Movie Fanatic saw a whole ton of footage from How to Train Your Dragon 2 this weekend at WonderCon and cannot wait for you all to see the entire film.
We also spoke to the film's director and star Jay Baruchel (our exclusive interview will go live later today) about the highly anticipated sequel to How to Train Your Dragon.
But, we do have a treat for you -- DreamWorks Animation has released the first five minutes of the film. You think you know the world teased in the How to Train Your Dragon 2 trailer?
Think again and check out the first five minutes that will blow away your expectations!
How to Train Your Dragon 2 hits theaters June 13 and also features the return of Kristen Wiig, Jonah Hill, America Ferrera, Craig Ferguson and Gerard Butler. They also welcome Cate Blanchett to the cast!
The Amazing Spider-Man 2 picks up after the first Marc Webb film and between the chemistry of Andrew Garfield and Emma Stone, and those three vicious villains (Electro, The Rhino and Green Goblin), we're pretty stoked to check out this first summer movie when it arrives May 2.
The Amazing Spider-Man 2 picks up after the first Marc Webb film and between the chemistry of Andrew Garfield and Emma Stone, and those three vicious villains (Electro, The Rhino and Green Goblin), we're pretty stoked to check out this first summer movie when it arrives May 2.
2.
Neighbors
Zac Efron as the leader of a fraternity that moves next door to Seth Rogen and Rose Byrne's couple with a new baby? Think they'll get along? No, and that works for us in this highly anticipated comedy. Look for it May 9.
3.
Godzilla
Godzilla is back and from the looks of it, the king of the monsters is better than ever. The May 16 release date has been circled on our calendar since it was announced.
4.
Million Dollar Arm
The true story of a sports agent who went to India in search of the next great baseball pitcher will move you and inspire you. In a stroke of genius counter-programming, it arrives May 16 opposite Godzilla.
5.
X-Men: Days of Future Past
Should be no surprise X-Men: Days of Future Past's May 23 arrival is high on this list. It is, in fact, our most anticipated movie of the entire year.
6.
Maleficent
...and what movie would be number two on our most anticipated of all of 2014? Why it's Angelina Jolie's turn as the Sleeping Beauty villain in Maleficent. Look for her to do her best evil on May 30.
7.
A Million Ways to Die in the West
Seth MacFarlane follows up his blockbuster Ted with this comedy Western. A Million Ways to Die in the West had us from that first trailer, and May 30 cannot come soon enough.
8.
Edge of Tomorrow
Tom Cruise and Emily Blunt star in this film that is one-part Aliens and one part Groundhog Day. The June 6 arrival features Cruise as a soldier entering a battle where he dies almost immediately. Then, he awakes ready to head back into battle. He must figure out a way to win the war, in order to stop reliving the same day over and over.
9.
The Fault in Our Stars
The Fault in Our Stars was a bestsellling book and one can see why. In the film, Shailene Woodley stars as a young woman who finds love while battling cancer. Witness the power of the heart when it lands June 6.
10.
How to Train Your Dragon 2
How to Train Your Dragon was one of our biggest surprise enjoyments at the movies in recent memory. So, it is with great eagerness that we await the sequel on June 13.
11.
22 Jump Street
LOVED the first one, can't wait for the second. Tatum and Hill go to college... what more needs to be said? 22 Jump Street lands June 13.
12.
Jersey Boys
The Broadway musical was a huge hit. With Clint Eastwood directing the big screen version of the story of Frankie Valli and The Four Season, we cannot wait. Prepare for Oh, What a Night on June 20.
13.
Transformers: Age of Extinction
Transformers: Age of Extinction has us excited for two equally big reasons: Mark Wahlberg & Dinobots! We're ready for action June 27.
14.
Dawn of the Planet of the Apes
Dawn of the Planet of the Apes picks up ten years after Rise of the Planet of the Apes. The virus that started in the first one has almost wiped out the human race. The apes aren't ruling the planet yet, but with Caesar running things -- it's just a matter of time. Look for it July 11.
15.
