If it was not for Robert Downey Jr.’s Iron Man, we would not have this concept of the cinematic universe. The MCU established a new way of tying several films, series, and comics together to weave a gigantic cinematic universe. But surprisingly, a new fan theory claims that the 2008 film was never a part of the canonical universe.
Robert Downey Jr. in and as Iron Man
The success of Iron Man started the Marvel Cinematic Universe which went on to become one of the greatest pop culture phenomenons. It amassed a massive worldwide fandom and established Robert Downey Jr. as one of the greatest names in the industry. However, a new theory states that the MCU had its inception from Iron Man 2 and not the 2008 blockbuster.
Is Robert Downey Jr.’s Iron Man not a part of the primary MCU? Robert Downey Jr. in a still from Iron Man...
Robert Downey Jr. in and as Iron Man
The success of Iron Man started the Marvel Cinematic Universe which went on to become one of the greatest pop culture phenomenons. It amassed a massive worldwide fandom and established Robert Downey Jr. as one of the greatest names in the industry. However, a new theory states that the MCU had its inception from Iron Man 2 and not the 2008 blockbuster.
Is Robert Downey Jr.’s Iron Man not a part of the primary MCU? Robert Downey Jr. in a still from Iron Man...
- 3/25/2024
- by Subham Mandal
- FandomWire
As questions swirl over whether superhero fatigue is real, a new new podcast is hitting the airwaves that tackles the 21st century’s favorite movie genre as well as the studio primarily responsible for its ascendance.
With Great Power: The Rise of Superhero Cinema is a four-part podcast that hails from the Wall Street Journal and editor Ben Fritz, the longtime entertainment reporter who wrote the prescient Hollywood tome The Big Picture: The Fight for the Future of Movies.
And just like his book, the podcast promises to be a business story as well as a Hollywood story, filled with drama, outsized egos, heroes, villains and billions of dollars.
Fritz, who hosts and reported the podcast, talked to a deep bench of people, ranging from Avi Arad, former Marvel general counsel John Turitzin, and former Marvel Studios chairman David Maisel to former Sony Pictures movie chief Amy Pascal, former DC Entertainment...
With Great Power: The Rise of Superhero Cinema is a four-part podcast that hails from the Wall Street Journal and editor Ben Fritz, the longtime entertainment reporter who wrote the prescient Hollywood tome The Big Picture: The Fight for the Future of Movies.
And just like his book, the podcast promises to be a business story as well as a Hollywood story, filled with drama, outsized egos, heroes, villains and billions of dollars.
Fritz, who hosts and reported the podcast, talked to a deep bench of people, ranging from Avi Arad, former Marvel general counsel John Turitzin, and former Marvel Studios chairman David Maisel to former Sony Pictures movie chief Amy Pascal, former DC Entertainment...
- 6/28/2023
- by Borys Kit
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
The Marvel Cinematic Universe has become one of the most valuable storytelling properties in the world and it’s done so not always by betting on the most popular characters. This was certainly the case with Iron Man, the MCU’s first proper installment, which centered what was widely considered to be second-tier Marvel character at the time. In his book The Big Picture: The Fight for the Future of Movies (via ScreenRant), film historian Ben Fritz explains that Marvel originally intended to open the MCU with Captain American, but that plans changed when focus groups of children chose Iron Man as the character with the coolest abilities and weapons, and therefore the toy they would most like to play with. More than 15 years later, looking forward to Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings the next era of the MCU, Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige is opening up...
- 5/20/2021
- by Kayti Burt
- Den of Geek
When AT&T President and COO John Stankey chose former Amazon executive and Hulu founder Jason Kilar to serve as CEO of Warner Media, neither man could have fully grasped the dramatic circumstances that would greet his April 1 hiring announcement. Certainly, it was always going to make an impact: It’s an enormous job to manage the brands led by Bob Greenblatt, Ann Sarnoff (Warner Bros.), Chief Revenue Officer Gerhard Zeiler (Sales and International), and Jeff Zucker.
And yet, there’s more. The 48-year-old Kilar, who founded video streaming service Vessel and served on the boards of Univision and DreamWorks Animation, oversees only one media conglomerate (however large). His hire speaks to a tectonic shift in the entertainment industry even while it’s in a state of suspended animation.
The global economy is in free fall, theaters are closed around the world, at-home viewers are apparently happy to spend $19.99 on first-run movies,...
And yet, there’s more. The 48-year-old Kilar, who founded video streaming service Vessel and served on the boards of Univision and DreamWorks Animation, oversees only one media conglomerate (however large). His hire speaks to a tectonic shift in the entertainment industry even while it’s in a state of suspended animation.
The global economy is in free fall, theaters are closed around the world, at-home viewers are apparently happy to spend $19.99 on first-run movies,...
- 4/2/2020
- by Anne Thompson
- Thompson on Hollywood
When AT&T President and COO John Stankey chose former Amazon executive and Hulu founder Jason Kilar to serve as CEO of Warner Media, neither man could have fully grasped the dramatic circumstances that would greet his April 1 hiring announcement. Certainly, it was always going to make an impact: It’s an enormous job to manage the brands led by Bob Greenblatt, Ann Sarnoff (Warner Bros.), Chief Revenue Officer Gerhard Zeiler (Sales and International), and Jeff Zucker.
And yet, there’s more. The 48-year-old Kilar, who founded video streaming service Vessel, and served on the boards of Univision and DreamWorks Animation, oversees only one media conglomerate (however large). His hire speaks to a tectonic shift in the entertainment industry even while it’s in a state of suspended animation.
More from IndieWireWhat Do the VOD Charts Reveal in Showing 'Sonic' and 'Bad Boys' on Top?Sony Aggressively Pushes Back...
And yet, there’s more. The 48-year-old Kilar, who founded video streaming service Vessel, and served on the boards of Univision and DreamWorks Animation, oversees only one media conglomerate (however large). His hire speaks to a tectonic shift in the entertainment industry even while it’s in a state of suspended animation.
More from IndieWireWhat Do the VOD Charts Reveal in Showing 'Sonic' and 'Bad Boys' on Top?Sony Aggressively Pushes Back...
- 4/2/2020
- by Anne Thompson
- Indiewire
It’s the 20th anniversary of “The Sixth Sense,” a success that took everybody by surprise, including the filmmakers. Writer-director M. Night Shyamalan had made only two films, “Praying With Anger” and “Wide Awake,” which barely made a ripple in theaters. However, Variety reported Aug. 9, 1999, “In a surprise ending to rival the film’s twisty plot, Buena Vista’s supernatural thriller ‘The Sixth Sense’ stunned prognosticators by snatching the weekend box office title from odds-on favorite ‘The Blair Witch Project.’ The Bruce Willis starrer opened to an August record $25.8 million, according to studio estimates.” A month later, Variety declared it the “Sleeper of the Summer,” and said amid all the films with big marketing budgets and the studios’ newfound fascination with internet promotion, “Sixth Sense” had an old-fashioned reason for success: “This film has spectacular word of mouth,” Marc Pascucci, senior VP of marketing for Loews Cineplex U.S., told Variety.
- 8/5/2019
- by Tim Gray
- Variety Film + TV
Studio heads tend to move around, but in the last 30 years, several have been closely linked to one brand. To this day, Sherry Lansing is Paramount, Ron Meyer is Universal. And until the announcement Wednesday, Amy Pascal was Sony. But now, the former chairman of Sony Motion Pictures is finally leaving Culver City, after 30 years, to continue building her own identity, at Universal.
