Dragons, Deceit, & Danger Highlight Official “House of the Dragon” Trailer

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“Men would sooner put the realm to the torch than see a woman ascend the Iron Throne.” This piece of brutal real talk is delivered to Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen (Milly Alcock as a child, Emma Darcy as an adult) in the official teaser trailer for House of the Dragon, the first Game of Thrones prequel to make it through the development gauntlet and appear on HBO. For Game of Thrones fans, we know that, eventually, a woman will ascend to the Iron Throne, but the price she’ll pay, as well as that of the entire realm, will be brutal.

Based on George R. R. Martin’s “Fire & Blood” series, House of the Dragon is set 200 years before the likes of Daenerys Targaryen, Jon Snow, Cersei Lannister, and the rest fought and died over the Throne in Game of Thrones. The series will explore the rise of Daenerys’ ancestors in the House Targaryen and will track how these volatile, often vicious dragonlords came to rule over Westeros, and the civil war that followed known as the ‘Dance of Dragons.’ The series comes from co-creators Ryan J. Condal and George R. R. Martin. Condal serves as co-showrunner along with Game of Thrones alum Miguel Sapochnik, who is also the director of the pilot and other episodes. 

The teaser offers fresh glimpses at the palace intrigue, and one excellent final shot of Prince Daemon Targaryen (Matt Smith) confronting one of his family’s dragons. Although House Targaryen is known for being able to harness and ride those majestic beasts, dragons are never fully tamed. Neither are the rest of the Houses in Westeros, which is why one of the most dangerous things a House can do is claim to rule them from the Iron Throne.

Check out the official trailer below. House of the Dragon premieres on HBO and HBO Max on August 21.

Here’s the official featured cast list from HBO:

Emma D’Arcy as Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen: The king’s first-born child, she is of pure Valyrian blood, and she is a dragonrider.  Many would say that Rhaenyra was born with everything… but she was not born a man.

Matt Smith as Prince Daemon Targaryen: The younger brother to King Viserys and heir to the throne.  A peerless warrior and a dragonrider, Daemon possesses the true blood of the dragon.  But it is said that whenever a Targaryen is born, the gods toss a coin in the air…

Steve Toussaint as Lord Corlys Velaryon, “The Sea Snake”: Lord of House Velaryon, a Valyrian bloodline as old as House Targaryen.  As “The Sea Snake,” the most famed nautical adventurer in the history of Westeros, Lord Corlys built his house into a powerful seat that is even richer than the Lannisters and that claims the largest navy in the world.

Olivia Cooke as Alicent Hightower: The daughter of Otto Hightower, the Hand of the King, and the most comely woman in the Seven Kingdoms. She was raised in the Red Keep, close to the king and his innermost circle; she possesses both a courtly grace and a keen political acumen.

Rhys Ifans as Otto Hightower: The Hand of the King, Ser Otto loyally and faithfully serves both his king and his realm. As the Hand sees it, the greatest threat to the realm is the king’s brother, Daemon, and his position as heir to the throne.

Wil Johnson as Ser Vaemond Velaryon: Younger brother to Coryls Velaryon and commander in the Velaryon navy

John Macmillan as Ser Laenor Velaryon: Son of Corlys Velaryon and Rhaenys Targaryen

Savannah Steyn as Lady Laena Velayron: Daughter of Corlys Velaryon and Rhaenys Targaryen.

Theo Nate as Ser Laenor Velaryon: Son of Corlys Velaryon and Rhaenys Targaryen

For more on House of the Dragon, check out these stories:

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Featured image: Steve Toussaint as Lord Corlys Velaryon, Eve Best as Princess Rhaenys Targaryen. Photograph by Ollie Upton/HBO

A New Special Look at Pixar’s Chris Evans-Led “Lightyear” Reveals Cosmic Adventure

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A new special look inside Pixar’s Lightyear is here, starring Chris Evans as Buzz Lightyear—yes, that Buzz Lightyear—one of the original superstars of Pixar’s Toy Story franchise, which began with the game-changing 1995 original. That Buzz was voiced by Tim Allen, of course, who starred alongside Tom Hanks’ cowboy Woody and a roomful of talking toys that changed animated films forever. Now, 27-years later, Buzz Lightyear is getting his own origin story with Chris Evans voicing the younger, pre-Toy Story Buzz. Lightyear comes from director Angus MacLane and presents the real story of the real man who inspired the Buzz Lightyear toy that was introduced in the first Toy Story. 

The new special look gives us a bit more insight into the cast of characters surrounding Buzz and who will be crucial in his mission. The cast includes commander Alisha Hawthorne (Uzo Aduba), and Sox (Peter Sohn), his beloved robot cat. There’s more talent—a lot more—including Keke Palmer as Izzy Hawthorne, Taika Waititi as Mo Morrison, and Dale Soules as Darby Steel. They are all members of the Junior Zap Patrol. Marcy McDonald-Lewis voices Buzz’s onboard computer, I.V.A.N., while Isiah Whitlock Jr. voices Commander Burnside.

Director Angus MacLane comes to Lightyear with a tremendous amount of passion. He’s said in the past that what drew him to this project was wondering, for years, what adventures the real Buzz got into as a Space Ranger that made Andy in Toy Story want the Buzz toy so badly. MacLane has now turned that question into a feature film, and he’s got Chris Evans leading an insanely talented voice cast, and Pixar’s deep stable of animation talent, to deliver another cutting-edge, emotionally resonant animated feature.

Check out the special look below. Lightyear lands in theaters on June 17, 2022.

 

Here’s the official synopsis from Pixar:

Lightyear is the definitive origin story of Buzz Lightyear—the hero who inspired the toy—follows the legendary Space Ranger on an intergalactic adventure. “Buzz’s world was always something I was excited about,” said director Angus MacLane. “In ‘Toy Story,’ there seemed to be this incredible backstory to him being a Space Ranger that’s only touched upon, and I always wanted to explore that world further. So my ‘Lighytear’ pitch was, ‘What was the movie that Andy saw that made him want a Buzz Lightyear toy?’ I wanted to see that movie. And now I’m lucky enough to get to make it.”

For more on Lightyear and Pixar, check out these stories:

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Featured image: AND BEYOND — Disney and Pixar’s “Lightyear” is an all-new, original feature film that presents the definitive origin story of Buzz Lightyear (voice of Chris Evans)—the hero who inspired the toy—introducing the legendary Space Ranger who would win generations of fans. Directed by Angus MacLane (co-director “Finding Dory”) and produced by Galyn Susman (“Toy Story That Time Forgot”), the sci-fi action-adventure releases on June 17, 2022. © 2021 Disney/Pixar. All Rights Reserved.

Iron Man, Captain America & More Appear in Final “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness” Trailer

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Director Sam Raimi knows a thing or three about creating riveting superhero spectacles. The director of the original Spider-Man trilogy that raised the bar for all subsequent superhero films returns to the fold and makes his Marvel Cinematic Universe debut with Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. It’s a fitting vessel for Raimi’s special blend of filmmaking skills, allowing him to take Marvel into realms of madness, horror, and more. In the final trailer, those realms include one in which Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.) is still alive (look for him at the 13-second mark). In another sequence, Captain America (Chris Evans) is still young and in fighting shape. Both of these would be impossibilities if Doctor Strange were operating in the universe in which the events of Avengers: Endgame took place. But he’s not, at least, not only. Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness will find Stephen Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) contending with not just his own reality, but realities in which a living Iron Man and a young Captain America will be the least surprising thing.

