Quantcast
Channel: Movies
Viewing all 8368 articles
Browse latest View live

'Straight Outta Compton' has biggest domestic box office debut ever for a music biopic

0
0

Straight Outta Compton 2 Jaimie Trueblood.JPG

Universal continues to dominate the summer, as its latest release, "Straight Outta Compton," the biopic on groundbreaking gangster-rap group N.W.A., exceeded all expectation by topping the weekend domestic box office with $56 million, according to Exhibitor Relations.

That's the largest opening weekend ever for a music biopic in the US. Buzzfeed's Adam B. Vary tweeted this chart to prove it:

 Projections had the film grossing around $25 million, with its more than two-hour running time and R-rating. But following Thursday preview screenings that made $4.96 million, which was more than "Mission: Impossible — Rogue Nation" (and in fewer theaters than "M:I" for its Thursday preview), things were looking strong for the film.

"Compton" followed that with a $24.3 million Friday, which is the fourth-highest opening day ever for an August release, according to Deadline.

With a film that has now not just grabbed the attention of moviegoers but has also struck a cultural nerve in the wake of incidents of police unrest like in Ferguson, Missouri, it will be interesting to see if Universal can mount an Oscar campaign for the film through the crowded upcoming fall award season.

Things were not as good for the other new release this weekend. Spy thriller "The Man From U.N.C.L.E." only made $13 million, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

To put that in perspective, "U.N.C.L.E." cost around $80 million to make. "Straight Outta Compton" had a budget of $29 million.

SEE ALSO: How "Straight Outta Compton" viral marketing became a sensation

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: Here's why the new 'Star Wars' movie might stink


A terrible trend is beating the life out of superhero movies

0
0

fantastic four

There are many, many problems with the 2015 reboot of "Fantastic Four"— the movie's dismal box-office openingterrible reviews, and a mess of behind-the-scenes drama leave little room for doubt.

When an intended blockbuster movie fails this spectacularly, however, there are usually a few larger reasons behind the flop. So let's talk about one of those possible reasons: Realism. 

A lot of 20th Century Fox's 2015 attempt to make "Fantastic Four" is a direct response to the studio's first attempt to make "Fantastic Four" back in 2005 and 2007. Those movies were campy, so this one would be serious; those movies were aimed at a family-friendly audience, this one was made for serious, thoughtful viewers; those movies were over-the-top, so this one would be realistic.

Realism is a great thing to have, but it's a poor storytelling goal when dealing with inherently unrealistic things like superheroes — a realistic response tends to boil down to two very simple reactions: fear and/or awe. And it seems that the more "realistic" a story wants to get, the more it veers to the former. 

Minor spoilers for "Fantastic Four" follow.

Not long after the accident that turns the titular four young people into superhuman beings, three of them are placed under strict government supervision while their abilities are eagerly monitored by nefarious military personnel eager to turn them into living weapons (as well as figure out how to replicate the accident and make more super people). One of them, Ben Grimm (Jamie Bell, in the film's sole moment of anything approaching pathos), has been turned into a rock monster, which makes him really effective as a walking tank. 

He is immediately placed into military service, and while it's not clear if his consent is sought or not, he does express that he's resigned himself to it, since he doesn't believe he'll be cured and has no chance of having a normal life. 

fantastic four the thing

Once upon a time, the idea of the military wanting to take a scientific discovery or superhero and make it a weapon was a terribly original idea. 2015 is not that time. 

Of course, it can still be done in a compelling way, but when you get down to the specifics of comic book superheroes, it gets in the way of what really makes them special. For example, you just don't have as much time to explore what makes Superman great after you've spent so much of it meticulously depicting how the military would respond to him. 

It also makes everything far more homogeneous — superhero stories, by definition, are about people with extraordinary, dangerous abilities. While there is much variety to all these abilities and the people who have them, when you get down to it, they are almost all scary or awe-inspiring to normal people who don't have them. But when you bring authority figures in — people who are defined by power — the only sensible response is fear. 

So you have The Thing as a weapon, Superman in cuffs, Batman hunted by the police, Thor versus a Spec Ops team, or the entire plot of "The Avengers." 

superman man of steel

And all this time, you're exploring other people, and not the main characters that make your story different: The heroes. Not only is the "realistic" approach exhausting in its cynicism, it promotes passive storytelling. If, for example, "Fantastic Four" wasn't a film so concerned with being grounded and realistic, it would maybe be free to explore the truly exciting thing about the characters as articulated on this page in "Fantastic Four" #60 by Mark Waid and Mike Wieringo.

FF page

Much like this comic suggests — and Vulture's Abraham Riesman elaborates on — the Fantastic Four occupy a truly unique place in pop culture. They're more like a family of super-brilliant, space-faring, Indiana Joneses than a crime fighting team, forever seeking out and diving headfirst into the new, the strange, the inexplicable.

"In this era of superhero ascendancy at the multiplex," Riesman writes,  "there are no tales that look forward."

That's what happens when you get bogged down in this modern cinematic notion of "realism"— everything becomes reactive, by necessity. 

"Realism"— it's in quotes because there's no way of actually knowing how anyone would really respond to these extraordinary things that don't exist — isn't necessarily wrong or bad. There are many good superhero movies that take a "realistic" approach! It remains, however, a limited approach — one that often serves to restrict these stories more than it illuminates them. 

We're getting more and more movies based on comic book superheroes every passing year, and there doesn't seem to be any sign of it slowing. There is endless amount of variety to be explored with each and every one of these characters regardless of whether or not they come from Marvel, DC, Valiant, or elsewhere. 

Having them constrained by something as mundane as "realism" would be a rather easy way to ensure they're all pretty boring. Or at the very least, predictable. 

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: We're already sold on AMC's insane-looking kung fu western 'Into the Badlands'

Check out 10 gorgeous new photos from 'Star Wars: The Force Awakens'

0
0

The Force Awakens' villain, Kylo Ren

With only about four months left before "Star Wars" makes it's grand return to cinemas with "The Force Awakens," we're finally starting to get a sense of what the film will be about.

