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It was a gamble, studio execs thought some 15 years ago, to cast Robert Downey Jr. as Tony Stark, aka Iron Man. But it paid off, and how. The character’s first big film kickstarted a still-expanding extended universe of films and TV shows. And it gave the actor’s career a shot in the arm. But what if he’d been cast as a different Marvel character? That’s what nearly happened.

As per Insider, Iron Man director Jon Favreau and MCU honcho Kevin Feige sat down for a retrospective on the first film, which earlier this month had its 15th anniversary. At one point they discussed how Marvel was toying with a new movie version of the Fantastic Four.

“I remember that Robert had come in for a general on it and I remember you had all met with him already for like Doctor Doom or something, on another project,” Favreau recalled. “I remember sitting down with the guy and I was like ‘Jeez, he’s just got it in him, he’s got that spark in him in his eye and he’s ready.’”

The two were blown away by Downey, who was already on a comeback trail with attention-nabbing turns in movies like Zodiac, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, and A Scanner Darkly.

“We were pointing to his headshot and saying ‘We gotta try and figure this out,’” Favreau said.

And so they did, and the rest is history. But what would the current movie industry look like had they made a Fantastic Four movie instead of Iron Man, and cast Downey as the big bad, not as a big hero? Then again, it’s not too late to bring Downey back to the MCU for the Fantastic Four movie they’re making now. Then again, at least he was busy at the time Fox was making their own disastrous take on the team.

You can watch the retrospective chat in the video below. The Fantastic Four business begins around the 21-minute mark.

(Via Insider)

Rogers Waters has broken his silence following the backlash he received after a recent concert, issuing a formal statement over the Nazi-like outfit he sported onstage in Berlin, Germany. It wasn’t the first time the Pink Floyd co-founder’s actions have upset the public. However, the all-black outfit, featuring red accents and a Nazi-like armband, took it too far, as concertgoers considered the wardrobe grossly insensitive and offensive.

Waters opened the statement posted to Twitter: “My recent performance in Berlin has attracted bad-faith attacks from those who want to smear and silence me because they disagree with my political views and moral principles.”

He added, “The elements of my performance that have been questioned are quite clearly a statement in opposition to fascism, injustice, and bigotry in all its forms. Attempts to portray those elements as something else are disingenuous and politically motivated. The depiction of an unhinged fascist demagogue has been a feature of my shows since Pink Floyd’s The Wall in 1980.”

Waters emphasized that he should not be branded a Nazi apologist, writing, “I have spent my entire life speaking out against authoritarianism and oppression wherever I see it. When I was a child after the war, the name of Anne Frank was often spoken in our house, she became a permanent reminder of what happens when fascism is left unchecked. My parents fought the Nazis in World War II, with my father paying the ultimate price.”

He closed the statement, “Regardless of the consequences of the attacks against me, I will continue to condemn injustice and all those who perpetrate it.”

The Independent reported that due to his costume, Waters is now under investigation by Berlin police for the incident because it violates the German criminal code.

If you did a popular franchise film a few decades ago, congrats: There’s a good chance you’ll be asked to return to your role again (and get more money, of course). Just ask Michael Keaton. But for some, enough is enough. Mark Hamill has been playing Luke Skywalker in the Star Wars-verse for nearly half a century. That’s a good, long while, but now it sounds like he’s finally done.

In a new interview with The Hollywood Reporter (in a bit teased out by The AV Club), the actor — who’s also devoted a large chunk of his life to voicing Joker for DC — discussed what it was like getting his hands on the script for The Last Jedi.

“When I read [Episode] VIII, I knew it was over,” Hamill recalled. “So I was relishing every moment, but also saying goodbye to all those people that I had associated with over the years. So I still miss them.”

When asked point blank if he’ll ever return to the role, he responded, bluntly, “No, I don’t have any expectations of that happening.”

The Last Jedi wasn’t exactly Hamill’s farewell to the character that made his career. He appeared, briefly, as a Force spirit in The Rise of Skywalker. He later returned as a younger version of Luke, with the help of de-aging tech, on The Mandalorian and The Book of Boba Fett.

