It’s wintertime, which means that we’re slow-rolling through the frenzy of celebratory list-making and honors that is awards season; it’s that stretch of the year where studios make their biggest, showiest haymakers, from The Imitation Game, to The Theory of Everything, to Unbroken, to Selma. But amid the larger releases, smaller, quieter entries make their own entreaties to voters and viewers alike, such as Jean-Marc Vallée’s Wild and the new Julianne Moore vehicle, Still Alice, which has received its first trailer (seen above). The film comes to us from the director duo of Richard Glatzer and Wash Westmoreland, most recently responsible for the Errol Flynn biopic The Last of Robin Hood. Still Alice puts them in a similar narrative mode, only this time they’re not commemorating an icon of Hollywood’s golden age; instead, they’re exploring the ordeal of living with early onset Alzheimer’s, adapting novelist Lisa Genova’s self-published 2007 debut to the screen. In Still Alice, Moore plays a successful cognitive psychologist who is diagnosed with the chronic disease and struggles to maintain balance in all aspects of her life – her marriage, her role as a parent, her job – despite memory loss and communicative difficulties. Based on the trailer, the film doesn’t necessarily document her triumph against the illness as much as it articulates her efforts to adapt to living with it; Genova’s book reportedly paints a very realistic portrait of how Alzheimer’s impacts both people who develop it and their loved ones. The onus is on Glatzer and Westmoreland to achieve the same feat. Initial buzz for the film, however, doesn’t say much about whether Still Alice hits those same notes of truth and honesty or not. The focus is instead squarely on Moore, with all other attentions being divided between the rest of the picture’s supporting cast (including Kristen Stewart and Alec Baldwin). Early reviews make Moore’s portrayal sound quite sterling (and, if nothing else, a nice change of pace from her recent work in films like The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1); if you’re a betting person, odds seem to favor her getting Best Actress nods come the Golden Globes and the Academy Awards. Still Alice opens wide on January 16th, 2015, following a brief, Oscar-qualifying, limited theatrical run in 2014.

Since the creation of FXX, the only true hits for the FX spinoff network (in terms of fandom) have come in the form of mothership imports It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia and The League. And now it appears that one of them is about to come to an end. In an announcement made this afternoon, FXX reveled it’s renewed The League for a seventh and final season consisting of thirteen episodes. Said series co-creator Jeff Schaffer: We are incredibly excited to work with our amazing cast for another season, especially because I can now announce that I finally won the fantasy football league that we play in with them. To which his wife and fellow co-creator Jackie Schaffer added: Whatever, I’ve won it twice. Most players in the NFL don’t make it seven seasons, and most TV shows even less so. We want to thank FX Networks and all our Eskimo Brothers and Sisters – NFL teams would be lucky to have fans as diehard as ours. Based on the quotes, it appears the writing duo is taking their conclusion in stride; however, the announcement comes as no surprise considering the series’ low ratings were never going to be sustainable forever, even if the show is one of the cheapest on television to produce. One of the first things FXX noticed about The League’s ratings when it shifted networks was its lack of number drops in the key demo. While there were expected low scores in overall viewership, it seemed most younger fans traveled with the series on its move, and it’s most likely this revelation that’s allowed the show to last as long as it has. Truthfully, the numbers say it should have been concluded seasons ago, but there’s something to be said for audience loyalty. As for what we can expect from the final season, it’s anyone’s guess, but it won’t be surprising to see the crassness level raised to a point few will ever be able to compete with again. From the EBDB, to Jenny’s adventures with dogs and breast cancer, The League is nothing if not a show that’s willing to “go there.” But, whether or not they’ll be able to come back from where they go in order to properly close out the adventures of Pete, Kevin and the rest of the gang is something we’ll just have to wait and see. But man is it going to be one hell of a ride. The League returns in fall 2015 to FXX.

Currently, Ryan Murphy’s making a killing for FX thanks to his hit anthology series, America Horror Story, but AHS isn’t the only horror anthology the Murphy’s got in the pipeline these days: enter Scream Queens. While remaining very quiet during development – as the series isn’t expected to hit television screens until a year from now – things appear to be heating up as Scream Queens has officially cast its first set of leads for season 1. According to a statement released by Fox, Halloween star Jamie Lee Curtis and Scream 4 star Emma Roberts have both landed roles on the anthology drama’s first installment; however, their roles are currently being kept under-wraps. As for the plot of the first season, the network stated: “The first installment in the new anthology series revolves around a college campus which is rocked by a series of murders. Fifteen one-hour episodes have been ordered.” It’s no surprise Fox went to Murphy to create a new anthology series, considering the genre is currently all the rage and the writer’s already in the News Corp family thanks to his work on AHS and Glee. It’s also not surprising that Roberts has been cast, considering her work for the last two seasons of AHS, Coven and Freak Show. What does intrigue us is the return of Curtis to the horror genre. It’s certainly been awhile since the original scream queen did a horror project, but if there’s one thing Murphy’s great at, it’s convincing actors to work with him on almost anything. This is something we’ve learned time and time again not just from American Horror Story, but also Glee and Murphy’s HBO film, The Normal Heart. That said, before anyone starts questioning the capability of Fox to pull off a horror show, we are going to note what Scream Queens has going for it is the comedy aspect of the “horror-comedy” genre. While AHS does feature laughs, it’s in no way a comedy. However, a true horror-comedy could work excellently for a broadcast network, because the one thing it needs to be is somewhat light in order to avoid getting into the realm of “you can’t show/do that on broadcast,” and thus watering things down. Supernatural seems to be doing just fine with its comedy elements, and Scream Queens seems to be the right move, on the right network, with the right cast going for it. The only thing we will say that has us potentially worried is the date. If the series is set to premiere in the fall of 2015, it’s going to be running right up against the next season of American Horror Story, and that could stretch Murphy (whose already got another FX anthology show in the works) a bit thin – considering he has to recreate the series from scratch every season. It does help he has a solid team behind him, but there’s only so much one writer can pull off at once without wading too far into the deep end of laziness. Scream Queens premieres in Fall 2015 on Fox.

