After auditioning for a staggering seven months to earn the role of Finn in Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Attack the Block star John Boyega is on the cusp of becoming a household name. In a brief new interview with GQ, the young actor spoke about his role in the upcoming movie, how he cried when reading the script for the first time, the weight of the lightsaber (which you can see him wield here), and more:

"When I read the script I cried, and I'm not really a big crier... I'm more like a frog-in-the- throat kind of guy, who'll try to hold it in and make sure I don't let it all out." ...

"Finn is dope. His story is so epic. It's a story that's never been seen before, but it also mirrors the stories of Luke Skywalker and Han Solo. And he's quirky and charismatic and funny. For me, he was the best character in the script." ...

"They're heavy, those [lightsabers], and there's a lot of running involved. I was trained on a high incline treadmill so when it came to it I could sprint around the desert in a leather jacket. They should do a Star Wars weight loss program."

This sounds like it was such an emotional film for everyone involved (even Harrison Ford, shockingly enough), and from the response we've seen to the trailers, we already know it's going to get a very emotional reaction from the fans. I think there's just such a strong desire for Star Wars to be great again, and everything we've read and heard so far indicates that J.J. Abrams has somehow, miraculously, lived up to expectations and will return the franchise to its former glory. I have my fingers crossed that he's pulled it off. Star Wars: The Force Awakens debuts on December 18th.

About four years ago, we wrote about a guy who created the frame of a 1:1 replica of the Starship Enterprise-D in Minecraft. Today, we have someone else who has taken on the task of creating a digital version of the iconic ship, but this time it's been created in the Unreal 4 game engine. As of right now it's still a work in progress, but creator Jason Briney has uploaded a video to YouTube that allows us to take a 12 minute walk through the docking bay, vast hallways, and of course, the bridge (which includes some voice clips from The Next Generation's cast).

I remember having a PC game when I was a kid that let you explore a full recreation of the Titanic as it was before it sank, and this reminds me a lot of that. Briney says it will be ready for the Oculus Rift, and having used one of those for the first time recently, this would definitely make for a cool experience for Star Trek fans. Find out more at the project's official website.

At the Tokyo Game Show this week, Square Enix revealed some new footage from the upcoming 15th entry in the Final Fantasy series. Everything we've seen of this game thus far has been an incredibly unique mix of the widely popular open-world game style with some Square Enix... how do I put this, "weirdness"? Final Fantasy games have always been so unusually individual. It's cool to see a staple of the franchise making a very beautifully rendered appearance. I'm assuming the Chocobo will be used to cross rough terrain that your trendy luxury car just can't handle. Mostly, I just think it looks like a load of fun exploring such a stunningly crafted world on the back of my favorite big yellow bird (Sorry, Big Bird, you play second fiddle to these "warbly" bastards). I think this is shaping up to be an awesome Final Fantasy game, and the open world is a nice breath of fresh air after FFXIII. Also there is fishing or whatever. (They try to make it more intense than it is, but all in all it's just fishing.)

Thumbnail Artist: Yvonne Albrecht

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Disney Studios has released a new poster for their upcoming CG animated feature film Zootopia. It comes with the tagline, “Welcome to the Jungle,” and it gives you a glimpse of the city where the story takes place. I got to see some footage of this movie at the D23 Expo this summer, and it looks like a hilariously cute movie. Hopefully, we'll get a trailer for it soon so that you can see some footage from the film for yourself. 

The modern mammal metropolis of Zootopia is a city like no other. Comprised of habitat neighborhoods like ritzy Sahara Square and frigid Tundratown, it’s a melting pot where animals from every environment live together—a place where no matter what you are, from the biggest elephant to the smallest shrew, you can be anything. But when optimistic Officer Judy Hopps (voice of Ginnifer Goodwin) arrives, she discovers that being the first bunny on a police force of big, tough animals isn’t so easy. Determined to prove herself, she jumps at the opportunity to crack a case, even if it means partnering with a fast-talking, scam-artist fox, Nick Wilde (voice of Jason Bateman), to solve the mystery.

