The "X-Men" film franchise was one of the superhero genre's first bonafide success stories. After debuting in 2000 to decent reviews and solid gold box office, Marvel's mutants added a new level of legitimacy to comic book adaptations on film and provided a runway for other characters to make it to the silver screen. It's a shame, then, that a franchise once emblematic of its genre's greatest potential has since succumbed to its worst qualities: overcomplicated canon, problematic players behind the scenes (his name rhymes with Shmyan Shminger), and corporate interests milking spin-offs for all they could be worth, even as the udders run dry. If it weren't for the Disney-Fox merger and Marvel Studios' plan for mutant integration into the MCU, the "X-Men" franchise would be as close to dead-in-the-water as you can be.
In fairness, the X-Men became friendly with development hell long before its first film. There's just...
In fairness, the X-Men became friendly with development hell long before its first film. There's just...
- 5/4/2024
- by Larry Fried
- Slash Film
The Masters of the Universe toy and cartoon franchise got a live-action film adaptation back in 1987, with Dolph Lundgren taking on the role of lead hero He-Man, who defends the planet Eternia (and the rest of the universe) from evil forces, usually headed up by the villain Skeletor. To cut costs, the majority of the film is set on 1980s Earth, with He-Man and various other characters being transported from Eternia to Earth with the use of a “Cosmic Key.” Another live-action film adaptation of Masters of the Universe has been in development hell for a long time, but it looks like might finally escape into production, as Amazon MGM Studios and Mattel Studios have announced that the movie will be receiving a theatrical release on June 5, 2026. Technically, summer in the northern hemisphere won’t begin until June 21st in 2026, but this is considered a summer release because summer starts early in the movie industry.
- 5/2/2024
- by Cody Hamman
- JoBlo.com
Jason Blum now has his hands on The Blair Witch Project, and a big screen reboot is on the way: more here.
By this stage, we can tick the popular horror franchises off as they take their place in the reboot queue. At the time of writing, The First Omen is in cinemas. We’ve had Scream reboots, a new Salem’s Lot is (finally) on the way, and decisions are being made as to the next direction for The Exorcist. Now? Let’s add The Blair Witch Project to the pile, a series that thus far covers three films, the last of which came from Adam Wingard back in 2016.
Lionsgate and Jason Blum’s Blumhouse company have just been working together on the release of Jeff Wadlow’s Imaginary, and now they’ve inked a fresh deal to oversee a new Blair Witch film. Likely lots of new Blair Witch films.
By this stage, we can tick the popular horror franchises off as they take their place in the reboot queue. At the time of writing, The First Omen is in cinemas. We’ve had Scream reboots, a new Salem’s Lot is (finally) on the way, and decisions are being made as to the next direction for The Exorcist. Now? Let’s add The Blair Witch Project to the pile, a series that thus far covers three films, the last of which came from Adam Wingard back in 2016.
Lionsgate and Jason Blum’s Blumhouse company have just been working together on the release of Jeff Wadlow’s Imaginary, and now they’ve inked a fresh deal to oversee a new Blair Witch film. Likely lots of new Blair Witch films.
- 4/11/2024
- by Simon Brew
- Film Stories
Reader, you have been lied to! Film history is littered with unfairly maligned classics, whether critics were too eager to review the making of rather than the finished product, or they suffered from underwhelming ad campaigns or general disinterest. Let’s revise our takes on some of these films from the wrongheaded to the correct opinion.
Earlier this year, the Criterion Channel launched a series devoted to films that have won Golden Raspberry Awards, or “Razzies,” prizes ostensibly created to recognize the worst that cinema has to offer. The idea of streaming’s most respected curator of film art showcasing a selection of Razzie winners was one whose time was long overdue, given the Razzies’ astonishingly reliable tendency to be on the wrong side of history; the list of nominations from any given year is typically more useful as a guide for suggested viewing than as an indication of what to avoid.
Earlier this year, the Criterion Channel launched a series devoted to films that have won Golden Raspberry Awards, or “Razzies,” prizes ostensibly created to recognize the worst that cinema has to offer. The idea of streaming’s most respected curator of film art showcasing a selection of Razzie winners was one whose time was long overdue, given the Razzies’ astonishingly reliable tendency to be on the wrong side of history; the list of nominations from any given year is typically more useful as a guide for suggested viewing than as an indication of what to avoid.
- 4/4/2024
- by Jim Hemphill
- Indiewire
Santa Monica, CA – Keep your new best friend forever when Imaginary arrives on Electronic Sell-Through May 7 and Blu-ray™ (+ DVD and Digital), and DVD from Lionsgate. Imaginary stars Chauncey the Bear, Blumhouse’s latest horror icon, now ready to play in your imagination at home! But remember, Chauncey is not imaginary, and not your friend. Alongside Chauncey are his human castmates DeWanda Wise (Jurassic World Dominion), Tom Payne (“The Walking Dead”), Taegen Burns (“The Mighty Ducks: Game Changers”), Pyper Braun (Desperation Road), Betty Buckley (Carrie), Matthew Sato (“High School Musical: The Musical: The Series”), and Veronica Falcón (“Ozark”).
When Jessica moves back into her childhood home with her family, her youngest stepdaughter, Alice, finds a stuffed bear named Chauncey. As Alice’s behavior becomes more and more concerning, Jessica intervenes only to realize that Chauncey is much more than the stuffed toy bear she believed him to be.
Lionsgate and Blumhouse...
When Jessica moves back into her childhood home with her family, her youngest stepdaughter, Alice, finds a stuffed bear named Chauncey. As Alice’s behavior becomes more and more concerning, Jessica intervenes only to realize that Chauncey is much more than the stuffed toy bear she believed him to be.
Lionsgate and Blumhouse...
- 4/2/2024
- by ComicMix Staff
- Comicmix.com
This week brought along with it five brand new horror movies, including a sequel to a viral hit, the at-home debut of a recent theatrical release, and even a new Easter horror movie.
Here’s all the new horror that released March 25, 2024 – March 31, 2024!
For daily reminders about new horror releases, be sure to follow @HorrorCalendar.
From Fathom Events, the slasher sequel Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey II was released into theaters on March 26, but the bad news here is that the film was only playing in theaters for three days – March 26 – March 28. Stay tuned for an at-home release date.
In the film from director Rhys Frake-Waterfield, “Deep within the 100-Acre-Wood, a destructive rage grows as Winnie-the-Pooh, Piglet, Owl, and Tigger find their home and their lives endangered after Christopher Robin revealed their existence. Not wanting to live in the shadows any longer, the group decides to take the fight to the town of Ashdown,...
Here’s all the new horror that released March 25, 2024 – March 31, 2024!
For daily reminders about new horror releases, be sure to follow @HorrorCalendar.
From Fathom Events, the slasher sequel Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey II was released into theaters on March 26, but the bad news here is that the film was only playing in theaters for three days – March 26 – March 28. Stay tuned for an at-home release date.
In the film from director Rhys Frake-Waterfield, “Deep within the 100-Acre-Wood, a destructive rage grows as Winnie-the-Pooh, Piglet, Owl, and Tigger find their home and their lives endangered after Christopher Robin revealed their existence. Not wanting to live in the shadows any longer, the group decides to take the fight to the town of Ashdown,...
- 3/30/2024
- by John Squires
- bloody-disgusting.com
Imaginary, the latest team-up between Blumhouse and director Jeff Wadlow – who had previously collaborated on the 2018 film Truth or Dare and the 2020 horror version of Fantasy Island – reached theatres on March 8th, and it hasn’t set the box office on fire during its tow and a half week theatrical run, pulling in just under $29 million at the global box office. Now Lionsgate has given the film a PVOD (that’s Premium Video on Demand) and Pest (that’s Premium Electronic Sell-Through) release, so maybe more genre fans will check it out now that it’s available to watch in the comfort of our own homes.
The Amazon version it available to watch Here. The Vudu version comes with an exclusive featurette: Forged by Fire: A Tale of Unbreakable Family Bonds.
The film sees DeWanda Wise of Jurassic World: Dominion taking on the role of Jessica, who moves back into...
The Amazon version it available to watch Here. The Vudu version comes with an exclusive featurette: Forged by Fire: A Tale of Unbreakable Family Bonds.
