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Fans of Lin-Manuel Miranda’s lyrics and music in Broadway shows like Hamilton and Jon Chu’s style and sensibilities exhibited in Crazy Rich Asians are surely bursting at the seams waiting for the arrival of the film adaptation of In The Heights. And there’s good reason to be. Everything from the film’s depiction of the vibrancy of the Washington Heights neighborhood of Manhattan to its story about a bodega owner imagining of a better life for himself and his community, In The Heights has all the makings of great, timeless masterpiece.

But with all of the excitement surrounding the movie, its stellar cast lead by Anthony Ramos, you might have looked over just how you can watch In The Heights streaming when it premieres Thursday, June 10, 2021. Fear not for we have put together a quick rundown of all the ways you can watch the new musical, based on Lin-Manuel Miranda and Quiara Alegría Hudes's Tony Award-winning Broadway musical, both now and in the future…

Where To Watch In The Heights Streaming

Just like all the other major Warner Bros. 2021 theatrical releases, In The Heights will be streaming on HBO Max on the same day it lands in theaters. And while everyone is excited to go back to the theaters, especially for a musical that looks as fun and moving as In The Heights, this release model will give everyone the opportunity to watch the adaptation of the Broadway sensation, as long as they have an internet connection and an ad-free subscription to HBO Max.

Starting Thursday, June 10, all you will need to do is open the HBO Max app on a compatible streaming device or the website, search for In The Heights, and press play. Before you know it, you’ll be transported to the hot and bustling streets of the Washington Heights neighborhood.

As noted, an ad-free subscription to HBO Max is required to stream In The Heights on the platform when it premieres. Warner Bros.' 2021 movies premiering same-day on HBO Max will only be available to ad-free subscribers. If you're on the ad-supported tier, you'll have to wait until the movie eventually comes back to HBO Max in the coming months after its initial 30-day run. 

If you're not an HBO Max subscriber, you can sign up here.

When Will In The Heights Be Available On DVD/Blu-ray?

And just like all the other Warner Bros. 2021 releases, In The Heights will only be available on HBO Max for 30 days from the day of its initial release. But don’t worry because it probably won’t be long before the movie ends up on VOD services and eventually home media like Blu-ray (and stunning 4K). An exact date for the VOD release has not yet be announced at this time, but if we go off the timeline for one of the studio’s more recent 2021 films, Godzilla vs. Kong, it looks like we can see In The Heights on digital services at some point before summer’s end.

Godzilla vs. Kong opened in theaters and on HBO Max on Wednesday, March 31, and eventually found its way to digital platforms on VOD on May 21, 2021, a little less than two months after its initial release. If we go with that model, In The Heights could be available on VOD services as early as late July or the beginning of August. The Legendary MonsterVerse movie will also be released on DVD/Blu-ray on June 15, which means we could see the new musical’s physical release before Labor Day. But again, no date has been confirmed for that, so we'll have to wait and see.

Hamilton And Other Great Lin-Manuel Miranda Movies And Shows To Watch Streaming

Either before or after watching In The Heights, it’s safe to say you probably want to check out some of Lin-Manuel Miranda’s other movies and TV shows that you either haven’t seen in a while or didn’t know the Tony, Grammy, and Emmy Award-winning singer and composer helped create. From Hamilton to Mary Poppins Returns and Moana to The New Electric Company, there’s a lot to check out.

Stream Hamilton on Disney+.

Stream Mary Poppins Returns on Disney+.

Stream Moana on Disney+.

Stream The New Electric Company on Hulu.

And remember, In The Heights is just one of many Warner Bros. movies coming to theaters and HBO Max before the year’s end, so make sure to check out the full schedule of 2021 new movie releases so you don’t miss a thing.

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The summer season may be coming to a close, but not without a standing ovation - particularly in thanks to the continued success of Crazy Rich Asians. After holding at the top after its second weekend, only dropping five percent from three day debut (which is practically unheard of), it's safe to say the romantic comedy is a real hit. A success story wouldn't be complete with some roadblocks, though, and Crazy Rich Asians is no exception. Director Jon M. Chu was originally told that he should change the title of the film, recently saying,

The title certainly stood out to avid book readers, as the novel the movie was adapted from was a New York Times bestseller, written by Kevin Kwan. Obviously going for a different title wouldn't have as clearly tipped fans of the book that the movie was an adaptation. In the interview with Yahoo, Jon M. Chu explained how the name is important to him because it starts conversations and grabs attention. The Hollywood movie is the first in 25 years to be comprised of an all-Asian cast, and offers various depictions of Asian people not tackled before on screen. It's impactful and rare this film is to Hollywood and for the visibility of the Asian community and being titled Crazy Rich Asians lets it be very forthright with its mission.

While Jon M. Chu found the possible name change of the film ridiculous, what was even more ridiculous was the claim that an all-Asian cast who could deliver was unobtainable. Chu admitted that they had to look a bit harder than usual to find the talented ensemble cast of Crazy Rich Asians, but the actors they found were pros who had already done the work needed to star in a blockbuster rom com. The cast just needed an opportunity; there was no lack of talent out there. Thanks to the persistence of Chu and the filmmakers involved, actors such as Constance Wu, Henry Golding and Awkwafina among many were given unique roles in a hit film unlike any that had ever been offered to them before.

it should be noted that the provocative title hasn't been adopted worldwide. According to Inverse, posters in Germany title the film Crazy Rich, and in Italy it's called Crazy & Rich. Guesses are that a decision was made that the full title in some places overseas wouldn't be as marketable for audiences, but the reason isn't clear. Crazy Rich Asians hasn't seen a wide worldwide release just yet, with it being currently available in just a few other countries.

