Zac Efron is more ripped than ever.

The 28-year-old actor has been training for months to prepare for his role in the upcoming "Baywatch" movie — filming now and out summer 2017 — and it's clearly paid off.

Efron has been posting photos on his Instagram to show off his progress and share some secrets. He also wrote about his strict diet on Twitter.

Check out some of his intense regimen below:

SEE ALSO: RANKED: Every actor who's played Batman, from best to worst

First things first: lifting weights to work out his back and biceps

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There is a "Ninja Warrior"-like training course on set for Efron and his costar, "The Rock," aka Dwayne Johnson, to work out on. Efron said that he's been training for "months and months" to reach this level.

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Efron and The Rock even got into a tire-flipping race on set. The Rock won.

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Wow.

That's what the entire internet was left saying after the latest trailer for "Captain America: Civil War"was released on Thursday.

The new trailer features more new footage of the battle between Iron Man and Captain America, along with the surprise debut of the beloved comic-book hero, Spider-Man.

If you haven't watched it, check it out here.

There are tons of details hidden in nearly every frame. Let's break down what you just saw:

The trailer opens on a secret military facility. The doors open to reveal ...

Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan), the Winter Soldier. He was once a puppet of the evil organization Hydra, but regained free will at the end of 2014's "Captain America: The Winter Soldier."

Central to the film is whether or not superheroes need regulation. Because of the events of the past films, the American government believes that The Avengers need guidelines.

President Obama is known for his fluency in pop culture, but it was still a surprise to see in a long new feature in the Atlantic about his foreign policy that he compared the terrorist group ISIS to a Batman movie.

According to the story, in 2014 Obama worried that US intelligence was not taking seriously enough the threat of ISIS, also known as ISIL, which has grown rapidly and is notorious for videos of beheadings and its use of social media for propaganda and recruiting.

Here's how Obama reportedly explained to advisers the group's relationship to the larger forces at work in the Middle East and why it could be so harmful:

Advisers recall that Obama would cite a pivotal moment in The Dark Knight, the 2008 Batman movie, to help explain not only how he understood the role of ISIS, but how he understood the larger ecosystem in which it grew. “There’s a scene in the beginning in which the gang leaders of Gotham are meeting,” the president would say. “These are men who had the city divided up. They were thugs, but there was a kind of order. Everyone had his turf. And then the Joker comes in and lights the whole city on fire. ISIL is the Joker. It has the capacity to set the whole region on fire. That’s why we have to fight it.”

This does in fact explain what makes Heath Ledger's Joker so terrifying, not just for Ledger's unhinged performance, but within the story of "The Dark Knight": He's free even from the relative system of rules abided by fellow criminals. He's total chaos and unpredictability — which is indeed how many see the threat of ISIS and its techniques.

Here's the scene from "The Dark Knight" Obama was referring to:

SEE ALSO: RANKED: Every actor who's played Batman, from best to worst

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"Batman v Superman" will be in theaters later this month.

Recently, both Entertainment Weekly and Empire Magazine released huge cover stories on the upcoming movie which reveal a lot about the upcoming showdown between the Dark Knight and the Man of Steel.

While both articles are worth a read for fans, they're only available in print. If you're unable to get a hold of them, we've gone through the lengthy reads, and, surprisingly, there are a lot of spoilers out in the open about the new film.

Keep reading to see what we know about "Batman v Superman."

Warning: there are some spoilers ahead for the film.

Bruce Wayne won't be living in Wayne mansion.

According to Empire, Wayne and his butler Alfred Pennyworth will be spending their days at a "sleek lakeside residence." Wayne manor? It burnt a while back.

Alfred sounds like more of a former James Bond than a butler.

Don't expect Jeremy Iron's version of Bruce Wayne's right-hand man to be a mere medicine man and butler. 

He's described as someone with a "particular set of special-ops skills." We're imagining Liam Neeson in "Taken" meets the more rugged and brash Alfred from Fox's "Gotham." 

"He's a man who can actually do anything if he has to," Irons tells Empire.

Batman's voice will be digitally altered.

It sounds like Ben Affleck won't have to worry about making any gnarled, growling sounds as the Bat. Instead, his voice will be masked in a way similar to the Green Arrow's on the popular CW series.

"Batman's voice is digitally altered by the cowl," says producer Deborah Snyder.

Marvel teased the next Spider-Man in its latest "Captain America: Civil War" trailer and fans were besides themselves with excitement at the surprise.

British actor Tom Holland will be the third man to take on the role of Marvel's webslinger on the big screen following performances from Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield.

