The Curse Of La Llorona Pokes Fun At Avengers: Endgame's Runtime And Poster

The Curse Of La Llorona Pokes Fun At Avengers: Endgame's Runtime And Poster

Avengers: Endgame is officially in theaters and it seems almost destined to become a box office legend. But even though Endgame is the big title right now, there are other movies in theaters as well, such as the horror flick The Curse of La Llorona. The film came out last weekend, but with all eyes on Endgame now, the marketing for Llorona decided to have a little bit of fun with the Marvel blockbuster. Check out this official character poster for Llorona mimicking Avengers: Endgame.

If you didn't manage to catch the film last weekend, The Curse of La Llorona follows a mother in 1970s Los Angeles who must save her children from a ghost who is trying to steal them away. The film was directed by Michael Chaves, written by Mikki Daughtry and Tobias Iaconis, and starred Linda Cardellini, Raymond Cruz and Patricia Velásquez.

The movie received mostly negative reviews, with critics noting issues with the film's storytelling and an over abundance of jump scares. The film earned $62 million worldwide at the box office off of a reported $9 million budget, so it can't be considered a box office failure.

However, Avengers: Endgame basically made The Curse of La Llorona's entire worldwide take in one night, so you can understand why La Llorona is trying to catch some of that Marvel hype.

The horror film shared a character poster of its titular ghost, but the format of the poster should be more than familiar to Marvel fans. It's based on the Avenge the Fallen character posters that featured both the alive and Snapped superheroes. Only this time, it's "Avenge the Children."

Not content to leave it there, the caption for the Instagram post reads "Twice the scares, half the time," a reference to Endgame's colossal three hour runtime. Llorona is a much shorter, breezier 93 minutes long film.

You can hardly blame the movie for trying to capitalize on the hot movie of the weekend (and likely the next several weekends). Llorona didn't exactly set the world on fire last week, but it could be a decent alternative option for people who are looking for non-superhero-related thrills this weekend. Plus, May is going to be an absolutely jacked month for movies, with Detective Pikachu, Aladdin, and Godzilla: King of the Monsters all coming out shortly. Llorona doesn't have much more time to stay on the board before it starts to get very crowded.

Avengers: Endgame might be on a lot of people's minds, but The Curse of La Llorona is also in theaters and ready to give some scares to those looking to do something else this weekend. For everything else coming to theaters this year, be sure to check out our 2019 movie release guide.

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The Curse Of La Llorona Box Office: The Conjuring Universe Has Another Overperformer

The Curse Of La Llorona Box Office: The Conjuring Universe Has Another Overperformer

The Conjuring Universe has unquestionably become one of the strongest brands in the Warner Bros. arsenal. Going back to 2013, every release has been an absolutely massive hit, with the $250 million-plus worldwide earnings for each title looking even more impressive when you consider that none of them have been made with a budget larger than $40 million. It's a train that doesn't appear ready to stop any time soon, and Michael Chaves' The Curse Of La Llorona demonstrated that this weekend by earning the franchise yet another box office crown. Check out its opening weekend numbers - as well as the rest of the Top 10 - below, and join me after for analysis!

It should be noted that The Curse Of La Llorona had the weakest opening of any Conjuring Universe movie thus far - with David F. Sandberg's Annabelle: Creation previously holding that title with its $35 million take back in 2017 - but part of the reason why it can still be considered a victory is the fact that it still managed to exceed expectations. Last week prognosticators suggested that the film would struggle to make more than $20 million, with Box Office Mojo suggesting a $17 million start, but those estimates proved to be a bit too conservative. Instead, the horror flick managed to beat that number by nearly $10 million, which is pretty significant when you consider that the feature only cost a reported $9 million to make.

There is no question that it's a step down for the brand, particularly after the record-breaking numbers put up by Corin Hardy's The Nun last fall, but the performance certainly says something about the hunger for stories in this universe. Adding in numbers from foreign territories, the movie has already made $56.5 million worldwide, and it will likely be the sixth feature in the franchise to get a nine figure total by the end of its theatrical run. It might take an extra minute, though, as there are a few things working against it in the coming weeks.

The first and most obvious roadblock is the forthcoming arrival of what is unquestionably one of the most anticipated blockbuster releases of all time. Joe and Anthony Russo's Avengers: Endgame is expected to have the attention of everyone in the world when screenings start on Thursday night, and there is probably little chance that folks are planning on doing a weird double feature that pairs the three-hour superhero epic with The Curse Of La Llorona.

Also, the film doesn't have quite the same level of buzz that the previous Conjuring Universe efforts have received. Not only have professional reviews not been super kind to the release, but audiences don't seem to be falling in love with it either. On CinemaScore, it doesn't look so great when you compare its "B-" grade" to the "A-" earned by both Conjuring titles and the "B" that both of the Annabelle movies received.

All that being said, it's already profitable after just three days, so Warner Bros. can't complain too much.

Speaking of the studio, this weekend was actually a double win for WB, as another one of their big brands - the DC Extended Universe - crossed an important milestone. It took a few weeks, but David F. Sandberg's Shazam! is now the seventh title in the franchise to join the century club. The movie only dropped about 29 percent in its third week, and while its still the slowest performer among recent DC releases (it's still made only half of what Zack Snyder's Justice League did in 2017), it has an ace up its sleeve: the fact that it didn't cost nearly as much to make as your average big comic book adaptation. Put in perspective, it's already made three times its budget worldwide - albeit before the cost of marketing and publicity.

As for the rest of the Top 10 beyond the two biggest releases, it was actually a very strange weekend. First there is the disappointment of Roxann Dawson's Breakthrough, which failed to make the $17-18 million that was expected in its first five days (screenings started mid-week). It was thought that the feature would get a nice boost from the religious crowd, and it actually earned better reviews than most god-centric releases, but apparently it couldn't stir up too much interest.

That's really the least of it, though, as the big theme for this weekend was unexpected ranking flip flops. For starters, Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck's Captain Marvel seemingly got a boost from the aforementioned forthcoming release of Avengers: Endgame, as the blockbuster jumped from its sixth place position last week into fourth place. The $9.1 million it earned over the last few days now puts its domestic total over $400 million, and its only the seventh of 21 Marvel Cinematic Universe releases to hit that benchmark. To date it has made $1.1 billion worldwide, and while it looks like it won't surpass the numbers put up by Joe and Anthony Russo's Captain America: Civil War back in 2016, the performance is still nothing short of astonishing.

Another surprise this weekend was the performance of Chris Butler's Missing Link - albeit the significance is relative. The stop-motion animated film got off to a depressing start last time around, as it started its theatrical run in ninth place, but this week it actually climbed a bit thanks to the fact that it only dropped about 26.5 percent. The movie has still only made about $13 million in North America, which isn't exactly impressive, but it is trying to put up a fight.

