This morning the Ghostbusters official twitter account released a video where Paul Rudd announces that he will be one of the actors in the upcoming film.
The Ant-Man star indicates that he has accepted an offer to be cast in the new movie. He’s a fan of the original. And filming will begin (likely) in the fall.
There really isn’t much to report here other than he will be joining the ever growing list of cast announcements for the continuation of the Ghostbusters series that will be directed by Jason Reitman, the original director Ivan Reitman’s son.
What I do like about this is that Jason Reitman keeps stressing that he wants to make it to honor his father and the fans. I sincerely hope he does! It would be a refreshing change.
The current scuttlebutt about the once mighty Toys-R-Us says the new owners are moving forward with plans to bring the toy store back to the United States by Christmas 2019, but there’s a catch. There will be about half a dozen stores.
Richard Barry CEO of new entity TRU Kids Inc., has apparently been pitching the plan to reincarnate the chain to toy makers. As well as at an industry conference, according to people who wished to remain anonymous because the plans aren’t yet public.
Each of the stores will be about 1/3 the size of what the usual Toy-R-Us stores were. It seems the plan is to have the stores be about 10,000 square feet with extra “experiences” to make them a “destination.” So play areas in an already smaller space. Is this Chuck e Cheese or Toys-R-Us?
Of course fewer than ten stores won’t be enough so there will also be an online store at the ToysRUs.com Url. According to Comicbook.com:
TRU would also be operating an online storefront at ToysRUs.com in order to generate additional revenue, and mitigating costs by taking product on consignment from producers, and paying only when the goods have left the store. This has its own risks, especially in higher-theft areas where Toys “R” Us would be on the hook for merchandise that was never properly accounted for.
Here’s my thing. Toys-R-Us didn’t score points with me for how they shut down and kind of stuck it to their employees. As other news sites have pointed out, they burned bridges with some retailers too and it’s going to be an uphill struggle to rebuild that. Large toy companies lost money from the liquidation and they lost exclusives. I know that the Calico Critters line was once pretty much TRU exclusive went to Wal-Mart already. I’m sure it’s the same for a few other lines.
Plus Walmart, Target, and Amazon and places like grocery stores took the opportunity to jump in and fill the void left by the large toy store.
But as of now the Chief Executive Officer Isaac Larian has indicated that MGA Entertainment (Little Tikes, Bratz, L.O.L Surprise) are willing to work with them. ““This market needs a self-standing toy store, that’s for sure. We will sell them inventory.”
If you thought the market needed you why did you liquidate all the stores and are struggling to find a plan. There are brick and mortar stores that sell toys including the return of smaller independent stores. Their prices aren’t much different that the higher prices Toys-R-Us charged. Plus KB Toys has made moves to return to the market as well.
Personally, I am nostalgic for TRU, but I’m also a bit miffed by their behavior towards employees and toy companies. There still seems to be a bit of a cavalier attitude here. I’m not sure how well this will do. But only time will tell.
In an exclusive with Comicbook.com, Kevin Feige mentioned that they would be re-releasing the movie with new footage at the Spider-man: Far From Home press junket.
“We are doing that,” Feige said of an Endgame re-release with new footage. “I don’t know if it’s been announced. And I don’t know how much… Yeah, we’re doing it next weekend.”
The movie will return to theaters on June 28 with a whopping seven minutes of “bonus footage.” It will make the total run time 188 minutes and it will add a tribute to the late Stan Lee. I don’t want to pay again and sit through over thee hours for seven minutes.
Okay. Why?
Are people actually asking for this? Isn’t it still in 2nd or 3rd run theaters now?
Disney is jacking up prices at the parks again and now they are re-releasing their Avengers film just 2 months after it opened, but no it’s different because it has extra footage. It all kind of feels like desperation to me.
(Photo Credit: ScreenRant)
They didn’t break Avatar’s record at $2.788 billion, so now they are thinking a re-release would do that? As of now Avengers: Endgame is at $2.743 billion. Somehow it feels like cheating a bit, not to mention they own Avatar now too? Both Captain Marvel and Avengers: End Game did perform well in theaters. X-men Dark Phoenix did not, but they have Spider-man: Far From Home coming on July 2nd.
