“I’m Batman” is one of the defining lines in all of superhero movies. And while a number of actors have uttered it and tried to make it their own, to director Zack Snyder, there’s only one man who is truly Batman. Except it has nothing to do with their inherent skills but rather their hulking, bulky look in the costume…which is about the most Zack Snyder take we can expect. And that Batman is Ben Affleck.

Appearing on The Joe Rogan Experience (via CBR) earlier this week, Zack Snyder said that the size of Ben Affleck was what drew him to cast the star. “I wanted Affleck, because, to me, Batman’s a big dude…Affleck’s 6’4”, you know? He’s a legit big dude. And the shoes, the boots are like two inches, so he’s literally almost 6’6” in the costume. When he comes out in the costume – I mean, we put some muscle on him, and there’s a muscle suit under the suit, and he’s, legitimately, a scary-looking thing. You know, he’s just standing there, and you’re like, ‘Holy shit’..The chin is so insane, in that cowl. I mean, look at him…that’s Batman to me.”

As for his take on Christian Bale, who played the Caped Crusader for Christopher Nolan’s trilogy, Snyder said, “He’s a great Batman, but he’s still, like, you know, 5’10”.” So, muscles upon muscles and a minimum height requirement of 6’4”…That’s a very Tinder-esque mentality if we do say so ourselves…

For most of us, Zack Snyder just may not be the man to trust when it comes to Batman viewpoints, also taking the stance that the Dark Knight is “irrelevant” if he isn’t allowed to kill. Of course, this can be debated endlessly within the fandom – Why can’t Batman kill? What would truly stop him from committing the act, if anything? Is there a place for a Batman who has no problem putting you in a Gotham grave? – but Snyder’s insistence shows just where he’s at and gives a strong idea of how the fanbases differ across variations of Bruce Wayne.

What do you make of Snyder’s take on Affleck’s Batman? Are you Team Affleck or Team Bale?

The post Zack Snyder prefers Affleck’s Batman over Bale’s because of his size appeared first on JoBlo.

It’s looking like Kung Fu Panda is about to K’O Dune: Part Two at the box office – for this weekend anyway – with the Dreamworks sequel on its way to the highest-grossing weekend of the franchise since the original film in 2008. Indeed, Kung Fu Panda 4 is set to open way beyond our expectations, with Deadline’s early numbers predicting a potential $55 million opening in the cards. Dune: Part Two slips to second place with about $44 million on the books. While Panda will be this weekend’s champ, Dune is the real winner in many ways. Consider this – the film posted a huge $82 million opening last weekend and has only posted a 47% week-to-week drop, which is exceedingly rare for a tentpole movie. In just a week, the movie has already beaten the lifetime gross of the first film at the domestic box office (although we should remember that it opened during the pandemic). 

Overall, this weekend is shaping up to be a massive win for Hollywood. It’s no secret that the industry has been challenged recently, with the holiday movie season not posting any four-quadrant smash hits (although Wonka did quite well). While Kung Fu Panda’s opening is nothing compared to what Jack Black’s other animated movie, The Super Mario Bros. Movie grossed last year, it’s worth noting that this is a much higher opening than what the last two films in the franchise posted. Perhaps this Panda hasn’t run out of gas after all. 

Meanwhile, Dune: Part Two is shaping up to be a major hit for Warner Bros and Denis Villeneuve. Given the grosses, I’d expect the studio to pressure Villeneuve to get cracking on Dune Messiah immediately. However, he told us recently that he hoped to film another movie before returning to Arakkis. 

The weekend’s other major release, Blumhouse’s Imaginary, is looking to open in the $10 million area, a shade below what their last film, Night Swim, pulled off earlier this year. However, given the awful reviews (including one from our critic Tyler Nichols) and the low budget, I think Blumhouse and the studio, Lionsgate, are happy enough with this opening.

Of course, we’ll return with a full box office wrap-up tomorrow!

The post Early box office wrap: Kung Fu Panda 4 on its way to a $55 million opening; Dune 2 has major legs appeared first on JoBlo.

