How does a wannabe blockbuster deal with bad buzz?
You start by giving away the movie for free or at least the first eight minutes.
‘I did all the Trump stuff before anybody. I called him a con man before anyone, I did “he’s a mafia boss,” I was the one who said he wasn’t going to concede the election, I’ve done it.’
“Kraven the Hunter,” which gives us the origin of the titular pelt-wearing Spider-Man nemesis, got bumped around the release schedule thanks to the dueling Hollywood strikes.
Oh, and the film’s trailer didn’t exactly light a fire under most potential moviegoers.
Now, Sony is offering a free look at the film’s opening scene before its Dec. 20 release date. See? It’s not so bad, right?
The film’s star is also doing his best to flush out elusive fans.
Aaron Taylor-Johnson, rumored to be in the running for the next 007, told ScreenRant.com readers to ignore the rumors and take the ride.
“So really come see this movie, man. Come see this movie. I promise you it won’t disappoint. It’s got all the beats that you want and more. I think it could be an audience’s sort of villain favorite, definitely go toe-to-toe with some other people down the line, man.”
Sounds sincere, no? At least it’s better than telling audiences they should “never know peace.”
Gender-gypped
Woke is getting pummeled of late following President-elect Donald Trump’s victory. This development won’t help.
Some minor league awards shows have gone gender neutral with their categories, a sign of the oh, so progressive times. That means the best performer wins in each category, not the best male actor or actress.
Can you sense where this is going?
The recent Gotham Awards honored three men with acting trophies, leaving the female performers behind. Most mainstream media outlets ignored that inconvenient truth, but World of Reel (a more honest, rebellious site) mentioned it.
The folks behind the annual Oscar telecast have flirted with the gender-neutral concept without committing to the practice. Here’s betting the Gotham scenario likely put a dent in those plans.
Greer’s ‘Family’ fumble
Regrets, actress Judy Greer has a few.
One, really. A really, really big one.
“The Best Christmas Pageant Ever” star revealed that she passed up an audition to play Claire Dunphy on ABC’s “Modern Family.” She feared the matriarch role would typecast her.
“In a movie, people kind of see it and then they forget. In a TV show, it’s just like, you’re a mom. That’s it.”
The show went on to earn two Emmys for the eventual Claire Dunphy, Julie Bowen. “Modern Family” ran for 11 celebrated seasons and became one of TV’s funniest sitcoms.
There’s no guarantee Greer would have landed the part, of course. She had a good shot, though. She’s a deeply underrated performer and excels in comic roles. Consider her recurring part on “Arrested Development” as exhibit A.
Full of quit
The host of HBO’s “Real Time with Bill Maher” hinted he might quit the long-running show rather than deal with four more years of President Trump. Here’s what he confessed to his podcast show’s guest Jane Fonda.
“I’m s****ing my pants. I mean, I may quit because I don’t want to do another … I did all the Trump stuff before anybody. I called him a con man before anyone, I did ‘he’s a mafia boss,’ I was the one who said he wasn’t going to concede the election, I’ve done it.”
There’s something healthy about Maher’s approach. Political jokes can get stale over time. Remember all the “President Clinton is randy” gags following Monica Gate? What about the dumb Dubya bits that flowed during President George W. Bush’s two terms in office?
Maher recognizes it’s harder to find something new to say and share about Trump this time around. Or maybe he’s just as much a sore loser as Rob Reiner, who confessed he checked into a “facility” following Election Day.
Maher would be better served by digging beneath Trump’s blustery surface and mocking the mogul’s oh, so mockable critics. And he’s capable of doing just that.
The comic is one of the few honest brokers on late-night TV. He’s routinely lashed out at woke overreach, mocked the left’s embrace of policies that frighten most voters, and stood tall for free speech when others took a knee.
You can’t go, Bill! Late-night TV needs someone who isn’t on the DNC payroll.