The reason Strange is tasked with corraling the multiverse is that he’s the one who unleashed it during the events of Spider-Man: No Way Home. Strange’s allies include trusted friend Wong (Benedict Wong), the incredibly powerful Wanda Maximoff (Elizabeth Olsen), and newcomer America Chavez (Xochitl Gomez), better known as Young Avenger Miss America. He’ll need all the help he can get considering one of the bad guys he’ll be facing off against is himself.

The final trailer leans into not just the mind-melting, reality-shattering drama awaiting viewers, but the emotional stakes involved in messing around with the multiverse. Wanda’s heartbreaking journey seems like an especially crucial component of the film, and she, too, will come face to face with a malevolent version of herself. “You break the rules and become a hero,” she says to Strange. “I do it and I become the enemy. That doesn’t seem fair.”

Fact check—it’s not.

Check out the final trailer below. Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness hits theaters on May 6.

For more on Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, check out these stories:

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Enter Professor X & Captain America’s Shield in New “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness” Teaser

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Featured image: Benedict Cumberbatch as Dr. Stephen Strange in Marvel Studios’ DOCTOR STRANGE IN THE MULTIVERSE OF MADNESS. Photo courtesy of Marvel Studios. ©Marvel Studios 2022. All Rights Reserved.

Tom Cruise Landed a Helicopter on an Aircraft Carrier for “Top Gun: Maverick” World Premiere

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Ground control to Major Tom, that’s one heckuva entrance. 

Tom Cruise made a very Tom Cruise entrance to kick off the world premiere of Top Gun: Maverick, landing a helicopter on the aircraft carrier USS. Midway. Cruise, who learned how to fly choppers for the climactic final action sequence in Mission: Impossible – Fallout, landed the helicopter on Midway and strolled to the red carpet with all the confidence of Pete “Maverick” Mitchell. It was a fitting way to celebrate the return of his iconic character, and Cruise made the most of it, joking that the movie required more than just arriving in an Uber.

The Top Gun: Maverick premiere included even more spectacle—there were jet flyovers, uniformed servicemen, and of course, Cruise’s fellow cast members, who arrived in more pedestrian fashion but were definitely feeling the excitement. The last time Cruise played Maverick was 35 years ago, and the sequel has been in the works for at least a decade. The Hollywood Reporter reveals that Top Gun: Maverick director Joseph Kosinski pitched Cruise and the Top Gun creative team (including producer Jerry Bruckheimer) his vision for the sequel, which included his idea for a poster and a full lookbook. “After he finished pitching it, Tom pulled out his phone and called Paramount and said, ‘I’m making another Top Gun movie,’” Bruckheimer told The Hollywood Reporter.

Considering Cruise’s commitment to doing as many of his own stunts as possible, it’s not surprising to learn that he really did fly jets for Top Gun: Maverick. The film finds Maverick returning to the Navy fold after being summoned by one Admiral Kazansky—better known as Iceman (Val Kilmer). He’s been brought back to teach a bunch of new Top Guns some tricks of the trade before they take on a highly dangerous mission. Those young Top Guns include Bradley Bradshaw (Miles Tiller), callsign Rooster—the son of Goose (Anthony Edwards), Maverick’s best friend and radar intercept officer who died during one of Maverick’s training flights in the original Top Gun.

The cast also includes Glen Powell, Lewis Pullman, Jay Ellis, Danny Ramirez, Monica Barbaro, and Greg Tarzan Davis, all playing pilots. Yet it was Kilmer’s return that was most crucial for Cruise.

“Tom said, ‘I’m not making the movie without Val,’ and of course, we had to talk to Val; he was up to it, he helped create the scene with us,” Bruckheimer told The Hollywood Reporter. Kilmer lost his speaking voice after a battle with throat cancer. “It was a very emotional day — you saw Maverick and Iceman back on screen again after 36 years.”

Cruise helped the young cast get trained up so that they looked the part, including two hours of swimming and two hours of flying. Glen Powell got his pilot’s license and told THR that “Tom does not half-ass anything, as well know,” and that Cruise’s enthusiasm rubbed off on the cast.

If you’re wondering whether Top Gun: Maverick has a beach volleyball scene like the original Top Gun did, let’s just leave you with this clue, from cast member Jay Ellis. “We probably all had four or five layers of different types of oils on us to really make sure the muscles popped,” Ellis told THR. “Nobody could stand next to a flame or it might get dangerous, but we had a great time.”

Top Gun: Maverick zooms into theaters on May 27.

For more on Top Gun: Maverick, check out these stories:

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Featured image: SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA – MAY 04: Tom Cruise attends the Global Premiere of “Top Gun: Maverick” on May 04, 2022 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Amy Sussman/Getty Images for Paramount Pictures)

A Young Luke Skywalker Appears in Official “Obi-Wan Kenobi” Trailer

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There are some seriously sinister forces aligned against Obi-Wan Kenobi (Ewan McGregor) in the official trailer for Obi-Wan Kenobi. From the opening seconds, we see the Inquisitor Fifth Brother (Sung Kang) appear on the scene as Obi-Wan implores the other, scattered Jedi to “stay hidden…or will we not survive.” Fifth Brother is but one of the people hunting Obi-Wan.

Yet Obi-Wan is not only a nearly peerless Jedi Master on the lam, but he’s also a born teacher. This is what leads him to a young Luke Skywalker (Grant Feely), the son of his former Padawan student Anakin Skywalker. Luke’s being looked over by Uncle Owen (Joel Edgerton), who wants Obi-Wan as far away from Luke as possible. The reason, of course, is how Obi-Wan’s mentorship of Luke’s father Anakin turned out. Here’s a refresher—in George Lucas’s final film in his prequel trilogy, 2005’s Star Wars: The Revenge of the Sith, Obi-Wan Kenobi lost Anakin (Hayden Christensen) to the Dark Side and was forced to nearly fatally maim him in a lightsaber duel in the climactic final battle. That film ended with Anakin getting fitted for his new helmet as he became the Sith Lord Darth Vader.

Obi-Wan Kenobi is set 10 years after the events of Revenge of the Sith, with Obi-Wan Kenobi being hunted by Fifth Brother, another Inquistor named Reva (rising star Moses Ingram), and, of course, by Darth Vader himself, with Hayden Christensen reprising his role.  

A slew of other great performers are on hand, including Bonnie Piesse, Kumail Nanjiani, Indira Varma, Rupert Friend, O’Shea Jackson Jr., Simone Kessell, and Benny Safdie. The series is directed by Deborah Chow and arrives on Disney+ on May 27.

Check out the official trailer here:

For more on Obi-Wan Kenobi, check out these stories:

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The First “Obi-Wan Kenobi” Trailer is Straight-Up Thrilling

“Obi-Wan Kenobi” First Look Reveals Ewan McGregor’s Jedi Master & His Blue Lightsaber

Featured image: Obi-Wan Kenobi (Ewan McGregor) and his eopie in a scene from Lucasfilm’s OBI-WAN KENOBI, exclusively on Disney+. © 2022 Lucasfilm Ltd. & ™. All Rights Reserved.

