The first teaser trailer for "Rogue One: A Star Wars Movie" was released on April 7. The standalone film is the first in a new series of "Star Wars" movies focusing on independent events that have taken place within the exciting universe. This means fans will have the chance to see their favorite characters from the original series in brand new stories.

One person everyone seems excited to see back on screen is Mon Mothma, one of the primary leaders in the rebel alliance who first appeared in "A New Hope." She was one of the commanders who coordinated the epic Battle of Endor in "Return of the Jedi," and now she's back at it again. 

The "Rogue One" storyline was inspired by a part of the opening crawl that appeared in the first-ever "Star Wars" movie. The line reads: "During the battle, rebel spies managed to steal secret plans to the Empire's ultimate weapon, the Death Star ..."

In the new trailer, we see the protagonist Jyn Erso meet Mon Mothma. Our guess is Mothma will assign Erso the "rogue one mission" to steal the construction plans of the Death Star. 

So far, Mothma's reappearance is a major talking point of the trailer.

Some fans also pointed out that the actress playing Mothma appears to be the same one who was cast for a deleted scene in "Revenge of the Sith," Genevieve O'Reilly. 

And here's a shot of the Mothma in the new trailer, compared to a still from the original trilogies. Looks like Disney really nailed this casting and costume design.

Plenty of "Star Wars" fans on Reddit are really stoked about Mothma's appearance as well. One of the top comments on the trailer discussion in /r/StarWars simply says: "MON MOTHMA!!! Yes!!!!!" Over in the general movies subreddit, the top comment is currently: "Flawless casting on Mon Mothma."

"Rogue One" arrives in theaters December 16. In the meantime, read our breakdown of everything spotted in the teaser trailer.

Update: Entertainment Weekly has confirmed with Disney that actress Genevieve O'Reilly is playing Mon Mothma in "Rogue One," reprising her role she had in the deleted scene from "Revenge of the Sith."

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NOW WATCH: Scientists say blowing up the Death Star would have had a catastrophic result

It looks like action cinema has a new queen.

Charlize Theron is set to star in "Fast 8," the latest in the "Fast and Furious" franchise, which is going into production in May and comes out in 2017, Deadline reports.

The actress is expected to play "some sort of villain,"according to Variety, which would make sense for what is likely a one-off role.

Theron is no stranger to action movies, and in last year's "Mad Max: Fury Road" found a whole new passionate fan base for her no-nonsense approach to the film's heroine Furiosa.

Returning stars for "Fast 8" include Vin Diesel, Dwayne Johnson, Jason Statham, Michelle Rodriguez, and Tyrese Gibson. Director F. Gary Gray ("Straight Outaa Compton") will helm the feature.

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NOW WATCH: Muhammad Ali’s daughter went undercover as an inmate in an Indiana jail — here’s what she thought of the food

Macaulay Culkin considers himself retired from the entertainment business at the ripe ol' age of 35.

"I’m a man in his mid-30s who’s essentially retired. I kind of go where the wind takes me a little bit," Culkin told New York magazine in a new interview.

The interview was done in tandem with Culkin's best friend, musician Adam Green, promoting the April 15 release of his indie movie, "Adam Green's Aladdin." A modern retelling of the famous genie story, "Aladdin" features Culkin in one of the roles.

The duo interviewed with the magazine in the "Home Alone" star's "lower Broadway" apartment in Manhattan, which the writer describes as "in a state of slight disarray." Judging from the article, the same words can be used to describe Culkin's general habits.

In his "essentially retired" state, the former child star "spends most of his days painting, writing in his notebooks, and 'whatevering,'" according to the reporter.

Although it has been more than a decade since he appeared in the cult movies "Saved!" and "Party Monster," and 24 years since starring in "Home Alone 2," Culkin hasn't totally disappeared from the scene. Over the years, he has shown up on several series and movies up through last year's appearances on TV Land's "The Jim Gaffigan Show."

Reportedly worth $15 million, thanks largely to his early success with "Home Alone," he can afford to have some downtime — part of which is spent creating new versions of a popular motivational adage.

“When life gives you lemons ... cook fish. When life gives you lemons ... be thankful it didn’t give you testicular cancer. When life gives you lemons ... you should paint them green and see if anyone notices they are not limes,” he read from one of his many notebooks. “It goes on for pages and pages.”

