Category: News

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 Production Put on Ice; Is Marvel’s Future in Trouble?

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Esquire – In the wake of the Mike Cernovich-engineered firing of Guardians of the Galaxy director James Gunn, production has halted on the third film in the series. Preproduction crewmembers were let go and instructed to seek new work, according to The Hollywood Reporter:

One person characterized the production hold as temporary and more of a “regrouping” as Marvel and Disney look for a filmmaker to take on the third installment of a franchise that has grossed over $1.6 billion and made stars out of Chris Pratt, Dave Bautista and Zoe Saldana. “The timeline has been pushed out,” says a source. Disney never set a release date for Guardians 3.

OK, I think everyone just needs to stay the hell off Twitter. (And, as evidenced by Red’s most recent piece about J.D. Martinez, maybe Instagram, too.)

For those who aren’t up to speed: At the end of July, James Gunn, director and co-writer of the first two Guardians of the Galaxy movies, was fired by Disney (which owns Marvel Entertainment) after a series of offensive tweets from his Twitter account, which were posted a decade ago, were discovered by The Daily Caller.

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Upon first hearing the news, many people were outraged that Gunn would be punished for something he wrote almost 10 years ago. And before actually reading what he wrote, I’ll admit I was in that camp, too.

To be entirely honest, though, I’m now kind of on Disney’s side, as the things he said were just gross and not even remotely funny. (You can find the actual tweets by doing a simple Google search.) Gunn’s “apology” basically said that while he was sorry, he was simply trying to be a “provocateur” and make a name for himself through crass humor. Maybe, just maybe, that excuse could have worked for a 20-year-old avant-garde comedian, but dude you were like 42 at the time and made multiple references to violating young boys. The fuck?

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The star-studded cast of the franchise made an effort to save Gunn about a week later via an “open letter” to fans, stating that while they were “not here to defend” the offensive material Gunn was still a good guy and deserves his job back. But it was to no avail, as Disney pretty much immediately stated they’re most likely not bringing him back.

But I’m not here to debate the character of James Gunn. I’m here to discuss the fact that news broke this week that the third installment of the Guardians franchise is now on hold until further notice and what that means for the MCU going forward.

First and foremost, the Guardians movies are the friggin’ balls. Whether you’re a casual comic-book movie fan or a die-hard Marvel nerd, each of the first two movies were an extremely fun and fun-ny experience for pretty much everyone. In fact, they were two of the MCU’s biggest hits ever, with both Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 1 and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 sitting comfortably within the top 10 in terms of the studio’s highest-grossing films of all time (h/t Entertainment Weekly).

The films provided a nice little career bump to already moderate-to-mega stars like Bradley Cooper, Vin Diesel, Chris Pratt, and Zoe Saldana. Even more importantly, they introduced us to the wonders of Dave Bautista as an actor. (If you don’t agree that Drax is the best character in the series, and quite possibly the entire MCU overall, we might have problems. The guy is a freakin’ gem.) And above all, it provided the MCU with a nice boost in the middle of what was, in my opinion, a bit of a lackluster Phase 2.

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Seriously, he’s the best.

And that relates exactly to my next point: If Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 is tabled for too long, or if a suitable replacement isn’t found for Gunn, what else does Marvel have in the arsenal for the long-term?

OK, sure, quite possibly the most important movie Marvel will ever make comes out next year, when we finally get to see the second part of the Infinity War story line. And, yes, Black Panther, which came out at the beginning of 2018, has technically been it’s most successful movie to date. Also, Spider-Man: Homecoming was pretty solid, too.

OK FINE. But what’s next?

Captain Marvel, starring Academy-award winning actress Brie Larson, definitely has some potential, and I’m actually pretty excited to see it next March. We also already know that Spider-Man: Far From Home is scheduled for a 2019 release as well. But after that it’s a bunch of “maybes” and “well, I guess we could do another Doctor Strange” chatter. (Please don’t, Marvel.)

The route most people are expecting Marvel to take would be to continue pumping everything into the Black Panther franchise, which seems like a pretty obvious move. I was a big fan of T’Challa and crew (especially Okoye, who is an absolute BEAST and has already become one of my favorite MCU characters), and I totally get it.

BUT let’s also not forget that sometimes when movies run too hot the first time around, oftentimes their respective sequels just can’t live up to the hype. The very same can be said for Spider-Man, but at least Marvel knows he has a much larger and more seasoned fan-base from which to draw a crowd.

