Review: "HAUNTED MANSION" is Surprisingly Charming and Delightfully Scary

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 35 of 2024 (No. 1979) by Leroy Douresseaux

Haunted Mansion (2023)

Running time:  123 minutes (2 hours, 3 minutes

MPA – PG-13 for some thematic action and scary action

DIRECTOR:  Justin Simien

WRITER:  Katie Dippold

PRODUCERS:  Jonathan Eirich and Dan Lin

CINEMATOGRAHER:  Jeffrey Waldron (D.o.P.)

EDITOR:  Phillip J. Bartell

COMPOSER:  Kris Bowers

COMEDY/FAMILY/FANTASY/HORROR

Starring:  LaKeith Stanfield, Rosario Dawson, Owen Wilson, Tiffany Haddish, Danny DeVito, Chase Dillon, J.R. Adduci, Charity Jordan, Hasan Minhaj, Daniel Levy, and Jared Leto (voice) with Winona Ryder

Haunted Mansion is a 2023 American supernatural horror-comedy and family film from director Justin Simien.  Released by Walt Disney Pictures, the film is loosely based on the Disney theme park attraction, “The Haunted Mansion,” which first opened at Disneyland in 1969.  Haunted Mansion the movie focuses on a single mom and a group of peculiar locals who attempt to exorcise her new home, an old mansion, of its troublesome ghosts.

Haunted Mansion opens in New Orleans, Louisiana.  Ben Matthias (LaKeith Stanfield) is an astrophysicist developing a camera to detect dark matter.  He marries Alyssa (Charity Jordan), a tour guide for the city's famously haunted places.  Tragedy strikes, and Ben gives up his career and continues to operate Alyssa's tour despite the face that he does not believe in ghosts and the supernatural.

Meanwhile, Gabbie (Rosario Dawson), a doctor from New York, and her young son, Travis (Chase Dillon), move to the formerly lavish, but now rundown mansion, Gracey Manor.  Her plan is to transform the abandoned place into a bed and breakfast, but she and Travis soon discover that the place is infested by so many ghosts that they can't count them all.

Father Kent (Owen Wilson), a local Catholic priest who claims to be an exorcist, is helping Gabbie with the hauntings.  He hires Ben to photograph Gracey Manor's ghosts because Ben has a “dark matter” camera that may be able to photograph ghosts.  Kent also calls in Harriet (Tiffany Haddish), a psychic with genuine abilities, and Bruce (Danny DeVito), a college historian and professor who has written a book on Gracey Manor, as additional help.

However, the ghosts of Gracey Manor immediately attach themselves to anyone who enters the mansion.  Those same ghosts are apparently afraid of an alpha ghost who is seeking one more ghost to add to his menagerie, an act that would give him ultimate power.  Can a singe mother, her son, a grieving tour guide with a ghost camera, an eccentric psychic, an odd priest, a cantankerous historian, and Madame Leota (Jamie Lee Curtis), the ghostly psychic trapped in a huge crystal ball, exercise the horrible evil that haunts Gracey Mansion?  Or will one of them have to make the ultimate sacrifice?

I have to admit that last summer, as I watched the advertisements for Haunted Mansion, I could never convince myself that it was a must-see film.  I did plan to see it... eventually because I had seen the previous take on the Disney ride, the Eddie Murphy-vehicle, The Haunted Mansion (2003).  Also, I have had my eye on Justin Simien, the director of Haunted Mansion, since I saw his 2014 film, Dear White People.  But I thought I could wait, and so I did.

Recently, I finally did see Haunted Mansion, and I am surprised by how much I like it.  It is sweet and charming, and it is one of those perfect scary family movies.  I love it.  July 28, 2024 was the one-year anniversary of Haunted Mansion original theatrical release, and the film was a huge box office disappointment.  The mistake was Disney releasing the film against 2023's box office behemoths, Barbie and Oppenheimer, which were still at the height of their box office powers in the last weekend of July 2023.

Haunted Mansion should have been a late September to early October 2023 theatrical release.  This film is perfect Halloween, from its kooky cast of characters to the literal 1001 ghosts with stories.  I think Tiffany Haddish gets the most eccentric mileage out of her character, the psychic Harriet.  Although, LaKeith Stanfield can be a bit stiff at times, the way he plays Ben Matthias brings some center and balance to the wackiness and supernatural craziness.

Jamie Lee Curtis shines in her small role as the ghostly psychic, Madame Leota, and Owen Wilson as Father Kent and Danny DeVito as Bruce are pitch perfect.  Rosario Dawson and Chase Dillon are perfectly “Disney normal” as the mother and son combo of Gabbie and Travis.

Writer Katie Dippold's screenplay, Justin Simien's direction, and the rest of the film's creative crew deliver a haunted house film that is as lavish in its production values as it is rich in chills and thrills.  The cast fills that haunted house with the consummate scary movie characters.  The Haunted Mansion 2003 was a bit of a box office disappointment, but it has gone on to become a Disney television Halloween favorite.  Given time, Haunted Mansion 2023 will also become a beloved Disney Halloween trick-or-treat. 

8 of 10

A

★★★★ out of 4 stars

Tuesday, August 13, 2024

The text is copyright © 2024 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved.  Contact this blog or site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

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Negromancer News Bits and Bites from January 15th to 21st, 2023 - Update #19

by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"

You can support Leroy via Paypal or on Patreon:

ENTERTAINMENT AND CULTURE NEWS:

SUNDANCE - From Deadline:  Director Doug Liman says that "Justice," his self-funded documentary about sexual assault allegations against now Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh, might be far from finished as new tips started pouring within a half hour of the highly-secretive project being announced on Thursday (Jan. 19th).  The film made its debut at the Sundance Film Festival 2023 on Friday (Jan. 2th).

From HuffPost:  This is another article on the documentary, "Justice," which focuses on the history of sexual abuse on the part of disgraced and disgraceful Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh.

RUST - From Deadline:  New Mexico First Judicial District Attorney Mary Carmack-Altwies announced that Alec Baldwin and armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed will face criminal charges for the October 2021 fatal shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the set of the Western film, "Rust."  Each will be charged with two counts of involuntary manslaughter in Hutchins’ death.

MOVIES - From Deadline:  Disney is developing its next TRON film, "Tron: Ares," with Jared Leto as its star.  Joachim Ronning is in negotiations to direct.

TELEVISION - From Deadline:  After diving deep into the Los Angeles Lakers' dynasty in the HBO miniseries, "Winning Time,"  executive producer and writer, Rodney Barnes, will take on the legendary boxer and icon of African-American manhood, Jack Johnson, as writer and executive producer in a new HBO miniseries starring Oscar-winner, Mahershala Ali.

MOVIES - From Deadline:  Antoine Fuqua is set to direct "Michael," a Lionsgate drama telling the complex life story of the iconic singer Michael Jackson.  John Logan has written the script. The film will be produced by Graham King via his GK Films alongside the co-executors of Jackson’s estate, John Branca and John McClain.

NETFLIX - From Variety:  Netflix executives unveil its lineup of 2023 releases, which include director Zack Snyder's "Rebel Moon" (a sci-fi film in the vein of "Star Wars") and "Knives Out 3."

TELEVISION - From Variety:  NBC's comedy revival, "Night Court," debuted its first two episodes to strong ratings, making it NBC's best comedy premiere since its 2017 "Will & Grace" revival.

