Harley Quinn Might Be Played By This Beautiful English Model

Reports have suggested that DC Comics' upcoming Suicide Squad movie has been headhunting some pretty big fish, with actors like Will Smith, Tom Hardy, Ryan Gosling and Margot Robbie previously rumored for roles (not to mention the possible involvement of Jesse Eisenberg's Lex Luthor ), but now the new scuttlebutt is saying that a key, fan-favorite part may wind up going to English actress/model Cara Delevingne.

This report comes to us from Latino-Review, which has learned from sources that Warner Bros. is interested in the actress for "the villainous female role" in Suicide Squad. While they received no kind of confirmation, the character the site speculates Delevingne could be playing is Harley Quinn - The Joker's utterly psychotic significant other who is part of the comic book team in DC Comics' New 52 continuity. The site notes that earlier drafts of the screenplay for the film didn't include Harley Quinn, but that may be changing due to the fact that it looks like director David Ayer is going to have a crack at the script.

Delevingne made her big screen debut in 2012 wen she played Princess Sorokina in director Joe Wright's Anna Karenina adaptation, and she recently reunited with the director for his movie Pan, which is currently in post-production and will be heading to theaters next year. In case you're not familiar with her work, you can get a good look at her below, courtesy of her personal Instagramfeed.

A photo posted by Cara Delevingne (@caradelevingne)on Sep 9, 2014 at 2:16pm PDT

Weirdly enough, this isn't the first time in recent weeks that a connection has been made between Cara Delevingne and Harley Quinn. Just three weeks ago she posted an illustration of Harley on her Instagram feed with the caption "Dress up time!"

A photo posted by Cara Delevingne (@caradelevingne)on Oct 10, 2014 at 10:10am PDT

Is this image somehow connected to Delevingne's potential involvement in Suicide Squad and the possibility that she could play Harley Quinn? It's hard to say, but it does make me want to take out some red string and thumbtacks.

David Ayer's Suicide Squad is still in pre-production, and is expected to start shooting some time next year. Warner Bros. has not officially announced a release date for the film, though it has been dated for 2016 and will presumably be arriving on the August 5, 2016 release date that the studio has already carved out.

8 Comics Every Fan Of The Flash Should Check Out

Despite not yet being two months old, The Flash has been an outstanding success for the CW, earning positive reviews and impressive ratings.

has been an outstanding success for the CW, earning positive reviews and impressive ratings. He first spun out of Arrow to protect Central City, and manages to do it while balancing his day job as a forensic scientist. Flash has appeared in other shows, including the original 1990 live-action series and Justice League , but the 2014 series has opened up the world of the Scarlet Speedster to new viewers while also enticing hardcore comic book fans with its faithfulness to the source material and its embracing of the character's comic book roots. The show has already introduced characters like Captain Cold, General Wade Eiling and Gorilla Grodd, and having scored a full-season order, the series has much more Flash mythos to explore this TV season.

There are only two episodes left in 2014 after tonight’s episode, the first being the crossover with Arrow and the second introducing the Reverse-Flash, but have no fear! If you’re looking to get yourself a Flash fix during the winter break, there’s no place better to turn than the source material itself. Whether you’re a comic book fan who’s only now learning about The Flash or someone who has never picked up a comic book before, there are plenty of Flash offerings to check out, both old and new. So if you’re looking to read more Barry Allen adventures, here are a list of Flash stories you should check out, all of which can be found in collected editions or on Comixology.

In 1985, DC decided to reset their 50 year-old continuity with the 12-issue miniseries Crisis of Infinite Earths . The story pitted heroes and villains across parallel Earths against the powerful Anti-Monitor, who attempted to destroy all of reality. As a result of their battle with the near-omnipotent being, the multiverse was destroyed and recreated as one universe, retconning many events in DC history as taking place in that one universe. Despite not being a Flash solo story, the miniseries featured one of Barry Allen’sgreatest moments when he sacrificed his life to stop one of the Anti-Monitor’s attacks. His death ushered in a new era for Flash comics, specifically with his former sidekick Wally West taking up the Flash mantle. Considering that headline on the future newspaper at the end of the pilot, viewers may see Barry go through a similar crisis in the show.

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Dwayne Johnson Will Star In New Big Trouble In Little China Remake, Get The Details

It would appear that Big Trouble In Little China is becoming the latest classic John Carpenter movie to get the proposed remake treatment... and it already has one very interesting lead actor getting involved with it.

remake treatment... and it already has one very interesting lead actor getting involved with it. New reports are coming in saying that none other than Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson is now in line to take on one of Kurt Russell's most iconic roles in the upcoming re-do.

The Wraphas the scoop on this development, saying that Johnson is now in talks to not only star in the new version of Big Trouble In Little China , but also serve as a producer on the project. While it doesn't look like the new movie has a director attached just yet, it does have a pair of big-time screenwriters involved, as Ashley Miller and Zack Stentz ( Thor , X-Men: First Class ) are currently working on the script. 20th Century Fox has not yet commented on the development of the film.

Should he wind up signing on the dotted line, Dwayne Johnson will be playing the 21st century version of Jack Burton in the new Big Trouble In Little China . In the 1986 original, Burton is a truck driver who finds himself in San Francisco's Chinatown, and going with a friend to pick up their fiancee at the airport. Unfortunately, said fiancee winds up being kidnapped by street gang, but that's only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to problems. The street gang works for an evil sorcerer called Lo Pan who must marry a woman to regain his physical form. The whole film is rather over the top and at times ridiculous, but also a ton of cinematic fun that has rightly earned its place in film history as an amazing cult classic.

Admittedly, I'm a bit torn about this decision, as while I don't really think a Big Trouble In Little China remake is necessary in any way shape or form, the truth of the matter is that Dwayne Johnson really is a great choice for the Jack Burton role. I wouldn't want the San Andreas star playing Snake Plisskenin an Escape From New York remake, but the guy really does have the proper kind of energy and charisma to make a new version of Burton work. It's also noted in the trade report that Johnson thinks of the original as one of his favorite movies, so he will presumably want to do it justice.

We won't really get a full picture about the direction of this project until a director is hired - but that decision will tell us a hell of a lot about what we can expect. Who would you like to see take the helm of the project? Put your suggestions in the comments below!

The New Power Rangers Movie Will Be More Mature, But Still Playful

The new and improved Power Ranger movie has been gaining steam over the past few months.

movie has been gaining steam over the past few months. Though the release datewas pushed back to 2017, all in all, it’s all been moving fairly quickly with the recent announcement of director Dean Israelite( Project Almanac ) aboard the project. And now Israelite is revealing exciting details about what to expect from the upcoming sure-to-be blockbuster, specifically a more mature yet still playful storyline.

The release date may have moved from Summer 2016 to January 2017, but that gives Israelite and team plenty of time to get an interesting story moving. And with screenwriters Zack Stentz and Ashley Millerof X-Men: First Class and Thor aboard, we’re expecting great things. While Israelite couldn’t divulge too much information about the inner workings of the film, he did give us a snippet to start getting excited about. In an interview with IGNIsraelite admitted:
Sure. I read the script and was really surprised by it and thought there was a really cool, contemporary, mature but still playful, buoyant and fun take on the material, and was updated in a really interesting way. It had this wonderful character that's essential to going on a fantastic adventure. I was instantly drawn to it.
Israelite explained that he had no idea what to expect upon receiving the script. He had grown up with the series as a kid, and knew it would be updated, but it was all just very impressive. Apparently, the the team is currently in "soft pre-production", working on design work and a reimagining of the world. But, from the sound of it, the new Power Rangers film is going to give us a glimpse into a future that we haven’t necessarily seen before. We got it a little bit, earlier this year when Adi Shankarreleased a short film of a much darker and bloodierstory than we’ve ever seen before. The new film will by no means be that dark, but at least the tease of a more mature and contemporary story can attract older audiences that grew up with the franchise.

There hasn’t been much information on the direction that Power Rangers would take, so just knowing that it can attract a more mature audience is a step in the right direction. The original series focused on a group of high school students given special supersuits that they use in order to fight against the forces of evil and protect the world from a whole slew of monsters and robots alike. We don’t know whether this Power Rangers film will work as an origin story, or if we will just be jumping into the universe at a later point, but it is an exciting prospect for a reboot to adhere to its previous playful tones while giving it a contemporary spin. Power Rangers is currently slated to release on January 13, 2017, and more details are sure to come.

The Power Rangers Movie: Check Out The Names And Character Descriptions

Are you ready, ‘90s kids?

Are you ready, ‘90s kids? Because here we go. Saban’s Power Rangers are getting big-budget, big screen reboot. Fans of the beloved, ultra-cheesy franchise have been wondering about this new interpretation of the their favorite characters, we’ve got some new details.

Sources close to the good folks over at Collidergave them the rundown on the five primary characters, including their names and a brief description of each. And if you were hoping to see Jason, Kimberly, Trini, Billy, and Zack covered in spandex and blasted across the screen at your local theater in a couple years, you’re in luck. As it turns out, Power Rangers is sticking with the five main characters from the long-running series.

First up is Jason. At 17-years old, he was already a big man in a small down. The high school quarterback, he was destined for big things, until he crashed his car and ruined his knee. So long football career and local notoriety. At the beginning of the movie he is lost and trying to find himself, but he’s still destined for greatness, and he’ll "be leading this disparate group of teens to shed their individual baggage and find who they truly are."

Kimberly is also 17—actually, they’re all 17, so I’m going to stop mentioning that fact. She used to be a popular girl, but decided to follow her own unique path. After a six-month absence from school, she’s finally back, but with a sharp new attitude, and is the subject of countless rumors. This bristly exterior hides a deep, dark secret and a concealed vulnerability that I’m sure we’ll learn more about.

Trini’s parents move a lot for work, making her the eternal new kid, which comes with its own set of issues. She’s a loner who longs to find a group of close friends—even if she won’t admit it—and though she is self-sufficient and lurks on the outside, she’s always watching.

