When tracking was first released for Creed III last week, the numbers were looking strong with a franchise best $40 million opening. In my predictions, that number seemed to be a good one as it was slightly better than Creed II’s opening of $35.5 million which itself was slightly better than Creed’s $29.6 million opening. When Saturday numbers began rolling in, it looked like that prediction was a bit off as the film had a stronger than anticipated Friday haul and the threequel was going to hit above $50 million. Well, apparently those numbers continued to grow because today, the studio is officially reporting a $58.6 million opening for Creed III absolutely obliterating even the most optimistic of projections.

There was a question prior to the release of Creed III of whether a Rocky related film could really succeed without the connective glue of the franchise (Stallone), but it would seem that Creed and Creed II did what so many other rebooted/ requel franchises have failed to do: successfully handed off the baton to the next generation. Ryan Coogler and Michael B. Jordan crafted such a great continuation of the franchise that fans were ready to follow it wherever it went and the result is Michael B. Jordan coming out of the gate as a director with a hit. Critical reactions to the film are strong with critics praising Jordan’s direction and the great performance by Jonathan Majors (Our own JimmyO gave it a 9/10).

This opening, which also represents the best opening for a sports film ever, is also a big win for Amazon Studios who purchased MGM back in 2021 for a reported $8.4 billion. I’m sure a big conversation was had about whether to put this one out in theaters or just drop it on their streaming service, but cooler heads prevailed and they realized a film such as Creed III needs to be seen in a theater amongst other fans. To put that into perspective: had Creed III just been dropped on Amazon Prime this past Friday, we would not be discussing it right now, plain and simple. Even if Amazon reported a record breaking number of minutes streamed for the film, the press for that would be fairly limited. But with the studio realizing that a theatrical release is the best press you can give a film, they went all in on this one and the proof is in the pudding as they say (I never understood that saying, why is their proof in my pudding?!) You can even argue that when a studio puts out a box office bomb, such as when HBO/ Warner Brothers released House Party earlier this year, that film got way more press from its theatrical release than it would have had it just been dumped on HBO Max and because of that, more people were aware of its existence. For their part, Amazon seems to be trending in the right direction as their next big release is the theatrical exclusive, Ben Affleck directed Air (just don’t short change us on the physical media releases Amazon!)

All eyes will be on how this one performs in the weeks to come as it really has no room to breathe. Next week sees the highly anticipated Scream VI while the week after sees Shazam! Fury of the Gods followed one week later by John Wick Chapter 4 which is already tracking for its own franchise best opening. With a reported $75 million budget, Creed III can’t just rest on this tremendous opening weekend, it needs legs to truly be considered a success.

Dropping down a spot is the third week of Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania with an estimated $12.4 million. That number keeps it in line with the other films in the franchise as their third week takes were in the low to mid teen range as well. It used to be that other studios would get out of the way of any Marvel movie, giving them a few weeks to clean up at the box office before attempting to go up against them. But now, with a pipeline of Covid delayed films, there just isn’t time to wait it out and we are seeing that these films are putting a dent in these Marvel films overall box office. Don’t get me wrong, a nearly $200 million take in just three weeks is still a solid gross for any film, but those numbers are a far cry from what we are used to seeing from Marvel properties. Also, it must feel pretty good to be Jonathan Majors right now, starring in the top two spots at the box office!

Coming in third place is the highly entertaining Cocaine Bear with an estimated $11.02 million. That represents a 53% decline from last week which is actually a pretty decent hold for a comedy/ horror/ bear on cocaine film! Hopefully those numbers are enough for Director Elizabeth Banks to make her proposed sequel Cocaine Shark because as much as I love franchises like The Lord of the Rings and Back to the Future, the Cocaine (insert animal here) franchise has the potential to be the best one yet!

Fourth place belongs to Crunchyroll studios with their release of Demon Slayer into the Swordsmith Village with an estimated $10.1 million. That is a very good opening for the studio as their last film to hit theaters, January’s That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime The Movie: Scarlet Bond opened to just $1.4 million. Fifth place also belongs to a film with a targeted demographic: Jesus Revolution continues its strong box office presence with an $8.6 million weekend which is only down 46% from its opening last week. Both of these films aren’t in my wheelhouse, but I will forever champion audiences heading to theaters to see any movie that speaks to them and these Anime and Faith Based titles have shown the true power of the theatrical experience.

