A hot topic among fans for years now has been around what characters will make it out of Avengers: Infinity War. However, as we saw with Captain America: Civil War, stakes can be raised without a primary character dying. With that said, though, the debate has sparked many think pieces and chat room talk. Adding to the conversation, Anthony Mackie, who plays Falcon, has confirmed that his character won’t die in Infinity War.
“I’ve only read 5 pages – and they were a good 5 pages. But I was alive in those five pages… I ain’t dying. I’ve got that in my contract, you can’t [kill] a brother off. I’m not going to die. I ain’t going nowhere.”
Even if Falcon were to die in the movie, it’s not like the Russo brothers couldn’t find a way to bring him back. As we’ve seen in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, no character is ever truly dead.
Avengers: Infinity War stars Robert Downey Jr, Chris Evans, Tom Holland, Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Dave Bautista, Benedict Cumberbatch, Benedict Wong, Scarlett Johansson, Brie Larson, Cobie Smulders, Elizabeth Olson, Jeremy Renner, Sebastian Stan, Peter Dinklage, Chadwick Boseman, Chris Hemsworth, Karen Gillian, Bradley Cooper, Samuel L. Jackson, Paul Rudd, Josh Brolin, Paul Bettany, and Mark Ruffalo.
Although no official synopsis has been released at this point, we can safely assume that Avengers: Infinity War will follow a story that includes Thanos, with the Infinity Gauntlet, taking on the Avengers. A more detailed plot summary will be released as the film’s release date nears.
Chris Yost, who previously wrote Thor: The Dark World and the upcoming Thor: Ragnarok, is set to pen a Sony-produced film revolving around Black Cat and Silver Sable, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
Additionally, the outlet is reporting that Amy Pascal and Matt Tolmach will be producers on the project. Sony is reportedly looking to find a director soon, in hopes of kicking off production in Fall.
Black Cat and Silver Sable, along with Venom, are seemingly Sony throwing their hat into the comic book film ring. However, what we’re still not sure of are the films’ place in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Could we be seeing a Spider-Man universe without the titular character, or are these spinoff films set in the MCU with the likes of Captain America and Iron Man? At this point, we don’t have the answer.
What are your thoughts on a movie revolving around Black Cat and Silver Sable? Are you familiar with Yost’s work? Comment below, let us know!
Wonder Woman and the Justice League have an enormous task ahead of them this year – it’s up to them to save the entire DC Films Universe.
There is no denying that DC Films – also known as the DC Extended Universe (DCEU) – has had a rocky start. Man of Steel, with its 55% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, grossed $291 million in North America and $668 million worldwide by the time it left theaters in 2013. Though it made almost $450 million dollars in profit, this wasn’t enough for Warner Bros. who – allegedly – were hoping the Last Son of Krypton would provide them with numbers more akin to those of The Dark Knight Trilogy that had come to its conclusion in 2012. Because of this, they scrapped the plans they had for a solo Superman sequel, and hastily began to assemble an interconnected universe of DC comics’ superheroes in the hopes of rivaling Marvel’s critical, commercial, and financial successes.
Thus, the DCEU as we know it now was born. In July of 2013, it was announced that a Man of Steel follow up was being fast-tracked and would feature the hero who has made Warner Bros. the most money to date – Batman. It wasn’t until May of 2014, however, that the official title – Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice – was released, and wasn’t until October of the same year that the studio announced the rest of their planned slate on a call with shareholders. At the time, they planned to release the following films after their Batman-Superman team-up debut:
Suicide Squad in 2016
Wonder Woman in 2017
Justice League Part One in 2017
The Flash in 2018
Aquaman in 2018
Shazam in 2019
Justice League Part Two in 2019
Cyborg in 2020
Green Lantern in 2020
In addition, both Batman and Superman would receive their own standalone films, though no dates were given for either.
There was no better time to be a DC fan than immediately following the announcement, because Warner Bros. was finally going to bring all of their most iconic heroes to the big screen in an interconnected universe – something that fans of the brand have been dreaming of since Marvel released Iron Man in 2008. But then Dawn of Justice was released in March of 2016, after nearly a year’s delay, and everything changed.
The movie turned out to be far from the critical or commercial darling that Warner Bros. was hoping for. The film was universally panned, receiving a mere 27% on Rotten Tomatoes, and made a scant $873.3 million worldwide. While this is no small amount – that more than made back the movie’s budget – it was seen as a disappointing haul by just about everyone. Batman alone has shown the ability to rake in over a billion dollars; putting him in a live-action movie with Superman for the first time – a movie which also included Wonder Woman’s first appearance on the big screen – should have been enough to put the film over a billion dollars easily. There was, frankly, no excuse in the eyes of many as to why a film that included three of the oldest, well-known, and – arguably – most popular superheroes of all time was such a colossal disappointment.
At this point, however, Warner Bros. had already put the cart before the horse. Suicide Squad had already wrapped production at that point, and was racing toward its release date scheduled five months later; Wonder Woman was already halfway through production; and Justice League was scheduled to begin shooting a few weeks later. They did, however, do what they could to minimize damage to their floundering cinematic universe. Not only did they begin to interfere in the editing process of Suicide Squad, but they also announced a new DC Films unit within their studio to be overseen by prolific comic book writer, Geoff Johns, in addition to movie producer, Jon Berg. Everyone involved with the DCEU also began to stress how the subsequent films would be lighter and more fun in tone, as opposed to overly dark and serious like Batman v. Superman. (One of the biggest complaints about said film.)
