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Posted by Bob Muir on Apr 8, 2015 in Animation, Comic Books 
Marvel has put out plenty of cartoons with their popular characters, but none of them have been tied into the Marvel Cinematic Universe yet. But since it’s already expanded to TV and Netflix, who’s to say they shouldn’t try cartoons as well? At Emerald City Comic Con, a fan asked Marvel VP of Animation Development and Production Cort Lane whether any of their cartoons would ever tie into the MCU. Lane replied, “I can’t announce anything, but things are in the works.” Obviously that’s little to go on, but hey, it could be cool if they put some more care into the project than their current kid-targeted shows. Something more along the lines of The Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes than Avengers Assemble would be fun. Read more…
Tags: Marvel
Posted by Bob Muir on Apr 7, 2015 in Cinema, Star Wars 
Let’s put aside for the moment that you still can’t buy the original, unaltered versions of the classic Star Wars movies. The movies were also traditionally tied to home video, with no way to legally buy them on digital platforms in an increasingly digital world. That changes on April 10, when The Star Wars Digital Movie Collection is released on digital platforms such as iTunes, Google Play, and Xbox Video. You can get all six movies for $99.99, or individual movies for $19.99 each. Each movie includes bonus features, and on some platforms, additional bonuses like an R2-D2 avatar accessory. Sadly, these are still the Lucas-modified versions, but hey, at least you can get Star Wars on your iPad now. Read more…
Tags: Star Wars
Posted by Bob Muir on Apr 7, 2015 in Television 
I finally got around to watching Twin Peaks because of the announcement of a continuation on Showtime. Now that project is in jeopardy, as David Lynch has announced he will not direct the series. According to his tweets, Showtime wasn’t offering enough money to do the series the way he felt it should be directed. Showtime hasn’t closed the door yet, releasing a statement that they would still like to work something out with Lynch. There’s no word on what this means for the scripts, which were to be cowritten with co-creator Mark Frost, nor whether Frost or the actors will remain without Lynch’s involvement. Since I’ve fallen in love with the town of Twin Peaks and its characters, I hope these issues are worked out so that Lynch can return to his show. Read more…
Tags: David Lynch, Twin Peaks
Posted by Ben Huber on Apr 6, 2015 in Cinema 
By now almost everyone who has seen a movie has heard the iconic THX “Deep Note” noise, even if they don’t know its name. The sound’s been parodied and imitated in pop culture many times, so changing it seems tantamount to heresy. But here we are! Dr. James “Andy” Moorer, who created the original sound (it first premiered with Return of the Jedi in 1983!), is back to update it for 7.1 surround sound and Dolby Atmos presentations. Try listening to the new version below and see what you think! Does it still feel like an epic intro as the film is about to start? Read more…
Tags: THX
Posted by Ben Huber on Apr 6, 2015 in Videogames 
Crawl is a pretty great indie title that’s best described as a multiplayer dungeon crawler — but one player plays as the hero, and the rest as enemies that spawn in each room. Whichever enemy succeeds in killing the player gets the role next. It’s great for couch play with friends, and a new update will add even more fun in the form of Gabe Newell. Yes, the Valve co-founder and gaming icon will be added as an enemy boss soon. And man, the animations look great! Check out a gif below and then check out the game here. Read more…
Tags: Crawl, Gabe Newell
Posted by Ben Huber on Apr 5, 2015 in Television 
George R.R. Martin is certainly keeping himself in the news these days: the author is developing a new TV series at HBO titled Captain Cosmos. He revealed this is a recent interview with EW (in which he also promises The Winds of Winter by 2016 and teases a new twist), and provided a rough description for the show: “At the dawn of the age of TV in 1949, a visionary young writer creates a science fiction series that tells stories no one else will dare to tell.” This definitely has echoes of The Twilight Zone, which is a show that GRRM worked on previously (the 1985 revival, that is). I’m curious whether this’ll be an episodic series or still feature an over-arching plot. Stay tuned!
