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Warner Bros. Releases First Trailer For “Dune: Part Two”

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Frank Herbert’s sweeping space opera series, Dune, finally found a way to enthrall mass-appeal audiences in 2021. The grandiose and visually-stunning film, anchored by Timothée Chalamet and Zendaya, was met with rave reviews and major box office success. The film holds an 83% critics rating and a 90% audience rating on Rotten Tomatoes. It also made over double its staggering $165 million budget.

However, that was just the beginning of the saga. Director Denis Villeneuve wanted to include as much of the source material as possible. Thus, he split the first book into two parts to represent the two very distinct halves of the novel. Dune as a book series contains five works by Herbert.

“Dune: Part Two” Promises War And Worm-Riding

If Dune was a political thriller, then Dune: Part 2 is set to be a war epic. The last film left off with our protagonist, Paul, having escaped the clutches of those who would wish him harm. He escapes to the Fremens, an indigenous people of the sand moon of Arrakis. That’s where the trailer picks up, with Paul telling Chani (Zendaya) about swimming. Paul spent a lot of the first film having visions of Chani. There is be some serious romance between the two of them. Towards the end of the trailer, we see the two lean in for a kiss.

But the scope quickly pulls out from Paul’s adventures. The various factions on and around Arrakis are preparing for war. After all, everyone wants the spice (the narcotic macguffin that can only be found on Arrakis). We are also given plenty of footage of Paul’s mysterious mother, Lady Jessica (Rebecca Ferguson). The trailer also gives us our first look at new additions to the cast Florence Pugh and Austin Butler. However, the thing that the entire trailer is building is Paul riding a motherfucking sandworm. Arrakis is home to giant sandworms and in true fantasy novel fashion, there’s a prophecy about the person who is able to ride the sandworm. And wouldn’t you know it, Paul squares off with a sandworm and goes shooting along the sands. Dune: Part Two is scheduled for release on November 3.

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First Trailer For “The Ballad Of Songbirds And Snakes” Released

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The Hunger Games took the world by storm a decade ago. The post-apocalypse death game young adult series was a best-seller and gave young readers something to latch onto after Twilight. If you somehow missed the trilogy – it focused on Katniss Everdeen. Everdeen lived in a world where America had been destroyed by nuclear war and the surviving country split into 12 districts. After a rebellion, “The Capital” pushed the 12 districts by holding a battle royale with 24 teenagers every year. The trilogy followed Katniss’ journey, with many twists and turns along the way.

Rumors of a new project from author Suzanne Collins had swirled for years. However, they were finally answered when she released a prequel novel The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes in 2020. The book, set 64 years before The Hunger Games, follows a young Coriolanus Snow (the future President Snow) and his illicit romance with a District 12 girl he mentors during the 10th Hunger Games. The book was almost immediately optioned for a movie, with some believing it had been written to be optioned. Now, three years later, we are ready to return to the world of Panem.

“The Ballad Of Songbirds And Snakes” Trailer Promises Teen Romance And Nostalgic Aesthetics

So The Hunger Games: The Ballard of Songbirds and Snakes has a very art deco aesthetic to it. The film is set 10 years after the Hunger Games as a concept have begun. Additionally, this sets it close to the nuclear war that turned America into Panem. The world is yet to embrace the nouveau-futurism of the original trilogy. The film also features a turning point for The Hunger Games, with its tenth iteration set to be the first one that focuses more on media spectacle, than simple death game.

Tom Blyth (Benediction, Billy The Kid) stars as Snow, an ambitious and egotistical Capitol youth in the Gamemakers training program. However, his world is rocked when he is assigned to mentor Lucy Gray Baird (West Side Story‘s Rachel Zegler). Lucy, much like Katniss, is a rebellious and outspoken tribute from District 12. However, don’t expect much actual Hunger Gamesing during this film. As the trailer hints, something goes wrong during the 10th Hunger Games and Snow finds himself torn between loyalty and love in District 12. The film promises a stacked cast including Viola Davis, Peter Dinklage, and Jason Schwartzman. The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes debuts on November 17.

