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      'Wonder Woman 3' Greenlit With Gal Gadot and Patty Jenkins Returning

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      Warner Bros. Pictures/Clay Enos

      Warner Bros. Pictures officially announces a sequel to ‘Wonder Woman 1984’ is in the works as the last of the planned trilogy following the enthusiastic response to the sequel’s HBO Max release.

      Dec 28, 2020
      AceShowbiz – Warner Bros. Pictures didn’t need much time to consider whether to give “Wonder Woman 3” a green light or not following the release of “Wonder Woman 1984”. The studio has announced that the third and last installment of the planned trilogy is officially in the works with Gal Gadot reprising her role as the Amazon princess and Patty Jenkins back at the helm.
      “As fans around the world continue to embrace Diana Prince, driving the strong opening weekend performance of ‘Wonder Woman 1984’, we are excited to be able to continue her story with our real life Wonder Women – Gal and Patty – who will return to conclude the long-planned theatrical trilogy,” said Toby Emmerich, Chairman, Warner Bros. Pictures Group, in a statement on Sunday, December 27.
      The news surely came as a gift to “Wonder Woman” fans, who helped fast-track the threequel with their enthusiastic response to the movie’s release via streamer. While it received lukewarm response at box office, debuting to only $16.7 million in North America following its theatrical release on December 25, the movie garnered much more interest on HBO Max where it’s made available for subscribers in the United States.

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      WarnerMedia reports that on HBO Max the sequel to 2017’s “Wonder Woman” was viewed by “nearly half of the platform’s retail subscribers viewing the film on the day of its arrival, along with millions of wholesale subscribers who have access to HBO Max via a cable, wireless, or other partner services. HBO Max also saw the total viewing hours on Friday more than triple in comparison to a typical day in the previous month.”
      Due to the high demand to access to “Wonder Woman 1984″, some users reported various glitches, either 4K streaming problems or Roku bad connections. Andy Forssell, head of WarnerMedia’s direct-to-consumer business, claimed, ” ‘Wonder Woman 1984’ broke records and exceeded our expectations across all of our key viewing and subscriber metrics in its first 24 hours on the service, and the interest and momentum we’re seeing indicates this will likely continue well beyond the weekend.”
      He added, “During these very difficult times, it was nice to give families the option of enjoying this uplifting film at home, where theater viewing wasn’t an option.”
      Jenkins previously shared she already had plans for “Wonder Woman 3”, should it be given a go and she return for it. “I have pretty clear plans for ‘Wonder Woman 3’,” the director said back in 2019. “Whether I [direct] it or not, I see how her arc should end in my incarnation of Wonder Woman. I have great passion for that.”

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      Pedro Pascal Credits Patty Jenkins for His Involvement in 'Wonder Woman 1984'

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      Warner Bros. Pictures/WENN/Adriana M. Barraza

      When speaking about his portrayal of villainous Max Lord in the ‘Wonder Woman’ sequel, ‘The Mandalorian’ star explains the reason why he jumped at the opportunity.

      Dec 28, 2020
      AceShowbiz – Actor Pedro Pascal jumped at the opportunity to star in the “Wonder Woman” sequel because he was so eager to work with director Patty Jenkins.
      “The Mandalorian” star portrays villain Max Lord in “Wonder Woman 1984”, and although it’s a gig he relished, he admits he would have done anything just to be in the filmmaker’s presence.
      “I didn’t care what it was,” Pascal told The Associated Press. “I still have trouble wrapping my head around the opportunity.”
      Pascal had actually worked with Jenkins years earlier on a TV pilot which never got picked up, but the director never forgot about his charisma and talent, and he was the first person who came to mind when she was casting the role of Lord.
      “I just adored him,” Jenkins said. “I thought he was such a great guy and such an interesting person and an excellent actor.”

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      “But when I was sitting and thinking about who could pull this off, I just knew that he could do it. There was something about Pedro that I knew he could hit every different mark and also reveal a side of himself I wasn’t sure that even he had gotten to use yet.”
      Pascal stars alongside Chris Pine, Kristen Wiig, and Gal Gadot as the titular superhero in the new blockbuster, but it wasn’t his first time starring in a “Wonder Woman” project.
      The actor was previously tapped for a TV reboot of the DC Comics series back in 2011, and featured in an unaired pilot with Adrianne Paliciki as Wonder Woman/Diana Prince.
      Pascal had forgotten about his involvement in the scrapped show, and he was glad Jenkins didn’t appear to be aware of it at the time of his casting in “WW84”, either.
      He recalled to CinemaBlend, “I think that because of the impact of the first (Wonder Woman) movie, and then, of course, the idea of getting to work with Patty Jenkins, it never occurred to me.
      “And I’m glad that it didn’t because I think I probably would’ve been paranoid if they knew I had already had a go at a Wonder Woman project. Maybe they didn’t know at the time.”

