Zack Braff Confirms His OBI-WAN KENOBI Cameo and Shares Behind the Scenes Photos

If you watched the credits roll at the end of the Obi-Wan Kenobi Episode 3, there’s no doubt you noticed Zack Braff’s name pop up. Well, he took on the role of the alien character Freck, the transport driver who gave Obi-Wan and young Leia a lift.

He recently confirmed his involvement on Instagram and shared a few behind the scenes photos from the production of the Star Wars series. Braff actually previously worked with series director Deborah Chow on the 2010 drama film The High Cost of Living. It’s pretty cool that she brought him into the Star Wars universe for this little role.

Check out the photos below and let us know what you’ve thought about the series so far.

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The story begins “10 years after the dramatic events of Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith where Obi-Wan Kenobi faced his greatest defeat—the downfall and corruption of his best friend and Jedi apprentice, Anakin Skywalker, who turned to the dark side as evil Sith Lord Darth Vader.”

Ewan McGregor stars as the titular Jedi master, whom he famously portrayed in George Lucas’ prequel trilogy. It also features the return of Hayden Christensen as Darth Vader, Joel Edgerton as Owen Lars, and Bonnie Piesse as Beru Lars.

The series also stars Moses Ingram (The Queen’s Gambit), Kumail Nanjiani (Eternals), Indira Varma (Game of Thrones), Rupert Friend (Homeland), O’Shea Jackson Jr. (Godzilla: King of the Monsters), Sung Kang (F9: The Fast Saga), Simone Kessell (Of Kings and Prophets), and Benny Safdie (Uncut Gems).

New Featurette for Pixar’s LIGHTYEAR Explores the Legacy of a Space Ranger

Disney has released a new featurette for Pixar’s Lightyear, and it puts a focus on the legacy of a Space Ranger. The cast and filmmakers share the impact that the heroic space ranger has had in their lives, and at the same time they offer new details on the story, and it features some cool and exciting new footage from the film.

When talking about the film, Chris Evans says this film “is the origin story of Buzz Lightyear. It’s the story that made Andy and his friends want to go buy a Buzz Lightyear toy.”

I’ve already seen the first 30-minutes of footage of the movie, and in that time the story sucks you right in. You can watch our reaction that that footage here, but I loved what this movie offers and I can’t wait to see how the rest of the story plays out!

The story follows “the legendary Space Ranger after he’s marooned on a hostile planet 4.2 million light-years from Earth alongside his commander and their crew. As Buzz tries to find a way back home through space and time, he’s joined by a group of ambitious recruits and his charming robot companion cat, Sox. Complicating matters and threatening the mission is the arrival of Zurg, an imposing presence with an army of ruthless robots and a mysterious agenda. A new poster and images are also available.”

The film also stars Uzo Aduba as his commander and best friend Alisha Hawthorne, and Peter Sohn as Sox. Keke Palmer, Taika Waititi, and Dale Soules lend their voices to the Junior Zap Patrol’s Izzy Hawthorne, Mo Morrison and Darby Steel, respectively, and James Brolin can be heard as the enigmatic Zurg. The voice cast also includes Mary McDonald-Lewis as onboard computer I.V.A.N., Isiah Whitlock Jr. as Commander Burnside, Efren Ramirez as Airman Diaz, and Keira Hairston as Young Izzy.

Lightyear was directed by Angus MacLane (co-director Finding Dory), produced by Galyn Susman (Toy Story That Time Forgot) and featuring a score by award-winning composer Michael Giacchino (The Batman, Up). Lightyear will hit in theaters starting June 17th, 2022.

Square Enix Drops a New Trailer for FINAL FANTASY XVI and Development Team Names

Square Enix released a new trailer for Final Fantasy XVI recently. The trailer was called “Dominance” and showed off some of the gameplay that fans can expect to find like high-action battles and giant monsters. It looks absolutely stunning. What’s more is the reveal that the game will launch on PS5 globally in Summer 2023.

