Zac Efron Says The Greatest Showman Sequel Could Still Happen

Zac Efron Says The Greatest Showman Sequel Could Still Happen

Zac Efron is currently out and about promoting his Ted Bundy flick Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile, but when it comes to Zafron, a lot of people still have The Greatest Showman tunes on the brain. On the bright side, according to the actor, a sequel to the popular movie could still be in play. He recently said on The Graham Norton Show:

The real answer is 'could be.’ I'm not sure. I'm being completely honest with you, there is talk of something going around but no one is really sure… But I think someone is working on a treatment for something... I know they are, they're working on a treatment for something.

Speaking on a couch with some other big name actors, including Matthew Broderick, Zac Efron explained what he knows about a potential sequel to the 2017 musical. It's honestly amazing that we could be talking about a sequel these days, given where the movie was when it first kicked off in theaters.

Honestly, when The Greatest Showman first premiered, it wasn’t to an auspicious start. The movie routinely was in third or fourth place at the box office in its first few weeks in theaters at the end of 2017, as it competed with the likes of Star Wars: The Last Jedi, Jumanji: Welcome To The Jungle and Pitch Perfect 3. Then a funny thing started happening—people kept going to see it.

In fact, the movie remained in the Top 10 domestically through the weekend of March 2-4 in 2018, a weekend in which Black Panther was already out and dominating.

Clearly, there’s an appetite for more tunes set in the world of The Greatest Showman. Benj Pasek and Justin Paul wrote the music for the film, after gaining fame from creating original music for Smash and La La Land.

However, if you’ve seen the musical movie, you should already know that it covers a pretty large span of time in the life of the circus dreamer. We get to see P.T. Barnum’s early failures, his big dreams and his big successes. Toward the end –and spoilers--fictional character Phillip Carlyle (played by Zac Efron) ends up getting involved as a partner and takes over the open-air circus while Barnum takes a step back to spend more time with his family.

It’s hard to tell exactly where a sequel could go with the narrative, but Zac Efron also told Graham Norton that he would be game to work opposite Hugh Jackman and with the music and writing team again, noting though that scheduling could eventually be a problem.

Hugh (Jackman) is working on all sorts of things including a one man show. What’s next? I don’t know but I hope there is a sequel.

I think a lot of people hope there is a sequel. Although in real life, P.T. Barnum’s story wasn’t all about overcoming obstacles, the musical narrative really entranced people. It helps that circus set pieces and costumes are lovely and lively. It also helps that the music is so catchy, leading to group sing-a-long screenings.

It was a good holiday season at the movies the year The Greatest Showman came out, but in particular that movie had staying power because it became a cultural film that people could experience together in groups or with one or two of their friends. In turn, the soundtrack became a success and the music for the movie was everywhere.

Part of this could be because the whole thing was originally conceived as a Broadway musical, and there has been some talk about turning the movie into a stage production, as well. So, theoretically even if a sequel does not end up happening, the movie could branch out into other mediums.

Is The Cast On Board For A Greatest Showman Sequel?

Several other people related to the movie, from director Michael Gracey to Hugh Jackman himself, have expressed optimism about telling more of the story about the famed circus. Jackman previously revealed:

If a genuine opportunity came up where it felt like the right thing to do, then yep, I'd get the top hat back out. It's clear to me and to everyone that people love these characters. I loved this movie, I loved this character and it was one of the great joys of my life.

This was a passion project for all of the people involved. The movie was also seven years in the making, so it's no real surprise that people related to the movie might have enthusiasm toward doing more, whether that be Zac Efron or Hugh Jackman. Some time after Jackman made the above comment, Gracey also confirmed that discussions were underway about producing a script for another movie. Now, Efron has said something similar.

Talk is not the same as forward movement, unfortunately. It’s also probably worth pointing out that The Greatest Showman was a 20th Century Fox movie, so if this project were to move forward, it would have to nab the greenlight from parent company Disney these days. Disney actually recently cut a few Fox movies from its docket, and it's been hard to tell what the company has been championing in terms of projects and franchises from Fox so far.

