Warner Bros. Consumer Products Shakes Up Toy Fair Season With Humongous Licensing Programs, Including This Summer's Much-Anticipated Film Godzilla From Legendary Pictures

Source: Warner Bros. Press Release

BURBANK, Calif., Jan. 30, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Warner Bros. Consumer Products (WBCP) is storming into the 2014 Toy Fair season with an impressive line-up of global licensees in support of the Studio's beloved entertainment properties, milestone anniversaries and upcoming theatrical debuts. Leading the way this year is the highly anticipated film from Warner Bros. Pictures and Legendary Pictures, Godzilla, which hits theaters on May 16, and will be supported with an epic toy line-up from master toy partner Bandai America Incorporated, and many more partners around the world.  WBCP will also highlight Middle-earth with the long-awaited finale of The Hobbit Trilogy, The Hobbit: There And Back Again, supported by its strong roster of worldwide licensees. Additionally, The Wizard of Oz will lead WBCP's milestone celebrations in 2014, which will all see exciting licensing support from a number of cross-category partners this year. WBCP and its licensing partners from around the globe will also spotlight product inspired by fan favorites such as its DC Comics portfolio, including evergreen Super Heroes Batman and Superman, and Looney Tunes, The Big Bang Theory, Harry Potter and more to round out the Studio's unrivaled portfolio.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140130/NY56185LOGO )

"With a host of renowned licensees signed on to support a broad spectrum of entertainment properties, Warner Bros. Consumer Products enters the 2014 Toy Fair season ready to delight," said Brad Globe, president of Warner Bros. Consumer Products.  "And with fan excitement for Warner Bros. Pictures' and Legendary Pictures' Godzilla running high, we're eager to bring the buzz to Toy Fair with a toy line-up that is fit for the 'King of the Monsters.'"

Godzilla: A Blockbuster Block-BusterWith a nearly 60-year heritage, Godzilla and his trademark ROAR are recognized throughout the world by fans of all ages.  Master toy partner Bandai America Incorporated will capture the thrills of the motion picture with an innovative line-up of toys inspired by the film.  The highly anticipated film will also see support from JAKKS Pacific, Inc. as it brings this iconic and legendary figure to life with a line of large-scale figures and other toy products inspired by the "King of the Monsters"; Rubie's will design Godzilla costumes that are sure to delight children and adult fans; NECA will also be supporting Godzilla with a comprehensive line of novelty and collector toys across a variety of price points; and Sideshow Collectibles will offer authentic statues; among many other partners around the world.

For more, go here.

Phasers Set To Kill - Star Trek - Captain Kirk & Spock - One of a Kind Original Image

Phasers Set To Kill - Star Trek - Captain Kirk & Spock - One of a Kind Original Image

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This is an original 8 x 10 artwork created by renowned California artist Ken Hulsey.

THIS IS A ONE OF A KIND ITEM - No prints were created from this piece.

The image from the famous NBC sci fi series "Star Trek"

The collage is paper mounted on thick cardstock.

History:

James Tiberius Kirk was arguably the most famous and highly-decorated starship captain in the history of Starfleet. Over the span of three decades in the late 23rd century, he commanded the Constitution-class starships USS Enterprise and USS Enterprise-A, serving Federation interests as an explorer, soldier, time-traveler, and diplomat.

Kirk's Starfleet service through the late 2250s and early 2260s was rewarded with a rapid rise through the ranks. Prior to stardate 1312.4, he was promoted to captain of an unnamed ship. (TOS: "Where No Man Has Gone Before")

In 2265, at 32 years of age, he assumed command of the Constitution-class starship USS Enterprise (NCC-1701), after Christopher Pike. (TOS: "The Menagerie, Part I")

Kirk famously commanded the Enterprise and her namesake over the course of three decades, but it was her historic five-year mission from 2265 to 2270 that made him a legend in space exploration. In addition to his overall mission statement, "to explore strange new worlds, to seek out new life, etc.", Kirk received standing orders to investigate all quasars, and quasar-like phenomena. Kirk's living quarters aboard the Enterprise were on Deck 5, room "3F 121". (TOS: "The Galileo Seven", "Journey to Babel"; VOY: "Q2") During this historic mission, Kirk violated the Prime Directive on at least one occasion in order to ensure the survival of the Pelosian race. Years prior to this, Kirk also prevented the extinction of the Baezians and the Chenari. (VOY: "Q2")

Kirk's first major step, attempting an extra-galactic probe in 2265, proved to be a disaster. Discovering a recorder-marker from the SS Valiant that described a catastrophic disaster following a visit to the galaxy's edge, Kirk pushed on, and encountered the galactic barrier for his first time. The Enterprise failed to breach the barrier, and barely escaped destruction. With warp engines badly damaged, Enterprise limped under impulse power towards the Delta Vega lithium cracking station. Kirk's helmsman, his best friend Gary Mitchell, began a transformation triggered by the barrier, developing psychic powers that progressed rapidly, with a commensurate loss of his Humanity. Ignoring Spock's advice to destroy Mitchell immediately, Kirk hesitated until after Mitchell killed navigator Lee Kelso. On the surface of Delta Vega, Kirk hunted Mitchell, only able to kill him with the help of another officer undergoing the same transformation as Mitchell, Dr. Elizabeth Dehner. (TOS: "Where No Man Has Gone Before")

Following the tragedy, Kirk shuffled the Enterprise's command crew. Lieutenant Commander Spock, a legacy officer from the former commander, Captain Christopher Pike, remained science officer and Kirk acknowledged him as first officer. A new chief medical officer, Dr. Leonard McCoy replaced Dr. Mark Piper. Lieutenant Commander Montgomery Scott remained chief engineer. Lieutenant Nyota Uhura became communications officer and Lieutenant Hikaru Sulu was transferred to the helm. Kirk did not settle on a regular navigator for another two years. - http://en.memory-alpha.org/wiki/James_T._Kirk

Federation Gothic - Star Trek - Captain Kirk & Uhura - One of a Kind Original Image

Federation Gothic - Star Trek - Captain Kirk & Uhura - One of a Kind Original Image

$8.00 USD On Etsy

Shop For Similar Items

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This is an original 5x7 artwork created by renowned California artist Ken Hulsey.

THIS IS A ONE OF A KIND ITEM - No prints were created from this piece.

The image from the famous NBC sci fi series "Star Trek"

The collage is paper mounted on thick cardstock.

History:

James Tiberius Kirk was arguably the most famous and highly-decorated starship captain in the history of Starfleet. Over the span of three decades in the late 23rd century, he commanded the Constitution-class starships USS Enterprise and USS Enterprise-A, serving Federation interests as an explorer, soldier, time-traveler, and diplomat.

