Actress Zoe Saldaña (Star Trek, Guardians of the Galaxy) attended the world premiere of James Cameron´s new film ‘The Avatar: The Way of Water’ on Tuesday, December 6 in London’s Leicester Square. Saldaña, who plays the role of Neytiri looked gorgeous as she walked the red carpet with her husband Marco Perego.

Avatar: The Way of Water is set more than a decade after the events of the first film. It centers on the Sully family (Jake, Neytiri and their kids), the trouble that follows them, the lengths they go to keep each other safe, the battles they fight to stay alive and the tragedies they endure as they strive to protect their home on Pandora. 

Attendees included cast members Sam Worthington, Sigourney Weaver, Stephen Lang, Kate Winslet, Joel David Moore, Jamie Flatters, Trinity Jo-Li Bliss, Jack Champion,Brendan Cowell,Bailey Bass,director/producer/writer/editor James Cameron and producer Jon Landau.

The film opens in theaters on Friday, December 16.

The post Zoe Saldaña Beams at ‘The Avatar: The Way of Water’ Premiere in London first appeared on .

The long awaited follow up to James Cameron‘s original 1984 blockbuster ‘Terminator‘ has finally arrived. Or at least a handful of sneak-peek images from the forthcoming sci-fi action film have, that were exclusively released at CinemaCon.

We are delighted to get proof positive verification that Arnold Schwarzenegger and Linda Hamilton are back reprising their legendary roles as The Terminator (T800) and Sarah Connor, respectively! The film is being helmed by Deadpool (2016) director Tim Miller and produced by Cameron, and is currently in post production.

There is also very welcome news that there are three Latins—yes, three (!)—in the principal cast who are integrally central to the movie and get some serious screen time in this fall tentpole release: Natalia Reyes as Dani Ramos, Diego Boneta, whose name and identity in the film is still not being revealed, and Gabriel Luna, who is a modern Terminator in the film. Rounding out the cast of newcomers is Mackenzie Davis who looks like a badass straight out the box!

Natalia Reyes is a Colombian actress. Diego Andrés González Boneta (Diego Boneta) is a Mexican national born in Mexico City (where we hear the film opens). Gabriel Luna hails from Austin, Texas. All these are welcome fresh talent/faces who are taking the stage in what is their most high profile roles to date, and will undoubtedly push them into the next level of their careers. And we couldn’t be happier to see our likeness reflected off the shiny morphing metallic skins of the deadly Terminators!

The buzz after the reveal of the still images and five minutes of footage showcased at CinemaCon during the Paramount sponsored panel is high and positive.

In 2015 Paramount Pictures swung hard for the fences with “Terminator Genisys” but was left standing at the plate after the film performed dismally at the boxoffice. Now the studio is looking to revive the franchise, and redeem itself for its previous faux pas by utilizing the star power and nostalgia from its seminal films, ‘The Terminator’ and ‘Terminator 2: Judgment Day.’ On that front, ‘Terminator: Dark Fate’ is skipping over the content produced after Judgment Day, as well as the The Sarah Connor Chronicles TV series. As fans of the first two films, needless to say, we’re hoping for an out-of-the-park  home-run this time around, and we think Miller has the gravitas to score a hit!

‘Terminator: Dark Fate’ crashes into theaters on November. 1, 2019

The post FIRST LOOK: ‘Terminator: Dark Fate’ – Plus Three Latin Lead Characters! first appeared on .

By Luis Reyes

Two new big budget studio films, Miss Bala and Alita: Battle Angel are produced by predominantly Latino filmmakers starring Latinas Gina Rodriguez and Rosa Salazar, in the title roles respectively, as new kinds of cinema icons, Kick Ass, Action Heroines.

With Roma leading the way forward, we will have to wait and see if Miss Bala and Alita: Battle Angel mark a new cinematic era for complex fully realized Latina lead roles and the opportunity for Latina actresses to portray them in major motion pictures.”

From Virgin to Badass?

