Tom Hanks' New Movie Is The First Fox Project To Head To New Studio After Disney Sale

Tom Hanks' New Movie Is The First Fox Project To Head To New Studio After Disney Sale

Just last month, Fox officially became part of the Mickey Mouse Club in a monumental $71.3 billion dollar merger that is about to change the landscape of Hollywood. Among the many coming shifts to be made, (including some upcoming release date changes) Disney decided to retire the Fox 2000 label. Now a project starring the studio’s Woody and Saving Mr. Banks’ Walt Disney will be the first to be given away.

Tom Hanks’ News of the World will move to Universal now that Fox 2000, a label that’s produced hits including The Fault In Our Stars, Life of Pi and The Heat, has been dropped in light of the Disney/Fox merger. The project will bring Captain Phillips’ director Paul Greengrass back together with Hanks, who is set to star and produce the Civil War-set novel adaptation.

Based on the 2016 book of the same name by Paulette Jiles, News of the World is a fictional drama about a newscaster named Captain Jefferson Kyle Kidd (Tom Hanks) who travels throughout Texas to recite newspapers to the illiterate just as the Civil War has ended. Along the way, he is tasked with handing over a 10-year-old girl named Johanna to her aunt and uncle, following the murder or her family by a band of Kiowa raiders.

Kidd is met with a predicament when he must choose between leaving her to a family she doesn’t remember and thinks of her as a burden, or defy his responsibility. The script for News of the World was penned by Luke Davies, who has also adapted Lion and Beautiful Boy from novels, per Deadline.

The drama certainly looks like it could earn award recognition potential through Universal considering the track record of the writer, who was nominated for the Best Adapted Screenplay Oscar for Lion. 2013’s Captain Phillips was also nominated for six Oscars, including Best Picture, and Tom Hanks is a two-time Oscar winner out of five nominations.

Tom Hanks previously worked with Fox 2000 for the also critically-acclaimed Steven Spielberg-helmed Bridge of Spies, though News of the World is being produced in the midst of a giant shift for the Disney and Fox studios/ Luckily, the film found a new home. While Disney is committed to helping move along Fox 2000 films already in production through the indie label, other titles in the works will be left to be hopefully picked up by a neighboring studio.

News of the World certainly looks like an interesting role for Tom Hanks to take on, and from impressive filmmakers at the helm to boot. Before Hanks takes on Kidd, he will star as the voice of Woody once again for Toy Story 4 this summer, television personality Mr. Rogers in biopic It’s a Beautiful Day In the Neighborhood this fall, World War II drama Greyhound in summer 2020 and sci-fi robot film BIOS in fall 2020.

Why The Last Three Terminator Films Were ‘Forgettable,’ According To Linda Hamilton

Why The Last Three Terminator Films Were ‘Forgettable,’ According To Linda Hamilton

The Terminator franchise is still incredibly popular with fans, which is impressive considering that even many of those fans will tell you that most of the sequels aren't all that great. Linda Hamilton, who will be making her return to the franchise with the upcoming Terminator: Dark Fate, goes so far as to call the previous sequels, "forgettable," saying that the franchise lost its focus, something she feels the new movie will fix. According to Hamilton...

You start something and you’re invested in the franchise, but somehow the characters that you care about weren’t there. Too many people, too many story points. So I think we’ve done a good job of narrowing down the focus again so it will echo the first two films.

Linda Hamilton is of the opinion that the reason that the first two Terminator films worked so well is because the fans fell in love with the characters, not necessarily the broader mythology of the franchise. The sequels that we've seen tried to take the Terminator movies to different places and try different things by playing with the mechanics, but the original Sarah Conner doesn't think that's why people cared.

Of course, when talking about the characters that people care about, Linda Hamilton is clearly telling Variety that she means her own character of Sarah Conner. While the character made a return in Terminator: Genisys, it was with Emilia Clarke playing the role, so it certainly wasn't the same thing.

Hamilton is probably on to something with her assessment of the Terminator franchise. The first two films, for better or worse, were focused on very simple ideas and characters. Terminators get sent back in time to kill Sarah Conner and her son. Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines does keep the story that simple, but in doing so includes a lot more characters and tries to broaden and dive into the mythology a little deeper.

Terminator: Salvation then tried to be something entirely new by taking the story into the war with the machines. Again, many more characters and more focus on the the broader story. It gets points for trying something different, but if you weren't looking for something different, then it all comes apart.

It's understandable that movie studios would want to be able to make Terminator it's own "cinematic universe," though nobody was using that term back then. The more you can build on the mythology, the more movies you can make. However, it's still usually the characters that audiences make connections with, not just interesting plot elements.

Of course, that doesn't mean that just because Linda Hamilton is in the new Terminator, it's automatically going to be great. However, if the focus of the film also works in such a way that Terminator: Dark Fate also feels like it's more closely related to the first two movies, as Hamilton believes it is, then we might be on to something.

Dark Phoenix's Jessica Chastain Told Sophie Turner To Stand Up For Herself To Co-Star

Dark Phoenix's Jessica Chastain Told Sophie Turner To Stand Up For Herself To Co-Star

Sophie Turner will soon reprise her badass roles as Sansa Stark on Game of Thrones in the highly-anticipated final season and as an ultra-powerful Jean Grey in X-Men: Dark Phoenix. The 23-year-old actress isn’t immune to moments of timidity, and recently spoke of a time when she was lifted up by one of her co-stars on the Dark Phoenix set. One actor apparently "walked off set" just as it became time for her to say her lines and a writer had to stand in for him for the scene. Here's what Turner said of the situation:

I actually have a really big problem with not being able to stand up for myself. Especially if I’m arguing against a man. Jessica Chastain is the one that said it to me, ‘You need to stand up for yourself more!’ She said, ‘Just go and talk to him, go and say something to him!’ I’m a bit of a shy, pushover person, but I’m getting there, I’m working on it.

Jessica Chastain, who also stars in Dark Phoenix, must have witnessed the awkward and disrespectful exchange between Sophie Turner and an undisclosed male actor and encouraged her to engage in a discussion with him about it.

In Sophie Turner’s cover interview with Glamour, the actress expressed that she sometimes struggles with speaking up for herself, but thanks to amazing co-workers such as Jessica Chastain, she is starting to improve. While we’re of course wondering who had the nerve to walk out on Turner in the middle of a scene, what’s important here is the moment of encouragement between her and Chastain.

As the interview notes, she really is getting better at speaking up for herself. Back in January, Good Morning Britain presenter Piers Morgan agreed with a statement about celebrities trying to make mental health "fashionable." Sophie Turner took to Twitter to fiercely respond to his comments. Check it out:

Not so much of a pushover now! She not only clapped back, she did so with some alarming mental health statistics, and ended with a simple burn of "twat." The young actress is having a strong character arc of her own from the on-set incident to this Twitter call out – though face-to-face confrontation and typing out a tweet aren’t quite the same.

In Dark Phoenix, Jessica Chastain will play an alien shapeshifter who will be the sort of "devil on Jean’s shoulder" as Jean is faced with incredible new power she doesn’t know what to do with or control. From the footage we’ve seen thus far, the pair seem to share quite a few scenes together as Professor X, Magneto, and the mutants try to figure out how to stop their dangerous friend.

Sophie Turner will first return as her iconic Game of Thrones character on April 14 in a six-episode finale that’s sure to get the world talking. X-Men: Dark Phoenix comes to theaters on June 7, 2019.

Us’ Music Was Started Before Filming Even Began

Us’ Music Was Started Before Filming Even Began

The horror genre has been in a serious renaissance over the pat few years, partly due to releases that came from Blumhouse Productions. Rather than stale or overly gory sequels, new and exciting properties have been brought to theaters, making tons of money in the process. Perhaps the most notable is Jordan Peele's Get Out, which won an Oscar and showed the vision and directorial talent he had.