Kirk's Starfleet service through the late 2250s and early 2260s was rewarded with a rapid rise through the ranks. Prior to stardate 1312.4, he was promoted to captain of an unnamed ship. (TOS: "Where No Man Has Gone Before")

In 2265, at 32 years of age, he assumed command of the Constitution-class starship USS Enterprise (NCC-1701), after Christopher Pike. (TOS: "The Menagerie, Part I")

Kirk famously commanded the Enterprise and her namesake over the course of three decades, but it was her historic five-year mission from 2265 to 2270 that made him a legend in space exploration. In addition to his overall mission statement, "to explore strange new worlds, to seek out new life, etc.", Kirk received standing orders to investigate all quasars, and quasar-like phenomena. Kirk's living quarters aboard the Enterprise were on Deck 5, room "3F 121". (TOS: "The Galileo Seven", "Journey to Babel"; VOY: "Q2") During this historic mission, Kirk violated the Prime Directive on at least one occasion in order to ensure the survival of the Pelosian race. Years prior to this, Kirk also prevented the extinction of the Baezians and the Chenari. (VOY: "Q2")

Kirk's first major step, attempting an extra-galactic probe in 2265, proved to be a disaster. Discovering a recorder-marker from the SS Valiant that described a catastrophic disaster following a visit to the galaxy's edge, Kirk pushed on, and encountered the galactic barrier for his first time. The Enterprise failed to breach the barrier, and barely escaped destruction. With warp engines badly damaged, Enterprise limped under impulse power towards the Delta Vega lithium cracking station. Kirk's helmsman, his best friend Gary Mitchell, began a transformation triggered by the barrier, developing psychic powers that progressed rapidly, with a commensurate loss of his Humanity. Ignoring Spock's advice to destroy Mitchell immediately, Kirk hesitated until after Mitchell killed navigator Lee Kelso. On the surface of Delta Vega, Kirk hunted Mitchell, only able to kill him with the help of another officer undergoing the same transformation as Mitchell, Dr. Elizabeth Dehner. (TOS: "Where No Man Has Gone Before")

Following the tragedy, Kirk shuffled the Enterprise's command crew. Lieutenant Commander Spock, a legacy officer from the former commander, Captain Christopher Pike, remained science officer and Kirk acknowledged him as first officer. A new chief medical officer, Dr. Leonard McCoy replaced Dr. Mark Piper. Lieutenant Commander Montgomery Scott remained chief engineer. Lieutenant Nyota Uhura became communications officer and Lieutenant Hikaru Sulu was transferred to the helm. Kirk did not settle on a regular navigator for another two years. - http://en.memory-alpha.org/wiki/James_T._Kirk

Lot of Six (6) Alfred Hitchcock Movie Photos - Vertigo, Rear Window and Rope

Lot of Six (6) Alfred Hitchcock Movie Photos - Vertigo, Rear Window and Rope

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This is a lot of copies of 8x10 black and white photographs from three classic Alfred Hitchcock suspense thrillers Vertigo, Rear Window and Robe. These photos are professional grade copies of studio images sent to newspapers, magazines and sometimes theaters to promote the release of the original movies. Theses photos look amazing matted and framed and will make a great addition to your home. A must for Alfred Hitchcock, Movie, or Suspense lovers!

The images were printed on professional studio grade glossy paper by a professional photography studio not a home printer.

The items will be shipped in an acid free bags with a protective boards to prevent folding or creasing.

History:

Rope is a 1948 American thriller film based on the play Rope (1929) by Patrick Hamilton and adapted by Hume Cronyn and Arthur Laurents, directed by Alfred Hitchcock and produced by Sidney Bernstein and Hitchcock as the first of their Transatlantic Pictures productions. Starring James Stewart, John Dall and Farley Granger, it is the first of Hitchcock's Technicolor films, and is notable for taking place in real time and being edited so as to appear as a single continuous shot through the use of long takes.

The original play was said to be inspired by the real-life murder of 14-year-old Bobby Franks in 1924 by University of Chicago students Nathan Leopold and Richard Loeb.

Rear Window is a 1954 American suspense thriller film directed by Alfred Hitchcock, written by John Michael Hayes and based on Cornell Woolrich's 1942 short story "It Had to Be Murder". Originally released by Paramount Pictures, the film stars James Stewart, Grace Kelly, Wendell Corey, Thelma Ritter and Raymond Burr. It was screened at the 1954 Venice Film Festival.

The film is considered by many filmgoers, critics and scholars to be one of Hitchcock's best. The film received four Academy Award nominations and was ranked #42 on AFI's 100 Years...100 Movies list and #48 on the 10th-anniversary edition. In 1997, Rear Window was added to the United States National Film Registry.

Vertigo is a 1958 psychological thriller film directed and produced by Alfred Hitchcock. The story was based on the 1954 novel D'entre les morts by Boileau-Narcejac. The screenplay was written by Alec Coppel and Samuel A. Taylor.

The film stars James Stewart as former police detective John "Scottie" Ferguson. Scottie is forced into early retirement because an incident in the line of duty has caused him to develop acrophobia (an extreme fear of heights) and vertigo (a sensation of false, rotational, movement). Scottie is hired by an acquaintance, Gavin Elster, as a private investigator to follow Gavin's wife Madeleine (Kim Novak), who is behaving strangely.

The film was shot on location in San Francisco, California, and at Paramount Studios in Hollywood. It popularized the dolly zoom, an in-camera effect that distorts perspective to create disorientation, to convey Scottie's acrophobia. As a result of its use in this film, the effect is often referred to as "the Vertigo effect".

The film received mixed reviews upon initial release, but is now often cited as a classic Hitchcock film and one of the defining works of his career. Attracting significant scholarly criticism, it replaced Citizen Kane as the best film of all time in the 2012 British Film Institute's Sight & Sound critics' poll and has appeared repeatedly in best film polls by the American Film Institute, as well as being named in 2008 as the 40th greatest movie of all time by Empire magazine in its issue of The 500 Greatest Movies of All Time. In 1996, Vertigo underwent a major restoration to create a new 70mm print and DTS soundtrack. - Wiki

Two Original Star Wars Publicity Stills - SW-K-39 & SW-K-41 - These Are Real Studio Photos Not Copies!!!

Two Original Star Wars Publicity Stills - SW-K-39 & SW-K-41 - These Are Real Studio Photos Not Copies!!!

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This is a pair of original 8x10 black and white photographs from the 1977 sci fi classic Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope. These photos are original studio images sent to newspapers, magazines and sometimes theaters to promote the release of the original Star Wars movie in 1977. Theses photos look amazing matted and framed and will make a great addition to your home. A must for Star Wars, Movie, or Sci Fi lovers!

THESE ARE NOT COPIES! THESE ARE STUDIO ORIGINALS

SW-K-41: A Great Image of the Rebel Hanger on Yavin 4. Photo is in fine condition with no tears or missing pieces. Photo of Y-Wing and X-Wing fighters with Luke Skywalker and Han Solo in the foreground.

SW-K-39: A Great photo of Obi-Wan Kenobi turning off the Death Star tractor beam. The Photo is is Very Good to Fine condition with two tears at the top of the photo. Photo is complete - no missing pieces and the two imperfections could be covered with matting.

History:

It is a period of civil war. Rebel spaceships, striking from a hidden base, have won their first victory against the evil Galactic Empire.

During the battle, Rebel spies managed to steal secret plans to the Empire's ultimate weapon, the DEATH STAR, an armored space station with enough power to destroy an entire planet.

Pursued by the Empire's sinister agents, Princess Leia races home aboard her starship, custodian of the stolen plans that can save her people and restore freedom to the galaxy....