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      A ‘Great Cultural Depression’ Looms for Legions of Unemployed Performers

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      #masthead-section-label, #masthead-bar-one { display: none }The Best of 2020Best ComedyBest TV ShowsBest BooksBest MoviesBest AlbumsAdvertisementContinue reading the main storySupported byContinue reading the main storyA ‘Great Cultural Depression’ Looms for Legions of Unemployed PerformersWith theaters and concert halls shuttered, unemployment in the arts has cut deeper than in restaurants and other hard-hit industries.Soon after the pandemic struck, a year’s worth of bookings vanished for the acclaimed violinist Jennifer Koh, who found herself streaming concerts from her apartment.Credit…Elias Williams for The New York TimesDec. 26, 2020Updated 5:32 a.m. ETIn the top echelons of classical music, the violinist Jennifer Koh is by any measure a star.With a dazzling technique, she has ridden a career that any aspiring Juilliard grad would dream about — appearing with leading orchestras, recording new works, and performing on some of the world’s most prestigious stages.Now, nine months into a contagion that has halted most public gatherings and decimated the performing arts, Ms. Koh, who watched a year’s worth of bookings evaporate, is playing music from her living room and receiving food stamps.[embedded content]Pain can be found in nearly every nook of the economy. Millions of people have lost their jobs and tens of thousands of businesses have closed since the coronavirus pandemic spread across the United States. But even in these extraordinary times, the losses in the performing arts and related sectors have been staggering.During the quarter ending in September, when the overall unemployment rate averaged 8.5 percent, 52 percent of actors, 55 percent of dancers and 27 percent of musicians were out of work, according to the National Endowment for the Arts. By comparison, the jobless rate was 27 percent for waiters; 19 percent for cooks; and about 13 percent for retail salespeople over the same period.In many areas, arts venues — theaters, clubs, performance spaces, concert halls, festivals — were the first businesses to close, and they are likely to be among the last to reopen. “My fear is we’re not just losing jobs, we’re losing careers,” said Adam Krauthamer, president of Local 802 of the American Federation of Musicians in New York. He said 95 percent of the local’s 7,000 members are not working on a regular basis because of the mandated shutdown. “It will create a great cultural depression,” he said.The new $15 billion worth of stimulus aid for performance venues and cultural institutions that Congress approved this week — which was thrown into limbo after President Trump criticized the bill — will not end the mass unemployment for performers anytime soon. And it only extends federal unemployment aid through mid-March.The public may think of performers as A-list celebrities, but most never get near a red carpet or an awards show. The overwhelming majority, even in the best times, don’t benefit from Hollywood-size paychecks or institutional backing. They work season to season, weekend to weekend or day to day, moving from one gig to the next.The median annual salary for full-time musicians and singers was $42,800; it was $40,500 for actors; and $36,500 for dancers and choreographers, according to a National Endowment for the Arts analysis. Many artists work other jobs to cobble together a living, often in the restaurant, retail and hospitality industries — where work has also dried up.They are an integral part of local economies and communities in every corner of rural, suburban and urban America, and they are seeing their life’s work and livelihoods suddenly vanish. Terry Burrell, an actor and singer in Atlanta, saw the tour of her show “Angry, Raucous and Gorgeously Shameless” canceled after the virus struck.Credit…Lynsey Weatherspoon for The New York Times“We’re talking about a year’s worth of work that just went away,” said Terry Burrell, whose touring show, “Angry, Raucous and Gorgeously Shameless,” was canceled. Now she is home with her husband in Atlanta, collecting unemployment insurance, and hoping she won’t have to dip into her 401(k) retirement account.Linda Jean Stokley, a fiddler and part of the Kentucky duo the Local Honeys with Monica Hobbs, said, “We’re resilient and are used to not having regular paychecks.” But since March hardly anyone has paid even the minor fees required by their contracts, she said: “Someone owed us $75 and wouldn’t even pay.”Then there’s Tim Wu, 31, a D.J., singer and producer, who normally puts on around 100 shows a year as Elephante at colleges, festivals and nightclubs. He was in Ann Arbor, Mich., doing a sound check for a new show called “Diplomacy” in mid-March when New York shut down. Mr. Wu returned to Los Angeles the next day. All his other bookings were canceled — and most of his income.Mr. Wu, and hundreds of thousands of freelancers like him, are not the only ones taking a hit. The broader arts and culture sector that includes Hollywood and publishing constitutes an $878 billion industry that is a bigger part of the American economy than sports, transportation, construction or agriculture. The sector supports 5.1 million wage and salary jobs, according to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis. They include agents, makeup artists, hair stylists, tailors, janitors, stage hands, ushers, electricians, sound engineers, concession sellers, camera operators, administrators, construction crews, designers, writers, directors and more. “If cities are going to rebound, they’re not going to do it without arts and cultural creatives,” said Richard Florida, a professor at the University of Toronto’s Rotman School of Management and School of Cities.Steph Simon, a hip-hop artist from Tulsa, had been booked to perform at South by Southwest when the virus hit and eliminated the rest of his gigs for the year. Credit…September Dawn Bottoms/The New York TimesThis year, Steph Simon, 33, of Tulsa, finally started working full time as a hip-hop musician after a decade of minimum-wage jobs cleaning carpets or answering phones to pay the bills.He was selected to perform at the South by Southwest festival in Austin, Texas, played regular gigs at home and on tour, and produced “Fire in Little Africa,” an album commemorating the 1921 massacre of Black residents of Tulsa by white rioters.“This was projected to be my biggest year financially,” said Mr. Simon, who lives with his girlfriend and his two daughters, and was earning about $2,500 a month as a musician. “Then the world shut down,” he said. A week after the festival was canceled, he was back working as a call center operator, this time at home, for about 40 hours a week, with a part-time job at a fast-food restaurant on the weekends.In November, on his birthday, he caught Covid-19, but has since recovered.Performers on payrolls have suffered, too. With years of catch-as-catch-can acting gigs and commercials behind her, Robyn Clark started working as a performer at Disneyland after the last recession. She has been playing a series of characters in the park’s California Adventure — Phiphi the photographer, Molly the messenger and Donna the Dog Lady — several times a week, doing six shows a day.“It was the first time in my life I had security,” Ms. Clark said. It was also the first time she had health insurance, paid sick leave and vacation.In March, she was furloughed, though Disney is continuing to cover her health insurance.“I have unemployment and a generous family,” said Ms. Clark, explaining how she has managed to continue paying for rent and food.Many performers are relying on charity. The Actors Fund, a service organization for the arts, has raised and distributed $18 million since the pandemic started for basic living expenses to 14,500 people.“I’ve been at the Actors Fund for 36 years,” said Barbara S. Davis, the chief operating officer. “Through September 11th, Hurricane Katrina, the 2008 recession, industry shutdowns. There’s clearly nothing that compares to this.”Higher-paid television and film actors have more of a cushion, but they, too, have endured disappointments and lost opportunities. Jack Cutmore-Scott and Meaghan Rath, now his wife, had just been cast in a new CBS pilot, “Jury Duty,” when the pandemic shut down filming.“I’d had my costume fitting and we were about to go and do the table read the following week, but we never made it,” Mr. Cutmore-Scott said. After several postponements, they heard in September that CBS was bailing out altogether.Many live performers have looked for new ways to pursue their art, turning to video, streaming and other platforms. Carla Gover’s tour of dancing to and playing traditional Appalachian music as well as a folk opera she composed, “Cornbread and Tortillas,” were all canceled. “I had some long dark nights of the soul trying to envision what I could do,” said Ms. Gover, wholives in Lexington, Ky., and has three children.She started writing weekly emails to all her contacts, sharing videos and offering online classes in flatfoot dancing and clogging. The response was enthusiastic. “I figured out how to use hashtags and now I have a new kind of business,” Ms. Gover said.But if technology enables some artists to share their work, it doesn’t necessarily help them earn much or even any money.The violinist Ms. Koh, known for her devotion to promoting new artists and music, donated her time to create the “Alone Together” project, raising donations to commission compositions and then performing them over Instagram from her apartment.The project was widely praised, but as Ms. Koh said, it doesn’t produce income. “I am lucky,” Ms. Koh insisted. Unlike many of her friends and colleagues, she managed to hang onto her health insurance thanks to a teaching gig at the New School, and she got a forbearance on her mortgage payments through March. Many engagements have also been rescheduled — if not until 2022.She ticks off the list of friends and colleagues who have had to move out of their homes or have lost their health insurance, their income and nearly every bit of their work.“It’s just decimating the field,” she said. “It concerns me when I look at the future.”AdvertisementContinue reading the main story More

