"National Lampoon's Animal House" is one of the greatest comedies of all time. Yet in 1978, not even one of its stars believed in the potential of a small comedy about toga parties.

That is why when it came down to Donald Sutherland taking a fee of either 2% of the film's gross or $35,000, Sutherland took the latter.

Here's how that "Animal House" blunder ended up costing him millions.

"Fat, Drunk, And Stupid Is No Way To Make A Movie, Son"

“Everybody is drunk, or high, or getting laid. I’d never make this movie.”

According to Matty Simmons' "Fat, Drunk, and Stupid: The Inside Story Behind the Making of Animal House," these are the words of Universal Studios boss Ned Tanen after he read the first outline of "Animal House."

It wasn't until the production promised Tanen that they could make the film for $3 million that Universal signed on. However, the studio still wanted a star to sell the movie to audiences.

For Universal, "Saturday Night Live" stand-out John Belushi wasn't enough, so director John Landis went to an old friend, Donald Sutherland (who was a huge star in 1978), and asked him for a favor. A hesitant Sutherland ultimately agreed to be in the film, but only after Landis told him that all his scenes could be done in a day.

Seemingly, both the studio and the comedy now had its "star." Yet, there was still the important matter of just how much Sutherland would get paid for the one day on set.

"I Just Want The Money"

According to Simmons, the studio wanted a star but "wouldn't pay for a star." This then led to a negotiation that Sutherland would regret for years to come. 

"[Sutherland] first asked for $250,000 and, in Landis's words, 'The studio said, 'Get the f--- outta here!'" Simmons wrote. 

Universal then countered Sutherland's offer with a simple $20,000 for a day's work plus points on the film. 

The problem was that Sutherland wanted nothing to do with points on the film, and would famously tell Landis: 

"I can't take that offer. I just want the money. I don't want any points in the movie."

Universal eventually offered a fee of $35,000 with no points for a day plus one — in Hollywood speak, meaning technically two days of work because you can't hire an actor for just one day in case they go over time. Sutherland would happily accept and would play the film's pot-smoking professor, Dave Jennings.

Then on July 28, 1978, Sutherland and the rest of the world got to see the finished product when "Animal House" hit theaters, and comedy would never be the same.

A Box Office Animal

"Animal House" would go on to become one of the most successful comedies of all time, pulling in $141,600,000 at the box office on the $3 million production budget Universal was initially promised.

Adjusted for inflation, the film has made $500,083,700, making it the 58th highest-grossing film of all time, and the 9th highest R-rated movie ever.

All of which Sutherland could have had a stake in back in 1978.

According to an Interview with the Opie and Anthony radio show, Sutherland would go on to say that the number of points he was offered was 2%.

When asked, "Do you know what would 2% roughly have translated into?" Sutherland smirked and responded, "I don't want to know."

Today, that 2% would have made him $2.8 million, or upward of $10 million after inflation.

NOW WATCH: It's All About Humor At The Website 'Total Frat Move'

SEE ALSO: Dirt-Poor Sylvester Stallone Turned Down $300,000 In 1976 To Ensure He Could Play 'Rocky'

MORE: How Steven Spielberg Made Millions Off 'Star Wars' After A 1977 Bet With George Lucas

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It looks like Popcorn Time's official website has returned.

The Windows, Mac, and Linux app that lets you stream pirated movies from the comfort of your own home is back in a website that looks similar to the first version. If you download the program, it works flawlessly and looks identical to the first interface.

Here's why this return should terrify Hollywood.

Its an open sourced project

After experiencing a tumultuous rise and fall when it launched last month, the anonymous team of developers wrote they had to take the program down. Within a few days, another group of ambitious coders snatched the code from web hosting service Github and quickly created a new site called Time 4 Popcorn.

TechCrunch writes that the original code has been removed from Github. However, several forked versions exist out in the web. There's nothing stopping another collective of developers from replicating the service and making their own site.

Popcorn Time will always attract an audience

Popcorn Time provides instant demand for viewers. You can instantly stream a movie in varying quality to your computer. The title could still currently be in theaters. Sites like Netflix and Amazon Prime have to follow a waiting period before they can add a new title to its massive library of content. 

The combination of comfort and immediate access to new movies would certainly be enticing for people. Ticket prices are slowly climbing and it would be easier for people to stream the latest oscar nominated movie without needing to venture over to the closest theater.

Hollywood will have a hard time shutting this down

Movie studios can't crack down on every example of privacy. Hollywood can put pressure on developers but the open nature of the web means there is nothing stopping this program from continuing to exist.

SEE ALSO: This App Just Made Hollywood's Nightmare Even Worse

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The Marvel movies have turned the post-credits scene into an art. The scenes are so well established that they've expanded them into mid-credits scenes, often offering two bonuses on every movie.

With Captain America: The Winter Soldier in theaters this weekend, here's a look back at every Marvel mid-and-post-credits scene, and what they meant. By the way, stay all the way through the Winter Soldier credits to catch both scenes in that one.

The history of Marvel's bonus scenes >

1. 'Iron Man' (2008): The Nick Fury Reveal

As Marvel's introduction to the world of the Avengers, Iron Man was a huge success. The DNA of Marvel's mega-franchise strategy was all in that one movie, complete with a post-credits reveal that teased bigger things to come.

As Tony Stark walks through his dimmed home, his AI, Jarvis, shuts down and Tony sees the trench-coated silhouette of Nick Fury, who asks, "You think you're the only superhero in the world? Mr. Stark, you've become a part of a bigger universe. You just don't know it yet."

2. 'The Incredible Hulk' (2008): The Misstep

This one was a hiccup in the Marvel film universe. After the Hulk and Abomination duke it out in The Incredible Hulk, Tony Stark shows up to a bar where General 'Thunderbolt' Ross (Hulk's historic nemesis) is drinking. He gloats over the General's ineptitude before telling him, "We're putting a team together."

That seed did not bear any fruit in later films, and Marvel's Kevin Feige, the mastermind behind the Avengers mega-franchise, admits it was a misstep. "I will say that the Tony Stark cameo in The Incredible Hulk required us to [laugh] get ourselves out of a corner." They got out of that corner through a convoluted plot that's quickly explained in The Consultant, a Marvel one-shot included on the Thor DVD.