The middle of the chart also saw some weird switches, as Tina Gordon Chism's Little went from second place to fifth, and Kevin Kolsch and Dennis Widmyer's Pet Sematary went from fourth to seventh. Those are far less noteworthy than what happened to Neil Marshall's Hellboy, however. The panned Lionsgate release played in the exact same number of theaters this weekend as it did when it opened, but far fewer seats were filled in the last three days. Not only did it drop from third place to 10th, but it suffered a drop of nearly 68 percent. It failed to cross the $20 million mark, and things are looking seriously bad for the feature, which reportedly cost $50 million to make.

It was definitely a weird weekend at the box office, but things should change in a massive way next time around. It's entirely possible that Avengers: Endgame will soon become the new record holder for biggest worldwide opening - and we'll have all of the details for you next Sunday.

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The 'Crowd Pleaser' Character Toy Story 4 Cut From Its Final Version

The 'Crowd Pleaser' Character Toy Story 4 Cut From Its Final Version

Pixar movies undergo a lot of changes over the course of their development. In the case of Toy Story 4, nearly the entire movie underwent significant story changes. While these sorts of changes are always made in an attempt to make the overall movie better, sometimes story beats and even entire characters that the movie makers love end up getting cut out as a result. Toy Story 4 was no exception.

Last month, when I had a chance to talk to Toy Story 4 director Josh Cooley and producers Jonas Rivera and Mark Nielsen, I asked them if they had any particular elements of Toy Story 4 that didn't make the final version of the film that they missed. All three were in total agreement, that one character they all wish they could have kept was a dancing Santa Claus. According to Cooley...

Dancing Santa was pretty great, he was a character [who] didn’t make it. He was in the antique store and was kind of able, in a very unique way, he was kind of an expert on where to go. and the way things were at the [antiques] mall.

If you've seen the trailers for Toy Story 4 then you'll have seen the antiques store location. It's a major new setting for the film where a lot of the action takes place. We also meet a lot of new characters there, like Christina Hendricks' Gabby Gabby and Keanu Reeves' Duke Caboom.

However, one character that we unfortunately won't be meeting is a talking, dancing, Santa Claus character. The idea was clearly a favorite among many at Pixar. In addition to Josh Cooley and the producers, Toy Story production designer Bob Pauley and global technology supervisor Bill Reeves, who have been part of the franchise since the beginning, also mentioned to me that the Santa was a favorite lost character of theirs as well.

Josh Cooley explained what the scene was originally going to look like...

He’s kinda like an informant in a seedy alley. [Bo and Woody] were talking about, ‘Man, it’s dark in this antiques store. It’s pretty intense, everybody seems so desperate.’ And they’d hear, ‘Tis the season for desperation’ and they’d turn around and there’s one of these Santas there. He’s got a little candle that’s up lighting on him. And Woody’s like, ‘Look Santa, we’d need some help’ and all of the sudden he’d start dancing. Jingle Bell Rock is playing. ‘Ah, you set off my motion detector.’ And then he’d go back into, ‘Anyway, like I was saying...’ and there’s still Jungle Bell Rock playing [in the background]. It was a crowd pleaser for sure.

It's clear that the reason everybody liked the Santa was because the jokes were funny, but ultimately, Pixar always wants to focus on the story that is being told, and if a gag gets in the way of that, the gag has to go, no matter how funny it is. Bob Pauly explained to me that this was the problem with the dancing Santa:

It got cut, which is the right thing, because that was a moment when they had it where it was kind of an emotional moment in the movie, where it's about Bo and Woody. Trust [me], it needed to go, it didn't support that.

The good news is that it sounds like enough of the dancing Santa survives that we'll get to see him as part of the deleted scenes on the eventual Toy Story 4 Blu-ray. Until then, we can see the final version of Toy Story 4 on June 21. Tickets for the summer sequel are on sale as we speak, so make sure that you grab your seats to opening weekend, so you'll see the latest adventure with Buzz, Woody and the gang.

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The Cool Wonder Woman Comic Memory That Inspired Brie Larson Growing Up

The Cool Wonder Woman Comic Memory That Inspired Brie Larson Growing Up

On paper, comic book (and comic-book movie) fans have established a rivalry between Marvel and DC. Sure, they compete in the same space, but the “rivalry” is largely overstated, with both companies often finding inspiration in each other – and admitting that healthy competition often brings out the best in each other. Even Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige admits frequently on the record that he wants all comic book movies to succeed, because it benefits the industry.

Brie Larson is taking a page from that shared-inspiration playbook. When we spoke with Larson at the Captain Marvel press junket, we asked about comics that inspired her interpretation of Captain Marvel, expecting her to discuss a love for Stan Lee, Jim Starlin or Kelly Sue DeConnick (an inspiration for the screenplay of the new movie). However, Larson took a left turn and mentioned a love of Wonder Woman growing up that led to her finding the right balance for Carol Danvers. Larson told CinemaBlend:

There was a series where she was fighting in Mount Olympus and then would get that work done in time to go back to Earth and do a book signing. And there was something about that dynamic that really stuck with me my whole life. Like, ‘I want that!’ I want to be up in the clouds, and I also want to be down on Earth. I feel like that’s still who I am.

Ah, the concept of a dual identity. World-saving hero in one moment, ground human being the next. That does seem to be a signature of some of our favorite comic book personas, be it mild-mannered Clark Kent, or the bookish newspaper photographer Peter Parker. They often are able to escape from their “heroism” by disappearing into mundane existences. Many wouldn’t mistake them for superheroes, and yet, they are the ones putting their lives on the line when duty calls.

We haven’t yet seen Captain Marvel, so we don’t know how normal Carol Danvers will appear when she isn’t battling alongside the Kree. We know that part of her mission her on Earth will be sniffing out shape-shifting Skrulls, but how much down time does an adventure like that provide?

While you wait to see Captain Marvel, here’s Brie Larson talking about how one of DC’s biggest heroes helped her shape Marvel’s latest on-screen leader:

Captain Marvel is the next big MCU movie, and the last one to drop before Joe and Anthony Russo conclude Thanos’ storyline in Avengers: Endgame. It continues the cosmic storylines of the MCU, and potentially opens the doors to new worlds where movies can explore. It starts screening in theaters on Thursday, March 7. Are you going?

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The Cool Reason Alita: Battle Angel Moved The Movie To Panama City

The Cool Reason Alita: Battle Angel Moved The Movie To Panama City

Alita: Battle Angel went to great lengths to get some aspects of Yukito Kishiro’s manga series correct on the big screen, including the way Rosa Salazar’s eyes were enhanced for the flick. However, other details were changed, including the setting of the story, and as it turns out there’s a reason Alita: Battle Angel got switched from Kansas City, Missouri to Panama City, Panama.

