My Official Take on 'Star Wars: The Force Awakens'

After more than a week and no less than four viewings, I've finally decided how I truly feel about Star Wars: The Force Awakens. Yes, I was ecstatic about the movie when I first watched it in a theater packed with die-hard fans, ready to rank J.J. Abrams' continuation of George Lucas' groundbreaking saga just behind The Empire Strikes Back. Following my initial gushing, I've been bombarded in person and on social media by differing opinions, many of which have weirdly forced me to defend this movie as though I have some kind of stake in it. Yet, in many ways, I do. The Star Wars series has been a huge part of who I am since I was three years old, so it's hard not to take that criticism personally. That's likely why it took me so long to fully collect my thoughts on the film. As I sit here in my Yoda shirt on Christmas night, ready am I.

My final verdict? Yes, I still love this movie and, yes, it's still just behind Empire in my mind.

I know, I know. This movie was just a rehash of A New Hope, right? There's no way I could possibly love a sequel that intentionally shares the same motifs as the original, could I? So I should also hate movies like Jurassic World, the Toy Story sequels,  Terminator 2: Judgment Day, every James Bond movie after Dr. No and all of the superhero origin stories we've seen on film over the last decade, shouldn't I? Got it.

POTENTIAL SPOILERS AHEAD:

Moving right along, The Force Awakens is fun, giving us that swashbuckling, escapist sense of adventure that was sorely missing in Lucas' prequel films. The new cast, including Daisy Ridley (Rey), John Boyega (Finn), Oscar Isaac (Poe Dameron) and Adam Driver (Kylo Ren) is fantastic, and I'm excited to see how these characters and their relationships to one another shift and evolve in the next two films. It was great seeing old faces return to pass the torch to the new cast, with Harrison Ford and Carrie Fisher bringing some welcome gravitas as aged smuggler Han Solo and princess-turned-general Leia Organa. Chewbacca steals more scenes than he ever did in the original films, and C-3PO and R2-D2 shine despite the introduction of the ultra cute and incredibly toyetic BB-8. I also really enjoyed Lupita Nyong'o's Maz Kanata, a mysterious sage who has a deep connection to the Force and the Skywalker clan. As for Luke ... let's just say his big reveal has me clamoring for Episode VIII.

There's visual grandeur to be experienced for sure, including a thrilling Millennium Falcon chase through starship detritus on the junkyard world of Jakku and eye-popping dog fights between X-wings and TIE fighters. But it wasn't all about computer-generated wizardry this time around. Practical effects were used liberally in the production of The Force Awakens, with puppets and costumed actors populating sets and starships that were created by real-world craftsmen, not animators. Abrams' ability to discern what should be created physically to get the best performances possible from his cast is one that I hope he shares with the other filmmakers charged with continuing the franchise under Disney.

As incredible as this film looks and feels, the real effect that impressed me throughout The Force Awakens' 136-minute running time was the script by series veteran Lawrence Kasdan. While the prequels frequently suffered from clunky dialogue delivered by actors that seemed less than confident in what they were saying, The Force Awakens' script crackles with life, mixing humor with peril in ways that never involve an aquatic cartoon rabbit stepping in animal feces.

Despite my praise, I would never call The Force Awakens perfect. The monstrous Supreme Leader Snoke, the main baddie played by Lord of the Rings veteran Andy Serkis, would probably have been more effective as an actor wearing makeup, and not a CGI creation. There's also the issue of Captain Phasma, who amounts to a non-character. Why cast Gwendoline Christie (Game of Thrones) if she's just going to be window dressing? When we pegged her as "the next Boba Fett" a year ago, we were kinda hoping she'd have more screentime than he did.

Star Wars is back in a big way, and The Force Awakens is exactly what I wanted in a continuation of the story I fell in love with nearly 30 years ago. Kids have new characters to latch onto (namely Rey, who's one of the best female heroes to emerge this year), and adults have all new questions to obsess about as we wait impatiently for the next installment in 2017. As Billy Murray's Nick Winter once sang on Saturday Night Live,  "Gimme those Star Wars ... don't let them end."

10 Observations About the New 'Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice' Trailer

The latest trailer for Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice debuted on Jimmy Kimmel Live!, making it abundantly clear that Warner Bros. is holding nothing back in its attempt to jump-start its shared cinematic universe. There's clearly a lot going on in this movie, and even though there are some things that don't really sit right with me quite yet (namely Jesse Eisenberg as Lex Luthor), there's a lot to be optimistic about. Here are 10 thoughts I had while watching this new look at Zack Snyder's Batman v Superman, hitting theaters March 25, 2016.

1. Ben Affleck is a much better Bruce Wayne than I thought he'd be. Also, the "bad history with freaks dressed like clowns" line got a squeal out of me. Sorry, not sorry.
2. Jesse Eisenberg is channeling Jim Carrey from Batman Forever in playing Lex Luthor. I'm not sure why.
3. I hope Luthor's whole "Bruce Wayne meets Clark Kent" schtick isn't in the actual movie. It feels like a line written entirely for the trailer, along with the "you should not pick a fight with this person" bit right after it.
4. Holy crap, that's a cool Batplane!
5. Parademons?!
6. Zombie Zod is Doomsday?! Okay, I really like that.
7. Seems like Batman and Supes will have their titular standoff in the middle of the movie, and will unite against a common enemy (Doomsday) for the finale. This trailer might be revealing too much, but whatevs.
8. Wonder Woman! Gal Gadot looks awesome, and I dig Batman and Superman's reactions to her sudden appearance. 
9. Seeing DC's Trinity posed for battle in a live-action movie is pretty much Chicken Soup for the Geek Soul. 
10. I'm now looking forward to this movie a lot more than I thought I would. Good job, trailer! 

New 'Star Wars' Footage Goes to the Dark Side

Star Wars: The Force Awakens "All the Way" TV Spot (Official)
We will face them. December 18, 2015.
Posted by Star Wars on Thursday, November 26, 2015

There's not a whole heck of a lot we know about the primary antagonist in Star Wars: The Force Awakens, but this new one-minute clip released today on Facebook gives us our best look at Kylo Ren yet, along with various scenes of our heroes in peril as they battle the First Order. Still no Luke Skywalker, though.

