Magic: The Gathering Animated Series From Russo Brothers Set at Netflix - Variety

A Magic: The Gathering animated series is coming to Netflix, Variety has learned.

Joe and Anthony Russo, Wizards of The Coast, and Hasbro’s Allspark Animation have teamed with Netflix to bring the fantasy game to the screen for the first time in the franchise’s history. The Russos will oversee the creation of an all new storyline and expand on the stories of the Planeswalkers, which are Magic’s magic-wielding heroes and villains.

“We have been huge fans and players of Magic: The Gathering for as long as it has been around, so being able to help bring these stories to life through animation is a true passion project for us,” the Russos said.

The Russos — known for their work on the Marvel Cinematic Universe entries “Captain America: The Winter Soldier,” “Captain America: Civil War,” “Avengers: Infinity Wars,” and “Avengers: Endgame”– will executive produce the series. Henry Gilroy and Jose Molina will serve as writers and co-executive producers on the series. Yoriaki Mochizuki will serve as supervising director and co-executive producer. Octopie will oversee production of the series, with Todd Makurath, Eric Calderon, and Dave Newberg serving as producers, and Mike Larocca and Isaac Krauss serving as executive producers. Bardel Entertainment will handle animation on the series.

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The Magic: The Gathering tabletop card game was created by Richard Garfield and first released in 1993. Since then, the game has spawned a digital game, esports league, comic book series, and a best-selling novel. It has been published in 11 languages in over 70 countries.

Magic through the tabletop trading card game, the new digital game Magic: The Gathering Arena, a New York Times bestselling novel, critically acclaimed comic book series, and professional esports league. With over 38 million fans to date, Magic is a worldwide phenomenon published in eleven languages in over 70 countries.

“Magic is a beloved global franchise with a massively engaged fan base that has only continued to grow over the last 25 years,” said John Derderian, head of anime programming for Netflix. “There’s no one better suited to bring this story to audiences around the world than Joe and Anthony Russo, whose talent for genre storytelling is unmatched, as is demonstrated by their central role in creating some of the biggest box office hits of all time.”

Netflix’s current animated slate includes anime series such as “Devilman Crybaby,” “Aggretsuko,” and “Ultraman” as well as acclaimed adult animated series “BoJack Horseman,” ‘Big Mouth,” and “Disenchantment.”

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https://variety.com/2019/tv/news/magic-the-gathering-animated-series-netflix-russo-brothers-1203230595/

2019-06-03 13:00:01Z
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Godzilla sequel tops US box office but is it a monster hit? - BBC News

Godzilla: King of the Monsters knocked Disney's Aladdin off the top of the US box office chart at the weekend, taking an estimated $49m (£38.7m).

Despite claiming the top spot, analysts described the debut of the monster remake disappointing.

Costing $200m (£158m) to make, reviews have been lukewarm for the film, which stars Vera Farmiga and Kyle Chandler.

Its total for the three-day weekend was far off its predecessor's debut of $93m (£73.6m) back in 2014.

The film's plot centres around a group of eco-terrorists who steal a sonar device developed by scientist Emma (Farmiga) to control Godzilla, with her ex-husband (Chandler) recruited to track it down.

The new iteration is Stranger Things' Millie Bobbie Brown's blockbuster debut.

Speaking to BBC News, film critic Karen Krizanovich said: "Godzilla is one for fans only... ignore the human story and marvel at the monsters, great aeroplanes and fab supporting cast.

"Godzilla physically is his largest... and in every film iteration he grows bigger. The film was disappointing but it was Gojira [Godzilla's original name) and it's still a great franchise, if only to hear his signature roar."

Fellow critic Jason Solomons added: "The brand is still strong in that kids everywhere want to see Godzilla. And while this instalment is a mess on screen you get the feeling everyone's waiting for the big contest of Godzilla vs Kong, which is coming soon...

"So as a filler, this does a job but it should also serve as a lesson in getting the tone right - it needs more B-movie corniness - and in knowing that all anyone wants to see is monsters clashing, not humans whining."

Other reviewers had even more reservations.

The Guardian's Simran Hans described it as "beastly in all the wrong ways", giving it one star out of five.

