Your Morning Linc: Pacific Rim, Lucas Awarded National Medal of Arts, Power Rangers 20th, EW Interviews Moffat, Saving Mr. Banks

Hoo boy, it's hot out there! If you're looking to beat the heat, I suggest heading to a nice cold theater and seeing  Pacific Rim. My friends and I went to the "old man opening night" screening at 8:00 last Thursday (yeah, they do that now) and I really enjoyed it. The monsters, known as kaiju, were particularly impressive and creative. All credit goes to visual effects supervisor John Knoll, a visionary of our time.

Yep, my childhood just squealed a little bit.

The human element of the story was a little cliche, but an overall good job done by the cast, including potential Twelfth Doctor Idris Elba and a manic Charlie Day as a scientist. Pacific Rim also had a very mech anime vibe (like the Gundam series or Voltron) which I enjoyed. At the end of the day, it was a movie about giant robots fighting monsters, and you can't ask for anything better than that.

And now, on to today's Lincs!

1. George Lucas Honored With National Medal For the Arts

For those of you keeping score at home. That's humans: 3 medals, Chewbacca: 0

On July 10, George Lucas was honored by President Barack Obama with the National Medal for the Arts. The citation for the award reads:

"George Lucas for his contributions to American cinema. By combining the art of storytelling with boundless imagination and cutting-edge techniques, Mr. Lucas has transported us to new worlds and created some of the most beloved and iconic films of all time."

I sincerely congratulate The Maker on this incredible honor and thank him for all the moments that Star Wars, and his other films, have transported me to places beyond my imagination. Thanks, George. And May the Force Be With You.

2. Morphenomenal! Power Rangers Celebrates 20th With Morphing Sequence

The show about teenagers with attitude (and a giant floating head) turns 20 this year. Saban is celebrating with a huge anniversary episode and has also recently released a cool video of all the red rangers (and Tommy's White Ranger) from each season morphing into one another.



How many can you name? Which is your favorite season of Power Rangers?

3. EW Interviews Moffat On Doctor Who's 50th And The Search For Twelve

Soon.

Entertainment Weekly recently sat down with the Moff himself to discuss all things Who. They dished on everything from the Matt Smith's departure, the search for the Twelfth Doctor, the 50th anniversary special, Tennant and Smith's Doctors, and whether or not Matt Smith will wear a wig on his last outing as the Time Lord. Here are a few snippets, but click the link above for the full article:

EW: So how goes the search for the next Doctor?
SM: Well, it’s always just terrifying...If you’re a Doctor Who fan, as I have been all my life, you’ve been doing fantasy casting for this part for as long as you can remember. But when you’re suddenly faced with the reality that you are going to sit there and you are going to make that decision it does feel absolutely chilling. There’s a very big range of people who could play it and different ways you could go with it. We must get this right. One false move and the show’s over.”

EW: Is Matt going to have to wear a wig when he films the Christmas special? He seems to have had a very severe haircut for his role in Ryan Gosling’s How to Catch a Monster.
SM: We’re sprinkling fertilizer on his head as we speak. I don’t know. If you care to take a look at “The Angels Take Manhattan” there are a couple of scenes that Karen Gillan came back to do in the graveyard after she’d had her radical haircut and she is wearing what seems like a strategically draped otter on her head. [Laughs]
However, we effect it, the Doctor will turn up in his trademark coif. We can’t have Matt’s last stand in the TARDIS without his proper look. So, thank you, Ryan Gosling…

EW: What was it like having Matt and David together?
SM: They really loved each other and had a huge laugh together. And of course they’ve been through this experience that only the two of them can talk about, really, in the modern world. They are the two people that have played that part at a time when the series is this big. They spent the entire time just sitting together talking animatedly.

EW: Could you talk about how their Doctors relate to each other? Traditionally, there’s been a bit of edge when Doctors have met each other onscreen?
SM: Well, when you’re talking to yourself, there’s no filter! You don’t spare yourself! They’re quite a fun pairing, I would say. There’s a bit of the normal joshing of each other but they’re both such enthusiastic Doctors. While they might be sort of competing slightly, they’re both standing there saying, “Oh god, it’s so cool, there’s two of me!” So, it’s very different. I think the other one that worked brilliantly was Jon Pertwee and Patrick Troughton. They were incredibly funny together. This is very different from that but it’s a sublime double act.

