Joe Russo Nixes Any Possible Avengers-X-Men Movie Crossover

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August 26, 2016

x-men vs avengers still — We can only hope that a crossover will happen one day.

Marvel fans have been wondering if and when the X-Men are going to team up with the Avengers onscreen. Many of them were hopeful after hearing Avengers: Infinity War will feature 67 Marvel characters.

According to a Comicbook.com interview, co-director Joe Russo explains there are no such plans. As of 2016, Fox still owns the X-Men and the Fantastic Four film rights.

“As far as we know, right now there isn’t talk regarding the X-Men,” he says. “I don’t know if behind-the-scenes there were conversations or if there are conversations happening but we certainly haven’t heard of any.”

Russo states the process of negotiations is tricky. This is due to the rights ownership and agreeing on terms being a difficult subject. Although it took some bargaining, Spider-Man did appear in Captain America: Civil War.

Sony now has a deal with Disney and Marvel. Although Sony owns Spider-Man, Marvel has creative input into the franchise going forward. There is no such deal between Marvel and Fox, but the latter did sign off on a Legion television series. X-Men director Bryan Singer will produce the show.

“Sony and Marvel had a relationship through Kevin [Feige] and Amy [Pascal] and through us and Amy. That’s really how Spider-Man came about,” Russo says. “It requires a certain alchemy and a very special situation for studios to share properties.”

Russo does reveal Marvel did not have any discussions with Fox on a Civil War crossover. “There was not talk on Civil War about the X-Men,” he says. In contrast, the Civil War comic book has the X-Men trying to stay neutral in the conflict.

While the X-Men won’t be appearing, the Guardians of the Galaxy will be in the movie. One can only hope Iron Man and Star-Lord will engage in witty banter or a dance-off.

Avengers: Infinity War arrives in theatres on May 4, 2018.

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Sam Mendes Eyeing a ‘James and The Giant Peach’ Live-Action Adaptation

By

Larry Taylor - Managing Editor

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August 26, 2016

Sam Mendes, director of some of the most memorable children’s films, like Revolutionary Road, American Beauty, and Road to Perdition, is circling a live-action adaptation of James and The Giant Peach.

According to the Deadline report, Mendes would be working from a screenplay by Nick Hornby, nominated last year for his Brooklyn screenplay. Like the report says, “talks are in the very early stages,” but imagining Sam Mendes in charge of a kid’s movie is interesting indeed.

Of course he hasn’t done anything along those lines thus far in his career, but I have no doubt he has the creative range to tackle the Roald Dahl book. James and The Giant Peach was previously given the stop-motion treatment in 1996, in a film directed by Henry Selick.

Stop motion was a good medium for such a bizarro children’s book, but live action would definitely be cool to see. It worked for Willy Wonka… the Gene Wilder one, not the Johnny Depp one that is. Let’s all forget about that Johnny Depp one, shall we?

Sam Mendes’ next project, The Voyeur’s Motel, about… well… a voyeur who opens his own hotel, definitely isn’t a kid’s movie. We’ll see what happens.

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Keiichi Hara Impresses With New ‘Miss Hokusai’ Trailer

By

Matthew Sardo

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August 26, 2016

Gkids released a new trailer and poster for Keiichi Hara’s epic ‘Miss Hokusai’ Friday morning.

From award-winning director Keiichi Hara (Colorful) and Japanese powerhouse Production I.G (creators of Ghost in the Shell) comes a remarkable story of the daughter behind one of history’s most famous artists. As all of Edo flocks to see the work of the revered painter Hokusai, his daughter O-Ei toils diligently inside his studio. Her masterful portraits, dragons and erotic sketches- sold under the name of her father- are coveted by upper crust Lords and journeyman print makers alike. Shy and reserved in public, in the studio O-Ei is as brash and uninhibited as her father, smoking a pipe while sketching drawings that would make contemporary Japanese ladies blush. But despite this fiercely independent spirit, O-Ei struggles under the domineering influence of her father and is ridiculed for lacking the life experience that she is attempting to portray in her art. Miss Hokusai’s bustling Edo (present-day Tokyo) is filled with yokai spirits, dragons, and conniving tradesmen, while O-Ei’s relationships with her demanding father and blind younger sister provide a powerful emotional underpinning to this sumptuously-animated coming-of-age tale.