That said, The Greatest Showman is in a lot of ways like many Disney movies. It’s fun, it’s mostly family-friendly and it has musical components (and dancing, don't forget the dancing). Most importantly, in a world that is chock full of PG-13 movies, The Greatest Showman was a rare PG outing that didn't feel as if it were just for kids. Clearly it's a likable property, but figuring out what a sequel would be about that would make sense given the historical premise could be a real challenge.

We’ll let you know if The Greatest Showman 2 ever gets an official script, but in the meantime take a look at what is hitting theaters in 2019 with our full guide to what's coming up and catch Zac Efron in Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile, which is heading to Netflix starting on May 3.

Now for the real question? Would you like to see more from Zac Efron and company's "greatest show?" Or do you think the movie ended on a final note?

Chinese Film Advocates Aren’t Fond Of Bohemian Rhapsody’s Censorship

Chinese Film Advocates Aren’t Fond Of Bohemian Rhapsody’s Censorship

Bohemian Rhapsody is undeniably one of the biggest hits of the last year. Bryan Singer's Freddie Mercury biopic may have had some controversy surrounding it, but the musical blockbuster ultimately made a ton of money at the box office, and was an Awards Season favorite. Unfortunately, some controversy continues, especially as the project was brought to China for the first time.

In order for Bohemian Rhapsody to hit theaters for Chinese moviegoers, the movie was edited down, with scenes and dialogue regarding Freddie Mercury's sexuality cut. It's a change that drew criticism online, especially as certain moviegoers already thought the movie didn't focus on Mercury's queerness enough. And now film advocates in China are responding as well.

LGBT advocate and cinephiles Peng Yanzi recently spoke to the Associated Press about the choice to edit down Bohemian Rhapsody, and what it did to the movie. The report was:

The cut scenes really affect the movie. The film talks about how (Mercury) became himself, and his sexuality is an important part of becoming who he was.

Aside from ignoring an important aspect of the subject of Bohemian Rhapsody, it looks like these new edits may have affected the film overall. Freddie Mercury's journey in the biopic was about music and self-discovery. And cutting out his coming out process means that a big aspect of that narrative was absent from Bohemian Rhapsody.

Another Chinese moviegoer and LGBT advocate addressed the changes to Bohemian Rhapsody, and how the editing affected the quality of the overall movie. They said:

This kind of deletion weakens his gay identity. It’s a bit disrespectful to his real experience and makes the character superficial. There is no growth and innermost being of him.

Bohemian Rhapsody might not have been a gay love story, but Freddie Mercury's sexuality is the unspoken elephant in the room for most of the biopic. Still, there are a few extremely poignant scenes that occur later in the film, as Mercury's starpower is on the rise. His relationship with girlfriend Mary Austin was shown slowly dissolving, and eventually Lucy Boynton's character opens the dialogue about his sexuality. That scene is one of many to get the cut for the Chinese release, and it appears the movie is worse for it.

As a reminder, you can check out that scene below.

The above sequence is one of the most powerful and emotional in the entirety of Bohemian Rhapsody. In fact, it's hard to even imagine a version of the film lacking this plot line, and this powerful moment between the two real-life figures.

It should be interesting to see how Bohemian Rhapsody ultimately performs overseas. There's obviously a ton of hype around the project, after taking so many trophies. But will the new edit ruin it? We'll have to see. In the meantime, be sure to check out our 2019 release list to plan your next trip to the movies.

American Gods’ Ricky Whittle Has Had Talks About Playing Green Lantern

American Gods’ Ricky Whittle Has Had Talks About Playing Green Lantern

It’s no secret that Green Lantern’s theatrical debut wasn’t the hit that DC and Warner Bros were hoping for, as the hero’s 2011 movie was met with negative reception and didn’t make a profit. However, the Emerald Knight’s mythology is getting a chance at cinematic redemption with Green Lantern Corps, and in late 2017, Green Lantern writer Michael Green suggested that American Gods star Ricky Whittle would be a good actor to don the power ring next. Since then, Whittle has actually met with certain parties about playing Green Lantern, as he explained:

We know that Green Lantern Corps is coming out. I’ve had conversations, and to be in the conversation is a big honor. That's all I can really ever ask for. Lots of fans have been campaigning for me. If they can get me Green Lantern, too, we are going to have to do something special. I'm going to have to start doing tours in full costume and go and watch with all the fans. But, yeah, I would love to be a part of that world. Hopefully, they do it justice this time.