EW: Are you aware that David Bradley (who plays William Hartnell in the movie An Adventure in Space and Time) is now a thousand times more famous in America than he was a couple of months ago thanks to his pivotal role on the recent season of Game of Thrones?
SM: Oh, brilliant. That’s excellent. I love David. He’s such a clever actor. And we’ve had him in the proper show as well. He’s in “Dinosaurs On a Spaceship.”

Only a few more months to go before we get all the answers we're looking for! And that, of course, means the fall of the Eleventh. I really can't wait to see all of this amazing Who history unfold!

4. Saving Mr. Banks Will Be Supercalifra....Ahh You Know The Rest

Not many people think about the work and effort it took to create one of the most iconic Disney films of all time. Indeed, it wasn't easy for old Walt to convince Mary Poppins writer P.L. Travers to even give up the rights to her creation. Saving Mr. Banks tells the story of how Disney convinced Mrs. Travers to do just that, and what he learned about the mysterious nanny in the process.


Saving Mr. Banks is out December 20th, 2013 and stars Emma Thompson as Mrs. Travers, Tom Hanks as the Man Behind the Mouse himself, as well as other notable celebs such as Colin Farrell, Paul Giamatti, Jason Schwartzman, Bradley Whitford, Annie Rose Buckley, Ruth Wilson, B.J. Novak, Rachel Griffiths, Kathy Baker, and others.

Of course, I hope they finally explain how Mary Poppins got here from Gallifrey:

How else do you think she learned about the cartoon world?

'Til Next Time!

- Joe

Your Evening Linc: Richard Pryor - Star Wars Bar, The Real Iron Throne, Disney D23, and GTA V Trailer

Good evening geeks and geekettes! I can't tell you how excited I am that I am just (::looks over to countdown::) 16 days away from hopping on a plane and landing at the biggest Star Wars celebration with accents! I would imagine it's going to look something like this:

1. Richard Pryor: Star Wars Bar

Ever wonder what would happen if Richard Pryor ran the Mos Eisly Cantina instead of Bea Arthur? (I really can't blame you if the answer is "No.") Well, for one thing, there'd be a lot less singing and a noticable uptick in the use of the N-word.

Those, by the way, are the actual costumes from A New Hope. If only this had been inserted into the Holiday Special.

2. When You Play The Game of Thrones....You're Playing It With The Wrong Throne

Critically acclaimed author and magical dwarf George R.R. Martin has been known to pull the rug out from under fans' feet on the page and on the screen. In his latest mission to make sure you're not too comfortable with any one thing in his universe, Martin took to his Livejournal account (and no, I'm not kidding or writing this in 1998) to set the record straight on a very iconic piece of furniture.

"The HBO throne has become iconic. And well it might. It's a terrific design, and it has served the show very well. There are replicas and paperweights of it in three different sizes. Everyone knows it. I love it. I have all those replicas right here, sitting on my shelves.

And yet, and yet... it's still not right. It's not the Iron Throne I see when I'm working on THE WINDS OF WINTER. It's not the Iron Throne I want my readers to see. The way the throne is described in the books... HUGE, hulking, black and twisted, with the steep iron stairs in front, the high seat from which the king looks DOWN on everyone in the court... my throne is a hunched beast looming over the throne room, ugly and assymetric... "

So while you're used to seeing the powerful tushies of Westeros sit in this:

It will be mine...and it will look great in my den.

George R.R. Puffenstuff imagines it more like this:

Good luck getting that up a five story walk-up in Brooklyn.

Large, asymmetric, and frightening, this is the Iron Throne as depicted by artist Marc Simonetti for the soon-to-be released The World of Ice and Fire, which will be a compendium and companion piece to the series. So the next time you think you'd be up to the challenge of ruling Westeros, just remember that you might want to bring along one of those inflatable donut things.

3. Star Wars Will Be On Display at Disney D23

UPDATE: According to CinemaBlend it looks like we will be seeing something for Episode VII at D23. As to what it might be...well...always in motion is the future.

Disney Fan Club members have a lot to look forward to at this year's D23 Expo, an annual event put on by the Disney Consumer Products division. According to the official announcement:

"Disney Consumer Products (DCP) will give Disney’s most loyal fans an up close look at an extensive collection of interactive experiences and merchandise that celebrate Disney, Marvel, and Star Wars timeless characters. Disney fans will have the chance to follow their favorite products from “sketch to shelf” and learn how Disney Consumer Products extends storytelling from character and content extension to product development through featured discussions, art and sculptures, and final product displays."