The film sees DeWanda Wise of Jurassic World: Dominion taking on the role of Jessica, who moves back into...
- 3/26/2024
- by Cody Hamman
- JoBlo.com
Did you have a stuffed animal when you were a kid? Heck, do you have one now (no judgment)? Well ... what if that stuffed animal was alive and also evil ... or something like that? That's the basic set-up of "Imaginary," one of the latest offerings from Blumhouse, the folks who know how to make horror hits. The horror flick directed by Jeff Wadlow hit theaters earlier this month, and if you've been waiting to watch the movie at home, here's some good news: it'll be available to watch via Premium Video on Demand and Premium Electronic Sell-Through this week! Tomorrow, in fact!
DeWanda Wise ("Jurassic World Dominion"), Tom Payne ("The Walking Dead"), Taegen Burns ("The Mighty Ducks: Game Changers"), Pyper Braun ("Desperation Road"), Betty Buckley ("Carrie"), Matthew Sato ("High School Musical: The Musical: The Series"), and Veronica Falcón ("Ozark") all star in the film, along with the movie's main attraction: Chauncey the Bear.
DeWanda Wise ("Jurassic World Dominion"), Tom Payne ("The Walking Dead"), Taegen Burns ("The Mighty Ducks: Game Changers"), Pyper Braun ("Desperation Road"), Betty Buckley ("Carrie"), Matthew Sato ("High School Musical: The Musical: The Series"), and Veronica Falcón ("Ozark") all star in the film, along with the movie's main attraction: Chauncey the Bear.
- 3/25/2024
- by Chris Evangelista
- Slash Film
After scaring up $30 million at the worldwide box office, Blumhouse and Lionsgate’s new horror movie Imaginary is now headed home this week, Bloody Disgusting has learned.
Meet your brand-new best friend forever when Imaginary arrives on Premium Video on Demand and Premium Electronic Sell-Through on March 26 from Lionsgate.
Beginning tomorrow, Imaginary will be available to buy for $24.99 and to rent at $19.99 (48-hour period) on participating digital platforms from which movies are purchased, including Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV, Google Play, Vudu, and more.
Special Features include:
Vudu Exclusive Featurette – “Forged by Fire: A Tale of Unbreakable Family Bonds”
DeWanda Wise (Jurassic World Dominion) stars in Imaginary…
“Jessica moves back into her childhood home with her family. Her youngest stepdaughter Alice develops an eerie attachment to a stuffed bear named Chauncey she finds in the basement. Alice starts playing games with Chauncey that begin playful and become increasingly sinister. As...
Meet your brand-new best friend forever when Imaginary arrives on Premium Video on Demand and Premium Electronic Sell-Through on March 26 from Lionsgate.
Beginning tomorrow, Imaginary will be available to buy for $24.99 and to rent at $19.99 (48-hour period) on participating digital platforms from which movies are purchased, including Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV, Google Play, Vudu, and more.
Special Features include:
Vudu Exclusive Featurette – “Forged by Fire: A Tale of Unbreakable Family Bonds”
DeWanda Wise (Jurassic World Dominion) stars in Imaginary…
“Jessica moves back into her childhood home with her family. Her youngest stepdaughter Alice develops an eerie attachment to a stuffed bear named Chauncey she finds in the basement. Alice starts playing games with Chauncey that begin playful and become increasingly sinister. As...
- 3/25/2024
- by John Squires
- bloody-disgusting.com
Consider us both shaken and stirred – according to an unnamed source, Kick-Ass' Aaron Taylor-Johnson has been offered the role of James Bond. It’s real this time, we promise.
After what’s probably been close to a decade of speculation, an insider claims Eon have chosen their next suited super-spy, according to The Sun.
The British media outlet dropped the news from an unnamed source yesterday. To be fair, if we’d leaked the most-anticipated news of Barbara Broccoli’s career before the star had even signed on the dotted line, we’d want to stay unnamed too.
Taylor-Johnson grew to fame in Matthew Vaughn’s punchy, sweary comic book adaptation, Kick-Ass, and its 2013 sequel (directed by Imaginary auteur Jeff Wadlow), and is set to star in the much-delayed Kraven The Hunter from Sony Pictures. His name’s been hovering around the bookies’ list of likely Bond replacements for a while,...
After what’s probably been close to a decade of speculation, an insider claims Eon have chosen their next suited super-spy, according to The Sun.
The British media outlet dropped the news from an unnamed source yesterday. To be fair, if we’d leaked the most-anticipated news of Barbara Broccoli’s career before the star had even signed on the dotted line, we’d want to stay unnamed too.
Taylor-Johnson grew to fame in Matthew Vaughn’s punchy, sweary comic book adaptation, Kick-Ass, and its 2013 sequel (directed by Imaginary auteur Jeff Wadlow), and is set to star in the much-delayed Kraven The Hunter from Sony Pictures. His name’s been hovering around the bookies’ list of likely Bond replacements for a while,...
- 3/19/2024
- by James Harvey
- Film Stories
Starting with the 2011 film, Chris Evans has embodied the iconic Marvel superhero Captain America in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and has since reprised his role in multiple films. While the actor was initially skeptical about taking on the role, he has garnered immense praise worldwide for his performance in the MCU.
Chris Evans as Captain America
However, before the Knives Out star joined the superhero franchise as The First Avenger, the studio received a pitch to cast actors like Dwayne Johnson or Will Smith to take on the role of Steve Rogers.
Jeff Wadlow’s Pitched A Captain America Film After the Success of Iron Man
Screenwriter and filmmaker Jeff Wadlow shared during an interview that he was highly impressed by the 2008 Rober Downey Jr. starrer Iron Man. The huge success led to the filmmaker’s attempt to pitch a vision for a film following the MCU’s super soldier,...
Chris Evans as Captain America
However, before the Knives Out star joined the superhero franchise as The First Avenger, the studio received a pitch to cast actors like Dwayne Johnson or Will Smith to take on the role of Steve Rogers.
Jeff Wadlow’s Pitched A Captain America Film After the Success of Iron Man
Screenwriter and filmmaker Jeff Wadlow shared during an interview that he was highly impressed by the 2008 Rober Downey Jr. starrer Iron Man. The huge success led to the filmmaker’s attempt to pitch a vision for a film following the MCU’s super soldier,...
- 3/18/2024
- by Laxmi Rajput
- FandomWire
Teddy Bears can be scary too. At least that’s what the fine folks behind Imaginary are counting on. Opening last weekend, the latest from Blumhouse takes spooky toys in a new direction. Directed by Jeff Wadlow, who has had a couple of collaborations with Blumhouse, the thriller brings horror to the family. Starring DeWanda Wise, Taegen Burns, Pyper Braun, and Tom Payne who portray a family that faces an unexpected terror when a young girl discovers a cute little teddy bear.
Having spoken to Jeff Wadlow before, I’ve always found him to be terrific to talk with. Having sat down with him, along with Jason Blum, a couple weeks ago, Jeff and I continued our conversation the day before the film’s opening. During the extended chat, the director discussed the idea of a scary bear, and how that became the creepy toy in Imaginary. The filmmaker discussed his previous efforts,...
Having spoken to Jeff Wadlow before, I’ve always found him to be terrific to talk with. Having sat down with him, along with Jason Blum, a couple weeks ago, Jeff and I continued our conversation the day before the film’s opening. During the extended chat, the director discussed the idea of a scary bear, and how that became the creepy toy in Imaginary. The filmmaker discussed his previous efforts,...
- 3/14/2024
- by JimmyO
- JoBlo.com
Blumhouse returned to the big screen with brand new horror movie Imaginary over the weekend, and the marketing campaign from Blumhouse and Lionsgate suggested that the studios were hoping to have another M3GAN on their hands. But while M3GAN opened to $30 million in early 2023, Imaginary only scared up 1/3 of that number in its debut weekend.
Director Jeff Wadlow’s Imaginary pulled in $10 million at the domestic box office over the weekend, but the good news for Blumhouse is that the film’s production budget was just $10-12 million. The Blumhouse model all but ensures that these smaller horror movies are going to be profitable no matter what – even if audiences and critics agree they’re not so good.
Speaking of which, you can read Meagan’s review for Bloody Disgusting here.
Meagan writes, “More than just a familiar entry in horror, Imaginary is the type of silly that...
