Monday, August 31, 2015

Bill Murray Reveals Why He Took a 'Ghostbusters' Cameo

Red Carpet Studio - 2015 Laureus World Sports Awards - ShanghaiThe specter of the original "Ghostbusters" franchise has always loomed over the upcoming all-female reboot, especially when it came to the approval of stars Dan Aykroyd and Bill Murray. But while Aykroyd was always enthusiastic about director Paul Feig's project, Murray always seemed a bit less so, until word broke that he (along with Aykroyd) had both thrown his support behind the flick, and would appear in a cameo.

So what changed Murray's mind about returning to the franchise? Vulture caught up with the elusive actor to chat about his thought process, and it turns out that it was pretty careful, if a bit drawn-out. He explained:

I thought about it for a very long time. Like, many, many months. No, that's not right. I was seriously thinking about this for years, really ... It kept eating at me, and I really respect those girls. And then I started to feel like if I didn't do this movie, maybe somebody would write a bad review or something, thinking there was some sort of disapproval [on my part].

Also part of what influenced his change of heart, Murray said, was that he found it "tough to say no to" the cast and Feig, especially when the project enlisted Melissa McCarthy and Kristen Wiig to star. "I like those girls a lot," he told Vulture of the comediennes.

"You know, they were incredibly nice to ask me, and I really enjoyed being there," Murray said of working on the flick, which also stars "SNL" vets Kate McKinnon, and Leslie Jones. "They have such a jolly group, and they are going to have great success with this project. I didn't want to overshadow [them] or anything, and I feel really good about it."

According to Vulture, Murray won't be reprising his role as Dr. Peter Venkman, but will instead play "a character out to debunk the new 'Ghostbusters' crew." Either way, we can't wait to see the star back in 'bustin mode (even if he's 'busting the 'busters).

"Ghostbusters" hits theaters on July 15, 2016.

[via: Vulture]

Photo credit: Getty Images for Laureus



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President Obama Will Go 'Running Wild with Bear Grylls' in Alaska

US-POLITICS-OBAMAPresident Barack Obama has never shied away from embracing pop culture throughout his presidency. Now, the commander-in-chief is giving reality TV a try, too.

NBC reports that Obama will appear on an upcoming episode of "Running Wild with Bear Grylls," and will tape the segment during his trip to Alaska. The POTUS will reportedly chat with Grylls about his plans to combat climate change -- but also enjoy some survivalist fun, too.

"Obama - the first sitting president to visit the Alaskan Arctic - will get a tutorial in survival techniques and talk about environmental issues as part of the White House's focus on the impact of climate change," according to NBC.com. "The president's trip to Alaska will be full of opportunities to get up close and personal with nature. He's slated to tread on a receding glacier, chat with coastal villagers whose homes are threatened by eroding shorelines and speak with salmon fishermen whose livelihoods are endangered."

Obama arrived in Alaska on Monday, is slated to visit for three days. His episode of "Running Wild" will air on NBC sometime later this year, on a date TBA. (Here's hoping it's as awesome as Kate Winslet's recent appearance.)

[via: NBC]

Photo credit: AFP/Getty Images



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What's New on TV, Netflix, Digital, and DVD/Blu-ray This Week: August 31-September 6

At a loss for what to watch this week? From new DVDs and Blu-rays, to what's streaming on Netflix, we've got you covered.

New on DVD and Blu-ray

"Mad Max: Fury Road"
Tuesday, September 1 will be a lovely day -- oh, what a lovely day! -- 'cause that's when Warner Bros. Home Entertainment releases "Fury Road" on 2D Blu-ray, 3D Blu-ray, and DVD. Here are the special features on both Blu-ray editions: "Maximum Fury: Filming Fury Road," "Mad Max: Fury on Four Wheels," "The Road Warriors: Max and Furiosa," "The Tools of the Wasteland," "The Five Wives: So Shiny, So Chrome," "Fury Road: Crash & Smash," and deleted scenes. The "Mad Max 4-Film Blu-ray Anthology" will also be on sale September 1, including "Mad Max," "The Road Warrior," "Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome" and "Mad Max: Fury Road" on Blu-ray, plus the documentary "Madness of Max" on DVD, and "Mad Max Anthology" trading cards. Whew!

"The Surface"
Sean Astin, Chris Mulkey, and Mimi Rogers star in this action drama, which is available on DVD, VOD, and Digital HD on September 1. When a plane crashes in the waters of Lake Michigan, the pilot is pulled from the wreckage by Mitch (Sean Astin), who has been stranded on his boat. Immediately suspicious of each other, these two strangers must overcome their differences to find a way back to shore. (Maybe just call Gandalf for help?)

"Blood Punch"
"Power Rangers RPM" stars Milo Cawthorne, Olivia Tennet and Ari Boyland reunite in this bloody thriller centered on a murderous love triangle that takes a shocking, supernatural turn. Catch it on DVD, Digital HD and VOD starting September 1.


New Video on Demand, Rental Streaming, and Digital Only

"Pitch Perfect 2"
You may have seen the aca-amazing news that "Pitch Perfect 3" is happening, so why not catch up on the most recent blockbuster when it comes out on Digital HD on Tuesday, September 1? Or you can wait three weeks and get "Pitch Perfect 2" on Blu-ray and DVD on September 21.

"Spy"
Melissa McCarthy plays a desk-bound CIA analyst who volunteers to go undercover to prevent global disaster in Paul Feig's hilarious action comedy, which comes out on Digital HD September 4. Jude Law, Jason Statham, Rose Byrne, Bobby Cannavale, Allison Janney and Morena Baccarin co-star. Once again, the digital release is several weeks before the DVD/Blu-ray drop, which comes on September 29.

"Game of Thrones"
HBO is releasing the most recent season of "Game of Thrones" -- which just ended in June -- on Digital HD on August 31, seven months before the Blu-ray and DVD release on March 15, 2016. They've never done that before. What do you get with the download? "Game of Thrones: The Complete Fifth Season" bonus features include "Introduction to Dorne," "Poisons of Westeros," "A Day in the Life," "The Weapons of Dorne," "Invitation to the Set," "Set Design," "New Characters & Locations," Season 4 Recap and the trailer. FYI, those first two listed features are never-before-seen pieces available exclusively with the Digital HD release.

"Hand of God"
Amazon Prime is streaming Season 1 of this original drama series starting September 4. Ron Perlman stars as Pernell Harris, a morally corrupt judge who suffers a breakdown and believes God is compelling him onto a path of vigilante justice. Dana Delany, Andre Royo, and Garret Dillahunt co-star.

"Poltergeist"
Producer Sam Raimi backed this contemporary version of the 1982 horror classic, and it's out on Digital HD September 4, before the Blu-ray/DVD release on September 29. Sam Rockwell, Rosemarie DeWitt, Jared Harris and Jane Adams star in the 2015 movie, and it might be fun to do a binge night, watching both the original and the remake back-to-back.


New on Netflix

"Puffin Rock"
Netflix will start streaming this animated 13-episode preschool series on September 1. "Puffin Rock" is set on a beautiful island off the coast of Ireland. Here's the description: "Oona is a charismatic and plucky young puffling, who along with her ever-curious little brother Baba, explores the diverse array of sea, sky, land and underground creatures. The series introduces a combination of preschool themes and soft natural history learnings to young viewers. Actor Chris O'Dowd narrates the English language version, with a diverse group of international talent narrating in other languages across the globe." Here's the trailer:


"Hamlet"
The 1990 Franco Zeffirelli version of Shakespeare's tragedy -- starring Mel Gibson, Glenn Close and Helena Bonham Carter -- hits Netflix September 1.

"Up in the Air"
George Clooney, Anna Kendrick and Vera Farmiga star in this ... can we call it a modern classic? Let's do it ... modern classic about corporate downsizing and human connections. It is also coming to Netflix September 1.




