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Margot Robbie has her own Harley Quinn spin-off movie in the works after 'Suicide Squad'

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harley quinn

Though “Suicide Squad” isn’t out until August, Warner Bros. is hard at work expanding its DC Comics movie universe.

The studio is green-lighting a standalone Harley Quinn movie with the actress who will play the character in “Squad,” Margot Robbie, reprising the role, according to The Hollywood Reporter

Though details on the project are under wraps, THR is reporting that the project won’t just be Quinn on her own. Numerous female heroes and villains will be featured, including Batgirl, Poison Ivy, and Birds of Prey.

Robbie is also making moves behind the scenes, as she brought in a screenwriter to develop the project.

This builds the anticipation even more for “Suicide Squad,” and the antics of Harley Quinn in it, when it opens August 5.

SEE ALSO: 19 TV shows that were just canceled

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NOW WATCH: 4 important things you probably missed on this week's 'Game of Thrones'


Nintendo is going to make movies with some of its most popular characters

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Nintendo is getting into the movie making business again. 

The Japanese company behind hugely popular video game franchises Pokémon and the Super Mario series, announced Monday it was currently in talks to adapt some of its most popular gaming characters to the big screen, according to the Wall Street Journal

First reported by Japanese newspaper The Asahi Shimbun, Nintendo spokeman Makoto Wakae confirmed that Nintendo will have an involved hand in the creative processes for the movies, rather than simply licensing its characters to movie studios.

Asahi reports it's first project is likely an animated movie. The company has yet to announce which characters will make the jump to the big screen, though Nintendo has dabbled in filmmaking before.

In 1993, Super Mario was adapted into a famously awful live-action film starring John Leguizamo and Bob Hoskins. Pokémon, already a successful animated series, has several film adaptations but hasn't had a theatrical release in the U.S. since 1999's "Pokémon: The Movie 2000."

Here's to a Super Mario vs. Pokémon movie!

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NOW WATCH: 4 important things you probably missed on this week's 'Game of Thrones'

Chloë Grace Moretz: Why 'Neighbors 2' is the first movie to really get young women

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Chloë Grace Moretz

On the surface, “Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising” looks like a typical Seth Rogen stoner comedy, in which youthful freedom reigns.

But in fact, it’s the rare sequel that works as a standalone. The frat humor from the original is cleverly flipped, so the material speaks directly to college-age women.

That’s right, Seth Rogen made a movie that empowers women.

And the face of the movie isn’t so much Rogen as it’s costar Chloë Grace Moretz, the 19-year-old who has quickly become one of Hollywood’s youngest advocates for progressive work for females.

In “Neighbors 2,” she plays Shelby, who after being told that sororities are not allowed to have parties (the group that governs the country's marjor sororities bans booze in their houses) decides to start her own with a group of friends. They end up finding a house next to Kelly (Rose Byrne) and Mac Radner (Rogen), who already dealt with a frat next to them in the first movie and are trying to sell their house. With the help of former frat boy Teddy Sanders (Zac Efron), the girls learn how to make a thriving sorority, while Kelly and Mac try to keep the potential buyers of their house from realizing that Greek life is back on the block.

Amazingly enough, Moretz playing a college freshman who doesn’t want to obey the rules of a school-supported sorority is exactly what Hollywood needs right now.

Business Insider talked to Moretz to find out how she helped make the “Neighbors 2” script sound more millennial, the roles she will absolutely say no to, and the A-listers in Hollywood she turns to for guidance.

Neighbors 2 4 Chuck Zlotnick Universal_finalBusiness Insider: I talked to Seth and Evan and they were very honest that they didn't have a clue how to write for college girls. So how did you and your castmates help out?

Chloë Grace Moretz: They would write an outline of what they wanted us to do and then we would fill it in with how we like to say things and the stupid stuff that my generation comes up with.

BI: So a scene like the beginning of the movie, where your character and her friends decide to start a sorority, how was that set up?

Moretz: We came up with this funny idea of the girls talking about if they did or didn't lose their virginity. So the way we put it was, "Oh yeah, I've done everything but..." And the boys had no idea that's how girls our age would approach that subject. So they kind of just let us go with it and where they wanted it to go. So it was really highly improv-driven.

BI: Going into the movie, did it make you nervous that you would have to do a lot of improvisation?

Moretz: The first day was an adjustment. I really hadn't ever done improv that much before and I very quickly realized that every take is an improv, every take is a new idea. So I would come prepared with ideas and where they wanted the improv to go. It was being ready on the day to make it up. So it took me a day to understand and then the rest of the movie I was ready to go.

Neighbors 2 Chloe Chuck ZlotnickBI: The movie is being praised for its progressive comedy. Could you feel that you were making a comedy that's different from most in its portrayal of women, gender, sexual preference?

Moretz: Yeah, definitely. We wanted to make the movie progressive, we wanted to make it more interesting for young women to watch because even with the "Bridesmaids"-type movies, we still haven't had movies for young women to watch who are my age that are as progressive as this. This is super realistic to girls my generation. These are the things we're talking about and going through, and that was a big idea for all of us. That was what the boys wanted us to incorporate in the movie. It might not be the cutest stuff to come out of a girl's mouth, but it's realistic and that's what people need to come to terms with.

BI: And that it's still funny and entertaining.

Moretz: It can still be a highly raucous comedy, and honestly, it is almost more funny coming from girls because it's not been seen before so it's a lot fresher in our eyes.

BI: But is this still a rare case of a script that comes across your desk that isn’t a stereotypical female role?

Moretz: Oh, 100 percent. This is so a rare case of the type of script you'll be offered in this day and age, for sure. Especially in comedy. You don't really come across these stories being made by a group of adult men who made stoner bro comedies. It's just very unexpected. It's cool.

BI: Was there a standout moment when you began to pay attention to feminist views and wanted to be a voice on that topic?

Moretz: I think it was kind of after “Carrie” when I really realized, Oh, there's a lot of stuff going on here for women that I need to clue in on and understand it and fight for what I believe in. Because that was my first movie as a lead, and as a female lead, you're talking to a lot of adult men about a lot of subjects that they have no idea about, especially a movie which is about a young woman getting her period for the first time and a young woman dealing with mother/daughter issues. Two things adult men shouldn't have any say in, yet you're dealing with studio heads and producers and stuff like that and I was faced with a lot of things there that I'd never seen before. I kind of learned to raise my voice and learn that it's okay to fight for something that you believe in. Don't just be argumentative, don't be loud for no reason, but don't apologize for fighting for something that you believe in.

Chloe Grace Moretz Julianne Moore Bryan Bedder GettyBI: Who are your mentors in the industry?

