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Wednesday, October 12, 2016

Latest Movie News From Moviefone

Latest Movie News From Moviefone


'Once Upon a Time': The Evil Queen Doesn't Forgive and More Season 6 Hints

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ABC's "Once Upon a Time" - Season SixIf you were expecting life in Storybrooke to be more peaceful come "Once Upon a Time" Season 6, the first few episodes should have quickly quashed that notion.

The latest season of the fairy tale series has already brought twists and turns, and we expect many more to come. "Once Upon a Time" executive producers Adam Horowitz and Edward Kitsis recently opened up to Entertainment Weekly about the drama in store, and let's just say trouble is looming.

*Be warned: There are spoilers ahead.*

Now that it's clear that Storybrooke's residents still have to contend with the Evil Queen (Lana Parrilla), fans are wondering just what that means for her other side, Regina. When asked if Regina's failure to kill her means the Evil Queen is immortal, Horowitz and Kitsis offered a complicated answer; instead of giving a yes or no, they shared that the issue will come up.

"We will explore the various reasons for mortality, or lack of mortality, for both the Evil Queen and Regina," Horowitz told EW.

Whether or not she's immortal, the Evil Queen is definitely angry.

"One thing I will say about the Evil Queen -- and she, I think, is going to say this -- is one thing she doesn't have is forgiveness," Kitsis said. "She doesn't forgive, so she's not just upset about [Daniel's death], she's upset about everything."

That anger may make her scarier than ever. Her plotting this season has already been diabolical, like encouraging Zelena (Rebecca Mader) to go after her half-sister. Regina will have to deal with whatever threat they pose while grieving her lost love. And sadly, there could be more death to come.

"It's always a possibility," Kitsis told EW. "Every season there's death. People die. Emma's fated to die. That's part of the show."

The tale continues Sunday at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.

[via: Entertainment Weekly]

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Scarlett Johansson Still Wants a Black Widow Movie, Possibly a Prequel

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2016 Toronto International Film FestivalScarlett Johansson has reprised her role as Black Widow multiple times since making her MCU debut in "Iron Man 2," but she doesn't seem to have tired of her superhero character yet.

Even with all of the Avengers films on Marvel and Disney's slate, Johansson is still interested in a standalone Black Widow movie. The topic has come up repeatedly over the years, and most recently, she opened up about the prospect in an interview with Variety.

"I would like for it to happen under the right circumstances," Johansson told the publication. "I think there's a lot of opportunity to mine that story line."

The superhero's origins, in particular, seem like an interesting place to start, the actress shared. "She's got a really rich origins story," Johansson said. "There's a lot of places you can go -- you can bring it back to Russia. You could explore the Widow program. ... You could really uncover the identity of who this person is, where she comes from and where she's part of."

Johansson called a prequel a "possibility," but she doesn't think it's the only option. She mentioned some other avenues, namely, if the Avengers were to fall apart. It all sounds intriguing, but first, the project needs to get off the ground -- and sooner rather than later.

"If I did it, I'd have to do it while I still actually wanted to wear a skin-tight catsuit," Johansson said. "I don't know how much longer that's going to be."

Fans may be able to help speed things along. "I think if the fans wanted it enough, then it would probably become a reality," Johansson said.

You heard the lady: Start clamoring for a Black Widow movie!

[via: Variety]

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Get Ready for a New 'Rogue One' Trailer Soon

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Exciting "Rogue One" news, we have!

"Rogue One: A Star Wars Story" director Gareth Edwards appeared on "The Star Wars Show" today, and he had two important reveals for fans. The first was that a trailer is set to drop tomorrow, and the second was one we could obsess over immediately: the film's theatrical poster.

Edwards showed off the new poster, which features Felicity Jones as protagonist Jyn Erso. Her co-stars appear as well, as the show's hosts were quick to note. They also oohed and aahed over the texture detailing on Jyn and the familiar, ominous face lurking behind her. (Oh, hi, Darth Vader.) The poster quickly spread across the internet, especially among the social media masses.
The poster is great to see, of course, but the trailer should be even better. It will show the "Rogue One" cast in action, which includes Jones, Diego Luna, Ben Mendelsohn, Donnie Yen, Mads Mikkelsen, Alan Tudyk, Riz Ahmed, Jiang Wen, and Forest Whitaker.

