Quentin Tarantino Says Netflix's 'The Hateful Eight' Is His Brand New Edit With 25 Additional Minutes

Quentin Tarantino is not happy about the coverage of Netflix's The Hateful Eight miniseries, which was reported on just days ago. Broken down into four episodes, the series was assumed to be a version of the extended traveling roadshow edition Tarantino took around the country, but it was unclear if this was something Netflix did on their own as a way of giving subscribers a way to binge rather than taking the 3-hour-plus film all at once. Well, Tarantino definitely had a lot of input on it, going so far as to create an entirely new never-before-seen edit with 25 additional minutes.

After reading Slashfilm's dismissive story on The Hateful Eight miniseries, Tarantino decided to reach out and clear the air. He revealed that Netflix came to him with the idea for a new cut of the 2015 movie, and so he came up with an extended cut designed just for them...

“Netflix came to us and said, ‘Hey, look, if you’d be interested, if there’s even more footage, if you’d be interested in putting it together and in a way that we could show it as three or four episodes, depending on how much extra footage you have, we’d be willing to do that.'"

“I don’t know [an exact] timeline as far as how much new footage is in it, but it’s something like about, like, 25 minutes if not more. And there are sequences that play very different. We did a whole lot of re-editing, and it plays differently. Some sequences are more similar than others compared to the film, but it has a different feeling.”

Tarantino proceeded to take a shot at the news sites out there reporting on the series without knowing anything about it. He takes special offense to claims that it wasn't offering anything new and was just another TV edit...

“It’s really frustrating that on one hand, it seems like every website in the world wants to write about it, but no one wants to actually watch it. So, they could actually see for themselves if it’s different. Like, 42 different websites would rather speculate on if it’s different rather than just watch it. It’s all this misconception. ‘Oh, they’re just replaying the credits…it’s just only what was in the roadshow version.’ No!”

Hey, include me on that. I reported on it, too, and took the opinion of another as gospel which is something I don't often do.  Well, this actually has me kinda hyped to see what Tarantino felt needed to be changed about The Hateful Eight, and will probably spend some time checking it out very soon. What about you?

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Netflix Wants You To Binge Quentin Tarantino's 'The Hateful Eight' Extended Version

When Quentin Tarantino took the extended version of The Hateful Eight out as a traveling roadshow in 2015, only a limited number of theaters were equipped to show the 70mm cut. That version wasn't made available for home release, either, which is why there was some excitement last month when it was learned Netflix would soon have the extended cut available for subscribers. Well, it's here...but not as anyone would've expected.

Netflix has made the unusual decision to break up The Hateful Eight extended edition into a 4-part miniseries. This is the 70mm version Tarantino took out on a limited tour during the film's theatrical release, and has about 20 extra minutes of footage. So yes, that does make it a 3-hour movie but does that warrant slicing it up into episodes like this?

To me it's baffling, but I can kinda see Netflix's rationale. I don't know how many people watch 3-hour-plus movies on the streaming service but my gut tells me it isn't many. However, we'll sit and binge 6 hours of some lady folding laundry without even wondering where the time has gone. Chances are people will take in all of The Hateful Eight in one sitting.

And for those who just want the same ol' same ol', the original version of The Hateful Eight is also available.

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Box Office: 'Star Wars' Dethroned By 'Ride Along 2', '13 Hours' Misses The Mark

1. Ride Along 2 (review here)- $34M
It was inevitable that something would eventually take down Star Wars: The Force Awakens, and it was just as likely it would be a film like Ride Along 2. The sequel to Kevin Hart and Ice Cube's hit comedy opened with a strong $34M and is projected for $39M through the MLK holiday. That said, it's still less than the then-record breaking numbers the first film earned on this same weekend two years ago.  These movies aren't too expensive, though, with this one coming in at around $40M, and if it plays like the last one it will earn close to $150M when all is said and done. That's not too shabby for Hart, Cube, and director Tim Story who all have numerous successful franchises under their belts.  Universal knows what they have here, so don't be surprised if word of a Ride Along 3 breaks by Tuesday morning.
2. The Revenant- $29.5M/$87.6M
What's a good way to celebrate 12 Academy Award nominations? Leaping ahead of Star Wars for second place at the box office. Not only that, but it's looking like one of Leonardo DiCaprio's most successful films, which nobody could have fathomed a few months ago given the grim material.
3. Star Wars: The Force Awakens- $25.1M/$851M
Passing $1B internationally is a pretty good consolation for slipping into third place. In a lot of weeks the $25M weekend would have been enough to top the chart, which just goes to show how strong Star Wars still is after five weeks.
4. 13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi (review here)- $16M
Want to know how to turn a sure-fire hit into...well, not a hit? Look no further than the marketing for 13 Hours, Michael Bay's "account" of the 2012 terrorist attack on our diplomatic compound in Lybia. Paramount and Bay himself rallied together to pitch the film largely to conservatives, plastering ads for it all over Fox News and having the real-life security officers appearing on the network's programming. The result was that anyone who doesn't still think of Benghazi as an open issue, meaning non-conservatives, were turned off. The marketing for American Sniper, which similarly appeals to conservatives, was much smarter and more balanced, which is why it ended its run with over $540M. Granted, it had a much bigger star in Bradley Cooper and a lot of awards support, but that doesn't account for this huge of a gap. All of that said, the film isn't likely to be a flop, and for Paramount it's a definite win since it got Bay to direct one more Transformers movie.
5. Daddy's Home- $9.3M/$129.2M
6. Norm of the North (review here)- $6.6M
What the f&#k is a Norm of the North? Truthfully I had never heard of it before the screening invites went out, and apparently nobody went to see it, perhaps figuring it was a better idea to wait for Kung Fu Panda 3. The animated film features the voices of Heather Graham, Ken Jeong, and Rob Schneider, hardly a powerhouse lineup.
7. The Forest- $5.7M/$21.1M
8. The Big Short- $5.2M/$50.5M
9. Sisters- $4.4M/$81.8M
10. The Hateful Eight- $3.4M/$47.5M

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Box Office: 'Star Wars' Still #1 But 'The Revenant' Is A Close 2nd With $38M

1. Star Wars: The Force Awakens- $41.6M/$812M
After nearly a month there's still something new to say about the latest Star Wars film as it races up the charts faster than a jump through hyperspace. The film has now passed the $800M domestically, and worldwide it has hit $1.7B, soaring past Jurassic World into 3rd place all-time. That said, it's starting to slow down now and very nearly lost the top spot to The Revenant's expanded rollout, but it looks like it will be next week's Ride Along 2 that gets the honor. Get ready for those lame ass graphics all over Facebook: "Ride Along 2 dethrones Star Wars!". Yeah, who cares?
2. The Revenant- $38M/$39.5M
Alejandro Gonzalez-Inarritu's brilliant and possibly Oscar-winning The Revenant expanded nationally in its third week and earned $38M, plus one very special honor. By being the top film on Friday it's the first to defeat Star Wars for even a single day since it was released in December. Perhaps they should make an ad out of that? Maybe show Leonardo DiCaprio holding up a lightsaber and a bear pelt? As it's beginning to look more likely that DiCaprio will at least be nominated for Best Actor, with many expecting him to finally win, we should see the film steam along for a few weeks of strong returns. Already it's on the verge of surpassing the entire domestic total of Inarritu's Best Picture-winning Birdman, and the $38M debut marks one of DiCaprio's biggest of his career.
3. Daddy's Home- $15M/$116.3M
4. The Forest (review here)- $13M
The first real test of popular Game of Thrones actress Natalie Dormer's box office muscle proved to be a modest success. The Forest, another in a long tradition of cheap horror movies at the beginning of a new year, opened with $13M, which isn't bad considering the $10M budget. However, it's likely to tank hard next week meaning there aren't going to be huge returns on this one for anybody.
5. Sisters- $7.1M/$74.8M
6. The Hateful Eight- $6.35M/$41.4M
7. The Big Short- $6.3M/$42.8M
8. Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Road Chip- $5.5M/$75.6M
9. Joy- $4.5M/$46.5M
10. Concussion- $3M/$30.9M

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Producers Guild Awards Nominees Include 'Straight Outta Compton', 'Sicario', 'Spotlight', And More

The Producers Guild of America is generally pretty reliable when figuring out what will eventually earn an Oscar nomination, which makes the announcement of their nominations today enough to have some readjusting their picks. The PGA has nominated 10 films for Outstanding Theatrical Motion Picture, including Mad Max: Fury Road, Brooklyn, Spotlight, Straight Outta Compton, The Revenant, and Steven Spielberg's Bridge of Spies. What you won't find? Star Wars: The Force Awakens or The Hateful Eight, which doesn't bode well for their future prospects.