A Black Widow movie has also been rumored, which could be cool. But after that nobody seems to know what Marvel plans to do after the Avengers finally hang ’em up for good.

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Will Natasha finally get her own solo movie?

To be fair, regardless of what happens down the line Marvel has had a pretty impressive run since their first foray into the movie industry back in 2008 with Iron Man. Very few studios, if any, can claim to have had as much success as the MCU has had over an entire lifetime, let alone its first decade. And if the MCU ultimately begins to fade into obscurity in the mid-2020s, I don’t think Feige & Co. should necessarily go home hanging their heads.

However, it will be interesting to see how they handle the situation with the Guardians franchise going forward as well as how they plan to keep the entire studio chugging along in the future. With a still-pretty-peeved cast – as evidenced by Bautista’s threat to ask Disney to release him from his contract if they don’t use Gunn’s script for the third movie – let’s hope it doesn’t get too difficult.

For now, we’ll all just need to continue to sit back and enjoy the ride for as long as we possibly can.

Power Wins BIG3 Basketball Championship; Big Baby Gets Another Ring

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A few weeks ago, I wrote a piece on my experience at the BIG3 Basketball Tournament, when the still infantile league made its way to TD Garden for a one-night showing on August 3, and the overall verdict was a “thumbs up.”

(Seriously, though, if you’re a long-time NBA fan be sure to click the link above for some highlights and a nice trip down memory lane.)

As I said in the article, it was an entertaining night of basketball for a cheap price, and there were some pretty impressive performances across the board – including ones from former Celtics like Nate Robinson and Glen “Big Baby” Davis.

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On Friday night, Big Baby’s season ended on an even more impressive note, as his team Power won the league championship by beating 3’s Company 51-43.

Former Clippers and Warriors star Corey Maggette led the way for Power, as he scored 27 of the team’s 51 points on the night to go along with six rebounds. (I’m actually not surprised at all. I was SUPER bummed when Maggette sat out the night in Boston on August 3, because he was honestly one of the players I was most excited about seeing. I guess he sure as hell made up for it in this one, though.)

The 8 Best Players in Los Angeles Clippers History

Real talk: Maggette was nasty in his prime.

Big Baby was the only other player on the team to score in double-digits on the night, finishing with 10 points, one board, one block, and one steal.

Andre Emmett, whom I selected as one of my “All-Mattes BIG3 Super Squad” starters a month ago, made my pick look completely justified by putting up 24 points, 10 rebounds, and two assists, and it was his string of buckets toward the end of the game which finally made it a close contest. That is, until “Cat” Mobley iced away the game for Power, nailing one of his signature silky-smooth, fade-away jumpers for the win.

Other former NBA players like Quentin Richardson, Drew Gooden, Dahntay Jones, and Jason Maxiell played in the game as well.

Will this be the first thing mentioned around the water cooler on Monday? Probably not. Does anyone else you’ll hear from today even know the BIG3 championship took place on Friday night? Again, doubt it.

But then again, maybe they do…

Per Deadline.com, the BIG3 championship finished with some pretty decent ratings on Friday night. FS1 has already been carrying the action all season long, and it will most likely expand even more upon its coverage in 2019. While it still certainly has a long way to go, perhaps with more and more former NBA stars signing on (COME ON, KOBE! PLEASEEEEEE) we could see the league’s popularity increase significantly in due time.

Also particularly noteworthy is the fact that Nancy Lieberman, who currently serves as the head coach for Power, became the first woman ever to win a title in a men’s professional basketball league. This is after she already became just the second woman ever to become an NBA head coach when she joined the Sacramento Kings – for whom she still serves an assistant – back in 2015. Hats off to her and her continued ascension up the ranks.

For those looking to join in on the fun, you’ll have to wait until next year when the BIG3 tips off for its third season early next summer. In the meantime, be sure to keep checking in with The 300s for all basketball-related news, BIG3 and NBA included.

NBA Considers Three Rule Changes for 2018-19, and It’s All About the Offense, Baby

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Bleacher Report – The NBA is reportedly exploring potential rule changes involving the shot clock and foul calls that would trigger a replay review.

Per ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, the NBA competition committee is recommending resetting the shot clock to 14 seconds after offensive rebounds and expanding the definition of what constitutes a “hostile act” for the purpose of replay review. 

