, and he is considered the most intelligent person in the entire Marvel Universe. This has gotten him and the family in plenty of trouble on numerous occasions. He’s usually considered dull by a lot of his peers, as his absent-mindedness causes issues between his friends and family. His single focus on science has caused more than one Earth-shattering problem.

He was played by Ioan Gruffudd in the early 2000s and by Miles Teller in the last iteration. Lots of speculation was attached to the role as the internet fandom had attached John Krasinki to the role before. It gained enough of a groundswell that he would end up playing the character in Doctor Strange And The Multiverse Of Madness. With the family getting their own title now in the MCU, some even thought Adam Driver might be a front-runner for the role. In the end, it would go to someone who is well-known for jumping into well-known properties.

Pedro Pascal will be Reed Richards for the upcoming film. Being a big part of Star Wars, The Last Of Us, Game of Thrones, and the last Wonder Woman film just wasn’t enough for him. He truly is the Thanos of collecting massive fandom roles. How his Reed will differ from the others remains to be seen, but he has shown he can lead a family, even if it takes him a while to get there. Just ask Grogu and Ellie.

The Invisible Woman Sue Storm

Sue is considered one of the most powerful female superheroes in the Marvel Universe. During the group’s trip to outer space, Sue would gain invisibility. She can turn herself invisible and generate invisible force fields. This can sort of act as a form of telekinesis. Invisible barriers can push people apart or even trap them. She is married to Reed, and they have a couple of children in Franklin and Valeria.

When it comes to the family, Sue is thought of as the one who keeps the group together. With Reed’s aforementioned obsession with making new scientific discoveries, her hot-headed brother (literally), and her friendship with Ben Grimm, she is able to keep everyone from fracturing. Although when she has become the interest of Namor, whom we met in the Black Panther: Wakanda Forever film, it has proven that the family will put their differences aside to save her.

Jessica Alba and Kate Mara have both played her, but Vanessa Kirby will be portraying her in the upcoming film. This is fitting as renowned comic book artist Jack Kirby (no relation) was responsible for a lot of the early Fantastic Four comics. It should be interesting to see if Marvel has any ideas for setting her apart from previous character adaptations.

The Human Torch Johnny Storm

Sue’s younger brother was part of the team and found he had the ability to set himself ablaze when he returned home from the group’s mission. He would take on the moniker of The Human Torch, but he is actually not the first Marvel hero to use it. Back when the company was still known as Timely Comics, a character was already known as The Human Torch. This was an android named Jim Hammond. A scientist created him, and he could catch fire. The character was retired in the 50s, and Stan Lee reused the name and power set for the new characters he had come up with.

Johnny is usually shown as a brash character who sometimes acts before he thinks. This causes all sorts of issues and can cause tension on the team from Ben Grimm. His recklessness has made him form a friendship with Spider-Man, and the characters constantly try to outperform each other. This competition has made the duo a fan-favorite buddy team whenever they appear in a comic together.

Chris Evans previously played Johnny Storm in the early 2000s films. Fans hope for a cameo appearance as the character in the upcoming Marvel Multiverse film Secret Wars. For the 2015 film, Michael B. Jordan was cast as Sue’s adopted brother. Maybe we can get all the Johnny Storms together for this one? For the upcoming film, we’ll see Stranger Things Joseph Quinn takes on the role. His popularity on the show should bring a lot of fans in to see what he brings to the character.

The Thing Ben Grimm

The most sympathetic of the group, Ben Grimm, transforms into the living rock formation The Thing. You would think they would name him something else since he is very sensitive about his appearance. He would often be portrayed as the group member who suffered the most from their newfound powers. While he is now strong enough to go toe-to-toe with The Hulk on numerous occasions, they show that this is a burden rather than a gift for him.

Even with his new body affliction, he would find love numerous times in the comics, even if it usually was never meant to be. His rivalry with Johnny usually plays a lot of the comic relief in the comics. Their banter back and forth is hilarious and some of the best parts of the books. Seeing a good version of this on screen would be a great addition to the MCU.

