Category Archives: Image cache

‘Breaking Bad’ spinoff ‘Better Call Saul’ coming in 2015, renewed for season 2, may incorporate ‘Bad’ favorites

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Better Call Saul is coming soon and here’s your first look at the Breaking Bad prequel series starring Bob Odenkirk as the scheming lawyer Saul Goodman. Standing to his right are executive producer Peter Gould (a former Bad exec producer and the inventor of the Saul character) and Bad mastermind Vince Gilligan (who will serve as co-showrunner on Saul alongside Gould and direct the series pilot).

Some new information has surfaced since AMC announced the highly anticipated Breaking Bad spinoff. First of all, the new series was originally intended to premiere this November, but the network decided that more time was needed to prep so now Saul Goodman won’t return to our screens until early 2015. Such news typically stings, but AMC is putting a damper on that by greenlighting a 13-episode second season before the first 10 episodes even launch! That’s right–Bad fans who intend to flock to Saul are already guaranteed a healthy serving of 23 episodes of Gilligan and Gould’s next drama.

Also, there’s this: Jonathan Banks aka Bad‘s dearly departed Mike Ehrmantraut is joining Odenkirk as a series regular! And that’s not all. Gould recently spilled to The New York Daily News that “perhaps some of [Better Call Saul] takes place before Breaking Bad, during Breaking Bad, and after Breaking Bad.” So what does this mean? “That gives us the ability to bring back characters that were killed on Breaking Bad.” Boom. All hail Walter White and his prodigal son Jesse Pinkman?

As exciting as that may sound–Bad favorites, dead or otherwise, returning to the small screen–Gould assures viewers that his new show “stands on it own, is its own story, and is a brand extension” and will not rely on flashy guest spots from Bad alumni. Still, leaving the door open for Mr. White and Jesse “Magnets, Bitch!” Pinkman to return for more mayhem is an exciting proposition to say the least.

AMC president Charlie Collier said the following surrounding the news of Better Call Saul‘s premiere date shift and early season 2 renewal: “Production on Better Call Saul is underway and we could not be more proud of nor more excited about the work to date. We join the fans in eager anticipation for this series and today we happily confirm that our initial Saul order is for two seasons and a total of 23 episodes. When introducing any series, especially one with the DNA of Breaking Bad, there are countless factors to consider in making sure the show gets the launch it deserves. We have a strong history with Vince, Peter, Bob, the studio and so many involved with this production; we are enjoying the process on ‘Saul’ and all share a focus on making it a true television event. No half measures.”

Lloyd & Harry return in full form in new ‘Dumber and Dumber To’ trailer

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On Monday night during their guest stint on Jimmy Fallon’s Tonight Show stars Jim Carrey and Jeff Daniels debuted the first official trailer for their upcoming highly anticipated sequel, Dumb and Dumber To. 20 years later Carrey’s Lloyd and Daniels’ Harry still shine here in the first footage from the Farrelly brothers latest comedy. The trailer actually is really, really funny and I’d be surprised if your level of excitement for this long-gestating film doesn’t jump sky high within the first minute of the clip.

The Mutt Cutts van rides again November 14. Watch the trailer after the break. Continue reading Lloyd & Harry return in full form in new ‘Dumber and Dumber To’ trailer →

First look: ‘The Walking Dead’ season 5

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Can you believe we are talking about The Walking Dead season 5 already? The ratings juggernaut is plowing through plot and when the show returns this fall it will introduce viewers to an entirely new location called Terminus. At the end of last season (spoiler alert) our band of zombie apocalypse survivors converged at Terminus, a place whose slogan went like this: “Those who arrive survive.” Turn out that may not necessarily be the case. Shortly after Rick and the gang arrived they were almost immediately pursued by gunfire. Whether or not the “termites” of Terminus are cannibals remains to be seen, but this remains certain: They’ve screwed with the wrong people. Those were the famous words dramatically uttered by our hero Rick Grimes at the very end of the season. Rick and our people were forced inside train car “A” and our first look at the new season presents the former sheriff bloody, renewed with strength peering through it likely planning how he intends to tear the termites apart. Excited? Chyeah, uh huh.

The Walking Dead returns this fall to AMC.

