Universal Studios Hollywood Premieres “Despicable Me Minion Mayhem,” and “Super Silly Fun Land” Attractions

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April 11, 2014

“Despicable Me Minion Mayhem,” an original 3D Ultra-HD adventure, and “Super Silly Fun Land,” an immersive carnival setting – both based on Universal Pictures and Illumination Entertainment’s worldwide blockbuster “Despicable Me” franchise – celebrated their dynamic grand opening on Friday April 11, 2014 at Universal Studios Hollywood. Among the many surprises inspired by the beloved films, guests will be “turned into” an army of iconic Minions and embark on a secret training mission.

“Despicable Me Minion Mayhem” officially opens to the public at Universal Studios Hollywood on Saturday, April 12, 2014.

[vimeo]http://vimeo.com/91744660[/vimeo]

The world premiere was attended by many Minions parading along the yellow carpet, who were joined by Chris Meledandri, founder and CEO of Illumination Entertainment; Ron Meyer, Vice Chairman of NBCUniversal; Tom Williams, Chairman & CEO of Universal Parks & Resorts; and Larry Kurzweil, President of Universal Studios Hollywood. L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti made a special guest appearance to show support for the theme park’s newest addition, speaking to an enthusiastic crowd about Universal Studios Hollywood’s long-term impact on tourism in the region.

Also in attendance were “Despicable Me” series stars, including Miranda Cosgrove (Margo), Dana Gaier (Edith) and Elsie Fisher (Agnes), who were joined by versatile entertainer and host of EXTRA, Mario Lopez; the cast from NBC’s “Crisis,” including Stevie Lynn Jones, Lance Gross, Joshua Erenberg, Max Martini and Max Schneider; TGT recording artist, Tank; HBO’s “Band of Brothers” star Neal McDonough; Syfy’s “Face Off” host, McKenzie Westmore; and Ultimate Fighting Champion Chuck Lidell.

“The irreverent humor, endearing characters and storyline that have captivated movie-goers worldwide makes ‘Despicable Me’ a perfect match for our theme park,” said Kurzweil. “This imaginative new attraction will not only take guests on a hilarious and heartwarming adventure that captures the spirit of the film, but will also invite them to embrace their ‘inner Minion’ – that mischievous alter-ego that hides within all of us. As the film franchise continues to break new ground as a modern day classic, so too will ‘Despicable Me Minion Mayhem’ as yet another marquee Universal Studios Hollywood attraction.”

Voiced by the film’s original stars, the fully immersive motion-simulator ride features the lovable cast of characters who have resonated with audiences across the globe: (former?) super-villain Gru (Steve Carell), his adorable girls – Margo (Miranda Cosgrove), Edith (Dana Gaier) and Agnes (Elsie Fisher) – and an army of unpredictable Minions, voiced by Pierre Coffin.

“Despicable Me Minion Mayhem’ and ‘Super Silly Fun Land’ bring our movies to life, with all of the gorgeous artistry, humor and the heart – and of course the thrills – that the team at Universal Studios are known for,” said Chris Meledandri. “In addition to the state-of-the-art 3D ride, we’ve built out an immersive environment with many other attractions – shops, restaurants, countless water features, a round ride, and even the arcade games featured in the first ‘Despicable Me’ movie. Who wouldn’t want to spend a day as a Minion?”

As if lifted from the world of “Despicable Me” and placed within Universal Studios Hollywood, the “Despicable Me” ride welcomes guests to ‘Minion Mayhem’ via Gru and the girls’ idyllic suburban neighborhood, re-created with precision to mirror their ominous house and Miss Hattie’s Home for Girls. Whimsically themed queues, clever preshow videos and comedic dialogue set up Gru’s nefarious plot: to create an army of Minions from guest recruits.

As guests enter Gru’s living room, they will encounter many memorable artifacts from the series, including his notorious SR6 Shrink Ray and rhinoceros chair, and then make their way into Gru’s super-villain laboratory. The exciting journey will send guests, who wear wearing specially-designed 3D “Minion Goggles,” on an excursion through the humorous Minion training mission. Soon, guests will actually become Minions themselves. A post-show Minion dance party invites everyone to join in the impromptu fun and celebrate the anniversary of Gru and the girls becoming a family.

“Super Silly Fun Land,” an all-new elaborate carnival setting and play zone unique to Universal Studios Hollywood, is just adjacent to “Despicable Me Minion Mayhem”. Who doesn’t remember when Gru took the girls to the seaside resort in the first film and “won” Agnes the iconic fluffy unicorn? Now, guests can win a unicorn of their own and roam this uniquely stylized environment, which until now could only be enjoyed on the big screen.

The colorfully themed, interactive Minion-inspired outdoor venue will entertain guests of all ages with more than 80 different water play features. A nearby dry zone will invite guests to climb, jump and slide – while a Minion-themed ride, “Silly Swirly Fun Ride,” will soar and spin guests around for a 360-degree view of “Super Silly Fun Land” aboard a fleet of uniquely-designed ride vehicles.

