Star Wars Stormtroopers Encourage Social Distancing at Reopened Disney Springs
With Disney theme parks having lost $1 billion due to coronavirus closures, and tentative plans in place to reopen Walt Disney World Resort in Florida this July, Disney World's shopping district, Disney Springs, in Orlando, recently reopened to the public back on May 20...with some added advice from a pair of Stormtroopers.
The following video comes from the Disney Springs YouTube account and it shows a couple of First Order Stormtroopers performing a handful of pre-recorded balcony skits about social-distancing and protecting oneself and others by using masks. Take a look...
[youtube clip_id="_cCmJX7fOmU"]
"Yeah, I'm going to need you to move one male bantha's length away, please," says one Stormtrooper as she suffers the aggressive arrogance of her cocky co-worker.
When Walt Disney World Resort starts up again next month, the company's plan outlines a limited capacity for the park, with visitors having to secure a reservation for the day they wish to attend in advance. The capacity of the park will then incrementally increase as the county furthers its reopening phases.
Looking for more Star Wars news floating around the galaxy? There's a new “#MakeSolo2Happen" movement online, a new Star Wars movie from Taika Waititi in the works, and some new quotes from Mark Hamill about if he'd ever want to play Luke Skywalker again.
If you're looking to travel way back in the realm of Star Wars fandom, check out these pictures and video from A New Hope's first ever tour of the sci-fi fan convention circuit back in the summer of 1976.
[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/04/06/star-wars-the-rise-of-skywalker-blooper-clip"]
[poilib element="accentDivider"]
Matt Fowler is a writer for IGN and a member of the Television Critics Association. Follow him on Twitter at @TheMattFowler and Facebook at Facebook.com/MattBFowler.
The Batman’s Riddler Praises Matt Reeves’ Script as ‘Really Powerful’
Though production on Matt Reeves' The Batman was shut down due to the coronavirus crisis, it hasn't stopped the stars of the film from heaping praise onto it - from Jeffrey Wright touting the "most badass" Batmobile to Andy Serkis teasing the emotional relationship between Alfred and Bruce.
Now Paul Dano, who plays The Riddler in the movie, has opened up a little about the project while discussing his 2018 directorial debut, Wildlife, with The Playlist.
When Dano was asked when he thought The Batman's filming might resume he answered “I was filming. I flew home to visit my baby and then didn’t get to fly back [because of the pandemic], which is a really strange thing."
“But I feel really good about it," he continued. "I think Matt Reeves is the real deal. I was really surprised by his script, which I think is, is potentially really powerful. Hopefully we’ll get to get back to it sometime soon. I’m not sure.”
[widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=the-batman-cast-every-actor-and-character&captions=true"]
It was recently revealed that Robert Pattinson had just started working on Christopher Nolan's time-imploding adventure Tenet when he learned he had been cast as The Batman.
Pattinson, in his interview with Total Film, went on to discuss the production stop. "We’d really gotten into a really good rhythm as well, so it’s kind of strange to be pausing. But, again, it’s a hard movie. I mean, obviously it’s Batman, so it’s kind of nice.”
[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/04/20/big-changes-for-the-batman-and-other-dc-movies-ign-now"]
In other Caped Crusader news, here's why it's time for a new live-action Robin - plus, what The Batman can learn from Batman & Robin.
[poilib element="accentDivider"]
Matt Fowler is a writer for IGN and a member of the Television Critics Association. Follow him on Twitter at @TheMattFowler and Facebook at Facebook.com/MattBFowler.
The Batman’s Riddler Praises Matt Reeves’ Script as ‘Really Powerful’
Though production on Matt Reeves' The Batman was shut down due to the coronavirus crisis, it hasn't stopped the stars of the film from heaping praise onto it - from Jeffrey Wright touting the "most badass" Batmobile to Andy Serkis teasing the emotional relationship between Alfred and Bruce.
Now Paul Dano, who plays The Riddler in the movie, has opened up a little about the project while discussing his 2018 directorial debut, Wildlife, with The Playlist.
When Dano was asked when he thought The Batman's filming might resume he answered “I was filming. I flew home to visit my baby and then didn’t get to fly back [because of the pandemic], which is a really strange thing."