First look: Ben Affleck is Batman

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Following all the fanfare that came with the big announcement that Ben Affleck, the man who played Matt Murdock in the ill-fated Daredevil, would suit up to embody Bruce Wayne/Batman in the upcoming Man of Steel sequel, here it is, our first look at the man in the cowl standing next to director Zack Snyder’s incarnation of the Batmobile.

“Ben provides an interesting counter-balance to Henry [Cavill]’s Superman,” Snyder said in a statement in August when the casting announcement was made. He has the acting chops to create a layered portrayal of a man who is older and wiser than Clark Kent and bears the scars of a seasoned crime fighter, but retain the charm that the world sees in billionaire Bruce Wayne. I can’t wait to work with him.”

Affleck’s Batman certainly looks older and significantly bigger than Christian Bale’s Dark Knight in this picture Snyder tweeted out to his followers and the world this month. (This image, taken with his Leica M Monochrom digital camera, followed a tease of the Batmobile which can be seen here.) Pictured is a very moody Batman indeed and thanks to the Internet, the Sad Batman meme is born.

The still untitled Man of Steel sequel starring Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Lex Luthor, and Alfred Pennyworth hits theatres May 6, 2016.

‘Star Wars: Episode VII’ cast revealed

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At last, the cast of J.J. Abrams’ Star Wars: Episode VII has been announced and it includes many familiar faces as well as new, fresher ones. Harrison Ford (Han Solo), Carrie Fisher (Princess Leia), Mark Hamill (Luke Skywalker), Anthony Daniels (C-3PO), Peter Mayhew (Chewbacca), and Kenny Baker (R2-D2) are all back to reprise their roles from George Lucas’ original trilogy. They are being joined by the following newcomers: John Boyega (Attack the Block), Daisy Ridley (Mr. Selfridge), Adam Driver (Girls), Oscar Isaac (Inside Llewyn Davis), Andy Serkis (The Lord of the Rings), Domhnall Gleeson (About Time), and Max von Sydow (The Exorcist). Eye a candid black-and-white shot of the cast and creatives during the first table read above.

Abrams released this statement along with the announcement: “We are so excited to finally share the cast of Star Wars: Episode VII. It is both thrilling and surreal to watch the beloved original cast and these brilliant new performers come together to bring this world to life, once again. We start shooting in a couple of weeks, and everyone is doing their best to make the fans proud.”

Abrams is directing from a screenplay by Lawrence Kasdan and himself, he is executive producing Kathleen Kennedy and Bryan Burke, and original composer John Williams returns to handle the film’s score.

After the break, Abrams and Kasdan wish fans a Happy Star Wars Day from London. May the Fourth be with you!

Episode VII opens December 18, 2015.

[Via Star Wars] Continue reading ‘Star Wars: Episode VII’ cast revealed →

Google makes watches “smart” with Android Wear

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Google is making a big play when it comes to wearables. First, of course, there’s Google Glass, those high-tech spectacles still be tested in the field before being unleashed to the mass market. And while we wait for that, Google wants to get consumers hyped with another wearable powered by Android: the watch.

Smartwatches have been a thing for years; Samsung, in fact, has been working on their own “Galaxy Gear” watches recently and does anyone remember Motorola’s MOTOACTV? Anyway, those smartwatches failed to make it big and Google hopes to make a splash in the wearables market with their latest software initiative Android Wear.

Simply put, Google is developing a new version of Android suited for watches that various manufacturers–from big industry players like Motorola and Samsung to fashion brands like Fossil–can use to power their hardware. Like Android on Google Glass, Android Wear aims to make wearables like watches “understand the context of the world around you, and you can interact with them simply and efficiently, with just a glance or a spoken word.” In other words, a smartwatch powered by Android Wear will provide you with contextual updates depending on your location and daily schedule. For example, when you arrive at the airport your smartwatch will automatically recognize where you are and pull up relevant information such as flight details and even your boarding pass. Now of course, you’re smartphone can likely do the same thing (think Google Now or Apple’s PassBook app), but having this kind of quick, glance-and-go information on your wrist instead of inside your pocket makes things more convenient and efficient.

In addition to providing contextual information, Android timepieces can give you straight answers to spoken questions. Speak aloud “Ok Google” and pose a question to receive an answer on the fly. Want the score to the Knicks game? Ask your watch and it’ll bring to the surface the information you’re looking for. You can also use this spoken service to request things like taxis, make restaurant reservations, and even send a text. Android Wear also promises to serve as a helpful way to monitor your health and fitness, as well as stream content such as music and movies to your phone and TV.