Together, “Despicable Me Minion Mayhem” and “Super Silly Fun Land” represent a distinct, immersive environment within the theme park – reimagined to fully engage guests in the world of Gru, his girls and the Minions, – joining Universal Studios Hollywood’s dynamic roster of award-winning themed attractions.

Disney Parks Around the World Celebrate 50th Anniversary of ‘it’s a small world’

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Robbie Bulus

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April 11, 2014

Celebrating the 50th anniversary of Disney’s “it’s a small world” theme park attraction, thousands of guests and cast members at Disney Parks around the globe united on April 10th in a historic “It’s a Small World” sing-along. Fans everywhere joined in online at SmallWorld50.com, a “global hub” of music and harmony created for the Golden Anniversary of the iconic attraction that opened as a tribute to peace and hope, saluting UNICEF, at the 1964 New York World’s Fair.

Here is a video of the cavalcade that Robert Sherman led at Disneyland Park.

” ‘it’s a small world’ has inspired hundreds of millions of people through its timeless theme,” said Tom Staggs, chairman, Walt Disney Parks and Resorts. “Every moment of every day there are Disney guests enjoying ‘it’s a small world’ somewhere around the globe. The 50th anniversary of this attraction represents a celebration of the shared optimism, hope, and humanity of people throughout the world.”

Throughout the day, Disney Parks guests participated in events in all five resorts around the world, including in-park sing-alongs, cavalcades and special musical performances. Richard M. Sherman, the Oscar®-winning songwriter who composed “It’s a Small World” with his late brother, Robert, led a sing-along at Disneyland Park in California and participated in a Google Hangout that can be seen at SmallWorld50.com.

Check out our photo gallery from the April 10th event at Disneyland Park.

In the attraction, hundreds of dolls “sing” the familiar song, “It’s a Small World,” in five languages (English, Italian, Japanese, Spanish and Swedish). Academy Award®-winning composers Richard M. Sherman and Robert B. Sherman, who won two Oscars® for their work on Disney’s feature film “Mary Poppins,” were asked by Walt Disney to create a simple, yet catchy piece that could be sung in many different languages while guests traveled by boat through the attraction. The resulting song, “It’s a Small World (After All),” became one of the most well known and happiest of all Disney tunes.

Mamma Mia! Returns to Segerstrom Center for the Arts for One Week Only!

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Richard Lau - Contributing Writer

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April 9, 2014

Travel away to a quaint Greek island for a destination wedding of Sophie Sheridan (Chelsea Williams) and Sky (Chris Stevens). Chaos ensues when the day before the wedding guests are arriving and Sophie has invited her father to the wedding to walk her down the aisle but she does not know who it its.

The three potential fathers are: Harry Bright (Mark A. Harmon), Bill Austin (Michael Colavolpe) or Sam Carmichael (Jeff Drushal). To add to the comedy Donna Sheridan (Georgia Kate Haege) use to perform with her best friends Tanya (Gabrielle Mirabella) and Rosie (Carly Sakolove) in a singing group called Danna and the Dynamos and have come back to the island to help Donna and see Sophie tie the knot.

This evening’s opening night performance of Mamma Mia! was delightful and very energetic. Director Phyllida Lloyd did an amazing job bringing this show to life and I have to thank all the hard work that both the cast and crew worked effortlessly to make everything seamless. No doubt this tour is like a family working well together. The music of ABBA is very iconic like “Dancing Queen”, “Does Your Mother Know”, “Lay All Your Love On Me” and “Mamma Mia” just to name a few. I bet you that by the end of the night you will be out of your seat singing and clapping along to the music. This is a great show for a date night, girls night out, or even grab your friends and family and rock out to Mamma Mia!

Mamma Mia! has delighted audiences all over the world. The original West End production has celebrated more than 6,000 performances in London and the international tour has stopped at over 74 foreign cities in 35 countries and has been seen by more than 4.3 million people. We are honored to have this tour stop here at the Segerstrom Center for the Arts.

This floating Greek island will have a short engagement of now until April 13th 2014. Take a mini vacation and treat yourself to a wedding, here your all family. Tickets are starting at $29.00 are available online at SCFTA.org, at the Box Office at 600 Town Center Drive in Costa Mesa or by calling a friendly operator at (714) 556-2787. For groups of 10 or more please contact the Group Services office at (714) 755-0236. The TTY number is (714) 556-2746. The 2 p.m. performance on Saturday, April 12th will include audio description, open captioning and sign-language interpretation.

WARNING: The use of tight colored spandex and platform boots are utilized. You have been warned. Enjoy the show!

