The Paramount Pictures and DreamWorks Pictures production is aiming for a March 31, 2017 theatrical release.
“We are so pleased to be in Wellington to shoot Ghost in the Shell,” said producers Avi Arad, Ari Arad, Michael Costigan and Jeffrey Silver. “The city boasts state-of-the-art production facilities and a rich urban landscape that make it an ideal setting for a sci-fi action film. The crew-base in New Zealand working on the film is first class, and working with Sir Richard Taylor and the team at Weta Workshop is inspirational on every level. The people of New Zealand have been terrific partners in helping us bring this story and its beloved characters to audiences around the world and we are thankful for their continued hospitality.”
Tourism New Zealand’s Chief Executive Kevin Bowler said, “Tourism New Zealand is thrilled to be working with Paramount Pictures for the first time on Ghost in the Shell. Film tourism is an important element in Tourism New Zealand’s work to inspire people to visit New Zealand and we look forward to this new opportunity to showcase New Zealand to the rest of the world.”
The behind the scenes crew includes cinematographer Jess Hall, editor Neil Smith, production designer, and costume designers Kurt Swanson and Bart Mueller.
The Plot: Based on the internationally-acclaimed sci-fi property, Ghost in the Shell follows the Major, a special ops, one-of-a-kind human-cyborg hybrid, who leads the elite task force Section 9. Devoted to stopping the most dangerous criminals and extremists, Section 9 is faced with an enemy whose singular goal is to wipe out Hanka Robotic’s advancements in cyber technology.
Benedict Cumberbatch voices The Grinch in ‘Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas’ (Photo Credit: Illumination Entertainment and Universal Pictures)
Warner Bros, Paramount, and Sony flew in dozens of actors for their presentations at the 2016 CinemaCon, however Universal Pictures took the opposite approach. Producers and directors were on hand to discuss their films and Kevin Hart put in an appearance to plug his hybrid action film/stand-up performance, What Now?, but the studio opted for a less star-studded approach and instead focused on a few films from their upcoming slate, debuting never-before-seen trailers as well as lengthier clips.
Universal Chairman Donna Langley said the studio’s offerings at CinemaCon reflected some but not all of their slate, and the only talk regarding the next Jurassic Park film was a very brief mention that it will arrive in 2018. Prior to the presentation there had been speculation that a few details would emerge regarding the next installment in the blockbuster dinosaur franchise, but nothing was revealed.
Duncan Jones was the first of the filmmakers to take the stage with a new video from Warcraft. Jones said Warcraft‘s a story about heroes that come in all shapes and sizes. It’s unique, and Jones said he can’t believe it’s finally so close to being released in theaters after he’s been working on it for three and a half years. The new video featured more of the eagles, more of Vikings‘ Travis Fimmel as Anduin Lothar, and some intense action/fight scenes.
Director Tate Taylor represented The Girl on the Train and introduced the first trailer for the much-anticipated dramatic film. Taylor said every so often a book comes along that pulls you in and you can’t put it down, and Paula Hawkins’ The Girl on the Train was one of those books. Taylor, who also directed the film adaptation of The Help, said the book has everything you want to see in a film: sex, infidelity, deception, obsession, more sex, and murder. “Even on the page it was very cinematic,” explained Taylor. Taylor believes his film’s star, Emily Blunt, is one of the most talented actresses of our time and said she was willing to “go to the depths” for this character. “You’ll be riveted when you see what she’s done,” said Taylor. The first trailer was then revealed and as a fan of the book I can say I was incredibly impressed. The acting and the atmosphere were perfect and even the voice over which I’m usually not fond of, worked. The trailer demonstrated Taylor and screenwriter Erin Cressida Wilson (Men, Women & Children) have made a film faithful to the source material and it’s possible – if what was shown in the trailer holds up throughout the film – that Emily Blunt could be busy come awards season.
Next up was Frank Marshall with Jason Bourne. Marshall said it’s taken almost 10 years to find the right story for the main character, and they finally discovered it about two years ago. The new film brings back all the things that are familiar “but with a fresh, new take.” Marshall talked about shutting down Vegas streets during filming and said the resulting action scene is the best Bourne chase sequence ever. The footage showed Matt Damon crashing through windows and basically beating the crap out of all comers and it featured some fierce hand-to-hand fight scenes.