‘Miss Hokusai’ opens in select theaters on October 14.

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Donald Glover Talks Han Solo Movie Rumors And Spider-Man

By

Jonathan Bruce

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August 26, 2016

Disney is gearing up production on the upcoming Han Solo spin-off movie, and Donald Glover fans are voicing their support.

According to thewrap.com, Glover is the frontrunner for Lando Calrissian, whom Billy Dee Williams portrayed in the original trilogy.

The Han Solo movie is set 10 to 15 years before the events of A New Hope. Alden Ehrenreich will play the young Han. How Lando will work into the plot is unknown, but it is possible we might see the sabacc game that won Han the Millennium Falcon.

In an interview with Atlanta, Glover is asked about the possibility of his playing Lando, but he does not confirm anything, saying “There are rumours.”

However, Glover does profess to being a huge fan of Star Wars. “I mean, I grew up on it. My dad was a big fan,” he says. “I had all the toys when I was little. I had a Darth Vader with the lightsaber he has. It was cool. It’s a dynasty. It’s like the bible. I love that franchise.”

Glover will appear in 2017’s Spider-Man: Homecoming. Previously, in 2010, his Twitter comment of wanting to play Spider-Man led to a fan campaign for Glover to play the role. Even though he didn’t get the part, he remains philosophical.

The internet is a strange box. It was weird to see that full circle I only did because I thought it was a cool role. I’m never going to do something just because. I’d rather take a risk, at least right now when I can still do that. It’s just weird.”

While he doesn’t reveal too much, Glover describes Spider-Man: Homecoming as a “fun” experience.

“I’m glad I got the opportunity. You don’t want it to feel like some sort of affirmative action. This wasn’t that at all. I know the director, he’s doing a really good job and good ideas.”

Spider-Man: Homecoming premieres on July 7, 2017. The Untitled Han Solo Anthology Film is set for a 2018 release.

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Episode 89: ‘Don’t Breathe’ vs ‘Hands Of Stone’

By

Matthew Sardo

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August 26, 2016

This week the films battling it out for your attention are ‘Don’t Breathe’ and ‘Hands Of Stone.’ A boxing film and a horror movie, as Matt loves boxing and EJ loves horror; the debate will be fast and furious.

Also, ‘Fear the Walking Dead’ is back and with a lack of source material to tie down the plot, ‘Fear the Walking Dead’ has a chance to surpass the original in quality.

Do you want to be our SUPER-FAN of the week? All you have to do is comment on this podcast to be eligible.

Do you have a question that you would like answered during the show?
Email your questions to matt@popaxiom.com.

If you are looking to sponsor the podcast email matt@popaxiom.com as well.

A Gen Xer and a Millennial debate the latest topics in pop culture. One guy is a filmmaker and the other is a journalist, but both are nerds. We make your slowest days at work better. Hosts, Matthew Sardo and EJ Moreno.

Never heard of Matt Sardo?
For starters, he made the Kessel Run in less than 11 parsecs. Prior to that, he gave Doc Brown the idea for the flux capacitor and led the Resistance to victory over SkyNet – all while sipping a finely crafted IPA. As a radio host, he’s interviewed celebrities, athletes and everyone in between. He’s covered everything from the Super Bowl to Comic-Con.

Who is EJ Moreno?
Is he a trained physician? No. Is he a former Miss Universe contestant? Possibly. But what we know for sure is he’s a writer, filmmaker, and pop culture enthusiast. Since film school, EJ has written & directed several short films. He’s used his passion of filmmaking to become a movie critic for MonkeysFightingRobots.com.

Places you can find the show:
iTunes
Stitcher

Reviews are greatly appreciated – How to Rate and Review a Podcast in iTunes

Thank you for listening!

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‘Rupaul’s Drag Race All Stars 2’ Premiere Recap: Things Are Shaken Up

By

EJ Moreno

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August 25, 2016

All Stars 2 Becomes The Shadiest Season In Drag Race Her-story!

I think I may have witnessed the greatest episode of ‘RuPaul’s Drag Race‘. All Stars 2 kicked off with a showcase of amazing talent filled with the biggest names in drag. You knew this was gonna be some tough competition but RuPaul has up the ante even more. Not only are the queens eliminating each other now, there was a shocking mystery twist at the end.

But let’s start at the beginning.