Pascal rose through the ranks in Hollywood as what was once termed a “d-girl,” someone who developed scripts. She worked as a production executive alongside old chum Scott Rudin at Twentieth Century Fox before landing at Columbia in 1988, where she developed “Awakenings,” “Groundhog Day,” and “Little Women.” In 1994 she took on President of Production for Turner Pictures, then rejoined Columbia in 1996. Working closely with mentors Gareth Wigan, John Calley and finally, Michael Lynton, Pascal took over the chairman role in 2006.
She was known for promoting women filmmakers,...
Pascal rose through the ranks in Hollywood as what was once termed a “d-girl,” someone who developed scripts. She worked as a production executive alongside old chum Scott Rudin at Twentieth Century Fox before landing at Columbia in 1988, where she developed “Awakenings,” “Groundhog Day,” and “Little Women.” In 1994 she took on President of Production for Turner Pictures, then rejoined Columbia in 1996. Working closely with mentors Gareth Wigan, John Calley and finally, Michael Lynton, Pascal took over the chairman role in 2006.
She was known for promoting women filmmakers,...
- 5/1/2019
- by Anne Thompson
- Thompson on Hollywood
Studio heads tend to move around, but in the last 30 years, several have been closely linked to one brand. To this day, Sherry Lansing is Paramount, Ron Meyer is Universal. And until the announcement Wednesday, Amy Pascal was Sony. But now, the former chairman of Sony Motion Pictures is finally leaving Culver City, after 30 years, to continue building her own identity, at Universal.
Pascal rose through the ranks in Hollywood as what was once termed a “d-girl,” someone who developed scripts. She worked as a production executive alongside old chum Scott Rudin at Twentieth Century Fox before landing at Columbia in 1988, where she developed “Awakenings,” “Groundhog Day,” and “Little Women.” In 1994 she took on President of Production for Turner Pictures, then rejoined Columbia in 1996. Working closely with mentors Gareth Wigan, John Calley and finally, Michael Lynton, Pascal took over the chairman role in 2006.
She was known for promoting women filmmakers,...
Pascal rose through the ranks in Hollywood as what was once termed a “d-girl,” someone who developed scripts. She worked as a production executive alongside old chum Scott Rudin at Twentieth Century Fox before landing at Columbia in 1988, where she developed “Awakenings,” “Groundhog Day,” and “Little Women.” In 1994 she took on President of Production for Turner Pictures, then rejoined Columbia in 1996. Working closely with mentors Gareth Wigan, John Calley and finally, Michael Lynton, Pascal took over the chairman role in 2006.
She was known for promoting women filmmakers,...
- 5/1/2019
- by Anne Thompson
- Indiewire
In the first third of Avengers: Endgame, the film offers a brief moment of levity in the gloomy post-snap world, when Natasha Romanoff threatens to throw her sandwich at Steve Rogers. And while you probably didn’t pay much mind to this cute little exchange, /Film has done a deep dive on the moment, and proposed that it could be referencing one of the earliest conversations that Marvel and Sony had over bringing Spider-Man into the McU.
To jog your memory, the Black Widow scene comes in one of the heroine’s lowest moments, when she’s sitting wearily in the Avengers Compound, letting her roots grow out while eating a peanut butter sandwich and wallowing in her misery. Nat’s lonely abode is visited by Captain America, who points out some of the perks of living in a world where half the population has died, like cleaner water and whales in the Hudson.
To jog your memory, the Black Widow scene comes in one of the heroine’s lowest moments, when she’s sitting wearily in the Avengers Compound, letting her roots grow out while eating a peanut butter sandwich and wallowing in her misery. Nat’s lonely abode is visited by Captain America, who points out some of the perks of living in a world where half the population has died, like cleaner water and whales in the Hudson.
- 4/30/2019
- by David Pountain
- We Got This Covered
We hope you weren’t holding your breath on the off-chance that Zack Snyder’s fabled Justice League cut would be rolled out at San Diego Comic-Con…
Per The Wall Street Journal, a senior Warner Bros. executive has now confirmed that there are currently no plans to release an alternate version of Justice League – not now, and perhaps not ever – which will no doubt disappoint those DC enthusiasts who have spent the past seven months campaigning for the fabled Snyder Cut.
Going one step further, WSJ’s anonymous source also shut down reports that the ensemble pic will be present at Sdcc. Over the past few weeks, ardent Snyder supporters looked to the trade show as something of a last chance saloon – if Justice League wasn’t mentioned during Warner’s presser, then hopes of a director’s cut would certainly fade. And fade fast.
Alas, if The Wall Street Journal’s sources are on-point,...
Per The Wall Street Journal, a senior Warner Bros. executive has now confirmed that there are currently no plans to release an alternate version of Justice League – not now, and perhaps not ever – which will no doubt disappoint those DC enthusiasts who have spent the past seven months campaigning for the fabled Snyder Cut.
Going one step further, WSJ’s anonymous source also shut down reports that the ensemble pic will be present at Sdcc. Over the past few weeks, ardent Snyder supporters looked to the trade show as something of a last chance saloon – if Justice League wasn’t mentioned during Warner’s presser, then hopes of a director’s cut would certainly fade. And fade fast.
Alas, if The Wall Street Journal’s sources are on-point,...
- 7/19/2018
- by Michael Briers
- We Got This Covered
Hollywood has been transformed. The six major studios — Disney, Warner Bros., Universal, Fox, Sony, and Paramount — have all changed significantly. Few filmmakers understand how profound these changes have been and how they have altered their opportunities. What follows is my review of a recently published book, The Big Picture: The Fight for the Future of Movies, that opened my eyes to the new configuration of studio filmmaking. It was written by Ben Fritz, who has been covering the entertainment industry since 2004 for Variety, the Los Angeles Times and currently the Wall Street Journal. The goal of […]...
- 6/18/2018
- by Peter Broderick
- Filmmaker Magazine-Director Interviews
Hollywood has been transformed. The six major studios — Disney, Warner Bros., Universal, Fox, Sony, and Paramount — have all changed significantly. Few filmmakers understand how profound these changes have been and how they have altered their opportunities. What follows is my review of a recently published book, The Big Picture: The Fight for the Future of Movies, that opened my eyes to the new configuration of studio filmmaking. It was written by Ben Fritz, who has been covering the entertainment industry since 2004 for Variety, the Los Angeles Times and currently the Wall Street Journal. The goal of […]...
- 6/18/2018
- by Peter Broderick
- Filmmaker Magazine - Blog
Welcome to almost-summer! That means it’s time to think summer reading. Fans of cinema will find plenty of recent gems to read here, along with some bonus novels, a visual feast for Beatles junkies, and a Blu-ray release of one of David Lynch’s most fascinatingly divisive films. Let’s start with a new look at films based on the work of the horror maestro of Bangor, Maine.
Screening Stephen King: Adaptation and the Horror Genre in Film and Television by Simon Brown (University of Texas Press)
It is high time we had a serious examination of the many film adaptations of Stephen King’s novels. In Screening Stephen King, Simon Brown offers deep analysis of not just the obvious choices like Carrie but low-budget fare like Children of the Corn and The Mangler. Especially fascinating is his study of the several ABC-tv miniseries of the late 1980s and early 1990s.
Screening Stephen King: Adaptation and the Horror Genre in Film and Television by Simon Brown (University of Texas Press)
It is high time we had a serious examination of the many film adaptations of Stephen King’s novels. In Screening Stephen King, Simon Brown offers deep analysis of not just the obvious choices like Carrie but low-budget fare like Children of the Corn and The Mangler. Especially fascinating is his study of the several ABC-tv miniseries of the late 1980s and early 1990s.
- 5/23/2018
- by Christopher Schobert
- The Film Stage
Nowadays, the Marvel Cinematic Universe is the biggest movie franchise in the world, but it all started with 2008’s Iron Man. Marvel Studios lucked out right off the bat with their origin story for Robert Downey Jr.’s Tony Stark, as clearly, there was a thirst to see this particular hero on the big screen at the time. But how did Marvel know what people wanted? Simple: They asked them. Well, they asked the little people, anyway.