Coming in sixth place is Avatar: The Way of Water with an additional $3.5 million added to its domestic total of just over $670 million. With three more movies all but guaranteed and the potential for two more after that, is it possible this franchise could one day take up seven of the top ten all time box office earners spots? Only time will tell, but I think by Avatar 7 we may start to see some franchise fatigue, although the Fast and the Furious movies are still going strong, so who knows!

Seventh place belongs to Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre with just $3.1 million. Don’t let that number scare you off from seeing this one as I found it be incredibly entertaining (although our own Chris Bumbray disagrees with me a bit on that one as he gave it just a 5/10.) The film may have suffered from only getting domestic distribution just three weeks ago when Lionsgate stepped in. Whatever the case may be, I found this one to have that traditional dry Guy Ritchie humor while also offering up a blockbuster experience to be seen in the theaters. But this one may be another case of a studio putting it out theatrically just to whet the appetite for when it hits PVOD or streaming in a few weeks.

Rounding out the top ten are your holdovers Puss in Boots: The Last Wish with an additional $2.7 million, followed by Magic Mike’s Last Dance with another $1.1 million shoved into Channing Tatum’s G-string while the ladies of 80 For Brady saw an additional $845,000 added to their box office.

Did you make it to theaters this week? If so, let us know what you saw in the comments section and don’t forget to check out our weekly poll where we ask what your Favorite Film by a First Time Actor Turned Director is.

In franchises, it’s become increasingly normal for actors to be replaced in roles for a variety of reasons. Here are some big ones.

We see recasts pretty regularly on the big screen. For some franchises like Friday the 13^th and Halloween, it’s almost a tradition. It’s less common in a non-genre arena. However, other major films have seen some of their important characters get recast for various reasons. Here are a few of them:

Back to the Future: George McFly and Jennifer

Two roles were recast in Back to the Future: Part II. The first recast was that of Jennifer who in the first film is played by Claudia Wells and then in the sequel is played by Elizabeth Shue. Not only did Shue replace Wells in the sequel, but all the flashback scenes to the first film were re-shot with her to make it make sense. The recast here was due to Claudia Wells taking a break from acting to go take care of her mother who had been diagnosed with cancer. This break on Wells’ part lasted decades before she returned to her career in 2008. It must be noted that Wells returned the part of Jennifer for the Back to the Future video game released in 2010. As for George McFly, the part was originated by Crispin Glover who opted out of the sequels when he was offered a much lower salary than other returning co-stars. The production used some of his scenes from the previous film in the second one which led to him suing the production and settling out of court.  

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: April O’Neil 

Played by Judith Hoag in the first film and Paige Turco in the second and third, April was a central character to the TMNT franchise, so her recasting was evident between the first and second film. The reasons why were not necessarily obvious to all viewers at the time, but is now better known as Hoag has discussed it openly. She’s also said she has no ill will towards Turco and the two are now friends. The reason for the recast was because the director of the film did not take it well that Hoag had openly criticized the film’s treatment of its stunt crew and the way schedule changes were handled.  

Terminator: John Connor 

This one is an odd ball of a situation here as there is more than one timeline within the Terminator universe, so recasting the part of John Connor can be expected. However, the changes were not always indicative of the different timelines and some of them were more due to the age of the actors and when the films were shot and released versus the age Connor needed to be within the story. That being said, John Connor has been played by a higher number of actors than almost any character (excluding situations like James Bond). The part began in the hands of Edward Furlong in T2, in the third entry he was played by Nick Stahl, in the fourth film the part went to Christian Bale, and the fifth film it went to Jason Clarke, then there’s also the television series where the part went to Thomas Dekker. Furlong came back for the newest entry of the film series, but in a very CGI way. As mentioned, the series gets away with these recasts because of the different timelines and needs for different ages for the character. Between parts 2 and 3, Furlong was recast due to being dropped from the film and it was reported to be because of his substance abuse, something he seems to have won the battle over now.  

X-Men: Sabretooth aka Victor Creed 

The first X-Men movie had a few appearances from Sabretooth played by Tyler Mane. In the following appearances by the character, in X-Men Origins: Wolverine, the part went to Liev Schreiber, quite the departure from the style of Mane. Mane wanted to get back to the role but was denied the opportunity as the filmmakers were aiming at a younger actor for the part possibly so he could come back in sequels. This goal seemed to go out the window once they hired Schreiber who is only one year younger than Mane. Overall, X-Men is another one of those series where the timeline changes, so recasting parts is something that is expected. Mane himself has said that the recast was due to the film needing someone who could be more believable as relative of Wolverine. Schreiber was supposed to come back to the part in Logan, but things didn’t work out due to scheduling.  

