Image Comics Announces "Four Eyes" Return in "Hearts of Fire"

FOUR EYES BLAZES ON IN NEW STORY ARC

Writer Joe Kelly (I KILL GIANTS, BAD DOG) and artist Max Fiumara will launch a new story arc in their genre-splicing series FOUR EYES from Man of Action this January 2016.

Previously in FOUR EYES, readers met Enrico, a young boy in an alternate 1930’s New York. The untimely passing of his father left him the man of the house, a duty he took quite seriously—seriously enough to step into his father’s shoes as a dragon hunter. But though he tried to be a killer, he ended up bringing home a baby dragon.

In FOUR EYES: HEARTS OF FIRE #1, the training begins.

“Now that we've set up the players, Max and I really get to dive into the universe and the characters,” said Kelly. “In the first story arc, we fell in love with Enrico and the gothic world he's inhabiting. In Hearts of Fire, we start to see just what effect this world of underground fighting, gangsters, and monsters has on a young boy. This is the beginning of a dark ride for Enrico, Four Eyes and Fawkes...my favorite kind.”

“The world of dragon fighting will be central, and it’s going to hit Enrico really hard,” added Fiumara. “I can't wait to see readers’ hearts broken again!”

FOUR EYES: HEARTS OF FIRE #1 (Diamond code: NOV150484) hits stores Wednesday, January 6th. Final order cutoff deadline for retailers is today—Monday, December 14th.


ABOUT IMAGE COMICS
Image Comics is a comic book and graphic novel publisher founded in 1992 by a collective of best-selling artists. Image has since gone on to become one of the largest comics publishers in the United States. Image currently has five partners: Robert Kirkman, Erik Larsen, Todd McFarlane, Marc Silvestri and Jim Valentino. It consists of five major houses: Todd McFarlane Productions, Top Cow Productions, Shadowline, Skybound and Image Central. Image publishes comics and graphic novels in nearly every genre, sub-genre, and style imaginable. It offers science fiction, fantasy, romance, horror, crime fiction, historical fiction, humor and more by the finest artists and writers working in the medium today. For more information, visit www.imagecomics.com.

ABOUT MAN OF ACTION ENTERTAINMENT
Man of Action Entertainment, the bi-coastal creative studio and writers' collective, started in 2000, created the meg-hit Ben 10, a $4.5 billion dollar boys' action empire that has been called the most successful superhero launch of the past decade, and Generator Rex, both for Cartoon Network. Man of Action Entertainment consists of creators and acclaimed comic book writers Joe Casey, Joe Kelly, Duncan Rouleau and Steven T. Seagle, having collectively worked on the largest franchise characters in comics from Superman to X-Men before refocusing on creating worlds and characters for their own original work published through their Man of Action imprint at Image Comics. Man of Action returns to serve as Executive Producers on a new Ben 10 animated series for Cartoon Network and Dentsu handpicked Man of Action Entertainment to create, write and executive produce the all-new Mega Man animated series. Man of Action served as co-Executive Producer and writer for Marvel's Ultimate Spider-Man and is currently an executive producer/writer for Marvel's Avengers Assemble on Disney XD. Beyond the world of animation, Man of Action has created wildly successful video games, toy lines, comic books, stage productions, as well as forthcoming feature films and live action television shows, most based on their own original comic book series and graphic novels.

Disney/Marvel's Academy Award®-winning feature Big Hero 6 utilized the characters and team created by Man of Action, as credited in the film's main titles. The film marked both the first time Disney turned Marvel comic book characters into an animated film and the first film based on comic book I.P. to win an Academy Award®. Upcoming projects based upon Man of Action creations include The Great Unknown, KAFKA, Officer Downe, I Kill Giants and The Crusades with Man of Action producing them and in most cases, the individual Man of Action also wrote the screenplay adaptation of their original creator-owned work. Officer Downe has wrapped production and I Kill Giants and The Great Unknown are in pre-production as feature films.

Web: http://manofaction.tv Facebook: http://www.Facebook.com/ManOfActionEnt Twitter: http://www.Twitter.com/ManOfActionEnt Instagram: http://instagram.com/ManOfActionENT

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Sailor Moon R Set 2 (Episodes 69-89) on Blu-Ray Dec. 29th

VIZ MEDIA ANNOUNCES HOME MEDIA RELEASE OF SAILOR MOON R SET 2

Second Season Of The Legendary Anime Series Continues In Episodes 69-89, Set For Release This Month As A Blu-ray/DVD Combo Pack And Standard Edition DVD Set

San Francisco, CA – VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), the largest distributor, publisher and licensor of anime and manga in North America, delivers exciting news as it announces the home media release of SAILOR MOON R Set 2 on December 29th, 2015.