Next year, moviegoers will see Mark Hamill reprise the iconic role of Luke Skywalker in J.J. Abrams’ Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens (despite his absence in the endlessly analyzed teaser trailer). Yet, that role is far from the only one the actor is known for. In addition to his work in a galaxy far, far away, Hamill is known throughout the comic book world for a variety of roles, most notably his stellar voice work as the Joker on Batman: The Animated Series back in the 1990s. However, we’ve now received word that Hamill will return to the DC universe as a different character, one that he has brought to life before. According to HitFix, The CW has announced that Hamill will appear on its new series The Flash as James Jesse, best known as the villainous Trickster. The actor previously played the character on two episodes of the original CBS series The Flash, which ran for one season from 1990 to 1991. Hamill also isn’t the first actor to appear on both shows, as original Flash actor John Wesley Shipp has already popped up in a few episodes of the 2014 version. On the new show, Hamill’s character will be reimagined as an incarcerated anarchist who assists Barry (Grant Gustin) in stopping the city-wide attacks of a criminal aiming to become the new Trickster. The episode will air as the 17th installment of season one and will feature a reunion between Hamill and Shipp. The way the new show is incorporating elements of the character’s history calls to mind Smallville’s regular practice of bringing in notable actors who played key roles in previous incarnations of the Superman mythos. One could make an argument that Hamill’s inclusion here is a bit too driven by fan service, but considering the overwhelming affection the geek community (understandably) has for the actor, his appearance here – especially in the story’s Silence of the Lambs-esque twist – should please both old and new fans alike and provide Hamill with some fun, over-the-top material to work with before he reaches for his lightsaber once more. Are you excited to see Hamill return to the small screen as the Trickster, or would you prefer the new Flash to stop paying homage to the titular hero’s past? Sound off in the comments section below with your thoughts. The Flash airs Tuesdays at 8pm on The CW.

Christopher Nolan’s space adventure, Interstellar, is currently going strong at the global box office; and late last week, we learned that Warner Bros. has approached the filmmaker to direct another sci-fi project in Ready Player One, a film adaptation of the novel by Ernest Cline. The studio is setting its sights high with this one, as Nolan is now reported to be but one of several A-list helmsmen who’ve been eyed to call the shots on this feature. The Ready Player One source material takes place in the year 2044, where the teen protagonist, Wade Watts, escapes the ugliness of his everyday reality by playing a virtual reality game known as OASIS; a virtual world where puzzles are based on pop culture of decades past, and whoever unlocks them will accumulate great wealth and fortune… assuming they aren’t killed in the process, that is. Ready Player One blends several en vogue story elements – a dystopic future and nostalgia for pop culture past among them – and it’s easy to see how its Tron-esque virtual reality setting could make for something interesting, placed in the hands of the director of Interstellar and Inception. However, according to AICN, the project’s current director shortlist (as in, those who’ve been approached to direct) also includes Peter Jackson, Edgar Wright, Matthew Vaughn, and WB’s supposed “dream pick,” Robert Zemeckis. Zemeckis’ work is heavily referenced in Cline’s source novel, which is no surprise given his work in decades past; and thus, he’s seen as all the more ideal a pick for a film that would combine geeky genre entertainment with social commentary (like many of Zemeckis’ most famous movies). The filmmaker has settled into telling more grounded stories of late, with Flight and the upcoming The Walk; that doesn’t mean he won’t be intrigued by Ready Player One‘s reality-defying thrills, assuming he likes the script penned by Zak Penn (The Incredible Hulk). As for the other mentioned names: Jackson’s schedule is pretty open, following this month’s release of his final Middle-earth film, The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies; Vaughn has his new Mark Millar comic book movie, Kingsman: The Secret Service, arriving next year, but hasn’t committed to his next directorial effort yet; and Wright has a few scripts of his own making in the works, but is currently being eyed to direct Star Trek 3 (though that doesn’t at all guarantee he’ll accept the job). Cline’s book is much more light-hearted and full of whiz-bang fun than your average dystopian sci-fi adventure; hence, it could be a perfect match for the sensibilities of such folk as Wright and Vaughn, whose best work blends action and comedy together seamlessly. Similarly, as we’ve mentioned before, it would be refreshing to see Nolan tackle something a bit on the more comical side; alternatively, Ready Player One could fully bring out Jackson’s old zaniness, from his pre-Lord of the Rings career. Ready Player One would suddenly become one of many film buffs’ must-see upcoming titles, should it land a director of the pedigree currently in consideration. It’s not yet apparent which – if any – of the filmmakers listed here are interested in the material, but we’ll keep you updated on the project’s development; in the meantime, feel free and let us know who you would like to see bring this sci-fi adventure to the big screen. Ready Player One does not currently have a release date.

Winter is fully upon us, which means that the major film studios are currently putting the race for summer box office dollars on the back burner in favor of targeting prestige at the 2015 Oscars. For those who are unfamiliar with the awards process, there’s more to it than simply releasing a bunch of war movies, historical dramas and biopics during the winter season. Studios also have to choose a selection of their 2014 films to promote for awards consideration by the Academy and arrange screenings of those features. 20th Century’s Fox’s submissions include David Fincher’s missing person mystery Gone Girl, Ridley Scott’s biblical epic Exodus: Gods and Kings and bittersweet romance The Fault in Our Stars. Disney is submitting recent animated feature Big Hero 6 and upcoming musical adaptation Into the Woods. Meanwhile, Universal is presenting a pair of biopics – Get On Up (starring Chadwick Boseman as James Brown) and Unbroken (starring Jack O’Connell as Louis Zamperini). Every year there are a choice few blockbuster movies included among the more highbrow fare, but one choice that’s bound to raise a few brows very high is Paramount Pictures‘ submission of Transformers: Age of Extinction for consideration by the Academy. Michael Bay’s latest entry in the long-running franchise about warring robots from space grossed over $1 billion worldwide, but critics looked on it rather less favorably than audiences. It’s worth noting that Transformers: Age of Extinction isn’t the only highly commercial film being put forward for awards consideration. Fox is submitting both Dawn of the Planet of the Apes and X-Men: Days of Future Past, but both of those movies received high praise in reviews. Dawn of the Planet of the Apes is probably one of this year’s strongest contenders for the Best Achievement in Visual Effects award, although nothing is guaranteed with Interstellar and Godzilla also in the mix. The Academy’s rather snobbish tastes in cinema are widely known enough to have generated a genre all of their own (‘Oscar bait’) and have been both parodied and criticized heavily over the years. When summer blockbuster type movies are nominated they generally only win in technical categories rather than in heavy hitters like Best Picture and Best Director; and if a major blockbuster does win the big awards (as The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King did when it stormed into the 2004 Oscars and won eleven awards), it’s usually a film that has received high amounts of critical acclaim. Unlike other popcorn movie submissions such as A Million Ways to Die in the West, which is only being submitted for consideration in the categories of Best Original Score and Best Original Song, Transformers: Age of Extinction is being submitted for all categories, including Best Picture. Perhaps after February next year we’ll be referring to Bay’s most recent directorial effort as “the Oscar-winning Transformers: Age of Extinction.” Transformers: Age of Extinction is now available on DVD and Blu-ray.