MOVIES - From THR:  Michael B. Jordan will star in "Rainbow Six," an adaptation of a novel by Tom Clancy.  The film will be directed by Chad Stahelski ("John Wick" franchise) and will also be a follow up to the 2021 film, "Without Remorse" (based on another Clancy book), which Paramount Pictures licensed to Amazon for streaming.

STREAMING - From Deadline:  Oscar winner and big screen legend, Meryl Streep, is joining Season 3 of Hulu's hit mystery-comedy, "Only Murders in the Building," but the specifics of her role is being kept secret.

MARVEL STUDIOS - From Deadline: China’s unofficial ban on Marvel Studios is apparently lifting. Disney/Marvel’s "Black Panther: Wakanda Forever" (Feb. 7th) and "Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania" (Feb. 17th) have both secured release dates in China, ending a three-and-a-half year period during which movies featuring Marvel characters did not gain entry to the world’s second largest box office market. 

BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficePro:  The winner of the 1/13 to 1/15/2023 weekend box office is "Avatar: The Way of Water" with an estimated take of 31.1 million dollars.

From Here:  Leroy Douresseaux's review of "Avatar: The Way of Water."

TELEVISION - From Deadline:  The cable networks, "USA Network" and "Syfy," have renewed their horror series, "Chucky" for a third season.

From Deadline:  The cable network, "Syfy," has renewed its comedy-drama-fantasy series, "Reginald the Vampire" for a second season.

MOVIES - From Deadline:  Director Todd Field ("Tar") talks about the time superhero Tom Cruise told him how to save Field's 2001 film, "In the Bedroom," from the depravations of convicted sexual predator and Oscar-winning studio boss, Harvey Weinstein.

OBITS:

From Deadline:  Legendary American singer-songwriter and guitarist, David Crosby, has died at the age of 81, Thursday, January 19, 2023.  Crosby was a founding member of "The Byrds," one of the most influential rock bands of all time.  He later co-founded the folk rock super-group, "Crosby, Stills & Nash," with Stephen Stills and Graham Nash.  Neil Young would later join and on-off over the next five decades, they were sometimes known as "Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young."  Crosby also recorded as a solo artist, and he was a 10-time Grammy Award nominee.

From Deadline:  Italian actress, Gina Lollobrigida, has died at the age of 95, Monday, January 16, 2023.  An icon of Italian cinema, Lollobrigida  was also known for such American and international productions as "Beat the Devil" (with Humphrey Bogart, 1953), "Solomon and Sheba" (1959), and "Come September" to name a few.

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AWARDS:

From Variety:  The nominations for the 2023 EE BAFTA Awards have been announced. The Netflix World War I drama, "All Quiet on the Western Front," leads with 14 nominations.  The winners will be announced Sunday, February 19, 2023.

From Deadline:  The winners were announced at the 2023 / 28th annual Critics Choice Awards.  "Everything Everywhere All at Once" was named "Best Picture."

From Deadline:  The nominees for the 2023 / 34th Producers Guild of America Awards have been announced in both film and TV categories.  The winners will be announced Sat. Feb. 25th, 2023.

From Deadline:  The nominations for the 2023 / 29th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards have been announced.  The winners will be announced Sun., Feb. 26th, 2023.

From Deadline:  The National Society of Film Critics has named "Tar" its "Best Picture" of 2023 and its star, Cate Blanchette, as "Best Actress."

From Deadline:  The nominations for the 2023 / 23rd Annual Black Reel Awards have been announced.  "Black Panther: Wakanda Forever" and "The Woman King" have tied for the lead in nominations with 14 apiece.  The winners will be announced February 6, 2023.

From Deadline:  The Black Film Critics Circle named "The Woman King" the "Best Film" of 2022.

From Deadline:  The winners of the 2022 Los Angeles Film Critics Association (LAFCA) Awards have been announced.  "Everything Everywhere All at Once" and "Tar" tie for "Best Picture" award.

From Deadline:  The nominations for the 2023 / 80th annual Golden Globes Awards were announced today (Mon., Dec. 12th).  "The Banshees of Inisherin" led the film field with eight nominations. ABC's "Abbot Elementary" lead the TV side with five nominations.  The winners will be announced January 10, 2023.

From Deadline:  The American Film Institute (AFI) has named its "AFI Awards Film" list of "Top 10 Films of 2022."  The list includes "Avatar: The Way of Water," "Top Gun: Maverick," and "The Woman King."

From THR:  The African-American Film Critics Association name "The Woman King" the "Best Film of 2022."

From Deadline:  The nominations for the "2023 Critics Choice Awards" in the television categories have been announced.  ABC's sitcom, "Abbot Elementary" leads the nominations.  The winners will be announced Sunday, January 15, 2023 and broadcast on The CW.

From Variety:  The 2022 / 88th Annual New York Film Critics Circle (NYFCC) Awards have been announced.  Todd Field's "Tar" wins "Best Film" and "Best Actress" (Cate Blanchett).  Keke Palmer wins "Best Supporting Actress" for her performance in "Nope."

From Deadline:  "Everything Everywhere All at Once" wins the "Best Feature" award at the 2022 / 32nd Annual Gotham Awards, one of two wins for the film.

From IndieWire:  The nominations for the 2023 Film Independent Spirit Awards have been announced.   "Everything Everywhere All at Once" leads with eight nominations.  The winners will be announced March 4th, 2023.

From Variety:  The nominations for the 2022 / 32nd Annual Gotham Awards were announced a month ago.  Todd Field's "Tar" leads with five nominations.  The winners will be announced Monday, November 28th.

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BRITTNEY GRINER:

From CBSNews:  WNBA star Brittney Griner has been released from her Russian imprisonment in a one-for-one prisoner swap for notorious international arms dealer, Viktor Bout.

From NBCNews:   Brittney Griner will enter a system of isolation, grueling labor and psychological torment when she is transferred to a penal colony, the successor to the infamous Russian gulag, to fulfill a nine-year sentence handed down Tuesday in Moscow, former prisoners and advocates said.

From NBCNews:  A Russian court has rejected Brittney Griner's appeal of her nine-year prison sentence on (fake) drug charges.

From Reuters:  Russia says that it is ready to talk prisoner swamp for Brittney Griner and U.S. Marine veteran Paul Whelan, but also scolds the U.S. Embassy.

From TheDailyBeast:   Legendary NBA bad boy and champion (Detroit Pistons, Chicago Bulls), Dennis Rodman claims that he has been given permission to go to Russia and help free imprisoned hostage, WNBA star, Brittney Griner.

From Vox:  Vox's Jonathan Guyer talks the Brittney Griner case with Danielle Gilbert, a Dartmouth professor who is writing a book about states and rogue actors that take hostages.

From ESPN:   A Russian court sentenced WNBA star Brittney Griner to nine years in prison Thursday, Aug. 4th.  Griner was arrested Feb. 17 for bringing cannabis into the country and pleaded guilty July 7, though the case continued under Russian law.

From ESPN:  The Biden administration has offered a deal to Russia aimed at bringing home WNBA star Brittney Griner and another jailed American, Paul Whelan, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Wednesday.

From RSN:  "Will Support From LeBron James, Joe Rogan, Kim Kardashian, and Other Celebrities Help Free Brittney Griner From a Russian Prison?" by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar via Substack

From ESPN:  Detained WNBA star Brittney Griner pleaded guilty on Thursday to bringing hashish oil into Russia, telling a judge that she had done so "inadvertently" while asking the court for mercy.

From CBSSports:  The Brittney Griner situation explained.

From RSN:  According to The Washington Post Editorial Board: "Brittney Griner is a hostage, plain and simple."

