Every time I report on a remake or a sequel being made, I hear a lot of moans and groans from movie fans wanting to see Hollywood develop more original content. I would love nothing more than to see more films based on original ideas, but making these kinds of films is a gamble in the entertainment industry. Studios are scared to invest in films that don't already have a built-in market. When these studios make a sequel to a popular franchise, they know they are going to make a shitload of money. They don’t have that feeling of security with original film productions.

Disney recently bet big on an original project called Tomorrowland, which was inspired by the theme park attraction as well as the imagination and dreams of Walt Disney himself. The movie was directed by Brad Bird from a script by Damon Lindelof, and for the most part I really enjoyed the movie and thought it was an incredibly fun sci-fi adventure. Even though the general concept had a built-in Disney market, it didn’t do as well as Disney had hoped. It took the number one box office spot during Memorial Day weekend with over $41 million, but the studio was hoping for at least $50 million. The budget for the film was $180 million, and I’m sure it will eventually make a profit, but not the kind of profit that would inspire them to want to try and make another big budget original film.

I'm using Tomorrowland as an example because it's the most recent original movie to be made, but I've seen it happen a lot with other original movies as well. I was sad to see a lot of film critics and movie geeks out there tear Tomorrowland movie down. It gave us something very different from what we’re used to seeing get made with a good message, but a good amount of people out there looked past that aspect of it and focused on the faults. Most films have faults, even the ones that many of us love.

This is the kind of film that movie fans have been begging for, yet when it finally gets made and is released in theaters, they complain about it and bash it. This was an opportunity for people to come out in support of original film ideas, and praise its creators for trying something new. It was an opportunity to get other people pumped about original film ideas and show Hollywood that we are open to new ideas. Unfortunately that’s not what happened, and it’s a shame because now Hollywood is going to go back to being scared to pump out more original movie ideas, because of how this movie was received. Variety even wrote up an article on how Tomorrowland exposed Hollywood's originality issues and it includes several analysts and experts explaining why that's the case.

I’m a big fan of Bird and the projects that he’s done, and for me this movie felt like one of his animated feature films, only it was live-action. What’s funny about this is that I truly believe that if Tomorrowland would have been developed as an animated feature film in Bird’s classic Iron Giant animation style, with the exact same script, everyone would have loved it. 

One of the reasons why I liked Tomorrowland so much is because it had that same tone and vibe as The Iron Giant. It had that childhood sense of wonder and imagination that some movies have the power to tap into and bring out in me. This is one of those films — it’s why I love going to the movies! I’m not sure why some people couldn’t see that in Tomorrowland, because it was there. For me at least. 

It seems to me that even though people claim to want original, fresh, and unique movie content, they are more interested in spending money on sequels and reboots. It’s a sad truth, and it’s the reason why Hollywood will continue to pump them out. If you want to see original movies get made, you seriously have to start supporting the ones that are getting made. If you don’t, then we need to stop complaining about all the non-original projects that are being released. 

Then of course there's the argument that the original movies that Hollywood releases shouldn't be crap. I guess that just all comes down to a person's taste in movies, but at least there are talented people out there trying something new and different. We should at least acknowledge that these people are trying to break free from the Hollywood trap of remakes and sequels. 

The audience decides what movies Hollywood makes, and that's whatever they are willing to spend money on, and right now it doesn't seem to be on original film ideas. The power is in our hands to make the change.

I'm a glass half-full kind of guy, keeping things positive when I can, so this is just my two cents.

Arnold Schwarzenegger is going to reprise his role as Conan The Barbarian in the upcoming The Legend of Conan, but is the character about to inhabit a Marvel-style cinematic universe? If producer Fredrik Malmberg has anything to say about it, yes.

Malmberg, the producer of both the 2011 Jason Momoa-led Conan reboot and the upcoming Schwarzenegger sequel, has purchased the film rights to all of the works of author Robert E. Howard, the man who created Conan, Kull the Conqueror, Solomon Kane, and more. Those properties have already had movies based on them, but Malmberg hopes to tie them all in together, using the Marvel template as an example. He says:

“These days, it comes down to brands and characters and we are looking at long-term possibilities. We look at how Marvel played out with its rich based of characters, and this too is a universe that lends itself to exploitation in TV and film. There aren’t many libraries like this.”