So a few big surprises to be sure, and we'll find out which films ultimately win out when the awards are handed out on January 23rd.  Check out the full list of film and TV nominees below: [via TheWrap]

The Darryl F. Zanuck Award for Outstanding Producer of Theatrical Motion Pictures:
“The Big Short”
Producers: Brad Pitt & Dede Gardner, Jeremy Kleiner

“Bridge of Spies”
Producers: Steven Spielberg, Marc Platt, Kristie Macosko Krieger

“Brooklyn”
Producers: Finola Dwyer & Amanda Posey

“Ex Machina”
This film is in the process of being vetted for producer eligibility

“Mad Max: Fury Road”
Producers: Doug Mitchell & George Miller

“The Martian”
Producers: Simon Kinberg, Ridley Scott, Michael Schaefer, Mark Huffam

“The Revenant”
Producers: Arnon Milchan, Steve Golin, Alejandro G. Iñárritu, Mary Parent, Keith Redmon

“Sicario”
Producers: Basil Iwanyk, Edward L. McDonnell, Molly Smith

“Spotlight”
Producers: Michael Sugar & Steve Golin, Nicole Rocklin, Blye Pagon Faust

“Straight Outta Compton”
Producers: Ice Cube & Matt Alvarez, F. Gary Gray, Dr. Dre, Scott Bernstein

The Award for Outstanding Producer of Animated Theatrical Motion Pictures:
“Anomalisa”
Producers: Rosa Tran, Duke Johnson, Charlie Kaufman

“The Good Dinosaur”
Producer: Denise Ream

“Inside Out”
Producer: Jonas Rivera

“Minions”
Producers: Chris Meledandri, Janet Healy

“The Peanuts Movie”
Producers: Craig Schulz, Michael J. Travers

The David L. Wolper Award for Outstanding Producer of Long-Form Television:
*The Long-Form Television category encompasses both movies of the week and mini-series.

“American Crime” (Season 1)
This show is in the process of being vetted for producer eligibility

“American Horror Story: Hotel” (Season 5)
Producers: Brad Falchuk, Ryan Murphy, Brad Buecker, Tim Minear, Jennifer Salt,James Wong, Alexis Martin Woodall, Robert M. Williams Jr.

“Fargo” (Season 2)
Producers: Noah Hawley, John Cameron, Ethan Coen, Joel Coen, Warren Littlefield, Kim Todd

“True Detective” (Season 2)
Producers: Nic Pizzolatto, Scott Stephens, Steve Golin, Aida Rodgers

“A Very Murray Christmas”
This show is in the process of being vetted for producer eligibility

The Award for Outstanding Sports Program:
“Back on Board: Greg Louganis”
“E:60”
“Hard Knocks: Training Camp with the Houston Texans”
“Kareem: Minority of One”
“Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel”

The Award for Outstanding Digital Series:
“30 for 30 Shorts”
“Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee”
“Epic Rap Battles of History”
“Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.: Double Agent”
“This American Life Presents: Videos 4 U”

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Box Office: 'Star Wars: The Force Awakens' Adds $88M, Nears All-Time U.S. Record

1. Star Wars: The Force Awakens- $88.3M/$740.2M
New Year's weekend is generally a soft one for new releases since studios know most people will be nursing hangovers. That doesn't mean business was slow, at least not for Star Wars: The Force Awakens which continued its epic run with $88.3M, unheard of for a third weekend.  That brings its domestic total to $740M, just $21M from surpassing James Cameron's Avatar for the all-time record here in America. The film has been out only 17 days, whereas it took weeks and months for Cameron's films, both Avatar and Titanic, to reach their incredible heights.  Worldwide its $1.51B has just moved it into 6th place all-time and probably by the time I finish this sentence it will have surpassed Furious 7 and moved into 5th. That's not a joke, it probably just passed Vin Diesel and crew. So where does it end? Some analysts are saying a big drop is due in the next couple of weeks, but these are the same people who didn't predict the kinds of numbers we are already seeing. It still has a long way to go to break Avatar's $2.7B global haul, but if next week's debut in China turns out to be huge (it will) then all bets are off.
2. Daddy's Home- $29M/$93.6M
People love the comedy combo of Will Ferrell and Mark Wahlberg, and Daddy's Home is shaping up to be one of the bigger hits for both actors. The film only slipped 23% in week two and will easily break $100M in the next day or so.
3. The Hateful Eight- $16.2M/$29.5M
Bounding a whopping 252% now that it's finally in wide release is Quentin Tarantino's The Hateful Eight. Clearly, there was some anticipation for those who weren't able to take in the 70mm road show version of the violent Western, and they turned out for the shorter, digital cut. This one doesn't have the star power of Tarantino's prior efforts, no Brad Pitt or Leonardo DiCaprio to speak of, so expecting it to do as well is perhaps a little silly. Solid awards buzz, particularly for the cinematograhy, score, and Tarantino's screenplay, should give it enough legs to be a long earner.
4. Sisters- $12.5M/$61.7M
5. Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Road Chip- $11.8M/$67.3M
6. Joy- $10.4M/$38.7M
Another one that's hoping Oscar notice will see it through is Joy, David O. Russell's latest team up with Jennifer Lawrence. The biopic scored $10.4M and slid 38% which isn't terrible but maybe a little underwhelming given the amount of talent involved. The film, which is based on the life of inventor Joy Mangano, isn't as easily marketed as Silver Linings Playbook or American Hustle, which could be part of the problem. Or maybe there's a case of Jennifer Lawrence fatigue going around.
7. The Big Short- $9M/$32.9M
8. Concussion- $8M/$25.3M
The Will Smith football drama is getting sacked here in the States, but maybe his overseas clout will help Concussion find the end zone.
9. Point Break- $6.8M/$22.4M
Well...it didn't totally wipe out but this unwanted remake is struggling domestically while performing better overseas. Currently it sits at $80M worldwide and within reach of its $105M+ budget, but don't expect too many more remakes of old Patrick Swayze movies any time soon. Wait...what's that? Road House with Ronda Rousy? Uhhhh....
10. The Hunger Games: Mockingjay-Part 2- $4.6M/$274.2M

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Box Office: 'Star Wars' Tops $1B As New Releases Start Strong

1. Star Wars: The Force Awakens- $153.5M/$544.5M

The amazing thing about Star Wars: the Force Awakens' $153M second weekend is that it faced such stiff competition. A slew of varied films from A-list stars such as Jennifer Lawrence, Will Ferrell, Will Smith, and Leonardo DiCaprio couldn't put a dent in the powerhouse, which dropped only 38% and amassed $544M domestically, the fastest to that number ever. Worldwide it's doing even better with $1.09B, ranking fifth all-time. Uhhh...it's only been out for 12 days, ya'll.

2. Daddy's Home (review here)- $38.8M
While we can all count on Will Ferrell as one of today's most consistent comedy stars, his opening weekends don't tend to be all that huge. Case in point, Daddy's Home, which sees him paired with another reliable box office star in Mark Wahlberg, opened at $38.8M, the 3rd-highest of his career. It's a solid score for both stars, especially Wahlberg who could use a bounce-back after Ted 2 underwhelmed earlier this year.
3. Joy (review here)- $17.5M
Despite the many hit films and awards already under her belt, Joy makes the strongest case for Jennifer Lawrence as a box office draw. The film, largely built and promoted around her, got off to a very good start with $17.5M. The biopic on entrepreneur and inventor Joy Mangano was directed by David O. Russell and reteams Lawrence with Robert De Niro and Bradley Cooper, the foursome having worked together on awards fodder American Hustle and Silver Linings Playbook. Certainly, the Oscar potential in Joy helped out considerably and will likely carry it along for a few weeks, but this is a win for Lawrence, for sure.
4. Sisters- $13.8M/$37.1M
Barely moving an inch from last week when it dared to open opposite Star Wars: The Force Awakens is the Tina Fey/Amy Poehler comedy, Sisters. The fairly mediocre film didn't even drop a full percentage point this week, meaning that its attempt at counter-programming was a definite success. Women can't live on lightsabers and Wookies alone, fellas.
5. Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Road Chip- $12.7M/$39.3M
6. Concussion (review here)- $11M
Traditionally football movies have only done okay at the box office, but what about a movie that hammers the NFL for being negligent about the health of its players? Well, that's one Hell of a tough sell. Concussion, which is earning Will Smith the best reviews he's had in years, opened with a lackluster $11M.The film centers on the discovery of the connection between NFL players and severe head injury, which the league and commissioner Roger Goodell denied for way too long. There was a lot of pre-buzz that the story would be toned down to ease up on the league, but the advanced controversy doesn't seem to have attracted much of an audience domestically. Now, Smith is a huge star overseas and there's a good chance the film is huge internationally. And considering the Oscar talk swirling around Smith's performance we could see a boost somewhere down the line.
7. The Big Short- $10.5M/$16M
8. Point Break- $10.2M
Nobody wanted a remake of Point Break, the classic bro flick that starred Keanu Reeves and Patrick Swayze. But we got one anyway, and Warner Bros. decided on top of all the negative buzz they would also not screen it for critics. Bad call, gang. The film opened at $10.2M which is about as bad as could have been expected. In the famous lead roles are the less-than-famous Edgar Ramirez (who thankfully has Joy to fall back on) and Luke Bracy, neither of which is known to put butts in seats.
9. The Hunger Games: Mockingjay-Part 2- $5.3M/$264.6M
10. Creed- $4.6M/$96.3M

The 70mm gamble by Quentin Tarantino appears to have paid off as The Hateful Eight's (review here) road show opened with $4.5M at 100 select locations outfitted for the format. That's an incredible $45K per site average, which would look even more amazing if it weren't for the ridiculous business done by Star Wars last week. This came after weeks of haggling over the actual theaters that would present the film in 70mm, plus The Weinstein Company's significant expense outfitting them so they could.  The only downside is that it probably could have done better except the film was leaked onto the Internet early, although this is likely to affect the theatrical version a bit more.

