Paramount Global has dropped the new trailer for Dexter: Original Sin, a prequel series which follows young Dexter (Patrick Gibson) as he transitions from student to the serial killer we all know and love. The release of the 10-episode series also isn’t too far off, with the premiere slated to drop on Paramount+ With Showtime on December 13th, followed by a Showtime debut on December 15th.

You may notice that the trailer for Dexter: Original Sin begins with the final moments of Dexter: New Blood, which found the serial killer seemingly meeting his end and bleeding out in the snow. However, the trailer adds a few more moments to that scene, with Dexter (Michael C. Hall) now being rushed to the hospital as doctors attempt to revive him. It’s this “life flashing before your eyes” moment which seems to set the stage for the prequel series. It may also give us a clue as to how the character will return in Dexter: Resurrection.

The official synopsis for the prequel series reads: “Set in 1991 Miami, Dexter: Original Sin follows Dexter (Gibson) as he transitions from student to avenging serial killer. When his bloodthirsty urges can’t be ignored any longer, Dexter must learn to channel his inner darkness. With the guidance of his father, Harry (Christian Slater), he adopts a Code designed to help him find and kill people who deserve to be eliminated from society without getting on law enforcement’s radar. This is a particular challenge for young Dexter as he begins a forensics internship at the Miami Metro Police Department.” The series also stars Patrick Dempsey, Molly Brown, James Martinez, Christina Milian, Alex Shimizu, and Reno Wilson, with Sarah Michelle Gellar appearing as a special guest star. Michael C. Hall also serves as the inner monologue in Dexter’s head.

As we learnt so much about Dexter’s past throughout the eight seasons of the original series, I’m a little uncertain if the prequel series will be able to give us anything new. But will I be there for the premiere next month? You’re damn right. You know I can never resist you, Dexter.

What did you think of the new Dexter: Original Sin trailer? Are you planning to watch the series?

The post Give in to the darkness and watch the new trailer for Dexter: Original Sin appeared first on JoBlo.

The film adaptation of Wicked is breaking box office records and is likely to be the biggest movie of the Thanksgiving season. But it’s also become ground zero for a newly invigorated debate about theater etiquette that’s been raging for a few years now and is only getting more heated as more people than ever whip out…

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The film adaptation of Wicked is breaking box office records and is likely to be the biggest movie of the Thanksgiving season. But it’s also become ground zero for a newly invigorated debate about theater etiquette that’s been raging for a few years now and is only getting more heated as more people than ever whip out…

Read more…

Just days after its release, Wicked has already proven to be an enormous success, grossing over $160 million worldwide and earning rave reviews. However, some can’t help but manufacture a little controversy. Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande share top billing for Wicked, but rumours of a serious pay disparity began flowing on social media, with some claiming that while Grande made $15 million for the film, Erivo was only paid $1 million. Universal Pictures has now set the record straight, stating that both actresses received the same pay for their work on Wicked.

“Reports of pay disparity between Cynthia and Ariana are completely false and based on internet fodder,” a studio spokesperson told THR in a statement. “The women received equal pay for their work on Wicked.” The studio declined to confirm the amount Grande and Erivo were paid.

Rumours of pay disparity isn’t the only controversy Wicked has faced this week. There has also been a debate about whether fans should be allowed to sing along in theaters. AMC has made it clear that they wouldn’t allow it. “To our guests seeing Wicked, we ask that you allow everyone to enjoy the cinema experience,” read an AMC sign. “Please refrain from singing during the show.” Screenings even include a Wicked-themed ad which says, “At AMC Theaters, silence is golden. No talking. No texting. No singing. No wailing. No flirting. And absolutely no name-calling. Enjoy the magic of movies.” A special sing-along version of Wicked will premiere on December 25th. “We understand it if you [sing],” said Grande in an interview. “We respect the feelings… but if someone throws popcorn at you, their phone or something, maybe stop.“

Despite not being much of a Broadway musical fan, our own Chris Bumbray found a lot to like with Wicked. “While I’ll admit that there were a handful of moments where I felt I was missing some kind of in-joke for fans of the play, overall, I had a pretty good time with Jon M. Chu’s Wicked – Part I,” Bumbray wrote. “Certainly, it’s one of the better modern versions of The Wizard of Oz, far more entertaining than Sam Raimi’s largely forgotten Oz: The Great and Powerful. Chu seems to have a knack for movie musicals, and with Universal clearly pumping a pretty penny into it, it feels like the kind of big, broad fantasy epic that should be able to crossover beyond its core audience of Broadway enthusiasts.” You can check out the rest of his review right here.