Star Wars Publicity Still SW-K-63 - Darth Vader

Star Wars Publicity Still SW-K-63 - Darth Vader

$8.00 USD On Etsy

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This is a copy 8x10 black and white photograph from the 1977 sci fi classic Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope. This photo is a copy made from an original studio image sent to newspapers, magazines and sometimes theaters to promote the release of the original Star Wars movie in 1977. The print looks amazing matted and framed and will make a great addition to your home. A must for Star Wars, Darth Vader, or Sci Fi lovers!

History:

It is a period of civil war. Rebel spaceships, striking from a hidden base, have won their first victory against the evil Galactic Empire.

During the battle, Rebel spies managed to steal secret plans to the Empire's ultimate weapon, the DEATH STAR, an armored space station with enough power to destroy an entire planet.

Pursued by the Empire's sinister agents, Princess Leia races home aboard her starship, custodian of the stolen plans that can save her people and restore freedom to the galaxy....

Anne Francis - Wardrobe Still - Forbidden Planet - Color 8 x 10 Photo

Anne Francis - Wardrobe Still - Forbidden Planet - Color 8 x 10 Photo

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This is a copy 8x10 color photograph of actress Anne Francis posing for a wardrobe test for the 1956 sci fi classic Forbidden Planet. This photo is a copy made from an original studio image used to aide production teams prepare actors for filming. The print looks amazing matted and framed and will make a great addition to your Hollywood memorabilia collection. A must for Sci Fi lovers!

History:

Forbidden Planet is a 1956 MGM science fiction film directed by Fred M. Wilcox, a screenplay by Cyril Hume, and starring Walter Pidgeon, Anne Francis, and Leslie Nielsen. Forbidden Planet is the first science fiction film in which humans are depicted traveling in a starship of their own creation. It was also the very first science fiction film set entirely on another world in interstellar space, far away from the planet Earth. Forbidden Planet is considered one of the great science fiction films of the 1950s, a precursor of what was to come for the science fiction film genre in the decades that followed. The characters and isolated setting have been compared to those in William Shakespeare's The Tempest, and its plot does contain certain story analogues and a reference to one section of Jung's theory on the collective subconscious.

Forbidden Planet features special effects for which A. Arnold Gillespie, Irving G. Ries, and Wesley C. Miller were nominated for an Academy Award; it was the only major award nomination the film received. The film features the first groundbreaking use of an entirely electronic musical score by Louis and Bebe Barron. Forbidden Planet also featured Robby the Robot, the first film robot that was more than just a mechanical "tin can" on legs; Robby displays a distinct personality and is a complete supporting character in the film.

The film was entered into the Library of Congress' National Film Registry in 2013, being deemed "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant."

"King Kong vs. Godzilla" and "King Kong Escapes" On Blu-ray April 1

by Armand Vaquer

Above, King Kong vs. Godzilla. Photo by Toho Co., Ltd.

Blu-ray.com is reporting that King Kong vs. Godzilla and King Kong Escapes will be released on Blu-ray disc on April 1 by Universal Pictures.

It appears that both will be "bare-bones" discs and will only contain the U.S. releases. No price information has been provided.

The U.S. version of King Kong vs. Godzilla was the first Godzilla movie I saw in a theater when it was first released back in June 1963.

As I have both movies on DVD, I will probably pass on these, but if either are not already in your video library, you many want to pick them up.

'Die, Monster, Die!'

From Pop Matters

The 1965 horror film Die, Monster, Die! resembles, more than a little bit, the Edgar Allan Poe Cycle of horror films produced by Roger Corman. Like the Edgar Allan Poe films, Die, Monster, Die! was produced by American International Pictures, features lavish sets and colors and stars a bona fide Horror Icon (Boris Karloff instead of Vincent Price).

However, Die, Monster, Die!, ostensibly based on H.P. Lovecraft’s short story The Colour Out of Space, is much more than just a similar film from the same studio. This film also closely matches elements of two of the Poe Cycle films, Fall of the House of Usher (1960) and The Haunted Palace (1963). In that the latter film only borrows its name from a Poe poem and derives its plot from another H.P. Lovecraft story (“The Case of Charles Dexter Ward”), this might bring us full-circle, however the similarities to Fall of the House of Usher are much more pronounced.

In Die, Monster, Die!, tough American scientist Stephen Reinhart (Nick Adams) arrives in English town of Arkham (as opposed to Lovecraft’s Arkham, Massachusetts) to meet with his fiancée Susan Witley (Suzan Farmer), much like their counterparts from House of Usher unite. Reinhart is daunted from his task when he discovers that all of the townspeople mistrust and abhor “The Witley House” and consider it to be dangerous or even supernatural, much like the townspeople in The Haunted Palace mistrust and abhor “The Curwen House” and believe that it must house a warlock.

Once Reinhart arrives (on foot) at the Witley house, he is barred from seeing his fiancée by her overbearing father, as played by Karloff (their counterparts in House of Usher are initially prevented from meeting each other by the young lady’s overbearing older brother). In an oddball combination of House and Palace, the family’s nervousness regarding strangers is said to relate to a multigenerational madness that threatens to keep coming back, as the overhanging portraits of the scary Witley ancestors can attest to.

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Four Weddings and a Funeral's Mike Newell directing Day of the Triffids

From Digital Spy

The story centres around a meteor shower which blinds the vast majority of humanity.

During the catastrophe, the strange predatory plants called the Triffids escape and begin to take over.

The book was adapted in 1962 and most recently as a television miniseries in 2009.

Newell directed Donnie Brasco, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire and, most recently, Great Expectations.

Neil Cross wrote the Day of the Triffids script for Ghost House Pictures.

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Star Trek TOS Cadet Series Ship 1:2500 Scale Snap-Fit Model Kit Set

Star Trek TOS Cadet Series Ship 1:2500 Scale Snap-Fit Model Kit Set

Price: $17.99 - Entertainment Earth

$23.60 - Amazon.com

The U.S.S. Enterprise NCC-1701, Klingon D-7 Battle Cruiser, and Romulan Bird-of-Prey!
Detailed decals included.
No glue or paint required; snap-fit assembly!

Classic science fiction doesn't get much more classic than the original Star Trek TV series! This Star Trek TOS Cadet Series Ship 1:2500 Scale Snap-Fit Model Kit Set focuses on the 3 most popular ships ever shown in the TV show, all super easy to assemble with no glue or paint required. The classic U.S.S. Enterprise NCC-1701 is included along with the arch rival ships Klingon D-7 Battle Cruiser and mysterious Romulan Bird-of-Prey. The Romulan Bird-of-Prey and Klingon D-7 are unique tools and have never been available before in this scale as plastic kits. Thorough decals are included to provide surface details for each ship. Skill level 2. For ages 10 and up.

Rebuttal To Forbes' "Godzilla" Flop Prediction

by Armand Vaquer

Above, the Hibiya Godzilla statue. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

It may happen, and it may not.

John Furrier, a contributor to Forbes.com, predicts that the upcoming Legenday Pictures/Warner Bros. Godzilla will be a box office flop. He named it as number one of three big Hollywood productions that will be flops in 2014.

