‘The Bodyguard’ Remake in the Works

by admin | Apr 15, 2025 | Moviephone News, News

Preview:

• A remake of ‘The Bodyguard’ is in development at Warner Bros.
• ‘Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour’ director Sam Wrench is in charge of the movie.
• No roles have been cast yet.

It has one of the most iconic movie posters and boasts one of the best-known romantic songs in “I Will Always Love You.”

So you can understand that, despite the reaction it is sure to provoke from fans of the original, Warner Bros. has decided that the time is right to develop a remake of ‘The Bodyguard.’

“Never let her out of your sight. Never let your guard down. Never fall in love.”

First broken via a Deadline interview with current Warner Bros. co-chairman/CEOs Mike De Luca and Pam Abdy, the plan is now in place for Sam Wrench to direct and Jonathan A. Abrams to write the script.

There will of course be pressure for the new movie to live up to the impact of the original, but we’ve seen a few remakes manage that trick, including ‘Speak No Evil,’ ‘A Star is Born,’ and the ‘Ocean’s movies, even if the success rate is not high.

Related Article: Every Kevin Costner Movie and TV Western, Ranked

What’s the story of ‘The Bodyguard’?

(L to R) Kevin Costner and Whitney Houston in 1992’s ‘The Bodyguard’. Photo: Warner Bros.

The 1992 movie followed Kevin Costner’s former Secret Service agent Frank Farmer, who takes a job as bodyguard to famous R&B star Rachel Marron, played by Whitney Houston at the height of her music fame.

Drama, romance and a thriller plot ensue as Frank tries to sniff out a dangerous stalker, with the final act playing out as Rachel wins the Best Picture Academy Award.

Mick Jackson directed the pic, written by ‘Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back’ and ‘Raiders of the Lost Ark’s Lawrence Kasdan.

In addition to a $411 million worldwide box office, the movie was nominated for two Oscars for its songs, and its soundtrack became the best-selling of all time (and the best-selling album by a female artist of all time). Its hits included “I Will Always Love You,” “I’m Every Woman,” “Queen of the Night” and the Oscar-nominated “Run to You” and “I Have Nothing.”

So you can see why Warner Bros., which has been busy ferreting around its back catalogue for titles it can potentially remake, might see this as an attractive proposition.

Of course, there is an argument for not remaking such a beloved movie, even as it has long been turned into other mediums including a stage musical. But we live in an age when almost any movie is fair game.

What else has Sam Wrench worked on?

Scene from ‘Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour Movie.’ Photo: AMC Theatres.

Wrench has previously been best known for wrangling live musical events and movies based on them, including for the superstar likes of BTS, Billie Eilish, Brandi Carlile and, most recently, Taylor Swift.

In fact, ‘The Eras Tour’ became a big box office hit, earning more than $261 million in an exclusive deal between Swift and AMC theaters.

Which means that while Wrench would technically be making his narrative feature debut with the new ‘Bodyguard,’ he certainly knows a thing or two about staging musical sequences, which will form a fair part of the movie.

And given his connection to Swift, could we see him reaching out to the global megastar to make one of her rare appearances in front of a movie camera to take on the role of the character originally played by Houston?

It’s certainly a possibility, but given her busy schedule and the rigors of having worked on the Eras Tour (which only wrapped up this past December), we’d guess she may limit her interaction to contributing a song to the soundtrack.

As to who could potentially star in the movie, it may still go for a big name from the music world to replicate the success of having Houston in the lead. As for the Costner role, it’s likely to be a much in-demand part, but is Glen Powell’s phone already ringing (probably not yet, but chances are he’ll be in the mix).

Where else have I seen Jonathan Abrams’ work?

Nicholas Hoult as Justin Kemp in Warner Bros. Pictures’ ‘Juror #2,’ a Warner Bros. Pictures release. Photo Credit: Claire Folger. Copyright: © 2024 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved.

For his part, Abrams’ one produced scriptwriting credit is Clint Eastwood’s ‘Juror #2’ from last year.

Upcoming, he wrote comedy movie ‘Destination Wedding,’ and has written the script for a new TV series called ‘Bishop,’ about a mysterious hotel concierge in New Orleans who becomes the de facto “fixer” for the country’s largest family-owned hotel.

He also worked as a producer on 2013’s prison pic ‘Escape Plan’.

When will ‘The Bodyguard’ be on screens?

Given that this one is still at a relatively early stage, the studio has yet to announce when any new ‘Bodyguard’ might head to screens. But if it comes together this year, there’s a chance we could see it arrive in 2026.

(L to R) Whitney Houston and Kevin Costner in 1992’s ‘The Bodyguard’. Photo: Warner Bros.

List of Kevin Costner and Lawrence Kasdan Movies:

Buy Kevin Costner Movies on Amazon

‘The Accountant 2’ Press Conference with Stars and Director

by admin | Apr 15, 2025 | Moviephone News, News

Coming out in 2016, ‘The Accountant’ was the very definition of a sleeper hit. Directed by Gavin O’Connor (‘Warrior’), the film starred Ben Affleck as Christian Wolff, an autistic man with a genius for numbers who acts as a financial adviser and forensic accountant for criminal organizations.

Tasked with examining the books for an allegedly legit but corrupt firm, Christian is pursued by Treasury agents Ray King (J.K. Simmons) and Marybeth Medina (Cynthia Addai-Robinson), while also learning that a hitman on his trail turns out to be his long-estranged brother Braxton (Jon Bernthal).

