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While Leonard Nimoy’s Spock was once planned to be a part of the narrative for «Star Trek Generations,» that’s not quite the full story on the actor’s involvement with the project. In reality, Nimoy was once meant to be more intimately involved with the movie than any of his other castmates, as he was initially approached to be the film’s director.

Diehard «Star Trek» fans may already know that Nimoy sat in the director’s chair for both «Star Trek III: The Search for Spock» and «Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home.» His streak of directorial credits in the franchise was set to continue with «Star Trek Generations,» but he had a profound distaste for just about everything in the movie’s original script — barring the resolution of what happens to Data (Brent Spiner) and his emotion chip. «My God, what were they doing?» Nimoy said in «The Fifty-Year Mission: The Next 25 Years,» referencing his feelings on the script. «Why that scene? What’s this scene about? Where are they going with this?»

Nimoy subsequently requested a complete rewrite of the film’s script, which producer Rick Berman outright rejected. Negotiations for Nimoy’s involvement completely broke down, and the rest is history — though Berman acknowledged in hindsight that a more favorable outcome for all parties could have been reached. «It was unusual for us to write a script with no director involved at all,» he said. «Mr. Nimoy is right that he probably should have had a pass at the script.»

If Colman Domingo was cast as Kang, it would be exceptionally fortuitous. In a 2021 interview with AwardsWatch, Domingo was asked if he’d ever do something with Marvel, especially seeing how Nia DaCosta worked on «The Marvels.» Domingo and DaCosta worked together previously on «Candyman,» and the actor sounded game for anything, «I’m jumping in … I think I want to play the villain. I just want to be the villain. I don’t want to be the good guy. I actually want to do some really nasty, dirty work, so I want [Nia] to call me for a villain.» «The Marvels» has come and gone, but maybe Marvel heard his plea and will give him a shot at one of the all-time great villains from the comics. 

Recasting Kang with someone (even if it’s not Domingo) makes sense, given how much the character and his variants have been built up already. It might seem weird to pretend like none of it ever happened, but if another Marvel rumor concerning the Beyonder is accurate, perhaps that could be Domingo’s in. 

«The Kang Dynasty» was supposed to lead into «Avengers: Secret Wars,» which has Beyonder as a prominent character in the comics. Marvel Studios could change Beyonder’s origin to make him an extremely powerful Kang variant, which Domingo could portray. We’ve already seen with Spider-Man and Loki that variants can look vastly different from one another, so Domingo could carry on the Kang legacy while completing this Multiversal arc. 

Or Marvel could go in an entirely different direction. It’s honestly anyone’s guess what could play out, given the unprecedented territory Marvel finds itself in.

Following the hit-and-run, Carrie Bernans’ mother, Patricia Lee, uploaded photos and videos to her daughter’s Instagram account to inform everyone about what transpired. According to her mother’s post, Bernans and her friend were walking in the vicinity when the car struck her, rendering her unconscious. She also said Bernans sustained injuries that include broken bones and chipped teeth. However, amid the devastation, Lee said Bernans remained optimistic. «This setback hasn’t deterred her belief that something remarkable is still being crafted by God,» Lee wrote. «Despite the injuries sustained in the collision caused by a hit-and-run in NYC, she’s filled with hope and faith in the unfolding of a beautiful new chapter.»

Numerous people reached out in the comments to share their love and support. This includes a post from actor Keke Palmer, who wrote, «THANK GOD YOU ARE OKAY!!!! You are in my prayers I am so sorry but grateful to God you are alright.» Lee concluded that Bernans had finished surgery, and while this story is terrible, there’s something to be said for the fact that no one lost their life through it. 

While Bernans deserves to take as much time as she needs to recover, she has plenty of projects currently in post-production. This includes the upcoming movies «The Wolf Family Treasure» and «Gimme My Money.» Our thoughts go out to Bernans and everyone else impacted by this horrific incident.

Order 66 is a landmark event in the «Star Wars» canon for more reasons than one. Not only does it effectively mark the end of the Galactic Republic and the birth of the Galactic Empire, but it also brings about the collapse of the Jedi Order. The vast majority of Jedi Knights die during the event, with only a few managing to evade capture or death at the hands of clone troopers. Even some younglings, such as Grogu, Caleb Dume (Freddie Prinze Jr.), and Cal Kestis (Cameron Monaghan), narrowly survive. 