Watch Culkin in the trailer for 'Adam Green's Aladdin' below:

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SEE ALSO: 'Archer' stars reveal their favorite running jokes on TV's best spy comedy

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NOW WATCH: Why Sean Parker’s plan to stream movies still in theaters for $50 could work

Over the next few years, we'll see the most recognizable figures in comics on the big screen. 

"Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice" brought us a whole host of comic legends: Wonder Woman, Flash, Cyborg, Aquaman, and Lex Luthor. And now Warner Bros. is ready to debut even more icons.

Following the release of "Batman v Superman," Warner Bros. has recalibrated its superhero schedule to move up the date of "Wonder Woman" and make space for two additional untitled films coming in 2018 and 2019. 

Read on to find see what's next for DC's biggest heroes and villains. 

"Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice," out March 25, is the first DC entry of 2016.

Following "Batman v Superman" is "Suicide Squad," about a group of supervillains who team up to take down an even bigger villain.

The film will introduce fan favorite Harley Quinn (Margot Robbie) to the big screen.

In "Star Wars: The Force Awakens," you may have been wondering whether Rey's cruel and crude junk boss Unkar Plutt was done digitally, like Maz Kanata and Snoke, or a man in a costume. The answer: both. 

In an interview with Nerdist, the film's creature shop head Neal Scanlan revealed how the "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" crew transformed English actor Simon Pegg into Unkar Plutt, the grotesque scrapyard leader in Jakku. Scanlan was responsible for designing the many droids, robots, and aliens inhabiting "The Force Awakens."

Turning Pegg into Plutt meant combining two different types of effects: makeup and prosthetics applied to his face and his suit and using digital effects, added in post-production. 

" ... it was a prosthetic that we applied to Simon,” Scanlan told the site, “but then the guys later remodeled the front of the face, and they moved the eyes out."

Scanlan's team used the real-life mask of Plutt that Simon wore as a base, which they then altered and readjusted using CG effects to make Plutt stand out as particularly grotesque.

"I think they did a little bit of CG enhancement on the inside of the mouth as well, to give him a slightly wider gape in his mouth than what you could do in real life," he said. "Obviously, it would have just been Simon’s mouth otherwise, so yeah, brilliant. Stretch the eyes and stretch the mouth, and gave it that sort of twist to make it feel like it couldn’t just be a person in a suit.”

The team used video of Pegg’s facial expressions as a reference for how to animate Plutt's face. The finished product was a monstrous, yet very memorable, character.

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"Star Wars" fans across the galaxy are rejoicing after Disney released the first teaser trailer for "Rogue One: A Star Wars Story."

"Rogue One," for short, is the first "Star Wars" film of its kind, existing as an "anthology" story outside of the established trilogies. Here's a quick rundown of what "Rogue One" is and how it fits into the "Star Wars" universe, both past and present. 

What is this movie about? Is it a prequel?

"Rogue One: A Star Wars Story" takes place before the 1977 original film, "Star Wars: Episode IV — A New Hope." In "A New Hope," Princess Leia hides the plans to destroy the superweapon, the Death Star, inside her droid, R2-D2. "Rogue One" will follow the team of rebel fighters as they attempt to find the plans for the Death Star. Spoiler: We know they eventually end up in Leia's hands, but this is our in-depth look at how it happened. 

Where does it fit into the "Star Wars" trilogies? 

Story wise, "Rogue One" connects directly with the original film. You won't need to watch the original film or even the latest movie, "The Force Awakens," in order to follow along with this film.

"Rogue One" is a standalone "anthology" film with a loose connection to the future anthology films. They're all related, but they won't directly connect to each other the way, say, "Star Wars: Episode V" connects to "Episode IV.""Rogue One" may introduce characters we'll see in the other anthology movies, but it's meant to stand on its own two feet.

So what are the anthology films? 

"Rogue One" is the first of three standalone "anthology" films set at different points within the "Star Wars" timeline. A new film will be released every other year, in between films in the new "Star Wars" trilogy.

2015 - "Star Wars: Episode VII — The Force Awakens"

2016 - Anthology Movie: "Rogue One"

December 15, 2017 - Episode VIII

May 25, 2018 - Anthology Movie: "Han Solo" film 

2019 - Episode IX

2020 - Anthology Movie: Still Untitled

The Episode VII, VIII, and IX films will all directly relate to each other as a trilogy. However, the anthology movies will all loosely relate to each other, with less overlap. 

Who is the woman you see in the trailer? Is she from another movie?