You can see the hilarious and commercially successful rom-com Crazy Rich Asians in theaters now.

If you have even the most peripheral knowledge of the Broadway world, you'll know that one show is making heaps of money. That musical is Hamilton which is poised to sweep the Tony awards this Sunday. As such, the man behind the magic, writer and actor Lin-Manuel Miranda has become a giant success, and has been booking a variety of film credits to accompany his status as Broadway royalty. And now it appears that Miranda's notoriety as lead to his Broadway musical being adapted into a big budget Hollywood movie. No, a Hamilton movie isn't coming yet, but rather an adaptation of his first Tony winning musical In The Heights.

THR is now reporting that a major Hollywood director is circling the project. That director is none other than Jon M. Chu, who currently has a blockbuster in theaters- Now You See Me 2. The Weinstein Co. has recently secured the rights to a film adaptation of In The Heights, and is trying to move quickly into pre-production on the heels of Hamilton's impending Tony wins. And Chu seems like a rather appropriate fit to direct the movie musical.

While Jon M. Chu has yet to direct a movie musical, he has done plenty of projects that have theatricality and dance on the forefront. In addition to Now You See Me 2, which is garnering positive reviews, Chu has also directed two Step Up movies, as well as Justin Bieber's concert movie Never Say Never. While the latter two films might not be critical darlings, it proved that Chu has a musical sensibility that will surely help him in bringing In The Heights to the big screen.

In The Heights is a hip hop musical that is set in the neighborhood of Washington Heights in New York City. The story follows a largely Latino-American cast of characters as they face a new crossroads, and the possibility of abandoning their neighborhood and community forever. In The Heights enjoyed a long Broadway run, and racked up an impressive four Tony Awards, including Best Musical. Additionally, the soundtrack went on to win a Grammy and the show was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize. This musical was what cemented Lin-Manuel Miranda's role as a bonafide Broadway star, and surely helped him get Hamilton produced, which is the hottest ticket on Broadway, with the best seats currently going for an outstanding $849.

This is just the latest in Lin-Manuel Miranda's opportunities in the world of film. After seeing Hamilton, director J.J. Abrams hired Miranda to compose the music for Maz Kanata's cantina in Star Wars: The Force Awakens. Additionally, he was recently cast in Mary Poppins Returns as the male lead alongside Emily Blunt. In the world of theater, it's Miranda's world and we're all just living in it.

We'll continue to update you on the In The Heights movie as more details become public.

Now You See Me was a surprise hit when it was release back in the summer of 2013. It ultimately grossed the hugely impressive sum of $351.7 million, even though it went up against the likes of Man Of Steel, Fast & Furious 6, Iron Man 3, and Star Trek Into Darkness during its time in theaters.

Obviously, having made Lionsgate, Summit Entertainment, and K/O Paper Products a substantial amount of money, plans were almost instantly made for a sequel to be put into motion, and the countdown clock for its arrival has begun.

Now You See Me 2 is now just over five months away from hitting theaters, as it’s due to hit cinemas on June 10th. But since quite a lot happened in the original, and the follow-up features some new faces joining the already established cast, we’ve decided to throw together a handy guide for Now You See Me 2 that includes all the rumors and reports regarding the film that have been circulating. Let’s start by taking a look at the first teaser trailer, shall we?

Ready to find out what kind of magical hijinks the large ensemble is up to this time around? Well, you can find out exactly what we know so far about Now You See Me 2 by taking a look below.

SPOILERS AHEAD: The below article features spoilers for Now You See Me. If you want to have a look at Cinema Blend’s spoiler-free review for the original, have a click right here. For those of you that want to learn about Now You See Me 2, proceed ahead … you’ve been emphatically warned though.

The Director

Despite being originally approached, Now You See Me’s director Louis Leterrier decided not to return for the sequel. This left a bit of a vacuum in terms of the vison for Now You See Me 2, but it was eventually revealed that Jon M. Chu was hired to fill the void. While Chu’s resume admittedly includes the likes of Step Up 2: The Streets, Step Up 3D, Justin Bieber: Never Say Never, Justin Beiber’s Believe, and the critically mauled Jem And The Holograms, the fact that he oversaw the relentless-yet-nonsensical, G.I. Joe: Retaliation means that he’s already had experience on a thinly plotted but still nevertheless entertaining mainstream flick. It will be a tough ask for Jon M. Chu to emulate the efforts of Louis Leterrier, though, as the French director’s speedy direction immediately moved Now You See Me on before you could consider the plot holes and editing that made the tricks possible. Ultimately, the idiotic conclusion to Now You See Me was one step too far for the film to cover-up. Let’s just hope that its story is a little tighter this time round.

