Category Archives: Entertainment

Your first look at George R.R. Martin’s “real” Iron Throne

Design, Image cache, News, Television, , ,

If you read the books and watch the show you might have two very different images in your head of how you perceive the Iron Throne. In case you didn’t know, the Iron Throne is the enormous pedestal the ruler of the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros sits upon when he reigns over the land and its people inside the world of George R.R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire novels and the HBO series Game of Thrones. Martin addressed this matter this week in an explanatory blog post I will extrapolate here. In essence, Martin says it would not be possible to replicate his imagination’s version of the Throne. In his words:

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… The HBO throne is none of those things. It’s big, yes, but not nearly as big as the one described in the novels. And for good reason. We have a huge throne room set in Belfast, but not nearly huge enough to hold the Iron Throne as I painted it. For that we’d need something much bigger, more like the interior of St. Paul’s Cathedral or Westminster Abbey, and no set has that much room.

With the Iron Throne the process has been particularly frustrating. A dozen different artists have done versions of the Iron Throne over the years. Some have been very striking, some less so, but none of them have ever been quite RIGHT. Their versions never quite matched what I saw in my mind’s eye.

Until now. Artist Marc Simonetti “has come closer here to capturing the Iron Throne as I picture it than any other artist to tackle it,” admits Martin. “This Iron Throne is massive. Ugly. Assymetric. It’s a throne made by blacksmiths hammering together half-melted, broken, twisted swords, wrenched from the hands of dead men or yielded up by defeated foes… a symbol of conquest… it has the steps I describe, and the height. From on top, the king dominates the throne room. And there are thousands of swords in it, not just a few. This Iron Throne is scary. And not at all a comfortable seat, just as Aegon intended.”

Above, behold the real Iron Throne, or as close as we may ever see one. A more polished version of this work of art will be featured in Martin’s series companion book The World of Ice and Fire coming next year.

 

‘Happy Endings’ officially cancelled, creator breaks silence on the oh-so-unfortunate news

News, Television, , ,

It’s three seasons and out for ABC’s Happy Endings. After the network cancelled the critical darling and fan-favorite series, backing studio Sony TV made an effort to shop the the show elsewhere. Cable net USA passed on reviving it, and apparently so did the rest. On July 1 the cast’s options expired and now they are free to look elsewhere for work. But never again will they all team up as Jane, Alex, Dave, Max, Brad, and Penny and that’s the real shame here. (In a world where Arrested Development saw new life seven years after its premature cancellation, perhaps never say never?)

With my personal grieving out of the way, it’s time to hear from Happy Endings series creator David Caspe and executive producer Jonathan Groff. They recently broke their silence surrounding the show being axed and they shared their thoughts in an interview with TVLine.

On talks with bringing the show to USA: “It was as close as it could come without happening,” says Caspe. Darn!! Now it stings even more.

On potential season four storylines: “We knew we couldn’t do Dave and Penny until we got Dave and Alex sorted out,” Caspe shared. At the end of Season 3, they got the break-up that they really needed to have, which is one with an even playing field and nobody having left anyone at the altar. We wanted to have them break up in an amicable way so we could go back to telling Dave’s dating stories in a way that was more serious, or Alex dating and what that would mean for the group in a way that was more even-handed. Would Penny have been part of that? Maybe. I think we would have needed to regroup because Penny and Alex are so close and that relationship is so important and they’ve known each other their whole lives. [It’s similar to] the way it was tricky for Barney and Robin to hook up on How I Met Your Mother. It didn’t come without some degree of difficulty for Ted and Barney’s relationship. We would have had to handle that. And maybe we would have, I’m not sure.”

On the possibility of reviving the show in the future: “I would never say never to anything. We would always be open to talking about it. But the only way to move on is to move on. We have other stuff that we’ve gotta do. Who knows? I’m sure when they moved on from Arrested Development they never imagined that seven years later they would do it again. If you’re thinking that it’s gonna happen as a writer, you’re not focusing on the new stuff you have to work on. None of us would ever close the door, but I can’t really spend too much time hoping for that.”

For more words, read the full interview at TVLine.