And that includes some exciting experiences put together by Lucasfilm and Disney including "Darth Vader: Evolution of a Villain" and "Crash Course in the Force: Star Wars 101" presented by none other than Pablo Hidalgo. Other cool things to look forward to include "Steamboat Willie: Redux" and "Spiderman's Ultimate Innovation". I can only imagine Steamboat Willie: Redux, while celebrating the heritage and legacy of Disney's first cartoon, will feature Mickey on a suped-up mega-yacht battling alien terrorists led by a cyborg Pete. (Hey, a man can dream...it worked for Walt.)

D23 takes place from August 9 to 11, 2013 at the Anaheim Convention Center in California.

4. GTA V Gameplay Trailer

Oh, just watch it already:

And that's all the news that's fit to blog, for now. Til' next time.

- Joe

Your Morning Linc: S.H.I.E.L.D., Once Upon A Time In Wonderland, Harry Potter and Star Wars Theme Parks, Star Wars Returns to the UK, Doctor Who Leak

Congratulations, everyone! We've made it to the middle of the week, which means it's time for me to catch up on what's going on in the land of geekery.

1. Two New Shows For the Geek-Minded

I have a feeling that, starting this fall, this blog will be seeing a lot more recaps and reviews. ABC is delivering not one, but two enticing new shows for lovers of action, adventure, and fantasy. First up is a show about a group of friends who like to spend time together doing what all of us like to do with our friends: Save the world from super-powered, extraterrestrial, dangerous threats. Led by everyone's favorite resurrected agent,  this is Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.

Also on ABC, the folks behind everyone's favorite fairy tale drama are travelling down the rabbit hole to explore a world we've only seen glimpses of, and in a way that we've never seen before. Alice is not the doe-eyed, sweet youngster we've seen in the cartoon. She has lost her true love in a land where anything is possible. Forced to endure "treatments" at a mental facility, Alice doesn't think Wonderland never existed, but she no longer believes in it. When she is rescued by the White Rabbit and a new ally, they travel back to the mystical place to search for the one whose heart is intertwined with hers. And it all begins Once Upon A Time In Wonderland:



2. Booking My Flights in Advance: Harry Potter World Extension and Possible Star Wars Theme Park

It looks like the folks at Disney and Universal will be quite busy in the next few years. According to Universal Creative president Mark Woodbury, The Wizarding World of Harry Potter will be getting an extension...you just have to know which brick to push. That's right, visitors to the park will finally be able to walk the streets of Diagon Alley

Starting in the summer of 2014, not only will they be building this new attraction, but they will be building it in the main Universal Studios Park. How, then, will people be able to get from there to Hogsmeade and Hogwarts at Islands of Adventure? Why, the Hogwarts Express of course! As Woodbury explains:

 "After people climb aboard the Hogwarts Express at Universal Orlando Resort next year, as they exit that train, they're going to find themselves in an entirely different environment, in a completely different place. Whether they've journeyed from London to Hogsmeade or visa versa. And we've made sure that even your train trip aboard the Hogwarts Express will be part of the ambitious immersive storytelling experience that we're trying to create for our Guests with this Potter expansion."

If you need me, I'll be waiting on line for the next year or so. And, not to be outdone, Disney CEO Bob Iger has hinted at a possible Star Wars theme park in the future. According to the head of the House of Mouse:

"In addition to the Star Wars feature films that we’ve already talked about, we’re also working on opportunities for television and our parks...It’s still very early in the process. We’ll announce details as these developments evolve."

When the park is operational, it will be the ultimate attraction in the universe. I suggest we visit it.

3. Star Wars Returns to the U.K.

According to an announcement on the official site, it looks like filming and production of Star Wars will return to its ancestral homeland. Leaving behind the Land Down Under, Episode VII will be filmed in the United Kingdom. This continues a long tradition of Star Wars being produced in historic studios such as Elstree, Shepperton, Leavesden, Ealing and Pinewood Studios. Representatives of Lucasfilm met with George Osborne, the Chancellor of the Exchequer (which just sounds like something out of Star Wars) to make the proper arrangements.

"We've devoted serious time and attention to revisiting the origins of Star Wars as inspiration for our process on the new movie, and I'm thrilled that returning to the UK for production and utilizing the incredible talent there can be a part of that," said Kathleen Kennedy, President of Lucasfilm. "Speaking from my own longstanding connection to the UK with films like Raiders of the Lost Ark, Empire of the Sun and recently War Horse, it's very exciting to be heading back."

Shooting is set to begin sometime next year.

4. Doctor Whoops: Season 7B DVD Set Released Early in the U.S.

If ever there was a need for time travel, you can bet the people at the BBC are feeling it now. The DVD box set for Series 7B has been released early in the United States, which would be fine except that the season finale hasn't aired yet. You know, the one that promises to reveal the Doctor's greatest secret and solve the mystery of Clara Oswin Oswald?

