There are countless stories to be told in the Star Wars universe — that's one of the things that makes it great. There are dozens of major players in the main storyline, all of which have their own stories to tell. We already know that there will be a spin-off film that will be about Han Solo when he is a young man, but what other stories should we see? With so many characters (both major and minor), what stories deserve to have the multi-million dollar treatment? Some of these will coincide with the 5 things from the former Expanded Universe I said needed to come back, but some of these are totally unrelated. Bear in mind that not all of these are movie ideas; some are television series, just because it would be a better medium for telling the story.

The Purge:

I loved the Dark Horse comic line The Purge. The story primarily follows Darth Vader as he continues his hunt for the remnants of the Jedi order. I don't think we need to stick religiously to the comic story line, but it is undeniably a story worth telling. This idea works better as a series, preferably as a Netflix series since they seem to be nailing everything they put out.

In my mind, the story would follow a young Imperial officer who is assigned to help Vader handle the logistical side of things in the hunt for the Jedi, but is pulled into joining his new master on missions. As he does, Vader teaches him about the Jedi order and why they must be destroyed, and this young officer comes to hate them. The series would be about his descent into fanatical hatred of this group of people as he assists his master in their destruction, but he still struggles with the facts of what they're doing. There would definitely be a couple occurrences of them hunting a group of Jedi down and there being several younglings, who Vader murders without hesitation. That would be a difficult moment for a young man who, until recently, had no quarrel with these people. This would be more adult themed (genocide will do that), but there is still room for some good humor in the downtime between hunts.

Obi-Wan Kenobi in Exile:

There were rumors floating around a few weeks ago that this may be one of the other spin-off films in the works. Ewan McGregor was even asked in an interview if he would be interested in coming back for a project like this, which he said he certainly was! This would be very different from any of the other films, particularly in that there is only one main character instead of an ensemble.

At the end of Revenge of the Sith, Obi-Wan is told by Yoda that he'll be taught to commune with his dead master. Presumably this means that is how he learned to become one with the Force, but retain his personal identity (much like Yoda at the end of season 6 of Clone Wars). So a movie following Obi-Wan into his exile could have a great mix of the pseudo-magic that is the Force, and the real world problems of living on Tatooine and interacting with the denizens thereof. This would also be a great way to showcase a final showdown between Obi-Wan and Darth Maul. Ideally, the film would be both a look at some of the deeper aspects of the Force, as well as providing insight into what Obi-Wan went through to keep Luke's presence a secret from the Empire (Jedi espionage, anyone?).

Return of the Fett:

Boba Fett has 4 lines in the original trilogy (5 if you count screaming in Return of the Jedi.) Despite his lack of screen time and even less talking, Boba Fett is a fan favorite. This contributed largely to his inclusion as a young man in Episode II. With so many fans in love with the character, the odds of him not returning in some form or another are pretty slim. But there is a right way to do this, and really give a lot of depth to a character who is (as far as the canon is concerned) still a great mystery.

The film would need to open with his escape from the Sarlacc. The story could revolve around his return to Mandalore, and discovering what has become of his people. I am in full support of his keeping the helmet on and still speaking very little, and Drive proved to me that can work for your protagonist. After his return to Mandalore the story would more or less follow the Legacy storyline, where he unites the clans under his banner as Mandalore (the leader of all the Mandalorians) and makes them a completely independent world, helping to build their own self-sustaining economy primarily built around beskar, which is a metal native only to Mandalore that is lightsaber proof. There are plenty of interesting events to keep the story moving, and there's an opportunity for him to clash with what remains of the Empire, making the Mandalorians a force in the time frame of Episode VII. This would also be a great opportunity to explore the Mandalorian culture from the old EU, which is pretty fascinating.

Mos Eisley- Hive of Scum & Villainy:

The line where Obi-Wan tells Luke that the Mos Eisley space port is a wretched hive of scum and villainy always seemed odd to me. There's not really any indication in the movies that it's any more shady than the rest of Tatooine, so what makes it so bad? This is another example of something that would work better as a TV series, with the city of Mos Eisley as the main character.

