Strap in, comic book movie lovers, because there's a lot to get through in this latest update about David Ayer's Suicide Squad. We know that WB has been having a bit of a tough time casting the role of Rick Flag, one of the main characters who will join Will Smith (Deadshot), Margot Robbie (Harley Quinn), Jared Leto (The Joker), Jai Courtney (Captain Boomerang), and Cara Delevingne (Enchantress). Tom Hardy was initially in place to star, but when he left, Jake Gyllenhaal was being eyed as his replacement. But Gyllenhaal passed yesterday, so the producers are looking to get someone else in place quickly.

CinemaBlend reports that Joel Edgerton (Zero Dark Thirty, Warrior) and Jon Bernthal (The Walking Dead) are being looked at to play Flag. We know that this character won't have as much screen time as some of the others in this film - read the spoilery plot details here - but this is still an important role. Bernthal recently worked with David Ayer on Fury, so normally I'd give him the edge in this situation, but Gyllenhaal also worked with Ayer on End of Watch and he ended up passing, so the element of those guys having a pre-existing working relationship is not always an indicator that someone will take the role. Ultimately, I'd be fine with either of these guys in the role — they've both done solid work elsewhere, so jumping into a superhero film seems like the natural next step in their careers.

In addition to that news, El Mayimbe at Latino-Review tweeted the following yesterday morning:

UNCONFIRMED TWITTER RUMOR: Pending more concrete sourcing, I hear Gary Sinise supposedly in talks to join SUICIDE SQUAD as GENERAL EILING.

— Umberto Gonzalez (@elmayimbe) January 22, 2015

The folks at CinemaBlend say the same source that gave them the scoop on Edgerton and Bernthal also said that Gary Sinise has landed a role in the movie, but it isn't General Eiling or Deathstroke. They circulate another unconfirmed rumor that Magic Mike star Joe Manganiello is up for the role of Deathstroke, which sounds great to me, but again, it's all unconfirmed at this time.

We shouldn't have to wait very long to figure out the truth of what's happening here, since the film will need to go into production relatively soon in order to meet its already-announced release date of August 5th, 2016. What do you think?

Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Conan the Barbarian is one of those rare 1980s movie gems that just kicked a ridiculous amount of ass. Fantasy films weren't as popular back then as they are now, and the fact that they went all-out for a violent R-rated action film is awesome. If they made that movie today, the studio would want it to be cut down to a PG-13 rating, which is kind of sad. I freakin’ love this movie, and one day hopefully we get that Legend of Conan sequel. The last thing I heard was that it would start shooting this year, and I hope that’s still the plan! While we wait for an update, I've put together a list of 15 Fun Facts for Conan the Barbarian that you might not know. Enjoy!

• Schwarzenegger had to cut down on his workout routine because his arm and chest muscles were so big that he couldn't wield a sword properly.
• In preparation for the role, Schwarzenegger had weapons training, martial arts training, and horse riding lessons. He trained with an 11-pound broadsword two hours a day for three months. Each broadsword used in the movie cost $10,000 and had to look weathered. He also learned climbing techniques, and how to fall and roll and jump from at least 15 feet in the air.

• Schwarzenegger and Sandahl Bergman did their own stunts in the film, as they couldn’t find suitable body doubles for them.
• The runes on Conan's father's sword are translated as; "Suffer no guilt, ye who wield this in the name of Crom."
• Conan's response to the Mongol General's question, "What is best in life?" are the very first lines of dialog he speaks in the film after a full twenty minutes into the movie. His reply to the question was, “Crush your enemies. See them driven before you. Hear the lamentations of their women.” Then even though Conan and Valeria are shown together frequently throughout the film, he only says five words to her in the entire film. Thirty seconds after they meet he says "You're not a guard", and "No".

• Oliver Stone wrote the initial script for the film. He set the story in the future after the downfall of civilization, and it was going to be a four hour saga that included bunch of creatures. It would have cost the studio 70 million dollars to make, so they didn't move forward with his vision. John Milius came on board to direct and ended up rewriting much of Stone's script. The future setting was thankfully abandoned and the original timeline was restored.
• Schwarzenegger suffered a back injury while filming when the dogs who were chasing him jumped him from behind and he fell down the rock he was climbing to escape them. Apparently the dogs used in the movie were very dangerous. Milius said, "When you had the dogs chasing Arnold Schwarzenegger and he's running, he's actually running for his life because he knew those dogs were very dangerous and they even attacked their trainer." Here’s a hilarious behind the scenes clip of him being attacked.

