Jolie returns to her ‘wicked’ ways

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Zellweger embodies Garland in ‘Judy’

LOS ANGELES, July 9, (RTRS): Angelina Jolie unleashes her wrath as in the new trailer for Disney’s “Maleficent: Mistress of Evil”. “Don’t ruin my morning,” Jolie’s Maleficent barks when offered a bit of news about Princess Aurora’s (Elle Fanning’s) plans to wed. She quickly shuts down the prospect of marriage, telling Aurora that “love doesn’t always end well.” Later in the clip, Michelle Pfeiffer’s character Queen Ingrith attempts to stake her claim as Aurora’s guardian.

“You have done an admirable job going against your own nature to raise this child,” Queen Ingrith says to Maleficent. “But now she will finally get the love of a real mother. Tonight, I consider Aurora my own.” The sequel picks up several years after the events of 2014’s “Maleficent”. The relationship between Aurora and the horned fairy gets even more complicated as new threats loom for the formerly cursed princess who is next in line to become Queen of the Moors. New alliances are formed in the struggle to protect the magical realm and the creatures that reside within.

“Maleficent is a threat to everyone,” Queen Ingrith tells Aurora. “We will do our best to protect you.” Sam Riley and Lesley Manville are among returning characters, while Pfeiffer, Ed Skrein and Chiwetel Ejiofor all joined the cast. Harris Dickinson is replacing Brenton Thwaites as Prince Phillip from the first film.

The original “Maleficent” told the story of “Sleeping Beauty” from the perspective of the villain, telling the backstory to why she cursed a baby Princess Aurora. As the story goes, on Aurora’s 16th birthday, would prick her finger on the spindle of a spinning wheel and fall into a deep sleep from which she will never awaken. The dark fantasy became a box office smash, grossing over $750 million at the global box office. Joachim Ronning directed “Maleficent: Mistress of Evil”, which debuts Oct 18.

Charlize Theron and Helen Mirren are set to return for “Fast & Furious 9”, Vin Diesel has announced.

The actresses will be joining Diesel, Michelle Rodriguez, Jordana Brewster, Tyrese Gibson, Chris “Ludacris” Bridges, Nathalie Emmanuel, and John Cena. “Fast & Furious 9” is scheduled to be released on May 22, 2020 by Universal Pictures.

Theron will again play the cyberterrorist Cipher, who was unveiled in the 2017 movie “Fate of the Furious”. Mirren’s character was also introduced in that film as Magdalene Shaw, the mother of Jason Statham’s character Deckard Shaw.

Earlier this year, Universal Pictures shifted “Fast & Furious 9” back six weeks from April 10 to May 22, 2020 – the start of the Memorial Day weekend. MGM has slotted Bond 25 on April 8, 2020. “Fast & Furious 9” will face Paramount’s “The Spongebob Movie”.

The eighth movie in the franchise, “The Fate of the Furious”, stunned Hollywood in 2017, grossing $1.2 billion worldwide. It was directed by F. Gary Gray and starred Diesel, Mirren, Theron, Johnson, Statham, Rodriguez, Gibson, Bridges, Scott Eastwood, Emmanuel, Elsa Pataky and Kurt Russell.

The eight films in the franchise, launched in 2001, have collectively grossed more than $5 billion worldwide. “Furious 7”, which featured the late Paul Walker’s final appearance, is the top performer, having hauled $1.5 billion globally.

The glitz and glam of Judy Garland’s prolific career didn’t come easy. In the new trailer for “Judy”, Garland (portrayed by Renee Zellweger) fights through her fair share of emotional and financial turmoil.

“Judy” shows the world through Garland’s eyes 30 years after her star-making role in “The Wizard of Oz”. The musical biopic is set late 1960s shortly before Garland’s death, focusing on the performer’s run at the Talk of the Town club in London.

The new footage, which was first teased during London Pride over the weekend with a special introduction by Zellweger, sees Garland arrive at a hotel with her two children, only to find that her suite has been released because her account was in debt. With her home and manager lost, Garland is offered a job in London, but she must leave her children in America in order to take it.

“You’re saying I have to leave my children if I want to make enough money to be with my children?” Garland asks before cutting to her backstage at the Talk of the Town.

The clip also showcases Garland’s stage fright, her blossoming relationship with her soon-to-be fifth husband Mickey Deans (played by Finn Wittrock of “American Horror Story”), hospital visits, scenes of a young Garland on the set of “The Wizard of Oz” and Garland in the throes of her spirited, glamorous London performances.

“You can’t have the world’s greatest entertainer out here without a drink,” Deans says to Garland at a party.

“Frank Sinatra’s here?” Garland jokes.

“Frank is great, but he’s no Judy Garland,” he asserts.

Near the end of the trailer, the thrills of London show business turn grim with a doctor saying that Garland needs to take better care of herself and asks if she takes anything for depression.

“Everybody has their troubles. And I’ve had mine. I just want what everybody wants, I just seem to have a harder time getting it.” Garland says over a rendition of “Somewhere Over the Rainbow”.

She asks the crowd, “You won’t forget me will you? Promise you won’t.”

Robert Goold directed “Judy”, which also stars Jessie Buckley and Michael Gambon. Roadside Attractions and LD Entertainment will release “Judy” on Sept 27.

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