In today’s film news roundup, “Captain Marvel” has begun ticket sales, Yara Shahidi is named an awards ambassador, and SAG-AFTRA has reached an agreement with New York Public Radio.
TICKETING
Online ticket sellers Fandango and Atom Tickets have launched sales of Brie Larson’s “Captain Marvel” a full two months before the Disney-Marvel tentpole opens.
The gap between the start of sales and the opening is among the longest for recent releases. “Black Panther” had a similar two-month launch period last year. Larson is starring opposite Samuel L. Jackson, Judde Law, Ben Mendelsohn, Lee Pace, Lashana Lynch, Gemma Chan, Annette Bening and Clark Gregg.
“Captain Marvel” is directed by Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck from a script by “Inside Out” scribe Meg LeFauve and Nicole Perlman. The project is based on the Marvel character Carol Danvers, an Air Force pilot whose DNA is fused with that of an alien during an accident. She becomes Captain Marvel after she gains the superpowers of strength, energy projection and flight. “Captain Marvel” is set in 1995. “Captain Marvel” will be 21st film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU).
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“‘Captain Marvel’ is one of the most anticipated movies of the year, and for good reason,” said Fandango Managing Editor Erik Davis. “Not only is it Marvel Studios’ first female-lead film, but their track record is outstanding and moviegoers are super-excited to watch Brie Larson become Marvel’s latest – and most powerful – superhero in her biggest role to date.”
AWARDS AMBASSADOR
Yara Shahidi has been named an Ambassador for the 25th anniversary Screen Actors Guild Awards, joining the previously announced Harry Shum Jr.
She and Shum will be posting their her first-hand experiences of SAG Awards news during the days leading up to the Jan. 27 show. Shahidi starred in the first three seasons of the ABC series “Black-ish” as Zoey Johnson and as the same character in the show’s Freeform spin-off “Grown-ish.”
Shahidi will next be seen starring in the Warner Bros. coming-of-age romance “The Sun Is Also a Star.”
SAG-AFTRA RECOGNITION
SAG-AFTRA and New York Public Radio have reached a voluntary recognition agreement that will add over 25 new employees to the union’s collective bargaining unit.
The existing unit covers approximately 175 workers at NYPR. The new unit, which includes reporters for The Gothamist, made the request to unionize on Nov. 26,
“We’re excited to extend the New York Public Radio family and welcome the new members to our union. In this era of technological change, it is imperative that everyone has a voice at the table,” said SAG-AFTRA President Gabrielle Carteris.