Mike Sampson is the Editor-in-Chief of ScreenCrush. He studied to become a lawyer and worked as an architectural planner after graduating college but neither of these professions afforded him the opportunity to watch movies and TV for a living. He previously served as the Editor-in-Chief of JoBlo.com for 10 years. He lives in New Jersey and probably spends too much time playing video games and overthinking things.
Mike Sampson
‘The Hunger Games: Mockingjay’ Passed ‘Guardians of the Galaxy’ to Become the Biggest Movie of 2014
Sorry, Star-Lord. Marvel’s ‘Guardians of the Galaxy’ was just passed by ‘The Hunger Games: Mockingjay’ as the highest grossing film of 2014. And, making that feat all the more impressive: ‘Mockingjay’ reached that mark in just 62 days, without the help of 3D or IMAX.
The Worst Oscar-Nominated Movies of All Time
Every year, when the Oscar nominations are announced, a considerable amount of time is spent debating who was snubbed. But for every film that was expecting to get nominated and didn't, there's a film that no one was expecting to get nominated and did. This is the story of those films. The movies you'll look back on and wonder exactly how the heck it ever got nominated for an Oscar.
Report: Marvel and Sony Deal Done, Spider-Man to Debut in ‘Avengers: Infinity War’
It was one of the most enticing bits of news to come out of the Sony e-mail hack: Marvel and Sony had deep discussions about introducing Spider-Man into the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Marvel badly wanted Spider-Man to be a part of 'Captain America: Civil War', but despite the best intentions from all parties, a deal was never struck and progress was reset back to square one. But, has hope been restored? A new report suggests that Marvel and Sony returned to the negotiating table and have struck a deal for Spidey to make his spectacular debut in 'Avengers: Infinity War, Part 1'.
‘Frozen’ Short Film “Frozen Fever” to Debut in Theaters With ‘Cinderella’
Guess what, parents? You're going to see Disney's live-action 'Cinderella' remake in theaters. Possibly more than once. Because that is when you, and more importantly the kids in your life, will be able to see the next 'Frozen' adventure—the short film "Frozen Fever"—for the first time.
‘Jurassic Park 4’ Trailer: Welcome to Jurassic World!
“You just went and made a new dinosaur? Probably not a good idea.”
And, there’s the ‘Jurassic Park 4’ trailer summed up for you in pretty much one exchange. While the previous ‘Jurassic Park’ films dealt with the folly of John Hammond’s original plans for the park, this new film imagines a world where Jurassic Park is now up and running. The kinks have been worked out. Raptors are trained. But, people are still people and that means they do really stupid things. Like create massive “hybrid” dinosaurs to goose attendance at their park.
‘Star Wars: Episode 7′ Official Title Announced: ‘The Force Awakens’
We thought that the 'Star Wars: Episode 7' title might get officially announced this past summer at Comic-Con, but that event came and went with no official reveal. So, what better way to announce the new title than a random Thursday in November? Just this morning on Twitter, Lucasfilm and the official 'Star Wars' Twitter account revealed the 'Star Wars: Episode 7' title: 'A Force Awakens'.
Marvel Has No Current Plans For Hulk or Black Widow Movies
There was a lot to digest out of today's major Marvel Event that saw the formal announcement of the eight films in Phase 3 including 'Black Panther' and 'Captain Marvel' spinoffs. But, with all these Avengers getting sequels and spinoffs, one has to wonder about two of the more popular characters in the Marvel Cinematic Universe who are still left without their own films: Hulk and Black Widow. Despite the fact that audiences love both the characters, Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige said that they have no current plans to give either character their own solo movie.
‘Fast and Furious 7′ Gets Official Poster, Title and Trailer Release Date
Were it not for the untimely and tragic death of Paul Walker, 'Fast and Furious 7' would have been released this past July and probably would be making its way to DVD and Blu-ray within the next few weeks. But, the release date was pushed back to April 3, 2015 and, after some lengthy reshoots, we're finally ready to see the first footage from the film next week.
There Will Never Be a ‘Back to the Future’ Sequel or Reboot
It's almost surprising at this point that there has not been a 'Back to the Future' reboot or sequel. When you look back at the popular and successful properties of the 80s, there are few that haven't been modernized. Sony is practically falling all over themselves to get a new 'Ghostbusters' in theaters. This year alone saw new 'RoboCop,' 'Muppets,' 'Ninja Turtles,' 'Jump Street' and 'Transformers' movies. But, despite the frequency of these remakes, it doesn't look like you'll ever see a new 'Back to the Future' movie. And, that's a pretty great thing.
What is Marvel’s Civil War and What Does It Mean For ‘Captain America 3′ and the Future of the MCU?
Last night came the shocking announcement: Robert Downey, Jr. will star in 'Captain America 3' alongside Chris Evans, kicking off the Civil War storyline in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. But, what exactly is the Civil War storyline and what does it mean for 'Captain America 3,' 'Avengers 3,' the Infinity Gauntlet plans, Spider-Man and the rest of the Marvel Cinematic Universe?! (Whew!)