Amber Heard joins The Danish Girl; Ben-Hur casts its female lead; Jane Got a Gun is delayed again; an Obama date movie is in the works; and Disney plans a Robin Hood franchise. Amber Heard is in talks to join Les Miserables director Tom Hooper’s The Danish Girl. Although nothing is official, Deadline reports that Heard is up for the part of Oola, which is described as a “strong supporting role.” Heard just finished shooting a leading role in Magic Mike XXL with Channing Tatum. The Danish Girl adapts the novel of the same name by David Ebershoff about Danish painters Einar Wegener (Eddie Redmayne) and Gerda Wegener (Alicia Vikander). Beyond being a successful painter, though, Einar gained fame for being one of the first reported cases of sexual reassignment surgery. Homeland star Nazanin Boniadi has been cast as the female lead in Ben-Hur. Boniadi was the winner of a “heated competition,” and will now feature as Esther in the forthcoming reboot. Some will remember this as the same role Wonder Woman actress Gal Gadot was in the running for until she had to drop out. Esther is a pivotal character in the Ben-Hur novel, from which much of this reboot will draw inspiration. She meets Judah Ben-Hur while he is enslaved and eventually becomes his wife. With Boniadi and Boardwalk Empire star Jack Huston now on-board as the film’s leads, it appears the Timur Bekmambetov-directed film is ready to shoot. Natalie Portman’s western Jane Got a Gun has been delayed yet again. The film was originally slated to release on February 20th but has now been pushed to September 4th. The first weekend after summer is hardly an ideal release date, even with the Labor Day holiday, so some may say Relativity is looking to dump the film off and see if it finds some success. There isn’t much more to say about the film, whose production struggles have been widely publicized. After losing directors and actors left and right, things eventually got on track. We’ll just have to wait a bit longer to see how everything came together. A Barack and Michelle Obama date movie is in the works. Southside With You tells the story of Barack and Michelle’s first date, which they describe as a magical day in Chicago. The date is said to include a visit to the Chicago Art Institute and a viewing of Spike Lee’s Do the Right Thing, among other things. While Barack Obama has yet to be cast, Tika Sumpter (Get On Up) is already set to player the future First Lady. Director Richard Tanne is also on-board to helm the indie flick, based on his own script. Disney is set to give Robin Hood the Pirates of the Caribbean treatment with Nottingham & Hood. The studio has just acquired the spec script from writer Brandon Baker and is reportedly looking to use the film as a launch pad for a new adventure franchise. It’s still early, though, so no cast or director has been announced. Nottingham & Hood is the second Robin Hood reboot/reimagining in the works; the other being Sony’s proposed Robin Hood cinematic universe. However, after the rather lukewarm reception for Ridley Scott’s Robin Hood (2010), some might be wondering what these studios see in the character, but there’s no denying his story fits the blockbuster mold.

He may be a walking punchline for some casual comic enthusiasts, but in the upcoming Justice League universe launched by Batman V Superman, few heroes are as poised to make their name – and powers – known than Aquaman. That may sound unlikely, but Warner Bros., DC Comics and director Zack Snyder showed fans had no clue what to expect when Jason Momoa (Game of Thrones, The Red Road) was officially announced to be bringing the aquatic hero to life. Now that Momoa has appeared at the Comic-Con Experience in Sao Paulo, Brazil, the actor has offered up a fresh batch of details on his involvement in the studio’s superhero universe, reiterating his belief that Snyder’s plan is “genius.” Admitting he was forced to keep silent about his casting for months, Momoa’s four-picture deal (presumably Justice League Parts 1 & 2, an Aquaman movie, and potential cameo in Dawn of Justice) won’t seek to make the hero a household name – that’s already taken care of – but prove he can stand next to DC’s legendary stars. To calm fears even further, those in attendance at the Con got a personal reassurance that Snyder wasn’t lying when he promised “a badass Aquaman” was on the way. More specifically, a “tattooed, Hawaiian” Aquaman: DCU Movie Page @dcumoviepage Follow "Aquaman will be a bad-ass, otherwise, they wouldn't cast me for the role." - Jason Momoa #CCPX 8:01 PM - 7 Dec 2014 Out of all the casting announcements thus far, Jason Momoa, a half-Native American, half-Hawaiian actor seems to be of singular nature. It’s easy to imagine Snyder and WB seeking an older Bruce Wayne, and turning to Ben Affleck; pursuing an actress seen as ‘exotic’ to American audiences, and signing Gal Gadot. But it’s hard to imagine anyone pursuing a version of Arthur Curry that was Polynesian, tattooed, and physically imposing, without having the actor who fits that rare mold perfectly in mind from the start. That’s pure speculation on our part, but whatever the process that led to Jason Momoa landing the part, it’s proof positive that the Aquaman franchise is bound to surprise. Unfortunately Momoa apparently wouldn’t confirm or deny an appearance in Dawn of Justice, despite being seen in and around Detroit (where shooting was under way) during production. Although he is already voicing his hopes for the upcoming solo movie, and which director he would love to see take the helm. DCU Movie Page @dcumoviepage Follow And Momoa wants Zack Snyder, which is a big fan of the director, to direct Aquaman movie. more to come... #CCPX 8:00 PM - 7 Dec 2014 Without an exact quote or footage, it’s best to assume that Momoa’s wish of seeing Snyder direct Aquaman in 2018 is just that; the director has enough on his hands with a two-part Justice League (although the inspiration poured into Man of Steel‘s Krypton would hopefully be replicated for the underwater world of Atlantis). Going by past comments, it’s obvious that Momoa, an actor/writer/director/producer himself, has no shortage of respect and admiration for his newest creative lead. And considering Snyder’s past work in bringing supernatural/surreal action to life on an epic scale, his vision for Aquaman would be one that many comic fans would line up to see. With the film still needing to choose one of two scripts before moving forward, there’s plenty of time to get the other pieces into place. We’ll keep you updated as more official comments are made available, and whether Momoa’s second choice for a DC Comics role - Lobo – was ever actually up for discussion. Do you agree with Momoa that his casting shows exactly what kind of Aquaman Snyder and WB are after? Do you still have concerns about such dramatic changes to the comic book source material? Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice will be in theaters on May 6, 2016. Aquaman is scheduled for release on July 27, 2018. Follow me on Twitter @Andrew_dyce for updates on Aquaman as well as movie, TV, and gaming news.

