Latest news with #Hobbs&Shaw
Miami Herald
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Miami Herald
Fast and Furious' Brian O'Conner to return in final film, Vin Diesel says
Brain O'Conner, the cop-turned-outlaw played by the late Paul Walker, will return for the final Fast and Furious movie, franchise star Vin Diesel said Saturday at the Fuel Fast event in Los Angeles. In a short speech that's made the rounds on social media, Diesel said that, when asked by Universal Studios to lock in a release date of April 20, 2027, for the Fast and Furious finale, he responded with three conditions. One was a return to Los Angeles, the second was a return to the street racing that was the focus of the first film. "The third thing was reuniting Dom and Brian O'Conner," Diesel said, referring to his own character Dominic Toretto. "That is what you are going to get in the finale." Walker starred opposite Diesel in the first six Fast and Furious movies before he was killed in a car crash on November 30, 2013. Filming of Furious 7 was already underway at that time, so things were changed to write O'Conner out of the franchise. That included a final scene in which Walker's brother Cody stepped in as O'Conner, with digital effects to make the switch less obvious. Cody Walker stood next to Diesel during the announcement, along with Tyrese Gibson, who plays Roman Pearce in the franchise. Diesel didn't elaborate on how the production team would accomplish his wish list, but digital effects to change an actor's appearance, including superimposing the likenesses of dead actors onto living ones, has only become more common since the release of Furious 7. So it's not difficult to imagine Brian O'Conner making his return this way. The upcoming movie will be the 11th in the main Fast and Furious storyline, not including the 2019 spinoff Hobbs & Shaw. Expected to be Called Fast X Part Two (as it picks up on the storyline from 2023's Fast X) its scheduled release date will be 26 years after the 2001 release of The Fast and the Furious. That's an impressive record for any movie franchise, and explains the eagerness to bring back Brian O'Conner for one last ride. Copyright 2025 The Arena Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
India.com
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- India.com
Roman Reigns As Akuma In Street Fighter? How WWEs Star Is Taking Over Hollywood
WWE Superstar Roman Reigns, known worldwide as the "Tribal Chief," has slowly but surely made his way into Hollywood. While he's best known for dominating the wrestling ring, Reigns is now turning heads with his on-screen presence in films. With a blend of charisma, physique, and performance skills, Roman Reigns is carving out a space for himself in the film industry. From cameos to potential blockbuster roles, here are his top 3 roles in Hollywood so far. 1. Hobbs & Shaw (2019) – Mateo Hobbs Roman Reigns made his big-screen debut in the Fast & Furious spin-off, Hobbs & Shaw, starring Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson, Jason Statham, and Idris Elba. Reigns played Mateo Hobbs, the brother of The Rock's character, in a high-octane, action-packed sequence set in Samoa. While the role was mostly non-verbal, it allowed Reigns to showcase his physical prowess and charisma alongside some of Hollywood's biggest names. The film grossed over $700 million globally, giving Roman a solid launchpad in mainstream cinema. It also hinted at his potential to carry action roles in the future, especially within ensemble casts. 2. Rumble (2021) – Voice Role In the animated sports comedy Rumble, Reigns voiced a monster wrestler in a WWE co-produced Paramount film. Though the movie received mixed reviews, it was an important step for Roman as he explored voice acting and connected with younger audiences in a family-friendly genre. 'Rumble' gave Reigns the chance to express his personality in a different way, without relying on physical presence alone. It also marked WWE's push to blend its Superstars into multi-platform entertainment roles. 3. Good Fortune (2025) – Upcoming Major Role Slated for release in 2025, Good Fortune is set to be a turning point in Reigns' acting career. He joins a powerful lineup featuring Keanu Reeves, Seth Rogen, Eddie Murphy, and Keke Palmer in this action-comedy. While his character details are under wraps, the casting alone shows that Reigns is now being considered for mainstream feature roles beyond the typical 'wrestler cameo.' The film is being watched closely and could very well be Reigns' breakout performance outside WWE. Bonus: Street Fighter – From Tribal Chief to Akuma? One of the biggest headlines surrounding Roman Reigns right now is the strong buzz around his casting as Akuma in the upcoming live-action Street Fighter movie. While not yet officially confirmed, multiple industry insiders have reported Reigns is either in advanced talks or already locked in to play the iconic martial arts villain. Akuma is one of the most feared characters in the Street Fighter universe, a perfect match for Reigns' intimidating presence, powerful build, and silent rage. If confirmed, this could become his most iconic on-screen role to date, and potentially launch him as a full-fledged action star in Hollywood. A Career in Transition Roman Reigns is no stranger to the spotlight, but what's refreshing is how measured and selective he has been in his transition to Hollywood. Unlike some who jump headfirst into B-movies, Reigns is building credibility and range, from major franchises to animated features and now possibly leading roles. With each project, Roman Reigns is proving that his dominance isn't limited to the squared circle. Whether it's as a warrior from Samoa, a monster in a wrestling ring, or a fearsome video game icon, the Tribal Chief is ready to conquer Hollywood, one role at a time.
