GPS Records Suggest That Justin Bieber Was NOT Drag Racing

Originally published on PopWrapped.  31 January 2014.

We all know about Justin Bieber being arrested for drinking and drag racing. While the DUI evidence seems pretty incontrovertible, TMZ has obtained GPS records from Bieber’s car that seem to show he was in fact not drag racing.

TMZ reported that the pop star’s rented Lamborghini never reached anything close to the 55 to 60 mph Miami Beach police claimed they saw. The evidence is this: the GPS on the car is designed to record speed whenever the vehicle accelerates suddenly. According to the records, at the time of the alleged drag racing, Bieber was going 27 mph at the 3700 block of Pine Tree Drive. Not only would this have been in the middle of the supposed racing area, but it is also below the 30 mph speed limit.

To add further potential issues to the prosecution’s case, records from Bieber’s father’s Escalade indicate he did not help block the street so his son could drag race. Jeremy Bieber’s GPS shows his car was parked outside Club Set while the father and son were inside. Then at 4:06 a.m., the Escalade pulls away from the club, only a minute before Justin Bieber’s own car registers leaving the same location. The Escalade does not stop until the pop star is pulled over.

As TMZ points out, if these records are true, they would directly contradict Miami Beach police and call into question why the cops stopped Bieber in the first place.

BBC America Reveals Peter Capaldi’s ‘Doctor Who’ Costume

Originally published on The Flickcast.  27 January 2014.

New Doctor means new clothes. The Twelfth Doctor is getting into the Whovian swing of things by choosing an outfit all his own. BBC America has released the first image of Doctor Who actor Peter Capaldi in what will likely be his signature costume.

At first glance, Calpaldi’s look is old school with a bit of modern flair. While there is no bowtie or extra long scarf or Converse shoes to stand out, the clothes do fit the man. As Capaldi said, “He’s woven the future from the cloth of the past. Simple, stark, and back to basics. No frills, no scarf, no messing, just 100 per cent Rebel Time Lord.”

Of course all Whovians know that the Doctor’s outfit usually has a story behind it but fans will have to wait until later this year to learn how and why the Twelfth Doctor picked his costume. The specifics of the outfit, according to BBC America, are: a dark blue Crombie coat with red lining, dark blue trousers, a white shirt and black Doc Marten shoes.

“New Doctor, new era, and of course new clothes,” lead writer and executive producer Steven Moffat added. “Monsters of the universe, the vacation is over – Capaldi is suited and booted and coming to get you!”

Filming for Capaldi’s debut season, which will include returning companion Clara (Jenna Coleman), is currently underway in Cardiff.

Drivers, Start Your Engines: Need For Speed Super Cars Revealed In Behind-the-Scenes Featurette

Originally published on PopWrapped.  24 January 2014.

To rev up audiences for its feature film, Need for Speed, DreamWorks Pictures has been debuting featurettes every Tuesday. This time we get a behind-the-scenes look at some of the biggest stars of the movie: the cars.

Based on the best-selling racing video game series, Need for Speed pits blue-collar mechanic Tobey Marshall (Aaron Paul) against an ex-NASCAR driver Dino Brewster (Dominic Cooper) in a dangerous underground race. Marshall is out for revenge against Brewster who framed him for manslaughter but he will have to dodge cops and Dino’s bounty hunters along the way.

The film promises plenty of intense racing action, which means they need cars that are up to the task.

Check out the featurette below to see how the production uses replica vehicles that match the look, feel, and speed of multi-million dollar cars.

Also starring Imogen Poots, Kid Cudi, and Michael Keaton, Need for Speed hits theaters in the UK on March 12 and in the U.S. on March 14.

Kurt Russell Reveals Mood On Fast And The Furious 7 Set Following Paul Walker’s Death

Originally published on PopWrapped.  24 January 2014.

The effects of Paul Walker’s tragic death only two months ago are still being felt throughout Hollywood and especially within the team making Fast & the Furious 7. Walker was set to reprise his role as Brian O’Connor but with the actor’s sudden passing, the fate of the character still remains open-ended.