Director Jeff Wadlow’s Imaginary pulled in $10 million at the domestic box office over the weekend, but the good news for Blumhouse is that the film’s production budget was just $10-12 million. The Blumhouse model all but ensures that these smaller horror movies are going to be profitable no matter what – even if audiences and critics agree they’re not so good.
Speaking of which, you can read Meagan’s review for Bloody Disgusting here.
Meagan writes, “More than just a familiar entry in horror, Imaginary is the type of silly that...
- 3/11/2024
- by John Squires
- bloody-disgusting.com
Stars: DeWanda Wise, Taegen Burns, Pyper Braun, Betty Buckley, Tom Payne, Veronica Falcon | Written by Jeff Wadlow, Greg Erb, Jason Oremland | Directed by Jeff Wadlow
Produced by BlumHouse and directed by Jeff Wadlow (Fantasy Island), Imaginary is a solidly entertaining Friday night horror flick that does a decent job with its premise. It may not deliver any really big scares (at least not if you’re not frightened of bears or spiders), but it’s consistently creepy and tense and Wadlow pulls off a couple of neat twists.
DeWanda Wise plays Jessica, a children’s book author and illustrator who has recently married musician Max (Tom Payne) and become stepmother to his two daughters, stroppy teenager Taylor (Taegen Burns) and six year-old Alice (Pyper Braun). When the family move into Jessica’s old family home, Alice finds an old teddy bear in the basement and quickly turns him into her imaginary friend,...
Produced by BlumHouse and directed by Jeff Wadlow (Fantasy Island), Imaginary is a solidly entertaining Friday night horror flick that does a decent job with its premise. It may not deliver any really big scares (at least not if you’re not frightened of bears or spiders), but it’s consistently creepy and tense and Wadlow pulls off a couple of neat twists.
DeWanda Wise plays Jessica, a children’s book author and illustrator who has recently married musician Max (Tom Payne) and become stepmother to his two daughters, stroppy teenager Taylor (Taegen Burns) and six year-old Alice (Pyper Braun). When the family move into Jessica’s old family home, Alice finds an old teddy bear in the basement and quickly turns him into her imaginary friend,...
- 3/11/2024
- by Matthew Turner
- Nerdly
In the crammed video aisle of supernatural horror films, the introduction of a villainous teddy bear in Imaginary might initially raise more eyebrows than pulse rates. Directed with a keen eye for the absurd by Jeff Wadlow (director of Nofs fave Cry_Wolf) and penned by the trio of Wadlow, Greg Erb, and Jason Oremland, this latest offering from Blumhouse Productions – the powerhouse behind a slew of commodified villains – might seem like it’s scraping the bottom of the horror trope barrel. The film stars DeWanda Wise, Tom Payne, and the delightful Betty Buckley, in a narrative that threads the familiar needle of haunted playthings and the unseen horrors they sneak under our beds.
“..Imaginary manages to swerve unexpectedly from eye-roll-worthy to surprisingly delightful. “
The premise of Imaginary tiptoes around the edge of being all too familiar: Jessica (DeWanda Wise) and her family, including the youngest stepdaughter Alice (Pyper Braun), move back to her childhood home,...
“..Imaginary manages to swerve unexpectedly from eye-roll-worthy to surprisingly delightful. “
The premise of Imaginary tiptoes around the edge of being all too familiar: Jessica (DeWanda Wise) and her family, including the youngest stepdaughter Alice (Pyper Braun), move back to her childhood home,...
- 3/10/2024
- by Kimberley Elizabeth
Director John Krasinski’s 2024 movie If is all set to hit the theatres in May 2024 and coincidentally, it was made alongside a film with a similar “imaginary friends” theme movie directed by Jeff Wadlow called Imaginary. In a recent interview, Wadlow opened up about running into Krasinski several times as their films were edited in the same building.
A still from Imaginary (2024)
The films are not the same, as Krasinski’s If is an animated fantasy comedy film while Wadlow’s Imaginary is a supernatural horror film, however, due to the similar themes admitted that he “kept his head down” whenever he bumped into Krasinski in New York.
Imaginary director Jeff Wadlow was trying to avoid John Krasinski A still from John Krasinski’s If (2024)
Director Jeff Wadlow recently acknowledged the fact that his 2024 film Imaginary shares a similar theme to John Krasinski‘s 2024 movie If. The director explained in...
A still from Imaginary (2024)
The films are not the same, as Krasinski’s If is an animated fantasy comedy film while Wadlow’s Imaginary is a supernatural horror film, however, due to the similar themes admitted that he “kept his head down” whenever he bumped into Krasinski in New York.
Imaginary director Jeff Wadlow was trying to avoid John Krasinski A still from John Krasinski’s If (2024)
Director Jeff Wadlow recently acknowledged the fact that his 2024 film Imaginary shares a similar theme to John Krasinski‘s 2024 movie If. The director explained in...
- 3/10/2024
- by Farhan Asif
- FandomWire
Talk about loyalty.
Betty Buckley has been staying at the Chateau Marmont for about 50 years. She first checked in when she was filming her big screen debut as gym teacher Miss Collins in “Carrie” and then when she landed the role of Abby Bradford, Dick Van Patten’s new wife and stepmother to his kids in ABC’s 1970s family comedy-drama “Eight Is Enough.”
After half a century calling the Chateau her Los Angeles home — she lives full-time at a ranch outside of Fort Worth, Texas — Buckley has a lot of stories.
“Oh, there are some wild ones,” the 76-year-old actor and singer says while nibbling on a fruit and cheese plate in the hotel’s lobby restaurant on a recent weekday afternoon. She’s in town promoting her new horror movie, “Imaginary.”
Buckley quickly recalls becoming friends with John Belushi, first in New York City and then when he...
Betty Buckley has been staying at the Chateau Marmont for about 50 years. She first checked in when she was filming her big screen debut as gym teacher Miss Collins in “Carrie” and then when she landed the role of Abby Bradford, Dick Van Patten’s new wife and stepmother to his kids in ABC’s 1970s family comedy-drama “Eight Is Enough.”
After half a century calling the Chateau her Los Angeles home — she lives full-time at a ranch outside of Fort Worth, Texas — Buckley has a lot of stories.
“Oh, there are some wild ones,” the 76-year-old actor and singer says while nibbling on a fruit and cheese plate in the hotel’s lobby restaurant on a recent weekday afternoon. She’s in town promoting her new horror movie, “Imaginary.”
Buckley quickly recalls becoming friends with John Belushi, first in New York City and then when he...
- 3/9/2024
- by Marc Malkin
- Variety Film + TV
Jack Black’s Po is back after nearly a decade, and he’s already receiving a hero’s welcome from audiences.
Kung Fu Panda 4 opened to a stellar $58.3 million domestically, well ahead of expectations and a near-series best in a win for the family marketplace, as well as for DreamWorks Animation and parent company Universal (the studio behind Sunday’s Academy Awards frontrunner Oppenheimer). The only other Kung Fu Panda installment to open higher was the first one in 2008 with $62 million, not adjusted for inflation.
Along with Black, returning members of the Kung Fu Panda 4 voice cast include Dustin Hoffman as Kung Fu master Shifu, James Hong as Po’s adoptive father, Bryan Cranston as Po’s birth father Li and Ian McShane as Shifu’s former student and arch-nemesis.
Series newcomers include Viola Davis as a tiny lizard and shapeshifting sorceress and Awakawfina as a quick-witted thief...
Kung Fu Panda 4 opened to a stellar $58.3 million domestically, well ahead of expectations and a near-series best in a win for the family marketplace, as well as for DreamWorks Animation and parent company Universal (the studio behind Sunday’s Academy Awards frontrunner Oppenheimer). The only other Kung Fu Panda installment to open higher was the first one in 2008 with $62 million, not adjusted for inflation.
Along with Black, returning members of the Kung Fu Panda 4 voice cast include Dustin Hoffman as Kung Fu master Shifu, James Hong as Po’s adoptive father, Bryan Cranston as Po’s birth father Li and Ian McShane as Shifu’s former student and arch-nemesis.
Series newcomers include Viola Davis as a tiny lizard and shapeshifting sorceress and Awakawfina as a quick-witted thief...