• A few scenes in the film were dedicated to legendary artist Frank Frazetta and based on his artwork. Those scenes include the orgy chamber, Thulsa Doom turning into a snake, a girl chained to a pillar, and the climactic fight scene.
• According to the original script, the tomb where Conan gets his sword was from the lost city of Atlantis.
• Sandahl Bergman says she had the tip of one finger cut off while shooting a swordfight for the picture.
• Some of the stuntmen took too long to die and had to be paid extra just to lie down and stay down.
• Milius originally wanted Arnold Schwarzenegger to be the narrator of the story. But executives at Universal had problems with that because of his accent. So instead, Mako was the narrator.
• Charles Bronson, Sylvester Stallone, and William Smith were considered for the lead role.
• At one point Conan had to throw a torch into the palace's central window/balcony. Schwarzenegger missed on the first attempt, but they weren't able to do a retake as the set burned to the ground.
• Schwarzenegger said that during the crucifixion scene, they used a live vulture to peck at his wounds. Then for the close up they used a real dead vulture they found for him to actually bite into its throat. After they cut, they immediately had Arnold rinse his mouth out to avoid disease.

Here's the original trailer for the film:

Thanks to IMDB for the info.

We've reported more than a few times that Han Solo and Boba Fett are each getting their own Star Wars spin-off films. Latino-Review has heard from their sources that "both these characters are in the same movie." What?!

This would connect a few dots on the Gareth Edwards directed spin-off that is rumored to be about bounty hunters stealing the Death Star plans. Fett was long rumored to be in the film and wrapping Solo into the fold just further establishes their backstory/history. Hypothetically, this would mean that the Rebel Alliance might have paid the Hutts as intermediaries. These compounded interconnections are likely what future Star Wars spin-off films will be about.

Mondo is best known for their amazing movie posters, but they're also branching out into making vinyl records and the occasional pop culture-related figure. Case in point: their figure celebrating The Iron Giant, Brad Bird's 1999 animated movie that was a commercial failure but has since gained a considerable cult following. This thing is pretty freakin' cool, but it'll cost you a pretty penny if you want to take it home with you: the variant edition (which is already sold out) cost $315, but the regular edition is still available for $300 (yikes). 

Mondo worked to obtain the digital files used in the film to create the most accurate and detailed Iron Giant figure to date.

The figure features over 30 points of articulation and a variety of accessories allowing you to transform the Iron Giant into all of his notable incarnations. You'll receive two interchangeable heads with light-up eyes, a magnetic "S" that can be detached from a Seafood sign and attached to his chest, switch-out "War Arm" when things get tense, a Hogarth mini-figure, and of course, a girder to munch on. Additionally, the figure includes a sound feature with favorite Iron Giant quotes from the film. The limited edition "Hand Under Foot" accessory (the Iron Giant's detached hand that gets loose in the farmhouse) will be available exclusively through our website.

The figure will be sold for $300. A limited edition version of the figure with the "Hand Under Foot" accessory will be sold for $315.

Quentin Tarantino has been rolling on his upcoming western The Hateful Eight for a little while in Colorado already, but today The Wrap unveiled some new members of the supporting cast. Zoe Bell, the stuntwoman who starred in Tarantino's Death Proof, is the most notable addition, but Gene Jones (No Country For Old Men), James Parks (Kill Bill), and Django Unchained actors Dana Gourrier, Keith Jefferson, Lee Horsley, Craig Stark, and Belinda Owino have also joined the cast.

The Hateful Eight stars Samuel L. Jackson, Kurt Russell, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Walton Goggins, Demian Bichir, Tim Roth, Michael Madsen, Bruce Dern, and Channing Tatum.

It's just good to know that Tarantino is back behind the camera again, and that we're going to see a new film later this year.

In THE HATEFUL EIGHT, set six or eight or twelve years after the Civil War, a stagecoach hurtles through the wintry Wyoming landscape. The passengers, bounty hunter John Ruth (Russell) and his fugitive Daisy Domergue (Leigh), race towards the town of Red Rock where Ruth, known in these parts as “The Hangman,” will bring Domergue to justice. Along the road, they encounter two strangers: Major Marquis Warren (Jackson), a black former union soldier turned infamous bounty hunter, and Chris Mannix (Goggins), a southern renegade who claims to be the town’s new Sheriff. Losing their lead on the blizzard, Ruth, Domergue, Warren and Mannix seek refuge at Minnie’s Haberdashery, a stagecoach stopover on a mountain pass. When they arrive at Minnie’s, they are greeted not by the proprietor but by four unfamiliar faces. Bob (Bichir), who’s taking care of Minnie’s while she’s visiting her mother, is holed up with Oswaldo Mobray (Roth), the hangman of Red Rock, cow-puncher Joe Gage (Madsen), and Confederate General Sanford Smithers (Dern). As the storm overtakes the mountainside stopover, our eight travelers come to learn they may not make it to Red Rock after all…

