Booksmart’s Olivia Wilde Reveals The Teen Comedies That Inspired Her In This Exclusive Featurette

Booksmart’s Olivia Wilde Reveals The Teen Comedies That Inspired Her In This Exclusive Featurette

In their own way, teen comedies have the capacity to demonstrate the very real power of cinema. Those who grew up with a close relationship to movies can likely rattle off a series of fantastic titles they saw through their high school years, and it’s because of the significant impact of watching characters your own age struggle with similar issues – while also experiencing wacky, hilarious hijinks. Every living generation has their personal examples of this, and now Olivia Wilde has contributed to this wonderful legacy with her directorial debut, Booksmart.

At the same time, though, hearing some wonderful comparisons to legitimate classics has really amazed the filmmaker in the run-up to the release of her movie – which is something she joyously explains in this exclusive new featurette:

As she explains in the video, Olivia Wilde was excited to make Booksmart as her first directorial effort because of her own personal love of teen comedies – and she performs a bit of title rattling herself, with a special focus on the many classics from writer/director John Hughes. Her intention was to evoke the very special feeling of being young and the freedom that comes with it, and it’s apparently been a thrilling experience getting feedback with that reaction from audiences that have already seen the film. Said Wilde,

The reason I wanted to make Booksmart is because I love these high school classics. I love these generational anthems. I think about movies like The Breakfast Club, Sixteen Candles, Ferris Bueller's Day Off, Clueless… I wanted to make something that celebrates the kind of freedom of youth, but to hear people say like, 'Oh, this movie makes me feel how I felt when I watched Clueless' is kind of mind-boggling.

Based on an original screenplay by Susanna Fogel, Emily Halpern, Sarah Haskins, and Katie Silberman, Booksmart tells the story of Amy (Kaitlyn Dever) and Molly (Beanie Feldstein) - two overachieving, anti-social high school seniors who are exceptionally proud of the hard work they’ve done and the high grades they have earned. They are both set for extremely bright futures, but the wind gets totally taken out of their sails when they discover that many of their party-loving classmates are also getting ready to go to some of the best colleges in the country. Feeling like they’ve missed out on a key part of the teenage experience, they vow to make the most of the night before graduation by attending a party being thrown by one of the most popular kids in school.

The movie very much shares a kindred soul with the wonderful titles mentioned earlier, and Olivia Wilde hopes that it it’s a film that connects with audiences of all ages – both the young people who are currently experiencing similar tribulations as the protagonists, and those who are older and can reflect on having those same experiences in their youth:

I wanted to make [teenagers] something that acknowledges how awesome they are, while also making something for the rest of us to just look at and feel super nostalgic.

Booksmart, which co-stars Will Forte, Lisa Kudrow, Jason Sudeikis, Jessica Williams and more, arrives in theaters this Friday, May 24th.

What is Disney Movie Rewards? How Does It Work?

What is Disney Movie Rewards? How Does It Work?

Whether you're buying Blu-ray discs or going to the theater, movies can be an expensive form of entertainment. It would be nice to be able to get something a little more out of it. Luckily, if you're a Disney fan (and let's be honest, who isn't a fan of something from Disney these days), there is a way to get a little something more out of your movie experience through Disney Movie Rewards.

But what is Disney Movie Rewards and how does it work? It it worthwhile to get an account? Below you'll find answers to all your Disney Movie Rewards Questions.

What is Disney Movie Rewards?

Disney Movie Rewards is essentially a loyalty program. It's not that different from the programs you might use at your local supermarket or coffee shop. While those might get you a free latte now and then after you buy several of your own, Disney Movie Rewards does the same thing for movies. Purchase Disney films on Blu-ray or buy tickets to see them in the theater and you'll earn points.

Then, you take those points and redeem them for Disney-related stuff. You can turn right around and buy more Blu-rays or movie tickets, or you can buy Disney stuff like t-shirts, Disney gift cards or even a tour of the Walt Disney Studios, though I'll tell you, you have to buy a lot of Blu-Rays to earn that one.

How Do I Get My Disney Movie Rewards?

The first thing to do is set up an account on the Disney Movie Rewards website. It doesn't cost anything, which means it doesn't require even giving up a credit card number. All you need to do is create a username with an email address and then make a password.

Once you have the account, you can start accruing points. The main way to ear Disney Movie Rewards is by buying stuff. If you purchase a Disney Blu-Ray or DVD that has a Disney Movie Rewards logo on the outside, inside the case, you'll find a piece of paper with a code on it. Simply input the number on the Disney Movie Rewards home page and you'll get your points. Points vary on discs between around 50 and 200 points, depending on what version of a disc you buy.

