It will have been five years between Bonds, a seemingly unconscionable amount of time but if we can wait five years for a Godzilla movie, this one is certainly worth it as well.
MGM announced today the title for James Bond 25, No Time to Die, coming in April 2020. Here’s the official announcement:
LOS ANGELES – August 20, 2019 – James Bond Producers, Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli today released the official title of the 25th James Bond adventure, No Time To Die. The film, from Albert R. Broccoli’s EON Productions, Metro Goldwyn Mayer Studios (MGM), and Universal Pictures International is directed by Cary Joji Fukunaga (Beasts of No Nation, True Detective) and stars Daniel Craig, who returns for his fifth film as Ian Fleming’s James Bond 007. Written by Neal Purvis & Robert Wade (Spectre, Skyfall), Cary Joji Fukunaga, Scott Z. Burns (Contagion,The Bourne Ultimatum) and Phoebe Waller-Bridge (Killing Eve, Fleabag) A Day To Die is currently in production. The film will be released globally from April 3, 2020 in the U.K. through Universal Pictures International and in the U.S on April 8, from MGM via their United Artists Releasing banner.
No Time To Die also stars Rami Malek, Léa Seydoux, Lashana Lynch, Ben Whishaw, Naomie Harris, Billy Magnussen, Ana de Armas, Rory Kinnear, David Dencik, Dali Benssalah with Jeffrey Wright and Ralph Fiennes.
In No Time To Die, Bond has left active service and is enjoying a tranquil life in Jamaica. His peace is short-lived when his old friend Felix Leiter from the CIA turns up asking for help. The mission to rescue a kidnapped scientist turns out to be far more treacherous than expected, leading Bond onto the trail of a mysterious villain armed with dangerous new technology.
Other members of the creative team are; Composer Dan Romer, Director of Photography Linus Sandgren, Editors Tom Cross and Elliot Graham, Production Designer Mark Tildesley, Costume Designer Suttirat Larlarb, Hair and Make-up Designer Daniel Phillips, Supervising Stunt Coordinator Olivier Schneider, Stunt Coordinator Lee Morrison and Visual Effects Supervisor Charlie Noble. Returning members to the team are; 2nd Unit Director Alexander Witt, Special Effects and Action Vehicles Supervisor Chris Corbould and Casting Director Debbie McWilliams.
Casino Royale, Quantum Of Solace, Skyfall and Spectre have grossed more than $3.1 billion in worldwide box office collectively. Skyfall ($1.1 billion) and Spectre ($880 million) are the two highest-grossing films in the franchise.
American Gods arrived on Starz with a stellar cast and terrific source material, the novel by Neil Gaiman. It had pedigreed producers in Bryan Fuller, who ankled his shot at Star Trek: Discovery to devote himself fulltime to this; and Michael Green, a superb writer with tons of genre credits. It was visually arresting, emotionally moving, and stunningly weird.
Then there’s the second season. Fuller and Green were jettisoned amidst problems with the skyrocketing budget that exceeded $10 million per episode and their increased deviation from the novel. When Starz finally settled on Jesse Alexander to showrun the season alongside of Gaiman, a novice at television production. They scrapped the first six scripts while Starz cut the order from ten to eight episodes to save money and delayed release marking two years between seasons. Kristen Chenoweth and Gillian Anderson left in support of the ousted producers so their roles needed to be recast.
What viewers received this spring was a mess. Plodding, dark, hard to decipher – pick your adjectives. It got to the point where you find yourself putting off watching it and doing so more out of loyalty to Gaiman and/or the novel than genuine affection for the show.
Out now as a three-disc Blu-ray box set (with Digital HD code) from Lionsgate Home Entertainment, the series does hew closer to the novel as the stakes in the war between the old gods and modern gods escalates.
It’s still a delight to watch Ian McShane, Orlando Jones, Emily Browning, and Pablo Schreiber play their parts. The guest cast was strong with the radiant Cloris Leachman, William Sanderson, Lee Arenberg, and Laura Bell Bundy among others.
And yet…
The concepts remain strong and the extra time compared with novel has allowed for characters to grow and evolve, but the pacing is deadly slow, scenes are too dark to follow, and the emotional intensity is lacking pretty much until the penultimate episode when a beloved character is dispatched. It’s been reported that McShane and Jones wound up adlibbing many of their lines, so much so that Jones received screen credit.