So unless something changes, sounds like the last time you’ll see Mark Hamill as Luke Skywalker will be a digitized younger version of him. It’s an odd way to go out, but at least it gives him more time to troll Trump.

(Via THR and The AV Club)

Less than a week ago, the Boston Celtics were facing the prospects of one of the most embarrassing sweeps in recent memory, trailing 3-0 and coming off of a complete no-show in Game 3 in Miami. Now, they are headed to a Game 7 where they are heavy favorites (8 points at most books) to advance to the Finals for the second straight year.

Getting there required the Celtics to dig deep and find a level of play they hadn’t shown much of in the first three contests, particularly in the critical moments in the second half. They had to improve dramatically on defense, be more trusting of each other on offense, and get improved play from their stars. They also needed some incredible luck after another late game collapse in Game 6 allowed Miami to erase a double-digit deficit to take the lead on three Jimmy Butler free throws with three seconds to play.

On their final possession, Derrick White saved the season with a ridiculous tip-in that left his fingertips with 0.1 on the clock, as he crashed the glass after Marcus Smart put up a spinning, fading three (that almost went down itself). So many things had to happen for that sequence to play out as it did, including Smart not passing to a wide open White in the corner after the initial inbound pass, which would’ve led to an open three, but far from a guarantee of a make. The ball had to spin out of the rim quickly enough and at exactly the right angle to pop into White’s hands so he could toss it off the glass and in before the buzzer.

There also needed to be enough time on the clock to allow for a miss and tip-in, which was only there because of the review on Al Horford’s (awful) foul on Jimmy Butler in the corner, where officials gave Butler the third free throw for having his feet behind the line, but also tacked on 0.9 seconds because they review for the first illegal contact on a foul, not when the whistle was actually blown, which happened with 3.0 seconds on the clock.

Without that extra second or the perfect spin out of the rim, White’s tip-in never has a chance and the Celtics are heading into the offseason off a horrible fourth quarter collapse and the Heat are headed to the Finals. We would spending today talking, again, about what changes might be on the horizon for Boston and whether running it back with this core is their best option, and previewing Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo vs. Jamal Murray and Nikola Jokic.

Instead, the series is shifting back to Boston where the Celtics have a chance to make history as the first team to ever come back from a 3-0 deficit to win a series — and Butler and the Heat are staring at being on the wrong end of a trivia question forever. It is a reminder of how incredibly thin the margins can be come playoff time. White’s tip-in, pending what happens in Game 7, could join Kevin Durant’s foot being on the line as recent examples of playoff “What If?” moments that shift legacies and change how teams and players are discussed.

Durant’s toe meant Game 7 of the 2021 Eastern Conference Finals against the Bucks went to overtime, where Milwaukee won en route to a championship. In that Finals, Giannis Antetokounmpo shed all the questions about himself as a playoff performer, solidifying his legacy in the process. The Bucks, who somewhat ironically are making big changes this offseason because of losing in the first round to the Heat, might have made those changes two years ago instead had Durant kept his foot behind the line, with Giannis still chasing that elusive ring. It could’ve been Kevin Durant and the Nets that won a title, which might have meant their Big 3 with James Harden and Kyrie Irving doesn’t splinter the next season — and at the least, they are looked at far differently with a Finals appearance and possibly a ring for their troubles.

The ripple effect of these moments can be immense. In the immediate, Derrick White and the Celtics are simply happy to still be alive in this postseason, but his tip-in might be the difference in making this a legacy defining run for his star teammates rather than a failure that possibly led to major changes. Game 7 will determine whether White’s tip goes down in NBA Playoff lore or not, but if the Celtics finish the job, that 0.1 seconds will shift how we talk about three stars who weren’t even actively involved in the play itself — Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, and Jimmy Butler — and serve as a reminder of how fragile playoff legacies can be.

Selena Gomez is a proud Swiftie, but her love for other female musicians doesn’t stop there. The Only Murders In The Building actress was spotted at Beyoncé’s latest concert in Paris, France. Unfortunately, after a heated exchange with the security working the show, the event wound up being memorable for the wrong reasons.

While the performance featured a moving cameo from the “America Has A Problem” eldest daughter, Blue Ivy, social media is still worried about the incident. In a video circulating online, it appears that a fan was attempting to make contact with her. However, Gomez was not pleased with how security handled the situation. She hasn’t released a statement regarding the matter, so it is unclear if the guard was on her team or employed by the venue.

