Despite a lot of controversy ahead of its release, Joker ended up being a critical and commercial hit which has led to a very real hope that some sort of sequel will follow. It’s certainly possible, and director Todd Phillips could definitely put a unique spin on the Batman versus Joker dynamic.

Talking of the filmmaker, he’s now shared a very cool behind the scenes shot from the R-Rated DC Comics adaptation of Oscar-winner Joaquin Phoenix dancing down those now iconic steps. 

They’re located in The Bronx and have since become something of a tourist destination for fans of Joker; that’s led to a lot of backlash from local residents, of course, and some people looking for photo opportunities for their Instagram accounts have ended up being pelted with eggs! 

It’s fair to say that this sequence has become one of the most memorable Joker moments to ever grace the big screen, and Phoenix’s performance earned him a well-deserved series of award wins. The movie wasn’t overly comic accurate, of course, but that ultimately didn’t really matter.

Check out the behind the scenes photo below:
 

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Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back was released in 1980 to widespread critical acclaim and an impressive box office haul, and George Lucas’ “Special Edition” later followed in February 1997. Now, for the first time in over 23 years, the classic movie has once again hit #1 at the North American box office. 

It’s currently leading the charge with an estimated $175,000, and should ultimately end the weekend with between $400,000 – $500,000. That’s been about as good as things get these past few weeks, with other reissues like Jurassic Park and Ghostbusters earning a similar amount at less than 500 sites.

Disney actually ended up taking the three top spots at the box office with Black Panther at #2, and Inside Out at #3. Only a handful of theaters have decided to re-open, and much of this revenue actually comes from drive-ins. Those are doing big business right now, and should continue to do so for a while.

The Empire Strikes Back was #1 at the domestic box office for eight weeks following its May 21st, 1980 release, and it stayed in that position for two weeks for the “Special Edition” seventeen years later.

It’s still unclear when theaters will be able to re-open, with analysts now predicting that those scheduled August release dates are going to slip into September due to the ongoing rise of COVID-19 cases. 

Did you brave your local theater this weekend?

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X-Men: Days of Future Past arrived on the US version of Disney+ this weekend, and star Hugh Jackman took to Instagram to assure fans that the critically acclaimed release hasn’t been censored.

Given the family-friendly nature of the streaming service, a number of past movies have been changed, with edits made to the likes of Wizards of Waverly Place and Splash (the latter was widely ridiculed online for its attempts to remove on-screen nudity).  That could explain why the 2014 release hasn’t been changed as the backlash would have been significant from comic book fans.

In the case of X-Men: Days of Future Past, Jackman took to Instagram to say, “Days Of Future Past becomes the first movie to air on Disney+ uncensored. That was my future but let’s be honest … it’s more like my past.” The scenes in question included an F-Bomb from Wolverine and a shot of the actor’s butt when he first travels back to the past. 

It will be interesting seeing what happens to future X-Men movies added to Disney+ as they often contain quite mature moments you wouldn’t necessarily expect to see in a PG-13 blockbuster.

Check out Jackman’s post below:
 

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Johnny Depp’s libel battle against The Sun newspaper owner News Group Newspapers continued in London’s High Court yesterday with more shocking and disturbing claims…and one which saw Friday end with #AmberTurd trending on Twitter.

The Fantastic Beasts star told lawyers that he ended his marriage with Aquaman star Amber Heard when faeces was left in their marital bed, an act which led to the actor nicknaming his now ex-wife, “Amber Turd.” After a particularly nasty argument between the two, Depp alleges that on May 23, 2016, Heard, or her friend IO Tillett Wright, defecated in their bed after he showed up late to her birthday party and then decided to leave early. 

Depp says it was the next day that he received a call from his housekeeper to say she had discovered faeces in the bed, and he knew it was too large to have come from one of their two dogs. Initially, he found the incident funny, and dubbed his ex “Amber Turd” in texts to friends. 

The actor said that, “iO Tillet Wright seemed the only one that would be crass enough to commit such an act,” but claims that Heard confessed to their estate manager that it had been a “harmless prank.” This is said to have contributed to the end of their marriage. There no way of telling whether these allegations are true or false, but they are just allegations at this stage. 

A series of claims were also made by The Sun’s lawyers indicating that Depp hit Heard with a champagne bottle and cell phone, and you can read more about those by following the link above.

Click HERE for more miscellaneous movie news from CBM!

