Author: Matt Conway

The success of the Conjuring series has been unprecedented in the horror genre, with James Wan creating his own cinematic horror universe alongside Warner Brothers. Spinoffs like Annabelle, The Nun, and Curse of La Lorna have all been box office hits, but some are starting to view the franchise as diminishing returns (the latter two were trashed by critics). Wan will attempt to right the ship with The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It, which could potentially change the franchise formula with a fresh take on the series’ narrative. While answering Twitter questions, writer David Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick discussed The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me…

One of my favorite guilty pleasure series from the 2000s is Final Destination, which embraced gory kills through its unique premise. While critics never attached to these projects (they each have a “Rotten” score on Rotten Tomatoes), the series grew a dedicated fanbase that continued to support the franchise until its last entry in 2011 (a reboot is soon on its way). Exploring a group of teens that try to survive fate after a near-death experience, it appears that the original Final Destination could have been much darker, which would have changed the series’ fate entirely. In a Consequence of Sound oral history,…

Streaming has become more essential than ever to the film industry due to the Coronavirus, with most theater chains across the country shutting down due to health concerns. Major studios have already begun dipping their toes into the marketplace, with Universal releasing several of their titles on VOD (The Invisible Man and The Hunt were released today), while Sony is dropping Bloodshot on Tuesday. Many have been wondering if a studio would risk releasing a tentpole project on streaming platforms, with rumors swirling around a potential streaming release for Warner Brother’s Wonder Woman 1984. After a series of reports that aired earlier today, Indiewire has since…

While Rise of Skywalker failed to impress critics and fanboys alike, Disney was able to lessen the blow due to the success of The Mandalorian. Acting as the first live-action Star Wars TV series as well as Disney+’s first big bet, the show struck the perfect balance between fresh, low-key storytelling and Star Wars lore to be an instant fan favorite, turning “Baby Yoda” into an internet icon. Season Two is set to follow-up on the first season’s success this year, with the announcement that Rosario Dawson joining the cast as Ahsoka Tano adding a new wrinkle to the mix. According to an exclusive report from SlashFilm, The…

The Guardians of the Galaxy series has been one of the MCU’s biggest success stories, with writer/director James Gunn taking an unheralded brand and turning the titular ragtag team into superstars. Both films were well-received by critics and audiences while also earning over 750 million worldwide in their respective run. With that being the case, fans are desperately craving a third entry in the series, with Volume 2 coming out nearly three years ago. Due to the firing and re-hiring of James Gunn during that time period, we’re still a ways away from Guardians of the Galaxy 3, but it seems a familiar face will be…

Few studios are as detailed with their planning as Marvel, who lines up their releases years in advance. With their current Phase 4, Marvel has released a schedule all the way until 2023, including several different film and TV projects. With the Coronavirus putting much of the film industry on hold, it’s clear that the virus could have a significant impact on the MCU and other studios’ future calendars. Contrary to a Marvel story that spoke of the studio’s desire to stick to their original schedule, Variety has highlighted the upcoming film pile-up that will occur due to the Coronavirus.…

With the Conravirus shutting down all theaters and public activities, streaming services like Netflix are playing a larger role than ever. Streaming platforms haven’t always gotten the most respect from the film industry (some people still claim Netflix movies arent real movies), but studios are now following the streaming blueprint. Universal will release notable titles like The Invisible Man and Trolls: World Tour on VOD, while Sony announced they will be releasing Bloodshot on Tuesday, less than two weeks after its theatrical run. With streaming drawing more attention than ever, it looks like big-time streamers like Netflix might have to put some restrictions on their…

While almost every superhero is beloved in popular culture, Superman is often mocked for his overpowered abilities and generically kind persona. With this being the case, DC has tried different strategies in adapting Superman to modern times. While Superman Returns was an earnest mess that tried to play homage to the George Reeves originals, Man of Steel moved the character to the modern world, adding more pain and confliction into the character. While the Henry Cavill Superman era has been divisive, I have appreciated the attempts to add humanity and imperfections to Superman’s persona, crafting a new version of the character that…

Disney Plus is still relatively new to the streaming game (launched back in November), but the service has already made a stark impact on the industry. Along with bolstering a strong library of classics (almost every MCU, Star Wars, and Disney animated classic is on there), the success of their first original series The Mandalorian has helped the service rank alongside Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon Prime. With the Coronavirus shutting down theaters across the country, many are wondering if Disney will utilize their service for delayed projects, including their latest MCU project Black Widow. Already delayed from its May 1st release date,…

Vin Diesel is one of the actors this millennium to last as an action star. With early vehicles like xXx, Pitch Black and The Fast and the Furious, Diesel was able to become a key cog in several franchises, with The Fast and Furious turning into an unprecedented franchise well into its ninth project. Along with being financially profitable, The Fast franchise has developed a family-like comradery that continues to draw audiences in. For this reason, the passing of Paul Walker back in 2013 was a shocking blow to the franchise and audiences, leading to a touching tribute paid towards him in Furious 7. Many would agree…