The film takes place 19 years after the Galactic Empire was formed and follows the story of how the Death Star came into the rebels' control. We'll get a closer look when the trailer hits tomorrow -- and, of course, when "Rogue One" premieres on Dec. 16.

Watch the full episode of "The Star Wars Show" to see the reveal.
[via: The Star Wars Show]

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New 'Rogue One' Poster Knows You Can't Wait to See Darth Vader

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Darth Vader and his Death Star plans are all over the new "Rogue One" poster.

Lucasfilm and Disney dropped the new (and maybe final) poster for "Rogue One: A Star Wars Story" Wednesday, ahead of the film's final trailer drop on Thursday. And this poster may be the most Star Wars-y yet from the new movie, which takes place before the events of "A New Hope."

Felicity Jones' character, Jyn Erso, is front and center -- along with a certain battle station that gets confused with being a moon (typical). Erso's band of Rebels are also depicted, as they join her on a mission to steal the plans of the first Death Star. And, if you've seen "Star Wars," then you know how that mission ends. (Spoiler: Not well.) Dec. 16 can't get here fast enough.

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Ryan Murphy Teases Evan Peters's Role in 'AHS: Roanoke'

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Celebrities Visit SiriusXM - May 25, 2016 "American Horror Story: Roanoke" is finally bringing in a vet of the anthology series whose role has been shrouded in mystery.

Although Evan Peters returned for "AHS: Roanoke," fans looking for the actor haven't seen hide nor hair of him over the first four chapters. Naturally, that inspired speculation: With the series being shot as if it were a true-crime documentary, could Peters' character be behind the camera?

Co-creator Ryan Murphy stepped in today to debunk the theory on Twitter. Better still, he revealed that we won't have to wonder about Peters for much longer, because he'll pop up in the fifth episode. The tweet doesn't offer much clarity on Peters' role, but at least now we know that his character isn't a producer and that more answers are forthcoming. We wouldn't expect all mysteries to be solved at once. The horror anthology series has always been able to keep fans guessing, and Season 6, in particular, kept speculation going with its mystery themes.

Peters' season debut comes when "American Horror Story: Roanoke" airs tonight at 10 p.m. ET on FX. See if you can catch a glimpse of him in the Episode 5 trailer below.
[via: Variety; Twitter]

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Lennie James Drops Clues About 'Walking Dead' Season 7's The Kingdom

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The Walking DeadThe Kingdom truly deserves its name on "The Walking Dead," according to star Lennie James.

James plays onetime pacifist Morgan, who will find himself in a new community called the Kingdom when the AMC zombie drama returns for season 7.

It's "very, very different to Alexandria, a lot bigger than Alexandria," he told Entertainment Weekly. "It's possibly the biggest world we will have come across so far."

At the end of last season, Morgan finally picked up a gun to shoot a Saviour threatening Carol. Now, he and the injured Carol are taken by soldiers to the Kingdom, which is ruled by a self-styled king named Ezekiel (Khary Payton). Submitting to the king is not a problem with Morgan.

"One of the important things about Ezekiel is the reason why he is what he is. And the reason why he is what he is, is because it's worked and it's keeping a large group of people alive and everybody has their rules," James observed. Rick (Andrew Lincoln) has his rules, Deanna had her rules, Negan has his rules ... and so does Ezekiel. Which includes keeping a pet tiger!

"The Walking Dead" season 7 premieres Sunday, Oct. 23 on AMC.

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New 'Game of Thrones' Set Photos Hint at Stark Family Reunion

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Game of ThronesThe wolves may yet get their revenge.

"Game of Thrones" season 7 is currently filming, and multiple cast members have been spotted in Northern Ireland, including Emilia Clarke (Daenerys Targaryen), Kit Harington (Jon Snow), Gwendoline Christie (Brienne), and Bella Ramsay (Lyanna Mormont). Also seen on set is Maisie Williams, who plays Arya Stark. And what's more interesting is that Arya's got a new, decidedly Northern-looking outfit.