Fast & the Furious 7 costar, Kurt Russell, spoke at the Sundance Film Festival about the film’s production and his feelings about Walker’s death.

“It’s catastrophic,” he said. “It’s the worst thing that could happen to a movie, but it’s not as bad as what happened to Paul. So everything is in perspective. He was a terrific guy.”

Following Walker’s death, the film’s script was rewritten to include scenes the actor had already shot but the fate of Brian O’Connor has not been confirmed.

Perhaps alluding to earlier reports that the character would be retired rather than killed off in the movie, Russell said, “Whether or not this guy dies off in the movie, we don’t know. That may have changed now significantly too.”

Russell, who expects to return to filming later this year, has been cast as the “father figure” to Vin Diesel’s Dominic Toretto.

The latest installment in the car racing franchise is set to release on April 10, 2015.

NBC Unveils Their Midseason Lineup With A Little Bit Of Everything

Originally published on PopWrapped.  20 January 2014.

NBC’s midseason lineup is a mixture of laughs and thrills. Trailers for four of the network’s new shows have been released for your viewing (and critiquing) pleasure.

Adapted from Nick Hornby’s novel, About a Boy stars David Walton as a one-hit wonder who spends his time picking up women. When he befriends the son (Benjamin Stockham) of his new neighbor (Minnie Driver), his life takes a turn for the better and funnier. Fans of Parenthood may recognize Walton from his guest appearance on the show last Thursday (About a Boy and Parenthood share producer Jason Katim). In fact, Dax Shepherd’s Crosby will pop up on the new show. About a Boy premieres Tuesday, February 25 at 9 p.m. with a sneak peek on Saturday, February 22 at 11/10c.

If you’ve flipped by NBC at all lately, you’ve probably seen the clip of JK Simmons as a blind man trying to chop down a tree. This is Growing Up Fisher, starring Simmons and Jenna Elfman as a soon-to-be divorced couple. Similar to ABC’s The Goldberg’s, the show is seen through the eyes of the couple’s young son, whose adult self (Jason Bateman) provides narration. Based on the life of writer-producer DJ Nash, Growing Up Fisher premieres Tuesday, February 25 at 9:30 p.m. (sneak peek on February 23 at 10:30 p.m.).

Having two powerhouses like Alfonso Cuaron and J.J. Abrams make a TV show together sounds like a recipe for success. For your consideration is Believe, supernatural thriller about a young girl born with telekinetic powers. She’s being hunted by people who want to exploit her gifts and are willing to do anything to kidnap the girl. To protect her, a mysterious man (Delroy Lindo) asks a death row inmate (Jake McLaughlin) to guard her at all costs. Directed by Cuaron and produced by Abrams, Believe premieres Sunday, March 16 at 9 p.m.

What would you do to save your child? Crisis starts out with the kidnapping of a bus filled with high-profile teens, among them the President of the United States’ son. The kidnappers use their hostages as leverage to force their well-connected parents to kill, steal, lie and more in order to see their sons and daughters again. Gillian Anderson heads up the cast, which also stars Dermot Mulroney, Rachael Taylor and James Lafferty. Crisis premieres Sunday, March 16 at 10 p.m.

Jared Padalecki On Sam And Dean’s Future And The Upcoming Supernatural Spin Off

Originally published on PopWrapped.  20 January 2014.

The core of Supernatural has been shaken. Dean and Sam have split from each other and it may be a while before the brothers reconcile. Spoilers ahead for those who haven’t seen the midseason finale…

Last Tuesday, Gadreel played around in Sam’s body and mind before the Winchester boy was rescued by his crew. In the aftermath, Dean and Sam had a rough heart-to-heart where the former accused his younger brother of being poisonous. Believing everyone around Sam dies or worse, Dean decided he was done with his brother. For his part, Sam said he didn’t think he was the problem between the two of them but let Dean go.

So what’s ahead for the demon hunters? “They’re handling it as you expect them to,” Jared Padalecki said to TV Line. “Sam kind of goes introverted and Dean goes forward. Sam is more the kind of guy that thinks something out and says, ‘Well, you know, this is where you messed up [and] this is why I’m upset.’”