Moretz: I would say the biggest mentor in my life in terms of actors and people in the industry is Julianne Moore [who also starred in "Carrie"]. She's someone I've always looked up to and who has really helped me out and given me some of the strongest advice I've had in my career. She's just a really powerful, outspoken, smart, sweet woman. And then there's Jessica Chastain, Emily Blunt I think is a very well-spoken woman, I think Scarlett Johansson has said some interesting things on femininity.

BI: Have you had conversations with any of them?

Moretz: Julie and Jess are two people I’ve had very, very forward conversations about all of this with.

BI: What's the biggest takeaway?

Moretz: We are all being highly misconstrued by media in that sense and that even when we do speak up, it's not a bridge, it's like it's not okay to have an opinion anymore and you have to change that, unless you are saying everything on queue with what CNN or TMZ or any of these quote-unquote news outlets are reporting, then you're not allowed to have an opinion.

BI: So Jennifer Lawrence coming out saying that her male costars have been paid more than her, was that a big deal in your eyes?

Moretz: It was a big deal in my eyes. It was wild to see from contract to contract that two stars that are equal in fame and equel in supposed star power, that there's massive inequality in terms of pay. But even then, it's hard to speak on behalf of our wage gap because it is a very overinflated wage gap. There's a lot more basic issues with much much lower-paying jobs that I think need to be overcome before we really look at our industry as a whole.

BI: But did that news make you more aware of the deals that your reps are making on your behalf?

Moretz: Personally, it made me want to make sure my lawyers and I get paid exactly equal to the other male counterparts in your movie if they are along the same lines as you.

BI: What are the kinds of characters that are instant “no”s for you if offered?

Moretz: They just need to be progressive for the time period that the movie is placed in. So if it's a modern movie, it needs to be realistic to our modern-day standards on how we want women to be viewed. But if it's a movie based in a time period in which women were oppressed, you need to be understanding of the time period and still try to influence some sort of message. I wouldn't make a movie highlighting the excitement and happiness of progression if it's a movie about a certain kind of era where women were repressed, it needs to mean something to the story. Less movies are being made that are cool and interesting for women, in that sense. So it's more of a fight to find the cool scripts or finding someone who is willing to write the cool scripts or find female directors that studios will approve. Those are still few and far between.

“Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising” opens in theaters May 20.

SEE ALSO: Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg talk making movies their way, and how life blew up after the Sony Hacks

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NOW WATCH: Watch Christie beg to be Trump’s vice president on 'Saturday Night Live'

7 Nintendo games that would make perfect movies

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Have you heard? Nintendo is getting back into the movie-making business!

President of Nintendo Tatsumi Kimishima announced Monday that Nintendo is looking to partner with production companies to create films out of some of its most popular franchises.

The announcement got us thinking: which Nintendo franchises are best suited for an adaptation on the big screen? What would they look like? 

SEE ALSO: Nintendo's next-generation game console is officially arriving next year — and it promises a 'brand new concept'

"The Legend of Zelda"

"The Legend of Zelda" is one of the most famous Nintendo franchises, which makes it the most obvious candidate for a movie adaptation, but it's also probably one of the most difficult to get right.

That's because Link, the main character, never speaks. He's not really a person so much as an idea.

While the new game coming out in 2017 looks great, my personal pick for a movie adaptation would be the GameCube game "The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker." This sea-faring adventure seamlessly blends fantasy, magic, and pirates — and the art direction is absolutely gorgeous.



"Metroid"

A movie adaptation of "Metroid," the long-running sci-fi action series starring heroine Samus Aran, could go a bit darker and more violent in its tone than other Nintendo properties. It's one of the best fits for a more adult-oriented film.

For some ideas about what a "Metroid" movie could look like, think "Alien" mixed with "Edge of Tomorrow."



"Splatoon"

Picture this: a big and beautiful kids' action movie that's one part "Powerpuff Girls," one part "Big Hero 6," and one part "Dope."

What sets "Splatoon" apart from other Nintendo series is that it has a quirky, spunky sensibility to it that would allow for a perfect combination of action and comedy. There's no defined plot to the game, per se, and that leaves it open to creative experimentation without alienating existing fans.

And there's no denying those giant paint splatters would be gorgeous on a big 3D movie screen.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

'Iron Man 3' originally had a female villain until execs said the toy wouldn't sell

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Hollywood's ongoing sexism problem, particularly in the comics world, has been brought back into the spotlight again after comments from "Iron Man 3" director, Shane Black.  

The screenwriter behind action classic "Lethal Weapon," Black spoke with Uproxx about "Iron Man 3" and the Marvel Cinematic Universe. He revealed that the original draft of the film had a leading female villain; however, Marvel executives told Black to swap the main villain's gender to male in order to increase toy sales. 

Here's the full exchange via Uproxx: 

[Shane Black:] All I’ll say is this, on the record: There was an early draft of Iron Man 3 where we had an inkling of a problem. Which is that we had a female character who was the villain in the draft. We had finished the script and we were given a no-holds-barred memo saying that cannot stand and we’ve changed our minds because, after consulting, we’ve decided that toy won’t sell as well if it’s a female.

[Uproxx:] What?

[Shane Black:] So, we had to change the entire script because of toy making. Now, that’s not Feige. That’s Marvel corporate, but now you don’t have that problem anymore.

Uproxx:] Ike Perlmutter is gone.

[Shane Black:] Yeah, Ike’s gone. But New York called and said, “That’s money out of our bank.” In the earlier draft, the woman was essentially Killian – and they didn’t want a female Killian, they wanted a male Killian. I liked the idea, like Remington Steele, you think it’s the man but at the end, the woman has been running the whole show. They just said, “no way.”

Ultimately, Guy Pearce's character, Aldrich Killian, became the film's big bad and Rebecca Hall's character, Maya Hansen, dies about 3/4 of the way through the film. Black doesn't point the finger at any specific party, saying only "Marvel corporate" was behind the change and Marvel Studio president, Kevin Feige (a producer on the film), wasn't to blame. Ike Perlmutter is still acting CEO of Marvel Entertainment, but Feige now reports directly to Disney, which owns Marvel Studios, during the filmmaking process.

maya-rebecca-hallMarvel has received criticism for its treatment of female characters before. "Avengers: Age of Ultron" director Joss Whedon was also targeted for his treatment of Scarlett Johansson's character, Black Widow. Disney, which also owns Lucasfilm, faced PR woes last December when online campaigns lambasted the company for not including toy versions of Rey, the leading female character of the latest "Star Wars" film. 

In the meantime, "Captain America: Civil War" directors Joe and Anthony Russo say they have "emotionally and creatively" committed to a Black Widow film in the future. The very first female-led Marvel Cinematic Universe movie, "Captain Marvel," is due for release March 8, 2019.