In fact, it’s a really cool reason. According to Director Robert Rodriguez, the change of locale had to do with the science behind the space elevator and the best location it would have worked. He said:

The original story was set in Kansas City, but Jim early on figured out that it should be set near an equator because that’s where scientifically a space elevator would work. I thought that was fantastic, so let’s do Panama City, which is a Latin country, and we’ve never seen that in a sci-fi film before. And with all the different cultures, it’s just naturally diverse, so the diversity was actually part of the original script.

Per Robert Rodriguez, it was James Cameron who figured out that Zalem and the Iron City would be better off set in a warm location near the equator rather than in a temperate one. Then Rodriguez decided Panama City would be the best place to build the 23rd century world, set several hundred years after a great war left the Earth in ruination.

With Avatar and even Titanic, James Cameron has had an avid interest in the scientific components of those properties. (Although he notably may have gotten the Titanic sinking wrong.) So, it’s not shocking to me that if he was working on a movie with a space elevator that he would have wanted to make sure the details were at least somewhat feasible.

In addition, although the story is based on a manga novel written in Japan, Robert Rodriguez also revealed to Complex that Jim’s vision was always “more of a melting pot,” meaning setting the story in a specific place wasn’t that important to the final vision of the film.

What was cool is that that’s what Jim latched onto when he first got the rights in 1999, is that it wasn’t something as Asian-specific as Ghost in The Shell or Akira, which are set in neo Tokyo. This is something that’s much more of a melting pot, it’s not set somewhere specifically Asian. It’s a cyborg girl in the lead, and even in the manga it’s set in one of the last standing cities left, so by nature there’s multiple languages being spoken, with people from all over the world could coming there, so it was always sort of a melting pot.

It took a long time for Alita: Battle Angel to come together. Robert Rodriguez previously revealed that James Cameron had approached him with the idea a long time ago, specifically back when he was working on Sin City, which was released back in 2005. That’s a long time for a project like this to gestate, but it also assumedly means that people like James Cameron and Robert Rodriguez had plenty of time to think about details like space elevators and temperature.

If you haven’t caught it yet, Alita: Battle Angel is still in theaters now. We'll of course let you know if the flick does end up getting a sequel. For now, take a look at what else is coming up with our full movies schedule.

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The Cool Fight Scene That Had To Be Cut From Godzilla: King Of The Monsters

The Cool Fight Scene That Had To Be Cut From Godzilla: King Of The Monsters

Successful blockbuster action flicks are often the result of a miraculous balancing act. With Godzilla: King of the Monsters, the filmmakers were tasked with showing off the legendary Kaiju in a refreshingly terrifying light and bringing in King Ghidorah, Mothra and Rodan for him to clash with. Oh, not to mention the ensemble of humans to bounce between as well.

By the looks of early reactions to King of the Monsters, the new Godzilla manages to offer up an exciting new entry to the long-running mythos. However, not everything originally in the script will make it to the big screen this weekend. During CinemaBlend’s exclusive interview with Millie Bobby Brown, the young actress revealed one cut scene she was sad to see not make the theatrical release. In her words:

Oh yeah. There was this full fight montage that I had done. It was a fighting, full-on MMA on this guy, this man-guy. [It was] cool. They cut it! So bummed out about it. … By the way, I never got to see it, but I would have loved to see it, too. And I’m sure everybody else would.

This is a bummer! It would have been a treat to see the 15-year-old Stranger Things star show off some badass MMA skills in the Godzilla movie. The actress likely had to go through some intense training in order to pull off a scene that may never see the light of day.

Here’s hoping the bonus features allows Millie Bobby Brown and fans to see her take on this “man-guy” she speaks of. Movies such as this one have big scenes cut all the time. Her big fight sequence was likely taken out to make room for more action between Godzilla and the titans he goes up against.

The lost scene does have us thinking about who exactly Millie Bobby Brown’s Madison Russell is. What 15-year-old knows MMA? As far as we know, her character is the daughter of Vera Farmiga’s Dr. Emma Russell, who is a paleobiologist involved in research on Kaiju creatures and Kyle Chandler’s Dr. Mark Russell, a former Anthrozoologist. Perhaps this is her particular family talent?

The film’s script may have originally developed Madison’s character further by showing off her MMA skills but there wasn’t enough room in the film to fit everything. Brown is also among an ensemble including Ken Watanabe, Sally Hawkins, Charles Dance, O’Shea Jackson and Thomas Middleditch. So, there were a ton of performances to fit in.

Godzilla: King of the Monsters follows the events of 2014’s reboot as the mighty Godzilla must face-off against three ancient super-species in order to restore balance on Earth and reign at the “king of the monsters”. The movie hits theaters this Friday, May 31.

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The Conjuring Inspiration Lorraine Warren Has Died At 92

The Conjuring Inspiration Lorraine Warren Has Died At 92

Since the spine-chilling release of 2013’s The Conjuring, a successful franchise of sequels and spinoffs has ruled the horror genre. The interconnected universe is inspired by the lifelong work of Lorraine and Ed Warren (portrayed by Vera Farmiga and Patrick Wilson in the Conjuring films), who have investigated high-profile hauntings and chronicled supernatural phenomena. At 92, Lorraine passed away in her sleep on Thursday night.

The Warren’s own New England Society of Psychic Research announced the news Friday morning (via Fox 61). Lorraine was born in Bridgeport, Connecticut in 1927 and was a self-proclaimed clairvoyant and light trance medium. She and her husband founded the society in 1952 and conducted investigations into reports of paranormal activity, such as the Lindley Street poltergeist, West Point ghost and Amityville Horrors (which spawned 17 films).

The couple wrote 10 books together and traveled across the world lecturing on their findings. Ed Warren passed away in 2009 at 79 years old. One of their early cases was for Annabelle in 1968, a Raggedy Ann doll that was reportedly possessed by the spirit of a child named Annabelle Higgins. It inspired the Annabelle movies, which will continue with Annabelle Comes Home this summer. The upcoming film will see the first appearance of the Warren’s in the spinoff series, thus making it a homecoming for the Conjuring universe.

The Conjuring is based on their assistance to the Perron family in 1971, who experience frightening paranormal sighting in their farm home in Rhode Island. Lorraine Warren served as a consultant for the first movie and even had a cameo in it. She seemed to have bonded with the actress who has portrayed her for the past six years, as Vera Farmiga took to Twitter this morning to honor her following the news of her passing. Take a look:

The couple looked to be the gritty real-life Ghostbusters who certainly made a mark on the subject matter for many belovedly scary horror movies and various supernatural and psychic phenomena. The Warren’s also inspired the The Nun spinoff which became the highest-earning Conjuring film in 2018 when it racked up over $365 million worldwide. A sequel for The Nun is on the way, along with The Conjuring 3 and The Crooked Man.

Lorraine Warren’s death also comes on the same day of the release of The Curse of La Llorona, the first Conjuring spinoff film that does not tie to the couple’s paranormal investigations, though it finds itself in the universe’s timeline between the two Conjuring films.

