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Celeb Hairstylist Jen Atkin Drops Millions on Miracle Mile

Jen Atkin, mane expert and one of the globe’s most in-demand hairstylists, has shaken her perfectly coiffed raven tresses into a brand-new mansion. The celebrity favorite and go-to stylist for the Kardashians, Chrissy Teigen, Sofia Vergara, Jennifer Lopez, and many more dished out $3.36 million for the Hancock Park-adjacent property just off L.A.’s Miracle Mile.

Unsurprisingly, the social media-savvy hair savant has already teased her hordes of followers — she has nearly three million on Instagram alone — with a tantalizing home tour posted on YouTube.

It’s hard to believe the once broke Utah native and former receptionist has amassed the coin for these lavish digs by weave-whackin’ and toupee-trimmin’. But Atkin is more than just another hairstylist — the entrepreneurial lass also owns Ouai Haircare, a full range brand made famous by social media and now sold in hundreds of Sephora locations.

Aside from running a multi-million dollar business and catering to her star-studded client roster, Atkin also carves out time for the regular folks. Any ordinary, non-famous female can book an appointment with her through the prestigious Andy LeCompte salon, though one haircut will run you a perilously pricey $600.

Anyway, onto the real estate itself. Tucked away in one of L.A.’s trendiest neighborhoods — it’s just one close shave away from yuppy favorites Republique and Lassens — the blocky contemporary has nearly 5,000 sq. ft. of lavish living space. Spec-built in 2018 by local developer Urban Asset Group, the lego-like domicile was designed by Obermeyer Architects and features interior design by Stephanie Hauptli.

Guests bypass a two-car garage to access the home’s front door. The main floor presents a pleasing array of ethereal colors and light-flooded spaces. There’s a fireplace-equipped office, a maid’s bedroom, and a giant eat-in kitchen with one of the longest marble (or lookalike marble) backsplashes this author has ever seen.

Upstairs are three ensuite bedrooms plus the hedonistic master suite, which features a fireplace, dual walk-in closets, and an Instagram-worthy marble shower with an inset soaking tub and skylight. This is also a full-fledged smart home, so Atkin has state-of-the-art sound and security systems at the touch of her iPad.

The .17-acre lot isn’t particularly big, but it is completely flat and contains a backyard grassy lawn space, a slim covered terrace for al fresco dining, and a dark-bottomed swimming pool with inset spa.

This February (2019), Atkin and her photographer hubby Mike Rosenthal sold their nearby Mid-Wilshire starter house for the full $3.195 million asking price. The totally renovated casita had been featured in a 2017 Architectural Digest issue, and the new owners are Sweetgreen co-founder Nathaniel Ru and his nutritionist wife Vanessa Packer.

Jacqueline Gunn of Westside Estate Agency had the Miracle Mile listing. Atkin was repped by Douglas Elliman’s Dena Luciano.

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Quentin Tarantino Confirms He Created Netflix’s Extended ‘Hateful Eight’ Series Version With 25 New Minutes Of Footage

When you assume you make an ass out of you and me. Or so suggests Quentin Tarantino. The filmmaker has surfaced to clear up a bunch of misinformation that has surfaced ever since it came to everyone’s attention that a new version of his 2015 film, “The Hateful Eight” had appeared on Netflix in a mini-series four, divided into four parts. Did Netflix have permission to do so? Did Quentin Tarantino approve and of course, it was just a cut-up to increase views and encourage people to watch the film as a series, rather than maybe shy away from its long three-hour-plus run time, right? Wrong and Tarantino is here to clarify.

READ MORE: Netflix Released ‘The Hateful Eight: Extended Edition’ On Its Streaming Service As A 4-Episode Series

Tarantino read an article over at Slashfilm from the writer who first noticed the mini-series version of “The Hateful Eight” on Netflix and wrote about it, and then decided to call him up and explain it all.

So first up, Tarantino didn’t really have to approve anything because the mini-series version of “The Hateful Eight” is actually an extended edit that he made at Netflix’s suggestion.

READ MORE: Quentin Tarantino Professes His Love Of Sydney Pollack’s “Nifty ’70s Gangster Thriller” ‘The Yakuza’ In New Essay

“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,’” Tarantino explained.

READ MORE: ‘Once Upon A Time’ Producers Say Tarantino’s Latest Is Not A “Manson Movie” & Is His “Most Personal” Film

And the rest is mostly history. Tarantino agreed and went back into the editing bay with editor Fred Raskin to add new footage—approximately 25 minutes—and re-altered the flow and feel of the movie as series.

READ MORE: Cannes Director Says Tarantino’s ‘Once Upon A Time’ Is “Magnificent” & Explains Why The Film Still Isn’t Ready For The Festival

“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,” he said. “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.”

Lastly, Tarantino is pretty annoyed by all the armchair experts on social media who claimed the version on Netflix contained no new footage and was just a Netflix edit. The director says a lot of this confusion would be cleared up if people would have just watched the latest version and not running their mouths.

“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,” Tarantino griped. “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!”

There you have it from the horse’s mouth and yes, the original version is always there to watch it if you prefer it, the director says. The mini-series version of “The Hateful Eight” is new, contains approximately 25 new minutes (or “maybe more,” according to QT) and is a new re-edit. Watch it now and see if you can spot the differences. Meanwhile, Tarantino says his latest film, “Once Upon A Time In Hollywood,” due in July and may premiere as part of the Cannes Film Festival line-up is in the mixing stage. Head to Slashfilm to read the rest of the interview.

‘Wild Nights With Emily’ Director Discusses Working With Molly Shannon & The Revisionist Emily Dickinson Comedy [Interview]

Every time a bloated, conventional, cradle-to-grave biopic garners more attention than cinephiles deem palatable, the same question arises. Why is it the cinematic explorations of our world’s most creative people — from Freddie Mercury to Sylvia Plath — routinely lack creativity? 

And while all the detractors could really do to dent “Bohemian Rhapsody” was mock its hacky editing on Twitter, it’s more constructive to champion the rare antidotes to the biopic formula. That means shouting out movies like “Wild Nights With Emily” — an unlikely comedy about the life of Emily Dickinson that seeks to rejuvenate and reclaim one of America’s most famous poets.

READ MORE: ‘The Wind’: Director Emma Tammi Discusses Her Debut Western-Horror Film [Podcast]

Based on her 1999 play of the same name, Madeleine Olnek’s third feature (after “Codependent Lesbian Space Alien Seeks Same” and “The Foxy Merkins”) injects back life into Dickinson’s largely bloodless reputation as a recluse who died without love or fame. “Wild Nights With Emily” boldly claims that Dickinson was … a person, and that a literary genius rejecting the sexual and social morays of 1870s New England might actually find some inspiration and humor in her personal rebellions. In addition to the movie’s many well-orchestrated gags of manners, Molly Shannon deserves ample credit for this movie’s small rebellion. As Dickinson, the star of the late-‘90s “SNL” and beloved 2106 dramedy “Other People” preserves a gentle interiority to Dickinson while also conveying the wry exasperation she felt toward the insipid, overgrown boys parading around as the waistcoated, side-burned gatekeepers of the era.

Listen to the podcast interview below as Olnek discusses correcting her own misconceptions about Dickinson, directing the sketch that originated Shannon’s most famous SNL character, and why she feels other historical women could benefit from a “Wild Nights With Emily” approach to the biopic.

Lynn Shelton To Direct Hulu Series ‘Little Fires Everywhere’ Starring Reese Witherspoon & Kerry Washington

If you’re a regular reader of The Playlist, odds are you’re familiar with the work of filmmaker Lynn Shelton. The independent director really broke out in 2009, thanks to her film “Humpday.” And since then, Shelton has continued making a name for herself in projects like “Touchy Feely,” “Laggies,” “Outside In,” and the recent “Sword of Trust.” Now, the director is set to helm a project that very well might be the biggest of her career.

Variety is reporting that Shelton has signed on to direct an upcoming four entries in the eight-episode limited series for Hulu, titled “Little Fires Everywhere.” The series features actresses Reese Witherspoon, Kerry Washington, and Rosemarie DeWitt in a story about a picture-perfect family that gets entangled in the fates of an enigmatic mother and daughter.

READ MORE: Lynn Shelton’s ‘Sword of Trust’ Is Hilarious & Emotional Thanks To Marc Maron & The Great Cast [SXSW Review]

This is far from the first time that Lynn Shelton has worked in TV. After her breakout in 2009, in between her other feature film projects, the director has continuously worked in the realm of TV, directing episodes of series such as “New Girl,” “Master of None,” “Shameless,” “Maron,” “Love,” and “GLOW,” just to name several. Her most recent TV gig is in an episode of the upcoming Witherspoon-starring Apple TV+ project, “The Morning Show.”

As mentioned, Witherspoon has been headlining TV series recently, with “Little Fires Everywhere” and the upcoming Apple series. However, she really made a name for herself on the small screen thanks to a starring role in the hugely successful, Emmy-winning HBO series “Big Little Lies,” which returns for a second season later this year.

READ MORE: Lynn Shelton and Jay Duplass Charm With ‘Outside In’ [TIFF Review]

No word on when “Little Fires Everywhere” will arrive on Hulu. Obviously, this will be a series that will be hard to miss, considering the massive amount of talent involved.

‘Toni Morrison: The Pieces I Am’ Trailer: The Greatness Of A Literary Legend Is Captured In New Doc

There’s no doubt, author Toni Morrison is a literary living legend. The author of titles including, “Tar Baby,” “Beloved,” and “Song Of Solomon,” among others, Morrison conveyed the Black experience in with poetic nuance. Her texts are a window by which we can bear witness to lived experiences told in lyrical fashion. It’s no surprise, then, that such a woman of prolific writing and astounding career is given the documentary treatment compiling all the pieces that make them tick.