Michael Buffer then did his “let’s get ready to rumble” bit but with a twist, introducing the 165 pound contender Kevin Hart who paraded through the Coliseum in Caesars Palace in Vegas accompanied by dancing girls. Hart is incredibly proud of his upcoming film, What Now?, and wanted to go bigger and better than a regular stand-up comedy film, combining an action film with footage from one of the stops on his 156 shows tour. The sneak peek he provided was full of celebrity cameos and a full-on fight scene.
The studio’s animated slate was highlighted next with Illumination Entertainment’s Chris Meledandri revealing the short film “Mower Minions” will screen before The Secret Life of Pets. The new short, which was screened at CinemaCon, has the minions taking on landscaping jobs in order to buy a blender for making smoothies. Of course, their landscaping abilities leave a lot to be desired. And for those into Corgis, one is featured in the short! Meledandri said the voice cast of The Secret Life of Pets are all pet lovers and that helped inform their characters. The first 10 minutes of the animated animal film was then screened followed by a special trailer focusing on Kevin Hart’s character, Snowball.
Despicable Me 3 will arrive on June 30, 2017 and the story will be about the sibling rivalry between Gru and his long-lost twin brother who is the polar opposite of Gru. Steve Carell will voice both characters. Joining the cast as the main new villain is South Park‘s Trey Parker as the voice of Balthazar Bratt. Balthazar Bratt is described as a deranged former child star of the ’80s whose TV series was canceled when he hit puberty. Parker has never lent his voice to a character outside the world of South Park, and Despicable Me 3 also marks the first time he’s being directed by someone else.
And the biggest news to come out of Universal’s presentation is that Benedict Cumberbatch will be providing the voice of The Grinch in the upcoming animated film How the Grinch Stole Christmas which is scheduled to hit theaters on November 10, 2017.
HBO’s offering a behind the scenes look at the visual effects in season six of the award-winning dramatic, Game of Thrones, with a special five-minute video. The network’s also unveiled a three-minute video titled ‘Journey to Spain’ featuring interviews with the cast and crew discussing the benefits of actually filming in Spain. The production went to five different locations in Spain rather than shooting on sound stages, with the cast talking about how important it was to shoot in different climates and how there was never a shortage of extras willing to be a part of the show.
New clips have also arrived from season six, which is set to premiere on April 24, 2016. Clip #1 features Lena Headey as Cersei and Nikolaj Coster-Waldau as Jamie discussing dead bodies and the various stages of decomposition as they prepare to bury their daughter. Clip #2 involves Sophie Turner as Sansa and Alfie Allen as Theon racing through the snow to escape from Winterfell.
The cast of season six also includes Peter Dinklage, Emilia Clarke, Diana Rigg, Natalie Dormer, Maisie Williams, John Bradley, Isaac Hempstead Wright, Conleth Hill, Jonathan Pryce, and Gwendoline Christie. David Benioff and D.B. Weiss created the series and serve as executive producers.
Tom Hiddleston as Jonathan Pine, Tom Hollander as Major Corkoran, Elizabeth Debicki as Jed Marshall, Olivia Colman as Angela Burr, and Hugh Laurie as Richard Roper in ‘The Night Manager’ (Photo Credit: Mitch Jenkins/The Ink Factory/AMC)
AMC’s set to premiere the mini-series The Night Manager on April 19, 2016 at 10pm ET/PT and today a new trailer’s arrived for the series. The Night Manager‘s based on John le Carré’s novel (AMC’s labeling it a “contemporary adaptation”) and stars Tom Hiddleston, Olivia Colman, Hugh Laurie, Tom Hollander, and Elizabeth Debicki. The book has sold more than 1 million copies in just North America and has been translated into 20+ languages, with the mini-series marking the first adaptation of any le Carré book in more than 20 years.
Oscar winner Susanne Bier directed from a script by David Farr. Bier, Farr, author le Carré, Simon Cornwell, Stephen Cornwell, and Stephen Garrett executive produced the six-part mini-series.