Star Wars: The Force Awakens hits theaters Dec. 18.

A 'Captain America: Civil War' Trailer You Should be Thankful For

First off, Happy Thanksgiving! I hope you're all in the midst of a potato-induced carb coma. If not, you didn't Thanksgiving hard enough. Get on that.

Anyway, it takes a lot to get me excited about a movie that doesn't involve lightsabers this month, but Marvel Studios dropped a massive bombshell this week in the form of the first Captain America: Civil War trailer. It looks like it strays from the original comic book quite a bit, intermingling the comics' issue of government-mandated superhero registration with Cap's search for his ally-turned-nemesis Bucky, who vanished at the conclusion of The Winter Soldier. Although we still haven't seen any footage of Spider-Man, who's confirmed to appear in the threequel, this trailer does give us our first glimpse at Chadwick Boseman as Black Panther, among other awesome moments that should make the seemingly endless wait until the film's May 6 release date a tad more endurable. Just a tad.

Watch the trailer, make yourself a turkey sandwich and binge-watch some Jessica Jones on Netflix. You deserve it.

'Star Wars: The Force Awakens' Gets a Rating

Star Wars: The Force Awakens, hitting theaters Dec. 18, will be rated PG-13 for "sci-fi action violence," according to FilmRatings.com. This makes the seventh film in the franchise the second consecutive installment to receive this rating, following Revenge of the Sith in 2005.

This seems about right. PG-13 seems to be the standard for big-budget action films these days, so I'm not going to presume that this means The Force Awakens will be any "darker" than previous films in the series. Plus, the PG-13 rating didn't even debut until 1984, after PG-rated Gremlins and Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom horrified parents for their graphic content, so who's to say that The Empire Strikes Back or Return of the Jedi wouldn't have netted the the harsher rating if they were released later? It's not like amputations and accidental incest are "kid-friendly."

Why George Lucas Quit 'Star Wars'

With all the frenzy surrounding Star Wars: The Force Awakens, hitting theaters Dec. 18, franchise creator George Lucas might be feeling a tad left out. After Disney reportedly scrapped his plans for a continuation of the Star Wars saga when The Mouse purchased the Lucasfilm empire in 2012, Lucas is, for the first time, watching the world get excited about his galaxy from the sidelines. However, in an interview with Vanity Fair, the groundbreaking filmmaker reveals that the backlash from the much-maligned prequels made his departure from his creation all too necessary.

"You go to make a movie and all you do is get criticized,” Lucas said in explaining why he needed to step away from Star Wars. “And it’s not much fun. You can’t experiment."

So was it the most vocal, disappointed fans that created a rift between Lucas and his most beloved creation? If so, should those critics be blamed or applauded? Regardless of how you feel about the prequels, those were Lucas' movies through and through. They were exactly the films he wanted to make, and represented his vision for the rise and fall of Anakin Skywalker. Having said that, it's unlikely that Star Wars would be where it is today if Disney hadn't revived the Star Wars brand and assured those innumerable prequel bashers that Jar Jar Binks and midi-chlorians were things of the past. As Luke, Han and Leia prepare for new adventures, it will be interesting to see if Lucas ever decides to return to that galaxy far, far away, and whether Star Wars warmly welcomes The Creator home.

'Suicide Squad's' Harley Quinn and Deadshot Grace 'Empire' Covers

After fans got a good look at Jared Leto's Suicide Squad version of Joker this week, courtesy of Empire, the magazine revealed two more covers showing Margot Robbie as Harley Quinn and Will Smith as Deadshot from the summer 2016 film.

It seems like director David Ayer is working with a pretty varied color palette, as these covers are a lot more vibrant than the muted promotional materials for Zack Snyder's Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, which arrives next August. That's encouraging, however it'll be interesting to see how Warner Bros. markets this movie. The title doesn't exactly lend itself to fast food tie-ins and Walmart displays.

The Empire covers hit stands tomorrow.

'Star Wars: The Force Awakens' Full-Length Trailer Breaks the Internet

Moments after premiering on ESPN's Monday Night Football, the first full-length trailer for Star Wars: The Force Awakens arrived online, rendering countless geeks speechless while simultaneously while providing only the vaguest of details about its plot.

We know that Rey (Daisy Ridley) is a  career scavenger, Finn (John Boyega) starts off in the film as a First Order soldier who was raised to be a bad guy and Kylo Ren (Adam Driver) is a Darth Vader fanatic who wants to finish what the deceased Dark Lord of the Sith started. We also now know or can at least assume based on Han Solo's (Harrison Ford) dialogue that the Force is, in at least some parts of the Star Wars universe, viewed as a myth. There's much to dissect as we all begin pre-ordering our tickets to midnight screenings of The Force Awakens, which arrives in U.S. theaters Dec. 18.

Watch the new trailer below!

Official 'Star Wars: The Force Awakens' Theatrical Poster Revealed

Lucasfilm has released the official theatrical poster for Star Wars: The Force Awakens, a revelation that's fueling much speculation among the Force faithful. Why isn't Luke Skywalker pictured? What's the deal with that Death Star-esque battle station in the background? Where does Leia get her hair done these days? 

The poster reveal comes one day before The Force Awakens tickets go on sale. If that wasn't enough, we're getting a special look at the film during tomorrow night's Monday Night Football broadcast on ESPN. Star Wars geeks excited about a football game? Strange times, indeed.

Check out a special Instagram teaser of this new look at The Force Awakens below.

Grab your friends: the Resistance gathers tomorrow. Watch @ESPN’s Monday Night Football for a new look at #TheForceAwakens. #starwars #movie #clip

A video posted by Star Wars (@starwars) on Oct 18, 2015 at 12:01pm PDT

Mark Ruffalo Confirmed for 'Thor: Ragnarok'

Although we unfortunately haven't gotten a solo film starring The Incredible Hulk in seven years, Mark Ruffalo will bring Bruce Banner and his ill-tempered alter ego  to Marvel Studios' Thor: Ragnarok, Variety reports. The third Thor film, starring Chris Hemsworth as The God of Thunder and Tom Hiddleston as his scheming brother Loki, is set for release on Nov. 3, 2017.