Even though director Zack Snyder showed from the very start he was looking to make some shocking casting choices for his Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice movie universe, fans were taken aback by one casting in particular: Jesse Eisenberg as iconic Superman foe Lex Luthor. So taken aback, it seemed, that Jeremy Irons (Margin Call, Lolita) being cast to play Batman’s butler, Alfred Pennyworth was overlooked by many. It’s only right that the changes coming to Ben Affleck’s Batman would take up much of the spotlight, and that Eisenberg’s new take on Luthor should garner attention. But Irons has kept mostly silent about his part, and what influences he would (or wouldn’t) be taking from the past actors in the role – until now. Speaking with THR, Irons didn’t offer any insights into the rumored shooting locations centered on Ben Affleck’s new Bruce Wayne, ranging from iconic moments in the hero’s origin story, to some brand new twists. However, he did reveal that those fans expecting Irons to follow the path walked by Michael Caine (Batman Begins) and Michael Gough (Batman) before him are in for a surprise: “He is quite a different Alfred than we have seen so far. Zack Snyder had very clear views about what he wanted… I would just say he’s more hands-on perhaps than just a butler.” There’s also a bit of bad news for those comic book fans who feel that Irons has exactly the stature and style required to offer a refreshing take on the Bruce/Alfred dynamic, as the actor revealed that his role in Dawn of Justice is “not a large one.” That’s not too surprising, given that audiences (and Snyder himself) seem most interested in the showdown between DC Comics’ biggest stars – and Wonder Woman, for good measure. However, Irons’ description of Alfred being “more hands-on” this time around implies that while he may not get much screen-time, it will be easy to spot the differences in his character’s view of Bruce Wayne’s nocturnal activities (assuming this isn’t all misdirection). That may not mean that Alfred will accompany Bruce into underground fighting rings, but some first aid, or implied support in the field – perhaps fleshed out in a coming Batman solo film – may be in the cards. It would be fair to say that compared to Gough’s portrayal (seen from Batman through to Batman & Robin), the Alfred of Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight Trilogy was remarkably “hands-on”; helping Bruce assemble his armor, the Batcave, and even retrieving him from the battlefield on occasion. If Irons is claiming that Dawn of Justice will take things even farther, then perhaps Alfred’s experience in the Royal Marines will warrant him a spot as Bruce’s… ‘bodyguard’? Comic fans have gotten a taste of what a rougher, tougher Alfred Pennyworth can bring to the table in Fox’s Gotham, implying that Bruce Wayne will wind up learning much of his combat and survival skills from his would-be guardian. Since Affleck’s Wayne will be much more seasoned than fans are used to seeing in live action, then their relationship will be one honed over decades. Beyond that, we’ll have to wait until Irons (or Affleck, or Snyder) reveal more. What do you make of Irons’ comments? Are you eager to see what this new version of Alfred will entail, or does the smaller nature of the role keep your attention on another starring characters? Share your own thoughts and predictions in the comments below. Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice hits theaters on March 25, 2016.

