CinemaCon is like experiencing months worth of movie news in a mere four days. Shockya.com enjoyed its very first stint at the Las Vegas convention this past week and there’s loads of updates on some of the hottest upcoming releases worth checking out.
However, even while consumed by CinemaCon studio presentations, movie news still bubbled up outside Caesars Palace. Tom Hiddleston is inching closer to locking the lead in Relativity Media’s remake of “The Crow” while Dylan O’Brien is set to be our main man in the big screen adaptation of “The Maze Runner.” Meanwhile, just as his contract is about to expire, there’s talk of Robert Downey Jr. leaving the role of Iron Man behind.
How about some more details? They’re all coming at you in your weekly Movie News Cheat Sheet.
1. CinemaCon 2013 Recap: After four very full days in Las Vegas for CinemaCon, Shockya.com had the privilege of seeing loads of new footage and even a few upcoming films in full, too. “Monsters University” was easily the best of the bunch, director Dan Scanlon bringing back everyone and everything we came to know and love in round one while expanding the universe to show off an incredibly well constructed new setting within the Monsters world. In the footage department, Fox’s “The Secret Life of Walter Mitty” was a big winner, entirely subverting expectations one might have of a Ben Stiller and Kristen Wiig starrer by delivering something that was funny and charming, but also notably profound. Paramount also impressed with action-packed footage from “Star Trek Into Darkness” while Warner Bros. offered up a somewhat serene yet terrifying trailer for “Gravity.” “Captain Phillips” was the standout for Sony while Lionsgate concluded the CinemaCon studio presentations with a bang via a brand new “Ender’s Game” trailer. Clearly there were more than enough highly anticipated upcoming films to steal the CinemaCon spotlight, but it’s also worth noting that the event was a particularly impactful experience for highlighting the vital connection between the studios and the exhibitors. Caesars Palace was loaded with press itching for a sneak peek at new footage, but the convention was far more about the studios taking the opportunity to thank theater owners for treating their work as though it was their own and sharing it with the world in the best possible way, and having the opportunity to see that first hand made me appreciate their work far more, too. Check out our full list of CinemaCon coverage right here.
2. Tom Hiddleston May Lead “The Crow:” After going up against the Avengers as Loki, Tom Hiddleston may be unleashing even more terror, but this time, it’s on the bad guys. As reported by The Wrap, Hiddleston is currently in negotiations for the role of Eric Draven in the reimaging of “The Crow.” Like the 1994 original, the Relativity Media version will focus on Draven, a man who comes back from the dead in order to seek revenge against those who killed him. Not only did Hiddleston recently have dinner with the film’s producers, but he also sent them a makeup test that he did on his own. Apparently his makeup skills, among other qualities, were enough to put him first in line for the role, but he is due to undergo a proper makeup test in the coming days to ensure they can nail the character’s unforgettable look ahead of production which may begin in the fall.
3. Will Ferrell and Jack Black Play “Tag” for New Line: Movies stemming from games don’t tend to have the best reputation thanks to “Battleship” and the fact that they typically lack a big screen-worthy narrative, but there’s hope for New Line’s upcoming project about tag. Rather than simply build a story around the game itself, “Tag Brothers” is based on the true story of a group of classmates now in their 40s who still indulge in tag every February by chasing each other across the country. According to The Wrap, both Will Ferrell and Jack Black are attached to star in the film, but it’s contingent on the screenplay, which is due to be written by Mark Steilen.
4. “Weird Science” Due to Return: “Weird Science” is getting the “21 Jump Street” treatment. In an effort to repeat the success of the Jonah Hill/Channing Tatum-starrer, Universal Pictures and Silver Pictures are joining forces to turn John Hughes’ ode to nerds into an “edgier comedy.” Joel Silver, who produced the 1985 release, will return while “Project X” and “21 Jump Street” scribe, Michael Bacall, will step in to pen the script about a pair of geeks who take a cue from “Frankenstein,” and set out to create their own perfect woman. (via Deadline)
5. Dylan O’Brien Locked for “Maze Runner:” After making a name for himself through MTV’s “Teen Wolf,” Dylan O’Brien could skyrocket to the big leagues courtesy of 20th Century Fox’s “The Maze Runner.” According to Deadline, O’Brien is set to play a member of a group of teens who wake up trapped in a maze with no recollection of how they got there. Will Poulter, Kaya Scodelario, Aml Ameen, and Thomas Brodie-Sangster are all set to enter the maze as well. Considering the film has roots in James Dashner’s novel trilogy, odds are, Fox has “Hunger Games” size hopes for this one. We’ll find out if that’s a legitimate possibility when the film arrives on February 14, 2014.