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PLOT: After receiving an unexpected call from her wayfinding ancestors, Moana must journey to the far seas of Oceania and into dangerous, long-lost waters for an adventure unlike anything she’s ever faced.

REVIEW: Whenever a studio gets a hit film, you can almost guarantee that there will be a sequel eventually. And after Moana took the world by storm in 2016, it was clear that we had a new franchise on our hands. So Disney has gotten to work, creating a Moana theme park at Disney World and even producing a live-action version set to release in 2026. But it would be silly to ignore the actual source of all this success, so they’ve taken to making a direct sequel to their hit film, and it’s pretty much exactly what you’d think it’d be.

I wasn’t a massive fan of the first film but I’m pretty open-minded when it comes to Disney Animation. Give me a heartfelt story that tugs at my heartstrings and I’m all about it. Moana 2 follows the title character (voiced again by Auli’i Cravalho) as she sets out to find other islands of humanity. Her and Maui (Dwayne Johnson) must raise an entire island in order to bring the people together. While Moana and Maui are clearly the stars of the show, this also works as a team-up film, with her getting various characters to join her on her journey. They each are set up with good characterizations and feel distinct from one another. I had a blast with all of them and they bring an energy that was mostly reliant on The Rock the first go around.

Often these films need a big villain for our heroes to go up against but this time around it’s mostly an omnipotent being. That means we’re saved from any stereotypical monologues or story beats that we’ve seen time and time again. Instead, the villain is essentially a force of nature that our heroes must contend with. Given the elemental approach to the lore of this world, it feels very apropos. This may be a weird thing to highlight given that this is a musical, but I was extremely impressed with how appropriately timed the music sections felt. They didn’t undercut any dramatic moments and are there to bring that trademark Disney joy and happiness. Though I certainly missed the Crab.

I really loved the visuals as I just can’t get enough of that fantastical mysticism mixed with islander culture. The two blend together very well and make for some visually impressive moments. Animation is getting so good that, if there wasn’t already a caricature look to the design, these people would enter uncanny valley. The hair looks like it could be in live-action it’s so realistic. At a certain point, live-action stuff is going to feel moot with how close animation can get to the real thing.

Lin-Manuel Miranda did not return for the music this time around but it still sounds very similar. There’s that Pacific Islander theme mixed with various contemporary stylings. The biggest difference is that is seems like they weren’t able to hide Dwayne Johnson’s lack of singing talent. He’s mostly just reciting the lines and it really stands out amongst the other powerhouse vocals. He only really gets the one song and that’s probably for the best. I still really enjoy the Maui character and get that he’s the main attraction for many.

We are in a strange time because, with the live-action version on the horizon, we could very well be seeing this sequel take a similar route. But the world of Moana is so much fun; allowing for dramatic moments amongst the more light-hearted ones. Moana 2 is able to bring a similar flavor to the original while actually improving upon it in many ways. This is clearly not the last we’ve seen of Moana and friends, and I’m sure that Disney will be making bank along the way.

MOANA 2 RELEASES IN THEATERS ON NOVEMBER 27TH, 2024.

Moana 2

GOOD

7

The post Moana 2 Review: Slightly better than the original? appeared first on JoBlo.

There’s a reboot of the classic Universal Monsters property The Wolf Man coming our way from Blumhouse Productions and The Invisible Man (2020) director Leigh Whannell, aiming for a January 17, 2025 theatrical release – and while speaking to Empire, Whannell revealed that he drew inspiration from David Cronenberg’s remake of The Fly when he was crafting his take on this classic werewolf story.