Ex-con Shadow Moon (Ricky Whittle) remains caught between factions, more confused than an active participant in the struggle. He also has to struggle with spending time with his dead wife Laura (Emily Browning), who has eclipsed him as an interesting personality on the series.
For a struggle of ideologies, ancestral memory versus current experiences, its often spoken of more than played out, much to my regret. It is nice, though, to have more than your typical assortment of Norse and Greek gods, and at least we have an international assortment that will send some scurrying to the Internet to learn more about. Episode six, as we watch the gods arrive in the New World, was perhaps the season’s strongest episode.
It would have been nice to have a mythology primer as a special feature. Instead, we have The House on the Rock: Setting the Stage (Patton Oswalt hosts a San Diego Comic-Con panel), The Second Coming: Neil Gaiman on Season Two (oh, the jokes we could make here), and Gods and Ends: Random Musing from the Cast, which could describe one or two of this season’s episodes.
The 1080p video transfer in the 1.78:1 aspect ratio looks nice and rich on a home screen. The Dolby TrueHD 5.1 sound is a fine match.
Stepping in to showrun season three, yes there will be one, is The Walking Dead’s Charles “Chic” Eglee, which finally will take us to the Lakeside portion of the novel. He and Gaiman, who is not a showrunner this time, have broken down the third season and even laid out plans for a fourth. So you may want to watch this as homework for better times ahead.
Y’know, maybe it’s just because comics just got done with telling an Arthurian story THAT TOOK THIRTY YEARS TO FINISH, but I’m looking for something a bit more… fast-paced, you know what I mean?
Luckily, here comes BOOM! and Kieron Gillen, Dan Mora, and Tamra Bonvillain with Once & Future #1, a rip-roaring old-timey adventure story with fun protagonists I’ve never encountered before (though I could easily see Diana Rigg in one of the roles, and I’m not telling you more than that) and what hints and a very different way of telling a story that we all thought we knew.
You can pre-order the paperback, of course, but it won’t be out until March and I think you could really do with something light-hearted now, don’t you? It’s been a rough week. Get #1 now and have some laughs.
Oh, there’s a trailer, too; but you’d only be spoiling the discovery. However, if you must…
Tom Hiddleston (Loki), Charlie Cox (Daredevil), and Zawe Ashton will make their Broadway debuts tonight in a new revival of Harold Pinter’s Betrayal at the Jacobs Theater.
In a direct transfer from London’s West End, Tom Hiddleston will star in Betrayal alongside Zawe Ashton and Charlie Cox. The Harold Pinter play begins performances August 14 and will officially open September 5 at the Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre, where the show will run for a strictly limited 17-week engagement.
For long-time comic readers, Summer also means Annuals. Clearly, they are no longer confined to only summer. The Star Wars Adventures Annual is full of all-ages adventures and is published by IDW. I love this idea and as a mature reader (i.e. older) I can both appreciate them… and then enjoy passing them along to younger readers. (I should use the hashtag #LetTheBrainwashingBegin).
Stan Sakai provides such a delightful cover that you might want to keep it in your collection. Oh, and look out for that other Star Wars character everyone loves to hate (I think he’s number 2 after Jar-Jar), Jaxxon the big green bunny.
It seems like yesterday to me when Marvel’s original Star Wars wrapped up, and the next story arc featured Han and Chewie on a Magnificent Seven-esque quest with various characters, including Jaxxon. He didn’t seem so bad back then, but, hey, what did we know?
I’m a sucker for travel posters, especially at the end of summer. In spring I always plan more summer trips than we can possibly fit in. Around the time when Kohl’s and Target’s back-to-school ads start showing up, I get that “we didn’t do enough” pang of regret.
That’s probably while I was drawn to IDW’s Star Trek: Year Five variant cover by artist J.J. Lendel. It’s brilliantly executed and evocative of one of those classic travel posters.
This Star Trek series tells the story of the original crew’s missions during the “unchronicled” final year of the original mission. This issue brings back some favorite characters, and that’s always half the fun with revisiting TOS, isn’t it?
