First Full Trailer Released for Zoe Saldana’s “Avatar” Sequel, “Avatar: The Way of Water”

Posted on November 2, 2022 by Tom Castaneda

Zoe Saldana is heading the way of water…

The first full official trailer for James Cameron’s Avatar: The Way of Water, starring the 44-year-old Puerto Rican and Dominican American actress, has been released.

Disney will begin the overseas rollout of the sequel to the highest-grossing film ever on December 14 with its U.S. release set for December 16.

The Way of Water is set more than a decade after the events of the first Avatar film. It follows the Sully family (Jake, Neytiri [Saldana] and their kids), the trouble that follows them, the lengths they go to keep each other safe, the battles they fight to stay alive and the tragedies they endure as they fight for their home on Pandora. Brimming with stunning visuals and new creatures, the trailer also features a callback to the original movie with the signature Na’vi line: “I see you.”

The sequel stars Sam Worthington, Saldana, Sigourney Weaver, Kate Winslet, Michelle Yeoh, Edie Falco, Stephen Lang, Giovanni Ribisi, Oona Chaplin, Jermaine Clement and more.

Disney previously previewed a teaser trailer at CinemaCon in April before playing it exclusively in theaters on Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, and then put it online in May.

The studio, Cameron and producer Jon Landau have been making the rounds with footage from the film, screening during June’s CineEurope conference in Barcelona and at D23 in September as well as for executives from China Film Group (a release there is still unconfirmed).

Disney also released a remastered 4K HDR version of the original film in September to set the table for the sequel, and included sneak footage tagged onto the end.

Sources indicate The Way of Water will clock in at more than three hours, but no exact final run-time has been decided. The original was two hours and 41 minutes.

In total, four sequels are planned. Said Landau in Vegas, “The journey across all four movies will create a connected saga.”

Said Cameron at the time, the new films are “pushing limits even farther with high frame rate, higher resolution 3D and greater reality in our visual effects. I wanted our return to Pandora to be something really special. Every shot is designed for the biggest screen, highest resolution and most immersive 3D available. I think we pulled it off.”

Jonas Cuaron to Direct Bad Bunny in Sony Pictures’ “El Muerto”

Posted on October 5, 2022 by Tom Castaneda

Jonas Cuaron has landed a project to die for…

The 41-year-old Mexican film director, screenwriter, producer, editor and cinematographer will direct Sony Pictures’ El Muerto, starring Bad Bunny.

Cuarón, the son of Oscar winner Alfonso Cuarón, is known for the 2015 thriller film Desierto.

El Muerto is in early development, and Gareth Dunnet-Alcocer is writing the script.

El Muerto is a character within Spider-Man’s universe, and the film would mark the first time a Latino character leads a Marvel live-action film. He is an antihero and the son of a luchador next in line to inherit the ancestral power of “El Muerto.”

“It’s amazing, it’s incredible,” Bad Bunny, whose real name is Benito A Martínez Ocasio, said earlier this year at Cinemacon about his involvement in El Muerto. “I love wrestling. I grew up watching wrestling, and I’m a wrestler. I’m a former champion, so this is why I love this character. I think it’s the perfect role to me, and it will be epic.”

Although Bad Bunny is best known for his Grammy-winning music, he has been getting more involved in the acting world.

He had an arc in the Netflix series Narcos: México, playing Arturo “Kitty” Páez. Earlier this year he made his big-screen debut in Bullet Train, where he was directed by David Leitch and shared screen credits with Brad Pitt, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Andrew Koji, Michael Shannon and Sandra Bullock, among others.

Sony Pictures is expected to release El Muerto in theaters on January 12, 2024.

Sony Developing “El Muerto” Marvel Character Film with Bad Bunny Attached to Star

Posted on April 26, 2022 by Tom Castaneda

Bad Bunny is dying for an exciting new role…

Sony Pictures, looking to continue to expand and diversify its universe of Marvel characters, is developing an El Muerto movie with the 28-year-old Puerto Rican Grammy-winning singer attached to star.

The announcement was made at Cinemacon during Sony’s panel where Bad Bunny made a surprise appearance.

The character of El Muerto, aka Juan Carlos, was a super powered wrestler who originally fought Spider-Man in a charity wrestling match in which he nearly unmasked the webslinger before being stung by Spider-Man with a paralyzing poison. After his oppressor El Dorado came to claim his life, he was saved by Spider-Man, after which the two team up to defeat Dorado.

El Muerto would mark the first Latin superhero to get his own film in the universe of Marvel characters, coming right after Sony recently dated Madame Web, which marked the first female character from the Spider-Man universe to get her own film.

Though El Muerto isn’t as popular as Venom or Kraven the Hunter, Sony’s rush to get this film into development has much to do with Bad Bunny’s persistence in finding that right superhero property for himself.

The superstar is set to make his major studio debut in the highly-anticipated action film Bullet Train on July 29, a project that led to Aaron Taylor-Johnson landing the lead role in Kraven the Hunter.

