Game of Thrones Season 7 is just around the proverbial corner, and today HBO dropped a pretty awesome little teaser/promo video.
Enjoy this:
https://youtu.be/JxWfvtnHtS0
Pretty great if you ask me. This is from the show’s Wiki page, regarding the upcoming season plot line:
Like the sixth season, Season 7 will be based on an outline of the two final, presently-unpublished novels in George R. R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire series, The Winds of Winter and A Dream of Spring. Filming began in Belfast on August 31, 2016and ended in February 2017, for a July 16, 2017 release.
The music under the video of all our competitors walking towards the Iron Throne is “Sit Down” From James. And it works perfectly.
Game of Thrones‘ seventh season will be slightly abbreviated, with the run of the show spanning this and an eighth season where it will wrap things up.
Believe it or not, the last new episode of Rick and Morty that graced our screens was way back in October, 2015. Mr. Poopy Butthole was not kidding around about his uncertainty as to when the new season would start. However, there is a morsel of good news that just entered our universe. According to its listing on IMDB, the season 3 premiere of Rick and Morty will be a full hour!
The page also lists 13 additional episodes in season 3, each with a standard 22-minute run-time.
For the last 18 months, fans of the Adult Swim series have been clamoring for more hysterical inter-dimensional calamity between the mad scientist and his neurotic grandson. There have been a number of rumors and snippets of information as to when the third season would premiere. The news that the first episode is one hour long is certain to make loyal fans get schwifty! We have certainly waited long enough for some good news.
In March of 2016, co-creator Dan Harmon announced at Magic City Comic Con that new episodes would air by the end of the year (which did not happen, obviously). He also said the new season would have 14 episodes – a step up from 10 in season 2. In July, fans were treated to animatics at San Diego Comic Con, which contained hints as to how (SPOILER ALERT) Rick is going to escape from prison.
Since then, there have been a number of promises and let-downs by both Harmon and Justin Roiland as to when the new season would actually premiere. On IMDB, it lists April 24 as the premiere date, but Adult Swim has never confirmed this. What we do know is that animation and voice-over work is currently underway. The team is working diligently on Rick and Morty, and genius takes time.
The premiere is likely to be a direct continuation of the season 2 finale. Rick had been captured by the Galactic Federation and incarcerated on a prison planet, under the charge of having committed “everything.” How will Rick escape his lifetime sentence? Keep checking for updates on Monkeys Fighting Robots!
(Author’s note: thank you to the reader who pointed out that the hour-long premiere has not been confirmed by Adult Swim just yet.)
Are you excited for the Rick and Morty premiere? Let us know in the comments!
Joss Whedon, best known for creating Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Firefly, in addition to writing and directing The Avengers and Avengers: Age of Ultron for Marvel Studios, seems poised to return to the world of costumed superheroes. This time, however, he may be joining the DC Extended Universe.
“Whedon is nearing a deal to write, direct, and produce an untitled Batgirl pic for Warner Bros. as part of its DC Extended Universe.”
This is the first time we’re hearing plans that Warner Bros. is giving Batgirl, one of their most popular heroines, her own solo film, but it should come as no surprise after news broke few weeks ago that her male counterpart, Nightwing, would be receiving his own solo outing directed by Chris McKay. It should also come as a relief to fans of the character that Joss Whedon is taking the lead on this project. Not only is he known for writing strong, kickass, feminist, female leads, but the two Avengers movies that he did for Marvel are two of the best in the MCU.
Joss Whedon has yet to comment on the story.
What do you think of this news? Who should Whedon cast as Barbara Gordon? And who do you think he’ll make Batgirl square off against in her first solo outing? Let me know in the comments below!
Stay tuned for more information on this project as more news breaks!
