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This Marvel comic could be great source material for the Obi-Wan Kenobi movie

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Star Wars ObiWan1

News broke Thursday that Lucasfilm is in the early development stage of a standalone Obi-Wan Kenobi movie.

And it got us thinking: What would a movie on the Jedi Knight will look like?

Many fans of “Star Wars” have always been curious what Obi-Wan Kenobi did all that time between “Revenge of the Sith” and “A New Hope.” That would presumably be the ideal setting for the standalone movie.

A comic book released by Marvel in 2015 brought some clarity to what Ol' Ben was doing at that time.

Following “Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith,” we found Obi-Wan Kenobi (played by Ewan McGregor) heading out alone after bringing twins Luke and Leia to safety from their father Anakin Skywalker — who by then had become Darth Vader.

The original film in the sage, “Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope,” shows “Ben” Kenobi (played by Alec Guinness) as an elder Jedi living in seclusion on Tatooine until he’s thrust back into the Rebel cause after crossing paths with the adult Luke.

Kenobi dies by the hands of Vader in “A New Hope” and that looks to be where the comic book "Star Wars #7" begins.

In the comic, Skywalker comes across Kenobi’s journals after returning to his home world of Tatooine following the events that occur in "A New Hope." The writings he uncovers are his master’s experience on the planet during “a time when injustice reigned.”

star wars darth vader obi wan kenobi

From the synopsis:

“As villainous scum runs rampant over the blistering sands, only a Jedi Master stands any hope of liberating the planet from the grasp of gangs, thieves and thugs. But would Ben risk everything to do what was right? Even if it meant revealing himself to those searching for his whereabouts?”

Some of the pages Marvel teased of the comic back in 2015 shows Kenobi living an isolated existence on Tatooine.

Star Wars 7 Comic

And here it looks like he's come across a young Luke Skywalker (perhaps keeping tabs on him?).

Star Wars 7 Comics2

 

Seeing this is canon, it seems like an obvious starting point for the director attached to the Obi-Wan movie, Stephen Daldry. But the bigger piece to this puzzle is the involvement of Ewan McGregor. Currently the actor isn't attached, which shows how early the project is in its life. But signs are good that the actor would want to take on the role. He's said for years (and told us last year) that he wants to play the character again. 

Don't expect anything to happen overnight on this project. Lucasfilm has a mountain of stories in different stages of production outside of the continuation of the main "Star Wars" saga, like a long-in-development Boba Fett movie and a standalone on Yoda.

In the meantime, seek out this Obi-Wan comic, and imagine McGregor in these kind of poses from its multi-covers.

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This post has been updated from its original version.

SEE ALSO: How to get the new "Star Wars" emojis

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Daniel Craig didn't break character or his weird voice while shooting 'Logan Lucky'

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Logan Lucky Daniel Craig

One of the many highlights from the trailer for Steven Soderbergh's "Logan Lucky" is the hilarious voice Daniel Craig uses to play bank robber Joe Bang. 

It turns out, to keep that high-pitched twang on the tip of his tongue, the James Bond star talked like that even off the set for the entire time he was working on the movie.

"He was doing the voice the whole time," Riley Keough, who also stars in "Logan Lucky," told Business Insider while she was promoting her upcoming movie "It Comes at Night" (opening in theaters on Friday). "If I saw him at the hotel after shooting he would be doing the voice. It was really funny."

And Craig wasn't the only comic relief. Between him and costars Channing Tatum and Adam Driver, the jokes were constant, according to Keough.

Logan Lucky Bleecker Street2"When I start laughing I just can't stop, so that was really hard because they were all so funny," the actress said. "And they wouldn't stop bantering between takes. It was ridiculous."

In the movie, Tatum and Driver play brothers who hire Craig's Joe Bang to help them pull off a heist during a NASCAR race.

So why did Craig insist on staying in character off the set?

"I think the thing is because he's English he wanted to not lose the voice," Keough said.

It seems like a good theory.

"Logan Lucky" opens in theaters August 18. Check out Craig's unique voice in the trailer below:

 

SEE ALSO: The 10 biggest box office bombs of 2017 so far

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These $25 headphones with 3D surround sound are perfect for playing games and watching movies

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Even though the future is wireless, it's still handy to keep a pair of wired headphones on you at all times. And for that, I think I've found a new favorite: the Moov 14 in-ear headphones from Vava, which only cost $25.

vava moov 14 headphones

I use in-ear headphones for two things, mainly: to hear music and notifications coming from my laptop when I'm working throughout the day, and to plug into my PlayStation 4 controller so I can play games or watch movies, particularly when my fiancée is asleep so as not to disturb her.

When I saw the Moov 14 headphones, I was instantly drawn by the polygonal design of the metal buds — a hint that they're to be used for gaming — and their deep red accents. They looked beautiful, but I was worried about comfort. I'm one of those people who usually feels in-ear headphones go too far into my ears to the point of discomfort; Apple's earbud design, which simply sits in your ear, feels much more comfortable to me. Still, I wanted to give these buds a try.

I was glad I did.

vava moov 14 headphonesThough I didn't like the comfort of the original earbud tips that came on the headphones, Vava includes three other pairs of different-sized tips, so I tried the smallest tips Vava made — those are still by far my favorite. With those tips, I'd even go so far as to say the Moov 14 is the most comfortable pair of in-ear headphones I've tried that aren't made by Apple. (I still think Apple makes more comfortable in-ear headphones, but everyone's ears, and opinions, are different.)

As for the audio quality, the Moov 14 headphones do tend to favor the higher and mid-range frequencies, which is totally fine for most video games you'll play. You might lose some of the depth in some movies, but after using them for 5 minutes you won't notice a big difference. The most important thing here is that everything sounds clear, and volume isn't an issue at all. The big bonus here is 3D surround sound, which makes movies and games feel that much more immersive. It can sound like action is happening all around you, or just from a specific area — like directly behind you. It's a great effect.