The same situation looks to have happened with Bad Bunny with executives extremely high on the final Bad Bunny footage from the film.

Following recent meetings to figure out a starring vehicle for him, the multi-hyphenate took matters into his own hands and began mining the Spider-Man library for Latin characters that would suit him, eventually coming across El Muerto. The studio loved the idea and hopes to move quickly on the project given Bad Bunny’s busy touring and acting schedule.

Besides Bullet Train, he was also recently seen in Narcos: Mexico and has Cassandro coming out alongside Gael García Bernal. He also recently wrapped his arena tour El Ultimo Tour Del Mundo.

El Muerto will come out on Jan. 12, 2024.

Benito Antonio Marinez Ocasio (aka Bad Bunny) said working on Bullet Train was “an amazing experience. David (Leitch) is awesome. I loved working with him on my first film and now with this opportunity to bring El Muerto to life. It’s amazing, it’s incredible. I love wrestling. I grew up watching wrestling and I’m a wrestler. I’m a former champion so this is why I love this character. I think it’s the perfect role to me and it will be epic.”

Zoe Saldana to Receive “Star of the Year” Award at CinemaCon

Posted on April 24, 2022 by Tom Castaneda

Zoe Saldana is a shining star…

The 43-year-old Puerto Rican and Dominican American actress will be among the honorees at CinemaCon’s Big Screen Achievement Awards.

Saldana will receive a CinemaCon Star of the Year award as The Adam Project star prepares for the release of a slate of projects that includes a new David O. Russell film, Keyhole Garden, the Avatar franchise and a new Guardians of the Galaxy installment.

The Big Screen Achievement Awards will be held at CinemaCon headquarters at Caesars Palace on April 28 and will be hosted by Entertainment Tonight veteran Kevin Frazier from inside the Colosseum. The awards are designed to shine a spotlight on the big-screen achievements of actors and filmmakers.

Other honorees include Robert De Niro, Billy Eichner, Abby Ryder Fortson and Glen Powell.

Additional honors are expected to be announced.

“CinemaCon may be the only time during the course of the year where the exhibition community gets to thank the creative world for providing the very best in the world of movies,” said Neuhauser. “Our roster of honorees this year represents an incredible scope of talent and to have one of the most legendary actors in the history of film being honored, that of course being Robert De Niro — well, it really doesn’t get better than that.”

The news comes just days before the big event that sees Hollywood studios and cinema operators gather in Las Vegas for the annual convention hosted by the National Association of Theatre Owners.

This year, all five major Hollywood studios plus Lionsgate and Neon will be touting their upcoming slates during their time on stage inside the Colosseum at Caesars Palace.

CinemaCon, expected to draw upward of 6,000 guests, runs April 25-28. Partners this year include both the International Cinema Technology Association and National Association of Concessionaires.

Alice Braga & “The New Mutants” Cast to Take Part in Comic-Con@Home Panel

Posted on July 17, 2020 by Tom Castaneda

Alice Braga is readying for a Mutant-size appearance…

The 37-year-old Brazilian actress will take part in a Comic-Con@Home panel dedicated to her superhero horror film from Marvel Entertainment, The New Mutants at 2:00 pm Pacific (PDT).

The film, which stars Braga as Cecilia Reyes, will be released on August 28 after several date changes and delays since the film’s first trailer was released at CinemaCon in 2017, before the Fox/Disney merger.

Braga’s Comic-Con@Home panel will take place on Thursday, July 23.

In addition to Braga, the ComicCon@Home panel will feature writer/director Josh Boone, as well as fellow stars Maisie Williams, Anya Taylor-Joy, Charlie Heaton, Blu Hunt and Henry Zaga.

The New Mutants is set in an isolated hospital where a group of young mutants is being held for psychiatric monitoring. When strange occurrences begin to take place, both their new mutant abilities and their friendships will be tested as they battle to try and make it out alive.

In addition, 20th Century Studios and Marvel released a new clip for the film.

Click here for the complete Comic-Con@Home schedule.

Plaza to Star in “The Driftless Area”

Posted on May 25, 2014 by Tom Castaneda

Aubrey Plaza is driftless in Hollywood…

The 29-year-old half-Puerto Rican actress/comedian and Parks and Recreation star has joined the cast of The Driftless Area, starring Anton Yelchin, Zooey Deschanel, John Hawkes and Frank Langella.

The film centers on the young love between a bartender and a mysterious woman. Their relationship is threatened after the bartender, Pierre, gets mixed up with a dangerous crook and his bag of stolen cash.

The Driftless Area, an adaptation of Tom Drury‘s novel of the same name, is currently shooting in Vancouver.

Zachary Sluser, who co-wrote the screenplay with Drury, is directing.

Plaza, who starred in 2012’s Safety Not Guaranteed, which earned her the Breakthrough Performer of the Year award at CinemaCon,and 2013’s The To-Do List, can next be seen in the upcoming A Many Splintered Thing opposite Chris Evans and Michelle Monaghan and Lionsgate’s Mortdecai, co-starring Johnny Depp, Ewan McGregor and Gwyneth Paltrow.

