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Perpetrators of the Sony hack got a lot more serious today when they issued a threat that went far beyond stealing internal emails and documents.  “Remember the 11th of September 2001,” says the threat. “We recommend you to keep yourself distant from the places at that time. (If your house is nearby, you’d better leave.) Whatever comes in the coming days is called by the greed of Sony Pictures Entertainment.” In this case, “the places” refers to theaters showing The Interview, the film from writer/directors Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg in which Rogen and James Franco play a couple of media types who are recruited to assassinate North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.

While no link between North Korea’s government and the hackers (who ironically call themselves “Guardians of Peace”) has been proven, the threat stirred up fears of action that goes beyond the digital realm. And even as Franco and Rogen canceled promo appearances meant to pitch The Interview to various audiences, the Department of Homeland Security says there’s no credible info to indicate an actual threat.

Update: Sony has told theaters there won’t be a problem if they decide to drop The Interview, despite any prior bookings.

The text of the original threat reads:

Warning

We will clearly show it to you at the very time and places “The Interview” be shown, including the premiere, how bitter fate those who seek fun in terror should be doomed to.

Soon all the world will see what an awful movie Sony Pictures Entertainment has made.

The world will be full of fear.

Remember the 11th of September 2001.

We recommend you to keep yourself distant from the places at that time.

(If your house is nearby, you’d better leave.)

Whatever comes in the coming days is called by the greed of Sony Pictures Entertainment.

All the world will denounce the SONY.

It’s cowardly but attention-getting stuff. But the Department of Homeland Security said in a statement, “We are still analyzing the credibility of these statements, but at this time there is no credible intelligence to indicate an active plot against movie theaters within the United States.”

Speaking to ABC, Richard Clarke, cyber security expert and former White House counter-terrorism advisor said,

Somebody is playing mind games with [Sony]. I think North Korea has little or no capability to do any physical attacks, commando activity, or terrorism in the U.S. By saying it’s coming, however, they hope to keep people from the theaters and, thereby, hurt Sony’s revenue.

LAPD Chief Charlie Beck says his department will take “extra precautions” at LA theaters over the holiday.

Meanwhile, Rogen and Franco have “canceled all upcoming media appearances” following the new threat, according to Variety.  That means scheduled appearances on Late Night with Seth Meyers and The Tonight Show for this week have been canceled, among others. The two will reportedly still appear at a Thursday screening of the film in NYC. 

The Interview is scheduled for a Christmas Day release.

Update: The latest info says that Sony has said it will understand the decision of any theaters that want to drop showings of The Interview, according to THR. There has been no formal statement from either Sony or the National Association of Theater Owners.

The post Sony Hackers Threaten Theaters Showing ‘The Interview,’ Homeland Security Says “No Credible Info” appeared first on /Film.

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Was Peter Parker going to listen to music through his web shooters? Is The Rock ready to play Black Adam? Will Alfred be different in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice? How did Michael Keaton respond to questions about Ben Affleck playing Batman? Read about all this and more in today’s Superhero Bits.

Hot Toys is now selling the masterpiece version of Iron Man 3‘s Mark 42.

In a Twitter Q&A, The Rock talked about being excited to play Black Adam.

Check out the designs of these Amazing Spider-man 2 webshooters that had MP3 players embedded by Ismael Salcedo (via CBM).

Michael Keaton gave Shortlist Magazine the best answer ever when asked if he was jealous of Ben Affleck as Batman.

Artist Rodney Fuentebella has some cool concept art from Captain America: The Winter Soldier via CBM.

Jeremy Irons talked to Indiewire about how Alfred is different in Batman v Superman.

This is the cover of Fantastic Four 642, the beginning of the end of the series.

Comic Book Movie explored the comic history between Batman and Superman.

Continue Reading Superhero Bits >>

Due to the amount of graphics and images included in Superhero Bits, we have to split this post over THREE pages. Click the link above to continue to the second page of Superhero Bits.

The post Superhero Bits: Amazing Spider-Man, Black Adam, Batman, Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Star Lord appeared first on /Film.

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After the lackluster fourth film in the Pirates of the Caribbean series, Disney has been taking its time developing the fifth movie. But here we are, with Pirates 5 — aka Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales — set to be directed by Joachim Ronning and Espen Sandberg (Kon-Tiki) in Australia early next year. Johnny Depp returns as Captain Jack Sparrow, but now there’s the suggestion that this fifth film may actually be a soft Pirates of the Caribbean reboot. 

Orlando Bloom, who factored into the first three films in the series, talked to IGN, and when asked about returning to the series he explained,

I’m not entirely sure that [I’ll be back] just yet, but there are talks. Basically they want to reboot the whole franchise, I think, and do something with me and the relationship with my son… I’m of course Davey Jones now, so I’m down the bottom of the ocean. It might be kind of fun to do something where I’m rumbling round the bottom of the ocean, because I won’t look anything like me. [Gestures to face] Get all gnarly.

In this case “reboot the whole franchise” may just mean “pretend like the fourth film never happened.” After all, if Depp is back as Sparrow, and Bloom comes back as Will Turner, it isn’t a reboot at all.

