The New Trailer from HBO’s “Westworld” looks Beautiful, Mysterious & Sinister

I have very high expectations for this upcoming HBO series. The premise of the show sounds most intriguing – a dark odyssey about the dawn of artificial consciousness and the future of sin. Just as my previous ‘rants’ may have come to suggest about the series, this has all the elements to succeed. Jonathan Nolan (co-writer of “Interstellar”, “Memento”) and Lisa Joy are the show creators with J.J. Abrams (“Star Wars: The Force Awakens”, “Star Trek”) executive producing.

The upcoming sci-fi drama series looks spectacular and will be a nice substitute while we wait for winter to come on HBO’s smash hit, “Game of Thrones”. Check out the just released trailer below!

 
The cast includes Sir Anthony Hopkins, Evan Rachel Wood, James Marsden, Ed ‘I’m great in just about everything’ Harris, Jeffrey Wright, and Thandie Newton. The HBO series is set to be released on October 2nd. I cannot wait!

 
The series is actually based upon a 1973 film (that starred Yul Brynner) that was written and directed by Michael Crichton (author of “Jurassic Park”, “Rising Sun”, “Disclosure”). The premise of that film is set in the near future where there is an adult amusement park called Delos, where there are three separate worlds – West World (American Old West), Medieval World (medieval Europe), and Roman World (pre-Christian Pompeii). Each world is populated with life like androids which are programmed for their environment. Park guests are able to pay an admission for an adventure or a sexual encounter (with an android). Things begin to get crazy when these androids begin ‘acting out of place’ and the park creators do not really know how they really work since they were designed by other computers and no one really knows how they work. These androids could be just as complex as humans.

Note: “Westworld” (1973) was followed up with a sequel in 1976 called “Futureworld” and a very short lived TV series in 1980 called “Beyond Westworld”.
Source: Pop Culture Crunch, June, 21, 2016
 
 

What the heck is HBO’s “Westworld” about ?

You may have heard rumblings of the upcoming show, “Westworld”, coming to the premium cable network sometime in October. You also may have even seen the teaser trailer (which can be seen below) that was recently released and are just not quite sure what to make of it. Don’t be troubled. You are not the only one. The marketing department would rather play with the angle of keeping the new series a ‘mystery’ in order to bring forth more interest. I’m not sure that’s working out that great. However, if you understand what the essential story is about, you’ll likely want to check it out. Plus, it doesn’t hurt that you have a stellar cast that includes Sir Anthony Hopkins, Ed Harris, Evan Rachel Wood, Thandie Newton, Jeffrey Wright, and James Marsden.

The Source Material:

The series is actually based upon a 1973 film (that starred Yul Brynner) that was written and directed by Michael Crichton (author of “Jurassic Park”, “Rising Sun”, “Disclosure”). The premise of that film is set in the near future where there is an adult amusement park called Delos, where there are three separate worlds – West World (American Old West), Medieval World (medieval Europe), and Roman World (pre-Christian Pompeii). Each world is populated with life like androids which are programmed for their environment. Park guests are able to pay an admission for an adventure or a sexual encounter (with an android). Things begin to get crazy when these androids begin ‘acting out of place’ and the park creators do not really know how they really work since they were designed by other computers and no one really knows how they work. These androids could be just as complex as humans.

Note: “Westworld” (1973) was followed up with a sequel in 1976 called “Futureworld” and a very short lived TV series in 1980 called “Beyond Westworld”.
 

Reasons why you should be excited for the upcoming TV series:

Jonathan Nolan (co-writer on “Memento”, “Interstellar” and “The Dark Knight”) and Lisa Joy are the show creators and will executive produce along with J.J. Abrams (“Star Trek”, “Star Wars: The Force Awakens”) and Bryan Burk (producer on “Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol”, “Star Wars: The Force Awakens”).

The series was described in a Hollywood Reporter article in 2014 as a “dark odyssey about the dawn of artificial consciousness and the future of sin”.

Takeaway:

This sounds a lot like “Total Recall” meets “Blade Runner”. The mysterious marketing for the new series now makes much more sense. Plus, you can bet that they likely modernized the concept from the film. I think this concept is an excellent one to re-visit, especially since not many people are familiar with the source material. I believe we (society) are ready to fully embrace the storyline as we continue to progress into the inevitable dawn of artificial intelligence.

