Movie trailer round-up: ‘Captain America: Civil War,’ ‘Zoolander 2,’ Now You See Me 2,’ Disney’s ‘Zootopia’ & the stunning ‘Little Prince’ [Update: ‘Batman v Superman’]

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Tensions rise as the world governments demand accountability for our heroes’ actions in the first trailer above, pitting friend against friend.

Friend #1? Captain America. Friend #2? Oh, that’s Iron Man.

In Marvel’s third Cap movie, it’s Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) versus Tony Stark (Robert Downey, Jr.) as the superheroes take sides in a Civil War of epic proportions. In Age of Ultron, the Avengers inadvertently made quite the mess and killed innocent bystanders in their quest to destroy Stark’s rogue artificial intelligence. Captain America: Civil War picks up shortly thereafter at a time when the government is forming a system of accountability in regards to calling in the Avengers for combative assistance. Stark takes sides with the politicians as he believes in strong government regulation of his rag-tag team of heroes. Rogers, meanwhile, is not a fan and therein lies the fracturing of former friends.

Civil War almost feels like a third Avengers movie. In addition to the usual Cap supporting players like the Winter Soldier (Sebastian Stan), Falcon (Anthony Mackie), and Crossbones (Frank Grillo), Civil War also features lots of Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson), Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner), and of course Iron Man (Downey, Jr.). Making his debut here is Chadwick Boseman as Black Panther, and everyone’s anticipating Tom Holland’s Spider-Man to enter the Marvel Cinematic Universe at this point.

Captain America: Civil War is out May 6, 2016. Pop into the gallery below to see some shiny theatrical posters featuring Cap and Iron Man duking it out.

Jump after the break to view more trailers.

Continue reading Movie trailer round-up: ‘Captain America: Civil War,’ ‘Zoolander 2,’ Now You See Me 2,’ Disney’s ‘Zootopia’ & the stunning ‘Little Prince’ [Update: ‘Batman v Superman’] →

First look: Gal Gadot brings Wonder Woman to life in standalone pic coming in 2017

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Ladies and gentleman, our Wonder Woman. Israeli actress Gal Gadot is set to make her big debut as the DC Comics heroine in Zack Snyder’s upcoming superhero extravaganza Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. We’ve seen her don the classic garb associated with WW in a still plucked from Snyder’s take. This image, however, comes from another place entirely. Warner Bros. is making a standalone Wonder Woman movie starring Gadot and directed by Patty Jenkins (Monster). Gadot took to Twitter to share this enticing pic and couple it with the following caption: “Almost 75 years in the making… #WonderWoman is underway.” Previously I had made the argument that WW is ready for the big screen, and it didn’t take long for my wish to come true.

See Gadot bring Diana Prince to life in Batman v Superman when it releases March 25, 2016. Wonder Woman is on track to hit theatres June 23, 2017.

‘Game of Thrones’ season 6 promotional poster teases Jon Snow’s questionable fate [Update: Teaser trailer]

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It goes without saying, but… spoilers inside.

Jon Snow lives?! Ever since the climactic season 5 finale, Game of Thrones viewers have been up in arms about the fate of fan favorite, Jon Snow. For many reasons it was rough to see him bite the dust during the closing minutes of the episode. He had only recently become the fearless leader of The Night’s Watch and ultimate defender of The Wall. He had unfinished business with the terrifying White Walker nation. And, of course, there’s the lingering curiosity surrounding his birth mother. With so much going for Snow, ripping him away like that seemingly out of nowhere was a very hard pill to swallow.

And now, there’s this. But what does it mean? HBO and numerous members of the show’s cast and crew have publicly stated that Jon Snow is dead as a doornail. Is the poster teasing his presumed resurrection by The Red Woman aka Melisandre who conveniently strolled into Castle Black moments before Snow’s abrupt execution?

Like winter, answers are coming when Game of Thrones returns in April.

Update (1/3): You won’t find any new footage here in the first teaser trailer for Game of Thrones season 6, but there’s plenty of Jon Snow to go around. Is he alive, is he dead? The verdict’s still out. The best part? That’s when Bran ends with clip with, “They have no idea what’s going to happen.” This, of course, is a fun poke at GoT book fans since the TV series has finally caught up with the events unfolding in George R.R. Martin’s novels. It’s true: we know nothing…except for the fact that HBO is torturing us re: Snow’s ultimate fate. Watch the teaser after the break.

