New Trailer for Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues

Safe to assume, it's funny and features one-liners that will be trending on Twitter in minutes. But I'm making it a point to avoid the new Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues trailer.

I don't want practically every joke (and ones that didn't make the final edit) ruined for me in two minutes. That happened on the original and though I grew to love it over the years that initial reaction was pretty sour. So I can't tell you if the big cameos are blown, what off the wall comments Brick makes or how Champ secretly lusts for Ron this time.

The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug Trailer #2 Is More of the Same

The excitement for The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug comes down to one's reaction to The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey. Did Peter Jackson leave a Phantom Menace taste in your mouth? Did taking Tolkien's bedtime story and morphing it into a trilogy of bloated three-hour epics finally reveal itself as the bad idea it always was on paper?

The second trailer for the middle chapter of the Hobbit trilogy is here. While alright, promising to be an action-heavier installment, nothing here eases concerns left last Christmas.

See Christian Bale's Batman Screen Test

Despite being the fan-favorite, Christian Bale still had to audition as Bruce Wayne/Batman like everyone else for Batman Begins (Using one of Val Kilmer's leftovers from Batman Forever). The story goes even bone-skinny recovering from The Machinist, they knew he was the guy then and there.

An excerpt from The Fire Rises: The Creation and Impact of The Dark Knight Trilogy documentary (featured in The Dark Knight Trilogy Ultimate Collectors Edition Blu-ray set available this Tuesday) has leaked online showcasing Bale's screen test. And yes, they do address the much-ridiculed "Batman voice."

Batfleck Speaks!

Maybe it's Oscar-caliber acting at work (Ironic since he's a two-time Academy Award winner for his producing and writing with nary a nomination as a thespian), but Ben Affleck can sure sell that humble pie. I recall him going on The O'Reilly Factor and in the most respectful and non-Hollywood-asshole way of backing John Kerry during his ill-fated Presidential bid back in 2004. Then there were the years of listening to him and Kevin Smith yucking it up on commentary tracks. He seems like a genuinely down-to-Earth guy, who happens to have had one of the great career comebacks of our time.

Oh yeah, and now he's Batman. You might have noticed the burnt effigies and online petitions signed by tens of hundreds of 9 year-olds. He appeared on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon and spoke for the first time publicly of being the newest heir to the cape-and-cowl.

From Mama to Mummy

THR reports Andy Muschetti, director of Mama, is in talks to helm the latest reimagining of The Mummy.

Mama was a surprise hit this past January for Universal. So they want to reward an up-and-comer who still has much to prove. He hasn't failed yet breaking out still eludes him - an interesting phase for any filmmaker to be in. Sometimes that yields the best results. Imagine there is a lot a guy like him can bring to this more horror-oriented version.

Only downside is Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci (who by the grace of God or more likely his manager deleted his Twitter to troll anonymously on fan forums, I'm sure) are still involved as producers.

WB Is Officially In the Harry Potter Prequel Business

Once the well went dry with Harry Potter & the Deathly Hollows - Part II, that was it for the Boy Who Lived and Warner Brothers couldn't have been sadder. A franchise where the average installment is a guaranteed $290 million domestic gross and $900-$950 million worldwide is a God send, and outside of Bond, no studio has that kind of reliable bread-winner.

Giving that up couldn't have been easy and in the six years since the final book's publication, no doubt higher-ups tried within the best of their ability to get the OK from author J.K. Rowling for a continuation of the universe onscreen. They got their wish. This morning the studio has announced a new franchise is in the works based on Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them, the textbook-within-the-book Hogwarts students are required to read (and published as a stand-alone book back in 2001).

Rowling will author the screenplay. In the press release sent out, they really out of their way not to label this a prequel, but admitting its set in the same universe and 70 years before the events of Harry Potter & the Sorcerer's Stone. Hey, Mrs. Rowling, that makes it a prequel.

Marvel Going Bold (Read: Stupid) - Slotting Ant-Man to July 2015

Marvel is king of the mountain because of their bold, and at times fearless, decisions that paid off. Once you rule the roost long enough, you're due for some missteps. Don't doubt for a second, it won't happen. Thor: The Dark World, so far, has pretty tepid buzz and Guardians of the Galaxy has yet to break away from the deadly "For Geeks Only" label that keeps the general public far away. But this may be the first genuine mistake in their, up-till-now, impeccable strategy.

Ant-Man is moving to July 31, 2015 from its original November 5^th release.