Not only that, her on-screen brother, Isaac Hempstead-Wright (Bran Stark), was in the same hair and makeup trailer as Williams, though he was not in costume: Arya's new look hints at her moving North to reunite with her family at Winterfell. Jon and Sansa (Sophie Turner) re-captured their family castle from the odious Ramsay Bolton. Jon's been declared King of the North, so it's an opportune time for Arya to seek safety with her half-brother (actually cousin) and sister. And perhaps her new assassin skills will be helpful to the Starks as they continue to battle the Lannisters and the oncoming white walkers.

As for Bran, he was last seen north of the Wall, so it's unlikely he'll reunite with his siblings anytime soon. But we can hope for the future. Starks forever!

"Game of Thrones" season 7 is set to return sometime next summer.

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Here's the First Look at Amber Heard as Mera in 'Justice' League

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A24/DIRECTV's "The Adderall Diaires" Premiere - ArrivalsA sea goddess has risen from the waters!

The first image of Amber Heard in "Justice League" as Mera, Queen of Atlantis and wife of Aquaman (Jason Momoa), was released on the movie's official Twitter account. She's depicted standing on a rocky shore, wearing her dark green aqua-armor and headpiece: Mera will make her debut in "Justice League," though she will have a larger role in the standalone "Aquaman" movie. It's unclear what part she has to play in "Justice League," which recently wrapped filming, though her presence indicates at least an glimpse of Aquaman's underwater world.

Here's the official synopsis of "Justice League":

Fueled by his restored faith in humanity and inspired by Superman's selfless act, Bruce Wayne enlists the help of his newfound ally, Diana Prince, to face an even greater enemy. Together, Batman and Wonder Woman work quickly to find and recruit a team of metahumans to stand against this newly awakened threat. But despite the formation of this unprecedented league of heroes—Batman, Wonder Woman, Aquaman, Cyborg and The Flash—it may already be too late to save the planet from an assault of catastrophic proportions.


ss"Justice League" opens in theaters Nov. 17, 2017.

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Rose Leslie Joins 'The Good Wife' Spinoff as Diane's Goddaughter

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BRITAIN-ENTERTAINMENT-THEATRE-OLIVIER-AWARDS"The Good Wife" spinoff has officially been kissed by fire! "Game of Thrones" and "Downton Abbey" alum Rose Leslie (who is also dating Kit Harington, and he's the lucky one) is joining the CBS All Access show in the major series regular role of Maia.

According to Entertainment Weekly, Maia is Diane Lockhart's (Christine Baranski) goddaughter. She just passed the bar herself and joins Diane's current firm -- which also includes "Good Wife" favorite Lucca Quinn (Cush Jumbo).

The spinoff picks up one year after "The Good Wife" finale. In the story, an enormous financial scam destroys the reputation of young lawyer Maia, while also wiping out her mentor Diane's savings. They are forced out of Lockhart & Lee and join Lucca at another major Chicago law firm.

"We're thrilled to have Rose on board," executive producers Robert and Michelle King said in a statement. "We needed a young actress who could hold her own with Christine Baranski and Cush Jumbo, and Rose is perfect. She's real, she's strong, and she can play comedy. If we designed an actress from the ground up, we couldn't have done better."

That really is quite a dream team -- Baranski, Jumbo, and Leslie. They should open their own law firm and represent all of us.

"The Good Wife" spinoff, which will probably get another title at some point, will debut in February 2017 on CBS before moving exclusively to CBS's VOD and live streaming service, CBS All Access.

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This 'Game of Thrones' Theory About the Iron Throne Might Save Mankind

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Daenerys Targaryen did promise to "break the wheel" of each "Game of Thrones" house circling to the top for a brief stint of power. What better way to break that cycle than to break the Iron Throne itself?

The latest "Game of Thrones" theory comes fourth-hand from a GoT fan to GoT alum Jack Gleeson (King Joffrey) to New York Comic-Con to Bustle. Gleeson told the NYCC panel that the theory wasn't a spoiler because he knew literally nothing about what was to come on the HBO show. But here's the idea:

"[A fan] came up with this theory that they told me ... someone's going to like melt down the Iron Throne because it has the Valyrian steel that will overcome the White Walkers. So, I think that's kind of a cool idea — the monarchy is literally dissolved."


"Game of Thrones" fans have the best theories. If you gathered them into a book it would probably be as long as "The Winds of Winter" and we could get it on shelves much faster.

