We’ve all seen co-stars who are pitted against each other onscreen playing nice for the cameras at premieres and while out promoting their movie. However, it’s a bit of a rare sight to see actors playing opposite each other as heroes and villains laughing it up in costume, on set. It’s not hard to imagine why, though, considering that they often have to be at each other’s throats — literally — in intense scenes that require the work of dozens, sometimes hundreds, of people in order to cultivate the desired atmosphere. With that in mind, here are 20 photos from behind the scenes and between scenes that show actors having a little fun, breaking character, and getting along with their onscreen adversaries:

The Wizard of Oz (1939)

Dorothy (Judy Garland) and a Flying Monkey share a hand shake between scenes.

The cast of The Wizard of Oz were off to see the doctor more than they were off to see the wonderful Wizard. Margaret Hamilton (The Wicked Witch of the West) was almost burned to death when a trap door misfired — her stand-in was also badly injured during a broom scene. Buddy Ebsen, the original actor cast as the Tin Man, was allergic to the silver makeup, and spent two weeks in the hospital due to respiratory problems. And the actors who played the flying monkeys would have died if they had been higher up when the string holding them in the air in the Haunted Forest scene snapped.

Batman: The Movie (1966)

Batman (Adam West) and The Riddler (Frank Gorshin) take off their masks and make nice when they meet their maker, Batman co-creator Bob Kane (center), on the set of the 1966 feature. This was Gorshin’s last appearance as The Riddler for over a year. He was replaced by John Astin for the second season of the series, but returned as the character in its third and final season.

Star Wars (1977)

With how perfectly ruthless he is as the ranking Imperial in A New Hope, it’s hard to believe Peter Cushing was briefly considered for the role of Obi Wan before George Lucas cast him as the villain Grand Moff Wilhuff Tarkin — who puts in the order to destroy Alderaan and murder billions of people. In this set photo we see Cushing’s softer side as he shares a smile with Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill)...that is, before Luke destroys the Death Star and kills him.

Moonraker (1979)

Richard Kiel (Jaws) performs the famous head squash on his onscreen enemy and offscreen friend Roger Moore (James Bond) in this publicity still.

Star Wars (1983)

This Rolling Stone cover for Return of the Jedi isn't technically a set photo, but I’d be remiss not to include this daddy-daughter beach day with Darth Vader (David Prowse) and Princess Leia (Carrie Fisher).

Superman II (1980)

In between takes as their characters (Kryptonian exile Ursa and reporter Lois Lane, respectively), Sarah Douglas' throat grab turns into more of a tickle for Margot Kidder.

Ghostbusters (1984)

Ghostbuster Raymond Stantz (Dan Aykroyd) crosses streams and cozies up next to Gozer (former Serbian model Slavitza Jovan), an ancient shape-shifting god summoned to bring the world to an end.

Conan the Destroyer (1984)

The usually imposing Arnold Schwarzenegger is dwarfed by his onscreen enemies, Wilt Chamberlain (7' 1") and André the Giant (7' 4") on the set of the sequel to Conan the Barbarian. Chamberlain's role as the Captain of the Guard sent to betray Conan was the NBA player's first and final feature film. Here's to wishing his fellow NBA big man Shaquille O’neal followed Chamberlain's acting career playbook.

Batman (1989)

Another publicity shot too good not to include. Here’s The Clown Prince of Crime getting chummy with The Dark Knight. Before Jack Nicholson and Michael Keaton were ultimately cast in these iconic roles, Robin Williams signed on to play the Joker and Ray Liotta was offered the role of Bruce Wayne/Batman.

Alien³ (1992)

Ripley (Sigourney Weaver) poses next to a slimy Xenomorph on the set of this Alien sequel, which was director David Fincher's first feature. The constant studio interference led to Fincher walking away during the editing process and disowning the film. He even turned down the opportunity to do a director’s cut for the quadrilogy box set.

New Nightmare (1994)

The seventh installment of A Nightmare on Elm Street was a meta slasher film that had director Wes Craven and franchise stars Robert Englund and Heather Langenkamp playing themselves. In this photo from the set, child actor Miko Hughes, who played Langenkamp’s son, goes cross-eyed with Englund, who's in full Freddy makeup.