Michael Chiklis and Jamie Bell played the character before. This time out, we’ll see Ebon Moss-Bachrach from The Bear take on the role. From the numerous roles he has been known for, this version of the character should be interesting. Rather than trying to find an actor with a larger frame to play the role, they are going with someone who seems to have a large personality. He has confirmed that he will use motion capture to play The Thing. How it looks on screen will determine how successful the character is.

What’s It About?

That’s the big question. With all the Earth-threatening situations we have already seen in the MCU, we have to assume they are not present in the MCU at this moment. The excuse they used with The Eternals of them being told not to interfere with human problems isn’t going to cut it this time around. Let’s be honest, it didn’t really work the last time around.

From the teaser art that Marvel put out on Instagram when they announced the main cast, it could be assumed that the film will take place in the 1960s. The retro feel of the decor in the picture and the clothing the characters are wearing seem to indicate it. Could something have happened to cause the team to disappear? It’s not exactly the same thing, but it would be like putting Captain America on ice. The team is lost in the 60s and returns back to the world of 2024. It’s easy to see how this could be part of the story that leads into Secret Wars.

How Do They Fit Into Secret Wars?

The upcoming film Secret Wars is the focal point, similar to how Endgame was years ago, and this indicates that The Fantastic Four will play a pivotal role in the MCU. There has been no mention of who plays Doctor Doom when the FF hits the MCU. In the Secret Wars crossover, Doom plays an essential role. The universe is destroyed, but Doom is granted almost God-like powers to reassemble it. He grabs parts of alternate worlds to piece them together. So, for our understanding, it would be like he would grab part of the Fox X-Men universe, part of the Sony Spider-Man Universe, and part of the MCU and slap them together.

With Doctor Doom being such a big part of that story, it only makes sense that The Fantastic Four would play a pivotal role in Secret Wars. Rumors suggest Javier Bardem is being eyed to play Galactus for their solo film. This is one of the most famous Fantastic Four stories, so trying and getting that story on film would only make sense. Bardem can be a pretty stoic guy when the role calls for it. Just look at No Country For Old Men. Anything would have to be better than the cloud we saw the last time out.

The Silver Surfer is female?

One of the most controversial aspects of the new Fantastic Four movie is that it will be introducing the Silver Surfer into the MCU. However, it will not be the male Norrin Radd character most associated with the comic. Rather, it will be a female variant, Shalla-Bal, to be played by Ozark star Julie Garner.

When Can We See It?

As of now, the plan is for it to be released on July 25th, 2025. Still a ways out, but as we’ve seen with numerous Marvel films (looking at you Blade), release dates can shift at any time. With Marvel still trying to figure out what they are doing in the future after the firing of Jonathan Majors, next summer would be a great time to bring in the First Family to course-correct their direction. As the Avengers seem to be winding down in the MCU, it’s a good time to bring in the FF and the X-Men to push forward in a new direction. Hopefully, it will keep fans interested since the last couple of films don’t seem to be doing so well.

The movie will be shot in IMAX format:

At Disney’s CinemaCon presentation, it was announced by MCU head-honcho Kevin Feige that two upcoming Marvel films will be shot in IMAX, one of which is going to be Fantastic Four.

Are you excited for a new Fantastic Four film? Let us know in the comments. And yes, I didn’t talk about the Roger Corman film because that deserves its own column.

The post Everything We Know About The Fantastic Four appeared first on JoBlo.

Everyone loves a good shark movie. Ever since Jaws hit theaters and broke box office records in 1975, it’s been a reliable horror movie genre. While everyone knows Jaws is by far the best shark movie ever, there are loads of other movies out there that should make you just as afraid to get in the water. We’re gonna need a bigger boat as we travel these dangerous waters of shark films.

ghost shark
2-headed shark attack
steven spielberg

Z​ombie (1979)

O​k. Already I’m cheating, but I mean . . . come on. This has one of the best shark scenes in cinematic history. During an early scene of the movie, a woman decides to go for a swim in the lovely Caribbean waters when a tiger shark appears. As she hides among some of the terrain on the ocean floor, she quickly finds she is not alone. A zombie has found his way into the depths. As she swims away, the zombie turns its attention to the shark. What ensues is one of the greatest shark fights on film, and it involves a real shark.

