The Greatest Star Wars Memes For Any Situation

The Greatest Star Wars Memes For Any Situation

The internet is a vast source of limitless information and a technological wonder that has revolutionized our everyday lives in countless ways. It's also a great place to share memes, and that's something folks do en masse all over the internet, especially in regards to social media. It's a way to express yourself on a level regular text doesn't always convey and, when used correctly, can be a real hit with colleagues.

This is especially true with Star Wars memes, which have skyrocketed in popularity in recent years. Thanks to the efforts of subreddits and the new trilogy, Star Wars memes are as hot as they've ever been. If you're late to the game, here's a handful of the best from each trilogy to get you started, and equip you with the perfect meme for any situation.

The Prequel Trilogy

While the films may not be as celebrated, the prequel trilogy memes rank among some of the best on the internet. It's hard to find a part of the movie that isn't worth making into a meme, and one almost certainly could if they tried. With that said, here's some of the classic and most versatile ones that really embody the drama and goofiness of Episodes 1-3.

"Hello There"

General Kenobi's greeting to General Grievous may have been odd and a bit out of place given the context of the situation. With that said, it's more or less perfect for the person wishing to inject themselves into a conversation between two strangers they're not apart of. This one also works for when people send you comments that are just your name and nothing else, and may discourage those parties from doing that in the future.

"It's Treason, Then"

Who doesn't enjoy an internet debate every now and then? Believe it or not, people with different ideals clash on the internet, and even friends can get into squabble over trivial things. If your friend flips the script on you in an argument, Palpatine's famous line is a great meme to signal their betrayal. It's also great for when someone mentions treason in general as well, and will always get scores of likes from Star Wars fans.

"Nooooooo"

We'd be remissed to cap off the prequel films without one of its most iconic memes to date. People may take the Vader "nooooooo" meme for granted because it's been around for so long, but that's only because it's one of the most versatile gifs in the game. When you are absolutely, positively looking to express your disapproval in an exaggerated and slightly comedic way, accept no substitutes. This isn't about Quentin Tarantino memes!

The Original Trilogy

The original trilogy has gotten some fresh memes over the years, but seeing as its the oldest trilogy, it's only natural some of the internet memes surrounding it are a bit dated. There's nothing wrong with the classics though, and as long as you're not trying to impress any edgy teenagers, these memes should serve you well while traversing the web.

Palpatine Egging On

Online discussion can get heated at times, and sometimes everyone needs to take a breath and remember that there's another person on the other side of the screen trying to live their life. This meme is great for acknowledging when someone may be taking things a bit too far, but also great for trolling someone you've already enraged in a discussion. Of course, you're also suggesting you're a villain in posting it so there is a downside.

Meme "Checks Out"

This one is certainly applicable to a few entries on this list, and one young bloods can keep in the folder to whip out once in a blue moon. This one is great because it's always a crowd pleaser, provided the meme it's referencing is actually old. Play this one sparingly and you'll score thousands of imaginary internet points before you know it.

"It's A Trap!"

Admiral Ackbar's famous line is one of the internet's oldest meme, and suitable in literally every situation one would assume. Spot something dicey on the internet? Did your friends share a link to some news that isn't true? Drop this baby in the comments to inform others, and maybe provide some context afterward for those that don't understand why. Everyone should post an Ackbar meme at least once in their life, if only as a public service.

The Sequel Trilogy

The sequel trilogy is the new kid on the block, but that doesn't mean the memes are any less fantastic. With that said, memes have shifted to more contextual and rooted in long captions that apply to very specific situation. Even so, there are still some great lines from the new movies to work into this brave new world of memeing.

Kylo Ren Shirtless

There's no text, but don't panic, all will be fine. Just let Kylo Ren's glistening pecs do all the talking for you and leave everyone else to figure out why you posted this meme. Was it intimidation? To be noticed? Are you just bored? Best case scenario, the conversation devolves into Kylo Ren shirtless image battles, which one can never get enough of.

"The Sacred Texts!"

Here's one that's best used ironically, on days when you're feeling a bit fiesty. Maybe you threw out your microwave box before checking the heating instructions, or your dollar comic collection was damaged whilst sitting in the garage. The skies the limit for this one, and it's guaranteed to get smiles from at least a few people should you find the right context to use it.