‘The Accountant’ was a surprise success at the box office, grossing $155 million worldwide off a reasonable $44 million budget, but the movie also had a vibrant afterlife on streaming and home video, which ultimately led to the development of ‘The Accountant 2.’

(L to R) Jon Bernthal and Ben Affleck in ‘The Accountant 2’. Photo: Amazon MGM Studios.

The sequel brings back O’Connor, Affleck, Bernthal, and Addai-Robinson, with the latter three reuniting to investigate the mysterious death of Ray King. Operating on the fringes of the law and the criminal underworld, the trio find themselves dealing with both a human trafficking ring and a lethal new assassin (Danielle Pineda).

With ‘The Accountant 2’ arriving in theaters on April 25th, members of the cast and crew – including Affleck, Bernthal, Pineda, Addai-Robinson, and O’Connor — participated in a virtual press conference that Moviefone had the opportunity to attend, along with other members of the press,  and crunch the numbers on ‘The Accountant 2.’

Related Article: Ben Affleck and Jon Bernthal Return in First Pictures from ‘The Accountant 2’

1) Why Ben Affleck Made A Rare Sequel

Ben Affleck attends the Amazon MGM Studios ‘The Accountant 2’ World Premiere at SXSW on Saturday March 8, 2025 in Austin, Texas.

With the exception of his two-movie stint (plus cameos) as Batman in the now-defunct DC Snyderverse, and brief appearances as Daredevil in the director’s cut of ‘Elektra’ and his ‘Chasing Amy’ character in Kevin Smith’s ViewAskewniverse, Ben Affleck has never played the same character twice until taking on the role of Christian Wolff.

Ben Affleck: The first one – which was successful and I was really proud of — had a longer life in terms of the real-life feedback that I get from people and what movies they mention when they come up to me. So I definitely was aware, “Oh, wow, that movie seems to still be watched.” I think it’s also a function of the fact that streaming really started to take off after this movie. Also, I love this character. I really enjoyed playing it. Gavin and I both very much were drawn to the idea of bringing Jon back and expanding on that because we both were like, “This guy’s fabulous,” and we both felt like there was a lot more to do. Bill (Dubuque, screenwriter) and Gavin spent a lot of time in the intervening years developing and putting together — in a meticulous, detail-oriented, character-driven way that’s quite typical of Gavin — what it could be, because both were quite mindful of not wanting to repeat [the first one]. So everything about it was appealing to me.

2) Gavin O’Connor Didn’t Want To Make The Same Movie Twice

(L to R) Ben Affleck (Christian Wolff), Cynthia Addai-Robinson (Marybeth Medina), Director Gavin O’Connor, and Jon Bernthal (Brax) in ‘The Accountant 2’. Photo Credit: Warrick Page/Prime © Amazon Content Services LLC.

Director Gavin O’Connor says he was very concerned – as Ben Affleck states above – with not just rehashing the first ‘Accountant.’

Gavin O’Connor: There was certain DNA that was important to preserve, and then after that, it was a lot of left turns and just try to refill the tank in a very different way. I in no way wanted to recycle the same thing that we did in the first film, so it was just a matter of how do we just start recreating the character in a way that is putting him on a different journey, integrating Brax, and bringing Cynthia back. We knew the key in the ignition was to kill Ray because I wanted it to be personal for both [Christian and Marybeth]. Most importantly, I just wanted to make a movie that was fun and entertaining and put people in the seats, where they can walk out of the theater and go, “Man, that was a f**king ball. That was a great time at the movies.” That’s really what we were going for.

3) Jon Bernthal Enjoyed Having A New Dynamic With Ben Affleck

(L to R) Christian Wolff (Ben Affleck) and Brax (Jon Bernthal) in ‘The Accountant 2’. Photo Credit: Courtesy of Amazon MGM Studios © Amazon Content Services LLC.

Christian and Braxton spend a lot more time together in ‘The Accountant 2,’ and the film not only delves deeper into their backstory but also plays up both the friction and the humor between the two brothers, which Jon Bernthal cites as a major factor in his return.

Jon Bernthal: It was a real thrill for me to get back, and I think with Ben, it just kind of happened that way. I mean, it’s there, but it was very much supported by Gavin to sort of let moments linger and let it exist naturally and play the moments in between the beats. [Ben is] unbelievably funny and, it sounds corny, but he’s just mastered this character in such a way that there’s just so many little moments of truth that are going on that you love, but can also drive you crazy from the right point of view. I feel like I was really let off the leash to have a real opinion about that.

4) They Didn’t Set Out To Make The Sequel Funnier

Gavin O’Connor attends the Amazon MGM Studios ‘The Accountant 2’ World Premiere at SXSW on Saturday March 8, 2025 in Austin, Texas.

While there is a lot more humor in ‘The Accountant 2,’ Jon Bernthal notes that Gavin O’Connor “never told us to be funny.” O’Connor says that it wasn’t done on purpose – it just happened that way.

Gavin O’Connor: I don’t think we ever said, “Oh, it has to be funny.” When I say I wanted the movie to be fun and entertaining, I mean, Jon and I had so many sit-downs where we would just dissect the character and the intention in the scene, but once you just put these guys together, both of these guys, their characters are slightly bonkers in certain ways, so if you just let them do their thing, it was such a fertile kind of environment. The reason I think it works is because they weren’t trying to be funny. They were just so ingrained in their characters.

