Seth MacFarlane’s sequel to his 2012 raunchy comedy hit “Ted” opens in theaters on Friday. With only a 44% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, it seems the critics aren’t too pleased by the return of Mark Wahlberg and his foul-mouthed friend, talking teddy bear Ted (voiced by MacFarlane).

However, comedies usually tend to do better than their critical response.

In 2012, “Ted” went number one at the box office its opening weekend with a domestic take of over $54 million (and went on to make over $500 million worldwide).

Projections for this weekend have “Ted 2” are hovering around $50-$55 million.

If you’re on the fence on whether to see the latest from the creator of "Family Guy" this weekend, here's a taste of what happens this time around and the critical take-aways. (Warning: Some spoilers ahead)

John (Wahlberg) is divorced (that’s right, no Mila Kunis this time around) and Ted is getting married:

Entertainment Weekly (EW): 

“Picking up shortly after the first film left off, Wahlberg’s John is in the dumps after breaking up with his wife (played by Mila Kunis in the first film), while Ted has tied the knot with Tami-Lynn (Jessica Barth), a gum-snapping townie who works in the same supermarket.”

Variety: 

“…Ted’s own once-happy home has become a kitchen-sink melodrama of tears and recriminations (including the amusing notion that Tami-Lynn has been blowing too much of the family budget on shopping sprees at Boston discount retailer Filene’s Basement). The only way to save their relationship, Ted reasons, is for him and Tami-Lynn to have a child….”

Ted and Tami-Lynn (Jessica Barth) trying to have a baby leads to a funny incident with an NFL superstar:

The Hollywood Reporter (THR): 

“The search for a sperm donor includes a nighttime raid on the mansion of Tom Brady (one of many celebrity cameos), with a reluctant John assigned to milk the football great while he's asleep. Needless to say, the plan ends disastrously, although it does provide the opportunity for a timely joke, obviously added at the last minute, about the quarterback's balls.”

The two try to adopt instead, but are told Ted can’t because he is a “property,” leading to Ted going to court to prove he’s more than that. This opens the door for some risqué humor.

The Wrap: 

“MacFarlane draws many comparisons between Ted’s legal plight and the plight of African-Americans under slavery and one comparison about the plight of gay people trying to win civil rights in this day and age. Though MacFarlane makes obsessive jokes about blacks and gays, most of them are unexpected, sharp, and layered, so that they don’t merely prompt knee-jerk offense.”

However, critics do feel the movie is mean-spirited:

Screen Crush: 

“Maybe I’m a softie, but some of the moments in Ted 2 struck me as uncomfortably mean.”

New York Daily News: 

“‘Ted 2’ is the equivalent of a middle school bully. It's not as funny as it thinks it is. Its penchant for casual cruelty masks a hollow soul.”

Though there’s something about bathroom humor that connects with everyone:

The Guardian: 

“There follows a tidal wave of semen jokes, more than any censor could possibly mop up. Some are clever, some are just gross, some simply wager that audiences will laugh at seeing a fuzzy bear scream about getting jizz all over him. Cinemas are dark. If you laugh, few people will know it’s you.”

Time Out New York: 

“…if you’d like to watch Mark Wahlberg accidentally get drenched in human sperm, you’ve come to the right place.”

And there are some fun cameos:

THR:

“The slew of cameo turns from celebrities who gamely make fun of themselves includes, once again, Sam Jones of 'Flash Gordon' fame.”

EW:

“Liam Neeson stealthily buying a box of Trix cereal worried that it’s just for kids.”

Overall consensus: It’s better than MacFarlane’s last film, "A Million Ways to Die in the West."

The 2014 critical and box office bomb (only took in $86 million worldwide) that MacFarlane directed, co-wrote and starred in is the only major flop of his career. But it seems with "Ted 2" he’s come back to steadier ground. His comedy will never win over everyone, but his loyal “Family Guy” fan base should find themselves at home with this one.

Check out the trailer below.

SEE ALSO: Here is Seth MacFarlane's 1995 short film that inspired "Family Guy"

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On the heels of the arrest of nine current and former FIFA officials in relation to a $150 million bribery scandal and the resignation of FIFA president Sepp Blatter days later, Hollywood has already begun working on a film about the scandal that has rocked the soccer world.

Ben Affleck and Matt Damon, among others, will produce a film that looks at the American soccer exec at the center of the scandal.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Gavin O’Connor (“Warrior”) will direct the film, which will adapt the upcoming book “Houses of Deceit,” by BuzzFeed investigative reporter Ken Bensinger that is regarded as the definitive account of American FIFA exec Chuck Blazer’s role in arguably the largest sports scandal in history.

Warner Bros. won the bidding war for the book rights, which, according to THR, lasted over eight days of negotiations.

Affleck and Damon will share producing credits along with Guymon Casady ("Game of Thrones") and Darin Friedman.

