The name Joel Kinnaman is likely to draw a blank from the average moviegoer.

He’s more “that tall, lanky guy from ‘The Killing,’” or the fellow who had the misfortune of playing “Robocop” in the ill-conceived 2014 reboot. However, his days of relative anonymity may be over. Kinnaman helps anchor “Suicide Squad” as Rick Flag, the field leader of the team of super villains and criminals. He’s a brusque military man, tasked with running herd over the baddest of the bad. The film co-stars Margot Robbie as Harley Quinn, Will Smith as Deadshot, and Jared Leto as the Joker. It’s expected to dominate the box office this weekend, opening to as much as $125 million.

Kinnaman spoke with Variety about his intense training regimen, “Suicide Squad” sequels, and the disgusting gifts he received from Leto.

Tom Hardy originally had your role, but he had to drop out to finish “The Revenant.” How did you get the part?

I was following this project very jealously from the sidelines. All these new cast members were being added, and nobody was calling me. Then I heard about Tommy dropping out. My reps called me and said they’d set up a meeting for me with [director] David Ayer. We sat down in a bar in Toronto and we hit it off. We understood where we were coming from.

In the audition, we just hit it off. The room was gelling. He proved he was an actor’s director. I come from the theater initially, so I respond very well to getting stuff thrown at you. It helps me show what I can do.

How did you prepare?

The first thing David told me was “get big.” So I did that. I gained 35 pounds in three months. Trained a lot. Ate a lot. I did gain a little too much on the belly, so I had to lose that.

I became close with our military advisers on the film. Two of them were former Navy SEALS who went on to become CIA operators. These guys were real life Rick Flags. We went through intense training. We’d go out in the woods and backpack with 50 pounds. They wanted to drain me physically and deprive me of sleep. For 60 hours we’d be doing these workouts. They’d show me videos of cartel beheadings and torture. The most awful things I’ve ever seen. The whole thing culminated with this six-hour exercise where they’d take over this abandoned meat locker — like this underground maze. They enlisted 15 to 20 Canadian military guys. We did these scenarios. Like hostage situations. We’d use blanks, but it was still crazy.

They showed me how you shoot or enter rooms. The most important part was the attitude. This guy isn’t just a top tier operator. He is a commander.

Did Jared Leto stay in character as the Joker throughout the shoot?

Yeah, he sure did. It was amazing to watch him work. I knew Jared before. I knew him personally. But I didn’t see that guy throughout the whole shoot. I met Mr. J. a couple of times. He was magnetic. He pulled off an amazing performance. The commitment and the concentration that he had was inspiring to watch.

He sent me some presents. He sent me a couple of used condoms. A couple of dildos. Some anal beads. Someone asked me, “Did you send him any presents back?” I’m like, “when someone sends you a used condom, I don’t want to play anymore. I don’t like your game, and I don’t want to play.”

Did the cast bond?

It was pretty much a love fest. When you look at what Jared did, sort of setting himself apart, it’s undeniable that concentration gets results. You look at what Daniel Day-Lewis does and it’s the same thing. The detail of his work and the amount of time he spent practicing with the character. It’s just awesome.

What I think you lose with working in that way is the creativity of the ensemble. You have all these artists, these great artists together, and when you are social and when you are playing around, there’s a sense of humor that you can build together. You understand each other’s idiosyncrasies. Even if there’s a contentious relationship between your characters, there’s a humor that you can put into things. You can build comedy into those relationships. That’s what we were after with the squad.

I heard you all got tattoos together?

Yes. That was a great life decision.

Are you signed for more “Suicide Squad” sequels? Will Rick Flag appear in other DC Comics movies?

We’ll see. Maybe we’ll make more “Suicide Squad” movies. Who knows? The audience will decide.

If there’s like military involved in one of the other films than maybe they’ll call me. You can definitely see how Amanda Waller [the government agent played by Viola Davis] has a place in the other films. Maybe I’ll tag along with her.

There were reportedly a lot of re-shoots to fix the tone of the film and make it funnier. Was that true?

No. We did 95% action. It was just added action. That was a constructed narrative. It surprised me that it gets traction with people who should understand the film business better. Any film with a $125 or $135 million budget always has a block of re-shoots. Some do a week and some do a full month. It’s built into it. When you do a regular film the editor and the director will put together the movie and think, “Oh man, if we just had a little beat. It would elevate that.” But they have to work around it and work with what they have. On these big films they always have the luxury of going back and getting that beat and elevating it even more.

We’re all scheduled for a re-shoot period before we start the film. They put so much money into the shooting of these films and the marketing that to them it’s always worth getting it right.

Have you seen your “Suicide Squad” action figure yet?

I’m pretty much a veteran in the action figure game. I got my “RoboCop.” I got my “Suicide Squad.” It’s what I do.

You seem to do a lot of different types of projects. Indie films, television, big budget adventures. Do you fear typecasting?

That’s the main challenge. I try to do as many roles as I can. My favorite actors play very different kinds of parts. If I were ever to be so lucky to have an audience that was anticipating a film that I was going to do, I would love for them to have a feeling when my film was coming out to be thinking, “I wonder what he’s going to do with this role.”

‘Suicide Squad’: Joel Kinnaman on Intense Training Regimen, Possible Sequels and Jared Leto’s Disgusting Gifts

Several fans are now excited for the upcoming release of the “High School Musical 4” movie. Million followers of the musical-drama series are excited for the rumored reunion of Zac Efron and Vanessa Hudgens, but it seems like it is impossible to happen now.

Rumor mill is spreading that Zac Efron and Vanessa Hudgens will not be reuniting in the upcoming “High School Musical 4” movie. Sources are saying that Disney does not have enough funds to pay the former lead stars to appear in the imminent installment.

Zac Efron and Vanessa Hudgens’ reunion in “High School Musical 4” will surely be a huge hit. However, the said plan will not be pushed through if the price is not right.

Other than the financial problems, the “High School Musical 4” production will also face a delay due to casting troubles. Insiders say that no new personalities have been casted for the upcoming film despite the screenings that were held since the start of 2016.

Reports have it that no one can beat the chemistry of Zac Efron and Vanessa Hudgens. As a matter of fact, fans are still hopeful to see the stars lead the upcoming “High School Musical 4” movie even if they are not a couple already.

Though these “High School Musical 4” reports could be true, neither Zac Efron nor Vanessa Hudgens has confirmed anything as of yet. Hence, everything should be taken with a grain of salt until proven true.

Meanwhile, GamenGuide has previously reported that Zac Efron is now trying to win back “High School Musical 4” actress Vanessa Hudgens after breaking up with Sami Miro. Insiders say that the “Baywatch” actor has been giving the “Spring Break” star silly calls lately.

Both Zac Efron and Vanessa Hudgens are yet to comment on these reports. “High School Musical 4” is expected to premiere in 2018. Stay tuned for more spoilers, news & update!

‘High School Musical 4’ Release Date, News & Update: No Zac Efron, Vanessa Hudgens Reunion Due To Budget Problems? No Cast Until Now?

Thousands of fans are now patiently waiting for the upcoming release of the “Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2” game. Now, recent reports are claiming that several characters are set to be added on the gameplay.

Black Goku strongest villain to beat in ‘Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2’

The Bitbag reports that Black Goku is definitely be joining the character list of the “Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2” game. The news outlet reveals that the super villain “Dragon Ball Super” TV series will be among the pre-order characters.

Sources are speculating that the transformation of Black Goku will also be featured in the “Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2” game. As a matter of fact, Bandai Namco has hinted the new look of the “Dragon Ball Super” villain on a candy distributed in Japan.

However, avid followers of the “Dragon Ball Super” TV series should note that Black Goku is not a Saiyan. Most fans consider him as a supernatural created by Beerus when he brought Universe 6 back to life, which makes his transformation in “Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2” more interesting.

More interesting game features in the ‘Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2’

Meanwhile, GamenGuide has previously reported that “Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2” will be adding more interesting elements on its gameplay. Among the explosive additions is the much-improved and a much-larger hub city where a total of 300 players could interact all at the same time.