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      Kristen Wiig on “Wonder Woman 1984” and Cheetah

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      #masthead-section-label, #masthead-bar-one { display: none }The Best of 2020Best ComedyBest TV ShowsBest BooksBest MoviesBest AlbumsAdvertisementContinue reading the main storySupported byContinue reading the main storyKristen Wiig Would Have Said Yes to One Line in ‘Wonder Woman 1984’Getting to play Cheetah was even better for the “Saturday Night Live” star, who loves superhero movies: “It was huge on my list of things I wanted to do.”Told that her performance as the villain recalls her “S.N.L.”  misfits and loners, Wiig said, “They’re all inside me. I don’t know how to get rid of them.”Credit…Mary Ellen Matthews/CPi SyndicationDec. 25, 2020, 7:00 a.m. ET“I want you to know, I dressed up for the interview,” a dryly sarcastic Kristen Wiig said from a computer screen. Clad in a well-worn sweatshirt, she was relating a familiar plight: how a monthslong regimen of video chats and conferences had gradually worn down her efforts to appear presentable on camera.“First you’re fully trying to look normal,” she said Tuesday. “And then you’re only normal from the waist up. And now I’m just like, this is me. I’ve got baby food on me and we just have to accept ourselves.”Wiig had recently returned to Los Angeles, where she lives with her husband, the actor Avi Rothman, and their two young children, after a whirlwind New York trip. She was there to host “Saturday Night Live,” the NBC institution where she was a cast member, playing dozens of endearing eccentrics and likable outsiders.That would be a fitting finale to anyone’s 2020, but Wiig still has one more act: She is a star of “Wonder Woman 1984,” the DC superhero sequel that Warner Bros. will release in theaters and on HBO Max on Friday.This follow-up to the 2017 blockbuster “Wonder Woman,” directed by Patty Jenkins and starring Gal Gadot as the Amazonian champion of the title, might not seem like an obvious fit for Wiig: She is better known for outrageous comedies like “Bridesmaids” (which she acted in and wrote with Annie Mumolo) and melancholy independent films like “The Skeleton Twins” and “Welcome to Me.”Wiig’s Cheetah facing off with Wonder Woman (Gal Gadot).Credit…Warner Bros.But when you look more carefully at her character, it’s not hard to see why Jenkins chose Wiig to play Barbara Minerva, a timid antiquities expert whose desire for acceptance and fascination with her colleague Diana Prince (Wonder Woman’s alter ego) eventually drive her to become the villainous Cheetah. Playing Barbara Minerva lets Wiig trade blows in comic-book action sequences, while also calling upon her finely tuned talents for introversion and extroversion.As Wiig said Tuesday, “I’m excited and equally nervous” to see how viewers will respond to her performance in what’s easily the biggest film of her career.She also spoke about how the role came about, her love of superhero movies and her new life as a mother of twins who were born earlier this year. These are edited excerpts from that conversation.Before “Wonder Woman 1984,” did you ever imagine yourself playing a villain in a comic-book blockbuster or aspire to play one?It was an aspiration, for sure. It was huge on my list of things I wanted to do. I love big action movies and I love superhero movies. I loved all of Chris Nolan’s Batman movies and all the “Avengers” movies, “Deadpool” — you name it, I’ve seen it. I saw “Wonder Woman” in the theater when it opened, and when she came over that trench, the crowd was cheering. And it was a female superhero, so I got really emotional about it.You’ve made a lot of idiosyncratic independent movies, too. Is it now impossible for you to go back to that world?I don’t know if I could say I only want to make a certain type of movie. I’ve done movies with literally no budget and the dialogue was all improvised, like “Nasty Baby,” which I made in Brooklyn with my friends. I always tell myself I want to be happy when I show up on set, and I say yes to things I want to do.Wiig and Tunde Adebimpe in the indie “Nasty Baby.”Credit…The OrchardWiig, opposite Rose Byrne, in her big-screen breakout role in “Bridesmaids,” which she also co-wrote. Credit…Suzanne Hanover/Universal PicturesHow did you find out that you were being considered for “Wonder Woman 1984”?I got a call from my agent that Patty Jenkins wanted to talk to me. And I was like, just tell her yes, no matter what it is. I was hoping it was a “Wonder Woman” thing, but I didn’t know anything about it. I didn’t know if I would have one line — if she wanted me to be the crazy neighbor next door that’s like, “Goodbye, Diana!”Did your feelings change when you learned she was considering you to play Barbara Minerva?I knew about Cheetah, but there are so many different versions of that character and I was curious as to what she was going to be. But when I heard Patty’s ideas, I understood a little bit more why she thought of me. Maybe because Barbara’s really awkward in the beginning — I do have that side to me. And then after I got the part, she got into more detail of who Barbara was.What interested you about the role at that stage?I always love bad guys that you’re rooting for a little bit, where you understand why they’re bad. The thing that I loved about her is that there’s always Barbara in there. Even when she fully becomes Cheetah, you can see Barbara in there and Diana can see Barbara in there. I loved that conflict that it puts her in, and puts the audience in, because she’s so likable and nervous and insecure. We all have moments where we’ve felt like Barbara before.Is it pigeonholing you if I say that I saw flashes of some of your best-known “S.N.L.” characters — uncomfortable loners like Penelope and larger-than-life misfits like Target Lady — in your performance?I mean, they’re all inside me. I don’t know how to get rid of them. [Laughs]The Target Lady (with Justin Timberlake) is one of the comedian’s many “S.N.L.” characters.Credit…Dana Edelson/NBCAre the introverted characters just natural extensions of yourself?On “S.N.L.,” I have to find in me, what does insecurity feel like? And then take it to a 10 or 11. But whether I’m doing a character on “S.N.L.” or in “Wonder Woman,” I have to find what I think that is in me. There’s definitely characters I’ve played where I don’t have anything in common with them, and I still have to figure out how to get there in an authentic way.Do people expect you to be big and boisterous in real life because they’ve