O’Connor recently wrapped directing "The Accountant," starring Affleck.

The book, “Houses of Deceit,” follows Blazer’s incredible efforts to make soccer relevant in the US, going from unemployed soccer dad to becoming FIFA executive committee member and executive VP of the US Soccer Federation.

But the man behind the lucrative sponsorship and TV deals led a life of excess that included an apartment in Trump Towers that Blazer used only for his cats. 

Around 2010, things began to unravel for Blazer when allegations of bribery surfaced. When the FIFA scandal broke, news came out that Blazer admitted to accepting bribes with other FIFA members while also being an informant for the FBI. 

No word yet on when Warner Bros. will begin production on the project.

“Houses of Deceit” is based on Besinger’s 2014 investigative piece for BuzzFeed. 

SEE ALSO: The story behind the former top-ranking FIFA executive who reportedly became an FBI informant

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NOW WATCH: FIFA just spent $30M on a film about itself — and guess who plays Sepp Blatter

Following the two sequels to the 1993 smash hit “Jurassic Park,” actor BD Wong realized he had to take things into his own hands.

As Dr. Henry Wu in “Jurassic Park,” the chief engineer responsible for the recreation of the dinosaurs in the park, there was never any resolution to what happened to the character.

Did he get eaten by his creations once the park lost power and roamed free? Did he make it on one of the last boats off the island?

The character's absence in any followup sequels led to years of people asking Wong what happened to Dr. Wu. Finally, the actor was ready to finally give the fans what they wanted.

“I was at the point where I wanted to make some videos to put online showing what happened to him,” Wong told Business Insider. “Silly things for the fans, like he somehow ended up with the shaving cream can.” Referring to the infamous Barbasol can filled with dinosaur embryos that dropped out of Dennis Nedry’s coat when he was attacked by a Dilophosaurus in “Jurassic Park.”

But before he could follow through on his zany idea the phone rang, and it was “Jurassic Word” director Colin Trevorrow.

A year before “Jurassic World” went into production, Trevorrow reached out to the actor and asking if he would like to reprise the role of Dr. Wu.

“I was like, ‘Sure, of course, that sounds great,’” Wong recalled. “I didn’t really take it that seriously because things change all the time.”

Wong knows that from first-hand experience.

The 54 year old is a veteran character actor having worked on “Law & Order: SVU” for 11 years playing Dr. George Huang and starring in countless movies since the 1980s. But when he got the call to play Dr. Wu the first time around in “Jurassic Park” he thought it would bring him to the next level.

Mainly, because of the size of the Dr. Wu character in the book. In which he stays on the island with the others to regain power to the park.

“I was actually hired from auditions I did that were scenes taken from the book,” said Wong, referring to the Michael Crichton novel the movie is based on.

“So imagine my surprise when I got a call that I was working on the movie for one day,” he said.

Though his character was stripped bare, Wong got over it quickly because being on a movie of that magnitude definitely helped him get more work.

But when Trevorrow came calling 20-plus years later, Wong was a bit skeptical.

“I think he might have sensed that I was sensitive to their not being much to [the character],” he said. “He was courting me in a way.”

As Wong predicted, it was months following that first call with Trevorrow when he finally got word that Dr. Wu was going to be in the film.

But how they had fleshed out the Dr. Wu character was beyond Wong’s expectations.

“The character was coming full circle but also they were giving him his due in some way,” Wong said. “They were making him into a three-dimensional person and I liked that.”

In “Jurassic World,” Dr. Wu is now the head of the division that clones dinosaurs and has pushed the boundaries of cloning. He's in charge of developing bigger, and more dangerous creatures to keep fans of the theme park returning for more.

Dr. Wu’s major scene comes after his newest creation, the Indominus Rex, has escaped and the park’s owner Simon Masrani (Irrfan Khan) comes to Dr. Wu for answers. Like in “Jurassic Park,” Dr. Wu gives the audience a better understanding of what our heroes are up against. But this time Trevorrow wanted the character to have an added layer.

“We’re about to shoot my big scene with Simon Masrani, Colin comes over to me and says, ‘You know, I think Wu he should say, ‘All of this is because of me,’” Wong recalls.

The line was not in the script, and Wong was instantly taken-aback that Trevorrow would let a lower-tier character say a line of such magnitude.

“I was like, ‘Are you kidding me?’ But I said the line in every take from that point on,” Wong said. “But I thought they were never going to use that. Or Universal would not let them use it. That’s just too much of a commitment.”

But it was left in. And that chilling line presented the audience with a side of Dr. Wu they didn’t see coming. A person so full of himself that he now has a God complex. The importance of Dr. Wu to the story is confirmed in his last scene when we see him fly off Jurassic World with a suitcase full of dino embryos.

So, will we see Dr. Wu if there are sequels to “Jurassic World”?

Wong is as curious as we are.