Holland has only been in a handful of roles, including 2015's Moby Dick movie "In the Heart of the Sea" featuring Chris Hemsworth, so it's unclear what to expect from the 19 year old.

But if you're unsure of his upcoming performance in "Civil War," don't be — "Guardians of the Galaxy" director James Gunn has weighed in to give the actor some high praise.

"As I've said before this was one of my favorite Marvel movies (and, no, it's not something I say about all Marvel films),"Gunn wrote on Facebook. "And I saw it before the visual effects were in. And, yes, Tom Holland is far and away the best Spidey ever."

Gunn has said before on social media accounts ranging from Facebook to Periscope that "Civil War" is incredible.

Commenters were quick to followup with Gunn, asking how he could make that call. Never shy to respond to commenters, Gunn compared Holland's take on Spider-Man to Heath Ledger's Oscar-winning Joker performance.

"Holland is to Spidey/Peter Parker as Downey is to Iron Man, Ledger was to the Joker, and Pratt is to Quill," Gunn wrote.

Other fans were skeptical of Gunn's praise since he himself works for Marvel. He's currently working on the sequel to 2014's "Guardians of the Galaxy."

"Like we'll actually trust a biased opinion dude you work with marvel we expect you to say that no disrespect tho [sic]," said one commenter.

"Disrespect perhaps not intended, but definitely taken," responded Gunn. "Please check your sources before you come in with the allegations of bias. I've only highly praised ONE Marvel film since I've been with them."

It looks like those last two comments have since been deleted from the Facebook thread.

What do you think of the new Spider-Man? "Captain America: Civil War" will be in theaters May 6.

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NOW WATCH: A new Marvel superhero got the job by telling an exec she could beat him up

This week, J.K. Rowling is releasing four short stories about the magical history of North America on her fan site Pottermore.

Rowling is using the stories to set the stage for the next "Harry Potter" movie, "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them," which takes place in New York City in 1926. 

Her first two stories covered early Native American wizards and the hardships of life during the Salem Witch Trials. 

Thursday, Rowling released her newest story, "Rappaport's Law," which explains why the magical community in North America lives in hiding from their non-magical, or No-Maj, counterparts. The story is named for a rule created in 1790 by the 15th president of the Magical Congress of the United States of America (MACUSA), Emily Rappaport. According to Rappaport's Law, the wizarding community is to remain completely separate and secret from the No-Maj community in the United States. 

The law was instated after Dorcus Twelvetrees, the daughter of a high-ranking MACUSA official, was tricked into exposing the wizarding world to a No-Maj man, Bartholomew Barebone, who sought to destroy it. Barebone came from a family line of Scourers, a corrupt vigilante justice group that was put on trial in the 1600s for some serious crimes against the wizarding world. The Scourer's hatred of all things magical was passed down to Barebone. 

Using his affections, Barebone tricked Twelvetrees into telling him confidential wizarding information, like the location of the American school for wizards, Ilvermorny, and the address of MACUSA. He even stole her wand. With the information Twelvetrees had given him, Barebone printed leaflets with and gave them out to anybody, including the No-Maj government, who might help him in his crusade against wizards. 

It almost worked, too. Fortunately, Barebone's spite brought about his own end. After unsuccessfully shooting at a group of innocent N0-Majs who Barebone thought were wizards, he was sent to prison by the No-Maj government. 

Even with Barebone locked away, the effects of the breach were still very serious to the wizarding world. To ensure nothing like this could happen again, President Rappaport instated the new law, which forbade wizards from marrying, or even befriending, No-Maj. While the Minister of Magic and the Prime Minister in England interact from time to time (which you might remember from the "Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince"), the No-Maj government operates without any knowledge that MACUSA exists. From 1790 on, the wizarding world in America was officially a secret one. 

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NOW WATCH: We talked to the ‘Most Interesting Man in the World’ about his retirement — here’s what he's most excited about

A movie based on the popular “Assassin’s Creed” video game series isn't due out in theaters until December, but you can already start buying your tickets to the upcoming film starring Michael Fassbender.

Video game publisher Ubisoft, in partnership with Fox and Regency, has launched a ticket pre-order that rewards fans with merchandise depending on how much they spend to see the film.

The ticket packages range in price from $15-$1,200.

Here's what you get in the various packages.

The $15 ticket is probably the best deal since most movie tickets are around that price these days.

You'll get a movie ticket, collectible watch, a digital copy of the official script, some temporary tattoos, and a few other "behind-the-scenes extras."

A $25 ticket will give you the digital script along with an exclusive "Assassin's Creed" T-shirt and other behind-the-scenes extras.

