Spider-Man heads home to finish filming

We got our first look at the Marvel Cinematic Universe's new wall-crawling superhero in Captain America: Civil War, and now we are another step closer to seeing one of Marvel Comics' most popular characters starring in his own solo movie in Spider-Man: Homecoming. 

 
Pinewood Studios in Atlanta has become the home of Marvel movies over the last few years and this movie is no different with the majority of principle photography for Homecoming taking place within the Studios. However, some scenes were shot elsewhere in the city and others, primarily the High School scenes, were filmed in Queens, the New York borough in which Peter Parker lives. 

Now though, the cast and crew have moved back to The Big Apple to complete the final stages of production and some of them, including director Jon Watts and Spider-Man himself, Tom Holland, have taken to social media to say goodbye and thank you to the city they have left behind and hello to NYC.

A video posted by Jon Watts (@jnwtts) on Sep 23, 2016 at 4:07pm PDT

Tom Holland's Instagram post may be the most interesting of all though, as in it he wrote "See you soon Atlanta. It's been real". This may be a hint to his next MCU appearance after his solo adventure, with pre-production having already started in Pinewood Studios for Avengers: Infinity War. This is very exciting for Marvel fans, although it was already very likely to happen with most, if not all, of the current Avengers and other titular heroes being rumoured to appear in Marvel's biggest film of the three phases so far.

 

See you soon Atlanta. It's been real 👊🏻 #spidermanhomecoming

A photo posted by ✌️ (@tomholland2013) on Sep 23, 2016 at 4:54am PDT

Spider-Man: Homecoming will be released on July 7th, 2017, with two other Marvel characters also having their first solo films coming before that; Doctor Strange on November 4th, 2016 and Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol 2 on May 5th, 2017. Following Homecoming will be Thor: Ragnarok on November 3rd, 2017; Black Panther on February 16th, 2018; Avengers: Infinity War on May 4th, 2018; Ant-Man and the Wasp on July 6th, 2018; Captain Marvel on March 8th, 2019; Untitled Avengers Movie on May 3, 2019 as well as four as-yet-untitled Marvel movies on July 12th, 2019 and May 1st; July 10th and November 6th in 2020.

The Equalizer 2 is still coming... honestly!

If you've not seen Denzel Washington's 2014 hit action thriller, The Equalizer, then you are definitely missing out. The film is based on the 1980s television series of the same name and centres on Robert McCall, a retired black-ops operative who tries to lead a normal, everyday life but cannot stand by when he sees injustice.

We have heard nothing from Sony about the film since last June, when the sequel was confirmed but in a recent Q&A session, Todd Black, producer of both The Equalizer and Denzel Washington's latest film, The Magnificent Seven, told Collider that the script is complete and shooting for the film will begin in September next year.

"The script is done. We start shooting right after Labor Day, maybe right before Labor Day depending on Denzel’s schedule. So Equalizer 2 will start shooting in September of next year, maybe earlier depending on another movie that we’re shooting with Denzel before that. We’re going to do a little bit more work and we’re going to go into casting right after that for his nemesis."

Black also confirmed that Antoine Fuqua would be back to direct the sequel, making this the fourth collaboration between Fuqua and Washington, and he also told of how this will be Denzel Washington's first foray into the world of franchises, which seem to be all the rage in Hollywood at the moment.

"It helps when you know him really well and you tell him at a nice expensive lunch that this could be his franchise. He’s always wanted to do a franchise, and he liked the Bourne movies, the earlier ones. I’ve had a friendship with him for 27 years and we’ve talked about him doing a franchise character, so when my partners and I got the rights to Equalizer, we were like, “Let’s get Denzel to finally do one. This could be the one.” It was never made as a movie and a lot of people didn’t know it was a TV show … but you’ve probably heard the title. He liked the title and I said to him, “Let us write it for you and if you like the script, great; if you don’t, we’ll go get another actor.” So he signed up for that and it worked."

Rumours of a sequel already existed, even before the first film hit the cinemas, but these rumours were pretty much solidified when the film, created with a relatively small budget of $55 million, made a huge $192 million at the worldwide box office. 

It is still unknown whether co-stars Marton Csokas and Chloë Grace Moretz will return to play Nicolai Itchenko and Alina, a child prostitute who worked for the Russian Mafia. This question is particularly apt right now after the recent news that Moretz is dropping out of all of her future film commitments.