seen you play those kinds of characters before?Oh yeah, all the time. When people know you are an actor, period, they think you’re going to tell this amazing story of what happened to you on the way to dinner and it’s going to be captivating. Add the fact that I’m known for doing mostly comedy and it’s like, “OK, where are the voices?” I’m not going to do characters right now. It’s assumed that acting is an extroverted thing. But it’s not, necessarily.So where do you find those qualities in yourself when you’re playing those kinds of roles?It depends on the character, but once I’m doing it — especially on “S.N.L.,” because it’s live and you have millions of people watching — you just get in a zone. And then afterward you snap out of it. It’s funny because even though Barbara in the beginning is nervous and unsure of herself, I found it harder to play that than who she becomes later.Why was that harder?Because I was resistant, at the beginning, to add humor to her. I didn’t want her to seem too much like things I had done before, or to seem like I wasn’t able to do this part without adding something that wasn’t Kristen. But Patty and I had this one talk that completely shifted my brain, where she was like, if you allow yourself to just let that humor come out, it’s going to feel authentic and it’s not going to feel as strange as you think it does. And it completely changed my experience. When Cheetah is evil, it’s like, OK, now I’m this person. Maybe because there is more of me in Barbara, I actually had a more challenging time with that part of the shooting.Was there physical training for this role?[Exhales audibly] Yesss. Almost two months before we started shooting, I got a trainer — the movie wanted me to, just to get started. When you watch the movie, we learned and did all of those fight sequences, in addition to our stunt people. There’s definitely some C.G.I. elements later on, but for the most part it’s wire work. That’s all real people. I was basically sore for like nine months. And it’s very easy to complain and say, oh my God, I can’t even walk up the stairs. But to be honest, being stronger was so helpful, to get into who this character was. It just made me feel really good.[The next few questions contain mild spoilers for “Wonder Woman 1984.”]There’s a scene where Barbara, just starting to come into her powers, enters a party and is delighted to find she’s the center of everyone’s attention. Was that as enjoyable for you to make as it is for her to experience, or do you feel the glare of the spotlight even more?It’s a combination of both. The set was really amazing and whenever you’re in a scene with a lot of background [actors] looking at you, you can’t help but feel a little more self-conscious. But it was the part in the story where Barbara’s really starting to turn and feel it. She probably went to those parties before feeling so invisible. And this is different for her — her life is changing. So that was really fun to play.Wiig as the newly empowered Barbara at a party in “Wonder Woman 1984.”Credit…Clay Enos/Warner Bros.There’s another sequence where, in classic comic-book fashion, Barbara gets to take revenge on a scummy guy who harassed her in an earlier scene. Was that satisfying to make?I loved shooting that scene. Barbara is so sad and has always wanted this other life, and with that comes so much anger that she didn’t even realize she had. And to see her be able to just unleash it, and be like, “Oh, I like how this tastes — I’m going to keep going,” it was really fun to shoot that. I like how it wasn’t just a random person that was robbing someone in an alleyway. As a viewer, you’re a little conflicted — you’re like, oh, I like that she’s doing this to this guy. But then she goes too far. We have to acknowledge that. I’m not condoning it.Is it possible that Barbara doesn’t just want to be Diana’s equal or superior, but that she’s attracted to Diana?Like, attracted attracted? I’ve heard people suggest that. As far as my intentions in how I was playing it, it was really just her seeing Diana as the beautiful, popular girl that has the best life and everything I don’t have. There’s so much admiration there. But if people want to see it that way, it’s definitely up for interpretation.[Spoilers end here.]Warner Brothers’ decision to make “Wonder Woman 1984” and other coming movies immediately available on HBO Max has elicited a wide range of reactions from filmmakers, talent and audiences. How do you feel about it?It’s a complicated question. We’re all still mourning the whole theater experience and it’s hitting a lot of people. But I will say I didn’t personally feel comfortable telling people to go out if it’s not safe, and I’m happy that people can watch it now without worrying about their health. It’s really complicated and no one’s winning right now. But it being out on Christmas and knowing that people get to watch it and be safe is the best scenario, if it has to be this way.Are there any lessons you can take from a movie of this scale and apply to your smaller, more intimate comedy and drama performances?Yes — going into a role and being nervous is probably normal for most actors. It is for me. But when it’s over, that feeling that you did it, it just makes you feel like you can take more risks on the next thing you do. There were definitely times where I was very self-aware of just how big the role was. Truthfully, I don’t go on the internet, but I know there were people that were, like, surprised that I was playing this role. That can get in your head, even though I try not to read any of that. But ultimately I do want to take more risks and I think it’s important for me to feel that nervousness when I’m doing stuff. It makes me find something deep inside that I didn’t know was there.How are you finding motherhood so far?It’s great. Great isn’t even the word — it’s better than great. It’s strange that it’s all in quarantine. That’s a huge negative side to it, because we obviously can’t do anything or go anywhere or see certain family members. But they’re amazing and I’ve never been happier in my whole life. I’m such a homebody. I’m happy to be with them all day. Obviously not under these circumstances, but I love being home with them.What are you hoping to get for Christmas this year?I would love a nice, framed photo of me and my husband and my kids. It would just be a nice thing to have. And maybe some good moisturizer.Now that you’re a mom, is everyone going to get you a robe for Christmas?[Laughs] I hope not!AdvertisementContinue reading the main story More

