BREAKING NEWS: Movies

Who Is Kate Bishop? Marvel’s New Hawkeye Explained

Sun, 19 Sep 2021 00:02:58 +0000

Kate Bishop took over the Hawkeye codename from Clint Barton in Marvel Comics and the master marksman will officially pass on his superhero mantle to Kate in the Disney+ series, Hawkeye. But how did Kate acquire the Hawkeye moniker in the comics to begin with?

Katherine Bishop, who went by "Kate" from a young age, was first introduced in Young Avengers #1 in 2005. She was the youngest in her family and was often overcome with loneliness. Kate's father was busy with his work and her mother was estranged from the family before she tragically passed away. Despite Kate's feeling of isolation growing up, she always had an urge to help others.

Kate's prominence in Marvel Comics has grown in recent years. She became the third character to portray Hawkeye in the Marvel Universe, following Clint and Wyatt McDonald. Kate primarily worked alongside the Young Avengers but she also went on to spend a lot of time as Clint's partner. Clint was the first one to show Kate that anyone had the potential to be a superhero. Kate also taught Clint quite a few life lessons during their time working together.

Kate Bishop came from a wealthy family in Manhattan. She didn't have a great relationship with her father, Derek, especially after she found that he had been doing dangerous business dealings with a bad crowd. Kate was then kidnapped and held hostage by one of Derek's enemies. The Avengers rescued the young girl and she was instantly drawn to Hawkeye. Kate was enamored by the fact that Hawkeye was a superhero who relied on his own skills to fight, not special abilities.

Sometime after, Kate Bishop was assaulted in Central Park, an event that left her traumatized. She turned to combat training and self-defense as a way to heal her mind. Kate also took up swordplay, and more importantly, archery. During her sister's wedding, Kate put her new skills on display after the Young Avengers arrived to protect her guests during an ambush. The Young Avengers team got themselves trapped during the event and Kate was the one who ended up saving them.

Kate tracked down the Young Avengers to their headquarters and forced her way onto their team. During their battle against Kang the Conqueror, Kate took gear she found around the Avengers Mansion to create her own superhero look. She wore Mockingbird's mask, Black Widow's utility belt, and Hawkeye's bow. Kate effectively assisted in the defeat of Kang the Conqueror but the Avengers had different feelings about their young counterparts.

Captain America and Iron Man ordered that the Young Avengers disband, refusing to train them without the consent of their parents. Kate refused to break up the group so she led them to a new lair and acquired new equipment and weapons. When one of the Young Avengers got hurt, Kate blamed Captain America for not training them properly. Captain America then sent her Clint Barton's bow and arrows with a note addressed to "Hawkeye." Kate Bishop was the only person, besides Clint, to stand up to Captain America so she was urged to take over the Hawkeye codename and she accepted the new role.

During the Civil War story arc in Marvel Comics, Clint Barton sided with Captain America. After the death of Captain America, Clint was offered Cap's suit and shield. Kate Bishop confronted him and claimed that he wasn't honoring Captain America's legacy by wearing the suit. This made Clint have a change of heart so he gave up the gear and forged his own path (Bucky, the former Winter Soldier, then became Captain America for a time).

During Young Avengers Presents #6, Clint continued testing Kate Bishop to see if she was truly capable of taking over the Hawkeye mantle. He kept popping up with surprise attacks under his disguise as Ronin but Kate never backed down from the fight. In Clint's eyes, she was worthy enough to take over the bow and arrow. He shed his Ronin disguise and officially revealed himself as Clint. He tried to mentor her but she was intimidated enough to give up the bow for a bit. Later in the comic book series, Clint advocated for the Secret Avengers to act as mentors for the Young Avengers. Kate accepted her professional relationship with Clint and claimed the Hawkeye name as a legacy hero.

Kate Bishop took part in the Secret Invasion storyline when the Skrulls invaded Earth. When she was knocked out during the battle, Clint used her bow and arrows to fight on the frontline with the rest of the heroes. Kate also participated in stopping Norman Osborn's siege of Asgard alongside the Young Avengers, New Avengers, and Secret Warriors. After the Siege, Clint proclaimed that there was enough room in the world for two Hawkeyes.

Kate Bishop and Clint Barton partnered up in the more recent Hawkeye comic book series. The duo focused on street-level crime, rather than the more traditional superhero missions. The pair worked well together but Kate eventually needed space so she moved to Los Angeles. It was there that she got caught up with a future version of Old Man Logan. Kate and Clint later reteamed to go to a Hydra base for a secret mission to help SHIELD. During Civil War II, Kate sided with Iron Man and felt the fallout after Clint killed Hulk. Kate then moved back to Los Angeles to start her own detective agency, Hawkeye Investigations.

The upcoming Disney+ series, Hawkeye, will focus on Clint Barton passing on the Hawkeye mantle to Kate Bishop. The miniseries, which will debut on the streaming service on November 24, 2021, features Jeremy Renner reprising his MCU role as Clint. The first Hawkeye trailer revealed how Clint crosses paths with Kate, who appears on the scene wearing the former Avenger's Ronin costume, the one he sported after going rogue and killing those he didn't think deserved to live in the wake of Thanos' snap in the five years after Avengers: Infinity War. Kate Bishop will be portrayed by Hailee Steinfeld in the series and, if the Hawkeye trailer is any indication, she will be a big part of the storyline (and the action) as Clint faces the consequences of his past as Ronin. Kate will work alongside Clint throughout the series and will likely take up the mantle of Hawkeye in an official capacity by the end of season 1.

Next: Hawkeye Trailer Breakdown: 25 Secrets & Reveals

Hawkeye Being A Christmas Story Can Outdo Iron Man 3

Sat, 18 Sep 2021 23:54:25 +0000

Marvel’s upcoming Hawkeye TV series is set to be a Christmas story, and that gives it a chance to outdo Iron Man 3. The trailer for Hawkeye makes it clear that, as well as mentoring Kate Bishop and trying to survive retribution for his actions during the Blip, Clint Barton will spend the series trying to get home to his family in time for Christmas. It is unclear how the Yelena Belova (Florence Pugh) tease from the post-credits scene from Black Widow will play into this.

Clint Barton (Jeremy Renner) is the final Phase 1 hero to receive a standalone story centered on his character, narrowly falling behind Natasha Romanoff's Black Widow. Hawkeye will introduce his protégé, Kate Bishop (Hailee Steinfeld). Producer Trinh Tin has said that the series will be “grounded and funny, packed to the brim with Christmas spirit,” which will set it apart from much of the MCU timeline. The trailer confirmed this as it juxtaposed explosive action scenes with Clint's traditional dead-pan humor and jaunty Christmas music.

Only one previous entry into the MCU was set at Christmas, and that was Iron Man 3. While the last standalone Tony Stark movie has background trapping of Christmas and a message that arguably parallels aspects of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, it does very little with the setting beyond that. This might be in part because Tony Stark is so alone at this point in his life, and a lot of the traditional scenes expected from a Christmas movie rely on a sense of community that his reunion with Pepper Potts as they watch his suits explode cannot entirely pay off.

The MCU is set to embrace seasonal entries with the planned 2022 The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special, but long before that arrives Hawkeye is already poised to become the MCU’s definitive Christmas story. A key part of Clint Barton’s narrative throughout the MCU has been his focus on family and community. The loss of his family to Thanos’ snap destroys such a central element of him that he goes off the rails for a long time, and the close connection between Natasha and the Barton family highlights the importance of found family. The series promises to play up all of these aspects with the trailer suggesting that Kate Bishop will become part of Barton's found family and that his relationship with his family will play a major part of the series.

The release timeline for Hawkeye fits perfectly for this Christmas story plan as it is set to premiere on November 24 2021 with its final episode airing on December 29. However, it is also a slightly odd direction for Marvel to take at this point. While the MCU has often dealt with political issues, it has traditionally steered clear of religion or associating itself with particular religious festivals. This has presumably been in an effort to appeal to a wider and more global audience. So while Hawkeye will almost certainly make better use of the season than Iron Man 3, it will be interesting to see how some viewers respond.

Next: MCU Theory: Hawkeye's Trailer Secretly Explains Black Widow's Credits Scene

Phase 4 Will Celebrate What Makes Hawkeye The Worst Avenger

Sat, 18 Sep 2021 23:51:39 +0000

Marvel's Phase 4 is poised to finally celebrate Hawkeye as the terrible Avenger he is. After months of speculation, it was recently confirmed Hailee Steinfeld is indeed playing Kate Bishop in Marvel's Disney+ series Hawkeye. The mentor-mentee relationship between Jeremy Renner's Clint Barton and Kate is set to be the focus of the series, which will pick up after the events of Avengers: Endgame.

For a long time, Natasha Romanoff (Scarlett Johansson) and Clint Barton were the only two Phase 1 heroes who had been denied their own standalone property. Phase 4 is addressing that, first with Natasha's Black Widow movie and now with the upcoming Disney+ series, Hawkeye. While there's no preexisting story it's closely sticking to and adapting, the series seems to be borrowing heavily from writer Matt Fraction and artist David Aja's Hawkeye: My Life As a Weapon comic book run. That comic book made Clint Barton cool precisely because he was so uncool.

With any luck, Fraction and Aja's lowkey vibe will translate over to the Disney+ series. Hawkeye will celebrate exactly why Clint's the worst Avenger – which is honestly what makes him great. Of course, it depends on how the word "worst" is interpreted here. If judging the Avengers by superpowers, unearthly skills, superhuman abilities, or magic, then, yes, Clint is by far the worst Avenger. He doesn't have any major powers or abilities. He doesn't have billion-dollar gadgets. He's not even an enhanced human like Natasha. He's just human – even if some fans want to argue otherwise – which is ultimately his strength.

Clint knows it, too. In Avengers: Age of Ultron, the only movie in the Marvel Cinematic Universe to offer a glimpse of Fraction and Aja's iteration of Hawkeye so far, Clint is very much aware he's all too human. On the surface, his skills are laughable when stacked up next to demigods, super soldiers, hi-tech billionaires, and a legion of unstoppable droids led by an insane robot. "The city is flying and we're fighting an army of robots. And I have a bow and arrow," he says with the unmistakable deadpan and self-deprecating humor of Fraction's voice.

The trailer for the Hawkeye Disney+ series looks set to lean into that deadpan humor as Clint Barton quips his way through dangerous action sequences all juxtaposed to jaunty Christmas music. By exploring this side of the character, Marvel will finally be able to give Clint his due. More, it will embrace exactly that which makes him the worst Avenger but arguably the greatest hero: his humanity. Clint spends the comic book series banged up, bloody, and nursing some injury or another. Many of the panels show him with a bandage on some part of his body, along with his on-again, off-again hearing aid. It underscores what makes Hawkeye great. It's easy to be heroic and run headlong into a fight when you're near-indestructible or have super-strength or a flying suit of armor. But it's beyond brave to run into that same fight when you're a human whose bones can easily break and whose only protection is a recurve bow and some trick arrows. Hawkeye is set to explore the determination and bravery that drive Clint to do what he does despite the dangers.

The MCU Phase 4 may also show another side of Clint rarely seen with comic book heroes: their downtime. The Marvel movies have arguably dived deeper into character development and off-superhero hours better than any other franchise. The party scene in Avengers: Age of Ultron or the raw, grief-filled conversation between Natasha and Steve Rogers in Avengers: Endgame both spring to mind. Even for the MCU's willingness to humanize its characters, however, the movies simply don't spend a lot of time with them when they're not in Avengers mode. The format of Hawkeye as a series on Disney+ will give Marvel more time to explore the character. The show seems particularly ready to lean into this as the Barton family is set to be a key element of the show, seeing Hawkeye juggle training Kate Bishop, dealing with international crime rings, and trying to get home to his family in time for Christmas. All of this offers the opportunity to see Clint not when he's being a hero, but when he's just being a human trying to get by. Finally, everyone's favorite worst Avenger will be celebrated as he deserves.

Next: Hawkeye's MCU Show Is Marvel's Daredevil Replacement

Guillermo Del Toro Is Now The Director Tim Burton Used To Be

Sat, 18 Sep 2021 22:16:18 +0000

Nightmare Alley's Guillermo del Toro has become the revered dark fantasy director that Tim Burton used to be decades ago. Armed with an incredible ability to craft haunting visuals, develop fascinating fantasy worlds, and use old-school concepts and techniques to create singular auteur films, del Toro is arguably the definitive dark fantasy/gothic horror director of the modern era. And in many ways, his success in directing dark, artistic, and often bizarre movies is a continuation of the style of filmmaking established by Tim Burton back in the 1980s.

Beginning with the Spanish-language vampire masterpiece Cronos in 1993, Guillermo del Toro quickly established himself as a unique voice in genre storytelling. With each new film, his visual style became more refined, and his cult following rapidly transformed into mainstream success. Del Toro's 2017 opus The Shape of Water earned him his first Oscar for directing, and also took home the statue for Best Picture. Nightmare Alley will be del Toro's next film, and is scheduled to release in December of 2021.

Over the course of nearly three decades of filmmaking, del Toro has remained an auteur director with a clear creative vision for his films. Instead of becoming a "director for hire," del Toro spearheads the ideas and design for his films, lending them a style that is uniquely his own. This approach isn't unlike the one Tim Burton used during his rise as a director in the 1980s and 1990s, but instead of sticking with his own visual style and continuing to pursue auteur filmmaking, Burton instead drifted away from the genre, leaving directors like del Toro to pick up the slack.

While the directing, aesthetic, and storytelling styles of Guillermo del Toro and Tim Burton are very different, their approach to working within the realm of cinematic dark fantasy is comparable. Films in Burton's oeuvre like Beetlejuice (1988), Edward Scissorhands (1990), and Mars Attacks (1996) all tackle supernatural/fantasy/sci-fi concepts in a unique way that only Burton's creative mind could've pulled off, and even films like Batman (1989) and Ed Wood (1994) bear his unique approach to material that was not his own.

Unfortunately, projects like Beetlejuice and Ed Wood would become less common in Burton's filmography after the 1990s. Instead of sticking with directing films in his well-known style, Burton began taking "director for hire" jobs like Planet of the Apes (2001), Alice in Wonderland (2010), and Dumbo (2019), which felt more like studio productions than examples of Burton letting his imagination run wild as it had in his earlier work. Conversely, del Toro stuck with his style, infusing it all of his films (even "director for hire" projects like 2002's Blade 2) and transforming it into a respected brand. Thanks to films like The Shape of Water and Nightmare Alley, director Guillermo del Toro has easily become the biggest name in dark fantasy film today, slipping effortlessly into the role that Tim Burton has left vacant for so many years.

Next: The Addams Family Reboot Can Rescue Tim Burton's Career

Cry Macho Review: Clint Eastwood's Latest Western Isn't One of His Best

Sat, 18 Sep 2021 22:15:19 +0000

Over Clint Eastwood's decades-long career, the Western is a genre in which he's made a considerable impact. Some of his finest works, including Best Picture winner Unforgiven, were Westerns, which is why it's always interesting to see the Hollywood legend return to this well. Never one to slow down, the now 91-year-old Eastwood directs and stars in Cry Macho, based on the novel of the same name by N. Richard Nash (who also co-wrote the screenplay). A few of Eastwood's late-period films have been well-received, but this one falls short of the mark a bit. Cry Macho is a fairly standard Western hampered by a thin story, which prevents it from reaching the heights of Eastwood's storied filmography.

Eastwood stars as Mike Milo, a former rodeo star who fell on hard times after suffering a tragedy. One day, Mike's former boss Howard Polk (Dwight Yoakam) asks him for a favor. Howard wants Mike to travel to Mexico and bring Howard's son, Rafael (Eduardo Minett) to Texas, citing concerns the boy's mother, Leta (Fernanda Urrejola), is constantly abusing him. Mike agrees to take the job and goes south of the border to find Rafael. From there, the two have to avoid the authorities and Leta's hired muscle in order to get back to the United States.

Eastwood's always been an economical filmmaker and Cry Macho doesn't waste any time in setting up the story and bringing viewers right into the plot. While that approach is welcome (Cry Macho runs 104 minutes), the primary issue is there isn't much to the narrative in terms of developments or thematic material. The story itself is quite simple, and any attempts to dig deeper below the surface (whether it's Rafael's troubled childhood or the elderly Mike's perspective on "being macho") fail to leave much of an impression. Cry Macho plays with some interesting ideas, especially considering Eastwood's onscreen past and image, though there isn't enough there to make it standout as one of the director's better offerings.

The emotional core of Cry Macho is in the dynamic between Mike and Rafael, and the two make for a solid pair, whether they're carrying the film's more dramatic moments or injecting a bit of levity. Aspects of their relationship may come across as predictable (Rafael is in need of a dependable father figure), but their connection still feels earned. Minett does a good job as Rafael, finding a balance between a street-smart teen and vulnerable child looking for someone to trust. Eastwood is characteristically reliable, channeling his typical persona to bring gravitas to Mike. However, an argument can be made that at 91, he is a bit too old with regards to a subplot where he becomes something of a romantic interest for widowed grandmother Marta (Natalia Traven). As nostalgic it is to see Eastwood in his cowboy get-up riding horses, certain elements of the character's story don't land as well.

Unfortunately, Mike and Rafael are the only characters with real meat to their portrayals. A majority of the supporting cast consists of stock characters that exist mainly to serve a purpose in the story. Horacio Garcia Rojas' Aurelio is just an obstacle that gets in Mike and Rafael's way for a few confrontations (which are easily resolved) and Traven doesn't have much to do as Marta. This does allow Eastwood to keep the focus on Mike and Rafael's journey, but the two-dimensional ensemble does make the film drag a bit in the middle section, which could cause some viewers to lose interest. None of the actors are bad in their roles, it can just be difficult to get fully invested since the story is so thin.

It is impressive to see Eastwood continue to churn out films as a director and actor, pulling triple-duty for Cry Macho as he serves as producer as well. And die-hard fans who have been following his career for years will likely find something to enjoy and appreciate. However, when compared to some of Eastwood's best works (and even a handful of his more recent efforts), Cry Macho is lacking what's necessary to be a real crossover hit and it likely won't be much of a factor come awards season. Those who love Westerns and Eastwood may be inclined to seek Cry Macho out on the big screen if they feel safe, but everyone else can catch it on HBO Max. There's something comforting about seeing Eastwood in another Western, but that's not enough to truly elevate this particular film.

Next: Cry Macho Official Movie Trailer

Cry Macho was released in U.S. theaters on September 17, 2021, and is also available to stream on HBO Max. It is 104 minutes long and is rated PG-13 for language and thematic elements.

Let us know what you thought of the film in the comments!

Why The Simpsons Armin Tamzarian Episode Is So (Unfairly) Hated

Sat, 18 Sep 2021 22:14:19 +0000

“The Principal & The Pauper” (season 9, episode 2) established the playful non-canon of The Simpsons, but why did the Armin Tamzarian episode upset fans of the series so much at the time and in the years since? In the decades since the series began, one thing that the anarchic animated sitcom The Simpsons has never been overly worried about is the idea of canon and internal continuity. The show has frequently contradicted itself when it comes to the birth dates of the titular family, the location of Springfield, and the seemingly ageless population of the town.

That being said, there are times when the elastic canon of The Simpsons stretches too far for many fans. A recent episode that depicted Homer as a teen in the ‘90s (not the first time the series has controversially attempted this joke) earned so much criticism that producer Matt Selman addressed the confusing canon of The Simpsons on Twitter. However, there is one much older, and much more formatively infamous, case of The Simpsons messing with its canon in a way many fans found unforgivable.

In the thirty-two seasons (and counting) of The Simpsons, only a few episodes have ever been called the worst that the show ever produced. Typically, this jab is only aimed at episodes featuring infamously fawning treatment of cameo-ing celebrities, such as the appearances by Elon Musk and Lady Gaga, or episodes that feature brutally dark, bleak humor like the infamous "Boys of Bummer" (season 18, episode 18). However, “The Principal & The Pauper” is neither, yet it remains one of the earliest episodes frequently listed as the most-hated of The Simpsons. This is because the episode fundamentally alters the characterization of fan-favorite supporting character Principal Skinner, introducing his old self Armin Tamzarian and earning the ire of many fans in the process. So, what was it about this plot that made fans—and many critics—so furious at the time and since?

The episode sees Principal Skinner exposed as a fake, with his real name being Armin Tamzarian and his backstory explaining that he stole the identity of real Springfield native Seymour Skinner (played by Martin Sheen) before returning from Vietnam. It’s a zany story that climaxes with the town en masse deciding they prefer the original version of Skinner and essentially enforcing a retcon of the episode’s action (within the episode) by exiling Sheen’s original Skinner and opting to call Armin Tamzarian the “real” Seymour Skinner from hereon out. The Simpsons’ inconsistent canon had occasionally annoyed fans before this point, but "The Principal and the Pauper" was one of the first cases where the series seemingly wanted to challenge the idea of continuity with an experimental one-off outing—and many didn’t care for the audacious idea.

Discovering that Skinner was a liar went against the starched shirt stuffiness that defined the character, and while some fans found his subversive origins amusing, some were less impressed. This marked the start of The Simpsons toying with how characters were perceived, and some fans preferred to keep things simple. Series creator Matt Groening called the episode one of his least favorite and referred to it as a “mistake,” while Skinner’s voice actor Harry Shearer called the storyline “arbitrary and gratuitous” in its overnight rewriting of the character’s entire history. However, much like how many fans disagree with "Who Shot Mr. Burns" marking the end of the show’s golden age, there are a great many defenders of the episode who claim "The Principal and the Pauper" is an important piece of TV history.

Episode writer Ken Keeler, who also scripted the acclaimed “El Viaje Misterioso de Nuestro Jomer (The Mysterious Voyage of Homer)” (season eight, episode nine) defended "The Principal and The Pauper" by noting that the episode’s story satirizes the very sort of people who took issue with its central gag. Per Keeler: “[The Principal and the Pauper] is about a community of people who like things just the way they are… When the episode aired, lo and behold, a community of people who like things just the way they are got mad... This episode is about the people who hate it.” Like the earlier (and also deeply divisive) "Homer’s Enemy", the episode intentionally takes the cozy, unchanging status quo of sitcoms and challenges its conventions, playing with the form in a way that later series such as Community, WandaVision, and Kevin Can F Himself would explore further.

With this thesis from the writer in mind, "The Principal and the Pauper" is a surprisingly strong episode on a rewatch, with many memorable quotes and a compelling central story. The titular family is involved in the story but don’t take it over, and Springfield figures as varied as Jasper and Agnes Skinner all get moments to shine. Meanwhile, the plot itself is an engaging one (so much so that its central twist was later stolen by an acclaimed prestige TV series in the late ‘00s), and like similar outings that spotlight figures like Comic Book Guy and Krusty the Clown, Skinner transpires to be a character well-rounded enough to warrant an episode of his own. Despite these positive qualities, though, "The Principal and the Pauper" remains resented by fans, and arguably for good reason given the episode's long-term impact.

