
Now available to own titles for the week of March 22, 2016 are The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1, Daddy’s Home, Freaks and Geeks Season 1, and more. Continue reading
Now available to own titles for the week of March 22, 2016 are The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1, Daddy’s Home, Freaks and Geeks Season 1, and more. Continue reading
Coming Soon to Blu-Ray and DVD for the week of January 30, 2016 includes Creed, The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2, 99 Homes, In the Heart of the Sea, and more Continue reading
After last week’s nominations were revealed for the 22nd Annual SAG Awards and 73rd Golden Globes, it feels like it could be anyone’s game at this point. This morning the Broadcast Film Critics Association (BFCA) and Broadcast Television Journalists Association (BTJA) announced their 21st Critics’ Choice Awards nominees with George Miller’s Mad Max: Fury Road leading the charge with 13 nods. Hosted by T.J. Miller, the winners will be revealed during a live broadcast from the Barker Hangar in Santa Monica on A&E, Lifetime, and LMN on Sunday, January 17, 2016 at 8:00 p.m. EST/5:00 p.m. PST.
Mad Max: Fury Road has undoubtedly become the underdog favorite of this awards season, as it has become one of the most revered features of the year by critics, myself included – my review. The big topic of conversation, aside from gaining Best Picture recognition, is Charlize Theron’s nods for both Best Actress and Best Actress In An Action Movie. Tom Hardy, of course, is nominated for Best Actor In An Action Movie, but it’s George Miller for Best Director that has really invested my interest into whether he could be a contender come Oscars. The film has also garnered nominations for Best Cinematography, Best Production Design, Best Editing, Best Costume Design, Best Hair and Makeup, Best Visual Effects, Best Action Movie, and Best Sci-Fi/Horror Movie.
Trailing behind the whirlwind, critically acclaimed hit is Carol, The Martian, and The Revenant with nine nominations each. While this year’s big favorite, Spotlight, has earned itself eight nominations from critics, followed by The Big Short and The Hateful Eight with six each. Bridge of Spies, Brooklyn, The Danish Girl, Jurassic World, and Sicario each earned five nominations and Room obtained four. Charlize Theron isn’t the only actress up for multiple Best Actress categories, as Jennifer Lawrence is up for three for her work in Joy and The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2, while Rachel McAdams is up for two awards for Spotlight and True Detective.
And while the film categories are all up in the air, the television categories prove that the increasing output of excellent programming continued this year with FX, ABC, and HBO both gaining 14 nominations each; FOX is close on their heels with 12 nods. The big standout series this year, as determined by critics, is FX’s Fargo with eight nominations. The Leftovers (HBO) and Transparent (Amazon) are not far behind with five nominations each; Black-ish (ABC), Mr. Robot (USA), and Penny Dreadful (Showtime) each earned four.
So what can we takeaway from this year’s 21st Critics’ Choice Awards nominees? For starters, no other awards group has seen more movies this year than the critics, assumably. It’s their jobs to assess the year in film. Who better has a sound voice of reasoning than those who sit in dark rooms and watch movies multiple times per week? In the long run, sure, all awards are practically meaningless gold statues, and the varying award categories the BFCA and BTJA have set have little influence when it comes to the Oscars, but if these voices of reason can help sway voters to at least make an earnest decision at the polls we can be safe in knowing we won’t have another year where a Shakespeare in Love wins against a Saving Private Ryan.