Billy may be super smart, but he’s awkward and scrawny, you know, a typical teen movie nerd. He is socially maladjusted, deals with OCD, and has problems with normal things like showing emotion and understanding his fellow humans. Though he has never really had anyone to truly call a friend, he is drawn towards Jason. It’s easy to imagine Jason adopting him like a stray puppy.

Zack rounds out the quintet. He’s a wise ass always ready with a quip or a joke. Outgoing and brimming with charm, he’s the guy you want there to liven up your dull-ass party. He’s also a great athlete, though he prefers to do his own thing. But beneath this swagger and cockiness lies an inferiority complex that he’s compensating for because he lives with his single mom in a trailer park.

There you have it, the stars of the Power Rangers show. Dean Israelite, who helmed the teen time travel flick Project Almanac , will direct the film, which he called a "mature but still playful" take on the material. We’re curious to see how that works. The Last Witch Hunter scribes Burk Sharpless and Matt Sazama knocked out the first draft of the script, and Ashley Miller and Zack Stentz, the duo behind X-Men: First Class , are working on whipping it into filming shape.

Power Rangers is scheduled to hit theaters January 13, 2017.

Power Rangers Has Found Its Pink Ranger

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Power Rangers Movie Has Its Red Ranger

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The Power Rangers Movie Has Found The Black Ranger

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What Power Rangers Will Actually Be About

The world has been waiting with bated breath for more information on the upcoming Power Rangers movie before they decide whether it will actually be worthwhile.

movie before they decide whether it will actually be worthwhile. Well, we don't have to wait any longer, because the coveted further details have emerged and we now have an idea about what the Power Rangers movie will consist of.

Heroic Hollywoodwas the first to reveal the first plot details for the upcoming blockbuster, and it looks as though they were able to get their hands on quite a bit of Ashley Miller and Zack Stentz’s screenplay.

Here’s how it basically breaks down: Jason, Billy, Zack, Kimberley, and Trini are all 16-years-old who will become the new Power Rangers. After travelling to a decommissioned base to check out a dinosaur fossil of a T-Rex they’d found on Google Earth, they come across five power coins that light up later that evening. Meanwhile, Rita Repulsa, the film’s villain, plans to steal gold in a series of bank heists so she can remake Goldar, a huge warrior that serves to her and Lord Zedd.

Zordon, who, at the beginning of the film, we see battle Rita Repulsa alongside his own group of Power Rangers, and Alpha 5, a robot who has been marooned on Earth for 65 million years, soon become aware of Rita’s plan. The power coins have now bonded with our five heroes and they only have 71 hours to become fully-functioning Power Rangers (Alpha 5 and Zordon will assist them in this quest) and stop the villainess from remaking Goldar. That's the gist of it anyway.

Sounds like pretty run of the mill stuff. It’s also been teased that Power Rangers opens up on Earth during the cretaceous period. At this point we see Zordon and his posse of Power Rangerstussle with Rita Repulsa. Obviously it’s quite an intense fight because in order for Zordon to defeat his rival he has to detonate a black hole. Zordons’s decision has rather huge repercussions. In doing this he tears the fabric of time around the entire solar system. It also doesn't fully defeat Rita Repulsa, because she was able to land her starship in Russia, and after she wakes up there she then goes on her quest to make Godar.

Zordon also isn’t confident that Jason, Billy, Zack, Kimberley, and Trini will be able to make the necessary progression to become Power Rangersand defeat Rita. He believes that earthlings are too primitive to pass the test to become Rangers. The cheeky swine. I have a feeling that he will ultimately be proven wrong.

Meanwhile, there’s reportedly going to be a scene where the moon is struck by a huge meteor shower that results in the waves on Earth rising, and there’s also a brief character outline for each of the new team. Zack is described as a lady-killer who the guys want to be, but who is also a tad selfish, while Kimberley is a perfectionist on every level. She is dating Jason, who sounds like a rugged, working class stiff. Billy is apparently brilliant in his own way and is probably a computer whizz, while Trini is a loner. It’s all pretty rudimentary, but what else would you expect from Power Rangers ?

We’ll see if all of this adds up to make an exciting film when Power Rangers is released in January 2017.

The Power Rangers Movie has Found The Yellow Ranger

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Who The Power Rangers Will Fight In Their Upcoming Movie

After a few starts and stops it’s starting to look like the upcoming Power Rangers movie is rolling right along.

movie is rolling right along. Just the other day they found their first member of the team, casting the role of Kimberly/the Pink Ranger, and a new report making the rounds today indicates at least one of the villains who the team will face off against in the movie.

Heads up, there are potential SPOILERS beyond this point. Proceed with caution.

Collidergot the scoop on the opening scene of Power Rangers , which will reportedly begin on one big ass action scene, and they learned who the main antagonist of the film will be. This is just an unconfirmed report, so make of it what you will, but they say that the team won’t face off against someone like Rita Repulsa or Lord Zedd, and that instead they’re going to tussle with Scorpina, at least in the early going.

Though she’s her own villain, Scorpina does have ties to Rita Repulsa, serving as one of her minions, and is one of her most vicious and dangerous weapons. Though she’s humanoid, she can transform into a giant scorpion when the need arises, which comes in handy battling the Power Rangers. There’s not a ton of background on her, but she has also assisted Lord Zedd on occasion.



This could make for an interesting choice of enemies. With the mystery surrounding her, it could be a perfect opportunity for the script from Ashley Miller and Zack Stentz ( X-Men: First Class ) to add to the mythology of the franchise. Also, with ties to the big bad villains of the Power Rangers , this could be a way to ramp up a burgeoning movie universe—start out a smaller, but recognizable villain, then build up to the biggies in later movies, or perhaps just later in this film. We’ll have to wait and see if that’s the route they take, but it’s a possibility.

From what Collider has heard, Scorpina shows up in the first scene with an army to take on the Power Rangers, and if that’s how things kick off, it doesn’t sound like this is going to be a typical origin story. Also, according to the report, this isn’t just a rehash of an existing property, but will actually be a continuation of the long-running TV show, and will be set after the events of the current Power Rangers Dino Charge series. Perhaps after whatever goes down in the opening we’ll see the Dino Charge team hand off the Ranger reins to a new generation.

Even with all of this new information, there are still tons of questions left to be answered. Power Rangers is expected to begin filming in January 2016 in Vancouver, BC, and will reportedly be at it through April. Right now the film is scheduled for release on January 13, 2017.

Blue Power Ranger David Yost Was Driven Off The Show Because He's Gay

When I was a kid, my days were fairly well regimented.

When I was a kid, my days were fairly well regimented. Wake up. Go to school. Play Power Rangers during recess. Back to class. Go over to a friend's house. Watch Power Rangers . Go home. Play with Power Ranger toys. Go to bed. It was rough, but it prepared me for my future (Read: I watch, read and write about movies 24/7). I would cheer whenever the Rangers put down the Putty Patrollers and stopped Rita's attempt to end the world by creating the Megazord. It was formulaic as hell, but I loved every second of it. Unfortunately it's kind of hard to have that same kind of childhood view of things when you discover the level of hatred and bigotry that was going on behind the scenes.

No Pink Spandexhas posted a video interview with David Yost, who played the Blue Ranger on the original Power Rangers back in 1993, in which he says that the reason he left the show was because he is a homosexual that was abused and verbally assaulted by intolerant members of the cast and crew. To make matters worse, the whole affair left him deeply confused and fighting who he naturally was until he had a nervous breakdown. The interview is tremendously upsetting and will likely leave you unable to watch the show in the same light. But David's story should be seen. Here's Billy the Blue Ranger on the real story behind his abrupt departure from the Power Rangers and my childhood:


If true, this is a terrible story. Regardless of your color, culture, religion or sexuality, nobody on deserves that kind of treatment. The views expressed by those types of people do nothing more than pollute the world with negativity and we will never live in a peaceful world so long as such behavior is tolerated or ignored.

Lending credence to Yost's claims of homophobia on the Power Rangers set is this behind the scenes video in which you'll see a very young David Yost becoming visually uncomfortable, nervous, and irritated when Jason David Frank - who played the Green/White Ranger - comes near him.



Lastly, I’ve included two tribute videos to the Blue Ranger made by people who loved the character. We stand with you, Billy.

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This Power Rangers Legend Will Probably Cameo In The New Movie

When rebooting an old television show for the silver screen, it has become tradition in Hollywood to try and find some way to include the original stars.

When rebooting an old television show for the silver screen, it has become tradition in Hollywood to try and find some way to include the original stars. We have seen it happen time and time again, from Johnny Depp and various others showing up in 21 Jump Street to Dirk Benedict and Dwight Schultz showing up in The A-Team . Now that a Power Rangers rebootis on the way, most of us probably assumed that cameos from the original cast were a possibility, but now one of the stars has come forward and admitted that he will be in the film.

Jason David Frank, who many of you may remember as Tommy Oliver a.k.a. the Green/White Ranger on the original Mighty Morphin Power Rangers , has revealed that he has already been having conversations with the people behind the new Power Rangers movie and that he will, at the very least, have a cameo in the feature. ComicBook.comcaught up with the actor/MMA fighter at the recently held Nashville Wizard World Comic Con, and during the interview got the scoop on what kind of role we can expect him to play in the film. Asked about his "involvement" with the project, Frank said,
"I probably will be involved. They talked to me about it. I don’t know how much I am involved, but for sure cameos at least in the reboot movie."
He added that he doesn't know too much about his involvement yet simply because they're being very tight-lipped about the film, but it is interesting that he has already been talking with those involved. It's also worth noting that the Power Rangers movie is still in rather early development. After the project was first announced in May, it wasn't until Julythat the production brought on X-Men: First Class scribes Ashley Miller and Zack Stentz to pen the script. What's more, there has recently been some turbulence behind-the-scenes, as Roberto Orci was forced to drop out of his executive producer role earlier this week due to his commitments to Star Trek 3 (which he is directing).