When I came across Euclase's art on io9, I was completely awe-struck. I'm truly envious of this artist's skills. The digital paintings are amazing and have such visual fidelity that they almost look like photos. I've selected a collection of 25 pieces that I love, but there are lots more on the artist's DeviantArt page and Portfolio website. Finally, at the bottom, I've included a work evolving from sketch to completion. 

Owen Wilson has been relatively quiet over the past few years. He's popped up in projects here and there, but they've mostly been forgettable (The Night at the Museum sequels), solid films in which he has a small role (Inherent Vice, The Grand Budapest Hotel), or just downright awful (The Internship). But he's back in a lead role in She's Funny That Way, an ensemble comedy from legendary filmmaker Peter Bogdanovich (Paper Moon, The Last Picture Show). The film also stars Imogen Poots, Kathryn Hahn, Will Forte, Rhys Ifans, and Jennifer Aniston.

This project has been brewing for years. We have a casting piece about it from two years ago, when it was still called Squirrels to the Nuts, but Bogdanovich has actually been trying to get it off the ground since the late 90s. John Ritter was going to star at one point but he passed away before production began, so the director put it on the back burner. It will finally arrive in theaters on May 1st of this year, and it definitely looks like a throwback comedy that feels very different from the type of stuff you see in the multiplex today. Check out the trailer below, thanks to Yahoo!

I recently bought a new toaster oven, which I primarily use for re-heating pizza. But if I had the counter space, I might considered getting this Darth Vader helmet that somewhat conceals a toaster. As an added bonus, the Star Wars logo is toasted/burned onto a single side of your bread. This is the perfect way to let the guy who steals your lunch from the office fridge know that you are a Star Wars fan. As far as toasters go, this is on the pricey side at $50, but you can't discount awesome novelty like this. This would make a perfect wedding gift.

James Gunn brought Yondu (Michael Rooker) into the Guardians of the Galaxy movie, and apparently he almost took him out! During a special Guardians Of The Galaxy Live Commentary/Q&A event that he held on his Facebook page, Gunn revealed that he had originally planned to to kill off Yondu, and he even filmed the scene showing the character's demise! Luckily, the writer/director decided at the last minute to cut Yondu's death out of the film. Here's what he had to say:

"In the original script (that I wrote) Rocket had a little bomb in this scene. At the end Quill put it in the Orb when he gave it to Yondu. And, as Yondu flew away at the very end, his whole ship exploded."

I would have been bummed out had they killed off Yondu in the movie. He was a great character, and I want to see more of him in the future. It doesn't really make sense to have him blown up. It's a good thing that Gunn saw the value of the character, and what he could bring to the future of the franchise. 

Another bit of information that Gunn revealed during the interview was that Lee Pace's Ronan the Accuser is not going to be included in Guardians of the Galaxy 2. The actor recently said that he would love to reprise the role, but if it happens, it's not going to happen in the sequel. When asked if Lee could return, Gunn said, "perhaps someday," so he left the idea open for a future Guardians film. I know Ronan was kind of obliterated, but if it makes sense for the story, then I guess why not.

There's no official word on if Rooker will officially be back for the sequel, but Gunn left him alive for a reason. So fingers crossed that he'll be back and causing some trouble in the May 5th, 2017 release!

Word on the street is that we'll be seeing a Sherlock Christmas special sometime late this year, and now some new set photos have emerged from the production of the acclaimed BBC series (via Vulture). Though the show is set in the modern day, these photos reveal stars Benedict Cumberbatch (Sherlock Holmes), Martin Freeman (John Watson), and Amanda Abbington (Mary Watson) walking around in period garb that you might think of when conjuring images of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's original Sherlock Holmes stories in your mind. We'd seen a brief look at Sherlock and Watson dressed in a manner similar to this before, but now we see the full scope of their costumes. What could possibly have these characters dressing up like this? Speculate away in the comments section below.

In the following clip released today from Justice League: Throne of Atlantis, Batman and Superman are looking for clues. They banter in a way that only this duo can. This clip and the previous two clips (here and here) are quieter character moments. Something about this particular clip feels cheap to me - the animation is not very dynamic - but I'm sure the final result will be great. The trailers are action-packed and I'm hoping the next one has some more of those moments.