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      Highly-Anticipated Movies in 2021

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      Hollywood studios have a bunch of potential blockbusters and tentpoles lined up for next year in hopes of bringing back the industry to life after COVID-19 lockdown shut down the business.

      Dec 25, 2020
      AceShowbiz – After months long of being confined in home and restricted to many leisure activities as the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, many can’t wait to jump start 2021 in the hopes of opening a new chapter that will be filled with more positive things than what has been happening in the past 12 months. For movie lovers, one of the things to look forward to in the new year is being able to go back to theaters without having to worry about their safety to watch movies they have been highly-anticipating.
      Finger-crossed that the said wish will come true, Hollywood studios are lining up a bunch of potential blockbusters and tentpoles that are expected to bring back the industry to life after COVID-19 lockdown basically shut down the business. Though the coronavirus outbreak has halted shootings of some projects, fans can rest assured that these production houses still have a bunch of exciting pics to offer. Additionally, with several films that were initially scheduled for 2020 having been pushed back to next year, there are more than enough options for fans to choose from.
      Having been discussed and developed even several years before they will finally arrive, some of the movies have gained mass of eagerly-awaiting fans. If you’re already struggling to decide which ones to watch when the time comes, or you haven’t caught up with what are up in the sleeve for next year, AceShowbiz has prepared a guide to highly-anticipated movies in 2021 below.