Jupiter Ascending
We'd watch anything the Wachowskis produce, and with the wild idea of a futuristic adventure featuring Channing Tatum as an alien warrior sent to protect Mila Kunis' princess, we're all sorts of on board when it hits July 18.
16.
Wish I Was Here
After wowing us with his writing-directing debut Garden State, we can't contain our excitement for Zach Braff's follow-up Wish I Was Here to hit July 18.
17.
The Purge: Anarchy
The Purge was such an original idea. But, it really was just one small story in a landscape that could be huge. With The Purge: Anarchy landing July 18, that world greatly expands. We're prepared for all sorts of "Anarchy!"
18.
Hercules
Thinking about the idea of Dwayne Johnson as Hercules has us quoting Eddie Murphy, "Hercules! Hercules! Hercules!" Look for Johnson to be the mythic hero on July 25.
19.
Sex Tape
Cameron Diaz and Jason Segel look to spice up their sex life. So, they make a sex tape. And before they delete it, it is uploaded to the Cloud and sent to all their friends. Prepare for Sex Tape hilarity on July 25.
20.
Guardians of the Galaxy
We cannot contain our excitement for a "new" series of superheros from Marvel. Chris Pratt as Star Lord? Awesome. Bradley Cooper voicing Rocket Raccoon and Vin Diesel voicing Groot? Beyond awesome. August 1 cannot come soon enough.
21.
Get on Up
We finally get a biopic on the iconic James Brown! August 1 brings us Chadwick Boseman as the Godfather of Soul. And if he does half as good of a job with Brown as he did playing Jackie Robinson in 42, we are in for a treat.
22.
Lucy
Scarlett Johansson is Lucy. Lucy is from Luc Besson. We are in! Toss in the fact that it is a story of a reluctant drug mule who is punched in the gut, which sets off the drugs in her system and turns her into someone with super-human powers... Well, we were excited before -- now we're just giddy. Look to fall in love with Lucy August 8.
23.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
With Michael Bay producing and the technology vastly improved since they first hit screens in 1990, we are curiously anticipating the August 8 arrival of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.
24.
The Expendables 3
Sly and the boys return, and with the addition of Harrison Ford, Mel Gibson, Wesley Snipes and Antonio Banderas, we could not be more excited to see our aged action heroes fighting again on August 15.
25.
Sin City: A Dame to Kill For
Sin City changed the game and was one of the most visually arresting films we'd seen. With Frank Miller and Robert Rodriguez back, Sin City: A Dame to Kill For has us beyond intrigued for this August 22 release.
Brick Mansions is not only known for sadly being one of the last films that was made before Paul Walker died that featured the star, but it is also known for its prevalent use of Parkour, and it features one of the originators of the martial arts meet acrobatics, David Belle.
To celebrate the arrival of the film April 25, Movie Fanatic is proud to present an exclusive giveaway. One lucky reader will receive a $25 Fandango gift card to check out the wild action film, as well as Brick Mansions ear buds, a Brick Mansions Hoodie, a Brick Mansions water bottle and a Take Flight Parkour T-Shirt from the company that invented the sport/art form.
Check out the Brick Mansions trailer and you’ll get a peek at this wickedly original action film that features Walker as a Detroit cop in the near future. There’s a part of town, Brick Mansions, where crime has gotten so bad that the city erected a wall around it. When a hoodlum who runs it (RZA) threatens the city with a dirty bomb, Walker must infiltrate the violent, walled-off part of the city and save the day.
It is through the help of someone who is already embedded in the area, played by Belle, that he might just stand a chance!
Brick Mansions is based on the screenplay Banlieu 13 by Luc Besson and Bibi Naceri.
To enter, use the widget below to enter on Facebook or Twitter. There are three unique ways to enter, and by entering all three ways you can increase your chance at winning! We will select our winner at random on May 2, so enter now! And our winner must reside in the U.S.
Vin Diesel took to his social media accounts to share a photo of him working closely with the brothers of Paul Walker, Caleb and Cody. It was reported last week that Paul Walker’s brothers would film Fast and Furious 7 as part of the process to complete the film that Walker had started before he tragically perished in a car crash in November.