TV Worth Watching

"Wild" (Saturday on HBO at 8 p.m.)
Watch Reese Witherspoon's Oscar-nominated performance as Cheryl Strayed when "Wild" has its "Saturday night premiere" September 5 on HBO. You can also watch it on HBO NOW, if you just have the streaming service.

"Drunk History" (Tuesday on Comedy Central at 10:30 p.m.)
Comedy Central's hilarious history lessons resume with "New Jersey," which premieres September 1. According to the Season 3 premiere synopsis, "rival paleontologists Edward Cope and Othniel Marsh clash over fossil discoveries; and physicists Arno Penzias and Robert Wilson find evidence of the big bang."

"The Impractical Jokers LIVE Punishment Special" (Thursday on truTV at 10 p.m.)
In celebration of the 100th episode of truTV's "Impractical Jokers," the Jokers (Joe, Sal, Q, and Murr) take on their most challenging dare yet -- an epic high-wire walk five stories in the air above New York City during the show's first ever live punishment extravaganza. Howie Mandel is hosting the big September 3 event.

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What's Leaving Netflix in September 2015

As you've likely heard, a slew of high-profile movies, including "The Hunger Games: Catching Fire" and "World War Z" are leaving Netflix in September, thanks to the expiration of a deal with Epix.

Also going bye-bye, TV series including "Coach," "Undeclared," and Britcom "The IT Crowd."

Leaving September 1
"Agent Cody Banks 2: Destination London" (2004)
"Bratz: Rock Angelz" (2005)
"Care Bears: Big Wish Movie" (2005)
"Care Bears: Journey to Joke-a-Lot" (2004)
"Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" (2000)
"Curious George 2: Follow That Monkey!" (2009)
"Doomsday Preppers": Season 1-3
"Electrick Children" (2012)
"FernGully: The Last Rainforest" (1992)
"Ink Master": Season 2
"Jackie Brown" (1997)
"Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels" (1998)
"Mortal Kombat: The Movie" (1995)
"Patch Adams" (1998)
"Perfume: The Story of a Murderer" (2006)
"Rugrats in Paris: The Movie" (2000)
"Rules of Engagement" (2000)
"Rumpelstiltskin" (1987)
"Sarah's Choice" (2009)
"School of Rock" (2003)
"She's the One" (1996)
"Sleepless in Seattle" (1993)
"The IT Crowd": Series 1-4
"The Lost Boys" (1987)
"Total Recall" (1990)
"W." (2008)

Leaving September 2
"Cheech & Chong's Hey Watch This" (2010)

Leaving September 3
"Dinosaurs": Seasons 1-4

Leaving September 4
"Delta Farce" (2007)

Leaving September 5
"Marilyn in Manhattan" (2012)

Leaving September 7
"Ramsay's Best Restaurant": Season 1

Leaving September 9
"Bratz: Friendship Is Always in Style" (2014)
"Kicking It" (2008)

Leaving September 10
"100 Below Zero" (2013)
"Becoming Chaz" (2010)
"Crash & Bernstein": Season 1-2
"War Witch" (2012)

Leaving September 13
"High Fidelity" (2000)

Leaving September 14
"Corky Romano" (2001)

Leaving September 15
"Best of Teletubbies"
"Bratz: The Video: Starrin' & Stylin'" (2004)
"Coach": Seasons 1-9
"Spiral": Season 4
"Valhalla" (2013)

Leaving September 16
"Hank: Five Years from the Brink" (2013)
"The Slap": Season 1

Leaving September 20
"Reporter" (2009)

Leaving September 22
"National Geographic: Inside Guantanamo" (2009)
"National Geographic: The Battle for Midway" (1999)

Leaving September 26
"Indy 500: The Inside Line" (2011)
"Lethal Force" (2011)
"Ron White: A Little Unprofessional"(2012)

Leaving September 27
"LEGO Ninjago: Masters of Spinjitzu": Season 1-2
"My Boys": Season 1-4

Leaving September 28
"Undeclared": The Complete Series

Leaving September 29
"Bratz: Desert Jewelz" (2011)
"Comic Book Men": Season 2
"Coriolanus" (2011)

Leaving September 30
"Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues" (2013)
"Apocalypse Now" (1979)
"Hercules" (2014)
"If I Stay" (2014)
"Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit" (2014)
"Jackass Presents: Bad Grandpa"(2013)
"Nebraska" (2013)
"The Prince" (2014)
"The Skeleton Twins" (2014)
"Saved!" (2004)
"Star Trek: The Motion Picture" (1979)
"Star Trek Into Darkness" (2013)
"The Expendables 3" (2014)
"The Good Guy" (2010)
"The Hunger Games: Catching Fire" (2013)
"The Wolf of Wall Street" (2013)
"Transformers: Age of Extinction" (2014)
"World War Z" (2013)

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9 Celebs We Want to See on 'Dancing With the Stars'


Casting announcements for "Dancing With the Stars" Season 21 have been trickling in over the past week, and so far we know we can expect to see names like Paula Deen and Chaka Kahn vying for a mirrorball trophy soon. This got to thinking about our own "DWTS" wish list... Who would we love to see in glitzy garb attempting their best pasodoble? Here are 9 celebs we want to see on "Dancing With the Stars."



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What's New on Netflix for September 2015

New to Netflix in September are two kinds of undead: Season 5 of "The Walking Dead" and the revived-from-cancellation A&E series, "Longmire," which was saved by Netflix.

As far as movies, there's the restored version of the Oscar-winning 1962 epic "Lawrence of Arabia," Wes Anderson's "Moonrise Kingdom," the first three "Rambo" films, the terrific "The Bank Job" with Jason Statham and "Mandela: The Long Walk to Freedom" with Idris Elba.

There are also period dramas you might have missed from last year with Jessica Chastain ("Miss Julie") and Mia Wasikowska ("Madame Bovary") and hey, "The Adventures of Sharkboy and Lavagirl!"

Available September 1
"72 Dangerous Animals Australia": Season 1 (2014)
"CombustiĆ³n" (2013)
"Da Jammies": Season 1
"Giggle and Hoot's Best Ever!" (2014)
"Hamlet" (1990)
"Hardball" (2001)
"Heather McDonald: I Don't Mean To Brag" (2014)
"Lawrence of Arabia: Restored Version" (1962)
"Los Hombres tambiƩn lloran": Season 1
"Masters of the Universe" (1987)
"Mississippi Damned" (2009)
"Mister Rogers' Neighborhood": Volume 1
"Mouk": Season 1
"Our Man in Tehran" (2013)
"Pandas: The Journey Home" (2014)
"Person of Interest": Seasons 1-3
"Puffin Rock" (Netflix original series)
"Rambo: First Blood" (1982)
"Rambo: First Blood Part II" (1985)
"Rambo III: Ultimate Edition" (1988)
"Sleepy Hollow" (1999)
"The Adventures of Sharkboy and Lavagirl" (2005)
"The League": Season 6
"The Monster Squad" (1987)
"Up in the Air" (2009)
"Zathura" (2005)

Available September 2
"
Black or White" (2014)
"Miss Julie" (2014)

Available September 3
"
Drumline: A New Beat" (2014)

Available September 4
"
Bad Night" (2015)
"Madame Secretary": Season 1

Available September 8
"6 Years" (2015)

Available September 9
"
Teen Beach Movie 2" (2015)
"Longmire: Season 4 (Netflix original series)

Available September 10
"Fugitivos": Season 1

Available September 11
"
About Elly" (2009)
"God Bless the Child" (2015)
"Madame Bovary" (2014)

Available September 12
"
It Happened Here" (2015)
"Portlandia": Season 5
"The Roughnecks" (2014)
"Why Did I Get Married?" (2007)

Available September 13
"Comedy Bang! Bang!": Season 4, Part 2

Available September 14
"
The Bank Job" (2008)
"Call the Midwife": Series 4
"The Road Within" (2015)