Every studio is trying to build their own cinematic universes right now, so this isn't even remotely a surprise. But I'm guessing there's not a lot of demand for these characters, so this seems like an idea that will go nowhere fast. Malmberg bought Paradox Entertainment, the company that owned the rights to Howard's library of characters, but there are also additional Paradox originals that are now on the table for new films, including Mutant Chronicles/Warzone, Kult, Chronopia, and Mutant. Good luck with that.

If you haven't seen Mad Max: Fury Road by now, I don't even know what to tell you. George Miller's batsh*t insane action extravaganza is one of the most energetic pieces of filmmaking you'll ever see, not even considering the fact that it came from the mind of a 70-year-old man. I had a few issues with it, and while I can't say I loved the movie quite to the worshipful degree that many of my colleagues seem to, it's such an audacious film that I couldn't help but shake my head and smile through most of it at the sheer fact that a studio allowed Miller to make the damn thing. Props to you, Warner Bros.

There have been some cool tributes pouring onto the internet since the film's release, and here's another one for you: a sweet '80s-style trailer similar to the one for Captain America: The Winter Soldier we saw last year. This comes courtesy of the Playback Collective (via /Film), and even though I think it recycles a few shots, you'll still probably dig it. I know I did.

With this trailer we delve into important questions, such as what would Fury Road's color grading look like if this movie was shot on film in the late 70's or early 80's? Will there be synth music blasting in the background? Will Dario Argento do a special cut for Italy? We honestly don't know! But it sure does look awesome.

One of the shows I'm most excited to see this summer is Ballers, HBO's new series that's being pitched as Entourage in the sports world. Is it because I'm into sports? No, because I'm not. Is it because I love behind the scenes dealings? Maybe a little bit. But mostly, it's because the show stars Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, one of my favorite entertainers working today. San Andreas starts playing in theaters tonight, so it's a good time to celebrate what The Rock is cookin', and Tyler and I have a new episode of The 5Cast Podcast coming tomorrow that's devoted to our favorite Rock movies.

Ballers now has a new trailer, and it opens with Johnson on the field for the Miami Hurricanes, a nice nod to his real-life history with the team before he jumped into the pro wrestling world. It quickly spins into parties, gorgeous women, beauty shots of Miami, and expensive cars doing the Mighty Ducks' Flying V maneuver, so yeah — this show looks pretty awesome to me. It premieres on HBO Sunday, June 21st.

When John Carpenter directed Escape From New York back in 1981 and set it in a post-apocalyptic 1997, he probably didn't give a crap that years later, the tech he used (which must have looked pretty cool at the time) wouldn't necessarily hold up. Filmmakers shouldn't care about stuff like that — they should be concentrating on telling the best story they can in the best way possible, and if that means using computer generated sequences to help them out, then so be it. There are plenty of awful-looking CG beats in older movies that still work wonderfully today, and as long as you keep in mind the time period in which the movie was made, if it's a good movie, the story will still work despite weird-looking technology.

WatchMojo's list of 10 movie technologies that look hilariously dated today sort of sneers at these movies, which I think is the wrong way to approach this whole thing. There's nothing funny about Blade Runner's video phone. But I guess listers gotta list. Amy Nicholson of the L.A. Weekly wrote a good piece recently that deals with a similar topic, and I'd encourage you to check it out.

Via: Sploid

According to the global art licensing magazine Total Licensing (via: Anime News Network), Tatsunoko Productions is developing a new Speed Racer series that will be targeted for a "modern audience."

The news was confirmed by the production company, and they are also planning a new licensing program to reintroduce the property. They didn't offer any details on the new series, including whether or not it will be live-action, traditionally animated, or CG animated. If it's going to be targeted toward a modern audience, I imagine it will be developed using CG animation. 