Diesel also shared some thoughts with the above pic…
“When I heard the news, I left the production, grabbed a plane and took my family and Michelle back to LA... drove directly to his parent's house,” he said on his Facebook page.
“His Father said, Paul loved you Vin... I awkwardly and nervously said, 'Aw come on' ... then he said, 'You don't have to get along every second to love each other.' So true.”
Now that they are hard at work on the legacy that is Walker’s with the final film he will ever be a part of, Fast and Furious 7, Diesel is clearly impressed with the family Walker.
“P.S. After spending time with his biological brothers, I must say to the parents, you raised some great kids,” Diesel continued on his Facebook page.
Is it us, or do Walker's brothers so look like him?!
The cast and filmmakers of Deliver Us From Evil visited Movie Fanatic for a chat at WonderCon this past weekend and we got the inside scoop on this scary looking horror flick that lands July 2.
Star Eric Bana talked about the passion of his writer-director Scott Derrickson, who had spent 10 years on the project, willing it to life. Bana also dished the joy of playing the real life NYPD officer who is investigating a series of possession-related murders with the help of an exorcist, played by Edgar Ramirez.
Executive producer Jerry Bruckheimer even stopped by to let us know why he, although not a fan of horror, so believed in this project and stuck with it for ten years until it finally could see the light of day.
Then, Ramirez stops by to chat playing an exorcist and how it was a challenge in the sense that exorcism is what he does, but it is not who he is! How do you handle that?!
Stay with Movie Fanatic for more of our WonderCon coverage in the next few days.
In the mood for a cop on the hunt of a crazed killer movie? Why not watch Se7en online?!
Gary Oldman descended on WonderCon this past weekend and Movie Fanatic was able to join in as he dished about his upcoming role in Dawn of the Planet of the Apes as well as what fans can expect from the picture itself.
“He’s a heroic character. He’s one of those go-to guys. That was part of the appeal,” Oldman said. “And (director) Matt Reeves was the clincher because his energy and enthusiasm for it comes through. He’s changed the game on it. He’s taken 3D motion capture to locations.”
Oldman portrays the leader of the surviving humans who have managed to build themselves a somewhat secure home behind some seriously tall walls in what is left of San Francisco. Oldman’s Dreyfus is also quite anti-ape as he has let his people think that it is the simians who are responsible for the virus that has all but obliterated mankind.
This goes against what Jason Clarke and Keri Russell’s characters believe. They see something in these evolved apes that humans can work with. Given the title, we’re guessing Oldman’s character is onto something.
But, Oldman tells us in the video interview above, perhaps it is a case of the chicken and the egg. Is it Oldman’s insistence on destroying apes that led to the titular rulers of the planet? Or, is it the other way around?
The production team, led by director Alan Taylor (Thor: The Dark World), took to their Facebook page to make the announcement in the form of a photo of the first slate and a message that is as follows:
X-Men: Days of Future Past stars Hugh Jackman, James McAvoy and Michael Fassbender have released a video announcing the arrival of the X-Men X-Perience. What is that, you ask?
Well, the stars of the film, including those three and Ian McKellen, Patrick Stewart, Nicholas Hoult, Jennifer Lawrence, Ellen Page, Peter Dinklage, Omar Sy, Evan Peters, Daniel Cudmore, Shawn Ashmore and Fan Bingbing, will be traveling the world to bring the film to audiences before the film premieres May 23.
One thing we have to say above all else… the chemistry between these three in this video has us even more excited for the arrival of the film than the final X-Men: Days of Future Past trailer!
The X-Men X-Perience will truly start with the film’s premiere in New York on May 10 and then the X-Men will dispense across the globe to hit London, Moscow, Singapore, Sao Paulo, Melbourne and Beijing. Which cast member will be at which city is part of the mystery. So if you’re in any of the above cities, be sure to stay tuned and we’ll bring you details as they become available.