Available September 15
"Cowspiracy: The Sustainability Secret" (2014)
"Moonrise Kingdom" (2012)
"Reservation Road" (2007)
"The Blacklist": Season 2

Available September 17
"
The Mysteries of Laura": Season 1

Available September 18
"
Keith Richards: Under the Influence" (Netflix original documentary)

Available September 21
"
Gotham": Season 1
"The Following": Season 3

Available September 22
"
Philomena" (2013)
"Person of Interest": Season 4
"SMOSH: The Movie" (2015)

Available September 23
"
The Loft" (2015)

Available September 24
"
Iris" (2014)

Available September 25
"
Blue Bloods": Season 5
"Hawaii Five-0": Season 5
"Parenthood": Season 6
"Veggietales in the House" (Netflix Original Series)

Available September 26
"
The Canyons" (2013)

Available September 27
"
The Walking Dead": Season 5

Available September 29
"
Bones": Season 10
"Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom" (2013)
"R.L. Stine's Monsterville: Cabinet of Souls" (2015)

Available September 30
"
Agatha Christie's Poirot": Series 12



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'Catching Fire' and All Other Epix Movies Leaving Netflix for Hulu

'Catching Fire' Photos: Three New Pics Feature Katniss, Prim, and Gale
Love "The Hunger Games: Catching Fire?" You only have until the end of September to stream it and a slew of other movies like "World War Z" as Netflix's deal with Epix is expiring. The Epix movies will now be on Hulu, per Variety.

As Ted Sarandos, Chief Content Officer at Netflix, posted Sunday on the Netflix blog, "We have decided not to renew our agreement in the US with Epix, the cable network, which means that some high profile movies including 'Hunger Games: Catching Fire,' 'World War Z' and 'Transformers: Age of Extinction,' will expire at the end of September in the US. If you want to see them on Netflix US, now is the time."

He explains that most of these movies are available on other platforms and that Netflix is focusing on more original content. "Through our original films and some innovative licensing arrangements with the movie studios, we are aiming to build a better movie experience for you... We know some of you will be disappointed by the expiration of the Epix movies. Our goal is to provide great movies and TV series for all tastes, that are only available on Netflix. We're confident you'll enjoy our ever-improving catalogue."

He urges viewers to check out "Narcos," Netflix's new original series about druglord Pablo Escobar and upcoming new content from Adam Sandler. That's right, the controversial "Ridiculous Six," where several Native-American actors stormed off the set in protest.

But wait, there's also Cary Fukunaga's "Beasts of No Nation," Brad Pitt's "War Machine" and a Cambodia-based Angelina Jolie movie, per Variety.

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Summer Box Office 2015: Winners and Losers

This weekend, "Straight Outta Compton" enjoyed a three-peat atop the box office chart, easily defeating three new wide releases. Which means that the end of summer is, sadly, finally here. So it's time to assess what will probably be Hollywood's most lucrative summer ever. Here are the winners and losers of the season.

Winner: The Overall Domestic Box Office

As of Sunday, the total summer take stands at $4.72 billion. That's up 14 percent from last year at this time, and slightly ahead of the $4.63 billion earned by August 30 of 2013, the previous record-holding summer.

Loser: Movie Stars

Arguably, only one of the summer's top 10 movies (Tom Cruise's "Mission: Impossible: Rogue Nation") depended a lot on star power to sell tickets. The rest (including "Jurassic World," "Avengers: Age of Ultron," "Minions," "Pitch Perfect 2," "Ant-Man," "Mad Max: Fury Road," and "Straight Outta Compton") were sold based on their ensemble casts or their premises. Meanwhile, stars like George Clooney ("Tomorrowland"), Bradley Cooper and Emma Stone ("Aloha"), Mark Wahlberg ("Ted 2"), Adam Sandler ("Pixels"), Channing Tatum ("Magic Mike XXL"), Reese Witherspoon ("Hot Pursuit"), and Meryl Streep ("Ricki and the Flash") found they weren't big enough draws to sell tickets to movies that viewers didn't otherwise care about.

Winner: Strong Female Characters
Yes, more overt girl-power movies did well this summer ("Pitch Perfect 2," "Inside Out"), but so did the ones that wrapped female-empowerment ideas inside more traditionally masculine genre conventions. Think of Charlize Theron's Furiosa essentially stealing "Mad Max: Fury Road" from its ostensible hero. Or Melissa McCarthy proving she could be a butt-kicking secret agent and not just a buffoon in "Spy." Or Sandra Bullock's women-can-be-lovable-supervillains-too performance in "Minions." Or Amy Schumer, proving that even a woman with a history of self-sabotaging life choices can be a romantic comedy heroine worthy of love in "Trainwreck." Or spy Rebecca Ferguson, whose character subverts the genre's "damsel in distress" conventions by saving the hero from peril at least twice in the film, while also operating on the same level as Ethan Hunt in terms of tradecraft. She even takes care to remove her high heels (unlike Bryce Dallas Howard in "Jurassic World") whenever she engages in action-movie feats.

Loser: Lazy Feminism

By which I mean movies that seemed to be empowering to women but were marred by lackluster writing and poor execution. (We're looking at you, "Hot Pursuit.") "Magic Mike XXL" was supposed to be eye candy for the female gaze, but unlike the first "Magic Mike," the story lacked some cohesion, and it was hard to care about the characters. A more cynical pundit might conclude that female-driven movies won't achieve true parity with male-driven ones until they can be just as lazy and poorly made and still succeed at the box office, the way half-assed guy flicks often do. But it's actually a good sign that moviegoers have discerning tastes and are forcing filmmakers to up their game.

Winner: Nostalgia, Especially for DinosaursReboots, remakes, and sequels worked, but only for those projects harkening back to a very specific window in time, from about 1988 to 2001. So, that encompasses "Jurassic World" (essentially a sequel to 1993's "Jurassic Park" that urged audiences to forget the previous two sequels), "Mission: Impossible -- Rogue Nation" (best thought of as a continuation of the franchise Tom Cruise launched in 1996, not as a follow-up to the very different 1960s TV spy series), spring holdover "Furious 7" (sequel to a franchise dating back to 2001), and "Straight Outta Compton" (biopic of rappers whose heyday was from 1988-91).

"Mad Max: Fury Road" seems like an outlier, since it's the sequel to a series whose last installment came out in 1985, but the movie so thoroughly revised and reinvented the franchise that it seems nostalgia was hardly a factor in its success, unless it's nostalgia for a pre-CGI era of action filmmaking.

Loser: Nostalgia for All Other Things

Movies that tried to resurrect titles from before 1988 -- notably, "Vacation" (a near-remake of the 1983 franchise launcher), "Poltergeist" (a remake of the 1982 movie), "Pixels" (inspired by early 1980s video games), and "The Man From UNCLE" (based on a nearly forgotten TV spy series from the 1960s) -- failed. So did movies drawing upon more recent fare: "Terminator: Genisys," "Entourage" (based on the HBO series that launched in 2004), "Fantastic Four" (a reboot of a franchise last launched just 10 years ago, in 2005), and "Hitman: Agent 47" (reboot of a franchise that wasn't even a hit the first time, in 2007).

There's also the curious case of "Tomrorrowland," which, despite its forward-looking title, was also a nostalgic throwback to the shiny, space-age, Sputnik-era utopian futurism of 1950s sci-fi, "The Jetsons," and the Disney theme park attraction that gave the movie its title.

Winner: Jason Blum

The low-budget horror producer spent about $20 million total to make "Insidious Chapter 3," "The Gallows," and "Sinister 2," but he earned back $165 million worldwide. "The Gallows," whose reported budget was an absurdly meager $100,000, earned back $38 million around the world, making it the most profitable movie of the summer -- and probably the last several years.