M​ako: Jaws Of Death (1976)

T​his movie has a little bit of everything. Vietnam war veterans, evil strip club owners, and telepathic connections to sharks. What more do you need? Sonny is in Vietnam and is saved by a mako shark as he is being stalked by the enemy. He decides he loves sharks and is given a magic medallion by a shaman that lets him telepathically communicate with his beloved creatures. When he moves to Florida, he runs afoul of the owner of a local aquarium and a strip club owner who wants to use sharks in one of his acts. They try to convince Sonny to use his powers to help them, but instead, he declares war on those that try to hurt them. Ironically, for a movie that’s pro-shark, many of the tactics used off screen during filming were cruel, with sharks having had their teeth removed prior to filming.

Great White aka The Last Shark (1981):

This Italian-made Jaws-rip-off was a smash hit. It made $18 million and probably would have made a lot more, were it not for the fact that Universal Studios actually sued the American distributor to have it pulled from theaters. For the longest time, this was unavailable in the U.S, but now you can see the Italian release version, The Last Shark, online. While some may wonder, after seeing it, why Universal sued, part of the reason is the original score the American distributor commissioned for the film. It was very, very closely patterned on what John Williams wrote for Jaws, and isn’t available on any currently existing version of the film.

S​harknado (2013)

The cheesy shark film that started a phenomenon! This low-budget horror film seemed destined to follow the other such films that end up on the SyFy Channel, but this one caught on with audiences who fell in love. There ended up being six of these films made over five years. You don’t need to be in deep water for there to be a shark attack, but in this movie you don’t even need to be in the water at all. A freak weather accident causes a hurricane off the coast of Los Angeles and picks up a load of deadly great white sharks. It drops them on the unsuspecting public as the city is drenched. Finley has to fight his way to Beverly Hills to make sure his family is safe. The cultural impact of this movie immediately made it one of the best shark movies.

Deep Blue Sea (1999)

Another tale that proves that humans should not genetically meddle with ultimate killing machines in research facilities. Scientists in an underwater laboratory begin altering the DNA of a group of mako sharks. Now they are larger and way more intelligent than they should be. The group funding the project show up to question if it should move forward, but they all end up trapped in the base as a tropical storm rages above. The sharks get loose and begin wreaking havoc upon anyone they lay their eyes on. A fun movie that will have you pumping your fist in the air.

B​ait 3D (2012)

M​ade during the newer 3D craze, this film tries to make the best use of it by sticking you in a supermarket with sharks. A tsunami hits the coast of Australia, trapping a group of people in a quickly flooding grocery store. Among them is former lifeguard Josh who found a new profession after a shark attack. As they begin to wonder when the storm will let up, they realize that the flooded store has a twelve-foot-long killer shark patrolling its aisles. Now they must figure out how to survive and not become a cleanup in aisle five.

The Reef (2010)

P​roving that you should never go sailing with your friends. A group sets out for a fun day of sailing when the boat hits a rock. This opens up the bottom of the ship, and the group has to decide what to do. One of them recommends they try and swim to a nearby island as the overturned boat is being pulled out to sea. Then a shark fin appears in the water. As they swim, they are being hunted by a great white shark. They are being picked off one by one as they try to make it to land.

4​7 Meters Down (2017)

S​o not only are you being hunted by a man-eating shark, but you’re also trapped on the ocean floor? Sounds like a nightmare. This is precisely what happens to the two sisters as they go on vacation. They decide to do a cage diving excursion in shark-infested waters, but the cable holding onto the cage snaps. As they settle onto the bottom of the ocean, they see that sharks are starting to appear. Now they only have one hour of air left and can’t leave the cage as the sharks try to wait them out. Can you imagine cage diving and seeing a megalodon just show up like in The Meg 2?