Tomorrow night, ABC is airing The Oscars. Hooray? While I’ll certainly be watching, I must admit that the Oscars have certainly lost their lustre over the years, at least as far as I’m concerned. When I was a kid, the Oscars seemed so much larger than life. I vividly remember every Oscar night being an event as a kid, with the ceremony (more often than not hosted by Billy Crystal) crowning the winners as – in my mind anyway – the kings and queens of Hollywood. 

Indeed, it seemed like a movie winning an Oscar was the ultimate judge of a film’s quality. When something like The Silence of the Lambs swept the Oscars, it was as if the movie was being minted as an all-time classic (which it ended up being). However, when the Oscars happen tomorrow, does anyone think a major win will permanently change anyone’s career? When Christopher Nolan inevitably wins his Best Director Oscar, does that change his standing in the industry? I don’t think so. I believe the ultimate judge was the box office in his case. When an R-rated, three-hour movie about the creator of the nuclear bomb makes a billion dollars, you don’t need an Oscar win to cement a reputation.

In that way, the Oscars matter less now than they ever did back in the day. However, if one looks back at the history of the Oscars, one will see that they’ve always been pretty far from perfect and not all that accurate in predicting what would become a classic. Take, for example, Robert Redford’s Ordinary People beating Martin Scorsese’s Raging Bull at the 1981 ceremony. Do people honestly think Ordinary People is a better movie than Raging Bull? Do people even talk about Ordinary People anymore? 

Or how about the Oscars in 1986, when Sidney Pollack’s Out of Africa won Best Picture, and Back to the Future, widely considered one of the greatest films of all time, wasn’t even nominated? Do people still really like Out of Africa? It’s a good (if somewhat dull) movie but not a timeless classic. If you take the John Barry score out of it, is it all that great?

Oscar history is full of moments like that. In his recent memoirs, Ed Zwick remembers when Shakespeare in Love (which he was a producer on) beat Saving Private Ryan at the Oscars and feeling embarrassed. Heck, Crash won Best Picture, and it feels like people don’t even really like that movie anymore. 

But there’s more to it than just the wrong movies winning. The ceremony and the Academy itself feel phony. Jump back to the pandemic-ravaged 2021 edition. For my money, that was the cringiest Oscars ever, with it infamously ending with the Academy putting the Best Actor award at the end of the ceremony. Why did they do this? The people putting on the ceremony assumed that the late Chadwick Boseman would win for Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom and that his win would end the show on this massive emotional crescendo. It didn’t happen, with Anthony Hopkins winning (deservedly) for The Father and not even being there to collect his trophy. It was such a vast anti-climax, but the whole thing left a bad taste in my mouth, as it felt like the producers (one of whom was Steven Soderbergh) were trying to manipulate the ceremony into this uplifting kind of narrative, which is what it shouldn’t be.

Let’s also not forget that just a few months before this, the Academy implemented the controversial inclusion standards, which left a bad taste in the mouths of many as it warned a film not adhering to these standards would be ineligible for an Oscar nomination beginning with the 2024 ceremony. That’s actually this year’s ceremony, and as far as I know, no movie in the award conversation was deemed ineligible.

Nevertheless, should the Academy be taking the moral high ground like this? It’s hard to say, but for me, the Academy has always seemed preoccupied with its image rather than its intended purpose, which is to elevate and award excellence in film. Let’s not forget that for a good twenty-year stretch, the Oscars essentially became the Harvey Weinstein show. No one had any qualms about awarding his movies over and over, even when his long-standing abuse of women (and his employees) was common knowledge all over town. The same thing goes for the notoriously abusive Scott Rudin. There’s something so superficial and performative about The Academy as a whole, and when they’re put to a real test, they can’t help but come up short. 