Poe Breaks The Ice

When it comes to one-liners in the new Star Wars trilogy, there's really no debate among who delivers the best. Poe Dameron is the man, and isn't afraid to crack jokes even when his life is in danger. It's something that will probably get him killed eventually, but until then we can laugh at his smart ass remark to Poe and use it in all awkward online exchanges going forward.

Of course, there's a galaxy full of great Star Wars memes that have been left off of this list, so feel free to share any favorites in the comments for interested parties to use in the future. Meanwhile CinemaBlend will keep an eye on all Star Wars news, and post that Episode IX trailer as soon as it appears.

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Did DC Just Subtly Confirm Robert Pattinson As Batman?

Did DC Just Subtly Confirm Robert Pattinson As Batman?

Matt Reeves, DC, and Warner. Bros. have yet to officially announce anyone as the new post-Ben Affleck Batman. All we know at this point is Robert Pattinson was reported to be cast as the lead of The Batman, per Variety, with Deadline saying Pattinson had the edge on a short list but Nicholas Hoult was still in the running. But now some fans are reading into an Instagram post from DC Entertainment Chief Creative Officer Jim Lee, seeing it as a hint to Pattinson's confirmation:

Hmmm. Was it just a coincidence that this top DC exec staged a social media image to show Robert Pattinson's name in all-caps? That tablet shot seems to show pieces of Howard Stern interviews, with Stern talking to Pamela Anderson and then Pattinson. But as a DC guy, he had to know fans would interpret Pattinson's name as some kind of easter egg hint.

Over on Reddit, fans are discussing Jim Lee's post, and also reports that Robert Pattinson was seen on the Warner Bros. lot in L.A.:

Now, that doesn't necessarily mean he was doing anything for The Batman. As fans have noted, he is also part of Christopher Nolan's WB film Tenet. As far as we know, The Batman won't start filming until this fall for a 2021 release, so if Robert Pattinson's set visit had anything to do with Batman, it could possibly be for another screen test or to sign papers, etc. That's all speculation, though. What we're waiting for is official word from The Powers That Be.

I'd love to hear from Matt Reeves directly on this, but that will happen in due time. For now, Robert Pattinson is being treated as the new Bruce Wayne. It's going to be very awkward if Reeves turns out to go in a different direction. Fans seem to have mixed reactions to Pattinson -- and there was a petition against his casting -- but I'm seeing a lot of early support/let's give him a chance responses. I'm also fond of Willem Dafoe's point about his chin.

As we wait for official word, one way or the other, keep up with all things DCEU in our handy guide, and check out our 2019 movie release schedule for news on everything already confirmed to be coming to theaters this year.

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DC’s Booster Gold Movie's Script Is Completed, But Now What?

DC’s Booster Gold Movie's Script Is Completed, But Now What?

The DC live-action universe has had a fascinating tenure in theaters, full of peaks and valleys. Warner Bros.' shared universe began with Zack Snyder's Man of Steel, and quickly attempted to catch up to the MCU by skipping origin stories and going straight to ensemble movies. While fan excitement was significant , the trio of movie that followed Man of Steel failed to meet expectations, and were critical bombs.

Since then, the DCEU has shifted away from crossover-heavy projects, instead allowing directors to have more autistic autonomy over their massive blockbusters. It's a method that worked well for both Aquaman and Shazam!, but some fans are still left wondering if the long-gestating Booster Gold movie will ever come to fruition. Zack Stentz has been tasked with writing the project, and recently offered an update on the film's script, saying:

I do not know what’s going on with it right now, honestly. And I don’t know if the DC people know what’s going on with it. Their strategy seems to change depending on how […] most recent movie did. But I can tell you that a script has been turned in that the director and producer, Greg Berlanti, has proclaimed himself to be very happy with. And it’s something that’s ready to go, but DC and Warner Bros. would need to give the green light to it. The ball is in their court.

Well, this an interesting development. It looks like the Booster Gold script has been completed and given the thumbs up from Greg Berlanti. So the movie's potential life all depends on what Warner Bros. is planning for the future of the DCEU.

