Why The New Spider-Man: Far From Home Trailer's Big Twist May Not Mean What You Think

Why The New Spider-Man: Far From Home Trailer's Big Twist May Not Mean What You Think

The new trailer for Spider-Man: Far From Home dropped this morning, and as the first new thing to come out of the Marvel Cinematic Universe in a post-Avengers: Endgame spoiler world, it contained a lot of interesting bits of information.

One of the more interesting bits of information came from giving us more information about Jake Gyllenhaal's version of Quentin Beck, aka Mysterio. Fans of the comics who know the Mysterio character were already very curious about how this new version of the character was seemingly quite different, but now we apparently have an explanation as to why that is. Allegedly.

What Mystereo Says

The first words out of Jake Gyllenhaal's character in the new trailer are "we could have used someone like you on my world." It seems that the events of Avengers: Infinity War and/or Endgame had a significantly bigger impact on the universe than we thought. We're told that The Snap tore a hole in the fabric of reality, and Gyllenhaal's character, while from Earth, is not from the same one that we've been watching throughout the MCU.

While not specifically stated in the trailer, by implication, the idea is that the elemental monsters that Spider-Man and Mysterio will take on together in Far From Home, have also crossed over from this hole in dimensions.

Mysterio is traditionally one of Spider-Man's most popular villains, so the implication that he was a hero this time around has been interesting from the start. Perhaps the version of Quentin Beck from the MCU dimension is still a potential villain somewhere, but based on multiverse theory, there's always the possibility that he's a hero elsewhere.

Certainly, if true, the idea that crossing between dimensions is possible now in the MCU is a game changer, but that's only the case if any of this is actually true.

Why The Multiverse May Not Be Real

If you're at all familiar with Mysterio in the Spider-Man comics, then you know one thing. Quentin Beck is a damn liar. He is the lyingist liar who ever lied. He doesn't tell the truth is what I'm saying.

Of course, as a bad guy, one wouldn't expect Mysterio to be an honest man, but Mysterio's entire game takes falsehood to a new level. In the comics he has claimed to be multiple people who he is not. He has framed Spider-Man for crimes he did not commit. He has faked people's deaths. He has attempted to drive people insane by making them see or believe things that are not true.

Mysterio's whole game is using various means, many born out of movie special effects, to make people believe whatever it is he wants them to believe. So is it too much to believe that Mysterio is making people believe he's from another world when he's actually from the same one that everybody else is from?

From the moment that this Mysterio was suggested to be a hero we've all been at least open to the very likely possibility that he is not. It's very possible, it's almost certainly likely, that Mysterio is actually the villain of Spider-Man: Far From Home. The creatures are his creations which he is using so that he can defeat them and look like a hero.

To what end? Of course, we don't know that yet, but you can certainly bet there's something to gain from Mysterio if he pull it off.

The idea that he's using the multiverse as a cover for his plan isn't that much of a step to take. It would explain to everybody else where these creatures came from and also keep Nick Fury and others from taking too close a look at Beck himself if they think he's from another world. And considering everything that people like Peter Parker and Nick Fury have been through in the last five years, the idea that the multiverse is a thing would certainly not be the craziest thing to happen recently.

The idea that it could be used as a misdirection by Marvel just to mess with fans here can't be overlooked as a possibility. The multiverse concept is something that a lot of fans will probably get very excited about seeing. Of course, many fans got very excited about seeing the Mandarin in Iron Man 3, and that didn't really go how people were expecting. It's possible it's time for another big Marvel swerve.

It's possible this entire thing is a misdirection by both the character in the film, as well as the studio bringing us the movie.

What If The Multiverse Is Real After All?

Of course, with a lack of data, I'm simply theorizing in one direction. The opposite is certainly possible. The multiverse could certainly be a real thing. Mysterio could either be the hero that he claims to be or the villain that we suspect him to be, and be from another dimension either way. If that is the case, it certainly does kick open the door of the next phase of the MCU to go to places most of us have probably never considered.

This could certainly be the reason that Far From Home is considered the end of the MCU's Phase 3 rather than the start of Phase 4. Marvel wants to end this phase with an indication of what's to come, and that is the multiverse.

If Marvel ever is going to introduce the multiverse, now is as good a time as any to do it. It opens up the possibilities of a lot more stories. They could go literally anywhere from here if the multiverse is real. Unless Marvel Studios has somehow decided they will never introduce the multiverse in the MCU, the idea of this being a misdirect isn't necessarily the best idea. Just like the Iron Man 3 twist, if this one is a trick, a lot of fans will be less than thrilled, so teasing a multiverse now only works if you never go back on it.

I suppose we'll find out in a couple months when Spider-Man: Far From Home hits theaters in July.

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Sylvester Stallone Has Thoughts On The New Cliffhanger Remake Plans

Sylvester Stallone Has Thoughts On The New Cliffhanger Remake Plans

Did you know they're making another Cliffhanger movie? Sylvester Stallone starred in and co-wrote the screenplay for the 1993 movie directed by Renny Harlin. New reports say Ana Lily Amirpour will be directing the reboot/remake, with Aquaman himself Jason Momoa in talks for a key cameo and the lead played by an actress they are now casting.

We've been talking about a Cliffhanger sequel for over a decade, and a remake for at least five years. Apparently there was a long tug-of-war to get the rights from StudioCanal, and now Fast and The Furious franchise producer Neal Moritz will produce, with the first draft of a new script by Sascha Penn (Creed II) expected in a few weeks.

That's the word from Deadline, and it sounds like Sylvester Stallone is excited about the new film and wishes the team well:

Hang in there, he says! Since he was already talking about Cliffhanger, Sylvester Stallone dug up some old photos and shared a little bit more about how that sausage was made:

It doesn't sound like it was the easiest film to make, and there were some struggles in post-production too. Back in 2006, Sylvester Stallone answered a fan's question on whether there were plans for a director's cut release of the film, since the theatrical and DVD versions were supposedly "very cut." Here's Sly's response, via Ain't It Cool News:

No, actually the director’s cut was met with a lot of disapproval at the screening and received some alarmingly low scores. Mainly because the stunts were absurdly overblown. For example, the average man can jump maybe twelve feet across a gorge, and the stunts had me leaping maybe three hundred feet or more, so situations like that had to be pared down and still then were fairly extreme… so you’re probably better off with this cut. By the way, the 2nd unit crew that filmed the majority of the action was extraordinary.

No offense, Renny Harlin? The 1993 Cliffhanger made $255,000,211 worldwide off a reported production budget of $70 million, per Box Office Mojo. Not too shabby.

According to the Guinness World Records, Cliffhanger had stuntman Simon Crane perform the most expensive film stunt in air. It was performed just once, and his trick of moving between two jets at an altitude of 15,000 feet cost $1 million. Sylvester Stallone is said to have offered to reduce his salary by $1 million to make sure the stunt happened.

Sylvester Stallone is pretty good about sharing behind-the-scenes details. He just noted that he would be going to the Cannes Film Festival for a career retrospective and to show portions of Rambo V: Last Blood, which opens in theaters on September 20.