3. 'Iron Man 2' (2010): The Hammer

By 2010 Marvel had a very clear sense of where it was going with the Avengers, so the Iron Man 2post-credits scene makes a little more sense.

With Whiplash defeated we cut to Agent Coulson, who had a bigger role in the second Iron Man movie, investigating a desert crash site. Then we get our first glimpse of Mjolnir, Thor's fabled hammer, setting up Thor, which hit theaters a year later.

"Captain America: The Winter Soldier" is opening Friday and is expected to have a huge box-office weekend. Not only should it have the largest box-office opening weekend for an April release but also of 2014 so far.

Currently, "The Winter Soldier" is commanding 82% of the Fandango's advanced weekend ticket sales. That's ahead of advanced tickets sales for "Thor: The Dark World" at the same point. 

That sequel brought in $85.7 million opening weekend last November.

The film is also out-pacing ticket pre-sales of the fifth “Fast & Furious” movie, 2011’s “Fast Five” which debuted to $86.2 million.

Estimates are placing "The Winter Soldier" anywhere from $90-$97 million this weekend.

Fandango's Chief Correspondent Dave Karger tells Business Insider fan's anticipation of next summer's "Avengers" sequel is one reason the movie is already selling like a summer hit.

"This movie is the closest thing that we're going to get to an Avengers film all year and the Marvel fans know that," says Karger. 

Scarlett Johansson's Black Widow is another driving force behind strong ticket sales.

"Scarlett is a huge factor in the early success of this film," says Karger. "She has a huge fanbase, and early reviews have really trumpeted her position in the movie as a strong female co-lead."

"Captain America: The Winter Soldier" opened up in Europe a week ahead of its US release and has already made $75.2 million overseas.

Here are the numbers to beat this weekend for April openings:

Here are the largest worldwide 2014 box-office openings:

SEE ALSO: The 'Captain America' sequel is one of the best Marvel movies ever made

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As you may know, Quentin Tarantino shelved his latest project The Hateful Eight after the screenplay for this Western was leaked, and subsequently found its way online.

While in the midst of suing Gawker over the distribution of the copyrighted work, with a lawsuit that recently got a trial date, Tarantino has decided to direct a one night only live reading of the screenplay.

The production will come to life on stage at LACMA (Los Angeles County Museum of Art) thanks to Film Independent, and the team that promotes director Jason Reitman's Live Read series, which finds popular actors reading various iconic screenplays in front of a live audience.

The The Hateful Eight live read directed by Quentin Tarantino will take place on April 24, and tickets aren't cheap. They will run you $200. While that may seem steep, Film Independent and Quentin Tarantino are promising a unique experience. While previous Live Reads have been for existing movies, this will be the first time an original project has been brought on stage as part of the program. And it will be the first and only time The Hateful Eight is performed live in front of an audience.

While The Hateful Eight has been indefinitely shelved, seeing how an audience reacts to the material might change Quentin Tarantino's mind about directing the film after all. There are already rumors that he is starting to reconsider.

It's expected that the cast will not be revealed until opening night of the show. To purchase tickets: 

Here is the official release with a full synopsis:

Christoph Waltz is expected to be a part of the live cast, though that has not been confirmed. There is a part written in the screenplay for Samuel L. Jackson, but he may be too busy with Avengers: Age of Ultron to attend. Bruce Dern, Michael Madsen and Tim Roth were also mentioned for the cast before the director decided to cancel the project for the big screen. Will any of them show up on April 24? Its possible.

The Hateful Eight is in development and stars Bruce Dern, Christoph Waltz. The film is directed by Quentin Tarantino.

SEE ALSO: Tarantino Lawsuit: Gawker Fabricated 'News Story' To Enable 'Hateful Eight' Script Theft

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Marvel Studios is known for its secrecy — both among fans, and the stars of the movies themselves.

Take Sebastian Stan, for instance. He landed the crucial role of Bucky Barnes, the best friend of Steve Rogers, in 2011's first “Captain America” film.

The movie ended with Bucky presumed dead, but with the actor signed to a nine-picture deal and the comics providing plenty of roadmaps for the character's future, it was pretty obvious to everyone that his fall in “The First Avenger” would not be the last we heard from Stan or his character.

Common wisdom aside, however, no one knew exactly how Barnes would return — include Stan himself.

Also read: ‘Captain America: The Winter Soldier’ Review: Superheroic, Yes, But Smart and Subversive Too

“I knew about the storyline of the character, and kind of what happens in the comic books; they educated me on the character when we started discussing him, but everything was sort of ‘Knock on wood, if things go well, we'll see how it goes,'” Stan told TheWrap, referring to the uncertainty surrounding the future of his big screen alter-ego.

As it turns out, the actor found out that Barnes would come back as the villainous Winter Soldier — an amnesiac Soviet assassin — “about two years after we shot the first film,” he said.

So Stan did some recon work himself, working off clues he found both in the comics and in the initial script for the first film. He also did his best not to worry about how the other Marvel films would or could impact his own — even if it boasted crossover stars like Scarlett Johansson (Black Widow), Samuel L. Jackson (Nick Fury) and Cobie Smulders (Maria Hill).

He was just excited to be working with them, he said, and got himself ready to go when the call came.

See also: ‘Captain America: Winter Soldier’ Crossover Clip Reveals ‘Marvel's Agents of SHIELD’ in Danger

“When you have a lineage of books to turn to, you can kind of find cool character stuff that you hope to kind of bring into the movie if there's an opportunity,” Stan said.

“Some things just don't translate very well from the page to the screen, and sometimes they need to be kind of revised a little bit, just to make more sense, so that's why, at least in this case, Bucky Barnes from the beginning of the movies was never that teenage sidekick that you saw in the comic books … They really wanted it to have a different dynamic and friendship and that was from the start in the screenplays.”

Also helpful: Talking with the person that created the character of The Winter Soldier in the first place.

“I had spent some time talking to Ed Brubaker and kind of getting some ideas as to where he got some of his inspiration for reviving Bucky,” Stan explained, enthusiastically. “He talked a lot about the Cold War and the KGB and all the spy movies that he really enjoyed in the 60s and 70s. And that led me to go to sort of watch those movies and doing research on that stuff and fall in love with that idea a little bit.”