- 3/9/2024
- by Pamela McClintock
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
It’s been nearly three months since an animated wide release hit theaters, the last being Illumination’s “Migration” over the holidays. That’s a little bit frightening, but with some expert timing “Kung Fu Panda 4” has arrived, benefitting from a lack of competition for family audiences to score some strong numbers in its debut.
Universal’s animated action comedy film kicked off to $19.4 million from 4,035 theaters across its opening day and preview screenings. That’s the strongest opening day for the series since the 2008 original nabbed $20 million on its first day, on its way to a $60.2 million total across the three-day frame. This new fourth entry won’t reach those heights, projecting an opening of $55 million, but it’ll come in ahead of the figures earned by the 2010 sequel ($47.6 million) and 2016 threequel ($41.2 million).
It’s a successful kick-off for the DreamWorks Animation feature, especially considering it only carries...
Universal’s animated action comedy film kicked off to $19.4 million from 4,035 theaters across its opening day and preview screenings. That’s the strongest opening day for the series since the 2008 original nabbed $20 million on its first day, on its way to a $60.2 million total across the three-day frame. This new fourth entry won’t reach those heights, projecting an opening of $55 million, but it’ll come in ahead of the figures earned by the 2010 sequel ($47.6 million) and 2016 threequel ($41.2 million).
It’s a successful kick-off for the DreamWorks Animation feature, especially considering it only carries...
- 3/9/2024
- by J. Kim Murphy
- Variety Film + TV
Editor Sean Albertson has worked with director Jeff Wadlow on six projects to date, but their latest collaboration on “Imaginary” provided a new challenge: How to use editing to project human characteristics onto Chauncey, the stuffed bear that serves as the titular imaginary friend. In the Blumhouse/Lionsgate horror film, the audience quickly becomes aware that this new pal of young Alice (Pyper Braun) is very real and very dangerous — something that is largely conveyed through cleverly timed reaction shots that reveal what Chauncey is thinking and feeling even though his expressions barely change.
“I edited Chauncey the same way I would a human actor,” Albertson told IndieWire. “I believe that an audience knows how to feel based on the reactions of the other people in the scene, so precisely when we would cut to Chauncey mattered immensely. What is he reacting to? There’s a scene where Alice says to [her stepmom] Jessica,...
“I edited Chauncey the same way I would a human actor,” Albertson told IndieWire. “I believe that an audience knows how to feel based on the reactions of the other people in the scene, so precisely when we would cut to Chauncey mattered immensely. What is he reacting to? There’s a scene where Alice says to [her stepmom] Jessica,...
- 3/9/2024
- by Jim Hemphill
- Indiewire
Spoiler Alert: This article discusses plot twists in the new movie “Imaginary.“
To the public, DeWanda Wise is the glamorous heart of movies like “The Harder They Fall” and “Jurassic World Dominion,” but she consistently describes herself as a “nerdy actor.”
While she plays it cool as Jessica, the hero battling a sinister teddy bear named Chauncey in the new horror movie “Imaginary,” Wise pushes herself by working behind the camera. Her executive producer credit on the Lionsgate film was not a vanity title, but rather an essential step on her journey to claim space behind the scenes.
“I’m a filmmaker,” she said. “I have never been the kind of actor that shows up to a set and just lays back in the makeup chair.”
Wearing multiple hats encouraged Wise to prepare deeply for the role, essential for a film like “Imaginary,” which required plenty of emotion and physicality.
To the public, DeWanda Wise is the glamorous heart of movies like “The Harder They Fall” and “Jurassic World Dominion,” but she consistently describes herself as a “nerdy actor.”
While she plays it cool as Jessica, the hero battling a sinister teddy bear named Chauncey in the new horror movie “Imaginary,” Wise pushes herself by working behind the camera. Her executive producer credit on the Lionsgate film was not a vanity title, but rather an essential step on her journey to claim space behind the scenes.
“I’m a filmmaker,” she said. “I have never been the kind of actor that shows up to a set and just lays back in the makeup chair.”
Wearing multiple hats encouraged Wise to prepare deeply for the role, essential for a film like “Imaginary,” which required plenty of emotion and physicality.
- 3/9/2024
- by William Earl
- Variety Film + TV
Pyper Braun as Alice in ‘Imaginary’ (Photo Credit: Parrish Lewis / Lionsgate)
At first glance, it would seem as if Blumhouse’s new horror movie Imaginary is just another killer doll movie along the lines of Child’s Play or Annabelle. And after a watch, that’s pretty much what it is. But with a few twists.
Imaginary is about a children’s book author/illustrator named Jessica (DeWanda Wise from Jurassic World Dominion) who moves into her childhood home with her husband, Max (The Walking Dead’s Tom Payne), and his two girls, the teenaged Taylor (Monarch’s Taegen Burns) and the younger Alice (Desperation Road’s Pyper Braun). Lonely in her new place, Alice immediately makes an imaginary friend named Chauncey who takes the form of a cute little teddy bear. But there’s more to Chauncey than meets the eye – and he has history with Jessica.
Directed by Jeff Wadlow...
At first glance, it would seem as if Blumhouse’s new horror movie Imaginary is just another killer doll movie along the lines of Child’s Play or Annabelle. And after a watch, that’s pretty much what it is. But with a few twists.
Imaginary is about a children’s book author/illustrator named Jessica (DeWanda Wise from Jurassic World Dominion) who moves into her childhood home with her husband, Max (The Walking Dead’s Tom Payne), and his two girls, the teenaged Taylor (Monarch’s Taegen Burns) and the younger Alice (Desperation Road’s Pyper Braun). Lonely in her new place, Alice immediately makes an imaginary friend named Chauncey who takes the form of a cute little teddy bear. But there’s more to Chauncey than meets the eye – and he has history with Jessica.
Directed by Jeff Wadlow...
- 3/8/2024
- by James Jay Edwards
- Showbiz Junkies
In the latest from Blumhouse, evil has found a new home in a cute little teddy bear. Imaginary tells the story of Jessica who returns to her childhood home with her family. Things don’t go so well when they discover a sweet old teddy bear, locked away in a secret door. What’s up with this scary bear? I won’t spoil it here. The Jeff Wadlow-directed feature stars DeWanda Wise, Taegen Burns, Pyper Braun, Tom Payne, and Betty Buckley. And now you can discover the secrets of this frightful childhood toy.
We sat down with the fine folks behind this new fright flick. First came the family, as we chatted with the lovely and talented DeWanda Wise as well as Taegen Burns and Pyper Braun. For Wise, she talked about taking on the lead in a Blumhouse thriller. She opened up about working with Jeff Wadlow, and dealing with childhood fears.
We sat down with the fine folks behind this new fright flick. First came the family, as we chatted with the lovely and talented DeWanda Wise as well as Taegen Burns and Pyper Braun. For Wise, she talked about taking on the lead in a Blumhouse thriller. She opened up about working with Jeff Wadlow, and dealing with childhood fears.
- 3/8/2024
- by JimmyO
- JoBlo.com
Dane Diliegro‘s breakthrough role as the feral Predator in 2022’s Prey marked him as one to watch in the genre space. Now, the 6’8″ actor can be seen going feral on screen once more in Imaginary, as the more monstrous version of Chauncey the Bear.
Imaginary, out now in theaters, is directed by Jeff Wadlow (Cry Wolf, Kick-Ass 2, Truth or Dare, Fantasy Island, The Curse of Bridge Hollow) and stars DeWanda Wise, Tom Payne, Taegen Burns, Pyper Braun, Veronica Falcon, and Betty Buckley.
The horror film introduces a cute, imaginary teddy bear named Chauncey, brought to life via the award-winning animatronic and practical effects house Spectral Motion. But there are many iterations of the villain, with the Diliegro’s Bear Beast delivering critical scares and at least one notable kill. Bloody Disgusting spoke with Diliegro about his turn in Imaginary, where the actor provided more insight into the film...
Imaginary, out now in theaters, is directed by Jeff Wadlow (Cry Wolf, Kick-Ass 2, Truth or Dare, Fantasy Island, The Curse of Bridge Hollow) and stars DeWanda Wise, Tom Payne, Taegen Burns, Pyper Braun, Veronica Falcon, and Betty Buckley.