The film is being directed by Byron Howard (Tangled, Bolt) and Rich Moore (Wreck-It Ralph, The Simpsons), and it was co-directed by Jared Bush (Penn Zero: Part-Time Hero). Zootopia opens in theaters on March 4th, 2016.

Legendary Comics

Writer: Marc Guggenheim  |  Artist: Freddie Williams II

Colorist: Christopher Sotomayor  |  Letterer: Patrick Brosseau

Jonas Quantum is the most intelligent hero on the planet, and he isn’t shy about coming across as such. This is someone who cured death during a stretch of insomnia. If I am having a stretch where I don’t eat everything in the freezer during a sleepless night that makes my week, and this guy is able to prevent death. Yeah, there is a wide gap between the two of us to say the least.

The initial introduction to Jonas, along with his partner Eve, does away with the typical slow burn of most origin stories. You get a page of Jonas as a baby, which is worth it alone for the hilariously annoyed facial expression (via Freddie Williams II) on Jonas’s face right after he comes out of the womb. After that, Marc Guggenheim wastes no time getting into the action, and the book keeps up that brisk pace throughout. It fills in the gaps when it needs to, however, so you still get substantial back story through small flashback snippets. These are sometimes no more than a single panel, but the point gets across, and then we move forward with the current plot. As I said in our interview, it really feels structured more like a TV show, which makes the story incredibly easy to follow. This is a huge plus, as the constant time jumping could be impossibly confusing if the structure weren't handled well. 

Jonas's relationship with Eve is another highlight of the book. Eve doesn’t take any of Jonas’s guff and is able to hold wits with him throughout the book. He’s a genius to be sure, but Eve is just as essential. Jonas is always ready to offer way more facts and history than is necessary at any given time, and it takes a character like Eve to balance that out and tell him when to shove it. These type of characters can easily become out and out jerks, so having a yin to his yang is incredibly important to keep him likable, and Eve serves that role well.

I would be remiss to not mention the incredible art by Freddie Williams II and Christopher Sotomayor. They bring all of the action and science fiction elements to life, with potent hues of color at every turn, and imaginative costume and location designs to match. I enjoyed it immensely for its unapologetic use of color, with very little grittiness or urban realism to be found. It actually makes the times they are in more standard or realistic locations (such as a pawn shop or smack in the middle of the city) stick out more when not everything is painted with the same brush.

If you are not a fan of classic comics or science fiction, then you will probably not dig this book. Nor will you if you like all of your backstory upfront or presented in a non flashback fashion. Personally while the story is interesting, it isn’t the biggest hook for me. That hook is the amusing banter between Jonas and Eve, and ultimately that is why I loved it so much. As long as that doesn’t go anywhere, count me in.

The Infinite Adventures of Jonas Quantum #1 is out on stands now.

I’m a huge fan of Larry David’s Curb Your Enthusiasm. It’s one of my all-time favorite comedy series. There’s been on and off talk of a ninth season for a long time, but now, not only is a ninth season being discussed, but apparently, so is a movie! Is it really possible that this could actually become a reality?! The news comes from the following tweet by Rich Eisen Show producer Chris Law:

Jeff Schaffer says he had dinner this weekend w Larry David. A Curb Your Enthusiasm movie was discussed, as was an additional season #CYE

— Chris Law (@ChrisLaw) September 15, 2015

Just in case you don’t know, Jeff Schaffer is a longtime collaborator with David. They worked together on both Seinfeld and Curb Your Enthusiasm. He’s also the creator of FX’s The League. A meeting between Schaffer and David is a very, very good sign that things are actually being taken seriously regarding bringing Curb back.

I don’t like getting my hopes up for things, but I have high freakin’ hopes that either a new season or a movie will happen. If I had a choice, I’d choose the series, but if we got the movie and the series, I wouldn’t complain.

Ever wanted to make your own custom gummy candy? Well, the launch of the first 3D printer for fruit gum happened this year in Berlin. With a mix of ten colors and ten flavors to choose from you can print out any shaped gummy you can think of. And it's vegan, dairy free, gluten free, and all natural so anyone can enjoy this magical treat. 