In addition to tantalizing details about all sorts of things — including villain Kylo Ren— Lucasfilm released a number of new images via Entertainment Weekly Thursday.

Since then, the studio has released high-resolution versions of the images on the Star Wars Facebook page for fans to obsessively pour over. 

Let's take a look at them. 

John Boyega plays Finn, a Stormtrooper on the run following what looks like a disastrous escape.



J.J. Abrams gives direction to Daisy Ridley, who plays a character named Rey, on the desert world of Jakku.



There, she'll free the droid BB-8 loose from a scavenger's strange new beast.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

NOW WATCH: We're finally getting a better idea about the story driving LEGO's next video game and it looks awesome

Ronda Rousey had a clever way of showing she's right for the lead in 'Captain Marvel'

0
0

ronda rousey fighter

UFC champion Ronda Rousey did a Reddit AMA last week, and one of her answers sparked fans to jump into action.

When Rousey was asked which superhero she would play if given the opportunity, she replied:

Captain Marvel TPB Cover"Well … a lot of the good ones have been taken, but I'd like to vie for Miss Marvel."

That character is also known as Captain Marvel, a name she shared with the classic comic created in the late 1960s. A film adaption is set for release in November 2018 and will be Marvel's first female-led superhero movie.

None of the cast has been announced yet, so if Rousey is interested, this is the best time to let it be known.

But things didn't end with Rousey's comments.

After the AMA, the undefeated MMA fighter took to Instagram and posted fan art that was sent to her of herself playing Captain Marvel. She wrote in her Instagram pics that she "received so many badass Ms. Marvel/Captain Marvel edits" and couldn't pick just one so she used two posts to share her favorites.

Here they are:

Rousey isn't the only one voicing interest in the role. "Jurassic World" star Bryce Dallas Howard told Cinema Blend earlier this summer that it would be "rad" if she were chosen to play Captain Marvel.

Rousey has shown she can hold her own in the action-adventure realm. She starred in "The Expendables 3" last year and was in "Furious 7" this year.

SEE ALSO: Why Marvel pulled Captain Marvel out of "Avengers: Age of Ultron"

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: The BBC just shocked everyone with a clip from the next 'Sherlock' episode

'Straight Outta Compton' is gunning for an Oscar nomination — but it’s not going to be easy

0
0

Straight Outta Compton Jaimie Trueblood Oscar 2.JPG

The N.W.A. biopic “Straight Outta Compton” is shaping up to be this year’s award season underdog story.

The two-and-a-half hour R-rated drama about the history of the members behind one of rap music’s most iconic groups has already exceeded the expectations of most in Hollywood with a historic opening weekend in theaters.

As of Monday, the film took in an estimated $60.5 million in the US over the weekend, making it easily the biggest domestic opening weekend ever for a music biopic. 

But now it sounds like Universal is gunning for the ultimate prize.

GoldDerby.com’s Tom O’Neil has confirmed to Business Insider that the studio has already begun their Oscar push for the film as they had a screening for Academy voters in Beverly Hills on Saturday.

“The theater was packed with 700 people who gave the film a hearty response,” O’Neil emailed to BI.

Most studios wait to release their award season hopefuls until September or October at the earliest as it can use the prominent fall film festivals like Telluride, Venice, Toronto, and New York film festivals to garner buzz, but it looks like the incredible response to the film has motivated Universal to roll the dice.

“Universal didn’t position ‘Compton’ as an awards contender,’ O’Neil notes. “But it’s suddenly getting that buzz because of its quality and audience impact. Once it plays out in theaters, the studio will campaign it aggressively to Academy members via DVDs shipped to their homes.”

The Oscar campaign could also include getting the film’s director F. Gary Gray and actors in the film like O’Shea Jackson Jr. (who is receiving rave reviews playing Ice Cube, who is his father in real life) to host parties where they mingle with award season voters before the nominations deadline.

Straight Outta Compton Jaimie Trueblood Oscar 3But just because the film is raking in the dough in theaters doesn’t mean it’s a shoe-in for award season nominations.

Mike Hogan, Vanity Fair’s digital director, believes the film has an up-hill battle to become a contender.

“Music biopics in general don’t perform terribly well with the Academy,” he wrote to BI in an email. “'La Bamba' and 'The Doors' were blanked. 'What’s Love Got To Do With It' and 'Walk the Line' were shut out of Best Picture [Oscars] even though they scored in acting categories.”

Hogan notes the Best Picture nominations for "Ray," the biopic on Ray Charles in 2005, and "Coal Miner’s Daughter," biopic on Loretta Lynn in 1980, as exceptions because those he believes had the perfect mixture of focus on universally beloved legends and directors who were industry veterans.

Ray 1There’s also the factor that “Straight Outta Compton” doesn’t shy from the raw realities surrounding the group, from their violent upbringing in Compton, their in-your-face lyrics, and their groupie lifestyle on the road.

“That rawness could make it a tough sell with Oscar voters who are older, whiter, and more sentimental than the general public,” said Hogan.

But O’Neil believes this might be the perfect moment for a film like “Straight Outta Compton.”

“The Academy is hungry to recognize African-American movies,” he believes. “'Selma' suddenly became a strong contender last year out of the blue one year after '12 Years A Slave' won Best Picture.”

O’Neil believes the buzz for “Compton” is real and that it could “snag a nomination for Best Picture.”

BI reached out to Universal for comment but has not yet receives a response.

SEE ALSO: Here's the "Straight Outta Compton" casting call that everybody thought was racist

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: 50 Cent testifies his lifestyle is an illusion

Everything you need to know about the cast of 'Rogue One,' the first 'Star Wars' spin-off movie

0
0

Rogue One Cast

"Rogue One" is going to be a different kind of "Star Wars" film. 

The first of three planned spin-off movies to be released in the years between Episodes VII-IX, they're an opportunity to tell stories in the "Star Wars" universe with a different sort of feel than the grand space opera fans know and love.

"Rogue One" takes place before "Episode IV: A New Hope" and tells the story of a group of resistance fighters and their mission to steal the plans for the Death Star. At this summer's recent D23 expo, the movie's cast was unveiled — and though we don't know the name of their characters or what roles they'll be playing, it's a pretty exciting bunch. 

