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Here's Why Superman Won't Wear His Iconic Red Underwear In 'Man Of Steel'

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man of steel superman.PNG

When "Man of Steel" hits theaters next week, he'll be missing one glaring item from his attire. 

The iconic red underwear that he's been wearing since Action Comic #1 will be gone. 

What gives?

Warner Brothers released a 13-minute featurette on the film that shows behind-the-scenes footage of filming and explains why the crew ditched the red underwear. 

Similar to "The Dark Knight" trilogy, screenwriter David S. Goyer said he, Christopher Nolan, and director Zack Snyder ("300") set out to create a film about a Superman that exists in the real world as opposed to a comic book version.

To do that they filmed in real locations like a 7-11 and they had to rid of the underwear. Really.

"I probably looked at hundreds of versions with underwear." says Snyder. "I couldn't make it consistent with the world that we were creating."

man of steel costume

Last year, Cavill was seen on set both with and without the underwear causing some fans of the "Man of Steel" to worry about the reimagining of one of the most popular superheroes.

For those working on the film, it was important to make a world where Superman's outfit makes sense to wear. Unlike other heroes like Spider-Man and Batman, the Man of Steel's outfit isn't one he's stitching together.

"Man of Steel" creators wanted it to feel like a natural outfit worn on his home planet of Krypton. For that reason, you'll also see Superman's parents, played by Russell Crowe and Ayelet Zurer, wear similar suits along with Michael Shannon's character General Zod.

Russell Crowe man of steel.PNG

A close look at the new skin suit outfit will show you it's inspired by Medieval times.

Costumes of council members in the film will have their own family symbols. Superman's "S" (which stands for Hope in the film and isn't actually an 'S' to him) will serve as his family crest.

Why did Superman ever have the red undies to begin with?

Snyder notes the underwear is a nod to Strong Men of the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Comic aficionados will know the reason for the underwear is also technical, added to divide his waist from the rest of his body when the issues went to print.

Check out more of the suits from the film here.

What do you think of the suit change to Superman?

You can check out the entire 13-minute featurette below.

SEE ALSO: 19 Beautiful photos from "Man of Steel">

Director Zack Snyder says he went through hundreds of versions of the Man of Steel with underwear.



Here's how the costume will look on screen worn by actor Henry Cavill.



Here's a closer look.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

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Ridiculous 'Machete Kills' Poster Features Sofia Vergara In A Machine Gun Bra

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Character posters for upcoming film "Machete Kills" have started to roll out and the latest Sofia Vergara one doesn't hold anything back. 

Film distributor Open Road Films shows it knows how to take full advantage of Vergara's assets in its latest marketing device.

 Here's the first one that was released earlier. Notice there are no guns.

machete kills sofia vergara
There they are in the new one.

machete kills sofia vergara

Looks like they had some inspiration from Katy Perry.

katy-perry-2

The film is Robert Rodriguez's sequel to 2010 film "Machete" and follows the adventures of gun-slinging Danny Trejo after he's recruited on a mission by the President.

"Machete Kills" comes out September 13.

SEE ALSO: The wacky trailer for the film >

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More Than 500 Sears Employees Dressed Up As Superman To Break A World Record

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566 Sears employees descended upon Chicago dressed up as the "Man of Steel" today to break a Guinness World Record.  

The gathering, which took place at the Sears Holding Place, broke the Guinness World Record for the most people dressed in one place as Superman.

The event is one of 100 marketing tie-ins ahead of the "Man of Steel" release June 14.

In case you're wondering, the current record for a group of people dressed up as Superman was previously 437. 

Here are a few Tweets and Vines from the event.

FYI: They're all shouting "This is something super."

Here they are all together.

Here are two photos from the event showing the sea of blue and red:

superman sears June 2013

This second photo looks like a "Where's Waldo" photo.

superman sears June 2013

SEE ALSO: 19 Beautiful Photos from "Man of Steel">

AND: Why Superman won't be wearing his iconic red underwear in "Man of Steel">

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Johnny Depp's Film Financiers And Agent Are At Odds Over $20 Million Salary

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Johnny Depp in Public Enemies.Last month, it was reported Johnny Depp had walked off the highly anticipated mob biopic "Black Mass"after he was asked to take a 50% pay cut from his usual $20 million fee — leaving his take still at a hefty $10 million.