Viola Davis in Talks to Play Amanda Waller in “Peacemaker” Spinoff Series on HBO Max

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In James Gunn’s Peacemaker, the beefy titular superhero (John Cena) was unaware that (spoiler alert) one of his colleagues and new almost-best friends Leota Adebayo (Danielle Brooks) was actually the daughter of the ruthless Amanda Waller (Viola Davis). Amanda Waller was the one who tapped Peacemaker to take part in an insanely dangerous mission in James Gunn’s The Suicide Squad that saw Peacemaker get shot, have a building fall on top of him, and, land him in jail. Waller had a small but crucial role to play in Peacemaker, a slightly bigger part in Gunn’s The Suicide Squad (and in David Ayer’s original Suicide Squad), but she’s never been front-and-center in these DC projects. Now, Variety has learned that Davis is in talks to return as Waller in very her own spinoff series on HBO Max, meaning her whatever-it-takes brand of brutal efficiency will finally be front and center.

Peacemaker ended with a very (again, spoiler alert) public embarrassment for Waller—her daughter outed her work with Task Force X (known as the Suicide Squad to you and me) to the press. While we have no clue precisely what this new series would cover, it seems assured that it will deal with the fallout from this very public outing, and how Waller handles being outed as the ruthless leader of a squad of trained killers.

Variety reports that Davis would star in and executive produce the series, with Christal Henry writing and executive producing. Henry is no stranger to writing ripping dramas based on comic book characters for HBO—she was a writer on the excellent Watchmen. James Gunn would executive produce as well, along with Peter Safran.

Davis lights up whatever screen she’s on, big or small. She’s a multiple Emmy-nominee, and Emmy Award-winner, for her role in How To Get Away With Murder and her guest appearance in Scandal, a four-time Oscar-nominee and an Oscar-winner for her work in Fences, and is currently starring as Michelle Obama in The First Lady. Getting to watch her play the relentless, unbreakable Amanda Waller has been a treat—to see her play Waller when her back is, excuse us, against the wall, well, who wouldn’t want to watch that?

For more on Peacemaker and what’s on or coming to HBO Max, check out these stories:

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New “Peacemaker” Video Reveals Vigilante’s Unwanted Attention

Featured image: Caption: (L-r) IDRIS ELBA as Bloodsport and VIOLA DAVIS as Amanda Waller in Warner Bros. Pictures’ superhero action adventure “THE SUICIDE SQUAD,” a Warner Bros. Pictures release. Photo Credit: Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures/™ & © DC Comics

Daniel Radcliffe Gets “Weird” in Trailer for Weird Al Yankovic Biopic

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Daniel Radcliffe has had quite the post Harry Potter career. Hardly playing it safe, Radcliffe has bared body and soul on stage, credibly played a farting corpse in the surprisingly touching Swiss Army Man, played a brash villain in the action-comedy The Lost City, and basically followed his muse in whichever direction it led him. Now, in what feels like a very fitting new role, Radcliffe inhabits Weird Al Yankovic in Weird: The Al Yankovic Story for Roku. The first trailer reveals Radcliffe as the curly-haired musical prankster and it’s just as fun as you’d imagine.

Produced by Funny Or Die and Tango, Weird: The Al Yankovic Story is co-written by the real Yankovic himself, along with director Eric Appel. The film is being billed as the “untold true story” of Weird Al’s rise to stardom when he spoofed some of the biggest songs in history with tracks like “I Love Rocky Road,” “Like a Surgeon,” and “Eat It.” If you’re guessing that this “untold true story” will itself be a spoof, gently poking fun at the self-serious biopics of real musical legends, you’re likely on the right track. Not that Weird Al hasn’t enjoyed a tremendous amount of success, mind you. The man is the best-selling comedy recording artist of all time and a five-time Grammy winner.

Radcliffe is joined by a stellar cast that includes Evan Rachel Wood as Madonna; Julianne Nicholson and Toby Huss as Yankovic’s parents; and Rainn Wilson as radio DJ Dr. Demento.

Radcliffe is one of the most game actors of his generation, challenging himself to take on roles that run the gamut from intense, realistic portrayals to, again, a farting corpse. In each performance, what’s clear is Radcliffe seems to be having the time of his life. Embodying someone as unabashedly silly—and wildly successful—as Weird Al seems like a logical next step.

“When my last movie, UHF, came out in 1989, I made a solemn vow to my fans that I would release a major motion picture every 33 years, like clockwork,” Yankovic said in a statement when Weird: The Al Yankovic Story was first announced. He’s a man of his word.

Check out the teaser below.

For more upcoming films, check out these stories:

“Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness” First Reactions Rejoice at Sam Raimi Bringing Weirdness & Horror to the MCU

Listen to Lady Gaga’s “Top Gun: Maverick” Song “Hold My Hand”

Bad Bunny Will Star as Marvel Character El Muerto in Upcoming Sony Film

The New “Jurassic Park: Dominion” Trailer is a Rip-Roaring Good Time

Featured image:

Doctor Strange Would Like to Stop Apologizing For his Spider-Man Spell Mishap

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“I think somebody who cares about somebody can be forgiven for doing something that has consequences.” This, you might have guessed, is how Benedict Cumberbatch feels about Doctor Strange’s decision to try and help Peter Parker cast a particular spell in Spider-Man: No Way Home. If you’re an MCU fan, you know how that spell went—it unleashed the multiverse, and with it a slew of villains from Spider-Man franchises past and two other Spider-Men, too. The reason Cumberbatch is finally defending his character’s choice is that, of course, he stars in Sam Raimi’s Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, the second stand-alone film for Stephen Strange and one that deals with the direct aftermath of that fateful decision in No Way Home.

Speaking with The Hollywood Reporter, Cumberbatch asserts that the usually prickly Doctor Strange was thinking with his heart more than his head when he cast a spell, per Peter’s request, to wipe the memory of everyone who knew that Peter Parker was Spider-Man. Parker had just lost his mentor, Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) during the climactic final battle in Avengers: Endgame, and then was publicly outed by Mysterio (Jake Gyllenhaal) in Spider-Man: Far From Home. Strange was trying to help the youngster out after a few rough few years.

“What kind of superhero would he be if he didn’t want to help another superhero?” Cumberbatch tells THR. 

It’s poetic justice that Cumberbatch’s Doctor Strange will now contend with the full power (and horror) of the multiverse in a Sam Raimi film, considering three Raimi characters appeared in Spider-Man: No Way Home after Strange’s spell was botched. The original Peter Parker (Tobey Maguire), the Green Goblin (Willem Dafoe), and Doc Ock (Alfred Molina) all sprung from Raimi’s Spider-Man and Spider-Man 2. Cumberbatch told THR that Raimi was an amazing collaborator.

“What I did learn on set was how humble and human and funny he is, and how great a first audience he is,” Cumberbatch told THR. “All of those qualities make a great director. He wears that iconic status very, very lightly, and he doesn’t let it get in the way of a good day’s work. It commands respect, of course, but he never wants anyone to stand on ceremony. He just wants you to commit and do your best. He’s always incredibly supportive and has an acute eye for detail. So all of those things make you understand why he’s great, but it’s the opposite of the grandeur of his position in the pantheon of filmmakers in this modern era that really sings out as his winning quality. There’s no ego to the guy at all.”

We know that Doctor Strange has a lot of ego, but the man who plays him just wants people to give the character a bit of a break when it comes to that whiffed spell during Spider-Man: No Way Home. I mean, the spell was going swimmingly until Peter Parker messed it up, if we’re being totally honest.

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness hits theaters on May 6.