The Black Demon (2013)

This was a surprise hit in the spring of 2023. While this Josh Lucas-led shark flick didn’t get much theatrical play via new distributor The Avenue (they had a solid theatrical hit with Land of Bad), this was a huge streaming hit and a sequel is in the works. While it’s lower-key than a lot of other movies on this list, the setting on a Mexican Oil Rig is cool, and Lucas is a better actor than usual for movies like this.

T​he Shallows (2016)

A​ surfer hears about a secluded beach that is supposed to be the ultimate destination to catch some waves. When she heads out, she quickly finds a shark hunting in the area and attacks her. She ends up on a rock only 200 feet from shore but can’t safely make it back without becoming a shark dinner. As she sits trying to figure out what to do, she realizes that high tide is coming soon and the rock she is safe on will be underwater. A great thriller that is tense throughout.

Open Water (2003)

M​aybe the most terrifying thing about this movie is that it’s based on a true story! It will keep anyone out of the ocean. A young couple books a scuba diving trip in the Caribbean. They have such a great time that they are the last to surface in their group. To their dismay, they find that the rest of their group has left them behind after a botched headcount. The couple is left to float out in the ocean and see that sharks could soon be the biggest problem. This one will make your stomach clench the whole time you’re watching it. Beware.

J​aws (1975)

I​t had to be right? This Steven Spielberg film not only changed the summer movie season forever but also terrified people of getting in the water. Sadly it also caused a worldwide problem when people began hunting sharks due to fear of this movie becoming a reality. Sheriff Brody thinks a shark may be patrolling off the coast of his small town and tries to convince the mayor to shut the beaches down. He refuses to do so because the July 4th weekend would be an economic disaster. Of course, then a giant shark shows up and kills a little boy. A team is assembled to hunt the shark down and kill it, but not before it takes out most of the crew and sinks their boat. A classic film that is worth a watch whenever possible. A classic film that is worth a watch whenever possible.

Honorable Mention: Jaws 2 (1978)

While making a sequel to Jaws was an act of pure commerce, the first one they did isn’t half bad. This time, a great white stalks a bunch of teens, and despite saving Amity just a few years before, no one believes Brody when he warns them that a shark is on the loose. This benefits from Roy Scheider reprising his role and the classy director of Jeannot Szwarc. That said, the next two Jaws movies are REALLY bad. Wanna know just how bad? Watch the two videos below:

W​hat do you think are some of the best shark movies? Where are the Ghost Shark and 2-Headed Shark Attack fans? Let us know in the comments.

The post The Best Shark Movies Ever Made appeared first on JoBlo.

Ever since Rocky took the world by storm in 1976, people have been enamored with the idea of an underdog fighting his way to victory. There is something about two people entering an arena and just seeing who is the best. Movies help us find the themes and metaphors we can use for this mentality in our everyday life. If you’re in a funk and then play the Rocky theme, you suddenly become more motivated than ever to get over that mountain called life. With Creed IV reportedly in the works, we figured this would be a great time to put together a list of the best fighting movies other than Rocky.

W​arrior (2011)

Tommy returns home after a stint in the Marines to find his father has cleaned himself up. They begin training for an upcoming mixed martial arts tournament offering the sport’s biggest payday. Tommy’s estranged brother Brendan also enters the tournament, and the two end up on a collision course as each fights his way to the top. An interesting MMA film that finds a way to examine the drama of a broken home and how the characters can work toward healing.

B​est Of The Best (1989)

A​ martial arts team is assembled for the United States to compete in a Tae Kwon Do tournament in Korea. Everyone on the team has to put their personal problems aside to co-exist, but that is easier said than done. While they combat the other teams in the tournament, they must also keep an eye on each other. This film is reportedly UFC legend Chuck Liddell’s favorite martial arts movie. The sequels shifted gears and became full-on action movies – and speaking of those, we suggest giving the action-oriented Best of the Best 2 a shot.