FINAL FANTASY XVI brings players into a world where Eikons are powerful and deadly creatures that reside within Dominants—a single man or woman who is blessed with the ability to call upon their dreaded power. The story follows Clive Rosfield, a young man dedicated to mastering the blade, who is dubbed the First Shield of Rosaria and tasked to guard his younger brother Joshua—the Dominant of the Phoenix. Unexpected events set Clive on a dark and dangerous road to revenge.

Talking about the trailer and the game, producer Naoki Yoshida said:

The latest trailer gives players a clearer picture of what actual gameplay will entail. Namely, high-octane battles featuring our protagonist Clive Rosfield wielding a full arsenal of attacks unique to the game’s many Eikons (summons). Not to mention epic clashes between the Eikons themselves that put you right in the action.

The team, under direction of Hiroshi Takai, has entered the final leg of development and is focusing on polish as they continue their march toward launch.” Yoshida added, “With the power of the PlayStation®5 console behind us, we’re looking to take you on a seamless, story-driven, white-knuckle ride that will rival even the most thrilling roller-coaster. So, buckle up. The wait is almost over.

Director Hiroshi Takai added:

In our latest trailer, we’ve introduced several new Eikons, as well as provided a more detailed peek at our action-packed battle system and the freedom it gives players. As for development progress, I’m happy to announce that the game is fully playable from start to finish; though, from optimization to brush-up, there is still a mountain of challenges to tackle as we head into our final push. Until then, please stay tuned. We’ll do our best to not keep you waiting too long before our next update!

In addition to the trailer for Final Fantasy XVI, Square Enix revealed a number of key development staff who include veterans from a variety of titles.

  • Producer – Naoki Yoshida (FINAL FANTASY XIV Online, DRAGON QUEST X, DRAGON QUEST: Monster Battle Road)

  • Main Director – Hiroshi Takai (FINAL FANTASY V, SaGa Frontier, THE LAST REMNANT)

  • Creative Director & Original Screenplay – Kazutoyo Maehiro (FINAL FANTASY XIV Online, FINAL FANTASY XII, THE LAST REMNANT)

  • Localization Director – Michael-Christopher Koji Fox (FINAL FANTASY XIV Online, FINAL FANTASY XI Online, FINAL FANTASY VII Dirge of Cerberus)

  • Art Director – Hiroshi Minagawa (FINAL FANTASY XIV Online, FINAL FANTASY XII, FINAL FANTASY TACTICS)

  • Combat Director – Ryota Suzuki (DEVIL MAY CRY 5, Dragon’s Dogma and MARVEL VS. CAPCOM 2 (All published by CAPCOM))

  • Character Design – Kazuya Takahashi (FINAL FANTASY XIV Online, FINAL FANTASY XI Online, FINAL FANTASY X)

  • Composer – Masayoshi Soken (FINAL FANTASY XIV Online, Nanashi no Game series, Mario Hoops 3-on-3 (Published by Nintendo))

You can watch the new trailer for Final Fantasy XVI and check out some screenshots and character artwork below.

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Fun Clip From MS. MARVEL Teases Big Hulk and Little Hulk Cosplay Costumes for AvengersCon

Disney+ has released a new clip from Marvel’s upcoming series Ms. Marvel, and it focuses on Kamala Khan’s excitement about going to attend AnengersCon. The thing is… her parents will only let her go under certain conditions.

In the scene, Kamala’s mother, Muneeba, tells Kamala that she is only allowed to go as she goes with her father, obeys a strict time limit, and has to dress up as Little Hulk, with her dad dressing up as Big Hulk. As you might imagine, Kamala is not happy with the whole situation.

I’ve already seen the series, and I enjoyed it and found it quite charming. I’ve got two teenage daughters, and aspects of their personalities match Kamala’s, which made it easy for me to connect to the story.

Kamala Khan is a Muslim American teenager growing up in Jersey City. “An avid gamer and a voracious fan-fiction scribe, Kamala is a Super Hero mega fan with an oversized imagination—particularly when it comes to Captain Marvel. Yet Kamala feels like she doesn’t fit in at school and sometimes even at home—that is, until she gets super powers like the heroes she’s always looked up to. Life gets better with super powers, right?”