Sly had previously mentioned that Rambo 5, unlike some past films, was going "beautifully" in the editing process. He also recently plugged the upcoming 40 Years Of Rocky documentary, which he narrates himself. It was also just announced that Stallone's Escape Plan: The Extractors -- co-starring Dave Bautista and Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson -- will be released on Digital, Blu-ray, and DVD on July 2.

And we're still waiting on more updates for The Expendables 4, which will hopefully bring back the whole gang. If Sylvester Stallone is into the idea for this Cliffhanger remake, maybe he'd even be up for a cameo? We'll have to see how this plays out as the new movie moves forward. Keep up with everything that already has a 2019 date attached with our handy movie schedule.

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Why Dark Phoenix Is Keeping Jessica Chastain’s Character Such A Mystery

Why Dark Phoenix Is Keeping Jessica Chastain’s Character Such A Mystery

The X-Men franchise has been going strong for a decade now, but the franchise looks like it may come to an end with Dark Phoenix. Simon Kinberg's upcoming blockbuster will attempt to tell the iconic comic book story, after The Last Stand failed to impress fans back in 2006. The pressure is very high for Dark Phoenix, especially as it's been delayed a few times already.

Dark Phoenix will pick up on the X-Men a decade after the events of Apocalypse. The story will largely follow Sophie Turner's Jean Grey, who is struggling with a powerful cosmic force inside of her. Helping to guide her through this journey is Jessica Chastain's mysterious character, who was shown as some type of mentor figure during the film's trailers. But the character hasn't even been named yet, and Kinberg recently spoke to CinemaBlend about this decision, saying:

The plan is to keep it mysterious as long as humanly possible. I mean, one of the things I loved growing up watching movies. The most seminal movies for me growing up were the Star Wars films. What I loved about them is I had no idea what was going to happen when I walked into the theater. What we've tried to do -- Hutch [Parker, producer] and I both produced Logan -- part of what we really tried to do with that film and we're trying to do with this is retain some of that mystery, retain some of the experience of going into the cinema not knowing everything about the movie before you see it, and just sort of having it be the sort of experience we had growing up.

It looks like Simon Kinberg's decision to keep Jessica Chastain largely under wraps ahead of Dark Phoenix's release has much to do with the galaxy far, far away. The director/producer wants to keep the secrets of the film secure, and therefore allow moviegoers to get a full theatrical experience in theaters.

Simon Kinberg's comments about Jessica Chastain's mysterious Dark Phoenix role come from CinemaBlend's conversation with the cast and crew at WonderCon. And considering what we know about the film world, his idea makes a great deal of sense. Spoilers have become essentially a curse word with popular franchises, as cinephiles want to be able to experience major releases as filmmakers intended. Studios are known to keep their cards close to the chest, and that's exactly what Kinberg is doing when it comes to Chastain in Dark Phoenix.

You can check out our conversation with the Dark Phoenix cast and crew below, including Simon Kinberg himself.

To this date, there's no official character name or detailed description of Jessica Chastain's Dark Phoenix character. While she's an integral part of the marketing material, she's only known as some shapeshifting alien who will manipulate Jean Grey. And that's all the information we're likely to get until the blnockbuster finally arrives in theaters. At least, if Simon Kinberg is to be believed.

Luckily, there isn't all that much time left before we get some answers. Dark Phoenix will arrive in theaters on June 7th. In the meantime, check out our 2019 release list to plan your next trip to the movies.

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Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 3: What We Know So Far

Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 3: What We Know So Far

There is no questioning that the Guardians of the Galaxy franchise is one of the greatest achievements of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Prior to the titular group’s big screen debut, general pop culture awareness of their existence was basically zero, and many questioned why Marvel Studios would take such a huge risk on an unknown property. Two blockbusters later, the brand has earned $1.6 billion at the global box office, and the characters have become some of the most popular in the entire comic book movie canon.

Because of this, fans have spent years both expecting and waiting for the third movie in the series, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, and soon enough it will be making its way to a theater near you. But, what do we know about the project? When is it coming out? Who is making it? Who will appear? It’s for addressing all those questions and more that we have written this latest installment of our What We Know So Far series, so read on and find out everything you need to know about the upcoming space adventure.

What Is The Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 3 Release Date?

In October 2014 – approximately seven months before the release of The Avengers: Age of Ultron – Marvel Studios held a special event in Los Angeles where they made a big show of announcing their Phase 3 slate, revealing all of the projects they were making for the next five years (or at least all the ones that were in the works at that time). Unfortunately, the company hasn’t been as forthcoming when it comes to information about their Phase 4 plans. Not wanting to count their chickens before they hatch / give everything away, Marvel has held off on officially announcing release dates for films coming out after July 2019’s Spider-Man: Far From Home, and that includes Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.

That doesn’t mean that there haven’t been clues – but it’s also worth noting that plans have very much changed during the blockbuster’s development. Originally it looked as though Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 was going to be one of the three films slated for release in 2020, but for reasons we’ll get into in a minute those plans were put on hold after July 2018. Now, with James Gunn working on another project at another studio, it appears that the movie won’t be released until at least 2022, but even that isn’t 100% certain.

What Is The Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 3 Rating?

In 2016, Tim Miller’s Deadpool changed the comic book movie world forever. While it had once been thought that superhero features couldn’t be successful without attracting teenage audiences, the Merc With The Mouth put that theory to rest by making a stunning $783.1 million worldwide with an epic number of swear words, a touch of nudity, and quite a bit of ultra-violence. We’ve seen a few more success stories since then as well, including both Deadpool 2, and Logan, but Marvel Studios has not yet made the plunge when it comes to R-rated blockbusters – and as a result we can definitely assume that Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 will be certified with a PG-13.

As a writer / director, James Gunn does have a number of R-rated credits on his resume, including his first two features – Slither and Super – and there are a few adult references to be found in both Guardians of the Galaxy and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2. That being said, the idea that this series will change gears for its third installment is ridiculous. We won’t actually know what Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 will be rated until the movie is ready to come out, as the MPAA doesn’t do its grading until after a project has been assembled, but you can be certain that this is a blockbuster that will be made with a PG-13 rating in mind.

The Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 3 Writer/Director

This one is a bit of a journey, so strap in.

To the surprise of very, very few, in the weeks leading up to the 2017 release of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, James Gunn announced that he had made a deal with Marvel Studios to take the helm of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 – confirming that the movie would “conclude the story of this iteration of the Guardians of the Galaxy.” He wrote the script himself, and wheels were clearly in motion to make the blockbuster one of the earliest films released as a part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s Phase Four.

But then the troll attack happened. In the days surrounding San Diego Comic-Con 2018, James Gunn found himself at the center of some controversy due to some nearly decade-old Tweets that had been dug up by those who were, apparently, unhappy with his politics. The social media messages, which featured extremely distasteful jokes about horrendous subjects, put the family-friendly Walt Disney Company in an awkward situation, and they made the decision to remove Gunn as the director of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 in response.