“But I feel really good about it," he continued. "I think Matt Reeves is the real deal. I was really surprised by his script, which I think is, is potentially really powerful. Hopefully we’ll get to get back to it sometime soon. I’m not sure.”
[widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=the-batman-cast-every-actor-and-character&captions=true"]
It was recently revealed that Robert Pattinson had just started working on Christopher Nolan's time-imploding adventure Tenet when he learned he had been cast as The Batman.
Pattinson, in his interview with Total Film, went on to discuss the production stop. "We’d really gotten into a really good rhythm as well, so it’s kind of strange to be pausing. But, again, it’s a hard movie. I mean, obviously it’s Batman, so it’s kind of nice.”
[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/04/20/big-changes-for-the-batman-and-other-dc-movies-ign-now"]
In other Caped Crusader news, here's why it's time for a new live-action Robin - plus, what The Batman can learn from Batman & Robin.
[poilib element="accentDivider"]
Matt Fowler is a writer for IGN and a member of the Television Critics Association. Follow him on Twitter at @TheMattFowler and Facebook at Facebook.com/MattBFowler.
Will We See J.K. Simmons as J. Jonah Jameson in the Next Spider-Man Movie?
One of the great surprises in Spider-Man: Far From Home came right at the end, mid-credits, when actor J.K. Simmons -- who played J. Jonah Jameson in Sam Raimi's Spider-Man trilogy, along with voicing the character in various Marvel animated series and Sony's Spider-Man video game -- portrayed ol' flat-top once more as an official part of the MCU.
In Far From Home, Jameson was the host of an online crackpot conspiracy show called The Daily Bugle, who believed Quentin Beck's lies hook, line, and sinker - claiming that Mysterio was the greatest superhero of all time.
In a recent edition of PeopleTV's Couch Surfing, Simmons was asked if fans should expect to see Jameson again in the next Spider-Man film. Simmons made it clear that while he'd signed on for sequels, it was up for the studio to decide if the character was returning or not. "I don't know if I would use the word expect," he said, as a way of tempering the anticipation.
"It's great to have the opportunity, as these things evolve," he added, "to be one of the holdovers from the previous version."
[widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=marvel-phase-4-official-lineup&captions=true"]
Simmons also thought back to his first time auditioning for Raimi's first Spider-Man film, which is something he had to do despite having worked with Raimi on two other films (For Love of the Game, The Gift). Simmons described the process as "nerve-wracking."
"The producers and the people at Sony, they needed to be convinced," he said, "because obviously, there were a lot of much more high-profile actors that they had in mind that would help with the box office."
Plus, Simmons audition was the scene where the Green Goblin busted through the wall of Jameson's Daily Bugle office and choked him, lifting him up in the air. "I'm holding the script pages," Simmons remembered, "reading the scene on the audition, but then at the same time, trying to...[choking noises]...pretending I'm being lifted by the neck and choked."
You can actually check out Simmons' screen test here, as part of one of our recent Time Capsules. The video also includes a shirtless and shredded Tobey Maguire kicking some bad guy butt.
[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/05/30/hbo-max-streaming-service-review"]
Check out this updated look at Sony's slate of upcoming films -- including the Spider-Man 3, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse 2, Venom 2, and Morbius.
[poilib element="accentDivider"]
Matt Fowler is a writer for IGN and a member of the Television Critics Association. Follow him on Twitter at @TheMattFowler and Facebook at Facebook.com/MattBFowler.
Will We See J.K. Simmons as J. Jonah Jameson in the Next Spider-Man Movie?
One of the great surprises in Spider-Man: Far From Home came right at the end, mid-credits, when actor J.K. Simmons -- who played J. Jonah Jameson in Sam Raimi's Spider-Man trilogy, along with voicing the character in various Marvel animated series and Sony's Spider-Man video game -- portrayed ol' flat-top once more as an official part of the MCU.
In Far From Home, Jameson was the host of an online crackpot conspiracy show called The Daily Bugle, who believed Quentin Beck's lies hook, line, and sinker - claiming that Mysterio was the greatest superhero of all time.