The all-new “Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2” hub city is seven times larger than the previous one used in the first game. Not only that, the upcoming game will also now let the characters fly in a much-faster speed, which totally adds fun to the game.

Adding more excitement to the game is the addition of new characters like Future Gohan and Future Trunks. The new “Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2” character list will also include Imperfect Cell, Android 16, Turles, Janemba and Time Breaker Bardock.

“Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2” is expected to hit game stores in Oct. 25, 2016. It will be available in PlayStation 4, Xbox One and PC versions. Stay tuned to GamenGuide for more “Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2” game news and updates!

‘Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2’ Release Date, News & Update: New Characters, Impressive Gameplay Features & Bigger Hub City! More Game Details Revealed!

There is no denying that “Pokemon GO” is the most popular game today. However, like any other games, it is currently having its fair share of issues and technical glitches. Recent reports are claiming that some servers of the Niantic game are currently down.

The Bitbag reports that some “Pokemon GO” players in Japan, California and the entire East Coast of the United States are currently having problems playing the game. Sources are claiming that most gamers are having a hard time logging in on their accounts.

Reports say that the Google Log In is presently at critical levels, which could be the reason why the “Pokemon GO” servers in U.S. and Japan went down. The Bitbag adds that all game servers in other parts of Asia and Europe are working just fine.

“Pokemon GO” players who uses the Trainer Club have problems logging in too. However, it is reportedly working in most parts of the United Stated and Europe.

Up until not, it remains unclear whether or not the damaged “Pokemon GO” are already up and working already. The Bitbag provides a link where players can check the current status of their servers. Check in here.

Meanwhile, GamenGuide has reported that Niantic is not releasing the “Pokemon GO” worldwide due to several glitches. As a matter of fact, the game company is currently looking for people who can help them fix some technical problems.

Niantic is reported committed to open new servers to cater the needs of other gamers in other parts of the world. However, the game company wants to ensure that “Pokemon GO” players who can already access the game would not be affected in any form.

In other words, Niantic is taking things slowly but surely to give the best to the “Pokemon GO” players. With that being said, the no worldwide release is expected to happen very soon. Stay tuned to GamenGuide for more “Pokemon GO” news and updates!

‘Pokemon GO’ Latest News, Release Date & Update: US & Japan Servers Currently Down? Niantic Halts Worldwide Launch?

Countless fans are now excited for the upcoming airing of “The Vampire Diaries” Season 6. Now, new reports are claiming that Ian Somerhalder is furious over Nina Dobrev’s cancelled return.

Recent “The Vampire Diaries” Season 8 new are claiming that Ian Somerhalder got really furious after learning that Nina Dobrev is not coming back anymore. Previous reports have claimed that “The Final Girls” actress is returning to the popular The CW show to redeem its plummeting ratings.

Sources have claimed that Nina Dobrev had a change of heart after learning that Ian Somerhalder’s marriage with wife Nikki Reed is currently on the rocks. The “XXX: Return of Xander Cage” star reportedly do not want to be linked with the controversy anymore that she chose to stay away from the couple by cancelling her impending return in “The Vampire Diaries” Season 8.

It has been previously reported that Ian Somerhalder and Nikki Reed have been fighting constantly after reports spread that Nina Dobrev will be coming back in “The Vampire Diaries” Season 8. Most fans know that the “Let’s Be Cops” actress is a former ladylove of “The Anomaly” star.

Though these reports could definitely be true, neither Ian Somerhalder nor Nina Dobrev has confirmed anything. So, “The Vampire Diaries” Season 8 fans should take everything with a grain of salt until it is proven to be true.

Meanwhile, GamenGuide has previously reported that Nikki Reed is the newest addition in “The Vampire Diaries” Season 8. Sources have claimed that she will be portaying as Sybil, who will copy Elena Gilbert (Nina Dobrev) to allure Damon Salvatore (Ian Somerhalder).

The recent sighting of Nikki Reed during the party thrown by executive producer Julie Plec last week for “The Vampire Diaries” Season 8 cast and crew is said to be a confirmation of her involvement to the show. Up until now, Nina Dobrev’s ex Ian Somerhalder and the “Twilight” actress are yet to comment on these reports.

“The Vampire Diaries” Season 8 is slated for an October 2016 airing. Stay tuned to GamenGuide for more “The Vampire Diaries” Season 8 spoilers, news and updates!

‘The Vampire Diaries’ Season 8 Air Date, Spoilers, News & Update: Ian Somerhalder Furious Over Nina Dobrev’s Cancelled Return? Series Confirmed Ending Soon

Welcome everyone to another weekly roundup of allHearthstone [Free] news, and apologies for coming to you one day later than usual. As I wrote about yesterday, I was at San Diego Comic-Con for most of last week, so I didn’t have the time to put together a whole column. Still, nothing really happened last week anyway, right? Well, except that long-awaited announcement about new content coming our way soon. We’ve been seeing the signs for some weeks now, so I wasn’t surprised to see tangible evidence of new content, but it’s still nice to know we’ll be getting new cards soon (how soon no one knows, yet).

As you can imagine, most of this week’s news was about the new expansion, but I tried to avoid simply giving you the same story over and over again. Still, there are a few stories about Karazhan today with the hopes of helping you prepare for Friday’s announcement. There’s also talk about the state of pro Hearthstone, popular decks of the week, the current meta, and more. So, let’s jump in.

The Next Adventure Will Probably Be Announced July 28th, Looks Like It’s Karazhan

The evidence is there guys, and it does look like we are getting a Karazhan-themed Adventure. As we wrote a few days ago, and as I’ve mentioned in the intro to this week’s post, we finally have solid evidence that there is indeed an Adventure being announced soon, and everyone seems to agree that it’s going to have to do with Karazhan and Medivh. All this info came out of a Blizzard announcement that invites people to a once-in-a-lifetime event full of magic and celebration. “Please be prompt,” the announcement requests, “as we have an unforgettable adventure planned.” The event will take place Thursday, July 28th at 11:00 pm PDT and will be streamed live on Twitch. The announcement includes feathers, drinks, and music symbols along with references to Azeroth, so everyone is pretty much convinced that all these are pointing towards Karazhan. Not too many days before we see for ourselves what Blizzard has in store.

An Overview of Karazhan

The evidence is pointing overwhelmingly towards Karazhan being the next Hearthstoneupdate, and HearthHead put together an article about what Karazhan actually is and what it could mean for the game. The story talks about Medivh’s possession and the way he ended up going insane. It then goes on to talk about Karazhan, the ancient tower at Deadwind Pass, and its role in the WoW lore. When it comes to how Karazhan might change Hearthstone, which is what we’re all more interested in, the article talks about the possibility of Mage, Priest, Druid, or Warlock getting a weapon for the first time. The article then goes on to talk about how the various elements of Karazhan might be used in the different classes. There are also some interesting locations Hearthstonecould visit in its next Adventure. Go here to read the full story, and also check out this GamesBeat story for more info on Karazhan.

The Party Guests of Karazhan

The official Hearthstone Twitter account has been tweeting pictures of cards but with minor differences; they are all ready to party. This is, of course, a promotional move that fits with the theme of the Adventure announcement we talked about above. HearthPwn pulled together all the images, and you can check them out here. The changes are subtle but fun; for instance, Annoy-o-Tron has a goblet rather than a bell in one hand, Possessed Villager is wearing a silly party hat, and so on. Fun idea, and more evidence that Blizzard knows how to drum up interest.

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Kripparian Reveals BlizzCon 2016 Goody Bag Contents

If you are one of those planning on going to BlizzCon 2016, here’s your chance to check out the contents of the goody bag. If you don’t know what this is, the goody bag is given to those who attend BlizzCon in person and to virtual ticket holders (though the latter ones usually have to buy it). According to the box opening video and this HearthPwn story, the goody bag has an Elite Tauren Chieftain Keychain Tag, a Hearthstone Tavern Brawl microfiber cloth, a BlizzCon Stein, and other, non-Hearthstone related items. Check out the video below for a preview of coming loot attractions.