5) Cynthia Addai-Robinson Says She And Her Character Evolved At The Same Time

Cynthia Addai-Robinson attends the Amazon MGM Studios ‘The Accountant 2’ World Premiere at SXSW on Saturday March 8, 2025 in Austin, Texas.

Coming back to play Treasury agent Marybeth Medina, who is pushed to her limits both legally and physically by her collaboration with Christian and Braxton, Cynthia Addai-Robinson said that she and the character had a similar kind of growth from the first movie to the second.

Cynthia Addai-Robinson: I think I always viewed Marybeth as sort of the entry point for the audience because she’s observing and seeing all these things unfold around her and reacting in kind. And myself as an actor, same thing. I think back to working on the first movie. I was nervous. I was kind of out of my depth in a way, but just trying to present as if I wasn’t, which I think was a similar type of situation for Marybeth. Here we are eight years later, and Marybeth has evolved, she’s grown, she’s in this sort of elevated position within the Treasury Department, and for myself as a person and an actor, I felt like I had also grown, and it was like, “All right, I’m going to be returning to a situation that’s familiar. I feel a little bit more comfortable, a little bit more confident.” So that was really nice for me to kind of feel like, “Okay, I’m feeling like I can handle what I’m now getting thrown at me,” which is this dynamic with Ben and Jon’s characters and just, again, being that point of entry for the audience. I get to bear witness to all of their shenanigans and be like, “All right, these guys are kind of crazy and they’re also kind of challenging my view of how to serve justice really.”

6) Christian Wolff Is Not The Movie’s Protagonist, Says Ben Affleck

Marybeth Medina (Cynthia Addai-Robinson) in ‘The Accountant 2’. Photo Credit: Warrick Page/Prime © Amazon Content Services LLC.

Although his role is right there in the title, Ben Affleck has a theory that somebody else is actually the movie’s main character.

Ben Affleck: The secret of this movie is that Cynthia is the protagonist really. She’s the lead in the movie. She is the entree for the audience, which means we get to play character parts, and there is a kind of relief from not having to carry a certain — there are a whole bunch of expectations and stuff that go with being the lead in the movie because, as Cynthia says, the audience is really projecting themselves onto you. So [Jon and I] are like a dual aggravant in some ways to her, and if you look at the math of the story, it’s about her being brought into this, seeing this person be killed, trying to find out what it was and what she has to go through to get there and the resolution of her story. That’s something that I find very artful and interesting, where this person is the lead of the movie and you have these dual character actors in there. That affords Jon and I the luxury of doing the sort of ‘Odd Couple’ thing.

7) Daniella Pineda Says This Was Her Most Physically Demanding Role Yet

Daniella Pineda attends the Amazon MGM Studios ‘The Accountant 2’ World Premiere at SXSW on Saturday March 8, 2025 in Austin, Texas.

Daniella Pineda’s first big break came via a major role in ‘The Vampire Diaries’ TV spinoff ‘The Originals,’ and more recently she has appeared in action-oriented movies like ‘Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom’ and ‘Plane.’ But she says the role of Anais – a ruthless killer with an enigmatic and ultimately bizarre backstory – was her most challenging yet.

Daniella Pineda: I would say it was definitely next level. I mean, it’s not necessarily a character you see all the time. There is something really compelling about watching a predator do their thing, but at the same time, I felt like there’s more to her. There are more layers there. So she’s not just a stone-cold killer, and it’s the type of role that I would like to see more women get to play. They’re certainly here in the real world. I love to beat the s**t out of Cynthia (laughs). But we were hugging in between takes and it was nice. I got really lucky. I had a good partner.

8) All The Action Was Character-Driven

(L to R) Brax (Jon Bernthal) and Christian Wolff (Ben Affleck) in ‘The Accountant 2’. Photo Credit: Warrick Page/Prime © Amazon Content Services LLC.

Gavin O’Connor says the reason the action – which can be quite violent — works in ‘The Accountant 2’ is because the movie spends the time getting the viewer invested in the characters.

Gavin O’Connor: We can cite action movies that are great, but it just feels like the action is in front of the characters. For us, and the same with the girls, we were always coming from characters. What we were always tracking when we got to the third act was, “How are [Jon and Ben] working together? How are they now united?” We knew the stakes, we knew what they wanted, so inside the action and choreography, it was really about the emotional line between the two brothers and how are they going to try to accomplish this together. That was really what the conversations were about. Action isn’t emotional, and no one cares about disposable violence, so it was really evoking emotion because you care about the characters.

9) We Find Out A Lot More About Jon Bernthal’s Brax

Brax (Jon Bernthal) in ‘The Accountant 2’. Photo Credit: Warrick Page/Prime © Amazon Content Services LLC.

While Jon Bernthal’s character, Brax, is a relatively late arrival in the first ‘Accountant,’ he’s in much more of the sequel and we get to discover more about Christian’s tough and fiercely loyal brother.

Jon Bernthal: Brax is really sort of shrouded in mystery in the first one. You really don’t know too much about him, but you have these amazing flashbacks to see how these two boys were raised and what their relationship was with their dad. It really is the crux of what is bothering both of them and what’s really bothering Brax, the roles that we’ve always filled for each other, getting each other’s back, having to be there for each other, and the lack of being there for each other. So it doesn’t culminate just in a gunfight, it culminates in, “Hey, I’m there for you. I’m getting your back, you’re getting mine. We’re joined forever,” and it’s a way, for lack of a better word, of showing how much you love somebody.

