WIRE Buzz: Avengers Campus saves summer 2020 opening; Joker script drops online; more

The Avengers Campus attraction coming to Disney California Adventure will officially open in the summer of 2020, the Disney Parks Blog confirmed this week.

Rides and exhibits based on MCU heroes like Spider-Man, Black Panther, Ant-Man, and Doctor Strange are among the fresh offerings coming to Anaheim next summer. You can mop up an infestation of rogue Spider-Bots one minute and play with over-sized eats the next.

Source: Disney

"The Avengers are setting up new Headquarters and training facilities around the globe to inspire all potential recruits willing to step up and become something more," said Scot Drake, Creative Executive, Marvel Global Portfolio said over the summer. "As part of this global initiative, Tony Stark has founded the Worldwide Engineering Brigade — or WEB for short— to develop advancements in super-powered technology, including new enhancements to Spider-Man’s suit as their debut project. By bringing together the world’s brightest young inventors, the WEB is creating new interfaces that will empower all of us to join the ranks of Earth’s Mightiest."

After the massive success of Joker, Warner Bros. has made the film's screenplay (written by Todd Phillips and Scott Silver) available to the public. Before the story even kicks off, the script, which can be read here, makes it clear that: 

"This story takes place in its own universe. It has no connection to any of the DC films that have come before it. We see it as a classic Warner Bros. movie. Gritty, intimate and oddly funny, the characters live in the real world, and the stakes are personal. Although it is never mentioned in the film, this story takes place in the past. Let's call it 1981. It's a troubled time. The crime rate in Gotham is at record highs. A garbage strike has crippled the city for the past six weeks. And the divide between the 'haves' and the 'have- nots' is palpable. Dreams are beyond reach, slipping into delusions."

Credit: Warner Bros.

With more than $1 billion at the global box office, Joker is currently the highest-grossing R-rated movie in history. Talk of a sequel has cropped up since the movie's release, but nothing is set in stone just yet. Nevertheless, the project is a major awards season contender, having nabbed four Golden Globe nominations a few weeks back.

“I think a lot of different things about the film have really connected with people and one of the things I’ve noticed has really caught on is the idea of what Arthur writes in his notebook: ‘The worst part of a mental illness is that people expect you to behave as if you don’t.’ That really resonated with a lot of people who do suffer from mental illness and saw a little bit of themselves in the movie, or in Arthur, or in his experiences in different ways. I’ve had so many people write me emails or posts on my Instagram saying, ‘That line is exactly what it feels like,'" Phillips told Deadline.

If you thought Paramount's re-design for the Sonic the Hedgehog movie looked good, you ain't seen nothing yet. The recent trailer was just a warm-up for the adorable Baby Sonic featured in a new teaser from the studio's Japanese division. Sure to give you Mandalorian flashbacks to Baby Yoda, the teaser (below) shows off the titular character's Green Hill Zone home.

In his upcoming big screen debut, the classic SEGA character is portrayed as an alien from another planet, who comes to Earth to hide out from those who would abuse his speedy abilities. This plan doesn't work out so well because he ends up attracting the attention of the megalomaniacal Dr. Robotnik (Jim Carrey). To stop Robotnik and save the world, Sonic must team up with Sheriff Tom Wachowski (James Marsden).

Directed by Jeff Fowler, Sonic the Hedgehog runs into theaters everywhere February 14, 2020.