Lots of movie news coming at us just in the last couple of days and there's been a lot to take in. Not really much introduction here, so let’s get right to it. The only other thing I’ll mention before we start is to expect a review for War for the Planet of the Apes sometime next week, as I’ll be seeing it Monday (tomorrow!).
Aladdin Casting
First up a little news from the live action Aladdin remake with some cast confirmations. Mena Massoud has been cast as Aladdin, and Naomi Scott as Jasmine. Disney also confirmed that Will Smith would be playing/voicing Genie. I’m pretty on the fence with this film as a whole, to be honest. I don’t think it needs a remake, and a Guy Ritchie musical? I don’t know. As for the casting, I’m pretty neutral. I haven’t seen Mena Massoud in anything previously and I’ve only seen Naomi Scott in Power Rangers where her character turned out pretty unlikable so I’m not feeling one way or another with them. As for Will Smith, I don’t even know what to say about it. No one else can do what Robin Williams did and I hope with this casting this means they’re not going to try and replicate that. There were glimmers of that charming Will Smith in Suicide Squad that I felt like we hadn’t seen in a long time, and hopefully he can bring some of that charisma to Genie (my joking choice had been Dwayne Johnson for that exact reason). So do with this information what you will; good, bad, or indifferent.
Black Panther Character Portraits
Remember how a little while ago we got that Black Panther poster and it was cringingly Photoshopped? Well, courtesy of Entertainment Weekly we have some gorgeous character portraits that make up for that in spades. Every picture is not only a great introduction to its character, but also showcases the amazing costumes and gives you a sense of that person’s personality. Not to mention showing off the ridiculous level of talent this film has in its cast. They ran a trailer for it before Spider-Man: Homecoming and every time I see something for this film I get more excited. Bring on February 2018!
Star Wars: The Last Jedi Featurette and Posters
A new little featurette talking about The Last Jedi had some really neat stuff to it. Okay, it had a lot of stuff in it, even a very quick shot of Laura Dern’s character. I’m a sucker for practical effects so I loved seeing that they showcased a lot of it here as well. It’s always really cool to see the actors and crew having fun on set and during production but I also liked listening to what they said. It just makes me more anxious (in the good way) for the film. Seeing Carrie Fisher is still bittersweet, and it’ll only be harder once I’m sitting in the theater in December, I imagine. There were also new character posters released as well you can see here. They’re okay, but nothing that’s really firing me up.
A Wrinkle in Time Trailer
I have to confess something. The more posts I write and the more movies/games/what-have-you they make, the more I realize just how many nerd pies I have my fingers in. As in, I just re-read this book not that long ago. I knew they were making a new film for A Wrinkle in Time but I hadn’t seen or heard anything about it for a while. Then all of a sudden a trailer drops! First off, try to ignore the yet another 80’s song remixed for a trailer (Sweet Dreams by the Eurythmics this time) because it’s there and it may be dumb but it’s a trend that doesn’t seem to want to quit. Let’s focus on the footage itself. I love Chris Pine’s casting as Dr. Murry, and those shots of him imprisoned were just perfect. Also all the kids bouncing the balls at the same time and the mothers coming out? I whispered out loud to myself ‘Camazotz’ as I literally got chills. The only thing I didn’t really see any of in the trailer was Charles Wallace, as most of the attention was on Meg and Mrs. Who, Mrs. Which, and Mrs. Whatsit. I’m really feeling this, though. I’m excited for it.
George A. Romero and Martin Landau RIP
A bit of sad news to end off. Today, both director George A. Romero and actor Martin Landau passed away, at ages 77 and 89, respectively. R.I.P Gentlemen, you will both be missed.
And that about does it for me this time around. As I said, I'll have a review for War for the Planet of the Apes up sometime in the next few days. And if I see anymore juicy news from D23, and with San Diego Comic Con coming up very shortly, I might have a lot more fun stuff to share in the near future. Until then!
