The Marvel Cinematic Universe's webslinger, Tom Holland, is mourning the loss of Spider-Man co-creator Steve Ditko, following the news of the comic book legend's passing. The Marvel Comics great was found dead at age 90 in his New York apartment on July 29, and word of his death broke on Friday. Not only was Ditko responsible for co-creating Spider-Man with Marvel writer-editor Stan Lee in 1962, the writer-artist also collaborated with Lee in the creation of Doctor Strange. Word about Ditko passing away led to an immediate outpouring of tributes in the entertainment industry, including prominent creatives from both Marvel and DC Comics, as well as movie personnel like Guardians of the Galaxy writer-director James Gunn and Doctor Strange director Scott Derrickson. Adding to the tributes Saturday was Holland, who made his debut as Spider-Man/Peter Parker in Captain America: Civil War in 2016, before starring in the first Spidey solo movie in the MCU - Spider-Man: Homecoming - in the summer of 2017. Holland's latest turn as Spider-Man came in the worldwide blockbuster Avengers: Infinity War earlier this summer. Holland paid his respects to Ditko in a tweet, noting that "We all want to leave our mark on the world - this guy crushed it." See Holland's entire message to Spider-Man's co-creator in his tweet below: It's heartening to see Holland celebrate Ditko's achievements, especially considering that the reclusive artist has long lived in the shadow of his creative partner Lee. That's not to say Lee doesn't deserve the attention, it's just nice to witness actors like Holland note Ditko's vital contribution to Marvel Comics and ultimately, the MCU. With Holland's iteration of Spider-Man being the third to be featured on the big screen since 2002, don't be surprised if more tributes surface in the coming days from the likes of former Spidey actors Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield, as well as their respective directors Sam Raimi and Marc Webb and Holland's Spider-Man: Homecoming director Jon Watts. Especially poignant is that Holland noted how Ditko "made so many people so happy and changed lives," because it couldn't be more true. Thanks to his and Lee's ingenious creation, comic book readers worldwide learned how an ordinary teen could become an extraordinary superhero and as such, took their imaginations to places they had never been to before. Spider-Man is truly one of the greatest characters to ever emerge from the realm of comics. Now that Ditko is gone though, the friendly neighborhood that Spider-Man protects will never be quite the same. KEY RELEASE DATES Ant-Man & The Wasp (2018) release date: Jul 06, 2018 Captain Marvel (2019) release date: Mar 08, 2019 The Avengers 4 / Untitled Avengers Movie (2019) release date: May 03, 2019 Untitled Spider-Man: Homecoming Sequel (2019) release date: Jul 05, 2019

Marvel filmmakers Joe and Anthony Russo return to social media with a cryptic Thanos post. Having directed four films for the MCU - including next year's Avengers 4 - the two are well aware of how invested the fan community is with the franchise, especially the Phase 3 Avengers sequels, given that they're the culmination of the overall narrative that the film series has been telling since 2008's Iron Man. The two pulled a major stunner at the end of Avengers: Infinity War by having the Mad Titan succeed in his galactic genocide plans. Since then, they've been quiet on social media, but now, they make their return with a mysterious post. Two months after Infinity War rolled out in theaters, the directing duo - alongside the rest of their cast and crew - are back at work for the scheduled reshoots and pick-up shots needed for Avengers 4. Scheduled to last the entire summer, the additional work for the still-untitled film is being heavily guarded to prevent any kind of leaks that may give away spoilers for the much-anticipated blockbuster. But amidst their busy schedule, it looks like the Russos still found time for some social media action. Making their return on Instagram after wiping out their account entirely, the Russos uploaded two screenshots of the popular subreddit r/ThanosDidNothingWrong, seemingly insinuating that they've joined the forum under unidentifiable usernames. The subreddit gained traction recently when it announced plans to ban half of its users, similar to how the Mad Titan sought to bring "balance" to the universe by wiping out half of the life on it with his infamous snap. Check out the Russos' post below: The Russos' latest social media upload may well be purely for fun. After all, since the news broke that the subreddit is playfully recreating the events of Infinity War, membership of the forum has tripled - all wanting to get in on the fun set to take place July 9, which is probably what the Marvel directors want to do as well. The two have been known to use their platform to not only interact with their fans, but also actively join various online shenanigans related to the much-discussed Avengers sequels. Prior to the release of Infinity War, they trolled fans with a hilarious Soul Stone post at the height of everyone's clamor with regard to its location, and even joked about Hawkeye's absence in the marketing when people were most heavily speculating what his role would be in the film. That said, with how creative Marvel Studios has been in promoting their movies (i.e. Tom Holland "accidentally" revealing Infinity War's poster and recently "leaking" Spider-Man 2's official title), this could hypothetically be part of something bigger by the company. Especially considering that the MCU is skipping its annual Hall H panel at San Diego Comic-Con later this month. If the Russos do truly plan to participate in r/ThanosDidNothingWrong's version of the snap, perhaps the reveal of which of them survived will be accompanied by a juicy tidbit about Avengers 4. While Reddit may not seem like a big enough stage to announce anything major on, its community is quite active when it comes to discussing Marvel Studios, and this Thanos snap stunt has only served to increase that. Even if the above post turns out to be nothing more than what it appears to be at face value, the Russos strategically coming back to social media and carefully curating their posts as opposed to regularly posting scattered updates is a great way to keep the buzz going for Avengers 4. Not that the film needs any more marketing, but with no Marvel movie coming out until Captain Marvel in March, it doesn't hurt to give fans something else to speculate about. KEY RELEASE DATES Ant-Man & The Wasp (2018) release date: Jul 06, 2018 Captain Marvel (2019) release date: Mar 08, 2019 The Avengers 4 / Untitled Avengers Movie (2019) release date: May 03, 2019 Untitled Spider-Man: Homecoming Sequel (2019) release date: Jul 05, 2019

Gal Gadot took a break while filming Wonder Woman 1984 to visit a local children’s hospital while in full costume. After a role in Universal's Fast and Furious franchise, Gal Gadot made a splash in Hollywood and with audiences around the globe by taking on the role of DC’s very own Wonder Woman. Despite having a vast amount of experience in the acting industry, she brought attention to the character of Diana Prince after being casted in late 2013 for Zack Snyder's Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice. Directed by Patty Jenkins and co-starring Chris Pine as Steve Trevor, Wonder Woman first premiered in June 2017 and took in an impressive haul of over $821 million worldwide. Despite the controversy that surrounded Warner Bros' burgeoning DC Films universe before Wonder Woman's release, audiences gave an overwhelmingly positive response to the first female superhero film. The film’s sequel, Wonder Woman 1984, is currently filming in Virginia and is set to make Jenkins the highest paid female director of all time. Earlier today, pediatric nephrologist Patty Seo-Mayer posted a photo on Twitter that showcased the actress visiting the Inova’s Children’s Hospital in Falls Church, Virginia. The tweet praises the actress for her unexpected appearance and jokingly asks her to return. Even off camera, Gadot seems more than comfortable in her role of Diana Prince as it seems that the hospital visit was entirely unplanned. However, the staff and patients alike seemed beyond happy with the unscheduled drop-in. View image on Twitter Twitter Ads info and privacy Wonder Woman 1984 is indeed currently filming in Virginia, though most of the plot details for the film are still very much under wraps. At the moment, it’s been confirmed that the sequel will be directed by Jenkins, who is receiving a $9 million paycheck for her work, with Dave Callaham working on the screenplay alongside Jenkins and Geoff Johns. The sequel to 2017’s Wonder Woman is set to explore the journey of Diana Prince as she comes face to face with a new opponent who goes by the name of Cheetah. Gadot will once again star as Diana Prince, with Pine returning as Steve Trevor, and Kristen Wiig making her debut appearance asBarbara Minerva aka. Cheetah. Gadot’s unscheduled visit to the hospital will only prove to drive up the excitement of Wonder Woman fans as audiences eagerly wait for more insider information regarding the film. Gadot has recently used her celebrity status to speak up about the current US child separation policy and brought attention to the issue. It seems she’s not yet finished making use of her Wonder Woman reputation, and it wouldn’t be that much of a surprise to see more unexpected appearances as production continues to progress. KEY RELEASE DATES Aquaman (2018) release date: Dec 21, 2018 Shazam! (2019) release date: Apr 05, 2019 Wonder Woman 2 (2019) release date: Nov 01, 2019