BEST PICTURE
BEST ACTOR
BEST ACTRESS
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
BEST YOUNG ACTOR/ACTRESS
BEST ACTING ENSEMBLE
BEST DIRECTOR
BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN
BEST EDITING
BEST COSTUME DESIGN
BEST HAIR & MAKEUP
BEST VISUAL EFFECTS
BEST ANIMATED FEATURE
BEST ACTION MOVIE
BEST ACTOR IN AN ACTION MOVIE
BEST ACTRESS IN AN ACTION MOVIE
BEST COMEDY
BEST ACTOR IN A COMEDY
BEST ACTRESS IN A COMEDY
BEST SCI-FI/HORROR MOVIE
BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM
BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE
BEST SONG
BEST SCORE
Although Marvel Studios will not be attending Comic-Con 2015 this year because most of the cinematic universe cast is off shooting Captain America: Civil War, there is a good handful of high quality panels for all movie lovers to enjoy this year. Some of the heavy hitters includes Jennifer Lawrence making an appearance to promote The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2; the cast of Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice will be on site for Warner Bros.; and Lucasfilm returns for the MUCH anticipated Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens panel with the cast and filmmakers. Check out the full list of Comic-Con 2015 movie panels below:
10:00am – 11:00am Comic-Con Film School 101: Preproduction and Screenwriting – Comic-Con Film School is back for another four-day, nuts and bolts class on how to make a movie for very little money using available video technology and desktop postproduction software. Whether you’re shooting your first Doctor Who fan film or that story about the leather-clad girl who hunts vampire-werewolf hybrids, this course will take you from script to final product so that you too can enter your own movie into the CCI-IFF. This first class covers the specifics of preproduction on the cheap, including screenwriting, scheduling, location scouting, crewing-up, and getting equipment for nothing. Panelists include Valerie Perez (producer/star of the Paula Peril series), Jack Conway (producer of Machinima ETC), Vera Vanguard (producer of The Building of Good and Evil), Nick Murphy (writer/director of Pizza and Bullets), Josh Perilo (writer of Wedlock), and Sean Rourke (writer of Ballistica). Grand Ballroom D, Manchester Grand Hyatt
10:15am – 11:15am Studio Production Chiefs Speak – Fans love to debate and dissect exactly what Hollywood is doing right and wrong. Now, for the first time at Comic-Con, top production executives from major Hollywood studios will reveal the frank realities of their jobs and why they make the decisions they do. 20th Century Fox senior vice president Daria Cercek (X-Men, Spy), Warner Bros. senior vice president Drew Crevello (Dungeons & Dragons, Akira), and Lionsgate executive vice president Jim Miller (The Hunger Games, Power Rangers) will discuss the development process, how they choose intellectual property to adapt, how movies get green lit, how filmmakers and actors are selected, what mistakes can lead to bad movies, how they balance originality vs. faithfulness to source material, and how much they care about the opinions of fans. Rather than merely previewing upcoming releases, you will get insights into how Hollywood really works on this panel moderated by Wall Street Journal film industry reporter Ben Fritz. Room 6DE
10:30am – 11:30am Open Road – TBA Hall H
11:00am – 12:00pm The Crowd: How Creatives Are Using New Means to Connect with Their Audience – Hugh Howey (author of the self-published Silo trilogy), Gary Whitta (author of the debut novel Abomination, crowdfunded through Inkshares, co-writer of Star Wars: Rogue One), and Lora Innes (author of The Dreamer, crowdfunded through Patreon, co-host of the Paper Wings Show) discuss crowdfunding and crowdsourcing models that allow creatives to connect directly with their audience to produce their work. Gary and Lora will participate in a Q&A session moderated by Veronica Belmont (host of The Sword & Laser, crowdfunded through Patreon, and Dear Veronica for Engadget). Room 7AB
11:00am – 12:00pm The Super Story Behind the Pixar Short Sanjay’s Super Team – Director Sanjay Patel and producer Nicole Grindle present a peek behind the curtains at Pixar Animation Studio’s latest short, Sanjay’s Super Team. The filmmakers will discuss the production process as well as the unique inspiration for this incredibly personal film that features superheroes like you’ve never seen them before. Indigo Ballroom, Hilton San Diego Bayfront
