This supercut from Plot Point Productions (via Film School Rejects) is divided into two segments. The first cuts together some of the best action movie one-liners: everything from "Hasta la vista, baby," to "This is Sparta!" right up until the point that the heroes pull the trigger (or, in the case of 300, kick a guy into a bottomless pit). The second half of the video cranks up a rockin' soundtrack and unleashes the carnage, showing all of the violence in one pent-up burst. If you're an action movie junkie, this is a great way to wrap up your Wednesday. There are so many explosions, you guys. So many explosions...

Star Wars: Rogue One will be first Star Wars film outside of the core saga. At the moment, we are not even really sure where it is in the overall timeline. Officially, all we know is the title, that Felicity Jones is starring, Gareth Edwards is directing, Alexandre Desplat is scoring it, and they are going to start shooting in a few months.

Deadline reports a new tidbit: that Ben Mendelsohn is being eyed  for a role in Rogue One. He's an Australian actor who has been in countless things but is still not well recognized. He has been in The Dark Knight Rises, Exodus: Gods And Kings, Killing Them Softly, The Place Beyond the Pines, and Animal Kingdom, but he's gained a lot more attention for his role in Bloodline. Because Mendelsohn is essentially a chameleon in his roles, we can't even speculate which side of the conflict he's on.

Star Wars: Rogue One zooms into theaters December 16th, 2016 (USA).

I'm not sure what it is about Ant-Man that is just not clicking with people. In comments on the site and on social media, GeekTyrant readers seem to be pretty ho-hum. Even in terms of traffic, Ant-Man posts have gotten the fewest clicks of anything in the Marvel cineverse including Agents of SHIELD. This is in direct contrast to Guardians of The Galaxy, which was equally if not more obscure and really had people hooked from the teaser trailer on. Let's  hope Ant-Man hits its marketing stride soon.

Perhaps what they need are cool marketing materials like this fan-made poster by illustrator Guy Stauber. It presents Scott Lang (Paul Rudd) in the midst of a size change (is there a better term for that?). Ant-Man attempts to step out of Avengers: Age of Ultron's shadow July 17th (USA).

H/T: F*** Yeah Movie Posters

Not too long ago, I wrote about how Warner Bros. put a long-dormant live-action Robotech movie back in development. Producers Gianni Nunnari and Mark Canton (300, Immortals) had Mama director Andy Muschietti lined up to direct, but according to Variety, the project has now jumped from WB across town to Sony Pictures, where they plan "to move quickly into production" and use this as the start to a multi-film franchise. 300 and G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra writer Michael Gordon is still writing the script, but there's no mention of Muschietti in this update, so it sounds like the director's chair is wide open once again.

If, like me, you've never seen an episode of the original anime, here's the synopsis:

Robotech takes place at a time when Earth has developed giant robots from the technology on an alien spacecraft that crashed on a South Pacific isle. Mankind is forced to use the technology to fend off an alien invasion, with the fate of the human race ending up in the hands of two young pilots.

There are some brief statements from the filmmakers in Variety's piece, most of which sound like your traditional boiler-plate press release stuff: "we're excited to bring this to life" and fluff like that. But there was one quote that caught my eye:

“When the rights to Robotech became available we jumped; Mark and I knew it had what big movies in today’s world must have if they want to grab everyone: insane visuals and powerful themes,” said Nunnari. “The characters in Robotech wrestle with both the destructive and redemptive powers of technology; nothing is more relevant today than that.”

Thematically, this could be an interesting way to separate this franchise from its contemporaries. I got some flack when I compared it to Transformers last time around, but other than that and Pacific Rim, there haven't been too many other giant robot movies stomping around in theaters lately; still, if Nunnari is serious about smartly tackling the "destructive and redemptive powers of technology," they could actually give these films a reason for existing other than "seeing giant robots and cool pilots blow stuff up." These movies would actually be about something, which would be a nice change of pace from Bay's Transformers smash-em-ups.