See video: ‘Captain America 2' Clip: Chris Evans Gets His First Taste of ‘The Winter Soldier’

He added: “You never know if one day they decide to do it a certain way and take the story a certain way or not, so if they do, you want to cover yourself.”

Of course, Marvel films are far more than character studies (or, in this case, political thrillers). They're also filled with action, and Stan's Winter Soldier in particular is a sort of human weapon.

Chris Evans’ jacked physique has long been the subject of conversation around the “Captain America” movies — his costume does little to discourage that. But Stan also had to put in months of training, on top of working around CG and with the complicated mechanics of technical effects — “Cap 2” has more on-set practical effects than any other Marvel film.

“There's a whole thing about it where you're like, a little kid, because you actually just have to remember that Cowboys vs. Indians game you played when you were little, and there was something about just being imaginative to go there and allow yourself to go there,” Stan explained, regarding working with green screen and getting into a fighting mindset.

He went on to say: “I gained a new appreciation for a lot of these actors who do a lot of action movies. There's a reason why Tom Cruise is good at what he does in every movie and why he does his own stunts… It's not the easiest thing, to kind of pick up a gun and shoot and look cool and not blink because you're firing these loud noises, it's a whole art in itself.”

Also read: ‘Captain America: The Winter Soldier': Did Marvel Tease a Dr. Strange Movie?

Now that the film — which is tracking for a $90 million debut at the US box office — is complete, Stan is finishing up his promotional duties (which included ringing the bell to open the New York Stock Exchange and entering a London premiere to people chanting “Winter! Winter!”). As a result of the promo tour winding down, Stan is sort of in a holding pattern to see where his character will end up next.

One thing he knows for sure: He's not in the next film, “Avengers: Age of Ultron,” which is just beginning production.

“I'm not involved in that; I think that they've got their hands full over there,” Stan said, laughing. “They've got quite a number of characters already. It's one of those things where it's nice to know that the opportunity's out there on the table to work with these guys in the future. That in itself is very gratifying, and after that, I don't know. I don't really ask questions, I just, like I said, when they decide they want to use me, they know they can, and I'll be there… I can continue to kind of go on with life, and then when a nice phone call comes in about going to work again, then it's a great surprise and a good feeling.”

“Captain America: The Winter Soldier” hits theaters Friday, April 4.

SEE ALSO: 'Captain America' Sequel Set To Be Largest April Box-Office Opening Weekend Ever

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Lionsgate released a new trailer for "The Expendables 3" and it's exactly what you would expect from the ongoing action sequel — big names, big explosions, and plenty of gunfire.

We don't get much plotwise here, as the focal point of the trailer is the obvious star power. For those who have tuned in for "The Expendables" franchise, that's more than fine.

Here's the list of returning cast members:

Sylvester Stallone, Jason Statham, Jet Li, Dolph Lundgren, Randy Couture, Terry Crews, and Arnold Schwarzenegger.

And here are those joining the cast:

Wesley Snipes, Antonio Banderas, Mel Gibson, Harrison Ford, Kellan Lutz, Ronda Rousey ((MMA fighter), Victor Ortiz, Glen Powell ("The Dark Knight Rises"), Robert Davi.

Kelsey Grammer will also be a part of the sequel.

Sorry, guys. Chuck Norris said last summer he would not return for the sequel. Bummer.

This will clearly be our guilty pleasure summer popcorn flick.

"The Expendables 3" hits theaters August 15.

SEE ALSO: The first teaser trailer for "The Expendables 3"

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While Marvel Studios head honcho and producer Kevin Feige had previously teased that Marvel movies were planned through 2021, its now revealed that the studio actually has things plotted out all the way through 2028. And that may include spin-offs for both Guardians of the Galaxy and Avengers: Age of Ultron.

The spin-off movies may follow one of the main characters in Guardians of the Galaxy depending on how well they, and the movie, are received. This means we might see a solo adventure for Rocket Raccoon (Bradley Cooper) and Groot (Vin Diesel), Drax the Destroyer (Dave Bautista), Gamora (Zoe Saldana) or Star-Lord (Chris Pratt) himself. It is also possible that we will see a Scarlet Witch (Elizabeth Olsen) and Quicksilver (Aaron Taylor) solo movie, with Vision and Scarlet Witch a huge possibility.

The report comes from BusinessWeek, who landed a quote from Disney CEO Bob Iger.

Kevin Feige's overall plan is one that exists as an outline, and will continually shift and change depending on audiences tastes and want for a certain character.

About the solo movies being planned, this is the excerpt which explains the motive behind it. 

To read the entire expansive article, which delves deep in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (including a conversation between Kevin Feige and director James Gunn that comes direct from the Guardians of the Galaxy editing room and may, or may not, involve Thanos floating in space): 

What are your thoughts on this? Do you have a Guardians of the Galaxy or Avengers: Age of Ultron character you want to see spun-off into their own movie?

Avengers: Age of Ultron comes to theaters May 1st, 2015 and stars Chris Hemsworth, Jeremy Renner, Robert Downey Jr., Scarlett Johansson, Chris Evans,Samuel L. Jackson, Cobie Smulders, Mark Ruffalo. The film is directed by Joss Whedon.

Guardians of the Galaxy comes to theaters August 1st, 2014 and stars Chris Pratt,Dave Bautista, Zoe Saldana, Michael Rooker, Ophelia Lovibond, Lee Pace, Glenn Close, Karen Gillan. The film is directed by James Gunn.

SEE ALSO: All of the amazing post-credit scenes from every Marvel movie

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Warning: There are some spoilers ahead.

"Captain America: The Winter Soldier" is in theaters this weekend. If you head out to see it, there's one quick scene you're going to want to revisit.

Near the beginning of the movie, Steve Rogers (Captain America) pulls out a handy to-do list of cultural phenomena he should know. After all, the first Avenger was frozen in ice for decades before being thawed out in present day for "The Avengers."

It's a fun little moment that flashes by too quickly to read all of the items on screen. 

Reddit user LargeMaleDogorHorse uploaded a screencap of the list that's been making the rounds.

Among the Captain's priority list is catching up on "Star Wars,""Star Trek,""Rocky," and Thai Food. 

Since then, Screencrush pointed out U.K. audiences are seeing a different version of the list.

Here's the list you'll see when heading to theaters this weekend via Reddit:

And here's what U.K. audiences are seeing via Screencrush.