For $60, you'll get a Hidden Blade role-playing item which matches the one used by Fassbender's character in the new film.

If you have an extra $1,200 lying around, you can get a replica 15th Century crossbow that's used in the film. Only 20 of these were made by prop designer Tim Wildgoose, so if you're a really big fan of "Assassin's Creed," here's your chance to get in on the action.

You can head to media site Kernel for the presale and to check out all of the "Assassin's Creed" pre-sale packages including an "Assassin's Creed" hoodie ($120) and a statue ($500).

"Assassin's Creed" is expected in theaters December 21.

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NOW WATCH: Adam Savage shares his all-time favorite 'MythBusters' result

In the "Harry Potter" series, J.K. Rowling carefully explains how the wizarding currency systems works, but in America, wizards aren't using gold galleons, silver sickles, and bronze knuts to buy their wands and pumpkin juice.

Instead, wizards in America spend dragots, Rowling revealed on Thursday in a new story on her fan site, Pottermore. The story, "Rapaport's Law," is the third of four installments in the "Magic in North America" series, which Rowling is using to tease her upcoming movie, "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them."

The US government has a secretary of the Treasury. In the wizarding world, the Magical Congress of the United States of America also has an official designated to overseeing finances, the Keeper of Treasure and Dragots. In 1790, the position was held by Aristotle Twelvetrees, a man whose daughter almost brought an end to the entire wizarding world in America.

No word from Rowling on whether Twelvetrees also had a penchant for dueling like his No-Maj — American for "muggle"— counterpart of the day, US Secretary of the Treasury Alexander Hamilton. Hamilton died in a duel — with guns, not wands — in 1804.  

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NOW WATCH: 'Harry Potter' fans have finally gotten a taste of J.K. Rowling’s first screenplay

J.K. Rowling is releasing four short stories that detail the history of magical life in North America to get fans hyped for "Harry Potter" spinoff "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them" this November. 

In her latest story, Rowling explains that unlike their European counterparts, wizards in America live underground. The magical community is a complete secret and according to Rappaport's Law, witches and wizards are forbidden from marrying, or even befriending, No-Majs (the American term for non-magical people). 

We don't know a ton about the plot of "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them," but we do know the movie stars a European magizoologist, Newt Scamander, who visits New York City with a case full of magical creatures. Scamander, played by Eddie Redmayne, gets into trouble after some of the creatures (we still don't know which ones) escape. 

Along the way, Scamander meets Jacob Kowalski, a No-Maj who works in a factory but dreams of becoming a baker. Scamander introduces Kowalski to the world of wizardry, which could be a big problem for Scamander, considering the strictness of Rappaport's Law. 

Of course, it's possible Redmayne will have bigger problems than the kindly Kowalski knowing about the wizarding community if it turns out he's unleased a seriously dangerous creature, like a dragon or an acromantula, (the massive and deadly spiders from the Forbidden Forest in “Harry Potter”), onto the unsuspecting people of New York City. 

We're hoping Scamander's case was just full of harmless nifflers, but from what we've seen in the trailers for "Fantastic Beasts," that doesn't seem likely. 

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NOW WATCH: We talked to the ‘Most Interesting Man in the World’ about his retirement — here’s what he's most excited about

Marvel released a new trailer for "Captain America: Civil War" Thursday and while fans are freaking out about the first appearance of Spider-Man in the film, there's another character you should be getting excited to see in the May movie.

You may have noticed a costumed man knock Captain America out about two minutes into the new trailer.

That's Frank Grillo, who will be playing Brock Rumlow/Crossbones in the film. 

If you're not sure who the character is, we've seen him before.

Who is Crossbones?

Remember this guy from "The Winter Soldier"?

Rumlow was one of the men Captain America took down in that epic elevator scene.

He ended up being one of the many secret HYDRA agents hiding within S.H.I.E.L.D. At the end of the film, he was pulled from the rubble after a hellicarrier smashed into the S.H.I.E.L.D. HQ.

The next time we see him in "Civil War" he'll look like this:

He looked pretty banged up and burned at the end of "The Winter Soldier," so you can bet he has a bone to pick with Steve Rogers. 

How he'll fit into "Captain America: Civil War"

The bulk of the film will pit Iron Man and Captain America against each other as they quarrel over a superhero registration act. After the past few films, it's become apparent to the government that while the Avengers have saved the Earth from destruction, they've also been responsible for inflicting harm on innocent civilians in New York, D.C., and abroad. The answer, the government believes, is to regulate superheroes. 