Justice League: Throne of Atlantis becomes available January 27th.

Source: USA Today

The NES the characters of Mario, Link, and Samus Amiibo are playfully rendered in a triptych by artist Ricardo Chucky called "The Anxious, The Naïve, and The Warrior." These were part of the 3NES art show back in 2013 at the Bottleneck Gallery. Sadly, the prints have been sold out for a long time. I have included super-high-res images for those who have found their new computer/mobile wallpaper.

According to a press release I just received, Julia Roberts "is attached to the remake rights" of the documentary Batkid Begins: The Wish Heard Around The World, which is having its premiere at the Slamdance Film Festival tomorrow. The doc tells the story of Miles Scott, a young boy with leukemia who took the internet by storm in 2013 when the Make-A-Wish Foundation allowed him to save San Francisco from the dastardly plans of The Riddler. (Drew Struzan recently came out of retirement to work on the poster.)

Roberts is attached to star (presumably as Miles' mother), and she'll produce the film as well. Dana Nachman, the director of the Batkid Begins documentary, will executive produce the remake, and she had this to say:

"It's thrilling to me that Ms. Roberts and her team watched our film and were so moved by it that they want to dedicate their time and creative capital to make sure the widest audience possible will know and love Miles’ story and the spirit of this intimate special event that went global, as much as we do."

I'm not quite sure how I feel about this. On one hand, it seems a little exploitative to take this kid's story and try to turn it into a Hollywood film because the documentary already exists. It's a feel-good story, sure, but something about putting it through the studio system makes me cringe a little bit. On the other hand, as the doc director says, it might be cool to spread Miles' story to as large an audience as possible...but I think I'm going to stick with the fact that turning this into a narrative feature feels a little icky. What do you guys think?

Check out this awesome Terminator artwork from artist Grzegorz Domaradkzki (aka Gabz). It's very much in the Mondo-type of style that's become popular for film prints over the past few years, but this is some especially high quality work that deserves a huge audience. I love all of the little details that you can see in the background. It really nails the sense of dread that permeates James Cameron's film, and captures the idea that Arnold's Terminator won't stop...ever...until you're dead.

Limited edition screen print inspired by James Cameron's movie "The Terminator”. Made for Grey Matter Art and Studio Canal. 5 colours Regular, Variant and Foil Variant will be available in 24 x 36" size. Work made digitally in Adobe Photoshop. Printed by D&L Screen Printing.

We have a trailer here for you to watch for a really interesting crime thriller that’s based on a true story. It’s called Kidnapping Mr. Heineken and it stars Anthony Hopkins, Sam Worthington, Jim Sturgess, and Ryan Kwanten.

In 1983, a group of childhood friends pulled off the crime of the century: kidnapping one of the richest men in the world, the heir of the Heineken beer empire (Anthony Hopkins). The shocking capture–by gunpoint in broad daylight on the streets of Amsterdam–resulted in the largest ransom ever paid for a kidnapped individual. It was truly the perfect crime…until they got away with it.

The movie was directed by Daniel Alfredson (The Girl Who Played With Fire), and it will be released in theaters and VOD on March 6th.

The Bronze was the first movie that I saw up at Sundance this year, and it was a doozy. Like most of the movies I'll see at the film festival, I have no idea what I'm getting myself into when I sit down to watch these things. It almost always a complete surprise. 

I was hoping the first film I saw this year would blow me away, just like Whiplash did for me last year, but that wasn't the case with The Bronze. The movie was directed by Bryan Buckley, and it was good. The film has a handful of really funny moments, but for the most part it's a mediocre movie with an insanely annoying main character named Hope Ann Greggory. She is played by Melissa Rauch (The Big Bang Theory) in the feature, and the actress also co-wrote the script.

The story centers on a former Olympic gymnast who won a bronze medal when she was younger. In the ten years following the win, she has spent her time as the small town hero drinking, snorting sinus medication, stealing, and avoiding any kind of responsibility. The central character kind of mirrored Tonya Harding, but this character was a hell of a lot crazier with a very deep, vulgar edge. 

Had they toned back the over-the-top portrayal of this disgustingly vulgar and spoiled brat, it would have been easier to watch. But from the get-go, I hated this character, and even though throughout the film she becomes a better person, I didn't care because of how much of a bitch she was at the beginning. At one point, her own dad, played by Gary Cole, calls her a bitch, and you just want to give the guy a high five for finally not taking her crap anymore. 