Black America Web
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Black America Web
A Grand Occasion: Idris Elba, John Cena, Priyanka Chopra Jonas & More Attend The ‘Heads of State' World Premiere In New York City
Source: Taylor Hill / Getty We're just a little over a week away from the release of the action-comedy Heads of State. Earlier this week (June 24th), Amazon MGM Studios hosted the red carpet world premiere at Alice Tully Hall in New York. Guests were treated to a screening of the film followed by an afterparty at Twin Tails. Continue reading to check out photos from the star-studded event. Heads of State follows the UK Prime Minister Sam Clarke (Idris Elba) and U.S. President Will Derringer (John Cena), who have a not-so-friendly and very public rivalry that jeopardizes their countries' 'special relationship.' When they become the targets of a powerful and ruthless foreign adversary—who proves more than a match for the two leaders' security forces—they are begrudgingly forced to rely on the only two people they can trust: each other. Ultimately allied with the brilliant MI6 agent Noel Bisset, they must go on the run and find a way to work together long enough to thwart a global conspiracy that threatens the entire free world. In addition to Elba ( The Wire, Takers, Hobbs & Shaw, The Harder They Fall ) and Cena ( Daddy's Home 2, F9, The Suicide Squad ), the film also stars Priyanka Chopra Jonas ( Baywatch, The Matrix Resurrections, Citadel ), Paddy Considine, Stephen Root ( King of the Hill, Dodgeball, Get Out ), Carla Gugino ( Spy Kids trilogy, American Gangster, Night at the Museum ), Jack Quaid ( The Boys, Oppenheimer, Novocaine ) and Sarah Niles ( I May Destroy You, Ted Lasso ). Ilya Naishuller ( Hardcore Henry, Nobody ) directed Heads of State from a screenplay by Josh Appelbaum & André Nemec and Harrison Query, and story from Query. The film was produced by Peter Safran and John Rickard, with Marcus Viscidi, Josh Appelbaum, André Nemec, Elba and Cena serving as executive producers. Many of the film's contributors were in attendance for the big night. Check out some photos from the premiere below and be sure to check out Heads of State when it premieres globally on Prime Video July 2nd. A Grand Occasion: Idris Elba, John Cena, Priyanka Chopra Jonas & More Attend The 'Heads of State' World Premiere In New York City was originally published on Source:Getty Source:Getty Source:Getty Source:Getty Source:Getty Source:Getty Source:Getty Source:Getty Source:Getty Source:Getty Source:Getty Source:Getty Source:Getty Source:Getty Source:Getty Source:Getty Source:Getty Source:Getty Source:Getty Source:Getty Source:Getty Source:Getty Source:Getty Source:Getty Source:Getty Source:Getty
Atlantic
10-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Atlantic
The Trap of the Cinematic Side Quest
What makes the John Wick movies work isn't the premise—that John Wick, the character, is a man out for vengeance. Yes, that was the breathless elevator pitch of the first Wick installment, a cult hit in 2014 whose plot my colleague Sophie Gilbert effortlessly summed up as: 'An idiot killed his puppy and now everyone must die.' But Wick (played by Keanu Reeves) became the face of a billion-dollar franchise because of the strange, darkly cartoonish universe around him. Ballerina, a spin-off whose lumbering subtitle proclaims it as coming 'From the World of John Wick,' recognizes that true appeal only when it's half over. The story of Ballerina is generic to the point of hilarity; the original script was, in fact, a female-led action thriller unrelated to the Wick -iverse. As such, the film begins with the same setup as a hundred other revenge thrillers: A young girl, Eve Macarro (Ana de Armas), sees her father gunned down by a group of mysterious assassins. Spirited away by friendly faces from the primary John Wick entries, she swears vengeance, and is trained to be a killer in the mold of, well, John Wick. Her mentor is the Director (Anjelica Huston), the matriarch of the Ruska Roma, an organization introduced in John Wick: Chapter 3 that teaches its students how to punch, kick, shoot a gun, and take a fall among the best of them. For much of Ballerina 's two-hour run time, I bemoaned that the film seemed to be a Wick clone without any of the stylistic flair. It wasn't a total wash: De Armas is a charming screen presence, throwing herself at fight scenes with aplomb. She moves with a lot more grace than Reeves, who appears to be slowing down after a quadrilogy in which seemingly everyone across the globe is on his tail. But unlike the mysterious, mythic Wick s, Ballerina lacks much intrigue—especially during its first two acts, when the viewer watches Eve go through training and then embark on a few jobs around town, mowing through goons in dimly lit nightclubs for no purpose to the plot. The sense of aimlessness is an issue with so many spin-offs. Think Hobbs & Shaw (which derives from the Fast & Furious movies), Bumblebee (set in the Transformers universe), or the several attempts to generate new Star Wars adventures outside of the main saga: They have to exist on a scale equivalent to their progenitors to not feel totally irrelevant, but avoid disturbing the franchise's primary timeline. Although Ballerina ostensibly occurs between the third and fourth John Wick chapters, it strives to affect neither one; the chronological placement is only to justify how Reeves (who doesn't do much in his several brief scenes) manages to