Film release cancellations in Russia added to boycotts in response to invasion
Just days ahead of the highly anticipated theatrical release of “The Batman”, Warner Bros. made the swift and necessary decision to cease any distribution plans in Russia. A spokesperson for the studio said in a statement, “In light of the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine, WarnerMedia is pausing the release of its feature film ‘The Batman’ in Russia”.
While getting a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, British actor, known for his latest roles in “Spider-Man: No Way Home” and “The Power of the Dog” also called specifically for action to bring the assault on Ukraine to an end, when he emphasized in his speech that “This is no longer a time for avarice or sloth or inactiveness or ineptitude. We need to act.”
Walt Disney Co. and Sony Pictures also have plans to pause any releases of their films in Russia which includes the previously scheduled release of the Pixar film “Turning Red” for March 10, as well as Sony’s “Morbius” which is currently slated for release early April.
The Ukrainian Film Academy called for an international boycott of the Russian film industry. The Motion Pictures Association also condemned Russia for its attack and made the statement that it “stands with the international community in upholding the rule of law and condemning Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.”
Two newly released Joker images played by Jared Leto, give fans a glimpse of a very different type of villain, free of his face tattoos as compared to the Joker in the 2016 “Suicide Squad”.
The director did not initially have Joker as part of the original plan and decided to add him into his version of the DC Comics team up. The hotly anticipated release details and content reveal is now beginning to emerge, as weekly a new character seems to be featured in a missive from the director.
“The Joker is really the only thing that I thought of in retrospect,” Snyder says in an interview with VF. “But I will say that it was always my intention to bring Joker into that world.”
In all the DCEU movies, Batman and Joker have never faced off, yet definitely have history (Joker killed Robin) thus the director is ultimately teasing fans, who will have to wait until its release on March 18, 2021 on HBO Max to finally see the two come head to head.
The official full trailer as Snyder has shared in his twitter post, will be released on Valentine’s day, 2/14/2021.
Straight from a recent Justice League photo shoot, Zack Snyder shared a new Batman image. Fans can catch a glimpse of (Ben Affleck) suited up in the Knightmare version. Albeit, you only see his backside, it definitely helps to hype-us-up for his Director’s Cut, which is coming in a little over a month’s time.
Snyder shared the back of Batman, wearing a trench coat, the same one he wore in “Batman vs. Superman”. It was confirmed during a live commentary track for “Batman vs. Superman”, that there would be a Knightmare sequence, one in which Bruce Wayne dreams of a hellish/dystopian future, and Superman has become a servant of Apokolips (with potential to set the stage for “Justice League with the teaser trailer”!?)
The new updates about Zack Snyder’s version of Justice League and the format came to surface at the beginning of the year. Originally the concept was that the 4 hours of the first cut would be separated into one hour segments ( indicating more like a multi-part series), however based on a screenshot posted from the director’s Vero account, it will actually be a full, non-stop, 4-hour movie.
We will just have to wait and see all the changes and additions to “Justice League”, the countdown begins and it will, finally, be available to stream on HBO Max starting on March 18, 2021.
On any given day, particularly the weekend, there are more than a handful of different options you can choose from when you are deciding what to stream for some entertainment. Almost every week, in fact, yes, there is on almost every streaming platform, some new and exciting content to watch.
Not only is it difficult to keep up with the constant changing slate of offerings, but they way they are presented often makes it more difficult to sort though the new, the type and the quality of film or show you might want to choose.
We try to cut through the confusion and give a little bit of help to make choosing an entertainment option less of a chore and more of a joy. There’s a big-time partnership between Warner Brothers and HBO max which is adding a lot of fresh new content to the premium streamer this year. Here are some of the highlights we’ve seen so far:
Although “Wonder Woman: 1984” in not considered a new release anymore since it was released in theaters and the HBO Max streaming platform Christmas day. Time is running out on being able to watch the superhero sequel, there are only days until it will be no longer available to stream, Jan. 25, 2021 to be exact. And if you do watch, its more than worth the wait to sit and watch the post-credit scene.
“Euphoria” Part 2
The release of the second part of the 2-part special episode “Euphoria” will get a little bump to its release. Originally slated for Jan 24, it will be released Friday Jan 22. Titled: ‘“F*ck Anyone Who’s Not A Sea Blob”. As for the actual Season 2 of the show, the release date is unclear due to the pandemic and difficulties resuming production, we may just have to wait until later in 2021 or even 2022.
The Little Things
Another anticipated HBO Max movie is “ The Little Things”. Denzel Washington plays Deputy Sheriff Joe “Deke” Deacon joins forces with Sgt. Jim Baxter (played by Rami Malek) to search for a serial killer who’s terrorizing Los Angeles. As they track the culprit, Baxter is unaware that the investigation is dredging up echoes of Deke’s past, uncovering disturbing secrets that could threaten more than his case. The movie also has includes actor Jared Leto.