Homeland took last week off, leaving viewers with plenty of extra time to ponder the fate of Carrie and Saul as their caravan was attacked by RPGs, while those inside the embassy would soon welcome an uninvited Haissam Haqqani into their midst. The result of that rather effective cliffhanger, then, as scripted by Alex Gansa and Howard Gordon, was something a little closer to an episode of Gordon’s recently resurrected 24: a fast-paced, action-packed hour built to dole out as much detail of a single event as possible. The episode even went so far as to emulate its elder sibling by telling the audience exactly how long said event would take place. As such, ’13 Hours in Islamabad’ wasn’t your average episode, but it wasn’t something completely foreign either. Yes, there were some conspicuous Jack Bauer-y undertones. After all, Quinn and a single soldier stood their ground against a group of terrorists, while snipers kept Carrie and Saul pinned down, but neither action necessarily felt out of place. If anything, those bullet-filled beats demonstrated the ways in which Homeland is at home whether its narrative is somewhat outlandish and incredibly broad or whether it is somewhat outlandish and focused on the minutiae. And while this particular hour was more of the latter, it managed to turn into the kind of sleek operation that occurs when the series is at its best. And that is remarkable, considering the episode missed so many big swings and still came out feeling like it hit one out of the park. ’13 Hours in Islamabad’ – minus the four that went by after a wounded Haqqani escaped through yet another secret tunnel in the embassy – primarily worked because it was able to strike the right kind of balance between rising action and table setting that needs to happen with only two episodes left in what has been an uneven but interesting season. There were stakes to Haqqani’s raid that were felt both in the short term and the long. Of course, the short term was felt in the unexpected death of John (just as he was beginning to be a likable guy) and the not-entirely-unexpected death of Far, at the hands of the terrorist leader. For much of the season, Homeland has been trying to make a story for Fara, but never quite found exactly where she fit in this particular story. And that’s too bad, because when she was actually put to use, like she was confirming Haqqani’s death had been faked, and again working with Quinn all day, learning to be a field agent, it felt like the show was investing in a character who might have a bright future in the dark and gloomy world of international intelligence. The progress that was made with Fara’s character adds the extra sting to her death, rendering it as close to a tragedy as a semi-underdeveloped character is likely to get on this series. It seems Fara’s death hit Max hardest of all, resulting in another moment where a character tells Carrie she’s not the best when in comes to interpersonal relationships, and a tearful Carrie gets to say something like: “Yeah, tell me something I don’t know.” The scene feels kind of odd and misshapen, but that irregularity is exactly what the episode needed to put the appropriate focus on Fara’s death. With all that was going on while Haqqani and his men stormed the embassy, and Lockhart’s ill-fated decision to hand over Sandy’s list of contacts and assets in exchange for Fara’s life, it could have been easier for the episode to focus on how the survivors would pick up the pieces. In that sense, the brief but effective acknowledgement of Fara’s untimely death lends some necessary gravitas to what would otherwise have been an episode that was all about setting up the endgame. That pause is even more important considering what lies ahead isn’t going to afford the two players left on the field much time to mourn, much less work their fallen colleague’s name into whatever conversation they’re going to have. Now that Quinn’s ostensibly gone rogue – after several episodes of basically keeping Carrie in check – that means Carrie’s tasked with being the responsible one…in a country where she’s now operating without a safety net of any kind. So, in a weird way, Carrie’s right back in her comfort zone. The notion that this is where Carrie sometimes thrives certainly assuages some of the problems that stem from Lockhart’s decision to let her (of all people) stay in Islamabad for five additional days, while everyone else books it to the airport. But it doesn’t quite assuage all of the problems. In fact, for as engaging an hour as ’13 Hours in Islamabad’ was, the hour asked its characters to make way too many dumb decisions in order to make sure the plot went exactly where it needed to go. That’s not really anything new for Homeland, but for an episode where Lockhart tosses Martha Boyd to the ground so he can risk the lives of countless assets and contacts, or when Martha literally signs off on Dennis’ desire to hang himself (as a way to save her own career, no less), it’s amazing the hour turned out as well as it did. It’s a shame Saul couldn’t be more a part of the story – kudos to Mandy Patinkin for handling having literally nothing to do for an entire season so well – but if the next two episodes are going to boil down to Carrie and Quinn running around without supervision, then Homeland just might have what this season needs to end things just right. Homeland continues next Sunday with ‘Krieg Nicht Lieb’ @9pm on Showtime.

With the Harry Potter books ending in 2007 and the film series in 2011, the franchise has been noticeably quiet the last few years. That is, if you don’t count the occasional updates on upcoming spinoff movie Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. Said to take place 70 years before The Boy Who Lived, the film will be directed by Harry Potter alum David Yates and will follow a young Newt Scamander as he documents the various magical creatures of the Wizarding World. But for those fans looking for more Harry Potter before 2016, J.K. Rowling’s interactive social media site Pottermore is the place to be. Within the website’s pages, Rowling often releases short stories as well as other little tidbits about the characters and their magical world. For instance, one of the latest stories caught up with a a 34-year-old Harry and his friends at the Quidditch World Cup Final. Now she is at again with 12 new stories that will take us all the way to Christmas. In a recent update on the Pottermore site, Rowling teases that starting Friday, December 12th, she’ll release a new short story every day at 8am EST, leading up to Christmas Day. According to the news, they’ll include “moments from Half-Blood Prince, shiny gold Galleons and even a new potion or two.” And an email to Pottermore members gave a bit more detail about what some of them will entail: “From Florean Fortescue’s ghost plot to J.K. Rowling’s thoughts on the sneaky Slytherin Draco Malfoy, there’s a wealth of writing to discover.” http://i.imgur.com/tsXncNA.png Rowling’s decision to focus on Malfoy for one of the short stories continues her tradition of shedding light on villains from the Harry Potter series. Previous short stories released on Pottermore have looked into not only Rita Skeeter but also the notorious Dolores Umbridge. While Skeeter and Umbridge’s stories didn’t exactly paint their characters in a sympathetic light, that may change for Malfoy. As for Florean Fortescue, some may recall he was the owner of an ice cream parlor in Diagon Alley. He was later kidnapped and killed by Death Eaters during Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. R0wling has said she originally intended to include a subplot involving the Elder Wand that would explain his disappearance but ultimately decided to cut it. She also has plans to include more information on his death in the Encyclopedia she wants to write one day. It sounds like this short story, however, will take place afterward. What do you think, Screen Rant readers? Excited for more stories from the Harry Potter world? What do you hope to hear more about? Let us know in the comments. Stay tuned for more news on Harry Potter. Fantastical Beasts and Where to Find Them will hit theaters November 18th, 2016.