READ MORE: Oscar Comes To Sundance & Six Other Takeaways From A Workmanlike Fest

Directed by Timothy Greenfield-Sanders (“The Black List,” “Lou Reed: Rock and Roll Heart“), “Toni Morrison: The Pieces I Am” premiered at the 2019 Sundance Film Festival and was subsequently added to the roster for Magnolia Pictures.

Greenfield-Sanders offers a modulated take on the writing legend in the documentary. Not only a filmmaker, but Greenfield-Sanders has also been a friend of Morrison for more than 35 years. It’s a perfect match of filmmaking techniques and storytelling. Celebrating Morrison’s life and accomplishments, the trailer extends a hand, pointing audiences straight to the nearest book store as if saying, “It’s about time for a new read.”

“Toni Morrison: The Pieces I Am” hits theaters June 21.

Here is the full synopsis:

From her childhood in the steel town of Lorain, Ohio to ‘70s-era book tours with Muhammad Ali, from the front lines with Angela Davis to her own riverfront writing room, Toni Morrison leads an assembly of her peers, critics and colleagues on an exploration of race, America, history and the human condition as seen through the prism of her own work. Inspired to write because no one took a “little black girl” seriously, Morrison reflects on her lifelong deconstruction of the master narrative. Woven together with a rich collection of art, history, literature and personality, the film includes discussions about her many critically acclaimed novels, including “The Bluest Eye,” “Sula” and “Song of Solomon,” her role as an editor of iconic African-American literature and her time teaching at Princeton University. In addition to Ms. Morrison, the documentary features interviews with Angela Davis, Hilton Als, Fran Lebowitz, Walter Mosley, Sonia Sanchez, Farah Griffin, and Oprah Winfrey, who turned Morrison’s novel “Beloved” into a feature film.

‘Long Shot’: Director Jonathan Levine Talks Lubitsch, Boyz II Men & Seth Rogen/Charlize Theron Chemistry [Interview]

“If you look at Frank Capra, if you look at Billy Wilder, if you look at [Ernst] Lubitsch for example, these were the type of movies I was going back to, to look at tone,” explains “Long Shot” director Jonathan Levine during our conversation about his latest romantic comedy starring Seth Rogen and Charlize Theron.

READ MORE: ‘Long Shot’: Charlize Theron & Seth Rogen Blow The Roof Off In A Terrific, Hilarious & Sincere Romantic Comedy [SXSW Review]

“If you look at “To Be or Not to Be,” the Lubitsch movie, which is like set against the backdrop of World War II, they don’t waste a lot of time complaining about Hitler,” the filmmaker added. “He is something that exists, and as such, there’s enough real estate to calibrate a tone that is sweet and funny, and yet also has some teeth.”

READ MORE: The 100 Most Anticipated Films Of 2019

Perhaps this is the biggest reason why Levine’s latest effort has such wide appeal and feels far more unique than the current string of Trumpian political comedies. “Long Shot” doesn’t harp on the obvious and instead, uses the environment of today’s political climate to tap into the hearts and minds of people. As a lover of romantic movies, Levine knew the key ingredient to the success of “Long Shot” was cultivating a genuine romance between Theron and Rogen even stating that their main rule was to “lead with heart, lead with romance and let the characters…sort of guide us” to which Frank and Charlotte excel at to the fullest.

READ MORE: ‘Long Shot’ Trailer: Seth Rogen Hurts Himself A Lot In The Latest Look At His New Comedy

“Long Shot” follows investigative journalist Fred Flarsky (Rogen) as he runs into his former babysitter Charlotte Field (Theron) at a party who just happens to be one of the most powerful women in the world – the Secretary of State vying for a run at the presidency in the next election cycle. After Charlotte impulsively hires Fred as her new speechwriter, the two soon see some old and unexpected feelings resurface.

READ MORE: The Essentials: 5 Great Ernst Lubitsch Films

The “The Night Before” filmmaker is no stranger to riding a fine genre-bending line inherently challenging himself by making such films as a zombie romance with “Warm Bodies,” a cancer comedy with “50/50,” and now a heartfelt political rom-com. Like the great filmmakers who inspired him, Levine seems to genuinely comprehend the heart of human relationships, understanding that those relationships are what drives the story with each backdrop serving as texture. Perhaps it’s Levine’s romantic outlook on life that allows him to inhabit such a sincere mindset stating, “I am kind of a romantic, and so I think just in my DNA I just bring that to the table… I was just in love with the idea of showing these two people falling in love, and I just love the music you can use and the way the world looks when you’re falling in love and all this stuff.”

During our conversation, Levine not only enlightened me on this delicate process, but discussed the degree of improvisation on set, the origin of “Long Shot’’s” most quotable jokes, his working relationship with Seth Rogen and Charlize Theron, why Fred wears an absurd ‘80s windbreaker, how Boyz II Men got involved and much more.

You can listen to the entirety of my 40-minute interview with Jonathan Levine below along with my full review of “Long Shot.” “Long Shot” opens in theaters Friday, May 3rd.

‘Game Of Thrones’ Sets New Viewership Record Despite People Literally Not Being Able To See The Episode

Before last weekend began, many were wondering which battle would be the most epic, “Avengers: Endgame” or “Game of Thrones?” (And as I type that, I realize that might be the nerdiest thing I’ve ever written. Sorry.) Alas, your mileage may vary with the results. Some thought ‘Endgame’ was overhyped, while others called ‘Thrones’ unwatchable, with its terrible lighting. However, something that can’t be debated is the fact that both broke records.

Sure, we know that “Avengers: Endgame” destroyed every conceivable box office record over the weekend, setting new marks that will likely stand for years to come. But HBO is quick to announce that “Game of Thrones” did something just as impressive, as last Sunday’s “The Long Night” became the most-watched episode of the series yet.

READ MORE: ‘Game Of Thrones’ Cinematographer Defends Last Episode’s Lighting: “I Know It Wasn’t Too Dark Because I Shot It”

HBO says that on Sunday night alone, in streaming and the episode’s two airings, “Game of Thrones” was seen by a record 17.8 million people. This beats the previous record, held by this season’s premiere, of 17.4 million. Not too shabby. Now, the real question is how many of those viewings happened because people couldn’t see what the hell happened the first time? ZING!

To answer that, somewhat dick-ish question, HBO says that the first airing of the series alone accounted for 12 million of those 17.8 million viewers. That’s pretty remarkable.

Now, as we mentioned in our report about the first episode’s ridiculous viewership, the halo-effect of ‘Thrones’ bringing in monster numbers applies to the series that follows, “Barry.” Thanks to ‘Thrones’ amassing great ratings, “Barry” has seen record-viewership each of the last three weeks, with the most recent episode being seen by 2.5 million viewers on Sunday night. (2 million of those watching at its normal 10:30 PM ET airing.)

READ MORE: ‘Game Of Thrones’: Maisie Williams & Kit Harington Talk About The Final Moments Of Last Night’s Shocking Episode

Much like the rest of TV nowadays, many people don’t sit there on Sunday night, waiting for the premiere. There are some brave souls that are willing to wait for their earliest convenience to view ‘Thrones,’ risking spoilers at every turn. And this is especially true when you consider that HBO says the Season 8 premiere episode from April 14 has been seen by a whopping 38 million viewers since it debuted.

However, with the mixed reviews of the last episode and the fairly underwhelming ending to seasons-long buildup (All it took was a simple poke from a dagger? Albeit, an epic poke?), it’ll be interesting to see if the momentum builds in the next three weeks, as we get dangerously close to the true end of the series.

“Game of Thrones” airs on Sunday nights on HBO.

Tony Awards Nominations: ‘Tootsie’ & ‘Beetlejuice’ Sing While ‘To Kill A Mockingbird’ Snubbed

When you piss off the American Theater Wing they tend to let you know it and for Aaron Sorkin and “To Kill A Mockingbird,” their anger resulted in arguably one of the biggest snubs in Tony Awards history.  That being said, the 2019 Tony Award nominations were full of surprises and snubs in what turned out to be a very competitive year.  But “Mockingbird’s” omission will particularly sting.

READ MORE: Time Out names “Tootsie” as the Best Film of All Time

The adaptation of Harper Lee‘s classic novel was celebrated by critics and is one of the biggest non-musical hits to hit Broadway in years, but was left out of Tony’s top category, Best Play.  Jeff Daniels survived Tony Voter’s wrath with a Best Lead Actor in a Play nod and the show also landed Direction, Featured Actress, Featured Actor and five other nominations.  The likely reason playwright Aaron Sorkin missed out on the top Play nod is because of producer Scott Rudin’s hardcore stance against local productions of “To Kill.”  Quizzically, Rudin’s participation in that controversy did not affect another of his productions, Taylor Mac’s “Gary: A Sequel to Titus Andronicus,” from landing a nod in the same category.

Hollywood IP has fueled Broadway over the past few decades and that was obvious in Best Musical nods for “Beetlejuice” and “Tootsie.”  Like “Mockingbird,” the adaptation of “Network” was snubbed for Best Play, but Bryan Cranston earned a nod alongside Daniels in Best Lead Actor in a Play as well as other familiar names such as Adam Driver (“Burn This”) and Paddy Considine (“The Ferryman”).

Annette Bening (“All My Sons”), Janet McTeer (“Bernhardt/Hamlet”), Elaine May (“The Waverly Gallery”), and two-time winner Laurie Metcalf (“Hillary and Clinton”) are among eight actresses up for Best Lead Actress in a Play.

The celebrated musical “Hadestown” led all productions with 14 nominations.  “Ain’t Too Proud: The Life and Times of the Temptations” earned 12 while “Tootsie” took 11.