Jordan Peele followed up Get Out with Us, which was met with similar box office and critical success. Us was scarier than its predecessor, and relied more on horror tropes than thriller instincts. The music was a major part of the movie, especially ahead of its release. The tethered cover of "I Got Five On It" is bone chilling, and composer Michael Abels recently revealed the film's score was being worked on even before filming began. As he put it:

Jordan had me read the script before he had shot any of the film. This was a similar process to Get Out in that respect. Then, he is very conscious of the power of music and film, and particularly in suspense and horror. So, he’ll tell me the type of music that he’s thinking of, and, in the case of Us, he said, ‘Clearly, the whole story is about duality in both the mirror image and yet the alternate image, so why don’t you try experimenting with some sounds that don’t go together, a couple of deliberately unconventional choices, and see what happens.’ I did that and I came up with some demos, some examples of me just experimenting with things that I wouldn’t have otherwise experimented with if he hadn’t told me to go and play in that sandbox.

Once again, Jordan Peele is proven to be a methodical filmmaker, which is why both of his first two movies have resonated with audiences. There's special care taken to each frame, and that includes the music and sounds that accompany Us and its predecessor.

Michael Abels' comment to Uproxx shine a light on the creative process of Us, which pre-dates its principal photography and editing steps. Sound is a major aspect of horror production, which Jordan Peele definitely seems to understand. Music can set the tone of each scene, and elevate the terrifying and bizarre parts of the movie. Us does just that with its creep score, which buoys the tension of the movie as things descend (literally) into madness.

Get Out also used music in interesting ways, with a score that included Swahili music, as well as a suspenseful score. Meanwhile, Us used hip hop, and distorted the iconic track into a terrifying musical theme. Smart money says Michael Abels is brought on Jordan Peele's third movie, whenever and whatever that might be.

Us is still in theaters now. In the meantime, be sure to check out our 2019 release list to plan your next trip to the movies.

Both Robert Pattinson And Nicholas Hoult Are Allegedly Auditioning For Batman

Both Robert Pattinson And Nicholas Hoult Are Allegedly Auditioning For Batman

Since Matt Reeves’ upcoming movie The Batman is a just over two years away, it’s time for the movie’s pre-production to get into high gear and the new Bruce Wayne to be named. Recent reports said Robert Pattinson has been cast as the Caped Crusader, but Warner Bros has not made the announcement yet. Perhaps this is because the actor has not yet scored the role and Dark Phoenix star Nicholas Hoult is still in the running.

Umberto Gonzalez, a reporter with The Wrap, has provided a rumored development on The Batman casting. Here’s what he said:

BATMAN UPDATE: Robert Pattinson & Nicholas Hoult are screen testing for the role. I suspect they're screen testing in the Batsuit because Wardrobe Department will need full wardrobe test. Additionally, the film will now start production in Q1 2020.

Per this source’s update, there are still two actors in the running and they’re currently going head-to-head for the role with a screen test with the Batsuit. When Robert Pattinson’s name was announced a couple weeks ago, Nicholas Hoult was also said to be on the short list. However, Variety gave the edge to Pattinson, describing that he was in negotiations and the studio’s “top choice” for the Caped Crusader.

Gonzalez’s words also divulge that The Batman will begin shooting in early 2020, after it was previously reported that the film’s principal photography in London may be pushed back from November. There has been other reports supporting this theory as well.

The update does make some sense considering the decision to cast a new Batman is a huge decision for Warner Bros and DC. Very few high-profile roles such as this have one actor in the running, especially when the look of the character in costume will especially be analyzed, scrutinized and contribute to the success of the film.

Robert Pattinson and Nicholas Hoult may have already made it through a long casting process, and this screen test could be either the first of many or the last audition between one of them nabbing the role. Even if Variety’s initial report of Pattinson being the favorite is in fact true, the filmmakers may still want to compare two screen tests to finalize their decision.

Considering all the press Robert Pattinson has received over the past couple of weeks, it would be a strange turn of events to later learn Nicholas Hoult has been cast instead. The internet blew up (and even petitioned) against the news, but Pattinson ultimately has won over a lot of fans interested in his portrayal. A phrase for his version has even been coined reminiscent of “Batfleck” titled “Battinson”. How would Hoult's name garner a catchy title?

This is good news for those rooting for Nicholas Hoult to take on Batman after his four-movie run as X-Men’s Beast which will presumably end with the upcoming release of Dark Phoenix.

The Batman has a June 25, 2021 release date to make, so sooner or later the new Dark Knight will be announced, maybe with a behind-the-scenes picture of this alleged screen test? That would be cool! Either way it’ll be exciting to see how the upcoming DC project shapes up.

Are you team Battinson or Nicholas Hoult? Let us know in the comments below.

First Terminator: Dark Fate Trailer: Sarah Connor Is Back With A Vengeance

First Terminator: Dark Fate Trailer: Sarah Connor Is Back With A Vengeance

The sci-fi genre has been rather popular since it's inception, but there are a few titles that stand out among the rest. Chief among those properties is James Cameron's Terminator, which has never really been far from theaters. The fan favorite installment of that franchise is Terminator 2, and the upcoming sequel Terminator: Dark Fate is a direct sequel to that movie.

Moviegoers have been seriously excited about Terminator: Dark Fate, particularly because it marks the return of actress Linda Hamilton as Sarah Connor. Luckily for us, the first trailer for Dark Fate has just been released, and it didn't disappoint. Check it out below.

Does anyone else have chills? The Terminator and Sarah Connor are both back, and the duo has quite the fight ahead of them.

The first Terminator: Dark Fate trailer opens with the trio of new characters. Mackenzie Davis' newcomer Grace is shown trying to keep Dani (Natalia Reyes) and her brother Miguel (Diego Boneta) away from danger. Specifically, the newest Terminator model, which is able to split itself into two separate entities. Played by Gabriel Luna, Dark Fate's big villain had a ton of screen time, and may be the most deadly version of the Terminator that we've seen in the franchise's long tenure.

Just when all seems lost, the trio of newcomers are saved. Not by Arnold Schwarzenegger's T-800, but Linda Hamilton's Sarah Connor. The decades since we saw her in Terminator 2 have hardened the iconic heroine even further, and she quickly disposes of the new villain through some heavy artillery. Namely, by shooting him with a massive gun, and then setting the bad guy aflame with another weapon.

While Sarah Connor may have saved Grace and Dani, smart money says taking down the new Terminator won't be quite that easy. Gabriel Luna's character has a ton of screen time in the first trailer, and may be even more deadly than Robert Patrick's T-1000 from T2. But Grace is also a new type of Terminator, one that identifies as a human. So clearly the Terminator canon is going to be going through some exciting changes.

Related: Terminator: Dark Fate Used A Clever Sarah Connor Callback To Reveal New Poster

Terminator fans may be hyped to see Linda Hamilton and Arnold Schwarzenegger back on screen together, but the most exciting scene from the first Dark Fate trailer comes in the final moments-- in an epic plane chase sequence. In what will no doubt be a thrilling experience in theaters, we see the Gabriel Luna's character crash into another plane, in an attempt to procure and/or murder Dani. We also see Grace dangling in the air, hanging onto debris that is slowly parachuting toward the ground.

Overall, the first Terminator: Dark Fate trailer was purposefully vague regarding its plot, as the film won't arrive until the fall. So we should expect more trailers to arrive in the coming months, revealing more about what to expect from the highly anticipated sequel.

