Comic-Con San Diego was a blast to follow this weekend. Big casting news, epic first-looks, crazy cosplay costumes…
And trailers that made you feel like we’re in for a great rest of 2016 and 2017. Here is a collection of the best trailers to come out of Comic-Con San Diego and what you should be looking forward to…coming soon.
No, it’s not THAT scene but Margot Robbie does give us a look at her “Psycho” side before she takes on Harley Quinn in the upcoming Suicide Squad film this Summer. Apparently she does so well in that role that Warner Bros has already green-lit a spinoff for her character, but that’s not why you called…
Robbie may have been just 10 when American Psycho first hit theaters, but she nailed this impression for Vogue with her own spin on the famous open from the original.
Instead of a Les Miserables poster, it’s Hamilton. She uses spoons instead of an ice pack mask, and does yoga instead of, well…I guess Christian Bale is doing yoga? Here’s the scene from American Psycho for comparison.
Besides Suicide Squad, you can also catch the “Australian Psycho” in the new Legend ofTarzan film this Fall alongside Alexander Skarsgård. I do hope the nickname sticks though. It just might after we see her Harley Quinn in action.
Aaron Couch, from People Magazine and the Better Talk Saul podcast, makes his return to discuss the Better Call Saul S2 finale. We also kick off Game of Thrones week with the storylines we look forward to most and pick our favorite Captain America: Civil War matchups before it hits theaters May 6th. (23:26 mark, if you want to jump ahead)
TJ and I breakdown all the awesome trailers and news from the past 2 weeks, and explain why it’s good to be “us”. Take a listen and you’ll understand why that’s in quotation marks.
Feel free to react as you listen on Facebook or Twitter. Subscribe on iTunes here.
Also, don’t forget that the Thrones Power Rankings start NEXT WEEK! Here are the Pre-Season 6 Character Rankings going into the premiere.
This week, FanDuel sportswriter Jessica Kleinschmidt joins us to talk about the NFL offseason and where the best places would be for big free agents to land…from a Fantasy perspective. We also preview the upcoming MLB season a little bit as well, because pitchers and catchers are reporting! (Jump ahead to the 11:55 mark to here Jessica right away)
Then People Magazine TV editor and writer Aaron Couch jumps on to discuss Better Call Saul and the “Better Talk Saul” podcast he hosts. We also get into The People vs. OJ Simpson and the effect Deadpool’s success will have on Marvel and DC films going forward. (52:20 mark, if you want to jump ahead)
All that, plus some catching up, an epic Chicago Pizza Party and ANOTHER delicious social media contest. Don’t miss out!
Even Deadpool and his film’s marketing team are having fun at the Man of Steal and Dark Knight’s expense.
It’s still an exciting year for superhero fans. Deadpool hits theaters February 12th, Batman v. Superman will be out March 25th, Captain America: Civil War May 6th, and X-Men: Apocalypse May 27th.
Warner Brothers and DC seem to already be looking beyond Batman v. Superman by releasing a new Suicide Squad trailer, which is due out August 5th. After seeing it myself, so am I.
Unlike the recent BvS promotions, the Suicide Squad stuff doesn’t give too much away. And more importantly, it’s FUN. The dialog is a little cheesy, but that comes with the Summer blockbuster territory.
Also looking ahead, Warner Bros. produced a featurette for the upcoming Wonder Woman film (June 23rd, 2017). The intent might’ve been to get you interested in BvS, but I might be more intrigued in her standalone film instead.
Next step would be to incorporate the DC TV universe into their film universe, but that’s a rant for another day.
Vote for your pick and check out more on Facebook or Twitter!
Although shooting doesn’t even start for another year from now, Disney and Lucasfilm are close to naming their new Han Solo for the spinoff Star Wars film series. Similar to how Disney and Marvel plan to introduce their new Spider-Man, Tom Holland, with a small role in the upcoming Captain America: Civil War before his own feature film, a young Han Solo may appear in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story due out December 16th, 2016. The spinoff films take place between Episodes III and IV, so the target Solo actor is between the ages of 20 and 29.