Loser: John Green

Last summer's "The Fault in Our Stars" seemed to launch Green as a new one-man young-adult novels-to-movies franchise. But with the Shailene Woodley-free "Paper Towns," lightning failed to strike twice. Also a flop: faux-John Green, in the form of Sundance hit "Me and Earl and the Dying Girl."

Winner: The Marvel Cinematic Universe
The "Avengers" sequel wasn't as big as the 2012 original, but it was still the second biggest movie of the summer, with $457.5 million domestic and a total of $1.4 billion worldwide. "Ant-Man" was the summer's seventh-biggest movie, with $169.2 million here and another $196.5 million abroad.

Loser: Other Marvel

Fox's "Fantastic Four" is proof that maybe only Marvel should do Marvel. Apparently, ticketbuyers can smell the difference between Disney's M.C.U. movies and everybody else's Marvel pictures.

Winners: Universal and Disney

Universal had the summer's top movie ("Jurassic World," which grossed $643.1 million at home), four of its top 10 films (the others were "Minions," "Pitch Perfect 2," and "Straight Outta Compton"), and six of its top 15 (including "Trainwreck" and even underperformer "Ted 2"). It's boasted a 28 percent market share this summer, suggesting that more than one out of every four tickets sold went to a Universal movie. No studio has dominated the box office like that since Disney in 1999.

Disney, of course, had a very good summer as well, with its two Marvel movies, Pixar's "Inside Out" (the summer's third biggest movie), and even "Tomorrowland" ending up in the top 15.

Losers: All Other Studios

Sony in particular took it on the chin with "Aloha," "Pixels," and "Ricki and the Flash." Paramount had only "Rogue Nation" and "Terminator: Genisys" this summer. Fox succeeded with "Spy," but stumbled with "Paper Towns," "Fantastic Four," and "Hitman: Agent 47." Warner Bros. boasted top 10 finishers "San Andreas" and "Mad Max: Fury Road," but also underwhelming "Magic Mike XXL" and duds "Hot Pursuit," "The Man from UNCLE," and "Entourage."

Winner: Underserved Audiences

Key to Universal's success this year has been a strategy of catering not just to young white male ticketbuyers, but to women, older viewers, and ethnically diverse viewers. And there are other underserved demographics also hungering for movies targeted toward them; witness the success of this weekend's "War Room," a film for Christian audiences that outperformed expectations by opening in second place with an estimated $11.0 million.

Loser: Domestic Audiences

Once again, foreign ticketbuyers saved the bacon of several movies that would have been flops if not for the international box office.

"Terminator: Genisys" made less than $90 million here, but it earned an astonishing $320.1 million abroad. "Pixels" made just $71 million here, but $114.8 million in other countries. "Magic Mike XXL" grossed $65.8 million in North America, but foreign grosses pushed its worldwide total to a healthy $117.6 million. "Vacation" took in just $55 million here and a total of $81.5 million around the world.

Even "Fantastic Four," which eked out just $52.7 million here, took in nearly twice as much overseas, for a planetary total of $146.2 million. So, even those these movies were considered critical and commercial flops here, they all probably earned enough worldwide to generate further sequels. Thanks a lot, rest of the world.


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Watch 'Supernatural' Star Jensen Ackles Sing 'Simple Man' at VanCon

jensen ackles, supernatural, simple man"Supernatural" star Jensen Ackles has never met a classic rock cover he didn't like, and the actor continued his penchant for performing past hits this weekend while playing a Lynyrd Skynyrd song.

Ackles busted out the tune during a performance at VanCon -- a "Supernatural"-themed fan convention held in Vancouver, Canada -- on Saturday night, taking lead vocals and strumming an acoustic guitar as he sang "Simple Man." His raspy vocals fit the song perfectly, and the crowd clearly loved it, screaming as he took the stage and cheering throughout the performance.

As Entertainment Weekly notes, Ackles has performed another Skynyrd classic, "Sweet Home Alabama," publicly in the past, and a quick YouTube search of "Jensen Ackles singing" turns up plenty of results. (There's one way to liven up your Monday afternoon.)

Check out video of Ackles's hard-rocking performance below (which also features "Supernatural" cast members Mark Sheppard on drums and Richard Speight Jr. on bass). Where can we book our tickets for the next con?

[via: YouTube, h/t Entertainment Weekly]

Photo credit: YouTube



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'Big Brother 17' Spoilers: Will Meg Go Home First in Double Eviction?

Warning: BB17 spoilers ahead from the live feeds.*

For the past two weeks on "Big Brother 17," James Huling and Meg Maley have been able to sit back with popcorn and watch the rest of the house fight. But now it's Week 10 and one of them is in danger of going home/to jury, courtesy of the brilliant Mad Hatter, Vanessa Rousso.

Vanessa just won her third Head of Household competition and has two sets of alliances on her side: Steve Moses and returnee Johnny Mac McGuire, plus Austin Matelson and twins Julia and Liz Nolan. Everyone wanted Vanessa out as early as last week but now she is doing what she does best: backing people into corners to make deals and winning people over to her side. You don't have to like Vanessa -- she makes it tough sometimes with all the tears and hypocrisy -- but all BB fans should tip their hats (or beanies) to her skill.

James, a comp beast with an impeccable social game and friendships with everyone in the house and on the jury, was Vanessa's target this week. But on Saturday, August 29, James won the Power of Veto. We'll see that POV win on TV Wednesday night. That left Vanessa scrambling for a replacement nominee, and scrambling is something Vanessa also does well. Every HOH with her is a dizzyland swirl.

She debated the replacement all weekend, appearing to entertain the notion of putting up her secret ally Johnny Mac -- which is what Austwins and Meg wanted -- while pushing on her own to put up Julia as a pawn. Julia vs. Meg (the saddest HOH nominees ever) would ensure Meg went home.
Vanessa wants to break up the strong duo of James and Meg. Meg can't win a comp to save her life, but James can, and James is not someone to be won over easily. Then again, Meg's pitch to Vanessa promised that, in a future HOH, Meg would go on the block instead of Vanessa. She promised safety from herself and James. But could Vanessa even trust that, since James already set a precedent of going back on his own word after promising safety to Shelli? That was a brilliant move on his part, and Vanessa would probably agree, but out of everyone in the house, James is potentially the most dangerous to keep around. He's not afraid to target people and he can actually win comps.

Meg is probably going home on Thursday, September 3 in the first part of the double eviction. Funny how that's just what Johnny Mac wanted, as he told Julie Chen in his post-eviction interview. Who will go second? Vanessa got deals from just about everyone in the house, so it's possible she will be safe from any HOH except James, if Meg leaves. It would be beautiful to see someone target Austin and the twins, though, but if Julia magically wins a comp maybe she would put up Vanessa. Tit for tat.

What do you want to see happen?

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RIP Wes Craven: Celebrities Pay Tribute to 'Nightmare on Elm Street' Director

Premiere Scream 4 LAHorror king Wes Craven died Sunday, August 30 after a battle with brain cancer. He was 76.

Craven brought Freddy Krueger to life in "Nightmare on Elm Street," found a new audience with the "Scream" franchise, and also gave us "The Last House on the Left" and "The Hills Have Eyes," among others.

He helped launch or re-launch the careers of many Hollywood stars, and influenced countless others, and several celebrities paid tribute to the film legend after his passing:
Edgar Wright -- director of "Shaun of the Dead," "Hot Fuzz," and "The World's End" -- wrote a sweet tribute on his website. It's quite lengthy, including posters and film clips, but here's the very end:

I am thankful for the many movies he left behind, for my tiny part in his last completed film and happy to have got to tell him how much I enjoyed and was inspired by his work. He was a true maestro of genre and a class act.

Rest In Peace, Wes. We willingly give you full permission to haunt our waking dreams forever."


