Stranger Links

• Backstage casting notice for Asian actors. As @AnnieW pointed out on twitter this can't be anything other than the live-action remake of Akira
• Cinematic Corner ten best scenes in the Stranger Things series before the new season premieres
• Coming Soon how many times does Anna Karenina need to be remade? Apparently that's still tbd since there's another one coming

More after the jump including Carice van Houten, Darth Maul, Quentin Tarantion, and news of a new Clint Eastwood film...

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Disney Upcoming World Domination -- Now with Release Dates

by Nathaniel R

After Disney's acquisition of Fox, the Mouse House stands to control an ungodly percentage of the movie business (40%... what is the number exactly?) Today they released their schedule for the next few years, albeit a vague one since many of the movies are untitled. Several things become clear despite the lack of specifics: First, Disney hopes to maintain the luster of Star Wars by abandoning the overselling we've seen these past few years (which have taken a noticeable toll with diminishing box office) and releasing one only every other year, alternating them with Avatar pictures. Meanwhile Disney Animation, Pixar, and Marvel Studios will basically maintain their current clips of two to three titles each per year.  The more distressing thing that appears to be the case if you look at this schedule is that Disney seems to be burning off the Fox properties but must have abandoned anything in the pipeline that isn't finished already save for animated features since they take so long to make and Steven Spielberg's West Side Story which starts filming very soon. Apparently the only reason Disney wanted Fox was for the Avatar franchise? 

You can see the schedule after the jump...

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"The Rise of Skywalker" Teases

The first teaser for Star Wars Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker is upon us. Though it promises the "end" of a saga, we already know that the Star Wars universe is ever-expanding with prequel and sidebar movies, and soon streaming scripted series. Nevertheless JJ Abrams second Star Wars film (after The Force Awakens) does intend to be, at least for now, the conclusion of the main Star Wars storyline, the one involving clone wars, Jedi massacres, various Skywalkers and Solos, the Rebel Alliance and Death Stars, the threats of Darths (multiple) and the evil genius of Emperor Palpatine (UH-OH but he died in Return of the Jedi... Why is Ian McDiarmid doing that unforgettable cackling of his at the end of this teaser?!?)

We'll save a proper Yes No Maybe So for a full trailer but does this teaser whet your appetite for more or are you all franchised out and feeling nothing anymore?

Disney+ for those who can't get enough franchise!

by Nathaniel R

Disney, the corporation that will one day have a complete monopoly of the entertainment business, made lots of Disney+ announcements this week. Gizmodo has the details on how much their streaming service will be like Netflix. If you haven't been playing along they've announced at least eight scripted episodic streaming series thus far though we don't really know how far these are from being realities but for the first one...

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Showbiz History: Star Wars' Oscar Ceremony & Matthew Goode's Birthday Suit

8 random things that happened on this day in history (as it relates to showbiz). Happy April 3rd!

1882 Jesse James is Assassinated by the Coward Robert Ford (Brad Pitt and Casey Affleck recreating that for you above circa 2007).

1930 The 2nd Oscars are held with Broadway Melody taking Best Picture. (No film won more than 1 Oscar at that ceremony but that's less crazy than it sounds since there were only 7 categories then.)

1942 Zoltan Korda's The Jungle Book opens in movie theaters. It certainly won't be the last film adaptation of Rudyard Kipling's wild boy and jungle animals adventure but it receives the most Oscar nominations of any of them by far in four categories (Cinematography, Production Design, Visual Effects, and Original Score)

After the jump the historic 50th Oscar ceremony. So much good trivia awaits you...

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