Get to know the cast of "Rogue One":

Felicity Jones finally gets a big role after getting nominated for an Oscar last year.

More than any other cast member in this movie, there's some heavy speculation about who Jones will be playing in this movie. The favorite rumor right now is that she's the daughter of Boba Fett — but that's one to take with an enormous grain of salt given that Boba Fett is a name that is always thrown around by speculators whenever there's a "Star Wars" mystery to solve. 

While Jones has been acting since the late '90s — she's appeared on shows like "Doctor Who" and had a minor role in "Amazing Spider-Man 2" that would have ostensibly led to a bigger part in the now-scrapped series — she received much acclaim (and an Oscar nomination) for playing Jane Hawking opposite Eddie Redmayne in the Stephen Hawking bio pic "The Theory of Everything."



Ben Mendelsohn will likely play an intense villain.

A character actor with a penchant for playing villainous people in the States and a longtime leading man in his native Australia, Ben Mendelsohn is an actor you've almost certainly seen (most likely as Dagget in "The Dark Knight Rises") but whose face you'll likely recognize more than his name.

Mendelsohn is an intense, unsettling performer in his best roles (like Danny Rayburn in Netflix's "Bloodline"), and given that he doesn't seem to be pictured with Felicity Jones in the released cast photo, he might be playing a villain.

He does look like he'd be a good fit for an Imperial uniform, no?



Mexican actor Diego Luna also appears to suit up with the Rogue One team.

A Mexican actor who exploded on the scene with 2001's "Y Tu Mamá También," Diego Luna spent much of his career in Spanish-language cinema, occasionally surfacing in big films like  "The Terminal" and landing a pivotal role in the Academy Award-nominated "Milk." 



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

NOW WATCH: YouTube star reveals why people are so obsessed with cute Japanese toys

27 movies you have to see this fall

0
0

The Martian final

With summer coming to a close, it's time for all the superhero movies to exit the multiplexes and the more serious fare to enter.

From book adaptations and Matt Damon being left on Mars, to two movies about Steve Jobs, here are 27 titles you shouldn’t miss this fall.

SEE ALSO: Meet the new Hollywood — 30 stars under 30 whose careers are blowing up

“Steve Jobs: The Man in the Machine”

Release Date: September 4

Oscar-winning documentary filmmaker Alex Gibney follows up his film on Scientology, “Going Clear,” with a look at one of the 21st century’s most important figures, Steve Jobs. In typical Gibney fashion, we get a warts-and-all look at the man, which will be eye-opening for some and disturbing for Apple fanatics.



“Dragon Blade”

Release Date: September 4

Already a box-office sensation in its native China, this action-packed epic set in 48 BC China — starring Jackie Chan, John Cusack, and Adrien Brody — is now headed to the US. In the film, Huo An (Chan) teams with a defector of the Roman army (Cusack) to take on the corrupt Roman leader Tiberius (Brody).



“The Visit”

Release Date: September 11

M. Knight Shyamalan ("Sixth Sense") directs his first feature film since the box-office disappointment of 2013's “After Earth.” In this spooky thriller he teams with the producer behind "Paranormal Activity" and "Insidious" to create a mockumentary-styled thriller of two siblings visiting their grandparents.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

NOW WATCH: Get ready to root for the bad guys — your first look at 'Suicide Squad' is here

That awful pit bull scene in 'Straight Outta Compton' actually happened

0
0

Straight Outta Compton Jaimie Trueblood Oscar final

F. Gary Gray’s "Straight Outta Compton" hit theaters this past weekend and gave audiences an inside look into the formation and disbanding of the iconic hip-hop group N.W.A. Though some of the scenes depicted seemed implausible to those unfamiliar with the story, original group members are speaking out to their validity, especially in regards to one eye-popping scene involving a pit bull and a man in his underwear. 

The real Dr. Dre and Ice Cube broke their silence on "Straight Outta Compton" to The Hollywood Reporter, and the former had an interesting tale to tell about that crazy moment that, yes, actually happened. 

In 1996, Dre left Suge Knight’s record company, Death Row, to establish his own, which he would call Aftermath Entertainment. Apparently, test audiences watching an early cut of the film were confused as to the events leading Dre to this decision, so Universal, the director and the real Cube decided to film an additional scene in June, just two weeks before the final cut of the film had to be locked. This was the intense pit bull scene. 

dr. dreDre, played by Corey Hawkins in the film, is shown walking out of his recording session with Tupac (Marcc Rose) and into a rowdy room where Knight (R. Marcos Taylor), surrounded by his posse, is using a pit bull to torment a frightened man. The animal barked as the man huddled underneath a pool table, shirtless, partially beaten and with his pants drawn down. Dre said of the scene, and of the real-life event:

"I was like, 'What the f— is going on?’… I was ready to leave anyways. This was the extra push. The guy in the underwear — all this shit actually happened."

Earlier in the film, we saw the character of Knight physically beat Eazy-E (Jason Mitchell) into releasing Dre from his previous contract, and bash a bystander who inadvertently took his parking spot, both of which addressed Dre’s ambivalence to stay. 

There are more stories from the real Dre and Cube over at THR, but Selma director Ava DuVernay also wrote about the film’s validity. Having grown up in Compton herself, the filmmaker posted a series of tweets praising F. Gary Gray for his work and remembering the events as depicted on screen. She specifically cited the "militarized Batterrams," as shown in the film's opening; the "cavalier way women were treated in hip-hop spaces"; the "Rodney King Uprising"; and "that shot of the red and blue bandannas tied together," symbolizing the truce between the Bloods and the Crips.

"Straight Outta Compton" is in theaters now. 

SEE ALSO: "Straight Outta Compton" is gunning for an Oscar nomination — but it's not going to be easy

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: Here’s how to get your own 'Straight Outta Compton' Facebook photo


'Straight Outta Compton' director says Dr. Dre’s violence against women didn’t fit the film’s narrative

0
0

Straight Outta Compton Jaimie Trueblood.JPG

As far as historically accurate biopics go, "Straight Outta Compton" is a sigh of relief.