6. No More Iron Man for Robert Downey Jr.?: It seems like a legitimate possibility. Robert Downey Jr.’s contract with Marvel expires after the release of “Iron Man 3.” Clearly there’s high hopes they’ll whip up another arrangement because an actor swap would be absolutely devastating to the role and the franchise, but while talking to GQ, Downey dropped a few lines implying that at some point, his run as Tony Stark will come to an end. Downey compared his situation to Tom Brady’s by pointing out, “I heard Brady signed on for three more years with New England, and then he’s done being a QB, because he’ll be 40. I’m 47, and I’ll be 50.” When the outlet asked him if that meant he’d stop playing Iron Man at 50, Downey replied, “I don’t know. I don’t know. Right now I don’t have a contract to do anything, and I did for the last five years.”
http://www.gq.com/entertainment/movies-and-tv/201305/robert-downey-jr-profile-may-2013
7. Could Seth MacFarlane Host the Oscars Again?: Who wants a “We Saw Your Boobs” encore? Craig Zadan and Neil Meron do. Just after the Academy announced the producing duo is locked to return for the 2014 ceremony, Just Jared reports that MacFarlane might return, too. Apparently he’s already been officially offered the gig, but the outlet’s source noted, “He’s not sure if he’s going to do it, but he has to decide within the next couple of weeks.”
8. First Poster for “Thor: The Dark World:” Many are hoping for a “Thor: The Dark World” trailer ahead of “Iron Man 3” and it really might happen. With “Iron Man 3” due in theaters on May 3rd, we’d likely get the “Thor: The Dark World” trailer online a few days or possibly a full week before. Now, what better way to build a little hype for that than by releasing the film’s first poster first? The image popped up on the Walt Disney Pictures Facebook page and, naturally, features our hero front and center, hammer in hand, surrounded by lightning. It’s a remarkably detailed image, but doesn’t offer much in the way of story. However, should the trailer drop in the next couple of weeks, that should fill the void.
9. Trailers: “The Hunger Games: Catching Fire,” “R.I.P.D.,” “Star Trek Into Darkness:” Yet again, the MTV Movie Awards marked a big night for “Hunger Games” fans with the show concluding with the premiere of the very first “Catching Fire” teaser trailer. Not only was it a thrill to finally see some footage from the film, but footage that confirms Francis Lawrence will keep the bar high. Universal unleashed the very first “R.I.P.D.” trailer at CinemaCon and, shortly after, it made its way to the web. Having never read the Peter M. Lenkov comic, I can’t vouch for the quality of the adaptation, but as someone who knows little to nothing about the Rest In Peace Department and this supernatural world, this first promo does a stellar job conveying the basics. Last up is yet another top notch trailer for “Star Trek Into Darkness.” The piece still bears that dark, threatening tone that was so effective in the last, but it also further highlights the toll that threat takes on Captain Kirk, making John Harrison an even more powerful source of evil.
10. Box Office: As expected, “Oblivion” took advantage of the lack of new competition and consumed the box office with a weekend one grand total of $38 million on a solid $10,085 per theater average. “42” held on strong, dropping just 34.4% for another $18 million while “The Croods” dipped even less, losing only 27.6% from weekend two to three and adding another $18 million to its domestic grand total. “Scary Movie 5,” on the other hand, did see that typical weekend one to two genre/spoof crash, losing 55.5% of its opening total for just $6.3 million its second weekend out. “G.I. Joe: Retaliation” rounded out the top five with $5.8 million, a weekend four total that puts its domestic bank account at $111 million, just shy of its $130 million production budget. (via Box Office Mojo)