Via: Geeks Are Sexy

A new TV spot and poster have been released for director Ryan Coogler’s Creed, which offers us a new chapter in the story of Rocky. Sylvester Stallone reprises his iconic role in the film as he helps train Apollo Creed's son, who is played by Michael B. Jordan. I'm really looking forward to this movie as it looks like it could actually be one of the better films in the Rocky saga. 

Adonis Johnson (Jordan) never knew his famous father, world heavyweight champion Apollo Creed, who died before he was born. Still, there’s no denying that boxing is in his blood, so Adonis heads to Philadelphia, the site of Apollo Creed’s legendary match with a tough upstart named Rocky Balboa.

Once in the City of Brotherly Love, Adonis tracks Rocky (Stallone) down and asks him to be his trainer. Despite his insistence that he is out of the fight game for good, Rocky sees in Adonis the strength and determination he had known in Apollo—the fierce rival who became his closest friend. Agreeing to take him on, Rocky trains the young fighter, even as the former champ is battling an opponent more deadly than any he faced in the ring. 

With Rocky in his corner, it isn’t long before Adonis gets his own shot at the title…but can he develop not only the drive but also the heart of a true fighter, in time to get into the ring?

Creed comes out in theaters on November 25th.

Here's a really well-made video essay from Sam and Niko that discusses action scenes in movies. The video breaks down what makes a shitty action scene such as quick cuts, implied action, lack of reason, etc. Then in contrast, it shows us some action scenes that are actually done really well. These scenes involve actually showing the audience the action and reaction, the characters' emotions, etc. Action scenes are hard to do, but to get them right there has to be a good balance that actually implements plot points to move the story forward.

I think a lot of us movie fans are familiar with what makes a good action scene and what doesn't, but having it all presented to us in a video like this makes for an interesting watch that you should check out when you get a chance.

Doug Jones has been cast in the lead role in an upcoming horror thriller called The Bye Bye Man. Jones is a frequent collaborator with Guillermo del Toro and has worked on several films, such as Hellboy and Pan's Labyrinth. 

The Bye Bye Man is being directed by Stacy Title and is an adaptation of a short story called “The Bridge to Body Island” by Robert Damon Schneck. The story "recounts a series of terrifying events experienced by three Wisconsin college students." Those students will be played by Douglas Smith, Cressida Bonas, and Lucien Laviscount. Jones, of course, will play The Bye Bye Man. 

Jones is seriously such a great guy. I've had the privilege of meeting him a couple of times, and he's just so damn nice! When he's not working on feature film projects, he's also helping out with lots of short films. The guy keeps himself busy, and it's always great to see him land cool movie gigs. 

I have no idea what's in store for us with The Bye Bye Man, but if Jones thought it was good enough to jump on board to star in, then you know it will probably end up being solid horror flick.

Source: Variety

Disney recently released a Mickey Mouse cartoon short called "Shifting Gears." It follows Mickey as he goes head to head with his car after it refuses to take him to the beach. The short is incredibly silly, but so are all of the classic Disney cartoons. They didn't call them "Silly Symphonies" for nothing! This one obviously just has a more modern feel to it. The short was directed by Clay Morrow and is part of a new series of Mickey Mouse cartoons that will be released.

We've got a new U.S. red-band trailer for you to watch for Takashi Miike's insane looking film Yakuza Apocalypse! The movie is described as "a comedic vampire thriller, a gangster epic, a martial-arts extravaganza, and an end-of-the-world spectacle."

The movie comes to us from the makers of films such as Ichi The Killer, Audition, 13 Assassins, Killers, Tokyo Tribe, The Raid, and The Raid 2. So if you enjoyed watching any of those films, then Yakuza Apocalypse looks like it's going to be something you won't want to miss. There's no doubt this movie is going to deliver some crazy fun entertainment!

Fearsome yakuza boss Kamiura is also a bloodsucking vampire. One day, men arrive from a competing clan and deliver him an ultimatum: Play nice or die. Kamiura refuses and, during a fierce battle, is torn limb from limb. With his dying breath, he passes on his vampire powers to his loyal lieutenant, Kageyama. His first order of business is revenge, setting him on a collision course with the seemingly unstoppable foreign syndicate, while making his name!