The Night Manager Plot:The Night Manager will bring together love, loss and revenge in a complex story of modern criminality. The series follows former British soldier Jonathan Pine (Hiddleston) who is recruited by intelligence operative Angela Burr (Colman) to infiltrate the inner circle of international businessman Richard Onslow Roper (Laurie) and detonate the unholy alliance he has ministered between the intelligence community and the secret arms trade. To get to the heart of Roper’s vast empire, Pine must withstand the suspicious interrogations of his venal chief of staff Major Corkoran (Hollander) and the allure of Roper’s beautiful girlfriend Jed (Debicki). In his quest to do the right thing, Pine must first become a criminal himself.
Episode 1: A hotel night manager receives a plea for help from an elegant guest. His actions draw him into the terrifying world of the worst man in the world.
Filming is now underway in Los Angeles on Fox Searchlight’s Battle of the Sexes starring Emma Stone and Steve Carell. The film revisits the battle on court and in the media between tennis greats Billie Jean King and Bobby Riggs, with Emma Stone tackling the role of the legendary Billie Jean King and Steve Carell playing Bobby Riggs. The Little Miss Sunshine filmmakers Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris are directing from a script by Slumdog Millionaire‘s Simon Beaufoy. Danny Boyle, Christian Colson, and Robert Graf are on board as producers.
The cast also includes Elisabeth Shue, Sarah Silverman, Alan Cumming, Andrea Riseborough, Eric Christian Olsen, Natalie Morales, Austin Stowell, Wallace Langham, Jessica McNamee, Mickey Sumner, and Bill Pullman.
“If all men and women worked as well together as Jon Dayton and Valerie Faris,” stated Boyle and Colson, “the world would be a more harmonious place. Together with Emma, Steve and the rest of our fabulous cast they are the perfect team to realize Simon Beaufoy’s brilliant ballad of Billie and Bobby–the perfect odd couple.”
“The irony isn’t lost on us that we are a husband-and-wife team directing the Battle of the Sexes. As soon as we read Simon’s script we knew we had to make this film. We feel so fortunate to have gathered such an amazing group of artists, both behind and in front of camera,” added Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris.
The Battle of the Sexes Plot: The electrifying 1973 tennis match between World number one Billie Jean King (Stone) and ex-champ and serial hustler Bobby Riggs (Carell) was billed as the BATTLE OF THE SEXES and became the most watched televised sports event of all time. The match caught the zeitgeist and sparked a global conversation on gender equality, spurring on the feminist movement. Trapped in the media glare, King and Riggs were on opposites sides of a binary argument, but off-court each was fighting more personal and complex battles. With a supportive husband urging her to fight the Establishment for equal pay, the fiercely private King was also struggling to come to terms with her own sexuality, while Riggs gambled his legacy and reputation in a bid to relive the glories of his past. Together, Billie and Bobby served up a cultural spectacle that resonated far beyond the tennis courts and animated the discussions between men and women in bedrooms and boardrooms around the world.
After a glitch that found Sony’s teaser reel screening minus any audio (it was eventually corrected), Sony Pictures Chairman Tom Rothman launched the studio’s CinemaCon presentation by saying they’ve doubled down on their film output with their slate reflecting both familiarity and freshness. Rothman said Sony’s slate has films with high name recognition, kicking off the presentation with the first look at Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk.
Directed by Life of Pi‘s Ang Lee, Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk will be something “different from what we have seen before, but it will prove powerful,” explained Rothman. The film is a story of individual and collective bravery with parts of the war footage utilizing ultra high frame rate, giving the audience a real feel for the contrast between the intensity of war and Billy’s home life. After pointing that out Rothman was quick to add, “But technology is always second to story.” Sony then showed off some incredible footage from the film and although the effects were unfinished, the footage really grabbed our attention.
Next up was a preview of Passengers, the sci-fi/action/drama/romance starring Jennifer Lawrence and Chris Pratt. Rothman said the film’s script was as compelling as anything he’s ever read and he knew the project would require exceptional actors. Complimenting Lawrence, Rothman called her authentic and powerful, adding that she and Pratt are “sexy as hell together” in Passengers.