Here are the variations on the lists:

According to Slashfilm, other countries are reporting seeing variations on the list as well. 

French fans see "The Fifth Element" on the list while Korean viewers see "Oldboy," Ji Sung Park, and video game "Dance, Dance Revolution." 

This isn't out of the norm.

Studios will release slightly altered versions of movies to appeal to overseas audiences. We saw this last year with "Iron Man 3" when China's version added about four minutes of added footage that included popular Chinese actors.

SEE ALSO: "Captain America: The Winter Soldier" is one of Marvel's best movies yet

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“Captain America: The Winter Soldier” may be the only movie opening nationwide this weekend, but there are a slew of art house, independent, imports and genre films making their debuts.

They'll be in a fraction of the nearly 4,000 theaters that Disney's Marvel superhero sequel will screen. But these films offer counter-programming for moviegoers who aren't fans of men in tights. While most are in limited release, several are already available or will be on video-on-demand or for download.

Here are a handful of the more intriguing alternative entries:

1. “Frankie and Alice”
If this drama starring Halle Berry as a 1970s L.A. go-go dancer struggling to cope with multiple personality disorder sounds familiar, you were paying attention during the 2010 awards season.

That's when the drama, which features Berry as a woman with a 7-year-old and a white supremacist as alter egos, received a brief awards-qualifying run. Berry was nominated for a Golden Globe, but its backers ran into financial problems and “Frankie and Alice” was never released beyond that. Lionsgate's Codeblack, which picked it up last year, is opening it this weekend in 125 theaters. Stellan Skarsgard, Phylicia Rashad and Chandra Wilson co-star in the film, which is directed by Geoffrey Sax.

Also read: Halle Berry Film ‘Frankie & Alice’ Acquired by Codeblack Films for 2014 Release

2. “Dom Hemingway”
This British import stars Jude Law as a larger-than-life safecracker with a loose fuse. Back on the streets of London after 12 years in prison, he sets out to collect what he is owed for keeping his mouth shut but winds reconnecting with his daughter (Emilia Clarke).

It's written and directed by Richard Shephard, who won an Emmy for directing “Ugly Betty.” Fox Searchlight opened the dark comedy, which co-stars Richard E. Grant and Demian Bichir, in the Angelika and Lincoln Square theaters in New York and the ArcLight and Landmark in L.A. on Wednesday.

Also read: ‘Dom Hemingway’ Review: Jude Law Goes Full Character Actor in This Hilarious but Hollow Gangster Comedy

3. “Under the Skin”
This spooky thriller, which stars Scarlett Johansson as a gorgeous but man-eating alien on the loose in Scotland, will debut in four theaters via distributor A24.

It's directed by Jonathan Glazer (“Sexy Beast”), who teamed with Walter Campbell to adapt Michael Faber's 2000 novel of the same name. The sci-fi tale, which screened at the film festivals in Toronto and Venice, has a strong 87 percent positive rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

Also read: Scarlett Johansson Gets Undressed in ‘Under the Skin’ Trailer (Video)

4. “Afflicted”
Derek Lee and Clif Prowse wrote, directed and star in this micro-budgeted found-footage horror thriller, opening in 44 theaters, that was filmed in France, Spain and Italy.

They play buddies who go on a globe-trotting adventure until Derek has a bloody encounter with a woman and subsequently goes through a monstrous transformation. It swept best picture, screenplay and director honors for horror at the last Fantastic Fest, and has a strong 89 percent “fresh” rating on Rotten Tomatoes. It's CBS Films’ first day-and-date digital/limited release.

Also read: ‘Afflicted’ Review: Clever, But Not Enough to Overcome Two Tired Horror Sub-Genres

5. “Alan Partridge: The Movie”
Steve Coogan, recently seen in and nominated for an adapted screenplay Oscar for “Philomena,” is back as his politically incorrect alter ego in this comedy.

Originally titled “Alan Partridge: Alpha Papa,” it follows the events that transpire when the awkward U.K. deejay's radio station is taken over by a new media conglomerate. Declan Lowney directs. Magnolia Pictures is debuting it in four theaters, but it's available digitally and on VOD.

Also read: ‘Alan Partridge’ Review: Steve Coogan's Hilarious Creation Remains Vain, Even at Gunpoint

6. “The Players”
Jean Dujardin and Gilles Lellouche star in, wrote and directed this comedy collection of eight segments addressing cheating men. Michel Hazanavicius, who teamed with Dujardin on “The Artist,” also directed a vignette. The posters for the film — which depicted Dujardin gripping a pair of female legs — drew fire from French advertising regulators and created a stir during the 2012 Oscar race. The Weinstein Company will have it in roughly 50 theaters on Friday.

7. “Island of Lemurs: Madagascar”
They may not be as popular as zombies or vampires, but lemurs have had their movie moments, from  “Life of Pi” to the animated “Madagascar.” They're the stars in this 40-minute, family-friendly 3D documentary that follows Dr. Patricia C. Wright's mission to save the creatures, which arrived on the island millions of years ago and are now endangered. Morgan Freeman narrates the Warner Bros. release.

SEE ALSO: Here's How Much It Would Actually Cost To Be Captain America

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Warning: If you haven't seen "Captain America: The Winter," there are major spoilers ahead!

If you're heading out to see the "Captain America" sequel this weekend, make sure you stay after the film for two extra scenes.

The first is a mid-credits sequence after the first set of credits roll. The second, shorter clip follows ALL of the credits.

If you're a fanboy, you should have this routine down by now. Marvel loves giving audiences a sneak peek at what's to come in future films.

If you walked out early or are confused by what you saw, here's what you should know.

The First Scene

What happens:

After Captain America helps take down a HYDRA-infested S.H.I.E.L.D., we find out that the terrorist group is still going strong. (You didn't think that was the end of Captain America's most-well known comic threat, did you?)

We open up in what appears to be an underground lair with Marvel character General Baron von Strucker (Thomas Kretschmann) speaking with a colleague about HYDRA having a few big weapons in store for the future. 

The first we see is a staff you'll remember as Loki's from "The Avengers." The Chitauri sceptre was given to Loki by Thanos (the "Guardians of the Galaxy" main villain who we first saw in a post-credits sequence for "The Avengers").