Ben Travis, writing for Empire Online, was equally scathing: "What you're left with is a catastrophically dumb, thunderously boring blockbuster as numbing and unsatisfying as the worst Transformers movies - even one hilariously nutty sub-aquatic development can't liven things up."

But not everyone was unimpressed.

Collider's editor-in-chief Steven Weintraub described it as "awesome", adding: "It's everything I wanted last movie to be but wasn't."

Godzilla on film

The original Japanese film, Gojira, was released by studio Toho in 1954 and two years later, an Americanised version came out in the US.

Gojira spawned a series of follow-up films including Destroy All Monsters, Godzilla Raids Again and Godzilla versus King Ghidorah.

More recent films in the franchise include Godzilla: Final Wars and Shin Godzilla.

Among the best known foreign versions, Tristar released Godzilla in 1997 but it was poorly received.

Gareth Edwards' Legendary Pictures film, also titled simply Godzilla, was a box office and critical success, hence the new sequel - directed by Michael Dougherty - getting the green light.

Godzilla vs Kong is due to come out next year.

The rest of the top five at the North American box office was rounded out by Guy Ritchie's Aladdin, in second place with $42.3m (£33.4m), and Elton John biopic Rocketman in third, taking $25m (£19.7m).

Fourth place went to thriller Ma, with $18.3m (£14.5m), and starring Oscar winner Octavia Spencer.

Keanu Reeves' John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum took $11.1m (£8.7m) to claim fifth spot.

Follow us on Facebook, on Twitter @BBCNewsEnts, or on Instagram at bbcnewsents. If you have a story suggestion email entertainment.news@bbc.co.uk.

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2019-06-03 11:24:24Z
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Kylie Jenner Opened Up About Stormi Being Hospitalised - BuzzFeed

Kylie Jenner has revealed that her 16-month-old daughter, Stormi Webster, was hospitalised over the weekend.

Kylie shared the news on her Instagram Story, firstly posting a video of her backyard alongside a caption expressing gratitude and announcing that she felt "blessed beyond words".

"Blessed beyond words," she wrote, "Thank you God. I believe in being a reflection of what you'd like to receive. If you want love, give love. If you want success, wish success."

And Kylie followed this video up with a photo of a sleeping Stormi, and a caption explaining the traumatic ordeal they'd experienced over the weekend.

She wrote: "Spent the day in the hospital with my baby. She had an allergic reaction but is 100% okay now and we are home."

"Nothing else matters when these things happen," Kylie continued, "God bless all the moms with sick babies. I'm sending so much love and positive energy your way."

This is the second time in two months that a Kardashian/Jenner child has been hospitalised due to an allergic reaction. Back in late April, Kim's son Saint West was rushed to the ER during a family vacation to Palm Springs.

We're glad Stormi and Saint are both OK. 💖

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2019-06-03 09:53:00Z
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'Godzilla: King Of The Monsters' Stomps On The Competition At The Box Office - HuffPost

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2019-06-03 06:30:00Z
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'Godzilla' beats out 'Aladdin' and 'Rocketman' to claim box office title - CNN

"Godzilla," a Warner Bros. film which brings back a 1950s subtitle, brought in just over $49 million in its North American debut, according to Comscore (SCOR) data released Sunday.

Disney's (DIS) "Aladdin," the live-action reboot of the 1992 animated film, brought in more than $42 million in North America in its second week of release. Internationally, the film earned $78.3 million, for a global weekend haul of $120.6 million, according to Comscore.

Paramount's "Rocketman," which depicts Elton John's childhood and rise to fame, came in third, bringing in $25 million.

The past few weeks have been lucrative for Hollywood. Last month, "Avengers: Endgame," the Disney and Marvel film, logged a record-shattering $1.2 billion opening, and it subsequently became the fastest film in history to make $2 billion worldwide.

The global box office has benefited from a strong performance at North American theaters, which have grown sales and foot traffic.

And some of the year's biggest films haven't landed in theaters yet.

Disney is set to release a remake of "The Lion King," which includes voice work by Donald Glover and Beyoncé, on July 19.

Some industry analysts believe it could be one of the highest-grossing films of the year.