A recent fan comic has described the history of Star Wars trolls attacking the actors and creators behind the franchise they claim to love. The comic goes on to suggest that the real reason these trolls hated Star Wars: The Last Jedi so much is because they saw themselves in the villain of Kylo Ren and did not like what the film seemed to be saying about them. While vocal fans complaining about things they don't like is part and parcel of any fandom, the trolls of Star Wars have become particularly ambitious over the past year. Previously, their complaints were limited to how certain characters - such as Jar Jar Binks and the young Anakin Skywalker - were annoying. Things have taken a dark turn in the modern era, however, with a racist segment of the trolls complaining about the more diverse casting in recent Star Wars films and a sexist component decrying the larger number of proactive female characters and a distinct lack of fan-service. This resulted in continual attacks on the social media of various Star Wars actors, with Kelly Marie Tran and Daisy Ridley being forced to close their Instagram accounts, due to the continual deluge of harassment. The comic by Andrew Dobson was posted to Twitter and can be viewed below. The comic recalls both the recent harassment of the cast of the current Star Wars trilogy as well as the attacks that drove Jar Jar Binks actor Ahmed Best to contemplate suicide. View image on Twitter Twitter Ads info and privacy The comparison between the Star Wars trolls and Kylo Ren does seem to be apt. Despite playing at being a fearsome figure of terror, the character of Kylo Ren is, at his core, a broken young man with a strong sense of entitlement, who sees himself as a hero fighting the system that he feels betrayed him. He is also obsessed with an idealized vision of the past, idolizing the worst aspects of his infamous grandfather, while ignoring that the truth was far more complicated. One could also draw comparisons between how Kylo Ren's efforts to empower himself only serve to destroy everything around him and how the trolls' efforts to defend their vision of Star Wars are hurting the cast and creatives as well as the fandom. Thankfully, while these trolls are good at establishing themselves as a petty annoyance and the bane of social media managers everywhere, they have fallen short of accomplishing any actual goals of note. An effort to crowd-fund a remake of The Last Jedi has failed to inspire much beyond sarcastic laughter and disbelief from actual filmmakers, despite claims of an anonymous producer willing to match any donations to "the rebellion." Disney also doesn't seem to be taking any of the trolls' criticisms seriously and the recent casting of Keri Russell for Star Wars: Episode IX indicates J.J. Abrams isn't about to stop writing female protagonists into the Star Wars movies anytime soon. KEY RELEASE DATES Star Wars 9 / Star Wars: Episode IX (2019) release date: Dec 20, 2019

Incredibles 2 has broken another box office record becoming the first animated film to cross $500 million at the domestic box office. Fans have poured into theaters for the highly anticipated sequel to The Incredibles, released in 2004, over the last four weekends. Exceeding expectations in more ways than one, Incredibles 2 has proven to be just that - incredible. Returning 14 years after the original film, Incredibles 2 returned to love and praise from both critics and fans. Picking up where the original film ended, Incredibles 2 launched into action, not only providing family fun but finding a relevance in a world that has changed so much over a decade. The film is both new and nostalgic, appealing to a wider audience demographic than previous animated films. It is no surprise the success of the film exceeded studio and industry expectations, setting a record in animation with a $182 million opening weekend. According to The Wrap, The Incredibles 2 will set an animation record this weekend, becoming the first animated film to cross the $500 million domestic earning milestone. Expected to bring in another $31 million in its fourth weekend, Incredibles 2 will break the record set by Finding Dory in 2016 - which grossed $486 million domestically. Animation aside, the film has also become the 12th film in North America to by-pass this monetary milestone. It is expected to stretch even further in the coming weeks, joining the elite top 10 all-time domestic grossers. While Ant-Man & the Wasp looks to dominate the box office, estimated to earn $83 million during its opening weekend release, Incredibles 2 will not be far behind, with analysts predicting it will take second place this weekend. While Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom looks to come close to Incredibles 2, it is predicted to come just shy of the record breaker. With both films expected to give the old one-two punch, Disney looks to continue its dominating force at the box office. Critics and analysts have cited the success of the sequel as being the length of time between the original and Incredibles 2. Many of the children who fell in love with The Incredibles are now adults, and even without children, carried a large percentage of the viewers who opened their wallets for a ticket. With the recent failure of Solo: A Star Wars Story story at the box office, Disney may have a lesson to learn here - that absence makes the heart grow fonder. And with the success of Incredibles 2, a second sequel may follow. While no official news and release information has been announced, there is without a doubt a desire from fans for more. Yet, with fans wanting more, it might be worth remembering that sometimes good things come to those who wait.

San Diego Comic-Con is going to get a special dose of Deadpool 2, including the premiere of an extended cut. Fox was originally scheduled to have three Marvel movies hit theaters this year, but reshoots have bumped back Dark Phoenix and New Mutants. As a result, Deadpool 2's launch in May marked the only mutant-related content fans will get on the big screen in 2018. Thankfully, Deadpool 2 delivered in almost every area for the majority of audiences, propelling it to be one of the biggest R-rated movies of all-time. The excitement around the franchise shouldn't die down in the future, even if Disney takes control of Fox. They still want to make Deadpool films, and X-Force is going to be in production by the time the deal could possibly close. While fans may have to a wait till 2019 or 2020 to see the Merc again, some bonus material is coming shortly. Comic-Con confirmed the full list of panels for Saturday July 21 today and it included a few Deadpool surprises. There will be a Deadpool 2 panel in Hall H from 5:15-6:15 pm PST. That isn't it, though, with Fox now scheduled to end the day with the debut of Deadpool 2: Uncut, described as "a super-duper special screening of Deadpool 2 and maybe some surprises." Fox previously debuted the Rogue Cut of X-Men: Days of Future Past at SDCC in 2014, so there is precedence for these screenings. This announcement confirms what has previously been rumored, that Deadpool 2 is getting an extended cut. Director David Leitch already confirmed an extended cut was in the works, but how or when it would be released wasn't clear. While this special cut is sure to be made available on Blu-ray, some of Deadpool's biggest fans will now have the opportunity to see it first at Comic-Con. The cut is confirmed to include a suicide montage of Ryan Reynolds' Deadpool, but that is just the beginning. The pairing of a special Deadpool 2 panel and debut of the extended cut could mean there's more announcements that could be made. With X-Force looking to start filming later this year, either of these events could be the perfect place to announce an actual release date for the movie. Depending on what all is added to Deadpool 2: Uncut, they could even announce which members of the X-Force crew will return. Lewis Tan believes Shatterstar is returning, so maybe some other members will come back too. For all we know, Reynolds and whoever else attends these events could announce that Deadpool 3 is happening, too. There's also the potential for other X-Men-related news to come out of these panels. Even though reshoots are still coming, the debut of the extended cut could be a great place to debut the first trailer for Dark Phoenix. The cast did cameo in Deadpool 2 after all, so maybe Reynolds returned the favor and teases a cameo in their film too. Whatever the case may be, Deadpool 2 is going to have a big role to play on SDCC's biggest day. KEY RELEASE DATES X-Men: Dark Phoenix (2019) release date: Feb 14, 2019 Gambit (2019) release date: Jun 07, 2019 New Mutants (2019) release date: Aug 02, 2019