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: 5 important things you probably missed on this week's 'Game of Thrones'

Riveting new documentary about Anthony Weiner reveals his biggest flaw

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Anthony Weiner watches in horror from his living room as a TV news report shows him flipping off a reporter.

His wife, Huma Abedin, sits in the dining room eating a slice of pizza, trying to ignore it all.

The moment is caught on camera for a documentary about Weiner and his failed New York City mayoral candidacy.

“I can’t believe I gave a reporter the finger,” Weiner mumbles to himself.

The filmmaker, Josh Kriegman, asks him, “Why are you letting me film this?”

It’s one of those moments that make the new movie “Weiner” — which is out this weekend and won the grand jury documentary prize this year at the Sundance Film Festival — a joy to watch.

In an era in which people of power attempt to keep everything about their lives hidden behind a veil of orchestrated social-media posts and safe appearances, Weiner allows so much access into his life for the movie that you wonder if the former congressman regrets any of it.

But while clearly a political miscalculation, the movie is perhaps Weiner’s self-inflicted penance for past transgressions.

Weiner came to notoriety thanks to the passion he brought to the floor of Congress on issues he appeared to care very deeply about, especially in 2010, when his displeasure with Republicans opposing the 9/11 Health and Compensation Act — which would provide funds for sick 9/11 first responders — went viral.

Less than a year later, Weiner's political career crumbled after he tweeted a sexually explicit photo of himself. After several days of denying he sent it, he admitted to posting the photo. In June 2011 he resigned from Congress.

But America loves a comeback story, and Weiner was ready to be its latest when in 2013 he ran for mayor of New York.

Directors Kreigman and Elyse Steinberg were there with cameras in hand to capture what would become “Weiner.” I imagine they sold it to Weiner as a way to show his underdog story. Think of the 2005 documentary “Street Fight,” director Marshall Curry’s look at the successful campaign of Cory Booker to become mayor of Newark, New Jersey.

lost in la mancha100Instead, "Weiner" is basically the political equivalent of the 2002 documentary “Lost in La Mancha,” in which filmmakers document Terry Gilliam making his passion project “The Man Who Killed Don Quixote” with Johnny Depp, and instead the project is ruined by actor injuries, horrible weather, and fighter jets flying overhead.

But while Gilliam had the universe to blame for his failure, Weiner can only blame himself.

As the campaign for mayor looks to be going strong at the beginning of the movie, a few months into the election, news breaks that Weiner sent explicit photos of himself to a 22-year-old a year after he left Congress, under the alias "Carlos Danger."

You may remember the constant late-night TV jokes about the scandal during the summer of 2013, but reliving it behind the scenes of the campaign and seeing Weiner’s personal life with Abedin (who is a close adviser to Democratic presidential frontrunner Hillary Clinton) provide a unique perspective.

Weiner allows cameras to show the damage control that attempts to extinguish the latest scandal. The biggest question: When did he send the photos? As cameras capture, he told most of the press at the beginning of the campaign that he had stopped sending sexual photos of himself after he left Congress.

In one scene, his publicist is reading him questions from a reporter. One asks if he thinks he is a sex addict.

The moments that made me cringe the most were conversations Weiner had with Huma. In some cases, Weiner asked cameras to be tuned off, but there are other times when the cameras are there, such as when they decide what Huma should say at the press conference addressing the latest photo scandal, and if she should continue going to campaign functions. In those instances, Huma says little, but her face and demeanor speak volumes.

In many of these cases, Weiner looks less like an understanding husband and more like a politician seeking votes and needing his supportive wife by his side to do so.

Then there’s the conclusion of the movie, which I won’t give away, but it’s on my top-five all-time documentary endings.

“Weiner” certainly proves that sometimes real life is stranger than fiction. But it also shows what it’s like to be on the wrong side of celebrity.

Weiner shrugs that he doesn’t know why he’s letting Josh film him react to the news report about him giving the finger. But it may be the same reason why, earlier in the movie, he lets Josh film him watching a video (with glee) of his appearance on a political show in which Weiner and the host engage in a screaming match. It seems like Weiner gets a kick out of the attention, good or bad.

The movie suggests the scary notion that many people who crave fame or power simply love it when people are always talking about them. Weiner takes that principle to a shocking level with his transparency in the movie.

But as with his scandals, he can't really cry foul. After all, he brought it on himself.

SEE ALSO: See the best-dressed celebrities hit the Cannes Film Festival red carpet

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NOW WATCH: Warner Bros. just released the first trailer for its R-rated animated Batman movie

The biggest box-office hit the year you were born

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Moviegoing has long been one of America's favorite pastimes, with blockbuster box-office earnings serving as a reliable predictor of cultural staying power.

Using both IMDb's and Box Office Mojo's lists of the highest-grossing films by year, Business Insider has compiled a chronology of the biggest box-office hits every year since 1975.

We adjusted global box-office receipts for inflation through 2016 using the Bureau of Labor Statistics' inflation calculator. We've also included critic ratings from Metacritic (on a scale of one to 100) and fan ratings from IMDb (on a scale of 1 to 10) for each film.

Several franchises are represented — "Star Wars,""Harry Potter," and "Pirates of the Caribbean" each make multiple appearances — as are Academy Award nominees and winners such as "Titanic" and "Rocky."

We used '75 as the cutoff because we found that worldwide figures before then were spotty and inconsistent.

Read on to find out the highest-grossing movie released the year you were born:

DON'T MISS: The 30 most expensive movies ever made

AND: RANKED: The 10 movies most likely to dominate this summer

2015: "Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens"

Adjusted gross: $2.07 billion

Unadjusted gross: $2.07 billion

Critic rating: 81

Fan rating: 8.3

Plot summary"Three decades after the defeat of the Galactic Empire, a new threat arises. The First Order attempts to rule the galaxy and only a ragtag group of heroes can stop them, along with the help of the Resistance." 



2014: "Transformers: Age of Extinction"

Adjusted gross: $1.12 billion

Unadjusted gross: $1.1 billion

Critic rating: 32

Fan rating: 5.7

Plot summary"Autobots must escape sight from a bounty hunter who has taken control of the human serendipity: Unexpectedly, Optimus Prime and his remaining gang turn to a mechanic, his daughter, and her back street racing boyfriend for help."



2013: "Frozen"

Adjusted gross: $1.31 billion

Unadjusted gross: $1.28 billion

Critic rating: 74

Fan rating: 7.6

Plot summary"When the newly crowned Queen Elsa accidentally uses her power to turn things into ice to curse her home in infinite winter, her sister, Anna, teams up with a mountain man, his playful reindeer, and a snowman to change the weather condition."