The Flash star Grant Gustin showed off his pipes on seven episodes of Glee, but now his current co-stars are getting their time in the spotlight. In this video, Jesse L. Martin, Carlos Valdes, and Rick Cosnett sing an a capella version of "The Ballad of Serenity," the theme song from Joss Whedon's beloved TV series Firefly. Why? The trio is apparently working on a short film called The Letter Carrier and were trying to raise funds on Kickstarter when Whedon himself came in and donated enough to allow them to reach their goal, so they decided to sing this song as a way of saying thank you. It makes sense, considering the plot of their short film relies heavily on music:

A mother hides her family from slavery in the Blue Ridge Mountains. The children have grown up with a tale of a man known as The Letter Carrier. As the legend goes, he roams the mountains looking for children to sell as slaves. Painted against this historical backdrop, it is a raw, mysterious, and interpretive fable. Told through a cappella song, using original folk music, spirituals and a score using only natural sounds.

Enough backstory: here's what you want to see.

Nice job, guys! I'm definitely interested in checking out their short film when it's completed, and I had never heard of it until now, so if more people have a similar reaction, this whole thing could turn into a surprising uptick in popularity for their movie.

I helped kickstart "The Letter Carrier" by #JesseLMartin and OMG: http://t.co/Al6dEEfmFm Check out the film & RT: http://t.co/p9kSf8mEgr

— Joss Whedon (@josswhedon) March 24, 2015

H/T: Uproxx

Netflix has revived Inspector Gadget as a 3D animated show. Gadget is a complete nitwhit who only solves crimes with the help of his niece Penny, her dog Brain, and ridiculous amounts of coincidence and good luck. The Claw is back, and only Gadget can stop him. The show looks kind of cheap, but on par with the 3D animated TV shows my toddler watches, which might be the target demo. One thing missing is that catchy theme song we grew up with. Damn, now it's stuck in my head.

Inspector Gadget starts streaming on Netflix tomorrow, March 27th.

Mr. Sunday Movies has created another informative video, this time breaking down why Lex Luthor hates Superman. While we don't yet know what Jesse Eisenberg's take on Lex Luthor's motivations will be in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, one thing can count on is him hating Superman with every fiber of his being.

Fan art by DavidCreativeDesigns

Yesterday was the one-year mark until the release of Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice, and I don't know about you guys, but with this film being hyped for so many years before it comes out, I feel like it better deliver on a massive scale if it's going to live up to fan expectations.

Devin at Badass Digest has apparently read the script, and he teased a tidbit from it to get people excited and get us speculating and talking about the movie this far out. (He's doing WB a favor, since right now everyone seems to be more interested in Suicide Squad than Batman V Superman.)

This is spoiler-ish information, but it's the kind of thing that I imagine will be seen in the trailers before the movie actually comes out, so it's not THAT bad as far as spoilers go. I'm pretty spoiler-phobic myself, and I think it's fine, so take that as you will. Ready?

In Batman v Superman Superman is no lackey of the government; if anything many of the world's governments distrust the guy. But it is Superman who goes to Gotham and starts the confrontation... at the behest of Lex Luthor. And unlike The Dark Knight Returns, Superman comes out swinging, pulverizing the Batmobile with one punch. Why would Superman do Lex Luthor's bidding? What is Lex hoping to accomplish? That would be spoiling. But know that when the fight is over, Batman will be able to point to Superman and say, "He started it!"

This is the kind of spoiler I can get behind: something that gives you a sense of what's to come, and doesn't really get into the heart of the specifics. And it does indeed raise some tantalizing questions. What could Lex Luthor possibly say to get Superman to fight for him? And will Supes see the light by the end of this movie, or will it take a few films before he realizes Lex's evil ways? We'd love to hear your thoughts in the comments.

Cinefix's 8-Bit Cinema series is one of my favorite video series on the internet. It's so cool to see our favorite films and TV shows reimagined as the old school side-scrolling video games I grew up playing in arcades (before I was old enough to go to a barcade).

We've already featured the first part of their take on AMC's smash hit series The Walking Dead, so take a look at that right here if you missed it. Now they've released Part 2, which takes us through seasons three and four of the show and all of the prison fighting, baby delivering, and beheading that ensued during that stretch. For more 8-bit videos, check out The Matrix, The Avengers, Guardians of the Galaxy, and The Shining.