But it doesn't show the whole picture: Many critics have questioned the filmmakers' decision to leave out Dr. Dre's violence against women, specifically a 1991 attack against journalist Dee Barnes in which she claimed he slammed her against a wall and kicked her in the ribs. (Dre would later receive a fine, community service, and probation.) Gawker recently brought that incident back into the public memory, while Dr. Dre himself shrugged off the violence in an interview with Rolling Stone, calling his past actions the "mistakes" of someone "young [and] f------ stupid."

Dr Dre Kevin WinterAt a Q&A with fans, the film's director, F. Gary Gray, explained why you won't see that particular part of Dr. Dre's life in "Straight Outta Compton," saying, "we couldn't fit everything into the movie." Instead, he chose stories that better "served the narrative."

His point is that the film is an N.W.A. biopic, not a Dr. Dre biopic, and so he didn't want to distract from the group's narrative with "a lot of side stories."

The film, of course, does focus on one very particular side story: how Ice Cube quit the group. And it's within that side story that we do get moments like a time Cube eviscerated an interviewer on-camera who'd been more concerned with scolding Cube for his lyrics than allowing him to speak about Rodney King. And we also see the group's stars fall in love with their future wives.

Dre's beating of Dee Barnes, however, apparently just wasn't the right kind of "side story."

SEE ALSO: Dr. Dre admits to assaulting women

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: Cristiano Ronaldo just bought an $18.5 million apartment in Trump Tower — here’s how he spends the rest of his money

Here’s the moment when Harrison Ford got emotional talking to ‘Star Wars’ fans at Disney’s big event

0
0

During the D23 Expo, Star Wars : The Force Awakens director J.J. Abrams invited the cast of the new film onto the stage to help him introduce a new poster for the film. The reveal of poster, designed by veteran film poster artist Drew Struzan, was followed by a surprise appearance by Harrison Ford.

Produced by Rob Ludacer

Follow TI Video: On Facebook

Join the conversation about this story »

Someone snapped a photo of Chris Hemsworth on the 'Ghostbusters' set that might reveal a plot twist

0
0

Many were either confused or tickled with joy when we all found out Thor himself, Chris Hemsworth was going to be in the "Ghostbusters" reboot.

The best part? He's reportedly playing a secretary.

And new leaked images from Just Jared,by way of Nerdist, are giving us a look of him on set that might hint at something bigger.

He's in Ghostbusters gear!

Take a look:

 

But he's supposed to be a secretary. What does it all mean?

Of course it could mean plenty of different things, but it almost certainly points to a potentially bigger role for Chris Hemsworth than we all had thought. 

As Nerdist smartly points out, if you look close enough you can see the character name Kevin scribbled on the makeshift nametag. In a previous image of the regular Ghostbusters squad, they have much more professionally looking last name etchings on their uniforms:

So this could mean a classic storyline where a previously left in the lurch character gets his chance (or steals his chance) to shine in a plot twist where he helps out the team.

Only time will tell.

'Ghostbusters' comes out July 15, 2016.

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: This guy combined photos of celebrities to create portraits of flawless superhumans

This man drew incredible images of Marvel superheroes on an Etch A Sketch

0
0

Christoph Brown has a very unique skill set — he is really, really good at drawing via Etch A Sketch. Calling himself The Amazing Etch Man, his YouTube channel is full of sporadically-posted videos stretching back eight years — with subjects ranging from Taylor Swift to Stephen Colbert.

The latest video Brown posted was in July, and its subject is the action heroes that dominate the box office every year – The Avengers. 

If you've never seen Brown (or any other Etch A Sketch artist) work before, it's a lot of fun — especially if you're like me and struggle to depict the most basic geometric shapes on an Etch-A-Sketch.

We first saw this on movie site slashfilm.

Check out a few of them below.

It almost feels like Iron Man is about to fire off his repulsor beam in this shot.

Iron Man Etch a Sketch

Simple lines add detail to Captain America's costume and shield.

Captain America etch a sketch

His Thor even has chaotic-looking lightning coming off the hammer, Mjolnir.

Thor etch a sketch

If you want to see Brown etching these characters in real time, check out a time-lapse below. You can also find Brown on the web over at his site, Etch U Productions.

 

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: Here’s the moment when Harrison Ford got emotional talking to ‘Star Wars’ fans at Disney’s big event

Suge Knight isn't able to see 'Straight Outta Compton' from jail, but here's why his lawyer says he won't like it

0
0

Suge Knight AP

Following the huge box office for the N.W.A. biopic ‘Straight Outta Compton’ over the weekend, there’s a lot of handshakes and back slapping going around Hollywood. But one person that likely isn’t that happy is Suge Knight.

The Wrap talked to the former rap mogul’s lawyer, Thomas Mesereau, who is representing Knight for allegedly running over and killing one man, injuring another, with his truck following a promotional shoot for “Straight Outta Compton” on January 29.

According to Mesereau, Knight wouldn’t like the movie because “it is exaggerated and silly and ridiculous,” The Wrap reports.

In the film, Knight is portrayed as a bodyguard who is looking to get into the music business and does so through tactics of intimidation and violence.

In one scene, Knight looks on as a man only wearing his underwear is terrorized by a pit bull in the offices of Knight's Death Row label. In another scene, when Knight sees someone has parked in his parking space, he gets out of his car and beats up the man.

“A lot of the media does not realize how many good things he did for people, particularly in his community,” Mesereau said of his client to The Wrap. “He financed athletic facilities in schools, he gave money to the homeless, money to people in need. He tried to arrange truces on the streets so people weren’t killed.”

Knight is currently being held at the Twin Towers Correctional Facility in LA on $10 million bail. According to Mesereau, Knight is unable to see the film.