The original car-racing anime aired in 1967-68 under the name Mach Go Go Go. When it was released in the U.S. they renamed it Speed Racer. Other Speed Racer series' followed over the years, such as The New Adventures of Speed Racer in 1993, the Speed Racer X remake in 1997, and spinoff shorts such as Mach Girl in 2008. It was that same year that Lionsgate developed Speed Racer: The Next Generation, and the Wachowskis released the American live-action film adaptation.

I've been a long-time fan of the original Speed Racer series, and I also really enjoyed the live-action movie that the Wachowskis directed. I never got into any of the other animated series in between. Hopefully this new version of the series turns out to be a show worth watching. 

An official piece of concept art from Bryan Singer's X-Men: Apocalypse has been released. It comes from the latest issue of Empire Magazine (via Tumblr), and as you can see, it features Cyclops battling Storm while Jean Grey is crouched behind some debris. Seems like a pretty epic scene that may or may not be included in the final film. As I'm sure most of you know, not everything from the concept phase of filmmaking makes it into the movie. It's a cool illustration though!

The movie stars James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, Jennifer Lawrence, Nicholas Hoult, Rose Byrne, Evan Peters, Lucas Till, Ben Hardy and newcomers Alexandra Shipp as Storm, Tye Sheridan as Cyclops, Sophie Turner as Jean Grey, Lana Condor as Jubilee G, and Olivia Munn as Psylocke. Oscar Isaac is playing the villain Apocalypse.

X-Men: Apocalypse is set for release on May 27th, 2016, and it will end the trilogy of films that started with  X-Men : First Class.

Because the Internet can be an awesome place, here is a video created by Benjamin Roberts that features Big Bird performing Big Punisher's 1998 classic "Still Not A Player." Big Bird is not actually performing it though. He took his performance of "That's Cooperation" on Sesame Street, and edited it to make it appear like he's singing "Still Not A Player." The end result turned out as awesomely as you expected it would.

Netflix has released eight character trailers for their upcoming sci-fi series Sense8. The show comes from the minds of The Wachowskis and J. Michael Straczynski. The story centers on eight people scattered around the globe who are connected by a shared — violent — vision. These characters find themselves "mentally and emotionally connected" with each other through technology. They have no idea why, and they are being hunted down by an organization who wants to capture or kill them. 

The Wachowskis' last two films, Cloud Atlas and Jupiter Ascending, didn't do too well, but maybe they've got something here that will work. I like what I've seen in the trailers. It seems like a fascinating story with interesting characters. Maybe this series could be their next big thing.

The characters include "a closeted Mexican telenovela hunk, an Icelandic party girl, a German safe-cracker, a Korean businesswoman, an African bus driver and a transgender American blogger (a la Lana?). Perhaps most intriguing, though, are Jonas, an apparently magic African-American who appears to all of the 'visionaries,' and his evil counterpart, Mr. Whispers (arguably the best-named villain since The X-Files’ Cigarette-Smoking Man)."

The series stars Daryl Hannah (Kill Bill), Naveen Andrews (Lost), Freema Agyeman (Doctor Who), Tuppence Middleton (Jupiter Ascending), Aml Ameen (The Butler), Terrence Mann (The Dresden Files), Jamie Clayton (Hung), Miguel Silvestre (I’m So Excited!), Tena Desae (The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel), Doona Bae (Cloud Atlas, Jupiter Ascending), Max Riemelt (The Depraved), Erendira Ibarra (Capadocia), and Alfonso Herrera (El Diez).

The 12-episode series will hit Netflix on June 5th,

Whether on your wall or in a frame in your cubicle, there's always room for more art. Enter Fort Awesome Studios, who above having a fantastic name, are also responsible for some pretty adorable art featuring icons like Zelda, Link, Dr. Mario, and of course, the Piranha Plant. These could very easily be made into Precious Moments-like statues, and if that were the case I know they would be making their way onto quite a few Amazon wish lists. The torn pages of an old children's book aesthetic is great, and I can’t wait to see more done in this style. If you fancy a print of your own, you can head here to check them out.