The Lord of the Rings Trilogy (2001-2003)

Andy Serkis (Gollum/Smeagol) in his motion-capture suit is all smiles as he is lovingly choked out by Elijah Wood (Frodo). Serkis was originally only supposed to provide the voice for Gollum, but director Peter Jackson was so impressed with his audition that he decided to have him perform the body movements as well. The design of Gollum was also changed to incorporate Serkis’ likeness, and the actor went on to also play Smeagol in the opening flashback scene in Return of the King.

Kill Bill: Vol. 1 (2003)

"Silly rabbit, Trix are for kids." The Bride (Uma Thurman) may be beaten up, and O-Ren Ishii (Lucy Liu) cleanly scalped, but they're still beaming after their showdown at the House of Blue Leaves.

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (2007)

Lord Voldemort (Ralph Fiennes), Bellatrix Lestrange (Helena Bonham Carter), Professor Dumbledore (Michael Gambon), and Harry Potter (Daniel Radcliffe) get friendly and freeze for this set pic. Petrificus Totalus!!!

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 (2011)

Not sure who’s casting a spell on whom, but Harry (Radcliffe) gets a smooch from Death Eater Bellatrix (Bonham Carter) in this set photo from the final film in the Harry Potter franchise.

The Avengers (2012)

Loki (Tom Hiddleston) and Thor (Chris Hemsworth) put their sibling squabbles aside when they yell cut. Hiddleston originally auditioned for the role of Thor in the 2011 solo film, before ultimately being cast as the God of Mischief. You can watch his hammer wielding screen tests and read more about that here.

The Dark Knight Rises (2012)

When the take is done, then you have my permission to laugh. As Bane, Tom Hardy breaks Batman's back. Between takes, however, he continually breaks character with his co-star Christian Bale.

The Hobbit Trilogy (2012-2014)

Tauriel is always looking for love in all the wrong places. When she’s not stealing the hearts of dwarves and elves, she’s attempting to steal kisses from orcs. Burnt out by all of the partner swapping on her show Lost, Evangeline Lilly took the role of the elf warrior on the condition that she wouldn’t be part of a love triangle. But when the originally planned pair of Hobbit films became a trilogy, she was informed that reshoots would involve a love triangle between Tauriel, Legolas, and Kili.

Star Trek Into Darkness (2013)

Captain Kirk (Chris Pine) should really leave the Vulcan Nerve Pinch to Spock. Rather than rendered unconscious, John Harrison *cough* Khan! (Benedict Cumberbatch) seems amused. You can watch the rest of this outtake in the 6-minute gag reel from the film here.

Bonus: Here are a few pics from a couple recent television hits (contains spoilers)...

The Walking Dead (2010—)

Rick Grimes (Andrew Lincoln) puts his arm around the first walker (more of a crawler) he encounters in the very first episode of the show. The tragic backstory of the walker, who was named Hannah before she turned, is explored in the webisode “Torn Apart.” Hannah was portrayed by Lilli Birdsell in the webisode, and the zombified Hannah you see here was played by Melissa Cowan.

The Governor (David Morrissey) and Hershel (Scott Wilson) greet each other warmly before both bidding a fond farewell to the show for this episode which served as the mid-season finale of Season 4. True to the comic, Hershel dies by the hand of the Governor — only in the comic, it's by a gun to the back of the head and not a samurai sword to the neck.

Breaking Bad (2008-2013)

Vince Gilligan stands with a couple of his greatest creations, the deceptively cold and calculating antagonist Gus Fring (Giancarlo Esposito) and anti-hero Walter White (Bryan Cranston). Esposito was only supposed to have a 3-4 episode arc on Breaking Bad. However, when writers decided to make Fring the main antagonist, instead of Tio Salamanca (Mark Margolis),  Esposito ended up appearing in 24 episodes. Although, Tio got the better of Fring in the end.