The film was originally scheduled for release on the 29th of September, 2017 but as the film will only going be into production from next September we have to assume that a new release date will eventually be announced, unless they can shoot, edit and release the movie within a few weeks. So, we will most likely not be seeing Robert McCall back in action until sometime in 2018.

The new Jumanji movie gets off to a bumpy start

Earlier this year, Dwayne Johnson confirmed that he would be starring in a new Jumanji movie. He later said on Instagram that this will not a reboot of the 1995 classic starring Robin Williams, but "a continuation of the awesome JUMANJI story". Alongside Johnson will be Central Intelligence co-star Kevin Hart, as well as Jack Black and Karen Gillan, the final addition to the cast list, and now we have the first photo of the cast, on set in Hawaii. With the photo also came the names of the four lead characters, Moose Finbar (Hart), Dr. Smolder Bravestone (Johnson), Ruby Roundhouse (Gillan) and Professor Shelly Oberon (Black).

EXCLUSIVE FIRST LOOK: #JUMANJI Our dope 90's vintage costumes will all make sense when our plot's revealed. Truuuuuust me😂👊🏾. The journey continues.. "Moose Finbar" (Kevin Hart). "Ruby Roundhouse" (Karen Gillan). "Professor Shelly Oberon" (Jack Black). "Dr. Smolder Bravestone" 'cause well.. he smolders. Hard workin' and FUN first day of shooting in the jungle with this talented and crazy motley crew. Jack is brilliant, Karen is bad assery, Kevin is sharply hilarious and I smell good. Extremely hard trying to keep a straight face in these scenes. Too funny. We're makin' a good one. More to come.. #JUMANJI #WishFulfillment #TheGameThatPlaysYou

A photo posted by therock (@therock) on Sep 20, 2016 at 8:29am PDT

However, now controversy has arisen over the recently released photo with many claiming that Karen Gillan's outfit is "sexist" and "impractical for the jungle". Some have even taken to social media to show their discontent for her "skimpy" outfit.

@KevinHart4real of course the female is in little shorts and shirt with midriff showing. Like a costume called "sexy jungle girl" #jumanji

— Poke With Stick (@ifdeadpoke) 20 September 2016

@KevinHart4real @karengillan Day 1 of filming. Not to late to change her costume to something lil girls can dress as on Halloween.

— Miss Awesome (@AftonAwesome) 20 September 2016

Gillan was quick to defend her costume, releasing a short statement on Twitter to say “...Yes I'm wearing child sized clothes and YES there is a reason! The pay off is worth it, I promise! #Jumanji.” Co-star, Dwayne Johnson, also tried to reassure those who were very quick to judge, telling the Twitter community that their costumes will "all make fun sense soon".

Jumanji! Yes I'm wearing child sized clothes and YES there is a reason! The pay off is worth it, I promise! #Jumanji pic.twitter.com/qBshnhwV6K

— Karen Gillan (@karengillan) 21 September 2016

Ha yes Jill, thank ya for trusting me. Our costumes will all make fun sense soon.. #Jumanji 🙌🏾 https://t.co/Ik2N6PO3Uw

— Dwayne Johnson (@TheRock) 20 September 2016

There are now theories circulating the internet as to why Ruby Roundhouse is wearing such as revealing outfit, particularly when compared to the more jungle-friendly clothes of her co-stars. A prevailing theory is based on Gillan's wording in her tweet, "child sized clothes", leading some to believe that Miss Roundhouse was trapped in the game as a child and emerges years later as a fully grown adult - and we all know that is possible - but she is still wearing the clothes from when she was sucked in.

The Jumanji sequel will hit UK cinemas next year on the 28th of July, but like The Rock says, until then we'll have to trust him to find out the real story.

September 2016 - Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children, My Blind Brother and more...

I have been looking forward to Tim Burton's latest fantasy film for months now and finally, it is almost here. The film is based on Ransom Riggs best-selling novel of the same name and follows Jake (Asa Butterfield), who discovers clues to a mystery that spans different worlds and time leading him to the titular location; Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children. There he learns about the little known world and gets to know the residents of Miss Peregrine's (Eva Green) safe haven and their special powers, or peculiarities, but the mystery and danger deepens when he discovers his role as the protector of the peculiar from evil forces knowns as the "Hollows" and "Wights", led by the mysterious Mr. Barron (Samuel L. Jackson). 