      1. ACTION, THRILLER
      Universal Pictures/WENN/Nigel Cornell

      For the past few months, whether or not “No Time to Die” will actually be released has been the question that many were wondering to know the answer. Well, the wait may finally be over next spring when the new 007 movie is unleashed in theaters. Bringing back Bond from his retirement, the pic will also introduce a slew of new characters, including a mysterious foe played by Rami Malek and a female “00” agent, portrayed by Lashana Lynch, who was supposed to replace Bond in MI6. Once again billed as the last one starring Daniel Craig, it will give fans another chance to bid farewell to his version of the British spy.
      Entering summer, a new installment from another beloved franchise is ready to treat its loyal fans. After being pushed aside due to the development of the spin-off, “Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw”, “F9” will reunite the Dominic Toretto (Vin Diesel)-led gang that people have been missed so much. Giving another reason not to miss the movie, this will be the third to last film in the franchise, which is planned to end with an 11th installment. The sentimental touch aside, “F9” is promised to present the suspense that has been in the vein of the film series since the beginning.
      Still speaking of movie with high-octane action sequences, Tom Cruise has been hard at work to make sure “Mission: Impossible VII” remains on track for its July release. Already teased with leaked behind-the-scenes photos and footage were some death-defying stunts that the lead actor/producer was directly involved in the filming. With the high stakes that the cast and crew are willing to risk and the big budget prepared for the production amid the pandemic, the next “M:I” movie is guaranteed to not disappoint moviegoers.
      Other action, thriller movies to be released in 2021: “The King’s Man” (Feb. 12), “Top Gun: Maverick” (Jul. 2), “The Hitman’s Wife’s Bodyguard” (Aug. 20), “Snake Eyes” (Oct. 22) and many more

      2. SUPERHERO, COMIC BOOK ADAPTATION
      Sony Pictures/Warner Bros. Pictures/Walt Disney Pi

      Superhero and comic book adaptations have been major attraction to theaters in the last decade and that excitement will hopefully return when some titles from MCU and DCEU are coming to big screen in 2021. “Morbius”, based on another Marvel character, is one of them. Developed as part of Sony Pictures Universe of Marvel Characters, it is likely to take gritty and dark route in the vein of “Venom”. With Daniel Espinosa at the helm and Jared Leto as the title character, it is expected to be the first of a new successful franchise for the studio.
      Meanwhile, Warner Bros. is still putting so much hope on a popular DC Comics character, Batman. Once again rebooted with Robert Pattinson taking on the mantle, “The Batman” explores the early year of the Caped Crusader as the protector of Gotham City. Doubts were cast on the actor’s casting due to his past portfolio that didn’t support the genre, but he has appeared to show his seriousness in transforming into Bruce Wayne, citing Robert Downey Jr. and Chris Evans as his inspirations. With Matt Reeves, who has built his reputation with sci-fi films like “Cloverfield” and the “Apes” movies, as director, this new Batman movie seems to have a solid case to bring the superhero back to its glory.
      Elsewhere at Marvel Studios, Kevin Feige is launching a new franchise as part of Phase Four of the MCU with “The Eternals”, which features a superhero ensemble. Boasting a star-studded cast that includes Angelina Jolie, Richard Madden, Kumail Nanjiani, Lauren Ridloff, Brian Tyree Henry, Salma Hayek, Lia McHugh and Don Lee (Ma Dong Seok) among others, it doesn’t only show the studio’s commitment to race diversity, but also the inclusion of LGBTQ characters.
      Other superhero movies and comic book adaptations to be released in 2021: “Black Widow” (May 7), “Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings” (Jul. 9), “The Suicide Squad” (Aug. 6), Untitled Spider-Man 3 Movie (Dec. 17)

      3. ADVENTURE, FANTASY, SCI-FI
      Warner Bros. Pictures/Walt Disney Pictures/Legenda

      Having been long plotted with each character earlier being introduced in its own solo movies, two of the earth’s fictional mightiest monsters are set to face off against one another in “Godzilla vs. Kong”. Being delayed from its planned November 2020 release due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the showdown will finally be happening in the summer of 2021, bringing bigger catastrophe than what has been witnessed in the Godzilla and King Kong films. To make the battle fair, King Kong appears to have gone through a massive growth spurt since he wasn’t an adult yet in “Kong: Skull Island”.
      From the studio that has brought to audience the “Pirates of the Caribbean” film franchise before, comes a new film based on another Walt Disney’s theme park attraction of the same name. “Jungle Cruise” pairs Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson with Emily Blunt as the main characters, who are on a mission into a jungle to find the Tree of Life which is believed to possess healing powers. With Jaume Collet-Serra, who are known for his works on horror and action films like “Orphan” and “Unknown”, serving as director, it’s interesting to see the direction he’s taking for this Disney movie.
      Another movie postponed from 2020, “Dune” is the first of a planned two-part adaptation of the 1965 sci-fi novel of the same name by Frank Herbert. The sneak peeks have teased the stunning visuals to represent fictional planet Arrakis, while the ensemble cast features Timothee Chalamet, Rebecca Ferguson (II), Oscar Isaac, Josh Brolin, Stellan Skarsgard, Dave Bautista, Javier Bardem and Jason Momoa just to name a few. Showing its vote of confidence with the franchise, Legendary has been developing a spin-off series that will focus on the Bene Gesserit and serve as a prequel to the film.
      Other adventure, fantasy and sci-fi movies to be released in 2021: “Ghostbusters: Afterlife” (Jun. 11), “Uncharted” (Jul. 16)

