Chris Pratt Really Didn’t Want To Audition For Guardians Of The Galaxy

Chris Pratt Really Didn’t Want To Audition For Guardians Of The Galaxy

The Marvel Cinematic Universe is a massive place, with a ton of franchises and endless heroic characters to follow. But certain properties stand out among the rest as fan favorites, and James Gunn's Guardians of the Galaxy is definitely one of those. The movies follow a motley crew of misfits, featuring an all-star cast including Vin Diesel, Bradley Cooper, Zoe Saldana, and Chris Pratt.

But it turns out that Chris Pratt wasn't always keen to play Peter Quill/Star-Lord in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. In fact, he initially refused to audition for Marvel Studios, making the casting process a complicated one. Marvel casting director Sarah Finn recently recounted this at the Avengers: Endgame premiere, when asked about which Marvel blockbuster was the hardest to cast.

They're all challenging in their own ways, but I'd probably go with Guardians of the Galaxy. James Gunn has been very generous about this in saying that I, to the point of annoying him, kept insisting that Chris Pratt was the guy for the part, but Chris didn't want to play the part and refused to audition.

Well, this is surprising. Chris Pratt seems like the perfect choice to be Star-Lord, given his mixture of comedy and action experience. But the Parks & Rec alum was originally hesitant to join the franchise, so it took some convincing.

While moviegoers know just how successful the Guardians of the Galaxy franchise grew to be, there was no guarantee it would resonate so well with audiences before its 2014 debut. The characters were not household names, and the team included a giant talking tree and a foul mouthed raccoon. Chris Pratt can't be faulted for having some trepidation, before finally agreeing to meet with Sarah Finn and the folks at Marvel.

But once Chris Pratt agreed to read for Star-Lord, Sarah Finn still had to convince James Gunn. As she mentioned in her same interview with Variety,

I finally got him to audition and James Gunn said he didn't want to see him and that really was a challenge. I was really happy when I finally got them together and it was honestly one of those eureka moments that we talk about in casting when it absolutely feels right and you know it's right. James turned to me within ten seconds and said 'He's the guy.'

To me, it sounds like Sarah Finn gets the credit for casting Chris Pratt because she deserves it. The casting director clearly saw something special about Pratt's talents and the lone human Guardian, and it's a decision that seems to have paid off. Pratt has gone on to perform the part in three Marvel blockbusters, and is expected to reprise his role in Avengers: Endgame.

While there was some pullback from both Chris Pratt and James Gunn, eventually the director saw Pratt read as Peter Quill. And almost instantly, he realized that was the right guy all along. Why don't casting directors get Oscar attention, again?

Ultimately Chris Pratt's Star-Lord debuted when Guardians of the Galaxy hit theaters in 2014, and became a summer hit that grossed a whopping $773.3 million. The cast reunited for Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 in 2017, which made even more money at the box office and was another critical darling. Pratt leads the cast and gets top billing, and the sequel was largely focused on his relationship with father Ego (Kurt Russell).

Star-Lord and the rest of the Guardians (including newcomer Mantis) were handed over to The Russo Brothers for Avengers: Infinity War and Endgame, which let them finally crossover with the greater MCU. They brought in a breathe of fresh air to the ultra-serious Infinity War, and their interactions with Thor and Iron Man didn't disappoint.

They had a major role in the multiple stories, proving how popular and essential the Guardians have become since Chris Pratt auditioned and landed the role of Star-Lord. Gamora was the key to the Soul Stone, while Rocket and Groot helped Thor get his new weapon Stormbreaker. Meanwhile, the rest of the Guardians and Nebula faced Thanos on Titan.

Related: Why The Soul Stone Was Very Important To Avengers: Infinity War’s Script, According To The Writers

Star-Lord's action ultimately helped Thanos' victory, and stopped the team on Titan from beating the big purple guy. When the Mad Titan was briefly incapacitated, Nebula revealed that Gamora was dead, as her sister wasn't there with him. In a fit of rage he punched Josh Brolin's villain, and broke Mantis' concentration in the process. Thanos came to, and made quick work of the heroes with his full power.

It should be interesting to see how Star-Lord factors into Avengers: Endgame. Rocket and Nebula were the only characters to be spared from Thanos' wrath, and the two characters will likely lean on each other in the upcoming blockbuster. Most moviegoers assume the dusted characters will somehow be resurrected, with the newest Endgame trailers indicating the survivors will try to wield the stones themselves.

Some type of resurrection is going to be needed in order for Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 to come to fruition. Star-Lord, Rocket, Drax, and Mantis all got dusted thanks to Thanos. So if The Decimation is reversed, the team should be in much better shape. But the big question is what will happen to Gamora. Rather than dying from the snap, she was murdered by Thanos in order to procure the Soul Stone on Vormir. Is there any hope for her?

While it may have been a long road, Chris Pratt's casting as Star-Lord is inspired, and the actor and James Gunn seem to have a good working relationship. This collaboration will continue for Guardians 3, now that Gunn has been officially rehired by Disney to helm the threequel. But first things first: the Guardians and Avengers need to tend to Thanos.

Star-Lord faded to dust in Avengers: Infinity War, and the character is expected to somehow be revived and pop up in Endgame. In the meantime, fill out CinemaBlend's Endgame death pool, and be sure to check out our 2019 release list to plan your next trip to the movies.

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Hellboy: Everything We Know About The Reboot

Hellboy: Everything We Know About The Reboot

DC and Marvel (be it Marvel Studios or projects from 20th Century Fox and Sony) have cornered the superhero movie market, but every now and then there's a project that hails from another company to impress audiences. Last decade, Hellboy left his mark in the earlier years of the comic book movie boom across two movies under the creative vision of Guillermo del Toro, and now the Dark Horse comics character is finally returning to the big screen for a new generation. Like any self-respecting reboot, this new movie is expected to tackle Hellboy much differently compared to its predecessors, and depending on how well it does critically and commercially, it could potentially launch a new series of films. With less than a week to go until Hellboy's release, here's everything we know about it so far.

What Have We Seen From Hellboy?

Luckily, we've had a good look at the action from Hellboy for several months now, including the above red-band trailer which shows off some of the reasons why the film was gifted with an R-rating. The new movie is certainly going for broke when it comes to language and violence, but it still seems to have a focus on humor, which seems to be used to break up the bloody destruction audiences will be in for when they head to theaters.

When Is Hellboy's Release Date?

Rather than face off against other major motion pictures in the summer season or even take its chances in the fall, Hellboy has set up shop in a month that has not been the typical destination for a comic book movie. Hellboy was originally scheduled to be released on January 11, 2019, which would have had it opening a week before M. Night Shyamalan's Glass, which served as a sequel to both 2000's Unbreakable and 2016's Split. And, while a battle between Hellboy and Glass would have been fun to watch, especially considering how well the latter film ended up doing, Hellboy later settled on a spring release date of April 12. But, this has turned out to be its own potential issue.

The week prior to the debut of Hellboy has already seen Shazam! open pretty big and with lots of critical and audience love. So, Hellboy is going to have to fight against that tide on opening weekend, and then battle the big guns a couple of weekends later when what might end up being the biggest movie of all time opens: Avengers: Endgame. Can Hellboy make its mark on the box office? We'll seen soon enough.

What Is Hellboy's Rating?

Technically, Hellboy wasn't officially rated by the MPAA until just a few weeks before it opened, as is standard, but the goal was always for the new movie to rest comfortably in R-rated territory, and it has hit that goal. According to Mike Mignola, the man who created Hellboy, the reason for wanting an R-rating from the jump wasn't because the reboot would necessarily be more violent than the Guillermo del Toro-helmed ones, but because it allows for more creative freedom. Rather than go the fantastical route that its predecessors went, Hellboy wanted to have more of a horror twist, meaning it should feel like a darker movie. With Hellboy gaining that R rating because of "strong bloody violence and gore throughout, and language," according to the MPAA, it sounds like this is a comic book movie that you shouldn't bring the kiddies to see.