Of course, that was only the start of the controversy. In the following days, weeks, and months, it wasn’t only fans who voiced thunderous support for James Gunn (with over 400,000 signing a petition for his reinstatement), but also many of his colleagues. The members of the Guardians of the Galaxy cast – including Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Dave Bautista, Karen Gillan, Bradley Cooper, Vin Diesel, Sean Gunn, Pom Klementieff and Michael Rooker – all signed an open letter requesting that Gunn be reinstated, and many fellow directors made their voices heard on the subject as well. When names like Edgar Wright, Taika Waititi, Chris Lord and Phil Miller were proposed as possible replacements at the helm of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, the filmmakers let it be known that they stood behind Gunn and had no interest in taking the job.

For more than half a year it was unclear how exactly Marvel Studios would be able to move forward with Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, but the situation was resolved in mid-March 2019. Following the release of Captain Marvel, the news was made official that a new deal had been made with James Gunn that would see him reinstated as the director of the Guardians of the Galaxy trilogy capper. This coincided with a few plan changes for the project in terms of scheduling, as Gunn had spent his months being fired working out a deal with Warner Bros. to both write and direct the upcoming The Suicide Squad – which is currently on track for release in August 2021. This is why it’s unlikely we will see the filmmaker’s third epic space opera until 2022 at the earliest.

Now that he’s directing Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 again, James Gunn will actually become the first filmmaker in Marvel Studios history to complete a full trilogy for the franchise. At this stage it’s unclear exactly what he has planned story-wise for the film – which is no surprise given the secrecy surrounding these projects – but details should start to come out as we get closer to the movie entering production.

Star-Lord

The role of Peter Quill a.k.a. Star-Lord completely changed Chris Pratt’s career overnight. One minute he was the goofy, lovable idiot on Parks and Recreation, and the next he was one of the biggest movie stars in the world. He is now known in pop culture as one of the “Chrises” (along with Evans, Hemsworth, and Pine), and because of his popularity it’s basically impossible to imagine that he won’t be back for Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. There is, however, one little hitch.

Those who saw Avengers: Infinity War know that as things currently stand in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Star-Lord is dead. Along with half of the universe, the leader of the Guardians was turned to dust when Thanos managed to assemble the Infinity Gauntlet and snap his fingers. We suspect that the events that go down in the upcoming Avengers: Endgame will change this status, but right now we have no idea if that’s actually true, or really any clue how it might happen.

Gamora

Like Star-Lord, Gamora is another character who is technically dead in the Marvel Cinematic Universe at this time (prepare to see a lot more of this as we continue), but it’s worth noting that her situation is a bit different. Rather than being dusted in The Decimation, Gamora was killed by Thanos when he was trying to acquire the Soul Stone – with the Mad Titan forced to make a sacrifice of something he loved in order to acquire the precious ingot. Because of this, it’s unclear if Gamora will be brought to life should the surviving members of the Avengers and Guardians save everyone destroyed by the snap, or if her timeline has come to an end.

It would certainly be an earned death story-wise, though the permanence of it would be a serious bummer for Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, as the film would be missing one of the best characters from the first two movies. That being said, even if Gamora is gone for good it’s still possible that Zoe Saldana could make an appearance in the upcoming blockbuster, via dreams, flashbacks, or any other various narrative devices. She did, after all, form an incredibly close relationship with Star-Lord during the four years in which they knew each other, and it’s hard to imagine him just forgetting about her after the whole Thanos ordeal is over.

Drax The Destroyer

During the whole “James Gunn getting fired” saga, nobody stood up for the writer / director the way that Dave Bautista did. Clearly recognizing and fully acknowledging how Gunn very much changed his career by casting him as Drax, Bautista was extremely vocal about how incredibly pissed off the whole situation made him. Even though it could have potentially hurt his career, he wasn’t at all shy about his fury aimed towards Disney, and he even suggested that he would request a release from his contract with the studio if Gunn’s script for Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 wasn’t used.

Now that James Gunn has been rehired, one can imagine him seriously rewarding Dave Bautista for his incredible loyalty – but exactly how that might play out is currently up the air. Why? Because like the previous two characters mentioned, Drax The Destroyer currently exists as flakes of dust floating around the atmosphere on Titan. Again, there is expectation that he will somehow be resurrected in Avengers: Endgame, and going by the comics he may even be the one to put Thanos down, but we have no evidence right now to suggest that will happen.

Rocket

Finally, a character who is currently alive! Rocket is one of only two Guardians of the Galaxy who survived The Decimation – left without any of his teammates on Earth in the aftermath of the Battle Of Wakanda. He did what he could to try and help the heroes stop Thanos from completing the Infinity Gauntlet, including assisting Thor in the creation of Stormbreaker, but the efforts weren’t enough at the end of the day, so in Avengers: Endgame we’ll watch as he teams with all of the survivors to try and save the universe.

James Gunn has said many times that Rocket is his favorite character among the Guardians, and the one he most relates to, so it’s pretty easy to imagine that he will have a meaty role to play in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. We can assume that he will once again be brought to life courtesy of performance capture work from Sean Gunn, and with the voice of Bradley Cooper, but beyond that we won’t have any firm expectations for the character until after we see Endgame.

Groot

Of all the characters in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, weirdly it’s Groot who has the hardest time staying alive. The original version of the living tree sacrificed himself so that the Guardians of the Galaxy could live through their first movie, and while Baby Groot managed to survive Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, the slightly older version of himself – Adolescent Groot – was another character turned to dust in Avengers: Infinity War.

It’s hard to imagine Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 featuring a somber narrative following Rocket in a post-Groot universe, however, and we expect that somehow events will transpire that bring the character back to life. At the very least we hope this to be the case just because we want to see what the next stage of his evolution looks like.

Nebula

Nebula, played by Karen Gillan, has had a very different trajectory than most in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. She started out as a rage-filled antagonist – an ally of Thanos and possessing a true hatred for her sister, Gamora – but her edges definitely softened through the events of both Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 and Avengers: Infinity War. And, based on what we know about Avengers: Endgame, it seems like she is going to evolve even more by the time we see her in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.

Along with Rocket, Nebula is the only surviving member of the Guardians of the Galaxy after The Decimation, though they were in two very different places when the snap went down. In the case of the blue cyborg, she was stranded on Titan along with Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.), and there is a presumption that they will have to work together closely in order to A) get back to Earth, and B) get revenge against Thanos. But will she survive the mission and have the opportunity to appear in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3? As of right now that’s a very big question mark.

Mantis

Brought to the big screen by Pom Klementieff, Mantis became a member of the Guardians of the Galaxy when the team saved her from Ego in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, and her special extraterrestrial skills have been put to good use. She is not only a powerful empath, but also can put even the most powerful beings to sleep with her hands – though it takes a good amount of concentration and energy. This was useful for a good minute in the battle against Thanos in Avengers: Infinity War, but sadly right now she can be counted among the dead Guardians of the Galaxy in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Given that she hasn’t exactly been around very long (less time than every other Guardians character), we definitely want to believe that Mantis will be back in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, but right now we technically don’t have any actual evidence of that being true. We’ll just have to wait and see how things play out in Avengers: Endgame, and once we know the details of the fallout we’ll be able to judge the situation better.

Be sure to keep your eye on this guide, as we'll keep it fresh with new details on the development of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 as they become available to us!