      4. HORROR
      Paramount Pictures/MGM/Universal Pictures

      If spooky is your definition of interesting, then here are a few options of films to watch that will meet your satisfaction. Following the success of 2018’s “A Quiet Place”, a sequel is a no-brainer. While the anticipation was high, the wait for “A Quiet Place: Part II” has been prolonged due to the delay caused by the pandemic. Still with John Krasinski at the helm, it follows the Abbotts who must now face the terrors of the outside world as they continue their fight for survival in silence. Amping up the suspense, it brings new major threats in the form of new creatures that lurk beyond the sand path.
      While a “A Quiet Place” franchise is bringing an unknown world to moviegoers, fans of horror films must be already familiar with “Candyman”. The lore, which is based on the short story “The Forbidden” by Clive Barker, was first brought to life in 1992, with the upcoming movie being billed as a direct sequel. The previously-released trailer hints at a psychological twist in the plot that centers on a visual artist exploring the ghost story about a supernatural killer that is summoned by repeating his name five times into a mirror. With a screenplay written by Jordan Peele, it will hopefully bring justice to the underrated original movie.
      Coming the pumpkin festival, a fictional serial killer is back terrorizing in “Halloween Kills”. Developed following the critical and financial success of 2018’s “Halloween”, the the twelfth installment in the horror franchise once again pits Laurie Strode (Jamie Lee Curtis) against her relentless chaser Michael Myers, portrayed by James Jude Courtney and Nick Castle. As majority of the film had been completed before its original planned release last October, producer Jason Blum claimed to have watched it and gushed in March, “I just saw ‘Halloween Kills’. It was So good. So good. It’s intense. It’s huge. It really feels really big.”
      Other horror movies to be released in 2021: “The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It” (Jun. 4), “Spiral” (May 21)

      5. DRAMA, ROMANCE
      Walt Disney Pictures/MGM/20th Century Fox

      Being faint-hearted is not a reason to avoid going to theaters altogether as there is also a bunch of selections for the gentle soul. “Cruella” is one of this kind of spectacles that will help people come to understanding of how Cruella de Vil, the wicked villain in 1996’s “101 Dalmatians”, turned into the ruthless and terrifying legend she is known today. With Craig Gillespie, who was behind awards-winning movie “I, Tonya” as director, “Cruella” is likely more than just a family movie that is easy to watch.
      Also seeing the formative years of a well-known figure, “Respect” is a biographical drama film based on the life of real singer Aretha Franklin. Oscar winner and singer Jennifer Hudson is taking on the lead role, having proven her singing prowess that hopefully will bring justice to the reenactment of the late Queen of Soul’s musical performances. Not only depicting her journey to stardom, but it will also explore her interpersonal relationships, most notably how her abusive husband and autocratic father helped inspire and shape her epochal music.
      In addition to those two films mentioned above, there is “West Side Story” for those looking for something more romantic. Directed by prolific and awards-winning filmmaker Steven Spielberg who doesn’t need further introduction, its screenplay is expected to hew more closely to the 1957 Broadway musical of the same name than to previous film adaptation, which was released in 1961. Starring Ansel Elgort and Rachel Zegler as the film’s leads, the musical drama is a new take on a star-crossed love story set in 1950s New York City.
      Other drama movies to be released in 2021: “Cinderella” (Feb. 5), “Marry Me” (Feb. 12), “Newark” (Mar. 12), “King Richard” (Nov. 19)

      6. COMEDY, FAMILY
      Warner Bros. Pictures/Walt Disney Pictures/Univers

      Who doesn’t know “Tom & Jerry”? After decades of being the central characters in the truest depiction of cat-and-mouse game, these longtime foes are getting their second only feature film adaptation. The upcoming movie makes use of the advanced technology and combines live-action footage with computer-animated graphics to present a more realistic look at the slapstick humor as the result of the title characters’ mischief. The story follows Jerry taking up residence in a hotel as Tom is hired to keep him from ruining an important wedding, with Chloe Moretz, Colin Jost, Rob Delaney and Ken Jeong among the voice cast.
      Never one to be left behind when it comes to a family entertainment, Walt Disney Pictures has prepared its own animated movie for 2021, “Raya and the Last Dragon”. Coming from the studio that has brought to viewers critically-acclaimed films like “Moana”, “Frozen (2013)” and many more, this upcoming original film is promised to deliver inspirational message about bravery and trust in humankind with a story about a warrior princess and the last dragon.
      In a slightly different approach than those two films mentioned above, “The Boss Baby: Family Business” is an animated comedy family film that also offers adult humor. Though critics were divided over the first film’s confusing tone, 2017’s “The Boss Baby” that featured the voice of Alec Baldwin proved that its cutting-edge wits catered to not only kids, but also adults. The sequel will find The Templeton brothers becoming adults and being drifted away from each other.
      Other comedy and family movies to be released in 2021: “Peter Rabbit 2: The Runaway” (Jan. 15), “Minions: The Rise of Gru” (Jul. 2), “Space Jam: A New Legacy” (Jul. 16), “Hotel Transylvania 4” (Aug. 6), “Paw Patrol: The Movie” (Aug. 20) and “The Addams Family 2” (Oct. 8)

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      Pedro Pascal's Idea of 'Polished' 'Wonder Woman 1984' Villain Rejected by Patty Jenkins

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      WENN/Adriana M. Barraza

      The ‘Game of Thrones’ alum reveals he initially thought Michael Douglas’ classic “Wall Street” character Gordon Gekko would be the perfect inspiration for his Max Lord, but the director didn’t want the baddie to be so polished.