The Edgar Wright-directed project was always going to move. Competition from the likes of James Bond, the Hunger Games swan-song and Disney's own Finding Dory was too much. But I had it pegged for May 2016. Slotting it a mere two weeks after Warner Brothers' big Superman/Batman movie is just plain stupid. The Ant will get stomped on by the Kryptonian and the Bat.

But the move could be in relation to troubles elsewhere. If it's taking to July, then Pirates of the Caribbean 5 (slotted for July 10) is in trouble. Lest we forget those reports of Disney taking away power from producer Jerry Bruckheimer.

Robocop Remake Trailer Is As Terrible As You Had Feared

Let's be clear. Remaking Robocop is not sacrilege. Take one look at the (many) terrible sequels, cartoons, live-action TV incarnations, toy-lines and comic-books show you far they were willing to steer away from what Paul Verhoeven was about to accomplish with the original 1987 film in order to make a buck. Queue "I'll buy that for a dollar" joke.

So modernizing the story of Alex Murphy for a contemporary audience? Fine in my book, and everything looked great on paper. Big name cast filled led with the lesser-known Joel Kinnaman in the title role and most importantly directed by a non-American filmmaker with talent and something in prove in José Padilha.

It's too bad everything since the project got underway hasn't stirred much confidence ranging from the (frankly unprofessional) Twitter script review from a renowned-Holier-than-Thou douchebag to the set pictures showing how different (and how bad) the new design looked. The Comic-Con presentation didn’t stir much faith especially since it allegedly didn’t even feature Kinnaman in full-on Robo-mode, and the theatrical trailer here is... pretty terrible.

New Terminator Movie Has Its Director - You Can Go Back to Not Caring, Kids

Last time I checked my calendar didn't say 1991. So the continued (and insisted) relevancy of the Terminator franchise perplexes me. At that point in time, James Cameron used the long-awaited sequel Terminator 2: Judgment Day as his "Get Out of Director Jail Free" card after the OK-to-Meh performance of The Abyss and Arnold Schwarzenegger, having already been an action icon to men but more importantly won over women thanks to his Ivan Reitman comedies (Showing his sensitivity amid the allegations, even back then, of his impropriety) and his stint as chairman to President Bush's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports, was at the peak of his popularity. It all built up to that moment. Or as my partner Peter says, the time when every kid in America had a Terminator poster hanging up on their wall.

It had its time in the sun. Just try telling that to every new producer who laps up the rights and says to themselves and investors, "This time, we'll make Terminator cool again!" And they never do. The latest is producer-extraordinaire Megan Ellison, probably thinking this can be her commercial nut to ensure she can continue financing more auteur-driven projects. I get that. But again, isn’t she smart enough to know many others have been where she is right now and failed?

They've set a date for June 26, 2015 and may or may not get Schwarzenegger back. That whole thing is murky including if this is a reboot or a continuation of the Cameron/ Jonathan Mostow/McG continuity. But Variety says hey they have a director. Rest assured, kids. The trades say Alan Taylor, the Game of Thrones alum who was fired-then-maybe-rehired-question mark on Thor: The Dark World (depending on who you believe) is onboard.

I am past the point of even giving a shit (positive or negative) about Terminator. It's so far gone; it will be an uphill climb to regain goodwill from the public back. So many issues at hand, this is a lost cause if I've ever seen one. Remember when Terminator: Salvation was going to be the franchise's savior? How did that work out? Let it go, Megan.

Kathleen Turner Joins Dumb & Dumber To

Part of me wondered if Universal might get cold feet on Dumb & Dumber To. Right after they agreed to take the sequel Warner Brothers (rather surprisingly, all things considered) didn't want Jim Carrey makes a big stink about not promoting Kick-Ass 2... produced and distributed by Universal.

Not going into what was in his heart here (and do I have an opinion on that, kids), but the fact is the studio had to be pissed. And when Kick-Ass 2 tanked, don't doubt there are several execs placing the blame squarely on Carrey, the biggest name in the cast who was considered a huge "get" when cast. To the point where perhaps they could be less-than-willing to stay in the Jim Carrey after all.

Rest assured that is not the case. Variety reports casting is taking shape with Kathleen Turner as the first new addition alongside the returning Carrey and Jeff Daniels. No official word on her role or the plot though rumors suggest it involves Harry (Daniels)'s lost daughter. They’re saying it will be ready for next summer. Obviously it will be out next Christmas instead marking the 20^th anniversary of the original classic.

Yes, I called Dumb & Dumber a classic! Have you watched it lately? It's pretty brilliant, and subtle, in how they handle the characters' stupidity.