Pratt and Lawrence then joined Rothman on stage, with Lawrence explaining that in the film her character, a writer, goes on a 120 year journey to another planet. Pratt’s character, Jim, is also along for the ride. Jim’s a mechanic who fixes things but he became obsolete on Earth so he’s traveling to a new world and hopefully a new future where he can feel useful again. Reading from the teleprompter, Lawrence and Pratt both tried out the line, “They couldn’t be more opposite!” before deciding to quit using the teleprompter and just go for it. Pratt told the National Association of Theatres Owners members in the audience to stock up on goodies and sodas because they’ll need them when Passengers hits theaters later this year. He then dropped the mic after finishing up that joke, dropping the microphone on Jennifer Lawrence’s foot. Unfinished footage was screened and the on screen chemistry between Lawrence and Pratt was palpable. The footage showed the sci-fi effects aren’t going to overpower the story, and there was even whistling from the audience in response to the preview footage.
Rothman got in a quick swipe at a competitor after the footage screened. “I see that and I think to myself, let’s see Netflix do that.”
Rory Bruer, President of Worldwide Distribution, took over the hosting job, saying that audiences are more diverse and discerning than ever before. He then showed off a little Trainspotting 2 teaser with the full cast reuniting with director Danny Boyle (filming starts in May). Quick clips also followed of Baby Driver from Edgar Wright as well as more from Money Monster with Julia Roberts, George Clooney, Caitriona Balfe, and Jack O’Connell.
Kristine Belso, President of Sony Pictures Animation, then spoke about the new Nativity animated film that will be told from the point of view of the animals and will feature a donkey as the unsung hero. Smurfs: The Lost Village returns the weird blue creatures to a fully animated film in which they’ll have a big adventure in a lush world, with Demi Lovato voicing Smurfette. The Emoji Movie will arrive in August 2017 and will feature the secret world inside of our smart phones. Emojis from the text app will venture into the world of the wallpapers, with each icon becoming a unique world. Streaming music is literally a stream of music, etc… The animated slate also includes Hotel Transylvania 3 (September 2018) which will find the creatures traveling the globe on an adventure, but it will still maintain its focus on a multi-generational family.
Then it was time for the Ghostbusters cast to show they’re not afraid of ghosts or of NATO members. Director Paul Feig handled the interview duties, asking the film’s stars – Melissa McCarthy, Kristen Wiig, Leslie Jones, and Kate McKinnon – about their characters. McCarthy says she believes in ghosts because she grew up on a farm and didn’t have any friends other than ghosts to talk to. McKinnon’s happy about her character because it channels her “lifelong love of taking stuff apart.” Wiig joked she went back to college to learn about particles and chemicals, which led to Feig throwing in that the cast has great chemistry. “I love an underdog story. I love when unlikely people become heroes,” said McCarthy about her involvement in the project. Jones said putting the Ghostbusters suit on made it real for her, and she felt badass in the costume. McKinnon added, “I was so relieved there was room for my crotch to breathe all summer.” Sony then screened the first scene from the film which involved Wiig getting slimed. A lengthy trailer also played showing more of Chris Hemsworth as the handsome but dumb receptionist, and there was the reveal of a special cameo that I won’t spoil but that won over the audience.
Director Antoine Fuqua and Chris Pratt then hit the stage to promote The Magnificent Seven. Fuqua explained, “The DNA [of the film] is redemption. The pursuit of justice is something that always resonates with us all.” Pratt said he’s always wanted to do a Western and that it’s his dad’s favorite genre. After starring in The Magnificent Seven Pratt says he now really understands where his dad’s love for the genre was coming from. Describing his character, Pratt revealed, “He’s somebody that you don’t want to cross.” And on the diverse cast of the film, Fuqua added, “I wanted it to look like the world we live in today.” Pratt said he loves Fuqua’s movies and that the cast and crew “worked our asses off on this movie.” Pratt described it as real and action-packed, and believes it will speak to today’s audiences. “I’ve seen this movie and it’s f**king awesome!” said Pratt. The action-heavy footage was just that, and the cinematography was simply stunning.
The Sony presentation finished up with the reveal of the new title for Spider-Man – Spider-Man: Homecoming. [Read more about that portion of the presentation here.]
Sony Pictures Chairman Tom Rothman used the studio’s presentation at CinemaCon to announce the official title of the upcoming Spider-Man reboot, Spider-Man: Homecoming. The announcement came at the very end of the two-hour presentation that included footage from Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk, Passengers, Ghostbusters, and The Magnificent Seven. Rothman joked that he held off on the Spider-Man news to use it as his Steve Jobs moment – you know, Jobs used to wait until the end to do a “oh, by the way…” sort of lead-in to a huge new product reveal.