It was one of the slowest box office weekends of the year, due in large part to the complete lack of wide releases, which means most of last week’s top 10 was relatively unchanged. In at number 1 for the third weekend in a row is The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1 with $21.6 million. Although Mockingjay is still well below most of the other Hunger Games films, it’s actually holding better than last year’s Catching Fire. So far, the sequel has grossed $257 million domestic (#4 for 2014) and $560 million worldwide. The number 2 film is Penguins of Madagascar with $11.1 million. Fox’s animated spin-off is doing okay business, but is nothing to write home about. After two weeks the film has only grossed $49 million, off of a budget of $132 million. Horrible Bosses 2 jumps up to the number 3 spot this weekend with $8.6 million. The comedy sequel is holding better than most but is still well below its predecessor with $42 million total. Coming in at number 4 is Big Hero 6 with $8.1 million. Disney’s latest is doing solid business with $177 million domestic and should cross the $200 million mark when all is said and done. Rounding out the top 5 is Interstellar with $8 million. The sci-fi blockbuster is now at $158 million domestic and a massive $593 million worldwide. In at number 6 is Dumb and Dumber To with $4.1 million. Now at $78 million domestic, Dumb and Dumber To is likely to finish well short of the first film’s $127 million gross, which was a huge sum back in 1994. The number 7 film this weekend is The Theory of Everything with $2.6 million. As awards buzz continues to build, this Stephen Hawking biopic has grossed a solid $13 million in limited release. Gone Girl is the number 8 film with $1.5 million. The David Fincher-directed adaptation has grossed $162 million after 10 weeks. Given the awards talk and strong box office, it’s fair to say that Gone Girl is this year’s Gravity – a successful and critically acclaimed major release. The low budget indie horror flick The Pyramid (read our review) is the number 9 film with $1.3 million. While a $1M opening is nothing to write home about, a very slow weekend helped The Pyramid crack the top 10. Rounding out the top 10 is Birdman with $1.1 million, which brings its domestic total up to $18 million. After 8 weeks in limited release, the film has finally eclipsed its production budget. [NOTE: These are only weekend box office estimates - based on Friday and Saturday ticket sales coupled with adjusted expectations for Sunday. Official weekend box office results will be released on Monday, December 8th - at which time we'll update this post with any changes.]

David Ayer (Fury) is directing the Suicide Squad movie as part of Warner Bros.’s slate of films based on DC Comics properties. With Suicide Squad scheduled to premiere following Warner Bros.’s next DC release, Batman V. Superman: Dawn of Justice, the film is beginning to take shape. Suicide Squad is set to begin production next spring in Toronto, Canada, and an official cast was announced last week. In terms of how the film will align with the Suicide Squad comics, Ayer referred to the film as a “Dirty Dozen with supervillains.” John Ostrander, who wrote the Suicide Squad’s first appearance as well as their first standalone title, said that description is similar to his original vision. Ostrander also recently responded to the casting decisions for the upcoming film and suggested more characters he’d like to see on the big screen. In an interview with CBR, Ostrander praised the A-list casting of Suicide Squad, saying Warner Bros. is “taking this very seriously.” Ostrander singled out Jared Leto as The Joker in particular, as it will be the actor’s first role since winning an Oscar for his appearance in Dallas Buyer’s Club. Leto’s cast members include Margot Robbie as Harley Quinn, Will Smith as the assassin Deadshot, Jai Courtney as Captain Boomerang, Cara Delevingne as Enchantress, and Tom Hardy as Rick Flagg. Additionally, Oprah Winfrey, Viola Davis, and Octavia Spencer are Warner Bros.’s top choices to play Amanda Waller, the government agent who oversees the squad. For the casting of Waller, Ostrander had a similar list of choices for the character due to their talent, attitude, and build – which resembles Ostrander’s take on Amanda Waller. The writer also added Queen Latifah as another of his choices, citing her work in Chicago as a testament to her ability to play the government agent. As for additional characters he’d like to see, Ostrander named Bronze Tiger (who appeared in Arrow’s Suicide Squad episode) and Nightshade. The writer also added that Lex Luthor would be an interesting addition to the story. But, in terms of the plot for Suicide Squad, Ostrander said it seems they’re sticking with his original idea. Read Ostrander’s full quote: “It sounds like they are going with my original concept, which is that these are bad guys, and in order to earn their freedom, they have to go on missions, in which they could be killed. I’ve even read that they are talking about that as the film, as well. Which I think is a good one. My original pitch to DC was the Secret Society of Super-Villains meets ‘The Dirty Dozen.’ This sounds like they are fully behind the whole ‘Dirty Dozen’ concept. These are people that will get pardoned if they survive a very risky mission.” Ostrander finished by saying that he would certainly be willing to work with Ayer and Warner Bros. on Suicide Squad, though there’s been no indication that will happen. He also said he’d like a cameo similar to those of Stan Lee in every Marvel movie, which would be a nice nod to fans, but, again, likely won’t happen. Although Suicide Squad is bound to be different from the comics, Ostrander appears to believe Ayer and Warner Bros. are honoring the characters and team he created for DC Comics. As for fans who don’t believe Warner Bros. made the right choice in casting Suicide Squad, Ostrander urged viewers to wait to see the movie before judging the actors’ performances. While Suicide Squad won’t align with every fans’ vision for the film they want to see, Ayer is trying to create the best movie possible for the widest range of people, including fans, casual moviegoers, and everyone in between. Though an endorsement from Ostrander may not mean much to some, it certainly gives the film a bit more credit among fans. Suicide Squad will hit theaters August 5th, 2016.