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

A new trailer for the 'Ghostbusters' reboot is here and it's much better than the first

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The all-woman reboot of the classic "Ghostbusters" franchise got off to a shaky start with its original trailer. Many fans didn't find particularly exciting or funny.

Sony Pictures seems to have gotten the memo, with a much improved second trailer. The movie stars Melissa McCarthy, Kate McKinnon, Kristen Wiig, and Leslie Jones as the new team. 

The bizarre and terrifying ghosts take center stage in the new spot and the twisted and surreal effects look fantastic. We see more of the team's personalities and even get a glimpse of a possessed and menacing Chris Hemsworth transforming from mousy receptionist to a powerful enemy. 

"Ghostbusters" is in theaters July 15. Here's the trailer:

 

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NOW WATCH: The new 'Ghostbusters' could be better than the original — here's why


There's a massive shake-up at Warner Bros. after the failure of 'Batman v Superman'

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"Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice" was not the start Warner Bros. was hoping for in the launch of the DC Comics franchise, the studio's direct competitor to Disney's Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Nearing the end of its theatrical run, the movie has grossed only $869.8 million worldwide. For a superhero movie of its size, in which the two best-known comic book characters of all time go head-to-head, that just doesn't cut it. The movie really needed at least $1 billion to be a success.

Meanwhile, "Captain America: Civil War"has almost reached the billion-dollar mark worldwide in less than two weeks.

Though Warner Bros. has been putting on a strong face in public, it looks as if the studio has decided to shake things up.

The studio just created a separate division for the releases of its DC properties, called DC Films, and has hired two executives to run it, according to news of the shake-up at The Hollywood Reporter.

suicide squadExecutive vice president at WB Jon Berg and Geoff Johns, the DC Comics chief content officer who launched the comic book company's foray into television, will run the new division.

The shift is similar to what Disney has done with Marvel Studios, whose president, Kevin Feige, oversees all aspects of adapting the comic book characters to the screen, from choosing the producers and filmmakers to making key casting decisions.

According to THR, Berg was already involved in "Batman v Superman,""Suicide Squad," the Wonder Woman standalone movie, and "Justice League." He also has a close connection with the current Batman, Ben Affleck, as he has worked on the star's movies including "Argo" and the coming "Live by Night."

Johns has been a key member in the launching of DC Comics' TV series including "Arrow,""The Flash," and "Supergirl."

It was essential for Warner Bros. to show that it has a cohesive unit running the DC properties. It has numerous projects traveling through that pipeline, including the highly anticipated "Suicide Squad"— which is set to open in August and has already undergone expensive reshoots— and the recently announced standalone Harley Quinn movie starring Margot Robbie.

SEE ALSO: The biggest box-office hit the year you were born

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NOW WATCH: This is the single worst part of 'Batman v Superman'

Oscar Isaac improvised some of the funniest lines in ‘Star Wars: The Force Awakens'

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"Star Wars: The Force Awakens" not only warmed the hearts of fans and critics alike, for many it was an introduction to acclaimed actor Oscar Isaac, who stars in the film as pilot Poe Dameron.

Isaac's reception following the film's release was enough to earn him the cover of Rolling Stone magazine this month and the title of "the internet's boyfriend." In his interview, the Guatemalan-born actor explained his role in bringing the daring pilot to life. 

Early drafts of "The Force Awakens" originally killed Poe off in the film's opening act, following his botched mission in Jakku. Re-writing the script so that Poe survived until the end credits meant many of his lines were added during reshoots in post production. As Isaac revealed to the magazine, he improvised some of them.

"We're making s--- up as we go," he joked to the magazine.

poe-interrogatedIsaac revealed one of the improvised lines occurs when Poe is captured and brought to Kylo Ren (Adam Driver). He's not intimidated by the robed figure in black. Instead he asks him, "So who talks first? You talk first?" It was lighthearted and disarming and one of the reasons his small role earned him so much attention after the film was out.  

And while Poe was originally written with a minor role, Isaac revealed he has a long future with the franchise.

"It's the first time in my life when things have been mapped out for quite some time," said Isaac. "I'm basically Star War-ring until 2020."

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: 2 millennials watched the original ‘Star Wars’ for the first time

8 explosive new documentaries that you need to see

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If the current summer blockbuster movies blanketing your local cineplex each week aren't your thing, don't worry, there's a handful of documentaries coming out soon that will save you.

From an inside look at a cult to the highly public breakdown of a political career, these nonfiction works tell compelling stories that are likely to be more fulfilling than your latest climactic world-resucing showdown.

Here are eight titles we think you should definitely check out in the coming months — and how to watch them.

SEE ALSO: Here are the new TV shows that just got picked up by networks

"Weiner"— in theaters May 20 (available on demand May 26)

The collapse of Anthony Weiner's political career is a strange story that late-night show hosts pray to the comedy gods for. This Sundance-winning doc gives us a fly-on-the-wall look at Weiner's attempt to rebound from his embarrassing social-media gaffe to become mayor of New York City. What follows is a bizarre insight into politics and one man's questionable methods to save face.



"Holy Hell"— in theaters May 27

The Buddhafield started in the late 1980s in West Hollywood as a spiritual group led by a charismatic leader with a handful of followers who thought he was providing them with an enlightened life. Two decades later, many in the group figured out they were in a cult. Former member Will Allen now reveals what went on in his eye-opening documentary made up of footage he shot over the 21 years he was there. 



"Unlocking the Cage"— in theaters May 27 (New York), nationwide in June

Legendary filmmakers D.A. Pennebaker and Chris Hegedus ("The War Room") document the pioneering work of animal protection attorney Steven Wise, who seeks personhood rights for animals, specifically four chimpanzees in New York. We see Wise's journey bringing the first lawsuit ever attempting to transform an animal from a "thing" with no rights into a "person" with legal protection. If the courts see corporations as people, why not chimps? That complex question makes "Unlocking the Cage" gripping stuff.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

Seth Rogen and Chloë Grace Moretz tell us how they made the feminist comedy of the year

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Hollywood studios have been taking a lot of body blows in the last few years.

The lack of diversity in their casting has made the hashtag #OscarsSoWhite a trending topic the last two years when Academy Award nominations went out.

And the portrayal of female characters in major movies has been under fire as more actresses are speaking out about the lack of roles that display power and authority.

Well, this weekend Hollywood will get a slight break with a new movie that showcases women of different ethnicities in positions of power.

Strangely enough, it comes from bro-comedy king Seth Rogen.

“Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising” is the sequel to the hit 2014 comedy, in which Rogen and Rose Byrne played a married couple with a newborn who are forced to live next to a fraternity (whose ringleader is Zac Efron).

