The ethnic makeup of the modern blockbuster is changing. No longer are we in the age of tokenism, where studios could boast “multi-ethnic” casts by simply dotting the background with an assortment of skin colors and orientations. The international box office makes up a massive percentage of American studio releases, and non-English language-speaking audiences are placed at a premium. It's not enough to load your movie with recognizable white faces any more. Ocean's Eleven with George Clooney, Brad Pitt, and Matt Damon would probably still get made today. But not without much debate.

The one surprise is that the diversity is coming from a new place: behind the camera. The new Scarface is a case study of sorts. Recently, it was announced that Warner Bros. was moving ahead with the third big-screen rendition of the story of an immigrant named Tony who works his way up the ladder of organized crime. Whispers had persisted that the studio was pursuing a vision of the film with a more “ethnic” slant. But no one was prepared for the announcement that Pablo Larraín would be selected for the director's chair.

In 2013, Larraín’s No was nominated for the Oscar for Best Foreign Film. This seemed simple enough: No featured global superstar Gael Bernal, and it focused on the story of how dictator Augusto Pinochet was pushed out of office. The title refers to the deceptively complex campaign in which citizens were called upon to cast a vote to oust the unruly despot with Bernal as an ad exec charged with creating the most important campaign in Chile's history. Though it's a period piece about a tremendous political victory, No is not a sentimental film; in fact, the decision to shoot the picture with low-quality digital film heavily utilized during the late 1980s places you in an era that manufactures the regional claustrophobia and constant level of threat that the Chilean protestors and anti-Pinochet forces lived underneath.

Larraín’s body of work becomes more intimidating when one realizes that No is part of a whole. Larraín’s life's work thus far has been a trilogy of films loosely connected by the time period in which they take place. Post Mortem is about as bleak as it sounds, a stark counterpoint to No's ultimate victory. And Tony Manero, named after the protagonist of Saturday Night Fever played by John Travolta, is ultimately a dark narrative about a man who dives head-first into denial when he begins to obsess over disco and John Badham's legendary music film as a response to the social upheaval and oppression of the era. Larraín, in essence, is not someone accustomed to the world of blockbusters.

While Paul Muni was the original Scarface, a suit-wearing Italian named Tony Camonte, most fans associate the character with his 1983 incarnation, played by Al Pacino in a pidgin-Cuban accent. It's not the most delicate re-creation of a Hispanic personality, but Spanish-speaking audiences (not to mention English-speaking ones) have long celebrated the rise of Pacino's Tony Montana in Brian De Palma's hallucinatory masterpiece. He may be a murderer and adulterer, but Tony Montana was a man of principles, and that's the sort of thing audiences can appreciate. It can be argued that his downfall is either because he violates his own principles, or because others violate them. Most fans prefer the latter.

That last bit also seems to be magnified by this new version of the story, which follows a Mexican character who has to work with the cartels. The hot button issues here are deadly ones, focusing on the serious conflict of attitudes occurring in America regarding immigration, and the ugly, lawless scourge of the cartels across the border. There's a lot of potential not only for violence, but for ideological conflict. There's also a lot regarding the issue of identity. Scarface has always been about “The American Dream,” and a Mexican character emerging from the world of drug cartels to become a major criminal force raises questions about Mexico's cultural identity and its ties to the cartels. It also raises questions as to the truth about America today, and what it means to thrive in a world (in this case, crime) where others alongside you perish. Is it American to survive? Is it American to eliminate any and all potential competition? Or is it American to work with others in building empires? Probably not that last one, given that this is a blockbuster, where the default is either blind optimism or blind cynicism.

It is a little disheartening that Larraín’s chief competition for the job was Harry Potter helmer David Yates. As complex and morally knotty as Larraín’s films are, that's how broad and scrubbed-of-identity Yates'Potter films tended to be. Yates came up from television, where he presided over the original version of State of Play, but his basic Potter work marked him as a go-along studio hand who would follow orders. In the case of Potter that meant directing a handful of films that served one continuous story without violating the universe established by Chris Columbus in the first two Potter entries. There's a depressing inevitability to watching those final Potter films: it feels as if every five minutes is a pause to allow for special effects theatrics to take hold of the story, cheap parlor tricks meant to remind the audience to keep paying attention. You couldn't possibly pit two dissimilar filmmakers against each other quite like WB did with Larrain and Yates.

Still, the selection of Larraín opens up intriguing new possibilities in regards to the Hollywood studio model, while confirming a sea change. Larraín is just the latest in a line of Spanish-language helmers to take Hollywood by storm, and it very much looks like the future of moviemaking is en Espanol. Hispanics make up 32 percent of all moviegoers; contrast that with a population of 17 percent. Alfonso Cuarón just became the first Hispanic filmmaker to take home the Best Director Oscar. That's not a statistic, that's a beginning.

Of course, with this onslaught of Hispanic filmmakers comes a forceful, often political viewpoint. The question is, are studios pursuing these filmmakers because of their socio-political insight, or because they think a foreign filmmaker outside of the studio system is simply going to do what they're told? It's unclear what the situation was regarding José Padilha and Robocop. The Brazilian behind the Elite Squad movies seemed like the ideal choice for the relaunch of the popular sci-fi franchise, jumping onboard after Darren Aronofsky completed a lengthy flirtation with the property. The Elite Squad series was violent, aggressive, and provocative, centering on the corrupt BOPE officers that run the slums. Detailing the failings of compromised organizations and the shaky line between cops and criminals, they're tense and upsetting films with a dark sense of humor, making Padilha an apt choice for the job.

As much as he labored, however, the end result was an intermittently-interesting studio product, one that has very little political or social insight. Padilha was never going to get his way on a film that was (ridiculously) aimed for a PG-13 rating even before shooting began. But during a candid interview, fellow director Alejandro González Iñárritu claimed that Padilha told him making the movie was “hell” and that “nine out of every ten” of his ideas were being shot down. Was Padilha hired for his insight in the law enforcement/industrial complex? Or was he just hired because he was hot and of-the-moment?

Apparently the situation wasn't bad enough to prevent Iñárritu, a former Best Director Oscar nominee, from signing onto an adaptation of The Jungle Book. He eventually fled that project before shooting, but it's indicative of the fact that several Latin American filmmakers are being hired for movies that don't seem to have any Latin roots. There's a very good chance they're all following Guillermo del Toro, the Mexican wunderkind that came to America on the back of Spanish language genre efforts, only to end up using most of his goodwill on Pacific Rim, a sci-fi action film that owed more to Japanese culture than a American or Mexican background.

Also intrigued by Japanese culture is Jaume Collet-Serra, who has directed Liam Neeson in three straight action pictures, Unknown, Non-Stop and the upcoming Run All Night. He's had his eye on the big fish for the longest time: Akira, Kazuhiro Otomo's long-thought unfilmable tome that has been bandied about by WB for years. An American Akira largely misses the point of the material, as one cannot simply transfer one tragedy for another: the graphic novel takes its eerie inspiration from the disaster at Hiroshima, while an American adaptation was said to occur in “Neo-Manhattan,” with echoes of 9/11. Collet-Serra has traveled considerably in his career. Unknown largely takes place in Germany, and he also helmed the globe-trotting soccer epic Goal 2. While not a personal filmmaker, it would be interesting to see the mark he leaves on the material.

Also intriguing is a reboot of the Mummy series by director Andrés Muschetti. Having been given his big break by producer del Toro, Muschetti's only other film is Mama, which draws its inspiration from his own Spanish-language short film. While the material was very thin, both the short and extended versions of Mama seem suffused with the notion of a matriarchal family, something that isn't specifically Hispanic, but stems from a Latino upbringing. The Mummy ostensibly deals with Egyptian folklore, but it's just as much about the early days of moviemaking and the classic Universal monsters. What will Muschetti bring to the material?

And what of Gerardo Naranjo's Death Wish? The Miss Bala director clearly knows his way around violence, but what's he going to do with an American franchise that focuses specifically on the very American idea of the lawless vigilante? Charles Bronson did five of these films. What can Naranjo bring to the table? MGM's remake of the title has been through several permutations: for a brief moment Sylvester Stallone was going to star in it, and reportedly director Joe Carnahan fled the project because the studio sought Bruce Willis. So they're transparently going for iconic. Can Naranjo, who made a suffocating, relentlessly bleak film about the relationship between cartels and beauty pageants, properly create the sort of iconography MGM is looking for?

