Warner Bros. has a lot of big movies coming out this year, and the studio teased a handful of them during its presentation at CinemaCon.
The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum
The cast of The Hunt for Gollum has been officially revealed, confirming Andy Serkis as Gollum/Smeagol, Ian McKellen as Gandalf the Grey, Lee Pace as Thranduil, and Elijah Wood as Frodo Baggins.
Jamie Dornan will be stepping into the role of Strider, aka Aragorn, chief of the Northern Dúnedain Rangers, and Leo Woodall will play Halvard, another one of the Dúnedain. Kate Winslet will play Marigol, the matriarch of a settlement of Hobbit-like folk.
Although it’s sad Viggo Mortensen won’t be returning to the role, I think Dornan will make a good fit for Strider. Plus, this will bring down the digital de-aging budget. It’s okay to recast.
Sean Baker’s New Movie
The studio also announced a new specialty film label, which will be known as Warner Bros. Clockwork. The first project will be Ti Amo!, a new film from Sean Baker (Anora), who will write, direct, edit, cast, and produce.
Practical Magic 2
Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman have reunited for Practical Magic 2, and a teaser trailer was screened for the sequel. They have reprised their roles of Sally and Gillian Owens, sisters descended from a long line of witches who were raised by their aunts after their parents died under a family curse.
Not much was shown about the sequel’s story, but Sally tells Lee Pace’s character, “Everyone we love dies.” Gillian adds, “A really horrible death. It’s not great for the Tinder bio.” The film will hit theaters on September 11.
The Great Beyond
J.J. Abrams hasn’t directed a feature film since Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker in 2019, and it’s been even longer since he tackled an original project not tied to existing IP, but he’s set to return with The Great Beyond. The sci-fi fantasy film, which Abrams also wrote, deals with “an author of popular fantasy novels who reveals that the mythical world he’s known for creating is actually real, sending the lead character (Glen Powell) on a quest.” In addition to Powell, The Great Beyond will also star Jenna Ortega (Wednesday), Emma Mackey (Sex Education), and Samuel L. Jackson (The Marvels).
Bumbray said the footage looked great, but in true Abrams fashion, it was a little hard to figure out what it’s really about. Powell and Ortega’s character’s are regular people who wind up in a fantasy world under attack, with Mackey playing a warrior who needs their help. A romance between Powell and Mackey’s characters is hinted at. Ortega is sporting a different look with some bleached blond hair, and Jackson is wearing a white wig.
It looks like a big swing type of movie, which could easily be amazing or totally fall flat. Hopefully, Abrams is able to pull it off.
The film will be released on November 16.
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