“I'm not even being coy, I don't have any idea,” he said. “I read the movie and had the same reaction that most all people are having in regards to that. So if you're the kind of person who's inclined to root for that thing to happen then there's a certain amount of encouragement there.”

Is Wong one of those people rooting for that?

“I think I am,” he said, “because now you can tell that the potential [for the character] is really great.”

SEE ALSO: Actor BD Wong blames "racial exclusion in Hollywood" for his small role in "Jurassic Park"

MORE: "Jurassic World" actor BD Wong says there was "ridiculous" security required to read the script

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NOW WATCH: 5 science facts 'Jurassic World' totally ignored

"Jurassic World" is on its way to becoming the biggest movie of the summer. 

The fourth film in the franchise has now made over $1 billion in 13 days. 

If you've seen the film, you know the movie is full of as many brands as dinosaurs. But which ones appear the most?

Concave Brand Tracking, a marketing company that tracks and analyzes brands in entertainment content, recorded the brands which appear the most in "Jurassic World."

Here are the six brands that appear the most, according to Concave:

1. Samsung
2. Mercedes-Benz
3. Bose
4. Triumph
5. Alpha
6. Jeep

Samsung phones, TVs, tablets, and other products are seen throughout the theme park and used by visitors in the park. There's even a Samsung-sponsored building in the park. According to Concave, Samsung gets over five minutes of screen time on film.

Watches and tech used in the park are all Samsung.

Pay close attention to any time cell phones, tablets, or other gadgets are held up by park visitors. They're most likely Samsung.

All of the TV monitors seen in the background of the park? They're Samsung, too.

Even this main building seen in the park has the Samsung name attached to it as a sponsor. It's a bit hard to see here, but it's shown up close in the film.

The other brand you're likely to notice is Mercedes. Practically every vehicle on the island is a Mercedes. Though the brand has less time on screen than Samsung products (2-and-a-half minutes), the company logo is visible 85% of the time it's on screen. 

You can see the Mercedes logo visible in the movie essentially whenever a car is on screen.

Bose headphones are also worn in helicopter scenes in the film. According to Concave, the brand gets two minutes of screen time in "Jurassic World."

You can view Concave's full study here.

SEE ALSO: Universal is completely dominating the box office this year

AND: 14 "Jurassic Park" references made in "Jurassic World"

More "Jurassic": 12 things you probably didn't know about "Jurassic Park"

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NOW WATCH: The new 'Jurassic World' trailer shows why it took $190 million to make this summer blockbuster

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NOW WATCH: 4 major issues for any American who wants to visit Cuba

"Terminator: Genisys" is in theaters July 1.

When it comes out, one of the most talked about scenes will be a fight that occurs early on in the film between Arnold Schwarzenegger's Terminator character fighting a younger version of himself from the original 1984 film.

It's been heavilymarketed in ads for the movie.

It was also the most difficult scene to make, according to the film's screenwriters.

Without giving too much away, the film recreates a few of the original scenes from 1984's "Terminator." The filmmakers weren't able to use scenes from the original film since they didn't have the rights to the movie.

"Because the first movie is owned by one entity, Hemdale and Orion, and the second movie was owned by another entity, and the third movie another one, and then got bankrupt and sold it to David and Megan Ellison and they made the fifth movie,"Schwarzenegger explained to a crowd at a Q&A after a fan screening of the film. "Therefore it was impossible for them to go and to take the scene from the 1984 movie and then put that in a movie and then continue on from there." 

"Genisys" wouldn't have come together without 28-year-old model and bodybuilder Brett Azar who had to fight Schwarzenegger on set of the film in the nude.

Here's Azar, who's credited with playing the "Young Terminator" in the film.

Azad says Schwarzenegger has been his idol since elementary school. 

Finally I can say it. I am The Terminator . Atleast the throwback from T1 ;) Trailer is out and the film is out July 1st!!! Much thanks to my agents Mike Lyons Adam Silver and Barry Godin. Huge thanks to @schwarzenegger #arnoldschwarzenegger and the whole @terminatorgenisys team!!! You are all blessings #CONQUER

A photo posted by Brett Azar (@zarskie) on Dec 4, 2014 at 11:54am PST

For filming, Azar wore a wig to capture the look of Arnold on screen.

He also had to get dozens of ink dots drawn onto his face to help get the digital placement of Schwarzenegger's younger face onto his just right. Azar told The Terminator Fans blog it took at least an hour to do each day.

A photo posted by Brett Azar (@zarskie) on Feb 19, 2015 at 1:47pm PST

Azar told the Terminator Fans blog he had to be completely nude to film the scene with Schwarzenegger, covered only by a sock.

Jai [Courtney] got to wear a triangle piece that was more like a g-string. I had literally a sock/pantyhose with a drawstring. … yeah nothing was concealed. And I had to run at Arnold full speed, grapple with him, throw kicks and punches, approach him on the ground…. just hanging out. I really didn’t care though. I was living my dream and it didn’t matter if I was naked doing it. The stunt guys always made a good joke of it though… leaving a plate of cucumber slices and a sausage in a specific arrangement in my trailer…. I just know I’ll never feel awkward again in my life.