Frodan and TJ Sanders Talk State of Pro Hearthstone

If you wanted a good take on pro Hearthstone, it’s hard to find better people thanHearthstone Casters Dan Frodan Chou and TJ Azumoqt Sanders. In this interview, they talk about the state of the game. Frodan and TJ feel the Whispers meta has been pretty much solved, partly because we only use Conquest or Last Hero Standing, which makes it easier to figure what decks are the best. Speaking about the many relatively unknown players we’ve seen in big tournaments recently, Frodan said that tournaments aren’t a good way of figuring out who’s the best. Then, he goes on to talk about how he feels we’re missing out on the most competitive form of Hearthstone, Conquest, because what we use now isn’t really relatable. The nature of the game in addition to how popular some streamers are have the effect of over exposure, and we get to see the same decks all the time.

They then went on to talk about ways the pro scene can improve. The first, having new players enter the game constantly, is actually happening, and we need the community to not be all about a few famous streamers. The conversation then shifts to talking about the game as a whole, and Frodan talks about how other CCGs will find it hard to challenge Hearthstone because it strikes a perfect balance between accessibility and complexity. Read this very interesting interview here.

Hearthstone Tweets of the Week

As every week, HearthHead gathered interesting Hearthstone-related tweets, and they are an intriguing read. There’s talk about Priest needing “cool new stuff,” talk about Aggro Shaman, Mill Decks, and more. Always an entertaining read because it’s one thing to hear rumors and another to see it straight from the “horses” mouth. Check out all the tweets here.

Popular Decks of the Week

This HearthPwn story has all the popular decks of the week, with such beauties as Worgen Combo Warrior, Token Druid, Wisp Zoo Paladin, Renogg Hatson, and Evolve Shaman present (among other ones). They range from a lowly 1500 dust to an astounding 12880, so plenty of variety and something for the wealthy and the poor among us. The list is not surprising and is another sign of how the meta has been figured out, at least for the time being. Check out the list here.

Blizzard Releases Anduin Comic

In the lead up to World of Warcraft‘s Legion expansion, Blizzard has been releasing comics that fill in missing details. The latest one also relates to Hearthstone more directly since it’s called Anduin: Son of the Wolf and is all about the Priest hero. In this comic, King Varian speaks of the dangers ahead, and Anduin realizes he must face his fears and decide his course. You can check out the description here, you can download the comic here, and you can also use the Madefire app to see it in action and with sound.

Lifecoach Wins Seat Story Cup

After an epic tournament, Lifecoach managed to win the Seat Story Cup title, to many viewers’ delight. The competition was tough, but Lifecoach managed to prevail after beating British player J4CKIECHAN 4-3 in the final. This was Lifecoach’s first major victory of 2016, so he was quite happy. In the final, Lifecoach used his C’Thun Warrior to defeat J4CKIE’s Tempo Mage and Yogg Druid, but with the series at 3-1, his opponent brought out a Dragon Warlock to beat Lifecoach’s C’Thun Warrior and Camel Hunter. In the final game of the series, Lifecoach used an Aggro Shaman deck and got a relatively-easy win. Check out the story about Lifecoach’s success here.

Meta Report

The meta hasn’t changed much, and we find another Dragon variant, Dragon Warrior, at the top of Tier 1 this week. According to the Tempo Storm Snapshot, Dragon Warrior can do everything Aggro Shaman can but just a bit better because it has very aggressive openers and a strong mid to late game that doesn’t give the opponent a chance to breathe. Yogg Saron Druid is a new addition to Tier 1 after doing so well on the ladder. It has plenty of tools to work with and, so, manages to win in a variety of ways. Zoolock continues to reside in Tier 1, and Freeze Mage has made its way to Tier 2 because we don’t see as many Warrior variants played anymore. Rogue, Paladin, and Priest still can’t move beyond Tiers 3 and 4, which is sad.

Vicious Syndicate, another good site for studying the current meta, breaks down the frequency of various archetypes and offers a good sense of where the meta is at the moment. According to the site, Dragon Warrior and Midrange Hunter are Tier 1 (when you consider all ranks) while for Legend, it’s Midrange Hunter and C’Thun Warrior. Check out Vicious Syndicate here, it has loads of good info and graphs.

Epic Plays #122

Trolden’s Funny and Lucky Moments #176

Kripp Calling All of the Wild

Best of Sylvanas Windrunner

Drinking to Hearthstone

Trump’s F2P of the Old Gods #11

Best Tournament Fails and Misplays

Best of Yogg Saron

That’s Not how you OTK

As always, we have some good resources on the site for you in case you are new to the game or simply want to sharpen up your game. There’s never such a thing as too much help in Hearthstone, so check out our guides. 

Karazhan Adventure Coming (?), Frodan Talks Pro Scene, Best Decks for the Meta, and More ‘Hearthstone’ News in Touchstone #57

Of the many Pokemon spinoffs out there, Pokemon Snap was my favorite. If you’ve never played it, the basic gist is that instead of the RPG-ish nature of the “proper”Pokemon titles, you’re on a Pokemon safari of sorts and are put to the task of taking photos of Pokemon in the wild. You were scored based on shot composition and other factors that go into taking a good photo, and the game actually served as a pretty great trojan horse to teach kids about photography. On the App Store, there’s been a few developers who have taken a stab at this genre, most notably R2 Games’ Bigfoot Hunter[Free] and BebopBee’s Snapimals [Free]. Well, BebopBee is at it again with the Canadian launch of Jurassic Go Dinosaur Snap Adventures, which basically combinesSnapimals with Jurassic Park.

Snapimals was received pretty well on the App Store, with the primary complaints (unsurprisingly) targeted at the game’s free to play system. The good news with this sequel/spinoff has (soft?) launched on the Canadian App Store as a paid app and should be available in the US App Store soon. With how well Pokemon Go [Free] has been doing on the App Store, it really makes you wonder if we’ll eventually see a realPokemon Snap game on mobile. In the meantime, I’m glad games like Snapimals andJurassic Go exist.

‘Jurassic Go Dinosaur Snap Adventures’ Brings ‘Pokemon Snap’ – like Gameplay to the Canadian App Store

My biggest qualm with Kairosoft, apart from that Game Dev Story 2 appears to be Duke Nukem Forever-esque vaporware, is that my enjoyment with any of their titles is highly dependent in my interest of whatever the topic their next iterative game is. This means while Pocket Arcade Story [$4.99] went down extremely well with me, Cafeteria Nipponica [$4.99] doesn’t exactly pique my interest. Thankfully, Kairosoft have appeared to hit the holy grail of simulator themes, as who doesn’t like superheroes? Legends of Heropolis [Free], the next title in their expansive catalogue of RPG-management hybrids, has launched today for free on the App Store, and offers the chance to build a town full of superheroes and bring back justice to Heropolis once more.

Of course, it wouldn’t be a Kairosoft game if there wasn’t some sort of building element involved, and Legends of Heropolis appears to merge a pretty cool looking turn based fighting mechanic with the ability to construct a city, with shops and centers that have a positive affect on your group of superheroes. Furthermore, Legends of Heropolispromises the feature of being able to link up with your friends, and recruit their heroes to further strengthen your posse of masked liberators and defeat the self-proclaimed ‘nefarious Evilcorp’. While Kairosoft fans probably don’t need my recommendation,Legends of Heropolis looks like it could be quite a fun experience, and anyone looking for some superhero action to fill the void until Suicide Squad is released should definitely give this latest Kairosoft title a look. Be sure to leave your impressions on our forum thread.

Fight for Justice in Kairosoft’s Superhero Simulator ‘Legends of Heropolis’, Out Now

Suspicions have been all abound about just what the Nintendo NX would be, andEurogamer is reporting something quite interesting: that the system will be portable with home TV dock, feature detachable controllers, and be powered by Nvidia Tegra chips. Eurogamer is saying that multiple sources have confirmed the NX’s nature to them, with a separate report saying that the system will use the Tegra X1, which is currently used in the rather capable Shield TV:

What’s interesting is that there was a report, seemingly denied by Nintendo, that the NX would run Android. While we don’t know what the operating system for NX will be like yet, it is intriguing to see that a chip used in Android devices is going to power Nintendo’s new system. Kevin Geisler of Young Horses, developer of Octodad: Dadliest Catch [$4.99], had this to say about the Tegra X1 rumors:

Perhaps this is a big sign Nintendo isn’t going to go whole-hog into mobile quite yet, if they’re taking a risk on a new portable system, albeit one with elements of mobile devices. Though, they could easily just use their own hardware for selling to their core audience, and utilize more mobile-optimized experiences such as Pokemon GO [Free] that wouldn’t work as well on their dedicated hardware.