When we last saw Ruffalo's Hulk, he was going into self-imposed exile for fear of endangering others, including his girlfriend, Black Widow. How will Ol' Jade Jaws be brought back into the fold to "smash" as only he can? Stay tuned as more details about Thor: Ragnarok are revealed.

Legendary and Warner Bros. Officially Announce 'Godzilla vs. Kong'

Despite my own ill feelings toward Gareth Edwards' Godzilla reboot last year, I understand that it was a fairly popular film that thrust everyone's favorite mutant dinosaur back into the mainstream (even if he barely appeared in the movie). Now, Legendary Pictures and Warner Bros. have announced officially that three new films will be set in Godzilla's universe, including Kong: Skull Island (2017), Godzilla 2 (2018) and Godzilla vs. Kong (2020). 

King Kong last battled The King of the Monsters in 1962's King Kong vs. Godzilla, where both monsters were similarly scaled to make the match-up seem plausible (or at least as plausible as a radioactive dinosaur fighting a giant ape can be). Should this Kong have the proportions of most of his other cinematic incarnations, like Peter Jackson's 2005 version, we're looking at a pretty short movie. Spoiler alert: Godzilla goes over.

The press release, which you can read here, hints at other monsters appearing in this "shared cinematic universe," including Mothra, Rodan and King Ghidora. That's all fine and well, but if we don't get a gritty Jet Jaguar reboot before 2030, I riot. Who's with me?

'Star Wars Battlefront' Beta First Impressions

Well, it's finally here. Earlier today, EA's Star Wars Battlefront Beta went live, giving Xbox One, PlayStation 4 and PC gamers an early glimpse at three game modes and locales from the anticipated title weeks before its Nov. 17 release date.

I downloaded the Beta immediately after work today, first jumping into a solo session of the Survival mode. In this instance, you're a Rebel soldier who's crashed on Tatooine, and you must survive six waves of enemies (including various types of Imperial Stormtrooper and AT-ST Walkers) before you're rescued. The full game will feature 15 waves of baddies. This mode didn't really give me much trouble in the Beta, and allowed me to get a feel of the game controls at a relatively leisurely pace. I learned how secondary weapons function, how to gain Obi-Wan Kenobi-favorable higher ground with the jetpack and that any mission seems more satisfying when a holographic Admiral Ackbar is cheering you on. No one can resist encouragement of that magnitude.

Next up was Drop Zone, a mode that charges a team of players with taking control of a series of escape pods before the other team can do the same. Whereas the Survival mode made me feel strong enough to pull ears off a gundark, Drop Zone made me feel like a jawa in a pick-up game of hoops against Chewbacca and his cousins. I'm apparently terrible at this mode, and not only did my team of sorta-stalwart Rebels lose, I left the game with a measly two kills to my credit. That being said, this game mode led me to fully appreciate Battlefront's all-out assault on the senses, making Star Wars fans and gamers alike feel like they're immersed in an important, large-scale conflict in that galaxy far, far away. This game is beautiful, and the volcanic surface of Sullust featured in this mode for the beta truly showcases what this title is capable of visually. Perhaps I played so terribly because I was in awe of my surroundings. Yeah, that's it.

Finally, I sampled Walker Assault, which took me to the icy planet of Hoth, replicating my favorite action sequence in any Star Wars film. In this mode, I slipped into the hood and armor of an Imperial Stormtrooper as I protected AT-AT Walkers from the retreating Rebels, who used relay stations to call in Y-wing air strikes to destroy the Empire's metallic monsters. In this mode, if the Empire keeps the Rebels from activating these relays long enough for one of your AT-ATs to reach the power generators, it's lights out for Luke and his pals. If the AT-ATs are destroyed then, well, the Empire strikes out. I really liked this mode (my Empire Strikes Back bias notwithstanding) because of the sheer number of players (this mode allows for 40 participants) and the variety of vehicles involved. I haven't even tried any of them yet, but the idea of stomping through the snow in an AT-AT and blasting Snowspeeders out of the sky is an exciting one. What does that say about me?

Walker Assault also features Luke Skywalker and Darth Vader as special characters, but whenever I encountered Luke, I ran in the opposite direction. I don't think I'm ready to tangle with a Jedi in this game quite yet.

Overall, the only disappointing thing about the Star Wars Battlefront Beta (available now through Oct. 12) is that it left me wanting more of everything, but I guess that's the point. It looks great, it controls smoothly, and it has a sweeping, cinematic presentation befitting the Star Wars universe. This is already shaping up to be among the best games of the current console generation.

'Star Wars Rebels' Season 2 Trailer Debuts at New York Comic Con

If you're a Force fanatic and you haven't caught up on the first season of Disney's Star Wars Rebels, there's still time before the Oct. 14 premiere of Season 2, which promises to kick the series into hyperdrive and further bridge the Clone Wars animated series with the ongoing adventures of Kanan Jarrus, Hera Syndulla and the rest of the Ghost crew.

A new trailer for the anticipated Rebels return focuses on the Empire's new Inquisitors (we met one of these not-quite-Sith last season), returning clone trooper Captain Rex and Ahsoka Tano, who was introduced to the series at the end of last season.

Check out the NYCC Star Wars Rebels trailer below!

The rebellion is growing and the stakes are higher as the Empire tightens its grip. Prepare yourself for an explosive season.Star Wars Rebels returns with a new episode Wednesday 9:30p/8:30c on Disney XD.
Posted by Star Wars Rebels on Thursday, October 8, 2015

Han Solo's 'Star Wars: The Force Awakens' Black Series Action Figure Revealed at NYCC

If your Star Wars: The Force Awakens Chewbacca action figure is getting lonely, some awesome news just came out of Hasbro's New York Comic Con press event. Amidst Black Series versions of new characters Captain Phasma, General Hux and Resistance fighter pilot Asty, the toymaker unveiled the six-inch version of an older Han Solo, as he appears in the forthcoming sequel.

The figure looks pretty much as you'd expect, with the grizzled smuggler sporting a smirk befitting a miniature version of a modern-day Harrison Ford. Jedi Insider was there, and you can check out their coverage below.