On a happier note, the show itself is going strong. In addition to being renewed for a tenth season, CW is developing a spin-off set in Chicago. Episode 20 of Supernatural will serve the launch for the new show, which will feature monsters and hunters (duh).

“I think it’s awesome,” Padalecki said. “I think it’s a cool story to tell. Supernatural fans have spoken and said listen, there aren’t 100 million of us, but those of us that do watch the show are passionate and want to hear more stories and read fan fiction and be a part of this world. So I think it’s great. Anything that makes them happy.”

“Seeds” Are Planted This Week On Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D.

Originally published on PopWrapped.  15 January 2014.

Previously on Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.: Coulson’s sad story got even sadder and we learned to love him all the more. Skye is forever obsessed with figuring out her past but none of us really care. She just might get some answers this week if she’s lucky. Let’s dive in, shall we?

A trio of college students’ after hours pool time is interrupted when the pool starts icing over. Seth’s leg is caught as he hauls himself out and he’s only saved thanks to the quick thinking of a pool skimmer-wielding fellow student who looks remarkably like a younger Fitz. Seth’s friends then drape a S.H.I.E.L.D. towel around his shivering shoulders.

On board the Bus, FitzSimmons explains that they are being asked to consult on the investigation into the frozen pool. They designed the device used to do the freezing, after all. Ward and Skye are tagging along but Coulson and May are headed off on their own. In The Cavalry’s words, “Coulson and I have other matters to attend to.” Anyone else thinks this is some subtle shipperbait?

At S.H.I.E.L.D.’s sci-tech academy, Agent Weaver greets the foursome. She explains that someone within the Academy set off the device and it was targeted at the cadets who were attacked. While FitzSimmons goes off with Weaver to do a guest lecture, Ward and Skye have yet another heart-to-heart where he assures her that she belongs on the team with everyone else. You’d think for a hacker who broke into a government agency’s files, Skye would have more confidence in herself.

Fifth Annual VidCon is June 26-28 in Anaheim, CA

Originally published on The Flickcast.  14 January 2014.

More than 18,000 online video fans and creators are expected to flood the Anaheim Convention Center for the fifth annual VidCon June 26-28, 2014. YouTube will once again be the title sponsor of the event.

“VidCon is simply about and for people who love online video,” said Hank Green, creator and cofounder of VidCon. “The media landscape is rapidly changing, as is the way we communicate with one another, and we have created a single event that brings together everything and everybody connected to online video.”

Many of online video’s most recognizable personalities have already been confirmed for VidCon 2014 including: Charles & Alli Trippy, Charlie McDonnell, Freddie Wong, Grace Helbig, Hank & John Green, Hannah Hart, iJustine, Philip DeFranco, Toby Turner, Ze Frank, Jack & Finn Harries, Tyler Oakley, The Gregory Brothers, Wheezy Waiter, Dane Boedigheimer (The Annoying Orange), The Fine Brothers, Rhett & Link, Shay Carl, Zoella, Tanya Burr, Jim Chapman, Marcus Butler, Caspar Lee and Troye Sivan.

As has become the expectation of the convention, VidCon will include programming for fans and industry professionals such as Q&As, signing, performances, keynotes, panel sessions and roundtable discussions. Attendees may purchase a community or industry pass for the event. While the community pass offers attendees full access to gatherings, performances, concerts, signings, the expo hall and more, the industry pass includes all of these plus creator-specific content. Special limited time only early bird pricing makes the community pass $150 and the industry pass $550 at www.VidCon.com.

Recent data from digital measurement and analytics research company comScore, shows that close to 200 million Americans are watching approximately 50 billion online videos every month. Data like this makes the growing popularity of VidCon, the largest industry and fan conference for online video in the world, even more apparent.

Started in 2010 by online video personalities and brothers Hank and John Green, VidCon has grown exponentially and is now attended by more than 18,000 industry professionals, content creators and fans. More information is available at www.VidCon.com.

John Simm To Star In New Drama Series The Intruders

Originally published on PopWrapped.  13 January 2014.