All that being said, Lionsgate is very keen on getting this Power Rangers movie made - so much so that they've already put an end date on it. Last month it was revealed that the film has already been dated for release on July 22, 2016, which means that we can probably expect cameras to start rolling somewhere around the start of next summer. That, of course, means that the next few months are going to be filled with all kinds of news and updates, so stay tuned!

In the meantime, what do you think about Jason David Frank's potential role in the Power Rangers reboot? Would you like to see him just have a cameo, or would you want to see him get an expanded part? Hit the comments to tell us what you think.

Sony's The Dark Tower Will Face Off Against The Power Rangers Reboot

Movies studios are always looking for vacant weeks for their films.

Movies studios are always looking for vacant weeks for their films. Without competition, obviously, these films have a better chance of making millions of dollars. Studios have even gone to great lengths to move the release dates of their films so that they’re not competing with another project. But Columbia and Lionsgate Films have forgone tradition and gallantly decided to go head to head, as The Dark Tower and Power Rangers , respectively, are both now going to be released on January 13th, 2017.

But that’s not the only big money movie that’s due to come out that exact same day. Because Columbia Pictures, according to Box Office Mojo, have also scheduled The Magnificent Seven for a January 13th, 2017, release date, too. Take that with a grain of salt, as IMDBstill has a 2016 release date on Seven . But basically, that means that on the second Friday of 2017, you are going to have a pretty difficult decision when you’re stood at the kiosk of your local multiplex trying to figure out what to see. But what should you pick?

Well, let’s have a think – starting with The Dark Tower . This adaptation of Stephen King’s series of books has been in development for a long, frigging time. The Dark Tower tells the story of Roland Deschain, the last member of the Gunslingers, whose lineage goes all the way back to King Arthur. The story unfolds in mid-World, which is basically King’s blatant attempt to plagiarize Tolkien without being sued, and Roland has to find the Dark Tower – a rather important building because it’s believed to be the nexus of the universes. Which is clearly wrong, because Kramer found that in "The Maid" episode of Seinfeld:



Described as part fantasy, part science-fiction, part horror, and part Western, King has also admitted that his far-ranging influences include Lord Of The Rings and the work of Sergio Leone. Basically it’s perfect cinematic fodder. But it’s been stuck in cinematic purgatory for some time now. After Abrams failed to bring it to the big screen, Ron Howardand Russell Crowe both tried, but gave up. Now A Royal Affair’s Nikolaj Arcelis in control, and he’s currently re-writing the script.

Meanwhile The Power Rangers reboot is currently on the look out for its brand new mighty morphin’ team, with Ashley Miller and Zack Stentz having written the script. Basically, the film is looking to benefit from the mildly successful Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles relaunch, and it should chime in with nostalgic adults and a teenage audience.

The Magnificent Seven remake is shaping up very nicely, though. Not only is Antoine Fuqua directing – yes, I know he’s very hit and miss but when he’s good, he can be very good – but the ensemble cast looks supreme. That’s because it includes Chris Pratt, Ethan Hawke, Vincent D’Onofrio, and Peter Sarsgaard. Plus, with the structure of two bona-fide classics, in the shape of The Seven Samurai and the original, to work from it should be at least passable. In fact, if it comes anywhere near to matching those fine efforts, then it’ll do.

First Look At The New Power Rangers Team

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Rita Repulsa Looks Totally Different In The Power Rangers Reboot, See Her Now

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Read The First Synopsis For The Power Rangers Reboot

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Cars 2 Trailer: Meet Michael Caine As Finn MacMissile

As promised when the first image hit the web yesterday, the new trailer for Cars 2 is now online, available to watch below.

is now online, available to watch below. Also as promised, we see Mater wrapped up in an espionage plot when he and Lightning travel to Tokyo for a race, and Mater is taking his instructions from a suave English car named Finn MacMissile-- who, if he's not voiced by Michael Caine, must be a really good impression done by Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon.

Check out the Cars 2 trailer below and we'll talk after.


The trailer is exactly as goofy and brightly colored as you would expect, riffing on Bond films in both the music, the large-scale action sequences and the simple gag of Finn MacMissile being from "British intelligence" and Mater being "average intelligence." It's unclear how Mater's spy plot fits in with Lightning, who seems to be racing as usual and helping out with the spy efforts only tangentially. But then again, given how much fun the Pixar people had with the prison escape genre in Toy Story 3 , I'm willing to see what they can bring to the spy movie, even if the Cars characters are among the least interesting Pixar has created.

For more on Cars 2 , check out the film's page in our Blend Film Database.

The Power Rangers Movie Just Cast Rita Repulsa, And She's Perfect

It was all the way back on Halloween 2015 that the upcoming Power Rangers movie confirmed that the original cast of characters from the beloved 90s television series would be returning for the big screen adventure, and now it's been confirmed that one of the show's classic villains is going to be front and center as well.

movie confirmed that the original cast of characters from the beloved 90s television series would be returning for the big screen adventure, and now it's been confirmed that one of the show's classic villains is going to be front and center as well. It looks like the infamous Rita Repulsa is going be a key player in the 2017 blockbuster, and she will be played by none other than Elizabeth Banks.

This news was confirmed today by the official Power Rangers Twitterchannel, which broadcast the news this morning, posting a picture of the actress with a "Elizabeth Banks Is Rita Repulsa" label:

How evil @ElizabethBanksjoins the #PowerRangersMoviecast as the villainous, #RitaRepulsa. pic.twitter.com/BJQV1KAwYv

— Power Rangers (@PowerRangers) February 2, 2016
Thus far, Elizabeth Banks is by far the biggest name to be attached to the new Power Rangers movie, as the entire titular team is made up of newcomers. Dacre Montgomery will be playing the team leader as Jason Lee Scott/The Red Ranger, and he is joined by RJ Cyler as Bill Cranston/The Blue Ranger, Naomi Scott as Kimberly Hart/The Pink Ranger, Becky G. as Trini Kwan/The Yellow Ranger, and Ludi Lin as Zack Taylor/The Black Ranger. The film is being directed by filmmaker Dean Israelite, who broke out just last year with his feature debut - the underrated found footage time travel movie Project Almanac .

Elizabeth Banks is a fascinating choice as Rita Repulsa, if not just because it could be amazing seeing her take on a super over-the-top villainous role. She has the right kind of comedic background to make the part silly in the right ways, but also the dramatic talent that may just allow us to take the character somewhat seriously. We already know thanks to her role in themovies that she can put on a great performance while completely caked in makeup and ridiculous wardrobes, and that's practically half of who Rita is right off the bat.

For those of you unfamiliar with the original Power Rangers show, Rita Repulsa was a sorceress who wanted nothing more than complete intergalactic domination. Played by actresses Machiko Soga and Carla Perez in the show (with voice dubbing by Barbara Goodson), each episode featured the character summoning some kind of monster for the Power Rangers to fight, and then making it grow with the help of her magic wand.

What do you think of this casting? Do you think Elizabeth Banks is a good fit as Rita Repulsa in themovie? Hit the comments below with your thoughts!

New Monsters University Viral Commercial Promises A Scare-Filled Education

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Toy Story 4: 7 Things To Know About The Sequel

We thought the story of Toy Story had been told.

had been told. The trilogy of Pixar films concluded in 2010 with the brilliant, entertaining and ultimately tear-jerking Toy Story 3 . And here we are today, processing the news that Pixar is doing Toy Story 4 . It already has writers, a director and a release date. Here's what we know about Toy Story 4 based on Disney's official announcement.

1. It's hitting theaters more than 2 years from now - The release date is June 16, 2017.

2. John Lasseter is directing : John Lasseter directed the first two Toy Story films, as well as Cars and Cars 2 and A Bug's Life .

3. Woody and Buzz will be back - Disney's announcement says it will "open a new chapter in the lives of Woody, Buzz Lightyear and the "Toy Story" gang." That's not a ton to go on, but it does vaguely confirm that Buzz and Woody will be at the center of this new story, as opposed to an entirely new set of toys.

4. No cast members have been announced yet - No actors have been confirmed for voice roles yet, but it seems safe to assume that Tom Hanks and Tim Allen would return Woody and Buzz respectively. It's impossible to imagine anyone else voicing the cowboy and spaceman.

5. The writing team has already assembled - Disney says the story was dreamed up by Toy Story veterans John Lasseter, Andrew Stanton, Pete Docter and Lee Unkrich. Also attached to the project are Celeste and Jesse Forever writing team Rashida Jones and Will McCormack, along with Pixar's Galyn Susman, who's producing. Here's a look at the story team at work...


(Photo by Deborah Coleman / Pixar)

6. Though it's unconfirmed, there's a good chance Bonnie will be back - ( Toy Story 3 spoilers ahead!) There's no mention of Bonnie in Disney's announcement, but we know from the Toy Story TV special Toy Story OF TERROR! and the upcoming(coming to ABC next month) that the TS toys are still in the care of young Bonnie, the adorable little girl who adopted Andy's toys at the end of Toy Story 3 (sniffle).

Assuming these TV specials apply to official Toy Story canon -- they do feature the original characters and voice actors -- it's likely that Bonnie will be the toys' current owner. But as we said, that's not officially confirmed yet. This would be barring a prequel or some other story inserted somewhere in Andy's timeline, (but let's hope that's not the case.)

7. Pixar's John Lasseter is really excited about this - From what Lasseter says, once the idea was conceived, they had to bring it to the big screen. Here are John Lasseter's exact words:
"We love these characters so much; they are like family to us. We don’t want to do anything with them unless it lives up to or surpasses what’s gone before. ‘Toy Story 3’ ended Woody and Buzz’s story with Andy so perfectly that for a long time, we never even talked about doing another ‘Toy Story’ movie. But when Andrew, Pete, Lee and I came up with this new idea, I just could not stop thinking about it. It was so exciting to me, I knew we had to make this movie—and I wanted to direct it myself."
I get why people would be wary of a sequel, given how perfectly Toy Story 3 wrapped up. But Lasseter seems to appreciate that, and the optimist in me believes this sequel is happening because there's a great idea, and not just to give Disney more Toy Story box office dollars. With that said, Toy Story of Terror was a fantastic TV special, and evidence that there are more toy humor and toy adventures to be had among these characters.