While the episode itself is a solid outing in terms of writing, the trend that "The Principal & The Pauper" began—of rewriting The Simpsons canon for the sake of one-off gags—is one reviled by many fans, and it has come to define the show's messy storytelling approach for a lot of viewers. Earlier Simpsons outings had cut potentially solid gags despite their promise, like Chief Wiggum being an alien, because that they would have irreversibly altered the “reality” of the show. This seems like a minor quibble for a series as silly as The Simpsons, where anything can happen for the sake of a joke, but it’s a vital distinction that the show was good at making during its Golden Age. This era of The Simpsons famously managed to balance surreal comedy with real emotional takes, something the series struggle with in years to come. Ultimately, while "The Principal and the Pauper" is far from the worst episode of The Simpsons as the outing stays true to its characters, it unfortunately did presage an era of the series giving up on consistency for the sake of one-off laughs.

More: How The Simpsons Influenced Every Major Animated Adult Comedy

America's Got Talent: Everything To Know About Runner-Up Aidan Bryant

Sat, 18 Sep 2021 22:10:56 +0000

Amongst the many America’s Got Talent season 16 acts that fans saw was Aidan Bryant, and here is everything to know about the performer. Recently, he was named the runner-up of the season, right behind magician Dustin Tavella, who was crowned the winner. While Aidan didn't win, he had a memorable season as a young and gifted competitor.

16-year-old Aidan first tried out for the show via Zoom, and then fulfilled his dream of auditioning for the America’s Got Talent judges. He came to the show and told the judges that he is a self-taught aerialist. He performed an aerial hoop routine that earned him a standing ovation and a "yes" from each judge. The judges were stunned to discover that he had only been training for two years. Sofia Vergara told him that it seemed as though he’d been practicing for ages. Aidan made it through to the live shows and excelled in each round. Simon called him the best live performance they’d had. He thought Aidan was a star in the making and a potential Las Vegas act. During his final performance, the typically hard-to-please Simon Cowell was so blown away that he stood upon the judging table to clap for him, saying a standing ovation just wasn’t enough.

This Prince George, Virginia native was inspired to try aerial silks after seeing a clip of a Pink concert when he was 14. In fact, the first time he attempted an aerial trick, he used a bedsheet tied to his grandmother’s tree. “I went into my grandma’s closet, found a sheet, put two straps on it, got a ladder, and hung it up in a tree in the garden,” he said in an interview with Richmond Times-Dispatch. For Christmas, his mother gifted him a set of real aerial silks, and practicing tricks helped him overcome his fear of heights. “When he started doing it, I’m like, ‘What are you doing?’” his mother told the AGT cameras, adding: “But then he loved doing that stuff so I said, ‘Do your thing, as long as you’re careful.” He initially used a lawnmower to help himself get higher up on his aerial rig, but eventually relied on a golf cart. The show-stopping AGT performer would tie part of his rope onto the back of the cart. His mother would put the cart into drive, allowing him to suspend himself 20 feet in the air.

His mother described him as entrepreneurial, rather than an athlete. He is definitely a crafty guy and he made rainbow loom bracelets to sell at farmers’ markets, as well as infinity lights to sell at craft shows. On AGT, she said that he’s an amateur, but she can’t wait to tell people he’s a professional. This multitalented performer does so many things well, and his future is looking extremely bright.

During the finale, Aidan performed a mashup routine along with his competitors World Taekwondo Demonstration and Olympic gymnasts Jordan Chiles and MyKayla Skinner. Later on, he went up against the martial arts team and was ultimately the one to make it to the top 10. When he earned second place, Aidan became the third-youngest runner-up, after season 5’s Jackie Evancho and season 12’s Angelica Hale. He is also the second aerial act to be first runner-up, after Duo Transcend, who finished in second on AGT: The Champions season 2. Aidan was gifted with a new car, even without winning America's Got Talent. He made such an impact on judges and viewers.

Next: America's Got Talent: Howie Mandel Reveals How COVID-19 Affected His OCD

Sources: Aidan Bryant/Instagram, Richmond Times-Dispatch

Why Pirates of the Caribbean 6 Can’t Kill Off Jack Sparrow

Sat, 18 Sep 2021 22:10:25 +0000

The Pirates of the Caribbean franchise can’t afford to kill off Johnny Depp’s Jack Sparrow, but the upcoming Pirates of the Caribbean 6 also can’t ignore his existence or bring him back — presenting a serious problem for the creators. Ever since the first Pirates of the Caribbean movie, The Curse of the Black Pearl, hit theatres in 2003 the franchise has been synonymous with Johnny Depp’s lovable antihero Jack Sparrow. The character worried Disney executives before the movie’s release, as nervous producers thought that Depp’s campy affectations would fall flat with the target audience of Pirates of the Caribbean.

Soon, the exact opposite proved true, and even The Curse of the Black Pearl's (few) negative reviews singled Depp’s performance out as the best thing in the movie. The scene-stealing turn won both critical praise and fan adulation, reshaping the Pirates of the Caribbean sequels as a result. Originally intended to be an ensemble adventure story, the saga gradually pivoted to focusing more and more on Jack Sparrow alone, going so far as to jettison supporting stars Kiera Knightley and Orlando Bloom’s central roles after the third outing.

Switching the focus of the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise to center solely on Depp’s beloved character was a mixed bag for the series, which received far worse reviews after Knightley and Bloom were replaced. However, the fourth outing of the franchise, 2011’s On Stranger Tides, nonetheless made over a billion dollars at the box office and managed to break even despite being the most expensive movie of all time. As a result, the decision to keep Depp’s Sparrow front and center continued on — until the box office receipts and the star’s personal life took a turn for the worse. 2017’s Dead Men Tell No Tales was significantly less successful with audiences than its predecessors, a fact that (alongside Depp’s ongoing legal battles with ex-wife Amber Heard) prompted Disney to drop the actor from the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise. However, while the series may no longer have Johnny Depp’s antihero, the movies still can’t afford to kill him off, either — presenting a unique problem for the franchise going forward.

The most obvious reason that the Pirates of the Caribbean movies can not kill off Depp’s Jack Sparrow is the fact that, historically, the series has struggled to kill off anyone — permanently, at least. Between the revival of Captain Barbossa at the end of Dead Man’s Chest, the revival of Jack in the opening scenes of At World’s End, and the revival of Davy Jones at the close of Dead Men Tell No Tales, it is pretty clear that the Pirates of the Caribbean movies never took death too seriously. Worse yet, while no character’s death is ever certain to be permanent in the franchise, the offing of a figure as central as Jack Sparrow would definitely be seen as a misdirect by fans. Bringing back Barbossa at the end of Dead Man’s Chest was a surprise for some viewers as they didn’t expect the one-off villain to have a larger role in the franchise. However, bringing back a character as central as Jack would be expected — doubly so if his death occurred offscreen.

While not mentioning Jack at all would be pretty egregious for any project set in the Pirates of the Caribbean universe (wherein almost everyone “has heard of” the Black Pearl’s infamous Captain), bringing up his offscreen death would likely only fuel fans to assume a bait and switch was in play. Mentioning that Jack died offscreen (which would need to be the case, since Depp is reportedly not being asked to return) would lead fans of the wily character to assume this was a misdirect and an eventual cameo was inevitable. This would only make them angrier when no such appearance materialized and could cause accusations of the series attempting to hide his absence.

Outside of Depp’s exit, the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise needs Sparrow to maintain its appeal to audiences, as evidenced by his front and center role in the recent Sea of Thieves video game crossover. The franchise flounders without Jack as an anchor for its antics, meaning that at least implying he is still around is necessary (although likely to annoy faithful fans who demanded his onscreen return). Thus, the Pirates of the Caribbean series is caught in an unenviable catch-22 where referencing Depp’s Sparrow (even in the context of saying he died offscreen) will fuel speculation of an onscreen return, but failing to mention him will likely infuriate fans.

There is no obvious middle ground or third option, as Jack is too famous within the world of the franchise for characters to simply never mention his existence, as some other spin-offs have attempted with famous pre-existing roles. Even if Margot Robbie’s rumoued Pirates of the Caribbean reboot is a prequel, the existence of Keith Richards’ Captain Teague ensures that Jack will likely end up being mentioned indirectly even if the character doesn’t exist yet. The original movies created a world where, intentionally or otherwise, international piracy centers on one likeable rogue — and his absence would be galling no matter how it is papered over.

Too recognizable to recast, too pivotal to ignore, too risky to mention and risk raising false hope, and too invincible to kill off offscreen, Jack Sparrow remains a consummate thorn in the side of the series. It is unlikely that the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise will be able to go forward without his involvement in some form or another, whether this means clumsily attempting a faceless, dialogue-free cameo or making the new heroine a distant reaction of Jack’s and attempting to excuse his absence through retirement. Of course, there is an argument that Hollywood simply does not need another Pirates of the Caribbean movie, and the difficulty of working around Depp’s absence could be a blessing in disguise if it allows the series to end (relatively) gracefully without another addition. However, if there is money to be mined from audiences, the odds are good that viewers will see another Pirates of the Caribbean movie, sans Jack Sparrow, regardless of how hard this will be for the series to pull off.

More: Jungle Cruise’s Best Twist Is Borrowed From Pirates of the Caribbean

Nicolas Cage Explains Why He’s Never Retiring From Acting

Sat, 18 Sep 2021 22:06:43 +0000

Nicolas Cage can't stop, won't stop doing more films.

Brooklyn 99: What Each Cast Member Is Doing Next | Screen Rant

Sat, 18 Sep 2021 22:05:36 +0000

Now that the final episode of Brooklyn Nine-Nine has aired, here is what shows or movies each of the main cast members are doing next. The comedy series created by Parks and Recreation's Dan Goor and Michael Schur began in 2013, and the first five seasons aired on FOX. After it was canceled by FOX, NBC agreed to continue the Emmy-winning comedy. Brooklyn Nine-Nine continued for three more seasons on NBC, but the series has now come to a close.

The growing popularity of Brooklyn Nine-Nine is easily attributed to the show's incredibly funny cast. After leaving Saturday Night Live, Andy Samberg accepted the lead role of Jake Peralta, and the series further proved just how talented of a performer he is. It is arguably Andre Baugher's inclusion that elevated Brooklyn Nine-Nine to the next level: he was nominated for four Emmys for his performance as Raymond Holt. The series also provided breakout roles for Stephanie Beatriz, Melissa Fumero, Joe Lo Trugilo, and Chelsea Peretti before she left. As a result of Brooklyn Nine-Nine's success, the show even managed to include Kyra Sedgwick, Jason Mantzoukas, Craig Robinson, Bradley Whitford, Eva Longoria, Fred Armisen, Jimmy Smitts, Katey Sagal, Sterling K. Brown, and more as guest stars.

The eighth and final season of Brooklyn Nine-Nine is now complete, which means fans of the series will no longer be able to see the show's talented cast in new episodes. While the series is immensely rewatchable, there is still the opportunity for audiences to watch the actors in new projects. The end of Brooklyn Nine-Nine gives all of the show's cast members a chance to pursue other roles without having to worry about scheduling around a full-time series production schedule. So what types of projects do the show's multiple stars have in the works? Here's what each Brooklyn Nine-Nine cast member is doing next.

Now that Andy Samberg's days of playing detective Jake Peralta on Brooklyn Nine-Nine are over, the actor is working on several upcoming projects. The next chance viewers will have to see Samberg is as himself as a host of a baking competition series with Maya Rudolph, Baking It. The Peacock game cooking show does not have a confirmed release date. Samberg is also set to voice Dale in Disney's live-action/CGI-hybrid Chip n' Dale: Rescue Rangers movie. He'll also provide the voice of Captain Valentine in 2K's 2022 video game Tiny Tina's Wonderlands.

Stephanie Beatriz has a busy schedule ahead after Brooklyn Nine-Nine. Her first role after playing Rosa Diaz will be as the lead of Disney's 2021 animated movie Encanto. Beatriz plays Mirabel Madrigal, the lone member of a magical family born without any special gifts. She's also in Netflix's 2021 animated series Maya and the Three, where she plays Chimi. Beatriz will also provide the voice of Batwoman in the upcoming anime movie Catwoman: Hunted, which is expected to arrive in 2022. Viewers will be able to see her on-screen again as part of Trans Los Angeles.

After playing Terry Jeffords on Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Terry Crews' upcoming slate of projects is currently quite small. His only confirmed role is as part of Paramount's 2022 animated movie Rumble, where he plays a monster named Tentacular. Crews has a history of appearing in multiple other projects in small roles, so he could have some surprise appearances already lined up. Crews will not be in The Expendables 4, though, due to a conflict with the film's producer.

Melissa Fumero's time as Amy Santiago on Brooklyn Nine-Nine is over too. She only has one confirmed upcoming appearance in a movie or TV show. Fumero will star in an upcoming comedy titled Bar Fight, where she will play the lead role of Nina. The film focuses on Nina and her boyfriend breaking up and deciding who gets their bar as part of their split. Bar Fight is the directorial debut of Klaus writer Jim Mahoney. Fumero could also return to her role as MODOK's daughter Melissa Tarleton if Hulu makes a second season of Marvel's M.O.D.O.K.

Joe Lo Truglio became a fan-favorite part of Brooklyn Nine-Nine for his portrayal of Charles Boyle. However, he does not have any confirmed projects after the comedy series. Truglio has made several appearances across various TV shows and movies in the past. Animated shows like American Dad and Bob's Burgers could always bring him back to play new characters. Now that Truglio is not preoccupied with Brooklyn Nine-Nine, he could begin booking more roles for the future.

After eight seasons of playing Captain Raymond Holt on Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Andre Braugher's list of upcoming projects is fairly light. His lone confirmed future role is in Maria Schrader's movie She Said. The movie is based on New York Times reporters Megan Twohey and Jodi Kantor, played by Carey Mulligan and Zoe Kazan, investigating the Harvey Weinstein sexual harassment story that launched the #MeToo movement. Braugher is set to play Dean Baquet, the Executive Editor of The New York Times.

Best known for playing Scully throughout Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Joel McKinnon Miller has a few roles lined up in the future. He's set to appear in an upcoming short film Brooklyn Nine-Nine's cinematographer Rick Page titled Snow Globe & The Cat. Miller is also scheduled to appear in HBO Max's upcoming crime drama The Staircase. The show is a remake of the 2004 French series of the same name and stars Toni Collette and Colin Firth.

Dirk Blocker has spent the last several years playing Hitchock on Brooklyn Nine-Nine. He hasn't done much acting outside of the series, and he only appeared in season 8 over Zoom/FaceTime after retiring from the NYPD. Blocker doesn't have any other roles booked for his post-Brooklyn Nine-Nine career. He previously appeared in horror films like Poltergeist and Prince of Darkness during the early days of his career.

Marc Evan Jackson wasn't a series regular on Brooklyn Nine-Nine, but his role as Kevin Cozner was an important one. Although he didn't appear in the two-part series finale, Jackson appeared in 18 episodes overall as Holt's husband. His only confirmed upcoming role is in Scroll Wheel of Time, a digital series from Eko. Jackson will play Steve Jobs. He will also likely return in The Baby-Sitters Club season 2 on Netflix as the father of Mary Anne.

More: Andy Samberg's Favorite Brooklyn 99 Cold Open Explained

10 Ghoulish Getaway Horror Films | ScreenRant

Sat, 18 Sep 2021 21:54:35 +0000

The thrill of the chase is a big element in many successful horror movies. It gets everyone's adrenaline running, helps push the element of suspense, and keeps the audience on the edge of their seats as they hope and pray the survivors can make it out alive.

It's that element of the unknown that keeps viewers coming back for more. They might be on the run from sharks, zombies, or the stereotypical masked murderer, but the getaway motif is a common trope that is often used for thrills and chills in any freaky feature.

10 Escape Room

A bit on the nose, but one that simply couldn't be ignored with the sheer popularity of escape rooms nowadays. Honestly, it was only a matter of time before someone turned the often gimmicky puzzle activities into a Jigsaw-inspired death trap, and the result was this teen-scream horror film.

The plot is simple enough, a group of participants in an elaborate escape room must overcome their past sins in order to avoid various traps and hazards, usually leading to someone getting the ax. It's formulaic, true enough, but there's certainly something to be said for the film's creativity.

9 Jeepers Creepers

The Creeper himself has haunted the dreams of many movie-goers, and there are more than a few reasons why. The horror genre is no stranger to monsters who want to eat people's vital organs, but not many can give chase and pursue their victims with the ferocity of this ancient evil.

Granted, not many supernatural entities have access to a giant truck they can use to mow down their targets, but this movie isn't exactly known for its subtlety. Hunger is a powerful motivator for anyone, monster or otherwise, but when they're as armed to the spiky teeth as the creeper is, he's more than equipped to get what he wants.

8 Death Proof

The Creeper isn't the only one who comes with a slick set of wheels. Quinten Tarantino's grindhouse-style slasher movie features Kurt Russell as a serial killer stuntman whose weapon of choice is a vicious vehicle that's "100% death proof," at least for the driver.

The film essentially follows the slasher formula of a murderer stalking and picking off women one-by-one until a final girl and her companions have their vengeance, but it's all done with Tarantino's over-the-top and violent flair.

7 Saw

There's no getting away from it, but Saw was the escape-horror movie that completely turned the genre on its head. Essentially Escape Room before Escape Room, the original film featuring the vengeful and enigmatic Jigsaw and his fiendish traps was a horror movie that took the world by storm and spawned sequel after sequel.

Saw is brutal, plain and simple. The only goal of the survivors of the film is to stay alive, no matter the cost. Jaws are snapped open, limbs are ripped off, and victims trigger terrifying traps throughout the film. It's definitely one way to get the adrenaline pumping.

6 Haunt

Eli Roth's Haunt is an interesting hybrid of escape and slasher movie as a gang of friends spend their Halloween Night looking for an extreme haunted house, but find a deadly roadside attraction ran by a group of masked killers. It hearkens back to the golden age of the genre, but also includes Roth's gift for gore.

Any good slasher movie has to have some form of a chase scene, but that factor is only increased when multiple murderers are thrown into the mix. Especially if the victims are trying to escape a grungy haunted house rigged with deadly booby traps.

5 The Strangers

Normally, home is a place people want to go to feel safe. But if said home is being invaded by a trio of slashers in creepy masks, that's probably not the best idea. It's a slow burn, but The Strangers is an intense and frightening film with scares around every corner.

A common theme for getaway films just getting out of whatever location the victims happen to be trapped in, but there's something more unsettling about it being in the characters' own home. When that element of familiar safety is taken away, the fear factor shoots up tremendously.

4 Halloween II

Although the first Halloween does have that familiar escape element towards the second half of the movie, its sequel fully utilizes the idea. After the events of the previous film. Laurie Strode is trapped in a hospital with the murderous Michael ripping and tearing his way through staff and others to get to her.

The escape element seen in many '80s horror movies typically involves getting away from an entity or slasher character, and Michael Myers is one of the most iconic. Along with characters like Jason Voorhees, he's more of a force of nature than a man in a mask, and he doesn't go down easy.

3 The Texas Chainsaw Massacre

When one of the most iconic scenes in the 1974 slasher features the final girl practically running a marathon with a chainsaw-swinging madman on her tail, it has to be included on the list. Once again, the theme of trying to flee from a house full of killers graces the list, but with a more grindhouse feel than the common slasher.

Running from someone in a mask with a chainsaw is a common horror trope seen and lampooned across the genre, but Leatherface made it happen. Though, it's pretty impossible to forget a scene that ends with a chase and a chainsaw dance.

2 The Terminator

While it might not be horror in the traditional sense, The Terminator is a sci-fi thriller all about being on the run, whether that's from an evil cyborg played by Arnold Schwarzenegger or a future destroyed by an evil corporation. It's a theme that follows the series, but the horror elements shine brighter in the original.

The original T-800 is a relentless killing machine with one sole mission, to destroy Sarah Connor and prevent the rise of the resistance against Skynet. The intensity of the cyborg growing closer and closer to Sarah and Kyle like a robotic predator is absolutely palpable.

1 Alien

Ridley Scott's sci-fi masterpiece Alien wins the top billing for its amalgamation of traits that make for the ideal escape-horror movie. A group of victims has to get out of a familiar place of work when a vicious alien monster finds its way onto their ship. The thrill of the hunt only intensifies as the crew of the Nostromo gets picked off and eaten by the Xenomorph.

The film has been compared to a slasher film in space, and it does jump through a lot of similar hoops, including utilizing that fear of the unknown as the alien creature lurks in the darkness of the spacecraft. It's intense, original, and a classic that has stood the test of time.

NEXT: 10 Best '90s Horror Movies That Divided Critics

Mojo Rawley’s WWE Past Helped Him for Snake Eyes Role

Sat, 18 Sep 2021 21:53:16 +0000

Professional wrestler Mojo Rawley — also known as Mojo Muhtadi — made an appearance in the recently released Snake Eyes: G.I. Joe Origins. According to the wrestler, his experience in the world of WWE helped him prepare for what life was like on movie sets.

Speaking in a recent interview with Wrestlezone, Rawley touched on the fact that having to perform near perfectly in the world of professional wrestling helped him immensely when it came to getting takes right in the world of film.

“I know when I was filming Snake Eyes, just that awareness of working the cameras and ‘living the gimmick,’ that kinda thing. That really helped, just being on set and if I messed up, I could do it again. That’s not a thing in WWE,” Rawley said. “You’ve got one shot to make it right and that is it, that’s all you get. If you’d screw up, so be it. Just having that attitude and coming in and being like a one-take guy, that just helped out tremendously.”

While Rawley did note that he learned a bunch from the world of acting, he also noted that he had to “unlearn” some aspects of his wrestling career when it came to working on a movie set. Namely, the concept that not everything has to be larger than life to come across as realistic in a film.

“What I was careful of, to answer your question, was sometimes we get too hokey with it. Sometimes we’re doing these crazy, off-the-wall sells and sometimes it’s like a caricature of a real character,” said Rawley. “It’s played up and turned up to one thousand, so going into a street fight with Snake Eyes, I wanted it to seem authentic. I wanted it to seem like a real fight, so I was very careful about checking some of those wrestling sells we would do in a match.

“That was just one thing, probably the only thing I had to worry about because a career in professional wrestling really did prep me for a life on camera, whether it’s filming a movie or hosting a TV show or anything to that extent. It’s all fairly similar, of course you’ve just got to scale it back a bit or turn it up certain elements of yourself. Overall, it was pretty seamless, I’ve got to say.”

