Matthew Monagle
‘Star Wars’ Actor Kenny Baker Passes Away at Age 81
Sad news today for fans of the Star Wars films and Terry Gilliam’s Time Bandits: Kenny Baker, the man who brought droid R2-D2 to life, has passed away at the age of 81. According to The Guardian, Baker’s passing comes after a long battle with an unspecified illness.
‘Wonder Woman’ Director on Production Trouble Rumors: ‘Entirely False’
When I was a kid, it seemed like I was always getting dragged into fights with my parents that my younger brother would start. He would say something rude to my parents, things would escalate, and before I knew it, my mom was waving her arms in the air and shouting something about how “you two” were always misbehaving or getting into trouble. Meanwhile, I’m sitting in the corner reading a Star Wars novel and wondering just how the heck I got involved in this fight to begin with.
Jared Leto Wants Joker To Go Head-to-Head With the ‘Batfleck’
Odds are you’ve probably rolled your eyes more than a few times after hearing Jared Leto’s approach to playing the Joker in the upcoming Suicide Squad. We’ve talked here before about the actor’s refusal to break character and his uncomfortable gifts to his costars; what we should also remember is that Leto’s Joker seems to be the perfect version of that character for Zack Snyder and David Ayer's vision of the DC universe. If Leto’s take on the Joker proves the quiet optimists like me right, DC Films would do well to give audiences a chance to see Ben Affleck’s Batman and Jared Leto’s Joker in action.
Lionsgate Releases New ‘Power Rangers’ Character Photos
If you take a look at the official Power Rangers photos released by Lionsgate to this point, it’s easy to see the pattern they have in mind. First came a group shot of the cast out of costume, then came a group shot of the cast in costume. This past week, Lionsgate released individual character posters on its Instagram channel for each of the new cast members, as well as a new photo of Elizabeth Banks in her Rita Repulsa get-up. I’m not a betting man, but if this pattern holds, I’d keep an eye out for some individualized photos of the Power Rangers costumes before too long
Here’s That New Comic-Con 2016 Poster for ‘Doctor Strange’
Headed to Comic-Con International this month? Be sure to keep your eyes open: Entertainment Weekly reports that copies this new Doctor Strange poster will be distributed at the convention, which runs from July 21–24. This may not be the announcement of a Doctor Strange panel that a lot of fans are still hoping for, but as far as consolation prizes go, it’s pretty darn acceptable.
‘Star Wars: Episode VIII’ Spoiler: Carrie Fisher On What We Might Not See
The death of Han Solo in Star Wars: The Force Awakens came as a pretty big shock for die-hard Star Wars fans (unless you’re like me and had it spoiled by the random eight-year-old sitting next to you moments before the movie started). And since we barely had a chance to catch our breath before the film moved into the final climactic duel between Kylo Ren and Rey, you can be forgiven for hoping that the upcoming Star Wars: Episode VIII would circle back to the death of Han Solo and take a few minutes to send the character off right. You know, give us a little closure.
New ‘Star Trek Beyond’ Clips: Scotty Meets Jaylah and Shields Up!
Good news for Star Trek fans: not only have the early reviews of the film been pretty positive, the last few days saw two final Star Trek Beyond clips hit the internet for those looking to dig a little bit deeper into the movie. So all those coworkers of mine who keep asking me, since I’m a film critic, if they should be worried about the lack of Star Trek Beyond coverage, relax! Things are looking pretty good.
Kristen Stewart Has a Fun Idea for a Female James Bond Movie
By now, you probably have a preferred actor in mind for James Bond. Maybe it’s Idris Elba. Maybe it’s Tom Hiddleston. Maybe it’s Gillian Anderson. You could probably make a compelling argument for or against every actor currently working today; regardless, it’s fun to watch both fans and actors alike cast a pretty wide net for the role. The fact that nothing is off the table this time around can only mean good things for the future of the franchis
John Malkovich to Star in Comic-Con Comedy ‘Supercon’
In the old days, it used to be that an actor who Hollywood had deemed past his or her prime would be relegated to television or low-budget superhero movies. It’s funny how far we’ve come. Nowadays, both television and superheroes are big business, and actors in the final third of their career are one more step removed, playing the once-famous people who used to be in television or low-budget superhero movies.
J.K. Rowling has Already Written a ‘Fantastic Beasts’ Sequel
One of the major truths of the entertainment industry is that there will never be a more interesting movie than the one you haven’t yet made. This weekend, while The Legend of Tarzan director David Yates was gently trying to nudge conversations towards his film currently in theaters, people were understandably curious about his upcoming return to Hogwarts, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. And Yates let a particularly interesting piece of information drop.
Pixar Has No More Sequels Planned After ‘The Incredibles 2’
With Finding Dory breaking all kinds of box office records, fans are understandably excited to see which of their favorite franchises Pixar will bring back to multiplexes. And the answer is, it kind of depends. If you’re a fan of Cars, Toy Story, and The Incredibles, you’ll be able to revisit your favorite Pixar characters no later than 2019. And if you’re a fan of Wall-E, Ratatouille, or Inside Out... well, we hope you’re OK with waiting for the next decade or so.
George Lucas Won’t Be Building a Museum in Chicago After All
Bad news for Star Wars enthusiasts in Chicago: after several legal setbacks, George Lucas has decided not to move forward with his plans for a lakeside museum. According to Variety, the decision was made after it appeared that the lawsuit filed by Chicago group Friends of Parks was not going to be resolved anytime soon.