Toy Story 3 Plot Details Uncovered

The last place you expect to get exclusive information about the plot of a hugely anticipated movie is the Wall Street Journal.

The last place you expect to get exclusive information about the plot of a hugely anticipated movie is the Wall Street Journal. It’s more an information source of the economic woes in Indonesia and the reason the S&P 500 is up in the last fiscal quarter. Catching everyone by surprise, though, was a little tidbit about Toy Story 3 in an Online Journalstory about Disney’s surging in house videogame division.

The lengthy article starts out with the following; “In Pixar's coming movie Toy Story 3 , Woody the cowboy and his toy-box friends are dumped in a day-care center after their owner, Andy, leaves for college.”There isn’t any more information about the plot, or the movie for that matter, in the rest of the story, but it’s more than we’ve heard previously about what Buzz, Woody and the gang will be doing in the third Pixar/Disney installment.

While it is only the briefest outline, I like the idea that the toys will be thrown into something completely new. One thing that the second movie hit so hard was that Andy was going to abandon his toys one day. It looks like that day will be coming in 2010.

Ellen DeGeneres To Return As Dory In Finding Nemo 2

We still don't know much about what will happen in Finding Nemo 2 , the upcoming sequel to one of Pixar's biggest hits that sees director Andrew Stanton returning to the studio for the first time since Wall-E .

. But now we at least know one character we can expect to see. Ellen DeGeneres, who voiced the blue tang fish Dory so well that many of us thought she ought to win awards for it, is in negotiations to reprise her role.

She's been open about wanting to participate in a Finding Nemo sequel in the past, according to The Hollywood Reporter, so it probably won't be tough to hammer out a deal. Stanton was only confirmed to be returning to develop the film last month, so we haven't gotten any story details yet, or any idea of which characters the film might include. But Dory probably makes more sense than anyone else to return. At the end of Finding Nemo Marlin and Nemo were content, having reunited and going back to their normal lives, but Dory had just started out living in their community and understanding the meaning of "home." Inevitably a sequel would disrupt that, but as a character with no short-term memory, Dory's adventures could spin off in any number of interesting directions.

But if Dory is set to be the film's main character, and not just a jabbering sidekick, we might run into trouble. Because what worked so well about the original film was the balance of stick-in-the-mud Marlin and flighty Dory, and how the two learned to complement each other and rely on each other. Pixar's already centered one sequel around the former goofy sidekick by making Mater the center of attention in Cars 2 , and we all know how that turned out. Despite the various issues with John Carter , I still have faith in Stanton as a storyteller-- and he and DeGeneres are both talented enough to make a great movie even without the Pixar team. But until we hear about more voices being added to the cast, we might have to wonder just what they have in story for Dory, and whether it will work a second time around.

Finding Nemo 2 is currently set for release in 2016.

Finding Nemo's Sequel Won't Take Place In The Ocean

Certainly one of the most impressive parts about Pixar's Finding Nemo was the way in which it depicted the various "cultures" and environments that exist beneath the waves of the ocean - but it seems that element may be largely taken out of the upcoming sequel, Finding Dory .

. New details have come in about the in-development film, and apparently most of the story actually takes place within one indoor location.

The Portuguese-language website Omeletehad the chance to speak with Pixar President Jim Morris recently at the Brazilian comic-con CCXP, and while discussing the upcoming Finding Dory , Morris revealed some very interesting details about the movie's main setting. According to the executive, most of the story will be taking place in the Marine Biology Institute of California, which is described as a huge rehabilitation complex for marine life. This is apparently where Dory was born and raised, and she was put into the ocean at a young age (given the character's notorious memory issues, it's not too surprising that none of this was actually covered in Finding Nemo ).

In addition to the reveal of the setting, the site also picked up a few details about Finding Dory 's plot and what incites the story. Picking up years after the first movie, the sequel finds Dory living with Marlin amongst the other clownfish. When Nemo goes on a class trip to watch manta rays migrate home, it instills a desire in Dory to discover where she came from, and leads her on an another epic adventure.

Some fans will remember that a Marine Biology Institute wasn't always in the cards, and that the original plan was to actually have the characters wind up at Sea World. This, however, was a plan established before the documentary Blackfish gained notoriety for shining a light on the mistreatment of animals in theme parks. As a response to the controversy, the story was changedand all references to Sea World were removed. Still, it's interesting news that most of the story will be playing out in this location, rather than just certain parts.

Finding Dory is still very much in the works at Pixar, as Walt Disney Pictures isn't set to release the film until June 17, 2016. Andrew Stanton is set to direct the film, and he will be working alongside a fantastic cast that includes both returning actors like Ellen DeGeneres, Albert Brooks and Willem Dafoe and new faces like Diane Keaton, Eugene Levy, Dominic West, Idris Elbaand Ty Burrell. Surely we will be getting to hear more details about the movie in the weeks, months and years leading up to its release, so - as always - stay tuned for more details!

Finding Nemo 2 Finally Signs Albert Brooks

News about Finding Nemo 2 has been making waves since last summer when of Finding Nemo 's co-directors, Andrew Stanton, signed on to helm.

's co-directors, Andrew Stanton, signed on to helm. Shortly thereafter it was announced Ellen DeGeneres would return as the forgetful but friendly fish Dory…but there was no word on Albert Brooks, who memorably lent his voice to the animated effort's reluctant hero Marlin the clownfish.

Thankfully Deadlinereports Brooks has officially signed on to reprise the role of Marlin. It seems in the wake of Brooks landing widespread critical acclaim for his portrayal of a brutal gangster in Drive , Disney had to lay out plenty of bait to get him on board for a sequel. Deadline doesn't give a guess at Brook's paycheck for his return, but describes the arrangement as a "fat deal."

Brook's involvement is good news for Stanton, who needs a hit after his foray into live-action—with Disney's John Carter —tanked hard. Yet Deadline claims the studio hasn't given up on Stanton as a live-action helmer, and is angling to give him a second shot in that arena. For his sake, let's hope execs don't determine the film's title this time.

Unfortunately, this casting coup news comes with no new details concerning Finding Nemo 2 's premise. Since they signed DeGeneres first, there's been some speculation the sequel might center on Dory. However, it's possible that DeGeneres was just much more willing to sign on for a sequel, whatever the size of her part. At this point, it's impossible to guess where Finding Nemo 2 might go. But with the entirety of the ocean to play in, Pixar and Disney are sure to come up with something spectacular.

Finding Nemo 2 is expected to hit theaters in 2016.

Finding Dory D23 Footage Reveals Plot Details And A New Character

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O’Neill’s Modern Family co-star Ty Burrell also gets in on the fun in Finding Dory . He voices a Beluga

Whale named Bailey, and while that was previously known, we’re getting a sense of who he is and how he fits into this rag tag band of misfit weirdoes. Because of his oddly shaped head, they think he has a head injury, but that’s just how he looks. He also has "mad location skills" thanks to his echolocation abilities, and you can imagine how that skill set could come in handy along the road.

Finding Dory D23 Footage Reveals Plot Details And A New Character

Pixar has released a number of incredibly successful movies over the years, but few rival the power of Andrew Stanton's Finding Nemo .

. Released back in 2003, the movie made nearly $900 million before it finished its time in theaters worldwide, and currently ranks as the second biggest hit that the studio has released (behind. It was inevitable that they would eventually be getting around to a sequel, and now they finally are with 2016’s Finding Dory . This is old news, but what’s new is that today I got to see a selection of scenes from the upcoming blockbuster.

Today was the big animation presentation at the D23 Expoin Anaheim, California, and it was during the Pixar portion of the event that the first ever look at Finding Dory was delivered. Presented on stage by director Andrew Stanton, co-director Angus MacLane, and producer Lindsey Collins the segments of the shown gave us an in-depth look at the plot of the film and its style and tone.

Setting up the footage, Andrew Stanton noted that the scene before featured Dory swimming with Marlin (Albert Brooks), Nemo, and Nemo’s "school" and getting sucked in by an undertow. This knocks her unconscious… which is where the clip began. Dory is woken up by the other fish, and while she says that she is okay, she also has forgotten something that she remembered while blacked out.

Some time after the incident, Dory is shown hanging with Marlin and Nemo and still being annoyed by her vision from earlier. She tries to connect threads, but fails, saying "Something about feeding time? Not it. Churros? Cherrios? That’s not t either. Marlin, clearly annoyed by the whole thing, suggests that his friend do herself a favor and just sleep on it. While this idea came from a frustrated place, it turns out that it’s the best possible advice.

That night, Nemo is awoken when he hears Dory muttering in her sleep, saying something akin to "Don’t cry, mommy. Don’t cry." When Nemo goes out to investigate, he discovers that she is "sleep swimming," and would be far away if she hadn’t swum right into a bit of coral reef. It’s then that she says what will wind up being a key phrase for the rest of the movie: "The Jewel of Monterey, California." Waking up himself, Marlin swims out to chastise his son, and tells him to just bring Dory back to her sleeping quarters and go to bed. Unfortunately, as soon as they do this she attempts to sleep swim again, so Marlin is forced to stay up all night standing guard.

The next morning, a completely exhausted Marlin goes out with Dory and Nemo, and Dory continues to try and find her lost memory. The young Nemo suggests that it’s possible that she is trying to migrate, and then mentions some of the stuff that she was saying in her sleep the night before. When he says "The Jewel of Monterey, California," Dory suddenly has a rapid flashback – presented in different, more hand-drawn-like animation – of her parents and growing up. This immediately leads her to rapidly start swimming away, explaining that she remembers she has a family and that they don’t know where she is.

