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'Avatar' director James Cameron slams Sean Parker's in-home theater streaming service

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james cameron

Famed "Avatar" director James Cameron is not a fan of Screening Room, a start-up that plans to offer a controversial device capable of on-demand, in-home streaming of films the same day of their theater release.

Deadline reported the Academy Award winner's comment to the technology during 20th Century Fox's CinemaCon presentation in Las Vegas.

“Our jobs as filmmakers is to keep making films on screen. We’ll continue to make this industry the greatest show on earth. My producer Jon Landau and I are committed to the theater experience. Despite what the folks at the Screening Room say, I think movies need to be offered in the theater on opening day. So boom.”

The idea behind Screening Room is to offer consumers a $150 device providing streaming access to movies still showing in theaters. Each film will cost $50 and give consumers a 48-hour period to view the film. 

Hollywood's biggest directors are divided on Screening Room, with some saying it's an innovation and others, a threat. Variety reported that Christopher Nolan ("The Dark Knight,""Inception") opposed the service, along with both Cameron and veteran film producer Jon Landau. 

Other directors not only support the device, but have become investors in the start up. As Variety reports, Steven Spielberg ("E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial,""Jaws"), J.J. Abrams ("Star Wars: The Force Awakens,""Super 8"), Ron Howard ("A Beautiful Mind,""Rush"), and Peter Jackson ("Lord of the Rings,""The Hobbit") have all backed the startup, either financially or through advising on security and anti-piracy strategies. 

Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter, Jackson said the device was "inevitable," while Abrams told the site he's backing Screening Room because "I see what's happening, whether people like it or not, and the way things are evolving with piracy and digital technology."

Screening Room is a joint venture between Sean Parker, creator of Napster, and his partner Prem Akkaraju. Neither Parker nor Akkaraju have confirmed a release window for the device. 

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Batman is getting its first ever R-rated movie in 'The Killing Joke'

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the killing joke dc comics

For the first time, a DC Comic original movie will have an R rating.

“Batman: The Killing Joke,” which stars longtime voice of the animated version of the Dark Knight, Kevin Conroy, and Mark Hamill as the Joker (he too has done that voice in the past), is an adaptation of a 1988 comic in which the Clown Prince of Crime gets Batman’s attention by capturing and torturing Batgirl (voiced by Tara Strong), according to Entertainment Weekly.

The animated film will be available on Blu-ray and DVD later this year following its world premiere at Comic-Con this summer.

“From the start of production, we encouraged producer Bruce Timm and our team at Warner Bros. Animation to remain faithful to the original story — regardless of the eventual MPAA rating,” said Sam Register, president of Warner Bros. Animation & Warner Digital Series, in a statement. “‘The Killing Joke’ is revered by the fans, particularly for its blunt, often-shocking adult themes and situations. We felt it was our responsibility to present our core audience — the comics-loving community — with an animated film that authentically represented the tale they know all too well.”

According to the EW story, Warner Bros. has no plans of releasing a PG-13 version.

This continues the studio’s path of releasing more mature comic-book material to the superhero fan base.

“Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice” was released last month in PG-13 form, but there will be an R-rated extended cut released on home video (and possibly a theatrical version of it, too, if you believe the rumors).

SEE ALSO: James Cameron just announced 4 more "Avatar" movies — here's when they're coming out

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The biggest theater chain is nixing its plan to allow texting during movies

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UPDATE: AMC has walked back quotes from its CEO. In a new statement, the company said, "NO TEXTING AT AMC. Won't happen. You spoke. We listened. Quickly, that idea has been sent to the cutting room floor."

It's one of the ironclad rules of going to the movie theater, but it's about to loosen up.

AMC Entertainment recently got a new CEO in Adam Aron, previously CEO and co-owner of the Philadelphia 76ers, among other things.

Aron has plans to shake up how the AMC theater chain, the largest in the country, does things, including becoming more millennial-friendly.

And to attract millennials, Aron wants to find a way to allow cellphone use during movies. He explained his reasoning in a new interview with Variety.

"When you tell a 22-year-old to turn off the phone, don’t ruin the movie, they hear please cut off your left arm above the elbow," he said. "You can’t tell a 22-year-old to turn off their cellphone. That’s not how they live their life."