Death is a closed door and an open window. It’s an empty void and an overbearing presence. Personal Shopper, the newest film from acclaimed writer/director Oliver Assayas (Clouds of Sils Maria), is a mystifying, majestically distanced drama/thriller grappling with the most horrific terror of all: the unknown, notably in the wake of unshakeable tragedy. It’s a ghost story, yes, but it’s also an examination on lost as seen through our apathetic present-day worldview, where our emotions are hidden and/or distanced by technology, and our lives are lived through self-imposed barriers and culturally-accepted detachments. To cast Kristen Stewart, one of our most gorgeously minimalist actresses and modern icons, is a stroke of brilliance. Personal Shopper is a reflection piece that’s hauntingly felt.
Maureen Cartwright (Stewart) is a quiet woman waiting to be heard. An American woman who works as a personal assistant to a high-profile celebrity, there are shades of her perceptive, wise-beyond-her-years Valentine from Sils Maria, yet Maureen is her own woman. Her generally laissez-faire lifestyle, which involves Maureen purchasing new, very expensive clothes and jewelry for her rarely-seen, world-known employer, is an empty and unfilled one. Beyond the occasional Skype call to her out-of-the-loop boyfriend back home — a man whom Maureen seems to hold little-to-no interest in, at least, as far as we can tell — and her casual friendship with Lara (Sigrid Bouaziz), Maureen is lonely, miserable, bored and heartbroken, the latter due to her twin brother Lewis, who recently passed away at 28.
Since his untimely death, Maureen walks and wonders around Lewis’ empty country house, hoping to finally communicate with her deceased brother. As amateur mediums, Lewis and Maureen bonded through their mutual interest in the paranormal, with Lewis, in particular, believing he shared a strong hold with the spirit world. It’s an intangible interconnection Maureen also thinks she possesses with the other dimension, if not quite as strongly as Lewis. To allow her twin, and ultimately herself, to make peace with his abrupt passing, Maureen longs for some form of confirmation from/interaction with Lewis’ phantom presence, in her hopes to learn how to live without him, if she can. And Lewis (or, at least, someone from the other side) does reach out to Maureen, if not exactly in the manner she would expect. Through a series of sourceless text messages, Maureen seemingly talks to her departed sibling. While their conversations are intense and demanding, they provide Maureen with some semblance of closure during this tenuous turning point in her early life.
It’s a mix of new-age millennial disassociation with the outside world and classic gothic haunted house/lurking premonition otherworldly dread, all of which is guided gently and graciously by Assayas’ growingly-skilled hand. As confident and poised as ever, largely inspired by Stewart’s own naturalistic, seemingly effortless assurance at the very forefront, Personal Shopper is engrossing and isolated, compelling and confounding, exploring the spirituality and emptiness of mourning, and how we find ourselves quite literally haunted by our insecurities, physical and mental limitations, and those we lost in our listless lives. Through Assayas, these universal themes of alienation and blind remorse are feed new life.
It’s starkly despondent and quietly intimidating. Filled with remorse and reflection, contemplation and introspection, it’s sulky and gloomy, but it’s also gripping and moving, in its own downplayed manner. Desolate in its approach, yet still uniquely transfixing, Personal Shopper is a bleakly riveting accomplishment, one that’s not easily forgotten. Like a spirit lingering, it stays by you, with you, through you and within you. It’s unshakeable.
Its disconnected style, however suitable, can take some adjusting to get used to, and its general ambivalence, particularly towards its open ending, might leave some annoyed. If you’re looking for quick thrills, look elsewhere. If you’re looking for easy answers, they won’t be found here. Personal Shopper isn’t meant to be consumed; rather, it’s meant to be pondered, observed, reminisced. That’s only appropriate. Yes, it can be dull, and yes, it’s not always easy to understand. But that adds to its grounded, believable effectiveness.
Artistic by design and remote by choice, unless the moment calls for intimacy, Personal Shopper is disturbing in the sense that it’s so mesmerizingly evocative. It’ll be a tough sell for some, yet even though it touches upon such universal notions, it’ll likely only appeal to those who approach its melancholic yearning like Maureen herself: waiting with willful unease, hoping for closure and contempt, but above all else, wanting to find a connection.