Review: "MORBIUS" is Anemic, But Jared Leto is Hot Blooded

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 18 of 2022 (No. 1830) by Leroy Douresseaux

Morbius (2022)
Running time:  104 minutes (1 hour, 44 minutes)
MPAA – PG-13 for intense sequences of violence, some frightening images, and brief strong language
DIRECTOR:  Daniel Espinosa
WRITERS:  Matt Sazama and Burk Sharpless; from a story by Matt Sazama and Burk Sharpless (based on the Marvel Comics)
PRODUCERS:  Avi Arad, Matt Tolmach, and Lucas Foster
CINEMATOGRAPHER:  Oliver Wood
EDITOR:  Pietro Scalia
COMPOSER:  Joe Ekstrand

SUPERHERO/FANTASY/HORROR/ACTION

Starring:  Jared Leto, Adria Arjona, Jared Harris, Matt Smith, Al Madrigal, Charlie Shotwell, Joseph Esson, and Tyrese Harris and Michael Keaton

Morbius is a 2022 superhero fantasy-horror and action film directed by Daniel Espinosa.  The movie is based on the Marvel Comics character, “Morbius, the Living Vampire”/Dr. Michael Morbius, which was created by writer Roy Thomas and artist Gil Kane and first appeared in The Amazing Spider-Man #101 (cover dated: October 1971).  This is also the third film in “Sony's Spider-Man Universe” (SSU) series.  Morbius the film focuses on a scientist who tries to cure himself of a rare blood disease but instead turns himself into a new kind of vampire.

Morbius introduces Dr. Michael Morbius (Jared Leto).  He is a genius, a scientist, and has a talent for fabricating technology.  He is also suffering from a rare blood disease and has spent his adult life looking for a cure to that disease which often kills those afflicted with it at a young age.  Michael is 35-years-old, and he recently refused a Nobel Prize.

Michael is currently engaged in illegal experiments involving vampire bats that he stole from a cave in Costa Rica.  Although she is critical of him for these experiments, Martine Bancroft (Adria Arjona), Michael's fellow scientist and girlfriend, works with him.  Once he believes that he has finally created the cure for his rare blood disease, Michael injects himself with the formula.  Michael's body is transformed into that of an Olympic-level athlete, but the cure also turns him into a vampire – one with a powerful blood lust.  Now, the bodies of people with the blood drained from their bodies are being found all over the city.  Is Morbius the killer … or is Morbius responsible?

Morbius is about Morbius.  The only other character that this film allows any traction is Martine Bancroft.  It isn't that the screenplay is shallow; I find that it attempts a serious contemplation of both Dr. Michael Morbius' character and Morbius the vampire's dilemma.  I wish the film's story had taken more time with the two FBI agents hunting Morbius, comic relief Alberto “Al” Rodriguez (Al Madrigal) and the really serious Black man, Simon Stroud (Tyrese Gibson).

Morbius may be Jared Leto's best performance in a film in years.  I prefer Leto's Dr. Michael Morbius to “Rayon,” the drug addicted, HIV-positive trans woman he played in the 2013 film, Dallas Buyers Club.  Leto won a “Best Supporting Actor” Oscar for playing Rayon, a character I found shallow.  In Morbius, Leto's good looks, his vanity, his obvious acting talent, and his imaginative approach to fashioning characters and performances serve both him and film, quite well.  I found both Dr. Michael Morbius and Morbius the vampire to be endlessly fascinating characters and not at all shallow.

It feels weird for me to recommend this film for Jared Leto's performance, but I am.  Morbius is officially part of a superhero film universe.  Adrian Toomes/Vulture (Michael Keaton) from the 2017 film, Spider-Man: Homecoming, even makes an appearance in Morbius in order to solidify some connections between Sony's Spider-Man Universe (SSU) and the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU).  That connection thrills the fanboy in me.  I like Morbius, and I am giving it a higher grade than I probably would.  And that is because of Jared Leto's outstanding work in Morbius.

6 of 10
B

Friday, April 1, 2022


The text is copyright © 2022 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

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#28DaysofBlack Review: "SUICIDE SQUAD" Kills Itself

[It is a testament to Will Smith's status as an international box office star that even after some misfires Warner Bros. looked to him to be the face of their superhero/anti-hero film, Suicide Squad.  The film is actually terrible.  However, five non-white actors play costumed characters in this film, and, at least another five have speaking roles, including the great Viola Davis.  So, no, Suicide Squad is not a “Black film,” but prior to Disney/Marvel Studios' Black Panther, few comic book films were blacker.]

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 8 of 2021 (No. 1746) by Leroy Douresseaux

[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]

Suicide Squad (2016)
Running time:  123 minutes (2 hours, 3 minutes)
MPAA – PG - 13 for sequences of violence and action throughout, disturbing behavior, suggestive content and language
DIRECTOR:  David Ayer
WRITER:  David Ayer (based on characters appearing in comic books published by DC Comics)
PRODUCERS:  Charles Roven and Richard Suckle
CINEMATOGRAPHER:  Roman Vasyanov (D.o.P.)
EDITOR:  John Gilroy
COMPOSER:  Steven Price
Academy Award winner

SUPERHERO/FANTASY/ACTION/DRAMA

Starring:  Will Smith, Margot Robbie, Jared Leto, Joel Kinnaman, Jai Courtney, Jay Hernandez, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, Karen Fukuhara, Care Delevingne, Shailyn Pierre-Dixon, Ike Barinholtz, Common, Alain Chanoine, Adam Beach, Scott Eastwood, and Viola Davis with Ben Affleck

Suicide Squad is a 2016 superhero film from writer-director David Ayer.  The film is based on the DC Comics team of antiheroes, Suicide Squad, and also features characters associated with DC Comics' Batman franchise.  Suicide Squad the movie focuses on a team of incarcerated supervillains forced together to save the world from a supernatural apocalypse.

Suicide Squad opens some time after the death of Superman (in Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice).  Intelligence officer Amanda Waller (Viola Davis) believes that the United States government must prepare for the day when the next Superman is not so friendly.  She believes that the U.S. government should have its own arsenal of metahumans (beings with extraordinary powers and abilities) to respond to extraordinary threats.  Thus, Waller assembles what she calls “Task Force X,” a team composed of dangerous criminals who also possess super-powers.

She finds that kind of criminal at Belle Reve Prison, a federal penitentiary for metahumans.  The first two recruits are the elite hit man, Deadshot (Will Smith), and former psychiatrist, Harley Quinn (Margot Robbie), who also happens to be the love interest of Batman's archenemy, The Joker (Jared Leto).  The next recruits include the pyrokinetic (fire-starter) and ex-gang banger, El Diablo (Jay Hernandez); the boomerang-wielding thief, Captain Boomerang (Jay Courtney); the genetic mutation, Killer Croc (Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje), and the mercenary, Slipknot (Adam Beach).

This group, called “Suicide Squad” by Deadshot, are placed under the command of Army Special Forces Colonel Rick Flag (Joel Kinnaman) to be used as disposable assets in high-risk missions for the United States government.  Their first mission takes them to Midway City where an apocalypse is brewing, created by a mystical creature familiar to Colonel Flag.

Suicide Squad is a genuinely terrible movie, and dear readers, I don't think that it is worth going into too much detail about all that is bad.  It is also a genuinely disappointing movie, as there are elements in the story that could have been developed to make this a good movie.  The opening sequences, two vignettes about Deadshot and Harley Quinn are... cool.  They made me think that Suicide Squad was going to surprise me and be a good movie...  The scenes between Deadshot/Floyd Lawton and his daughter, Zoe (Shailyn Pierre-Dixon), are also among the too few nice moments of drama in this film.