The G.I. Joe spin-off stars Henry Golding as the titular ninja assassin, Andrew Koji as Storm Shadow, Iko Uwais as Hard Master, Samara Weaving as Scarlett, Úrsula Corberó as Baronness, Peter Mensah as Blind Master, Haruka Abe as Akiko, Takehiro Hira as Kenta, and Steven Allerick.

The post Mojo Rawley’s WWE Past Helped Him for Snake Eyes Role appeared first on ComingSoon.net.

Harbard's True Vikings Identity Was Odin Or Loki - Theory Explained

Sat, 18 Sep 2021 21:51:43 +0000

Vikings gave closure to the arcs of its main characters, but many others were left unsolved, making way for different theories and interpretations. One of Vikings’ most mysterious characters was Harbard (Kevin Durand), who left in season 4 and left many unanswered questions about his real identity, with fans sure he was either Odin or Loki. One of the most popular historical dramas in recent years is Vikings, created by Michael Hirst (The Tudors) and which debuted on History Channel in 2013, coming to an end in 2020 after six seasons.

Vikings initially focused on the life of legendary Norse figure Ragnar Lothbrok (Travis Fimmel) and his travels and raids alongside his Viking brothers, among those his real brother, Rollo (Clive Standen), and his best friend and Kattegat’s boat builder, Floki (Gustaf Skarsgård). However, as the series progressed, it began to shift its focus to Ragnar’s sons and their own journeys, and so by the time Ragnar died in season 4, they were already the leads of Vikings, though there was more focus on the stories of Björn (Alexander Ludwig) and Ivar (Alex Høgh Andersen). Over the course of six seasons, Vikings saw a bunch of characters die for different reasons, while others simply disappeared, and among those is Harbard, the show’s most mysterious character.

Harbard, whose name means “Greybeard”, first appeared in dreams to Helga (Maude Hirst), Aslaug (Alyssa Sutherland), and Siggy (Jessalyn Gilsig) before his proper arrival at Kattegat, when the men had left to go on raids in Vikings season 3. In the women’s dreams, Harbard appeared holding a ball of snow on fire while his hand was bleeding, and when Helga met him for the first time, he asked for help with a wound on his hand. Harbard presented himself as a wanderer and storyteller, but there was a lot more to him than that as he was able to cure baby Ivar’s pain, and his overall presence had a mysterious aura. Harbard appeared when Siggy dived into a frozen pond to save young Ubbe and Hvitserk from drowning, appearing to her as a vision of her deceased daughter, Thyri. Once the kids were safe, Harbard, instead of saving Siggy, simply gave her a subtle smile as if giving her his blessing, and so Siggy let go and died. Harbard left Kattegat sometime later and vanished into the fog, returned in season 4 when the town's men left again and Aslaug was alone and desperate, and left again not long after.

Harbard’s mysterious aura, abilities, and the way he appeared and disappeared suggest he was a supernatural being, specifically a Norse god, with Floki himself suggesting he was Odin as “Harbard” is another name for the Allfather. This idea is supported by his ability to cure Ivar, how he vanished in the fog, and the white light around him when he appeared to help Siggy. Harbard being Odin makes sense in the context of Vikings as Ragnar was believed to be a descendant of Odin, so his arrival at Kattegat could have been one linked to protecting the town and those who stayed there. There are other fans, however, who believe Harbard could have been Loki, as his presence brought chaos, conflict, and death to Kattegat and its residents. Although he cured Ivar, two children were found drowned, possibly in exchange, similar to what he did by letting Siggy die and saving Ubbe and Hvitserk. Scholars have even added that “Harbard” is a name used by Loki in the Norse poem “Lay of Harbard”, and that Loki invented the fishing net in Norse mythology, and the children who drowned were caught in a fishing net.

There are enough elements in Harbard’s time in Vikings to support both theories, and until Hirst sheds some light on Harbard’s real identity, it’s up to viewers to decide if he was Odin in disguise, looking after Kattegat and Ragnar’s family during his absence, or if he was actually Loki bringing some chaos to town – and in the latter’s case, it has to be said that Hirst and company paid a lot of attention to every detail, such as Harbard’s association with water, his stories, and their connection to Norse mythology.

Next: Vikings: The Exact Moment Ragnar Stopped Being A True Viking (& Why)

90 Day Fiancé: Tania Receives Marriage Proposal After Alleged Syngin Split

Sat, 18 Sep 2021 21:48:20 +0000

Former 90 Day Fiancé star Tania Maduro has received a marriage proposal from someone amid divorce rumors with Syngin Colchester. This 90 Day Fiancé duo first met by chance in South Africa when Tania flew from Connecticut to meet another man she connected with on a dating app. Little did she know that her journey would take a turn, and she would instead end up with Syngin. After losing interest in her main connection, Tania struck a flirty conversation with a bartender, who was Syngin.

The couple spent a memorable night together that motivated Tania to stay longer in South Africa. She spent close to four-and-a-half months with Syngin, and the pair eventually decided to take the next big step. Tania returned to the United States with him. Soon, the couple tied the knot in the presence of their family. Despite seeming to be happy together in early 2021, Syngin fueled divorce rumors with Tania in his latest Instagram post. He posted a solo picture and hinted at his appearance on 90 Day: The Single Life. His posts and some comments have caused fans to believe that he had broken up with his wife.

Tania’s interest in a new marriage proposal further intensified the couple’s breakup rumors. Connecticut native Tania recently posted an Instagram post showing that she was enjoying her time with her sister and cousin. Most of the pictures showed the girls partying, having drinks and having a good time outdoors. The 31-year-old beauty Tania captioned her Instagram post “So happy I hit up my sister when I landed in Prov and spent the whole weekend with her.” She added, “My heart is full.” It seems like a male 90 Day Fiancé fan’s heart was also full as well. He commented on her post, “Can I be husband #2?!”

It was surprising to see that Tania replied to such a question. She flirtatiously responded, “Make your profile public so I can see.” Other fans also left their respective requests, with one asking Tania to make an OnlyFans account and others asking her, “Where’s your hubby?” Interestingly, Tania responded to a marriage proposal without any hesitation, but she avoided talking about her husband. Usually, Syngin leaves a comment on his wife’s Instagram posts, but he hasn't done that on these party pictures yet. 90 Day Fiancé alum Tania’s response seemed more like a fun response than a serious one.

While she was hanging out with her friends in Providence, Rhode Island, Syngin was in Arizona. Tania and Syngin have free-spirited personalities, and they love traveling together. So it is odd to see that they decided to take solo trips to different destinations. The couple hasn’t spoken yet about problems in their relationship, but their latest social media activity is fueling divorce rumors. They may be taking a break from each other to work on their differences and find that old spark. If this 90 Day Fiancé couple is actually facing some marital issues, hopefully they will find their way back to each other soon.

Next: 90 Day Fiancé: Why Fans Speculate That Syngin Is Using The Bumble App

Source: Tania Maduro/Instagram

Even Kang The Conqueror is Ashamed of One of His Variant Aliases

Sat, 18 Sep 2021 21:47:53 +0000

Spoilers ahead for both Fantastic Four #35 and Kang the Conqueror #2!

Over the course of almost 60 years, Kang the Conqueror has had many aliases, but one variant, in particular, causes Kang great embarrassment. In Fantastic Four #35, Kang and his various aliases come together to topple the Fantastic Four, leading to the revelation that Kang is ashamed of one of his former aliases. The super-sized anniversary issue is on sale now in print and digital.

Kang the Conqueror first appeared in Avengers #8…sort of. Kang has used many aliases during the course of his long life, and one of them, the pharaoh Rama-Tut appeared several months earlier in Fantastic Four #19. Born Nathaniel Richards in the 31^st century, he has jumped across eons, going by not only Kang or Rama-Tut, but also Immortus, Iron Lad, and the Scarlet Centurion. Most of these incarnations, with the exception of Iron Lad, have been villains, menacing the Fantastic Four and the Avengers on many occasions. A variant of Kang first appeared in Loki’s final episode, called “He Who Remains;” the real Kang the Conqueror is set to debut in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantummania, where he will be played by Jonathan Majors. As Kang stands ready to break through to the mainstream, his variants gather to bring down the Fantastic Four in Fantastic Four #35, written by Dan Slott, Jason Loo, and Mark Waid, with art by Loo, John Romita Jr, and Paul Renaud.

As the various incarnations of Kang gather to hatch their plan, the Scarlet Centurion boasts of his accomplishments. Kang silences him, telling the Centurion that he was ashamed he ever took the Scarlet Centurion identity. As a matter of fact, Kang was so embarrassed he changed his name.

Throughout the rest of the issue, Kang ribs the Scarlet Centurion. The interaction between the two makes for amusing moments, yet why is Kang so ashamed of this particular alias? The answer may lie in Kang the Conqueror #2, also on sale this week. As Iron Lad, Kang traveled back to ancient Egypt, where he met a young woman named Ravonna Renslayer, with who he fell in love. However, they ran afoul of Rama-Tut, who enslaved both Iron Lad and his lover. Rama-Tut forced Iron Lad to serve him, fashioning him a new identity as the Scarlet Centurion. Rama-Tut then forced the Centurion to fight for him, a move that showed the young man how truly unfair the world is. This revelation sheds new light on Kang’s comment in Fantastic Four #35: he is not ashamed of his time as the Scarlet Centurion because he found it goofy or corny. Instead, his time as the Scarlet Centurion was marked by violence and loss and set him down the path of conquest he still travels today.

The variants of Kang the Conqueror have come together, but he loathes one, the Scarlet Centurion, in particular. The Centurion represents Kang's loss of innocence, and he would rather forget it.

Next: Why Marvel Comics is Making Kang the Hero

Hades Fan's Comic Receives A Supergiant Games Stamp Of Approval

Sat, 18 Sep 2021 21:47:38 +0000

A meticulously crafted digital comic book based on Hades just gained the respect of developer Supergiant Games. The short graphic novel is just one of many tributes made to the best-selling roguelike indie game, which was recently released on Xbox and PlayStation consoles to high acclaim.

In Hades, players assume the role of Zagreus, a beleaguered son of the Greek god of the underworld, Hades. The basic gameplay loop takes the form of a traditional roguelike structure, with players fighting their way through semi-randomly generated sets of arenas that build off of one another. Something that sets Hades apart, however, is its story; Zagreus has decided to flee from the underworld long before the player first boots up the game, which gives his struggle a sense of perpetuity. This strong characterization of the player character helped make the game's story a hit with audiences - it even beat out other narrative-driven games like The Last of Us Part II for Game of the Year at events like SXSW.

Further proving this story's popularity is a creative and detailed fan-made comic book entitled "First Flight," which chronicles Zagreus's initial decision to flee from his father's oppressive grasp. The story got a huge boost in exposure earlier this week when Supergiant Games, the studio behind Hades, gave it an enthusiastic endorsement via Twitter. The graphic novel was crafted by an illustrator by the name of Liana, who hinted that some more Hades-related fan comics could be coming in the future.

This comic does a great job capturing both the vibrant visual style of Hades and the vulnerable-yet-cocky attitude of Zagreus. That said, this incarnation of the character is significantly less confident than the version most might be familiar with, likely owing to this comic's position as a prequel. Fans know that it takes seemingly countless runs to beat Hades, so getting to see this imagining of Zagreus at the start of his journey is definitely interesting.

This fan's comic highlights Hades' robust, sprawling story and extremely nuanced central character; all of which shows that the game could be a great fit for a future graphic novel or anime series. Perhaps the game's developers could warm up to the idea of adapting Hades to other mediums down the line. Even if the Tweet from Supergiant Games was simply some friendly support, it's still great to know that the developers appreciate fan-made creations.

Next: How Supergiant Games' Hades Would Make A Great Animated Series

Source: Supergiant Games/Twitter

Why Sub-Zero Is Mortal Kombat 2021's Villain (Not Just Scorpion's Rival)

Sat, 18 Sep 2021 21:45:25 +0000

Mortal Kombat's 2021 reboot cleverly made Sub-Zero (Joe Taslim) the movie's central villain, rather than squeezing him in as a rival for Scorpion (Hiroyuki Sanada). It may have been an easier marketing approach for Mortal Kombat to be just an otherworldly martial arts tournament with the villainous sorcerer Shang Tsung at the end, just as the 1995 Mortal Kombat did. Instead, 2021's Mortal Kombat chose to have Sub-Zero killing Scorpion and his family in the movie's exciting opening scene to frame the climactic final fight between the two and firmly establish Sub-Zero as the film's big bad. They did this with good reason.

The rivalry between the two ninjas Scorpion and Sub-Zero goes all the way back to 1993 in the very first Mortal Kombat video game's character biographies that establish them as hailing from opposing ninja clans. Through various media adaptations, the immortal ninjas Scorpion and Sub-Zero have fought regularly. Yet, when it came time for the 1995 film adaptation, the film chose instead to relegate both ninjas to largely non-verbal villainous support roles as adversaries to the heroes. This was a misstep the Mortal Kombat reboot no doubt sought to correct.

That missed opportunity was rectified with the most recent Mortal Kombat, which finally gave audiences the rivalry they've wanted to see on screen. Still, it was a curious decision to extend Sub-Zero's role beyond being just Scorpion's rival to make him the movie's most prominent villain, albeit working on behalf of Shang Tsung (Chin Han). The answer, however, is that the team behind the Mortal Kombat 2021 reboot was likely planning ahead. It’s no secret that film companies love preexisting properties like video games and comic books because they bring with them a built-in audience. While 1995’s Mortal Kombat is a much-loved genre film, it was not especially faithful to its source material in terms of the backstory for Scorpion and Sub-Zero, giving audiences a very different version of Sub-Zero in particular. It seems one of the priorities of 2021's Mortal Kombat was to straighten out the characters and bring them more in line with the larger brand. It gave audiences what they'd been asking for by making the ninja rivalry the main framing device for the film while leaving the bigger villains in reserve in the hopes of many sequels.

Making Sub-Zero the climactic confrontation of the film uses the character to his fullest. It's now known that Sub-Zero serves Shang Tsung and that a bigger bad than him, Shao Kahn, appears as a mural and a statue, which offers a handy roadmap for the coming Mortal Kombat antagonists. Mortal Kombat set up Shang Tsung to be the next villain, and Shao Kahn the movie franchise's equivalent of the final boss. Of course, they could also leave the door open for an unexpected villain like Quan Chi to appear in Mortal Kombat movies of the future. Sub-Zero then gets to be both a celebration of an oft-neglected story beloved by longtime players of the video games and facilitate things to come.

One thing the Mortal Kombat reboot was good at was working against expectations: establishing an original main character with Cole Young (Lewis Tan), eschewing the traditional tournament plot, and embracing peoples' love of the Sub-Zero character are not just clever gestures. They all feed into a larger structure of trying to maximize the material to allow for as many sequels as possible. Even Sub-Zero's gruesome death may be part of a bigger more convoluted plan for undead cyberninja robots, but that's not to say the character was wasted in Mortal Kombat 2021. As any viewer of The Warrior can attest, Joe Taslim is a talented martial artist, and certainly has enough charisma to make an excellent main villain.

Next: Next: Mortal Kombat 2: Every Movie Guest Character Who Could Appear

Theodore Melfi Interview: The Starling | Screen Rant

Sat, 18 Sep 2021 21:44:11 +0000

The Starling features powerful performances from its cast. The stars, Melissa McCarthy (Nine Perfect Strangers) and Chris O'Dowd (How To Build A Girl), credit their work in part to director Ted Melfi's ability to encompass a wide range of emotions in an intimate frame. The film premieres in select theaters on September 17 and on Netflix on September 24.

The story centers on a couple struggling in the aftermath of their daughter's death. Lily, the eternal optimist, still tries to make everything work even when bystanders can see she's not alright. Jack, on the other hand, has checked into a mental health facility to deal with his depression. When Lily is referred to a psychologist named Larry (Kevin Kline, Bob's Burgers) for help, she learns he's since become a veterinarian - but a vicious starling in her backyard means she might require his services either way.

Director Ted Melfi spoke to Screen Rant about script changes that opened new doors for the story and the elements that made his actors essential for their roles.

Screen Rant: I love that you got to join forces with Melissa and Chris again after St. Vincent. What was it like to have this reunion, and why were they right for those roles?

Ted Melfi: It was just what you said: it was like having a family reunion, but with people you actually like, as opposed to the opposite. [laughs]
They're like family and old friends. And we just get each other. We all three live in the same world of, "life is funny, and life is sad at the same time." What we've been going through the last two years is very funny and supremely sad, and until we realize that you can't get through it.
I respond to Chris and Melissa like family members; we just have a warmth for each other, and I care about them as people. They're really good people, ultimately. They're really good people trying to do good things, and that's who we needed to play in the movie for it to work.

I read that the script was gender-flipped and was originally going to be a man in Melissa's role. What was your involvement in changing that, and did you have to do anything to make it more specific or authentic to a woman playing that role?

Ted Melfi: I first read the script eight years ago, and Melissa's character Lily was Jack's character. So, the strong man was at home holding down the fort while the weaker woman took a mental timeout. And I just didn't connect to that. I don't find that to be true. I was raised by a single mom, I have two daughters, and I've been married for 25 years. These women in my life are way better and smarter and healthier than I am on any given day.
I'm like, "Haven't we seen that before?" I switched it, and I called [screenwriter] Matt Harris. I said, "Matt, what do you think? Let's switch it." He was like, "Dude, that's a great idea."
We literally did find and replace. I said, "Matt, start with find and replace." He was like, "Really?" "Mark my words." He did find and replace for Lily and Jack, switched the names, and we were like, "Woah..." I'm like, "What?!" And then, a couple of little things were done.
And you go, "How is that possible?" Because we're pretty much all the same. We have all the same emotions; we all have the same feelings. A man can feel just like a woman does; a woman can feel just like a man does.

I also love Kevin Kline as the veterinarian, and I'm so glad he wasn't just a magical fix-it Dr. Dolittle type. But what would you say that he represented for Lily in this journey?

Ted Melfi: What does he represent for her? He represented the person that stopped doing what they love, and she didn't want that for her life.
And, actually, they were cathartic for each other. She shows him what he truly loves. He loves psychiatry, he loves people, he loves working it out - but he turned against that because he thought he didn't like it anymore and couldn't deal with the pain. He went and became a veterinarian, thinking, "I'll just have to deal with animals." But he didn't really realize that animals come with people. Now he's got to deal with animals and people, so he retreats.
Then she shows up and is a litmus test for him - a red flag that's like, "Wake up, dude! You actually love dealing with people. You actually love dealing with pain. You actually love helping people get through things." That's what she does for him.
What he does for her is finally get her to deal with her grief. He finally gets her to talk by doing non-therapy. He does non-therapy with her and becomes friends with her, and he gets her to face the Starling and her fears and her grief in a real way.

More: Melissa McCarthy's 10 Best Roles

Watch Margot Robbie and Idris Elba Get Silly in ‘The Suicide Squad’ Gag Reel (Video)

Sat, 18 Sep 2021 21:42:40 +0000

“The Suicide Squad” is full of action, adventure, violence and quips — but the set was full of laughs, according to a new gag reel released by Warner Bros. Entertainment Friday.

The DC-comics based film has been out since July, but there’s still plenty of unseen footage of Margot Robbie (Harley Quinn), Idris Elba (Bloodsport), John Cena (Peacemaker) Viola Davis (Amanda Waller), Jai Courtney (Captain Boomerang) and the whole cast for fans to enjoy. In the new gag reel, the actors who portray the mismatched, sarcastic villains in James Gunn’s sequel to 2016’s “Suicide Squad” look like they’re having a whole lot of fun.

Yea, some of their interactions are a little NSFW, but there are also lighthearted moments featuring Robbie’s banter with Flula Borg’s Javelin or her crazy experience with a bunch of birds. And then there’s Elba tumble and, well, just the whole cast’s inability to keep from laughing in between lines that is sure to make you smile.

“The Suicide Squad,” still out now in theaters and on HBO Max, is a sequel to the Will Smith movie from 2016. It brought back a number of lovable characters from the first film, so the familial dynamic on display in the gag reel is understandable and will please longtime fans.

Still, the film had a somewhat underwhelming opening weekend at the box office, taking in a $26.5 million launch from 4,002 screens and falling below the $30 million target projected by the studio and independent trackers. Overseas, the film grossed $35 million from 70 markets as the global box office continues to grapple with COVID-19 surges that are affecting turnout and, in some countries like Australia, keeping some theaters closed or under capacity restrictions. The film’s global total now stands at $72.2 million.

Reception has also been much stronger than the original “Suicide Squad” released in 2016. While both films had a B+ on CinemaScore, James Gunn’s sequel has a 92% Rotten Tomatoes critics score and 88% audience score, compared to 27% critics and 59% audience for its predecessor.

Rob Zombie's Firefly Trilogy: Every Actor In All 3 Movies

Sat, 18 Sep 2021 21:40:08 +0000

Rob Zombie's Firefly trilogy follows the many crimes of the Firefly family, but not all members made it to all the movies, and here’s every actor who appears in all three movies and who they play in them. Few musicians have made a successful career transition into the world of filmmaking, and among those is Rob Zombie, who began his career in music with the band White Zombie. Rob Zombie began making his way through the film industry in the late 1990s, when he was set to direct The Crow: 2037, but after some obstacles, he went on to make a different project: House of 1000 Corpses.

However, releasing House of 1000 Corpses wasn’t easy, and it was originally scheduled to be released in 2001 but the studio canceled it due to its violence. House of 1000 Corpses was finally released in 2003 and introduced viewers to the Firefly family, a group of serial killers who kidnap and torture people just for fun. Two years later, Zombie brought a sequel, titled The Devil’s Rejects, which saw the surviving members of the family on the run and continuing their crimes in the process. Zombie then worked on other projects unrelated to the Firefly clan, as were the remakes Halloween and Halloween II, The Lords of Salem, and 31, and in 2019, he brought the closing chapter in the Firefly trilogy, appropriately titled 3 From Hell, in which the Fireflies recovered from the shootout at the end of The Devil’s Rejects and escaped from prison.

As mentioned above, not all members of the Firefly family made it to all three movies, as most were killed at some point in The Devil’s Rejects, but there are three who appeared in all three movies, but unfortunately, not all made it to the end of 3 From Hell, and it was all due to behind-the-scenes reasons. Here’s every actor in all movies in Rob Zombie’s Firefly trilogy.