Maybe, like del Toro and Muschetti, these filmmakers are best suited for monsters. Fede Alvarez came out of seemingly nowhere to make his directorial debut on Sam Raimi's Evil Dead reboot, showing a serious dedication to letting blood spill. It's one of the most gruesome films to ever pass through the system with only an R-rating. And Juan Carlos Fresnadillo, who previously helmed the British 28 Weeks Later, is due to get down with the dead once again in a World War Z sequel. Working in genre is maybe the best step towards longevity in this career: just ask Robert Rodriguez, whose latest, Sin City: A Dame To Kill For his theaters at the tail-end of this summer.

Rodriguez himself has stumbled on a potential goldmine. In launching his channel El Rey, he's aiming for the audience that the studios could be targeting with these latest films, specifically Latino males who have grown up watching primarily English-language movies. In between original programming like From Dusk Till Dawn: The Series the channel also shows popular fare like Escape From New York, movies that, not coincidentally, are up for a (likely) multi-culti remake in the coming years. Rodriguez, as always, seems ahead of the curve. Who could have guessed that the guy who remade his debut, the Spanish-language El Mariachi, into the star-packed English-language Desperado, would be where he was ten years later? Rodriguez argues that today's movie fan speaks one language and one language alone: the language of cinema. What he and filmmakers like him are doing are creating fully-realized roles and positions for Hispanics to fit in the mainstream media. There might not be anything in Escape From New York or Total Recall that seems Hispanic, Rodriguez argues, but when they are programmed on El Rey, it establishes that they now belong to those people.

These Hispanic directors also seem to be part of a growing trend in American film, as studios shy away from American-born directors completely. Baltasar Kormakur was plucked from obscurity to remake his own film into the Mark Wahlberg actioner Contraband; now he's handling an all-star cast in the 3D film Everest. Daniel Espinosa rose from the European crime film scene with Snabba Cash to make Safe House and the upcoming WWII drama Child 44. Even franchises are in the hands of foreigners. Russian journeyman Sergei Bodrov was the choice to introduce filmgoers to the world of The Seventh Son, while the Norwegian Harald Zwart was entrusted with the Mortal Instruments series. Earlier this month, Blood Ties was released, within the most American genre to exist, the 1970s cop film. Except that the cast was almost primarily European, and the director was the French Guillaume Canet.

Most of these creative choices did not pan out, however, with some directors presiding over bombs. If the industry is having a great big Director-Off, Latin America looks like they could very well be the winner. Animation already has its champion with Rio director Carlos Saldanha. And great new voices are emerging in that world: Bernal is one of the world's leading producers, while Y Tu Mama Tambien pal Diego Luna just helmed his first movie, Cesar Chavez. And Cuarón's co-writer on Gravity, his son Jonás, is already prepping his directorial debut. Jonás is a part of this younger generation, an expanding Hispanic demographic that is eager to hear new stories, see new movie stars, feel new sensations. The landscape is changing dramatically.

As for Scarface, we'll see. The project has had several writers and directors attached over the years, and it's ultimate a candidate to undergo several other revisions over the years. Larraín is an exciting choice, but an obscure one: it's nothing lost for the studio if they eventually get him to hit the road, or if a lack of creative freedom allows him to flee. What's so exciting is that Larraín didn't earn his way doing shampoo commercials, or making scuzzy genre pics. He wasn't hired by the studio because he has a reputation for cranking out product. He was hired for his work, which is decidedly Chilean in nature. The WB made a decision, and it's a decision based on films that have a strong Latin American identity, films that speak greatly to one small demographic's way of life.

Scarface could end up being expensive junk: as good as Larraín is, no one in Hollywood is above taking a paycheck to pay for a new backyard. But his hiring means that we're a long way from the 1983 version, starring “noted Hispanics” like Al Pacino, Michelle Pfeiffer and F. Murray Abraham, written by Oliver Stone and directed by Brian De Palma. We still haven't solved a diversity issue in filmmaking: women continue to be dramatically under-represented, with only two wide release live action films directed by women to be seen this year. But it appears that Hispanics are slowly, and confidently, taking over the industry.

Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter for all news updates related to the world of geek. And Google+, if that's your thing!

This article contains what some might consider spoilers for Captain America: The Winter Soldier.

Captain America: The Winter Soldier will present the first big screen appearance of Crossbones and Batroc the Leaper, two infamous Captain America villains. Before you see these two comic book bad guys in theatres, let’s take a look at their comic book origins. These two have been giving Captain America a hard time for decades...

We'll start this off with Crossbones, created by Mark Gruenwald and Kieron Dwyer. Crossbones first made a shadowy cameo in Captain America #359 and was fully revealed in Captain America#360, both published in 1989. Before Crossbones, most Cap villains were master schemers, warlords, and despots who presented a political threat to Cap and his allies but, for the most part, didn’t have any business physically going one-on-one with him. Villains like the Red Skull, Baron Zemo, Armin Zola, and the Secret Empire were fascist threats who used their minds and intermediary minions to take on Cap and his allies. Yes, Zemo and Skull did get physical when need be but they were usually pretty easily dispatched. Not Crossbones. 

Crossbones had the air of a Captain America gone wrong: a highly trained soldier who didn’t fight for a country or an ideal but for his own profit. Where Cap represents the honor and duty of the average soldier, Crossbones serves as a warning of what could happen when military training is used for personal gain or to feed a compulsion for violence. The most profane iconography in any Captain America comic is the image of a skull. Having a soldier as big, skilled, and tough as Cap wear a skull mask was a dire image for longtime Captain America fans, who knew that it could only mean that this new villain was in league with Cap’s greatest foe, a villain hand chosen by Hitler himself, the Red Skull.

Crossbones is a former gang member named Brock Rumlow (played in the film by Frank Grillo). Right away, there was some common ground between Rumlow and Steve Rogers as they both grew up in a blighted urban setting, but Rumlow was corrupted by the decay around him while Rogers constantly fought to overcome it. Rumlow’s past is connected to many diverse corners of the Marvel Universe. After his days as a gang leader, he joined with the mercenary known as Taskmaster and become an instructor at Taskmaster’s School. After that, he joined with the Communist version of the Red Skull, a man named Albert Malik who used the horrific image of Johann Schmidt to strike fear into the hearts of his enemies. When Malik’s minions attacked the newly-returned Schmidt, Rumlow was the only survivor. The original Red Skull was impressed and took Rumlow on as an operative.

Crossbones’ first appearance saw him join the hunt for the mystic Bloodstones. This mission brought Crossbones into conflict with Cap, Zemo, and Cap’s then girlfriend, the villain-turned-hero, Diamondback. At this point in Cap history, under Gruenwald, Crossbones was deeply involved in the Red Skull’s schemes. He became the most loyal and indispensable operative the Skull possessed. When the Nazi hating Magneto kidnapped and imprisoned the Skull, it was Crossbones that saved his master from certain death. Eventually, the always volatile Skull fired Crossbones who then kidnapped Diamondback to prove his loyalty to his former master. Crossbones was defeated and arrested, but his legacy as one of Cap’s most physically threatening villains was solidified.

In the post Gruenwald era, Crossbones was brought back by Ed Brubaker and Steve Epting to take part in the "Winter Soldier" and "Death of Captain America" stories, where Crossbones was once again cast as Skull’s heavy. He even fired the shot that seemingly ended the life of Steve Rogers. Even though Crossbones didn’t deliver the actual fatal shot, the image of Crossbones, perched like Lee Harvey Oswald with an American icon in his sights is one of the more memorable villainous images of the Modern Age of comics. To put a bow on Crossbones’ history, after the assassination of Cap, Crossbones is interrogated by Daredevil, Wolverine, and Doctor Strange and brutally beaten by Logan. This isn’t the last butt-whipping Crossbones would endure, as after his escape from SHIELD custody, he was shot multiple time by Bucky Barnes, the former Winter Soldier (and, at the time, the new Captain America).

Recently, as a member of the Thunderbolts, Crossbones was granted energy projection powers when he was exposed to the Inhuman spawning Terrigen Mists. After using his powers to murder a police officer, Crossbones was summarily fired from the Thunderbolts and put back in prison. Let's just be clear, here: Crossbones was kicked off a team that tolerated Venom, Bullseye, and the Green Goblin. Now, that’s evil. All these events and instances of gleeful mayhem reveal that Crossbones is one of the most unrepentant sociopaths in the Marvel Universe, only loyal to himself and the legacy of the Red Skull.

Crossbones isn’t the only physical threat to Cap in the new film, though. Batroc the Leaper, a classic Captain America foe from the Silver Age will also make his first cinematic appearance in Winter Solider as played by former UFC Welterweight Champion Georges St-Pierre. Batroc, at times, has been portrayed as somewhat of a joke, but don’t underestimate the mustachioed menace as, the Leaper has proven through many classic battles he is almost a physical match for Cap himself.

