Industry News
by saidiontheside

saidi’s take – 2/18/2023

A little bit more movie news from this past week…

  • “Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania” has already opened in some foreign countries and has already made $41 million in 2 days.  Those numbers DO NOT include China which opens the movie today.  It also made $17.5 million in Thursday night showings domestically.  Sp, it’s estimated to make around $100 million 3 day and maybe $130 million 4 days weekend domestically.  Worldwide include China it may reach over $300 million.  That’s why I always say movie theaters will stay around because there’s no other way for a single movie to make over $300 million worldwide in 3  or 4 days.
  • According to recent comments by Marvel head Kevin Feige, the Marvel Cinematic Universe will soon have it’s President of the United States.  He said that Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross, formerly played by the late William Hurt and will be played by Harrison Ford starting next summer in the Marvel movie “Captain America: New World Order” will become President.  I’m guessing it will be in that movie and then he’s supposedly also going to be in the other Marvel movie currently scheduled next summer “Thurderbolts” which is about a group of not-so-good heroes.  In the comics, the character Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross also has an evil alter ego – the “Red Hulk”.  No word if that will have to the MCU character in one or the other movie coming next summer.  I’m willing to bet there will be at least a teaser for the “Captain America” moving coming next summer playing with this summers “Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny”.
  • Moving “The Marvels” to Nov explains why there wasn’t a trailer for the movie during last Sundays SuperBowl or premiering this past week to play with this weekends “Ant-Man And The Wasp: Quantumania”.  Instead of that movie, Disney did release a new trailer for this summers live-action “The Little Mermaid” a few days ago.
  • Another movie theater is saved.  This time it’s in New York City.  What is known as the distinctively designed triangular building which was run by Landmark Theaters until 2020 when they shut down due to COVID will be reopened this summer.  Look Dine-In Cinemas just signed a long term lease for the property.  When it opens it will probably be the companies flagship theater since it’s Manhattan location will be their most prominent.

I have amended my previous list of my “Movie to See in 2023”….

  • “Ant-Man And The Wasp: Quantumania” – now REMOVED from my list based on the bad reviews I’ve heard from friends and read.  It currently has a 48% rating on the Rotten Tomatoes website.  One of the lowest ratings for a Marvel movie on the site.
  • “Borderlands” – Cate Blanchett (one of the stars of the movie) recently said that she was working on recording some lines for the movie with Jamie Lee Curtis (who also stars in it) when they both heard about their Academy Award nominations.  So, it looks like the movie is now in post-production.  Maybe it will come out this summer or fall.
  • “The Killer” – According to a Netflix teaser for movies coming in 2023, this movie will be released in theaters in Oct 2023.
  • “The Marvels” – Release date was pushed back to Nov 2023 – as mentioned above.
  • “Untitled Jon Watts Project” – is now titled “Wolfs”.  Brad Pitt and George Clooney were recently seen filming the movie in New York City.  There is still a chance the movie might come out at the end of 2023.
  • One new addition (based on its trailer during the SuperBowl this past weekend).

“Air”

  • Release date: April 15
  • The story of how Nike decided to make a deal with Michael Jordan for the very first basketball player shoe line.  Starring Matt Damon and Ben Affleck and directed by Ben Affleck.
  • The trailer shown during the SuperBowl looked good.  However, from what I’ve read, NO ONE is playing Michael Jordan in the movie (although there’s a brief scene in the trailer showing him from behind).  Having a movie about Michael Jordan but not having him in the movie might be odd.

Little Bit of Humor: A few days ago, they released this first look photo of Lady Gaga….

Yes, it’s a real movie…but what is this I hear about it possibly being a musical.  I know Joaquin Phoenix played Johnny Cash but that doesn’t mean he’s a singer.