Unfortunately for the WB, Suicide Squad fared similar to Dawn of Justice critically, earning a 26% from critics on Rotten Tomatoes. Slightly more promising, however, was the fact that audiences seemed to love the film, and it raked in a massive $745.6 million worldwide, which is impressive for a little-known comic property. Alas, this was overshadowed by the critical response which plunged the future of the DCEU into further uncertainty.
The announced slate of films from two-and-a-half years ago doesn’t look likely to unfold as indicated. Justice League, which was initially announced as a two-part film, has been turned into two, separate, standalone movies. The Flash lost multiple directors and is currently in the process of being re-written from scratch, making it unlikely that it will meet a 2018 release. Aquaman is in pre-production as I write this, though its release date was just pushed back to December 2018. The standalone Batman film has lost Ben Affleck as a director and there are rumors it may be losing him as a star as well, although Warner Bros. did pull off a huge coup by signing Matt Reeves to direct the movie. (Though they, along with fans, were dismayed to hear it’s unlikely to meet a release date in 2018.) In addition, a solo Nightwing film, a Gotham City Sirens movie, a Justice League Dark picture, a Black Adam focused prequel to Shazam, and a sequel to Suicide Squad have been added to the slate, although no release or production dates have been announced for any of them. (Though directors are attached to the first three, and multiple directors are currently in consideration for Suicide Squad 2.)
Despite continued development on the part of Warner Bros., there is no guarantee that any of the announced movies – minus Aquaman, which begins filming soon – will ever be made. I don’t believe it’s hyperbole to say that the fate of the DCEU’s future will be determined by the releases of Wonder Woman and Justice League this year. If they do as bad critically and commercially as the previously announced films in this shared universe, and if Justice League fails to gross a minimum of $1 billion, I see four different paths Warner Bros. could likely take moving forward.
1. Proceed as Planned
This is the most obvious path forward, but the one I also believe is least likely. Why? Because frankly, I don’t believe the WB ever had a coherent plan in place when they started this venture. Obviously, Zack Snyder – when hired to oversee this universe – had an idea for an overarching story he wanted to tell. But I don’t believe that he or Warner Bros. ever had any idea how each film would intricately connect to one another. Nor do I believe that they knew how to make each individual superhero feel tonally different from one another and reflective of the source material they hail from, while at the same time maintaining visual continuity between each film.
What I mean is darkness works for Batman because that’s who the character is. It doesn’t work for Superman though, who is about lightness, hope, and optimism. Just like Superman’s tone wouldn’t work for Wonder Woman, and so-on and so-forth. Snyder and Warner Bros. needed to work out how to combine these disparate, very different characters and worlds in a coherent movie without compromising the essence of who each of them are. In Batman v. Superman, I believe they failed. I think they have a winning formula for how to make the character of Batman work, but are still trying to figure out how to successfully bring to life the other members of the Justice League.
I don’t think they figured it out prior to Batman v. Superman, but wanting to jump start the universe as quickly as possible, they went into production anyway and began trying to figure it all out as they went along. I truly believe they only started to plan the future of the DCEU, and think long term, after the bad reception that Dawn of Justice received. That’s why in the aftermath, two months later, they created a DC Films unit at the studio and placed Geoff Johns and Jon Berg in charge of it. The appointment of Johns alone is cause for celebration, because as one of DC comics’ best writers, he truly understands these characters.
Unfortunately, however, the appointment of Johns and Berg came a little too late. It didn’t happen until two films had already been released to the public, Suicide Squad had finished production, Wonder Woman was about to finish shooting, and Justice League was about to go in front of the cameras. So while these two men have been hard at work behind the cameras trying to correct course for the DCEU, it’s unlikely that audiences will see any significant changes to the universe until any of the films scheduled for release post Justice League.
If Wonder Woman and Justice League are released this year to similar reception that the previous three installments of the DCEU faced, Warner Bros. could very well hold their ground. All they need to say is “Trust us. Aquaman is going to shift this entire universe in a different, better direction. It’s the first film to be one-hundred percent handled under the purview of our DC Films unit.”
As I said above, I think this is unlikely. If these two movies fail to be the saviors the WB is hoping for, I think the DCEU is going to radically change.
2. Recast and Reboot the Entire Universe
This is another scenario that, while possible, I believe is highly unlikely. The idea of starting from scratch and taking the same approach the Marvel Cinematic Universe has used for years – giving each member of the Justice League their own standalone film in order to get the audience to care about them before throwing them together in a team up movie – is a good one in theory. After all, if it’s not broken, you shouldn’t fix it, and Marvel has developed a winning formula. But were Warner Bros. to take this route, think of the amount of talent they’d be losing – Ben Affleck, Amy Adams, Margot Robbie, Jason Momoa, Jeremy Irons, Jared Leto, Diane Keaton, etc. Because of all of the A-list talent involved, I think it’s far more likely the WB will try to refrain from rebooting and do everything in their power to continue making these films with the cast they already have in place.