And finally (God damn this was a busy week!) Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu's bear-mawling survival thriller The Revenant (review here) opened in 4 locations, earning $471K in the process. It's a hefty start for a film that is expected to earn Leonardo DiCaprio an Oscar nomination, and depending on who you ask it may get him his first win. It's worth noting that Inarritu's Best Picture-winning Birdman didn't start off so hot but Oscar buzz and international audiences powered it to over $100M. Don't be surprised if something similar happens here.

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Review: Quentin Tarantino's 'The Hateful Eight' With Samuel L. Jackson, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Kurt Russell, And More

Chances are you already know if Quentin Tarantino's The Hateful Eight is on the Christmas list this season. Tarantino is, as ever, and acquired taste who has only grown more stylized over the years. The Hateful Eight is perhaps his most indulgent film while at the same time one of the most faithful. This isn't an off-the-wall take on the Western genre like Django Unchained turned out to be; this is Tarantino fully embracing the likes of Sergio Leone, even going so far as to have the great Ennio Morricone provide a perfectly dusty score. But it's also Tarantino's most intimate and personal film in quite some time, harkening back to his breakout crime flick, Reservoir Dogs.

At its core, The Hateful Eight is a simple whodunit; a mystery in which every one of the scoundrels shacked up in the middle of post-Civil War Wyoming is a likely suspect. Of course, nothing is ever truly simple with Tarantino at the helm. The film finds the divisive cinephile exploring themes of racism and festering hatred at a time when wounds from the War still ran deep. Everybody's a bad guy here, again like Reservoir Dogs, and nobody makes you want to root for the bad guy better than Tarantino does.

Much of your enjoyment of The Hateful Eight will depend on your tolerance for Tarantino's long-windedness. The film is broken up into five chapters, led by a musical overture and split by an intermission old school-style, but it takes an eternity for the plot to actually kick in. For those who appreciate Tarantino's fondness for narrative minutia, this won't be a big deal at all. With a blustery blizzard swirling, a stagecoach rattles through the snow on the way to find some shelter. Inside are two of the film's colorfully-named antagonists, "The Hangman" John Ruth (Kurt Russell, perfectly suited to this kind grizzled character), and the convict he intends to see hanged, Daisy Dormegue (Jennifer Jason Leigh, all fangs and snake-tongued). Before they can get where they're going, two chance encounters hold them up. The first is white-hunting former Union soldier Major Marquis Warren (Samuel L. Jackson), who carries around a note written to him by President Abraham Lincoln. The second is Chris Mannix (Walton Goggins), the supposed new Sheriff of Red Rock, which happens to be where Daisy is meant to meet her fate. Coincidence? You know better than that.

Things start to get ugly or uglier when they arrive at Minnie's Haberdashery, which doesn't resemble the pit stop they were expecting. Instead of the usual owners they're met by four instantly-suspicious sorts who all resemble villains from out of a John Ford movie. The new caretaker is Bob The Mexican (Demian Bichir), who insists the owners are out of town; the roguish Oswaldo Mobray (Tim Roth), the apparent hangman of Red Rock; tight-lipped and secretive cowboy Joe Gage (Michael Madsen); and legendarily racist Confederate General Sanford Smithers (Bruce Dern). Stuck in this broken down old shack with a hilariously unusable door and different political and social agendas at work, the fuse is lit for what is guaranteed to be an explosive dénouement.

Tarantino turns up the heat slowly, almost to an excruciating degree. It becomes clear that someone isn't who they claim to be, and it's Warren who is forced by extenuating circumstances (read: a murder attempt) to play detective.  And it's a mystery with real meat on its bones thanks to Tarantino's hearty screenplay which fleshes out each character in defined strokes, doling out generous amounts of levity to lighten the tension. There may be no better comic duo all year than Russell and Leigh, who are in literally every scene together for reasons best left unsaid. While definitely an ensemble it's Jackson who comes through with his usual brand of Tarantino-inspired braggadocio. He gets one long soliloquy that is both bizarre and strangely fitting, in which he ruffles racist feathers by forcing them to imagine his big black penis. Tarantino seems to have a fondness for the subject of racists obsessed with black male genitalia, and he takes that subject further than he's ever taken it before. Let's just leave it at that. 

With so many characters mostly stuck in one confined space for the film's duration, shooting in glorious 70mm doesn't seem to make a lot of sense. And yet it's strangely perfect, not only in the wide, snowy expanse of the outdoor scenes, but inside where it allows for a surprising level of detail. While it may seem sedentary at times, there's a lot going on in each and every scene which the broader Panavision makes clearer. Keep a close eye in the background or on the fringes and you might catch a character's subtle reactions to a passing comment. 

Where the film begins to unravel is, unfortunately, in the deflating reveal which comes after the perfectly-timed intermission. Unveiled mostly in an awesome flashback (which includes the always-great Zoe Bell, by the way, and an A-lister some may not expect), once it's over it leaves the story with little place to go but down and a lot of time to get there. Tarantino fills that space with a generous helping of gore and brutality. In particular there's a great deal of Leigh getting smacked around and beat like a mule; all of which her character takes with a bloody and knowing smile. 

The Hateful Eight is ultimately Tarantino hashing out the issue of racism, and his approach to it is brusque, pointed, and a little uncomfortable. But only he would have the stones to build such a thrilling Western homage around it. While some will continue to take issue with his stylistic touches, the violence, the language, whatever, Tarantino always has something he wants to say and we're better off every time he gets to say it.

Rating: 4 out of 5

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Quentin Tarantino's 'The Hateful Eight' Suffers Another Early Leak

It seems Quentin Tarantino can't escape leaks of his film, The Hateful Eight. Back when he was still in the early stages the script was leaked to the public, and the angry director shelved the film as a response. All of that was obviously cleared up some time later, but now as the film prepares to open its 70mm road show cut this holiday season it has been leaked early.

The Hateful Eight and Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu's The Revenant saw high-quality versions released online. According to tracking site TorrentFreak, the films were pirated by by a group known as Hive-CM8 and they are quoted as saying there are many more key features set to be leaked, as they have already done with Steve Jobs and Joy.

This seems to happen every year. Some foolish person in the media leaves their screener sitting on a park bench or something, and before you know it their are copies all over the Internet. It's not clear how it happened this time, but here's hoping they ban whoever the source was. Unless it's me. I'm reasonably sure all of my screeners are here... [Deadline]

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Travis Hopson's 20 Best Movies of 2015

Every year is a good year for movies. Don't be fooled by those who say otherwise because they're probably not exploring their options too tough.  The consensus for 2015 seems to be that this was a down year, which kind of boggles my mind. How can that be when we've had such visually distinct films as Mad Max: Fury Road, The Revenant, Crimson Peak, and more? How can that be when Pixar delivered on the promise of their most ambitious film, Inside Out? How can it be when friggin' Star Wars: The Force Awakens came out this year and turned us all into kids again? Nah, I don't buy it. Sell that nonsense to someone else.

As you know I like to keep a running tally of the movies I see each year, and I'm currently sitting at 271 with only a few days to go. Makes putting together this list both easier and more of a headache. If there's a common thread between the films I chose it's forcing the audience to take a second look. Whether it's looking at war differently like Beasts of No Nation, or adolescence like Mustang, or motherhood like Goodnight Mommy, most of the movies on my list force you to think again, and maybe even think differently.

Changing things up a little bit this year, partially due to time but mainly due to my desire not to repeat myself. What's the point of writing reviews if I'm just going to come here and tell you what's great about the movie? So I'm keeping the entries short and sweet, focusing on what made the most immediate impact. And really, these "Best of" lists are all about the movies that had the biggest personal impact on us, right?

So here we go. Enjoy the show. Be sure to follow all of our "Best of 2015" coverage here!

20. Goodnight Mommy
Practically an advertisement for abstinence, the twin horrors at the center of this Austrian thriller are the scariest kids since Children of the Corn. Dark, torturous, and ominous from the start, only watch this if you never want to be a parent ever.

19.Best of Enemies
Thank you, Nell Minow, for putting me on to Best of Enemies. She knows somebody like me would pay good money to watch conservative icon William F. Buckley get smacked down, and revisiting how badly he get rope-a-doped on national TV by Gore Vidal still makes me smile devilishly. Only documentary of the year I'd happily watch again and again.

18. Creed
The best Rocky movie since the first one. Period.  And yes, it definitely is a Rocky movie in all of the ways that matter. From the heart, the toughness, the emphasis on family; all of it. Creed, like Rocky before it, is about leaving it all in the ring and living life the same way. If there's a more invigorating scene than Michael B. Jordan's jogging montage I don't know what it is.

17. People Places Things
I can't believe how much I love this movie.  It's got precocious kids all over the place. And Jemaine Clement. These are things I don't normally like, but People Places Things is the sweetest and one of the funniest movies of the year.