Since these headphones can be used for gaming, they also include an integrated mic and button to skip tracks, if you're listening to music, or even take calls. Voice chat on the PS4 sounded comparable to other in-ear headphones I tried — clear but a little tinny — and my voice came through loud and clear. The microphone on Apple's in-ear headphones isn't compatible with the PS4 controllers, so the Moov 14 headphones win this round.

The only thing these headphones are not built for is exercise. Vava does make some exercise headphones, both wired and wireless pairs, but you might be better off going a bit more upscale with something like PowerBeats, where you get what you pay for in terms of both durability and performance.

My favorite aspect of the Moov 14 headphones, though, isn't even the headphones — it's the adorable palm-sized traveling case they come in, which manages to keep the headphones secure and the various eartips all organized. It's a great way to ensure you don't lose anything, and the case, with its sleek ambigram logo, is just really cool to boot.

vava moov 14 headphones

For $25, the Vava Moov 14 headphones are a great option if want a solid, immersive and comfortable audio experience while watching movies or playing games. You can buy them on Amazon right here

SEE ALSO: The 25 best games every PlayStation 4 owner should have in their library

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'Straight Outta Compton' star O'Shea Jackson Jr. is a scene stealer in his new movie

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O'Shea Jackson Jr. is best known for being the son of Ice Cube. But that's going to change soon.

Since playing his father in the hit N.W.A. biopic "Straight Outta Compton" in 2015, the rising star has been keeping a low profile. However, it seems he was just waiting for the right role, and it finally came with the dark comedy, "Ingrid Goes West" (currently playing in theaters).

In the movie, in which Aubrey Plaza plays Ingrid — a social media stalker who is obsessed with an Instagram star (played by Elizabeth Olsen) — Jackson Jr. plays Dan Pinto, Ingrid's landlord and eventual love interest.

With a role that could have easily been forgettable, Jackson Jr., 26, uses it to become the movie's secret weapon. From his constant vaping to his obsession with Batman (specifically "Batman Forever"), Jackson Jr. elevates the movie's comedy while showing audiences there's a lot more to his talents than impersonating his father's gangsta rap days.

"I looked at 'Ingrid Goes West' as an opportunity to show my versatility as an actor," Jackson Jr. told Business Insider earlier this year at the Sundance Film Festival. "People see 'Straight Outta Compton' and they look at that as a big family project, but those people don't know that I went to film school. I went to the School of Cinematic Arts at the University of Southern California, so cinema's a very big part of my life."

Jackson Jr. said a big reason why he hasn't gotten the steady work of his fellow castmates from "Compton," Corey Hawkins ("24: Legacy") and Jason Mitchell ("Detroit"), is simply because he was looking for something different than what he was being offered.

"This was the only script where I didn't get a gun," Jackson Jr. said of "Ingrid Goes West."

Ice Cube Straight Outta ComptonIn fact, it was Jackson Jr.'s fun personality that evolved the Dan Pinto role.

"We realized we had this goldmine and we were just like, 'How can we use this for the betterment of the story?'" director Matt Spicer said of casting Jackson Jr.

That led to Spicer and his cowriter, David Branson Smith, scrapping some of the things about the Pinto character they had in the screenplay, and tweaking it to better fit Jackson Jr.'s colorful personality.

We caught a glimpse of that at Sundance. With a big wide grin and infectious laugh, he's far from the introvert he depicted his father to be in "Straight Outta Compton." And when our interview ended, instead of going straight to his phone as most, Jackson Jr. jumped up and walked over to where his costars Plaza and Olsen were doing interviews, and began making funny faces at them. The two couldn't help but laugh while trying to answer questions. 

It might be a little while before we see Jackson Jr. in a comedic role again. He'll next be starring in the bank heist movie "Den of Thieves," and the sequel to 2014's "Godzilla." It seems his master plan is to try out all kinds of roles.

"I came up with this phrase today, I want to be Black Pitt," Jackson Jr. said. "I don't want to be typecast into one role, I want to be versatile. I want to have a long career in cinema."

SEE ALSO: Aubrey Plaza and Elizabeth Olsen talk about the "scary" side of social media that inspired their new movie about an Instagram stalker

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This is how MoviePass plans to make money with a $10-a-month unlimited plan that seems too good to be true

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When MoviePass announced this week that it would be lowering the rates for its unlimited movie buffet to only $10 a month it immediately became a trending topic. With the average movie ticket in the US about $9, and a ticket in a city like New York costing more than $16, the deal was impossible to ignore.

MoviePass makes it all really easy. Select the theater and film you want to see on its app, and the cost for the ticket at that location magically appears on a special debit card they provide  you with. 

But for many people I spoke to, excitement about the deal is mixed with a good dose of suspicion. What's the catch? If you're only paying $10 a month, and MoviePass is paying the full price for each movie ticket you buy, how could it possibly stay in business?

As someone who has been a MoviePass subscriber for the better part of the past two years, I understood the gym membership model that they employed. Each month, I would pay MoviePass $50 and they would bank on me not using the service enough times to make it worthwhile. 

At $10 a month though, that model seems less viable. Even if I only see one movie during the entire month, there's not much left over from my monthly fee for MoviePass to keep. Indeed, since I first wrote about the new plan, I've received a flood of questions from people who are intrigued by the service, but simply don't understand how it could really work. 

The following is my best attempt at explaining how MoviePass' $10-a-month model works:

So how does it make money? 

The short answer is, it's not clear if the company actually does make money. AMC Theatres has complained about the $9.95 pricepoint and called it unsustainable, but MoviePass CEO Mitch Lowe told Variety that they simply don't understand the business model. 

"We need to offset costs in Manhattan and L.A. by getting a lot of people in Kansas City and Omaha, and places where the average ticket price is five or six bucks to sign up," he explained. 

MoviePass settled on the $9.95 price point in an effort to rope in as many consumers as possible. Because the company is after something much more valuable than your monthly fee: your data. 

