Shockingly Tame Red-Band Trailer to The Dictator

Besides the addition of what would pass as eyebrow-raising foul-language if we were living in the 60s, this red-band trailer for The Dictator is a retread of the last one. It also comes too little, too late. This should have been our first look at the comedy months back.

Instead as it opens nationwide next Wednesday, it's a reminder of how quickly a comedian, and their routine, can rise and fall out of public favor.

Michael Arndt In Talks to Rewrite Catching Fire

If Gary Ross was still around, concerns for Catching Fire would be on improving his sloppy, to be fair possibly MPAA satisfying, action direction and less in the scripting department. Alas he's gone and initial drafts from Oscar-winning penner Simon Beaufoy (Slumdog Millionaire) need fine-tuning.

Cue Oscar-scribe Michael Arndt, for Little Miss Sunshine and Toy Story 3, taking over scripting duties, reports Heat Vision. A deal isn't locked down, but if he accepts (The fact they're "in talks" suggests he will, and this is all about money-squabbling) Arndt will have to get right on yesterday.

The Hunger Games sequel has a fall-date drawing near before star Jennifer Lawrence must vacate back to the land of merry-mutants for the X-Men: First Class sequel early next year.

Yes, Prometheus is Rated-R

Speculation and online scrutiny (and by that, I mean dorks like us) is rampant if Ridley Scott's Prometheus would be rated PG-13, and thus open up its commercial chances, or R, and say to Hell with the rude teenagers with their cell-phones and Twitter! Score one for the grown-ups.

Collider has confirmation Scott's return to the realm of sci-fi/horror will be R-rated. Their proof lies in a screen-cap of a pre-sold ticket, for IMAX 3D no less, with a big fat R stamped in the middle.

It's cool, simply considering how often we don't see a huge-budget, "For Adults Only!" genre film (especially in the summer). But people do realize this getting an R doesn't automatically guarantee it's better, right?

Weekend Box Office: May 4 - 6

Courtesy of Box Office Mojo:

1.  The Avengers - $200.3 million

2.  Think Like a Man - $8 million

3.  The Hunger Games - $5.7 million

4.  The Lucky One - $5.5 million

5.  The Pirates! Band of Misfits - $5.4 million

6.  The Five-Year Engagement - $5.1 million

7.  The Raven - $2.5 million

8.  Safe - $2.4 million

9.  Chimpanzee - $2.3 million

10.  The Three Stooges - $1.8 million

So I guess the question is...who didn't see The Avengers this weekend?  Marvel's superhero extravaganza opened huge this weekend, which we all knew it would.  But an estimated $200.3 million in just 3 days?  Damn, I don't think anyone saw that coming.

Just to sum up how many records The Avengers actually broke since Friday, let's break it down:  it took the opening weekend record away from Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2, which opened with $169 million last summer.  It's also the fastest to earn $100 million, $150 million, and $200 million.  And it has already outgrossed nearly all of the Marvel movies leading up to this one:  Captain America, Thor, and The Incredible Hulk.  And it will likely zoom past both Iron Man movies by next weekend at the latest. 

This was in three days, people.  And we still have a Dark Knight sequel waiting just two months away.  It's going to be good times at the summer box office this year, that's for sure.

Overseas, where The Avengers opened last month and is still going strong, the film has already grossed $441 million.

As far as the rest of the box office, there's not all that much to report, since Avengers made up about 83% of the ticket sales this weekend.  Think Like a Man, which held the top spot the last two weeks, fell to second and has earned a very impressive $73 million so far.  And The Hunger Games got that much closer to outgrossing Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2's $381 million - it's about $1 million or so away. 

Next weekend, the latest Johnny Depp/Tim Burton/Helena Bonham Carter collaboration - this time a big-screen adaptation of the vampire TV series Dark Shadows -  opens in theaters.  But, at this rate, we'll probably be talking about The Avengers again this time next weekend.

James Cameron Making Only 'Avatar' Films from Here on Out

To say this story is depressing is an understatement.

I am probably one of the biggest James Cameron fans you are going to find.  I've seen all of his movies (multiple times) and pretty much read every book written about the guy.  Safe to say, he is THE MAN to me.

That's why it brings me such disappointment to write this article which basically explains - according to Cameron himself - that he will no longer make any other movies in his lifetime except Avatar films.  Yup.  Read for yourself via the New York Times:

“I’ve divided my time over the last 16 years over deep ocean exploration and filmmaking. I’ve made two movies in 16 years, and I’ve done eight expeditions. Last year I basically completely disbanded my production company’s development arm. So I’m not interested in developing anything. I’m in the Avatar business. Period. That’s it. I’m making Avatar, Avatar 2, Avatar 3, maybe Avatar 4, and I’m not going to produce other people’s movies for them. I’m not interested in taking scripts. And that all sounds I suppose a little bit restricted, but the point is I think within the Avatar landscape I can say everything I need to say that I think needs to be said, in terms of the state of the world and what I think we need to be doing about it. And doing it in an entertaining way. And anything I can’t say in that area, I want to say through documentaries, which I’m continuing.”

I am speechless.  Really.  This man is such a gifted filmmaker and to have him say he will solely focus on making Avatar feature films the rest of his life is heartbreaking.

I know a lot of people love Avatar.  That's pretty much an understatement too considering it is the highest grossing film in box office history.  I saw it 3x in theaters myself.  But I will let you all in on a little secret that I think many have realized since it came out in 2009: it is not a great movie.