16. Five Star
A little authenticity goes a long way, and the incredible performance by gangster-turned-actor James "Primo" Grant in this gritty tale of street legacy is what separates it from the more polished urban dramas.

15. Crimson Peak
Suffered from terribly miscalculated marketing, that much is undeniable, but Guillermo Del Toro's lurid, lush Gothic romance was a visual treat you couldn't turn your eyes away from. Plus it features the most icy-awesome Jessica Chastain ever. I'd kill for her to give me that kind of shade.

14. Mustang
The superior of the year's two foreign films on girlhood (the other ironically titled Girlhood), Mustang had me wanting to bust through the screen and rescue the five spirited girls from the conservative Hellhole they were trapped in.

13.  Ex Machina
The best sci-fi is weird, funny, and forces us to think about our current society in a different way. Ex Machina does all of these things, plus it has the most awesome dance scene of the year (sorry Naomi Watts but you're a close second) and Alicia Vikander. And Oscar Isaac. And Domhnall Gleeson. Combined they had like two thousand movies in 2015.

12. Carol
Did you see how exquisitely Cate Blanchett was dressed? Who the f**k wouldn't fall in love with her? Todd Haynes' camera certainly did.

11. Inside Out
Finally, a movie that attempts to tell us guys what exactly is going on in a woman's head! Surprise! The whole thing's an amusement park.  A crumbling amusement park. Pixar needed this stroke of brilliance after the last couple of years afflicted with "sequel-itis".

10. Sicario
The most stinging rebuke of the failed war on drugs is also the year's most white-knuckle experience. As Emily Blunt's naive young agent falls down the rabbit hole of violent government excess and corruption, exemplified by an overconfident handler (Josh Brolin) and mysterious "bird dog" (scariest Benicio Del Toro ever, and he was The Wolfman!) we can't help but feel the same futility she must have felt.

9. The Hateful Eight
Part of me wants Quentin Tarantino to make something other than Westerns. But then he does them so damn well! From the glorious Ennio Morricone score, to the stunning cinematography (see it in 70mm!) to the rabble of ornery cusses all crammed together waiting to fill one another with lead, The Hateful Eight is a nearly flawless love letter to the Westerns of old.

8. Victoria
Those who claim Victoria is a one-trick pony, that being its 2-hour-long single shot, aren't acknowledging HOW FREAKING AMAZING THAT ONE TRICK IS!!! No seriously, there isn't a cinematic feat quite like it this year, but I also fell for the arc of the central love story which goes from Before Sunrise to True Romance at the drop of a hat.

7. Far from the Madding Crowd
Carey Mulligan. Matthias Schoenaerts. Thomas Vinterberg. It's like they made a movie just for me. And that I'm a sucker for a sweeping romance only made it more likely this would be high on my list. I'm also a sucker for any film in which a woman can be courted with a live lamb.

6. Me and Earl and the Dying Girl
One of two Sundance films to crack my top 10, this was the most enjoyable film about illness since The Fault In Our Stars, which it shares much in common with from a thematic standpoint. But it's also unexpectedly nimble visually, riotously funny thanks to a stellar comedic cast, and acknowledges the healing power of really good cinema.

5. Beasts of No Nation
Cary Fukunaga's devastating war film would be too tough to watch if it wasn't so beautiful. To see children losing their innocence in a shower of blood and bullets is unbearable but that's the point; to make you think about the real costs of armed conflict around the world. On a side note: Idris Elba is so damned charismatic here I woul probably follow him into certain doom.

4. Mad Max: Fury Road
I went into George Miller's Mad Max: Fury Road not at all a fan of the previous films, and exited a total convert.  A breakneck 2-hour thrillride through Miller's warped imagination, the film also marks a welcome turn away from CGI effects and into the practical. Let's hope it stays that way.

3. The Revenant
The most breath-taking film of the year, Alejandro Gonzalez-Inarritu's grueling survival thriller put Leonardo DiCaprio and Co. through their paces, but damn was it worth it. Shot mostly using natural light, the cast and crew endured brutal weather patterns and an overlong production. Normally such stories are the deathknell of a film, but this is the rare case where the difficulties seem to have made it better.  I watched it again recently on a small portable DVD player and it's still awesome to behold. There may never be another film that looks quite like The Revenant. Just hand cinematographer Emmanuel Lubezki his third straight Oscar already! Just hand it over!

2. Star Wars: The Force Awakens
How in the name of Kylo Ren is Star Wars: The Force Awakens not my #1 film of the year? Well, it's just not, but it was damn close. While we all love J.J. Abrams' obvious adoration for the original trilogy, it's that he isn't so busy looking backward that he forgets to move forward that makes this movie so special.

1. Brooklyn
I saw Brooklyn at Sundance back in January and haven't been able to forget it. I have an appreciation for simple stories told well, and that's what this is.  Nick Hornby's concise adaptation, along with John Crowley's smooth direction paints a beautifully vivid picture of America as a place of hope and opportunity. Saoirse Ronan, in what I think is an Oscar-worthy performance, has never been better, capturing the fear, loneliness, and eventual strength of a homesick girl trying to find her place in the world. Brooklyn is a truly timeless story that reflects the best of what cinema has to offer.

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Tickets For Quentin Tarantino's 'The Hateful Eight' 70mm Roadshow Now Available!

Over the weekend The Weinstein Company began teasing a major announcement for Quentin Tarantino's The Hateful Eight. The rumors had been swirling for a while about changes to the 70mm roadshow presentation, and now we're finding out exactly what the new plan is going to be.

The Hateful Eight's extended roadshow cut, which features an overture and intermission, will open in 100 theaters across the U.S. on Christmas Day. That's the biggest 70mm rollout in two decades so it's a big deal, and if you're interested in getting tickets for it you can go here. It will screen in this format for two weeks only, but it won't be exclusive for as long as previously intended. There's also the chance some of the film's cast will be popping up at some of the 70mm showings, so keep an eye out for Samuel L. Jackson hanging out in the back row or something. Here's the full list of cities, and yes DC is on it:

New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Philadelphia, Dallas, San Francisco, Boston, Atlanta, Washington DC, Houston, Detroit, Phoenix, Seattle, Tampa, Minneapolis, Denver, Miami, Cleveland, Orlando, Sacramento, St. Louis, Portland, Pittsburgh, Milwaukee, Charlotte, Raleigh-Durham, Baltimore, San Diego, Nashville, Kansas City, San Antonio, West Palm Beach, Birmingham, Las Vegas, Albuquerque, Oklahoma City, Austin, New Orleans, Providence, Knoxville, Santa Barbara, Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver.

The shorter digital version will open nationwide on December 31st, a full week earlier than before. There are probably a few exhibitors who aren't too happy about that, especially if they doled out a ton of cash to put in the 70mm projectors and train employees on using them. Those who pre-order tickets are eligible to get some cool prizes, too.

I managed to catch the 70mm cut, however it was presented to us digitally. I'll definitely be trying to check it out the way Tarantino intended, and yes it's worth seeing more than once so get your tickets here.

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Quentin Tarantino Teaches About 70mm In 'The Hateful Eight' Featurette

The most frequent question among critics who are scrambling to see everything possible before their local awards is, "What about The Hateful Eight?". It's a good question as we still don't know if it will be presented to us as Quentin Tarantino clearly wants, which is in full 70mm. That's how the Western will be presented when it opens on Christmas Day as part of a traveling "roadshow" of sorts, with The Weinstein Company shelling out a lot of cash to get theaters ready for it. But for those who have no clue what the big deal about 70mm is, Tarantino has released this 7-minute featurette to school you up.

Narrated by Samuel L. Jackson with other members of The Hateful Eight cast chiming in, it basically runs through the history of 70mm Panavision; the amount of work it takes to present a film in that format, and how roadshows were once considered a special event. This is the same featurette they showed at Comic-Con and it's a good primer on what to expect from Tarantino.

The Hateful Eight opens in 70mm on Christmas Day, followed by a digital theatrical release two weeks later.

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'The Hateful Eight' Turn Their Backs In the Latest Poster

Quentin Tarantino's The Hateful Eight had a long and complicated journey to where it is now, but the next month promises to be just as interesting. The Western is being presented in 70mm format as part of a traveling "road show" event, which will require many theaters showing it to upgrade their equipment. Fortunately, The Weinstein Company is willing to shell out the dough to make that happen, at an estimated cost of up to $80K per site. But if the awards and box office come as many expect, it will have been worth it.

What should be the final poster for the film has hit, and it's a pretty clever image that shows off the cast as they trudge through a blizzard. That snowstorm figures heavily into the post-Civil War thriller about a motley group stuck together in a stagecoach stopover as tensions between them mount.  Samuel L. Jackson, Bruce Dern, Tim Roth, Kurt Russell, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Michael Madsen, Demian Bichir, and Walton Goggins lead the ensemble.

The Hateful Eight opens in 70mm on Christmas Day then expands to a more traditional release two weeks later. It's expected that screenings will begin next week in time for local critics awards, and hopefully we'll be on that list.