It's something Tony Stark is on board with, but which Steve Rogers has a tough time accepting. As a result, the Avengers become conflicted. Some side with Stark while others support Rogers. 

So where does Crossbones fit in?

It's believed Crossbones will be the catalyst which triggers the government to initiate the superhero registration act, referred to as the Sokovia Accords in "Civil War." 

If you go back and watch the first "Civil War" trailer, you'll notice a huge explosion.

From the trailers, it looks like Bucky Barnes, the Winter Soldier, is being held accountable for the disaster. Captain America tells him in the first offficial trailer that he's a wanted man and we see Bucky on the run from another new character Black Panther. In Thursday's new trailer we potentially find out why — it looks like Black Panther may have been caught in the blast.

While Bucky may become the scapegoat for the explosion, it's believed Crossbones will actually be behind the act of terrrorism. 

In March, Hitfix spoke with executive producer Nate Moore about what event would result in the bad blood between Captain America and Iron Man. Moore hinted at Crossbones.

Via Hitfix:

“Crossbones is interesting. Again, a character who we all love and an actor we all love. We felt like there was a really good way for him to, once again, kind of fan the conflict that was already brewing. Here’s a guy who is a free radical. Hydra has kind of gone under. He’s sort of doing his own thing now. What happens when he pops back up? He is, I think, probably more unhinged than he was in the last film. He is definitely serving his own agenda. He’s not afraid to kill people along the way. So he becomes almost the spark point for what happens with the rest of the film.”

While the Avengers get caught up fighting amongst themselves it looks like they actually may want to turn their attention towards Crossbones who can be the real villain in the movie.

Warning: Huge potential spoilers ahead!

If you're familiar with the comics, you'll know Crossbones attempts to assassinate Captain in the "Civil War" series. 

I won't say what else happens to Captain America, but Crossbones could definitely play a big role in the film. Perhaps instead of fighting each other, the Avengers should set their sights on Crossbones before he takes out one of their own.

"Captain America: Civil War" is in theaters May 6.

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NOW WATCH: Scientists think they've discovered the true identity of secretive street artist Banksy

I went into Sacha Baron Cohen’s new movie, “The Brothers Grimsby,” with zero expectations, and I left having laughed uncontrollably for 83 straight minutes.

Yes, I’m shocked, too.

I haven’t really enjoyed anything the comedian has done since his 2006 hit “Borat,” but he has rebounded nicely here following the duds “Bruno” and “The Dictator.”

The best thing about “The Brothers Grimsby” is that it’s a hard-R-rated comedy that never slacks on being completely offensive — in the best way.

Baron Cohen plays Nobby, an English hoodlum from the town of Grimsby who spends his days getting drunk, watching English football, and making babies. His brother, Sebastian (Mark Strong), is an MI6 agent who has been estranged from his brother for 28 years. A chance encounter brings them back together, and Nobby ends up being Sebastian’s right-hand man for his next mission.

Honestly, the film’s plot isn’t why you are going to pay money to see this movie, so let’s get to why you would.

The jokes come often and, in Baron Cohen’s style, have a how-are-they-getting-away-with-this quality.

In one bit, a young boy with AIDS speaking at a world health summit is shot accidentally by Sebastian, and we watch the blood travel from the boy’s wound into the mouth of another attendee, “Harry Potter” star Daniel Radcliffe (yes, Daniel Radcliff, played by a lookalike, gets AIDS in this movie, but so does Donald Trump).

Then there’s a sequence in which, to escape from the bad guys, Nobby and Sebastian hide inside an elephant, then encounter other elephants. I’ll just leave it at that. If you need more, Baron Cohen showed the scene on Jimmy Kimmel and it got this reaction. 

A pleasant surprise is the believable action, specifically the scenes in which we take the point of view of Nobby and Sebastian as they are kicking butt. We can thank the talents of director Louis Leterrier, who also did the first two “Transporter” films and “Now You See Me.”

Many are tired of Baron Cohen’s shtick, and I admittedly thought I was one of them, but “The Brothers Grimsby” has made me a fan again. Yes, he makes idiotic movies, but if you have around 80 minutes and love unapologetic, crude humor, this is the movie for you.

And though box office will dictate if this comes true, I would not be shocked if there’s a sequel. The movie has all the makings of a franchise.

I’m not kidding.

"The Brothers Grimsby" opens in theaters Friday.

SEE ALSO: Aaron Paul is determined to make you forget about Jesse from "Breaking Bad"

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Director Paul Feig has worked with Melissa McCarthy in three films, including “Bridesmaids,” a breakout role for her. So it shouldn’t come as a shock that when he began writing the script for the new all-female “Ghostbusters,” he thought of the actress playing the outlandish member of the team, Patty Tolan.