The big crowd-stunner was the reveal of HYDRA's other weapon, a set of twins — Quicksilver and the Scarlett Witch — in cells who look bewitched.

This is the first time we got to see a look at Elizabeth Olsen and Aaron Taylor-Johnson as the twins since both were casted in "The Avengers" sequel. 

What you need to know about Baron Von Strucker:

He's a former Nazi officer and leader of HYDRA (more on that in a moment).

He doesn't have any real superpowers, but in the comics he's good with a sword and has gone under multiple aliases. 

He was injected with a serum to slow down his aging process. He doesn't really have any super powers, but can deliver a mean electric shock in the comics.

What Is HYDRA?

If you missed this in either of the two "Captain America" films, HYDRA is basically the complete opposite of the secret agency S.H.I.E.L.D. The group, formed as a weapon for Hitler during World War II, is a giant terrorist organization that wants to rule the world. 

What you should know about Quicksilver / the Scarlett Witch:

We've been waiting to see the twins on screen for a while since it was announced they'll appear in "The Avengers" sequel. 

Quicksilver has the ability of super speed while Scarlett Witch has but that are usually telekinetic. She's mostly known for being able to alter reality. In the mid-credits scene it looks like we see her creating some sort of spheres.

However, the most important takeaway is that the two are the children of an X-Men, Magneto. 

Comic fans may be scratching their heads since Magneto has been played on screen for years by Ian McKellen in the Fox movies. 

This is where the rights to Marvel characters begins getting a little fuzzy as both Disney and Fox can technically use them on screen. The twins were first introduced in the comics as "evil mutants" which is how Fox refers to its X-Men. However, the duo later became a part of the "Avengers" team.

Don't get excited for a crossover any time soon. Quicksilver will also appear in the "X-Men" sequel this summer played by a different actor. 

What this all means:

Now that we know Marvel's secret spy agency S.H.I.E.L.D. has been compromised with members of HYDRA, Von Strucker will be a pretty big villain in "The Avengers: Age of Ultron" in addition to James Spader's Ultron.

This isn't only a setup for "The Avengers," but for the wider Marvel universe as a whole moving forward.

The return of Loki's sceptre isn't only a nod to the character. If you've been following all of the post-credit sequences in Marvel movies, a common theme has been the discussion of powerful gemstones. The sceptre's Tesseract is one of several powerful Infinity Stones that play into a popular Marvel storyline — "The Infinity Gauntlet."  (We hit on that a lot in our end-credit discussion for "Thor: The Dark World.")

As well, the introduction of Von Strucker, Scarlett Witch, and Quicksilver could spill over into any of Disney's future Marvel TV shows that will be on Netflix, especially the Daredevil one since Von Strucker has appeared with the character before.

Because Fox has been using the term mutants on screen with the "X-Men" for years, we may see Disney develop a different origin story for Quicksilver and Scarlett Witch.

The Second Scene

What happens:

Much like the second end-credits scene in "Thor: The Dark World" we see a brief scene of Bucky Barnes/The Winter Soldier (Sebastian Stan) heading to the Captain America Smithsonian exhibit shown early in the movie. Confused about his real identity, he runs into a portion of the exhibit dedicated to himself. 

What this means:

Here's our basic outline for "Captain America 3." We already know that Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) and new sidekick Sam Wilson/The Falcon (Anthony Mackie) are heading out in search of Barnes. However, they have no idea what to anticipate from him.

The sequel will most likely follow their search for Barnes. We get the feeling he won't be as much of a villain as a future colleague and correspondent to Captain and the "Avengers" team.

Since Stan has a 9-picture(!) deal with Marvel, we can expect to see a lot more of him in the future.

SEE ALSO: All of the post-credit scenes from Marvel's movies

AND: "The Winter Soldier" is one of the best Marvel movies made

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Oh my gosh, oh my gosh... oh... my... gosh! This game just went there and opened up the gates of awesome, flooding gamers with a sensory-overload of epicness. What am I talking about? Well, a new video has emerged giving gamers a brief look at all 16 tracks available in Mario Kart 8, the exclusive new racer for the Wii U. 

Even though Gaming Blend's own Ryan Winslett rolled out some new details on this highly anticipated upcoming title, it doesn't quite strike home until you see the game in action, and furthermore, until you see exactly how the old tracks from Nintendo's past have been remixed into beautiful HD with all the fancy new mechanics of Mario Kart 8. 

Thanks to GameXplain's new video, we get to see a ton of the tracks in action. Honestly, I think the video should have been twice as long so we could have seen even more of the tracks. They say they'll have more footage soon, so it'll be fascinating to see more of the new and retro tracks featured in the game. 

One of my absolute favorite tracks out of the entirety of the Mario Kart franchise has been overhauled for today's generation of gaming. I'm talking about one of the most frustrating and fun tracks ever designed in a kart-racing title: Toad's Turnpike. 

The video showcases a new and improved way to play old tracks. I was especially surprised to see tracks from past games make the cut and look absolutely stunning. Heck, I don't even like Moo Moo Meadows but it looked gorgeous in that video. Just wow. 

What's more is that I've always wanted to see Toad's Turnpike in a new Mario Kartand it's awesome that Nintendo finally did it and then went the extra mile by adding in wall-riding, upgraded track graphics and tons of on-screen vehicles. It's like Nintendo is hitting up both the innovative factors for new ways to kart-race and tapping that nostalgia tank like it was some kind of gold mine. 

I honestly can't wait for this game to release on May 30th. It's funny because it's one of the best looking games coming to the market and it's not even using the feces-themed palette that all those other modern-military shooters have been basking themselves in like Charlize Theron taking a milk bath in that Snow White & The Huntsman flick. 

If you can't wait to get your hands on Mario Kart 8 like Xbox One fanboys can't wait until they get true next-gen games at 1080p, you can pre-order the game from GameStop or pick up the racing wheel. 

SEE ALSO: 'Mario Kart 8' Wii U Pre-Orders Are Already Sold Out On Amazon

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In the age of NSA wiretaps, political thrillers loom large. Americans may have less reason to trust their government now than at any time since Watergate. George W. Bush invaded Iraq to claim WMDs that were not there, and both Bush and Barack Obama spied on civilians without telling them.