Sid Haig played Johnny Lee Johns a.k.a. Captain Spaulding in House of 1000 Corpses, The Devil’s Rejects, and 3 From Hell. Spaulding was the patriarch of the Firefly family and the father of Baby, and he owned the Captain Spaulding’s Museum of Monsters and Madmen, a roadside attraction that was actually a trap to kidnap tourists curious to see what Dr. Satan had prepared. Spaulding is best known for his clown costume and makeup, though he was more of a vulgar clown than a fun one. As he wasn’t at the Firefly family home when it was subjected to a search and destroy mission at the beginning of The Devil’s Rejects, Spaulding survived, and he also survived the shooting at the end, but he was executed by lethal injection during the first act of 3 From Hell, this due to Haig’s health issues. Sig Haig passed away shortly after 3 From Hell was released.

Bill Moseley played Otis Driftwood, the most depraved and violent member of the Firefly clan and who wasn’t related by blood to the rest. Otis met Spaulding at some point and he was soon living with his family, with Gloria “Mama” Firefly adopting him, though not legally. Otis teamed up with Baby and committed numerous crimes together, and they continued to do so throughout the Firefly trilogy, though they also fought a lot. Otis survived the shootout at the end of The Devil’s Rejects and made a full recovery in 3 From Hell, where he continued with his killing sprees after escaping from prison. Bill Moseley has appeared in a number of horror movies, such as The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2, The Blob (1988), Night of the Living Dead (1990), and a lot more.

Sheri Moon Zombie plays Vera-Ellen a.k.a. Baby, the daughter of Mama Firefly and Captain Spaulding. Since she was a kid, Baby showed signs of antisocial personality disorder and other behavioral problems. Baby was a key player in the Firefly’s plans to attract tourists to kidnap them, torture them, and turn them into the “freaks” shown at Spaulding’s museum. She escaped the police in The Devil’s Rejects and continued her crimes with Spaulding and Otis, and she also survived the shooting at the end. Like her father and Otis, she made a full recovery in 3 From Hell and was sentenced to death row in prison, but she escaped with Otis. Sheri Moon Zombie has appeared in all of Rob Zombie’s movies and short films so far, with Tobe Hooper’s Toolbox Murders being the only exception.

Next: Why Rob Zombie's Firefly Family Are Scarier Than Any Slasher Villain

League of Legends Outlines New Punishments for AFK Players

Sat, 18 Sep 2021 21:39:49 +0000

League of Legends developers BarackProbama and TimTamMonster outlined new punishments and added new penalty tiers for continually AFK players and those who leave matches intentionally or otherwise on a repeat basis. While the release of new champions like Vex the Gloomist is always exciting for players, these enhancements to the game experience tend to also prove beneficial, since they make the experience of playing the game less disruptive.

Players who go AFK during matches has been a recurrent issue in League of Legends, and Riot Games’ Behavioral Systems Team briefly addressed it in a development blog in April. The team outlined goals of limiting and mitigating the harm of disruptive behavior with a specific focus on repeat offenders, like AFK players. This is a frustrating aspect for players in many online games. The recent occurrence of an AFK exploit in Rainbow Six Siege allowed some users to level up and earn rewards in games using AFK bots on multiple accounts. Like League of Legends, Siege relies heavily on team work and communication. If one or more of those teammates is AFK, it makes for a negative gaming experience.

Riot Games previously addressed AFK offenders with queue delays that blocked repeat offenders from queuing up for a match with a short timer that increased based on one's penalty tier. Although the intent was to change players’ behavior, Riot Games determined that about 9% of consistently AFK players were unafflicted by the short delay between one match and the next. Now, Riot is introducing queue lockouts, a new feature in League of Legends intended to build on these enhanced AFK penalties, which will apply to all MOBA queues. Lockouts are “mega-delays” that detail the punishment to the offending player and makes them temporarily unable to start games or queue for a match. BarackProbama and TimTamMonster outlined this change on a League of Legends dev blog, stating that “We’re removing the player from the population for a while so they can’t continue to AFK in games.” This outlines a different approach than ones they’ve taken before, but the behavior correcting element still remains. After the lockout, players should expect the maximum queue delay upon their return.

The duration of lockouts and delays depends on which punishment tier the offender is on. Queue lockouts, however, don’t kick in until the new penalty tiers. The first lockout, which lasts one day, comes at tier four. Each subsequent tier increases this duration, up to tier seven. A tier seven lockout is 14 days. All tier four and greater offenders will experience, in addition to queue lockouts, a 15 minute queue delay for five games. This new model is designed to move reforming players down the tiers by installing a weightier punishment for high tier offenders. It also works similarly to chat restrictions in the game that place players in chat lockouts for a number of days following their offense. However, as recent reports show, profanity is also prominent in League of Legends.

The Sentinels of Light update brought some exciting new content to League of Legends in July and it’s great to see Riot Games following up with additional multiplayer quality of life support. Players going AFK or leaving matches prematurely is a frustrating issue for players of all skill levels and negatively impacts their overall experience. It’s in any developer’s best interest to ensure the content they produce for their fans is as enjoyable as it can be. This is a great indicator of how well Riot Games is likely to handle similar issues in Valorant or in League of Legends' mysterious MMO project, which was announced late last year.

Next: Teamfight Tactics Reveals Set 6 Hextech Theme, Release Date, & New Mode

Source: League of Legends

Animal Crossing Fall 2021: When The Leaves Change Color

Sat, 18 Sep 2021 21:39:14 +0000

Fall has officially begun in Animal Crossing: New Horizons, though players may not see their trees' leaves change color as quickly as they'd like. It will take the better part of a month before New Horizons islands in the Northern Hemisphere begin to resemble the changing seasons players might see outside their windows.

Each season brings many Animal Crossing events that offer unique rewards and activities. September kicks off's ACNH fall events with Flick's Bug-Off, Moon-viewing Day, Chuseok, Acorn and Pinecone season, and the grape harvest festival. These and October's eventually lead to Halloween, a more significant event many fans look forward to celebrating with festive decorations. As time passes, the leaves continue to change color and match the fall themes of these holidays.

Animal Crossing: New Horizons' seasons change slowly, however. While the game's fall season officially began on September 1, leaf colors change gradually during its early days. Grass becomes a less vibrant green but doesn't adopt the full fall appearance until later. Similarly, the trees will begin to appear orange and brown but fail to obtain vibrant red shades for several weeks; New Horizons' islands develop the true fall color scheme in late October, just in time to fit the Halloween theme. Thankfully, this gives players plenty of time to perfect their fall setups before the leaves change.

The late-October leaf color changes may be disappointing to dedicated decorators, but it's in line with ACNH's emphasis on time's passing. Many activities are restricted to daily cycles, with no way to accelerate the game's progression without manipulating the Nintendo Switch's clock, and the same can be said for Animal Crossing's fall. It happens when it happens, and players can only plan around that.

The changing of Animal Crossing's leaves also matches up with events besides Halloween. Animal Crossing's Mushroom season begins November 1, during which players can collect mushrooms growing beneath trees. These can then be used in recipes only collectible during that time. Similarly, Maple Leaf season begins November 16 and ends November 25. Players can find leaves on the ground and shake trees for extra rewards.

Decorating for Halloween and fall should occupy Animal Crossing: New Horizons players for the immediate future. Later October and November will bring vibrant colors to Animal Crossing's islands, rewarding players with a spectacular aesthetic to celebrate the season.

Next: Animal Crossing's First Real Choice: What To Look For In An Island Map

How Cry Macho Is Different From Clint Eastwood's Iconic Westerns

Sat, 18 Sep 2021 21:38:48 +0000

Cry Macho stars and is directed by legendary Western actor Clint Eastwood, but the movie has some crucial differences from the films that made Eastwood famous. At 91 years old, Eastwood is one of the oldest people to ever have a starring role in a Hollywood film, and Cry Macho reflects a more mellow, less action-oriented approach that comes with age. At the same time, the film continues the interrogation of the Western genre that has extended through Eastwood's career.

Eastwood's Cry Macho is an adaptation of the 1975 N. Richard Nash novel of the same name, which has long been the subject of rumored Hollywood adaptation. In Cry Macho Eastwood plays Mike Milo, an aging ranch hand and former rodeo star who is sent to Mexico to find his former boss's son Rafo and bring him to America. During the journey, Mike and Rafo are side-tracked and grow close to each other.

While Clint Eastwood has appeared in movies in a number of genres, he is most associated with the Western. Eastwood rose to fame through the Western TV show Rawhide and Sergio Leone's "spaghetti Westerns," most notably The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly, then made a number of other classics in the genre throughout his career, including The Outlaw Josey Wales, Pale Rider, and Unforgiven. Cry Macho is far from a conventional Western, but it takes clear inspiration from the genre and continues many of the themes Eastwood has explored in the Westerns.

Cry Macho is a modern Western, a genre associated with creators like the Coen Brothers and Cormac McCarthy as well as TV series like Justified. Whereas the conventional Western is set on the American frontier during its expansion in the nineteenth century, modern Westerns are set in the contemporary or near-contemporary Southwest. The link to the Western element is established through themes such as masculinity and untamed wilderness as well as genre nods like horses and cowboy hats.

The film version of Cry Macho is set in 1979, shortly after the release of the original novel. While Eastwood's character Mike does ride a horse, most of the traveling is done through now-vintage cars. Mike is portrayed as someone who succeeded in the world suggested by Westerns, where the ability to handle a horse and quietly suffer pain were prized, but is now adrift in modern times. The 1970s setting also brings Clint Eastwood's career full circle, back to the era when he was on top of Hollywood.

Many of Clint Eastwood's iconic Westerns are based around physical confrontation, culminating in a shootout with a villainous character. This structure is a common trope of the genre, dating back to mid-20th century Westerns starring actors like John Wayne and Gary Cooper These action climaxes have included the classic three-way quick-draw at the end of The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly and the killing of Little Bill in the climax of Unforgiven. However, viewers shouldn't expect a similar focus on action in Cry Macho.

Cry Macho may be Eastwood's first Western since Unforgiven, but it is also a quiet character study of an aging tough guy. There is tension in Mike and Rafo being pursued by federal police and agents hired by Rafo's mother, but this plot is often de-emphasized, as in an extended segment where Mike and Rafo stay in a border village and befriend local cantina owner Marta. Given Eastwood's age, this shift away from action makes sense and provides an almost meditative quality to much of the movie.

From the title on, Cry Macho is clear in challenging the dominant sense of masculinity that has defined the Western. Classic Westerns often featured stoic protagonists who protected their communities through violence. By contrast, Clint's Mike Milo is openly regretful of the "macho" life he once lived. He tries to impart this to Rafo, who idolizes violent masculinity.

The movie also challenges many of the Western tropes canonized by John Ford, Howard Hawks, and other legendary directors. Through its focus on the relationships between Mike, Rafo, and Marta, and its very brief action scenes, Cry Macho suggests that human connection is more important than the violent triumph over wrongdoers. It also takes place almost entirely in Mexico and offers a humanizing portrayal of people of color that was uncommon in classic Westerns. However, this is not the first time Eastwood has challenged the conventions of the Western genre.

Almost all of the iconic Westerns that Clint Eastwood is remembered for challenged Western conventions and values. Sergio Leone's Man With No Name trilogy, which starred Eastwood, were postmodern pastiches of the genre made in Italy instead of Hollywood. Eastwood's nameless protagonist was an amoral drifter only interested in money. John Wayne refused to work with Eastwood, reportedly over the younger man's darker version of the Western hero.

When Eastwood started directing his own films in the 1970s, he continued presenting a darker version of the Old West. In High Plains Drifter, Eastwood satirizes the Western trope of the innocent frontier town by portraying them as voyeuristically participating in the violence of the gunslinger, in the process challenging the real-life audience of Western movies. Unforgiven also depicts an aged protagonist and presents a bloody and nihilistic depiction of violence that ultimately benefits no one. Westerns in the 1960s and later were increasingly deconstructionist, responding to the formal perfection of Ford, and Eastwood was a major part of this trend.

Clint Eastwood's classic characters could certainly be called "macho," and so to an extent Cry Macho is an overt rejection of the image that Eastwood's franchises and moves like Dirty Harry and other action films as well as his Westerns. However, it continues the tradition of questioning and subverting the Western genre that Eastwood has practiced his entire career, as both an actor and a director. In this way, for all it changes from Eastwood's most iconic Westerns, Cry Macho is ultimately a continuation of the ideas the star has explored in his previous classics.

NEXT: The Original, Canceled Version Of Clint Eastwood's Cry Macho Explained

Bad Batch: Clone Wars & Rebels Characters Who Could Appear In Season 2

Sat, 18 Sep 2021 21:35:11 +0000

After an exciting and tragic first season, Star Wars: The Bad Batch will return for season 2, and here are the Star Wars: The Clone Wars and Star Wars Rebels characters who could appear. The Bad Batch season 1 depicted the immediate aftermath of Palpatine’s Sith coup, transforming the Republic into the Galactic Empire. Thanks to high-ranking officers like Tarkin and Rampart, the Empire wasted little time in replacing the elite (albeit brainwashed) clone troopers with recruited stormtroopers, who are cheaper and more loyal, yet far less formidable than their clone predecessors. Given its proximity to both shows, the first season, unsurprisingly, featured several characters from The Clone Wars and Rebels.

As a spinoff series to the recently concluded The Clone Wars, The Bad Batch saw the return of numerous Clone Wars characters. Aside from the titular Bad Batch, the series showed how Cut Lawquane and his family escaped Imperial oppression, Saw Gerrera transitioning his anti-Separatist rebels into the Partisans, and the bounty hunter Cad Bane accepting mercenary work in a rapidly-changing galaxy. Given the show’s proximity to The Clone Wars and Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith, much of The Bad Batch’s first season was spent closing the book on prequel era plot threads and characters. Kamino’s cloning facility, once the proud home of heroic clones, was unceremoniously demolished by the Empire at the end of the season.

Similarly, The Bad Batch devoted time to set up characters and storylines from Rebels, a series whose timeline comes quite clone to Rogue One: A Star Wars Story and Star Wars. The show’s pilot episode depicted Caleb Dume (later known as Kanan Jarrus in Star Wars Rebels) surviving Order 66 at the cost of his Jedi Master’s life. Later in the season, two more Rebels protagonists, Hera Syndulla and her droid, Chopper, were the focus of a two-part story arc, showing their experiences on Imperial-occupied Ryloth. The fan-favorite clone hero from both The Clone Wars and Rebels, Captain Rex, returned as well, ensuring that the Bad Batch was free from potential Imperial brainwashing. What other Clone Wars and Rebels characters could appear in season 2?

A veteran clone trooper officer, Commander Wolffe lived through notably harsh events during the Clone Wars. Wolffe’s 104^th Battalion was nearly wiped out by General Grievous early in the war, and he managed to survive an attack from Asajj Ventress, at the cost of his eye. Though he became somewhat curmudgeonly, Wolffe nevertheless was an enthusiastic defender of the innocent and helpless and he remained true to these ideals in Rebels, which revealed that he had his control chip removed, freeing him from any potential Imperial brainwashing. By the Liberation of Lothal, Wolffe had become a full-fledged member of the Rebel Alliance.

The Bad Batch featured the return of the clone commando Gregor toward the end of season 1, showing how he escaped Imperial service, thanks to Clone Force 99. Considering that Gregor and Wolffe both lived with Rex on Seelos in their Rebels debut, an appearance by Wolffe is likely to be depicted in a Star Wars: The Bad Batch storyline. The Clone Wars and Rebels writer Henry Gilroy believes that Wolffe followed Order 66 but later removed his control chip. If true, Wolffe may be similar to Captain Howzer, having served the Empire but gradually overcoming the effects of his implant. The Bad Batch clones, perhaps with Rex’s help, may get assist Wolffe with leaving the Empire and removing his chip.

A favorite Legends-era villain and now part of canon, Grand Admiral Thrawn is one of the most brilliant beings in the galaxy and an invaluable leader within the Empire. Having made his canon debut in Rebels, Thrawn quickly established himself as one of the Rebellion’s most threatening foes, as Thrawn can outwit nearly anybody by learning about their culture’s artwork. Thrawn ultimately didn’t participate in the Galactic Civil War as he was launched into the Unknown Regions along with Ezra Bridger, making their whereabouts an unanswered question that may be answered in a future TV series.

Thrawn joined the Empire shortly after their rise. As shown in the canon Thrawn novels and comics, brainwashed clone troopers were still serving the Empire when Thrawn was first discovered by them, indicating that he joined their ranks shortly after Revenge of the Sith. The Bad Batch season 1 took place in 19 BBY, and the second season may take place only a year later at most, so Thrawn’s Imperial service might be only beginning. Nevertheless, Clone Force 99 has proven to be a thorn in the Empire’s side, so Thrawn and the commandos may clash at some point, potentially creating a fascinating battle of wits between Thrawn and Tech.

A prominent clone hero in The Clone Wars, Cody was a close friend of Captain Rex and Obi-Wan Kenobi, serving as Kenobi’s second in command in the Republic’s renowned 212^th Attack Battalion. Despite his strong will and appreciation for Obi-Wan, his control chip was activated during Order 66, suppressing Cody’s free will and compelling him to attack his general and friend. Though Obi-Wan survived, Cody presumably continued to serve the Empire. Rex mentions his friend Cody several times in Rebels, but Commander Cody’s fate is still unknown. While the heroic clone was notably absent from Rebels and The Bad Batch season 1, he may return in season 2.

An unused story arc from Rebels had Thrawn employ the aid of Cody upon recognizing Rex’s clone tactics within the Phoenix Rebel cell. Since Thrawn wouldn’t be a Grand Admiral at this point in the timeline and the Bad Batch are already being pursued by the Imperial clone and former Bad Batch member Crosshair, this storyline would need to be significantly altered. Another possibility is that Rex seeks to help Cody defect by removing his implant, and the Bad Batch would help him in this endeavor. Longtime Clone Wars audiences would finally have a degree of closure for Commander Cody’s Star Wars story in this case, whatever the outcome of Rex’s potential mission.

Another favorite character and one of The Clone Wars’ protagonists, Ahsoka Tano was once the padawan of Anakin Skywalker but left the Jedi Order before attaining knighthood after being framed for bombing the Jedi Temple. Ahsoka is one of Rex’s closest friends, and like him, she had a prominent role in Rebels as a supporting character. Ahsoka’s adventures went beyond the prequel and original trilogy eras with her live-action debut in The Mandalorian and she’s also set to star in an upcoming live-action Disney+ series. Although Rex and Ahsoka aren’t supposed to interact between The Clone Wars and Rebels, she may meet the Bad Batch at some point in season 2.

As revealed in 2016’s Ahsoka novel, Ahsoka hid from the Empire on the Outer Rim world of Thabeska for a year after the fall of the Republic. Changing her name and working as a mechanic, Ahsoka, now calling herself “Ashla,” kept a low profile, but she could have a hypothetical cameo, should the Bad Batch find themselves on Thabeska and in need of a mechanic. Though Tano needed to keep a low profile, she could stealthily help the clones fend off any Imperial adversaries with stealthy uses of the Force, if need be.

Barriss Offee was, for better or worse, drastically different in canon than she was in Legends. The Mirialan padawan was original Anakin Skywalker’s age and a kind-hearted Jedi healer who saved the lives of countless clones. In canon, she was rewritten to be Ahsoka Tano’s age and to have become so disillusioned by the Clone Wars that she murdered Jedi and clones when she bombed the Jedi Temple, framing Ahsoka as the perpetrator. Barriss’ betrayal was a shocking twist for viewers, and though she was arrested at the end of The Clone Wars season 6, many hoped to see her reappear in a future storyline, perhaps as an Imperial Inquisitor.

Barriss was notably absent from Rebels, Jedi: Fallen Order, and the 2017 Darth Vader comic series, making it unlikely that she became an Imperial Inquisitor. While Barriss fell to the dark side in The Clone Wars, she probably holds no loyalty to the Empire. Like Maul, Barriss could become a wildcard in future Bad Batch storylines, as a powerful non-Sith dark side user with no affiliation except to herself. Though doing so would almost certainly contradict the Ahsoka novel, Barriss and Tano could potentially clash in an episode of Star Wars: The Bad Batch season 2, potentially ending Barriss’ story and further connecting The Clone Wars to Rebels.

Next: Star Wars' New Show Can Finally Explain What Happened To Ahsoka's Jedi Rival

The MCU Just Proved Killmonger Was Never Redeemable, Despite Black Panther

Sat, 18 Sep 2021 21:31:24 +0000

Warning: SPOILERS for Marvel's What If...? episode 6.

Marvel’s What If…? may have proved that Erik Killmonger (Michael B. Jordan) was never redeemable, despite what many fans felt after his death in Black Panther. What If…? episode 5 explores what the MCU may have looked like if Killmonger had rescued Tony Stark from the Ten Rings in Afghanistan, as seen in Iron Man. This alternate universe reveals what a second chance could have looked like for Killmonger, a character who many believe should have been given a chance at rehabilitation instead of dying at the hands of his cousin, T’Challa.

The epic battle at the climax of Black Panther leaves Killmonger mortally wounded. As the cousins watch a Wakandan sunset, there is a mutual understanding that Wakandan tradition has failed many people. Killmonger’s goal to use Wakandan resources to end racial discrimination and systematic oppression resonated with audiences, but his methods were unethical and murderous. He refuses T’Challa’s offer to heal him, claiming that he’d rather be dead than locked away for his crimes, delivering one of the MCU's most powerful lines of dialogue: "Why, so you can lock me up? Nah. Just bury me in the ocean with my ancestors who jumped from ships 'cause they knew death was better than bondage."

Killmonger himself seems to know that there is no redemption in his future, yet audiences have wondered why filmmakers chose to write his character off. Since T’Challa opens up Wakandan borders at the end of the movie, which is essentially a compromise toward Killmonger’s ultimate goal, it's a tacit admission that Killmonger's methods were wrong, but he had a strong argument. But What If…? Episode 6 proves that Killmonger most likely would have squandered a second chance had he gotten one. The episode provides Killmonger with at least two opportunities to change his ways, although he capitalizes on neither, confirming that it would have taken much more than returning to Wakanda as an equal to begin his exoneration.

It is tempting to claim that Killmonger could have found redemption if only he had been accepted by the community that exiled his father, or any community for that matter. Perhaps this would have been true if Erik had been taken back to Wakanda with King T’Chaka and raised there. But What If…? episode 6 shows he's too consumed by vengeance by the time he's an adult, illustrating how Killmonger repeatedly disregards any concept of loyalty toward an ally or community. He might have used his relationship with Tony Stark to create some profound changes for the better in the world with Stark Industries. Instead, Killmonger uses his influence with Tony to orchestrate a war between the U.S. and Wakanda, killing not only T'Challa but also Rhodey to achieve his aims.

By the end of the episode, Killmonger is welcomed into Wakanda by King T’Chaka, who does not know that Killmonger is the reason his son is dead, and even takes up the mantle of the Black Panther. The episode leaves audiences with apprehension about how much power King T’Chaka has given his nephew, and some hope from a young Shuri going to Pepper Potts for help in exposing Killmonger’s ill deeds. The episode is laden with examples of how easy it is for Killmonger to gain the trust of influential people.