Logan Marshall-Green recalled the time he turned down the chance to play John Connor in Terminator 3: Rise Of The Machines. Despite the huge success of Terminator 2: Judgment Day, it took 12 years for the next movie to arrive. The delay was partly down to rights issues, and while James Cameron was initially interested in returning to write and direct another movie, he eventually left the project. In the end, Terminator 3 became something of a remake of the second movie, with Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Terminator once again being reprogrammed to protect a now grown John Connor from an advanced female terminator. While the movie had some great action and a shocking twist in the finale, many fans and critics found it inferior to the first two movies. That said, the threequel is still considered the best, non-James Cameron entry in the series. Nick Stahl inherited the John Connor role from Edward Furlong, but in a new interview with Logan Marshall-Green on the Maltin on Movies podcast, the actor reveals he turned the part down to focus on academic studies. I actually went on my first audition and booked it – in school – and I only went on the audition knowing I wouldn’t book it, and I wouldn’t have the deal, and it was for Terminator 3. I think Nick Stahl would play the role, and Jonathan Mostow was the director and they were going through all these machinations of starting a fellowship at NYU under my name if I had to leave early and I told them no. I wanted to graduate and I come from an academic background and more than anything I was with my fellow classmates for three years, I wasn’t going to just leave in the middle of it. That was a hard thing for Jonathan Mostow to swallow but it set me up, I think, to really only go after what I believe in. Most acting students would have jumped at the chance to play a leading role in a major blockbuster like Terminator 3, so it was a gutsy move on Marshall-Green's part to focus on his studies instead. It doesn’t seem like he has regretted the decision either and has gone on to work solidly in movies like Upgrade and Spider-Man: Homecoming. John Connor has had a weird journey onscreen, with Christian Bale and Jason Clarke later taking on the character in Terminator: Salvation and Genisys, respectively. John would actually become the main villain of the latter entry after being turned into a machine by Skynet, and if a sequel had been made, it apparently would have focused on the cyborg version of the character. Instead, the series will hit the reboot switch again with Tim Miller’s Terminator 6, which Cameron will produce and oversee. Linda Hamilton will also return for the first time in over 25 years as Sarah Connor, and while the storyline has yet to be confirmed, the movie will also feature a young version of John Connor, too. Cameron has confirmed that while the events of the original two entries will be canon, later sequels like Terminator 3: Rise Of The Machines will be ignored. KEY RELEASE DATES Terminator 6 (2019) release date: Nov 22, 2019

Vin Diesel's latest anticipated film Bloodshot has finally received a filming start date. In pre-development since its announcement in 2012, it seems Sony pictures is finally ready to leap into the world of Valiant Comics. With Diesel, who is no stranger to superheroes having played Groot for Marvel, as their leading man Bloodshot, the film seems to have a high potential for success. Bloodshot is an adapted film of the Valiant Comics from the 1990s. A vigilante superhero is on a mission to discover who he is, seeking revenge on those who have wiped his memory and made him into an experiment of science. He draws his powers of regeneration and meta-morphing from nanites that had previously been injected into his blood stream, making him a superhero that does not go down easy. Directed by Dave Wilson, Diesel will star in the role of Bloodshot, his background with characters of this nature a solid sign of what is to come. According to Omega Underground, Bloodshot is scheduled to begin filming on location in Europe and South Africa on August 6. More specifically, Cape Town, South Africa at the Cape Town Film Studios, which has previously been a filming destination for projects such as George Miller's Mad Max and Pete Travis' Dredd. In Europe, it is believed, though not yet confirmed, that Budapest and Prague are in the running for final production locations. Both of which have also previously been locales for Blade Runner an the upcoming Spider-Man: Far from Home. While not much information beyond location and filming has been released, this announcement is sure to excite any Diesel and Valiant Comic fan. Bloodshot will be the first film in a five-year deal, announced in 2015, between Sony Pictures and Valiant Comics to bring their superheroes to the big screen. While it was revealed in March 2017 that Dave Wilson would be helming the latest film-to-screen, casting news did not begin seeping out to the public until sometime later, with Jared Leto rumored last year to star as the villain and Diesel confirmed as Bloodshot earlier this year. There have been other names circulating in the rumor mill since Diesel was confirmed, yet only Eiza González, Sam Heughan, Johannes Haukur Johannesson and Toby Kebbell are currently listed to costar. With two more installments of the Fast and Furious franchise lined up for 2020 and 2021, Bloodshot will be another film Diesel fans will have to wait for. And while there is no current release date announced by Sony, the reveal of a filming start date alludes to the possibility of more information on the horizon.

The well-oiled machine that is Marvel Studios wrapped production on Captain Marvel the same day Ant-Man and the Wasp hit theaters. The latter marks the 20th film to come out of Marvel Studios over the last 10 years, but just the first to feature a female character in the title. Evangeline Lilly received co-billing as Wasp in the sequel and Marvel's making the necessary next step to help bring more diverse films to their universe. Brie Larson will be the first female to lead a Marvel Cinematic Universe film on her own, with Captain Marvel also being the studio's first to have a woman with directing credit. Anna Boden gets that title as she is co-directing with Ryan Fleck. The two were announced back in 2017 and finally got to begin filming the movie earlier this year. After a brief move to New Orleans, their time on set is now done. On the same day that Ant-Man and the Wasp hit theaters, Ryan Fleck confirmed on Instagram that Captain Marvel is officially wrapped. His photo confirms yesterday was day 75 of a 75-day shoot that began at the end of March. Considering Captain Marvel is the next MCU movie to hit theaters now that Ant-Man and the Wasp is out, this is either a great coincidence or incredible planning on the part of Marvel to sync up their schedule. With all of the Ant-Man and the Wasp buildup now complete, Marvel Studios will be turning much of their attention towards Captain Marvel. There's yet to be much official marketing Larson's solo movie so far and fans are itching to see the first official look at her superhero costume. Kevin Feige, the president of Marvel Studios, recently said not to expect a Captain Marvel trailer for a few months, and they'll now have every bit of footage at their disposal to create the first teaser. Even though Captain Marvel is the next MCU film to hit theaters, it isn't the only film the studio is working on. Joe and Anthony Russo are currently editing Avengers 4 and have reshoots scheduled for this summer. Boden and Fleck will also still do Marvel's regularly scheduled reshoots sometime this year too. However, Captain Marvel wrapping leaves Marvel Studios' joint venture with Sony, Spider-Man: Far From Home, as the only MCU movie currently filming. All of this follows Marvel's typical operating schedule, where they are almost always filming something. The rotation has been necessary in the past as they relied heavily on Pinewood Studios in Atlanta, but Captain Marvel filmed in Los Angeles and New Orleans, while Far From Home is now filming overseas. This typically allows Marvel to focus on just a single film at various points of production, so now doing post-production on Captain Marvel should become one of their biggest focuses. KEY RELEASE DATES Captain Marvel (2019) release date: Mar 08, 2019 The Avengers 4 / Untitled Avengers Movie (2019) release date: May 03, 2019 Untitled Spider-Man: Homecoming Sequel (2019) release date: Jul 05, 2019

Another photo surfaces from Justice League, this time depicting a scene of Wonder Woman, Aquaman and the Flash during a deleted STAR Labs scene. Already infamous for its troubled production and lackluster response, the film remains under scrutiny. The past few months have seen photos, production art, and scenes that were planned for the movie, some even filmed, appearing on social media and in news reports. Many of these elements have been rescued from the cutting room floor. Director Zack Snyder laid much of the groundwork for DC’s extended universe of movies with Man of Steel and followed it up with Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. Between mixed responses to those films and a family tragedy, Snyder departed his third planned installment late in the production. In his absence, director Joss Whedon came onto the project. He wrote and directed many additional scenes and shaped the film into what audiences saw in the theater. A new photo recently showed up on Twitter, posted by user Kevin Miranda, depicting one of the scenes that never made it to theaters. The still shows Wonder Woman (Gal Gadot), Aquaman (Jason Mamoa), and the Flash (Ezra Miller) getting ready for action in what seems to be a partially demolished S.T.A.R. labs. Wonder Woman and Aquaman look ready for action, but Flash may still be a little unsure about doing battle. See the photo in a screenshot of Miranda's post below. While S.T.A.R. did briefly appear in the film, in the theatrical cut the heroes never fought there. Fans have been wondering about and some have been calling for Warner Bros. to release a “Snyder cut” of the film that would restore lost material and may provide more context for this scene. Over the past few months, Snyder shared several images on social media. Meanwhile, storyboard artist Jay Oliva has maintained that Whedon's version doesn't match the narrative Snyder intended. Whether a Snyder cut of Justice League ever appears, it’s interesting to see so much attention is still being paid to a film that didn’t exactly set the cinema-going world on fire. Warner Bros. likely would rather focus on making sure Aquaman, Shazam!, and the Woman Woman sequel fare better, but Snyder’s fans have been adamant that they want to see how the story was originally going to go. Love it or hate it, Snyder had a clear vision that he wanted to realize for the project and how it fit into his overall DCEU/Superman story. Whether this image was part of that vision is unknown, but it’s another tantalizing hint of what could have been. KEY RELEASE DATES Aquaman (2018) release date: Dec 21, 2018 Shazam! (2019) release date: Apr 05, 2019 Wonder Woman 2 (2019) release date: Nov 01, 2019