But now, The Hollywood Reporter is citing several sources — some who say Depp is still set to star in the film and others who say he's no longer attached  giving an inside look into the wheeling and dealing that actually went down.

A source at Cross Creek, the film's financiers, explains to THR:

"Depp and [director] Levinson’s deals included language that required the budget of the film to top off at $50 million. When the budget came in at $63 million, Cross Creek asked all of the film’s above-the-line talent, including co-star Joel Edgerton to slash their salaries to make up the $13 million."

While Depp would have gotten a sizable paycheck, apparently it's a no-no to ask an A-list star to take a pay cut for their craft.

“This situation is absurd,” a source tells THR. “You would never have a star of Depp’s magnitude and not have all of the deal’s preconditions buttoned down before taking it to market. Either his team screwed up and left him exposed or Cross Creek is simply reneging on its deal."

"Someone is suing someone at the end of this," adds the source.

Apparently Depp is known to pay cuts for passion projects, as he is with Disney’s upcoming "Into the Woods" for which he'll make less than a million upfront.

But “The second they asked him to take a cut, that was a mistake,” says another source with knowledge of the "Black Mass" situation, which Depp's agent at UTA thought was a done deal. “They overplayed their hand.”

Cross Creek has reportedly approached Tom Cruise about the project, but ultimately if they "can't find a way to keep Depp on the project, it would create a huge headache."

SEE ALSO: Johnny Depp walks off mob biopic over $20 million salary dispute >

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The Creepy 1983 Cult Movie 'Videodrome' Got Everything Right About Modern Life And The Internet

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Videodrome

There are two types of movie fans: Those who have been freaked out by the 1983 cult classic "Videodrome," and those who have never heard of it.

The movie, starring James Woods and Debbie Harry, is about a cable TV executive who becomes addicted to a secret "pirate" video channel that broadcasts a late-night torture porn show called "Videodrome." The show ends up taking control of his life, through a series of hallucinations.

The movie was made by director David Cronenberg, who has spent a lifetime investigating the creepy interface between sex and technology. He later became famous for "The Fly,""Dead Ringers,""Crash" and "eXistenZ."

What's interesting about "Videodrome," however, is the way it explores the idea that the virtual world is more interesting than the real world, especially as it relates to sex.

Bear in mind that Cronenberg shot this idea more than a decade before the internet existed as a household device.

It's creepy how prescient the movie is about modern life ...

The original shock of 'Videodrome' in 1983 was the idea that people would actually want to watch someone being tortured. In 2004, the 'Saw' franchise was born and torture-porn is now old hat.



In 'Videodrome,' James Woods' character, Max Renn, becomes addicted to watching the show. The idea was ridiculous at the time. But today the idea of being 'addicted' to the internet is widely accepted.



When 'Videodrome' portrayed the kinky sex life of Nikkie Brand (Debbie Harry) in 1983, it was shocking. Today, BDSM is a pop culture staple.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

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The Soaring Financial Success Of 'Superman' [Infographic]

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"Man of Steel" is out next week in theaters, but he's been around since the '30s.
 
To get prepped for the film, quiz yourself on how much you know about Superman.
 
One of his more recent comics, "The Death of Superman" in 1992, brought in $30 million. The most recent Superman reboot, 2005's "Superman Returns," was one of the most expensive films ever made
 
Check out the below chart from FinancesOnline.com.
 
Superman: From the Golden Age of Comics to Today
 

More Superman:  Check out 19 beautiful photos from the upcoming film >

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Brad Pitt And Angelina Jolie Smiled Through Bad Press At The Germany Premiere Of 'World War Z'

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Hollywood golden couple Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie stepped out for the "World War Z" premiere in Germany this week. 

This is one of the first times Jolie has stepped out in public since revealing she would have both a preventative double mastectomy and her ovaries removed

Last month, Pitt's Paramount film fell under heavy scrutiny after a Vanity Fair cover piece reported the budget for the film ballooned to at least $200 million after undergoing massive rewrites and tossing out a costly 12-minute ending.

According to the article, "World War Z" would need to make $400 million at the box office to break even.

However, the latest buzz for the film, based on the 2006 novel by Max Brooks that the movie is good.