As you've probably already heard, Paramount Pictures is planning to expand their Transformers film franchise. They will be creating more sequels and new spin-off films. They've pulled together a team of writers led by Akiva Goldsman to develop ideas for these films.

Some of those writers include Walking Dead creator Robert Kirkman; Iron Man writers Art Marcum and Matt Holloway; Pacific Rim 2‘s Zak Penn; and Amazing Spider-Man 2 scribe Jeff Pinkner. Ant-Man scribes Andrew Barrer and Gabriel Ferrari are writing a film called Transformers One, which is a prequel that takes place on the Transformers' home planet of Cybertron.

We now know a little about one of the spinoff projects that might make to the big screen. According to Hasbro CEO Brian Goldner, that spinoff film will revolve around the Autobot Bumblebee. Here's what he said (thanks to TFW2005.com):

“As we go forward, we would imagine several more Transformers Movies. Not just in the current lineage but also spinoffs and focusing on certain key characters that are beloved by the world over. Many of you know Bumblebee; the yellow Camaro… formally known as a yellow VW Bug. He is a beloved character by kids all over the world. We could see stories told around Bumblebee and other characters. We are in a process of building the brand equity around the comic book business, our TV Business, our digital gaming business and adding to that our new movie business of Transformers.”

With the number of times he mentioned Bumblebee in this statement, I think it's safe to say that the character will be getting his own film somewhere down the line. Bumblebee is definitely a fan favorite in the franchise, and it's easy to imagine him in his own spinoff off movie. I imagine it won't be any worse than the other Transformers films that have been released over the years.

Mark Wahlberg has said that he’s contracted for “a couple more” Transformers sequels, and it is believed that director Michael Bay will return to direct Transformers 5 after he's finished with his Benghazi drama 13 Hours.

Are you excited about the possibility of seeing Bumblebee get his own movie?

Here's an amusing video that merges every major movie studio opening intro into one epic mess. The video was created by Art404, and it's fascinating to see all that studio flare combined into one explosive video of marketing insanity.

Well that didn't seem to take very long! It seems just like yesterday that director Tim MIller and Ryan Reynolds started shooting Deadpool, and now they are finished. Fans got a glimpse of some of that filming thanks to several set photos and videos that have leaked out over the past few months. Reynolds confirmed that production has wrapped in the following tweet:

#Deadpool has been a privilege to make. And we got to make this film because of you. Gonna eat a samich now. #wrapped pic.twitter.com/AMW68HD2BI

— Ryan Reynolds (@VancityReynolds) May 29, 2015

The movie now heads into post-production, and I'm giddy as hell to see how this long-awaited film turns out! The talent involved in bringing the movie to life have all said that they think fans are going to be happy with this movie. Hopefully they deliver on that promise.

Based upon Marvel Comics’ most unconventional anti-hero, Deadpool tells the origin story of former Special Forces operative turned mercenary Wade Wilson, who after being subjected to a rogue experiment that leaves him with accelerated healing powers, adopts the alter ego Deadpool. Armed with his new abilities and a dark, twisted sense of humor, Deadpool hunts down the man who nearly destroyed his life.

The movie also stars TJ Miller as Weasel, Gina Carano as Angel Dust, Brianna Hildebrand as Negasonic Teenage Warhead, Morena Baccarin as Copycat, and Ed Skrein as Ajax. Colossus also plays a part in the story. Reynolds also recently expressed that he wanted Hugh Jackman to cameo in the movie as Wolverine. There's no word on whether that actually happened or not.

Deadpool is scheduled for a release on February 12, 2016.

A year ago we posted a trailer for Kung Fury, one of the most insane looking kung fu movies ever. The full 30-minute film is now online for the world to enjoy. The movie is described as an "over-the-top action comedy that has its foundation in '80s cop movies." The story features everything you want in a great movie! Arcade-robots, dinosaurs, nazis, vikings, norse gods, mutants, and a super kung fu-cop. 

The crowdfunded movie is awesomely hilarious, and it's one that you have to experience. It's remarkably absurd in the greatest ways, and I know most of you will appreciate what it has to offer its audience. 