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Press Release

New York, NY— July 10, 2020 — This December, the entire Marvel Universe braces itself for King In Black, the latest installment in writer Donny Cates and artist Ryan Stegman’s revolutionary take on the Venom mythos. Knull is coming, and when he arrives, everyone from the Avengers to the X-Men will learn just how unprepared they are to face off against the God of the Symbiotes. Everything in Cates and Stegman’s landmark run on Venom has led up to this monumental story, and readers will finally witness Eddie Brock’s climatic standoff with one of Marvel’s most terrifying villains.

With each mind-bending twist and turn, the stakes will be raised like never before as King In Black flips everything you thought you knew about Venom and the world of the symbiotes upside down and inside out. Learn more in a special video announcement from the mastermind creative team, and stay tuned for more news about what to expect when King In Black lands later this year!

“As far as event books go, this is the coolest, darkest, most heavy metal, Cthulhu dark horror thing I’ve ever been able to do,” promises Cates. “I still can’t believe that Marvel is letting us go as dark and scary as we’re going.”

“One of the things I’m most proud of in this series… is the creation of the character Knull,” Stegman says. “We have some new designs that we’ll be unveiling throughout the series that are really cool and really creepy.”

Ready or not, don’t miss King In Black #1 when it hits stands this December!
 

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Deadline confirms that Sony Pictures has pushed Screen Gems’ Monster Hunter from its planned Labor Day weekend release on September 4th all the way to April 23rd, 2021. Paramount Pictures’ A Quiet Place Part II is set to open that same September slot, so chances are that’s why the rival studio has decided to back down. 

After all, longterm forecasts for upcoming movies aren’t good as closed theaters, social distancing guidelines, and general uncertainty about whether it’s safe to sit in an eclosed space for two hours with stranger during a pandemic will all take a major chunk out of box office hauls. 

In fact, there may not be a single movie in 2020 that does any better than break even at this point.

The trade also explains that, “with L.A. mayor Eric Garcetti indicating he’s about to lock down the city again, we’re poised to see the entire August release schedule slide into the fall. I’m told by sources if L.A. closes down theaters, it would take hard-top theaters another month to reopen.”

As a result, Sony may have just decided to bite the bullet with Monster Hunter, and push it to a safer date. Now, the video game adaptation will face off against Edgar Wright’s Last Night in Soho, action movie The Asset, and animated feature Ron’s Gone Wrong. 

Are you disappointed by this release date delay? 

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There have been rumblings about a Power Rangers reboot for a while now, and one is definitely needed after the disastrous 2017 version. Now, though, The Illuminerdi has shared more details on plans for the project, revealing that it will take place in the same continuity as the TV show. 

That means the past 28 years of stories will all be canon, and the movie will feature both an all-new team of Power Rangers made up of diverse cast members from both different racial backgrounds and the LGBTQ+ community. A female lead is also said to be highly likely for the “reboot.”

The site adds that Lord Zedd will be the main villain, while Zordon will be involved in the time-travel elements of the movie which see this new roster thrown back through time. Interestingly, it’s noted that the project, “will feature multiple different looks and Zords throughout Ranger history. This could possibly include a variety of suits and Zords from MMPR, all the way to the modern era.”

Shooting is expected to take place in New Zealand, but the big news here is that Hasbro is expected to focus a lot on the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers here, a sign that they’ll have a key role to play in this film (which makes sense given that’s the most popular era for the characters). 

Time will tell how this one comes together, but it’s sounding very exciting for Power Rangers fans.

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Yesterday, it was confirmed that Warner Bros. is developing a spinoff series set in the world of The Batman. Currently being described as an adaptation of the Gotham Central comic books, not a huge amount about the series is known, though there are conflicting claims about whether Robert Pattinson’s Caped Crusader and Jeffrey Wright’s Commissioner Gordon will appear. 

Now, though, Variety’s Justin Kroll has shed some light on plans for the TV show, saying, “No idea if [Pattinson] will make an appearance but what I have learned is that it be set before when The Batman is set and dive into how Gotham became corrupt and infested with criminals.”

That makes it a prequel, and Warner Bros. could avoid having to enlist The Batman stars by having it potentially set decades before the events of the movie. Terrence Winter’s involvement could suggest that it’s a period piece as he was obviously the mastermind behind Boardwalk Empire. 

The hope is that more details will be revealed at DC FanDome, but it’s an intriguing concept, and not one which ends up being too similar to FOX’s Gotham with any luck.

Check out Kroll’s Tweet below:
 

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