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Tag: Warner Bros

  • Suicide Squad Trailer Released, But Warner Bros Sure Hated To Do It [Video]

    Suicide Squad is not even due to hit the big screen until next year, but the folks at Warner Bros have done such a great job pushing the super-anti-hero flick that they’re running into some issues over their own hype.

    When the first official trailer for Suicide Squad was screened at the San Diego Comic-Con recently, the plan was to show it to the limited audience there and make everyone else wait.

    That wasn’t happening.

    While clips from Warner’s other big offer, Batman v. Superman, were made available online within minutes of being shown at Comic-Con, they were hoping to have more control over Suicide Squad footage. As everyone knows, that video got out anyway, as shaky and off-angle as it was, being shot on a camera phone.

    Warners tried to put that genie back in the bottle, issuing legal letters to YouTube as fast as they could. But in the end, the Internet won. Waving a white flag, Warner Bros. posted the full Suicide Squad trailer themselves, along with this statement from Sue Kroll, President Worldwide Marketing and International Distribution:

    “Warner Bros. Pictures and our anti-piracy team have worked tirelessly over the last 48 hours to contain the Suicide Squad footage that was pirated from Hall H on Saturday. We have been unable to achieve that goal. Today we will release the same footage that has been illegally circulating on the web, in the form it was created and high quality with which it was intended to be enjoyed. We regret this decision as it was our intention to keep the footage as a unique experience for the Comic Con crowd, but we cannot continue to allow the film to be represented by the poor quality of the pirated footage stolen from our presentation.”

    Fans were perplexed that Warners would hold the Suicide Squad trailer anyway. Comments on the film’s Facebook page included:

    “Although it is great to have an exclusive preview for Comic Con visitors, there are MILLIONS of fans worldwide who can’t make it to Comic Con who are just as excited to see this trailer. Leaks are inevitable, fans are so eager to see footage so just give Comic Con attendees the first look at the trailer, then post it online the following morning for the whole world to enjoy.”

    And then there was this gem, poking fun at the attempt to contain the Suicide Squad trailer by re-wording the statement as satire:

    “Here’s the trailer we’ve been building hype for over the last several months. If you had any desire to see this before now, Warner Bros. would like you to know that we think you’re criminal scum, perhaps similar to those portrayed in this film, only way less cool.

    We’d say something like ‘Enjoy’ or ‘Can’t wait for the release,’ but instead we want you to know how pissed we are that we had to let you see it.

    You monsters.

    Sincerely,

    Warner Bros.

    PS – We hope you understand that we’d really like to prosecute you, but won’t because we’re concerned you probably wouldn’t go see the film then. Bummer. We have instead now flogged half a dozen interns, as is customary.”

  • Lynda Carter Campaigning for Hillary Clinton? Wonder Woman Moved by Bruce Jenner Interview

    Lynda Carter–TV’s Wonder Woman–has said lots recently about two prominent figures who have been front and center in the news.

    First off, Carter is a big proponent of Hillary Clinton, and even said at the recent United Cerebral Palsy of New York City’s Women Who Care luncheon that she wants everyone she knows to support the former secretary of state in the upcoming presidential race.

    “My husband and I have known the Clintons since 1983 or ’84. We’re family friends. Hillary has never changed, she has always been the smartest person in the room,” Lynda Carter said of the Democratic candidate.

    “We need someone that gets it, we need someone that gets all of it. She doesn’t need four years of training before she gets it in the White House. We want someone that can be off and running. She did it in the Senate,” she added.

    Lynda Carter has a twofold reason for backing Hillary Clinton. She would love to see the first female president in the White House.

    “She is our chance to have our turn as a woman in the White House. It is the voice of the women of our country that can help the voiceless women in other countries,” she said.

    In addition to Hillary Clinton, Lynda Carter has recent spoken out in support of Bruce Jenner following his interview with Diane Sawyer and his whole transition process.

    It was while attending the Central Park Conservancy’s “Hat Lunch” that Wonder Woman shared her compassion for the Keeping Up With the Kardashians patriarch.

    “I always supported gay issues, but I never understood transgender issues. But after I heard Bruce Jenner speak so honestly, so sincerely and so relatably, I totally got it. I totally understood what he was saying–it was so compelling,” she said.

    Does Lynda Carter ever wish she had the powers of Wonder Woman and could take care of all the people she loves? Might she choose to take away Bruce Jenner’s pain and place Hillary Clinton directly into the Oval Office?