SEE ALSO: "Straight Outta Compton" is gunning for an Oscar nomination — but it's not going to be easy

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: 50 Cent testifies his lifestyle is an illusion

Meet the composer behind spy thriller 'The Man From U.N.C.L.E.' and the much-anticipated Steve Jobs biopic

0
0

Man From Uncle 2 Daniel Smith

With over 100 credits on movies and TV, Daniel Pemberton, 35, is quickly becoming one of the most sought-after composers in Hollywood.

And 2015 looks to be a banner year for the Englishman as he takes on two high-profile projects, “The Man from U.N.C.L.E.” (currently in theaters) and “Steve Jobs” (out October 9).

“Kiss goodbye to your life,” Pemberton told Business Insider this week while taking a break from putting the final touches on the “Steve Jobs” score at the legendary Abbey Road recording studio in London.

The work has been constant for over a year for Pemberton, but he's not complaining. Working alongside some of the biggest names in the business has allowed Pemberton to create music he believes is different than what we’re hearing often in today’s movies.

That’s what got him the gig on “U.N.C.L.E.,” a reboot of the 1964 spy comedy starring Henry Cavill, Armie Hammer, and Alicia Vikander.

Director Guy Richie was weaving through the usual composers the film’s studio Warner Bros. had compiled for him when he came across Pemberton’s show reel.

Daniel Pemberton_3 Photo Credit Amelia Pemberton copy“He said it was the first one that didn’t sound exactly like everyone else’s,” said Pemberton, whose recent credits range from Ridley Scott’s “The Counselor” to the PBS “Nova” series.

Richie offered Pemberton the job on the spot and worked on the music for “U.N.C.L.E.” for the next 11 months.

“Guy’s feeling is if you’ve seen it or heard it before why do it again,” said Pemberton, who was intimidated at first to work with Richie as his films always have such a unique sounds.

“His last movies were the ‘Sherlock Holmes’ films which had fantastic scores by Hans Zimmer!” said Pemberton, referring to the legendary composer.

But Pemberton believes what settled him was the way Richie wanted the music made. Instead of the typical plan of having a composer come in toward the end of post production and spend a few months with an orchestra creating the sound, Richie had Pemberton involved once editing began.

“I think one of the most important things when you write a film score is having room to fail,” Pemberton said. “If you have room to fail you can try great, crazy ideas, that’s really exciting.”

With time to develop the score, Pemberton brought in individual musicians to try out different ideas.

The breakthrough came when he brought in a bass flute.

“We tried a lot of different ideas over the big car chase that opens the movie and Guy felt [the sound] was too predictable,” Pemberton recalled.

Man From Uncle chase“And then suddenly I did some work with this amazing flute player Dave Heath who normally plays classical concertos. I was like, ‘Show me the crazy noises you can make that no one lets you do.’ What he did I thought was really cool, so I started writing something around that sound, recorded it and Guy was really into that and it ended up being a big part of the sound in the film.”

Dave Heath on Bass Flute at UNCLE session_photo credit Amelia PembertonOver the course of the 11 months working on the score, Pemberton also brought in players of everything from Spanish guitar, accordions, organs, harpsichords, and “every part of percussion you can ever imagine” to create a vintage 1960s cloak-and-dagger secret agent sound for “U.N.C.L.E.”

Here's some shots of Pemberton hard at work with his musicians:

Daniel Pemberton_4 Photo Credit Amelia Pemberton copy

Daniel Pemberton_2 Photo Credit Amelia Pemberton

Daniel Pemberton Photo Credit Amelia PembertonPemberton hasn’t had much time for a break. Soon after he was done with “U.N.C.L.E.” director Danny Boyle came calling asking him to come on his “Steve Jobs” project.

On the film for the last 9 months, Pemberton says it’s very different from creating the score for “U.N.C.L.E.”

Steve Jobs.JPG“What we’re trying to do with 'Steve Jobs' is going to be a surprise in some ways,” he said. “The film is a very clear three act structure and we have a device that is trying to play with that in the score.”

Pemberton wouldn’t go into anymore detail about the sound in “Steve Jobs,” as the score could be faintly heard on his end of the phone during our interview.

“If I told you what was happening right now you’d be like, ‘What the hell?,’” he said.

SEE ALSO: Meet the 12 social media stars millions of teens are obsessed with

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: The BBC just shocked everyone with a clip from the next 'Sherlock' episode

Dr. Dre and Ice Cube demand out of wrongful death lawsuit over Suge Knight killing

0
0

Dr. Dre Ice Cube Alberto E. Rodroguez Getty

As their "Straight Outta Compton" film enjoys tremendous success in theaters across the nation, Dr. Dre and Ice Cube have filed court papers demanding they be released from a lawsuit over an incident earlier this year that's loosely connected with the film.

In January, rap mogul Marion "Suge" Knight used his pickup truck and ran over one of the film's technical advisors Cle “Bone” Sloan and Compton businessman Terry Carter. The death of Carter has led to a wrongful death and negligence lawsuit by his widow, who in a complaint filed in June painted the "tragic tale of how reckless corporate greed, disguised as a quest for authenticity, lead to a foreseeable altercation that resulted in the death of a successful businessman named Terry Carter, and left his wife of 28 years, and his two daughters asking why his death ever had to occur."

Dr. Dre and Knight have been feuding for years ever since the hip-hop star left Death Row Records. Dre has a restraining order against Knight.

Last January, a commercial for "Straight Outta Compton" was being filmed when Knight showed up because of reported unhappiness about his portrayal and financial participation.

According to the complaint, Universal and Pretty Bird Pictures hired Sloan to recruit gang members to serve as extras as well as provide security for on-location shooting in gang-controlled neighborhoods. When Knight showed up at "base camp," Sloan directed him to leave.

Knight and Carter, who was acting as a peacemaker, then arranged to meet up in the parking lot of a fast food restaurant about three miles away. It was there that Sloan re-appeared to continue his verbal altercation with Knight, who slammed down on his gas pedal with the alleged intent of running over Sloan. Knight also hit and killed Carter.

Suge Knight APThe lawsuit against those involved with "Straight Outta Compton" alleges that the defendants should have known about the tensions between Dr. Dre and Knight and should have made security provisions to create a safe environment. It's also alleged that Dr. Dre and Cube are vicariously liable for Sloan's conduct.