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The Avengers: Endgame Premiere Didn’t Reveal If There Will Be A Post-Credits Scene

The Avengers: Endgame Premiere Didn’t Reveal If There Will Be A Post-Credits Scene

The Marvel Cinematic Universe changed the game for film franchises, most memorably with the standard inclusion of post credits scenes that would set up a future installment once the action of the current film had ended. So naturally, with the clock ticking down towards the release of Avengers: Endgame this weekend, there’s a pretty big question looming in the air: will there be an ending tag for the end of the Infinity Saga? The answer, at the moment, is, maybe?

We say this because after last night’s big Hollywood premiere of Avengers: Endgame, the credits were actually cut off. Instead of running those customary names of people that worked on the film, and their respective roles, the cast and directors went up to the stage of the Los Angeles Convention Center and delivered some heartfelt speeches.

Admittedly, that’s not the answer that fans want to hear involving whether or not Avengers: Endgame ties up its 11 year journey of learning and betterment of oneself will have that last surprise. However, it’s not the first time that this sort of strategy was used.

In fact, going back as far as The Avengers in 2012, that film was shown at its very premiere without a post credits stinger. This left the audience, already primed to expect one or two extra moments, with the very same question we are asking today. So while no footage has been seen of any sort of coda to Avengers: Endgame, we’re totally thinking that it’s going to be in there. It’s just behind a Marvel Studios secrecy wall that we haven’t seen past yet.

CinemaBlend’s own Eric Eisenberg was at the Hollywood premiere of Avengers: Endgame last night, on hand to take in the splendor himself for the film’s big night. Not only can he confirm that there was no post-credits scene, but he also gave the following reaction to the film on Twitter:

As for what to expect in this hypothetical, but still possibly absent, post credits scene to Avengers: Endgame? Well, there’s a lot of ways it could go. We could see Peter Parker’s first words after being restored to life in time to have his adventure in Phase 3’s big finale, Spider-Man: Far From Home. Or, there might be some tease as to where Captain Marvel may go next in her adventures.

Perhaps Kevin Feige had someone shoot a Shang Chi teaser with their iPhone and a special lens, with that footage being tweaked in the editing bay as we speak. The big point is, we don’t know. But that’s part of the fun with going to see a Marvel Cinematic Universe film on opening weekend, as when any story’s door closes it tends to open the window to the future. We don’t have long to wait, as Avengers: Endgame lands on our collective cinematic doorstep on Thursday night. So there’s still time for you get a couple of the vital films to watch before heading out into your schedule.

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Is Star Wars’ New Character Jannah Lando Calrissian’s Daughter? Here’s What Naomi Ackie Says

Is Star Wars’ New Character Jannah Lando Calrissian’s Daughter? Here’s What Naomi Ackie Says

While the number of questions regarding how things will end for our heroes in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker are nearly infinite, Rey, Finn and Poe aren't the only characters we wonder about. Naomi Ackie has been added to the cast as an all new character, and we know essentially nothing about her, except her character's name, Jannah.

Naomi Ackie and Jannah were introduced to the crowd at the recent Star Wars Celebration in Chicago and panel moderator Stephen Colbert asked Ackie about rumors that Jannah might actually be the daughter of Lando Calrissian. As one might expect, Ackie didn't really answer the question, but she also didn't not answer the question. It's certainly possible that Jannah could be Lando's daughter, because Lando probably has a lot of daughters, and sons too. According to the actress...

Listen, Lando is a charming man, so he could have children all over the universe.

The Star Wars Celebration panel was very focused on making sure that no details about The Rise of Skywalker were revealed beyond those details that were planned to be released. We got a single still shot of the character of Jannah, but nothing beyond that, meaning that we have no idea how she fits into the story. About all we can guess is that since she was on the SWC stage in the first place, she's important.

The idea that Jannah could be Lando Calrissian's daughter is given some strength simply due to the fact that Lando himself is returning for the final episode of the new trilogy. We don't know anything as far as that character goes either. Where he's been or why he's back now is a mystery.

Based on the simple still image of Jannah, if she is Lando's daughter, she hasn't really taken after her father, one wonders if he actually raised her. Lando is always looking quite suave and that's not the vibe we're getting from Jannah here. Whatever she's up to, she's getting her hands dirty.

In the same way that Rey being a Skywalker or a Kenobi seemed a little too on the nose, I doubt Jannah is a Calrissian. It's simply unlikely that there's a need for such a connection to exist and Jannah being somebody else, anybody else, helps to expand the galaxy in a new way, which has clearly been part of the goal for this trilogy.

Odds are that if we knew who Jannah really was it would just create more questions. The big answer we were all waiting for, the film's title, certainly does that. Nobody knows what The Rise of Skywalker really means, though we all have our theories, which is the point. Jannah's history can be another topic of conversation that should keep fans busy until the new trilogy comes to a close this December.

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The Avengers: Endgame Cast And Crew Are Thanking Everyone Who Made The Movie Possible

The Avengers: Endgame Cast And Crew Are Thanking Everyone Who Made The Movie Possible

This morning, it was announced that Avengers: Endgame is the movie that has been tweeted about the more than any other. Are we surprised, Marvel fans? If our timelines were full of crazy theories and anticipation before, since its release, the social media platform has been flooding with gushes about the MCU movie as fans attempt to process and recover from record-breaking box office hit.

What was a mere three-hour experience for the audience was a series of years and memories for the cast of Endgame and a chapter of their lives that some may be leaving behind following the conclusion of the Infinity Saga. Many of the stars of the film have taken to social media to express their love to fans for coming out to see the Avengers assemble and their team with sweet messages.

The man who started it all kicked things off on opening night with a simple post sharing how much his role of Tony Stark has meant to him since 2008’s Iron Man. Check out what Robert Downey Jr. said:

That's proof that Tony Stark has a heart! Let’s move on to Hawkeye who shared some amazing photos of himself and the cast at the Avengers: Endgame world premiere in Los Angeles and the Hollywood Walk of Fame where the original six Avengers placed their hands in concrete last week. He gave a shout out to fans and his fellow superhero actors on Instagram below:

The franchise’s Thor also shared the Hollywood Walk of Fame milestone over the weekend to show his love for the Avengers he started his journey with on the first Avengers film in 2012. Check out Chris Hemsworth’s recent Twitter post:

As fans started seeing Endgame in theaters, the hashtag #ThankYouAvengers started trending. Captain America wouldn’t let all the love rest on their hands and pushed the love right back around. Chris Evans tweeted this out:

Zoe Saldana took the time to particularly celebrate the Captain America actor with one of her Instagram posts. She shared a throwback post of the pair on 2010’s The Losers, a previous project that came out before they joined the expansive cinematic universe. Look at this cute photo!