[Image via Twitter] Continue reading ‘Game of Thrones’ season 6 promotional poster teases Jon Snow’s questionable fate [Update: Teaser trailer] →

James Franco travels back in time to save JFK in ‘11.22.63,’ the next series from J.J. Abrams & Stephen King

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J.J. Abrams and his production company Bad Robot (Lost, Fringe, Person of Interest) aren’t tipping toes into the world of subscription-based streaming; with 11.22.63, the ubiquitous storyteller is diving in head-first. Abrams’ latest TV series is coming to Hulu in 2016 and it’s based on Stephen King’s 2011 novel of the same name. King (Under the Dome) also serves as executive producer. Here’s the official logline, time travel included.

Hulu Original series 11.22.63 is a thriller in which high school English teacher Jake Epping travels back in time to prevent the assassination of President John F. Kennedy — but his mission is threatened by Lee Harvey Oswald, falling in love and the past itself, which doesn’t want to be changed.

Movie actor James Franco, best known for stoner comedies such as This is The End and Pineapple Express, takes a dramatic turn as lead character Jake Epping and the supporting cast includes Chris Cooper (The Bourne Identity), Josh Duhamel (Battle Creek), T.R. Knight (Grey’s Anatomy), Cherry Jones (24), Sarah Gadon, Lucy Fry, George MacKay, and Daniel Webber.

The series’ first teaser trailer rests above and packed inside the 30-second clip are more than enough tantalizing glimpses to appropriately whet your appetite. “I’m gonna tell you something that’s gonna seem crazy,” says an off-screen narrator. “If you go through there, it’s 1960.” Chills is the proper response.

Prepare for you next binge as 11.22.63 rolls out on Hulu on February 15, 2016. Happy President’s Day.

‘The Rugrats’ grow up in original storyboard artist’s modern-day interpretation

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Did you grow up with Tommy, Chuckie, Phil, Lil, Angelica, and Susie? You know–Nickelodeon’s The Rugrats? Have you ever wondered what they might have looked like all grown up? Well of course we were privy to their teenage lives thanks to the short-lived spinoff series All Growed Up. But what happens when a Rugrats animator has a say in the matter, 11 years after the final episode of the classic series aired? See above; that’s what.

Eric Molinsky was a storyboard artist at animation studio Klasky Csupo from 1999 to 2002 where he worked on such memorable Nick shows like The Rugrats, The Wild Thornberrys, Rocket Power, and As Told By Ginger. Flash-forward to 2015, and Molinsky has taken to Studio 360 to pen a blog post revealing his take on what the Rugrats would actually look like today. He’s put the effort into maturing the nostalgic babies because he’s frustrated with the modern-day interpretations of them making Tommy and the gang into these super hip and stylish young adults. Here’s a quote plucked from his mild rant:

“The Rugrats did not all grow up to be fashion models or self-confident hipsters. Especially not Chuckie. They probably grew up to be average if not slightly lumpy looking people — just like their parents.”

Pictured here, there’s no doubt that Tommy Pickles is his father’s son; Stu’s purple hair and signature stubble are prominently highlighted. Chuckie has held onto his awkwardness and he carries around a depressingly sad stare. Phil has let himself go a bit, gaining some fat, growing a goatee, and and plastering a rubber ducky tattoo on his left forearm (points!). Lil, meanwhile, has grown into a frumpy demeanor while maintaining her tiny pink bow.

Be sure to dive into the gallery below to see what Angelica, Susie, Dil, and Kimi would look like today according to Molinsky. It all makes sense: Angelica has inherited her mom’s uptight, blabbermouth persona; Susie has imprinted on Angelica more than she would ever like to admit; Tommy’s younger brother Dil has turned a strange corner rocking a couple of gold and silver chains; and Chuckie’s stepsister Kimi was somehow neglected by Chaz just enough to warrant her current emo phase.

Whether or not you fully embrace these interpretations of the Rugrats is entirely up to you. But coming from an actual Nick animator of the 90s, they surely produce a raw sense of nostalgia and make you think real hard about the life decisions these characters had to make along the way to get to this point. As the series has been in the can for quite some time now, it’s up to you and me to fill in the bubbles. That’s what the comments section is for–have fun with it!

Status update #3 on your favorite new and returning shows

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Many shows that premiered in the fall are about to go on a winter hiatus soon if they haven’t already, and as the seasons change it’s a good time to take our official third look at the TV landscape.