When The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies opens in theaters, it will bring Peter Jackson’s six-movie, 13-year Lord of the Rings franchise to an end. While the Lord of the Rings trilogy was widely regarded as a cinematic masterpiece, The Hobbit prequel trilogy has drawn more than a few criticisms, including stretching one book into three movies and the 48 frames per second (fps) format. Now, while promoting the latest installment of The Hobbit trilogy, Jackson discussed the length of the final film, how much extra footage will be included in the extended cut of The Battle of the Five Armies, as well as the trilogy’s frame rate format. At an overseas press day for The Battle of the Five Armies, Jackson revealed how long the extended cut of the film will be and teased what will be included within the additional footage. He said, “the extended cut, which will be about 30 minutes longer, will have some additional Beorn stuff.” Beorn (Mikael Persbrandt), the shapeshifting man, first appeared in The Desolation of Smaug. At two hours and 24 minutes, The Battle of the Five Armies is the shortest of all the films in the franchise. Comparatively, each of the Lord of the Rings movies is nearly three hours, An Unexpected Journey is two hours and 49 minutes, and The Desolation of Smaug is two hours and 41 minutes. With the additional 30 minutes of footage, The Battle of the Five Armies will also be the shortest of all the extended cuts. Viewers who have felt The Hobbit movies stretched the story out unnecessarily will likely be pleased the final film is the shortest of the franchise. But, for any fans of the series who collect and watch the extended cuts of all the films, the 30 extra minutes will provide a reason to look forward to the extended edition of The Battle of the Five Armies. At the press day, Jackson also defended – again – his choice to format the Hobbit movies in 48fps. The director reiterated his argument that the format will stand the test of time better than 24fps and will provide a more exciting theater experience. Read Jackson’s full quote: “I just think it’s a much better way to see films. After the first ‘Hobbit’ film, I found out a lot of tricks to make it look less like video. I understood the criticisms. So the second and third movies have a slightly more textured look. I regret more people didn’t see them like that. 100 years ago movies were black-and-white, silent, and 16 frames a second. So 100 years from now, what are they going to be now? But you can absolutely guarantee that they’re not going to be 24 frames a second and they’re not going to be 2D. And ultimately the audiences for movies are beginning to dwindle that it’s becoming a very serious issue for the industry. The industry has to have the audience in order to make these films. So it’s a serious thing – how do you get people to leave their houses and go to the theater? I think it’s important that filmmakers look at the technology and figure out how to make the theatrical experience a little more exciting.” Although, of course, we won’t know how well Jackson’s films will stand up against movies 100 years from now, the director’s intention behind his choice was to create a better movie experience. Whether or not he accomplished that task is largely up to each individual viewer. However, the debates surrounding the 48fps format and the split of The Hobbit into three movies will likely continue among fans long after The Battle of the Five Armies premieres. The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies opens in theaters December 12th, 2014.

The continued success of The Hunger Games series seemed to single-handedly launch the dystopian YA adaptation subgenre, which added this year’s Divergent to its ranks. Despite middling reviews (read ours here), the first in the franchise based on the novels by Veronica Roth made a roughly $200 million worldwide profit (more or less). It wasn’t much of a surprise to hear that the sequel, The Divergent Series: Insurgent, had already been deep in development, with RED director Robert Schwentke taking over for Neil Burger. Now it appears Lionsgate is taking a cue from its Hunger Games playbook in keeping their sequel director around for awhile. Variety reports that Insurgent director Schwentke will be returning to direct the franchise’s third film, titled The Divergent Series: Allegiant – Part 1. As has become standard for the final installment of a lucrative book-based franchise, the final entry in the series, based on Roth’s trilogy conclusion, will be split into two parts. Allegiant – Part 1 will arrive in theaters on March 18, 2016 with Part 2 coming the year after. Fans of the series waiting for a proper trailer after the recent reality-defying teaser are in luck, as the film’s official Twitter account has also shared the date of December 12th as something to look forward to: Insurgent ✔ @Divergent Follow Brace yourselves, Initiates… Friday 12/12. Lionsgate seems to be happy with Schwentke’s work on Insurgent, but while retaining Catching Fire director Francis Lawrence for the rest of the Hunger Games films has so far proven both financially and critically successful (for the most part), critics were decidedly brutal to Robert Schwentke’s previous effort, R.I.P.D., which managed to erase much of the goodwill generated by the geriatric actioner RED. Divergent‘s dystopian future society of different factions on the brink of war echoes that certain other franchise to a slightly uncomfortable degree, but Shailene Woodley’s Tris has proven herself a solid lead character, and Insurgent is poised to distinguish itself as markedly different from its predecessor as a full-blown futuristic war picture. We’ll know for sure just how much of an identity Schwentke has given his sequel when the full-length trailer lands. What do you think, Screen Ranters? Are you looking forward to Insurgent? The Divergent Series: Insurgent will open in theaters on March 20th, 2015.

After Marvel Studios illustrated the prosperity of a shared cinematic universe, several other studios have been rushing to catch up. The most noteworthy “rival” for Disney/Marvel is Warner Bros./DC, who recently unveiled their slate of films that will debut between 2016 and 2020 and will give moviegoers a series of Justice League movies. Many fans celebrated the announcement by saying “finally,” as in it was about time WB did something with the library of DC Comics characters they have at their disposal. One of the reasons Marvel got such a head-start on their rival is most likely the fact that Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight trilogy was its own standalone creation, meaning Christian Bale’s Bruce Wayne was the only hero in his world and couldn’t crossover with other superheroes. The Dark Knight Rises ended Nolan’s take on the Caped Crusader in 2012, and with the filmmaker stepping away and concluding his story, it gave the studio an opportunity to start fresh. As they look to build upon the universe established in Man of Steel, new incarnations of classic Batman characters like the the Joker, Harley Quinn, and Mr. Wayne himself will be appearing on the big screen in the next couple of years. But before Ben Affleck came on board for Zack Snyder’s Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, there were several persisting rumors that Bale would stay involved and reprise is role. While we now know that the actor was never approached for the film, Bale has copped to feeling jealous of Affleck after the casting choice was revealed. So does the Oscar-winner think his version of Batman would have (or should have) fit in with WB’s larger plan? Not necessarily. While promoting Exodus: Gods and Kings, Bale spoke with IGN about his feelings on the Dark Knight series. In the interview, he says that his iteration could have “kept on going and going and going,” but Nolan made the right choice when he decided to end it where he did. He also appeared quite adamant when he expressed his thoughts on the standalone nature of his trilogy: “Ours doesn’t belong in any other version at all. It was appropriate to leave at the right time.” By now, most viewers – even those who are die-hard supporters of Nolan’s series – have made peace with the fact that Bale’s time is over and are looking forward to seeing Affleck portray a battle-weary, hardened older Batman. From one viewpoint, it’s easy to see why there were so many who wanted to see Bale come back. The Dark Knight trilogy was a cultural phenomenon and made Batman a viable property in Hollywood again. In several people’s eyes, WB already had a winning version of the character (one that grossed $2.5 billion worldwide) that would have been great to see again. However, Bale does speak the truth when he talks about the appropriateness of pulling the plug on the Bruce Wayne moviegoers came to know and love from 2005-2012. As fun as it would be to see him share the screen with Henry Cavill and Gal Gadot, it would have raised numerous continuity issues within the film’s world and limited what the studio could do moving forward. With a clean slate, we’re able to see acclaimed actors like Jared Leto and Jeremy Irons provide new spins on familiar characters, instead of potentially stretching something out that has arguably run its course. In the end, all parties will most likely benefit from WB starting anew. Filmmakers who take on DC properties will have the artistic freedom to make their own creative choices with Affleck’s version (instead of meshing it with what came before), and Bale, who sounds like he was really ready to move on, can pursue other acting jobs and entertain moviegoers with his chameleon-like abilities in a variety of roles. The legacy of the Dark Knight trilogy will never be in question. It’s best if we all look ahead. Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice will be in theaters March 25, 2016.