Brad and Angie didn't look too worried about the film as they took to the red carpet. They shined.

Before posing together before a giant backdrop for the movie ... 

Angelina Jolie Brad Pitt world war z

They both set out to greet fans ...

angelina jolie brad pitt world war z

... signing autographs ...

Brad Pitt world war z

Angelina Jolie World War Z

...  and stopping for a few photo opts.

angelina jolie world war z

World War Z Brad Pitt

"World War Z" opens in theaters June 21.

brad pitt angelina jolie world war z

SEE ALSO: How "World War Z" will fare at theaters >

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You'll Need To Watch The Final 'Man Of Steel' Trailer More Than Once


Film Directors Have Found Another Incredible Use For Twitter

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Director Robert Rodriguez ("Sin City,""Machete") recently released a new short film called "Two Scoops."

To complete the film he enlisted the help of his Twitter followers asking them to suggest weapons, design a villain, and cast a character.  

He even asked fans to submit photos of themselves to be used as missing people posters in the film.  

The experiment is one of four Blackberry 10 Keep Moving Projects where celebrities ranging from Rodriguez to Alicia Keys engage fans to participate in different video projects. 

Rodriguez's "Two Scoops" is an 11-minute short following two ice cream truck employees who battle it out with evil monsters.  

Here's one of the tweets that made it into the final cut. 

We've seen other directors take a different approach to Twitter recently. Marc Webb and Bryan Singer are big on tweeting images from the sets of their respective upcoming films, "The Amazing Spider-Man" sequel and "X-Men: Days of Future Past."

We wouldn't be surprised to start seeing more Hollywood figures start using a similar approach to get traction on YouTube, television, and future films.

Check out Rodriguez's completed project below.

SEE ALSO: Sofia Vergara wearing a machine gun bra in Rodriguez's next film, "Machete Kills">

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Google Says It Can Predict Which Films Will Be Huge Box-Office Hits

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the dark knight rises batman

Listen up movie marketers. 

Google says it has found the key to whether a film will be a box-office bomb or success.  

It all depends on movie trailer engagement and film search.  

In a study called "Quantifying Movie Magic with Google Search," Google says searches for movie trailers a month prior to a film release help predict opening weekend sales.  

"At four weeks out, trailer search volume on Google coupled with both the franchise status of the movie and seasonality can predict opening weekend box office revenue with 94% accuracy." 

According to Google, the more people searching for a specific movie, the bigger the box-office weekend. 

google box office index

More people are searching for movies during the one-week window prior to, during, and after its release. 

google movie trailer engagement

The key for box-office success doesn't only lie in movie searches, but also in search ad click volume. 

"In the seven day window prior to a film’s release date, if one film has 250,000 more search queries than a similar film, the film with more queries is likely to perform up to $4.3M better during opening weekend. When looking at search ad click volume, if a film has 20,000 more paid clicks than a similar film, it is expected to bring in up to $7.5M more during opening weekend."

In addition, Google's report says YouTube searches are also a strong predictor of opening-weekend performance. 

According to the study, marketers should be looking at movie title searches on YouTube a month before a movie release, not just the week of because that's when they'll "have the highest predictive power."

Another takeaway: for the most part, unless it's a big release, moviegoers have no clue what is coming out at theaters until it's about to come out. 

Google says during slow box-office weeks, they receive more generic search queries like "new movies" or "movie tickets."

When a big release like "The Hunger Games" or "The Dark Knight Rises" came out last year, moviegoers were more likely to search for the actual title of the film online.

Other items of interest from the study: 

  • Moviegoers look at 13 sources before deciding which movie to see. 
  • 48% of moviegoers decide which film to see the day they buy their ticket. From this, marketers should realize they need to have a continued presence after opening weekend, not just beforehand.
  • Paid clicks that films receive weekdays Monday thru Thursday after opening weekend are indicators of how the film will continue to fare against upcoming film releases. 

Read the full report HERE.

SEE ALSO: 19 beautiful photos from "Man of Steel">

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9 Reasons Why Will Smith's 'After Earth' Is A Total Disaster

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after earth jaden

It's no secret Will Smith's latest film "After Earth"isn't a big box-office draw.

The film came up short opening weekend, earning $27 million behind "Fast & Furious 6" and "Now You See Me."