The series would be an episodic adventure show, with each episode (or a few episode arcs) being about a different character or characters, showing over the course of the series why Mos Eisley is so shady. This could even be a miniseries, with a 12-14 episode run that explores several characters we briefly see in the city through the films. Personally, I'd love to see this! You could tell a lot of stories that are all very different from each other, but explore the criminal element of Star Wars, while telling us more about a location that has been so central to the Star Wars saga.

Darth Plagueis:

Plagueis is a fascinating character. He helped set into motion all the events that resulted in the eventual destruction of the Jedi and the fall of the Republic. Sidious quickly mentions him in Episode III, briefly discussing his power to manipulate midi-chlorians to create life. Plagueis' apprenticeship under Darth Tenebrous could be covered in the first half of the movie, and taking Palpatine and training him in the ways of the Sith could cover the last half, which could lead directly into Episode I. 

Plagueis' apprenticeship can be easily covered in an hour. There is a great deal of political intrigue, complete with Force-based assassinations. Following the death of Darth Tenebrous, we would skip ahead and see the turning of Palpatine to the Dark Side as Plagueis brought out the worst in the then-young man. We could follow their plot to undermine the Republic and the Jedi. We would see a young Qui-Gon and Dooku, as well as be introduced to Master Sifo-Dyas, who would eventually order the creation of the clone army for the Republic. The story would be a mix of intrigue as the Sith slowly manipulate the galaxy into position for their plans of total galactic domination. The movie would conclude with Palpatine murdering his master, just before being elected Supreme Chancellor.

With so many stories to tell in the Star Wars universe, this is definitely not all there is, just a few stories that would really help to carry Star Wars into the next generation. What stories would you like to see told on screen? Let us know in the comments below!

SPOILER WARNING!

A new photo from the set of Captain America: Civil War has hit the internet, and it shows Sebastian Stan's Winter Solider running alongside Anthony Mackie's Falcon in a mall.

As you can see, The Winter Solider is sporting one of the full costumes he'll be wearing in the film. I'm surprised that the genetically enhanced Bucky Barnes isn't leaving Sam Wilson in the dust. I guess he's just being nice and letting Wilson keep up. It's nice to see them working together.

With the D23 Expo this last weekend, we got a lot of new information and updates regarding the highly anticipated Marvel film. To catch up on all of that news, including a description of the footage that was screened there, click here. 

Via: CBM

The time has come for some new Batman: Arkham Knight DLC to drop, and it includes the 1989 Batman skin along with the accompanying Batmobile skin. I'm curious to see if the longer design of that Batmobile affects how the vehicle handles, and it does bring a smile to my face to see a giant duck on wheels in the screens for the two 1989-themed racetracks. The pack also includes some of the costumes that were part of previous pre-order exclusives.

While that is all well and good, I'm a bit more excited for next month's DLC haul, only because it addresses one of my biggest issues with the core game. The fact that you had all of these Bat family characters fully usable during the campaign, yet there was no way to use them outside of those small scenarios left me a bit bummed. In next month's pack, there will be six challenge rooms added for use by Catwoman, Nightwing, Robin, and of course Batman. These will be available on September 6th.

At some point in September, there will also be another piece of story content featuring Nightwing defending the GCPD against Penguin. If that weren't enough, the Tumblr from Christopher Nolan's Dark Knight trilogy will also be available, as well as the original Arkham Asylum suit, and two additional tracks. I really missed the challenge rooms from the previous games, so that is a huge get for me, but having some additional story content is great as well. Granted, some of the additional story DLC from Rocksteady has been a little hit and miss, but hopefully that isn't the case here. 

Sounds like we might have to wait a while to see Neill Blomkamp's new Alien film.

Bloody Disgusting's sources tell them that 20th Century Fox is still interested in making Blomkamp's movie, but Ridley Scott is reportedly demanding that Prometheus 2 be made before a new Alien film.

“Alien 5 is still very much in the works, as Fox remains hot on the idea. Blomkamp continues to work on the script (only an outline existed previously) and refine the tale he is telling. Ridley Scott is still producing, but has insisted on Prometheus 2 being made first.”

