‘Star Wars: The Last Jedi’ hits theaters in December but it looks as if Colin Trevorrow and Derek Connolly have hit some rough water with the story for ‘Episode IX’ and Jack Thorne has been brought in to work on the script according to reports by the Hollywood Reporter. The report continues to say it is unclear how extensive the rewrites will be.
Thorne has 26 writing credits to his name, with an episode of ‘Philip K. Dick’s Electric Dreams’ the most intriguing of his resume.
The final installment of the new trilogy is expected to start filming January 2018 which gives the writing team five months to get the script in order, but first fans have to survive ‘The Last Jedi.’
About ‘Star Wars: The Last Jedi’
The Skywalker saga continues as the heroes of The Force Awakens join the galactic legends in an epic adventure that unlocks age-old mysteries of the Force and shocking revelations of the past
‘Star Wars: The Last Jedi,’ which is written and directed by Rian Johnson and continues the storylines introduced in ‘Star Wars: The Force Awakens,’ stars Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, Adam Driver, Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac, Lupita Nyong’o, Domhnall Gleeson, Anthony Daniels, Gwendoline Christie, Andy Serkis, Benicio Del Toro, Laura Dern, and Kelly Marie Tran.
‘Star Wars: The Last Jedi’ hits theaters on December 15.
Are you worried about the rewrites to ‘Episode IX’? Comment below.
Things can get awkward quick, and Dave Bautista probably received a phone call this afternoon after he revealed his involvement in a live-action version of Valiant’s ‘Eternal Warrior’ via Twitter.
@HmanBBK – How is your eternal warrior project doing and will we see it on the big screens soon?
@DaveBautista – Glad you asked cuz I’m really excited about EW. We are currently working to get the script fan worthy and then we’ll be full on from there.
Valiant CEO & CCO Dinesh Shamdasani, was questioned about the project as well on Twitter, and response implies Bautista’s involvement in the project.
I can neither confirm nor deny that @DaveBautista just revealed a giant secret lol! – @dinesh_s
Shamdasani also retweeted CBR’s version of this new story.
The Valiant movie universe has been a slow moving process, it was announced in 2015 that Sony Pictures and Valiant partnered for a five picture deal. ‘Bloodshot’ was to arrive in theaters this year with a ‘Harbinger’ film to follow, plus sequels, and a team-up. The last update had Jared Leto in the running for the ‘Bloodshot’ lead and Dave Wilson directing. No updated timetable has been announced.
Now you have an ‘Eternal Warrior’ film in the works as well. Sony and Valiant need to get the projects in order and start producing films.
About Bloodshot:
Brought back from the dead and infused with cutting-edge nanotechnology by private security contractor Project Rising Spirit, Bloodshot is a nearly unstoppable killing machine equipped with enhanced strength, speed, endurance, and healing. Created by Kevin VanHook, Don Perlin, and Bob Layton in 1992, Bloodshot is one of the most successful new comic book characters of the past two decades with more than 100 issues published and lifetime sales of more than 7 million copies in multiple languages around the world
About Harbinger:
Centered on telekinetic teenage runaway Peter Stanchek and his recruitment into the mysterious Harbinger Foundation by secretive CEO and philanthropist Toyo Harada, Harbinger was created by former Marvel Editor-in-Chief Jim Shooter and artist David Lapham in 1992.
About Eternal Warrior:
Across ten millennia and a thousand battlefields, Gilad Anni-Padda has traversed the darkest, most mysterious corners of history. But the horror and bloodshed of constant warfare has finally taken its toll on the man myth calls the Eternal Warrior…and he has abdicated his duties as the Fist and the Steel of Earth for a quiet life of seclusion. But when a blood vendetta from the distant past suddenly reappears in the modern day, he must decide if he will return to the ways of war…for the child who betrayed him thousands of years ago…
Do you think we will ever see a Valiant film? Comment below.