Read more…
Tags: George R.R. Martin, HBO
Posted by Ben Huber on Apr 5, 2015 in Television 
Finally! ABC is reportedly starting up a new Muppets TV show, with the pilot filming as soon as this month. Bill Prady and Bob Kushell will write and executive produce a new show currently under the working title “Muppets 2015.” The rumored synopsis is that the series will feature the Muppets working on a late-night show, and focus on the behind-the-scenes work they do to make it happen. You might be worried to hear that Big Bang Theory co-creator Prady is working on this, but he actually has done plenty of work for several of the Muppets shows over the years and also tried in 2007 to get a Muppets TV series off the ground. This sounds like a smart, self-aware way to reboot the show, so I hope it works out! Read more…
Tags: The Muppets
Posted by Ben Huber on Apr 4, 2015 in Cinema, Hobbies and Collections 
Why does Fox want to make a Play-Doh movie, you may ask? Because there is nothing left on this hellscape. The Hollywood wells have run dry. Fox executives have been eyeing The LEGO Movie ravenously like wild dogs, and hope to take a similar approach to a Play-Doh film. All joking aside, while this does seem like another cynical attempt to exploit our collective childhood memories, at least Fox is talking with Paul Feig to direct the movie. At least! Hasbro really wants to turn their properties into big-budget blockbusters, but after Battleship… well, who knows if it’ll work? Read more…
Tags: Hasbro, Play-Doh
Posted by Ben Huber on Apr 4, 2015 in Television 
If you’re painfully waiting for the new A Song of Ice and Fire book, the Winds of Winter, author George R.R. Martin is here to ease your pain ever so slightly. Martin has taken to often posting a few chapters while he spends much time writing the next book, as a way to placate the masses. And hey, it’s nice to get updates on the story so far. This new excerpt is an “Alayne” chapter, so if you haven’t read all the current books and don’t know who that is, proceed no further! Martin says he has canceled several convention appearances to work on the book in hopes of finishing it… sooner or later. The fifth season of the HBO TV series Game of Thrones begins April 12th. Read more…
Tags: A Song of Ice and Fire, Fantasy, Game of Thrones, George R.R. Martin
Posted by Ben Huber on Apr 3, 2015 in Animation, Cinema 
Winnie the Pooh is one of the most iconic bears out there, so it’s no surprise that this is happening finally, but here we are all the same: Disney is planning a live-action Winnie the Pooh film and has signed on Alex Ross Perry (fresh off his hit Sundance indie film Listen Up Philip) to script the film. This seems to be a consistent strategy from Disney: nab a young, up-and-coming director to pilot a big picture, with the hopes it’ll help cross the gap between blockbuster and indie film, kids and adults. We have yet to see the fruits of this experiment (Pete’s Dragon is coming up too) so it remains to be see if this plan pans out. Read more…
Tags: Winnie the Pooh
Posted by Ben Huber on Apr 3, 2015 in Cinema 
Here’s some news that had to be double-checked several times — because everyone thought this was an April Fools joke. Yes, a new Toho Godzilla film is on the way, which is news enough on its own right. But here’s the kicker: Neon Genesis Evangelion creator Hideaki Anno will be writing the script for it. Not only that, but live-action Attack on Titan director Shinji Higuchi will supervise the special effects. Together, the two will co-direct the film. This isn’t actually that surprising, as Anno has been making moves towards live-action for a long time, and Higuchi did SFX for several Gamera films in the 90s. No fooling! Read more…
Tags: Godzilla, Hideaki Anno, Shinji Higuchi
Posted by Bob Muir on Apr 2, 2015 in Television 
That X-Files continuation was already off to a good start, by securing the creator and two main actors. Of course, there was a lot more to the original series than just them. David Duchovny confirmed on The Late Show with David Letterman that two more actors are confirmed to return. Mitch Pileggi will return as as FBI Assistant Director Walter Skinner, while William B. Davis will return as The Smoking Man. Cool! Annabeth Gish (Monica Reyes) and Robert Patrick (John Doggett) are also rumored to be involved, but no deals are currently in place. Maybe Fox knows what they’re doing with this? Read more…
Tags: The X-Files
Posted by Bob Muir on Apr 2, 2015 in Videogames 