Both films are in postproduction.

Saldanha to Receive CinemaCon’s International Filmmaker of the Year Award

Posted on January 31, 2014 by Tom Castaneda

Carlos Saldanha will be getting plenty of love at this year’s CinemaCon…

The 49-year-old Brazilian director of animated films will receive the international filmmaker of the year award at this year’s edition of CinemaCon, the annual gathering of theater owners in Las Vegas.

This year’s convention will take place March 24-27 at Caesars Palace.

Saldanha, an Academy Award nominated filmmaker who works with Blue Sky Studios, is currently wrapping production on Rio 2, his follow up to 20th Century Fox‘s animated hit Rio.

The sequel opens in theaters April 11 and features the return of voice leads Anne Hathaway, Jesse Eisenberg, Jermaine Clement, Leslie Mann, George Lopez, will.i.am and Jamie Foxx.

New voice additions include Andy Garcia, Bruno Mars, Kristin Chenoweth and Rita Moreno.

The Rio franchise is from Fox Animation Studios and Blue Sky Studios.

Saldanha’s other credits include Ice Age, Ice Age: The Meltdown, Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs and Robots.

Plaza to Receive Breakthrough Performer of the Year Award at This Year’s CinemaCon

Posted on April 12, 2013 by Tom Castaneda

Aubrey Plaza is about to get her breakthrough…

The Will Rogers Motion Picture Pioneers Foundation has announced that the 28-year-old half-Puerto Rican actress/comedian and Parks and Recreation star will receive the Breakthrough Performer of the Year award at this year’s CinemaCon.

Plaza, who graces the cover of Complex Magazine’s April/May cover, earned kudos for her starring role in the indie film Safety Not Guaranteed. She’ll next star in The To Do List.

The awards dinner will take place April 15-18 at CinemaCon in Las Vegas.

Others to be honored include: Breakthrough Filmmaker of the Year — Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Cinema Icon Award — Morgan Freeman, Male Star of Tomorrow — Armie Hammer, Female Star of Tomorrow — Hailee Steinfeld, Award of Excellence in Acting — Elizabeth Banks, Comedy Duo of the Year — Vince Vaughn and Owen Wilson, Lifetime Achievement Award — Harrison Ford, Male Star of the Year — Chris Pine and Female Star of the Year — Melissa McCarthy.

Boneta Featured in First “Rock of Ages” Clip

Posted on June 2, 2012 by Tom Castaneda

It’s no wonder Diego Boneta received CinemaCon’s Rising Star of 2012 Award, especially after the release of the first clip of his highly anticipated musical Rock of Ages…

Aimed at building buzz for the U.S. release of the film, Warner Bros. Pictures released the snippet, which shows the 21-year-old Mexican singer/actor and his co-star Julianne Hough shopping for vinyl at a record store before breaking into a head-banging rendition of Foreigner‘s “Jukebox Hero.”

Rock of Ages, an adaptation of the hit Broadway musical, centers on small town girl Sherrie (Hough) and city boy Drew (Boneta) ,who meet on the Sunset Strip while pursuing their Hollywood dreams. Their rock ‘n’ roll romance is told through the classic hits of Def Leppard, Joan Jett, Journey, Bon Jovi, Night Ranger, REO Speedwagon, Pat Benatar, Twisted Sister, Poison, Whitesnake and more.

Along with Hough and Boneta, Rock of Ages stars Tom Cruise as rock star Stacee Jaxx, Sherrie and Drew’s idol. Other members of the ensemble include Malin Akerman, Russell Brand, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Alec Baldwin, Mary J. Blige, Paul Giamatti and Bryan Cranston.

Directed by Adam Shankman, Rock of Ages will open in theaters nationwide on June 15.

Get More: Movie Trailers, Movies Blog

Boneta to Receive CinemaCon’s Rising Star Award

Posted on March 24, 2012 by Tom Castaneda

There’s no denying that Diego Boneta’s star is on the rise in Hollywood…

The 21-year-old Mexican actor—who will be starring in the highly anticipated Rock of Ages this summer—will receive CinemaCon’s Rising Star of 2012 Award at the upcoming convention of theater owners in Las Vegas, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Boneta, who rose to acclaim in Spanish-language television by playing Rocco in the hit Mexican telenovela Rebelde, has appeared on American shows like ABC Family’s Pretty Little Liars and the CW’s 90210.

The talented actor-singer will play the lead role of aspiring rocker Drew Boley in Rock of Ages from Hairspray director Adam Shankman.

“How exciting to think that Diego Boneta’s first film role will see him share the screen with the likes of Tom Cruise, Catherine Zeta-Jones and Alec Baldwin,” CinemaCon general managing director Mitch Neuhauser said while announcing Boneta’s award, which will be presented at the final night gala dinner.

Boneta has also been cast in MTV‘s upcoming new series Underemployed.

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