AMC's head hasn't just been thinking about this in the abstract. In fact, based on his quotes, it seems like he's been thinking through how to do it just right.

"We’re going to have to figure out a way to do it that doesn’t disturb today’s audiences," he said. "There’s a reason there are ads up there saying turn off your phone, because today’s moviegoer doesn’t want somebody sitting next to them texting or having their phone on."

When asked about a section for texting, like the old smoking sections of restaurants, he says it's a possibility, though "more likely is we take specific auditoriums and make them more texting friendly."

Either way, it's clear the largest movie-theater chain in the country will be actively courting millennials and the devices that they constantly have with them.

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

Critics are already in love with 'Captain America: Civil War'

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captain america civil war

Some of the top critics in the country have seen the summer’s most anticipated movie, “Captain America: Civil War,” and it sounds like we should be even more excited about seeing it than we already are.

It currently has a 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

The third movie in Marvel’s Captain America franchise is its most intense. A rift within the Avengers causes the group to split into two groups: team Captain America (played by Chris Evans) and team Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.).

“This is the best Marvel movie so far,” Uproxx claims. 

"The shaming of 'Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice' will continue apace — or better still, be forgotten entirely — in the wake of 'Captain America: Civil War,'"Variety wrote. “A decisively superior hero-vs.-hero extravaganza that also ranks as the most mature and substantive picture to have yet emerged from the Marvel Cinematic Universe.”

“It would be a stretch to call this third Captain America film a drama, but far more than most comic-book films, this is a story of conflict between people, building on the history of Marvel's cinematic universe,” The Playlist said. “And the old affection between the two heroes amplifies their new enmity which only further draws the audience in.”

Along with what seems to be a very strong story, the introduction of Black Panther (Chadwick Boseman) and the new Spider-Man (Tom Holland) in the movie are added highlights.

You’ll get to experience the film yourselves when it opens on May 6.

SEE ALSO: RANKED: The 23 most awe-inspiring uses of CGI in movies

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We finally know why C-3PO has a red arm in 'Star Wars: The Force Awakens'

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One of the biggest head-scratchers from “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” has finally been solved.

Marvel has released the comic book “Star Wars: C-3PO Number 1” and inside we find out the origin of the droid’s striking red arm he was sporting in the movie.

If you plan to buy the comic and don't want to be spoiled, we suggest you stop reading now.

c3po marvel

Okay, for the rest of you, this is how it happened.

In the comic, C-3PO is with other Resistance droids who have on their ship a captured First Order droid named Omri when they crash-land on a planet. 3PO and Omri end up being the only surviving droids, though 3PO has lost an arm in the crash. They talk about the role of droids in the galaxy, and 3PO tells Omri memories from events in the prequel films. Then Omri decides to sacrifice itself in order to save 3PO.

3PO takes Omri’s arm in tribute of the unselfish act of the First Order droid.

According to the comic’s website on Marvel, this is the only place where the red arm backstory will be explored, so don’t expect much about it in the movies.

SEE ALSO: The 23 most awe-inspiring uses of CGI in movies

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The trailer for one of the most anticipated movies of the year 'Birth of a Nation' is here

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The Birth of a Nation Elliot Davis

The trailer for actor Nate Parker's directorial debut "'," which won the Grand Jury and Audience Award at this year's Sundance Film Festival, has just gone online, and it's just as powerful as expected.

A project years in the making for Parker, it stars him as Nat Turner, who in 1831 led a movement to free slaves in Virginia. 

The trailer doesn't just show the tour-de-force performance by Parker, which is already getting Oscar buzz, but the film's beautiful photography, by veteran Elliot Davis, is in full glory.

Watch the trailer below. "The Birth of a Nation" opens October 7.

 

SEE ALSO: 25 pressing questions we still need answered on "Game of Thrones"

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Why people are calling 'The Jungle Book' the most visually stunning movie of the year

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On Friday, Disney releases its latest retelling of "The Jungle Book," which is still best known for its 1967 cartoon that included memorable songs like "The Bare Necessities" and "I Want to Be Like You."