Golden Globe award-winning actress Gina Rodriguez (Jane The Virgin) stars as Gloria in Sony Pictures Miss Bala opening nationwide on Friday February 1.  Miss Bala an English language remake and refashioning of the critically acclaimed 2011 Mexican film of the same name directed by Gerardo Naranjo.

Rodriguez portrays Gloria, a young Mexican-American makeup artist who discovers an inner strength in a dangerous world of cross border crime when she tries to rescue a friend who becomes involved with a violent drug cartel and disappears after winning a beauty contest.  Ismael Cruz Cordova (Ray Donovan) a Puerto Rican actor co-stars as Lino, the charismatic drug cartel leader. Aislinn Derbez plays Isabel. If the last name sounds familiar, the actress is the daughter of famed Mexican actor/producer/director Eugenio Derbez (Latin Lover).  The film also stars Anthony Mackie (The Avengers) and features the additional talents of Ricardo Abarca, Matt Lauria, and Christina Rodlo.

Pablo Cruz (Cesar Chavez) who produced the original film under his production company Canana in Mexico partnered with Kevin Misher (The Scorpion King: Book of Souls) on the remake which shot on location in and around Tijuana, Baja California Mexico. They brought Catherine Hardwicke (Twilight Sagas) to put the new spin into action.

Pablo Cruz (Cesar Chavez) produced the original film and for the remake partners with Kevin Misher shot the remake under the direction of Catherine Hardwicke (Twilight Sagas) on locations in and around Tijuana, Baja California Mexico.  Graciela Mazon(The Mask Of Zorro) served as costume designer for the film.

Battle Angel

Alita: Battle Angel starring Rosa Salazar (Maze Runner, Divergent) in the title role is a $200 million Twentieth Century Fox production directed by Robert Rodriguez (Sin City, Spy Kids) and a collaboration of a script with James Cameron (Avatar, Titanic) who also produced is producer on this highly anticipated film which opens nationwide in 3D on February 14^th.
Christoph Waltz, Jennifer Connelly, Marshashala Ali and Jackie Earle Haley also star in this epic adventure of a female cyborg who must rediscover her past that is based on a popular Japanese Anime/Manga based on Yukito Kishiro graphic novel series “Gunnm”.  David Valdes (The Green Mile, Unforgiven) produced along with Cameron and John Landau at Rodriquez’s Troublemaker Studios in Austin Texas.

In a recent interview by Mia Galuppo in The Hollywood Reporter’s, Salazar (who is of Peruvian descent) talked about being aware of the star-making impact a movie like Alita can have, “I’m always grateful to be hired, especially as a Latin woman in the business.” She added, “And I’m always grateful when the most essential part of my character isn’t that she is Latin.”

While Miss Bala and Alita Battle Angel are movies for action and Sci-Fi movie fans, both have particular appeal to the under served Latino audience, (which makes up 25% of the movie going audience according to the MPAA) the industry’s most loyal and fastest growing young demographics.  

2017 and 2018 demonstrated that diversity sells tickets with such multi-cultural and multi-ethnic films as Coco, Crazy Rich Asians and Black Panther which smashed box office records, not only domestically but also worldwide. On the other end of the spectrum, just two of 2017’s top 100 grossing films featured Latino actors in lead roles

According to USC’s Annenberg inclusion imitative annual report on female and minority film representation. None of 2018’s top 100 films featured a Latina actress in a lead role.

In a just broadcast NPR interview Rodriquez remarked on her trailblazing lead role in Miss Bala,  “ It’s about an ordinary woman who becomes an extraordinary woman and really solidifies her power and finds her strength. If this film is a success, they [the Studios] will make more.”

These two new films arrive hot on the heels of the ten Oscar nominations for Alfonso Cuaron’s Roma including Best actress Yalitza Aparicio and Best Supporting actress Marina de Tavira.

With Roma leading the way forward, we will have to wait and see if Miss Bala and Alita: Battle Angel mark a new cinematic era for complex fully realized Latina lead roles and the opportunity for Latina actresses to portray them in major motion pictures.

The post Gina Rodriguez and Rosa Salazar Star in Two New Major February Film Releases first appeared on .