The new Peter Parker/Spider-Man, Tom Holland, took the studio’s private jet from the red carpet Hollywood premiere of Captain America: Civil War in order to make it in time for the end of Sony’s presentation at Caesars Palace in Vegas. Disney’s screening Captain America: Civil War at CinemaCon and it features the first appearance of the new Spidey on screen. When Holland joined Rothman on stage he declared, “I’m your new Spider-Man!”
The new title Spider-Man: Homecoming has dual meanings according Rothman and Holland. Rothman says it’s a homecoming to the Marvel cinematic universe. Holland added, “It really is a homecoming for the character throughout the story he really is trying to find his true identity and where he really belongs in this world.” The first preview footage was screened featuring Holland as Parker coming home to find his Aunt May (Marisa Tomei) sitting on a couch with Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr). Stark’s there because Peter applied for and won a special grant, which has Peter confused but going with the flow. Sony also showed off the clip from Captain America: Civil War featuring the first appearance of the new Spider-Man.
Jon Watts is directing Spider-Man: Homecoming and Sony is targeting a July 7, 2017 theatrical release.
Ragnar (Travis Fimmel), Bjorn (Alexander Ludwig), and Lagertha (Katheryn Winnick) in ‘Vikings’ (Photo by Jonathan Hession | HISTORY)
The good news is there’s a new episode of Vikings on April 14, 2016 at 10pm ET/PT followed by another new episode next week. The bad news is the series will then take a break and won’t return for the second half of season four until later this year. History extended the season four episode order but split the season into two 10 episode halves, meaning fans of the series might have to be patient and wait for the outcome of the battle between King Ragnar (Travis Fimmel) and his traitor brother, Rollo (Clive Standen). That is, unless Vikings wraps up that storyline in the final two episodes of the first half of season four, which doesn’t seem likely.
Episode eight killed off three interesting albeit at times irritating characters: Count Odo (Owen Roe), Yidu (Dianne Doan), and Kwenthrith (Amy Bailey). None of the deaths were expected, and Yidu and Kwenthrith’s murders were particularly disturbing. Ragnar really seemed to have a connection with Yidu who was filling a void in his life left by Athelstan, and Kwenthrith was such an intriguing character it’s a shame the writers killed her off. It’ll be interesting to see if the killing off of supporting characters continues with the final two episodes of season four’s first half.
The Death All ‘Round Plot: The labors of the Vikings eventually bear fruit as, within sight of Paris, they re-launch their boats but this time along with some interesting structures that Floki has made. Aethelwulf and Alfred eventually arrive in Rome and honors are conferred by Pope Leo but relations are not so cordial in Wessex between King Ecbert and the disgruntled King Aelle.
Duke Rollo (Clive Standen) in ‘Vikings’ (Photo by Jonathan Hession | HISTORY) Bjorn (Alexander Ludwig) and Ragnar (Travis Fimmel) in ‘Vikings’ (Photo by Jonathan Hession | HISTORY)Lagertha (Katheryn Winnick) is the epitome of fierce and formidable (Photo by Jonathan Hession | HISTORY)
Here’s hoping all of the remaining fan favorites will survive The 100‘s third season. Recent episodes have proven no one is safe, with The 100 going all Game of Thrones on main characters. Season three continues with episode 11 titled ‘Nevermore’ and airing on April 14, 2016 at 9pm ET/PT. Fans can expect to see Raven (Lindsey Morgan) being further manipulated by Alie (Erica Cerra) while her friends continue to fight those now in charge.
Directed by Ed Fraiman (he also directed season 3, episode 4 ‘Watch the Thrones’), ‘Nevermore’ was written by Kim Shumway. The cast includes Eliza Taylor as Clarke, Marie Avgeropoulos as Octavia, Paige Turco as Abby, Christopher Larkin as Monty, Devon Bostick as Jasper, Henry Ian Cusick as Kane, Isaiah Washington as Jaha, Bob Morley as Bellamy, and Richard Harmon as Murphy.