B​loodsport (1988)

O​ne of my personal favorites on the list. This film is supposed to be based on the true story of an American soldier named Frank Dux. He goes AWOL to enter a secret underground tournament (much bigger and more organized than your typical underground fight club) called the Kumite. The world’s best martial arts fighters show up to compete but quickly find that the tournament is serious business. The reigning hand to hand combat champion has no problem killing his opponents to keep his title. While Frank dodges officers sent to drag him back to the military, he begins a relationship with an American journalist who wants to report on the famed event. A Jean Claude Van Damme classic that any fight fan should check out. Even though it is kind of a cheese-fest, Bloodsport is still one of the best fighting films of all time.

S​lap Shot (1977)

Y​ou’re about to say this is a hockey movie, not a fighting movie. Well, I would say it is actually both. A struggling hockey team is on the verge of closing. The coach/player, Reggie Dunlop, decides how to help the team get attention and a wider audience is to bring in the Hansen brothers. A group of goonish hockey players likes to start fights and cause violence on the ice. It quickly catches on, and the team sees a much-needed boost. The fights in this film are a lot of fun to watch, bringing about its own sort of comedy. Maybe not as serious as Creed III but still a great fighting film.

G​irlfight (2000)

Frustrated and conflicted teenager D​iana is close to being kicked out of high school for fighting. She is introduced to the boxing world as she searches for something to grab onto. Her father disapproves, but she finds that she has natural talent as she keeps training. To claim her future, she begins to push herself further into the world of boxing and hopes to find everything she’s looking for. This film was Michelle Rodriguez’s first film and put her on the map. This movie actually has a lot in common with Creed III.

The Fighter (2010)

Based on the true story of Micky Ward. His older brother Dickie got some boxing acclaim when he faced Sugar Ray Leonard back in 1978. Now Dickie has fallen into a life of drugs and crime but still trains Micky. As Micky sees those around him falling to the wayside, he decides he needs a change if his boxing career will ever move forward. This causes a rift in his family as his mother is his manager, and his brother has been training him. Can he move forward without them?

K​ickboxer (1989)

A​nother JCVD classic. In this one, he plays Kurt Sloane. He is the corner man for his kickboxing champion brother Eric. Eric ends up paralyzed when he steps into the ring with Tong Po. Kurt thinks Po injured him on purpose and seeks revenge. He wants to train to fight him in the ring, but no one will take him. Finally, he finds an old kickboxing trainer who lives alone in the mountains. His methods are unconventional, but Kurt sticks with it to learn what he needs to avenge his injured brother.

U​ndisputed 2: Last Man Standing (2006)

Martial Arts Expert Michael Jai White takes over the title role of George Chambers from Ving Rhames in the first film. Chambers goes to Russia but finds he is sent to prison for bogus drug possession charges. The warden says that if he fights in the underground fighting league within the prison he will help him get an early release. He turns him down at first but is soon forced to agree. He begins to train to take on the reigning champ with the help of another prisoner who has knowledge of how to win. To get out of Russia with his life, he has to win. This underseen movie is great and earns its status as one of the best fighting films. The sequel, Undisputed 3: Redemption, does something interesting and makes this movie’s antagonist, the Russian fighter Boyka (played by Scott Adkins), the hero.

M​illion Dollar Baby (2004)

M​aggie wants to train with the best to become a professional boxer and finds legendary trainer Frankie Dunn. At first, he refuses to train her. His personal life has been in tatters as his relationship with his daughter has fallen apart. When he sees she has natural talent, he finally relents. The two form a powerful bond that helps them get what they want most in life. Special note – this is the only movie ever to make our editor-in-chief Chris Bumbray cry in a theater.

S​outhpaw (2015)

Light heavyweight c​hampion boxer Billy Hope is on top of the world when his wife is shot during an altercation with another boxer. After her death, Billy begins a spiral of self-destruction, leading to his daughter being taken away from him. He knows he has to rebuild his life and seeks out trainer Tick Wills. If he is going to get his life back on track and his daughter back, he knows he has to start at the bottom and fight back to the top.