For more on Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, check out these stories:

“Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness” First Reactions Rejoice at Sam Raimi Bringing Weirdness & Horror to the MCU

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Marvel Reveals New “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness” Photos

New “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness” Synopsis Teases Mysterious New Villain

Featured image: Benedict Cumberbatch is Doctor Strange and Tom Holland is Peter Parker in Spider-Man: No Way Home. Courtesy Sony Pictures.

Listen to Lady Gaga’s “Top Gun: Maverick” Song “Hold My Hand”

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It was only last week when we were enthusing over Lady Gaga being tapped to write the main theme song for Top Gun: Maverick. Now, Lady Gaga herself has made it official—her song, “Hold My Hand,” is out now. She co-wrote it with BloodPop, who was also her co-producer, along with Benjamin Rice. Gaga’s song will feature prominently in the film, which finds Pete “Maverick” Mitchell (Tom Cruise) returning to the Navy to help teach a fresh Top Gun glass a few extra things before they take on a dangerous mission.  Gaga’s song is appropriately soaring, with guitar licks, violins, and a vibe that recalls the power ballads of the 1980s which were topping the charts when the original Top Gun landed in theaters in 1986. There’s already buzz that “Hold My Hand” will be an Oscar contender as best original song.

Check out Gaga’s tweet here:

Listen to the song here.

On Instagram, Gaga wrote this about the song: “I didn’t even realize the multiple layers it spanned across the film’s heart, my own psyche, and the nature of the world we’ve been living in. I’ve been working on it for years, perfecting it, trying to make it ours. I wanted to make music into a song where we share our deep need to both be understood and try to understand each other—a longing to be close when we feel so far away and an ability to celebrate life’s heroes.”

Gaga went on to thank Tom Cruise, the film’s director Joseph Kosinski, and the film’s composer, Hans Zimmer, along with Harold Faltermeyer and Lorne Balfe. “I’m so grateful to Tom and Hans and Joe for this opportunity—and it’s been a beautiful experience working with them. Me, BloodPop, Ben Rice and everyone else who worked on it with us are so excited to share it with you.”

Top Gun: Maverick will bring Maverick face-to-face with his former best friend Goose’s son, played here by Miles Teller. In the original Top Gun, Maverick lost Goose in an accident during a training session and never forgave himself. With Goose’s son, now going by the call Rooster, in the Top Gun glass, Maverick will be face-to-face with his past, and a hot shot pilot who might not want to take orders from a man who was with his dad when he died.

Top Gun: Maverick is making its world premiere in Cannes, and then hits theaters on May 27.

For more on Top Gun: Maverick, check out these stories:

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Featured image: Lady Gaga. Courtesy of Lady Gaga

“Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness” First Reactions Rejoice at Sam Raimi Bringing Weirdness & Horror to the MCU

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The first reactions to director Sam Raimi’s Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness are pouring in, and we’ve got the multidimensional lowdown for you here. Raimi, of course, helped kickstart the entirely new approach to capturing superheroes on the big screen with his phenomenal Spider-Man trilogy at the turn of the century. Those films lead the way for Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight Trilogy, which further cemented the deeper, darker, more serious approach. Now Raimi’s back and he took the reigns on Marvel’s oddest, most mystical character, and critics are saying he was the right man for the job. Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is being called deeply strange, a straight-up horror film at times, and 100% Raimi. That’s a great thing.

In the Multiverse of Madness finds Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) tasked with corraling the very multiverse he helped unleashed during the events of Spider-Man: No Way Home. Strange will need allies, like Wong (Benedict Wong), Wanda Maximoff (Elizabeth Olsen), and newcomer America Chavez (Xochitl Gomez), better known as Young Avenger Miss America. He’ll need all the help he can get considering one of the bad guys he’ll be facing off against is himself.

Coming in for specific praise are Raimi, for making In the Multiverse of Madness a true Raimi film, while still handling all the MCU connective tissue to the larger universe. Elizabeth Olsen’s performance as a bristling Wanda, still smarting from the events in WandaVision, is getting raves as well. And then a lot of the refrains are just rejoicing at seeing Sam Raimi get to be Sam Raimi in a big-time Marvel film. What’s not to get excited for here?

So let’s go to the critics and take a magical mystery tour around Twitter.

For more on Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, check out these stories:

Enter Professor X & Captain America’s Shield in New “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness” Teaser

Epic New “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness” Video Unleashes Marvel’s Phase 4

A New “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness” Teaser Reveals Evil Doctor Strange’s Third Eye

New “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness” Teaser Reveals Colossal Villain

Marvel Reveals New “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness” Photos

New “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness” Synopsis Teases Mysterious New Villain

Featured image: Benedict Cumberbatch as Dr. Stephen Strange, Xochitl Gomez as America Chavez, and Rachel McAdams as Dr. Christine Palmer in Marvel Studios’ DOCTOR STRANGE IN THE MULTIVERSE OF MADNESS. Photo courtesy of Marvel Studios. ©Marvel Studios 2022. All Rights Reserved.

Producer Autumn Bailey-Ford on Making Movies & Shows She Loves in Georgia

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Autumn Bailey-Ford has been an independent film and TV producer working out of Georgia for the past 13 years. Originally from York, Pennsylvania, Bailey-Ford has worked her way up from production assistant—that invaluable, multifaceted job that has been the starting point to many successful film careers—to running her own studio…and co-running a second.

“I love film and TV,” Bailey-Ford says, reflecting on a career that began with her daydreaming as a little girl watching Bob Hope and Bing Cosby movies on Turner Movie Classics. “I thought, I want to do that. But I knew I wanted to be behind the scenes and part of the crew.”

The path Bailey-Ford has carved out in Georgia has coincided with the Peach State’s growth into a hotbed of film and TV production. Since 2016, Georgia has become the number one state in the country for feature film production. In Atlanta alone, you have Turner, EUE/Screen Gems, and Tyler Perry Studios headquartered there. Outside of Atlanta, there’s even more action, led by Trilith Studios, where Marvel produces its Disney+ series and feature films for its’ juggernaut Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Bailey-Ford has thrived in Georgia’s burgeoning production world. She counts among her mentors DeVon Franklin, a film and TV producer and well-respected preacher who has utilized his platform as an inspirational tool.

“DeVon Franklin’s just somebody I admire, and I love how he can take faith and navigate the industry while being a Christian, and how he translates that into his projects,” Bailey-Ford says. “I always try to do one or two faith movies a year, and overall, I just love doing good projects.”

Courtesy Autumn Bailey-Ford.
Courtesy Autumn Bailey-Ford.

Her latest project, On A Wing and a Prayer, happens to be her first studio movie. Working with MGM, Bailey-Ford helped shepherd the project, which is based on a true story about a pilot who dies unexpectedly while flying a plane and the passenger who steps in to land the plane safely.

“We wrapped this past October 2021, and we’re set to come out in theaters this August 31st,” Bailey-Ford says. “The film stars Dennis Quaid, Heather Graham, and Jesse Metcalfe. Once or twice a year, I post on social media asking for any scripts I might connect with. This local guy in Atlanta shared the script for On a Wing and a Prayer, and I was like, oh my god, this story is amazing!”

Bailey-Ford’s process for deciding how to approach a project is based entirely on her connection to the script. She’ll do a deep-dive read and then, if she connects to it deeply, she’ll either option it or do a shopping agreement. “An option agreement means I might work on it for three or four years,” she says, “whereas, with a shopping agreement, I might do it for two or three months. My process when choosing to option or shop usually comes down to the thought, ‘Yes, I like this project, but does it have any legs? Let me send it out and see if I get any bites.’ I want the writer to have the opportunity to send it off if I can’t do anything with it. I don’t want to hold somebody’s project hostage.”