Excited yet for the big X-Men film that brings together our favorite X-Men characters old and new? Get even more thrilled and watch X-Men online and watch X-Men: First Class online to be properly prepared for the biggest film of the summer.
And you can follow along with all the X-Men premiere thrills by following #xmenlive.
We were seriously intrigued by the arrival of The Equalizer poster last week, starring Denzel Washington. Now we’ve got a few more photos from the action film that features Washington as a black ops commando who faked his own death to retreat to a quieter life.
When Russian gangsters kidnap a young girl (Chloe Grace Moretz), Washington’s Equalizer swings back into action to save her, and most likely issue a little vengeance.
There are two things that have us intrigued for this September 26 release. One, the '80s TV show that it was based on was one heck of a thrill ride.
And other compelling aspect of The Equalizer is it reunites Washington with the man, Antoine Fuqua, who directed him dishing out those Training Day quotes that would result in Washington’s second Oscar.
Click through and check out our The Equalizer stills gallery and watch Training Day online to get a glimpse into what to expect from Washington and Fuqua when their latest film premieres September 26.
Well, audiences kind of ignored Johnny Depp in Transcendence. In fact, Depp has technically not had a critically well received or box office hit movie in a few years.
But, there is still no arguing that Depp is one of the biggest stars in the world, if not the biggest!
With over 70 credits under his belt since he first descended on Hollywood, we all know that they all can't be instant classics.
But, many are beyond outstanding. Let's go back over Depp's film work and remind ourselves why he is one of our favorite actors of all time.
We pick 15 of the best movies in Depp's lauded and wildly popular career. Want a clue as to what made the list?
Perhaps Johnny's best movie, Edward Scissorhands featured him playing a character that was equally vulnerable and vivacious. It was also another gem he scored with his good friend, director Tim Burton.
Perhaps Johnny's best movie, Edward Scissorhands featured him playing a character that was equally vulnerable and vivacious. It was also another gem he scored with his good friend, director Tim Burton.
2.
Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas
It was only appropriate that Depp play his longtime friend, Hunter S. Thompson in Terry Gilliam's version of the iconic book. Can you imagine anyone else in the role of the Gonzo journalist? Hardly!
3.
Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street
The musical lept off the stage onto the big screen with power and panache, largely due to the casting of Depp in the title role. And he sings, too? Anything Johnny Depp cannot do?
4.
Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl
This is a case where the first was the best. Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl made Depp an international superstar and shot him to the top of the A-list. It's also a pretty fun and thrilling movie to boot. It would also start a relationship with director Gore Verbinski that would result in four more movies.
5.
Corpse Bride
Seriously, what's not to love about Corpse Bride? Would you believe people even have Corpse Bride weddings? Yeah, it's that profound.
6.
Benny & Joon
Benny & Joon was one of those movies where Depp played an offbeat character and it utterly charmed audiences. His Buster Keaton type artist not only charmed Mary Stuart Masterson, it charmed wider audiences as well.
7.
What's Eating Gilbert Grape
What's Eating Gilbert Grape featured Depp as the title character who has to care for his special needs little brother, played by Leonardo DiCaprio. Depp was such a good acting volley partner, that DiCaprio would score his first Oscar nod.
8.
Ed Wood
Ed Wood was Depp at his most outlandish and we LOVED it! He played famed Hollywood director Ed Wood and it was another great collaberation with Tim Burton.
9.
Donnie Brasco
Donnie Brasco is not only one of our favorite Johnny Depp movies, it is one of our favorite movies period. Depp and Al Pacino make movie magic... and yes, the true story is tragic.
10.
Sleepy Hollow
Depp nailed it as the investigator trying to catch the Headless Horseman. Depp was a fantastic choice to play Ichabod Crane and it was just another terrific tandem with Burton.
11.
Chocolat
In a word, yummy! Depp and Juliette Binoche made movie magic and made us all fall in love with Chocolat and them.
12.