“Justice League”
Some new updates have recently surface about Zack Snyder’s version of Justice League. Originally the concept was the 4 hours of footage would be cut into 1 hour segments (multi-part series), however based on a screenshot posted from the director’s Vero account, it will actually be a 4-hour movie. The film is still on schedule to be released for the dual: theater and HBO Max premier this coming March 2021.
Immediate Streaming option set after blockbuster WB / HBO max announcement
In great news for Harley Quinn aficionados, included among the 17 movie titles to be released simultaneously in theaters and on HBO Max, is the upcoming sequel, “The Suicide Squad”. HBO Max subscribers will be able to reap the benefits and watch, for no extra charge, Harley and Crew in the DC movie on August 6, 2021.
The star studded cast, will be be reprising their roles from the 2016 version (Margot Robbie as Harley Quinn) and also a huge list of stars to play the DC villains. There are also set to be additional high-profile new additions including Idris Elba, Peter Capaldi and Sylvester Stallone.
Brad Pitt Coupling for Babylon in the works
In other Margot Robbie news, a major development: reports that she will replace Emma Stone in “Babylon” alongside Brad Pitt.
Margot and Pitt have worked together splendidly in “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood”. Babylon, a Paramount production has a Christmas Day 2021 release date planned.
Because the California Film Commission coughed up a $17.5 million tax credit based on the film qualifying as a “period drama” and California project, and that “Babylon” is expected to generate $83.4 mil. in local economic activity, a.k.a. “qualified spending”, the shooting will need to commence within 180 days (or lose all that cash).
Oh wait, and in addition to director James Gunn’s new take on his version of “The Suicide Squad” to hit theaters and HBO Max on Aug 06, 2021, Gunn is also working on a television series for HBO, a spin-off called “Peacemaker” which is currently in production.
Arduous production and distribution woes make for a slimmer Holiday fare: we found the best hopes for 2020
Because of COVID-19, 2020 will go down in history as one of the most unique years for movies. With theaters closed, blockbusters delayed, and dozens of highly anticipated films getting siphoned off to streaming services, there hasn’t been any major box office highs or prestigious content for the big screen. Given the state of the world, this reality will likely continue through December, robbing the holiday season of its traditional major releases.
Nevertheless, a handful of pictures are still pushing for late 2020 premieres. Not all hope is lost for a Christmas-time movie watching experience. Here are a few anticipated films that plan on coming out before the end of the year…
Wonder Woman: 1984
Patty Jenkins’ sequel to 2017’s “Wonder Woman” was originally slated for a June release, but got perpetually pushed back because of the virus. Now, it is holding onto a Christmas Day theatrical debut. Gal Gadot returns as the titular heroin alongside Chris Pine and Kristen Wiig in this ninth installment to the DC Extended Universe.
Above: Photo “Coming 2 America”
Coming 2 America
After returning to host “Saturday Night Live” and starring in Netflix’s “Dolemite Is My Name,” legendary comedian Eddie Murphy effectively reentered the zeitgeist in 2019. Therefore, hopes were high for his late sequel to the 1988 classic, “Coming To America.” Although made for the theaters, this 2020 film will now be available exclusively on Amazon Prime starting December 18th.
Mank
A film historian’s film if there ever was one, the David Fincher-directed “Mank” stars Gary Oldman as real-life screenwriter, Herman J. Mankiewicz. Shot in black-and-white, the biopic focuses on Mankiewicz’s alcoholism and tumultuous experience writing “Citizen Kane” during Hollywood’s Golden Age. This Oscar-bait movie has already started its limited theatrical run, but will find a home on Netflix come December 4th.
Pixar’s last theatrical release was terribly timed. The critically acclaimed, but commercially underwhelming “Onward” hit theaters the same weekend that the pandemic heated up in America and moviegoers were urged to stay at home. This next Disney-Pixar outing will thus go directly to streaming via Disney+. Available on Christmas Day, “Soul” is the first Pixar feature not to have a big-screen premiere.
Midnight Sky
Netflix went all in for this George Clooney-directed science fiction adaptation. It’s a story about a man (played by Clooney) living on post-apocalyptic Earth and communicating with astronauts as they make their way back to the shambled planet. The film will stream on December 23rd and in this unique case, 2020 might actually add some timely relevance to the plot.
Above: Official Trailer of Free Guy / 20th Century Fox
Free Guy
Riding on the coattails of “Deadpool” and “Detective Pikachu,” Disney’s “Free Guy” is the latest action-comedy to star Ryan Reynolds as a happy-go-lucky protagonist. With a plot involving virtual reality, the movie puts an ordinary guy in extraordinary circumstances for some hilarious thrills. Carried over from 20th Century Fox and not based on any pre-existing IP, “Free Guy” is a bit of a gamble. We’ll find out if it pays off on when it hits theaters on the eleventh.
Another prospective theatrical release for December, Sony’s “Monster Hunter” plans to premiere on the 30th. Based off of the popular video game series of the same title, “Monster Hunter” promises a hybrid of war, science fiction, and fantasy delights. Director Paul W.S. Anderson has missed the mark with his video game adaptations before, but we cannot deny that huge spectacles projected on the big screen are something we’ve been deprived of this year, and therefore deeply crave.