Yep, that would be the one.

The BBC has pleaded with fans to keep spoilers off the Internet (and, in a joint statement, asked fish not to live in water) and showrunner Steven Moffat has stated if the finale remains unspoiled, that he will release a special clip from the 50th Anniversary Special featuring Matt Smith and David Tennant the night of the finale. Let's just hope this works, or else we're going to have to figure out how to grow a TARDIS. Speaking of the finale, here's a tantalizing (and spoiler-free) preview:

As well as the goosebump-inducing prequel: "He Said, She Said":

So we'll finally get to see the fields of Trenzalore...but what about the Fall of the Eleventh, the Question, and the Silence? Is the Great Intelligence behind all of this? And just WHO are the Doctor and Clara? Take a peak at the BBC-approved pictures here for more tiny bits of information (and note the appearance of a familiar, colorfully-clad person roaming the halls behind Clara).

Well, we certainly have a lot to expect in the coming weeks, months, and years. And all of it will be covered right here, at the Missing Linc!

Til' Next Time,

- Joe

Your Morning Linc: Disney/Lucasfilm To Partner With EA, Mark Hamill At ROTJ Screening,

Well, now that I'm caught up on my reviews, I'm in a very Star Warsy mood...so let's start the blog off with:

1. Disney/Lucasfilm To Partner With EA

Following the recent shutdown of LucasArts, many fans thought we'd never see Star Wars on our consoles again. But Disney and Lucasfilm announced yesterday that they will be teaming up with Electronic Arts for a "multi-year, multi-title exclusive licensing agreement...for the creation of new high quality Star Wars games" that will span both genres and platforms, with Disney Interactive creating games for mobile and tablets.

Here's a quote from the release from EA Labels President Frank Gibeau:

"Every developer dreams of creating games for the Star Wars universe," 

"Three of our top studios will fulfill that dream, crafting epic adventures for Star Wars fans. The new experiences we create may borrow from films, but the games will be entirely original with all new stories and gameplay."

According to the release, those studios will be DICE (Battlefield series) and Visceral (Dead Space series) which will team up with BioWare (Mass Effect series, Star Wars: The Old Republic). Now, of course, fanboys are hitting the internet hard blasting EA as the choice to continue the Star Wars franchise in the gaming world. But I wouldn't pay attention to them, since we haven't even seen a screenshot of one game yet. There is so much potential for new, exciting, and mind-blowing games. And while I hope we see the resurrection of Star Wars 1313 and Battlefront III, I look forward to more Star Wars on more platforms and in more ways than ever before!

2. Mark Hamill At Return of the Jedi Screening in LA

On May the 4th, fans at Entertainment Weekly's CapeTown festival in LA had the chance to talk with the returning Jedi himself, Mark Hamill. Here's a clip of him discussing the Sequel Trilogy and more.



You can read more about his appearance and thoughts on ROTJ, the OT, and the Sequels on the official Star Wars blog.

3. Synopsis for Kenobi by John Jackson Miller:

Need I say more?

The Republic has fallen.
Sith Lords rule the galaxy.
Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi has lost everything . . . 
Everything but hope.

Tatooine—a harsh desert world where farmers toil in the heat of two suns while trying to protect themselves and their loved ones from the marauding Tusken Raiders. A backwater planet on the edge of civilized space. And an unlikely place to find a Jedi Master in hiding, or an orphaned infant boy on whose tiny shoulders rests the future of a galaxy.

Known to locals only as “Ben,” the bearded and robed offworlder is an enigmatic stranger who keeps to himself, shares nothing of his past, and goes to great pains to remain an outsider. But as tensions escalate between the farmers and a tribe of Sand People led by a ruthless war chief, Ben finds himself drawn into the fight, endangering the very mission that brought him to Tatooine.

Ben—Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi, hero of the Clone Wars, traitor to the Empire, and protector of the galaxy’s last hope—can no more turn his back on evil than he can reject his Jedi training. And when blood is unjustly spilled, innocent lives threatened, and a ruthless opponent unmasked, Ben has no choice but to call on the wisdom of the Jedi—and the formidable power of the Force—in his never-ending fight for justice.


Wow, I really can't wait to see what's in store on the video game, movie, and print fronts! Despite all the shake-ups, this is still an immensely exciting time to be a Star Wars fan. And I will be chronicling all of it for you, right here at the Missing Linc!