Stopping her before she can get too far, Marlin tells her that it is absolutely crazy to try and travel to Monterey, California (remember that they are in the Great Barrier Reef), and that the whole point of traveling is staying at the place where you’ve ended up. Dory responds by saying that all she knows is that she really, really misses them, and didn’t know what that felt like before. She asks if Marlin can relate – and it’s clear that he begins to remember just how panicked he was when Nemo went missing. He finally agrees to help Dory get across the ocean, and while he can’t do it himself, he explains, "I know a guy…"

Finding Dory Will Not Be A Prequel, Get The Details

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Finding Dory Just Introduced A Bunch Of New, Awesome Characters

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Finding Dory Trailer Wants Us to Remember How Funny This Character Is

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Finding Dory Will Feature An Awesome The Wire Reunion

Fans of The Wire who dreamt that the show would one day have a reunion can kind of rejoice!

who dreamt that the show would one day have a reunion can kind of rejoice! Dominic West has confirmed he will voice a character in Pixar’s Finding Dory alongside Idris Elba, a fellow alumni of HBO’s critically lavished drama.

During a discussion with Shortlist, West revealed that the hugely anticipated sequel to Finding Nemo will have a Baltimore vibe flowing throughout it. "We’re both in the sequel to Finding Nemo ," declared the actor when probed, "so we were recording that."
There’s not too much more to glean from West’s remarks, but the fact that he noted the pair recorded their vocal efforts alongside each other would suggest that their characters will appear on screen together.

Does this mean that there will be references to Bubbles, Carver, Lester and Omar dotted throughout the Pixar adventure? You’d hope so, but they will probably be hidden in amongst the numerous other anticipated Finding Dory Easter Eggs. What I’m saying is that you shouldn't expect West and Elba’s characters to be animated versions of Jimmy McNulty and Stringer Bell.

West’s McNulty and Elba’s Bell were two of the main characters of David Simon’s outrageously awesome The Wire , which revolved around the impact of drugs in the city of Baltimore. West stuck around for every season of the show, while Elba was a key figure for the first three seasons until his character, spoiler alert, met a rather unsavoury end.

Since then it’s probably fair to say that Elba has been cast in more prominent roles than his fellow Brit. Luther , Thor , 28 Weeks Later , Rocknrolla and Pacific Rim have each benefited from his talents. But that’s not to say that West hasn’t had his share of impressive roles too, with his turns in The Hour , Appropriate Adult , and Centurion drawing praise too.

Finding Dory is set to hit theaters on June 17, 2016, and most of the ensemble are set to return for the follow-up. Albert Brooks, Ellen DeGeneres, Willem Dafoe, and Alison Janney have confirmed their appearances, and Marlin, Nemo and the entire Tank Gang who helped to free Nemo from the clutches of P. Sherman’s niece, Darla, will also feature prominently as well

Further details regarding the film are still at a minimum, but Pixarhas confirmed that it will be set just off the Californian coast a year after the antics of Finding Nemo , and will revolve around Dory trying to find her family.

Fellow newcomers Diane Keaton and Eugene Levy will play Dory’s mother and father, Jenny and Charlie, while It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia’s Kaitlin Olson will voice Dory’s adopted sister, who just so happens to be a killer whale. Where Dominic West and Idris Elba will fit into Finding Dory’s eclectic ensemble remains to be seen, but if one of them doesn’t shout out "5-O" then their casting will be seen as a wasted opportunity.

John Carter Cost Even More Money To Make Than We Thought

John Carter is widely regarded as one of the biggest cinematic flops of recent years.

is widely regarded as one of the biggest cinematic flops of recent years. It was previously believed that it lost Disney just under $300 million, but this figure has just increased after it was revealed that the Disney blockbuster actually cost Walt Disney Company $306.6 million to make.

Disney had previously withheld the true cost of John Carter , with many experts having previously suggested that its production value was in the $250 million range. The fact that it actually eclipsed this sum by $56.6 million means that Disney’s losses on the film are even more substantial than previously estimated. According to Forbes, these new figures were gathered after the British tax authority revealed they had paid Disney $42.9 million to film John Carter in London. Disney was forced to declare their John Carter costs because of Britain’s tax credit scheme. They had tried to hide how much they spent on the film by giving it the code name Think Thark Productions. But Think Thark Productions is actually named after Martians that are in the John Carter book, so it was easy to spot that the total costs to this fake company over four sets of financial statements between 2010 and 2013 came to $306.6 million.

Director Andrew Stantonbegan shooting his adaptation of Edgar Rice Burroughs’ A Princess Of Mars , with Taylor Kitschas the eponymous lead, in the English capital back in January 2010. However production problems, which allegedly saw Stanton re-shoot much of the movie twice, soon saw the budget spiral out of control. In fact when the film was finally completed, it was estimated that (after marketing costs) John Carter would have needed to gross more than $600 million just to break even.

This was a figure that it didn’t even come close to reaching. A poor marketing campaign, early release date, and mediocre reviews, which praised its visual flair but criticized its dense plotting and tepid characteriaation, resulted in moviegoers avoiding John Carter at the multiplexes. In the U.S., it only grossed $73.1 million during its run. However, its international appeal actually saw it take in $211 million across other countries. In Russia, John Carter even went on to break the all-time opening-day record, while it recorded the second-best opening weekend for a Disney film in China too.

But its dismal performance in the United States meant that gossip and rumor surrounding its actual budget and total loss soon started to become ferocious. Experts and passive movie fans couldn’t help but be intrigued by the amount of money that the studio lost. The personal cost of the film was also massive. Rich Ross, the former chairman of Walt Disney Studios, decided to resign just a month after the film was released, while Disney also lost the rights to the rest of Edgar Rice Burroughs Inc’s back catalogue after they refused to produce sequels to John Carter because of its failure. However the fact that The Avengers went on to gross $1.5 billion just two months after John Carter’s release meant that Disney were able to quickly get over its dismal performance.

Finding Dory Will Feature An Awesome The Wire Reunion

Fans of The Wire who dreamt that the show would one day have a reunion can kind of rejoice!

who dreamt that the show would one day have a reunion can kind of rejoice! Dominic West has confirmed he will voice a character in Pixar’s Finding Dory alongside Idris Elba, a fellow alumni of HBO’s critically lavished drama.

During a discussion with Shortlist, West revealed that the hugely anticipated sequel to Finding Nemo will have a Baltimore vibe flowing throughout it. "We’re both in the sequel to Finding Nemo ," declared the actor when probed, "so we were recording that."
There’s not too much more to glean from West’s remarks, but the fact that he noted the pair recorded their vocal efforts alongside each other would suggest that their characters will appear on screen together.

Does this mean that there will be references to Bubbles, Carver, Lester and Omar dotted throughout the Pixar adventure? You’d hope so, but they will probably be hidden in amongst the numerous other anticipated Finding Dory Easter Eggs. What I’m saying is that you shouldn't expect West and Elba’s characters to be animated versions of Jimmy McNulty and Stringer Bell.

West’s McNulty and Elba’s Bell were two of the main characters of David Simon’s outrageously awesome The Wire , which revolved around the impact of drugs in the city of Baltimore. West stuck around for every season of the show, while Elba was a key figure for the first three seasons until his character, spoiler alert, met a rather unsavoury end.

Since then it’s probably fair to say that Elba has been cast in more prominent roles than his fellow Brit. Luther , Thor , 28 Weeks Later , Rocknrolla and Pacific Rim have each benefited from his talents. But that’s not to say that West hasn’t had his share of impressive roles too, with his turns in The Hour , Appropriate Adult , and Centurion drawing praise too.

Finding Dory is set to hit theaters on June 17, 2016, and most of the ensemble are set to return for the follow-up. Albert Brooks, Ellen DeGeneres, Willem Dafoe, and Alison Janney have confirmed their appearances, and Marlin, Nemo and the entire Tank Gang who helped to free Nemo from the clutches of P. Sherman’s niece, Darla, will also feature prominently as well

Further details regarding the film are still at a minimum, but Pixarhas confirmed that it will be set just off the Californian coast a year after the antics of Finding Nemo , and will revolve around Dory trying to find her family.

Fellow newcomers Diane Keaton and Eugene Levy will play Dory’s mother and father, Jenny and Charlie, while It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia’s Kaitlin Olson will voice Dory’s adopted sister, who just so happens to be a killer whale. Where Dominic West and Idris Elba will fit into Finding Dory’s eclectic ensemble remains to be seen, but if one of them doesn’t shout out "5-O" then their casting will be seen as a wasted opportunity.

SeaWorld Finally Admits That The Documentary Blackfish Is Hurting Attendance

While it didn't exactly make the money of a major studio blockbuster, the documentary Blackfish made an incredible impact when it was released in 2013.

made an incredible impact when it was released in 2013. Pulling in an impressive $2 million while only being released in 99 theaters, and getting a powerfully positive consensus from professional critics, the movie began a national conversation about SeaWorld parks and the way that Orca whales are treated. Of course, at the start of the controversy the executives at SeaWorld refused to admit that Blackfish was having an effect on their attendance, but now they've run into a bit of a problem: numbers don't lie.

New York Magazinehas picked up a press releasefrom SeaWorld revealing the financial results for the second quarter of 2014, and within the wording the company finally admits that they have a bit of a Blackfish problem. In trying to explain the quarterly earnings that showed shrinking revenue in the next quarter, the press release said, "the Company believes attendance in the quarter was impacted by demand pressures related to recent media attention surrounding proposed legislation in the state of California."

This is a reference to the Orca Welfare and Safety Act that was introduced by California State Assemblyman Richard Bloom earlier this year in response to Blackfish . The bill proposes that all entertainment-driven Orca whale captivity be ended, and that all of those currently performing should be allowed to retire. The legislation has been put on hold while further studies into the matter are conducted. While the bill passing in California would be a big step forward, given that SeaWorld has one of hits prime locations in San Diego, the company also has parks in Orlando, Florida and San Antonio Texas. While California's laws wouldn't directly effect those parks, the bill passing could cause a chain reaction and get other politicians to start paying attention.