The lead character, played by Felicity Jones, is named Jyn Erso. She's mostly a mystery, but we know that she's an orphan with a wild streak that joins the rebel army and eventually leads the team tasked with stealing the Death Star plans. There's a lot of speculation about how she fits in the overall "Star Wars" universe. Any deeper connection to other characters remains to be seen. 

Is Darth Vader in the movie?  

He might be! There's still no official confirmation of who anyone is playing, but fans speculate that Darth Vader will appear in "Rogue One." 

When is it coming out?

"Star Wars: Rogue One" is coming December 16.

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NOW WATCH: Here's what's happening in the new Star Wars trailer everyone is talking about

After "Spy" became one of the biggest and most acclaimed comedies last year, many were excited to see Melissa McCarthy return headlining a new movie, "The Boss" (opening this weekend). But critics think you should skip it and wait three more months to see her in "Ghostbusters." 

"The Boss" has a funny-enough premise: McCarthy playing a narcissistic millionaire businesswoman who loses everything after going to jail for insider trading and comes out broke but driven to get back on top. Though she's clueless how to live without hired help and unlimited funds.

It's the script, however — written by McCarthy, director Ben Falcone (McCarthy's husband), and Steve Mallory — that many critics say is uninspired and can't match the talents of McCarthy's physical comedy.

With only an 18% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, the movie looks like a hard pass. But RT scores don't seem to hurt McCarthy's box office. Her past movies like "Identity Thief" and "Tammy" didn't get above 25% and both made over $100 million worldwide.

Before the box office decides the fate of her new comedy, let's dive into what's bugging the critics about "The Boss."

SEE ALSO: Macaulay Culkin says he's "essentially retired" at age 35

Where's the funny?

Putting it bluntly, critics didn't find "The Boss" funny.

"There are nearly no laughs in this picture, and in a movie that bills itself as a comedy, usually you can see the performers working for laughs of some kind at least part of the time," wrote The Wrap.

"It’s a comedy that seems perpetually in search of laughs it almost never finds, as if the filmmakers showed up on the first day of production, looked at the script, and realized they’d forgotten to write any jokes, and then had to scramble to find some on set," according to ScreenCrush.

There's too much dirty language that doesn't serve any purpose.

Melissa McCarthy has never been shy with foul language, but sometimes it can be taken too far, and some critics were turned off by the constant curse words. 

USA Today said: "'The Boss' feels like it’s going for a slightly more subversive 'Bad News Bears' vibe, before it turns overly mean-spirited as four-letter words fly around kids."

"If they gave out badges for smutty language, this movie would have lots. There’s nothing wrong with that. But filthy doesn’t automatically equal funny," wrote the New York Daily News.

Beware of cheap jokes.

From pratfalls to a brawl between two rival teen-girl groups selling baked goods, the movie will do anything for a laugh.

"'The Boss' hurls McCarthy down flights of stairs when there’s no opportunity to be clever; one gag literally throws her against the wall, as if the writers could only decide by seeing it if their idea would stick," wrote The Guardian.

"The comic spirit of 'The Boss' is just coarse. The smackdown competition between the Dandelions and the red-beret-sporting Darlings relies on vicious, artless slapstick, in between bits such as Darnell spray-tanning her upper thighs or mooning an 11-year-old," the Chicago Tribune said.

The first new "Star Wars" in 10 years, "Star Wars: The Force Awakens," launched a franchise reboot in 2015, which will consist of six films total through 2020.

"The Force Awakens" takes place 30 years after the events of 1983's "Return of the Jedi." The First Order has risen from the fallen Empire and the Resistance is fighting back. Featuring a group of characters from the original trilogy alongside a new team of young Rebels, "The Force Awakens" is the first in a trilogy. 

In addition to that series, three standalone spin-off films make up the Anthology series. "Rogue One," the first, will hit theaters December 16, 2016 and has a new trailer. A Han Solo origin film and Boba Fett film will round out the series, for now.

Here's what you can expect in the next four years: 

SEE ALSO: Everything you need to know about the next 'Star Wars' movie, 'Rogue One'

"Star Wars: The Force Awakens" smashed box-office records, taking only 12 days to gross $1 billion and only 20 to become the highest-grossing domestic film. The film has successfully rebooted the "Star Wars" franchise and set high expectations for the Disney-produced films to follow.

Source: Business Insider

The next film, "Rogue One: A Star Wars Story," jumpstarts the anthology series.