Post-Watergate suspicion produced such compelling political thrillers as “3 Days of the Condor,” and those movies, more than any recent action fare, influenced the latest entry into the superhero canon, “Captain America: Winter Soldier.”

Also read: ‘Captain America’ Villain Sebastian Stan on Marvel Mysteries, Tom Cruise's Action Stunts, Films Beyond ‘Ultron’

Directors Joe and Anthony Russo grew up watching political thrillers with their dad, a big movie buff. So when Marvel Studios chief Kevin Feige told them the next “Cap” movie would mix superheroes and political intrigue, they had a lot of ideas.

The Russos explained to TheWrap how three movies in particular influenced specific scenes in “Winter Soldier.” We won't spoil the movie by saying which scenes, but read below to learn about influences for one of the most successful movies of the year — and try to guess which scenes the Russos are referring to.

(For the record, different Russos answered different questions, but as Anthony said, “We don't divide duties; we tell people if you ask one of us, it's as good as asking both of us.”)

Trackable, Extended Action: “The French Connection,” dir. Billy Friedkin (1971)

“The reason the car chase is so brilliant is not because it's so well-filmed. It's because Gene Hackman is a desperate character who is reckless in his pursuit of being right. He needs to stop this guy to prove that he is right. The 1970s thrillers had protracted action sequences that would illuminate the psychology of the characters.”

Also read: 21 Summer Movies We're Dying to See – From ‘Transformers 4' to ‘Godzilla’

Scaring the Protagonist (and the Audience): “Blow Out,” dir. Brian De Palma (1982)

“Brian DePalma came in at the tail end of that era, but if you look at DePalma, he understood these existential tensions moments better than anyone. You take a very likable character and put them in a horrifying situation or an impossible situation. The audience sits there for 10 minutes wondering how this is going to end, and most of the time with DePalma this ends poorly. At the end of ‘Blow Out,’ the heroine is killed. In ‘Dress to Kill,’ she's killed. He subverts that convention. We're in a big commercial movie so we can't be killing the lead character halfway through the movie, but we can take a very empathetic character and put him in an impossible situation or situations where you worry for his safety. And then we stretch that out.”

Putting the Audience in the Action: “Heat,” dir. Michael Mann (1995)

“The bank heist in ‘Heat’ is one of my all-time favorite scenes in movies. I remember the sound design; it was so loud. This must be what it was like watching the scene unfold from a very first-person subjectivity. We love that stuff.”

Bonus Round: Grounding Superheroes in ‘The Dark Knight’

“We like to have our superhero movies with a little grounding. I started collecting comic books in the 1980s when it was Frank Miller's ‘Dark Knight’ series. That was the first big post-modern book. He took a silver age hero and shoved him into the future or the present – modernity. He made him function in our world – not this crazy alternative universe of superhero movies.”

SEE ALSO: Here's How The 'Captain America' Sequel Is Different In Other Countries

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Warner Bros. and Legendary Pictures released a new extended look at the “Godzilla” reboot out in theaters next month. 

It’s essentially another trailer that gives us more insight into Bryan Cranston’s character in the film.  

The big reveal is a good look at Godzilla himself at the trailer’s end.  

“Godzilla” is in theaters May 16 and stars Cranston, Ken Watanabe, Elizabeth Olsen, Juliette Binoche, and Sally Hawkins.

Here's the final scene showing "Godzilla" again:

Update: As a commenter points out, it looks like we'll be seeing at least one other monster in the film. We went back to the trailer for a closer look.

From the 2:20 mark:

From 2:16:

Take a look at 1:45 and it looks like the entire monster is captured on the screen:

SEE ALSO: How Legendary Pictures marketed Gozilla during the LA earthquake

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(Reuters) - Actor Mickey Rooney, the pint-sized screen dynamo of the 1930s and 1940s best known for his boy-next-door role in the Andy Hardy movies, died on Sunday at 93, the TMZ celebrity website reported.

Rooney, who was one of the biggest box office stars of the movies' studio era, had been ill for some time, TMZ said. It did not give a cause of death and a spokesman was not immediately available for comment.

Rooney, who spent almost his entire life in show business, teamed up with Judy Garland in the 1939 movie musical "Babes in Arms." He also starred with Elizabeth Taylor in 1944's "National Velvet," which launched Taylor's career.

Rooney was best known for his role as Andy Hardy, the popular all-American teenager, which he portrayed in about 20 movies.

Rooney was married eight times, the first time to screen beauty Ava Gardner. Asked once if he would marry all his eight wives again, he said, "Absolutely. I loved every one of them."

(Reporting by Ian Simpson; Editing by Kevin Gray and Michael Perry)

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We knew the "Captain America" sequel would have a massive opening weekend, we just weren't sure how big it would be.

Early numbers released Sunday have "Captain America: The Winter Soldier"making $96.2 million for the weekend.

This makes "The Winter Soldier" not only the largest April box-office opening (beating out "Fast Five"), but also the largest debut for the year so far.

Maybe more impressive is how much better the sequel performed compared to "Thor: The Dark World" during its November release.

"Thor 2" made $85.7 million opening weekend in comparison.

So far, "Captain America 2" has made more than $300 million worldwide. It cost approximately $170 million.

SEE ALSO: There are 2 end-credit scenes in "The Winter Soldier"— Here's what they mean for future Marvel movies

AND: Here's how the sequel is different in other countries

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During an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Disney chairman Alan Horn revealed that production is already under way on Star Wars: Episode VII, which was believed to begin shooting next month at Pinewood Studios in London. Here's what the Disney executive had to say in an interview at Loyola Marymount University School of Film and Television in Los Angeles.

"We're actually shooting some of it now. We're up against it."

It isn't known exactly where shooting is taking place. While no cast members have been confirmed yet, the executive revealed that some of the actors have already signed on, although casting is still ongoing.

"We have a lot of them [in place]. We're just not completely done yet."

The story will take place 35 years after Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi, and he also revealed that the screenplay, written by director J.J. Abrams andLawrence Kasdan, is finally in the right place to move forward with production.

"It actually is now. It's all about the screenplay. It has to be screenplay, screenplay, screenplay."

It's only a matter of time before casting is confirmed for Star Wars: Episode VII, so stay tuned.

Star Wars: Episode VII comes to theaters December 18th, 2015 and stars Harrison Ford, Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, Billy Dee Williams, Anthony Daniels. The film is directed by J.J. Abrams.