Nintendo’s NX System to be powered by Nvidia Tegra Chips, the same used in Android Devices.

Last week, I wrote an informative, objective and only subtly biased article to help any new players choose which team to join in Pokemon GO [Free]. While, at the end of the day, whatever team you join is currently a relatively cosmetic decision and will likely be mostly influenced by whoever your friends have aligned with, an intense rivalry has sprung up across the internet between the three groups. Or, at least, two groups. Team Instinct has been on the receiving end of an overwhelming number of memes slating the apparent disproportionate number of members they have compared to Valor and Mystic, and such mockery has only intensified after the leaders of each faction were revealed at Comic Con this weekend. However, the underdog always fights back. In the TouchArcade poll we posted on the team guide post last week, Team Instinct managed to finish top as our most supported team, with Mystic narrowly behind in second place, and Valor far behind in third. Here is a pie chart showing the results in all their glory (disclaimer – the results are valid as of 26 July 2016 at 12pm GMT+0 for 898 votes, and may be different after publication):

Obviously, as the chart above does suggest, it wasn’t the most emphatic of victories for Instinct – with 38.8% of the votes, it was only 4.7% more popular than Team Mystic, which also broke more than a third of the votes with a 34.1% share of the popular support. What was most surprising, however, was the extent that Valor was trailing both of these teams. With only a 27.2% portion of the votes, it seems that Candela, Moltres and the allure of power over principles haven’t struck the same chord with TouchArcade readers as it seems they have on a larger scale. While I will happily celebrate a glorious Instinct victory, any members of Mystic and Valor should not be too down – the overwhelming consensus across the internet and the world is that Mystic, followed by Valor and then Instinct is the true order of popularity, and our 898 member poll isn’t exactly a representative sample of the millions playing Pokemon GO at the moment. But, at the very least, TouchArcade is today yellow.

What might be interesting to evaluate is why the results from our TouchArcade poll vary from the generally accepted status quo – is this a suggestion that Instinct, and Zapdos’ objective and undeniable superiority, are more popular amongst gamers? Whilst many famous Pokemon YouTubers appear to also be on Team Instinct, I wouldn’t necessarily say this is a legitimate hypothesis – Mystic and Valor both have a large support base, and their colors of red and blue appeal better to fans of the original Pokemon titles as they represent the first two entries in the series. It may be that the spirit of the underdog has become prominent amongst players who are aware of Mystic and Valor’s dominance, but again that is hard to tell. At an even more tenuous push, it could be that new players of Pokemon GO that read our guide last week were won over by my plea to join Team Instinct? Who knows. Either way, let us know why you decided to join your team, or share your jubilation/disappointment at this poll result, in the comments below, but remember – regardless of faction, we all share the common goal of being the very best, like no one ever was.

Team Instinct is TouchArcade’s Most Popular Faction in ‘Pokemon Go’

Developer RuvixArts is set to release its debut title, Crooked Path, on August 4th. The concept behind the game is a bit abstract, and the video doesn’t necessarily make the gameplay super-clear, but you’ll be activating switches, hopping portals, all to explore these levels full of, you guessed it, crooked paths. It’s a gorgeous-looking game, with some definite Mirror’s Edge influence in there, and some of the concepts in play seem mighty intriguing:

The concept behind the game is inspired by some personal strife in lead developer Joseph Mambwe’s personal life, with the game being driven by the quote “The path to your destiny, will not always be a straight one.” I’m intrigued to see how this all plays out when this releases. Check out the forum thread posted by the developer for more screenshots of this one and to discuss the game.

‘Crooked Path’ is a Gorgeous Looking Game Set to Release in Early August

With Fox announcing the release date of the X-Men spinoff movie Gambit, there will be a total number of eight Marvel and DC films being released in 2016.

February 12, 2016 – Deadpool

Ryan Reynolds will reprise his role from X-Men Origins: Wolverine as the Merc with a Mouth. The film is set to tie into the timeline of the X-Men movie universe and likely will have implications for the rumored X-Force film.

March 25, 2016 – Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice

The highly anticipated feature-length film will feature DC’s Trinity, Batman, Superman and Wonder Woman appearing together for the first time ever.

May 6, 2016 – Captain America: Civil War

Following the events of The Age of Ultron, the collective governments of the world pass an act designed to regulate all superhuman activity. This polarizes opinion amongst the Avengers, cause two factions that side with Iron Man (pro registration) or side with Captain America (anti registration) which causes an epic conflict between former allies.

Sources close to the film state that Winter Soldier is reportedly central to the third film and that there have been hints planted through the Marvel movies. A strong theory is that Steve Roger’s best friend may have murdered Tony Stark’s parents thus setting the stage for a major confrontation between the two Avengers.

May 27, 2016 – X-Men: Apocalypse

Bryan Singer will direct and produce his follow-up to X-Men: Days of Future Past, which will star Jennifer Lawrence as Mystique, Evan Peters as Quicksilver, Nicholas Hoult as Beast, Channing Tatum as Gambit, Michael Fassbender as Magneto, James McAvoy as Professor Charles Xavier and Hugh Jackman as Wolverine.

August 5, 2016 – Suicide Squad
Also known as Task Force X, Suicide Squad is a team of imprisoned super-villains who perform high-risk missions for the U.S. Government in exchange for commuted sentences. The team is run by Dr. Amanda Waller, and their operation is based out of Belle Reve penitentiary.

The film will star two-time Oscar nominee Will Smith as Deadshot; Tom Hardy as Rick Flag; Margot Robbie as Harley Quinn; Oscar winner Jared Leto as the Joker; Jai Courtney as Boomerang; and Cara Delevingne as Enchantress.

Warner Bros. is still working on casting Dr. Waller, and is said to currently be eyeing Viola Davis, Octavia Spencer and Oprah Winfrey for the role.

October 7, 2016 – Gambit

In addition to appearing as the Cajun mutant thief in X-Men: Apocalypse, Tatum will also reprise the role in a spinoff film.

November 4, 2016 – Doctor Strange

After his career is destroyed, a brilliant but arrogant surgeon gets a new lease on life when a sorcerer takes him under his wing and trains him to defend the world against evil.

The film stars Benedict Cumberbatch as the Sorcerer Supreme.

November 11, 2016 – Sinister Six

Six of mankind’s greatest enemies form an alliance to destroy New York City and Spider-Man.

One thing is for certain with 8 films being released, fans won’t lack for selection during 2016.

8 Marvel & DC Superhero Movies Scheduled For 2016

[Update: Tom Hiddleston has been rumored to be in the running for a while now, but as BMD reports, the actor is now confirmed to be in talks for the 25th James Bond film. We’ll wait for the official word, but in the meantime, place your proverbial bets for Hiddleston as the next Bond by voting Yes/No in our poll below!]

Last summer, we told you about the odds-on favorite and darkhorse candidates in the running to play the next James Bond. Current Bond star Daniel Craig has been rather vocal about the role, making it quite clear that if he is to continue playing the character, “it would only be for the money.” He’s currently contractually obligated to make the return in Bond 25, but Craig also joked that he’d rather do himself physical harm than step into the shoes of 007 again. Names like Idris Elba, Damian Lewis, Tom Hardy, Henry Cavill, and Michael Fassbender have been floated as likely candidates to take over, but now you can add Tom Hiddleston to the list in a more serious capacity.

As THR reports, British bookies are once more changing up the order of who they think is likely be play Bond going forward. Hardy and then Elba are still seen as favorites, but thanks to Hiddleston’s turn as a secret agent in the John le Carré adaptation The Night Manager, his odds are improving. The six-episode spy thriller series essentially acted as a well-produced audition for Hiddleston’s version of James Bond.