Audiences were sympathetic to Michael B. Jordan's Killmonger and perhaps wanted to see him welcomed back to Wakanda, hoping that would have been enough to get him to change his ways, but ultimately What If...? shows that he's manipulative and ruthless. Even had T’Challa decided to spare his life in Black Panther, he still likely would never have been trustworthy enough to be a part of the Wakandan community. Marvel's What If…? shows how any version of Killmonger who grows up alone, seething with the need for revenge, will always act in the best interest of his lifelong goal no matter who gets in the way.

Next: What If…? Just Made Iron Man The MCU's Curse & Its Savior

Marvel's What If...? releases new episodes every Wednesday on Disney+.

Apple Card Credit Score: How To Make Sure You Get Approved

Sat, 18 Sep 2021 21:31:00 +0000

The Apple Card is one of the most unique and interesting credit cards on the market, but as with any card, being approved ultimately comes down to someone's credit score. Since its debut in 2019, the Apple Card has stood out as one of Apple's most peculiar products. From Apple's perspective, it's the first financial-based product the company's ever created. As a credit card, the Apple Card is the first iPhone-exclusive credit card on the planet — and one of the first credit cards from a consumer tech brand.

While the Apple Card may not be for everyone, it is a pretty compelling option for most iPhone users. It's integrated seamlessly into the Apple Wallet app, offers instant access to customer service via iMessage, and its Daily Cash system rewards cardholders with easy-to-understand cashback earnings that are paid out every single day. For the person who owns an iPhone and wants a credit card that's as easy to use as possible, the Apple Card makes a solid argument for itself.

However, as is the case with any credit card, being approved for the Apple Card isn't a guarantee. As Apple explains on its website, card issuer Goldman Sachs uses "your credit score, your credit report (including your current debt obligations), and the income you report on your application when reviewing your Apple Card application." Unlike most credit cards, the Apple Card only pulls a hard inquiry on someone's credit report if they're approved and accept their offer. If someone applies and isn't happy with the credit limit or interest rate they're given, they can deny the offer and receive no hard inquiry at all. Similarly, anyone who applies and gets rejected for the Apple Card isn't faced with a hard inquiry either.

While this system takes out a lot of the sting often associated with most credit card applications, there are still some things to keep in mind that'll increase someone's chances of being approved (and potentially get them a higher credit limit). One of the biggest impacts on someone's credit score is their payment history with exisitng debt — such as credit cards, car loans, etc. If someone has a 100 percent payment history with all of their other accounts, it shows Goldman Sachs that this person can be trusted to make all of their payments. Similarly, the application will look at how much a person is using for their available credit. If someone applies and their credit report shows they've currently used $4,500 of their $5,000 limit across all their other cards, that high utilization can hurt their chances of being approved. By comparison, someone who only has $200 spent of that $5,000 limit will be a much more attractive candidate in Goldman Sachs's eyes. This is why it's recommended to pay off credit card balances as soon as possible instead of waiting to make one big payment once a month at the end of the billing cycle.

Another key factor the Apple Card application looks at is the total hard inquiries someone's received over the last couple of years. If an applicant has 15 inquiries on their credit report, that tells Goldman Sachs they're desperate for new credit sources and may not be a reliable customer. Alternatively, someone with 1 or 2 inquiries will be much more likely to get approved. Something else to keep in mind is the average age of someone's credit history. Having multiple accounts in good standing is one thing, but these mean even more if they've been like this for 3 or 4 years instead of a couple of months. While there's no way to increase the age of an account other than waiting, it might be worth holding off on the Apple Card until someone has at least one account that's been open for a while like this.

As mentioned above, the upside to the Apple Card is that there's no real consequence if someone applies and isn't approved. They'll receive a soft inquiry, there isn't a negative impact on their credit score, and they can move on with their day. But if someone really wants an Apple Card and wants to ensure their application is approved, understanding the above points is tremendously helpful. If you aren't already, using apps like Credit Karma and Experian is a great way to see your current credit score and understand how all of these factors come into play. Build up that credit history, keep making current payments, avoid too many inquiries, and that Apple Card application should be approved in no time.

Next: How To Change Apple Card Billing Address On Your iPhone

Source: Apple

The Suicide Squad Gag Reel Shows Margot Robbie Ruining a Lot of Takes

Sat, 18 Sep 2021 21:30:21 +0000

The Suicide Squad cast and crew definitely had a ton of fun making the DC film if the recently-released gag reel is any indication. While the film itself is very comedic, this behind-the-scenes snippet shows the kinship the cast developed amongst themselves while filming the blockbuster. It also potentially reveals the deeper role that was envisioned for Javelin (Flula Borg), as the film was nearly (ironically) called Javelin (and The Suicide Squad also).

The four-minute clip highlights several moments throughout the comic book film, and nearly every cast member gets a brief moment to shine. Bloodsport's (Idris Elba) fake laugh sets up the tone of the clip, and the rest just carries on from there. Several of the film's motion capture actors/suits provide lots of the levity, with Weasel actor Sean Gunn and King Shark's motion capture stand-in Steve Agee bringing in some laughs in their gray and bulky VFX suits.

There's also a solid amount of slapstick, as Ratcatcher 2 (Daniela Melchior) opens the back door of a truck on a crew member and Bloodsport falls off the wreckage during the filming of the final battle. Any expletives are blocked out by the characters' graphics, a nice touch that also hits on the stylistics of director James Gunn.

Gag reels and bloopers were once a prominent piece of filmmaking to have at the end during the credits, though the choice has definitely fallen out of style in recent years. The Suicide Squad is still in theaters, though it has completed its exclusive run on HBO Max. It has accumulated $55.4 million in the United States, for a worldwide total of $165.4 million. The Suicide Squad also stars Margot Robbie, Peter Capaldi, John Cena, Joel Kinnaman, David Dastmalchian, Michael Rooker, Viola Davis, and Sylvester Stallone as the voice of King Shark.

The Suicide Squad will be available on 4K, Blu-Ray, and DVD on October 28. Check out the gag reel below:

Keep Reading: 'The Suicide Squad' Digital, 4K, Blu-ray, and DVD Release Details Unveiled Including a Long List of Special Features

90 Day Fiancé: Why Fans Are Shocked Eric & Leida Are Still Together

Sat, 18 Sep 2021 21:30:21 +0000

Eric Rosenbrook and Leida Margaretha are 90 Day Fiancé alums who are widely perceived as mean people, and the fact that they're still a duo surprises some franchise fans. The pair appeared in season 6 of the hit TLC international romance show. Leida infuriated audiences due to the way she treated Eric's daughter, Tasha. Eric shockingly backed Leida's choice to mistreat his daughter. After declaring Eric and Leida major franchise villains, 90 Day Fiancé fans weighed in on the news that the couple is still married and seemingly going strong.

Indonesian woman Leida joined her American partner Eric in Wisconsin after they met on an international dating website. Leida immediately made viewers skeptical, as she claimed she came from an extremely wealthy family. She also said she was a model and doctor. Most shocking was the way Leida treated Eric’s children. Leida was upset that Eric paid child support for his kids. After clashing with Eric’s daughter Tasha, Leida kicked the teenager out of her home and obtained a restraining order against the young girl. Eric controversially backed Leida’s decision. In 2019, police investigated a domestic abuse situation at the couple’s home. Leida accused Eric of pulling her hair, and Eric alleged that she had threatened to kill herself with a knife. The same year, Leida was granted a 4-year restraining order against Tasha.

Instagram fan account @90dayfianceupdate shared a picture of Eric and Leida with the caption, "Eric and Leida still goin strong..did you think they would make it?" Many commenters voiced that they were shocked to see the couple still together. "Wow very surprised! She did not treat his daughters very kindly!" one fan wrote. Others agreed that Leida's cold attitude made them surprised that Eric was still with her. "No, she didn’t come over as a very nice person or a loving partner. I would have predicted she was off once her

Love Island UK Season 7: Which Couples Are Still Together (& Which Aren't)

Sat, 18 Sep 2021 21:29:13 +0000

After 49 long weeks, Love Island UK Season 7 finally ended with the lovable couple of Millie Court and Liam Reardon being named grand champions. As a show that genuinely challenges contestants to find true love, one of the most fascinating aspects is checking in once the competition concludes to see which couples have remained together. While most couples tend to go their separate ways once the cameras turn off, others remain together to this day.
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Now, with less than a month since Season 7 ended, it's worth seeing how many couples have withstood the test of time and which have fallen by the wayside.

9 Brett & Priya: No Longer Together
Considering how they entered the villa on day 45 of 58 of the popular reality dating series, it was always going to be difficult for Brett Staniland and Priya Gopaldas to forge a meaningful bond in such a short time span. As such, the islanders voted them off when asked to name the least compatible couple.
It comes as no real surprise that the two are no longer together since leaving the villa either. Priya publically lambasted Brett for being boring while indicting his culinary tastes, indicating a lack of chemistry all around. Despite cleaving their romance, the two have vowed to remain friends outside of the villa.
8 Millie & Liam: Still Together
As the strongest and most likable couple who joined forces on day 14 and lasted all the way until day 58, Millie and Liam legitimately deserved their first-place finish. Their bond was bolstered by overcoming Liam's wandering eye in the dramatic Casa Amor event before he stayed true to his heart and returned to Millie in the villa.
It's a pleasure to report that the couple is not only still alive and well, but Millie and Liam have also managed to spend time together almost every day despite the social strictures relating to the global pandemic.
7 Mary & Aaron: No Longer Together
After struggling to make connections with Toby and Sam as a very late villa entry, Mary Bedford seemed to have a good thing going with Aaron Simpson. Alas, the couple had only one week to solidify their romance and were summarily dumped from the villa when they failed to do so.
RELATED: 8 Ways Love Island UK Is Better Than The US Spinoff
After leaving the villa, Mary and Aaron went their separate ways, with the former intimating that the latter is just a good friend. On the Love Island Reunion episode, Mary claimed the two were simply too busy at the moment to pursue a serious relationship with one another.
6 Chloe & Toby: Still Together
Another highly enjoyable couple that fans continued to root for during season 7 was Chloe Burrows and Toby Aromolaran, the cute and formidable couple who overcome a rocky road early on to establish one of the most meaningful romances on the show. They ultimately finished as runners-up.
And just like Millie and Liam, Chloe and Toby have continued to grow their relationship as a couple after their Love Island experience. The two spend tons of time together, including their recent attendance at the National TV Awards, where the popular Love Island contestants were dressed to the hilt.
5 Liberty & Jake: No Longer Together
One of the biggest shocks and most disappointing heartbreaks during season 7 came when Jake and Liberty, the longest-tenured couple in the villa, decided to amicably split and walk away from the competition four days before the finale. A couple since day one who graduated to becoming an official boyfriend-girlfriend partnership, it seemed the two were destined for the wedding aisle.
RELATED: 8 Ways Love Island USA Is Better Than The UK Version
Alas, after the two called it quits on the show, they've stayed true to their decision since leaving the villa as well. Jake and Liberty remain friendly to this day but had to face the difficult truth that they were not an ideal romantic match made for the long haul.
4 Faye & Teddy: Still Together
In many ways, Faye and Teddy were the diametric opposite of Liberty and Jake. As the most turbulent couple in the villa that seemed to have no chance of a future together, especially when Faye left Teddy to be with Sam for a week, the two managed to patch their relationship and make a valiant run for a third-place finish.
Perhaps even more surprising is the fact that Faye and Teddy remain together today, turning their 40-day romance in the villa into a healthy post-show romance. Teddy even spent recent time with Faye's family, proving that they're getting more serious than ever.
3 Hugo & Amy: No Longer Together
Day one entry Hugo Hammond was one of the most contentious and controversial contestants in season 7. He was coupled with Sharon then Chloe then Sharon then Chloe, finally finding what appeared to be a stable romance with Amy Day. But when he called his time with Amy "tragic" while she stood next to him, the writing was on the wall.
RELATED: Love Island - 10 Behind-The-Scenes Facts You Didn't Know
Hugo and Amy have not only remained apart since their time on the show, but their contentious energy has also gotten worse as the two continue to hurl online insults at each other. In the Love Island Reunion episode, Amy called Hugo "fake" and that he was just a "green card to enter the villa."
2 Kaz & Tyler: Still Together
One of the most attractive and easy to root for Love Island couples was Kaz Kamwi and Tyler Cruickshank, the genuinely good match who proved to be the model of maturity and stability during their time in the villa. Fans supported the couple all the way to a respectable fourth-place finish.
It's a delight to report that the couple is not only still together, but that they've also taken their commitment to the next level. Since leaving the show, Kaz and Tyler have officially become boyfriend-girlfriend, making fans everywhere rejoice for their long-term happiness.
1 Lucinda & Aaron: No Longer Together
Once Lucinda Strafford's romantic partner Brad McLelland nominated himself to be dumped from the island, she was left with few prospects. Hope sprang eternal when she was coupled with Aaron Francis, but a severe lack of chemistry led to both of their dismissals.
Since leaving the villa together, Lucinda and Aaron have not pursued a romantic relationship together. Per Daily Mail, Lucinda says "unfortunately, both of us didn't find actual love in the villa. We're great friends, I know that I can come to him for anything. The aim of the game is to find I did really want to...I made amazing friends in there."
NEXT: Love Island - 10 Things You Didn't Know About Life In The Villa

Gerard Butler Gives Den of Thieves 2 Update

Sat, 18 Sep 2021 21:22:22 +0000

A sequel to the 2018 film Den of Thieves has been in the works for some time now, but according to Gerard Butler, the project is almost ready to officially get underway.

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In a recent interview with Unilad, Butler was asked about the second film, and for fans who have been waiting for news on the sequel, Butler has great news.

“We’re supposed to shoot early next year. We’re Europe-bound, we’re still on the hunt for Donnie who’s now on the diamond district in Marseilles,” Butler said. “I go over to hunt him down, but with different intentions than you might imagine. So we’re gonna be in Marseilles, the Alps, and London – it’s definitely a more glamorous journey than the last one, and probably a more fun, sexy journey.”

MORE: Daniel Craig Gives Farewell Speech After Wrapping No Time to Die

A Los Angeles crime action film, Den of Thieves follows the intersecting and often personally connected lives of an elite unit of the LA County Sheriff’s Dept. and the state’s most successful bank robbery crew as the outlaws plan a seemingly impossible heist on the Federal Reserve Bank of downtown Los Angeles.

The post Gerard Butler Gives Den of Thieves 2 Update appeared first on ComingSoon.net.

Berserk's Boldest Choice Was Choosing Hope Over Revenge at its End

Sat, 18 Sep 2021 21:15:13 +0000

Warning! Spoilers ahead for Berserk chapter 364!
The untimely death of legendary mangaka Kentaro Miura brought his epic manga Berserk to an abrupt halt, but the way in which his assistants concluded what eventually became his final chapter stays true to the direction Miura was headed in a stunning way: By embracing hope.
Before his passing, Miura hinted that Guts had surprisingly begun the process of relinquishing his hatred of Griffith. Guts even felt surprised when he realized some feelings concerning his former friend still festered deep inside him. This was a monumental admission because the entirety of the series revolves around Guts' quest for vengeance. Griffith had been Guts' best friend, but sacrificed him, their friends, and Casca so he could achieve his dream even though all of them had devoted their lives to help him meet that end.
Related: Berserk's Final Chapter Promises a Hauntingly Beautiful Happy Ending
But it shouldn't be surprising that Gut's hatred is fading. After Griffith sacrifices everyone, Casca is left in a near-catatonic state and remains that way until chapter 355 when she finally "awakens." The one constant that had been in effect since the manga's beginning had ended at that moment. Even though Griffith is still alive and slowly reclaiming the world, Casca is back. When Guts admits his true feelings concerning Griffith, he still hadn't restored Casca. Upon her restoration, it is implied that Guts' hatred for Griffith greatly diminished. Even though Miura never had the chance to have Guts confirm this, the mysterious Skull Knight, a godly being that had been aiding Guts in his ongoing quest at various intervals, tells the war-torn hero that he is reaching the end of his journey. Here are all of the ways that Miura's assistants attempted to end that journey within the span of one chapter.
Guts' suffering began long before that fateful day he crossed paths with Griffith. It can be traced back to the moment of his birth when he fell from the dangling corpse of his mother who had been hanged on suspicion of witchcraft. His adoptive father, Gambino, treated Guts with contempt, made abundantly clear by the grotesque name he bequeathed his son. Gambino cared so little for his son that he even despicably sold Guts to preying men whenever he was in dire need of money. After enduring such trauma, Guts always recoiled and reacted violently whenever anyone touched him.
Yet Guts can be seen in the closing chapter playing with the so-called Moonlight Boy, a reticent child believed to be his son who mysteriously appears during the full moon. It's a touching scene where Guts displays warmth and affection to someone other than Casca for the first time and acts like a normal father. It would have been understandable if Guts' horrific childhood prevented him from expressing such compassion, and yet, the chapter presents him as a man who can be a loving parent.
Related: Final Fantasy 14 Players Hold Dark Knight Tributes For Berserk Author
Long before this final chapter, Miura already proved another way in which the antihero Guts overcomes the shadow of his father's abuse. The moment transpires in chapter 329 during the manga's first and only flashback since the Golden Age arc. Although the majority of the story centers on Guts' relationship with a mercenary named Martino and a fairy, there's a moment when Gambino warns a younger Guts to not trust anybody on the battlefield and that following others will get him killed. Despite what happens later, especially when Griffith betrays him, Guts lets go of his father's words by forming a new troupe of friends.
The most powerful image in Berserk's final installment is clearly the way in which Miura's assistants altered how the final scene was originally meant to play out, as Miura had never intended chapter 364 to be his last. He had clearly planned for it to end as a cliffhanger with Griffith somehow appearing to Casca and Guts in tears. But now the scene is portrayed as Casca's salvation with Griffith's image used as a way to reiterate her redemption. That redeeming moment takes the form of a dream. Although it's more akin to a nightmare, Casca not only refers to it as a dream but thinks back on it warmly before it fades from memory.
Related: Akira: Everything You Need to Know About the Iconic Manga
On the surface, the dream is told from the perspective of the Moonlight Boy. The warmth of Casca's loving embrace protects him from encroaching demons in the final chapter, allowing him to believe there's nothing out there except a night that's warm and familiar. But what's truly remarkable is that Casca recalls this dream positively, even though it was obviously represented the horrors she was subjected to during the Eclipse. This creates the impression that she will be able to look back on her life, even the worst moments, and find beauty in them. But the most hopeful image is how everything from her dream disappears. Although portrayed fondly, the ability to forget is important, especially since her words are juxtaposed against an image of Griffith, evoking the idea that the memory of him and the trauma she endured will fade. How she describes this phenomenon as "a single teardrop, like the morning dew," can be interpreted as a time of renewal that promises a new day.
Miura explored the profound effect that dreams and traumatic memories have on a person's psyche when the young witch-in-training Schierke and her disciple Lady Farnese journey into the Corridor of Dreams for Casca. Upon their arrival to Elfhelm, the two travelers perform a ritual that allows them to explore Casca's dreams to help restore her mind in chapter 347 of Berserk. They soon discover that their mission is to find the scattered memories lost in her mind. Each memory they stumble across leads to a shattered piece of Casca's psyche that resembles a small Casca doll. In chapter 354, Farnese and Schierke discover that the final piece is a heart covered in thorns because even though they are restoring Casca's sanity, they risk Casca having to relive the horrors that caused her to lose her mind in the first place.
Casca wrestles with her memories once Farnese and Schierke restore her sanity. In fact, Casca's trauma is so pronounced that when she lays eyes on Guts, she is instantly reminded of what happened to her and falls into a state of terror. However, Casca's dream in the final chapter proves that she is able to view her nightmarish memories pleasantly through the eyes of the Moonlight Boy. Instead of reliving the horrors of that night, all she remembers is warmth and familiarity. When she awakens, all of the negativity is forgotten.
Even though she receives a thorny heart, Casca proves she is able to remove the thorns and that she can start a new life with Guts and their supposed son. She will also one day be able to look into the eyes of her beloved Guts without succumbing to severe fits of panic. More importantly, she is no longer a victim, for she has been victimized by Griffith for long enough. And together, she and Guts won't let vengeance consume them, even though it has dictated Guts' existence for years and despite Casca literally losing years of her own life due to extreme trauma. It's a hopeful message that fans never imagined mangaka Kentaro Miura would have ever planned when he first transported readers to his dark, dismal world of Berserk so many years ago.
Next: Berserk: 10 Most Powerful Themes From The Manga

Could The Avengers Actually Be Lead By Richard Madden's Eternals Character? Here's What The Actor Says

Sat, 18 Sep 2021 21:11:29 +0000

Could Richard Madden's Ikaris actually lead the Avengers?

Emmy Predictions: Best Limited Series — Was It ‘The Queen’s Gambit’ All Along?

Sat, 18 Sep 2021 21:05:03 +0000
Scott Frank's chess drama established itself as the frontrunner nearly a year ago — has anything changed?

10 Best Avengers in Marvel: Crisis Protocol, Ranked | ScreenRant

Sat, 18 Sep 2021 21:04:25 +0000

Atomic Mass Game's Marvel: Crisis Protocol has several different affiliations representing famous teams in the Marvel canon, and knowing which characters work best for each group is a key to victory. While some groups only have a few characters, the Avengers is one of the biggest teams available in the game.
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The Avengers can be a particularly challenging affiliation to build a roster for because both of their leaders support significantly different game plans. The Avengers have seen slightly less competitive play lately, but a handful of reworks and new members have brought the group back to the forefront.