CBS isn’t ready to let go of Code Black just yet. The Marcia Gay-Harden medical procedural has received a five-episode back order, bringing its season 1 episode count to 18. Sure, it’s not a standard Back 9, but any sort of back order these days is a major sign of confidence from a network.

NBC is head over heels for Blindspot. Previously, the big ratings performer starring Jaimie Alexander and Sullivan Stapleton was granted a full season order and was handed an extra episode maxing its season 1 episode count to 23. NBC has no plans to put the kibosh on this thing. In fact, the Peacock network has gone so far as renewing the crime drama for a second season! The net is also happy with Dick Wolf’s offerings; Chicago Fire and its spinoff Chicago P.D. will also be returning for fifth and fourth seasons, respectively, next TV season. And there’s the dramedy that just keeps chugging: The Mysteries of Laura headlined by Debra Messing has been given the greenlight to pump out three additional episodes in its second season; that ups its current season’s episode count to 16.

ABC clearly holds its comedic Wednesday night lineup in high regard. The Middle, The Goldbergs, and black-ish are all seeing episode count bumps to 24 half-hour installments. Modern Family is conspicuously missing from this list, but rest assured that it too will more than likely follow suit. Elsewhere, Tuesday night comedy Fresh off the Boat nabbed a full season order plus the two episode increase bringing its final season 2 tally to 24 eps. Following all of this good news, I’ve saved a sour one for last. The alphabet network is the first to make an official cancellation among the major nets this season and the loser is Wicked City. The incredibly low-rated serial killer drama has been pulled from the schedule after airing only three episodes.

Over at CBS’ sister network The CW, freshman Crazy Ex-Girlfriend and sophomore iZombie have been allotted an additional five episodes. This increases their episode counts to 18 and 19, respectively.

No surprises here: FX wants more American Horror Story and Fargo. The two critically acclaimed series from Ryan Murphy and Noah Hawley, respectively, are solid performers for the cable station and their anthological nature fosters exciting creative overhauls every year.

Microsoft rolls out revamped Xbox One user interface

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On November 12, Microsoft rolled out a new Xbox dashboard update and it brings a totally revamped user interface to the surface along with backwards compatibility. Microsoft’s been keen on doling out monthly updates to its home video games console/entertainment hub, and this latest one is its boldest yet.

Xbox One now features a UI based on Windows 10 with a focus on speed, efficiency, and social interactions. Along the top you’ll notice four sections: Home, Community, OneGuide, and Store. Inside Home, you’re presented with your most recently used games and apps, and your pinned games and apps live below them under a category titled “My stuff.” Along the left-hand side there’s a new Guide pane that presents quick access to Friends, Parties, Messages, Notifications, Settings, and app-snapping functionality. From here you can also sign-in and manage users. This pane can be accessed at anytime (read: inside games and apps) by double-tapping the Xbox button on your controller. Inside Community, you’re presented with an activity feed filled with unlocked achievements, screenshots, and clips shared by your friends. Here you can interact with them with likes, comments, and sharing. Above the feed, there are buttons to refresh it and dive into your Game DVR. Next to the feed you’ll see what’s trending on Xbox Live with quick access to content from sources like Xbox and YouTube. A new OneGuide section features trending entertainment offerings across TV, movies, and sports. App channels from content providers like Amazon and Crunchyroll provide quick access to preferred programming. Last, there’s Store; when this section is selected it auto-expands to reveal sub-sections Games, Apps, Movies & TV, and Music. These redesigned storefronts highlight popular media and make it easy to discover and search for content thanks to large thumbnails and detailed splash screens.

In addition to the faster, streamlined UI, the “New Xbox One Experience” brings with it Xbox 360 backwards compatibility, a feature that gamers have been clamoring for ever since launch. Microsoft is launching the initiative with 104 Xbox 360 titles on Xbox One, and it promises more to come as soon as December. You can view the complete Backwards Compatibility Game Library right here, and you’ll want to bookmark that link to stay updated about future additions. Oh, and it’s been confirmed that multiplayer-enabled games will support cross-play between the 360 and the One–how cool is that?!

Kinect owners may notice that motion-activated gestures are no longer supported by the dashboard with this update. There’s no need to fret, though. An even more natural way to navigate the system is coming and that’s Cortana integration. Soon you’ll be able to call up Microsoft’s digital assistant to perform even more advanced commands; finding out if a friend is online, inviting a friend to a party, and recording and sharing gameplay to your activity feed will be handled swiftly by Cortana in the near future. Also coming in 2016 is DVR functionality, so you can look out for that, too.