But in a piece in Empire, Feig admits that during casting for the film, he changed his mind.

“When Katie [Dippold, Feig’s co-writer] and I wrote the script, we had written the role with Melissa in mind, but then I thought I’ve seen Melissa play a brash, larger-than-life character. She’s done it in my movies before!” Feig said.

That opened the door for “Saturday Night Live” cast member Leslie Jones to take the role. But the casting of the black comedian has resulted in outrage from some who claim the movie is stereotyping by putting the only star of color in the non-scientist, loudmouthed role. 

The Patty character is a New York City MTA worker who teams up with three scientists (played by McCarthy, Kirsten Wiig, and Kate McKinnon) to take on the rampant paranormal activity that’s suddenly hit New York City.

Both Jones and Feig have gone on social media to defend the performance. Jones openly considered leaving Twitter after all the negative comments she's gotten on the platform.

Feig explained in the Empire interview why he thought Jones was a fit for the role originally conceived for McCarthy.

“This is the role that Leslie can shine comedically in,” Feig said. “If you’ve ever seen her do stand-up, it’s just who she is. I wanted to unleash Leslie on the public in the same way we unleashed Melissa on the public in ‘Bridesmaids,’ with a very showy role.”

From the trailer it looks like it will be just that.

“Ghostbusters” opens in theaters July 15.

SEE ALSO: Isla Fisher snuck Sacha Baron Cohen's Ali G costume into the Oscars inside her Spanx

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Actor Aaron Paul has not made it a secret that he loves Stephen King’s epic book series “The Dark Tower” and that he really wants to be in the movie adaptation.

In 2012, he tweeted out to his fans that it would be a “HUGE dream” to be in the movie.

Then in 2014, he told Ain’t It Cool News that he’d had a “ton of meetings” about the movie, including with Ron Howard, who is a producer on the film.

The “Breaking Bad” star would love to play the drug-addicted gunslinger Eddie Dean from the book series, who's tied to the central protagonist. And it’s hard to argue with the guy who brought Jesse Pinkman to legend status in “Breaking Bad.”

He's still campaigning for the part. Following the recent news that Matthew McConaughey and Idris Elba will star in the movie, followed by rumors that Paul had been cast, Paul and Stephen King had this exchange on Twitter:

Business Insider talked to Paul the following day for his new movie “Eye in the Sky” (out Friday), and we brought up the rumors.

“Rumors are a funny thing,” Paul said. “These rumors about ‘The Dark Tower’ have come up a handful of times over the last couple of years. There's always a big part of me that thinks, ‘What don't I know?’ Just wishful thinking. I'm a huge fan of that book series for many years and the idea of them turning it into a franchise is very exciting to me. As a fan.”

A very coy answer for a guy who has been vocal about wanting the Eddie Dean role for years. And what about the King tweets?

“It was funny [tweeting] out to Stephen King last night,” he said. “That's the wonder of the internet. It's the power of numbers: get enough people to retweet something, someone might see it.”

There was a gleam in Paul’s eye when he told us this. There’s no doubt he wants in on the film. But as with everything in Hollywood, leverage is key, and it seems Paul is still searching for it. 

Aaron Paul's dedicated fans may help him there. They already think he's a sure bet for the movie thanks to Jesse Pinkman. The actor does acknowledge there are some similarities between the drug-pushing high school dropout on "Breaking Bad" and Eddie Dean, but he's also ready to go somewhere new with his talents.

"That is why people think I would make a great Eddie Dean, the smartass drug addict. But it's a completely different character, it's not Jesse Pinkman," he said. "And I love that."

SEE ALSO: Sacha Baron Cohen's "The Brothers Grimsby" is foul and obscene, and I loved every second of it

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In 2008, J.J. Abrams unleashed a different kind of monster movie on the world with "Cloverfield." The producer worked with director Matt Reeves (who would go on to do “Dawn of the Planet of the Apes”) and screenwriter Drew Goddard (Oscar-nominated this year for “The Martian”) on the found-footage thriller about a creature that attacks New York City.

The movie made a modest box office of $170 million worldwide (a success given its equally modest budget of $25 million), and was basically written off as a fun lark for three friends.

Then a few months ago, when the trailer for “10 Cloverfield Lane” went online, everyone realized that Abrams (the only member of the trio from the original to return) had pulled off making a sequel with very few knowing it was even in the works.