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New Trailer for Quentin Tarantino's 'The Hateful Eight' as Controversy Mounts

Quentin Tarantino has often found himself at the center of controversy, and over the last few days he's in the middle of another firestorm. This one involves a proposed boycott of his upcoming Western, The Hateful Eight, due to comments the director made at a rally against police violence. Let's be real: the police unions would have called for a boycott even if he had never opened his mouth, but that he called some of them "murderers" has thrown fuel on the fire. Whatever the case, Tarantino's fight against real violence has put a lot of eyes on his film which promises a ton of fictional violence, and makes the timing of a new trailer nearly perfect.

Starring  Samuel L. Jackson, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Kurt Russell, Demian Bichir, Walton Goggins, Michael Madsen, Tim Roth, and Bruce Dern, The Hateful Eight takes a number of dangerous, ornery cusses and packs them all into one place while a blizzard rages outside. Will there be blood? Count on it. Here's the synopsis:

Set six or eight or twelve years after the Civil War, a stagecoach hurtles through the wintry Wyoming landscape. The passengers, bounty hunter John Ruth (Kurt Russell) and his fugitive Daisy Domergue (Jennifer Jason Leigh), race towards the town of Red Rock where Ruth, known in these parts as “The Hangman,” will bring Domergue to justice. Along the road, they encounter two strangers: Major Marquis Warren (Samuel L. Jackson), a black former union soldier turned infamous bounty hunter, and Chris Mannix (Walton Goggins), a southern renegade who claims to be the town’s new Sheriff. Losing their lead on the blizzard, Ruth, Domergue, Warren and Mannix seek refuge at Minnie's Haberdashery, a stagecoach stopover on a mountain pass. When they arrive at Minnie’s, they are greeted not by the proprietor but by four unfamiliar faces: Bob (Demian Bichir), who’s taking care of Minnie’s while she’s visiting her mother, is holed up with Oswaldo Mobray (Tim Roth), the hangman of Red Rock, cow-puncher Joe Gage (Michael Madsen), and Confederate General Sanford Smithers (Bruce Dern). As the storm overtakes the mountainside stopover, our eight travelers come to learn they may not make it to Red Rock after all…

The Hateful Eight opens in 70mm on December 25th, followed by a normal rollout two weeks later.

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The Gang's All Here in New Posters for Quentin Tarantino's 'The Hateful Eight'

*UPDATED with posters featuring the rest of The Hateful Eight cast!

When Quentin Tarantino's The Hateful Eight arrives this Christmas it's going to be a very big deal. Not in the way every Tarantino film is a major event, but in a much larger way as he takes it on a traveling roadshow in full 70mm format, and the latest poster wants to make sure you see it as he intended.

Kurt Russell and Jennifer Jason Leigh grace the new poster for The Hateful Eight in their roles as"The Hangman" John Ruth and "The Prisoner" Daisy Domergue. And right there branded in the bottom corner is the Ultra Panavision 70 stamp, promising this will be the first movie in nearly 50 years to be released in that format.  Russell and Leigh's characters are just two of the eight undesirables stuck in Minnie’s Habberdashery as a snowstorm rages. The rest of the cast includes Samuel L. Jackson, Walton Goggins, Demian Bichir, Tim Roth, Michael Madsen, Bruce Dern, Zoe Bell, and some kind of cameo by Channing Tatum. Here's the official synopsis:

In THE HATEFUL EIGHT, set six or eight or twelve years after the Civil War, a stagecoach hurtles through the wintry Wyoming landscape. The passengers, bounty hunter John Ruth (Russell) and his fugitive Daisy Domergue (Leigh), race towards the town of Red Rock where Ruth, known in these parts as “The Hangman,” will bring Domergue to justice. Along the road, they encounter two strangers: Major Marquis Warren (Jackson), a black former union soldier turned infamous bounty hunter, and Chris Mannix (Goggins), a southern renegade who claims to be the town’s new Sheriff. Losing their lead on the blizzard, Ruth, Domergue, Warren and Mannix seek refuge at Minnie’s Haberdashery, a stagecoach stopover on a mountain pass. When they arrive at Minnie’s, they are greeted not by the proprietor but by four unfamiliar faces. Bob (Bichir), who’s taking care of Minnie’s while she’s visiting her mother, is holed up with Oswaldo Mobray (Roth), the hangman of Red Rock, cow-puncher Joe Gage (Madsen), and Confederate General Sanford Smithers (Dern). As the storm overtakes the mountainside stopover, our eight travelers come to learn they may not make it to Red Rock after all…

The Hateful Eight gets a two-week 70mm run beginning Christmas Day, followed by a digital theatrical release on January 8, 2016. [EW]

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The Guns are Out in the Trailer for Quentin Tarantino's 'The Hateful Eight'

Remember when it looked like Quentin Tarantino wouldn't give us The Hateful Eight? A version of the script had been leaked and Tarantino, who takes the finer points of his screenplays incredibly serious, decided to scrap the Western, his follow-up Django Unchained.  Ultimately, cooler heads prevailed, and Tarantino has decided this will be more than just another action movie. The Hateful Eight is meant to be a pure cinematic experience captured in full 70mm glory. And now after an impressive debut of footage at Comic-Con last month, the first trailer puts all of Tarantino's gun-toting villains on display.

Starring Kurt Russell, Samuel L. Jackson, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Tim Roth, Michael Madsen, Demian Bichir, Bruce Dern, and Walton Goggins as the titular group of ornery cusses in a tense stand-off while stuck inside during a raging snowstorm. If 'Django' was Tarantino's revisionist take on the genre, The Hateful Eight is him jumping into a more traditional style, and by the looks of it he's succeeded. It certainly won't hurt to have the legendary Ennio Morricone providing the film's score.

The Hateful Eight opens in 70mm on Christmas Day, before going national on January 8th.


The Hateful Eight (2015) - Official Trailer [VO-HD] by Eklecty-City.fr

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Ennio Morricone to Score Quentin Tarantino's 'The Hateful Eight'; New Poster Revealed; 'Kill Bill 3' Teased

One of the best, most informative panels of Comic-Con over the weekend was Quentin Tarantino's The Hateful Eight. The director delivered to fans a whopping 7-minutes of footage, showing the star-studded Western's violence and colorful cast of killers and criminals. And while that was great, Tarantino's obvious focus was informing the crowd about the history of 70mm film, in particular the traveling road show he intends to take the movie on using the expanded format. So the panel was begun with a brief tutorial on 70mm, narrated by none other than Samuel L. Jackson who couldn't be there in person. A wintry new poster for the film was also released, showing blood splattered across the fallen snow making for quite the stark image. That's a pretty cool tagline, too.

Tarantino also dropped at least one brand new detail about the movie, revealing that legendary Western composer Ennio Morricone (The Good, the Bad and the Ugly) would be scoring it, his first in the genre in four decades. It's a big deal, because Tarantino had been trying to get Morricone for Inglourious Basterds but he was busy on another project. Morricone then came out and bashed the director's Django Unchained pretty badly, adding that Tarantino "places music in his films without coherence". He lightened those statements a while later, and clearly all is good between them now. A wintry 

Continuing to make headlines, Tarantino again teased Kill Bill 3, saying Uma Thurman wants to do it but he has to wait for the girl who played Vernita Green's (Vivica A. Fox) daughter to grow old enough to seek revenge for her mother's death. He's been saying that same line for years but at least he's sticking to it. Tarantino also said he has maybe one more film left in him for this decade since he usually does three every ten years. And he also teased a move to TV if shooting on film gets completely wiped out. It's not the first time he's talked "retiring" from movies, nor is it the first he's said about a move to television. For awhile he considered a 4-hour Django Unchained miniseries, and maybe that's something he still has cooking for the future. 

The Hateful Eight begins its traveling 70mm road show on Christmas Day, followed by a national release two weeks later. 

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New Image from 'The Hateful Eight'; Quentin Tarantino Discusses the Film's Humor

Guess who's riding into San Diego Comic-Con next week in his covered wagon and a barrel full of buckshot? Quentin Tarantino, who plans to unveil some new footage from his western The Hateful Eight, and some of the cast will be in attendance to join him. But before any of that, EW has released a new image featuring Kurt Russell as John Ruth and Samuel L. Jackson as Major Marquis Warren in what Tarantino calls the funniest snow western ever...

“I can definitely say that as bleak as our movie is, we are definitely the funniest snow Western ever made. This is funnier than 'The Great Silence,' it’s funnier than 'Day of the Outlaw.'...Oh, yeah, funnier than 'McCabe & Mrs. Miller.' ”

If Tarantino goes into Hall H talking about all of the old movies that influenced him, the audience may start to glaze over. They may be more interested in hearing him talk about the 70mm presentation and the cross-country roadshow he plans to take the film on.

Also starring Jennifer Jason Leigh, Michael Madsen, Tim Roth, Walton Goggins, Bruce Dern and Demian Bichir, The Hateful Eight opens Christmas Day in limited 70mm release, then goes nationwide two weeks later.

