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
Margot Robbie to Star as Harley Quinn in DC’s ‘Suicide Squad’ Movie
Things got interesting with the upcoming 'Suicide Squad' movie when it was revealed that Jesse Eisenberg would be returning after 'Batman vs. Superman' to star as Lex Luthor. Then, things got really interesting when it was revealed that Jared Leto was in talks to star as The Joker, introducing Batman's greatest nemesis in the new era of 'Justice League' films. What was once thought to be a ragtag group of B-side villains is now shaping up to be a roster full of DC's evil A-list villains. And, now you can even more iconic villain to the lineup. What would any Joker appearance in 'Suicide Squad' be without Harley Quinn, who will be played by 'Wolf of Wall Street' star Margot Robbie.
‘Star Wars: Episode 7′ Official Title Announced: ‘The Force Awakens’
We thought that the 'Star Wars: Episode 7' title might get officially announced this past summer at Comic-Con, but that event came and went with no official reveal. So, what better way to announce the new title than a random Thursday in November? Just this morning on Twitter, Lucasfilm and the official 'Star Wars' Twitter account revealed the 'Star Wars: Episode 7' title: 'A Force Awakens'.
‘Avengers 2′ Clip: Yes, Even More Footage From ‘Age of Ultron’
With the 'Avengers 2' trailer, extended trailer and advance trailer for 'Avengers: Infinity War', you're probably sick of all this 'Avengers' footage and don't want or need to see anymore. You certainly don't want to see this 'Avengers 2' clip with Cap and Iron Man getting heated with each other and introducing the tension that will continue through 'Captain America: Civil War'. Oh wait, you're not sick of 'Avengers 2' and you DO want to see this footage? OK, good.
Benedict Cumberbatch Cast as Marvel’s ‘Doctor Strange’
The 'Doctor Strange' casting has come full circle. After a series of stops and starts (we're looking at you, Joaquin Phoenix), Marvel has returned to one of the very first actors they had their eye on for their upcoming superhero movie: Benedict Cumberbatch. Deadline is reporting that the 'Sherlock' star is in "final negotiations" with Marvel to star in 'Doctor Strange' and, presumably, a number of other big 'Avengers' style crossover movies.
‘Fast and Furious 7′ Gets Official Poster, Title and Trailer Release Date
Were it not for the untimely and tragic death of Paul Walker, 'Fast and Furious 7' would have been released this past July and probably would be making its way to DVD and Blu-ray within the next few weeks. But, the release date was pushed back to April 3, 2015 and, after some lengthy reshoots, we're finally ready to see the first footage from the film next week.
‘Guardians of the Galaxy’ Soundtrack to Be Released on Cassette Tape in November
As successful as 'Guardians of the Galaxy' was at the box-office (and, as the highest-grossing film of the year, it certainly was that), the film's iconic soundtrack was equally as successful. "Awesome Mix Vol. 1" spent two weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart and is currently the 10th largest selling album of 2014. You've been able to buy the digital album, the CD, vinyl and even a "Deluxe Edition," but so far, no actual cassette like the mix tape in the film. But, that's all about to change.
There Will Never Be a ‘Back to the Future’ Sequel or Reboot
It's almost surprising at this point that there has not been a 'Back to the Future' reboot or sequel. When you look back at the popular and successful properties of the 80s, there are few that haven't been modernized. Sony is practically falling all over themselves to get a new 'Ghostbusters' in theaters. This year alone saw new 'RoboCop,' 'Muppets,' 'Ninja Turtles,' 'Jump Street' and 'Transformers' movies. But, despite the frequency of these remakes, it doesn't look like you'll ever see a new 'Back to the Future' movie. And, that's a pretty great thing.
‘Guardians of the Galaxy’ Star Dave Bautista Cast as ‘Bond 24′ Villain
We'd previously heard that the 'Bond 24' filmmakers wanted the villain for the upcoming sequel to be unlike the modern day villains and instead a throwback to the big hulking henchmen like Jaws or Oddjob. The casting call was looking for "an imposing, extremely physically fit actor" over 6'2" tall. Not a ton of guys like that around, but the director Sam Mendes didn't have to look further than the biggest movie of the year.
What is Marvel’s Civil War and What Does It Mean For ‘Captain America 3′ and the Future of the MCU?
Last night came the shocking announcement: Robert Downey, Jr. will star in 'Captain America 3' alongside Chris Evans, kicking off the Civil War storyline in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. But, what exactly is the Civil War storyline and what does it mean for 'Captain America 3,' 'Avengers 3,' the Infinity Gauntlet plans, Spider-Man and the rest of the Marvel Cinematic Universe?! (Whew!)
‘Ninja Turtles’ Concept Art Reveals What Bebop, Rocksteady and Krang Would Have Looked Like
For most of us, the pain of 'Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles' has come and gone (though the movie opens this weekend in the UK), and it's probably best to put it behind us. But, maybe somewhere throughout the development process, maybe there was a good 'Ninja Turtles' movie in there somewhere before it was homogenized within an inch of its life. Case in point: this new concept art that reveals classic TMNT villains Bebop, Rockstead and Krang almost made their way into the film.
Original ‘Ghostbusters’ Star Thinks Female-Led Reboot is a Bad Idea
Most of us have felt that a 'Ghostbusters' sequel/reboot is a bad idea for a long time. In fact, so many people have thought it's a bad idea that Sony Pictures had a hard time finding anyone to even work on it (Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg turned the project down multiple times). But, when it was announced that Paul Feig would be directing a female-led 'Ghostbusters' movie, we had to at least respect that they were trying something different instead of just another tired sequel. Unfortunately not everyone feels that way, including original Ghostbuster Ernie Hudson.
Could Spider-Man Be Joining the ‘Avengers’ in the Marvel Cinematic Universe?
Just yesterday, we heard the very sad and strange tale of acrimony that currently exists between Marvel and Fox, the studio that owns the 'X-Men' and 'Fantastic Four' movie rights. It will very likely be a cold day in hell by the time we ever see the likes of Iron Man and Wolverine pair up on the big screen (regardless of what Hugh Jackman says), but is it possible that The Avengers could actually be crossing over with another superhero from another universe? Namely, The Amazing Spider-Man?