MTFBWY,

- Joe

Your Linc at Lunch: Star Wars Every Year, Doctor Who 50th News, New Zelda Game for 3DS, and Heroes May Be Revived

It's time once again for a little digestivo, Missing Linc style!

1. Star Wars Updates: Sequels/Spinoff Alternating Every Year, May the 4th History, And Patton Oswalt is a Genius

Alan Horn, chairman of The Walt Disney Studios, announced today at CinemaCon in Las Vegas that Disney will release one Star Wars movie every summer beginning in 2015. After Episode VII's release in 2015, the movies will alternate between spinoffs and Episodes VIII and IX. Ooh, just typing those Roman numerals gives me goosebumps! Perhaps each spinoff will be affected by, and then lead into, the next Sequel movie? If there's ever a time to be a Star Wars fan, it's during the buildup to a new movie. There's so much excitement every time a new shred of information is revealed. More details to come as this unfolds!

Also be sure to head over to Star Wars.com for a great, brief history of "May the 4th Be With You" in preparation for Star Wars Day in a few weeks. And if you haven't seen actor and mega-geek Patton Oswalt's completely improvised Star Wars-inspired filibuster, which will be featured on tonight's on Parks & Recreation, do yourself a favor and check it out below. The man is an absolute genius....and frankly I'd love to see the movie he proposes.

 

I can also 100% forgive all the mispronunciations and errors since this was a completely off-the-cuff speech. Hopefully we'll hear more of his ideas in the future.

2. Doctor Who 50th: Tennant Speaks, Doctors Unite, and More Monsters to Be Featured

David Tennant, the man behind the beloved Tenth Doctor, turns 42 today. Happy Birthday, Doctor! He recently spoke to the Radio Times about his return to Doctor Who:

“It is strange being back in the same suit, but it also feels very familiar and comfortable," (Tennant said.) "There’s nothing quite like Doctor Who. It has a wonderful excitement about it. I always had happy times there and it’s lovely to be around Billie again, even though I see her all the time anyway.”

And while we can't wait to see Ten and Rose back together again, here are a few shots on location of David Tennant and Matt Smith outside what looks to be Ten's TARDIS:

10 and 11

A wider shot. Check out that Zygon strutting his stuff (Ladies?)

Ten running with Queen Elizbaeth I

Allons-y!

And it won't just be the Zygons that the (at least) two Doctors will be facing. According to writer Robert Banks Stewart in an interview with Digital Spy, we will see Daleks, Cybermen, and more! Will the villains team up in an effort to destroy the Doctor once and for all? Who knows! (Pun aside...Moffat and only Moffat knows.)

3. Time To Update Your Hyrule Historia: Nintendo Announces "A Link to the Past" Sequel for 3DS

Oh you read that right! Yesterday, Nintendo revealed that they will be releasing a direct sequel to 1991's "The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past"! According to NBC:

"The new "Link to the Past" will follow directly in the footsteps of the original SNES classic, featuring everything from the iconic top-down perspective and cartoonish art style of early nineties-era Zelda games and the same Hyrule that series protagonist Link explored more than a decade ago."

Since it's being released for the 3DS, developers have utilized that feature to use the height of platforms in new and exciting ways. And there will apparently be a feature that will allow Link to become a drawing, flattening him against walls and making him able to get around tight spaces and obstacles. Check out the video below and see the first glimpse of what looks to be a visually stunning and incredibly fun game.

 


4. NBC's Heroes May Find New Life on X-Box Live

Let's be honest here: When Heroes debuted in 2006 it was incredible. Characters like Peter Petrelli, Hiro Nakamura, Matt Parkman, Claire and Noah Bennett, and the evil Sylar took hold of our imaginations as the super-hero genre went mainstream. I really enjoyed it because it presented every day people being thrust into extraordinary circumstances. It asked the question "just what would happen if suddenly you woke up and had super powers?" and did so in a believable and intriguing way. It also had, for the first time, a truly international cast and we were taken from New York to India and Japan as the good guys tried to stop Sylar and "the bomb". The ubiquitous catchphrase "Save the Cheerleader, Save the World" was whispered among my friends all year!

Also, if you didn't squeal like a little girl when he showed up, I can't help you.

And then...I don't know what happened. Convoluted plots, more characters than a Simpson's collage, and just the overall poor quality of the show in its last two seasons spelled the end for the show. But, it looks like the show might heal quicker than Claire after a fall off a water tower, with a new cast and stories possibly to be downloadable from XBox Live. Hopefully during this interregnum Heroes' house was put back in order and we will see fresh, exciting content (with of course some cameos) soon.