In speaking to The Sunday Times, Hiddleston, a self-described “huge fan” of Bond, talked about the possibility of playing the famous character:

“I simply love the theme tune, the tropes and the mythology. I love the whole thing. If it ever came knocking, it would be an extraordinary opportunity. And I’m very aware of the physicality of the job. I would not take it lightly.”

That attitude is certainly in keeping with Craig’s advice for whoever next inherits the role, one which Hiddleston is unapologetically fond of: Hiddleston also shared that he took time out of his Kong: Skull Island shooting schedule to check out Spectre in theaters. Bookmakers like William Hill are keeping an eye on Hiddleston’s turn in The Night Manager to see just how Bond-like the 35-year-old English actor can be. A representative for the bookies said as much regarding the series:

“There are some very Bond-ish elements to The Night Manager, and the producers of the next 007 movie will surely be keeping an eye on Hiddleston’s performance in case Daniel Craig decides to step down.”

Do you think Hiddleston would make a great Bond? If you’ve had a chance to check out The Night Manager, you probably have a better idea of just what kind of Bond he’d be, but Hiddleston certainly has a long enough track record of other roles to suggest he can pull off a wide range of characters. But is he Bond?

Vote for (or against) Hiddleston as Bond in our poll below and be sure to get caught up on The Night Manager if you haven’t already:

Tom Hiddleston in Talks to Be the Next James Bond

There’s no denying that the most popular genre around these days is the superhero movie. Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight Trilogy proved that comic book adaptations could be just as dramatic and heavy as non-genre films, Marvel Studios jumpstarted a massive interconnected series of superhero movies that were significantly more colorful and humorous, and audiences have been turning out to both kinds of superhero films in droves. With nearly every major studio now working to turn its own comic book properties into the next big thing, and with Marvel Studios and Warner Bros. plotting out half a decade’s worth of material, it’s sometimes tough to keep track of what’s coming out when, who’s in it, and how it fits into the overall picture.  Not to worry, though, because we here at Collider have you covered.

Below, you’ll find a comprehensive guide of superhero movie release dates for every major comic book adaptation on the calendar, going all the way up to the year 2020. Moreover, we’ll be updating this guide regularly with the most current information, so if you’re ever at a loss for when exactly Captain Marvel is supposed to be in theaters, you can come right back here for a quick refresher.

X-Men: Apocalypse

Release Date: May 27, 2016

Director: Bryan Singer

Cast: James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, Jennifer Lawrence, Nicholas Hoult, Oscar Isaac, Evan Peters, Olivia Munn, Tye Sheridan, Sophie Turner, Rose Byrne, Ben Hardy, Kodi Smit-McPhee, and Alexandra Shipp.

What We Know So Far: Described as an “extinction-level event”, the disaster sequel takes place in 1983 and will focus primarily on the X-Men: First Class castmembers, wrapping up the trilogy arc that began with the Matthew Vaughn-directed prequel.  The mutants must join forces in order to battle the titular Apocalypse (played by Isaac), a mutant who has been around since the days of Ancient Egypt and was treated as a god at that time.  Apocalypse assembles his four horsemen, Magneto (Fassbender), Angel (Hardy), Storm (Shipp), and Psylocke (Munn), which once again pits mutants versus mutants as Singer also introduces the young versions of more familiar X-Men.

Want to Know More?: Click here

Suicide Squad

Release Date: August 5, 2016

Director: David Ayer

Cast: Will Smith, Margot Robbie, Jared Leto, Jai Courtney, Joel Kinnaman, Cara Delevingne, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, Jay Hernandez, Adam Beach, Jim Parrack, Scott Eastwood, Ike Barinholtz, Karen Fukuhara, and Viola Davis

What We Know So Far: The DC comic revolves around a group of anti-heroes who take on dangerous missions for the government in exchange for commuted sentences.  Smith is Deadshot, Robbie is Harley Quinn, Leto is The Joker, Courtney is Captain Boomerang, Kinnaman is Rick Flagg, Delevingne is Enchantress, and Davis plays Amanda Waller, who is essentially DC’s Nick Fury. This is Warner Bros.’ first non-Superman film in its new DC Movie Universe, and Ayer appears to be striking a much darker yet playful tone judging by the film’s terrific trailer.

Want to Know More?: Click here

Doctor Strange

Release Date: November 4, 2016

Director: Scott Derrickson

Cast: Benedict Cumberbatch, Tilda Swinton, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Rachel McAdams, Mads Mikkelsen, Michael Stuhlbarg, Benedict Wong.

What We Know So Far: Marvel initially courted Joaquin Phoenix for the lead role in this new franchise, but as the time came to finally sign the contract Phoenix opted to walk away.  Cumberbatch eventually signed on, to be joined by Swinton as eventual mentor The Ancient One and Ejiofor as the villainous Baron Mordo. The comic adaptation will bring mysticism into the Marvel Cinematic Universe (described as Marvel’s Fantasia) as it tells the origin story of Stephen Strange, a former neurosurgeon and narcissist who is granted magical powers by a hermit called the Ancient One after his hands are seemingly irreparably damaged in a car accident.

Want to Know More?: Click here

The LEGO Batman Movie

Release Date: February 20, 2017

Director: Chris McKay

Cast: Will Arnett, Michael Cera, Zach Galifianakis, Rosario Dawson, Ralph Fiennes, and Mariah Carey

What We Know So Far: The first of Warner Bros.’ series of sequels and spinoffs to The LEGO Movie is an animated Batman film with Arnett’s sad, dark caped crusader leading the way and LEGO Movie co-director Chris McKay taking the helm. Arnett will be joined by Arrested Development co-star Michael Cera as Robin and Zach Galifianakis as Joker, making this one of the most promising superhero movies on the slate.

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Untitled Wolverine Movie

Release Date: March 3, 2017

Director: James Mangold

Cast: Hugh Jackman, Boyd Holbrook, Stephen Merchant, Richard E. Grant, and Patrick Stewart

What We Know So Far: Jackman has said time and again that he would only return if the story is worth telling, but he and The Wolverine director James Mangold have been working on carving out the next Wolverine solo adventure, and now Jackman says this will be his last time playing the X-Men character. Patrick Stewart‘s Professor X will also have a significant role in the film, making it a sort of team-up film between the two as Jackman adds that the movie will explore their father-son relationship in greater detail than ever before. A fitting sendoff to Jackman’s Wolverine indeed, and one that will be R-rated.

Want to Know More?: Click here

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2

Release Date: May 5, 2017

Director: James Gunn

Cast: Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Dave Bautista, Kurt Russell, Pom Klementieff, Elizabeth Debicki, Chris Sullivan, Tom Flanagan, Sean Gunn, Michael Rooker, and the voices of Bradley Cooper and Vin Diesel.

What We Know So Far: Not much as the film is firmly under wraps, but Gunn has previously said that Thanos may or may not appear, but he is most certainly “not the most important character”. The main crux of the story will involve the parentage of Chris Pratt’s Star-Lord, with the iconic Kurt Russell filling the mysterious role of Peter’s birth father.

Want to Know More?: Click here

Wonder Woman

Release Date: June 2, 2017

Director: Patty Jenkins

Cast: Gal Gadot, Chris Pine, Robin Wright, Danny Huston, David Thewlis, Ewen Bremner, Saïd Taghmaoui, Elena Anaya, and Lucy Davis.

What We Know So Far: Gadot made her first appearance as the character in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and will appear in Justice League Part One and Justice League Part Two, but not before she gets her own standalone film, and a World War I one at that.  This marks the first female-led superhero movie of the modern era, and it will fittingly be directed by a woman. However, while Breaking Bad and Game of Thrones veteran Michelle MacLaren was previously attached to direct, she departed over creative differences and Warner Bros. subsequently enlisted Monster helmer Jenkins, who herself was previously attached to Marvel’s Thor 2. Cast-wise, Pine is onboard to play Wonder Woman’s love interest Steve Trevor in what will hopefully be some fun gender reversal.