Universal Studios Hollywood Makes Unprecedented Investment in Epic Theme Park Transformation

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Robbie Bulus

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April 8, 2014

Reaffirming its position as the #1 tourist destination in Los Angeles with one of the most progressive and exciting theme park experiences anywhere, Universal Studios Hollywood, is making an unprecedented five-year investment in revolutionary new thrill rides and expansive themed environments that will radically alter the familiar footprint and landscape of The Entertainment Capital of L.A.

This monumental transformation, the most significant undertaking in the theme park’s storied 50 year history, will have substantial impacts across all facets of L.A.’s economic spectrum from job creation to tourism. Representing the single largest investment ever made, this sweeping makeover began in 2012 with the introduction of the award-winning mega-attraction, “Transformers: The Ride—3D” and will culminate in 2016 with the much-anticipated Los Angeles debut of “The Wizarding World of Harry Potter™.”

“This is a pivotal time in the history of Universal Studios Hollywood as we build upon our extraordinary success and expand our vision for the future of our world-class destination,” said Larry Kurzweil, President of Universal Studios Hollywood. “This broad investment in our five-year transformation will further strengthen Universal Studios Hollywood as an economic leader, significantly contributing to long-term employment opportunities and tourism throughout L.A.”

“This amazing investment by Universal Studios Hollywood represents a dramatic boost for Los Angeles tourism, creating new world class entertainment that will add new jobs, stimulate hospitality revenues and contribute to the economic prosperity of our city,” said Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti.

From its humble beginnings 50 years ago, Universal Studios Hollywood has remained true to its roots of immersing guests in the awe-inspiring world of movie-making magic, providing remarkable access to movie sets on a real working studio lot. Its once celebrated “Glamour Trams” have evolved to become the now world-famous Studio Tour and a hallmark attraction, bringing millions of guests onto areas of an authentic movie and television studio typically restricted to authorized movie production personnel and into that elusive world motivated by three compelling words: lights, camera, action.

The evolution of breakthrough, next-generation thrill rides has continued to revolutionize the theme park renowned for its innovative collaborations with top Hollywood filmmakers and the greatest creative minds in entertainment – Steven Spielberg, Peter Jackson, Michael Bay, Chris Meledandri – whose credibility contribute immensely to a ride’s authenticity.

Working in collaboration with Universal Creative, the visionary design and development division of Universal Parks & Resorts, Universal Studios Hollywood has crafted an ambitious blueprint for the future of the theme park detailing its expansive redesign and mega-attraction introductions.

“Transformers: The Ride—3D” set the stage for this epic transformation in 2012 and raised the bar for immersive, technologically advanced entertainment offered at Universal Studios Hollywood or elsewhere. Working in partnership with award-winning filmmaker Michael Bay and the technical luminaries at Industrial Light & Magic, the ride infused an adrenalized multi-level ride-track and visceral special effects with one of the most elaborate flight simulation ride systems ever created. Housed within a newly built 60,000 square foot structure, the ride utilized the highest, most sophisticated resolution of 3D-HD technology available to virtually launch guests into the dynamic, action-packed robotic world of the Transformers.

In summer 2013, the interior focal point of the theme park profoundly changed with the installation of Universal Plaza, a visually aesthetic 37,000 square foot art deco styled piazza. This impressive and versatile polygon-shaped entertainment venue sits at the heart of the theme park as a welcoming open air courtyard, architecturally reminiscent of classic Hollywood glamour. Featuring a soaring 70 foot tall tower emblazoned with the word Universal, the venue is large in scope, yet provides a warm and inviting environment to host an array of special events and entertainment.

On April 12, 2014, “Despicable Me Minion Mayhem” and “Super Silly Fun Land” will open at Universal Studios Hollywood. Based on Universal Pictures and Illumination Entertainment’s Academy Award® and Golden Globe Award-nominated film franchise, and created in collaboration with Chris Meledandri, founder and CEO of Illumination Entertainment, “Despicable Me Minion Mayhem” will resonate with the same endearing qualities and characters that catapulted the franchise to international blockbuster fame.

The footprint for “Despicable Me Minion Mayhem” and “Super Silly Fun Land,” however, will serve as a crucial turning point for the theme park, as the adventure represents its first foray into fully expansive themed environments aimed at immersing visitors from the moment they enter the space. From experiencing Gru’s neighborhood to Miss Hattie’s Home for Girls and the imaginative seaside carnival, this all-encompassing approach is a decisive departure from the park’s more commonly used vignette ride exteriors to create holistic experiences and transport guests to that imaginary place.

2015 will be a momentous year for the theme park with two spectacular attractions debuting as part of the 50th anniversary. “Springfield” an immersive land surrounding “The Simpsons Ride” will open in Spring 2015 and in Summer 2015, “Fast & Furious—Supercharged,” based on the blockbuster film series, will be introduced as the grand finale to the celebrated Studio Tour.

The former layout of the park will become unrecognizable when “Springfield” hometown of America’s favorite family, The Simpsons, breathes new life to the sprawling and vibrant space surrounding “The Simpsons Ride.” “Springfield” will capture the spirit of the town and engage visitors and fans of the show in the intensely absorbing and colorful world made famous throughout the series’ 25 seasons.