The movie did have some heart, and it had a redeeming ending, but getting to that point was an absurdly annoying ride. There were a few moments that brought on the laughs, but many of them consisted of weird WTF scenes. One of the craziest parts of the movie was a gymnastic sex scene which was absolutely ridiculous on every level. Whatever you imagine when you hear "gymnastic sex scene," you can take that to a level of "holy shit" absurdity that you might not even be able to comprehend. It was so damn weird! Especially when the body doubles in no way, shape, or form look like the main actors in the film - one of which included Sebastian Stan from Captain America: The Winter Solder. I have to say that it's probably one of the raunchiest sex scenes ever put on film, and I'm not the only person saying that.

This is one of those Sundance films that seems like it would be hard to market to general audiences. So I think that one day you'll be able to catch on VOD and Netflix. I don't think it will get a wide release, though. The question is...do you want to spend your time watching it? If you are into overly annoying characters and crazy gymnastic sex scenes, then go for it! If not, you might want to pass.

Here's the synopsis:

In 2004, Hope Ann Greggory became an American hero after winning the bronze medal for the women's gymnastics team. Today, she's living in her father's basement in her small hometown—washed up, largely forgotten, and embittered. Stuck in her past glory, Hope is forced to reassess her life when a promising young gymnast who idolizes her threatens her local celebrity status. Will she mentor the adoring, hopeful protégé, take her down, or both?

Check out this wonderfully illustrated fan art created by artist Joshua Budich for Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. This was done for a private commission, so unfortunately you can’t buy a print. I loved this movie, and I still remember the first time I saw it on the big screen. My mom took my to see it, and it was one of my favorite movie-going experiences ever. I love all of the films in the original Indiana Jones trilogy, and if I had to rank them it would be Raiders of the Lost Ark, The Last Crusade, and then The Temple of Doom.

Via: Geek-Art

We all know that the internet can be a pretty hardcore place. It can be used to make the world a better place, or it can be used to hurt people. This new horror film called Unfriended focuses on the latter, and it takes things to a whole new level of death. The movie was produced by Wanted director Timur Bekmambetov, and this is the brief synopsis:

Six high school friends with a dark secret receive a Skype message from a classmate who committed suicide a year ago after someone uploaded a video of her online. 

They are then killed one by one via Skype. I knew Skype was dangerous! The story for the film is all told through Skype, which is an interesting concept. I looks like it could be a pretty intense little film. 

The movie comes out April 17th, 2015.

Director Paul Thomas Anderson (The Master, There Will Be Blood, Inherent Vice) is best known for his serious, complicated, and sometimes strange movies. I love the guy's style, but I don’t see him as the kind of guy that would enjoy watching superhero movies. Turns out he really does, though! In a recent interview with Rolling Stone, the director talks about how these types of films are unjustly branded by people who don’t like them. When asked what he thought about the current state of films and the complaints of all the superhero movies being made, he said:

"Ah, that's such a fucking crock of shit. I can't remember a year in recent memory where there were less complaints about the quality of movies. And what's wrong with superhero movies, you know? I don't know. You're talking to someone that enjoys watching those films. People need to get a life if they're having that discussion [laughs]. Those movies get a bad rap."

Not from me they don’t! It’s really cool to hear this from a director who is one of the great filmmakers of our generation, and is highly respected by a lot of movie buffs and critics. Who knows…maybe one day he’ll actually make one of his own! What kind of superhero film would you like to see Anderson to make if he was to do one?

A UK trailer has been released for Ethan Hawke’s upcoming film Good Kill. It was directed by Andrew Niccol, who previously worked with Hawke on the fantastic sci-fi film Gattaca. The war-based thriller tells the story of a drone pilot who is struggling with his job and the missions that he's ordered to complete. It looks like a great, intense movie, and I’m looking forward to seeing it. Bruce Greenwood, Jake Abel, January Jones, and Zoe Kravitz also star in the film, and here's the synopsis:

Good Kill tells the story of a Las Vegas fighter-pilot turned drone-pilot (Ethan Hawke), who fights the Taliban via remote control for half of his day, then goes home to his wife (January Jones) and kids in the suburbs for the other half. But the pilot is starting to question the mission. Is he creating more terrorists than he’s killing? Is he fighting a war without end?

One soldier’s tale with epic implications, Good Kill offers an exploration of how a man’s psychological, emotional and moral boundaries are challenged by the realities of 21st century warfare. It aims to initiate an important dialogue about the current techniques used in modern war and to illustrate how war is constantly being redefined according to the technologies and methods in play.

The movie will be released on September 5th, 2015.