I’ve spent some time with the updated dash and I’m happy to report that it’s a breeze to use. The redesigned Home, Community, OneGuide, and Store sections present consolidated and streamlined portals into the best of what Xbox has to offer. Accessing your content and sharing your achievements are simple affairs. Peering into your Xbox Live community (Friends list, Parties, Messages, etc.) is made much more efficient thanks to the new Guide. Your favorite Xbox 360 titles are injected with new life on Xbox One; in addition to emulating them on your console, you can also take advantage of Xbox Live’s latest features including taking screenshots, recording Game DVR clips, and even game streaming to Windows 10 devices. In an effort to make Xbox One an easily accessible destination to play games with friends and consume streaming entertainment, Microsoft succeeded with flying colors with the New Xbox One Experience.

In case you haven’t automatically received the NXOE yet, you can manually download and install it inside Settings. And if you’ve got time to kill, jump after the break to preview the nooks and crannies of the new UI with Xbox’s Major Nelson. Continue reading Microsoft rolls out revamped Xbox One user interface →

J.J. Abrams & ‘Infinity Blade’ developer collaborate on new video game ‘SPYJINX’

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Play video games? Dig the curious mind of director/producer J.J. Abrams? Well, here’s an excitingly fresh piece of news for you. Abrams (LOST, Star Wars)–who previously struck a deal with Valve–is teaming up with Infinity Blade developer ChAIR to produce a game called SPYJINX. Here’s what we know so far:

Powered by Unreal Engine 4, SPYJINX is a unique mix of action strategy gameplay, dynamic world building and RPG character development – all set in a thrilling, treacherous world of espionage.

As is tradition in the world of Bad Robot, juicy details surrounding the upcoming title are being closely guarded for now. SPYJINX is expected to roll out on PCs and mobile devices during its 2016 launch, and the plan is for the game to hit consoles sometime thereafter. Gamers are invited to sign up for the beta now to help the developers shape the game and work out the kinks.

Watch Abrams and ChAIR founder and creative director Donald Mustard discuss their new collaborative effort in the video hanging here. As more information spills around SPYJINX, you’ll know where to find it.

Dory swims back to theatres this summer in ‘Finding Nemo’ sequel

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Here’s a first look at Disney & Pixar’s sequel Finding Dory. It picks up six months after the events of 2003’s Finding Nemo and it explores the origin story of everyone’s favorite forgetful blue tang fish, Dory (voiced by Ellen DeGeneres). Instead of getting lost like Nemo does in the original, in the sequel Dory and friends (including clownfish Nemo and Nemo’s father Marlin) go on an adventure in search of answers about her past. Along the way we’ll discover Dory’s parents (voiced by Diane Keaton and Eugene Levy) and we’ll find out where she learned to speak Whale. The first teaser trailer, embedded above, is a slice of nostalgia as it instantly transports you back to the animated blue ocean we all fell in love with in ’03.

Andrew Stanton returns as director. Filling out the star-studded voice cast are Albert Brooks, Ed O’Neill, Kaitlin Olson, and Ty Burrell.

Finding Dory swims into theatres June 17, 2016. Pop after the break to view the initial theatrical poster. Continue reading Dory swims back to theatres this summer in ‘Finding Nemo’ sequel →

Coldplay announces seventh studio album ‘A Head Full of Dreams’ & releases lead single–listen here

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Coldplay has emerged from the studio with a major announcement. Their seventh album, A Head Full of Dreams, drops December 4. Not only that, the ubiquitous British band has released the lead single, “Adventure of a Lifetime,” and it previews the fun-loving, positive ball of energy nature that frontman Chris Martin promises the album will deliver. “We just wanted to make this big, colorful, joyful thing called A Head Full of Dreams,” he told SiriusXM this week. You can listen to new track after the break, and stream it on Spotify and download it on iTunes.

A Head Full Of Dreams consists of 11 tracks (12 if you include the hidden track “X Marks the Spot”) and it will feature a handful of special guests including Beyoncé, Noel Gallagher (of Oasis), Tove Lo, and Merry Clayton. Norwegian duo Stargate and frequent Coldplay collaborator Rik Simpson helped produce the new album which was recorded on both sides of the pond in Malibu and London. Though the band didn’t tour their last release, Ghost Stories, Martin and company promise an exciting world tour is in the works for this latest release.