How so? I can’t help but remember the infamous Oscar slap, which I think led to the most grotesque moment in Academy history. Moments after we all had to watch Will Smith slap Chris Rock for perhaps the mildest joke in Oscar history, we saw him get a standing ovation when he won Best Actor for King Richard. Never mind that we had literally just watched him assault someone. All was forgotten (or rather ignored) in moments so that the show could go on. Whoever was in charge that night should have asked Smith to leave the ceremony when he hit Rock, but they did nothing as no one wanted to rock the boat. The next day, they tried to retake the moral high ground by suspending Smith from the ceremony for ten years, but does anyone think that will hold? I say this while acknowledging that Smith is human and, like all of us, made a mistake. It shouldn’t define his career after the fact. The time to address it was the night of the ceremony, and all involved failed spectacularly.

All this demystifies the Academy, doesn’t it? While I think this year’s crop of nominees is terrific, to me, the Oscars only symbolize one thing: Hollywood patting itself on the back. That’s all well and good, but for me, the mystique of the Oscars wore off a long time ago, and I’m curious about how our readers feel (make sure to let us know in the comments). Do the Oscars still matter? For me, they don’t really – even if I’ll still be watching the show. 

The post The Oscars: Do They Even Matter Anymore? appeared first on JoBlo.

The first reactions to Road House have arrived out of its premiere at this year’s SXSW, with some surprise praise that seems to highlight to a missed opportunity for Amazon to release it in theaters. Ahead of its streaming debut later this month, all signs point to Road House being just the sort of flick that has to be watched with a crowd, while a number of attendees noted that Jake Gyllenhaal is not to be messed with and Conor McGregor is a genuine scene-stealing presence.

Check out the initial Road House reactions via X below:

This modern Road House twist — Gyllenhaal is a former UFC fighter, compared to Patrick Swayze’s bouncer, for one — has been the subject of much discussion and behind-the-scenes controversy as of late, with topics ranging from everything from the use of artificial intelligence to its disputed release strategy. Somewhere in between, the writer of the original Road House, R. Lance Hill, has claimed the filmmakers are guilty of copyright infringement on his screenplay. (Hill went credited as David Lee Henry on 1989’s Road House.)

The release of Road House outside of its SXSW screening has launched some discourse from some of the movie’s key players: director Doug Liman and star Jake Gyllenhaal. Liman originally announced that he would be boycotting the movie’s premiere over Amazon’s alleged shifting of the film’s release from a theatrical one to streaming only. On this, Liam said, “The movie is fantastic, maybe my best, and I’m sure it will bring the house down and possibly have the audience dancing in their seats during the end credits. But I will not be there.” However, it was reported that Liman did in fact attend Road House’s premiere, although he did not actively participate in any promotion, leaving that to the cast. Regardless of Liman’s official stance, Gyllenhaal maintains that the movie was always headed towards a streaming release. As such, Road House will kick its way to Amazon Prime Video in less than two weeks on March 21st.

How does the reception of Road House fresh out of SXSW change your anticipation for the movie? Do you wish it had gotten a theatrical release? Let us know!

The post Road House premiere: First reactions praise “brutal” fights, Conor McGregor’s scene chewing appeared first on JoBlo.

Awards season tends to give movie fans all of the glitz and glamor that we love about Hollywood…That is, until it doesn’t. As is tradition, the weekend of the 96th Academy Awards also saw the industry honoring the worst in motion pictures, with the Golden Raspberry Awards aka the Razzies giving out statues to the likes of Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey, Sylvester Stallone and Megan Fox.

While Expend4bles had the most nominations going into this year’s Razzies with seven, it was Blood and Honey – which popularized a hopefully limited trend of public domain horror – that won the most with five.