Opening today and backed with a 91% rating on Rotten Tomatoes (it’s projected to make around $20 million this weekend), “10 Cloverfield Lane” isn’t just the first surprise hit of the year. It could also be the launch of a franchise. As our review of the movie proclaims: “This looks like the start of something great.” 

Here’s why the critics are so in love with this movie.

SEE ALSO: RANKED: Every actor who's played Batman, from best to worst

No, you don't need to see "Cloverfield" before seeing it.

And that’s a good thing, seeing as most probably haven’t thought about the film for eight years.

“'10 Cloverfield Lane' is, as Abrams puts it, a ‘spiritual successor’ … [with] a hint of overlap here, a pinch of DNA there,” GamesRadar+ writes.

In fact, the movie, directed by first-timer Dan Trachtenberg, started as its own standalone thriller, but was thrust into the “Cloverfield” mythology deep into its production.

It’s a "Twilight Zone" episode in every creepy way.

Many critics have pointed out that its eerie atmosphere is similar to a story you’d find from the classic 1950s Rod Serling TV show.

As USA Today writes, it “mixes elements of an intimate stage play with the white-knuckled tension of a cracking good ‘Twilight Zone’ episode.” 

And you can’t get any closer to what Serling did on his show than this observation about the movie by the LA Times: "'10 Cloverfield Lane' posits that perhaps the real damage is to be done not by outside invaders but by those already among us."

Don't see this movie alone.

Part of the horror comes from that fact that the movie takes place in a bunker deep below the surface. So it might be good to bring someone to hold onto when you feel the theater walls closing in on you.

“At one point, this movie had me so on edge that I had a fleeting impulse to run out of the theater,” SFGate said.

"'10 Cloverfield Lane' does a spectacular job of capturing nightmare logic," The Guardian writes. "You sense danger even if you can’t explain it."

Daisy Ridley, 23, went from being relatively unknown to the name everybody was talking about when casting for "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" was announced in 2014.

Rey emerged as the star of the new series of films, and Ridley will be reprising the character for at least two more "Star Wars" films. 

But the actress might be joining a new franchise soon; a new rumor says Ridley might be taking on the role of Lara Croft in a "Tomb Raider" reboot.

Here's your introduction to the star:

SEE ALSO: How Zac Efron got incredibly ripped for the 'Baywatch' movie

Born and raised in Westminster, London, Daisy Ridley is the youngest of five sisters. Her father is a photographer and her mother works in internal communications at a bank.

Source: Entertainment Weekly

She's not the only one in her family with performing in her blood. Her great-uncle is Arnold Ridley, an actor well-known for his role in "Dad's Army," a popular British sitcom that ran from 1968 to 1977.

Source: Entertainment Weekly

Ridley studied at Tring Park School for the Performing Arts, where she specialized in musical theater, and graduated in 2010 when she was 18.

Source: Daily Mail

It's been over two years since we saw Jesse Pinkman race off into the night while both laughing and crying on the finale of "Breaking Bad." And in that time, the actor behind everyone's favorite drug pusher, Aaron Paul, has been busy trying to escape the shadow of Pinkman.

From starring in the adaptation of the video-game series "Need for Speed," to taking a supporting role in the Netflix animated comedy "BoJack Horseman," versatility hasn't been a problem for Paul. But none of his more commercial projects has caught fire like "Breaking Bad"— yet.

This weekend, he stars as a conflicted drone pilot in the indie film "Eye in the Sky." Starring opposite Helen Mirren as a colonel determined to kill a terrorist, he comes to a disagreement with her on how to engage when a young girl enters the kill zone, leading to a powerful commentary on modern warfare.

"Eye in the Sky" won't get the kind of attention to make us stop thinking of Paul as Jesse Pinkman, but that hasn't deterred him. He recently starred in the heist movie "Triple 9," and he's about to star in an intriguing new TV show from Hulu "The Path." And if you follow him on Twitter, you know he's campaigning hard to star as drug addict Eddie Dean in the screen adaptation of Stephen King's classic book series "The Dark Tower," which was greenlit with Matthew McConaughey and Idris Elba attached.

Business Insider talked to Paul at the Waldorf Astoria in New York City about the challenges of making "Eye in the Sky," box-office failures, "The Dark Tower" rumors, The Rock's nickname, and shaking Pinkman. 

Business Insider: So what can you tell us about the "Dark Tower" rumors.

Aaron Paul: Rumors are a funny thing. These rumors about "The Dark Tower" have come up a handful of times over the last couple of years. There's always a big part of me that thinks, "What don't I know?" Just wishful thinking. I'm a huge fan of that book series for many years and the idea of them turning it into a franchise is very exciting to me. As a fan.