The movie was trashed by critics, receiving a 12% on critic site Rotten Tomatoes. It's the latest upset from "Sixth Sense" director M. Night Shyamalan who has seen a recent downward trend in the popularity of his titles.

We saw the film the other night and weren't impressed. The futuristic CGI Earth had more life than actors and storyline combined.

What didn't go over well with the latest futuristic film to hit theaters?

You can't help but think the entire film is a metaphor for Jaden Smith trying to emerge from the shadow of his legendary dad, Will.

Here's the premise for the entire film. Sound familiar? 

Kitai Raige (Jaden Smith) is overshadowed by the success of his father Cypher (Will Smith). After crash-landing on a futuristic planet Earth, and his father is left injured, Kitai has to set out on a journey across the foreign land to save them both and prove himself to his father.



Will Smith's talent is wasted.

Smith is unrecognizable as a monotone, unfeeling drone.

When his plane crashes he doesn't react with panic — or really in any way at all. It seems like a normal occurrence to him. Soon after, when both of his legs are broken, he shrugs it off like someone brought him a Pepsi instead of a Coke.

The actor looks sad the entire film — and in every promotional photo for the movie. It's as if the vitality of his character is sucked straight out of him as he plays a callous, fearless soldier.

Of course, this is probably intended make sure the attention is focused not on him but his son. 



Jaden Smith cannot carry a film on his own.

The young Smith isn't a terrible actor. There's a great part in the film where he lashes out at his father that feels very realistic.

However, the task of carrying the entire film as star dad Will sits through the movie injured, navigating his son through a jungle on futuristic Earth is a bit much.

The Wrap

"The relatively inexperienced Jaden Smith is asked to carry a movie in which he spends almost all of it by himself, talking to a co-star who isn't there and reacting to special effects that will be added later, which is a task akin to casting a drama club freshman in a performance of Beckett's 'Happy Days.'"



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

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The First Trailer For Justin Timberlake's Next Movie, 'Runner Runner'

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Justin Timberlake goes from social media networks to making millions gambling in the first trailer for new film "Runner Runner."

Timberlake stars as a college student Richie Furst turning to online gambling to pay tuition. When his luck runs out, he gets joins forces with businessman Ivan Block (Ben Affleck) who runs an offshore gambling operation. 

The film comes from Leonardo DiCaprio's Appian Way and 20th Century Fox.

"Runner Runner" comes to theaters September 27.

SEE ALSO: Why 'After Earth' was a disaster >

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A Low-Budget Horror Film Is Going To Tear Apart 'The Internship' At The Box Office This Weekend

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the purge

The movie people are dying to see this weekend isn't the Vince Vaughn, Owen Wilson Google comedy "The Internship."

Instead, people are heading out in droves to see low-budget horror film "The Purge."

The Universal film has already earned more than its $3 million budget in late night showings. Thursday evening, the movie took in $3.4 million at theaters.

"The Purge" follows a 12-hour period where crime is legalized once a year. Ethan Hawke and Lena Headey star as a family held hostage for the duration. 

Fandango told us the film was 54% of its ticket sales yesterday both online and in mobile. As of late last night, the film is their number one horror film of the year when it comes to presale tickets — bigger than those of April's "Evil Dead" reboot and January's "Mama." 

"Evil Dead" earned $25.8 million opening weekend while Guillermo del Toro's "Mama" brought in $28.4 million.

According to Fandango, most people are heading out to see the movie because the premise of a horror film is refreshing in theaters crowded with superheroes and sci-fi "after earth" tales. 

A Fandango survey that polled more than 1,000 "Purge" ticket buyers shows 94% of moviegoers bought a ticket because of "the film's unusual premise." 

"'The Purge' definitely struck a nerve with moviegoers, with social media buzz that's been off the charts," says Fandango President Paul Yanover.

the purge posterThe film has been engaging potential moviegoers by asking them what they would do during "the purge" in a series of photos. The hashtag #SurviveTheNight has been used to gain traction on Facebook and Twitter and it's working.  

The film has nearly 500,000 people talking about the film on Facebook. 

However, one of the key factors that probably has moviegoers excited is that it's from Jason Blum, the producer of low-budget Hollywood success "Paranormal Activity."