      Dec 25, 2020
      AceShowbiz – Pedro Pascal had to ditch plans to base his new “Wonder Woman 1984” villain on Michael Douglas’ classic “Wall Street” character, because director Patty Jenkins didn’t want his baddie to be so polished.
      The former “Game of Thrones” star initially thought cold and calculating businessman Gordon Gekko in his power suit would be the perfect character to draw inspiration from for his Max Lord, but he was forced to abandon that idea after a chat with Jenkins.
      “She pulled me away from that,” Pascal explained to The Associated Press. “She was like, ‘That’s not the polish that we’re after.’ ”
      Instead, Jenkins steered him in a slightly different direction, and the actor ended up loving that take on Lord, a minor TV personality and aspiring oil tycoon. “What we went after was so much more unpredictable and exposed,” he said.

        See also…

      “The thing that would ultimately anchor me to him was far more vulnerable than what a Gordon Gekko-type would be.”
      In a recent interview with Entertainment Weekly, Pascal weighed in on what he thinks his character’s perception of his himself. “I think that he strives to see himself as a part of an ideal, and in a way that so many of us do.”
      He continued, “Whether it’s the perfect body on Instagram or just like the perfect day expressed on Facebook, the perfect job, the perfect life, ‘living my best life,’ whatever version of that — which I think in the era that WW1984 takes place is pretty clear to us, that kind of unbridled excess, a very specific definition of success and whatever the quote-unquote American dream is,” he shared. “I think that he strives to be seen that way, is desperate to see himself that way, and is unwilling to see himself for who or what he really is.”
      “Wonder Woman 1984”, which stars Gal Gadot as the titular superhero, premieres in U.S. theatres and on streaming service HBO Max on Christmas Day (December 25). It was pushed back from its planned June 5 release due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

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      Christopher Nolan Came Up With Idea for 'Tenet' While Making 'Memento'

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      Warner Bros.

      The director of ‘The Dark Knight’ trilogy reveals he developed story for his latest time-bending movie from an idea he came up with during the making of his 2000 movie.

      Dec 25, 2020
      AceShowbiz – Filmmaker Christopher Nolan first came up with the idea for “Tenet” while making “Memento” 20 years ago.
      The director has always been interested in exploring metaphysical themes in his work, and in his summer blockbuster “Tenet”, John David Washington stars as a secret agent who has to embark on a time-bending mission to prevent World War III.
      However, Nolan reveals the initial kernel of the idea came to him two decades ago as he worked on psychological thriller “Memento” with Guy Pearce.

        See also…

      “I had this notion of just a bullet getting sucked out of the wall and into the barrel of a gun,” he told Complex, explaining the inspiration behind his use of time inversion in the opening scenes of the 2000 movie.
      “It’s an image that I had in Memento to demonstrate the structure of that movie, but I always harboured this ambition to make a film where the characters had to deal with the physical reality of that.”
      “In a way, an idea comes to the fore when the time is right for it, and it’s a hard process to quantify, so I was doing all these other things. There are things that you learn how to make and everything in Tenet, interestingly, on the surface of it, they’re all versions of action or particular ways of filming things that I’ve tried before in a different form. You’re building on what you’ve done in the past.”
      “Tenet” which surpassed $200 million at global box office has debuted at the top of the final U.K.’s Official Film Chart of 2020. The film notched up 149,000 sales across disc and digital to outsell the rest of the top five combined.

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      Paul Bettany Hides Gift From 'A Knight's Tale' Director in Basement and Never Opens It

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      WENN

      The Vision depicter in the Marvel Cinematic Universe reveals the unusual ‘gift’ he received from director Brian Helgeland after they were done filming their 2001 movie.

      Dec 25, 2020
      AceShowbiz – Paul Bettany received his “penis back” at the end of filming “A Knight’s Tale”.
      The British actor stripped for his role in the 2001 movie and director Brian Helgeland marked the end of the shoot by presenting his leading man with a reel of film featuring all the outtakes of shots of him in the nude.
      Paul said, “(My best wrap gift was from) Brian Helgeland. Because of the absence of any (modesty) sock, there were lots and lots of strips of film that got cut that had… well, he gave me my penis back is essentially what happened.”
      “He gave me a reel of film that I have never opened but I still have in my basement, that is every frame of my penis cut from A Knight’s Tale.”
      Paul only shot the scene without any form of covering because the alternative he was offered was even more embarrassing than walking around naked.
      Discussing his most memorable on set moment, he said, “Walking down a road with no clothes on in A Knight’s Tale still holds the trophy.”

        See also…

      “It was like someone’s anxiety dream. I remember, the dresser came in my trailer with a Day-Glo sock.”
      “I’m really nervous about having to shoot this scene, but the one thing that could be more humiliating than being naked and walking down a street is being naked but for a Day-glo sock. So I chose to go sans sock.”
      “The Avengers” star – who has two children with his actress wife Jennifer Connelly – admitted he is “very bad” about stealing from film sets, but the first time he did it was for a purpose that served him well.
      He explained to Total Film magazine, “I started off well and nicked all the suits from Gangster No. 1 because I couldn’t afford suits. I was able to audition in them for years!”
      And more recently, he took home a replica of his head made for his role as Vision in the Marvel movie, much to his wife’s disgust.
      He said, “My wife hates it, so she keeps hiding it, but I always find it and put it back. It is pretty creepy. It’s like some bodiless spectral apparition. You walk into the room and go, ‘Ah!’ ”

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