Will Smith, Jared Leto Among Stars Cast in DC's Suicide Squad Adaptation
DC and Warner Bros. found themselves backed against the wall when Marvel Studios overtook Hollywood with its unified cinematic universe dating back to 2008's Iron Man and every Marvel Studios release since. It's important to note that Marvel Studios' films are separate from other Marvel franchises owned by separate studios, e.g. Fox's X-Men and Fantastic Four and Sony's Spider-Man. Nevertheless, with Marvel's consistent blockbuster films, many other studios have wanted to follow the same formula of a unified cinematic universe (like the aforementioned Fox and Sony).
DC and Warner Bros., meanwhile, found success and reinvigorated faith in their film properties with Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight Trilogy, and even won me over as a slight Batman fan, but the entirety of that run was left separate from the overall scheme of things. Their first attempt at building a universe, 2011's Green Lantern, was a critical and box office failure, and further delayed the companies' plans. That all changed with Man of Steel's release last year, with the film's box office and critical success enough for the companies to build from. Since then, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice was announced, Justice League was officially confirmed, then DC and WB's full slate of films for the next six years were announced.
Of those new films announced, the most interesting was 2016's Suicide Squad with Fury and End of Watch director David Ayer attached. Suicide Squad is essentially DC's version of Marvel's Thunderbolts where a band of villains are united to take part in black ops operations for the government in exchange for commuted sentences. Beyond the great concept, DC and Warner Bros. swung for the fences yesterday when they officially revealed the ensemble cast attached to the film.
Suicide Squad will star Will Smith as Deadshot, Jared Leto as The Joker, Tom Hardy as Rick Flagg, Margot Robbie as Harley Quinn, Jai Courtney as Boomerang, and Cara Delevinge as Enchantress. Each and every actor listed is on their way to becoming bonafide Hollywood stars (if they're not already there in the case of Smith, Leto, and Hardy). Certainly, Marvel's long list of actors represents a large percentage of who's who in Hollywood, but DC's new ensemble features many of the other high-profile actors not snatched up by Marvel.
Finally, it appears DC and Warner Bros. know what they're doing with their film properties and can pose a serious threat to Marvel's box office returns. We'll have to play the waiting game to see how it all plays out. I'll still plant my flag in Marvel's camp, but I can honestly say I finally have more than a passing interest in what DC is offering.
[via /Film]
GoPro Might Produce Their Own Camera Drones in 2015
GoPro cameras and drones go hand-in-hand. With GoPro's easy-to-use interface and rise as the action sports athlete's go-to camera and the increasing availability of drones, the pairing is kind of a no-brainer. If a report from the Wall Street Journal is to be believed, GoPro is taking the next step in the natural pairing by producing their own GoPro-equipped drones late next year. GoPro intends to create line of multi-rotor helicopters with their own cameras pre-installed within the drone next year for an estimated $500 to $1000 price tag.
GoPro already has pre-existing relationships with various drone companies, already providing their cameras to such companies in bundle packages or deals. By taking matters into their own hands, they certainly can cut the middle man out, but at the expense of the very same companies they've supported.
The decision could further be marred with the FAA's intentions on requiring pilot's licenses to man drones for commercial use. However, if the regulation of commercial drone use isn't as bad as it may appear and GoPro is able to undercut the competition's prices, the GoPro-brand drones could be a very viable option for both the company and consumers alike.
[via PetaPixel]
Jurassic World Almost Featured Human/Dinosaur Hybrids
As excited as I am about the upcoming Jurassic World (as evidenced by yesterday's trailer release), I can't help but think that the plot is somewhat reminiscent of B-movie concepts, such as the creation of a genetically-modified dinosaur hybrid with features from a multitude of dinosaurs. Sure, it's an amazing concept and something I'm more than thrilled to see on the big screen, but it's the type of fodder and concept we'd see from (admittedly awesome) cheesy low-budget knock-off films.