Getting points for buying movie tickets is a bit more involved. In that case, you'll need to make sure you keep your ticket stub and be sure it actually says the name of the Disney movie in question. Select the movie you saw on the Disney Movie Rewards site and you'll be given a unique ID number. Write that number on your ticket, then take a picture of the ticket and upload the photo to the Disney Movie rewards website. Tickets are usually good for about 75 points.

Another thing to keep in mind is that points can only be earned on tickets for movies currently in theaters, so you don't want to stock up on your tickets and try to redeem them all at once. Be sure to get your points as soon as you can so you don't miss your window.

However, there is an easier way to get your ticket purchases added to your Disney Movie Rewards account. Disney Movie Rewards allows you to link your Rewards account to Atom Tickets, Fandango VIP and the Regal Crown Club. This means that if you buy tickets to a Disney movie through one of these online sites, your points will be automatically added to your Disney Movie Rewards account.

The other purchasable item that earns you points is Disney music. Many Disney movie soundtracks, as well as the popular collectible, vinyl "picture discs," are good for 100 points or more.

How Do I Use My Disney Movie Rewards?

Once you have enough points to redeem them for something you want, simply go to the Disney Movie Rewards website, log in and select the item. If it's an item that requires physical shipping, like a movie poster or DVD, you have the choice of paying for shipping and handling separately, or using additional points to cover the cost, so you really can get something for no additional cost to you.

Do Disney Movie Reward Points Expire?

Disney Movie Reward points only expire if your Disney Movie Rewards account sees no activity for 365 consecutive days. This means as long as you add points to your account or redeem points for something once a year, your points won't go anywhere. With the frequency with which Disney releases new movies in theaters and on Blu-ray, odds are you'll be spending money on at least one a year.

One nice way to make sure that doesn't happen is to log in and take the Disney Challenge. This is a brief Disney trivia quiz that won't take you more than a minute to complete. Doing so will earn you all of five points (unless you're really good, in that case you can get bonuses), but those five points will keep your account active for another year.

Do I Need To Cancel Disney Movie Rewards?

There isn't really much need to cancel your account. You can certainly do so, but Disney Movie Rewards doesn't cost anything, so even if you decide to stop using it, you can just ignore it and let it go.

Can I Get Disney Movie Rewards Points For Digital Movies?

At this point, purchases of Disney movies through digital storefronts cannot be used to earn Disney Movie Rewards points, although based on the Disney Movie Reward FAQ, it sounds like the implementation of such a thing could happen, so keep checking back.

Is Disney Movie Rewards Worth It?

Disney Movie Rewards doesn't cost you anything beyond the money you were probably going to be spending on Disney movies anyway, but does that mean it's obviously something you should do?

Most of the rewards are some pretty simple stuff like movie posters and t-shirts, and if they end up having something you want, that's great. However, little of seems like "must have" merch. Still, is there a better cost than free?

A Blu-ray disc goes for something like 700-800 points, and if you receive 150 points for buying one, you end up getting a movie free for every five you buy, which is a pretty decent ratio so if you're building a serious Disney movie collection, it's worth incorporating Disney Movie Rewards into that plan. This goes double if you join the Disney Movie Club, as most of those movies will earn you points alongside your obligation to the club.

Keep checking back with CinemaBlend for all the latest and greatest news concerning Disney. The company's latest movie, the live action Aladdin remake, hits theaters this Friday, May 24.

Nick Fury Raises An Important Question In That Spider-Man: Far From Home Trailer

Nick Fury Raises An Important Question In That Spider-Man: Far From Home Trailer

Spoilers ahead for Avengers: Endgame. If you haven't seen it yet, check out one of our other stories!

The Marvel Cinematic Universe is in a fascinating place right now. Avengers: Endgame is finally in theaters, and moviegoers are still recovering from the wild ride The Russo Brothers took the fandom on. But there's still one more installment in Phase Three, as Spider-Man: Far From Home will arrive in a matter of months, and catch up with the shared universe after Endgame's events.

Fans are eager to see how the denizen of the MCU are moving on after the wild events of Infinity War and Endgame. Half of all life was dust for five years, before the surviving Avengers and Guardians managed to reverse the affects of Thanos' finger snap of death. Spider-Man: Far From Home has been teased to do just that, but Nick Fury asked another big question in the sequels' new trailer.