Preacher Feature is a weekly analysis of the AMC show Preacher based on the comic book of the same name by Garth Ennis and Steve Dillon. In this column, we will give a breakdown of the events from the previous night’s show, including how they relate to the comics, and speculate as to what’s going on and what might be coming up. This is to say that there will be spoilers, both actual and potential. If you have not yet watched the episode in question or are watching the show without reading the comics and don’t want to have any foreknowledge of what might happen to Jesse and company, then you would do well to stop reading this now.
Pig takes us to Vietnam, site of a levitating pig, in order to introduce us to Herr Starr: a one-eyed German anti-terrorist agent turned top member of The Grail, and arguably Jesse’s greatest nemesis from the comics (one could argue the case for either Herr Starr or The Saint of Killers). Pip Torrens, who plays Starr, and the writers, did a commendable job of establishing the character of Starr, whom comic fans have been looking forward to seeing in the flesh since last season. Through a series of outrageous flashbacks, we see Starr’s desire for absolute order, his sexual depravity, and his single-mindedness in pursuit of his goals. Competing with a number of other applicants for one spot in the mysterious Grail organization, Starr uses violence, the threat of violence, and “self-consumation” to ensure he stands alone at the end of the trials. Then, after Saltonstall reveals him the true purpose of The Grail (Jesus Christ fathered a child and The Grail preserve the bloodline in order to control the world), he nonchalantly pushes Saltonstall off the balcony and takes his place as the leader of The Grail’s Samson Unit. As for the village in Vietnam? Starr poisons the pig along with every human being in the area to keep this “false prophet” from being worshipped. At the end of the episode, Starr gets a phone call telling him Jesse Custer is the next false prophet to be “investigated”.
“There’s more to the city than bloody jazz and almost getting killed”
Meanwhile, back in New Orleans, the gang has visited the last of the cities 187 jazz bars and still have not found God. They decide to hustle some gun enthusiasts by heading to The Hurt Locker, a bar where patrons bet on whether someone can stand up after getting shot in the chest (while wearing a bullet-proof vest) with handguns of increasing caliber. Tulip and Cassidy pose as boyfriend and girlfriend and Tulip says her boyfriend can take the largest gun they have. After an exchange of ‘I love yous’ (play acting on Tulip’s part, but very real on Cassidy’s), Cassidy lines up to get shot. The bullet tears right through the vest and the crowd (not knowing he’s a vampire and as such is unharmed by such things), freaks out, leaving Jesse and company a pile of money and free access to the bar.
But even such things as these can’t lift the spirits of the group for long. Tulip is still traumatized by her near death at the hands of The Saint and we discover that Denis is dying of congestive heart failure. He tells Cassidy (through an intermediary in the form of a French professor from Tulane) that Cassidy has been a terrible father, but can make it up to him by turning him (Denis) into a vampire. Cassidy staunchly refuses to do so and, upset by the situation, drinks an entire handle of armenac, passes out in the street, and is mistaken for deceased by the operator of New Orlean’s dead cart. Upon waking in a morgue freezer (and not for the first time, we find), he sees a couple grieving over the body of their father and has second thoughts about whether or not to bring Denis into the ranks of the undead.
Tulip, deciding that the only way to get over her nightmares of The Saint is to confront death, goes back The Hurt Locker to get shot in the chest. Jesse talks to a street preacher about the signs of the coming apocalypse and the preacher advises Jesse that selling even a small part of one’s soul is a grave mistake.
Easter Eggs/Connections to the Comics
Starr’s admission to Saltonstall that he was “hoping for something more in the vein of atomic warfare” seems to be a reference to The Grail’s goal in the comic “Preacher Special: One Man’s War”. Their plan is to rig a nuclear war, but have the warheads fail to detonate. They will then show that this “miracle” was performed by their descendant of Christ, so that the populace will accept him as their savior.
The shot of Cassidy chugging (above) is, of course, a nod to John Belushi in Animal House. According to Saltonstall, Belushi was assassinated by The Grail (along with Abraham Lincoln and Charlemagne).