Remember that just because an actor has had conversations with people working on a movie doesn’t mean that said actor will necessarily obtain the role, but it’s definitely a step up from campaigning to play a character. Ricky Whittle is clearly interested in getting to be Green Lantern, so maybe he sends a better than most of obtaining the role. Of course, he’s currently starring as Shadow Moon on American Gods, but since that’s a premium cable show with less episodes compared to something on broadcast, that would presumably allow more freedom in his schedule to take on Green Lantern Corps (not to mention that there’s no word yet on if the Starz show will get a third season).

Announced back in 2014 as part of the initial slate of DC Extended Universe movies, Green Lantern Corps has been put on the back burner in recent years, but it is definitely still in the works. Geoff Johns, whose run on the Green Lantern comic book spanned nearly a decade and propelled the property to a new level of popularity, is writing the script. As for which Green Lantern he’d portray, Ricky Whittle also mentioned in his interview with Syfy Wire that’d he’d be up for playing John Stewart or Simon Baz, though he noted that bringing John in particular to life would “be the dream.” He continued:

It's a fantastic character, and an important character, if you read the comics in terms of human society and race and different issues that we are engulfed by in at the moment in America. You never know. If Geoff Johns is reading this, I am definitely up for it. I'm a huge fan. What I like is they are taking their time with it. They are not rushing it like with the first one. They are taking their time and doing it right, which is how it should be. It's in good hands with Geoff. Fingers crossed. Whatever he does, I'll be watching it, no matter what.

All we know for sure about Green Lantern Corps so far is that it will involve Hal Jordan and John Stewart teaming up, although back when the script was being written by David Goyer and Justin Rhodes, the project was described as “Lethal Weapon in space.” It’s unclear if that description still applies, but at the very least, Green Lantern Corps could be used to dive deep into the DCEU’s cosmic corners.

Green Lantern Corps was originally set for a 2020 release, but it’s currently undated, with Birds of Prey and Wonder Woman 1984 holding down the DC fort next year. Keep checking back with CinemaBlend for any major updates concerning Green Lantern Corps’ development.

Harrison Ford Has Very Blunt Opinions About The Future Of Indiana Jones

Harrison Ford Has Very Blunt Opinions About The Future Of Indiana Jones

We live in a remake and reboot culture. Will Smith is playing a genie role made famous by Robin Williams in Aladdin. Robert Pattinson reportedly has been cast as the next Batman, the latest in a long line. And even one of Harrison Ford’s most iconic roles, Han Solo, was played by the younger Alden Ehrenreich in Ron Howard’s Solo: A Star Wars Story. Almost any role can be recast, right? Well, not quite.

Perhaps Harrison Ford is annoyed that Han Solo was played by someone else. Because the veteran screen icon appeared on The TODAY Show this morning and was asked who he would like to see as the next Indiana Jones when he’s ready to hang up the whip and fedora. And Ford honestly answered:

Nobody is going to be Indiana Jones. Don’t you get it? I’m Indiana Jones. When I’m gone, he’s gone. It’s easy!

Ford was being playful, but he was also making it very clear. The role of Indiana Jones will always be his, and none of these young upstarts should be sizing themselves up for the archaeologist’s signature leather jacket any time soon. In fact, as the interview continued, Harrison Ford hilariously added:

This is a hell of a way to tell Chris Pine this. I’m sorry man!

That’s great. Perhaps this was a dig at the fact that Chris Pine did take one of Harrison Ford’s classic roles when he played Jack Ryan in the Tom Clancy story Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit. Or maybe it’s Ford always being asked about which young actor is going to move into his signature roles?

We have heard, over the years, the name Chris Pratt associated with the Indiana Jones role, maybe with him stepping in for a prequel story. However, as the casting of Alden Ehrenreich proved with Solo: A Star Wars Story, Ford leaves VERY big shoes to fill, and very few have the same on-screen charisma and swagger to play the parts that he has created.