After Nick Fury recruits Spider-Man and introduces him to Jake Gyllenhaal's Mysterio, he reveals that "the snap" tore a hole in our dimension, and that the new character is actually from another one. The multiverse is a big concept for Spider-Man: Far From Home to play with, but there's one major question that's nagging me: which snap was Fury talking about?

Avengers: Infinity War ended by Thanos collecting the Infinity Stones, and killing half of all life in the galaxy with the snap of his finger. While that seems like the most obvious reference that Nick Fury might be making in Far From Home, The Russo Brothers actually included two more snaps in Avengers: Endgame. First, Professor Hulk snapped his fingers to bring back all the dusted characters. And when past Thanos rained fire on the Avengers Compound, Tony wielded the gauntlet and snaps Thanos and his forces out of existence forever.

Reference: The Biggest Way Avengers: Endgame Should Affect Spider-Man: Far From Home

There are three separate snaps that might have been the cause of the hole in the dimension, and it'll be interesting to see which one Nick Fury is referencing once Spider-Man: Far From Home arrives in theaters. Jon Watts' highly anticipated sequel will show how Earth has moved on since the last two Avengers movies, and it looks like there are still some major consequences from Thanos' assault.

As a reminder, check out the new trailer for Spider-Man: Far From Home below.

If one snap was able to tear a hole in the dimension, one has to imagine that three are enough to send the multiverse into chaos. But considering the massive power of the Infinity Stones, their affect on the galaxy doesn't seem out of the question. Will Spider-Man: Far From Home focus on Spider and Mysterio closing tears in the multiverse? Or is the new trailer just another Marvel red herring?

If we're going to believe Spider-Man: Far From Home's trailer regarding the multiverse and a tear in our world, then the Marvel Cinematic Universe may be going to more ambitious places in Phase Four. We already know that the cosmic side of the MCU will be further explored, but interdimensional travel has the potential for endless new and interesting narrative possibilities.

The multiverse has been briefly teased in Doctor Strange, but it really came into play during Avengers: Endgame's time heist. In order to avoid accidentally creating multiple chaotic universes, the Avengers steal (and return) the Infinity Stones from various points in the MCU's timeline. But not everything goes just as planned, and it was implied that new universes were jumpstarted during their mission.

When Bruce Banner, Ant-Man, Cap, and Iron Man travel back to the Battle of New York, they attempt to snag a handful of Infinity Stones at once. But in their attempt to get the Space Stone, 2012 Loki manages to swipe it and vanish. That version of Loki should be able to have an entirely different fate, which should presumably have a grave affect on that dimension. Could it even be the soft launch of Loki's upcoming Disney+ series?

Spider-Man: Far From Home seems to reference title character's European trip with his friends from school, but it could be teasing something much bigger. Like maybe Spidey traveling to Mysterio's home dimension. That would certainly be far from his humble beginnings in Queens, and would be a plot twist that isn't obvious from the film's marketing material thus far.

Mysterio is typically a Spider-Man villain, and one that doesn't have the powerful abilities that Jake Gyllenhaal has shown off during the first Far From Home trailers. Rather than flying and shooting magical energy blasts from his hands, Quentin Beck is usually a special affects pro that masters in illusions and hypnotism. That's a backstory that's in stark juxtaposition to the character that was shown battling various elemental creatures across Europe.

Of course, Mysterio could totally be lying, and there might not be a tear in our dimension. Perhaps the is using the affects of Endgame and the post-Thanos world to manipulate the likes of S.H.I.E.L.D., Nick Fury, and Spider-Man. It's another option for an excellent twist, and one that would definitely make comic book purists happy. After all, Mysterio isn't supposed to be superpowered or a good guy, let alone both.

Given how truly mind-blowing Avengers: Endgame was, there is going to be some added pressure and interest in Spider-Man: Far From Home from the fandom. Moviegoers will likely run to theaters to see what happened after the dusted characters returned, and in the wake of various Avengers' deaths. The new trailer revealed that Tony Stark's death is weighing on Peter Parker and Happy Hogan, so that's one major connection.

Smart money says Spider-Man: Far From Home will also have a post-credits scene, hopefully teasing what's coming in Phase Four. As such, we should expect the upcoming sequel to make serious money at the box office.

Avengers: Endgame is in theaters now, and Spider-Man: Far From Home will arrive on June 2nd. In the meantime, check out our 2019 release list to plan your next trip to the movies.