Questions/Theories
Will Cassidy turn Denis into a vampire? Given his penchant for making bad decisions, I’d say it seems likely. This could bring Les Enfants Du Sang (a group of vampire wannabes from the comics) into play.
Best Line
“I dreamt about him again and Cassidy’s fingers, falling like french fries on TV.” – Tulip
The culture of the comic book superhero has grown to immense proportions and is now spawning film after film of our favorite characters like nobody’s business.
The first comic book hero to appear was Doctor Occult, who debuted in DC Comics back in 1935. He was a private detective who specialized in Ghost mysteries. Also known as the Ghost Detective, Doctor Occult used magic to help him to solve his cases. He was created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, the same guys who created Superman – probably the biggest and best-known superhero of all time.
The dominance of DC Comics and Marvel
Superman first hit the scene in 1938, and again was published by DC Comics. He was followed by a string of new superheroes, the most famous of which include the likes of Batman in 1939, The Submariner (1939), The Flash (1940), Green Lantern (1940), Captain America (1941), and Wonder Woman (1941)
Captain America and the Submariner were not a DC Comics characters. They were published by Marvel, who later produced some other great superheroes like The Hulk, Spiderman, and Thor (all 1962), plus Iron Man in 1964.
Between them, DC Comics and Marvel dominate the superhero niche.
It was only a matter of time before the superhero culture was to explode onto the big screen, bringing a new genre of high box-office earning filmmaking, into existence. The early Superman films starring Christopher Reeve were excellent, but a little too goody-goody to be taken seriously.
From comic strip to film noir
The first Batman film from 1989, starring Michael Keaton as the caped crusader, took the old Batman television character to a new level, introducing a little bit of darkness into the superhero mix. By the time we come up to date with Christian Bale’s interpretation of the Batman character, that darkness is fully developed. Finally, Ben Affleck brought the true menace of Batman to life, contrasted with the sophisticated elegance of alter-ego, Bruce Wayne. He portrays both superbly well.
For Batman devotees and geeks, Affleck probably takes the accolade as the ultimate Dark Knight, being the closest thing to the actual character portrayed in the DC Comics.
The film noir feel that Batman brought to the screen’s top superhero movies has changed the perception from comic strip cartoons to serious, believable individuals, with all the weaknesses and foibles of ordinary folk.
We’ve seen the amazing growth of the superhero film industry, and in its efforts to go to new places and introduce new scenarios and challenges, superheroes have been grouped together; sometimes as enemies and sometimes as teams – often dysfunctional teams.
Follow-on to Batman v Superman
The latest superhero team-up is the ‘Justice League,’ which has also been turned into a video slot that can be played at the MrGreen online casino.
Following on from ‘Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice’ – ‘Justice League’ reunites the trio of Batman (Ben Affleck), Superman (Henry Cavill) and Wonder Woman (Gal Gadot). They are joined by a host of other DC superhero favorites including Flash (Ezra Miller), Aquaman (Jason Momoa) and Cyborg (Ray Fisher)
‘Justice League’ is scheduled to debut at movie theatres on November 17. It looks to be the biggest and best of the Warner Brothers’ superhero universe.
The movie brings back to the big screen several characters from ‘Wonder Woman;’ namely Queen Hippolyta (Connie Nielsen), and General Antiope (Robin Wright).
The storyline in a nutshell
In a nutshell, the ‘Justice League’ is about Batman, who garners the help of his newly found ally (Wonder woman) to recruit a team of superheroes to challenge an even bigger threat than the planet has faced before.
The threat comes in the form of super-villain Steppenwolf, who together with his assembled army of parademons, are scouring the Earth in search of three so-called Mother-Boxes. Even with the formidable strengths and talents that the newly formed Justice League possesses, they may not be able to save the Earth.
Somehow, we have a feeling that the Justice League will probably succeed, especially as Superman (Henry Cavill) will be resurrected to join our new team of superheroes. It is a must-see film, so keep your eyes open for it at a cinema near you at the end of the year.
