I cannot wait to get to the theater tonight to check out Captain America: Civil War. But that doesn’t mean I’m not just as excited for this summer’s other big Marvel epic, X-Men: Apocalypse. And in today’s Movie Morsels, we’ve got word on how one of the film’s most pivotal roles was cast. Plus, the latest trailer for Now You See Me 2 and The Nice Guys, and much more!
X-Men: Apocalypse
Hey, did you know that Olivia Munn was offered the role of Vanessa Carlysle in Deadpool before Morena Baccarin was eventually cast? Nope, neither did I. But the actress reveals that was indeed the case in a new interview in American Way Magazine. The quote from the magazine—”Munn says she didn’t want to be the girlfriend. Not again. She wanted to fight. To make noise. To kick butt.â€â€”indicates that Vanessa’s ultimate evolution in comics, into the kick-ass Copycat, was not made clear to Munn… or maybe she just didn’t want to wait an entire film before getting superpowers. Yet as those who saw Deadpool are well aware, Vanessa is subject to the same process that rendered Wade Wilson a mutant. So we can expect she will indeed become Copycat in Deadpool 2. In any case, Munn is perfectly happy with her role as Psylocke. Though she did demand a fight scene before she took the part…
“I said, ‘Is there a fight scene?'” Munn says of her early meetings with the X-Men: Apocalypse people. Once again, the filmmakers were full of assurances, yet Munn couldn’t shake the feeling that there might be too much talking and not enough action. ‘The fight scene,’ she says with a wry smile, ‘could be her monologue.’
“For Munn, the brute strength of her character was an important issue, a make-or-break thing, and the discussions dragged on. ‘I thought Psylocke was always one of the most lethal characters, and I said, ‘Yes, as long as you’re not using her to be the eye candy. She has really powerful abilities.’ And they said, ‘Yes, that’s an important part.'”
Now You See Me 2
While the mystique of Now You See Me was somewhat lost on me due to its murky script, I’ll admit it was a very eye-catching film. And its sequel looks to be even prettier, as can be seen in its latest trailer and a new clip. The clip, essentially the opening scene of the movie, sets up the central conflict between Morgan Freeman’s revenge-bent character and the conjuring con artists known as the Four Horsemen. The good news is that it already looks like a more narratively coherent film that its predecessor…
The Nice Guys
Speaking of trailers… We now have the final trailer for what’s already being heralded as writer-director Shane Black’s latest triumph, The Nice Guys. Ryan Gosling and Russell Crowe star in the title roles as a detective and an enforcer tasked with finding a missing girl in 1970s LA. The bromantic comedy/thriller hits theaters on May 20…
Kubo and the Two Strings
Laika’s next stop-motion animated epic, Kubo and the Two Strings, has its final poster, featuring an evocative image of the title character, a storyteller/musician in long-ago Japan, who, with his two allies Monkey (Charlize Theron) and Beetle (Matthew McConaughey), sets out on a quest to save his family from the evil Moon King. Ralph Fiennes and Rooney Mara co-star in the August 19 release…
[Focus]
Patriots Day
Supergirl TV star Melissa Benoist is no stranger to films, having co-starred in recent Oscar winner Whiplash. But Benoist is bound to play an even bigger role in Patriots Day, the Boston Marathon bombing drama from director Peter Berg. Also starring Mark Wahlberg, John Goodman, J.K. Simmons, Michelle Monaghan, and Kevin Bacon, Patriots Day arrives on December 21.
Irredeemable
Finally today… Boom! Studios’ acclaimed Irredeemable, by writer Mark Waid and artist Peter Krause, is heading to the big screen. Tommy Wirkola, of Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters fame, will script the film for no less a director than Oscar winner Adam McKay. The 36-issue book concerns a former superhero who turns against the world, and his former teammates, who turn to one of their enemies for help.
[Deadline]
What do you think of today’s top stories? Let us know below!
Featured Image: 20th Century Fox
Images: 20th Century Fox, Focus Features, Warner Bros., Boom!
