Natalie Portman Exits, Tessa Thompson Enters ‘Thor: Ragnarok’

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April 11, 2016

Asgard bares good and bad news today. Let’s start off with the bad: after appearing in both Thor and Thor: The Dark World as Jane Foster, the titular superhero’s Earthbound love interest, it looks like Natalie Portman is stepping out from appearing in the third film in the series, the upcoming Thor: Ragnarok. The reasoning for why the Oscar winner won’t appear in the new blockbuster is unclear at the moment, but here comes the good news. Potentially replacing her in the new film is Tessa Thompson, the exceptionally-talented young standout from Dear White People, Selma and, most recently, last fall’s phenomenal Creed.

Whom Thompson will play is also left unclear at the moment, but THR notes she has a “key role” in the new sequel, set to be released on July 28, 2017. Some are speculating Thompson will potentially play a new love interest for our dashing blonde-hair demi-god. I guess where one door closes, another one opens. Or, I guess more appropriately, where one hammer is slammed to the ground, another is ….. picked up? You get what I mean. I think.

Don’t mourn Thor and Jane’s lost love just yet, though. Stellan Skarsgard has currently not been asked to come back yet either, according to Den of Geek, and Marvel has made no secret about how Ragnarok will largely take place away from our home planet. While these characters are not expected to return, do expect some buddy-buddy time between Thor and Hulk, as the film is being called “a buddy picture” of sorts between the two mismatched Avengers. Perhaps this explains why neither are reported to be featured in next month’s Captain America: Civil War.

This bit of casting news is also particularly curious as Portman and Thompson are both soon slated to star in Annihilation, Alex Garland’s follow-up to last year’s exceptional directorial debut Ex Machina. They round out a cast that also includes Oscar Isaac, Jennifer Jason Leigh and Gina Rodriguez (Jane the Virgin). Production on Garland’s sophomore film begins in a mere few weeks.

Portman is also spending her non-MCU time appearing in Jackie, The Death and Life of John F. Donovan, Planetarium, The Heyday of the Insensitive Bastards and Terrence Malick’s Weightless. Thompson, meanwhile, can also soon be seen in War on Everyone, Salt Water and HBO’s Westworld. If we ever get to see that new show, that is.

While it’s disappointing to not see Portman work her magic, it’s evident she hasn’t been living up to her full potential here — especially in that last Thor. This is probably for the best. Additionally, Thompson is an amazing young talent and it’s great to see her in more mainstream projects. Hopefully she isn’t wasted as Portman often was in these films. We’ll have to see when Thor: Ragnarok, directed by Taika Waititi (What We Do in the Shadows) and also starring Chris Hemsworth (of course), Tom Hiddleston, Cate Blanchett, Mark Ruffalo and Jaimie Alexander, stomps its way into theaters. There’s also no word yet on whether Kat Dennings is set to return. But don’t count on it.

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Hugh Jackman Can’t Wait To Get His Claws In ‘Apocalypse’

By

Matthew Sardo

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April 11, 2016

A new trailer for ‘X-Men: Apocalypse’ is rumored to drop this Thursday at CinemaCon during the 20th Century Fox presentation, according to sources at Heroic Hollywood.

According to the report, the newly mastered trailer will be in 3D and feature Wolverine. Logan wasn’t originally part of the film, but director Bryan Singer figured out a way to fit Hugh Jackman in the movie and work around everyone’s schedule.

Fans will find out Thursday if this scoop is true.

X-Men: Apocalypse is directed by Bryan Singer and stars Michael Fassbender, Jennifer Lawrence, James McAvoy and Nicholas Hoult, Oscar Isaac (Apocalypse), Sophie Turner (Jean Grey), Tye Sheridan (Cyclops), Alexandra Shipp (Storm), Lana Condor (Jubilee), Olivia Munn, and Kodi Smit-McPhee.

Ancient mutant Apocalypse is unearthed after 5,000 years and recruits his four horsemen; Magneto, Psylocke, Storm, and Angel. The Four Horsemen of Apocalypse try to reboot the world through destruction.