Considering the scale of the Jedi Order at the time, it’s possible that Starkiller could be one of these lucky young Force users. After all, in the first «Force Unleashed» game, it’s revealed that he’s the son of two Jedi, Mallie and Kento Marek (Tom Kane) — the latter of whom Darth Vader kills in front of him. In the current canon, it could be explained that the two planned to leave the Jedi Order behind, just as they do in «Star Wars Legends.» However, Order 66 prevents them from doing so, and they’re tragically killed, leaving their secret son, Galen, without parents.

Upon their demise, perhaps their son could be taken under the wing of fellow «Force Unleashed» favorite Jedi General Rahm Kota (Cully Fredricksen), much like he is in the games. Though this bypasses Starkiller’s time as a Sith, at least this route brings him into the current canon, gets him to the point of becoming a skilled Jedi, and fully solidifies Kota’s teased canon status.

His time with the franchise may be over, but Adam Driver has remained open to reminiscing about his experiences working in the Star Wars universe. During his «SmartLess» interview, the actor discussed his lifelong affection for the popular franchise, saying, «I was a fan of the movies … To be asked to do it was … I thought about it a lot because, again, I didn’t want to be bad in it.» Fortunately for him, while audiences continue to have mixed opinions about the sequel trilogy, Driver’s performance as Kylo Ren received near-universal praise. 

Reflecting further on what it was like signing on to play the Star Wars villain, Driver said, «I got an offer, but there was no script to read, which I had never done before, so you had to commit to it. J.J. [Abrams] walked me through the whole thing, but there was no script.» Notably, his comments on the podcast echo others that he’s made about how the original arc for his character changed; the controversial Kylo Ren story involving his return to the light side wasn’t always planned.

Driver’s career has continued to flourish in the years since «Star Wars: Episode IX — The Rise of Skywalker» was released. He’s collaborated with celebrated filmmakers like Ridley Scott, Michael Mann, Francis Ford Coppola, and Leos Carax. While Driver’s confidently moved on from the Star Wars universe, he continues to be drawn to sci-fi roles in films like «65.»

«Mickey’s Mouse Trap» is definitely a low-budget affair, no doubt done in an effort to be the first out of the gate with a Mickey Mouse horror movie. Plenty of horror aficionados lent their talents to the production, including director Jamie Bailey, who’s worked as a director, producer, and cinematographer on various horror projects over the years. Suffice it to say, «Mickey’s Mouse Trap» will be his highest-profile work to date. He also brought on Simon Phillips to portray the movie’s Mickey. He’s also no stranger to the horror genre, having previously starred in «Deinfluencer» and «Blood Harvest,» but he also has credits in more mainstream fare like «The Witcher.»

The trailer on YouTube doesn’t mention when or where the movie will be available for viewing. There’s also the question of whether Disney could put up a legal fight to prevent a release. In December 2023, CNN received word from a Disney spokesperson that the company plans to protect its brand in regards to «Steamboat Willie» being in the public domain. The trailer goes to great lengths to showcase the «Steamboat Willie» version of Mickey, and Bailey and crew aren’t the only ones trying to show off a new side of the Mouse.

January 1 also saw the release of the «Infestation 88» trailer, a horror video game that sees players try to exterminate a rodent problem spearheaded by Mickey himself, who’s even wearing his Steamboat Willie hat. If more Mickey Mouse horror projects are to follow, might we suggest a flick that actually takes place on a steamboat? That setting just kind of seems to make sense.  

The ending of «Godzilla Minus One» grimly sets up another movie. After the monster is seemingly defeated, a chunk of its body begins to regenerate in the ocean, hinting at Godzilla’s return. It could take years for the beast to get back to full power, and a sequel could pick back up with a new roster of characters, which may be for the best, as Kōichi Shikishima (Ryunosuke Kamiki) deserves a break after all he’s been through. But the real question is: What kind of monster (or monsters) may be added to the mayhem?

Fans have ideas for what they’d like to see in a «Godzilla Minue One» sequel, including Redditor u/lilbiguyjr, who suggested that the irradiated pieces of Godzilla’s body might infect other sea creatures, leading to more kaiju. They lay out a few options, including Titanosaurus, a water-based entity that could easily give Godzilla a run for its money. Another intriguing possibility is Hedorah, a pollution-inspired monster who could tie into sociopolitical themes. Whereas Godzilla represents the destruction possible by nuclear weaponry, Hedorah embodies environmental degradation. Seeing how the political aspects of «Godzilla Minus One» were heavily lauded, it would make sense to follow that path. 