The latest set features the exciting second-half of Season 2 of the legendary anime series and will be released as a Blu-ray/DVD Combo Pack and also as a Standard DVD edition. Fans can expand their SAILOR MOON home media collections with 21 uncut episodes with many never-before-seen extras. Uncut English dubbed as well as Japanese subtitled dialogue options are available on both formats. SAILOR MOON R is rated "TV-PG.”

The SAILOR MOON R Set 2 Blu-ray/DVD Combo Pack and Standard DVD Set each contain Episodes 69-89 along with special premium packaging and notable bonus features. The SAILOR MOON R Set 2 Blu-ray/DVD Combo Pack will carry an MSRP of $69.99 U.S. / $81.99 CAN; the Standard Edition DVD will carry an MSRP of $44.82 U.S. / $51.99 CAN.  

The Blu-ray/DVD Combo Pack contains a deluxe, 6-disc collection (3 DVDs & 3 Blu-rays), packaged with a beautiful reflective holofoil slipcover with specialty printing. The Combo Pack also offers bonus blu-ray content including a “SAILOR MOON Anniversary Special,” “Welcome Chibi-USA!,” and a segment taped during SAILOR MOON Day at Otakon 2015, a behind the scenes look at the English dub recording sessions and a video art gallery and official series trailers. Blu-ray episodes are presented in 1080p video preserving the original 4:3 aspect ratio.

The SAILOR MOON R Set 2 Standard DVD Set features 3 discs with beautifully illustrated variant O-card packaging and embossed holofoil printing. Episodes will be presented in 480p standard video format.

In the second-half of Season 2, after unexpected guest Chibi-Usa falls from the sky and tries to claim the Silver Crystal as her own, Usagi quickly learns this cheeky little pink-haired girl is the least of her problems. The Black Moon Clan, in their unending quest to destroy Crystal Tokyo and change the future, have come back in time to corrupt present day Tokyo! Together the Guardians fight the Black Moon's dark forces, but struggle to understand the truth behind their sinister plan. Is there anyone the Sailor Guardians can turn to for answers? That pink-haired girl may hold the key to Sailor Moon's victory after all!

The legendary SAILOR MOON anime series depicts the adventures of Usagi Tsukino, a cheerful 14-year-old schoolgirl who often finds herself in unwanted trouble. One day, she saves a talking cat named Luna from some mean kids, and her life is changed forever. Luna gives Usagi a magic brooch that transforms her into Sailor Moon, guardian of love and justice! Now Usagi must work with Luna to find the other Sailor Guardians and the Moon Princess, whose Legendary Silver Crystal is Earth’s only hope against the dark forces of the evil Queen Beryl!

The SAILOR MOON anime series is inspired by the bestselling manga (graphic novel) series created by Naoko Takeuchi (published in North America by Kodansha). In the series, Usagi Tsukino is a clumsy but kindhearted teenage girl who transforms into the powerful guardian of love and justice, Sailor Moon. Meeting allies along the way who share similar fates, Usagi and her team of planetary Sailor Guardians fight to protect the universe from forces of evil and total annihilation! 

SAILOR MOON Season 1, Sets 1 and 2 and SAILOR MOON Season 2, Set 1 are also available as Blu-ray/DVD Combo Packs and also as Standard DVD Editions.

For more information on SAILOR MOON, or other award-winning anime titles from VIZ Media, please visit www.VIZ.com.


About VIZ Media, LLC
Headquartered in San Francisco, California, VIZ Media distributes, markets and licenses the best anime and manga titles direct from Japan.  Owned by three of Japan's largest manga and animation companies, Shueisha Inc., Shogakukan Inc., and Shogakukan-Shueisha Productions, Co., Ltd., VIZ Media has the most extensive library of anime and manga for English speaking audiences in North America, the United Kingdom, Ireland and South Africa. With its popular digital manga anthology WEEKLY SHONEN JUMP and blockbuster properties like NARUTO, BLEACH and ONE PIECE, VIZ Media offers cutting-edge action, romance and family friendly properties for anime, manga, science fiction and fantasy fans of all ages.  VIZ Media properties are available as graphic novels, DVDs, animated television series, feature films, downloadable and streaming video and a variety of consumer products.  Learn more about VIZ Media, anime and manga at www.VIZ.com.