Although Lorraine Warren was not a filmmaker herself, she will have a lasting impact on Hollywood as her experiences continue to capture the interest of audiences and be immortalized through the dramatic portrayal of her by Vera Farmiga, who will play Warren again in Annabelle Comes Home, coming to theaters on June 28.

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The Comic Character The Directors Almost Included in Captain Marvel

The Comic Character The Directors Almost Included in Captain Marvel

From inception to release, Marvel films go through a ton of reworks, leading to some characters originally intended to debut on screen to be cut by the time the movie hits theaters. And Captain Marvel is no exception. In my recent interview with the movie’s directors Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck, I asked them about this. Here’s what Boden said:

We were always kind of obsessed with Helen Cobb and she didn’t make it into the movie. I think we thought about her a lot in terms of when we were trying to develop the story.

Interesting! For those unfamiliar with the Captain Marvel character, Helen Cobb is a famous pilot that inspired Carol Danvers to pursue her career in the Air Force and holds the highest-record for flight, which she wishes to break. In one story, Carol travels back in time (in a time-traveling plane, because she cannot time travel on her own), meets her, and joins the Banshee Squadron-- an all-female fighting unit in World War II.

When Helen Cobb dies of old age back in her timeline, Carol is given her airplane. The character exemplifies the importance of female role models, so it’s no wonder the directors considered her during the development of Captain Marvel. Check out the directors talking about it below:

While Helen Cobb was in the running, she didn’t make it past script development, as Kevin Feige recently confirmed with ComicBook.com. Here’s what the Marvel chief said about Helen Cobb:

She was in some drafts… But ultimately, the story is about Carol Danvers, so everything had to focus and funnel through her.

There are certainly tons of exciting characters found in between the pages of Captain Marvel comics who would have been an exciting addition to the big-screen origin story of Carol Danvers. In the end, the filmmakers had to focus on telling her story first and foremost, which left out room for Helen Cobb.

While Helen Cobb won’t be seen in Captain Marvel, she would be a fantastic addition for a potential sequel. It would allow for more of Carol’s roots and inspirations to be delved and seeing the hero join the Banshee Squadron in WWII sounds badass. This also opens the window for Captain Marvel to run into some other characters in the MCU from the past and fill in some more gaps in the universe that have yet to be explored!

But wait… we’re getting ahead of ourselves. You’ll have to first check out Captain Marvel in theaters on March 8. The origin story follows Brie Larson as Carol Danvers as a Starforce officer who falls to Earth in 1995 and teams up with Nick Fury, in his first intergalactic mission and amidst a war between the Kree and Skrull races.

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The Classic Men In Black Prop That Plays A Big Role In The Reboot

The Classic Men In Black Prop That Plays A Big Role In The Reboot

Sing it with us: “Here come the Men In Black… again!” It has been seven years since the black-suited galaxy protectors at the Men In Black graced our movie screens, and Sony plans to bring the outfit out of mothballs for this summer’s Men In Black International. There will be some major changes. Gone are Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones, staples of the series through the first three films. In their place are new agents played by Chris Hemsworth and Tessa Thompson, each eager to take on a globe-trotting adventure.

With the movie’s release date on the horizon, CinemaBlend ventured to London to spend time on the set of director F. Gary Gray’s sequel and learn about how Men In Black International planned to move the story forward, while also leaning on the franchise’s past. There will be nods to the existing Men In Black movies – heck, Emma Thompson reprises her role as Agent O, proving this story takes place in the same continuity as the Smith and Jones adventures. And one prop, in particular, will play more of a central role in this movie’s narrative.

Producer Walter Parkes opened up about the development of the story for Men In Black International, saying that Chris Hemsworth’s character, Agent H, is well-known for defeating a villain known as The Hive. Only, maybe he didn’t… and his memory is affected by the infamous neuralyzer that’s always used in the MiB series. Parkes told CinemaBlend:

Rafe [Spall] plays Agent C, who’s Chris’s rival. The Hive is the villainous force that Liam [Neeson] and Chris defeated four years before all of this. And our story deals with a sort of repeating history. The Hive have come back, and we discover that the circumstances of the great moment that made Chris’s character a hero may not have been true. So it’s interesting. … You know the thing about the neuralyzer, it’s a very interesting prop in the Men in Black universe, and the idea of taking people’s memories away and putting in false memories, which we’ve used but sort of around the kind of periphery of our plots, might have a little more central role in this one.

That’s an interesting approach. Is it possible that Chris Hemsworth’s Agent H was neuralyzed by his own people into believing he did some heroic deeds? In the initial trailer for Men In Black International, Hemsworth was playing his character as someone who is a little aloof and above the action, perhaps seeing himself as too good to worry about alien creatures and otherworldly messes. Maybe it’s because his memory has been altered? We’ll know soon enough.

Tessa Thompson, meanwhile, fits into the narrative as a New York-based fan of the MiB who discovers the secret agency, then talks Emma Thompson’s supervisor into letting her into the organization. Tessa will join Hemsworth on his missions, and probably prove herself to be more adept at alien busting than the burly Aussie is.

See their chemistry on display in that full Men In Black International trailer:

It’s cool that the new story is making good use of props from the original series, and evening finding important ways to potentially use them and add fresh angles to the Men In Black narrative. The use of the neuralyzer is a signature move for MiB, and I’m curious about how using it on an agent like H will impact the story.

Find out when Men In Black International arrives in theaters on June 14. And stay on CinemaBlend for a lot more coverage from our visit to the set of F. Gary Gray’s upcoming sequel.

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The Charlie’s Angels Reboot Has Been Pushed Back

The Charlie’s Angels Reboot Has Been Pushed Back

If you're a fan looking forward to the new reboot of the Charlie's Angels franchise from Elizabeth Banks, there's some bad news. You're going to have to wait a bit longer to see it. On the plus side, the film's new release date greatly improves its box office chances, making the possibility that we could see a new franchise born here that much greater. And you won't have to wait too much longer. The film, originally set for a November 1 bow, will now arrive on November 15 instead.

The movie release calendar is basically a just a bunch of dominoes, and when one falls, the rest follow suit. That's what happened last year when Warner Bros. made the decision to push Wonder Woman 1984 from it's November 1 date to the summer of 2020. When that happened, two big movies jumped into that space. The first was Charlie's Angels moving into the same weekend where the Cameron Diaz, Drew Barrymore, Lucy Liu, version of the franchise had released, the second was the new Terminator movie, which we now know to be called Terminator: Dark Fate.

This set up an unlikely showdown, where two major tentpole releases were going to hit the same weekend. However, that showdown is now cancelled as Charlie Angel's has now jumped back two more weekends to mid-November.