LOS ANGELES, CA (August 13, 2019) – Get ready for childhood dreams of talking toys to go completely sideways when Chucky, the sinister killer doll, comes home in Child’s Play – a re-imagining of the 1988 horror classic sure to elicit screams from a whole new generation of fans this fall. Realizing that her son Andy (Gabriel Bateman) is lonely, Karen (Aubrey Plaza) buys him a seemingly innocent, AI-enhanced Buddi doll that he names Chucky. But Chucky’s safety restrictions have been disabled, and soon, a gruesome series of events unfolds. Unable to convince his mom that the doll is responsible for the carnage, Andy becomes the target of the bloodthirsty Chucky!
Seth Grahame-Smith and David Katzenberg, producers of It, team up with Orion Pictures to bring another classic horror franchise to a new era of fans. Written by Tyler Burton Smith and based on characters created by Don Mancini, Child’s Play stars Aubrey Plaza as “Karen,” Gabriel Bateman as “Andy,” Bryan Tyree Henry as “Detective Mike Norris,” and features Mark Hamill as the voice of “Chucky.”
CHILD’S PLAY Blu-ray™ and DVD Bonus Features:
The Making of Child’s Play
Bringing Child’s Play’s Chucky to Life
Soundtrack Trailer
Toy Massacre
A.I. Mayhem
Gallery
Child’s Play Blu-ray™ and DVD Specifications Street Date: September 24, 2019 Screen Format: Widescreen 2.39:1 Audio: English DTS-HD-MA 5.1, English AD DD 5.1, Spanish (Latin Spanish) DD 5.1, English COMMENTARY DD 2.0 Subtitles: English for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, Spanish (Latin Spanish) +TXT Total Run Time: Approximately 90 minutes U.S. Rating: R for bloody horror violence, and language throughout
A St. Louis, Missouri, comic book enthusiast was heartbroken when his entire collection was stolen. Luckily for him, the suspects selected his comic store to try unloading the rare books.
One of the thieves apparently had no idea she was trying to sell the comics back to their rightful owner, so he played dumb and set up a trap. https://t.co/5IyGdtVFOl
I’m glad that Martin Casas was able to get his books back, and I look forward to seeing Apotheosis Comics & Lounge (3206 S. Grand Boulevard, St. Louis, MO, 314-802-7090), a combination comic book store and bar, for myself. What more could you ask for in a shop?
BURBANK, CA (August 12, 2019) – Experience an all-new adventure with DC’s most powerful heroine – filled with intrigue, mythology and relentless battles on shores near and far – in Wonder Woman: Bloodlines, the next entry in the popular series of DC UniverseMovies. Produced by Warner Bros. Animation and DC, the feature-length animated film arrives – accompanied by the DC Showcase animated short Death, inspired by Neil Gaiman’s “The Sandman” – from Warner Bros. Home Entertainment on Digital starting October 5, 2019, and on 4K Ultra HD Combo Pack, and Blu-ray Combo Pack on October 22, 2019.
Wonder Woman: Bloodlines will be available on 4K Ultra HD Combo Pack (USA $39.99 SRP; Canada $43.99 SRP) and Blu-ray Combo Pack (USA $24.98 SRP; Canada $34.97 SRP) as well as on Digital. The 4K Ultra HD Combo Pack features an Ultra HD Blu-ray disc in 4K with HDR, a Blu-ray disc featuring the film in hi-definition and a digital version of the movie. The Blu-ray Combo Pack features a Blu-ray disc with the film in hi-definition, a DVD with the film in standard definition and a digital version of the movie.
In Wonder Woman: Bloodlines, Amazon princess Diana of Themyscira chooses to save fighter pilot Steve Trevor and return him to his home in America – setting in motion one of Wonder Woman’s most captivating chapters. Fulfilling the role of both ambassador as well as protector, Diana soon earns the name Wonder Woman from the gracious people of Earth. Equally strong in body, heart and will, she makes it her mission to help a troubled young girl enlisted by a deadly organization known as Villainy, Inc., whose criminal members have their sights set on invading Themyscira, Diana’s paradise home. Prepare for a thrilling quest packed with brutal battles, mysterious mythology and endless wonder!