10) Ben Affleck Line Dances Onscreen For The First Time

(L to R) Ben Affleck and Jon Berthal attend the Amazon MGM Studios ‘The Accountant 2’ World Premiere at SXSW on Saturday March 8, 2025 in Austin, Texas.

In one unexpected scene, Christian and Brax take a night off and head to a bar – where the introverted Christian shockingly gets up and begins to line dance with a woman on the crowded floor. Affleck jokes about the scene, “America wasn’t asking for it, but they’re going to get it.”

Ben Affleck: That was one of the fun things about this, the idea that here’s a guy who wants to have a relationship with a woman, and he’s trying to figure out how to do that, how to put yourself out there. He’s not comfortable extending himself, he doesn’t really know how to flirt exactly, like so many of us. It’s not easy for anyone figuring out relationships, particularly the very early part where you’re trying to gauge, “What does this signal mean? Is this person looking at me? Do they like me? Am I going to humiliate myself if I go over there?” What he does is kind of a lovely thing: he uses something that he’s comfortable with, which in that case is the ability to recognize and identify the pattern of line dancing — because it is so structured and patterned — to participate in this. It’s the perfect way that he’s comfortable with standing next to this woman who he’s attracted to and wants to connect with, because it’s kind of like parallel play with little kids. You don’t have to look at somebody and engage them, but you get to be with them and do something next to them, and he finds a way that he’s comfortable doing that. I probably am not going to get a lot more demands for my line dancing work, but it was really fun. I think what’s charming about it, at least I hope, is that it’s somebody putting themselves out there to do something that they’re not necessarily great at, but they’re trying. I mean really, at the end of the day, that’s all any of us can do.

“Do you like puzzles?”

Showtimes & Tickets

Christian Wolff (Ben Affleck) has a talent for solving complex problems. When an old acquaintance is murdered, leaving behind a cryptic message to “find the accountant,”… Read the Plot

What is the plot of ‘The Accountant 2’?

When someone close to her is killed by unknown assassins, Treasury Agent Marybeth Medina (Cynthia Addai-Robinson) is forced to contact Christian Wolff (Ben Affleck) to solve the murder. With the help of his estranged but highly lethal brother Brax (Jon Bernthal), Chris applies his brilliant mind and less-than-legal methods to piece together the unsolved puzzle. As they get closer to the truth, the trio draw the attention of some of the most ruthless killers alive — all intent on putting a stop to their search.

Who is in the cast of ‘The Accountant 2’?

Christian Wolff (Ben Affleck) in ‘The Accountant 2’. Photo Credit: Courtesy of Prime Video © Amazon Content Services LLC.

List of Gavin O’Connor Movies:

Buy Tickets: ‘The Accountant 2’ Movie ShowtimesBuy Ben Affleck Movies On Amazon

Elle Fanning Offered Role in New ‘Hunger Games’ Prequel

by admin | Apr 10, 2025 | Moviephone News, News

Preview:

• Elle Fanning is among the rumored cast for ‘The Hunger Games: Sunshine on the Reaping.’
• ‘The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes’ director Francis Lawrence is aboard the movie.
• It’s set 24 years before Katniss enters the arena.

We’ve known for a few months now that Lionsgate quickly snapped up the rights to adapt Suzanne Collins’ latest ‘Hunger Games’ prequel, ‘Sunshine on the Reaping.’

In the time since the book and movie were announced, things have moved on considerably –– Billy Ray has written the adaptation and regular ‘Hunger Games’ director Francis Lawrence (who also made the previous prequel, ‘The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes’) confirmed he will handle this next outing.

With production gearing up for this July in Germany, we’ve reached the casting stage and the rumors have begun to swirl.

Nexus Point News, which has been on top of a couple of scoops about possible actors, brings word that Elle Fanning has been offered the role of a younger Effie Trinket.

Effie, of course, is the effusive stylist as portrayed by Elizabeth Banks in the original ‘Hunger Games’ movies.

What’s the story of ‘The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping’?

‘The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping’ opens in theaters on November 20, 2026.

While the previous prequel took place 64 years before the events of the original trilogy, ‘The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping’ is set 24 years before that trio of Jennifer Lawrence films in the world of Panem, commencing on the morning of the reaping of the 50th Hunger Games, also known as the Second Quarter Quell.

Those games are an important event in the canon as the victor was Haymitch Abernathy, the only winner from District 12 before Lawrence’ Katniss Everdeen and Josh Hutcherson’s Peeta Mellark’s tie win. Haymitch continues on to become a mentor, a character in the original movies played by Woody Harrelson.

For ‘Sunshine on the Reaping,’ Effie serves as a stylist for the District 12 tributes in order to assist her sister, Proserpina. Although she supports the Hunger Games in principle, Effie shows genuine compassion for the tributes and treats them with kindness and care.

Who else has been rumored for ‘The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping’?

Kieran Culkin accepts the Oscar® for Actor in a Supporting Role during the live ABC Telecast of the 97th Oscars® at the Dolby® Theatre at Ovation Hollywood on Sunday, March 2, 2025.

Nexus Point news was also behind the story that Charlie Plummer is the filmmaker’s likely top candidate to play the younger Haymitch.