3. Scrap the Interconnected Universe and Go Back to Making Standalone Trilogies
One of the key differences between seeing Marvel and DC Comics is the fact that the Marvel universe was created around the idea of its heroes inhabiting the same world and crossing over with one another all of the time. DC heroes were all created individually, and it wasn’t until after witnessing the success Marvel was having with their team up stories that DC decided to retcon their stories so that all of their heroes inhabited the same Earth as well. They were shoehorned into the same universe for profit, and while it may have worked in the comics, it may not adapt well in live-action movies. (It’s clearly not working as of yet!)
Warner Bros. could very well go back to the model of doing standalone superhero trilogies with the cast that they already have in place, disregarding the interconnected events of the DCEU. It’s a formula that worked well for them in the past with both the Superman and Batman franchises, so it could very well work for them again. They can remove any references to the wider DC Films universe from Aquaman and make it a completely standalone picture to launch an Aquaman trilogy. They could then proceed with standalone trilogies for all of their heroes, allowing filmmakers the freedom of not having to adhere to the continuity of any wider universe. In regards to Superman, Man of Steel is an independent enough film that Batman v. Superman could be disregarded entirely, allowing for a new director to come in and make a direct follow up to Henry Cavill’s first outing as the Man of Tomorrow.
This is the second most likely course of action I see the WB taking if Wonder Woman and Justice League fail.
4. Turn the DC Extended Universe into the Batman Extended Universe
This is the most likely scenario I see occurring in the event that Wonder Woman and Justice League don’t perform to the WB’s high expectations.
The character of Batman has been raking in money for Warner Bros. since Tim Burton’s Batman was released in 1989. He is, without a doubt, one of the most popular comic book characters in the world; he might even be the most popular. (Though an argument could be made for Spider-Man.) Putting Batman in a film, characters related to Batman in a movie, or setting stories in Gotham City are sure ways to increase audience interest in a product. It’s for this very reason that the character was introduced in Dawn of Justice, and why he was featured so heavily in the marketing for Suicide Squad despite the fact that he only appeared in the film for about three minutes. It’s also because of the love that people have for his Rogues’ Gallery that Suicide Squad featured four villains traditionally associated with the Batman mythos.
The WB already seems pretty keen to pad out the Gotham City corner of the DCEU as it stands. Because Margot Robbie’s and Will Smith’s portrayals of Harley Quinn and Deadshot respectively were universally praised in Suicide Squad, Gotham City Sirens and Suicide Squad 2 are reportedly being fast tracked. In addition, a Nightwing movie has been announced, to be directed by Chris McKay who recently directed The Lego Batman Movie. And despite all the negativity hurled at Batman v. Superman, most people agree that Ben Affleck’s portrayal of Bruce Wayne/Batman was one of the only highlights of that film – even if people were upset with the amount of people he killed over the course of the movie.
It’s not beyond the realm of possibility that the WB decides to focus on Batman-related characters if the DC Films Universe isn’t course corrected in the mind of the public this year, thus turning the DCEU into the BEU. Besides a new Batman film trilogy and the Batman-related films already in development mentioned above, I can see Warner Bros. cancelling the rest of their previously announced projects and expanding upon the world of Gotham City by announcing movies for characters such as Batgirl and Batwoman. I could even see them doing a Gotham Central movie!
Batman is one of those characters with a big enough mythology, and a high popularity, to actually sustain his own universe. And as a trusted money maker, it wouldn’t surprise me in the slightest if Warner Bros. decides to prioritize the world of the Dark Knight on film over all of the other DC properties.
As for what I hope happens? I personally hope that Wonder Woman and Justice League do well enough this year for the WB to stay the course they’re currently on. (Personally, the chances are good that I’ll like them – I enjoyed the rest of the DCEU up until this point, even though the films have been massively flawed and I understand all of the criticism lobbied their way.) I just really want other DC heroes besides Batman and Superman to get their chance to shine on the big screen, and I’m truly afraid that if this endeavor fails, it will be a long time before any of them are given another shot.
What do you think though? Have you enjoyed the DC Films product that Warner Bros. have been putting out so far? What are your hopes for Wonder Woman and Justice League? How do you think the WB should course correct and make the DCEU appeal more to critics and audiences? Hit the comments and let me know!
Actor, author, musician, producer, host, spokesperson, and pop culture legend William Shatner turns 86 today. No matter what kind of geek colors you wear, in the pantheon of legendary actors of geekdom, Shatner is one of the faces carved permanently into stone. Shatner’s career in creativity spans 70 years, all the way back to Canada where he began acting. Shatner’s film and TV credits stretch as far as the eye can see. The actor’s impact on pop culture is undeniable.
After graduating from McGill University in 1952, Shatner hit the stage, performing in classics and new works alike. In his time at the Canadian National Repertory Theatre, the young man honed his acting skills by mastering the most fundamental of fundamentals — Shakespeare.
During the 1950s and early 60s, Shatner moved from stage to screen, becoming a regular on TV and in movies. At one point in his young career, the actor was compared with contemporaries like Steve McQueen, Paul Newman, and Robert Redford. Of course, as we know now, Shatner’s career took a drastically different route than those legends. Instead of movie stardom, the “work equals work” philosophy lead the actor to take a lot of nameless, thankless roles that diminished his standing as an up and coming star.