The standalone film takes place before the events of the 1977 original film and follows Jyn Erso (Felicity Jones) and a group of Rebel fighters on a mission to steal plans for the Death Star.

Seeing Jake Gyllenhaal in tears on the big screen over the loss of a loved one is nothing new.

In "Southpaw," he played a boxer who must start his life over after his wife dies.

But with the actor's newest film, "Demolition," out Friday, Gyllenhaal handles grief in a much different way.

He plays Davis Mitchell, an investment banker who's going through the motions of his work and his marriage. But suddenly he and his wife get into a car accident and his wife dies.

That's when things get strange.

It all starts with a vending machine.

Still in the hospital after getting the news of his wife's death from his father-in-law (played by Chris Cooper), who is also his boss, Davis walks to a vending machine to get peanut M&Ms. The candy gets stuck in the machine. Inquiring about the machine, he learns that he has to send his complaint to the manufacturer, Champion Vending Company.

Most of us would forget about the M&Ms and move on to bigger things, like funeral arrangements.

Not Davis.

In the middle of the wake, he goes in the other room and begins to write a letter to Champion. But this letter goes beyond his grievance and basically gives us the backstory of his life and why he is relieved that his wife his dead.

Believe it or not, the movie is a comedy, a dark one, but you can't help but laugh at the things that transpire.

For one thing, Davis begins to get stalked by Karen (Naomi Watts), the customer service rep at Champion who has been reading Davis' letters (yes, he writes more than that one), and they quickly start a relationship.

Then there's Davis' fascination with dismantling things. Realizing he has a tool set he's never opened, he begins using it around the house.

Like, completely taking apart his refrigerator after being annoyed that it leaks (his wife told him constantly, but he never paid attention). That then leads to him dismantling things at work (his computer, a bathroom stall door that squeaks), eventually turning in his suits for construction clothes and paying a contractor to let him demolish houses.

The film, directed by Jean-Marc Vallée ("Wild,""Dallas Buyers Club"), is a fascinating examination of how people deal with grief differently. Though on the outside Davis looks to now be liberated after the death of his wife (and in some ways he is), this "noticing" of the world makes him understand better what he had with his wife and how it's gone forever.

But to get there, Vallée uses a dark comedic tone that Gyllenhaal excels at but might be hard for audiences to grab onto.

What really brings the film home is the relationship Davis builds with Karen's son, Chris (newcomer Judah Lewis). Their bond proves that Davis is not made of stone and can care for someone. Though he might have to had go on this journey to fully realize it.

It's hard to question Gyllenhaal's choices of roles within the last decade. With such diversity and all-out effort in the parts, he's giving about as much range as you could imagine from an actor.

SEE ALSO: Everything you need to know about the next "Star Wars" movie, "Rogue One"

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NOW WATCH: Here are Hollywood's biggest donors in the 2016 election and how much they're spending

We are one step closer to seeing Tom Cruise and Emily Blunt fight aliens again, and again, and again.

Screenwriters Joe Shrapnel and Anna Waterhouse have been hired to write a sequel to the 2014 hit sci-fi action movie, “Edge of Tomorrow” (also known for its tagline, “Live.Die.Repeat.”), according to Deadline. 

The duo, best known for penning the Jesse Owens biopic “Race,” will have their hands full as they try to capture the video game-like quality of the original movie, in which Cruise’s character repeats the same day to win an alien war.

Dough Liman is attached to return as director while Christopher McQuarrie, who wrote the screenplay for the original movie (and has since gone on to direct “Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation” and the upcoming “Mission: Impossible 6”) is in talks to come onboard as a producer, Deadline reports.

Cruise and Blunt, who plays the tough Special Forces soldier who assists Cruise’s character, haven’t signed on to the sequel yet, but both have voiced their interest in doing a sequel. Both actors have multiple projects in the works, but if the script is on the fast-track at Warner Bros., expect news of their involvement within the year.

Though “Edge of Tomorrow” had a slow opening weekend, only coming in third place with $28.7 million, good word of mouth quickly grew and the movie ended up making over $100 million domestically, and an impressive $370 million worldwide.

SEE ALSO: 12 photos of extreme fandom "Star Wars" inspires around the world

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NOW WATCH: The trailer for the first 'Star Wars' spin-off movie 'Rogue One' is here

Movies focusing on politics take many forms. They can have a serious stance on a major issue or moment in history, or make fun of the whole system with a satirical plot. Regardless, the genre has over the years produced some of the most gripping, entertaining movies.