10 Black Widow
Black Widow (not to be confused with the inferior Black Widow, Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D.) isn’t great because of her stats or abilities but because of her cost. There are very few two threat characters in the game. Natasha’s low cost makes her incredibly valuable for making squads’ threat numbers work.
While she can’t do much damage, Black Widow has a few tools that make her a functional objective carrier. Her Stealth ability prevents anyone from attacking her from beyond range three, and Martial Artists lets her count blanks as successes when defending against an attack within range two.
9 Quicksilver
The MCU and Fox versions of Quicksilver may be wildly different, and neither was particularly accurate to the Pietro Maximoff found in Marvel comics, but Crisis Protocol does a fantastic job bringing the speedster’s abilities to the table. Quicksilver is already one of few characters with a long basic movement speed, but almost everything on his card lets him move around even more.
Players can move Pietro to nearly any part of the board on turn one making him a fantastic tool for either threatening opponents’ backline secure objectives or flanking back row ranged attackers. Can’t Catch Me is a fantastic superpower that lets Quicksilver move when he is attacked, and, if played right, it can put him out of range before the attack happens.
8 War Machine
War Machine is not a complicated character in Marvel: Crisis Protocol. While he has a few tricks up his sleeves, players bring him for one reason: beams. While many characters have beam attacks capable of damaging multiple enemies, it’s rare to have them as a character’s free attack as War Machine does.
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There’s a ton of potential to generate energy and deliver bleeds with this attack, which sets up frequent use of his more expensive Empty the Clip attack. Because beams shoot in straight lines, War Machine thrives with Sam Wilson’s movement-granting leadership ability.
7 Hawkeye
Clint Barton loves sitting in the back lines and pinging enemies with his range five Arrow Shot. The attack rolls a respectable five dice, but it’s made more impressive by the fact that the attacking player can choose whether the defender uses their physical or energy defense.
Furthermore, his basic attack inflicts the attacker’s choice of Bleed, Shock, Slow, or Poison if a wild was roled. This versatility allows him to take advantage of many enemy weaknesses and board states, and few other characters have the range to fire back at him. Hook Arrow can help Hawkeye get into optimal firing position, and Fast Draw damages any enemy that’s able to move up and make an attack.
6 Hulk
Hulk may historically be one of the strongest Avengers, but his power level in Marvel: Crisis Protocol wasn't doing his reputation justice. Characters priced at six threat should be game-changers, so players were thrilled when Atomic Mass Games announced a massive rework for Hulk.
Almost every facet of the fan-favorite character is now better. Hulk's builder attack will be giving him more energy, his defensive capabilities are higher, and he has a brand new superpower that lets him reroll defensive dice. Hulk is also now immune to stun. These changes make Hulk a great brawler that's capable of holding control points and taking out enemies.
5 Captain America (Steve Rogers)
Captain America is Marvel: Crisis Protocol’s original leader for the Avengers affiliation, but, as an original core box character, he had been seeing less and less use as better options and a new leader were released. Fortunately for the likable Star-Spangled Avenger, Atomic Mass Games announced an updated character card for Steve Rogers at their Ministravaganza event in early September. Whether or not players choose to use his leadership ability, Captain America will likely return to must-include status on the Avengers when this update is officially released later this year.
4 Scarlet Witch
Scarlet Witch is one of the more expensive Avengers at five threat, but Wanda’s kit packs a ton of utility for the cost. Her builder, Hex Bolt, rolls an impressive six damage and grants negative status effects to the target for each skull in the attack role. While this is a powerful attack on its own, Scarlet Witch’s Chosen of Chthon ability further boosts the attacks’ effectiveness by letting her count skulls/failures as successes. Telekinesis and Curse round out Wanda’s superpowers and let her move terrain features and stymie enemies’ recovery actions.
3 Vision
Vision plays a lot like War Machine, but he costs more, does more damage, and has better defenses than his power armor-clad teammate. Vision is a great offensive threat because of his builder attack, Solar Energy Beam, which damages every enemy in a four-distance line and saps energy tokens on wild dice rolls.
RELATED: 10 Things Only Comic Book Fans Know About The Vision
Defensively, Vision thrives due to his ability to shift density forms. Enhanced Density lets Vision resist pushes and tank physical damage, and Phased lets him avoid collision damage and shrug off energy attacks. The Rapid Phase superpower allows him to shift between the two as needed for only two power.
2 Captain America (Sam Wilson)
Sam Wilson has seen increased importance in the MCU, and his knack for leadership is well reflected in Marvel: Crisis Protocol. This version of Captain America was the second (and hitherto final) leader for the Avengers affiliation, and his leadership ability, “All-New, All-Different,” Brings an entirely different playstyle to the group than Captain Rogers.
Sam grants movement to allies when a friendly character is dazed or KO’d, so he thrives in a roster of many cheap allies that can constantly prop his ability. While his leadership ability is solid, Sam himself is also a fantastic extract objective holder with excellent mobility.
1 Black Panther
Black Panther may be the leader of the Wakanda affiliation, but he's also a great addition to the Avengers roster. His defensive values of 4/3/3 are already good, but his Vibranium Armor ability lets him add blanks to any defense rolls against physical or energy attacks. Black Panther's Kinetic Burst attack only costs three energy for six attack dice, but he can spend extra energy to add dice when he needs a big hit.
The attack also pushes enemies away if Black Panther rolled a wild during the attack, so it helps clear enemies away from objective tokens. Mantle of the Black Panther and King of Wakanda give T'Challa and nearby allies the ability to reroll dice, which is a great way to mitigate bad luck.
NEXT: 10 Things About Black Panther's Vibranium That Make No Sense

For Your Eyes Only Is Roger Moore’s Best Bond Movie (Despite The Critics)

Sat, 18 Sep 2021 21:02:51 +0000

For Your Eyes Only is arguably Roger Moore’s strongest outing as James Bond, though it's often lost in the mix among the actor's more over-the-top outings. The twelfth film in the EON franchise finds Bond tasked with retrieving a missing British missile command system (the ATAC) before it gets into the hands of the KGB. Caught up in this race against time is Melina Havelock (Carole Bouquet), who is on her own mission to avenge the murder of her parents.
Contemporary reviews in 1981 were mixed, with some critics mocking Moore’s advancing age (though he would continue in the role for two further adventures). Others dismissed the film as forgettable, too serious and bemoaned its lack of outlandish villains, lavish sets or memorable gadgets. Most of Roger Moore’s 007 films were successful, but are rarely considered ‘top tier’ in Bond rankings. Designed around his playful sense of humor and often played for laughs, they’re significantly removed from Ian Fleming’s description of the character, embodied in Sean Connery’s classic run or Daniel Craig’s ‘blunt instrument’. Though Moore’s films can feel dated to contemporary tastes, For Your Eyes Only is the exception.
Related: James Bond Rewatch: When To Start (And What To Skip) Before No Time To Die
Many of the criticisms against the movie miss the point, which was to bring Bond back down to earth after 1979’s Moonraker stretched believability to breaking point by sending him into space. The series could have easily carried on with this fantastical approach (unadjusted for inflation, Moonraker was the most successful Bond film financially at the time). Instead, first-time director John Glen opted for a grittier, more realistic approach and took 007 back to his roots; Ian Fleming. While the films had by that time largely adapted most of the spies’ literary adventures (either faithfully or in name only), a series of short stories were still available. The story “For Your Eyes Only” covers the Havelock's murder and revenge plot points, while “Risico” was used as inspiration for the double-crossing villain and drug smuggling elements of the film adaptation. Another key scene was taken from the novel Live and Let Die, which involved Bond and Melina dragged behind the villain’s boat in shark-infested waters, as the 1973 film omitted the sequence.
Another virtue Roger Moore's For Your Eyes Only has is its approach to Bond in action. While the sequel has its obligatory Q’s lab scene, in the field 007 is quickly stripped of all gadgets, with his beloved Lotus Esprit literally being blown up before he has time to get his keys out. This lack of gizmos means he must survive by his wits (another Fleming trope). Whether he’s being chased through olive groves in a battered Citroën 2CV or hanging on for dear life at the end of a rope in one of the series’ most jaw-dropping pieces of stunt work, Bond doesn’t have a button to push to get out of trouble. It’s a refreshing, back-to-basics approach and one that has again been embraced during Daniel Craig’s tenure.
Aside from Bill Conti’s disco/funk-infused score (divisive, but not without some memorable cues), there is very little to date the film compared to Moore's earlier movies either. Humour is still present but used sparingly, and the cartoonish antics of previous outings are largely gone. Though the movie could be accused of copying the basic outline of a previous Bond adventure (From Russia With Love), the same argument could be leveled at any number of beloved outings in the series too. The tried and tested ‘retrieve the MacGuffin before the bad guys’ plot is a staple of the genre, and despite its critics, For Your Eyes Only does it better than most.
Next: No Time To Die Reveals The Sad Truth About James Bond's Legacy

Naked And Afraid Of Love: All About Brittany Whitmire

Sat, 18 Sep 2021 21:01:08 +0000

Brittany Whitmire from Naked And Afraid Of Love took a chance to try and find her soulmate while wearing nothing but her heart on her sleeve, and it's time to share information about the reality celeb. Being on a show that fully exposes a person, literally, allowed her to step out of her comfort zone. When she did so, she learned so much about herself, including how to survive in such an interesting situation.
Naked And Afraid Of Love is the love child of Bachelor In Paradise and Survivor. Eight men and women are put on a deserted island, where they must remain completely nude. These cast members adapt in order to survive. Hopefully, they find love along the way, but this proves more challenging than enjoyable once discomfort and hunger set in. While love takes a backseat to the need to survive, bonds are still formed.
Related: Naked And Afraid Of Love: What We Know About The New Discovery+ Show
Brittany was cast in the new reality dating series after a friend tagged her in a Facebook post linked to the show. During the casting process, the North Carolina native was unaware that wearing clothes was not an option. In an interview with ET Online, she said, "At the time, it was not communicated, the naked and afraid part..." The casting team talked to her about her comfort level in terms of nudity, and she said that she was fairly comfortable with it. Still, the premise of the show came as a surprise.
Brittany, who currently lives in Los Angeles, is someone who maintains a healthy and active lifestyle. She enjoys going on hikes and spending time at beaches when she isn't doing modeling work part-time. She has an Irish doodle, Charlie, whom she left with her family while she was away filming the show. She announced her participation in the Survivor-inspired reality show online on August 10, 2021.
She got candid about her experiences on the Discovery+ show prior to its release. She explained that she'd had reservations about the survival aspect of the show to E! News Daily Pop. She said, "I had a lot of questions regarding the survival aspect of it...I do not deem myself a survivalist. Like, I enjoy the outdoors, I go hiking, I go camping, I do that stuff, but I have my water, I have my supplies. So I was like, 'Either you guys are teaching me some things or I'm going to die out there.'"
As for being naked while also hoping to find love on the new Discovery+ show, she added, "I think my biggest hesitation was just regarding how would other people view me and would this impact my career? She also explained that she had concerns about whether appearing on the show would negatively impact her career as an HR professional. Additionally, Brittany said that she's no stranger to body issues, which were definitely on her mind while filming the reality series. Fortunately for Brittany, the Naked And Afraid Of Love contestants gave each other some space when they were first dropped off on the island.
Next: Survivor: Why The Season 41 Game Will Be Shorter
Naked And Afraid Of Love is now streaming on Discovery+.
Sources: E! News, ET Online

Every Upcoming Marvel Cinematic Universe Movie & TV Show In Development

Sat, 18 Sep 2021 21:00:48 +0000

With so many upcoming Marvel Cinematic Universe projects there are almost as many TV shows and movies in development as have already been released. The MCU is one of the most successful film franchises of all time, with movies regularly breaking box office records around the world. But with so many different characters, teams, and now timelines to follow it can be hard to keep track of what is coming up next.
Before 2021, fans could reliably just keep an eye on the upcoming Marvel movies to stay in the loop. While there were occasional references to the events of the Marvel TV shows, they were rare and non-essential for following the MCU. However, with the introduction of WandaVision as its first Disney+ exclusive TV show, Marvel changed the game. As they de-canonized all previous Marvel TV shows from the MCU, cemented Sam Wilson as Captain America in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, and birthed the multiverse in Loki, Disney made it abundantly clear that any upcoming Marvel TV shows would be required viewing.
Related: Loki's Ending Syncs With WandaVision - Theory Explained
As if following every MCU release wasn’t already complicated enough, there is still a question mark hanging over whether certain movies might be considered canon. Upcoming Marvel movies can be thought to include movies that are being produced by Sony Pictures Entertainment such as Venom: Let There Be Carnage, Morbius, and Kraven the Hunter. While these aren’t currently part of the MCU and won’t be included in the list below, some evidence shows that there will be a certain degree of crossover between the franchises. With that said, here is a comprehensive list of every upcoming Marvel Cinematic Universe movie and TV show.
With so many films delayed from 2020 and early 2021 by the Covid-19 pandemic, the latter part of 2021 has become a busy release period for Marvel. The Eternals follows on from Avengers: Endgame and deals with the fallout of the sudden return of half of the planet’s population. The Eternals have lived in secret on Earth for 7,000 years vowing not to interfere in human affairs but are now reuniting to protect humanity from The Eternals’ rivals, the Deviants.
Related: Eternals Theory: Hulk's Endgame Snap Brought Back The Celestials (Not Deviants)
Directed by Chloé Zhao, who won awards for her work on Nomadland, The Eternals features a star-studded cast including Kumail Nanjiani, Kit Harington, Salma Hayek, and Angelina Jolie. Brian Tyree Henry will play Phastos, giving the MCU its first openly gay superhero after more than a decade of productions. The Eternals will introduce a whole new team of superheroes in a single movie, something that the Marvel Cinematic Universe has not attempted since Guardians of the Galaxy, as they usually introduce heroes one or two at a time.
In 2021 Natasha Romanoff finally got her own standalone film in Black Widow. Late 2021 is giving a similar treatment to long-standing hero Clint Barton (Jeremy Renner) in his upcoming Marvel TV series Hawkeye. As well as providing a focus on Barton, the Disney Plus show will introduce the MCU’s next sharpshooter, Kate Bishop, played by Hailee Steinfeld.
Concept art from the series has given some hints as to what adventures Bishop and Barton will explore together, however, the bigger clue came in Black Widow’s post-credits scene. As she mourns Romanoff’s death, Florence Pugh’s Yelena Belova is approached by Valentina Allegra de Fontaine, who had previously been introduced in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier. While twisting the truth about Natasha’s death, Valentina gives Yelena a new target: Clint Barton.
Tom Holland returns as the web-slinging superhero in Spider-Man: No Way Home. The second of Tom Holland’s standalone movies, Spider-Man: Far From Home, closed out Phase 3 of the Marvel Cinematic Universe and saw the character dealing with the loss of his pseudo-father figure, Tony Stark, after the events of Avengers: Endgame. This third outing for the New York hero follows on directly from that movie, in which the mid-credits scene showed Mysterio via J. Jonah Jameson revealing Peter Parker’s true identity to the world.
Related: WandaVision Secretly Predicted Spider-Man: No Way Home's Trailer Release Date
As well as being a sequel to the previous Spider-Man film, Spider-Man: No Way Home is set to pull together multiverse plotlines that have been established in the Disney Plus TV shows. After the creation of the multiverse in Loki, Benedict Cumberbatch appears as Doctor Strange in this movie as the MCU continues to set up Doctor Strange In The Multiverse of Madness. The multiverse aspects don’t stop there as it has been confirmed that several villains from earlier Spider-Man franchises will be appearing portrayed by their original actors: Green Goblin (Willem Defoe), Doctor Octopus (Alfred Molina), Sandman (Thomas Haden Church), and Electro (Jamie Foxx). Unconfirmed rumors suggest that there may also be appearances from Rhys Ifan’s Lizard, Charlie Cox’s Daredevil, and other Peter Parkers played by Andrew Garfield and Tobey Maguire.
While the previous Disney+ shows all focused on fleshing out previously established characters, Ms. Marvel will be the first upcoming Marvel TV show to introduce an entirely new character in the starring role. In the comics, Kamala Kahn is a Pakistani-American teenager who gains superpowers after being exposed to Terrigen Mist and first appeared in 2013. While her character is tied to the Inhumans and viewers might anticipate a crossover with Marvel’s short-lived Inhumans TV show, it seems that the show is no longer part of the MCU canon, so such a crossover seems unlikely.
In the upcoming MCU adaptation of Kamala Khan, the character will be played by Iman Vellani and see her as a 16-year-old student in Jersey City. She’s a huge fan of superheroes, writing fan-fics about them, with a particular passion for Captain Marvel. Her life changes and the show gets going when she gains superpowers and can strive to be like her idols. Kamala Kahn is expected to return in the sequel to Captain Marvel, The Marvels.
Related: Captain Marvel 2 Reusing Scrapped Villain Concept Can Improve Her Enemies
Drawing on the events of the first Doctor Strange, the WandaVision TV show, and Spider-Man: No Way Home, Doctor Strange returns for his second standalone MCU movie. Benedict Cumberbatch will naturally appear in the title role, while Benedict Wong will once again reprise his role as Wong. Elizabeth Olsen has been confirmed to be appearing as Wanda Maximoff, paying off set-ups teased in WandaVision. Finally, Chiwetel Ejiofor is set to return to the MCU as an antagonist to Strange as his character Karl Mordo who felt betrayed by the Ancient One and turned his back on the order of the Masters of The Mystic Arts.
As with Ms. Marvel, Moon Knight will introduce a brand-new character to the MCU. This upcoming Marvel TV show will be fronted by Oscar Isaac as Marc Spector, a superhero who believes that his superpowers are granted to him by Khonshu, the moon god of Egypt. Spector is a delicate character to depict as he suffers from dissociative identity disorder and outside the MCU past depictions of DID have ranged from accurate and thoughtful to down-right offensive. Gaspard Ulliel will appear in the Disney Plus show as Midnight Man. The cast is also set to include May Calamawy, Ethan Hawke, Loic Mabanza, Jean-Paul DuChamp, Marlene Alraune, Eddie Silver, and Willow Silver all in unannounced roles.
Taika Waititi will be returning to direct Thor: Love and Thunder, which will see Chris Hemsworth’s Thor be the first hero to receive a fourth standalone movie, although he’ll be joined by a full ensemble. The full Guardians of the Galaxy team will join the cast, with Christian Bale joining the MCU as the antagonist Gorr the God Butcher. Russell Crowe is set to appear as Zeus, and Jeff Goldblum is expected to return as the Grandmaster. The story will reportedly focus on Natalie Portman’s returning character, Jane Foster, who has been absent from the recent Marvel Cinematic Universe and will adapt the Mighty Thor comic story which sees Foster take on the mantle of Thor. Tessa Thompson has also revealed that her character, Valkyrie, will fully come out as bisexual in Thor: Love and Thunder and as the new king of Asgard she will be searching for her queen.
With Edward Norton’s origination of Bruce Banner in 2008's The Incredible Hulk, a movie that can often feel disconnected from the Marvel Cinematic Universe because of the character’s recasting, it’s been a while since the MCU has had a Hulk-focused story. That is set to be corrected in the upcoming Marvel TV show She-Hulk. Mark Ruffalo will return as Bruce Banner and the show will see his cousin, lawyer Jennifer Walters (Tatiana Maslany), gain hulk powers after receiving a transfusion of Banner’s blood. Much like the Smart Hulk who was introduced in Avengers: Endgame, when Walters hulks out, she maintains her personality and intelligence. Having reprised the role for Shang-Chi, Tim Roth will also be returning for the series as Emil Blonsky (Abomination) once again. Jameela Jamil (The Good Place) is set to appear as Mary MacPherran (Titania) and Megan Thee Stallion will appear in an unannounced role.
Related: Why Shang-Chi Suits Abomination More Than The Incredible Hulk Did
While the success of Black Panther meant that a sequel was expected, its production was complicated when Chadwick Boseman tragically died of cancer in 2020. The production team has confirmed that his character, T’Challa, will not be recast nor will CGI be used to portray him in the movie, meaning that his last appearance as the character was in Marvel’s What If…? Disney+ show, which was recorded before his death.
While some theorize that T’Challa’s sister Shuri might take on the mantle of Black Panther, the name of the movie, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, and comments from Kevin Feige suggest that the focus will be on Wakanda and its people rather than purely focusing on the Black Panther title. The rest of the main cast is expected to return, and Michael B. Jordan has said that he would be interested in reprising his role as Killmonger, despite the character’s death in the original movie. On-set photos have indicated that the film will introduce Dominique Thorne’s portrayal of Riri Williams ahead of her upcoming Marvel TV show, Ironheart.
The upcoming Marvel TV show Secret Invasion has been being teased since the 2019 release of Captain Marvel introduced the Skrulls to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The Disney+ show will see Samuel L. Jackson and Ben Mendelsohn reprising their roles as Nick Fury and Talos, fulfilling the tease from the post-credits scene for Spider-Man: Far From Home. The six episodes of Secret Invasion will also introduce a cast of unannounced characters played by Kingsley Ben-Adir, Olivia Colman, Emilia Clarke, Killian Scott, Christopher McDonald, and Noel Fisher.
As part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s utilization of their upcoming TV shows, The Marvels will be a culmination of the plots of Captain Marvel, WandaVision, and Ms. Marvel. While little is known of the plot, Brie Larson is set to return as Captain Marvel with Teyonah Parris reprising her WandaVision role as Monica Rambeau and Iman Vellani reprising her Kamal Khan role from Ms. Marvel. Set on Earth in the present day, the team is set to face off against a villain portrayed by Zawe Ashton. In addition, Yon-Rogg (Jude Law), Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson), Maria Hill (Cobbie Smulders), and Jimmy Woo (Randall Park) are all expected to return.
Related: MCU Actors Who Should Get Bigger Roles (After Gemma Chan)
James Gunn has said that Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 will be the last time he works on Guardians. However, he’s sneaking in one last story before the third part of the trilogy lands in 2023. The MCU is branching out into the realms of TV specials. Chris Pratt, Dave Bautista, Bradley Cooper, Vin Diesel, Karen Gillan, and Pom Klementieff are all expected to appear in the special. Hopefully, it will avoid living in infamy in the way that the Star Wars Holiday Special did.
Paul Rudd and Evangeline Lilly will be returning to their roles as Scott Lang and Hope Van Dyne in this follow-up to Ant-Man and The Wasp. Michael Douglas and Michelle Pfeiffer will also return as Hope’s parents, Hank Pym and Janet Van Dyne. However, Scott’s daughter, Cassie Lang is being recast. She was recast for an older appearance in Avengers: Endgame to be portrayed by Emma Fuhrmann. In Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania, Fuhrmann will be replaced by the older Kathryn Newton. The choice to use an older actress could indicate that the film will explore Cassie’s comic book transformation into the hero Stature, who was a prominent member of the Young Avengers. Having made his debut in Loki, Jonathan Majors is set to return as Kang the Conqueror in this movie, posing the team’s biggest challenge yet.
The hero Ironheart will be returning for her own Disney+ show after making her Marvel Cinematic Universe debut in the upcoming Marvel movie Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. Domonique Thorne (Judas and the Black Messiah) will return as Riri Williams, a genius engineer who creates a suit similar to Tony Stark’s Iron Man suit and becomes a superhero. While little is known about the upcoming show’s story and no release date has been announced, based on the Marvel release calendar, it seems probable that it will release at some time in 2023.
With Guardians of the Galaxy Vol.2 releasing in 2017, audiences still have a long wait for Guardians of the Galaxy Vol.3. The film has already had a rough production with director James Gunn being fired by Marvel over offensive jokes he had made some years before that then resurfaced. He was rehired after public outcry, but in the meantime had already signed on with DC to direct The Suicide Squad and its John Cena-centered spin-off Peacemaker. Therefore, it won’t be until mid-2023 that the crew get back together for a full feature-length outing under Gunn’s direction. The full cast, including Zoe Saldana as Gamora, are expected to return. In the meantime, they’ll be appearing in Thor: Love and Thunder and The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special.
Related: Why An R-Rated Guardians Of The Galaxy Wouldn’t Work (Unlike Suicide Squad)
After the events of Iron Man, Tony Stark was always worried that his technology could fall into the wrong ha