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11 Times the 'Home Alone' Movies Took Things Way Too Far

Kevin McCallister is one sadistic little boy, and we've got the GIFs to prove it. Looking back at "Home Alone" and "Home Alone 2: Lost In New York," we can't deny the over-the-top weirdness and sinister elements of these so-called family favorites. Seriously, take a look for yourself.


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Will Smith Takes on the NFL in First 'Concussion' Trailer

Are you ready for some football ... brain injuries as diagnosed by Will Smith in "Concussion"?

The A-lister plays real-life forensic pathologist and neuropathologist Dr. Bennet Omalu, who discovered chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) in the brains of NFL players and fought for the truth to be known. Peter Landesman ("Parkland") directed "Concussion," which was produced by Ridley Scott, based on the 2009 GQ article "Game Brain."

Peter King just shared the movie's first trailer in his Sports Illustrated column: "Concussion" opens on Christmas Day, so maybe we can expect Will Smith's name to come up on Oscar lists, for his portrayal of the Nigeria-born doctor. The movie also stars Alec Baldwin, Luke Wilson, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Arliss Howard, Paul Reiser, David Morse, and Albert Brooks.

Watch the trailer.

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'Man of Steel' Gets the 'Deadpool' Treatment in Awesome Fan Trailer

Adding a dash of Salt-N-Pepa's "Shoop" to any trailer just gives it that something extra. We suspected as much watching the amazing "Deadpool" trailer and now here's proof, courtesy of a fan who re-cut "Man of Steel" with more humorous footage that includes the necessary "Shoop."

Some viewers weren't too fond of the self-serious, somber tone of Henry Cavill's "Man of Steel" and a Youtuber called solyentbrak1 showed that the movie DID have potential to be at little bit more fun in a new trailer made "Deadpool Style," taking a cue from Ryan Reynolds's upcoming R-rated movie.

Here's the new 2 minute, 27 second trailer:


Are you effin' stupid?!

Superman isn't exactly the Merc with a Mouth, so maybe this doesn't quite fit with the heroic character, but it's still pretty impressive. Wouldn't you want to see this movie? Here's the "Deadpool" read-band trailer, in case you want to compare the two.

"Man of Steel" came out in 2013, and Henry Cavill returns to the role in "Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice," which is out March 25, 2016. "Deadpool" will be released February 12, 2016.

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Kanye West Announces 2020 Presidential Bid and the Internet Is Loving It

Thomas' WCKD Past Is Revealed in This Exclusive 'Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials' Clip

maze runner: the scorch trials, scorch trials, maze runner, dylan o'brien, giancarlo espositoThe upcoming sequel to "The Maze Runner," "The Scorch Trials," picks up with Thomas (Dylan O'Brien), Teresa (Kaya Scodelario), and the rest of their group as they take on WCKD, and escape from its clutches into the titular unknown entity.

And as we see in the clip below, premiering today exclusively on Moviefone, the Scorch is filled with plenty of unsavory characters of its own.

The clip introduces us to Jorge (Giancarlo Esposito), the leader of the Cranks, a rough and tumble group of resistance fighters who also, coincidentally, want to take down WCKD.

As Thomas and Jorge get acquainted, they both hold each other at arm's length, suspicious of the other's motivation; Jorge grills Thomas about his group's origins and its mission, but Thomas isn't biting -- until he's tackled and scanned, and it's revealed he's come from WCKD.

"You're very, very valuable," Jorge tells Thomas, though of course, the reason for that has yet to be revealed.

Moviegoers will find the answer when "Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials" hits theaters on September 18.
Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials EXCLUSIVE - You Came From WCKD


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Why Did 'We Are Your Friends' Have One of the Worst Openings of All Time?

Zac Efron's "We Are Your Friends" was unfriended by most of the country this weekend. The EDM movie, co-starring Wes Bentley and Emily Ratajkowski, was released on 2,333 screens but only made $1.8 million. That's not just short of the $8 million projection, it's also the worst wide-release launch of Efron's career and one of the worst openings of any studio film ever.

Entertainment Weekly culled the list of the top 10 worst wide-release movies ever, and "We Are Your Friends" ended up at No. 3, just behind "Delgo" and "Oogieloves In The BIG Balloon Adventure." This movie actually did worse than the much-mocked "The Adventures of Pluto Nash" and marks Wes Bentley's second time on the list, since he was also in the horror movie "P2."

According to Variety, Warner Bros. only spent $2 million to acquire "We Are Your Friends." Warner Bros. distribution executive vice president Jeff Goldstein commented on the opening: "We're disappointed," he told Variety. "We believe in Zac and this was a passion project of his." He said basically the same thing to The Hollywood Reporter: "This was a passion project for Zac Efron, and we believe in him. Yes, the result was disappointing, but this was a small film." So it was basically an investment in their relationship with Zac Efron, and no huge loss.

But why did it tank like this, falling behind not only "Straight Outta Compton" and "War Room," but "Mission: Impossible Rogue Nation," "No Escape," "Sinister 2," "The Man From U.N.C.L.E.," "Hitman: Agent 47," "The Gift," "Jurassic World," "Ant-Man" "Minions," and "American Ultra"? It's not like it was a critically trashed movie, showing -- once again -- that critical acclaim or disdain is not always a factor in box office. "We Are Your Friends" fell close to the middle, with a 43% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

So what went wrong? More than one thing, but pretty much everyone agrees that "We Are Your Friends" was not a great name. What does it even mean and how does it tell the story? The marketing didn't help explain what the movie was about, other than Zac Efron and music. It didn't seem like a must-see, opening weekend kind of movie, especially in one of the last weekends of the summer. It may end up being a solid "renter" -- which nowadays includes streaming -- as opposed to something people feel the need to head out and see. Some fans are defending the movie online, blaming the name/marketing and predicting it will be something of a cult hit. We'll see.

Do you have any theories on why "We Are Your Friends" under-performed to historic levels?

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RIP Wes Craven: Celebrities Pay Tribute to 'Maestro of My Nightmares'

Premiere Scream 4 LAHorror king Wes Craven died Sunday, August 30 after a battle with brain cancer. He was 76. Craven brought Freddy Krueger to life in "Nightmare on Elm Street," found a new audience with the "Scream" franchise, and also gave us "The Last House on the Left" and "The Hills Have Eyes," among others. He helped launch or re-launch the careers of many Hollywood stars, and influenced countless others, and several celebrities paid tribute to the film legend after his passing:
Edgar Wright -- director of "Shaun of the Dead," "Hot Fuzz," and "The World's End" -- wrote a sweet tribute on his website. It's quite lengthy, including posters and film clips, but here's the very end:

I am thankful for the many movies he left behind, for my tiny part in his last completed film and happy to have got to tell him how much I enjoyed and was inspired by his work. He was a true maestro of genre and a class act.

Rest In Peace, Wes. We willingly give you full permission to haunt our waking dreams forever."


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Sunday, August 30, 2015

Here Are the 2015 MTV Video Music Awards Winners

2015 MTV Video Music Awards - Roaming Show The 2015 MTV Video Music Awards kicked off in Los Angeles Sunday night, with Ms. Miley Cyrus on hand to host the wild festivities.

Miley didn't disappoint when it came to her always-entertaining brand of enthusiasm and her fashion picks -- the pop star rocked a variety of barely there ensembles, including a see-through number that had what appeared to be balloons pinned to it. Oh, and she also announced that she just dropped a free album. Surprise!

One of the other biggest moments of the night was when Nicki Minaj shocked the audience by opening the show with a special guest: Taylor Swift. The formerly twitter-feuding superstars appeared to bury their public bad blood with a duet. Good one!