“Springfield” is being designed to make guests feel as if they are being propelled through their television sets into the accurately depicted city, complete with signature eateries from Krusty Burger to Luigi’s Pizza and Phineas Q. Butterfat’s 5600 Flavors Ice Cream Parlor to iconic watering holes like Moe’s Tavern and Duff’s Brewery.

“Fast & Furious—Supercharged” will be a pulse-pounding, adrenaline-fueled finale to the world-famous Studio Tour. This technologically advanced thrill ride, will catapult guests into the high-stakes underground world of fast cars where they’ll join the cast in a harrowing escapade. The ride will be situated within a newly constructed 50,000 square foot building on the legendary backlot and will reunite stars from the Fast & Furious series in a groundbreaking mega-attraction, conceived as a new installment to the dynamic film series that can only be experienced at The Entertainment Capital of L.A.

The dynamic hydraulic-motion based ride will tell an original Fast & Furious story, incorporating hyper-realistic special effects and state-of-the-art 3D-HD imagery projected onto the world’s longest and most expansive 360-degree screen spanning nearly 400 feet in length to encircle Studio Tour guests in the Fast & Furious universe.

2016 will be a magical year for Universal Studios Hollywood as the theme park’s epic transformation becomes fully realized with the highly-anticipated arrival of “The Wizarding World of Harry Potter.”

Inspired by the magical world created by J.K. Rowling and brought to life in the Warner Bros. films, “The Wizarding World of Harry Potter” at Universal Studios Hollywood will be a fully immersive land designed for the entire family that brings the Harry Potter fiction and films to life with impeccable detail and authenticity. Similar to the dynamic Universal Orlando Resort themed land that opened in 2010, the Hollywood experience will be faithful to the visual landscape of the fiction and films, including Hogwarts castle that will serve as the iconic focal point of the impressively themed environment. “The Wizarding World of Harry Potter” is a collaboration between J.K. Rowling, Warner Bros. Entertainment and Universal Parks and Resorts.

This evolution of Universal Studios Hollywood will also include the addition of two newly constructed parking structures that, combined, will accommodate thousands of additional vehicles. Construction on the second parking structure will be completed in late 2015.

High Octane Fast & Furious Thrill Ride Races onto the Scene at Universal Studios Hollywood

By

Robbie Bulus

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April 8, 2014

Pulse-pounding, adrenaline-inducing action will become the finale of Universal Studios Hollywood’s world-famous “Studio Tour” with the summer 2015 introduction of the gripping, high speed, 3D-HD thrill ride, “Fast & Furious—Supercharged,” inspired by Universal Pictures’ most successful film franchise of all time and featuring original cast members from the series.

This technologically advanced, epic ride will reunite stars from the Fast & Furious series in a groundbreaking mega-attraction, conceived as a new installment to the dynamic film franchise that can only be experienced at The Entertainment Capital of L.A. “Fast & Furious—Supercharged” will catapult guests into the high-stakes underground world of fast cars, where—after their identity is exposed—they’ll join the cast in a harrowing escapade to save one of their own from an international crime cartel.

“Fast & Furious is an exhilarating global film phenomenon that has been consistently characterized as a thrill ride,” said Larry Kurzweil, President of Universal Studios Hollywood. “As Universal Studios Hollywood marks its 50th anniversary, this definitive and quite literal Fast & Furious thrill ride will propel guests into the action alongside many of the series’ heroes, just as the theme park itself is thrust into high gear as part of an epic five-year transformation.”

The dynamic hydraulic motion-based ride will tell an original Fast & Furious story that fuses sophisticated hyper-realistic special effects with a state-of-the-art 3D audio system and 3D-HD imagery, projected onto the world’s longest and most expansive 360-degree screen. Spanning nearly 400 feet in length to encircle Studio Tour guests within a newly constructed 50,000-square-foot structure on the legendary backlot, the sprawling custom-built screen will employ 18, 4K projectors and a never-before-used front-projection system to fully envelope guests in unprecedented realism.

Coupled with an intense blend of thrilling visceral effects, “Fast & Furious—Supercharged” will take guests on a wild ride that begins the moment they board the Studio Tour. Exclusive interstitial content, filmed with the cast members, will be featured on the tram monitors highlighting interactions with their interactions as they engage guests en route to the ride’s climatic scenes. Along the tram route, sightings of numerous prop cars from the Fast & Furious series, including Dom’s iconic Dodge Charger, will enhance the story.

The adventure will culminate with spectacular action sequences that send guests spiraling through the streets of Los Angeles—at perceived speeds in excess of 120 miles per hour—aided by the elite team of unforgettable heroes.