The Director

Inheriting the reins left behind by Guillermo del Toro is Neil Marshall, a man who has experience directing both horror and action-packed tales. His movie-making resume includes Dog Soldiers and The Descent, while in the television realm, he's directed on Game of Thrones (one of his episodes earned him an Emmy nomination), Black Sails, Constantine, Hannibal, Timeless and Westworld. He is also an executive producer on Netflix' Lost in Space reboot series. Hellboy is unquestionably Marshall's biggest cinematic endeavor yet, but given his past horror work and how much more intense this reboot will be compared to its predecessors, ideally he's just the right kind of creative mind to bring a fresh perspective to this property. It wouldn't have been wise to hire someone too similar to del Toro, and if all goes well, Marshall will do a good job ensuring that his Hellboy movie can stand on its own.

What Is Hellboy About?

Right off the bat, in case the term "reboot" wasn't a clear enough indicator, Hellboy will not have any ties to the previous movies. It's an all-new cast performing in a story set in an all-new continuity. So, for those of you who waited for years of Guillermo del Toro, Ron Perlman and other key cast and crew members to reunite for Hellboy III, I'm sorry to say that it's not happening. In 2014, Mike Mignola began working with writer Andrew Cosby on what was originally intended to be a sequel to Hellboy II: The Golden Army, but when del Toro was approached to produce it rather than direct, he decided not to be involved at all. That subsequently led to Ron Perlman bowing out, and once Neil Marshall came on board, it was appropriately decided the movie would be a reboot. All this being said, for the longtime Hellboy comic book readers out there, the reboot will be more faithful to the source material.

Inspired by the Darkness Calls, The Wild Hunt and The Storm and the Fury storylines, Hellboy will follow the eponymous protagonist trying to prevent an evil sorceress from destroying humanity. Even though the reboot will have more of a horror hook, a story like this also allows for plenty of fantastical elements to be seeded throughout. Hellboy is a formidable character, and with the aid of his allies at the Bureau for Paranormal Research and Defense (BPRD), hopefully they'll be able to ensure that the main antagonist doesn't wipe out our kind. Beyond that, plot details are being kept under wraps, but as we get closer to the new Hellboy movie's release, it will be interesting to learn how this world differs from the one Guillermo del Toro oversaw.

Hellboy

In the comics, Hellboy was a half-human, half-demon (birth mother human, father demon), while in the Guillermo del Toro-directed movies, he was a full demon. Whatever his heritage is in the reboot, no doubt like in the source material and previous movies, he will be drawn to Earth as an infant and be raised to be a force for good. His special abilities include super human strength, enhanced healing and an extended life span. He also has the rock-hard Right Hand of Doom, which in the comics is the key to eventually bringing about the end of the world, and he's quite a good shot with oversized pistols. To better fit in among humans, Hellboy files off his horns, though they've been known to magically grow back every now and then.

Succeeding Ron Perlman as Hellboy is David Harbour, who is best known for playing Chief Jim Hopper on Netflix's hit series Stranger Things. The Hellboy reboot will be Harbour's third superhero movie, after previously appearing in The Green Hornet and Suicide Squad (he also auditioned to play Blob in X-Men Origins: Wolverine). Just like Perlman's Hellboy, Harbour's iteration is an all-practical creation, which required the actor to ditch his trademark dad bod. Harbour also admitted that some of his friends tried to convince him not to take the role.

While no specific details about this version of Hellboy have been revealed yet, Harbour has said that the new movie will offer a more faithful take on the character. Noting that his Hellboy will go through"a lot more struggle, a lot more angst," with some of that being due to the fact that he won't have a love interest, partly because this version of Hellboy can't have sex with humans. The actor has also compared the protagonist's inner turmoil (being an adopted kid from hell who wants to do good despite being destined to bring about the apocalypse) to Hamlet. Whatever Harbour's portrayal of Hellboy will look like, he seems to have a good handle on the character.

Trevor Bruttenholm

Professor Trevor Bruttenholm is the only other character from the previous Hellboy movies who's been announced to appear in the Hellboy reboot, and for good reason. In the comics, "Broom," one of humanity's greatest experts on the occult, was a member of the British Paranormal Society, and later became an adviser to President Franklin Roosevelt when the Allies learned that Hitler was trying to use the occult to his own advantage during World War II. Then on December 23, 1944, while joining a group of U.S. soldiers from preventing Rasputin (yes, that Rasputin), from enacting Project Ragna Rok, a demon child appeared before Broom at the time that Rasputin called upon the Ogdru Jahad, powerful entities who are the main antagonists of the Hellboy mythos. That child was Hellboy, and Broom took a liking to the lad, eventually adopting him after helping to form the BPRD.

The late John Hurt played Trevor Bruttenholm in the previous Hellboy movies, and Ian McShane will take over the role for the reboot. McShane's notable work includes Deadwood, the John Wick movies, Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides and American Gods. McShane mentioned that Hellboy and Broom's relationship will be "quite crusty" because the former wonders why the latter didn't kill him because he's a monster, but so far that's all we know about Broom in the reboot.

One thing worth noting is that when Hellboy first began publication, and even in the earlier movies, it was plausible for Broom to have been a young man during World War II and still be alive in the present day, but with a reboot being released now, that's harder to pull off. Setting Hellboy in the 1990s (or somewhere in that ballpark) would be a good way around that, but perhaps moving Broom's discovery of Hellboy to the 1960s (or so) would also work. But, since they appear to be setting the action in the modern day, another possibility is that something has mystically kept Broom in better health as he's gotten older.

Nimue

In the Hellboy comics, Nimue (who is also known as the Queen of Blood and the Lady of the Lake) lived during King Arthur's reign and managed to persuade Merlin to share the secrets of magic with her. Nimue then locked the wizard away, but her newfound knowledge drove her mad, and a group of witches decided to cut her into little pieces and scatter her across the world so that she could never reform and threaten Earth. Well, you guessed it, in the present day, Nimue was revived, and she immediately began forming her own army, but she was eventually killed in battle by Hellboy. However, before being dragged to Hell, Nimue managed to rip Hellboy's heart out and drag him to Hell with her.

For Hellboy, Nimue the Blood Queen will be played by Milla Jovovich, who has left her mark in the genre world as Alice in the Resident Evil movies and is also recognizable from The Fifth Element, Zoolander and The Messenger: The Story of Joan of Arc. All we've learned so far about the cinematic Nimue is that she still hails from medieval times and wants to destroy humanity. Even though the new Hellboy movie is drawing inspiration from her story arcs from the comics, don't be surprised if it also takes some creative liberties with her.

Ben Daimio

Ben Daimio was introduced to the Hellboy mythos in 2004, the same year the first Guillermo del Toro Hellboy movie came out. Ben was originally the leader of a Marine squad that was sent to rescue a group of nuns who were kidnapped by a terrorist group, but during the rescue attempt the squad was attacked by the true culprits, a murderous jaguar-worshipping cult. A mysterious entity then killed all the Marines, including Daimio. However, three days later, Daimio came back to life, albeit with the left side of his face scarred. Now able to turn into a jaguar-like creature during periods of intense stress, Daimio joined the BPRD

Originally Deadpool's Ed Skrien was supposed to play Ben Daimio in Hellboy, but the casting was met with accusations of whitewashing. A week later, Skrien voluntarily dropped out, and Hawaii 5-0's Daniel Dae Kim was tapped to play Daimio the following month, and this version of the character will still be a BPRD agent who has monstrous transformation problems.

Alice Monaghan

Joining Hellboy and Ben Daimio as mystically-gifted protagonists is Alice Monaghan, a woman of Irish descent who Hellboy rescued from fairies when she was an infant. Decades later, Alice retains some special abilities due to her time with the fairies, and even though she is in her fifties in the present day in the comics, she still looks like a young woman. Alice will be played by American Honey's Sasha Lane in Hellboy. It looks like she will help out as a BPRD agent in the movie, but beyond that we don't know much about her.