We are introduced to 10 drag queens one by one. I loved how the new introductions featured a clip from the first time the queens appeared on their original season. Great way to blend old and new. It was also amazing to see how far each All Star as come in terms of make-up and talent.

Below is a quick peek at each queen this season and their first look:

After we re-meet the queens, we are thrusted right into some challenges. Usually saved for a later episode, we get to see the “Reading Is Fundamental” challenge a bit early. Each queen takes the time to insult and “read” the other queen. They throw a little bit of shade and try to get a laugh. The best insults win. Without a doubt, the best had to be Alaska & Katya. Both were so direct and harsh but kept it fun. Alaska wins the first mini challenge of All Stars 2.

“Lets Gets All-Started!”
-Alaska

Ru then tells the girls that they will be performing in a “Talent Show Extravaganza”! Each queen has to show off their talent in hopes to impress their peers and the judging panel. There is some memorable numbers like Katya’s strange gymnastics routine or Tatianna’s amazing spoken-word piece. But the real winner of the evening was Roxxxy Andrews who does quite the stunning burlesque number.

Now this is where things got real interesting. Earlier in the show, RuPaul announced that the best two will “lip-sync for their legacy” instead of the usual worst two queens lip-syncing to stay. This means the best two from the challenge battle each other for the chance to win $10,000 and another not-so-sweet prize. This no-so-sweet prize is having to eliminate someone from the bottom, the worst of the week. So instead of RuPaul calling the shots, we now see some real mind-games begin.

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The best of the week ending up being Tatianna and Roxxxy Andrews. The queens lip-synced to “Shake It Off” by Taylor Swift. Roxxxy kept a burlesque feel to her performance while Tatianna went for full-on choreography. The contrasting styles were interesting to see but in the end, Roxxxy sweeps up the win.

Then the real challenge begins…

After getting torn to shreds by the judges, the bottom queens of the week (Coco, Adore, and Phi Phi) are all up for elimination. Since Roxxxy won, she had the tough decision of sending home some amazingly talented queens. Coco ended up being the one to go home first but…

RuPaul comes on the TV in the workroom as Coco is backing up to leave. She secretly lets Coco know there is another twist! She will be able to get her revenge!

What does it mean?

We will find out next week on All Stars 2!

What did you think? Let me know in the comments below!

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Vincent D’onofrio Joins Bruce Willis In Eli Roth-Directed ‘Death Wish’

By

EJ Moreno

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August 25, 2016

How Do You Keep Up With The 1974 ‘Death Wish’ Classic? Hire D’onofrio!

Eli Roth is building quite the amazing cast for his ‘Death Wish‘ remake. No one was expecting the horror director to take on this Charles Bronson classic but once he added Bruce Willis, it sparked people’s interest. Then today, news breaks that Vincent D’onofrio is joining the cast along with Dean Norris from ‘Breaking Bad‘.

The film will follow a man named Paul Kersey (Bruce Willis) who begins to hunt down the perpetrators of violent crimes to his wife and daughter. Kersey is upset these men weren’t rightfully reprimanded so he takes justice and violence into his own hands.

Vincent D’onofrio will be playing the brother to Bruce Willis’s character. After his sick turn as a baddie on ‘Daredevil‘, I would have loved to see him play a criminal here. Also, Dean Norris will be playing Detective Rains. Another great actor who could have shined in a villain role.

Production of ‘Death Wish‘ will begin Sept. 26th and they will film in both Montreal and Chicago. The film was originally set in New York City.

Are you excited for this re-imagining of the classic 1974 film ‘Death Wish‘?

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Review: ‘Steven Universe’: Mindful Education: Combined Burdens

By

Anthony Wendel

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August 25, 2016

Steven and Connie learn to focus better.

SPOILER ALERT

There is a lot to unpack in this episode. Its start off with Connie being distracted and from there it’s revealed she’s made a mistake and needs to own up to it. This is solved pretty easily through a musical number but right afterwards, Steven’s demons come out to play. Sadly it doesn’t look like his will be solved simply by a catchy song and a little relaxation meditation.

Though they come out for a brief moment, Steven’s problems really help to illustrate all he is dealing with. He recently had to defeat several enemies in a much more brutal manner than he was accustomed to and is having difficulty realizing a simple joke and a friendly hug won’t solve everything every time. All of these feelings seem to be coming from one specific event but it’s better to watch it in the episode instead of having it explained. Needless to say, Steven may need a therapist appointment twice a week for the rest of his life.