The Story

The current plot details for Now You See Me 2 have confirmed that it will be set one year after the original, while the addition of Arthur Tressler’s (Michael Caine) son, Walter (Daniel Radcliffe), will almost certainly cause the Four Horseman a whole host of problems. This is especially true since it’s already been confirmed that Walter is on a mission to bring The Four Horseman to justice because their antics led to his father losing millions and being imprisoned. The trailer also teased that the sequel will be set in various exotic locations – including London and Las Vegas – and will include the same kind of magical set-pieces that the made the original so enjoyable. If there’s any actual justice in the world, then we’ll also learn more details about Mark Ruffalo’s Dylan Rhodes, as his reveal as the secret member of the Four Horseman was one of the main reasons why Now You See Me deflated. The first trailer for Now You See Me 2 even seemed to make a reference to its ending, suggesting that it was just the beginning, with Morgan Freeman’s Thaddeus Bradley declaring, "First act just a set-up for even bigger reveal."

Dylan Rhodes

Played by the always magnificent, and recent recipient of his third Oscar nomination Mark Ruffalo, Dylan Rhodes’ headstrong pursuit of the Four Horseman drove the plot of the original Now You See Me forward, as he followed the group from city to city seemingly trying to figure them out so that he could arrest them. Of course, we believed that until it was revealed that Rhodes had been working in cahoots with the Four Horseman all along, and that he’d created this entire masterplan to punish Morgan Freeman’s Thaddeus Bradley because his antics had led to the death of his father, Lionel Shrike, decades ago. Dylan Rhodes then introduced the horseman to the Eye, before it was revealed that he was their secret benefactor. It was far-stretched and silly, but Now You See Me had done just enough to warrant such an ending. The sequel now has the responsibility of making Dylan Rhodes a well-rounded character other than the implausible mirage that the original ultimately turned him into. But, since Mark Ruffalo is playing him, there’s every chance that the stunning thespian will be able to do just that and surprise us in even bigger ways than the first film.

J. Daniel Atlas

With Mark Ruffalo’s Dylan Rhodes now revealed as the brains behind the entire operation, does this mean that Jesse Eisenberg’s J. Daniel Atlas’ prominence as leader of the group will deteriorate? Does it even matter? Not really. A part of the success of the original was the patter and, mostly, equal billing of Eisenberg and his three fellow Horsemen. Eisenberg was given the nickname of The Lover, after the sixth Tarot card, and was publicly seen as the leader of the Four Horseman - something that only stoked the arrogance of the already arrogant illusionist and street magician. With Batman v Superman: Dawn Of Justice due out around two-and-a-half months before Now You See Me 2, you can expect Jesse Eisenberg’s status to get a hefty bump just ahead of the follow-up - which will probably mean that his face (and short hair-do) will be plastered all over the promotional material in the weeks leading up to release. Plus, the trailer made sure to have him front and center as it showed the new Lex Luthor causing mayhem with falling rain before disappearing into a puddle. David Blaine eat your heart out. %NEXT_PAGE%

Jack Wilder

Alongside the returning Jesse Eisenberg will be Dave Franco’s Jack Wilder, a.k.a. Death, who in the original had the rather traumatic job of faking his own death in a high-speed car crash across a Manhattan bridge. It was revealed in the chaotic conclusion that Jack was still alive and well, and he even still had possession of his Tarot card, which, naturally, was for Death. Dave Franco’s cheeky, nervous charm was a key component in the dynamic of the Four Horsemen, and his return is integral to making the transition from the original into the sequel as smooth as possible. Just don’t trust any scene that shows him dying in Now You See Me 2. %NEXT_PAGE%

Merritt McKinney

Woody Harrelson wouldn’t just let Dave Franco and Jesse Eisenberg return for Now You See Me 2 without him. The most experienced member of the Four Horsemen, Harrelson’s Merritt McKinney was named after The Hermit tarot card. He is a self-proclaimed psychic, as well as a mentalist and hypnotist. He was also rather famous in his youth too. Unfortunately, his treacherous brother ran away with all of his money, which left him with a long hard trek back to professional glory - something that he achieved with the Four Horseman throughout the original. And while the first trailer for Now You See Me 2 didn’t really show too much of Merritt, we can expect Woody Harrelson to provide a mixture of sturdy comic relief and dramatic weight throughout. After all, he is Woody Harrelson, and the reality is that the guy is great in everything he does. %NEXT_PAGE%

Lula

One of the main changes to Now You See Me 2 is that Isla Fisher’s Henley Reeves/The High Priestess won’t be returning as a member of the posse. Instead, Lizzy Caplan’s Lula has filled the female shaped hole in the Four Horseman. The trailer showed Lizzy Caplan appearing onstage alongside Jesse Eisenberg and Woody Harrelson, and there is even a shot of her as she confidently strolls through Las Vegas as part of the notable quartet. In fact, we even got a tease of her magic abilities, as she shook dozens of birds out of her jacket. Of course, she also displayed the dry wit that has been a trademark of Lizzy Caplan’s throughout most of her career. The actress is just about as good a replacement for Isla Fisher for which the sequel could have hoped. Those of you disappointed that the Australian dropped out can blame both her pregnancy and the fact that she almost died shooting the original Now You See Me. %NEXT_PAGE%

Thaddeus Bradley

Obviously, the inclusion of Morgan Freeman in any film is encouraged, but it will be especially interesting to see Freeman’s Thaddeus Bradley in Now You See Me 2, as the ex-magician, who had no problem profiting by selling the secrets behind other magicians’ tricks for 30 years, will be on the hunt for vengeance. The end of Now You See Me saw Dylan Rhodes revealing to Thaddeus that he was the mastermind behind the Four Horsemen, and that he’d framed Thaddeus as the supposed Fifth Horseman. The trailer has also proven that Freeman’s Thaddeus Bradley will still be involved, while it also appears as though he’ll be pulling the strings from prison. We have a pretty good idea of who he’ll be working with on this mission too … %NEXT_PAGE%