If this is true, I can see where Scott's coming from. Aside from him being a legendary director and potentially not wanting to be upstaged by some hotshot younger filmmaker, I'm guessing he and Fox would both rather continue the story of Prometheus first since that's the most recent thing audiences have seen in theaters. Considering how those movies play with the Alien franchise timeline, and how Alien 5 may or may not include elements of Alien movies after Aliens, it's easy to see how the studio would want to minimize confusion among audiences.

The delay will also give Blomkamp a couple of years to perfect the screenplay, and frankly, if he's writing the script, I'd like for him to have as much time as possible. He's a brilliant visual stylist, but his talents in the writing department aren't nearly as refined, so I'd much rather wait a few years and hope that he has time to hammer out any story issues that have him rush into production and try to figure that stuff out on the fly. The wait would also allow Blomkamp more time to work around Sigourney Weaver's schedule, since she'll soon be diving into a batch of Avatar movies for James Cameron.

Prometheus 2 is supposedly shooting early in 2016 for a 2017 release, and Alien 5 would be aiming for a 2017 shoot and a 2018 release.

Screen Junkies have released their Honest Trailer for Kingsman: The Secret Service, and they have a lot of fun tearing into the ridiculousness of it. I loved the movie, but it definitely does set itself up for all of the great jokes that are made at its expense in this video. 

From not Guy Ritchie, comes the James Bond-ish spy comedy that caught everyone by surprise - because it was actually pretty good! Kingsman: The Secret Service! 

Remember Zorro? Black mask, sword, likes to sign his name on people's chests with a Z? For years, Fox has been trying to bring us a post-apocalyptic version of this old school pulp character, and for years, it has had a difficult time moving forward. We posted some concept art for the film a couple of years ago, which you can check out here.

Well, things are finally picking up speed because Lantica Media and Sobini Films have partnered up and are ready to make it happen. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the two studios are going to finance the film together and they plan to film in March of next year.  

Mark Armin, CEO of Sobini Films, is very excited to get this film underway:

"This has been a fifteen year journey filled with ups and downs but it has remained my passion project over the years."

Lantica Media CEO, Antonio Gennari, had this to say:

"Every generation has its own Zorro hero and we’re proud to be able to introduce a new Zorro to this generation."

I think it's great that this is going places. Although I sometimes am against reboots and reinventions, I think there are a lot of great things that can be done with Zorro that makes him relevant for a future take. What do you think of classic characters done in a different tone?  Which characters would you like to see reinvented next for film? Personally, I think a sci-fi Sherlock Holmes in the future would be rad or even a futuristic Robin Hood. Post in the comments below to give your own thoughts.

We've got a retro featurette here for you to watch from the 1980s for Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back. It focuses on composer John Williams and the musical score he created for the movie. 

It offers behind-the-scenes footage of him seeing the final edit of the movie with George Lucas, director Irvin Kershner, and producer Gary Kurtz. What's interesting about this is that you get to see some rare footage of some scenes shot for the film without the beautiful musical score. Instead, you hear lots of bangs and hissing and barely audible dialogue from Carrie Fisher, Harrison Ford, and even David Prowse as Darth Vader.

You also get to see footage from the film with a temporary soundtrack. It just goes to show you how powerful music is to the movie making process, especially when it's done by John Williams.

The featurette comes from Vashi Nedomansky, who offers the following description:

"Behind the scenes as composer John Williams wrote the score for The Empire Strikes Back. After viewing the final edit it took him 7 weeks to write the score before recording it with the London Symphonic Orchestra. This video focuses on the emotional scene where Han Solo is about to be frozen into Carbonite and shows the before and after of the filmmaking process."

Via: /Film

Last week, writer/director J.J. Abrams revealed that the villain in Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Kylo Ren (Adam Driver), was a part of a mysterious group called The Knights of Ren. For more information on that, click here. Thanks to Indie Revolver, we have some concept art created for the film that gives us an idea of what the Knights of Ren will look like.

As you can see, they have a very samurai kind of vibe to them. We don't know much about this group, but I'm excited to learn more! I've also included a new piece of concept art for the alien character known as Maz Kanata, who is a space pirate played by Lupita Nyong'o.

Are you hungry? Do you love superheroes? Do you live in Malaysia? You're in luck. 