In the age of comic book and fantasy movies, The Magnificent Seven redefines the western genre for a new generation. As the town of Rose Krick is taken over by Bartholomew Bogue (Peter Sarsgaard) and his private army, Emma Cullen (Haley Bennett) offers Sam Chisolm (Denzel Washington) her life savings in return for his help in liberating her community from Bogue's bloody grip. To do this, Chisolm assembles a colourful group of indivuals with a variety of skills including an explosives expert (Chris Pratt), a former Confederate sharpshooter (Ethan Hawke), a knife throwing assassin (Lee Byung-Hun), an outlaw (Manuel Garcia-Rulfo), a warrior (Martin Sensmeier) and a skilled tracker (Vincent D'Onofrio) to stand up for justice in a society overpowered by greed and homogeny.

On the 20th of April, one of the largest man-made disasters in recent history occurred in the Gulf of Mexico when the Deepwater Horizon drilling rig exploded and eventually sank, leading to the largest environmental disaster in US history - a massive oil spill off of the Louisiana coast. This dramatic retelling of the true story depicts the challenges the oil rig's crew faced and honours the brave men and women whose heroism would save many on board, and change everyone's lives forever.

In another historical drama set around the American Civil War, this time based around true events, Matthew McConaughey plays Newt Knight, a defiant Southern farmer, who leads an armed rebellion of struggling farmers and local slaves against the Confederate Army in Jones County, Mississippi, leading to the creation of a Free State of Jones. Knight continued his struggle into Reconstruction, distinguishing him as a compelling, if controversial, figure of defiance long beyond the War.

Bridget Jones (Renée Zellweger) is back after twelve years away from the big screen for her latest romantic adventure in Bridget Jones's Baby. The unlucky-in-love fortysomething is single again after breaking up with Mark Darcy (Colin Firth) and has now decided to focus on her top job as a news producer and surround herself with friends both old and new. When Bridget meets a dashing American named Jack (Patrick Dempsey), who is everything the Mr. Darcy is not, her love life seems to take a positive turn. In an unexpected twist, she finds herself pregnant but there's a problem... she can only be fifty per cent sure of the identity of the baby's father.

My Blind Brother is an original take on the love triangle story with two brothers who both like the same woman. Robbie (Adam Scott) is a champion blind para-athlete, seen as incapable of doing wrong by most however his brother, Bill (Nick Kroll), sees the real Robbie but still sticks with him during his athletic career. When Bill meets a Rose (Jenny Slate), he thinks his luck is changing until Robbie introduces him to his new girlfriend, the very same Rose, who he met when she volunteered to work with the blind. Now Bill must decide if he will put himself second again or finally stand up to his blind brother.

Three lifelong friends are stuck in a rut. Kate (Mamrie Hart) is trapped in a job she hates, sucks at dating and is on the cusp of turning 30. Evie (Grace Helbig) is married but has in-laws from hell and Charlie (Hannah Hart) is recently engaged but can’t seem to pull her business (or her act) together. In Dirty 30, with Kate's birthday coming up, her two best friends promise to throw her a wild party but the celebrations turn into a chaotic mix of personalities both past and present and things quickly spiral out of control.

I know that I mentioned Swiss Army Man in the July releases post, but now it is available in the UK which I'm excited about. Like I said before, not everyone is going to like this but I think it is worth a watch. In the film, Hank (Paul Dano) is stranded on a deserted island and as he prepares to leave this world, he spots a man laying by the shore although unfortunately he is dead and quite flatulent. With the help of the dead man, named Manny (Daniel Radcliffe), Hank uses his flatulence to return to the mainland but now he finds himself lost in the wilderness but does not leave Manny behind.  

Small indie film, Hunt for the Wilderpeople is an adventure story about a defiant city kid who finds himself at home with a new foster family; the loving Aunt Bella, the cantankerous Uncle Hec, and dog Tupacin in the New Zealand countryside. When a tragedy strikes that threatens to ship Ricky to another home, both he and Hec go on the run in the bush. As a national manhunt ensues, the newly branded outlaws must face their options: go out in a blaze of glory or overcome their differences and survive as a family.  

UK Release Dates
Bridget Jones's Baby                                    16 September 2016  TRAILER
Hunt for the Wilderpeople                             16 September 2016  TRAILER
The Magnificent Seven                                 23 September 2016  TRAILER
Deepwater Horizon                                      29 September 2016  TRAILER
Free State of Jones                                     30 September 2016  TRAILER
Swiss Army Man                                          30 September 2016  TRAILER
Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children       30 September 2016  TRAILER

USA Release Dates
My Blind Brother                                          19 September 2016  TRAILER

Dirty 30                                                     23 September 2016  TRAILER

September 2016 - Captain Fantastic, Cafe Society and more...