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Magic City Comic Con 2016 Announces Guests List

Bill Nye “The Science Guy”, Billie Piper, Barry Bostwick, Ric Flair, Ming-Na Wen, Brent Spiner and more will be at Magic City Comic Con MLK Weekend; Tickets on sale now

Magic City Comic Con Announces Celebrity and Comic Book Guests

Today Magic City Comic Con revealed the complete list of celebrities that will appear at the next comic con to take place MLK Weekend, January 15th through the 17th, 2016 at the Miami Airport Convention Center.

Magic City Comic Con is a 3 day festival featuring meet and greets with celebrities, a showroom of comics and collectibles, open-play and organized video gaming, cosplay and costume competitions, fan-developed panel discussions about comics, cosplay, anime, animation, science fiction, and more.

Tickets are available online and at the door. Online ticket buyers save $5 off regular admission prices before January 1st, 2016.

Celebrity Guests

The top TV and movie stars to appear at Magic City Comic Con include guests from Doctor Who, Star Wars, Rick and Morty, The Rocky Horror Picture Show, Star Trek, Disney Movies, Sesame Street, Arrow, Game of Thrones, Regular Show, Phineas and Ferb, DC Comics Universe, Marvel Comics Universe, Young Justice, the WWE, and more.

The headlining guests include the following superstars:

    Bill Nye “The Science Guy”: Bill Nye (Exclusively Friday January 15th)

    Doctor Who: Jenna Coleman (Clara Oswald), Bille Piper (Rose Tyler), and Peter Davison (The Fifth Doctor)

    Star Wars: Tim Rose (Admiral Ackbar), Mark Dodson (Salacious Crumb), Brent Spiner (Gall Trayvis)

    Rick and Morty: Dan Harmon (Creator and voice of Birdperson), Dino Stamatopoulos (Producer)

    Star Trek: The Next Generation: Brent Spiner (Lieutenant Commander Data)

    The Rocky Horror Picture Show: Barry Bostwick (Brad Majors), Nell Campbell (Columbia), Patricia Quinn (Magenta)

    Disney: Ming-Na Wen (Mulan), Irene Bedard (Pocahontas)

    Sesame Street: Carol Spinney (Big Bird, Oscar the Grouch)

    Regular Show: William Salyers (Rigby), Sam Marin (Benson, Pops and Muscle Man), Courtenay Taylor (Starla)

    DC Comics Universe: John Wesley Shipp (Barry Allen “The Flash”, 1990), Helen Slater (Supergirl)

    WWE: Ric Flair “The Nature Boy”

Click here for the complete list of TV and Movie Star appearances for Magic City Comic Con.

Comic Book Guests

Comic books continue to be the fastest growing form of print-based media with the category up 5% as of October 2015 compared to the prior year. Reading comics is an adventure of the imagination, and comic fans can experience new stories and adventures through the comic art that is sold at conventions. Fans collect original comic art and limited edition prints of their favorite characters.

“Groot, from Guardians of the Galaxy, is my favorite character,” said Sandy Martin, co-founder of Magic City Comic Con. “He reminds me of my first hero, my grandfather. When I go to comic cons, I collect original sketches of Groot from artists.”

Magic City Comic Con features some of the best comic book artists from all over the world. The promoters are flying in top artists from Brazil, Italy, and Great Britain to meet with their American fans. This is a rare opportunity for comic fans to meet international creators, ask them questions, get an autograph, and maybe a sketch as well.

International Comic Book Artists Coming to Magic City Comic Con:

Brazilian Artists 

    Rafael Albuquerque: American Vampire, Batman, Blue Beetle, Animal Man, Superman/Batman, and Wolverine.

    Roge Antonio: Batman, Detective Comics, and Batman And Robin Eternal.

    Gustavo Duarte: Bizarro, Guardians Team-Up, Dark Horse Presents.

European Artists

    Sara Pichelli: Spider-Man, Guardians of the Galaxy, Ultimate Spider-Man, and Avengers Vs X-Men.

    David Messina: Angel, True Blood, Star Trek, Infestation, and Catwoman.