Speaking of Tay, the "Blank Space" singer was the most nominated performer of the evening -- she was up for 10 moon men and ended up picking up Video of the Year. Check out more big winners below:

BEST MALE VIDEO
Mark Ronson ft. Bruno Mars - "Uptown Funk" - WINNER
Ed Sheeran - "Thinking Out Loud"
Kendrick Lamar - "Alright"
The Weeknd - "Earned It"
Nick Jonas - "Chains"

BEST FEMALE VIDEO
Taylor Swift - "Blank Space" - WINNER
BeyoncƩ - "7/11"
Nicki Minaj - "Anaconda"
Sia - "Elastic Heart"
Ellie Goulding - "Love Me Like You Do"

BEST HIP-HOP VIDEO
Nicki Minaj - "Anaconda" - WINNER
Fetty Wap - "Trap Queen"
Kendrick Lamar - "Alright"
Wiz Khalifa ft. Charlie Puth - "See You Again"
Big Sean ft. E-40 - "IDFWU"

BEST POP VIDEO
Taylor Swift - "Blank Space" - WINNER
BeyoncƩ - "7/11"
Ed Sheeran - "Thinking Out Loud"
Mark Ronson ft. Bruno Mars - "Uptown Funk"
Maroon 5 - "Sugar"

BEST ROCK VIDEO
​Fall Out Boy - "Uma Thurman" - WINNER
Hozier - "Take Me To Church"
Florence + the Machine - "Ship To Wreck"
Walk the Moon - "Shut Up and Dance"
Arctic Monkeys - "Why'd You Only Call Me When You're High?"

VIDEO WITH A SOCIAL MESSAGE
Big Sean ft. Kanye West and John Legend - "One Man Can Change the World" - WINNER
Jennifer Hudson - "I Still Love You"
Colbie Caillat - "Try"
Rihanna - "American Oxygen" Wale - "The White Shoes"

VIDEO OF THE YEAR
Taylor Swift ft. Kendrick Lamar - "Bad Blood"​ - WINNER
BeyoncƩ - "7/11"
Ed Sheeran - "Thinking Out Loud"
Mark Ronson ft. Bruno Mars - "Uptown Funk"
Kendrick Lamar - "Alright"

BEST COLLABRATION
Taylor Swift ft. Kendrick Lamar - "Bad Blood" - WINNER
Mark Ronson ft. Bruno Mars - "Uptown Funk"
Wiz Khalifa ft. Charlie Puth - "See You Again"
Ariana Grande & The Weeknd - "Love Me Harder"
Jessie J, Ariana Grande, Nicki Minaj - "Bang Bang"


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Here Are Your 2015 MTV Video Music Awards Winners (UPDATING)

2015 MTV Video Music Awards - Roaming Show The MTV 2015 Video Music Awards kicked off in Los Angeles Sunday night, with the Miley Cyrus on hand to host the wild festivities.

Miley didn't disappoint when it came to her always-entertaining brand of enthusiasm and her fashion picks -- the pop star rocked a variety of barely there ensembles, including a see-through number that had what appeared to be balloons pinned to it. Oh, and she also announced that she just dropped a free album. Surprise!

One of the other biggest moments of the night was when Nicki Minaj shocked the audience by opening the show with a special guest: Taylor Swift. The formerly twitter-feuding superstars appeared to bury their public bad blood with a duet. Good one!

Speaking of Tay, the "Blank Space" singer was the most nominated performer of the evening -- she was up for 10 moon men and ended up picking up Video of the Year. Check out more big winners below:

BEST MALE VIDEO
Mark Ronson ft. Bruno Mars - "Uptown Funk" - WINNER
Ed Sheeran - "Thinking Out Loud"
Kendrick Lamar - "Alright"
The Weeknd - "Earned It"
Nick Jonas - "Chains"

BEST FEMALE VIDEO
Taylor Swift - "Blank Space" - WINNER
BeyoncƩ - "7/11"
Nicki Minaj - "Anaconda"
Sia - "Elastic Heart"
Ellie Goulding - "Love Me Like You Do"

BEST HIP-HOP VIDEO
Nicki Minaj - "Anaconda" - WINNER
Fetty Wap - "Trap Queen"
Kendrick Lamar - "Alright"
Wiz Khalifa ft. Charlie Puth - "See You Again"
Big Sean ft. E-40 - "IDFWU"

BEST POP VIDEO
Taylor Swift - "Blank Space" - WINNER
BeyoncƩ - "7/11"
Ed Sheeran - "Thinking Out Loud"
Mark Ronson ft. Bruno Mars - "Uptown Funk"
Maroon 5 - "Sugar"

BEST ROCK VIDEO
​Fall Out Boy - "Uma Thurman" - WINNER
Hozier - "Take Me To Church"
Florence + the Machine - "Ship To Wreck"
Walk the Moon - "Shut Up and Dance"
Arctic Monkeys - "Why'd You Only Call Me When You're High?"

VIDEO WITH A SOCIAL MESSAGE
Big Sean ft. Kanye West and John Legend - "One Man Can Change the World" - WINNER
Jennifer Hudson - "I Still Love You"
Colbie Caillat - "Try"
Rihanna - "American Oxygen" Wale - "The White Shoes"

VIDEO OF THE YEAR
Taylor Swift ft. Kendrick Lamar - "Bad Blood"​ - WINNER
BeyoncƩ - "7/11"
Ed Sheeran - "Thinking Out Loud"
Mark Ronson ft. Bruno Mars - "Uptown Funk"
Kendrick Lamar - "Alright"

BEST COLLABRATION
Taylor Swift ft. Kendrick Lamar - "Bad Blood"
Mark Ronson ft. Bruno Mars - "Uptown Funk"
Wiz Khalifa ft. Charlie Puth - "See You Again"
Ariana Grande & The Weeknd - "Love Me Harder"
Jessie J, Ariana Grande, Nicki Minaj - "Bang Bang"




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2015 MTV Video Music Awards Red Carpet Arrivals


The 2015 MTV Video Music Awards red carpet was filled with celebs like Taylor Swift, Selena Gomez, Cara Delevingne, and Miley Cyrus. Check out what they wore to the big event.
2015 MTV Video Music Awards - Arrivals

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Weekend Box Office: 'Compton' Rules Again, 'War Room' Surprises

Zac Efron's 'We Are Your Friends' Tanking at Box Office, 'Compton' Still on Top
NEW YORK (AP) - "Straight Outta Compton" marked three consecutive weekends atop the box office, while the Christian drama "War Room" proved an unexpected success.

Universal's N.W.A biopic grossed an estimated $13.2 million over the weekend, according to studio estimates Sunday. The only other film to lead the box office three straight weeks this summer was "Jurassic World," also from Universal.

Though the late August weekend held scant competition for "Straight Outta Compton," ''War Room" nearly matched it. The Sony TriStar release took in $11 million by appealing to faith-based audiences, an often powerful but underserved demographic at the multiplex.

"No Escape," the Thailand thriller starring Owen Wilson, opened with $8.3 million for the Weinstein Co.

Zac Efron's electronic dance music drama "We Are Your Friends" bombed. The Warner Bros. release made just $1.8 million. That set a record for lowest grossing opening weekend for a studio release on more than 2,000 screens.


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Celebrities Who Are Best Friends IRL



You know what warms our hearts? Cat videos. When some of our favorite celebrities are friends with each other in real life. Sure, we'd prefer to be friends with them ourselves, but it's nice to know that if we can't hang out with them at least they're hanging out with someone. From Cameron Diaz and Drew Barrymore to Jennifer Lawrence and Amy Schumer?, here are some of our all-time favorite celebrity BFF duos.




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Saturday, August 29, 2015

Quiz: Match the Al Pacino Movie With His Screaming Face

Oscar-winner Al Pacino is not just one of the best actors in the history of ever, he's also one of the world's most prominent screamers on film.

This guy gives great angry face. In honor of the 40th anniversary of "Dog Day Afternoon" this week, we've made this quiz to test your Pacino fandom. It's easy: Just match the movie with Al's screaming face. His Screaming'cino. We regret nothing.