Wojnarowski added the NBA board of governors is likely to pass the rule changes at their meetings on Sept. 20-21 before going to the teams for approval. The measures will need two-thirds of the owners to approve in order to pass. 

Unlike the NFL, which has faced a lot of backlash for many of the rule changes they’ve implemented lately, what the NBA is trying to do here makes a lot of sense.

It’s pretty clear that the changes are being proposed in an effort to increase pace of play and promote more scoring chances for both teams on the floor each night.

First and foremost, decreasing the shot clock from 24 to 14 seconds after an offensive rebound should actually increase the amount of total shot attempts per game. Some may think that less time on the clock means less opportunity to take a shot, but in reality it’ll force teams to hoist it up more quickly, ultimately causing for more changes in possession and more opportunity for both sides to score the ball.

It’ll also force some of the old-school teams (i.e. San Antonio, Memphis) to get away from the traditional half-court style of play that seems to be becoming more and more extinct with each passing year. The NBA has been embracing the run-and-gun, fast-paced style of play for quite some time now, and teams that don’t start getting with the program are soon going to be left in the dust. Teams now need players at pretty much every position who can get out and run in transition (a la Golden State, Philadelphia, New Orleans, the Lakers), and who also display the ability to quickly adapt to abrupt changes in play. This rule change would only enhance the advantage those teams currently have.

tom cruise maverick GIF by Top 100 Movie Quotes of All Time

The rule is already in place in both the G League and the WNBA, and the NBA did actually experiment with the rule already in this year’s Summer League. Apparently the league was pleased with the results.

The expansion of what constitutes a clear-path foul will also only further aid transitional offense. No longer will the defender need to be between the offensive player and the basket to be in violation, as now the rule will penalize defenses from stopping the fast-break altogether. Per Wojnarowski:

Under the changes to the clear-path rule, a clear path to the basket would be in play in these three instances:

• “A personal foul is committed on any offensive player during his team’s transition scoring opportunity.”

• “When the foul occurs, the ball is ahead of the tip of the circle in the backcourt, no defensive player is ahead of the offensive player with the scoring opportunity and that offensive player is in control of the ball or a pass to him has been released.”

• “The defensive foul deprives the offensive team of a transition scoring opportunity.”

Finally, the league also wants to expand what constitutes a “hostile act” to now explicitly include interactions with referees and fans, instead of only concerning the players on the court. (I guess, even after all these years, the “Malice at the Palace” still weighs heavy on the mind of some NBA execs.)

My reaction to the news basically amounts to this:

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Do I think it’s going to significantly increase the score of each game? I mean, I guess we might actually see the average total score in a typical game go up a few notches. But does it really matter? Teams are already putting up ungodly offensive numbers every night, and I don’t think the Steph Currys or James Hardens of the world need more opportunity for extra buckets.

But if the goal is to promote pace of play and a more exciting product that keeps fans on the edge of their seats all game rather than being bogged down by sometimes painfully dull half-court, turtle-paced offenses then I guess that’s fine. (This ain’t Saturday morning pickup ball at the Y, people.)

We’ll likely have the official word on all three proposed changes by early October at the latest. For now, stay tuned.

OK, Dave McGillivray is Pretty Awesome, but He’s No Forrest Gump

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BOSTON — Before there was “Forrest Gump,” there was Dave McGillivray.

Gump, the fictitious simpleton played by Tom Hanks in the 1994 Oscar-winning film, trotted across the U.S. because he “just felt like running.”

McGillivray did the same, but with a singular purpose: Forty years ago this month, he completed his own cross-country running odyssey from Medford, Oregon, to his hometown of Medford, Massachusetts, to benefit the Jimmy Fund and its fight against cancer.

On Thursday, McGillivray – now race director of the Boston Marathon – will dash into Boston’s Fenway Park, re-enacting the last leg of his 80-day run in 1978. Hundreds of people since have matched or exceeded that feat, but McGillivray was one of the first.

Pretty impressive stuff here. No doubt. I can’t even run down to the end of my street without looking a 50-year-old dad after running away from a grizzly on a family camping trip.

But “Boston’s Forrest Gump?”

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Let’s take it easy with that.