Azar doesn't only fill in for the younger, villainous version of Arnold. He also fills in as the body double of the younger version of Arnold who is seen with a young Sarah Conner in trailers for the film. 

Here's an image of him filming the scene.

A photo posted by Brett Azar (@zarskie) on Dec 21, 2014 at 1:32pm PST

The 6'2" Azar weighed 250 lbs while filming. He shows off the secret to staying fit for "Terminator Genisys": "scivation xtend bcaas 7 scoops every day in my gallon... 49grams a day... terminator secret ;)"

SCIVATION XTEND bcaas 7 scoops every day in my gallon... 49grams a day... terminator secret ;) never wake without it, never workout without it, never go to bed without it. #CONQUER

A photo posted by Brett Azar (@zarskie) on Jan 25, 2015 at 12:01pm PST

You can read his full interview here. 

More "Terminator": Arnold Schwarzenegger fought with James Cameron over one deleted scene in "Terminator 2"

SEE ALSO: Our review of "Terminator Genisys"

AND: Arnold Schwarzenegger: The majority of people in Hollywood said I'd never make it as an actor

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NOW WATCH: WHERE ARE THEY NOW? The original 1993 'Jurassic Park' cast today

There’s a common practice in Hollywood — the bigger the film, the more mystery surrounding the making of it.

But it seems “Jurassic World” went next level to keep all of its goodies unknown until its release.

Actor BD Wong, who plays Dr. Henry Wu in both “Jurassic Park” and “Jurassic World,” told Business Insider that the level of secrecy used for him to read the script for both films was unlike anything he’s ever experienced in his 30-plus year career.

“You read it in a really weird way,” he tells BI.

Wong said soon after he was told he’d star in “Jurassic World,” he was given instructions on how to get a hold of the script.

“You could only read the script in the office during a certain hour of the day,” he said. “I had to go drive to the production office, you’re in this room, you read the whole script, and then give it back to them. I had to do the same thing for ‘Jurassic Park.’”

And to bring another layer of camouflage to the project, the script Wong read was given a dummy title, “Ebb Tide.”

“You’d be driving around and you’d be looking for signs to the ‘Ebb Tide’ production office,” Wong recalls.

Looking at the grand scheme of things, Wong admits this process does seem “ridiculous.” “Given the state of the world and things that are really important — life or death — this seemed hilarious,” said Wong.

But it did get the job done.

“No one leaked anything,” he said.

SEE ALSO: Actor BD Wong blames "racial exclusion in Hollywood" for his small role in "Jurassic Park"

MORE: The only actor from 'Jurassic Park' to star in 'Jurassic World' was skeptical to return

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NOW WATCH: WHERE ARE THEY NOW? The original 1993 'Jurassic Park' cast today

A big reason for the historic box office success of “Jurassic World” is due to its nostalgia for the original 1993 hit, “Jurassic Park.”

Lowery’s vintage t-shirt with the original logo, the kids riding around in one of the old jeeps from the first film, and the return of Dr. Henry Wu are just some of the goodies you can find in the new movie that reference the original.

But the actor who plays Dr. Wu, BD Wong, says there’s one thing “World” has done much better than “Park” — ethnic diversity.

“Twenty-two years ago it was Sam Jackson and me,” said Wong. “I think that was pretty much it.”

But in "World," says Wong, "It’s truly diverse.”

The actor has a point.

Along with Wong (who is of Chinese descent) returning, the park in “Jurassic World” is run by a character played by Indian actor Irrfan Khan.

And the character Barry, who ttrains raptors alongside Owen (Chris Pratt), is of West African descent (Omar Sy). 

Then there are the park guests.

“There’s 22,000 truly diverse people at the park,” Wong points out. “If you’re me you really notice that. They really took pains to make that a really international looking crowd.”

He believes “racial exclusion in Hollywood” is one of the reasons his Dr. Wu character was scaled down to a single scene in “Jurassic Park.” In Michael Crichton’s book on which the film is based, Dr. Wu has a major presence.

“When you’re an ethnic actor you always have to question why this character got scaled down so much,” Wong told BI. “You go, ‘Oh, darn, this is an opportunity that got wasted.’ Because the movie needs to be Caucasian-centric in order for the filmmakers to feel that they need to succeed and reach people.”

Wong believes “Jurassic World” is a great step forward in Hollywood dealing with its lack of diversity issue, but there’s still a long way to go.

“We’re still far, far away from where parts that Bryce [Dallas Howard] and Chris [Pratt] play would go to ethnic people.”

SEE ALSO: Here's how the 'Jurassic World' dinosaurs looked in real life

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NOW WATCH: The real 'Jurassic World' is in China — 17,000 dinosaur eggs have been found in the same city

Arnold Schwarzenegger's most recognizable role is the T-800 machine in "The Terminator" franchise.