    Tula Lotay: Supreme: Blue Rose, Adventures of Superman, Fairest: In All The Land, Justice League, and The Wicked + The Divine.

U.S. Based Comic Book Creators coming to Magic City Comic Con:

    Jon Bogdanove: Superman: The Man of Steel, “The Death of Superman”, and Steel.

    Tom Grummett: Teen Titans, Superman, Robin, Fantastic Four, Superboy, X-Men, Teen Titans, and Incredible Hulk.

    Jackson “Butch” Guice: Superman, Action Comics, Doctor Strange, X-Factor, and Captain America.

    Rebekah Isaacs: Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel & Faith, DV8: Gods and Monsters, The Twilight Zone, and Hack/Slash).

    Phil Jimenez: Wonder Woman, Infinite Crisis, X-Men, Amazing Spider-Man, and Astonishing X-Men.

    Aaron Kuder: Action Comics, The Amory Wars, Superman, Green Lantern: New Guardians, and Superboy.

    Steve Orlando: Midnighter, Batman and Robin Eternal, Justice League, and Mystery in Space.

    Mike Perkins: Captain America, Stephen King’s The Stand, Astonishing X-Men and Deathlok.

    Carl Potts: The Punisher, Power Pack, The Incredible Hulk, Alpha Flight, Doctor Strange, and Venom.

    Dan Slott: The Amazing Spider-Man, Superior Spider-Man, Silver Surfer, She-Hulk, Ren & Stimpy, and The Mighty Avengers.

South Florida Comic Book Artists Coming to Magic City Comic Con:

    Allen Bellman: Legendary Golden Age Artist of Captain America, The Human Torch, All Winners Comics, Marvel Mystery Comics, Sub Mariner, and Young Allies.

    Jose Delbo: Legendary Silver Age Artist of Wonder Woman, The Transformers, Detective Comics, The Superman Family, Thundercats, World’s Finest, The Beatles: Yellow Submarine, Billy the Kid, and Twilight Zone.

    Vanesa R. Del Rey: Catwoman, The Scarlet Witch, and Constantine.

Features of Magic City Comic Con:

Exhibition Room. More than 150 specialty comic book, anime, pop culture and other geeky vendors will sell one-of-a-kind items in the Exhibition Room.

Celebrity Q&As. Each of our special guests will take the stage to talk about their craft and to answer questions from fans.

Spectacular Cosplay. People of all ages and interests showcase their cosplay during the convention and on the runway for the costume competition.

Celebrity Photo Ops. Get a professional 8’x10” glossy photo with your favorite celebrity.

Celebrity Autographs. Meet your favorite stars and get an autograph.

Video Gaming. Join tournaments or take advantage of open play on the newest gaming consoles and Alienware gaming PCs.

Super Kid Con. Special programming, crafts, and costume contests for kids 12 and under.

Dance Parties. Enjoy themed dance parties featuring Pokemon and Doctor Who.

DJs and Raves. For the lovers of EDM and House Music, stick around late for the Raves.

Rocky Horror Picture Show. Featuring Barry “Brad” Bostwick, Patricia “Magenta” Quinn, and Nell “Columbia” Campbell, join a sing-a-long of the Rocky Horror Picture Show.

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FUNimation Announces the FUNimation Channel

FUNimation Reveals Plans For New Cable Channel

Leading Anime Entertainment Company Ends Olympusat Partnership; New Channel to Launch in First Quarter 2016

FLOWER MOUND /PRNewswire/ -- FUNimation announced that it is ending its content and brand partnership with Olympusat on December 31, 2015, to distribute the FUNimation Channel. After that time, Olympusat will no longer be broadcasting FUNimation titles. FUNimation confirmed that it will be relaunching the FUNimation Channel in 2016 with a renewed focus on delivering fans the very best selection of anime content in the market. Further details on the relaunch of the all new FUNimation Channel will be announced soon.

"We're committed to making it easy to discover and connect with anime, and our new cable channel will provide the best in anime entertainment that fans have come to expect," said Mike DuBoise, COO of FUNimation. "We are grateful to all subscribers who have supported the FUNimation Channel over the last 10 years. While we finalize the new channel for launch next year, I encourage viewers to subscribe to our streaming service now at FUNimation.com - so they don't miss a single episode of their favorite titles."


