Based on Gerard Way‘s (My Chemical Romance) Comic Book Series, Netflix’s The Umbrella Academy quietly has been filming in and around Toronto since January. Set in the late ’70s, it takes place in an alternate universe where John F. Kennedy never was assassinated and centers on a team of dysfunctional superheroes who come together to solve their father’s death. They also must not let their clashing personalities get in the way and destroy everything.

The Series stars Ellen Page, Tom Hopper, Robert Sheehan, Emmy Raver-Lampman, David Castañeda and child actor Aidan Gallagher. Recent double Oscar-nominee Mary J. Blige also was added to the cast recently and we spotted her arriving on-set. Blige was last in Toronto for the TIFF ’17 Premiere of Mudbound.

Written into the Series, her character Cha Cha  is said to be an unorthodox woman who can travel in time to kill targets. Filming in the City’s Dundas West area, she was spotted in a suit and bob with bangs like a Femme Fatale. She was seen with two friends/handlers enjoying a quiet pizza lunch to the sounds of Stevie Wonder at Pizza Libretto before heading back to work. One onlooker says she saw a friend scope out the restaurant before having Blige enter and she sat facing the window the entire meal.

The Set has been extremely protective of this Series, barring fans from seeing talent even out of costume. We’re really curious to see why the secrecy. Hmm…

See a quick clip of Blige:

#TBT: Meeting double-Oscar nominee #MaryJBlige who currently is back in #Toronto filming #UmbrellaAcademy. 🌂 📸: @steve_s2001

A post shared by Mr. Will Wong 🏮 (@mrwillwong) on Mar 15, 2018 at 11:11am PDT

The Umbrella Academy wraps in July 2018.

(Photo credit: S. Fernandez/Netflix/Mr. Will Wong)

No real surprises here, it’s a Disney-double at the Box Office this weekend, taking the top two spots. BLACK PANTHER takes top spot with $41 million in its third week out from 3,942 theatres. To date it has made $561 million in North America.

Debuting at number two is Disney’s A WRINKLE IN TIME with $32.7 million from 3,980 theatres. The Film by Ava DuVernay and starring Oprah Winfrey, Mindy Kaling, Reese Witherspoon and newcomer Storm Reid, gets a 42% on the Tomatometer and B CinemaScore.

Opening in third is the Horror, THE STRANGERS: PREY AT NIGHT with $10.2 million from 2,141 theatres for Aviron Pictures/Elevation Pictures. It gets 35% on the Tomatometer and a C CinemaScore.

RED SPARROW is in fourth with $7.9 million for 20th Century Fox in its second week out, a two-week tally of $30 million.

GRINGO rounds-out the Top Ten with $3 million from 2,404 theatres for STX Entertainment/VVS Films. It gets 38% on the Tomatometer and a C+ CinemaScore.

Our greatest sighting yet!  Following-up on the Box Office success of 2011’s Gnomeo & Juliet is SHERLOCK GNOMES. Following the disappearance of several garden gnomes, this Sequel sees Gnomeo and Juliet hiring the top detective Sherlock Gnomes to investigate.

We spotted Gnomeo and Juliet out and about doing the rounds and not surprisingly, they made time to do a little good visiting some of their biggest fans at SickKids Hospital whom definitely could’ve used a pick-me-up! We caught them warming-up for their surprise visit. We did a little choreography, hugs were exchanged and smiles were brought to the faces of those deserving.

In case you haven’t yet seen the Trailer for Sherlock Gnomes, you can see it here:

See our Boomerang:

You still have a chance to win packs of four tickets to see SHERLOCK GNOMES right here.

Paramount Pictures Canada release SHERLOCK GNOMES Friday, March 23, 2018.

(Photo/video credit: Paramount Pictures/Mr. Will Wong)

The hottest ticket in town right now isn’t a concert or a movie premiere. YAYOI KUSAMA has come to be known for her groundbreaking art, her career having spanned several decades. Even at 89 years of age, the icon is still hard at work. Known best for her mirrored installations using dot and net themes in her work, she moved from her native Japan to New York for a duration, counting among her peers the likes of Andy Warhol.