There's still so much that we don't about what Pixar and director John Lasseter are planning for Toy Story 4, which was announced last year. With that initial announcement we were told that the movie would open up a new chapter in the lives of Woody, Buzz Lightyear, and the rest of the Toy Story gang. A lot of us figured it would be a continuation of Toy Story 3, but apparently that's not the case at all. 

An interview was conducted by Disney Latino with studio president Jim Morris, and during this interview he reveals that Toy Story 4 will not be a continuation of Toy Story 3. It will take things in a completely new direction. He explained:

"The third movie ended in a beautiful way and completed a trilogy. I think this movie is not part of this trilogy. It is a separate story, which in turn I do not know if will be continued. Never begin a project with that in mind."

He goes on to say what kind of story it will tell:

"It is not a continuation of the end of the story of Toy Story 3. Temporarily it is, but it will be a love story. It will be a romantic comedy. It will not put much focus on the interaction between the characters and children. I think it will be a very good movie."

This seems to mirror comments made by Lasseter last year when he revealed that the fourth film in the franchise would tell a love story. Lasseter and his Pixar directing posse of Andrew Stanton, Pete Docter, and Lee Unkrich came up with the story that we'll see, while Rashida Jones and Will McCormack (Celeste & Jesse Forever) will write the screenplay. The romantic comedy angle is definitely the smartest way to tell a love story in the franchise, and it will be fun to see what a Pixar romantic comedy would be like. 

When I first heard that Toy Story 4 was happening, my first thought was, "Toy Story 3 was such a perfect ending to the franchise!" But, I guess this next chapter in the story won't reopen that relationship between Andy and Woody, because that was a main story element in the first three movies. This fourth film seems like it will be more in line with the animated shorts that Pixar has been releasing.

The movie will hit theaters on June 16th, 2017, and I hope they deliver something that fans are going to love. 

Via: /Film

Filmmakers Jack Tew and Sorcha Anglim have come up with an idea so brilliantly simple that it makes me wish I would have come up with it myself. In their short film Me & You, they tell a love story from one perspective: a locked-off camera above the couple's bed. It lets us in on some of their most intimate moments, and you really feel the roller coaster ride of emotions as you watch their first kiss up to some pretty major fights. It's a very cool concept, and the execution is excellent.

Via: Sploid

Owen Wilson is known for starring in comedies, but he's been in his fair share of action movies, too, including Armageddon, Shanghai Noon, Shanghai Knights, Behind Enemy Lines, and Starsky & Hutch. He's been out of the action game for a while, but now he's jumping back in with No Escape, a thriller from brothers John Erick and Drew Dowdle (As Above/So Below, Quarantine, Devil) that also stars Pierce Brosnan and Lake Bell. This looks a lot different than anything Wilson has done in years, and it should be fun to see him get back into action hero mode again.

An intense international thriller, NO ESCAPE centers on an American businessman (Wilson) as he and his family settle into their new home in Southeast Asia. Suddenly finding themselves in the middle of a violent political uprising, they must frantically look for a safe escape as rebels mercilessly attack the city.

I spoke with the Dowdle brothers when As Above/So Below was released, and they were really nice guys who really put everything they have into the movies they make. This is a little bit outside of their normal wheelhouse as filmmakers, but it'll be exciting to see if they pulled it off when No Escape arrives in theaters on September 2nd, 2015.

M. Night Shyamalan has mentioned the possibility of making a sequel to Unbreakable, and now comedian Patton Oswalt has given him the perfect starting point on which to base his story. The hilarious geek-friendly writer/actor sat down with Screen Junkies to pitch not only his ideas for Unbreakable 2, but also a third film that wraps up the trilogy in a pretty perfect way. We're big fans of Unbreakable around here, so hearing a talented writer like Oswalt brainstorm these plans just makes us want to see these sequels come to fruition more than ever.

I must say, though: I'm not convinced that Shyamalan should be the guy to direct them. I know, I know - he created this whole thing, and if not for him, we wouldn't even be having this conversation. But I feel like he's lost his touch as a filmmaker, and Unbreakable would be well served by going the Star Wars route and letting a new generation of people come in and tell their stories in that universe. What do you think?