Two of the random roles Shatner took during the early 60s were in episodes of anthology series The Twilight Zone. During “Nightmare At 20,000 Feet” Shatner sees a gremlin on the wing of a plane during a stormy flight. Madness sets in as no one else sees the figure outside. The episode is one of the most parodied of all Twilight Zone.
2. STAR TREK
In early 1966, Shatner starred in an odd little film by the name of Incubus. It’s the one and only film to be entirely produced in the language of Esperanto. Soon after, he was cast Captain James T. Kirk in the second pilot for the original Star Trek. Shatner went on to play the role for three seasons before its cancellation in 1969. For now, StarTrek was just another short-lived project.
3. POST-STAR TREK, PART 1
After Star Trek, Shatner went back to “work is work.” During the late 60s and early 70s, Shatner appeared in KungFu, Mission: Impossible, and The Six Million Dollar Man. Mr. Priceline Negotiator also appears in a Roger Corman flick, Big Bad Mama and the dreadful The Horror At 37,000 Feet. A once-promising career was leveling off at mediocre.
During this period, Shatner found himself on hard times. For extra money, the actor would take many an odd job, including appearing as Captain Kirk at kids parties. In 1973, StarTrek briefly returned as an animated series and Shatner returned to provide Kirk’s voice. The seeds of future fandom were just about to sprout.
4. STAR TREK RETURNS & MORE!
Another phenomenon began in earnest during the 1970s — conventions. At first, Shatner appeared at many of them, but as his acting work became steady again, the actor’s personal contempt for fans at the time lead him to avoid conventions more and more. However, in 1977, a man by the name of George Lucas introduced the world to Star Wars. Lucas’ seminal science fiction movie was not only a blockbuster hit; the film reinvigorated the sci-fi genre.
In 1979, after a halfhearted attempt at rebooting Star Trek on TV, Paramount produced Star Trek: The Motion Picture. The film had everything it needed to succeed: the budget was massive, the original actors were all back, and the creative team fell under the direction of science fiction legend Robert Wise. Critics mostly panned Star Trek: The Motion Picture, but it killed at the box office. Criticism of the film being uneven and cerebral was fair, but it didn’t matter, Star Trek was back.
During the 1980s, four more Star Trek films achieved box office success. Famously, Star Trek II (1982) and Star Trek IV (1986) the “even” numbered films in the series, were the standouts. The final film of the 80s, Star Trek V: The Final Frontier was a disaster, mainly because Shatner tried his hand at directing.
Not only did Shatner have four successful films during the 80s, though, but he also appeared in a few others like Airplane II: The Sequel and starred in the ABC cop series TJ Hooker which ran for four seasons (yes, longer than Star Trek!).
5. POST-STAR TREK, PART 2
In 1987, Star Trek evolved for the next generation with Patrick Stewart as Captain of the Enterprise. After a couple rough first few seasons, Star Trek: The Next Generation (ST:TNG) found its footing, and when it did, the original Trek seemed ancient. In 1991, Star Trek VI became the final film with the original crew.
In 1994, Shatner would reprise the role of Captain James T. Kirk for the last time. Star Trek: The Next Generation enjoyed seven award-winning seasons, and Paramount was now ready to spin it off back into the film. Star Trek: Generations featured the new crew of the Enterprise in a time-bending story that brings Captain Kirk into the fold. Generations would end with Kirk’s death. Say what you will about the sequence of the film, many fans hate it, but one thing was clear — Captain Kirk was no more. Shatner once again began life after Captain Kirk.
Shatner hosted dramatic reenactment show Rescue 9-1-1 from 1989 to 1996. During this time, “Tek War,” a series of science fiction novels written by Shatner became bestsellers. “Tek War” also became a TV movie and short-lived tv show featuring the actor.
Shatner co-wrote nine “Tek War” novels with Ron Goulart. Shatner also collaborated with two other writers, Judith and Garfield Reeves-Stevens to co-author ten books based on Star Trek.
6. EVERYTHING ELSE!
Whew! I’m skipping over a lot of a career that is long, varied, and never a dull moment. Read his autobiography!
Shatner’s recorded albums! In 1968 it was a borderline creepy spoken word novel with covers of “Tamborine Man” and “Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds” while Shatner’s version of “Rocket Man” must be seen to be believed. In 2004, Ben Folds, yeah, like from the Ben Folds Five, helped co-produce Shatner’s second album. Shatner produced a third album in 2011.
Shatner’s love-hate relationship with Star Trek and its fans is all love now. But there was a time when the actor wasn’t fond of the show or its Trekkies. Shatner’s written several books and produced several documentaries about Star Trek. Chaos on the Bridge covers the first few seasons of ST:TNG. Get A Life! Is a documentary Shatner made for EPIX based on his 1999 book that centers on Star Trek fandom.
Oh, yeah, before I forget! The actor, writer, producer, singer, personality also won two Emmy Awards for his work on Boston Legal and The Practice.
7. WHY WE LOVE WILLIAM SHATNER
I don’t know William Shatner and would likely collapse like a board from paralysis caused by joy if I ever did meet him. But something I’ve seen in him, a quality that shows up in his books, roles, music, and more, is joyful passion. “Work equals work,” Shatner says, and it could be taken cynically, but if you love the work you do like Shatner clearly does, then “work equals work” is a beautiful mantra to live by. Beyond Captain Kirk, Priceline, or the larger-than-life personality, Shatner exudes this joyful passion, and it’s what makes him such a powerful icon in pop culture.