Variety is reporting that “after seeing thousands of actors”, the list is down to Miles Teller, Ansel Elgort, Dave Franco, Jack Raynor, Scott Eastwood, Logan Lerman, Emory Cohen, and Blake Jenner. There may be more in consideration, but Variety knows the names have made the cut and that an announcement should be made within the next couple weeks.
The two names I don’t want to hear announced for the role are…
…Miles Teller and Dave Franco. The bad press around last summer’s Fantastic Four failure were as much Teller’s fault as anyone. He’s also just not that damn likable. Sure, it worked for Whiplash, but even then I found myself hoping every bad thing possible would happen to his character. And unless Franco has non-“Frat Guy Party”film on the horizon, I don’t need his smug grin flying the Millennium Falcon.
So who does fit, if the two more recognizable names don’t? Who pulls off the perfect combination of charm, cockiness, rough-around-the edges, and warmth that will make the Kessel Run in 12 parsecs?
Rather than brainstorm actors that could be potentially better, let’s work with the 3 best names on the list.
1. Emory Cohen
When I first read the list, Emory Cohen stuck out the most to me. Maybe it’s because I just saw him in Brooklyn, but the heart and humor in his performance were convincing enough. He has the smirk, the charm, the mannerisms, and he’s coming off a very successful film with Oscars buzz.
(Also in The Gambler, Beneath the Harvest Sky, and The Place Beyond The Pines)
2. Scott Eastwood
The son of Clint Eastwood is the oldest of the actors in the running at 29 years old. Scott Eastwood has the pedigree and yes, the looks. Eastwood is also setting himself up to breakout in action/adventure films with a mysterious role in the upcoming Suicide Squad film. Rumors have him pegged as either Deathstroke or Dick Grayson but nothing is confirmed. Eastwood will be starring alongside Walton Goggins (Hateful Eight, Justified) in the upcoming western, Diablo. Han Solo is the closest thing Star Wars has to a space cowboy, so…
(Also in Gran Torino, Fury, and The Longest Ride)
3. Blake Jenner
Blake Jenner is young and a Glee alum, and feels like a dark horse pick. Most of his short resume is TV related, but he has some projects on the way that could lead to bigger things. Growing with Star Wars in spinoff franchise could be cool to see. He’ll be appearing in upcoming Supergirl episodes and could breakout in Richard Linklater’s Everybody Wants Some. It looks like what happens when Dazed and Confused goes to college.
4. Logan Lerman
Certainly not my favorite in the bunch, considering I like 3 more ahead of him, but Logan Lerman’s filmography section on his IMDB page is a bit more impressive than most on the shortlist. His starring role in Fury a year ago showed he’s matured from the Percy Jackson franchise. The babyface might hold him back from being the right fit, or maybe that’s exactly what Lucasfilm is looking for…I’ve also been rooting for him ever since Perks of Being a Wallflower.
(Also in The Three Musketeers, 3:10 To Yuma, and The Patriot.
Who would you like to see cast as young Han Solo? Let me know on Facebook or Twitter!
I envy everyone who attended San Diego Comic-Con 2015 this past weekend. Attendees were lucky enough to witness first looks at upcoming Star Wars, DC, and Marvel films. Fortunately, those of us who couldn’t attend have the internet and access to the streaming of panels, and releases of footage (official or leaked). Batman vs. Superman: Dawn of Justice finally gave us their first full trailer. Deadpool, X-Men: Apocalypse, and Suicide Squad headlined with panels and trailer presentations that made their way to the internet shortly after. Even THE MUPPETS made their presence felt, discussing their mockumentary series that will air on ABC later this year. The biggest takeaway from the SDCC weekend may have been exactly what all of us young (and old) padawans have been waiting for…Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens coming to life.