“We’ve embarked on a new medium of immersive entertainment that brings to life the characters, hyper-realistic action adventure and custom-made effects to transport guests into the exciting world of Fast & Furious,” said Mark Woodbury, President of Universal Creative. “Our collaboration with Universal Pictures to bring this franchise to life through epic storytelling and technological breakthroughs continues to be a hallmark of Universal Studios Hollywood.

About Universal Pictures’ Fast & Furious Franchise: Across six high-octane installments, the Fast & Furious franchise has enjoyed an incredible ride around the globe, earning more than $2 billion at the worldwide box office. Last year, Fast & Furious 6 had the biggest opening weekend in Universal Pictures’ history, globally and internationally, setting new records for Universal and the franchise at almost every turn. The next installment of the series built on speed, Fast & Furious 7, will be released by Universal on April 10, 2015. James Wan directs this chapter, and Neal H. Moritz, Vin Diesel and Michael Fottrell return to produce the film written by Chris Morgan.

Segerstrom Center Announces Audience Engagement Activities During MAMMA MIA!

By

Robbie Bulus

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April 8, 2014

Segerstrom Center audiences will have the time of their lives during the audience engagement activities planned for the long-awaited return of MAMMA MIA! The popular photo opportunity will be available where patrons can show their best “Dancing Queen” pose against a most dazzling cut-out display. Guests are encouraged to post photos on their social media sites and use hashtag #MammaMiaOC. Performances run APRIL 8 – 13, 2014.

There will also be a disco dance floor complete with songs and music videos featuring ABBA.

The MAMMA MIA! timeline banner makes its debut, featuring fun and historical facts and figures about ABBA, MAMMA MIA! and Segerstrom Center for the Arts.

Also, following Thursday evening’s performance on April 10, audience members are invited to stay after the show and enjoy a Q&A session with cast members from MAMMA MIA!

Inspired by the storytelling magic of ABBA’s songs from “Dancing Queen” and “S.O.S.” to “Money, Money, Money” and “Take a Chance on Me,” MAMMA MIA! is a celebration of mothers and daughters, old friends and new family found. Seen by more than 54 million people around the world, MAMMA MIA!, is celebrating more than 5,000 performances on Broadway and is the tenth longest-running show in Broadway history. The original West End production of MAMMA MIA! is now in its fifteenth year and has celebrated more than 6,000 performances in London, and the international tour has visited over 74 foreign cities in 35 countries and has been seen by more than 4.3 million people. For more information, please visit www.Mamma-Mia.com.

Drew Goddard to Direct Spider-Man Spin-off 'The Sinister Six' for Sony

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Patrick Campbell

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April 8, 2014

Sony Pictures is working on building up its own overarching comic book universe, much like what Marvel is doing with their Marvel Studios films. The difference here, is the only have one property to do that with, which happens to be the Spider-Man universe, which they started placing early building blocks for with Marc Webb’s film, The Amazing Spider-Man, the reboot of the series that came out in 2012. But Sony’s plan is to make a living, breathing, fully lived in Spider-Man universe, and with The Amazing Spider-Man 2 opening in just a few short weeks, and the third and fourth films in the series already held with locked in release dates, it seems that the studio is now moving forward to with one of its two spin-offs as well.

The Hollywood Reporter has confirmed that Drew Goddard, the man behind the horror/comedy, Cabin in the Woods, as well as the upcoming Marvel Cinematic Universe Netflix TV series, DareDevil, has been hired to direct and write The Sinister Six, s film that will follow six of Spider-Man’s greatest villains. But at this stage, we don’t exactly know who, or even what, the series will be about, and whether Spider-Man will even be a part of it. But we can make an educated guess that Jamie Foxx, who plays Electro in The Amazing Spider-Man 2, will probably be a part of it. Also, as the trailer teases, we can see Doc Ock’s mechanical arms and the Vulture’s wings in the Oscorp building, so there’s a good chance that they’ll be in the film as well.

While this is just one spin-off film currently being worked on, the other is a standalone Venom film, which is currently being written by Alex Kurtzman, Robert Orci, and Ed Solomon, which Kurtzman is inline to direct. It’s a rather ambitious plan, and it’s very interesting to see Sony trying to make two standalone spin-off films that are based around villains. Are they going to be antiheroes, or just straight villains? We don’t know, but I’m certainly interested to find out. In the meantime, we get to look forward to The Amazing Spider-Man 2, which will be released on May 2, 2014.

A&E Renews 'Bates Motel' For a Third Season

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Patrick Campbell

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April 7, 2014

Are you ready to make reservations for another trip to the Bates Motel? I sure hope so, because A&E has announced that they’ve just renewed the series, which is nearing the end of its second season, for a third season. The show, which has been lauded by fans and critics alike, explores the beginning the bloody history of the infamous Bates Motel, which audiences were first introduced to in the 1960’s Alfred Hitchcock film, Psycho, starring Anthony Perkins and Janet Leigh, and would go on to spawn three sequels, another TV pilot in the 1990s, and a remake. Freddy Highmore picks up the mantle of the young Norman Bates, who is a troubled teenager dealing with his overprotective mother, Norma Bates, played by Vera Farmiga. A&E released this press release, announcing the show’s renewal:

NEW YORK, NY – APRIL 7, 2014 – A&E Network has picked up a third season of the critically acclaimed original series “Bates Motel,” it was announced today by David McKillop, Executive Vice President and General Manager, A&E Network.