John Simm will headline upcoming paranormal series, The Intruders. A BBC America alum, Simm is best known for his turn as The Master on Doctor Who.

The Intruders will follow Simm’s LA cop-turned-writer, Jack Whelan, as he gets lost in the world of investigation once again after his wife goes missing. What he finds is an assortment of unrelated and unexplained events that start to weave together. Set in the gloom of the Pacific Northwest, The Intruders is based on the novel of the same name by Michael Marshall Smith.

About signing on for the series, Simm said on EW, “After reading Glen Morgan’s brilliant script, I knew I couldn’t pass up the chance to play this complex character. It is also a great opportunity to reunite with [executive producers] Jane Tranter and Julie Gardner, and with BBC America.”

No airdate has yet been announced.

David Morrisey Cast In New BBC One Series Called The Driver

Originally published on PopWrapped.  12 January 2014.

The Governor lives on in a taxicab. Actor David Morrisey has been cast in the BBC One serial, The Driver, where he plays an ordinary man trapped in terrible circumstances.

Most recently seen as the sadistic antagonist on AMC’s The Walking Dead, Morrisey’s newest role is as Vince McKee. A family man who works as a taxi driver, McKee feels responsible for a mysterious family incident. His search for redemption leads to agreeing to drive for a criminal gang.

Rounding out Vince’s family are Sacha Parkinson, who will play his daughter Katie, and Claudie Blakeley playing his wife, Ros. Also starring the three-part serial, are Ian Hart, Colm Meaney, Shaun Dingwall and Lee Ross. In addition the lead role, Morrisey will also serve as executive director on the project.

“The Driver is a passion project for me and I’m proud of the way it is both a character drama and a thriller,” writer David Brocklehurst said on Digital Spy. “As with all my work there is a strong emotional core and it explores ordinary lives pushed into extraordinary situations.”

The Driver begins filming in and around Manchester this week and will air on BBC One later in 2014.

Ben Kingsley Returns As Mandarin In Marvel One Shot

Originally published on PopWrapped.  12 January 2014.

Marvel Studios’ latest One Shot will star Ben Kingsley and not everyone’s favorite God of Mischief.

There was widespread fan speculation that Tom Hiddleston’s Loki would be the central figure in the short film, “All Hail the King,” which appears on the Thor: The Dark World Blu-ray. Considering the ending of that film, a Loki One Shot would be logical.

However, Digital Spy reports that Marvel has brought back Ben Kingsley’s Trevor Slattery, who played an important role in the Mandarin twist in Iron Man 3. Considering “All Hail the King” is written and directed by Iron Man 3 writer, Drew Pearce, Kingsley’s casting makes sense. Rumors are buzzing that the short film may even reintroduce the character of the Mandarin.

Previous Marvel One Shots have focused on Agent Phil Coulson (Clark Gregg) and Captain America’s Peggy Carter (Hayley Atwell).

The Blu-ray for Thor: The Dark World releases on February 24th in the UK and a day later in the U.S.

Kathy Bates Opens Up About Her Love For Playing Madame LaLaurie On AHS:Coven

Originally published on PopWrapped.  5 January 2014.

As you might expect from any character on American Horror Story, Kathy Bates’ Madame Delphine LaLaurie is evil. She loves torturing her slaves in increasingly gruesome ways and regularly spews hatred all around. But the complexity of the character and her arc within the series’ third season, Coven, is part of why Bates loves playing her.

For those not familiar with Coven’s storyline, Delphine is a 1830s high society Creole. Given immortality by Angela Bassett’s character as the real-life voodoo priestess Marie Laveau, Delphine is captured first by Fiona (Jessica Lange) and later by Marie. All the while she spews her racist hate and eventually gets a taste of her own wicked medicine.

In an interview with Collider, Bates said she enjoyed figuring out the motivation for someone like Delphine, who is loosely based on a real-life historic figure. “The main thing that daunted me, at the beginning, was, “What makes this woman so evil?” I tried all kinds of ways to understand….At some point, I think she probably got off on the power. For our show, we’re doing crazy shit anyway, so you don’t have to make sense of it.”