Do they want to add in more Captain Marvel? I’m just trying to understand why they would make this move.
If they are worried about franchise “burnout” like they claim is the cause for the Star Wars franchise, why would they release this again, right before Spider-man: Far From Home? Plus they’ve had three Marvel releases since March. Then they have The Lion King and Star Wars Episode IX coming as well. It just seems like a bad move.
News flash: People don’t have infinite money. If you need money to pay for the park additions, the overpriced Fox merger, and now the Disney+ streaming service, maybe you shouldn’t have bit off more than you can chew. There are limits for people and as much as I love Marvel and classic Star Wars and Disney parks, you are starting to turn me off and price me out. I’m sure it’s the same for a lot of others. Disney burnout could become a thing if it continues.
I don’t want to be turned off. I truly do love the Disney Parks and classic Star Wars and Disney animated features and a lot of the Marvel movies. But I’m starting to feel more like a payday and less like a valued customer. Disney you might want to stop and think a bit more because consumers do have limits and I think you are starting to approaching the limit for customers. Something to consider.
They have announced a new She-ra and the Princesses of Power 2-pack exclusive for Comic Con International: San-Diego (SDCC.)
These dolls (yes dolls) are being made by Mattel! That’s why they look so good! Here’s a video we did on them:
She-ra actually looks more feminine and even looks to be wearing lipstick! My 11 year old daughter’s comment about the doll was “Why can’t she look like that on the show? I want that doll.”
Here’s the description:
She-Ra doll features an armor-clad look including her signature white jumpsuit, a holographic skirt, long red cape and full battle armor. Shimmery accents weave through her extra-long, blonde hair underneath her iconic winged tiara. Carrying her Sword of Protection accessory, She-Ra is ready to defend her home planet, Etheria, from The Evil Horde and her nemesis, Shadow Weaver! Prepared to cast darkness on all who cross her, this Shadow Weaver doll “floats” when displayed and carries a glittery Shadow Power accessory. Dressed in her classic burgundy robe, Shadow Weaver doll features a highly detailed mask and long, flowing black hair.
Let’s not forget Shadow Weaver. I actually don’t mind the new design of Shadow Weaver and the doll looks amazing (look at all that brushable hair!)
Good job Mattel! Now if we could just get the Classic larger dolls I would be so happy!
If you are interested in these new DOLLS you can pre-order them from Mattel. BUT you can only do so if you are going to SDCC. It also appears that you can’t just pick them up at the event. The 2-pack is $40.00.
The fine print
“Attendee must confirm pre-sale purchase by checking in at the Mattel booth (#2945) at the 2019 San Diego Comic-Con: San Diego Convention Center, 111 Harbor Dr., San Diego, CA 92101, July 17 from 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM, July 18–20 from 9:30 AM to 7:00 PM, or July 21 from 9:30 AM to 5:00 PM. Attendee must show their 2019 San Diego Comic-Con badge, their ID, and order confirmation.The name on the SDCC attendee badge and ID must match the name on the order. Order will be shipped after the event ends.”
It’s no secret that IDW Media Holdings (the parent company of IDW Publishing) is in deep financial trouble.
According to a new article on Bleeding Cool, the company has lost an additional $3.7 million in Q2, with almost half of that coming from comic book publisher IDW Publishing.
Earlier in the year, J.P. Morgan was hired when it was suggested that the company look to sell itself off. More recently, Allan Grafman, a former president of Archie Comics, was brought in to chair the board’s audit committee.
Here’s more on the most recent blow to IDW Publishing from Bleeding Cool…
the company had a net loss of $3.7 million, with $1.6 million of those losses coming from IDW Publishing, the branch of the company that publishes comic books. The news comes on the heels of a massive stock offering IDWM undertook in an effort to secure funding to pay off debts incurred largely to fund their various television projects, as well as to raise capital to pay for future television projects, including the much-anticipated fourth season of Wynonna Earp (…)
IDW seems to be pinning its future on television and movie deals. But Bleeding Cool goes on to say that Wynonna Earp Season 4 was not mentioned at all in statements made by CEO Howard Jonas. This despite raising $23 million in funding to presumably keep the company afloat while they ferret out more media deals or sell it off.