It’s not often that you can say “based on a true story” about an episode of a show like Constantine, but ‘Blessed are the Damned’ is actually based on the real life practice of snake handling, which is still used in a number of U.S. Pentecostal churches. Based mainly on a passage from the Gospel of Mark, which states that true believers in God will “speak with new tongues… take up serpents… lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover,” snake-handling has claimed the lives of at least 70 people since the practice began, and the snakes probably aren’t very happy about it either. As far as the records show, however, no one has ever come back from the dead with healing abilities, as Pastor Zachary does in this episode. It isn’t long before John works out that angel intervention is involved, and that Pastor Zachary’s “miracles” are sucking the life out of the surrounding countryside and turning his faithful flock into a bloodthirsty mob. ‘Blessed are the Damned’ won’t help the Supernatural comparisons (though Supernatural at least waited until season 4 before jumping feet first into angel lore), but at least it’s a story that gives Harold Perrineau something to do other than occasionally pop in and get snarked at by John, then drop a cryptic clue before vanishing again. Apparently, his divine instructions mean that he cannot “interfere” with things on Earth by giving explicit answers, but he can drop massive hints and possibly include a diagram or two. God works in mysterious ways. The angels of Constantine are a lot less omnipotent than you’d expect. Not only does Manny rely on John and Zed using “angel echolocation” (just go with it) to find crippled angel Imogen, he’s also able to get right up in her face without realizing that she’s actually a fallen angel who crawled up to Earth out of Hell itself. You’d think there would at least be a lingering smell of sulfur. In fairness to Manny, Imogen does look pretty good for someone who’s been thrown down into a fiery pit, and ‘Blessed are the Damned’ opens up a whole lot more questions about angels than it answers. In traditional mythology, fallen angels become demons and look appropriately demonic, so it’s somewhat bizarre that the only difference between regular angels and fallen ones in Constantine is a wardrobe change. The reason why Imogen, in her crippled state, is able to disguise herself as a perfume advert is also never adequately explained. In addition to Manny being given more to do, Zed is also offered a more instrumental role in ‘Blessed are the Damned,’ as she is struck by visions of snakes while drawing a nude male model (no jokes, please) and takes the lead in many aspects of the investigation, including stealing the feather off Pastor Zachary and returning it to Imogen. She also uses her psychic powers on the pastor to get a reading of his personality, but for some reason that time he killed a guy slips under the radar. Overall, ‘Blessed and the Damned’ is a pretty inoffensive episode that moves the season arc along another couple of millimeters, but the combination of the monster-of-the-week formula and the rather lazy plot device of Liv’s bloody scrying map is making the show feel a little soulless, like each episode just came off an assembly line. It feels far too tame for a show based on Hellblazer and it still doesn’t have anything to make it stand out or feel unique, unless you count Matt Ryan’s accent. It’s a show that can act as a decent diversion for an hour, but there’s nothing about it that’s “must-see.” Since season 1′s production was cut off at 13 episodes, there’s been an online campaign to #SaveConstantine, but in order to earn a second season the showrunners really need to #WriteSomethingWorthSaving.

TheGeeks Weekend Freeleech #215 Discussion Of the Week: Are you prepared for Christmas Day Dinner yet? Discussion on this topic -> Here And last but not least, this week's FLOTW torrents: Jamie's Christmas with Bells On (2011) Jamie Oliver is the person many people turn to for advice on how to cook the most important meal of the year, Christmas dinner. Jamie wants to show that Christmas can be fun. In these two hour-long festive specials, Jamie Oliver provides a collection of Christmas classics, new ideas and fantastic party food. Filmed at his Essex home and featuring family and friends, the two programmes are packed with stress-free, sure-fire ways to cover the classics for a fab Christmas dinner - turkey, roasties, gravy, stuffing and veg, as well as fresh ways to get everyone in the Christmas spirit. Betty Crocker - Christmas Cookies: Wiley Selects (2010) [1 eBook (ePub)] A Merry and Delicious Collection of Christmas Cookie Recipes Christmas and baking go hand in hand. With this must-have holiday collection, the whole family will want to help out in the kitchen. Find all the season’s favorite cookies, from fun and filled goodies like Gingersnap Sandwich Cookies to inspiring decorated treats like Snowflake Mittens and delicious drop varieties like Chocolate Hazelnut Cookies. Lorraine's Last Minute Christmas (2011) Lorraine Pascale creates a feast of tasty seasonal dishes, scrumptious edible gifts, and a stunning winter wonderland cake as she prepares for a festive family get-together. All of the recipes in the show can be created in the final countdown to Christmas. There are tips, cheats and ideas that are bound to impress - even if you have left everything until the last minute. Good Housekeeping - Christmas Collection (Christmas 2011) [1 eBook (PDF)] Good Housekeeping - Christmas Collection 196 recipes & festive ideas * Every recipe you’ll need for a fabulous feast over the festive season * Christmas Day countdown offering a minute-by-minute guide to serving an effortless Christmas lunch * Menu planners for the whole festive season * Recipes to freeze ahead * Party ideas and food gifts * Vegetarian main courses * Cakes and bakes * Wow factor puddings * Plus Good Housekeeping’s top tips They can be downloaded for free at 00:00 am Saturday UK Time (currently UTC+1/GMT+1) Check your local UK time by clicking HERE. Don't forget... these torrents are only free until Sunday 14 December 23.59.59 UK Time. After that time they will no longer be free! If you are still leeching at that time then you will have the download added to your download total.

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