As revealed in the book The Big Picture: The Fight For the Future of Movies by Ben Fritz (via Qz), the studio’s big scheme to find out what film they should make first saw them give a load of action figures to a bunch of kids and ask them to pick their favorite. You see, their prediction at the time was that the gross from the movie would likely only break even,...
As revealed in the book The Big Picture: The Fight For the Future of Movies by Ben Fritz (via Qz), the studio’s big scheme to find out what film they should make first saw them give a load of action figures to a bunch of kids and ask them to pick their favorite. You see, their prediction at the time was that the gross from the movie would likely only break even,...
- 5/16/2018
- by Christian Bone
- We Got This Covered
Marvel Studios’ interconnected universe of films, now spanning 10 years and 19 individual projects, has earned $6 billion in domestic box office and nearly $15 billion worldwide, according to data from Box Office Mojo.
That ain’t bad considering that in 1996 Marvel mired in bankruptcy, and a decade later banked its nascent film franchise on a second-tier superhero called Iron Man.
“There was a lot of skepticism in the beginning,” Barton Crockett, a media and entertainment analyst at B. Riley Fbr, told TheWrap. “Who did these guys think they were trying to make movies out of characters people hadn’t heard of before? Who would want to see a movie about Iron Man? What’s amazed me is the ability to make these tertiary characters popular, and that really started right out the gate.”
Also Read: Marvel President Kevin Feige Explains Origin of McU's Post-Credit Scenes
“Iron Man,” which helped pull Robert Downey Jr. from the depths of a scandal-ridden career, went on to make $318.4 million domestically and $585.2 million worldwide.
In 1996, Marvel was forced to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy after the comic book industry started to collapse in the ’90s. After tense legal battles and struggles to pay back creditors, the company was salvaged in 1997 and merged with Isaac Perlmutter’s Toy Biz.
The Israel-born toy manufacturer entrusted his business partner Avi Arad to help dig Marvel out of its slump. Arad wooed bankers and preached the value of Marvel’s characters, according to a 2012 Slate article on the studio’s rise.
Marvel also auctioned off the film rights to some of its most prized characters. Spider-Man went to Sony, the Hulk went to Paramount and 21st Century Fox bought the rights to Daredevil, the X-Men and Fantastic Four.
Also Read: Marvel Cinematic Universe Movies Ranked by Box Office (Photos)
By that time, Marvel Studios no longer had the film rights to its most bankable characters. So Arad & Co. found a “brilliant way to operate out of the licensing box” in which it had placed itself, Crockett said.
The company, with toy sales in its DNA, thought first: What character could sell the most toys? “Mr. Perlmutter didn’t expect to make much money off the movies, but he thought they’d make great advertisements for toys,” Ben Fritz wrote in his book “The Big Picture: The Fight for the Future of Movies.” “The question wasn’t who the kids would want to watch on the big screen, but which action figure would they want to play with. The answer was Iron Man.”
Under Kevin Feige, a young producer promoted to Marvel’s president of production in 2007, the company doubled down on its strategy. The following year, Paramount released “Iron Man” — the first in a series of blockbuster films from source material that few fathomed would find mainstream success.
Also Read: The Complete Timeline of Marvel Cinematic Universe Movies, From 'Iron Man' to 'Infinity War'
“It starts with the comics and us getting to rip pages out, put them on the walls and start to be inspired,” Feige told the press on the eve of Marvel’s latest film, “Avengers: Infinity War.” “It is always a guide point, a North Star for us as we lead these giant productions into reality are right from those books where it all started.”
The success of “Iron Man” caught the eye of Disney, which bought Marvel for $4 billion in 2009. The acquisition gave Marvel the platform and the pocketbook to chase the audacious multi-superhero, multi-film crossover project that’s coming to fruition with “Avengers: Infinity War” and its untitled “Avengers” sequel due next summer.
Perhaps the first real test of whether Marvel could actually pull off a universe films based on virtually unknown comic book characters was 2014’s “The Guardians of the Galaxy” — based on a long-dormant comic that few diehards even remembered.
When Djimon Hounsou’s Korath jokes that he doesn’t know who Star Lord (Chris Pratt) is, the character wasn’t alone. A talking raccoon? A sentient tree? Two oddly colored alien warriors and a half-man, half-celestial captain? Who were these characters that Disney, with a history of capitalizing on established IP, was willing to invest nearly $200 million in?
Since that film broke opening weekend records on its way to $773.3 million worldwide, Marvel has been able to make hits out of similarly unlikely characters like Black Panther and Doctor Strange.
“It’s incredible. The whole idea is working,” Crockett said. “We’re approaching a weekend where a Marvel movie might very well have the biggest box office opening of all time, which is stunning when you consider where they came from.”
Read original story How Marvel Bounced Back From Bankruptcy to Become Hollywood’s Biggest Brand At TheWrap...
That ain’t bad considering that in 1996 Marvel mired in bankruptcy, and a decade later banked its nascent film franchise on a second-tier superhero called Iron Man.
“There was a lot of skepticism in the beginning,” Barton Crockett, a media and entertainment analyst at B. Riley Fbr, told TheWrap. “Who did these guys think they were trying to make movies out of characters people hadn’t heard of before? Who would want to see a movie about Iron Man? What’s amazed me is the ability to make these tertiary characters popular, and that really started right out the gate.”
Also Read: Marvel President Kevin Feige Explains Origin of McU's Post-Credit Scenes
“Iron Man,” which helped pull Robert Downey Jr. from the depths of a scandal-ridden career, went on to make $318.4 million domestically and $585.2 million worldwide.
In 1996, Marvel was forced to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy after the comic book industry started to collapse in the ’90s. After tense legal battles and struggles to pay back creditors, the company was salvaged in 1997 and merged with Isaac Perlmutter’s Toy Biz.
The Israel-born toy manufacturer entrusted his business partner Avi Arad to help dig Marvel out of its slump. Arad wooed bankers and preached the value of Marvel’s characters, according to a 2012 Slate article on the studio’s rise.
Marvel also auctioned off the film rights to some of its most prized characters. Spider-Man went to Sony, the Hulk went to Paramount and 21st Century Fox bought the rights to Daredevil, the X-Men and Fantastic Four.
Also Read: Marvel Cinematic Universe Movies Ranked by Box Office (Photos)
By that time, Marvel Studios no longer had the film rights to its most bankable characters. So Arad & Co. found a “brilliant way to operate out of the licensing box” in which it had placed itself, Crockett said.
The company, with toy sales in its DNA, thought first: What character could sell the most toys? “Mr. Perlmutter didn’t expect to make much money off the movies, but he thought they’d make great advertisements for toys,” Ben Fritz wrote in his book “The Big Picture: The Fight for the Future of Movies.” “The question wasn’t who the kids would want to watch on the big screen, but which action figure would they want to play with. The answer was Iron Man.”
Under Kevin Feige, a young producer promoted to Marvel’s president of production in 2007, the company doubled down on its strategy. The following year, Paramount released “Iron Man” — the first in a series of blockbuster films from source material that few fathomed would find mainstream success.
Also Read: The Complete Timeline of Marvel Cinematic Universe Movies, From 'Iron Man' to 'Infinity War'
“It starts with the comics and us getting to rip pages out, put them on the walls and start to be inspired,” Feige told the press on the eve of Marvel’s latest film, “Avengers: Infinity War.” “It is always a guide point, a North Star for us as we lead these giant productions into reality are right from those books where it all started.”