While SeaWorld didn't specify Blackfish 's impact by name, the quote you read above is actually a huge step when compared to the amount of denial that was coming out of the company about the documentary. New York Magazine has a quote from CEO Jim Atchison, who actually suggested that the movie was good for business. Said the executive back in March,
"The movie in some ways has actually made perhaps more interest in marine mammal parks, and actually even about us."
Now that attendance is starting to shrink, that line is perhaps a hard one to keep running.

Has Blackfish changed your opinion of SeaWorld parks? Do you think you'd still be game to buy a ticket given the horrible truths that Blackfish reveals? Tell us what you think in the comments section below.

Pixar Changes Its Finding Dory Ending In Response To Sea World Controversy

Given how long it can take for an animated film to be plotted and processed, it’s rare that a headline-grabbing current event changes a feature-length cartoon’s direction.

Given how long it can take for an animated film to be plotted and processed, it’s rare that a headline-grabbing current event changes a feature-length cartoon’s direction. But a recent documentary and the negative reaction it is generating put Pixar Animation Studios on its heels, and forced the animation giant to rewrite the ending to an upcoming sequel.

That would be Finding Dory , the animated follow-up to Andrew Stanton’s Finding Nemo that returns Elle DeGeneres to the role of the forgetful fish. According to the New York Times, the events documented in Gabriela Cowperthwaite’s shocking doc Blackfish have prompted Pixar to change its film’s conclusion, set in a Sea World-esque marine park. The Times says that now “that part of the story [has been restructured] so that the fish and mammals taken to its aquatic center have the option to leave.”

That isn’t the case with the orca whales showcased in Blackfish , a disturbing documentary that claims “all whales in captivity are psychologically traumatized.” Watch the Blackfish trailer and try to argue against that claim. It’s hard to do.



This change in direction for Finding Dory is an excellent PR move for Pixar, distancing itself from a documentary that’s grabbing a ton of press by shining its light on a serious problem in the aquatic community. We don’t know what the ending of Dory is (or was), but if it involved an orca in a Sea World park, then yes, it would have been tough to explain away the connections several audience members would have made when Dory hit theaters.

On a much larger scale, I can recall the sheer number of films that had to be altered following the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11. Men In Black 2 completely changed its ending, which was supposed to take place at the World Trade Center, to take place at the Statue of Liberty. And there was this terrific teaser for Sam Raimi’s first Spider-Man movie that heavily featured the Twin Towers.



Thankfully, Dory is in the early production stages, and only needed a rewrite instead of a complete animation overhaul. The sequel still plans to reach theaters in 2015. And for more on Pixar’s upcoming films, check out our live blogfrom Disney’s D23 in Anaheim, where they revealed news onand.

The Lesson Ellen DeGeneres Wants Pixar Fans To Take Away From Finding Dory

I’m sorry to have to tell you this, but if you have or ever had a pet fish then it turns out that Ellen DeGeneres hates you.

I’m sorry to have to tell you this, but if you have or ever had a pet fish then it turns out that Ellen DeGeneres hates you. OK, that might be stretching it a tad. But, the comedian and Finding Dory actress has now admitted that she wants viewers to realise that fish are not pets, which is kind of what the sequel is all about.

DeGeneres, who starred as Dory in 2003’s Finding Nemo , made this revelation while chatting to Yahoo Moviesat the D23 Exposition. DeGeneres explained: I think that fish should be in the ocean. It’s what this whole sequel is about: It’s about rehabilitation and putting them back in the ocean … And we have to protect our oceans. Hopefully that discussion starts with this film, because we really need to protect that environment.
You heard it fish shop owners, Ellen DeGeneres is coming after you in a big way. Here’s the thing though, if you’ve instantly been won over by DeGeneres’ comments and you’re already halfway through putting your fish into plastic bags in order to get them back to the sea, just remember to take them out before you put them into the water.

Because if you don’t, then your fishes will end up looking something like the final shot of Finding Nemo . Which, just in case you don’t remember, looked a little something like this:



Now, the fact that Willem Dafoe’s Gill and Vicki Lewis’ Deb are in Finding Dory means that they were able to escape from their plastic coffins. Whether the rest of the posse managed to remains up for a serious debate, as their appearances in the films have not yet been confirmed.

Even though it’s being released 13 years after its predecessor, Finding Dory will be set just six months after the first film. Dory, who is one of the greatest supporting characters that Pixar has ever created, has now been moved front and centre for the sequel, because alongside Albert Brooks' Marlin and Hayden Rolence’s Nemo she sets off to find her parents.

And because Pixaris just so gosh darn perfect, Dory’s mother and father will be voiced by the always magnificent Diane Keaton and Eugene Levy. Plus, the film’s vocal ensemblehas also been boosted by the addition of Modern Family’s Ty Burrell and Ed O’Neil, as well as It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia’s Kaitlin Olson. And if that’s not enough, there will also be a mini Wire reunionas Idris Elba and Dominic West will feature too.

Of course, John Ratzenberger, who has voiced a character in every single Pixar film, will also need to appear, otherwise there will probably be a riot at the studio’s headquarters. But that goes without saying.will be with us on June 17, 2016.

DC Is Making These 11 Superhero Movies Between Now And 2020

While Marvel hunkers down for a Civil War , Warner Bros and DC just answered by laying out their complete movie plan through 2020 – including standalone films for The Flash, Aquaman and multiple Justice League movies.

Warner Bros. CEO Ken Tsujihara made the announcement during a Time Warner Investor Day presentation (via Deadline), where it was revealed that Zack Snyder’swas just the tip of the massive iceberg – a block of content that will keep DC in the movie business through 2020. The studio revealed that at least 11 movies have been confirmed for release, going so far as to announce Justice League 2 in 2019, and Cyborg and Green Lantern movies in 2020.



The titles confirmed for future movies include:

2016
Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and the Suicide Squad movie (the studio is said to be in discussions with four A-list stars for the parts).

2017
Wonder Woman and Justice League Part 1 , directed by Zack Snyder

2018
The Flash and Aquaman

2019
Shazam with Dwayne Johnson (as Black Adam) and Justice League 2

2020
Cyborg and Green Lantern

This appears to be the first major shoe to drop with regards to the DC Cinematic Universe (which needs a new nickname now that it is officially becoming a thing). We have been collecting casting news over the past few months, but it appears that more will be dropping soon with the confirmation of these standalone projects -- all feeding into the larger Justice League movies.

And when you take a moment to step back and analyze, you begin to realize that a lot of these puzzle pieces had been placed on the table already. Wonder Woman's origin storyhas been explained (sort of). We know the members of the Suicide Squad(allegedly). We even have a good idea what Aquaman will look like.

We expect several more chunks of very important information to drop as this news starts to settle in. We'll need major casting announcements for The Flash and Aquaman, if they are eyeballing 2018 release dates. And each project needs a director. Also, who is the guiding hand behind this film universe? Who is the Kevin Feige of the DC world? I hope that they have a clear vision, and that this isn't just a response to the work that Marvel is doing on the other side of town.

More on this story as it continues to develop.

Is DC Comics About To Change Its Movie Schedule?

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What DC Is Calling Its Split Universe And Why Everything Is Being Kept Separate

If you’ve been wondering what to call what DC Comics is doing with its slew of TV and movie characters, we have an answer for you.

If you’ve been wondering what to call what DC Comics is doing with its slew of TV and movie characters, we have an answer for you. DC President Geoff Johns spoke out on Thursday to explain how The Flash and Arrow can exist on the small screen and still exist in a totally separate world on the big screen. He calls DC’s broad vision for its world “a multiverse.” Musing over it, I kind of like it. DC’s Multiverse.

Johns was recently speaking out to go into fuller detail about how DC’s television universe, which is already rich with characters thanks to The Flash and Arrow (also Gotham and NBC’s soon-to-premiere Constantine ), will stay separate from DC’s movie universe, which was booted up with Man of Steel and will become denser with Batman V Superman and future projects.
“Well, Arrow and Flash are the same universe, and we get a lot of great story out of that — especially when we have episodes that cross them over, but that’s also where our superhero universe lives. We look at it as the multiverse. We have our TV universe and our film universe, but they all co-exist. For us, creatively, it’s about allowing everyone to make the best possible product, to tell the best story, to do the best world. Everyone has a vision and you really want to let the visions shine through. I think the characters are iconic enough. “
Of course, we’ve known for a while that DC’s movies and films will be separate. Geoff Johns was the guy that officially broke that news over the summer. To cement this idea further, just a few short months later, the company signed onEzra Miller to play Barry Allen, a.k.a The Flash, in his own feature. If you’ve been paying attention to The CW, at all, you may have noticed Ezra Miller isn’t the guysuiting up each week. Grant Gustin stars in the TV show.

Geoff Johns goes on to tell Buzzfeedthat DC has no desire to just recreate what Marvel has already been doing for several years. Instead, the company wants to forge its own path and do something a little different.
“I like [Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. ] a lot. I love what Marvel does. I’m a huge fan. It’s just a different approach.”
Setting up multiple universes that exist separately in one multiverse is a little complicated, but if the company pulls it off, it’s definitely a different, interesting route. So there you have it, kids. DC’s rolling with a multiverse, contrary to what you may have heard.

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The Rock Found A Fresh, Angry Angle To Take On Shazam Villain Black Adam

Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson has been doing a fine job of ramping up anticipation for Shazam and his role in the comic-book adaptation as villain Black Adam.

and his role in the comic-book adaptation as villain Black Adam. While he’s on press duties for his upcoming disaster flick San Andreas , it was always inevitable that he’d be questioned about his role as the foe, and during such an exchange, he admitted that he’s found a rather intriguing way to approach the character.