About FUNimation® Entertainment
FUNimation® Entertainment is the leading anime company in North America. FUNimation has a proven formula for launching and advancing brands. They manage a full spectrum of rights for most of their brands including broadcasting, licensing, production, Internet, and home video sales and distribution. For more information about FUNimation Entertainment and its brands, visit www.funimation.com.

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"The Art of Magic: The Gathering - Zendikar" Set for Jan. 5th, 2015

VIZ MEDIA ANNOUNCES THE RELEASE OF THE ART OF MAGIC: THE GATHERING—ZENDIKAR

The Imaginative And Deadly World From Magic: The Gathering’s Latest Battle For Zendikar Game Set Depicted In Beautiful Full Color Illustrations

San Francisco, CA – VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), the largest distributor and licensor of manga and anime in North America, takes fans and players of Wizards of the Coast’s Magic: The Gathering® on a fantastic journey to the exotic world of Zendikar in the gorgeously illustrated release of THE ART OF MAGIC: THE GATHERING—ZENDIKAR.

Set to debut on January 5th, 2016, THE ART OF MAGIC: THE GATHERING—ZENDIKAR is a hefty 240-page book that features full color illustrations from some of Magic's best artists, such as Aleksi Briclot and Adam Paquette, as well as in-depth lore written by bestselling author James Wyatt. THE ART OF MAGIC: THE GATHERING—ZENDIKAR will be available in print from VIZ Media’s Perfect Square imprint and will carry an MSRP of $39.99 U.S. / $45.99 CAN.

A first of its kind! This massive hardcover art book features incredible images depicting the award-winning art of Magic: The Gathering®. Explore the tumultuous world of Zendikar, a land fraught with perils, and join the fight for survival as the fragments of civilization confront the unnatural Eldrazi. Follow in the footsteps of heroic Planeswalkers as they combine their unique talents, forming the Gatewatch to overcome the greatest threats the Multiverse has ever known. The secrets of Zendikar—its peoples, continents, and creatures—are ready for fans to discover!

“Magic players and fans of fantasy art will love the breathtaking art and detailed lore that celebrates the rich and imaginative geography and inhabitants of Zendikar,” says Beth Kawasaki, Senior Editorial Director. “The new release is also an ideal complement to the Battle for Zendikar game set and will give players greater insight and background about this strange and often deadly world.”

Throughout its 22-year history, Magic: The Gathering has visited many richly imaginative worlds through card sets and stories. In the game’s newest release, Battle for Zendikar (www.BattleForZendikar.com), Magic returns to the fan-favorite world of Zendikar, where united tribes of elves, vampires, and humans battle the monstrous Eldrazi across strange floating ruins and beautiful landscapes.

Developed and published by Wizards of the Coast, a subsidiary of Hasbro, Inc. (NASDAQ:HAS), Magic: The Gathering is a massively popular strategy game, with more than 20 million players and fans worldwide. In this innovative card game, players build personalized decks using cards they have collected from booster packs and by trading with friends. Magic offers a robust gaming experience for its community of passionate fans through face-to-face play events and social gatherings in more than 7,000 hobby game stores around the world, complemented by its Magic Duels and Magic Online digital games. For more information, visit MagicTheGathering.com.

For additional information on THE ART OF MAGIC: THE GATHERING – ZENDIKAR or other titles published by VIZ Media, please visit www.VIZ.com.


About VIZ Media, LLC
Headquartered in San Francisco, California, VIZ Media distributes, markets and licenses the best anime and manga titles direct from Japan.  Owned by three of Japan's largest manga and animation companies, Shueisha Inc., Shogakukan Inc., and Shogakukan-Shueisha Productions, Co., Ltd., VIZ Media has the most extensive library of anime and manga for English speaking audiences in North America, the United Kingdom, Ireland and South Africa. With its popular digital manga anthology WEEKLY SHONEN JUMP and blockbuster properties like NARUTO, BLEACH and ONE PIECE, VIZ Media offers cutting-edge action, romance and family friendly properties for anime, manga, science fiction and fantasy fans of all ages.  VIZ Media properties are available as graphic novels, DVDs, animated television series, feature films, downloadable and streaming video and a variety of consumer products.  Learn more about VIZ Media, anime and manga at www.VIZ.com.