The tale follows the journey of "man-cub" Mowgli through the jungle. In this version, directed by Jon Favreau ("Iron Man,""Cowboys & Aliens"), what stands out are the incredible computer graphic images used to bring the animals Mowgli encounters to life.

With a 93% rating on Rotten Tomatoes and the announcement of a sequel already in the works, this one looks like a winner, whether you take your kid or not.

That's been confirmed with a healthy $4.2 million take in the Thursday preview screening, with projections of the film taking in $70 million this weekend.

Here we break down what critics really enjoyed about the movie.

SEE ALSO: Critics are already in love with "Captain America: Civil War"

The visuals are obviously the biggest draw.

The talking animals interacting with Mowgli (played by newcomer Neel Sethi) are flawless. 

"The beguilingly credible CGI rendering of real-life animals takes its biggest leap forward since 'Life of Pi,'"The Hollywood Reporter wrote.

"I don’t know where the fakery stops and the real animals, waterfalls, and veldts begin in this movie, and I don’t really want to,"The Wrap said.



But there’s also a great story — not to mention those songs.

This certainly doesn't have the tame feel of the cartoon, but as Us Magazine puts it, the movie is "a wonderful tale in which a boy learns the importance of friendship and loyalty, perhaps this is the perfect opportunity for young cubs to earn their moviegoing stripes."

The placement of the songs that parents grew up on is also executed the right way.

"It’s not a musical and yet the deployment of two famous songs — 'The Bare Necessities' and 'I Wanna Be Like You' — feels easy and natural,"The Guardian said.



And the celebrity voices of the animals give the movie an added kick.

Part of the fun watching "The Jungle Book" is trying to figure out who is voicing the animals. Some will be hard to identify, like Garry Shandling (in his final role before his death last month). But then there are some obvious ones.

Like Bill Murray as Baloo. "Murray makes 'The Bear Necessities' fit into his laid-back existence as he hums and sings the song with Mowgli as they float down a serene river," the Associated Press wrote.

Christopher Walken as King Louie, according to The Washington Post, "seems to channel both Marlon Brando and Louis Prima."

Scarlett Johansson, as the large snake Kaa, "reinforces the notion, begun with Spike Jonze's 'Her,' that she can totally transfix audiences with her voice alone," the LA Times wrote.

And then there's Idris Elba, who plays the villain, Shere Khan, and will definitely frighten some of the younger audience members.

"Idris Elba’s Shere Khan is the best villain of the year so far,"Uproxx said.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

Director J.J. Abrams originally wrote all of BB-8’s ‘Star Wars’ dialogue in English

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bb8You may not be able understand adorable droid BB-8 in “Star Wars: The Force Awakens,” but there are real lines of dialogue which were written for the character.

Comedians Ben Schwartz ("Parks and Recreation,""House of Lies") and Bill Hader were brought in as “voice consultants” to lend their talents in bringing the voice of the beloved droid to life.

“The Force Awakens” supervising sound editor Matthew Woods recently broke down exactly how BB-8’s sounds were created for the film with Tech Insider. Schwartz and Hader weren’t simply in the recording studio making noises for BB-8. It was a bit more technical than that.

“Ben Schwartz was only used for his comedic timing so we had him actually say the lines in English,” Woods told us. “J.J. [Abrams] would write them … what he thought the lines would be in English and Ben Schwartz would say them like he was in character. In the editorial process, we’d use that. That gave us sort of a guidance, the emotional beats of what was happening with this droid.”

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Schwartz previously gave a Reddit AMA in which he recalled how Abrams approached him to help add personality to the small droid. Abrams told Schwartz he wanted to put BB-8 in big, long scenes with the film’s female lead, Rey, where  BB-8 could be funny and exhibit feelings of warmth.

“So, there’s recordings of me overseeing this. JJ would show me scenes, and I would say real dialogue as BB-8 in response to whatever Rey or people were saying,” Schwartz wrote. “And then, the goal was to give that to LucasFilms and they would turn them into beeps and boops. So they tried it, and when it came back, I feel like it felt like… you can feel like it was a human being turned into beeps and boops.”