Terminator: Dark Fate is set to arrive in theaters on November 1, 2019. In the meantime, check out our 2019 release list to plan your next trip to the movies.

Hellboy’s Rotten Tomatoes Score Is Here, and It’s Rough

Hellboy’s Rotten Tomatoes Score Is Here, and It’s Rough

Guillermo del Toro's two Hellboy films struggled at the box office, but both movies reviewed quite well when they were released. The box office prospects of the newly rebooted Hellboy have yet to be realized, but on the review side of things...it's not going well. Just hours before the first general audiences get a look at the new Hellboy, the movie sits with a Rotten Tomatoes score of an abysmal (demon joke) 12%.

Specifically, as of this writing, that number represents 60 total reviews, with only seven of them qualifying as positive. That's actually a fairly small number of reviews for a wide release film that's expected to be the biggest opener of the weekend. However, in many markets, press were not given screenings of the film prior to release, so a lot of critics simply haven't seen the film yet. Of course, when critics aren't given screenings, that's frequently a sign of something bad, and the reviews that have come out have clearly confirmed that.

Still, there are always movies that critics don't love, but 88% of critics disliking a movie is quite a feat. For comparison, that puts Hellboy a point below Tyler Perry's A Medea Family Funeral which scored a 13% positive score. It's bringing up the rear for this weekend's major releases. Laika's Missing Link is sitting at a healthy 89% while the comedy Little isn't fairing well, but with a 52% score it looks like an Oscar contender compared to Hellboy.

There was a time when we expected genre material based on comic books to not be great. It was frequently reviewed poorly whether or not it found an audience. However, these days we're much more used to seeing this sort of material actually turn out well. The reasons that Hellboy has crashed so hard with critics are as varied as the critics themselves. The CGI is bad. The story is a mess. The characters go nowhere. It's all sizzle and no steak. If you like over the top violence with a story that seemingly goes everywhere at once, then maybe this is the movie for you after all.

Of course, it remains to be seen if any of this actually matters. While audiences and critics tend to be in rough alignment more often than people realize, the fact is that the two sides can certainly diverge. Critics can love movies that audiences don't bother with, this happens frequently with "awards bait" movies in the last quarter of the year, and audiences can embrace movies that critics hate. In the end, it's the audience response that will determine whether Hellboy is truly a success, or if it becomes the beginning of the new franchise is obviously would like to be.

There will likely be an influx of additional reviews for Hellboy as more critics see the film over opening weekend, but there's certainly no reason to expect a massive change in the overall response. If the film was on the border between "Fresh" and "Rotten" a couple decent reviews might make the difference, but that's far from where this one finds itself.

Joe Russo Wants Marvel Fans To See Endgame Opening Weekend To Avoid Spoilers

Joe Russo Wants Marvel Fans To See Endgame Opening Weekend To Avoid Spoilers

The stakes for the Marvel Cinematic Universe could not be higher. With Captain Marvel in the rear view, there's only one movie left in Phase Three. Avengers: Endgame will be the cumulation of the entire MCU thus far, and will finally catch up on the surviving heroes in the wake of Thanos' mass murder. Marvel Studios has been keeping its cards close to the chest for the last year, so the general public has no idea what might go down during the highly anticipated movie.

But the wait is nearly over, as Endgame is set to arrive in less than a month. The marketing material has been purposefully vague, not revealing much about the contents of the Russo Brothers' highly anticipated blockbuster. Everyone involved seems to be worried about spoilers, including The Russo Brothers themselves. Joe Russo recently encouraged fans to see the film on opening weekend in order to avoid spoilers, saying:

I think this one has even more spoilers than the last one. This is a culture that wants everything now, and it’s getting worse. The world is connected via social media, and information travels within seconds. If you’ve been following along with this narrative for 10 years, you’re going to want to protect yourself. It’s best to go in clean. I encourage people to go opening weekend because I’m sure everything is going to hit the internet the moment the movie hits the screen.

When it comes to the biggest blockbuster of the year, timing matters. So Joe Russo wants the fans to run to theaters during Endgame's first weekend of showings. Because we all know that the internet and social media isn't a safe place for spoilers.

Joe Russo's comments to Box Office Mojo make a great deal of sense, as the public knows little to nothing about the contents of Avengers: Endgame. As such, basically every frame of the upcoming blockbuster can be considered a spoiler. Infinity War showed that the Russo Brothers were pulling no punches when it came to their pair of blockbusters, so the narrative possibilities and consequences are totally in their court.

Avengers: Infinity War saw a ton of characters perish, both by the physical hands of Thanos and by The Decimation. This gives the chance for the surviving heroes to carry the events of Endgame. But smart money says there will be more character deaths in the new movie. Many of Marvel's biggest stars are coming to the end of their contracts, including Robert Downey Jr. and Chris Evans. So it seems more than possible that they could perish in order to save the universe and hopefully reverse the affects of the snap.

Luckily, answers are coming. But in order to see Avengers: Endgame without Twitter ruining major plot points, you may want to head to theaters as soon as it hits theaters next month. At least, that's Joe Russo's suggestion.

Avengers: Endgame will finally arrive in theaters on April 26th. In the meantime, check out our 2019 release list to plan your next trip to the movies.

John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum Reviews Are Up, See What Critics Are Saying

John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum Reviews Are Up, See What Critics Are Saying

At a glance, 2014’s John Wick could have easily been mistaken for a standard revenge flick that, other than its likable star, would be completely unremarkable. Yet, in one of the most pleasant surprises of recent years, John Wick turned out to be a stylish and original movie with riveting action that took full advantage of the talents of Keanu Reeves. Then in 2017, John Wick: Chapter 2 avoided a sophomore slump and proved this property has franchise potential.

Now John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum arrives to make it a trilogy. The first two films were critical successes and the reviews for the third just dropped. So did director Chad Stahelski and Keanu Reeves make it 3 for 3? CinemaBlend’s own Mike Reyes certainly thinks so, he gave Parabellum 4 stars out of 5 in his review, praising how the film delivers what we want and expect, while expanding the lore. Mike said:

Combining slick, brutal action, a devilish sense of humor, and an intriguing world that becomes more familiar (yet more mysterious each time), John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum delivers the goods yet again.

Mike Reyes appreciated the world-building the third film in this action franchise performed, expanding the lore and adding intrigue beyond the bullets. He wasn’t alone either, as IGN’s Jim Vejvoda also enjoyed the fleshing out of John Wick’s backstory and of course the gleefully violent action. Jim gave the film 8.5 and said:

John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum brings the title character back to his roots while also offering new twists to where things could go from here, all with the over-the-top, brutally executed action set-pieces fans have come to expect from the franchise. They will not leave disappointed.

The John Wick franchise made its name on its incredible action and thus fans have come to expect that the ante will be upped each time out. On that account, John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum looks like it delivers. In his 9 out of 10 review, Slashfilm’s Chris Evangelista went so far as to call it an “action masterpiece”:

John Wick 3 is a bone-cracking, horse-kicking, dog-biting, book-smashing, ax-throwing action masterpiece.

The word ‘epic’ gets thrown around a lot, but ‘masterpiece’ still carries an air of exclusivity and import. But having great action isn’t enough for everyone, it actually might be too much. In one of the few less enthusiastic reviews thus far, Variety’s Andrew Barker lamented that the action is action for its own sake and not in service to any deeper purpose. He said:

But as masterfully executed as the action is, watching two-plus hours of mayhem without any palpable dramatic stakes, or nuance, or any emotion at all save bloodlust offers undeniably diminishing returns. There are only so many times you can see a bullet pass through a skull before it gets deadening, and then almost dull.