If you’re like me, you salivated at the idea of “real sets” and “practical effects”, which were missing from Episodes I-III…and Jurassic World for that matter. (CGI takes the magic away from things, but that’s a discussion for another day.)
This past weekend, overall, was an excellent reminder of how good it is to be a geek these days. A generation that grew up on comic books, video games, and Superhero cartoons are now being treated to a Hollywood that appreciates those mediums. Before the first Iron Man movie, did you expect to see a full timeline of Avengers/Marvel films scheduled through May 3rd, 2019? Following Revenge of the Sith, Did you imagine Mark Hamill and Harrison Ford would team up again as Luke Skywalker and Han Solo? You’re lying if say you did…Or have a time-traveling DeLorean in your garage.
While we have new Superhero films hitting theaters every 3-4 months now, television has caught up to the big screen as an excellent resource for geek entertainment (and distraction). What Marvel has accomplished with feature films and creating an epic universe for the Avengers, DC has done on the CW network with Arrow, The Flash and the upcoming Legends of Tomorrow…
Fox’s Gotham and ABC’s Agents of Shield series are fun, but not nearly as compelling as the stories presented in the Arrow/Flash universe (which I wish the DC film division took notice of). Meanwhile, Netflix has entered the ring with excellent original programming. The first season of Daredevil cleansed the pallet of a fans who were left with a bad taste after the previous adaptation, starring Ben Affleck. It also opened the door to a universe that will involve 4 other Marvel series on Netflix, including Jessica Jones later this year, then Luke Cage, The Iron Fist, and then The Defenders.
Recently, I’ve noticed a contrarian and trendy narrative in TV shows, such as Community and Mr. Robot, that suggest people are suckers for enjoying Superhero films. In the writers’ opinion, we’re all lemmings for going to the movie theater and paying money for these films, and that’s just simply wrong. Just about every one of the Marvel films consist of better stories and dialogue than you’ll find in any of other franchises getting recent installments (looking at you Jurassic World,Terminator: Genisys and ALL of the Transformers films). I also think those are counter-culture comments being made for the sake of being counter-culture. Consider that a win, Geeks. You are today’s “culture”, and it’s wonderful.
Have you ever Googled the definition of “Geek”? The definition isn’t particularly flattering and may have been written by Biff from “Back To The Future”…
Yep. straight from Google. (Google is a jerk sometimes). Those who believe in the “unfashionable” and “carnival performer” assumptions are the same people who made fun of you to feel better about themselves and are probably looking forward to their high school reunions way more than the average person should.
The truth lies somewhere in the sub-definitions. “A knowledgeable enthusiast” (obsessive is a bit strong) or one who “becomes extremely excited about a subject” sounds more like a typical fan than a “socially inept person”. It also applies to more than comic books, video games, and superheroes. If you are amped up for next seasons for The Walking Dead, Game of Thrones, or even less fantasy-driven shows like House of Cards or Empire, you are indeed a geek. If you are checking every new beer you try on the Untappd app, you are a geek. If you are over-preparing for your upcoming fantasy football draft or really looking forward to when Blackhawks tickets go on sale, you are a geek…not a freak.
Geek is fun. Geek is chic. Geek is “normal”…I use the term “normal” very loosely because I don’t think there is such thing as normal. We all have different backgrounds, different interests, different hobbies, and different experiences. When we can bond on any of those different things, then maybe we start to feel “normal”. Being a geek is sort of like that.
I love that I can discuss the things I get excited about on this website like movies, music, TV, sports and food, because I know there are many who share these same interests…many of whom, are in fact geeks (whether they identify as such or not). It’s a community that grows everyday thanks to social media and the ever-evolving entertainment culture, one that can be both appealing but sometimes over-critical.
For now, it’s just simply good. I mean, who ISN’T geeking out about Star Wars returning this Winter?
[Update]
Of course as soon as I mention it in this post, Warner Bros releases the Suicide Squadtrailer. Enjoy!
Have something to add? Continue the conversation on Twitter @Mike_PiFF03.
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