Marvel had at one point been looking at Adam McKay to direct Ant-Man, but the short production window was just not something he wanted to commit to. Instead he ended up writing the screenplay with Paul Rudd. But once Marvel sets their sights on you they just keep trying — just ask Emily Blunt, who's turned down two roles so far. 

Marvel is once again looking at McKay to direct one of its movies. While we don't know which future project yet, Da7e at Latino-Review narrows things down for us:

The Russo Bros are directing Captain America: Civil War and Avengers: Infinity War (both parts). Scott Derrickson is directing Doctor Strange and James Gunn is returning for Guardians of the Galaxy 2. That leaves Thor 3, Black Panther, Captain Marvel, and The Inhumans.

Captain Marvel deserves a female director and Black Panther deserves a minority director. For other reasons I can’t get into here, they’re off the list (trust me). Judging from other movies Adam McKay has directed like Anchorman and The Other Guys, the apocalypse of Asgard doesn’t look like a good place for McKay to stretch his acting chops.

That leaves Inhumans. Marvel Studios would like Adam McKay to direct a movie and that might be Inhumans. July 12, 2019 is still over four years away, but a good working relationship with Marvel as Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. is introducing the concept probably puts McKay on firmer footing with where Marvel’s headed for the end of their Phases.

As the news is pretty specific to a Marvel Studios movie, this disqualifies the Spider-Man reboot. So all things seem to point to The Inhumans. Also, with a four year lead, McKay will have all the time he needs.

Lena Dunham's Girls has been the subject of about a billion editorials over the course of its run on HBO, and it continues to be the equivalent of catnip for a certain section of the Internet that loves to capitalize on controversy. I've only seen a couple episodes of the show, but I can see why it's divisive: it's about a group of self-absorbed millennial women, and since any of those three traits often earn scorn online individually, a show that combines them into its main characters is sure to get the metaphorical sparks flying.

But what if all of the nuance was removed from Girls, and it was directed by blockbuster mega-douche Michael Bay? It's clear from Bay's films that he's about as far as you can get from a feminist — his last movie, I kid you not, had a scene that described in great detail how a guy shouldn't be arrested for having sex with an underage girl because of some weird Texas law that he carried with him at all times on a laminated card — and the way his camera lustily portrays women is far removed from Dunham's frank treatment of sexuality on her show. Check out this parody video below and let us know what you think.

Via: Indiewire

George Romero's Night of the Living Dead is the movie that (ironically) gave birth to the zombie genre as we know it today. Dawn of the Dead, Shaun of the Dead, The Walking Dead, and everything in between owe Romero's film a debt of gratitude, and it's impossible to measure the pop culture footprint that has been left by the influence of the original 1968 movie.

Now a company called Double Take is launching Ultimate Night of the Living Dead, with three new comics that are set in the universe of the first film.

Writer Jeff McComsey is working on two of the three new comics, Rise and Z-Men. Here's the synopsis for Rise:

They're coming to get you Barbara. Follow our favorite siblings, Barbara and Johnny, from the classic 1968 Night of the Living Dead film as they try to survive beyond the night at the abandoned farmhouse.

Here's what Z-Men is all about:

Dead and/or alive. LBJ orders the Secret Service to bring him back a Zombie. It’s 1966 and the Oval Office is in an uproar; there’s been a spree of mass murders in Western Pennsylvania (and reports of the dead returning to life). President Lyndon B. Johnson assigns the head of the Secret Service to send agents into the field to investigate. Agents Stuart and Clancy are given the opportunity to serve their country and see if the  zombie apocalypse has indeed begun.

And finally, here's the synopsis for Home, written by Peter Aquero:

A happy family, a lovely spring evening, and Zombies. Home follows a working-class farm family through the events of the zombie apocalypse in western PA. On the night the dead rise, the Foster family has gathered for a quiet Sunday dinner. Oblivious to the horrifying events that will soon unfold, Paul Foster takes his wife and two young children into town, leaving his teenage daughter home alone with her boyfriend. As his small town falls into chaos, Paul has to keep his family together and somehow get back home to his daughter, who is left to fight her own battles.