MoviePass is playing the long game

The same day it announced the $10-a-month plan, MoviePass raised cash by selling a majority stake to the data firm Helios and Matheson Analytics Inc.. With a new price-point designed to attract as many subscribers as possible, MoviePass is hoping to attract a large enough user base so as to be able to monetize it. 

MoviePassIn an interview with Wired, Helios and Matheson CEO Ted Farnsworth explained how MoviePass hopes to turn its user base into a cash cow. 

“If you get a trailer right now for Spiderman on Facebook, Facebook can’t tell if you ever actually go to the movie. We can,” he told Wired. “We can tell if you look at 'Spider-Man' and look at 'Wonder Woman' and 'Mission: Impossible,' we can tell you exactly what movie you went to out of all three trailers.”

Farnsworth envisions movie studios using MoviePass' valuable data to do targeted marketing for their films. Once MoviePass has millions of subscribers, its ability fill seats can make the difference between a hit movie or a flop, he explained. MoviePass plans to hold an IPO in March, he noted. 

AMC's big worry about the new MoviePass model

When MoviePass still had a gym-style membership and was flying under-the-radar with only 20,000 subscribers, AMC Theatres tolerated the partnership. But when the subscription service announced its dirt-cheap rate on Tuesday, the theater chain spoke out. 

"AMC believes that holding out to consumers that first-run movies can be watched in theaters at great quantities for a monthly price of $9.95 isn't doing moviegoers any favors," AMC said in a statement. "In AMC's view, that price level is unsustainable and only sets up consumers for ultimate disappointment down the road if or when the product can no longer be fulfilled."

In short, the theater giant is worried that MoviePass will go bankrupt before it is able to turn a profit, and that when it's gone, its subscribers will have developed an expectation that a visit to the theater should cost next-to-nothing. 

AMC's nightmare is that in a post-MoviePass world, theatergoers will view even a $9 movie ticket as a ripoff, and will stop going altogether. 

MoviePass envisions a future where a single subscription can take care of your entire night out

One thing that MoviePass CEO Lowe thinks could win over movie theaters is the fact that his company's subscribers spend an average of 123% more on snacks than the regular moviegoer. And with customers able to see more movies due to the unlimited service, it means more money in theaters' coffers. 

Taking it one step further, Farnsworth told Wired that businesses such as restaurants and parking services will want to get in on the action once they see the data Helios and Matheson is able to provide.

“Helios’s mapping of the area around the theater, and all the different things you might encounter in that area, will allow us to do much more than we currently do," he explained. “You’re going to be able to pay for your concessions, pick your seats, and probably be able to pay for things at adjacent businesses and get one monthly bill.”

Whether or not this cheap, utopian future comes to fruition remains to be seen. But for now, you may as well see some movies.  

You can read more about MoviePass on Wired and Variety.  

SEE ALSO: Everything you ever wanted to know about MoviePass, the $10-a-month service that lets you see one movie per day in theaters

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'The Hitman's Bodyguard' wins a lazy weekend box office as the 'Logan Lucky' experiment fails

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The summer movie season is limping to the finish line as this August features no major blockbuster releases from any of the major studios. That has opened the door for midsize and independent distributors to show off what they can offer.

Sadly, it isn't anything that is going to scare off the majors.

Despite a lot of hype in how he was releasing his first feature film in four years, Steven Soderbergh's "Logan Lucky" opened in theaters with only an estimated $8 million, according to Exhibitor Relations.

The auteur released the heist movie — which stars big names like Channing Tatum, Adam Driver, and Daniel Craig — through his own company and controlled the distribution (Bleecker Street handled the nuts and bolts of the release) and marketing for it. It was the first time Soderbergh has been able to have that power.

But the plan of releasing the movie wide on over 3,000 screens with a small marketing campaign that focused more on the midwest and south instead of New York and Los Angeles seems to have backfired. Soderbergh said an opening at $15 million — a modest figure seeing the number of screens it was released on — would be a win. But the movie couldn't even crack double digits.

logan lucky fingerprint releasing bleecker street finalThat led to Lionsgate's conventional release of its action comedy "The Hitman's Bodyguard," starring Ryan Reynolds and Samuel L. Jackson, to run away with the weekend. It blew away all titles with an estimated $21 million opening, according to The Wrap.

Soderbergh and Bleecker Street must be scratching their heads on what they did wrong.

"Logan Lucky" has a much stronger Rotten Tomatoes score (93% compared to 39%), placed perfectly on the release calendar where it went up against zero studio fare, and arguably had a more eye-catching cast compared to "The Hitman's Bodyguard," but it still came up short.

The silver lining here is because the movie got most of its production budget ($29 million) in pre-sales of the movie, a big studio isn't taking a cut of its box office receipts, and much of its $20 million marketing budget may be intact (only 15% of it was gone three weeks out from its opening). So the movie may not be looking at a major loss.

However, the "Logan Lucky" experiment isn't going to inspire other auteurs to take on the releases of their movies, which is pleasant news for big studios and distributors.

SEE ALSO: The 5 biggest winners and losers at the box office this summer — including "Wonder Woman," Rotten Tomatoes, and sequels

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The 5 biggest winners and losers at the box office this summer — including 'Wonder Woman,' Rotten Tomatoes, and sequels (AMC)

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The summer movie season is supposed to be the time of year when movie studios and theaters cash in.

The big event movies are placed in the summer months to specifically draw in the kids who are out of school. In the past, that's led to a period when the movie industry makes a large chunk of its revenue for the year.

But both studios and exhibitors are suddenly seeing that the game has changed.

Summer movie ticket sales dropped 10% from the previous year in 2016 at the domestic box office. And they were down 12% this summer compared to 2016. The effects can be seen at the country's biggest multiplexes, which saw shares plummet.

It's hard to tell if the summer movie season will ever return to its former glory — especially when it seems the last few summers things on the small screen captured the zeitgeist more, whether it was Netflix's "Stranger Things" or HBO's "Game of Thrones."