Anyone else tearing up yet? Gwyneth Paltrow also went for nostalgia in her “thank you” post by sharing a photo of the Iron Man 2 squad coming together while the shooting of Endgame. Take a look:

That’s right, Jon Favreau’s Iron Man started this whole thing off! It’s since grown and morphed into something huge, such as with the recent success of the studio’s first female-led film, Captain Marvel. Brie Larson may have come a little late to the party, but she’s certainly felt the impact of the franchise (her movie is even booming again at the box office thanks to Endgame) and took to social media to share an on-set photo and a shoutout to all the love from fans, with this:

Theaters were absolutely rampant with fans over the weekend going to see Endgame, probably because so many people were tweeting about it! Mark Ruffalo (aka The Hulk) offered his love to moviegoers and the people who worked around the clock to provide service while the film played:

To close things out, Chris Pratt also showed his love for Endgame with a sneaky on-set video of much of the cast filming that huge battle sequence in the movie. Check it:

What an amazing time to be an MCU fan! Endgame certainly satisfied a lot of moviegoers who have religiously gone out to see these films over the course of eleven years and 22 movies. What now? Time to await Spider-Man: Far From Home and Phase 4.

If you're curious about what other Marvel movies are coming down the pipeline, look through our comprehensive guide.

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Despite Lawsuit, Amazon Says Termination Of Woody Allen Was 'Justified'

Despite Lawsuit, Amazon Says Termination Of Woody Allen Was 'Justified'

Amazon is firing back with its first big move as it stares down a massive $68 million lawsuit by Woody Allen for a breach of contract. The company claims that it was justified in terminating the remainder of its multi-film contract with the director, and is using the events and controversial comments made by Allen to fuel the claim.

Specifically, Amazon has taking aim at Woody Allen's controversial comments made at the time news broke on the Harvey Weinstein controversy, in which Allen publicly warned the news could create a "witch hunt atmosphere" in Hollywood. THR reported Amazon added that Allen's dismissal of Dylan Farrow's memories of sexual abuse as an excuse to use the #MeToo movement for attention added to the controversy and made further work with him impossible.

Amazon's argument is that Woody Allen made the comments with a failure to recognize the gravity of the situation, or the implication that it would have on his career despite the increasing number of top talents who announced they wouldn't work with him. This is what the company is saying justifies the termination of the contract, and why the case should be dismissed.

Amazon's argument will have some issues, as some believe the evidence presented can be argued as a legitimate risk the company knew it was taking on when it initially signed the deal with Woody Allen. For example, while the claims of Allen's abuse against Dylan Farrow were re-ignited by the #MeToo movement, the claim against him has been public knowledge for decades. Amazon continued on with the deal knowing that news was out there, albeit before the Weinstein comments.

As for Woody Allen's side of the argument, Amazon cannot drop its contract with him on the grounds of a longstanding allegation that is "baseless," in the words of a statement from his legal complaint. This means that, whether Amazon wants to show Allen's future work or not, he's still owed the money from the deal. That is likely where the $68 million amount comes from.

The court case is being looked on by interested parties throughout Hollywood, who wish to see whether or not courts will uphold grounds of dismissing high-profile contracts due to the events of the #MeToo movement. If the courts end up ruling in favor of Amazon, it may encourage other companies that were on the line with actors caught in controversy to try and sever any expensive contracts they had.

CinemaBlend will keep an eye on the ongoing legal proceedings between Woody Allen and Amazon, as well as keep readers up to date on the latest and greatest entertainment news. As an example, hop on over to our latest news on Pet Sematary to see what critics have to say about the latest Stephen King adaptation.

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Samuel L. Jackson Reveals Why Nick Fury Hasn't Brought Up Captain Marvel Before

Samuel L. Jackson Reveals Why Nick Fury Hasn't Brought Up Captain Marvel Before

While all hope seemed lost following the end of Avengers: Infinity War, the post-credits scene gave us all hope when Nick Fury was able to get a message off to Captain Marvel. While this made fans very excited for the upcoming, and now soon to release Captain Marvel movie, it did raise one question. "You're calling her NOW?" It seemed like there had been some times in the past that a hero like Carol Danvers would have been useful, but Samuel L. Jackson says all those other problems the Earth has seen were no big deal compared to this one. According to Jackson...

She said only in emergencies. Other emergencies could be handled by the people who were present. It’s just an alien invasion, that’s something that could be handled. Half the population wasn’t dying and flicking off and doing whatever. We finally have an emergency that I feel warrants her presence. This is unprecedented. How are you gonna fight that? I can’t fight that. If I’m not here, I need to find someone to come here who can handle it. All those people are ineffective. They’re great for normal, everyday world disaster. But intergalactic badass who has all the Infinity Stones needs a bit more.

Clearly, Nick Fury has a very specific definition of "emergency" and even alien invasions and A.I. gone mad doesn't actually qualify. It certainly makes some sense. Fury's plan to create "The Avenger Initiative" comes at a point after the events of Captain Marvel so clearly, Fury isn't looking to call in his new friend at the first sign of something normal humans can't handle. He's planning on using others for those problems.

At the end of Avengers: Infinity War, it doesn't seem that Nick Fury is really clear on exactly what is going on, but he knows that Earth's Mightiest Heroes are dealing with it, and when people start to turn to dust, he knows they've failed. At that point, the only option left is to grab your pager.

Samuel L. Jackson's opinion on why he never called Danvers before isn't the only one that makes sense. Director Anna Boden tells IGN that Fury likely didn't want to reveal her existence to the world unless it was necessary. Her co-director Ryan Fleck says Fury was probably considering pushing the panic button ion the first Avengers, but eventually decided against it.

By the time things escalate to the actual alien invasion, if the Avengers can't do the job, it's probably not going to matter too much.

On the plus side, Fury was right, and the Avengers were able to handle all threats prior to Infinity War. If the Earth had been invaded by aliens, Fury probably would have really wished he'd used that pager.

Expect said pager to play a small role in Captain Marvel, as we'll probably learn where it came from. Assuming it works, we'll see the results of pressing that button when Avengers: Endgame comes out in a couple months.

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Christopher Nolan's New Movie Tenet Is Putting Together A Fantastic Cast

Christopher Nolan's New Movie Tenet Is Putting Together A Fantastic Cast

Christopher Nolan is a filmmaker who, even at his most generous, loves to keep the public in the dark about what he's working on until the last possible moment. His latest film, slated for release next summer, is certainly no exception, as it has just recently unveiled its title, Tenet, on this the first day of shooting. Plot details are also sparse, as the recently provided description of “North By Northwest meets Inception” was dismissed as quickly as it had arrived, though the film being "an action epic evolving from the world of international espionage" remains the premise.

With such a diverse and dangerous setting comes a cast of impressive actors taking on the task of working with Nolan himself. So fresh off the back of Tenet getting a title, and a few new members to its' cast, now is a good time to run down the line and see who's on board for this would be blockbuster of summer 2020! We'll start with Mr. John David Washington himself!

John David Washington

The first lead cast in Christopher Nolan's Tenet, John David Washington will be adding this sought after role on top of a year that's brought him a lot of notice. His role in the HBO series Ballers saw its fourth year of action in 2018, with his lead role in Spike Lee's BlacKkKlansman netting him several prestigious award nominations in that very same year. Washington's recent credits also include Monsters and Men, as well as The Old Man and The Gun.

