Surly and the gang are back for another adventure as Open Road Films releases the trailer for animated sequel The Nut Job 2: Nutty by Nature. After the brutal critical debacle that is Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, we (and the world) are sorely in need of something to reclaim the Caped Crusader’s former cinematic glory. From the looks of it, though, we only have to wait one year—not for the eventual Justice League film, but for Lego Batman, which looks incredible from the above teaser trailer. Will Arnett’s portrayal of Batman in 2014’s The Lego Movie took the character to the comedic extremes of his previous on-screen portrayals; Batman’s self-seriousness, when combined with his legitimately weird quirks, made him a highlight of that outstanding film. He’s right back at it in the upcoming spinoff, dropping dope beats, kicking bad Legos’ asses, and dealing with the frustration of hitting the wrong time on a microwave. The Lego Batman Movie, currently slated for a Feb. 10 release next year, will star Ralph Fiennes as Alfred, Rosario Dawson as Batgirl, Zack Galifianakis as The Joker, and Michael Cera as Robin.
(It looks like Wyldstyle’s breakup with Batman was permanent.)The Lego Batman Movie Teaser Trailer (2017) In the irreverent spirit of fun that made The Lego Movie a worldwide phenomenon, the self-described leading man of that ensemble – LEGO Batman – stars in his own big-screen adventure. But there are big changes brewing in Gotham, and if he wants to save the city from The Joker’s hostile takeover, Batman may have to drop the lone vigilante thing, try to work with others and maybe, just maybe, learn to lighten up.Although this will be the first time Director Chris McKay tackles a feature film, he has had plenty of experience with CG animation. He has directed 39 episodes of Robot Chicken and the TV Movie Robot Chicken: Star Wars Episode III.The good news for Will Arnett is he did not fall into the category of actors to portray the characters of Batman and be a one and done (never do a sequel or second film) like George Clooney (Batman & Robin) and Val Kilmer (Batman Forever).
OK, I know this film does not come out for about a year, so we cannot expect much. But we do get to see Batman and hear Will Arnett who was one of everyone's favorite characters from the first Lego Movie. With the first film being such a huge hit, you knew they were going to do a sequel. But, I was pleasantly surprised when I heard the news a while back they were going to launch a standalone film for Batman similar to what Marvel has done with its Avengers behemoth. Now I cannot wait to be introduced to the new characters and find out more about the story line and how they tie it into where the first film left off! Warner Bros. PicturesActionCG AnimationComedyFranchise/Epic/TrilogyTeaserWill Arnett Box Office: ‘Fifty Shades Darker’ No Match for ‘The Lego Batman Movie’ Break out the whips, the dead dog, and the batarang. “,” a deeper dive into the world of BDSM and “Twilight” fan fiction; “John Wick: Chapter 2,” a violent exploration about the lengths man will go to avenge pooch;
and “,” the cinematic union of a Danish toymaker and a comic book brand, will all be flooding theaters this weekend. Each film is aimed at distinctly different audiences, offering up something for every age group and gender. The three new releases should turbocharge a sleepy .“All the studios are trying to get a jump on Valentine’s Day and President’s Day.” Tracking suggests that “The Lego Batman Movie” will top charts for the weekend, picking up more than $60 million. The film is a spinoff to the 2014 smash, “The Lego Movie,” and is part of a larger push by Warner Bros. to build up its animation division. “The Lego Batman Movie” cost $80 million to make, a relatively economical sum for an animated film at a time when Pixar movies routinely clock in at north of $200 million. “The Lego Batman Movie” follows the caped crusader as he tries to save Gotham City from the Joker. It features the voices of Will Arnett, Zach Galifianakis, Michael Cera, Rosario Dawson, and Ralph Fiennes, and has gotten the kind of reviews that “Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice” would murder for — Rotten Tomatoes currently has the film at 98 percent “fresh.”
Warner Bros. will push this film out in more than 3,400 locations, and in Imax, RealD, and every other conceivable format. Some outlets have pointed to the softer tracking for “Fifty Shades Darker” as a sign that the spark has gone out on the romantic drama. The Universal release is eyeing a debut of $40 million, roughly half of what its predecessor “Fifty Shades of Grey” brought in during its opening weekend in 2014. Some of that discrepancy may be attributable to the lack of novelty surrounding billionaire businessmen with a taste for kink (we do live in a post-Russian dossier/golden showers world, after all). But there are also valid reasons why it’s not a hot candle wax-to-hot candle wax comparison. “Fifty Shades of Grey” opened on a holiday weekend, a period that coincided with Valentine’s Day. This year, the annual tribute to love and Hallmark doesn’t occur until next Tuesday, limiting the potential for “Fifty Shades Darker” to become a saucy date night movie.
Universal didn’t release a budget for the film, but word is it cost $55 million to make. “Fifty Shades Darker” will be in 3,705 North American locations, although there’s no word yet on whether or not those will include 4DX locations. That leaves Lionsgate’s “John Wick: Chapter 2” vying for third place. The action thriller is expected to open to just shy of $20 million when it opens in around 3000 locations. Keanu Reeves returns as the title character, a hitman who is adept at finding creative ways to kill people. For PETA’s sake, we hope there’s a lower puppy death count. The first “John Wick” was something of a cult hit, earning $86 million globally. Lionsgate is distributing the film, and, like Universal, declined to give a budget. The first film reportedly cost $20 million to produce, and sequels usually carry higher price tags. Budgets are something of a moving target with studios, who take a magical realist approach to financial accounting. Tax breaks have a habit of fortuitously appearing right when it’s time to report box office results, and executives have a penchant for rhapsodizing about how foreign pre-sales limit their company’s financial exposure to the point where a huge flop doesn’t even register as a blip on the balance sheet.