Netflix just released a trailer for the upcoming Mystery Science Theater 3000 and besides revealing the show’s new size and scope, it offers a few glimpses into two of the upcoming episodes — or experiments — new test subject Jonah Heston (Jonah Ray Rodrigues) will face.
If you closely as Jonah is dropped into the new Mystery Science Theater, you can clearly see a poster for Reptilicus, a 1962 American International production about an ancient reptile creature wreaking havoc in downtown Copenhagen. But perhaps more telling is the strange metal colossus woman seen later in the trailer. The creature is unmistakably from one of the greatestest, yet terrible Star Wars rip-offs ever made: Starcrash.
Starring Caroline Munroe and David Hasselhoff, Starcrash tells the tale of Stella Star, a smuggler press-ganged into saving the Prince of the Universe (Hasselhoff) and watching as the evil Count Zarth Arn and his hand-shaped space station are defeated by repetitive shots of cheesy spaceship models. It also features Marjoe Gortner as Stella’s sidekick with awfully convenient powers and an awfully familiar laser sword. Academy Award winner Christopher Plummer also appears the Emperor of the Universe, who can stop the flow of time for exactly three minutes.
If these are the sorts of movies the new season of MST3K will be tackling, hopefully they’ll hit other delightful hits of trash cinema like Blood Freak — the world’s only anti-drug, pro-Jesus vampire turkey flick — and the best of the Conan rip-offs, Yor: The Hunter from the Future. What other cheesy flicks would you like to see Jonah and the Bots riff on when the show returns on April 14th? Post your thoughts in the comments below.
On Thursday, we received a press release from BOOM! Studios announcing the creation of a comic book series based on the iconic 90’s movie Clueless, and if you’re not excited, you’re totally buggin’. The series is set to debut this summer, and is brought to us by actress, filmmaker and writer Amber Benson (Buffy the Vampire Slayer, The Witches of Echo Park, Death’s Daughter) and author Sarah Kuhn (Heroine Complex, Barbie), and art by Siobhan Keenan who does illustrations for Adventure Time. The release included this non-final cover art concept by Natacha Bustos (Lumberjanes/Gotham Academy).
Anyone who’s seen Clueless can pretty much agree that it’s iconic. And was essentially the pop culture predecessor to Mean Girls.
Not only did it become a generational staple, but it launched the careers of Alicia Silverstone, Stacey Dash, Paul Rudd, and Brittany Murphy(rest in peace my Queen Brit). No matter what any of those actors would do, they remained their Clueless counterparts in the minds of those who were alive to see it. Now, we follow Cher, Dione and Tai in their senior year, and they’re facing the questions that current millennials tend to find the answers to after they’ve incurred thousands of dollars of debt: where do we do after high school?
“I was 17 when I auditioned for Clueless and, sadly, didn’t get a part,” Benson states in the release-referencing her audition as Tai. “But I remember reading the script—tentatively titled As If—and thinking: If they do this right, they are going to kick some serious butt.”
Thankfully, they did Clueless right, and hopes are high for BOOM! to do justice to the movie, and to its rich characters. As with any follow-ups, reboots, prequels, sequels, etc. of extremely well known and established pieces, the line is fine between continuing the concept with reverence, and being so campy it looks like it is trying too hard. The comic series will be much like the movie in the fact that it has to be done juuuuust right, but from what the sample page above shows, there doesn’t seem to be much difficulty in depicting the very unique physical Cher-isms that can’t be avoided in Silverstone’s performance. It’s almost impossible not to hear “as if!” disdainfully squealed mentally when looking at it.
Hopefully, the Valley Girl language doesn’t get distracting, and BOOM! will follow in the footsteps of the writers of the original film, and get all the Valley Speak out of the way early on. Unfortunately, anything set in the 90’s is considered a period piece, and Benson in an interview with Vanity Fair stated the “the hardest part of working on the project for [her] has been trying to make everybody sound authentic without being trite.” which is foreseen as the biggest possible issue with the project.
Not only is there the fine balance of the integrity of the piece in whole, but the character of Cher is also more complex than people think. It’ll be interesting to see how well the new comic series nails the heroine in her smart wit, ingenuity, and general Beverly Hills naivete. So, optimism is the vibe from what has been seen so far. Overall, the info out in the web is pretty sparse, so we’ll just have to cling to the seat of our Jeeps in anticipation. All that can be said, though, definitively, is that a Clueless universe is coming, and I’m already wearing my tartan two piece.
Powerful Costume Designs Can Make A Great Movie Better!
What makes certain costume designs memorable? That question doesn’t have a definitive answer; a lot that can be taken into consideration. Awards and accolades play a big role but there’s more to dig into. The impact it makes on first appearance, the legacy it creates, or if it’s a Halloween costume are all things that matter.
Below is a ranking of the costume designs in the film history that impacted the industry. Let me know if your favorite movie fashions make the list!
– The 90’s is perfectly summed up in ‘Clueless’. In a distinct decade for fashion, almost every 90’s fad or clique is represented or started in this. The iconic yellow plaid outfit main character Cher (Alicia Silverstone) wears is instantly recognizable and even duplicated in rapper Iggy Azalea’s “Fancy” music video.