Courtesy Autumn Bailey-Ford.
Courtesy Autumn Bailey-Ford.

Bailey-Ford co-owns Prominent Productions with reality TV impresario Mark Burnett’s son, Cameron Burnett, that’s based in LA and Atlanta. “We do more scripted stuff, so we’re slowly moving into the TV space; we’ve optioned some books and we got some new TV projects that we’ll announce soon, along with a full slate of movies,” she says.

Along with working on scripts, Bailey-Ford keeps herself plugged into the publishing world, and usually devours between 10 and 15 books a month. When she connects with a book she likes, she’s as committed to making something happen as she is with a great script. This happened recently with the book “I’m Not Dying With You Tonight,” by Kimberly Jones and Gilly Segal. The book, which was an NAACP Image Award Nominee, follows one Black and one white teenage girl who are forced to rely on each other over the course of a single night as a violent race riot envelops their city.

“I love this book,” Bailey-Ford says. “I told Cameron we should do this, and he thought it was brilliant. So I sent him the link of Kimberly Jones, who went viral talking about George Floyd. I got in touch with Kimberly, and it turned out we know each other, and she said she trusted me. I still had to meet her people, including her agent in L.A. Her agent thought about it, talked to Kim, and they gave me a non-exclusive, so I had 30 to 60 days to match any offer someone else might make.”

Here’s where Bailey-Ford’s years of networking and hard work paid off. In that window of time she had the non-exclusive deal, someone she knew on LinkedIn (she uses the site widely and well) reached out to her about the book. So, their companies partnered up, and they reached out to writers and studios. One of Bailey-Ford’s many friends, this one at a studio no less, was interested in the project. The studio picked it up.

Such happy outcomes are the product of a lot of groundwork, hustle, and determination. Yet it’s also part of the larger picture of the kind of network Bailey-Ford has fostered in the Atlanta area in particular, and Georgia generally.  

“For me, I think it’s a positive experience filming here, and there are so many productions going on,” she says of working in Georgia. “People trust me, and they know they’re going to have a great experience. I’ve done movies all over the world, and the travel is great, but nothing is as good as being able to go home be in my own bed. That’s the thing about filming in Georgia—it’s home, and we’re a family.”

Featured image: Courtesy Autumn Bailey-Ford.

Behold Zen Thor in new “Thor: Love and Thunder” Image

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How do you know people are fired up for Taika Waititi’s upcoming Thor sequel Thor: Love and Thunder? The teaser for Love and Thunder racked up more than 209 million views in the first 24-hours. That’s a lot of eyeballs checking out Thor (Chris Hemsworth) as he tries to forge an entirely new path. What does this new Thor want? Peace. Love. Harmony. Now, a new image provided by Marvel shows us just how seriously Thor is taking his vision quest towards enlightenment. Just look at the blissed-out expression, that comfortable, humble robe—he’s the picture of a man whose present.  Here’s the problem for Thor—there are other people who won’t let him have his peace, and they are legion, and they’re lunatics. “These hands were once used for battle,” Thor said in comic overstatement in the teaser, “now they’re but humble tools for peace.” Yeah, let’s see how this works out for our favorite God of Thunder.

As you likely know by now, Thor’s peaceful intentions are scrambled by a psychopath called Gorr the God Butcher (Christian Bale) who has designs on taking down all the gods, everywhere. Doesn’t sound like something Thor can sit out. Then there’s also the massive reveal of Thor’s old flame, Jane Foster (Natalie Portman) now wielding Mjolnir and calling herself the Mighty Thor. Talk about a shock to Thor’s system, but the big guy will need to get over it, get over himself, and join Jane to try to take down the God Butcher before it’s too late.

For now, however, it’s nice to imagine a mellow Thor raising crops, practicing meditation, and just being. It won’t last, but you can’t blame the guy for trying. It’s been a stressful few millennia for the God of Thunder.

Thor: Love and Thunder booms into theaters on July 8. Returning champions also include Tessa Thompson as King Valkryie, Waititi himself playing Korg, and Russell Crowe playing Zeus.

Here’s the official synopsis:

Marvel Studios’ “Thor: Love and Thunder” finds the God of Thunder (Chris Hemsworth) on a journey unlike anything he’s ever faced – a quest for inner peace. But Thor’s retirement is interrupted by a galactic killer known as Gorr the God Butcher (Christian Bale), who seeks the extinction of the gods. To combat the threat, Thor enlists the help of King Valkyrie (Tessa Thompson), Korg (Taika Waititi) and ex-girlfriend Jane Foster (Natalie Portman), who – to Thor’s surprise – inexplicably wields his magical hammer, Mjolnir, as the Mighty Thor. Together, they embark upon a harrowing cosmic adventure to uncover the mystery of the God Butcher’s vengeance and stop him before it’s too late. Directed by Taika Waititi (“Thor: Ragnarok,” “Jojo Rabbit”) and produced by Kevin Feige and Brad Winderbaum, “Thor: Love and Thunder” opens in U.S. theaters July 8, 2022.

For more on Thor: Love and Thunder, check out these stories:

Natalie Portman’s “Thor: Love and Thunder” Poster Hails Marvel’s New Goddess

First “Thor: Love and Thunder” Teaser Reveals the God of Thunder’s Groovy New Path

“Thor: Love and Thunder” Synopsis Reveals Natalie Portman’s Mighty Thor & Christian Bale’s Brutal Villain Gorr

Expect Insanity in “Thor: Love and Thunder” Says MCU Artist Andy Park

Taika Waititi Talks “Thor: Love and Thunder” & His “Star Wars” Movie

“Thor: Love and Thunder” Wraps Filming as Taika Waititi Promises It’s Craziest Film He’s Ever Done

Featured image: Chris Hemsworth as Thor in Marvel Studios’ THOR: LOVE AND THUNDER. Photo by Jasin Boland. ©Marvel Studios 2022. All Rights Reserved.

Enter Professor X & Captain America’s Shield in New “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness” Teaser

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Director Sam Raimi’s Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness promises to bring the crazy. We’ve already seen trailers and teasers that point to just how messy, and mystical, things are going to get for the good Doctor (Benedict Cumberbatch) and his friends. In the new film, one of his most crucial allies will be Wanda Maximoff (Elizabeth Olsen), one of the most powerful Avengers of them all and one who got in a good deal of trouble herself for messing about in the mystical realms. (See her shenanigans involving the Hex in WandaVision) In a new teaser, we see just how unruly things get when none other than Professor X (Patrick Stewart) arrives to find out “Will we see what kind of Doctor Strange you are.” You know things are bad if Charles Xavier, the man who tried tamping down Wolverine’s worst instincts, has to use his mind tricks on you.

The reason Professor X has to try to get to the bottom of what kind of Doctor Strange he is happens to do with the fact that when the multiverse is unleashed, a very bad version of Doctor Strange is untethered from his realm and into ours. So, too, does it look like an Evil Wanda will start to make life miserable for her kinder counterpart. The new film will fully unleash Marvel’s Phase 4, setting up new stakes, new characters, and a new direction for the vaunted mega-movie franchise house. Heck, before Professor X rolls up, Doctor Strange is treated to a near-miss of Captain America’s shield, which is launched from somewhere else (another realm, we supposed) and comes crashing into Strange’s reality.