Of those three, Z-Men sounds like it's right up my alley. A presidential order to see if the zombie apocalypse has begun? Come on, you know that's going to be awesome. And this section from the press release indicates that there's much more zombie craziness on the way:

Much more than just a singular launch, this marks the first releases in a major initiative surrounding the classic horror franchise, which frightened moviegoers all around the world and made zombies a household name. Having commissioned a new generation of writers to breathe new life into the classic franchise, [Double Take] has a dozen series in the works – some following characters from the film in surprising new directions; other stories are all new.

A dozen new series? Whoa. But perhaps even more interesting is the fact that they'll soon be looking for collaborators. So if you're an artist or writer who knows Romero's world inside and out, you may be able to work with them on an upcoming comic. (The original movie is in the public domain, so stories set in that universe are essentially fair game.) For more information, be sure to visit Double Take's website.

We've posted several videos of remote control flying Star Wars ships and vehicles like the Millennium Falcon, Tie Fighter Interceptor, and Speeder Bike, as well as drone racing that looks like the Speeder Bike chase in Return of the Jedi. Today, we have a couple new videos that feature a R/C Imperial Star Destroyer quadcopter built by Olivier C. It's pretty crazy how much payload this thing can carry, but I highly doubt we are going to see an R/C Death Star anytime soon.

H/T: Laughing Squid

Writer-director Rick Famuyiwa's Dope made a big splash at this year's Sundance Film Festival, where Elijah raved about it in his review, calling it a "fast-paced gem that takes the typical coming-of-age high-school comedy and masterfully weaves in the kind of visual flair and storytelling devices normally only found in heist movies." A trailer for the movie hit the web about a month ago, but apparently that was unauthorized because the studio quickly took it down. Now Open Road has unveiled the movie's first official teaser through Apple, and it does exactly what an excellent teaser should do: gives you a great sense of the movie's tone.

This is actually one of the most unconventional teasers I've seen in a while, and I love the way it incorporates video games, '90s rap, and Internet culture since those are clearly topics the main characters are obsessed with. This looks like a must-see movie for me, and I'll be interested to hear what you all think about this teaser. Dope opens in theaters on June 19th.

Malcolm is a high school geek with a high-top fade, carefully navigating life in The Bottoms, one of the toughest neighborhoods in Inglewood, California. He and his fellow outcasts share a voracious appreciation for all things ’90s hip-hop, opting to sport Cross-Colours and Z. Cavariccis at the risk of being clowned at school. He dreams of attending Harvard, but first he has to make it home every day. When a drug dealer takes a shine to Malcolm and invites him to his birthday party, Malcolm’s crew is swirled into a hilarious blender of offbeat characters and bad choices where redemption can only be found in Bitcoin.

Writer/director Rick Famuyiwa delivers an energetic, super-fresh, modern-day coming-of-age story that is a delightful mash-up of DIY punk, Yo! MTV Raps, YouTube, and Neil deGrasse Tyson. Intelligent and full of heart, Dope is an up-to-date inspirational tale of the journey to maintain a grasp on one’s own authentic self amidst surreal circumstances.

1985's The Black Cauldron was a financial disaster for Disney when it was released, but the film is also notable for being the first to feature the iconic Walt Disney Pictures logo in front of it. The logo remained the same for ten years until Toy Story switched things up with a CG version that appeared to be 3D, and then all bets were off: tons of films have since provided variations on the intro logo, and this video compiles them all (while occasionally providing a bit of info about the changes). It goes from The Black Cauldron all the way to last year's Into the Woods, so there's almost 30 years of intro magic on display here. Disney fans should enjoy this trip down memory lane.

Via: Neatorama

I completely forgot that Liu Kang and Kung Lao died in the Mortal Kombat (2011) reboot. However, just like in the comics, popular characters never absolutely die. This trailer for Mortal Kombat X comes to us from Maxim Russia and presents Kang and Lao as undead followers of Shinnok who will be fighting against Earthrealm warriors. Can they be redeemed? We'll just have to play the game to find out.