While the actress confessed that she knew the series had a reputation for “pushing the limits,” she was still surprised by some of the “horrific” scenes they shot. This may or may not include her character’s heinous torture or (SPOILER) Delphine having her head chopped off. Not to worry though; the head is still sentient meaning audiences will get more of Bates when American Horror Story: Coven returns to FX on Wednesday, January 8.

Downton Abbey’s Michelle Dockery Spoofs Herself In New Funny Or Die Video

Originally published on PopWrapped.  5 January 2014.

Lady Mary shows off her Funny or Die side in a new video. Actress Michelle Dockery spoofs her Downton Abbey daintiness in a fake promo for a new TNT cop show, Tough Justice. 

Featured alongside Michael Chiklis, Dockery shows off her detective skills and spot-on American accent as the aptly named Connie Tough. The actress looks perfectly at home in her blazer, badge and handgun as she puts away criminals and keeps her macho partner (Chiklis) in check. Snippets of Lady Mary still peak through though, such as some elbow length crime scene gloves and three hours breaks for tea. Plus (SPOILERS) catch the special dig to fans still heartbroken over the death of Mary’s beloved Matthew. Thanks for reminding us, Funny or Die.

Tough Justice with Michelle Dockery from Michelle Dockery

Downton Abbey season four airs for American audiences Sunday, January 5, on PBS’ Masterpiece Theater.

A Luther Film Is In The Works Confirms Idris Elba

Originally published on PopWrapped.  5 January 2014.

Rumors of a film based on the hit BBC show Luther have been flittering around the Internet since the show was in its first season. On the heels of completing the third (and perhaps final) season, series star Idris Elba has confirmed that the film is a go.

Speaking to Kate Garraway on ITV’s Lorraine, Elba said the movie is “definitely on the cards.” Noting that the show started out with only four episodes which led to an international following, the star said he and series creator Neil Cross are looking forward to continuing Luther on the big screen.

“I’m speaking to him as we speak,” Elba said, “and we’re trying to pull it together. It’s an ambitious project because it’s a television show but we suspect that it’s going to be as successful on TV and on film as well.”

Plot details for the movie are a bit murky as of now. Cross seems to indicate that it may pick up where the series left off: Luther departing with Ruth Wilson’s Alice. Cross hints at this direction for the film, saying, “I don’t think Alice and Luther’s story is over.”

However, Digital Spy earlier reported that the Luther film would be a prequel to the TV series, allowing Cross to bring back several popular supporting characters. Among these are Justin Ripley (Warren Brown), Luther’s wife Zoe (Indira Varma) and DCI Ian Reed (Steve Mackintosh). This report is mirrored by IndieWire, who quotes Cross as saying he’s finished the script, plans to start production in 2014 and that “the final scene in the film is the first of the initial TV series.”

Really what this boils down to for fans is: Will Alice be in the film or not? With nothing specific from Cross, Elba or anyone else to go on, we’ll all have to wait and see.

Gone With The Wind’s Alice Rhett Passes Away Aged 98

Originally published on PopWrapped.  5 January 2014.

Alice Rhett, the oldest surviving cast member of 1939’s Gone With the Wind, died on Friday. She succumbed to natural causes around 5 p.m., while surrounded by friends in her hometown of Charleston, South Carolina. She was 98.

Born in 1915, Rhett’s only movie role was in the Oscar-winning epic. Playing Ashley Wilkes’ (Leslie Howard) sister, India, she became one of Scarlett O’Hara’s (Vivien Leigh) biggest enemies when Scarlett stole her beau, Charles Hamilton. Interestingly, Rhett was originally considered for the role of Melanie Hamilton. But director George Cukor, who had spotted the actress in a local production in the South, eventually gave that role to Olivia De Havilland instead and cast Rhett as India.

Though she likely could have found success as an actress due to Gone With the Wind’s incredible notoriety, Rhett instead moved back to Charleston and focused on her budding talent for art. She is said to have sketched her fellow Gone With the Wind actors while on set and developed a good reputation as a painter in South Carolina.

Only three members of the film, including the 97-year-old De Havilland, are still alive.