BIP: Pieper James Discloses Final ‘Point Of Contention’ With Brendan

Sat, 18 Sep 2021 21:00:00 +0000

Pieper James, a contestant on Bachelor In Paradise, explained an important "point of contention" after her chaotic Bachelor experience with Brendan Morais. As fans of Paradise know, Brendan was rejected by Bachelor Nation after he was caught lying about his relationship with Natasha Parker. Once a beloved contestant, Brendan has destroyed his reputation within Bachelor Nation, leading a surge of drama in season 7.
While fans have followed a number of controversial moments with Demi Burnett and plenty of tears from Tammy Ly, the most dramatic and controversial happenings of the season come back to Brendan and his relationship with Pieper, both before and during the most recent season. Blamed for stealing opportunities from both Natasha and Demi, both the cast of the series and fans have joined to unanimously disapprove of Brendan's behavior. Even though Brendan has apologized for his actions on BIP, he is still facing backlash and is currently under increasing scrutiny, both in person and online.
Related: BIP: Deandra Kanu Calls Out Pieper James' Production Blaming Statement
As reported by Us Weekly, Pieper appears to have more to add to the conversation surrounding her relationship with Brendan, addressing "one final point of contention." Pieper confirmed on Instagram that both herself and Brendan "were not in an exclusive relationship...before filming." Demi and Natasha, both involved with Brendan at points throughout the season, blamed Brendan for abusing the system and disrupting the order of Bachelor In Paradise, yet Pieper said just the opposite. In light of the circumstances and the pair's appearance in season 7, Pieper explained, "I had no idea what I was walking into...obviously [if] you like somebody, you hope that they are waiting for you...so whatever he had to do beforehand, that had nothing to do with me." While united on-screen, Pieper appears to be distancing herself from Brendan's behavior, honestly sharing her truth on the matter.
Brendan and Pieper have lost followers and fans because of their supposed deception, misleading both the cast and loyal audience. While the show is known for its casual hookups and scandalous flings, the majority of the season 7 cast have made it clear they are on Bachelor In Paradise to find love and connection, free of ulterior motives and career aspirations. Now ostracized from Bachelor Nation, both Brendan and Pieper continue to defend themselves, despite clear and damaging evidence of their dishonesty about their journey on Paradise.
Having left abruptly in the most recent episode of the season after accusations of lies and deceit, Brendan and Pieper appear to be running away from their problems, unable to face the criticism of their peers. Since their relationship before the show has come into question, Natasha has been critical of Brendan and Pieper. The burned contestant has been active on social media, calling out the couples' clearly inappropriate actions. Those who are involved with Bachelor Nation have it clear that social media fame is certainly not the goal of Bachelor In Paradise; love and genuine connection are the only desirable outcomes for contestants.
Bachelor In Paradise airs Tuesdays at 8pm on ABC.
Next: Bachelor In Paradise: Why Brendan & Pieper's Plot Backfired Horribly
Sources: Us Weekly, Pieper James/Instagram

Fortnite: Scuba Jonesy Location Guide (Season 8) | Screen Rant

Sat, 18 Sep 2021 20:56:41 +0000

Finding Scuba Jonesy is essential in Fortnite Season 8. This season is handling its Battle Pass a bit differently. Instead of receiving weekly Epic and Legendary quests, players will be given a Weekly and Daily Punch card. These each come with three challenges separately that need to be completed before the timer runs out. These will net players the greatest amount of XP for their Battle Pass. This is vital for unlocking the new Carnage skin that appears on page 10 of the Battle Star rewards.
In addition to the Weekly and Daily Punch Cards, there are also new Character-specific quests. If players scroll to the right of the Quests tab, a long list of characters will require players to complete quests for them. One of these characters is Scuba Jonesy. Like the other Fortnite Season 8 NPCs, Scuba Jonesy has five different challenges for players to complete. To begin them, players will need to find and speak to Scuba Jonesy.
Related: Warzone Player Trolls Teammates By Playing Fortnite Sounds
Fortunately, Fortnite does a great job of showing the exact location where players can find Scuba Jonesy, along with all the other Season 8 NPCs. From the Quest tab, players can highlight Scuba Jonesy, and his exact location will be pinned on the map. This can be done from the main menu.
Players will be able to encounter Scuba Jonesy to the west of Coral Castle. He will be on a beach off the coast of this Named Location. Players can speak with him and accept his questline. When selecting the first task to "Swim at both Lake Canoe and Lazy Lake," players will notice they will be rewarded 20 gold. While this is true, players also will earn XP for completing this task.
These are all of the Scuba Jonesy challenges and what players will earn for completing them.
Swim at both Lake Canoe and Lazy Lake: 12k XP
Submerge a driven vehicle into a large body of water: 14k XP
Throw a fish back in the water: 16k XP
Hunt one wildlife: 18k XP
Consume fish and meat in a single match: 20k XP.
Players will earn XP for completing these quests, which can help them level up in the Battle Pass and earn more Battle Stars.
It's important to mention that players are only able to follow five questlines at a time. Players also need to only visit the character once. Once one of these challenges is completed, the next one will automatically unlock without requiring a second visit to Scuba Jonesy. Other characters like Charlotte, Baba Yaga, Mad Cap, and Toona Fish have similar Punch Card questlines. Players should complete every single one of them to maximize the XP gains during Fortnite Season 8. More Punch Cards will likely be made available as the season progresses.
More: Fortnite Players Suggest Using Pickups To Get Downed Players To Safety
Fortnite is available now on PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X, Xbox One, PC, Nintendo Switch, and Android.

A New ‘Lost Boys’ Movie Is Coming Soon

Sat, 18 Sep 2021 20:54:31 +0000
The ’80s classic gets an update. Continue reading…

10 Best Shows Like Turner And Hooch | ScreenRant

Sat, 18 Sep 2021 20:53:20 +0000

Fans first fell in love with Scott Turner (Tom Hanks) and his police canine sidekick Hooch in 1989, when the film was released. Turner & Hooch has been mentioned in tons of iconic shows and movies, so it only made sense for Disney to revisit the beloved classic. And in 2021, they did just that by rebooting the series for Disney+.
RELATED: Turner & Hooch Which Character Are You Based On Your Zodiac Sign?
This time around, the series follows Scott Turner Jr. (Josh Peck), who is following in his deceased father's footsteps by becoming a U.S. Marshall. When his father unexpectedly passes away, Turner inherits his unruly beloved dog, Hooch. As the first season comes to a close on Disney+, fans are eager to find something similar to fill the void that will be left behind.

10 Grandfathered (2015-2016) - Available To Buy On Apple TV+
Released in 2015, Grandfathered centers on Jimmy Martino (John Stamos), a successful restaurant owner and bachelor whose life is upended when he learns that he has an adult son and a granddaughter he never knew about. Now, Jimmy must find a way to juggle his bachelor lifestyle with his newfound family.
One of the biggest similarities between Grandfathered and Turner & Hooch is that both feature Josh Peck in a lead role. The shows also feature fun family dynamics that are ripe with comedy.
9 K.C. Undercover (2015-2018) - Available On Disney+
K.C. Undercover might be one of Disney Channel's most underrated original series of the 2010s that is available to stream. Zendaya plays K.C., a high-achieving high school student who doubles as a spy with her family. In the day, she's a regular high school student, but by night, she's fighting crime and defending the world.
While more kiddish in tone, K.C. Undercover is the perfect show to binge for the fans that love the crime-fighting aspect of Turner & Hooch. And just like Turner, K.C. has to deal with an eccentric family who oftentimes gets in the way.
8 Lassie (1954-1973) - Not Available On Streaming
When it comes to television shows featuring dog sidekicks, no show is as iconic as Lassie, which ran for 19 seasons, making Lassie one of the longest-running shows of all time. The series followed Lassie as she regularly helped and saved her humans from various disasters. She later worked with forest rangers and even helped troubled kids.
Lassie is the perfect show to check out for fans who love Hooch on Turner and Hooch. Both dogs have similar playful personalities but know when it's time to get down to business.
7 Inspector Rex (1994-2004; 2008-2015) - Available On Hoopla
Inspector Rex was a comedic police procedural that aired in Austria and Italy, respectively. The show centered on Rex, a German Shepheard police dog, who regularly helped the humans in the Vienna Kriminalpolizei homicide department solve crimes.
RELATED: 10 Animals Actors Who Deserved Oscar Nominations
Despite being largely unknown in the United States, Inspector Rex is the perfect comp to Turner & Hooch because the stories are extremely similar. Just like Turner & Hooch, each episode follows Rex and his human partner as they solve a crime, using his canine skills.
6 Only Murders In The Building (2021-) - Available On Hulu
Only Murders in the Building is quickly becoming one of Hulu's best originals series of all time. The series follows three true-crime-obsessed strangers who decide to investigate and podcast a mysterious murder that has taken place in their building.
This is the perfect show for the fans who love the investigation storyline in Turner & Hooch. Just like Laura Turner (Lyndsey Fonesca), Mabel (Selena Gomez), Charles (Steve Martin), and Oliver (Martin Short) regularly find themselves on wild goose chases that end with them having more questions than answers.
5 Outer Banks (2020-) - Available On Netflix
Outer Banks was one of Netflix's best teen shows of 2020, and it's well on its way to earning that same title in 2021. The series blends several beloved TV genres together as it follows John B. (Chase Stokes) and his group of friends as they set out to track down a treasure his father was after before he mysteriously disappeared.
Unlike Turner & Hooch, Outer Banks is more graphic in regards to crime, so it's not exactly family-friendly. However, both shows' central mysteries revolve around mysterious fathers and are extremely interesting.
4 Scooby-Doo, Where Are You! (1969-1978) - Available On HBO Max
When it comes to family-friendly mystery shows, Scooby-Doo, Where Are You is the classic and a blueprint for the genre. The 1969 series follows the ragtag mystery gang as they road trip around the country, solving weird mysteries along the way.
Like Turner & Hooch, Scooby-Doo features an iconic dog-human duo who are a bit zany but still manage to solve crimes together. It's the perfect show to watch after Turner & Hooch, especially since it has a plethora of episodes and spin-offs.
3 Secrets Of Sulphur Springs (2021-) - Available On Disney+
Secrets of Sulphur Springs is one of Disney Channel's newest shows on air. The series centers on Griffin (Preston Oliver), a young boy who discovers a secret time-traveling portal with one of his friends. The portal leads them back in time, where they begin investigating the mysterious disappearance
RELATED: The 10 Best Movies About Animal & Human Friendships
As with anything Disney-related, Secrets of Sulphur Springs and Turner & Hooch are shows the entire family can watch together. They also both feature intricate mysteries that get audiences involved in the show.
2 The Mysterious Benedict Society (2021-) - Available On Disney+
The Mysterious Benedict Society is Disney's latest TV show to be based on a book. The series revolves around four gifted kids who are recruited to infiltrate a dangerous organization that has begun to brainwash children.
While there might not be any dog companions in The Mysterious Benedict Society, the series does focus on saving the world from danger, just like Turner & Hooch. It's also a show the entire family can watch together.
1 21 Jump Street (1987-1991) - Available On Peacock
Before 21 Jump Street was a film, it was iconic police procedural in the 80s and 90s that featured Johnny Depp in the lead role as Officer Tom Hanson. Like the film, the series follows a group of young police officers who work undercover in various high schools.
While 21 Jump Street deals with more serious crimes like drug and child abuse, it still has quite a lot in common with Turner & Hooch. For one, the officers are regularly thought of as underdogs because of their age, just like Turner is. This makes them work twice as hard to prove to everyone that they really do belong.
NEXT: Turner & Hooch The 8 Best Characters (So Far)

Bruce Wayne's Greatest Weapon is Useless in Batman Beyond

Sat, 18 Sep 2021 20:53:08 +0000

Warning: spoilers for Batman: Urban Legends #7 are ahead.
As a hero sworn to never use guns, Bruce Wayne's Batman relies on fear as a weapon in DC Comics. By choosing to use the image of the bat, Bruce Wayne's superhero persona is rooted heavily in the reputation that precedes him. Batman himself has no superpowers, making his fearsome demeanor entirely a performance. And while the merits of Batman's fear-based approach have been debated, a new story in Batman: Urban Legends #7 has pointed out the biggest shortcoming of Batman's reliance on fear.
In "Batman Beyond: Wake," Terry McGinnis comforts a dying Bruce Wayne as his mentor reveals the truth about the night he realized his days as Batman were over (written by Jackson Lanzing and Collin Kelly, art by Max Dunbar, colors by Sebastian Cheng, letters by Aditya Bidikar). In his newly designed Batsuit, Bruce went up against a group of criminals and was quickly overwhelmed: "They were the kind of men that shouldn't have taken me a second thought. The cowl alone should have turned them into an easy victory. The reputation is a weapon. The fear is everything." In a last ditch effort, Bruce picked up a gun lying on the ground and aimed it at one of the men, scaring him: "When I picked up that gun... I saw the fear in his eyes. Not fear of the Batman. That man wasn't afraid of the night... or of vengeance. He was afraid of the gun."
Related: Batman Beyond Reveals Alfred's Role (After His Death)
Bruce's discovery that Batman no longer inspired fear in Neo-Gotham proves why Terry McGinnis needed to take over for him in the role. While Bruce Wayne was able to accomplish a lot during his time as Batman, his over-reliance on fear placed limits on his work for the city. Bruce realizes this the moment that he recognized that the man's fear of the gun was the same fear that he had been thriving off of as Batman. By using the same emotion that a pointed gun conjures, Bruce Wayne failed Gotham with his methods as Batman.
Terry, on the other hand, does not rely on fear to gain information as Batman. Apparent in both this issue as well as in the original television show, Terry is a much more direct communicator whose presence isn't meant to intimidate the same way as Bruce Wayne's Batman. When he tracks down Wayne Enterprises' interim CEO, Felipe Ehrenreit, Terry tells him that he can easily break through the glass that separates them, but chooses not to because he didn't want to make an "enem[y]." Instead he makes a personal, matter-of-fact plea to Felipe to divulge information on behalf of all of the people dying in Neo-Gotham. While his costume certainly lends Terry's Batman a commanding presence, he does not coast on reputation alone like Bruce did, and this benefits him in the long run.
Bruce Wayne's discovery of Neo-Gotham's new relationship to fear creates a striking point of difference between him and Terry McGinnis as superheroes. In this sense, it evidences how Terry was supposed to be a more hopeful version of the Dark Knight, one that was not burdened by the trauma of Bruce Wayne. While Bruce was pushed to adopt fear as a weapon after watching his parents get murdered in front of him, Terry's steadier upbringing gave him crucial perspective on many of Bruce's methods. From this, it has never been more important for Bruce Wayne to pass on the Batman mantle to Terry McGinnis: so he can be the hero that his mentor never could be.
Next: Batman Has One Of The Largest Gun Collections In The World

How Kody Brown's Four Sister Wives Earn Money Off The Show

Sat, 18 Sep 2021 20:52:49 +0000

Fans of Sister Wives want to know how Kody Brown's four wives earn their money outside of the show, and it's time to provide answers. Each wife is currently living a comfortable life in an owned or rented home. Kody and his wives are so strangers to side hustles, but some TLC viewers aren't sure how they augment their reality TV incomes.
Fans are happy that Sister Wives season 16 is on the way. The show was a sleeper in the beginning when it first premiered, but it soon became a huge success. This was largely due to Kody's four wives, Meri, Janelle, Christine, and Robyn Brown. They all add their own flair to the family show. Each episode shows another side of the misunderstood polygamist lifestyle. At first, all of the wives seemed content with their lifestyle, but as the seasons wore on, it has become clear that some wives are unhappy. Fans think that Kody has become more selfish. They also think he favors Robyn. All the women now live separately and make money during their downtime.
Related: Sister Wives: Why Janelle's Diet & Fitness Transformation Is Inspiring
The women work hard for their money. Meri runs a bed-and-breakfast out of a Utah home that her grandparents used to live in. She often shares updates with fans and seems to put a lot of effort into operating her business. Meri also works with LuLaRoe, which is a controversial fashion company. Robyn runs the My Sisterwife's Closet clothing and accessories site, which benefits all of the wives. Janelle, from day one, has been very successful in real estate. Christine is the only wife that seems to focus mostly on parenting and homemaking. All four wives and Kody penned the book Becoming Sister Wives: The Story of an Unconventional Marriage.
According to insiders, as per E Online, Kody and his wives are paid 10% of the budget assigned to each Sister Wives episode by TLC. The budget for each show is reportedly in the hundreds of thousands of dollars, so the family's cut probably isn't too shabby. However, it's also not a ton of money for such a large family to live on. "Narcissist" Kody is said to be a jack of all trades kind of guy, and he's currently bringing in a little extra money on Cameo. He has worked in the Internet ad sales niche. Kody also worked at a sign shop, where he reportedly earned a decent salary.
Needless to say, the Brown family as a whole is doing pretty well and doesn't seem to be strapped for cash. As Sister Wives fans have seen in the past, the family has been able to buy and sell multiple houses and cars, move frequently, and send their children to college. All four women are extremely hard workers, and no matter what they set their minds to, they will probably live very comfortable lives.
Next: Sister Wives: Why Kody Never Forgives Meri For The Catfishing Scandal

Casting Tom Bombadil For Amazon's Lord Of The Rings Show

Sat, 18 Sep 2021 20:51:37 +0000

If Tom Bombadil appears in Amazon's The Lord of the Rings TV series, which actors could pull off the whimsical charm and mystical musings required? In J.R.R. Tolkien's The Fellowship of the Ring, the Hobbit quartet of Frodo, Sam, Merry and Pippin make a stop that Peter Jackson's movie trilogy controversially (albeit understandably) omitted. Somewhere between departing The Shire and meeting Aragorn, the Hobbits were saved by a mysterious figure called Tom Bombadil who lives in the Old Forest with his wife, Goldberry, and enjoys singing songs among the trees and critters. Even so, Bombadil isn't your typical hipster. Not only does he possess mastery over the woodland realm but, strangely, the One Ring holds no power over Bombadil whatsoever.
Our next live-action visit to Middle-earth will be Amazon's as-yet-untitled Lord of the Rings TV series. Set primarily during the Second Age, an official image showing the Two Trees of Valinor confirms a smattering of First Age tales also. This means very few Lord of the Rings characters will be alive during the show's timeline, but alongside Galadriel, Elrond and Sauron, Tom Bombadil is one of the familiar figures who could feasibly appear. Though Tolkien left Tom's origin a total mystery, the books strongly suggest he predates anything else in Middle-earth, perhaps with the exception of Treebeard.
Related: Lord of the Rings: What Happened To The Nazgul After Sauron's Defeat
Amazon's Lord of the Rings almost certainly won't feature Tom Bombadil in any long-term capacity, but as the protagonists venture through Middle-earth, a cameo can't be ruled out. If Tom were to drop by, which actor could tackle this unique, enigmatic Tolkien creation?
Though Tom Bombadil's description is rather vague, the Hobbits perceive him as an older man. Immediately then, casting thoughts turn toward veterans of the stage and screen, and where better to start than with Jim Broadbent? Boasting credits in everything from Moulin Rogue! and Iris to Harry Potter and Game of Thrones (by way of Teletubbies), Broadbent possesses the extreme acting range that Bombadil requires. In The Lord of the Rings, Tom flickers between a harmless imp singing ditties in the forest, to the most fearsome, powerful being in all of Middle-earth. Broadbent is perfectly capable of capturing the former, demonstrated by frivolous performances as Professor Slughorn and Blackadder's Prince Albert, but with Longford, Broadbent won awards for his difficult and engaging role as the titular real life politician. When Lord of the Rings fans picture what Tom Bombadil might've looked like in Peter Jackson's trilogy, the mental image probably isn't a million miles from a bearded Jim Broadbent.
Mysticism is a key Tom Bombadil quality. Even among J.R.R. Tolkien's world of elves, dark lords and dragons, Bombadil is a total unknown, and any actor playing him must convey that aura of magical mystery. Maybe it's just the beard, but Sir Ben Kingsley feels like someone who could capture that mystical nature. An extensive background in Shakespearean theater gives Kingsley the necessary foundation to replicate Tom Bombadil's severity, secrecy, and sorcery, while his acting experience continues Lord of the Rings tradition when casting older, magical characters - Sir Ian McKellen, Sir Christopher Lee, etc. Being a knight of the British Empire isn't a prerequisite here, but it certainly doesn't hurt.
Strengthening Kingsley's case, more recent roles have showcased his knack for surrealism - Mandarin actor Trevor Slattery in Iron Man 3 and Shang-Chi & The Legends of the Ten Rings, for instance. While Tom Bombadil won't be sleeping with models or making friends with faceless animals, Slattery's silliness stands Kingsley in good stead for singing about the Withywindle to a band of barefooted Hobbits.
Related: Lord of the Rings: How Old Each Fellowship Member Really Is
Jeffrey Wright was recently selected to voice The Watcher in Marvel's What If...? - a powerful, ancient character who exists quite apart from the universe around him. Those qualities would translate perfectly to Tom Bombadil in Amazon's Lord of the Rings TV show - similarly powerful, similarly ancient, and so detached from mortal life, he remained unbothered by the War of the Ring rumbling throughout the rest of Middle-earth. In Westworld, Jeffrey Wright's Bernard carried the burden of great knowledge, and in later seasons plays his cards close to his chest - more useful attributes for any aspiring Bombadil actor.
Envisioning Wright as a forest minstrel doesn't come as naturally as with Broadbent or Kingsley. That's not to say skipping through the trees lute in hand is beyond his acting repertoire, but Wright could be a front-runner if Amazon's The Lord of the Rings series opted for a grounded, less eccentric Tom Bombadil - a version that accentuated the "wise old hermit" more than the folk-y, jolly figure of Tolkien mythology.
Because of Tolkien's Tom Bombadil description, older actors are natural choices for any live-action interpretation, but Amazon needn't limit their casting pool solely to actors of a certain vintage. Since Bombadil's true nature is unknown, there's no telling how he ages, or how his appearance alters through the centuries, and the possibility of a younger Bombadil in Amazon's Second Age Lord of the Rings is perfectly possible. For a less wrinkly Tom, Doctor Who's Matt Smith represents the ideal pick.
A balance between old and young is a crucial aspect of Tom Bombadil's character. Despite his impossible years and weathered appearance, Tom's occasional spryness seems deceptively youthful to the Hobbits during their time together in The Fellowship of the Ring. After Matt Smith's Eleventh Doctor regenerated into his fresh-faced exterior, Smith conveyed the age and experience of The Doctor wonderfully. He's an old man in a young body, which is exactly who Tom Bombadil could be in Amazon's Lord of the Rings. Matt Smith's fellow ex-Doctor, Peter Capaldi, deserves an honorable mention.
Related: Why Gandalf Doesn’t Fully Remember Who He Is When He Returns
Known more for his comedy work in the Monty Python troupe, as well as directing the likes of Brazil, 12 Monkeys and Fear & Loathing in Las Vegas, Terry Gilliam has also enjoyed an on-screen career filled with cameos, sketches and skits. A quick glance at Gilliam's Monty Python history proves the lighter side of Tom Bombadil would be no trouble at all - with Python's surrealist stylings cut from the same cloth as Tom's whimsical little corner of Old Forest, where Sauron's darkness never penetrated.
Gilliam's physical appearance mirrors Tolkien's written description, and his legendary status as a filmmaker/comic lends itself to the reverence Tom Bombadil commands in Middle-earth. More importantly, Monty Python & The Holy Grail serves as a hilarious parody of the fantasy genre, based (very) loosely around the legend of King Arthur. There's a distant connective tissue between the 1975 Monty Python film and J.R.R. Tolkien's Lord of the Rings that would make Terry Gilliam a natural addition to live-action Middle-earth.
Alan Cumming may not possess the at-a-glance Tom Bombadil visage of Terry Gilliam or Jim Broadbent, but the Scottish thespian holds all the tools needed to play Tolkien's oddest literary creation. A rich background in theater (Shakespearean and otherwise) gives Cumming the dramatic intelligence many others among Middle-earth's live-action cast (both past and present) also possess. Similar to Ben Kingsley, Cumming could also be mistaken for a stage magician - arguably a vital characteristic for anyone portraying Lord of the Rings' Tom Bombadil.
But it's Alan Cumming's "wacky" roles that earn his place among the candidates for Amazon's Bombadil. The overblown Fegan Floop of Spy Kids, Loki in Son of the Mask, flirty King James in Doctor Who - all ridiculous and outlandish performances that stopped short of complete farce thanks to Cumming's foundation as a "serious" actor. A similar balance will be required for live-action Tom Bombadil - not every performer can get away with singing about their bright blue jackets and yellow boots and still be taken seriously. Cumming is also one of the better vocalists listed here, which could prove useful when performing Bombadil's greatest hits.
Related: Where The Hobbit's Dwarves Are During Lord Of The Rings (Are Any Alive?)
Tom Bombadil is a very musical character, so it makes sense to cast a musician in the role. Ed Sheeran might've come into consideration were it not for that awful Games of Thrones cameo, leaving Sting (The Police frontman, not Bilbo's sword) as the most obvious actor/musician pick. The long association between The Lord of the Rings and The Beatles, however, puts Paul McCartney ahead of his fellow bassist. At the height of their 1960s fame, the Fab Four sought to adapt Tolkien's magnum opus, with each member playing one of the main cast (McCartney was lined up for Frodo). The project mercifully went unmade, but casting Paul as Tom Bombadil would bring his decades-long Lord of the Rings association full circle.
The Fellowship of the Ring's Tom Bombadil chapters are remarkably trippy in comparison to the rest of the story. The Beatles obviously took inspiration from Tolkien, and the Hobbits' brief stay with Bombadil is undoubtedly where those two worlds cross over most strongly. McCartney is no stranger to acting either, and even cameo-ed in Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales. Paul McCartney as Tom Bombadil in Amazon's The Lord of the Rings would be fantastic meta casting, and few could get their lips around the character's musical interludes better. Sorry, Ringo.
More: Lord Of The Rings 4K vs HD: Which Is Better?