Mortal Kombat X will have people yelling "Fatality" at their friends, April 14th.

H/T: Comicbook

Almost a year ago I participated in my first Tough Mudder. It was a lot of fun and a couple of the guys in my group had GoPros. The only problem is you're working so hard to survive the event that you can't focus on getting a good shot.

360fly offers a great solution that is more immersive and interactive. It uses a special lens to shoot in a 360º bubble around you. Based on the video I've embedded the quality seems really good. 360fly shoots 1504×1504 at 30fps to 16GB of internal storage. From what I've hear of the battery life of GoPro cameras, you're likely to run out of battery before storage. 360fly can be mounted on helmets, surfboards, etc. It's currently available for pre-order for $499 and is said to be shipping this spring.

I wonder if we can get one of these in time for Comic-Con?

H/T: Oh Gizmo!

Tom Ford is best known as a fashion designer (he provides the suits of choice for Daniel Craig's James Bond), but he's also stepped behind the camera as a director for 2009's A Single Man. Now, six years later, he's ready to direct again, and he's prepping an intriguing-sounding movie called Nocturnal Animals. Ford wrote the script for the neo-noir thriller, which is based on a book by Austin Wright. Here's the synopsis from Amazon:

Fifteen years ago, Susan Morrow left her first husband Edward Sheffield, an unpublished writer. Now, she's enduring middle class suburbia as a doctor's wife, when out of the blue she receives a package containing the manuscript of her ex-husband's first novel. He writes asking her to read the book; she was always his best critic, he says.

As Susan reads, she is drawn into the fictional life of Tony Hastings, a math professor driving his family to their summer house in Maine. And as we read with her, we too become lost in Sheffield's thriller. As the Hastings' ordinary, civilized lives are disastrously, violently sent off course, Susan is plunged back into the past, forced to confront the darkness that inhabits her, and driven to name the fear that gnaws at her future and will change her life.

It sounds like the husband has a dark secret, and if there's anyone who's on a roll right now playing characters with dark secrets, it's Jake Gyllenhaal. THR reports that he and Amy Adams are circling the lead roles in the film, which sounds like a great pairing to me. Joaquin Phoenix and Aaron Taylor-Johnson are reportedly being sought for leading roles, so maybe they'll be playing characters in the "story within the story." George Clooney and Grant Heslov are producing, so this movie has some serious heat behind it. I don't know about you, but I'm really looking forward to seeing how this turns out. It sounds like a hell of a story.

Ever since Lucasfilm wiped away the entire Star Wars Expanded Universe and declared that a new story group would be responsible for all creative development in all Star Wars content moving forward (redefining longform storytelling in the process), fans have been wondering about the new expanded universe that will be established with upcoming Star Wars projects. (If you're confused, this video should explain things.) Obviously we have the movies on the way, and Lucasfilm announced that at least 20 books will be released this year, but where will all of that fit in the overall chronology of the franchise? Thankfully, a new infographic (first spotted by Jedi Bibliothek) is here to lay it all out for us.

Screencrush also has some detailed descriptions of a few of the upcoming books, which I've included below. But there are three previously-announced books that aren't on this infographic: Smuggler's Run and The Weapon of the Jedi take place between A New Hope and The Empire Strikes Back, while Moving Target will be set between Empire and Return of the Jedi. So basically you can expect an even more updated infographic (that includes the comics as well) to pop up soon. For now, though, this will have to do.

"Dark Disciple"

Based on unproduced scripts from the blockbuster TV show Star Wars: The Clone Wars!

The only way to bring down the dark side’s most dangerous warrior may be for Jedi and Sith to join forces. 
 
In the war for control of the galaxy between the armies of the dark side and the Republic, former Jedi Master turned ruthless Sith Lord Count Dooku has grown ever more brutal in his tactics. Despite the powers of the Jedi and the military prowess of their clone army, the sheer number of fatalities is taking a terrible toll. And when Dooku orders the massacre of a flotilla of helpless refugees, the Jedi Council feels it has no choice but to take drastic action: targeting the man responsible for so many war atrocities, Count Dooku himself.
 