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Comic-Con Reveals Full Schedule for Saturday, July 11th

And here's your big daddy! Saturday is the day when San Diego Comic-Con unleashes the big guns, and that's definitely the case again this year. Hall H kicks off the morning with the anticipated Warner Bros. presentation that is guaranteed to have some footage from Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and possibly Suicide Squad. Later in the day also brings Pride & Prejudice & Zombies, the Legendary Pictures panel with Crimson Peak and Warcraft, and also the 20th Century Fox panel which hopefully will have something from X-Men: Apocalypse. Plus, the Women Who Kick Ass panel, which is quickly becoming a personal favorite. And then there's also Quentin Tarantino's The Hateful Eight!

Saturday, July 11 at Comic-Con

The Last Man on Earth
What would you do if you were the last person on Earth? Star and creator Will Forte (Nebraska, Saturday Night Live), Kristen Schaal (Bob’s Burgers, Flight of the Conchords), January Jones (Mad Men), and director/executive producer Chris Miller (The Lego Movie, 21 Jump Street) discuss the surprising twists and turns of the first season as well as tease the upcoming second season
Saturday July 11, 2015 10:00am – 11:00am
Indigo Ballroom, Hilton San Diego Bayfront

Once Upon a Time
Once Upon a Time’s savior has gone dark. As Emma Swan transitions into her role as the Dark One, join the resident fairy tale characters as they cope with Emma’s new role and begin the search for Merlin. Co-creators and executive producers Edward Kitsis (Lost) and Adam Horowitz (Lost) join the cast to discuss the upcoming season of unexpected twists, evolving characters, new adventures, and new rivalries. Also: an exclusive sneak peek at what’s in store for the upcoming season.
Saturday July 11, 2015 10:00am – 10:45pm
Ballroom 20

Into the Badlands
Cast members Daniel Wu, Marton Csokas, Aramis Knight, Emily Beecham, and Orla Brady join executive producers and showrunners Al Gough and Miles Millar, executive producer and director David Dobkin, and executive producer and fight director Stephen Fung in a panel discussion about bringing authentic martial arts to the small screen, as well as what audiences can expect to see when this new series premieres later this year on AMC. Join the panelists for a Q&A session and an official sneak preview of Season 1.
Saturday July 11, 2015 10:30am – 11:30am
Room 5AB

Marvel Animation Presents
The Marvel Animation Studios team returns for one of the most anticipated television panels at San Diego. Join Stephen Wacker (VP, current series Marvel Animation Studios), Cort Lane (VP, animation development and partnerships), and Eric Radomski (SVP, production and creative director, animation) for exclusive first looks at the exciting new seasons of the hit animated series Marvel’s Avengers: Ultron Revolution and Marvel’s Ultimate Spider-Man vs. The Sinister 6. Plus, experience the world premiere of never-before-seen footage from Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy animated series, starring Star-Lord, Groot, Rocket, Gamora, and Drax in the highly anticipated new animated series coming to Disney XD this year.
Saturday July 11, 2015 10:30am – 11:30am
Room 6BCF

Warner Bros. Presentation
A “sneak peek” at a few upcoming releases from Warner Bros.
Saturday July 11, 2015 10:30am – 12:00pm
Hall H

Childhood’s End
Syfy’s upcoming miniseries based on the Arthur C. Clarke classic novel stars Charles Dance (Game of Thrones), Mike Vogel (Bates Motel), Julian McMahon (Nip/Tuck), Daisy Betts (Last Resort), and Yael Stone (Orange Is the New Black). The cast will be on hand, along with director Nick Hurran (Sherlock: His Last Vow) and screenwriter Matthew Graham (Doctor Who) to discuss how they brought the iconic novel to screen for the very first time.
Saturday July 11, 2015 11:00am – 12:00pm
Indigo Ballroom, Hilton San Diego Bayfront

Blindspot Pilot Screening and Q&A
Sullivan Stapleton (300: Rise of an Empire) and Jaimie Alexander (Thor films) star in Blindspot, a one-hour action thriller from Berlanti Productions (The Flash, Arrow, Pan) and writer/executive producer Martin Gero (Stargate: Atlantis). Stapleton stars as hardened FBI agent Kurt Weller, who is drawn into a complex conspiracy when a naked amnesiac, Jane Doe (Alexander), is found in Times Square covered in a series of cryptic tattoos, including his name on her back. As Weller and his teammates at the FBI begin to investigate the veritable treasure map of Jane Doe’s tattoos, they are drawn into a high-stakes underworld that twists and turns through a labyrinth of secrets and revelations; the information they uncover might ultimately change the world. Blindspot makes its Comic-Con debut with a screening of the complete pilot episode, followed by a Q&A with executive producers and series stars. From Berlanti Productions in association with Warner Bros. Television Blindspot premieres this fall Mondays at 10/9c on NBC.
Saturday July 11, 2015 11:15am – 12:15pm
Room 6A

The Simpsons
Going into its record-demolishing 27th season! Join this panel for a sneak peek behind “Treehouse of Horror XXVI” and much, much more with creator Matt Groening, executive producers Al Jean and Matt Selman, supervising director Mike Anderson, long-time director David Silverman and the woman behind Bart Simpson, Nelson Muntz, and Ralph Wiggum, Nancy Cartwright. Ay carumba indeed.
Saturday July 11, 2015 12:00pm – 12:45pm
Ballroom 20

12 Monkeys
Join executive producers Terry Matalas and Travis Fickett, and stars Aaron Stanford (James Cole), Amanda Schull (Dr. Cassandra Railly), Emily Hampshire (Jennifer Goines) and Todd Stashwick (Deacon) of Syfy’s critically acclaimed series as they dissect the mysteries of the first season and hint at the twists and turns coming in Season 2.
Saturday July 11, 2015 12:00pm – 1:00pm
Indigo Ballroom, Hilton San Diego Bayfront

Colony: USA Network Series Screening
Be the first to see Carlton Cuse’s highly anticipated USA Network television series, Colony, at an intimate screening, followed by a Q&A with Cuse (Lost, The Strain) and his co-executive producer Ryan Condal (Hercules), along with series stars Josh Holloway (Lost) and Sarah Wayne Callies (The Walking Dead). Colony is set in near-future Los Angeles after outside intruders have seized control of the city and subjected it to a military occupation. Surrounded by impenetrable walls and torn by opposing forces, most citizens feel powerless to stop the new regime; some collaborate with the authorities and benefit from the new order, while others rebel and suffer the consequences.
Saturday July 11, 2015 12:00pm – 1:30pm
Horton Grand Theatre

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies
Pride and Prejudice and Zombies A zombie outbreak has fallen upon the land in Jane Austen’s classic tale of the tangled relationships between lovers from different social classes in 19th-century England. Feisty heroine Elizabeth Bennet (Lily James) is a master of martial arts and weaponry, and the handsome Mr. Darcy (Sam Reilly) is a fierce zombie killer, yet the epitome of upper-class prejudice. As the zombie outbreak intensifies, they must swallow their pride and join forces on the blood-soaked battlefield. Cast members Lily James, Sam Riley, Bella Heathcote, Douglas Booth, Jack Huston and Matt Smith along with writer/director Burr Steers and the book’s author Seth Grahame-Smith for a first look at Screen Gem’s adaptation of his acclaimed twist on the classic novel. Patient Zero An uprecedented global pandemic of a super strain of rabies has turned the majority of humankind into highly intelligent, streamlined killers known as ‘The Infected’. One victim, Morgan (Matt Smith), who is asymptomatic and can communicate with the infected, leads the last survivors on a hunt for Patient Zero and a cure. Join cast members Matt Smith, John Bradley, Natalie Dormer, and Clive Standen along with director Stefan Ruzowitzky and screenwriter Mike Le for an exclusive first look of the film. Both panels will be moderated by Dalton Ross (Entertainment Weekly).
Saturday July 11, 2015 12:15pm – 1:15pm
Hall H

Marvel: House of Ideas
Love having the best comics in the industry on your mobile devices? Want to know how Marvel stays on the cutting edge of technology? Then this panel is for you, True Believer! Get exciting news about Marvel’s Infinite Comics as well as what’s happening with the Marvel Comics App, Marvel Unlimited, and more. Plus: Be here for the latest and greatest directly from Marvel Games, including an infestation of epic proportions! Panelists include executive editorial director of digital Ryan Penagos, Marvel Games creative director Bill Rosemann, Marvel Games executive producer Mike Jones, and other mighty Marvel guests.
Saturday July 11, 2015 12:30pm – 1:30pm
Room 6A

Seth MacFarlane Animation Block
A Comic-Con first! The Renaissance man of entertainment will participate in a panel featuring sneak peeks at the upcoming seasons of fan favorites Family Guy and American Dad plus an exclusive look at his newest project, Bordertown! Joined by the casts and executive producers from each show, including Seth Green, Alex Borstein, Mike Henry, Scott Grimes, Dee Bradley Baker, Wendy Schaal, Rich Appel, Steve Callaghan, Matt Weitzman, Brian Boyle, and from Bordertown, Missi Pyle, Nicholas Gonzalez, and Mark Hentemann.
Saturday July 11, 2015 1:00pm – 2:45pm
Ballroom 20

Quentin Tarantino’s The Hateful Eight
Academy Award-winning writer/director Quentin Tarantino brings fans an exclusive look at his highly anticipated 8th film, The Hateful Eight. Followed by a Q&A session with the cast.
Saturday July 11, 2015 1:30pm – 2:15pm
Hall H