Wood said that even though BB-8’s multiple puppeteers did a great job conveying emotion with BB-8 on set, Schwartz’ comedic timing helped inspire the droid’s sound design.

From there, Bill Hader was brought in to give his voice talents to BB-8.

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“Once we got the sound locked down to what we liked, we fed [BB-8’s sound] through a little tube called the talk box,” said Wood as he referred us to the Peter Frampton song. “[It went] through a tube into Bill Hader’s mouth and Hader would move his mouth in a way that would affect the sound and it would shape it.”

Afterward, Wood says that sound was re-recorded and used to make the final sounds for BB-8.

"Star Wars: The Force Awakens" is currently available on Blu-ray and DVD.

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How that insane chariot race in the new 'Ben-Hur' was shot with almost no CGI

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Ben Hur Paramount Pictures

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

ben hur 1 copyThe lack of computer graphics in the sequence was something Bekmambetov pushed for. And the inspiration for it came from a project he produced, “Hardcore Henry.” 

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

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

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Watch the “Ben-Hur” trailer below:

SEE ALSO: Producers behind hit reality TV-shows reveal the secret tricks they used to orchestrate crazy drama

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

Disney has 6 'Star Wars' movies planned through 2020 — here they all are

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

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

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

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

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

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

Source: Business Insider



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



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



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

Jeremy Renner gave the perfect response to why Hawkeye is joining Team Cap in 'Civil War'

41 movies you have to see this summer

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Cheer up, summer is around the corner. And with that comes a whole lot of blockbusters from Hollywood, plus some comedy and surprising doses of thoughtful drama.

Wedged between the must-see titles like "Captain America: Civil War,""X-Men: Apocalypse," and "Suicide Squad" are Seth Rogen's "Neighbors 2" and the new "Ghostbusters," plus titles for the kids, like "Finding Dory" and "The Secret Life of Pets."

Here we break down 41 (!) movies that should be on your calendar this summer:

SEE ALSO: Disney has 6 'Star Wars' movies planned through 2020 — here they are

"Captain America: Civil War" (Release Date: May 6)

The Avengers are up against their fiercest foes: themselves. In the third "Captain America" film, a rift in the group has led the superheroes to pick sides — Team Captain America and Team Iron Man. Heralded by many to be the best Marvel movie yet, this blockbuster has off-the-charts hype.



"High-Rise" (Release Date: May 13)

Tom Hiddleston continues to show the range of characters he can play as he stars in the latest from director Ben Wheatley. In this trippy thriller, he plays a doctor who moves into a swanky high-rise that is slowly making residents go mad.



"Money Monster" (Release Date: May 13)

Directed by Jodie Foster, this thriller starring George Clooney and Julia Roberts follows a popular financial TV host (Clooney) who is held hostage by an irate investor on his live television show.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

Actor Dave Franco reveals what it was like to audition to play young Han Solo

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Dave Franco (“Now You See Me,” “Neighbors”) was one of the bigger names to audition for the young Han Solo role that is currently being cast for a standalone movie about the legendary “Star Wars” character coming out in 2018.

While at CinemaCon last week to promote his upcoming movie, “Now You See Me 2,” Franco gave MTV a glimpse into the audition process.

Franco, who is no longer in the running for the role, said he went in one time and had fun doing the audition, but because of the project’s high profile, the news quickly went everywhere, and he had to tell people, “I know as much as you do.” Which was very little.

But he did admit that the challenge in casting the role is trying to figure out what the movie’s directors, Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, are looking for.

“I’m not good with impressions,” Franco told MTV, and so he said he didn’t try to mimic Harrison Ford’s portrayal of Solo in his audition. “I think that’s the reason it’s so hard to cast this role, too. Do they want someone to perfectly embody who Harrison Ford is or do they want to go a completely different route? Do they want someone to look really similar to him? I don’t know, I think they are struggling with that.”

Last week, Deadline reported that 26-year-old actor Alden Ehrenreich (“Hail, Caesar!”) is the frontrunner for the role, according to sources close to the casting.