The film is set in the 1980s, and we will see younger versions of previously seen characters.

X-Men: Apocalypse opens in theaters on May 27.

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‘Kong: Skull Island’ Behind-The-Scenes Special, Starring Tom Hiddleston, Brie Larson

By

Larry Taylor - Managing Editor

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April 11, 2016

Kong: Skull Island hits theaters in March next year, but last night we got a rather extensive behind-the-scenes look at the film. Tom Hiddleston and Brie Larson star in the film and they spearhead this glimpse on set.

The most interesting thing about Kong: Skull Island is the time period. This story takes place during the Vietnam War, roughly thirty plus years after Peter Jackson’s King Kong (or the original, for that matter). It should be interesting to see the continuity between that film and this one. Also, while Michael Keaton and J.K. Simmons dropped out of the project, it appears they’ve recovered nicely from those two leaving the fray with the addition of Hiddleston, Larson, Sam Jackson, and John Goodman.

The special debuted last night on the MTV Movie Awards, but for those of us out there wise enough to skip that scourge on society, here’s the promo video in its entirety:

Get More:
2016 MTV Movie Awards, Latest Movie News, A Sneak Peek From The Set Of ‘Kong: Skull Island’ – 2016 MTV Movie Awards

There isn’t much of a synopsis, except the claim this movie is going to explore King Kong’s origins. Which doesn’t really gel with he time period, but whatever. Kong: Skull Island is directed by Jordan Vogt-Roberts, who previously directed the fantastic small indie flick The Kings of Summer.

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Review: ‘The Vision’ Vol. 1 – A Brilliant Tale of Suburban Horror

By

Anthony Composto - EIC

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April 11, 2016

When Alan Moore was writing his legendary Saga of the Swamp Thing run in the 1980’s, DC started branding the words “Sophisticated Suspense” at the top of each cover. It was the perfect juxtaposition of descriptors, because Moore was telling a perfectly balanced tale. It was bone chilling and eery, but also beautiful and elegant, and it was somehow exploring the human condition through a character that was not technically human. The run was a pinnacle of storytelling, and Tom King has achieved that same level of excellence in his current run on The Vision.

When the story begins, Vision has literally built a family for himself: a wife, Virginia, and two children, Vin and Viv. They live in a quiet Virginian suburb within flying distance of Vision’s job at the White House. Everything seems perfectly normal, and it is at first. It’s too normal; it’s an unsettling amount of normal.

Slowly but surely, things begin to unravel for the Visions. While their patriarch is away, the family is attacked by the Grim Reaper, who proceeds to wound Viv and wreck the house. Virginia acts swiftly, protecting her family with a baking pan, killing the Reaper in the process.

The whole sequence is jarring, and that’s what makes this series great. It sets up these tranquil scenarios, lulls the reader into a false sense of security, and then swiftly pulls the rug out. The narration remains calm all the while, only adding to the creep factor.

The artwork aids in the rattling in a huge way. Gabriel Hernandez Walta’s pencils and Jordie Bellaire’s colors creates a subdued and unsuspecting atmosphere, which makes the shocking moments that much more impactful. And trust that the artwork doesn’t hold back; the horror sequences are just as gruesome as the dinner scenes are peaceful.

This volume would be a good enough prose novel on its own, but it makes a near perfect comic book when coupled with these illustrations.

The rest of this arc revolves around Virginia trying to cover up the murder, and the ramifications it has on both her family and the community as a whole. It’s an interesting story, but it’s one that’s been heard before. What elevates it is Tom King’s natural ability to take the cliché and shine a light on its deeper philosophical themes.

The story becomes about humanity, and the androids’ struggle to understand it and blend in with the world. As logical beings by design, their impulses don’t correspond with what they know as “normal” human behavior. The family clashes with their neighbors and peers in a way that’s both heart wrenchingly depressing and hysterically real.