Blow
This one's hard to watch. Blow is one riveting film that features Depp in the true story of a small time drug dealer who quickly becomes one of the biggest dealers in the country, just as the nation is discovering cocaine. It also introduced us to Penelope Cruz, even if we hated her character!
13.
Finding Neverland
Depp blew us away as Sir James Matthew Barrie in the film that showed us how we got the story of Peter Pan. The actor was charming and utterly sublime.
14.
Rango
Johnny Depp as an animated lizard in a western comedy that reunites him with Gore Verbinski? Yes, please!
15.
21 Jump Street
Technically, not a Johnny Depp movie. But, he did star in the original TV show. He did make one of the best cameos in movie history and heck, try thinking about 21 Jump Street and NOT thinking of Johnny Depp. Good luck!
Philomena is an astounding true story about a woman who was forced to give up her baby while residing in a Catholic nun-run home when she was just a teenager. Judi Dench plays Philomena and our story finds her 50 years later, doing her best to track down the son she has spent decades trying to find. The Oscar-nominated film is out now on DVD, Blu-Ray and digital download and if you missed it in theaters, it is an absolute must-see.
Dench’s Philomena gets help in the form of Steven Coogan (who also co-wrote the screenplay with Jeff Pope.). He’s a journalist coming off a political scandal as the press rep for the British government and in great need of a feel good story to re-launch his writing career. He and Philomena are the most odd of pairs, but together this road trip movie shows that even the most different of souls can find great comfort and joy in one another.
As teased in the Philomena trailer, Coogan and Dench truly hit high gear when the duo head to America as they have a lead that her son may be in the United States. Witnessing Dench play Philomena as she experiences the joys of hotel movies and room service is something to behold.
As our theatrical Philomena review stated, this is about as perfect a movie as they come. Dench and Coogan are impeccably cast together and are one of the greatest movie pairs that graced movie screens in all of 2013. It is a powerful and moving story that will have you thinking about it months after the credits roll.
The Philomena DVD and Blu-Ray features are not too extravagant, but fitting for the small but touching film.
A Conversation with Judi Dench is something we would always welcome, and for a film such as this that is so deeply personal, it is a fascinating chat with an acting icon of stage, TV and screen. The Real Philomena Lee featurette is a perfect follow-up to the Dench feature as it is a priceless look at the real woman who talks about her journey.
And lastly, after witnessing the film in its entirety, be sure to check out the bonus feature that is the feature commentary with the film’s writers, Coogan and Pope. It is moving, just like the film itself.
If you think that final X-Men: Days of Future Past trailer showed you everything you're going to see before the film hits May 23, think again. We've got, even in a short 30-second spot, new footage that has never before been seen.
Among the footage is a fresh scene with Jennifer Lawrence's Mystique and an integral piece of dialogue from Evan Peters as Quicksilver!
X-Men: Days of Future Past explores how all of our favorite X-Men characters, old and new, come together to fight a force that seeks to wipe mutants off the face of the earth. The key to the entire thing is Hugh Jackman's Wolverine. And stay with Movie Fanatic as we unveil our exclusive interview with the film's screenwriter Simon Kinberg as he reveals to us why they chose Wolverine to go back in time.
Robert Downey Jr. is back in Avengers: Age of Ultron as Tony Stark/Iron Man for the fifth time he’s played the character. And if you think he’s growing weary of playing one of the most popular superheroes in the Marvel universe, think again.
The actor shared the first “official” photo from the set of Avengers: Age of Ultron on his new Twitter account. And he looks to be having the time of his life (again).
Downey is posing with the film’s producer Jeremy Latcham. Yes, sure, there’s not much to this photo. But, it does tell us that there is some serious danger being filmed around the two of them, due to their “hazard” vests.
And what else becomes clear from this first photo from the Joss Whedon Avengers: Age of Ultron set is that Downey’s charm and humorous verve for playing the Stark/Iron Man character has only grown. Believe it or not, our anticipation for the sequel to the film that gave us those unforgettable The Avengers quotes has only increased today.
So, thank you, Robert Downey, Jr.!
In an Avengers mood? Watch The Avengers online and let’s recall why this is one of the most anticipated movies of 2015.
