All articles tagged with #franchise films
Paramount Pictures has signed a multi-picture, first-look deal with Will Smith and his company Westbrook, focusing on creating global, franchise-starting films including IP-based projects and starring vehicles like Sugar Bandits and Rabbit Hole, marking a significant expansion of Smith's film ventures after his previous deal with Sony.
Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith's entertainment company Westbrook has signed a first-look deal with Paramount to produce global franchise films based on existing IPs, with two projects already in development, marking a significant move in their entertainment ventures post-2022 controversies.
Ryan Coogler has stated he never considered making a sequel to his vampire thriller 'Sinners' and wanted to create a standalone, original film that felt complete and personal, moving away from franchise filmmaking. The film has been a commercial success, grossing over $350 million globally.
Lionsgate announced at CinemaCon 2024 that it will be reviving The Blair Witch Project in partnership with Blumhouse and developing a Monopoly movie with Margot Robbie's company, LuckyChap. The Blair Witch film will offer a new vision for the horror classic, and there are plans for more reimagined horror classics in collaboration with Blumhouse. Additionally, Lionsgate confirmed work on Highlander starring Henry Cavill, Naruto by director Destin Daniel Cretton, and Now You See Me 3. Henry Cavill expressed excitement about the deep exploration of the Highlander lore and the intense sword work in the upcoming film.
Tom Cruise has signed a new deal with Warner Bros. Discovery to develop and produce theatrical films, including original productions and franchise fare. The non-exclusive partnership aims to create globally appealing blockbusters that could spawn sequels and enhance Warner Bros.' bottom line. Cruise's upcoming projects include the eighth "Mission: Impossible" installment for Paramount and an upcoming Universal action movie that will see him become "the first civilian to do a spacewalk" outside of the International Space Station.
Paramount has announced that the release of "Mission: Impossible 8" has been delayed from June 2024 to May 2025 due to the ongoing SAG-AFTRA strike. The film, which serves as a direct sequel to "Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One," will no longer have a subtitle. The delay comes as the franchise seeks to recover from the underperformance of its previous installment. Other franchise films, including "A Quiet Place: Day One" and an untitled Spongebob Squarepants film, have also faced release delays. The actors' union marked the 100th day of the strike and plans to return to the bargaining table with the AMPTP.
Director James Mangold, known for his work on Logan and Indiana Jones, has expressed his resignation towards Hugh Jackman's decision to revive the character of Wolverine for a Deadpool movie. In an interview with Variety, Mangold stated that he wished they had let the character be, but acknowledged that there will always be another Wolverine. Despite his feelings, Mangold continues to work on franchise films, including a Swamp Thing movie and a Star Wars project.
Fast X is expected to debut with a domestic opening weekend range of $58-73 million, extending the franchise's streak of first place debuts to eight in a row and ten overall. Meanwhile, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 is expected to continue its strong performance with a third weekend range of $29-35 million. The competition and crossover for casual viewers of both franchises will be intriguing to follow, as the continued legs of Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 shouldn't be discounted even with the new competition.
"Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves" opened to $38.5 million in North America and $33 million internationally, exceeding expectations and receiving positive reviews. The film, which cost $150 million to make, is expected to appeal to both hardcore D&D players and broader audiences. Hollywood has struggled to bring games to the big screen, but recent successes like "Sonic the Hedgehog" and "Uncharted" have sparked a turnaround. "Dungeons & Dragons" has the potential to generate sequels and become a new franchise film.