Arthur Tressler

Like Morgan Freeman’s Thaddeus Bradley, Michael Caine’s Arthur Tressler found himself being scuppered by the Four Horseman over the course of Now You See Me, ultimately taken for a good bit of cash. Originally the foursome’s sponsor and financier, the insurance magnate was later the victim of one of their tricks when they robbed millions from his bank account, and then showered it upon one of their crowds… which just so happened to be filled with victims of Hurricane Katrina that had been denied insurance claims by Tressler’s company. Obviously, Tressler wasn’t too happy with this, and the trailer proves that, probably with the help of Thaddeus, he’s seeking vengeance. This fury has even extended to his immediate family. This especially extends to Arthur Tressler’s son, who is a new and much welcomed face to Now You See Me 2’s impressive ensemble. %NEXT_PAGE%

Walter Tressler

While Daniel Radcliffe playing Michael Caine’s son is already immediately recognizable as a perfect casting choice, the fact that he’s apparently playing an inept magician just makes his appearance umpteen times better. The trailer showed Radcliffe’s Walter Tressler failing at his own sleight of hand, before then apparently welcoming the Four Horsemen to his rather lavish Las Vegas hotel suite. Due to the fact that the clip was only a minute long we still don’t know anything at all about his plan, but the fact that he’s playing the son of one of Now You See Me’s victims suggests that he’ll be hell bent on avenging his father. While, hopefully, the follow-up will sneak as many Harry Potter references as they can in there too. Otherwise, casting Daniel Radcliffe will just have been a huge waste. Why cast The Boy Who Lived in a movie about magic and not at least make some kind of reference to his time as a kid wizard? I’m going to wager guess that Daniel Racliffe’s Walter Tressler won’t just around for the one film, either. Now You See Me 3 has already been pre-emptively green-lit, and much like many other names in the cast, his is one that the producers will want to keep around. %NEXT_PAGE%

Natalie Austin

Another new addition to the Now You See Me 2 team is Sanaa Lathan (The Perfect Guy, The Best Man). The actress has been brought on to play the brand new government-employed authority figure – specifically FBI agent Natalie Austin). No doubt, Lathan will be on the hunt to try and snare the Four Horsemen as they conduct their magical escapades and various Robin Hood-esque illegal activities, while she’ll also probably be more than aware of the murky past of her predecessor, Dylan Rhodes. It’s hard to see Now You See Me 2 following the path of the original by revealing Austin to be the sixth member of the Horseman team, so we can expect her to be driven and honest in her pursuit of capturing the magical ensemble.

The new film Jem and the Holograms is doing extremely poorly at the box office. Despite opening in more than 2,400 theaters nationwide, it has only managed to bring in $1.3 million - enough for 15th place on the box office chart. As you might imagine, this news isn't being taken too well by director Jon M. Chu, who spoke out this weekend about his newest feature's disappointing outcome.

Chu was assigned the job of delivering the Filmmaker Keynote at the at the Film Independent Forum in Los Angeles on Saturday, and instead of ignoring the poor performance of his movie he instead took the opportunity to speak to it directly. Admitting that he initially planned to take the stage with a much different attitude, the director told the crowd (according to The Hollywood Reporter),

Jon Chu followed this statement with a laugh, but he really isn't understating the poor performance of Jem and the Holograms. While, for example, Ridley Scott's The Martian (a movie in its fourth week of release) was able to make an average of $4,538 per theater this weekend, the new musical cartoon adaptation made just $547 per theater. And while these disappointing figures are offset by the fact that the feature only cost $5 million to produce, apparently that's not stopping the filmmaker from feeling a bit burned:

During his address, the director also noted that Jem and the Holograms hasn't exactly been getting the best response from reviewers either (it should be noted that I am personally one of those critics). While it's received a better reception than some other titles released this last week, Rotten Tomatoes currently has it listed with a 20 percent - which is pretty damn far from critical acclaim.

While reviews are part of the film industry, however, what's not okay is that Jon Chu has been receiving horrible and deplorable hate mail from people who apparently take the making of a Jem and the Holograms movie far, far too seriously. Giving us all a little less faith in humanity, Chu told the Film Independent Forum,

Obviously things aren't going super well on the Jem and the Holograms front, but it won't be long until Jon Chu gets his next opportunity to show movie-goers what he can do. He has already completed production on the sequel Now You See Me 2, which will be in theaters June 10, 2016.

Like many cartoons from the 1980s, the series Jem was based on a rather strange setup. The episodes followed a young woman named Jerrica Benton, who, with the help of a computer named Synergy and a pair of special earings, can use holograms to transform herself into her celebrity identity: the rock star Jem. This is not what fans should expect to see in this weekend’s live-action Jem and the Holograms movie, however, as Jerrica merely disguises herself with makeup and wigs instead of advanced technology. So why was this major change made? According to director Jon Chu, it’s because the film got too messy when it came to explaining what’s going on.