For some, there is a desensitization to John Wick’s kills in the film and a lack of investment in the action because of a lack of stakes and emotion. There is something to be said for a franchise knowing what it is, what its goals are and delivering on them though and that’s what The Hollywood Reporter’s John DeFore highlights in his review:

An epic of choreographed mayhem that expands the Wickiverse in mostly pleasing ways, it is destined to satisfy fans of this surprise-hit franchise: If its ludicrous aspects bug you, what the hell are you doing here?

This was a common theme in the reviews. John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum isn’t reinventing the wheel. It is expanding the mythology of the previous films and delivering the beautifully brutal action fans of the franchise want and expect. That beautifully choreographed and shot action is what makes the film work, as Vox’s Alissa Wilkinson said in her 3.5 out of 5 review:

Whatever it lacks in narrative intelligence it makes up abundantly in visual moxie, and in a medium that is first and foremost visual, that’s what makes something great

Entertainment Weekly’s Chris Nashawaty echoed this sentiment and summed up what John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parbellum is and what it isn’t in his “A-“ review, saying:

I don’t mean to give the impression that John Wick 3 is anything grander than a gorgeously choreographed, gratuitously violent action movie. But as gorgeously choreographed, gratuitously violent action movies go, it’s high art.

All in all, the reviews for John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum give the impression that if you enjoyed the previous two films and like exploring this world and seeing Keanu Reeves’ character kill lots of people in cool and brutal ways, you’ll have a blast with this movie.

John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum opens in theaters on May 17. Check out our 2019 Release Schedule to keep track of all of the big movies arriving this summer.

Armie Hammer Reveals His Most Exhausting Moment Of Filming Hotel Mumbai

Armie Hammer Reveals His Most Exhausting Moment Of Filming Hotel Mumbai

Making movies can be a pretty tiresome task, especially if an actor is on a film as seriously intense as Hotel Mumbai. However, when it came to Armie Hammer's role in the film, exhausting is maybe an understatement, as one particular segment had him literally tied-up in production.

In fact, during a particular moment filming Hotel Mumbai -- and minor spoilers -- Hammer's character finds himself tied up as a hostage to the gunmen who overran the Taj Hotel on November 26, 2008. Bound with several other captives, including his onscreen wife played by Nazanin Boniadi, the scene comes at a crucial point during the film's standoff between the terrorists and the various law enforcement agents surrounding the building. With the pressure on to claim any one who's rich and American as collateral, Armie Hammer's character is undoubtedly a high priority target, and his safety from that point becomes one of the burning questions the audience is left to ponder until the end.

It's a powerful scene, but one that left him in a predicament for some time. He told CinemaBlend:

I spent about five days tied up, on the floor, for about 12 hours a day. Which was no fun. Everything just hurt, my hips hurt, my shoulders hurt. That was probably the hardest thing for me.

Armie Hammer revealed this fact during his chat with CinemaBlend at the recent Hotel Mumbai press day. And I can confirm the sequence in question looked just as grueling to watch as it was to film.

So naturally, having your arms and legs tied in such a fashion that you look believably captured on camera is going to do a number on you. On the other end of the camera, there was an equally exhausting task being undertaken: filming between two different locations that had to create a seamless whole.

Hotel Mumbai did use the actual exterior and lobby of the Taj Hotel in Mumbai for the film's titular setting. However, for the various interiors and other locations shown in the film, co-writer/director Anthony Maras used studios in Australia to complete the film's shooting locations. During that same press day, Maras detailed to us how using these two locations presented some interesting working scenarios:

In terms of sort of filming this film, every day was a challenge. We had huge logistical efforts of trying to recreate one of the grandest hotels in the world; and we had to do it between Australia and India. You know, you had Armie Hammer running out of a restaurant in Australia and into a lobby in India, and somehow we had to make that work. It’s a testament to our team on a logistical level, but far more difficult than that or far more poignant than that shall I say, is the challenge of having to do justice to the stories of the survivors and those who didn’t make it. And that was really at the forefront our entire time. The film is a plea for peace, and it’s an honest attempt to try and portray both the horror and the humanity of what went on inside the walls of the Taj Hotel.

You can see both Anthony Maras and Armie Hammer discussing their parts of the Hotel Mumbai process, in the below video, taken from that same press day:

Overall, the greatest obstacle for Hotel Mumbai was, as Anthony Maras said, the one that challenges many films based on a true story: honoring the tragedy and its victims, while also making it a seamless, entertaining, and informative experience. The dedication on both fronts shows strong in the film itself, making for a movie experience that should leave the audience thinking when they're walking out of the theater. Let's just hope all involved are nice and rested after capturing these harrowing events on film.

Hotel Mumbai opens in limited release this weekend, with a wide release taking place on March 29th.

Why The New Spider-Man: Far From Home Trailer's Big Twist May Not Mean What You Think

Why The New Spider-Man: Far From Home Trailer's Big Twist May Not Mean What You Think

The new trailer for Spider-Man: Far From Home dropped this morning, and as the first new thing to come out of the Marvel Cinematic Universe in a post-Avengers: Endgame spoiler world, it contained a lot of interesting bits of information.

One of the more interesting bits of information came from giving us more information about Jake Gyllenhaal's version of Quentin Beck, aka Mysterio. Fans of the comics who know the Mysterio character were already very curious about how this new version of the character was seemingly quite different, but now we apparently have an explanation as to why that is. Allegedly.

What Mystereo Says

The first words out of Jake Gyllenhaal's character in the new trailer are "we could have used someone like you on my world." It seems that the events of Avengers: Infinity War and/or Endgame had a significantly bigger impact on the universe than we thought. We're told that The Snap tore a hole in the fabric of reality, and Gyllenhaal's character, while from Earth, is not from the same one that we've been watching throughout the MCU.

While not specifically stated in the trailer, by implication, the idea is that the elemental monsters that Spider-Man and Mysterio will take on together in Far From Home, have also crossed over from this hole in dimensions.

Mysterio is traditionally one of Spider-Man's most popular villains, so the implication that he was a hero this time around has been interesting from the start. Perhaps the version of Quentin Beck from the MCU dimension is still a potential villain somewhere, but based on multiverse theory, there's always the possibility that he's a hero elsewhere.

Certainly, if true, the idea that crossing between dimensions is possible now in the MCU is a game changer, but that's only the case if any of this is actually true.

Why The Multiverse May Not Be Real

If you're at all familiar with Mysterio in the Spider-Man comics, then you know one thing. Quentin Beck is a damn liar. He is the lyingist liar who ever lied. He doesn't tell the truth is what I'm saying.

Of course, as a bad guy, one wouldn't expect Mysterio to be an honest man, but Mysterio's entire game takes falsehood to a new level. In the comics he has claimed to be multiple people who he is not. He has framed Spider-Man for crimes he did not commit. He has faked people's deaths. He has attempted to drive people insane by making them see or believe things that are not true.

Mysterio's whole game is using various means, many born out of movie special effects, to make people believe whatever it is he wants them to believe. So is it too much to believe that Mysterio is making people believe he's from another world when he's actually from the same one that everybody else is from?

From the moment that this Mysterio was suggested to be a hero we've all been at least open to the very likely possibility that he is not. It's very possible, it's almost certainly likely, that Mysterio is actually the villain of Spider-Man: Far From Home. The creatures are his creations which he is using so that he can defeat them and look like a hero.

To what end? Of course, we don't know that yet, but you can certainly bet there's something to gain from Mysterio if he pull it off.

The idea that he's using the multiverse as a cover for his plan isn't that much of a step to take. It would explain to everybody else where these creatures came from and also keep Nick Fury and others from taking too close a look at Beck himself if they think he's from another world. And considering everything that people like Peter Parker and Nick Fury have been through in the last five years, the idea that the multiverse is a thing would certainly not be the craziest thing to happen recently.