 On Godzilla, he wrote:

Following are our predictions and analysis for the Top Three biggest flops of 2014, in order of magnitude (net loss): 

1)Godzilla. Hands down, “Godzilla” will be the biggest box office bomb of 2014. Godzilla as a character is box office poison. The fact is the last 3 Godzilla movies released domestically have flopped: “Godzilla 1985” made $4M; “Godzilla 2000” made a whopping $10M and the last attempt at a Hollywood-style big budget remake, also called “Godzilla” bombed so bad that its lead toy licensee went bankrupt. Had the movie made a profit the studio wouldn’t have just let the rights expire in 2003 without even attempting a reboot or sequel. They had 5 years to make a new film based on this property yet they passed. Think about it—Sony, the studio that greenlights sequels to most anything—”Resident Evil 6″ is on the horizon and don’t forget about “Underworld 5″—walked away from investing another cent in Godzilla.

Furrier neglects to factor the 1985 dollars and adjust them to inflation when it comes to Godzilla 1985. Plus, the studio who produced and distributed it paid relatively a paltry sum. So, $4 million in 1985 dollars was not that bad a return.

On Godzilla 2000, the movie was poorly marketed and many people thought it was a sequel to the 1998 Matthew Broderick disaster, which, by the way, deserved to flop. It didn't look like Godzilla or act like Godzilla. Additionally, he fails to mention that both Godzilla (1998) and Godzilla 2000 made money in the home video (VHS, DVD) market. (Godzilla 1985 is currently in limbo as far as home video rights are concerned.)

So far, Legendary Pictures and Warner Bros. seem to be doing everything right this time. Whether this translates to "more butts in seats" remains to be seen. The fan buzz on the movie has been very positive. That's another thing Furrier neglected to consider. Godzilla has a fan base (although not as big as the Star Wars or Star Trek fan bases) that will drum up more positive buzz should the movie meet their expectations. Good word-of-mouth is something that cannot be ignored.

To read the full article (Furrier does have more to say on Godzilla), go here.

The Young Jedi Wore Levis - Mark Hamill 'Star Wars' Revelations

From Yahoo Movies

One evening a long time ago, Mark Hamill sat in an early screening of "The Empire Strikes Back." Suddenly, as a crucial plot point was revealed, from a neighboring seat Harrison Ford whipped around and exclaimed, "I didn't know that!" Ford, who played Han Solo alongside Hamill's Luke Skywalker, hadn't been apprised of the fact that Darth Vader was Luke's father until he saw it onscreen for the first time.

As Hamill recounted the story in a Reddit AMA chat on Wednesday, he revealed he was the third person on the planet to learn what was arguably the biggest movie spoiler of all time. "[Director] Irvin Kershner brought me aside and said, 'I know this, George [Lucas] knows this, and you'll be the third person who knows. If it goes out we'll know you leaked it,'" the 62-year-old typed speedily online. "I was terrified of being the one to ruin it."

Unlike one of Quentin Tarantino's script readers, Hamill stayed tight lipped. "I'm worried about Episode VII," he admitted of the upcoming J.J. Abrams-helmed continuation. "They're going after casting sheets! I'm someone who doesn't want to know what I'm getting for my birthday."

Hamill went full disclosure, answering dozens of fan questions, revealing details on a deleted scene (that only superfans know of), and even getting buddy-buddy with Chewbacca actor Peter Mayhew, who dipped into the chat. Here are nine awesome "Star Wars" truths revealed by Hamill on Wednesday:

1. The Blue Milk of Luke's Home Planet Is Nasty.

It was ghastly! ... It's moments like that when I think, boy, I really am a good actor since I didn't gag. ... I don't know if they still make it. It's sweet and syrupy and yucky. If you want to try it go to a camping store and drop some blue food coloring in it and there you go.

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Forbes Hates Godzilla: Predicts Biggest Bomb Of 2014!

From Forbes

I wrote a prediction story on SiliconANGLE about the flops of 2014 in Hollywood. I got lots of emails on one of the movies Godzilla. It seems many in the “crowd” think of all the predictions Gozilla will flop the most. After the mega ton flop known as John Carter imploded harder than any movie in recent memory in 2012, costing Disney a $200M write down, several supposed “blockbusters” faced a similar fate at the box office in 2013.

Following are our predictions and analysis for the Top Three biggest flops of 2014, in order of magnitude (net loss):

1)Godzilla. Hands down, Godzilla will be the biggest box office bomb of 2014. Godzilla as a character is box office poison. The fact is the last 3 Godzilla movies released domestically have flopped: “Godzilla 1985” made $4M; “Godzilla 2000” made a whopping $10M and the last attempt at a Hollywood-style big budget remake, also called “Godzilla” bombed so bad that its lead toy licensee went bankrupt. Had the movie made a profit the studio wouldn’t have just let the rights expire in 2003 without even attempting a reboot or sequel. They had 5 years to make a new film based on this property yet they passed. Think about it—Sony, the studio that greenlights sequels to most anything—Resident Evil 6 is on the horizon and don’t forget about Underworld 5—walked away from investing another cent in Godzilla.

Moreover, the last Godzilla movie produced was a decade ago—“Godzilla: Final Wars”—and that bombed so hard that the studio, Toho, Co. Ltd., put the entire franchise on ice. That movie cost $20M and made $12M in Japan and had the lowest admission numbers for a Godzilla movie in nearly 30 years. Following that bomb, the film’s director, Ryuhei Kitamura, has been cranking out budget rate horror slasher flicks ever since—choice fare like “Midnight Meat Train” and “No One Lives.”

Asides from Godzilla, the giant monster genre as a whole is anemic. “King Kong” flopped, despite having Peter Jackson at the helm; “Pacific Rim” bombed, despite having umpteen giant monsters battling on screen; Gamera the Brave, about a lumbering giant turtle monster, delivered weak numbers at the box office; and if you go to the outer edges of the giant monster genre, recent films like “Jack the Giant Slayer” bombed and “Walking with Dinosaurs” flopped as well.

The bottom line is if Peter Jackson couldn’t turn “King Kong” into a mega-size box office hit, the chances that an indie film director—Gareth Edwards—attempting to make a big budget giant monster action film like “Godzilla” a global, profitable hit are essentially non-existent.

The $160M Godzilla is also sandwiched between some of the summer’s sure-fire mega hits, with Sony’s the “Amazing Spider-Man 2” coming at it with strong tailwinds just two weeks before, and the double team of Adam Sandler’s latest summer comedy “Blended” and Fox’s “X-Men: Days of Future Past,” opening just one week later with strong headwinds pointing right at Godzilla. Godzilla will essentially be getting hit from all sides, and theater owners will be allocating more screens for “X-Men” and “Spider-Man” rather than take a chance on empty theaters screening “Godzilla.”

It’s also worth noting that the marketing to date for “Godzilla” has been rather weak (and nearly invisible). This appears to be continuing—and part of the plan—as Warner Bros. has elected not to feature a “Godzilla” trailer during the upcoming Super Bowl, while “Amazing Spider-Man 2” and “X-Men” are there in full force.