Iron Man: James Rhodes aka Rhodey aka War Machine 

In the first film, the part of Rhodey is played by Terrence Howard. But, in subsequent movies, the part is played by Don Cheadle. He’s since become synonymous with the character due to how well he handled the transition and how often he played the part. The switchover between the two actors was due to a falling out between Terrence Howard and Marvel Studios according to some sources. Other sources say that the reason for the change in cast was due to salary demands from Howard that Marvel didn’t agree with. Which sounds like a clearer version of “a falling out”.  Of course, Marvel replacing actors isn’t anything new, with them also casting Mark Ruffalo as The Hulk after Edward Norton played the part in The Incredible Hulk.
 
What are you favorite (or least favorite) recastings? Let us know in the comments!

Another Sons of Anarchy spinoff may be closer than ever, with star Theo Rossi suggesting it’s a “really cool” spin on the series.

Another Sons of Anarchy spinoff may be closer than ever, as actor Theo Rossi–who played “Juice” Ortiz on the FX series–said there very well could be something revving its engine.

Speaking with Deadline, Theo Rossi said of a potential Sons of Anarchy spinoff, “There might be something coming up where we’re all back together, which is insane…If it happens, it’s wild, but if it doesn’t, it would be perfect and really cool because we also talk every day.” He added, “It’s totally different. It’s really cool.” Whether this would be another show or a potential movie remains unknown, but it wouldn’t be the first spinoff. Mayans MC premiered in 2018, less than four years after Sons of Anarchy concluded.

Mayans MC’s success–it was renewed for a fifth and final season last summer–shows that Sons of Anarchy fans are eager to support a spinoff. Indeed, fans have been loyal throughout the shows’ runs, even if it wasn’t a major hit on the awards circuit, only ever earning five Primetime Emmy nominations over its seven season run, none in major categories. “We knew that we were in something that was rarefied air…We were the people’s champ. Everybody loved us, but no one in Hollywood gave a shit about us. The executives, none of them watched it, they didn’t care.”

Whether or not another Sons of Anarchy spinoff leaves the garage, Theo Rossi has kept busy. He was recently nominated for an Independent Spirit Award for his performance in Emily the Criminal. He, too, will star in the upcoming Carry-On, which he likened to Die Hard, saying, “It’s Die Hard with Taron Egerton playing Bruce Willis, and me and Jason Bateman are playing Alan Rickman and the blonde twins. It’s set in an airport and it’s crazy.” So a mixture between the first two…Other notable turns include his worthwhile turn in the drama Bad Hurt (2015) and as a criminal on Netflix’s Luke Cage.

What do you think? Would you want to see another Sons of Anarchy spinoff? Would you rather another show or a movie? Let us know in the comments section below!

Arrowverse co-creator Matthew Guggenheim thinks DC heads James Gunn and Peter Safran at least owed him a meeting…

James Gunn and Peter Safran have hit the ground running ever since taking over as co-CEOs and -chairmen of DC Studios. And while major plans have emerged from the shadows under the title Chapter 1: Gods and Monsters, some key players won’t be coming along for the ride. And no, we don’t just mean Henry Cavill…Matthew Guggeheim, co-creator of the Arrowverse, has spoken out against both Gunn and Safran, saying they should have at least sat down for a chat about the future of DC.

Not long after Gunn and Safran unveiled the slate for Gods and Monsters, Matthew Guggenheim took to his online newsletter to pen a piece titled “NO GOOD DEED”, which focused on the Arrowverse and DC In it, he laments the fact that nobody at DC reached out. “I’ll be honest: I would have liked to have gotten at least a meeting…Not a job, mind you. A meeting. A conversation. A small recognition of what I’d tried to contribute to the grand tapestry that is the DC Universe. I’d only spent nine years toiling in that vineyard, after all.” He added, “Although working for DC had been creatively fulfilling, it involved a lot of adversity, challenges, and personal sacrifices — none of which seem to have accrued to any professional benefit. Simply put, the Arrowverse hasn’t led to any other gigs, so it feels — at least on a career level — that I really wasted my time.” Guggenheim says he even considered ending his newsletter for good, writing he never set out to be negative.

Considering how frequently James Gunn responds to criticism on Twitter, it’s a bit of a surprise that so few have brought up the Arrowverse to him–unless, of course, even fans recognize that there’s nothing of true substance within Arrow and Legends of Tomorrow worth expanding on in DC’s future.