The Season 3 Episode 11 Plot: RAVEN’S DARK SIDE COMES OUT — Alie (Cerra) forces Raven’s (Morgan) dark side to come out, and Jasper’s (Bostick) anger continues to grow. Meanwhile, Octavia (Avgeropoulos) wrestles with her place in the world, and Monty (Larkin) is forced to make a split second decision.
Margot Robbie stars in Warner Bros Pictures’ ‘Suicide Squad.’
Warner Bros Pictures set the bar high with the sheer amount star power they brought to Las Vegas for the 2016 CinemaCon. The annual gathering of National Association of Theatre Owners members normally has studios flying in their big guns to promote upcoming films, but Warner Bros went all out this year. Among the stars who took the stage at Caesars Palace were Ben Affleck, Amy Adams, Will Smith, Jared Leto, Margot Robbie, Joel Kinnaman, Adam Beach, Jai Courtney, Russell Crowe, Emilia Clarke, James Wan, Vera Farmiga, Patrick Wilson, Teresa Palmer, Kevin Hart, Alexander Skarsgard, Christoph Waltz, Samuel L. Jackson, Bradley Cooper, Andy Samberg, Katie Crown, Will Arnett, Eddie Redmayne, Dan Fogler, Alison Sudol, and Colin Farrell.
Kicking off Warner Bros’ presentation of their upcoming slate of films, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice‘s Ben Affleck and Amy Adams were introduced after Chairman and CEO Kevin Tsujihara confirmed Affleck will direct and star in a stand-alone Batman movie. Affleck and Adams are also a part of the Justice League movie directed by Zack Snyder, and Affleck said it’s “tremendously exciting to be part of the DC Universe.”
The DC Universe was also represented by a video from the set of Justice League in London featuring director Snyder, Jason Momoa, Henry Cavill, and Gal Gadot.
Next up was one of the presentation’s most anticipated films: Suicide Squad. Director David Ayer said, “Every film’s a journey. Every journey leads to the theater.” Ayer also said his film isn’t just a movie, it’s an event and should be seen on the big screen. The entire main cast then took the stage but it was Will Smith who did all of the talking. Will got the CinemaCon crowd worked up, saying he was very, very proud to be in Vegas with this particular film. “This group of people, we’ve bonded,” said Smith, adding that they’re friends who have created something special and spectacular. Before the lengthy clip full of bad guys doing good things played, Ayer said the film’s like “spending a couple of hours with the coolest kids in school.” The clip was action-packed and featured a lot of new scenes of Jared Leto as The Joker as well as Margot Robbie being completely badass as Harley Quinn. Based solely on the trailers and clips, Suicide Squad is going to give Deadpool a run for its money as the most entertaining superhero film of 2016.
Russell Crowe did what you’d expect Russell Crowe to do…he ignored the teleprompter and just winged it. Actually, he gave the script a chance but quickly found it lacking. “I was told they’ve written me a script to say to you today. We’ll see,” joked Crowe. Reading what was scripted, Crowe said, “Ryan [Gosling] would have loved to have been here today,” before going off-script to say, “That’s bullshit.” Laughing, Crowe said Gosling wouldn’t have loved it. He called his The Nice Guys co-star a cineast who’s a great student of film and then paid him a huge compliment by comparing him to Gene Wilder. Crowe said he loved working with Gosling and that after 49 movies over 25 years, Gosling made him break character more than he had in his other movies combined. The NATO crowd was definitely won over by the combination of Crowe winging it and the clips. The extended clips had the CinemaCon crowd laughing out loud and I actually overheard one theater owner saying, “That’s going to be a big hit.”
Next up was a preview of Me Before You with Emilia Clarke (Game of Thrones) representing the film. Clarke said, “It was a privilege to bring Jojo’s brilliant novel to the screen.” Clarke promised the film will be moving, romantic, and also inspiring, with the clip focusing on the relationship between Clarke and Sam Claflin’s characters.
Horror was the focus of the next portion of the presentation. Director James Wan was joined by his The Conjuring 2 stars Vera Farmiga and Patrick Wilson to talk about the horror sequel. Wan said the sequel explores one of the Warrens’ most intriguing and controversial cases, and Farmiga added that it was compelling and more than a little frightening even for the Warrens. After Wilson complimented Wan as being in a class by himself, an extended trailer had the audience jumping in their seats.