Warner Bros. promotes ‘Big Bang’, ‘The Following’ & ‘Revolution’ with Comic Con caped-bags

News, Television, , ,

As is tradition, Warner Bros. sponsors the big bags Comic Con attendees receives upon arrival at the San Diego Convention Center every summer. This year, the TV studio is promoting cult-fav shows like The Big Bang Theory, The Following, Revolution, Arrow, Supernatural, and Teen Titans Go!. The bags double as backpacks with straps, and a small detachable cape is provided just in case you forget your branded cosplay. Over 130,000 bags are being produced for Comic Con, so there should be plenty to go around. Check ’em out in the gallery below. Comic Con begins Wednesday, July 17 with Preview Night and runs through Sunday the 21st.

1 2

R.I.P ‘Glee’ star Cory Monteith

News, Television, ,

Late Saturday night news broke that Glee star Cory Monteith was found dead in a Vancouver hotel room; he was 31 years old. Vancouver police say there were no indications of foul play at the scene, and we won’t know further details until the autopsy is released Monday. [Update: According to the British Columbia coroner’s office, he died of a “mixed drug toxicity, involving heroin and alcohol.”] Monteith, who played Finn Hudson on FOX’s Glee and broke out as one of the series’ biggest stars, had checked himself into rehab earlier this year to address substance addiction. He was expected to make a full recovery and return in the fifth season of the musical dramedy.

On Sunday the network FOX, the studio 20th Century Fox Television, and Glee producers released a joint statement: “We are deeply saddened by this tragic news. Cory was an exceptional talent and an even more exceptional person. He was a true joy to work with and we will all miss him tremendously. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and loved ones.”

As a self-processed Gleek, news of Monteith’s passing is shocking and incredibly sad. He contributed so much energy, enthusiasm, and emotion to the show’s grade-A pilot and quickly became a standout fan-favorite. Last we saw his character, Finn left McKinley High to pursue a teaching degree; I was hoping to see Finn eventually return to teach at the high school and run the Glee club when Mr. Shue was ready to move on. Also, Finn always had an undeniable connection with Lea Michele’s Rachel Berry and Gleeks around the world had been anticipating the two to get back together and sing ride off into the sunset come series end.

However the producers address Cory’s passing, I’m sure it will be heartfelt and enduring. RIP Cory Monteith.

Cap’s shield stars in ‘Captain America 2’ teaser poster

Image cache, Movies, , , ,

Here’s our first teaser poster for the upcoming Captain America sequel subtitled The Winter Soldier. At the end of the first one, Cap aka Steve Rodgers is transplanted into present day America and his vibranium shield must be acting flakey ever since the big battle of New York as seen in The Avengers.

Cap’s adventures continue April 4, 2014.

Movie trailer round-up: ‘Oldboy’ & ‘Saving Mr. Banks’

Movies, Video, , ,

An advertising executive is kidnapped and held hostage for 20 years in solitary confinement. When he is inexplicably released, he embarks on an obsessive mission to discover who orchestrated his punishment, only to find he is still trapped in a web of conspiracy and torment.

Josh Brolin stars in the next Spike Lee joint that looks like so much fun. Oldboy, a remake of the 2003 South Korean film with the same name, hits theatres October 25.

Jump after the break for more trailers. Continue reading Movie trailer round-up: ‘Oldboy’ & ‘Saving Mr. Banks’ →

Justin Timberlake debuts ’20/20 Part 2′ single “Take Back The Night”

Music, News, Video, ,

JT is on a roll. Shortly after dropping a music video for the third single off his new hit record The 20/20 Experience he debuted the first single off his sequel album The 20/20 Experience — 2 of 2. The MJ-influenced tune is called “Take Back The Night,” it’s produced by Timberlake, Timbaland, and Jerome “J-ROC” Harmon, and it’s embedded above for your listening pleasure. 20/20 Part 2 has been given a street date of September 30 and the iTunes preorder page reveals it will contain (at least) 11 tracks.

“I originally recorded a massive amount of material and decided on the 20 tracks that I wanted on the album over a year ago,” JT says in a press release. “But, when I was mixing and going through all of the songs there were so many that I loved — I couldn’t resist… I had to throw in something extra on the 2nd half.”