During an unfortunate series of events a friend of Kung Fury is assasinated by the most dangerous kung fu master criminal of all time; Adolf Hitler, a.k.a Kung Führer. Kung Fury decides to travel back in time, to Nazi Germany, in order to kill Hitler and end the Nazi empire once and for all. Kung Fury is a visually spectacular action comedy that has it's foundation in 80s cop movies.

The movie was written and directed by David Sandberg, and it's just as amazing as it sounds.

Three new TV spots have been released for Jurassic World showcasing the horrors that await visitors of the wondrous dinosaur park. Two of them are international spots. I've also included a clip from the film, which features a scene that includes Bryce Dallas Howard, Irrfan Khan, Jake Johnson, and Lauren Lapkus talking how to handle the Indominus Rex after it escapes. In the process, Johnson's character comes up with a brochure disclaimer: "Eventually one of these things will eat somebody."

You can watch the clip below. It's starts at the 3:02 mark:

Sometimes even superheroes need to take some time to relax and do a little meditation before they jump back into action to help keep the world safe. This custom made LEGO Iron Man was created by The Arvo Brothers, and it pretty cool how relaxed they were able to make it look, especially considering what they used to make it.

Via: Xombiedirge

Art by SharpWriter

A couple of weeks ago we learned that Gary Anthony Williams was cast in the role of the villain Bebop in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2. It has now been confirmed that WWE superstar Sheamus will be taking on the role of Bebop's partner in crime, Rocksteady. These are Shredder's two henchman who have enjoyed giving the Ninja Turtles a hard time over the years. Below you will find a photo of Sheamus on the set of the film with Williams, Brian Tee (Shredder), and Tee's wife Mirelly Taylor. For an even better look at the characters in costume, head on over to DailyMail. They have photos that show them in their human form, before they become a mutated rhino and pig.

Good night with good people in #NYC @GaryAWilliams @brian_tee @mirellytaylor pic.twitter.com/4MbwFYXltX

— Sheamus (@WWESheamus) May 28, 2015

Sheamus joins Stephen Amell as Casey Jones, Megan Fox as April O'Neil, Will Arnett as Vernon Fenwick, and William Fichtner as Eric Sacks. Some of the newcomers to the franchise include Tyler Perry as scientist Baxter Stockman, and Laura Linney, who is taking on a role that hasn't been revealed yet.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2 is set to be released on June 3rd, 2016.

In case there was any doubt, Spy proves once and for all that writer/director Paul Feig brings out the best in Melissa McCarthy. Feig directed both Bridesmaids and The Heat, but Spy is his best film yet, and certainly the best showcase for McCarthy's talents we've seen thus far. As desk-jockey-turned-field-agent Susan Cooper, McCarthy is a whirling dervish of comedy, completely owning scene after scene with confidence that comes with the knowledge that she's playing a solid character with an excellent script as a foundation.

Susan Cooper (McCarthy) has spent her career at the CIA as the earpiece contact for agent Bradley Fine (Jude Law), using her computer system to guide him through dangerous missions from Langley and never having the opportunity to get into the field herself. But when Fine is assassinated by Bulgarian arms dealer Rayna Boyanov (Rose Byrne), Cooper discovers that Rayna knows the identities of all of the agency's field agents. Despite the protestations of hotheaded fellow agent Rick Ford (Jason Statham), the chief (Allison Janney) sends Cooper to Paris to gather intel precisely because of her lumpy, middle-aged appearance — she's never been in the field before, so the bad guys won't recognize her. The plot centers on the sale of a nuclear bomb, but the specifics aren't really that important: every plot point features a sensible reason for Feig to get McCarthy into the action, which is fine by me because she's a blast to watch here.