If I were an up-and-coming actor, the last thing I’d want to do is try to redo Indiana Jones, a character who is so closely associated with Ford that anyone other than Harrison in the role feels like a crime. So you know what? Don’t do it. Listen to Harrison. When he’s gone, Indy is gone. I think fandom would be OK with that.

Here’s Ford, dropping truth bombs all over the set of The TODAY Show.

Harrison Ford isn’t ready to retire the role of Indiana Jones just yet. Disney has a release date for an untitled Indiana Jones 5 on July 9, 2021. Steven Spielberg is expected to direct, and Ford will be back in the lead. Since Ford is currently 76, we’re going to keep guessing that this will be his last time playing Indy, but we have assumed that in the past, and Ford has proven us wrong, so we shall see.

Avengers Infinity War Cast List: All The Confirmed Marvel Heroes And Villains

Avengers Infinity War Cast List: All The Confirmed Marvel Heroes And Villains

There's no denying it: Avengers: Infinity War will feature the largest cast for a Marvel movie yet. Building off everything that's happened in the Marvel Cinematic Universe since it launched in 2008, the movie will see the Avengers, Guardians of the Galaxy and more to fight the threat this franchise has been teasing for half a decade: Thanos. He's one of the greatest villains in the Marvel comics, and he'll finally prove why he's so formidable on the silver screen.

There's still a lot that hasn't been revealed yet about Avengers: Infinity War, including how it connects to 2019's Avengers 4. Fortunately, one area where there's plenty of information is castings. While Marvel is remaining tight-lipped on the new characters who will appear (including who Peter Dinklage and Terry Notary are playing), there have been numerous confirmations about characters who will be returning. Let's take a look at all the MCU heroes and villains who will definitely be back for Avengers: Infinity War.

Thanos

Thanos stayed on the sidelines for five years now, but in 2018, he'll finally prove why he's the overarching antagonist of the MCU. After several of his minions failed to retrieve the Infinity Stones on his behalf, the Mad Titan decided at the end of Avengers: Age of Ultron to take his Infinity Gauntlet out of the vault and secure them himself. If he succeeds, Thanos will be able rewrite all of reality, and like his comic book counterpart, he may be doing this to court Death.

Iron Man

Iron Man has been part of the MCU since the beginning, so it would be weird if he didn't participate in Avengers: Infinity War. Tony Stark has been through a lot over nearly a decade, from becoming a superhero and walking away from war profiteering to working with the government on registering enhanced individuals. Tony is still continuing his Iron Man duties and trying to keep the world safe, so bet on him being at the front lines and breaking out his best tech yet to fight Thanos.

Captain America

Captain America has been one of the MCU's most cherished heroes for decades, but as of Captain America: Civil War, Steve Rogers has abandoned his patriotic mantle and is on the run due to his anti-registration activities. Despite his current predicament, Steve is still someone who will do the right thing no matter what. So when Thanos comes to Earth, he'll jump back into action to keep the innocent safe, which hopefully means picking up his vibranium shield again.

Thor

Even though he hasn't been involved with the Avengers for a while, Thor's been keeping himself busy. Along with departing Earth at the end of Avengers: Age of Ultron to learn about the Infinity Stones, he also has to deal with what's coming up in Thor: Ragnarok, which includes finding Odin, surviving Sakaar and preventing Hela from destroying all of Asgardian civilization. The God of Thunder will be put through the ringer this fall, but rest assured, he'll be ready for battle during Avengers: Infinity War.

Hulk

Like Thor, Hulk's been out of the game for a little bit, but moviegoers will reunite with him in Thor: Ragnarok, where he'll battle Thor on Sakaar and then team up with the God of Thunder. Then he'll take part in both Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers 4, which, according to Mark Ruffalo, form with Ragnarok to make a standalone Hulk story. That's fine and dandy, but no doubt what many Marvel fans want most from the Green Goliath in this tale is for him to go mano a mano with Thanos.

Spider-Man

Spider-Man is a still new to the MCU, but his decades-long popularity has ensured that he's already a major player in the MCU. After being recruited by Tony Stark in Captain America: Civil War, Peter Parker is returning in Spider-Man: Homecoming to put his technologically-enhanced Spider-suit to good use and a gang of thieves with their own special tech, led by The Vulture. We don't know yet how that story will play out, but it certainly looks like it will strengthen Peter's character, making him a more effective superhero for when Avengers: Infinity War rolls around.

