Blogcritics The critical lens on today's culture & entertainment
Neon
Director David Cronenberg and producer Robert Lantos, who met at Cannes in 1975, were on hand to present the trailer for Crimes of the Future, set for release on June 3. Cronenberg, who had never been to Las Vegas before, wrote screenplay over 20 years ago and was surprised how relevant it remained. The trailer shows Cronenberg back dealing with body horror and impressive special effects.
We also got a teaser for Fire of Love, a documentary that fared well at Sundance, which tells the story of a married team of scientists/volcano chasers.
Sanctioned by the David Bowie estate, director Brett Morgen, who worked over five years on the project, went through the artist’s personal archives, millions of archival pieces to create Moonage Daydream. Interviews of Bowie are mixed in with performances, including never-released concert footage. Tony Visconti was involved in remixing the music. Morgen stated that the material we were shown was colored corrected, but who would know as the visuals looked amazing and were delightfully overwhelming. I can’t wait to see it in a theater played loudly. The final footage was a performance of “Heroes.”
Warner Bros. Pictures
In 2023, the studio will be releasing The Color Purple musical; the next hero from DC Comics to hit the silver screen, Blue Beetle; Lord of the Rings: War of Rohrhim, done in anime; and Greta Gerwig’s Barbie. Set for Christmas, the musical Wonka, which just wrapped production, is directed by Paddington screenwriter, Paul King. Timothée Chalamet stars as the titular character before he obtains his famous factory.
Baz Luhrman was in attendance for Elvis. He stated it’s not really a biopic but rather uses Elvis to look at American in the 1950s, ’60s, and ’70s since he was at the center of culture. He was a rebel, at one time the highest paid actor in Hollywood, yet an icon trapped in a Vegas hotel. Like Luhrman’s past work, it looks big and over the top, much like Elvis. Tom Hanks may be speaking like Col. Parker but his voice is distracting in the footage shown. Set for June 24, 2022.
“What would it take for you to give up your life, to do what is right? That is the question of Don’t Worry Darling,” director Olivia Wilde informed viewers are she presented the film’s first full trailer. Florence Pugh stars, alongside Harry Styles and Chris Pine, as a woman trapped within a wild cult with backward views of women and she wants to break out. The presentation was interrupted by a someone giving a manila envelope to a puzzled Wilde who briefly looked at the contents before continuing.
If the Internet crashed this afternoon, it might be because attendees got to see Michael Keaton back as Bruce Wayne in DC’s own take on the Multiverse in The Flash, set for release June 23. Supergirl is also in it, played Sasha Calle. Speaking of Caped Crusaders, it should come as no surprise that with $759 million at the worldwide box office, director Matt Reeves and actor Robert Pattinson will be returning to Gotham in what is currently referred to as The Batman 2.
Shazam: Fury of the Gods sees our heroes take on the Daughters of Atlas, led by Helen Mirren. As if supervillains aren’t tough enough to deal with adulthood is on the horizon for the young boys. Coming to theaters on December 12, 2022. Director James Wan was on hand to talk a little about Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, set for March 17, 2023. He then became producer Wan and was joined director Gary Dauberman to talk about Salem’s Lot, which the latter thinks is a crown jewel in the Stephen King library. The teaser trailer looks spooky as heck. Set for September 9.
Dwayne Johnson (CinemaCon’s Entertainment Icon of the Decade) was here for double duty. League of Super Pets looks sweet and funny for kids while also having jokes for adults. Black Adam not only introduces his character to movie but also the Justice Society with Dr. Fate and Hawkman. Black Adam is a slave reborn. The character seems Shazam related but it’s not clear in the trailer if that’s the case.