About Magic: The Gathering
Magic: The Gathering is the world's best strategy game, with more than 20 million players and fans worldwide. In this innovative card game, players build personalized decks using cards they have collected from booster packs and by trading with friends. Magic offers a robust gaming experience for its community of passionate fans through face-to-face play events and social gatherings in more than 7,000 hobby game stores around the world, complemented by its Magic Duels and Magic Online digital games. For more information, visit MagicTheGathering.com.

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Michael Pena and Tip Harris Reveal Their Thoughts on "Marvel's Ant-Man"

This Q&A was provided to the press by Disney's public relations and marketing partners.

AN INTERVIEW WITH MICHAEL PENA AND TIP ‘T.I.’ HARRIS FOR THE HOME ENTERTAINMENT RELEASE OF MARVEL’S ANT-MAN

The latest evolution of the Marvel Cinematic Universe introduces the newest member of the Avengers: Marvel’s Ant-Man. Armed with the amazing ability to shrink in scale but increase in strength, master thief Scott Lang (played by Paul Rudd) joins forces with his new mentor Dr. Hank Pym (Michael Douglas) to protect the secret behind his spectacular Ant-Man suit. Full of humor and heart, as well as awesome special effects, this action-packed adventure will shortly be released on Blu-ray, DVD and Digital HD – complete with never-before-seen deleted scenes, making-of featurettes, a gag reel and audio commentary.

To celebrate the exciting in-home release, we talk to actors Michael Pena and Tip ‘T.I.’ Harris – who play Luis and Dave in Marvel’s Ant-Man – to discover their thoughts on the daring heist adventure…

Q:  How much did you know about the Marvel universe before you signed up to appear in Marvel’s Ant-Man? Are you both comic book fans?

T.I.:  The only comic books I’ve ever had much experience reading are The X-Men and Wolverine. I didn’t know much about Ant-Man before this, but I do now. And I love it.

Michael:  I didn’t much about Ant-Man either, but I was a huge Marvel fan. I knew about Iron Man and Thor and Wolverine and Colossus; I knew about all those superheroes. Spider-Man seems to have a different tone to the pure Marvel stuff, but I really enjoyed the Guardians Of The Galaxy and Iron Man movies. I love the special effects and how it seems very real, but at the same time it still lives within the realm of Marvel, which has got to be a lot of work. I think they nail it every time, especially with this movie.

Q:  How much Ant-Man research did you undertake when you signed up for the movie, or did you just take your notes from the script?

Michael: I usually just try to do whatever’s on the page because I’ve done research before – including a lot of analysis – but you end up with conflicting data. To me, the script is king.

T.I.: I did some research. I didn’t read actual Ant-Man comic books – but I found out about the Pym Particles and how they help the Marvel universe; I’ve had that much explained to me. My buddy is an avid comic book fan, so he puts me up on game. And David Dastmalchian [who plays Kurt] is a huge comic book fan, so he shared his knowledge and wisdom on the universe with us, too.

Q:  What do you think of the family theme that runs through Marvel’s Ant-Man?

Michael:  I think it works really well. There are times in action movies where it just doesn’t work, but Paul Rudd did a really great job with that; he really pulled it off. I was really impressed. It was emotional, even for me. I have a six-year-old kid and I thought he just knocked it out of the park.

Q:  Marvel’s Ant-Man is about to be released on Blu-ray, DVD and Digital HD. How does it feel to know that fans will finally be able to watch the movie in the comfort of their own home?

Michael:  I love watching Blu-rays, so I think it’s great. I especially love all the extra features you get with the Blu-ray release. My son always wants to know how they created a movie and how they shot certain scenes, so it’s always great to see all the people it takes to make a movie like this. It’s fun to head behind the scenes.

Q:  What can audiences expect from the deleted scenes and gag reels of Marvel’s Ant-Man?

T.I.: I love watching deleted scenes and I’m sure there will be a lot on the Blu-ray. We have a fun dance sequence that took place in Luis’ apartment, and I hope that’s on there. In the scene, we were coming back from a night on the town. I won’t spoil it, but we ran into some fortunate circumstances and we were really excited. It was a very positive time for us. We felt like we’d made it, so we came home and set the dance floor on fire. The entourage dances! Who’s the best dancer in the entourage? [Pauses] Well, it’s not Michael. I’ll just say that.

Q:  Take us back to the very beginning… How did you both become involved with Marvel’s Ant-Man?