Star Wars Galaxy's Edge Just Unveiled New Footage, Check It Out

Star Wars Galaxy's Edge Just Unveiled New Footage, Check It Out

While many fans are excited to see the next Star Wars movie, some of us are even more excited to live our first Star Wars experience. That what we've been promised when Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge opens at Disneyland and Walt Disney World later this year. While we've learned a lot about what things will happen when we first walk on the planet Batuu, we haven't actually seen what Black Spire Outpost will actually look like very much beyond concept art. However, some new footage was just dropped at Star Wars Celebration, and CinemaBlend has it. Check it out below.

In Star Wars movies, so much of what we see is never real. It's digital effects and movie magic. However, for Galaxy's Edge, everything is quite real. Everything from the rusted out landspeeder to the Millennium Falcon looks just as real as it does on the movie screen. In fact, some of the shots look almost identical the concept art that was released years ago, showing just how close to the mark Walt Disney Imagineering has come in trying to recreate the world of the galaxy, far, far away for us.

When music composed by John Williams is added, that's when it all really begins to feel like we're seeing a piece of Star Wars.

While there were no major reveals at the Disney Parks panel at Star Wars Celebration, like the opening date of the new land's second phase, the panel brought together all the pieces of information that we had in one place, expanding on details and confirming things that had previously only been rumor.

For people who are simply fans of Disneyland, Galaxy's Edge will offer all the things we expect from it, amazing attractions, delicious food, and cool merchandise, but for those of us that want to take the experience a step, or several steps, further, then there's going to be an immersive experience like nothing Star Wars fans have been able to be a part of before.

While the planet Batuu is a new place in the Star Wars galaxy for us, it's been around for as long as the stories that have been told. This means that if you look you'll see design elements that reference the prequels, the original trilogy, and the new trilogy as well. How Batuu experienced these events has helped shape the world that it is today. It used to be a well traveled planet, but is now on the edge of wild space, thus the look in the video that everything feels slightly rundown.

No doubt we're all waiting to live our own Star Wars experience. The day will come at Disneyland May 31, then on August 29 at Walt Disney World.

Linda Hamilton Confirms James Cameron Convinced Her To Return For Terminator: Dark Fate

Linda Hamilton Confirms James Cameron Convinced Her To Return For Terminator: Dark Fate

A full 35 years after she first played the role of Sarah Connor, actor Linda Hamilton is still the textbook definition of what that character represents. Going from a typical female target of a robotic killing machine in The Terminator to a badassed hero in Terminator 2: Judgement Day, her performance is a lynchpin to what fans expect from the series. So the news that she was indeed returning in Terminator: Dark Fate to play the part she made famous was something that made fans actually happy to see yet another film taking place in this famous franchise; and we all have James Cameron to thank for that.

While James Cameron previously told the world the story about that fateful phone call he made to bring Linda Hamilton back to the fold for Terminator 6, she explained the scenario that drew her back in with the following details:

You know, it was basically a phone call from James Cameron. Well, he had to call me three times for me to call him back… But once he told me the idea and I actually sat and thought about it for six weeks... Did I want to go there again? But once I'm in, I'm in.

The exact idea that captured both Linda Hamilton and James Cameron’s imaginations isn’t totally revealed just yet, but knowing that Terminator: Dark Fate is supposed to wipe the slate clean back to the end of Terminator 2: Judgement Day, we can kind of see what brought her back into the fold. Most importantly, the fact that Sarah Connor’s alleged death after a battle of cancer, as noted in Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines, is now erased.

Last seen, or rather heard, in Terminator: Salvation, Linda Hamilton hasn’t appeared on camera as the key figure in humanity’s defeat of Skynet since the last time James Cameron actually directed a Terminator film. Though Deadpool director Tim Miller is the helmer behind Terminator: Dark Fate, Cameron is the most hands-on he’s been with the film as a producer and shaper of the story that marks the sixth film in the series. And as Hamilton confirmed with ET Online at CinemaCon, he was the person to really win her over on coming back.

Part of me is excited that Terminator: Dark Fate will see Sarah Connor suiting up again, but there’s a nagging feeling that part of James Cameron’s pitch involves delivering Sarah to the Grim Reaper himself, as the torch is apparently being passed to the younger generation of this series. That usually means those who built the foundations find themselves iced, so as to prove that the situation is truly serious.

Ultimately, whether Sarah Connor lives or dies, if Linda Hamilton thinks that Terminator: Dark Fate has such a good idea that she has to be a part of it, that should excite the fans awaiting her return. When a character as formidable as Sarah Connor gets a proper end, with full approval by the person who brought them to life in the first place, there’s no better fate than that very scenario.