Batroc has always been presented as a man with a complex system of honor and an ego the size of the French Alps. In his first meeting with Captain America in Tales of Suspense #75 (1966) by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby (yes, Batroc goes back that far), the mercenary is hired by HYDRA to steal an exotic weapon from SHIELD. When he first encounters Cap, Batroc is delighted that the hero had heard of him. This moment would foreshadow Batroc’s motivations and reasons for doing what he does (mostly: dropkick and be awesome), which are simply fortune and glory. In his next appearance, Batroc kidnaps Sharon Carter. When confronted by Captain America, Batroc insists that HYDRA keep out of the fight. When they refuse, Batroc turns on them and actually helps Cap defeat the terrorists. 

Batroc hasn’t always operated alone. On numerous occasions, the Leaper has formed Batroc’s Brigade. The first Brigade consisted of Batroc, the original Swordsman, and the Living Laser...a pretty formidable group of villains. The next Brigade was Batroc, the Porcupine, and Whirlwind...not a formidable group of villains. The modern and longest running Brigade has consisted of Zaran the Weapons Master and Machete along with their leader. In their first outing, this trio tried to steal Cap’s shield for the first cinematic Marvel villain, Obadiah Stane. They were also involved in the same hunt for the Bloodstones as Crossbones.

Throughout all these adventures, Batroc's sense of honor was always present, and he seemed to be positively driven to defeat Captain America in a fair fight. Despite the dangers, Cap often relished the test and always treated Batroc with a bit more respect than he did his usual collection of rogues. Over the years, Batroc also gleefully tested his martial arts acumen against Iron Fist, Spider-Man, the Punisher, Black Panther, Hawkeye, and in a battle of the awesome accents, Gambit. Batroc even was able to test his skill of savate against (wait for it) none other than (no, seriously this is really cool) Batman. In the JLA/Avengerscrossover of 2003-2004, Batroc went toe-to-mustache with the Dark Knight.

Ummm...Batroc lost.

You can see more of Crossbones and Batroc in Captain America: The Winter Soldier, in theaters April 6th.

[related article: The Significance of the Captain America: The Winter Soldier post-credits scenes.]

Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter for all news updates related to the world of geek. And Google+, if that's your thing!

Bloomberg Businesweek, while not usually known for breaking nerd journalism scoops, has a fantastic profile of Marvel Studios executive Kevin Feige up today. The profile reveals some promising bits and pieces about the future of the cinematic Marvel Universe, including just how far into the future they're planning these franchises.

Bloomberg's profile describes "a map of films" on the wall of Mr. Feige's office. "They printed out a new one recently that went to 2028," Feige laughs. "It’s like looking through the Hubble telescope. You go, ‘What’s happening back there?’ But it’s real."

So, from the sound of things, there's no danger of a total reboot of the multi-franchise operation any time soon. If anything, Mr. Feige plans to take Marvel's potential film and TV properties further and further out into the cosmos.

The profile (which is quite in-depth) is worth a read for any Marvel fan, and it's peppered with tidbits like this one, which describes a potential "major spoiler" (and possible mystery villain) for Guardians of the Galaxy... (and by the way, you COULD consider this next bit a Guardians of the Galaxy spoiler)

Gunn freezes a frame of an imposing-looking villain any serious comic book fan would recognize instantly. He sits on a rocket-powered throne. 

It's a fairly open secret that Thanos is going to be involved in some capacity in James Gunn's Guardians of the Galaxy, and he does love his thrones, so...there you are. Anyway, go read the rest of the article, which is peppered with fun anecdotes about the development of other Marvel films like Captain America: The First Avenger and Thor, as well as hints about the future of the Guardians of the Galaxy franchise and its potential spinoffs. 

related article:Marvel Studios: What's Coming Next?

Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter for all news updates related to the world of geek. And Google+, if that's your thing!

Up from the depths and 40 stories high, Godzilla is one big guy. It is a fact brought to horrific reality in the new TV spot for Warner Brothers and Legendary Pictures’ Godzilla.

In the new TV spot for the film, audiences get another bitter taste of the King of Monsters’ talent for urban destruction on an apocalyptic scale when Aaron Taylor-Johnson must phone home about his unlikely odds of surviving the big lizard’s wrath.

Directed by Gareth Edwards, the new Godzilla stars Bryan Cranston, Aaron Taylor-Johnson Elizabeth Olsen, David Strathaim, Ken Watanabe, Juliette Binoche, and Sally Hawkins. It opens May 16, 2014 in 2D, 3D, and IMAX.

Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter for all news updates related to the world of geek. And Google+, if that's your thing!

Holly Hunter, Callan Mulvey, and Tao Okamoto have joined the case of Batman vs. Supermanin three as-yet-unnamed roles. Comic book fans might want to take a breath before trying to figure out who they're playing, though, as Warner Bros. have stated that all three will play roles created for the film, and not taken from the pages of DC Comics.

In a statement, Zack Snyder commented on the casting. “Holly has always been one of my favorite actresses; she has immense talent and is always captivating on screen. I had an opportunity to meet her a while back and knew instantly that I had to work with her, so as we began writing the script I made sure to create a role specifically for her."

As for the other two talented folks joining the cast, Snyder had this to say:

“I just had the good fortune to work with Callan on 300: Rise of an Empireand was very impressed with his incredible talent,” the director continued. “He’s a fantastic actor and I’m looking forward to having the chance to work with him again. And, quite simply, Tao is a striking presence whose beauty is aptly rivaled by her amazing abilities as an actress. I’m really excited to have her joining us on this adventure.”

Batman vs. Superman (once again, we stress this isn't the actual title) stars Henry Cavill, reprising his role as Superman/Clark Kent, Ben Affleck as Batman/Bruce Wayne, and Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman/Diana Prince. The film also stars Jesse Eisenberg as Lex Luthor and Jeremy Irons as Alfred, and reunites Man of Steel stars Amy Adams, Laurence Fishburne and Diane Lane.

The new film is currently being written by Chris Terrio, from a screenplay by David S. Goyer. Charles Roven and Deborah Snyder are producing, with Benjamin Melniker, Michael E. Uslan, Wesley Coller, David S. Goyer and Geoff Johns serving as executive producers.

Batman vs. Superman will open on May 6th, 2016. You can read everything we currently know about Batman vs. Superman right here.

Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter for all news updates related to the world of geek. And Google+, if that's your thing!

Last week’s trailer for the heavily anticipated Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles has left fans debating the value of Turtle power in this new Jonathan Liebesman-directed and Michael Bay-produced vision. Well, they will have even more to say about the new casting of Johnny Knoxville and Tony Shalhoub in the half-shell blockbuster.

Deadline has reported that Johnny Knoxville has been cast in the vocal role of Leonardo, the blue-masked leader of the adolescent amphibian warriors, and Tony Shalhoub will voice Splinter, the not-so-dirty rat leader and sensei of the sewer-dwelling heroes.

This may be a bit of a surprise for the more careful turtle watchers since Pete Ploszek played the part of Leonardo in motion-capture, and Danny Woodburn played Splinter. However, Paramount showed no trouble in recasting their vocal performances.

It should be noted that Paramount is also the studio that reshot the last third of World War Z for a budget that ballooned to $190 million after the studio deemed the original ending involving Russian lobotomizers cutting up Red Square as unsatisfactory for their PG-13 zombie epic. For the moment though, at least, Jeremy Howard remains the voice of Donatello and Shameless’ own Noel Fisher (who has had a fantastic run on that show this season) remains the voice of Michelangelo.

Nothing says “relaunch” like Michael Bay. The producer, who turned quaint 1980s nostalgia for the Transformers cartoon and action figures into a billion-dollar blockbuster juggernaut series, is now producing the live-action TMNT reboot. And he’s reuniting with reconciled leading lady Megan Fox if you didn’t see the parallel already. Directed by his buddy Jonathan Liebesman (Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning, Battle: Los Angeles), Bay’s new Ninja Turtles movie promises to be a departure from the many cartoons and Jim Henson original films, as the CGI adolescents are now fighting William Fichtner as the Shredder.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and a half-shell hit theaters on August 8, 2014.

Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter for all news updates related to the world of geek. And Google+, if that's your thing!

It is time for action heroes of yesterday to fall in line, because The Expendables 3 roll call is being performed, and the Lionsgate trailer makes it look like as much grizzled fun as ever.