2015 NYCC: Star Wars: The Black Series 6" The Force Awakens Han Solo Figure Revealed http://jediinsider.com/index.php?catid=8&itemid=16908
Posted by ToyNewsi.com on Wednesday, October 7, 2015

Universal Releases 'Jaws 19' Trailer

In celebration of the 30th anniversary of Back to the Future, Universal Studios has released a trailer for Max Spielberg's Jaws 19, which was playing in theaters when Marty McFly ventured to 2015 in the second film in the trilogy.

I seriously want to see all of these sequels, especially Jaws 15, in which Jaws battles a Soviet shark named Ivan Sharkovsky. That's just quality cinema.

Watch the Jaws 19 trailer below!

'Civil War' to Conclude 'Captain America' Trilogy

The Marvel Cinematic Universe is set to steamroll movie theaters every year for the foreseeable future, but Steve Rogers will be starring in his final solo film in 2016, according to Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige.

"It's very much, in a certain way, the completion of a Captain America trilogy, Feige told MTV at an Avengers: Age of Ultron press event. "I think one day you’ll look back and watch Captain America: The First Avenger, Captain America: The Winter Soldier and Captain America: Civil War, and it’ll be one of the most unique and different trilogies ever around a single character."

Does this confirm rumors that Cap won't be making it out of Civil War alive, as was the case in the comic books? (Don't worry guys, he got better.)

Avengers: Age of Ultron is now available on Digital HD and Disney Movies Anywhere, and will hit Blu-ray this Friday. Captain America: Civil War is slated for release on May 6, 2016. For the full story, head over to MTV.com.

Explore Jakku from 'Star Wars: The Force Awakens' on Facebook

Who would have thought there'd be this much excited about yet another desert planet in a Star Wars movie?

Today, the official Star Wars Facebook page invited fans to tour Jakku, a new planet from Star Wars: The Force Awakens, through a 360-degree video experience. Visit the starship-strewn wasteland by checking out the video below.

Star Wars: The Force Awakens hits U.S. theaters on Dec. 18.

Speed across the Jakku desert from Star Wars: The Force Awakens with this immersive 360 experience created exclusively for Facebook.
Posted by Star Wars on Wednesday, September 23, 2015

New Trailer for 'The Peanuts Movie' is Cute, Contemporary

As someone who capped off his high school acting career as the title character in You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown, I can't help but feel a special connection to Charles Schulz's iconic blockhead, so I'm naturally pretty interested in The Peanuts Movie, which hits theaters on Nov. 6. Twentieth Century Fox has just released a new trailer, which hints at a plot involving Chuck's not-so-secret crush, The Little Red-Haired Girl.

First off, I love the animation style of this movie, which has a herky-jerky style reminiscent of stop-motion animation, and there does seem to be some genuine charm that captures the spirit of the original comic strip and the various animated TV specials released over the years. I'm less keen on the music choices in the trailer, which take away from the timeless qualities of these characters (when they're not shilling for life insurance, that is). It's entirely likely that none of these songs will appear in the actual movie, but who knows? Maybe we'll watch Lucy and Schroeder Whip and Nae Nae in November. Good grief.

Watch the new trailer for The Peanuts Movie below.

How Old is Marvel Studios' Spider-Man?

In an interview with Empire, director Jon Watts revealed that Peter Parker in the forthcoming Marvel Cinematic Universe Spider-Man reboot will be 15 years old, which is great news for comic book fans that prefer their Webslinger to stay in high school for a while.

This new version of the character, played by 19-year-old Tom Holland will debut in next year's Captain America: Civil War, which will be followed up by Watts' solo Spider-Man flick on July 28, 2017.

For more on the Empire interview, head over to Den of Geek by clicking here.

Disney 'Star Wars' Land Construction to Begin in 2016

Hey guys, it's been a while! Between weddings, work and post-Force Friday toy hunting, blogging unfortunately hasn't been making its way onto the ol' calendar, but I've had a lot of pumpkin iced coffee today, and I think I'm up for some vigorous typing. And since I'm having a hard time concentrating that isn't somehow related to The Force Awakens, let's talk Star Wars!

We already knew that Disney was planning to bring Star Wars theme lands to its parks in California and Florida but Disney COO Tom Staggs revealed at a financial conference in Beverly Hills that construction on the park expansions will begin next year.

Staggs also noted that these are the biggest "single-theme" additions in the history of Disney parks, and that they'll include attractions that invite visitors to the Mos Eisley Cantina and inside the Millennium Falcon.
There's no word as to when these new lands will open to the public.

It's amazing how Disney's acquisition of Lucasfilm has benefited the Star Wars brand, with the franchise practically engulfing popular culture months before the release of The Force Awakens. Heck, who doesn't want an interactive Sphero BB-8? If such people exist, I don't want to meet them.

For the full story, head over to The Hollywood Reporter by clicking here.

Finn Brandishes a Lightsaber in New 'The Force Awakens' Clip

There has been an awakening... #StarWars #TheForceAwakens

A video posted by Star Wars (@starwars) on Aug 27, 2015 at 10:00am PDT

Man, all it takes is a few seconds of new footage to get us Star Wars geeks all riled up like a nest of Gundarks. The official Star Wars Instagram account posted an all-too-brief The Force Awakens video showing Daisy Ridley's Rey in peril and John Boyega's Finn wielding a lightsaber, presumably to do battle with Adam Driver's Kylo Ren. It's the Finn tease that's fueled the most speculation, as it more or less confirms that Boyega's character is Force-sensitive. Is he Han Solo's child with his pre-Leia wife, Sana? Is he related to another character from the Star Wars canon? Or are his Force abilities somehow connected to that "awakening" we keep hearing about? More details are sure to come as we approach The Force Awakens' Dec. 18 release date.

Key and Peele take us into the ‘Gremlins 2’ Writers’ Room

I feel pretty strongly that Gremlins 2 is one of the greatest sequels of all time — and I say that without a hint of irony. The bizarre Joe Dante flick is over-the-top, it’s completely irreverent and it’s weirdly ahead of its time as a self-aware satire of big-budget movie franchises. It’s astounding that this movie was actually made, which is why I’m fairly confident that the Key and Peele sketch below is 100 percent accurate.