In the announcement for Gods and Monsters, Safran said, “As we craft the plan for DC Studios, we are thrilled to share with fans the first 10 stories they can expect from the unified DC Universe featuring some of our most well-known characters as well as the next generation of marquee characters…Chapter 1 tells cohesive stories that highlight love, compassion, and the innate goodness of the human spirit, all designed to minimize audience confusion and maximize audience engagement across platforms.” So, no, no room for the Arrowverse at DC at this time…

What do you think? Does Matthew Guggenheim deserve a call from James Gunn and Peter Safran about the Arrowverse contributing to the future of DC? Do you think Guggenheim really wasted his time? Let us know in the comments below!

At 78, Michael Douglas is wondering if he has to protect his name and likeness from the threat of the metaverse after he dies.

From the multiverse to metaverse, Michael Douglas is weighing the options of what will happen to his likeness after he passes on. In a recent “reader interview” with The Guardian, one follower asked, “Would you sell your digital image so you can continue to star in movies after you are dead?”

Michael Douglas responded, “You get to an age where you start thinking about your will and estate. Now I’m thinking I’m also going to have to license my name and likeness so the rights go to my family rather than to the metaverse. I see what AI is doing with pictures with text. It’s only matter of time before you’ll be able to recreate any dead person at any age with the voice and the mannerisms, so I want to have some control.” 

Artificial intelligence has indeed made its presence known as of late. While certainly nothing new, the advancements can’t be denied. One significant component is deepfake technology, which Michael Douglas isn’t the only one skeptical of. Keanu Reeves recently pondered its use and threat, saying, “When you give a performance in a film, you know you’re going to be edited, but you’re participating in that. If you go into deepfake land, it has none of your points of view. That’s scary…Early on…I had a performance changed…They added a tear to my face, and I was just like, ‘Huh?!’ It was like, I don’t even have to be here.”

One wonders if Reeves is onto something here. With the news that Michael Douglas is set to play Benjamin Franklin, does the actor even need to be on set at all? Did he even need to be cast? Really, couldn’t Apple just create another version of The First American out of artificial intelligence and deepfake technology? This might be a slight exaggeration, but on the performance front, it is getting to the point where actors may truly have to consider their legacy–not the movies they’re leaving behind, but how they might be used even generations later, with or without permission. Let us never forget Fred Astaire dancing with a vacuum cleaner…

How do you feel about actors licensing their likeness? How far will artificial intelligence and deepfake technology go? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.

The new episode of the WTF Happened to This Horror Movie? video series looks back at John Carpenter’s Assault on Precinct 13

We’re getting the week started with a new episode of the WTF Happened to This Horror Movie? video series, and in this one we’re looking back at an early film from one our of legendary “masters of horror”: John Carpenter. The movie in question is the very cool action thriller Assault on Precinct 13 (watch it HERE), and you can find out all about it in the embed above.

Written and directed by John Carpenter, who was drawing inspiration from the Howard Hawks / John Wayne Western Rio Bravo and George A. Romero‘s Night of the Living Dead, Assault on Precinct 13 has the following synopsis: When the LAPD kills several members of the South Central gang Street Thunder, the remaining members avenge themselves by way of a bloody war waged against cops and citizens alike. Caught in the crossfire is Lt. Ethan Bishop, who’s managing a skeleton crew at the local and soon-to-be-closed police precinct. As the gang members close in, Bishop forms an unlikely alliance with a group of prisoners in order to defend the station and the lives of everyone in it.

The film stars Austin Stoker, Darwin Joston, Laurie Zimmer, Martin West, Tony Burton, Charles Cyphers, Nancy Loomis, Peter Bruni, John J. Fox, Marc Ross, Alan Koss, Henry Brandon, Kim Richards, Frank Doubleday, Gilbert De La Pena, Peter Frankland, Al Nakauchi, James Johnson, and Gilman Rankin.

This is what the WTF Happened to This Horror Movie series is all about: Hollywood has had its fair share of historically troubled productions. Whether it was casting changes, actor deaths, fired directors, in-production rewrites, constant delays, budget cuts or studio edits, these films had every intention to be a blockbuster, but were beset with unforeseen disasters. Sometimes huge hits, sometimes box office bombs. Either way, we have to ask: WTF Happened To This Horror Movie?

The Assault on Precinct 13 episode of WTF Happened to This Horror Movie? was Written by Mike Conway, Edited by Lance Vlcek, Narrated by Jason Hewlett, Produced by Lance Vlcek and John Fallon, and Executive Produced by Berge Garabedian.

A couple of the previous episodes of the show can be seen below. To see more, head over to our JoBlo Horror Originals YouTube channel – and subscribe while you’re there!

What do you think of Assault on Precinct 13? Let us know by leaving a comment!