This book is everything that good science fiction is supposed to be. It takes a concept and stretches it to fantastic lengths, making it unbelievable and yet totally relatable. The characters are holding a mirror up to the reader and asking, “Is this normal? Are you normal?”

The Vision: “Little Worse Than a Man” is the kind of work that validates comics as a legitimate art form. It’s the kind that could (and should) be taught in higher education’s english and philosophy courses. Tom King and company prove that this is a serious medium to deliver life lessons, and to dissect society’s flaws.

Vision Human Nature Tom King — “To assert as truth that which has no meaning is the core mission of humanity.”

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Preorder The Vision Vol. 1: “Little Worse Than A Man” here! Or pick up issues 1-6 at your local comic shop today!

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Comic Review: Mickey Mouse #Issue 11

By

John Zakour

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April 11, 2016

This issue contains three stories covering sixty plus years of everybody’s favorite mouse. In the first story, Mikey and Goofy have taken to the high seas trying to rescue Mikey’s archeologist friend Eurasia. This originally appeared in Italy in 2005. The Italians do love their comics. It shows with Giorgio Cavazzano’s art which gorgeous. Mickey, Goofy, and Eurasia take on a mad scientist bent on taken over the world. The scientist has an army of purple goons and a giant robot. The story is fun and filled with adventure. Just not sure how much today’s younger reader would appreciate it. Indeed some of the references like “Goodnight Gracie” will fly over their heads. This might make for a more nostalgic read.

The second story features Goofy and his bird friend Ellsworth. Ellsworth is a fairly forgotten character these days. He’s kind of a tough guy bird with a heart of gold or at least silver. Think Jimmy Cagney as this was written in the 50s. In this filler feature, he is protecting a nest of baby birds from a cat. Once again the art is glorious as this is from back in the days when papers seemed to care about Sunday comics and didn’t shrink them. The story though will appeal more to older readers than younger. Still it’s a sweet, easy read.

The third story, once again stars Mickey and Goofy, this one from Brazilian Mickey in 1981. This is a jungle romp with Mickey’s futuristic friend Eega Beeva and his pet Pflip and a magic fountain of legend. The “bad guys” are a bunch of elves called the Gneezle Gnob who are just trying to protect their land. The story has a quirky “Little Abner” feel. Using phrasing like “Hankering,” “Keen” and “Pardon my Presumption” could be confusing to today’s younger reader but once again an enjoyable look at Mickey for older readers.

Summary: a fun glimpse of Mickey and company through the decades. The character has been drawn remained remarkably constant which says something for the enduring feel and appeal of the world’s most famous mouse.

Publisher: IDW
Story 1: Shadow of the Colossus (2/2)
Writer: Andrea Castellan
Artist: Giorgio Cavazzano
From Italian Topolino 2005

Story 2: Cat Crusader
Writer: Bill Walsh
Artist: Manuel Gonzales
From: Mickey Mouse Sunday comic 1951

Story 3: Second Childhood at Gneezle Gnob
Writer: Ivan Saidenberg
Artist Roberto O. Fukue
From Brazilian Mickey 348, 1981

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New Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them Trailer

By

Justin Chechourka

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April 11, 2016

The MTV Movie Awards are great for one thing… dropping tons of new trailers and clips. And between a super heroes and giant apes, Newt Scamander passed through customs in the new trailer for Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.

The one place you won’t find a lot of fantastic beasts, is in this trailer. But we do learn that Scamander (played by Eddie Redmayne) was expelled from Hogwarts for endangering student lives with one of his animals. We also learn that Albus Dumbledore was in Scamander’s corner trying to keep him from getting the boot.

Outside of that, we get the opportunity to see more of his magical suitcase. As Scamander’s goes through customs he recognizes his beast-carrying trunk needs to be fixed and then with a push of a “muggle button” made the contents look harmless. We also get more of a sense of just how big the suitcase can be when Scamander, not only walks inside of it, but appears to be descending down stairs or a ladder.