Audiences are quickly reminded of old reliables like Stallone, Statham, Li, and Couture, but new names like Snipes, Ford…and Grammer(?) are all appearing too. It is the cast of The Expendables 3, and here’s the trailer (released via Yahoo):

With a full cast that includes Sylvester Stallone, Jason Statham, Jet Li, Dolph Lundgren, Randy Couture, Terry Crews, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Wesley Snipes, Antonio Banderas, Mel Gibson, Harrison Ford, Kellan Lutz, Ronda Rousey, Victor Ortiz, Glen Powell, and Kelsey Grammer, this movie is bursting at the seams with testosterone (plus Rousey) in the hopes of what is being marketed as “One Last Ride,” albeit we know thanks to Pierce Brosnan that more Expendablesare in the works.

In the new film, Barney (Stallone) comes face-to-face with an old friend and long-thought-dead enemy named Conrad Stonebanks (Gibson). Despite being the original co-founder of the Expendables team with Barney, Stonebanks went rogue to become an international arms dealer that Barney ultimately put down. At least, he thought that he had…now, Stonebanks is back, and his sights are set on destroying the Expendables once and for all. Thus it’s time for some new blood and the hope of spilling Stonebanks’.

The Expendables 3 opens August 15, 2014.

Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter for all news updates related to the world of geek. And Google+, if that's your thing!

This is shaping up to be Charlie Manson’s year. 45 years after the Tate-LaBianca murders the world is going Helter Skelter over the guy. Following the Rob Zombie miniseries and the David Duchovny Aquarius series on NBC, Charles Manson is on his way to becoming a new horror icon, like Frankenstein or Dracula. And, like Frankenstein and Dracula, Charlie’s got his own house.

House of Manson from Micro Bay Features is a biopic, coming-of-age kind of crime thriller. It will tell the story of Charles Manson's life from his childhood to his arrest for the Tate/LaBianca murders that closed out the sixties like a free concert at Altamount.

House of Manson was written and directed by Brandon Slagle. The Hollywood Reporter called Slagle the "go-to-gore-guy" in the European film market.  The movie was produced by Britt Griffith from of Syfy's Ghosthunters. Griffith and Slagle teamed up before on the dark creature feature Dead Sea.

Charles Manson will be played by Ryan Kiser, from the film Truth or Dare. Kiser already played Charles Manson in the short film Lie.  Tex Watson will be played by Reid Warner from Area 51; Chriss Anglin from Call of Duty: Black Ops, plays as Ronald Hughes; Devanny Pinn from The Black Dahlia Hauntingplays Susan Atkins;  Serena Lorien is in the role of Patricia Krenwinkel; Erin Marie Hogan from Paranormal Entityplays Linda Kasabian and Suzi Lorraine from the film Music and Lyrics, plays as Sharon Tate.

House of Manson will hit theaters later this year.

Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter for all news updates related to the world of geek. And Google+, if that's your thing.

The day may come when the courage of mutants fail…and it may have been decades ago. For it is in the past that hope for mutant kind’s survival lies with this summer’s hotly anticipated X-Men: Days of Future Past. And the reflected eras of past and future are both on display in nine new posters from 20^th Century Fox (released via Empire) and Bryan Singer for the superhero epic.

In the two posters, both time periods for Magneto are on full majestic display with Ian McKellen and Michael Fassbender sharing the same one-sheet. But in the others, the time-traveler who cannot age, Wolverine (Hugh Jackman), is in the same frame as the mutant upon whose mission the entire fate of the world lies—and also the not-so-coincidentally second biggest star in the film: Jennifer Lawrence’s Mystique. And the others are some  random, if enjoyable pairings for the characters, plus two more solo images for Logan (he is getting top billing for this team movie, after all):

X-Men: Days of Future Past opens on May 23, 2014. Directed by Bryan Singer, the man who launched the cinematic X-franchise, it will not only reunite the all-important X-Men trinity of Hugh Jackman, Patrick Stewart, and Ian McKellen, but it will also team them up with their younger X-Men: First Class counterparts like Jennifer Lawrence, Michael Fassbender, and James McAvoy. And that's just the start! Plenty of old X-Men favorites, including Shawn Ashmore's Iceman and Ellen Page’s Kitty Pryde are back for this one, too. Whatever X-Men: Days of Future Past may turn out to be, it probably won't be dull!

Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter for all news updates related to the world of geek. And Google+, if that's your thing!

The superstar scrum The Expendables 3 is due out on August 15th (and you can watch the first trailer here). Sylvester Stallone has been vocal with fans about who could or could not fit into the franchise, which is basically a greatest hits collection of action stars and moments of yesterday and today, and the first two films have been loaded with memorable faces. 

This time around, the Patrick Hughes-directed film adds even more new blood. The cast of original Expendables returns, including Stallone, Jason Statham, Terry Crews, Randy Cotoure, Dolph Lundgren, Jet Li, and Arnold Schwarzenegger. Added to the roster of this fight-fest are Mel Gibson, Harrison Ford, Wesley Snipes, and Ronda Rousey. This is a solid lineup, but it leaves out a number of rumored names we’ve all expected to see, particularly because the roster leaves out stars from the first two films, including Bruce Willis, Jean Claude Van Damme, Scott Adkins, Gary Daniels, Steve Austin, Eric Roberts, Chuck Norris and Mickey Rourke. Basically, there’s always room for more beefcake. 

We’ve drafted a list of 25 names we would have loved to see in the next film, all of which we’re disappointed won’t show up. You can’t always get what you want, but these guys so far have been on the outside of the Expendables world looking in. 

Dwayne Johnson

It may defeat the purpose to opt for a younger name or two for The Expendables, but everything else about bringing Mr. The Rock into the fold makes perfect sense. The famously-agreeable former wrestler is one of the most gregarious performers in Hollywood, and he’s used that to build up considerable action star bonafides at a time where most strongmen are limited to direct-to-DVD work. He’s also no stranger to joining a franchise in progress and boosting its fortunes, as he did by giving Fast Five a kick in the teeth, pumping up Journey 2 The Mysterious Island to massive grosses and, in his most Expendable-y gesture yet, picking up the pieces of G.I. Joe: Retaliation alongside Bruce Willis. The second Expendables grossed less than the first domestically: with The Rock onboard, that trend could have been easily reversed.

Steven Seagal

Probably the most logical name that somehow hasn’t appeared in these movies. Seagal was reportedly courted by Stallone many times, but Seagal remains uninterested in being involved. The main reason that’s been cited is that Seagal won’t work with producer Avi Lerner and Millennium Films again – the independent company is known for both their backlog of straight-to-DVD films as well as a certain shady approach to business, one that apparently had left Seagal under-compensated for earlier films at the studio. Seems like a reasonable qualm, but Millennium has worked with a number of big name actors, including Stallone, Robert De Niro, Milla Jovovich, James Franco and more. It’s a pity this couldn’t be resolved: modern day Seagal might be a bit of a joke, but at one point the Sensei had possibly the quickest hands in the industry, and in a brief moment in the early nineties, he was on top of the b-movie game, producing spartan actioners like Hard To Kill that capitalized on his lone wolf fearsomeness. 

Nicolas Cage

It’s pretty peculiar that Cage isn’t suiting up for this Expendables installment, as he’s one of producer Millennium Films’ greatest collaborators. Perhaps it’s because Cage is slowly transitioning away from paycheck-chasing now that apparently his IRS troubles have ended. But, for a brief period in time, Cage was the go-to guy for A-List action pictures in Hollywood, becoming John Woo’s lucky rabbit’s foot with Face/Off and Windtalkers, and the Bruckheimer poster boy for The Rock, Con Air, and Gone In 60 Seconds. Cage has never been just an action star, of course, and the fact is he could do a hundred Wicker Man remakes and still bring a level of craft and professionalism to the Expendables set. Lost amid the wacky reputation of his standout roles is the fact that he’s done some of them next to a cadre of great talents; he would absolutely fit right in.

Trejo is another guy who was linked to this franchise at one point, talked up for a role in the first one. That never panned out for the Machete actor, and it’s a disappointment, since Trejo fits all the qualifications of an Expendable: madly prolific, obviously tough as nails, and old as hell. Trejo started out as an extra, bringing verisimilitude to roles due to a stay in prison at an early age, and has gone on to come face-to-face with a cadre of Hollywood tough guys and legends in movies both A-and-B-level. Of course, maybe he’s amenable to popping up in the fourth film as Machete himself, a crossover for the ages. Looking at his filmography, there’s not much Trejo will say no to.