Brenton Thwaites (Oculus, The Giver, The Signal) is playing a new role, as a British solider, while Kaya Scodelario (The Maze Runner), Gabriella Wilde (Carrie), Lucy Boynton (Miss Potter), Alexandra Dowling (The Musketeers), and Jenna Thiam (the original French version of The Returned) are all said to be in contention for the role that could be Thwaites’ love interest. And if Bloom is back, will Thwaits be revealed as his character’s son? Likely.

Geoffrey Rush is rumoured to return as Barbossa, while Javier Bardem is said to be set to play Captain Brand, “a ghost bent on revenge against Sparrow, who blames Sparrow for the death of his brother and is searching for a supernatural object to aid him.” In other words, more pirates, more supernatural stuff, and more familiar faces. Just don’t expect Kiera Knightley, who rose to fame thanks to the Pirates movies, but isn’t likely to be back for another turn.

Pirates 5 is currently set for a July 2017 release.

The post Is ‘Pirates 5′ Conceived as a Soft Franchise Reboot? appeared first on /Film.

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Tim Burton‘s Batman movies aren’t exactly what you’d call cheerful, but even he thinks the modern-day superhero could stand to lighten up a little. “Maybe we need to see a happy superhero?” he suggested.

Or maybe he just wants to see the genre change altogether. The filmmaker also criticized the Marvel formula, and predicted that moviegoers would tire of superhero films some day. And yet, all that said, he admits he hasn’t ruled out the possibility of helming another superhero film.

Hit the jump to read the Tim Burton superhero movie comments.

Burton spoke frankly about the state of the modern superhero movie with Yahoo! Movies.

Marvel, they have their thing and there’s a certain formula to it all which seems to still be working. But how many times can you say ‘you’re wearing a funny costume’ with the tights and stuff? That’s been going on for 20 years now. Yes, we all know that superheroes are damaged individuals. Maybe we need to see a happy superhero?

It’s not like Burton’s own Batman (played by Michael Keaton) was an upbeat guy, but Burton insists he’s still lighter than the heroes onscreen today. “I remember Batman getting so much flak and criticism at the time for being too dark and now 20-30 years later, it now looks like a light-hearted romp, it’s such a strange thing to go through,” he said.

Naturally, that raises the question of whether Burton himself might be the one to bring some levity back to the superhero genre. On that front, the filmmaker played coy. “I think there is [another superhero film in me], but I don’t know,” he said. “You think we need more superhero movies? It keeps on going. It’s amazing how long it’s been going for and it just keeps getting stronger and stronger. Some day people will get sick of it.”

Burton helped pave the way for the current wave of superhero movies with 1989′s Batman. It won over fans with its dark tone, and it’s not a stretch to say it’s partly his fault they’re so downbeat nowadays. He returned for the 1992 sequel, Batman Returns, and additionally had plans to helm a Superman pic starring Nicolas Cage before those plans fell apart. The never-made Superman Lives has remained a subject of fascination for comic book fans even today.

It’s funny that Burton calls out Marvel heroes for being damaged when DC’s stable is, if anything, even gloomier and grittier. But Marvel’s an easy target since they’re the biggest superhero franchise going today. And maybe Burton has some lingering loyalty toward the Caped Crusader.

If Burton decides to tackle another superhero movie, which one would you like to see him do?

The post Tim Burton Tired of Marvel Formula, Thinks We Need a Happy Superhero appeared first on /Film.

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Last month we got our first look at the new Star Wars: The Force Awakens cast, and last week we got to put some names to some faces as the character names were revealed. But there are still many more characters we haven’t met.

Well, one of those strangers’ names has just been revealed (we think) and rumor has it it’s the one being played by Gwendoline Christie. Hit the jump for more on the new Star Wars The Force Awakens character name. 

According to MovieWeb, Lucasfilm and Disney have started locking down domain names that correspond to all the new characters that we know of: Finn (John Boyega), Rey (Daisy Ridley), Poe Damreon (Oscar Isaac), BB-8 (the ball droid), and Kylo Ren (the Sith, unknown actor but possibly Adam Driver).

Also registered with that group, however, was a character called Captain Phasma. There has never been a character called Captain Phasma in the Star Wars movies or Extended Universe. The name does appear in a 2009 fan-fiction called Tarkin’s First, as well as a handful of random usernames, but that doesn’t tell us much about the Phasma in Star Wars: The Force Awakens.

Now, on to the speculation (and skip ahead to the following paragraph if you’re skittish about potential spoilers): It seems possible Phasma is the name of Christie’s character, rumored to be an Imperial officer who hunts down Finn after he deserts his post as a Stormtrooper. According to that story, she might be also be the Chrome Trooper teased in early concept art. But none of those details about Christie’s role have been confirmed. For that matter, neither has the info about Boyega’s.

If Phasma is not Christie, there are several other possibilities. Actors known to be in the movie, but whose characters have not been revealed, include Domhnall Gleeson, Andy Serkis, Max von Sydow, Lupita Nyong’o, and maybe Driver if that’s not him in the dark cloak. Disney and Lucasfilm did not register for returning characters like Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill), Princess Leia (Carrie Fisher), or Han Solo (Harrison Ford).

Directed by J.J. Abrams, Star Wars: The Force Awakens arrives December 18, 2015.

The post Another ‘Star Wars: The Force Awakens’ Character Name Revealed: Who Is Phasma? appeared first on /Film.

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