While engaged in conversation with Hey U Guys, Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson (who will always have his names separated with his WWE moniker in my eyes) couldn't help but enthuse about Black Adam, and the excitement in his words is genuinely palpable. However, despite his borderline hysteria, it’s clear to see that The Rock is fully aware of the responsibility that will come with this part. He explained: He’s a unique type of villain. When you start off as a slave, you’re not in a good mood! There’s a heavy wrath that a lot of people have to pay. But when it’s fuelled by a righteous anger if you will, like Black Adam, then you open up to what the character can be which I’m really excited about. That’s why he’s not just a straightforward bad guy.
It’s been obvious for quite some time that Johnson has felt a deep and impassioned connection to the character. In fact, he was the one that heavily lobbied with DC and Warner Bros. to create a Shazam film that he would then be apart of. The Rockwas confirmed as Black Adam nine months ago, however before then he had been teasing his involvement for months over various facets of social media. This is all despite the fact that a Shazam film is still more than four years away, and is only planned for April 5, 2019. Heck, we don’t even know who will be playing the titular character in the adaptation.



But just the mere thought of The Rock playing the above character is enough for moviegoers to be in a fervor. I mean, it really does make for the perfect cinematic equation. There’s even been chatter that Warner Bros. are already considering a spinoff flick for Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson as Black Adam. That is obviously years and years away.

In the meantime we’ll just have to make do with the WWE star’s portrayal in San Andreas , where he goes toe-to-toe with shifting tectonic plates alongside Paul Giamatti. Which is a sentence that is so delicious I just want to leap in the air with joy. San Andreas is out on May 29, 2015, and it could be the surprise hit of the summer.

Dwayne Johnson Maps Out The Future Of Shazam's Black Adam

It’s easy to see that Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson is eager to play Shazam antagonist Black Adam.

antagonist Black Adam. Over the past several months, he has been teasing potential roles the magically-charged anti-hero can play in upcoming films, fighting characters like Batman and Superman. However, what’s especially important to the actor is staying faithful to the source material, and Johnson has already charted where he wants to take the intense demi-god in the DC Cinematic Universe.

Having been attached to the Shazam movie for nearly a decade, Johnson told MTV Newsthat he’s eager breathe life into the character - but that it’s crucial that the character be taken down the right path of development. Discussing the approach to the character, the wrester-turned-actor explained,
I’ve lived with this character, and this opportunity for almost 10 years now, so it’s like, in my DNA! I’m like a little kid, and it’s the opportunity to create his journey, but that journey has to start out properly. And starting off properly is him not being a hero. That’s got to be earned, so he starts off as a slave. And he’s pissed off, and people are going to pay. But eventually down the line he’ll become an anti-hero.
When Black Adamwas first introduced in 1945, he was more of a typical, diabolical villain that one often saw in the Golden Age of Comics - but the decades since have transformed him into a more complex character. Johnson’s comments paint the DCCUBlack Adam as being primarily influenced by the New 52 version, reintroduced by Geoff Johns in 2012. Originally born a slave in ancient Kahndaq, rather than use his powers (which he stole from his nephew) for good like his future nemesis Shazam, Black Adam decided to unleash vengeance against the elite that had enslaved him and his people. In the present day, his brutality has drawn the ire of many DC superheroes, and while the character is not a cut-and-dry evildoer that’s only using his powers to benefit himself, his methods prevent him from being seen as a hero in the eyes of many.

Although Black Adam isn’t scheduled to debut in the DCCU for another four years – with Shazam dated for 2019
- recently Johnson has been teasing that there’s potential for the character to appear as early as in 2017’s Justice League Part One , which would give extra time to explore what makes the character tick. Whether he faces off against the Justice League first or just Shazam, it sounds like this version of Black Adam has a lot of anger he needs to work through before he can take that next step to becoming an anti-hero, so expect a lot of destruction and magic-fueled rages in his future.

Shazam will hit theaters on April 5, 2019.

Why The Rock Chose Black Adam Over Shazam

Dwayne Johnson has been attached to DC Comics’ Shazam for years, but it was only last September that he revealed that he will play Black Adam in the film.

that he revealed that he will play Black Adam in the film. However, he wasn’t always slated to play the antagonist. Originally he had the option to play either Black Adam or Shazam, which is a tough choice either way. Now The Rock has finally revealed why he decided to choose playing the villain over the hero.

When asked by Digital Spywhy he ended up going with Black Adam, Johnson stated that it was simply because he thought the character was more interesting from an acting standpoint, with no disrespect to the film’s namesake, of course. Said Johnson: What made me choose Black Adam? I just felt Black Adam was inherently more interesting to me because I felt there were more layers to Black Adam, starting out as a slave and then ultimately becoming the anti-hero who we enjoy today.
The actor’s passion for Black Adam can be felt by how he’s already mapped out the character’s pathin the DC Cinematic Universe. He recently talked about how he can’t simply start out as an anti-hero. Rather, Black Adam needs to start out as a slave, then he gains his powers and uses them to seek vengeance against those he deems deserving. Once he’s worked out most (but not all) of that anger, then he can become the anti-hero that still frequently fights with Shazam and other DC heroeswhile he attempts to dish out his own brand of justice.

When Black Adam debuted in 1945, he was more of the diabolical super villain one typically expects from a superhero enemy, i.e. trying to take over the world and being evil for evil’s sake. It’s only in the modern era that he’s become an anti-hero who is obsessed with control. His methods are more brutal than most of the DC superheroes, as his need for order will prompt him to take any action necessary against those who threaten the people of his nation Kahndaq, whether it’s supervillainsor superheroes acting against his interests.

As for physical appearance, Johnson already has the look of Black Adam down naturally, which explains why for years there has been fan-art all over the Internet depicting him as the magically-powered dictator. All they need to do is put him in the costume and give him pointed ears, and he’ll be ready to shout the magic word and conjure the lightning.

Shazam is scheduled to be released in theaters on April 5, 2019.

Dwayne Johnson Maps Out The Future Of Shazam's Black Adam

It’s easy to see that Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson is eager to play Shazam antagonist Black Adam.

antagonist Black Adam. Over the past several months, he has been teasing potential roles the magically-charged anti-hero can play in upcoming films, fighting characters like Batman and Superman. However, what’s especially important to the actor is staying faithful to the source material, and Johnson has already charted where he wants to take the intense demi-god in the DC Cinematic Universe.

Having been attached to the Shazam movie for nearly a decade, Johnson told MTV Newsthat he’s eager breathe life into the character - but that it’s crucial that the character be taken down the right path of development. Discussing the approach to the character, the wrester-turned-actor explained,
I’ve lived with this character, and this opportunity for almost 10 years now, so it’s like, in my DNA! I’m like a little kid, and it’s the opportunity to create his journey, but that journey has to start out properly. And starting off properly is him not being a hero. That’s got to be earned, so he starts off as a slave. And he’s pissed off, and people are going to pay. But eventually down the line he’ll become an anti-hero.
When Black Adamwas first introduced in 1945, he was more of a typical, diabolical villain that one often saw in the Golden Age of Comics - but the decades since have transformed him into a more complex character. Johnson’s comments paint the DCCUBlack Adam as being primarily influenced by the New 52 version, reintroduced by Geoff Johns in 2012. Originally born a slave in ancient Kahndaq, rather than use his powers (which he stole from his nephew) for good like his future nemesis Shazam, Black Adam decided to unleash vengeance against the elite that had enslaved him and his people. In the present day, his brutality has drawn the ire of many DC superheroes, and while the character is not a cut-and-dry evildoer that’s only using his powers to benefit himself, his methods prevent him from being seen as a hero in the eyes of many.

Although Black Adam isn’t scheduled to debut in the DCCU for another four years – with Shazam dated for 2019
- recently Johnson has been teasing that there’s potential for the character to appear as early as in 2017’s Justice League Part One , which would give extra time to explore what makes the character tick. Whether he faces off against the Justice League first or just Shazam, it sounds like this version of Black Adam has a lot of anger he needs to work through before he can take that next step to becoming an anti-hero, so expect a lot of destruction and magic-fueled rages in his future.

Shazam will hit theaters on April 5, 2019.

Here's Why Shazam Will Be More Fun Than Other DC Films

With titles like Guardians of the Galaxy and the Iron Man trilogy, Marvel Studios has done an excellent job cornering the market for action-packed blockbusters with plenty of jokes and lighter entertainment, but now it seems like DC Comics and Warner Bros.

trilogy, Marvel Studios has done an excellent job cornering the market for action-packed blockbusters with plenty of jokes and lighter entertainment, but now it seems like DC Comics and Warner Bros. are ready to start battling in the same arena. Earlier today we got news that Dwayne Johnson has been confirmedto play Black Adam in the upcoming Shazam movie, but what you may not know is that the film will differentiate itself from titles like Zack Snyder'sand Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight by being more of a fun adventure story.

New details about the Shazam movie have emerged thanks to the folks at Entertainment Weekly, who recently had the chance to chat with New Line president Toby Emmerich about what we can expect from the film (yes, this title is being made by the WB subsidiary New Line, not Warner Bros. proper). While the executive couldn't provide any plot or release date information for the project, what he did add to the conversation is that the tone of the feature will be different from all of the other comic book movies out in theaters. Said Emmerich,
"It feels to me like Shazam will have a tone unto itself. It’s a DC comic, but it’s not a Justice League character, and it’s not a Marvel comic. The tone and the feeling of the movie will be different from the other range of comic book movies."
What's slightly bizarre about this quote is that Shazam is a Justice League character in the comics, and has been so - off and on - since the late 1980s. Perhaps even more importantly, he has also been included as part of the Justice League in the New 52 comics, which is said to be a an influence on the growing DC Cinematic Universe. It's possible that Emmerich is saying that Shazam wasn't a founding member of the Justice League, but his phrasing is still a bit awkward.

As for what we can expect from the Black Adam set to be portrayed by Dwayne Johnson, Emmerich didn't give up any juicy details, but he did make another interesting choice of words describing him. While Johnson has said that he enjoys Black Adam's presence in DC Comics as an anti-hero, the New Line President paints the costumed character instead as more of an antagonist. Said Emmerich,
"Black Adam is a complex character. The villain in superhero movies is often, I think, what makes the movie. And I thought Dwayne’s take on the character, and the way that he saw Black Adam, was really compelling and fun."
It doesn't sound like Shazam has actually found a director yet, but the studio has hired Darren Lemke to start working on a script. The screenwriter previously worked with New Line to make the Bryan Singer-directed Jack The Giant Slayer , but his other credits include the animated features Turbo and Shrek Forever After , as well as the upcoming Goosebumps movie starring Jack Black.