Gonna drop a bomb on you: Bullock is still in major mainstream films as a woman who can both be romantically appealing and sometimes pretty tough, and yet she’s actually a clear peer of The Expendables cast, about to turn fifty. Age is everything in Hollywood, so it makes sense Bullock wouldn’t want to acknowledge hers, particularly after the action film success of The Heat. Bullock was offered a part in the first film however (which was eventually written out) and has a surprising amount of relevant credits to her name: not only did she famously team with Stallone in Demolition Man, but she did time with two Speed films in addition to the aforementioned The Heat. Bullock’s a versatile performer with an Oscar to her name, but she’d fit right in as another tough Expendable that brings a bit of feminine flavor to the mix.

Chan and Sylvester Stallone just can’t get it together between them: the two have been rumored to collaborate for years, but something is always in the way. Rumor has it Stallone had long eyed Chan to be in a proposed fourth Rambo, but Chan bristled at playing a bad guy drug dealer. Linked to The Expendables, Chan has long been amenable to joining, but claimed he wanted a sizable role, and not to just come in and perform some martial arts wizardry. Which makes sense, but poses the main conundrum with a guy like him: action legend, sure, but how would you twist the narrative to accommodate his considerable, prop-heavy combat methods? Chan’s usually having a ball with his sillier fighting sequences, though that sort of choreography would be out-of-place in an Expendables movie. That being said, Chan is an action contemporary, and it would have been nice to see him show up.

This Chilean martial artist has quietly made a name for himself with hardcore action fanatics with his performances in Spanish-language actioners Kiltro and Mirageman. The latter gives him a chance to flex his acting skills, though as a leading man, he still has a quite fearsome, intimidating countenance, perfect for a villain role similar to the one played by Scott Adkins in The Expendables 2. Zaror’s English is unsteady, but it didn’t stop him from nailing a role in Undisputed 3, introducing himself to American audiences, though the man is fast and huge onscreen, deserving of a big screen showcase.

The 57 year old thespian has done everything. He’s done Shakespeare in the Park and tangoed with Vin Diesel’s Riddick. Rowdy Roddy Piper forced him to “Put on the glasses!” and he forced Jennifer Conelley to go “ass-to-ass” in Requiem For A Dream. He’s voiced every cartoon and videogame you can imagine, and he’s battled alongside the likes of Swayze (Road House), Seagal (Marked For Death), Willis (Armageddon) and Statham (Transporters 2). Sure, he’s probably not up for more physical activities (training for these movies must be a bitch), but there’s always a place for a guy like David, who has worked with Oliver Stone, Steven Spielberg, John Carpenter, Spike Lee, Sam Raimi, Darren Aronofsky and the Wachowskis. 

She goes by many names, but this Thai martial artist is known by many as the female Tony Jaa, having been discovered by Ong Bak director Prachya Pinkaew. She specializes in taekwondo, and her bonafides are on full display in her two first starring vehicles, Chocolate and Raging Phoenix, where Pinkaew needs only to hold the camera steady to capture her in motion. She’s lithe and attractive, but in battle she attacks like a spider-monkey, a combat style that would be distinct and attention-getting inside the world of The Expendables.

Perhaps Kurt’s gotten a little ornery in his old age: he was famously offered a role in the first Expendables, but rejected it. Stallone revealed that he only spoke to Russell’s representatives, who relayed that Russell was not interested in “ensemble” work at the moment, suggesting a bit of catty bitterness, but also a bit of hurt. After all, what’s Cash without Tango? Russell was a natural for genre films, and his snarl and elaborate hair for Escape From New York pegged him as a screen legend, but there was always the sense he viewed himself as more of an action star: in his later years he’s taken on a number of diverse roles in films like Miracle and Vanilla Sky that showcase the character actor inside the tough guy center. It makes sense that Russell thinks Expendables would be beneath him, but that’s not really the point: maybe the fans want to see their old Snake Plissken growling and firing a gun one more time. 

You don’t want to be caught with sloppy seconds: it’s obvious that movies like Fast Five, Machete, and Red 2 have copied the Expendables method of casting by stuffing the room with badasses, and watching them react. But it’s hard to ignore a talent like Taslim, who popped up in Furious 6, proving that his starring role in The Raid: Redemption was no fluke. To let him loose in this film would provide an electric showcase: its one thing to wail on Sung Kang, another to tango with Dolph Lundgren and Jet Li.

There’s the sense that Hollywood has long come calling for Jai White, and at some point he turned them down. The fierce martial artist has built a more-than-respectable portfolio of action films on the DVD market, while popping up on the fringes of the mainstream in Nicki Minaj videos and Tyler Perry movies. Not only is Jai White a physically-terrifying presence, but he’s also got loads of personality, as anyone beholden to the “Black Dynamite” phenomenon can attest. If not now, then when?

How is it that Millennium couldn’t secure the services of the famously reclusive Ong Bak star, but he’s instead made his way into Fast & Furious 7? How do you screw that up, Millennium? Jaa is the premiere onscreen ass-kicker of his generation, and it would be more than a thrill to see him flex his muy thai muscles against Jet Li onscreen. Jaa recently had a pretty topsy-turvy couple of years, abandoning Ong Bak 2 during filming, retiring to become a monk, and returning to screens once again. Maybe the famous lack of stability that comes from a Millennium set (big paychecks, obscure locales) would be a bit more stress than palling around with Vin Diesel and Dwayne Johnson.

Kitano is a bit more obscure to a certain generation: to them, he’s a star of the twisted Battle Royale and the host of Takeshi’s Castle, which was repurposed and dubbed in various inappropriate ways to become a hit on Spike TV. What most don’t know is that Kitano is a renaissance badass on par with Clint Eastwood: he’s directed and starred in a number of films that showcase his badass stoicism, like Violent Cop, Boiling Point and Sonatine. In the early aughts, he began to experiment a bit after the success of his samurai picture Zatoichi: The Blind Swordsman, but he recently returned to contemporary crime storytelling, with the successful Outrage and Outrage Beyond, both of which were huge successes overseas, though the first one was quietly received here, the second yet to open. Kitano has mostly stayed overseas, though he did play a villain in the Keanu Reeves’ film Johnny Mnemonic, and bringing him onto the Expendables crew as a villain would be a huge thrill for hardcore action enthusiasts. 

Most people forget that, in addition to becoming THE face of the WWF in the eighties, Hogan is also a member of the Rocky family, appearing in the third film as the infamous Thunderlips. Almost thirty years later, Hogan’s still buff enough to get in the ring once or twice, so why not give him a ring? Maybe he can be billed under his real name, and it could be kept a secret from the paying audience until that famous mustache emerges from the shadows, ready to throw down. As much latter-day notoriety that follows Hogan around, there’s an audience that still has fond memories of Hogan as a major crossover star, one who would fit in with his contemporaries in front of the camera of this film.

Some potential bad blood here, as the Amazonian Nielsen was once married to Stallone. But everyone can be professionals here, especially because this series needs an injection of estrogen and Nielsen has memorably rubbed elbows onscreen with Stallone (Cobra), Schwarzenegger (Red Sonja), Lundgren (Rocky IV) and, uh, ICP (Big Money Rustlas). Even if she’s not into the potential physical demands of the part (she’s only just turned 50, making her a spring chicken amongst the (Expendables), how awesome would it be to see Nielsen behind a control room desk, plotting the demise of her ex-husband and his cohorts?

One of the superstars of his generation, Yen never broke through in America, and famously scoffed at a chance to suit up for The Expendables the first time around. Then again, so did Jean Claude Van Damme, and he was the best part of part two. The full court press should have been on for Yen, who matches his peerless physical skill with an undeniable screen presence, one that would make a Yen-Li clash the defining moment of part three. Yen seems reluctant towards these sorts of pictures; it’s the same reaction that allowed Li a chance to sit out a bulk of the second film. Perhaps there’s a way to shoot Yen’s scenes isolated, perhaps a single showdown sequence where Li has to fight an old enemy.

Every generation, every demographic, has their own image of who Remar is. Apparently, some women associate him from an arc he did on Sex And The City, of all things. A previous generation remembers him as the edgy hero of cult classics like The Warriors and Quiet Cool. Some would consider him a made-to-order villain, bringing his crusty nastiness to 48 Hrs, The Phantom and Judge Dredd. Sadly, most people just consider him one of That Guys, who shows up in a number of movies, barks some orders or threats, and just vanishes. Remar is a prolific onscreen personality, one with a skill for intimidation his peers never had, and it is a pity Stallone couldn’t find a way to get those crooked pipes into one of these Expendables films, even as a bureaucratic villain who sat behind a desk.

