Mike Sampson is the Editor-in-Chief of ScreenCrush. He studied to become a lawyer and worked as an architectural planner after graduating college but neither of these professions afforded him the opportunity to watch movies and TV for a living. He previously served as the Editor-in-Chief of JoBlo.com for 10 years. He lives in New Jersey and probably spends too much time playing video games and overthinking things.
Mike Sampson
Why the ‘Ghostbusters’ Trailer Is the Most ‘Disliked’ Movie Trailer in YouTube History
The first trailer for Paul Feig’s female-led Ghostbusters remake arrived in March of this year and the reaction was almost immediately disappointing. Even among those, like us, who are excited for the Melissa McCarthy and Kristen Wiig film, it was a poorly put together trailer that did little to inspire confidence in the finished product...
Alien Day Brings With It Our First Look at ‘Alien: Covenant’
Yesterday was “Alien Day,” the latest “holiday” concocted by studio marketing teams to continue interest in their franchises (see also: Star Wars Day, Force Friday and Back to the Future Day). The crass commercialization can almost be overlooked because Alien Day actually had some cool events for fans, including screenings with cast members and some cool new collectibles that only the luckiest fan
Turns Out Kylo Ren Is Even More Messed Up Than We Thought
It shouldn’t be very surprising that a guy who killed his own father in cold blood is a dark, effed up dude. Yet, this latest news about Kylo Ren somehow paints a picture of the Star Wars: The Force Awakens villain as even more disturbing than we originally thought.
Critics Slam ‘Batman vs. Superman’, What Does This Mean For ‘Justice League’ Plans?
The first critic reviews of Batman vs. Superman hit the web last night and early word was…not kind. The film currently sits at 40% on Rotten Tomatoes. By comparison, the divisive Man of Steel had a 56%. Even The Amazing Spider-Man 2 had a 53% and that film was so bad it single-handedly killed a franchise. Our own critic, Matt Singer, called it a “a burdensome 150-minute slog” in his review. Other reviews have called it “an holy mess,” “a near-total drag” and “a deeply disappointing experience.” Perhaps most importantly though is this sentiment from GQ, which seems to be a recurring theme amongst negative reviews: “The wider problem is that [Batman vs. Superman] doesn’t make you want a Justice League film.” Studios are used to bad reviews, but if the overwhelming sentiment is that the Dawn of Justice doesn’t make you want to see Justice arrive, Warner Bros. has a supersized problem.
‘Batman vs. Superman’ R-Rated Cut Will Be Over 3 Hours, Says Zack Snyder
Batman vs. Superman is opening in theaters next week, but an extended, R-rated cut of the film will be included with the DVD and Blu-ray release of the film. While many extended cuts just include a few additional minutes of footage and a couple random edits, Batman vs. Superman director Zack Snyder says his planned R-rated cut will include a whopping 30 minutes of new footage, pushing it past the three hour mark.
‘Sausage Party’ Review: Just Get Stoned and Watch ‘Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs’ Instead
Sausage Party is the first ever R-rated CG-animated film. Based on a concept Seth Rogen, Jonah Hill and Evan Goldberg first came up with 8 years ago, the film, by definition, is something you have never seen before. It’s raunchy, rowdy and completely insane. Unfortunately, it’s just not very funny.
Is Luke Skywalker Gay? Mark Hamill Says ‘Of Course He Is’
Star Wars: The Force Awakens director J.J. Abrams said recently that it “seems insanely narrow-minded to say that there wouldn’t be a homosexual character in [the Star Wars] world.” But, what if there was already a gay character in the Star Wars universe and we just didn’t know it? And what if it was the biggest Star Wars character in a galaxy far, far away?
Chinese ‘Star Wars’ Poster Shrinks Black Lead Actor, John Boyega
Despite some early concerns, most would agree that Star Wars: The Force Awakens is a diverse film. The three leads are a woman, a black man and a Cuban man. One of the main enemies is a woman. One of the major new characters is played by a black woman. Princess Leia is now General Leia Organa. It’s not perfect yet, but it’s a very solid step in the right direction. Unfortunately, it may have been a little too far in the right direction for some countries. A new Star Wars: The Force Awakens poster from China has been revealed and, despite being one of the two main stars of the film, they’ve shrunk down black actor John Boyega in half.
Ansel Elgort, Dave Franco and Miles Teller Among the Many Auditioning For ‘Han Solo’ Movie
With Star Wars: The Force Awakens just about two weeks ago, it may seem strange to now look ahead to a Star Wars film that isn’t coming out until May, 2018, but when that film is Phil Lord and Chris Miller’s Han Solo spinoff, you’ll forgive us for jumping out ahead. Though filming on the Han Solo project isn’t expected to begin for over a year, Lord and Miller have already started auditioning a slew of young Hollywood actors for the project and some of the names may surprise you.
First ‘Star Wars: The Force Awakens’ TV Spot With Even More Footage!
Just when you thought it was safe to sleep in on a Sunday morning, comes the first full Star Wars: The Force Awakens TV spot and, like the surprise Japanese trailer, it’s a dooz