Fans were pleasantly surprised to find two bonus tracks on a deluxe edition of 20/20 Part 1 so perhaps what Justin is referring to there is a special edition of Part 2 containing a few bonus jams of its own. Continue reading Justin Timberlake debuts ’20/20 Part 2′ single “Take Back The Night” →

The Weeknd readies new album ‘Kiss Land’ with lead single & fall tour

Music, News, Video, , , , ,

The Weeknd is back for more. After dropping three mixtapes for free–namely House of Balloons, Thursday, and Echoes of Silence–he packaged them all together in his first studio album Trilogy and released it last November. Since then, Abel Tesfaye has been hard at work on prepping his followup album that will consist of all-new tracks this time around. Kiss Land is the forthcoming record, and it shares the name with the album’s lead single. It sounds like The Weekend, or what you’re used to at least, but there’s no denying the sheer amount of musical growth that’s embedded inside the track. Everything sounds better, clearer even: from the popping production value to the sensual-as-ever lyrics. After signing with Universal Republic Records he promised fans that his sound would not waver from its original mentality. “You will continue to get what you fell in love with, and I will continue to give you what you ask for,” he wrote in a note. “Kiss Land” the single delivers; it’s classic The Weeknd infused with a spurt of musical maturity. Jump after the break to preview the 7 minute 41 second introduction to the next phase of The Weeknd; download it at iTunes. Kiss Land is due out at the end of the summer. And in other news, The Weeknd going on a 28-date tour called The Fall; dates and locations are listed below. Continue reading The Weeknd readies new album ‘Kiss Land’ with lead single & fall tour →

Justin Timberlake’s “Tunnel Vision” music video strips & strides (NSFW: nudity)

Music, Video, , ,

“Tunnel Vision” is a fine choice as the third single off Justin Timberlake’s new album The 20/20 Experience. Like “Suit & Tie” and “Mirrors” before it, it contains that infectious flow with executive producer Timbaland’s signature touch that emits freaky sound effects you can’t help but groove along to. Above, eye the dual nature of the track’s single artwork; it’s JT, no, wait, it’s a naked woman! The song’s music video grows naturally from here, featuring a cool, quick-on-his-feet Timberlake whose dance moves embody Timbaland’s beats with perfection and many, many naked women whose breasts are supple with desire. “I got that tunnel vision for you / I got that tunnel vision, I only see you,” croons JT. Look out for Timba, too; he’s in there! The racy, intoxicating clip awaits after the break. Continue reading Justin Timberlake’s “Tunnel Vision” music video strips & strides (NSFW: nudity) →

Kanye West goes CGI in leaked music video for “Black Skinhead” [Update: Final version with interactive twist is up]

Music, Video, , , ,

Kanye West opted out of a traditional marketing campaign when he launched his sixth studio album Yeezus last month. There was no lead single, there was no radio play. He performed two tracks when he visited Saturday Night Live, he previewed a number of songs at New York’s Governors Ball music festival, and he projected himself on buildings around the world leading up to the album’s release. Unorthodox, yes; but we’re talking about Kanye West here, remember.

The rapper is still tied to a record label (read: Universal Music Group) and so he’s likely been guided to select a track to become Yeezus‘s lead single. The winner is the harsh yet addicting romp “Black Skinhead;” it’s making its way onto the radio in edited form and a new music video for it has leaked onto the ‘Net. There’s no telling whether or not this is the real deal–it originally landed on a Universal Music staging site that is now password protected–but nevertheless it’s provocative and worth a watch. In it a CGI West with major muscles raps shirtless (and at times pants-less) inside a black void that’s pixelated and made to look homemade. It borrows the dark imagery from his SNL performance and still manages to reel you in and not let go until the very end. It’s bizarre, it’s different, it’s Kanye.

Update (7/9): A day after the leak Kanye addressed it on Twitter claiming it is not the final version of the music video. Across six tweets he said, “The BLKKK SKKKN HD video that leaked yesterday was not the official version. Me and Nick Knight have been working on this video for 5 months and for creatives it’s heartbreaking when something like this happens. The final version will be ready within the next week. So any website that may have the unapproved / unfinished ruff. I ask you to please take it down. Allow me and Nick to give the world what we’ve been losing sleep over. And to who ever leaked the video… FUK YOU!”

In consideration, I’ve taken down the leaked cut and will post the final version when it launches soon. Even Rapdose, the source of the leak, removed it from their website. It’s still hanging around though (like at Billboard.com) if you’re curious.