In “Neighbors 2,” a sorority has now moved in, but instead of using the same gags from the first movie (with females swapped in as the troublemakers), Rogen and his cowriter Evan Goldberg completely reoriented. The sequel is about what girls really want to do in college — and it's not getting drunk at frat parties.

“Pretty quickly it was evident that five guys should not be the sole creative individuals behind this,” Rogen told Business Insider in a recent interview. “So we wanted to get the opinions of a lot of smart girls.”

Along with reaching out to their wives and female friends about how they should write the characters, they also hired actresses Maria Blasucci and Amanda Lund to shadow the film. (They are listed as associate producers, but because of Writers Guild rules they aren’t credited as coscreenwriters.) 

Neighbors 2 3 Chuck Zlotnick Universal_final“It made a serious difference,” Goldberg said of Blasucci and Lund collaborating. “I think we can all agree that the movie just woudln’t have worked if we kept it a literal sausage party.”

One example Rogen and Goldberg used to prove how out-of-touch they were: For a sorority rush video, they wrote a bit in which the girls play paintball.

“Man, was that wrong,” Goldberg said.

With the help of Blasucci, Lund, and the female cast, the filmmakers created moments in which the girls dress up like Hillary Clinton or watch “The Fault in Our Stars.”

“Sometimes what male writers do to make females seem cool or to make it seem like a feminist thing is they just write them exactly like men,” Rogen said, “and it's just wrong to pretend that a group of 18-year-old women do the exact same thing that a group of 18-year-old men do. They might do a lot of the same things, but there are also very different things that they would do. And we tried to get as much insight into that as humanly possible.”

The film’s main female lead, Chloë Grace Moretz, recalled what happened when an outline in the script had her character and friends talking in their dorm room about if they have had sex before.

“So the way we put it was, ‘Oh yeah, I've done everything but ….’ And the boys had no idea that's how girls our age would approach that subject,” Moretz told Business Insider. “So they kind of just let us go with it and where they wanted it to go. So it was really highly improv-driven.”

Though Moretz is proud that “Neighbors 2” is a more honest look at young women, it’s not time for Hollywood, or even Seth Rogen, to pat themselves on the backs just yet.

“This is so a rare case of the type of script you'll be offered in this day and age,” she said.

“Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising” opens in theaters on Friday.

SEE ALSO: Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg talk making movies their way, and how life blew up after the Sony Hacks

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NOW WATCH: Seth Rogen explains why Marvel is great at making sequels

Daniel Craig reportedly turned down $100 million for 2 more James Bond movies

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james bond spectre announcement daniel craigDaniel Craig is thought to have turned down a lucrative deal to return for two more James Bond films.

According to reports, the British actor has stepped away from the franchise for good, despite being offered "£68 million" (or about $99.5 million).

While Craig has been vocal about his reservations in making a follow-up to Spectre, bosses have reportedly been keen to entice him back after his smash-hit performance.

A source told Mail Online: “Daniel is done – pure and simple – he told top brass at MGM after Spectre. They threw huge amounts of money at him, but it just wasn’t what he wanted.

“He had told people after shooting that this would be his final outing, but the film company still felt he could come around after Spectre if he was offered a money deal.”

Last year Craig joked that he’d rather ‘slash his wrists’ than return as Bond for a fifth time, later admitting that he hadn’t finalised his plans.

The actor has also just signed up to appear in a new 20-episode television adaptation of Jonathan Franzen’s novel Purity.

The latest reports have emerged amid rumours that Tom Hiddleston is being lined up to take on the role of the famous spy.

Daniel Craig Skyfall

“He had told people after shooting that this would be his final outing, but the film company still felt he could come around after Spectre if he was offered a money deal.”

Over the weekend, a bookmaker suspended betting on the star after a significant sum was placed on him on Saturday.

A flurry of bets last weekend meant that Hiddleston is now the 2-1 favourite to replace Craig, ahead of previous frontrunners Idris Elba and Damian Lewis.

Speaking on Graham Norton last month, the actor said: “What can I tell you? The thing is the position isn’t vacant as far as I am aware. No one has talked to me about it.

“I think the rumours have all come about because in The Night Manager I play a spy and people have made the link.”

 

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Amazon just won over the year's biggest film festival with these 6 movies

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Cafe Society Pascal Le Segretain Getty

Though it's been a quiet year for sales at this year's Cannes Film Festival, Amazon Studios has stood out for not just nabbing the few titles for the taking, but also showcasing movies the company itself brought to the fest.

The streaming giant is quickly becoming a favorite among those in the independent film world thanks to the leaders of Amazon Studios, Ted Hope and Bob Berney, who are legends in the field for the movies they've worked on ("The Ice Storm,""American Splendor,""My Big Fat Greek Weeding,""The Passion of the Christ").

And their model is attracting big-name filmmakers, especially since Amazon insists on releasing its titles in theaters before streaming. (Their biggest competition, Netflix, has simultaneously put original movies in theaters and online, to mixed results.)

Let's take a look at the Amazon titles that are currently wowing audiences in the South of France and when you'll be able to see them.

 

 

SEE ALSO: 8 explosive documentaries that you need to see

"Cafe Society"

Woody Allen looks at old Hollywood in this love story that stars Jesse Eisenberg, Kristen Stewart, Blake Lively, and Steve Carell. The movie, which will be released theatrically through Lionsgate, got a standing ovation when it kicked off the festival. 

Release Date: July 15 (limited), July 29 (wide), on Amazon Prime later in the year



"The Neon Demon"

The latest film from "Drive" director Nicolas Winding Refn stars Elle Fanning, who is thrust into the dark side of the modeling world. It will get a theatrical release through Broad Green Pictures. 

Release Date: June 24, on Amazon Prime after theatrical run



"Paterson"

You'll see Adam Driver in a very different role at the movies later this year before he returns as Kylo Ren. In director Jim Jarmusch's latest, Driver plays a bus-driving poet who lives in Paterson, New Jersey. Don't be surprised if Amazon leverages this as one of their award-season offerings.

Release Date: 2016 TBD



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Here's the trailer for 'Equity,' the new movie about a badass female banker

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Equity trailer Anna Gunn

The trailer has dropped for "Equity"— the new Wall Street movie that is written, produced, directed, and starred in by women.

"Orange Is the New Black" star Alysia Reiner is coproducing the film with Sarah Megan Thomas, and both are starring in it as well.

The film is about "a top female investment banker fighting to keep her Wall Street firm in the lead as she shepherds the IPO for an emerging tech company," according to Reiner and Thomas' website.

The protagonist, Naomi Bishop, played by "Breaking Bad" star Anna Gunn, will struggle to "balance business and ethics in the post-financial crisis world where regulations are tight but aspirations remain high."

The script, written by Amy Fox, is based on interviews the filmmakers held with male and female bankers across Wall Street, including Barbara Byrne, Alexandra Lebenthal, Elaine La Roche, and Liz Myers.