Whannell said, “What The Fly did that a lot of other practical-effects-driven horror movies from that time did not do was bring the tragedy out of these practical effects. It wasn’t a joke in The Fly. It was there to illustrate someone who was dying of an illness. I was like, ‘I’ve got to do that.’ It’s not about being funny or icky or gory. This is about the tragedy of the human body falling apart.“

The leads of this version of Wolf Man are Christopher Abbott and Julia Garner, both of whom were in the 2011 film Martha Marcy May Marlene. Abbott is taking on the role of a man whose family is being terrorized by a lethal predator. Garner is playing his wife. Sam Jaeger is also in the cast, along with child actress Matilda Firth, playing a character named Ginger: “Female, 10 years old, white. Blake and Charlotte’s daughter. Smart, precocious, and strong. When her family decides to leave the city for a quieter life in a remote area, she faces her biggest fear, the possibility of losing one or both of her parents forever.”

Whannell also told Empire that Garner is “the emotional compass of this film, and she’s going to be what Shelley Duvall was in The Shining. You don’t get scared in The Shining without Shelley Duvall. And so I was like, ‘I’ve got to find someone who can drink up the audience’s empathy.’ And she did an incredible job.“

When Wolf Man was first announced in 2020, Ryan Gosling was set to star in it – and in fact, it got rolling when Gosling pitched this take on the concept of The Wolf Man to Universal, and his idea was then fleshed out into a screenplay by Lauren Schuker Blum and Rebecca Angelo, a writing duo that previously worked on Orange Is the New Black. (Blum also happens to be married to Blumhouse founder Jason Blum.) At the time, it was said the story was “believed to be set in present times and in the vein of Jake Gyllenhaal’s thriller Nightcrawler with an obvious supernatural twist.” The final version of the script is credited to Blum and Angelo, as well as Whannell and his wife Corbett Tuck.

Whannell first signed on to direct the film in 2020, but dropped out the following year. That’s when Gosling’s Blue Valentine and Place Beyond the Pines director Derek Cianfrance came on board. Gosling and Cianfrance both stepped away from Wolf Man early last year… and then Whannell came back. A collaboration between Blumhouse and Motel Movies, Wolf Man is being produced by Jason Blum. Gosling receives an executive producer credit alongside Ken Kao, Bea Sequeira, Mel Turner, and Whannell.

The Wolf Man reboot was recently given an R rating for bloody violent content, grisly images and some language. This isn’t the first time a reboot of The Wolf Man has been given an R rating, as the 2010 reboot that was directed by Joe Johnston and starred Benicio Del Toro, Anthony Hopkins, and Emily Blunt was also rated R, for bloody horror violence and gore.

During his BlumFest appearance at New York Comic Con 2024 last month, Whannell told ComingSoon that he hopes viewers will “love it. I hope they’re scared. I hope that they’re emotional about it. So, I want it to be a tragedy. I want it to be emotional. I also want it to scare the shit out of them. You know, I want people to see it in theaters.“

Are you looking forward to Wolf Man, and are you glad to see Whannell referencing the likes of The Fly and The Shining when talking about it? Let us know by leaving a comment below.

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James Gunn took to social media yesterday to announce that production has wrapped on Peacemaker season 2. The follow-up to the highly successful first season brings Peacemaker (John Cena) and company into the new DC Universe and will debut on Max in August 2025.

“And that is a WRAP on Peacemaker season 2, including our last remaining actors Steve Agee, Tim Meadows, Sol Rodriguez & Brandon Stanley (& our DP Sam McCurdy pictured here moments after the last shot.)” Gunn wrote. “Thanks to our entire cast & crew who made this a wonderful experience. My relief to have a break from shooting after ten months straight is countered by how much I’ll miss all of you!“