Other major acting snubs included Nathan Lane (“Gary: A Sequel to Titus Andronicus”), Glenda Jackson (“King Lear”), John Lithgow (“Hillary and Clinton”) and Kerry Washington (“American Son”).

A complete list of this year’s Tony Award nominees are as follows:

Best Musical

“Ain’t Too Proud: The Life and Times of the Temptations”

“Beetlejuice”

“Hadestown”

“The Prom”

“Tootsie”

Best Play

“Choir Boy”

“The Ferryman”

“Gary: A Sequel to Titus Andronicus”

“Ink”

“What the Constitution Means to Me”

Best Revival of a Musical

“Kiss Me, Kate”

“Oklahoma!”

Best Revival of a Play

“All My Sons”

“The Boys in the Band”

“Burn This”

“Torch Song”

“The Waverly Gallery”

Best Book of a Musical

“Ain’t Too Proud: The Life and Times of the Temptations”: Dominique Morisseau

“Beetlejuice”: Scott Brown and Anthony King

“Hadestown”: Anaïs Mitchell

“The Prom”: Bob Martin and Chad Beguelin

“Tootsie”: Robert Horn

Best Original Score

“Beetlejuice,” music and lyrics: Eddie Perfect

“Be More Chill,” music and lyrics: Joe Iconis

“Hadestown,” music and lyrics: Anaïs Mitchell

“The Prom,” music by Matthew Sklar; lyrics by Chad Beguelin

“Tootsie,” music and lyrics: David Yazbek

“To Kill a Mockingbird,” music by Adam Guettel

Best Direction of a Play

Rupert Goold, “Ink”

Sam Mendes, “The Ferryman”

Bartlett Sher, “To Kill a Mockingbird”

Ivo van Hove, “Network”

George C. Wolfe, “Gary: A Sequel to Titus Andronicus”

Best Direction of a Musical

Rachel Chavkin, “Hadestown”

Scott Ellis, “Tootsie”

Daniel Fish, “Oklahoma!”

Des McAnuff, “Ain’t Too Proud: The Life and Times of the Temptations”

Casey Nicholaw, “The Prom”

Best Leading Actor in a Play

Bryan Cranston, “Network”

Paddy Considine, “The Ferryman”

Jeff Daniels, “To Kill a Mockingbird”

Adam Driver, “Burn This”

Jeremy Pope, “Choir Boy”

Best Leading Actress in a Play

Annette Bening, “All My Sons”

Laura Donnelly, “The Ferryman”

Elaine May, “The Waverly Gallery”

Janet McTeer, “Bernhardt/Hamlet”

Laurie Metcalf, “Hillary and Clinton”

Heidi Schreck, “What the Constitution Means to Me”

Best Leading Actor in a Musical

Brooks Ashmanskas, “The Prom”

Derrick Baskin, “Ain’t Too Proud: The Life and Times of the Temptations”

Alex Brightman, “Beetlejuice”

Damon Daunno, “Oklahoma!”

Santino Fontana, “Tootsie”

Best Leading Actress in a Musical

Stephanie J. Block, “The Cher Show”

Caitlin Kinnunen, “The Prom”

Beth Leavel, “The Prom”

Eva Noblezada, “Hadestown”

Kelli O’Hara, “Kiss Me, Kate”

Best Featured Actor in a Play

Bertie Carvel, “Ink”

Robin de Jesús, “The Boys in the Band”

Gideon Glick, “To Kill a Mockingbird”

Brandon Uranowitz, “Burn This”

Benjamin Walker, “All My Sons”

Best Featured Actress in a Play

Fionnula Flanagan, “The Ferryman”

Celia Keenan-Bolger, “To Kill a Mockingbird”

Kristine Nielsen, “Gary: A Sequel to Titus Andronicus”

Julie White, “Gary: A Sequel to Titus Andronicus”

Ruth Wilson, “King Lear”

Best Featured Actor in a Musical

André De Shields, “Hadestown”

Andy Grotelueschen, “Tootsie”

Patrick Page, “Hadestown”

Jeremy Pope, “Ain’t Too Proud: The Life and Times of the Temptations”

Ephraim Sykes, “Ain’t Too Proud: The Life and Times of the Temptations”

Best Featured Actress in a Musical

Lilli Cooper, “Tootsie”

Amber Gray, “Hadestown”

Sarah Stiles, “Tootsie”

Ali Stroker, “Oklahoma!”

Mary Testa, “Oklahoma!”

Best Scenic Design of a Play

Miriam Buether, “To Kill a Mockingbird”

Bunny Christie, “Ink”

Rob Howell, “The Ferryman”

Santo Loquasto, “Gary: A Sequel to Titus Andronicus”

Jan Versweyveld, “Network”

Best Scenic Design of a Musical

Robert Brill and Peter Nigrini, “Ain’t Too Proud: The Life and Times of the Temptations”

Peter England, “King Kong”

Rachel Hauck, “Hadestown”

Laura Jellinek, “Oklahoma!”

David Korins, “Beetlejuice”

Best Costume Design of a Play

Rob Howell, “The Ferryman”

Toni-Leslie James, “Bernhardt/Hamlet”

Clint Ramos, “Torch Song”

Ann Roth, “To Kill a Mockingbird”

Ann Roth, “Gary: A Sequel to Titus Andronicus”

Best Costume Design of a Musical

Michael Krass, “Hadestown”

William Ivey Long, “Tootsie”

William Ivey Long, “Beetlejuice”

Bob Mackie, “The Cher Show”

Paul Tazewell, “Ain’t Too Proud: The Life and Times of the Temptations”

Best Lighting Design of a Play

Neil Austin, “Ink”

Jules Fisher and Peggy Eisenhauer, “Gary: A Sequel to Titus Andronicus”

Peter Mumford, “The Ferryman”

Jennifer Tipton, “To Kill a Mockingbird”

Jan Versweyveld and Tal Yarden, “Network”

Best Lighting Design of a Musical

Kevin Adams, “The Cher Show”

Howell Binkley, “Ain’t Too Proud: The Life and Times of the Temptations”

Bradley King, “Hadestown”

Peter Mumford, “King Kong”

Kenneth Posner and Peter Negrini, “Beetlejuice”

Best Sound Design in a Play

Adam Cork, “Ink”

Scott Lehrer, “To Kill a Mockingbird”

Fitz Patton, “Choir Boy”

Nick Powell, “The Ferryman”

Eric Sleichim, “Network”

Best Sound Design in a Musical

Peter Hylenski, “King Kong”

Peter Hylenski, “Beetlejuice”

Steve Canyon Kennedy, “Ain’t Too Proud: The Life and Times of the Temptations”

Drew Levy, “Oklahoma!”

Nevin Steinberg and Jessica Paz, “Hadestown”

Best Choreography

Camille A. Brown, “Choir Boy”

Warren Carlyle, “Kiss Me, Kate”

Denis Jones, “Tootsie”

David Neumann, “Hadestown”

Sergio Trujillo, “Ain’t Too Proud: The Life and Times of the Temptations”

Best Orchestrations

Michael Chorney and Todd Sickafoose, “Hadestown”

Simon Hale, “Tootsie”

Larry Hochman, “Kiss Me, Kate”

Daniel Kluger, “Oklahoma!”

Harold Wheeler, “Ain’t Too Proud: The Life and Times of the Temptations”

Special Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Theater

Rosemary Harris

Terrence McNally

Harold Wheeler

Isabelle Stevenson Award

Judith Light

Regional Theater Tony Award

TheatreWorks Silicon Valley

Special Tony Award

Marin Mazzie

Sonny Tilders and Creature Technology Company

Jason Michael Webb

Tony Honors for Excellence in the Theater

Broadway Inspirational Voices – Michael McElroy, Founder

Peter Entin

FDNY Engine 54, Ladder 4, Battalion 9

Joseph Blakely Forbes

The 2019 Tony Awards will be hosted by James Cordon and handed out June 9 on CBS beginning at 8 PM ET.

Martin Scorsese Wants You To Be “Patient” With The Academy Regarding Its Netflix Issue: “They’re Gonna Work It Out.”

If you get a chance to talk to a legendary filmmaker in 2019, you don’t ask him about his career or his future. No, in 2019, you ask him about Netflix. With Steven Spielberg chiming in about the future of streaming versus theatrical releases, the world wants to know what the iconic directors of our time think about the future of film. And so, when Vanity Fair caught up with Martin Scorsese, they asked him that exact question.

Scorsese seems to really have a dislike of the word “content.” The buzzword is now getting thrown around, thanks to streaming services, that view movies, TV shows, shorts, and anything else as simply “content.”

READ MORE: Martin Scorsese Says ‘The Irishman’ Fits With Previous De Niro Collabs But Comes From “A Different Vantage Point”

“It seems to level everything,” Scorsese said. “And cinema’s special. What’s the difference, then, between an Almodóvar film, ‘Lawrence of Arabia,’ [and] an instructional video?”

But much like Spielberg, who has continuously defended the idea of film and cinemas, but signed a massive deal with Apple, Scorsese is in bed with a streamer of his own — Netflix. The streaming service has not only given the filmmaker upwards of $125 million (reportedly) to create the upcoming crime drama, “The Irishman,” but is also the company that will release Scorsese’s new doc about Bob Dylan.

So, if the filmmaker is worried about “content” and the future of film, why would he join up with Netflix?

READ MORE: Martin Scorsese’s “Fever Dream” Bob Dylan Doc ‘Rolling Thunder’ Coming To Theaters & Netflix In June

“They came up with the money, and the freedom,” said Scorsese. And it’s that sort of logic that has led Netflix and its streaming brethren signing up almost every major filmmaker and A-list actor to create more and more content.

But as for the question about the streaming services and the Oscars, a question that was brought up after “Roma” almost walked away with Hollywood’s highest honor? Well, Scorsese is confident that the Academy and the streaming companies will figure something out.