Considering that “Godzilla” is the last film that Warner Bros. is co-financing with former producing partner, Legendary Pictures, we believe that Godzilla’s box office results aren’t exactly WB’s top priority at this time. Especially considering that the studio is opening up an Adam Sandler summer comedy only one week after Godzilla’s release. It should also be noted that WB is only financing 25% of “Godzilla,” so its exposure is minimal. And since the two companies have effectively divorced, we don’t expect a “full court press” on the marketing front from WB, who is distributing worldwide except for Japan.

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Top 20 States for Bigfoot Sightings

From Philly Lists

Want to know where Bigfoot has allegedly been seen, heard or left some footprints? The Bigfoot Field Researchers Organization has a handy-dandy database, with more than 4,500 reports, broken down by state and county.

Pennsylvania, for example, has 101 Sasquatch accounts, making the state No. 12 in the nation and No. 1 in the Northeast. Allegheny County is the top county for sightings, which can't be too surprising since it's close to Ohio, the country's No. 5 state, with 240 sightings. (The BFRO even has a Bigfoot search expedition scheduled for September in Western Pennsylvania, and The Pennsylvania Bigfoot Society says 101 is a very conservative undercount -- it has documented many more.)

In October, photos taken in Bradford, Pa., supposedly showed a couple of Sasquatch, but at least one skeptic had another explanation for the dark object(s): A tree stump or uprooted rootball.

The reports range from 573 in Washington State to just 5 each in Delaware and Rhode Island. The only state with no sightings is Hawaii.

Interest in Bigfoot may be higher than ever, stoked by reports of one shot and killed in Texas, and by such TV shows as Animal Planet's Finding Bigfoot and Spike TV's $10 Million Bigfoot Bounty.

Top 20 States for Bigfoot Sightings

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Star Wars Episode 7: Carrie Fisher 'confirms' return

From The Guardian

The three iconic actors at the centre of the original Star Wars trilogy will begin shooting JJ Abrams' Episode VII in April, according to Carrie Fisher.

Fisher, who played Princess Leia in 1977's Star Wars and its two sequels, told TV Guide not only that the key leads would return, but that filming was due to start later this spring. She added that she was looking forward to getting back into character. "I'd like to wear my old [cinnamon buns] hairstyle again – but with white hair," the Press Association reported her as saying. "I think that would be funny."

Mark Hamill, who portrayed Luke Skywalker, yesterday refused to be drawn on rumours he will return to his best known role. In a Q&A session on Reddit, he wrote: "The only character I know for sure is returning is my friend R2-D2. He hasn't stopped beeping about it." Hamill added: "I'm not being coy, really. When I find something out, I'll let everybody know. But nothing has been decided yet."

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Rosario Dawson Returns For Clerks III

From Cinema Blend

One of the stranger aspects about sequels is remembering plot points from the original. Some movies are kind enough to have some non-intrusive refresher. Others just take it for granted that you have a razor-sharp memory, and either you’ve recently re-watched the original, or it remains an active memory in your mind, no matter how mundane.

Which is why when we sit you down to tell you that Rosario Dawson was in Clerks II, you rustle in your memory to recall that there was a Clerks II and that it was completely inessential, but Rosario Dawson was totally in it. Now you remember the sober-and-healthy Jason Mewes, you remember the pasty-faced Jeff Anderson, the donkey show… hey, you remember a lot of this movie, don’t you? And just in time for a Clerks III too. Wait, how did that one end? How is there another Clerks?

Speaking to Den of Geek’s U.S. affiliate, Dawson revealed that Kevin Smith has confirmed that she’s in the planned third Clerks, though she knows nothing else, particularly regarding a shooting date. Dawson played Becky in the second film, the love interest of put-upon Dante (Brian O’Halloran), nonetheless way out of his league. Almost everything that Dawson does doesn’t deserve her: it’s not certain how such a talented leading lady has been stuck in such forgettable roles, seducing roly-polys like O’Halloran and Kevin James in the intolerable The Zookeeper.

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‘Wonder Woman’ Gal Gadot Signs Three-Picture Deal with Warner Bros.

Gal Gadot, the Israeli actress who was recently cast as Wonder Woman, has signed a three-picture deal with Warner Bros., Variety has confirmed.

We’re told Gadot will play the role in not only the upcoming “Batman-Superman” flick, but in a Justice League movie and a Wonder Woman standalone film.

The Israeli entertainment show “Good Evening with Gai Pines” reported that Gadot will earn $300,000 per film.

The untitled “Batman-Superman” film was originally scheduled to open next year, but has been pushed back to May 6, 2016.

Batman 1966 TV Series Catwoman 1:8 Scale Model Kit

Batman 1966 TV Series Catwoman 1:8 Scale Model Kit

$34.99 - Entertainment Earth

If anyone can get under Batman's skin, it's that most feline of foes, Catwoman! This model kit features a remarkable likeness of the sensational Julie Newmar as Catwoman. She stands about 9-inches tall when fully assembled, stacked with accessories like a whip, Cat-pistols, and cat statues, all atop a Batcave rock display base.

Julie Newmar as Catwoman!
Includes optional whip, cat-pistols, and cat statues.
Requires paint and glue, not included.

If anyone can get under Batman's skin, it's that most feline of foes, Catwoman! Featuring a remarkable likeness of the sensational Julie Newmar as Catwoman, this Batman 1966 TV Series Catwoman 1:8 Scale Model Kit stands about 9-inches tall when fully assembled. The styrene kit includes an optional whip, cat-pistols, and cat statues, all atop a Batcave rock display base. Requires paint and glue, not included.

"Godzilla: Awakening" Announced

Legendary Pictures has announced a graphic novel movie tie-in, Godzilla: Awakening.

According to We Are Movie Geeks.com :

You can experience Legendary’s GODZILLA before it hits theaters in the all-new graphic novel ‘Godzilla: Awakening’, on sale May 7th Get all the info here: 

http://bit.ly/GZAwakening 

Co-written by Greg Borenstein and Max Borenstein (screenwriter of the forthcoming movie), this epic adventure, set decades before the film, is the perfect way for fans to experience the new Godzilla before seeing it in theaters.

2014 Godzilla Will Also Be Set In 1954

Photo from the Monster Island News collection - http://www.monsterislandnews.com/godzillastill1.html

From Cosmic Book News

Some details from an interview back in October come to light revealing that the new Godzilla movie will be in part set in 1954.

As fans will note, the first Godzilla movie came out in 1954, and now cinematographer on the new film, Seamus McGarvey, lets it be known they will be going back to the franchise roots for the Gareth Edwards version.

"On Godzilla I used the old C series anamorphic lenses, and for the section in 1954 I used really old vintage lenses from the early 1960s," McGarvey told Pushing-Pixels.org. "They took the edge off of the very vivid, sharp sensors, and gave it a distant period feel. That’s exciting as glass is coming back in terms of lending difference to each project that we do. It’s nice to be able to interfere with image, to sort of mess it up a bit."

"For example, for the 1950s section on Godzilla I knew that the look I wanted was a peeled look with muted colors and diffusion on the highlights, a sense of period distance," McGarvey continued.