BI: Are your people talking to the studio?

Paul: I have no idea what's going on. It was funny [tweeting] out to Stephen King last night. That's the wonder of the internet. It's the power of numbers: get enough people to retweet something, someone might see it.

BI: You're being coy with me right now. It sounds like you might know something, but there's nothing to say.

Paul: There's nothing to say.

BI: Well, let's dive into "Eye in the Sky." What did you know about the subject of drones before taking on the project?

Paul: A very scary weapon being flown over a country that the pilot of that weapon is not in. Being in the safety and comfort of their own bunker. Signing on and doing more research into this world, it's not the safety and comfort of a bunker — it's a very scary, terrifying situation that these pilots are in. Ninety-nine percent of the time, they are just the eye, surveillance. Making sure everyone is safe. Checking out where the bad people are going. Is that a bad thing? No. Dropping payloads on buildings and killing innocent civilians, is that a bad thing? It's a touchy subject.

BI: Did you talk to drone pilots for the movie?

Paul: Yes. I talked to this guy Chris, who had been flying drones for many years. He used to fly jets, him and his brother, and then he started flying drones. And not just one drone at a time. Sometimes he's flying four at once. Which is crazy. Again, because most of the time you're just the eye.

BI: How was it performing in a movie like this? Because I would assume you're just on set and someone is feeding you lines off-camera. Helen Mirren isn't giving them to you.

Paul: Right. We had someone reading the script for us off-camera and then for the things that we had to see on the monitor, [director] Gavin [Hood] would explain it off-camera. He would bark out orders to us, or he would explain what we're seeing, he would be like "Now you're seeing she's leaving her property, she's walking along the side of the building. Oh no, she's setting up bread, she has six loaves of bread, she has to sell those six loaves of bread!" It's an interesting way to work. I had never worked like that before.

BI: You've done great choosing indie roles, but the studio movies haven't gone so well. Do you have any regrets about some of the roles you've taken since "Breaking Bad"?

Paul: I did a big studio film straight from "Breaking Bad," it was really a business move —

BI: "Need for Speed."

Paul: Yeah. And it wasn't just a business move. I love cars, I have two classic cars of my own. Just the idea of how to really learn to drive a car like what we did in the film was a dream come true.

BI: But if it takes off, you get a franchise.

Paul: Yeah, it's great. And of course we wanted it to become a franchise. The fact that it didn't perform so well in the States is a bummer. But it performed well elsewhere. I had a blast doing it. No regrets. Now I'm just focusing on material — it has to be on the page.

BI: Are you surprised "Triple 9" didn't do well?

Paul: Shocked.

BI: I thought with that cast and the director, John Hillcoat, it would take off. On paper, you're thinking home run.

Paul: Easy. And I talked to John Hilcoat about this the other day. It feels like the universe is against the man. He's a brilliant filmmaker, but no one sees his films. It's so bizarre. The fact that we did $6 million in the opening weekend, well, "Deadpool" is a monster. It was the third week that movie is out, but it still did a killing.

BI: Were there specific goals you wanted to accomplish after "Breaking Bad"?

Paul: That show opened up so many doors for everyone involved. Before the show, I constantly had to bang on everyone's doors, do the hustle. And I'm all about the hustle still, I don't take anything for granted, but it's a point of the career now that you can be picky. My end goal is just to do projects at the end of the day that I'm proud of.

BI: Is one of those goals to have people think of you less as Jesse Pinkman?

Paul: Oh, absolutely. And I know jumping on "Triple 9," there were similarities. I mean, my character was holding a pipe in his hand. When it got to that part of the story, it got me thinking a little bit about Jesse, because I have said no to so many drug roles since "Breaking Bad" ended.

BI: And if "The Dark Tower" happens for you, the character you're interested in playing, Eddie Dean, is an addict.

Paul: Yeah, but, c'mon, that's "Dark Tower," that's fine. That is why people think I would make a great Eddie Dean, the smartass drug addict. But it's a completely different character, it's not Jesse Pinkman. And I love that.

BI: But would you go as far as, say, taking on a romantic comedy, just to flip it on people and do something incredibly different?

Paul: I don't really seem to gravitate to romantic comedies.

BI: I would pay money.

Paul: Would you?

BI: I'd put down cold hard cash to see you in a romantic comedy. I think it would be fun.

Paul: Well, who knows. But I do tend to gravitate to the more dramatic side of things. I love feeling intense emotions when I'm acting. I just love characters and stories with conflict. I love stories that put you on the edge of your seat and make you feel something. But I do have a comedy coming out.