The Art Gallery of Ontario is giving Toronto a rare chance to see and experience Kusama‘s work for a limited time only, hosting the Exhibit YAYOI KUSAMA: INFINITY MIRRORS from March 3 through May 27, 2018. Tickets sold-out online quickly with the buzz being feverish, and it is estimated approximately 100,000 tickets were sold.

While capacity is monitored closely always, a new window will be opening for tickets as follows:

AGO Members: March 20, 2018 (online only, starting at 10am) and the public’s next date is Public: March 27, 2018 (online only, starting at 10am)

The Exhibit in addition to sculptures, photographs and paintings, is highlighted by six remarkable Infinity Mirror Rooms which guests can step into in groups of two to three (depending on volume) for 20 seconds and experienced exactly as Kusama intended them to be. They are presented in chronological order ranging from the 1960s through modern day. Photography is allowed with the exception of one room and your flash should be turned off.

It is little wonder that Kusama‘s Exhibit connects so perfectly with today’s Instagram-obsessed culture.  It is an immersive experience which can and should be shared to many likes on Social Media, but one must remember that the purpose of this all is to enjoy and take in the meditative experience for what it is versus through a photo lens. It has hard not to leave feeling anything by enlightened and uplifted based on its sheer serene beauty and spectacle.

While tickets are without a question sold-out to INFINITY MIRRORS, a tip is to line-up at the AGO around 9:00 AM the day-of as Same-Day Rush Tickets are indeed available on a first come, first serve basis. Upon getting a voucher to buy up to two tickets ($30 each for non-members), you will be assigned a time to visit again later in the day. We got there around 9:30 AM and were assigned an 11:00 AM slot just for your reference. The Exhibit has been timed with precision to a tee and moves rather briskly once you are in.

Be sure to allot between one to two hours for the entire experience and be sure to budget aside a little bit for some super-cool merchandise from the Exhibit including t-shirts, mugs, magnets, umbrellas and more.

See more from the Exhibit here. Hover cursor left and right to navigate slideshow.

The hottest ticket in town! A delightful, uplifting and meditative experience at the #InfiniteKusama Exhibit at the Art Gallery of Ontario. Swipe left to see more. People are getting this all wrong taking photos and selfies with the 20 seconds you are given in each room. The rooms are meant to be a reflective, immersive experience, feeling a moment of the infinite. More details on the site on how you still can attend without tickets. Link in Bio. #YoyoiKusama #Mirrors #AGO #ArtGalleryofOntario #InfinityMirrors #Toronto #Art #The6ix

A post shared by Mr. Will Wong 🏮 (@mrwillwong) on Mar 9, 2018 at 6:02pm PST

Learn more about YAYOI KUSAMA: INFINITY MIRRORS here.

(Photo credit: Mr. Will Wong)

Universal Pictures Canada x Mr. Will want to give Readers in Toronto, Montreal + Vancouver a chance to attend an Advance Screening of BLUMHOUSE’S TRUTH OR DARE Wednesday, April 11, 2018.

Synopsis:
A harmless game of “Truth or Dare” among friends turns deadly when someone—or something—begins to punish those who tell a lie—or refuse the dare.

See the Trailer:

Artwork:

To enter to win, click “like” on this Post at MR. WILL ON FACEBOOK and indicate your City. Tell us, would you rather tell the truth or be dared?

Universal Pictures Canada release BLUMHOUSE’S TRUTH OR DARE Friday, April 13, 2018.

(Photo/video credit: Universal Pictures Canada)

eOne Films x Mr. Will want to give Readers a chance to see MIDNIGHT SUN! We are the one Blog in Canada to offer you a chance to attend! Screenings take place in Toronto, Vancouver, Edmonton, Calgary, Winnipeg, Ottawa and Halifax on Wednesday, March 21, 2018 at 7:00PM.

Synopsis:
An epic romantic drama, MIDNIGHT SUN tells the life-affirming story of 17-year-old Katie Price, sheltered since childhood with a rare disease that makes even the smallest amount of sunlight deadly. One night, fate intervenes when she meets Charlie, an ex-high school all-star athlete, whom she has secretly admired for years. She hides her condition from him as the two embark on a uniquely powerful romance over one nearly perfect summer.

MIDNIGHT SUN stars Bella Thorne and Patrick Schwarzenegger.