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Hulu Drops First “White Men Can’t Jump” Trailer

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White Men Can’t Jump is a classic 90s sports comedy. Woody Harrelson stars as Billy, a streetball hustler who lets his opponents underestimate him because he’s white. He forms an unlikely partnership with Sidney (Wesley Snipes) and the two become a renowned streetball pairing. However, Billy must balance his gambling with his home life. The film did well, finishing as the 16th highest-grossing film of 1992. Furthermore, it holds a 77% critics score and a 68% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes.

Talk of a remake has been around since 2017, with Blake Griffin attached as a producer. However, the talk became reality when Jack Harlow was cast in 2022. White Men Can’t Jump is the directorial debut of music video and commercial director Calmatic. Written by black-ish showrunner Kenya Barris, Sinqua Walls (American Soul, The Blackening) will co-star alongside Harlow. DJ Drama is responsible for the film’s soundtrack.

“White Men Can’t Jump” Blends Nostalgia And Originality

The trailer released by Hulu paints broad similarities with the 90s original. Kamal (Walls) is a streetball player who is shown up by Harlow’s unassuming and as-yet-unnamed character. The two team up to hustle local streetball games, while both balancing their respective home lives. Kamal is seen as a liability while Harlow is viewed as a directionless hustler. In a reference to the original being 32 years old, Harlow quips that it’s “outdated” to judge his hoops ability on him being white. The late Lance Reddick briefly appears as Kamal’s father, who suffers from MS. The film also highlights performances by Teyana Taylor and Laura Harrier.

However, the biggest change from the original film appears to be the end goal. In the original, it’s a game against two streetball legends. The remake appears to build towards a flashy streetball tournament with a $500,000 prize. Additionally, it’s clear from the trailer that the roles have been swapped somewhat, with Wall’s Kamal being the central character. However, Harlow does not appear to play second fiddle, being given time to shine outright. The trailer pitches a fun remake of a 90s classic, with big-name stars and an updated feel. White Man Can’t Jump lands on Hulu on May 19.

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“Fast X” Revs Its Engines With New Trailer

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In the words of Puck‘s Julie Alexander, Fast X is basically The Avengers: Infinity War movie of the long-running franchise. Likely the penultimate film of the main franchise, everyone you loved (or completely forgotten) from the previous films is seemingly back for their biggest ride yet.

Directed by Louis Leterrier (Transporter 2, The Incredible Hulk, Now You See Me), Fast X brings back most of the franchise’s characters to face off against their biggest villain yet. Jason Momoa (Aquaman) will make his franchise debut as Dante Reyes, the son of Fast Five villain Herman Reyes. Reyes now wants revenge against Dom (Vin Diesel) for the death of his father. And with Reyes targeting the allies Dom has made over the years, everyone is back in action.

“Fast X” has bombs, booty, and badassery galore

Our first glimpse of the action in this second trailer sees the gang driving through the streets of Rome. Tyrese is rocking a gold Lamborghini Gallardo while returning fan-favorite Han cruises alongside in an orange Alfa Romeo 2000 GT Veloce. We then cut to Tej (Ludacris) and Ramsey (Nathalie Emmanuel) trapped in a semi-truck which, surprise! has a big ol’ bomb in the back. With a quirky smile, Reyes reveals that he’s about to blow up the Vatican. Momoa poses an interesting villain, who evidently departs from the machismo style so common in the series. Dante Reyes is set to be vibrant, extravagant, and completely against type for Momoa.

As the dubstep kicks in, Reyes reveals his origin story and tells Dom that he’s going to “break his family.” We are then introduced to just about every returning star – John Cena, Jason Statham, Scott Eastwood, and Charlize Theron to name but four. We get raves, crashes, CQC, the works in just over two and a half minutes. The trailer also introduces new ally Tess (Brie Larson) before ending with Dom racing an explosion down a dam. It’s everything that fans of the ridiculous franchise could want from a film of this scale. While an eleventh film is in development, don’t expect everyone to make it through this installment. Fast X hits theatres on May 19.