“They’re gonna work it out,” said the filmmaker. “I want people to be patient with them, because they need to try different things . . . argue it out, because it makes you think, ‘What is a film? And how should a film be presented, especially in a new world?’ I think the cards are stacked for the big budget, and that’s a problem.”

“The Irishman” is set to be released in theaters and Netflix later this fall. The Bob Dylan doc, ‘Rolling Thunder,’ arrives on the streaming service (and in theaters) in June.

‘True Detective’ Creator Says He Has “The Most Exciting” Idea For Season 4 & Hopes HBO Will Let Him Do It

While the most recent season of “True Detective” wasn’t the cultural phenomenon that the first season was, many saw Mahershala Ali’s run on the show as a bit of a return to form for the HBO drama, especially in light of the disappointing Season 2. However, this renewed interest in the franchise doesn’t necessarily mean that “True Detective” is on the fast track to Season 4. In fact, there’s no guarantee that a new iteration of the series is even in the cards.

But according to series writer-creator Nic Pizzolatto, if “True Detective” doesn’t return for Season 4, it won’t be because of a lack of ideas. Speaking to IndieWire, Pizzolatto discussed his plans for a new season of the crime thriller, but also wants to temper any expectations, considering he and HBO haven’t come to an agreement to continue the Emmy-winning show.

READ MORE: HBO Executives Discuss The Future Including ‘True Detective,’ ‘Sharp Objects,’ & More: “We Are Not Just The Network Of ‘Game Of Thrones’”

“I had this idea , and to me, I think it’s a really strong idea, and it would be something I’ve never seen on television before,” Pizzolatto said. “But since then, I’ve had another idea that I’ve talked about with an actor, and that, to me, would be the most exciting thing we could do with ‘True Detective.’”

You can’t get much vaguer than that, huh? Either way, just hearing that Pizzolatto is excited about moving forward with a Season 4 is exciting stuff for fans of “True Detective.” Plus, we can already hear the keyboards clacking with folks excitedly typing up which actor they’d like to see star in the new season.

As for his previous idea that he was so jazzed about, the writer says it could show up in another project that is non-“True Detective.” But his focus now is on the new season and his new idea.

“I think it would be really great for the fans. I just don’t know if we’re going to get to do it,” he said.

We’ll have to wait and see what happens with HBO and “True Detective.” Clearly, the network is involved in a bit of expansion right now, as it attempts to create more content to compete with its streaming rivals. And “True Detective” is still a bankable franchise that would serve the company well. But as of now, the future is unclear.

Deadline Studio at Tribeca Film Festival 2019 – Day 4: Margot Robbie, Gbenga Akinnagbe, Simon Pegg & More

Deadline’s studio at the 2019 Tribeca Film Festival kicked off Day 4 by hosting fest-goers including Margot Robbie of Dreamland, Gbenga Akinnagbe of DC Noir, Simon Pegg of Lost Transmissions and many more.

Click on the photo above to launch the gallery.

Stay tuned for more galleries and video interviews from the Deadline Studio at the 2019 Tribeca Film Festival.

The festival continues through May 5.

The Deadline Studio is presented by Hyundai.

’13 Reasons Why’: Teen Suicide Rates Spiked After Netflix Series Premiere, Study Says

When Netflix’s 13 Reasons Why, which deals with teen suicide, bullying, drunk driving and rape in graphic detail, premiered in 2017, some mental health experts warned that the show could pose health risks for certain young people, especially those with suicidal thoughts. Now, a new study funded by the National Institutes of Health, suggests those concerns may have been justified.

Researchers at Nationwide Children’s Hospital found that the month following the March 2017 debut of the series, suicides spiked by 28% by boys ages 10-17, the highest rate of the five-year study period in the age group. The nine months after the show’s release saw an extra 195 deaths by suicide in this age group, more than expected given historical trends.

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Researchers stressed that the study could not prove causation for the suicide spike, saying some unknown third factor might have been responsible for the increase. However,citing the strong correlation, they cautioned against exposing children and adolescents to the series.

“Few believe this type of media exposure will take kids who are not depressed and make them suicidal,” said lead author Dr. Victor Hong, medical director of psychiatric emergency services at the University of Michigan. “The concern is about how this may negatively impact youth who are already teetering on the edge.”

Netflix does not release viewership data, so it’s not known how many people actually watch the show.

“This is a critically important topic and we have worked hard to ensure that we handle this sensitive issue responsibly,” a Netflix spokesperson said in response to the latest study. The internet network also noted that this study conflicts with last week’s study from the University of Pennsylvania which found that students who watched the entire second season were less likely to purposely injure themselves or seriously consider suicide — even when compared with those who did not watch the show.

Netflix also reminded that the series carries an advisory card with a cast message that plays at the start of seasons one and two, and individual cards on specific episodes that direct to its resource site at 13ReasonsWhy.info. In addition, Netflix offers parental controls that enable members to designate a Pin Code in order to access a specific television show or movie. You can read Netflix’s advisory message card below.

“13 Reasons Why is a fictional series that tackles tough, real-world issues taking a look at sexual assault, substance abuse, suicide and more. By shedding a light on these difficult topics, we hope our show can help viewers start a conversation. But if you are struggling with these issues yourself, this series may not be right for you or you may want to watch it with a trusted adult. And if you ever feel you need someone to talk with, reach out to a parent, a friend, a school counselor or an adult you trust, call a local helpline or go to 13reasonswhy.info. Because the minute you start talking about it, it gets easier.”

DCR Finance Corp Launches $100M Film Fund, With ‘The Last Full Measure’ First On Its List

EXCLUSIVE: DCR Finance Corp has launched a a $100 million film and media fund that will be used to finance small to midsize films across Europe and the U.S., with the goal to help filmmakers complete their movies and land distribution.

The first pic to receive funds will be Roadside Attractions’ The Last Full Measure, the upcoming Todd Robinson Vietnam War drama based on a true story and starring Sebastian Stan. DCR will invest in the P&A for the pic, which has an October 25 release date after Roadside acquired the film in Toronto.

The film is produced by Foresight Unlimited chairman Mark Damon, who will now join the DCR board along with producer Jordi Rediu. DCR Finance Corp, a New York- and Los Angeles-based media finance firm that specializes in equity investments and entertainment funding, was founded by venture capitalist Adi Cohen, who also a producer on Last Full Measure. Foresight handled international sales on the pic.

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In addition to financing, the DCR fund aims to dedicate 20% of all money raised to selected film festivals and film schools. At launch, $5 million will be gifted to the Jerusalem Sam Spiegel International Film Lab.

“After a half-century of producing and distributing films, I felt it incumbent upon myself to dedicate time to guide and support the talents of aspiring filmmakers,” said Damon, whose long list of credits include Monster, Lone Survivor and The NeverEnding Story. “I am pleased and honored to have been offered such a worthwhile opportunity to manage a fund that aims to assist producers to realize their aspirations.”

DCR said placement will be managed by Razwana Akram and Simon Goldberg of London’s Simons Muirhead & Burton. Coutts of London will handle all finances.

Jussie Smollett “Grateful” As ‘Empire’ Renewed For Season 6 By Fox But His Future Dim – Update

UPDATED with Smollett statement: The Lyon clan is officially coming back to Fox for a sixth season, but the future of Jussie Smollett on Empire remains in flux.

“By mutual agreement, the studio has negotiated an extension to Jussie Smollett’s option for Season 6, but at this time there are no plans for the character of Jamal to return to Empire,” Fox Entertainment and 20th Century Fox TV said in a side statement Tuesday.

“We’ve been told that Jussie will not be on Empire in the beginning of the season but he appreciates they have extended his contract to keep Jamal’s future open,” said reps for the actor, who has played Jamal Lyon on Empire since the show premiered in January 2015. “Most importantly he is grateful to Fox and Empire leadership, cast, crew and fans for their unwavering support.”

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The language used by the Smollett’s team sure sounds like there was no “mutual” about the notion to pull the actor from Season 6. Still, Deadline reported on March 27 on the move to continue Empire without Smollett, so today’s news isn’t much of a surprise. Despite the spotlight on Smollett over his allegedly falsifying claims he was the subject of a hate crime attack, the Fox hip-hop drama created by Lee Daniels and Danny Strong remains a big draw for Fox, even with its recent string of series-low ratings.

In fact, after the completion of Disney’s $71.3 billion acquisition of a big chunk of 21st Century Fox, the series was well represented in New Fox’s “fresh start” sizzle video played on-air during  Empire‘s March 20 episode.

Smollett has continued to insist on his innocence in and saw the 16 felony charges he was facing in Chicago erased on March 26. Looking at potentially years behind bars for allegedly staging a racist and homophobic attack on himself on January 29, Smollett instead found his legal slate wiped clean, the controversial case sealed in exchange for forfeiting a $10,000 bond and credit for a then-recent stint of 20 hours of community service. The decision outraged the Chicago Police Department, outgoing Mayor Rahm Emanuel and even Donald Trump.

There was no specific mention of Smollett in Empire‘s official renewal statement from Fox Entertainment president Michael Thorn today. “Empire continues to break barriers with its emotionally powerful storytelling, and it remains a core part of the Fox legacy,” he said.

2018-19 Renewals And Cancellations For Broadcast, Cable & Streaming

“We want to thank everyone on the show – Taraji, Terrence and the entire cast, as well as Lee, Danny, Brett, Sanaa, Brian, Francie, Dennis and their teams – all of whom have done a tremendous job this season,” the exec added.

“We know there are so many more stories to tell, and we can’t wait to see what they have in store for Season 6,” Thorn concluded, just over two weeks after, as Deadline revealed exclusively, Taraji P. Henson, Terrence Howard and other leading cast members sent a letter to execs asking “that our co-star, brother and friend be brought back for our sixth season of Empire.” 