In a demurrer filed last week, Dr. Dre and Cube say they committed no malfeasance, that their only affirmative act was a "specific request" that Sloan direct Knight to leave camp. This, they say, "did not create undue risks for anyone, let alone Carter."

The two also say they owed no duty to Carter, that Knight's assault wasn't foreseeable, and raise the prospect of what might have happened if they allowed Knight to stay at base camp.

According to their motion, "These allegations plainly demonstrate that allowing Suge to remain at the base camp posed a serious risk that Suge could have injured someone at the camp — including Dr. Dre, Bone or one of the numerous cast and crew working on the film. Certainly, the risk that Suge might leave the base camp and proceed to his fatal confrontation with Carter was no more foreseeable than the possibility that Suge would injure or kill someone else if he had been permitted to stay."

The former N.W.A. members represented by attorney Alexander Cote say that there's no proximate cause connecting their actions to Carter's fatality, and argue that public policy and common sense can't possibly demand "tolerating the presence of a dangerous and violent criminal with a grudge."

Suge Knight is currently awaiting trial for murder of Carter and attempted murder of Sloan.

SEE ALSO: Suge Knight isn't able to see "Straight Outta Compton" from jail, but here's why his lawyer says he won't like it

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: Epic unboxing of the new Beats By Dre Solo2 wireless headphones


Fans have a crazy theory that the Joker in 'Suicide Squad' may be a completely different character all together

0
0

joker suicide squad trailer

When "Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice" and "Suicide Squad" come to theaters next year, we'll be introduced to a completely new version of the Joker.

With both films pretty far off, we don't know too much about either film. 

Sure, we know an aged Batman and Superman will be duking it out in "Batman v Superman," and that some of DC's villains will be gathered into a crew to work for the government in "Suicide Squad." But there are still a lot of questions, many of which circle around the Joker. 

Naturally, fans have been pouring over the few trailers and images we've gotten so far, and a crazy conspiracy theory has emerged regarding the Joker.

Fans think this iteration of the Clown Prince of Crime harbors a twisted secret, and that he may not be the character we think. 

What follows is mere speculation, but if you're the sort of moviegoer who likes to go into these things knowing as little as possible, then beware — if any of this is right (and it probably isn't) then it could be a huge spoiler.

Here's how it goes:

What if the original Joker that fought Ben Affleck's Batman (who, when we meet him in "Batman v Superman," has already waged a 20-year war on crime) was dead, and the guy Leto is playing is actually the Dark Knight's sidekick Robin — twisted and broken to become a new, second-generation Joker? 

Seriously.

Why would the Joker ever be Robin?

That's a good question! There are a few things you need to know. First: While Batman has almost always been Bruce Wayne, there are several people who have taken on the role of Robin to fight at his side. The first and best known was Dick Grayson — he outgrew the role to become his own hero, Nightwing.

The Robin we want to talk about is the one who takes Dick's place after he left, an angry teenager named Jason Todd. He gets killed by the Joker in a controversial storyline from the late '80s, "Batman: A Death in the Family." The two obviously have a very well-connected past. 

Joker Jason Todd split

So, this theory about the Joker being Jason Todd has been floating around, in some form or another, for at least three months on Reddit's fan theories page.

At first, it seemed to come out of a sense of fan denial, rejecting the notion that Jared Leto's shirtless tattooed getup depicted the "real" Joker. When the first official image of the Joker was revealed in April, many fans were upset with it

jared leto joker

After all, it didn’t look like the previous incarnation of the Joker fans saw on screen in 2008’s “The Dark Knight," or any version of the character fans have come to know.

Joker Dark Knight

Fans decided it could only be a red herring, the real Joker wouldn't look like that — and the theorizing bent over backwards to justify this. But that was long before San Diego Comic-Con, before we got a good look at "Batman v Superman" and "Suicide Squad" in new trailers. Once we did, things got interesting. 

An image from the "Batman v Superman" trailer showed off a defaced Robin costume that Bruce Wayne keeps on display in what looks like a memorial to his fallen comrade. Knowing what you do about the Joker's connection to Robin, the image sent fans into a frenzy thinking the Joker could be in both "Suicide Squad" and "Batman v Superman."

Batman V. Superman robin costume

A number of Reddit users over on r/FanTheories have really taken to the idea that Robin could be the Joker in earnest, but few articulated it better than Jason-G169, who offered the most comprehensive version of the theory yet.

According to Jason-G169, when you consider a number of things — like the possible meaning of the Joker's tattoos, or a few cryptic lines of dialogue — a creepy narrative starts to emerge. 

The theory, as proposed by Jason-G169, hinges on a few key points:

  1. The Robin suit on display in the "Batman v Superman" trailer.
  2. A line Bruce Wayne delivers to Alfred as footage of the Robin suit appears on screen: "20 years in Gotham, how many good guys are left? How many stayed that way?"
  3. The Joker's radically different appearance in all things "Suicide Squad." 
  4. This image, which appears sans context in the "Batman v Superman" trailer.

Batman v. Superman newspaper clip

It all comes together like so:

  • Batman, at one point, worked with a Robin, Jason Todd, that the Joker then killed (hence the memorial, and that newspaper clipping).
  • Batman lays aside his cape and cowl not long after Todd is killed and retires, only to come back to address the threat that Superman presents after his fight in "Man of Steel" levels parts of Metropolis — including a Wayne Financial building (as the trailer suggests).
  • The Joker is dead (this is the biggest leap in the theory).
  • BUT, before the Joker died, he kidnapped Robin and tortured, tattooed, and brainwashed him. This would help explain the Joker's wild new appearance — the false teeth and the notorious "Damaged" forehead tattoo. (More on this later.)
  • There is now a new Joker, and it's the former Robin, Jason Todd.

It's not a bad bit of conjecture, but a lot of it hinged on cues that could be interpreted any number of ways.

Fans are pretty willing to buy this theory though because Robin has turned out to be the Joker before. 