The episode also gave a little more of an insight into Ruby and Sapphire. It’s shown Ruby is one to get frustrated by a problem and it consumes all of her focus. Sapphire on the other hand is able to not let one problem get to her but when instead becomes consumed trying to look at all the problems around her she often gets overwhelmed. It’s an interesting look into the characters and the entire segment is beautifully told through actions and without dialogue.

This episode really sticks with you after it’s over. It leaves one of those emotional impacts which takes a moment to recover from and you have to remind yourself you need to breath. Hopefully episodes of this caliber will be more commonplace in the middle of the season instead of the weird and more comedic ones which were littered throughout the middle of seasons two and three.

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‘American Horror Story’ Star Sarah Paulson In Talks To Join ‘Ocean’s Eight’

By

EJ Moreno

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August 25, 2016

Emmy Nominated Actress Sarah Paulson In Early Talks To Star Along-Side Sandra Bullock and Cate Blanchett In ‘Ocean’s Eight’, According To Deadline.com!

If this deal with Warner Bros. goes through, we have another strong addition to the female-led ‘Ocean’s Eleven‘ spin-off.

Sarah Paulson may join the likes of Sandra Bullock, Cate Blanchett, Anne Hathaway, Rihanna, Helena Bonham Carter, and Mindy Kaling.

This news comes just weeks before Sarah Paulson attempts to bring home an Emmy for her work on ‘People vs OJ Simpson‘ and ‘American Horror Story‘.

It was also just announced Paulson is joining the star-studded Ryan Murphy anthology project titled ‘Feud‘.

Little is known about the plot of ‘Ocean’s Eight‘. It might revolve around the ladies robbing the Met Ball. We do know the film will be directed Gary Ross of ‘Hunger Games‘ fame and produced by Steven Soderbergh. It will also be connected to the original ‘Ocean’s‘ franchise so look out for a Clooney or Damon cameo.

No release date has been set for the film.

What do you think of Sarah Paulson potentially joining this already stacked cast?

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Review: ‘Back To The Future: Citizen Brown’ #4: Necessary Maintenance

By

Anthony Wendel

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August 25, 2016

*SPOILER ALERT FOR BACK TO THE FUTURE: CITIZEN BROWN #4*

Marty escapes the alternate present of 1986-B, fleeing back to 1931 to correct the time stream — all he has to do is break a couple of hearts. But one man sets out to stop him: Doc Brown! The future hangs in the balance!

Writing

The story by Erik Burnham, based on the original video game, has really experienced some highs and lows. This issue though is somewhere right in the middle. It picks up from last issue’s cliffhanger and finds a way for Doc and Marty to break out of their predicament. From there though, the issue slows down and almost lets itself coast to the finish line.

Keeping in mind this was based on a game, this issue almost feels like they could have ended the game (story) here and everything would have worked out in the end. It kind of makes it so the last episode is just tacked on the end because they needed one more good twist to keep the game play interesting. This isn’t really Burnham’s fault, but unfortunately it feels like the next issue will be unnecessary.

Artwork

The art still remains on point with helping to showcase the difference in the settings and the characters thought the two time periods. One of the better details through the issue is how Doc Brown’s thick beard helps to make him look haggard and exhausted. It’s the little details by artist Alan Robinson that shine through.

Conclusion

The story is coming together, but the more of this series which comes out, the more it feels like it will work better as a full graphic novel. Basically it might be best just to wait for the entire miniseries to be collected before finally taking the time to read this book. Only hardcore fans of Back to the Future should consider picking this up issue by issue.

Monkeys Fighting Robots Youtube

All Stars 2 Becomes The Shadiest Season In Drag Race Her-story!

“Lets Gets All-Started!” -Alaska

(Spoiler Alert) 4 3 2 1

How Do You Keep Up With The 1974 ‘Death Wish’ Classic? Hire D’onofrio!

Emmy Nominated Actress Sarah Paulson In Early Talks To Star Along-Side Sandra Bullock and Cate Blanchett In ‘Ocean’s Eight’, According To Deadline.com!

Writing

Artwork

Conclusion

“Lets Gets All-Started!”
-Alaska

(Spoiler Alert)
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