I would also be remiss if I did not comment on Jared Leto's depiction/version of The Joker.  Following the late Heath Ledger's stunning portrayal of the Joker in 2008's The Dark Knight (for which he posthumously received a best supporting actor Oscar), Leto was in a no-win situation.  Actually, Leto and Suicide Squad writer-director David Ayer do come up with a version of the Joker that is almost a good follow-up to Ledger's legendary turn.  Why do I say “almost?”  Well, it is as if Leto and Ayer got the character right and then, did not have the smarts or had too much ego to stop.  What could have been a truly frightening and terrifyingly creepy Joker often becomes an over-the-top character that causes goosebumps and eye-rolling in equal measure.

Well, I have to give Warner Bros. credit; it has produced three mediocre or bad films based on DC Comics characters, and these movies have all been box office blockbusters.  Suicide Squad was a blockbuster waste of my time.  It is clunky and weird, and does not know if it wants to be a superhero film, a movie about antiheroes, a special forces movie, or a supernatural-fantasy-action movie.  It is like a messy soup with all the wrong ingredients from four or five different recipes.

3 of 10
D+

Saturday, June 10, 2017


NOTES:
2017 Academy Awards, USA:  1 win: “Best Achievement in Makeup and Hairstyling” (Alessandro Bertolazzi, Giorgio Gregorini, and Christopher Allen Nelson)


The text is copyright © 2017 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

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Negromancer News Bits and Bites from August 9th to 15th, 2020 - Update #24

by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"

Support Leroy on Patreon:

ENTERTAINMENT NEWS:

ANIMATION - From THR:  The Oregon-based animation studio, Laika, has laid off 56 employees due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but the studio says they will be rehired at a future date.  The studios has produced several Oscar-nominated animated films, including "Coraline," "ParaNorman," and "The Missing Link."

MOVIES - From Variety:  Comedian Tig Notaro will replace actor-comedian Chris D'Elia in Zack Snyder's zombie movie, "Army of the Dead."  D'Elia has been recently accused of sexually harassing underage girls.  "Army of the Dead," which has been called a "spiritual sequel" to Snyder 2004 film, "Dawn of the Dead," will undergo reshoots to add Notaro into the film.

ANIMATION-POLITICS - From Deadline:  "The Simpsons'" Marge Simpson hits back at a White House aide who compared Democratic Vice-Presidential pick, Kamala Harris' voice to hers.

TELEVISION - From TheWrap:  The pop culture network, G4, is apparently making a return, and former G4 host, actress Olivia Munn, is reportedly returning as part of the relaunch deal.

AVATAR - From YahooEntertainment:  "Avatar 2," James Cameron's sequel to his mega-hit, "Avatar," will make use of practical set in addition to a massive use of CGI and motion-capture.

STREAMING - From BleedingCool:  Horror label, Blumhouse Productions, is teaming up with Amazon Original Movies to produce eight thematically connected films.  The first four debut in October 2021, with the remaining four coming in 2021.  There are synopses for the first four films.

TELEVISION - From THR:  Seth MacFarlane of "Family Guy" is producing a new TV adaptation of author Herman Wouk's novels "The Winds of War" (1971) and "War and Remembrance" (1978) for Universal Consent Productions.  Both books were previously produced as TV miniseries for ABC.  At the time of its release in 1983, "The Winds of War" was the most watched miniseries of all time.  "War and Remembrance" the miniseries ran from November 1988 to May 1989.

MOVIES - From YahooEntertainment:   Oscar-winnner Octavia Butler talks about being paid what she's worth for film and TV roles.

POLITICS - From BET:   Former Vice President Joe Biden, the 2020 presumptive Democratic nominee for President of the United States, has chosen California Senator Kamala Harris as his running mate. The formal nomination will take place during the virtual 2020 Democratic National Convention next week. 

ANIMATION - From Deadline:  "SpongeBob SquarePants" is getting a spin-off.  It's the animated TV series, "The Patrick Star Show," and it will feature Patrick hosting his own late-night talk show.  Voice recording on the series has reportedly started.

STREAMING - From Deadline:   Martin Scorsese has signed a first-look deal with Apple.  The Oscar-winning director will base his production banner, Sikelia Productions, at Apple for film and TV series developments.

JAMES BOND - From YahooEntertainment:  Sean Connery voted best James Bond by a fan vote.  [I choose Roger Moore - Leroy.]

MUSIC - From YahooToday:  Twin brothers, Tim and Fred Williams, have gone viral on YouTube with their reaction to Grammy-winning recording artist, Phil Collins' iconic drum fill on his 1981 hit, "In the Air Tonight."

WARNER MEDIA - From Deadline:  Now, the layoffs at WarnerMedia begin in a bid to streamline the company.

From Deadline:  WarnerMedia has undergone some big changes at the very top of the company with a chairman and two executives leaving.

DISNEY - From Deadline:  Garth Davis, who directed the 2016 Oscar-nominated drama, "Lion," will direct Jared Leto is Disney's planned third "Tron" film.

MOVIES - From Deadline:  Actor Ben Affleck's next effort at directing film will be "The Big Goodbye."  The film will tell the behind-the-scenes story of the making of one of Hollywood's greatest films, "Chinatown" (1974).

BOX OFFICE - From Deadline:  The top film for the 8/7 to 8/9/2020 weekend box office is "Tax Collector" (starring Shia LeBeouf) with an estimated take of $317,000.  The movie exhibition marketplace is still being stricken by COVID-19.

ANIMATION - From LATimes:  Black animators demanded change in Hollywood for years.  Now, in the wake of George Floyd's death, they have Hollywood's attention.

DISNEY - From EW:  The documentary film, "Howard," takes a look at the life and work of playwright and lyricist, Howard Ashman, who wrote the lyrics to Alan Menken's music for Disney's animated films, "The Little Mermaid" and "Beauty and the Beast."

OBITS:

From THR:  One of America's all-time great media moguls, Sumner Redstone, has died at the age of 97, Tuesday, August 11, 2020.  He is best known for bringing Viacom, Paramount Pictures, and CBS together to form one media giant.  When CBS and Viacom split, Redstone remained chairman of both companies, although each had its own CEO.

From Deadline:  The actor and singer, Trini Lopez, has died at the age of 83, Tuesday, August 11, 2020 of complications of COVID-19.  His hit songs include the 1963 version of the song, "If I Had a Hammer," and the 1965 version of "Lemon Tree."  His best known role was as one of the "Dirty Dozen" (Pedro Jimenez), in the 1967 film, "The Dirty Dozen."

CORONAVIRUS/COVID-19 NEWS:

From CDC:   The Centers for Disease Control has a "COVID Data Tracker."

From YahooNews:  Why does COVID-19 kill some people and hardly affects others?

From YahooNews:  Yahoo has a dedicated page of links updating news about COVID-19.

From Deadline:  The news site "Deadline" has a dedicated page for news about coronavirus and the film, TV, and entertainment industries.

From TheNewYorker:  The venerable magazine has a dedicate COVID-19 page free to all readers.

From YahooNews:  Re: the federal government's response to COVID-19: What if the most important election of our lifetime was the last one - 2016?

From YahooLife:  What is "happy hypoxia?"  And do you have this COVID-19 symptom?

From JuanCole:  Remeber when President Donald went crazy and suggested that we ingest household cleaning supplies and UV light to fight COVID-19.  Here is the video and commentary from Juan Cole.