Thomas, whose husband works on Wall Street, told Bloomberg that the intention of the movie is not to "vilify" bankers, despite the sexism and other obstacle that the heroine will encounter.

Here's the trailer, from Yahoo Movies:

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The new Anthony Weiner doc is an incredibly revealing look at his public meltdown

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weiner IFC films

Anthony Weiner watches in horror from his living room as a TV news report shows him flipping off a reporter.

His wife, Huma Abedin, sits in the dining room eating a slice of pizza, trying to ignore it all.

The moment is caught on camera for a documentary about Weiner and his failed New York City mayoral candidacy.

“I can’t believe I gave a reporter the finger,” Weiner mumbles to himself.

The filmmaker, Josh Kriegman, asks him, “Why are you letting me film this?”

It’s one of those moments that make the new movie “Weiner” — which is out Friday and won the grand jury documentary prize this year at the Sundance Film Festival — a joy to watch.

In an era in which people of power attempt to keep everything about their lives hidden behind a veil of orchestrated social-media posts and safe appearances, Weiner allows so much access into his life for the movie that you wonder if the former congressman regrets any of it.

But while clearly a political miscalculation, the movie is perhaps Weiner’s self-inflicted penance for past transgressions.

Weiner came to notoriety thanks to the passion he brought to the floor of Congress on issues he appeared to care very deeply about, especially in 2010, when his displeasure with Republicans opposing the 9/11 Health and Compensation Act — which would provide funds for sick 9/11 first responders — went viral.

Less than a year later, Weiner's political career crumbled after he tweeted a sexually explicit photo of himself. After several days of denying he sent it, he admitted to posting the photo. In June 2011 he resigned from Congress.

But America loves a comeback story, and Weiner was ready to be its latest when in 2013 he ran for mayor of New York.

Directors Kreigman and Elyse Steinberg were there with cameras in hand to capture what would become “Weiner.” I imagine they sold it to Weiner as a way to show his underdog story. Think of the 2005 documentary “Street Fight,” director Marshall Curry’s look at the successful campaign of Cory Booker to become mayor of Newark, New Jersey.

lost in la mancha100Instead, "Weiner" is basically the political equivalent of the 2002 documentary “Lost in La Mancha,” in which filmmakers document Terry Gilliam making his passion project “The Man Who Killed Don Quixote” with Johnny Depp, and instead the project is ruined by actor injuries, horrible weather, and fighter jets flying overhead.

But while Gilliam had the universe to blame for his failure, Weiner can only blame himself.

As the campaign for mayor looks to be going strong at the beginning of the movie, a few months into the election, news breaks that Weiner sent explicit photos of himself to a 22-year-old a year after he left Congress, under the alias "Carlos Danger."

You may remember the constant late-night TV jokes about the scandal during the summer of 2013, but reliving it behind the scenes of the campaign and seeing Weiner’s personal life with Abedin (who is a close adviser to Democratic presidential frontrunner Hillary Clinton) provide a unique perspective.

Weiner allows cameras to show the damage control that attempts to extinguish the latest scandal. The biggest question: When did he send the photos? As cameras capture, he told most of the press at the beginning of the campaign that he had stopped sending sexual photos of himself after he left Congress.

In one scene, his publicist is reading him questions from a reporter. One asks if he thinks he is a sex addict.

The moments that made me cringe the most were conversations Weiner had with Huma. In some cases, Weiner asked cameras to be tuned off, but there are other times when the cameras are there, such as when they decide what Huma should say at the press conference addressing the latest photo scandal, and if she should continue going to campaign functions. In those instances, Huma says little, but her face and demeanor speak volumes.

In many of these cases, Weiner looks less like an understanding husband and more like a politician seeking votes and needing his supportive wife by his side to do so.

Then there’s the conclusion of the movie, which I won’t give away, but it’s on my top-five all-time documentary endings.

“Weiner” certainly proves that sometimes real life is stranger than fiction. But it also shows what it’s like to be on the wrong side of celebrity.

Weiner shrugs that he doesn’t know why he’s letting Josh film him react to the news report about him giving the finger. But it may be the same reason why, earlier in the movie, he lets Josh film him watching a video (with glee) of his appearance on a political show in which Weiner and the host engage in a screaming match. It seems like Weiner gets a kick out of the attention, good or bad.

The movie suggests the scary notion that many people who crave fame or power simply love it when people are always talking about them. Weiner takes that principle to a shocking level with his transparency in the movie.

But as with his scandals, he can't really cry foul. After all, he brought it on himself.

SEE ALSO: See the best-dressed celebrities hit the Cannes Film Festival red carpet

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NOW WATCH: 5 important things you probably missed on this week's 'Game of Thrones'

The man behind 'The Nice Guys' and 'Lethal Weapon' talks reviving the detective movie and forgiving Mel Gibson

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The Nice Guys Daniel McFadden Warner Bros final

Shane Black, the cowriter and director of the new buddy-cop comedy “The Nice Guys” (out Friday), knows a little something about the genre — because he helped create it.

Black launched his career writing “Lethal Weapon” in 1987. And since then he’s gone on to pen the three sequels and movies that mix hard action and comedy like “The Last Boy Scout” and “Last Action Hero.” (And in that time, he had a small role in a little Arnold Schwarzenegger movie called “Predator.”)

After tackling a substance abuse problem in the early 2000s, Black reemerged as one of Hollywood's most distinctive creative forces, making the funny caper “Kiss Kiss Bang Bang” in 2005 (in which he cast buddy Robert Downey Jr., following the actor’s own drug problems). And thanks to Downey Jr., Black cowrote and directed “Iron Man 3.”

In “The Nice Guys,” starring Ryan Gosling and Russell Crowe as two '70s private eyes who team for a case, Black's brand of action and dark comedy is back at its height.

Black talked to Business Insider this week over the phone about the movie, his memories from the set of “Predator,” and why he wishes people would give Mel Gibson a break.

The Nice Guys Shane Black Daniel McFadden Warner BrosBusiness Insider: I think you guys are going to have a good opening weekend. Have you gotten the numbers for Thursday previews yet?

Shane Black: I just got off the plane.

BI:It was around $700,000 for Thursday. 

Black: Well, that's not bad. It's not staggering, but I would imagine it's solid.

BI: I think it's very solid. 

Black: I think it would be fantastic if we can carve a little niche. We have a lot of competition this weekend. We're having a great deal of fun, regardless. It's just nice to do something a little different from the last one, which was one ["Iron Man 3"] of these giant branded movies. Which was also fun. But look, they say get the next job before the last one comes about so I'm already on something else and I'm trying to stay out of the results business. The temptation is to be nervous how the movie will do, but I just have to stay out of this business. 