Want to Know More?: Click here

Untitled Spider-Man Reboot

Release Date: July 7, 2017

Director: Jon Watts

Cast: Tom Holland, Marisa Tomei, Zendaya, Tony Revolori, Robert Downey Jr., and possibly Michael Keaton.

What We Know So Far: Few thought it would ever happen, but Sony Pictures and Marvel Studios came to an agreement in which they will be sharing the character of Spider-Man, with the webslinger first appearing in an MCU movie (Civil War) before getting his own rebooted film. Marvel’s Kevin Feige is producing the picture, which is said to bring forth a younger Spidey who is still in high school. The Cabin in the Woods co-writer/director Drew Goddard was first rumored to take the helm, but Marvel eventually settled on Cop Car helmer Watts with Jonathan Goldstein and John Francis Daley (Vacation) writing the script. Michael Keaton is eyed to play the film’s villain, rumored to be Vulture, and Robert Downey Jr.’s Tony Stark will further his relationship with the young webslinger after first appearing together in Captain America: Civil War. And no, there will not be another origin story.

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Untitled Fox/Marvel Film

Release Date: October 6, 2017

Director: TBA

Cast: TBA

What We Know So Far: Nothing, since this is a mysterious untitled film. There are a few possibilities, though. This could be the new release date for Gambit, given that that film was originally slated for October 2016, or this could be the release date Fox is holding for Deadpool 2. Or it could be a different Fox/Marvel movie altogether. But given that it’s not terribly far away, odds are it’s for a film already in development, meaning it’s probably Gambit or Deadpool 2.

Thor: Ragnarok

Release Date: November 3, 2017

Director: Taika Waititi

Cast: Chris Hemsworth, Tom Hiddleston, Mark Ruffalo, Cate Blanchett, Jeff Goldblum, Tessa Thompson, Karl Urban, Idris Elba, and Anthony Hopkins.

What We Know So Far: The title most likely refers to the event from Nordic mythology in which catastrophic destruction comes to Asgard, submerging the entire world underwater and killing nearly every god.  Or it could also refer to a cloned version of Thor that Tony Stark creates after Thor is presumed killed during the Ragnarok event.  Either way, Marvel says the “Norse End of Days” is coming to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and the studio plans to have filming underway by June 2016. They’ve tapped What We Do in the Shadows director Taika Waititi to take the helm, making for a very curious hire given his background in comedy. Cate Blanchett will be leading the villain charge as Hela, Tessa Thompson is Valkyrie, and Karl Urban is the villainous muscle Skurge, while the MCU is about to get a lot weirder with Jeff Goldblum as Grandmaster, one of the Elders of the Universe.

Want to Know More?: Click here.

Untitled Fox/Marvel Film

Release Date: January 12, 2018

Director: TBA

Cast: TBA

What We Know So Far: If the Untitled Fox/Marvel film dated for October 2017 is either Deadpool 2 or Gambit, then this is probably the other of the two. Or it’s possible this is a placeholder for an X-Force movie, although that would be a terribly quick turnaround given that Ryan Reynolds is likely due to focus on a Deadpool sequel first and foremost. Whatever the case, between X-Men and Deadpool Fox’s Marvel universe has been well established, and these dates for untitled Fox/Marvel films signal the studio is bullish on expanding the universe as quickly as possible.

Justice League Part One

Release Date: November 17, 2017

Director: Zack Snyder

Cast: Henry Cavill, Ben Affleck, Ezra Miller, Gal Gadot, Jason Momoa, Ray Fisher, Amy Adams, Jeremy Irons, J.K. Simmons, Willem Dafoe, and Amber Heard.

What We Know So Far: Warner Bros.’ Justice League film is so big that they’re releasing it in two parts, two years apart.  Thus far the only confirmed castmembers are Cavill as Superman, Affleck as Batman, and Adams as Lois Lane, but expect to see Jason Momoa’s Aquaman, Ezra Miller’s The Flash, Gal Gadot’s Wonder Woman, and Ray Fisher’s Cyborg.  The rumored villain for the firstJustice League adventure is Steppenwolf, who apparently is summoned to Earth by the distress beacon that Superman set off during Man of Steel, but more curious will be to see how/if Snyder and Warner Bros. course correct after the response to Batman v Superman. The film will broaden the DCEU so far with J.K. Simmons as the new Commissioner Gordon and Amber Heard as Aquaman character Mera.

Want to Know More?: Click here

Black Panther

Release Date: February 16, 2018

Director: Ryan Coogler

Cast: Chadwick Boseman, Lupita Nyong’o, and Michael B. Jordan.

What We Know So Far: The comics character will make his first appearance in Captain America: Civil War, but he gets his own feature film not long after. 42 star Chadwick Boseman will be filling the role of the powerful native of Wakanda, an African nation that is isolated from the rest of the world.  Marvel says the crux of the film will be how this isolationist nation meets the world, so expect some friction. Selma director Ava DuVernay came close to signing on, but ultimately opted not to helm the film over concerns her artistic voice would be lost in the final product. Subsequently, Marvel hired Joe Robert Cole—who came up through the Marvel Studios writing program—to pen the script, and finally nabbed Creed and Fruitvale Station helmer Ryan Coogler to fill the director’s chair. He’s forging ahead with quite possibly the most exciting MCU film to date, and he plans to fill out the cast with 90% African and African-American actors, already establishing a fantastic ensemble with the addition of Oscar-winner Lupita Nyong’o and his Creed and Fruitvale star Michael B. Jordan.

Want to Know More?: Click here

The Flash

Release Date: March 16, 2018

Director: TBA

Cast: Ezra Miller

What We Know So Far: Miller will first make an appearance in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and will likely be part of the Justice League Part One ensemble. And after tasking Phil Lord and Chris Miller with penning a treatment only to see them head off to direct the Han Solo Star Wars film, the studio subsequently tapped Seth Grahame-Smith to make his directorial debut on the superhero picture. Grahame-Smith penned the novels Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter and Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, as well as the screenplays for Vampire Hunter and Dark Shadows, but he’s only directed a couple of episodes of an MTV series before. Alas, after the disappointing reception to Batman v Superman, Warner Bros. opted to change course and parted ways with Grahame-Smith, seeking to find a more established filmmaker in his stead.

Avengers: Infinity War – Part 1

Release Date: May 4, 2018

Directors: Joe and Anthony Russo

Cast: TBD

What We Know So Far: Marvel is finally tackling the Infinity War storyline, and it’ll take two films to tell it.  The main antagonist will be Thanos (played by Josh Brolin), and the movie will no doubt unite many, many characters from the MCU.  Moreover, Marvel adds that Avengers: Infinity War Part I is the beginning of the culmination of everything that has come before.  Captain America: The Winter Soldier and Captain America: Civil War directors Joe and Anthony Russo have been tapped to direct both parts of Infinity War, which will be shot at the same time during one long production beginning in late 2016. Moreover, they’ll shoot the entire movie using IMAX’s brand new digital cameras, meaning the whole film will be shot in IMAX. This two-part epic has been described as “the end of the Avengers team as we know it,” acting as a culmination of everything Marvel Studios had done since Iron Man. No pressure.

Want to Know More?: Click here

Aquaman

Release Date: July 27, 2018

Director: James Wan

Cast: Jason Momoa, Amber Heard

What We Know So Far: Momoa made his first appearance in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and will be part of the Justice League Part One ensemble. Warner Bros. has enlisted Furious 7 and The Conjuring helmer James Wan to direct.

Want to Know More?: Click here

Untitled DC Film

Release Date: October 5, 2018

Director: TBA

Cast: TBA

What We Know So Far: Nothing at all, but it’s possible that this is either a new release date for an existing DC film or a sequel to Suicide Squad or Batman v Superman. Warner Bros. and Zack Snyder are keen on having Ben Affleck direct and star in a Batman standalone, and with Affleck having penned a script with Geoff Johns, that seems like an inevitability at this point. But which will come first, Suicide Squad 2 or Batman?

