Britt Hayes is a writer, movie lover, and sensible sweater enthusiast living in Austin, Texas. She watches too much TV and never eats her vegetables.
Britt Hayes
Mark Hamill and His Beard Will Probably Return in ‘Star Wars: Episode IX’
It’s been an interesting couple of weeks for actors and their beards. Last week, Hugh Jackman shaved off his famous Wolverine facial hair for the very last time (sniffle), and now that filming on Star Wars: Episode VIII is complete, Mark Hamill is saying goodbye to his Luke Skywalker beard — but don’t worry, he’ll probably be back (beard and all) for Episode IX.
Dwayne Johnson’s ‘Jumanji’ Sequel Adds Karen Gillan
Up until now, the cast of Dwayne Johnson’s new Jumanji movie (which he says is a sequel, not a reboot) has been dominated entirely by men, so today’s casting update is a fairly refreshing one. If you were concerned that Jumanji might just star a bunch of dudes (charming dudes, but still), you can stop worrying because Karen Gillan is officially the first woman to join the cast.
Yes, There Will Be an ‘Angry Birds Movie’ Sequel
Despite mixed reviews, The Angry Birds Movie was pretty successful at the box office, thanks to an early summer release date, a solid voice cast and an established franchise with a strong fan base. As you might have guessed, the animated adaptation of the hit video game series was successful enough to warrant a sequel, and if you’re rolling your eyes at the prospect, just remember that we’ve gotten sequels to movies that were far worse than this one, based on much less success.
Denzel Washington Eyes Lead in ‘Inner City’ Drama From ‘Nightcrawler’ Director
Nightcrawler pretty much guaranteed our excitement for whatever Dan Gilroy does next. As it turns out, we won’t have to wait much longer to see what that is, as the director of the acclaimed 2014 thriller is developing a new legal drama, with Denzel Washington reportedly circling the lead role — which already makes this sound like one heck of a film experience.
Jennifer Lawrence Is the Highest-Paid Actress in the World, Still Earns Less Than the Highest-Paid Actor
For the second year in a row, Jennifer Lawrence tops the list of the highest-paid actresses in Hollywood, while the impressively prolific Dwayne Johnson has unseated Robert Downey Jr. as the highest-paid actor. Unfortunately, the highest-paid actors still earn millions more than their female counterparts, proving that Hollywood’s gender disparity problem still needs some fixing.
Stan Lee Responds to That ‘Spider-Man: Homecoming’ Mary Jane Rumor
Late last week a pretty substantial rumor surfaced suggesting that Zenadaya’s secret role in Spider-Man: Homecoming is actually Mary Jane Watson. While neither Marvel nor Sony have confirmed or even responded to those rumors, it elicited an unfortunately predictable reaction from several fans who were unhappy that a woman of color would be playing a character traditionally depicted as a white redhead. James Gunn already weighed in with his thoughts, and our own Matt Singer wrote an excellent piece on the matter, and now Stan Lee himself has offered his reaction to the recent casting rumor.
Dwayne Johnson’s ‘Fast and Furious’ Role Was Written For Tommy Lee Jones
Veteran actor and beloved curmudgeon Tommy Lee Jones has occasionally raised a few eyebrows over the course of his career with roles that defy his Quite Serious persona (Batman Forever, for example) and prove that he’s no different from any other working actor (he likes paychecks, for example). As it turns out, we were robbed of seeing Jones tackle another surprising role, but what we were given in exchange is so much better.
‘Rogue One’ Director Explains the Meaning Behind the Film’s Title
Thanks to modern journalism, we already know quite a bit about Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, including character names and background info, new aliens and villains, and even new spaceships we’ll see in the upcoming spinoff. The only thing that hasn’t been extensively covered as of yet is the film’s mysterious title, which is no longer a mystery thanks to director Gareth Edwards.
Odin Looks Pretty Rough in New ‘Thor: Ragnarok’ Set Photos
Set photos — both official and otherwise — from the set of Thor: Ragnarok continue to hit the internet, and the latest batch feature the return of another familiar face, though he’s not looking quite how you remember him. With most of Ragnarok taking place in Asgard and its various unearthly realms, it’s kind of surprising to see Anthony Hopkins in costume on the streets of New York City, looking like he’s in need of some spare change. (And a change of clothes. And a shower.)
New ‘Blair Witch’ TV Spots Take You Back Into the Woods
2016 has been the year of pop culture surprise releases — some, like Lemonade and 10 Cloverfield Lane, have been pretty great, which makes us even more hopeful for Blair Witch. Originally marketed as The Woods, the sneaky sequel to the found footage horror classic is set to hit theaters next month, taking audiences back to where it all began…but judging by these new TV spots, heading back into the woods of Burkittsville seems like a pretty terrible idea (in a good, spooky way, of course).
New Amazon Prime Instant Video Releases: September 2016
September is a big month for Amazon streaming releases, and if you have a Prime membership, there’s plenty to get excited about — like the highly-anticipated debut of Transparent Season 3. Also premiering next month are new shows from Tig Notaro and Woody Allen, as well as the addition of several films, including a handful of classic titles and recent favorites like The Witch and Sicario. Read on for our complete guide to Amazon Prime Instant Video’s new releases.
Hugh Jackman Says Goodbye to ‘Wolverine’ Beard as Sequel Wraps Production
The Wolverine 3 marks the ninth time Hugh Jackman has played the iconic X-Men character on the big screen, and as he’s long promised, the upcoming film will also be his last in the series. But as production wraps on James Mangold’s untitled Wolverine sequel, it looks like the X-franchise isn’t the only thing Jackman is bidding farewell to — he’s also saying goodbye to Logan’s signature facial scruff.