Apparently, the first pitch for the film was similar to the final idea of dinosaur hybrids, but rather than combining various dinosaurs to create a mega dinosaur, the story involved creating human/dinosaur hybrids. Concept art reflecting this idea was recently released that are somewhat reminiscent of the early '90s influx of human/animal mutant characters (Battletoads, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Street Sharks, etc.), and it's a bit silly to see them pop up again more than twenty years later. Art and fads are cyclical, right?
We should just be happy knowing the upcoming Jurassic World will be going down a slightly less ridiculous idea, but don't be surprised if any potential sequel (Jurassic Universe, perhaps?) features these human hybrids.
[via Imgur]
[Weekly Netflix Fix] Early Thanksgiving Update
With Thanksgiving tomorrow, we decided to push this week's Weekly Netflix Fix up a day so all of you will know all of the up-to-date films and shows to prepare while with family. The biggest title to be added is Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. While I still haven't watched an episode, I'll probably spend my Thanksgiving going through the first season to see what all the hype is about. The other recommendation for this week is Joe Swanberg's indie film, Happy Christmas, starring Swanberg himself and Anna Kendrick. You can read more of my thoughts on Happy Christmas in my full review of the film here.
Check out the full list of new Netflix Instant additions below.
Angelina Ballerina: On With The Show
Children's Favorites: Vol. 2
HIT Favorites: Friends & Family
VeggieTales in the House: Season 1
Bomb Girls: Season 3
Thomas & Friends: King of the Railway
VeggieTales in the House
30 for 30: Brothers in Exile
Alive & Well
Angelina Ballerina: Spring Fling
Beyond the Edge
Come Back to Me
The Conformist
Eternal Revenge
Fort McCoy
I Am Santa Claus
Manuscripts Don't Burn
Rhymes for Young Ghouls
Running from Crazy
War Story
Animal House
Bewakoofiyaan
Animal House: Season 1
Bold Eagles
Happy Christmas
Alpha and Omega: Legend of Saw Tooth Cave
Desert Runners
Firestorm
Ida
The Last of the Unjust
Memories of a WWII Hero: Captain Brown...
Mr X
Nikita: Season 4
The Retrieval
Lilyhammer: Season 3
Ripper Street: Series 2
Cannibal
For a Woman
Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.: Season 1
Whitey: U.S.A. v. James J. Bulger
FAA Proposes Major Restrictions on Commercial Drone Usage
If you haven't watched any episodes from this season of South Park, I highly recommend doing so. South Park has always been a bastion of consistently entertaining satire, but the quality has elevated even more this season with well-thought out social commentary on topics such as the gender binary, existentialism, and privacy. It's this last theme that brings the rest of this article full circle. As South Park is wont to do, they poked fun at UAVs (re: unmanned aerial vehicles or drones) in relation to privacy, voyeurism, and self-policing. Beyond the humor and entertainment of the episode, it did pose a question over whether or not personal drone use is as safe for those being captured by video without their consent.
Recently, the FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) suggested their proposal to regulate drone usage with limitations and restrictions. Namely, they want to require valid pilot's licenses for commercial drone users, or those who intend on making a profit from the footage their drones capture. Other regulations include only allowing drone usage during the day, stay under 400 feet in altitude, and ensuring drones are always in sight of their users for all drones weighing 55 pounds or less.
The FAA plans on making an official proposal by the end of the year, but is keen on input and suggestions to help formulate an ideal decision that would make sense for both consumers and their agency. Again, it should be noted that the regulations would apply to commercial use of drones only, but where is the line drawn between commercial and private use? How will that be tracked and regulated? I'm sure answers to these questions and many others will be clarified over the ensuing months when the proposal is made public.
[via Engadget]
Sony Drops Aaron Sorkin's Steve Jobs Film, Universal Might Pick It Up
It hasn't been a great month for the Aaron Sorkin-penned Steve Jobs biopic. At the beginning of November, Christian Bale left the production due to personal reasons. It's not a good sign when the lead actor, especially with a pedigree like Bale's, departs a project due to conflicted reasons with the role. Since then, news came out that Michael Fassbender was cast to take on the role. However, the ups and downs that have plagued production were too much for Sony to stick with it. Yesterday, it was announced that Sony dropped the film. As /Film puts it, Sorkin's script was unconventional and very demanding, which were large red flags for Sony. Universal has stepped up and is close to picking the film up, but there's been no word or confirmation on the development at the time of publication.