SEE ALSO: Production For 'Star Wars: Episode VII' To Start In May

NOW WATCH: We Found A Real Life R2D2

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Captain America has had a tough life. Steve Rogers, created over 73 years ago by Joe Simon and Jack Kirby, has been put through the wringer time and time again. Sure, he made a hell of an introduction by punching Adolf Hitler in his first issue ever, but his luck soon ran out. He went to hell, fought communists for Joseph McCarthy, and, at his lowest and most desperate, worked as a History professor.

As we all know, teaching history is far worse a gig than having to fight Nazi Werewolves.

Now things are on the up for Captain America, at least for his public image. In 2011 he got his own movie — let’s just pretend the 1990 version never happened — and it was the top dog of Marvel’s Phase I. Now that the studio has successfully moved into Phase II, Director Joe Johnston‘s Captain America: The First Avenger has managed to remain the best of the bunch.

Its sequel, Captain America: Winter Soldier, is a close second. Captain America (Chris Evans) faces his greatest threat yet: his best friend, Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan), a.k.a. The Winter Soldier. The world may have been threatened in The Avengers, but global annihilation doesn’t match the personal stakes that come from having to fight your BFF, who’s been turned into an unstoppable killing machine with a shiny metal arm. This isn’t just Captain America taking on some power hungry villain, but Steve Rogers having to confront a friend.

The personal stakes aren’t all Captain America: The Winter Soldier has going for itself. For one, it’s a completely standalone film. There are no major threads left hanging or any clunky set ups for future Marvel movies. From beginning to end, this is Captain America’s journey.

And yet, screenwriters Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely managed to slyly hint to audiences what’s in store. There are limitless possibilities with this franchise. There probably won’t ever be an adventure following Steve Rogers teaching a history class, thank God, but we’ll inevitably see Captain America’s greatest stories and foes put onscreen.

Some of those stories are, in fact, hinted at in this sequel. Here are a few SPOILER-related directions the franchise may or may not go in:

1. Hello Agent 13, A.K.A. Sharon Carter 

Thankfully, Winter Soldier made no room for their relationship issues. Agent 13, played by Emily VanCamp, makes a small but memorable appearance. Her role is minor enough that Steve doesn’t even learn she’s Peggy’s niece, but large enough that she makes an impact. VanCamp described it as “planting the seeds,” which may be one of Marvel’s best skills.  ”[They're] sort of leaving room to go wherever they want to go with it. It’s fun,” she said, describing the character back at Comic-Con.

It was wise not to include a love interest — the movie takes place in three days, so there’s no time — because Steve is clearly not over Peggy (who he goes to see). There’s an ongoing banter between Steve and Natasha over all the women he could ask out, including the nurse next door that ends up being S.H.I.E.L.D.’s undercover Agent 13. There’s a spark, but her true identity as Steve’s protector complicates things.

With a first love still fresh, yet separated by living generations apart, Steve isn’t truly interested in anyone else. Expect VanCamp’s role to grow larger in future installments, especially after Peggy Carter dies. That very well may happen in Captain America 3.

2. Hey Red Skull, Don’t You Say Goodbye?

This is also bound to happen, no matter how much Hugo Weaving doesn’t want it to. It’s a shame Weaving has expressed disinterest in returning to the character. You can’t blame him, though. Some actors dislike the idea of being contracted for nine movies, even when they’re getting paid boat loads of cash, but for Weaving it’s a matter of creative differences. Putting the tedious makeup on aside, Red Skull isn’t exactly a deep villain an actor can bite into. But when you bring a Werner Herzog impersonation into the mix, Red Skull is great fun, just not for Hugo Weaving. 

Since the baddie is one of Captain America’s most famous villains, they’ll share more battles together. The First Avenger didn’t show Red Skull die for a reason. Hydra’s extremely powerful presence in Winter Soldier gives the impression they would have the resources to bring back their old leader. Since they suffer a huge loss at the end of Winter Soldier, why wouldn’t Hydra consider finding a way for Red Skull to return? 

3. As The Old Saying Goes, Don’t Ever Cross The Cross Bones

If Red Skull does return, at least he’ll have a sidekick waiting for him. Frank Grillo has a decent henchman role as Brock Rumlow, but once the credits roll, the average viewer won’t think, “I bet this evil S.H.I.E.L.D. goon comes back to haunt Captain America and will become one of his greatest adversaries!”

Fans, of course, know that he will.

The last we see of Rumlow is him burnt to a crisp, foreshadowing events to come. This could lead to him not only going after Captain America and Falcon, but inevitably teaming up with Red Skull. After all, it was Red Skull who gave him the codename “Cross Bones.”

4. This War Just Got Civil 

Mark Millar’s “Civil War” features some of Captain America’s finest moments as a hero. Dramatically speaking, it’s Millar’s most mature work. It has Captain America going against his country and some of his most important allies, including Iron Man. He goes on the run, which he does in The Winter Soldier as well, but Cap fighting against the pro-registration act, which would require all heroes to reveal their identities, could make for a grand Captain America epic. Thematically speaking, it’d be a suitable continuation and extrapolation of the ideas explored in The Winter Soldier.

Sadly, there are three reasons why we may never see Civil War happen, at least not in a Captain America movie:

1. These films are Captain America’s story. So far the main complaint in this post-Avengers world is: why the hell doesn’t Iron Man swoop in to help Captain America save the day? That’s not a question you think about when you read the comics, but Markus and McFeely understand where people are coming from. ”It doesn’t bother us as writers or audience members, but we understand the question because it’s self-inflicted,” McFeely tells us. “The practicality is: we’re not making nine Avenger movies. We’re hoping audiences roll with it like comic book audiences.”

That’s a better explanation than “they’re busy.” Can you really be too busy to save the world? This isn’t even a matter of suspending disbelief, but having to accept these movies as solo adventures. On a practical level, would it make sense for Hawkeye or Iron Man to lend a hand? Of course, but from a dramatic and storytelling perspective, not so much. Cap already has Falcon, Nick Fury, and Black Widow by his side. These movies don’t need more main characters, they just need Captain America.