Update (7/22): The final version of the “Black Skinhead” music video is up and it’s only accessible via kanyewest.com. That’s because there’s an interactive element to it; in addition to some aesthetic changes, the main difference between the leak and the final cut is that this one’s playing speed can be manipulated by the viewer. Using your curser which happens to be giving the finger you can speed up and slow down the clip as it’s rolling (the slight lag time is disappointing, though). There’s also a social element as well; viewers can snap photos at any time and post their pics to Twitter and the like. Give the Nick Knight-directed interactive experience a go at Kanye’s site.

Netflix’s next original show ‘Orange is the New Black’ premieres July 11

News, Television, Video, , , ,

Netflix is on a roll with pushing out exclusive content. First it was Lillyhammer with Steven Van Zandt, next it was David Fincher’s House of Cards with Kevin Spacey, then came the resurrection of Arrested Development, and now get ready for Orange is the New Black from Weeds creator Jenji Kohan. It’s loosely based on Piper Kerman’s memoir Orange Is The New Black: My Year In a Women’s Prison. Over the course of 13 episodes–all available simultaneously on Netflix starting July 11–viewers will witness a fish-out-of-water story following Taylor Schilling (The Lucky One) playing a version of Piper Kerman, a woman who all of a sudden finds herself locked behind bars. A synopsis follows with a trailer posted after the break.

Created and executive produced by Jenji Kohan (“Weeds”) and based on the U.S. best-selling memoir of the same name by Piper Kerman, the comedic drama starring Taylor Schilling follows engaged-Brooklynite Piper Chapman (Schilling) whose decade-old relationship with drug-runner Alex (Laura Prepon) results in her arrest and year-long detention in a federal penitentiary. To pay her debt to society, Piper must trade her comfortable New York life with fiancé  Larry (Jason Biggs) for an orange jumpsuit and a baffling prison culture where she is forced to question everything she believes and form unexpected new alliances with a group of eccentric and outspoken inmates. Continue reading Netflix’s next original show ‘Orange is the New Black’ premieres July 11 →

‘OUAT in Wonderland’ scoop: a longer season promised with hope for more stories to tell

News, Television, Uncategorized, ,

Once fans, perk up! Originally envisioned as a standalone, limited series to bridge the gap during Once Upon A Time‘s winter hiatus, spinoff Once Upon A Time In Wonderland is spinning into a more traditional series for the alphabet network. At the Upfronts, ABC announced that Wonderland will air concurrently in the fall alongside the flagship series; OUAT remains at Sundays at 8 and Wonderland slides into the Thursday at 8 timeslot. And now, EW reports that the original episode order of 13 is being expanded; a final count is still unknown but it will fall between 14 and 21 in total. Traditionally, a show will get a 13 episode order and if it fares well in the ratings it will get “picked up” for a “back nine” or 9 additional episodes usually rounding a full season out at 22 installments. ABC is so confident in this spinoff, however, that it is allowing creators Adam Horowitz and Edward Kitsis to craft a story with exactly the right amount of episodes required to tell it.

“We really want to tell the story without having to worry about how to stretch it for five years,” says Kitsis. “The upfront order will be it for the season.” Adds Horowitz, “This is not meant to be a 22-episode season. Whatever it ends up being, we’ll have told a complete story, with a beginning, middle and end.”

So Wonderland remains a standalone tale, but that doesn’t necessarily mean it can’t come back for more. “If the audience responds and people love these characters, the plan would be to bring it back next year and tell a whole new story,” Horowitz says.

The creative duo describe the difference between the flagship series and its spinoff. Once from the beginning was imagined as a long, intricate tale with multiple story arcs that necessitate more than one season to properly pull off. Wonderland, on the other hand, is inherently designed to open and close a major arc inside a single season, much like FX’s American Horror Story does.

On Wonderland Horowitz remarks, “The DNA of this show is different and consciously so. The idea is you can just come on in and enjoy the ride.” Adds Kitsis, “If you’ve seen Once, you’ll be rewarded; if you haven’t, you won’t miss a beat.”

OUAT returns and OUAT In Wonderland premieres this fall on ABC. Watch the Upfronts trailer for Wonderland here.