Mike Sampson is the Editor-in-Chief of ScreenCrush. He studied to become a lawyer and worked as an architectural planner after graduating college but neither of these professions afforded him the opportunity to watch movies and TV for a living. He previously served as the Editor-in-Chief of JoBlo.com for 10 years. He lives in New Jersey and probably spends too much time playing video games and overthinking things.
Mike Sampson
The One ‘Batman vs. Superman’ Scene That Was Even Too Dark For Zack Snyder
This post contains spoilers for Batman vs. Superman.
Whether you look at it as a positive or a negative, Batman vs. Superman was empirically a dark movie. Whether it was needlessly killing Jimmy Olsen or Batman wanting to stab Superman in the heart or all the other assorted murder going on, it was just a dark movie, and that’s what director Zack Snyder wanted. But ...
Yes, Other Marvel Characters Will Appear in Sony’s ‘Spider-Man’ Spinoff
When Sony Pictures and Marvel Studios agreed on a deal to essentially share Spider-Man, the first thing they decided on was that he would be formally introduced in the upcoming Captain America: Civil War. After all, if you’re going to have a deal with Marvel, you might as well take advantage of the Marvel Cinematic Universe and their many characters. Also...
After ‘Batman vs. Superman’ Letdown, Warner Bros. Will Reportedly Release Fewer Films
Batman vs. Superman opened to negative reviews and mixed word of mouth. All that could have been forgiven if it was a box-office juggernaut, but after an impressive opening weekend, Dawn of Justice is sinking like a stone. With the film now unlikely to reach $1 billion — the new benchmark for franchise success in Hollywood — Warner Bros. may be mak...
Turns Out Kylo Ren Is Even More Messed Up Than We Thought
It shouldn’t be very surprising that a guy who killed his own father in cold blood is a dark, effed up dude. Yet, this latest news about Kylo Ren somehow paints a picture of the Star Wars: The Force Awakens villain as even more disturbing than we originally thought.
Did Sony Pictures Accidentally Reveal the Title of the ‘Spider-Man’ Reboot?
As we’ve learned multiple times over the course of the years, the best kept secrets of studios can often be spoiled in the most mundane ways. Like how action figures or LEGO sets reveal our first looks at new characters or big action scenes. Or, ...
Tom Hiddleston Says ‘Thor: Ragnarok’ Will Be His ‘Last Time’
Tom Hiddleston’s Loki has been one of the most endearing and exciting characters in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Despite the fact that he’s the villain of not one, but three Marvel movies, fans love Loki and can’t seem to get enough of him. But, if Tom Hidd...
‘Batman vs. Superman’ Deleted Scene: What the Heck Is Going on Here?
It’s a little unusual (OK highly unusual) for a movie studio to release a deleted scene from a movie just three days after that movie opened in theaters, but such is the case now with Batman vs. Superman. While most of us are still processing what we saw in theaters this weekend, Warner Bros. has ...
Don’t Worry, ‘Justice League’ Won’t Be as Dark as ‘Batman vs. Superman’
As we speculated the other day, it’s possible that the negative reception to Batman vs. Superman could impact how Warner Bros. and director Zack Snyder proceed with Justice League. The two-part Justice League movie is currently scheduled to begin filming in three weeks, but it looks like Snyder and team have already made the decision to have their superhero crossover movie be less dark and more fun.
Disney and Marvel Threaten to Boycott Georgia Over Anti-Gay Legislation
In the past, many Marvel movies like Avengers and Age of Ultron filmed in Pinewood Studios in London, but with the opening of Pinewood’s new studio in Atlanta, Georgia (and the generous tax incentives that come along with filming in the state), many Marvel productions like Captain America: Civil War and Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 2 have moved down to the ATL. Marvel has plans to shoot a number of their upcoming productions in Atlanta, including Avengers: Infinity War, but that could change if Georgia signs into law House Bill 757, the “religious liberty” act, that would allow organizations to deny services or fire employees who are gay.
Critics Slam ‘Batman vs. Superman’, What Does This Mean For ‘Justice League’ Plans?
The first critic reviews of Batman vs. Superman hit the web last night and early word was…not kind. The film currently sits at 40% on Rotten Tomatoes. By comparison, the divisive Man of Steel had a 56%. Even The Amazing Spider-Man 2 had a 53% and that film was so bad it single-handedly killed a franchise. Our own critic, Matt Singer, called it a “a burdensome 150-minute slog” in his review. Other reviews have called it “an holy mess,” “a near-total drag” and “a deeply disappointing experience.” Perhaps most importantly though is this sentiment from GQ, which seems to be a recurring theme amongst negative reviews: “The wider problem is that [Batman vs. Superman] doesn’t make you want a Justice League film.” Studios are used to bad reviews, but if the overwhelming sentiment is that the Dawn of Justice doesn’t make you want to see Justice arrive, Warner Bros. has a supersized problem.
‘The LEGO Batman Movie’ First Look: DARKNESS! NO PARENTS!
Yes, we know you’re excited about Batman vs. Superman, but with that movie set for release this Friday, it’s also time to start getting excited for that other Batman movie. No, not the Batfleck solo movie, The LEGO Batman Movie. The LEGO M...
Adult Swim’s Latest WTF-ery Will Break Your Brain
Remember Too Many Cooks? Of course you do, how could anyone possibly forget that happened? Adult Swim unleashed that popular short film with little fanfare during its 4am slot usually reserved for infomercials and it quickly went viral. It was hilarious and weird and about as dark as dark comedy can get...