I had no idea these existed, but apparently there are already two officially licensed DC Comics superhero cafes in Malaysia and a new one is opening next month, specifically in Singapore. The restaurants, owned by the JT Network, offer hero-themed foods like the Superman Man of Steel BBQ Chicken Burrito, a Wonder Woman Turkey Roll, a Batman Dark Knight Mini Wagyu Beef Burger, and more. Take a look at these photos, and let us know if anything looks appetizing.

Via: ComicBookResources

I saw Hellions at Sundance earlier this year, and I freakin' loved it! It's no secret that I'm a sucker for horror films, but there's a special place in my dark heart for horror films that are set during Halloween. Hellions was a twisted nightmarish romp that I described in my review as being a "psychedelic thrill ride of insanity."

"A teenager’s Halloween night turns into a terrifying fight to survive when trick-or-treaters from Hell show up at her doorstep. After getting the unwelcome news that she’s pregnant, seventeen-year-old Dora (Chloe Rose) just wants to stay in on Halloween. But then a knock at the door delivers a gaggle of pint-sized demons after one thing: Dora’s baby. Director Bruce McDonald unleashes a hallucinatory visual and auditory assault that propels Hellions to increasingly disturbing realms of terror."

These evil-ass demons are called Hellions, and they are dressed in terrifying kids' Halloween costumes. Not only do they want to take the girl's newborn baby, they also want her soul.  She does everything she can to fight back and protect herself, and one of the most refreshing aspects about the movie is that she makes smarter decisions than characters in other horror movies. 

The movie also stars Robert Patrick, and it's set to be released in theaters and VOD on September 18th. If you're a fan of horror movies, then you've got to check this one out!

In my review of Jurassic World, I said I hoped co-writer/director Colin Trevorrow had a chance to direct a Star Wars movie because I feel like he did a good job of jumping from an extremely small indie film (Safety Not Guaranteed) to a massive studio blockbuster. That ended up coming true, and I'm hoping he'll be able to team with Rian Johnson for something great with Star Wars: Episode 9. For now, though, Jurassic World has already become the third highest grossing film of all time and has contributed in a huge way to Universal Studios' record-breaking year so far.

The team at Brotherhood Workshop have set their sights on the film in their latest LEGO animated video, which condenses the plot down to 90 seconds. I'm continually amazed at the quality of work these guys are able to do, and how well they're able to recreate moments from huge multi-million dollar movies using just a handful of LEGO pieces. Check it out below:

After kicking ass alongside Tom Cruise in Mission: Impossible Rogue Nation, it looks like actress Rebecca Ferguson is jumping on board a Hitchcockian thriller with another of Cruise's former co-stars, Emily Blunt. Deadline reports that Ferguson is in talks to join the cast of The Girl on the Train, which The Help helmer Tate Taylor will direct.

Here's the synopsis of the book on which the film is based:

Rachel takes the same commuter train every morning. Every day she rattles down the track, flashes past a stretch of cozy suburban homes, and stops at the signal that allows her to daily watch the same couple breakfasting on their deck. She’s even started to feel like she knows them. “Jess and Jason,” she calls them. Their life—as she sees it—is perfect. Not unlike the life she recently lost.

And then she sees something shocking. It’s only a minute until the train moves on, but it’s enough. Now everything’s changed. Unable to keep it to herself, Rachel offers what she knows to the police, and becomes inextricably entwined in what happens next, as well as in the lives of everyone involved. Has she done more harm than good?

Blunt will play Rachel, while Ferguson will play a character named Anna, one of three major female roles.

The actress has taken herself out of the running for a lead in Channing Tatum's Gambit in order to take this role instead, and based on what I know about Gambit so far, that frankly seems like a wise move. I haven't read the novel on which this film is based, but Ferguson was so great in Rogue Nation that I hope she continues to get increasingly better roles and moves her way up to the A-list so we can see her turn in more solid performances on a regular basis. Excited about this one?

Oscar winner Anne Hathaway is the latest talented actor to make the jump from movies to television.

Perhaps taking a cue from her Interstellar co-star Matthew McConaughey, who did the same thing with True Detective to rave reviews, Hathaway is heading to TV to star in and produce a limited series called The Ambassador's Wife. According to Deadline, the show is based on a novel by author Jennifer Steil, and described as "a harrowing tale about the kidnapping of an American woman in the Middle East and the heartbreaking choices she and her husband each must make in the hope of being reunited."