    Who knows?

    One thing the film world does know about Lynda Carter is that she has made it perfectly clear she’d love to have a role–either on screen or behind the scenes–in Warner Bros. 2017 Wonder Woman film.

    “I would love to be involved in a creative position…I know so much about what people want from it,” she said.

    Do you expect fans will soon see Lynda Carter heavily campaigning for Hillary Clinton? Not every Democratic candidate can say they have Wonder Woman in their corner.

    Surely Bruce Jenner appreciates her support. Hopefully Lynda Carter can continue to raise awareness for LGBT concerns, and help make life just a bit easier for Bruce and people like him.

  • ‘The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies’ Gets a Final Trailer

    The final installment of Peter Jackson’s Hobbit trilogy is almost here. The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies will be hitting U.S. theaters on December 17. Advance ticket sales for the movie begin in just a few days.

    Three months ago Warner Bros. released a two-minute teaser trailer for The Battle of the Five Armies. Now the “official main trailer” for the movie has been released. The video shows that many fan-favorite characters from the Lord of the Rings movies will make appearances in the final Hobbit chapter.

    The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies will depict the climactic events of J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit. Titular character Bilbo Baggins, having awoken and enraged the dragon Smaug, must now join Gandalf and Thorin Oakenshield’s band of dwarves to defend the Lonely Mountain. The battle for which the third movie is named will also be a part of the story, pitting men, dwarves, elves, goblins, and other Middle-Earth creatures against each other in a sequence that’s sure to rival the Battle of the Pelennor Fields as it was depicted in Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King. Meanwhile, a dark power familiar to Lord of the Rings fans has begun to make itself known again.

    Richard Armitage, who plays Oakenshield in the Hobbit movies, complimented Jackson and company on the trailer, saying that he is “proud” to have starred in the movies.

    The world premiere of The Battle of the Five Armies will take place on December 1 at Leicester Square in London. The premiere will be attended by much of the movie’s cast and crew. Warner Bros. has announced that the premiere festivities will be live-streamed.

  • Netflix Is Getting ‘Person Of Interest’ Next Year

    Netflix Is Getting ‘Person Of Interest’ Next Year

    On Wednesday, Netflix announced that it is getting the entire Friends series. It will be available on January 1st. This came as the result of a deal between Netflix and Warner Bros.

    Friends isn’t the only addition Netflix is getting out of that, however. Person of Interest is also coming. Deadline reports:

    Warner Bros boss Kevin Tsujihara told investors this morning that its Worldwide Television Distribution division has also sold the off-network SVOD rights to Person Of Interest to Netflix in the United States. The first three seasons of the series, which currently airs on CBS, will be made available to subscribers in fall 2015, at the same time the series premieres off-network on WGN America.

    Netflix announced its third-quarter earnings on Wednesday with $1.2 billion in revenue. It also reported 53.1 million global subscribers, up 3.1 million from the previous quarter.

    The subscriber growth was not as high as expected, but the company expects to add 4 million more in Q4.

    All of the Netflix news comes as HBO has revealed plans to launch a standalone, cable-free offering next year, which will really start to give Netflix some new competition. Commenting on the matter, Netflix says it believes both services will prosper thanks to their differing content.

    Interestingly enough, Person of Interest’s network TV home CBS just announced its own standalone pay service.

    Netflix has nine new original series in production.

    Image via CBS

  • Mortal Kombat X Release Date Announced

    Mortal Kombat X Release Date Announced

    Warner Bros. has officially announced a release date for Mortal Kombat X. The game will be released worldwide on April 14, 2015 for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 3, Xbox One, Xbox 360, and PC.

    Additionally, Warner Bros. announced that classic four-armed Mortal Kombat character Goro will be a part of Mortal Kombat X. However, the publisher is holding Goro back as a retail pre-order exclusive character. This means the character will initially be available only for those players who pre-order the game.

    The new announcement also hinted at how the online component of Mortal Kombat X will function. Warner Bros. stated that the game will offer “a new fully-connected experience that launches players into a persistent online contest where every fight matters in a global battle for supremacy.”

    NeatherRealm Studios, the developer of Mortal Kombat X, first showed off the game at this year’s E3. The early preview showed that Mortal Kombat X will have a look and fighting style similar to last year’s Injustice: Gods Among Us, a DC Comics-branded fighting game that was also developed by NeatherRealm.