The Comic Book Industry on the Rocks
Despite massive mainstream success of superheroes and other comic book properties in
Hollywood, the comic book industry isn’t sharing in that success. In fact, the past two years have seen an unprecedented number of comic book shops close, other smaller press companies like Oni and Lion Forge merge to survive, and even titans like DC Comics lay off staff and trim their lines.
Is IDW Building a Lifeboat?
Curiously, with a down industry and IDW Media Holdings seemingly on fire, IDW’s former CEO Ted Adams and one of IDW’s founders, Robbie Robbins, have decided that now is the time to start a new comic book company… bankrolled, in part, by IDW Media Holdings.
The IDW ties aren’t limited to resumes. Adams and Robbins will be leading the publisher, though IDW is lending financial investments. The two have made explicit that Clover is its own property, not an imprint. Despite the relationship, Clover and IDW “will not share any infrastructure or overhead.”
Huh?!
Clover Press is described as a “a progressive, eclectic boutique publisher.”
So was Vertigo, and DC is reportedly shutting it down because the sales weren’t there.
Could it be that IDW Media Holdings is going to sell off its current assets, and move its comic book publishing operation over to the more niche Clover Press? Who knows.
Unless the comic book industry stops hemorrhaging money (and consequently shops and readers) then it doesn’t matter what you call any new publisher. You’re walking into a dying industry and the odds are stacked against you.
During the E3 event Arcade1Up announced that it will be releasing new 3/4 scale gaming arcade cabinets this fall.
The three big announcements included cabinets for AtariStar Wars, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Marvel Super Heroes.
(Photo Credit: Arcade1Up)
Let’s take a look at each of these.
Atari Star Wars
This new arcade cabinet will use the original arcade software and will feature the X-wing pilot controller, which is super exciting!
(Photo Credit: Arcade1Up)
The official press release says: “This is the only at-home arcade cabinet that uses the original arcade software and features the X-Wing pilot controller! On this new addition to our line-up, will be the original arcade versions of Star Wars, Empire Strikes Back, and Return of the Jedi!”
It will contain three Star Wars games
Star Wars
Empire Strikes Back
Return of the Jedi
Of course because it’s the classic arcade system. It only stands to reason it would be those games.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
Kneon is super excited about this one! It will feature two games:
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1989)
Turtles in Time (1991)
There will be 4 control sticks on this one, just like the original.
(Photo Credit: Arcade1Up)
The estimated price will be around $349.
Marvel Super Heroes
This cabinet will contain three games
Marvel Super Heroes
X-men: Children of Atom
The Punisher
It’s expected to cost $299, which is what most of them usually cost.
I believe they are all supposed to be out later this year. The Star Wars cabinet was mention for Fall of this year for sure.
Remember that there is some assembly required on these. If you have seen the boxes they are tall but relatively shallow. Keep that in mind.
These would make fantastic holiday gifts!
What do you think? Which one(s) are you most excited for?
Do you own any of these cabinets? What do you think? Comment and let us know!
Syfy has just released the trailer for the new horror take on The Banana Splits.
The movie is based on the 60s live action Hanna-Barbera live-action show by Sid and Marty Krofft. Bringing back the original characters Fleegle the Beagle, Drooper the Lion, Bingo the Gorilla and Snorky the Elephant in a very different way.
I’m sure this is all due to the popular Five Nights at Freddy’s games and other similar spin off games like it. The Banana Splits fit the genre pretty well. I mean, if we’re being honest, they have always been a bit creepy.
Here’s the write up “The beloved children’s show is back… with a vengeance, a horrible, bloody vengeance. Starring Dani Kind, Finlay Wojtak-Hissong, and Romeo Carere.”
Look for this movie to premier on the Syfy Channel later this year and then it will come exclusively to Blu-ray and Digital after.
June 8, 2019 marked the 35th Anniversary of the first Ghostbusters film and a lot of information was released during the Ghostbusters Fan Fest in Culver City, California.
I will try to summarize a lot of the information into this one article.
First off Sigourney Weaver has confirmed that she, along with Dan Aykroyd and Bill Murray will be returning for the Ghostbusters 3 film, during an interview with Parade Magazine.