The horror film introduces a cute, imaginary teddy bear named Chauncey, brought to life via the award-winning animatronic and practical effects house Spectral Motion. But there are many iterations of the villain, with the Diliegro’s Bear Beast delivering critical scares and at least one notable kill. Bloody Disgusting spoke with Diliegro about his turn in Imaginary, where the actor provided more insight into the film...
- 3/8/2024
- by Meagan Navarro
- bloody-disgusting.com
The Marvel Cinematic Universe is now opening its doors and its arms to welcome Deadpool in Deadpool & Wolverine. Before Disney purchased 20th Century Fox, Fox’s Marvel playground was the X-Men franchise. They could give a team member spin-offs, like Wolverine’s solo series, or explore a different facet of mutant-kind with a film like The New Mutants. Before the Deadpool movies with Ryan Reynolds took off, there was actually another version of his story that was planned involving the X-Force team getting their own movie.
According to ScreenRant, Jeff Wadlow, director of Kick-Ass 2, recently appeared on A Trip to the Movies with Alex Zane. He revealed his scrapped plans for an X-Force movie that would have had Ryan Reynolds redeem the interpretation of Wade Wilson from X-Men Origins: Wolverine. This project was one of many canceled explorations into the X-Men universe, such as Channing Tatum‘s solo Gambit movie.
According to ScreenRant, Jeff Wadlow, director of Kick-Ass 2, recently appeared on A Trip to the Movies with Alex Zane. He revealed his scrapped plans for an X-Force movie that would have had Ryan Reynolds redeem the interpretation of Wade Wilson from X-Men Origins: Wolverine. This project was one of many canceled explorations into the X-Men universe, such as Channing Tatum‘s solo Gambit movie.
- 3/8/2024
- by EJ Tangonan
- JoBlo.com
Filled with stock scares, stock plot turns, and stock set pieces, Imaginary, writer-director Jeff Wadlow’s latest enfeebled effort, stumbles from its first moments through its last shot before the end credits mercifully roll and bored, disinterested moviegoers head for the exits. Hampered by surface-deep dialogue, a flailing cast that deserves better, and one too many rote set-pieces, Imaginary will, like the invisible “friend” at its center, gradually fade from the memories of anyone unlucky enough to find themselves watching it at a movie theater or at home in several weeks. Wasting a perfectly serviceable idea for the horror genre, a demon-possessed stuffed teddy bear, and shamelessly borrowing, or occasionally stealing, every supernatural horror cliche, Imaginary opens inside a...
[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...
[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...
- 3/8/2024
- Screen Anarchy
Lionsgate horror Imaginary opens in 516 UK-Ireland cinemas this weekend, as the first challenger to Dune: Part Two’s box office supremacy.
Directed by Jeff Wadlow who wrote the screenplay with Greg Erb and Jason Oremland, Imaginary stars DeWanda Wise as a woman who returns to her childhood home, to discover that the imaginary friend she left behind is real and unhappy at his abandonment.
It is the eighth feature from US filmmaker Wadlow, who has worked predominantly in the genre space with titles including 2018’s Truth Or Dare and 2020’s pandemic-afflicted Blumhouse’s Fantasy Island (£392,999; £763,958). His highest-grossing title is 2013’s Kick-Ass 2,...
Directed by Jeff Wadlow who wrote the screenplay with Greg Erb and Jason Oremland, Imaginary stars DeWanda Wise as a woman who returns to her childhood home, to discover that the imaginary friend she left behind is real and unhappy at his abandonment.
It is the eighth feature from US filmmaker Wadlow, who has worked predominantly in the genre space with titles including 2018’s Truth Or Dare and 2020’s pandemic-afflicted Blumhouse’s Fantasy Island (£392,999; £763,958). His highest-grossing title is 2013’s Kick-Ass 2,...
- 3/8/2024
- ScreenDaily
Plot: A woman returns to her childhood home to discover that the imaginary friend she left behind is very real and unhappy that she abandoned him.
Review: 2024 has already not been a great year for Blumhouse horror films. Night Swim absolutely sunk on release and I can’t imagine a world where Imaginary does well. Because everything about this PG-13 horror venture feels tired and uninspired. That’s not a massive surprise, as the trailer induced groans at nearly every screening I’ve attended over the last few months. But whenever these kinds of movies are released, I always wonder: is there at least some dumb fun to be had? Unfortunately, this one is nearly barren of entertainment value.
Imaginary follows a young artist named Jessica (DeWanda Wise) as she returns to her childhood home with her new husband and stepkids, Alice and Taylor. There’s a mystery around what...
Review: 2024 has already not been a great year for Blumhouse horror films. Night Swim absolutely sunk on release and I can’t imagine a world where Imaginary does well. Because everything about this PG-13 horror venture feels tired and uninspired. That’s not a massive surprise, as the trailer induced groans at nearly every screening I’ve attended over the last few months. But whenever these kinds of movies are released, I always wonder: is there at least some dumb fun to be had? Unfortunately, this one is nearly barren of entertainment value.
Imaginary follows a young artist named Jessica (DeWanda Wise) as she returns to her childhood home with her new husband and stepkids, Alice and Taylor. There’s a mystery around what...
- 3/8/2024
- by Tyler Nichols
- JoBlo.com
"Imaginary" is a new supernatural horror feature, directed by Jeff Wadlow, starring DeWanda Wise, Tom Payne, Taegen Burns, Pyper Braun, Veronica Falcón and Betty Buckley, releasing March 8, 2024 in theaters:
"...when 'Jessica' returns to her childhood home with her family, she finds her old stuffed bear 'Chauncey' and that her stepdaughter Alice has grown attached to it. After Alice's behavior becomes concerning and the games that she and Chauncey play turn increasingly sinister, Jessica starts realizing that Chauncey is much more than the stuffed bear she believed him to be all those years..."
Click the images to enlarge...
"...when 'Jessica' returns to her childhood home with her family, she finds her old stuffed bear 'Chauncey' and that her stepdaughter Alice has grown attached to it. After Alice's behavior becomes concerning and the games that she and Chauncey play turn increasingly sinister, Jessica starts realizing that Chauncey is much more than the stuffed bear she believed him to be all those years..."
Click the images to enlarge...
- 3/8/2024
- by Unknown
- SneakPeek
They have been known to get us through tough times in our childhoods, but what happens to imaginary friends when we get older and leave them behind for the “real world”? Do they simply vanish, or does some part of them remain, waiting for us to return for a playdate that will never happen? And what if they get impatient while they wait, with their own imagination becoming dark and twisted as the days turn into years and they wait for us to return so that we can be friends forever? These intriguing (and unsettling) questions are explored in the new horror movie Imaginary, a supernatural slice of gateway horror that takes some unexpectedly eerie turns and introduces viewers to Chauncey the Bear, a new horror villain who doesn’t play nice.
At first, moving back into her childhood home seems like a fresh start for Jessica (DeWanda Wise), a...
At first, moving back into her childhood home seems like a fresh start for Jessica (DeWanda Wise), a...
- 3/8/2024
- by Derek Anderson
- DailyDead
The Curse of Bridge Hollow and Fantasy Island director Jeff Wadlow’s Imaginary adheres to the time-honored tradition of transforming make-believe childhood pals into sinister manifestations that torment their abandoners. Here, a cuddly teddy bear named Chauncey harbors dangerous resentment for being forgotten, igniting a wave of terror for an unsuspecting family. If only that terror extended to the audience experience.
A cold open teases the monstrous imaginary friend via nightmare sequence before introducing the central family unit. Jessica (DeWanda Wise), along with her husband (Tom Payne) and stepchildren Taylor (Taegen Burns) and Alice (Pyper Braun), relocate from their hectic New Orleans apartment to Jessica’s childhood home in the suburbs. Typical growing pains and adjusting to a new town are compounded by dark family histories. Then Alice finds a cute teddy bear named Chauncey in the basement, which will force Jessica to confront painful memories when Alice starts behaving strangely.
A cold open teases the monstrous imaginary friend via nightmare sequence before introducing the central family unit. Jessica (DeWanda Wise), along with her husband (Tom Payne) and stepchildren Taylor (Taegen Burns) and Alice (Pyper Braun), relocate from their hectic New Orleans apartment to Jessica’s childhood home in the suburbs. Typical growing pains and adjusting to a new town are compounded by dark family histories. Then Alice finds a cute teddy bear named Chauncey in the basement, which will force Jessica to confront painful memories when Alice starts behaving strangely.