That film cost an estimated $15,000 to produce. It earned $193 million worldwide and has led to a successful horror franchise.

It also helps that master-of-explosions Michael Bay ("Transformers") is also a producer on the film.

And "The Internship"?

We're told the film accounted for 7% of all sales on Fandango yesterday. 

The film is receiving terrible reviews. 

The Google comedy is currently sitting as the fourth-most anticipated movie of the weekend on the movie-ticket selling site behind "Now You See Me" and "Fast & Furious 6," but ahead of Will Smith's "After Earth." 

Boxoffice.com predicts "The Purge" will earn $21 million opening weekend while projections for "The Internship" are currently at a generous $15.6 million. 

Watch the trailer for "The Purge" below:

SEE ALSO: Why Will Smith's "After Earth" is a disaster >

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'Avengers' Director Joss Whedon Won't Make Sequel Without Robert Downey Jr.

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the avengers

"The Avengers" director Joss Whedon has just given Disney one more good reason to make a deal with Robert Downey Jr. The thesp, who has played Iron Man in four movies to date, hasn’t technically signed on to appear in the "The Avengers 2," amid reports of a contract dispute. But, in his strongest statement yet, Whedon has said that he will not do "Avengers 2" without RDJ.

In a recent interview with The Daily Beast Whedon announced that:

"He is Iron Man. He is Iron Man in the way that Sean Connery was James Bond. I have no intention of making 'Avengers 2' without him, nor do I think I’ll be called upon to do that."

Interesting comparison, considering that no less than five actors succeeded Connery as 007. Still, the man behind the upcoming Marvel’s "Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.television spin-off series seems pretty confident his "Avengers 2" demands will be met:

"You have to be ready for the unexpected. But I loved working with Robert, and everybody knows he embodied that role in a way no one else can. The day he was cast, I went up to Kevin Feige and said, 'You brilliant son of a b----.'"

Whatever happens, Marvel has made it clear that all of the actors who’ve donned costumes for their various franchises are wholly replaceable. C’mon Marvel, the whole world’s going to show up for the "Avengers 2" sequel. Just pay everyone and get to work!

Would Marvel ever dare to replace RDJ as Iron Man?

SEE ALSO: Why Superman won't wear his iconic red underwear in 'Man Of Steel' >

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Low-Budget Horror Film 'The Purge' Surges Past 'Fast & Furious 6'—Here's Your Box-Office Roundup

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the purge scary masks horror

Little horror movie "The Purge" beat all expectations this weekend, slashing past "The Internship" and racing ahead of blockbuster "Fast & Furious 6." 

Like "F&F 6," the $3 million budget thriller also comes from Universal, earning more than three times its cost opening weekend.  

Universal's having a great year so far with films also including "Identity Thief" and Tom Cruise's "Oblivion." 

Google movie, "The Internship" didn't flop; however, it didn't beat the opening weekend earnings of Vince Vaughn and Owen Wilson's last adventure together onscreen, 2005's "Wedding Crashers" ($33.9 million). 

Meanwhile, Joss Whedon's ("The Avengers") remake of "Much Ado About Nothing" was a big hit in its limited five-screen release. The film took in $183,000 in New York, L.A., and Washington, D.C. 

Out of the top ten this week are Reese Witherspoon and Matthew McConaughey's indie film "Mud." The Jeff Nichols movie has earned $18.6 million. 

The Bollywood film "Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani" which creeped into the top ten last week also dropped three spots this week. 

Here are this week's winners and losers at the box office:

10. Baz Luhrmann's "The Great Gatsby" remake holds on with $4.2 million to round out the top ten. In five weeks, the Leonardo DiCaprio film has earned $279 million worldwide. Good news for Warner Bros. since the latest "Hangover" movie wasn't as big of a draw as thought. 

9. "iron Man 3" moves down two spots with $5.8 million. Worldwide, the film has earned $1.2 billion. Last year's "The Avengers" earned $1.5 billion by the end of its theatrical run. 

8. "The Hangover Part III" continues its descent at the box office with $7.4 million in week three. The film is faring much better overseas with nearly 63% of its earnings abroad. Worldwide, the film has earned $273 million so far. 