One of the best political movies ever made, “All the President’s Men,” just celebrated its 40th anniversary. In honor of the occasion, and with the backdrop of the election, we thought it was a good time to rank the greatest the genre has produced.

Here are the top 22.

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22. “The Distinguished Gentleman” (1992)

Eddie Murphy plays a Florida con man who realizes he has been missing out on the biggest con of all: being a politician. Winning a seat in Congress because he has the same name as a longtime Congressman in his district who suddenly passed away before the election, he proceeds to turn DC upside down. Honestly, this is one of Eddie Murphy's last great comedies while at his height in Hollywood.  

21. “Nixon” (1995)

Anthony Hopkins playing Richard Nixon in Oliver Stone's epic look at the 37th president is hit-and-miss at moments, but as with any great actor, in the moments when he's right, the movie thrives. But Stone also examines the shrewdness of Nixon, as one moment he's in the bugged Oval Office tearing apart his legacy and another he's confronted by Vietnam protesters at the Lincoln Memorial and he actively tries to understand what they are against. 

20. “Milk” (2008)

Sean Penn earned an Oscar win for his performance as Harvey Milk, California's first openly gay politician to be elected to public office. The movie chronicles Milk's struggle as a gay activist in San Francisco in the late 1970s and ends with his shocking assassination. As with almost everything he's in, Penn gives a moving performance.

After two weeks at the top, "Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice" has been taken down by the Melissa McCarthy comedy, "The Boss."

The film — in which McCarthy plays a egotistical business tycoon who loses everything due to insider trading and then must find a way to get back to the top — took in an estimated $23.5 million in its first weekend, according to Variety.

The comedy narrowly edged out "Batman v Superman," which earned $23.4 million.

Both films were neck and neck the whole weekend.

"The Boss" beat out "Batman v Superman" on Friday, making $2 million more with an estimated $8.1 million. Then on Saturday, "Batman v Superman" rebounded by taking in $10.6 million over the comedy's $10 million.

However, "The Boss" surged late, according to studio projections, to win the weekend (final box office tally on Monday will show if these estimates hold).

Though this marks the third No. 1 opening for a McCarthy-headlined movie (the others were "Identity Thief" and "Spy"), "The Boss"wasn't a winner for critics, and its take this weekend is the third-lowest opening of the year.

Box office should rebound next weekend with the release of Disney's "The Jungle Book."

Now in theaters for three weeks, "Batman v Superman" has earned over $296 million in theaters.

SEE ALSO: An R-rated "Batman v Superman" cut may be coming to theaters

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If you've ever wondered how your favorite star can look forever resistant to age, well, it turns out there's some technique behind it.

That actor may be getting digitally retouched.

Special effects aren't just used to create huge explosions or herds of dinosaurs that trample everything in their path. They also can and do take pimples off of teen stars, erase years off actors' faces, and elongate bodies to create slimmer physiques.

"Nobody looks like what you see on TV and in the movies — everybody is altered," Claus Hansen, a beauty-work pioneer at the video-retouching company Method Studios, told Mashable.

Many actors require the use of digital retouching (or "beauty work"), though it's done very secretly.

"For a top actress, it's usually non-contractual with us, so that that document never gets out," a top entertainment attorney said anonymously in Vulture's recent feature on digital retouching. "It's in everyone's best interest that she not look haggard and that her jowls don't look too old or whatever."

The article points to the "suspiciously plasticky" 2010 film "The Tourist," which starred Johnny Depp and Angelina Jolie.

Here's what Vulture and Mashable's stories expose about the secret use of digital retouching in movies and TV:

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Digital retouching isn't just for the ladies.

Michael Shannon, who played Zod in "Batman v Superman," said digital retouching could be a leading man's best friend, too.

"In postproduction, if they want your nose to be a little smaller or a little bigger, that's up to them, man," Shannon said. "Some attractive person gets out of a swimming pool dripping wet? Nobody wants to see how they really look: It's fantasy."

And at age 63, Paul Reubens was emphatic about casting a younger actor to play his iconic character Pee-wee Herman in Netflix's "Pee-wee's Big Holiday." But digital retouching made it possible for him to play the timeless character again.

"Pee-wee doesn't work, to me, with age mixed into it," Reubens told The New York Times. "So I knew I wanted digital retouching."

It sure isn't cheap.