Other Characters

Now that we've covered Hellboy's main cast, let's touch on who some of the minor characters will be. Chief among them will be Ganeida, an elder witch who has decided that Nimue's reign of terror has gone on for long enough and needs to be stopped. She will be played by The Vampire Diaries' Penelope Mitchell, and one wonders if her character will be the catalyst to drawing in Hellboy and the BPRD to help battle Nimue. Joining Mitchell's Ganeida are Hotel Rwanda's Sofie Okonedo as Lady Hatton, a seer who resides at the Osiris Club, which is dedicated to solving supernatural mysteries; Rogue One: A Star Wars Story's Alistair Petrie as Lord Adam Glaren, a high-ranking Osiris Club member; and Phantom Thread's Robert Gleeson as Merlin, who, if this reboot is staying true to the comics, will be the man responsible for Nimue becoming so powerful.

Hellboy will be in theaters in just a few days now, so be sure to keep up with this guide for any major reveals that come out before this weekend!

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7 Clues That Tease Us' Twist Ending

7 Clues That Tease Us' Twist Ending

Spoiler Warning: SERIOUSLY. Major spoilers for the ending of Us follows. If you haven't seen the movie, I don't know why you clicked this, but get the heck out an come back when you've seen the movie.

Get Out was no fluke. Jordan Peele's follow up, Us, brings the exact same amount of skill and craftsmanship to create an engaging and deeply layered story once you dig into it. Audiences turned out in droves to see the film during its first weekend, which means that millions of people witnessed a twist ending that knocks the entire movie off its axis. If you were watching carefully, there were plenty of clues peppered throughout the story that led to the twist ending.

The film is told from the perspective of Adelaide (Lupita Nyong’o), who is confronted by murderous doppelgängers of herself and her family. However, Adelaide first encountered her double, Red, (also Nyong’o) when she was just a little girl in a meeting that would change both of their lives forever.

Still with us? OK. The twist is that the Adelaide we have been following is in actuality her double, who attacked the real Adelaide and switched places with her as a child. It's a bombshell that makes you reexamine the entire movie, but Jordan Peele is a smart writer. He hid several clues that, while they don't necessarily stick out in the moment, become obvious red flags once you learn the truth of the twist. Here are seven clues that help reveal Us' twist ending.

Adelaide Wouldn't Speak As A Child Because She Literally Couldn't

After young Adelaide meets her double -- or "Tethered" -- in the funhouse, we learn that she has not spoken a word since then. A therapist believes that she has PTSD, which the audience believes because meeting an exact clone of yourself is traumatic as hell. But, as we learn through the film, none of the Tethered can speak. They can only grunt like animals. Adelaide wasn't speaking because she had PTSD, it was because she literally never learned how to talk. She assumedly had to start from scratch and learn English. Adelaide even says early in the film that she has an issue with talking, which seemed like an excuse not to talk to her annoying friend, but it was more true than it seemed and was a clue for what came later on.

She Was Afraid To Go To The Beach

As an audience, we assume that a lot of Adelaide's fears are because of what she saw in that funhouse, but that's only partly true. Adelaide has a clear phobia of returning to Santa Cruz beach, which is understandable; Not many people want to return to the sight of a traumatic event. However, the real reason she is afraid is because she knows that she's a fake and that it's tempting fate to return to the scene of her crime. She doesn't want to go anywhere near that place and risk her past coming back to bite her and her family.

She Couldn't Snap To The Beat Of "I Got 5 On It"

The Wilson family shares a cute scene on the drive to the beach where they listen to the song "I Got 5 on it." The son, Jason, has never heard the song before and Adelaide tries to get him into it by snapping along with the rhythm. The problem is that her snapping is all over the place and is off-beat with the song. Later, Red reveals that the Tethered are perfect physical clones, but that they lack a soul. People have been quick to point out the connection between music and soul, which would explain why Adelaide can't stay on beat. However, Adelaide was also a ballerina, which you kind of need rhythm to do well, so maybe it's not quite the same as following the beat of a song?

Jason Could Have Been Lured To Merlin's Forest

Merlin's Forest, the funhouse right on the Santa Cruz beach, is a direct doorway into the home of the Tethered. It was the reason that Adelaide was afraid to go back to the beach and it was the reason she was so freaked when Jason wandered off for a few minutes. The Tethered know everything that their doubles do on the surface, so Adelaide knew that it was risky to return so close to the entrance. What was stopping Jason from getting lured to the funhouse and stolen away just like she did to the original Adelaide so long ago? And he was going directly to Merlin's Forest before he was distracted by that Tethered on the beach (who I guess couldn't wait to get started?).

She Takes To The Violence Very Quickly

Once the home invasion element of Us kicks in and lives are on the line, Adelaide does not seem to hesitate in the least about killing. True, there's no time to waste when your children are in danger, and the rest of her family seems pretty desensitized to the violence they experience. That's commentary for another time, but Adelaide's indulgence in murder seems to go beyond survival. It's ruthless to watch, like when she beats one of the twins to death and is almost nonchalant about it. She's cold in a way that mirrors the Tethered, which makes sense because she is one of them. She also lets out a deep, guttural Tethered-like laugh when she kills Red.

She Was Constantly Worried That Red Would Return

Adelaide never seemed entirely on board with the Wilson family vacation, and one can hardly blame her knowing what was waiting for her in the sewers. Right before shit hits the fan, Adelaide confesses to her husband Gabe (Winston Duke) about the "mirror girl" and how after she ran away, she felt like that girl was waiting for her moment to return. It's an illuminating conversation that takes on an entirely different context after the twist ending. Adelaide knows that Red is coming because she stole her life and that's not something that someone can just forgive. She was also the only person who was picking up on the weird "coincidences" of things synching up. Red's return was always on the horizon and it was clearly on Adelaide's mind.

Red Was The Only Tethered Who Spoke

I previously mentioned that Adelaide couldn't speak because she was a Tethered and didn't know how. The exact opposite was true for Red. Red was the only Tethered who could speak because she was the only one who was actually human. The fact that everyone else in a red jumpsuit is growling should have been a strong indication that there was something different about Red. Even how she talks is a clue to her origins. It's very strained, as if she hasn't actually spoken to someone in years. That's probably true. None of the other Tethered could hold a conversation with her so eventually she likely stopped talking altogether. It's an ultimately tragic life that blurs the line, making it unclear who the real villain is in this movie.

Us is a film that warrants several rewatches. Peele just seems to have a talent for crafting stories that reveal more details the more you watch. Whether it's easter eggs or well hidden clues about the plot, there's always something new to learn. Peele left all the pieces about the twist ending right there in the movie and it's amazing how it all fits together without tipping its hand too much. It's highly likely that there are other clues to Adelaide's true nature, and that's just another great excuse to go see this movie.

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Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure At Universal Orlando Will Take You Into A Real Forbidden Forest

Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure At Universal Orlando Will Take You Into A Real Forbidden Forest

Last month, Universal Orlando Resort finally revealed the new roller coaster planned for Islands of Adventure’s Hogsmeade portion of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. It’s called Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure and today Universal released more details about exactly what will be involved in the attraction and what guests will see on board it. Get ready to explore the Forbidden Forest in a way you never thought possible, because it's going to be as real as any theme park attraction could be.

The most impressive thing about the new attraction is that when it says you’ll be flying through the Forbidden Forest, it really means it. The attraction will contain more than 1200 actual trees, making it quite possibly the most realistic roller coaster environment ever.

Take a first look below.

As the coaster soars through the trees, guests will come up against numerous magical creatures who fans of Harry Potter will be familiar with, centaurs. Cornish pixies, Fluffy the three-headed dog, as well as an as yet unnamed creature that’s never been seen in the Wizarding World movies.

The storytelling behind the ride is that guests are attending a Care of Magical Creatures class with everybody’s favorite groundskeeper, Hagrid. Of course, it’s Hagrid, which means things don’t go entirely as planned. As well as seeing a number of creatures the roller coaster will also see ride vehicles avoiding Devil’s Snare along with other obstacles.

The ride vehicles have been made to resemble a motorcycle and sidecar, identical the one we see Hagrid drive in the movies. Guests will be able to sit on either side, which means that the experience will be slightly different depending on which side you choose, giving the attraction some natural re-ridability.

Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure sounds like a lot of fun. According to Universal Orlando, the coaster will hit speeds of 50 miles per hour and will go both forwards and backwards.

The official reveal of the new attraction comes courtesy of a brief video hosted by Harry Potter film star Tom Felton, who speaks with Alan Gilmore, the art director for the Harry Potter franchise who has been directly involved in designing this new attraction as well. Keep an eye out for a piece of concept art which would appear to be a complete track layout

Universal upped the theme park game when it opened the first Wizarding World of Harry Potter area in Orlando. The level of theming and immersion was unforeseen in a theme park at the time. It’s only been nine years since Hogsmeade opened, but Universal is clearly already looking for ways to improve the space and make it even better.

I have to say riding a motorbike at high speed through an actual forest sounds like an immense amount of fun. As there are still a few details being kept under wraps, a few more details may be on the way before the new coaster is officially open. However, the best news is that we don’t have much time to wait to check out Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure, the attraction will be open on June 13.

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Sad News, Aunt May Turned To Dust From Thanos’ Infinity War Snap

Sad News, Aunt May Turned To Dust From Thanos’ Infinity War Snap

Just your friendly neighborhood writer giving you the heads up that there are SPOILERS ahead for Avengers: Endgame.

Avengers: Endgame may have offered the universe some much-needed avenging, but there’s still a lot to be addressed about what’s next for many of the MCU's characters after the snap. When things pick up next with Peter Parker in Spider-Man: Far From Home, we’ll learn more about the fallout of Thanos’ Infinity War with the Avengers, including the new dynamic between the dusted and the those who have lived five years without them.

According to a recent Fandango interview with Far From Home director Jon Watts, we have some clarity about the fate of Aunt May prior to the upcoming Spidey film. Here’s what he said:

She disappeared and came back.

It looks like Marisa Tomei’s May suffered the same fate as her nephew. Strangely enough, this is probably preferable to if she’d survived, because she would then be mourning Peter following the previous death of Uncle Ben if she had. How heartbreaking! Directors Joe and Anthony Russo said in an interview last year that she had survived, but during the making of Far From Home, things changed.

Jon Watts also teased how the Spider-Man movie will tie into Endgame with these words:

So many things happened in Endgame, but you don't see any of the fallout. So I used Peter Parker/Spider-Man as an opportunity to get that ground-level perspective to show you what it would look like if all these crazy things had happened. What would day-to-day life be? If you were snapped away, you’d have to work backwards and retake your midterms.

The biggest way Endgame shifts the Spider-Man sequel is he’ll be going to high school in a world where half of his past classmates now have an age gap with him, and Watts has confirmed that Far From Home will definitely be addressing this. Looking at this through the world of Peter Parker’s story arc is a great choice to because he’s the most ground-level hero dealing with everyday life as a student in NYC.

Jon Watts said Far From Home will pick up almost immediately after Endgame and deal with the implications of the Infinity Saga culmination. In addition to Peter and May, it looks like Ned, Michelle Jones, Flash Thompson and Betty Brant were victims of the snap as well since they don’t look like they got older and will be going on a class trip to Europe.

Additionally, it looks like Peter will be dealing with the death of his mentor Tony Stark and a new exciting addition to the MCU: the multiverse. According to the recent trailer, one of the Infinity Stones-powered snaps ripped a hole in the universe, bringing in a much nicer Mysterio than comic book fans remember, as well as the Elementals. The film will wrap up Phase 3 when it hits theaters on July 2.

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The Story Behind Good Omens And All The Queen References

The Story Behind Good Omens And All The Queen References

Spoilers ahead for Good Omens on Amazon.

When Good Omens premiered on Amazon as an adaptation of the Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett novel of the same name, it proved three things: the apocalypse can be hilarious, the characters could not have been better cast, and the music of Queen makes everything better.

While all the Queen tunes came as no surprise to book fans, viewers who never picked up a copy of the novel were undoubtedly at least a little perplexed at all the Freddie Mercury. Well, there is a reason for all the Queen, and the answer lies early in the text of Good Omens.

Viewers probably noticed that the Queen tunes generally played in scenes featuring Crowley and/or the Bentley. The explanation comes in the first 15 pages of Good Omens, saying this:

Crowley was currently doing 110 mph somewhere east of Slough. Nothing about him looked particularly demonic, at least by classical standards. No horns, no wings. Admittedly he was listening to a Best of Queen tape, but no conclusions should be drawn from this because all tapes left in a car for more than a fortnight metamorphose into Best of Queen albums.

When Good Omens was published in 1990, tapes were the non-radio way to play music in cars. Neil Gaiman revealed to Vulture that the joke about metamorphosing Queen tapes started when he and Terry Pratchett concocted the theory "that any cassette left in a car long enough turned into the best of Queen."

If the joke had stopped with just the one Queen mention in the book, the Good Omens show probably wouldn't have been packed with Queen songs. Instead, the book continued to show Crowley (and Aziraphale, on one occasion) trying to play some non-Queen music, only to be blasted with the tunes of Freddie Mercury.

Vivaldi's "Four Seasons" turned into "Bohemian Rhapsody," The Traveling Wilburys turned into a rendition of "Radio Ga Ga," Aziraphale was dismayed to hear "Another One Bites the Dust" play from a tape labeled "Tchaikovsky," and the angel and demon's attempts to listen to William Byrd, Beethoven, and Vaughan Williams turned into "We Are The Champions," "I Want To Break Free," and "Fat Bottomed Girls."

Crowley briefly considered putting the tape on which he'd trapped Hastur into the Bentley and leaving it for a fortnight, turning him into Freddie Mercury. He decided against it because, in the immortal words of Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett, "He might be a bastard, but you could only go so far."

Now, the differences between book and television meant that the show had the freedom to use Queen more liberally than the book, which basically required Crowley to be in the Bentley on the page. The show could just blast a Queen classic over whatever scene seemed most fitting.

Given that technology in the past 30 years has definitely moved away from cassette tapes, the Good Omens adaptation was bound to get creative with including the running Queen joke from the book. So, let's take a look back at some of the most notable Queen sequences from the show!

Crowley's Arrival - "Bohemian Rhapsody"

Although Crowley technically made his debut earlier in the first episode at the Garden of Eden, his arrival in the Bentley to the tune of "Bohemian Rhapsody" to pick up the Antichrist was a real entrance. Could the show have done anything more perfect than blast the "Beelzebub has a devil put aside for meeeeeeee" line as he pulled up?

Crowley's arrival was actually only one instance of "Bohemian Rhapsody" used in the series, as he was listening to it again later in the episode when Satan broke in with some instructions for the Antichrist. The song would play again at the end of the fifth episode and beginning of the sixth, when Crowley made an epic entrance at the airfield, followed shortly by the flaming Bentley exploding.

So why does Crowley's arrival get special mention among the many uses of "Bohemian Rhapsody" in the show? Well, not only was it the first Queen song in the series, but it also marked an instance of a song playing in-universe for Crowley in the Bentley and as part of the soundtrack. "Bohemian Rhapsody" became his anthem thanks to this scene.

Anathema Hitches A Ride - "Bicycle Race"

Another memorable Queen sequence came in the second episode after a collision between Crowley in the Bentley and Anathema on her bicycle. Despite Aziraphale's shocked statement that Crowley hit somebody, Crowley countered that somebody hit him. (For what it's worth, Anathema did plow into the side of the Bentley.) Crowley begrudgingly agreed to giving Anathema a lift home, and the drive back to her cottage was oh-so-perfectly set to "Bicycle Race."

This scene is an example of a completely on-the-nose use of Queen for a Good Omens scene, and it appeared not to be a song actually playing in Crowley's car. Even if Crowley would have been impassive about it, surely Aziraphale or Anathema would have had a reaction to Crowley blasting "I want to ride my bicycle!" after colliding with Anathema on her bicycle.

