
Matthew Monagle


Carrie Fisher Will Not Appear in ‘Star Wars: Episode IX’
While fans from around the world have gathered to share their love of Star Wars at this year’s Star Wars Celebration, there has been one sobering element to the festivities. The loss of Carrie Fisher has been felt at every level of the convention, from Thursday’s bittersweet memorial video put together by Lucasfilm to the sadness felt while Star Wars: The Last Jedi director Rian Johnson shared his behind-the-scenes footage from the set. And since this is a convention of all things Star Wars, fans have also speculated about the role the actress might play in the next film. Is there a place for Fisher in Star Wars: Episode 9?

Super Bowl 51 Gets a Coen Brothers ‘Easy Rider’ Commercial
While countless football fans — myself included — embark on a stomach and liver-related training regimen for next weekend, there is more to the Super Bowl than just the game on the field. The Super Bowl has always secretly been a big day for cinephiles as well, featuring big trailers for much-anticipated movies and clever commercials from some of the best filmmakers of our generation. Directors such as Doug Liman, Ridley Scott, and Judd Apatow have all directed Superbowl commercials, and now you can add two more big names to the mix: Joel and Ethan Coen.

Gareth Edwards Pitched ‘Rogue One’ as a ‘Star Wars’ Vietnam War Movie
If you’ve seen Monsters or Godzilla, then you know that Rogue One: A Star Wars Story director Gareth Edwards is an expert at scale. Each of Edwards’ first two films dropped viewers into a world where monsters walked among us, and Star Wars fans have been looking forward to how that sense of scale would translate itself to his upcoming film. They may not be monsters, but the Star Wars universe is full of ships and vehicles that dwarf the smallest rebel troopers; how would Edwards’ style fit in a world of Star Destroyers and AT-ATs?

According to Producer Frank Marshall, ‘Indiana Jones 5’ Is Still in the ‘Thinking Stages’
For a movie that hasn’t been written yet and is still four years away from its release, we sure seem to know a lot about the upcoming Indiana Jones movie. We know that both Steven Spielberg and Harrison Ford will return, John Williams will write the score, George Lucas isn’t writing the story, and Indiana Jones will not get killed at the end of the movie. We also know that Disney is tinkering with giving the Indiana Jones franchise the Star Wars treatment, possibly exploring a combination of prequels, sequels, and standalone films all taking place in the Indiana Jones universe.

It’s Ghosts vs. Soldiers in This First Trailer for Netflix’s ‘Spectral’
As far back as I can remember, I’ve been a sucker for movies where soldiers fight monsters. Aliens. Predator. Starship Troopers. Dog Soldiers. Heck, even mediocre films like Battle: Los Angeles are the cinematic equivalent of catnip to me. Take a group of hardened soldiers, throw them into a paranormal environment, and sit back and enjoy as the bullets start flying and everything falls apart. It’s like the best of war movies and the best of monster movies, all swirled together in one high-octane bundle of crazy.