11:00am – 2:00pm Thursday Playback Room Block #1 – The Playback Room will be showing the following panel presentations from either or both Hall H and Ballroom 20: Open Road, The Autobiography of James T. Kirk, and The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2 and The Last Witch Hunter. (Please note: these playbacks will include only the panel discussions. None of the film clips or footage shown at the live events will be shown here.) The Playback Room, Omni Hotel, 4th Floor Ballroom
12:00pm – 1:00pm Voice Over Celebration with Beloved Cartoon, Video Game, and Film VO Actors – From zero to sixty, a voice actor must convey a plethora of emotions, often impromptu. You will get an in-depth look into how voice actors approach the art, beauty, and challenges of performing on the spot. Susan Eisenberg, Rob Paulsen, Caitlin Glass, Anthony Bowling, Tara Platt, and Yuri Lowenthal from beloved titles including Wonder Woman, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Diablo, Pinky and the Brain, League of Legends, Full Metal Alchemist, Call of Duty, Samurai 7, Attack on Titan, The Devil is a Part Timer, Final Fantasy, and Resident Evil discuss this pivotal topic, led by Genese Davis (The Holder’s Dominion, MMORPG). Indigo Ballroom, Hilton San Diego Bayfront
12:00pm – 1:15pm The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2 – Lionsgate presents an exclusive first look at one of the studio’s highly anticipated films coming to theaters this fall. Get a sneak peek into the powerful final chapter of the epic The Hunger Games film franchise. Attendees will be shown exclusive, never-before-seen footage from Mockingjay: Part 2 and treated to a cast and filmmaker Q&A session revealing details on the big-screen finale. Hall H
12:30pm – 1:30pm Roddenberry Entertainment Presents – Eugene Roddenberry (CEO Roddenberry Entertainment, son of Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry), Trevor Roth (COO/head of development, Roddenberry Entertainment) and Tory Mell (producer, Roddenberry Entertainment) discuss the groundbreaking new app for their film White Room: 02B3. They will also be talking about the 50th Anniversary of Star Trek and premiering their new short film Instant, along with special guests Tony Janning (actor, White Room: 02B3, Instant, Legend of Neil) and Alex Albrecht (director, Instant). A surprise guest will be giving away a traditional iPad. Room 24ABC
1:00pm – 2:00pm Digital Bits Blu-ray Sneak Peek: Star Trek: Axanar – Digital Bits editor Bill Hunt, veteran Blu-ray/DVD producers Charles de Lauzirika (Twin Peaks, The Martian),Cliff Stephenson (Hannibal, The Hunger Games), and Robert Meyer Burnett (Free Enterprise, Star Trek: The Next Generation Blu-rays), and executive producer Alec Peters (Star Trek: Axanar) discuss major upcoming Blu-ray titles and 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray developments. They will explain the groundbreaking process of creating studio-quality independent Blu-ray releases, including the new Prelude to Axanar: Special Edition. There will be an audience Q&A and lots of great giveaways. Room 23ABC
1:00pm – 2:00pm Science Channel: Raiders, Raptors, and Rebels: Behind the Magic of ILM – Fans will get to see exclusive clips and receive unprecedented access behind the scenes at Industrial Light and Magic, as science and creativity give birth to some of today’s top films. The secrets behind Avengers: Age of Ultron, Star Wars, Jurassic Park, and many more will be revealed during this once-in-a-lifetime panel. Join Science Channel as they celebrate the 40th Anniversary of Industrial Light and Magic at this year’s Comic-Con like no one else can. Surprise guests and exclusive footage along with a very special prize will be given away at this VIP experience where the science behind the movies is unveiled for the first time ever. Room 25ABC
1:30pm – 2:00pm Trailer Park – See the latest and greatest trailers with all of your pop culture-loving friends here on the big screen at Comic-Con. Hall H
2:00pm – 3:00pm Class of 1985: The Greatest Geek Movies of: Don’t Forget About Us – Moderator Mark A. Altman ( Free Enterprise, Agent X) and panelists discuss the great geek year of 1985, as they go back to the future with such films as, well, Back to the Future, Lifeforce, The Breakfast Club, The Goonies, Clue, Legend, Rocky IV, Brazil, Commando, Weird Science, Silverado, Fletch, A View to a Kill, Cocoon, Witness, Return to Oz, Re-Animator, The Purple Rose of Cairo, Fright Night, Real Genius, Subway, After Hours, Ladyhawke, Enemy Mine and, yes, Robert Burnett, just for you: To Live & Die In L.A. And for good measure, they’ll discover a new type of martial arts,Gymkata, and prove to Virginia there really is a Santa Claus: The Movie. Enrolling in this brunch club are Scott Mantz (Access Hollywood), Robert Meyer Burnett (Free Enterprise), Steve Melching (Star Wars Rebels), Ashley E. Miller (Thor, X: Men: First Class), gymkataspert Steve Kriozere (NCIS, Agent X), Charles de Lauzirkia (Crave, Alien Anthology), and David E. Williams ( Femme Fatales, Lifeforce: The Space Vampires). Charge it to the Underhills! Room 5AB