Get ready, action fans: The Expendables are heading to the small screen. Sylvester Stallone's film franchise full of muscled-out 80s action movie stars is getting an event series from Fox that is looking to cast former TV badasses in the lead roles. Stallone and film producer Avi Lerner will executive produce the series, while Greg Coolidge (Ride Along) & Kirk Ward and NCIS: LA showrunner Shane Brennan will write it.

The series is described as "a fun action drama that unites iconic TV stars as a new team of highly-skilled heroes who are on a mission to stop a dangerous terrorist." So what TV icons are they looking at? Well, no casting decisions have been made yet, but there are a number of former TV stars who would likely jump at the chance to be a part of something that will undoubtedly have a lot of marketing behind it. Deadline, who brought us the news of the event series, suggests the following: 

24‘s Kiefer Sutherland, Magnum P.I.’s Tom Selleck, Xena‘s Lucy Lawless, Quantum Leap‘s Scott Bakula, Alias‘ Jennifer Garner, A-Team‘s Mr. T and Strike Back‘s Sullivan Stapleton and Philip Winchester.

Remember, even if those actors sign on, they won't be reprising their roles from those former shows. If they were, that would mean that all of the TV series they were on took place in the same universe, which would be pretty damn ridiculous. The films didn't have Stallone playing Rocky and Schwarzenegger playing The Terminator, so the TV version will likely have its own set of ludicrously-named characters created specifically for the show.

Will the TV cast one day unite with the film gang in an Expendables movie? That's just speculation for now, but you know that thought has crossed the minds of everyone involved in this so far. The third film under-performed after pulling together the franchise's largest cast yet, so the gimmick of seeing a bunch of old guys kicking ass is losing its appeal. Maybe if they included a bunch of familiar faces from the TV landscape, it could generate some more interest.

What do you think? Would you watch an Expendables TV show? Who should be on it?

There's a lot of excitement in the air regarding the new Alien film being directed by Neill Blomkamp. Sigourney Weever is set to return as Ripley, and it seems like Michael Biehn will be back to reprise his role as Corporal Hicks. He was in the concept art, so it's safe to assume that the character will be part of the story, which is great!

Well, after the concept art was released online, David Woodruff and his special effects company Generation Effects, Inc., took things to a whole other level by doing a makeup test showing us what Hicks might actually look like in the movie. The photos come from The Terminator Fans, and as you can see, what they came up with is extremely badass!

These are not official make-up test photos, and that is not Biehn in the make-up. This is work from some incredibly talented fans who do this kind of stuff professionally. I would love to see this kind of stuff brought to life on the big screen by Blomkamp and his creative team.

Looking at these images just get me even more excited about the possibilities of what this new Alien movie could be.

David Woodruff (far right), Connor Woodruff (second from right), Tom Woodruff Jr. (Hicks), and David Woodruff’s business partner at Generation Effects, Inc. Frank Balzer (far left).”

I don't know about you, but when it comes to the X-Men franchise, my attention has mostly been locked on the upcoming Deadpool movie and X-Men: Apocalypse. A third Wolverine film has also been in development, but there really hasn't been much news on it because its release is so far away. 

Director James Mangold was asked on Twitter when he would start shooting Wolverine 3, and he simply said, “early next year.” The script for the film is currently being written by David James Kelly, and according to Patrick Stewart we might actually see Logan and Professor Xavier team up for some kind of adventure. 

At one point after The Wolverine and X-Men: Days of Future Past was released, Hugh Jackman hit a phase where he had his doubts about returning to play the character, but that tune changed recently when he said that he would play Wolverine until he dies. 

There's no official title for Wolverine 3 yet, but it's scheduled to be released March 3rd, 2017.

I just came across this brief animated gif on /Film from yesterday's Avengers: Age of Ultron trailer. It features that incredibly awesome shot of all our favorite superheroes epically charging into battle, but as you can see here, they are joined by their friendly neighborhood Spider-Man. What's so cool about this, is that it shows us how awesome it's going to look when Spider-Man is actually fighting alongside these heroes in the future Marvel films. Wouldn't it be spectacular if Spider-Man popped up in a post-credits sequence for Age of Ultron!? That's wishful thinking, but it could happen!