    At this year’s Gamescom conference NeatherRealm released further details about what players can expect in Mortal Kombat X.

    The game will, of course, feature classic Mortal Kombat characters such as Scorpion, Raiden, Kano, and others. In addition, new characters coming to Mortal Kombat X include Cassie Cage (daughter of Sonya Blade and Johnny Cage), Kotal Kahn, Ferra-Torr, and D’Vorah.

    Each of the game’s fighters will have three different fighting style variations for players to chose from. These variations include different special moves and abilities.

    Mortal Combat X‘s story will take place 25 years after the events seen in 2011’s Mortal Kombat reboot.

    “Mortal Kombat has always been about over-the-top, visceral fighting and with Mortal Kombat X we wanted to utilize the power of new-gen consoles to give players our most intense game yet,” said Ed Boon, creative director for NetherRealm. “The team has worked hard to make sure Mortal Kombat X delivers everything fans expect along with new characters, new game modes, and an all new graphics engine.”

  • Netflix Gains Exclusive SVOD Rights To ‘Gotham’

    Netflix Gains Exclusive SVOD Rights To ‘Gotham’

    Netflix and Warner Bros. announced an agreement that will make Netflix the exclusive subscription VOD home of the upcoming television series Gotham, which is set to debut on FOX on September 22nd.

    Netflix will get each season of the series following its linear broadcast, starting next year.

    If you’re unfamiliar with the show’s premise, here’s how it’s described in the announcement:

    The series draws on the origin story of Batman, taking place in Gotham City as young Detective (and future Commissioner) James Gordon and the recently orphaned Bruce Wayne meet in the troubled days before the arrival of the Dark Knight. With a stellar cast including Ben McKenzie (Southland, The O.C.), Donal Logue (Sons of Anarchy, Vikings, Terriers), Jada Pinkett Smith (The Matrix Reloaded, Ali, Collateral, HawthoRNe) and Sean Pertwee (The Musketeers, Elementary, Luther, The Tudors), the series follows Gordon’s rise from rookie detective to Police Commissioner as he navigates the layers of corruption that secretly rule Gotham City.

    The action-packed series draws on the stories of the great DC Comics “Super-Villains and Vigilantes,” revealing an entirely new chapter that has never been told. The one-hour drama follows one cop’s rise through a dangerously corrupt city teetering on the edge of evil and chronicles the genesis of one of the most popular superheroes of our time.

    Terms of the deal were not disclosed, but Netflix is likely paying a hefty sum. They’re reportedly paying $2 million per episode to get NBC drama The Blacklist, though that show has already established itself as a hit.

    Netflix content chief Ted Sarandos explains the company’s thought process: “Gotham is the most anticipated new series of the fall season and we are thrilled to offer it to our members around the world. The Batman origin story is sure to have massive global appeal so it is fitting that, along with Warner Television, we have created a new model for distributing a show that international and domestic audiences will love.”

    “In this era of new business models and expanding windows, this is an unprecedented deal for our company and our industry,” adds Jeffrey R. Schlesinger, President, Warner Bros. Worldwide Television Distribution. “While we typically license our programming country by country, we have licensed this very special series to Netflix on a multi-territory basis. Netflix is a perfect home for Gotham following its initial broadcast in each respective country, giving Netflix subscribers the opportunity to catch-up prior to the new season, whether they’re already fans or discovering it for the first time.”

    On Tuesday, Netflix announced that it’s bringing back Hemlock Grove for one more season.

    Image via YouTube

  • Godzilla Box Office Surprises at $93M

    Godzilla Box Office Surprises at $93M

    Godzilla, Legendary and Warner Bros’s new take on the classic 1950’s Japanese monster film, opened at No. 1 this weekend with a whopping $93 million in box office sales. This number easily passes the prediction of $76 million by BoxOffice.com and critics alike. The film stars Breaking Bad’s Bryan Cranston, a plant worker who believes that the quarantined, supposedly radioactive Japanese town is really hiding something much, much larger.

    Godzilla is the second biggest opening of 2014, only behind Captain America’s $95 million. (The Amazing Spider-Man 2 takes third with $91 million.) It takes the record for 6th biggest debut weekend for a non-sequel, and it’s Warner Bros largest May debut ever. And unlike big budget pics like Spiderman’s $250m, Godzilla took $160m to make, a number it’s likely to make back before it leaves theaters.