The rest of the cast includes Aramis Knight, Saagar Shaikh, Rish Shah, Zenobia Shroff, Mohan Kapur, Matt Lintz, Yasmeen Fletcher, Laith Nakli, Azhar Usman, Travina Springer, and Nimra Bucha.

The Ms. Marvel series is being developed by British writer Bisha K. Ali (Four Weddings and a Funeral), who is writing the series and also serves as showrunner.

Episodes are directed by Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah, Meera Menon and Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy. Kevin Feige, Louis D’Esposito, Victoria Alonso and Bisha K. Ali are the executive producers.

Ms. Marvel is set to premiere exclusively on Disney+ on June 8, 2022!

Art Imitates Life in Entertaining New Trailer for Alicia Vikander’s HBO Series IRMA VEP

HBO has released a new trailer for its new series Irma Vep, which is an adaptation of the cult-favorite Irma Vep film from 1996. Alicia Vikander stars in the movie, which is being written and helmed by the director of the original film, Olivier Assayas. It looks like he’s made an entertaining and wacky series, and Vikander is going to deliver a fantastic performance.

The series centers on Mira (Vikander), “an American movie star disillusioned by her career and a recent breakup, who comes to France to star as ‘Irma Vep’ in a remake of the French silent film classic, Les Vampires. Set against the backdrop of a lurid crime thriller, Mira struggles as the distinctions between herself and the character she plays begin to blur and merge. Irma Vep reveals to us the uncertain ground that lies at the border of fiction and reality, artifice and authenticity, art and life.”

I’m a big fan of Vikander, and she will be joined by Devon Ross, Byron Bowers, Tom Sturridge, Adria Arjona, Fala Chen, Carrie Brownstein, Lars Eidinger, Vincent Lacoste, along with Vincent Macaigne as her crazy French director René.

The series will debut on HBO Max starting June 6th, 2022.

STAR WARS: THE BAD BATCH Season 2 Gets September Premiere Date on Disney+!

Disney+ has given Star Wars: The Bad Batch Season 2 a release date! They’ve announced that it will premiere this fall on September 28th! The date was posted on the Disney+ homepage. The first trailer for the series debuted during Star Wars Celebration and you can check that out here!

I enjoyed the first season of The Bad Batch. It told a great story, and I just really like the characters that make up the Bad Batch. I’m excited for Season 2 as it looks like it’s going to take fans on another grand Star Wars adventure!

The series follows the elite and experimental clones of the Bad Batch (first introduced in The Clone Wars), also known as Clone Force 99, “as they find their way in a rapidly changing galaxy in the immediate aftermath of the Clone War. Members of Bad Batch – a unique squad of clones who vary genetically from their brothers in the Clone Army — each possess a singular exceptional skill which makes them extraordinarily effective soldiers and a formidable crew. In the post-Clone War era, they will take on daring mercenary missions as they struggle to stay afloat and find new purpose.”

Season 2 continues the story of the team of defective Galactic Army clones. “Months have passed since the events on Kamino and the Bad Batch continue their journey navigating the Empire after the fall of the Republic. They will cross paths with friends and foes, both new and familiar, as they take on a variety of thrilling mercenary missions that will take them to unexpected and dangerous new places.”

Executive producer Dave Filoni said in a previous statement: “The entire Lucasfilm Animation team and I would like to thank Disney+ and our fans for the opportunity to continue telling the story of the Bad Batch.”

The series stars Dee Bradley Baker as the voice for every member of Clone Force 99, including Crosshair. Michelle Ang co-stars as Omega, the only female clone of the late Jango Fett. Rhea Perlman is also in the series and voices Trandoshan Cid.

The second season of Star Wars: The Bad Batch consists of 16 episodes.

Good Grief, Here’s a Trailer for the Sci-Fi Horror Film AMITYVILLE IN SPACE

I don’t even know what to say… the whole Amityville story is now part of the public domain, so there have been a ton of ridiculous movies being made recently such as Amityville Uprising, The Amityville Moon, and even Amityville Shark House.

The latest stupid movie to be revealed is titled Amityville in Space, and it comes from From Wild Eye Releasing. We have a trailer for you to watch and the tagline for the movie is, “Pack your bags for a frightening intergalactic stay at Amityville.”