The reason for the switch is two-fold. First, as with Wonder Woman 1984, the weekend just opened up, following Kingsman spinoff The Great Game leaving that date for February 2020. The other reason apparently has less to do with competing with Terminator domestically, but perhaps more with doing so internationally. Deadline says that the studio thinks the new Charlie's Angels has strong international potential and so the new release date will help with that.

The previous Terminator film wasn't a massive hit in North America, but it did much better overseas, especially in China, so it could be that Angels wants to avoid doing battle in those markets as much as possible.

While Charlie's Angels and Terminator aren't necessarily a pair of franchises that are drawing largely from the same audience, it's still nice that they'll both be given some breathing room. Fewer fans will now need to choose between them and both will be given a chance to succeed or fail on their own merits rather than simply losing business because the other film siphoned some away.

At the same time, it's been so long since we've seen a couple of major films actually go up against each at the box office on opening weekend, it would have been interesting to see who came out on top. Terminator is certainly the more established franchise, but with the success that many female centered films have had in recent years, one certainly wonders if Charlie's Angels might have shocked everybody.

Of course, to get an idea, we'll have to actually get a look at the film. We're still waiting on a trailer.

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The Cat From Pet Sematary Has Died For Real

The Cat From Pet Sematary Has Died For Real

In Pet Sematary, the Creed Family cat named Church, short for Winston Churchill, is hit by a truck on Halloween and killed. The beloved cat is buried in the titular pet sematary and comes back to life, notably dirtier and more aggressive than he was before. Now comes the sad news that the cat that played Church in Pet Sematary has died for real. Take a look:

The cat actor that played Church in Pet Sematary was named Leo in real life and he has sadly passed away. The Instagram post from Leo’s trainer and owner Kirk Jarrett assures us that Leo will be missed by his friends and family, as you would expect and hope would be the case for any beloved family pet. Leo will just have more people mourning him than the average pet thanks to his role in Pet Sematary.

There may be no supernatural burial ground inhabited by the evil spirit Wendigo to bring him back, and doing so would be against the message of Pet Sematary anyways, but Leo’s star will indeed always shine bright. Not many cats get to be immortalized in film, and playing an iconic feline character no less. More than that though, Leo’s star will continue to shine in the hearts and minds of his family.

Although we didn’t know him and never got to pet the fluffy Leo, any of us who have owned and lost a pet can sympathize with what Leo’s family is going through. It does seem odd that he has passed so soon when we just saw him on the big screen only a couple months back. That said, we don’t know how old Leo was or what caused his death, but I like to think that he lived a long, happy and full life.

Judging by his Instagram, the beautiful and photogenic Leo had quite the life, playing outside, having photo-shoots and getting to hang out on the set of the movie. Leo was also apparently extremely well trained and a very mellow cat because he is seen wearing all kinds of costumes and hats, the likes of which would send most cats into a resurrected Church-esque rage.

Although Leo has died, he is not the only cat who played Church in Pet Sematary. Cats are notoriously uncooperative creatures, so it was a joint effort with Leo and other cats, eight in total, to create the performance in the film. Each cat brought their own special skills, like jumping, hissing and staring, to the role, and they all proved to be quite the divas on set.

We offer our condolences to Leo’s family and say Leo, you were fluffy and gorgeous and terrifying, so rest in peace. Check out Leo’s performance in Pet Sematary, arriving on digital on June 25 and Blu-ray on July 9. Take a look at our 2019 Release Schedule to keep track of all the biggest movies headed to theaters this summer.

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The Black Widow Movie Is Eyeing A Favourite Star

The Black Widow Movie Is Eyeing A Favourite Star

There must be something in the water over at Marvel Studios, as the Black Widow film has been rapidly filling out its cast as of late. With Fighting With My Family’s Florence Pugh and Stranger Things’ David Harbour both jumping on board as of late, Scarlett Johansson’s solo flight in the MCU is looking to have quite a formidable roster of potential heroes and villains. And that team is about to get a little more interesting, as Academy Award winner Rachel Weisz is the latest name to be brought into consideration for a spot on the bench.

No contracts have been signed yet, so Rachel Weisz’s potential hiring is still a bit up in the air. But sources that have information on the possibility say that both camps are pretty sweet on the deal. At this point, it sounds like the only thing that could possibly derail this prospect are those old favorites: scheduling conflicts and terms of the agreement. In the face of such expectations, I'm pretty damned excited to see this happening.

Of course, there’s no insight into who Black Widow has in mind for Rachel Weisz to play, merely that it’s a “key role.” Whether that position involves a villainous protagonist that dogs Johansson’s Natasha Romanoff throughout this long awaited adventure, or if it’s more of an advising presence that supports her journey in various parts of her journey, is left unknown. Still, casting Weisz is a wonderfully bold move to begin with.

Fresh off of her recent Academy Award nomination for The Favourite, Rachel Weisz has the type of resume that screams Marvel greatness. Be it her performances in popcorn films like Stephen Sommers’ first two Mummy films with Brendan Fraser, or in thought provoking independent films like Disobedience, Weisz has played a wide field of material. So bringing her on board for an entry in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, as Variety has apparently sniffed out, would only be beneficial to Black Widow’s chances at success.

Other key talent for Black Widow includes writer Jac Schaeffer, who provided the intial draft, as well as writer Ned Benson, who was recently hired to give that draft some rewrites. Director Cate Shortland, best known for her work on Showtime’s SMILF and last year’s thriller Berlin Syndrome, is on deck to direct this film that looks to be coming down the pipe at some point in Phase 4. As this project is currently in the earlier stages of development, information is scarce as to plot and character info. But even in the face of such uncertainty, it should be known that this casting is a very Weisz choice.

Black Widow is currently without a release date, but when it does land a slot for debut, you can bet it’ll find its way into our Phase 4 calendar for upcoming Marvel movies. In the meantime, you can see Scarlett Johansson’s Natasha doing whatever it takes to help out in Avengers: Endgame, on April 26th; provided you were lucky enough to get tickets for that weekend.

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The Black Widow Movie Has Added Stranger Things’ David Harbour

The Black Widow Movie Has Added Stranger Things’ David Harbour

To say that the past couple years have been good for David Harbour’s career would be an understatement. Along with being one of the lead actors in the hit Netflix series Stranger Things, Harbour also succeeded Ron Perlman as the next cinematic Hellboy, and we’ll see how he does as Big Red come next week. But just because Harbour is portraying a Dark Horse Comics character doesn’t mean he can’t jump to an adaptation from another comic book company, as word has come in that he’s been cast in the Black Widow movie.

With Black Widow reportedly gearing up to roll cameras in London this June, the Marvel movie is slowly assembling its cast. Naturally Scarlett Johansson will be reprising Natasha Romanoff, the KGB agent-turned-S.H.I.E.L.D. operative-turned-Avenger, and last month it was reported that Fighting with my Family star Florence Pugh was in talks to join the cast. Now THR has dropped the news that David Harbour will be appearing in the movie as well, although no details about his character were provided.