Get More: Comedy Central,Funny Videos,Funny TV Shows

‘Star Wars’ is Only Beginning to Take Over the Universe

Thanks to some big reveals at Disney’s D23 Expo last week, Star Wars has dominated the collective nerd consciousness months ahead of the December 18 release of Star Wars: The Force Awakens. We got a dozen new images from the new movie, courtesy of Entertainment Weekly. We’ve learned that Jurassic World helmer Colin Trevorrow will direct Episode VIII of the saga, picking up where J.J. Abrams and Rian Johnson leave off and rounding out the third Star Wars trilogy. We caught our first glimpse at the cast of Gareth Edwards’ Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, which includes Oscar winner Forest Whitaker, The Theory of Everything’s Felicity Jones, Firefly’s Alan Tudyk and Casino Royale’s Mads Mikkelsen. We found out that Disney is planning Star Wars-specific “lands” in its theme parks. We even got new details on the Star Wars-themed makeup from Cover Girl! Lipstick for Sullustans, you guys!

As more announcements and teases continue to make Force-hungry fans as giddy as Han Solo in a vest shop, it’s important to take a moment and reflect on the fact that we’re mere weeks away from the release of a brand-new Star Wars movie — something that seemed impossible a decade ago when the presumed “final” film in the series, Revenge of the Sith, hit theaters. Once “Force Friday” rolls around and we’re clamoring for Black Series Kylo Ren action figures and Jakku Micro Machines playsets, it’ll be a bit more of a sprint to opening night for a lot of us in the world of Star Wars fandom. But for now, let’s take quietly appreciate the fact that we’re about to take our first step into a larger world … and I have a good feeling about that.

Deadpool Wants to 'Shoop' in Red Band Trailer

Featuring perhaps the best-ever use of Salt-n-Pepa in a superhero context, the Deadpool trailer debuted last night during Conan, and boy is it ever NSFW. You'll never look at avocados the same way again.

Deadpool hits theaters Feb. 12, 2016. 

Watch: 'Deadpool' Trailer for a Trailer

Fox ("the studio that inexplicably sewed his f***ing  mouth shut the first time") has released a teaser for a Deadpool trailer that's set to premiere tomorrow, and if the tone of this clip is any indication, we're all in for a treat when the Ryan Reynolds film hits theaters in February. Check it out!

 

‘Fantastic Four’ Cast Hasn’t Seen the Movie

This can’t be a good sign for Marvel’s First Family.

BBC Newsbeat reports that the leads in Fox’s Fantastic Four reboot hasn’t even seen the finished movie yet, even though it’s set for release on Friday.

The film hasn’t been screened for critics either. When Newsbeat asked Miles Teller, the new Reed Richards, whether the film will prove the doubters wrong, he said, “Rarely are films of this size critically well received. This is not a movie we're going to go on Rotten Tomatoes and it's going to be at 80 or 90 percent.”

Wortman’s Note: Marvel Studios’ Captain America: The Winter Soldier received a Rotten Tomatoes score of 89 percent last year, while Guardians of the Galaxy is sitting pretty at 91 percent. The Avengers got a score of 92 percent in 2012, and Iron Man got a 94 percent wayyyy back in 2008. Rare indeed. 

On 'Ant-Man' and Other Things

We're smack-dab in the middle of summer, and if you're in the 26-35 age range, you've probably attended a wedding or 10 over the past few weeks. I've had my fair share thus far — lavish affairs that have taught me how to perform "The Wobble" and that I neither want to "Whip" nor "Nay Nay" at any point in my adult life.

Amidst the craziness joyfulness, I somehow happened to catch Ant-Man during its opening weekend, and ever since, I've planned on writing it up. Then Batman: Arkham Knight happened. And now we're here, two weeks later, and you've probably already seen it. So it goes.

Perhaps knowing that it would be a Herculean effort to get me to sit at a computer during my "free time," I posted the following mini-review on Twitter as the credits rolled in the theater:

#AntMan is ridiculous in all of the right ways. If you dug #GuardiansOfTheGalaxy, you're in for a treat.

— James Wortman (@JamesWortman) July 17, 2015

I feel the same way now as I did way back then and, upon further reflection, I've come to appreciate more and more that this is a comparably small-scale (ha!) story compared to the more sweeping narratives of the Avengers films or Guardians of the Galaxy. Paul Rudd is impressive in the same way that Robert Downey Jr. and Chris Pratt were transformed into action heroes as Iron Man and Star-Lord respectively, and the final action sequence between Ant-Man and the villainous Yellowjacket (Corey Stoll) is one of the most surreal action sequences in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Also, even though Rudd's character Scott Lang is the heroic master thief in the film, it's  Michael Peña's Luis who hilariously steals every scene that he's in throughout this movie. A good supporting cast is essential in a Marvel movie. Just ask Agents Coulson and Carter.

Now that Ant-Man has successfully crawled out of the woodwork, here's my revised ranking of Marvel Cinematic Universe films that have been released thus far. Feel free to question my judgment! I do it almost every day.

12) The Incredible Hulk
11) Iron Man 2
10) Thor: The Dark World
9) Iron Man 3
8) The Avengers: Age of Ultron
7) Thor
6) Ant-Man
5) Captain America: The First Avenger
4) Captain America: The Winter Solder
3) Guardians of the Galaxy
2) Iron Man
1) The Avengers

'The Red Capes Are Coming': New 'Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice' Trailer Debuts

I'm not gonna lie: I haven't been impressed by anything we've seen about Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice thus far. But then I saw the trailer that premiered at San Diego Comic-Con. I'm sold.

I like that the over-the-top destruction in the final battle of Man of Steel serves as a catalyst for Bruce Wayne's mistrust of Superman, and I actually dig Jesse Eisenberg's Lex Luthor a LOT more than I thought I would. Love it or hate it, but Zack Snyder has just given the geek world much to debate, dissect and possibly even get excited about.