“The incredible writing team and talented ‘Bates Motel’ cast has made this series one of the most compelling original dramas on television,” said McKillop. “The brilliant twists and turns of the past two seasons keep its loyal fan base coming back for more. We are so proud of the show.”

Season two premiered on March 3^rd with 4.6 million total viewers and delivered 2.6 million adults 18-49 and 2.2 million adults 25-54 (based on Live+7 viewing). “Bates Motel” continues to be A&E’s #1 drama series of all time among adults 18-49.

Season three of “Bates Motel” will begin production this fall on 10 episodes.

“Bates Motel” is a contemporary prequel to the genre-defining film Psycho, and gives viewers an intimate portrayal of how Norman Bates’ psyche unravels through his teenage years. Series stars Vera Farmiga in her Emmy-nominated role as Norma Bates and Freddie Highmore as Norman.

New episodes of season two of “Bates Motel” currently air every Monday at 10PM/ET.

“Bates Motel” is produced by Universal Television for A&E Network. Carlton Cuse and Kerry Ehrin serve as executive producers for Carlton Cuse Productions and Kerry Ehrin Productions respectively.

As a huge fan of the film series, Bates Motel has hit the right note between honoring the original film’s legacy, and doing something new. While we all know where the series is eventually headed, the mystery and intrigue that surrounds the show, as well as Norman’s relationship with his mother, are incredibly interesting, and it’s been a joy to watch. Carlton Cuse, who many will recognize for his work on LOST, has aimed to make a contemporary prequel, that is a bit in the vein of the series Twin Peaks, and it really works. Vera Farmiga and Freddy Highmore are excellent together, and they both bring their characters exceptionally to life. I can’t wait to see where the series continues to go, and I’m hoping we eventually see the series get to the events of the original film, so I’m glad A&E has renewed the show for another season.

Peter Mayhew Returns for 'Star Wars Episode VII'

By

Patrick Campbell

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April 7, 2014

We’re just a little over a month away from the start of production on Star Wars Episode VII, and news has still been very light on the film’s front. While the worst kept secret in Hollywood right now is that Harrison Ford, Mark Hamill, and Carrie Fisher are all returning to a galaxy far, far away, the only thing we know for sure right now is that J.J. Abrams is directing the film, off a script he co-wrote with Lawrence Kasdan, the man behind Raiders of the Lost Ark and Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back, and that John Williams is returning to score the new trilogy. But now it looks like we have our second bit of official casting news, the first being the return of R2D2, which was announced last year.

The Hollywood Reporter has learned that Peter Mayhew, the man who brought everyone’s favorite Wookie, Chewbacca, to life in four of the Star Wars films to date is returning once again for Episode VII. This is certainly great news, especially with rumors that Mayhew’s health may have hindered him from returning to the role. This is coming off the news a few days ago that Disney CEO, Alan Horn, revealed that Episode VII has already begun filming, and that while all the casting isn’t finished, they’ve got the main cast members locked in.

The air of secrecy around this film is incredible, and while the film is likely only shooting some second unit footage, it’s amazing to think that the film has begun quietly shooting at all without any real fanfare. With the start of the official production being May 14, 2014, we should be hearing more official casting news soon. Maybe on May 4, known as Star Wars Day around the world. It would be a great time to release news in bulk, and take the world by storm. Star Wars Episode VII is currently set for December 18, 2015.

'Captain America 3' Set for May 6, 2016

By

Patrick Campbell

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April 7, 2014

This past weekend, Marvel Studios released the ninth film in their ever growing cinematic universe, Captain America: The Winter Soldier, which saw Chris Evans returning for the third time as Steven Rogers, the first Avenger, in a battle will forever change the MCU forever. The film ended up breaking opening weekend box office records for April, making $96.2 million, so it shouldn’t be surprising that Marvel has already set the date for Captain America 3, which they announced today. Marvel announced the film on their website today, stating that the film would open on May 6, 2016. Here’s the official press release:

Following the record-breaking premiere of Marvel’s “Captain America: The Winter Soldier” this past weekend, the First Avenger will jump into his next big screen solo adventure in just a little more than two years on May 6, 2016!

Before the untitled “Captain America 3” hits theaters, though, fans can next see Cap when he joins the rest of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes once more in Marvel’s “Avengers: Age of Ultron” on May 1, 2015!