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Friday, August 28, 2015

New 'Game of Thrones' Theory: [Spoilers] Is Jon Snow's Twin Sister

Is The Force strong with both Jon Snow and his sister? "Game of Thrones" fans are in a tizzy this week, thanks to theories spreading around the Internet at a faster-than-usual pace. The latest theory piles on top of a popular ongoing belief about Jon Snow's true heritage. The old equation was R+L=J. Now it may be R+L=J+M. Mind = blown!

Do you get it? Do you believe it? Do you WANT to believe? Put on your tinfoil hat and read on for an explanation!

*Spoilers and speculation ahead*

At this point, many readers of George R.R. Martin's "A Song of Ice and Fire" believe Jon Snow is not the natural son of Ned Stark, from when Ned was off fighting with Robert Baratheon, he's the son of Ned's sister Lyanna Stark and Rhaegar Targaryen. In this theory, the honorable Ned is truly honorable, sacrificing his own good name to raise Jon Snow as his bastard son, at his dying sister's request. ("Promise me, Ned.")

Fans have marked this theory as R (Rhaegar) + L (Lyanna) = J (Jon). However, a combination of theories now has fans thinking maybe there was another baby, a "Star Wars" ("Stark Wars"?) twist where they were separated at birth. Two names are emerging as contenders in this theory -- one is Daenerys Targaryen, who was supposedly born at Dragonstone during a storm (hence Daenerys Stormborn) and raised with her older brother Viserys. Perhaps she and Jon Snow are actually brother and sister, not nephew and aunt?

The other name is picking up more steam: Meera Reed.


Yes, the girl now traveling with Bran Stark north of The Wall, which -- conveniently -- is also where Jon Snow may or may not stay dead. Meera's father, Howland Reed, was with Ned Stark in the Tower of Joy when Lyanna gave birth, lending some credence to the idea.

Some of this is tied to a Reddit user predicting that Season 6 -- which premieres in 2016 -- would open with a flashback to Lyanna dying in the tower after she gave birth to a boy and a girl. Another user suggested Meera is the girl, because the other man with Ned is her father. So the men both took babies to raise. (That's this theory anyway.) Mashable did the due diligence of looking up the birth years for certain characters and noted that both Jon and Meera have the same birth year (283 AC), and it's the same year that Lyanna was said to die. Dany is listed as having been born in 284.

Anyway, it's a theory and with time to kill, there's no harm in spreading more. Reddit is a rabbit hole for that kind of thing, so jump in, if you dare.

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New 'Captain America: Civil War' Concept Art Reveals Avengers Taking Sides

Hawkeye himself just revealed which side The Avengers are on in "Captain America: Civil War."

Jeremy Renner tweeted pics that show the two teams preparing to face off in the sequel that hits theaters in 2016.

As expected, on Cap's team is former BFF Bucky/Winter Soldier (Sebastian Stan), Falcon (Anthony Mackie) and Sharon Carter (Emily Van Camp). Squint or you might miss Ant-Man (Paul Rudd) on Cap's shoulder. And of course, Hawkeye himself is fighting with Cap, which Renner admitted in August at Wizard World Comic Con.
In Iron Man's corner? Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson), War Machine (Don Cheadle), Black Panther (Chadwick Boseman) and Vison (Paul Bettany). See below:

That means each team has one woman (no word on the whereabouts of Scarlet Witch, played by Elizabeth Olsen, and that pals Black Widow and Hawkeye are on opposite sides. There's no official word yet on how Spider-Man (Tom Holland) fits into this family quarrel.ComicBookMovie.com also shared exclusive images of the assembled teams.

"Civil War" hits theaters May 6, 2016.

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10 WTF Moments In MTV Video Music Awards History


If there's one award show out there where pretty much anything goes, it's gotta be the MTV Video Music Awards. Sure, MTV isn't really in the music video airing business anymore, but that doesn't mean this annual ceremony isn't still an event where music's brightest stars get to go a bit wild.

The 2015 Video Music Awards air this Sunday, and we can't wait to see what kind of ridiculousness will go down. Whether it's the crazy fashion, out-there performances, or totally random incidents (we're talking about you, stage crashers), the VMAs have continuously left us going... "what just happened?" It's been quite the ride over the years.

Let's take a look at some of the most outrageous, totally WTF moments from MTV VMAs past.




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What If 'Friends' Was All in Phoebe's Mind? Dark Fanfic Goes Viral

It's not weird enough that Phoebe Buffay sang songs like "Smelly Cat," now she has to be a homeless meth addict with no friends? Sheesh. "Friends" ended back in 2004 and countless fan theories, videos, and mashups have emerged since then, but nothing quite like the sad new fan fiction shared by @strnks on Twitter.

On August 24, this fan rather casually commented on an upcoming "Friends" marathon with a proposal of how he would've ended the show. Cue The One Where Friends Got Really Depressing As a Commentary on Urban Loneliness and Drug Addiction. Yeah, it doesn't have quiet the same ring to it.

But here's his full episode rundown:
Amazing. It could fit. And yet it's too sad to really accept. Take us back to the happy place of Phoebe as the wonderfully quirky woman we -- and the friends of "Friends" -- know and love!


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'Minions' Becomes Third Animated Movie in History to Hit $1 Billion

Congratulations, "Minions"! Would you have predicted the "Despicable Me" spinoff to be one of the few animated titles to breathe the rarefied air above $1 billion at the box office? According to The Hollywood Reporter, the little yellow guys just hit that milestone, making them only the third animated movie ever to go above $1B, following "Frozen" ($1.274 billion) and "Toy Story 3" ($1.06 billion). Variety noted that, overall, "Minions" is the 23rd film to gross $1 billion worldwide.

"Minion" has earned $321.9 million domestically and $682 million internationally so far, THR noted, making it the No. 3 animated film of all time (not accounting for inflation) and the top grossing of 2015 to date. Don't count "Inside Out" from joining the list. It has earned $701 million so far, but it hasn't opened yet in many overseas markets. It made more than "Minions" domestically, so we could see a fourth go over $1 billion.

This triumph for "Minions" is also cause for celebration for Universal, which is having a tremendous 2015 so far. With "Furious 7" and "Jurassic World" also earning more than $1 billion around the world, it's the first time any studio has had three films hit that milestone in one year. It's darn pretty impressive, and here are reasons why Universal is doing so well.

Are you surprised to see "Minions" up there with "Frozen" and "Toy Story 3" or does that sound about right?

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What If Harry Potter Was the Villain? Chilling Fan Video Re-Edits Footage

We know Harry Potter as "The Boy Who Lived" but he could just as easily have been "The Boy Who Kills," as shown in a dark, clever new fan video.

Editing can make or break your reputation, as any reality TV star could tell you. Youtuber BloodBlitz Comedy re-edited movie footage, mostly from "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban," to present Harry Potter as a troubled, young sociopath who kills anyone in his path. The argument would be even stronger with footage from other movies, but the point comes across: Harry Potter was a bad, bad boy, and poor Malfoy was just one victim of his cruelty.

As one fan commented on the video, "This is like a Rita Skeeter article." Truth! Or lack of truth through out-of-context spinning. It's pretty good, though, even if we know Harry is really the hero. (And Weasley will always be our king.)

Check it out:


The Youtuber who made this is working on a "Game of Thrones" video next, but -- with these truth manipulation skills -- he/she could probably make big bucks on a political campaign ... or as an editor for "The Bachelor."

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Zombies on a Plane! AMC to Air 'Walking Dead' Special Tied to 'Fear' Season 2

Never mind "Snakes on a Plane" or even the zombies on a plane in "World War Z." According to Entertainment Weekly, AMC is producing a half-hour standalone special following a group of passengers attacked by zombies/walkers on an airplane during flight. This is tied to the world of "The Walking Dead" in that one character who survives the ordeal with then join the cast of "Fear the Walking Dead" in Season 2, which arrives in 2016. So it's not just "Zombies on a Plane," it's "Survivor: Zombie Apocalypse." And we're here for it!