Yatta! \(^0^)/


And that's all for today! Well, one more thing. In honor of David Tennant's birthday, here's a clip of every time he uttered his famous catchphrase.

 

Allons-y!

- Joe

Your Linc at Lunch: LucasArts and Dark Horse Updates, Learn Gallifreyan and Doctor Who PSAs, and Disney Princesses in Star Wars

Happy Friday, all! I hope as you chow down on your salads and shish-kabob and whatever that thing is Johnson brought from home (tunafish and ham on a muffin, maybe?), that I might offer some geeky bits to chew on.

1. Kotaku Delves into LucasArts Final Months and EW Got Dark Horse All Wrong

This week, Kotaku went into amazing depth about the shutdown of LucasArts. They talk to various sources regarding the stages of the shutdown and the moods of employees (hint: not great) as this was all happening. Most surprisingly, is that they were able to obtain footage of what was to become Battlefront III. Unfortunately I can't embed it here, but you can check it out in the article. I've been trying not to get too down on Disney for making a business decision, but seeing all the vehicles and action that may never be is definitely tough.

Apparently Battlefront III is being guarded by top men.....top men.

And it looks like Dark Horse Comics editor Randy Strandler is none too pleased with the article that Entertainment Weekly published on its website this week. On the Dark Horse message boards Randy wrote the following:

"Kinda pissed off right now. No, that's not true. I am furious at the Entertainment Weekly interviewer. Not only did he not run the interview by us as he agreed to, and not only is the story weeks late in going live, but now that it has, I can see it is full of inaccuracies, misquotes, misattributions, and backhanded assumptions."

You can see the full thread here, including more from Randy on "The Star Wars" comic.

2. Doctor Who PSAs ... And You Can Translate Them Into Gallifreyan!

The funny minds over at College Humor have created a number of familiar-looking PSAs for that must exist in the Doctor Who universe. Hit the link for all of them, but here are some of my absolute favorites:

It's going to be okay....really.

Because your predecessor chose to Regenerate.

Rose Did A Lot Better Than Carol.

Contact Your Local Authorities...If You Can Remember.

Yeah, I'm not even going to be able to sleep now.

And if you want to translate all those PSAs in to Gallifryean, the circular language of the Time Lords, Loren Sherman (BlackHatGuy on DeviantArt) has created an amazing tutorial and translator. It's a little more complicated than it looks, but a lot of fun!

3. Some Day My Sith Will Come: Disney Princesses as Jedi and Sith

Proving that good things can and will come of the Dinsey/Star Wars merger, Illustrator Ralph Sevelius has produced some stunning pieces of Snow White, Ariel, and Rapunzel wielding lightsabers and generally looking pretty badass. I hope there are more in this series in the future. 

Don't want to get that tangled in a curling iron!

"Your lightsabers will make a fine addition to my collection."

This is what Snow is turning into in Once Upon A Time (I hope!)

That's all for now! So swallow that sandwich, get back to work, and get ready for the weekend!

Allons-y!

Joe

Linc for Your Commute: Yoda Wins Star Wars Madness, Dark Horse's Future, Doctor Who News, and S.H.I.E.L.D

Good morning, one and all! It seems like Spring has finally sprung in the Big Apple. And there's plenty of buzz in the air about this morning's geek-related news.

1. Yoda Wins Star Wars Madness, Does Several Hundred Backflips in a Row

Size matters not....punk.

Everyone's favorite Jedi Master turned swamp-dweller is the winner of this year's first Star Wars Madness! He handily beat Darth Vader by a margin of 60%-40%, a whooping decades in the making. And so, for the next 365 days, His Greenness has been declared the most popular Star Wars character. Check out the full bracket and stats, as well as Vader's lament, over at StarWars.com

2. Dark Horse Comics Founder and Editor Talk "The Star Wars" and the Fate of the Franchise At Dark Horse

With the acquisition of Lucasfilm by Disney, many have been wondering whether or not future Star Wars comic titles will continue to be published by Dark Horse Comics, or return to their ancestral homeland of Marvel. Dark Horse founder Mike Richardson and editor Randy Stradley recently sat down with Entertainment Weekly to discuss that as well as the latest (and yet oldest) outing into the GFFA. In terms of future titles, Richardson had this to say:

"We have it for the foreseeable future, though, so we’re just going about business as usual. It is what it is. Look, from day-one we always knew it was a possibility that someday we might not have the license. We’re prepared for it. We have other franchises to move into that space, but we got involved with publishing in part because we loved Star Wars and so sure it’ll be disappointing on a business level, but probably more disappointing on a personal level."