7. "After Earth" takes a 59% plunge during its second week at theaters with $11.2 million. The film is doing slightly better overseas and has earned $95 million worldwide. 

6. "Star Trek Into Darkness" falls two spots earning $11.7 million. After a month in theaters J.J. Abrams' sequel to his 2009 hit closes in on $400 million worldwide. 

5. The only animated film in the top ten, "Epic" stays exactly where it was last week with $12.1 million. After three weeks, the picture has earned $189.6 million for DreamWorks Animation. 

4. Google film "The Internship" managed to bring in $18.1 million, but still fails to draw a large audience. While the film earned more than either of the actor's last single films — "The Watch" earned $12.7 million, while Wilson's 'Hall Pass" brought in $13.5 million — the film didn't fare better than 2005's "Wedding Crashers." This shows audiences are either over the once-comedic pairing or weren't impressed with the lackluster reviews of an in-your-face Google movie. 

3. Magic film, "Now You See Me" continues to captivate audiences bringing in $19.5 million in week two. The Morgan Freeman, Jesse Eisenberg film is earning most (95%) of its $65 million earnings domestically. 

2. "Fast & Furious 6" may have made it to $500 million at the box office worldwide this past week — and is well on its way to $600 million; however, its $19.7 million haul wasn't enough to keep The Rock and Vin Diesel in first place. 

1. It was small, creepy thriller "The Purge" starring Ethan Hawke that took off at the box office this weekend. Though it was easy to blast past $20 million, the film, which cost $3 million to produce was expected to earn $21 million opening weekend originally. After a $3.4 million opening Thursday night and $16.7 million Friday, analysts thought the film may hit north of $30 million. After its first weekend, "The Purge" debuted to $36.4 million.

SEE ALSO: 13 Blockbusters made in the UK >

AND: 19 beautiful photos from "Man of Steel">

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J.J. Abrams Hints That New 'Star Wars' Will 'Honor' The Old Films

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j.j. abrams star wars

J.J. Abrams is still staying mum about work on the next "Star Wars" film, but gave a hint about the direction for episode VII at the Produced By Conference— a conference for producers presented by the Producers Guild of America. 

"I think the key to moving forward on something like this is honoring but not revering what came before," said Abrams according to The Hollywood Reporter. 

We see episode VII as a continuation of the saga, a natural progression of the "Star Wars" storyline in a linear fashion.

Whether that happens remains to be seen, but rumors earlier this year had the three next films focusing on the children of Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia, and Han Solo. 

This would make sense if actors Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, and Harrison Ford were to reprise their original roles, something that's been heavily speculated in the media.

The rumors have credence.  

Before J.J. Abrams was announced as the director for the new film, and Disney bought Lucasfilm last year, Lucas was working on treatments for three new films. He was also in talks with Hamill, Fisher, and Ford to appear in those movies.

Abrams also dropped a hint that production on the next film will begin early 2014 in London as he noted his family will be moving there by the end of the year. 

The film will have to start production soon as it currently has a 2015 release date attached to it. 

Last month it was announced "Star Wars: Episode VII"will film in the United Kingdom like all six of the films before it. 

Abrams will direct the new film while George Lucas will serve as creative consultant.

More 'Star Wars': 10 'Star Wars' characters who should get their own spinoff film >

SEE ALSO: Photos of the original 'Star Wars' set abandoned and in ruins >

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'World War Z' Reviews: Brad Pitt's Zombie Thriller Is Not A Disaster

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brad pitt world war zThe first reviews for Brad Pitt's "World War Z" are trickling out and it's not a bust.

In fact, Pitt's zombie thriller is getting good buzz. 

Loosely based on the 2006 zombie-apocalypse novel of the same name by Max Brooks, early reviews are calling the film "smart" and "exciting" with comparisons to "The China Syndrome" and 2011's "Contagion."

The film was hit by a wave of bad press after a June Vanity Fair cover article revealed the movie's budget grew near $200 million and that Paramount had to call in "Lost" and "Prometheus" scribe Damon Lindelof to help re-write and reshoot 40 minutes

"World War Z" won't hit theaters until June 21.

Here's what to know before deciding to see the film.

Early reviews are eating Pitt's zombie film up. 