A key member of DC’s “Forgotten Heroes” Animal Man is not a character many know. Despite being created in 1965, Buddy Baker has never had his turn in the spotlight. His origins and power set can be confusing to explain. Sadly with a lack of any stand out villains he’s easily overlooked by the masses. So why would he be the ideal character to make the jump from comic to screen? His family and the horrors that they have to endure to make him Animal Man.
More Heroes?
With the rise in popularity of mature comic adaptations such as Outcast, Preacher, and Legion, the TV landscape is once again changing. We already have our “superheroes” with Arrow, Flash, Legends Of Tomorrow, Supergirl, Agents of Shield, and The Defenders. It’s safe to say that our quota of costumed hero’s has been filled. However the last thing we need is another person throwing on spandex and trying to save the world. What we need is a family man, who wants very little to do with the world of spandex and super-villains. A hero whose comic has covered social issues, family breakdowns and at one point being made up entirely of different animal parts.
Who is Animal Man?
Buddy Baker gained his powers from an exploding spaceship in his youth and as a result gained the ability to harness the attributes of any animal that has been alive. This includes being able to fly like an eagle, heal himself like an earth worm or breath underwater like a dolphin.Although these don’t sound like very effective powers, they lend themselves well to the tone of Animal Man. After a failed stint as a superhero he gave this up to become a stunt man and focus on his family with his wife Ellen and his two kids.
What’s It About?
The pre-52 Animal Man touched on animal testing, the bonds of family and even religion. Whilst the New 52 version took the horror roots of the comics early days and firmly ran with them. Animal Man was one of the few comics to not have any major rebooting after the birth of the New 52. This allowed for the comic to merely continue as if it hadn’t been cancelled. Whilst not having to delve too much into Buddy’s Past. It is the new 52 version that we will be looking at to explain why Animal Man would make for a great TV show whilst dipping into some of the more iconic story-lines.
Why would it work?
Jeff Lamire’s run on the new 52 Animal Man could easily be transported from page to screen. From the first beginning of the issue there is no explanation or back story of who Buddy Baker is. There is none of the hiding the hero identity from his family, no grappling with the weight and responsibility of his powers. We simply get Buddy going about his business. His family know of his alter ego and support him. Ellen worries about his safety but is fully supportive, even as the story continues Ellen proves to be one of the best hero wives because she’s always got his back. There would be none of the usual hero cliché’s that TV often relies on to increase drama. This isn’t just the story of Animal Man, but rather the tale of the Baker Family.
The Baker Family
From his onset as series writer Jeff Lamire said that he wanted to focus more on the family aspect of Animal Man and this is where the strength of the show would lie. One thing that made Outcast such a hit was its dependence on the support cast and allowing them to add to tension to the show. Ellen Baker and her two children would be amazing to watch as they balance their own personal lives and the ramifications of having a superhero in the family.
The New 52 Animal Man comic spent a very large portion dealing with one ongoing story. There were very little filler issues and until near the end of the run had a single villain – The Rot. The story spans months and affects not only Buddy and Ellen but their children Cliff and Maxine. As well as a very disgruntled mother in law and the family cat. The material in the comics could easily span two seasons easily if the episode order was on the smaller side with only 10 -12 episodes per season. If the show went in with a five-year plan, they could mine the early stories and move nicely onto the larger New 52 story arc.
Fantasy Casting
A large part of the appeal of Buddy is that he is a tall blonde haired red-blooded American so casting him wouldn’t be difficult. That being said, Josh Holloway could breathe life to Buddy who is prone to letting his emotions get the better of him. Physically he would fit the bill perfectly.He’s got the presence of a hero, but has the acting chops to show the depth of the struggles that being the Avatar of the Red entails.