The success of “Iron Man” caught the eye of Disney, which bought Marvel for $4 billion in 2009. The acquisition gave Marvel the platform and the pocketbook to chase the audacious multi-superhero, multi-film crossover project that’s coming to fruition with “Avengers: Infinity War” and its untitled “Avengers” sequel due next summer.
Perhaps the first real test of whether Marvel could actually pull off a universe films based on virtually unknown comic book characters was 2014’s “The Guardians of the Galaxy” — based on a long-dormant comic that few diehards even remembered.
When Djimon Hounsou’s Korath jokes that he doesn’t know who Star Lord (Chris Pratt) is, the character wasn’t alone. A talking raccoon? A sentient tree? Two oddly colored alien warriors and a half-man, half-celestial captain? Who were these characters that Disney, with a history of capitalizing on established IP, was willing to invest nearly $200 million in?
Since that film broke opening weekend records on its way to $773.3 million worldwide, Marvel has been able to make hits out of similarly unlikely characters like Black Panther and Doctor Strange.
“It’s incredible. The whole idea is working,” Crockett said. “We’re approaching a weekend where a Marvel movie might very well have the biggest box office opening of all time, which is stunning when you consider where they came from.”
Read original story How Marvel Bounced Back From Bankruptcy to Become Hollywood’s Biggest Brand At TheWrap...
- 4/27/2018
- by Trey Williams
- The Wrap
How did the movie industry get to this point? Why have mid-budget, adult-driven films all but vanished from the multiplexes while superhero movies and franchises reign supreme? Ben Fritz answers these questions, and more, in his addictive new book The Big Picture: The Fight for the Future of Movies. Our The Big Picture review delves into […]
The post ‘The Big Picture’ is a Must-Read Book About Filmmaking in the 21st Century appeared first on /Film.
The post ‘The Big Picture’ is a Must-Read Book About Filmmaking in the 21st Century appeared first on /Film.
- 3/7/2018
- by Chris Evangelista
- Slash Film
In his new book, The Big Picture: The Fight for the Future of Movies, Wall Street Journal reporter Ben Fritz chronicles the dramatic transformation of Hollywood during the first two decades of the 21st century — from the rise of superhero and toy franchises to the near-disappearance of the midbudget adult movie to the new power of streaming services. Drawing on material revealed in the Sony hack plus interviews with key players at companies including Disney, Netflix and Amazon, the book charts the industry’s recent history and where it may be headed next. In this exclusive excerpt, he looks at...
- 2/28/2018
- by Ben Fritz
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Wow! The Marvel movies almost could have gone in a completely different direction than what we currently are enjoying now. Marvel Studios has changed the way that comic book movies are made, and the only reason they are making the movies that they are now is because Sony Pictures made a made stupid-ass decision to turn down a stupid-ass offer from Marvel CEO Ike Perlmutter.
Wall Street Journal recently published an article that included an interesting extract from an upcoming book called The Big Picture: The Fight for the Future of Movies by Ben Fritz. It recounts the story of how in 1998 when Sony Pictures was trying to purchase the movie rights to Spider-Man, Perlmutter used the opportunity to offer them the rights to nearly every freakin' Marvel character! Luckily Sony was dumb enough to turn down the offer. You have to remember, at the time, Marvel was just exiting...
Wall Street Journal recently published an article that included an interesting extract from an upcoming book called The Big Picture: The Fight for the Future of Movies by Ben Fritz. It recounts the story of how in 1998 when Sony Pictures was trying to purchase the movie rights to Spider-Man, Perlmutter used the opportunity to offer them the rights to nearly every freakin' Marvel character! Luckily Sony was dumb enough to turn down the offer. You have to remember, at the time, Marvel was just exiting...
- 2/15/2018
- by Joey Paur
- GeekTyrant
Spider-Man was almost the tip of a very big iceberg for Sony Pictures.
Many moons ago, when the studio was negotiating for Peter Parker’s screen rights (they only owned DVD rights at the time), Marvel boss Ike Perlmutter presented a bumper deal to Sony that would have seen the company gain control of Captain America, Iron Man, Black Panther, Thor, Hulk and many of the other pillars underpinning the current Marvel Cinematic Universe – for the record, by 1998, the X-Men and Fantastic Four were already shacked up at Fox.
The asking price? $25 million, though once Sony executive Yair Landau reported back to his superiors, they allegedly scoffed at the deal, saying something to the effect of:
Nobody gives a sh—about any of the other Marvel characters. Go back and do a deal for only Spider-Man.
15 HD Images For Avengers: Infinity War Bring Us Closer To The Spectacle 1 of 16
Click...
Many moons ago, when the studio was negotiating for Peter Parker’s screen rights (they only owned DVD rights at the time), Marvel boss Ike Perlmutter presented a bumper deal to Sony that would have seen the company gain control of Captain America, Iron Man, Black Panther, Thor, Hulk and many of the other pillars underpinning the current Marvel Cinematic Universe – for the record, by 1998, the X-Men and Fantastic Four were already shacked up at Fox.
The asking price? $25 million, though once Sony executive Yair Landau reported back to his superiors, they allegedly scoffed at the deal, saying something to the effect of:
Nobody gives a sh—about any of the other Marvel characters. Go back and do a deal for only Spider-Man.
15 HD Images For Avengers: Infinity War Bring Us Closer To The Spectacle 1 of 16
Click...
- 2/15/2018
- by Michael Briers
- We Got This Covered
Not only will Deadpool remain R-rated under Disney’s roof, but it seems the world-famous mutant is also set for a bright future, after CEO Bob Iger revealed his desire to “keep making sequels” for Reynolds’ lewd, crude anti-hero.
This tidbit emerged online soon after Disney brokered a momentous, game-changing deal with 21st Century Fox in the region of $51.4 billion. It follows six weeks of negotiations and alleged false starts, and we understand the Mouse House now owns all of Fox’s film rights – Avatar, X-Men and the Fantastic Four included. That’s right, the Marvel Cinematic Universe just got a major upgrade.
But if there’s one character who has been thrust into the spotlight of late, it’s Deadpool. As the undisputed sleeper hit of 2016, Tim Miller’s wildly successful standalone pic soon became the irreverent, R-rated outlier of Hollywood’s modern superhero genre, grossing $783 million in the process.
This tidbit emerged online soon after Disney brokered a momentous, game-changing deal with 21st Century Fox in the region of $51.4 billion. It follows six weeks of negotiations and alleged false starts, and we understand the Mouse House now owns all of Fox’s film rights – Avatar, X-Men and the Fantastic Four included. That’s right, the Marvel Cinematic Universe just got a major upgrade.
But if there’s one character who has been thrust into the spotlight of late, it’s Deadpool. As the undisputed sleeper hit of 2016, Tim Miller’s wildly successful standalone pic soon became the irreverent, R-rated outlier of Hollywood’s modern superhero genre, grossing $783 million in the process.
- 12/14/2017
- by Michael Briers
- We Got This Covered
Marvel‘s street-level heroes will remain on Netflix for the foreseeable future, and that’s despite Disney approaching 21st Century Fox to broker a landmark deal.
Early last week, we learned that the Mouse House had opened negotiations with Fox about the possibility of acquiring its entertainment divisions, which would open up the door for the X-Men (and Marvel’s First Family!) to join the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Those talks are said to be on hold for the time being, but in a follow-up statement, The Wall Street Journal’s Ben Fritz went on record to clarify that, yes, Marvel’s Netflix slate (read: The Defenders et. al) will remain on that platform for years to come, and that Disney’s newfound streaming service is expected to launch with new Marvel shows, along with a live-action Star Wars series.
Via Twitter:
To answer the same question from a few people:...