Watch Franco talk about the Han Solo audition here:

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Scarlett Johansson's 'Ghost in the Shell' reportedly tested effects to make actors look more Asian

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Ghost in the Shell Paramount copy

In the wake of the controversial choice to cast Scarlett Johansson as the lead of the Hollywood adaptation of the Japanese anime franchise “Ghost in the Shell,” ScreenCrush reports that producers of the film tested digital visual effects that would make actors look more Asian.

According to a source in the story, producers immediately rejected the idea after tests were completed, but the news is the latest example of Hollywood “whitewashing” — casting white actors in non-white roles — that has been getting a spotlight in recent years.

Last year, Emma Stone was cast as a half-Chinese/half-Hawaiian woman in “Aloha,” Rooney Mara was cast as a Native American in “Pan,” and most of the stars in “Gods of Egypt” were Caucasian.

In the famous 1995 anime film "Ghost in the Shell," Motoko Kusanagi is a part-cyborg policewoman. Johansson is taking the role in the new movie coming out in 2017.

ScreenCrush reports that several sources say tests were done on Johansson herself to make her look more Asian. But Paramount in a statement to the site, while confirming a test, says it was only on a background actor.

"No visual effects tests were conducted on Scarlett’s character and we have no future plans to do so," the studio said.

 

Ghost and the Shell Production I.GRegardless of the subject of the VFX tests, what’s more disturbing is that Asian actors are frequently not cast in these roles.

Following the report by ScreenCrush, screenwriter Max Landis took to YouTube to give his two cents on the issue.

“The only reason to be upset about Scarlett Johansson being in ‘Ghost in the Shell’ is if you don’t know how the movie industry works,” he said in the video, pointing out that “there are no A-list female Asian celebrities.”

“It’s infuriating,” Landis added. “There used to be, in the ‘90s, diversity in our A-list actors. Jackie Chan and Jet Li were famous at the same time, they could both get movies made. We don’t have that guy any more, we don’t even have Lucy Liu any more.”

Landis argues the only reason "Ghost in the Shell" in its Hollywood form is being made is because a bankable star like Johansson is in the lead.

Paramount has not yet replied to a request for comment from Business Insider.

SEE ALSO: 41 movies you have to see this summer

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This man made a new movie exposing Scientology's inner workings and received physical threats

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My_Scientology_Movie_press_3 BBC:BBC Worldwide

Since the release of Alex Gibney's Emmy-winning documentary "Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief," fascination over the Church of Scientology has been at an all-time high.

Now the church is being examined through the unique style of BBC filmmaker Louis Theroux. Known as the Michael Moore of Britain, Theroux often stars in his docuseries projects featuring a biting comedic take on unique topics. "My Scientology Movie," Theroux's first feature film (directed by John Dower), is less of a broad historic look at Scientology, like Gibney's film, and more a spotlight on the alleged incidents church members have experienced under the thumb of current Scientology leader David Miscavige.

"I had tried to do something on Scientology in 2002, but I reengaged with the subject after our producer Simon Chinn read the Lawrence Wright New Yorker piece [in 2011]," Theroux told Business Insider hours before the film's international premiere on Sunday at the Tribeca Film Festival.

The film follows Theroux as he travels to Los Angeles to investigate what goes on at the church's headquarters. With the church unwilling to cooperate, Theroux enlists ex-Scientology executive Marty Rathbun (who also stars in "Going Clear") to give insight into what goes on there.

This then leads to Theroux asking Rathburn to help him in casting reenactments of incidents that allegedly happened to church members, many of which involve the church's leader, David Miscavige, bullying and physically abusing Scientologists.

As with "Going Clear," making "My Scientology Movie" involved lawyers dissecting every piece of footage in the final cut to make sure BBC Films and others with stakes in the film weren't making themselves legally vulnerable.

Due to differences in liable rules in the UK versus the States, Theroux believes "My Scientology Movie" was scrutinized more by legal than "Going Clear."

"When you don't have access to a subject and all you have is ex-members and critics, there is this gravitational pull toward telling a certain version of events," Theroux said. "Scientology would say this, and they have a point, that it's like doing a portrait of a marriage in which you're only hearing from the ex-wife and not the ex-husband. So as a journalist it's this nagging feeling that I'm not getting the full picture."

In the movie, many title cards giving information about alleged incidents also include counter-statements from the church. But Theroux believes Scientology's side comes through in its actions during filming.