Marcia Cross would make an amazing Ellen Baker, bringing sophistication and steel to the role of “superhero wife.” Her time in Desperate Housewives showed the ability to bring dry comedy to a dark series. Ellen Baker is not a woman to cross and she will do anything to protect her family. Marcia Cross could breathe life into this role while also being a perfect physical fit for Ellen.
Maxine and Cliff are harder to cast as they are both quite young however Stranger Things has shown that there is no shortage of talented child actors out there.
The Big Bad
One problem with the pre New-52 Animal Man was his lack of regular villains. He dealt largely with social issue’s so the list of villains for him to fight is small! However this doesn’t mean there aren’t any. B’Wana Beast and The Spider Queen could both play the smaller roles. Both Brother Blood and The Rot could also serve as two larger than life villains. Especially as The Rot has The Hunters Three acting as its agents through the new 52 comic run. Depending on the route that the show took, there’s essentially five season long villains on that list.
Mapping The Seasons
Animal Man’s first main villian B’Wana Beast
Season One
If the show had a five-year run, they could start with B’Wana beast as the main antagonist for season one, showing the audience the values and core dynamic for the Baker family. Introduce the power set of Animal Man and use the early Grant Morrison material for the tone of the show. Part comedy, part drama as Buddy deals with the financial problems of being an out of work actor. Whilst balancing a desire to do good and keep his family safe. The beauty of B’Wana beast being the main villain was his over all lack of villainy. He was misunderstood and trying to avenge his animal friends. The two ended up being friends in the comics, but not before battling it out. In the season one finale show that Buddy’s daughter Maxine has powers leading to a cliff hanger.
Season Two
Season Two could focus on the links to The Red, Maxine finding her powers and Ellen trying to ensure that her daughter doesn’t go down the same route as her father. With the introduction of Maxine’s powers, it gives the Spider Queen the excuse to become a feature. It would be a good chance to showcase the Baker family more as they have to bond together to fight a demon from outside of space and time. Bonus points for casting Lucy Lawless as Anasi.
Season Three and Four
Third and fourth season’s could deal with The Rot. Taking heavily from the Lemire run – a family on the run from death itself. The scope and drama of this would translate to with characters we’ve grown to love and care for. The stakes would be high and if they stuck to the source material there would be casualties on all fronts.
Season Five The final season could deal with Brother Blood and a broken Baker family trying to pull themselves back together. In the New 52 run Brother Blood shows up during the worst period of Animal Man’s life. Thus pushing Buddy beyond to his physical and mental limits. For the final season he would be able to show what Animal Man can really do.
Why Now?
The time is right for hero’s to go darker. Shows such as Outcast and Preacher show that adult shows make money. They attract an audience who wouldn’t watch Arrow or Flash. Animal Man is much more than a superhero. He’s a father, a husband and at his core he is a social warrior. Looking at Grant Morrisons run on the comic he had Buddy fighting for animal rights, social justice and his family at all costs. The Animal Man comic got people talking about the world around them. Surely the point of good television is to do the same.
Animal Man is just one of a number of “forgotten heroe’s”. Who else would you love to see given the spotlight? Do you agree with the fantasy casting? Sound off in the comments below!
Aaron Sorkin, who wrote is known for writing The Social Network, A Few Good Men, Moneyball, and Steve Jobs, has scheduled meetings with DC and Marvel.
Admittedly, he’s not a comic book fan, but Sorkin claims it’s because he has never been exposed to the medium.
Read his comments on the matter below.
“I happen to have meetings coming up with both DC and Marvel. I have to go into these meetings and tell them as respectfully as I can that I’ve never read a comic book. It’s not that I don’t like them. It’s just that I’ve never been exposed to one. So, I’m hoping that somewhere in their library is a comic book character that I’m gonna love and I’m gonna wanna go back and start reading from the first issue on.”
If Sorkin were to write for either a DC or Marvel property, what characters or storylines should he tackle? Comment below, let us know!