Film.com:

"As I understand it, fidelity to Max Brooks’ best-selling novel has been scant at best, but neither that nor countless post-production woes prevent Paramount’s costly adaptation from ultimately serving as an efficient and effectively exciting globe-spanning zombie thriller." 

Total Film:

"Choosing quantity over quality, intensity over tension and big-screen thrills over low-fi shocks – this is probably what the zombie apocalypse will actually look like."

Variety:

"Surprisingly smart, gripping and imaginative addition to the zombie-movie canon, owing as much to scientific disaster movies like “The China Syndrome” and “Contagion” as it does to undead ur-texts like the collected works of George Romero."

It doesn't matter that the film isn't really based on the source material it lifted from.

IGN:

"The film doesn't bear much resemblance to Brooks' book. And that's fine as long as fans know that going in, as that highly episodic tale didn't even have a main character to center a movie around (it really would've made more sense as a TV miniseries anyway)."

brad pitt blood world war zZombie fans: There isn't a lot of blood and guts since the film is rated PG-13. There also aren't any "Walking Dead"-esque relationships between characters. This helps the film feel like more than your average zombie thriller.  

Film.com:

"The zombie lore offered here is fairly fresh, opting for a fast and feral pack mentality more prone to virulent violence than traditional cannibalism, making it all the easier to grow in number." 

Variety:

"That these zombies have particularly sensitive hearing allows Forster and his sound designers a field day with creaking doors, broken glass crunching underfoot, and in one especially tense moment, a soda can rolling across a cafeteria floor."

Cons? Prepare for plenty of CGI.

The Hollywood Reporter (THR)

"On the craft side, it's easy to see where the money went, as scene after scene overflows with hordes of people (many of them CGI-generated) and elaborate backgrounds. The film is a feast for the eyes (the 3D conversion is very good)."

What Culture:

"Visual effects are meanwhile shockingly inconsistent for such an exorbitant production, particularly the effects-enhanced zombie hordes, with the CGI giving them a weightless feel as they fly about the screen while chasing Gerry and co."

Big talent (that isn't Pitt) is sidelined.

Variety:

"Characters who initially seem poised to become significant supporting players — among them Army Rangers James Badge Dale and Matthew Fox and rogue CIA operative David Morse — prove expendable, either by becoming food for the encroaching zombie horde, or simply by virtue of the pic moving on to another locale." 

The Guardian:

"His [Gerry's] relationships with other survivors – an attempt to introduce a Walking Dead-style sense of fragility perhaps – are hampered by their tendency to get eaten a beat or two after we meet them."

For those familiar with director Marc Forster's previous work, "Quantum of Solace," you may have flashbacks to the Bond film. 

What Culture:

"Anyone who has watched Forster’s Bond effort Quantum of Solace likely remembers how busily directed and edited it was, and disappointingly, exactly the same is true here."

That big, expensive ending that had to be reshot isn't as great as the rest of the film. It's clear someone (Damon Lindelof) stepped in to help fix zombie thriller.  

zombies world war z

IGN:

"Along the way, much of the logic and "real world" feel of the film go out the window as well. Of course, Star Trek Into Darkness and Prometheus' Damon Lindelof was brought in to help fix the film's ending. It shows." 

Film.com:

"The seams of rewrites and reshoots become most apparent with the arrival of the third act, which places an evident emphasis on quiet horror over hectic action, swapping out digital hordes for more shambling foes in proper make-up." 

The Guardian:

"The final third (the section that was rewritten by Lost co-creator Damon Lindelof) sees the film skid from goreless actioner to teeny-bopper horror, with Gerry and the gang creeping around a World Health Organisation lab that may hold the secret to humanity's salvation. It's out of kilter with the rest of the film."

Overall consensus: See it.

While the film may not be perfect, and isn't anything like the novel — something that shouldn't come as a big shock by now — it doesn't appear that the many production problems that shrouded the film have had a really big effect on the outcome. Troubling is that most critics have picked up on a jarring third leg to the film. Whether that's due to hindsight or because the third part of the film really does lag is yet to be seen.

With "Man of Steel" out the week prior to "WWZ" and opening alongside Pixar's "Monsters Inc." prequel, Pitt's zombie film may have a tough time gaining traction at a crowded box office.

"World War Z" hits theaters June 21.