Robert Pattinson

Initial reports have mentioned that Christopher Nolan's latest film is to have two male leads, with a female lead around the same age range. Robert Pattinson is the most recently cast male out of the two, with his credits of late being represented in the sci-fi drama High Life, and the western/comedy Damsel. His casting in Tenet seemed sure to set off the rumor mill, as Pattinson's name has been come up as the all but confirmed as a successor to Ben Affleck in the role of Batman. Which makes Robert Pattinson's collaboration with the director of the still highly regarded Dark Knight Trilogy practically kismet.

Elizabeth Debicki

Also part of the previously known cast for Christopher Nolan's Tenet is none other than rising star Elizabeth Debicki. 2018 was also good for Debicki, as Steve McQueen's Widows saw her impressing the hell out of critics and fans alike, as one of the titular stars alongside Viola Davis, Michelle Rodriguez, and Cynthia Erivo. Previously, Debicki was seen in franchise sequels The Cloverfield Paradox and Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol. 2, as well as the Guy Ritchie feature film adaptation of The Man From U.N.C.L.E.

Dimple Kapadia

Primarily known for her work in the Indian film world, actor Dimple Kapadia has been added to the cast of Tenet in the film’s most recent run up to production. Kapadia has been a fixture since the 1980’s, most recently starring in Welcome Back, alongside fellow Indian actor/crossover star Anil Kapoor. Tenet marks Dimple Kapadia’s first Hollywood film.

Aaron Taylor-Johnson

Best known for his roles as both Quicksilver in Avengers: Age of Ultron, and the lead in Mark Millar’s comic adaptation Kick-Ass, Aaron Taylor-Johnson is another one of Tenet’s latest additions to the cast. Most recently seen in Netflix’s Outlaw King, Taylor-Johnson will also be seen in the Kingsman: The Great Game, which will see the famed spy organization’s origins in the 1900’s.

Clémence Poésy

If you’re struggling to remember where you’ve seen Clémence Poésy before, we’ll go ahead and tell you that you most likely recognize her from her role of Fleur Delacour in the Harry Potter film franchise. You may even remember her from films like In Bruges and 127 Hours. But lately, this Tenet star has been seen in TV shows like National Geographic’s Genius: Picasso, where she played French icon Françoise Gilot, as well as the British/French TV procedural, The Tunnel.

Michael Caine

Known quite well as the lucky charm to Christopher Nolan, as well as an actor of great distinction and honor, Michael Caine makes his return to appearing on camera for Nolan with Tenet. Previously, Caine made an uncredited cameo as the voice of Fortis Leader, guiding Tom Hardy and his air squadron in Dunkirk. Caine’s notable credits in the cast range from classics like Alfie and The Italian Job to more recent films like Now You See Me 2.

Kenneth Branagh

In what looks like his addition to the Christopher Nolan repertory company, Kenneth Branagh is the last and latest addition to the Tenet cast. Much like Michael Caine, Branagh was also part of the massive cast that made Nolan’s Dunkirk come to life. More recently, Branagh starred and directed in the Shakespeare biopic All Is Well, and has Artemis Foul ready to go for release next summer through Disney.

As the cast for Tenet continues to form up, and more details besides those provided previously are made known, we'll update this list to reflect the new changes. But until then, know that this newly titled Christopher Nolan event film will be released in conventional and IMAX theaters on July 17, 2020. So, it's probably best you find some movies throughout the rest of 2019's release schedule to pass the time in-between.

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Top 20 YouTube Movies Available To Watch

Top 20 YouTube Movies Available To Watch

Since the moment they've opened their doors, YouTube has always been a fine purveyor of everything from DIY hacks to cute animal videos, with tons of gaffes, live TV moments, and movie trailers filling the gaps in between. Yet there's one thing YouTube isn't primarily known for, at least when it comes to the legal enjoyment of filmed entertainment: they've got a lot of good movies sitting on their servers, just waiting to be viewed -- in their entirety. Some are classics that have fallen into public domain, and can be watched for free. Others are big studio pictures or legacy titles that are locked up tighter that Citizen Kane's past. Yet they all have one thing in common: they're on the YouTubes and available for anywhere from free to a nominal fee.

So if you're looking for something to watch, Netflix or Amazon Prime are exhausted options, and your Blu Ray collection has been picked over so frequently you know all the words to X-Men: Days Of Future Past, why not frequent some of these easy to view picks? Chances are there's something you've always been meaning to watch sitting on the list below.

Big

Year Of Release: 1988

IMDB Score: 7.3 / 10

Synopsis: After Josh Baskins makes a wish upon a carnival fortune-telling machine, he grows up to become a more Tom Hanks-looking version of what he'd look like as an adult. With the help of his best friend, he embarks on a journey to make better toys, reverse the wish, and learn how to deal with women... not necessarily in that order. If you need a good reminder of just how funny Tom Hanks can be, or if you just want to relive the piano scene one more time, look no further.

Broadcast News

Year Of Release: 1987

IMDB Score: 7.2 / 10

Synopsis: The world of television news is tough, especially when the ax is looming and some pretty boy wants your dream job (and dream woman). Aaron (Albert Brooks) has to contend with Tom (William Hurt) for both breaking news and the heart of Jane (Holly Hunter,) his best friend. Set against the backdrop of 1980's network news, Broadcast News tells the story of talent vs. looks -- a debate that was waged on no greater battlefield than the ever-evolving landscape of TV news. Funny, heartbreaking, and thought provoking -- this is a comedy that's in rare form, and you'll be hard pressed to find anything like it today.

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Why Annabelle Comes Home Is Very Much A Homecoming For The Conjuring Universe

Why Annabelle Comes Home Is Very Much A Homecoming For The Conjuring Universe

In the last six years, The Conjuring Universe has become one of the most successful active franchises in Hollywood. It all started when James Wan’s The Conjuring turned out to be a massively huge hit in the summer of 2013, and since then the brand has expanded to include multiple spin-off series, which have actually mostly performed as well or better than the core titles.

As the franchise has continued, it’s expanded in interesting ways and gone to some exciting new places – and it’s in recognition of this that Gary Dauberman’s upcoming Annabelle Comes Home holds a special place the brand’s direction. It turns out the title has a semi-double meaning, as in addition to the movie featuring a plot that sees the titular doll come to live in the Warren house, it’s also seen by the filmmakers as a homecoming of sorts for the entire Conjuring Universe.

This was a sentiment shared by producer Peter Safran during an interview late last year when I had the chance to visit the set of what was then only called Annabelle 3:

The idea bringing it back to the Warren family was something that we've been toying with for a while. We had the Perrons, we had the Hodgsons, we took it all away to Romania – a totally different vibe and feel for The Nun. And we just liked the idea of bringing it closer to home, back to ordinary people and extraordinary circumstances, which was kind of the touchstone for it. And it just really made sense.

To fill in the gaps for the uninitiated, The Conjuring started the franchise with a story that actually spent a fair amount of time in the Warren home, in addition to following an investigation of the relatively-local Perron household. But the movies have slowly moved away from that ever since. Annabelle was really only a slight crawl away as a prequel story with a direct link-up featured at the end, but then The Conjuring 2 took Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga’s Ed and Lorraine Warren to England for the infamous Enfield Poltergeist case with the Hodgson clan. Annabelle: Creation then took audiences back nearly 20 years before the events of The Conjuring; and then The Nun doubled down on both elements of setting by not only going further back in time (by three years), but also by featuring events primarily set in the Vatican and Romania.