Earlier this week I had the chance to talk with the filmmaker for a phone interview, and I took the opportunity to ask him why it was that the film moved away from the idea of holographic disguises. He explained that there were earlier drafts of the movie that did carry over this sci-fi element from the cartoon series, but that it would up getting cut out as a means of making the movie clearer. Chu explained,

Having to spend time dealing in exposition and clarification was ultimately found to not only have a damaging effect on the structure of the movie, but also steer it away from the core message that Jon Chu wanted to get across:

There is a silver lining for those of you who are disappointed by Jem and the Holograms’ lack of holographic disguises: just because they’re not in this movie doesn’t mean that they’re not being thought of to use in the future. Jon Chu has some big ideas for where a sequel could go, and part of that could mean including more cartoonish elements. Said the director,

Jem and the Holograms is in theaters this Friday, October 23rd.

Director Jon Chu seems to have a special relationship with the Hasbro brand. In 2013 he helmed the big screen sequel G.I. Joe: Retaliation - based on the toy company’s famous line of action figures – and this weekend we will see the filmmaker’s live-action adaptation of the Hasbro-produced Jem and the Holograms. This means that Chu currently stands as the only director to helm movies for two different Hasbro properties – but he doesn’t want to stop there. Apparently he would very much be game for a giant G.I. Joe/Jem and the Holograms/Transformers crossover film.

I had the opportunity to interview Jon Chu over the phone earlier this week – the filmmaker currently on the press tour for Jem and the Holograms - and it was at the end of our conversation that he revealed his thoughts about what would essentially be The Avengers of Hasbro movies. Having taken the helm of two of the company’s projects so far, I asked Chu if he had thought about completing the trifecta by taking on one of the upcoming Transformers features. His answer, which came sandwiched by a good bit of laughter, revealed that he is thinking much bigger than just a simple robots vs. robots movie. Said the director,

Given the presence of militaristic forces in both franchises, G.I. Joe and Transformers do very much seem like perfect candidates for some kind of big blockbuster, but throwing Jem into the mix makes things get very interesting. The way I see it, maybe Optimus Prime and Dwayne Johnson’s Roadblock need the hologram powers of Jem’s robot, SYNERGY, which will give them the edge they need in their battle against the Decepticons and the forces of Cobra.

Don’t start getting too excited about this idea, though, because while it was Jon Chu’s pitch, right now the director is happy to keep things going on a smaller scale and trying just to expand the universe that he’s created with his latest film. Said Chu,

Jem and the Holograms arrives in theaters this Friday, while Transformers 5 and G.I. Joe 3 remain in development and without official release dates at this time. Can you envision them all coming together someday in the same movie? Hit the comments below with your thoughts.

Every dream has to start somewhere, and leave it to the director of Justin Bieber: Never Say Never to bring the world the story of Jerrica Benton and her rise to the top of the pops. Don't take our word for it, though, as you can feel free to watch the trailer for Jem And The Holograms yourself in the video below.

Universal Pictures Austraila released this first look at Jon M. Chu's next directorial foray into taking 80's nostalgia and wowing today's generation with something from their siblings/parent's closets. The results are a mixed bag, but overall this looks like it's going to be a fun romp for the teen audience it's aiming for. Jem And The Holograms tells the story of young Jerrica and her accidental stumble into super stardom, all thanks to one of her sisters uploading one of her songs on YouTube. Of course, it isn't long before the big time is a-calling for her, and the pressures of making it big versus keeping it real make themselves known. Will the newly minted Jem stay with the band that made her, or will she throw it all way for a solo career?

On one hand, Jem And The Holograms is definitely a product of its time. Gone are the gimmicks of the 80's cartoon, and instead the film is deciding to tell the classically honed story of what a person will do once fame becomes a big part of their lives. It also helps that Aubrey Peeples is in her own right a pretty famous singer/actor combo, thanks to her time on ABC's breakout hit Nashville. Also, one can't help but smile at Juliette Lewis being the villain of the piece and Molly Ringwald being the mother of the household, as Chu clearly does his homework when it comes to casting his films with the right balance of perfect fits that bring back all the right nostalgic feelings.

Of course, there's the one big factor the film has going against it, and it's something that even both directors in the G.I. Joe franchise had to face down: the source material is basically given up for dead, in exchange for something audiences of today can relate to. If you showed this trailer to a fan of Jem And The Holograms, you'd probably hear cries about how it's turned Jem into a teen sensation and robbed her of her record executive status and/or her neat technology – which involved actual holograms, and an A.I. assistant named Synergy. Besides a mention of the latter that could pan out into a clever nod to the original series, the original Jem – Britta Phillips herself – is on the cast list in an unnamed capacity. Whether it's a simple cameo, or a full blown supporting role, is yet to be seen.

Jem And The Holograms is facing all of the usual problems any adaptation of its stature would face, so this trailer is really business as usual. The best thing about the first look at the latest Jon M. Chu flick is that it looks like he's really called upon the chops that he displayed in Justin Bieber: Never Say Never and two Step Up installments to make this a pop-fueled spectacle. Whether or not you're up for that depends on how ready you are to get truly outrageous, and you'll have plenty of time to figure that out as Jem And The Holograms is set to open on October 23rd.

We’re all in for one truly outrageous blast from the past when the Jem and the Holograms movie hits theaters on October 23rd. The film adaptation of the ‘80s animated TV series was announced last year, but we’re only now getting our first official image of the gals rockin’ out on stage. We’re still trying to figure out if the movie itself will be as outrageous as the original show, or if we can just look forward to a trio of wannabe Hannah Montanas.