Steven Spielberg helped Hannah John-Kamen land her Ant-Man & The Wasp role by personally writing a letter endorsing her to director Peyton Reed. Playing Ava aka. Ghost - a mysterious villain who can phase through objects - John-Kamen squares off with Paul Rudd's shrinking superhero, Ant-Man, alongside his new (and more capable) partner, Wasp, played by Evangeline Lilly in the latest Marvel offering. John-Kamen has a solid working portfolio with stints in HBO's juggernaut series, Game of Thrones and British science fiction anthology series, Black Mirror. But in 2018, she's officially made the jump from being a TV star to a movie actress with three blockbuster hits under her belt - Ant-Man & The Wasp, Tomb Raider, and Ready Player One, where she worked with Spielberg. And as it turns out, their great working relationship helped her land her Marvel gig thanks to a personal letter written by the famed filmmaker vouching for her. Reed, who returned to helm the sequel after directing its 2015 predecessor, recalled reading the letter: “It said, ‘Dear Peyton. I’m excited you’re doing the movie and I just want to put in the good word for Hannah. I worked with her and she was terrific. Signed, Steven Spielberg.'," during a recent interview with the Los Angeles Times. The same media outlet also spoke with John-Kamen, who opened up about the glowing recommendation. The actress couldn't be any more thankful to the critically acclaimed filmmaker saying, “To have a letter from Steven Spielberg – come on, who says that out loud? It’s really wonderful, and it’s an honor." Considering her acting resume, who's to say that John-Kamen wouldn't have nabbed the part without Spielberg's endorsement? Nonetheless, to be vouched for by arguably one of the best working directors today certainly didn't hurt her cause. Further talking about the role, the 28-year-old actress shared that she's still thrilled about the opportunity to board the MCU train. “It was just incredible, and I’m still pinching myself," she admitted. But with the added pressure knowing that Spielberg personally helped her getting the part, she made sure to portray the character as best as she could. “I approached her as not being a villain. In my mind it’s everyone else’s fault; they’re the bad guys. I’m the good guy, and it’s every man and woman for herself. She’s a complex cookie. She’s got a lot of depth and she’s vulnerable. I think the audience are going to be very, very confused as to how they feel about her.” Only the second female villain in the MCU, following Cate Blanchett's Hela in Thor: Ragnarok, many were obviously looking forward to what John-Kamen will bring to the table. And based on what she's given in Ant-Man & The Wasp, she did a good job of bringing a complex character like Ghost to life. But unlike the Goddess of Death, Ava's narrative seems to be just getting started. After Janet helped her fully heal herself, there's a good chance that fans will see more of her in future films in the series, and maybe even spearhead the franchise's live-action version of the Thunderbolts just like in the comics. KEY RELEASE DATES Ant-Man & The Wasp (2018) release date: Jul 06, 2018 Captain Marvel (2019) release date: Mar 08, 2019 The Avengers 4 / Untitled Avengers Movie (2019) release date: May 03, 2019 Untitled Spider-Man: Homecoming Sequel (2019) release date: Jul 05, 2019

Margot Robbie will look different the next time she plays Harley Quinn, with Birds of Prey set to debut a new costume. One of the best parts of Suicide Squad was Robbie's portrayal of Dr. Harleen Quinzel. She was able to bring out all of Harley's crazy, while still giving her enough personality to make her a likable anti-hero. The overwhelmingly positive response to her put Warner Bros. in the position of developing numerous films that could possibly star their latest breakout. The sometimes hectic looking DC development process appears to have settled down, and will make Birds of Prey her next starring vehicle. The project has picked up steam ever since it was revealed that Cathy Yan will direct. Robbie is the only attached star right now, but whoever is cast as Batgirl is confirmed to appear too. WB is undoubtedly thrilled to be making progress on Robbie's next appearance, as the portrayal also translated to massive popularity for Harley Quinn in toys, and especially for Halloween costumes. Those who cosplayed as Margot's version of Harley will need to make some adjustments though. In an interview with Yahoo, Robbie confirmed that Birds of Prey will debut a brand new Harley Quinn costume. She couldn't share any details on the new look, and for good reason, but there's a chance that a few different costumes will be utilized. No, honestly [it’s] because the costumes haven’t been designed yet but yes she’ll have new looks. Even though Margot Robbie's portrayal is synonymous with the fishnet leggings and "Daddy's Lil Monster" t-shirt look, she has already worn another costume. A brief flashback scene featured her in her original black and red jester costume. That suit doesn't translate itself very well to the big screen, and especially with action scenes, so it is unlikely that it will be one of the new looks Margot gets in Birds of Prey. Whatever changes Harley's costume receives in this film, it will be interesting to see if they borrow elements from the comics. They could veer back towards a black and red color set for the costume, maybe even making it a bit more practical and comfortable for Robbie. She is one of the DCEU's biggest stars at this point and she has a major role in the development of these projects, especially Birds of Prey. Her influence should go a long way in determining how Harley looks next. Whether this was entirely her decision or one sent down from Warner Bros. and DC to allow them the opportunity to sell more merchandise remains to be seen, but it's hopefully both. Either way, her look will be one of many things to keep an eye on once Birds of Prey starts production. KEY RELEASE DATES Aquaman (2018) release date: Dec 21, 2018 Shazam! (2019) release date: Apr 05, 2019 Wonder Woman 2 (2019) release date: Nov 01, 2019

Over ten years after the original was released in theaters, Enchanted 2 is most likely still happening, according to star Amy Adams. Though the sequel is still currently in development limbo, the Academy Award-nominated actress remains hopeful. A live-action parody of classic Disney animated movies like Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs and Cinderella, Disney's Enchanted tells the story of an animated princess named Giselle (voiced and played by Adams) who finds herself transported into a live-action, modern day New York City. While trying to find a way back home to the animated world of Andalasia, Giselle is taken in by a divorce lawyer named Robert (played by Patrick Dempsey) while the overly-affectionate Prince Edward (played by James Marsden) and the evil Queen Narissa (played by Susan Sarandon) attempt to track the princess down. Nominated for three Academy Awards in the Original Song category, Enchanted became a critical and financial success, with talk of a sequel brewing over the past decade. Now, Adams is hopeful that Enchanted 2 may well be happening after all. When Adams recently appeared on the daytime talk show The Talk, she was asked by co-host Sara Gilbert whether or not Disney was still actively preparing a sequel to Enchanted. The project has been in development for quite some time following the success of the first movie back in 2007, but it's never officially begun production. Adam Shankman has been brought aboard as director, replacing Kevin Lima from the first movie, and several screenwriters have completed drafts of the script, including Jessie Nelson, J. David Stern and David N. Weiss, and Anne Fletcher. And though Adams' response did not confirm anything official during the interview, she noted that she is not only game for a sequel, but hopeful that it will eventually enter into production. She said, "I am absolutely up for that. We’re working on it - so, hopefully.” Adams was on The Talk to promote her new HBO miniseries Sharp Objects, alongside co-star Patricia Clarkson. Interestingly, despite the fact that Clarkson did not star in Enchanted as well, she did, however, appear in the movie Jumanji, which also concerns characters from a fantasy world being transported into conventional reality through magical means. Based on the trailers for Sharp Objects, magic is the last thing viewers should expect from the HBO series. Over the past decade, Disney has certainly been no stranger to producing sequels, and lots of them. In fact, this year alone, Disney has already released Incredibles 2, with Ralph Breaks the Internet: Wreck-It Ralph 2 arriving in November, and Mary Poppins Returns hitting theaters in December - a whole 54 years after the classic original. So, not only is Disney in the business of pumping out sequels, but significant time gaps between movies don't appear to be an issue for them either, meaning that the chances of Enchanted 2 actually happening seem pretty good.