The pairing of Aaron Sorkin and Danny Boyle is promising, and an Aaron Sorkin script will naturally be more interesting and compelling than 2013's Jobs that starred Ashton Kutcher. With names like Michael Fassbender, Seth Rogen, and possibly even Scarlett Johansson on board, there's enough faith that the film will perform exceedingly well, no matter what studio it ultimately ends up with.
[via /Film]
[Weekly Netflix Fix] The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari
The final Weekly Netflix Fix post before Thanksgiving is now upon us. While the update isn't as substantial as I was hoping it would be, two titles have been added that are worth checking out. The first is David Ayer's 2014 film Sabotage, which sees Arnold Schwarzenegger returning into a lead action role. While the film wasn't as well received as Ayer's other 2014 film, Fury, it still holds entertainment value. Who can resits Schwarzenegger returning to his action roots in this day and age? The other notable film is the German Expressionist silent horror, The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari. The film is noted for its use of lights and shadows to invoke emotion and abstract angles and shapes to create atmosphere, but also serving as one of the first real horror films in cinema.
Check out the rest of this week's new Netflix Instant additions below.
Donald Glover: Weirdo
Sabotage
30 for 30: Brian and the Boz
Boy Meets Girl
The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari
Every Three Seconds
Ikki Tousen Great Guardians
Ikki Tousen: Xtreme Xecutor
Jackpot
Dream House
Personal with Bill Rhoden: Oscar De La...
Undercover Boss: Season 5
Adventures of Bailey: Christmas Hero
Angelina Ballerina: Pop Star Girls
Animal Atlas: Pet Party
Barney: Best Fairy Tales
Bob the Builder: Trains & Treehouses
Bratz: BFF: Best Friends Forever
Chelsea Peretti: One of the Greats
Doc Martin
Dogs with Jobs
Henning Mankell's Wallander: Season 3
HIT Favorites: Preschool Fun
Homecoming
Kipper: Amazing Discoveries
Kipper: Tiger Tales
Los Angeles Plays Itself
More Barney Songs
Seal Team 8: Behind Enemy Lines
The Secret World of Santa: Season 1
The Irregular at Magic High School: Season 1
Peaky Blinders: Season 2
Wolfblood: Season 2
Dogs with Jobs: Season 2
The Secret World of Santa
Doc Martin: Series 1
Doc Martin: Series 2
Doc Martin: Series 3
Doc Martin: Series 4
Doc Martin: Series 5
Doc Martin: Series 6
Sewing Hope
Time of My Life
Trailer Park Boys Live at the North Pole
The Adventures of the Young Marco Polo: Season 1
Small Town Santa
You're So Cupid
First Images of The Peanuts Movie
Last March, a teaser trailer was released to indicate the type of art style being employed for the upcoming Peanuts film. As Alex indicated in his post from the spring, the art style is the perfect combination of Schulz' classic designs with modern CGI. I, for one, am very happy they decided to keep true to the classic Peanuts style rather than go down a more modern route like other modern adaptations Alvin and the Chipmunks, Underdog, etc.
Earlier today, USA Today released a few more images from the upcoming The Peanuts Movie, which is being produced and overseen by Paul Feig (Freaks and Geeks, Ghostbusters 3) and directed by Steve Martino (Horton Hears a Who!). In the aforementioned USA Today article, Feig and Martino make it clear that The Peanuts Movie will tap into the timeless style of storytelling many past Peanuts specials and strips have followed rather than attempting to modernize the gang's stories, which is especially uplifting to hear as we see more gritty, "updated" adaptations of classic franchises and properties hitting theaters.
The Peanuts Movie is scheduled for a theatrical release on November 5th, 2015. To help with the wait, check out the newly-released images from the film in the gallery below.
[via USA Today]