Plummer, who has appeared in the likes of 2019 miniseries ‘Looking for Alaska,’ has also been seen in last year’s ‘The Return’ and 2022’s ‘Moonfall.’

Perhaps most tellingly, he’s one of the leads of Francis Lawrence’s next film to be released, the Stephen King adaptation ‘The Long Walk,’ due in theaters on September 12th and hyped at the company’s recent CinemaCon presentation.

Ralph Fiennes arrives on the red carpet of the 97th Oscars® at the Dolby® Theatre at Ovation Hollywood on Sunday, March 2, 2025. Credit/Provider: Etienne Laurent / The Academy. Copyright: ©A.M.P.A.S.

And talking of ‘The Return,’ regular scooper Daniel Richtman has reported that that film’s star, Ralph Fiennes, is also being courted for the movie, this time to play Coriolanus Snow, as brought to screens by Donald Sutherland in the original films and Tom Blyth in ‘Songbirds and Snakes.’

It would mark the latest big book-based franchise that Fiennes could be joining after a slightly successful series of movies about a certain boy wizard.

And he’s not all –– Richtman also brings word that recent Oscar winner Kieran Culkin is mulling an offer to play Caesar Flickerman (the eccentric host character played in the first film series by Stanley Tucci.)

‘Hunger Games’ doesn’t scream the sort of movie that Culkin usually appears in, but Oscar wins sometimes lead to interesting choices.

‘The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping’: Collins and the Filmmakers Talk

Director Francis Lawrence in ‘The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes.’ Photo Credit: Murray Close.

Here’s Suzanne Collins’ statement on the new book and movie:

“With ‘Sunrise on the Reaping’, I was inspired by David Hume’s idea of implicit submission and, in his words, ‘the easiness with which the many are governed by the few… The story also lent itself to a deeper dive into the use of propaganda and the power of those who control the narrative. The question ‘Real or not real?’ seems more pressing to me every day. From the beginning, Lionsgate has been a wonderful home and partner for the ‘Hunger Games’ franchise, and I’m very excited to be collaborating with Adam and the team as we bring this next story to theaters in 2026.”

And here’s Lionsgate Motion Picture Group Chair Adam Fogelson:

“Suzanne Collins is a master storyteller and our creative north star. We couldn’t be more fortunate than to be guided and trusted by a collaborator whose talent and imagination are so consistently brilliant. We know ‘Hunger Games’ fans worldwide will be spellbound by where Suzanne has focused this next extraordinary story. The Second Quarter Quell is legendary and looms large over the history of the Games, even into the time of Katniss Everdeen a quarter-century later. Like fans around the globe, we are eagerly anticipating this exciting return to Panem.”

When will ‘The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping’ be in theaters?

Lionsgate already has a release date in place for this one: the studio wants the new movie in theaters on November 20th, 2026.

‘The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping’ is scheduled for release on November 20, 2026. Photo: Lionsgate.

Other Movies in ‘The Hunger Games’ Franchise:

Buy ‘The Hunger Games’ Movies On Amazon

‘The Angry Birds Movie 3’ Set for January 2027

by admin | Apr 10, 2025 | Moviephone News, News

Preview:

• Paramount has snatched up the ‘Angry Birds’ movie franchise from Sony.
• Jason Sudeikis, Josh Gad and Danny McBride are back to lend their voices.
• ‘The Angry Birds Movie 3’ will be out on January 29th, 2027.

After flinging two movies at theaters in 2016 and 2019, it appears that Sony is ready to let go of the ‘Angry Birds’ franchise.

While it has made more than half a billion dollars so far with ‘The Angry Birds Movie’ and ‘The Angry Birds Movie 2,’ the company is no longer in charge of the franchise, which adapts the popular Rovio video game titles.

Paramount Pictures has now announced that it will be distributing the movies going forward, and has set ‘The Angry Birds Movie 3’ for release in a couple of years.

The third installment in The Angry Birds Movie franchise. Plot TBA. Read the Plot

It’s an interesting gamble, since ‘Angry Birds’ as a game doesn’t have quite the same cultural cachet as other titles –– its younger audience has moved on to others such as ‘Minecraft’ and ‘Fortnite.’

But as ‘Minecraft’ has just proved, video game movies can still do big business at the box office, and Paramount is clearly hoping that ‘Angry Birds’ will spawn the same sort of success as enjoyed by its own ‘Sonic the Hedgehog’ franchise.

Just in case you’re not sure what we’re talking about…

What is the ‘Angry Birds’ franchise?

2016’s ‘The Angry Birds Movie’. Photo: Sony Pictures Releasing.

Jaakko Iisalo created the original game for Rovio Entertainment in 2009, which focuses on the titular flock of colorful angry birds who try to save their eggs from green-colored pigs.

Players look to take down the pigs and their structures by flinging the birds –– who have different destructive capabilities –– at the pigs via slingshots. Physics and comedy are intertwined in the games, which have grown into a series.

The original title also spawned a huge multimedia franchise of products and cartoons and SEGA acquired Rovio in 2023 (which might point to why Paramount is now involved, since SEGA also makes the ‘Sonic’ games and co-produces the movies).

‘The Angry Birds Movie’ featured the voices of Jason Sudeikis, Josh Gad, Danny McBride, Maya Rudolph, Kate McKinnon, Sean Penn, Tony Hale, Keegan-Michael Key, Bill Hader, and Peter Dinklage.