Star-Lord

Peter Quill was taken from Earth almost 30 years ago, and although he's led a life of excitement since then, he still hasn't returned to home. With two adventures under his belt with the other Guardians of the Galaxy, the self-named Star-Lord will finally have to head back to Earth in Avengers: Infinity War when Thanos starts wreaking havoc. Since he's been gone for so long, it will be interesting to see how Peter reacts to modern day pop culture, like learning how the Zune isn't the most popular music player like he was led to believe.

Gamora

Gamora was the first of Thanos' "children" to leave his side, and it's a good thing she did, because now she's putting her skills to good use as a Guardian of the Galaxy. Because of her time with the Mad Titan, Gamora will prove invaluable in fighting him and his forces during Avengers: Infinity War. Of course, since she was also Thanos' favorite daughter, that makes her betrayal sting even more for him, so if they cross paths, you can bet that "daddy" is going to have some words for Gamora, to put it as lightly as possible.

Drax

Drax the Destroyer helped with destroying Ronan, the Kree fanatic who killed his wife and daughter. However, Drax told Gamora at the end of Guardians of the Galaxy that Ronan was just a pawn, and for his vengeance to truly be carried out, he would need to kill Thanos. Drax's desire for revenge wasn't mentioned in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, but you can bet that if sees Thanos in Avengers: Infinity War, he'll try his hardest to eliminate the intergalactic warlord.

Nebula

It took Nebula a little longer to leave Thanos' side, and even longer for her to work out her issues with Gamora. Fortunately the sisters were on good terms by the time Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 concluded, but rather than stick with the Guardians, Nebula departed to begin her quest to kill Thanos. She'll have to contend with Drax trying to fulfill that same objective, but at least we can count on Nebula being an ally during Avengers: Infinity War rather than trying to hurt the other Guardians.

Rocket

Rocket is arguably the biggest smart-ass in the MCU. Yes, dare I say it, even more so than Tony Stark. But after two Guardians of the Galaxy movies, he finally seems to realize that his connections to his fellow Guardians aren't easily broken. Now that his relationship fears have been dealt with, we can count on him providing his weaponry expertise in the showdown against Thanos. There's also concept art of Rocket fighting alongside Thor, so expect him to insult the God of Thunder's hair, or something along those lines.

Groot

It was fun seeing Baby Groot in action during Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, but one of the sequel's mid-credits scenes showed that the walking and talking tree is still growing and currently in his teenage phase. Groot will still be in his adolescent phase during Avengers: Infinity War, though perhaps something in either this movie or Avengers 4 will trigger a growth spurt. In any case, if we're lucky, maybe we can see him and Hulk battling some of Thanos' goons side by side, though so far the only other Marvel hero seen alongside the Guardians of the Galaxy in this movie is Thor.

Mantis

Mantis spent most of her life being forced to serve Ego, but now that Peter Quill's father is no more, she has joined the Guardians of the Galaxy. It's unclear if her empathic abilities will come in handy during Avengers: Infinity War, but at least she can now help other with her power rather than serve a sinister Celestial. We also don't have to worry about her being killed off, as she'll be back with the other Guardians in Guardians of the Galaxy 3.

The Collector

Thanos isn't the only one who wants to gather the six Infinity Stones together. Taneleer Tivan, a.k.a. The Collector, has also been eagerly seeking those powerful artifacts, and even though he lost the Orb, a.k.a. Power Stone, when his collection was destroyed, he presumably still has the Aether, a.k.a. the Reality Stone, which he received in Thor: The Dark World. So far, we've only seen The Collector as an eccentric alien who enjoys gathering things for his museum, but maybe we'll see him show off some of his incredible powers in Avengers: Infinity War.

Vision

Vision is one of the newer superheroes in the MCU, but as far as Thanos is concerned, he's arguably the most important Avenger. Vision was born in Avengers: Age of Ultron when the Mind Stone was implanted in the synthetic body that contained J.A.R.V.I.S.'s programming. It's thanks to the Mind Stone that he's so powerful, but it also means that Thanos will immediately seek Vision out to rip the Stone from his forehead. One would assume this would kill Vision, but we won't know for sure until next year.