Check out a trailer for the film below:

More "World War Z": Brad Pitt forced to reshoot 40 minutes of 'World War Z' to fix disastrous ending >

AND: How "World War Z" will fare at theaters >

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The First Poster For 'The Hobbit' Sequel Shows Bilbo Prepared To Face The Dragon

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Warner Bros. has released the first poster for "The Hobbit: Desolation of Smaug."

The teaser release comes ahead of the first trailer for the film which will premiere online tomorrow at 1 p.m. EST.

The sequel to last year's "Lord of the Rings" prequel continues to follow Bilbo Baggins on his journey with Gandalf and the dwarves to the Misty Mountains to fight dragon Smaug (Benedict Cumberbatch).

We'll have the first trailer up tomorrow. Until then, enjoy the first poster from the film.

"The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug" comes to theaters December 14.

The Hobbit 2 poster The Hobbit Desolation of Smaug

SEE ALSO: 'World War Z' is actually good! >

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Why Superman's Henry Cavill Was The Unluckiest Man In Hollywood — Until Now

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superman man of steel henry cavill

When "Man of Steel" comes to theaters Friday, he'll be played by British actor Henry Cavill.  

Most people probably know Cavill from his time on Showtime's "The Tudors." 

However, if you're not familiar with the British hunk, he actually fell short of a bunch of huge roles including two that Robert Pattinson landed.

When he flies onto the big screen, it also won't be the actor's first go around as Superman. He narrowly missed out on titular role in "Superman Returns."

Cavill narrowly missed out on so many potentially-huge roles that Empire magazine once named him the unluckiest man in Hollywood in their December 2005 issue.

He's from the island of Jersey in the Channel Islands.



Cavill is one of five children. His mother and father were a secretary and stockbroker respectively. Here he is with his girlfriend and father at the GREAT British Film Reception in February.

His one brother, Major Niki Cavill is a Royal Marine who has toured in Afghanistan twice.

(Source: The Tonight Show/Evening Standard/Mirror)



Cavill's first onstage presence was as a reporter in a high school play. From there, he performed in plays including "A Midsummer Night's Dream" and "Grease."

(Source: "The Tudors" Showtime inteview / IMDB / Google Art Project)



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

'Man Of Steel' Is Already Getting A Sequel

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superman man of steelZack Snyder's "Man of Steel" hasn't even hit theaters yet, but Warner Bros. is already gearing up for a sequel to its Superman reboot. 

Deadline reports Warner Bros. already has a sequel cemented with Zack Snyder returning as director.

What's better is that screenwriter David S. Goyer is locked in as screenwriter again.

Goyer was the mind behind "The Dark Knight Trilogy" after director Christopher Nolan consulted him to write the screenplays.

According to Deadline, Goyer is set for a three-film deal with Warner Bros which includes "Man of Steel," its sequel, and "Justice League."

For those unfamiliar with the DC Comics universe, "Justice League" is the organization for all of the D.C. Comics superheroes. They're the DC universe's "Avengers."

What would a Superman sequel be about?

A good place to start looking is at the comics Henry Cavill researched for his role in the new film, one of which features Doomsday. (It would set up for a nice "Man of Steel Returns" title if they ever wanted to go that route.) 

What's important to take from this news is that it doesn't look like "Man of Steel" is setting out to be a trilogy.

If Warner Bros. was planning a third, why would Goyer only be attached to the first two Superman films after overseeing every successful DC film since "Batman Begins"?

bruce wayne batman the dark knight risesAnd if "Justice League" is coming, Batman has to be involved. 

Other than Superman, he's the main draw — plus, in the realistic DC world Goyer, Snyder, and Nolan have all aimed to produce, Bruce Wayne is the only one with the pockets to fund such an organization. 

But who would play the Dark Knight? 

There have been conflicted reports as to whether Christian Bale would ever return as Batman in a "Justice League" film.  

Last we heard from Gordon-Levitt he had no plans to play Batman or star in a "Justice League" film. 

More importantly, would Nolan return to work on it, too?

Warner Bros. did just make a deal with Paramount to keep Nolan's next film "Intersteller" under their radar.

More Superman: Everything You Need To Know About Superman's Henry Cavill: The Unluckiest Man In Hollywood >

AND:  19 beautiful photos from "Man of Steel">

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