The Conjuring 2 was followed by Lights Out produced by James Wan and Lawrence Grey and directed by David F. Sandberg. The film is inspired by Sandberg’s short film which became a viral hit. Sanderg said, “The way this film came together couldn’t have come together better.” Lights Out star Teresa Palmer accompanied director Sandberg on stage and said we can all relate to the film because we all remember what it’s like to be alone in the dark.
A taped message from Dwayne Johnson served to introduce Central Intelligence director Rawson Marshall Thurber and Kevin Hart. Thurber called Hart one of the funniest actors around and said Johnson is one of the biggest action stars on the planet, a label that Hart took issue with. Hart said he’s been working out every single day and has the guns to prove it. In fact, he’s in such good shape physically that he thinks he’d actually be able to take Johnson if they fought. Hart also joked that Central Intelligence is the perfect summer movie because he’s in it. The special clip showed more of Johnson in a fat suit and explained how it is that Johnson recruits Hart as his partner.
They didn’t walk on the stage accompanied by the classic Tarzan yell or accompanied by any animals, but that was perfectly fine for the crowd which was apparently made up of quite a few Alexander Skarsgard admirers. A few whistles and hoots were heard before Skarsgard, joined by his The Legend of Tarzan co-stars Christoph Waltz, Margot Robbie, and Samuel L Jackson, joked about the film being from people who made some movie about somebody named Harry Potter or something like that. He also said he had a good time making the movie, with Robbie confirming Jane in this Tarzan story is no damsel in distress. Jackson promised big sets and big action, and Waltz added that they’re very proud of this film.
War Dogs was next in the lineup and it was producing partners Todd Phillips (The Hangover movies) and Bradley Cooper who were on hand in Vegas to chat up the movie. Cooper recalled it was in a parking lot across the street where Ken Jeong shot the scene in which he’s naked in the trunk of a car and winds up juggling his balls on Bradley’s neck. Bradley joked it took eight hours to shoot the scene…because he kept asking for more takes. War Dogs marks the first film from Phillips and Cooper’s production company, but it was Phillips’ fifth time in six years making the trek to Vegas for CinemaCon. Turning serious, Phillips thanked Warner Bros for being willing to take chances and supporting filmmakers. He also acknowledged that he’s not a fan of public speaking but said this year he has something important to say. “There is disruption coming on the horizon,” said Phillips, in a reference to alternate means of releasing films, saying now is the time it needs to be discussed. “Why are we in such a rush to take the thing that separates us from a physical group in a movie theater and do away with it?” asked Phillips. Phillips believes movies are meant to be a group experience; films are made to be watched with 500 strangers in a darkened theater. He spoke passionately about his desire to make sure films go to theaters first before being offered up on alternate platforms.
Warner Bros also used their hour and a half panel to promote their animated slate, with filmmakers Phil Lord, Chris Miller, and Nicholas Stoller on hand to talk about the animated films slate that includes The LEGO Batman Movie, Small Fry, Scooby Doo, Ninjago, and The LEGO Movie 2. LEGO Batman‘s Will Arnett says this movie will explore what, other than the fact he watched his parents die, makes Batman so bummed out and we’ll find out what it is that drives him. Then director Doug Sweetland and Andy Samberg and Katie Crown took the stage to represent Storks. Samberg gave a shout-out to his mom and called Storks the “best movie ever made,” noting that he has discerning taste.
Finishing out the presentation, Warner Bros Pictures is revisiting the world of Harry Potter with the new fantasy adventure film Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them starring Eddie Redmayne and set in America. Redmayne, Colin Farrell, Alison Sudol, and Dan Fogler took the stage to introduce a behind-the-scenes video and the new trailer. Sticking to the script on the teleprompter for the most part, the cast said this new film will feature new wizards and witches along with new creatures. They expressed how happy they were to be a part of the team that brings Rowling’s vision to life on the screen, calling their time on Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find an “amazing experience.” Farrell, however, veered from the script, saying hello to the crowd in an effort to, in his words, “cut the tension” which built up from his co-stars reading from the teleprompter.
Overall, the biggest hits of the presentation were Suicide Squad and The Nice Guys (Russell Crowe should be signed up to host the presentation next year), with The Legend of Tarzan following not far behind. At least that’s my decidedly non-scientific appraisal, based on the level of applause.