Star Trek celebrates its 50th anniversary next year, and while Justin Lin's Star Trek 3 is still on schedule to hit theaters in 2016, there's another method of celebration that will have Trekkies (or Trekkers, whatever you prefer) beaming.

Hero Complex reports that a nationwide concert tour called Star Trek: The Ultimate Voyage will begin in Florida in January of 2016 and travel to over 100 cities in North America before coming to a close in April. It's "a symphonic tribute to the music from the legendary sci-fi franchise," and will feature a symphony orchestra performing the work of composers Jerry Goldsmith, James Horner, and Leonard Rosenman as footage from Star Trek films and television programs plays on a 40-foot screen on stage. It'll also include music from the video game Starfleet Academy, so gamers will have something to look forward to also.

Tickets have not been made available yet so we're not sure about pricing, but if you're a hardcore Trek fan, this is definitely something you won't want to miss.

To read our archive on Leonard Nimoy, who died last week, click here.

We’ve seen a lot of Star Wars Stormtrooper action figures made over the years, but Hot Toys has a new line of incredible-looking 1/6th scale action figures for the Star Wars franchise, and included in their collection is this definitive Stormtrooper collectible figure.

The Stormtrooper is being distributed by Sideshow Collectibles, who sent me one of the figures for review. Now, what Star Wars fan doesn’t want to own a Stormtrooper action figure? I do! I’ve never had one like this before, and it’s a freakin’ work of art.

The detail on this thing is wicked cool, and the armor is spot-on with what we see in the original trilogy. The Stormtrooper armor is all-around perfection, and it feels completely authentic. The figure moves around with ease, even with all of the armor. When I first started playing around with it, I was nervous about breaking something, but the more I moved it around and put it in different poses, the more I realized it was a pretty sturdy figure.

The body model has thirty points of articulation. It also comes along with seven interchangeable hands, the iconic blaster rifle, and a blaster pistol, which fits into a leather holster on the belt. There’s also a cool-looking stand that comes along with it. I should also point out that each head sculpt is specifically hand-painted.

There’s a lot of care that goes into creating these things, and you really learn to appreciate that when you’re holding the figure in your hands and basking in its glory. This is work of art, and a must-own for any fan of Star Wars. It’s currently available for pre-order right here for $199.99.

Here’s the description that came along with it:

Sideshow Collectibles and Hot Toys are delighted to present one of the most iconic soldiers of the Star Wars saga - the Stormtrooper Sixth Scale Collectible Figure!

Shifting the spotlight from the Rebel Alliance to the Galactic Empire, the movie-accurate collectible figure is specially crafted based on the image of the Stormtrooper in Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope. It features the meticulously crafted Stormtrooper armor and helmet, detailed weapons, and a specially designed figure stand. 

Star Wars fans don't pass up on the opportunity to add this armored soldier to your display!

No, this isn't Fox's take on The Flash or a speedster of their own. Variety reports that 20th Century Fox is developing a movie called Flashman, which is based on a character that first appeared in an 1857 book called Tom Brown's School Days but was popularized by author George McDonald Fraser's novel series over a hundred years later.

The character of Harry Flashman was just a school bully in that first appearance, but Fraser thought it'd be interesting to come up with the character's memoirs, and over the course of multiple books, he imagined Flashman's life as an officer in the British Army in the 1830s, having him rise through the ranks and participate in major world events while still being "a scoundrel, a liar, a cheat, a thief, a coward—and oh yes, a toady."

Malcolm McDowell played the character once already in a 1975 movie called Royal Flash that was directed by Superman III director Richard Lester, but Ridley Scott's Scott Free Productions will be responsible for this new take on the story. From the sound of it, it seems as if Fraser's book series is essentially a successful version of fan fiction, so it should be interesting to see if this story translates well to the big screen for modern audiences.