And while a decision seems to be a bit of a ways off (Stradley says they'll hear by next year), we know that this summer we will see a comic book adaptation of George Lucas' original draft of "The Star Wars". 

The Starkiller Family

The story is familiar yet different all at the same time. We'll see an older General Luke Skywalker, the hero Annikin Starkiller, the planet Utapau, a decidedly un-Sithly Darth Vader, a lizard-like alien named Han Solo, and the epic struggle between the Jedi Bendu and the Knights of Sith. I read the original script a while back and it really took hold of my imagination, but it was a little hard to follow simply on the page. I can't wait to read this come September.

3. Doctor Who 50th News and "Cold War" Trailer

New cast members keep cropping up for the Doctor Who 50th Anniversary Special. Jemma Redgrave will reprise her role as Kate Stewart, the daughter of longtime ally Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart (played by the late, incomparable Nicholas Courtney), and current head of UNIT. Also cast as a UNIT scientist (and apparent in-universe fan), Ingrid Oliver will be playing a character called Osgood (any link to Oswald?). Here she is walking with the Doctor wearing a pretty familiar-looking scarf:

Tom Baker's looking good these days

More pictures from the set show Matt Smith hanging on for dear life to the underside of the TARDIS as Jenna-Louise Coleman looks on. UNIT forces have converged by the Tower of London (apparently their new base of operations)...but are they there to help or arrest the Doctor?

It stinks when you can't have fun at work...

"Heyyy guys....what's up?"

You can also check out a behind the scenes video of Jemma, Ingrid, and Jenna-Louise and some impressive Tower guards on location here:



And one more video for you to feast your eyes upon. Check out the latest trailer for this Saturday's episode "Cold War". The Doctor seems to have overshot Las Vegas and landed on a nuclear submarine that is being attacked by an Ice Warrior (or, more politically correctly, a native Martian).



 In the classic series they spoke in creepy whispers, but this one seems to be imitating Dr. Claw from Inspector Gadget. "I'll get you next time Doctor, next time!"

4. Joss Whedon's S.H.I.E.L.D. TV Series Gets New Title and Description

The self-proclaimed Tom Hagen of the Marvel Universe, Joss Whedon, has been pretty busy as of late. His latest project, a TV series following the adventures of Agent Coulson (Clak Gregg) and his team has a new name and description. Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D has yet to be picked up by ABC, but it seems extremely likely that the deal will be done in the near future. Here is the new synopsis:

"Joss Whedon shows us not all heroes are super with “Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. 

Fresh from his role in the summer’s box office smash, Marvel’s The Avengers, Agent Phil Coulson (Clark Gregg) returns to the worldwide law enforcement organization S.H.I.E.L.D. He puts together a small, highly trained, team of Agents to tackle the cases that haven’t been classified yet, the new, the strange and the unknown. That team consists of straight arrow Agent Grant Ward (Brett Dalton), an expert in combat and espionage; pilot and martial artist Agent Melinda May (Ming-Na Wen); and brilliant if socially awkward scientists Agent Leo Fitz (Iain De Caestecker) and Agent Jemma Simmons (Elizabeth Henstridge). They’ll be joined by civilian new recruit and computer hacker Skye (Chloe Bennet). 

Prepare for an epic adventure that showcases the hope and wonder of the human spirit. This is a world of Super Heroes, aliens and the unusual – of action, spectacle and world spanning stories. The show will speak to the human condition through the lens of our very human, non-powered S.H.I.E.L.D agents – that together we are greater than we are apart, and that we can make a difference in the world.
Executive Produced and co-written by Joss Whedon, Jed Whedon & Maurissa Tancharoen (“Dollhouse,” “Dr.Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog”), Jeffrey Bell (“Angel,” “Alias”) and Jeph Loeb (“Smallville,” “Lost,” “Heroes”) comes Marvel’s first live-action TV series, “Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.”

As reported in an earlier post, Coulson has gotten a full-on resurrection and I can't wait to see how the sharp-tongued world-policing agent will use his second chance at life.

Just lots and lots of sass. 

And that's it for now, friends. Hope you all have a safe trip home!

-Joe

Your Evening Linc: LucasArts Shut Down, Filoni's New Show, Doctor Who 50th News, And A New DBZ Movie

No time to waste, let's dive in to some evening geekery:

1. Disney Officially Shuts Down LucasArts

RIP, little man.