But the ever-elusive Dooku is dangerous prey for even the most skilled hunter. So the Council makes the bold decision to bring both sides of the Force’s power to bear—pairing brash Jedi Knight Quinlan Vos with infamous one-time Sith acolyte Asajj Ventress. Though Jedi distrust for the cunning killer who once served at Dooku’s side still runs deep, Ventress’s hatred for her former master runs deeper. She’s more than willing to lend her copious talents as a bounty hunter—and assassin—to Vos’s quest.
 
Together, Ventress and Vos are the best hope for eliminating Dooku—as long as the emerging feelings between them don’t compromise their mission. But Ventress is determined to have her retribution and at last let go of her dark Sith past. Balancing the complicated emotions she feels for Vos with the fury of her warrior’s spirit, she resolves to claim victory on all fronts—a vow that will be mercilessly tested by her deadly enemy . . . and her own doubt.

"Lords Of The Sith"

A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away. . . .
 
When the Emperor and his notorious apprentice, Darth Vader, find themselves stranded in the middle of insurgent action on an inhospitable planet, they must rely on each other, the Force, and their own ruthlessness to prevail.
 
“It appears things are as you suspected, Lord Vader. We are indeed hunted.”
 
Anakin Skywalker, Jedi Knight, is just a memory. Darth Vader, newly anointed Sith Lord, is ascendant. The Emperor’s chosen apprentice has swiftly proven his loyalty to the dark side. Still, the history of the Sith Order is one of duplicity, betrayal, and acolytes violently usurping their Masters—and the truest measure of Vader’s allegiance has yet to be taken. Until now.
 
On Ryloth, a planet crucial to the growing Empire as a source of slave labor and the narcotic known as “spice,” an aggressive resistance movement has arisen, led by Cham Syndulla, an idealistic freedom fighter, and Isval, a vengeful former slave. But Emperor Palpatine means to control the embattled world and its precious resources—by political power or firepower—and he will be neither intimidated nor denied. Accompanied by his merciless disciple, Darth Vader, he sets out on a rare personal mission to ensure his will is done.
 
For Syndulla and Isval, it’s the opportunity to strike at the very heart of the ruthless dictatorship sweeping the galaxy. And for the Emperor and Darth Vader, Ryloth becomes more than just a matter of putting down an insurrection: When an ambush sends them crashing to the planet’s surface, where inhospitable terrain and an army of resistance fighters await them, they will find their relationship tested as never before. With only their lightsabers, the dark side of the Force, and each other to depend on, the two Sith must decide if the brutal bond they share will make them victorious allies or lethal adversaries.

"Tarkin"

Bestselling Star Wars veteran James Luceno gives Grand Moff Tarkin the Star Wars: Darth Plagueis treatment, bringing a legendary character from A New Hope to full, fascinating life.

He’s the scion of an honorable and revered family. A dedicated soldier and distinguished legislator. Loyal proponent of the Republic and trusted ally of the Jedi Order. Groomed by the ruthless politician and Sith Lord who would be Emperor, Governor Wilhuff Tarkin rises through the Imperial ranks, enforcing his authority ever more mercilessly . . . and zealously pursuing his destiny as the architect of absolute dominion.

Rule through the fear of force rather than force itself, he advises his Emperor. Under Tarkin’s guidance, an ultimate weapon of unparalleled destruction moves ever closer to becoming a terrifying reality. When the so-called Death Star is completed, Tarkin is confident that the galaxy’s lingering pockets of Separatist rebellion will be brought to heel—by intimidation . . . or annihilation.

Until then, however, insurgency remains a genuine threat. Escalating guerrilla attacks by resistance forces and newfound evidence of a growing Separatist conspiracy are an immediate danger the Empire must meet with swift and brutal action. And to bring down a band of elusive freedom fighters, the Emperor turns to his most formidable agents: Darth Vader, the fearsome new Sith enforcer as remorseless as he is mysterious; and Tarkin—whose tactical cunning and cold-blooded efficiency will pave the way for the Empire’s supremacy . . . and its enemies’ extinction.