If anything further between Sorkin and the companies develops, Monkeys Fighting Robots will have it covered.
Get ready for another live-action adaptation of a classic anime!
The trend has been set by this year’s Ghost in the Shell, followed by Netflix’s Death Note – Warner Bros. has taken notice.
The studio has been trying to get a live-action Akira off the ground for awhile now. In 2015, George Miller turn down an opportunity to direct the picture, and now, Jordan Peele is on their radar.
Tracking-Board has revealed that Peele is Warner Bros.’ top prospect for the director’s chair on Akira.
Additionally, they mention that the script was written by Marco Ramirez, who penned Daredevil season one.
Peele is hot off the success of Get Out, which raked in the dough at the box office and was a critical success.
Would you get excited if Peele was directing Akira? Comment below, let us know!
As more news on this project is released, Monkeys Fighting Robots will have it covered.
It’s a been a good week for Spider-Man: Homecoming news. We already got an extended, new trailer. And more info seems to be coming out daily.
In a recent interview with The Hollywood Reporter, actor Tom Holland discussed his acting approach a bit:
I enrolled for three days in a high school in New York as a research exercise. I had a fake accent, a fake name. It was fun. The Bronx School of Science is a school for genius kids, and I’m definitely not a genius. A lot of the students and teachers were confused as to why I was there so they would test me, and fire off questions at me. It was a little embarrassing, but very informative.
With Holland also being the first truly age appropriate Spider-Man ever cast, things are definitely looking good for him to really capture the teenage/high school vibe that has been somewhat lacking in prior films.
Head on over to The Hollywood Reporter to read the rest of the interview, which also includes director Jon Watts and plenty of fun information.
Do you think Tom Holland will be the best onscreen Peter Parker/Spider-Man ever? Comment and discuss below!
Spider-Man: Homecoming is scheduled to be released in theaters July 7.
In theaters this Thursday, Niki Caro’s The Zookeeper’s Wife is a gripping tale that delivers a fresh perspective on the Nazi occupation of Poland in World War 2.
Summary
The narrative (based on the book by Diane Ackerman) centers around Jan (Johan Heldenbergh) and Antonina (Jessica Chastain) Zabinski. They are co-owners of the Warsaw Zoo and spend their day assisting with the upkeep of the animals. Their world is shaken in September of 1939 when Germany invades Poland and seizes control of their zoo and the rest of the country. Shocked by these events and the oppression of many Jewish families, Mr. and Mrs. Zabinski’s decide to risk everything and use tunnels underneath their zoo as a means of hiding these families (until they can escape Poland). Complicating their operation is Nazi zoologist Lutz Heck (Daniel Bruhl). Heck seems to have taken an interest in their animals and Antonina as well. Will he catch on to what they are doing? Will the Zabinskis be able to stay one step ahead of the Nazi’s?
Writing and Direction
Screenwriter Angela Workman deftly adapts Diane Ackerman’s novel remaining mostly faithful to the source material while still showing off her flair for romanticism. For example, she creates a story line where Lutz Heck develops feelings for Mrs. Zabinski. While some might feel this was a plot device to escalate the tensions between Antonina and her husband, in reality, it demonstrated just how deep their bond is. No matter how hard Heck pushed himself on her, she never relented and stayed faithful to her husband throughout the Nazi occupation of Warsaw.
Director Niki Caro appears to make a conscious effort to place the focus of this story solely on the families that were helped by Antonina and Jan Zabinski. The power in this tale stems from how Jewish families in Warsaw survived such horrific conditions. Seeing dozens of Jewish people choosing to hide under a pile of pig slop in hopes of slipping by the guards at the Warsaw Ghetto was certainly horrifying.