We've featured work from the team at Eclectic Method before - R2-D2's insults, Yoda's wisdom, Hollywood's future, and a Tarantino mixtape - but they're back again with Light Saber, a dance remix music video that utilizes lightsaber appearances in all of the live-action Star Wars movies. The way they separate elements of the video and zoom in on some things and not others is extremely disorienting, and it feels like you're tripping on some sort of crazy drug, but I suspect that's part of the reason they did it. Strap in and check this out:

Via: LaughingSquid

Actor Harrison Ford crash landed an airplane on a golf course in Los Angeles this afternoon around 2:30pm after taking off from the Santa Monica Airport. The crash was reportedly due to a mechanical failure of some sort, and Ford walked away from the crash after hitting a tree on the way down to the golf course. (He apparently tried to turn around and return to the airport, but couldn't make it.) Ford left the scene "conscious and breathing" and was listed as being in critical condition immediately following the crash, but a press conference afterwards said the actor was "stable" and being treated at a local hospital.

Ford, a longtime pilot of helicopters, planes, and more, has been in crashes in the past, and was most recently injured on the set of Star Wars: The Force Awakens. We wish him a speedy recovery, and hope he's feeling well.

*UPDATE: 1233 Rose Ave* 1 small aircraft down on Penmar Golf Course near the Santa Monica airport. Solo occupant, an adult male being...

— LAFD (@LAFD) March 5, 2015

... transported to local hospital in critical condition. No other injuries. LAFD & SMFD on scene. NTSB will lead investigation, NFD. ^ES

— LAFD (@LAFD) March 5, 2015

That is a definitely a plane in front of the 8th green at Penmar in Venice. Pilot allegedly walked away. Wow. pic.twitter.com/2OXYJOdBu1

— Andrew Siciliano (@AndrewSiciliano) March 5, 2015

Updated:

At the hospital. Dad is ok. Battered, but ok! He is every bit the man you would think he is. He is an incredibly strong man.

— Chef Ben Ford (@ChefBenFord) March 6, 2015

Thank you all for your thoughts and good vibes for my dad.

— Chef Ben Ford (@ChefBenFord) March 6, 2015

Artist Telegrafixs (real name Timothy John Shumate) has some stellar work in his portfolio, including his Disney Tattoo Series we featured a while ago. Since then he's recreated the heroines of several properties we all know and love, including Marvel, DC, Disney, etc, and all in his beautiful pin-up style, and it has quickly become one of my favorite art sets. It focuses purely on the faces of the leading ladies, along with a word that syncs with the character or design. I think Storm is my favorite, but I couldn't fault you for liking any of them. If you're interested, make sure to check out his Deviantart Page for more fantastic work.

Buckle-up for a heart-pounding extended film clip from James Wan's Furious 7, called "Plane Drop." It features the crew driving their cars out of a freakin' airplane. This looks like it would have been an insane stunt to pull off! I can't even to begin to imagine what that might feel like to drop out of an airplane in a car. Hopefully I never have to. It sure is fun to watch, though!

The movie comes out on April 3rd, 2015.

EW has released another piece of poster art for Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., and it features the return of Lady Sif. The poster was created by artist Marcos Martin (Batgirl, Amazing Spider-Man, Daredevil), and it’s for next week's episode, called "Who You Really Are," in which Jaimie Alexander reprises her role as the Asgardian warrior. Here’s a description of the episode:

Coulson and team come to the aid of a confused Lady Sif, who has lost her memory after fighting with a mysterious warrior whose true mission will send shockwaves through S.H.I.E.L.D. Meanwhile, Bobbi and MacK continue to hide their true mission from everyone close to them, on Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.

I included a promo for the episode as well.

While Sigourney Weaver has been on the press rounds for Chappie, she has been talking a lot about director Neill Blomkamp's upcoming Alien sequel. She's excited about reprising her role as Ripley, and she thinks that Blomkamp is the perfect guy to resurrect this franchise and give Ripley the ending that she deserves. 

In an interview with Variety, she says that the fifth film in the franchise will "break a lot of new ground."