    What made the movie work so well? “The tone of the movie was effectively communicated through the marketing,” said Jon Jashni, Legendary’s president. Legendary paid for 75% of the movie and Warner Bros put in 25%, but they collaborated equally on marketing. “Thomas Tull and his [Legendary] team did an incredible job and have delivered a new franchise,” said Warners president Dan Fellman. It’s being rumored that the two movie studios are already working on the sequel. “If this comes out and works well, we’ll figure it out,” Legendary’s Tull said at a May 1 screening of the film in Hollywood.

    Sony’s 1998 take at Godzilla, starring Matthew Broderick, did $136m domestically and $380m worldwide. Looks like this version, 15 years later, will far surpass that with not only effective marketing, but 3D ticket sales – which accounted for 51% of Godzilla’s gross sales. The visually stunning effects make it a must-see IMAX experience for any movie-goer.

    “It’s just the ultimate monster movie,” says director Gareth Edwards about Godzilla’s appeal. And others agree: the film has a 72% on Rotten Tomatoes and is overall being received well; Variety film critic Peter DeBruge says that director Edwards manages to “make good on his ability to conjure enormous scope and scale via clever staging and visual effects.”

    Image via Youtube

  • Efrem Zimbalist Jr., Actor, Dies at 95

    Efrem Zimbalist Jr., Actor, Dies at 95

    Actor Efrem Zimbalist, Jr., best known for his roles in the television series 77 Sunset Strip and The F.B.I., passed away at his ranch in Southern California on Friday. He was 95.

    In a statement, the actor’s daughter Stephanie Zimbalist and son Efrem Zimbalist III said, “We are heartbroken to announce the passing into peace of our beloved father, Efrem Zimbalist Jr., today at his Solvang ranch. He actively enjoyed his life to the last day, showering love on his extended family, playing golf and visiting with close friends.”

    Zimbalist Jr. was born on November 30, 1918 in New York City to Russian-born violinist Efrem Zimbalist, Sr. and Romanian-born operatic soprano Alma Gluck. The actor attended Yale University in the late 1930’s and then served five years in the United States Army during World War II. He received a Purple Heart for a leg wound sustained during the battle of Hürtgen Forest. A year later, Zimbalist returned to New York and made his Broadway acting debut in The Rugged Path, starring Spencer Tracy.

    Zimbalist’s stint on Broadway segued into a career in Hollywood, and the actor signed a contract with Warner Bros. in 1956. His first lead role came in 1958 as detective Stuart “Stu” Bailey in the popular police procedural 77 Sunset Strip, which ran until 1964. In 1959, Zimbalist garnered the Golden Globe for “Most Promising Newcomer – Male”.

    Here is a clip of the opening credits of 77 Sunset Strip:

    Zimbalist was likely best known for his starring role as Inspector Lewis Erskine on The F.B.I., which ran from 1965 to 1974.

    Zimbalist maintained a strong personal relationship with FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover while the show was in production. Hoover demanded technical accuracy for the series, and that FBI agents be portrayed in the best possible light. Actors who portrayed agents also had to pass a background check, and Zimbalist himself spent a week at the FBI academy at Quantico, Virginia before production of the series began. Hoover later designated Zimbalist as the image for actual FBI agents to model their personal appearances after.

    Fellow actors took to Twitter to offer their condolences:

    In addition to son Efrem and daughter Stephanie, Zimbalist is survived by four grandchildren and several great-grandchildren.

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Zack Snyder to Direct New ‘Justice League’ Movie

    DC Comics and its parent company, Warner Bros. Entertainment, have been trying for years now to catch up with Disney and Marvel in the film industry. Though adaptations of smaller DC imprint titles such as A History of Violence, V for Vendetta, and RED have found some success on the big screen, more mainstream comic properties such as Green Lantern and Superman Returns simply haven’t matched the huge box office successes of Marvel’s Iron Man, Avengers, and Captain America movies. Only Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight trilogy stands out as a wildly successful DC movie property in recent decades.

    From this perspective it is no surprise that Warner Bros. is looking to make Zack Snyder, the director of last year’s hit Man of Steel, the linchpin of its DC Comics movie initiative. The Wall Street Journal reported this week that Snyder has been chosen by Warner Bros. to direct an upcoming Justice League movie.