As more lawsuits fly around the Windy City related to Smollett, it was not a message the Charlie Collier-run Fox nor the now Disney-owned 20th Century Fox TV agreed with — though there may yet be crack in the door left for Smollett.

Smollett has already been written out of the final two episodes of the current Season 5, which wraps May 8.

Apple Q2 Results Beat Wall Street Forecasts, Boosting Stock After Hours

Apple posted improved results for its fiscal second quarter, with earnings per share of $2.46 per share outdoing analysts’ consensus forecast of $2.37. The company on Tuesday reported total revenue of $58 billion for the period ending March 31, also exceeding estimates for $57.5 billion.

Apple stock fell 2% during the trading day to finish at $200.67, in the worst pre-earnings dropoff in four years, but it rallied about 5% in initial trading after hours. It wasn’t the only major tech issue to sell off today, though: Google parent Alphabet, which reported disappointing first-quarter earnings yesterday, had one of the worst days in its history. Alphabet lost $99.10 per share, or nearly 8%, to end the day at $1,188.48. About $67 billion in market value evaporated due to the downturn.

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Apple today said revenue from iPhones totaled $31.05 billion. While that was down slightly from the $38.03 billion in the year-ago period, it was higher than the $30.5 billion Wall Street consensus. The tech giant is in the midst of a transition from hardware sales toward services like Apple Pay and Apple Music.

Services have yielded a more predictable revenue stream given the lack of manufacturing complexities and investments that must be precision-timed to satisfy consumer demand. While the most recent iPhones have been well-received, the price point is higher and the need for upgrades has diminished, crimping sales. The company’s holiday quarter, ending December 31, yielded a drop in iPhone sales for the first time, sending many investors to the sidelines.

CEO Tim Cook led a two-hour unveiling of new initiatives in March, half of which was devoted to the forthcoming streaming service Apple TV+. It too will aim to take advantage of Services revenue, with the so-called “Apple tax” or 30% being applied to pass-through sales of third-party apps from Starz, CBS Corp. and others.

Few concrete details were revealed about the TV launch, including even basics like launch date and pricing, during the March event at the company’s Cupertino, CA campus. Analysts and others who watch the company closely expect executives to divulge few new details during any Wall Street settings.

The company is joining a crowded streaming space, with Disney, WarnerMedia and NBCUniversal all readying major new offerings.

Condé Nast Touts “New Primetime” Across Its Digital Platforms – NewFronts

Condé Nast, taking the sharpest aim at linear TV of any of the NewFronts presenters thus far, styled itself as the “new primetime” destination for media buyers during its Tuesday afternoon pitch at the newly opened Hudson Yards.

“We’re the new Thursday night, and we’re always on,” declared Pamela Drucker Mann, chief revenue and marketing officer of Condé Nast. The event made liberal use of mid-20th century iconography of TV sets with rabbit ears but sought to emphasize how the stable of brands like Vogue, Vanity Fair, GQ and The New Yorker has replaced the traditional linear lions of the broadcast world.

The choice of venue was not insignificant: Mercado Little Spain, a sprawling Spanish food market on the base level of 10 Hudson Yards, one of the new towers along the High Line on Manhattan’s West Side, along the Hudson River. Two doors down, at 30 Hudson Yards (what some brave locals have dubbed “HuYa,” though time will tell if that sticks) is the new home of WarnerMedia.

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Condé Nast unveiled an impossible-to-document 175 pilots and 50 returning shows that it labeled as “blockbusters.” Among the new initiatives are the launch of a GQ spots channel, a partnership with Twitter and new ad products that leverage the influence of the company’s portfolio for advertising partners. Mann also announced a tie-up with Nielsen, further cementing the effort to take the place of TV. The Twitter partnership will bring to the social network live streams of the company’s conferences, including Vanity Fair’s New Establishment Summit, The New Yorker Festival and Wired25.

One show that got a plug during the event was “Ask Anna.” The fast-paced, 45-minute show took a few minutes out to replicate the Vogue editor’s office and bring her onstage to field a couple of questions from the audience. Among the grab-bag topics the segment touched on was politics. She gave an approving mention of Democratic candidate Pete Buttiegieg, but cautioned that it was “not an endorsement.”

Condé Nast painted a picture of collective strength, noting that its digital videos racked up 14 billion digital video views in 2018, with global video views up 16% over 2017.

Roger Lynch, former head of Dish Network’s internet-delivered TV bundle Sling, recently joined Condé Nast as CEO and is managing through a restructuring as the company’s international and domestic operations are combined. Video, clearly, appears to the be the tip of the spear.

“While there’s more content in the market today than ever before, a new scarcity has emerged — a scarcity of great content,” Mann said in the company’s official slate announcement. “We’re reaching net new audiences you can’t reach on television, or any one platform — we are the new primetime, uniquely positioned to connect our advertisers with one billion consumers around the world.”

Oren Katzeff, who replaced Dawn Ostroff as head of Condé Nast Entertainment last year, noted the company has seen that longform content (episodes lasting 20 minutes or longer) draws the most views of anything the company serves up. Overall longform efforts have gained momentum of late, with a feature adaptation of Wired‘s article about wayward tech pioneer John McAfee in the works, starring Michael Keaton and Seth Rogen. The company also produced The Old Man and the Gun, starring Robert Redford.

Among the other digital series in the pipeline are Vanity Fair’s “The Great Pretender,” Allure’s “Seeing Triple,” Condé Nast Traveler’s “Say I Sent You” and Architectural Digest’s “Pop Culture Design Breakdown.”

Condé Nast recently announced the launch of Bon Appétit’s new streaming TV channel, with programming that features fan-favorite personalities from the Bon Appétit Test Kitchen. Viewers are spending more than 56 minutes per session watching the content.

Fox News Channel Tops Cable In April; Sean Hannity Leads Pack, Tucker Carlson Edges Rachel Maddow

Fox News Channel finished April as the No. 1 basic cable network for a 34th consecutive month in total day.

The month the DOJ finally released special counsel Robert Mueller’s nearly two-year probe into Russian election interference and any Trump administration role, FNC also celebrated its 208th consecutive month as the most watched cable news network, in total day and primetime.

In total viewers, FNC topped basic cable with 2.395 million viewers in primetime and 1.351M in total day.

MSNBC was No. 2 among all basic cable networks in both dayparts, averaging 1.66M viewers in primetime and 919K in total day.

CNN was more competitive in total day than in primetime. In total day, CNN ranked No. 9 among cable nets, averaging 545K viewers, behind the other two news nets as well as Investigation Discovery, HGTV, Nickelodeon, TNT, ESPN and USA Network.

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In primetime, CNN fell to No. 15, also falling behind ESPN, History, TBS, Hallmark Channel, etc.

President Donald Trump confidant/FNC primetime star Sean Hannity (3.086M viewers, 514K in news demo), not surprisingly, was host of April’s most watched cable news program. During the month, Hannity was followed by his network’s Tucker Carlson Tonight (2.834M, 499K), which edged out MSNBC’s The Rachel Maddow Show (2.630M, 427K).

CNN’s Cuomo Prime Time (917K, 235K) remained that network’s best performing program, ranking No. 15 among news programs, though those numbers represented Chris Cuomo’s smallest numbers since launch of his primetime series, which shares its slot with Hannity and Maddow.

‘The Chi’ Renewed For Season 3 By Showtime

Showtime has handed a Season 3 renewal to its Lena Waithe-created drama The Chi. The news comes just weeks after the series’ sophomore-season debut on the premium cable net.

“The Chi revels in revealing the beating heart of the South Side of Chicago,” said Gary Levine, President of Entertainment at Showtime Networks. “We, like our viewers, have fallen in love with these characters, and we remain eager to see where Lena and her fellow artists will take them in Season 3.”

Produced by Fox 21 Television Studios, The Chi is a timely coming-of-age story about a group of residents who become linked by coincidence but bonded by the need for connection and redemption. Jason Mitchell, Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine, Jacob Latimore, Alex Hibbert, Yolonda Ross and Armando Riesco star.

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In Season 2 of The Chi, which airs at 10 p.m. Sundays, Brandon’s (Mitchell) ambitious plan for his food truck business. Emmett (Latimore) makes an effort to grow up and get custody of his son, while his mother, Jada (Ross), discovers a new life of her own. Kevin (Hibbert) reckons with trauma as he strengthens bonds with his buddies. Ronnie (Mwine) attempts to reclaim his life, while Detective Cruz (Riesco) launches a new investigation.

Boomerang creator Waithe, who won an Emmy for Netflix’s Master of None, executive produces the series along Oscar and Emmy winner Common, Ayanna Floyd Davis, Aaron Kaplan, Rick Famuyiwa, Derek Dudley and Shelby Stone.

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‘Can’t Hurt Me’ Author & Ex-Navy SEAL David Goggins Signs With WME

EXCLUSIVE: WME has signed David Goggins, the retired NAVY Seal and author of Can’t Hurt Me, his self-published book that details his transformation from a depressed, overweight young man with no future into a U.S. Armed Forces icon and one of the world’s top endurance athletes.

He will be repped by a team of agents supporting his interests in film, among other areas, we’re told.

Goggins’ tale is ripe for a Hollywood treatment with his part-memoir/part-self-help book published in December about how an obese kid from Indiana survived an abusive childhood to became the only man in history to complete elite training as a Navy SEAL, Army Ranger and Air Force Tactical Air Controller (hint: a lot of grueling training). He since has set records in several ultra-endurance events — Outside magazine named him “The Fittest (Real) Man in America.”

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The book meanwhile has sold 900,000 copies in four months and remains one of the year’s top bestsellers on Amazon. It has made Goggins an even more sought-after public speaker, and he also continues to raise money for the Special Operations Warrior Foundation, which provides a post-secondary education to the surviving children of fallen special ops service members.