Aziraphale's Bookshop Burns - "You're My Best Friend"

Things were getting out of control by the time Crowley climbed into his Bentley and raced to Soho to find Aziraphale in Episode 5, having just escaped Hastur and Ligur. Queen's uplifting "You're My Best Friend" played as Crowley grimly drove to the bookshop, which he discovered in flames. Regardless of the inferno, Crowley entered the bookshop in search of his best friend. It was a heartbreaking and fiery scene contrasting with the cheerful song to great effect.

The use of "You're My Best Friend" was unique in a couple of ways. Although it began while Crowley was in the Bentley, it wasn't clearly playing in-universe until Crowley raced into the burning bookshop when it could be heard coming from Aziraphale's dying gramophone. Since I'm guessing Aziraphale didn't deliberately buy a version of Queen's Greatest Hits for his gramophone, I'm going to count this as a subtle nod to the cassette joke from the book.

Crowley Braves The Blaze - "I'm In Love With My Car"

It was a sign of Crowley's desperation that he was willing to drive his beloved Bentley into the inferno surrounding London. When Hastur escaped from the answering machine tape and popped into the passenger seat of the Bentley, Crowley popped a CD into the player and floored it into the flames... to the tune of "I'm In Love With My Car."

If the gramophone playing "You're My Best Friend" was a subtle nod to the Queen cassette tape joke from the book, then "I'm In Love With My Car" was a total shoutout. Not because the book mentioned this particular Queen song -- because it didn't -- and not because Crowley really is pretty much in love with his car.

No, before "I'm In Love With My Car" actually began to play, the fifth episode showed Crowley popping a Mozart CD into the player. Crowley must have left it in his glove compartment for too long!

Crowley Needs Directions - "We Will Rock You"

By the time Crowley arrived in Tadfield in Episode 5, he was holding the burning Bentley together by sheer strength of will and imagination. He also never looked more demonic than when he pulled up in a flaming car, dressed in all black, and showing his yellow snake eyes without any sunglasses. His demonic look was contrasted with his polite request for directions from a Tadfield resident

Why is this one of the most noteworthy uses of Queen in Good Omens? Well, it's such a great combination of comedy, absurdity, and urgency, and "We Will Rock You" really highlights the ridiculousness of the situation in the best way. It is a ridiculous situation, as were most of Crowley and Aziraphale's attempts to stop the apocalypse. Of course this is one of the best sequences!

It was also arguably the last big moment for the Bentley, which would be destroyed shortly after arriving at the airbase in Episode 6 when Crowley had to start focusing on things other than holding his car together.

Honorable Mention: "Under Pressure" Trailer

Amazon released two big trailers for Good Omens ahead of the premiere, and both used Queen to perfection. The first showcased the relationship between Crowley and Aziraphale with "You're My Best Friend," but the second used "Under Pressure" to hype everything that was to come.

The right music can make a trailer completely unforgettable, as with Stranger Things' "Thriller" trailer for Season 2 and "Baba O'Riley" trailer for Season 3, and "Under Pressure" was guaranteed to get stuck in your head and make you remember that Good Omens was on the way. For folks who had never read the book and didn't really know what was in store, "Under Pressure" was a great way to build anticipation.

You can catch all six episodes of Good Omens (with all of these and more Queen songs) streaming on Amazon now. The finished product is a wild ride, made all the better for one hilarious scene that almost didn't happen.

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George Lucas Writes Sweet Tribute To Peter Mayhew

George Lucas Writes Sweet Tribute To Peter Mayhew

Star Wars fans were saddened to learn about the recent death of Peter Mayhew, the man who brought the Wookie Chewbacca to life for the majority of the franchise. Friends and colleagues have been sharing their thoughts on the iconic actor. George Lucas, the creator of Star Wars has penned his own tribute to the man where he talks about how Mayhew was discovered and placed in the film that would define his career.

According to George Lucas, finding somebody to play Chewbacca was actually quite complicated. While all Lucas was really looking for was somebody tall enough to play the part, finding that proved difficult. Eventually however, a hospital attendant named Peter Mayhew was found and Lucas cast him as soon as he saw how tall the man was. According to Lucas...

Peter was a wonderful, wonderful man. He kept his job in the hospital through the first three movies. But he fell in love with the character. And then as Star Wars grew in fame, and he started doing more festivals and public appearances, he realized he could actually make a living just off the personal appearances. He was very gentle, very sweet, very easy to get along with. He was more like a Wookie than I originally imagined a Wookie to be. Originally, I envisioned Chewie as some big ferocious beast, but Peter's Chewie wasn't really ferocious. No matter how hard he tried, he wasn't ferocious. He would be your best friend until he got angry, then stand back. He was a gentle giant.

The idea that Peter Mayhew kept his job working at a hospital while also being in the biggest movie franchise of all-time is just adorable and hilarious.

While Mayhew would have a handful of other acting jobs over the course of his career, he really did just make a living being Chewbacca for the most part. It's clear he truly loved playing the character.

Mayhew hasn't played Chewbacca at all in the last couple films, with the costume being handled by Joonas Suotamo in both Star Wars: The Last Jedi and Solo: A Star Wars Story. Mayhew hadn't been in the best health of late, so his passing wasn't necessarily a shock, but it was still sad news.

George Lucas' comments in THR are a wonderful tribute from the man who created Chewbacca and found the perfect person to give him life. While Lucas says he initially envisioned Chewbacca as a ferocious beast, it was Mayhew who turned him into the lovable giant he became. It's impossible to think of Chewbacca as anything else now.

Chewbacca will live on. Joonas Suotamo is set to bring the character back in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. While Mayhew may never inhabit the suit again, his contribution will certainly never be forgotten.

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The 6 Best Jim Carrey Movies, And The 4 Worst

The 6 Best Jim Carrey Movies, And The 4 Worst

If high-energy slapstick with rambunctious, rubber-faced characters is the kind of comedy you crave, there is no better person to look to than Jim Carrey. The man behind icons like Ace Ventura, the title character of The Mask or Lloyd Christmas in Dumb and Dumber is a one-man army of non-stop explosive hilarity,

The actor is also never afraid to bring out the deeper side of his acting talent for more dramatic roles like The Truman Show. Jim Carrey’s versatile talent has resulted in some of the funniest comedies and most moving dramas of the last few decades… not to mention a few forgettably laughless bores and overblown messes.

Shall we take a look back at Jim Carrey’s fascinating career by analyzing our picks of his biggest hits and most sheepish misses among the Jim Carrey movies? Allllllllrighty then!

The Best Jim Carrey Movies

Ace Ventura: Pet Detective (1994)

It seems pretty obvious to include the film that skyrocketed Jim Carrey to fame on his best list. Yet, by that criteria alone, it deserves it.

Jim Carrey is Ace Ventura, a private investigator with a knack for solving animal-related crimes and has a tremendously bizarre personality. When he is hired to find Snowflake, the kidnapped mascot for the Miami Dolphins, Ace’s unusual detective methods keep putting him in the hot seat, but still closer to solving the case than anyone else.

Following his successful run on In Living Color, this was the film that introduced audiences to Jim Carrey’s definitive, rubber-faced character traits. With Ace Ventura: Pet Detective, Carrey led a one-man comedy revolution by doing what no actor had ever done before: talking through his butt.

The Mask (1994)

Boy, was 1994 a good year for Jim Carrey. First Ace Ventura: Pet Detective makes a box office killing, then Dumb and Dumber finds critical success later that year. That summer, however, there came a movie that defied expectations, solidified Carrey as a multi-layered comedic tour de force and earned him his first Golden Globe nomination.

The Mask, a much, much lighter interpretation of a Dark Horse comic book series, stars Jim Carrey as down-on-his-luck bank clerk Stanley Ipkiss, who gets a chance to turn his life around when he finds a mysterious mask. Putting it on turns him into living cartoon character with superhuman powers and a menacing disposition.

Never has Jim Carrey been so animated, versatile and out of control. He carries this inventive story with Oscar-nominated special effects to comedic gold of historical measure.

Liar Liar (1997)

Jim Carrey put his manic, explosive acting style to its most appropriate and uproarious use in this story of an average person (unusual for Carrey at the time) with a really weird problem.