See the Trailer:

Artwork:

Schwarzenegger, Thorne x Mr. Will

To enter to win, click “like” on this Post at MR. WILL ON FACEBOOK. Please indicate your City. Re-Tweet this Tweet from @mrwillw for an extra chance!

eOne Films release MIDNIGHT SUN Friday, March 23, 2018.

(Photo/video credit: eOne Films)

Already having worked with some of the greatest Directors of our day including Jeff Nichols, Terrence Malick, Bryan Singer and now Steven Spielberg, 21-year-old Tye Sheridan is bound for great things.  The X-Men Franchise star is front and center in Spielberg‘s latest effort READY PLAYER ONE and he was in Toronto to promote the new Film, opening in theatres end of March.

While he didn’t get much sleep last night due to flight delays , Sheridan still made the most of his day having to cancel a few interviews, but doing Press including a taping of Global‘s The Morning Show.

See our Snap with him and a young fan and her mom. He was a true gentleman, shaking hands and introducing himself to everyone individually!

See the Trailer for Ready Player One:

Huge things are expected of this. Will you be seeing READY PLAYER ONE?

Warner Bros. Pictures Canada release READY PLAYER ONE on Friday, March 29, 2018.

(Photo/video credit: Warner Bros. Pictures Canada/Mr. Will Wong)

In celebration of International Women’s Day, Humber College‘s student group IGNITE hosted a REAL TALK with special guests Actress Sophia Bush and Model Iskra Lawrence. The pair came to speak and answer questions from the audience about their paths to success and being an influence of change.

Bush, known best for her roles on TV Series Chicago PD as Erin Lindsay and One Tree Hill as Brooke Davis, has become somewhat of an icon for Gen X. She next can be seen in Disney•Pixar’s The Incredibles 2.

Lawrence rose to popularity starring in the REAL Campaign for Aerie and has become an advocate for positive body image and untouched photos.

See more:

(Swipe left!) Happy #IWD2018! Kudos to #SophiaBush x #IskraLawrence for being positive examples to girls and women as influencers of change. #InternationalWomensDay #IgniteRealTalk

A post shared by Mr. Will Wong 🏮 (@mrwillwong) on Mar 8, 2018 at 1:23pm PST

Happy International Women’s Day!

(Photo/video credit: Mr. Will Wong)

Craig David arrived on the Pop scene in the early 2000s as a force to be reckoned with. Fusing Two-Step Garage and R&B, the striking Southampton Singer/Songwriter had a sound unlike any other. Selling over 3.5 million copies of his debut disc Born To Do It with smash hits like Fill Me In and 7 Days, he would go on to be nominated for several BRIT and Grammy Awards also.

While it’s been some time since we’ve seen David in these parts, he has resurfaced with his seventh studio album The Time Is Now, released in Canada via Sony Music, led by new single Heartline. The Disc features also a collaboration with Bastille, titled I Know You. If you’ve followed David‘s career, you’ll hear the evolution in his sound and how it is very “now”, yet his older material actually still sounds fresh.

David treated longtime fans to a rare, intimate Toronto show at Velvet Underground delivering a selection of his catalog of hits and even found time to do a bit of Press while in the City.

See our Snap with David, whose music we’ve enjoyed for a long time. Though, busy on a call, he was more than nice to stop for a Snap understanding the request through hand gestures.

Check-out I Know You (ft. Bastille):

Heartline:

See his The Morning Show interview:

(Photo/video credit: Sony Music Entertainment/Mr. Will Wong)

Known best for his work on The CW‘s One Tree Hill as Julian Baker, Austin Nichols is in Toronto to begin work on new Pilot, IN THE DARK. The potential Series brings him full circle reuniting him with The CW, revolves around a blind woman who tries to solve the murder of her best friend. Coincidentally his One Tree Hill Co-Star Sofia Bush, also was in town recently!

Over the years, Nichols has built an impressive résumé with several high-profile roles on acclaimed TV Series like The Walking Dead, Six Feet Under, Ray Donovan, Bates Motel and several more.

By absolute chance, we crossed paths with Nichols and he was so kind to stop for a Selfie prior to heading-off to do errands. With several flight delays, we hope his day didn’t get pushed too late!

See our Snap:

IN THE DARK wraps end of March 2018.

(Photo/video credit: AMC/Mr. Will Wong)