But there will always be movies that break through and find an audience, and this summer was no different ("Wonder Woman,""Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2").

It's just becoming more evident that studios need to rethink what they release during the summer to compete with our addiction to streaming and mobile devices.

To look back on summer 2017 at the box office, we broke down the five big winners and losers:

SEE ALSO: "Straight Outta Compton" star O'Shea Jackson Jr. is a scene stealer in his new movie

WINNER: 'Wonder Woman'

Warner Bros.'s long-awaited theatrical version of the legendary DC Comics character brought legitimacy to the studio's DC Extended Universe, and won the domestic box office this summer by taking in over $400 million. It's earned close to $800 million worldwide.

Director Patty Jenkins found the perfect combination of action sequences and inspiring origin story to make the movie into a can't-miss event of the summer, which is what Hollywood has craved.



LOSER: The Multiplex

AMC, the nation's largest theater chain, announced in early August that its shares dropped 27%, the biggest one-day decline in the company's history. This was due to the company saying it would record a second-quarter loss. And none of the other chains are doing any better: Regal's net income fell around 30% in the second quarter, while Cinemark's dropped 5%.

For many, most of the movies that hit the big multiplexes felt tired and unoriginal. It also didn't help that many had poor Rotten Tomatoes scores. Speaking of which ...



WINNER: Rotten Tomatoes

The review aggregator site really flexed its muscles this summer. With studies now having data to back up the claim that most moviegoers look at the site before deciding on buying movie tickets, more and more studios and distributors are using the "Tomatometer" score in their marketing of a movie — when the score is good.

And this summer when a studio anticipated a bad score, it delayed critics from seeing the movie as much as possible. Sony did that with the releases of "The Emoji Movie" (which on the day of its opening had a 0% rating) and "The Dark Tower." Though both received rotten scores on the site, they had respectable opening weekends ("The Dark Tower" won its weekend). This was partly because there was little competition on those weekends, but also because critics chimed in much later than usual.

The power of the Tomatometer is real!



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

15 recent movies that are way better than critics say they are

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Valerian STX Entertainment

Sometimes – not always, but sometimes – there’s nothing more fun than the pure pleasure of watching a bad movie. Ah, yes, the combined joy of terrible acting, bad CGI, awful storyline, and an overall convoluted or confusing mess.

And even the worst movies will usually have some defining bit that stands out. After all, who still doesn’t get a little excited at the thought of pod racing from Phantom Menace, a literal Alien vs. Predator grudge match, or a tornado flying through New York filled with sharks!

This is what critics – the ones who can make or break films – tend to forget:  not every movie needs to be a masterpiece. Sometimes, movies can just be fun. Sure you may forget them as soon as you’ve seen them, but that doesn’t mean they’re not great in the moment.

There has been a recent run of movies panned as mixed to mostly awful, but actually, have their own worth and are worth actually watching. We took a look at anything on Rotten Tomatoes that had less than 70%, meaning they all got some undeserved hate.

On that note, here are 15 recent movies that are way better than critics say:

15. "The Dark Tower"

Instead of seeing The Dark Tower as a fantasy adventure sealing the fate of our world in a balance of good versus evil, we looked at this movie like a feel-good buddy-cop flick! There’s the old grizzled veteran who is days away from retirement (a la, the end of the universe) and his new partner, the young hotshot who’s more idealism than skill, and they work to stop an evil kingpin, with some pretty fantastic henchmen, who literally wants to watch the world burn.

If you view if this way, Idris Elba’s angry charisma overflows from the screen, Matthew McConaughey – while in no way terrifying – is at least a smarmy and entertaining villain, and even Tom Taylor’s Jake Chambers is surprisingly easy to root for by the end.

In the final scene, when they tease more adventures for this unlikely pair, you actually wouldn’t mind sitting through more of their pair-up shenanigans.



14. "Jupiter Ascending"

Besides the classic The Matrix, the Wachowskis are always going to be polarizing in their work. Either you’re thrilled to see the CGI-heavy spectacle that is their unique cinematic vision, or you’re just not feeling their over-the-top and overly-complicated style.

Jupiter Ascending is probably the best (or worst, depending on how you feel) example. It’s an incredible space soap-opera that’s as beautiful as it is insane. You’ve got great actors who do their best with lines like, “Bees don’t lie.” Plus, there’s a space orgy and a pool full of human remains. And yes, Channing Tatum is half human, half-wolf space bounty hunter.

Try not to take it seriously and it all becomes a lot of fun. The fight scenes are epic and the movie is beautifully shot. You could simply turn off the sound and still find this movie a blast.

Much like Speed Racer before it, the story isn’t the joy of this film; the joy is sitting down and going along on the ride. And what an interstellar acid-trip of a ride it is.



13. "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows"

The first Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles was made to capitalize on the nostalgia trend of the millennial’s youth and resulted in a movie that wasn’t quite ridiculous enough to be fun, and wasn’t quite fun enough to be ridiculous. It floundered in the between a serious action flick and live-action cartoon.

Luckily, the filmmakers knew exactly what to do with the sequel, Out of the Shadows. Upping to dial to far beyond 11, this film had everything for those who grew up with a clear favorite turtle.

There was teleportation, mutation, interdimensional villains, and, yes, the Technodrome! We even got fantastic throwbacks to both the cartoon and the classic SNES video game with Bebop and Rocksteady, Krang and Casey Jones!

This is a rare example where the sequel far outdoes the original. The jokes are fantastically slapstick, the action is high caliber, and it’s full of Easter eggs and inside references. It’s not a film for everyone, but for that nostalgic audience, it’s damn perfect.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

'Dirty Dancing' premiered 30 years ago today — I visited the hotel where it was filmed and found a depressing tourist trap

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First, I have to confess that I am a huge "Dirty Dancing" fan. Despite being born seven years after the movie's premiere on this day in 1987, I have loved the movie for as long as I can remember. 