In a few instances, Theroux finds camera crews, allegedly Scientologists, filming him making the movie. (Scientology informed Theroux that it's making a film on him.) Rathburn also films alleged Scientology members harassing him.

"When they show up saying they are making their own film on me, or filming Marty, as a viewer you no longer have that thought, 'I wonder how Scientology would characterize this?' It strengthens the film," Theroux said.

But Theroux admits he may have gone too far in a key moment in the film. Following an encounter Rathburn has with alleged church members, Theroux and Rathburn discuss the incident, with Theroux reminding Rathburn that when he was in Scientology these were the kind of tactics he instructed people to use on ex-members. This sets Rathburn off, and he curses out Theroux.

scientology xlarge"I think I was probably over the line," Theroux said. "Every screening I've been in when that moment plays, it's tense and people think, 'I don't know what I feel about this.'"

But director John Dower believes it needed to be addressed.

"Louis needs to ask that question because Marty had consistently batted it away so many times before," he said. "It so happens that's the only time he could get an answer out of him."

"My Scientology Movie" offers the impression that even if you decide to leave the church, members will never leave you alone — especially if you go public with what goes on inside it.

Since filming wrapped, those involved with the movie have thought the church was behind bizarre moments in their lives.

Dower knows his Instagram account was hacked by the church because, according to Dower, Scientology officials admitted to doing it in one of their cease-and-desist letters to the BBC regarding the film.

Then there are the threats toward Theroux.

The morning of this interview, Theroux was locked out of his email account due to, as he called it, "suspicious activity." He believes it might be Scientology-related. And a few months ago, the police came to his house telling him they'd been tipped that someone wanted to do bodily harm to him due to his Scientology movie.

"I asked the police where the threat came from and they said Scientology called them saying they had heard it," Theroux said. "I was like hold on, that doesn't sound right. They were the ones who made the call? Now I'm on a special list where if I call the police they are on the fast track to where I am. But my take is it sounded like Scientologists were just trying to wind me up by getting the police to come to my house."

Numerous attempts to contact Scientology to comment for this story were not successful.

Here's a clip from the movie:

 

SEE ALSO: 25 pressing questions we still need answered on "Game of Thrones"

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This man crafted an amazing medieval Darth Vader armor mashup

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Be careful. This terrifying, fully wearable set of "Star Wars" inspired armor is so good it may tempt you to the Dark Side. 

Samuel Lee is the founder of Prince Armory, a costume and prop design company crafting gorgeous armor sets like the Medieval Darth Vader armor. Founded in 2007, Prince Armory has created hand-crafted armor for films, commercials, Broadway shows, and top-tier cosplayers.

Among Lee's many princely creations is the stunning Darth Vader armor above. Rather than re-creating the legendary "Star Wars" villain's armor, Prince Armory offered an arresting, medieval twist that has become the company's signature style. 

Lee shared the armor's process from sketch to final, incredible product with Tech Insider. And just for added effect, listen to Vader's legendary "The Imperial March" theme while you check it out.  

Lee provided us with the initial sketches that eventually became the medieval Darth Vader armor.



The early sketches show how the helmet, shoulder pieces, and gauntlets all have intricate, yet distinct patterns.



The early mock-up shows how the individual pieces will fit together to form the full suit. The breastplate, midsection armor, and shoulder armor are sketched onto the cast as they'd be placed onto the body.



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Deadpool's mask had its own visual effects team

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If a genetic experiment turned your face into a pile of cancerous sludge, you'd want the perfect mask too. 

Tech Insider recently spoke with Dave Gougé, head of marketing and communications at Weta Digital, the studio responsible for animating Deadpool's signature red-and-black mask in the film. That's right, Deadpool's mask had its own effects team.

"It was very specific, we built a couple of custom tools to allows us to get in and do work [on the mask] very efficiently and, we believe, quite well," said Gougé.

Weta made sure Ryan Reynolds, who audiences agreed was near perfect in the titular role, could deliver a memorable performance that wasn't obscured. 

"Our job," Gougé said, "was to make sure that his line readings ... came through the mask."