I'm happy to say that the movie will be available for all of us to watch on October 9th in limited theaters and VOD. To watch the first trailer that was released, click here.

Legendary artist and animator Hayao Miyazaki, who started Studio Ghibli, may be retired from making feature films, but he is still has a desire to create more magic in the world. According to THR, Miyazaki is looking to bring his imagination to life in the real world as he is in the process of helping build a 10,000 acre nature park for kids called "The Forest Where the Wind Returns." He's even investing $2.5 million of his own money to bring it to life!

Miyazaki has expressed his concerns in the past about how difficult it has become to reach children's souls "because of increasing consumerism and the virtual world. Television, video games, email, mobile phones and manga are sapping children of their strength, he worries." He said:

“Utopia exists only in one’s childhood life. Rather than looking at how to stimulate domestic demand by building bridges or roads, we should provide a proper environment for our future generations because children are Japan’s best investment.”

So that's exactly what he's doing with this park. It's located in Zendo Forest Park on the island of Kume in Okinawa, Japan. It is being designed as a natural playground where kids can play in a landscape that will be their jungle gym. It will also have a library and sleeping accommodations for up to 30 people. 

Basically, this is a park where kids can play inside a Miyazaki movie, which is awesome in every way. The park is set to open sometime in 2018, and I would absolutely love to take my family to there. Maybe one day, if I ever win the lottery. 

Via: THR

There were three local video stores around where I grew up that I spent hours and hours in looking for movies to watch. It was at these video stores that I was introduced to movies I had never seen before. These video stores were my film school, and without them I probably would have never discovered tons of movies as a teenager that I still love today. It's crazy to think that my kids won't have those video store movie discovery experiences. That's something that will never exist again. It's kinda sad.

I have a trailer here for a book called I lost It At The Video Store, and it focuses on these video stores and a generation of filmmakers who grew up with them in their lives:

For a generation, video stores were to filmmakers what bookstores were to writers. They were the salons where many of today’s best directors first learned their craft. The art of discovery that video stores encouraged through the careful curation of clerks was the fertile, if sometimes fetid, soil from which today’s film world sprung. Video stores were also the financial engine without which the indie film movement wouldn’t have existed.

In I Lost it at the Video Store, Tom Roston interviews the filmmakers–including John Sayles, Quentin Tarantino, Kevin Smith, Darren Aronofsky, David O. Russell and Allison Anders–who came of age during the reign of video rentals, and constructs a living, personal narrative of an era of cinema history which, though now gone, continues to shape film culture today.

I Lost It At The Video Store will be released in hardcover on September 24th, 2015. What are some of your favorite movies that you discovered in the video store?

DC Comics' 1985 Crisis on Infinite Earths limited series was a huge crossover event created as a way for the company to wipe the slate clean and create a cohesive continuity. It included tons of incarnations of its characters from all sorts of parallel universes, and like most comic book history, it can get pretty difficult to explain to the uninitiated. But it appears that The CW's The Flash is taking a page from that playbook by including different versions of the character in its upcoming season, so it'll be interesting to see the event's impact on a TV show thirty years after it was published.

In any case, Redditor AshsEvilHand has created this awesome poster reimagining the cover with a ton of DC's live action properties over the years. See if you can name all of the characters and actors seen here:

Even our first president isn't immune to Hollywood's love of prequels and origin stories. Deadline reports that New Line Cinema has acquired a film called The Virginian that's an action thriller about George Washington before he became President of the United States. Michael Gunn wrote the script, and Donald De Line (The Italian Job, Paun & Gain, Ready Player One) will produce.

The script’s movie potential is best described as Last Of The Mohicans meets Braveheart. A down-and-out, young George Washington — desperate to join the British Army — accepts a dangerous mission to conquer a French fort and save the American colonies.

A few years ago, Darren Aronofsky was attached to direct a rival project about Washington called The General, but we haven't heard much about that project since 2012. Deadline's report says the company that owns it is hoping for it to reteam The Wolf of Wall Street's Leonardo DiCaprio and Martin Scorsese, but since I'm sure practically everyone in Hollywood is hoping to work with those two, I'm not sure how likely it is that they'll bite on The General. In the meantime, The Virginian is waiting on a star and director, so we'll keep you posted. I feel like casting is going to be huge for this one — can we get Dwayne Johnson and Jason Statham in this, please? Either of them as Washington would be great. Maybe they could each play Washington for half the movie. I guarantee that'd get butts in seats.