Here is the full list of Razzie Award winners:

WORST PICTURE

The Exorcist: Believer

Expend4bles

Meg 2: The Trench

Shazam! Fury of the Gods

Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey (Wait, shouldn’t that be spelled “Hunny”?) – WINNER

WORST ACTOR

Russell Crowe, The Pope’s Exorcist

Vin Diesel, Fast X

Chris Evans, Ghosted

Jason Statham, Meg 2: The Trench

Jon Voight, Mercy – WINNER

WORST ACTRESS

Ana de Armas,Ghosted

Megan Fox, Johnny & Clyde – WINNER

Salma Hayek, Magic Mike’s Last Dance

Jennifer Lopez, The Mother

Dame Helen Mirren, Shazam! Fury of the Gods

WORST SUPPORTING ACTRESS

Kim Cattrall, About My Father

Megan Fox, Expend4bles – WINNER

Bai Ling, Johnny & Clyde

Lucy Liu, Shazam! Fury of the Gods

Mary Stuart Masterson, Five Nights at Freddy’s

WORST SUPPORTING ACTOR

Michael Douglas, Ant Man & The Wasp: Quantumania

Mel Gibson, Confidential Informant

Bill Murray, Ant Man & The Wasp: Quantumania

Franco Nero (as “The Pope”), The Pope’s Exorcist

Sylvester Stallone,  Expend4ables – WINNER

WORST SCREEN COUPLE

Any 2 “Merciless Mercenaries”, Expend4bles

Any 2 Money-Grubbing Investors Who Donated to the $400 Million for Remake Rights to The Exorcist

Ana de Armas & Chris Evans (who flunked Screen Chemistry), Ghosted

Salma Hayek & Channing Tatum, Magic Mike’s Last Dance

Pooh & Piglet as Blood-Thirsty Slasher/Killers(!), Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey – WINNER

WORST PREQUEL, REMAKE, RIP-OFF or SEQUEL

Ant Man & The Wasp: Quantumania

The Exorcist: Believer

Expend4bles

Indiana Jones and The Dial of … Still Beating a Dead Horse

Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey – WINNER

WORST DIRECTOR

Rhys Frake-Waterfield, Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey – WINNER

David Gordon Green, The Exorcist: Believer

Peyton Reed, Ant Man & the Wasp: Quantumania

Scott Waugh, Expend4bles

Ben Wheatley, Meg 2: The Trench

WORST SCREENPLAY

The Exorcist: Believer

Expend4bles

Indiana Jones and the Dial of … Can I go home now?

Shazam! Fury of the Gods

Winnie the Pooh: Blood & Honey – WINNER

In addition to these “winners”, SAG-AFTRA president Fran Drescher was bestowed the Razzie Redeemer Award for “for her brilliant shepherding of the actors’ guild through a prolonged 2023 strike with a successful conclusion.” Drescher had previously been nominated for Worst Actress for 1997’s The Beautician and the Beast.

What do you think of this year’s Razzies? Drop your own picks below!

The post Razzie winners: Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey takes the pot with 5 wins appeared first on JoBlo.

Some cliche somewhere said that ‘a picture is worth a thousand words.’ This has proven to be the case for me and especially when it comes to fan art. I have always sought out great fan art and have wanted to share it with as many people as possible. “Awesome Art We’ve Found Around The Net” is the outlet for that passion. In this column, I will showcase the kick-ass artwork of some great artists, with the hopes that these artists get the attention they deserve. That’s the aim. If you have any questions or comments, or even suggestions of art or other great artists, feel free to contact me at any time at theodorebond@joblo.com.

Beetlejuice by Sam Dunn

Dragon Ball Z by Edwin Huang

Dune Part Two by Owen Ruthven

The Hulk by The Pokeball Guy

Jaws by Phase Runner

Kung Fu Panda by Patrick Connan

Loki by MVG Studios

Mad Max: The Road Warrior by Melvin Mago

Psycho by Carles Ganya

The post Awesome Art We’ve Found Around The Net: Dragon Ball, Dune, The Hulk, Jaws, Kung Fu Panda, Loki, and More! appeared first on JoBlo.

Plot: A young woman’s fateful decision in 1960s China reverberates across space and time into the present day. When the laws of nature inexplicably unravel before their eyes, a close-knit group of brilliant scientists join forces with an unorthodox detective to confront the greatest threat in humanity’s history. 