T.I.:  I got a phone call. I was asked if I was available to come and read for a part. No one told me what the part was or what the scenes would involve, so there was no preparation for me – but I made myself available at Marvel’s request. I went and read some scenes that were not my scenes, and they liked me enough to call me back and check my availability. From there on, I was in the Marvel Universe.

Michael:  I got invited into the movie pretty early on; I was attached for seven or eight months before we even started shooting. Every time they rewrote the script, I was really glad that the character stayed in there.

Q:  How much did your characters change from their iterations in the first movie script?

Michael:  They changed a little after the director, Peyton Reed, came on board. It was really interesting because we would get rewrites and when you read them out of context, you have no idea what’s going on. But Marvel’s really good at putting all the moving parts together. They wrote a bunch of stuff for me that wasn’t in the original script, so I was very happy. I think I only had a handful of scenes in the first script, but then it turned into a lot more. That was great for me because I really enjoy playing this character.

T.I.: For me, I had pretty much a blank canvas to do whatever I felt was right. They allowed us to make our characters what we felt they should be. The only solid piece of background we were given was that they met in prison and they were trying to keep their lives on the straight and narrow.

Q:  Why do you like the most about your characters in the movie?

T.I.:  I like that Dave doesn’t talk unless he has something to say. In the movie, there aren’t many words of insignificance that Dave speaks – whereas Luis does a lot of talking. Dave is straight to the point. He’s no nonsense and he doesn’t really communicate with many people outside of his circle.

Q:  Was the non-speaking aspect of the role difficult for you to portray?

T.I.:  No, not really. I think it provides a mysterious strength. I like it.

Q:  What do you like about your character, Michael?

Michael:  I like how enthusiastic Luis is about life. I like how he’s almost innocent, but at the same time he can be dangerous. I really like that dichotomy. I like that he’s trying to be good, but he’s had a shady past.

Q:  Did anyone in particular inspire your portrayal of Luis?

Michael: In the movie, I’m imitating somebody I know who lives in Chicago. It’s a very real person who lives on the south side. He talks the way my character talks, which added some humor to it. I just started imitating this guy, which I thought would be funny – and I think it worked.

Q:  Audiences have praised Marvel’s Ant-Man as the most comedic Marvel movie to date. How does that make you feel?

Michael:  It would be badass if this was ranked the funniest Marvel movie. That would be bad to the bone! That would be really awesome. I thought Guardians Of The Galaxy was pretty funny, though. The raccoon was really funny, the big guy was really funny and the tree was funny.

T.I.:  Personally, I think Ant-Man is their funniest and their most grounded movie. You know what? It’s amazing to be a part of this cast. I feel like they broke the mold with Ant-Man and set Marvel on a different path.

Q:  When did you discover you had great comedic skills?

Michael: I wouldn’t say I have comedy chops. I guess you get lucky with good writing because I don’t think I’m a comedian by any stretch of the imagination.

T.I.:  I just think that we all enjoyed working with one another. We had an incredible time and great chemistry. The chemistry we developed on screen is definitely the driving factor to the humor in a lot of it.

Q:  How much did Paul Rudd inject into the humor of the movie?

Michael: Paul Rudd is great because he’s down for whatever, man. Paul’s got a very specific brand of humor. It’s really unpredictable – and a couple of times I wasn’t able to get through a take. It’s very loose, but it was very interesting because it’s such a big movie. I was surprised how loose we were, but I’m glad with the outcome. It’s great.

ENDS

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74 Songs, But Only 5 "Best Song" Nominations Play at the 2016 Oscars Ceremony

74 ORIGINAL SONGS VIE FOR 2015 OSCAR

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences today announced that 74 songs from eligible feature-length motion pictures released in 2015 are in contention for nominations in the Original Song category for the 88th Academy Awards.