Thanks to my mom, I know most of the classic lines ("I carried a watermelon"), can sing all of the songs ("She's Like the Wind" and "Hungry Eyes") and have even re-enacted the iconic lift. 

On a recent road trip through Virginia with my family, my mom and I decided to stop at the Mountain Lake Lodge, the Pembroke hotel where the movie was filmed. 

Mountain Lake Lodge is proud of its 15 minutes of fame as Kellerman's, from the spot where "nobody puts Baby in a corner" to the specific cabin where Baby and her family stay. But one pivotal part of that fame is now missing: the lake. Due to a naturally occurring phenomenon, the lake is now completely dry.

Mountain Lake Lodge still has several "Dirty Dancing"-themed weekends throughout the year. The next one is August 25-27, the weekend of its 30-year anniversary. The weekend includes a walking movie tour (like the one my family and I did), dancing lessons, a scavenger hunt, and a Saturday night party. Thousands of fans make a pilgrimage to the set to see remnants of the '80s movie that became a cult classic.

Despite our excitement on the seven-mile drive up the side of a mountain, the "Dirty Dancing" set was something of a letdown. Here's what it was like to walk back in time to the "Dirty Dancing" set:

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At first glance on the drive in, Mountain Lake Lodge makes you feel like you're back in 1987, pulling up to the Kellerman's of "Dirty Dancing."

Aside from having fewer people and the addition of a screen around the porch, Mountain Lake Lodge looks almost exactly the same as it did for filming. 

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Next to the visitor parking lot, a small cabin is filled with newspaper clippings, memorabilia, and a guided map for "Dirty Dancing" fans to take a walking tour of the grounds.



The first stop was the front of the hotel, which we saw as we drove in — the same view the Houseman family sees from their car in the movie. By the second stop, it already felt like Mountain Lake Lodge was scrounging for memories.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

The 20 worst-reviewed superhero movies ever made

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nicolas cage ghost rider

The INSIDER Summary: 

  • Superhero movies are having tons of success lately — but not all of them are winners.
  • Some movies like "Batman & Robin" and "Catwoman" weren't huge successes with critics.
  • The 1984 film "Supergirl" tops the list with a score of 7% on Rotten Tomatoes.

While the Rotten Tomatoes tool for aggregating critical reviews doesn’t always fairly assess with technical precision just how good or bad a film is – since that is ultimately a subjective conclusion – its scores certainly give us a general sense of when a movie is a must-see or just not that great. Also, the Tomatometer is a pretty useful tool for comparing two or more films, which is always fun and worth discussing.

While the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the DC Extended Universe, and other superhero-related franchises have been enjoying great success with their properties in the past few years, it is definitely not true that every superhero movie out there is worth making for the sake of profits or to serve an overall continuity. There are certainly superhero films that are just plain bad and should’ve never been released without going through some quite significant changes.

Some of these films are old, and others are very recent. Some of these heroes are from Marvel, some are from DC, and others are independent. Budgets fluctuate, reasons differ, and contexts vary… But all of these projects have one thing in common: they are not good.

These are the 20 Worst Superhero Movies Ever (According To Rotten Tomatoes).

20. "Green Lantern"— 26%

2011’s "Green Lantern" was not good, and that is a notion that even the most voracious DC Comics fans can agree on. On Rotten Tomatoes, it has a score of 26%.

Starring Ryan Reynolds (who had already played a different hero – Deadpool– in 2009’s "X-Men Origins: Wolverine"), Blake Lively (fresh off her "Gossip Girl" success), and Taika Waititi (who would later direct "Thor: Ragnarok"), "Green Lantern" was an attempt from Warner Bros and DC Comics to keep on capitalizing on superheroes in the heels of the incredibly successful "The Dark Knight" trilogy. But like "Watchmen," which also came out during those years, it didn’t work quite as well as Christopher Nolan’s take on Batman.

While "Green Lantern" was perceived by many as a career-killer, Ryan Reynolds certainly redeemed himself when he returned to his "X-Men Origins" character in 2016’s solo "Deadpool" movie.



19. "Ghost Rider"— 26%

Even though it has a score of 26% on Rotten Tomatoes, "Ghost Rider" made some decent money in 2007, grossing at least two times its budget and being considered a box office success.

Written and directed by Mark Steven Johnson, who wrote "Jack Frost," wrote and directed 2003’s "Daredevil," and produced "Elektra,""Ghost Rider" was not received well by most film reviewers and was even criticized by religious groups who claimed that it had satanic references.

The movie featured actor Nicolas Cage (who, also in 2007, starred in the very successful "National Treasure: Book of Secrets") and Eva Mendes (fresh off her breakout performance in 2005’s "Hitch").

Curiously, Nic Cage has a Ghost Rider tattoo, which had to be covered during the movie’s shoot.



18. "Suicide Squad"— 25%

"Suicide Squad" is the fourth installment in the DCEU continuity, and just like "Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice" — which also came out in 2016 — it was liked by some fans but not well-received by most critics.

There was a lot riding in the hands of "Suicide Squad." For one, the movie featured Jared Leto’s Joker, which was the first time this character appeared in a live-action movie since Heath Ledger’s Oscar-winning take in "The Dark Knight." Secondly, "Squad" had to introduce seven villains that set out to save the world — Harley Quinn, Deadshot, Rick Flag, Captain Boomerang, El Diablo, Killer Croc, and Katana — and one villain who was the actual antagonist of the story (The Enchantress). Last but not least, there were several production missteps reportedly attached to the project, such as rumors that the final cut of the movie was conducted by a marketing team.

On Rotten Tomatoes, "Suicide Squad" has a score of 25%.



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34 movies you have to see this fall — including 'Justice League,' 'It,' and 'Blade Runner 2049'

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After a summer movie season that saw some hit movies but a lot of duds, Hollywood is looking for a rebound in the fall.

The fall season will have its share of blockbusters — from the anticipated “It” to "Thor: Ragnarok" and “Justice League” — but there will also be some titles mixed in that will compete for award season attention, like “Call Me By Your Name” and “Stronger.”