In the film, “The ultimate battle against the Amityville curse begins after the infamous murder house is exorcised from Earth and reappears in outer space.”

The absurdly bonkers movie is directed by Mark Polonia (Sharkula), and it stars Titus Himmelberger, Cassandra Hayes, Tim Hatch, Ryan Dalton and Jeff Kirkendall.

Amityville in Space will be released on July 19th, 2022. Who is watching these movies?!

Fandango “Concession Confessions” Survey Reveals Moviegoers Favorite Movie Snacks! What’s Your Favorite?

When I go to the movies, I always have to have a tub of popcorn with butter, a soda, and some candy. The candy is a revolving door of favorites like Red Vines, Junior Mints, Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, Snickers, and Peanut M&M’s. Sometimes I’ll grab a hotdog if I’m feeling super hungry.

Fandango, the nation’s largest movie online ticketing service, recently conducted their Concession Confessions survey, and they asked 2,500 moviegoers in the United States about their movie snack preferences, and if you’re curious to see what people enjoy munching on at the movies, this will answer all your questions!

Fandango Managing Editor Erik Davis said in a statement: “Summer moviegoing season is in full swing, and it’s that time of year when fans are craving those spectacular ‘popcorn movies.’ We call them ‘popcorn movies’ for a reason: because concessions are an essential part of the theatrical experience. Summer movies allow us to escape our daily routines and discover new, unforgettable adventures at our local theaters, and with Top Gun: Maverick thrilling audiences, and Jurassic World Dominion and more summer blockbusters on the way, theaters are buzzing with breathtaking, big-screen excitement and fans craving those irresistible snacks.” 

The study reveals that 81% of those people who were surveyed believe that theater concessions play an important part in the moviegoing experience. 71% of them say that they missed eating concessions when theaters were closed due to the pandemic. I was definitely one of those! As for the most popular concessions among moviegoers, here’s the information that was gathered:

  • 83% claim movie theater popcorn simply tastes better.

  • 76% are more likely to eat popcorn in the theater than at home.

  • 66% order large or extra large sizes of popcorn every time, while 47% would prefer a bottomless popcorn bucket option.

  • 53% say nachos is the best hot snack, but 77% avoid messy concessions like nachos on a date.

  • 58% prefer a mix of sweet & salty snacks, while nearly half enjoy mixing their popcorn with candy at the movies. The top candies fans add to popcorn are M&M’s, Reese’s Pieces, Raisinets, Goobers and Milk Duds.

  • 47% say they must buy concessions even when they’re late to the movies.

  • 72% say Coke (regular, diet, Coke Zero or flavored Coke) is their top drink of choice.

  • 55% would like to see healthier (and more vegan) options at the theater.

  • 45% say the bottomless soda option is their favorite new addition to theater concession menus, followed by alcoholic beverages and flavored Cokes.

  • Action/adventure is the #1 movie genre that must be enjoyed with concessions, followed by comedies and scifi/fantasy.

The study also took a look at the movie theater concessions habits of self-described “comic book fans”:

  • 85% of comic book fans feel like concessions are an important part of the moviegoing experience vs. 81% of general moviegoers.

  • 64% of comic book fans would be interested in themed concessions (like “pizza balls” for Doctor Strange 2) vs. 61% of general moviegoers.

  • 50% of comic book fans opt in for unlimited popcorn/soda options vs. 47% of general moviegoers.

  • 49% of comic book fans order pretzel vs. 46% of general moviegoers.

  • 48% of comic book fans like to experiment with concessions vs. 45% of general moviegoers.

  • 34% of comic book fans order pizza vs. 31% of general moviegoers.

When it comes to favorite movie theater candy, Peanut M&M’s was the top favorite overall and chocolate-based candy. Twizzlers was the top non-chocolate-based candy, and Junior Mints was voted the top retro candy brand.

Then there’s the favorite brand of licorice… it was interesting to learn that Twizzlers is the preferred brand in the Northeast, Midwest and Southern parts of the country, while Red Vines are the top choice in Western U.S. 47% percent of those surveyed said they would purchase another licorice brand if their favorite wasn’t offered.