The idea that it could be used as a misdirection by Marvel just to mess with fans here can't be overlooked as a possibility. The multiverse concept is something that a lot of fans will probably get very excited about seeing. Of course, many fans got very excited about seeing the Mandarin in Iron Man 3, and that didn't really go how people were expecting. It's possible it's time for another big Marvel swerve.

It's possible this entire thing is a misdirection by both the character in the film, as well as the studio bringing us the movie.

What If The Multiverse Is Real After All?

Of course, with a lack of data, I'm simply theorizing in one direction. The opposite is certainly possible. The multiverse could certainly be a real thing. Mysterio could either be the hero that he claims to be or the villain that we suspect him to be, and be from another dimension either way. If that is the case, it certainly does kick open the door of the next phase of the MCU to go to places most of us have probably never considered.

This could certainly be the reason that Far From Home is considered the end of the MCU's Phase 3 rather than the start of Phase 4. Marvel wants to end this phase with an indication of what's to come, and that is the multiverse.

If Marvel ever is going to introduce the multiverse, now is as good a time as any to do it. It opens up the possibilities of a lot more stories. They could go literally anywhere from here if the multiverse is real. Unless Marvel Studios has somehow decided they will never introduce the multiverse in the MCU, the idea of this being a misdirect isn't necessarily the best idea. Just like the Iron Man 3 twist, if this one is a trick, a lot of fans will be less than thrilled, so teasing a multiverse now only works if you never go back on it.

I suppose we'll find out in a couple months when Spider-Man: Far From Home hits theaters in July.

No, Elisabeth Moss Isn't The Invisible Man In The Reboot

No, Elisabeth Moss Isn't The Invisible Man In The Reboot

Following the disappointing 2017 The Mummy reboot, Universal’s vision to start up an interconnected universe in which their movie monsters could interact in was scraped - including an Invisible Man re-imagining starring Johnny Depp. That being said, not all future plans for the creepy film icons are totally dead, though, as a new Invisible Man project helmed by Upgrade’s Leigh Whannell is in the works with Elisabeth Moss tapped to star. Of course, this has led to a lot of questions regarding the role that the Handmaid’s Tale actress would play, and she recently addressed those queries in an interview:

I haven’t gotten into what I’m allowed to say yet. I’m pretty sure I can say that I’m not ‘The Invisible Man.’ That would be weird. It’s a little bit of a different take on it. Part of the reason why I wanted to do it is I actually felt like it was a really feminist story of female empowerment and a victim kind of overcoming something. I don’t even know what I’m allowed to say about it! I’m not The Invisible Man, but there is an Invisible Man — if that makes any sense.

Interesting! As Elisabeth Moss touched on in her interview with The Hollywood Reporter, it would be strange if a movie about the legendary “Invisible Man” was switched to a woman. Then again, Hollywood has been prone to gender-swapping their franchises with female leads so jumping to that conclusion especially when the movie doesn’t yet have a male lead was a fair assumption. But apparently it's not to be.

The Mad Men actress is clearly trying not to give anything away about her upcoming film, but from what we can gather her character is a victim of sorts (maybe of the Invisible Man's?), and this movie will see her take on an empowering character arc where she’ll overcome adversity. Elisabeth Moss is known for taking on roles with feminist themes, so her decision to sign on to this high-profile movie is made more clear through her recent quote.

The original Universal project led by Johnny Depp was a completely different script with planned ties to other “Dark Universe” films such as The Mummy. Ed Solomon, who also worked on Men In Black and Now You See Me, was signed on to write the previous project before the writer/director behind Insidious: Chapter 3 and Upgrade took over. The new movie, produced by Jason Blum, is set to start filming later this year.

Blumhouse is also reportedly considering plans to revitalize franchises for Scream and Hellraiser, along with a more chilling take on Fantasy Island. Elisabeth Moss played a small role in Jordan Peele’s hit horror flick Us and currently stars in indie drama Her Smell about a punk rocker who struggles with addiction as she tries to revitalize her music career - which is in select theaters now. Hopefully we'll get to hear more about her role in The Invisible Man and more details about the project in general in the coming weeks and months, so be sure to stay tuned for all of the latest updates here on CinemaBlend.

Looks Like Disneyland Finally Figured Out Lines With Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge

Looks Like Disneyland Finally Figured Out Lines With Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge

For almost as long as we've known that something called "Star Wars Land" was on its way, we've been anticipating an absolutely mad rush of fans trying to get in to the new theme park experience. While there certainly have been some crazy crowds who want to be among the first to experience the land, the early word is that Galaxy's Edge might actually feel less crowded than other parts of the park and that lines haven't been nearly as bad as feared.

Theme park fans are no strangers lines. They are the unfortunate consequence of the popularity of attractions and while numerous different ideas, like Disneyland's FastPass system, have been implemented over the years to alleviate them, and do to a large extent, it's basically impossible to avoid lines entirely.

Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge was looking to have even more lines than usual. Due to the reservation system that is required for the first three weeks of the land's operation, there are lines just to get into the land before you even try to experience anything inside Batuu. However, Polygon reports that those lines have been little hindrance to enjoying the experience.

The first line, to check in for your reservation, takes place at the building that houses the Star Wars Launch Bay in Tomorrowland. That line was apparently quite long but moved incredibly quickly. This was followed by the crowd waiting for their reservation time at the Critter Country entrance to Galaxy's Edge. This was apparently less a line than a mass of humanity, but guests were polite and didn't get too pushy, making entry into the land fairly easy.

However, what's more surprising may be the fact that lines were also less of an issue inside Galaxy's Edge. Wait times for the land's one E-ticket attraction, Millennium Falcon: Smuggler's Run, apparently rarely hit an hour, which meant many guests were able to hit the ride multiple times during their four-hour window on Batuu. Since there are multiple roles to perform in the attraction, and your performance is graded, there is a lot of potential value in doing the ride multiple times beyond simply the enjoyment of it.

While the attraction has a FastPass queue built into it, the system has not yet been activated, and at this point we don't know when it will be, so the standby line is the only way to get on.

The only places where lines apparently are an issue is at Savi's Workshop, where one can build a custom lightsaber, and at Oga's Cantina, the one place at Disneyland park where the public can get an adult beverage. Both areas reportedly had to stop taking new customers early as the wait list for each four-hour window was hitting capacity.

While few organizations have had more practice managing queues than Disney Parks, it's still a bit surprising to hear of things going quite this smoothly. Few battle plans survive contact with the enemy, and whatever Disneyland was ready for, you'd expect something unexpected would still happen. But overall, it sounds like things are going as Disneyland has hoped.

The fact that Space Mountain has a longer wait time than Millennium Falcon: Smuggler's Run is probably the most surprising fact. It's unclear exactly why this is. It's possible that the attraction is just so efficiently designed that it moves through its crowd with incredible speed. It's also possible that the rest of Batuu simply has guests so excited that a lot of people aren't rushing to check out the attraction, even though it's the only one currently running in the land.

The other possibility, is that Disneyland isn't letting nearly as many people into Galaxy's Edge as the land can technically handle, making it all feel a little less crowded. It wouldn't be surprising if the park was using this three-week reservation period as a sort of soft opening, and that it was keep the crowd artificially low in order to specifically not overburden the land or the cast members. Once Disneyland is sure that everything is working as intended, they can open the floodgates and let the crowds go crazy.

When I visited Galaxy's Edge as part of a media preview, I found the place to be absolutely magical in the way it transported you to an alien world. However, a large part of that was exactly because the land did not feel crowded, though I had similar issues getting into Oga's Cantina. It's easier to believe you're on an alien planet when you're not surrounded by crowds of obvious tourists.