    The report was confirmed by Warner Bros. via its Twitter page:

    A screenplay for the movie has yet to be written, though Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman are confirmed as characters in the movie. A release date has also not been set and Warner Bros. President of Worldwide Production Greg Silverman told the Wall Street Journal that the movie likely won’t hit theaters until at least 2018.

    In the meantime DC and Warner Bros. will continue preparing for the Snyder-directed Man of Steel sequel, currently dubbed Batman Vs. Superman and scheduled for a 2016 release. That movie will see Henry Cavill return as Superman and Ben Affleck make his debut as Batman. Jesse Eisenberg will also appear in the movie as Superman baddie Lex Luthor and Israeli actress Gal Gadot will be playing Wonder Woman.

    As core members of the Justice League in the comics, Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman are all expected to make an appearance in the Justice League movie. Cyborg has also been rumored as a character for both Batman Vs. Superman and Justice League. Other prominent Justice League members that could appear include Flash, Aquaman, Martian Manhunter, and Green Lantern, who was played by Ryan Reynolds in a 2011 movie.

    Image via YouTube

  • ‘Middle-Earth: Shadow of Mordor’ Coming in October

    Back in January, Warner Bros. previewed yet another Lord of the Rings-branded video game. Titled Middle-Earth: Shadow of Mordor, the game’s first preview surprised many appearing to be a quality action/RPG rather than another failed MOBA project.

    Today Warner Bros. announced that Shadow of Mordor will be released on October 7 for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 3, Xbox One, Xbox 360, and PC. This is the same date that SEGA announced earlier this week for its Alien: Isolation launch.

    Along with the release date announcement, Warner Bros. today provided yet another look at Shadow of Mordor. The game’s new story trailer teases a twisted Tolkien tale of a ranger named Talion who loses everything only to be resurrected with mysterious new powers:

    As shown near the end of the trailer, players who pre-order Shadow of Mordor will receive some extra in-game DLC content. These extras include a “Dark Ranger” character skin, and access to the “Test of Power” challenge mode.

    Shadow of Mordor is being developed by Monolith Productions, the studio behind the Condemned games and F.E.A.R. 2. Monolith also oversaw the production of the Guardians of Middle-earth MOBA.

    The game’s story has been written by Christian Cantamessa, the lead writer for Rockstar’s Red Dead Redemption. It involves Talion, a ranger who was stationed at the black gate the night of Sauron’s return to Middle-earth. After being slain by Sauron’s Black Captains, Talion returns to life imbued with ringwraith-like powers. Players will have to journey across Mordor and Middle-earth to discover the truth behind these mysterious events.

    Despite the up-and-down nature of the quality of Lord of the Rings video games, Shadow of Mordor appears to be an ambitious entry. In addition to the original story, the game’s developers are promising that the game world and Mordor itself will change in response to player actions. For example, Monolith is touting a “nemesis system” that will change enemy reactions and placements based on previous run-ins with players.

  • J.K. Rowling Signs Three-Movie Contract with WB

    In yet another victory for capitalism (and hopefully for fans), the New York Times has reported that Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling has signed a deal with Warner Bros. which will see her Potter-world spin-off, “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them,” come to the big screen in three separate installments.

    Rowling composed and published “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” during a brief hiatus from Hogwarts between the fourth and fifth installments of the Harry Potter franchise. The plot for the “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” movie revolves around a character not found in the seven-part series – Newt Scamander. Scamander is a magizoologist, or one who studies magical beasts. The story takes place in New York, some 70 years before the events found within the pages of the Harry Potter series.

    The original text Rowling published in 2001 was simply an A-Z listing of many of the magical creatures which could be found in the wizarding world and was a required textbook for students at Hogwarts.

    Rowling credits her return to screenwriting to new Warner Bros. CEO Kevin Tsujihara: “When I say he made ‘Fantastic Beasts’ happen, it isn’t P.R.-speak but the literal truth. We had one dinner, a follow-up telephone call, and then I got out the rough draft that I’d thought was going to be an interesting bit of memorabilia for my kids and started rewriting!”

    Originally pitched as an idea from Warner Bros. itself, Rowling couldn’t turn down the opportunity to showcase her writing skills on the big screen once again: “As I considered Warner’s proposal, an idea took shape that I couldn’t dislodge. That is how I ended up pitching my own idea for a film to Warner Brothers.”

    “I always said that I would only revisit the wizarding world if I had an idea that I was really excited about and this is it,” stated Rowling when the film was first proposed last September.