- 3/8/2024
- by Meagan Navarro
- bloody-disgusting.com
It used to be that if a horror movie wasn’t very good, it was probably too simplistic in its fear mechanics: stalker on the loose, ghost in the attic, don’t go in the basement. Today, though, it’s often the case that megaplex horror schlock isn’t too simple — it’s too busy, too fraught with convolutions. Instead of jump scares, we get world-building hoops to jump through.
“Imaginary,” a watchable mess of a child’s-play fright flick, exemplifies the trend of overwrought too-muchness. The movie pivots around a little girl, Alice (Pyper Braun), who in the basement of her new home discovers an old Teddy bear, named Chauncey, who becomes her imaginary friend. But, of course, Chauncey isn’t just the sum of his stuffing; he’s a sinister presence with a life of his own. In the ancient days, “Imaginary” would have been an elemental spook...
“Imaginary,” a watchable mess of a child’s-play fright flick, exemplifies the trend of overwrought too-muchness. The movie pivots around a little girl, Alice (Pyper Braun), who in the basement of her new home discovers an old Teddy bear, named Chauncey, who becomes her imaginary friend. But, of course, Chauncey isn’t just the sum of his stuffing; he’s a sinister presence with a life of his own. In the ancient days, “Imaginary” would have been an elemental spook...
- 3/8/2024
- by Owen Gleiberman
- Variety Film + TV
With a similar elevator pitch and budget as M3GAN, Jeff Wadlow’s Imaginary is clearly striving to become 2024’s PG-13 horror darling about an evil children’s doll wreaking havoc on a family already in a state of metamorphosis. Regrettably, the filmmakers here have completely abandoned the archness of tone and shades of camp that made M3GAN such an entertaining, if ultimately inconsequential, experience. In place of that film’s knowing playfulness is an overwrought family drama that’s as undercooked as it is painfully familiar.
The blended family at the center of Imaginary consists of comic book artist Jessica (DeWanda Wise), her new husband, Max (Tom Payne), and his two kids from a previous marriage, Taylor (Taegen Burns) and Alice (Pyper Braun). While moody, edgy teenager Taylor constantly gives Jessica the cold shoulder, Alice—much to her big sister’s chagrin—has started to warm up to her stepmom.
The blended family at the center of Imaginary consists of comic book artist Jessica (DeWanda Wise), her new husband, Max (Tom Payne), and his two kids from a previous marriage, Taylor (Taegen Burns) and Alice (Pyper Braun). While moody, edgy teenager Taylor constantly gives Jessica the cold shoulder, Alice—much to her big sister’s chagrin—has started to warm up to her stepmom.
- 3/8/2024
- by Derek Smith
- Slant Magazine
Following the outsized PG-13 success of both M3gan with its frightening robotic doll and then Five Nights at Freddy’s with its animatronic rock band, Blumhouse has now settled on a familiar childhood companion, a seemingly innocent stuffed bear named Chauncey, to deliver carefully calculated chills in Imaginary. It is a formula that sheds the R-rated explicitness from the horror genre, something Blumhouse knows well, and makes it more palatable for a younger audience not just in ratcheting down the bloodletting, but also in bringing it to a level kids might relate to. And what better than putting familiar playthings at the center of the action, in every case guaranteed to stir up our demons and make us jump out of our seats.
There is no reason to believe that Imaginary won’t also succeed, and this one from director and co-writer Jeff Wadlow (Truth Or Dare) delves deeper into psychological terror,...
There is no reason to believe that Imaginary won’t also succeed, and this one from director and co-writer Jeff Wadlow (Truth Or Dare) delves deeper into psychological terror,...
- 3/8/2024
- by Pete Hammond
- Deadline Film + TV
DeWanda Wise (Jurassic World Dominion) doesn’t just star in upcoming horror movie Imaginary but executive produces as well. In an interview with Bloody Disgusting, the actor explains what drew her to the project, and she also reveals her personal biggest fear.
Spoiler alert: It’s not a creepy teddy bear coming to life…
DeWanda Wise plays Jessica in the film, but behind the scenes the actor collaborated with director Jeff Wadlow and beyond, including working with costume designer Eulyn Colette Hufkie. Color is important to the world of Imaginary, with blue signaling the imaginary world of the Never Ever. But color was also important to Wise for her character’s wardrobe.
Watch the interview below to learn more.
Imaginary releases in theaters on March 8, 2024.
In Imaginary, “Jessica moves back into her childhood home with her family. Her youngest stepdaughter Alice develops an eerie attachment to a stuffed bear named...
Spoiler alert: It’s not a creepy teddy bear coming to life…
DeWanda Wise plays Jessica in the film, but behind the scenes the actor collaborated with director Jeff Wadlow and beyond, including working with costume designer Eulyn Colette Hufkie. Color is important to the world of Imaginary, with blue signaling the imaginary world of the Never Ever. But color was also important to Wise for her character’s wardrobe.
Watch the interview below to learn more.
Imaginary releases in theaters on March 8, 2024.
In Imaginary, “Jessica moves back into her childhood home with her family. Her youngest stepdaughter Alice develops an eerie attachment to a stuffed bear named...
- 3/7/2024
- by Meagan Navarro
- bloody-disgusting.com
It’s been 20 years since Jeff Wadlow began his career in the entertainment industry, and he’s since created a name for himself as a highly reliable Swiss army knife. He can write, direct and produce across film and television, and he also has the added reputation of being an “idea guy.” When his career was at a crossroads in the early 2010s, he wrote his way out of it and sold spec scripts for what would become Kick-Ass 2 (2013) and Bloodshot (2020). And throughout the 2010s, whenever his next movie needed a bit of time to get off the ground, he’d put on his writer hat and join Carlton Cuse’s writers’ rooms for Bates Motel and The Strain.
The filmmaker is now back with his third Blumhouse horror film, Imaginary, which chronicles Pyper Braun’s Alice and the imaginary friendship she forms with her stepmother’s (DeWanda Wise) childhood teddy bear,...
The filmmaker is now back with his third Blumhouse horror film, Imaginary, which chronicles Pyper Braun’s Alice and the imaginary friendship she forms with her stepmother’s (DeWanda Wise) childhood teddy bear,...
- 3/7/2024
- by Brian Davids
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
After bringing nightmares to the big screen in Truth or Dare and Fantasy Island, filmmaker Jeff Wadlow and producer Jason Blum have reteamed to create more macabre movie magic in Imaginary, which introduces viewers to a supernatural entity that wreaks havoc on a fractured family through a seemingly cute (but seriously creepy) teddy bear named Chauncey.
Ahead of Imaginary's March 8th theatrical release via Lionsgate and Blumhouse, Daily Dead caught up with Jeff (who also co-wrote and produced the film) and Jason (as well as Chauncey the Bear) in a new video interview to discuss their latest collaboration, including how the movie originally came together, working with an incredible cast that includes the iconic Betty Buckley, coming up with the cute yet creepy look of Chauncey, the importance of balancing franchise films with original movies featuring new characters at Blumhouse, and their hopes to return for another round of frightful...
Ahead of Imaginary's March 8th theatrical release via Lionsgate and Blumhouse, Daily Dead caught up with Jeff (who also co-wrote and produced the film) and Jason (as well as Chauncey the Bear) in a new video interview to discuss their latest collaboration, including how the movie originally came together, working with an incredible cast that includes the iconic Betty Buckley, coming up with the cute yet creepy look of Chauncey, the importance of balancing franchise films with original movies featuring new characters at Blumhouse, and their hopes to return for another round of frightful...
- 3/6/2024
- by Derek Anderson
- DailyDead
Do you need a new best friend? Lionsgate and Blumhouse introduce Chauncey in this week’s upcoming theatrically released horror movie Imaginary, a cute teddy bear with a severe mean streak. A new image finally gives a better look at Chauncey’s beastly side.
The villain in Imaginary, Chauncey the bear, was brought to life via the award-winning animatronic and practical effects house Spectral Motion. The fully articulated teddy bear runs the gamut of emotions, often to adorable effect. But when Chauncey gets mad? Well, you get the Chauncey Beast, played by Predator actor Dane Diliegro (Prey).
Take a closer look at the Chauncey Beast with the new image, and stay tuned to hear more about the character in an upcoming interview with the 6’8″ actor who played him, Dane Diliegro.