Zack Stentz's comments to Revenge of the Fans are sure to elicit a mixed back of emotions from the fandom. On one hand, there's something hopeful about his update. The Booster Gold script seems to be up to par, and director/producer Greg Berlanti seems happy with the final result. So if the DCEU actually moves forward with the movie's development, at least there's a strong base to work with.

Related: Upcoming DC Movies: What's Next For The Extended Universe

But while the Marvel Cinematic Universe typically releases release scheduled that span entire years, Warner Bros. is a bit more mysterious with the DCEU. Rather than announcing projects ahead of time, the studio is letting the success of each release influence the future of the shared universe. As such, the performance of upcoming movies like Birds of Prey, Joker, and Wonder Woman 1984 may be the deciding factor for Booster Gold's potential arrival.

Considering how Shazam! resonated with audiences, Booster Gold does seem like a solid choice to follow it. Booster is also inherently comedic and quirky, with his ego and futuristic origin often being the butt of jokes. He's a hero that isn't always taken seriously by members of the Justice League, and might be an opportunity for the DCEU to break new ground and keep things fresh.

The Marvel Cinematic Universe is a pretty well-oiled machine at this point. Aside from the firing of James Gunn last July, Phase Three went off without a hitch, and every single installment was a box office and critical success. Meanwhile, the DC Universe is only now hitting its stride.

Man of Steel helped kickstart the DC universe, with a more gritty and realistic version of Clark Kent's comic book origin. It has of Zack Snyder's stylistic signatures, and a strong cast in Henry Cavill and Amy Adams. And although the movie was the subject of some backlash after Snyder had the title character uncharacteristically kill off the villainous Zodd, Man of Steel's success was notable enough to inspire Warner Bros. to craft their own shared universe.

When it was revealed that Zack Snyder would be expanding the DCEU with Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, the generations of DC fans were very excited. The two iconic comic book heroes had never shared the screen in live-action, and the additional inclusion of Gal Gadot's Wonder Woman was enough to get moviegoers giddy with anticipation.

Unfortunately, the movie ended up being quite divisive and suffering poor reviews. But it still made money, and plans for both Justice League and Suicide Squad continued on regardless. But when neither of those movies managed to get good reviews or make the adequate amount of money, Warner Bros. went back to the drawing board to plan out the future of the DCEU.

Crossovers were put on the back burner starting with James Wan's Aquaman, which wholly focused on the title character played by Jason Momoa. Rather than setting up connections to the greater DCEU, Wan spent his time building the underwater world of Atlantis and its denizens. Aquaman also pushed some boundaries of the genre, with elements of horror and comedy helping to buoy (pun intended) the movie.

It's a pivot that seems to have really resonated with the public, as Aquaman made a ton of money at the box office. And following it's success, Warner Bros. revealed that both a spinoff and sequel will be coming down the pipeline. Like Zack Stentz stated above, Warner Bros. is making its decision about DC's future based on how each new release performs.

Shazam! followed Aquaman's lead, and was another movie focused on one corner of the DC Universe. This time, it was seeing the massive franchise through the eyes of its children. Shazam! went in on comedy, and brought a childlike wonder to theaters that was noticeably missing from the grittier comic book franchises.

DC will give another go at an ensemble project with Birds Of Prey, including a variety of Gotham City femme fatales. Let's hope that the studio has figured out how to balance a larger cast, and still provide the same quality as its most recent releass.

Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn) on February 7th, 2020. In the meantime, check out our 2019 release list to plan your next trip to the movies.

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ReelBlend #70: Talking Rocketman, Kingsmen And X-Men With Matthew Vaughn

ReelBlend #70: Talking Rocketman, Kingsmen And X-Men With Matthew Vaughn

Another episode, another week where ReelBlend co-host Jake Hamilton is in England.

This time, Jake’s on his own, covering the new Danny Boyle film Yesterday, but he still found time to join Sean for episode #70 of the ReelBlend podcast.

It’s just two of the guys this week, as Kevin’s on vacation on a remote island somewhere. So Sean and Jake dove into the news of the week, starting with that trailer for Terminator: Dark Fate. Have you seen it yet? It looks like this:

Staying on the theme of old sci-fi properties getting resuscitated, Jake and Sean shift to the story of Sir Ridley Scott entertaining the notion of continuing his Alien franchise now that Fox is over at Disney. Jake’s all for it, while Sean is done with that saga, completely.