I've gotten deep into some Star Trek: The Next Generation over these past few months on Netflix. Yeah, I'm late to the party — I was only a year old at the show's beginning and honestly a lot of the show's themes and concepts were above my head. I've made up for it, though, now becoming a bit obsessive with any and all things TNG related. Here are some awesome items I've purchased or will be purchasing when I get my next check and before my wife finds out!

Wesley Crusher Replica Zip Up Hoodie

Price: $35.99 on Think Geek

I can say a lot of things about Wesley Crusher. Something positive I can say is he wore the hell out of that sweater! Unfortunately, you aren't going to find an exact replica of that sweater unless you take up knitting, but Think Geek has this contemporary reimagining! Sure, it's not true to the series, but it looks stylish and fans will certainly get what you're going for when you wear it to cons. 

A lot of you may be saying..."Psshhh not legit enough," and I hear you...but I respond with a picture of Wil Wheaton wearing it!

Changes your perspective, doesn't it?

Borg Cube Mini Fridge

Price: $149.99 on Think Geek

Pretty self explanatory... it's a Borg cube fridge! Much like Borg technology, it's adaptable and can keep food warm in addition to cold! I have a normal size fridge so I don't know if all mini fridges do that...but I needed a joke somewhere. That green lighting isn't for show and really is what sold me on this item. A quick disclaimer to international (outside of U.S.) readers...the makers do not suggest using this in your country as your power supply may break the fridge. It may also assimilate and consume your body...who knows.

STAR TREK: THE FIVE YEAR MISSION Tabletop Game

Price: $35.00 from Mayfair Games

I already own this game, and in all actuality it started my venture into the world of Star Trek to begin with! Released this year, the five year mission allows you to play either with the TNG crew or the original set. Each player picks a crew member and uses dice to complete various missions until victory cards are gained for a successful five year mission. It's a co-op game, but in truth, the most challenging and entertaining one I've played on tabletop. Each crew member has a special ability they can use once a turn and is in their own way vital to the game. I love this game, and my team has only won once out of the several times we've played it. Seriously, I can't recommend this game enough for fans, and even non-fans! Even if you don't know the show, the game is simple, fun, and easy to follow!

The Klingon Hamlet

Price: $8.95 on Amazon

If you're really looking to get made fun of in your high school English class, man, do we have the book for you. Shakespeare can be daunting with his writing style, so why not instead read the Klingon translation? Truthfully, it would just look pretty sitting on your bookshelf as a conversation starter...

"Is that a Klingon version of Shakespeare?"

"Yep"

*Pages through* "Wow this is written in Klingon...is it different than the original?"

"I have no idea."

This review on the site really says it all.

Finally, the general public can read Shakespeare as he should be read--in the warrior's tongue. This book, formerly only available to humans in a small run in hardback, is now out in paperback, far more accessible to students of Klingon culture. Hamlet is an insightful tale of an earlier time and a royal house fallen into such indecision and intrigue that even revenge is hesitant--a truly disturbing work.

To step back from the conceit of Wil'yam Shax'pir as Klingon dramatist and keen observer of the Klingon culture, the study and development of tlhInganHol is an amazing work, at least equaling Tolkien's linguistic inventions, and the translation of Hamlet is a true labor of lo--er, honor. I would buy a video/DVD of a performance of Hamlet in Klingon (with English subtitles) in a heartbeat, and I hope that otther works of Shakespeare are "restored."

Officially Licensed Riker Mask

Price: $5.20 on Amazon

Hands down the most unintentionally horrifying item on the list.  I have always wanted to be Riker though...and Halloween is coming up. For six dollars, this is an easy buy for me. I'm gonna strut around town and sit in chairs weird and lean on stuff! Maybe I'll even ask someone to refer to me as "numbah one"! Later guys, I gotta go get this before it sells out.