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‘Happy New Year, Colin Burstead’ Trailer: Ben Wheatley’s Latest Is A Scorching, Dysfunctional Family Drama

Family reunions and holiday get-togethers have been fodder for films for decades. These stories have stood the test of time in film because everyone has experience at one of these events, where it just feels like no one is happy but everyone fakes it as best they can. Ultimately, they’re miserable affairs. And that’s exactly the type of ground covered in Ben Wheatley’s latest film “Happy New Year, Colin Burstead.”

READ MORE:  Ben Wheatley’s ‘Happy New Year, Colin Burstead,’ Is A Bruising, Brilliant Family Drama [LFF Review]

As you might surmise from the title, ‘Colin Burstead’ follows a family gathering around New Year’s Eve, where Colin brings his family together to celebrate the holiday. However, as these sorts of things tend to do, the New Year celebration devolves into a bit of chaos as family infighting rules the day.

“I will go to my grave waving the flag for ‘High Rise‘ as a masterpiece, even I will acknowledge that this is the most pleasing and accessible thing Wheatley’s made since at least ‘Sightseers‘ as a result,” our reviewer wrote out of LFF last year.

‘Colin Burstead’ stars Neil Maskell as the titular character. He’s joined by a cast that includes Richard Glover, Peter Ferdinando, Mark Monero, Sam Riley, Asim Chaudhry, Joe Cole, Charles Dance, Alexandra Maria Lara, Doon Mackichan, Sinead Matthews, Bill Paterson, and Hayley Squires.

READ MORE: The 25 Best Films Of 2019 We’ve Already Seen

As mentioned, ‘Colin Burstead’ opened at last year’s LFF, and quickly made the rounds throughout some of the late fall festivals, before debuting on BBC right around New Year’s. Now, the film is beginning to roll out worldwide. Make sure you check it out when the film comes to your location.

‘Game of Thrones’ Season 8: The Night King & His Undead Army Arrive At Winterfell In Episode 3, ‘The Long Night’ [Recap]

How’s your “Game of Thrones” death pool looking? Though the 85-minute episode “The Long Night” – which was the brutal Battle of Winterfell in its entirety – robbed us of some of our favorites (SER JORAH!) for the last half of this final season, it feels like we got lucky overall. It could have been so much worse. Many of our beloved (SER BRIENNE!)  survived, but this relief will likely not last long.

After taking a season off from “Game of Thrones,” ace director Miguel Sapochnik returns to the Seven Kingdoms with tonight’s epic battle episode, which somehow exceeds even his previous contributions in “Hardhome” and “Battle of the Bastards.” The Emmy winner described this episode as “survival horror,” and while we know he was talking about the residents of Westeros, our heart rates were elevated too. Tell your doctor that watching this hour of TV is just as good for your cardiac health and see what they say.

Anyway, the tiles in the opening credits signify that the army of the dead is almost at Winterfell, and the nervous hands of Samwell Tarly (John Bradley) in the opening shot indicate exactly how close they are. “Get down to the crypts!” someone shouts, and Sam moves, with the single take switching its focus to Tyrion Lannister (Peter Dinklage) as he prepares to go to the depths of Winterfell and relative safety (maybe).

READ MORE: ‘Game Of Thrones’ Director Describes Sunday’s ‘Battle Of Winterfell’ Episode As “Survival Horror”

Cut to Davos Seaworth (Liam Cunningham) and then Sansa Stark (Sophie Turner) as they stand on the walls, waiting, while dragons Rhaegal and Drogon circle overhead, ready to fight. We move out to the ranks outside the walls, first on the Unsullied and Grey Worm (Jacob Anderson), then to the remains of the Night’s Watch. Sam arrives at the front, much to the (dampened) relief of Dolorous Edd (Ben Crompton), who is as happy to see him as he gets.

Melisandre (Carice van Houten) arrives from the east, and she commands Jorah Mormont (Iain Glen) to tell the Dothraki to lift their swords. They do, and she lights each of their weapons afire. We actually see Edd smile, which feels like a minor victory on this night.

“Valar morghulis,” the Red Woman says to Grey Worm, and it’s an unnecessary, perhaps cruel reminder to the audience that yes, everyone must die, and many will fall in this episode.

“There’s no need to execute me, Ser Davos,” Melisandre says to her old foe (Liam Cunningham). “I’ll be dead before the dawn.” Men begin crying out, and the fight has officially begun. Daenerys Targaryen (Emilia Clarke) and Jon Snow (Kit Harington) watch from afar, as Jorah, Ghost, and many we love ride into the fray. Trebuchets fling fire at the hordes.

A command of “cease fire” goes up, and we cut to the left flank with Brienne  (Gwendoline Christie) Jaime Lannister (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau), and Beric Dondarrion (Richard Dormer). They’re watching the fight, and suddenly all the fires are extinguished. Horses gallop in a panic toward them, along with far too few survivors. It’s all shot so darkly that we can barely tell who has returned, but Jorah is among their meager numbers. The army gets louder as it approaches, and our soldiers ready themselves. At least as ready as you can be for ice zombies coming your way.

READ MORE: ‘Game Of Thrones’ Writer Bryan Cogman Confirms His Spin-Off Is Dead & Talks Writing Last Sunday Episode

“Stand your ground,” Brienne commands, but she is soon knocked down and Jaime runs after her.

Rhaegal spits fire onto the dead army, with Dany on his back. Jon is on Drogon, and this is the first moment that it seems like we may have a chance as swaths of the wights are vanquished. Arya and Sansa watch in awe. I wish I were as impressed as they are; even the dim light can’t hide that these dragon flying special effects aren’t the show’s best. Jon flies toward the Night King, but he can’t see through a wintry wind.

Back inside Winterfell, Arya orders her older sister to go down to the crypt, and she hands her a dagger to defend herself. Sansa doesn’t know what to do with the weapon.

“Stick them with the pointy end,” Arya explains to her, just as Jon told her so many years ago.

Bran Stark (Isaac Hempstead Wright) and Theon Greyjoy (Alfie Allen) are in the Godswood, while Ser Jorah is outside, chopping off heads. Though we saw Brienne fall under a group of wights, she is somehow still alive, in a moment that challenges everything “The Walking Dead” fans know about when someone goes down, but the rules are different here.

Sandor ‘The Hound’ Clegane (Rory McCann), Samwell, Edd, and others fight, and Sam is on the ground. But it isn’t Sam who dies: Dolorous Edd is our first casualty, stabbed through the back as he tells his friend to get up, and Samwell runs away.

We meet Sansa as she descends into the crypt, meeting Varys (Conleth Hill), Tyrion, and Missandei (Nathalie Emmanuel). Tyrion takes a swig, which is a pretty relatable reaction, honestly.

Outside, Jon flies through the forest, and the two dragons clip each other in flight since there is no way to see anything. This is chaos. Tormund Giantsbane (Kristofer Hivju) and Brienne tell everyone to fall back, and Lyanna Mormont (Bella Ramsey) issues the command to open the gates, letting in the human armies. Grey Worm and the Unsullied stay outside to protect their fellow soldiers’ retreat. The Unsullied battle bravely, but it’s a mess.

READ MORE: ‘Game Of Thrones’: Episode 2 Behind-The-Scenes Featurette Shows The Hard Work That Went Into The New & Improved Winterfell

Zoom out and we can see the sheer number of approaching undead. They’re falling on the battlements meant to keep them out, but not enough of them are dying. Arya saves the Hound with a flaming arrow as he retreats, and he turns around and fights. The Unsullied begin their own retreat, and Grey Worm sends out the order to light the trench. Davos waves a signal, but Daenerys can’t see the flames through the thick smoke. The Unsullied ready themselves at the gate for the advancing army’s onslaught. Melisandre begins casting a spell (how’s your High Valyrian?), chanting over and over as the fight grows ever closer. She pleads desperately, but nothing happens until the last moment with the trench finally ignites around Winterfell. The Hound and Beric lie between the wall and the trench, with the Dead just beyond.

“At least we’re already in a crypt,” Varys quips in a bit of gallows humor from inside. Tyrion wishes he were out among the soldiers and could help, but his what-ifs are cut off by Sansa, who knows better. But her (rightfully) dour mood quickly softens.

“You were the best of them,” Sansa says to her ex-husband. “What a terrifying thought,” Tyrion replies with a laugh.

In the Godswood, Theon begins to apologize, but Bran says that without those actions he wouldn’t be here at Winterfell where he belongs, his home.

“I’m going to go now,” Bran continues and his eyes go white as he wargs into a raven outside the walls. He flies over the battlefield, approaching the Night King. The enemy leader commands, and his soldiers begin sacrificing themselves and falling on the fire in the trench, making space for the undead to advance. Inside, the humans ready themselves again. The undead pour over, and Jon looks in fear at an advancing Ice Dragon with the Night King on its back.

READ MORE: ‘Game Of Thrones’ Episode 8.2: ‘A Knight Of The Seven Kingdoms’ Is The Calm Before The Storm [Recap]

Everyone within the walls prepares as the dead begin to climb and clamor over each other to get to the top. Gendry (Joe Dempsie) is the first to strike, and they keep coming.  Forget David Fincher: this is our “World War Z” sequel.

Jaime and Brienne fight back to back and he saves her. Sam is as fierce as he can be, but they just keep coming. This is brutal stuff, but each moment is so fast and you can’t really dwell on the awfulness of a single death. I quit watching “The Walking Dead” for a reason. The Hound is still deep in this Mountain-induced terror of fire and is unable to move. Arya is coming, wielding her double-edged weapon like a boss, and the score builds. The Hound remains frozen, while Beric cries out for the gate and then reminds him that Arya needs their help.