Another interesting piece of news is announcement by Jason Reitman that they’ve retrieved the old dailies from the 1984 film.
“In making this movie, we found something kind of extraordinary. We went to Sony, and we said, ‘We’d really love to get back into the original dailies from 1984. Do you still have them?’ And we found them. They were in a mine in Kansas, and we shipped the boxes to Burbank. We’ve been going through the footage for reasons I cannot tell you, but along the way we found some really cool stuff.”
Reitman also indicated how important it is to him to make a film that is true to the original. Even putting together a “think tank” of people who created the first movie. “Going into making this film, we wanted to make a love letter to the original movie,” he said.
Yet another interesting tidbit that has come out of the interview with Reitman during Ghostbuster Fan Fest is his desire to return to feel of the 80’s and make the film scary for kids.
““I do [want this to be a scary movie]. That’s one of my favorite things about the original, and one of my favorite things about movies of that time in the ‘80s, that a movie could be really funny and really scary. Particularly for young people, scaring young people. I want to scare children, I think that’s where I’m heading to.”
This is a smart move. In a time where things seem to be more and more sanitized I would love to see a movie like this. I think Stranger Things has proven there is definitely a market for this and with young people as well. My kids absolutely love Stranger Things. They also love the original Ghostbusters. I still remember how I felt when I was a kid, sitting in the theater, and the librarian started to change and scream. That was really memorable to me.
But wait, there’s more!
Ghostbusters fans hold onto your butts because there’s even more to get excited about!
In celebration of the 35th anniversary of the original movie, Sony Pictures is launching Ghostbusters 35th, a year-long celebration leading up to the new film in 2020!
Jeffrey Godsick, Executive Vice President of Brand Strategy and Global Partnerships for Sony Pictures explained:
“Ghostbusters has been entertaining and delighting audiences of all ages for the past 35 years, and this milestone provides the perfect opportunity for a celebration of the franchise and the impact it’s had on popular culture, The level of interest from our divisions within Sony Corporation as well as our external partners is a testament to the enduring power of the Ghostbusters brand. Together we’ve curated a year-long event that has something for everyone, from long-time fans to those new to the Ghostbusters universe.”
What can fans look forward to during the Ghostbusters 35th Celebration?
New Products will be coming out like toys, collectibles, apparel, gaming with brands like Playmobil, Footlocker, Funko, K-Swiss, Bixler Jewelry and more.
(Photo Credit: Attractions Magazine)
Why have just one incredible property when you can have two? Transformers and Ghostbusters will cross over as both a toy and a comic series!
The Ecto-1 Ectotron will be a combination Transformer and Ecto-1 figure. This will be available at GameStop for $49.99 this summer (the site says the release date is 7/1/2019)
The other crossover project is the 5 issue comic series called Transformers/Ghostbusters. It will debut this month and is written and illustrated by Erik Burnham, Dan Schoening and Luis Antonio Delgado. It will be published by IDW Comics.
(Photo Credit: IDW)
What else can you think of that is very 80’s? How about the Sony Walkman?
Ghostbusters and Sony Walkman are making Limited Edition Ghostbusters 35th anniversary-themed Walkman. How can you get one? Well only 100 units have been created, and they will be used for promotional events and prizing. I will be looking for those contests for sure!
Missed the 1984 film in theaters?
If you did you will now get your chance to see it on the big screen, or like me, see it again on the big screen. Sony Pictures is collaborating with Fathom Events to bring the original Ghostbusters back to select theaters on October 6 and 10, 2019.
Another totally awesome Ghostbusters themed event is the upcoming Ghostbusters in Concert live orchestra tour. This tour will visit over 40 cities worldwide and feature a screening of the 1984 film accompanied by a local symphony performing the score live!
My son’s favorite announcement was that Saber Interactive HD will re-release the Ghostbusters game as Ghostbusters: The Video Game Remastered! If you have never played this game you need to. It was written by Dan Aykroyd and Harold Ramis and is widely accepted as a sequel to the first two films. It will release later this year and will be available on Playstation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch and Windows PC.