Sean saw Aladdin over the Memorial Day weekend, and gives his review of Guy Ritchie’s live-action musical. The guys both saw Netflix’s The Perfection, and they weigh in on that, as well.

But the big get for Episode #70 was a candid conversation with Rocketman producer Matthew Vaughn, who helped get Taron Egerton cast as Elton John and also kind of helped seal the movie’s deal because of the friendship he made with Sir Elton while collaborating with him on Kingsman: The Golden Circle. The prolific producer opens up with ReelBlend about the making of Rocketman, the future of his own Kingsmen universe, and his thoughts on Marvel now owning X-Men and the Fantastic Four.

Give this week’s episode a listen right now!

ReelBlend is a weekly podcast that we do on CinemaBlend. You can download the latest episode (and all of our past episodes) for FREE on our iTunes page! Visit. Subscribe. Like and comment. Review! Apple loves when you have star ratings and reviews, so if you listened, and you liked it (or even if you didn't), let us know. We also are on Spotify. And Google Play. And basically everywhere that you download podcasts. So download us.

Meanwhile, follow the guys on Social Media! We have an official Twitter feed for the show, so follow @ReelBlend. In addition, follow the guys at @Sean_OConnell, @JakesTakesand @KevinMcCarthyTV.

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Disney's Aladdin: 10 Differences Between The Remake And The Original

Disney's Aladdin: 10 Differences Between The Remake And The Original

Disney’s Aladdin is a timeless, animated classic. Aladdin’s songs, cast, and characters, especially Robin Williams as the Genie, made it the highest grossing movie of 1992. So, it was no surprise when Disney announced plans to give one of their biggest animated hits the live action treatment.

It seems unnecessary to revamp what many regard as an untouchable lightning in a bottle moment in Disney’s history. While the new Aladdin follows the story rather faithfully, it is not a mirror image of the original.

It gives us a new Aladdin cast, featuring Mena Massoud in the title role, Naomi Scott as Princess Jasmine and, most notably, Will Smith as a whole new Genie. Alan Menken updates his Oscar-winning soundtrack, including a complete original song. Furthermore, the most intriguing and somewhat refreshing amendment: the directing style of crime thriller auteur Guy Ritchie.

So, if you are wondering how Disney is keeping the live action Aladdin, now playing in theaters, separate from its original hit, here is a list of the biggest difference between the two. Keep in mind, there will be spoilers.

No Fourth Wall-Breaking Street Pedder To Introduce Aladdin

Disney’s animated Aladdin opens with, essentially, an infomercial featuring a street peddler hoping to convince the audience to purchase a “special” lamp by revealing the story of its origin. This segues into the main story of the movie and the Peddler is never to be seen again.

The original intention was for the Peddler to be revealed as the Genie in disguise at the end of the film, as both are voiced by Robin Williams. That idea was scrapped last minute, but Guy Ritchie found a way to work a similar idea into his update.

In the Aladdin remake, it is a mariner who introduces the film as a story he is telling his children as they sail the seas. The Mariner is played by Will Smith, whom we already know is the Genie going in. There's no much room for a huge reveal, but it's a fun callback to some deep Aladdin trivia nonetheless.

Iago Is Far Less Of A Chatterbox

In one of Disney’s most fitting casting choices, comedian GIlbert Gottfried, known for his squawk-like pitch, provided the voice of Jafar’s parrot sidekick, Iago, in Aladdin. When he is not hiding his ability to speak on his own, Iago never cowers at the opportunity to serve up blunt commentary and utilize his skills in spot-on voice imitation.

In Guy Ritchie’s Aladdin, Iago (voiced by Alan Tudyk) is just as loyal to Jafar and, sometimes, just as blunt, but not nearly as talkative. His speech is rarely anything more than a repeat of the last line of dialogue. Other than his willful subservience to Jafar, Iago is not much more than your common parrot.

This updated Iago provides Aladdin with a new air of authenticity, and we have had our fair share of Gilbert Gottfried already with the Alfac commercials.