As a frequent concert attendee, Gomez usually takes to social media to share a sweet note about the performer. Although she did a general recap of her time in Paris, there was no mention of the concert.

On the other hand, Gomez did upload a post after attending Swift’s show with her younger sister. “Thank you, bestie, for having me and my sissy transported into your mystical, euphoric, and special world. Proud to know you! Love you forever and always,” wrote Gomez.

Donald Trump isn’t the only one in trouble these days. So are some of his cronies. On Saturday, Texas House representatives voted to impeach state attorney general Ken Paxton over accusations of bribery, corruption, and other abuses of his office. Paxton is suspended and a vote to expel him now moves to the state Senate. But before that happens Trump and others in his circle got mad.

As per Newsweek, the former president took to his rinky-dink Twitter clone, where he called out not the lawmakers trying to hold Paxton accountable but Greg Abbott. “MISSING IN ACTION! Where is the Governor of Texas on his Attorney General’s Impeachment?” Trump wrote.

Before the impeachment, Trump was already bracing for bad news. “The RINO Speaker of the House of Texas, Dade Phelan, who is barely a Republican at all and failed the test on voter integrity, wants to impeach one of the most hard working and effective Attorney Generals in the United States, Ken Paxton, who just won re-election with a large number of American Patriots strongly voting for him,” he wrote. He also vowed to “fight” any House Republicans who voted for impeachment.

The impeachment also enraged others in Trump’s circle. His son Eric tweeted, “This should never be allowed to happen to @KenPaxtonTX.”

So did Kimberly Guilfoyle, fiancée of Eric’s brother Don Jr. She called the move “absolutely disgusting” and described Paxton as a “GREAT ally” to her future father-in-law. She added, “Texans should stand with Ken Paxton because he always stands up for you!”

Paxton has always been a staunch MAGA-ite. He challenged Joe Biden’s win over Trump in 2020 and he’s come out against trans people and immigrants. Last year he gleefully celebrated the dismantling of Roe v Wade.

(Via Newsweek)

Ariana Grande is hard at work finishing her duties on the movie adaptation cast of Wicked. Although the film isn’t expected to hit theaters until November 2024, fans of the “The Way” singer might be treated to something special very soon. Earlier on Sunday, May 28, she sent supporters into a frenzy after she archived over 4,000 Instagram posts.

It’s become a common practice for musicians to wipe their Instagram completely planning to announce a new project is on the way. As per Pop Crave, Grande’s total post count went from 4,985 uploads to, currently, 114.

Immediately people speculated that Grande was about to release new music. However, others think she’s leaving the industry behind after unreleased music of hers was leaked last month. “Now I know this a stretch. But she did just meet with Scooter [Braun]. She is finishing the movie. And think of the POV video that was leaked, you saw her leaving behind her past eras. Could this be the same thing leading into something,” asked one person.

When addressing the recent leaks, Grande said, “You guys have heard every bad song and bullsh*t demo that I’ve ever made. Hilarious. It’s impossible to keep things from you. You gotta take some swings and misses.”

After being asked, “Any secrets soon to come?” The singer quickly said, “Hmm… no secrets. I’m all out of secrets. You’ve stolen all my unreleased music, it’s horrible [laughs].”

Quentin Tarantino is one of the last of the old school auteurs. He shoots on film, not digital. He has final cut to make whatever he wants. And he demands that his movies open the old-fashioned way: in theaters, not on a streamer, a route even Martin Scorsese has had to take. Speaking of, all those movies that do premiere on places like Netflix and Max? Well, in a way, he says, they don’t exist.

In a new interview with Deadline, Tarantino says that for The Movie Critic, his alleged swan song, he’ll probably make it for Sony, who released Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. He calls the company “the last game in town that is just absolutely, utterly, committed to the theatrical experience. It’s not about feeding their streaming network.”

He continued: “They judge success by asses on seats. And they judge success by the movies entering the zeitgeist, not just making a big expensive movie and then putting it on your streaming platform. No one even knows it’s there.”