BI: But the reaction must be nice, since it's an original movie. Not an adaptation. That must feel good.

Black: It does because the one thing I can point to over the course of many years, 30 now I believe, of trying to do this... I've always managed to canoodle my way into something that someone ends up making into a film that didn't exist. That wasn't an assignment. So I'm pleased with that very much. 

BI: But is there a temptation to think about expanding the story and the characters and do a sequel to "The Nice Guys"?

Black: Again, staying out of the results business. There's a certain jinx factor, it's like planning the wrap party while you're still writing the script. We have to open this thing first. Should the demand be there, I'm certain we can do it. I know it will be fun if the two guys are onboard, and I think they would be, but it just has to generate the kind of interest that enables us to present to a studio a sequel that makes sense to them. 

the nice guys warner brosBI: Are you talking to Gosling and Crowe at all about what a sequel could look like?

Black: I’ve kind of put a moratorium on it. The guys and I know we've got something. If we have to, Anthony [Bagarozzi], my writing partner, we can always generate something. The great thing about detective stories in particular, the case can always be interesting as well as the characters. And you can always have another story and another case for a detective to solve. And they made a bunch of good "Pink Panther" movies back in the day, so we can model this after those. 

BI: And I can't help but think Crowe and Gosling have some Abbott and Costello in their characters, too.

Black: [Laughs] Yeah, there are any number of influences that we kind of channel in terms of plucking from our comedian legacy. But what surprises me and gratifies me most is when we started out, we deliberately made a choice to not use two comedians. For me, it wouldn't be worth doing if it weren't true to the legacy of a private-eye story. So it had to be two tough guys. Two real men in the spirit of John Cassavetes or Lee Marvin. And if it wasn't that cool and slick and edgy then the idea of just doing a comedy, a buddy comedy, it wouldn't be worth it.

BI: And then you and Anthony go and turn the genre on its ear. The usual detective tricks don't work. Did you ever question if the audience would like that?

Black: I think people are so smart these days that they're just waiting to have the trope stood on its head. And I already had experience with it in "Kiss Kiss Bang Bang." There's a scene where someone spins a bullet, a single bullet in a revolver, and then you usually hear "click" when the person pulls the trigger, but instead it's bang, it's the bullet. He's dead. So those are fun things to do. It makes the audience feel they are in on the joke. 

BI: "The Nice Guys" script has been around for 13 years and has gone through a lot of changes. Originally it wasn't as funny as it turned out to be. How did that evolve?

Black: Believability is essential and once we had these great actors who could play these cool parts and know they could be funny, it felt like "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid." That was my model. There's a lot of funny stuff in there, but there's a heart to that movie, it's about the death of the West. The mythology of the gunslinger. But I just had a hunch that these two guys would be funny. Good actors like these just know how to do almost anything. Russell has said, "We just listened to each other." That's what chemistry is. And I watched it. It just took a few nights of them together in a hotel suite for them to know each other. 

I think [Mel Gibson] has essentially been blacklisted in the industry.

BI: Are you shocked by the likability of Russell in this role?

Black: I think in "Gladiator" he's likable. I wanted him to succeed more than I want most heroes to in those movies. There was a selflessness that he portrayed. In this particular film, he's got this face that has a sense of being lived in. It portrays a world of remorse but with a flick of the eyebrow this guy can convey so much that the camera loves him. 

BI: You said in an interview that Robert Downey Jr. wants Mel Gibson to direct an "Iron Man" movie, if there were ever another one. Were you serious about that?

Black: I just heard him say that once, but that was years ago. As far as I know, it's nothing serious. I was just repeating what I heard.

Robert Downey Jr Mel Gibson Alberto E. Rodriguez GettyBI: What fascinated me about that was it seems you, Mel, and Robert have a connection to one another. You put Robert in "Kiss Kiss Bang Bang" when his career had flatlined. Robert helped you get the "Iron Man 3" job, and since Mel's troubles, you — and it now sounds like Robert — have tried to help out Mel.

Black: I think that everyone knows there's a special relationship with Robert and Mel. Robert stepped up for me. And I've always been a tremendous fan of Mel Gibson not just as an actor but I think he's a good guy. I've said it before, but on the record I just don't believe in holding anyone accountable for something that they say while they're drunk, because if I'm drunk I'm going to be deliberately belligerent, first off. I'm going to say something that I know will piss you off and will delight in the fact that I'm destroying the house and burning it down. That's what drunk people do. So the idea that that's truly who a person is when he's had a few, I don't believe that at all. I just think that's wrong. I know a lot of great people and they are not necessarily great when they're drunk. So I don't trust that. 

BI: Do you think Mel has gotten a bad rap?

Black: I think he's essentially been blacklisted in the industry. I think people don't want to work with him. Now they are starting to come around, but there was certainly a period where it just seemed like no one would hire him. Don't you think so?

BI: I would agree. But I'm asking you because you have a different vantage point than me. You've tried to get projects off the ground with him.

Black: Yeah. I think there's definite sentiment and I understand the point of view. He said some nasty things. But like I said, if you're drunk, you're going to say nasty things. I haven't spoken to Mel in over a year now. I hear things more secondhand about him. And I haven't spoken to Downey really either. I've been so busy the last few years I haven't had time. 

BI: But I would imagine if you and Mel connected, you two would start back up to get a project going.

Black: Yeah. If there was something that he had or I had, but once again, at this point he's directing and I'm directing so we're both busy.

Shane Black Predator 20th Century FoxBI: You starred in the original "Predator" movie and you're now working on directing the latest movie in the franchise. What's your favorite memory from making the original?

Black: Oh gosh. It's so damn long ago. What strikes me as memorable about "Predator" was a lot of the decisions that were made so quickly turned out to be so iconic. Jean-Claude Van Damme was the first Predator and he was having trouble wearing the suit, it was too clumsy for him. Here's a guy with this incredible physicality and can't do any of his kicks and moves. So we basically scrapped the suit all together and built something brand new. It was thrown together by Stan Winston in just a few weeks and now it's this iconic monster. The title was originally "Hunter" and that didn't get through copyright clearance because of the TV show "Hunter" with Fred Dryer. So we said, "F--- it, let's just call it 'Predator,'" and it has now become a huge brand. So the things you arrive at very quickly on the spur of the moment can sometimes have this amazing longevity.

SEE ALSO: Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg talk making movies their way, and how life blew up after the Sony Hacks

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The 18 best movie sequels that never happened

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the goonies

We've jumped into the summer blockbuster movie season, and that means a whole lot of sequels to be seen.

In an era when it seems every idea in Hollywood has been made into a franchise or rebooted for one, several famous titles missed the boat.