DeWanda Wise (Jurassic World Dominion) stars in and produces Imaginary, which is scheduled for theatrical release on Friday, March 8, 2024.
In the horror movie,...
The villain in Imaginary, Chauncey the bear, was brought to life via the award-winning animatronic and practical effects house Spectral Motion. The fully articulated teddy bear runs the gamut of emotions, often to adorable effect. But when Chauncey gets mad? Well, you get the Chauncey Beast, played by Predator actor Dane Diliegro (Prey).
Take a closer look at the Chauncey Beast with the new image, and stay tuned to hear more about the character in an upcoming interview with the 6’8″ actor who played him, Dane Diliegro.
DeWanda Wise (Jurassic World Dominion) stars in and produces Imaginary, which is scheduled for theatrical release on Friday, March 8, 2024.
In the horror movie,...
- 3/6/2024
- by Meagan Navarro
- bloody-disgusting.com
The thawing of the winter box office continues this weekend with Universal/DreamWorks Animation’s Kung Fu Panda 4 which is bound to see the franchise’s second highest domestic opening at $50M+ at 3,900 theaters after the original 2008 movie ($60.2M). But that’s not all, it’s also the second biggest start for a Dwa title after Universal acquired the label from its 20th Century Fox distribution deal; the biggest during Universal’s 2.0 with Dwa being How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World which debuted to $55M in March 2019. Kung Fu Panda 4 is skewing among males and females under 25. Previews start Thursday at 2Pm. No Rt review rating yet.
Legendary Entertainment/Warner Bros’ Dune: Part Two keeps humming with $8.1M yesterday off bargain Tuesdays, +12% over Monday, for a running total through five days of $98M. The Zendaya-Timothee Chalamet-Austin Butler-Josh Brolin-...
Legendary Entertainment/Warner Bros’ Dune: Part Two keeps humming with $8.1M yesterday off bargain Tuesdays, +12% over Monday, for a running total through five days of $98M. The Zendaya-Timothee Chalamet-Austin Butler-Josh Brolin-...
- 3/6/2024
- by Anthony D'Alessandro
- Deadline Film + TV
After one of the biggest opening weekends of 2024 (by far), things normally might settle down, but DreamWorks Animation is releasing one of the first family animated movies since December, and it’s one that can help the box office recover. Read on for Gold Derby’s box office preview.
Offering “Dune: Part Two” some hearty competition and counter-programming this weekend is the first family animated feature in months, as DreamWorks Animation’s “Kung Fu Panda 4” arrives in over 3,900 theaters nationwide. Once again starring Jack Black as Po, the martial arts savvy panda bear, he’s joined in this one by the ubiquitous Awkwafina – when was the last time there was an animated movie in which she didn’t provide a voice? –as a thieving fox. Viola Davis voices the primary villain, the evil sorceress chameleon, plus there are new characters voiced by Oscar winner Ke Huy Quan (“Everything Everywhere All at Once...
Offering “Dune: Part Two” some hearty competition and counter-programming this weekend is the first family animated feature in months, as DreamWorks Animation’s “Kung Fu Panda 4” arrives in over 3,900 theaters nationwide. Once again starring Jack Black as Po, the martial arts savvy panda bear, he’s joined in this one by the ubiquitous Awkwafina – when was the last time there was an animated movie in which she didn’t provide a voice? –as a thieving fox. Viola Davis voices the primary villain, the evil sorceress chameleon, plus there are new characters voiced by Oscar winner Ke Huy Quan (“Everything Everywhere All at Once...
- 3/6/2024
- by Edward Douglas
- Gold Derby
Get ready to meet Chauncey the bear. He’s not imaginary… and he’s not your friend, either. The new horror villain in Imaginary might also be the most high maintenance star on set, at least according to a new interview with the stars.
DeWanda Wise (Jurassic World Dominion) stars in and produces Imaginary, releasing in theaters on March 8, 2024. The upcoming horror film also stars Tom Payne, Taegen Burns, Pyper Braun, Veronica Falcon, and Betty Buckley.
In Imaginary, “Jessica moves back into her childhood home with her family. Her youngest stepdaughter Alice develops an eerie attachment to a stuffed bear named Chauncey she finds in the basement. Alice starts playing games with Chauncey that begin playful and become increasingly sinister. As Alice’s behavior becomes more and more concerning, Jessica intervenes only to realize Chauncey is much more than a stuffed toy bear.”
The villain in Imaginary, Chauncey the bear,...
DeWanda Wise (Jurassic World Dominion) stars in and produces Imaginary, releasing in theaters on March 8, 2024. The upcoming horror film also stars Tom Payne, Taegen Burns, Pyper Braun, Veronica Falcon, and Betty Buckley.
In Imaginary, “Jessica moves back into her childhood home with her family. Her youngest stepdaughter Alice develops an eerie attachment to a stuffed bear named Chauncey she finds in the basement. Alice starts playing games with Chauncey that begin playful and become increasingly sinister. As Alice’s behavior becomes more and more concerning, Jessica intervenes only to realize Chauncey is much more than a stuffed toy bear.”
The villain in Imaginary, Chauncey the bear,...
- 3/6/2024
- by Meagan Navarro
- bloody-disgusting.com
When they move into their stepmom's (DeWanda Wise) childhood home, a forgotten imaginary friend becomes an all-too-real nightmare for sisters Taylor (Taegen Burns) and Alice (Pyper Braun), and they must rely on each other and their stepmom to save themselves from the wrath of the seemingly cute (but seriously creepy) teddy bear Chauncey and the other versions of the Entity that seeks to destroy their family in the new horror movie Imaginary.
Ahead of its March 8th theatrical release via Lionsgate and Blumhouse, Daily Dead had the great pleasure of talking with actors Taegen Burns and Pyper Braun (as well as their co-star Chauncey the Bear) to discuss the making of Imaginary, including what drew them to play their intriguing characters, interacting with Chauncey on set, working with the film's impressive practical effects (especially during a very eerie scene with teddy bear eye applications), and collaborating with DeWanda Wise and director Jeff Wadlow.
Ahead of its March 8th theatrical release via Lionsgate and Blumhouse, Daily Dead had the great pleasure of talking with actors Taegen Burns and Pyper Braun (as well as their co-star Chauncey the Bear) to discuss the making of Imaginary, including what drew them to play their intriguing characters, interacting with Chauncey on set, working with the film's impressive practical effects (especially during a very eerie scene with teddy bear eye applications), and collaborating with DeWanda Wise and director Jeff Wadlow.
- 3/5/2024
- by Derek Anderson
- DailyDead
It’s a box office battle of the sequels as Universal and Dreamworks Animation’s “Kung Fu Panda 4” vies for first place with “Dune: Part Two” on domestic charts.
The fourth “Kung Fu Panda” movie looks to collect $45 million to $50 million in its opening weekend. Meanwhile, “Dune: Part Two” is projected to add $40 million to $45 million in its second outing.
Regardless of reviews, “Kung Fu Panda 4” should benefit from the dearth of family films at the box office. Based on estimates, initial ticket sales should improve upon its immediate predecessors, 2016’s “Kung Fu Panda 3” ($41 million debut) and 2011’s “Kung Fu Panda 2” ($47.6 million). The original, 2008’s “Kung Fu Panda,” kicked off the martial arts-inspired comedy series with $60 million and ultimately grossed $632 million globally. The two follow-ups were financial winners with the sequel earning $665 million and the threequel generating $521 million.
The fourquel cost $85 million to produce — a smaller...
The fourth “Kung Fu Panda” movie looks to collect $45 million to $50 million in its opening weekend. Meanwhile, “Dune: Part Two” is projected to add $40 million to $45 million in its second outing.
Regardless of reviews, “Kung Fu Panda 4” should benefit from the dearth of family films at the box office. Based on estimates, initial ticket sales should improve upon its immediate predecessors, 2016’s “Kung Fu Panda 3” ($41 million debut) and 2011’s “Kung Fu Panda 2” ($47.6 million). The original, 2008’s “Kung Fu Panda,” kicked off the martial arts-inspired comedy series with $60 million and ultimately grossed $632 million globally. The two follow-ups were financial winners with the sequel earning $665 million and the threequel generating $521 million.