'Star Wars: The Force Awakens' SDCC Footage Might Make You Cry

If you're a lifelong Star Wars geek, it's hard not to get emotional when viewing the behind-the-scenes Star Wars: The Force Awakens footage that debuted at Comic-Con International in San Diego. Maybe it's the fact that J.J. Abrams and his crew clearly value practical effects above digital wizardry, or perhaps it's because it's proof positive that Disney really cares about fleshing out George Lucas' galaxy far, far away. Regardless, I love this footage, and December 18 can't come soon enough.

New 'Ghostbusters' Team Assembles in Cast Photo

#whoyougonnacall pic.twitter.com/hnrSjhCqSl

— Paul Feig (@paulfeig) July 10, 2015

Through social media, Paul Feig has shown us the new suits, the new proton packs and the new Ecto-1. Now, the 2016 Ghostbusters reboot director has tweeted out the first official look at Leslie Jones, Melissa McCarthy, Kriten Wiig and Kate McKinnon together and suited up to take on some Class 5 Full-Roaming Vapors.

I'm not going to rant about how this reboot somehow ruins the original film — everything 80s is getting remade at this point — but I still don't understand why this couldn't have been linked to the original films in at least a tenuous way. For example, let's say the Ghostbusters were franchised, and after nearly three decades of immense success, there are seemingly no more ghosts to catch and this crew is the last remaining regional branch. A new supernatural threat arises, and they're the only ones left that can deal with it. Boom. Done. I'm instantly more interested.

Still, I'd be lying if I said I wasn't at least interested in this movie at this point, and I'm actually curious to see what the first trailer looks like. What do you guys think?

Marisa Tomei is the New Aunt May

Imagine you're a mutated spider. You're crawlin' along, you get hungry, you spot a nerdy, little teenager. You put your little spider lips down to his cool, soft skin ... BAM!

Sorry, but the latest Spider-Man casting news required at least one My Cousin Vinny joke on my part. Variety reports that Oscar-winning actress Marisa Tomei will play Aunt May in Marvel Studios and Sony's forthcoming Spider-Man reboot. Tomei will star alongside 19-year-old Tom Holland, who was recently announced as Marvel's new Peter Parker. Obviously, with Tomei just entering her 50s, we're skewing younger all around, but that's not necessarily a bad thing.

You can next see Tomei in Amy Schumer's Trainwreck, which hits theaters next week. For the full story on this Spider-Man casting, head over to Variety by clicking here.

'Lego Movie' Directors to Construct Han Solo Spinoff

Everything is awesome ... especially when you're the captain of the Millennium Falcon.

Christopher Miller and Phil Lord, the team behind The Lego Movie and the 21 Jump Street films, will be taking their talents to that galaxy far, far away with a Star Wars Han Solo spinoff film, which will hit theaters on May 25, 2018.

The film, written by Lawrence Kasdan and Jon Kasdan, will focus on a young Solo, and will be under the Star Wars Anthology banner along with Rogue One, which is set for release on Dec. 16, 2016.

For the full story on the Han Solo spinoff, head over to The Hollywood Reporter.

‘Jurassic World’ Chomps $1B World Record

Ever since I saw Jurassic World on its second day of release, I’ve wanted to see it again. Not out of some kind of fanboy obligation, mind you, but because it so successfully made me feel like a kid again. I’ll be chasing that high for a long, long time.

I’m hardly alone in my rekindled obsession with Velociraptors, though. Guinness World Records has confirmed that the Colin Trevorrow-helmed resurrection of the Steven Spielberg franchise has become the fastest film to surpass the $1 billion mark in ticket sales, accomplishing that feat in just 13 days to crush Furious 7’s record of 17 days. 

Since there’s just no stopping Jurassic World right now, it’s a safe bet that we haven’t seen the last of dino wrangler Chris Pratt and his prehistoric pals at the multiplex. More Mosasaurus, please! 

Thoughts on the New 'Spider-Man' Casting

Although my mind has been focused on another hero from another publisher over the past 24 hours — Batman: Arkham Knight owns me at the moment — I couldn’t help but sit up and take notice that Sony and Marvel Studios have chosen a director and a Peter Parker for their forthcoming Spider-Man reboot.

English actor Tom Holland, 19, will step into Spidey’s tights in the 2017 reboot, with relative newcomer Jon Watts directing.

I can’t really speak to Watts’ abilities as a director — I’ve never heard of Clown, Cop Car or Eugene!, which are among his previous credits — but I will say that Holland fits the bill quite nicely as a high school-aged Parker (especially since he's actually a teenager). The key is for Parker to be believable as both a socially-awkward nerd and a quippy costumed hero when he's behind the mask. This kid looks like he might be able to pull that off.

My sincere hope in general for this reboot of a reboot is that it avoids the pitfalls that sunk the last two iterations of the franchise: namely an excess of both antagonists and melodrama.

Holland has already been confirmed by The Hollywood Reporter as being rushed to the set of Captain America: Civil War, in which he’ll make his Marvel Cinematic Universe debut next May. The Webslinger’s solo film, meanwhile, will hit theaters July 28, 2017.

For the full casting announcement, head over to Marvel.com. 

Chris Hemsworth is the New 'Janine' in 'Ghostbusters' Reboot

Paul Feig, who helmed the inexplicably well-reviewed Melissa McCarthy film Spy revealed that Thor himself, Chris Hemsworth, will be the receptionist character in his female-led Ghostbusters reboot, set to hit theaters next summer.

The director tweeted the following tease:

Our receptionist. #whoyougonnacall pic.twitter.com/wGTzs8KdUs

— Paul Feig (@paulfeig) June 10, 2015

Is this a smart move, or is it stunt casting? In my humble opinion, it's a little of both. Still, I don't think anyone can truly replace Annie Potts' Janine. Her iconic "We got one!" shriek still makes me preemptively reach for the remote to turn down the volume. She had pipes.

Watch: 'Fallout 4' Trailer Promises More Fun Times in the Wasteland

Confession time: I never actually finished Fallout 3. I owned it, I loved it, but for some reason, I never completed the main story. Hell, I picked up Fallout: New Vegas and enjoyed that quite a bit, but it ultimately collected dust just like its predecessor. I guess at this point in my, I'm more drawn to shorter games that can be completed in 8-10 hours, since weekend-long gaming binges are pretty much a thing of the past for me. The times are changing. Cue the Bob Dylan.