    As it currently stands, the Harry Potter franchise of movies has grossed $7.7 billion, more than any other movie franchise of all time. With the addition of three more movies based in the same world, Rowling is virtually assured of never going bankrupt, no matter how hard she tries.

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Gauntlet Brings Its Unique Brand Of Co-Op Dungeon Crawling To PCs This Summer

    In 1985, Midway introduced the world to co-op dungeon crawler Gauntlet. It was one of the first games to get co-operative play right as players had to work together to get through the countless dungeons. Midway made a number of sequels since its initial release, but none really came close to being as good as the original. Now WB Games is going to take a crack at it.

    WB Games announced this morning that it’s working with Arrowhead Game Studios to bring back Gauntlet to PCs this summer. The new incarnation of Gauntlet maintains the core gameplay of the original as four heroes enter a dungeon looking for treasures as they make their way through waves of fantasy-themed enemies. Unlike the original, however, the dungeons this time around are procedurally generated so no two gameplay sessions will be the same.

    “To us at Arrowhead, Gauntlet is one of the most defining games from our childhoods, and it’s amazing to be able to work with Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment on a brand new version,” Johan Pilestedt, CEO of Arrowhead Game Studios. “Gauntlet is one of the original and best known video game properties and we are looking forward to creating a fresh, yet true to the original, take on a multiplayer masterpiece.”

    Interestingly enough, Gauntlet is the first title in what is being called the WB Games Vault portfolio. The new initiative will see WB Games publishing a number of new games based on existing properties as well as new IP. If that’s the case, we better start petitioning WB to make a new Smash TV.

    Image via WBGamesUK/YouTube

  • ‘Batman: Arkham Origins’ Mr. Freeze-Themed DLC Announced

    Fans of the Batman: Arkham games can’t be blamed for being a bit disappointed with Batman: Arkham Origins. The game arrived buggy on nearly every platform and Warner Bros. recently announced that it has given up on fixing the game. That hasn’t stopped the publisher from pumping out more DLC for the title, except when it comes to the Wii U version of Origins.

    Warner Bros. today announced the latest DLC content for Arkham Origins, a single-player story add-on titled “Cold, Cold Heart.” The content will be released on April 22 on PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and Steam.

    As implied by the title, “Cold, Cold Heart” is heavily focused on infamous Batman villain Mr. Freeze. The villain’s back story will unfold throughout an icy Gotham landscape that includes Wayne Manor. Players will also get to try out new Batman gear including a new suit, gloves, and “Thermocharged” Batarangs.

  • ‘LEGO Movie’ Outtakes Reel Released

    ‘LEGO Movie’ Outtakes Reel Released

    The LEGO Movie is a hit with critics. Though the film has been marketed as an average February movie for children, it turns out that the movie is actually a clever, subversive jab at conformity and authority. The LEGO Movie raked in cash over the weekend thanks in part to its quality over other movies released during the Hollywood wasteland that usually is February.

    Warner Bros. is Now capitalizing on the movie’s success with a bit more content for those who enjoyed it. The studio today released what it’s referring to as an outtakes reel for the movie.

    The LEGO Movie being animated film, the bloopers were, of course, pre-planned. Some of the outtakes fall a bit flat due to their scripted nature. Others spoil some of the movie’s gags for those that haven’t seen it. Still, those who are on-board with the silly humor of The LEGO movie may find the bloopers to be awesome.

  • Henry Cavill and Ben Affleck’s Superhero Face-Off Delayed

    One of the highly anticipated films of 2015 pushed its release date back to 2016. DC Comic fans need to wait a little longer to see a Superman and Batman face off. Henry Cavill and Ben Affleck star as Superman and Batman respectively. Warner Bros. originally planned to release the untitled Batman vs. Superman film on July 17, 2015 but moved it to May 6, 2016.The Peter Pan origin story film called Pan, directed by Joe Wright, will take its place. Pan was originally scheduled for a June 26, 2015 release.

    Warner Bros. states that they decided to move the film to “allow the filmmakers time to realize fully their vision, given the complex visual nature of the story.” Currently the production company still has some important decisions to make about the Superman-Batman film, like who to cast as the main villain. The movie, still in pre-production, begins shooting sometime during the latter half of this year.

    This unexpected filming change creates a conflict for Affleck. He plans to direct a movie called Live by Night after he finishes filming the Superman-Batman film. Live is scheduled for a December 25, 2015 (Christmas day) release. The movie’s schedule change pressures Affleck to quickly finish the film in order to meet the release deadline. Affleck’s other highly anticipated film Gone Girl is scheduled to release on October 3, 2014. His Superman-Batman filming schedule could also interfere with promoting Gone Girl.