"That was my biggest concern from the get-go, with [producer Judd Apatow], when it came to budgeting," Reubens explained of the cost of digital retouching for "Pee-wee's Big Adventure.""Because it costs a fortune. I could have had a face-lift and we would have saved $2 million."

The technique is also used to make the young and beautiful even younger and more beautiful.

Hollywood veterans don't hold the monopoly on digital retouching. Producers are using the tech on young actors as well. Pimples, for example, don't have to be an embarrassing situation. On "Glee," a director revealed, "There was a pimple pass on most episodes."

And even the best-looking people on the planet, models, get a helping hand from the tech. 

Visual-effects supervisor Jim Rider, whose credits include "Vinyl" and "Foxcatcher," said, "I've done beauty retouching on women who are practically supermodels."

Would a Han Solo who's not Harrison Ford be the same sarcastic hero every "Star Wars" fan cherishes?

What would "Lord of the Rings" look like with Nicolas Cage in one of the main roles?

Characters become iconic thanks in large part to the actors who bring them to life, and it's often hard to imagine anyone else in the role after the fact.

But some actors are fired from a role, some leave because of other commitments, and some just don't accept the offer.

When an offer is first presented, it can be hard to see how successful a film might become. Some actors regret turning down a project, but others, like Jack Nicholson, know that it can be the right choice, no matter how popular or critically adored the film might become.

Here are 30 iconic characters that were almost played by different actors:

SEE ALSO: The 22 best political movies ever, ranked

Leonardo DiCaprio — Dirk Diggler in "Boogie Nights"

Played by: Mark Wahlberg

After watching him in "The Basketball Diaries," Paul Thomas Anderson wanted DiCaprio to star in "Boogie Nights." DiCaprio turned it down to appear in "Titanic," but recommended his friend and "Basketball Diaries" costar Mark Wahlberg.

DiCaprio told GQ in 2008 that he regretted turning down the role. "'Boogie Nights' is a movie I loved and I wish I would've done." When asked if he would reverse his decision if he could, DiCaprio said, "I'm not saying I would have. But it would have been a different direction, career-wise. I think they're both great and wish I could have done them both."

DiCaprio was also offered $20 million by Lionsgate to portray crazed serial killer Patrick Bateman in "American Psycho," even though director Mary Harron wanted Christian Bale in the role. She was replaced by director Oliver Stone, but DiCaprio and Stone couldn't agree on a creative direction, so DiCaprio left to film "The Beach." Harron returned to the project and Bale was cast.

Al Pacino — Han Solo in "Star Wars"

Played by: Harrison Ford

During the "An Evening with Pacino" event in 2013, the actor revealed that he could have played the iconic role of Han Solo in the "Star Wars" franchise.

"It was mine for the taking, but I didn’t understand the script," he said.

He also revealed that he turned down roles in "Apocalypse Now" and "Pretty Woman," eventually played by Marlon Brando and Richard Gere, respectively. 

Marilyn Monroe — Holly Golightly in "Breakfast at Tiffany's"

Played by: Audrey Hepburn 

Truman Capote, the author of "Breakfast at Tiffany's," wanted Marilyn Monroe to play Holly, but Monroe turned it down because she was warned that portraying Holly might be bad for her image.

It turns out the stories about“Suicide Squad” undergoing reshoots to make the movie more fun may not be totally correct.

At least, that’s what the film’s director says.

In a tweet early Monday morning, “Suicide Squad” director David Ayer said the reshoots are a chance for him to plug in more action, rather than make the film lighter in tone.

In late March, Birth Movies Death reported that the studio, Warner Bros., requested additional filming to create more fun scenes, after all of the humor had been revealed in trailers.

Many saw this as a knee-jerk reaction following complaints that “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice,” also from Warner, is too gloomy.

We’ll see what kind of vibe "Suicide Squad" is going for when it opens in theaters August 5. The plot follows a suicide mission by a group of notorious villains from the DC Comics universe.

In the meantime, here’s the latest trailer for the film, which premiered during the MTV Movie Awards Sunday night.

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NOW WATCH: Here are Hollywood's biggest donors in the 2016 election and how much they're spending

With over 100 films on tap, as well as interactive projects, TV premieres, and engaging talks with giants in entertainment, the Tribeca Film Festival has a lot in store for its 15th year when it kicks off on Wednesday in New York City. 

Whether you're there or not, movies and shows from the fest will be headed your way soon enough. To help you figure out what's worth watching, we've highlighted the 15 most exciting projects making their way through Tribeca. 