Google hopes that developers will jump on the Android Wear bandwagon and start tailoring their apps for the wearable OS; a Developer Preview is available today. To date, Google is working with Asus, HTC, LG, Motorola, and Samsung, chip makers Broadcom, Imagination, Intel, Mediatek, and Qualcomm, and fashion brands like the Fossil Group to create new and intuitive smartwatches. They’re not giving a very specific timeframe as to when consumers can expect to their hands on Android Wear watches, but they tease they’re coming “later this year.” In fact, Motorola and LG are already starting to show off what they’ve got up their sleeves with Moto 360 and G Watch, respectively.

Jump after the break to watch a couple clips showing off these new watches. And brace yourselves–Google says this is just the beginning for Android Wear: “we’ve barely scratched the surface of what’s possible with mobile technology.” Glasses, watches, what’s next? Apple, ahem, your move.

[Via Google] Continue reading Google makes watches “smart” with Android Wear →

Sony reveals Project Morpheus, virtual reality for PS4 gamers

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From Virtual Boy to true Virtual Reality–[expletive] is about to get real.

This month at the 2014 Game Developers Conference in San Francisco, Sony revealed the latest piece of hardware they’re working on. No, it’s not the PS5 but rather”Project Morpheus.” That’s the code name for their attempt at virtual reality hardware. It’s something that’s straight out of the future–a sophisticated-looking head-mounted unit gets strapped to your noggin and you peer into two LCD 1080p displays (that merge into one) with a 90 degree field of view. Simply put, Morpheus is going to fully immerse you in games like never before. Or in Sony’s Shuhei Yoshida words Morpheus promises “to build on our mission to push the boundaries of play.”

Morpheus, at its core, aims to “create experiences that deliver a sense of presence – where players feel as though they are physically inside the virtual world of a game.” Furthermore, “presence is like a window into another world that heightens the emotions gamers experience as they play.” I think you get the picture.

Morpheus is PlayStation branded hardware that is still very much in the prototype stage. A handful of details, however, managed to trickle out from GDC as a number of units were in fact playable at the conference. The VR headset works in tandem with PS4; accelerometer and gyroscope sensors inside collaborate with the PlayStation Camera to deliver VR experiences. Also, the PlayStation Move controller as well as the PS4’s standard DualShock controller assist in said experiences. For example, future gamers will strap Morpheus on and be transported to a castle with a fire-breathing dragon. Tilt and move around your head as if you are actually there to view your landscape. Whip out your PS Move controller and suddenly you wield a sword to take down the otherworldly beast.

In addition to visuals, Sony is also making Morpheus an all-encompassing virtual reality experience by incorporating 3D audio technology. Gamers will be able to hear sounds coming from all around them in real-time depending on their head orientation. For example, sounds will barrage you from above you (think helicopters flying overhead) and even below you (the pitter-patter of footsteps rushing up a flight of stairs). A stereo headset jack on the unit allows you to plug in any kind of headphones you like to fully step into a virtual world with realistic visuals and 360-degree audio.

As made clear earlier, Project Morpheus is still in its infancy state in terms of final design and function. However, Sony is eager to share the hardware and SDK with developers so that early kinks can be fixed and exciting software can be developed. At GDC, Sony had a dogfighting shooter EVE Valkyrie and stealth actioner Thief playable inside Morpheus, as well as in-house demos “The Castle” and “The Deep” demonstrating the VR headset’s basic functions. In time, more games will be made for it. I think we know what Sony will be hyping when E3 rolls around this June.

Jump after the break to watch Project Morpheus in action.