Review: As soon as it was announced that Game of Thrones showrunners D.B. Weiss and David Benioff were developing 3 Body Problem alongside Alexander Woo, I grabbed the novel and read it. The dense first entry in Liu Cixin’s trilogy was a fascinating look at science fiction from a Chinese vantage point with heavy political implications from the nation’s storied history. In translating the book for the screen, 3 Body Problem incorporates many of the cultural elements from the novel into a global and diverse narrative that sets the table for an ongoing series about humanity fighting against an extraterrestrial foe. With a cast comprised of Game of Thrones veterans alongside rising stars Eiza Gonzalez, Jovan Adepo, and Jess Hong, 3 Body Problem is a huge investment for Netflix as well as a massive gamble for Weiss and Benioff. The resulting series is a bold experiment that is unfortunately a misguided one. Nihilistic, depressing, and far too heavy-handed, 3 Body Problem is a series that starts strong and completely falls apart by the final episode.

Set primarily in the present day, 3 Body Problem opens with a flashback to the Chinese Cultural Revolution in the 1960s. A shocking opening sequence, this sets the tone for a series that is heavy on technology and science in equal measure with philosophical thoughts of humanity and our place in the cosmos. Shifting from China-set flashbacks to contemporary sequences in Europe and around the planet, the series focuses on a group of college classmates who have various careers in academia and the private sector. All brilliant in their own right, Saul Durand (Jovan Adepo) and Jin Cheng (Jess Hong) work as scientists, Auggie Salazar (Eiza Gonzalez) works privately after developing a revolutionary technology, Jack Rooney (John Bradley) owns a massive candy company, and Will Downing (Alex Sharp) teaches. When one of their close friends dies, the group is drawn together in mourning. At the same time, Auggie begins to see a countdown in her vision which connects to a mysterious virtual reality headset many of them had delivered. It is within this VR space that they and many other scientists are introduced to the titular conundrum.

As the series progresses and the threat embodied by the warrior Sophon (Sea Shimooka) begins to unfold, the massive conspiracy connects the scientists with British detective Da Shi (Benedict Wong), philanthropist Mike Evans (Jonathan Pryce), and the mother of one of the friends, Ye Wenjie (Rosalind Chao). The truth also brings in Wade (Liam Cunningham), a brutal and adept leader who spearheads humanity’s response. It is difficult to discuss exactly what the big reveal is without spoiling the majority of 3 Body Problem, but it is a sprawling and existence-shattering twist that sets up the main narrative of the series. To date, all trailers hint at what this big twist is without revealing what viewers are in store for and it is how audiences react to this that will determine how much they are willing to invest in the series. I will go as far as to say you will need to invest in multiple episodes before the truth is unveiled. Once it is, the tone of the series shifts significantly. By plotting out the existential quandary the characters face, the series risks alienating its audience by taking on a nihilistic and negative tone which it is unable to transform into a celebratory and triumphant message.

The problem could also be how unlikeable many of the characters are. Eiza Gonzalez is positioned in the marketing as the star of 3 Body Problem but she is closer to the third or fourth lead in the series after Jovan Adepo, Jess Hong, and Rosalind Chao. Gonzalez is unconvincing as a brilliant scientist but manages to convey the weight of what her knowledge means for humanity. Hong is stellar as the most pivotal character in the series as she must balance the two extreme sides of the divide presented by the antagonists. Jovan Adepo takes on a more important role later in the series as elements from the second novel, The Dark Forest, are weaved in to prepare for the expected second season. The breakout role in this series belongs to Alex Sharp whose character, Will Downing, will be the most sympathetic and relatable. John Bradley, Benedict Wong, and Jonathan Pryce, the biggest names in the cast, are relegated to supporting roles. While good, they never really seem to be important to the plot. The best character is Rosalind Chao as Ye Wenjie. Chao has appeared in so many projects over the years and proves how talented of an actor she is with a character that may be the most controversial once audiences see the full season with Game of Thrones favorite Liam Cunningham running a close second.