A bone for the hardcores, perhaps: Wells is one of the few villains in the Schwarzenegger filmography to stand out, having played the leather daddy baddie in Commando. It would be a hoot to see the older, mustached Wells take up arms against Schwarzenegger one more time, even if it would also be a cheap, silly in-joke of sorts. After all, he is the Ayatollah of Rock’n’Rolla. 

If anyone should be added from that crop of early nineties ass-kickers in direct-to-video actioners, it’s The Perfect Weapon. Use this as a stand-in for whomever can be rescued from that period to play a henchman; yeah, we like it when Stallone and Van Damme throw down, but there’s also a great allure for some when Gary Daniels steps out of the shadows in the first Expendables. What we wouldn’t give for a bad guy b-team of Speakman, Thomas Ian Griffith, Sho Kosugi, Leo Rossi and Billy Blanks.

Crowe’s not above this sort of thing, is he? The Oscar-winner has long had a reputation for humorlessness in a series of increasingly-serious dramas, but he’s hit a point in his career where he doesn’t have enough bankability to be a leading man in too many films, but he does have enough clout to get away with doing basically whatever it is he wants. Crowe hammed it up as an over-the-top villain in The Man With The Iron Fists, and he’d be absolutely divine in a similar part in The Expendables, dishing out menace with brute force and Aussie charm.

The great thing about The Expendables is the opportunities given to various styles of combat and fisticuffs. So why not wrestlers? We’ve already had Stone Cold Steve Austin, but why not go more obscure and opt for the Kurrgan? In fact, Malliet has made a significant name for himself on the big screen since he retired from the ring, using his cartoonishly massive 6”10 frame in films like 300, Sherlock Holmes, Immortals and Pacific Rim. These films have featured a considerable variety of stars in these roles, but we have yet to see the relatively-short Stallone face off against a giant.

Yeah, you laughed, and then you thought about it: technically, Tyson is a peer of the Expendables cast, also reaching his peak in the eighties and early nineties. While Rambo was blowing up enemy soldiers and John McClane was dying hard, Tyson was picking up championship belts, the most intimidating fighter in the ring, pound-for-pound. His career ended in a flurry of savage chaos, but he’s made an effort to rehabilitate himself and come to peace with his inner demons, even doing an autobiographical one-act show on Broadway. Given the years and experience (as well as a measure of big-screen success in the Hangover films), it would make sense to see him suit up next to contemporaries like Sly, Arnold and Lundgren.

On the surface, perhaps this is a leftfield choice. Ming, the former NBA all-star and hoops ambassador has no real on-screen experience. But you have to stop and consider that the guy is 7”6: Gheorge Muresan was 7”7 when he starred in My Giant, a mistake considering a frame like that is best suited for kicking down doors and beating people up. Ming, for what it’s worth, not only is tougher than that guy, but had a longer, more respectable career, and a frame that was not gangly like most big men, but lean and fearsome. Not only is this a callback to Bruce Lee memorably and convincingly tangoing with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in Game Of Death, but it could be yet another of Hollywood’s repeated concessions to China, the world’s fastest-growing film market, and a place where Ming is absolutely beloved.

Jesse Ventura, Carl Weathers, Sonny Landham, Bill Duke, Shane Black

Predator is the gold standard of modern-day tough guy movies. And yet, aside from Schwarzenegger, none of these have popped up in an Expendables movie. How is that possible? Arnold couldn’t call up his buddies in office Ventura and Landham? Black is probably much too big to participate in this series (he just wrote and directed a billion dollar movie called, Iron Man 3, perhaps you’re familiar). Duke could easily be an evil administrative type. And Weathers is sorely missed, though apparently he demanded a solid chunk of change to show up in Rocky Balboa that Stallone found distasteful. But for one moment, would it not be the crowning achievement of this franchise if the gang was sneaking through the jungle and randomly walked past these five, quietly tipping their caps?

Sean Connery

It doesn’t hurt to ask.

This article is positively packed with Captain America: The Winter Soldier spoilers. You can read our mostly spoiler-free review of the film at this link!

Captain America: The Winter Soldier is finally in theaters nearly everywhere today, and, as is the tradition with Marvel Studios movies, the focus will be just as heavy on what happens in those mid and post-credits scenes as on the film itself. The good news is, both of these scenes are loaded with significance for fans of Marvel comics and films. The bad news is, we may have to wait awhile before they pay off. So, feel free to use this space to discuss and speculate on what we were just shown. In the meantime, here's our take...

Neither of these contain any real shockers, but they are absolutely spoilers, so if you're waiting until you've actually seen Captain America: The Winter Soldier, you don't want to read any further.

The First

Our first look at Baron Strucker is encouraging enough, with Thomas Kretschmann displaying an appropriate presence for the head of HYDRA. And yes, comic book fans, he does have a monocle. In fact, other than the lack of a giant HYDRA insignia on his chest, this is very much the Wolfgang Strucker of the comics. Of course, Strucker isn't really the show. For starters, he's got Loki's staff, the same one used to "murder" Phil Coulson in Avengers. I scoured the screen looking for the Satan Claw, but other than an arsenal of more traditional looking weaponry, I didn't see much else. But again, this still isn't the real spotlight...

That distinction would be our first look at Quicksilver and the Scarlet Witch. Both are imprisoned, and Strucker refers to them as his "miracles." In fact, the full line is VERY telling: "There is nothing more horrifying than a miracle." Is this going to be the buzzword that replaces "mutant" in the Marvel cinematic vocabulary for now? Well...

Kevin Feige has danced around the issues of whether the word "mutant" would be a problem in regards to Wanda and Pietro (who will also appear in Fox's X-Men: Days of Future Past), and has flat out denied that other genetic superhumans from the Marvel Universe (such as the Inhumans) would form the basis of Wanda and Pietro's super-powered origins. Is Strucker supposed to be their father since Magneto isn't available? Strucker may be a kind of surrogate father to them (and clearly not a very kind one), but I wouldn't be surprised if the parentage of "the twins" is left intentionally vague, even going into Avengers: Age of Ultron. While the X-Men franchise and all related concepts remain safely at Fox (and they show no signs of letting that one go dormant), there's no reason Marvel can't play with fans' expectations a little bit. Judging by the reaction this got in a crowded theater, it worked.

Nevertheless, this is our first look at Aaron Taylor-Johnson as Quicksilver and Elizabeth Olsen as the Scarlet Witch, and they're both using their powers. We almost certainly won't see them again until Avengers: Age of Ultron. Both seem a little "out of it" right now, so it looks like the first mission in Avengers 2 will involve their rescue (and taking down Baron Strucker). Neither are particularly in control of themselves. Whether this is a result of their captivity, some process that gave them their powers (could the mutations on this Marvel universe be a result of experimentations using Chitauri tech?), or something else entirely (there's all that alien experimentation going on over in Agents of SHIELDto consider) remains to be seen.

The Second

This one is much shorter, and there's less to play with in terms of looking for goodies in the background...but it's no less significant. The Winter Soldier shows up at the Smithsonian, particularly at the section of the Captain America exhibit that memorializes the fallen Bucky Barnes. Throughout the movie, there's little doubt that, eventually, the Winter Soldier would remember who he is. But fans of the Captain America comics that this film borrows liberally from (and if you haven't read Ed Brubaker and Steve Epting's Captain America stories, you absolutely should) will understand the significance of this. Eventually, Bucky is not only restored to something resembling normal (the general trauma of being turned into an unwilling killing machine for decades notwithstanding), but takes up the mantle of Captain America for a period of time.

Is this something that the filmmakers might explore in future Captain America sequels? Almost certainly. With the same directors and writers returning for Captain America 3, and with those writers indicating to Den of Geek that they might just intend to go even deeper into the Ed Brubaker written comics that began with The Winter Soldier storyline, well...expect to see more of Sebastian Stan. And then there's the fact that Chris Evans has shown some reluctance to commit to much more than his six picture deal in the red, white, and blue...so Sebastian Stan taking over as a character who, even in the comics, has been known as Captain America, would give Marvel a logical out, without having to resort to potentially traumatic recasting.

Barring that scenario, Marvel have done their very best to shore up Bucky Barnes and the Winter Soldier concept in the comics, where the character has now starred in TWO solo ongoing series. The latest is by Rick Remender and Roland Boschi, and it's quite good. So, should Chris Evans have a change of heart, or should Marvel decide to give the Captain America franchise a rest, a Winter Soldier movie starring Sebastian Stan shouldn't be ruled out.

All told, while this second one doesn't throw quite as much as fans, nor does it point directly to an imminent movie in the Marvel franchise (and now, Avengers: Age of Ultron is a mere 13 months away), its implications are potentially much more far-reaching.