I've been waiting months to see this film, so I have made Café Society my Movie of the Fortnight. Set in 1930's Hollywood, the film follows Bobby Dorfman (Jesse Eisenberg) as he moves from the gangster-run underworld of New York to work in the L.A. film scene with his talent agent uncle (Steve Carrell). When he meets Vonnie (Kristen Stewart) though, he falls immediately in love but she is already seeing someone, so a heartbroken Bobby heads back to New York. He finds it hard to shake off the glitz and glamour of Hollywood, but discovers it isn't the only place that can put on a show and soon his thrilling new lifestyle begins to unravel.

 

Sausage Party is the first movie of its kind, an R-rated CG animated movie about Frank the sausage (Seth Rogen) and his friends who dream of one day finding themselves in a shopping trolley and on their way to the "Great Beyond". With the 4th of July celebrations approaching, their dreams come true but when they witness a potato mercilessly diced, Frank and his pals realise they must act quickly to survive the holidays.

The second film of Kevin Smith's little known True North Trilogy is Yoga Hosers. An ancient evil has risen in Canada and two teenage yoga enthusiasts and phone addicts, Colleen Collette (Lily-Rose Depp) and Colleen McKenzie (Harley Quinn Smith), who have an after school job working at a local convenience store, find themselves teaming up with detective Guy LaPointe (Johnny Depp) to defeat an army of Bratzis, little Bratwurst Nazis, so they can get back to their sophomore partying lives.

When four guys need a way to save their local pub, they come up with a crazy plan. ChickLit is a comedy about their idea to write a 50 Shades of Grey style novel, but the publisher insists that the young woman "author" does the publicity for the book. No one can know who wrote it, so they hire Zoe (Dakota Blue Richards), an out of work actress, to act as the author. She then becomes the star in the film version of the book, putting her in control and the guys are left with the prospect of writing more sex novels for the foreseeable future.

Ben (Viggo Mortensent) and Leslie (Trin Miller) are idealistic parents who chose to raise their children in the forests of the Pacific Northwest to protect their family from the distractions of the technological age. When his wife commits suicide, Ben and his family have to leave the forest and enter the modern world to attend to attend her funeral. Captain Fantastic shows what happens when they have to exchange the innocense and tranquility of nature for the complexities of modern life.

The final four movies on my list this fortnight begins with the fantastical animated action adventure set in Japan, Kubo and the Two Strings. When Kubo (Art Parkinson) accidently summons a spirit from the heavens with an age-old vendetta to settle, he must go on the run. He sets out on a quest to save his family and solve the mystery of his fallen Samurai father, joining forces with Monkey (Charlize Theron) and Beetle (Matthew McConaughey) and battling gods and monsters along the way.

After powerful people steal their money, Toby (Chris Pine), a straight-living, divorced father and his short-tempered, ex-con brother, Tanner (Ben Foster) come together, in Hell or High Water, to save their families' future by attempting to rob a branch of the bank which is foreclosing on their land. The brothers' plan seems to working but as their final heist nears, a showdown looms between them and a relentless, foul-mouthed Texas Ranger (Jeff Bridges) who has them in his crosshairs.

Ben-Hur is the third big screen adaptation of Lew Wallace's 1880 novel Ben-Hur: A Tale of Christ in which a Jewish prince (Jack Huston) spends years toiling in slavery after an old friend, now an officer in the Roman army occupying Jerusalem (Toby Kebbell), falsely accuses him of a crime. In time, he wins his freedom and competes against his betrayer in a violent chariot race, but an encounter with Jesus Christ (Rodrigo Santoro) teaches him the importance of mercy and compassion.

Investment banker Naomi Bishop (Anna Gunn) fights her way to the top of a competitive Wall Street firm in Equity, a film about woman who thrive on competition and ambition but also have to carefully calibrates their lives to stay equal in the game. The story follows her as she navigates a controversial tech IPO in the post-financial crisis world, where loyalties are suspect, regulations are tight, but pressure to bring in “big money” remains high.  

UK Release Dates

Cafe Society                               02 September 2016 TRAILER
ChickLit                                      02 September 2016 TRAILER
Equity                                        02 September 2016 TRAILER
Sausage Party                             02 September 2016 TRAILER
Ben-Hur                                      07 September 2016 TRAILER
Captain Fantastic                         09 September 2016 TRAILER
Hell or High Water                        09 September 2016 TRAILER
Kubo and the Two Strings             09 September 2016 TRAILER

USA Release Dates
Yoga Hosers                              02 September 2016 TRAILER