Apparently inspired by Steil's real-life exploits as the wife of Britain's ambassador to Yemen, the show seems to deal with the character's loss of privacy as she's followed around in an unsafe country by bodyguards before being kidnapped. This sounds like a part Hathaway can really sink her teeth into, and as usual, the idea of the show being a limited series must have tremendous appeal so she can quickly move back into starring in another film if she chooses. There's no word yet on which network the show will eventually air, but we'll keep you posted as more information becomes available.

After bringing Jurassic World to life and watching the film becoming the third highest-grossing movie of all time, it's easy to see why co-writer Derek Connolly (above, right) is suddenly in demand. He and his writing partner Colin Trevorrow are penning the screenplay for Jurassic World 2, but in the meantime, THR reports Connolly will be taking a swing at another Universal property: the King Kong spin-off Kong: Skull Island.

The plot for the movie is still being kept under wraps, but we know that The Kings of Summer helmer Jordan Vogt-Roberts is directing, while Tom Hiddleston, Brie Larson, and Corey Hawkins (Straight Outta Compton) are starring, and considering the film's title and its Hawaii, Vietnam, and Iceland filming locations, it's pretty obviously going to involve a group of people traveling to the island King Kong calls home. We also know that island is home to dinosaurs, so Connolly seems like a natural fit.

He's been brought in to take a pass at the script, which has already been worked on by Max Borenstein (Godzilla), John Gatins (Flight), and Dan Gilroy (Nightcrawler). Trevorrow has said in interviews that Connolly is good with writing dialogue when those two collaborate, so perhaps Universal has hired him to brush up some of the dialogue here as well.

Last we heard, Samuel L. Jackson, Tom Wilkinson, and John C. Reilly may be joining the cast to replace the recently vacated Michael Keaton and J.K. Simmons, but we're still waiting on confirmation of that. Kong: Skull Island hits theaters on March 10th, 2017.

Suicide Squad director David Ayer has taken to Twitter with a new photo of one of the film's breakout characters (if there can be a breakout character before the movie is even released). His first photo reveals actress Margot Robbie suited up as the fan favorite Harley Quinn, seen here applying a tattoo to an unnamed man's arm. (I can see a "w" and an "a" in what she's tattooing on him, so it could be the word "skwad" that Ayer used to accompany the photo.)

#skwad pic.twitter.com/HOZDytXnjp

— David Ayer (@DavidAyerMovies) August 18, 2015

The second photo doesn't feature Robbie, but seems to be the handiwork of Quinn's character, who apparently has her own tattoo parler — or, excuse me, "parlour."

pic.twitter.com/mMWxFyG4Wt

— David Ayer (@DavidAyerMovies) August 18, 2015

It's unclear whether this imagery will actually appear in the film at all, and if it is, when exactly it takes place in the larger story being told here. The broad strokes of Harley's story seem to have been teased in the film's Comic-Con trailer, and later a set photo hinted at her origin, but there's still a lot to learn about her role in the movie. Suicide Squad arrives in theaters on August 5th, 2016.

The latest trailer for Ridley Scott's The Martian features a lot of new footage, which unlocks more details of this intense sci-fi film. As you'll see, Matt Damon's character is very optimistic as he is working his ass off to keep himself alive after he is stranded on Mars. While he is surviving, his friends back at home are planning an unsanctioned mission to go and save him. This looks like it's gonna be one hell of a great film! 

During a manned mission to Mars, Astronaut Mark Watney (Damon) is presumed dead after a fierce storm and left behind by his crew. But Watney has survived and finds himself stranded and alone on the hostile planet. With only meager supplies, he must draw upon his ingenuity, wit and spirit to subsist and find a way to signal to Earth that he is alive. Millions of miles away, NASA and a team of international scientists work tirelessly to bring “the Martian” home, while his crewmates concurrently plot a daring, if not impossible rescue mission. As these stories of incredible bravery unfold, the world comes together to root for Watney’s safe return.

The Martian also features an all-star cast that includes Jessica Chastain, Kristen Wiig, Kate Mara, Michael Peña, Jeff Daniels, Chiwetel Ejiofor, and Donald Glover. It will hit theaters on October 2nd.