Yet, even though I know I probably won't finish the game itself, I'm intrigued by the trailer for Bethesda Games Studios' Fallout 4, which keeps the gritty aesthetics of its forebears but looks a whole lot prettier. The footage also features a dog pretty heavily, which brings an innocent beauty to the post-apocalyptic bleakness.

Watch the trailer below.

'Jaws' Swims Back to Theaters for 40th Anniversary

As weird as it might sound, Jaws was one of the first movies I was obsessed with growing up. In fact, some of my earliest childhood memories involve Steven Spielberg's seminal aquatic nightmare, when my mom would ask me to go into the kitchen and make her a peanut butter and jelly sandwich during the goriest scenes, just to get me out of the room (I always made it back too early). Jaws even drifted into playtime for me, when my toy shark munched on G.I. Joes and gave me the chance to perfect Robert Shaw's death gargles as I shoved Shipwreck into its gaping rubber maw.

Despite all that, I turned out perfectly well-adjusted, right?

Forty years after ushering in the era of the summer blockbuster in 1975, Jaws is heading back into theaters for a limited run. Fathom Events will hold screenings on Sunday, June 21 and Wednesday June 24 at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. local time at theaters across the United States. To mourn that little Kintner boy at a theater near you, pre-order your tickets by clicking here.

Why I Can't Stop Thinking About 'Mad Max: Fury Road'

During a much-needed day off, I capped off a day of relaxation and self-reflection with George Miller's Mad Max: Fury Road, a reboot of sorts for the influential trilogy of 1980s Mel Gibson flicks. I've never seen a Mad Max film before, and judging by what I'd heard about this new installment (starring Bane himself, Tom Hardy), I wouldn't need to do much homework before diving into this high-octane race through a post-apocalyptic desert wasteland. Instead, I strolled into the 3:40 showing at Bow Tie Cinemas' Regent 8 in South Norwalk with only the faintest knowledge of the film, expecting little more than loud explosions and steel-bending car wrecks, and what I got was a whole lot more. Whether or not it was a good choice on a day that was supposed to be relaxing is another issue.

Fury Road isn't a fun movie, necessarily, and definitely isn't what most people are looking for in a summer blockbuster. Max's world is a tense and grotesque one, and it's not one I was entirely comfortable experiencing for the film's two-hour's running time. That being said, I loved what this film brought to the table. Here's why it's sticking with me. Spoilers ahead!

• This film is a love letter to practical filmmaking, using real cars, real pyrotechnics and real stunts. CGI was used sparingly, and seldom drew attention to itself. 
• The villain, Immortan Joe (Hugh Keays-Byrne), is delightfully evil and always interesting to watch on-screen thanks to some superb makeup work. There's that dedication to practical effects again.
• The Doof Warrior, who heralds the coming of Immortan Joe's war party with a flame-spewing guitar, is one of the craziest things I've ever seen in a movie. I want him to play my next birthday party.
• With all of this talk recently about genre flicks not giving women their due, it's arguable that the women in Fury Road are its strongest characters, namely Charlize Theron's awesomely named Imperator Furiosa. In fact, Furiosa has more bearing on the plot than even Max himself.
• The scene where Immortan Joe's son, Rictus Erectus (former WWE Superstar Nathan Jones), meets his baby brother is one of the most nightmarish things I've seen in a movie in quite some time. 
• I dug that Immortan Joe's soldiers, or "war boys," had a viking-esque code of honor, with promises of Valhalla for those who make the ultimate sacrifice in battle. This made it easier to sympathize with Nux (Nicholas Hoult) later in the movie.
• This movie shows more than it tells. We don't get a ton of exposition once things get rolling, and the film isn't really interested in slowing down to explain why things are the way they are in this universe. There's a lot of world-building going on, but you'll barely notice it. That's rare.
• Fury Road isn't beholden to the original films, nor does it end with a tease for sequels. This movie truly stands alone, making you actually want a sequel before you're guaranteed one. 

Coldplay Unveils 'Game of Thrones: The Musical' for Red Nose Day

"You know nothing, Chris Martin."

For the Red Nose Day poverty-fighting charity event, Coldplay unveiled "Game of Thrones: The Musical," a faux documentary chronicling the band's attempt at creating a Broadway musical based on the George R. R. Martin fantasy-turned-HBO phenomenon.

The 12-minute clip is pretty fantastic, and it's refreshing to see so many of the cast members having a blast when the show itself has gotten so dark lately. I know it will never actually happen, but I need to see Emilia Clark perform a full version of "Rastafarian Targaryen" in the very near future.

Watch the full video below. For more on Red Nose Day, click here.

Watch the Powerful Trailer for 'Batkid Begins'

Wow. I don't think I was ready for this when I hit that "play" button. Back in 2013, a small boy with leaukemia, Miles Scott, was given the opportunity to save San Francisco from the forces of evil as "Batkid" thanks to Make-A-Wish and more than 25,000 good-hearted folks from the Bay Area and beyond.

Now, Miles' journey as a diminutive Dark Knight is chronicled in the forthcoming Warner Bros. documentary Batkid Begins, which opens in select cities on June 26. Watch the just-released trailer below.

Is Matthew McConaughey the New Green Goblin?

You know what I like about comic book characters, man? I get older, they stay the same age. Alright, alright, alright.

The Spider-Man rumor mill seems to be in full swing these days. After various media outlets reported that Ender's Game actor Asa Butterfield will be the Webslinger in the Marvel Cinematic Universe starting with next year's Captain America: Civil War, it's now rumored that Matthew McConaughey is being eyed to play Norman Osborn/Green Goblin in the forthcoming Spider-Man solo flick in 2017.

MConaughey has been pretty good at playing a total slimeball since 1993's Dazed and Confused, so he shouldn't have too much difficulty stepping into the role of a billionaire-turned-criminal mastermind. What do you think? Would McConaughey be an "interstellar" choice, or is this reboot already a "failure to launch"?

Yes, I'm Still Here

Wow, has it really been two weeks since my last blog post? Time flies when, well, time flies no matter what kind of time you might be having.

