Film News Roundup: 6

            This past week we were treated to our first look, in the form of a poster and trailer, for director Kenneth Branagh’s upcoming “Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit.” This marks the fifth installment of the “Jack Ryan” film franchise. Chris Pine stars as the titular character previously played by Alec Baldwin, Harrison Ford, and Ben Affleck.

            The film is a reboot of the “Jack Ryan” film series. The film follows Jack Ryan, a young CIA analyst who uncovers a Russian ploy to collapse the U.S. economy via a terrorist attack.

The trailer offers a promising look at a great action thriller, without giving away too much of the large set pieces. It has been a film I’ve been waiting to see and certainly this teaser trailer has sold me on it.

Check out and trailer below. The film also stars Branagh, Keira Knightley, and Kevin Costner. “Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit” opens in theaters Christmas day.

            Casting rumors have been swirling since summer of who will be portraying the mutant siblings, Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver in “The Avengers: Age of Ultron.” It’s been know for a while that both Elizabeth Olsen and Aaron Taylor-Johnson have been the frontrunners for the roles but no official announcement has been made, until now; sort of.

Actor Samuel L. Jackson recently was interviewed by The Wall Street Journal and he apparently let slip that Olsen has joined the cast of heroes. “I know we’re shooting in London, that James Spader is Ultron and going to be the bad guy, and that we added Ms. [Elizabeth] Olsen [who will play the Scarlet Witch], but I don’t know what she’s doing, if she’s on the inside or the outside,” Jackson said.

It’s safe to bet at this point that we’ll be seeing Olsen and Taylor-Johnson in the film, baring any last moment negotiations gone awry. “The Avengers: Age of Ultron” opens in theaters May 1, 2015.

Finally, two major film releases have been added to the 2015 film schedule. Legendary and Universal Pictures are set to release ‘Warcraft” December 18, 2015. The movie is based on the multiplayer online role-playing game “World of Warcraft.” The movie is described as “an epic adventure of world-colliding conflict.” Duncan Jones is set to direct the film and filming begins January 13, 2014.

Universal has also set a release date for “Ted 2.” The sequel is slated to open in theaters on June 26, 2015.  Seth MacFarlane returns as writer, director and starring alongside Mark Wahlberg. MacFarlane is also set to release his second feature film “A Million Ways to Die in the West” on May 30, 2014.
Until next time, this has been Matinée Idol.