While that’s all we can tell you about Captain America’s next outing at the moment, True Believers, you can get your tickets at your nearest theater to experience “Captain America: The Winter Soldier” all over again, and for the latest news on the Fighting Avenger as it breaks stay tuned to Marvel.com, follow @CaptainAmerica on Twitter and like Captain America on Facebook!

What’s interesting is that this now officially sets the film against WB’s sequel to Man of Steel, Batman vs. Superman, which stars Henry Cavill, who returns as Superman, with Ben Affleck as Batman, and Gal Gaddot as Wonder Woman. It’ll be interesting to see if WB will blink and now shift their release date, because they can play chicken all they want, but pitting these two films against each other will hurt both films, and neither studio wants that.

But it’s great to know Marvel is ready to move forward with the third Captain America movie. They have been working on the script since last year, and the Russo Brothers, who directed Captain America: The Winter Soldier, are already set to return, with Chris Evans, Anthony Mackie, and Sebastian Stan all set to return for the film. The for now untitled Captain America 3 is set for release on May 6, 2016. Are you excited for Captain America 3?

FAMILY GUY: The Quest For Stuff Mobile Game NOW on iOS and Android

By

Robbie Bulus

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April 5, 2014

We were invited to a pre-launch event in Hollywood on March 2nd, where we got a brief demo of the upcoming FAMILY GUY: The Quest for Stuff mobile game from TinyCo and Fox Digital Entertainment.

FAMILY GUY: The Quest For Stuff is now available on the Apple App store and Google Play store. The game features all-new, original content written and voiced by FAMILY GUY talent updated regularly to play off current events, pop culture and the show’s 200+ episode catalogue.

Peter and Ernie The Giant Chicken have gotten into another epic battle. As a result of their fight, Quahog has been destroyed and chaos ensued. It’s the player’s job to rebuild the town.

With the town of Quahog in ruins, you need to help Peter rally all your favorite FAMILY GUY characters (even Meg) to rebuild the town and restore order. Your actions can trigger events that affect the entire town, and even the world. Stop alien invasions, religious cults and more calamities from further destroying Quahog!

● Help Peter realize his lifelong dream of becoming a pirate
● Quagmire searches for the fabled Gold Digger Island
● Travel through the multiverse with Stewie and Brian
● Get revenge on the Giant Chicken
● Survive Quahog’s Running of the Bulls thanks to Mayor West

As you venture through Quahog, you’ll unlock bonus character outfits and interact with all your favorite characters (with some celebrity cameos). Stop waiting a whole week for new FAMILY GUY jokes – get your daily FAMILY GUY fix on your mobile device.

Hands-on Game Review by Richard Lau – Media Correspondent

The game starts after Peter and Ernie the giant chicken get into another one of their infamous fights. Now with Quahog destroyed the game starts with us helping Peter rebuild the town, along the way other iconic characters from Family Guy will come along and help. As the game progresses you will be able to unlock special abilities and will be asked to perform certain tasks to advance in the game.

The version that I was able to play was still in BETA so completing the different tasks was very simple and quick by hitting the fast forward button provided. I do assume that once it officially goes live the same task that I played will maybe take a few minutes to perform or possibly a few hours. Game play was very quick and easy to pick up, I am not the best with most games at first but I quickly picked it up, maneuvering around Quahog and learning how to help the different characters advance by helping them perform their task(s) at hand for you to advance in the game. I do not want to divulge too much fun information about this game but apparently I was the first to unlock Glenn Quagmire at the launch party. Giggity. To me this game will make you feel like your one of its citizens interacting and helping rebuild the town of Quahog.

TinyCo. says that Family Guy: The Quest for Stuff will keep players busy for at least the next 9 months if not more. They are also working closely with Fox, Family Guy writers and cast to make this the most unbelievably addicting game to any Family Guy fanatic.

I am looking forward to downloading this game on to my iPad and play it on April 10th. A nice surprise is that Buzz Killington does appear, but only once so keep a monocle out for him.

Check-out these game screen shots:

Movie Review 'Captain America: The Winter Soldier'

By

Patrick Campbell

-

April 4, 2014

“The price of freedom is high… and it’s a price I’m willing to pay! You told me not trust anyone and this is how it ends: EVERYTHING goes!”

The best feeling in the world is going into a movie that you have high expectations, and walking out satisfied. It’s a whole other thing entirely to leave the theater slack jawed by what you just saw, just taken aback by how great a movie is. It’s one of the highest compliments you can give a film, and it’s one that ‘Captain America: The Winter Soldier’, the ninth entry in the ever expanding Marvel Cinematic Universe series, has earned. Chris Evans once again returns as Steve Rogers, a man out of time, dealing with what it means to be alone and who feels lost to the world around him. Along for the ride are returning cast members Scarlett Johansson as Agent Natasha Romanoff, the Black Widow, and Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury, while also introducing us to Anthony Mackie, the man who will become known as the Falcon.