The Amazing Spider-Man 2 has released a featurette that takes a closer look at the main villain of our superhero story, Electro. Jamie Foxx is Electro and Foxx chimes in on the video below as to what was so special for him about playing a superhero villain, but also specifically Electro.
Marc Webb, director of both the sequel and The Amazing Spider-Man, also chimes in on his thought process in making Electro the main villain in a story that also features Paul Giamatti as the Rhino and Dane DeHaan as Green Goblin.
We saw the opening 15 minutes and can say that the film opens with an extended, and incredibly thrilling, sequence that fills in some blanks when it comes to Peter's parents. Richard Parker is even more involved in the science behind Spider-Man than previously thought.
We saw the opening 15 minutes and can say that the film opens with an extended, and incredibly thrilling, sequence that fills in some blanks when it comes to Peter's parents. Richard Parker is even more involved in the science behind Spider-Man than previously thought.
2.
Peter & Gwen Graduate, Gwen's Valedictorian
Peter and Gwen are graduating high school and heading into the "real' world. Why, Webb explains: "There's a thematic resonance with people moving on, with graduation, which felt really potent to us. The graduation speech was a way to introduce the universe and the themes of the movie in an interesting way. That just felt right."
3.
Comedy Dream Team Helped Write Jokes!
Spider-Man has always been adored because of his humor. Webb told us that is even more present in The Amazing Spider-Man 2. "We did something that sometimes big comedy movies do, which is you get a roundtable of comedians and you just have them spit jokes out. You can't really tell who's in it! But these amazing comedians, many of them are comic book fans, came in and helped us with coming up with the one-liners and quips that are part of Spider-Man's universe."
4.
Norman Osborn Not Only Osborn Causing Trouble
Norman Osborn still has a part in this Spider-Man world. "Norman Osborn, who is played by Chris Cooper, has a really interesting component," Webb told us.
5.
Gwen & Peter Part!
Sure, they graduate together. But, in the footage we saw, Gwen and Peter have agreed to separate and it's been a year before they see each other again. See... Peter's promise to Captain Stacy from the first movie is weighing heavily on him.
6.
We See What Electro Sees
Webb utilizes movie technology impeccably and further proof of that is how he shows us what Electro sees. The world, to him, is one big electric grid. It is visually arresting.
7.
Times Square Action Sequence Sizzles
Webb has outdone himself and crafted one incredible action sequence that takes place in Times Square and features the first true encounter between Electro and Spider-Man. It. Is. Explosive.
8.
Harry Breaks Out Electro
Dane DeHaan's Harry Osborn has issues, there is no question. Since he will become a Spider-Man villain in Green Goblin, he knows he has an ally in Electro. So, he breaks him out of capture and the two head out to "catch themselves a spider."
9.
What is Roosevelt?
Richard Parker uploads something called the Roosevelt files. They get further explained in The Amazing Spider-Man 2. Their contents are worth killing for.
10.
Spider-Man Meets Max Dillon
Max Dillon becomes Electro, but before that happens, Spider-Man saves his life. So... what happened that these two would become arch enemies?!
11.
Lizard Question Answered
At the end of The Amazing Spider-Man, the Lizard was talking to someone. We find out who that is!
We caught up with Keri Russell at WonderCon and got to ask her about her upcoming film, the highly anticipated Dawn of the Planet of the Apes.
When we saw over 20 minutes of footage from the flick, one thing struck us: Seeing Russell play with Caesar’s baby. That had to be a draw for the actress, being able to act alongside one of the cutest creatures on the planet.
One would think so, but… well, let’s let Keri tell it.
“This is the sad, sad truth. So I read the script and I was like, ‘I get to play with the baby ape. That’s the best scene and I get to do it.' We were out in this idyllic place in Canada and we’ve about to shoot that scene… no baby ape,” Russell said with disappointment.
“No baby ape, not even one to look at! I said, ‘Where is the best part about doing this movie?!’ They told me to just imagine it!”