It’s becoming increasingly common for actors to lend their talents to more than one comic book movie franchise, like how Josh Brolin played both Thanos in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and Cable in Deadpool 2. David Harbour already has the spotlight in Hellboy, which could lead to sequels or even a full-blown cinematic universe depending on how its received, but now he can also leave his mark on the MCU as well in Black Widow’s standalone adventure. Plus, the actor has also already lent his talents to the DC universe, as he played Dexter Tolliver in Suicide Squad. Harbour’s other notable credits include Quantum of Solace, Revolutionary Road, The Green Hornet, The Equalizer, The Newsroom and State of Affairs.

While no official plot details for Black Widow have been revealed yet, rumor has it that the movie will be a prequel set before Iron Man 2. That said, there are conflicting claims on the specific time period, with one report saying it will be set only about half a decade or so before Natasha Romanoff met Tony Stark and another saying it will occur during the turn of the millennium and involve the Y2K bug. It’s also possible that rather than explore Natasha’s time working for the KGB or her early years at S.H.I.E.L.D., Black Widow will actually take place after the events of Avengers: Endgame. For now, Marvel is keeping us in the dark, although depending on what happens to Natasha in Endgame, that could foreshadow what’s in store for her in her solo feature. Either way, whether it’s a younger version of her or her current day self, she’ll be crossing paths with David Harbor’s character, be he friend or foe.

Directed by Cate Shortland, Black Widow doesn’t have an assigned release date yet, so stay tuned to CinemaBlend for that information, more casting and other updates on its development. In the meantime, don’t forget to look through our Marvel movies guide to learn what else the MCU has coming up.

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The Biggest Way Avengers: Endgame Should Affect Spider-Man: Far From Home

The Biggest Way Avengers: Endgame Should Affect Spider-Man: Far From Home

Major SPOILER warning: The ending of Avengers: Endgame is a big focus of this article. DON'T read this until you've seen the movie. You have been warned!

Avengers: Endgame is here, and while the movie is busy destroying every box office opening record, fans are still recuperating from its massive ending. Tears were shed, laughs were had and the battle was won. The MCU was left unquestionably changed following the events of the film, and the one movie where we could and most definitely should see the repercussions of the finale is Spider-Man: Far From Home.

The Web-Slinger's sequel is the first movie after Avengers: Endgame and it's also the final movie of Phase 3. If there was anywhere we would see the aftermath of Endgame, it's in this movie, because it means that Far From Home will have to address the direct effects of the Snap and where it leaves Peter Parker and all his classmates.

Okay, spoiler time.

In Avengers: Endgame, the Avengers are successfully able to acquire all of the Infinity Stones and build their own Infinity Gauntlet. The Hulk, being the only one who can take the full power of the stones, uses the Gauntlet to bring back everyone who was snapped out of existence at the end of Avengers: Infinity War.

Black Panther, Scarlet Witch, The Guardians of the Galaxy and, of course, Spider-Man are among the people brought back to life, but the catch is that five years have passed since they were dusted. To them, no time has passed at all, but the rest of world had to learn to move on, and that probably includes public school systems.

Endgame hints that the world was in pretty terrible shape, but there's no indication that school was stopped. While Peter Parker was wiped off the face of the Earth, some of his classmates definitely weren't, and so they must have completed high school by the time he was resurrected.

That's why it gets tricky for Far From Home, because now it has to address who was and wasn't snapped, and how school works now that half of all teenagers missed out on an education. If it doesn't address the Snap at all, then that's extremely odd.

Assuming that school went on and kids graduated (the acceptance rate for colleges must have skyrocketed in those five years), Far From Home should have a pretty different cast from Spider-Man: Homecoming. Thanks to trailers, I have a pretty decent idea which of Peter's friends were snapped.

There are really only four kids other than Peter who can be considered the main high school cast. Those characters are Ned, Michelle Jones, Flash Thompson, and Betty Brant. Of those, only Betty didn't have that big a part in Homecoming, but it looks like that has changed a bit in Far From Home.

Each of those kids are in Far From Home on the school trip to Europe, so it's probably safe to assume they were all snapped. The trailers don't show any other familiar school kids like the ones on the debate team, so we can guess that they all graduated. I would be surprised if any of these kids were important down the line, but they are all actually real deep-cut Spider-Man references.

For example, one of the kids on the debate team is named Abe Brown. In the comics, this character is actually a vigilante known as Black Tiger, and he's the brother of Hobie Brown, a slightly more well known character who's the original Prowler. Another character, Cindy Moon, was bitten by the same radioactive spider that gave Peter his powers in the comics. She becomes the hero Silk, but there's no indication that happened in the MCU.

Abe, Cindy and the rest of the debate team are either extremely difficult to spot or just aren't in the Far From Home trailer, but I'm thinking they aren't in the movie at all. Maybe they just didn't get to go on the field trip, but it seems like too much of a coincidence that all the tertiary characters have been left out. The Snap would certainly explain the absence.

Otherwise, it would also be extremely weird if Peter's entire class wasn't affected by the Snap. It's mathematically impossible that the whole cast of the Spider-Man movies got off scot free. The events of Infinity War and Endgame are too massive to ignore, and Far From Home is the first movie from the viewpoint of the (mostly) regular citizens. It's a great opportunity to show that Endgame's conclusion has far-reaching effects.

It wouldn't necessarily be that hard a thing to deal with either. The movie just has to explain the status quo in the beginning and then it can get to the summer fun, Elementals and whatever else is going on in Far From Home. Yes, having a whole scene of the group dealing with the fact that they were dead for five years would be great drama to watch, but that's heavier material than I think people are looking for in a Spider-Man movie.

There can just be a scene in the beginning between Peter and Aunt May where they do some light exposition dumping about how Peter and some of his class are still in the same grade after being gone for five years.

Of course, all of this is assuming that Far From Home takes place after Endgame. It could be set before Infinity War and then the Snap won't factor into it all. That's a 'get our of jail free card' if there ever was one, but then whatever the next Spider-Man movie is will have to deal with the issue of the Snap. It's unavoidable, so Marvel might as well just deal with it now and get it over with.

Ultimately, it's a good thing for Far From Home to address the Snap. It helps to explain how the world works now that Thanos has come and gone, and it sets the status quo for Peter moving forward. Marvel likes the high school setting for Spider-Man and it makes sense that it'd want to keep him there for as long as possible. I don't expect Far From Home to dig too deeply into it, but an explanation would certainly be helpful and serve as a great way to show how this universe is moving post in a post-Endgame world.

We'll find out what's happening one way or the other when Spider-Man: Far From Home swings into theaters on July 2.