[Via Sony] Continue reading Sony reveals Project Morpheus, virtual reality for PS4 gamers →

‘The Walking Dead’ season 4 finale poster teases Terminus

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This Sunday AMC airs the season 4 finale of The Walking Dead. At the very end of last week’s penultimate episode (spoiler alert), Glenn finally reunited with Maggie and together–along with Bob, Sasha, Tara, Abraham, Eugene, and Rosita–they finally made it to Terminus. Nearly all season long we’ve been teased with the Terminus sign reading, “Those who arrive survive.” Now that a bulk of our group has made it to “sanctuary” what happens next? Will Rick, Carl, Michonne, Carol, Judith, Tyreese, and Daryl’s group of Claimers all converge at Terminus? And who took Beth? Is Terminus actually a safe haven as it promotes itself to be, or will it turn out to be another Woodbury…or worse?! So many questions are left dangling in front of our eyes just like those poor rats the late Lizzie fed to the walkers outside the long-forgotten prison. Sunday night, we find out if those who arrive at Terminus truly survive.

The 2014 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue cover models are…

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That’s no typo. To celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue the zine is plastering not one but three models on the cover this year. They are Nina Agdal, Lily Aldridge, and Chrissy Teigen. Agdal, 21, first splashed onto the SI Swimsuit scene in 2012; Aldridge, 28, is a Victoria’s Secret “Angel” and this is her rookie year as a Swimsuit Issue model; and Teigen, 28, who recently married R&B singer John Legend, has been featuring in the Issue since 2010. After ogling the cover above, click the respective links above to “get to know” these bombshells better and a video sits below the break.

[Via SI] Continue reading The 2014 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue cover models are… →

TV reminder: 9 premieres to look out for in February

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January has come and gone and as we fold into February it’s time to take a look at nine series/season premieres airing this month. Jump after the break for all the deets. Continue reading TV reminder: 9 premieres to look out for in February →

First look: Meet Marvel’s ‘Guardians of the Galaxy’

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Here’s our first official look at Marvel’s upcoming superhero movie Guardians of the Galaxy. From left to right there’s Zoe Saldana’s Gamora, Chris Pratt’s Peter Quill (aka Star-Lord), a raccoon named Rocket (voiced by Bradley Cooper), Drax the Destroyer (played by wrestler Dave Bautista), and a giant tree named Groot (voiced by Vin Diesel). United as one they are the Guardians of the Galaxy, and under James Gunn’s direction they band together in theatres August 1, 2014. Also starring are Lee Pace, Michael Rooker, Karen Gillan, Djimon Hounsou, John C. Reilly, Glenn Close as Commander Rael, and Benicio del Toro as The Collector.

In addition to this slick pic is the flick’s first official synopsis and it goes like this:

From Marvel, the studio that brought you the global blockbuster franchises of Iron Man, Thor, Captain America and The Avengers, comes a new team–the Guardians of the Galaxy. An action-packed, epic space adventure, Marvel’s “Guardians of the Galaxy” expands the Marvel Cinematic Universe into the cosmos, where brash adventurer Peter Quill finds himself the object of an unrelenting bounty hunt after stealing a mysterious orb coveted by Ronan, a powerful villain with ambitions that threaten the entire universe. To evade the ever-persistent Ronan, Quill is forced into an uneasy truce with a quartet of disparate misfits–Rocket, a gun-toting raccoon; Groot, a tree-like humanoid; the deadly and enigmatic Gamora; and the revenge-driven Drax the Destroyer. But when Quill discovers the true power of the orb and the menace it poses to the cosmos, he must do his best to rally his ragtag rivals for a last, desperate stand–with the galaxy’s fate in the balance.

[Via Marvel]

First look: ‘Orphan Black’ season 2

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Orphan Black returns April 19 on BBC America, and here’s your first look at the upcoming second season. Tatiana Maslany takes on Tatiana Maslany (what else is new?) in the shoes of series protagonist Sarah Manning and pro-clone Neolutionist Rachel Duncan. Seems like we’ll be picking up right where we left off.

In an interview with EW, creators John Fawcett and Graeme Manson spill on season 2. “No one is just who they seem on Orphan Black. That’s the most important thing. Maybe things get set up as kind of a cliché or as one thing, but we’re always trying to bend it and find the layers to keep it fresh and original,” says Manson. “Even as a villain, Rachel is going to hold a lot of surprises for us. She’s been a really fun nemesis for Sarah,” adds Fawcett.

In addition to watching Sarah take on Rachel, season 2 will also explore Cosima’s mysterious illness. “It’s a genetic mystery. It’s a genetic biological mystery and it feeds into some of our body horror and it feeds into our science mystery,” says Manson.

Also, more clones are coming! Click over to EW the read the interview in full.