Despite that misfortune, Russell told us that she is more than thrilled with the work she did – teased in the Dawn of the Planet of the Apes trailer. And that she was truly drawn to this story of a world where highly evolved apes and humans live side by side, albeit with one hand on a weapon.
Her character, along with her onscreen husband played by Jason Clarke, believes they can live together. Gary Oldman, on the other hand, thinks all the apes should be dead.
And that, well, that is just the beginning of the Dawn of the Planet of the Apes thrill ride.
How to Train Your Dragon 2 writer-director Dean DeBlois and star Jay Baruchel have worked together for over seven years now since starting work on the first How to Train Your Dragon. They have grown close and it's fitting that we got to talk exclusively with the pair together at WonderCon recently to chat about their highly anticipated sequel that is one of our must-see summer movies.
When How to Train Your Dragon first came out, it struck a chord with audiences young and old and from all corners of the globe. We ask Baruchel and DeBlois what it is they think it was about this relationship between Baruchel’s Hiccup and his dragon Toothless that so resonated.
We also explore how this world that is shown in the How to Train Your Dragon 2 first five minutes is merely a “drop in the bucket” of what could be when it comes to further expanding this beloved franchise.
Movie Fanatic: You two have such a collaborative spirit working on How to Train Your Dragon and now How to Train Your Dragon 2. What do you find is the key to this magical working relationship and friendship?
Jay Baruchel: It could be because we grew up not too far apart from each other in Canada. But, there was a degree of kindred spirit as soon as I met him. I loved his ideas and everything that he wanted to do with the movie. I love the way he communicates. Now we’re seven years in the relationship and now it’s fairly instinctual and a wonderful shorthand. We understand each other. I don’t know that you have to tell me much now.
Dean DeBlois: I’ll start with a description and… he’s got it. He knows the character so well. So much of it is fashioned on Jay himself -- that sharp wit and very intelligent and also mindful of his physicality. All of that goes into that character in a charming way. We’ve recorded Jay more than anyone and he never puts up a fight about it. He’s always such a good sport and I think it’s because he knows he’s carrying the movie. The example he sets for the whole cast runs deep because they see how hard he works on it.
Movie Fanatic: What struck me about the first movie and it was evident from the first How to Train Your Dragon 2 trailer is the relationship between Hiccup and Toothless. What do you think it is about your character Hiccup and also his relationship with Toothless that so touches people?
Jay Baruchel: That’s a huge part of it. Our movie belongs to no time and no era. We live in an inpatient era and it’s 140 characters and reply in cyberspace. I think our movie is super old school [laughs]. People buy their ticket, they sit down and people told me when the first one ended they got sad. They didn’t want to leave. The world we created is this beautiful immersive escape that we get to take people to. You could come up with all sorts of rationales why people connect to it, but I honestly think the best of any art bypasses the head and goes right here (points to his heart). Our movie is visual poetry and it speaks to what, sometimes, people need.
Movie Fanatic: When the first movie came out and people flocked to it, it had to be incredibly gratifying. But, did you have that feeling Jay’s describing after being so immersed in it?
Dean DeBlois: I’ve been at this for a few years now and it’s the first world that I got to play in that it went on and on. But, it had something in common with Star Wars, which was the be all and end all as a kid. I love that it’s a universe that keeps going.
Movie Fanatic: There are so many messages to the How to Train Your Dragon stories, no matter what walk of life or where you are in your life -- there is something that speaks to you. What most spoke to you about this world?
Jay Baruchel: For me, it was the relationship between Hiccup and his dad and Hiccup and the world that he’s born in to. I understood that to a “T.” I’ve always been wired differently, for better or worse. I’ve never been interested in what all the other kids were interested in and certainly at odds with what my dad wanted me to be interested in. If it was up to my dad, I’d have just played hockey all my life. I was not that guy. Then, I’ve grown up around animals and I’ve never not had a pet at my house. Some of them I’ve forged incredibly meaningful relationships with, more than any other human. For me, that spoke to me.