9. ‘Scream‘ (1996)
– Horror films always have memorable costume designs. From Dracula to Michael Myers, the genre is filled with recognizable characters. But there’s one look in horror that stands above the rest. The Ghostface costume from ‘Scream‘ is not only instantly recognizable but still a Halloween go-to 21 years later.
8. ‘Memoirs Of A Geisha‘ (2005)
– This list could’ve simply been made-up of Colleen Atwood costume designs. Atwood is a legend in the film industry for her work and ‘Memoirs of A Geisha‘ is a standout. She knew taking on the kimono would be a challenge but Atwood mastered the art form. Rightfully winning an Academy Award in 2005, nothing has came close since.
7. ‘Harry Potter‘ Franchise (2001-present)
– Other than a very famous witch I’ll mention later, the wizardly world was in need of something fresh. Thankfully in 2001, the genre got a massive makeover when J.K. Rowling’s ‘Harry Potter and the Sorcerers Stone‘ hit theaters. The franchise got a fashion upgrade in 2016 when Colleen Atwood designed ‘Fantastic Beasts‘.
6. ‘Marie Antoinette‘ (2006)
– Like the work of Colleen Atwood, this list could’ve been filled costume designs from period pieces. To make it easier, the more inventive choice of ‘Marie Antoinette‘ was chosen. Instead exact replicas, the costumes went more for a fantastical route. Along with the rest of the art direction, Sofia Coppola’s epic is beautiful to watch.
5. ‘The Fifth Element‘ (1997)
– Jean Paul Gaultier blessed this sci-fi film with some of the most insane fashions ever. ‘The Fifth Element‘ took everything the genre did before and gave it a new edge. It’s quoted that Gaultier created over 1000 costumes for this film but somehow a white bandage outfit worn by Leeloo (Milla Jovovich) lives on the most.
4. ‘Breakfast At Tiffany’s‘ (1961)
– At first, I struggled with putting ‘Breakfast At Tiffany’s‘ on the list. It’s only really known for one major look but that one dress is seriously iconic. The Black Givenchy dress worn by Hepburn even has it’s own wikipedia page. This film made “the little black dress” a staple in any woman’s closet. Also, the original dress sold for $923,187 in an auction.
3. ‘Cleopatra‘ (1963)
– The looks of ‘Cleopatra‘ forever changed after 1963. It didn’t get the race of the titular character correct, the costume designs remains legendary in the film industry. It’s not a shock the elaborate outfits in this film won an Academy Award. With over 26,000 costumes created and Elizabeth Taylor changing 63 times, nothing can top this fashion spectacle.
2. ‘The Wizard Of Oz‘ (1939)
– There’s a point in almost every young girl’s life when she wants to dress up as someone from ‘The Wizard Of Oz‘. If it’s The Wicked Witch, the Tin-Man, or Dorothy herself, all of these looks have found a place in pop culture history. Even cinematic choices like changing the shoes from silver to ruby proved to work out perfectly.
1. ‘Star Wars‘ Franchise (1977-present)
– The sheer amount of memorable looks from this franchise is way it makes it to number one. You can easily say Darth Vader or Slave Leia as the most distinct moments but almost everyone in ‘Star Wars‘ wears something so iconic. When taking everything into consideration, costume design was forever changed in 1977.
What beers should you drink while watching ‘Beauty and the Beast’?
‘Beauty and the Beast’ hit theaters last, and among many questions with the film, this is the one lingering on a beer snobs mind.
If you’re like me, you often enjoy a cold brew with your movie. There are theaters where you can actually get a beer while you watch the movie. Have you ever wanted to theme your beer around your movie experience? This article is for you!
This past weekend, the live-action Disney feature completely rocked the box office. According to Fox Entertainment News, The opening blew out records with $170 million and claimed it’s spot at number one. Let’s pair this movie with a good beer, shall we?
One type of beer clearly comes to mind when thinking of this movie. A lager. This type of beer was popular back in the days of ‘Beauty and the Beast’, and we all know that’s what they were drinking at Gaston’s Tavern.
Obviously, the beers from that time are no longer around… Or are they?
Pabst Blue Ribbon. Do we dare go, hipster? PBR has been around since 1884. Now, there is an argument about when the movie took place, but one of the theories is the late 1880s. PBR would fit.
This American lager is a 4.74% ABV, perfect for a session drink, or even an all day event. With the light and crisp flavor, it’s easy to drink as if you were having your water for the day.
Not exactly the hoppiest of beers, but back then the hops didn’t matter. They went for taste value and what could get you drunk.
This weekend when you go see ‘Beauty and the Beast’ for the second time, grab a PBR, sit back, and pretend like your in the tavern with these crazy gents.
What beer would you recommend for ‘Beauty and the Beast?’ Comment below.
With Action Comics #976 being released, so ends the Superman Reborn arc. The adventures of Clark Kent and his family have undoubtedly been some of the strongest books to come out of DC Rebirth thus far. It seems now the Kent family can officially settle in thanks to the Superman Reborn aftermath.
**Major Spoilers Lie Ahead**
Mxyzptlk tore the Kent family apart and left it up to Jon to fix them. Through the sheer power of love, Jon helped his parents merge their Pre-52 selves with their New 52 selves and solidified the Rebirth Lois & Clark.