Early last week, we learned that the Mouse House had opened negotiations with Fox about the possibility of acquiring its entertainment divisions, which would open up the door for the X-Men (and Marvel’s First Family!) to join the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Those talks are said to be on hold for the time being, but in a follow-up statement, The Wall Street Journal’s Ben Fritz went on record to clarify that, yes, Marvel’s Netflix slate (read: The Defenders et. al) will remain on that platform for years to come, and that Disney’s newfound streaming service is expected to launch with new Marvel shows, along with a live-action Star Wars series.
Via Twitter:
To answer the same question from a few people:...
- 11/15/2017
- by Michael Briers
- We Got This Covered
The fallout from Disney’s earnings call continues.
Amid news that Rian Johnson (The Last Jedi) has been tasked with delivering an all-new Star Wars trilogy, not to mention the live-action series set in that galaxy far, far away, we’ve now received yet more evidence that Marvel‘s street-level heroes (see: Daredevil, Jessica Jones, et. al) may be pulled from Netflix and relocated to Disney’s new streaming platform in 2019.
It’s a subscription service that’s clearly being angled as a director competitor to Netflix – CEO Bob Iger confirmed today that it’ll be priced “substantially below” Netflix’s current $10.99 entry point in two years’ time – so we can’t imagine the Mouse House will want some of its most valuable assets on another platform.
Regardless of whether its current pool of content is shifted, The Wall Street Journal has confirmed that all new Marvel series will be...
Amid news that Rian Johnson (The Last Jedi) has been tasked with delivering an all-new Star Wars trilogy, not to mention the live-action series set in that galaxy far, far away, we’ve now received yet more evidence that Marvel‘s street-level heroes (see: Daredevil, Jessica Jones, et. al) may be pulled from Netflix and relocated to Disney’s new streaming platform in 2019.
It’s a subscription service that’s clearly being angled as a director competitor to Netflix – CEO Bob Iger confirmed today that it’ll be priced “substantially below” Netflix’s current $10.99 entry point in two years’ time – so we can’t imagine the Mouse House will want some of its most valuable assets on another platform.
Regardless of whether its current pool of content is shifted, The Wall Street Journal has confirmed that all new Marvel series will be...
- 11/9/2017
- by Michael Briers
- We Got This Covered
In addition to a fourth trilogy of movies being hatched by The Last Jedi‘s Rian Johnson, Disney has confirmed plans to launch a new live-action Star Wars series in 2019.
The project was one of three major TV shows announced at the company’s earnings call today (via The Wall Street Journal), after it was confirmed that both Monsters Inc. and High School Musical are also headed to the small screen. It’s all part of Disney’s aggressive plan to stake a claim in the streaming market and, essentially, draw power away from Netflix, the undisputed king of digital content. And it seems the Mouse House is bringing its big guns.
Unlike Rebels and the newly-released Forces of Destiny, this all-new Star Wars series is the first sign of a live-action TV show since Disney announced Underworld back in 2005. Set between the events of Revenge of the Sith and...
The project was one of three major TV shows announced at the company’s earnings call today (via The Wall Street Journal), after it was confirmed that both Monsters Inc. and High School Musical are also headed to the small screen. It’s all part of Disney’s aggressive plan to stake a claim in the streaming market and, essentially, draw power away from Netflix, the undisputed king of digital content. And it seems the Mouse House is bringing its big guns.
Unlike Rebels and the newly-released Forces of Destiny, this all-new Star Wars series is the first sign of a live-action TV show since Disney announced Underworld back in 2005. Set between the events of Revenge of the Sith and...
- 11/9/2017
- by Michael Briers
- We Got This Covered
With Justice League now screening for critics ahead of its release next Friday, early reactions are starting to trickle out and while full reviews are still under embargo, it seems that Ezra Miller’s Flash is quickly emerging as a fan favorite and the breakout character of the tentpole. As such, the studio now seems eager to put together Flashpoint and according to a new report by The Wall Street Journal, it’s become a priority project for them.
This is certainly surprising to hear, as not too long ago, we were told they’d pumped the brakes on the pic as they were waiting to see how Justice League would be received. Now, however, it sounds like they’ve had a change of heart and are looking to make some moves in the near future. In fact, a follow-up Tweet from WSJ writer Ben Fritz noted that Warner Bros....
This is certainly surprising to hear, as not too long ago, we were told they’d pumped the brakes on the pic as they were waiting to see how Justice League would be received. Now, however, it sounds like they’ve had a change of heart and are looking to make some moves in the near future. In fact, a follow-up Tweet from WSJ writer Ben Fritz noted that Warner Bros....
- 11/7/2017
- by Matt Joseph
- We Got This Covered
SAG-aftra held its biennial convention in Universal City, California, Oct. 5–8. It’s the third convention since the merger of the Screen Actors Guild and the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists in 2012. On the heels of a recent video game strike, reports of an investigation into the safety of the “Riverdale” set, the envelopment of Spanish broadcasters into union representation, and allegations of sexual abuse by a prominent film producer, there was much for delegates to discuss. Here is a roundup of the info you need to know. Women in the Entertainment IndustryThe opening keynote featured director-producer Nancy Meyers and reporter Ben Fritz discussing job opportunities and access for women in the entertainment industry. “The statistics say it’s just as bad as it’s ever been, but there’s more talk about it,” said Meyers. The challenge, she suggested, is that film companies write off successful films with...
- 10/11/2017
- backstage.com
Disney has officially announced the released dates for a ton of its upcoming films. Those movies include Star Wars: Episode IX, Indiana Jones 5, Frozen 2, Gigantic, The Lion King, and Ralph Breaks the Internet: Wreck-It Ralph 2.
The news comes from The Wall Street Journal’s Ben Fritz, who shared all the updates on Twitter. So here's what we've got!
Colin Trevorrow’s Star Wars: Episode IX is set for May 24, 2019. Steven Spielberg and Harrison Ford's Indiana Jones 5 was originally set to be released in July 2019 but it's now been pushed to July 10, 2020. There's no reason given for the delay, but I imagine it's to accommodate the busy schedules of Spielberg and Ford.
Then there's Jon Favreau’s The Lion King adaptation, which has been set for July 19, 2019. Ralph Breaks the Internet: Wreck-It Ralph 2 has also been pushed. It went from March 2018 to November 21, 2018. Then there's the animated film Gigantic,...
The news comes from The Wall Street Journal’s Ben Fritz, who shared all the updates on Twitter. So here's what we've got!
Colin Trevorrow’s Star Wars: Episode IX is set for May 24, 2019. Steven Spielberg and Harrison Ford's Indiana Jones 5 was originally set to be released in July 2019 but it's now been pushed to July 10, 2020. There's no reason given for the delay, but I imagine it's to accommodate the busy schedules of Spielberg and Ford.
Then there's Jon Favreau’s The Lion King adaptation, which has been set for July 19, 2019. Ralph Breaks the Internet: Wreck-It Ralph 2 has also been pushed. It went from March 2018 to November 21, 2018. Then there's the animated film Gigantic,...
- 4/25/2017
- by Joey Paur
- GeekTyrant
A lot regarding the upcoming Han Solo spinoff film has been questionable. Yes, we all love Han Solo. We love his smooth-talking, his swagger, and his street savvy. It’s no accident that he ended up being one of the most beloved Star Wars characters of all time. The fact that LucasFilm is actually going back and re-visiting him was quite the risky move.
So far, all the talent in place seems promising. We have Lawrence Kasdan co-writing the script, we have Phil Lord and Chris Miller at the helm, and we have Alden Ehrenreich taking on the role of the scoundrel himself. However, last month, there was an investors call, and on it, Bob Iger reportedly said, according to reporter Ben Fritz, that the film would follow Han finding the Falcon, meeting Chewbacca, and “getting his name.”
