Despite going up against three wildly different, high-profile projects last weekend, Warner Bros.‘Suicide Squadmanaged to stay on top at the box office for its third straight frame. It seems likely that this reign will come to an end this weekend, but it has still fared quite well, taking in $264.5 million domestically and $313 million internationally for aworldwide box officetotal of $577.5 million from a $175 million budget. As is the case with every movie these days, several scenes that were filmed didn’t make the final cut, and in recent international interviews, the cast of this DC Comics adaptation revealed their favorite scenes that didn’t get past the cutting room floor....

A really great performance in amartial arts movieis hard to come by, since they tend to focus more on the action sequences and the fight choreography more than the story and characters. However, there have been several standout performances in movies that make sure that the action, plot, and characters are on the same level of importance. Here are a few of the standout performances over the long history of martial arts cinema....

Animatronics are a strange and miraculous filmmaking tool. The practical effect brings an element of fantasy to life. What cannot be suddenly becomes real. The imagination has its own reflection to see and show itself with. The surreal form of entertainment brings viewers a step closer into the world of movies. More than a prop, animatronics express life in both hyperbolic and fundamental bouts of emotion. Animatronics,unnatural or uncannyas they may look, suspend disbelief through humanlike and instinctual, animal behavior....

Quick Links The Spider-Verse is finally expanding into live-action television. After rumors circulated, Prime Video officially confirmed they are working on aSpider-Mantelevision series based on the character Spider-Man Noir. The even bigger get for the streaming service is that Academy Award-winning actorNicolas Cagewill star in the series, playing the role in live-action after having voiced the character in 2018’sSpider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse. The series will betitledNoirand releasedon MGM+ and Prime Video....

Director Barry Jenkins (Moonlight, If Beale Street Can Talk)and other landmark directorsplayed a significant role in fueling writer/director/producerOmar S. Kamara’sdream of making impactful movies. But in his new feature film, the main inspiration came from his family. Based partly on his own unique upbringing,African Giantsbalances family ties, comedy, and brotherly connection in a standout film that premiered at Slamdance Film Festival. The plot takes place over a weekend visit in Los Angeles, when two first-generation Sierra Leonean American brothers must navigatethe changing dynamics of grown-up siblingsafter a surprise announcement....

Guy Ritchie’s return to British gangsters and hooligans lacks the sizzle of previous efforts; but succeeds with standout performances.The Gentlemenisn’t in the league ofLock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels,Snatch, or the underratedRocknRolla. An incredibly convoluted plot, coupled with strained execution, leads to a middling narrative. The saving grace is a motley crew of memorable characters. The all-star cast chews up the screen with savage gusto. Ritchie gives his ensemble devilish latitude....

The epic storytelling of Disney’sThe Lion Kingcontinues withThe Lion Guard: Return of the Roar, a primetime television movie event premiering in November on Disney Channel. The movie follows Kion, the second-born cub of Simba and Nala, as he assumes the role of leader of the Lion Guard, a team of animals tasked with preserving the Pride Lands. The movie is a precursor toThe Lion Guardtelevision series, premiering in early 2016 on Disney Channels and Disney Junior channels around the globe....

The real-life presidential campaign looks like something out of a movie, so should it come as any surprise that it has inspired one? The summer sequelThe Purge: Election Yearhas been directly influenced by the two presidential front runnersDonald TrumpandHillary Rodham Clinton. Taking place in the near future, this latest installment of the popular franchise is a political conspiracy thriller that is decidedly different from the previous two entries. The movie revolves around a fictional presidential campaign, pitting rivals against each other played byElizabeth Mitchelland Kyle Secor....

The Umbrella Academyseason 3 is a go at Netflix. The streaming service has made it official and handed out a renewal for the series, which is based on the Dark Horse Comics title of the same name. The news was shared by the show’s official Twitter account, which confirmed that production on the next season will get underway in February. The message reads as follows. “Oh my god! We’re back! Again!...

HBO has released a trailer for the second installment of their popular docuseries,The Vow. The network has also announced that the series will return on October 17, with new episodes airing on subsequent Mondays. The upcoming six-part episode series will cover the federal trial against NXIVM leader Keith Raniere while also providing a look at his closest ties. Cult co-founder Nancy Salzman, who did not appear in the original series, is interviewed for the second installment....

A remakeThe Wizard of Ozis happening. New Line’s upcoming movie adaptation ofThe Wonderful Wizard of Ozhas found its director inWatchmenhelmer Nicole Kassell. The movie is based on the original 1900 novel by L. Frank Baum, which has inspired many adaptations across multiple mediums ever since, such as the famous 1939 musical with Judy Garland. For the new movie, producers want to see a creative reimagining of the classic story, ultimately hiring Kassell based on her award-winning work onWatchmen....

ThordirectorKenneth Branaghtook part inThe Hollywood Reporter’s The Hollywood Masters interview series last week, where he spoke about his experience working withMarveland teased the possibility of returning to direct yet another MCU movie. Here’s what he had to say to the crowd at Loyola Marymount University School of Film & Television in Los Angeles last week. “Yeah, I mean what I found was that I just enjoyed the process of working with those people and I loved the boys and the girl....

David Spade doesn’t think he’s the right actor to step up and play Joe Exotic in aTiger Kingmovie. Instead, Spade believes that Woody Harrelson would be the right choice. Exotic is currently in prison and trying to enjoy his newfound success as much as he can. In a recent interview, he said he wanted either Brad Pitt or Spade to play him in an adaptation of the hit Netflix docuseries, which has taken over the world since its release....