A wight on a horse barrels through the gate and knocks Lyanna over. Soon a zombie giant comes in, and it’s a Westerosi version of David vs. Goliath as he grabs little Lyanna in his huge hands. He crushes her, but not fast enough as she stabs him through the eye and they both crumble. I literally raised my arms and cheered our bear’s bravery in her last moments.

Arya is inside the library and things are quiet, but it can’t last long. She’s not the only one inside the walls. Her training kicks in, but the sound of her dripping wound announces her to the walkers. She narrowly escapes after stabbing a girl wight, but a closed door isn’t enough to keep them out and they burst through like it was made of plywood. Bran the Builder, I expect better from your work.

We’re in the crypts, and soundproofing was apparently also not a strong point of Bran the Builder’s. Varys is all of us in his look of terror. Humans cry to be let into safety, and there are wordless shrieks from the dead, followed by an impossible quiet.

Beric and The Hound are now inside, with Beric’s sword lighting the way. A door opens and Arya bursts through, and he throws his sword at the wight on top of her. The Hound carries her off, as Beric is stabbed in sacrifice (and is positioned Christ-like across the hallway. Subtle.). He dies for what looks to be the final time, but Melisandre is behind him. There’s the promise of a resurrection in her appearance, but she says that he’s served his purpose and she doesn’t bring him back.

The reunion between Melisandre and Arya is likely not what the latter had thought, what with the Red Woman still on her kill list. But Melisandre reminds her of her prophecy that Arya will be responsible for many deaths, but this time it points toward her as a warrior against an army of blue-eyed zombies, rather than a murderer of humans.

“What do we say to the god of Death?” Melisandre asks.

“Not today,” Arya responds.

READ MORE: Maisie Williams Thought Last Night’s Intimate ‘Game Of Thrones’ Scene Was A Prank When She Read It

There’s more dragon fighting outside as the Ice Dragon takes on Drogon, and it seems like an unbalanced fight until Daenerys and Rhaegal arrive. They knock the Night King off his steed’s back, and Jon soon falls off Drogon’s back. Daenerys and Rhaegal stand over the Night King. She commands, “Dracarys,” but he still stands after the dragon fire should have consumed him. As one of his network brethren might say, “You come at the King, you best not miss.” Jon runs after him, hoping to finish the job, but the Night King raises all of the human dead around him. Brown eyes turn blue as Jon barrels toward him, but he’s not fast enough. His former comrades have turned into his enemies, and they’re not alone. Those inside the walls stand up, including Lyanna and Edd. The Borg were right: Resistance is futile. Surprise: the crypts are not the place of safety everyone had hoped, and the dead Starks begin to burst out of their stone coffins. Gilly (Hannah Murray) is screaming, as is everyone else inside.

Outside, Rhaegal is assaulted by the undead who have climbed on his back and are stabbing him, and Daenerys is unseated in his panic. Dead fall off his back as he ascends, and they come toward Dany on the ground. Ser Jorah comes to her rescue, Jon moves toward his brother/cousin Bran, and Brienne is still battling inside. The dead are everywhere, falling from the ceiling and coming from all directions. Theon works to defend his foster brother, and the slo-mo tells us he doesn’t have long.

The crypts are a massacre. Luckily, we (and hopefully the Northerners) don’t recognize any of the resurrected Starks. Tyrion and Sansa share a moment, before he runs out to fight.

The Ice Dragon besieges Winterfell’s walls, and Jon just escapes. A mournful piano solo from the show’s composer Ramin Djawadi scores the action. Jorah goes down defending his queen as was inevitable, but he fights on.

Brienne screams, Sam cries, and Theon continues his valiant defense of Bran. But soon, it’s quiet as the Night King approaches. Bran returns to himself and calls Theon’s name and tells him, “You’re a good man. Thank you.” The Night King takes a step toward Bran and Theon runs at him with a spear, and he goes down quickly, run through with his own weapon.

Bran turns toward him and they lock eyes. The Night King raises his hand toward his weapon, but Arya’s there first, leaping to attack. He grabs her by the throat, and it looks dire for our girl. She drops her dagger, but it doesn’t fall to the ground. Instead, it’s in her other hand stabs the Night King with the pointy end. He explodes into icy shards and all his army begin to fall.

Daenerys cries over a dying Jorah who spent all his last energy saving her, rather than being able to speak any final words. Her dragon joins her by her side in comfort. The Hound emerges alive, followed by Melisandre, who surveys what is left. Daybreak is here, and Ser Davos follows her out. She grabs her necklace and lets it fall to the ground. She keeps walking, aging and finally falling in death before dawn, just as she promised.

With the Night King vanquished, next week promises to return us to the human vs. human conflict of the title. But with Daenerys’ armies decimated, how will they be able to stand against Cersei’s forces? The deaths in “The Long Night” sting, particularly Ser Jorah and his cousin Lyanna, but the final three episodes (sob) will surely not be so kind.

RIP:
Dolorous Edd Tollett
Lyanna Mormont
Beric Dondarrion
Theon Greyjoy
The Night King
Jorah Mormont
Melisandre

‘Avengers: Endgame’ 12 Of The Big Questions Answered

Hey, it’s “Avengers: Endgame” weekend, and as you can imagine, spoilers abound. We’ve already written our spoiler-free review, but now it’s time to get into some of the nitty-gritty and the impact that ‘Endgame’ will have on the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Suffice it to say, please don’t read this piece if you haven’t seen “Avengers Endgame.” That’s hopefully obvious. Don’t do it, thanks. *Spoilers forthcoming.*

READ MORE: The 100 Most Anticipated Films Of 2019 

The conclusion of Marvel’s 22 film saga, “Avengers: Endgame” is done, in the books, out in the world, and made a shocking $1.2 billion in its opening weekend worldwide which means, it’s pretty much automatically going to be the #2 highest grossing movie of all time, beating “Avatar,” and maybe could surpass “Avatar” at #1 ($2.7 billion is the record, ‘Endgame will have to have crazy box office legs all summer long.). You’ve cried, you’ve laughed, you’ve been overwhelmed, or possibly even disappointed, but the movie has arrived. Now you have questions, and we’ve got answers. Or at least the ones that anyone can provide, considering there are lots of unknowns out there. Well, here is a guide to some unanswered questions, possibly some unanswerable questions, some Easter Eggs, some call-backs and payoffs and what not. Btw, present day in the MCU is now 2023 thanks to the five-year jump: the end of ‘Infinity War,’ and the opening of ‘Endgame’ is set in 2018.

READ MORE: ‘Avengers: Endgame’ Smashes Every Record On Its Way To $1.2 Billion Worldwide [Box Office]

1. What happened to Gamora?
Perhaps the biggest unanswered question of ‘Endgame’ is what happened to Gamora (Zoe Saldana) of “Guardians of The Galaxy”? And this is an interesting dilemma considering we’ve already seen that the Soul Stone cannot bring a person back from the dead (Hulk tried this with Black Widow, we’ll get to that). So Gamora died in ‘Infinity War,’ and she is technically dead. But her past self-re-appeared when Thanos transported him and his entire army into the present day (2023 now). Gamora changed sides, fought alongside the ‘Avengers,’ but is never seen again after she fights in the Ladies Avengers girl-power moment. At the end of ‘Endgame,’ we see Starlord (Chris Evans), searching for her on his ship’s navigator, but the results are inconclusive, with a “Searching…” button continuing to search and with no results. So, considering she was part of Thanos’ army did she snap out of existence? Presuming the computer would have probably realized is he was dead (I think??), probably not. Will the search for Gamora be part of “Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 3” coming in 2022? It sounds like the ‘Guardians’ franchise will be coming to its own epic conclusion, so it seems like this could be a safe bet.

READ MORE: ‘Avengers: Endgame’ Is The Marvel-iest Of Marvel Movies In The Most Glorious & Frustrating Ways [Review]

2. What happens to the Black Widow solo movie?
Spoiler, spoiler if you didn’t read it above. Natasha Romanoff aka the Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson) is dead, and she can’t come back (though one supposes that in a superhero movie anything can happen). After she traded her life for the Soul Stone, Hulk tried to bring her back with the Iron Infinity Gauntlet and said so, but it didn’t work. So what happens in her upcoming solo movie? Well, as we’ve already suggested, it appears to be a prequel, and like Hawkeye’s Disney+ series it’ll be a fitting swansong goodbye and probably the reason she didn’t get a proper funeral in ‘Endgame’ (booo).

READ MORE: ‘Avengers: Endgame’ May Give The ‘Black Widow’ Solo Film Some Unexpected Layers

3. Where Was Katherine Langford?
Fans that pay attention to movie news will ask where was “13 Reasons Why” star Katherine Langford wasn’t in the movie. Late in the process, it was revealed that Langford was cast in ‘Endgame’ in an unknown role. Many speculated she would play the older version of Cassie Lang which is Ant-Man’s daughter, which was a great guess, considering Scott Lang’s five-hour/ five-year stay in the Quantum Realm stay meant a new actress had to be cast (and there was Emma Furhmann, known for “The Magic of Belle Isle”). So what happened? No one actually knows. Here are a few theories. One, Furhmann replaced Langford in the film. That could be one possibility or two; her scene was cut. There have been rumors to that effect. One wild rumor says Langford was seen in the soul stone after the Avengers snap as the older version of Tony’s daughter and he gets to say goodbye to her before she dies. You’ll pretty much have to file under who knows until either Langford or the ‘Endgame’ Russo filmmakers reveal what happened. Given the number of spoiler podcasts these guys do, don’t be surprised if they let the cat out of the bag, unless Langford is being saved for down the road.