SEE ALSO: The 26 best comedies you can stream on Netflix right now

1. "Betting on Zero"

In this eye-opening documentary, we follow hedge-fund bigwig Bill Ackman as he attempts to bring down global nutritional titan Herbalife by making the case that it's a giant pyramid scheme. The film not only gives a behind-the-scenes look at Ackman's quest, but also highlights heart-wrenching testimonials from people who have lost thousands of dollars taking part in Herbalife's business model. To this day, Herbalife has defended itself as being a legitimate business.

2. "Don’t Think Twice"

Following his acclaimed directorial debut "Sleepwalk with Me," comedian Mike Birbiglia creates another funny and authentic story, this time delving deeper into the world of comedy. In "Don't Think Twice," we look at a close-knit comedy troupe (including Gillian Jacobs and Keegan-Michael Key) that breaks into dysfunction when a role on a hit TV show can only go to one of them. 

3. "Elvis & Nixon"

In 1970, Elvis Presley showed up at the White House unannounced to have a chat with President Nixon about becoming a Federal Agent for the Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs. The meeting was immortalized in a photo of the two that has since become the most-requested photograph in the National Archives. Finally a movie has been made about the meeting. Michael Shannon takes on the role of Elvis with Kevin Spacey playing Nixon. The subject is ripe to become a cult comedy.

"Elvis & Nixon" opens in theaters April 22.

Thanks to the Alamo Drafthouse Cinema chain, the original "Star Wars" trilogy will be getting a roadshow screening series across the country this summer. 

Beginning August 6, "A New Hope,""The Empire Strikes Back," and "Return of the Jedi" will screen in their 1997 re-release format at arts venues where the movies will be shown along with curated video content, contests, props from the movies, and other "special surprises," according to a press release. 

At many venues they will be shown as a triple feature.

“It’s always been a dream to show the original 'Star Wars' trilogy again — somehow, someway,” said Alamo Drafthouse’s VP of Special Events, Henri Mazza. “Seeing the original trilogy on the big screen for the first time is a real life-altering event and just a supreme amount of fun. When the films became available to book for screenings like these, we jumped at the chance to do something big.”

Tickets for most markets will be available on May 4 (fans know this as "Star Wars" Day) at ReturnOfTheTrilogy.com.

Here’s the list of initial dates, with more screenings to come:

August 6 – San Francisco, CA / The Warfield
August 6 – Kansas City, MO / The Midland Theatre
August 6 – Washington, D.C. / Warner Theatre
August 6 – Los Angeles, CA / The Theatre at the Ace Hotel
August 6 – New York, NY / The Town Hall
August 6 – Miami, FL / Olympia Theatre
August 6 – San Antonio, TX Majestic Theatre
August 7 – New York, NY / Kings Theatre
August 7 – Dallas, TX / Majestic Theatre
August 11 – 13 – Austin, TX / The Long Center for the Performing Arts
August 13 – Philadelphia, PA / The Keswick Theatre
August 13 – Louisville, KY / Brown Theatre
August 20 – Oakland, CA / Paramount Theatre
August 27 – Boston, MA / The Boston Opera House
Date TBD – Houston, TX / Venue TBD
Date TBD – Denver, CO / Venue TBD

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In March, Paramount released the first trailer for its summer blockbuster, “Ben-Hur,” a remake of the Charlton Heston Oscar-winning classic, which follows the journey of a Jewish prince, named Judah Ben-Hur, who is betrayed, sent into slavery, and then seeks vengeance.

Like the Heston movie, the latest adaptation of the Lew Wallace novel, out August 19, hinges on a thrilling chariot race in which Ben-Hur (played in the latest film by Jack Huston) battles the person who betrayed him.

Based on what you see in the trailer, you'd probably assume the race was shot in a Los Angeles soundstage with full green screen.

But the film's director Timur Bekmambetov (“Wanted,” “Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter”) revealed to Business Insider that much of the sequence was done without computer graphics.

“Those are real horses, real actors driving real chariots on the track,” Bekmambetov told Business Insider. “That’s 42 horses driving neck-and-neck.”

According to Bekmambetov, the sequence, which lasts 10 minutes in the movie, took 45 days to shoot on location in Italy.

“It was a very intense experience,” said Bekmambetov, who noted that the actors spent over three months training for the chariot race, which includes 90 horses on a 1,000-foot-long set.