Iron Man comic writer Bob Layton thinks that Tony Stark will likely die in Avengers 4. Iron Man of course kicked off the Marvel Cinematic Universe in 2008, and star Robert Downey Jr. has been a staple of the franchise since. Since the tragic end of Avengers: Infinity War, fans have been speculating which long-time MCU characters might make the ultimate sacrifice in the next film. Bob Layton is a comic book artist, writer and editor whose pioneering run - alongside David Michelinie - in the late 70s and early 80s is often credited with shaping the characterization of Iron Man and Tony Stark that fans most commonly associate with the sarcastic but often troubled hero. Layton was also once a key figure at Valiant Comics, including co-creating the character of Bloodshot, which will soon be brought to the big screen by Vin Diesel. During an interview with the Tampa Bay Times, Layton revealed that he believes Tony Stark probably won't survive the events of Avengers 4. Fans of the MCU have been on a 10 year journey with Stark, watching him evolve from a selfish womanizing playboy into one of the most selfless defenders of humanity in existence. When asked for his thoughts on if Stark would make it out of Avengers 4 alive, Layton discussed Downey's large commitment to Marvel Studios over the past 10 years, and suggested that the actor may be ready to move on. As to whether or not that meant Stark would have to make the ultimate sacrifice, Layton surmised: "That is one way of doing it, but I’d only be guessing. I know this — I wouldn’t want to recast Tony Stark. Who would want to try to top Downey? But, if Tony doesn’t come back, they can put somebody else in the armor and start a new generation of Iron Man." Avengers 4 has already cast itself as a turning point for the franchise. The only official synopsis to be released so far states, in vague terms, that the characters will come to know how fragile their reality is and the sacrifices that will have to be made in order to protect it. Fans have been speculating since the end of Infinity War, if this means the end of signature MCU characters like Iron Man, Captain America, and Thor. After all, it's well-known that the current contractual obligations of Downey, Chris Evans, and Chris Hemsworth will be fulfilled following Avengers 4. Layton's discussion of Stark seems fairly ominous, although it's important to remember that he's just making an educated guess. Downey will have been with the franchise for more than 10 years by the time Avengers 4 premieres. Thus, it's definitely possible that the actor could opt to exit following Avengers 4. Whether or not that would mean the death of Tony Stark - and the likely introduction of a new Iron Man - is something fans will continue to speculate about until Avengers 4 hits theaters in 2019. KEY RELEASE DATES The Avengers 4 / Untitled Avengers Movie (2019) release date: May 03, 2019 Ant-Man & The Wasp (2018) release date: Jul 06, 2018 Captain Marvel (2019) release date: Mar 08, 2019 Untitled Spider-Man: Homecoming Sequel (2019) release date: Jul 05, 2019

Samuel L. Jackson will appear to be a lot younger when he plays Nick Fury in the upcoming Captain Marvel film, which is set to be released next year. That makes sense, since the film is set in the 1990s, a previously unseen period in the history of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Captain Marvel is directed by Ryan Fleck and Anna Boden, and stars Brie Larson as titular hero Carol Danvers. This is Marvel Studios' first solo female-fronted superhero movie, and Larson initially believed taking on the role could be a burden. Thankfully, she changed her mind. Samuel L. Jackson, Jude Law, Gemma Chan, and Lee Pace also have major roles. The movie isn't due to open until March 19, making the wait for Captain Marvel's arrival longer than usual for Marvel Fans who have become used to a new MCU film opening every few months. In a new interview with Slash Film, Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige talks about the de-aging of Michelle Pfeiffer through digital technology in Ant-Man & The Wasp, and indicates the same technology will be used on Samuel L. Jackson in Captain Marvel. "Well, I think having the option is pretty amazing. And I think having the technology and even without spoiling anything, Sam Jackson is shooting a movie for us right now that takes, where he’s entirely 25 years younger the whole movie," Feige notes, admitting that the fact that actors like Jackson, 69, have aged well helps with the technology. Until relatively recently, making stars look younger for flashback roles had not been effective. For example, one could go back to 1996's Evita, where Madonna was supposed to look like a teenager at the beginning of the film, despite being 37 years old while filming. And one could then go back 10 years before that when Kathleen Turner, in her early 30s, was also playing a teenager in Peggy Sue Got Married. Her performance was acclaimed, but most agreed that the makeup wasn't able to hide her real age. However, since 2008's The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, updated CGI technology has made de-aging a lot more believable, and Marvel Studios has been on the cutting edge. In addition to the believable de-aging they did with Michelle Pfeiffer, Marvel did an amazing job of de-aging Michael Douglas for the first Ant-Man in 2015, a feat repeated in Ant-Man & The Wasp. Then, in 2016's Captain America: Civil War, Robert Downey Jr. was perfectly de-aged. It'll be interesting to see how Marvel de-ages Samuel L. Jackson, especially because they are doing it for the entire film, which will presumably require much more intensive work than would de-aging him for a single scene. KEY RELEASE DATES Ant-Man & The Wasp (2018) release date: Jul 06, 2018 Captain Marvel (2019) release date: Mar 08, 2019 The Avengers 4 / Untitled Avengers Movie (2019) release date: May 03, 2019 Untitled Spider-Man: Homecoming Sequel (2019) release date: Jul 05, 2019

Margot Robbie has confirmed that the R-rated Birds of Prey movie will begin filming early next year - and that it will have a much smaller budget than your typical DC superhero film. Previously, it was reported Birds of Prey will start filming in January 2019. Suicide Squad was something of an unusual film. It was both a critical failure and a box office success. Although its critic score on review aggregate site Rotten Tomatoes sits at only 27 percent, Suicide Squad grossed an impressive$746.8 million at the global box office. It accomplished this without a Chinese release. The star of the show was undoubtedly Robbie's superb Harley Quinn, a character who absolutely delighted viewers with her whimsical, irreverent nature. Warner Bros. has been carefully considering where next to use the character, with options including both Birds of Prey and a Joker/Harley Quinn movie. Speaking to Flickering Myth while promoting the home release of her latest movie, Terminal, Robbie confirmed recent reports that Birds of Prey will begin filming in January next year. She stressed that the project will be "different" to other DC titles featuring Harley Quinn, and that it will have a "much smaller budget." Given Robbie had already indicated this film will have an R-rating, that means viewers are starting to get a sense of the kind of film Warner Bros. is hoping to make. It looks as though Warner Bros. is learning a lesson from the success of Fox's X-Men slate. Rather than simply developing a series of tentpole superhero movies, the studio is aiming to diversify its product. That includes low-budget, R-rated films that don't need to make as much at the box office in order to recoup their costs. The key with this kind of approach - which drives the success of fan-favorites like Logan and Deadpool - is that the studio has to hire a director with a clear vision for the film. In the case of Logan, James Mangold produced a brutal and bloody Western of a superhero drama, while Deadpool rejoices in its out-there humor. Warner Bros. has hired Cathy Yan, a Chinese and American screenwriter, director, and producer. She's best known for her dark comedy Dead Pigs, shot in Shanghai with a bilingual crew. The film was a tremendous success, winning a Special Jury Award for ensemble acting at the Sundance Film Festival. Appropriately enough, characters like Harley Quinn, Batgirl, and Huntress - traditionally associated with the Birds of Prey in the comics - are perfect for this kind of low-budget, atmospheric R-rated offering. Many superhero films are expensive because of power effects, but most of these characters lack super-powers. It's currently unknown which heroes will actually appear in the film - there are rumors pointing to the likes of Huntress and Black Canary. It seems likely Warner Bros. will reveal more at this year's SDCC panel. KEY RELEASE DATES Aquaman (2018) release date: Dec 21, 2018 Shazam! (2019) release date: Apr 05, 2019 Wonder Woman 2 (2019) release date: Nov 01, 2019