Dean DeBlois: I grew up in a suburb of Ottawa where every house was identical to the other. It was hard to be special. I longed as a kid to be a part of something unique. I was always inventing these clubs and secret societies. What I love about Hiccup in the first story and it carries on to How to Train Your Dragon 2 is that he’s part of this elite little secret club – dragon riders. It’s an island that is a drop in a bucket of the whole world.
Jay Baruchel: It’s kind of like The Goonies!
Dean DeBlois: Yeah! The whole thing is a big wish fulfillment. Beyond being able to get on the back of a dragon and ride it, how about rebuilding one to some degree. Being an essential part of that creature, being able to thrive and fly again. It’s granting importance to a character that would otherwise seem insignificant.
Rebel Wilson took to her Twitter feed to make the announcement that has Pitch Perfect fans singing hallelujah.
Wilson, along with a slew of her Pitch Perfect 2 co-stars and director Elizabeth Banks, took part in rehearsals for the upcoming sequel. They are affectionately calling it a capella boot camp -- it is on -- l and Wilson shared a pic!
Since those first Pitch Perfect quotes truly got us extolling the joys of a capella singing, audiences have been wondering about a sequel.
They got their wish when it was announced that Anna Kendrick (who was absent from the above photo) and Wilson would be re-teaming with their Bellas team for a second chapter in Pitch Perfect 2.
Watch Pitch Perfect online and get yourself all sorts of ready for the return of the Bellas in Pitch Perfect 2 on May 15, 2015.
Avengers: Age of Ultron is busy filming right now -- we saw that first set photo from Robert Downey Jr. yesterday -- and we've got more news and it comes in the shade of green. Lou Ferrigno has said that he will return to the role that made him famous in the '70s TV show and voice the Hulk in Avengers: Age of Ultron.
Ferrigno played the green monster for many years and some people probably didn't know this, but he did provide the voice for one "puny" line that was one of our favorite The Avengers quotes: "Puny god." And we're sure you remember the scene where Hulk tosses Loki around like a rag doll.
Avengers: Age of Ultron hits theaters May 1, 2015 and is just one of the movies that should make 2015 the best summer ever.
Don't remember Ferrigno's line in the last film? Watch The Avengers online and watch Ferrigno do his thing.
When we first heard that audiences were finally getting a chance to go back to Jurassic Park in Jurassic World starring Chris Pratt, we could not contain our thrill. They hired a director in Colin Trevorrow who is supremely talented and we’re sure he will be under the tutelage of film series creator Steven Spielberg. But, did you know that Jurassic World could be just the beginning? You bet!
Trevorrow was talking to Empire magazine for its 300th issue and let it be known that follow-ups to the June 12, 2015 movie are already on the table.
“We definitely talked about sequels a lot. We wanted to create something that would be a little bit less arbitrary and episodic, and something that could potentially arc into a series that would feel like a complete story,” Trevorrow said.
When it comes to the story, beyond what we know about it taking place at the park 22 years after the goings-on of Jurassic Park, Trevorrow explained: “It’s about alpha dominance and the fact that humans have been the alpha species for a very long time and so now we’ve brought back another that happened to be the alpha species during its time, and we have to co-exist, so what is that relationship?”
Maybe it’s us, but that doesn’t sound good for the human race. Then again, it never did when it came to Jurassic Park’s premise of bringing back the dinosaurs to walk the Earth. Watch Jurassic Park online and see how it all got started.
Although Skydance posted a Terminator: Genesis photo announcing the start of production, today we have official word that the film has begun shooting. Paramount released a press release announcing the beginning of principal photography on Terminator: Genesis and we’ve even got a few photos of Arnold Schwarzenegger back on the set of the franchise that made him a star.
Alan Taylor (Thor The Dark World) is directing the film in New Orleans and the cast is impressive. It features Jason Clarke, Emilia Clark, Jai Courtney, JK Simmons, Byung Hun Lee and of course Schwarzenegger.
Look for Terminator: Genesis on July 1, 2015. Watch The Terminator online and go back and see how it all started.