2000's animated "Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker"— possibly the darkest Batman story ever told — features the Joker kidnapping an even younger Robin, Tim Drake (Jason Todd didn't really exist in the Animated Series) and tortures the boy until he's a mirror image of the Clown Prince of Crime. Years later, when Drake is grown, he returns as a second-generation Joker terrorizing Gotham City.

Robin as Joker in Batman Beyond: Return of the Jokerbatman beyond return of the joker

But then one fan noticed a small detail that seems to connect Robin and the Joker. Remember that defaced costume we brought up earlier from the "Batman v Superman" trailer? And the first official image of Jared Leto as the Joker? Comic Book Resources spotted this update by Redditor DeathByRequest that noticed something eerily similar about the two.

bvs joker conpiracy image

Both The Joker and the Robin costume seem to have been shot twice in the same places. 

What's crazy about this idea is that most of the material supporting it doesn't come from the "Suicide Squad" trailer, but the "Batman v Superman" one. This makes it all the more appealing, as it's a sudden twist in the DC mythology that makes the movie universe pivot in a potentially interesting (yet excessively dark) way. 

There are a number of possible reasons for doing this, the most appealing one is simple — it riffs on two fan-favorite stories. The first, "A Death in the Family," the comic book story where Joker kidnaps and brutally kills Jason Todd, and Batman is unable to stop him. The second, the animated series in which Tim Drake becomes the Joker we just mentioned.

Batman Joker kills Jason Todd

Batman fans are kind of misanthropic towards the Boy Wonder.

There are also other, real-world justifications for this bit of speculative theory, but they're mostly the product of fan reasoning, and nothing very solid. The thinking is that it's easier to make a new Joker a complete pivot from Heath Ledger's iconic performance — which, undoubtedly, casts a long shadow — if he's technically not the same character.

Of course, there is no reason to think Zack Snyder and David Ayer aren't confident enough filmmakers to just make their own weird Joker and let that be that. Filmmakers do that sort of thing all the time.

However, the theory isn't perfect either.

Harley Quinn (Margot Robbie) is a bit of a huge wrinkle, especially since our deep dive into the "Suicide Squad" trailer shows that the film appears to be taking liberties of its own when it comes to her origin.

Harley Quinn

Harley's whole deal is that she used to be a psychiatrist named Harleen Quinzel who tries to treat the Joker but ends up being seduced and twisted by him. The trailer is pretty clear that it's Jared Leto's Joker that does this — and that the two go on crime sprees with Batman hunting them down long before what looks like the titular Suicide Squad is assembled.

harley quinn joker suicide squad

Also, as MTV News notes, this isn't the only fan theory out there, it's just the most popular, cohesive one. All sorts of crazy possibilities have been brought up, from the Joker being former Police Commissioner Jim Gordon to just being a straight-up decoy.

Whoever Jared Leto's Joker winds up being — and it's very likely that he's just the Joker — we're sure to learn more as the marketing for both films continues. 

"Batman v Superman" is in theaters March 25, 2016. "Suicide Squad" hits theaters August 5, 2016.

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: Disney’s plans for a new ‘Star Wars’ amusement park look like nothing you’ve ever seen

Here's how expensive it would be to add metal detectors and armed guards in movie theaters

0
0

movie theater cops police

In the wake of two theatershootings occurring in the span of a few weeks, concern about the safety of moviegoers at multiplexes is at an all-time high.

A recent study by research firm C4 found that 34% of theatergoers want metal detectors and armed guards in theaters, according to Variety

But to implement more security at theaters is a complicated  and expensive matter.

According to the Variety story, here's a breakdown of the cost for additional protection:

Armed guards cost $25-$35 an hour, metal detectors cost upwards of $200,00 and require trained staffers (who command compensation packages of $150,000 each). Security consultants estimate that outfitting a national chain, like an AMC or Cinemark, would cost up to $40 million over a chain’s hundreds of locations.

The C4 study found that many are willing to go through bag checks before entering a movie house, but only 13% are willing to pay $3 extra per-ticket to help cover the cost for the above added measures.

Louisiana theater shootingJeffrey A. Slotnick, chief security officer of risk consulting firm OR3M told Variety he believes taking action like this would hurt ticket sales. “Movie theaters have to be welcoming,” he said. “How many people like going through TSA security at airports? Put that in a movie theater environment, and people just decide to stay home.”

The major movie theater chains and NATO, the National Association of Theatre Owners, have collectively been silent about taking added security measures in multiplexes since the 2012 theater shooting in Aurora, Colorado during a showing of “The Dark Knight Rises” which left 12 victims dead.

On July 23 in Lafayette, Louisiana a theater shooting occurred during a screening of “Trainwreck” which left three dead including the alleged gunman. An August 5 incident during a showing of "Mad Max: Fury Road" near Nashville ended with a hatchet-wielding man with pepper spray being shot and killed by police.

Business Insider reached out to NATO and theater chains AMC and Cinemark following these incidents for comment on if they are planning to change their security measures. The chains had no comment or did not respond to our inquiries. NATO directed BI to the statement they released following the Nashville incident, in which it states: "Whether it is in churches, schools, malls, theaters or other public places, people have the right to go about their lives in peace and safety. The safety of our guests and employees is, and always will be, our industry’s highest priority." 

SEE ALSO: Paramount has struck a deal that could change theatrical releases forever

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: League of Millions, Part 1: Inside the video game phenomenon that's taking over Madison Square Garden this weekend

An early version of the 'Fantastic Four' script sounds way better than the movie we ended up with

0
0

fantastic four

This summer's "Fantastic Four" isn't the blockbuster franchise-starter its studio might have been hoping for. Instead, it is a fascinating failure, one that has everyone who did see it (or caught wind of the nasty behind-the-scenes drama) wondering what could have been.

The movie viewers saw was a slow-burn science fiction story largely set inside of labs and in boring CGI wastelands with a sudden, rushed climax that was wholly unsatisfying.