show up—though having watched the other Wick movies, I do not remember his character ever having enough downtime to take on a little side quest with Eve. Ballerina ultimately succeeds as a piece of junky fun, however, because it attempts to expand the Wick canon rather than deepen its titular protagonist. Take what follows after Eve becomes emboldened to hop off the regular mission treadmill and seek payback against the strange cult that killed her father: Her journey leads her into a quaint village in the Austrian Alps, where she learns that every single inhabitant is out to kill her. Considering stopping by the curiosity shop for some Hummel figurines? Just don't turn your back to any friendly clerks. This scenario is a prime example of John Wick 's signature world building. As the first Wick movie progressed, the bizarre depths in which the character lived became apparent. Everyone around our hero was connected to criminality, and any ordinary subway rider or unhoused person on a street corner might be concealing a semiautomatic to attack him with. John Wick 's version of reality has its own currency (golden coins) and housing system (an intercontinental chain of hotels), as well as a set of laws that mix Samurai-like honor with feudal justice. At first, Ballerina pays little mind to any of that, but once Eve enters this cultish mountain town, the askew storytelling begins again. Finally, I was reminded of why I'd stayed interested in the Wick chronicles for all these years. Yes, that includes the action filmmaking, and Ballerina features some incredibly inventive stunts of its own. One extended sequence sees Eve dueling an enemy while each wields flamethrowers; in another, she has to dispatch oncoming aggressors using belts of grenades without blowing herself up. The grim violence has a sense of humor and improvisation to it; de Armas doesn't exactly get the chance to crack jokes, but it harkens back to the Buster Keaton– and Looney Tunes –inspired mayhem at the core of John Wick. Whereas an offshoot like Hobbs & Shaw didn't understand what made its source series good (by largely ignoring the earlier films' wild internal logic), Ballerina eventually comes to terms with it—and then locks on. But despite its best efforts to appeal to the John Wick fan base, Ballerina opened below expectations during its first weekend. The box-office earnings are a possible indication of waning interest in the world of John Wick, which may be taken into account as Reeves weighs returning for another mainline entry. After all, a film like Ballerina ostensibly exists only to keep the franchise's devotees sated in the meantime. Perhaps this kind of business-minded cynicism is unhelpful, but it's unavoidable, as Hollywood flounders for ways to sustain people's interest in going to the cinema. If studios are going to spin off their biggest titles to keep those properties alive, they might as well do it as faithfully as possible.
Black America Web
05-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Black America Web
Chaos, Combat & Charisma: Prime Video Releases The Final Electrifying Trailer For ‘Heads Of State' Starring Idris Elba & John Cena
Source: Cortesty / Amazon MGM Studios Today (June 4th), Prime Video shared the second and final trailer for one of the most highly anticipated films of the summer. Continue reading to check it out! In the action-comedy Heads of State , the UK Prime Minister Sam Clarke (Idris Elba) and U.S. President Will Derringer (John Cena) have a not-so-friendly and very public rivalry that jeopardizes their countries' 'special relationship.' But when they become the targets of a powerful and ruthless foreign adversary—who proves more than a match for the two leaders' security forces—they are begrudgingly forced to rely on the only two people they can trust: each other. Ultimately allied with the brilliant MI6 agent Noel Bisset, they must go on the run and find a way to work together long enough to thwart a global conspiracy that threatens the entire free world. On top of Elba ( The Wire, Takers, Hobbs & Shaw, The Harder They Fall ) and Cena ( Daddy's Home 2, F9, The Suicide Squad ), the film also stars Priyanka Chopra Jonas ( Baywatch, The Matrix Resurrections, Citadel ), Paddy Considine, Stephen Root ( King of the Hill, Dodgeball, Get Out ), Carla Gugino ( Spy Kids trilogy, American Gangster, Night at the Museum ), Jack Quaid ( The Boys, Oppenheimer, Novocaine ) and Sarah Niles ( I May Destroy You, Ted Lasso ). Ilya Naishuller ( Hardcore Henry, Nobody ) directed Heads of State from a screenplay by Josh Appelbaum & André Nemec and Harrison Query, and story from Query. The film was produced by Peter Safran and John Rickard, with Marcus Viscidi, Josh Appelbaum, André Nemec, Elba and Cena serving as executive producers. Heads of State will premiere globally on Prime Video July 2nd, 2025. In the meantime, check out the final trailer (and the first one) and some first look images from the action packed comedy below! Chaos, Combat & Charisma: Prime Video Releases The Final Electrifying Trailer For 'Heads Of State' Starring Idris Elba & John Cena was originally published on Source:Amazon MGM Studios Source:Amazon MGM Studios Source:Amazon MGM Studios Source:Amazon MGM Studios Source:Amazon MGM Studios Source:Amazon MGM Studios Source:Amazon MGM Studios Source:Amazon MGM Studios Source:Amazon MGM Studios Source:Amazon MGM Studios Source:Amazon MGM Studios Source:Amazon MGM Studios Black America Web Featured Video CLOSE