Batuu needs guests to fill it because part of the appeal is the atmosphere that you're in a place where many different sorts of people from all over the galaxy have come to mingle, shop, and trade. However, Batuu is also supposed to be a place on the edge of the galaxy that isn't a major hub of activity, so if too many people are there, that feel is lost.

It seems that Disneyland has taken this idea to heart. The park certainly could have sold more park tickets and crammed as many bodies as possible into the area, but instead, the decision was made to keep things more manageable. It will be interesting to see if this keeps up.

Keeping Batuu's crowds down will likely mean keeping some sort of waiting list system in place for the foreseeable future, if not permanently. It means selling fewer park tickets, and while Disney Parks certainly want to bring in lots of guests, if those guests don't have a perfect experience, then the net result isn't positive. If you've ever stayed at a Disneyland or Walt Disney World Resort hotel you know that a lot of things get taken care of to make sure the needs of every guest are met.

In the end, positive word of mouth about the Galaxy's Edge experience is probably worth more to Disney than selling more tickets and filling the space would achieve.

While the public reservations for Galaxy's Edge are gone, you can still secure yourself a four-hour trip to Batuu by booking a room at a Disneyland Resort hotel during the next three weeks. Beginning June 24 no reservation will be required to visit Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge.

Avengers: Endgame Tickets Are About To Go On Sale

Avengers: Endgame Tickets Are About To Go On Sale

It an extremely exciting time for the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Just one movie is left in Phase Three, and it's likely going to be one of the most epic and devastating installments from the last decade of filmmaking. Avengers: Endgame will pick up after the harrowing events of Infinity War, which saw Thanos unite the Infinity Stones and wipe out half of all life in the galaxy. It was an ending no one could have predicted, and it's been a long year of waiting for answers to finally come.

But Endgame will arrive in a matter of weeks, so the wait is nearly over for the rabid Marvel fanbase. Moviegoers are eager to reserve their ticket and pick a seat for The Russo Brothers' massive blockbuster, and luckily that time is coming up soon. According to the latest report, Endgame tickets will be available for pre-sale tomorrow, April 2nd.

This news comes to us from Comic Book, who has reportedly confirmed the information with the studio. So round up your favorite group of fanboy friends, and see who is available to see Avenger: Endgame. Because if you want the best seats in the house, you'll need to hop online tomorrow to snag your choice tickets.

Avengers: Endgame's tickets going on sale make the upcoming blockbuster all the more real, and should get cinephiles seriously excited. Physical tickets make the release all the more real, as its been a long year between Infinity War and Endgame. Fans have been left to wait and theorize regarding what the upcoming blockbuster could contain, especially after the last movie's shocking ending.

Infinity War ended with Thanos winning, and wiping out half of all the galaxy's life. Moviegoers were left to watch in horror as countless fan favorite characters faded to dust before our eyes. It was a twist that seemed to put the future of the shared universe in jeopardy, as fan favorites like Spider-Man, Black Panther, and most of the Guardians of the Galaxy perished.

With so many of the OG Avengers coming to the end of their contracts with Endgame, smart money put Peter Parker and T'Challa in larger roles in the MCU after Phase Three. But in order for that to occur, the survivors are going to somehow find way to reverse Thanos' snap. There are a variety of theories about how this might occur, including time travel and the mysterious Quantum Realm. And with countless fan theories currently floating around the internet, moviegoers are eager for some concrete answers when Endgame finally debuts in theaters. And that wait is almost over.

Avengers: Endgame will fly into theaters with action and heart on April 26th, one year after Infinity War blew our minds. In the meantime, check out our 2019 release list to plan your next trip to the movies.

The Russo Brothers Confirm Endgame Is Their Last Marvel Outing

The Russo Brothers Confirm Endgame Is Their Last Marvel Outing

After 21 movies and a decade of filmmaking, it's finally here. Avengers: Endgame has arrived in theaters, bringing the long standing narrative to an end, and picking up on the surviving heroes after Thanos wiped out half the galaxy with the snap of his finger. These massive ensemble projects are only possible through the vision and ambition of co-directors The Russo Brothers, who have been the architects for Phase Three.

The Russo Brothers proved their ability to juggle massive casts with Captain America: Civil War, and their two Avengers movies have been universally acclaimed. So could they end up working on another MCU installment in the future? Probably not. As Anthony Russo recently said:

It’s our Endgame, at least for now. We don’t have any plans for now to make any more Marvel movies. It certainly may come up in the future at some point. We have a wonderful working relationship with [Marvel Studios] and a great passion for what they’re doing.

Well, that's a bummer. The Russo Brothers went above and beyond all expectations for their quartet of Marvel blockbusters, so the fandom would no doubt love to see more from them. But after working non-stop on Infinity War and Endgame over the past three years, you can't blame them for wanting a change of pace.

Anthony Russo's comments to GamesRadar make a great deal of sense. Given how much pressure has been on the brothers over the past 4-5 years, the time has come for them to step away from the Marvel Cinematic Universe and work on different projects. Although, that doesn't mean they'll never return to helm another Marvel blockbuster. It's just the Endgame for now.

These comments might not surprise the fandom, but it highlights how little the public knows about the future of the MCU. Ahead of Avengers: Endgame's release, Marvel Studios was keeping its cards close to the chest. This was to protect the secrets of the highly anticipated blockbuster, despite the movie ultimately suffering a few leaks in the days before it hit theaters.

Related: 6 Incredibly Easy Ways To Avoid Avengers: Endgame Spoilers

But even revealing the titles of Phase Four's movies had the potential to spoil Endgame's biggest beats. A release schedule has certain implications just by what titles are on the way, and which franchises are potentially ending. The stakes are high and half of life was destroyed in Infinity War, so seemingly no one is safe from the rematch with Josh Brolin's Thanos.

Regardless of what's coming in Phase Four, one thing is clear: The Russo Brothers won't be a part of it. Instead, the co-directors will be able to work on non-Marvel projects, and bask in the light of their success. What's more, the duo can sit in theater to actually enjoy the next MCU installments, which should be a welcomed change of pace.

The Russo Brothers' (possibly) last Marvel project is currently on display, as Avengers: Endgame has finally arrived in theaters. In the meantime, check out our 2019 release list to plan your next trip to the movies.

Walt Disney World's FastPass+ System: What It Is And How To Use It

Walt Disney World's FastPass+ System: What It Is And How To Use It

There's no place in the world quite like Walt Disney World. With four different theme parks, two water parks, and more hotels, shops and restaurants than you can count, there is so much to do and so much fun to be had. However, to get the most out of your Walt Disney World trip, you need to plan in advance, and that includes using the FastPass+ system to book your wait times early at the theme parks.

Nobody likes to wait in line, and while you probably won't be able to avoid standing in a queue at all, you can severely cut down on your standing around time by using FastPass+ to its full potential. In this guide, we'll be talking how to make the most of your trip using Disney's helpful FastPass+ service.

What Is Disney World’s FastPass+?

FastPass+ is Walt Disney World's system that allows you to skip the line on most of the attractions that you'll find at all four Walt Disney World theme parks, Magic Kingdom, Animal Kingdom, Epcot and Hollywood Studios. It's linked to your park ticket or MagicBand and allows you to book up to three FastPass+ windows per day of your Walt Disney World vacation in advance of your trip. This means you can schedule when you want to visit certain attractions, and you'll end up in a much shorter line.

What Do You Need To Book FastPass+?