From TheIntercept:  The federal government has ramped up security and police-related spending in response to the COVID-19/coronavirus pandemic, including issuing contracts for riot gear, disclosures show. The purchase orders include requests for disposable cuffs, gas masks, ballistic helmets, and riot gloves...

From TheAtlantic:  The Coronavirus Was an Emergency Until Trump Found Out Who Was Dying. The pandemic has exposed the bitter terms of our racial contract, which deems certain lives of greater value than others.

From ProPublica:  Hospital's Secret COVID-19 Policy Separated Native American Mothers From Their Newborns

From TheGuardian:  More than 20 million Americans could have contracted COVID-19, experts say.

From RSN/WashPost:  The COVID-19 mutation that has taken over the world.

7/13 - From YahooSports:  Maybe a pandemic means that there will not be college football this fall.

7/13- From YahooNews:  The CDC adds four new symptoms (including nausea and purple or blue lesions on feet and toes) to the list of COVID-19 symptoms.

7/19 - From YahooFinance:  Harvard Public Health professor Dr. Howard Koh says the U.S. "needs to regroup" to find COVID-19.

7/22 - From YahooNews:  A public health employee predicted Florida's coronavirus catastrophe — then she was fired.

7/22 - From YahooLifestyle:  Florida mom loses son, 20, to coronavirus, and then days later, her daughter.

7/23 - From TheWrap:  The site has a list of movie and TV stars, entertainment and sports figures who have tested positive for COVID-19

From YahooEntertainment:  Oscar-winning filmmaker Mel Gibson reveals that he was hospitalized with COVID-19 for a week in April.

From Bloomberg:  Will the COVID-19 pandemic turn Millennials into socialists?

7/27 - From CNN:   Chief of critical care at Baltimore's Mercy Medical Center, Dr. Joseph Costa, passes away due to Covid-19 complications... after treating the hospital's sickest COVID-19 patients.  He was 56 and leaves behind family, including a husband of 28 years.

7/29 - From YahooPolitico:  Rep. Louie Gohmert, the defiant Texas Republican U.S. congressman who refused to wear a mask, has tested positive for COVID-19.

7/30 - From Deadline:  Emmy-winning actor Bryan Cranston ("Breaking Bad") reveals that he had a bout with COVID-19.

7/31 - From YahooEntertainment:  Writer and actress, Lena Dunham, creator of HBO's "Girls, reveals that she contracted COVID-19 and the symptoms she experiences and still experience.

7/30 - From YahooGMA:  In their bid to crackdown on illegal gatherings amid COVID-19, New York authorities break up an alleged sex party.

7/31 - From Slate:  COVID-19 is airborne - for reals!

8/2 - From TheDailyBeast:  In Mississippi, COVID-19 has coroners terrified.

8/6 - From CNN:  Ohio Governor Mike DeWine (Republican) has tested positive for COVID19.

8/6 - From YahooNews:  Testing everyone constantly could stop the spread of COVID-19... according to this article.

8/8 - From YahooNYT:  The coronavirus is new, but your immune system might recognize it.

8/8 - From YahooNBC:  They thought COVID-19 was a hoax, and they almost died from it or are watching family and loved ones suffer with it or die from it.

8/9 - From YahooNews:  The rest of the world is incredulous at the pitiful U.S. response to COVID-19.

8/9 - From YahooAFP:  According to the real-time tally kept by John Hopkins University, the United States has hit 5 million cases of COVID-19.

BLACK LIVES MATTER:

From RSN:   Judge's Blistering Opinion Says Courts Have Placed Police Beyond Accountability

From Billboard:  In an interview will the venerable music publication, legendary country music singer-songwriter and actress, Dolly Parton, expresses support for the "Black Lives Matter" movement.

Negromancer News Bits and Bites from June 24th to 30th, 2018 - Update #8

Support Leroy on Patreon:

DISNEY - From SideshowToys:  It is the 30th anniversary of "Who Framed Roger Rabbit?" So here are "Amazing Facts You May Not Know About Who Framed Roger Rabbit."

----------
MOVIES - From Variety:  Greta Gerwig, hot off her Oscar-nominated film, "Lady Bird," is eyeing a retelling of "Little Women," with Meryl Streep, Emma Stone, and Saoirse Ronan interested in appearing in the film.

----------
MUSIC - From YahooMusic:  A look back at Guns N' Roses landmark debut album, "Appetite for Destruction."

----------
COMICS-FILM - From THR:  Jared Leto to play "Morbius the Living Vampire," (a Marvel character associated with Spider-Man) in a Sony film.

----------
DISNEY - From THR:  Disney-Fox deal approved by the U.S. Department of Justice.

----------
COMICS-FILM - From TheWrap:  Jeremy Irons joins Damon Lindelof's "Watchmen" pilot for HBO.  Like the awful 2009 film, it will be some kind of adaptation of Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons' legendary 1980s comic book series.

----------
CULTURE-RACE - From NYTimes:  Charles M. Blow talks about Donald Trump, his supporters, and "White Extinction Anxiety."

----------
BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficeMojo:  The winner of the 6/22 to 6/24/2018 weekend box office is the sequel, "Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom," with an estimated take of $150 million.

----------
POLITICS - From YahooEntertainment:  Grammy-winning recording artist and actor, Sting, criticizes world leaders over the handling of refugees.

OBITS:

From Variety:  Famed science fiction, speculative fiction, and television writer, Harlan Ellison, has died at the age of 84, Thursday, June 28, 2018.  Ellison wrote the most famous episode of the original "Star Trek," "City at the Edge of Forever."  Ellison also wrote for "The Outer Limits," two episodes of which would later lead Ellison to sue the producers of James Cameron's "The Terminator."

From TMZ:  Joe Jackson, the patriarch of the Jackson family, has died at the age of 89, Wednesday, June 27, 2018.  He was the parent and manager of the Jackson 5 (with some help from Diana Ross) and later directed his children, Janet Jackson and the late Michael Jackson, into hugely successful solo music recording careers.

Negromancer News Bits and Bites from August 14th to 20th, 2016 - Update #42

Support Leroy on Patreon.

MOVIES - From USWeekly:  Natalie Portman says the late Lauren Bacall did not like her.

----------
MOVIES - From TheGuardian:  Joseph Goebbels 105-year-old former secretary still playing dumb in the documentary, "A German Life."

----------
CRIME - From TheGuardian:  Police Will Be Required to Report Officer-Involved Deaths Under New US System.

----------
ECO - From RSN:  Politicians in Louisiana finally try to hold oil companies accountable for what they have done to the coast and marshes of the state.

----------
TELEVISION - From YahooCelebrity:  Steven Bochco, the creator of the seminal televisions series, "NYPD Blue," has a new memoir, "Truth is a Total Defense."  He details the antics of David Caruso, who was ostensibly the lead actor and star of the series, who left the series four episodes into the second season.

----------
COMICS-FILM - From YahooMovies:  Zendaya is playing a character named "Michlle" or "M.J." in "Spider-Man: Homecoming."

From EW:  "Guardians of the Galaxy" director James Gunn addresses the fake controversy over Zendaya's casting as "M.J."

----------
OBIT - From Variety:  The actor Jack Riley has died at the age of 80, Friday, August 19, 2016.  He was known for his work on "The Bob Newhart Show" and for providing the voice of "Stu Pickles" on the "Rugrats" animated series.

----------
COMICS-FILM - From Variety:  Vin Diesel confirms that the Guardians of the Galaxy will be in "Avengers: Infinity War."