And just a few days prior, Gunn announced that John Cena and Jennifer Holland had wrapped up on the new season. “And that’s a Peacemaker Season Two wrap on John Cena & Jenn Holland, who both turned in wonderful performances this season as Christopher Smith and Emilia Harcourt,” Gunn wrote. “To top it off, shooting yesterday was one of the most fun days of shooting I have EVER had! Thanks to the incredible people of Savannah, Georgia for making the Peacemaker crew’s stay here so special. ONE DAY LEFT!“

With Peacemaker season 2 taking place in the new DCU, fans have wondered what that means for the first season, which was part of the DCEU. Gunn recently explained that almost all of the first season of Peacemaker is canon, with one big exception. “Now in Creature Commandos, you’ll hear them talk about things that happened in [The] Suicide Squad or Peacemaker. Well then, those things automatically become canon,” Gunn said. “The truth is almost all of Peacemaker is canon with the exception of Justice League… which we will kind of deal with in the next season of Peacemaker.” The finale of Peacemaker‘s first season involved the Justice League (with Jason Momoa as Aquaman and Ezra Miller as Flash) showing up late to the party, with Peacemaker (Cena) and friends having already saved the day.

When asked why he didn’t make a different show instead of risking confusion with Peacemaker season 2, Gunn has promised that the shift from DCEU to DCU will work out just fine. “Because it’s my favorite thing to do, it’s the biggest original Max show ever, and I have a way in,” Gunn said. “It won’t be confusing.”

The post James Gunn announces Peacemaker season 2 has wrapped appeared first on JoBlo.

Indiana Jones and the Great Circle is nearly here. The big first-person action-puzzler arrives on Xbox and PC next month and if you’ve been wondering just how big Indy’s next digital adventure will be, well, we don’t have a specific number yet, but it sounds big.

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Indiana Jones and the Great Circle is nearly here. The big first-person action-puzzler arrives on Xbox and PC next month and if you’ve been wondering just how big Indy’s next digital adventure will be, well, we don’t have a specific number yet, but it sounds big.

Read more…

After breaking the box office with the release of Pixar‘s Inside Out 2, Disney is ready to come for our wallets again with the highly-anticipated sequel Moana 2. The animated adventure starring Auli’i Cravalho, Dwayne Johnson, and Alan Tudyk sails into theaters this weekend, taking advantage of the Thanksgiving holiday in the States. The 5-day Thanksgiving box office window sets Moana 2 up for an impressive windfall despite its competition (Wicked, Gladiator II, Red One, Venom: The Last Dance), and analysts think Moana 2 could earn $135 million to $145 million during the Turkey Day frame.

If Moana 2 hits these numbers, it could overtake 2019’s Frozen II ($125M) and Hunger Games: Catching Fire ($109M) over the 5-day break. The most outstanding aspect of this prediction is that it’s only for the film’s domestic take. Moana 2 is opening overseas, too, possibly adding $100 million to its total, bringing its global earnings to $235 million. Moana 2 comes along during a banner year for Disney after the studio earned $1.6 billion from Inside Out 2 and $1.3 billion from Deadpool & Wolverine.

Moana 2 reunites Moana and Maui three years after the first film’s events for an expansive new voyage alongside a crew of unlikely seafarers. After receiving an unexpected call from her wayfinding ancestors, Moana must journey to the far seas of Oceania and into dangerous, long-lost waters for an adventure unlike anything she’s ever faced. Directed by David Derrick Jr., Jason Hand, and Dana Ledoux Miller and produced by Christina Chen and Yvett Merino, Moana 2 features music by Grammy winners Abigail Barlow and Emily Bear, Grammy nominee Opetaia Foaʻi and three-time Grammy winner Mark Mancina.

Are you going to the movies this coming weekend? Perhaps for pleasure or to escape the in-laws? Maybe both. Thanksgiving happens in October here in Canada, so I’m free and clear to do whatever I want. Thanksgiving is also my least favorite holiday. I know, I’m a monster. You try enjoying a food-filled holiday with 30+ years of Crohn’s disease. Anyway, I plan to see Wicked on Thursday, which is supposed to be outstanding. My body is ready. Are you seeing Moana 2 during the 5-day Thanksgiving window? Let us know in the comments section below.

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