Marvel visionary Kevin Feige has explained how time works in the Quantum Realm - one of the great mysteries of Ant-Man & the Wasp. It seems this was one of the most difficult challenges facing Marvel when they decided to revisit this mysterious dimension in the Ant-Man sequel. Viewers were introduced to the Quantum Realm in 2015's Ant-Man, with Hank Pym describing it as "a reality where all concepts of time and space become irrelevant." When Marvel cast Michelle Pfeiffer to play the part of Janet van Dyne, though, it seemed to suggest Hank got it wrong. After all, if time doesn't pass in the Quantum Realm, then Janet would never have aged at all. In her experience, she'd have been brought out of the Quantum Realm the moment after she first entered it, and she'd have returned to a world suddenly very different to the one she left behind. In reality, it seems the passage of time in the Quantum Realm is a little more complex than Hank had thought. Speaking to Slash Film, Feige pointed out that the movie hints at there being "various levels" to the Quantum Realm; Janet, for example, asks to be rescued from "the Wastelands beyond the Void." That's actually a neat explanation for why Scott Lang's experience of the Quantum Realm in Ant-Man & the Wasp is different to the glimpse he got of it in Ant-Man. Presumably it works like a sort of series of concentric circles: the deeper you get into the Quantum Realm, the more the laws of reality - laws like time and gravity - cease to apply. According to Feige, the nature of the Quantum Realm, and the passage of time, was a major dilemma during production. Marvel ultimately concluded that the story itself required the passage of time. As Feige explained: "Ultimately you wanna have an emotional reunion with Michael Douglas, an emotional reunion with Evangeline Lily and our first instinct had always been specifically now Michelle Pfeiffer from that first movie. It felt like it should be somebody who’s the right age. As opposed to Michael Douglas with somebody who has not aged. Or Evangeline Lilly connecting with somebody who’s not aged. That just adds another layer of sort of sci-fi weirdness." While Marvel is hardly averse to "sci-fi weirdness" - just watch James Gunn's Guardians of the Galaxy for a dose of that - they wanted to ground this narrative in real human emotions. That meant Janet van Dyne had to have aged. It's possible her age doesn't quite mirror Hank's - presumably she explored different parts of the Quantum Realm, and perhaps had her own adventures with the Tardigrades and time vortexes. But enough time has passed for Janet to be in the right kind of ballpark to be reunited with Michael Douglas's Hank Pym and Evangeline Lilly's Hope Van Dyne. KEY RELEASE DATES Ant-Man & The Wasp (2018) release date: Jul 06, 2018 Captain Marvel (2019) release date: Mar 08, 2019 The Avengers 4 / Untitled Avengers Movie (2019) release date: May 03, 2019 Untitled Spider-Man: Homecoming Sequel (2019) release date: Jul 05, 2019

Frank Grillo continues to tease Crossbones' return to the Marvel Cinematic Universe in Avengers 4. Fans of the MCU may now have new material to sift through with Ant-Man and the Wasp in theaters, but there's still plenty of attention being given to what next May will offer. Half of the universe is dead thanks to Thanos' infamous snap. Making things potentially even tougher on the heroes is a new theory that Thanos may have traveled through time at the end of Avengers: Infinity War and now is resting up on an older Titan. If that is the case, it lends even more credence to the line of thinking that Avengers 4 will be a time-traveling film. There's multiple theories that explain why the heroes will take this path. However, the other noteworthy part of this type of storytelling is the ability it gives Marvel to play their greatest hits over again. This could result in recreations of their biggest scenes, and maybe even the return of a few otherwise unavailable characters. One of these characters may just be Brock Rumlow aka Crossbones, played by Frank Grillo. He initially teased "really interesting" news about Crossbones' future late last year that sparked rumors of his possible return. In a new Instagram post, Grillo is either playing into these theories to mess with fans or giving further evidence that he's returning next year. The picture isn't the clue, it's his choice of hashtags. He includes ones for his two MCU appearances, #CaptainAmericaTheWinterSoldier and #CaptainAmericaCivilWar, but finishes the caption with #Aven........... - see it below: If we really want to dive deep into the post, his Avengers hashtag has enough dots to spell out #AvengersEndGame, which is the rumored Avengers 4 title, and features several action figures from Infinity War in the background. The character count in the final hashtag could just be a coincidence after all, and there are also Star Wars toys on the surface, so this isn't Grillo quietly revealing an Avengers 4 scene. As mentioned prior, though, Grillo could just be messing with everyone, but there have been enough teases before that make this return seem plausible. Rumlow was set up to have a larger role after The Winter Soldier, but the decision to go with the Civil War storyline shortened his stint. As a result, Grillo only got to appear at the beginning of Civil War. Whether he'll return during his Winter Soldier or Civil War days, there's a chance to give him one more appearance. If Crossbones does appear, though, it shouldn't be expected to be in a large capacity. Crossbones will still be dead when Avengers 4 comes to a close, unless it introduces the idea of changing the present as the heroes travel throughout time. Given the secrecy surrounding the entirety of Avengers 4, we shouldn't expect confirmation on Grillo's role anytime soon, if ever. KEY RELEASE DATES Ant-Man & The Wasp (2018) release date: Jul 06, 2018 Captain Marvel (2019) release date: Mar 08, 2019 The Avengers 4 / Untitled Avengers Movie (2019) release date: May 03, 2019 Untitled Spider-Man: Homecoming Sequel (2019) release date: Jul 05, 2019

Lewis Tan, who played the role of Shatterstar in Deadpool 2, fully expects to return for the upcoming X-Force movie. The actor hopes to have a more prominent role in the follow-up film, given how little screen time he and the rest of the team had in the original movie. First appearing in The New Mutants #99, Shatterstar was a mutant from the Mojoverse - an alternate reality ruled by the fame-addicted villain Mojo, who frequently abducts superheroes as fodder for the violent reality television series he produces. Mojo also utilized advanced genetics technology to create tailor-made "stars" for his shows and Shatterstar was one of these creations. Bred in a vat with no true parents, Shatterstar was meant to be the ultimate warrior, exhibiting peak human levels of strength, speed, agility, endurance, dexterity and intelligence. In addition to an implanted healing factor, Shatterstar also had the mutant power to generate vibratory shock-waves and create teleportation portals – usually manifested through his trademark twin swords. Shatterstar is also notable as being a time-traveler and a dimension hopper in the Marvel Universe, having come to modern-day Earth from 100 years in the future of The Mojoverse. Syfy interviewed Tan at the Saturn Awards, where he spoke of the difficulties in bringing Shatterstar back for X-Force. Most of the X-Force team, apart from Deadpool and Domino, were unexpectedly killed in one of Deadpool 2's funniest sequences. Thankfully, the stinger scenes in the closing credits of Deadpool 2 showed Deadpool using time-travel to go back and undo some of the events of the movie, including saving X-Force member Peter. It is presumed that Deadpool did the same for the rest of X-Force. Tan seemingly confirmed this fact but seemed unwilling to comment directly on the matter. "You’re going to see more of my character in the X-Force film... that's what it's looking like. Hopefully (Deadpool) brings back Shatterstar and everybody, because the fans really enjoyed that scene, and I get a lot of attention online about how they thought it was one of the best scenes in the film." At this time, none of the cast from Deadpool 2 have been officially confirmed for X-Force beyond Ryan Reynolds (Deadpool), Josh Brolin (Cable) and Zazie Beetz (Domino). It would be easy enough, as Tan points out, for the rest of the team to be restored to life and brought back for the sequel. Sadly, we aren't likely to learn the truth of things until after the release of Bad Times At The El Royale - the current project of X-Force director Drew Goddard. Hopes are high, however, that X-Force fans will get to see Shatterstar, Peter, Bedlam and Zeitgeist at some point in the not too distant future. It is still uncertain, however, if we will ever see The Vanisher.