Rosario Dawson (Jane the Virgin, Rent, Luke Cage) returns as the voice of Wonder Woman for the sixth time, leading a sensational Wonder Woman: Bloodlines voice cast that includes Jeffrey Donovan (Fargo, Burn Notice) as Steve Trevor, Marie Avgeropoulos (The 100) as Silver Swan, Adrienne C. Moore (Orange Is the New Black) as Etta Candy, Kimberly Brooks (DC Super Hero Girls, Mass Effect, Winx Club) as The Cheetah & Giganta, Courtenay Taylor (Regular Show, Fallout 4) as Dr. Poison, Constance Zimmer (Entourage, House of Cards, Unreal) as Veronica Cale, Nia Vardalos (My Big Fat Greek Wedding) as Julia Kapatelis, Michael Dorn (Star Trek: The Next Generation, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Arrow) as Ferdinand, Cree Summer (Batman Beyond, Rugrats) as Hippolyta, Mozhan Marno (The Blacklist, House of Cards) as Dr. Cyber, and Ray Chase (Justice League Dark) as Lead Bandit.
Wonder Woman: Bloodlines is co-directed by Sam Liu (Reign of the Supermen) and Justin Copeland (Batman: Hush) from a script by Mairghread Scott (Justice League Action, Guardians of the Galaxy animated series). Jim Krieg (Batman: Gotham by Gaslight) is co-producer. Sam Liu and Amy McKenna (The Death of Superman) are producers. Executive Producers are Sam Register and James Tucker (Batman: Hush).
“Wonder Woman has been inspiring fans for generations and Wonder Woman: Bloodlines will further stoke that flame with an action-packed adventure that offers new and cherished characters from across Diana’s impressive comics history,” said Mary Ellen Thomas, Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Vice President, Family & Animation Marketing.
Wonder Woman: Bloodlines Special Features
4K Ultra HD Blu-ray Combo Pack, Blu-ray Combo Pack and Digital
DC Showcase: Death (Animated Short) – Inspired by Neil Gaiman’s “The Sandman,” Death is produced & directed by Sam Liu (Justice League vs. The Fatal Five) and written by J.M. DeMatteis (Batman: Bad Blood). In the story, Vincent, an artist with unresolved inner demons, meets a mysterious girl who helps him come to terms with his creative legacy … and eventual death. Leonard Nam (Westworld) provides the voice of Vincent, and Jamie Chung (The Gifted, Big Hero 6) is the voice of Death. The voice cast includes Darin De Paul, Keith Szarabajka and Kari Wahlgren.
The Cheetah: Ferocious Archenemy (New Featurette) – Ferocious. Clever. Deadly. It’s the thrill of the hunt and the prey is Wonder Woman. This is the story of The Cheetah, Diana’s greatest enemy.
A Sneak Peek at the next DC UniverseMovie, Superman: Red Son – An advanced look at the next animated film in the popular DC UniverseMovies collection.
Wonder Woman: Bloodlines will also be available on Movies Anywhere. Using the free Movies Anywhere app and website, consumers can access all their eligible movies by connecting their Movies Anywhere account with their participating digital retailer accounts.
Fans can also own Wonder Woman: Bloodlines via purchase from digital retailers beginning October 5, 2019.
There’s a certain generation that will recognize the names Fleegle, Bingo, Drooper, and Snorky. Together, they are the Banana Splits, a pop band aimed at children, headliners of The Banana Splits Animation Hour which ran on NBC Saturday mornings from September 7, 1968, to September 5, 1970. The arrived at a time when children’s television was welcoming more live-action production.
Hanna-Barbera, which ruled Saturday morning animation during the 1960s, asked Sid and Marty Kroft to design the band which would be men inside costumes, with celebrated voice actors lip-synching original saccharine tunes. So successful was this that the Krofts created their own show, H.R. Puffenstuff.
As nostalgia continues to fuel reboots and remakes, here comes a fresh one from Warner Home Entertainment.
The Banana Splits Movie arrives on digital streaming Tuesday, the 13th with a disc debut on August 27. The film offers a new take on the classic characters. The film follows a boy named Harley and his family as they go to a taping of The Banana Splits TV show, which is supposed to be a fun-filled birthday for young Harley. But things take an unexpected turn — and the body count quickly rises. Can Harley, his mom and their new pals safely escape?
In this clip, stage manager Rebecca — played by Sara Canning (The Vampire Diaries, A Series of Unfortunate Events, War for the Planet of the Apes) – learns the show has been cancelled from studio executive Andy, played by Daniel Fox (Generation Kill, Eye in the Sky) … just as does a lurking-in-the-shadows Drooper.