Following the events of ‘The Avengers’, Steve Rogers (Evans) has begun working as an agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. full time. But the longer he’s inside the system, the less he trusts it, because the farther in he digs, the more that seems to be hidden from him. It doesn’t take long for that paranoia to reach a new high when an attempt on Nick Fury’s (Jackson) life, by a phantom assassin known as The Winter Soldier, turns the world upside down. Steve finds himself on the run, and with the aid of Natasha (Johansson), and his new friend Sam Wilson (Mackie), the group plans on finding out the truth behind what S.H.I.E.L.D. is hiding, as well as finding out who lies behind the Winter Soldier’s mask.

The most impressive thing about ‘The Winter Soldier’, other than the fact that the movie is so great, is that it was directed by two guys who have never made an action movie before in their life. Joe and Anthony Russo, whose most notable work comes from work on sitcoms such as ‘Arrested Development’ and ‘Community’, are in a whole new element with this film, but you would never know it. The film is so exceptionally directed, that you’d think it was being done by someone who had been making action movies their entire lives. You can tell that the Russo Brothers have a keen eye for action, and they deliver it beautifully here. It’s well shot, tense, and unrelenting, but never to the point that it’s too much. There are some larger than life set pieces in the film that rival some of the best action films, while bringing ‘The Winter Soldier’ incredibly close to ‘The Avengers’ level of fun. In particular, the freeway chase, and eventually firefight between Steve, Black Widow, and the Falcon, against the Winter Soldier and his men, really stands out as the most memorable action scene in the film. It’s just so well put together, and the hand-to-hand combat between Steven and the Winter Soldier is so well choreographed.

It definitely helps though that for all the action, there’s a very intriguing story underneath it all, giving it a chance to breathe, and settle down before it pushes us forward. There’s an aura of the classic political thrillers that many of us grew up that just fully encompasses this film. It’s part Tom Clancy, mixed with ‘Three Days of the Concord’, with a bit of ‘Enemy of the State’ thrown in for good measure, which makes the film twist and turn in the best of ways. While the middle does meander a little bit, making sure we’re always invested in the story, it’s never enough to hurt the film. The pace, even in the slower parts, moves solidly, and before you know it, the movie is off and running again, and you’re trying to catch your breath. It’s also really good when a film can suck you in using real issues we’re facing ourselves, which this film does magnificently. The idea of government surveillance, cyber spooks, and cyber terrorists is a very real problem that our world has been facing, and it’s one that fits this world so perfectly. Seeing the themes like that handled so well, and delicately, is really impressive, and makes for a really compelling viewing.

You can tell that one thing that the Russo Brothers did bring to the table from their TV days was how to work with actors, because they managed to get some of the best performances in the MCU out of this cast. Chris Evans is the best he’s ever been as Steve Rogers. The character’s high morales have always been a big part of him, and this film not only forces him to call them into question, but also call into question the morality of those he’s working for. It’s a great story arc, and it gives Evans a lot to work with. It’s hard to imagine anyone else in the role at this point. Samuel L. Jackson also got a lot more to do than he has before as Nick Fury, and he’s great this time around. His character has a great story, one that parallels much of Steve’s, but also dealing with the Sins of the past, and it works. It’s nice to see Fury really getting out behind the desk and into the action as well, really rounding out a character we’ve barely gotten to know.

Scarlett Johansson is quite good as the Widow, and while we don’t get a lot more of her backstory as we did in ‘The Avengers’, she’s still a lot of fun. She works will with Evans and Mackie, and her character gets a lot of action, and you can tell she’s really enjoying herself in the role. But it’s really Anthony Mackie as Sam Wilson, or The Falcon, who really steals the show. Mackie is so great in the role, and he’s a perfect fit for the MCU. The way he and Evans play off each other is electric, which makes you like the character even more. This could become a really great onscreen duo down the road, and it’s one that needs to be utilized even more in future films. It would be a shame to see so much potential not get used. Of course, you can’t not mention the great Robert Redford, who turns up as one of the head’s of S.H.I.E.L.D. in the film. The man is a legend, and he’s so good as Alexander Pierce, you never want him to leave the screen. It’s great seeing him doing a role like this, when he seems to be so choosy in his roles, and helping legitimize the comic book genre for people who may not see it that way.

‘Captain America: The Winter Soldier’ is easily in the top two of the Marvel Studios films to date. But not only that, it’s one of the top films in the comic book genre, period. Marvel has proven now that of all their characters, Captain America is the one they get the most, and he is the one who is really pulling the best films in the MCU series, thus far. Filled with excellent action, a fantastic script, and great performances from everyone involved, it’s hard not to absolutely love this movie. This is more than the typical popcorn blockbuster, which is something we should all be thankful for. The Russo Brothers have proven their skills to an insane degree here, and it’ll be great to see where they go from here. For those who may be disappointed in Marvel’s Phase 2 so far, this one will turn you around. This is just an insanely great film, check it out.

Socalthrills.com

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Movie Review 'Captain America: The Winter Soldier'

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