What does this mean for the Kents going forward? This could allow them to come out of hiding for the most part. Lois and Clark can both work for the Daily Planet without that pesky fake Clark roaming around. Does that mean their marriage is public?
Looking at the beautiful page above, it appears that not only is their marriage public, but Jon’s existence as well. At least Perry and Jimmy know about Jon Kent. Which is a pretty significant change for Superman comics given that the family’s secrecy was a major element thus far.
This also allows them to drop their fake name, going public as the Kents. It’ll be interesting to see how writers Dan Jurgens (Action Comics) and Peter J. Tomasi (Superman) put these puzzle pieces together moving forward.
With all these new questions, at least one thing is for certain. By merging the two Supermen together, and being reborn into the true Superman of DC Rebirth, we got a new costume. Clark’s new duds are more of a return to former glory. Ditching the blue boots and weird belt, Superman looks more traditional than ever. All he’s missing is the red underwear!
What did you think of Superman Reborn? What changes are you looking forward to the most for the Kent family? Let us know in the comments below!
1989 will always remain a landmark year in history books, and not only because the Germans began to tear down the Berlin Wall and the United States and the Soviet Union declared the Cold War to be over. The world heard AOL’s iconic greeting – “Welcome! You’ve Got Mail!” – for the first time, and we also got our first taste of its instant messaging service. Gas cost .97 cents per gallon, and people were introduced to the cell phone on a massive scale when the first commercial for Centel’s handheld device launched. Billy Joel taught the planet a history lesson when he released We Didn’t Start the Fire, and Michael Jackson left people humming his newest tune, Smooth Criminal. Nintendo released the popular handheld gaming system – the Game Boy – and audiences around the globe witnessed the births of arguably the two best television comedies of all time – Seinfeld and The Simpsons. If all of that wasn’t enough, I was brought into this earth, a pencil in hand, waiting to shower my adoring fans with my writing.
The year of 1989 will always remain an important year in cinematic history as well, with some of the most iconic and beloved films of entire generations hitting theaters for the very first time. In celebration of this, here is a list of my top five favorite movies that were released the year I was born.
5. Ghostbusters II
Long before Sam and Dean Winchester graced our television screens as outlaw ghost hunters on Supernatural, the world knew a different group of paranormal experts living the lives of misfits in New York City. Sure, the Ghostbusters – consisting of Peter Venkman, Ray Stantz, Egon Spengler, and Winston Zeddemore – weren’t hunky heartthrobs and may have dealt more with bright, neon-colored slime than anything truly scary, but that’s what made them so endearing. The appeal of these four social outcasts wasn’t just their humor, although that was a big part of it, but also the fact that they were average people trying to maintain their friendship and make a living doing what they loved. Sure, Vigo the Carpathian wasn’t the most intimidating villain, and yes, managing to control the Statue of Liberty via a remote control was incredibly corny, but none of it mattered because the misadventures that our four heroes got up to during their investigations were filled with heart, laughter, and fun that made the journey worthwhile.
Although the original Ghostbusters is arguably the better movie, Ghostbusters II has always held a special place in my heart because of the fact that, growing up, I actually saw this one for the first time before I ever saw the original. Not only that, but as a born-and-bred New Yorker, any piece of media that really gets the Big Apple right – like both Ghostbuster films do – tends to hold a special place in my heart. On top of which, I am a huge horror movie aficionado now, and I consider this movie to be the gateway drug that opened up that world to me as I grew up. Every time I happen to catch this one while flipping through channels on television, I always stop to watch it in its entirety, and after each viewing, I become disappointed yet again that the long rumored Ghostbusters III will never come to see the light of day.
4. Back to the Future Part II
Lo and behold, there are two sequels in my top five movies of 1989! I’ve always considered my love of sequels a sort of guilty pleasure, but in my defense, sequels produced in the late 1980s were still legitimately good films and not merely cash grabs. Back to the Future is one of those iconic movies that every person has to see growing up for its sense of whimsy and adventure, and Back to the Future Part II is one of those rare follow ups– like the Empire Strikes Back – that not only reproduces everything that worked in the original, but also improves upon it to create a film that is superior in every way.
Unlike with the Ghostbusters franchise, I viewed the Back to the Future trilogy in chronological order, so by the time I saw the second one, I was already in love with Marty McFly and Doc Brown. While it was great seeing their adventures continue in the sequel, I remember truly staring at the screen in awe of the advanced technology bordering on magic that the filmmakers promised would be our reality by the year 2015. Who didn’t want a pair of self-lacing sneakers, a hoverboard, or a flying car? Though they’re still not a reality as of yet in 2017, at least we can take solace in the fact that the real life Biff Tanner is running America and is as influential as his fictional counterpart, as well as the fact – the way Hollywood keeps churning out sequels – we probably will get a Jaws 19 at some point sooner rather than later.
3. The Little Mermaid
Growing up, a lot of young children develop cute, completely innocent crushes on certain cartoon characters, and I was no exception. For me, it was on Ariel in The Little Mermaid. While I can’t remember if it was this “crush” that drew me as a young boy to watching this film in the first place, it’s certainly not the titular mermaid’s strategically placed seashells that makes me rank it as one of the best films of 1989, nor what drives me to re-watch it every time I stumble across it playing on Freeform or the Disney Channel.