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‘Monster bar’ attracting customers

From The Japan News

Gaping mouths, gigantic horns, piercing slanted eyes—with more than 100 scary yet approachable “monsters” on the counter and shelves, customers cheerfully chat about monsters at a bar in Nakano, Tokyo.

Takao Nakano opened the Dai-kaiju Saron (big monster bar) in 2011 in a shopping arcade near JR Nakano Station, with the aim of turning it into a place similar to a mom-and-pop candy store, where children would get together.

Nakano, 51, who also works as a film director, opens the cafe-bar on Wednesdays and the second Saturday of each month, renting the space from an acquaintance on those days.

Mucho the hostess monster welcomes customers to the bar. Monster costumes and figures in the bar were made by Nakano’s friend, Piko-Piko, 45, a self-claimed “monster artist.”

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The Amazing Spider-Man 2 Viral Site Teases Possible Cloning Subplot

From Cinema Blend

By this point, I’m convinced the official Amazing Spider-Man 2 viral site, The Daily Bugle, exists solely to educate casual Spidey fans on the plethora of villains in the Marvel hero’s arsenal, knowing full well Marc Webb and his team can’t get to all of these dudes – or even a sliver of them – without cranking out at least 50 Spidey sequels.

The latest villain tease by the site is Dr. Miles Warren, who is enrolling students in his controversial biogenetics class at Empire State University in Manhattan. If you picked up a Spider-Man comic back in the day, you might remember that Miles Warren went on to become Jackal after experimenting with dangerous, non-ethical cloning methods. But before going completely evil, Warren fell in love with Gwen Stacy (played by Emma Stone in the current run of films), and went crazy after his beloved died at the hands of the Green Goblin. (See my latest Comic Book Collector Report for more info)

There’s a much larger story at play if Sony is insisting that Warren exists in this universe. It was revealed, in time, that a Jackal who died in a Shae Stadium battle was a clone created by Warren. Later, Stacy herself returned in clone form… a fact that drove Peter Parker insane.

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Avengers Now Captain America ArtFx+ 1:10 Scale Statue

Avengers Now Captain America ArtFx+ 1:10 Scale Statue

Price: $54.99 - Entertainment Earth

$54.99 - Amazon.com


Captain America comes to the line of ArtFX+ statues!
Highly detailed statue of the First Avenger in the 1:10 scale.
Cap measures 7 1/2-inches tall!

Kotobukiya's ArtFX+ line continues with part of the Marvel Comics Avengers team with the Captain America Avengers Now ArtFX+ Statue! Based on concept artwork by Adi Granov created specifically for Kotobukiya's Avengers Now ArtFX+ series, Captain America comes straight off the comic page in a classic Hulk pose. Beautifully sculpted in 1:10 scale, Captain America stands strong at 7 1/2-inches tall, clothed in his iconic patriotic garb. Captain America features magnets embedded in the feet for extra stability on the included base! The First Avenger looks great on his own, but is even more impressive displayed with the rest of the Avengers team, also coming to the Kotobukiya's ArtFX+ line!

Star Trek The Original Series Fine Art Poster Set 10

Star Trek The Original Series Fine Art Poster Set 10

Price: $34.99 - Entertainment Earth

$40.99 - Amazon.com


Fine art posters from Star Trek's original series!
Beautiful retro-style prints from TOS Episodes 11, 55, 56, and 74.
Limited to just a single run of printings!

Star Trek The Original Series Fine Art Poster Set 10 is an amazing lot of fine-art posters that true fans of the Star Trek television show's original series simply cannot do without. Set 10 features 4 retro-style Star Trek posters from TOS Episode 11 "The Menagerie" Part 1, Episode 55 "Assignment: Earth," Episode 56 "Spock's Brain," and Episode 74 "Requiem for Methuselah." Each print measures 24-inches tall x 18-inches wide and is limited to a single run only!

This is the tenth set in a line of retro-style art prints by artist Juan Ortiz that all take inspiration from The Original Series. There is a poster for every episode of the original Star Trek television series, including the first pilot, making 80 in all. Collect them all!

Size: 24-inches tall

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Steven Moffat: Matt Smith is the best and bravest Time Lord of them all

From Radio Times

Steven Moffat told Matt Smith that he was the “best and bravest time Lord of them all” when bidding farewell to the actor on the set of the Doctor Who Christmas Special.

In the BBC’s DVD extras release of the Christmas special episode, The Time of the Doctor, the showunner is shown delivering his eulogy to an emotional Smith on the final day of filming.

Paying tribute to him Moffat says: “I’m glad I don’t have two hearts because they would both be breaking at the moment.

“I have a complaint against time travel. I would like today not to have arrived. Everybody: a big round of applause for the best and bravest Time Lord of them all: Matt Smith.”

Smith is shown embracing Moffat and, in common with his predecessor David Tennant, was then presented with his Sonic Screwdriver from the show.

Smith also confessed to being too emotional to speak on the DVD at one point.

The interview material also sees Moffat disclose that he and Smith agreed that the manner of the farewell of his Doctor would not be “triumphant.”

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Disneyland Is Remodeling Tomorrowland Based on Star Wars: Episode VII

From IGN

Add Disneyland’s Imagineers to the list of people who know more about the plot of Star Wars: Episode VII than you. The House of Mouse has big plans for Episode VII in its Anaheim-based theme park. Of course, these installations can’t be built overnight so the park’s designers needed J.J. Abrams to spill the beans on Episode VII's super secret story even before the script and casting are complete.

“The Imagineers assigned to the Star Wars Tomorrowland project have now been debriefed on the characters and plotlines coming for Star Wars Episode VII that opens in theaters in about two years. The original plan for Disneyland’s Tomorrowland relied heavily on characters and plot points from the first three Star Wars films, with attractions like a Millenium Falcon walk-thru on the old PeopleMover platform, a wild Tatooine cantina replacing Tomorrowland Terrace, and a speeder bike ride through an Ewok village where Autopia currently sits. Those key attractions are all still part of phase two, but they are being layered or tweaked to include references from Episode VII that will be released in theaters at least 18 months before any of those attractions open.”

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Ogopogo: Canada's Loch Ness Monster

From Live Science

Scotland's Loch Ness may have the fame as far as lake monsters go, but for many monster searchers (often dubbed cryptozoologists), Ogopogo — a creature said to lurk in Canada's Lake Okanagan — is the most likely and best documented of all lake monsters.

For cryptozoologists like John Kirk of the British Columbia Scientific Cryptozoology Club, "The catalogue of films and video of Ogopogo are more numerous and of better quality than anything I have personally seen at Loch Ness and I believe that several of them are very persuasive that a large, living, unknown creature inhabits the lake."

Early Indian legends

There are dozens of reputed lake monsters around the world, but what makes Ogopogo especially interesting is its previous incarnation, according to legend, as a bloodthirsty killer. Ogopogo, some believe, has its roots in native Canadian Indian legends of a beast called N'ha-a-itk (also spelled Naitaka) that would demand a live sacrifice from travelers for safe passage across Lake Okanagan. Hundreds of years ago, whenever Indians would venture into the lake, they brought chickens or other small animals to kill and drop into the water to assure a safe journey.