D.B. Weiss and David Benioff assembled a solid team of writers and directors for 3 Body Problem, themselves scripting three episodes together and a fourth alongside Alexander Woo. Woo wrote two episodes solo while Rose Cartwright and Madhuri Shekar tackled the remaining two. Directors include Derek Tsang on the first two episodes, John Carter‘s Andrew Stanton on the third, Mikie Spiro (The Plot Against America) on the next three, and Jeremy Podeswa on the final two. Podeswa is known for helming some of the most memorable Game of Thrones episodes and is one of multiple collaborators from that series, including composer Ramin Djawadi. With producers including Rosamund Pike, Rian Johnson, and Brad Pitt, 3 Body Problem should have been a slam dunk, but it lacks virtually everything that made Game of Thrones so engaging. There is little sexy about this series and the intricate plot overwhelms the characters and their motivations. There is also the heavy dose of Chinese history that will be unfamiliar to Western audiences but adds to the brutally negative tone of the entire plot.

The trailers for 3 Body Problem position this series as a combination of the virtual reality world of The Matrix with a global conspiracy seemingly involving extraterrestrial beings. This is not untrue, but it makes it seem like a very different story than it actually is. The virtual reality sequences are well-made and visually impressive, but they are overall a minor component of the larger story. While David Benioff and D.B. Weiss were raked over the coals for changing elements when adapting George R. R. Martin’s fantasy saga, I hoped that they would alter a lot more of 3 Body Problem than they did. This series was likely doomed from the outset because of how flawed the source material was to begin with. I found it very hard to engage with this story, these characters, and this series. A misfire in every way, 3 Body Problem has some talented actors delivering some memorable moments, but none of it adds up to an experience that is satisfying, fulfilling, or even all that enjoyable.

3 Body Problem premieres on March 21st on Netflix.

3 Body Problem

AVERAGE

6

The post 3 Body Problem TV Review appeared first on JoBlo.

Chris Hemsworth doesn’t often play villains, but he’ll get to scratch that itch in a big way with Warlord Dementus in George Miller’s upcoming Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga.

Hemsworth told Empire that Dementus is “a pretty horrible individual,” but like all great villains, he doesn’t think of himself that way. “Through the whole film we kept coming back to, ‘This is evil, but what is the intention behind it?’ It’s not just sadistic insanity,” Hemsworth said. “There is a real purpose, the wheels are turning, he’s plotting and planning and ten steps ahead of everyone else.” He added that the character even sees himself as a father figure to Furiosa (Anya Taylor-Joy): “I think there’s a paternal quality and nature to the relationship in his eyes. [Furiosa] would, I’m sure, argue to her death the complete opposite.“

Empire also dropped a new image from the film, featuring Warlord Dementus flanked by a variety of citizens of the wasteland.

Chris Hemsworth has stated that playing Dementus in Furiosa has been the best experience of his career. “I came into that film exhausted. I thought, ‘How am I going to get through this?’” Hemsworth said. “Week one of rehearsals with [Miller], all of a sudden it was this reigniting of my creative energy.” The actor said the production of Furiosa was “by far the best experience of my career, and something I feel the most proud of. It made me think, the work isn’t what’s exhausting it’s what kind of work it is, and how invested I am in it and if it is challenging in the right way.“

The official synopsis for Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga: “As the world fell, young Furiosa is snatched from the Green Place of Many Mothers and falls into the hands of a great Biker Horde led by the Warlord Dementus. Sweeping through the Wasteland they come across the Citadel presided over by the Immortan Joe. While the two Tyrants war for dominance, Furiosa must survive many trials as she puts together the means to find her way home.” The first reactions to a recent test screening of Furiosa were reportedly quite positive, and there have also been rumblings that we should be seeing a second trailer quite soon.

Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga will hit theaters on May 24th.

The post Furiosa: Chris Hemsworth on Warlord Dementus: “He’s a pretty horrible individual” appeared first on JoBlo.

Road House director Doug Liman had previously declared that he would boycott the SXSW premiere of the reimagining, but according to Deadline, he’s changed his mind.