While doing an interview with Hey U Guys, director Ridley Scott revealed that the official title for Prometheus 2 will be Alien: Paradise Lost. That's a very surprising title as it obviously connects to the rest of the Alien franchise. In regards to the new title, the director said:

"Actually, it’s going to be called Alien: Paradise Lost, so Prometheus 2 isn’t what it’s really going to be. You know the poem? I doubt you’ve ever been through it, have you? The poem’s a book, Paradise Lost! It sounds intellectual, but there’s a similarity to it, and that’s where it stops."

This is an interesting title, and one that might help the marketing aspect of the film. Audiences don't seem to have a positive reaction when they hear the title Prometheus, but with "Alien" in the main title, it might change the way people see it. Scott previously talked about his new Alien film and where the story will lead, saying:

"You [could] leave the first film alone and jump ahead, but you can’t because it ends on too specific a plot sentence as she says, 'I want to go where they came from, I don’t want to go back to where I came from'. I thought the subtext of that film was a bit florid and grandiose, but it asks a good question: who created us? 

"That raises the question to me. Same as was depicted in 2001 when... that ape that had been grubbing around in the water hole with all of them bickering at each other... has a bigger thought injected into his brain than Newton got sitting under a tree and seeing an apple fall. That is one gigantic, magnificent leap of a thousand years of evolution; that is where the world begins. It is pretty grand thinking, and that’s what I want to explore. You’ve got to go back and find those engineers and see what they are thinking. If engineers are the forerunners of us, and therefore were creators of life forms in places that were possible for biology to function, who created that? Where’s the big boy?"

This title makes all of that talk about Prometheus not being connected to the Alien films even more silly. It should be interesting to see how this Alien: Paradise Lost turns out.

What's the HUB, bub?

The GeekTyrant HUB is where we are throwing a 3-day party in Salt Lake City from September 24th — 26th. We'll have video games, food, drinks, music, dancing, on-site celebrity interviews, free shirts, and prizes. You can even take your photo with Jabba The Hutt and Ewoks. Entrance is FREE and all ages before 9pm. After 9pm, the GT HUB goes into "club mode" with a DJ and dancing, and will be over 18 only. There will be a cover charge at the door, but VIPs and cosplayers get a nice discount.

This GT HUB will be hosted at 50 West Club & Cafe just one block away from Salt Lake Comic Con, which had 120K attendees last year, making it one of the top cons in the USA. The GeekTyrant HUB will be popping up during other conventions, film festivals, and game tournaments, so look out for future announcements.

If you can't make it to this GeekTyrant HUB, we'll be streaming events on YouTube and updating this post with some of the madness from the event; better yet, you can follow our antics on Twitter and Facebook.

Come hang with Jabba at the #GeekTyrant HUB at 50 West Club and Café! #gthub #SLCC2015 #saltlakecomiccon

A photo posted by GameTyrant (@gametyrant) on Sep 24, 2015 at 8:48am PDT

We got big digital signage! #gthub #SLCC15 pic.twitter.com/7CIWLVXeUo

— Joey Paur (@JoeyPaur) September 25, 2015

#xambassadors stopped by the #GeekTyrant HUB to play a couple songs and answer some questions. #gthub

A photo posted by GameTyrant (@gametyrant) on Sep 24, 2015 at 10:50am PDT

Prep before #gthub opens. That's a full sized Jabba on the left.

A photo posted by Free Reyes (@freereyes) on Sep 24, 2015 at 2:50pm PDT

Hugh Jackman is preparing to play Logan one last time in his third standalone Wolverine movie. After that, we have no idea what to expect from 20th Century Fox when it comes to the character. There's no way that the studio is going to give up on this cash cow, and we're all expecting them to cast someone else in the role. 

During an interview with MTV, Jackman is asked who he would like to see take over the role. After saying that a younger actor will most likely take over for him, he drops the name of Tom Hardy as a good fit for the role. That's a suggestion that's not hard to argue with. Hardy would make a freakin' badass Wolverine! 

Last year, I wrote up a list of actors who could replace Jackman in the role after he leaves, and of course Hardy was on the list. He was my number one pick! You can watch the brief interview with Jackman below. Do you think Hardy is the right man for the job?