Tarantino then moved onto Netflix movies like The Adam Project. “I mean, and I’m not picking on anybody, but apparently for Netflix, Ryan Reynolds has made $50 million on this movie and $50 million on that movie and $50 million on the next movie for them,” he said. I don’t know what any of those movies are. I’ve never seen them.”

He argued “those movies don’t exist in the zeitgeist. It’s almost like they don’t even exist.”

Meanwhile, people are still talking about Once Upon a Time in Hollywood four years after it hit theaters. Tarantino himself recently revealed that its protagonist, struggling star Rick Dalton, died.

(Via Deadline)

In his eight years as Texas’ attorney general, Ken Paxton has always leaned far to the right. A Trump stooge, he subscribes to all the deplorable beliefs: He’s against trans people and immigrants, and last year he gleefully celebrated the dismantling of Roe v Wade. On Saturday he was impeached. The state’s House had enough of Paxton’s alleged corruption, which involves seeking favors for his possible mistress. Now his fate is in the hands of his wife.

As per Texas Tribune, the vote to expel Paxton from office moves to the Senate. It’s likely that he’ll get a pass; the chamber leans aggressively Republican. What’s more, one of its members is Angela Paxton, who has stayed by her husband’s side through thick and thin.

And things have sure been thick. At the center of Ken Paxton’s scandal is his dealings with real estate investor Nate Paul. Ken is alleged to have used his office to help Paul out in exchange for remodeling his house and getting his mistress, a former aide, a job. Ken acknowledged the extramarital affair in 2018 but claimed it had ended. After the bribery allegations surfaced, several senior members of Ken’s staff either resigned or were fired. Some of the latter sued him.

If the alleged affair and corruption charges have left Angela shaken, she hasn’t shown it publicly. As per the Tribune:

But in the public eye, at least, these incidents didn’t weaken the Paxton power couple. When they were both up for reelection, they campaigned together and celebrated another year of marriage at the polls.

“Nothing says romance like voting for each other on your anniversary!” Angela Paxton tweeted, tagging her husband. “It’s an honor to serve the State of Texas with you, but most importantly to follow Christ together.”

Last year, when Ken faced an abortion-related lawsuit, Angela even drove the getaway car, leaving the process server in the lurch.

It may seem likely that Angela will either recuse herself from the vote or vote for her husband. It may be the latter; after all, she didn’t recuse herself when voting on the state’s budget, which determines her husband’s salary. But who knows? Maybe this is her chance to take revenge on being cuckqueened.

(Via Texas Tribune)

Every single week, our TV and film experts will list the most important ten streaming selections for you to pop into your queues. We’re not strictly operating upon reviews or accrued streaming clicks (although yes, we’ve scoured the streaming site charts) but, instead, upon those selections that are really worth noticing amid the churning sea of content. There’s a lot out there, after all, and your time is valuable.

TIE: 10. Euphoria (HBO series streaming on Max)

This Zendaya-starring series currently sits between seasons yet is seeing a streaming resurgence with everyone talking (and not positively) about The Idol. Creator Sam Levinson and Abel “The Weeknd” Tesfaye surely whipped up some controversy there, but before the rest of the world watches Lily-Rose Depp as not-Britney Spears, you can revisit the most miserable high school students to ever grace TV screens. Yes, the series remains as triggering as always, but the performances keep people coming back.

TIE: 10. American Born Chinese (Disney+ series)

Whose life wouldn’t be changed after befriending a mythological god’s son? This series follows an “ordinary” American teenager who experiences that wildness in this adaptation of Gene Luen Yang’s graphic novel of the same name. Naturally, the whole coming-of-age concept blows up a bit with a lot of Kung-Fu in the mix, and then there’s a quest for the Fourth Scroll while high school troubles also swirl, so expect this to have the themes of identity at the forefront but also some comedic touches, too.

9. Mother (Netflix film)

This streaming service knew what they were doing when scheduling this Jennifer Lopez action picture to come out on Mother’s Day weekend. It’s a rough-but-tidy little movie that doesn’t qualify as John Wick royalty by any stretch, but few could resist watching JLo kick some butt. Mrs. Ben Affleck stars as a military-trained assassin, who must save her daughter from horrible criminals who didn’t choose their target out of the blue. Joseph Fiennes and Gael García Bernal co-star, but this is JLo’s movie, through and through.