The way this story plays out will be unorthodox, in that it's a mix of webisode and TV teaser. As EW explained:

The airline attack story will debut online, and will unfold this in chapters that will air during Walking Dead's on-air telecasts. In other words: You're watching The Walking Dead, AMC cuts to commercial break, then you get a chapter in the as-yet-untitled stand-alone airline attack drama.

This is going to require strict attention from "Dead" fans, but we're already known for that. Plus, it's a brilliant way to get more viewers to tune in through the billions of commercials that seem to air during each episode. There are no further details at this point, so we don't know when the story will first appear online and then when it will continue on TV and across how many episodes, etc. So stay tuned and just be aware that this zombie story is coming, with one of the characters then joining TWD's "companion series" next year.

"Fear the Walking Dead" Season 1 just premiered last Sunday and five more episodes are ahead on AMC. "The Walking Dead" Season 6 premieres Sunday, October 11 at 9 p.m.

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Matt Damon Shares Cool 'Bourne' Sequel Plot and Production Updates

Jason Bourne is back in business, after an eight-year absence, in a 2016 "Bourne" movie starring Matt Damon, Julia Stiles, Alicia Vikander, Tommy Lee Jones, and (maybe?) Viggo Mortensen.

While promoting "The Martian," Matt Damon gave Buzzfeed some updates on the untitled "Bourne" sequel, which starts production next week. Damon said he and director Paul Greengrass had always looked at the "Bourne" movies as about the Bush presidency, so they took a page from John Mayer and waited on the world to change before revisiting Damon's character. Thanks to Edward Snowden and the NSA scandal, they felt it was time to be Bourne again. Here are Damon's details on the new plot:

Without giving too much of it away, it's Bourne through an austerity-riddled Europe and in a post-Snowden world. It seems like enough has changed, you know? There are all these kinds of arguments about spying and civil liberties and the nature of democracy. [...] We're starting in Greece, you know, the beginning of democracy. And the movie ends in Las Vegas, the most grotesque incarnation of...."

Buzzfeed said he let that trail off with a laugh. But it gives us a good idea of where Jason Bourne will be going next. The first movie, "The Bourne Identity," came out in 2002, followed by more Damon dominance in 2004's "The Bourne Supremacy." Damon returned again for "The Bourne Ultimatum" in 2007, but then the focus shifted to Jeremy Renner's Aaron Cross in "The Bourne Legacy."

The fourth Damon Bourne is currently scheduled to open July 29, 2016.

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Emily Ratajkowski Facts: 8 Things You (Probably) Didn't Know About the 'We Are Your Friends' Star


Emily Ratajkowski is best known for showing off her amazing body in the "Blurred Lines" music video, and now she's giving her film career a real try. With supporting roles in "Gone Girl" and "Entourage" under her belt, she's taking on her biggest role yet, opposite Zac Efron, in "We Are Your Friends."

From her international childhood to her favorite memories, here are eight things you probably didn't know about Emily Ratajkowski.
Britain We Are Your Friends Photo Call
[Sources: IMDB]

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'Everest' Takes Jake Gyllenhaal's Breath Away in This Exclusive Clip

jake gyllenhaal, everestThe terrible, true story of what was at the time the deadliest summit attempt on Mount Everest is now being told in the new film, "Everest," which features an all-star cast and breathtaking special effects.

In the clip below, premiering today exclusively on Moviefone, climber Scott Fischer (Jake Gyllenhaal) finally reaches the top of the titular mountain, and the achievement literally takes his breath away. As Fischer fights for air in the notoriously low-oxygen environment, he chats with fellow climber Rob Hall (Jason Clarke), the leader of another expedition who's also just reached the top.

But while the scene in question is lighthearted -- the pair joke about who among their group has fallen behind, and who will make it to the summit first -- the circumstances that await them are anything but. As chronicled in Jon Krakauer's famous book, "Into Thin Air" (Krakauer was part of Hall's group, on assignment for Outside magazine at the time), the expeditions are soon caught in a horrific blizzard, and many climbers perish as a result.

It's a chilling tale, but one that seems to be in good hands with Gyllenhaal and co. at the helm. "Everest" also stars Josh Brolin, John Hawkes, Robin Wright, Emily Watson, Keira Knightley, and Sam Worthington. It's due in theaters on September 18.
Everest- EXCLUSIVE Clip No. 1


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'American Horror Story' May Have Two Seasons in 2016

AMERICAN HORROR STORY: FREAK SHOW "American Horror Story" creator Ryan Murphy always likes to change things up with his hit horror anthology series, and according to Murphy, a pretty significant change may be in store for next year.

In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Murphy discussed the possibility of releasing not just the traditional fall season of the show, but an additional season in the spring. Yes, that's right -- there could be TWO seasons of "AHS" waiting for fans in 2016.

It's not a done deal yet, though Murphy sounds pretty excited about the prospect. As he tells EW, the "AHS" writers room is already divided in two, with one of the groups already hard at work on the prospective double season plan -- which, of course, Murphy says will stand out from previous iterations of the show.

"We're doing something that we've never done before on the show where we're doing two different groups of writers rooms. Some of our writers will be bouncing around but a whole different group [is] coming in late August," Murphy explained to EW. "The next thing we're crafting up is very, very different than this. Not smaller. But just not opulent. More rogue and more dark."

And with Lady Gaga at the helm as the villainous Countess, "American Horror Story: Hotel" certainly sounds quite opulent, so it makes sense that Murphy would want to course correct a bit for the next season (or seasons) of the series. So how likely is the two-season plan?

"We have to decide," Murphy told EW.

Here's hoping he lets fans know his answer sooner rather than later. In the meantime, "AHS" lovers can tide themselves over with "Hotel," which premieres on October 7 on FX.

[via: Entertainment Weekly]

Photo credit: Michele K. Short/FX



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Meet Lucy Liu's New Baby Boy, Rockwell, Welcomed Via Surrogate

Watch 'Harry Potter' Star Tom Felton Take on the Bible in New Trailer for 'Risen'


"Harry Potter" fans are about to see Tom Felton in a whole new light.

The once and future Draco Malfoy stars opposite Joseph Finnes in the new trailer for Biblical epic "Risen."

The new film centers on Clavius (Finnes), a powerful Roman Military Tribune, and his aide, Lucius, played by Felton. The two are given the unenviable task of uncovering what happened to Jesus in the weeks following the crucifixion, in an effort to disprove the rumors of the risen Messiah and prevent an uprising in Jerusalem.

Lots of drama, with Felton front and center, ensue. Watch the trailer below.

"Risen" hits theaters January 2016.
RISEN Trailer


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Betty White Is Coming to 'Bones' Season 11

2015 TV Land Awards - ShowBetty White, everyone's favorite nonagenarian, is continuing her long and storied television career with an upcoming guest spot on "Bones."

White, who just wrapped a six-season stint on "Hot in Cleveland," will next appear on an episode of the Fox procedural's 11th season as Dr. Beth Mayer, a forensic anthropologist who's as experienced with crime-solving as White is with acting. TVLine first reported the news, with White later confirming the role on Twitter. According to TVLine, Dr. Mayer is "an accomplished, sharp as a tack squintern who is brought in to assist in a murder linked to fantasy football - which just happens to be one of her many areas of expertise. With a half century of work under her belt, Dr. Mayer is considered the world's most experienced forensic anthropologist, which will lead to some serious competition with Emily Deschanel's Brennan."

Sounds like a juicy role that will be lots of fun for White and "Bones" fans alike. We can't wait to see her go head-to-head with Deschanel.

"Bones" kicks off season 11 on October 1. White's episode is scheduled to air sometime in late October.

[via: TVLine, Betty White]

Photo credit: Getty Images



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