In Liar Liar, Lawyer Fletcher Reede (Jim Carrey) makes a living out of stretching the truth to help get his clients out of trouble. Unfortunately, his dishonest habit often pours into his personal life, feeding into his strained relationship with his ex-wife and dwindling trust from his son, Max (Justin Cooper). When Max makes a birthday wish that Fletcher can not tell a lie for just one day, suddenly, he finds himself literally unable to tell a lie for the next 24 hours.

Watching Jim Carrey drive himself to the brink of insanity over his inability to lie is painfully hilarious, but watching him facing his demons and learning to be a better person and father is heartwarming. Liar Liar was one of Jim Carrey’s first roles that allowed him to show his sensitive side to wonderful effect.

The Truman Show (1998)

Jim Carrey’s next major role took far more advantage of the actor’s sensitive side than ever before. I would even consider Truman Burbank to be one of the most soulful and devastating performances of his career.

Truman (Jim Carrey) is an average, likeable, married insurance salesman who cannot seem to escape his mundane existence, let alone his picturesque hometown. Little does he know that his unexplained sense of entrapment is by design of the creator of a television show that gives hope and joy and inspiration to millions, and he is the star.

Nominated for three Academy Awards, The Truman Show is a brilliant satire on the influence of “reality” television on its viewers and its subjects, tackling themes more relevant now than ever. As one of Jim Carrey’s first departures from his comedic reputation into a more dramatic setting, he knocks it out of the park.

Bruce Almighty (2003)

Jim Carrey re-teamed with the director of Ace Ventura: Pet Detective and Liar Liar for this ambitious romp of heavenly proportions. That is not me being incredulous. It is thematically appropriate.

After dissatisfied field reporter Bruce Nolan (Jim Carrey) loses his job, he blames God for his current losing streak. Thus, the Almighty One himself appears to Bruce, in the appropriately cast form of Morgan Freeman, to offer him His job and endow him with his powers. Thrilled, at first, by his omnipotence, Bruce soon realizes that being God is no easy feat.

Bruce Almighty succeeds at being more than a story of a man who fixes his problems by acquiring great power. It is a clever, heartfelt morality tale about a man who learns to rediscover his humanity by becoming larger than life. Not to mention, I laugh painfully hard at the scene where Jim Carrey makes Steve Carell speak gibberish every single time.

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004)

Maybe director Michel Gondry’s critically acclaimed 2004 dreamy fantasy does not come to mind when you think of Jim Carrey. Nevertheless, if you have seen Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, it should come to mind when you think of stunningly unique and remarkably absorbing dramas.

Following a painful break-up with his girlfriend, Clementine (Kate Winslet), Joel (Jim Carrey) undergoes a procedure to have her erased from his memory. It is not until he is knee-deep in the procedure when he realizes that he would rather keep the memories.

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind is a visually hypnotic, unfathomably clever and ultimately heartbreaking masterwork. Few films before or since have come close to its level of originality and its authentic examination of the complexities of tragic romance is gripping.

This is Jim Carrey like you have never seen him before in a world like you could never imagine.

The Worst Jim Carrey Movies

Batman Forever (1995)

There is a lot of back-and-forth among Batman fans about what should be considered the shining example of the comic character as portrayed on film. Rarely does one agree which is best, but many agree that it is certainly not Joel Schumacher’s 1995 revamp of the franchise.

Batman Forever is the third installment in Warner Bros’. Batman franchise that started with Tim Burton’s interpretation. Following lackluster box office results and parent protests over 19922’s Batman Returns being “too dark,” the studio put Joel Schumacher in the director’s chair, Val Kilmer in the cowl and Jim Carrey in the villainous role of The Riddler, partnered with an unnecessarily unplugged Tommy Lee Jones as Two-Face.

To be clear, the faults of Batman Forever are not to be put on Jim Carrey, even if his performance gets to be a little much sometimes. What this overblown, nonsensical, uncomfortably goofy toy commercial does to deserve a spot on this list is make a mockery out of its title character and all he stands for.

Me, Myself & Irene (2000)

The Farrelly Brothers brought out the lovably kooky side of Jim Carrey in Dumb and Dumber. Somehow they must have felt that a good way to stretch their legs a bit was to bring out a more unlikeable and inappropriate side of him.

In Me, Myself & Irene, Jim Carrey plays Charlie, Rhode Island state trooper who has allowed a life’s worth of misfortune bottle up inside, resulting in a condition referred to as “advanced delusionary schizophrenia with involuntary narcissistic rage.” That’s the movie’s highly incorrect way of describing Charlie’s split personality, Hank, who gets him a whole heap of trouble involving a woman in need of protection named Irene (Renee Zellwegger).

Peter and Bobby Farrelly are behind some of the most celebrated comedies of the 1990s (Kingpin, There’s Something About Mary), but there is a reason this R-rated 2000 critical failure has been since forgotten. It is a lazy, laughless bore that lacks any much-needed heart and makes poor use of Jim Carrey’s talents in physical comedy.

The Number 23 (2007)

Perhaps director Joel Schumacher realized that Batman Forever was too lighthearted and decided that his next collaboration with Jim Carrey should be much darker. He forgot another Batman Forever mistake that The Number 23 could have also used: a story that makes sense.

Jim Carrey goes completely humorless for this thriller inspired by a real-life conspiracy theory that all bad things are somehow related to the number 23. Carrey plays a man who becomes obsessed with a disturbing book that seems to be imitating his life while the aforementioned number keeps popping up everywhere he turns.

The Number 23 is another example of Jim Carrey not being at fault for a film’s failure. He struggles to carry a plot that barely keeps your attention until it reaches its irritatingly unoriginal “twist” conclusion. If the conspiracy of tragedy related to the number 23 is true, this movie is some fine evidence.

Yes Man (2008)

Remember Liar Liar, in which Jim Carrey is unable to tell a lie? What if we basically remade that with one crucial twist.

Yes Man, from future Ant-Man director Peyton Reed, stars Jim Carrey as a guy who compulsively says no to everything, even things that sound pleasant. When he decides to make the decision to compulsively say yes to everything, even things that do not sound pleasant, his life begins to change for the better… until it doesn’t.

Yes Man has a wonderful, inspirational message that encourages living life to the fullest, but in the end, it defeats itself by admitting that saying yes can eventually prove problematic. It’s hard to decide what Jim Carrey and Peyton Reed wanted people to take this film. Laughter? Nah, it can’t be that.

Jim Carrey is one of our most beloved iconic comedians, but like any actor, his career is not without its missteps. However, The Number 23 or Me, Myself & Irene will not be what he's remembered for best. We will always think of him as a comedian with unprecedented energy and enthusiasm who taught that world that a man who talks with his butt actually can be pretty funny.

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Apparently Netflix Promoted A New Jurassic World Spinoff Too Early

Apparently Netflix Promoted A New Jurassic World Spinoff Too Early

Netflix’s algorithm is a funny thing: Between its random sub-genre recommendations such as "absurd opposites-attract comedies" and "dark revenge sci-fi & fantasy," you never know what you’re going to discover while scrolling through the streaming service. Recently, a couple of subscribers noticed a potentially unannounced Jurassic World title while they were in the mood for watching some dinosaur movie goodness. Take a look:

As you can see in the recent tweet from @nsjstuff, the title Jurassic World: Camp Cretaceous came up on his search results. According to MovieWeb, after he tweeted this out, fans did some digging and found that Universal had filed three trademarks for this title on entertainment, toys and games in December 2018. While the project has not been officially announced, the studio does already have ties with Netflix and has discussed plans to create more programming around the blockbuster properties.

Netflix has already collaborated with the studio in the past for LEGO Jurassic World: The Indominus Escape, so another project about the Universal property with this newly revealed title is likely on the way as well. The studios also have a Netflix Fast & Furious animated series centering on the adventures of Tony Torretto -- teenage son of Vin Diesel’s Dom -- coming later this year called Fast & Furious: Spy Racers.

Universal’s animation studio has additionally worked with the streaming giant in the past to release a children’s television show based on their highly-successful How To Train Your Dragon franchise. The studios’ previous dealings lead us to believe the upcoming Jurassic World title will also be an animated series or film targeted to a younger audience. Perhaps about a summer camp at the problematic park getting out of hand?