In describing to /film how he went about designing the world of the film, Raimi says he took inspiration from the original “Doctor Who” artist Steve Ditko, who illustrated the Stan Lee comics that brought Doctor Strange and his wild world into the comics canon.

“Sometimes you’d open up a two-page Ditko landscape piece and it was incredible,” Raimi says to /Film. “In fact, if you saw the first 20 minutes of our movie, that universe where the movie starts is really based on what we call the Ditko-verse.

“It’s pretty unfathomably exciting where we’re going in this film,” Cumberbatch said in a recent featurette. “It’s the most fantastic new phase of Marvel.” 

“In this story, we are leaping into different universes, but unlocking the multiverse creates a big Pandora’s box,” Olsen said in the same featurette. Wanda and Strange will try to contend with the unleashed contents of that Pandora’s box, which include monsters, villains, and an evil version of Strange himself.

“We’re in unknown territory. I think audiences are going to be startled,” said Benedict Wong, who returns as Strange’s right-hand man, Wong. “These other realities invite a plethora of all these new characters.”

Joining Strange, Stewart, Wanda, and Wong are Xochitl Gomez as superhero America Chavez, Rachel McAdams as Dr. Christine Palmer, and Chiwetel Ejiofor returning as Mordo.

Check out the epic new teaser below. Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness hits theaters on May 6.

 

For more on Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, check out these stories:

Epic New “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness” Video Unleashes Marvel’s Phase 4

A New “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness” Teaser Reveals Evil Doctor Strange’s Third Eye

New “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness” Teaser Reveals Colossal Villain

Marvel Reveals New “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness” Photos

New “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness” Synopsis Teases Mysterious New Villain

Featured image: A scene from Marvel Studios’ DOCTOR STRANGE IN THE MULTIVERSE OF MADNESS. Photo courtesy of Marvel Studios 2022. ©Marvel Studios 2022. All Rights Reserved.

Paramount Reveals “A Quiet Place” Spinoff Movie’s Title & Plot Details at CinemaCon

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John Krasinski’s brilliant A Quiet Place franchise, which has featured two thrilling, chilling films, was already getting a spinoff, and now we know its title and a bit about its plot. Paramount revealed the title for the film at CinemaCon—A Quiet Place: Day One—as well as teasing what this prequel story will focus on. You can probably guess from the title; we’ll finally get a full picture of the day the aliens arrived and began hunting humans by sound.

As all you Quiet Place-heads know, the first two films made incredible work of the fact that the aliens were essentially blind. The way they hunted was their incredible hearing prowess, which allowed them to track even the slightest sound from seemingly miles away. Krasinski and his deft team turned this conceit into a brilliant tension-building strategy, with both A Quiet Place and A Quiet Place 2 utilizing silence, and the attempt of the desperate Abbott family (led by Emily Blunt’s Evelyn Abbott) to say quiet, to wring out an incredible amount of drama. You cared about the Abbott family, you were terrified of the blind, sound-hunting monsters, and you always wondered where they came from, and what their initial arrival was like.

Needless to say, Paramount is going to provide us with that answer, as A Quiet Place and A Quiet Place Part II (held back for a long time due to the pandemic) were critical and commercial hits. Krasinski will be directing the third chapter of the storyline he began with A Quiet Place, while A Quiet Place: Day One will be directed by Michael Sarnoski (Pig).

Krasinski gave us a hint of what day one was like in A Quiet Place Part II when he revealed a riveting sequence in which a meteor fell to Earth and with it, those lunatic aliens. We saw how the Abbott family just narrowly escaped being killed on day one, yet it was just the one sequence, and soon we were back to the present day, with Evelyn Abbott trying to keep her three kids safe. A Quiet Place: Day One will give us the full picture of that day, and introduce us to new characters and new locations.

A Quiet Place: Day One is scheduled for arrival in theaters on September 22, 2023.

For more on the big stories from CinemaCon, check these out:

Expect CinemaCon to Bring New Looks at “Top Gun: Maverick,” “Avatar 2,” “Black Adam” & More

“The Batman” Sequel is Officially Happening With Robert Pattinson & Matt Reeves Returning

Bad Bunny Will Star as Marvel Character El Muerto in Upcoming Sony Film

Sony Announces “Venom 3,” a new “Ghostbusters” & More at CinemaCon

Margot Robbie’s “Barbie” Reveals First Photo, Release Date at CinemaCon

WarnerBros. Unveils New Footage of Michael Keaton as Batman in “The Flash” & More

James Cameron’s “Avatar 2” Reveals Insane Footage & Official Title at CinemaCon

Lady Gaga Will Sing Tom Cruise Into the Danger Zone With New “Top Gun: Maverick” Song

Jordan Peele’s Mysterious “Nope” Reveals Stunning Footage at CinemaCon

“Hunger Games Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes” Gets Release Date at CinemaCon

Featured image: Evelyn (Emily Blunt) braves the unknown in “A Quiet Place Part II.” Photo by Jonny Cournoyer. Courtesy Paramount Pictures.

“Hunger Games Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes” Gets Release Date at CinemaCon

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Director Francis Lawrence is returning to the massively popular franchise to direct the next chapter, after having helmed Catching Fire, Mockingjay Part One, and Mockingjay Part Two. And thanks to the Lionsgate presentation at CinemaCon, we now know when the new film will arrive.

During Lionsgate’s presentation, they offered those in attendance a cryptic invitation. “You’re invited to return to the Games” was displayed on the screen, with ice thawing in the background of a wintry scene. Then on the screen, they appeared—a bird and a snake. “In 2023, the world will discover who is a songbird and who is a snake.”

Here’s how the Lionsgate synopsis reads for Hunger Games Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes:

“In this return to The Hunger Games, years before he would become the tyrannical President of Panem, 18-year-old Coriolanus Snow sees a chance for a change in fortunes when he is chosen to be a mentor to Lucy Gray Baird, the girl tribute from impoverished District 12.”

A Coriolanus Snow origin story! Intriguing.

Hunger Games Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes will be produced by Nina Jacobson, Brad Simpson, and director Lawrence. The film is based on the book of the same title, which was released in 2020. The film’s screenwriters will be creator Suzanne Collins, Michael Arndt, and Michael Lesslie.

We’ll fill you in with more details when we get them.

For more from CinemaCon, check out these stories:

Expect CinemaCon to Bring New Looks at “Top Gun: Maverick,” “Avatar 2,” “Black Adam” & More

“The Batman” Sequel is Officially Happening With Robert Pattinson & Matt Reeves Returning

Bad Bunny Will Star as Marvel Character El Muerto in Upcoming Sony Film

Sony Announces “Venom 3,” a new “Ghostbusters” & More at CinemaCon

Margot Robbie’s “Barbie” Reveals First Photo, Release Date at CinemaCon

WarnerBros. Unveils New Footage of Michael Keaton as Batman in “The Flash” & More

James Cameron’s “Avatar 2” Reveals Insane Footage & Official Title at CinemaCon

Lady Gaga Will Sing Tom Cruise Into the Danger Zone With New “Top Gun: Maverick” Song

Jordan Peele’s Mysterious “Nope” Reveals Stunning Footage at CinemaCon

Featured image: Cressida (Natalie Dormer, left) and Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence, right) in THE HUNGER GAMES: MOCKINGJAY – PART 2. Photo Credit: Murray Close

“Top Gun: Maverick” Blows The Doors of CinemaCon as Early Reactions Hail a Mach 4 Masterpiece

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Paramount Pictures showed Top Gun: Maverick in its entirety at CinemaCon, and the results are a lot of very satisfied theater owners and their guests absolutely buzzing off the film’s heart-pounding action and surprisingly touching character work. Thus far the screening has generated rave reactions to what people are calling “the perfect blockbuster” and “terrific in every conceivable way.” Director Joseph Kosinski’s film is zooming over to Cannes mext, where it will get its official world premiere. Although Cruise wasn’t in attendance at CinemaCon, he did send a pre-recorded video in which he implored the audience to enjoy the film and “hey, let’s try to have a great summer!” Those in the theater were cheering at different sections, with Paramount executives feeling pretty good about the responses they were seeing.