2:00pm – 3:00pm Greenlight Your Passion Project! – Project creators, actors, producers, and crowdfunding professionals discuss the power of crowdfunding as it pertains to greenlighting your own project! This panel of pros has successfully raised millions of dollars for feature film, short-films, documentaries, and web-series. Join an informative and uplifting discussion on the power of crowdfunding your dreams, featuring Ericka Anderson (Seed & Spark director of crowdfunding), Mark Gantt (The Bannen Way, The Night Visitor), Etta Devine (The Selling, Diani & Devine Meet the Apocalypse), Mark Netter (Nightmare Code, Dark Matter Productions), Jodie Bentley (COO Reinventing Films), and moderator Leah Cevoli (film producer and crowdfunding professional). Room 7AB
3:00pm – 4:00pm 3rd Annual Musical Anatomy of a Superhero – From the ominous horns of Jaws, to the inspiring theme for Star Wars, music has always been an important supporting character in movies. For the superhero genre, the music reflects these emotions and more. This panel offers a behind the scenes look at the music of today’s biggest superhero film and TV projects with unreleased film clips and never before heard music. Participating composers include Junkie XL (Mad Max: Fury Road, Batman v. Superman), Christophe Beck (Ant-Man), Marco Beltrami (Fantastic Four), Brian Tyler (Avengers: Age of Ultron), Lorne Balfe (Terminator: Genisys), and Blake Neely (Super Girl, Arrow, Flash). Produced by Costa Communications. Indigo Ballroom, Hilton San Diego Bayfront
3:00pm – 4:00pm The Might and Magic of Legacy Effects – Legacy Effects is one of the leading practical effects companies in the motion picture industry. Their work is featured in films including Pacific Rim, Avengers: Age Of Ultron, Jurassic World and Terminator: Genisys. Meet the studio founders and get a firsthand look into the making of these blockbuster films. You may even get a sneak peek at some of the actual props from the films. Engage in an exciting presentation, Q&A, and maybe even a couple of giveaways. Room 32AB
3:30pm – 4:30pm Animated Effects in Live Action – When the word animation is used, we think of cartoons. However, the line between live action and animation is becoming blurred due to technological advances. Industry professionals who create some of the most memorable animated visual effects will have a lively discussion on how they blend animation with live action seamlessly. They include David Derks (ASIFA Hollywood), and Adam Howard (Birdman, Pee Wee’s Big Holiday). Room 26AB
4:15pm – 5:15pm Hollywood Location Scouts – Working closely with the director and production designer, location scouts are the artists who translate the script into reality by exploring the world to figure out exactly where the movies and TV shows should be made. Six location scouts will discuss the creative and logistical aspects of their jobs, relate some exciting anecdotes, and answer audience questions. ModeratorScott Trimble (Terminator: Genisys, Jurassic World) joins panelists Nick Carr (Spider-Man 3, Enchanted), Stephenson Crossley (Fear the Walking Dead, Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen), Stacey McGillis (Guardians of the Galaxy, The Infiltrator), Kei Rowan-Young (Django Unchained, Chef), and Steve Woroniecki (Tomorrowland, X-Men: First Class). Grand Ballroom D, Manchester Grand Hyatt
4:30pm – 6:20pm Thursday Playback Room Block #3 – The Playback Room will be showing the following panel presentations from either or both Hall H and Ballroom 20: Doctor Who: BBC America Official Panel, Sherlock, Con Man: The Fan Revolt 13 Years in the Making, and MTV’s Teen Wolf. (Please note: these playbacks will include only the panel discussions. None of the film clips or footage shown at the live events will be shown here.) The Playback Room, Omni Hotel, 4th Floor Ballroom