There’s no shortage of Godzilla media to pull from for inspiration. «Godzilla Minus One» set the bar high for a sequel, and hopefully, the team will wait until they have a genuinely spectacular idea before pursuing filming. 

Kate Hudson’s most financially successful live-action film remains the 2003 romantic comedy «How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days,» which grossed around $178 million at the worldwide box office when it was released. Her second-highest-grossing film is «You, Me and Dupree,» followed by «Bride Wars» and «Fool’s Gold,» the latter of which reunited her with her «How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days» co-star, Matthew McConaughey. Hudson’s top five, meanwhile, is capped off by the Mark Wahlberg-led disaster drama «Deepwater Horizon.»

That Peter Berg-directed 2016 film is one of the non-rom-coms featured on the list of Hudson’s 10 highest-grossing movies, which also includes the 2005 horror flick «The Skeleton Key» and the 2009 romantic musical «Nine.» Her top 10 is, however, rounded out by a pair of comedies: 2011’s «Something Borrowed» and 2004’s «Raising Helen.» So it’s not hard to see why most moviegoers associate Hudson primarily with her work in the rom-com genre. Not only has she made a large number of rom-coms, but many of them also rank as her most successful films to date.

While most of these comedies weren’t received well critically, their strong box office performances speak for themselves. The fact that Hudson is still getting roles in films like «Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery» and shows like «Truth Be Told» further proves how much of an impact she made throughout the 2000s. It also makes it a bit easier to get over some of the parts that she’s lost out on over the years, including Kat in «10 Things I Hate About You.» At this point, it seems safe to say that she’s done well enough without them.

While the blurry quality of «Rebel Moon» can be chalked up to an artistic choice by Zack Snyder, it’s clear from critical reviews and general online buzz that not everyone is a fan of the effect. In fact, the technique even frustrated some of the people working on the movie for making their jobs far more complex. 

Snyder explained to TechRadar that the «Rebel Moon» visual effects team had to put in extra work to make the movie’s CGI fit in with the image produced by the special camera lens. That’s quite the intensive post-production task, considering that the film extensively employs CGI to craft its fantastical sci-fi world, with some shots being almost entirely composed of VFX. «They had to add aberration to their full CG shots,» Snyder said.

Despite the complexity of the task, Snyder was intent on achieving a unique effect that permeates all of «Rebel Moon» — from its live-action elements to its CGI creations. «They’d mapped all the lenses, so they asked me, ‘If this was on a 24mm film reel, the CGI would be out of focus. How do you feel about that?’ and I’m like, ‘Yeah, that’s amazing,’» the director said. «Then they’d say, ‘You know, we don’t have to do that’ and I’d reply, ‘No, I really want it,’ so it’s really fun to see all of that come together, and incredibly satisfying to create this retro feeling I was trying to get with the overall look.»

According to The Sydney Morning Herald, Tom Cruise isn’t planning on changing his status as one of Hollywood’s top action stars any time soon. In fact, the actor cited Harrison Ford as an inspiration and suggested that he might even have another two decades of action movies in the future, just like the «Star Wars» star.

«Harrison Ford is a legend; I hope to be still going. I’ve got 20 years to catch up with him,» Cruise said of the 81-year-old actor. «I hope to keep making Mission: Impossible films until I’m his age.» While it’s true that Ford is still in the action game after all of these years, it may be tough for Cruise to continue with his typical tenacity as the years go by; the veteran actor has made his mark on the entertainment industry by performing a wide array of his own jaw-dropping stunts, each one more ridiculous than the last. 

Still, with at least one more «Mission: Impossible» movie on the horizon and Cruise’s plans to continue with tentpole action movies indefinitely, fans of the star can expect to be watching him complete even more impressive feats, at least for a few more years. Furthermore, with the massive success of «Top Gun: Maverick,» it’s possible that there could be another installment in that franchise coming down the pipeline as well.

While some comic book readers may not know what he looks like in real life, it’s worth noting that Josh Brolin has been a working Hollywood actor since the ’80s. His first-ever screen role was that of Brand in the beloved 1985 adventure film, «The Goonies.» He followed up his breakout turn in that film with roles in a string of other, lesser-known ’80s and ’90s movies, including «Thrashin’,» «The Road Killers,» and «Nightwatch.» Later, he appeared as Llewelyn Moss in 2007’s «No Country For Old Men,» which re-established him as one of the most promising actors of his generation.

