‘The Crow’, ‘Borderlands’ Showcased at Lionsgate’s CinemaCon Presentation
Surprises included the reveal of a new ‘Blair Witch’, and films from Mel Gibson and Aziz Ansari alongside the expected likes of ‘John Wick’ spin-off ‘Ballerina’.
Bill Skarsgård in 'The Crow.' Photo Credit: Larry Horricks for Lionsgate.
Preview:
- Lionsgate brought the likes of ‘The Crow’ and ‘Borderlands’ to CinemaCon.
- Stars including Henry Cavill and Halle Berry promoted their new movies.
- The studio revealed several movies that have yet to lock down release dates.
Following a somewhat subdued and honestly lacking 2023 presentation, Lionsgate has a much more packed release schedule this year.
With movies such as the new take on ‘The Crow’, video game adaptation ‘Borderlands’ and an actual update on ‘John Wick’ spin-off ‘Ballerina’ –– there is plenty for the company to drum up excitement for.
But before talking about the movies coming in 2024, there was a chance to tease even further in the future, with confirmation of ‘Shang-Chi’ director Destin Daniel Cretton adapting the ‘Naruto’ manga and anime, the third ‘Now You See Me’ in development with Ruben Fleischer directing and, even more intriguingly, Jason Blum’s Blumhouse working on a new ‘Blair Witch Project’ and Margot Robbie intending to make a ‘Monopoly’ movie with her LuckyChap company.
Now, on to the imminent offerings…
Related Article: CinemaCon 2024: Warner Bros. Presentation
‘The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare’
'The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare' opens in theaters on April 19th. Photo Credit: Daniel Smith.
The upcoming release of Guy Ritchie’s World War II based-on-truth spy action thriller gave the company the chance to also tease his early 2025 release, which we now know is called ‘In The Grey’ and features criminals who work in a gray area of the world, somewhere between right and wrong.
Henry Cavill was brought out on stage to promote ‘Ministry’ and ‘In The Grey’, which he’s also appearing in. ‘In The Grey’ will see him once more appearing alongside ‘Ministry’s Eiza Gonzalez, with the addition of Jake Gyllenhaal and Rosamund Pike. It’s a heist thriller that looks slick and fun.
And because he’s Mr. Lionsgate right now, Cavill also talked up the ‘Highlander’ reboot movie series that has Chad Stahelski in the director’s chair.
According to Cavill, the new movies will dig much deeper into the lore of the characters and the world in ways the previous films did not. “I’m a lover of the original movies, for better or for worse, and it’s one of those things where when I was reading the script for the first time I wasn’t quite too sure where they were going to go with it.”
He also teases that, “If you thought you’ve seen me do sword work before, you haven’t seen anything.” Showoff!
‘The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare’ opens next week on April 19th, ‘In The Grey’ will be in theaters on January 17, 2025. The ‘Highlander’ movie has yet to score a date.
The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare
The presentation then moved on to a quick look at…
‘The Strangers: Chapter 1’
Director Renny Harlin's 'The Strangers: Chapter 1.' Photo: Lionsgate Films.
The reboot of the horror franchise comes from Renny Harlin and kicks off a fresh trilogy.
This first new movie follows what happens when a couple driving cross-country to begin a new life in the Pacific Northwest sees their car break down and is forced to spend the night in a secluded rental, where they are terrorized from dusk till dawn by three masked strangers.
A trailer was shown, but you can see the previously released version below.
‘The Strangers: Chapter 1’ will be in theaters on May 17th.
Onwards to what the studio is no doubt hoping will be one of its heavy hitters in an era where video game adaptations are ruling the genre roost...
‘Borderlands’
'Borderlands.' Photo Credit: Courtesy of Lionsgate.
‘Borderlands’ adapts the popular sci-fi game series, and the movie boasts a cast that includes Cate Blanchett, Ariana Greenblatt, Jamie Lee Curtis, Haley Bennett,Kevin Hart and (the voice of) Jack Black.
The cast and director Eli Roth submitted videos to the presentation, talking up the tone of the film (the extended version of the trailer continues the feel of Roth aiming for a ‘Guardians of the Galaxy’-style romp). He cites ‘The Fifth Element’, ‘Aliens’, ‘Raiders of the Lost Ark’ and more as inspiration.
‘Borderlands’ is in theaters on August 9th.
With that complete, it was on to the other big hitter…
'The Crow'
Bill Skarsgård in 'The Crow.' Photo Credit: Larry Horricks for Lionsgate.
The presentation for the supernatural thriller remake begins with a lot of talk about how the new movie draws more from James O’Barr’s graphic novel source material more closely than the 1994 adaptation.
With Rupert Sanders directing this one, the cast includes Bill Skarsgård, FKA Twigs and Danny Huston in the story of a couple who are murdered when the woman’s past catches up to her, only for the guy to be brought back to mystical life to take violent revenge on the criminals responsible.
The new trailer for the movie played to the room, which vastly improved on the first. It’s a lot grittier and more violent and spends a little more time building up the relationship between Skarsgård and Twigs and then being told, “The Crow will guide you to put the wrong things right. Kill them. Kill them all…”
We watch our hero getting into impressive scraps and needing to rebuild his body after a nasty encounter with traffic. Could this turn around word on the new movie?