Raging Bull (1980)

Would we consider this a true-fighting film? Granted, the bone-shattering fight sequences in Martin Scorsese’s boxing classic are considered legendary, but it’s less about fighting as a sport than a psychological deep dive into its protagonist. Indeed, Robert De Niro’s Jake LaMotta is one of the most compelling characters ever featured in a film like this, and it remains the definitive boxing bio. Again though, it’s much less about the sport of boxing than the insecurities of its horrifically flawed anti-hero.

Are you excited about Creed IV? What are your favorite fighting films? Let us know in the comments.

The post The Best American Fighting Films (besides Rocky) appeared first on JoBlo.

Say his name three times. Do it. Unlike Candyman, most people would love to summon the bio-exorcist Beetlejuice. He’s the Ghost With The Most. The film Beetlejuice became an instant classic when it haunted theater screens in the spring of 1988. Burton’s visual aesthetic, along with the amazing performances by Michael Keaton and Winona Ryder, captivated audiences. The horror comedy easily grossed over $75 Million at the box office on a $15 Million budget. People loved the character, and he even got a Saturday morning cartoon spin-off that kids loved, but it’s taken thirty-five years for them to get Beetlejuice 2 (or as it’ s now called, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice) off the ground!

While, after many false starts, the Beetlejuice sequel has just about finished shooting, believe it or not, work on Beetlejuice 2 began not long after the original movie premiered! We did a whole video that dived into the production history that you can watch here, but here’s the gist of it:

Beetlejuice Goes Hawaiian?

In 1990 Tim Burton was riding high on his Batman film breaking all sorts of records at the summer box office. He had a golden ticket to work on anything he wanted. As he was finishing up work on Edward Scissorhands, he began to turn his attention to what his next projects would be. He had another Batman film on the horizon but wanted to get working on one of his other projects. Burton hired British playwright Jonathan Gems to work on a script for Beetlejuice 2 called Beetlejuice Goes Hawaiian.

Tim Burton wanted to take the character out of the dreary underworld and put him in the colorful and sun-filled islands. The Deetz family was going to move there to open a new resort. Turns out Charles didn’t do any research and ended up building it on the resting place of a great Hawaiian Kahuna. The spirit would come back to the world of the living and cause problems for the family and surrounding citizens causing them to call in the big guns. At one point Beetlejuice even wins a surfing contest by using his magic. It seems strange but Jonathan Gems said Burton loved the idea. “Tim thought it would be funny to match the surfing backdrop of a beach movie with some sort of German Expressionism because they’re totally wrong together,”

Keaton and Ryder both agreed to return on the condition that Burton would again be directing. Before work could get started on it Burton and Keaton got busy with Batman Returns. A few years later producer David Geffen would hire writer Pamela Norris to take a shot at rewriting the script. It eventually fell into development hell. Famously Kevin Smith was offered a chance to take a shot at it. He turned it down in favor of writing Superman Lives. When asked why he turned it down he replied, “didn’t we say all we needed to say in the first Beetlejuice? Must we go tropical?”

Eventually, the project died. When he was asked about the Beetlejuice Goes Hawaiian script, Jonathan Gems said it was too late to make the film as Ryder had aged out of the part as it was written. They would have to recast and no one really wanted that.

New After-Life

After two decades of sitting on the shelf, in 2011 Warner Bros. approached Seth Grahame-Smith about writing a new sequel and even producing it. He had worked with Burton on Dark Shadows and Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter previously. Smith said he signed to make sure it was “a story that is worthy of us actually doing this for real, something that is not just about cashing in, is not just about forcing a remake or a reboot down someone’s throat.” He said he had met with Keaton about doing the film, and he was on board.

They had gone over the story and Keaton seemed to be really excited to finally get back to the character. Ryder herself said that she was excited to return to the role but only if Burton and Keaton were involved. She stated that Lydia was an important part of her that she wanted to explore again 27 years later. Burton said that they had been working on the script and were excited to get started in 2014.