In a recent edition of PeopleTV's Couch Surfing, Simmons was asked if fans should expect to see Jameson again in the next Spider-Man film. Simmons made it clear that while he'd signed on for sequels, it was up for the studio to decide if the character was returning or not. "I don't know if I would use the word expect," he said, as a way of tempering the anticipation.
"It's great to have the opportunity, as these things evolve," he added, "to be one of the holdovers from the previous version."
[widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=marvel-phase-4-official-lineup&captions=true"]
Simmons also thought back to his first time auditioning for Raimi's first Spider-Man film, which is something he had to do despite having worked with Raimi on two other films (For Love of the Game, The Gift). Simmons described the process as "nerve-wracking."
"The producers and the people at Sony, they needed to be convinced," he said, "because obviously, there were a lot of much more high-profile actors that they had in mind that would help with the box office."
Plus, Simmons audition was the scene where the Green Goblin busted through the wall of Jameson's Daily Bugle office and choked him, lifting him up in the air. "I'm holding the script pages," Simmons remembered, "reading the scene on the audition, but then at the same time, trying to...[choking noises]...pretending I'm being lifted by the neck and choked."
You can actually check out Simmons' screen test here, as part of one of our recent Time Capsules. The video also includes a shirtless and shredded Tobey Maguire kicking some bad guy butt.
[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/05/30/hbo-max-streaming-service-review"]
Check out this updated look at Sony's slate of upcoming films -- including the Spider-Man 3, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse 2, Venom 2, and Morbius.
[poilib element="accentDivider"]
Matt Fowler is a writer for IGN and a member of the Television Critics Association. Follow him on Twitter at @TheMattFowler and Facebook at Facebook.com/MattBFowler.
Suicide Squad Director Says His Film Became a ‘Comedy’ Because of Deadpool
This past week, following a notable uptick in “#ReleaseTheAyerCut online movement, Suicide Squad director David Ayer said that a director’s cut of the film would be “easy to complete.” This news came on the heels of Warner Bros. spending a reported $20 - $30 million to complete Zack Snyder's “Snyder Cut” of Justice League - which is set to release in 2021 on HBO Max.
Ayer is back on Twitter this weekend, answering fans' queries about his original cut of Suicide Squad. Particularly, the choice to beat it "into a comedy" following the mixed reception of Batman v Superman and the blockbuster status of Deadpool. Check it out...
Ayer was responding to a compliment regarding the original teaser for Suicide Squad, explaining that it accurately reflected his vision of the film which was "Methodical. Layered. Complex, beautiful and sad." In an earlier tweet, Ayer mentioned how the reshoots were meant to course correct the movie for being "too dark" while also praising the performances of Jared Leto and Margot Robbie...This trailer nailed the tone and intention of the film I made. Methodical. Layered. Complex, beautiful and sad. After the BVS reviews shell shocked the leadership at the time, and the success of Deadpool - My soulful drama was beaten into a “comedy” https://t.co/vrMw8QE2iZ
— David Ayer (@DavidAyerMovies) May 30, 2020
Ayer, soon after, praised Warner Bros. now, tweeting that "The studio is in a great place today and encouraging filmmakers to make their vision"...This was reshot because the tone was “too dark” - My first act was a normally constructed film. I took my inspiration from Nolan. There were real scenes with incredible acting between Jared and Margot. Joker was terrifying. Harley was complex. https://t.co/KeJHmI6EA7
— David Ayer (@DavidAyerMovies) May 30, 2020
In related news, James Gunn's reboot of the Suicide Squad is still headed our way, as Gunn said there's no reason for his film to be delayed due to COVID-19 since it wrapped filming earlier this year. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=every-actor-and-character-confirmed-for-dcs-the-suicide-squad&captions=true"] [poilib element="accentDivider"] Matt Fowler is a writer for IGN and a member of the Television Critics Association. Follow him on Twitter at @TheMattFowler and Facebook at Facebook.com/MattBFowler.They do. They absolutely do. This was just a moment in the past - Those involved have moved on. The studio is in a great place today and encouraging filmmakers to make their vision. https://t.co/AhOhgvn5Qi
— David Ayer (@DavidAyerMovies) May 30, 2020
Suicide Squad Director Says His Film Became a ‘Comedy’ Because of Deadpool
This past week, following a notable uptick in “#ReleaseTheAyerCut online movement, Suicide Squad director David Ayer said that a director’s cut of the film would be “easy to complete.” This news came on the heels of Warner Bros. spending a reported $20 - $30 million to complete Zack Snyder's “Snyder Cut” of Justice League - which is set to release in 2021 on HBO Max.