Reynold's mask was neither entirely real, nor entirely CG. Reynolds filmed wearing a mask, which the studio then used "custom tools" to enhance. 

"It was solely focused on the facial work," Gougé told us. "We did a lot of what we would call 2D manipulation of the mask to help bring out and heighten the expression that Ryan Reynolds was giving when he was delivering the lines, but didn't quite read though the mask."

The New Zealand studio, perhaps best known for its work on "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy, is no stranger to superhero work. They also contributed to "Batman v Superman,""Iron Man 3," and "X-Men: First Class." Their work can also be seen in two of Disney's 2016 releases, "The Jungle Book" and "The BFG."

"Deadpool," meanwhile, was a box-office smash and a sequel is already in production. Reynolds announced the Blu-ray release for the first movie will be May 10. 

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5 big reasons so many video game movies have failed

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We can always count on Hollywood to adapt material from all forms of media in its never-ending quest to forge new franchises. Between comic books, literature, TV shows, and even mythology, it seems as though major filmmakers have perfected the art of bringing beloved properties to the silver screen. All that being said, if there’s one form of media that Hollywood cannot ever seem to get right, it’s video game adaptations.
 
The first-person action romp Hardcore Henry hit theaters last week, and while it isn’t directly based off of any single video game, it does take inspiration from the genre as a whole. That got us thinking about one very important question: why have so many video game movies failed? On paper, it seems like a perfect formula for success, but very few have been able to crack the genre. We’ve compiled a list of the five biggest reasons why most video game movies have failed, and what needs to be done in order to correct the course of the genre. Let’s get started with No. 5…

They miss the point of the games

Two attempts at silver screen glory, but Agent 47 has crashed and burned both times. The 2008 film Hitman, and the 2015 rebootHitman: Agent 47 both attempted to bring the bald, killer clone to the silver screen, but failed because they missed the point of the games. When played correctly, the Hitman franchise is meant to fall into the stealth genre. Sure, there’s plenty of action, but that’s for when missions go awry – or when players just want to cut loose. The Hitman films depicted 47 as a sword-fighting, shoot first, ask questions later type who would likely feel more at home in a John Woo movie than a thriller about a master assassin. Future video game adaptations need to acknowledge the genre and overall style of the original source material, and remember that when crafting a cinematic version of the narrative.



They change too much from the source material

Fans of the Resident Evil series generally understand that there exist two versions of the Resident Evil mythos: the game continuity, and the movie continuity. The first film attempted to somewhat faithfully capture the spirit of the original Resident Evil game by trapping its characters in a solitary location infested with zombies. Each and every subsequent movie in the series has slowly moved away from the survival horror aspect of its source material by centering the action on Milla Jovovich’s semi-superhuman Alice (a character with no basis in the games) and altering the games’ beloved characters like Chris Redfield to meet the needs of the films. Change is inevitable when adapting something to the silver screen, but Paul W.S. Anderson’s films have spiraled out of control. Future video game films need to trust that we love beloved video games for their stories, as well as their gameplay.



They don't enlist the right fllmmaking talent

If you know anything about video game movies, you know that I’m referring to the infamous Uwe Boll. The man easily has more video game movies to his name than any other filmmaker – House of the Death, Alone in the Dark, several BloodRayne films… I could go on – and each of them is notoriously deplorable. Despite the genuinely compelling narratives that most video game movies can potentially provide, the industry hasn’t really had the opportunity to enlist any prestigious filmmakers to lend an aura of credibility to the genre. We're not asking for David Fincher or Christopher Nolan, but video game movies deserve some solid, respectable filmmakers to helm these projects.



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Mark Hamill was originally hesitant about his appearance in 'Star Wars: The Force Awakens'

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"Star Wars: The Force Awakens" director J.J. Abrams was joined by Chris Rock Friday evening for a director's talk at the Tribeca Film Festival in New York City and it was definitely a fun night.

The many topics of discussion ranged from "Felicity" and "Alias" to current favorite shows (Abrams is into "Togetherness" and "Transparent" while Rock is digging "Fargo,""Mr. Robot," and "The Walking Dead"). Of course, by the end of the over hour-long discussion, Rock eventually asked Abrams to discuss "Star Wars: The Force Awakens."