The Revenant is a Meditation in Primal Savagery

You know when you go into a theater with a certain expectation only to be let down afterwards? Well, The Revenant exceeded my wildest expectations. This is filmmaking at a whole other level. Never has a film used so many elements effectively in order to tell a gruesome, yet satisfying revenge thriller.

The story immediately begins on a tumultuous fur trading expedition in the 1820s. Things go from bad to worse as Hugh Glass (Leonardo DiCaprio) is mauled by a giant bear. As the group weighs what to do next, Fitzgerald (Tom Hardy) decides that carrying around a body in the bitter winter would put them all at risk. So, he decides to leave Glass for dead, while also killing his son, Hawk (as Glass watches helplessly). This sets up a quest not only for revenge but survival as Glass is fighting the harsh landscape while also trying to elude Pawnee and Sioux Indians.

Best Beer Pairing with The Revenant? Try Moose Drool Brown Ale by Big Sky Brewing (in Montana). As you immerse yourself in the movie’s wintry setting, there’s really nothing else like it.

If Leonardo DiCaprio doesn’t get an Oscar for his intense performance, I’ll likely stop watching the pretentious awards show altogether (that’s an empty threat). He has been nominated so many times and has yet to win. This should put him over the top. Then there’s Tom Hardy, who plays the cowardly Fitzgerald. Hardy’s voice is almost unintelligible in this, like most of his other films (see: The Dark Knight Rises, Mad Max: Fury Road) but provides a great villain with his ‘weaseling’ ways. The other notable actor in this is Domhnall Gleeson, who has been everywhere lately (see: Ex Machina, Star Wars: The Force Awakens) and doesn’t seem to be slowing down.

The script is written by Mark L. Smith and Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu based upon the 2002 novel by Michael Punke (titled The Revenant: A Novel of Revenge). Side note: you should check out Punke’s career thus far – pretty impressive.  So, just as the previews you saw, the film is based on a true story which only adds to its allure.  Strangely, there wasn’t that much dialogue but rather action. When dialogue occurs, it progresses the story. To put another way, there aren’t any unnecessary scenes.

Much credit must be given to the director, Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu, as his filmography is shaping up to be among the most diverse. Previously, he directed Birdman, Babel, 21 Grams, and Amores Perros. If you don’t remember last year’s Oscars, Birdman won for Best Picture along with Best Director. I wouldn’t be that surprised if he wins again for 2015. I read an article last year when Inarritu was in the middle of filming The Revenant and mentioned that he always likes to experiment with his movies. That notion seems to really be paying off. I haven’t been as engrossed in a film in a long time.

The settings of the film (Montana, Canada and Argentina) are among the most beautiful, barren landscapes ever caught on film. The settings are a character unto themselves. I know I’ve said this about other films but this should be doubly true when considering this. From the majestic mountains and unpredictable rivers to the wild animals that pervade the land, The Revenant is almost paying homage to a National Geographic film.

I almost forgot. The score of this film is intense. It was done by Ryuichi Sakamoto, who you probably aren’t familiar with. Sakamoto actually won an Oscar for Best Musical Score for The Last Emperor (1987), with his last work in Western cinema dating back to the film Snake Eyes (pre-“Not the Bees!” Nicolas Cage film) in 1998. The music perfectly lends itself the film and the physical and emotional struggle that Glass must endure.

There’s a lot of great symbology in the film as well. For instance, after the bear mauling, Glass ends up wearing the bear’s skin to continue to survive. This can be signifying how he has died and come back to life, reincarnated. After all, the film’s title is The Revenant where ‘revenant’ means ‘one that returns after death or a long absence’ (thanks Merriam Webster).

This brings me to the, ‘should I see it?’ segment of my review. A resounding YES is my answer (if you just skipped to this section!). Now, is it a date night movie? No. Is it geared more to men? Maybe. Will women hate this film? No, in fact there was a group of women that were literally on the edge of their seats throughout much of the film.

Be wary of the amount of violence (duh) in this. According to IMdB, the film has been “rated R for strong frontier combat and violence including gory images, a sexual assault, language and brief nudity”. I love me some strong frontier combat!

I want to see the movie again even though the run time is 2 hours and 36 minutes. The upside is that I will be able to conveniently take bathroom breaks!

Grade: A+

“Star Wars: The Force Awakens” is something to Really Like but not Love (Non-Spoiler Review)

Gearing up for the most anticipated film in ages; I recently re-watched the original trilogy (Episodes 4-6) with much satisfaction.  Perhaps my expectations should have been tempered with this film. This is not to say that I didn’t enjoy Star Wars: The Force Awakens but that I believe it was trying too hard to please everyone while also harkening back to the trilogy of old.

The story this time follows the rise of the Empire (now called the First Order), which came as a result of the disappearance of the last remaining Jedi, Luke Skywalker. General Leia (Carrie Fisher) leads the Resistance (no longer the Rebels) and recruits her best pilot, Poe Dameron (my man crush Oscar Isaac) and his crew to find Luke and restore balance to the Force. The First Order is ultimately led by Supreme Leader Snoke (Andy Serkis) and commanded by both Kylo Ren (Adam Driver) and General Hux (Domhnall Gleeson).

We later meet a conflicted storm trooper, Fin (John Boyega), who decides to help the Resistance and Dameron.  Fin later meets a mysterious scavenger, Rey (the super pretty Daisy Ridley) on the planet of Jakku as they attempt to discover where the heck Luke has been all this time.

If I were to go into further detail, I would be spoiling some of the surprises (some expected, some not).  The story and pacing are very similar to that of ‘New Hope’ with one of the main, initial settings being the bleakness of a desert planet filled with lawlessness and scavengers (in this case Jakku and not Tatooine). Even a heavily forested planet is placed as a backdrop for a part of the story (in place for Yavin IV from ‘New Hope’). The way the entire story unfolds is very much in line with the first film minus a couple darker scenes (that were more akin to ‘Empire Strikes Back’).

The soul of the film is really Rey’s (Daisy Ridley) and partially Fin’s as they go on an adventure that puts them in contact with Han Solo, Chewbacca, Leia, etc. I did feel like the director, J.J. Abrams, was having them pass the torch (so to speak) to these new characters.  Anyways, Rey grows as a powerful character before our very eyes but we still do not know who her parents are or how she came to be on Jakku as a scavenger. I’m assuming this will most definitely be answered in episode IX. Knowing this, the cliffhanger-esque end of the film definitely leaves you wanting more.

Side note:The one thing I actually did love about the prequel trilogy is the amazing light saber duels (that’s it). They were elaborate fights that were perfect for a popcorn movie. However, in this outing there is only one scene where there’s a light saber duel. This may sound like a small gripe but this is “Star Wars” we’re talking about!

So, the main problem I had with the film had to do with the motivation of its lead villain, in this case Kylo Ren. Once you understand who he really is, you begin to question the ‘why’ behind his actions. Why is he on the course to finish what Vader started? It doesn’t make that much sense. Even the reasoning for Luke’s disappearance doesn’t really warrant an actual disappearance (sorry I can’t get into more detail!).

So, why am I making the statement that the film can be really liked and not loved? Some ideas felt forced and used just because they were familiar (pure nostalgia). There isn’t much new ground that is broken story wise and this is why I believe no one will ‘love’ this movie over say ‘New Hope’ or ‘Empire Strikes Back’. This is why I’m hopeful for the sequels to try to distance itself from the original trilogy. Perhaps I’m being hypercritical but I want there to be more than just the Empire (First Order) versus the Rebels (Resistance). Maybe more of why there is such a rift between the two to begin with?

You may say I’m nitpicking, but if you knew the ‘surprises’ I referring to, you’d understand more fully. Look, I enjoyed the film. It had great special effects, wonderful music, and has a lot of potential for the sequels (with where things left off and the world building dimension to it).  I highly recommend the film for the above reasons but also because it’s freaking Star Wars, people!

Note: This is the 3^rd best Star Wars.

Grade: B

Star Wars: The Force Awakens Spoiler-Free Review

A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away, George Lucas created a nearly perfect Star Wars trilogy. I also hear there’s a prequel trilogy. Actually, I confess that though the prequel trilogy has Anakin flaws, and though it’s not as good as the original trilogy, I still really like the prequels. I remember the hype for every single prequel movie. Calling those movies garbage is revisionist history fueled by peer pressure. But it’s been a long time since we’ve had any Star Wars movie. Enter J.J. Abrams directing Star Wars: The Force Awakens. Now with more Disney! I still can’t get the screaming roar of the tie fighters out of my head.

A New Hope

Let’s get this out of the way: I really like The Force Awakens. I’m going to see it again. I’m eventually going to see it many times. I want to see it again right away so that I can absorb more of it, and also watch it without a critical eye. It’s a lot of fun. It’s a movie that anyone with any interest in Star Wars should see. Keep that in mind as I dissect it with a little more critical perspective. I’ll first touch on the negatives. And I’ll try to keep this spoiler free.

Let me put my taped nerd glasses on. That’s better. If you don’t want to hear the criticisms of someone who clearly cares too much about these movies, just skip to the section where I discuss the positive aspects of the movie.

The Dark Side

Though The Force Awakens is a really good movie, it’s not the original trilogy. I’m not sure whether it’s even fair to compare it to the original trilogy. But as a stand-alone movie, there are ways it could be a better movie. I blame it on the writing and the directing.

The biggest weakness is its pacing. Before the movie was released, one of my fears was that it would be too J.J. Abramsy. That fear was partially allayed, but not completely. He did mostly avoid making the Star Wars aesthetic too sterile and shiny, in the vein of his Star Trek movies. But just as the 2^nd half of Star Trek: Into Darkness was one giant action sequence, this time the frantic pace of the action lasted virtually the entire movie. From the moment you start watching, you’re dropped right into an action scene, and it doesn’t relent. That’s why I can’t get the sound of those tie fighters out of my head; I don’t think there’s a place in the galaxy that doesn’t have them appear and start destroying things.

The constant action doesn’t give the story room to breathe. It’s a substitute for better dialog and a deeper story. The original trilogy was very deliberate about its pace, with action scenes spliced in at the right times. Indeed, during the few moments when The Force Awakens does slow down a bit, it’s a better movie because of it. It’s not a problem that’s specific to this movie’s relation to the original trilogy. It’s true of most movies. As an example, look at The Lord of the Rings trilogy versus The Hobbit trilogy. Greater drama and more immersive world building makes for a better movie than stringing together a bunch of action sequences while skimping on some of the deeper elements.

Again, a The Force Awakens is still very, very good. It’s just doesn’t reach the next level that it could reach. Particularly in light of some weaknesses with the villains.

In The Force Awakens, the First Order has essentially replaced the Empire. It’s not a spoiler to say that the two main villains are Kylo Ren and Supreme Leader Snoke.  The problem with Snoke is that he’s entirely cgi. For as much as Abrams made an effort to use practical effects, an entire character made of cgi is disappointing (and there are plenty of other opportunities to notice more cgi, by the way).

As for Kylo Ren, he is ultimately weak, though he is truly a mixed bag. On the one hand, in every scene with his helmet on and the modulated deep voice, he’s a very compelling villain. He’s evil, he’s intimidating, and Adam Driver nails the acting. Without his helmet on, he’s a scared boy. That’s not Driver’s fault; the dichotomy is clearly how the character was written. But by the end of the movie, aside from one scene in which he commits an act that is both unforgivably evil and cowardly, there was too much of the scared boy. The screen presence of a Vader-like figure had completely disappeared. And I still think without his hood on, Kylo Ren’s helmet makes him look like he has the haircut of a toddler girl (no offense to toddler girls – especially mine, who’s a huge Star Wars fan).

The Force Awakens is also at times easily predictable. And for as much alien variety as it has, there can and should have been much more of a variety of weapons used by the First Order. As good as The Force Awakens was, it could have used even more creativity. And I will say flatly that there was not nearly enough Luke Skywalker. And that’s all I will say (albeit curtly) about that.

The Light

For as much as I criticize the weaknesses of The Force Awakens, there’s a lot to like. I mean, this movie brings characters from the original trilogy back into our lives. It’s what everybody has craved since the prequel trilogy left our beloved heroes behind.

The acting is incredible. John Boyega (Finn), Daisy Ridley (Rey), Oscar Isaac (Poe Dameron) and Adam Driver (Kylo Ren), performed perfectly. I love Finn and Rey, and their banter is highly entertaining. They are fantastic heroes for modern Star Wars movies, and I can’t wait to see more of them.

Harrison Ford (Han Solo) owned this movie. Every actor was great. But Ford’s screen presence was particularly charismatic. Of course, look at the guy’s resume. This is still the guy who played Han Solo in the original trilogy, Indiana Jones, and Rick Deckard in Blade Runner. And he brought it again for The Force Awakens.

J.J. Abrams clearly used the original trilogy as a starting point to inspire his vision for The Force Awakens. In one way, it plays like a greatest hits movie, with iconic scenes from the original trilogy inspiring similar settings for this movie. There’s a forest planet, a desert planet, a wintery planet, and myriad other nods to the original trilogy. As with the Mos Eisley Cantina, Maz Kanata’s fortified watering hole was a particular favorite of mine.

And those action scenes? For as much as I complained that there wasn’t enough drama between the action scenes, the action scenes themselves were pretty great.

My favorites, though, are the droids. R2D2 and C-3PO already have a special place in my heart, and they appear again to my great delight. I am beyond excited to add BB-8 to the robot family. And BB-8’s inclusion as a main character in the story was something that mimicked the original trilogy and it’s something that J.J. Abrams did very, very right.

The Verdict

Yes, despite my overly zealous critiquing, Star Wars: The Force Awakens is brining many people great joy. It’s not the original trilogy, and there are distinct ways that it could be improved even when you eliminate the original trilogy from the equation. But just as a music producer can take a classic masterpiece, sample it, and splice it with new music to make a modern hit (think RZA/Wu-Tang Clan), J.J. Abrams sampled the original trilogy, added his own flavor, and now there’s a modern hit movie. You have the original. You have the new thing. You can debate the merits of each and give credit to the old school. Ultimately, they’re both something to enjoy, and they’re each a product of their time. If you were ask me to envision a movie based on the original trilogy, but updated for 2015, it would look a lot like The Force Awakens.

Now get out there and go see it, so that nobody has to worry about spoiling anything for you.

Catching Up With Star Wars: Shattered Empire

Star Wars: Shattered Empire fills an interesting niche in the Star Wars universe. Star Wars and Marvel are both owned by Disney. So this four part mini-series from Marvel fills a dual role. It’s part of the Star Wars: The Force Awakens marketing hype machine. But it also fills in some of the back story since Return of the Jedi, and those details could be hints as to what we might see in The Force Awakens.

Shattered Empire spans a time period from the final moments of the Battle of Endor to about three months after the Battle of Endor. The 2nd Death Star is destroyed, and both Emperor Palpatine are dead. But as the Rebels try spread word of Palpatine’s death, news spreads slowly and the war has not ended. Indeed, a common refrain among the Rebel characters is that they’re sure having to do a lot of fighting after achieving victory.

That’s because large remnants of the Empire, still loyal to Palpatine, continue to fight on without ceasing. They also spread propaganda that contradicts the Rebels’ information. And on top of that, Empire factions have initiated Operation CINDER to carry out Palpatine’s orders from beyond the grave and make as many as possible of the Empire’s enemies pay dearly.

We watch these events unfold primarily from the perspective of Rebel pilots Shara Bey and Kes Dameron. Shara and Kes are married, but they have to spend long periods of apart due to their piloting duties. Along the way, they interact with Lando Calrissian, Princess/Commander Leia, and General Han Solo.

Shara accompanies Leia to Naboo, where they help Naboo’s Queen fend off Empire machines causing planet-wide destruction via hurricanes. Whether it’s The Day After Tomorrow or Death Stars, the Empire has some seriously destructive technology. That doesn’t prevent the Rebels from taking down a Super Star Destroyer, however. Is it the crashed ship in The Force Awakens trailer? Maybe.

Shara also ends up answering a call from Luke Skywalker via R2D2 and the Force to accompany him on a mission. That mission? To infiltrate an Imperial base to retrieve something Emperor Palpatine stole. That something is the last two remnants of the tree that grew in the Jedi Temple of Coruscant.

In the end, Luke takes a branch and Shara takes a branch home. She intends to leave the fighting behind with Kes to make a home with their son: Poe Dameron, a major character in The Force Awakens.

The overall impression from Shattered Empire is that the victory achieved over the Empire in the original Star Wars movie trilogy was short-lived and really only a minor event in the context of Episode 7. The Rebels are slogging through endless fighting, wondering when they can experience peace. The Empire simply continues on with its evil ways.

That does not sit well with me, as it trivializes the sense of elation at the end of Return of the Jedi. On the other hand, how else do you come up with a decent story that brings so many major characters into new movies? I think that with this backstory, the writers may bee onto something in terms of creating a rich mythology for the old characters while also giving new characters a major role to play.

Luke Skywalker is going to be huge in The Force Awakens. J.J. Abrams already alluded to this fact in interviews. And his appearance at the end of Shattered Empire was nothing short of amazing. While wee can’t be sure just how much Luke we will see in The Force Awakens, we can be pretty confident that he will have a major role to play.

Which brings me to………predictions. 30 years after the Battle of Endor, what will we see happening?

At least one of the current generation of heroes will turn out to be a Jedi. Between the existence of those Force trees and Luke’s earnest wisdom for Shara Bey, it can’t be a red herring. We know Poe will grow up near aa Force tree, so I will count him in. I will also predict that Finn and Rey will turn out to be Jedis, and that Kylo Ren is going to be going after one of those Force trees. We’ve already seen a short glimpse of a potential fight among trees between Finn and Kylo Ren. And what are the odds that Rey’s estranged family isn’t connected to the Force in some way?

And lastly, I’m predicting that at some point we’re going to learn that there’s a new Jedi academy where Luke has remained secluded, where the new Jedis can learn Yoda-like wisdom and keep the Jedi factory churning for Disney.

I know it’s not iron-clad logic, but these are merely fun predictions, so it’s good enough for me. Shattered Empire wasn’t mind blowing in its revelations, but what it did provide is some great art, a badass Luke Skywalker, and some tantalizing morsels to chew on before the Force Awakens. If you missed out on the individual comic issues, Marvel released the trade paperback already. We’re a little more than two weeks away from opening day, and the excitement is building.

STAR WARS: The Force Awakens Photos Revealed

Entertainment Weekly shared 12 “exclusive” photos from the ser of Star Wars: The Force Awakens today. While there’s nothing too revealing about the photos (and some feel like they’ve already been seen), they’re a friendly reminder that the debut of the latest Star Wars entry is only a few months away. Most of the photos have been copied down below, with new captions. A couple pictures that include JJ Abrams were omitted.

More information about the movie may be coming this weekend at Disney’s D23 event. But it just as well may not be. With another trailer on the fall this horizon, and the actual theatrical release coming in December, I personally don’t want to know too much about the movie anyway. These photos are simply there to keep people’s interest alive. After all, it’s never too soon to give in Star Wars oversaturation.

Enjoy!

 

Rey and Finn run from Stormtroopers who presumably never passed their target practice training. Photo via Entertainment Weekly

Kylo Ren always prepares for welding by bringing more tool than is needed, just in case. Photo via Entertainment Weekly

Finn asks a downed cgi(?) TIE fighter if it’s OK before continuing on to finish the Stormtrooper Fun Fest 5k. Photo via Entertainment Weekly

Rey thinks the BB-8 droid is the key to starting a soccer game (fútbol onTatooine). Photo via Entertainment Weekly

R2-D2 wears a black compression shooting sleeve, while C3PO got some bad fashion advice. That red arm really clashes. Photo via Entertainment Weekly

Kylo Ren stars in his latest retro music video. Photo via Entertainment Weekly

General Hux gives JJ Abrams the silent treatment. Photo via Entertainment Weekly

Captain Phasma, f.k.a. Brienne of Tarth, traded her sword in for a gun that shoots lasers. Photo via Entertainment Weekly

Poe Dameron just flew in from space, and boy are his arms tired. He was rumored to have exclaimed, “Nevermore!” upon re-entry. Photo via Entertainment Weekly

 

Star Wars News: Han Solo to get own movie + Darth Vader to make an appearance in Star Wars Anthology: Rogue One

Lucasfilm made the official announcement today that The LEGO Movie and 21 Jump Street directors, Phil Lord and Chris Miller, will helm a separate Han Solo movie focusing on his younger days as a smuggler. This is definitely good news for Star Wars fans. As part of the Star Wars Anthology series, the screenplay will be written by Lawrence Kasdan and Jon Kasdan. Lawrence Kasdan wrote Raiders of the Lost Ark and co-wrote The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi (as well as the upcoming Star Wars: The Force Awakens). His son, Jon Kasdan is helping him write the script for a Han Solo movie.

Phil Lord and Chris Miller are in very high demand at the moment. They are currently showrunners for the TV show The Last Man on Earth and are tapped to helm a live action Flash movie for Warner Bros. Not to mention, they are both working on an animated Spider-Man for Sony as well. They don’t seem to be writing the third 21 Jump Street movie but they will produce.

The Han Solo movie is expected to drop into theaters on May 25, 2018.

Along with this news, it was just reported via Birth.Movies.Death that Darth Vader will make an appearance in Star Wars Anthology: Rogue One. Vader will not be the main antagonist but will be shown to ‘pull the strings from behind the scenes’ (likely via hologram appearance). The story surrounds how a rebel team unites and steals the Death Star plans.

Gareth Edwards (Godzilla) is directing the film which stars Ben Mendelsohn (The Dark Knight Rises), Felicity Jones (The Theory of Everything), Riz Ahmed (Nightcrawler), and Sam Claflin (Snow White and the Huntsman). The movie is set for release on December 16, 2016.

Christian Bale and Oscar Isaac in the same movie!!!

Did I die and go to heaven? Two of my most favorite actors are looking to be in the same movie together!!! If you haven’t heard me recently explain why Oscar Isaac is on the up and up then check here. Last year we saw Christian Bale in the critically underwhelming Exodus: Gods and Kings but he’s likely to be nominated for another Oscar in the next couple years.

Anyways, so the movie they are both going to star in is a historical romance film called The Promise (no, they won’t play lovers!). It will be helmed by Terry George (Hotel Rwanda). The script will be by George and Robin Swicord and will come from the producers of Black Swan, Milk, X-Men (producers Mike Medavoy, William Horberg, and Ralph Winter).

The story involves a love triangle with a medical student (Isaac), an American Journalist based in Paris (Bale) and a sophisticated woman. The backdrop of the film is said to take place in the final days of the Ottoman Empire circa 1922.

Bale and Isaac fighting over the same chick huh? I wouldn’t normally take to such a story but with all of the talent already in pre-production and especially the director of Hotel Rwanda, this could be really good.

Both Bale and Isaac have some busy upcoming schedules!

Christian Bale:
2015 – Knight of Cups – A movie about a screenwriter in L.A. trying to make sense of his life. Directed by the polarizing Terrence Malick.
2016 – Weightless – Another Terrence Malick movie but this time involving love triangles. Ugh..
2016 – The Big Short – This is a film directed by Adam McKay (The Other Guys, Step Brothers) and has an all star cast that includes Ryan Gosling, Brad Pitt, Steve Carell and many others. It’s being centered on the men that made millions during the global economic meltdown.
2017 – Jungle Book: Origins – voicing Bagheera
2016? The Promise – An American journalist

Oscar Isaac:
2015 – Mojave – plays a role in a story about a suicidal artist that finds his doppelgänger. Co-stars Mark Wahlberg and written and directed by William Monahan (The Departed)
2015 – Star Wars: The Force Awakens – – playing rebel pilot fighter (Poe Dameron)
2015 – Show Me a Hero (TV mini series) – playing a politician caught up in a race issue
2016 – X-Men: Apocalypse – playing villain, Apocalypse
2016? The Promise – playing medical student
2017 – Star Wars: The Force Awakens – playing rebel pilot fighter (Poe Dameron)

The Case for Oscar Isaac

If you asked me about a year and a half ago if I heard of Oscar Isaac I would have no idea who you’re talking about. Now he seems to be everywhere.

I believe Isaac is the best actor because of the films he’s been in recently.

• He plays an honorable man trying to adhere to his principles against the backdrop of a statistically violent New York City in 1981 in A Most Violent Year. That movie was so heartbreaking at times.
• He played a supporting role as a desperate criminal trying to support his family in Drive. Although his role was minor, he definitely stood out.
• He was the neurotic inventor in Ex Machina (he totally owned this role).As the eccentric innovator with dubious motives, you still couldn’t help but admire the odd charisma he portrayed on screen.
• He wandered the Greenwich Village folk scene as a young, aspiring singer in Inside Llewyn Davis.

Oscar Isaac in “Drive”

He’s next up for the role of Apocalypse in X-Men: Apocalypse and a rebel X-Wing pilot (Poe Dameron) in Star Wars: The Force Awakens and Star Wars Episode VIII. He was also recently tapped to play a lead in a HBO miniseries, Show Me a Hero, in which he’ll play a young politician that finds himself in the middle of a racial controversy. So it’s safe to say you’ll be seeing a lot more of him in the near future.

All I have to say is to not be surprised when you begin to see him everywhere. My prediction is that he’ll eventually get bigger than Chris Pratt. I’m referring to the myriad of different, popular roles you’ll begin to notice him in and not as a social media icon.

You can check out Oscar Isaac’s filmography here.