The film is focused on Red (Sudeikis), an outcast in an island of anthropomorphic flightless birds, as he suspects a newly arrived crew of pigs led by Leonard (Hader) of plotting an evil plan, and attempts to put a stop to them with the help of his newfound friends Chuck (Gad) and Bomb (McBride).

Sequel ‘The Angry Birds Movie 2’ saw newcomers Leslie Jones, Rachel Bloom, Awkwafina, Sterling K. Brown and Eugenio Derbez joining the ensemble voice cast.

In the story, the birds are forced to team up with the pigs to stop Eagle Island’s leader from destroying both of their islands.

Sudeikis, Gad, Bloom and McBride are all back for the third, with newcomers this time including Emma Myers, Keke Palmer, Tim Robinson, Lily James, Marcello Hernandez, Walker Scobell, Sam Richardson, Anna Cathcart, Maitreyi Ramakrishnan, Nikki Glaser, James Austin Johnson and Psalm West.

Plot details have not been released, but we can guess it’ll feature more conflict between our feathered friends and either the pigs or some new threat.

The new movie will come from director John Rice (who worked on ‘The Angry Birds Movie’) and writer Thurop Van Orman, who contributed to the script for ‘The Angry Birds Movie 2.’

And composer Heitor Pereiram, who scored the last two movies, is also back for the new one.

Related Article: ‘A Minecraft Movie’ Exclusive Interviews

‘The Angry Birds Movie 3’: The Backers Talk

2016’s ‘The Angry Birds Movie’. Photo: Sony Pictures Releasing.

As with any big release for a franchise film, especially with new owners, there was of course the statements of excitement from the producers and studio.

Here’s producer John Cohen:

“We’re very excited to be partnering with Paramount Pictures and extremely proud of our incredible cast. Not only do we have Jason, Josh, Rachel and Danny returning to voice their fantastic characters, but they’re surrounded by an all-star ensemble of comedic talent. These are some of the funniest people out there today, and we’re so thrilled to have them all on board.”

And this was the statement from Paramount president of worldwide marketing and distribution Marc Weinstock:

“Angry Birds transcends mediums and has been embraced and celebrated the world over. We couldn’t be happier to be partnering with SEGA/Rovio and these other great partners to bring this latest instalment, featuring an incredible voice cast, to big screens everywhere.”

This came from Flywheel Media boss Don McGregor:

“We’re thrilled to announce that our first theatrical distribution partnership is with Paramount Pictures. As a film production company focused on bringing the best family movies to global audiences, we couldn’t have a better start than ‘The Angry Birds Movie 3.’ ”

Finally, here’s Rovio’s Alex Pelletier-Normand:

“The Angry Birds brand has demonstrated remarkable versatility, evolving from a global mobile gaming phenomenon to licensed products, animation, and a thriving cinematic franchise. It has been a deeply collaborative effort to create a film that will resonate with the millions who interact with our catalog of games and products every day. We are confident that with this talented team at the helm, ‘The Angry Birds Movie 3’ will delight longtime fans and create new fans in those discovering our flock for the first time.”

When will ‘The Angry Birds Movie 3’ be in theaters?

Paramount’s announcement includes word that the new movie will be on screens on January 29th, 2027.

2016’s ‘The Angry Birds Movie’. Photo: Sony Pictures Releasing.

List of Movies in the ‘Angry Birds’ Franchise:

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Sydney Sweeney in Talks for ‘Gundam’ Movie

by admin | Apr 9, 2025 | Moviephone News, News

Preview:

• Sydney Sweeney is in talks to take a lead role in ‘Gundam.’
• It’ll be the first live-action adaptation of the long-running anime franchise.
• ‘Sweet Tooth’ series boss Jim Mickle is aboard to write and direct.

Having lingered around development limbo for a few years now, the live-action adaptation of giant anime franchise ‘Mobile Suit Gundam’ looks set to get an upgrade in its star power.

“Will you be able to survive?”

According to reporter Jeff Sneider, no less a rising star than Sydney Sweeney is in talks to snag one of the lead roles in what is currently only known as ‘Gundam.’

While a sci-fi movie about hulking, mechanized suits doing battle might seem like an odd turn for her career, Sweeney has shown an admirable willingness to hop around genres, embracing horror and others.

It also marks the first real signs of movement for the movie itself.

Which brings us to…

What is ‘Gundam’?

1979’s ‘Mobile Suit Gundam’. Photo: Nippon Sunrise.

One of the most revered animé, ‘Gundam’ is thought of as the ‘Star Wars’ or Marvel Universe of Japan, and is the pioneer of the mecha genre of IP.

Created by Yoshiyuki Tomino, the ‘Gundam’ franchise spans 83 animated series and movies. Its toy and retail business are huge, with the various products and projects generating over $600 million annually.

The original anime, 1979 series ‘Mobile Suit Gundam,’ is set in the Universal Century, an era in which humanity’s growing population has led people to emigrate to space colonies.

Eventually, the people living in the colonies seek their autonomy, and launch a war of independence against the people living on Earth. The battles in the story are fought by the characters piloting robots known as mobile suits.

Part of the mecha genre, the sci-fi subgenre that centers on robots in combat (and usually they are giant robots), it veered from the formula followed by its mecha predecessors in a manner that added dramatic new tones and textures to the genre.

Previously, the giant robots in mecha stories were presented as almost magical devices with celebrity pilots who operated them via remote control or command. Tomino found those Aladdin-with-a-robot tales flimsy so he re-envisioned them as colossal weapons at the center of a complex military epic.