Rock said when he starts writing a script, one of his rules is to not start until he knows the ending, something with which Abrams agreed. So Rock asked Abrams if he knew the ending to "The Force Awakens" before he started working on it.

"We knew that, obviously getting to Luke was the whole story," said Abrams. "I was desperate to do the next chunk. We knew it would never fit in this one movie. But, we knew that we had that ending."

Abrams described that the movie was "a tricky thing to do" and continued to explain how it was a bit tough to let Mark Hamill, Luke Skywalker himself, know he had no dialogue in the film.

"At first, in all honesty, Mark Hamill was a little bit resistant [to do the movie]," said Abrams as he told the audience to imagine being Hamill reading "The Force Awakens" script. 

"You get the script to the new 'Star Wars' and you're like, 'Oh, the crawl's good!'" Abrams said of the opening written text to the film. Then, to the audience's amusement, he continued while pretending to be Hamill. "Page two ... what the f--- is going on here? I'm three pages before the end ... the last [page], What!?"

While Hamill reprised his role, Abrams said the actor had some reservations at first about his inclusion at the very film's end.

"Well, will it seem silly? Will it be like a joke that he's [Luke Skywalker] standing there at the end?" Abrams said of Hamill's reaction to his role in the movie.

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It took a little convincing on Abrams' part to reassure Hamill that audiences wouldn't feel duped at the end of the film.

"And, I said to him, I don't ... think it will," recalled Abrams. "I said, I don't think so. It could be, because [the whole movie's] all about you, it could be this sort of great, fun drumroll up to seeing this guy."

Abrams then recounted when they were shooting that scene on Skellig Michael, in Ireland, and he said the moment he knew it would work.

"We're up there shooting this scene, and, you know, it's Ireland so it's raining and it's sunny and it's raining ... it's insane. We're up there, in between shots, we're getting this thing [and] I'm looking at him [Hamill] and I realize he's the same age, exactly, that Alec Guinness was when he played Obi-Wan," said Abrams. "And, there he is, I'm looking at him as the sort of mist is clearing, and I have my phone and I put on the 'Binary Sunset' cue that [composer] John Williams wrote."

"I'm listening to this music and I'm looking at Mark Hamill wearing these robes and I literally start to tear up and I'm like .. I just know this ending could really work," said Abrams.

Over $2 billion later worldwide at the box office and we'd say it worked, too.

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'Star Wars' Episode VIII is going to be completely unlike 'Force Awakens,' according to its stars

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After the bulletproof success of "Star Wars: The Force Awakens," you might think Disney would do everything to keep things just as they are.

But the sequel, "Episode VIII," is already shaping up to be a much different beast.

At least that's what the stars are saying. The next film in the main "Star Wars" timeline, now in production, is being written and directed by Rian Johnson, best known for "Looper."

John Boyega (who plays Finn) already revealed Johnson's "Star Wars" is "much darker." Adam Driver (Kylo Ren) says he's a "different" temperature from "Force Awakens" director J.J. Abrams.

Now Oscar Isaac has opened up a bit more about what's different in the "Force Awakens" follow-up. 

"Rian is definitely going to places and investigating things that haven’t really been done in the 'Star Wars' universe," Isaac told the Los Angeles Times. "For me, it’s so fun getting to explore different things that I wouldn’t have expected in this universe."

"In some ways it feels like we’re making an independent film," he added. Isaac is known for his work in the indie world like "Ex Machina" and "Inside Llewyn Davis."

"Certain things we get to play with — this kind of intimacy that we get to find — it's special. It’s been really fun," Isaac said.

The best hint about what to expect in the "Force Awakens" sequel from Rian Johnson, however, comes from writer Lawrence Kasdan, who worked on "Empire Strikes Back,""Return of the Jedi," and "Force Awakens."

"Rian Johnson is a friend of mine — he's going to make some weird thing," Kasdan told the LA Times. "If you've seen Rian's work, you know it's not going be like anything that's ever been in 'Star Wars.'"

Hopefully Disney is ready for another kind of Force in the universe.

SEE ALSO: Disney has 6 'Star Wars' movies planned through 2020 — here they all are

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