And if all that wasn’t enough you can even order your own “Terror Dog”
Spirit Halloween has a “life sized” Terror Dog inspired by Ghostbusters up for pre-order. At $499 this is a pricey static figure, but it’s eyes do glow red! I can see some people wanting to buy one. Personally, I think it’s a bit expensive, but it is cool. If you would like to order one you can do that via this LINK. They will ship on or before 8/21/2019.
(Photo Credit: Spirit Halloween)
So there’s a lot to look forward to in the upcoming year leading up to Ghostbusters 3!
We talk about all of these announcements and Feig’s comments regarding his Ghostbusters film on our Clownfish TV YouTube Channel.
According to Warner Bros. Studio chairman Toby Emmerich and Warner Bros. president and chief content officer-TV Peter Roth, they are considering pushing back the release of next year’s Godzilla Vs Kong film.
They are siting “fatigue” as the reason they feel Legendary’s Godzilla: King of the Monsters is “tanking.” 1. Stop blaming fatigue. It’s been years since the last one. 2. The new film was good and a lot of fans really liked it. 3. Godzilla is popular, but it isn’t going to perform as well as a movie from Star Wars or the MCU as they have a much larger fan base.
According to Emmerich next year’s movie “will deliver for fans in the way they were looking for” in the latest Godzilla. It might come out later in the year, so we can deliver an A+ movie.”
I’ve talked to a lot of Godzilla fans and they enjoyed Godzilla: King of the Monsters quite a bit. I really hope they do not go and ruin the film to appease the “critics.” Hollywood needs to stop focusing on what “critics” think and focus on what the fans think. Rotten Tomatoes is not a site I would use to make decisions about anything and even there it’s an 85% audience score (with over 16,000 reviews) compared to the 40% critic score (with under 300 reviews.) Some of the critics gave it a bad review simply because they felt Godzilla is a low brow franchise to begin with.
I am very worried where they are going to go with the next movie to make it “deliver for fans” because I honestly feel the this one mostly did that. If anything, the last film turned people off from King of the Monsters as it was more about people and barely had Godzilla in it. Godzilla fans aren’t there to see a human interest story with a tiny bit of monster action.
Doing $179 million on opening weekend (world-wide) isn’t a great number and it did only debut at $49 million domestically, but if there’s “fatigue” it was from the 2014 film’s lack of monsters. This film did open to higher numbers internationally, and still did better than Kong: Skull Island’s opening.
So far no official change has been made to the current March 13, 2020 release date. I’m sure there will be one coming based on what was stated. I just hope they don’t ruin it to appease “critics” like Hollywood tends to do.
Yesterday, June 8 Electronic Arts (EA) and Maxis announced a new expansion pack for the Sims at EA Play 2019.
This new pack called Island Living, will allow Sims to venture on the island of Sulani. There they can swim, get tanned or burnt, canoe, build sandcastles, and even meet a mermaid!
Check out the Trailer:
Here are the Key Features according to the EA Site:
KEY FEATURES
Sit Back and Relax – Welcome to Sulani, where the sun shines bright and the nights are totally chill. Set sail on the glistening water in your island canoe, swim to your heart’s content, and explore the scenery on a watercraft. Build a spectacular sand castle, catch some rays, and even meet a mermaid!
Pitch In or Help Out – Become a conservationist, clean up the beaches, and watch your Sims’ impact bloom all over the island. Take to the waves in a fishing or diving career or become a lifeguard to keep the locals safe under the sun. No career? No problem! Sims can do a few odd jobs or fish for their next meal.
Engage in Local Culture – Tradition runs deep on Sulani, and your Sims get to experience everything it has to offer. Immerse Sims in their newfound lifestyle by attending a pit barbecue event, learning about local folklore, tasting tropical delicacies, and chatting with ancestors from the island.
Rock the Island Vibes – Dress Sims in tropical garb inspired by sun, sand, and waves. Or, gear up for water activities like snorkeling and swimming. Decorate a rustic oasis with home objects and unwind at the tiki bar. Everything is chill (except for the occasional sunburn) when it’s Island Living.
My daughter is absolutely going crazy over this. She loves the Sims and this is completely up her alley!
The new expansion pack can be pre-ordered now for $39.99 and will be released on June 21, 2019 for Mac and Windows PC, and for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One on July 16, 2019.