-- CNN Business' Frank Pallotta contributed to this report

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2019-06-02 17:44:25Z
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Russia slammed for censoring gay sex scenes from Elton John biopic 'Rocketman' - Fox News

Russian gay rights activists and cultural figures are criticizing the local distributor of a new movie about Elton John for cutting scenes in it depicting homosexual activity and drug use.

The deletions became known last week after a Moscow screening of the film "Rocketman."

The Moscow movie theater Pioner, noted for its adventurous programming, said it would ask for an original cut of the movie with Russian subtitles. But the theater said Sunday it had not received a response from the distributor.

ELTON JOHN SLAMS BREXIT AND ITS 'STUPID, COLONIAL IDIOT' SUPPORTERS

Russian news agencies reported that the distribution company said the scenes were cut to conform with Russian law but that the Ministry of Culture said it was not involved in the decision.

"In this way, the Russian distributor indirectly supports homophobia," the Russian LGBT Network said in a Facebook statement. "We urge people not to support such a policy and not to go see the Russian version of the film."

Although homosexuality is not criminalized in Russia, animosity toward gays remains strong. In 2013, the country passed a law banning so-called propaganda supporting non-traditional sexuality from being made available to minors.

ELTON JOHN REVEALS TOUGHEST SCENES TO WATCH IN 'ROCKETMAN' BIOPIC

'ROCKETMAN' STAR RICHARD MADDEN SAYS SEX SCENES WITH TARON EGERTON WERE 'NOT FUN'

Trailers for the Russian version of "Rocketman" showed it carrying a rating restricting it to viewers 18 years or older.

"So, one day we woke up in Saudi Arabia," film critic Anton Dolin said on Facebook, criticizing the cuts. He said the "most repellent" aspect of the cuts was the removal of the statement at the end of the movie that John eventually found "the love of his life" and has raised children with the man he married in 2014.

Nonetheless, Dolin said, "the theme of the hero's homosexuality is still central in the film."

WHY TOM HARDY WAS REPLACED AS ELTON JOHN IN 'ROCKETMAN'

Ksenia Sobchak, a liberal TV star who ran for president in 2016, said purging all homosexual content from a film about the singer would make it meaningless.

A joint statement from John and the filmmakers said "that the local distributor has edited out certain scenes, denying the audience the opportunity to see the film as it was intended, is a sad reflection of the divided world we still live in and how it can still be so cruelly unaccepting of the love between two people."

John has previously criticized Russia's law on gay "propaganda" and comments by President Vladimir Putin that suggested gay people prey on children.

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In 2015, phone pranksters tricked John into believing that he was talking to Putin about the issue. Putin actually later called the musician and said he would be willing to meet to discuss the matter, but no meeting has taken place.

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2019-06-02 15:34:11Z
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[Box Office] Crowded Weekend Stuns 'Godzilla: King of the Monsters'; 'Ma' Parties Hard - Bloody Disgusting

In what feels like one of the most crowded early summers in years, Godzilla: King of the Monsters won the box office, only it wasn’t a crowning achievement. Weighed down heavily by competition that included opening weekends for Rocketman and Blumhouse’s Ma, not to mention the second weekend of Aladdin‘s run and the third for John Wick, the latest film in the Monsterverse opened to $49M here in the States, which marks less than half its predecessors Godzilla (2014) and Kong: Skull Island.  Still, it had a strong global opening of $179M ($130 international).

The budget was reportedly $170M, which is on par with the previous two films that both broke even (if not profited). King of the Monsters (read our review) will struggle to hit the black, although Warner Bros. has already completed production on Kong vs. Godzilla, which will open early next year from director Adam Wingard. A spring opening should bode well for the fourth film in the franchise. Nobody is sweating.

Blumhouse’s hot streak won’t end – thanks to Universal Pictures’ distribution model – as their Octavia Spencer thriller Ma (read our review) opened to an incredible $18M ($21M global) on just a $5M budget. It’ll hit the profit zone before the end of next weekend. Maybe we’ll get a direct-to-video sequel (doubtful)?

Sony’s anti-Superman Brightburn is currently sitting at $24M worldwide on a $5M budget giving us some hope for a followup. John Wick is sitting at a whopping $220M globally. It’s been a wild summer for genre fans and it’s only June 2nd. Lots more to come…

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2019-06-02 15:47:24Z
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