It seems that 2015 is truly the Year of the Amiibo for Nintendo. While many games were shown off on their latest Nintendo direct, many of the major ones had corresponding amiibo announcements. Let’s start with Super Smash Bros. news first though. The Mewtwo DLC is pretty much ready and will be released on April 23 for $3.99, or $5.99 for both systems. Those who earned the character for free via the Club Nintendo promotion will get him on April 15. Lucas (from Mother 3 and Brawl) was announced as the second DLC character, due sometime in June. Future characters may be influenced by your votes on the Smash Bros. Fighter Ballot that just launched on smashbros.com. And if you want to spend more of your money, there will be new Mii costumes available. The cost of the costumes seems reasonable at $0.75 each, or $1.15 each for both systems. Read more…
Tags: 3DS, Amiibo, fire emblem, Nintendo, Nintendo Direct, Wii U
Posted by Bob Muir on Apr 1, 2015 in Videogames 
If you haven’t purchased a PS4 yet for Bloodborne, here’s something that may entice you. When Batman: Arkham Knight comes out on June 23, you’ll have the option of getting a jet black PS4 bundle with the game for $400. But if you toss in a bit extra, you can have this cool steel grey limited edition bundle for $450. I already own a system, so I’m not biting, but otherwise, I’d be very tempted. I guess I’ll just stick with the somewhat less expensive limited edition. Read more…
Tags: Batman: Arkham Knight, PS4
Posted by Bob Muir on Apr 1, 2015 in Comic Books, Television 
Hey CW, I get the impression that you’re still feeling out where your Arrow/Flash spin-off is going to go, since it will have a bunch of superheroes in it. But can you give us a name to use other than “that Arrow/Flash spin-off with all the other superheroes”? Ah well, let’s talk about the new heroes added to the show. Ciara Renée has been cast as Hawkgirl, who learns that she is the reincarnation of an ancient warrior who grows wings when she manifests her powers. In addition, Arthur Darvill (Rory on Doctor Who) has been cast as another time-traveller, Rip Hunter, who’s a bit more obscure. This all sounds good, but as I said before, we just need to know what this spin-off actually is! Read more…
Tags: DC Comics, Flash, Green Arrow
Posted by Bob Muir on Mar 31, 2015 in Animation, Cinema, Comic Books 
While Batman is much more popular these days as a dark, gritty superhero, fans have slowly become more accepting of the classic 60s TV series. The recent resurgence last year — including a DVD/Blu-ray release — has raised interest, and in addition to comics, there will be a movie based on the campy universe. Adam West (Batman) made the announcement at Mad Monster Party, revealing that he and Burt Ward (Robin) would be voicing their characters in a feature-length animated movie. It’s due out for the TV series’s 50th anniversary in 2016, likely direct-to-video, making this the much more interesting of two Batman movies that year. Sorry, Batman v. Superman, but after Man of Steel, I’d rather concentrate my excitement on this strong counterpoint to the Batman mythos. Read more…
Tags: Adam West, Batman, DC Comics, Warner Brothers
Posted by Bob Muir on Mar 31, 2015 in Videogames 
Microsoft and 343 Industries are starting their marketing push for this fall’s Halo 5: Guardians. It’s due out on October 27, 2015, which means we’ll probably be seeing a lot more at this year’s E3. But for now, we’ve got what is frankly a really cool ad, with new character Spartan Locke hunting down Master Chief and confronting him about consequences. But then, there’s a second ad where Master Chief confronts Locke! I’d assume we’ll get to play as both characters a la Halo 2 (my personal favorite in the series). I wonder what twists we’ll see? Read more…
Tags: Halo, Microsoft, Xbox One
Posted by Ben Huber on Mar 30, 2015 in Cinema, Comic Books 
Hugh Jackman has started up the rumor mill — through his own Instagram account, no less. He recently posted an image of his hands and the Wolverine claws with the caption “WOLVERINE… ONE LAST TIME.” Would X-Men: Apocalypse be the last film he’ll play Wolverine in? He hasn’t even been confirmed for it and was assumed to not be in it. Instead, it’s most likely the upcoming The Wolverine film that Fox has slated for 2017 that he’s referring to. Still, would he stop being Wolverine? He said as recently as February that “I said to my wife, ‘The moral is that I should never stop playing Wolverine. I’ve got to find a way to keep playing him until I die.’ I know that someday they’ll recast the role with another actor… I’d be happy if the role was eventually recast. It would mean that it had become iconic.” Maybe… he’s just just making a play while negotiating his contract? Or perhaps he changed his mind and is finally finished. Read more…