[embedyt] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ViuDsy7yb8M[/embedyt]

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them is a prequel to the Harry Potter series and is set to hit theaters in November.

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Suicide Squad: Let’s Get To Know The Squad

By

EJ Moreno

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April 10, 2016

After A New Preview, Suicide Squad’s Team Of Bad Guys Is Looking Good

Following the most recent trailer for the second DC films this year, the hype for ‘Suicide Squad‘ continues to grow. The newest preview dives into the story & the characters in the film even more. Characters like El Diablo and Killer Croc finally get some lines while we now see even more of Jared Leto’s Joker. The real centerpiece of this and every other trailer has been Harley Quinn. The face of the film, the sadistic and sarcastic clown really makes these trailers so good.

But who are all these characters? This trailer is jam-packed with more characters than an average Marvel movie; most of them being relatively new for the casual fan. So I’ll break down the important players in the film, giving key points about each.

1. Amanda Waller

-We start with the woman in charge of this entire suicide mission. Amanda Waller in the comic book is often the leader of A.R.G.U.S., a secretive US federal agency known for their shady practices. She is seemingly playing the same role in the film, her shady attitude very apparent. Played by the incredible Viola Davis, the film is lucky to have such a strong actor to lead this insane cast. It’s going to be great to see Davis bring this hated character to life. Let’s hope she make it out of this film alive so we can see her in later movies.

2. Harley Quinn

-Usually the girlfriend of The Joker and always an insane bad-ass, Harley Quinn is one of the most beloved characters in all of the DC franchise. Played in her first movie appearance by Margot Robbie, Quinn will be the centerpiece of this wild film. Though she isn’t the leader like Deadshot or Rick Flag but she is one of the most deadly on the team. You also shouldn’t let her bubbly persona fool you, she is highly intelligent as well. Will the public love her as much the comic fans?

3. Deadshot

-When Will Smith signed on for Deadshot, many people were shocked as the character has never been depicated as a black man. And after Smith’s first “superhero” film ‘Hancock‘, fans were also concerned. After a couple of clips in the trailers, people are finally starting to come around. The costume design for Deadshoot is nearly perfect & his skills with guns have been on display. Everything fans could ask for is here. Smith also brings some much needed humor to the role.

4. Rick Flag

-Even to some big fans of the DC franchise, Rick Flag is a character not many people are familiar with. In the film, he is hired by Amanda Waller to make sure nothing goes wrong on the mission. The third generation military man, Flag was originally supposed to be played by Tom Hardy but Joel Kinnaman ended up with the role. While he isn’t as interesting as some of the more colorful characters, Rick Flag will play an excellent straight-man to all the fun chaos.

5. The Joker

-Having been recently played by Heath Ledger in ‘The Dark Knight‘, no one was ready for another Joker. But you can’t tell a ‘Suicide Squad‘ story without the clown prince looming in the background. This new version of Batman’s most infamous villain is unlike anything we’ve seen before. Covered in tattoos and dressed like a mobster, this Joker garish style stands out among the rest. But Jared Leto still encapsulates the clown with his iconic laugh & utter insanity. Little is known about his role in the film but one can assume it involves his lover Harley.

6. Enchantress

-Completely re-vamped for the big screen, this version of Enchantress is rumored to play a major role in this film. Her comic book self is sometimes known to be possessed by an evil entity and it looks like this story could be playing out here. The ‘Suicide Squad’ needs a mission and this witch, played by Cara Delevingne, could be it. Will this evil entity need to be taken down by the team? We’ve seen a mysterious tree-like creature in the trailers; could this be her magic?

7. Captain Boomerang

-George Harkness, who is more commonly known as Captain Boomerang, is one of The Flash’s many villains. More annoying than dangerous, Boomerang is still someone to not be messed with. Played by Jai Courtney, the character has gotten the most screen time out of the secondary characters. If it’s fighting, drinking a beer, or hitting on Katana, Boomerang might be a “cant-miss” character in the film. Without the Scarlet Speedster around, who will he bother now?