Speaking of time, I haven't had much of it to myself lately, which is actually a pretty good problem to have if you think about it. Nevertheless, whenever something awesome has happened in the geek world, recently I've been stricken with pangs of guilt. "Should I carve out time to blog about that? Would anyone care if I didn't?" As it turns out, I've just realized, that latter question doesn't and shouldn't really matter.

Look, I'm well aware that I'm not exactly killing it on here in terms of page views, and I never have. Yet, I've always believed in the importance of keeping the pen moving ... or in this case, the keyboard clicking. And my keyboard just hasn't been clicking as much as I would like it to (outside of my full-time job, that is). I want to change that, entirely for myself.

So, consider this a re-up. Expect more of The Wort Report, whether you want it or not.

Jar Jar Binks Joins 'Star Wars: The Force Awakens'

Okay, so maybe that headline is a tad misleading, but haven't you ever wondered what would happen if Jar Jar Binks popped up in J.J. Abrams' Star Wars: The Force Awakens? No? Well, Michael Murdock of MichaelLovesMovies.com did, and he's unleashed his unimaginable horror upon us all. Dissen berry, berry bad.

Watch "The Binks Awakens" below.

New Acquisition: Marvel Legends 'Age of Ultron' Hulk Action Figure

"Hey, big guy. Sun's getting real low."

The Internet is going crazy after Joss Whedon quit Twitter amidst misguided criticism of his treatment of Black Widow in Avengers: Age of Ultron. Instead of getting wrapped up in all of that nonsense, however, I'd rather celebrate the awesomeness of the movie and its merchandise, namely the amazing Marvel Legends Avengers: Age of Ultron Hulk action figure from Hasbro. 

This highly detailed rendition of everyone's favorite green rage monster is HUGE, practically bursting from its packaging, and it towers over many other figures in this line. Now I just need to pick up the rest of the figures in this series so I can assemble Thanos, because toy collecting is a neverending struggle. Oh, well.

Disney Confirms 'Indiana Jones' Sequel

May the 5th Indiana Jones movie be with you.

Okay, it doesn't have the same ring as "May the 4th be with you," but I imagine there will be a Star Wars Day-esque celebration on the horizon for the Indiana Jones franchise after Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy confirmed to Vanity Fair that a Disney sequel is in the works for the bullwhip-toting archaeologist. 

Another Indiana Jones film "will one day be made inside this company," Kennedy said.  "When it will happen, I'm not quite sure. We haven't started working on a script yet, but we are talking about it."

Whether this film will star Harrison Ford or a franchise newcomer such as long-rumored Indy apparent Chris Pratt remains to be seen. I feel like the last film, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, has aged worse than any film made over the last decade, so I hope Disney turns back the clock and recasts the character, or at least produces a fifth film that doesn't acknowledge the last one. Mutt Williams who?

For the full story, click here. 

First Look: Jared Leto as The Joker in 'Suicide Squad'

On Friday night, Suicide Squad director David Ayer gave fans their first real look at Jared Leto as The Joker in the anticipated supervillain team-up flick.

My thoughts? I think every iteration of The Clown Prince of Crime should stand out from previous versions, so I dig the tattoos and the punk aesthetic quite a bit. That being said, having the word "damaged" scrawled across his forehead might be taking things a tad too far into the realm of irony, but perhaps there's a good reason for it in the movie.

Suicide Squad hits theaters Aug. 5, 2016.

Frank Miller Returns to Batman for 'The Dark Knight III: The Master Race'

DC Comics has confirmed that writer/artist Frank Miller will be returning to the Batman mythos for the third installment in his Dark Knight trilogy, The Dark Knight III: The Master Race. Joining Miller will be acclaimed writer Brian Azzarello (100 Bullets, Joker), and the eight-issue series will begin this fall, with two issues releasing each month.

"Batman remains my favorite comic book hero and a sequel to Dark Knight is going to be daunting," said Miller in an official statement, "but we’ll do our best."

The last installment in this trilogy was The Dark Knight Strikes Again, which received mostly negative reviews when it began publication in 2001. I honestly can't say I've enjoyed much of Miller's work since that point, but perhaps this sequel will represent a return to form for the man who changed the comic book industry in the 1980s. Or, it might be full of baffling moments like this, from Miller's All-Star Batman & Robin:

Start Your Weekend Right with 'Fifty Shades of Hutt'

De wanna wanga?

This is by no means new, but after seeing this mash-up of Fifty Shades of Grey and Return of the Jedi, I couldn't resist posting it here. Bib Fortuna has seen some things, man.

Tyler Perry to Play Baxter Stockman in 'Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2'

Wow, this movie is going to be insane.

Since the first Michael Bay-produced Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles was an entertaining mess at best,  I strongly support the inherent wackiness of casting Madea herself/himself, Tyler Perry, as  Mouser-creating scientist Baxter Stockman. Hopefully, Perry's participation leads to a spin-off film, Diary of a Mad, Mutant Fly.

Variety's got the full story. Click here for more on this casting news.

'Star Wars: Rogue One' Details Emerge

Wow, guys. It's an amazing time to be a Star Wars fan. This weekend at Star Wars Celebration, some details and a quick teaser trailer came to light about Star Wars: Rogue One, the first of the franchise's stand-alone "Anthology" films, which are movies set outside of the core saga. The Gareth Edwards-helmed film will be set between Revenge of the Sith and A New Hope, and will follow a band of resistance fighters as they attempt to steal the plans for the first Death Star. Rogue One will also be the first Star Wars film without Jedi, and is set to star The Theory of Everything star Felicity Jones.

Rogue One is set for release on Dec. 16, 2016.

'Jurassic World' Global Trailer Showcases More Dinos, Disaster

Well, everyone's pretty much screwed in Jurassic World, judging by the new global trailer for the June 12 sequel. In the footage, we get our real look at the new big baddie, the mutant creation Indominus Rex, as well as other creatures inhabiting the new park, such as the Mosasaur, Pterosaurs and the Velociraptors trained by Chris Pratt's character, Owen Grady. I love that this franchise seems to be taking a darker and scarier turn here, although I hope that Spielbergian wonder isn't lost amidst all of the carnage.

Watch the new trailer below.