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
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...
Paul McCartney Joins the Cast of ‘Pirates of the Caribbean 5’
After filming has already wrapped, Pirates of the Caribbean 5 (subtitled Dead Men Tell No Tales) has quietly gone back into production to film one big and crucial scene with a new star, Paul McCartney. Yes, THAT Paul McCartney.
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.
Rumor Buster: No, ‘Step Brothers 2’ Isn’t Filming This Year
If you’ve logged onto Facebook or trolled Reddit today, you surely saw the exciting news: Step Brothers 2 is officially happening and it begins filming this year! Will Ferrell and John C. Reilly are back and they’re taking care of a baby! Oh great, a sequel to one of the funniest comedies of the past 25 years! Except it’s not true.
Marvel to Release ‘Star Wars: Rogue One’ Prequel Comic Series
One of the reasons Disney paid $3 billion for rights to Lucasfilm and Star Wars was because they knew they could synergy the s— out of it. No company does cross-promotion quite like Disney does and they’ve already proven adept at using each of their brands to help promote their other brands (remember when the Star Wars: The Force Awakens trailer debuted on ESPN?). Continuing on the path “Journey to Star Wars: The Force Awakens” started last year Marvel Comics has officially announced that they’ll be publishing a Star Wars: Rogue One prequel comic series later this year.
Marvel One-Shots Could Return as Exclusive Online Content
Remember the Marvel One-Shots? They were the series of short films set within the Marvel Cinematic Universe that were included as bonus features on the DVD and Blu-ray releases of Marvel films. Five Marvel One-Shots were produced from 2011-2014 including one that served as the inspiration for ABC’s Agent Carter TV series. Then in May of 2014 Marvel announced that the DVD and Blu-ray release of Captain America: The Winter Soldier wouldn’t include a One-Shot. Then the Guardians of the Galaxy DVD was released without one as well. It seemed as if the Marvel One-Shots might be dead, but like Bucky Barnes, they’re not dead, just in a cryogenic hypersleep waiting to be reborn bigger and better.
‘Captain America: Civil War’ Directors Say You’ll ‘S— Yourself’ Over Spider-Man
The big Spider-Man reveal at the end of the Captain America: Civil War trailer certainly got the internet, and all of superhero fandom, in a tizzy. There were those that absolutely loved it and then there were those who were left disappointed...
‘Legend of Tarzan’ Trailer: Welcome to the Jungle
Edgar Rice Burroughs published the first Tarzan story back in 1912 with “Tarzan of the Apes”. Over the years, the character has appeared in more than two dozen books, comics, films and TV shows. IMDb lists over 200 titles for Tarzan, the most recent in 2013 with Kellan Lutz though that film was never released in the United States...
Theater Owners Shoot Down Proposed Plan to Release New Films at Home on Opening Day
Two weeks ago came word of a controversial, yet intriguing concept proposed to both Hollywood studios and theater owners: a new encrypted set-top box that would allow moviegoers to watch new releases the same day they open in theaters. So, for example, you could watch Batman vs. Superman on March 25 on your couch for $50. The plan was generating some buzz and support from filmmakers like J.J. Abrams and Peter Jackson, but received its biggest setback today as the National Organization of Theater Owners have officially dismissed the proposal.
‘Sausage Party’ Review: Just Get Stoned and Watch ‘Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs’ Instead
Sausage Party is the first ever R-rated CG-animated film. Based on a concept Seth Rogen, Jonah Hill and Evan Goldberg first came up with 8 years ago, the film, by definition, is something you have never seen before. It’s raunchy, rowdy and completely insane. Unfortunately, it’s just not very funny.
Pre-Order Your ‘Assassin’s Creed’ Movie Tickets For the Low, Low Price of $1200
Movie ticket pre-orders have become big business lately. Anticipation for Star Wars: The Force Awakens was so high multiple online ticket sites like Fandango crashed under the insane demand. Movie studios want you to buy your tickets for opening weekend now while you’re still very excited and before you make other plans, which fans seems more than happy to do...