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Airline Pulls Playboy Bunnies for Flirty 2014 Flight Attendant Calendar

From Jaunted

Bought your naughty flight attendant calendar for 2014 yet? There are some solid options already, like Ryanair's bikinis and AirBaltic's beauties, but Nok Air's bunnies may take the cake.

Nok, a budget airline based in Bangkok, called up Playboy Thailand and collaborated with the men's publication to choose the "10 Hottest Bunnies" to star alongside Nok's colorful fleet of Boeing 737s (and ATR 72s) for a 2014 calendar. There's no word on the cost of the calendar, but it's safe to assume that passengers may buy them onboard Nok's flights.

This isn't the first time Nok has invited outside ladies to stand in for their actual staff. For their 2013 calendar, Nok partnered up with Maxim to shoot glamor models posing in and around their planes.

Want to see what real Nok flight attendants look like? We flew the budget airline on a brief flight from Bangkok to Phuket and filed a full review and photos.

Raze Is a Grim Tale of Female Fights to the Death -- for Sport

From The Village Voice

Girl fight! If that phrase makes your pulse quicken, Raze may be the movie for you. Or, it may cure you forever of the desire to see women growl, bite, and brawl.

Sabrina (played by Zoë Bell; read our interview with her) has been kidnapped, awakening in a barren cell, only to be thrown into a gladiator pit alongside another young woman.

If Sabrina doesn't use her handy-dandy kick-fighting skills to slay her opponent, her daughter will be killed. Sabrina is one of 50 women who are being forced to fight one another to the death, all for the amusement of rich patrons watching via a live video feed.

The stark prison Sabrina and a half dozen final contestants inhabit make the torture ...

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Twin Peaks revival not happening, says co-creator Mark Frost

From The Guardian

Excitement around a potential revival of the cult TV show Twin Peaks has been quelled by creator Mark Frost

• David Lynch's special issue of Guardian Film & Music

Fans of David Lynch's TV series Twin Peaks have long been hoping for more white horses, Log Ladies and slices of cherry pie since it finished in 1991, and excitement about its return exploded after a casting call for the show was posted online. But the co-creator of the show, Mark Frost, has gone on Twitter to call it "another strange baseless rumor".

The callout from Sande Alessi Casting read: "Twin Peaks Promo. Directed by David Lynch. Shoots in Los Angeles on Tuesday, January 7, 2014... Hot Caucasian girl – Brunette Or Redheads Only to play waitress. Age 18-27. Must have an amazing body. Busty, very period looking face." There are reports that a Blu-Ray boxset of the show is being prepared, with spin-off film Fire Walk With Me included.

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Matt Reeves Will Return to Direct ‘Planet of the Apes 3′

From Variety

20th Century Fox appears to be happy (and confident) with Matt Reeves’ work on the upcoming “Dawn of the Planet of the Apes,” having already enlisted him to direct the next installment, too.

The third “Planet of the Apes” feature is currently untitled and Chernin Entertainment will return as producers.

Deadline Hollywood was the first to report the news.

The franchise is a major priority for the studio after “Rise of the Planet of the Apes” overperformed grossing $482 million at the box office while also receiving very favorable reviews when it was released in the summer of 2011.

The sequel, starring Jason Clarke, Andy Serkis and Gary Oldman, will open July 11.

Reeves is repped by CAA.

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Katee Sackhoff Playfully Lobbies J.J. Abrams For A Star Wars Audition

From Cinema Blend

Everybody wants to be in the Star Wars: Episode VII. Strike that. Let me clarify. If you are a working actor, you likely would trade an immediate family member for the opportunity to audition before J.J. Abrams and the LucasFilm team for a role in the upcoming sequel. It isn’t news to say that someone wants to be in the movie, but we’re shining a light on this particular person because we tend to agree she’d be an excellent fit.

Katee Sackhoff wants Abrams’ attention. In an interview with Total Film (shared via ComingSoon), the badass Battlestar Galactica star used her time with a reporter to state how much she adores the Star Wars universe, how important her voice work on The Clone Wars was, and how she’d do anything to once again be part of that world (sung in the best Little Mermaid voice we could muster). Sackhoff said:

"Star Wars meant everything to me growing up. Star Wars was, I mean, it was the first time I remember seeing three movies that all kind of went together. It was just an amazing final understanding of what a trilogy was...I was absolutely obsessed, I mean I wanted to be... The sad thing is, I never wanted to be Princess Leia, I always wanted to be Han Solo! [laughs] I've never really been drawn to these female roles, but I think that The Clone Wars was so much fun for me to play, I mean a warrior... If J.J. would listen, I would play a rock in the Star Wars movies. I think that they're fantastic, I think that he's a great choice, and I'm excited to see what happens in that world."

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Cheers to the aliens: Sci-Fi Hotel, Giger Bar coming to US?

From Cnet

When Andy Davies, founder of Sci-Fi Hotel, decided to move forward with plans to build a "cat tree for geeks" (his words), it seemed a no-brainer that he would have to include an out-of-this-world bar to toast his accomplishment.

To this end, Davies set up a meeting with Swiss artist H.R. Giger to talk about bringing a version of Switzerland's famous Giger Bar to the United States.

The H.R. Giger Bar is a work of art in itself, boasting a comprehensive "Alien" biomechanical environment -- from floor to ceiling to furniture -- all designed by the artist.

In addition to the bar at the Chateau St. Germain in Gruyeres (which opened in 2003), there's also one in Giger's birthplace of Chur, Switzerland, (which opened in 1992). The Gruyeres location is also part of the Museum H.R. Giger.

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'X-Men: Apocalypse': Bryan Singer teases new film 'will address mutant origins' -- Exclusive

From Entertainment Weekly

X-Men: Days of Future Past doesn’t come out until May but director Bryan Singer has already begun teasing fans with details on Past‘s planned follow-up, X-Men: Apocalypse, tentatively set for release in 2016. First, there was the cryptic announcement tweet in early December. Then, he tweeted a photo of a work session with Past writer Simon Kinberg and X2 scribes Dan Harris and Michael Dougherty.

The question is Will Singer direct this X-Men installment? Maybe. “I’m co-writing the story and I’m producing it,” says the director. “I’m negotiating to direct. We’re in the process. We’re trying to figure it out, schedules. My desire would be to direct it.”

While this summer’s The Wolverine introduced the plot for Past in its final moments, Singer reveals he’s still not sure whether Past will feature an Apocalypse tease. “I’m still deciding that,” he says. “Something that happens in this movie causes what’s going to happen in that movie.”

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Rocky and Bullwinkle Mr. Peabody Pop! Vinyl Figure

Rocky and Bullwinkle Mr. Peabody Pop! Vinyl Figure

Price $9.99 - Entertainment Earth

Mr. Peabody - the world's smartest inhabitant - is coming to you in the Pop! Vinyl form! This Rocky and Bullwinkle Mr. Peabody Pop! Vinyl Figure features the dog genius in all his classic splendor, a knowing look on his bespectacled face. Measuring 3 3/4-inches tall, fans of The Rocky and Bullwinkle Show, specifically the segments with Mr. Peabody and Sherman, will not want to miss out on this great stylized vinyl figure!