Here are 34 movies coming out this fall that you shouldn’t miss:

SEE ALSO: Every "Game of Thrones" romantic relationship, ranked from worst to best

"It" - September 8

The latest adaptation of Stephen King's classic novel looks to be the most chilling yet. In it, a group of bullied kids team up to take on a monster named Pennywise (that looks like a clown) that hunts kids.



"First They Killed My Father" - September 15

Netflix's next anticipated movie from a marquee name is Angelina Jolie's latest directing effort that looks back on the horrific upbringing in Cambodia of Loung Ung. Jolie cast hundreds of survivors and their children to recreate their stories. 



"mother!" - September 15

Darren Aronofsky's latest thriller stars Jennifer Lawrence and Javier Bardem as a couple whose lives are suddenly interrupted when guests arrive at their home. Aronofsky has always had a knack for completely messing with audience's heads, and this one looks to be no different. The movie also stars Ed Harris and Michelle Pfeiffer. 



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

An origin movie about The Joker is in the works without Jared Leto — and Martin Scorsese is involved

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Warner Bros. is working on an origin movie on the legendary DC Comics villain The Joker. But here's the interesting twist — it will be cowritten and directed by Todd Phillips and produced by Martin Scorsese. 

It's a random pairing that perhaps only the Clown Prince of Crime could fully appreciate: the director known best for making bro comedies like "The Hangover" movies and "Old School" teaming up with one of the greatest filmmakers who ever lived. 

According to Deadline, Phillips is cowriting the script with Scott Silver ("8 Mile") and is producing the movie alongside Scorsese. The Joker origin movie will be the first title in a spin-off of Warner Bros.' DC Comics Extended Universe that will delve deeper into the DC catalog to focus on iconic characters. 

Having The Joker kick things off is a smart choice by Warner Bros./DC. The character continues to fascinate audiences through the decades, from the memorable performances given on the big screen by Jack Nicholson and Heath Ledger (who won a posthumous best supporting actor Oscar) to Mark Hamill voicing the character for years.

Todd Phillips Alberto E. Rodriguez GettyAnd though the current holder of the outlandish character, Jared Leto, will continue on playing The Joker in the sequel to "Suicide Squad" and a Harley Quinn spinoff movie, he will not be playing him in the origin movie.

According to Deadline, a different actor, possibly younger, will play the role.

Phillips and Silver are currently writing the movie, which Deadline said is intended to be a "grounded hard-boiled crime film set in early-'80s Gotham City that isn’t meant to feel like a DC movie as much as one of Scorsese’s films from that era, like 'Taxi Driver,' 'Raging Bull' or 'The King Of Comedy.'" 

SEE ALSO: "Game of Thrones" director reveals what George R.R. Martin told him about Jon and Daenerys years ago

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A bunch of classic '90s Disney movies are coming to Netflix next month

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The INSIDER Summary:

  • Netflix announced everything coming to the site in September.
  • Four classic '90s Disney movies will be available to stream: "Mulan,""Pocahontas,""Beauty and the Beast," and "Hercules."
  • Disney has a deal with Netflix until 2019 when it will stop streaming its animated movies.
  • It's a big deal since the company usually keeps its popular animated classics close at hand in the Disney vault, re-releasing popular hits strategically one at a time every few years. 


Netflix just released its list of what's coming and going from the streaming site in September and Disney fans are in luck.

Not one or two, but four classic movies from Disney's '90s renaissance will be available next month. Here's the full list and when you can expect them on the site:

9/1/2017:"Hercules" (1997)
9/1/2017:"Mulan" (1998)
9/14/2017:"Pocahontas" (1995)
9/19/2017: "Beauty and the Beast" (1991)

The new additions will join a plethora of Disney and Pixar animated movies that are already available:

"Moana"
"Zootopia"
"Lilo & Stitch"
"The Emperor's New Groove"
"Finding Dory"
"Atlantis the Lost Empire"
"An Extremely Goofy Movie"
"Chicken Little"
"Disney's Short Film's Collection"
"Tinkerbell"
"Stitch! The Movie"
"Fantasia" 
"Pocahonatas II: Journey to a New World"
"Tarzan II"
"Kronk's New Groove"
"Lilo & Stitch 2: Stitch Has A Glitch"
"Brother Bear 2"

Why this is a big deal 

While Disney has been re-releasing older and newer movies on Netflix for a while now, this is a big deal for a few reasons. Disney hasn't released that many of its big, popular animated classics at once on the streaming site. You'll usually see a mix of new Disney releases like "Moana" with older films like "The Nightmare Before Christmas" and live-action films like "The Mighty Ducks" and "Homeward Bound."

Fans of the Mouse House are probably excited as well because these movies are usually locked in the Disney Vault only to resurface on home video every few years. Disney usually re-releases its classics about every seven years so they’re considered fresh for a new generation of younger children.

Getting four of them in the same month is an extra special treat.  

You can check out the full list of movies and TV shows coming to Netflix next month here. 

Join the conversation about this story »

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The most popular movie that came out the year you were born

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Every year brings its own set of pop culture obsessions. Looking at the most popular movie from each year can tell you a lot about what people were talking about at the time, and how people's tastes have changed. It's fun to look at the most popular one from when you were born and see what everyone was obsessed with.

The best way to tell the most popular movie is by looking at box office figures. This year, so far, Disney holds the #1 spot on the worldwide box office list, with "Beauty and the Beast,"which grossed $1.26 billion. There's a good chance the studio will keep that title with the next "Star Wars" movie, due later this year.

To make this list, we looked at the highest-grossing movies from each year using Box Office Mojo and The Numbers. We adjusted the numbers for inflation, and used international box office figures where they became available (starting in 1975). A few years in the 1930s are missing because of a lack of data.

Read on to find out the most popular movie released the year you were born:

Tanza Loudenback and Jason Guerrasio contributed to an original version of this story.

