Let’s talk about the top stories in Hollywood this week!
The Oscars are this Sunday, and the event will be historic for a number of reasons in a most unusual year. There’s a record number of women nominated for Oscars, as well a highly diverse group of acting nominees, both of which are very encouraging statistics for the Academy and the industry. In the winners predictions Nomadland is expected to be the leading film winner, including Best Picture, followed by Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom. But surprises could still happen! If you need to catch up and get ready for Hollywood’s biggest night, here’s where you can watch all of the 2021 Oscar nominees. (USA Today, ABC, Deadline, The New York Times, Variety, Noovie)
You know things are looking up in the movie business when The Hollywood Reporter goes from worrying about too few movies in theaters, to now worrying that there might be too many movies coming to a theater near you! While it’s true that there is a huge slate of major film titles stacked up this fall, analysts say that they are not worried about this “bevy of riches” due to a strong pent-up demand for people to get back to the movies that is “only increasing as time goes on and pandemic fatigue heightens.” (The Hollywood Reporter)
Could Demon Slayer beat Mortal Kombat at the box office this weekend? Rumor has it that Demon Slayer the Movie: Mugen Train, the anime feature based on Koyoharu Gotoge’s manga and the 2019 TV series, is currently besting Mortal Kombat in ticket sales, but experts say not to discount the love out there for Mortal Kombat among videogame players and fanboys just yet. Both franchises have an extremely loyal fanbase, but each movie has a different distribution strategy. Whichever way this battle ends, moviegoers will be the real winners as both of these long-awaited action-adventure fantasy films finally hit the big screen! (Deadline)
Since 2013, The Conjuring Universe has emerged as one of modern pop culture’s best and most popular horror franchises – and while our wait for the third chapter of the main series has been long, it’s finally almost over. Directed by Michael Chaves, The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It was originally going to be a 2020 release, but now it is all set to deliver some big scares during the summer 2021 blockbuster season with a new trailer dropping this week. Like the first two movies in the series, The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It is based on a story taken straight from the case files of demonologists Ed and Lorraine Warren (Patrick Wilson, Vera Farmiga) and center around the true case of Arne Cheyenne Johnson. In 1981, Johnson was put on trial for the death of his landlord, and it was the first case in United States history where an individual claimed demonic possession as a defense for committing a crime. (CinemaBlend)
Adria Arjona is ready to walk down the aisle with Andy Garcia as she has been tapped to play Garcia’s daughter and the bride to be in Warner Bros. and Plan B’s reboot of Father Of The Bride. The film will tell the story of a father coming to grips with his daughter’s upcoming wedding through the prism of multiple relationships within a big, sprawling Cuban-American family. It will be more of a rom-com than previous versions of film. While this will mark the third iteration of the story, sources say this will be more in the vein of the original Spencer Tracy film and not the Steve Martin franchise from the 1990s. (Deadline)
Increasingly diverse audiences in the U.S. prefer diverse film content. That’s the conclusion of UCLA’s latest annual Hollywood Diversity Report released this week. The 2021 report, subtitled “Pandemic in Progress,” pointed to people of color accounting for over 40 percent of the U.S. population and increasingly driving attendance at the multiplex and movie viewership for dominant streaming services like Netflix and Amazon Prime. “In 2020, people of color accounted for the majority of opening weekend, domestic box office for six of the top 10 films (ranked by global box office) and half of the box office for a seventh top 10 film,” the UCLA report stated. Similarly, households of color punched above their weight when it came to movie viewership for eight of the top 10 films released on streaming platforms in 2020. Cast diversity in films “skyrocketed” last year, as “people of color and women made tremendous strides among film leads since the last report, cementing 2020 as a watershed moment for diversity,” according to the study. (The Hollywood Reporter, Deadline)
Justin Simien, the director of Dear White People and Bad Hair, has been tapped to direct Disney’s The Haunted Mansion movie remake. Though taking inspiration from the spooky theme park ride, plot details have been kept under wraps for the upcoming live-action film. The Haunted Mansion theme park ride, which first opened in 1969, takes guests through a ghostly manor, where strange sounds and deceased inhabitants abound. It’s one of the only attractions in which Disney employees are encouraged not to smile. (Variety)
Speaking of Disney, a Jim Henson biopic is currently in development from Disney and The Jim Henson Company! It’s a look at the man who gave us the Muppets and brought joy to so many throughout his life as a puppeteer. Called Muppet Man, the film will explore his life and career, as well as Henson’s aims to bring the Muppets to cable television. Saying that Jim Henson is “beloved” is almost not enough. From Kermit the Frog to Gonzo and beyond, his characters are timeless and are still relevant today. Recently, Disney released Muppets Now and have since re-released older episodes of The Muppet Show on Disney+ for fans to enjoy. No release date has been confirmed for the project yet. (Collider)
‘S Wonderful news for movie musical fans…George Gershwin, the noted composer of Rhapsody in Blue and An American in Paris, will be the inspiration for a new musical drama from Martin Scorsese and John Carney. Fascinating Rhythm, named after one of Gershwin’s most recognizable songs, will draw creative influence from his life and music. However, the film is not expected to be a biopic. Instead, the story is centering on a young woman’s magical journey through past and present New York City. The Gershwin estate is on board and the movie will feature his music throughout. (Variety)
For a full schedule of all the new movies coming to a theater near you, check out Box Office Mojo’s Domestic Release Calendar.
And check out Noovie.com for all the latest movie news, trailers, and more, and be sure to follow WhatsNoovie on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for more updates.
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