The giant robots, like Flying Fortress, had crews with ace pilots and everyman mechanics, which lent new perspectives, pathos, and battlefield energy to the saga and then to its genre.

We can trace the likes of ‘Pacific Rim’ to the legacy of the ‘Gundam’ stories, while the character also appeared in Steven Spielberg’s ‘Ready Player One’.

What has happened with the ‘Gundam’ movie so far?

1979’s ‘Mobile Suit Gundam’. Photo: Nippon Sunrise.

Back in 2019, we learned that ‘Y: The Last Man,’ ‘Ex Machina’ and ‘Runaways’ comic book creator Brian K. Vaughan (who has worked on the TV likes of ‘Lost’ and shows spawned from his titles) was hired to start work on a screenplay for Legendary’s live-action take on the ‘Gundam’ adventures –– the first to move it from the animated sphere.

That was followed in 2021 by word that ‘Kong: Skull Island’ director Jordan Vogt-Roberts would be calling the shots on the new movie, which had found a home at Netflix.

But by the time 2024 rolled around, neither Netflix nor Vogt-Roberts were attached, and Legendary had instead hired ‘Sweet Tooth’ showrunner (and horror movie ‘Stake Land’ director) Jim Mickle to tackle the story instead.

He was brought in to also write a new draft of the script; presumably it’s this that has sparked Sweeney’s attention.

Still, it really needs to stand out to make it on to her crowded To Do list…

What else is Sydney Sweeney working on?

(L to R) Glen Powell and Sydney Sweeney in ‘Anyone But You. Photo: Sony Pictures Releasing.

Sweeney’s current schedule is as packed as anyone’s in Hollywood.

Last year included the continued success of hit rom-com ‘Anyone But You’ opposite fellow rising star Glen Powell and Neon horror thriller ‘Immaculate.’

She followed those up with one that she might wish to vanish from her resume, misfiring Spider-Man spin-off ‘Madame Web.’

The actor also filmed the Ron Howard-directed thriller ‘Eden’ about a society of people who opt to start a new life in the Galapagos islands, only for things to wrong. That one should be in theaters this year.

She has shot the Lionsgate adaptation of the novel ‘The Housemaid,’ which has Paul Feige in the director’s chair, and has worked on two other movies, ‘Echo Valley’ about a woman (played by Julianne Moore) whose life is turned upside down when her daughter (Sweeney) shows up covered in someone else’s blood, and a biopic of real-life boxer Christy Martin, with Sweeney in the lead role (not to mention it’s another movie she produced).

(L to R) Brandon Sklenar, Amanda Seyfried, Sydney Sweeney and director Paul Feig at the Lionsgate presentation at CinemaCon 2025 in Las Vegas.Photo: Lionsgate.

Still to come is a starring role in Colman Domingo’s film ‘Scandalous!,’ which will see her playing Kim Novak in the story of the actor’s controversial relationship with Sammy Davis Jr. (played by ‘Alien: Romulus’ David Jonsson).

And that list doesn’t even include the potential movies to which she is attached: that list includes a remake of sci-fi comedy ‘Barbarella,’ thriller ‘The Caretaker’ and a drama called ‘The Registration.’

Finally, we have HBO series ‘Euphoria,’ whose much-delayed third season which is finally filming now for a 2026 release.

Here’s what she told Cosmopolitan about the show’s return:

“We did have a long time between season one and season two, but especially now with the time jump, it’s a new process for me. I’m kind of just learning as I go and being open for whatever’s to come. But I’m also really excited. I love Cassie. She is always such a thrilling character to play, so I’m really looking forward to what’s gonna happen in her life.”

Related Article: Sydney Sweeney Talks ‘Immaculate’ and Why She Loves Horror Movies

When would the ‘Gundam’ movie be on screens?

Legendary has yet to announce when the movie might hit screens, and given that the company usually partners up with a studio for distribution, we’ll have to wait and see where it lands.

But if Sweeney does sign on, it’ll certainly get a boost in the right direction.

Sydney Sweeney in ‘Euphoria.’ Photograph by Eddy Chen/HBO.

Sydney Sweeney Movies and TV Shows:

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Robert Pattinson Rumored for Third ‘Dune’ Movie

by admin | Apr 9, 2025 | Moviephone News, News

Preview:

• ‘Dune’ director Denis Villeneuve is considering Robert Pattinson for the third movie.
• Right now, no formal offer has been made.
• The likes of Timothée Chalamet, Zendaya and Florence Pugh would return.

Having changed his mind about taking a break from the rugged, wind-whipped dunes of Arrakis following ‘Dune: Part Two,’ Denis Villeneuve has actively begun putting the pieces together for a third ‘Dune’ outing.

Not Yet Rated

Paul Atreides, now Emperor Muad’Dib, navigates his immense power while battling political foes and a conspiracy within his circle. As House Atreides faces collapse,… Read the Plot

It’s not entirely surprising, since The first ‘Dune’ released day-and-date on streaming in 2021 amid the pandemic, earned $410 million globally, while 2024’s follow-up brought in $714.6 million globally.

But while Villeneuve looked to be pivoting to another big movie, he’s since confirmed that his focus is now the next ‘Dune,’ likely ‘Dune: Messiah,’ adapting the next book in Frank Herbert’s sprawling novel series.