Spotlight on Stan Lee
Comic-Con special guest Stan Lee discusses his past, present, and future projects, followed by a Q&A session.
Saturday July 11, 2015 1:45pm – 2:45pm
Room 6A

Legendary Pictures
Filmmakers and talent from Legendary’s upcoming Warcraft and Crimson Peak, distributed by Universal Pictures, will discuss the innovative slate and present never-before-seen material. Chris Hardwick (AMC’s Talking Dead) hosts the panel that will also include surprises from highly anticipated legendary movies, including Great Wall, Krampus, and more.
Saturday July 11, 2015 2:30pm – 3:30pm
Hall H

Grimm Season 5
NBC’s hit Friday night series returns to Comic-Con, featuring an exclusive sneak peek from the upcoming fifth season’s premiere episode. Nick Burkhardt has faced some insane obstacles, from becoming a zombie to losing his abilities as a Grimm; however, all this pales in comparison to not only losing his mother but also having the love of his life die in his arms. How will Nick cope? Will he find any solace with his new child with Adalind? Join your fellow “Grimmsters” for a panel filled with Wesen, Season 5 themes, and of course, a Q&A session with the cast: David Giuntoli, Russell Hornsby, Silas Weir Mitchell, Reggie Lee, Sasha Roiz, Bree Turner, and Claire Coffee and executive producers/writers Jim Kouf, David Greenwalt and Norberto Barba.
Saturday July 11, 2015 3:00pm – 3:45pm
Ballroom 20

Outcast TV Series: A First Look with Robert Kirkman
Be the first to get possessed by Outcast! From Cinemax and FOX comes the exclusive first look at the TV adaptation of Robert Kirkman and Paul Azaceta’s hit comic book by the same name. Outcast chronicles Kyle Barnes; a young man who has been plagued by demonic possession all his life. Now, with the help of the Reverend Anderson, a preacher with personal demons of his own, Kyle embarks on a journey to find answers and regain the normal life he lost. But what Kyle discovers could change his fate, and the fate of the world, forever. Executive producers Robert Kirkman (The Walking Dead) and Chris Black (Desperate Housewives), cast members Patrick Fugit (Almost Famous, Gone Girl), Philip Glenister (Life on Mars), and Wrenn Schmidt (Boardwalk Empire), and special surprise guests, in a panel moderated by Kumail Najiani (HBO’s Silicon Valley) discuss the highly anticipated series and debut a sneak peek of Season 1; coming worldwide in 2016.
Saturday July 11, 2015 3:00pm – 4:00pm
Room 6DE

The Muppet Show Coming to ABC
The Muppets return to primetime television this fall on ABC in a way they’ve never been seen before! Filmed in a documentary style with cut-to interviews, the Muppets come to life, giving audiences a chance to explore their rich inner lives and intense interpersonal relationships, romances, break-ups, achievements, disappointments, wants, and desires. Co-creators and executive producers Bill Prady (Big Bang Theory) and Bob Kushell (The Simpsons), executive producer/director Randall Einhorn (The Office) and executive producer Bill Barretta (The Muppets) screen the video presentation that inspired the series and discuss the first season of this new, more grown-up Muppet show for kids and adults of all ages. The panel will also feature a few of the brilliant Muppet performers, giving you a rare opportunity to witness them bringing some of your favorite characters to life.
Saturday July 11, 2015 3:00pm – 4:00pm
Room 6A

Entertainment Weekly: Women Who Kick Ass
A discussion among fierce, fearless, actresses Gal Gadot (Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice), Gwendoline Christie (Game of Thrones), Hayley Atwell (Agent Carter), Kathy Bates (American Horror Story), and other flat out fantastic females, who will open up about the power and privilege of playing women who redefine the rules and refuse to yield. Moderated by Sara Vilkomerson.
Saturday July 11, 2015 3:45pm – 4:30pm
Hall H

Starz: Outlander
Ronald D. Moore (executive producer/writer), Diana Gabaldon (author), Caitriona Balfe (claire), Sam Heughan (Jamie), and Maril Davis (executive producer) discuss the hit series and preview what’s to come in Season 2. Q&A moderated by Kristin Dos Santos (E! News).
Saturday July 11, 2015 4:00pm – 4:45pm
Ballroom 20

The Expanse
Join the cast and executive producers for a first-ever, exclusive screening of the series premiere before it airs on Syfy in December. Hailing from the writers of Children of Men and Iron Man and the director of Breaking Bad, The Expanse is set 200 years in the future after mankind has colonized the solar system. Based on The New York Times bestselling book series.
Saturday July 11, 2015 4:00pm – 5:30pm
Indigo Ballroom, Hilton San Diego Bayfront

LEGO Marvel’s Avengers: From Silver Screen to Console
Arthur Parsons (game director, TT Games), Matt Ellison (producer TT Games), Mike Jones (executive producer, Marvel Games), and Bill Rosemann (creative director, Marvel Games) present an inside look at LEGO Marvel’s Avengers, the first console videogame featuring characters and storylines from the critically acclaimed film Marvel’s The Avengers and the blockbuster sequel Marvel’s Avengers: Age of Ultron, all combined with a splash of classic LEGO humor. Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment, TT Games and Marvel Games are teaming up to provide a spirited panel discussion on this new, action-packed superhero adventure, including a live game-play demonstration, reveals of enhanced character team-up abilities and power-up features, new artwork, the latest game trailer, and more. Not to mention exclusive giveaways! LEGO Marvel’s Avengers will be available this winter.
Saturday July 11, 2015 4:15pm – 5:15pm
Room 6A

Dark Horse: An Afternoon with Joss Whedon
Joss Whedon has rewarded fans the world over with some of the most compelling characters and plot lines in the history of comics, television, and movies. Here’s your chance to find out what he has in store next, and get exclusive insights into Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Serenity, and much, much more.
Saturday July 11, 2015 4:45pm – 5:30pm
Hall H

Hannibal: Savor the Hunt
Your company is requested at a grand soiree in honor of esteemed colleague Dr. Hannibal Lecter. Prepare to be delighted by stories of European travels, friendships renewed, and culinary feasts as told by executive producer/creator Bryan Fuller, executive producer Martha De Laurentiis, and star Hugh Dancy. Be the first to witness beautiful new works by artiste extraordinaire Francis Dolarhyde (Richard Armitage), as well as a few other surprises along the way. Bon appétit, Fannibals!
Saturday July 11, 2015 5:00pm – 5:45pm
Ballroom 20

The Evolution of an Icon in Rise of the Tomb Raider
Key leads from the award-winning Crystal Dynamics development team, Camilla Luddington (actress and voice of Lara Croft), Rhianna Pratchett (lead script writer), and others discuss the journey of one of the most iconic characters in entertainment history, Lara Croft, and offer an inside look into the story, performance, and technology bringing this multidimensional hero to life in her latest adventure Rise of the Tomb Raider.
Saturday July 11, 2015 5:00pm – 6:00pm
Room 25ABC

Person of Interest Special Video Presentation and Q&A
Person of Interest returns to San Diego for the fifth year. Join the discussion, as the science fiction of Person of Interest stays one step ahead of real-world events. John Reese (Jim Caviezel) and Harold Finch (Michael Emerson) have saved countless lives thanks to the omniscience of their supercomputer and their crack team of brave misfits: NYPD detective Lionel Fusco (Kevin Chapman), the unpredictable cyber-hacker Root (Amy Acker), and missing-in-action operative Sameen Shaw (Sarah Shahi). But, a new threat puts their mission in jeopardy and their lives in even more danger. Samaritan, the rival AI, has initiated its lethal correction. Finch’s Machine is essentially dead. Shaw is still missing. And the team is once again hiding in plain sight. But with Samaritan’s invisible grip tightening everywhere, will Finch be able to rebuild and resurrect The Machine? And if he does, will it be the same Machine when it comes back online? Find out as executive producers and series stars undergo a Comic-Con interrogation with a special video presentation and Q&A. From Bonanza Productions Inc. in association with Bad Robot Productions and Warner Bros. Television, Person of Interest returns for its fifth season on CBS.
Saturday July 11, 2015 5:15pm – 6:15pm
Room 6BCF

Salem
It’s a witch war! Join the star-studded cast including Shane West (Nikita, The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen), Janet Montgomery, Seth Gabel, Ashley Madekwe, and Iddo Goldberg, along with executive producers Brannon Braga (Star Trek) and Adam Simon, for a look back at intriguing footage from the supernatural second season, from WGN America and Fox 21 Television Studios. This moderated discussion will be followed by an audience Q&A.
Saturday July 11, 2015 5:30pm – 6:30pm
Room 6A

20th Century Fox
20th Century Fox Presentation.
Saturday July 11, 2015 5:45pm – 7:30pm
Hall H