Celebrity scientist Neil deGrasse Tyson has assembled a team of brilliant minds to help him with an immersive and completely customizable video game entitled Space Odyssey. The team includes Bill Nye (the Science Guy), American Gods author Neil Gaiman, and Game of Thronesauthor George R.R. Martin, among others in science and literature.
Space Odyssey is described as an “awe-inspiring gaming experience of galactic exploration and colonization.”
Using the laws of physics and vision of Neil deGrasse Tyson, along with his team of scientists and world-builders, you’ll set out on real science-based missions to explore space, colonize planets, create, and mod in real time.
The Beta is expected to be released late summer/early fall 2018.
The Kickstarter for Space Odyssey has raised over $350,000, surpassing its $314,159 goal (yes, it’s pi).
“I like that they’re creating a world that needs to be self-consistent,” said Tyson, in reference to bringing on Martin and Gaiman. “Create any world you want, just make it self-consistent, and base it on something accessible. I’m a big fan of Mark Twain’s quote: ‘First get your facts straight, then distort them at your leisure.’”
Check out the video game trailer here:
Are you ready to explore a world created by Neil deGrasse Tyson, George R.R. Martin, Bill Nye, and Neil Gaiman? Let’s discuss!
‘Cult’ Described As A “True American Horror Story.”
Showrunner Ryan Murphy is notoriously secretive about American Horror Story. The seventh season ‘Cult‘ is no different. This time though, Murphy is having fun dangling clues in front of fan’s faces. Trying to decipher everything from social media and the promo videos is challenging, but American Horror Story makes it an enthralling task.
Before we dive into the marketing and clues, let’s start with the plot/story. One of the very first things announced about this season is the political inspiration, the 2016 election in particular. Ryan Murphy plans to begin ‘Cult‘ on election night. It will feature Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump, but no one will be playing them. “You’ll see them on television,” he told The Hollywood Reporter. “The first 10 minutes of the season takes place in a very eerie macabre way on election night, and there’s something terrible that happens in the lives of our characters on election night as they’re watching it all go down.”
Little is known about what exactly happens, but it’s confirmed the season will focus on two characters named Kai (Evan Peters) and Ally (Sarah Paulson). Murphy has called the character’s romance as “a love story for the ages.” Will the terrible thing that happens during election night focus on them or something they do? Romeo & Juliet is a reference to love in ‘Murder House,’ but this seems a little more Sid and Nancy.
“We are one.”
This season’s marketing campaign has a heavy focus on not only bees but clowns as well. Looking at the bee motif, it makes sense with the cult theme. There is a “hive mentality” in cults, a term that stems from how bees work in a hive. There’s a collective consciousness with both bees and cults. The leader (queen) makes the decisions, while the workers follow those orders. With the cult theme, it’s easy to assume either Kai or Ally will play a cult leader while the other plays the doomed love interest. Ally being the leader would also fit into the “queen bee” idea. Interesting analogy even with how obvious it is.
Usually, the marketing doesn’t directly tie into the season, but one photo from Ryan Murphy’s Instagram proves there is a connection. Below is a behind-the-scenes photo from a production where bees are covering someone. This image was the last hint before the season title announcement, and many saw it as only a clue. Now with the trailers coming out, this could be a way the cult initiates or kills someone.
The addition of clowns is where things get weirder. This inclusion isn’t the first time showrunner Ryan Murphy sent in the clowns. One of the most infamous characters is Twisty The Clown from ‘Freak Show.’ There have even been rumblings of Twisty returning, but there are no sightings of him yet. But what’s different about every clown in the ‘Cult‘ promos is the sense of unity. Any time one speaks, they use the terms “we” or “us.” Some have a subtle difference in appearance, but there isn’t much variety in looks.