"I can’t think of a better director. He’s a real fan. I think he’ll be true to the world and take it in unexpected directions. It’s got a lot of sinew in it. It will certainly stand up to the others and probably break a lot of new ground as well."

I hope so! I'm not sure how fans will feel about Blomkamp after they see Chappie. A lot of people seem to have been disappointed in the film. I actually might be one of the few who enjoyed it. The film is pretty much what I expected it to be. Talking about Chappie and Blomkamp's vision for it, Weaver said,

"It is set in the future, but it’s almost like an alternate present. It’s not happening in a far away world or an unrecognisable planet. I love how he uses this genre not for fantasy, but for human stories… even with robots."

Blomkamp also offered up a brief comment about the Alien film and how it's different than anything he has worked on before.

“I would love to make something in that world because the films use terror and dread and filmmaking techniques that are different than what I’ve dabbled in before.”

Yesterday we posted some awesome photos featuring a makeup test for Hicks. To see that, click here. Chappie opens in theaters today, and the next Alien movie is expected to be released at some point in 2017.

Who needs a custom swing set (though if someone wants to build me one of those I wouldn't object) when you have Groot to act as your personal treehouse? Artist Dean Trippe recently finished his quite adorable take on the Guardians of the Galaxy, and while its pretty easy to render most of the team in a lovable fashion, kudos to Trippe for creating the most delightful version of Drax I think I've ever seen. He just looks so happy. For that matter, so does Gamora.

Anyone else want to guess what book would keep Rocket entertained? Incognito Mosquito, perhaps? Hatchet? The Firm? Who knows, but I am mildly curious. 

Regardless of Rocket's reading choices, Dean's talent is something I'm sure of, so make sure to check out even more of his work on Project Rooftop and his Deviant Art page. You can also grab a print of The KinderGuardians here. 

Fans are still going crazy over that Avengers: Age of Ultron trailer that Marvel dropped this week. I saw it again last night before a screening of Chappie, and it's even better on the big screen! 

SFX just released an interview with writer and director Joss Whedon. It was conducted about a month or so ago, while he was still deep in the process of editing the film. 

"We're at the insane-o-stage. I think we're just about to come out of the insane-o-stage and into the 'Hey, this looks like a movie!' stage. I believe that it's starting to come together."

He also used the opportunity to talk about the characters of the film and the challenges they face, saying,

"What drives this story is the idea power and connection, and how the more you have of one the less you have of another. And the idea of heroes and whether or not that's a useful concept. I know it seems like we've heard that before but I feel that this movie makes an argument that is worth listening to. It's about damaged people, because guess what I like to write about! And it's about trying to find some kind of connection, because the Avengers are the most isolated people in the world. They're different to everyone else. They're richer, or stranger, or they're monsters or they're gods. Not one of them is really a part of the world. And this movie kind of drags them back down to Earth a little bit, which is both painful and exciting."

That might be one of the clearest explanations that I've heard regarding the inner challenges that our heroes will have to deal with. It's obviously going to take a huge toll on them and end up tearing them apart. Whedon was then asked if there is a moment in the film where he can ignore fan expectations and just take in the joy of the visuals he's bringing to the big-screen, and this was his response:

"Oh, there's more than one! Honestly, we screened the movie last night, and just to sit down and watch it, which is not something you really get to do at this stage... I was like okay, some of this is the bomb. Some of this is really really lovely. The actors are killing it, the sequences are exciting, the editors are amazing and Ben Davis, who shot it, has made it a work of art. There are some hardcore action sequences in this but what's really grand is how the characters play through those. It's always got to be about the people. Not just the smaller moments, where they're talking alone, but the way they're interacting during the action is really exciting for me. I'm a people person unless I'm in an actual room with people."

Whedon gets it. The guy is just a great filmmaker who knows how important it is to have to have a solid story and characters. Yeah, there's going to be a ton of badass action, but what's the point if everything surrounding it is hollow? Unfortunately, we still see a lot that in a lot of films Hollywood produces today. 

Avengers: Age of Ultron hits theaters on May 1st.

Via: CBM