‘Avengers 4′: ’13 Reasons Why’ Star Secretly Joins Cast https://t.co/h8KSNAskZf pic.twitter.com/8th47bw8FI

— The Playlist ???? (@ThePlaylist) October 27, 2018

4. What happens to Thor?
Well, three of the original six ‘Avengers’ survive (though Cap is technically still alive, but has essentially been aged off the table) and surprisingly, Thor was one of them. While most of the original is saying goodbye, Hawkeye will do that in a Disney+ series; there’s lots of talk that Thor, reinvented in “Thor Ragnarok” will stick around and Chris Hemsworth will re-up his contract. Thor is seen at the ending, giving up leadership of Asgard and joining the Guardians of the Galaxy in a new adventure. This is leading many to speculate Thor will appear in “Guardians Of The Galaxy 3,” but that movie’s not on screens until 2022. Moreover ‘Ragnarok’ filmmaker Taika Waititi has apparently discussed a “Thor 4” movie, and Hemsworth has even recently suggested he wasn’t a big fan of playing the character until ‘Ragnarok.’ It’s a good bet, he will appear in one more film, but I wouldn’t be so sure that’s ‘Guardians 3.’ Thor could easily join them in an off-screen adventure and start “Thor 4,” right afterward, but we’re veering into fan-fiction territory so let’s stop.

LISTEN: ‘Avengers: Endgame’ Proves That Thrills, Humor, Emotional Payoff & Messiness Can All Co-Exist [Podcast]

5. Where is Thor’s Hammer?
Obviously one of the big revelations of ‘Endgame’ is that Captain America is worthy and able to wield Thor’s hammer Mjolnir (and it even returns to him, and he’s able to conjure the lightning and everything despite not being a God of Thunder) and yep, it’s a fun call-back to “Avengers: Age Of Ultron.” But at the end of ‘Endgame,’ Cap takes Mjolnir with him into the past, presumably as safeguarding weapon against whatever he may face in the past while returning infinity stones. When Cap returns as an old man, Mjolnir is nowhere to be seen, nor does Thor have it on the Guardians’ ship. Lost in time somehow or still in Steve Rogers and Peggy Carter’s house in whatever year it is Cap jumps back to the present day (2023)? Presumably so. This might be best given bringing back Mjolnir was kind of a screenwriting/fan service cheat and the lengths Thor went to get his new weapon Stormbreaker. Perhaps it’s best this weapon is conveniently gone.

6. What happens to Hulk?
The original idea of ‘Endgame’ was focusing and saying goodbye to the original six Avengers because most of them have just finished their contracts and would like to move on. As just mentioned, three Avengers (Tony, Cap, Nat) are done, Thor looks like he’s staying on and Hawkeye will say goodbye in a Disney+ show. So what of Bruce Banner aka Professor Hulk? Well, Mark Ruffalo joined the MCU late, replacing Edward Norton in the “Incredible Hulk,” wasn’t in ‘Civil War,’ and presumably has at least one more film in his contract since most Avengers signed around six film contracts (‘A1,’ ‘Ultron,’ ‘Ragnarok,’ ‘Infinity War’ and ‘Endgame,’ are the five he appeared in). Where does he appear next? Well, Hulk can’t appear in a solo film, or at least the rights are complicated because Universal co-owns theatrical rights, so that’s off the table for Marvel. But they could have him appear in a Disney+ series. But if Marvel really wants to use big green one more time, wouldn’t you want to at least use him in one more big send off in whatever ‘Avengers 6’ is? Either that, or giving him a Disney+ show to help create She-Hulk could also be a potential idea. Two things seem almost certain: Ruffalo isn’t done yet, but how he pops up again remains a mystery.

7. What grade are Peter Parker and his friends in?
The Hulk Snappening in ‘Endgame’ causes all kinds of headaches. Everyone who died in Thanos original Snappening comes back to life, but they come back to life in the present (2023), aka five years later. So, this means everyone alive in Endgame is now five years older and everyone who died in ‘Infinity War,’ is the exact same age which is going to cause all kinds of weird problems for various characters that were separated. Some of the biggest or strangest questions will arise for the “Spider-Man” characters and franchise. What grade is Peter Parker in? Presumably, they make him, and all the Returned, retake or finish the high school year they were in, but what about his friends. Some of them must be in college by now? It will be interesting to see how the “Spider-Man: Far From Home” screenwriters adjust to this conundrum. Were all of Peter Parker’s friends conveniently snapped out of existence too so they can all rejoin the sequel, have some essentially been aged out of the franchise and or—since ‘Far From Home’ takes place on vacation, shortly after the events of ‘Endgame’— maybe some of Parker’s friends, now five years older, could come and join them? Whatever the case will be, the ramifications of ‘Endgame’ certainly have a lot of consequences on the timeline of the upcoming ‘Far From Home’ movie. Given that comes out July 2, all answers should be provided soon.

8. The First “Openly Gay” Character in The MCU is director Joe Russo.
You’ve probably read our long-form article of this subject already, so we’ll keep it brief. The MCU filmmakers have touted that they have finally, after 22 films, introduced an openly gay character in the universe. The character? Well, it’s not a central one. Director Joe Russo (who already played a small part in ‘Civil War,’ and cameo’d before, but we suppose audiences will just overlook this) plays the gay man in the grief counseling sessions that survivors of the Snappening are attending led by Captain America. He talks about losing his partner in the snap and trying to go on dating, but he’s still mourning five years later. So yes, that’s the character and played by the director. We’ll try and refrain from saying that calling a small cameo the first openly gay character pretty disingenuous, insincere and kind of insulting to the LGBTQ community especially considering how much the filmmakers are patting themselves on the back for this, but I suppose it’s a start at least.

9. Who is the mystery kid At Tony Stark’s funeral?
Tony Stark’s funeral is a pretty great emotional beat, one woman audibly sobbing during the scene in the second screening, really made me choke up all that more. It features the “Proof That Tony Stark Has A Heart” call-back from the first “Iron Man” (the old arc reactor that Pepper Potts frames), plus what many have called the “mystery kid.” During the funeral, the camera pans through every single Avenger and Guardians of the Galaxy that have been part of the ‘Endgame’ battle and their extended families. Everyone is there, S.H.I.E.L.D. agents Maria Hill and Nick Fury, Secretary Of State Thaddeus Ross (the man who made some of the ‘Avengers’ fugitives after ‘Civil War’) and a seemingly unknown teenager. Well, that’s a grown-up Harley Keener (Ty Simpkins), the boy who helped out Tony Stark in “Iron Man 3.” Why would he be there? Well, if you watch “Iron Man 3,” you’ll really see how instrumental Keener is in helping and saving Tony Stark, both physically by lending him his garage as a safe house, but also just spiritually as an ally—Keener helps him through a bunch of his panic attacks. Even though Stark is naturally sarcastic, dismissive and hard at the kid, he shows his true feelings and gratitude for his help, but gifting the exceptional, scientifically-inclined boy with a pimped-out garage full of new state of the art toys, gadgets, computers, and more; even a new car to use when he’s old enough to drive. To speculate a little, Tony Stark already creates the September Foundation Grant in ‘Civil War,’ funding all the projects of current MIT students. It likely wouldn’t be a stretch to think that either Keener is one of those kids and or Stark has been subsidizing the boy’s life from afar for several years. Could this be a teaser for the boy’s future in the MCU, possibly as part of Stark Industries, which will obviously continue without Stark? Time will tell.

10. How does Captain American return the Soul Stone or any of the Infinity Stones for that matter?
Nitpicking time travel just doesn’t work so don’t do it. If you think about it too much, the whole “Cap travels back in time to return each infinity stone in the exact moment it was taken” really falls apart. Wouldn’t Cap have to inject the Aether back into Jane Foster on Asgard, presuming that somehow the Avengers knew how to magically transform it back into containable Aether after conveniently being able to transform it into a stone off-screen? And what does Cap do to return the Soul Stone? You have to kill to acquire it, what are the rules of giving it back and does he return the second after it’s gone? Otherwise, Red Skull Death could be confused and pissed. Couldn’t he have bartered to return the stone in exchange for Natasha’s life? Don’t think about any of this too hard or your brain will break. Again, time travel is not meant to be picked apart. Let’s just enjoy this part as much as we can (though if you want another brain twister, think that Steve Rodgers, living with Peggy Carter, may have had to disappear in 2011 back into the 2023 present, or whatever year he is thawed out of ice at the end of “Captain America; The First Avenger,” so the people who have known him for most of his life won’t think it’s weird that Captain America, aka Steve Rodgers, comes out of the ice in their timeline circa 2011 and they can recognize the duplicate).

11. Is Vision Dead? Where Did Loki Transport To?
We’re going to get into this in a whole separate article about how “Avengers: Endgame” effects the upcoming Disney+ show. Suffice it to say there is a broken timeline out there somewhere were Loki is still out there with the tesseract somewhere (he grabs it and disappears after the botch time heist attempt that Cap, Tony, and Ant-Man try), and whether they explore that or not… well, it remains to be seen. And Vision (Paul Bettany) is supposed to appear in a “WandaVision” show with Wanda (Elizabeth Olsen). How the hell does that happen considering Vision is toast and doesn’t come back at any time in ‘Endgame’? Time will have to tell.

12. What is the post-credits sound?
Somewhat notoriously already—and it’s crazy to think that some audiences are complaining or disappointed considering all they’ve been given—there is no Post-Credits Scene in “Avengers: Endgame.” And yes, some audiences are apparently legitimately mad and this is what we can’t have nice things. But there is a little something. A noise, a clanging heard at the end of the credits. This is a callback to the cave in “Iron Man” one where Tony Stark creates his Mark 1 armor with all is brilliance and perseverance. Not only is it just a callback, but perhaps a tribute to the character: if you use all your ingenuity, tenacity and skills, perhaps you have what it takes to be one of the greatest heroes of all time.