If you look up “Jurassic” on Netflix now, as I just did, the upcoming title no longer appears. Looks like the streaming giant realized its mistake and took down the title from showing up. Maybe Jurassic World: Camp Cretaceous is still in early development and not ready to be announced by the studios.

This information does show that Netflix and Universal are in fact working together to create more content about the famous dino park that has sprung a $5 billion global grossing franchise since Steven Spielberg’s classic debuted in 1993.

Besides Jurassic World’s future presence on the streaming platform, Universal Studios is also gearing up to unveil its Jurassic World - The Ride revamp this summer with newly created dinos, scenery, and storyline updating the 23-year-old classic ride. The third installment of the big-screen Jurassic World franchise is also underway for summer 2021 release.

Until then, no need to search for what’s next on Netflix, just check out these great movies coming to the streaming site this April.

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Colin Farrell Loved The Dumbo Sets So Much He Spent Extra Time Just Wandering Around

Colin Farrell Loved The Dumbo Sets So Much He Spent Extra Time Just Wandering Around

Few auteurs have made as big an impact on modern cinema than Tim Burton. The filmmaker’s style is identifiable from a mile away, and it’s a specific aesthetic that has driven some of the most visually interesting features to be released in the last 35 years. His work possesses many charms, including a wonderful practicality, and it’s that particular element of Burton’s filmmaking process that really boggled the mind of Colin Farrell in the making of Dumbo.

Unlike many of the stars of the new Disney film (including Eva Green, Danny DeVito, and Michael Keaton), Colin Farrell didn’t have the experience of working with Tim Burton prior to the making of the new live-action adaptation, but that just meant that the entire experience was brand new to him. This was something that he very much reveled in during production, as he recently told me about how he would actually spend extra time on set when nobody was around, taking it all in. Discussing his expectations for working with Burton, Farrell explained,

I expected... My mind is not potent enough to have expected the degree of elaborateness that was present on the sets of this film. But I knew that it would be elaborate, and I knew that it would be big, and I knew that it would be beautiful, and colorful, and noisy. But I had no idea. And when I saw some of the sets, I mean they were just the most beautiful, you know? I'd find myself walking on to the sets when there was nobody there and just looking around.

Colin Farrell wore his appreciation for the beauty of Tim Burton’s Dumbo on his sleeve when I had the opportunity to sit down with him earlier this month during the new film’s Los Angeles press junket. During the interview he mentioned that he had met the director years before making the new movie – specifically they had a chat while drinking coffee poolside at the Roosevelt Hotel (don’t you just love Hollywood?) – but that meeting apparently didn’t fully prepare the actor for the experience of collaborating with the filmmaker. So when he arrived and saw the massive, practical, and colorful sets that had been built for the live-action adaptation of the Disney animated classic, he was really blown away.

There are some actors who can’t get off set fast enough when they are done with a day of production on a movie, but that most definitely wasn’t the case for Colin Farrell in the making of Dumbo. Instead, he found that the experience of being alone on the massive circus sets that had been built overwhelmed him with emotions – particularly a thankfulness that he has a life that allows him to be a part of beautiful art. Said Farrell,

And talk about moments of nostalgia! Even though I didn't have relationship with Dumbo or circuses, it's just honestly a lot of gratitude, actually, for living in such a beautiful world, and being a part of telling a story, albeit for a finite moment in time.

In Dumbo, Colin Farrell stars as Holt Farrier, a circus performer who we first meet at the start of the story when he returns from fighting in World War I. He is beyond elated to once again be with his two children, Milly (Nico Parker) and Joe (Finley Hobbins), but he’s also not quite the man he used to be, as an injury sustained during battle led to him losing his left arm. He does his best to try and return his life to what it was before he left, but finds challenges from his disability. It’s a scary and hard time, but optimism soon arrives in the form of a young elephant with ears so big that they allow it to fly.

The seventeenth film from Tim Burton, and also starring Alan Arkin in addition to all the names mentioned above, Dumbo will soon be arriving in theaters – scheduled to land on March 29th. Between now and then, be sure to stay tuned here on CinemaBlend, as we have plenty more coming from my interviews with the movie’s cast and filmmakers.

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Ford May Be Making Pickup Trucks Into Movie Theaters

Ford May Be Making Pickup Trucks Into Movie Theaters

Nowadays, there are so many ways to enjoy a movie other than the traditional theater experience. Netflix has started producing its own high-profile films for cinephiles to tune into conveniently at home, along with the ability for moviegoers to take their favorite films on the go to their phones, laptops and such.

What if you could turn the back of your pickup truck into its own movie theater with minimal installation required? Ford Motors has just patented an accessory for a pickup bed that does just that, per a Fox News report. Take a look at the design from the patent below:

The system is made of two telescoping supports that can mount into the receptacles built into the side of the pickup truck bed. The design allows for a movie projection screen, television or projector to be placed along with a place for a speaker system. It even allows for a TV screen to have the option to swivel.

It’s specifically designed to work on a Ford F-150 or Super Duty truck, and is meant to be better than a custom setup, because it doesn’t require drilling holes into the bed, which can lead to corrosion down the line. Ford has not announced plans to release a manufactured version of the design for purchase, but considering they patented it, this could be on the way.

This is an exciting idea, especially for tailgaters and campers who have dreamt of having a high-quality movie experience before the big game or under the stars next to their tents. Of course, there’s always the careless consumer, who might decide to keep TV on while on the freeway and distract other drivers from the road.

The design follows some other recent innovations to go along with pickup beds such as the Honda Ridgeline, which offers a bed-as-a-speaker system and the 2019 GMC Sierra 1500, which allows for an auxiliary stereo system to be built into a folding MultiPro tailgate. So it was only a matter of time before “pickup truck movie theaters” started being designed as well.

This is an idea that certainly only caters to an owner of a truck who often park them in places that demand for entertainment such as this but it’s certainly a unique one that can spice up one’s definition of movie night.

In the past, there was also a bed that could turn into a movie theater, that had a projector installed to the headboard and panels that can come down at the sides, for a comfy at-home movie viewing. It’s no wonder movie theaters are offering subscription services and Netflix to up-ing their game with special releases, given all the new innovations to make viewing movies easy and different.

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Avengers: Endgame’s VFX Artists Took A Lot Of Lessons From The Lord Of The Rings Trilogy

Avengers: Endgame’s VFX Artists Took A Lot Of Lessons From The Lord Of The Rings Trilogy

Weta Digital has been in the digital effects game for over 25 years, and the company’s most recent contribution to the cinematic landscape was in Avengers: Endgame, specifically through the explosive final battle. During my recent interview with Weta visual effects supervisor Matt Aiken, I asked him whether there were any non-Marvel movies Weta had worked on that inspired the work done on Endgame, and he informed me that there were quite a few parallels between the final chapter of the Infinity Saga and what he and his team had done on the Lord of the Rings trilogy. Aiken explained:

A bunch of us, myself included, go all the way back to Lord of the Rings at WETA Digital. That had giant battle sequences, predominantly CG battle sequences as well. It was interesting, we really felt like we were back in the territory of Helm’s Deep and the Battle of Pelennor Fields at times on this film, which was fun for a bunch of us who’d worked on those films as well. And we’re using some of the same techniques and software in Lord of the Rings. We’re using MASSIVE, which is the crowd-simulation software that we developed in house at WETA Digital to do those battle scenes for Lord of the Rings to do the crowd simulation work for Endgame as well. It’s a way more developed version of that, but it’s still plenty of the same software.

The Marvel Cinematic Universe has delivered some amazing battles over the last 11 years, but for now, Avengers: Endgame’s final conflict ranks as the biggest yet. All the major MCU heroes, from the ones we’d followed along with since the beginning of the movie to those who were dusted in Avengers: Infinity War coming back to life, as well as their armies of allies, fighting the 2014 versions of Thanos and his forces. Who knows if/when we’ll ever see a clash like this again in the MCU.