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Doctor Who: A new era begins as Peter Capaldi starts filming today

From Radio Times

For Doctor Who fans today is the beginning of a new era – the day Peter Capaldi films his first full episodes as the Doctor.

Those eager to find out what Capaldi's Time Lord will be wearing after he sheds Matt Smith's tweed jacket, will be scouring the internet for details of the Cardiff location where filming will take place for the eighth series.

Capaldi has already got into the spirit of his new life by attending Sunday’s screening at Bafta Cymru of the second Sherlock episode, another show overseen by Doctor Who stalwarts Mark Gatiss and showrunner Steven Moffat.

Already, his approach to the role has been the subject of fevered speculation, with a generation of fans unused to a more seasoned actor playing the Doctor.

At 55, Capaldi is just two months younger than the first and oldest Doctor, William Hartnell, when the first ever episode aired – while Matt Smith was just 26 when he took on the role.

Details of the costume are being kept firmly under wraps, although his look is expected to mix old and new, according to sources.

Earlier this year, Moffat revealed that Capaldi is quite particular about his appearance, pointing out that “he likes his clothes….he’s got very strong opinions about clothes, he’s very dashing".

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Godzilla: the legendary monster's greatest movies

From Yahoo!

COMMENT | As the latest take on 'Godzilla' comes stomping portentously in our direction, we cast an eye back over some of the highlights of the long-running monster movie series.

Despite how universally known and loved Toho's King of the Monsters is, it can be a challenge for UK-based viewers nowadays to get to know him. Not only is he in so very many movies - Gareth Edwards' 2014 film will be the 30th - but they can also prove tricky to come by, as the vast majority of them are not widely available on Region 2 DVD.

But, if you're either a Godzilla novice or a one-time fan looking to get re- acquainted, and you've got the time and money to spare (plus a region-free DVD player) - here, to this writer's mind, are the true essentials that'll really give you a sense of what the Big G is all about.

Oh, and in case this doesn't go without saying, the 1998 Hollywood production from Roland Emmerich most definitely does not belong on this list. (I don't think it's quite as bad as some claim, but it's a half-baked 'Jurassic Park' wannabe, not a 'Godzilla' movie.)

Gojira (1954)

There is, of course, no better place to start than the very beginning - and it's sure to be the best warm-up for the new movie, which has promised from the get-go to return to the genuine menace and horror of the original. A far more sinister outing than those that followed, Ishiro Honda's 'Gojira' is more than a monster movie - it's one of the true classics of Japanese cinema, and a stark comment on the plight of Japan in the aftermath of World War II.

Be sure to track down the original 'Gojira,' as opposed to 'Godzilla: King of the Monsters,' the re-edited version designed for US audiences with additional scenes starring Raymond Burr.

King Kong vs. Godzilla (1962)

This is arguably where what we now think of as the classic monster movie format came into being. While Godzilla had battled another monster, Anguirus, in first sequel 'Godzilla Raids Again' (1955), it was 'King Kong vs. Godzilla' that first saw two equally huge, equally iconic monsters duke it out - in full colour, no less.

Henceforth, the series moved from something genuinely grim and menacing to a more cartoonish, kid-friendly spectacle.

Invasion of Astro-Monster AKA Monster Zero (1965)

And here was where the series sky-rocketed into childish fantasy nirvana. The once terrifying big G is now established as Earth's protector, and along with the winged wonder Rodan he is transported via flying saucer to Planet X, to do battle for the second time with arguably the most iconic of his adversaries - the three-headed dragon King Ghidorah.

It's undeniably fun, even if it is among the silliest of the series; look out for Godzilla's now-infamous 'happy moment' dance.

Destroy All Monsters (1968)

45 years before 'The Avengers' showed up, Toho showed the world how a super-powered cross-franchise showdown was done, bringing together all their monsters for a mighty showdown which was initially intended to end the series. As well as being a major fan favourite, this entry is sadly one of the trickiest to get these days, with copies changing hands for upwards of £60.

It may be of even greater interest soon, however - as Gareth Edwards has hinted that, should he get to make a sequel to this year's 'Godzilla,' 'Destroy All Monsters' may be a key influence.

Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah (1991)

Really, take any movie which sets Godzilla against Ghidorah and you can't go too far wrong. The 80s and 90s productions saw the monsters given a more fearsome redesign, and boasted more spectacular man-in-suit brawls. The time-hopping sci-fi narrative is as bonkers as usual, but it's worth it just to see a seemingly defeated Ghidorah come back for round two with a cyborg head.

This can be found in a two-film Region 1 DVD set with 1992's 'Godzilla and Mothra: the Battle for Earth,' which is also well worth watching.

Godzilla, Mothra and King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All-Out Attack (2001)

The title alone is among the best the series ever came up with, and as it might imply this is one of the very best for sheer monster-on-monster action. It might also prove a good one to watch before the new Hollywood movie, as - for once - it makes Godzilla the bad guy again.

In so doing, it takes the unusual step of turning the generally villainous Ghildorah into a goodie, sent to save the world from the Big G along with Mothra (as well as smaller monster Baragon, who wasn't given credit in the title, poor thing).

Ken's Opinion - Wow! What a great list. I agree 100% ... wait ... "Godzilla vs King Ghidorah"?  Okay, that one gives me a headache. Try "Godzilla vs The Thing" or "Godzilla vs MechaGodzilla".

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North Carolina politician pens resignation letter in Klingon

From Fox News

Call it a politician boldly going where no one has gone before.

On Thursday, David Waddell used the Klingon language to write his letter of resignation from the Indian Trail Town Council in North Carolina.

Waddell says he opted to use Klingon, the language of a warrior race on the "Star Trek" TV shows and movies, as an inside joke. Mayor Michael Alvarez is calling the letter unprofessional.

Waddell says he is resigning at the end of this month. His four-year term expires in December 2015.

Waddell says he also needs to devote time to mounting a write-in campaign on the Constitution Party's platform against U.S. Sen. Kay Hagan.

Ken's Opinion - What's the big deal? I always quite a job by exclaiming, "Beam me the hell outta here, Scotty!"

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5 Most Awesome Giant Monster Movies From 'Big Ass Spider!' Director Mike Mendez!

From Bloody Disgusting

Epic Pictures will be releasing Big Ass Spider!, the movie that features a giant arachnid terrorizing Los Angeles, on digital download, DVD and Blu-ray tomorrow, January 7.

In Mike Mendez’s (Real Killers, The Gravedancers) creature comedy, “The unlikely heroic duo of a blue-collar exterminator (Greg Grunberg) and Latino security guard (Lombardo Boyar) must save the day when a giant spider escapes from a military lab and rampages the city of Los Angeles.”

To celebrate the release, Bloody Disgusting caught up with Mendez who shared his picks for “5 Most Awesome Giant Monster Movies”!

1. Them

“Giant ants are pretty cool and you get the military versus giant ants. The effects were very innovative for the time. It’s one of the classics. Plus it was the beginning of the atomic age monsters. Also a great cast like James Arness & Fess Parker.”

Ken's Opinion - Major kudos for listing "Them!(1954)" as the number one pick ... but any list without Godzilla (Gojira, 1954) is a thumbs down!

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