I also included this UK trailer:

To help promote the new Mad Max video game, we have a video here showing off one of the most wickedly wild paintball battles ever. It’s an insane car chase short film inspired by Mad Max: Fury Road with some crazy looking decked out go-karts and other vehicles. The short was directed by Devin Graham, and the production value is pretty damn impressive. I think this is something that you'll all enjoy! Check it out.

The Witch was my number one favorite film at Sundance this year. It blew me away, and it was the only film at the film festival that I made sure to watch twice. This movie is incredible in every way, and it's seriously a near perfect film. This is quite a feat for first-time feature film director Robert Eggers, who also wrote the movie. He and his crew went to great lengths to deliver a horrifying and nightmarish movie. 

The story is set in New England in the 1600s, and it revolves around the age-old concepts of witchcraft, black magic, and possession. These things are all brought together to tell an intimate story of one family’s descent into terrifying paranoia and madness. The Devil is among them, and he wants this family to be torn apart in the most brutal of ways.

Set in New England circa 1630, The Witch follows a farmer who get cast out of his colonial plantation and is forced to move his family to a remote plot of land on the edge of an ominous forest rumored to be controlled by witches. Almost immediately, strange and unsettling things begin to happen-the animals turn violent, the crops fail, and one of the children disappears, only to return seemingly possessed by an evil spirit. As suspicion and paranoia mount, everyone begins to point the finger at teenage daughter Thomasin. They accuse her of witchcraft, which she adamantly denies…but as circumstances become more and more treacherous, each family member’s faith, loyalty, and love will be tested in shocking and unforgettable ways.

Writer/director Robert Eggers’ debut feature, which premiered to great acclaim at the 2015 Sundance Film Festival (and won the Best Director Prize in the U.S. Narrative Competition), painstakingly recreates a God-fearing New England decades before the 1692 Salem witch trials, in which religious convictions and pagan folklore famously clashed. Told through the eyes of the adolescent Thomasin – in a star-making turn by newcomer Anya Taylor-Joy – and supported by mesmerizing camera work and a powerful musical score, THE WITCH is a chilling and groundbreaking new take on the genre.

Everyone in this film gave mind-blowing performances, and they are all unknown actors. As I said in my review, "They bring their characters to life in a way that I don't think anyone else could. It is chilling at times to see how well they play these characters. Especially the kids! I don't know how director Robert Eggers got the kids to deliver such mind-blowing performances, but he did it." Then there's the way the film was shot in which I said, "The cinematography is stunning. It is one of the most beautifully shot films that I've seen in years. There are visual in the movie that I definitely won't forget. The way they use natural lighting to give this movie a period look is incredible. It enhances the eerie vibe of the story."

There's no exact release date for the movie yet, but it will be released sometime in 2016. Whenever this movie is released, though, you need to see it! You will not be disappointed. 

This Vincent Valentine cosplay looks like the character stepped right out of Final Fantasy VII! It seriously looks like a screenshot from the damn video game! The character is being cosplayed by Yuri Narss, a.k.a. Narcisspuppet, and what he did with this is impressive as hell. 

The photos you see here were taken by Lexa One, and the look was achieved through great lighting, makeup, and I'm sure a little photoshop. 

Via: Kotaku

A promo spot has been released for season two of The Flash, and it offers us a little glimpse at what's in store for the upcoming season. We get a brief first look at the villain Atom Smasher, and it looks like Barry Allen gets his own Flash signal! 

Following the defeat of Barry Allen’s arch-nemesis Eobard Thawne (aka Reverse Flash), Team Flash quickly turned their attention to the singularity swirling high above Central City, which fans last saw consuming everything in its path. Armed with the heart of a hero and the ability to move at super speeds, Barry charged into the eye of the singularity, but will he actually be able to save his city from impending doom? 

The Flash stars Grant Gustin as Barry Allen/The Flash, Candice Patton as Iris West, Rick Cosnett as Eddie Thawne, Danielle Panabaker as Caitlin Snow, Carlos Valdes as Cisco Ramon, and Jesse L. Martin as Detective Joe West.

Season two of The Flash will premiere on The CW on Tuesday, October 6th at 8pm.