If all of these clowns are coming together, what is their purpose and what does the clown makeup represent? A theory is that the clowns are a symbol for the fools of society. Like a Jester in the Royal Court, the people who join the cult feel like fools for individuals in power. This ties into comments Ryan Murphy said about who the season plans to highlight. ‘Cult‘ will be about “people who don’t have a voice in our culture,” Murphy told THR. Adding, “People who are ignored by the current administration and who are afraid and feel terrorized that their lives are going to be taken away.”
Final Thoughts:
Now taking all of these clues and putting down a prediction: this clown cult represents a group of disenfranchised people, and they work together as a hive to bring their sick justice. Ally or Kai will be members or the leaders of this movement. Infamous American Horror Story character Twisty will serve as a muse for this group after seeing him depicted in a comic-book. Like the Alt-Right did with the Pepe Frog meme.
Expecting something a little supernatural to happen as every season of AHS does. There are talks of the leader being seen as a “healer,” so that could branch into the world of the supernatural. Although, ‘Cult‘ may involve less magic-realism than usual due to the grounded subject matter.
What is your theory on these clues? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below!
American Horror Story: Cult will star Evan Peters and Sarah Paulson.
The cast includes Emma Roberts, Frances Conroy, Adina Porter, Billy Eichner, Billie Lourd, Cheyenne Jackson, Lena Dunham, Colton Haynes, Mare Winningham and Leslie Grossman.
September 5th starts the 11-episode seventh season on FX Networks.
If you had any doubts concerning the upcoming reboot, this should help calm them. According to The Hollywood Reporter, American Gods star Ian McShane has joined David Harbour (Stranger Things) in Hellboy: Rise Of The Blood Queen.
McShane will play Hellboy’s adoptive father, Professor Broom, in a film which will see the demonic character facing off against an ancient sorceress. THR also reports that the reboot will begin shooting in the UK and Bulgaria this September.
Directed by Neil Marshall, Hellboy: Rise Of The BloodQueen will see David Harbour take over as Hellboy, a role which previously belonged Ron Perlman.
For more updates follow Monkeys Fighting Robots and let us know what you think of McShane’s casting in the comments section below. Are you excited for this reboot?
Pokémon the Movie: I Choose You! was a nostalgia trip for longtime fans of the series. Seeing a release in Japan, the film topped charts and appealed to audiences with ages ranging, dare I say, far and wide. If you’re in the west, don’t worry – Fathom Events has teamed up with The Pokemon Company to bring their latest film to western audiences.
“Fathom Events and The Pokémon Company International bring the highly anticipated Pokémon the Movie: I Choose You!to cinemas for a special two-night theatrical event. More details and tickets coming soon.”
The movie will be in theater on November 5 and 6, dubbed for both screenings. Exact locations have not been released yet.
Will you be checking out this theatrical release of Pokémon the Movie: I Choose You!? Be sure to let us know in the comments section!
News on Bond 25, the upcoming entry into the James Bond franchise, has been picking up steam recently, and today we may have gotten the title and the sort of villain Daniel Craig will be battling.
According to the report over at the U.K. gossip rag Mirror, of all places, Bond 25 will be called Shatterhand, which is allegedly based on a more recent 1999 novelization in the Bond canon, Never Dream of Dying. It was written by Raymond Benson, who picked up the mantle of the franchise after Ian Fleming. Here is a synopsis of that book:
James Bond, 007, finally comes face to face with his most cunning nemesis-the enigmatic blind criminal mastermind behind the sinister organization known only as the Union.
This little snippet of the story leads us to the villain, who will be blind if Shatterhand stays in the same vein of Never Dream of Dying.
Craig is returning, and relatively new French director Yann Demange, who has the upcoming drama White Boy Rick with Matthew McConaughey on the way. Christoph Waltz and Dave Bautista have also agreed to return.
Of course, this is all early rumor and speculation, so everything could change in the blink of an eye. We will see what happens when Bond 25 finally hits theaters in November 2019. We have some time.