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“Insidious: The Red Door” Takes The Franchise Back To Its Roots

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Insidious was a staple of the 2010s horror boom. The first film, Insidious, premiered in 2010 and focused on the Lambert family, whose son falls into a mysterious coma. Malevolent spirits then set upon the family due to the connection with the spirit realm their son has formed. The Lamberts’ story was continued in 2013’s Insidious Chapter 2, as the family learns more about what keeps them tied to the spirit realm.

The franchise then moved into lore-building sequels for Insidious Chapter 3 (2015) and Insidious: The Last Key (2018). However, reception for the films cooled immensely over the course of the franchise. Insidious holds a 66% critics rating and 62% audience rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Meanwhile, Insidious: The Last Key sits at 33% critics rating and 50% audience rating. Now the franchise is set to return to its roots.

The Lambert Family Return In “Insidious: The Red Door”

Canonically set a decade after we last saw the Lambert family in Insidious 2, Insidious: The Red Door seems set to finally close the book on their story. After receiving treatment to suppress their memories, patriarch Josh (director Patrick Wilson) is still haunted by what happened. However, it is his college-age son Dalton (Ty Simpkins) who is the primary target of the spirits. After falling into a coma 13 years prior (and kickstarting the franchise), Dalton is now experiencing the spirits reaching out to him once more. Moreover, they are reaching out to him via his artwork. That seems like a problem, given that Dalton is now at art school.

The trailer balances scares and action, giving us the franchise’s signature “blink and you’ll miss it” spirit appearances. However, that quickly changes when violent spirits are seen attacking Josh and Dalton. Dalton, who has become estranged from his father, must battle the spirits Josh faced a decade ago. The film also hints at a significant amount of time spent in the spirit realm, as father and son looked to end the haunting that has plagued their family. Rose Byrne and Lin Shaye are also set to reprise their franchise roles as the trailer gives a sense of finality to the franchise. Insidious: The Red Door is set to hit theatres on July 7.

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Dracula Is A True Monster In “The Last Voyage Of The Demeter”

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The past few years have been full of variations on Bram Stoker’s classic novel Dracula. The iconic vampire has been sent to us via email, become an evil mastermind on Netflix, and even become an anime anti-hero. Most recently, Dracula is a campy Nic Cage in the horror-comedy Renfield.

But we are now about to see not a man, but a beast. This adaptation comes from Universal, who released the first trailer for The Last Voyage Of The Demeter. The film is inspired by a single chapter of the original novel, as Dracula’s coffin travels from Romania to London. André Øvredal (Trollhunter, The Autopsy of Jane Doe, Scary Stories To Tell In The Dark) handles directorial duties in this seaborne horror.

“The Last Voyage Of The Demeter” Brings True Horror To Dracula

The Last Voyage Of The Demeter follows The Demeter, a trading ship carrying private cargo between Romania and London. Under the watchful eye of The Captain (Game Of Thrones‘ Liam Cunningham), the ship sets sail with one final addition, British-educated doctor Clemens (Corey Hawkins of The Walking Dead). However, as night falls, a creature unfurls itself from a casket and begins to stalk the crew. Those who survive the initial assault must find a way to kill the creature before the ship reaches London. Also among the cast are Aisling Franciosi (The Nightingale, The Fall, Game Of Thrones), David Dastmalchian (The Suicide Squad), and Javier Botet (REC, Mama, Scary Stories To Tell In the Dark) as Dracula.

Unlike other adaptations, The Last Voyage Of The Demeter has no interest in showing us a human-like Dracula. Instead, the film focuses on a purely bestial and monstrous creature who has nothing but a hunger to be sated. It is set to be a bloody, and visceral, fight for survival. Furthermore, as the trailer implies, this version of Dracula has the ability to “infect” individuals. That unnerving ability adds a tantalizing splash of paranoia to the film’s tone. Expect no mercy in this brutal, bloody, and tense take on the classic vampire. The Last Voyage Of The Demeter sails into theaters on August 11.