1930: "Tom Sawyer"

Adjusted gross: $159 million

Unadjusted gross: $11 million

What it's about: An adaptation of the classic Mark Twain novel, Tom and his friends Huckleberry Finn and Joe Harper have numerous adventures, become pirates, attend their own funerals, and escape from a vengeful murderer.



1931: "Frankenstein"

Adjusted gross: $190 million

Unadjusted gross: $12 million

What it's about: Universal's original "Frankenstein" adaptation put a permanent mark on how we see the character in pop culture. After Dr. Henry Frankenstein makes the dead walk again, his monster needs to learn how to live.



1933: "King Kong"

Adjusted gross: $185 million

Unadjusted gross: $10 million

What it's about: "King Kong," one of the first mass spectacles of cinema, has been remade plenty of times. But the original one possesses a rare emotional power — of a romance between an actress and a prehistoric ape — that's hard to top.



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The 25 best graphic novel movie adaptations of all time

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If you’re a fan of today’s movies, you can throw a rock and hit like 40 different comic book-related projects. And while it’s weird that a number of these series are produced with their comic book counterparts continuing to grow on a monthly basis, there’s a history of movies that were derived from graphic novels, which at their base are more serialized comic book works.

With the money Netflix is funneling into their original programming, there’s no surprised that the long-awaited Hollywood adaptation of Death Note, the wildly-popular manga series-turned-anime dealing with a magical book that grants its owner the ability to kill anyone who’s name is written in it, is premiering on the service this Friday.

In a year that’s already featured (shaky) film adaptations of Valerian AND Ghost In the Shell, it’s high time we take a look at the absolute best movies that got their start as graphic novels. And who knows, maybe you might find out that your favorite film is also just as dope when you read it.

SEE ALSO: 34 movies you have to see this fall — including 'Justice League,' 'It,' and 'Blade Runner 2049'

25. "300" (2006)

Writer Of Graphic Novel: Frank Miller
Director: Zack Snyder
Stars: Gerard Butler, Lena Headey, David Wenham, Rodrigo Santoro, Dominic West​

All of the characters in 300 take the events that unfold very seriously. To enjoy this movie, you should do the exact opposite. Director Zack Snyder faithfully replicates the original comic series written by da gawd Frank Miller by stuffing his film with a bunch of contrast-laden special effects that prioritize muscles and bloodshed over things movies typically care about—like plot and character development. The story traces the Spartan legend of King Leonidas (Butler) and his 300 best soldiers and their suicidally brave stand against thousands and thousands of Persians led by the “God-King” Xerxes.

Essentially, Snyder just sends waves and waves of soldiers (some riding very large elephants) to be butchered by the Spartans, who deploy very cunning strategy to make up for their limited numbers. But all the bravery in the world can’t withstand a hailstorm of arrows. Still the squadron of Leonidas don’t die in vain, it rallies Greece and blah, blah, blah. It doesn’t really matter. 300 exists as a glamorization of a very violent and primal form of masculinity for dudes that wear fedoras with shorts to live vicariously through. If you want to see comic panels move, then it’s a visual treat. It doesn’t offer much else.—John Flynn



24. "V for Vendetta" (2005)

Writer Of Graphic Novel: Alan Moore
Director: James McTeigue 
Stars: Natalie Portman, Hugo Weaving

The critically acclaimed dystopian thriller V for Vendetta is such a smart, detailed, and fascinating film, it had to come from the world of comics. Based on the 1988 DC/Vertigo Comics series of the same name, the V for Vendetta comic along with the movie had such vast influence on popular culture that even Occupy Wall Street protestors to Egyptian youth during the Arab Spring wore the infamous Guy Fawkes mask during their protests. 

Director James McTeigue along with the Wachowski Sisters (for writing) helmed the Hollywood remake and ultimately did the comic book justice. Natalie Portman and Hugo Weaving gave extraordinary performances as the film’s leading characters, V and Evey, and although the film changes some major elements from the comic series, the film still succeeds in depicting the main, revolutionary message of standing against widespread political injustices and totalitarian regimes. —Helen Owolabi



23. "The Mask" (1994)

Writer Of Graphic Novel: Mike Richardson
Director: Chuck Russell 
Stars: Jim Carrey, Cameron Diaz, Peter Riegert 

Although this 1994 box office hit was based on a comic book series of the same name (The Mask created by Mike Richardson), the feature film really only drew from one main concept or crucial symbol of the comic book—the transformative powers of a special mask. Jim Carrey’s character is first introduced to viewers as a meek bank teller, Stanley Ipkiss, who stumbles upon a mysterious mask after an especially depressing night.

But after he tries the mask on, the timid Ipkiss turns into a semi-Hulk, steroid-fueled version of himself. It’s these bizarro, high-energy antics of Carrey’s version of “the masked” Stanley Ipkiss—when Carrey’s physical comedy chops and some impressive CGI for the time are at high speed—that make the entire movie worth a watch. Frequent appearances from a young and obvi stunning Cameron Diaz (this was her film debut) make it a bonafide hit. —Helen Owolabi 



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We tried the $10-a-month movie theater service MoviePass — and it's more trouble than we expected

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MoviePass recently announced it would slash the price of its all-you-can-watch movie buffet to a mere $9.95 a month. The service allows users to see up to one movie per day, excluding premium formats like IMAX and 3D. 

We decided to sign up and find out if the service is too good to be true. We experienced some difficulties right out of the gate. MoviePass released a statement saying that the overwhelming amount of new subscribers has caused myriad technical issues. 

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AMC Theatres has begun pushing back against MoviePass, the $10-a-month service that lets you see a movie a day in theaters

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MoviePass has hit yet another stumbling block during its troubled rollout, with AMC Theatres blocking users from being able to purchase e-tickets at locations in Boston and Denver, according to a report by SlashFilm

The app, which has been around since 2011 but introduced a new $10-a-month pricing model last week, allows subscribers to see a movie a day in theaters.