Cooper may trip herself up occasionally, but she's a competent and intelligent agent despite her inexperience; when something funny happens, we're laughing with her and not at her. That's an important distinction from something like the Paul Blart movies, which derive most of their laughs from "ha ha, the fat guy fell down." Feig has no interest in that kind of comedy, and McCarthy imbues her character with an honest inner life and makes the movie a joy to watch. Her arc is tremendous, from frumpy and sort of depressed to full-on Black Widow-style action scenes by the end. (Early on, we see a video of her from ten years before absolutely dominating a CIA training exercise, so her eventual transformation isn't completely unrealistic.) She's also allowed to play multiple characters within the film, going undercover first as a boring cat lady and an Avon saleswoman before eventually donning the persona of a foul-mouthed bodyguard in order to get closer to her target and ultimately save the day.

McCarthy is aided not only by Feig's succinct script and tight direction, but by an outstanding supporting cast. Byrne portrays a bitchy Euro-trash villain like she was born to do it, Law is perfectly cast as a suave-but-clueless field agent, and Peter Serafinowicz is wonderful as a sleazy foreign contact who's constantly hitting on Cooper. But much to my surprise, it's Statham who outshines everyone, finally getting a chance to showcase his comedic chops and absolutely slaying it. This is a legendary performance from the action star that's going to be referenced for years, and his sexist, idiotic, blustering character (clearly poking fun at his own resume) makes Spy the funniest film of the year.

One of the best parts about the film is how it lovingly riffs on the tropes of the genre without being annoyingly obvious about it. It never stops to congratulate itself for putting a woman front and center in a big budget action movie, or to linger on its themes of self-worth and the danger of exclusion — it just simply concerns itself with being a good movie, and achieves that goal every step of the way. Aside from a scooter chase sequence, the action is well-edited and choreographed, and a knife fight between Cooper and a female adversary wouldn't have been out of place in the kinds of straightforward action movies in which Statham usually stars.

From the excellent Bond-style opening credits sequence all the way to its thrilling and hilarious conclusion, Spy is one of the best action comedies ever and the funniest movie of 2015.

I couldn't be more happy that Agent Carter Season 2 is coming. I'm excited to see what adventures are in store for our heroine this time around. We got a little bit of information about the series a couple of weeks ago, but while actress Hayley Atwell was at St. Louis Wizard World, she filled fans in on a few more details. First, here are the previously released details:

"Dedicated to the fight against new atomic age threats in the wake of World War II, Peggy must now journey from New York City to Los Angeles for her most dangerous assignment yet. But even as she discovers new friends, a new home — and perhaps even a new love — she’s about to find out that the bright lights of the post-war Hollywood mask a more sinister threat to everyone she is sworn to protect.”

Atwell revealed that the second season will take place in 1947, which is a year after the first season ended. She also talked about her character, and what we can expect to see from her:

"What is exciting, because it is going to be set in L.A., and set a year later, Peggy is in quite a different place. She is not grieving as much, it is not as raw for her to have lost Steve. So within herself, she is in a much stronger place. We can think more light, warmth and humor in who she is as a person. There is also something that reminds me of L.A. Confidential, kind of film noir, kind of glamorous L.A. life with a dark underbelly of L.A. life in the '40s. There will be a depth of characters. We were just talking backstage about how Angie and her are now in a place where Angie knows who she really is, and whether she can truly confide in her now that they're on the same page. It will be developing the characters and introducing new ones."

She goes on to talk about Howard Stark's involvement next season:

“There has got to be elements of Howard there, but I'm not sure to what extent. He plays a pivotal role in her life, and on the show. And also, in order to justify Jarvis being in the season ... He works for Howard Stark, so there has to be some reason why he's in the season, and it will be based on Howard's presence. Hopefully we'll get Dominic. I'll text him and see if he's available."

The actress then addresses what Peggy would think about Steve Rogers dating Agent Sharon Carter (Emily VanCamp), and she doesn't think Peggy would approve:

"She'd have a few words to say to Sharon. Sharon's her granddaughter, right? Or niece. Either way, it's wrong! I think she'd lock her in her room, and ground her. I would be like, go find another family! Go away from mine."

We've got some fun stuff to look forward to in this coming season! You can read more from the panel over on Blastr.

In this week's episode of the podcast, join Free, Joey, and Ben as they dive into a review of Brad Bird's Tomorrowland. Read Joey's full review here, and click here for much more on the film.