Was McGillivray an All-American football player at Alabama? Did he receive a Medal of Honor from the President of the United States? Did he teach Elvis how to dance? Did he teach himself how to become a shrimp fisherman and open up his own multi-million-dollar company? Has he ever drank FOURTEEN Dr. Peppers in one sitting?

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And above all, has he had his heart absolutely stomped all over for his entire life by the same girl but continue to never give up on her or any of his dreams at any point in time?

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(Well, OK, maybe that has happened to him. I don’t know. Love can suck sometimes.)

Again, what McGillivray has accomplished is pretty remarkable, and the fact that he has done it all for the benefit of the Jimmy Fund makes me like the guy even more. I do think that he should be celebrated, and I hope it’s a lovely night for him over at Fenway this evening. I truly do. Get out there and support him.

But just remember: He is NO Forrest. None of us are, nor will we ever be.

J.K. Rowling Confirms Big Fan Theory; I Now Somehow Love Harry Potter Even More

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JK Rowling apologised for killing Dobby the house-elf

MSN.com – J.K. Rowling has come out and revealed what her favorite Harry Potter fan theory is, and it’s quite something.

It seems dark theories do not put JK Rowling off, who has finally not only revealed her favourite fan theory but suggested it could quite well be plausible.

When asked by a fan what was her favourite one, the novelist replied: ‘Dumbledore as death. It’s a beautiful theory and it fits.’

(Full theory explained in MSN.com link above.)

If there’s anything I love more than my sports teams, it’s Harry Potter. (And I’ll bet my Ravenclaw keychain that Papa Giorgio and Joey Ballgame are right there with me, too.)

And if there’s anything I love more than those two things, it’s allegories or subtle, hidden metaphors in text that make the reader surmise the true meaning of what’s going on, right or wrong, which only adds to the whole experience.

(Yeah, this one is for my fellow bookworms, guys.)

This is exactly where fan theories derive from. And, yes, fan theories can be exhausting. It’s almost impossible to keep up with all of them, and half the time they are absolute fucking garbage.

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But I LOVE this one. And it only further proves just how deep the whole story goes.

First and foremost, Dumbledore is one of the greatest characters ever written. I don’t think this is a very hot take, and I’d say virtually all HP fans would agree. Truthfully, I’d look at someone who doesn’t like Dumbledore the same way I’d look at someone who doesn’t like dogs. Just don’t see how it’s even humanly possible.

I’ve learned more life lessons from Dumbledore than I have from either of my parents or any teacher I’ve ever had. (That is not meant as any disrespect toward my incredible parents; Dumbledore just spits the absolute truth.) And his death in the sixth book was an extremely trying moment in my life.

But no, really though. When he reveals to Harry the whole reason Harry was placed in Gryffindor instead of Slytherin was simply because Harry asked to be placed in Gryffindor, ultimately proving that the whole “where you derive from seals your fate” adage is a bunch of bullshit and that only you can determine your fate: BOOM. Mind blown. It’s not that I didn’t believe in that philosophy before, but hearing it from Dumbledore just reinforced it with the fury of a thousand suns and made me feel like I wanted to run full speed up the side of Everest.

“Words are, in my not-so-humble opinion, our most inexhaustible source of magic. Capable of both inflicting injury, and remedying it.”

Oh! Talk dirty to me, Albus!

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The whole idea that he now represents Death is, as Rowling put it, truly beautiful. At first glance, associating Dumbledore with such a seemingly negative entity sounds a little off-putting. However, when you realize that Death is actually a very intelligent, gracious being that rewards those who are deserving of what they desire due to cunning and strong will, it TOTALLY makes sense.

To be clear, the theory does not state that Dumbledore IS the original Death in “The Tale of Three Brothers.” That wouldn’t make sense; the story was written way before Dumbledore was even born, and we already know he needed to obtain the Elder Wand from Grindelwald, proving that Dumbledore was not its creator.

I also love how Snape, Harry, and Voldemort fit so perfectly into the metaphor as well. The whole thing rings very similarly to the Tin Man, Lion, and Scarecrow from the Wizard of Oz, which is yet another classic allegorical tale that can either be viewed as a history lesson or simply enjoyed as a great work of art and entertainment.

So, for all my fellow HP fans out there who continue to yearn for more, hopefully this bit of news added a little flair to your Hump Day.

What do you guys think? What are some of your other favorite fan theories? Let us know in the comments below!