After the announcement of the new, lower price, AMC released a statement saying it would be consulting with its attorneys to see if it could block MoviePass' efforts.

The theater chain, which is the largest in country, asserts that MoviePass' business model is unsustainable, and that moviegoers will be set up for "ultimate disappointment down the road" when it goes under.

Simply put, AMC is worried that if MoviePass goes down, nobody will want to pay full price for a movie anymore. 

It appears unlikely that AMC will be able to fully block MoviePass, as the service has its own agreement with MasterCard to provide subscribers with pre-loaded debit cards they can use to purchase their tickets. 

"We comply fully with the rules of MasterCard and AMC has signed agreements with both their credit card processor and with MasterCard to comply with all the rules,"MoviePass CEO Mitch Lowe told Variety. "They would essentially have to not take MasterCard in order to block us."

However, AMC is able to make MoviePass more inconvenient to use. By blocking e-ticketing at locations in Boston and Denver, the theater chain has made it so that subscribers are unable to order their tickets from home, in advance of the showtime they want to see. 

This measure won't prevent MoviePass subscribers from going to those locations, though. Instead, they'll just need to swipe their debit cards in person. 

Only 6% of the theaters MoviePass subscribers have access to offer e-ticketing, so it does not appear that this move by AMC will have much of an effect on subscribers. Time will tell what other measures, if any, the theater chain might take against MoviePass.

SEE ALSO: This is how MoviePass plans to make money with a $10-a-month unlimited plan that seems too good to be true

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The movie theater behind the women-only 'Wonder Woman' screening is hosting a clowns-only showing of Stephen King's 'It'

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Breathing life into the nightmares of many, an Alamo Drafthouse theater in Austin, Texas has required that all attendees of an upcoming screening for the Stephen King film "It" show up dressed as clowns.

A post on the theater's site for the showing reads, "For this special screening of IT, all attendees should arrive dressed as a clown in order to attend."

Film writer Siddhant Adlakha first spotted this terrifying happening on Twitter, noting that the same Alamo Drafthouse location prompted controversy when it called for a "women-only" screening of "Wonder Woman" earlier this year.

Alamo Drafthouse did not immediately reply when asked to elaborate on if the event will be exclusive to its Austin location.

"It" premieres nationwide on September 8.

Watch the trailer below:

SEE ALSO: 15 movies and TV shows you didn't know were Stephen King adaptations

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The 35 worst movies of all time, according to critics

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While the moviegoing public will often flock in large numbers to enjoy bad movies (see: "Suicide Squad"), professional critics are, by contrast, quick to pile condemnation on films that strike them as grossly inferior.

To find out which movies critics have deemed the worst of the worst, we turned to review aggregator Metacritic to compile this list of the most critically panned films in history. 

From ill-advised sequels like "Scary Movie 5" to a dubious documentary about Hillary Clinton, these films drew the ire of critics and provoked the repulsion of many.

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Here are the 35 worst movies of all time, according to critics:

Note: Only movies with seven or more online reviews appear in the ranking, so it skews toward more recent films.

SEE ALSO: 34 movies you have to see this fall — including 'Justice League,' 'It,' and 'Blade Runner 2049'

35. "3 Strikes" (2000)

Critic score: 11/100

User score: 4.0/10

Summary:"[Brian Hooks] plays a character who is just released from jail following his second offense. The state has adopted a three strikes rule and his next offense will possibly land him in prison for life."

What critics said: "Feels like a very long late-night comedy sketch that occasionally veers beyond tastelessness toward something worse."— The New York Times



34. "Mortal Kombat: Annihilation" (1997)

Critic score: 11/100

User score: 8.0/10

Summary: "In defiance of the Elder Gods, the evil Outworlders are back to wreak hell on Earth. Earth's last hope is the mighty Liu Kang and his explosive fighting friends. They're all that stand between life…and annihilation!"

What critics said: "It's cynical and it's depressing, and I would lock a child in a room before I'd show him 'Mortal Kombat: Annihilation.'"—L.A. Weekly



33. "Date Movie" (2006)

Critic score: 11/100

User score: 2.9/10

Summary: "The twisted minds of two of the six screenwriters behind 'Scary Movie' skewer the romantic comedy genre."

What critics said: "'Comedy is hard,' said Steve Martin. For the writers of 'Date Movie,' it's apparently impossible."—New York Daily News



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'Wonder Woman' director responds to James Cameron calling her film 'a step backwards'

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"Wonder Woman" has been riding a wave of positivity since its release in June that has led to the movie becoming the top box office earner of the summer and Oscar buzz.

But it turns out not everyone is on the "Wonder Woman" bandwagon. James Cameron gave some candid thoughts to The Guardian about all the excitement around the superhero blockbuster.

“All of the self-congratulatory back-patting Hollywood’s been doing over 'Wonder Woman' has been so misguided," Cameron said, in a story that focused on the rerelease of "Terminator 2: Judgment Day" in theaters this weekend.

"She’s an objectified icon, and it’s just male Hollywood doing the same old thing! I’m not saying I didn’t like the movie but, to me, it’s a step backwards. Sarah Connor was not a beauty icon. She was strong, she was troubled, she was a terrible mother, and she earned the respect of the audience through pure grit. And to me, [the benefit of characters like Sarah] is so obvious. I mean, half the audience is female!”

Sarah Connor is one of the main characters in the "Terminator" franchise, which is one of numerous strong-female roles Cameron has created over his filmography. 

Cameron's comments instantly spread across social media on Thursday after The Guardian story went live, with many feeling they were sexist. By late Thursday night, "Wonder Woman" director responded to Cameron via Twitter:

Cameron is never one to step down from a fight, so while he continues to work on the long-awaited sequels to "Avatar," don't be surprised if his thoughts on "Wonder Woman" (and Jenkins' response) come up in future interviews.

SEE ALSO: 34 movies you have to see this fall — including "Justice League,""It," and "Blade Runner 2049"

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