Han Solo movie will follow him from age 18 through 24 and show him finding the Falcon,...
So far, all the talent in place seems promising. We have Lawrence Kasdan co-writing the script, we have Phil Lord and Chris Miller at the helm, and we have Alden Ehrenreich taking on the role of the scoundrel himself. However, last month, there was an investors call, and on it, Bob Iger reportedly said, according to reporter Ben Fritz, that the film would follow Han finding the Falcon, meeting Chewbacca, and “getting his name.”
Han Solo movie will follow him from age 18 through 24 and show him finding the Falcon,...
- 4/17/2017
- by Joseph Medina
- LRMonline.com
In the last few days, since Disney CEO Bob Iger implied that the name Han Solo is just an alias for our favorite Star Wars space smuggler, people on the internet have been debating whether this is a good idea or not. Cinelinx tells you why we think it makes sense.
Is Han Solo a fake name? It seems like that may be the case, according to the Wall Street Journal reporter Ben Fritz, who reported on a press event with Bob Iger of Disney. After the briefing, Fritz tweeted the following…“The Han Solo movie will follow him from age 18 through 24 and show him finding the Falcon, meeting Chewbacca, and getting his name, Iger says.”
Of course, it’s possible that Iger is trying to say that this story tells how Han makes a name for himself and establishes his reputation. But if you take what he says literally,...
Is Han Solo a fake name? It seems like that may be the case, according to the Wall Street Journal reporter Ben Fritz, who reported on a press event with Bob Iger of Disney. After the briefing, Fritz tweeted the following…“The Han Solo movie will follow him from age 18 through 24 and show him finding the Falcon, meeting Chewbacca, and getting his name, Iger says.”
Of course, it’s possible that Iger is trying to say that this story tells how Han makes a name for himself and establishes his reputation. But if you take what he says literally,...
- 3/28/2017
- by feeds@cinelinx.com (Rob Young)
- Cinelinx
Ben Affleck recently revealed test footage from the set of Justice League featuring Batman and Titans villain Slade Wilson, a.k.a. Deathstroke. Now, new profile from Ben Fritz of the Wall Street Journal has seemingly confirmed that Joe Manganiello (Magic Mike, True Blood) will play Slade in the Oscar-winner's upcoming directorial effort: the untitled Batman solo feature. Some fans had previously pointed to Twitter activity of Manganiello and his wife Sofia Vergara (Modern Family) as evidence of this casting, and it seems that they have now been vindicated. You probably know Manganiello from his role in Steven Soderbergh's Magic Mike franchise, True Blood, or perhaps Sam Raimi's Spider-Man, in which he played Flash Thompson. And you may recall that Manganiello was a runner-up for the role of Superman in Man of Steel. Deathstroke is in many ways an anti-Batman, coupling physical prowess with brilliance as a strategist.
- 9/8/2016
- ComicBookMovie.com
It doesn’t look like we’ll be seeing that Inhuman’s movie anytime soon. Disney and Marvel had previously scheduled it for release on July 12th, 2019. Now in an updated release schedule, the movie has been removed, and it currently has no release date.
The news comes from Wall Street Journal's Ben Fritz. This isn’t the first time the film’s release date has had issues. It was originally slated for release on November 2nd, 2018 before it was moved to the July date. One of the reasons why Inhumans was removed could be because Indiana Jones 5 is scheduled to hit theaters on July 19th, 2019, which is a week after Inhumans. I imagine they didn’t want to go up against that.
Then Spider-Man was recently thrown into the mix, which Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige also said plays a factor in the shuffle. When previously asked about the...
The news comes from Wall Street Journal's Ben Fritz. This isn’t the first time the film’s release date has had issues. It was originally slated for release on November 2nd, 2018 before it was moved to the July date. One of the reasons why Inhumans was removed could be because Indiana Jones 5 is scheduled to hit theaters on July 19th, 2019, which is a week after Inhumans. I imagine they didn’t want to go up against that.
Then Spider-Man was recently thrown into the mix, which Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige also said plays a factor in the shuffle. When previously asked about the...
- 4/25/2016
- by Joey Paur
- GeekTyrant
For over a year, there’s been talk of Ben Affleck’s Batman leading his own movie in the DC Extended Universe. Following Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, the chatter reached an all time high concerning the Caped Crusader’s future, but there hadn’t been any official word about whether the Batman movie was being added to the slate. Now it appears the project is officially a go. During the Warner Pros presentation at CinemaCon, Warner Bros CEO Kevin Tsujihara announced that the solo Batman movie is officially happening. Here’s one account of the revelation from Slashfilm: WB head says they will be doing a Batman solo movie "with Ben Affleck". Some are taking that as a confirmation that Ben will be directing. — Peter Sciretta (@slashfilm) April 12, 2016 Several tweets from Ben Fritz of The Wall Street Journal say that ...
- 4/12/2016
- cinemablend.com
A version of this story first appeared in the July 3 issue of The Hollywood Reporter magazine. To receive the magazine, click here to subscribe. Six months after the Sony hack brought a studio to its knees, the first books about the debacle are being pitched by journalists to publishers. And as befitting a story about leaked documents, the proposals themselves have now been leaked around Hollywood. Wall Street Journal reporter Ben Fritz and former Variety editor Peter Bart (who, coincidentally, was Fritz's boss from 2004 to 2009) both are promising to offer a tick-tock retelling of the hack,
read more...
read more...
- 6/24/2015
- by Andy Lewis
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Update: THR has some additional details on Marvel's Spider-Man deal with Sony worth checking out. The Amazing Spider-man producers Matt Tolmach and Avi Arad have apparently "been downgraded to executive producers, with no real say in the creative direction of the franchise." Sources have also told the site that director Marc Webb won't be back for the next Spider-Man movie, which won't be an origin story, according to WSJ's Ben Fritz. But...
- 2/10/2015
- by Jesse Giroux
- JoBlo.com
For the past two years, we've seen The Purge and The Purge: Anarchy, but this year we'll get a break from the annual night when all crime is legal. Though last fall brought news that The Purge 3 was definitely going to happen with James DeMonaco writing and directing again, Ben Fritz of The Wall Street Journal posted news on Twitter that the sequel wouldn't arrive until July 1st, 2016. That's the best release date the franchise has received so far. The first film debuted on June 7th, 2013 and the second got a later summer release on July 18th, 2014. But that Independence Day weekend should prove to be a big one for The Purge. In addition, it should make the marketing department excited to unload a shitload of satirical American propaganda as they've done previously (remember their teaser poster for the sequel was one of my favorite posters of 2014). Right now,...
- 1/9/2015
- by Ethan Anderton
- firstshowing.net
When Ben Fritz began live-tweeting today's Warner Bros. stockholder's meeting and the details began to emerge about Warner's full planned line-up of superhero DC titles, fandom went crazy. If you need any indicator of where Warner's heart is in all of this, consider that they could have easily made this announcement at the New York Comic-Con over the weekend in front of a room full of people who would have lost their minds to be getting all of this information in one massive info-dump. Instead, they did this for the shareholders to reassure them that they've got a plan. It's ambitious, I'll give them that much. Marvel's got things running smoothly now at two films per year, with an option of doing a third if they think it's worthwhile, but it wasn't easy for them to get that sort of confidence about what those films would look like and how well they would work.
- 10/15/2014
- by Drew McWeeny
- Hitfix
DC isn't getting all of Warner Bros.' franchise love. As part of today's news dump—which also included the announcement of a whopping 10 DC films—the studio also laid out the future of two other giant properties: Harry Potter spinoff Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them and the Lego Movie universe. Warner had already set the first installment of Beasts, which centers on Hogwarts textbook author Newt Scamander, for release Nov. 18, 2016. Today, it revealed that two follow-up films will bow in 2018 and 2020—and there may be more coming. CEO Kevin Tsujihara said that Fantastic Beasts will be "at least a trilogy,...