Megan Fox Set To Star In Modern Remake Of Bonnie & Clyde

Sat, 18 Sep 2021 20:49:44 +0000

Megan Fox has been cast in a modernized remake of Bonnie and Clyde. The original 1967 film, based on the infamous true events, starred Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway as Clyde Barrow and Bonnie Parker, two lovers who start a crime spree. It was nominated for 10 Oscars, winning Best Supporting Actress and Best Cinematography.
The Bonnie and Clyde story has been adapted many times for film and television, most recently in the Netflix film The Highwaymen, which stars Kevin Costner and Woody Harrelson as the men who hunted down the infamous couple. This new update, Johnny and Clyde, will be directed by Tom DeNucci (Vault) and Chad A. Verdi (producer of The Irishman). The film is currently in production in Rhode Island. It has not been specified if the characters of Johnny and Clyde are gender-swapped or intended to be an LGBTQ+ couple, though the characters have not yet been cast so producers may be leaving the door open on that decision.
Related: The Highwaymen True Story: What Really Happened With Bonnie & Clyde
Although the leads haven't been announced yet, per Deadline, Megan Fox has officially joined the cast. She will be playing Alana, the crime boss who runs a casino that Johnny and Clyde are planning to rob. Alana's head of security will be played by Tyson Ritter of the band The All-American Rejects, who has previously acted in Preacher and Parenthood.
Megan Fox has been branching out quite a bit since she first rose to prominence in the Transformers movies. Around that same time, she appeared as the titular bad girl in Karyn Kusama's Jennifer's Body, an experience she will likely be drawing on for this particular part. However, more recently she has shown off her range with roles in the sitcom New Girl, the lion-run-amok thriller Rogue, and the crime drama Midnight in the Switchgrass, which also features Fox's very own Clyde, her boyfriend Machine Gun Kelly.
This Bonnie & Clyde update will likely be a good fit for Fox in this period of her career. She has been flexing her muscles in many different genres and this role sounds like it could allow her to channel several different sides of her personality in a suave and exciting character. Hopefully the film can find the perfect performers for the leads, which will likely make or break it in terms of being able to separate Johnny and Clyde from the pack of killer couple films that followed in the wake of the original. If Fox is allowed to play off of an excellent duo, that dynamic will certainly be something to keep an eye out for.
Next: Why Megan Fox Didn't Return For Transformers 3
Source: Deadline

Eyes Of Tammy Faye: Why Jessica Chastain's Makeup Is Essential For The Role [MINI]

Sat, 18 Sep 2021 20:49:05 +0000

Jessica Chastain’s dramatic makeup in The Eyes Of Tammy Faye is essential for her portrayal of televangelist Tammy Faye Bakker. Big, bright, and often over-the-top, the real-life Tammy Faye's signature style is already iconic, and Chastain’s claims that the movie's makeup permanently damaged her skin have only fanned the flames. She doesn't regret wearing it, however, since it was such an essential component of her performance in The Eyes Of Tammy Faye.
When it comes to playing famous, real-life figures, some actors might shy away from heavy makeup or prosthetics in favor of a more naturalistic, stripped-down approach — like Jennifer Lopez playing Tejano superstar Selena in Selena, Cate Blanchett as Bob Dylan in I’m Not There, or Michelle Williams as Marilyn Monroe in My Week With Marilyn — but sometimes, to really capture the essence of a well-known character onscreen, looking the part is key. So, when she took on the role of the late, great Tammy Faye Bakker — a woman known for her decidedly bold makeup choices — Chastain likely knew she was in for some long hours in the makeup chair.
Related: The Eyes Of Tammy Faye Review: Jessica Chastain Elevates Evangelist Biopic
Known for her entrepreneurial spirit and sunny, unflinching optimism, even in the worst of times, the real-life Tammy Faye and her then-husband televangelist Jim Bakker (played in the film by former Spider-Man, Andrew Garfield) were not the first televangelists on the air, but they definitely took the Christian televangelist movement to the next level when their hugely-popular series The PTL Club first hit the airwaves in 1974. Knowing that television was a different beast entirely from in-person evangelizing, Tammy Faye Bakker was keenly aware of the importance of how she and her husband looked onscreen. A master at crafting her brand as an “influencer,” long before the term was coined, Bakker made her makeup, teary-eyed emotionalism, and often outlandish wardrobe choices her signature style — and it worked.
Of course, Chastain’s embrace of Tammy Faye’s iconic makeup style in The Eyes of Tammy Faye is just one aspect of her performance. But if history is any indication, taking a deep prosthetic dive for a role as a real-life person in a biopic is one of the surest roads to Oscar glory. Whether it’s fake noses (Nicole Kidman as Virginia Wolfe in The Hours), wigs and wrinkles (Daniel Day-Lewis as President Abraham Lincoln in Lincoln) or even a unibrow (Salma Hayek as Frida Kahlo in Frida), the right marriage of makeup and performer is key. The fact that all three of the above-listed performances scored Oscar nods — with Kidman and Day-Lewis winning — is even further proof of that.
Simply put, makeup was always going to be essential to any realistic portrayal of someone as colorful and flamboyant as Bakker, so, Chastain’s embrace of all aspects of Tammy Faye’s persona — her infamous makeup and the complicated woman beneath it all — was a no brainer. Helping matters immeasurably was Chastain’s A-list makeup team comprised of multiple Emmy and Oscar-winning makeup artists like Linda Dowds (True Detective, Grey Gardens) and Greg Cannon (Dracula, Mrs. Doubtfire). But the real icing on the cake for Chastain is the fact that her spot-on makeup and prosthetics in The Eyes of Tammy Faye make her already stellar performance stand out even more as one of the brightest (literally) award-season contenders of the year.
NEXT: Nightmares In The Makeup Chair: See Robert Englund Transform Into Freddy

Rare Back to the Future Footage Goes Back in Time with Huey Lewis and the Pinheads

Sat, 18 Sep 2021 20:48:45 +0000
Watch as Michael J. Fox prepares to crank out The Power of Love in his Van Halen-esque style of the Huey Lewis and the News classic for the Battle of the Bands.

The Boys' Vought Parodies the Emmys With Their Own Awards

Sat, 18 Sep 2021 20:42:24 +0000

During the season hiatus, The Boys has been doing a fun marketing strategy where they create shorts and vignettes that parody the entertainment industry of the real world, placing them into the superhero worshipping and superhero-filled world of The Boys. Now with the Emmy's right around the corner, The Boys' fictitious equivalent of Disney+ and other streaming services is feeling left out.

Vought is the company that manages the superheroes in The Boys. Think of them as talent managers for actors but those actors are also Superman, Aquaman, etc. With these popular heroes at their disposal, they use them to create movies similar to the MCU we have today as well as documentaries and drama series following these world famous heroes. These can be streamed (not really) on their platform, Vought+. Unfortunately, none of the series on the fictional platform got an Emmy nomination (personally, I think they were robbed), but don't worry as the always upstanding and morally righteous Vought International wasn't about to sit on the sidelines as they announced on Twitter that a number of their original series won a Supie Award.

These posts include a description of the (fictional) series as well as a poster, including a "profoundly moving and surprisingly steamy" documentary about The Deep's relationship with a certain octopus called "Her Deepness," a 48-hour mini-series about the completely real and not fabricated life of Homelander called "Homelander: Brightest Night," a weight loss reality show hosted by A-Train called "Run Yourself Thin," a murder mystery starring Maeve called "Maeve of Easttown" (a show that multi-Emmy nominated series Mare of Easttown shamelessly ripped off and they know it), and a rom-com call "Love, Sausage" starring the hero of the same name.

RELATED: 'The Boys' Season 3 Has Wrapped Filming

The Boys has received a number of accolades and nominations over the course of its two season run. It was nominated for the Emmy for "Outstanding Sound Editing for a Comedy or Drama Series" in 2020. In 2021, the show one the Critics' Choice Super Awards for "Best Superhero Series" while Aaron Starr, who plays the show's main villain Homelander, won "Best Villain in a Series" and "Best Actor in a Superhero Series." Aya Cash, who debuted in the second season as the villainous Stormfront, won "Best Actress in a Superhero Series." The show is currently nominated for the Emmys for "Outstanding Drama Series" and "Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series" for Rebecca Sonnenshine on the episode "What I Know."

The Boys has recently finished shooting their third season, though there is no release date for the return of the titular group. The 2021 Emmys will be held on September 19 at 8:00 PM EST. See the full thread of Vought+ originals down below.

KEEP READING: 'The Boys' Keeps Us Ready for Season 3 With A-Train's New Music Video

How Scream 3 Connects To Halloween H20 | Screen Rant

Sat, 18 Sep 2021 20:40:43 +0000

Although they belong to different horror franchises, Scream 3 connects to Halloween H20: 20 Years Later, thanks to a particular location in both movies. There are thematic similarities between Scream 3 and Halloween H20 — for example, they both explore the lives of women (Sidney Prescott and Laurie Strode, respectively) who’ve escaped the clutches of serial killers. There's a metatextual connection too: the mansion in Scream 3 is the same filming location as the school in Halloween H20. Wes Craven’s Scream franchise is notoriously meta about the slasher sub-genre of horror, so there are major in-universe implications by tying it to Steve Miner’s classic Halloween.
Scream revitalized the slasher flick by mocking and subverting well-established horror tropes, going so far as to include a scene from the 1978 film Halloween. Scream character Randy Meeks explains the rules of how to survive a horror movie based on the predictability of Laurie Strode’s struggle against Michael Myers, laying the foundations for the critique. However, Halloween H20 pushes back by including a scene from Scream 2, which casts the self-aware horror in the same light as any other slasher and makes the audience question the base reality of the films. In another crossover, 2000’s Scream 3 Sidney Prescott lives in seclusion in the same mansion that serves as the school where Laurie Strode hides out as a teacher in 1998’s Halloween H20.
Related: Halloween: H20's Steve Miner Is Horror's Great Unsung Director
Scream 3 and Halloween H20 do share a universe, but paradoxically. Most meta-narratives are one-way, such as the inclusion of the fictional Stab series within the Scream series as a commentary on Scream itself. But how can Halloween be in Scream but also show that Scream exists as a movie in the Halloween universe? Professional nods from screenplay writers and directors aside, the overlap between Halloween H20 and Scream 3 proves that these two movie franchises not only exist as fiction in each other’s universes but also influence each other.
This is evident in the way each slasher universe presents the other: simply, as horror movies. It is not unordinary for venues like the Paramount Estate mansion to be used as a filming location and so it’s not impossible that the mansion (or a replica) exists both in the Scream and Halloween H20 universes as a movie set for each film. An example of one influencing the other happens in Halloween H20 when Michael stalks Laurie down a corridor of the school: the score from Scream plays as she frantically escapes because Laurie’s point of reference for horror is Scream.
These films’ social commentary isn’t restricted to their own universes, either: Scream 3, in keeping with its meta-narrative, also worked as a scathing indictment of Hollywood using its movie-within-a-movie trope. In general, the Scream franchise is grounded in concepts of intertextuality — movies and books line shelves in the backgrounds of scenes, news and network shows play idly on televisions, and characters quote lines from movies that the audience may have seen. The relationship between the Scream and Halloween franchises makes this point more blatant and (of course) more meta, but it doesn’t make it any less interesting. While the Scream franchise ultimately fell victim to its own tropes, with another installment of Scream (a reboot titled Scream) with a release date in 2022, it’ll be interesting to see what the self-aware horror has to say about the current times.
Next: Why Scream 2022 Isn't Scream 5 (Is It A Reboot?)

Everything In Valheim's Hearth & Home Update | Screen Rant

Sat, 18 Sep 2021 20:40:12 +0000

Iron Gate Studio's Viking survival game, Valheim, has officially received its first major update, Hearth & Home. Over the past few weeks, the developer released a six-part series of videos introducing the concept for Hearth & Home, and now that the update is live, Valheim players can enjoy its multitude of new features and bug fixes.
Valheim's key gameplay elements include building camps, crafting and improving items, fighting mythical creatures, and generally surviving the world's harsh environment in single-player or multiplayer. As its name implies, the Valheim Hearth & Home update largely focuses on bringing new items and abilities to the building aspect of the game.
Related: Valheim Player Builds Shrek's Swamp Hut
According to the update announcement on Steam, Iron Gate did its best to listen to community feedback, so "several highly-requested features" were also implemented in the update. The team also introduced a new threat to Valheim, a dark presence it claims even Odin is blind to. Here is every new and improved element introduced to Valheim in the Hearth & Home update.
New Consumable Items
Valheim chefs can rejoice, as Home & Hearth adds 12 new consumable items to the game. Wolves, deer and boar now each drop a unique meat instead of a generic raw meat, and players can enjoy a new variety of onions. Combined with existing food items, these make for a plethora of new recipes to uncover. The new bukeberries also make players expel previously eaten meals to make room for new snacks, and by player request, Valheim now allows players to plant birch and oak seeds.
Altered Food Effects
Additionally, food perks have been altered with the Valheim Hearth & Home update. Previously, food items would give players an equal amount of health and stamina. Now, Valheim food is split into three categories: red foods primarily give health, yellow give stamina, and white give an even split between the two, allowing players to customize the type of energy they get for the gameplay they're interested in. The food bar has also been replaced by a timer, so players can see how long they have before needing to consume more items.
New Cooking Items
Hearth & Home also makes Valheim's cooking a more intricate process, as the update adds spice rack, butcher's table and pots and pans as potential cauldron improvements. Players can now install ovens in their homes, which is now required in order to bake bread and pies. Likewise, an iron cooking station is now available, necessary to cook certain types of raw meat. Valheim Hearth & Home also adds the butcher knife tool, used to slaughter tamed animals.
New Building Materials
For its builders, Valheim has added darkwood materials for building shingle roofs, ceiling beams, and various decorations. Players can also now use crystal to construct walls, and new Valheim stack structures are available to build, letting players store and display specific items. Conversely, Hearth & Home also provides an obliterator. Once constructed, players can use it to destroy unwanted items.
Related: Skyrim's Whiterun Recreated In Valheim
New Buildable Items
By fan request, Valheim now has a data-sharing feature for maps in the form of the cartography table. Players are able to share locations with other Vikings in their server. Finally, any Valheim fans familiar with The Witcher 3's famous bathtub scene will be happy to know Hearth & Home's new furniture includes a hot tub, along with a stone throne and others not listed in the patch notes.
New & Rebalanced Weapons
Valheim's Hearth & Home update also rebalances all of the weapons in the game, but some got bigger changes than others. Valheim's two-handed axe, though still relatively slow, now has a faster wind-up and better cleaving and stagger damage potential. The bow, on the other hand, has been nerfed. Players can no longer draw it instantly; however, keeping the bow drawn will now require less stamina than before. Along with these changes, two new weapons were added - the crystal battleaxe and the silver knife.
Blocking Mechanic Change & New Shields
Shields and blocking have been tweaked as well. Playing defensively now relies mostly on health, while going on the offense requires additional stamina. Tower shields gained a knockback buff, making them a significant boon for defensive players, and the buckler shield now allows players to parry incoming blows. New shields in Valheim include the bone tower shield and the iron buckler.
Biome Changes
Some of Valheim's in-game locations have also been tweaked. In a "Fireside Chat" video, Iron Gate discussed adding more food resources to the mountain region of Valheim, which was previously completely barren. Hearth & Home's announcement notes slimy locations and creatures have been added to the plains region, introducing a new, slippery challenge.
Tamed Creature Changes & Mysterious New Items
Valheim's tamed creatures got several updates. Most notably, they can now be named, and they can't be hurt by friendly fire unless players specifically enable that setting or use the butcher knife. According the patch notes, "tamed Lox now have a purpose," but the specifics weren't detailed. Hearth & Home introduced the Lox accessory item, so perhaps their purpose is related to that. Additionally, players can now purchase a thunder stone from traders, though its purpose is yet unclear as well.
Related: Dark Souls Swamp Area Reimagined In Valheim
Bug Fixes & Settings Adjustments
Valheim Hearth & Home changes some mechanical aspects of gameplay. Gamepad sensitivity settings have been updated, presumably so players can adjust to their desired levels. An auto-pickup toggle button has also been added, and several of Valheim's graphics settings have been updated. Iron Gate noted there are "various other improvements and bugfixes."
Iron Gate also snuck in a nefarious new threat into Valheim - something "not even Odin has spied." It's a dark force spreading across the plains, but rather than give too much away in a written announcement, Iron Gate encouraged players to hop into Hearth & Home to unravel the mystery themselves.
The full patch notes for Valhiem's Hearth & Home update, courtesy of Iron Gate Studio, are as follows.
General improvements
* Weapons rebalanced (All weapons have been rebalanced to be more viable as main weapon and also have more unique playstyles)
* Blocking system overhauled (Current maximum hp now greatly affects your ability to block attacks, stagger bar gui added)
* Naming tamed creatures
* Gamepad sensitivity settings
* Auto-pickup toggle button added
* Graphics settings (Active point lights & Active point light shadows)
* Tamed creatures affected by friendly fire setting (i.e you can’t hurt a tamed creature unless you enable friendly fire or use the new Butcher knife item)
* Various other improvements and bugfixes
Food
* Food rebalance (Most food items now give mainly stamina or mainly health to make food choices more interesting)
* Food GUI overhauled to work better with the rebalanced food
* Over 10 new things to eat (Actually 12)
World
* Tamed Lox now have a purpose
* Slimy locations & creatures added to plains
* New plantable seeds: Birch, Oak & Onions
Items
* New weapons: Crystal battleaxe, Silver knife
* New shields: Bone tower shield, Iron buckler
* Butcher knife (Special weapon for butchering tamed animals)
* Thunder stone (Sold by trader)
* Lox accessory
Building
* New Darkwood building pieces like shingle roofs, beams, decorations and more
* New types of furniture, including but not limited to a mighty stone throne and a steamy viking hot tub
* Crystal walls
* New types of stacks to show off your treasure and resources
* Cauldron improvements: Spice rack, Butcher’s table, Pots and pans
* Cartography table (For sharing map-data with other players)
* Oven added (For baking bread and pie)
* Obliterator added (Items be gone)
* Iron cooking station (Required to cook some types of meat)
... and more!
Related: Valheim Hearth & Home Update Gets Epic Animated Trailer
Iron Gate Studio also put out another, smaller patch (0.202.19) the day after Valheim Hearth & Home dropped.
* Rebalanced hp/stamina on most foods ( more stamina on hp foods and more hp on stamina foods etc )
* Fixed tar-pit not spawning on dedicated-server worlds
* Slightly lower hp on Fulings & Fuling shamans
* Slightly easier to stagger Fulings
* Fixed issue with pressing I in server list while trying to filter servers
* Lower bow stamina use
* Cage wall 1x1 physics fix ( Already placed pieces will probably need to be repositioned )
* Boars now also eat blueberries, raspberries & mushrooms
* Chinese translation fix
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