Princess Jasmine Has A Larger Role This Time

Voice by Linda Larkin in Aladdin, Jasmine is one of the more unique Disney princesses as she is one of the few born into royalty, but longs for a life outside the palace. While she does eventually find happiness, it is only from Aladdin’s help, so it is hard to say she makes the cut beyond the “damsel in distress” kind. In Disney’s live-action remake, that is no longer the case.

Naomi Scott’s portrayal in Aladdin sees Princess Jasmine in a stronger, more pivotal role to the story. She is not defined by her romance with Aladdin, nor is her dissatisfaction with royalty out of mere boredom. She is a progressively minded person who longs to steer her country in the right direction and vies to be Agrabah’s first female Sultan, a feat she eventually achieves - not Aladdin.

Jasmine even sings her own song, with themes of self-empowerment. Speaking of which...

Alan Menken’s Aladdin Song Catalog Has Been Updated

Disney’s Aladdin won two Academy Awards in 1993 for Best Original Score and Best Original Song (“A Whole New World”). Needless to say, the music by Alan Menken is key to the animated movie’s iconography. However, Disney decided it would be best to leave those songs untouched and provide a whole new set of original songs for Guy Ritchie’s Aladdin... Just kidding.

Of course the new creative team brought all the original songs back, but with a few new twists. Will Smith’s rendition of “Arabian Nights” amends the original song’s controversial lyrics. The end credits feature new, additional versions of “Friend Like Me,” by Smith and DJ Khaled, and “A Whole New World,” this time a duet by Zayn Malik and Zavia Ward.

The most pivotal update is the addition of the song specially written for Princess Jasmine called “Speechless,” which Naomi Scott sings at two crucial moments of the film. The most intriguing update is Will Smith’s approach to performing Genie’s magnum opus.

Will Smith Is A Rapping Genie

“A Whole New World” may have won the Oscar, but the most fun of Alan Menken’s Aladdin songs are those performed by Robin Williams as Genie. The all-powerful one’s musical talents are as amusing as his magical skills with “Friend Like Me” and “Prince Ali.” In Guy’s Ritchie’s update of Aladdin, Prince Ali meets the Fresh Prince.

Will Smith’s performance as Genie sees him showing off his musical roots, adding a hip-hop flair to his energetic rendition of “Friend Like Me,” complete with frenetic choreography and even some beatboxing.

You ain’t never seen or heard a “Friend Like Me” like this.

Jasmine Is Not The Only Female Character With Speaking Parts

You know who else never had a friend like Genie in Aladdin? Princess Jasmine. In fact, other than Jasmine’s tiger, Rajah, she does not have any friends at all. Say, did you ever notice that Jasmine is the only woman in the animated original with meaningful dialogue? In the Aladdin remake, neither of those are the case.

Former Saturday Night Live cast member Nasim Pedrad stars as Dalia, Jasmine’s handmaiden and friend, whom she discusses more than just magic carpet rides with. For most of the film, Dalia is Jasmine’s sole source of encouragement.

The character, one of the funniest in the new Aladdin cast, and she also has one of the most surprising additions to the story as she turns out to be a love interest for Will Smith’s Genie, and the mother of his children, whom we meet in the film’s introduction. I bet she ain’t never had a boyfriend like him.

Jafar Lures Aladdin Into The Cave Of Wonders More Conspicuously

In Disney’s Aladdin, Jafar’s hunger for power leads him in the direction of the Cave of Wonders, a sentient temple of great fortune and mysticism. In order to retrieve the magic lamp inside, he must enlist the one “diamond in the rough” whom the cave will allow, which happens to be Aladdin. So, Jafar captures Aladdin, poses as an old prisoner, breaks him out of custody and tricks him into retrieving the lamp for a promised reward.

In Disney’s live-action Aladdin remake, Jafar does not bother with the disguise. He captures Aladdin and presents himself to him, dark red robes and all, with a proposal for riches that would attract the affection of a princess. Once he agrees, it pretty much goes exactly as the animated original does.

This was most likely the right direction to go with adapting Aladdin’s reasoning for entering the Cave of Wonders, given that Jafar’s old man disguise would not have made for much of a reveal given what we already know from the animated classic.