Schwarzenegger will reprise his role as the fan-favorite cyborg in "Terminator Genisys" next month.

However it could have been a lot different if financers who backed the original 1984 film had their way.

While re-watching James Cameron's 1984 "The Terminator," one of the Blu-Ray features I stumbled upon was "Making of The Terminator: A Retrospective," which included an old interview between Cameron and Schwarzenegger.

In it, the two discuss that Schwarzenegger originally read for the role of Kyle Reese, the hero sent back in time to protect Sarah Connor (Linda Hamilton) from the Terminator.

You know, this guy:

"They wanted you to read for the other guy, right? So you read it thinking about the other guy, about Reese? Do you remember what you were thinking when you read it?" asked Cameron.

"The more I read the script, the more I remembered I got fascinated by the Terminator — the bad guy — which I thought was the real cool guy," responded Schwarzenegger. "We were talking along the lines of me playing the heroic character."

Cameron said he thought Schwarzenegger was also coming in to read for the part of Reese, but then when they both went to a lunch meeting they both were thinking that it would be great if Schwarzenegger played the Terminator.

"When I went to that lunch ... in the back of my mind I was thinking the Terminator, you were thinking the Terminator, but we sit and we had this polite lunch because we'd never met each other and neither one of us mentions it," recalled Cameron. "And then we both go back to our guys and say, 'Terminator.'"

Schwarzenegger says Cameron then had a painting sent over to his office of Schwarzenegger as the Terminator. 

"I looked at this painting and I said, 'I am the Terminator,'" Schwarzenegger recalled.

Schwarzenegger says right after that he called both his agent and Cameron to tell them he wanted to be the Terminator.

It's something that's also noted in the new making of book "Terminator Genisys: Resetting the Future" from Insight Editions out June 30:

Though The Terminator is now a genre classic, it began as a low-budget science-fiction action picture from a young, unknown husband-and-wife team, James Cameron and Gale Ann Hurd ....

They found their man in Arnold Schwarzenegger ... They let it be known that Schwarzenegger was to play the hero, a soldier from the future. That satisfied potential financiers, but Cameron Hurd, and Schwarzenegger secretly had other plans. Eventually, in a canny bit of subterfuge, they let it be known that Schwarzenegger had asked to change parts and play the eponymous role, a lethal cyborg from the future known as a terminator.

Could you have seen Schwarzenegger as Kyle Reese, the man sent back in time to save Sarah Connor from the Terminator?

You can watch the featurette with Cameron and Schwarzenegger below:

SEE ALSO: Arnold Schwarzenegger fought with James Cameron over one deleted scene in 'Terminator 2'

AND: Arnold Schwarzenegger: The majority of people in Hollywood said I'd never make it as an actor

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: Here's the 'Terminator' trailer that just aired during the Super Bowl

We're still about two years away from the 2017 release of "Guardians of the Galaxy 2," but it looks like one of the first big bits of information about the film has just come out: the title. 

Earlier today, Collider reported that Marvel President Kevin Feige let it slip during the "Ant-Man" press junket the "Guardians of the Galaxy"sequel would be called"Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2."

James Gunn took to Twitter to confirm that yes, Feige had accidently let the title slip:

In case that sounded a little sarcastic, Gunn posted a much longer, more sincere answer on Facebook:

"Yes, the official title of the sequel to Guardians of the Galaxy is Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2.

Kevin Feige recently let the title slip while doing Ant-Man press, which I'm really happy about because God knows I've let more than one thing slip accidentally while chattering away on this FB page.

Also, hats off to some intrepid fans who figured out the title a couple of days after I posted the cover page. More than one person guessed "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2" - I wanted so badly to give you props at the time, but knew I had to wait.

For Kevin to mess up. Haha.

PS ANT-MAN PREMIERE TONIGHT AND I AM STOKED!"

//

While that title might sound a little anti-climactic, it is actually a clever reference to the first film's hugely memorable soundtrack. While "Guardians of the Galaxy" had "Awesome Mix Vol. 1," the sequel promises "Awesome Mix Vol. 2." The first film's soundtrack hit number one on the Billboard 200 last summer.

"Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2" hits theaters in 2017.

SEE ALSO: 'Guardians Of The Galaxy' Is Easily One Of The Summer's Best Movies

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NOW WATCH: Marvel's new 'Ant-Man' trailer looks even better than 'Guardians of the Galaxy'

If you can't wait to see next year's "Captain America" sequel "Civil War," which will pit Tony Stark against Steve Rogers, you may want to head out and see "Ant-Man," the next movie in the Marvel Cinematic Universe out July. 

According to /film, "Ant-Man" will feature the first clip from "Captain America: Civil War," but you'll have to stay until the end of the film to see it. 