Credit: Scott Garfield. © 2019 Paramount Pictures Corporation.
Tom Cruise plays Capt. Pete “Maverick” Mitchell in Top Gun: Maverick from Paramount Pictures, Skydance and Jerry Bruckheimer Films. Credit: Scott Garfield. © 2019 Paramount Pictures Corporation.

Cruise returns as Captain Pete “Maverick” Mitchell to the Navy, where a new group of Top Gun graduates is preparing for an epic mission. Maverick’s been brought in at the behest of Admiral Kazansky—you remember him as Iceman in the first Top Gun. Kilmer reprises his role in a small part, with Jon Hamm’s Cyclone not quite sure the Navy needs the notorious rules breaker Maverick back in the fold.

Maverick’s past is set to haunt him in this latest installment. One of the young Top Gun graduates Maverick is meant to instruct is Bradley “Rooster” Bradshaw (Miles Teller), the son of the late Goose, who died in Maverick’s arms in the first film, an accident Maverick has never forgiven himself for. Also joining Cruise, Kilmer, Hamm, and Teller are Jennifer Connolly, Ed Harris, and Lewis Pullman.

The buzz for Top Gun: Maverick began even before the film played courtesy of the reveal that Lady Gaga wrote an original song for the film, titled “Hold My Hand,” which will be released on May 3.

We know that Top Gun: Maverick was a labor of love, as director Joseph Kosinski told Empire Magazine he shot around 800 hours of footage, “as much footage as the three Lord of the Rings movies combined,” he said.

Top Gun: Maverick zooms into theaters on May 27. Now let’s get to some of the first reactions:

For more on Top Gun: Maverick, check out these stories:

Lady Gaga Will Sing Tom Cruise Into the Danger Zone With New “Top Gun: Maverick” Song

New “Top Gun: Maverick” Teaser Highlights Intense Aerial Action

New “Top Gun: Maverick” Trailer Sees Tom Cruise Back in the Danger Zone

Featured image: Tom Cruise plays Capt. Pete “Maverick” Mitchell in Top Gun: Maverick from Paramount Pictures, Skydance and Jerry Bruckheimer Films. Credit: Scott Garfield. © 2019 Paramount Pictures Corporation.

The New “Jurassic Park: Dominion” Trailer is a Rip-Roaring Good Time

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The second trailer for Jurassic World: Dominion is here, and it provides the best look yet at Colin Trevorrow’s epic conclusion to the Jurassic franchise which began with Steven Spielberg’s game-changing 1993 original Jurassic Park. 

This ripping trailer opens with a bit of adorability—we’ve got the Jurassic World franchise’s signature dino, the velociraptor Blue, appearing in a snowy forest near Owen Grady’s (Chris Pratt)’s place…with her baby. But that’s impossible, says Maisie Lockwood (Isabella Sermon), the young girl who survived the horrors in Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom. But we know what Maisie might not yet—life finds a way. And in this case, Blue’s miraculous way of having a child can’t be contemplated for too long—the baby velociraptor is netted in a trap and stolen from her. Owen promises Blue that he’ll find her child. (“You made a promise…to a dinosaur?” Goldblum’s Ian Malcolm asks later in the trailer.)

We know that Dominion involves more animatronic dinosaurs than any used in the franchise. We know that Trevorrow has brought back the original stars—Laura Dern, Sam Neill, and Jeff Goldblum—to help tell this franchise-capping story. We know that Dominion will tie together the Jurassic Park and Jurassic World stories into a single, final adventure. And we know, as Blue proved yet again, that life always finds a way. The question is will that way provide a life for both dinosaurs and humans to coexist? If this second trailer is any indication, it’s not going so well.

Check out the new trailer below. Jurassic Park: Dominion hits theaters on June 10.

Here’s the official synopsis for Jurassic World: Dominion:

This summer, experience the epic conclusion to the Jurassic era as two generations unite for the first time. Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard are joined by Oscar®-winner Laura Dern, Jeff Goldblum and Sam Neill in Jurassic World Dominion, a bold, timely and breathtaking new adventure that spans the globe. From Jurassic World architect and director Colin Trevorrow, Dominion takes place four years after Isla Nublar has been destroyed. Dinosaurs now live—and hunt—alongside humans all over the world. This fragile balance will reshape the future and determine, once and for all, whether human beings are to remain the apex predators on a planet they now share with history’s most fearsome creatures. Jurassic World Dominion, from Universal Pictures and Amblin Entertainment, propels the more than $5 billion franchise into daring, uncharted territory, featuring never-seen dinosaurs, breakneck action and astonishing new visual effects.

For more on Jurassic World: Dominion, check out these stories:

New “Jurassic World: Dominion” Video Teases Franchise-Ending Epic

“Jurassic World: Dominion” Writer/Director Colin Trevorrow Teases Diabolical New Dinosaur

“Jurassic World: Dominion” Trailer Reveals Epic Conclusion to Trilogy

Featured image: Bryce Dallas Howard in “Jurassic World: Dominion.” Courtesy Universal Pictures.

Jordan Peele’s Mysterious “Nope” Reveals Stunning Footage at CinemaCon

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Jordan Peele is one of our modern masters at creating suspense, mystery, and tension, and packing it all into a riveting, nearly unclassifiable genre of film. Social horror? Straight-up thriller? The labels don’t matter, the movies do, and the movies are great. Get Out won Peele a richly deserved Oscar for Best Original Screenplay, and seemed to change the horror game overnight. Then his follow-up Us, unjustly not lavished with trophies, was a sinisterly delicious follow-up that expanded Peele’s vision and proved his filmmaking chops beyond a shadow of a doubt. Which brings us to Universal’s CinemaCon presentation in Las Vegas, in which Peele’s Nope, his third feature as a director, was a major draw. When asked if Peele would be showing new footage, he slyly replied “nope.”

Luckily, he was kidding.

“The discovery and the surprise of it is part of the fun,” Peele said during a brief Q&A on the Colosseum stage inside Caesars Palace with Anthony Fykes of Next Act Cinema in Pikesville, Maryland. Next Act Cinema is the first Black-owned theater in the Baltimore area. “Trailers will give you a taste, but we want to retain some of the mystery, so you can be satisfied going to the damn movie,” Peele said.

But then Peele delivered a brand new extended trailer, which further emphasized the fact that, yes, Jordan Peele has made an alien movie. Peele asked those in attendance (some 3,000 plus exhibition insiders) to stay mum on what they saw until the rest of the world gets a peek in a few more weeks.

What can be shared is that Peele shot the film in 65 mm and IMAX, which he said allowed him to “capture incredible images” with brand new techniques.

“This is definitely a ride. I like titles that are into how the audience is feeling and reflect on what they are thinking and feeling in the theater,” Peele said. “I’m going to personally thrive on the amount of times that we hear Nope in the theater.”