The Bold Voice of Contemporary Horror Film: Fantastic Fest, Beyond Fest, and SpectreFest
Thanks to a bold new school of filmmakers and creative talent, independent horror and genre cinema is enjoying an unprecedented resurgence of critical and box office success. Kicked off by You’re Next in 2011, this new wave of independent genre film has continued to thrive and has broken through over the past year with The Babadook and It Follows. Hosted by the US’ leading genre film festivals, we discuss this convention-defying movement with the directors, producers, writers, production companies and programmers who are progressively shaping the brave evolution of cinematic terror. Scheduled panelists include Elijah Wood (Spectrevision /Cooties), director Sarah Adina Smith (The Midnight Swim), director/producer Roxanne Benjamin (V/H/S, V/H/S/2), Mette Marie Katz (XYZ Films -The Raid, The Raid 2), Christian Parkes (Founder/Director Beyond Fest), and Ryan Turek (Programmer – Beyond Fest), with more to be announced, featuring an exclusive sneak peek at Spectrevision’s Cooties and Radius’ Goodnight Mommy. Additional films to be discussed include The Invitation, The Witch, Cop Car and more! Added bonus: Join Turek and Shock Til You Drop Managing Editor Sam Zimmerman for a special round of Dead Rights Horror Trivia at the end of the panel for a chance to win passes to the renowned festivals hosting the panel! Moderated by The Daily Beast’s Jen Yamato.
Saturday July 11, 2015 6:45pm – 7:45pm
Room 6A

Containment Pilot Screening and Q&A
When a mysterious and deadly epidemic breaks out in Atlanta, a vast urban quarantine is quickly enforced, forcing those stuck on the inside to fight for their lives while local and federal officials desperately search for a cure in Containment. Torn apart from their loved ones, the survivors trapped within the cordon are fighting against not only fatal infection, but also isolation, fear, and the disintegration of society around them. But as they begin to gain each other’s trust, hope remains, and on either side of the cordon unlikely heroes will rise. Containment makes its Comic-Con debut with a special screening of the entire pilot episode, followed by a Q&A with series stars and producers. Based on the original Belgian series created by Carl Joos for Eyeworks, Containment is produced by My So-Called Company in association with Warner Bros. Television, with executive producers Julie Plec (The Vampire Diaries, The Originals) and David Nutter (The Flash, Arrow).
Saturday July 11, 2015 6:15pm – 7:15pm
Room 6BCF

Fight Club 2
Acclaimed novelist Chuck Palahniuk continues one of his most beloved works with Fight Club 2! Join Dark Horse for a discussion of the creation of this story with Chuck Palahniuk, editor Scott Allie, and artists David Mack and Cameron Stewart.
Saturday July 11, 2015 7:00pm – 8:00pm
Room 5AB

Warner Bros. Television and DC Entertainment Screening Block
DC fans, get ready for Super Hero Saturday Night! Warner Bros. Television and DC Entertainment welcome fans into the world of some of DC Comics’ greatest characters during a three-hour experience in Hall H. The exclusive evening will feature a pilot screening of the highly anticipated new drama series Supergirl, followed by a Q&A with stars and producers, plus individual special video presentations and Q&A’s with stars and producers from Arrow, The Flash, and Gotham. Also, don’t miss a special Q&A with cast and producers of DC’s Legends of Tomorrow and a peek at the new digital series Vixen. Supergirl – In the vast DC Comics Universe of superheroes, the rich mythology of Superman, the planet Krypton and the House of El is perhaps the most famous and instantly recognizable. Enter Supergirl! Born Kara Zor-El on the doomed planet Krypton, the preteen Kara escaped at the same time as the infant Kal-El but didn’t arrive on Earth until many years later after being lost in the Phantom Zone. Protected and raised by her adopted family, the Danvers, Kara grew up in the shadow of her foster sister, Alex, and learned to hide the phenomenal powers she shares with her famous cousin. Years later, at age 24, living in National City and working as an assistant for Catco Worldwide Media mogul Cat Grant, Kara has spent so many years trying to fit in that she forgot to ever stand out. All that changes when she decides to embrace her superhuman abilities and become the hero she was always destined to be. With the help of Daily Planet photographer James Olsen, her bioengineer sister Alex, and the research of the super-secret, off-the-grid Department of Extra-Normal Operations (DEO) and its head Hank Henshaw, who are tasked with keeping the Earth safe from aliens, Kara takes to the skies to protect her world. Her foes include both a sinister extraterrestrial menace and the high-tech terrestrial threat of clever villains with powerful weaponry. From Berlanti Productions in association with Warner Bros. Television, Supergirl premieres Mondays at 8/7c on CBS this November. Gotham – The origin story continues in season two of Gotham, and the stakes are higher than ever, as supervillains more ambitious and depraved are introduced, and a realignment of alliances shakes up the fight for power in Gotham City. Season 2 will witness Detective James Gordon’s moral compass wavering, as he confronts Gotham’s most notorious criminals. At the same time, he will continue his quest to gain the trust of the young Bruce Wayne, who is on a clear path toward the man he is destined to become, after discovering his father’s deepest secrets. After the epic turf war that culminated in the events of the season finale, find out what’s in store for Season 2. From Warner Bros. Television, Gotham returns this fall, Mondays at 8/7c on FOX. Gotham: The Complete First Season will be released on Blu-ray and DVD on September 8. Arrow – After defeating his most formidable foe to date and riding off into the sunset with longtime flame Felicity Smoak, Oliver Queen (a.k.a. The Arrow) left Starling City with the hopes of beginning a new life. But will Oliver ever truly be able to leave behind his past as the Arrow, and, if so, what becomes of the team he has worked so hard to assemble? Will Diggle, Thea, and Laurel be left to continue Oliver’s crusade without him? And with Malcolm Merlyn having ascended to the top of the League of Assassins as the new Ra’s al Ghul, is anyone really safe? From Bonanza Productions Inc. in association with Berlanti Productions and Warner Bros. Television, Arrow airs Wednesdays at 8/7c on The CW, and Arrow: The Complete Third Season will be released on Blu-ray combo pack, DVD, and Digital HD on September 22. The Flash – The cast and creative team behind The CW’s highest-rated show of all time, The Flash, speed back to San Diego for their second Comic-Con appearance, bringing with them answers to many of the questions left unanswered in the jaw-dropping Season 1 finale. Following the defeat of Barry Allen’s arch-nemesis Eobard Thawne (aka Reverse Flash), Team Flash quickly turned their attention to the singularity swirling high above Central City, which fans last saw consuming everything in its path. Armed with the heart of a hero and the ability to move at super speeds, Barry charged into the eye of the singularity, but will he actually be able to save his city from impending doom? From Bonanza Productions Inc. in association with Berlanti Productions and Warner Bros. Television, The Flash airs Tuesdays at 8/7c on The CW, and The Flash: The Complete First Season will be released on Blu-ray combo pack, DVD, and Digital HD on September 22. DC’s Legends of Tomorrow- When heroes alone are not enough, the world needs legends. In DC’s Legends of Tomorrow, having seen the future, one he will desperately try to prevent from happening, time-traveling rogue Rip Hunter is tasked with assembling a disparate group of both heroes and villains to confront an unstoppable threat-one in which not only is the planet at stake, but all of time itself. From the creators of The Flash and Arrow comes this superhero team-up unlike anything that’s ever been seen on television before. Combining characters from both shows, in addition to new heroes from the DC Comics pantheon, this epic story lives in an interconnected universe and presents a high-stakes feature film experience with edge-of-your-seat action, time travel, seamless visual effects and an infectiously fun character dynamic that’s like a Flash/Arrow crossover times one hundred! From Berlanti Productions in association with Warner Bros. Television, DC’s Legends of Tomorrow premieres Midseason on The CW. Vixen – Originally from Africa, Mari McCabe’s parents were killed by local greed, corruption, and wanton violence. But the orphaned Mari refuses to succumb to the terrors surrounding her. Inheriting her family’s Tantu Totem, Mari can access the powers of animals-anything from the super-strength of a gorilla to the speed of a cheetah. As Vixen, she fights valiantly to protect the world from threats like those that claimed her family. This six-episode series debuting on CW Seed this fall, featuring the voices of Stephen Amell (Arrow), Grant Gustin (The Flash), Emily Bett Rickards (Arrow), and Carlos Valdes (The Flash). It follows Mari’s path as she first learns to embrace her incredible abilities and discovers the source of the mysterious Tantu Totem’s power.
Saturday July 11, 2015 8:00pm – 11:00pm
Hall H

Scream Queens: World Premiere Screening
Be the first in the world to see Fox’s comedy-horror anthology series Scream Queens. From Emmy and Golden Globe Award-winning executive producers Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk, and Ian Brennan, this killer new series stars Jamie Lee Curtis, Emma Roberts, Lea Michele, Abigal Breslin, Nasim Pedrad, Oliver Hudson, Skyler Samuels, Keke Palmer, Billie Lourd, Diego Bonita, Glen Powell, Lucien Laviscount, Niecy Nash, Nick Jonas, and Ariana Grande. The show centers on a string of college campus muders. Kappa House, the most sought-after sorority for pledges, is ruled with an iron fist (in a designer glove) by its Queen Bitch, Chanel Oberlin (Roberts). But when anti-Kappa Dean Munsch (Curtis) decrees that Kappa must accept all new pledges and not just the school’s silver-spooned elite, all hell is about to break loose, as a 20-year-old mystery and a devil-clad killer begins wreaking havoc.
Saturday July 11, 2015 9:15pm – 10:15pm
Room 6DE

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