It’s been six years since audiences have seen any legitimately spooky action inside of the Warren’s house, but Annabelle Comes Home will break that streak when it’s released this summer. Set over the course of one night, the story centers on Ed and Lorraine’s daughter, Judy (McKenna Grace), as she spends the night with a babysitter (Madison Iseman) the night Annabelle is brought into household’s notorious artifact museum. Unfortunately for them, it’s evil winds up having a very strong influence over the other objects in the room, unleashing all kinds of terrors.

Further discussing the approach of bringing the action back to the Warrens’, Peter Safran explained that there has long been a creative curiosity when it comes to the aforementioned artifact museum, and Annabelle Comes Home will finally be the movie that sees the potential there explored. Plus, he added, it’s an opportunity to directly follow-up on the very first case that audiences were introduced to in the first Conjuring. Said the producer,

We always loved the idea of the artifact room being the potential source of more stories. The idea of actually setting a film around that was something, again, that we had in our mind for a while, and Gary [Dauberman] and James [Wan], and myself just thought this was the opportunity – that the third Annabelle movie is the opportunity to really raise the stakes. And that was it. Also the opening scene of The Conjuring is so iconic when it opens up on the half face of Annabelle, we just always liked the idea of, what happened after they left there? We see them taking the doll, what happens? It was actually something other people had asked us in the past as well. We just thought we will explore that story.

There will still be plenty more opportunities for The Conjuring Universe to explore new cities, countries, and time periods, as there are multiple projects actively in development, but Annabelle Comes Home is specifically being made as the film that brings us full circle.

The directorial debut of Gary Dauberman – who previously wrote the scripts for Annabelle, Annabelle: Creation, and The Nun – Annabelle Comes Home is scheduled to freak out audiences this summer with its June 28th release. And be sure to stay tuned here on CinemaBlend, as I have plenty more stories coming your way in the coming days from my time visiting the set.

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Why Chiwetel Ejiofor Really Wanted To Play The Lion King's Scar

Why Chiwetel Ejiofor Really Wanted To Play The Lion King's Scar

In 1994’s animated classic The Lion King, Oscar-winner Jeremy Irons provided the voice of Scar, one of Disney’s most menacing and captivating villains. For this summer’s photo-realistic CGI remake from director Jon Favreau, Chiwetel Ejiofor takes on the mantle and the mane of Simba’s treacherous uncle. It was the prospect of getting inside his head that made Chiwetel Ejiofor really want to play Scar, as he explained:

I was interested in understanding the real psychology of Scar, the psychology of a person who always feels as if they have been somehow mysteriously overpassed by the fates, by the gods themselves. That sense of not being in the rightful place and therefore living in a kind of parallel universe to the one that you’re supposed to be in — what sort of psychology would that mean, and what would it go to over a period of time?

Scar is, simply put, a fascinating character, and the opportunity to examine his psychology and see what makes him tick is what interested Chiwetel Ejiofor about the role and what he wanted to explore in his performance. Chiwetel Ejiofor wanted to understand who Scar is, why he feels the way he does and how that leads to him doing the things that he does.

It’s not a simple psychology because Scar isn’t a black and white villain in the way characters like Maleficent (not the live-action one) and Ursula are. He’s evil to be sure, but like many great villains, he thinks that he’s the good guy, or at least that his actions are somehow justified.

As Chiwetel Ejiofor told Entertainment Weekly, Scar feels that he isn’t where he is supposed to be, that the universe is out to get him and he is being denied something that he feels he’s owed; in this case, the throne. It has shades of Stannis Baratheon’s claim to the Iron Throne, but instead of being governed by a strict sense of duty and right, Scar is governed by envy and desire.

That psychology results in Scar having a massive chip on his shoulder and crafting a narrative in his head that he’s the downtrodden hero that has been mistreated by the world and those around him. And he naturally sees Simba as someone else who stands in his way.

Despite being a member of the royal family, this character, inspired by Hamlet’s King Claudius, sees himself as an outcast and pals around with the hyenas that also don’t have a place within the circle of life governed by the pride. You can see why Chiwetel Ejiofor was so excited to dig into Scar’s psychology because there’s a lot going on there.

Chiwetel Ejiofor talked about what that psychology would do over time, but it’s also interesting to ask what birthed those feelings in the first place. Therefore, I’m curious if The Lion King will explore the history of Chiwetel Ejiofor’s Scar at all. In the original film, Scar is simply named Scar and we never really get much about how he got his namesake.

However, in The Lion King: Six New Adventures, a collection of spin-off books released in 1994, one of the books titled A Tale of Two Brothers tells the story of Mufasa and his younger brother when they were princes. In that, Scar’s real name is Taka, which means trash in Swahili, and honestly, that would kind of explain why he’s so pissed off.

The elder Mufasa is either the first in line or chosen for the throne (Pride Lands succession rules are unclear) and Taka tries to get him attacked by a buffalo in order to make him look foolish and have their father pick Taka to be king instead. This plan backfires and Taka is hurt, getting his scar in the process.

We don’t know if this backstory is canon, but it would be interesting to see The Lion King give us something new by touching on Scar’s backstory, whatever it is. In this instance, he in many ways was always jealous and deceitful. Like Walter White was always Heisenberg, Taka was always Scar, long before his looks reflected what was on the inside.

Whatever the case, it sounds like Chiwetel Ejiofor is diving deep into the mind of an the iconic villain for his portrayal of Scar. You can see his Scar when The Lion King hits theaters on July 19. Check out our 2019 Release Schedule for all of this summer’s biggest movies.

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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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Re-Watch Captain Marvel's Mid-Credits Scene Before Seeing Avengers: Endgame

Re-Watch Captain Marvel's Mid-Credits Scene Before Seeing Avengers: Endgame

Warning: SPOILERS for Captain Marvel are ahead!

Since the Marvel Cinematic Universe began in 2008, each movie has included at least one extra scene either in the middle of or after the credits, many of which have teased events to come. Captain Marvel kept this tradition going last month, and with only a few days to go until the next MCU installment, Avengers: Endgame, arrives in theaters, now you can officially watch the mid-credits scene that was attached to Carol Danvers’ origin story.

Since we’re still a few months off from Captain Marvel being released on Blu-ray, DVD and Digital HD, the only way one could have watched the movie’s mid and post-credits scenes is either see it in theaters again or find a bootlegged recording online. Fortunately, the Marvel Studios Twitter page included it in its rundown today of the MCU’s many (but not all) mid/post-credits scenes. Alas, if you’ve been wanting to watch a high definition version of Goose coughing up the Tesseract, you’ll need to keep waiting.

As the MCU’s second period piece, Captain Marvel’s main story took place in 1995, over a decade before the events of the modern MCU unfolded. However, in the middle of its credits, we jumped back to the present day, i.e. post-Avengers: Infinity War, when half of all life in the universe was snapped away by Thanos. Infinity War’s post-credits scene showed Nick Fury activating the spruced-up pager Carol Danvers gave him before he also turned to dust.