I’m an enormous Disney fan, and I think I can attribute my huge fandom for the company directly to this movie as it was the first film released by the studio that I remember watching. In that way alone, The Little Mermaid changed my life. Watching it as a child was an absolutely magical, colorful experience, and I remember belting Under the Sea and Kiss the Girl along with Sebastian the crab every time my mother put the VHS tape into our VCR. While there may be lessons in the film that are questionable at best nowadays (ie. a woman giving up her entire life for a man she loves), it still holds up as an excellent musical adventure that ushered in the Golden Age of Disney films that includes Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, and The Lion King. When the inevitable live-action remake hits theaters within a few years, you can bet I’ll be one of the first people in line to see it.
2. National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation
Let me be honest upfront – I’m a sucker for Christmas. It’s by far my favorite holiday, and my favorite time of year; I love everything about it. If a movie or a television show incorporates any aspect of the holiday into its plot, chances are it will bump my rating up a point. I don’t think it’s my bias speaking, however, when I say that not only is Christmas Vacation the best-made film in the entire National Lampoon franchise, but it is also legitimately the funniest.
While I always loved this movie as a child, it’s one of the rare ones that gets funnier and becomes more relatable with age, which is why I’m rating it so high on my list. Clark Griswold’s determination to have a “good old-fashioned family Christmas” that includes both sides of the family, the perfect tree, a nicely decorated house, a delicious feast, and plenty of presents is a plight that many people can relate to. What even more people can relate to, however, are the most perfectly laid out plans going wrong, which I believe is a key facet to this film’s enduring popularity. What this film truly accomplishes, however, is being incredibly funny, while having an abundance of Christmas cheer that never veers too close to becoming overly sappy or sentimental. That, in itself, is a Christmas miracle that many holiday films have failed to achieve since. It’s because of this that, every December without fail, I end up watching this movie multiple times.
1. Batman
I can’t even begin to express in words just how much the character of Batman means to me. He is, and always has been, my favorite fictional character of all time. I think I was destined from birth to love this particular hero, because there are pictures of me in my parents’ house at only a few months old wearing onesies with the insignia of the Caped Crusader embroidered into them. So in case either of them are reading this, I just want to say, “Thanks, mom and dad, for starting my life off right by introducing me to the Dark Knight right off the bat! (Pun intended.)”
I’ll never forget the first time I watched Tim Burton’s Batman. I always knew that I would like it, but I had no idea that it would open my eyes as to what the character of Batman is truly all about. I didn’t see it for the first time until I was almost ten years old, and up until that point in time, all of my Batman knowledge came from the old Adam West television series and the incredible Batman: The Animated Series. Tim Burton’s film, however, was a revelation to me in terms of exactly what could be done with the character. It introduced me to his complex psychology, and opened my eyes to the fact that people actually could take a movie about a man dressed as a giant bat while fighting a homicidal clown seriously. More so than Richard Donner’s Superman from a decade before, Batman truly laid the groundwork for the modern superhero renaissance that we currently live in nowadays. And in terms of the character himself, the movie helped him to escape the campy perception of him the public had developed since the sixties, bringing him back to his darker roots. It also inspired me to delve into the Batman mythology via comic books, from which I branched off into other DC titles before making my way over to Marvel. This movie truly helped to shape me, turning me into the enormously proud geek that I am today, and for that, I am eternally grateful.
I’m extremely proud whenever I get to bring up the fact that these five legendary movies came out the year of my birth. Besides the ones mentioned above, however, there were a plethora of other films that came out in 1989 that are just as iconic – did I happen to disregard any that you would have included in place of any of the above? Hit the comments and let me know below!
This is the most obvious path forward, but the one I also believe is least likely. Why? Because frankly, I don’t believe the WB ever had a coherent plan in place when they started this venture. Obviously, Zack Snyder – when hired to oversee this universe – had an idea for an overarching story he wanted to tell. But I don’t believe that he or Warner Bros. ever had any idea how each film would intricately connect to one another. Nor do I believe that they knew how to make each individual superhero feel tonally different from one another and reflective of the source material they hail from, while at the same time maintaining visual continuity between each film.
This is another scenario that, while possible, I believe is highly unlikely. The idea of starting from scratch and taking the same approach the Marvel Cinematic Universe has used for years – giving each member of the Justice League their own standalone film in order to get the audience to care about them before throwing them together in a team up movie – is a good one in theory. After all, if it’s not broken, you shouldn’t fix it, and Marvel has developed a winning formula. But were Warner Bros. to take this route, think of the amount of talent they’d be losing – Ben Affleck, Amy Adams, Margot Robbie, Jason Momoa, Jeremy Irons, Jared Leto, Diane Keaton, etc. Because of all of the A-list talent involved, I think it’s far more likely the WB will try to refrain from rebooting and do everything in their power to continue making these films with the cast they already have in place.
One of the key differences between seeing Marvel and DC Comics is the fact that the Marvel universe was created around the idea of its heroes inhabiting the same world and crossing over with one another all of the time. DC heroes were all created individually, and it wasn’t until after witnessing the success Marvel was having with their team up stories that DC decided to retcon their stories so that all of their heroes inhabited the same Earth as well. They were shoehorned into the same universe for profit, and while it may have worked in the comics, it may not adapt well in live-action movies. (It’s clearly not working as of yet!)