Avatar was a film that made its money on its groundbreaking special effects, not its story.  I've seen it a few times on television since it came out, and I'm sorry, it's a very weak film.  The story is thin and the plot is extremely cliché.  You know how you know a movie withstands the test of time and ages well?  When you see it on TV in passing and have to stop and watch it for the remaining scene or the remainder of the film because you know it's so good.  The Godfather is one of those films.  So is Jaws.  And The Dark Knight, of course.  But I'm sorry, Avatar is not one of those films.  It's too much style over substance.  Period.

Now James Cameron will focus his attention on bringing us more Avatar over the next decade, decade and a half, thinking his sci-fi sequels are the most anticipated thing of all-time.  They're not.  By the time Avatar 2 comes out, it will be a full 7 years (2016) since the original was released.  It will not be as successful, because Avatar will not age well.  It will lose its luster over the next few years.  Trust me.

James Cameron has always been an extremely intelligent guy, but he's making the stupidest mistake of his life.

Mysterious Voice In "The Amazing Spider-Man" Trailer Is Michael Massee

I noticed that some of the forums and fellow bloggers were trying to figure who the mysterious person talking to Dr. Connors is in the newest The Amazing Spider-Man trailer. At the 1:26 mark of the trailer, a man dressed in black in what looks like a prison or mental institution scene confronts Dr. Connors and says, "Did you tell the boy about his father?"

When Sony released the trailer today the studio invited a select few from the gaggle of journalists in the writing pool to a small viewing party where Marc Webb was available to answer questions. Here is what Webb had to say to Coming Soon about the mysterious voice.

Q: Not to get too specific about the trailer, but who was the voice that said, “Did you tell the boy about his father?”
Webb: Oh! [laughs] You'll have to see the movie.
 
Q: So it's intentional mystery?
Webb: Yeah.

As soon as I heard the voice I knew who it was, without even realizing this actor was in fact in the film. The unmistakable voice belongs to actor Michael Masse. The unsettling actor has made a mark on Se7en, FlashForward, and a recurring role on Supernatural. In The Amazing Spider-Man Massee is playing a character by the name of David Patrick Lowell, who in the comics is a scientist that worked for Oscorp and specializes in Botany. Lowell also possesses superpowers in certain runs and goes by name of Sundown, absorbing the power of the sun which powers his super strength and the ability to fly.

You wonder if the name David Lowell is just to throw people off and Massee is actually playing Norman Osborn in in a cameo, which ThinkMcflyThink has been hearing about for months. This might explain why Webb is being so coy. Similar to what could be happening with The Dark Knight Rises and Joseph Gordon Levitt.

The Amazing Spider-Man Trailer #3 - You've Seen This All Before

They're serious about this "Untold Story" thing, huh?

Take the same beats from the last trailer, amp up the CG money-shots of Spidey swinging through Manhattan, still keep the Lizard as offscreen as possible and make sure you know its "dark" (Because everything is set at night) and you have the third, and final, trailer for The Amazing Spider-Man, the reboot Sony would still like you to think you haven't already seen before.

Officially Official: Francis Lawrence Directing Catching Fire

Common knowledge, and sense, notwithstanding, the job to direct Catching Fire, the hugely-anticipated Hunger Games follow-up, was a done-deal for Francis Lawrence. In the event he accepted Liongate’s offer.

This afternoon, the studio officially confirmed he's signed on the dotted line. We can all put this director drama behind us as Lawrence and the cast, everyone from leads Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson and Liam Hemsworth to supporting players like the scene-stealing Stanley Tucci and Toby Jones are all returning, brace themselves for a fall start.

The hurdle, something the press release Lionsgate sent out obviously avoids besides quotes fake praising Lawrence, is how he'll step up after Gary Ross' high-profile exit. He can direct action better, no one will dispute that. But Ross is a multiple Oscar-nominated screenwriter who, along with author Suzanne Collins, put the elbow grease into making Hunger Games work. He, obviously, won't be around this time and the drafts by Simon Beaufoy reportedly need work. Don't be surprised if we look up and hear another big-name screenwriter is paid a treasure-chest full of cash.

Brad Bird Directing Disney's 1952

Indeed he did what appeared to be impossible. He made Ethan Hunt cool again. But since then Brad Bird has been keeping low. No doubt mulling through offers and carefully deciding what his next move will be, as a two-time Oscar winning animation director turned live-action director. 

"TOLDJA" is here to say Bird has made his decision. The Pixar alum will direct 1952 for Disney from a script by Damon Lindelof, who's connected to Bird in a six-degrees of J.J. Abrams way. No details are known at this time regarding the plot save for it being a "big scale tent pole film" and presumably set in 1952. Unless the title's ironic and it's actually set in the not too distant future.

Nothing to get excited about save for Bird getting back behind the camera sooner rather than later.

New Expendables 2 Trailer

Sylvester Stallone vs. Jean-Claude Van Damme. The most anticipated big screen smack-down of 1992 here in the new theatrical trailer for The Expendables 2, courtesy of IGN Movies.

Beyond the promise of Arnold Schwarzenegger back to his days of ass-kickery ("I'M BACK!") and sharing more than just quips with Sly in a church, this looks like your standard sequel. The same thing last time, only bigger. If you dug the first film, then you’re onboard here. If you're not, at least you know what you won’t be watching on August 17^th: