New Star Wars Cast Announced

Well, after months of speculation, the truth is finally out there…

The Star Wars team is thrilled to announce the cast of Star Wars: Episode VII. Actors John Boyega, Daisy Ridley, Adam Driver, Oscar Isaac, Andy Serkis, Domhnall Gleeson, and Max von Sydow will join the original stars of the saga, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Mark Hamill, Anthony Daniels, Peter Mayhew, and Kenny Baker in the new film.



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

Star Wars: Episode VII is being directed by J.J. Abrams from a screenplay by Lawrence Kasdan and Abrams. Kathleen Kennedy, J.J. Abrams, and Bryan Burk are producing, and John Williams returns as the composer. The movie opens worldwide on December 18, 2015.

Well, they got most of the original main cast, plus Andy Serkis and Max von Sydow.

Gollum and Ming the Merciless seem like they should fit right in.

Exciting!

Trek Wars

It looks like J. J. Abrams is going to take over another beloved Sci-Fi franchise...Star Wars.

J.J. Abrams will direct the next "Star Wars" film for Disney, taking stewardship of one of Hollywood's most iconic and lucrative film franchises. 

Lucasfilm Chief Kathleen Kennedy has been courting Abrams, one of the most successful directors and producers in Hollywood -- and a man beloved by fanboys. He runs one of the industry's top production companies, Bad Robot, and created or co-created television franchises like "Lost," "Fringe" and "Alias." He has also directed film spectacles "Mission: Impossible III," "Star Trek" and "Super 8." 

Though he has several producing jobs in front of him, Abrams had been uncommitted as a director. He will have to jump right into "Star Wars," which Disney has slated for a 2015 release.

Honestly, I think he'll do as good a job as anyone else. I loved what he did with the updated Star Trek and he wasn't even a big fan of that show.

He loves Star Wars.

I'm in.

Ship ahoy!

Entertainment Weekly got the first look at JJ Abrams's new Enterprise design and, overall, it looks pretty close to the original.

Abrams wanted to take the original TV-series Enterprise and the movie-franchise Enterprise and fuse them together into a new yet familiar Enterprise. His ambition was a ship that felt very realistic, that could stand up to today's F/X standards -- and beyond. "If you're going to do Star Trek, there are many things you cannot change. The Enterprise is a visual touchstone for so many people. So if you're going to do the Enterprise, it better look like the Enterprise, because otherwise, what are you doing?"

As usual, fans are giving it mixed reviews...some love it, others hate it.

I think it looks fine and will reserve judegment until after I've seen a full trailer. I really liked the recent set of cast pictures from the film that I posted recently, so I'm still pretty happy with how the new version appears to be looking.

The good news is that the first extended "Star Trek" movie trailer will be released with the new James Bond movie opening this weekend....so, I'm really looking forward to seeing both of them.

I have a friend at Paramount who has already seen the new trailer (which was presented by JJ Abrams himself) and, although my friend is not a big Star Trek fan, his reaction to the trailer was simply "AWESOME!".

That's enough for me.

Kill Kirk

News today that Quentin Tarantino is developing a Star Trek movie idea with JJ Abrams at Paramount...

Already busy prepping to direct the film he just set up at Sony Pictures, Quentin Tarantino is also planning to boldly go where he has not gone before. Sources said that Tarantino has come up with a great idea for a Star Trek movie at Paramount. After sharing his idea with JJ Abrams (who himself is busy prepping Star Wars Episode IX), I’ve heard the plan is to assemble a writers room of scribes who’ll hear Tarantino’s take and begin to put together a movie. If it all works out, Tarantino might direct it, with Abrams producing.

Well, this will be interesting. Let's hope he's a big fan and not just doing it to fit in with his other movies. Otherwise it could be one of the most violent Star Trek movies ever made.

I don't want my Star Trek being too stabby.

Trek Humor

With the "Star Trek" movie opening in two days, buzz on the film, cast and director has been building. Among the many interviews and special reports have been a few funny segments that made me laugh out loud.

The first, is a "news report" from the Onion about how die-hard "Star Trek" fans are bashing the new movie because it doesn't have the bad acting and effects that they are used to from the previous show and movies.



That clip of Kirk "fighting" the Gorn creature and how the newscaster described it...classic!

Then, the always funny Steven Colbert interviewed director JJ Abrams about the new movie on his show "The Colbert Report". The result...hilarity ensued.

The Colbert Report	Mon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c
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"Buttercup".

I had to change my Depends.

Sneak Peek

It was announced this morning that Paramount will be screening the first nine minutes of the upcoming Star Trek Into Darkness movie before the new Hobbit movie opening on December 14th....

HOLLYWOOD, CA (November 14, 2012) – Paramount Pictures will release the first 9-minutes from J.J. Abrams’ eagerly-awaited “STAR TREK INTO DARKNESS” exclusively in IMAX 3D months prior to the film’s official release in May 2013. This first-look at the movie will play in approximately 500 digital IMAX 3D theatres beginning December 14th.

“Our longtime partners J.J. Abrams, Bryan Burk and the Bad Robot team have really hit it out of the park – the footage is absolutely incredible," said Greg Foster, Chairman and President, IMAX Filmed Entertainment. “Their use of the IMAX® Camera and canvas is sure to impress current and future Star Trek fans alike, and we’re thrilled to once again work with our friends at Paramount Pictures to offer this extended ‘first look’ at this highly anticipated summer blockbuster.”

As excited as I am to see the new Star Trek movie, I don't really want to see the first nine minutes and then have to wait five months to see the rest of the movie.

I'd rather see a trailer and be intrigued to see the film, not see an actual portion of it.

Plus, I am not planning to see the Hobbit movies in IMAX 3D (unless I love it so much in "regular D" that I decide to see all of the formats). Other than Avatar, I haven't really been impressed with 3D technology...so, I'll wait for those reviews.



So, I'll just wait until the trailer comes out...or until the nine minutes end up online (which never happens) and I accidentally see it there.

Boldly Going Again

Very exciting news...

Paramount is grabbing the primo pre-Memorial Weekend date of May 17, 2013 for its much anticipated writer/director J.J. Abrams’ Star Trek sequel. This one is being co-written by Abrams with Lost‘s Damon Lindelof, plus Alex Kurtzman & Roberto Orci. JJ is going to be making the movie in 3D.

I do love me some Star Trek with the new cast.

I just hate the waiting part...

Star Trek 3: Starfleet Drift

The new director for the upcoming third Star Trek movie has finally been decided…

Paramount Pictures, Skydance Productions and JJ Abrams’ Bad Robot just set Justin Lin to direct Star Trek 3, filling the biggest open directing assignment out there with the filmmaker credited with reviving the Fast & Furious series. Lin helmed four of the films that grossed $1.9 billion in worldwide box office. 

He replaces Roberto Orci, who got that job after being involved as co-writer of the revamped Star Trek series. The first two installments were directed by Abrams, who then left to direct a revival of the Star Wars franchise with Star Wars: The Force Awakens.

Well, if nothing else, Justin does know how to direct an action movie…so there is hope.

I'm just glad it's finally moving forward.

Make it so and make it now!!

Sew Tricky

J.J. Abrams finally released a longer trailer to his "mystery project" which, it turns out, is actually not promoting a new TV show or movie at all.

It's a book based on a concept that they developed at Bad Robot.



I'm a bit disappointed that it's not a new film project.

Of course, I'm sure he has the rights to his own concept and, likely, the book.

So...it's only a matter of time before Benedict Cumberbach will end up playing the lead in the movie who J.J. will swear is definitely not going to turn out to be Kahn.

Or will he?

For now, his lips are literally sealed on the subject.

Star Trek World Premiere

The world premiere screening of the new Star Trek movie was "officially" last night in Sydney, Australia at the famous Opera House.

However, there was a surprise in Austin, Texas yesterday at the Fantastic Fest Star Trek convention going on there. Fans were told that there would be a special 10 minute screening of footage from the new Star Trek movie after their showing of the original "Star Trek: Wrath of Kahn" viewing. However, that all changed....



Two minutes in to the showing of TWOK, the film appeared to have ‘melted’ and the guys came back out on the stage and appeared to be stalling for time while the film was fixed…and then, wearing a ball cap, Leonard Nimoy came out in front of the audience holding a film can.

Nimoy noted to the crowd that it just didn’t seem fair that people in Australia were the first to see the film and asked them "wouldn’t you rather see the new movie?" And apparently the crowd went wild. After that they showed the entire new Star Trek movie.

So, it looks like fans in Austin got to see the world premiere a little earlier and with the original Mr. Spock.

Lucky bastards!



Meanwhile, back in Sydney, the premiere event seemed to go off without a hitch. JJ Abrams (director), Zarchary Qunto (Spock), Chris Pine (Kirk), Eric Bana (Nero), John Cho (Sulu), and Karl Urban (McCoy) were all in attendance.









From what I've read so far (and I'm trying to avoid reading any spoilers), the feedback has been very positive, which is nice to hear.

I'm sure, like all blockbusters, there will be reviewers out there who already hate the movie before even seeing it. It's par for the course in the entertainment world. The hardest part for me will be to avoid reading the reviews (good or bad) as they start hitting the internet today.

I want to be able to go into the film and be surprised.



So, I'm still going to be there opening night and no ass-hat with a Debby-Downer review is gonna stop me!

50, Fierce, and Fabulous

This week is Jimmy Kimmel's 50th birthday, so several of his celebrity friends put together some tributes. Ray Romano set up a Jimmy Kimmel-focused Celebrities Reading Mean Tweets...



George Clooney put together "The Jimmy Kimmel Story" ...



And Ben Affleck and J.J. Abrams filmed a movie trailer based on the comic book that Jimmy Kimmel wrote and illustrated as a child called "The Terrific Ten", with Jennifer Aniston, Matt Damon, Wanda Sykes and many more...



Enjoyable.

Old Chum

Award-winning creature designer and judge on Face Off (and my old roommate), Neville Page, recently uploaded some of the cool Klingon designs to his site that were being considered for Star Trek Into Darkness. Pretty awesome...









They look so life-like and, oddly...kind of attractive.



How YOU doin'?



It's really inspiring when someone you know is so talented, works very hard, and then ends up building an amazing career out of doing something that they actually love.

I remember when Neville was just one of my roomies, sitting around the apartment molding utensils out of Silly Putty so he'd have something to eat his instant Ramen Noodles with...and now look at him...



I told him those soups had too much salt and were bad for his skin.

No one ever listens to me...

The last pic is really Neville made up as one of the Romulans he designed and wore in the first Star Trek movie he did with JJ Abrams.

His actual moisturizing regime is Hollywood-approved and child-safe.

To see more samples of some of his work from such films as Prometheus, Avatar, Cloverfield, Tron, and more..check out his cool Web site.

via: Gawker

Goodbye Nurse Chapel

Majel "Nurse Chapel"-Barrett-Roddenberry passed away yesterday.

The widow of Gene Roddenberry, the creator of the influential science fiction series (Gene passed away in 1991), played Nurse Christine Chapel in 33 episodes of the original series, as well as in two of the spin-off Star Trek movies throughout the late 1970s and 1980s -- Star Trek: The Motion Picture and Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home.



Some fun facts about her:



In the original unaired pilot for Star Trek, titled "The Cage" (which later was repurposed for the award-winning two part original Star Trek episode "The Menagerie"), she was cast as the First Officer of the Enterprise (Spock reported to her) and Jeffrey Hunter played Captain Pike (no Kirk then).



She also played Lwaxana Troi, the mother of Counselor Troi on Star Trek: The Next Generation (seen here with her husband and "Star Trek" creator, Gene Roddenberry).



She appeared as Nurse Chapel in the short-lived Star Trek: The Animated Series too.

She also provided the voice of the ship's computer on "Star Trek: The Next Generation" (and all of their movies), "Deep Space Nine" and "Voyager".



So it's very cool that J.J. Abrams also brought that bit of nostalgia and detail into his upcoming "Star Trek" movie, where she also provides the voice of the computer on the new iMac Enterprise.



Which, if all of the Star Trek worlds collided (hmmm...there's a movie idea), she would be on board the USS Enterprise as the First Officer, Nurse Chapel and the voice of the ship's computer.

She'd be a triple threat!

But for now...she will just be missed dearly.

Oh, the Payne

New viral sensation and Mom, Candace Payne, has take the Internets by storm with her hilarious video in the Kohls parking lot after buying herself a Chewbacca mask. If you haven't seen her giggle-inducing video yet...check it out above, then watch the videos below.

After her video broke various online records (over 20 million views on Facebook) and, as a result, caused the mask to sell out EVERYWHERE, James Corden had her on his show last night where she got some directing tips from special guest-passenger and Star Wars director J.J. Abrams.



Her laugh is really infectious and you can't help but just smile/giggle along with her.

You can see more of her on the show here:

Make it so!

It appears that the director of TV's Fargo and Legion series may be writing and directing the next Star Trek movie...

Paramount Pictures is in final talks with Noah Hawley to write and direct a Star Trek film. Through his 26 Keys production banner he will produce along with JJ Abrams and his Bad Robot banner. Hawley will helm the fourth film in this iteration of the venerable franchise, with the Enterprise crew led by Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Zoe Saldana, Simon Pegg and Karl Urban.

In addition to his groundbreaking series Legion, Hawley serves as executive producer, writer, director and showrunner on FX’s Emmy-winning limited series Fargo. He currently is in production on the fourth season, which stars Chris Rock, with Hawley directing the first episodes.

I like both of those series and, of course, love Star Trek.

All available body parts are crossed that this will happen soon.

New Hobbit Video Blog

Peter Jackson has released a new video blog from the set of The Hobbit (they're now filming part 2). And, like all the others, they are great fun to watch. This one focuses on some of the beautiful locations (definitely expand the video to full screen!), one of which is Queenstown, which I have also visited.



I love watching these and wish other movies would do the same thing.

Yes, I'm talking to you Bob Orci and J.J. Abrams currently working on Star Trek 2!

Star Wars: The Force Awakens Trailer #2

Squeeee!!

A new trailer for Star Wars: The Force Awakens was released today and it has a big focus on the original crew of Han, Luke, and Lia...plus lots of cool new footage.



I like the old school tone of this one and the fact that, although there are some great visual effects, it's not a crappy CGI-fest like the last set of three new films that were released. It's obvious that J.J. Abrams listened to fans and used a lot of real creatures and locations like the original films.







Exciting!!

OH...and this edited video of Matthew McConaughey's reaction to this trailer is hilariously perfect...

The next day...you're out!

Well, the time finally came to make some DVR decisions and a few shows have been lopped off.



Grey's Anatomy

The past year has really been uneven on this show and, with fewer and fewer sympathetic characters to root for....my dedication has been teetering. Then, my two least favorite characters finally did it in for me.

Last week's episode focused on Derek (he of the big hair) getting a magazine cover for a medical study that he and Meredeth (she of the show title) worked on for several episodes last season. Of course, Derek just gloated to Meredeth about how cool the article/cover was and never once suggested she should have been included or mentioned (which she wasn't). When Meredeth finally talked to him about it (in the annoying passive aggressive way all of the characters do), Derek, rather than realize he'd been insensitive and a jerk, decided to call her a baby for wanting any credit because HE is a doctor and she's just an intern.

If these characters had an ounce or reality to them, she would have shoved that magazine up his pooper and dumped him forever. But, of course, she didn't. She just moped, he got some advice from another character, then got her a stupid momento, thanked her casually, smiled and went on his McIdiot way..

As did this show...right off my DVR.



Fringe

Since I enjoy JJ Abrams' "Lost" and know he directed the upcoming "Star Trek" movie, I decided to start watching his new "X-Files"-esque show (which I also enjoyed when it was on) and see how it was. I really liked the way "Fringe" was shot and their use of "where are we now?" graphics that were cleverly floating on screen.

However, what I quickly started to notice and, ultimately what did it in for me, was the weekly gore-factor of everyday people being subjected to horrific experiments by a mysterious organization. First episode, a plane load of people that had their skin melted off. Another week, probes shoved up people's noses into their brains to read their memories.

Then....last week.

A restaurant full of people with bleeding eyes and, then, someone's head exploding against the glass door....followed by lots of closeups of dissecting the, now headless, neck and torso.

The real world is creepy enough (just read or watch the news) and full of wackos trying to figure out how to hurt others...no need to make time to watch these fictional people abuse people like me in horrific ways each week in HD.

I'll just wait for "Lost" to come back and "Star Trek" to come out in May. As for this show...

All done. Bye, bye.



Samantha Who?

Another show that I wanted to like (cause I love Jean Smart) and, although I didn't love it...stuck with it to see if it would get better.

Unfortunately, it just hasn't. The writing is awful, the characters aren't that funny and the situations are always predictable and are quickly resolved for an unsatisfying ending.

Samantha, who deleted us?

I did.



Kath and Kim

I love, love, LOVE Molly Shannon.

I do, however, feel the complete opposite about her new show after three viewings.

I can kick and stretch and KICK....this show off of my DVR.

Superstar!

Fascinating feedback

Now that "Star Trek" has had premieres all over the world, reviews have started appearing. Overall, the response seems to be very good (without giving away many plotpoints, thankfully).

Blasting onto the screen at warp speed and remaining there for two hours, the new and improved “Star Trek” will transport fans to sci-fi nirvana. Faithful enough to the spirit and key particulars of Gene Roddenberry’s original conception to keep its torchbearers happy but, more crucially, exciting on its own terms in a way that makes familiarity with the franchise irrelevant, J.J. Abrams’ smart and breathless space adventure feels like a summer blockbuster that just couldn’t stay in the box another month. Paramount won’t need any economic stimulus package with all the money it’ll rake in with this one globally, and a follow-up won’t arrive soon enough.

I'm not going to read any others until I see the movie, but if you'd like to see a couple of them for yourself....click on the links below to read what they had to say:

Variety
Hollywood Reporter
TrekMovie.com
RottenTomatoes.com

Good luck in prison

Warner Bros. is remaking one of my favorite movies of all-time, Arthur.


They have already started filming in New York City (I know it's crazy, but it's true) with Russell Brand taking over the role of Arthur and Dame Helen Mirren taking over Sir John Gielgud's classic role of Hobson (she'll be Arthur's nanny, instead of his butler).


New-comer, Greta Gerwig will be taking over the role of Linda (the Liza Minelli role).


And Jennifer Garner (seen here on set) will be taking over the role of the society girl that Arthur is supposed to marry if he wants to keep his inheritance. Her character's crazy father will be played by the equally-crazy Nick Nolte.


I'm really nervous about this update because, for the most part...Hollywood remakes fail (and YES...I'm talking to you Nora Ephron with your horrific butchery of one of my other all-time favorite properties, Bewitched!!!) more often than they succeed (Bless you J.J. Abrams for Star Trek!).


So, you can imagine that my Pop Culture brain almost imploded when I saw this picture of Russell Brand on the set of the movie in a Batman costume (with Luis Guzman as Robin).

Uhhh...that wasn't part of the original movie at all.

Breathe...

They DO seem to have a good cast for this remake...of course, so did Bewitched (What were you THINKING, Nora????!!!)

Breathe...

I'm gonna walk it off now...