Will the theory happen? Maybe.

The common thread of each Westerosi, highborn or not, is that they are humans threatened with extinction by the White Walkers. It does seem like a very Dany -- or Dany and Jon Snow -- thing to do to melt down the chair as a symbolic gesture that We Are All In This Together and use that symbol of power as a weapon against the one true enemy. And maybe that will be the end of the Iron Throne, with democracy ruling from that point forward. (Let Lyanna Mormont call every vote!) Dany isn't meant to have any heirs, so it might make sense if she is succeeded by The People, rather than another king or queen.

It's just a theory at this point, but what do you think?

"Game of Thrones" is currently shooting Season 7, which will premiere in the summer of 2017, with Season 8 ending the series in (presumably) 2018.

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'Girl on the Train' Star Haley Bennett Gets Why You Keep Comparing Her New Movie to 'Gone Girl'

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In "The Magnificent Seven," Haley Bennett played the frontier woman who hires Denzel Washington to avenge her husband's death. In "The Girl on the Train," she plays Megan, a woman with a seemingly perfect life who goes missing and now her husband (Luke Evans), her neighbor and former employer (Rebecca Ferguson), and a voyeuristic train rider Rachel [Emily Blunt] are all suspects.

Both roles boost Bennett's profile significantly in 2016, making her the next "one to watch" in Hollywood. The actress talked to Moviefone about her complex character in "Train," the similarities to "Gone Girl," and shooting her new movie's infamous shower scene.

Moviefone: Which was harder to film -- "Magnificent Seven" or "Girl on the Train"?

Haley Bennett: "Magnificent Seven" was a really physical role and there was a lot of action and then this is a psychological thriller and a very emotional roller coaster.

Had you read the book?

Yes, I read the book prior to knowing anything about the film or the fact that it was a huge phenomenon.

Did you have a fave character when you were reading it?

I think the reason I liked the book so much was because I liked all of the characters. All three of the women had strong personalities and I think I'm drawn to all of their stories.Megan (HALEY BENNETT) and Tom (JUSTIN THEROUX) in DreamWorks Pictures’ THE GIRL ON A TRAIN. ©Storyteller Distribution Co. CR: Barry Wetcher.What did you think of the comparisons to "Gone Girl?"

Obviously, it's a female-driven thriller much like "Gone Girl" and there's the title, of course. No denying that [Laughs]. And they both explore the underbelly of domestic life. It's easy to draw comparisons, I liked Gillian Flynn and I liked "Gone Girl" and there was a parallel that I could identify with, which was that Amy seemed like the perfect woman with the perfect life, but in reality she was a very complicated character.

And Megan also looks like she has the perfect life from the outside, but she has a lot of secrets.

Yeah, Megan seems to be the perfect wife and have the perfect life, but she has a terrible secret that she's carried around for 10 years. She has an enormous amount of guilt and she hasn't told a soul her secret. Usually you can tell one person, I can't imagine holding onto a secret like that for so long. It was shocking for me when I discovered what it was and I can't imagine not telling anyone.

I talked to Luke earlier and he said you both got drunk before your shower scene.

There's scenes that we filmed which were more observations from Rachel's point of view [from the train]. So there's a scene where we're drinking wine outside and we're having a fire and we're enjoying ourselves. I think it's supposed to create a sense of separation between Rachel and any relationship she's had -- create more of a void for her. So they're carrying on and enjoying each other's company. The set designer gave us a really nice bottle of wine. It wasn't a scene where we really had to dig in, since it was [shot] from afar.
So did you also have some drinks before the shower scene or is Luke wrong about that?

Oh, absolutely, it wasn't a shower scene. We were shooting in the house and there was a scene that we were getting frisky, but it was not the shower scene. No way.

Was this the first time you had to strip down for a film? How nervous were you?

It's a racy thriller, but a lot of the context around the nudity has very little to do with sex. Even those in scenes where she's engaging in those activities, she sort of detached, so it's more of a character trait than an act. The way that Megan uses her sexuality is basically the way that Rachel uses alcohol. It's to numb herself.

So in a way, could you see them switching places?

Yeah, I think with any type of addiction, it's a device to escape reality.