It seemed that the sequel was moving forward and everyone was happy . . . but that window came and went and no movement happened on the film. In 2015 Ryder was on a talk show and said she was for sure coming back to the role and that she couldn’t wait to get started. By 2017 screenwriter Mike Vukadinovich was hired to do a re-write of the script. In 2019 Warner Bros. confirmed that the project was in fact sitting in the waiting room of the afterlife. Burton and Keaton eventually did reunite, for the Disney remake of Dumbo in 2019.

Our only hope is . . . Brad Pitt?

With the project once again dead on arrival there looked like no hope of ever seeing a Beetlejuice 2… until Brad Pitt stepped in. Well, not Brad Pitt personally but his production company Plan B Entertainment. In February of 2022, his company announced its producing the new film, and sure enough – it actually happened this time, with Alfred Gough and Miles Millar writing the screenplay.

Beetlejuice 2: The Cast

Burton has stated in the past that he would only do the film if Keaton agreed to return, but the stars aligned and it finally happened. We never thought we would see him back in the Batsuit either but hey, that happened too. Just recently, we got our first look (thanks to Entertainment Weekly) at Keaton reprising the role for the first time in thirty-six years!

Costume designer Colleen Atwood confirmed that Keaton would be wearing his iconic black and white striped suit again, although she admitted that Keaton has more of an affinity for the Burgundy tux.

Other confirmed cast members include original Beetlejuice heroine Winona Ryder, who’s reprising her role as Lydia Deetz opposite Catherine O’Hara, who also returns as her mother Delia Deetz. It’s been confirmed that Jeffrey Jones, who had a rather sordid brush with the law many years ago and has not worked much since, will not be returning. In fact, the newly released teaser seems to suggest his character has been killed off.

Jenna Ortega, who previously teamed with Burton on Netflix’s wildly popular show Wednesday, plays Lydia’s daughter Astrid. Justin Theroux is in there as a character named Rory. Monica Bellucci, who in real life is dating Burton (lucky guy!), is also in the cast, apparently as Beetlejuice’s wife, while Willem Dafoe apparently plays a dead B-movie action star, which sounds kind of hilarious. There’s also a rumour that Jean-Claude Van Damme has a cameo. Maybe as a former co-star of Dafoe’s?

Keaton Loves It!

While promoting his new film, Knox Goes Away, Keaton raved about an early cut of the film he saw on the Jess Cagle Show:

“It is really good. And beautiful. Beautiful, you know, physically. You know what I mean? The other one was so fun and exciting visually. It’s all that, but really kind of beautiful and interestingly emotional here and there. I wasn’t ready for that, you know. Yeah, it’s great.

What’s It About?

Here’s the official synopsis from the studio:

“Beetlejuice is back!  After an unexpected family tragedy, three generations of the Deetz family return home to Winter River.  Still haunted by Beetlejuice, Lydia’s life is turned upside down when her rebellious teenage daughter, Astrid, discovers the mysterious model of the town in the attic and the portal to the Afterlife is accidentally opened.  With trouble brewing in both realms, it’s only a matter of time until someone says Beetlejuice’s name three times and the mischievous demon returns to unleash his very own brand of mayhem.”

When Will We See It?

As of now, Warner Brothers have set the release of the film for September 6, 2024. They recently put out the first poster, which also confirmed the new title, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice as well as the release date:

When will we get a trailer?

While a full trailer has yet to be released, we did get a sixty second teaser trailer showing Keaton and Ryder back in action:

Attendees of the Warner Bros. panel at the CinemaCon event got to see an extended preview that highlighted the film’s practical effects. JoBlo’s own Chris Bumbray reported, “WB showed more of what Keaton’s performance is like, and it’s fantastic! The full trailer is much better than the teaser. Beetlejuice had pined for Lydia, and he was still obsessed when he was awakened. Notably, you see the Jeffrey Jones character get killed by a shark, but in stop-motion.”

Are you excited to see Beetlejuice Beetlejuice? Let us know in the comments.

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