Loki

Loki struck an alliance with Thanos in The Avengers to secure the Tesseract, a.k.a. the Space Stone, in exchange for the Chitauri army conquering Earth for him. Not only did the Asgardian God of Mischief fail to deliver the Tesseract to the Mad Titan, his invasion was vanquished and he lost the Mind Stone in the process. Since then, Loki has taken over the Asgardian throne in Thor: The Dark World and will play an integral role in Thor: Ragnarok, but we don't know yet how he'll fit into Avengers: Infinity War.

Doctor Strange

Most of the special abilities in the Marvel Cinematic Universe have stemmed from science or cosmic forces, but Doctor Strange fully pulled back the curtain on magic and mysticism. Now that he's the master of New York's Sanctum Sanctorum, Stephen Strange has been keeping track of individuals who could threaten Earth, and Thanos is likely at the top of the list. The Avengers and Guardians of the Galaxy certainly aren't lacking for brute force, but maybe Doctor Strange's magic could be integral to defeating the Mad Titan.

Black Panther

T'Challa inherited the Black Panther mantle after his father was killed in Captain America: Civil War, and now that T'Chaka's murderer (Helmut Zemo) is in prison, the prince has gone back to his homeland, Wakanda. The Black Panther movie will follow T'Challa as he battles sinister forces aiming to bring down the Wakandan kingdom, but he won't have long to rest after afterwards, because he'll be participating in Avengers: Infinity War only a few months later.

Black Widow

Black Widow has been one of the MCU's most popular superheroes since being introduced in Iron Man 2, and while she still hasn't been given her own solo movie yet, she remains an important character in these ensemble pieces. When we last saw Natasha Romanoff, she'd gone on the run after helping Steve Rogers and Bucky Barnes escape. Black Widow is skilled at staying hidden, but we suspect that when Thanos arrives on Earth, she'll return to help her comrades.

Scarlet Witch

Scarlet Witch is one of the most powerful humans on Earth, but she was still captured during Captain America: Civil War's airport battle. Thankfully, Steve Rogers freed her and the other anti-registration supporters from The Raft. It's unclear whether Wanda Maximoff accompanied Steve and Bucky Barnes to Wakanda, or decided to avoid the authorities solo, but when Avengers: Infinity War unfolds, hopefully her psionic abilities will help even the playing field in this epic battle.

Falcon

Falcon has been loyal to Steve Rogers ever since they met in Captain America: The Winter Soldier, so it was no surprise to see the winged hero fight by the Star Spangled Avenger's side in Captain America: Civil War. Now that Sam Wilson is no longer imprisoned on The Raft, it's likely he's continuing to fight the good fight with Captain America in secret, but you can count on Sam busting out his wings and Redwing drone to battle Thanos' minions.

Winter Soldier

At the end of Captain America: Civil War, Bucky Barnes was still on the run from the world's governments for his past crimes as the brainwashed Winter Soldier. Seeking refuge in Wakanda with Steve Rogers, Bucky decided to go back into cold storage until the Wakandan scientists could figure out how to overwrite HYDRA's lingering programming. While there's been some fan speculation that Bucky could reawaken during the Black Panther movie, it's more likely he'll be thawed sometime during Avengers: Infinity War.

Nick Fury

Even though he's no longer S.H.I.E.L.D.'s director, Nick Fury has been continuing his spy activities following Captain America: The Winter Soldier. He reemerged in Avengers: Age of Ultron to help evacuate Sokovia, but his whereabout since then haven't been revealed. Hopefully Avengers: Infinity War will shed light on what he's been up to, but at the very least, it will be good to see him reunited with the superhero group he recruited years ago.

Maria Hill

After S.H.I.E.L.D. fell apart (well, on the big screen, at least), Maria Hill went to work for Tony Stark, and she was seen aiding Earth's Mightiest Heroes in Avengers: Age of Ultron. Despite helping set up the team's new base in New York, Maria was nowhere to be see in Captain America: Civil War, so it's unclear if she's still working with them, focusing solely on Stark Industries business or is operating elsewhere. In any case, her secret agent skills may prove valuable during the big event.