Nope reunites Peele and his Get Out star Daniel Kaluuya, with a great cast supporting him including Keke Palmer, Steven Yeun, Brand Perea, Barbie Ferreira, and Michael Wincott. The plot details are sparse—we know it involves a Black-owned ranch that works with Hollywood productions and unidentified aerial phenomena (or unidentified flying object, if you want to use the more common parlance) that will have major implications for our characters.

Nope is one of Universal’s big releases this year, but it’s got a doozy of a slate. Halloween Ends, She Said, Violent Night, Jurassic World: Dominion, and Armageddon Time to name a few.

If you were to ask us if there was a film we were more excited about than Peele’s, though, you know the answer.

Nope. 

Nope opens on July 2.

For more on Nope, check out these stories:

Jordan Peele’s New Movie “Nope” Deploys Steph Curry in Creepy New Promo

Jordan Peele, Christopher Nolan & More Developing New IMAX Cameras

Jordan Peele’s “Nope” Trailer Wows During Super Bowl

Featured image: LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – APRIL 27: (L-R) Jordan Peele and Anthony Fykes, Co-owner of Next Act Cinema speak onstage during CinemaCon 2022 – Universal Pictures and Focus Features Invites You to a Special Presentation Featuring Footage from its Upcoming Slate at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace during CinemaCon, the official convention of the National Association of Theatre Owners, on April 27, 2022 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images for for CinemaCon)

Lady Gaga Will Sing Tom Cruise Into the Danger Zone With New “Top Gun: Maverick” Song

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Top Gun: Maverick is getting the James Bond treatment. While you may think exclusively of Kenny Loggins’ “Danger Zone” when you think of Top Gun, soon, you’ll be thinking of Lady Gaga. The superstar is creating an original theme song for Top Gun: Maverick, much in the way every new movie in the James Bond franchise gets a big star to belt out a new song for the latest installment. It’s hard to argue that Gaga isn’t the perfect person to set the tone for the new Top Gun, which finds Pete “Maverick” Mitchell (Tom Cruise) called back into action by the Navy to help school up some promising young Top Gun pilots before a crucial mission.

So what will Gaga’s Top Gun: Maverick song sound like? We don’t know yet. What we do know is the song’s title, “Hold My Hand,” and Gaga herself provided a few lyrics via Twitter:

Gaga is a movie star herself, and she’ll know precisely what kind of mood and tempo she needs to set to give Top Gun: Maverick its pitch-perfect musical signature. Considering the film deals with Maverick having to face the worst crisis of his life—the time he lost his best friend and Radar Intercept Officer, Goose (Anthony Edwards)—when his son, call sign Rooster (Miles Teller) is one of the young pilots he’s tasked with teaching confronts him. The first Top Gun was, of course, a movie of its era (the 1980s), so it didn’t shy away from not only big shoulder pads, big hair, and a deathless, shirtless volleyball scene, but bigtime emotions, too. The sky’s literally the limit for Gaga, who can take her song in so many directions.

Variety reports that Gaga’s song “Hold My Hand” will be featured throughout the film. Top Gun: Maverick‘s score is a collaboration between composers Harold Faltermeyer and Oscar-winner Hans Zimmer, with additional score work by Lorne Balfe.

We’ll know more about Gaga’s song as zoom closer to Top Gun: Maverick‘s May 27 premiere date.

For more on Top Gun: Maverick, check out these stories.

Expect CinemaCon to Bring New Looks at “Top Gun: Maverick,” “Avatar 2,” “Black Adam” & More

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New “Top Gun: Maverick” Trailer Sees Tom Cruise Back in the Danger Zone

Featured image: Tom Cruise plays Capt. Pete “Maverick” Mitchell in Top Gun: Maverick from Paramount Pictures, Skydance and Jerry Bruckheimer Films. Credit: Scott Garfield. © 2019 Paramount Pictures Corporation.

James Cameron’s “Avatar 2” Reveals Insane Footage & Official Title at CinemaCon

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Avatar 2 is not only real, it’s got an official title and dazzling footage to prove it.

After a slew of delays for a film that was originally slated for a 2014 release, director James Cameron’s epic sequel to his 2009 smash hit revealed some ravishing footage and a brand new title. Behold Avatar: The Way of Water.

Disney revealed both the new title and the footage at CinemaCon in Las Vegas (they took over the franchise when they acquired 20th Century Fox in 2019). CinemaCon, the annual gathering of theater owners, is the perfect place to reveal the new title and the first extended look at the film considering Avatar: The Way of Water is a film that must be seen on a big screen.

What’s more, those in attendance were given 3D glasses to watch the trailer, which plunged viewers into the lush, gorgeous world of Pandora, sweeping them along the planet’s crystal blue oceans and lakes, and showing them the planet’s native inhabitants, the Na’vi, interacting with Pandora’s rich biodiversity. The footage includes looks at alien versions of pelicans and whales, which viewers got very up close and personal as the pelicans flew directly at them into their three-dimensional space. Movie magic.

Avatar: The Way of Water is set more than a decade after the events in the original film, and will begin to tell the story of how the Sully family has emerged since then. Jake (Sam Worthington), Neytiri (Zoe Saldana), and their children are trying to stay safe, to live their lives, but their union is a threat to some and the family will have to fight to survive.

“I know one thing,” Jake Sully tells Neytiri,” Wherever we go, this family is our fortress.”

Cameron’s still in New Zealand putting the finishing touches on his sequel, but he did appear in a pre-recorded video message to tell the exhibitors on hand a bit about the film. He confirmed that Avatar: The Way of Water is “designed for the biggest screen and the most immersive 3D available.” He also said that he “set out to test the limits of what cinemas can do.”

Producer Jon Landau flew in from New Zealand to attend CinemaCon and said that the four planned sequels will be centered on family, with each subsequent film also functioning as a stand-alone movie with its own conclusion.

“We need to make sure [audiences] have an experience they can’t get anywhere else, and that needs to be exclusively in theaters,” Landau said.

Joining Worthington and Saldana in the cast are Giovanni Ribisi, Sigourney Weaver, CCH Pounder, and the original film’s villain, Stephen Lang. Newcomers include Kate Winslet, Vin Diesel, Michelle Yeoh, Edie Falco, Cliff Curtis, and Jemaine Clement. In order to goose folks into remembering what made the 2009 Avatar so special, Disney plans to re-release it in theaters on September 23. During its original run in theaters back in 2009, Avatar played on the big screen for an astonishing 10 months.

Avatar: The Way of Water will feature brand new technology that Cameron and his team deployed to capture the underwater scenes. It will likely require equipment upgrades for many theaters to show The Way of Water the way it was intended. It seems likely that many theaters will jump at the chance.

Avatar: The Way of Water swims into theaters on December 16. Its sequels are due on December 20, 2024, December 18, 2026, and December 22, 2028.

You can expect to see the Avatar: The Way of Water trailer exclusively in theaters before Marvel’s Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness on May 6.

For more on Avatar 2, check out these stories:

Expect CinemaCon to Bring New Looks at “Top Gun: Maverick,” “Avatar 2,” “Black Adam” & More

James Cameron Reveals “Avatar 2” is Done & “Avatar 3” is 95% Finished

Check Out These Massive Sets in New “Avatar 2” Photos

Featured image: Concept art for James Cameron’s ‘Avatar’ sequels. Courtesy 20th Century Fox/Walt Disney Studios