In some cases, the filmmaker moved on to other projects (including franchises). But rumors about potential sequels for a number of these titles are spreading.

Here we rank the 18 movies that we think deserve a sequel.

SEE ALSO: Here are the best-dressed celebrities hitting the Cannes Film Festival red carpet

18. “Unbreakable” (2000)

Following the huge success of "The Sixth Sense," director M. Night Shyamalan combined comic books with the supernatural with this story in which Bruce Willis plays a man who after an accident slowly realizes that he has superhuman powers. 

Though the movie had a poor box-office performance, over the years there have been rumors of a sequel, but they seem to be just that. However, it would be great to see Samuel L. Jackson's character from the movie, Elijah Price (aka "Mr. Glass") fleshed out in a sequel as a villain.

Likelihood of a sequel: Probably not going to happen. Now with the superhero craze studios are looking for ways to bring existing comic book characters to the screen, not ones from an underperforming movie.  



17. “Good Will Hunting” (1997)

Alright, give this one a second to sink in. A sequel to the movie that made Matt Damon and Ben Affleck stars (and Oscar winners) could work.

Have Damon's Will Hunting character return to South Boston and be the one who is the mentor of a troubled teen, while reconnecting with his buddy Chuckie (Affleck). Or we can always go with the idea Kevin Smith teased in "Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back.

Likelihood of a sequel: Never. Damon and Affleck are on bigger projects and heading franchises like Jason Bourne and Batman to worry about what Will and Chuckie are up to.



16. “True Lies” (1994)

Arnold Schwarzenegger playing a suave secret agent searching for a terrorist while also dealing with the idea that his wife (Jamie Lee Curtis) might be cheating on him had all the makings of a franchise. 

But as the years went on, director James Cameron found less interest, and then the idea finally deflated after the attacks of September 11, 2001. 

Likelihood of a sequel: You can never say never when it comes to Schwarzenegger and Cameron. But with Cameron focused on his "Avatar" franchise, it's unlikely. 



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The 7 craziest movie ideas that somehow actually worked

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Pirates of the Carribean DisneyMake no mistake, in modern Hollywood there is no such thing as an idea that’s too crazy. There is simply too much money on the line for any idea to be dismissed out of hand, except possibly a Black Widow movie, for some reason. This is why abominations like the "Battleship" movie exist.

This weekend, another idea, an animated family movie based on a smartphone game about shooting birds out of a slingshot, will become the latest film to have moviegoers wondering how such a wild idea made it to the screen. The reason is that it wouldn’t be the first time a wild idea became a fantastic movie (or, at the very least, a fantastically successful movie). Here are 7 times that the craziest of ideas paid off in Hollywood. Which ones did we forget?

SEE ALSO: 47 new TV shows coming in the next year that just got announced

Idea No. 1: Let's make an action franchise out of a theme park ride

Disney built most of its theme park success on their films, which were all based on animated movies. We should have guessed it would only be a matter of time before they flipped the script, and made a movie based on one of their original theme park ideas. The crazy part was, it worked. "Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl" was a fun and exciting adventure that took elements from the classic ride and used them as the basis for a great story. A great cast helped build an original adventure. It may have only been a great idea once, however.

Bonus Crazy Idea: Depp deciding to play his role like he’s a drunk Keith Richards.



Idea No. 2: Let's update everything around the Brady Bunch, but keep them exactly the same

Television series are one of those evergreen ideas that will perpetually be made into movies. Most of them fail. The insane humans who took on the herculean task of making a movie out of "The Brady Bunch" had a couple of major issues. Simply making a comedy version of the original show would be too easy, as the 70s were a fairly ridiculous decade to begin with. (Have you even seen the pants?) However, if you modernize the story, you lose everything that made "The Brady Bunch" what we loved. The solution? Modernize everything, except them. The juxtaposition of the two time periods is what we were all going to be laughing at anyway, so just make the movie about that. And it really, really worked.



Idea No. 3: Let's create a superhero franchise around the fat guy grom 'Parks & Rec'

Today you can’t swing a dead cat at an action franchise without hitting a rumor that Chris Pratt is going to be part of it. It’s a remarkable turnaround, considering prior to his turn in James Gunn’s "Guardians of the Galaxy," he was the chubby dude on TV’s "Parks & Recreation." Casting Pratt as Peter Quill made some sense. Comedy was a key part of the film, and so you need somebody who can deliver it, but first and foremost it’s a Marvel movie. Quill may not have superpowers, but he’s a comic book hero nonetheless. It was the ensemble which made the movie something special, even by Marvel standards, but Pratt played his part.

Bonus Crazy Idea: These Marvel movies are crazy popular, let’s make one based on a comic that even the fans have never read. And one with a tree and a raccoon as major characters.



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'Angry Birds' knocks 'Captain America' off the top spot at the box office

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Angry Birds

After two consecutive weeks of dominance at the US box office by Disney's "Captain America: Civil War," the latest Marvel hit was knocked off by an unlikely title, "Angry Birds."

In an impressive performance by the Sony title based on the popular app, the movie took in an estimated $39 million over the weekend, according to Exhibitor Relations.

"Captain America: Civil War" took in $33.1 million in a strong third week in theaters. The film has also passed the $1 billion worldwide gross mark.

What makes the "Angry Birds" win impressive is its rebound from the soft Thursday previews it had.

Taking in an okay $800,000 versus fellow new release "Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising," which earned $1.67 million in previews, "Birds" ended up making $10.9 million on Friday while "Neighbors 2" made just $8.8 million on its Friday, according to Deadline.

That shift in momentum set the stage for the dominance by "Birds" the rest of the weekend.

"Neighbors 2" ended up in third place with $21.8 million.

Neighbors 2 Chuck Zlotnick UniversalIt turned out the hype around the sequel to the 2014 hit comedy starring Seth Rogen, Rose Byrne, and Zac Efron didn't turn into box office dollars as the movie will take in around 50% less its opening weekend than what the original did. A stat the film's studio, Universal, wasn't expecting.

However, Sony must be excited with a potential franchise for "Angry Birds." The movie had a 16% spike in sales from Friday to Saturday, as it took in $16.6 million on Saturday.

The movie showcased the memorable components that made the app so popular matched with celebrities voicing the characters, including Danny McBride, Jason Sudeikis, and Josh Gad.

The other big release of the weekend, "The Nice Guys," starring Ryan Gosling and Russell Crowe as bumbling private detectives, took in $11.27 million. Warner Bros. wasn't expecting the movie to do any major damage over the weekend, but they must be happy with it taking in this much as it's geared towards the over-30 crowd (who rarely come out in droves for the opening weekend of a movie).

SEE ALSO: The 18 best movie sequels that never happened

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