Picture Credits (l-r): BBC, Warner Bros. Pictures, Warner Bros. Pictures
Picture Credits (l-r): BBC, Warner Bros. Pictures, Warner Bros. Pictures

This past week has been a flurry of activity in regard to movies, and there is much to discuss; from Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore not doing too well at the box office and Luther finishing filming, to news of Bam Margera and the lawsuit he filed against Jackass Forever and its members. Read about this, and more, below! 

Barbie movie adds even more cast members 

Warner Bros.’ upcoming live-action movie, Barbie, already has a great cast attached to it, but there have been even more names added to the project. 

Recently revealed cast members include Promising Young Woman director Emerald Fennell, and actor Scott Evans, Chris Evans’ brother, who has starred in films such as Before We Go. Additionally, Kingsley Ben-Adir (Cheers, Matilda) has been added to the roster. 

The already impressive cast includes Margot Robbie, Ryan Gosling, America Ferrara, Simu Liu, Ariana Greenblatt, Emma Mackey, Will Ferrell, and Michael Cera. 

With Greta Gerwig (Lady Bird, Little Women) behind the wheel of this project, it is likely to be less cheesy and more serious, which will be great to see. 

Luther movie has finished shooting, says Idris Elba 

Idris Elba, star of hit BBC series Luther, has revealed that the upcoming Netflix feature has finally wrapped filming. 

The BBC series of the same name began in 2010, thus beginning Detective John Luther’s story. The show ran for five seasons, and generated not only a love for the series, but for the actor, too. Elba even won a Golden Globe for his performance. 

Luther began shooting in November of last year (2021), and has now wrapped filming. The movie will introduce characters not seen in the series, such as Andy Serkis (The Lord of the Rings trilogy, The Batman), who will be playing the villain. 

Elba has stated that the feature will pick up straight after Season 5 of the show; he also claimed that the film is a standalone story, so those who haven’t seen the show needn’t worry. 

Michael Keaton’s official DCEU Batsuit is revealed 

Michael Keaton, who played the iconic Caped Crusader in Batman (1989) and Batman Returns (1992), is returning to the role after 30 years, and fans are more than excited. 

Keaton is set to make his DCEU (DC Extended Universe) debut in forthcoming film The Flash, which is set to release in June of next year (2023). 

Recently, Twitter account @EpicFilmGuys posted a photo of Keaton’s new and improved Batman costume, and fans seem to love the new yet classic design of Gotham’s vigilante. 

There are subtle changes in design, but there is still a very classic look about the suit, which is important to not only make fans feel a tad nostalgic, but it also cements Keaton’s iconic look as Batman, which many will most likely remember and adore when he is seen in The Flash

The Secrets of Dumbledore opening night numbers are lowest of series 

Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore, which released into cinemas on April 8th, 2022 (in the UK), has somewhat failed at the box office, as the third film in the Fantastic Beasts trilogy marks a new low for the franchise. 

In the U.S., the movie grossed $6 million on its opening night, which is the lowest box office number compared to the previous two movies. Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them grossed $8.7 million, and The Crimes of Grindelwald made $9.1 million. 

Usually, opening night numbers are an indication of how many diehard fans are heading to the cinema to see the feature as soon as they can, so this means that the third entry into this franchise doesn’t seem to have excited fans like the previous films did. 

This suggests that interest in the Fantastic Beasts series has dropped, which may spark repercussions for both Warner Bros. and the franchise. 

Bam Margera has officially dropped his Jackass lawsuit 

Despite the recent release of Jackass Forever, the latest entry into the Jackass film franchise, being exciting for fans worldwide, the dispute between Johnny Knoxville, Paramount Pictures and former Jackass star Bam Margera held the attention of many. 

Margera has been a member of the Jackass crew for over 20 years, but when he failed to stay sober in the lead up to filming Jackass Forever, Knoxville, director Jeff Tremaine, and Paramount decided to cut him from the upcoming feature. 

Margera filed a lawsuit against Knoxville and Paramount, claiming he was fired so the studio wouldn’t need to pay him, as well as stating that he was subjected to inhumane treatment while on set. 

However, recent news has seen Margera drop his lawsuit, and his attorney Dennis S. Ellis, has dismissed the cased with prejudice, meaning that the actor cannot sue the studio again over his claims. 

Written by Melissa, who you can follow on Twitter @melissajournal

MORE: April 9 Movie News Roundup: Thor 4 breaks an MCU record, Jurassic World 3 runtime, and more!