While a battle of that scale is novel for the superhero franchise, for Matt Aiken and his team, it was familiar territory for them, because even though it’s been nearly two decades since the Lord of the Rings trilogy launched, they were using the same software to create these large crowds back then as they did for Avengers: Endgame in the last year or so, albeit with many improvements.

However, the trick with creating these kind of fights isn’t just plopping large crowds onto a battlefield; it’s also ensuring that the combatants can stand out amidst all the action. What’s the point watching two sides duke it out if everyone’s actions look the same? That would be boring. Matt Aiken and his Weta team figured that out during their time on Lord of the Rings and incorporated it into Avengers: Endgame. As Aiken put it:

And then things we learned from Lord of the Rings that we were able to bring to bear here as well. The one thing we always like to do is when we have these big battle scenes is not to just treat everybody the same, so in Endgame, we’ve got multiple different flavors of army on both sides, both Thanos’ side and our heroes’ side. We’ve got Wakandans, Asgardians, Ravagers, sorcerers on the heroes’ side, and we’ve got Chitauri, Outriders, Sakaarans, the Black Order on Thanos’ side. And we want to preserve the individual fighting styles for each of these sub-armies, if you like, so that when we have a clash, we can tell if it’s a bunch of Outriders dealing to some sorcerers, or maybe we’ve got some Wakandans who are able to take on a whole lot of Chitauri.

The MCU and Middle-Earths sagas are incredibly different from one another, but when it comes to VFX work, as Matt Aiken laid out, a lot of the same methods were applied to both franchises. Given technological advancement, obviously these methods were more refined for Avengers: Endgame, but overall, it’s like the old saying goes: if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.

While Weta Digital handled VFX for all the Lord of the Rings movie and the subsequent Hobbit trilogy that followed a decade later, Avengers: Endgame marked just the fifth MCU movie the company worked on, the previous ones being The Avengers, Iron Man 3, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 and Avengers: Infinity War. Given what Weta pulled off in all those movies, Endgame especially, I suspect Marvel Studios will continue relying on its services for future installments.

Avengers: Endgame’s final battle definitely gave viewers a lot of moving pieces keep track of, from Captain America finally wielding Mjolnir to the women of Marvel coming together to transport the Infinity Gauntlet to Scott Lang’s van. Even with the good guys getting that surge of reinforcements, Thanos nearly succeeded in destroying the universe and replacing it with a new one, but Tony Stark managed to swipe the Infinity Stones and channel their power to turn all the Mad Titan and his minions to dust, though it came at the cost of his own life.

As for the Lord of the Rings franchise, obviously its time on the big screen has come and gone, but the Middle-Earth mythology will soon be explored on the small screen. Amazon has a Lord of the Rings TV series in the works, although instead of just adapting the original novels again, it will tell new stories set before The Fellowship of the Ring. Given that Weta primarily works on movies, as well as Amazon probably wanted its series to look different from the movies, it’s unlikely the New Zealand-based company will be brought in to work on this show, but I suppose anything is possible.

Avengers: Endgame is still playing in theaters, so be sure to read CinemaBlend’s review of the movie and stay tuned for more coverage on it. If you’re curious about what the MCU has coming up, check out our Marvel movies guide. As for the Lord of the Rings series, it doesn’t have an official premiere date, although it might be ready by 2021.

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The Greatest Star Wars Memes For Any Situation

The Greatest Star Wars Memes For Any Situation

The internet is a vast source of limitless information and a technological wonder that has revolutionized our everyday lives in countless ways. It's also a great place to share memes, and that's something folks do en masse all over the internet, especially in regards to social media. It's a way to express yourself on a level regular text doesn't always convey and, when used correctly, can be a real hit with colleagues.

This is especially true with Star Wars memes, which have skyrocketed in popularity in recent years. Thanks to the efforts of subreddits and the new trilogy, Star Wars memes are as hot as they've ever been. If you're late to the game, here's a handful of the best from each trilogy to get you started, and equip you with the perfect meme for any situation.

The Prequel Trilogy

While the films may not be as celebrated, the prequel trilogy memes rank among some of the best on the internet. It's hard to find a part of the movie that isn't worth making into a meme, and one almost certainly could if they tried. With that said, here's some of the classic and most versatile ones that really embody the drama and goofiness of Episodes 1-3.

"Hello There"

General Kenobi's greeting to General Grievous may have been odd and a bit out of place given the context of the situation. With that said, it's more or less perfect for the person wishing to inject themselves into a conversation between two strangers they're not apart of. This one also works for when people send you comments that are just your name and nothing else, and may discourage those parties from doing that in the future.

"It's Treason, Then"

Who doesn't enjoy an internet debate every now and then? Believe it or not, people with different ideals clash on the internet, and even friends can get into squabble over trivial things. If your friend flips the script on you in an argument, Palpatine's famous line is a great meme to signal their betrayal. It's also great for when someone mentions treason in general as well, and will always get scores of likes from Star Wars fans.

"Nooooooo"

We'd be remissed to cap off the prequel films without one of its most iconic memes to date. People may take the Vader "nooooooo" meme for granted because it's been around for so long, but that's only because it's one of the most versatile gifs in the game. When you are absolutely, positively looking to express your disapproval in an exaggerated and slightly comedic way, accept no substitutes. This isn't about Quentin Tarantino memes!

The Original Trilogy

The original trilogy has gotten some fresh memes over the years, but seeing as its the oldest trilogy, it's only natural some of the internet memes surrounding it are a bit dated. There's nothing wrong with the classics though, and as long as you're not trying to impress any edgy teenagers, these memes should serve you well while traversing the web.

Palpatine Egging On

Online discussion can get heated at times, and sometimes everyone needs to take a breath and remember that there's another person on the other side of the screen trying to live their life. This meme is great for acknowledging when someone may be taking things a bit too far, but also great for trolling someone you've already enraged in a discussion. Of course, you're also suggesting you're a villain in posting it so there is a downside.

Meme "Checks Out"

This one is certainly applicable to a few entries on this list, and one young bloods can keep in the folder to whip out once in a blue moon. This one is great because it's always a crowd pleaser, provided the meme it's referencing is actually old. Play this one sparingly and you'll score thousands of imaginary internet points before you know it.

"It's A Trap!"

Admiral Ackbar's famous line is one of the internet's oldest meme, and suitable in literally every situation one would assume. Spot something dicey on the internet? Did your friends share a link to some news that isn't true? Drop this baby in the comments to inform others, and maybe provide some context afterward for those that don't understand why. Everyone should post an Ackbar meme at least once in their life, if only as a public service.

The Sequel Trilogy

The sequel trilogy is the new kid on the block, but that doesn't mean the memes are any less fantastic. With that said, memes have shifted to more contextual and rooted in long captions that apply to very specific situation. Even so, there are still some great lines from the new movies to work into this brave new world of memeing.

Kylo Ren Shirtless

There's no text, but don't panic, all will be fine. Just let Kylo Ren's glistening pecs do all the talking for you and leave everyone else to figure out why you posted this meme. Was it intimidation? To be noticed? Are you just bored? Best case scenario, the conversation devolves into Kylo Ren shirtless image battles, which one can never get enough of.

"The Sacred Texts!"

Here's one that's best used ironically, on days when you're feeling a bit fiesty. Maybe you threw out your microwave box before checking the heating instructions, or your dollar comic collection was damaged whilst sitting in the garage. The skies the limit for this one, and it's guaranteed to get smiles from at least a few people should you find the right context to use it.

Poe Breaks The Ice

When it comes to one-liners in the new Star Wars trilogy, there's really no debate among who delivers the best. Poe Dameron is the man, and isn't afraid to crack jokes even when his life is in danger. It's something that will probably get him killed eventually, but until then we can laugh at his smart ass remark to Poe and use it in all awkward online exchanges going forward.

Of course, there's a galaxy full of great Star Wars memes that have been left off of this list, so feel free to share any favorites in the comments for interested parties to use in the future. Meanwhile CinemaBlend will keep an eye on all Star Wars news, and post that Episode IX trailer as soon as it appears.

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