Keri Russell has just been cast in Star Wars: Episode IX. She joins a cast that will include returning actors Daisy Ridley, Adam Driver, John Boyega and Oscar Isaac. Production is set to begin at the end of the month. Scenes will reportedly be filmed in Cardington Airship Sheds in Bedforshire, U.K, the location of the Yavin IV Rebellion base in A New Hope and Rogue One. Since Star Wars 9 isn't set to hit theaters until December 2019, not much is known about the movie. However, we do know it will conclude the latest Star Wars trilogy, which kicked off in 2015 with J.J. Abrams' Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens. The trilogy continued late last year with Rian Johnson's Star Wars: Episode VIII - The Last Jedi, which proved to be a divisive entry among viewers. Next, Abrams will return to direct Star Wars 9, which has just added a new cast member to the film set in a galaxy far, far away. Variety broke the news about Russell. Currently, not much is known about the character she will play or whether or not she will be in the Resistance or the First Order. Abrams, along with Lucasfilm, met with several actresses before settling on Russell shortly before the 4th of July holiday. The role is said to involve action-heavy scenes. Russell has previous action experience having starred in FX’s The Americans, Mission: Impossible III and Dawn of the Planet of the Apes. Variety speculates that Abrams and Lucasfilm will probably cast two more roles before production begins. Ewan McGregor and Billy Dee Williams are rumored to return for this latest installment in the Skywalker saga. In addition to directing Star Wars 9, Abrams is also working on the script with Lawrence Kasdan. Abrams stepped in to direct after the original helmer, Colin Trevorrow, left the project citing creative differences. Russell burst onto the scene playing the titular character in The WB’s Felicity, a show created by Abrams and Matt Reeves. She reunited with Abrams for 2006’s Mission: Impossible III. This role comes after Russell wrapped the series finale of The Americans, a show about Russian agents posing as an American couple during the Cold War that ran for six seasons. Her previous history with Abrams along with her experience working in action films makes Russell a good choice for this surprise role. Her recent role on The Americans is an added bonus. She has experience playing conflicted, nuanced characters, which will make her fit right into the Star Wars universe. It’s likely that her character will remain shrouded in mystery until much closer to the release date - or until it hits theaters entirely. KEY RELEASE DATES Star Wars 9 / Star Wars: Episode IX (2019) release date: Dec 20, 2019

The Birds of Prey movie is reportedly targeting an early 2019 start date, possibly making it the next DC movie to film after Wonder Woman 1984. Warner Bros. has been slowly developing its shared cinematic universe of DC Comics heroes ever since Zack Snyder's Man of Steel debuted in 2013. The universe greatly expanded in 2016 with the releases of Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice and Suicide Squad. But, despite these films being financially successful enough, they were divisive. Patty Jenkins' Wonder Woman was the first movie in this universe to be a financial and critical success, and the director is already back at work on the sequel, Wonder Woman 1984. Meanwhile, Warner Bros. is officially moving forward with two other DC Comics movies: James Wan's Aquaman and David F. Sandberg's Shazam! The former will hit theaters later this year, while the latter and Wonder Woman 1984 will debut in 2019. Beyond those three films, Warner Bros. has a plethora of DC properties in development, but it's unclear which will move forward next. Though the studio may shed some light on their plans for the DC movie universe during SDCC this year, a new report could confirm which project will film after Wonder Woman 1984. DiscussingFilm reports Warner Bros. is eyeing a January 2019 start date for Birds of Prey, which has Cathy Yan attached to direct a script by Christina Hodson. Flickering Myth reports that Birds of Prey star Margot Robbie confirmed to the January 2019 start date. Further, Omega Underground reports the studio has been looking at locations for Birds of Prey, specifically in Los Angeles, California as well as Atlanta and Savannah, Georgia. This latest report backs up previous rumors of Birds of Prey filming in 2019, though it hadn't been specified when exactly next year the female team-up would begin production. With Wonder Woman 1984 filming now and nothing else officially scheduled for the rest of 2018, Birds of Prey may be the next DC project to enter production. Given what we know about Warner Bros' priorities when it comes to their DC movie universe, the timeline for Birds of Prey makes sense. Bird of Prey gained a great deal of momentum when Yan was brought on as a director. Plus, considering how well received Robbie's Harley Quinn was from Suicide Squad, and the success of Jenkins' female-headlined superhero movie (not to mention Gal Gadot's Diana was a highlight of both Batman V Superman and Justice League), a female team-up like Birds of Prey combines some of the franchise's most successful aspects. Further, with Birds of Prey also including Batgirl, the movie could be a launchpad for another, potentially very lucrative, solo hero franchise. Still, Warner Bros' exact plans for their DC movie universe beyond Aquaman, Shazam! and Wonder Woman 1984 largely remain a mystery. With very little officially announced, and a great deal unofficially in the works, fans are no doubt looking to the studio's panel at this year's San Diego Comic-Con for concrete news. Last year, Warner Bros. listed a series of movies, effectively confirming they were in development but not offering any other insight. However, a lot has changed since then, especially with the release of Justice League, which underperformed critically and at the box office. So Warner Bros. may have a new - or, at least, slightly different - vision for its DC movie franchise. And hopefully we'll soon learn what that is and what that means for Birds of Prey. KEY RELEASE DATES Aquaman (2018) release date: Dec 21, 2018 Shazam! (2019) release date: Apr 05, 2019 Wonder Woman 2 (2019) release date: Nov 01, 2019

Keanu Reeves reveals the official title for John Wick 3 is John Wick: Parabellum. The actor first portrayed the character in the eponymous 2014 film, which was successful enough critically and commercially to spawn a franchise. Last year's John Wick: Chapter 2 was en even bigger hit (earning $171.5 million worldwide) and ended with a rather tantalizing cliffhanger, meaning a third installment was in order. Production on what has been called Chapter 3 started back in May, well ahead of its premiere next summer. Also in May, the film's working title changed from Alpha Cop to Parabellum, which is the Latin word for "prepare for war." As it turns out, director Chad Stahelski and company liked the name so much, they decided to let it stick. John Wick 3's official subtitle will be Parabellum. Reeves discussed the title in an interview with ComingSoon, giving the outlet more context behind its meaning: Prepare for war. It’s part of that famous sentence, “Si vis pacem, para bellum,” which translates as, “If you want peace, prepare for war." All things considered, this is actually a fitting title for the trilogy's closing installment. Fans may recall at the end of Chapter 2, John was excommunicado from The Continental and had to go on the run for his own safety. Judging by where things left off, Parabellum is essentially going to be "John Wick vs. the world," as the former hitman wards off everyone who wants to earn the $14 million bounty on his head. Presumably, this could be the end of the road for Mr. Wick, as the phrase Reeves references alludes to John's pursuit of finding a peaceful existence. Perhaps he can finally put his former life behind him and ride off into the sunset, dog by his side. After all John's been through in these movies, that would certainly make for a cathartic conclusion. Of course, even someone as skilled as John Wick is going to need some help. During his interview, Reeves touched on John's relationship with new character Sofia (Halle Berry), who might have "some information from him." The two have a shared history, so it'll be interesting to watch their dynamic unfold as the film plays out. Berry is no stranger to action roles herself, meaning she could get her hands dirty as the battle against the High Table heats up. Hopefully, whatever Stahelski has planned lives up to the bar set by the first two, cementing John Wick as one of the best modern action movie franchises. KEY RELEASE DATES John Wick: Chapter 3 (2019) release date: May 17, 2019