Aladdin And Abu Earn The Magic Carpet’s Loyalty

Aladdin has a few trusted allies to count on for his adventures in the original animated film. Of course, there is the Genie and Abu, but the one I believe deserves more credit is the Magic Carpet.

If not for the Magic Carpet, Aladdin and Abu would have never found the magic lamp and Aladdin and Jasmine’s first date would not have been nearly as memorable. Yet, there is little explanation in the original Aladdin as to why Carpet is so loyal to our hero so quickly. Just a feeling?

In Guy Ritchie’s Aladdin, after Aladdin and Abu first enter the Cave of Wonders, they notice a carpet stuck between two large boulders. But this is no ordinary carpet. This carpet is moving on its own. They work together to lift the rock up just enough to free the Carpet, and a beautiful friendship is born.

Jafar Has No Intention Of Marrying Jasmine To Usurp The Kingdom

Jafar is such a ruthless, uncompromising, unrelenting wannabe tyrant that he will stop at nothing to take control of the kingdom of Agrabah in the original Disney’s Aladdin.

When his initial plan to get ahold of the magic lamp fails, he tries hypnotizing the Sultan into allowing him to marry Princess Jasmine, which Aladdin prevents by smashing his magic scepter and breaking the spell. Marwan Kenzari’s Jafar still uses that snake-headed scepter to control the Sultan, but not for less aggressively creepy reasons.

In Guy Ritchie’s Aladdin, not only does Jafar want to be the Sultan, his wishes for power are beyond merely fame and fortune. He is a war monger, persistently forcing the idea of invading a country that the Sultan just wishes to remain at peace with.

As for his own plan for tyranny, marrying the princess is never brought up. It is as if he recognizes, and even respects, the possibility that Princess Jasmine could be the next sultan and his goal is just to beat her to the throne first. Also, thankfully, when Jafar finally gets a hold of the magic lamp and asks Genie to make him the most powerful sorcerer in the world, he does not keep Jasmine chained up as his personal love slave. You gotta hand it to 2019 Jafar. He may be ruthless and unrelenting, but he's far less of a creep than his animated counterpart.

Director Guy Ritchie Makes Aladdin A Guy Ritchie Movie

You may have noticed that I have been referring to Disney’s live action remake of Aladdin as Guy Ritchie’s Aladdin a lot throughout this article. That is because this Aladdin is very much “Guy Ritchie’s Aladdin.”

The British filmmaker known best for cooky crime thrillers like Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels and Snatch may have seemed like an unlikely choice to direct a musical fantasy set in an Arabian city. But Ritchie makes his update of the animated film feel right in place with his the rest of his repertoire.

For one, the retrieval of the magic lamp easily puts Aladdin in the heist movie category, like Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels and Snatch. One of the first major song and dance sequences is a foot race through the city and there are slow motion sequences all throughout the film, both common Ritchie staples. Ritchie also has been known to cast musicians in many of his films (Will Smith). Aladdin has always been a tale loved by all ages, but in the hands of Guy Ritchie, it becomes a special treat for lovers of British crime thrillers as well.

Aladdin is now playing in theaters, and keep checking back with CinemaBlend for more news on Disney's upcoming live action remakes/adaptations.

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A True Cloverfield Sequel Is Happening, Here’s What We Know

A True Cloverfield Sequel Is Happening, Here’s What We Know

The Cloverfield Universe has grown and expanded since the original Cloverfield flick came out back in 2008. In the time since, producer J.J. Abrams and co. have expanded the universe with stories that touched on the original premise, but were also wholly their own distinct stories. However, at CinemaCon this week, Paramount and Abrams revealed that another Cloverfield movie is in development, and this time it is planned to be a "true, dedicated" sequel to the original film.

During a panel created for all things Paramount, J.J. Abrams was talking about the upcoming film Overlord. That flick is definitely not a Cloverfield sequel, as the horror film is set during WWII and will feature supernatural stuff and other strange happenings, although it was previously rumored to be the project that could be the Cloverfield sequel. During the taped introduction of that movie, J.J. Abrams admitted that a real sequel is in the works and that it will be heading to theaters sooner rather than later. The news comes a couple of months after reports indicated the still-untitled Cloverfield 4 had already been greenlighted, although that news was tied to Overlord and now holds at least somewhat untrue.