The first thing you need to do to use FastPass+ is sign up for an account on the Walt Disney World website. Each member of your party will need their own registration, but if individuals won't need to access their account themselves, like minor children, their account can be set up so that one person will manage the account, like mom or dad. Once all the accounts are linked together, one person can book FastPasses for the entire group.

Next, each member of the group will need their own theme park ticket linked to their Disney account.

Finally, the third thing you need to consider is optional, but is quite valuable: a reservation at a Walt Disney World Resort hotel. If you have one, you can sign up for your FastPass+ times 60 days in advance, and you can sign up for every day of your vacation at once. If you're not staying on property, you can only sign up for your FastPass+ times 30 days in advance, and you'll need to sign up for each day of your trip separately.

Some of the most popular attractions like those at Disney's Animal Kingdom's Pandora - The World of Avatar, will see all or most of their FastPasses get snapped up before the 30-day window opens.

How To Sign Up For FastPass+

FastPass+ opens up each day at 7:00 AM eastern time. This means if you live on the west coast, you'll need to get up at 4:00 AM to get the first shot at the best times on the best rides.

On the day that you can sign up for FastPass+, 60 days before the first day your ticket is active if you're staying at a Walt Disney World Resort hotel, 30 days before if not, go to the Walt Disney World website, sign into your account, and then, under the My Disney Experience menu, select GetFastPass+.

Select every person in your party that you want to book a FastPass+ for, then select the date you want to book, then which park you want to book your FastPass+ for. All three of your FastPass+ selections have to be for the same theme park, so if you first book a FastPass+ for the Magic Kingdom, all three FastPasses for that day will have to be there as well.

After you select the park, you'll be shown the list of available attractions and available times. Each attraction will give you a window of time that is one hour long. Simply select the first FastPass+ time that you want on your favorite attraction, confirm it, and then do that two more times.

There's no way to book more than three FastPasses per day before your trip. However, once you've used your three scheduled FastPasses each day, you will be able to book more, one at a time, via either the Disney World app (more on that down below) or via the kiosks located within the Epcot, Magic Kingdom, Animal Kingdom and Hollywood Studios parks.

How FastPass+ Works At The Different Parks

Signing up for FastPass+ at Magic Kingdom is easy, because all FastPasses are considered equal, but that's no longer the case at the other three parks. At Epcot, Disney's Animal Kingdom and Disney's Hollywood Studios, attractions are broken up into Tier A and Tier B attractions, and you can only use one of your daily FastPasses on a Tier A attraction when signing up in advance. Here are the Tier A attractions at the three parks, anything not listed is in Tier B. It can get a little complicated, so please make sure you take a look over the list.

Epcot: Frozen Ever After, Test Track, Soarin', Illuminations: Reflections of Earth, Character Meet and Greet

Disney's Animal Kingdom: Avatar Flight of Passage, Na'vi River Journey

Disney's Hollywood Studios: Slinky Dog Dash, Alien Swirling Saucers, Toy Story Mania

How Do You Use FastPass+ Best?

FastPass+ can be intimidating, especially if you've never used it before. There are so many options, and if this is your first trip to Walt Disney World or your first trip with FastPass+, it seems impossible to know a month before your vacation just what you're going to want to do. So how do you know what to schedule? Here are some tips to keep in mind.

What to schedule first: Those Tier A FastPasses are all for the most popular rides, so you'll want to be sure to grab those first if they're available. Specifically, grab Flight of Passage at Animal Kingdom and Slinky Dog Dash at Hollywood Studios as those are the most popular rides at those parks with the longest lines.

At Magic Kingdom, be sure to grab the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, as that will be the first to go there. At Epcot, you can grab either Test Track, Frozen Ever After, or Soarin,' whichever is the more attractive ride to your party.

Book early in the day, but not too early: It's tempting to book a FastPass+ for right when the park opens, but if you're going to be there at rope drop, the lines will be shorter. Instead of wasting a FastPass+, when the park opens, go straight to something you would use a FastPass for. You'll still have a bit of a line, but it will be shorter than normal and you'll be able to save that FastPass+ for something else.

Having said that, try to book your three FastPasses for as early in the day as you can. Since you can only book additional FastPass+ times after your initial three have been used, the sooner you're done with the them, the more time you have to potentially pick up others. This is also why you probably don't want to waste a Tier A FastPass+ on Illuminations. Since it's an evening show it locks out additional FastPasses for the entire day.

A Pirate's Adventure: There is one way to get a specific FastPass without booking it online. If you find the A Pirate's Adventure building between Adventureland and Frontierland, you can go on a number of different treasure hunts that will take you all over Aventureland. They're full of fun interactive elements and and are a great way to spend down time. If you complete three of the treasure hunts you'll actually be given a FastPass for Pirates of the Caribbean. This way, you don't need to spend one of your precious FastPasses on the attraction, and you have a lot more fun than you would standing in line.

What App To Use With FastPass+?

You'll want to download the My Disney Experience - Walt Disney World app from your smartphone store of choice. From there, you can make and manage your FastPass+ times. It's useful for scheduling additional FastPass+ times after you've used your first three, but it's also good for checking to see what's available at any given moment. People frequently cancel or reschedule their own FastPass+ times, so it's always possible that a FastPass for a particularly popular ride that wasn't available when you made your your initial FastPasses bookings might show up later.

The app is also very convenient for booking your initial FastPass+ times if you live on the west coast so you don't need to get out of bed at 4:00 in the morning, just reach over and grab your phone.

Is Disney’s FastPass+ Worth It?

There is no question that FastPass+ is worth it. It costs nothing and if you don't use it then you're just resigning yourself to standing in lines that are much longer than is absolutely necessary. If you're not staying in a Walt Disney World Resort hotel, it can certainly be a pain to get up for several mornings in a row to book your FastPasses, ( I know) but it's a small price to pay.

The only downside is that using FastPass+ does lock you in on what you're doing on any given day weeks before your trip. If you book your FastPass+ times for Disney's Animal Kingdom on any given day, but then somebody feels tired after three days of running around the parks or just falls unexpectedly ill, or the weather sucks, you can't get those FastPasses back.

Images Courtesy: WDWNews.com/Disney

Natalie Portman Had A Tough Time Dealing With The The Star Wars Prequel Trilogy Backlash

Natalie Portman Had A Tough Time Dealing With The The Star Wars Prequel Trilogy Backlash

Star Wars is one of the biggest franchises in film history, and is still a behemoth at the box office after so many years in theaters. The galaxy far, far away has enthralled generations of moviegoers, which form its absolutely massive fanbase. But because so much stock is put into George Lucas' space opera, the wrath of the fans can be intense.

Just ask Natalie Portman, who starred as Padme Amidala in the prequel trilogy. George Lucas' second run in the Star Wars franchise has been the subject of some criticism, who took umbrage with excessive green screens, as well as the script and some performances. Portman recently opened up about the backlash to the films, especially as it they were being shot and released.

It was hard. It was a bummer because it felt like people were so excited about new ones and then to have people feel disappointed. Also to be at an age that I didn’t really understand that’s kind of the nature of the beast. When something has that much anticipation it can almost only disappoint.

Natalie Portman was still a teenager when Star Wars: The Phantom Menace arrived in theaters in 1999. It was definitely a breakthrough role for the young actress, but she was also privy to the backlash of the fans. People just don't know how to treat Naboo royalty.

The prequel trilogy has become more widely accepted in the years following its conclusion, but things started off very rocky. The Phantom Menace was noticeably more kid friendly, and the addition of the clownish Jar Jar Binks didn't resonate well with the adult audience. And considering it was this demographic that made the original trio of films so massive, that approval was key.