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The Biggest Challenges To Bringing Rocketman To The Big Screen

The Biggest Challenges To Bringing Rocketman To The Big Screen

A lot of footage was shown at CinemaCon this year, including but not limited to a Hobbs & Shaw trailer and the first 17 minutes of Toy Story 4. Among that footage was another glimpse at Rocketman, the upcoming Elton John biopic starring Taron Edgerton and led by Dexter Fletcher, who did reshoots on Bohemian Rhapsody recently. When asked at CinemaCon 2019 what the toughest part of bringing a real-life person like Elton John to light on the big screen, Fletcher revealed the musical numbers were often the hardest bits.

It’s not just the musicality that was tough but also getting Elton John right in 141 minutes. Dexter Fletcher said:

Well, Elton’s known for his spectacle and his theatricality and so bringing the music to the big screen was a challenge but also exciting. His fans love him and his music so much that I wanted to be sure they got an honest and truthful portrayal of this man; it’s extremely important to us and to him.

Onstage at CinemaCon 2019 as part of Paramount Pictures’ panel, Taron Egerton joined director Dexter Fletcher onstage, whereupon he was also asked what was the most difficult thing to manage while making Rocketman. Per Egerton:

I think probably managing the pressure. We always felt that we wanted to be irreverent with the role and make sure the audience feels like it’s getting a glimpse behind closed doors, a glimpse behind the scene, and you know a glimpse at the life of a man who’s had a notoriously turbulent time. But we also felt like it was very important to make fans happy and make him likeable. We wanted to tell a raw human story but it’s also so important the movie is fun and a celebration of a great man.

That’s a lot to juggle and it’s not always easy to juggle, as we’ve seen with other musical biopics. First and foremost, directors have to service the story they are telling, which is why last year’s Bohemian Rhapsody changed the timeline narrative a bit. Yet, when that happened people were upset about factual inaccuracies in the movie and how it ultimately played out.

So far, Rocketman has already been in the press for allegedly editing down Elton John’s sex life, as well as nudity related to that sex life. Dexter Fletcher has already addressed the rumors, but it just goes to show that people want a movie that tells the truth but that is also a lot of fun. It’s not an easy feat to achieve.

Luckily, it sounds as if Taron Egerton at least got the spirit of Elton John right. Although the actor mentioned the singer has been pretty “hands off” throughout the whole Rocketman experience, Dexter Fletcher had nothing but praise for the younger actor, who also does his own singing in the movie.

Anything with Taron in it is my favorite. There are many, many great, standout numbers that I’m extremely proud of. We’re all proud of “Saturday Night’s Alright For Fighting” is quite extraordinary, “Rocketman” as you know you saw Taron singing on his back at the bottom of a 15 meter tank is something to behold. They’re both very different and both filled with vibrancy and energy.

If you’ve seen the trailer for Rocketman, you should have some idea of what you are getting into with the new movie, which is out on May 31.

In the extended footage we saw at CinemaCon shown on a large screen in Las Vegas, Rocketman looks even bolder and bigger than in the early trailers. If you’ve been a fan of recent musical biopics, this one might even blow those away. It may be my most highly anticipated movie this spring (and yes I’m including Endgame but obviously tastes differ). To see what Rocketman is competing with, take a look at our full movies schedule.

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The Biggest Challenge In Adapting Stephen King Books, According To IT And 'Salem's Lot Writer

The Biggest Challenge In Adapting Stephen King Books, According To IT And 'Salem's Lot Writer

Stephen King is the king of horror on the page, but Gary Dauberman is ruling the horror world on screen. He's a longtime writer for The Conjuring Universe, and he's making his directorial debut with Annabelle Comes Home, which he also wrote. Dauberman was one of the writers adapting Uncle Stevie's novel IT for the big screen in 2017, and that film was a massive hit. He's back as the lone credited screenwriter for IT: Chapter 2, which comes out this September. Dauberman was also recently announced to be writing the script for the new screen adaptation of King's book 'Salem's Lot.

CinemaBlend's own Nick Venable talked to Gary Dauberman about his many projects, including his new Swamp Thing series, and of course asked him about adapting Stephen King's books. What are the biggest challenges in that daunting process? Here's Dauberman response:

There's a lot of challenging things, but it really is an editing process of like...you know you're not going to get all the fucking great scenes in there. You know, they always say you have to kill your darlings. But it's like, [they're] not. They are my darlings, but I'm such a fan of the books and the scenes, and so it's a challenge to sort of decide, 'Okay, well I really like this, but I love that. Is there a way to get the two ideas in there and maybe put it somewhere else?' It's one of those things where I tried to preserve as much as I can of the book, in the spirit of the book, and why it works.

Stephen King's IT is quite a tome, but it is one book. Gary Dauberman, director Andres Muschietti, and company decided to split that into two films for the respective youth and adult timelines. That might've been a relatively easy decision, but there were harder editing calls to make. The first film took out one of Uncle Stevie's most controversial scenes from his book. However, the second film is including a different controversial scene that was cut from the previous TV miniseries.

When it comes to 'Salem's Lot, that's a book that Stephen King previously called one of his favorites. But just because King did something his way doesn't mean it translates well to the screen for viewers. Plus, the guy is notoriously iffy on book endings, and that can make a screenwriter's job interesting. Gary Dauberman continued on the challenges of adapting King's tomes:

I mean, there's books out there that have great concepts, but they're not executed so well. So you're like, 'Well, I like the concept, but I'll kind of just run with it.' Or it's got a good first half, but the second half is not great, so you can depart from it. But these are not those, right? They work so well. There's a reason they've been around as long as they have been. So you're just working very hard to preserve as much as you can of it and give it the respect it deserves.

There's a lot of pressure on Gary Dauberman to do justice to Stephen King's novels, and that seems to be his first priority. He's a fan himself. King is usually pretty candid about when he likes an adaptation (Pet Sematary) and when he doesn't (The Shining) so he may just go ahead and mention if he's unhappy with what Dauberman does with his work next.

Being able to be a part of the team that brings these things to the big screen has been a remarkable experience and a whole hell of a lot of fun. So at the end of the day, man, we're working on IT or 'Salem's Lot, and I just don't want to... [Pauses.] I just hope Stephen King likes it. [Laughs.] At the end of the day, if he's okay with it, then I'm okay with it. That's kind of what I'm working towards. I've talked about keeping my head down and doing the work, and to not try to think about the pressure of when I read this for the first time, or all the fans and all that stuff. You just try to go, 'Okay, this is a fucking great book. How can I make this a great movie?'

That's all you can do, really, then hope for the best.

IT: Chapter 2 opens in theaters September 6, 2019. The first trailer recently came out, with Pennywise creeping on the now adult Bev (Jessica Chastain). Annabelle Comes Home, both written and directed by Gary Dauberman, opens June 26. Dauberman's Swamp Thing premiered May 31 on DC Universe. Stay tuned for updates on 'Salem's Lot as it moves forward. Keep up with all of the movies already scheduled to open in 2019 with our handy release guide.