What are your favorite concessions at the cinema!?

TRON 3 Was So Close to Getting Made, But Marvel and Star Wars Killed It

Tron: Legacy director Joseph Kosinski is currently flying high off the recent success of Top Gun: Maverick. Before he jumped into the Danger Zone, though, back in 2015 he was set to direct Tron 3 for Disney, which was titled Tron: Ascension.

The movie was so close to being made, and the director had the whole thing written and storyboarded. The cast was set and things were on the road to production when all of a sudden the project was canceled. Kosinski shared some insight on the project in a recent interview with Vulture, and he puts part of the blame on Marvel and Star Wars:

“I got so close. I really tried. I got close in 2015, and Disney pulled the plug on it. I hadn’t built anything, but I had the whole movie storyboarded and written. I was really excited because it was inverting the idea: It was all that stuff coming into our world, and it was about the blending of the two. But it was a different Disney by 2015. When I made Tron: Legacy, they didn’t own Marvel; they didn’t own Star Wars. We were the play for fantasy and science fiction. And once you’ve got those other things under your umbrella, it makes sense that you’re going to put your money into a known property and not the weird art student with black fingernails in the corner — that was Tron. And that’s okay. Had I made Tron: Ascension, I wouldn’t have made Only the Brave, and I wouldn’t have made the movies I made. But remember, the first Tron was not a hit when it came out. It’s a cult classic. And if Tron: Legacy’s becoming the same thing, I couldn’t be more thrilled.”

When previously talking about his story, director Joseph Kosinski talked about it saying:

“The movie was called, ‘TRON: Ascension’… What I’m excited about is the concept, which is an invasion movie from inside the machine coming out as opposed to one we’ve usually seen. So we hinted at that at the end of Legacy with Quorra coming out, but the idea for Ascension was a movie that was, the first act was in the real world, the second act was in the world of TRON, or multiple worlds of TRON, and the third act was totally in the real world. And I think that really opens up, blows open the concept of TRON in a way that would be thrilling to see on screen. But there’s also a really interesting character study in Quorra and a ‘Stranger in a Strange Land,’ trying to figure out where she belongs having lived in the real world for a few years, and where does she fit in.”

He went on to explain what Quorra would have been able to do in the real world as the first digital human hybrid:

“I don’t see them having superpowers. I don’t see them being able to shoot lasers from their eyes or do what I would consider to be a superhero-type movie. But in her DNA itself, her being the first digital-human hybrid, there’s something in her being that allows objects from inside the Grid to exist in the real world and makes them permanent, so that was the idea. So I think the idea is strong, it’s just a matter of the right time and the right place and the stars aligning as they have to do for movies.”

I really do wish that Tron: Ascension would have been made. I loved Tron and Tron: Legacy, and I was really excited for that third film. Unfortunately, that version of the movie isn’t going to happen. There is a third film in development with Jared Leto, but that will be different from what this was going to be. Who knows if that will ever happen, though.

I think there’s still some life in the Tron franchise, they just need to find the right direction to take the franchise next. I would love to see Kosinski get to make his film, but if that doesn’t happen, there are other stories to tell in that universe. They just need the right creative team to make it happen.

New Trailer for Jordan Peele’s NOPE Reveals UFO in Action

Here’s a new TV spot for Jordan Peele’s mysterious highly-anticipated sci-fi horror film Nope. A lot of people have been curious about this movie, and the new footage featured in this spot reveals a UFO in action! It’s a brief but great shot! It going to be really interesting to see what this is all about because with Peele at the helm, we know there is going to be a little twist to the story.

From what we can tell the story evolves around a small town community in California and what happens when some mysterious force invades their quiet world and what they do to stop it.

The movie stars Daniel Kaluuya and Keke Palmer, whose characters run a horse training ranch for Hollywood productions. Steven Yeun is a rodeo ringleader of sorts. It’s said that they are “residents in a lonely gulch of inland California who bear witness to an uncanny and chilling discovery.” The movie also stars Michael Wincott, Barbie Ferreira, and Brandon Perea.

The film will be released by Universal Pictures and Nope will suck you into theaters on July 22nd.