5:00pm – 6:00pm How to Make A Movie with a Camera Phone – Mobile Film Festivals are becoming the next big thing. Cell phone cameras now have the capability of shooting 4k – which makes cell phone filmmaking now a possibility to be taken seriously. San Diego Independent Filmmaker Paul Giret (Film For Food) will explain the process of how to use your everyday mobile device as a movie making tool. Giret recently was one of the 15 participants in the Qualcomm 4K Challenge in which contestants were given a 4K Motorola Droid to produce a short film that will also play at the San Diego Film Festival this year. He will be joined by his cast member Carol Morrow (Supergirl Unburdened) from his mobile film “Pitch and Hitch” and Mike Egbert who will elaborate on the production process. Topics will cover on what filmmaking tools, Dolly, Jib, Slider, Car Mount to use, how to properly attach the camera to these tools, what apps work best to control your exposure, what is the workflow and how to handle footage during post-production (editing) process. Join this panel along with Ty Mabrety (Bang Zoom Pow) and Crysstal Hubbard (Supergirl Unburdened) who helped make Cell Phone Films from script to screen. With special guest moderator Machelle Noel (GeekRockTV & Faith Hollywood TV). Room 5AB
5:30pm – 6:30pm Fright Night: 30 Years of Screams – Horror screenwriter Greg Beville (Blackstar Canyon) details the special effects and making of Fright Night 1985 and how the film’s practical effects compare to horror films today. Moderated by Now Streaming’s Andrew Furtado (Nightbreed: The Director’s Cut). Room 6A
6:00pm – 7:00pm NASA: Journey to Mars – America’s space agency is leading the world on a journey to the Red Planet. From the current orbiters and rovers that are making historic scientific discoveries, to the development of the largest and most powerful rocket ever conceived by human, NASA is pushing the final frontier to the planet that has been the subject of conjecture and the focus of the search for life beyond our home planet. We plan an enlightening discussion moderated by Aditya Sood (executive producer, The Martian). Also some of NASA’s best and brightest; Jim Green (director of planetary sciences, NASA Headquarters), Todd May (manager, NASA Space Launch System Program, NASA Marshall Space Flight Center) and Victor Glover (astronaut, NASA Johnson Space Center). As well as author Andy Weir (The Martian) especially in light of NASA’s involvement in the upcoming Ridley Scott motion picture The Martian. Room 6BCF
6:00pm – 8:00pm World Premiere of Scooby-Doo! and KISS: Rock and Roll Mystery! – Starchild, Demon, Catman and Spaceman join everyone’s favorite teen sleuths in an explosive, new, must-see musical adventure no KISS Army member will want to miss! In Scooby-Doo! And KISS: Rock and Roll Mystery, the Mystery Inc. gang travels to KISS World, an amusement park dedicated to the band, for a special Halloween concert headlined by the legendary rock group. Six KISS songs are featured alongside an original new song performed by the band written just for the film. Be part of the first audience to see this landmark merging of pop culture icons, then stay for a panel featuring the legendary band KISS – Gene Simmons, Paul Stanley, Tommy Thayer and Eric Singer; NCIS star Pauley Perrette and longtime “Shaggy” and “Daphne” voices Matthew Lillard (The Bridge) and Grey Griffin (Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated), director Tony Cervone (Tom and Jerry: The Lost Dragon) and writer Kevin Shinick (Mad, Robot Chicken). The panel will be moderated by director/actor/writer Kevin Smith, who also has a role in the film along with Jason Mewes. Scooby-Doo and KISS: Rock and Roll Mystery! will be released via Warner Bros. Home Entertainment on Digital HD July 10 and on Blu-ray Combo Pack & DVD July 21. Hall H
7:00pm – 8:00pm Nick Carter Goes West: From Boy Band to Zombie Western – Nick Carter of the Backstreet Boys discusses his first foray into film production with the studio behind Sharknado and Z-Nation. Fellow Backstreet Boys Howie Dorough, A.J. McLean, and The Asylum producers join the panel conversation. Room 5AB
7:30pm – 8:30pm Robotech: The Next 30 Years – Kevin McKeever (VP of marketing at Harmony Gold) showcases all the latest merchandise, along with the latest updates on the live-action Robotech film. Room 24ABC
7:30pm – 8:30pm Tattooine Law: Legal Lessons from Star Wars – Federal Magistrate JudgePaul Grewal, Gerry O’Brien (NY political consultant and novelist), Jessica Mederson, Esq. (The Legal Geeks), and Joshua Gilliland, Esq. (The Legal Geeks) explore the legal system from a galaxy far, far away. The panel will jump to light speed to explore the many legal lessons on Tatooine, including the intricacies of property ownership of R2-D2 and C-3PO; employee and independent contractor safety issues in Jabba’s Palace; and Han’s legal justification to shoot first. Room 26AB