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The Best Zombie Movies Broken Down By Zombie-Type

The Best Zombie Movies Broken Down By Zombie-Type

Out of all the monster movie genres out there, few have gotten as many entries as the zombie genre. Some may argue hype on the genre has somewhat cooled, although with The Walking Dead set to start making Rick Grimes features, and more shows and films springing up all the time, it's safe to say the zombie genre will not die. Kind of ironic, right?

With that said, there have been so many entries in the zombie genre that some of the better quality features have been lost in the mix as decades pass. Additionally, some audiences may have specific zombies they want to see in a movie, be it the iconic walker, aggressive runners, classic voodoo, or the lighthearted funny zombie flick. These are the definitive picks for the best zombie films someone should hit up first before getting into the other offerings.

The Best Walker Zombie Movies

Walker zombies are the traditional type of zombie most people are familiar with. They're slow moving, work in large numbers and aren't always the sharpest tools in the box. There are exceptions, of course, but these types of zombies are built more towards building films more on suspense and claustrophobic situations than fast-paced over-the-top action.

Dawn Of The Dead

It's impossible to make a list of great zombie films without featuring at least one by the godfather of modern zombies. George A. Romero's Dawn of the Dead is one of his most profitable and critically acclaimed features, and has served as the inspiration for numerous zombie movies that followed. The effects may be a bit dated compared to shows like The Walking Dead, but the story is as timeless as ever and remains a classic.

Zombie

Zombie, or Zombi 2 in Italy, features the traditional type of walker zombie, although this one is technically a mixture between walker/voodoo genres. With that said, voodoo isn't as heavy to the plot as some of the entries seen later. What this movie is heavy on is some truly gross and cringe-worthy imagery to see in this feature. There's also an underwater zombie that gets into it with a shark, and that alone is worth the price of admission.

Planet Terror

Planet Terror isn't the most conventional zombie film out there, which may be why more folks are drawn to it as time goes on. While Robert Rodriguez's feature was viewed as the lesser in the grindhouse double feature, there's no denying its unique style and aesthetic have helped it become a stand out of the genre. It also helps Rose McGowan's character has a gun for a leg.

The Best Runner Zombie Movies

As the name would imply, runner zombies are more fast-moving and generally more athletic than the walker-types. These zombies plow ahead with reckless abandon, and generally have little regard for their own preservation or other zombies around them. Speed is obviously a scary attribute for a monster that doesn't have to worry about endurance, so runner zombie movies are often high-action and high intensity throughout a bulk of the feature.

28 Days Later

There are some movies that, if someone is looking to get into the zombie genre, can't be missed. 28 Days Later is mandatory viewing for its heart-pounding action, fast and strong as hell zombies, and view of just how bleak a post-apocalyptic zombie world can be. There's also times where Danny Boyle's film is beautiful, in what may be one of the most aesthetically pleasing zombie movie for film buffs.

Train To Busan

South Korea isn't typically known as a hub for films that appeal to an American audience, but the nation has had a few hits over the years. Even for those who aren't too psyched for foreign language films with subtitles, Train To Busan is worth checking out. Perhaps the best part of this film is the zombies' one weakness being an inability to see in the dark, which makes for incredibly tense and heart-pounding scenes.

World War Z

A lot of die hard zombie fans will take issue with this entry, mainly because it's not the same quality of the Max Brooks novel it was adapted from. Be that as it may, World War Z has some fantastic sequences with runner zombies, and it takes advantage of its big Hollywood budget to show some scenes most zombie movies haven't pulled off. Unfortunately, the long in-development sequel was cancelled, so chances of a follow up are slim.

The Best Voodoo Zombie Movies

Before George Romero brought zombies back into the mainstream, voodoo zombies were typically the cinematic standard for zombies in cinema. These creatures are typically similar attribute-wise to walker zombies, but enslaved throughout the use of Haitian Voodoo magic or some spell that enslaves them to an individual. For those looking for some of the beginnings of zombies in Hollywood, these are the films to start with.

White Zombie

White Zombie is regarded as the first feature length zombie film, and the movie that laid the groundwork for others. Dracula icon Bela Lugosi plays a witch doctor who is capable of taking dead bodies, re-animating them and making them his slaves. It's far from the modern interpretation of a zombie, but it is based in the Haitian voodoo interpretation of zombies. For those that want to see where it all started, this is where it starts.

Sugar Hill

One of the more contemporary voodoo zombie films, Sugar Hill is a '70s blaxploitation film about a vengeful woman who seeks revenge on the mob boss who killed her boyfriend. Diane "Sugar" Hill goes to a former voodoo queen and ends up summoning Baron Samedi and zombies to take the fight to the mob. This might be one of the only movies where the main character is actually the source of a zombie outbreak.

Voodoo Man

Voodoo Man is one of the weirder entries on this list, as it goes from traditional voodoo zombie film to meta by the movie's end. Without revealing too much about the film's ending, a character suggests making a movie called "Voodoo Man" and requests that Bela Lugosi (who is in the film) be in the movie. Considering this movie starts with a doctor tricking women into stealing their essences to resurrect his dead wife, that's kind of impressive.

The Best Comedy Zombie Films

These aren't necessarily a type of zombie per se, but there's been a handful of zombie comedy movies that are some of the best zombie films out there. These movies typically have a mixture of different zombie types, and can poke fun at the overall silliness of the genre. For those looking for a laugh just as much as gore, look no further than these great movies.

Zombieland

One of the zombie genre's funniest films is also one of its most star-studded, as Zombieland boasts talent like Emma Stone, Jesse Eisenberg, Abigail Breslin, Woody Harrelson and Bill Murray. The zombie rules of survival in this movie are great advice should an actual zombie apocalypse ever hit, and the zombie attacks highlight some of the sillier encounters a more serious zombie film wouldn't tackle. It's no wonder audiences are still excited for a sequel a decade later!

Shaun of the Dead

Had Shaun of the Dead never been made, it's possible the careers of Edgar Wright, Simon Pegg and Nick Frost wouldn't have skyrocketed to the status they enjoy now. That's not important when it comes to the film, which is a fantastic zombie flick regardless of its impact on those individuals. Shaun's story is exceptionally well told, and most zombie movie lovers can attest that strong individual stories are not a strength of the zombie genre.

Dead Alive

This is zombie comedy that's a bit of a cult classic, mainly because its relatively unknown director at the time became a pretty big deal years later. Even if most folks check this out due to their love of Lord of the Rings and Peter Jackson, Dead Alive is a pretty funny film, with some of the more obscene slapstick humor that can't be found in most zombie films.

Do you have a great zombie movie that didn't make the list that folks should check out? Be sure to post it below in the comics and keep with CinemaBlend for all the latest news on zombies, movies, and all things entertainment.

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