Tags: The Wolverine, Wolverine
Posted by Ben Huber on Mar 30, 2015 in Cinema 
If you have missed the hubbub around The Leviathan, you could easily be forgiven, as progress on the project has happened so fast it surprised many. A week ago director Ruairi Robinson posted his proof-of-concept teaser on Vimeo and YouTube, garnering lots of attention and praise (I’ve embedded it below in case you haven’t caught it yet). He even had a script ready written by Jim Uhls (the scribe behind Fight Club) to make the project more enticing. Then, Simon Kinberg and Neill Blomkamp jumped on to produce and executive produce, respectively, and now Fox has officially picked it up. It’s a really fascinating premise, so I hope the full movie will come out… and be good! Read more…
Tags: Leviathan, Ruairi Robinson
Posted by Ben Huber on Mar 29, 2015 in Television 
Wow. Big points there, AMC. Fear The Walking Dead is the title of their new spinoff series of the popular zombie-themed TV show, and man, is that a boring title. I guess it’s better than The Walking Dead: Los Angeles or The Walking Dead: Miami. When’s The Walking Dead: Cyber coming out, eh? The series will start this summer with six episodes and then a second season in 2016. It’ll start an entirely different set of characters from the main series, and will reportedly focus on the start of the zombie apocalypse as the world falls into chaos. There’s also some character descriptions, which are included below. Read more…
Tags: The Walking Dead
Posted by Ben Huber on Mar 29, 2015 in Cinema 
I know James Bond fans have been waiting patiently for the Spectre teaser trailer, so wait no longer: here it is! This looks pretty entertaining, and if you look hard, you can see some interesting hints at Bond’s past and a possible link with Spectre in this teaser. As usual, Daniel Craig is back as Bond and Sam Mendes returns to helm the pic, but the biggest new addition (in my opinion) is Christoph Waltz as Franz Oberhauser, the villain. I’ve never been a huge James Bond fan but this one is definitely piquing my interest more than usual. Check out the teaser trailer embedded below. Read more…
Tags: James Bond, Spectre
Posted by Ben Huber on Mar 28, 2015 in Cinema 
The Anchorman director Adam McKay almost directed Ant-Man last year. He buffed up the script with Paul Rudd and was rumored to be the pick for director, but at the last minute Peyton Reed slid into the spot. Now, according to the Latino Review, McKay is in line to direct a Marvel pic. McKay has been vocal about wanting to make a Marvel movie, so given that he was almost in for one project, it wouldn’t be hard to sign onto another. Marvel certainly seems to like him! As for which film that could be, Latino Review speculates that the most likely option at this point in Inhumans. Maybe? Read more…
Tags: Inhumans, Marvel
Posted by Ben Huber on Mar 28, 2015 in Cinema 
It’s finally starting to sink in that the Deadpool movie is actually happening. Ryan Reynolds has been teasing out little details here and there, but now we’ve got our first full shot of him in costume as Deadpool. And it’s pretty much the perfect way to introduce the character. I wonder how well Deadpool is known to the general movie-going public? Even if awareness is low, I’m sure that fans will evangelize heavily for this film. Deadpool’s following is dedicated! The first official synopsis also came out for the film… and, well, it doesn’t say much of anything. Deadpool will open February 12th, next year. Read more…
Tags: Deadpool
Posted by Ben Huber on Mar 27, 2015 in Star Wars 
The Star Wars spinoff film Rogue One is picking up steam fast: we heard recently from Disney that Felicity Jones would be in the production, but now rumors are circulating that Ben Mendelsohn could sign on to a lead role too. He’s been making news more and more often for his excellent performances in Killing Them Softly and The Place Beyond the Pines (he also had a brief role in The Dark Knight Rises). But mainly he’s been doing a great job in the Netflix series Bloodline, which has put him in the spotlight. He would fit perfectly into the Star Wars universe — let’s hope this rumor is true! Read more…
Tags: Rogue One
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