In one of your nude scenes, you're out in the pouring rain. I hope you weren't out there too long. I was a bit worried for you.

Awww. It was a very emotional scene, so I didn't really notice that I was nude.

You have another movie coming out this year, Warren Beatty's "Rules Don't Apply."

It was such a thrill to be part of that wonderful ensemble class -- I was able to sing in the movie and just to work with Warren Beatty is a dream. It's set in the '50s, so it's a period piece and I love the Golden Era ... this is a throwback to those films that I love so much.

He plays Howard Hughes in the film. Is your character also based on a real person?

No, she's fictional. Her name is Mamie and it was nice because it's a lighter character and it was a nice contrast from these much darker films and characters experiencing loss. It was fun to sing and to have some comedic screen time. And Luke got to do a musical (2017's "Beauty and the Beast"), which is so cool. We spent time on set singing. We would put on little duets. We would sing a little bit of "The Lion King" and songs from "Beauty and the Beast." I think that helped loosen some of the tension.

Would you also want to be in a Disney musical?

I think they've all been made. They've remade "Cinderella," they've remade "Beauty and the Beast," what's left? I think they've done it all. I like animated films a lot. I don't know that any of the films I have coming out will get me any offers to do those kind of movies.

Like the Terrence Malick movie, "Weightless," which I imagine is not very light.

No, not at all. It's been quite the journey with that film. It was like five years ago, when we filmed it. Terrence has been a massive advocate of my career. He was responsible for getting Antoine Fuqua to see me in a different light. He was generous enough to write Antoine a letter of recommendation, I guess you could call it after we worked together. In true Malick fashion, I think it's our responsibility to protect how he prefers to work and to keep that sort of private in a way.

Do you have any idea what the finished film will look like?

Last I heard it was maybe six hours! He shoots a lot of footage. He shoots all the footage and then he takes it back into the editing room -- he's the master.

"Girl on the Train" is in theaters now.

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Felicity Jones Defends 'Rogue One' Reshoots: 'Actually, We Could Do This Better'

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Rogue One: A Star Wars Story..Jyn Erso (Felicity Jones) ..Ph: Jonathan Olley..©Lucasfilm LFL 2016.Reshoots are common. Most cinephiles know that. And yet, when reports came out that "Rogue One: A Star Wars Story" was returning for "extensive reshoots," it made many fans nervous. Sources reported the initial screening "was tonally off what a 'classic' Star Wars movie should feel like." Now The Hollywood Reporter has a cover story with star Felicity Jones, who has top billing as Jyn Erso, with her take on the reshoots and more.

As THR noted, this role has the most star-making potential for Jones, and also carries the biggest risks:

"It's her biggest payday to date (seven figures, while no other castmember received even mid-six figures, according to sources), but she takes the hardest PR hit if the film doesn't match 'Force Awakens' numbers. And there have been worrying reports of reshoots (some believe to be as much as $30 million worth)."

Here's what Jones told THR about the reshoots:

"Obviously when you come to the edit, you see the film come together and you think, 'Actually, we could do this better, and this would make more sense if we did this.' I've done it so many times. I mean, you wouldn't just give your first draft on this story, would you?"

Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy sounded frustrated in her response to the reshoots, but basically acknowledged that this is the heavy burden that comes with the crown of Star Wars:

"I'm sure if you picked up the phone and called every single large, technical movie and said, 'You ever gone in and done reshoots?' they'd all say, 'Oh God, yes.' So why has it turned into a big story? Because it's Star Wars, and they put a spotlight and scrutinize every single thing that gets done. But it was always planned and nothing unusual."

Kennedy, the story notes, was the first to think of Felicity Jones for the lead role of Jyn, but Disney Studios chairman Alan Horn was the one to seal the deal. As Kennedy explained:

"Alan was incredibly excited by Felicity's work and loved her as an actress. She's relatively petite, but you would never know it. I mean, she comes off very strong and physical and capable, and all of those things were the qualities that we were looking for."

Jones told THR that, in prep for Jyn, she spent hours watching music videos, especially of Florence Welch in Florence + the Machine. As Jones explained:

"So much of Jyn is movement. It became a very important part of finding her. She walks almost a bit like a caged animal. Her fight sequences become like dances."