Make sure to stay after the movie ends for not one, but two end-credits sequences. 

During the "Ant-Man" press junket over the weekend, Marvel president Kevin Feige confirmed to /film the clip showed at the end of "Ant-Man" is "material shot for Civil War" that you'll see in the movie next year.

Via /film:

It might be different takes, it might be different angles. Somebody brought up the comparison to the Thor tag at the end of Iron Man 2, which was material shot for the Thor film but we cut slightly differently.

No word on who pops up on the scene yet, but we'll have a full explainer on the end-credits sequences once the film is released in theaters July 17.

"Captain America: Civil War" will be released May 6, 2016.

SEE ALSO: 'Inside Out' is Pixar's most stunning animated film since 'Finding Nemo'

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NOW WATCH: Marvel's new 'Ant-Man' trailer looks even better than 'Guardians of the Galaxy'

Production on the next "Star Trek" film appears to be underway — and it finally has a name. 

Monday night, director Justin Lin tweeted out a teaser image of Starfleet uniforms on a rack with a hashtag that seems to confirm the long-rumored title of "Star Trek Beyond."

Taken in conjunction with the tweet and the Starfleet uniforms, it seems like the next "Star Trek" will indeed feature a renewed focus on space exploration, returning the series to its roots. And given Lin's track record on the "Fast and Furious" franchise, chances are it will be a lot of fun, too. 

SEE ALSO: The biggest celebrity "Star Trek" fans

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NOW WATCH: Neil deGrasse Tyson Tells Us Why 'Star Trek' Is So Much Better Than 'Star Wars'

Outdoor movies have long been a mainstay for public parks; each summer Manhattan's Bryant Park plays host to cult classic films, like Ghostbusters and Back to the Future, for example.

But, maybe crowds aren't your thing. A miniature LED projector will let you enjoy the same high-quality pictures without having to claim your spot in the grass among hundreds of other moviegoers.

Placed in your living room or backyard, the projector displays films in crystal clear HD up to 10 feet. It's set with versatile ports so you can hook it up to laptops, flash drives, SD Cards, and more. If you're watching outdoors, we suggest adding a theater-grade projector screen to your shopping cart to heighten the viewer experience. Freshly popped popcorn and good company will complete your alfresco movie-night setup. 

AbdTech Mini LED Projector, $103.50 (originally $135.29), available at Amazon. [23% off]

READ THIS: If you're drinking tequila, this is how it should be done this summer

SEE ALSO: This simple add-on lens turns your phone into a professional-grade camera

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This July Fourth weekend, we're proposing a 'Merica movie night with 10 films that will leave you feeling capital 'P' patriotic. Simply stream blockbuster hits, like Independence Day, and Academy Award-winning pictures, like Lincoln and Glory, on Amazon and watch. It's as easy as (apple) pie.    

Sidenote: The marathon is also a perfect Plan B should a sudden downpour decides crash your backyard or beachside festivities.

1. National Treasure 

Although we can't vouch for whether there is or is not a treasure map on the back of the Declaration of Independence — and we definitely don't condone you attempting to steal it to find out — National Treasure's action-packed historical scavenger hunt does prove itself a thrilling adventure, real or not. (Bonus: it's also available to stream instantly on Netflix)

Price: $2.99 to $17.99

2.  Lincoln

Following the 16th President during the final months of the Civil War, the critically-acclaimed film is a must-see for film and history buffs alike. We'll let Daniel Day Lewis' Best Actor Oscar speak for itself.  

 Price: $2.99 to $19.99

3. Jaws

The Steven Spielberg blockbuster just turned 40, and there's no better way to simultaneously celebrate its birthday and the nation's than diving into the classic American thriller. Dun dun. Dun dun.
Price: $2.99 to $12.99

4. Born on The Fourth of July

Based on the true-story of Ron Kovic, the somber film follows Tom Cruise through his trials and tribulations serving in the Marines during the Vietnam War. 

Price: $2.99 to $12.99

5. Independence Day 

The ultimate sci-fi story of American triumph: Will Smith teams up with Jeff Goldblum to save the nation from an alien invasion on the 4th of July. In a word: epic. 

Price: $2.99 to $13.99

 6. Glory

In the mood for more Civil War drama after you've finished watching Lincoln? The star-studded picture, Glory, which follows the first unit of the Union Army on their quest to freedom, will hit the spot. 

Price: $2.99 to $12.99

7. The Patriot

While the plot is fictional, the historical backdrop of Roland Emmerich's film — set in the tense era of the American Revolution — is completely serious.  

Price: $2.99 t0 $12.99

 8. Captain America

Everyone loves a good underdog story. This one's plot centers around a weak Chris Evans transforming into a super solider to help the US war effort in World War II.

Price: $2.99 to $19.99

 9. John Adams

HBO's John Adams brings David McCullough's Pulitzer-prize winning book to life as a seven-part mini-series, starring acting heavyweights Paul Giamatti and Laura Linney.  