The fourquel cost $85 million to produce — a smaller...
- 3/5/2024
- by Rebecca Rubin
- Variety Film + TV
It’s a new month and a new month brings new horror. In this first full week of March 2024, Eight new horror movies are on the way, coming to theaters, VOD, and even the big screen.
Here’s all the new horror releasing March 5 – March 10, 2024!
For daily reminders about new horror releases, be sure to follow @HorrorCalendar.
First up, Breaking Glass Pictures has released Beware of the Boogeyman, a psychological thriller written and directed by Calvin Morie McCarthy, on VOD outlets today, March 5.
“In this chilling tale, Dr. Tristian MacKenzie embarks on her first day of orientation at the Silverdale Psychiatric Hospital for the criminally insane. There, she encounters the enigmatic Dr. Moon, who reveals a series of bizarre cases involving five patients and their shared delusion.
“As Dr. MacKenzie delves deeper into the unsettling files, she unravels a web of intrigue and horror that challenges her understanding of reality.
Here’s all the new horror releasing March 5 – March 10, 2024!
For daily reminders about new horror releases, be sure to follow @HorrorCalendar.
First up, Breaking Glass Pictures has released Beware of the Boogeyman, a psychological thriller written and directed by Calvin Morie McCarthy, on VOD outlets today, March 5.
“In this chilling tale, Dr. Tristian MacKenzie embarks on her first day of orientation at the Silverdale Psychiatric Hospital for the criminally insane. There, she encounters the enigmatic Dr. Moon, who reveals a series of bizarre cases involving five patients and their shared delusion.
“As Dr. MacKenzie delves deeper into the unsettling files, she unravels a web of intrigue and horror that challenges her understanding of reality.
- 3/5/2024
- by John Squires
- bloody-disgusting.com
During 20th Century Fox’s run and control of specific Marvel properties, many “X-Men” projects never got made. Some of those included Channing Tatum’s “Gambit,” a James Franco-led “Multiple Man” project, a solo “X-23” pic from “Logan” director James Mangold, an R-rated “X-Men Origins: Wolverine.” written by “Game of Thrones” co-showrunner David Benioff, and even two different takes on “X-Force” from director Jeff Wadlow (“Kick-Ass 2”).
Continue reading ‘X-Force’: Jeff Wadlow Says His Script Was Like ‘Red Dawn’ Meets ‘The Fugitive’ & Deadpool As A Villain at The Playlist.
Continue reading ‘X-Force’: Jeff Wadlow Says His Script Was Like ‘Red Dawn’ Meets ‘The Fugitive’ & Deadpool As A Villain at The Playlist.
- 3/5/2024
- by Christopher Marc
- The Playlist
A forgotten imaginary friend becomes an all-too-real nightmare for renowned artist Jessica (DeWanda Wise) when she moves back into her childhood home with her husband (Tom Payne) and two stepdaughters (Taegen Burns and Pyper Braun) in the new horror movie Imaginary. Ahead of its March 8th theatrical release via Lionsgate and Blumhouse, Daily Dead had the great pleasure of talking with actor DeWanda Wise (who also is one of the film's executive producers) about the collaborative approach to making Imaginary, including what drew her to playing Jessica, working with director Jeff Wadlow, and the film's emphasis on utilizing practical effects to bring the film's creepy creatures to life.
Below, you can watch our video interview with DeWanda Wise (as well as our encounter with Chauncey the Bear at the immersive pop-up experience Blumhouse Presents: Chauncey’s Imaginary Playhouse in Los Angeles), and stay tuned to Daily Dead for more coverage...
Below, you can watch our video interview with DeWanda Wise (as well as our encounter with Chauncey the Bear at the immersive pop-up experience Blumhouse Presents: Chauncey’s Imaginary Playhouse in Los Angeles), and stay tuned to Daily Dead for more coverage...
- 3/4/2024
- by Derek Anderson
- DailyDead
In the year of our Lord Cthulhu 2024, it's abundantly clear what the general aims of the Blumhouse production company are: to make a variety of mid- to low-budget genre features that contain any sort of hook which will make a return on their investment. The 21st century's version of old exploitation companies like Empire International Pictures and New World Pictures, Blumhouse occasionally produces a breakout prestige genre film, but more often than not they're making, y'know, "Night Swim."
Not that that's a bad thing, mind you. Jason Blum and company know that horror fans love a balanced diet, happily taking their veggies along with their french fries. One of the most "french fry" movies Blumhouse ever made was 2018's "Truth or Dare," a film in which the most famous high school party game turns deadly once a supernatural element forces the players to either participate or forfeit their lives.
A...
Not that that's a bad thing, mind you. Jason Blum and company know that horror fans love a balanced diet, happily taking their veggies along with their french fries. One of the most "french fry" movies Blumhouse ever made was 2018's "Truth or Dare," a film in which the most famous high school party game turns deadly once a supernatural element forces the players to either participate or forfeit their lives.
A...
- 3/4/2024
- by Bill Bria
- Slash Film
https://youtu.be/8XoNfrgrAGM?si=RMD5D2onq63xZ4fy Present In theaters March 8, 2024 Starring: DeWanda Wise, Tom Payne, Taegen Burns, Pyper Braun, with Veronica Falcon and Betty Buckley Directed by: Jeff Wadlow Screenplay by: Jeff Wadlow & Greg Erb & Jason Oremland Story by: Pete Goldfinger & Josh Stolberg Produced by: Jason Blum, Jeff …
The post Lionsgate & Blumhouse Presents: Chauncey- In Theaters, March 8, 2024 appeared first on Horror News | Hnn.
The post Lionsgate & Blumhouse Presents: Chauncey- In Theaters, March 8, 2024 appeared first on Horror News | Hnn.
- 3/2/2024
- by Janel Spiegel
- Horror News
If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, Rolling Stone may receive an affiliate commission.
Though 2024 has gotten off to a slow start, especially on the movies front, March seems determined to correct that. The year’s first real blockbuster, Dune: Part Two, debuts on the first of the month in theaters. Jake Gyllenhaal steps into Patrick Swayze’s shoes in the Road House remake on Prime Video. And, on the returning front, we’re getting a chance to see Pixar’s charming...
Though 2024 has gotten off to a slow start, especially on the movies front, March seems determined to correct that. The year’s first real blockbuster, Dune: Part Two, debuts on the first of the month in theaters. Jake Gyllenhaal steps into Patrick Swayze’s shoes in the Road House remake on Prime Video. And, on the returning front, we’re getting a chance to see Pixar’s charming...
- 3/1/2024
- by Keith Phipps
- Rollingstone.com
The stars of the new Blumhouse horror movie Imaginary stepped out for the premiere event in L.A.
DeWanda Wise, Tom Payne, and Betty Buckley walked the red carpet together at the premiere screening on Thursday night (February 29) at The Grove in Los Angeles.
They were joined by young co-stars Pyper Braun and Taegen Burns, as well as director Jeff Wadlow.
Here’s the synopsis: “When Jessica (Wise) moves back into her childhood home with her family, her youngest stepdaughter Alice (Braun) develops an eerie attachment to a stuffed bear named Chauncey she finds in the basement. Alice starts playing games with Chauncey that begin playful and become increasingly sinister. As Alice’s behavior becomes more and more concerning, Jessica intervenes only to realize Chauncey is much more than the stuffed toy bear she believed him to be.”
Imaginary hits theaters on March 8. The film marks Betty‘s first movie appearance in eight years,...
DeWanda Wise, Tom Payne, and Betty Buckley walked the red carpet together at the premiere screening on Thursday night (February 29) at The Grove in Los Angeles.
They were joined by young co-stars Pyper Braun and Taegen Burns, as well as director Jeff Wadlow.
Here’s the synopsis: “When Jessica (Wise) moves back into her childhood home with her family, her youngest stepdaughter Alice (Braun) develops an eerie attachment to a stuffed bear named Chauncey she finds in the basement. Alice starts playing games with Chauncey that begin playful and become increasingly sinister. As Alice’s behavior becomes more and more concerning, Jessica intervenes only to realize Chauncey is much more than the stuffed toy bear she believed him to be.”
Imaginary hits theaters on March 8. The film marks Betty‘s first movie appearance in eight years,...
- 3/1/2024
- by Just Jared
- Just Jared
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