BI: With The Rock and Kevin Hart.

Paul: Yeah, "Central Intelligence." I play DJ's CIA partner.

BI: DJ?

Paul: Dwayne Johnson.

BI: Oh, you must be good pals to get away with calling him DJ.

Paul: Yeah, DJ's a good guy.

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Gal Gadot is Wonder Woman.

For those unfamiliar with her name, the 30-year-old actress is best known for her roles in four "Fast and Furious" films.

But before she was in action films, she was Miss Israel and served two years in the Israeli army.

She's bringing the comic-book Amazonian princess to life alongside Ben Affleck and Henry Cavill in "Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice," out March 25.

She'll also star in the standalone "Wonder Woman" film scheduled for 2017 and (at least) two "Justice League" movies.

Get to know the new Wonder Woman below:

SEE ALSO: Critics are loving '10 Cloverfield Lane,' the first surprise hit movie of 2016

Gal Gadot was born in Israel on April 30, 1985. Her mom was a teacher, and her father was an engineer.

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Growing up, Gadot wanted to be a choreographer before switching her sights to law, but her plans changed after she met a pageant scout.

Source: Glamour

She participated in the 2004 Miss Israel contest and won, which launched her into a modeling career.

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Many actors say they don't like to watch their own performances. However, "Hunger Games" star Jennifer Lawrence doesn't feel the same way.

Story by Ian Phillips and editing by Stephen Parkhurst

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Disney's latest animated feature, "Zootopia," is a hit as it tops the box office for a second straight weekend with an estimated $51.2 million, according to The Wrap.

That gives it a domestic total of over $125 million, an earning pace that's around 50% ahead of what "Frozen" did in the same period.

It's likely "Zootopia" won't become the cultural sensation "Frozen" was as it doesn't have the same catchy songs and focuses on some more mature topics, but it's safe to say that Walt Disney Animation Studios is building up an impressive resume to compete against Disney's other animation house, Pixar.

Out of the new releases this weekend, "10 Cloverfield Lane" is the big winner, coming in second with an estimated $25.2 million. The "spiritual sequel" to 2008's found-footage thriller "Cloverfield," producer J.J. Abrams' plan to keep the project under wraps until a few months ago when it debuted the film's trailer for the first time turned out to work perfectly. And the high praise from critics didn't hurt either.

It will be interesting to see if other studios will take a page from Paramount, which released "10 Cloverfield Lane," and be more on the sly about certain titles when promoting their upcoming slate.

But not all was positive at the movies this weekend, Sacha Baron Cohen's spy comedy, "The Brothers Grimsby," only took in an estimated $3.15 million this weekend in over 2,200 screens. That's by far the lowest opening ever for a Baron Cohen-developed film.

Rumored to be budgeted north of $80 million by the time Sony had the film (it was originally developed at Paramount), the vulgar comedy is vintage Cohen and according to Deadline the film had an A- CinemaScore among audiences under 25 who saw it. But there was limited marketing for the movie, causing the buzz for "Cloverfield Lane" to completely overshadow the movie.

Sony likely is praying that the film becomes a cult hit when it hits home video/streaming, so at the very least it can break even on the movie.

SEE ALSO: Critics are loving "10 Cloverfield Lane," the first surprise hit movie of 2016

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In 1980, Paramount released the live-action feature film version of “Popeye,” directed by Robert Altman.

Starring Robin Williams as the comic character in his first film role, the movie/musical was a critical disaster and many involved found it to be a disappointment — though it was one of Altman's highest-grossing movies, making $49 million. 

But the unique set of the town of Sweethaven that was built from scratch for the film in Anchor Bay, the northwest corner of the Mediterranean island of Malta, was a highlight. Created by production designer Wolf Kroeger, its slanted, ramshackle structures made it look like it was pulled right from the comics.

After production wrapped, the set was never demolished, and following some refurbishing, the "town" was turned into a tourist attraction called Popeye Village, which is still open to this day.

Business Insider talked to Kroeger about building the set, and we look at how decades later, the location has become one of the top destinations on the Maltese Islands for family vacations and weddings.

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Construction of the village happened in June 1979 and took seven months to complete. "There were a few little fishing houses there, that was it," Kroeger told BI of what stood when the crew showed up.

"We had to bring in materials from outside [Malta]," he said. Lumber came from the Netherlands and shingles for the roofs came from Canada.

Though the film was a bust, Kroeger said the people of Malta loved the set and it was decided that it would not be torn down.