    Many other films with huge fanbases are scheduled for a 2015 release, including the new Star Wars movie and Pirates of the Caribbean 5. Therefore, this move might help Batman vs. Superman receive bigger box office numbers.

    The Superman-Batman movie also stars Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman, Laurence Fishburne as Perry White, Diane Lane as Martha Kent and Amy Adams as Lois Lane.

    Changing the film’s release date puts it in direct competition against an unknown Marvel film. The Marvel movie may change its release date too. If it doesn’t, this makes the real showdown between Marvel and DC, not Superman and Batman.

    Image Via Facebook

  • J.K. Rowling Is Collaborating on a Harry Potter Play

    Already over a year in the works, a new chapter to the Harry Potter oeuvre is coming to a theatre probably-not-so-near you.

    J.K. Rowling has announced that she is currently working on a new Harry Potter project, one that will take place on the UK stage. A collaboration with noted stage producers Sonia Friedman and Colin Callender, the new Harry Potter play will look at the early years of the boy wizard.

    What was it like to be the boy in the cupboard under the stairs? This brand new play, which will be developed for the UK theatre, will explore the previously untold story of Harry’s early years as an orphan and outcast. Featuring some of our favourite characters from the Harry Potter books, this new work will offer a unique insight into the heart and mind of the now legendary young wizard. A seemingly ordinary boy, but one for whom Destiny has plans…

    Rowling won’t be writing the play – but she will be “collaborating with the writer.” She will also be a co-producer.

    Here’s what Rowling had to say about the project:

    “Over the years I have received countless approaches about turning Harry Potter into a theatrical production, but Sonia and Colin’s vision was the only one that really made sense to me, and which had the sensitivity, intensity and intimacy I thought appropriate for bringing Harry’s story to the stage. After a year in gestation it is exciting to see this project moving on to the next phase. I’d like to thank Warner Bros. for their continuing support in this project.”

    The play will being development some time next year.

    Rowling is one of the richest women in the world and a noted philanthropist. As of now, she holds the title of author to the best-selling book series in history. Last year, Rowling published her first novel since Harry Potter – a novel aimed at an adult audience called The Casual Vacancy.

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Air New Zealand Unveils Hobbit Paint Job

    Air New Zealand Unveils Hobbit Paint Job

    “Lord of the Rings” franchise director Peter Jackson was on hand in Auckland Monday, as Air New Zealand unveiled an image on one of its planes, of the dragon Smaug, a villain from the upcoming “The Desolation of Smaug,” the second film of the Hobbit trilogy.

    The 177-foot-long decal of the dragon was installed on both sides of a Boeing 777-300 aircraft, which left for Los Angeles for a screening of “The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug” at the Dolby Theater. The dragon sticker was produced by Weta Digital, the New Zealand-based effects house that handled the LOTR movies.

    “The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug” was co-written, produced and directed by Peter Jackson, and is based on J. R. R. Tolkien’s 1937 novel The Hobbit. It is the second installment of a three-part film series, which began with “An Unexpected Journey” (2012), and will conclude with “There and Back Again” (2014). The Hobbit trilogy serves as a prequel to Jackson’s “The Lord of the Rings” film series.

    Here’s a cool time lapse of the ‘Smaug’ graphic being put into place:

    Andrew Aitken, a spokesman for Air New Zealand, said it intends to keep the decal on the plane for over a year, until the opening of the third Hobbit film – A decal was also used to celebrate the opening of the first Hobbit movie. All of the LOTR movies were produced in New Zealand, and that country has been able to use the franchise to market itself and boost tourism.

    Below is a sneak peak of “The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug,” in theaters on December 13:

    Image via Twitter.

  • ‘Batman: Arkham Origins’ DLC Map Previewed

    Only weeks from its release, Batman: Arkham Origins is now one of the newer big titles to receive big discounts from online retailers on “Cyber Monday.” With the spotlight on, Warner Bros. today has released a preview for the first DLC content for Origins.

    Titled Initiation, the content will be a “challenge map” add-on for players to test their skills in. The add-on is part of the Origins season pass, though it is not the “all-new story campaign” DLC that has been promised for season pass holders. Initiation does, however, come with two different Bruce Wayne skins.

