‘Spider-Man,’ ‘Blade Runner’ coming your way this year (part 2)
(Conclusion)
LOS ANGELES—In our part 2 on what to expect in your cinemas this year (that would include “Spider-Man: Homecoming” and “Blade Runner 2049”), we note two projects by two FilAms in Hollywood. After producing the blockbuster “Independence Day” movie series, Dean Devlin finally realizes his dream to direct with “Geostorm.”
Oscar-nominated cinematographer Matthew Libatique lensed two worthy films: “The Circle,” James Ponsoldt’s adaptation of Dave Eggers’ novel, starring Tom Hanks and Emma Watson; and Darren Aronofsky’s “Mother,” which kindled the real-life romance between the director and his star, Jennifer Lawrence.
The studios provided the synopses below.
Emma Watson and Luke Evans in “Beauty and the Beast”
“Beauty and the Beast”
The story and characters audiences love come to life in the live-action adaptation of Disney’s animated classic, “Beauty and the Beast,” a cinematic event celebrating one of the most beloved tales ever told.
The film stars Emma Watson as the beautiful Belle; Dan Stevens (Beast); Luke Evans (Gaston); Kevin Kline (Maurice); Ewan McGregor (Lumière); Ian McKellen (Cogsworth) and Emma Thompson (Mrs. Potts). Directed by Bill Condon.
“Guardians Of The Galaxy”
“Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2”
Set to the all-new sonic backdrop of Awesome Mixtape #2, Marvel’s “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2” continues the team’s adventures as they unravel the mystery of Peter Quill’s true parentage.
Starring Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Dave Bautista, Vin Diesel, Bradley Cooper and Kurt Russell.
Directed by James Gunn.
“xXx: Return of Xander Cage”
The third chapter of the blockbuster franchise finds Xander Cage (Vin Diesel) coming out of self-imposed exile and on a collision course with deadly warrior Xiang and his team in a race to recover a seemingly unstoppable weapon known as Pandora’s Box.
Directed by DJ Caruso.
“Fifty Shades Darker”
When a wounded Christian Grey tries to entice a cautious Ana Steele back into his life, she demands a new arrangement before she’ll give him another chance.
As the two begin to find stability, shadowy figures from Christian’s past are determined to destroy their hopes for a future together.
Starring Jamie Dornan, Dakota Johnson, Kim Basinger and Hugh Dancy. Directed by James Foley.
Charlize Theron and Vin Diesel in “Fast & Furious 8”
“Fast & Furious 8”
On the heels of 2015’s “Fast & Furious 7,” one of the fastest movies to reach $1 billion worldwide in box-office history, comes the newest chapter in the popular motion-picture serial: “Fast & Furious 8.”
Now that Dom and Letty are on their honeymoon, and Brian and Mia have retired from the game, the globetrotting team has found a semblance of a normal life.
But when a mysterious woman (Charlize Theron) seduces Dom into the world of crime he can’t seem to escape, they will face trials that will test them as never before.
Directed by F. Gary Gray
“Dunkirk”
“Dunkirk” opens as hundreds of thousands of British and Allied troops are surrounded by enemy forces. Trapped on the beach with their backs to the sea, they face an impossible situation as the enemy closes in.
Starring Kenneth Branagh, Cillian Murphy, James D’Arcy, Mark Rylance and Tom Hardy. Directed by Christopher Nolan.
“Kong: Skull Island”
This original adventure tells the story of a diverse team of scientists, soldiers and adventurers uniting to explore a mythical island in the Pacific, as dangerous as it is beautiful.
The team ventures into the domain of the mighty Kong, igniting the ultimate battle between man and nature.
Starring Tom Hiddleston, Samuel L. Jackson and Brie Larson. Directed by Jordan Vogt Roberts.
“King Arthur: Legend of the Sword”
This epic fantasy action adventure stars Charlie Hunnam in the title role. The film is an iconoclastic take on the classic Excalibur myth, tracing Arthur’s journey from the streets to the throne.
Robbed of his birthright and with no idea who he truly is, Arthur comes up the hard way in the back alleys of the city. But once he pulls the sword from the stone, he is forced to acknowledge his true legacy.
Directed by Guy Ritchie.
“Wonder Woman”
Before she was Wonder Woman, she was Diana, princess of the Amazons, raised on a sheltered island paradise and trained to be an unconquerable warrior. When an American pilot crashes on their shores and tells of a massive conflict raging in the outside world, Diana leaves her home, convinced she can stop the threat.
Starring Gal Gadot, Chris Pine, Robin Wright, Connie Nielsen and David Thewlis. Directed by Patty Jenkins.
“Geostorm”
What if, in the wake of more than a decade of devastating weather events, we finally found a way to control Mother Nature? When catastrophic climate change endangers Earth’s survival, governments unite and create the Dutch Boy Program designed to stave off the natural disasters.
After successfully protecting the planet for two years, the program starts to go wrong. Two estranged brothers (Gerard Butler and Jim Sturgess) are tasked with solving the program’s malfunction.
Directed by Dean Devlin.
“Justice League”
Inspired by Superman’s selfless act, Bruce Wayne enlists the help of his newfound ally, Diana Prince, to find a team of metahumans—which also includes Aquaman, Cyborg and The Flash— to stand against a newly awakened enemy. But it may already be too late to save the planet from an assault of catastrophic proportions.
Starring Ben Affleck, Henry Cavill, Amy Adams, Gal Gadot, Jason Momoa, Ezra Miller, Raymond Fisher, Willem Dafoe, Jesse Eisenberg, Jeremy Irons, Diane Lane and JK Simmons. Directed by Zack Snyder.
“Battle of the Sexes”
The electrifying 1973 tennis match between World No. 1 Billie Jean King (Emma Stone) and ex-champ Bobby Riggs (Steve Carell) was billed as “The Battle of the Sexes” and became the most watched televised sports event of all time. The match sparked a global conversation on gender equality, spurring on the feminist movement.
Directed by Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris.
Matt Damon in “The Great Wall”
Other 2017 releases include “Sing,” the joyous animated film brimming with music, “Split,” “Coco,” “Mary Magdalene,” “The Great Wall,” “Ghosts in the Shell,” “Baywatch,” “The Mummy,” “Despicable Me 3,” “Transformers: The Last Knight,” “Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales,” “Cars 3,” “Thor: Ragnarok,” “The Lego Batman Movie,” “John Wick: Chapter 2,” “The Zookeeper’s Wife,” “Untitled Paul Thomas Anderson Fashion Project” (Daniel Day-Lewis reunites with his “There Will Be Blood” director) and “CHiPs.”
Also coming to your local Cineplex are “Star Wars: Episode VIII,” “Logan,” “Snatched” (Goldie Hawn, in her first movie in 15 years, teams up with Amy Schumer), “Alien: Covenant,” “The Beguiled,” “World War Z 2,” “War for the Planet of the Apes,” “Untitled Cloverfield Anthology Movie,” “Murder on the Orient Express,” “The Greatest Showman” and “Pitch Perfect 3.”
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