Wong

Wong was one of Stephen Strange's three mentors in Doctor Strange, and with The Ancient One dead and Karl Mordo taking power away from sorcerers, Kamar-Taj's librarian is now the former surgeon's closest magical ally. Wong is also familiar with the Infinity Stones, as he identified the Eye of Agamotto as being one of them (the Time Stone) to Stephen. With the Eye back in its resting place, perhaps Wong will be the one defending it when Thanos tries to steal it.

M'Baku

In the comics, M'Baku, better known as Man-Ape, is one of Black Panther's chief villains. All that's been revealed about the MCU's M'Baku is that he's the leader of a rival Wakandan tribe, so it remains to be seen if he'll be an antagonist in the Black Panther movie (like Erik Killmonger and Ulysses Klaue) or merely have differing views from the hero. In any case, we can expect him back for Avengers: Infinity War, and if we're lucky, he'll put aside his differences with T'Challa and defend Wakanda from Thanos' army.

Okoye

We learned a little bit about the Dora Milaje in Captain America: Civil War, and all indications are that we'll learn even more about them when Ryan Coogler opens the doors to Wakanda in his Black Panther movie. As that happens, we'll get closer to Okoye, the leader of this military group and a fiercely loyal supporter of King T'Challa. If the battle against Thanos works its way to Wakanda (as is expected), then Okoye will fight alongside Black Panther and the rest of the Avengers -- as it has recently been confirmed that actress Danai Gurira will, in fact, be part of the Avengers: Infinity War cast.

Proxima Midnight

Thanos is the ultimate big bad that the Avengers and Guardians of the Galaxy will have to face-off against in The Avengers: Infinity War - but the Mad Titan isn't totally alone in his quest to assemble the Infinity Gauntlet. Rather, he actually has a group known as the Black Order that is dedicated to helping him take over the universe. Proxima Midnight is one member of this four-person team and is not only an immensely skilled warrior, but can do some serious damage with the powerful spear that she likes to chuck around.

Corvus Glaive

Corvus Glaive is the second member of Thanos' Black Order, and is actually the husband of Proxima Midnight. He is considered the leader of the Mad Titan's subordinates, and serves as the purple alien's right-hand man. His name actually comes from the weapon he wields - a glaive - and just by itself it makes him a seriously scary threat. As you can see in the image above, it has the power to cut through anything, including Vision's head, presumably allowing him access to the precious Mind Stone.

Ebony Maw

Another member of the Black Order, Ebony Maw is admittedly not much of a physical threat, As you can see, he's not exactly super ripped. That, however, should not make you underestimate just how powerful he is. He may not have giant muscles, but what he does possess is a special power of persuasion - able to whisper in ears and get things done. So while Iron Man or Captain America could just punch him in the face to knock him out, they are in serious trouble if he successfully sneaks up on them and starts telling them what to do.

Black Dwarf

Also known as Cull Obsidian, Black Dwarf is the fourth and final member of the Black Order - and kind of the opposite of Ebony Maw. He is by far the biggest of Thanos' minions, and able to throw a seriously hefty punch that even Hulk would be affected by. With his might combined with his teammates' combined strength, the Avengers and Guardians of the Galaxy are definitely in trouble.

Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge Will Let You Damage The Millennium Falcon In An Amazing Way

Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge Will Let You Damage The Millennium Falcon In An Amazing Way

One of the first things we learned about Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge's Millennium Falcon attraction was that it would be possible to bring the iconic ship back in great shape, and it would also be possible to bring the ship back severely damaged, depending on how you and your flight crew performed your duties. However, beyond a few passing comments, we had little idea exactly what that meant. Today at Star Wars Celebration we learned a little more about what can happen after your flight in the Falcon is finished, and how you'll be able to see just how good, or bad, a job you did.

Asa Kalama is the executive creative director at Walt Disney Imagineering and is in charge of Millennium Falcon: Smuggler's Run, and he revealed that the experience of flying the Falcon doesn't end when you leave the cockpit. Instead, as you exit down the Falcon's main hallway, that we've seen countless times before in the movies, that hallway will actually look different depending on what happened on your trip. According to Kalama...