----------
FILM - From Variety:  Ben Affleck is in talks with fox to star in and to direct a remake of "Witness for the Prosecution."

----------
COMICS-FILM - From WeGotThisCovered:  In "Spider-Man: Homeing," Bokeem Woodbine is apparently playing the villain, "The Shocker."

----------
MOVIES - From YahooMovies:  "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them" (a "Harry Potter" spinoff) adds Zoe Kravitz.  She has a small role in the first film, but may have a bigger role in the sequel (due in 2018)/

----------
MOVIES - From YahooMovies:  Jared Leto joins "Blade Runner" sequel.

----------
OBAMA - From YahooNews:  Louisiana newspaper, The Advocate, is demanding that President Obama end his vacation at Martha's Vineyard and visit Louisiana because of the devastating flooding.  The Advocate never endorsed President Obama, and he never got more than 40 percent of the vote in La.  So call McCain and Romney.  By the way, I escaped the devastation and only have minor home issues, but in my area, some people did get it bad.

---------
MOVIES - From Deadline:  Will Ferrell and John C.. Reilly, the star duo of the film, "Step Brothers," reunited from a comic take on Sherlock Holmes in "Holmes & Watson."

----------
MOVIES - From Variety:  Leslie Odom, Jr. in talks to join Kenneth Branagh's "Murder on the Orient Express."  Odom won a Tony Award for "Best Actor" in his role as Aaron Burr in the smash musical, "Hamilton."

----------
OBIT - From TheWrap:  The film director, Arthur Hiller, has dies at the age of 92, Wednesday, August 17, 2016.  Hiller's best known film was "Love Story," and he was the president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences from 1993 to 1997.

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COMICS-TV - From EOnline:  Josh Schwartz, the man behind the hit TV shows, "Gossip Girl" and "The O.C.," will develop the Marvel Comic book, Runaways, as a TV series for Hulu.  Stephanie Savage, also of "Gossip Girl," will join him in the development.

----------
OBIT-POLITICS - From People:  The political pundit and TV host, John McLaughlin, has died at the age of 89, Tuesday, August 16, 2016.  He was the host of the "The McLaughlin Group," a political round table show on PBS, for 34 years.

----------
POLITICS - From RSN: Oscar-winning documentary filmmaker Michael Moore says:  "Trump Is Self-Sabotaging His Campaign Because He Never Really Wanted the Job in the First Place"

----------
SPORTS - From YahooSports:  Another victory by Sweden's women soccer team at the Olympics basically says "F'you!" to U.S. soccer whiner, Hope Solo.

----------
MOVIES - From CinemaBlend:  Kevin Bacon would not mind being Freddy Krueger.

-----------
COMICS-FILM - From SFGate:  First look at "Spider-Man: Homecoming" poster.

----------
CULTURE - From Breitbart:  When he says "Dangerous Faggot Tour," he means "Clownish Cocksucker Tour."

----------
MOVIES - From THR:  The Nate Parker "rape case" from 17 years ago is now a new controversy.  The alleged victim's family says "...we are dubious of the underlying motivations that bring this to present light after 17 years, and we will not take part in stoking its coals..."  This smells like a hit on a strong Oscar contender from a Black filmmaker or about a Black historical figure, similar to hate campaigns against films like "Selma" and "The Hurricane."

----------
MOVIES - From EntertainmentWeekly:  Behold Pennywise the Clown's costume from next year's film, "It," based on the Stephen King novel.  I'm still not buying this dude as scary, and I was indeed scared of Pennywise when I read the original novel about 30 years ago.

----------
HEALTH - From IBT:  Is the Cure for Alzheimer's Already on the Market?

----------
TELEVISION - From Variety:  Amazon has greenlit a 10-episode "Jack Ryan" series, starring John Krasinski as Jack Ryan.  This is a "reinvention" of the character created by late author, Tom Clancy.  Krasinski would be the fifth actor to play the character on the big and small screen.

----------
MOVIES - From CinemaBlend:  A new image from the film version of Stephen King's "It," featuring the character "Richie Tozier."  The film is due in theaters September 2017.

----------
MOVIES - From BleedingCool:  Production has begin in Canada on Guillermo del Toro's next film, "The Shape of Water," his follow-up to "Crimson Peak."

----------
TELEVISION - From Variety:  "The Nightly Show with Larry Wilmore" has been cancelled, and its last episode will air, Thursday, August 18, 2016.  I'm so bitter right now.

----------
OBIT - From Variety:  The actor Fyvush Finkel has died at the age of 93, Sunday, August 14, 2016.  He was best known for his roles on the TV series, "Picket Fences" (for which he won an Emmy) and "Boston Public."

----------
CULTURE - From WashPost:  White Christian America is dying.

----------
BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficeMojo:  The #1 film at the 8/12 to 8/14/2016 weekend box office is "Suicide Squad" with an estimated take of $43.7 million.

From Variety:  The R-rated, animated comedy, "Sausage Party," has a strong debut, while "Suicide Squad" wins the weekend box office, although its gross plunged 67 percent from its debut last week.

From Variety:  "Suicide Squad" leads the international box office.

----------
SPORTS - From YahooSports:  Jamaican sprinter, Usain Bolt, makes history by becoming the first man to win three consecutive Olympic gold medals in the 100 meter race.

----------
HISTORY - From PopularMechanics:  Bones found on a mountaintop in Greece may confirm that ancient Greeks practiced ritualistic cannibalism.

----------
CELEBRITY - From YahooCelebrity:  Kevin Hart got married this weekend.

----------
OBIT - From Deadline:  The actor Kenny Baker has died at the age of 81 (although some reports are listing him at 82 or 83).  The 3-foot, 8-inch actor is best known for playing R2-D2 in six Star Wars movies.  Baker also appeared in "The Elephant Man," "Time Bandits," and "The Goonies."

From Variety:  Hollywood remembers Kenny Baker.

----------
COMICS-FILM - From IndieWire:  Tilda Swinton says that "Doctor Strange" movie comes from " a very diverse place."

----------
SPORTS - From USAToday:  At the Rio Olympics, Michael Phelps ends his career with 23rd gold medal.


TRAILERS:

From FoxMovies:  The new (first?) trailer for the historical drama, "Hidden Figures," about the African-American women mathematicians and engineers at NASA during the Space Race.  The film is due in January 2017 and stars Taraji P. Henson, Octavia Spencer, and Janelle Monae.

From YouTube:  New one-minute "Jack Reacher: Never Go Back" spot, entitled "Followed."

"Suicide Squad" Half-way to a Billion

“Suicide Squad” Soars to More Than Half a Billion Dollars

Warner Bros. Pictures’ Band of Antiheroes Hits the $500 Million Mark at the Global Box Office After Just 13 Days in Theaters

BURBANK, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Warner Bros. Pictures’ action adventure “Suicide Squad” flew past half a billion dollars after 13 days in theaters around the globe, with a cumulative total of $509 million and counting. Having set records in its first two weeks in release, the film will help drive the overall August box office to a record high. The announcement was made today by Veronika Kwan Vandenberg, President of Worldwide Distribution, Warner Bros. Pictures.

    “We’re thrilled with the huge numbers on ‘Suicide Squad,’ and to be coming out of an already highly successful summer with such a big win for our slate. The film is in position for another terrific weekend as our overseas expansion continues.”

Kwan Vandenberg stated, “It is incredibly rewarding to see audiences around the world coming out in such a big way for ‘Suicide Squad.’ We have several major markets yet to open, and expect to continue seeing strong returns at the box office for the weeks to come.”