8. Platonic (Apple TV+ series)

From the outside, you may think that you know where this series is going, but the show promises to be even more chaotic than you expect. Rose Byrne and Seth Rogen play old friends who reunite after people grow apart (as they do), and it soon grows apparent that he shakes up her little world. Fortunately, she does appear to be happily married, and her husband approves of (and, in fact, encourages) this rekindled friendship — at least, until the horse tranquilizers come into play. It happens.

7. FROM (Epix/MGM+ series)

Stephen King gives this sleeper series a rave review while calling it “beautifully handled.” He added, “That spike through the head…holy cow.” This series will likely appeal to Lost fans for many reasons that will be obvious to those who watch, and Manifest addicts will dig it, too. To sum up, the show revolves around a middle-American town where no one can escape, no matter how hard they try to escape the monsters and secrets that run amuck.

6. Silo (Apple TV+ series)

This diamond in the rough might be hundreds of stories deep, but this Graham Yost show is worth the dive. Rebecca Ferguson stars as an indispensable engineer that keeps humanity alive before rising to become the unlikely sheriff of the whole joint. Don’t expect that to go well, however, because Juliette has suspicions that the mysterious founders wanted to ensure would remain secret. Common’s leather jacket might be too sinister for this silo, which somehow keeps around 10,000 people alive after an unnamed apocalyptic event put humanity underground. Rashida Jones, David Oyelowo, Tim Robbins, and Harriet Walter deliver spot-on performances to round out this story based upon Hugh Howey’s self-published runaway literary hit, the Wool omnibus.

5. Ted Lasso (Apple TV+ series)

Too many cultural juggernauts are ending this year, but of course, TV will always sprout new hydra heads to entertain us in the aftermath. This season follows up on Nate’s embrace of the dark side while Jason Sudeikis’ title character remains eternally chipper, and Brett Goldstein’s character has been attempting to convince everyone that he doesn’t have a hairy ass. Everyone has priorities, man.

4. John Wick Chapter 4 (Lionsgate movie streaming on VOD and Amazon Prime)

Those who have seen this installment know that the story of Keanu’s dog-loving assassin could handily end here. However, this franchise has now raked in over a billion dollars, which means that Chad Stahelski, Reeves, and Lionsgate are officially working on a believable way to make a fifth film happen. So, bring on the ninjas and the mad dashes on horseback and Keanu wildly fighting with seemingly the whole world against him. Give me more rain in nightclubs and busting through glass boxes, please. Also, Ana de Armas will star in the Ballerina spinoff, and The Continental prequel series is coming, too.

3. Barry (HBO series streaming on HBO Max)

The final season of Bill Hader’s brainchild has convinced many fans that he will be a ghoulish, delightful nightmare of a horror director, and yes, here’s another beloved show coming to an end. Still, this darkly comic hit will have lasting power (even after the end of NoHo Hank season), and peoplew will surely be ready for whatever Hader and Anthony Carrigan and Henry Winkler do next.

2. The Super Bros. Mario Movie (Universal Pictures film streaming on VOD and Amazon Prime)

If you haven’t yet heard Chris Pratt’s controversial Mario voice or (possibly masochistically) want to relive it, now’s your chance. Yes, of course there will be a sequel, and hopefully, Anya Taylor Joy and Jack Black shall return with more “Peaches.” This year has now seen multiple successful video game adaptations, which is an almost unheard of mini-streak, so even if you aren’t into this particular game, you can appreciate, you know, the game.

1. Succession (HBO series streaming on HBO Max)

Alright, pre-grievers, get ready for the successor to finally be revealed, or at least, we hope so? Our own Jason Tabrys has made the case that a Greg victory would actually be befitting for this “dear world” of a show, especially after he ridiculously enjoyed turning into a mass-firing monster. Yet will Kendall get everything he wants but then realize that he has nothing that he needs? Or will Shiv actually manage to not get screwed over by Matsson? Only time will tell, and then, it will all be over too soon. If you didn’t or don’t plan on catching this live, you’ll probably want to avoid the Internet for days.