If you are familiar with the Cloverfield Universe, the original film introduced us to an invasion and a new sort of movie monster. The movie was well-received, and in 2016, 10 Cloverfield Lane was introduced. Intriguingly, the movie had not started out as another movie in the universe J.J. Abrams had created. By the time Bad Robot nabbed it and the final product was created, those two movies were on different timelines, although they still work within the confines of the same universe. This year, Netflix and Paramount also released The Cloverfield Paradox. While less well-received overall, that movie is also set in the same universe and answers some questions previously put forth by the universe. Again, The Cloverfield Paradox was a situation where the movie didn't start out in the Cloverfield Universe and the concept was added to the movie when it was already filming, as Abrams has previously confirmed.

However, neither 10 Cloverfield Lane nor The Cloverfield Paradox are direct sequels to Cloverfield. They don't pick up after the time the U.S. government nabbed the camera documenting Rob and Beth's day together in New York, and they feature very different characters and settings. So, the idea that a direct sequel to the 2008 film should be very exciting for anyone who has been keeping tabs on the universe in the decade since its inception.

We'll keep you updated as more details about Cloverfield 4 (or 2?) are confirmed. However, one other tenet of this universe happens to be the secretive way that it has been pushed out in the past, with The Cloverfield Paradox getting its first trailer during the Super Bowl this year, and spectacularly coming out just after the game. For now, keep your eye on the prize with our full movie schedule and stay tuned for more CinemaCon coverage from on the ground.

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Midsommar Trailer: Watch A Vacation Become A Cultish Nightmare

Midsommar Trailer: Watch A Vacation Become A Cultish Nightmare

Among recent hits for horror amidst the genre’s continued renaissance is Ari Aster’s 2018 feature-film debut Hereditary. The unsettling flick centered on family tragedy will soon be followed up by Midsommar, a movie that visually brings the brightness way up as blue skies and blonde-haired women in bright white summer dresses and flower crowns frolic through a Swedish village. Don’t let the daylight fool you, Midsommar looks very much like an Aster film – just take a look at the new spine-chilling trailer:

Okay, so his looks terrifying. The new trailer from A24 gives us a bit of an idea of the film’s set up. Midsommar will follow Dani and Christian, a young couple played by Fighting With My Family’s Florence Pugh and Sing Street’s Jack Reynor who are close to breaking up. Following a personal struggle Dani is going through right before Christian’s planned bro trip with some friends to Sweden, he invites her along, much to their detest.

The group go on a week trip to a village in Sweden for a summer festival that’s described to have ceremonies and fun dress up… but it’s no Coachella.

The friends seem to have found themselves in some sort of ancient cult of sorts who reject Dani from leaving when she senses something off about the festival. It’s always daylight at the site, and they seem to witness some gruesome ceremonies during a once in a century ritual.

The trailer ends with some unnerving moments featuring the dissection of a bear, hints of violence, intense chanting and Dani standing up among the group as a voiceover says “I was most excited for you to come”. Will we witness a starling transformation from Dani (potentially reminiscent of the ending of Hereditary?) We’ll just have to wait and see.

Ari Aster has previously described Midsommar as “a breakup movie, in the same way that Heredity was a family tragedy”. So perhaps the film will explore the couple’s troubles through the lens of the filmmaker’s specific brand of terror. He has also called it “Wizard of Oz for perverts” so now I’m really confused about what to expect from this movie.

There’s something special about the marketing of Ari Aster’s films because it establishes tone and intrigue, but doesn’t give enough away for audiences to be able to distinguish the storyline they are in for. While Hereditary was almost exclusively made up of dark hues begging to be watched under dim lights (like a Game of Thrones episode), one scary aspect of Midsommar is how the events will take place exclusively in broad daylight.

Midsommar has an impressive cast led by Florence Pugh, who was recently cast alongside Scarlett Johansson in Black Widow. Will Poulter from We’re The Millers and Netflix’s Bandersnatch and William Jackson Harper, best known as Chidi in The Good Place also will be featured in the film. Midsommar hits theaters on July 3.

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