Related: Natalie Portman Shoots Down Star Wars 9 Rumor About Padme’s Return

The prequels seemed to improve as they went on, but there are some cringeworthy and often meme-d moments that consider to plague it. But with Disney continuing the franchise and producing subversive projects like The Last Jedi, the prequel has been getting more attention and love-- especially as the time before A New Hope is explored with standalone films.

In her same conversation with Empire, Natalie Portman addressed the love the prequels have gotten in more recent years, saying:

With the perspective of time, it’s been re-evaluated by a lot of people who actually really love them now. There’s a very avid group of people who think they’re the best ones now! I don’t have enough perspective to weigh in.

Natalie Portman may have played Padme through three movies, but she's always made it clear that she doesn't really follow up on the latest Star Wars news. She did manage to visit the set of The Last Jedi with her sons, so there are still some perks to being Queen.

It should be interesting to see how the prequel trilogy ends up factoring into future Star Wars projects. J.J. Arbams' The Rise of Skywalker will end the current trilogy and Skywalker Saga forever, and there are a few mysterious projects brewing at Lucasfilm. Will Rian Johnson's trilogy or D.B. Weiss and David Benioff's developing movies transport us back? We'll have to see.

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker will arrive on December 20th. In the meantime, check out our 2019 release list to plan your next trip to the movies.

9 Stephen King Movies As Bone Chilling As Pet Sematary And IT

9 Stephen King Movies As Bone Chilling As Pet Sematary And IT

Stephen King is an undisputed master of American literature, especially when it comes to the worlds of horror and suspense. When you get to his level of prolific fright making, the scares can come pretty fast and furiously, as evidenced in King’s very own portfolio of masterworks. As one might guess, that leads to a lot of potential for film adaptations to bring some of these iconic moments from King’s pages to proper life on the silver screen.

With last weekend’s unveiling of Pet Sematary, as well as this September’s return to Derry for IT: Chapter 2, it seems like a good time to revisit some of the most notable versions of Stephen King’s work hitting the big screen. While they span the realms of reality, as well as that of the supernatural, they all have one thing in common: each one of them is absolutely bone chilling, and ready to creep you out.

The Shining

It’s true that Stephen King has gone on record more than once as to not being a fan of Stanley Kubrick’s film adaptation of The Shining. But what’s interesting about this particular case of an author disregarding the movie version of one of their books is the fact that fans still pretty much rally behind this film. While it may not be the note-for-note story that King had in mind, it’s still a film that speaks to the darker sensibilities of the author and his work. And with an adaptation of the sequel, Doctor Sleep, heading our way in September, this will be required viewing for anyone who wants a good scare, and the background needed to get even more into the continuing adventures of Danny Torrance.

Gerald’s Game

Netflix seems to be a good place to find the latest and greatest in horror in the streaming realm, and the streaming service has even gotten a couple of Stephen King adaptations to prove it! The first one we’ll mention is director Mike Flanagan’s Gerald’s Game, which stars Carla Gugino and Bruce Greenwood. With the titular Gerald dropping dead of a heart attack, the film focuses mostly on his wife, Jessie, who is handcuffed to the bed of their secluded cabin. What was supposed to be a harmless sex game turns into a battle of sanity and survival, and Flanagan jumps between the worlds of reality and fantasy in such a way that they blend into a cohesive and very mind-bending whole.

Misery

Within the heart of director Rob Reiner’s films from the 1990s is one of Stephen King’s most frightening stories grounded in reality: Misery. It’s Reiner’s hand that guided Kathy Bates to her Academy Award win for her portrayal of Annie Wilkes, the antagonist at the heart of the film, and just on her performance alone this film has quite a head of steam. But when taking the full picture into account, including James Caan’s frightened captive, and the suspense surrounding whether or not he’ll escape his the clutches of his biggest/most obsessed fan, it’s clearly a fantastic adaptation of a nightmare that only King could dream up on the page. Either way, the folks behind Season 2 of Castle Rock may want to revisit this one, just to make sure they nail Annie's origin story in the new season.

The Mist

Sometimes, in rare cases like writer/director Frank Darabont’s adaptation of The Mist, an ending presents itself that ties things together even better than the source material did. So it was a surprise to even Stephen King himself when Darabont not only crafted a movie that captured the dire straits of the characters who find themselves facing creatures of Lovecraftian proportions, it also gave the pre-existing story a more modern context of fear. Then, in the final five minutes, everything was nailed shut with one of the most jaw-dropping endings ever seen on film, sealing this film’s fate as a storied adaptation for the ages.

1922

If you’re looking for the source of a particular menace in the Stephen King universe, there are two places you can usually look to find the root: the delusions of humanity, or the supernatural forces trying to control them. Both seem to have a place at the table in Netflix's 1922, which is drawn from the novella of the same name in King’s Full Dark, No Stars collection of tales. What starts as a murder in the name of self-preservation for Thomas Jane’s Wilfred James and his son Henry quickly turns into a spiraling chain of events that seem to be guided by the icy hands of fate, leading to one darker twist of the plot after the other.

Carrie

Anyone's high school years could probably qualify as their own personal hell. But very few have experienced the actual hell that Carrie White went through while dealing with the pressures of both adolescence and telekinesis. A slow burn with a sympathetic protagonist that only breaks bad towards the end of her story, Carrie has the prom to end all proms in its third act. If you only know this Brian DePalma film for that particular bloodbath, you only know part of the story. Seeing this young girl learn how to use her powers and eventually turn them against all who tormented her takes such a natural path to the more fantastical elements of its conclusion that it's just as chilling today as it was when it came out.

The Dead Zone

There are quite a few creatures and otherworldly powers that Stephen King has dabbled with endowing his characters with. But in terms of The Dead Zone, King runs with an old favorite when it comes to main character Johnny Smith’s particular abilities. Given the power to see into the future, Christopher Walken’s protagonist starts off as a crime fighter helping out with the solving of local crimes. But as time goes on, and Johnny begins to curse his gifts, the stakes raise once he stumbles upon something so frightening, he’s shocked into action. The very future that director David Cronenberg’s film shows as disaster Johnny is trying to avoid is still referenced to this day as one of the most frightening scenarios that scares viewers to this very day.

Cujo

Scary animals are definitely a specialty in the world of Stephen King, as Pet Sematary seems to have left its mark on the world twice over, thanks to Church the Cat’s demonic presence. However, there’s an even more menacing pet in the King pantheon, and his name is Cujo. A St. Bernard that starts as a cuddly, adorable furball, Cujo turns into a mad killing machine one he’s infected by a rabies carrying bat. Unfortunately for the Trenton family, by the time they move into the town of Castle Rock, that more murderous side of the pooch rears its ugly head, terrorizing them with a relentless bloodlust. You might want to think about staying away from dogs for a couple of days after watching this one.

Apt Pupil

Throughout this entire catalog of fear through the eyes of Stephen King, even the most grounded examples have had a supernatural tint to their story. But in our final example, Apt Pupil, the only evil present is that of humanity itself. Specifically, the story of Ian McKellen’s Nazi neighbor in hiding, and the young man obsessed with his deeds during the war. With the late Brad Renfro’s performance as teen instigator Todd complimenting McKellen’s slow descent into old, sinister habits, the film explores the very real evils that took place during the reign of the Third Reich, and the threat they pose to any future generations who forget the lessons they taught the world. It’s a very human message, in a very horrifying movie.

While these are the best examples of chilling Stephen King films we can think of at the moment, there are bound to be a couple we may have missed. If you're so inclined, please share with us what you feel are the creepiest and most unsettling movies from King's library that didn't make the cut. You just might scare us with the results! And before you go, check out our list of upcoming Stephen King films that just might be frightening audiences in the future. It'd be scary if you missed any of the fun to come.