The outlet states that Doug Liman is in the Paramount Theatre right now, although not in any official capacity. He won’t be introducing Road House but will just be in the crowd watching. As Road House is destined for a streaming debut on Prime Video, this will be one of Liman’s only chances to see the movie in a packed theater.

Liman has stated that when the project began, it was meant to have a theatrical release, but that all changed when Amazon bought MGM. The streaming studio allegedly told Liman, “Make a great film and we will see what happens” regarding its release. When it was officially announced that Road House would stream exclusively on Prime Video, Liman was upset and announced that he would be boycotting the SXSW premiere.

“When Road House opens the SXSW film festival, I won’t be attending,” Liman said. “The movie is fantastic, maybe my best, and I’m sure it will bring the house down and possibly have the audience dancing in their seats during the end credits. But I will not be there. My plan had been to silently protest Amazon’s decision to stream a movie so clearly made for the big screen. But Amazon is hurting way more than just me and my film. If I don’t speak up about Amazon, who will? So here we go.“

Liman added, “Contrary to their public statements, Amazon has no interest in supporting cinemas. Amazon will exclusively stream Road House on Amazon Prime. Amazon asked me and the film community to trust them and their public statements about supporting cinemas, and then they turned around and are using Road House to sell plumbing fixtures.“

Jake Gyllenhaal, who stars in Road House, commented on Doug Liman’s boycott, saying that although he supported it, Amazon was always clear that the film would make a streaming debut. “I adore Doug’s tenacity, and I think he is advocating for filmmakers, and film in the cinema, and theatrical releases,” he said. “But, I mean, Amazon was always clear that it was streaming. I just want as many people to see it as possible. And I think we’re living in a world that’s changing in how we see and watch movies, and how they’re made. What’s clear to me, and what I loved so much, was [Liman’s] deep love for this movie, and his pride at how much he cares for it, how good he feels it is, and how much people should see it.“

Road House will debut on Prime Video on March 21st in more than 240 territories worldwide.

The post Road House director Doug Liman changes his mind about boycott & attends SXSW premiere appeared first on JoBlo.

Angela Bassett made history when she became the first actor to be nominated for an Oscar in a Marvel Cinematic Universe movie for her role as Queen Ramonda in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. After taking home the Golden Globe and Critics Choice Awards for Best Supporting Actress, she was a favourite to win the Oscar as well, but the award went to Jamie Lee Curtis instead (Everything Everywhere All At Once), and Bassett was visibly disappointed.

While speaking with Oprah Winfrey, Angela Bassett confirmed that she was “gobsmacked” at the loss. “I was gobsmacked! I was,” she said. “I thought I handled it very well. That was my intention, to handle it very well. It was, of course, a supreme disappointment and disappointment is human. So I thought, yes, I was disappointed and I handled it like a human being.“

Bassett continued, saying that he needed to stay composed for herself and her children who were with her: “There are going to be these moments of disappointment that you’ll experience, but how do you handle yourself in the midst of them? We’re going to smile, we’re going to be gracious, we’re going to be kind, we’re going to party anyway.“

In addition to the Best Supporting Actress nomination, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever also picked up nominations for Best Original Song, Best Makeup and Hairstyling, Best Visual Effects, and Best Costume Design, but would only win for Costume Design.

Angela Bassett can currently be seen starring alongside Millie Bobby Brown (Stranger Things) in Damsel, which is now streaming on Netflix. The fantasy movie stars Brown as a dutiful damsel who agrees to marry a handsome prince, only to find that the royal family has recruited her as a sacrifice to repay an ancient debut. She must rely on her wits and will to survive after being thrown into a cave with a fire-breathing dragon. Bassett plays Lady Bayford, the stepmother of Brown’s character. You can check out a review from our own Alex Maidy right here.

Do you think Angela Bassett should have won the Oscar for Black Panther: Wakanda Forever?

The post Angela Bassett was left “gobsmacked” over Black Panther: Wakanda Forever Oscar loss appeared first on JoBlo.