‘The Crow’ flies into theaters on August 23rd.
Next!
'Never Let Go'
Halle Berry took the stage to talk up horror movie ‘Never Let Go’ from director Alexandre Aja, who also made ‘Crawl’ and 2006’s ‘The Hills Have Eyes’.
It’s the story of a family who have been haunted by an evil presence for years –– or at least, that’s what their mother claims –– begins to question the truth of their situation. Berry talked about how she’s an adrenaline junkie who grew up loving ‘The Shining’ and looked to be part of a story she’s never seen before.
And she also mentioned going Full Method to play an overprotective mother who lives with her kids in a cabin in the woods –– including learning to skin a squirrel.
‘Never Let Go’ is out on September 27th.
Next, a surprise entry…
‘The Killer’s Game’
The movie features Dave Bautista as an assassin who falls for Sofia Boutella and looks to start a family. But then alas! He’s diagnosed with a fatal disease, so to help those around him avoid the pain of a long illness, he takes out a contract on his own life… until he learns he was misdiagnosed and learns that the contract is still valid –– and a lot of his former colleagues (including an enthusiastic killer played by old ‘Guardians of the Galaxy’ pal Pom Klementieff) are still looking to collect.
‘Day Shift’s’ J.J. Perry is behind this one, and it looks fun, but it has yet to confirm a release date.
Now, to one people might have something to say about…
'Flight Risk'
A thriller directed by Mel Gibson and starring Mark Wahlberg? Yeah, surely that won’t be controversial.
Still, the film, which features Wahlberg as a scenery-chewing mob hitman who takes over piloting a charter flight transporting a prisoner (Topher Grace) to New York to stand trial had a footage reel. The biggest thing to draw attention appeared to be Wahlberg’s accent and hair…
‘Flight Risk’ is still being edited, so it has yet to announce a release slot.
Moving swiftly to…
'Good Fortune'
Another less reported movie, this one directed by Aziz Ansari, in which he also stars alongside Seth Rogen and Keanu Reeves.
It’s the story of Ansari’s struggling Los Angeles-based assistant, who is visited by a “budget guardian angel” (how could Reeves be a budget anything?), who helps him find meaning and value in his life. And how is that accomplished? A body-swap twist with Rogen’s wealthier sort, so both can see how the other half lives.
When you have Ansari behind your movie, you naturally have him come out on stage to be funny, and so he does, poking fun at Henry Cavill and how theater owners (the primary crowd here) frequent strip clubs in Vegas.
He also tells a story about Keanu Reeves –– a man who has survived ‘Matrix’ and ‘John Wick’ movies ending up on crutches while shooting this film… by tripping on a rug on his way back to his trailer. He kept on working, shooting everything bar one dance sequence, for which Ansari, in a moment of genuine gratitude, described him as an actual angel.
‘Good Fortune’ is another movie without a release date in place.
And talking of Keanu Reeves and ‘John Wick’…
'Ballerina'
Keanu Reeves as John Wick in 'John Wick: Chapter 4.' Photo Credit: Murray Close.
The ‘Wick’ spin-off starring Ana de Armas as an assassin has been the subject of much speculation, most pointedly because it has been delayed more than once.
After little to talk about on this one last year, the company had more to say on this one, including extra details on how the release delays allowed director Len Wiseman to go in an add extra action scenes.
The first trailer for the film screened which, to no-one’s surprise, includes Reeves’ appearance as John Wick in the movie. And, also less than surprising, it factors in the High Table, the Continental, and some key cast from the franchise. From the looks of it, Reeves’ Wick will be training de Armas’ character.
‘Ballerina’ will land in theaters on June 6th next year.
Ballerina
Taking place during the events of John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum, the film follows Eve Macarro (Ana de Armas) who is beginning her training in the assassin... Read the Plot
One more for luck?
'Michael'
Jaafar Jackson as Michael Jackson in 'Michael.' Photo Credit: Kevin Mazur
It’s still in production, so director Antoine Fuqua couldn’t make it to Vegas, but Lionsgate still wanted to make sure we all know the Michael Jackson biopic is on the way next year. Producer Graham King (who has no little experience with musical movies about big stars after ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’) was on hand to offer a first look. Behind-the-scenes buzz-builder ahoy!
King revealed that the movie will feature more than 30 songs from Jackson’s oeuvre, and that it’ll dig into various aspects of his life in music and beyond. How far it’ll probe still remains to be seen, but King seemed confident in the filmmakers’ approach.
‘Michael’ is due to arrive on April 18th next year.
Michael
An in-depth portrayal of Michael Jackson, a complicated man, who became the King of Pop. The biopic will bring to life Jackson’s most iconic performances as it... Read the Plot
Oscar-nominated actor Colman Domingo to portray Jackson Family Patriarch Joe Jackson in Lionsgate and Universal Pictures International's Michael Jackson biopic 'Michael.'
Upcoming Lionsgate Movies:
- 'The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare' (2024)
- 'The Strangers: Chapter 1' (2024)
- 'Borderlands' (2024)
- 'The Crow' (2024)
- 'Never Let Go' (2024)
- 'The Killer's Game'
- 'Ballerina' (2025)
- 'Michael' (2025)
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