2. Marvel probably doesn’t want to use up one of the nine or ten films all their actors are contracted for to play a small part in a Captain America movie. That doesn’t mean they can’t throw in the occasional cameo. Chris Evans’s six picture contact did not include his Thor: The Dark World appearance, so there’s hope that Iron Man or the Hulk may appear in a Captain America sequel, if only for a few moments.

3. Since Civil War is loaded with Marvel’s iconic roster, including Spider-Man, there would need to be some costly deals made between Marvel, Sony, and Fox. Marvel would probably be smart to hold off on Civil War, by establishing new faces, and then using those newly introduced heroes and villains for the war.

5. Time To Get Down To Brass Tacks

“You have to make the decisions now,” Nick Fury says to Captain America when he’s at his lowest. What if Captain America has to one day truly put his rules to the test? Maybe his idealism won’t work when he’s put in a position of power. Markus and McFeely say we shouldn’t expect Captain America leading an organization anytime soon, but they will continue to explore a pivotal question for the character: “You’ve made the choice of doing the right thing, but what does that mean?”

When Captain America is one day put in a position of leadership, like Nick Fury, he’ll have to make “morally questionable” choices.

When will we see Captain America reach that crossroad? Probably in the next film. Markus jokes that you’ll have to make morally questionable choices when your best friend turns out to be a murderer. Does Captain America let The Winter Soldier run free? Does he go after him? Give he give him a second chance?

6. So Long, Cap

The Death of Captain America was big news a few years ago. It’s a popular story, and Chris Evans wants to take a break from acting, so there’s a chance we may see it one day. Especially when you consider how Winter Soldier sets up the characters that have a major hand in Cap’s death and what comes after. In the wake of Captain America’s death, Bucky Barnes dons the red, white, and blue suit, taking over as Captain America.

Of course, eventually Steve Rogers returns. He wasn’t dead, but frozen in time by an experimental weapon. He goes back to being Captain America, while Bucky continues to carry out missions for S.H.I.E.L.D. as The Winter Soldier.

It’s common in comic books, but so far Marvel hasn’t been able to kill off the characters holding up their franchise. However, Evans signed on for only six movies, so after Age of Ultron, he’ll have two movies left to complete. That’s likely Captain America 3 and The Avengers 3.

At that point, Marvel has another character waiting to become Captain America. Why recast or reboot the character when you have The Winter Soldier around to take over?

7. Doctor Zola Has Checked In 

Doctor Arnim Zola (Toby Jones) has a very pivotal scene in Winter Soldier. Like Captain America and The Winter Soldier, he’s managed to stay alive, except he’s inside a computer. Completely safe from Zoolander and Hansel.

He’s an expository device, but more than that, he’s a sign of what’s to come. “Any alternative [for the explanations] would’ve been boring. They would’ve shown up and looked at files or a computer screen, if he wasn’t there,” says McFeely. “Although weird, granted, it was the best alternative.”

Yeah, it’s weird, but it doesn’t even begin to reach the level of strange the character goes to in the comics.

For example, when Captain America recently got relaunched he was trapped in another dimension, Dimension Z, ruled by Zola himself. Dimension Z is where Zola is building an army of genetically altered soldiers to one day conquer Earth. When Cap escapes from Zola’s imprisonment, he takes Zola’s son, Ian, with him. He raises him as his own. When the hero realizes how to get back to New York, he brings Ian with him. Soon Zola’s daughter, Jet Black, comes to Earth, believing Cap killed her brother and wanting revenge.

Sounds pretty crazy, right? It’s unlikely that Marvel will ever go that far in the movies.

Bottom Line

Whatever is waiting for Captain America in the future, let’s hope it resembles Captain America: The Winter Soldier‘s level of quality and focus on telling the story at hand. Not only are blatant sequel flags annoying, they wouldn’t sit well with this franchise. Sequel flags are inherently smug — they know they’ve got your money before the movie even comes out — and Captain America is anything but self-satisfied. He’s just unlucky, as proven by his unfortunate history and a future filled with more enemies, more difficult questions and a greater potential for death.

SEE ALSO: There Are 2 End-Credit Scenes In The 'Captain America' Sequel — Here's What They Mean For Future Marvel Movies

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Last week, Disney released a colorful banner poster for its next big release, "Maleficent."

The film is a live-action re-telling of Disney's 1959 animated picture "Sleeping Beauty" from the point-of-view of the villainess played by Angelina Jolie.

When the banner poster was released, we couldn't help but be reminded of two very similar-looking triptychs — a poster divided into three sections — we've seen recently from the studio.

Here's Disney's poster for 2012's "Oz the Great and Powerful":

Here's another for 2010's "Alice in Wonderland":

Let's take a closer look, breaking down some of the posters' similar elements.

The most recognizable star power is placed front and center:

Add a castle in the background:

Stick something dark and ominous in the top right corner.

Maybe add a waterfall.

What's with the similar ads?

Both films performed well at the box office.

"Oz the Great and Powerful" took in $493.3 million while "Alice in Wonderland" took in more than $1 billion, so it seems like it would make sense for Disney to continue its similar marketing strategy for its early-year releases.

However, there's a bigger connection between the "Alice in Wonderland" and "Oz" banners. Production designer Robert Stromberg worked on both films.

His next movie? You guessed it. "Maleficent."

Stromberg serves as director on the live-action flick.

SEE ALSO: The end-credits sequences for "Captain America: The Winter Soldier" explained

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Add one more familiar face to "Star Wars: Episode 7."

According to The Hollywood Reporter, actor Peter Mayhew will reprise his iconic role of Chewbacca in the film.

He will join more members from the original cast including Carrie Fisher. Mark Hamill and Harrison Ford have also been reported to reprise their roles.

Filming on Episode 7 recently started according to Disney Studios chairman, Alan Horn, though some casting for the film is still underway.

"Star Wars" episode 7 is set for a December 2015 release.

Mayhew recently went on a tweeting spree sharing behind-the-scenes photos from the original "Star Wars" series.

Here's Mayhew all the way on the right during the filming of the original trilogy with Ford, Anthony Daniels (C-3P0), and Fisher.

Here's a photo he shared recently of himself with a Chewbacca mask.

pic.twitter.com/P7TKxQF5EW

— Peter Mayhew (@TheWookieeRoars) April 7, 2014

He's a lot taller than his co-stars.

SEE ALSO: Chewbacca actor shares amazing behind-the-scenes "Star Wars" photos

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