Universal Pictures officially released this nice hi-res image online today (click on the image to see it full size), and there’s tons of glitter, Lisa Frank-style makeup, heavily Bedazzled jackets, and a crazy light show theatrics. The end result? Basically what I imagine an updated version of Dazzler from X-Men to look like - only here I wouldn’t be surprised if these ladies were singing something as annoyingly catchy as Rebecca Black’s "Friday." Pictured in the image, from left to right, are Aja (Hayley Kiyoko), Jem (Aubrey Peeples) and Kimber (Stephanie Scott). But what about Shana? Aurora Perrineau is set to play the fourth member of this group, but I guess every musical ensemble needs its own version of Michelle Williams from Destiny’s Child.

In addition to the four leading ladies, Jem and the Holograms will also feature Ryan Guzman. The sexy dancer/actor with washboard abs from the Step Up movies and J.Lo’s The Boy Next Door is playing Rio in the film. He’s the road manager and technical engineer for the group, and he’s also boyfriend of Jerrica Benton – which is Jem’s alter-ego. Rat Pack actress Molly Ringwald and Juliette Lewis have also been cast, though details on their roles in the movie are limited.

Jon Chu’s Jem and the Holograms tells the story of an orphan girl’s journey to becoming a hit recording star in the hyper-linked-in age of social media. This plot finds Jem and her sisters on a "music-driven scavenger hunt" — whatever that means — through LA as they try and find a final message that was sent to Jem by her father. It seems quite different from the original series, as there’s still no talk of Synergy, the holographic supercomputer that Jem’s dad leaves her after his death. I don’t know how on board I can be with this movie if Syngery isn’t a part of this. She was basically the heart and soul and unofficial mascot of the original TV series.

Any chance she could be reimagined as an iPhone or something?

G.I. Joe: Retaliation wasn't a smart movie, but it was a fun one. Director Jon M. Chu perfectly utilized stars Dwayne Johnson, Bruce Willis, Ray Park and Byung-hun Lee and made the movie into 90 minutes of ninja action and general badassery. It was pretty much all that fans could really ask for from something as silly as G.I. Joe, and Paramount and MGM has apparently given proper recognition to the man who orchestrated its creation.

Deadline has learned that the two studios are now working on a deal that would have Chu back to direct the third installment of the G.I Joe movie series. Unfortunately, however, the story makes no mention of any other details about the project. While there are likely contracts in place with some of the actors, at this stage we have no idea which characters will return. Given the popularity of Johnson one can imagine that the production is doing its best to lock him up to return as Roadblock, and the same could be said for both Lee and Park, but it's hard to say at this point what will happen to the rest. After all, only five actors (Park, Lee, Channing Tatum, Jonathan Pryce and Arnold Vosloo) ended up reprising their roles from the Stephen Sommers movie.

The studios are already starting to interview writers and Deadline says that they should make their choice "shortly." Since directing G.I Joe: Retaliation Chu has also picked up a gig directing the upcoming adaptation of Ally Bondie's dystopian young adult novel Matched.

Jon Chu is setting up a very interesting career for himself. The director got his big break directing the second and third Step Up movies before making the hit music documentary Justin Bieber: Never Say Never, but then he totally changed gears to make the action blockbuster G.I. Joe: Retaliation. So how will he be changing it up for his next project? He's going after futuristic young adult literature.

The Hollywood Reporter has learned that Chu has is now in negotiations with Disney to direct an adaptation of the Ally Bondie novel Matched, which is being produced by Rock of Ages director Adam Shankman and Jennifer Gibgot. First published in 2010, the dystopian story is set in a future where people have had all free will taken away from them, with everyone "told what to read, what to watch, what to believe and who to love." The main character is a young woman who breaks society's laws by rejecting her chosen mate and heads out on her own.

Michelle and Kieran Mulroney, who are best known for writing the action/adventure Sherlock Holmes: A Book of Shadows, are currently writing the script. The studio purchased the rights to the book one month before it was released after a long bidding war with Paramount Pictures. The book was the first in what's called the Matched Trilogy, and the final book, "Reached," came out in November of last year.

While the movie was originally supposed to be released last June, Chu's G.I. Joe Retaliation will be in theaters on March.

Jon M. Chu's first foray into big blockbuster action movies have gotten pushed back nearly a year, but that's not stopping him from jumping at an opportunity to helm another big franchise that gained millions of fans with a classic animated series.

Deadline reports that Chu is now in talks to direct a brand new, live-action adaptation of Masters of the Universe. Geeks will remember that this actually isn't the first time that He-Man and his pals were brought to the big screen. Gary Goddard directed a movie back in 1987 with Dolph Lundgren as the hero and Frank Langella playing Skeletor, and is largely known for being the butt of jokes and being partially responsible for the death of the toyline in the late 80s. Alex Litvak and Mike Finch wrote the script for the movie, which was initially titled Grayskull (but they have since reverted back to Masters of the Universe).

Chu is best known for his work in the dance genre, making movies like Step Up 2: The Streets, Step Up 3D and Justin Bieber: Never Say Never, but Paramount decided to throw him a new opportunity last year when they hired him to direct G.I. Joe: Retaliation. While the film was originally going to be released on June 29th of this year, the studio decided to pull the movie from the schedule at the last minute, citing that they wanted to convert the movie into 3D (it was also revealed that they will now be shooting additional scenes for the film so that they can revive Channing Tatum's character, Duke). The G.I. Joe sequel will now be released on March 29, 2013.