The new episode of the Modern Horror Movie Talk video series covers the newly released Children of the Corn, directed by Kurt Wimmer

Last week, a new video series called Modern Horror Movie Talk made its premiere on the Arrow in the Head Show YouTube channel. With each episode of this show, we’ll be joining host Tyler Nichols as he covers all new horror releases, the latest horror movie news, and new horror trailers. Films discussed in the first episode of Modern Horror Movie Talk included Cocaine Bear, Eli Roth’s Thanksgiving, and The Pope’s Exorcist. Now the second episode of Modern Horror Movie Talk is online, and in this one Tyler is joined by special guest Mike Conway to discuss the new Children of the Corn movie, which was just released last week. (Read our review HERE, watch our interview with the director and cast members HERE.) To find out what Tyler and Mike had to say about Children of the Corn, check out the video embedded above!

Written and directed by Kurt Wimmer (and inspired, of course, by the Stephen King short story), this Children of the Corn has the following synopsis: Possessed by a spirit in a dying cornfield, a twelve-year-old girl in Nebraska recruits the other children in her small town to go on a bloody rampage and kill all the adults and anyone else who opposes her. A bright high schooler who won’t go along with the plan is the town’s only hope of survival.

The film stars Elena Kampouris, Kate Moyer, Callan Mulvey, and Bruce Spence.

This Children of the Corn was produced by Lucas Foster, Doug Barry, John Baldecchi, and Pam Collis. Executive producers are Wimmer, Mathieu Bonzon, Pascal Borno, John Fragomeni, Brian LaRoda, Keri Nakamoto, Andre Gaines, Sean Harner, and Donald P. Borchers – who produced the 1984 version of Children of the Corn and directed the 2009 remake. Other entries in the franchise include Children of the Corn II: The Final Sacrifice, Children of the Corn III: Urban Harvest, Children of the Corn: The Gathering, Children of the Corn V: Fields of Terror, Children of the Corn 666: Isaac’s Return, Children of the Corn: Revelation, Children of the Corn: Genesis, and Children of the Corn: Runaway.

What did you think of this episode of Modern Horror Movie Talk and the new Children of the Corn? Let us know by leaving a comment below!

The first episode of Modern Horror Movie Talk can be seen below, along with a sample of one of the other shows on the Arrow in the Head Show YouTube channel. To see more, head over to the Arrow in the Head Show YouTube channel… and subscribe to the channel while you’re there!

The animated film from Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg show our heroes in a half-shell as true teenagers in the new reboot.

Cowabunga, dudes! After the cast announcement over the weekend for the new movie Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem, Paramount now throws the new trailer online with a ninja star. The new animated adventure comedy comes from Seth Rogen as he takes on producing duties with long-time producing partner Evan Goldberg. The new animated film is a brand new interpretation of the popular franchise and will have no relation to the big-screen adaptations produced by explosion maestro Michael Bay.

The official synopsis reads:

After years of being sheltered from the human world, the Turtle brothers set out to win the hearts of New Yorkers and be accepted as normal teenagers through heroic acts. Their new friend April O’Neil helps them take on a mysterious crime syndicate, but they soon get in over their heads when an army of mutants is unleashed upon them.

Rogen has stated that this version will emphasize the fact that they’re teenagers, and the trailer certainly shows these reptilian brothers being as youthful as they ever have been as they goof around and fumble about when handling their weapons. The animation style is a unique one that looks similar to the concept art released last year, as well as showcasing a low frame rate look made popular by Spider-man: Into the Spider-verse and used in the latest Puss in Boots: The Last Wish.

Little is shown of the list of rogues in the movie as the Mutant Mayhem title suggests, a bevy of mutant characters from the classic animated series will be making appearances, including Bebop and Rocksteady, Genghis Frog, Ray Filet, Mondo Gecko, and Leatherhead.

The cast that’s been most recently announced includes an ensemble with Micah Abbey, Shamon Brown Jr., Hannibal Buress, Rose Byrne, Nicolas Cantu, John Cena, Jackie Chan, Ice Cube, Natasia Demetriou, Ayo Edebiri, Giancarlo Esposito, Post Malone, Brady Noon, Seth Rogen, Paul Rudd, and Maya Rudolph.

Taking up directing duties will be Jeff Rowe, who recently helmed The Mitchells vs. the Machines, and co-director Kyler Spears, writer of We Bare Bears. Ramsay McBean and Josh Fagen are executive producing the project with James Weaver joining Rogen and Goldberg as producers.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem will hit theaters on August 4.