Trailer Round-Up – April 16, 2017

Thor: Ragnarok In Marvel Studios’ Thor: Ragnarok, directed by Taika Waititi (What We Do in the Shadows, Hunt for the Wilderpeople) Thor (Chris Hemsworth) is imprisoned on the other side of the universe without his mighty hammer and finds himself in a race against time to get back to Asgard to stop Ragnarok – the destruction of his homeworld and the end of Asgardian civilization – at the hands of an all-powerful new threat, the ruthless Hela (Cate Blanchett). But first he must survive a deadly gladiatorial contest that pits him against his former ally and fellow Avenger – the Incredible Hulk (Mark Ruffalo)! This is a fantastic teaser from beginning to end. It sets up the stakes for the hero, showing the destruction of both Thor's hammer Mjolnir and Asgard, establishing Hela as a credible threat and a cool villain. After the fun, but ultimately bland and forgettable Thor: The Dark World, Ragnarok appears to infuse the Thor franchise with a healthy dose of Guardians of the Galaxy's colorful cosmic personality and antics - and it looks like a winning formula. The main highlights are the use of Led Zeppelin's 'Immigrant Song' and the gladiator fight with Hulk. Thor's dopey, gleeful reaction to seeing his "friend from work" is a moment for the ages. Thor: Ragnarok is set for a 27 October 2017 (UK) and 3 November 2017 (USA) release. Detroit From critically acclaimed director Kathryn Bigelow (The Hurt Locker, Zero Dark Thirty) comes a crime drama set against the backdrop of the 1967 Detroit riots - specifically The Algiers Motel Incident. It's a solid trailer for what looks to be a promising movie - it outlines the historical background and plot, highlights the performances and sets up a great deal of tension. Bigelow's credentials and talent alone are enough to warrant everyone's close attention with this one. Detroit is set for an August 4 2017 release - coinciding with the 50th anniversary of the riots. The Hitman's Bodyguard In The Hitman's Bodyguard, directed by Patrick Hughes (The Expendables 3) The world’s top protection agent (Ryan Reynolds) is called upon to guard the life of his mortal enemy, one of the world’s most notorious hitmen (Samuel L. Jackson). The relentless bodyguard and manipulative assassin have been on the opposite end of the bullet for years and are thrown together for a wildly outrageous 24 hours. During their raucous and hilarious adventure from England to the Hague, they encounter high-speed car chases, outlandish boat escapades and a merciless Eastern European dictator (Gary Oldman) who is out for blood. Salma Hayek joins the mayhem as Jackson’s equally notorious wife. Ryan Reynolds and Samuel L. Jackson make for quite the comedic pair in the first trailer for The Hitman's Bodyguard. It's a cool premise and the trailer shows off a decent amount of action and funny moments, like Reynolds complaining about Jackson to a random civilian in the middle of an action scene. Jackson basically appears to be playing an exaggerated stereotype of himself, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. The Hitman's Bodyguard is set for 18 August 2017 release. Atomic Blonde Atomic Blonde, based on the Oni Press graphic novel by writer Antony Johnston and illustrator Sam Hart, offers a breakneck action-thriller that follows MI6’s most lethal assassin through a ticking time bomb of a city simmering with revolution and double-crossing hives of traitors. The crown jewel of Her Majesty’s Secret Intelligence Service, Agent Lorraine Broughton (Charlize Theron) is equal parts spycraft, sensuality and savagery, willing to deploy any of her skills to stay alive on her impossible mission. Sent alone to Berlin to deliver a priceless dossier out of the destabilized city, she partners with embedded station chief David Percival (James McAvoy) to navigate her way through the deadliest game of spies. The second Atomic Blonde trailer still gives the impression that this is going to be a cool, slick action movie, but has a few noticeable problems. It clocks in at just under 3 minutes and feels stretched, almost like two trailers smashed into one. Rather than build excitement, it just starts to get exhausting. Visually, the movie looks great, the action is cool and varied, the performances are on point - but the trailer probably should have been cut down a little. Atomic Blonde is set for July 28 2017 (USA) and 11 August 2017 (UK) release. Well, that just about covers all of the big trailers from last week, right? At least all the ones people are talking about. Yep, nothing else to discuss, really. ... Oh, yeah, silly me. Star Wars: The Last Jedi Written and directed by Rian Johnson (Brick, Looper), Star Wars: The Last Jedi is the eight installment in the Star Wars saga and the second part of the new trilogy. Mark Hamill, the late Carrie Fisher, Adam Driver, Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Lupita Nyong’o, Oscar Isaac, Domhnall Gleeson, Anthony Daniels, Gwendoline Christie, and Andy Serkis reprise their roles from Star Wars: The Force Awakens. New cast members include Academy Award winner Benicio Del Toro, Academy Award nominee Laura Dern, and newcomer Kelly Marie Tran. I think it's safe to say The Last Jedi is one of, if not the most anticipated movies of the year, which in turn makes the teaser one of the most anticipated trailers of the year. Shown at the end of Star Wars Celebration's The Last Jedi panel, this is a great teaser that knows how to whet your appetite. The focus is on Luke training Rey (he finally speaks!), followed by a montage of dynamic shots. Luke's final line ("It's time for the Jedi to end") is ripe for speculation and building excitement. Overall, this isn't as good a teaser as the one for "The Force Awakens", but in all fairness, that one had a lot more going for it. Everything in "The Force Awakens" teaser was new, different and exciting in a way that "The Last Jedi" simply couldn't replicate. The thrill of seeing TFA's characters return isn't quite the same as seeing Star Wars itself return to the big screen after a decade. Don't get me wrong, The Last Jedi looks great, but audiences are now used to Star Wars being back in a way that they weren't a few years ago. Star Wars: The Last Jedi is set for a December 15, 2017 release.