Sue Kroll, President, Worldwide Marketing and Distribution, added, “We’re thrilled with the huge numbers on ‘Suicide Squad,’ and to be coming out of an already highly successful summer with such a big win for our slate. The film is in position for another terrific weekend as our overseas expansion continues.”

The domestic box office total now stands at more than $238 million; the international figure is $271 million, with the film opening in Germany this weekend and in Japan on September 10.

From writer/director David Ayer comes “Suicide Squad,” starring Will Smith, Jared Leto, Margot Robbie, Joel Kinnaman and Viola Davis.

It feels good to be bad… Assemble a team of the world’s most dangerous, incarcerated Super-Villains, provide them with the most powerful arsenal at the government’s disposal, and send them off on a mission to defeat an enigmatic, insuperable entity. U.S. intelligence officer Amanda Waller has determined only a secretly convened group of disparate, despicable individuals with next to nothing to lose will do. However, once they realize they weren’t picked to succeed but chosen for their patent culpability when they inevitably fail, will the Suicide Squad resolve to die trying, or decide it’s every man for himself?

Written and directed by Ayer based on the characters from DC Entertainment, the film also stars Jai Courtney, Jay Hernandez, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, Ike Barinholtz, Scott Eastwood, Cara Delevingne, Adam Beach, and Karen Fukuhara in her feature film debut. It was produced by Charles Roven and Richard Suckle, with Zack Snyder, Deborah Snyder, Colin Wilson and Geoff Johns serving as executive producers.

Ayer’s behind-the-scenes creative team included director of photography Roman Vasyanov, production designer Oliver Scholl, editor John Gilroy, costume designer Kate Hawley and visual effects supervisor Jerome Chen. The music is by composer Steven Price.

Warner Bros. Pictures presents, an Atlas Entertainment production, a film by David Ayer, “Suicide Squad.” The film is distributed worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company, and released in 3D, and in 2D, and in select IMAX 3D theaters.

“Suicide Squad” is rated PG-13 by the MPAA for sequences of violence and action throughout, disturbing behavior, suggestive content and language.

www.suicidesquad.com

---------------------

The Bad Guys Win! "Suicide Squad" Tops Worldwide Box Office

Warner Bros. Pictures’ “Suicide Squad” is a Box Office Hero

David Ayers’ debut of DC Super-Villains rounds up more than $267 million worldwide in its opening weekend, making it the largest August opening ever and breaking numerous other records

BURBANK, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--DC’s favorite lineup of incarcerated antiheroes arrested the global box office this weekend, with “Suicide Squad” topping $267 million and smashing records for both the film and its many players. The announcement was made today by Veronika Kwan Vandenberg, President, Worldwide Distribution, Warner Bros. Pictures.

    “This film is such a great ride and these characters clearly connected with a broad range of moviegoers in a very real way. We congratulate the cast and filmmakers and everyone who worked on the campaign—it’s extremely gratifying to see their efforts appreciated at this level.”

With a domestic total of $135.1 million for the weekend, the movie broke several records for the month of August, including: the largest opening weekend; the largest pre/midnight show with $20.5 million, which includes the largest-ever IMAX pre-shows at $2.3 million; and the largest Friday (over $65.2 million), Saturday ($38.8 million) and Sunday (over $31 million).

Internationally, “Suicide Squad” took in a total of $132 million in 57 territories, setting numerous records, including: the all-time biggest August opening; the biggest August opening for an IMAX film at $7.2 million; and the second-largest DC film opening of all time. The movie dominated the theaters in such markets as the U.K., Russia, Brazil, Australia, Mexico, France and Spain.

Worldwide, the film enjoyed the highest August weekend ever for IMAX at $18.2 million. And on both the domestic and international fronts, the film marks the highest opening ever for writer/director David Ayer, as well as for all of the film’s stars.

Kwan Vandenberg, in making the announcement, stated, “We knew there was great anticipation for this film, but we are thrilled to see that translated to such a spectacular result. And with key territories like Japan, Germany and Italy yet to open, we feel confident that the Squad will continue to entertain audiences everywhere for the foreseeable future.”

Sue Kroll, President, Worldwide Marketing and Distribution, said, “This film is such a great ride and these characters clearly connected with a broad range of moviegoers in a very real way. We congratulate the cast and filmmakers and everyone who worked on the campaign—it’s extremely gratifying to see their efforts appreciated at this level.”

From writer/director David Ayer comes “Suicide Squad,” starring Will Smith, Jared Leto, Margot Robbie, Joel Kinnaman and Viola Davis.

It feels good to be bad… Assemble a team of the world’s most dangerous, incarcerated Super-Villains, provide them with the most powerful arsenal at the government’s disposal, and send them off on a mission to defeat an enigmatic, insuperable entity. U.S. intelligence officer Amanda Waller has determined only a secretly convened group of disparate, despicable individuals with next to nothing to lose will do. However, once they realize they weren’t picked to succeed but chosen for their patent culpability when they inevitably fail, will the Suicide Squad resolve to die trying, or decide it’s every man for himself?

Written and directed by Ayer based on the characters from DC Entertainment, the film also stars Jai Courtney, Jay Hernandez, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, Ike Barinholtz, Scott Eastwood, Cara Delevingne, Adam Beach, and Karen Fukuhara in her feature film debut. It is produced by Charles Roven and Richard Suckle, with Zack Snyder, Deborah Snyder, Colin Wilson and Geoff Johns serving as executive producers.

Ayer’s behind-the-scenes creative team included director of photography Roman Vasyanov, production designer Oliver Scholl, editor John Gilroy, costume designer Kate Hawley and visual effects supervisor Jerome Chen. The music is by composer Steven Price.

Warner Bros. Pictures presents, an Atlas Entertainment production, a film by David Ayer, “Suicide Squad.” The film will be distributed worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company. The film will be released in 3D, and in 2D, and in select IMAX 3D theaters.

“Suicide Squad” is rated PG-13 by the MPAA for sequences of violence and action throughout, disturbing behavior, suggestive content and language.

www.suicidesquad.com

-------------------

Negromancer News Bits and Bites from July 24th to 31st, 2016 - Update #56

Support Leroy on Patreon.

BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficeMojo:  The winner of the 7/29 to 7/31/16 weekend box office is "Jason Bourne" with an estimated gross of $60 million.

From Variety:  "Jason Bourne" makes a $60 million debut at the box office.

---------------
HARRY POTTER - From TheWrap:  The boy wizard is done says J.K. Rowling.

--------------
POLITICS - From YahooNews:  Trump asserts that the NFL is on his side because both are against two presidential debates that are the same time as NFL games.

---------------
MOVIES - From CinemaBlend:  Will Smith totally starstrck by Batman on set of "Suicide Squad."

---------------
OBIT-COMICS - From MADMagazine:  Jack Davis, one of the founders of "Mad Magazine," has died at the age of 91, Wednesday, July 27, 2016.

---------------
MOVIES - From ScreenRant:  John Carpenter and his fellow plaintiffs won a lawsuit against French filmmaker, Luc Besson, claiming that Besson's film, "Lockout" was plagiarized from Carpenter's cult 1981 film, Escape from New York.

---------------
POLITICS - From YahooNews:  Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump insult Khizr and Ghazala Kahn, the couple who appeared at this past weeks 2016 DNC.  Khizr spoke and castigated Trump.  the Kahns' son, Humayun was an Army captain and a Muslim who was killed in Iraq in 2004.