Ayer is back on Twitter this weekend, answering fans' queries about his original cut of Suicide Squad. Particularly, the choice to beat it "into a comedy" following the mixed reception of Batman v Superman and the blockbuster status of Deadpool. Check it out...
Ayer was responding to a compliment regarding the original teaser for Suicide Squad, explaining that it accurately reflected his vision of the film which was "Methodical. Layered. Complex, beautiful and sad." In an earlier tweet, Ayer mentioned how the reshoots were meant to course correct the movie for being "too dark" while also praising the performances of Jared Leto and Margot Robbie...This trailer nailed the tone and intention of the film I made. Methodical. Layered. Complex, beautiful and sad. After the BVS reviews shell shocked the leadership at the time, and the success of Deadpool - My soulful drama was beaten into a “comedy” https://t.co/vrMw8QE2iZ
— David Ayer (@DavidAyerMovies) May 30, 2020
Ayer, soon after, praised Warner Bros. now, tweeting that "The studio is in a great place today and encouraging filmmakers to make their vision"...This was reshot because the tone was “too dark” - My first act was a normally constructed film. I took my inspiration from Nolan. There were real scenes with incredible acting between Jared and Margot. Joker was terrifying. Harley was complex. https://t.co/KeJHmI6EA7
— David Ayer (@DavidAyerMovies) May 30, 2020
In related news, James Gunn's reboot of the Suicide Squad is still headed our way, as Gunn said there's no reason for his film to be delayed due to COVID-19 since it wrapped filming earlier this year. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=every-actor-and-character-confirmed-for-dcs-the-suicide-squad&captions=true"] [poilib element="accentDivider"] Matt Fowler is a writer for IGN and a member of the Television Critics Association. Follow him on Twitter at @TheMattFowler and Facebook at Facebook.com/MattBFowler.They do. They absolutely do. This was just a moment in the past - Those involved have moved on. The studio is in a great place today and encouraging filmmakers to make their vision. https://t.co/AhOhgvn5Qi
— David Ayer (@DavidAyerMovies) May 30, 2020
Chris Evans Thinks a Captain America Return Would Be Too ‘Risky’
As the MCU's Phase 4 finds itself a bit delayed - with Black Widow being postponed until November and Disney+'s The Falcon and the Winter Soldier still needing to finish production -- Chris Evans recently nixed the idea of possibly returning to his role as Captain America after the character was given a grand send-off in Avengers: Endgame.
Appearing on the U.K.'s The Graham Norton Show, Evans was asked if his time as Cap was truly over.
"Yes, I think it is," Evans responded.
"It was a great run and we went out on such a high note that it would be risky to revisit it in my opinion," he continued. "It was such a good experience and I think it's better left that way."
Obviously, it would be difficult to bring Steve Rogers back to the MCU at this point given how the character opted, at the finish of Endgame, to travel back in time to live a life with Hayley Atwell's Peggy Carter. Difficult, but not impossible. This is why "never say never" is often the prevailing message when it comes to Hollywood. "It's not a hard no," Evans added, "but it's not an eager yes either. I think Cap had such a tricky act to stick the landing, and I think they did a really nice job letting him complete his journey."
[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/04/07/mcu-phase-4-theory-black-widow-is-setting-up-an-avengers-level-villain-ign-now"]
If you're looking for a deeper dive into Black Widow, here's a closer look at Florence Pugh's character Yelena Belova and our theory about how the film might be setting up a new Avengers-level villain that's not Taskmaster.
Also, if you're trying to keep track of everything, check out the new MCU: Phase 4 release schedule. Meanwhile, a superfan mapped out every scene in the MCU's first three phases in chronological order.
[widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=every-plot-thread-the-mcu-abandoned&captions=true"]
[poilib element="accentDivider"]
Matt Fowler is a writer for IGN and a member of the Television Critics Association. Follow him on Twitter at @TheMattFowler and Facebook at Facebook.com/MattBFowler.
Chris Evans Thinks a Captain America Return Would Be Too ‘Risky’
As the MCU's Phase 4 finds itself a bit delayed - with Black Widow being postponed until November and Disney+'s The Falcon and the Winter Soldier still needing to finish production -- Chris Evans recently nixed the idea of possibly returning to his role as Captain America after the character was given a grand send-off in Avengers: Endgame.
Appearing on the U.K.'s The Graham Norton Show, Evans was asked if his time as Cap was truly over.
"Yes, I think it is," Evans responded.
"It was a great run and we went out on such a high note that it would be risky to revisit it in my opinion," he continued. "It was such a good experience and I think it's better left that way."
Obviously, it would be difficult to bring Steve Rogers back to the MCU at this point given how the character opted, at the finish of Endgame, to travel back in time to live a life with Hayley Atwell's Peggy Carter. Difficult, but not impossible. This is why "never say never" is often the prevailing message when it comes to Hollywood. "It's not a hard no," Evans added, "but it's not an eager yes either. I think Cap had such a tricky act to stick the landing, and I think they did a really nice job letting him complete his journey."
[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/04/07/mcu-phase-4-theory-black-widow-is-setting-up-an-avengers-level-villain-ign-now"]
If you're looking for a deeper dive into Black Widow, here's a closer look at Florence Pugh's character Yelena Belova and our theory about how the film might be setting up a new Avengers-level villain that's not Taskmaster.
Also, if you're trying to keep track of everything, check out the new MCU: Phase 4 release schedule. Meanwhile, a superfan mapped out every scene in the MCU's first three phases in chronological order.
[widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=every-plot-thread-the-mcu-abandoned&captions=true"]
[poilib element="accentDivider"]
Matt Fowler is a writer for IGN and a member of the Television Critics Association. Follow him on Twitter at @TheMattFowler and Facebook at Facebook.com/MattBFowler.
Mortal Kombat 11: Aftermath Review – Friendship Never Ends
When the credits roll at the end of Mortal Kombat 11's excellent story mode, the slate has been wiped clean. After a variety of entertaining time-travelling hijinks, everyone's second-favourite Shaolin monk, Liu Kang, has ascended into godhood and is ready to begin writing an all-new chapter in Mortal Kombat history. It's as close to a perfect ending as you can get to the almost 30 years of convoluted lore this series has. But now, there's Aftermath, Mortal Kombat 11's optional expansion that tacks on a handful of new chapters to that narrative. And while the idea of a story-focussed add-on to this fighting game is an exciting prospect--and it certainly has its high moments--when the credits roll for the second time there isn't that same sense of gratification.
At the beginning of Aftermath, which immediately follows the end of Mortal Kombat 11, Liu Kang is interrupted by the nefarious sorcerer Shang Tsung. Along with the righteous wind god Fujin and badass indigenous shaman Nightwolf, the trio stops Liu Kang from proceeding with his rebuilding plans with the warning that they need to go back in time, again, to retrieve a MacGuffin in order to stop the process from going to shit. Over five chapters and a cinema-appropriate two-and-a-half-hour running time, the five Mortal Kombat characters that have now been introduced to MK11 as post-release content get to make their mark in the story. The chapters cover the hijinks of Shang Tsung, Nightwolf, and the banshee queen Sindel from the Fighters Pack 1 DLC, as well as two characters newly introduced in Aftermath: Fujin and the four-armed Sheeva.
The relatively brief running time of the whole thing allows it to be mostly filled with great moments. The blockbuster flair present in the original story mode is again in full force, as is the excellent fight choreography that makes you want to leap out of your chair. There's still that weird disconnect when an extravagant fight cinematic transitions into the more rigid nature of the game's actual one-on-one fights, but there are some good moments that lie in the gameplay portions too, like the handful of battles where you have an assist character to call on.
Continue Reading at GameSpot