We'll see that caged animal in action when "Rogue One" is released on December 16th, 2016. Read the rest of her cover story for her reaction to the death of her "Like Crazy" co-star Anton Yelchin, and how she almost stopped "Inferno" in its tracks with her contract demands.

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Here's Why Hermione Only Has Fake Teeth in One Harry Potter Scene

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OK, Potter Posse, your mission -- should you choose to accept it -- is to re-watch "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone" and see if you can spot 1) Emma Watson mouthing another actor's lines during a scene, and 2) Watson's Hermione wearing fake teeth.

Maybe you're already familiar with both? Congrats, you already know the film better than the director!

Chris Columbus directed the first two Harry Potter films -- "Sorcerer's Stone" and "Chamber of Secrets" -- and just shared some behind-the-scenes details in a new Entertainment Weekly podcast.

EW brought up a scene in "Sorcerer's Stone" where Watson appears to be mouthing the lines of Daniel Radcliffe (Harry Potter) and Rupert Grint (Ron Weasley). Columbus seemed surprised to learn that was actually in his movie, but he went from there to share his own "Sorcerer's Stone" story, referencing Hermione's teeth, which are described in the book as protruding.

Here's Columbus's Hermione teeth story:

"The thing we shot on the first day of 'Sorcerer's Stone' was the final train sequence where Harry looks at Hogwarts, and Emma, Dan, and Rupert are huddled up on the side of the train. If you look closely at that scene, Emma -- because Hermione, it was a big thing in the books about her teeth. She had sort of had an overbite, so she's wearing fake teeth in that scene. And I realized that we're never going to be able to -- she's never going to be able to perform with these huge fake teeth in her mouth for the rest of the movie. So if you look closely you can see some fake teeth."

This may be it:

Listen to the full podcast for more stories, including Columbus's wishes for Hagrid and Peeves.

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Benicio Del Toro Is Out of 'The Predator,' 'Logan' Villain May Replace

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EE British Academy Film Awards - Red Carpet ArrivalsBad news for Benicio Del Toro fans may be good news for Boyd Holbrook. Del Toro was negotiating to play the lead in Shane Black's "The Predator" reboot, but he is now out. The scoop comes from The Hollywood Reporter, which added that Holbrook is Fox's choice for the new lead.

Holbrook is not exactly a household name at this point, but he may be on your radar as the new villain in "Logan," the third Wolverine solo movie. He's also known from "Narcos," and maybe "Gone Girl" and "Morgan," to some extent. THR said Fox is "planning on beefing up the supporting cast" to compensate for the loss of an anchor like Del Toro.

Why is Del Toro out? The studio had no comment, but THR noted that his schedule was a challenge from the beginning, and it's implied that they just couldn't make it work -- even after Fox pushed back "The Predator" start date to February to make room for the actor's other projects. Sources told the site scheduling issues creeped up again when Del Toro's other movies (including the sequel to "Sicario" and "Star Wars: Episode VIII") had their own scheduling changes.

The original 1987 "Predator," directed by John McTiernan, starred Arnold Schwarzenegger as a soldier hired by the U.S. government to rescue a group of politicians trapped in Guatemala, only to be hunted by the stealthy title character itself. So "The Predator," scheduled for 2018, was aiming for its own Ahhnold-level action star. Maybe it will help boost Holbrook into the next level of stardom. Unless he drops out from too many other projects, too.

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Meet the Justice Society of America Icons Joining 'Legends of Tomorrow'

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DC's LEGENDS OF TOMORROWThe Legends of Tomorrow are about to meet the greatest superheroes of Yesterday.

When The CW's super-team series "DC's Legends of Tomorrow" returns for its second season, the ragtag band of misfits are still figuring out the right way to go about their time-traveling superhero-ing, and their often ill-advised efforts are quickly going to stand in sharp contrast to the seemingly perfect adventuring of DC Comics' original team of superheroes, the Justice Society of America -- a wartime group of costumed crusaders that pre-dates even the Justice League.

Executive producer Marc Guggenheim -- who, just prior to the launch of his first CW/DC series "Arrow," actually wrote the JSA comic book -- sat down with Moviefone to reveal the series' motivation for folding in even-more-legendary group, and the logic behind the inclusion of the various members of its TV roster.