- 10/15/2014
- by Esther Zuckerman
- EW - Inside Movies
Wait, the Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them films might be more than a trilogy? That's the buzz coming out of Time Warner's Investors Day, as Warner Bros chairman and CEO Kevin Tsujihara gave some updates on their future plans. That includes the hugely anticipated Harry Potter spinoff films, based on J.K. Rowling's previously published Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them. Here are the updates: Deadline's update notes David Yates is on board to direct, and that the films are lined up for 2016, 2018 and 2020: J.K. Rowling writing Fantastic Beasts screenplays for films in 2016, 2018, and 2020. Bringing back director David Yates (last 4 Hp films) and others. And Wall Street Journal's Ben Fritz says that it'll be "at least" three movies... "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them" will be "at least a trilogy," says Tsujihara. First 3 movies in 2016, 2018 and 2020. Ben Fritz (@benfritz) October 15, 2014 We already knew that the...
- 10/15/2014
- cinemablend.com
Art by DeviantArt user Xionice
Warner Bros. is currently holding a big shareholder meeting today, and during the meeting the studio revealed some big release date information for their slate of upcoming DC superhero movies. Thanks to Ben Fritz of the Wall Street Journal, we have learned the following details that includes information about Suicide Squad, Justice League 2; Aquaman; Cyborg; a new standalone Superman movie; a standalone Batman movie, and a Green Lantern reboot. They also revealed the actor who will be playing The Flash in a standalone film. Here are all of the details we know so far:
"First DC movie after Batman vs Superman will be Suicide Squad."
"Wonder Woman movie coming in 2017!"
"2nd DC movie in 2017: Justice League"
"2018 DC Movies: The Flash starring Ezra Miller and Aquaman starring Jason Momoa"
"2019 DC Movies: Shazam (with Dwayne Johnson as Black Adam) and Justice League 2"
"Other DC movies in the works: Cyborg,...
Warner Bros. is currently holding a big shareholder meeting today, and during the meeting the studio revealed some big release date information for their slate of upcoming DC superhero movies. Thanks to Ben Fritz of the Wall Street Journal, we have learned the following details that includes information about Suicide Squad, Justice League 2; Aquaman; Cyborg; a new standalone Superman movie; a standalone Batman movie, and a Green Lantern reboot. They also revealed the actor who will be playing The Flash in a standalone film. Here are all of the details we know so far:
"First DC movie after Batman vs Superman will be Suicide Squad."
"Wonder Woman movie coming in 2017!"
"2nd DC movie in 2017: Justice League"
"2018 DC Movies: The Flash starring Ezra Miller and Aquaman starring Jason Momoa"
"2019 DC Movies: Shazam (with Dwayne Johnson as Black Adam) and Justice League 2"
"Other DC movies in the works: Cyborg,...
- 10/15/2014
- by Joey Paur
- GeekTyrant
"Harry Potter" fans will be busy searching out "Exotic Beats" until at least 2020. In addition to all the big DC superhero news, Warner Bros. CEO Kevin Tsujihara also announced today that J.K. Rowling's upcoming "Harry Potter" spin-off "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them" will be "at least a trilogy." The first three movies in the franchise will arrive in 2016, 2018 and 2020, respectively. They'll be competing for box office bucks against superheroes from Marvel, Sony, Fox and Warner Bros. itself, plus various "Star Wars" films and other franchises. Rowling's book "Beasts" is purported to be a field guide to exotic creatures written by the fictional Newt Scamander. The films will be set in New York City some 70 years before the birth of Harry Potter (played by Daniel Radcliffe in the films). Rowling has previously noted that it won't be a sequel or prequel to the lucrative "Potter" movies, but will...
- 10/15/2014
- by Dave Lewis
- Hitfix
Back in the beginning of August, we learned that Warner Bros. had staked out a slew of future release dates for DC Comics films, but with no indication of what films might be arriving in those slots beyond the promise of Justice League following sometime after Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice. Well, thanks to the same shareholders meeting that revealed Ezra Miller will play The Flash in a standalone film arriving in 2018 (along with Jason Momoa getting his own Aquaman film that same year), we now have a much better idea of what films Warner Bros. has lined up, and when we'll see them hit theaters. Read on! Here's what Wall Street Journal reporter Ben Fritz posted on Twitter about DC Comics movies: So as you can see, Suicide Squad will be the first DC Comics film to follow Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice, and it will arrive in that August 5th,...
- 10/15/2014
- by Ethan Anderton
- firstshowing.net
During today’s Time Warner Investors Day, Warner Bros. and DC unveiled their extensive cinematic line-up, which maps out a hoard of superhero releases right up until 2020.
Chief among those recently-announced release dates is news of when we can expect Gal Gadot’s standalone Wonder Woman film and the long-gestating Justice League ensemble, with each property set to grace the silver screen in 2017.
Interestingly, the latter movie will be divided into two distinct parts, with Zack Synder in the directing chair for each chapter. Plus, given that fans will welcome a trio of films in between — focusing on Ezra Miller’s The Flash, Aquaman and Shazam, respectively — each Justice League segment could be entirely different beasts.
Speaking of which, The Flash and Aquaman will arrive shortly after the first entry in Zack Snder’s Justice League in 2018, whereas Shazam — starring Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson as Black Adam — and Justice League...
Chief among those recently-announced release dates is news of when we can expect Gal Gadot’s standalone Wonder Woman film and the long-gestating Justice League ensemble, with each property set to grace the silver screen in 2017.
Interestingly, the latter movie will be divided into two distinct parts, with Zack Synder in the directing chair for each chapter. Plus, given that fans will welcome a trio of films in between — focusing on Ezra Miller’s The Flash, Aquaman and Shazam, respectively — each Justice League segment could be entirely different beasts.
Speaking of which, The Flash and Aquaman will arrive shortly after the first entry in Zack Snder’s Justice League in 2018, whereas Shazam — starring Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson as Black Adam — and Justice League...
- 10/15/2014
- by Michael Briers
- We Got This Covered
Wow ... this is a lot of comic news to process!During a call with investors on Wednesday, Warner Bros. revealed a ton of new info about their upcoming DC films, from release dates to casting details. Info via Wall Street Journal reporter Ben Fritz.In 2016, the studio will release "Batman v Superman" with Ben Affleck, Henry Cavill and Gal Gadot, with a film version of "The Suicide Squad" following the same year.2017 will see the first half of the "Justice League" movie -- to be directed by Zack Snyder -- and a solo film with Gadot's Wonder Woman. Next, in 2018, we'll get movies for "The Flash" and "Aquaman," who will both likely be introduced in one of the aforementioned films. "Perks of Being a Wallflower" star Ezra Miller will take over the role of Barry Allen, while Jason Momoa will play the King of the Seven Seas. The "Flash" casting is big,...
- 10/15/2014
- by tooFab Staff
- TooFab
This morning, Warner Bros. is having a big shareholder talk, and a whole slew of news about their future plans for DC Comics properties has finally been revealed. Thanks to Wall Street Journal reporter Ben Fritz on Twitter, we now know that the studio has cast We Need to Talk About Kevin and The Perks of Being a Wallflower star Ezra Miller as The Flash, and they have confirmed that Jason Momoa will play Aquaman in Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice, and the actor will reprise the role in his own standalone film as well. Both The Flash and Aquaman movies will hit theaters sometime in 2018. Read on! Here's what Ben Fritz posted on Twitter revealing news about The Flash and Aquaman: 2018 DC Movies: The Flash starring Ezra Miller and Aquaman starring Jason Momoa— Ben Fritz (@benfritz) October 15, 2014 As of now, that's the only information available. Many are wondering...