For Coldplay fans, album #7 may be the last collection of new material from the band for awhile. Last year, Martin let slip to then-BBC Radio 1’s Zane Lowe that A Head Full of Dreams may very well be Coldplay’s final hurrah. “It’s our seventh thing, and the way we look at it, it’s like the last Harry Potter book or something like that,” he said. “Not to say that there might not be another thing one day, but this is the completion of something.” Sounds to me like they might take an extended hiatus between 7 and 8, rather than dismantling the band for good. Especially if you listen to Martin’s more recent radio interview, it’s apparent that all the bandmates are in a good place and are very grateful for having lasted this long together. I’d be shocked if this was the end, that’s all I’m saying.

Regardless! Play the new single below the fold and preorder the album today. Come Dec. 4, we’ll all have fresh ethereal, feel-good music from the ever-evolving Coldplay. Eye the album artwork and track list below the fold. Continue reading Coldplay announces seventh studio album ‘A Head Full of Dreams’ & releases lead single–listen here →

First look & details: Potter prequel ‘Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them’ with Eddie Redmayne

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It sure is a great time to be a fan of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter! Less than a month after a Harry Potter stage play was announced, more information surrounding the tightly veiled Potter prequel Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them has surfaced. But before we dive in, here’s a quick refresher.

In September of 2013, Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling announced a new partnership with Warner Bros. to adapt her 2009 standalone paperback Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them into a movie. Fantastic Beasts, a text book that serves as an extensive introduction to the magical beasts that exist in the magical, non-Muggle world, is actually mentioned in the first Potter novel, The Sorcerer’s Stone; it’s a required reading for first-year students. The text is written by famed magizoologist Newt Scamander. A magizoologist, mind you, is a person who studies magical creatures. In her surprise announcement, Rowling shared, “The laws and customs of the hidden magical society will be familiar to anyone who has read the Harry Potter books or seen the films, but Newt’s story will start in New York, seventy years before Harry’s gets underway.”

Since then, Oscar winner Eddie Redmayne (The Theory of Everything) has been cast to star in Fantastic Beasts as Newt Scamander, and it’s been confirmed that Rowling will make her screenwriting debut here and David Yates (director of the final four Potter films) is back at the helm.

Entertainment Weekly recently published pictures from the set and shared some non-spoilery plot points. Here’s what we know so far:

Eccentric magizoologist Newt Scamander comes to New York (for a reason [EW] won’t disclose) with his trusty weathered case. This case is one of those way-way-way-bigger-on-the-inside magical devices, and within are expansive habitats for a collection of rare and endangered magical creatures from Newt’s travels around globe. He discovers the American wizarding community is fearfully hiding from Muggles (who are called “No-Maj” in the States [pronounced “no madge,” as in “no magic”]) and the threat of public exposure is an even graver concern than in the UK (remember the Salem witch trials?). Fantastic Beasts is the story of what happens when this uniquely skilled English wizard travels to wiz-phobic America and a variety of his creatures, some quite dangerous … get out of their case.

Catch your first glimpse of Redmayne as Scamander in EW‘s cover photo above. The mag reveals that he’s posing here in the “art deco-influenced Magical Congress of the United States of America (or MACUSA), which is the American version of the Ministry of Magic that’s housed inside the Woolworth Building in the film.”

You’ll find even more photos in the gallery below. Featured alongside Redmayne are more new, original characters including Porpentina “Tina” Goldstein (played by Katherine Waterston), Queenie Goldstein (Alison Sudol), and Jacob Kowalski (Dan Fogler).

Despite the film taking place in 1926 New York City, some 70 years before Harry realizes his potential across the pond at Hogwarts, I am beyond confident that Rowling and Redmayne will deliver an exhilaratingly fun new adventure for wizarding world fans new and old.

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them is due out November 2016. Don’t be surprised if we get a trilogy out of this.

[Via EW 1, 2, 3, 4]

Jimmy Kimmel strikes again as parents prank their kids over missing Halloween candy

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Every Halloween Jimmy Kimmel tells parents to prank their children by telling them that mommy and daddy ate all their candy. You’d think that some kids might catch on to this annual, cruel joke. Some do! But for the most part, the joke lands and it lands hard. Turns out children are wired to completely freak out and cry in sadness and anger when they’re told that all of their Halloween candy is gone. Parents and Jimmy Kimmel Live audiences (myself included!) can’t help but belly-laugh at the mere sight of these ridiculous reactions. It’s schadenfreude at its finest, and it never fails to completely and utterly entertain.

Happy Halloween, kids!