One of the amazing things about this experience is actually, even when it’s over the story continues. So as you make your way out of the cockpit at the end of your amazing smuggling adventure, even that iconic hallway that you make your way through., it’s going to look different depending on how you fly. If you’ve had a beautiful, clean run, that hallway’s going to be in pristine condition. If you’ve banged into every possible thing there was to bang into and taken a volley of laser blasts, lights are going to be broken, we’re going to hear sparks flying, we’re going to hear comm chatter about the incredible damage that you managed to cause to the ship.

The idea that the results of your Smuggler's Run experience would continue after the attraction ended had been part of the description of the attraction since early on, but what we heard about most was that you might run into somebody at Oga's Cantina who could respond to you in a particular way based on your experience, but this is the first we've heard that the Falcon itself would show the results of your ride.

Star Wars Celebration did show off the hallway in question in good condition, we didn't get a chance to see how it will be different if you do a bad job..

Everything else we know about how your Smuggler's Run experience will impact the rest of your time on Batuu involves the idea that cast members or animatronics might react to you differently based on how well you did on the ride. We also got to see more of the Hondo Okana animatronic that will be part of the attraction. Asa Kalama spoke about how Okana himself will react to you if you beat up his ship too much.

It’s important that you do what you can to bring the ship back in good working order. Hondo Onaka, he’s a phenomenal boss, but he doesn’t take too kindly to those bringing his ship back in rough shape.

The more we hear about Stars Wars: Galaxy's Edge, the more exciting it becomes. We'll finally get a chance to experience it all when the new land comes to Disneyland May 31 and Walt Disney World August 29.

JK Rowling Is Releasing Four New Harry Potter E-Books

JK Rowling Is Releasing Four New Harry Potter E-Books

There are few franchises quite as beloved as Harry Potter. What started with JK Rowling's acclaimed seven-book series has expanded to a massive property that includes movies, theme parks, and even a set of Broadway plays. Rowling is showing no signs of slowing down the Wizarding World, especially as the Universal theme parks add more attractions and the Fantastic Beasts franchise continues its tenure in theaters.

To the surprise and joy of the generations of Potterheads out there, it now looks like JK Rowling is releasing four new E-books set within the magical world of Harry Potter. While they're not sequels or focused on Harry and his friends, they'll shine a light on the history of magic within the canon.

The books are titled Harry Potter: A Journey Through... each focusing on a different aspect of Magical History: Divination, Magical Creatures, Potions & Herbology, and Charms/Defense Against The Dark Arts. The e-books are inspired by the British Library's Harry Potter exhibition, and the books about magical history which accompanied it.

This news comes to us from Pottermore, the go-to source for all things Harry Potter. The first of these new e-books will be available on June 27th, and Charms and Defense Against the Dark Arts, and Potions and Herbology will be the first two additions to the Wizarding World. Since it'll be some time before Fantastic Beasts 3 arrives in theaters, this is the perfect way to satiate the still rabid fanbase.

Since Harry Potter And The Sorcerer's Stone hit bookshelves in 1997, JK Rowling's Wizarding World hasn't stopped capturing the imaginations of generations. The kids who waited for each of the seven books to arrive can now pass it down to their children. And with the Fantastic Beasts movies and Harry Potter And The Cursed Child continuing the narrative that began those decades ago, the franchise remains at the top of the pop culture lexicon.

Related: Harry Potter’s J.K. Rowling Is Worried She Might Die Before She Finishes All Her Projects

Movies, plays, and amusement parks are one thing, but the true magic (pun intended) of the franchise has always been on the page. The Harry Potter movies did a great job at adapting JK Rowling's novels, but the books are filled with much more detail, allowing the universe to be more fleshed out. As such, new literature usually flies off of shelves. And in this case, fly into tablets and smart phones.

Harry Potter: A Journey Through will give the fandom a chance to get deep into the lore of the Wizarding World, and explain some of the magical events from the Harry Potter franchise. Every self-respective Potterhead has been waiting for their letter from Hogwarts, so being able to get some magical education through the new e-books is an opportunity that few are going to pass on.

The first two Harry Potter: A Journey Through e-books will be available on June 27th, and Fantastic Beasts 3 is currently set to arrive on November 12th, 2021. In the meantime, check out our 2019 release list.