Right now I am in the midst of catching up with books, with one such book beingCrosswind. I’d heard nothing but rave reviews about the series so I had to see this for myself. Gail Simone is a favorite writer of mine and somehow this managed to slip past me. Even with knowing the little bits I’d heard about it, I’m coming into this with fresh eyes. Since there are a lot of different reviews out there for Crosswind #1, I won’t be diving too much into that one. Instead, I will focus more on #2 in this catch up session. Welcome to the adventures of catching up with comics as I venture into the world of Crosswind. How will this fare in my eyes and will it differ from everyone else review wise? Only one to find out. On with the show.
Crosswind: It’s Freaky Friday but with a darker twist an deft sense of humor to the proceedings.
The simple premise to Crosswind is that – for unknown reasons – a housewife and a hitman switch bodies. We don’t know why they were chosen for this and all we know is it happened and let the fun begin. The first issue is getting to know our hitman, Cason and our housewife, Juniper. Simone from the start gives you all you need to connect with them and engage into their worlds. By the end you know just enough of their personalities and the supporting characters of their lives. Juniper has a messy family life and more and Cason has a similar but different sort of mess in his own life. When the body switch happens it sets the scene for the craziness within #2 and my goodness this book is brilliant.
As #2 begins, you see the after effects of the switch. Whoever did this still wants them to do what they need to do, or else. It’s unique and there’s many twists to that put us in directions that are unexpected, to say the least. Cason for example has skills that we never imagined and the same goes for Juniper. They use their skill sets in different ways than they did in their normal lives. Both lives have their dangers so to speak but they are good in their new situations. The neat thing with Juniper is that she was a writer until life happened. In the back matter for #1 we get a dark tale we don’t know the author of, but the second is Juniper’s writing. I get the feeling that more of Juniper’s writing and her frustrations will play a bigger role as time goes on.
Overall Crosswind is a strong series so far, yet I do have some mild complaints.
I do say Cason’s life is the one that’s intense but I’m not entirely connected to his world. It’s interesting to see that Cason’s world is more the crazy hitman lifestyle but I find Juniper’s world fascinating. I think it’s because you want to see Cason just run over everything and every bit of awful in Juniper’s life in her body. Yet I do like that Juniper has strangely started to adapt to Cason’s universe, it will be fun to see where that goes. Not fully sold yet on what’s happening in Cason’s universe but it’s a mild complaint at best. I do say Crucifix is a great character and a highlight in the Cason experience and it will be fun to see how Juniper as Cason interacts with him in the future.
Crosswind explores a lot in these two issues as to how these characters relate to one another. You would not think a housewife and a hitman would have so much in common, yet they do and it works well. It’s going to be fun to see how their worlds collide at some point and I can’t wait to see when it happens. I like where this is going so far and it will be interesting to see where this story goes in the issues to come. As we’ve only started to see the madness Gail Simone has in store for us with this tale. Yet now I get to dive deep into the wonders of this glorious art team. As Simone’s writing is amazing but this art team, this art team is incredible.
Between Cat Staggs illustration and Simon Bowland’s lettering, Crosswind is a beautiful book.
Where to begin with the art on Crosswind? Cat Staggs gives this series a feel unlike many series out there. What makes this so special is the way Staggs handles expressions. It’s dynamic and puts you that much more into the story. There is a lot of action but a lot of action happens in the emotions in Simone’s writing and the expressions of the characters. There’s also an immense amount of color work, subtle shades on the faces with brutal reds for other situations, and it works beautifully. Staggs is handling all of this and it looks mind blowing and it adds that next level feel to the proceedings here. Staggs has artwork that’s realistic, beautifully stylized, and absolutely wonderful. You got an engaging script, strong lettering from Simon Bowland, and gorgeous illustrations that make up the joyous experience that is Crosswind.
Crosswind: If you’re sleeping on this book, I would correct that mistake immediately.
I am with the choir on this one, Crosswind is off to a great start. Reading these two issues has made me a believer and it’ll be on my pull for many days to come. It’s brilliant, it’s wonderful, and you need Crosswind in your life. You won’t regret it.
“We are one.”