Moviefone: Let's talk first about some of the eras that you're going to visit, and especially how they might relate to DC lore.

Marc Guggenheim: Well, we're going to go back to the Old West and see Jonah Hex again. We are going to go to 1940s and meet the Justice Society of America. We are going to go to feudal Japan, and anyone who's watched "Arrow" knows that there's a connect-up with Japan and "Arrow."

Not every episode can or should connect up with DC lore. To me, approaching it that way is the cart dragging the horse for us. Let's start with the most organic story we can tell, the most fun story we can tell, and then look for ways to make those connections.

What intrigued you about bringing the Justice Society of America -- the team featuring the DC's 1940s-era heroes and their descendants and successors -- into the new season?

I think there's two things: one was the fanboy wish-fulfillment. I love the JSA -- I used to write the JSA in comic-book form. And then there was the storytelling potential, mainly in that we realized very early on that the JSA essentially were like this funhouse mirror to hold up to the Legends, to show how screwed up the Legends are by showing them a team that isn't screwed up at all. We just thought there would be a huge amount of fun to be had by watching the Legends interact with a superhero team that actually does it right.

Let's tick down the membership of the JSA on "Legends," and why you were excited to include them in the show.

I'll say just overall, [producers] Phil Klemmer, myself, Dan Evans, and Geoff Johns sat in a conference room with a list of all the JSA members -- as you know, there's a lot of them -- and we wanted to pick a mix that was diverse in gender, diverse in race, diverse in power sets, so that when you assembled that team, you wouldn't feel that it was all, "Oh, they're all the same kind of hero." We really wanted to mix it up.

So there's Vixen, there's Doctor Mid-Nite, there's Obsidian, there's Hourman, and there's Stargirl. Doctor Mid-Nite to me is one of the quintessential JSA members -- I didn't know how you do the JSA without Doctor Mid-Nite. I really, really wanted to do Stargirl because of that character's connection with Goeff [who created the comic-book character and based her personality on that of his late sister].

Vixen -- honestly, it really came about because Megalyn [Echikunwoke] didn't want to reprise the role on "Legends" as a series regular, but we had our heart set on doing Vixen. So it really came about out of necessity. In talking it out, we realized since we're already doing the JSA and there's again this generational component to the JSA, there's an opportunity here to introduce Vixen this way. I will say it's very convenient for us that Vixen gets her powers from a magical amulet that can be passed down from generation to generation. I would say if the powers were like more natural meta-human, it would be a little harder for us. So it worked out very, very, very well.

Obsidian, because I thought his powers are cool, the look would be cool -- I like the idea of, in terms of having as diverse a team as possible, I think Obsidian's probably, if not the most prominent gay character in the DC canon, he's in the top two or three. So that was very appealing.

Hourman we had already. Hourman came about because Geoff had suggested him at the end of Season 1 when I called him up and said, "Look, we need a hero to crash land in front of the Legends and say, don't get on that ship!" And he was the one who suggested Hourman and the JSA. That just opened up all these great possibilities for us. Oh, and Commander Steel. I forgot Commander Steel! Commander Steel is Nate Heywood's grandfather, so he's related to our new cast member, Nick Zano.

Tell me what you wanted to do with the generational aspect of Commander Steel.

Well, I think one of the fun things about JSA that makes the JSA the JSA is this idea of what they call "legacy characters." We were just very enamored with the idea of, "What's it like to have someone like Commander Steel to live up to?"

That's an interesting legacy and an interesting challenge for a character to have to deal with. It's like, "Wow -- my grandfather literally helped defeat the Nazis and was a superhero. How do I even come close to making my life matter as much?" So it felt a way to tell some really good character drama, but at the same time honor what makes the JSA a fun concept, which is they're not only the first superheroes, but the first line of superheroes.

You had to leave some classic JSA-ers, like the Jay Garrick Flash and the Alan Scott Green Lantern, off the table?

Yeah, because that becomes its own separate thing. I mean, yes, everyone would love to do, like, Jay Garrick, and we would love to do it, too. I think in Season 2, with time travel, to throw in parallel universes on top of it, that would be biting off ... not more than we could chew, but certainly biting off more than we should chew.

"DC's Legends of Tomorrow" Season 2 premieres Thursday, October 13th, on The CW.

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