 Price: $3.99 to $29.99

10. Frost Nixon

"When the President does it, that means it's not illegal" maybe the most intense line in any historical drama we've seen yet. 

Price: $2.99 to $13.99

READ THIS: Cuisinart has all of the culinary tools you need for amazing summer parties [up to 58% off]

SEE ALSO: This mini LED projector will turn your backyard into an outdoor theater

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Nobody expected "The Terminator" to be a hit in 1984.

It came from James Cameron, a then untested director whose only previous credit was "Piranha Part Two: The Spawning."

Made on an estimated budget of $6.4 million, "The Terminator" grossed $78.4 million worldwide and gave Cameron the clout he needed to eventually go on and direct "Aliens,""Titanic," and "Avatar."

Meanwhile, the 1991 sequel, "Terminator 2: Judgment Day," is considered one of the greatest sequels of all-time. With a worldwide gross of $519.8 million, it was the highest-grossing film of the year, and showed that Arnold could play both bad and good guy.

The two films serve as direct inspiration for the next film in the franchise, "Terminator Genisys," which is expected to kick off a new trilogy.

"The Terminator" might be best known for launching the career of its star, Arnold Schwarzenegger, while also giving him a catchphrase ("I'll be back") that would follow him around for the rest of his career.

But he wasn't the only one whose star power greatly rose after its release.

With the next series in the franchise in theaters July 1, let's take a look back at the stars of the franchise.

THEN: Austrian bodybuilder Arnold Schwarzenegger took one of his first major film roles as the murderous cyborg T-800. The rest, as they say, is cinematic history.

NOW: Besides being the governor of California, Schwarzenegger has had more iconic performances than you can count, ranging from “Kindergarten Cop” to “Predator.” He'll be back in his most famous role once more for "Terminator Genisys."

THEN: Linda Hamilton played Sarah Connor, mother to a child who was destined to save the world.

"Magic Mike XXL" is fan service, perfected.

It's a sequel that wastes no time trying to fabricate a reason to exist; it simply exists, and it's glorious.

The stakes here are not just low — they're nonexistent. There are no arbitrary subplots, convoluted love triangles, or any of the serious 'deep-dive' examination of the male stripper world that the first film offered.

The movie is all about giving these characters room to breathe and have some fun, and it more than achieves that goal. I can't stress enough how different this film is from the original — it's like they stripped out all of its "art-house" sensibilities and just left all the fun stuff. 

Watching "Magic Mike XXL" is a lot like catching up with your old pals for a couple hours after spending some time apart ... if your buddies happened to be super-ripped male strippers that took Molly in the middle of the afternoon.

The "plot?" Mike and his crew of "male entertainers" striptease their way up the Florida coast en route to a stripping convention. What happens if they win this convention? Nothing, really. What happens if they lose? Still nothing. It's all about the journey, and fortunately, getting there couldn't have been more fun.

Whenever you think the film is veering somewhere generic, like when Mike and an ambitious soul (Amber Heard) meet on the beach and hit it off, it reminds you that it doesn't really care about that and cuts back to the guys having fun. 

It's inspiring to see a film so dead-set on making its audience happy. When reviewing a film, it's best to keep in mind the film's goals and what it sets out to achieve. This applies to blockbusters, foreign films, indie dramedies, and every other subsection imaginable — what is this movie trying to accomplish, and does it accomplish it?

Regarding "Magic Mike XXL," the answer to the latter is a definitive "hell yes."

Channing Tatum is completely in his element, and it's incredible to watch. The man can dance, and the gorgeous (Soderbergh!) photography accentuates his skills masterfully. The way the camera captures his impossible-looking moves is like a bizarre form of visual poetry, and at times he appears to defy gravity, but it's all real. Tom Cruise may do his own stunts, but Tatum's feat here may actaully be more impressive. 

Everything from the goofy banter between the guys to the brilliant staging of its finale (best use of NIN's "Closer" ever) is pretty much note perfect. I dare you to watch the Joe Manganiello convenience store striptease or Tatum's wood-shop solo "Pony" performance without cracking a smile or howling like an idiot.

One of the most remarkable details about the film is that it manages to completely satisfy its audience without ever showing a naked body, male or female. There's some man-butt, but that's as far as it goes. 

Like a well-choreographed strip tease, "Magic Mike XXL" has the viewer under its spell, exhibiting total control, showing you just enough to get the job done but leave you wanting more. It's the very definition of a crowd-pleaser, and the (mostly female) packed house on opening night hooted, hollered and applauded uproariously throughout.  

When Mike encounters the girl from the beach for the second time, she's down in the dumps, and all he wants to do is cheer her up and "give her smile back." That's all "Magic Mike XXL" wants for its audience, too, and boy does it achieve it. 

Magic Mike XXL is now playing in theaters nationwide. 