The original songs, along with the motion picture in which each song is featured, are listed below in alphabetical order by film title and song title:

"Happy" from "Altered Minds"

"Home" from "Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Road Chip"

"None Of Them Are You" from "Anomalisa"

"Stem To The Rose" from "Becoming Bulletproof"

"The Mystery Of Your Gift" from "Boychoir"

"I Run" from "Chi-Raq"

"Pray 4 My City" from "Chi-Raq"

"Sit Down For This" from "Chi-Raq"

"Strong" from "Cinderella"

"So Long" from "Concussion"

"Fighting Stronger" from "Creed"

"Grip" from "Creed"

"Waiting For My Moment" from "Creed"

"Don't Look Down" from "Danny Collins"

"Hey Baby Doll" from "Danny Collins"

"Dreamsong" from "The Diary of a Teenage Girl"

"It's My Turn Now" from "Dope"

"Ya Rahem, Maula Maula" from "Dukhtar"

"Earned It" from "Fifty Shades of Grey"

"Love Me Like You Do" from "Fifty Shades of Grey"

"Salted Wound" from "Fifty Shades of Grey"

"Hands Of Love" from "Freeheld"

"See You Again" from "Furious Seven"

"Brother" from "Godspeed: The Story of Page Jones"

"As Real As You And Me" from "Home"

"Dancing In The Dark" from "Home"

"Feel The Light" from "Home"

"Red Balloon" from "Home"

"Two Of A Crime" from "Hot Pursuit"

"Til It Happens To You" from "The Hunting Ground"

"I'll See You In My Dreams" from "I'll See You in My Dreams"

"The Movie About Us" from "Ingrid Bergman – In Her Own Words"

"Bhoomiyilenghanumundo" from "Jalam"

"Koodu Vaykkan" from "Jalam"

"Pakalppaathi Chaari" from "Jalam"

"Yaathra Manoradhamerum" from "Jalam"

"Lost In Love" from "Jenny's Wedding"

"True Love Avenue" from "Jenny's Wedding"

"Hypnosis" from "Kahlil Gibran's The Prophet"

"Juntos (Together)" from "McFarland, USA"

"The Light That Never Fails" from "Meru"

"The Crazy Ones" from "Miss You Already"

"There's A Place" from "Miss You Already"

"Johanna" from "Mortdecai"

"Little Soldier" from "Pan"

"Something's Not Right" from "Pan"

"Paranoid Girl" from "Paranoid Girls"

"Better When I'm Dancin'" from "The Peanuts Movie"

"Pink & Blue" from "Pink & Blue: Colors of Hereditary Cancer"

"Flashlight" from "Pitch Perfect 2"

"Birds Of A Feather" from "Poached"

"Still Breathing" from "Point Break"

"Manta Ray" from "Racing Extinction"

"Cold One" from "Ricki and the Flash"

"Torch" from "Rock the Kasbah"

"Someone Like You" from "The Rumperbutts"

"Aankhon Me Samaye Dil" from "Salt Bridge"

"Bachpana Thaa" from "Salt Bridge"

"Kanpne Lage Tum" from "Salt Bridge"

"Kyaa Bataaun Tujhe" from "Salt Bridge"

"Le Jaaye Jo Door Tumse" from "Salt Bridge"

"Na Jaane Kitni Door" from "Salt Bridge"

"Sookha Hi Rang Daalo" from "Salt Bridge"

"Feels Like Summer" from "Shaun the Sheep Movie"

"Phenomenal" from "Southpaw"

"Writing's On The Wall" from "Spectre"

"Squeeze Me" from "The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge out of Water"

"Teamwork" from "The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge out of Water"

"Who Can You Trust" from "Spy"

"Came To Win" from "Sweet Micky for President"

"Mean Ol' Moon" from "Ted 2"

"Love Was My Alibi" from "The Water Diviner"

"Fine On The Outside" from "When Marnie Was There"

"Simple Song #3" from "Youth"

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During the nominations process, all voting members of the Music Branch will receive a Reminder List of works submitted in the category and a DVD copy of the song clips.  Members will be asked to watch the clips and then vote in the order of their preference for not more than five achievements in the category.  The five achievements receiving the highest number of votes will become the nominations for final voting for the award.  A maximum of two songs may be nominated from any one film.

To be eligible, a song must consist of words and music, both of which are original and written specifically for the film.  A clearly audible, intelligible, substantive rendition of both lyric and melody must be used in the body of the film or as the first music cue in the end credits.

The 88th Academy Awards nominations will be announced live on Thursday, January 14, 2016, at 5:30 a.m. PT at the Academy’s Samuel Goldwyn Theater in Beverly Hills.

The 88th Oscars® will be held on Sunday, February 28, 2016, at the Dolby Theatre® at Hollywood & Highland Center® in Hollywood, and will be televised live by the ABC Television Network at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT.  The Oscar presentation also will be televised live in more than 225 countries and territories worldwide.

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