Neither are as particularly earth-shattering as the introduction of Nick Fury at the end of the first Iron Manfilm or Thanos' grinning cameo at the end of Avengers, but as far as giving comic book fans what they want, Marvel still seems to know exactly what they're doing. 

What did YOU think? What else did you spot in the background? Let's hunt some Marvel easter eggs together!

[related article: The Lesser-Known Villains of Captain America: The Winter Soldier]

Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter for all news updates related to the world of geek. And Google+, if that's your thing!

Let’s just cut to the chase: Captain America: The Winter Soldier is awesome. While both Iron Man 3 and Thor: The Dark Worldwere solid, enjoyable affairs, they both felt like relatively smaller stories with only cursory ties to the larger Marvel Cinematic Universe. The Winter Soldier– loosely adapted from the sensational comic book arc written by Ed Brubaker – is not only a direct sequel to The Avengers, but it shakes the foundations of the Marvel Cinematic Universe in a big way and lays the groundwork for next year’s The Avengers: Age of Ultron.

When we catch up with Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) as The Winter Soldier begins, he is working for S.H.I.E.L.D. full-time as S.T.R.I.K.E. team leader on various covert counter-terrorism missions. He has an uneasy relationship with Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) as well as team members Natasha Romanoff (Scarlett Johansson) and Brock Rumlow (Frank Grillo). Those relationships are tested when the team’s latest mission at sea proves to have a hidden agenda that Fury and Romanoff kept secret from Cap, while Fury makes further revelations about S.H.I.E.L.D.’s latest initiatives that have Cap wondering if he’s playing for the right team.

But the pressure is increased dramatically by a brutal assassination attempt that brings Cap face to face with both S.H.I.E.L.D. senior exec Alexander Pierce (Robert Redford) and the Winter Soldier, a legendary killer who has a direct tie to Cap’s past (it’s not a huge secret, and most fans know it all too well, but we won’t mention it here for anyone who might still be surprised). With Cap suddenly on the run from S.H.I.E.L.D. itself, he must turn to the only two people he can trust – Natasha and an Army vet named Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie) who has access to some interesting tactical gear – as the contours of a vast and terrifying conspiracy come into focus.

I hesitate to say too much because I don’t want to ruin either the twists and turns of the main storyline or the many shout-outs to Marvel lore that populate the film. One scene in particular features the reinvention of a classic villain while another all but confirms the arrival of a major Marvel character in the studio’s Phase 3 slate of films. The plot also reaches back into the history of the world and S.H.I.E.L.D. itself, tying elements of all the Marvel films together – and don’t forget to stay for the two post-credits scenes, which bring us right up to the doors of both Age of Ultron and 2016’s Captain America 3.

But let’s get back to this movie for now. The Winter Soldier feels expansive and epic, matching the scope of The Avengers but keeping things solidly on Earth. It also raises the stakes tremendously for all the major players while adding new wrinkles to their characters. Nick Fury and Natasha Romanoff are fleshed out much more than we’ve seen in their previous appearances – with both Jackson and Johansson clearly delighting in exploring new facets of each character – while Anthony Mackie immediately establishes his Falcon as a worthy addition to the team with his relatively brief introduction. Sebastian Stan brings an eerie stillness and relentless ferocity to the Winter Soldier, while Robert Redford’s gravitas and sheer presence easily calls back to the ‘70s conspiracy thrillers he starred in and which this film is patterned after.

And then there’s Captain America. In his third outing in the uniform, Chris Evans has become completely comfortable, confident and empowered in the role – and since Evans is decidedly not Steve Rogers, his transformation into Cap may be even more impressive in the long run than Robert Downey Jr.’s ongoing (but always entertaining) conversation with himself as Tony Stark. Evans deftly balances Cap’s loneliness and feelings of displacement with his unwavering sense of purpose and intense physical stamina, making Cap a more successful screen superhero than anyone might have thought possible just five years ago.

Directing team Anthony and Joe Russo guide the whole thing skillfully and with a sense of drama and power – it’s kind of hard to believe that most of their work before this has been in the TV sitcom world. They have an excellent script by Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely to work with – it might be the tightest, most complete Marvel screenplay to date – and never let the energy level flag, even in the more expository scenes (of which there are a few). They create a sense of urgency and danger that pulsates throughout the entire film and elevates the major action sequences, including the opening gambit on the ship and especially the assassination attempt, a showstopper that is the film’s centerpiece.

I do have three quibbles with the movie: first, although the action scenes are thrilling, they could have been even more exciting if the Russos did not rely as much on the quick cutting that has become the norm for all action movies. Second, the movie’s final chain of events falls into the template of getting one thing over to another thing to stop a digital countdown – it just comes off as a little more generic after the more visceral earlier sequences. Lastly, while the visual effects are generally top notch, there are a few shots of the Falcon flying and landing that could have done with one more run through the computer but instead end up looking sketchy.

Those complaints, however, don’t detract from the overall excellence of the film. Captain America: The Winter Soldier is not only woven into the fabric of the MCU in a big way, but it’s perhaps the first Marvel movie that feels relevant to today: with its plot elements of surveillance, covert action, PTSD and remote targeting, not to mention the idea of the central character – the living embodiment of patriotism – questioning his government and his leaders, the movie is tied to the cultural zeitgeist in the same way that its spiritual antecedents like Three Days of the Condor were locked into the mood of their moment.

Kudos all around to the cast, the writers, the Russos and Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige, who have crafted what is almost certainly one of the company’s top three movies to date. The Marvel machine is on a roll right now, and if this movie is any indication, not even the Winter Soldier himself can stop it.

Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter for all news updates related to the world of geek. And Google+, if that's your thing!

When we last saw Joe, the central character of Danish director Lars von Trier’s two-part, four-hour exploration of the darker corners of human sexuality known as Nymphomaniac, she had suddenly lost all feeling in her nether regions, making her incapable of enjoying sex with sort-of-domestic-partner Jerome (Shia LaBeouf). There are probably a lot of reasons why one would not be able to relish doing the nasty with the former Transformers star, but Joe – still played by the dead-eyed Stacy Martin at this point – is horrified by the prospect nonetheless.

So alarmed is she that, now suddenly changed into Charlotte Gainsbourg (although LaBeouf remains the same and they have a little boy), she embarks on a course of action that takes her into a number of increasingly lurid sexual scenarios. One of the first, and funniest, starts out with Joe standing between two well-hung and vaguely threatening immigrants, their old boys waving in the air as they stop to argue in their native tongue over which one of them will penetrate which orifice (she grabs her things and sneaks out as the debate continues).

But things take a much more bleak turn as Joe finally finds the gratification she seeks with a sadist named “K” (a chillingly effective Jamie Bell) who runs his little house of pain like a clinic. Women sit in a sterile reception area waiting to get called down an equally depressing hallway to his office, where he explains exactly what’s going to happen as if he’s going over their tax returns for the year. When he finally gets down to business, it’s brutal; von Trier makes us feel each lash of the whip on Joe’s increasingly bloodied and raw buttocks. But it’s also the path to orgasm for our heroine – and so addictive that she nearly precipitates a tragedy within her own family that von Trier followers will instantly associate with his earlier film Antichrist.

That’s enough for Jerome, and almost enough for the viewer. Remember, Joe is relating her story in flashbacks to the kind but eccentric bachelor (Stellan Skarsgard) who found her beaten and semi-conscious in an alley at the beginning of Nymphomaniac: Volume I. That’s still the spine of the second film: Joe repeatedly tells her rescuer what a bad person she is, while he interprets her stories through the arcane knowledge that he’s collected in lieu of relationships of his own. Now we finally get to see why Joe is so down on herself and it is not pretty in the slightest – she allows her cravings to destroy everything, including any semblance of a family life she might have had, not to mention legitimate work (she ends up being a debt collector for a shady Willem Dafoe and even mentors a protégé who ends up being more hard-hearted than Joe herself).

With Gainsbourg taking over for Martin and the meat of the rather rambling story finally coming into focus, Nymphomaniac: Volume II is much more compelling than its first half. There are still the weird variances in tone and von Trier’s all-but-childish need to shock his viewers, but at least we finally get to the center of Joe’s inner turmoil. She’s not exactly sympathetic, but at least we understand her to a better degree than we did in the first two hours. And somehow, von Trier takes her tragic tale and makes a feminist statement out of it with two great scenes near the end. In the first, a flashback, Joe attends a meeting for sex addicts but her testimony doesn’t quite go as expected, while in the second she casts judgment on a male-centric society that condemns her for her behavior but would probably cheer on any “bro” who was doing the same things.