Terminator: Dark Fate unveils what Sarah Connor’s been up to all these years on November 1. But should you want to determine your box office fate sooner than that release date will allow, you’ll want to take a look at the 2019 release schedule. You’ll be back to the theaters in no time!

When The Batman Will Start Filming, According To Matt Reeves

When The Batman Will Start Filming, According To Matt Reeves

There is so much we don't know about Matt Reeves' new Batman movie. Most importantly, we don't know who will be playing the role of Batman. However, it looks like we may be getting that answer sometime in the next few months as Reeves has now revealed when he expects his film to actually start filming. In response to a fan on Twitter, Reeves says the film looks to be heading toward cameras sometime around the end of this year.

The Twitter conversation starts with one fan asking if Batman will make an appearance in the Batman movie. It's not that ridiculous a question considering that, at this point, we have no idea who is going to play Batman. Ben Affleck finally made official what many had been suspecting for quite some time, that he won't be returning to play the role in the upcoming movie, or any other DC projects that may have plans for the caped crusader. The man who was once going to write, direct, and star in a solo Batman movie will now do none of those things.

However, that decision isn't slowing things down as Reeves now says his movie is still moving forward. In response to another question, he revealed the timeline for cameras to start rolling...

Looking like sometime around year’s end.

If the new movie starts filming around November or December of 2019, it will have plenty of time to get everything done. The film is currently set with a release date of June 25, 2021, which means it will be about a year and a half between when filming starts and when the movie hits screens.

Of course, Reeves says that it is "looking like" the film may start shooting at the end of the year, which makes it sound like things aren't quite set in stone yet. The biggest question is likely regarding the cast. As far as we know, nobody has been cast for the upcoming film, especially a brand new Batman. If Reeves finds a cast that he wants, but one that isn't able to start shooting on the current schedule, there's always the possibility things could change. Alternatively, things may need to be pushed back if Reeves can't find the cast he wants at all.

On the plus side, the movie does have some time to work with. With the extensive post production that usually goes along with superhero movies, it will take about a year or so to go from the start of filming to a finished product. This means the new Batman could start shooting as late as the summer of 2020 and woulds likely still make the current release date.

There are still a lot of unanswered questions about this new Batman movie, but for the first time in a long time, one of them is not, "will this movie actually happen?" It seems quite clear that it will. The rest we'll have to wait to figure out.

Keri Russell's Star Wars: The Rise Of Skywalker Character Finally Revealed In New Image

Keri Russell's Star Wars: The Rise Of Skywalker Character Finally Revealed In New Image

While we’re still pretty much in the dark when it comes to details on Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker’s plot, there’s plenty of other information that’s slowly being put out into the universe. Today brings one of the most beautiful traditions linked to the modern era of Star Wars film’s: the Vanity Fair spread.

Among the new character reveals that took place in this latest version of that time-honored happening is our first look at Keri Russell’s new Star Wars character, Zorri Bliss. As you’ll see in the photo below, she was absolutely right to say that she had the coolest costume in the film:

This first look at Zorri and her costume has us thinking that Keri Russell is playing a bounty hunter character, or at least someone who swims in the same dark circles as Boba Fett. Then again, if anyone shows up in the Star Wars universe with weapons and a helmet obscuring their face, it’s not a hard stretch to think that this person would be looking to apprehend any person, object, or information for the right price.

With a gold helmet that looks like The Rocketeer joined Daft Punk, and a crimson/purple jumpsuit that complements further gold and bronze accents, Zorri is definitely ready for action. The inclusion of her dual pistols only makes us want to hang out with her more, knowing that at any given moment, a fight could break out and Zorri Bliss would end it just as quickly.

Not only was the first look at Zorri’s costume shared by Vanity Fair, but some details about Zorri’s character were also given. Sure enough, we’re not the only people that see a smooth criminal in the Star Wars galaxy, as their write up mentions that the fresh war raging throughout the new trilogy has continued to allow the criminal underworld to flourish. Which certainly explains the fancy threads on Zorri Bliss.

As Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker is set up to conclude the Skywalker Saga, the two trilogies of stand-alone films that won’t deal with that particular corner of the storied universe are on the horizon, and will need new characters to play around with. Which means that between Rian Johnson’s new films, and those being undertaken by Game of Thrones’ masterminds David Benioff and D.B. Weiss, there’s a chance that Zorri Bliss could appear again down the line.

That's speculation, of course, but should Keri Russell’s new character make a big enough impression, this just might be the future we’re looking at. We’ll have to wait until Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker arrives in our galaxy on December 20th to find out. In the meantime, you can take a look at what all we know about the upcoming flick so far.