8:00pm – 9:00pm Son of Name That Movie – Returning for a third record-breaking year is the combination game show and visual/audio event known as Son of Name That Movie. Inkpot Award-winning host and creator John Field presents the fu- filled program shown to a packed house of film fans the last two years running. In this all-new version, 50 clips from 50 different sci-fi, horror, and fantasy films are presented. Place your ticket in the Magic Film Can. If picked from among audience members, you get to play the game by simply naming as many of the clips as possible. There will be first- through fourth-place prizes. And, if someone on the panel cannot name the clip and an audience member can, that person will get a bonus prize as well. Room 9
8:00pm – 10:30pm 18th Annual Superhero Kung Fu Extravaganza – Ric Meyers (Inside Kung Fu, Films of Fury: The Kung Fu Movie Movie [& Book]) has got a whole new bunch of eye-bulging, jaw-dropping, breath-taking, goose-bumping, funny-bone-cracking fight scenes from the best, worst, and weirdest films in the whole world. With his co-hosts Graham Eldwood and Chris J. Mancini (Comedy Film Nerds, Ear Buds) back in action; a report direct from Beijing by the king of YouTube kung-fu Eric Jacobus (as well as the Comic-Con premiere of his amazing new Rope-A-Dope 2); and their standard operating surprises, it’s not just awe-some, it’s awe-all. Be there or be in Tiananmen Square! Room 6A
9:00pm – 10:30pm Floyd Norman Documentary – Filmmakers Michael Fiore (producer of the upcoming feature Home Invasion) and Erik Sharkey (director of Drew: The Man Behind the Poster) will show clips from their original feature-length documentary and reunite Floyd Norman (legendary Disney and Hanna Barbera animator and story artist) with many animators and artists that he influenced and worked with over his 60-year career. Panelists will include notables featured in the documentary includingPaul Dini (animation writer/producer), Gary Trousdale (co-director of Disney’s Beauty and the Beast), Scott Shaw! (cartoonist, humorist, historian), Leo Sullivan (animator, producer, publisher), Ken Mitchroney (writer, director, story artist), Adrienne Nichelle Brown-Norman (illustrator, Disney Publishing), and Tom Sito (animator, professor of animation, USC). The documentary also features interviews with such notables as actress Whoopi Goldberg, cartoonist Sergio Aragonés, Disney music composer Richard Sherman, producer Don Hahn, Maleficent), Ralph Guggenheim (former Pixar VP of animation), and film critic/historian Leonard Maltin. The documentary is supported by a musical score composed by Ryan Shore (composer, Disney’s Penn Zero and WB’s Scooby-Doo!). The filmmakers will moderate a Q&A session and celebrate Mr. Norman’s 80th birthday. Room 9
9:00pm – 11:30pm Spirited Away Screening – Hayao Miyazaki’s Spirited Away has captured the hearts of viewers all over the world. Join Her Universe and Hot Topic for Studio Ghibli trivia, prizes and a special screening of the beloved film, hosted by Her Universe founder Ashley Eckstein. Horton Grand Theatre
TBS has officially announced the Conan Comic-Con 2015 guest list for his upcoming show recordings next week at the Spreckels Theatre. Conan O’Brien will be in San Diego from Wednesday, July 8 on Preview Night all the way up through Saturday, July 11. Team Coco fans attending these shows can look forward to seeing the cast of The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2, Game of Thrones, and The Walking Dead, as well as Elijah Wood and Chris Hardwick. Special mystery guests have yet to be announced for the last day.
The following is a rundown of the week’s guests:
Wednesday, July 8
Thursday, July 9 – The stars of The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2
Friday, July 10 – The stars of Game of Thrones and The Walking Dead
Saturday, July 11
These episodes of Conan will air on TBS at 11 p.m. (ET/PT) each night and will be available across TBS and Team Coco’s digital and mobile platforms the following day.
First footage of The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2 has arrived with the release of a new teaser trailer; the previous teaser was only a flaming mockingjay symbol with excellent voice over. Adapted from the popular Suzanne Collins novels, the highly anticipated showdown between the Districts and The Capitol will hit theaters November 20; or as Finnick Odair says, “Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the 76th Hunger Games.”
As we descend upon the months leading up to the conclusion to Katniss Everdeen’s story, there are still many unanswered questions. What will become of Peeta? (We see him in the Mockingjay Part 2 teaser hugging Katniss instead of strangling her.) Does Coin have a nefarious end game? Katniss is very adamant that Snow pays for what he’s done, but what will that mean to her if she takes him down? (It would appear they come face to face at some point.) What is that black ooze pouring out from the buildings set off by that booby trap?