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Teyana Taylor’s New Movie Gets A Trailer: Watch

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Sundance Film Festival’s annual event was held in Salt Lake City, Utah towards the end of last month. Among the winners was A Thousand and One, an emotional rollercoaster of a film starring the multifaceted Teyana Taylor. The movie sees the trending fashionista as its leading lady, a struggling, Harlem-bred mother named Inez. A Thousand and One was awarded the prestigious Grand Jury Prize on January 27th.

Film critics are calling the drama “A love letter to mothers, sons, and hustlers of NYC.” Written and directed by A.V. Rockwell, the movie sees an impoverished Taylor fighting to do right by her son, who was kept from her through foster care. According to film officials, the “mother and son set out to reclaim their sense of home, identity, and stability, in a rapidly changing New York City.” In the trailer, we watch as Inez goes to war in the concrete jungle, with a chain of scenes showing Taylor’s improved acting chops. The Chi actress Lena Waithe is notably listed as a producer on the film as well.

The Official Trailer For Teyana Taylor’s New Movie

Teyana Taylor stars alongside actors Will Catlett, Josiah Cross, and Aven Courtney in the Harlem heart wrencher. Courtney plays Terry, Inez’s six-year-old son, while Cross portrays the character as an adult. Taylor is currently reposting supporters on Instagram now that A Thousand and One officially hits theaters nationwide on March 31st. “It’s here,” the famed sneakerhead wrote in a caption. This will be Taylor’s latest on-screen appearance since appearing in Kid Cudi’s animated Netflix series, Entergalactic. Her claim to acting fame comes from her unforgettable role as “Byron”-yelling Sabrina in 2011’s Madea’s Big Happy Family.

Furthermore, the Focus Features presentation has won the hearts of many already, with many from the festival commenting on the trailer. “I was a part of the crew on this film and the entire shoot had me in tears,” writes YouTube user Poetic Fire. “The rawness and beauty of this story is going [to] break your heart wide open. It’s a true masterpiece.” Additionally, one Sundance attendee says “Having seen the film, this trailer had me in tears. Go see it!” The trailer has nearly one million views since its release a few hours ago, racking over 500,000 on Twitter alone.

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“A New Diva’s Christmas Carol” Trailer Stars Ashanti, Vivica A. Fox & Eva Marcille: Watch

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Christmas is right around the corner. As the most wonderful time of the year quickly approaches, a new festive movie will soon be available for your viewing pleasure.

A New Diva’s Christmas Carol is a new holiday-themed comedy picture. According to ThatGrapeJuice, it tells the story of a “mean-spirited singer.” In an attempt to change her attitude, three ghosts take her on a journey through Christmas’ past, present and future.

The flick is a modern twist on the classic 1843 film, Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol.

A newly released trailer shows off the star-studded cast. “Foolish” singer Ashanti, actress Vivica A. Fox and TV personality Eva Marcille lead the stacked crew.

Furthermore, Spice Girls member Mel B and Head of the Class actress Robin Givens will also appear in the flick.

None of these personalities are new to providing entertainment tailored to this festive time of year. Ashanti previously starred in Christmas Winter Song, while Fox starred in this year’s Holiday Hideaway.

Additionally, this won’t be Marcille’s first festive role this year either. A few months back she starred in A Christmas Fumble.

In other recent news, Ashanti has been stirring conversations about her intimate performance with ex-lover Nelly. The duo appeared on stage together for Power 98.3 and Power 96.1‘s “Under The Mistletoe” concert just over a week ago.

The production for their collaborative 2008 hit, “Body On Me” was rather steamy. It subsequently caused some fans to take to social media to gossip about their potential reunion.

Even though she’s over two decades into her career as an entertainer, the 42-year-old is certainly staying relevant.

Ashanti’s latest project is finally set to premiere on VH1 on Wednesday (December 14). English actor Idris Elba serves as the executive producer and Rusty Cundieff is directing.

Will you be tuning in to watch A New Diva’s Christmas Carol this holiday season? Let us know in the comments.

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