Every year those involved in the cinematic arts convene on a (not very) secret location to unveil their master plans for movie domination. Think of a multiplex-based SPECTRE, only with fewer deaths and more sugary snacks. This year’s Con kicked off at Caesar’s Palace in Las Vegas this morning with Paramount’s unveiling of everything you ever wanted to know about 2015 and beyond, but were afraid to ask.
The presentation started with a bang as Arnold Schwarzenegger walked out to introduce Terminator Genisys (3 July). Talking to the audience of exhibitors he bigged up the box office of the first three Terminator films “The ones I was involved with, which are the only ones that count.” He then proceeded to show a 12-minute reel of footage from the film. Given that those 12 minutes were essentially the entire movie in condensed form, to talk about it in too much detail would take us into a veritable spoiler minefield. Suffice it to say, though, that the early sequences showing Kyle Reese’s arrival are gratifyingly similar to the scenes in Cameron’s original, from taking the homeless guy’s trousers to demanding to know what year it is from the cop he’s just disarmed. In this case, however, the cop replies by revealing that he’s a T-1000 and tries to impale Reese on a liquid metal arm. Much of what follows is hinted at in the most recent trailer, with Jason Clarke revealing himself as an advanced cyborg hell bent on pursuing Skynet’s agenda. All in all the reel went down well, with Schwarzenegger doing a good job of psyching up the crowd.
Showcasing their other films in development, Paramount showed some footage from Mark Wahlberg and Will Ferrell comedy Daddy’s Home, in which Ferrel’s try-hard stepfather is side-lined by the return of his family’s buff, bike-riding biological father (Wahlberg). The audience was treated to a brief video message from Justin Lin and JJ Abrams reminding them about Star Trek 3 (8 July 2016), but an in-character message from Derek Zoolander for Zoolander 2 (12 February 2016) almost stole the show. “You’re like the Justice League,” Zoolander told the audience. “If they all shared the same superpower: exhibiting movies.” He even coined a new look just for the event. “I call it the PSA, which stands for per screen average.”
Also on Paramount’s upcoming slate and mentioned briefly were Paranormal Activity: Ghost Dimension (30 October); Scout’s Guide To The Zombie Apocalypse (formerly Scouts Vs Zombies, out 27 November); horror sequel, Rings (1 January 2016); Chris Wedge’s Monster Trucks (26 December), Timur Bekmambetov’s Ben-Hur (19 February 2016), Adam McKay’s The Big Short; and Michael Bay’s Benghazi thriller, 13 Hours. Fan favourite villains Beebop and Rocksteady were also confirmed for Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2.
The main event at the panel, however, was Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation. Tom Cruise, Simon Pegg and Rebecca Ferguson were all on stage to show a pair of extended clips and a sizzle reel from the film. The first clip involved a tied-up Cruise coming around after having been gassed unconscious by Sean Harris’ villain. It introduces Isla (Ferguson), the film’s leading lady, who saves the day when Cruise is being tortured by a sadistic thug known as The Bone Doctor. What followed was a suitably brutal fight sequence that rather spectacularly showcased both Cruise and Ferguson’s arse-kicking credentials.
The second clip involved a car chase through the streets of Morocco with Cruise driving and Simon Pegg’s Benji the terrified passenger. Some great moments, including a handbrake turn in a narrow alley that takes out several motorbike pursuers, really showcased the practical stunt work, which sees Cruise behind the wheel in every shot. Cruise himself was keen to point out that it really is him driving throughout the chase and, likewise, it was Pegg looking terrified in the passenger seat. “I wasn’t acting!” Pegg declared.
Cruise’s signature stunt in the film though, is the one seen in the trailer, where he hangs off the side of an A-400 plane. Justifiably proud of the sequence, Cruise talked the audience though exactly how it was done, revealing that he had special contact lenses made so that he could keep his eyes open in the wind, that they were concerned about bird strikes so tried to clear all birds off the runway ahead of time and how a stone was kicked up at one point and, at that speed, nearly broke his rib. The stunt took eight takes to get in the can. “I want to put the audience on the edge of their seats,” Cruise explained. “It gives audiences a different feeling when it’s practical. There I am giving the thumbs-up… I’m actually scared shitless!”
Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation is out in the UK on 30 July.
from Empire News
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