When it was announced that G.I. Joe: Retaliation had been bumped from its original June 29th release date to March 29, 2013, Paramount said that the reason was because the movie was being post-converted into 3D, but most of us knew better. It was simply too strange that the studio would pull one of their biggest blockbusters of the year one month before release. Now the truth has come out and it's not really about 3D at all: it's about the fear of Spider-Man.

THR has gotten the inside scoop on why Paramount decided to shift G.I. Joe: Retaliation to next winter and the reason is because the studio wasn't confident that the movie could compete with Marc Webb's The Amazing Spider-Man. Set to be released on July 3rd, webhead would have only given G.I. Joe five days, at most. at the top of the box office, and many anticipate that the success of The Avengers will translate to greater success for all superhero movies, including our friendly neighborhood webslinger. Also helping out box office numbers next year will be the added 3D, which should pad Paramount's international numbers quite nicely.

But the other reason for the move is Mr. Channing Tatum. Watching the trailers for G.I. Joe: Retaliation, it's pretty clear that Tatum, who played Duke in G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra, bites the big one early in the film. With 21 Jump Street and The Vow performing as well as they did, however, the studio is thinking that killing Tatum off wasn't the best idea in the world. It's expected that in the next nine months Tatum will be brought in for re-shoots so that they can expand his part - which is a clean way of saying that he could be resurrected.

It originally looked like Paramount was going to have a huge 2012. They had release dates lined up for The Avengers, World War Z, G.I. Joe: Retaliation, Star Trek 2 and Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters, but now none of those movies exist in their plans (though they are still getting a nice payday from Marvel and Disney). This has turned out to be a strange year for the folks over there.

UPDATE Paramount has sent out an official statement saying, "G.I. JOE: RETALIATION, previously scheduled for June 29, 2012, will now open in 3D on March 29, 2013 (wide)." In related news, Universal has moved the Seth MacFarlane comedy Ted from July 13th to June 29th, taking G.I. Joe's place.

After Paramount decided to bring on Jon Chu to direct G.I. Joe: Retaliation, it was a bit strange that they announced the movie would be in 2D. After all, Chu is best known for having directed both Step Up 3D and Never Say Never, the 3D Justin Bieber concert documentary. Still, we shrugged it off because we here at Cinema Blend always prefer 2D films. But now something very strange is happening.

Deadline is reporting that G.I. Joe: Retaliation has been pushed from June 29th of this year all the way back to March 29, 2013 - a nine-month schedule shift. During that time, the sequel will be post-converted to 3D, a studio exec quoted saying. "We’re going to do a conscientious 3D job because we’ve seen how it can better box office internationally. Jim Cameron did all of Titanic‘s 3D in post – and look how well that movie turned out." In the June 29th spot, the action film had smaller competition in People Like Us, Magic Mike and Tyler Perry's Madea's Witness Protection, but its opening was only five days before the release of The Amazing Spider-Man and one week after Pixar's Brave and Fox's Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter. The film will now open against Stephenie Meyer's The Host and Tyler Perry's Tyler Perry's The Marriage Counselor.

What's interesting about this move is that it's not the first time Paramount has made such a radical shift this year. Back in January the studio decided to push Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters March 2, 2012 to January 11, 2013. Rumor has it that particular schedule change was due to the fact that Hansel and Gretel was a terrible movie. Let's hope the same isn't true for G.I. Joe: Retaliation.

It’s been a little while since we last saw anything from G.I. Joe: Retaliation, the new action film from director Jon Chu. While a slew of new character posters arrived online last week and we’ve seen the occasional still, the last time we saw any new footage from the movie was all the way back in early April when a new international trailer found its way online. With the film’s release date on June 29th coming closer and closer, I’m happy to report that the drought is over.

Last night – as part of my on-going CinemaCon coverage - I was invited to attend a screening of a five minute sizzle reel as well as a brand spanking new trailer in Las Vegas. Unfortunately, it’s unlikely that the extended footage is going to be making its way on to the internet, but I do have some good news: the trailer has arrived.

You can watch the new preview below and after you can read my thoughts on the material that I watched last night. Check it out!

While a good amount of what you just watched was included in the sizzle reel, there were some other awesome-looking sequences that were left out. Of them, my personal favorite was a sequence featuring Snake Eyes (Ray Park) and Storm Shadow (Byung-hun Lee) doing battle in a tight hallway, with the Cobra fighter throwing shuriken after shuriken at the G.I. Joe ninja, with the hero deflecting each one with his various weaponry. Other cool scenes included an extended look at Firefly (Ray Stevenson) using a special exploding motorcycle to invade a fortified building, Blind Master (RZA) informing Snake Eyes that Storm Shadow still lives and a better look at the confrontation between the President (Jonathan Pryce) and his evil doppelganger.

Also, at the Paramount presentation earlier today (where the first footage from Tom Cruise’s new movie was shown), they showed a scene in which Duke (Channing Tatum) and Roadblock (Dwayne Johnson) compete to shoot a lit candle off of a cupcake from twenty feet. While I won’t spoil how it goes down, I will say that it’s a funny scene featuring some well-crafted, witty dialogue and a very, very big gun.