The next year, he played George W. Bush in Oliver Stone’s «W.» and Dan White in «Milk,» the latter of which earned him his sole Oscar nomination to date. In the years since then, Brolin has had noteworthy roles in high-profile films like «Men in Black 3,» «Sicario,» and «Dune.» He’s also appeared in a handful of other acclaimed dramas and comedies, including «True Grit,» «Hail, Caesar!,» «Only the Brave,» and «Inherent Vice.» He even dipped his toes into the comic book genre, albeit unsuccessfully, when he played the eponymous role in 2010’s «Jonah Hex.»

In 2018, after making his first screen appearance as Thanos in 2014’s «Guardians of the Galaxy,» Brolin even took on the iconic role of Cable in «Deadpool 2.» His turn as Cable didn’t require Brolin to undergo the same kind of CGI transformation that Thanos demanded, but it turns out that the actor actually preferred playing the purple-skinned cosmic dictator to his time-traveling «Deadpool 2» mercenary.

«X-Men ’97» will debut on Disney+ in 2024 and serve as a continuation of «X-Men: The Animated Series.» However, The Cosmic Circus reports that it might be tied to the wider Marvel Cinematic Universe, with the franchise’s new X-Men reportedly being inspired by the character designs from the series. Elsewhere, there have been internal discussions about a mutant-themed series on Disney+ that will focus on the individual characters before integrating them into a team.

Of course, «Deadpool 3» will probably give us more answers pertaining to the X-Men’s upcoming role in the MCU. That movie will see Ryan Reynolds’ Merc with a Mouth team up with Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine for a multiversal adventure, one that could theoretically introduce us to X-Men from different timelines. It’s also worth noting that Laura Kinney (Dafne Keen), aka X-23, might be in «Deadpool 3,» potentially opening the door to the character leading a new generation of mutants, which was teased at the end of «Logan.» A standalone X-23 movie has also been discussed in the past, but a project of that ilk could realistically exist alongside a more traditional X-Men franchise.

As it stands, Marvel fans must be patient and see how events unfold in the coming months. But an «Avengers vs. X-Men» film, or any mutant-themed project for that matter, might be the injection of excitement the MCU needs following the mixed responses to some of its recent releases.

You don’t need extensive knowledge of comic book lore to know that on their own, the X-Men can take on the box office just fine by themselves. Arriving on the big screen in 2000, they transformed names like Wolverine (Hugh Jackman), Charles Xavier (Patrick Stewart), and Magneto (Ian McKellen) into movie-based money magnets, and the same will probably happen when they arrive and stay in the MCU, where fans have wanted them for years. The difference here is that, in the right hands, this other corner of the franchise could open doors — not just at Xaviers School for the Gifted, but other teams, groups, and standalone heroes carrying the mutant gene.

We know Wolverine can hold his own in a solo film, but what about Kitty Pryde, Gambit (who almost got his own movie with Channing Tatum in the lead), or Storm (who married and divorced Black Panther in the comics)? There’s enough to work with that this supposed strategy might be productive, allowing the X-Men to take over and save the MCU, returning the franchise to its former glory.

For the 30th anniversary of «Home Alone» in 2020, Chris Columbus revealed some behind-the-scenes stories to Business Insider. According to the director, the Donald Trump cameo in the sequel came about because the film was shot at The Plaza Hotel, then a Trump property. In the movie, Kevin McCallister (Macaulay Culkin) runs into Trump in the hotel and asks for directions.

«Trump said OK,» said Columbus, adding that the real estate mogul had one stipulation. «He also said, ‘The only way you can use the Plaza is if I’m in the movie.’ So we agreed to put him in the movie, and when we screened it for the first time the oddest thing happened: People cheered when Trump showed up on-screen. So I said to my editor, ‘Leave him in the movie. It’s a moment for the audience.’ But he did bully his way into the movie.»

For whatever reason, Trump waited three years to make his online retort. But the scene has been a subject of controversy for a few years. In 2019, Trump caught wind of the fact that a Canadian broadcast had edited out his cameo. Trump blamed Prime Minister Justin Trudeau for the «Home Alone» snub, claiming it had to do with geopolitical disputes. The broadcasting company, meanwhile, confirmed that the edits had been made in 2014 to save time. The cameo came up again in 2021 when, after the January 6 insurrection, someone suggested digitally replacing Trump with an adult Macaulay Culkin. The actor replied on X (formerly known as Twitter,) «Sold.»