That's not to say CGI is entirely absent from the sequence.

Many of the wide shots of the crowd were enhanced with computer graphics, and there's a shot in the trailer of a horse that gallops into the crowd — done with, yes, CGI magic.

But Bekmambetov said the "goal was to do as much in-camera as possible." 

The lack of computer graphics in the sequence was something Bekmambetov pushed for. And the inspiration for it came from a project he produced, “Hardcore Henry.” 

The unique action movie, currently in theaters, feels like a video game, with a point of view that comes entirely from a man who's trying to save his wife from a warlord.

“You really feel you’re in that chariot driving it,” Bekmambetov said of the “Ben-Hur” scene.

Watch the “Ben-Hur” trailer below:

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Let’s get one thing out of the way: The latest version of “The Jungle Book,” shot mainly in a warehouse in Los Angeles with green screen, is visually stunning. None of the CGI seams are showing as you make your way through an incredibly colorful and eye-popping rainforest. This is one of the rare occasions when it’s worth shelling out a few extra bucks for 3D.

If you know “The Jungle Book,” you know the story goes all the way back to Rudyard Kipling's 1894 book. A boy known as a "man-cub" named Mowgli (Neel Sethi) roams the jungle with his father figure Bagheera (Ben Kingsley), who's a black panther, and a pack of wolves.

While fleeing the clutches of vicious tiger Shere Khan (Idris Elba), Mowgli ends up in the care of a laid-back, singing bear named Baloo (Bill Murray). At first, Baloo keeps Mowgli around to get him honey, but then the two form an inseparable bond.

One of the film’s strengths is that it doesn’t feel the need to waste a ton of time on a backstory many already know. These characters hold such a high place that it feels like we are just visiting old friends.

It helps that each member of the cast perfectly serves their animal counterparts. It seems like the only direction Jon Favreau gave to Bill Murray and Christopher Walken (who plays King Louie like a mob boss) is, “Act like Bill Murray and Christopher Walken.” And the groundbreaking motion capture allows every animal to feel completely human.

The real scene-stealer, though, is Elba. He turns Shere Khan into one of cinema's most memorable recent villains. Khan is supposed to be king of the jungle, but he acts more like a dictator. Elba gives him an unpredictable air; you're never sure how dangerous his next move will be. This version of Shere Khan doesn’t feel like the kind of villain you’d see in most Disney movies.

It feels like less attention was paid to the story, however. “The Jungle Book” clocks in at under two hours, which is rare for a blockbuster these days. This is both a benefit and a disadvantage. There are moments when it feels like the film pulls out just as things are getting really good.

For example, in one scene Shere Khan shows up in the middle of the night and comforts the wolf cubs. This is also a way for him to threaten Raksha (Lupita Nyong’o). It's a powerful moment that is terrifying in its calmness, but this side of the villain is never explored much again.

Meanwhile, Baloo and Mowgli's close relationship is mainly explored in a brief montage, but it is meant to be the heart of the film.

When the film does stop to look around, it produces some extraordinary moments.

At first, I was worried that “The Jungle Book” would end up like “Avatar,” in which striking visuals don't actually say much. But then you get a glimpse of the elephant march. This moment, which looks like something from a nature documentary, is downright ethereal. The added mythology that the elephants are seen as gods by the other animals adds gravitas to the scene.

After “Batman v Superman,” the idea of a short tentpole movie sounds great, but “The Jungle Book” could have earned the right to go longer if it provided more moments like this.

“The Jungle Book” feels like an interesting crossroads in reboot culture: It takes a well-worn story and energizes it with the best technology has to offer. It's like everything and nothing you’ve ever seen before: a spectacle that is both imperfect and worth your money.

Hopefully, for the sequel, which is already in the works, the filmmakers will actually let this beautifully realized world breathe a bit.

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"Captain America: Civil War" isn't out until May 6, but it already sounds like it will be the first must-see blockbuster of the summer.

The first press screenings for the film have taken place and the immediate social reactions are extremely positive with some calling this Marvel's finest work yet.

Screencrush's editor-in-chief Mike Sampson ranks it as Marvel's third best movie behind "The Avengers" and "Guardians of the Galaxy."

That big airport fight sequence teased in the trailers is, apparently, amazing.

Many are praising the entrance of Tom Holland's Spider-Man and Chadwick Boseman's Black Panther.

Some are saying it's not perfect.

But you know you're excited, nonetheless.

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