Who are you most excited to see? Does Leto’s Joker interest you? Are you excited to see a live-action Harley? Does this look better than ‘Batman v Superman‘? Let me know in the comments below!

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Well, that was fast! New Suicide Squad trailer at MTV Awards

By

Chad Descoteaux

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April 10, 2016

A few weeks ago, the interwebs reported that WB was putting tens of millions of dollars into Suicide Squad reshoots that would give the movie more jokes. This was reportedly in response to criticisms of Batman v. Superman for being humorless. And I wrote an article about it.

Well, as further proof that I fell for an April Fools joke (when I could’ve sworn that this was online the day before), a new Suicide Squad trailer was released during the MTV Awards, with never-before-seen funny parts. And the second Wayne’s World song that they’ve used in these trailers (Bohemian Rhapsody and Ballroom Blitz). My favorite of the new jokes that WB must’ve spent millions on is when the fire guy can’t drink alcohol. Enjoy the trailer while I go drink some myself.

[embedyt] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OwHQjzRgHQA[/embedyt]

Suicide Squad is coming out August 5th. The film stars Margot Robbie as Harley Quinn, Jared Leto as The Joker, Will Smith as Deadshot, Jai Courtney as Captain Boomerang and Viola Davis as Amanda Waller. Directed by David Ayer.

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Negan, Punisher, Death, and Louis CK (Telly Buddies Podcast)

By

Jon Barr - TV Editor

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April 10, 2016

Brand new television podcast, Telly Buddies, goes in-depth into lots of television topics, based off new shows and news stories. Episode 1 covers the S06 finale of The Walking Dead, and all the faults that came with it. We also discuss the role of Punisher in Daredevil’s second season, and Louis CK’s move from FX to his new web series, Horace & Pete. To go along with such light-hearted material, we kick off the conversation with deaths we found to be particularly moving.

FAIR WORD OF WARNING: The Telly Buddies Podcast contains spoilers for shows like The Walking Dead, Arrow, and House of Cards. We also discuss deaths from shows like Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Breaking Bad, so while those shows have been out for a while, you’ll want to be wary if you’re hoping to keep those shows a surprise for yourself.

Telly Buddies podcast is hosted by Jon Barr, an avid TV fan and writer on Monkeys Fighting Robots (if you didn’t guess). Guests this week are Josh Corrigan, Andres Osorio, and Emma Layden. Artwork created by Scott Ginsberg, and intro/outro music is “Nevermind the Books,” as performed by Mourning Todds.

Telly Buddies Topics Covered (In Order)

-New Stories: New Netflix series, Powerpuff Girls reboot

-TV Deaths that we found particularly shocking/moving

-Punisher’s role in the Marvel Netflix-verse, and the possibility of a solo series

-Louis CK’s Horace and Pete, and the possible end of Louie

-The season six finale of The Walking Dead, and the recent death on Arrow

Article specifically mentioned: 5 Characters on ‘The Walking Dead’ That Should Die

Do you have any topics you’d like to hear about? Send any television-related questions to tellybuddiespodcast@gmail.com. Also, follow us on Twitter @TellyBuddies, and subscribe to our SoundCloud feed, which is currently the only platform the podcast is available on (though that is hopefully going to be updated soon).

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Batman Drops In New ‘Suicide Squad’ Trailer

By

Larry Taylor - Managing Editor

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April 10, 2016

The second Suicide Squad trailer is here, and this time Batman swings into the action. We get a ton of new footage here, and the tone of the movie – much in question following the failure of Batman v Superman – looks light and breezy. And pretty exciting.

Here it is:

It’ll be interesting seeing Affleck’s Batman here as a supporting player, mere months after stumbling out of the gate in Zack Snyder’s epic misfire. The cast looks game (even Jai Courtney) and the ground-eleven aesthetics of David Ayer should be a breath of fresh air.

Suicide Squad hits theaters August 5.

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