For more from G.I. Joe: Retaliation, head over to our Blend Film Database and keep an eye out for our exclusive video interviews with Dwayne Johnson, Adrianne Palicki, D.J. Cotrona, and Jon Chu coming soon!

I still have a hard time understanding how Stephen Sommers managed to screw up Cobra Commander so badly in the first G.I. Joe movie. In addition to the fact that he had Joseph Gordon-Levitt (one of the best young actors of this generation) playing the character and completely wasting the potential, the character also looked incredibly stupid clear/silver gas mask-looking helmet. Why they would do this when the original design looks so damn cool (just a simple flat, silver mask) is truly beyond me. Fortunately it's a problem that Jon Chu has fixed in the sequel, G.I. Joe: Retaliation. Want to get a sneak peek at what that will look like? Check out the brand new Super Bowl spot that Paramount Pictures just released over on Apple.

Isn't that so much better than the crap they delivered us last time? Add the fact that this is going to be the only Super Bowl commercial this year that features The Rock reciting lines from Jay-Z and I think we have what will be considered the most badass commercial from the big game. I guess we'll just have to wait and see what The Avengers, John Carter and the others manage to pull out.

Set to arrive in theaters on June 29th, G.I. Joe: Retaliation stars Dwayne Johnson, Byung-hun Lee, Ray Park, Adrianne Palicki, Jonathan Pryce, RZA, Ray Stevenson, Channing Tatum and Bruce Willis. To see more from the movie, head on over to our Blend Film Database.

In the history of G.I. Joe there has been a lot of villains with incredibly cool names. Starting with Cobra Commander (come on, how cool is that?), baddies in the universe have included Destro, The Baroness, Serpentor, Doctor Mindbender and Zartan. These names not only sound cool, but also suggest by themselves that the character is up to no good. Sadly, while the newest villain in G.I. Joe 2 is played by a badass, he's lacking in the name department.

THR has learned that Ray Stevenson has been cast in the blockbuster sequel as Firefly, a mercenary and explosives expert that works under the Cobra organization. The actor is yet another in a long line of newcomers to the franchise, including Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, Adrianne Palicki, Elodie Yung, RZA and D.J. Cotrona. Channing Tatum, Ray Park and Lee Byung-hun will be reprising their roles from the first film as Duke, Snake Eyes and Storm Shadow, respectively. The film is being directed by Jon Chu, best known for the last two Step Up movies, and is scheduled to begin filming later this summer. G.I. Joe 2 hits theaters on August 10, 2012.

I get that he has the name firefly because he sets fires, but I will always associate that word with the kind little bugs that make summertime look pretty. Also, you can take the prefix "Pyro" and attach it to anything to make it sound awesome. As for the casting of Stevenson, the guy is an established comic book movie veteran, having already done both Punisher: War Zone and Thor. Something tells me that he'll do just fine in this one.

For an international star, moving into Hollywood films can do incredible things. Just look at Christoph Waltz: at 56 years old, with nearly 100 titles under his belt, he took the opportunity to work with Quentin Tarantino on Inglourious Basterds and ended up taking home the Best Supporting Actor Oscar. Now French actress Elodie Yung is starting to ramp up the English-language leg of her career, but don't see Oscars coming with her newest project.

THR reports that Yung is now in talks with Paramount for a role in the untitled G.I. Joe sequel. While she hasn't appeared in an American film yet, she will be making her debut later this year in David Fincher's The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo as Lisbeth Salander's (Rooney Mara) girlfriend. In G.I. Joe Yung will play Jinx, a ninja member of the Joe squad who also happens to be Storm Shadow's cousin. As previously reported, Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson is in talks to play Roadblock while Channing Tatum is set to return as Duke. The film will be directed by Jon Chu and is set for release on August 10, 2012.

As posted by THR, if you need any convincing that Yung has the chops to play a ninja, check out this clip from Patrick Alessandrin's District 13: Ultimatum. I think she can handle it.

Looking at the list of blockbusters set to be released this summer, almost every single one of them is in 3D. Pirates of the Caribbean? 3D. Green Lantern? 3D. Captain America? 3D. Harry Potter? 3D. Cars 2? 3D. Studios are absolutely in love with the technology, particularly the fact that it raises ticket prices and inflates box office gross, but if a story going around is true, then one of next summer's major sequels won't require special glasses.

Collider is reporting that G.I. Joe 2 will neither be filming in 3D, nor will it be post-converted. The move would be a sincere surprise as the director helming the project, Jon Chu, has established himself as a director very much in favor of the extra dimension, having previously released both Step Up 3D and Justin Bieber: Never Say Never using the developing medium. When the director was asked about the project last month he said that he had an interest in making the movie in 3D but that the decision hadn't been made yet. Production on the film is scheduled to begin in August and film will be released on August 10, 2012.

If the story is true, then this is actually quite remarkable. It was reported only last month that Paramount was trying to pressure J.J. Abrams into making Star Trek: The Second into a 3D film and I even attended an event on the Paramount lot last night extolling the virtues of the new technology. Though my dislike of the movement is on the record, G.I. Joe 2 is a project that would fit perfectly with 3D. Furthermore, the idea that Baz Luhrmann's The Great Gatsby will be in 3D and G.I. Joe 2 won't is utterly preposterous.