Its plot, in summary, followed a young genius Reed Richards, who was recruited into a government think tank in order to develop a teleportation device that leads to another dimension. He's joined by Susan Storm, her brother Johnny, his best friend Ben, and the misanthropic Victor Von Doom when an experiment to travel to the other dimension goes awry thanks to a spur-of-the-moment, unofficial test. They all gain superpowers, which the military is interested in exploiting, until Doom (who was presumed dead) shows up and tries to end the world, for some reason. 

They fight him, and the movie ends. That's it. But it appears the movie wasn't always like this. 

Over at Birth.Movies.Death, writer Devin Faraci has written up a summary of one of the movie's earliest drafts, written in 2012 and credited to writer Jeremy Slater (Slater still has a story credit on the finished film, but executive producer Simon Kinberg was brought on to rework the story as a last-ditch effort to save the movie during all of its development turmoil).

According to Faraci, the script is entirely different from the movie audiences saw, straying far from the pensive science-fiction vibe of the finished film in favor of full-on crazy cosmic adventure, complete with alien civilizations, the Mole Man, and a certain Devourer of Worlds.

In short, it sounds like a real Fantastic Four story.

Here's the basic gist:

  • Instead of a barren wasteland, the Negative Zone (Planet Zero in the finished film) the group heads to is an entire abandoned alien city. 
  • In this city, they find a giant, powerful being named Galactus, the Devourer of Worlds. He's what causes their experiment to go wrong, appearing to kill Doom and nearly destroying the Gate as they return, initiating the accident that begins their transformation.
  • In the finished film, there's a time jump after we learn about their powers. That time jump is here too, but it's longer — four years instead of one.
  • In the middle of the script, there's an encounter with a secondary villain, Mole Man — a direct homage to the very first Fantastic Four comic. 
  • During the whole time, Doom is actually alive, working in the shadows to take over his native country of Latveria. His endgame is to build his own teleportation device, the Quantum Gate, in order to destroy Galactus.
  • The final confrontation is between the Fantastic Four and Doom, but with the threat of Galactus looming large. Because of this, the script ends with Reed and the FF kickstarting a school for young geniuses who will help them come up with a way to beat Galactus before he comes to devour Earth.

You can read more on the early script over at BMD here.

As Faraci says, the script is definitely overstuffed, with a lot going on — but when the finished film doesn't have enough going on, it makes this sound much more delightful. 

What's more, it has Galactus! A real Galactus, not anamorphous cloud-thing that we saw in 2007's "Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer."

In comparison, the real Galactus looks like this:

Cataclysm_The_Ultimates'_Last_Stand_Vol_1_3

Having Galactus would've been a big deal — mostly because he's emblematic of everything big and crazy about superhero comic books, the biggest, proudest icon of the boundless imagination of creators like Jack Kirby who were inventing things no one had ever seen before on a daily basis. If Marvel Comics truly began with the birth of the Fantastic Four, then the arrival of Galactus within the pages of their titular comic signaled the moment when the publisher was at the absolute peak of their game — a peak that would carry on for a shockingly long time. 

"Fantastic Four" still might have failed with this script, but at least it would've had one of the biggest aspects of the source material intact: its ridiculous, crazy, ambitious imagination.

Join the conversation about this story »

'Straight Outta Compton' is not playing in Compton for one unusual reason

0
0

Straight Outta Compton movie theaters

The biopic “Straight Outta Compton” opened this past weekend and beat expectations by debuting at $60.2 million in ticket sales, making it the fifth largest August movie debut ever.

But residents from the namesake city have to drive to a nearby city (about 4 miles away) to actually watch the movie in a theater.

This quirk was first reported on Los Angeles' CBS network, and quickly posted to the "Not the Onion" subreddit (a forum dedicated to real news articles that sound satirical).

Fusion noted that "the median household income in Compton in 2013 was $42,953, 19% below the national median of $53,000; 26.3% of residents live below the poverty line, compared with 15.4% for the nation as a whole, according to U.S. Census data." The CBS local channel also indicated that there are current negotiations in place to bring an entertainment district, including a movie theater, to Compton, while Redditors pointed out that it's not unusual for cities in L.A. to lack a movie theater, because "they're part of the greater Metropolitan area and [anyone] can just drive a couple miles to find one."

Perhaps by the time "Straight Outta Compton" gets a Hollywood style reboot, the origin city will have its own theater.

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: Here’s how to get your own 'Straight Outta Compton' Facebook photo

The crazy reason why 'Straight Outta Compton' isn't screening in Compton

0
0

Straight Outta Compton Jaimie Trueblood Oscar 3

"Straight Outta Compton" made $60.2 million this weekend, but no one saw it in, well, Compton.

The city of Compton doesn't actually have a movie theater. So to watch the biopic of Compton-hailing rap group N.W.A., many Compton residents are going to the Cinemark Carson & XD in Carson, the nearest movie theater.

To meet demand, the Cinemark scheduled screenings all day, at every hour. They've devoted four screens to the film.

"A lot of people seem to like it," Lorreanne Yalung, a box office receptionist at the theater, told Business Insider. "Yesterday was our biggest day. The whole day was sold out."

Ironically, even though Compton residents can't yet watch the movie in their own city, "Straight Outta Compton" was shot on location.

"I haven't lived in Compton for quite a while, but it felt great," Dr. Dre told The Hollywood Reporter. "Everybody was really excited about the fact that we were not only making a movie but making it in Compton. It feels like Compton is another character." Dre, whose real name is Andre Young, is one of the main characters in the movie as well as one of the film's producers.

The city of Compton itself is currently in negotiations to bring an entertainment district to the city, which would include a 16-screen cinema.

“Seventy percent of that would be the movie theater, and then there would be an additional thirty percent retail space,” Compton City Manager Johnny Ford told CBSLA. “As they’re coming in, retailers are making in Compton, and that’s what it’s all about.”

Dre also said he'd donate royalties of his new album towards to the city for an arts and entertainment center for children. He said he was inspired to make the album, "Compton," after he watched an early cut of the movie.

SEE ALSO: A woman who was allegedly assaulted by Dr. Dre says 'Straight Outta Compton' left out an 'ugly' truth

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: 50 Cent testifies his lifestyle is an illusion

Viewing all 8368 articles
Browse latest View live




Latest Images