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 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.
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.
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.
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 characters are regular people who wind up in a fantasy world under attack, with Mackey playing a warrior who needs their help. A romance between the characters of Powell and Mackey 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 can pull it off. The film will be released on November 16.
Dune: Part Three will present the epic conclusion of the Dune saga, and I can’t wait. Denis Villeneuve teased that this one is very different from the first two, saying the first part was contemplative, the second was a war film, and the third is a thriller with a much faster pace and more action.
The new film takes place seventeen years after the last movie, and it’s a very different world. Paul Atreides’ nightmares have become reality, and he’s living with the consequences of his actions. Timothée Chalamet said his character is trying to retain the best parts of himself while trying to protect those he loves, but he’s becoming the dark emperor of the universe. Zendaya added that Chani’s youthful outlook is gone, as the years have not been kind to anyone.
The first seven minutes of the film were screened at CinemaCon, but Bumbray didn’t want to spoil too much, only to say it features the Fremen, led by Stilgar (Javier Bardem), attacking a planet in a crazy action sequence that’s unlike anything else we’ve seen in the series.
Dune: Part Three is slated to hit theaters on December 18, which also happens to be the release of Avengers: Doomsday, one of the most highly anticipated films of the year. Dunesday, baby!