SEE ALSO: The funniest movie of the year is finally here

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NOW WATCH: The new trailer for 'Magic Mike XXL' promises a guaranteed box office smash

When "Terminator Genisys" arrives in theaters this weekend, Arnold Schwarzenegger will reprise his role as the iconic titular character from the 1984 film.

This time around, Schwarzenegger will play an aging T-800. 

In the film, he'll take on quite a bit of damage as he goes to battle with several characters including a younger version of himself throughout the film.

While you may be quick to think all of the effects are done on the computer, most of them are actually no more than makeup with the aid of some visual effects.

65 craftsmen at Legacy Effects studio worked on thousands of silicon and prosthetic makeup pieces to be used on Schwarzenegger and his doubles while filming "Genisys."

A visual breakdown of Schwarzenegger's makeup process can be seen in the new making-of book "Terminator Genisys: Resetting the Future."

Publisher Insight Editions provided a few images of Schwarzenegger getting into his prosthetics exclusively with Business Insider. 

Check them out below.

Schwarzenegger is prepped to get prosthetics for a wound put onto his face.

Here's how two of the prosthetics look. Right now, they look huge on Schwarzenegger's face, but you'll barely be able to see them when they're fully attached.

The makeup crew from Legacy Effects works to make the prosthetics look like a natural extension of Schwarzenegger's face.

The finished wounds look Schwarzenegger looks at some concept art for his character, titled "Guardian."

Here's one of Schwarzenegger's final looks in the film:

"Terminator Genisys" is in theaters July 1. 

The book, "Terminator Genisys: Resetting the Future," is in stores now.

SEE ALSO: Meet the bodybuilder who plays Arnold Schwarzenegger's body double in "Terminator Genisys"

AND: Arnold Schwarzenegger: The majority of people in Hollywood said I'd never make it in Hollywood

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NOW WATCH: WHERE ARE THEY NOW? The casts of the first two 'Terminator' films

People illegally downloading pirated games, movies, and software cost the global economy over $800 billion in 2014, according to research from Arxan.

Arxan reported the figure in its State of Application Security report. The research was conducted over the last three and a half years and saw the group examine more than 50 of the best known piracy sites.

It revealed there were over 1.6 million pirated copies of movies, TV shows, games, and software packages, estimated to be worth more than $800 billion, available for download on the internet in 2014.

Disturbingly, the research suggested the trend will continue in 2015, predicting there will be 1.96 million pirated assets by the end of the year.

Movies and TV were listed as the most pirated assets, with the researchers detecting over one million shows being offered as illegal downloads in 2014.

Digital movie piracy is growing as users shift to illegally download shows only available on select streaming services, such as "Game of Thrones."

In 2014, Torrent Freak reported "Game of Thrones" season four finale was illegally downloaded 1.5 million times, 12 hours after being aired on TV.

More recently, Torrent Freak reported the "Game of Thrones" season five finale had been downloaded over 1.5 million times a mere eight hours of airing in June.

The financial impact of the piracy to HBO, which makes "Game of Throwns," remains unknown. 

However, Arxan researchers said by the end of the year they expect the number of shows and movies available for illegal download to increase to 1.3 million.

Computer games were listed as another growth area for illegal download. Over 23,342 titles were available for illegal download in 2014 and that “if current levels continue,” 31,000 will be pirated by the end of the year.

The researchers said the growth comes during a sophistication in piracy sites distribution and money making processes.

“Owners of pirate distribution sites are making millions from malicious advertising on sites sharing stolen movies and television shows while placing Internet users at increasing risk,” wrote the researchers.

“The largest content theft sites generated more than $200 million in advertising-driven revenues in 2014.”

Disturbingly, the research said, despite leveraging semi-legitimate advertising strategies, many of the sites are still hosting dangerous content that can infect visiting machines with malware.

To deal with the problem the researchers said industry will have to develop better security practices and “lobby [the] organisations that are responsible for setting standards and rules that penalize piracy,” to take a more aggressive stance.

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Here's a fun piece of trivia if you're heading out to see the new "Terminator" movie this weekend.

Pay close attention to Cyberdyne Systems, the fictional defense company responsible for the creation of the evil AI Skynet, while watching the film. 

If you're familiar with the San Francisco tech scene, the architecture of the company's buildings should give you a sense of déjà vu. 

Here's how Cyberdyne looks in "Terminator: Genisys" at night:

Look familiar?

According to "Terminator Genisys: Resetting the Future," the Cyberdyne offices are based on the Oracle corporate offices located in Redwood City.

Why Oracle? 

The new film, "Genisys," is produced by brother and sister duo David and Megan Ellison.

Their father just happens to be Larry Ellison, co-founder of Oracle.

SEE ALSO: Our review of "Terminator Genisys"

AND: Why the new Terminator movie had to come out this year

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NOW WATCH: WHERE ARE THEY NOW? The casts of the first two 'Terminator' films