Somehow, the surviving Avengers found Nick Fury’s pager and brought it back to their base, unsure of what it is and who’s on the other end of the signal it’s broadcasting. Lucky for them, they won’t have to wait long after it shuts off to learn who’s getting the signal, as Carol Danvers has arrived at Avengers HQ wondering where Nick Fury is. Sit down, Carol, they have some bad news for you.

While I’m not 100% sure about this, I suspect that Captain Marvel’s mid-credits scene actually comes from Avengers: Endgame itself, similar to how Ant-Man showed a portion of Captain America: Civil War and Doctor Strange showed a position of Thor: Ragnarok. Perhaps Endgame will show how Captain America, Black Widow and the others feared about Nick Fury’s pager, and/or maybe we’ll see Carol Danvers receive the transmission from wherever she was in the universe.

Even if that’s not the case, now that Carol is back on Earth after all these years, she can ideally help turn the tide in the upcoming re-match against Thanos. While an earlier Avengers: Endgame clip revealed how she and the other heroes intend to take the Infinity Stones from Thanos and undo his genocide, we have no idea if they’ll accomplish that. Frankly, we’re still in the dark about a lot of this movie.

Captain Marvel is winding down its run in theaters, but you can watch Carol Danvers team up with all the other surviving MCU heroes in Avengers: Endgame starting this weekend. Don’t forget to also look through our Marvel movies guide to learn what else is on the horizon for this superhero franchise.

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Captain Marvel Almost Had A Different Final Shot

Captain Marvel Almost Had A Different Final Shot

Spoilers ahead for Carol Danvers' origin story.

Captain Marvel has been in theaters for a week, and a mass of moviegoers have headed to theaters to meet Carol Danvers for the very first time. Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck's blockbuster was a long time coming, as development and Brie Larson's casting happened many years before she finally hit theaters. But the movie is going faster, higher, further at the box office, with the title character also popping up in the final Avengers: Endgame trailer.

Marvel fans and cinephiles are already dissecting every frame of Captain Marvel, eager for an indication of the character's future, and her crossover in Endgame. And it turns out, the film's ending was changed quite a bit before hitting theaters. Marvel editor Debbie Berman previously worked on Spider-Man: Homecoming and Black Panther before turning her talents toward Captain Marvel. Berman recently revealed the original ending for the film, saying:

I did actually suggest some tweaks to the ending of this film. It used to end with Carol flying off into space alone, and I found that a bit jarring. Like, where exactly was she going? And what was she doing? It felt like we needed a stronger visual to assert a more specific justification for her leaving and disappearing for so many years. So we added Talos and his family in their spaceship waiting for her, and they all fly off together. It gave her more of a sense of purpose and made it easier to believe that she left her newfound life on Earth because she was with a friend we knew she cared about, and for a more specific mission. It gave more resonance and closure to her final moment in the film.

That's quite the change, and it sounds like the folks involved with Captain Marvel ultimately made the right choice. Carol Danvers left her solo movie with a mission, possibly explaining her long absence until Avengers: Endgame.

Debbie Berman's comments to ET show how collaborative things appeared to be on Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck's Marvel debut. Editors are an extremely important aspect of the filmmaking process, and Marvel Studios appears to be a place that really internalizes critiques, and is always attempting to improve.

Captain Marvel surprise audiences with its handling of the Kree/Skrull war, especially the latter shapeshifting aliens. While the trailers and comics set the Skrull up to be villains, they were revealed to be sympathetic refugees trying to flee from the Kree. Carol ultimately realizes the truth, and vows to help the Skrull find a home, while also sending Yon-Rogg back with a warning to The Supreme Intelligence. The ending solidified her relationship with Ben Mendelsohn's Talos, rather than Captain Marvel flying into space as a lone wolf.

You can catch Captain Marvel's ending in theaters now, and the character will return to the MCU when Avengers: Endgame arrives on April 26th. In the meantime, check out our 2019 release list to plan your next trip to the movies.

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Queen's Brian May Says He 'Hasn't Earned A Penny' For Bohemian Rhapsody

Queen's Brian May Says He 'Hasn't Earned A Penny' For Bohemian Rhapsody

In addition to the plethora of statues to its name, Bohemian Rhapsody was a box office success in a way that people could not have predicted, a phenomenon that ended its box office run at just over $900 million worldwide, making it the most successful music biopic ever and the 6th biggest film of 2018. On a budget of $52 million, you might think that kind of return would make many involved with the Freddie Mercury biopic filthy rich.

Alas, that may not have been entirely the case. In fact, contrary to earlier reports that Bohemian Rhapsody had made Queen richer than the Queen, the band’s lead guitarist Brian May has revealed that no such windfall from the film ever materialized. He said:

It’s incredible, it’s like a billion dollar movie. I had to laugh actually the other day. Because there’s this thing in the paper saying that we were getting rich off this movie. If they only knew. We were accounting the other day, and we still haven’t earned a penny. How successful does a movie need to be before you make money?

That is a bit of a bummer to hear, considering we know that Brian May and Queen were closely involved in the development of Bohemian Rhapsody for over a decade. Brian May and Roger Taylor both received Executive Music Producer credits on a film that went on to make close to a billion dollars, so you might expect them to reap some financial rewards on the backend.

However, as of now Brian May told Zoe Ball on BBC Radio 2’s The Zoe Ball Breakfast Show that he and Queen still haven’t ‘earned a penny’ from Bohemian Rhapsody. Without knowing the exact terms and nature of the band’s deal with the studio and the various parties involved, it’s impossible to say that Brian May and Queen are owed money for Bohemian Rhapsody.

Nevertheless, Brian May’s framing of the matter makes it seem like, given the success of the film, there was some expectation on Queen’s part there would be something extra coming their way. Brian May did allude to the fact that there are a lot of people who the film’s profits go to first, so maybe the money is still being divvied up and Queen’s checks are on the way.

Perhaps the stories about Queen’s getting rich off the film have less to do with liquidity and more to do with how the film increased the band’s wealth. Even if they haven’t made a cent off of Bohemian Rhapsody yet, the movie did a lot for Queen’s exposure and increased streams and sales of the band’s albums, also presumably driving interest for upcoming shows. Bohemian Rhapsody has more people listening to Queen’s music and that has to be good for the bottom line.

Although Queen allegedly isn’t directly profiting from the film yet, some people and entities are. Bohemian Rhapsody’s success did help 21st Century Fox’s financials in a big way. Also, reports have indicated Freddie Mercury’s longtime friend Mary Austin, portrayed by Lucy Boynton in the film, is expected to have earned $60+ million for the film and his sister Kashmira Bulsara reportedly earned $25 million. Even fired director Bryan Singer is expected to have walked away with $40 million for his efforts on the film.

Bohemian Rhapsody is now on home video. Check out our 2019 release schedule for all of this year’s biggest movies, including another music biopic, Rocketman, which star Taron Egerton is hoping makes even half of what Bohemian Rhapsody did.

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