Captain Marvel

Release Date: March 8, 2019

Director: TBD

Cast: TBD

What We Know So Far: Marvel’s first female-led superhero film will revolve around the most powerful character in the entire Marvel Cinematic Universe.  This iteration of Captain Marvel will focus on the character of Carol Danvers, whose adventures are earthbound but whose powers are based in the cosmic realm. Joss Whedon wanted to introduced the character at the end of Avengers: Age of Ultron, but Marvel didn’t want to bring Captain Marvel into the MCU fully formed without first telling her origin story. Meg LeFauve (Inside Out) and Nicole Perlman (Guardians of the Galaxy) are writing the screenplay.

Want to Know More?: Click here

Shazam

Release Date: April 5, 2019

Director: TBD

Cast: Dwayne Johnson

What We Know So Far: Making his superhero movie debut, Dwayne Johnson opted to take on the role of the villainous Black Adam in this DC comics adaptation.

Avengers: Infinity War – Part 2

Release Date: May 3, 2019

Directors: Joe and Anthony Russo

Cast: TBD

What We Know So Far: The conclusion to the epic Infinity War storyline will close out Marvel’s ambitious Phase Three with a bang.

Untitled DC Film

Release Date: November 1, 2019

Director: TBA

Cast: TBA

What We Know So Far: Nothing at all, but it’s possible that this is either a new release date for an existing DC film or a sequel to Suicide Squad or Batman v Superman. Warner Bros. and Zack Snyder are keen on having Ben Affleck direct and star in a Batman standalone, and with Affleck having reportedly penned a script, that seems like an inevitability at this point. But which will come first, Suicide Squad 2 or Batman?

Cyborg

Release Date: April 3, 2020

Director: TBD

Cast: Ray Fisher

What We Know So Far: Fisher will first be introduced in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and then will play a role in the two Justice League films.

Green Lantern Corps.

Release Date: June 19, 2020

Director: TBD

Cast: TBD

What We Know So Far: This will be a reboot of the Warner Bros. franchise so Ryan Reynolds is not expected to reprise his role—plus he’s also busy being Deadpool for Marvel. Green Lantern is rumored to make his first appearance at the end of either Justice League Part One or Justice League Part Two when he warns the team that Darkseid is on his way to bring destruction to Earth. But the title of the reboot suggests this will be a team-up film featuring two Green Lanterns. Tyrese Gibson has been openly campaigning for one of the roles.

Gambit

Release Date: TBD

Director: Doug Liman

Cast: Channing Tatum

What We Know So Far: Tatum has been keen on playing the X-Men mutant for a while now, and 20th Century Fox finally pulled the trigger on a standalone movie for the fan-favorite Cajun. Production had initially been slated to begin Fall 2015, but when it was pushed back to early 2016, director Rupert Wyatt abruptly dropped out due to personal reasons. Doug Liman (Edge of Tomorrow) is set to direct, and while producer Simon Kinberg told us the film will be a heist picture and a “sexy thriller”, the film was pulled from its October 2016 release date and is now listed as TBD.

Want to Know More?: Click here

Inhumans

Release Date: TBD

Director: TBD

Cast: TBD

What We Know So Far: Another comic property that will push the reach of the Marvel Cinematic Universe further outward, Inhumans will introduce dozens of new characters to the MCU.  In the comics, they are a race of superhumans whose origins lie in the war between the alien Skrull and Kree races. The existence of Inhumans has been first introduced on ABC’s Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.

Upcoming Superhero Movie Release Dates: From 2016 to 2020

All dogs allowed at ‘The Secret Life of Pets’ screening in Tel Aviv

In holdover news, The Secret Life of Pets pulled in a solid $50.56 million gross to top its second weekend, a drop of 51% from last weekend’s $104m debut. Not only did it have a smaller drop and a bigger second weekend than Minions, it crossed the $200m mark in just ten days, or one day more than last year’s Illumination offering.

So yeah, it’s basically playing about as well as the Despicable Me spin-off without the franchise advantage. Once again, Illumination is arguably now a brand. And they are now certainly about to score their third-straight $300 million domestic grosser. Universal/Comcast Corp. is opening the film slowly overseas (a bunch of territories in August), but it has already earned $254m global, or about 3.4x its $75m budget.

The Legend of Tarzan earned $11.12 million on its third weekend (-47%) to bring its domestic total to $103.05m thus far. David Yates’s pricey Warner Bros./Time Warner Inc. offering is holding pretty well and should hit $125m by the end. Once again, had it been a bit cheaper, this would be an honest-to-goodness hit instead of a “coulda been worse” offering. The film has earned $193.65m worldwide thus far against a $180m budget. So the question is: Will audiences show up in three years for a (cheaper) sequel?

Pixar’s Finding Dory is still going strong, with $11.04 million on its fifth weekend (-46%). The animated sequel, which is already the biggest domestic grosser of the year, has now earned $445.5m. That means, as of today, Walt Disney’s Finding Dory has bested the $441m domestic total of DreamWorks Animation’s Shrek 2 to become the biggest-grossing animated feature ever in North America.

Yes, there are some asterisks (inflation, a 3D bump, etc.), but it’s still an impressive achievement. It’s falling faster than Toy Story 3 and Inside Out, but that just means it might not hit $500 million domestic. It isn’t quite burning up the overseas box office yet, with a $276m foreign and $721m worldwide. Still, a hit is a hit is a hit even if Illumination > Pixar worldwide. That’s a conversation for another day.

Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates earned $7.5 million  on its second weekend, which is a lousy 56% drop. The Zac Efron/Anna Kendrick/Adam Devine/Audrey Plaza comedy has now earned $31.32m in ten days.Hopefully, the 20^th Century Fox release can leg it to $45m. To be fair, it wasn’t all that good, as much as I like everyone involved, and it also only cost around $35m to produce. The real story, once again, will be overseas.

The Purge: Election Year doesn’t need overseas numbers to make it a hit. The horror sequel snagged a $6.07m weekend (-51%) and $71m 17-day cume. Yeah, the Universal/Comcast Corp. release has already passed The Purge ($64m) and will soon pass the $71m cume of The Purge: Anarchy as it makes a run at $85m. Throw in $7m overseas while you’re at it. The Blumhouse/Platinum Dunes sequel set to be one of the biggest grossing documentaries ever. That’s a joke… I hope.

If I can skip around a little bit, Warner Bros./New Line’s The Conjuring 2 has crossed $200 million overseas which, combined with its current $101m domestic total, puts it over the $300m mark worldwide. That makes it just the third such R-rated horror film to do that, behind The Conjuring ($317m) and Hannibal ($350m).

Speaking of WB/NL, Central Intelligence earned $5.3 million (-34%) on its fifth weekend, giving the Dwayne Johnson/Kevin Hart comedy a $117m cume.The $50m comedy is being distributed by Universal where it has collected an additional $63m thus far for a $180m cume.

Steven Spielberg’s The BFG is… sigh… well, at least it’ll make more than Munich. Although Munich is one of his best movies, so that doesn’t cheer me up. The Walt Disney fantasy, which you should damn well see in a theater if you know what’s good for you, earned $3.74 million on its weekend (-52%) on 2,182 screens (-1,210) and a $47.33m cume. The $140m fantasy has earned $64.4m worldwide thus far.

Independence Day: Resurgence made $3.45 million on its third weekend (-55%) as it started to shed screens for a $98.5m cume. It’ll cross $100m sometime next week, a hollow victory indeed even as it’s over $315m worldwide (plus whatever it got this weekend). The Shallows is sadly losing screens too, and we can only wonder if the little leggy shark thriller might have had even longer legs in a time when it could have stuck around a bit longer. The Blake Lively film will earn around $2.9m (-38%) on 1,695 screens for a $51.3m cume.

Now You See Me 2, which just spawned a Chinese language spin-off (more on that next week I hope), earned $700k (-48%) for a $63.55 million domestic total. The $90m sequel made around $94m in China alone, giving it a face-saving $241m worldwide. Ironically, had they kept the budget at around the same $75m that they spent on the original, this would be a “triple your budget” hit. But it isn’t getting to $270m worldwide, so it now qualifies as something of a disappointment. Oh well, it’s just a reminder that we can’t treat China as the great savior for U.S. blockbusters.