Director Denis Villeneuve on the ‘Dune: Part Two’ global press tour. Copyright: © 2024 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved.

And according to Deadline, the filmmaker now has his eye on a big name to join the cast: Robert Pattinson.

The actor, known for the ‘Twilight’ franchise and a host of other work since (including the title role in ‘The Batman’) is the subject of interest from Villeneuve and backers Legendary for a key role.

We’d be remiss at this point, if we didn’t point out that this is far from a done deal; in fact, no offer has been made. Yet The Hollywood Reporter brings word that Pattinson is circling the role of the chief villain in the film, one that is possibly Scytale from the Herbert stories.

In case you’ve never cracked the books, he’s a Tleilaxu Face Dancer who participates in the conspiracy to topple the rule of Paul Atreides.

Related Article: Director Denis Villeneuve Talks ‘Dune: Part Two’ Casting and Production

What’s happening with ‘Dune Messiah’?

(L to R) Director / Writer / Producer Denis Villeneuve and Timothee Chalamet on the set of Warner Bros. Pictures and Legendary Pictures’ action adventure ‘Dune: Part Two,’ a Warner Bros. Pictures release. Photo Credit: Niko Tavernise. Copyright: © 2024 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved.

The new ‘Dune’ would continue the story of Timothée Chalamet’s Paul Atreides, who has a powerful and dark destiny to become ruler of the various worlds.

Villeneuve has been clear, however, that this won’t be the third part of a trilogy.

This is what the director said last year:

“First, it’s important that people understand that for me, it was really a diptych. It was really a pair of movies that will be the adaptation of the first book. That’s done and that’s finished. If I do a third one, which is in the writing process, it’s not like a trilogy. It’s strange to say that, but if I go back there, it’s to do something that feels different and has its own identity.”

Villeneuve has been working on the script with regular collaborator Jon Spaihts.

Who will be in ‘Dune: Messiah’?

Florence Pugh as Princess Irulan in Warner Bros. Pictures and Legendary Pictures’ action adventure ‘Dune: Part Two,’ a Warner Bros. Pictures release. Photo Credit: Niko Tavernise. Copyright: © 2023 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Given where the story goes, it’s seemingly a given that stars Timothée Chalamet, Florence Pugh and Zendaya will all return, since Paul Atreides, Princess and Irulan and Chani all feature in the ongoing narrative, not the least because their love/power triangle will be a key part of it.

Also likely to come back? We’d expect Anya Taylor-Joy’s Alia Atreides: Paul’s sister, a powerful figure in the Bene Gesserit, who was in just one scene in ‘Dune: Part Two,’ but has an expanded role to play going forward.

Plus Javier Bardem’s Fremen leader Stilgar.

And that’s not all…

Who else will –– spoiler alert! –– be back for the third ‘Dune’ movie?

Jason Momoa in ‘Dune’. Photo: Warner Bros.

We’re putting this one in its own section, since it constitutes a spoiler and we don’t want anyone who hasn’t read the ‘Dune’ books to have their enjoyment curtailed.

During a recent interview, Jason Momoa revealed that his sword master and mentor Duncan Idaho would be back for the new movie, despite his character dying in the first one.

Here’s what Momoa said on ‘Today’:

“I’m making a comeback. You heard it first, right here with you, baby! Well, I’m not sure if I’m going to get in trouble or not, but it’s the same thing like ‘Game of Thrones’, you know what I mean? If you didn’t read the books, it’s not my fault, right? Yeah, there’s going to be… I’m going to be coming back.”

For the record, and again, spoiler alert: in one of the later books of Frank Herbert’s series, Duncan comes back as a clone.

What else is Robert Pattinson working on?

(L to R) Robert Pattinson as Mickey 18 and Robert Pattinson as Mickey 17 in ‘Mickey 17,’ a Warner Bros. Pictures release. Photo Credit: Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures. Copyright: © 2025 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Pattinson was most recently on screens in Bong Joon Ho’s new sci-fi satire ‘Mickey 17’ about a man who serves on a spaceship who is replaced with a clone of himself every time he dies on board. The film was not a success at the box office.

He’s also worked on Lynne Ramsey’s new comedy horror drama ‘Die, My Love,’ opposite Jennifer Lawrence and has filmed romantic movie ‘The Drama.’

Right now, the actor is at work on Christopher Nolan’s ‘The Odyssey’ for Universal.

And, of course, there is his other big Warners job, Matt Reeves’ long-gestating ‘The Batman’ sequel, which should kick off filming at the end of this year, though it has been through several delays already while Reeves works on the script.

But if Pattinson is able to squeeze in a trip to Arrakis –– assuming he does lock into the movie –– this summer, that would mean him being on set for three giant movies this year alone.

When will the third ‘Dune’ movie touch down in theaters?

Neither Warner Bros. nor Legendary has made any statement about the release date for the new movie.

While Warners had been holding a December 2026 slot for a Villeneuve movie, but that would seem a very tough turnaround for something on the level of a ‘Dune,’ especially when production is only scheduled for later this summer. But watch this space!

A scene from Warner Bros. Pictures and Legendary Pictures’ action adventure ‘Dune: Part Two,’ a Warner Bros. Pictures release. Photo Credit: Courtesy Warner Bros. Pictures. Copyright: © 2023 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Other Movies and TV Shows in the ‘Dune’ Franchise:

Buy ‘Dune’ On Amazon