"A New Dawn"

“The war is over. The Separatists have been defeated, and the Jedi rebellion has been foiled. We stand on the threshold of a new beginning.”—Emperor Palpatine
 
For a thousand generations, the Jedi Knights brought peace and order to the Galactic Republic, aided by their connection to the mystical energy field known as the Force. But they were betrayed—and the entire galaxy has paid the price. It is the Age of the Empire.
 
Now Emperor Palpatine, once Chancellor of the Republic and secretly a Sith follower of the dark side of the Force, has brought his own peace and order to the galaxy. Peace through brutal repression, and order through increasing control of his subjects’ lives.
 
But even as the Emperor tightens his iron grip, others have begun to question his means and motives. And still others, whose lives were destroyed by Palpatine’s machinations, lay scattered about the galaxy like unexploded bombs, waiting to go off. . . .
 
The first Star Wars novel created in collaboration with the Lucasfilm Story Group, Star Wars: A New Dawn is set during the legendary “Dark Times” between Episodes III and IV and tells the story of how two of the lead characters from the animated series Star Wars Rebels first came to cross paths. Featuring a foreword by Dave Filoni.

"Heir To The Jedi"

A thrilling new adventure set between A New Hope and The Empire Strikes Back, and—for the first time ever—written entirely from Luke Skywalker’s first-person point of view.

Luke Skywalker’s game-changing destruction of the Death Star has made him not only a hero of the Rebel Alliance but a valuable asset in the ongoing battle against the Empire. Though he’s a long way from mastering the power of the Force, there’s no denying his phenomenal skills as a pilot—and in the eyes of Rebel leaders Princess Leia Organa and Admiral Ackbar, there’s no one better qualified to carry out a daring rescue mission crucial to the Alliance cause.
 
A brilliant alien cryptographer renowned for her ability to breach even the most advanced communications systems is being detained by Imperial agents determined to exploit her exceptional talents for the Empire’s purposes. But the prospective spy’s sympathies lie with the Rebels, and she’s willing to join their effort in exchange for being reunited with her family. It’s an opportunity to gain a critical edge against the Empire that’s too precious to pass up. It’s also a job that demands the element of surprise. So Luke and the ever-resourceful droid R2-D2 swap their trusty X-wing fighter for a sleek space yacht piloted by brash recruit Nakari Kelen, daughter of a biotech mogul, who’s got a score of her own to settle with the Empire.
 
Challenged by ruthless Imperial bodyguards, death-dealing enemy battleships, merciless bounty hunters, and monstrous brain-eating parasites, Luke plunges head-on into a high-stakes espionage operation that will push his abilities as a Rebel fighter and would-be Jedi to the limit. If ever he needed the wisdom of Obi-Wan Kenobi to shepherd him through danger, it’s now. But Luke will have to rely on himself, his friends, and his own burgeoning relationship with the Force to survive.

"Aftermath: Star Wars: Journey to The Force Awakens"

The second Death Star is destroyed. The Emperor and his powerful enforcer, Darth Vader, are rumored to be dead. The Galactic Empire is in chaos.
 
Across the galaxy, some systems celebrate, while in others Imperial factions tighten their grip. Optimism and fear reign side by side.
 
And while the Rebel Alliance engages the fractured forces of the Empire, a lone Rebel scout uncovers a secret Imperial meeting. . . .

The folks at Extra were able to visit the set of Avengers: Age of Ultron that shot some video that features some light interview questions with Robert Downey Jr., Jeremy Renner, Mark Ruffalo, and Chris Hemsworth. The most interesting bit that all the other sites are hyping is something Downey said about the character of Hawkeye played by Renner,

“He’s much more central. As a matter of fact, he’s the only one that Joss [Whedon] seems to get excited about doing stunts.”

We've heard similar statements a few other times. I'm guessing they are trying to make it up to Renner for playing an Avenger who was brainwashed for most of the movie.

We've also got an international TV spot that has a fair amount of violence. Avengers: Age of Ultron punches box office records May 1st (USA).