I, myself, know the answers to these questions as I have read “Mockingjay,” a fairly horrendous end to the trilogy. However, Francis Lawrence and screenwriters Peter Craig and Danny Strong did a pretty spectacular job with Mockingjay Part 1 by weeding out all the BS that plagued the novel. In the book, when Katniss and Co. return to The Capitol with the intent to end President Snow’s tyranny, everything becomes a bit chaotic. We can’t tell from this Mockingjay Part 2 teaser how well everything will turn out, but I have faith in Lawrence and his team that they won’t muck it up.
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Here is the official plot synopsis for The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2, courtesy of Lionsgate:
With the nation of Panem in a full scale war, Katniss confronts President Snow [Donald Sutherland] in the final showdown. Teamed with a group of her closest friends – including Gale [Liam Hemsworth], Finnick [Sam Claflin] and Peeta [Josh Hutcherson] – Katniss goes off on a mission with the unit from District 13 as they risk their lives to liberate the citizens of Panem, and stage an assassination attempt on President Snow who has become increasingly obsessed with destroying her. The mortal traps, enemies, and moral choices that await Katniss will challenge her more than any arena she faced in The Hunger Games.
Directed by Francis Lawrence, from a screenplay by Peter Craig and Danny Strong, The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2 stars Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth, Woody Harrelson, Elizabeth Banks, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Jeffrey Wright, Willow Shields, Sam Claflin, Jena Malone, Stanley Tucci, Donald Sutherland, Julianne Moore, Mahershala Ali, Natalie Dormer, Wes Chatham, Elden Henson, and Evan Ross. The film is set to arrive in theaters on November 20, 2015.
Source: The Hunger Games YouTube
Whether you’re a fan of The Hunger Games series or not, you have to admit that the mockingjay symbol will forever be engrained in the annals of pop culture for generations to come. Capitalizing on this opportunity, the marketing team behind The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2 have utilized its full potential in the latest revolutionary stand against President Snow and The Capitol.
Bearing similarities to Mockingjay – Part 1’s teaser trailer, we now see the porcelain white statue of President Snow blown to bits with the mockingjay symbol painted on the wall behind it. In the corner a little URL is displayed, revolution.pn, which asks you to “Take a Stand” against the Capitol. Here’s the official Tweet where the poster originated:
Down with the Capitol! Check out the all-new official poster for #MockingjayPart2 & #UNITE at TheCapitol.PN! http://t.co/iQVFnjSLwF—
Mockingjay – Part 2 (@TheHungerGames) June 01, 2015
And here’s a larger picture that you can click to enlarge:
Earlier this March, the first teaser trailer for Mockingjay – Part 2 was unleashed. Also taking advantage of the iconic mockingjay symbol, we watch it evolve through its many forms from the franchise. It’s a pretty well conceived teaser as it takes lines of dialogue from each previous entry to build anticipation for the explosive final form. Check it out:
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And of course, here are two previous teaser posters that have been released:
Here is the official plot synopsis for The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2, courtesy of Lionsgate:
With the nation of Panem in a full scale war, Katniss confronts President Snow [Donald Sutherland] in the final showdown. Teamed with a group of her closest friends – including Gale [Liam Hemsworth], Finnick [Sam Claflin] and Peeta [Josh Hutcherson] – Katniss goes off on a mission with the unit from District 13 as they risk their lives to liberate the citizens of Panem, and stage an assassination attempt on President Snow who has become increasingly obsessed with destroying her. The mortal traps, enemies, and moral choices that await Katniss will challenge her more than any arena she faced in The Hunger Games.
Directed by Francis Lawrence, from a screenplay by Peter Craig and Danny Strong, The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2 stars Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth, Woody Harrelson, Elizabeth Banks, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Jeffrey Wright, Willow Shields, Sam Claflin, Jena Malone, Stanley Tucci, Donald Sutherland, Julianne Moore, Mahershala Ali, Natalie Dormer, Wes Chatham, Elden Henson, and Evan Ross. The film is set to arrive in theaters on November 20, 2015.
Source: The Hunger Games Twitter
Many may recognize her as the ass kicking Brienne of Tarth on HBO’s Game of Thrones, but now Gwendoline Christie has been cast as Commander Lyme in The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2. Christie has been signed on to replace Lily Rabe, and you can learn more about the decision after the break. Continue reading