I suspect that von Trier, trickster that he is, really does love women – he just takes borderline misogynist routes to deliver his feminist message. He never deliberately judges Joe but shows her for who and what she is and lets her – and us – make the ultimate judgments. That is what makes Volume II far better than Volume I, much of which played out as the arthouse equivalent of a Swedish schoolgirls-in-heat film from the early ‘70s. But in Volume II, we see how those animal urges crash into real life and adult responsibilities.

But just when I was ready to walk away from Nymphomaniac: Volume II with enough goodwill to make even the first half seem better than it was, the director undercuts himself with one last jolt – a parting shot of complete nihilism that negates everything we thought we knew about one character and leaves another out to dry. As much as I can enjoy von Trier’s love of blowing up audience expectations and figuratively slapping us in the face, I just couldn’t go with this ending because of its callous attitude toward the more mature and thoughtful scenes it followed. That last sequence is truly von Trier giving into his worst impulses – like a little boy chewing his food and then deciding to show it to us.

There’s no question, however, that this little boy (or perhaps enfant terrible) continues to deliver work worth discussing, even if the discussion centers on just how frustrating he can be. Like the not-so-great sex it puts on display, Nymphomaniac in its entirety provides many pleasures yet ultimately leaves us unfulfilled.

Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter for all news updates related to the world of geek. And Google+, if that's your thing!

Captain America: The Winter Soldier may have only reported for duty in the homeland on Thursday night with some late night screen showings (the earliest of which would have been 8pm and going until the midnight shows), but the picture is already seeing fireworks.

Marvel Studios is reporting that the superhero sequel grossed a whopping $10.2 million on its first evening at the frontlines, pushing it over the $100 million mark in worldwide gains since the picture first shipped out overseas. This total includes $1.2 million from the 344 IMAX screens that it’s playing on, which undoubtedly came in handy when it passed most of last year’s superhero Thursday pre-opening tallies, including Thor: The Dark World’s $7.1 million and Man of Steel’s $9 million. However, it still came in behind Iron Man 3’s marvelous number of $15.6 million from Thursday showings in May 2013.

Deadline reports that estimates are now around $85 million for Cap.

Captain America: The Winter Soldier stars Chris Evans, Anthony Mackie, Scarlett Johansson, Sebastian Stan, Robert Redford, and Samuel L. Jackson, and is now in theaters. You can read our review here and help us unpack what the two post-credits scenes meant here.

Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter for all news updates related to the world of geek. And Google+, if that's your thing!

Oh, Godzilla, how we wait anxiously for you to destroy us all. The newest Godzillatrailer gives us a look at the human element of the most anticipated kaiju movie of the year. What's often lost in all the spectacle and majesty of everyone's favorite reptile of indeterminate origin, is that he's like a natural disaster and a nuclear war all rolled into one. There have to be some consequences beyond just fights with other giant monsters, the occasional robot, and a hopelessly outmatched military. Now we're just waiting for the hopeful, uplifting, "Godzilla is actually the hero" trailer to hit.

Watch the new trailer here, and get an appreciation for just how massive he is this time around.

Here's the official word on Godzillafrom Legendary and Warner Bros. 

An epic rebirth to Toho's iconic Godzilla, this spectacular adventure, from Warner Bros. Pictures and Legendary Pictures, pits the world's most famous monster against malevolent creatures who, bolstered by humanity's scientific arrogance, threaten our very existence.

Godzillais directed by Gareth Evans and stars Bryan Cranston, Elizabeth Olsen, and Aaron Taylor-Johnson. He will destroy a theater near you on May 16th.

Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter for all news updates related to the world of geek. And Google+, if that's your thing!

Being labeled a hero or menace kind of just comes with the web-slinging territory. Yet in the new The Amazing Spider-Man 2 game, it takes on a whole new meaning as both a narrative and gameplay mechanic.

In the new trailer, several villains and anti-heroes who (probably) aren’t appearing in the actual The Amazing Spider-Man 2 movie are introduced, including the Black Cat, Kraven the Hunter, and one Wilson Fisk aka the Kingpin. According to Felicia Hardy/Black Cat, Fisk has hired her to kill the Spider-Man, but worse still has turned the city against him as a menace. This will apparently feed into Beenox’s new “Hero or Menace” gameplay system that will reward gamers or punish them depending on their do-gooding altruism or apathetic desire to let criminality fester in New York City. The game will also feature new gameplay mechanics for fighting and swinging, as well as an “enhanced” fully free-roam Manhattan skyline.

Activision and Beenox, the union that produced the 2012 The Amazing Spider-Man game, will release The Amazing Spider-Man 2 on April 29, 2014 for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 3, Xbox One, Xbox 360, Wii U, PC, and Nintendo 3DS.

Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter for all news updates related to the world of geek. And Google+, if that's your thing!

Truly, Brienne of Tarth would thrive in the world of Panem. A woman who is more comfortable wearing chain mail than a pink dress, and fighting off bears instead of suitors, the stark Hunger Games dystopia would appeal greatly to the Game of Thrones character, which is perhaps why it seems so fitting that actress Gwendoline Christie has now been cast in The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2.

As reported by Variety, the Game of Thrones actress will be replacing Lily Rabe (American Horror Story) in the role of Commander Lyme after the latter actress had to pull out due to scheduling conflicts for her Shakespeare in the Park performance in this summer’s Much Ado About Nothing.

Christie, a 6-foot-3 English thespian, will be playing one of the leaders of District 13, having previously won an old Hunger Games battle when she was reaped from District 2.

The news should be welcome by any fan of the HBO series where Christie plays Brienne, the most noble knight in all of Westeros, and also one who is beholden to the most infamous, Ser Jaime Lannister.

The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2 will be released in November 21, 2015, one year after the Thanksgiving release of this November’s The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1. In the more immediate future, Game of Thrones Season 4 premieres this Sunday on HBO at 9pm ET/PT.

Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter for all news updates related to the world of geek. And Google+, if that's your thing!

Syfy is giving a series greenlight to the 12 Monkeys TV show, a drama based on the 1995 Universal Pictures film directed by Terry Gilliam. Ordering 12 additional episodes on top of the already finished pilot, which was shot last year, Syfy President David Howe announced the news earlier Friday afternoon.

Said Dave Howe, “12 Monkeys is a captivating time travel adventure and high stakes race against the clock. We are thrilled to add it to our slate of engaging and thought-provoking new scripted projects, including the recently announced event series Ascension and the second season renewal of Helix from [Ronald D. Moore].”   

12 Monkeys, starring Aaron Stanford (Nikita, X-Men: The Last Stand, X2), Amanda Schull (Suits, Pretty Little Liars), Noah Bean (Nikita, Damages) and Kirk Acevedo (Fringe), follows the journey of a time traveler (Stanford) from the post-apocalyptic future who appears in present day on a mission to locate and eradicate the source of a deadly plague that will eventually decimate the human race.

The series will be produced by Universal Cable Productions and Atlas Entertainment. Atlas’ Charles Roven of American Hustle and The Dark Knight Trilogy, as well as Richard Suckle (American Hustle, The International) will executive produce. Natalie Chaidez (V, Heroes) will serve as executive producer and showrunner. Friday Night Lights’ Jeffrey Reiner is directing the pilot.

The 12 Monkeys TV show is slated to premiere in January of 2015.

 Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter for all news updates related to the world of geek. And Google+, if that's your thing!

While Ant-Man casting announcements continue to leak out, there's usually not much else to go on. We know Paul Rudd is Scott Lang/Ant-Man (not to be confused with Michael Douglas' Henry Pym/Ant-Man), and we know that Evangeline Lilly is probably in the movie. We know that there's some good supporting talent in Cory Stoll and Patrick Wilson involved. That's about it. So whenever someone new joins the cast of Edgar Wright's first Marvel movie, we get excited, hoping that maybe THIS time, we'll know exactly who is playing who. Enter Matt Gerald...

...who, according to Deadline, "will play one of the bad guys." Thanks for the help, guys. It's not like we can even speculate all that hard on this, as Ant-Man doesn't exactly have a presitigious rogues' gallery to choose from. Gerald, who does look like a rather intimidating fellow, could be a big baddie, or hired muscle. We don't know. We can at least say, with some reasonable certainty, that he isn't playing Ant-Man.

Maybe by the time Ant-Man arrives in theaters on July 17th, 2015, we'll know more. Until then, your guess is as good as ours!

Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter for all news updates related to the world of geek. And Google+, if that's your thing!