A few months before «Part One – A Child of Fire» in December 2023, Zack Snyder revealed his «Rebel Moon» inspiration, telling /Film that it’s a space opera that was born of an idea he pitched to Lucasfilm more than a dozen years ago to fit within the framework of the «Star Wars» universe. When George Lucas’ legendary production company rejected the idea, Snyder created his own space story. Snyder admitted in an exclusive interview with Looper, however, that he left a little «Star Wars» DNA in «Rebel Moon.»

«What it allowed is that any of the ‘Star Wars’ iconology that you might see in the movie now that’s left over is there by design,» Snyder told Looper. «In the end, I can’t help myself 100% from being a slight deconstructivist and taking a subversive look at the overall science fiction landscape or the sort of pantheon of mythology that we accept as our cinematic touchstones.»

So, while Snyder might not see the project as entirely his own IP, cast member Ray Fisher told Looper in an exclusive interview that «Rebel Moon» has changed the game. «Even prior to getting to work with him, I’ve admired his work for years, and being able to jump into the saddle with him in this brand-new IP, this brand-new world, the brand-new universe — not even a world — a universe that he’s bringing to life, it’s amazing,» said Fisher, who previously starred as Victor Stone-Cyborg in «Zack Snyder’s Justice League.»

«Rebel Moon: Part One – A Child of Fire» is streaming exclusively on Netflix.

The thing that made Layla Sarakalo’s appearance in «Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home» so memorable was that she ignored the production’s orders to only interact with the actors but not speak on camera. In the scene, a befuddled Chekov and Uhura ask various people on a busy San Francisco street where the naval base in Alameda is because they are seeking, as Chekov says in his accent, «nuclear wessels.» 

Most of the extras — including one dressed as a motorcycle cop — follow instructions and do not answer Chekov and Uhura. Sarakalo, though, stops and answers, «Ooh, I don’t know if I know the answer to that. I think it’s across the bay in Alameda,» before moving on. Chekov then says, «That’s what I said — Alameda. I know that.» Although Sarakalo’s interaction with Chekov and Uhura lasts just over 10 seconds, the improvised dialogue by the background artist was memorable enough for Nimoy to include in the movie. 

Memory Alpha adds that Sarakalo’s identity remained a mystery until 2005, when the fashion designer came forward to talk about how her brief «Star Trek» movie moment came to be. Among Sarakalo’s professional accomplishments — which don’t officially include acting, as «The Voyage Home» was her only screen appearance — is artwork she made based on Stephen Hawking’s name and image, which she created with the iconic scientist’s permission.

The casting choices for Superman and Supergirl are a top priority, but getting the right Krypto on the case is just as important. Not only is Superman’s faithful canine companion rumored to be appearing alongside Kara in her film, but he might also have a bark that goes further than just this installment of the DC Universe. According to r/DCEUleaks, «Krypto will indeed be in … the greater DCU.»

Given James Gunn’s history with bringing iconic comic book creatures to life, Krypto will hopefully be just as effective a character as Rocket Raccoon (Bradley Cooper and Sean Gunn), who steals every scene in the Marvel Cinematic Universe he’s in. Although his casting might take some time to get confirmed, «Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow» is expected to begin filming in the second half of 2024, so expect names to start cropping up sometime before then.

Zack Snyder — if he were to pursue a project with a 20-year-old 007 — could also look to television as a source of inspiration in addition to the «Young Bond» books. In 1991, «James Bond Jr.» — an obscure animated series that rewrote James Bond history — ran for 65 episodes in syndication. Unlike the title of the series implies, however, Bond Jr. (voiced by Corey Burton) was not the son of the famed superspy, but his nephew.

While «James Bond Jr.» doesn’t seem to fit the mold of a typical James Bond project — it’s the only narrative television series produced in conjunction with the 007 franchise — it does have strong ties to the 007 film series. It was co-created by Michael G. Wilson, who produces the Bond theatrical movies with his half-sister, Barbara Broccoli.

Meanwhile, Zack Snyder isn’t the only director who would like to give the movie series a different spin. Snyder’s «Man of Steel» collaborator Christopher Nolan has said he’d definitely direct a Bond movie if he could reboot the series on his terms. As far as Snyder’s idea goes, the youngest actor to play James Bond to date was George Lazenby, who was 29 when he starred in his first and only 007 movie, 1969’s «On Her Majesty’s Secret Service.» The last Bond movie, «No Time to Die,» starring Daniel Craig as 007, was released in 2021.