Acting
Jessica Chastain was brilliant in the role of Antonina Zabinski. What is fascinating about this character is that it wasn’t one audience have seen her portray before. In films such as Miss Sloane and Interstellar, Chastain portrays strong women who tend to be dominant. In The Zookeeper’s Wife, Chastain plays a character who is much more reserved than any she’s ever played. That’s not to say Antonina isn’t strong as well. She has more of a quiet strength, and her dominance is shown in how effective they are at keeping these Jewish families hidden from Nazi detection.
Johan Heldenbergh and Daniel Bruhl are equally excellent in the roles of Jan Zabinski and Lutz Heck. Heldenbergh portrays Mr. Zabinski as a kind man whose love of animals and community define him. He’s driven to do the right thing and persuades Antonina to help their Jewish friends. Bruhl strikes an appropriate balance in his portrayal of Lutz Heck. Heck is drawn to the Zabinski’s zoo due to the unusual variety of animals. He’s a man of science with interests in species creation. Lutz is also a little unhinged due to his romantic desires towards Antonina. It’s this desire that makes him blind to the clues pointing towards the Zabinski’s activities.
Cinematography
The Cinematography of Andrij Parekh was splendid throughout the film. Parekh made use of a muted color palette to help capture how somber Warsaw was following the invasion and eventual occupation by the Nazis. He also made use panning shots to capture the sheer scope of atrocities occurring in Warsaw’s Ghetto. However, Parekh’s most stirring shot was a school teacher walking towards a train with others headed to a concentration camp. He’s able to capture in one close-up shot of his face the exact moment his spirit broke. It’s when he looks to his right and sees that none of their luggage is being loaded onto the train. He immediately looks resigned to the idea that where ever they are headed may very well be his final resting place.
Overall
Niki Caro and Jessica Chastain are both to be commended for bringing to light a story of not just the Zabinski’s heroism, but of a community of individuals whose love for others was immeasurable. While The Zookeeper’s Wife isn’t the best movie ever made about the Holocaust, the lessons in the film are certainly valuable. Everyone deserves dignity and respect no matter what religion they choose to follow. A lesson that was timely then and certainly is now.
Fasten your seatbelts WWE Universe, “the ultimate thrill ride” is about to take off! World Wrestling Entertainment officially announced the plans according to WWE.comfor WrestleMania’s “kickoff” show Sunday night live on The WWE Network.
In years past, the WrestleMania Kickoff show, has included some star-studded names in the world of sports entertainment. This year will be no exception, however, there is ultimately going to be some “heat” by the die-hard fans steaming from some of the match choices.
“The King of the Cruiserweights” Nevell will defend his Cruiserweight Championship against Austin Aries in what could turn out to be the show stealer of the event. While some “smart” fans may have a problem with two of the premium performers in WWE, Aries himself welcomed the challenge via his Twitter account this afternoon moments after the story broke.
I’m never “relegated” to anything, I’m just who you add to things you need ELEVATED. #WrestleMania Pre-Show is now MUST SEE. #TheElevator
Seems like “the greatest man to ever live” isn’t taking this announcement as a demotion. Instead, it would be wise to make sure to tune in to see these two veterans rock The Citrus Bowl!
Also announced for the kickoff show was the 3rd Annual Andre The Giant Memorial Battle Royal featuring superstars such as Braun Stroman, The Big Show, Sami Zayne, Goldust, and Apollo Crews! More names are sure to be added in the days to come to the battle royal, and be sure to expect a surprise or two considering WWE has been known to pull out all of the stops at WrestleMania!
Finally, Alexa Bliss will put her SmackDown Women’s Championship on the line against The returning Naomi, Becky Lynch, Natalya, Carmella, Mickie James, and any other woman on the SmackDown LIVE roster eligible to compete. Again, with verbiage like that, you can be certain that there is more than meets the eye about this contest.
The two-hour WrestleMania Kickoff streams live on WWE Network, as well as WWE.com, the WWE App, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Google+, at 5 ET/2 PT. The second hour of the Kickoff also will air live on the USA network Sunday Night from The Citrus Bowl in Orlando, Florida.