Dino-sequel Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom has become the 35th movie in history to cross the $1 billion mark at the worldwide box office. The previous movie in the thunderous Universal franchise, 2015's Jurassic World, also belongs to the exclusive "Billion Dollar Club" with total receipts of $1.67 billion. The original 1993 Jurassic Park also just topped the magical $1 billion threshold globally with $1.02 billion (at a time when the idea of a billion-dollar global hit was still almost unheard-of). Set several years after dinosaurs destroyed the lavish Jurassic World theme park, Fallen Kingdom picks up the action as Owen (Chris Pratt) and Claire (Bryce Dallas Howard) battle to rescue dinosaurs trapped on a volcanic island that's about to explode. Director J.A. Bayona took over for the sequel from Jurassic World helmer Colin Trevorrow, who co-wrote the script and remained on-board as executive producer (and vocal defender of the franchise). Thus far, the film carries a low 51 percent rating on Rotten Tomatoes, with the audience score holding at a not-much-better 57 percent. Despite critical derision and some apparent fan apathy, Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom has proven to be a box office bonanza for Universal. As reported by Variety, the film has now reached a major milestone, officially crossing the $1 billion mark worldwide. Of that tally, $304 million comes from North America, with another $700 million from overseas markets. Fallen Kingdom's strong domestic total comes despite a precipitous drop-off in ticket sales from its big opening weekend to its second week. Among all global markets, China has been the most lucrative for Fallen Kingdom, with over $230 million grossed in its first three weeks there. Fallen Kingdom is now the 5th highest grossing film of the year in China and the 2nd highest grosser among foreign titles, trailing only Disney's Avengers: Infinity War ($360 million). The first Jurassic World finished as the #6 movie of 2015 in China with $228 million of its overall $1.67 billion global total coming in that market. Clearly, China loves their dinosaurs. With Fallen Kingdom now crossing the $1 billion threshold, Universal has seven movies in the Billion Dollar Club, with the three Jurassic films being joined by Furious 7, The Fate of the Furious, Minions and Despicable Me 3. In terms of franchises, the Jurassic films now stand 8th all-time with a total of $4.7 billion in grosses, one spot behind the Fast and Furious movies which have taken in $5.1 billion worldwide. And with Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom getting a sequel, the franchise will have a chance to add many more hundreds of millions to its tally. Trevorrow will return to the director's chair for Jurassic World 3, which the filmmaker promises will take a "back to basics" approach to the material. KEY RELEASE DATES Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom (2018) release date: Jun 22, 2018 Jurassic World 3 (2021) release date: Jun 11, 2021

Godzilla: King of the Monsters is headed to this month's International Comic-Con in San Diego, according to director Michael Dougherty. King of the Monsters is the sequel to the 2014 Godzilla film reboot directed by Gareth Edwards, as well as the third installment in Warner Bros.' MonsterVerse cinematic universe after that film and last year's Kong: Skull Island. Plans are already in motion to bring the Godzilla and Kong sub-franchises together in 2020, with the appropriately-titled crossover Godzilla vs. Kong from You're Next and Death Note filmmaker Adam Wingard. Dougherty, like Wingard, comes from a background in horror filmmaking (see Trick 'r Treat, Krampus) and is pitting Godzilla against some equally larger than life opponents with his sequel; Mothra, Rodan, and King Ghidorah, to be exact. Save for the MONARCH scientists played by Ken Watanabe and Sally Hawkins in Edwards' reboot, King of the Monsters features an entirely new cast of humans for Godzilla and his monster pals to terrorize. The crew includes Vera Farmiga (The Conjuring), Millie Bobby Brown (Stranger Things), O'Shea Jackson Jr. (Straight Outta Compton), Kyle Chandler (Bloodline), and Charles Dance (Game of Thrones). Edwards' reboot generated a lot of buzz when it debuted its first teaser at the 2012 International Comic-Con, well before casting (much less filming) had gotten underway. WB is clearly hoping for a similar outcome when King of the Monsters makes it way to San Diego in a few weeks from now, and will almost certainly show off the first footage from the movie before, hopefully, releasing it online. Dougherty has confirmed his Godzilla sequel is headed to Hall H this year (via his Twitter account), but has refrained from revealing anything else beyond that for the time being. With Marvel Studios and Lucasfilm sitting SDCC out this year, WB is taking advantage of their absence by making a big push for its movies and TV shows, across the genre spectrum. The studio will start things off by giving its New Line Cinema horror releases (The Nun, IT Chapter Two) the spotlight on Wednesday, July 20, aka. Preview Night. In addition to hosting panels for a variety of WBTV series from Friday through Sunday, the studio will premiere the Aquaman trailer in Hall H, along with potentially a Shazam! teaser trailer, the King of the Monsters teaser, and new material from Wonder Woman 1984. If WB plays its cards right, then its cinematic universes (The Conjuring franchise, MonsterVerse, DC Extended Universe) will dominate SDCC headlines later this month. That would be all the better news for Godzilla: King of the Monsters, now that the sequel has been moved back to May 2019, pitting it against some intimidating competition (most notably, of course, Avengers 4). A strong showing at Comic-Con would certainly get the Godzilla sequel's marketing campaign started on the right foot. The 2018 International Comic-Con runs from July 19-22 this month in San Diego. KEY RELEASE DATES Godzilla: King of the Monsters (2019) release date: Mar 22, 2019 Godzilla vs. Kong (2020) release date: May 22, 2020

The Boba Fett spinoff movie could feature an appearance by Alden Ehrenreich's Han Solo. From the looks of things, Lucasfilm is keen on seeing the fan-favorite bounty hunter return to the big screen soon. They nearly officially announced a Boba Fett project from director Josh Trank at Celebration 2015, but pulled the plug prior to the panel. More recently, it was reported Logan director James Mangold is going to call the shots on Boba Fett, co-writing the script with Simon Kinberg. However, the film has yet to be confirmed. In the wake of Solo: A Star Wars Story underperforming at the box office, Lucasfilm is apparently reevaluating their strategies for the Star Wars spinoffs moving forward. This means Boba Fett is on the back-burner for now, though it remains in development. And as fans await word from the studio on the film's status, we now know what they were thinking about in regards to the story. Author Daniel Keys Moran (via StarWarsInterviews.com) revealed he's previously heard from Disney about the possibility of adapting his short story, The Last One Standing into a Boba Fett movie. For those who don't know, that story is from Legends and explored Boba's history, including his rivalry with everyone's favorite Corellian smuggler. I’ve had a guy at Disney email me a couple times over the years regarding Lucasfilm adapting “Last One Standing” into a Fett movie. Not asking permission, they own those works, just letting me know they were thinking about it. So that was kind. But after Solo stiffed, apparently there’s some question about the Fett movie being made. In order to fit with franchise canon, Mangold would not be able to do a direct adaptation of Last One Standing. The story was published in 1996, well before the prequel trilogy revealed Boba's origins as a Jango Fett clone and the Clone Wars animated series covered his early days as a bounty hunter. That being said, Mangold's film could draw inspiration from the short story (possibly in tone and approach) and incorporate certain elements. The Disney-era Star Wars films haven't been averse to pulling from Legends in the past, including several examples in Solo, such as Enfys Nest's Cloud-Riders gang. Of course, depending on how development of Boba Fett shapes up over time, Lucasfilm could go in an entirely different direction altogether. Should they stick with Last One Standing (particularly the early sections), it would be a good way of utilizing Han again. Solo was a box office failure, but many viewers liked Alden Ehrenreich's performance and felt he was one of the best aspects of the movie. The star even signed a three-picture deal with the studio, and with a proper Solo sequel seemingly unlikely, giving Ehrenreich a key supporting role in a different anthology film could be smart. Fans would love to see Han and Boba cross paths again, especially after the Mandalorian was nowhere to be seen in Solo. KEY RELEASE DATES Star Wars 9 / Star Wars: Episode IX (2019) release date: Dec 20, 2019