Sequel Bits: ‘Harry Potter’, ‘The Raid 2’, ‘Fast & Furious 7’, ‘300: Rise Of An Empire’
Whether you want to readKeanu Reeves' regrets about the (non-existent)Constantinesequel,Robert Englund’s hopes for a (theoretical)Elm Streetprequel, orAlfonso Cuaron’s thoughts on theHarry Potterspinoff, there’s a little something for everyone here. Also after the jump:
Instead, Reeves is prepping to step back into another of his old roles, time-traveler Ted Logan. “Bill & Ted 3is waiting for a rewrite from the writers, and we’re still trying to find a way to finance the film,” he explained. “We don’t have a director, we don’t have any money, so we’re trying to get a script. Maybe if we have a script, they will come, I don’t know.” [Vanity Fair]
Robert Englundhas played Freddy Krueger in eight different movies over the course of three decades, but he wouldn’t mind revisiting Elm Street one more time. “I would be up perhaps for a prequel toNightmare on Elm Street,” he said, before adding, “However, I don’t know if that would ever happen now because of the rights situation.”
Even if it happens, Englund doesn’t necessarily have his heart set on playing Freddy again. “I would be happy to be invited to play the old, wise dream expert, the professor of dream analysis or Jungian dream symbolism,” he said. “That would be fun, to be invited back as a kind of cameo that way. But that’s probably the only way you’ll see me, because if they do want to reboot it, they’re going to need a younger actor.” [Flicks and the City]
Nearly a decade afterHarry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban,Alfonso Cuarónseems open to the idea of returning toJ.K. Rowling’s world of magic for the upcoming spinoff,Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. “Akzabanwas fun to make, and when I did it, I was invited to do the next one, but I didn’t want to overstay the welcome, because it was such an experience,” he said. “But now? Why not? I do have stuff that I want to do [next], but a J.K. thing…”
However, he quickly clarified, he has no reason to think that Warner Bros. even wants him at this point. “They haven’t called me yet! They haven’t decided to invite me!” he added. “Looking forward! At least toseeit, because nobody’s invited me.” [Vulture]
Thefirst trailerforThe Raid 2: Berandalmade an immediate impression, but it was pretty light on plot specifics. So to offer some more insight as to what we’re actually looking at, directorGareth Evansoffered a beat-by-beat breakdown of the video.
“The idea is that [Iko Uwais]’s character goes undercover in this one and there are shades ofThe DepartedandInfernal Affairsin there,” Evans says of the scene showing Uwais in a prison cell. “The prison section is the opening of the film, setting up his mission and that’s going undercover to infiltrate a mob family to uncover corruption in the police force.”
For more on the “connective tissue” that ties this film to the previous one, the mysterious figure with a bag over his head, the various cold-blooded killers we’ll meet throughout the movie, and much more, read the full piece over atEmpire. [viaComic Book Movie]
AlthoughMichael Bayhas been understandably reluctant to divulge too many details about the plot ofTransformers: Age of Extinction, the director did touch upon one of the movie’s major themes in a recent interview. “The world has progressed/modernized to a point it can almost cannibalize and kill itself,” he said.
In lighter news, the cast also ‘fesses up to playing pranks on each other while on set. “We got Wild Weave Wednesdays,” saidJack Reynor, who plays race car driver Shane. “That’s whenMark[Wahlberg] and I rip outNicola[Peltz]’s weave every Wednesday.” Peltz recalled those painful moments as well. “Mark is the worst,” she said. WatchET’s on-set report below:
Transformers: Age of Extinctionhits theatersJune 27, 2014. [viaTFW 2005]
While in Hawaii to prepare forJurassic World,Steven Spielbergfound a moment to meet up U.S. SenatorMazie Hirono. The politician posted a snapshot of their encounter on her Twitter feed.
Caught up w/ Steven Spielberg on preparing to film#JurassicWorldin Hawaiipic.twitter.com/kPkNUgCu4U
— Senator Mazie Hirono (@maziehirono)June 30, 2025
The three previous installments in the dino-centric franchise were also shot in the Aloha State.Jurassic WorldopensJune 12, 2015. [viaJedi News]
Social media enthusiastVin Dieselcontinues to share pics from the set ofFast & Furious 7on his Facebook page. The latest batch includes an image of Diesel laughing it up with directorJames Wan; Diesel glowering menacingly with co-starsPaul WalkerandTyrese Gibson; and Diesel in what he calls a “Dom state of mind.”
See the gang in action whenFast & Furious 7landsJuly 11, 2014. [Facebook]
Warner Bros. has officially launched the website for300: Rise of an Empire, and it’s stuffed with goodies for impatient fans including new bits of footage, some new images, and a handy tool to create your own GIF from the trailer. Flip through the screencaps below to sample some of the fresh bits and pieces, and then head to thesitefor the full experience.
300: Rise of an EmpirearrivesMarch 7, 2014. [viaComic Book Movie]