This is a turbulent time for the Lucasfilm family of products. The latest news from the House of Mouse is that LucasArts will be shut down and production will cease on new titles Star Wars 1313  and First Assault. Disney will license out future titles to outside companies. Here is the full statement:

"After evaluating our position in the games market, we've decided to shift LucasArts from an internal development to a licensing model, minimizing the company's risk while achieving a broader portfolio of quality Star Wars games. As a result of this change, we've had layoffs across the organization. We are incredibly appreciative and proud of the talented teams who have been developing our new titles."

 Now, it's very easy to get emotional about this. LucasArts has produced some of my favorite Star Wars games of all time (Shadows of the Empire, Rogue Squadron, The Force Unleashed, Jedi Outcast, and Force Commander just to name a few). And after the crushing news of the cancellation of The Clone Wars, it's easy to think that the big bad corporate thugs are coming in and ruining everything we ever cared about. While I'm still scratching my head over The Clone Wars' demise, switching formats for LucasArts might prove to be a savvy move. As TheForce.Net notes, the gaming division's problems have been manifold. With three presidents in four years, no truly successful games since The Force Unleashed in 2008 and The Old Republic (which was developed by BioWare and had to switch to a free-to-play model shortly after launch), and the ugly business behind the cancellation of Battlefront III (also developed outside by Free Radical), does it really make sense for Disney to carry on supporting a lagging company? Game Informer goes into more detail in their extensive article.

Seen here: The money pit Disney wished to avoid

Business decisions are, by their nature, not solely based on emotions. Disney is a powerhouse for a reason and we have to assume that their decisions haven't been based solely on seeing how many fanboys and girls they can enrage in a month. As I said, there is a lot of nostalgia and fond memories playing LucasArts titles, but through licensing, we might see great new Star Wars games in the future. And as Disney slims down Lucasfilm's portfolio, I sincerely hope that all this increased focus on the sequel trilogy produces superb films in the coming years.

2. Filoni Developing New Animated Series

I call him by his Italian nickname: "Davey Strands"

One bit of good news to come out of all of this is that the Man with the Hat will soon be back in the director's chair. In an interview with Rebel Force Radio, Filoni says that he will be around to helm a new animated series. What this new show will look like and what stories it will tell remains to be seen. Here's his take on all the recent upheaval at Lucasfilm:

“It’s a function of our industry… It’s not my favorite part. You can luckily grow things and bring on many talented people, but there (comes) times when you have to shrink things as well. We happen to be in one of those times right now, but that just paves the way, hopefully, for new things and new creativity in the future.”

I hope so, Director, for your sake.

3. Doctor Who 50th: First Shots of Filming, and Eccleston Won't Return

I'll get the bad news over with first. It looks like we won't see all three of the new era Doctors together for the 50th anniversary special. As reported by The Mirror, Christopher Eccleston will not be reprising his role as the Ninth Doctor.

"Meh."

Eccleston left after just one season, reportedly due to a difficult relationship with management, as well as a fear of being typecast. Despite some sources, Eccleston did not walk away from the project just as it began filming. According to a spokesman at the BBC:

"Chris met with Steven Moffat a couple of times to talk about Steven's plans for the Doctor Who 50th anniversary episode. After careful thought, Chris decided not to be in the episode. He wishes the team all the best."

Not letting the decidedly not "Fantastic" news stop them, the crew from Cardiff have been busy filming away. Here are some shots of the production thus far:

Joanna Page as a young Queen Elizabeth I

Constructing the TARDIS

Tennant chatting on his mobile.

A Zygon strutting his stuff

4. Dragon Ball Z: God vs. God

Kame-hame-HELL YEAH!

Akira Toriyama, the creator of the Dragon Ball series, has turned up the heat with the newest DBZ movie, out this week in Japan, entitled ドラゴンボールZ 神と神! (That's DragonBall Z: God and God). The story follows Goku as he battles Billis, the god of destruction. According to an ancient prophecy, a Super Saiyan god will arise to challenge Billis, and the deity does not take kindly to that. Kotaku gives a excellent review, but it boils down to this: This movie is everything you can expect from DBZ, but with a bit of a surprise ending. Frankly, as long as we're getting new DBZ material, I'm happy. Hopefully it will be released State-side in the near future. Check out some of the pictures below:

Another reason why I don't like cats.

My main man Vegeta getting his Super Saiyan on.

Old friends (and foes) return in this celebration of all things Dragon Ball.

A new Super Saiyan form arises.

That's all for tonight, folks! Remember to check out Doctor Who tomorrow night at 8:00 PM EST and Game of Thrones Sunday at 9:00 PM EST! You know I'll be watching!

-Joe