---------------
TELEVISION - From TheWrap:  "Season 8" will be the final season of HBO's Emmy-winning "Game of Thrones."

---------------
POLITICS - From YahooNews:  Women feeling empowered by Hillary Clinton's nomination.

---------------
MOVIES - From Variety:  Rising acting talent, Paul Dano, is making his directorial debut with the film, "Wildfire," based on the 1990 Richard Ford novel.

---------------
MOVIES - From HitFix:  "Avengers: Infinity War Part 1 and Part II" get title changes.  "Avengers: Infinity War Part I" is not just "Avengers: Infinity War."

---------------
MOVIES - From TheWrap:  Danny Trejo wants Betty White to be in his next movie.

---------------
POLITICS - From NYPost:  Malia Obama, Barack and Michelle's older daughter, skips the DNC and goes to Lollapalooza instead, and conservatives, Obama-haters, and racists freak out.

---------------
SPORTS/CRIME - From YahooSports:  Former Boston Red Sox pitcher and World Series champion, Curt Schilling, won't face criminal charges for his video game company scam which cost Rhode Island tax payers $112 million.

---------------
MOVIES - From TheVillageVoice:  John Waters' "Multiple Maniacs" (1970) is back.

----------------
MOVIES - From YahooMovies:  30 years of "Stand By Me," so we have an oral history of the film that almost didn't make it into theaters.

---------------
From YahooMovies:  Sometimes actors do cosplay, too.

---------------
MOVIES - From Variety:  Oprah Winfrey is in final negotiations to appear in the film, "A Wrinkle in Time," which is being directed by Ava DuVernay ("Selma").  Winfrey appeared in "Selma."

From EntertaimentWeekly:  5 things we want to see in Ava DuVernay's "A Wrinkle in Time" adaptation.

---------------
COMICS/FILM - From ThePlaylist:  Disney is developing a reboot/sequel of its 1991 film, "The Rocketeer."

----------------
OBIT - From TheWrap:  The actor and radio talk show host, Jerry Doyle, has died at the age of 60, Wednesday, July 27, 2017.  He was probably best known for his role as "Michael Garibaldi" on the cult TV show,  "Babylon 5."

---------------
MUSIC - From YahooMusic:  Kanye still pushin' the Taylor Swift message.

---------------
POLITICS - From CNN:  President Barack Obama's entire Democratic convention speech at the 2016 DNC.

From CNN:  Some GOP are feeling jelly about President Obama's speech.

From YahooTV:  People loved First Lady Michelle Obama's DNC sppech, but the designer of her dress is in awe that she chose to wear it.

---------------
POLITICS - From CNN:  Bradley Cooper was at the 2016 Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia, and now, some Republicans are angry.  Why?  Read on...

---------------
TELEVISION - From PopSugar:  6 teaser photos from "American Horror Story" Season 6.

---------------
TELEVISION - From PopSugar:  The Netflix reboot of the "Gilmore Girls," which is called "Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life" has a premiere date:  November 25, 2016.

----------------
MOVIES - From YahooCelebrity:  Kim Ledger talks about the tragic death of his son, Heath Ledger.

From YahooMovies:  Jared Leto will play "The Joker" in the upcoming "Suicide Squad."  He talks about playing the character after Heath Ledger, who played the Joker in "The Dark Knight," and won a posthumous Oscar for his performance.

---------------
CRIME - From YahooNews:  In 1981, John Hinkley shot and injured President Ronald Reagan and 3 others, during an assassination attempt on Reagan.  He will be freed by August 5th, 2016 from a government psychiatric hospital.

---------------
MOVIES - From IndieWire:  Charlie Hunnam, the lead in "Pacific Rim," will not return for the sequel.  He's not enough of a star for this to be considered a big lost.  There must be at least 20 young white actors of his age and talent and overblown status that could take Hunnam's place.

---------------
HARRY POTTER - From YahooMovies:  What critics are saying about the stage play, "Harry Potter and the Cursed Child."

---------------
CELEBRITY - From YahooCelebrity:  Eddie Murphy, his current girlfriend (Paige Butcher), and ex-wife (Nicole Murphy), make nice on the red carpet.

---------------
OBIT - From TMZ:  The website is reporting that Youree Harris, best known as the iconic TV psychic, "Miss Cleo," has died at the age of 53, after a battle with cancer.

---------------
POLITICS - From RSN:  Michael Moore has five reasons Donald Trump will win the presidency.

---------------
COMICS - From Variety:  Kiersey Clemons (a breakout in "Dope") is in talks to star as "Iris West" in Warner Bros. and DC Comics' "Flash" movie next to Ezra Miller as "Flash."  Rick Famumiya, the director of "Dope," is directing "Flash."

---------------
COMIC-CON - From Refinery29:  Zendaya to play a character named "Michelle" in "Spider-Man: Homecoming."

From BusinessInsider:  The lead villain in "Spider-Man: Homecoming" is "Vulture."

---------------
POLITICS - From YahooNews:  First Lady Michelle Obama delivers a soaring powerful speech at the 2016 Democratic National Convention.

---------------
CULTURE - From YahooSports:  After years of relative silence, Michael Jordan is speaking out on the issues of police shootings and police shooting people.  Cop killers buy sneakers, too, eh, Mike?

---------------
COMIC-CON - From BleedingCool:  The links to 300 Bleeding Cool articles on the 2016 San Diego Comic-Con International in one place.

---------------
BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficeMojo:  The winner of the 7/22 to 7/24/2016 weekend box office is "Star Trek Beyond" with an estimated take of $59.6 million.

---------------
SDCC-COMICS-FILM - From YahooNews:  It did not take much convincing for Michael Rooker to appear in blue makeup for a Marvel Studios panel discussion "Guardians of the Galaxy 2."

--------------
SDCC-COMICS-FILM - From LATimes:  Ben Affleck confirmed as director of standalone "Batman" film.

---------------
SDCC-TV - From YahooTV:  The Comic-Con trailer for "Sherlock Holmes" Season 4 shocks viewers.

---------------
POLITICS - From NYT:  Donald Trump, Jr. has said that his father, Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump, would turn over foreign and domestic affairs to his vice-president, if Trump were be elected president...

---------------
SDCC-COMICS-FILM - From Variety:  Marvel vs. DC - comic book movies at Comic-Con.

---------------
SDCC-COMICS-FILM - From YahooMovies:  Comic-Con debuts a new trailer for "LEGO Batman."

---------------
SDCC-COMICS-FILM - From YahooMovies:  A new, longer "Doctor Strange" trailer debuts at Comic-Con.

---------------
SDCC-COMICS-FILM - From YahooMovies:  Oscar-winner Brie Larson ("Room") officially announced as Marvel Studios' "Captain Marvel."  Her solo film arrives in 2019.
--  Also, Danai Gurira, "Michonne" of "The Walking Dead," was introduced as the latest member of the "Black Panther" squad.

---------------
TRAILERS:

From BleedingCool:  The trailer for Zhang Yimou's "The Great Wall" with Matt Damon.

From YouTube:  Teaser trailer for "xXx: The Return of Xander Cage," due in January 2017.

From YahooMovies:  First teaser trailer for "T2: Trainspotting," the sequel to the film, "Trainspotting."

COMICS - From YahooMovies:  First full "Wonder Woman" trailer, which debuted at San Diego Comic-Con International 2016.

COMICS - From YahooMovies:  Warner Bros. unleashes footage from its "Justice League" movie.

MOVIES - From YahooMovies:  King Kong is massive in "King: Skull Island."