Also of note, Hunt for the Wilderpeople expanded to 156 theaters this weekend and earned $563,325 for the effort, giving Taika Waititi’s wonderful comic adventure a $1.464 million. Seriously folks, if this picture is playing anywhere near you, go see it as soon as you can.  Matthew McConaughey’s Free State of Jones crossed $20m this weekend as it departs theaters and Captain Fantastic expanded to 36 theaters for a $277k for a $406k cume. Finally, the quirky, offbeat, but not entirely satisfying Swiss Army Man earned $262k on 228 screens for a new $3.7423m cume. It’s obviously wrapping up, but a $4m cume counts as a win for A24 for this kind of thing.

Box Office: ‘Secret Life Of Pets’ Crosses $200M, ‘Finding Dory’ Becomes Top Toon Grosser Ever

The Secret Life of Pets Tops Ghostbusters at the Box Office

Melissa McCarthy, Kristen Wiig, Kate McKinnon and Leslie Jones ain’t afraid of no ghost in this female reboot of the 1984 supernatural comedy franchise.

When the fledgling team of paranormal investigators in Paul Feig’s Ghostbusters reboot post details of their first supernatural encounter online, one of the comments it elicits is: “Ain’t no bitches gonna hunt no ghosts.” It’s a clever wink at the kneejerk hostility engendered among self-appointed guardians of the beloved ’80s comedy franchise, long before the new movie was publicly screened. The unfunny mess that hits theaters Friday, like a big goopy splat of ectoplasm, will no doubt make those naysayers feel vindicated. But the fact is that an estrogen-infused makeover, particularly one with such a comedically gifted cast, was a promising idea. Sadly, that’s where the inventiveness ended.

The high curiosity factor, the stars’ popularity and moviegoers’ deep affection for the property should generate decent opening numbers for Sony. But despite the teasing hint of a sequel in a post-end-credits coda mention of Zuul, the malevolent demon who possessed Sigourney Weaver in Ivan Reitman’s 1984 original, the afterlife this time around looks evanescent.

The trajectory from the character-driven laughs and raucous physicality of Bridesmaids through the odd-couple antics of The Heat to the well-oiled action-comedy heroics of Spy in theory makes director Feig an ideal fit — particularly since all three of those films were elevated by their warmly knotty depiction of female friendship.

However, although the new Ghostbusters follows the template of the original by Dan Aykroyd and Harold Ramis, the witless script by Feig and his co-writer on The Heat, Katie Dippold, has no juice. Short on both humor and tension, the spook encounters are rote collisions with vaporous CG specters that escalate into an uninvolving supernatural cataclysm unleashed upon New York’s Times Square. It’s all busy-ness, noise and chaos, with zero thrills and very little sustainable comic buoyancy.

There’s some knowing amusement in a rep from the Mayor’s office (Saturday Night Live regular Cecily Strong) keeping a lid on public hysteria by using the ghostbusters’ gender to discredit them as “incredibly sad, lonely women.” But those expecting a clever feminist spin or any other sharp 21st century twists will be disappointed, and the upgrade to new-generation VFX yields nothing remarkable.

What’s most surprising is the curious shortage of chemistry among the four leads, who never quite appear comfortable as a unit despite their overlapping screen histories. Kate McKinnon fares best of them, injecting consistent freshness into her off-kilter line readings and screwy reactions as eccentric engineer Jillian Holtzmann, who builds the team’s anti-ghost gadgets — from familiar proton blasters to new improved gizmos. And Leslie Jones, despite being stuck playing a streetwise stereotype, has choice moments as Patty Tolan, a transit worker who brings her vast knowledge of New York and her funeral-director uncle’s hearse to the job. (Yes, it gets ECTO-1 license plates.)

But there’s a hole in the movie where its anchoring central friendship should be — between Melissa McCarthy’s Abby Yates and Kristen Wiig’s Erin Gilbert, a bond that dates back to high school and is gradually rekindled after an extended chill. While the actors worked together effectively in Bridesmaids, there’s minimal evidence of a connection in their scenes here, which are often flat and sagging under the weight of dead air. Concept suffocates comedy at almost every step.

All the supernatural mayhem of the first movie — and to a lesser extent its 1989 sequel — was supported by the terrific rapport among four distinctly drawn main characters. Bill Murray’s deadpan drollery, Aykroyd’s earnest enthusiasm, Ramis’ geeky awkwardness and Ernie Hudson’s relaxed everyman vibe intersected in appealing ways that made it a hoot to watch how the team approached each fresh menace.

Those predecessors go unmentioned here, but one of the reboot’s biggest problems is that its four leads seem more like female variations on the original models than fully formed characters in their own right. This is especially limiting for McCarthy and Wiig. McCarthy puts her signature, aggressively irreverent spin on impassioned science nerd Abby, and she scores a few laughs — this is not one of her abrasive misfires like Identity Thief or Tammy. But you feel the strain. Wiig’s Erin is introduced as a stiff academic who has distanced herself from her early paranormal dabbling; naturally her starchy suit makes her the first to get slimed. Then zany Erin starts to peek through but somehow never gains much traction.

The failure to reinvent the leads to any satisfying degree is arguably preferable, however, to the overhaul of the supporting players. While the original movies had Annie Potts’ deliciously unflappable Janine Melnitz, this time around, the ghostbusters hire a hunky dolt named Kevin as their assistant, played by Chris Hemsworth in an ingratiating but wooden performance that sucks the comic energy out of his every scene. (It further undermines Erin’s credibility that she gets all goo goo-eyed and silly around him.)

As revealed in Sony’s second trailer, Kevin also inherits some of the plot functions of Rick Moranis’ character, Louis Tully, and Weaver’s Dana Barrett in the original, though that possession thread never really catches fire. An elaborate production number conducted by Kevin, which owes a debt to Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” video, looks like it might have been fun but survives only in glimpses spliced into the end credits.

There’s also a villain of sorts, a bullied outsider named Rowan (Neil Casey) who is harnessing the power of dead spirits in a sinister plan to exact revenge on humanity. As an adversary, he’s ineffectual, and his pressure-cooked apocalypse is merely assaultive sound and fury. It doesn’t help that in place of iconic Manhattan monuments and buildings, we get fictional locations or generic studio facsimiles of the real thing, mixing vintage signage with prominently placed corporate brands.

Moranis is the sole surviving principal from the original Ghostbusters who doesn’t turn up in a cameo, the best of them saved for the credits. Also reappearing is the blobby, hot dog-gorging Slimer, who gets a lady friend in the Mrs. Potato Head vein; and the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man, who appears incongruously alongside some kind of steampunk ghoul version of the Thanksgiving Day Parade. Those and other nostalgic nods to the progenitor only serve as a reminder of the charm that’s lacking here, sacrificed to bland, effects-laden bloat and uninspired writing, making this a missed opportunity.

Distributor: Sony
Production companies: Columbia Pictures, in association with Village Roadshow Pictures
Cast: Melissa McCarthy, Kristen Wiig, Kate McKinnon, Leslie Jones, Chris Hemsworth, Charles Dance, Michael Kenneth Williams, Matt Walsh, Neil Casey, Cecily Strong, Karan Soni, Zach Woods, Ed Begley Jr., Michael McDonald
Director: Paul Feig
Screenwriters: Katie Dippold, Paul Feig, based on the 1984 film directed by Ivan Reitman, written by Dan Aykroyd, Harold Ramis
Producers: Ivan Reitman, Amy Pascal
Executive producers: Paul Feig, Jessie Henderson, Dan Aykroyd, Tom Pollock, Joe Medjuck, Ali Bell, Michele Imperato Stabile
Director of photography: Robert Yeoman
Production designer: Jefferson Sage
Costume designer: Jeffrey Kurland
Music: Theodore Shapiro
Editors: Brett White, Melissa Bretherton
Visual effects supervisor: Peter G. Travers
Special visual effects: Imageworks
Casting: Allison Jones

Rated PG-13, 116 minutes

‘Ghostbusters’: Film Revie