- 10/15/2014
- by Ethan Anderton
- firstshowing.net
Ben Fritz from the Wall Street Journal is reporting on the Warner Bros. shareholder talk taking place this morning and studio head Kevin Tsujihara is letting loose with the studio's plans for their upcoming slate of DC Comics films and it goes a little something like this: Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice on March 25, 2016 Suicide Squad on August 5, 2016 Wonder Woman starring Gal Gadot on June 23, 2017 Justice League directed by Zack Snyder on November 17, 2017 The Flash starring Ezra Miller (We Need to Talk About Kevin) on March 23, 2018 Aquaman starring Jason Momoa on July 27, 2018 Shazam starring Dwayne Johnson as Black Adam on April 5, 2019 Justice League 2 on June 14, 2019 There are still two additional untitled DC film releases planned for 2020 on April 3 and June 19, but for now I think we have more than enough to keep us busy with superhero rumors for the next several years. Hell, look at all the possible names...
- 10/15/2014
- by Brad Brevet
- Rope of Silicon
Star Wars: Episode VII hasn't hit theaters yet, but the first spin-off could arrive as soon as 2016. Disney CEO Robert Iger revealed that the studio plans to release at least three Star Wars spin-off movies.
Disney previously mentioned that it planned to produce a trilogy, with one film airing per year. The first spin-off could hit theaters in 2016, shortly after the release of Episode VII (which opens December 18, 2015). Iger announced these plans to Disney shareholders in a meeting.
Lawrence Kasdan and Simon Kinberg are currently writing said spin-offs. Rumor has it that Han Solo and Boba Fett are the focus of one of those films, but no plot details have been revealed.
The cast for Star Wars: Episode VII, potentially titled The Ancient Fear, was recently announced. Several of the franchise's original cast members are set to return, including Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford and Carrie Fisher.
Disney has "at least...
Disney previously mentioned that it planned to produce a trilogy, with one film airing per year. The first spin-off could hit theaters in 2016, shortly after the release of Episode VII (which opens December 18, 2015). Iger announced these plans to Disney shareholders in a meeting.
Lawrence Kasdan and Simon Kinberg are currently writing said spin-offs. Rumor has it that Han Solo and Boba Fett are the focus of one of those films, but no plot details have been revealed.
The cast for Star Wars: Episode VII, potentially titled The Ancient Fear, was recently announced. Several of the franchise's original cast members are set to return, including Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford and Carrie Fisher.
Disney has "at least...
- 5/7/2014
- by Laura Frances
- LRMonline.com
Sometimes Justice just takes longer than expected.
Warner Bros. says it is going to try again to create a big-screen version of Justice League, the long-demanded, occasionally attempted team-up between Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern and other iconic DC superheroes.
In an interview with the Wall Street Journal, the studio’s production president Greg Silverman confirmed that Zack Snyder would follow-up his 2016 Batman/Superman movie with this one, delivering Justice League to theaters sometime in 2018.
“It will be a further expansion of this universe,” Silverman told reporter Ben Fritz. “Superman vs Batman will lead into Justice League.”
Hold the phone,...
Warner Bros. says it is going to try again to create a big-screen version of Justice League, the long-demanded, occasionally attempted team-up between Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern and other iconic DC superheroes.
In an interview with the Wall Street Journal, the studio’s production president Greg Silverman confirmed that Zack Snyder would follow-up his 2016 Batman/Superman movie with this one, delivering Justice League to theaters sometime in 2018.
“It will be a further expansion of this universe,” Silverman told reporter Ben Fritz. “Superman vs Batman will lead into Justice League.”
Hold the phone,...
- 4/28/2014
- by Anthony Breznican
- EW - Inside Movies
It's confirmed! As we first broke back in January, the Justice League movie will indeed follow Batman vs Superman! Ben Fritz from the Wall Street Journal is also reporting that Zack Snyder is officially on board to direct Justice League! Henry Cavill is expected to return as Superman, along with Ben Affleck as Batman, Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman, and Ray Fisher as Cyborg in 2016’s Man of Steel sequel tentatively titled Batman vs. Superman. Other Justice Leaguers should be announced soon.
In the WSJ article, Warner Bros. president of worldwide production Greg Silverman acknowledges for the first time that the studio has set plans to make a Justice League movie.
It will be a further expansion of this universe,” said Mr. Silverman. “’Superman vs Batman’ will lead into ‘Justice League.’
But that is not all, folks!
We know the rumored release date of the Justice League movie! According to my sources,...
In the WSJ article, Warner Bros. president of worldwide production Greg Silverman acknowledges for the first time that the studio has set plans to make a Justice League movie.
It will be a further expansion of this universe,” said Mr. Silverman. “’Superman vs Batman’ will lead into ‘Justice League.’
But that is not all, folks!
We know the rumored release date of the Justice League movie! According to my sources,...
- 4/28/2014
- by El Mayimbe
- LRMonline.com
While Zack Snyder’s Man of Steel sequel Batman vs. Superman is gearing up to begin production next month (with an announced May 6th 2016 release), Warner Bros has revealed their plans for a third film. Warner Bros. president of worldwide production Greg Silverman revealed to Ben Fritz that Zack Snyder will direct Justice League. More […]
The post Zack Snyder To Direct ‘Justice League’ Movie After ‘Batman vs. Superman’ appeared first on /Film.
The post Zack Snyder To Direct ‘Justice League’ Movie After ‘Batman vs. Superman’ appeared first on /Film.
- 4/28/2014
- by Peter Sciretta
- Slash Film
To paraphrase a salient tweet from L.A. Times writer Ben Fritz, It’s no “Hunger Games” or “Twilight,” but with a solid $56.7 million opening, the sci-fi Ya adaptation “Divergent” won’t be a “Vampire Academy” or “Mortal Instruments”-type flop either. And yes, they tend to come in those black and white terms so far: either a massive success or a bomb (though ‘Mortal Instruments’ seems like it may limp towards a sequel). But that’s all very relative. The Shailene Woodley-starring Ya film was met with very mixed-to-disappointing reviews, but that didn’t stop the 20-something crowd who came out in healthy numbers. And that $56.7 million is nothing to sneeze at. It’s the second-highest opening of 2014 behind “The Lego Movie,” audiences reported an A Cinemascore and 50% of that demo was under 25. It should be kicking around theaters and the top 10 for at least another few weeks presumably.
- 3/23/2014
- by Rodrigo Perez
- The Playlist
Up until this point, most of what we’ve heard regarding Star Wars: Episode VII has been mere rumor or speculation. We all knew that with J.J. Abrams at the helm any details would be shrouded in secrecy, but this has been ridiculous. There still hasn’t been a single official casting announcement made — even for the expected return of the primary cast from the original trilogy. However, today two pieces of news have dropped straight from the house of Disney.
First off, Disney and Lucasfilm announced through their official Star Wars site that principal photography for Episode VII will begin in May. I’ve included the official announcement below, along with a timeline of all the start dates for the previous installments in the franchise.
The second piece of news comes straight from Disney CEO Bob Iger. Iger spoke at Disney’s annual shareholder meeting this morning and casually...
First off, Disney and Lucasfilm announced through their official Star Wars site that principal photography for Episode VII will begin in May. I’ve included the official announcement below, along with a timeline of all the start dates for the previous installments in the franchise.
The second piece of news comes straight from Disney CEO Bob Iger. Iger spoke at Disney’s annual shareholder meeting this morning and casually...
- 3/18/2014
- by Eli Reyes
- GeekTyrant
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