In the comics, Shazam is actually a young boy named Billy Batson who can turn into an adult superhero by just saying "Shazam!" - the name of the wizard who granted him his powers and an acronym for the sources of his greatest abilities (Solomon, Hercules, Atlas, Zeus, Achilles, and Mercury). We expect this to be a very active project over the next few years, so be sure to stay tuned for more updates!

How Old Wonder Woman Will Be In Batman V Superman

The titular heroes in Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice are on opposite ends of the experience spectrum.

are on opposite ends of the experience spectrum. On one end, you have Superman, who has only just embraced his role as protector of Earth. Then you have Batman, who has been fighting crime in Gotham City for at least a decade, if not longer. Well, the film’s tertiary hero is going to have the Dark Knight beat… by a lot. A new rumor suggests that Gal Gadot’s Wonder Womanwill have been walking this Earth for centuries by the time she meets the other members of the DC Trinity.

According to Umberto Gonzalezfrom Heroic Hollywood, the Amazonian princess will very old in Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice . This will be backed up in the movie with photographs of her that date back hundreds of years, according to the rumor. So when Bruce Wayne and Clark Kent’s (human) ancestors were still riding around in wagons and using quills for pens, Diana of Themyscira was walking around looking exactly the same. It’s unclear whether it’s always been planned for her to be this old, or if this came about during one of the script rewrites.

From a superpowers standpoint, Wonder Woman’s advanced age makes sense given her mythological background, but in the comics her age has varied due to DC’s continuity always changing. In some stories she is hundreds of years old, and this was the same case for Lynda Carter’s Wonder Woman in the 1970s TV series. However, in the New 52, Wonder Woman is only 23, though the end result might be the same as her movie counterpart centuries from now, i.e. still looking incredibly young despite hundreds of years having passed. Considering that the film is using her New 52 origin by having her be the daughter of Hippolyta and Zeus(rather than Hippolyta constructing her out of clay), it’s surprising that they wouldn’t keep her close to Gal Gadot’s real age for the movie.

Last year, it was reported that 2017’s Wonder Woman would be set in the 1920s. This was never confirmed, although it’s entirely possible this could have been one of the five scriptsWarner Bros commissioned for her solo film. Still, if she truly is this old, then it’s at least plausible that she could have been getting into antics during the Roarin’ Twenties. Evidently she hasn’t been keeping too low of a profile if several pictures of her were snapped over the decades.

If this age report ever gets verified, this means that Wonder Woman will be quite similar to the MCU’s Thor, who has been around thousands of years. Wonder Woman will be a demigod in the DCCU, though it remains to be seen whether Zeus and the other Greek gods will truly be mythical beings. Either way, Diana has good genes if she still looks this good after several centuries.

We Could See Shazam And Superman In The Same Movie

They may not have released a superhero film in 2014, but Warner Bros.

They may not have released a superhero film in 2014, but Warner Bros. made a big splash this year when they finally announced their DC Comics film slate from 2016 until 2020. However, during all the excitement there was confusionover whether Shazam , a co-production with New Line Cinema, was part of the same universe that Man of Steel , Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice and the other films exist in. Well, as a Christmas Eve gift, DC Comics has finally answered this question once and for all: yes, it is!

While going over the comic book company’s "Moments That Mattered" in 2014, the DC Comics Blogmentioned that every film that was announced in October exists in the same universe. Meaning that when we see the World’s Mightiest Mortal flying across the big screen in 2019, he will be doing so in a world that also includes Superman, Batman and other famous DC superheroes.

Much of the confusion over Shazam ’s placement in the DC film lineup was due to comments from people associated to the film. New Line Cinema president Toby Emmerich mentionedthat Shazam would have a "tone unto itself," and said that while he may be a DC character, he is not a "Justice League character." In November, Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, who will be playing Shazam antagonist Black Adam, wrote "#Independence" in a tweetabout how much fun the movie will be. So instead of this meaning that Shazam will exist outside the DCCU, now we know for sure that the film will be more light-hearted than the other projects, which should definitely be the case given the character’s history.

With Shazam ’s placement in the DCCU now set in stone, this could mean that Shazam could eventually join the Justice League. Although the team lineup hasn’t been confirmed outside of Batman, Superman and Wonder Woman, taking into account the other movies coming out and the New 52 being the main source of inspiration for the movie universe, the other members will probably be Flash, Green Lantern, Aquaman and Cyborg. However, Shazam joined the superhero team earlier this year in the comics after the events of Forever Evil , so this the film franchise could follow the same course by having him join in Justice League Part Two or later. If that’s the case, this could lead to great interactions with the other superheroes, especially Superman.



While the superhero-fighting-superhero trope has gotten old in recent years, it would be awesome if we saw Superman and Shazam in a brawl with each other, most famously depicted in 1996’s Kingdom Come miniseries. Shazam (or as he was known pre-New 52, Captain Marvel) has often been unfairly compared to being a Superman ripoff, but that isn’t an accurate description. They may look similar and share powers like flight and super strength, but Shazam’s abilities are rooted in magic, meaning that if Superman’s vulnerability to magic is acknowledged on film, he could give the Man of Steel a run for his money. Of course, like Superman’s feud with Batman in 2016, the fight wouldn’t last long and the two heroes would eventually work together to fight evildoers.

Even with this clarification, it will be awhile until we see the Big Red Cheese's debut on the big screen, as Shazam won’t hit theaters until April 5, 2019.

The Rock Promises A Black Adam Showdown With Batman And Superman

Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson finally revealed late last year that he will play the antagonist Black Adam in DC Comics' upcoming Shazam movie - but because the film won’t be hitting theaters until 2019, it will be a while before we see him in the role.

movie - but because the film won’t be hitting theaters until 2019, it will be a while before we see him in the role. That being said, it's not too early to start getting really excited for the character to exist in the same big screen universeas other DC heroes, and making it even more exciting is the fact that Johnson is promising that Black Adam will eventually square off against Batman and Superman on the big screen

In an interview with Total Film, Dwayne Johnson revealed that while we can expect that Shazam ’s tonewill be different than most of the other DC films currently in the works at Warner Bros., fans can expect Black Adam to eventually cross into the grander cinematic universe, specifically in terms of epic fights with its heroes. Said wrestler-turned-actor:
It was all agreed that the worlds are all interconnected… One day you will see Black Adam go at it with Superman or Batman or any of the DC characters. But that said, there’s a great independence to Black Adam from the DC world, allowing us to inject, not only viciousness, but also winking humour.
In terms of power levels, Superman and Black Adam are about equal, so a brawl between them might even be more intense that what went down with Zodin Man of Steel . In fact, if the DCCU Superman also has a weakness to magic, then Black Adam actually has an advantage over the Kryptonian, and a fight between them could go similarly to the animated short film Superman/Shazam!: The Return of Black Adam (where Supes was barely able to hold his own). As for Batman, unless you’re one of those fans that believes if Batman can defeat anybody with enough prep time, even the hero's Kryptonite-powered Dark Knight Returns armor probably won’t last long against Black Adam. Of all the Justice League characters, really Wonder Womanwould really be the most worthy opponent for the magically powered Kahndaqian.



Adding to his comments about Black Adam's place in the DC Cinematic Universe, Dwayne Johnson also noted that although he will be Shazam’s nemesis, Black Adam will grow into being an anti-hero, and that his character development and history is "written within the spirit of respecting and paying homage to the comics." This is in reference to what's been going on in recent years, which have had Black Adam morphing into a complicated individual that wants to what’s best for his people, but goes about it in questionable ways. If Black Adam has morphed into an anti-hero by the time he throws down with the other DC heroes, it’s possible it will be because he’s trying to dish out his own brand of justice, and the Justice Leaguers don’t approve.

We’ll see Black Adam for the first time when Shazam hits theaters in 2019.

The Rock's Black Adam May Be Featured Sooner Than We Thought

While there were previously some rumors, speculation and teasing that Dwayne Johnson may appear as Black Adam in a Warner Bros./DC film released prior to 2019's Shazam , nothing has thus far come to light to give fans any certainty.

nothing has thus far come to light to give fans any certainty. We still can't etch it in stone, but it now sounds a bit more promising that the highly-anticipated character may indeed pop up much sooner than we thought.

In a recent interview with IGN, The Rock, out promoting Furious 7, was asked to discuss the potential of his character Black Adam appearing in Zack Snyder's upcoming film The Justice League Part One , hitting theaters in 2017. Here's what the actor had to say.

I think so, and I think you always want to leave that creatively open, that he could join the Justice League and I think... that's the fun part of creating this character right now and everybody involved, from the studio, from New Line, to Warner Bros as well, to the writer, our producing partners. You want to... you definitely want to engage in his heroic side, but that has to be earned and with the mythology of Black Adam starting off as a slave, because when you start off as a slave, just inherently, there's things in your DNA that piss you off.

While it isn't the type of confirmation we'd like to hear, it does open up a very interesting possibility. We already know from previous conversations with Johnson that his character will likely eventually square off onscreenagainst the likes of Supermanand/or Batman but doing it this early on in the game seems somewhat unlikely. On the flip side, Shazam won't hit theaters for another four years, which sounds like an awfully long time to hold out on giving fans a taste of his character.

Johnson did go on to say he thinks they "have to respect and pay homage to the true mythology" of his character, prior to revealing his heroic side "down the line," which means he will likely first arrive as the corrupted character as originally depicted in the world of the comics. If he does end up showing up in Justice League Part One , could we really see him facing off against Henry Cavill's Superman?

Personally, I think it would be cool to see a brief intro or cameo of Black Adam in 2017's Justice League Part 1, after which Shazam would debut in April of 2019, followed by Justice League Part Two hitting theaters two months later (in which his character could play a larger role). What do you think? Will we, should we (or do you even want to) see Black Adam show up in the Justice League films pre or post- Shazam ?