    In Initiation, players will take on the role of Bruce Wayne before he became Batman, while he was still honing his ninja skills with Kirigi. Through four challenge maps, players will be challenged to take on scores of new enemies and use stealth without Batman’s many tools. They will also have to take on some sort of “final test.”

    The content has been previewed in a new trailer. It shows off a bearded Bruce Wayne making his way through a variety of training scenarios:

  • ‘LEGO The Hobbit’ Officially Announced

    ‘LEGO The Hobbit’ Officially Announced

    Just over one year ago, Warner Bros. and developer TT Games released LEGO Lord of the Rings. The game became yet another successful LEGO video game, going on to be released even on iOS mobile devices.

    Now, with The Hobbit movies making millions in theaters, Warner Bros. is bringing a younger Bilbo Baggins to the LEGO games. The publisher today officially announced LEGO The Hobbit. The game will be released sometime in spring 2014 for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 3, Xbox One, Xbox 360, Wii U, Nintendo 3DS, PS Vita, and PC.

    As only the second of the planned three Hobbit movies will have been released by next spring, LEGO The Hobbit will be limited to the story told in those movies (gamers can probably expect another LEGO Hobbit video game after the third movie has been released). The game will cover the events seen in The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey and The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug using a quest system similar to the one seen in LEGO Lord of the Rings. Players will be able to take on the role of Bilbo, Gandalf, and all of the dwarves.

    “We are thrilled to depict the characters and environments of Peter Jackson’s Middle-earth in LEGO form with the LEGO The Hobbit videogame,” said Tom Stone, Managing Director at TT Games. “Our family-friendly take on these thrilling adventures will have kids and parents playing and laughing together as they build and explore in LEGO Middle-earth.”

  • Google’s New Chrome Experiment is ‘Hobbit’-Branded

    Throughout the past two years, Google has been releasing its “Chrome Experiments” showcasing what its web browser and HTML 5 are capable of. Past experiments have included a variety of topics and games, including star charts, skee ball, and multiplayer air hockey.

    Today Google revealed its latest Chrome Experiment, a partnership with Warner Bros. for a look at Tolkien’s Middle-earth from the perspective of the new Hobbit movies. The experiment puts players in an overhead view of Middle-earth, with different locations from the Hobbit movies highlighted. Clicking one of these locations brings up an interactive overview of the site and characters related to it that can be navigated horizontally using the mouse. One and two second clips from the first Hobbit movie slide by in motion-comic style while narration is read by Gandalf the Grey.

    Compared to past Chrome Experiments, this “Journey Through Middle-Earth” is relatively simplistic. However, it could provide a basic overview of key locations from the first Hobbit movie for those who need a refresher.

    There are a few things missing, however. The Shire is inexplicably missing as a location for more in-depth examination. In fact, there are currently only three locations available for a more in-depth look: the Trollshaw Forrest, Rivendell, and Dol Guldur. Three other locations surrounding the Lonely Mountain (Lake Town, Thranduil’s Hall, and the Lonely Mountain itself) are also shown on the map but are currently locked. It’s safe to assume that these locations, which will feature heavily in The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug, will be unlocked in the lead-up to or after the release of the new movie.

  • ‘Batman: Arkham Collection’ Bundle Announced

    Normally game publishers wait a year or two since their latest game release before offering their anthology or heritage series collections. Given the lackluster response to the release of Batman: Arkham Origins at the end of last month, though, Warner Bros. isn’t waiting for it to age.

    Warner Bros. today announced the Batman: Arkham Collection. The bundle comes with all three of the Arkham Batman games: Batman: Arkham Asylum, Batman: Arkham City, and Batman: Arkham Origins. The collection has been confirmed only for the UK, where it will launch on November 22 for PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and PC.

    The bundle comes only with a game disc for Arkham Origins. The bundle will come with download codes for the digital versions of Arkham Asylum and Arkham City. Warner Bros. has essentially made the previous two (better reviewed) Batman: Arkham games into a value add for Origins.

    No price has been announced for the new bundle, but gamers in the UK looking to get into the series can probably expect to pay more than the retail price of Origins.

    PC gamers will also get the best of the deal, as the versions of Arkham Asylum and Arkham City included in the PC version are both “Game of the Year” editions will all the game’s DLC included. The PlayStation 3 version of the bundle will also come with the “Knightfall” DLC for Arkham Origins.