Dunkin’ Unveils Double Dollar Menu

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WCVB 5 – Dunkin’ Donuts is bringing an updated menu of $2 snack items nationwide, after what the company called “a successful test” earlier this year.

The Dunkin’ Run menu includes the company’s first gluten-free product: an individually wrapped fudge brownie… The menu also includes the company’s Donut Fries, which began being offered in its stores nationwide in July. They are described as warm croissant-style donut sticks tossed in cinnamon sugar.

Other items on the new menu are ham and cheese roll-ups, pretzel bites with mustard and waffle-breaded chicken tenders.

I’m all in favor of fast food restaurants taking chances and I have no problem with fast food restaurants trying to branch out beyond their category. I love Taco Bell breakfast and their nacho fries are great. I’m not saying Dunkin’ should be restricted to selling just coffee and donuts (as Denis Leary once said), but can we hold off on throwing a parade just because they added supermarket checkout lane fudge brownies to their menu?

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I’m also firmly in favor of value menus (as opposed to “value” meals.) I appreciate Dunkin’s strategy here, but I question their execution. These chicken tenders look like something from a bag at the bottom of my freezer…

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Why would I spend two bucks on microwaved chicken patties when I could get 10 chicken nuggets or nine chicken fries at Burger King for $1.69? Sorry Dunkin’. I’m not mad. Just a little disappointed.

PS – This post does not apply to Donut Fries. Those look delicious.

Boston University is Now Growing and Experimenting on the Ebola Virus. Awesome.

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WCVB – One of the most secure facilities in Boston is beginning to experiment with one of the world’s deadliest viruses.

Boston University‘s National Emerging Infectious Diseases Laboratories announced Thursday that it had received samples of the Ebola virus and the related Marburg virus. Researchers said the first step of their research will be propagating the rare but life-threatening viruses to produce enough material for their planned experiments. Tens of thousands of people were infected and more than 11,000 died in West Africa in a 2014–2016 Ebola outbreak, the NEIDL said. The outbreak also traveled to Europe and the United States, prompting the lab to call the virus a “global public health threat.“…The NEIDL was granted permission to work with the most dangerous pathogens on Earth about eight months ago.

Oh cool, I am really glad I don’t live like 2 miles down the road from Patient Zero. This is how plague movies start. Am I the only one that saw 28 Days Later or I Am Legend or Contagion?

This is how it starts guys. Some cocky scientist throwing caution to the wind takes a few risks that don’t exactly pan out and he gets us all killed or running from undead creatures.

Look, I’m not naive enough to think stuff like this isn’t happening, but at least keep it under wraps. Just lie to me. Lie like a rug. I do not want to know about shit like this. And maybe don’t experiment with one of the deadliest viruses in the world in my backyard. Maybe do it in one of the flyover states that nobody visits to begin with. Just a thought.

I just imagine Noah Emmerich slowly going insane just researching Ebola all by himself in the crypts of Boston University.

Hopefully they have the self destruct button though when the lab coats take it too far and nearly infect Comm Ave.

 

The Big Mac Economy is Here! Introducing the MacCoin

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USA TODAY – It’s not exactly pennies from heaven, but McDonald’s is planning to make it rain coins to celebrate the Big Mac’s 50th anniversary.

Starting at the lunch rush on Thursday, customers can receive a MacCoin with the purchase of a Big Mac at 14,000 participating restaurants across the United States, McDonald’s announced Sunday. 

And what’s the coin good for? Another Big Mac.

Customers can redeem the new currency for a free Big Mac starting Friday and running throughout the rest of 2018.

A+ move by McDonald’s once again. These MacCoins are going to turn the #1 into the adult Happy Meal and they are going to be hunted down like McDonald’s Beanie Babies in 1999. In 1999, though, I had to convince my mom to take me to McDonald’s. This time around I’ll be able to eat as many Big Macs as it takes to collect all five MacCoins.

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I’ll bet these MacCoins will be hoarded like those Beanie Babies, too. More than six million MacCoins will be distributed, but how many will actually be redeemed? Why redeem it for a free Big Mac now when I can put it into a change jar for 14 years and then sell it on eBay for $28?

It would be really cool if they didn’t have any expiration date, like cash. McDonald’s could create its own shadow currency, backed by the full faith and credit of Ronald McDonald. What better way to put the Big Mac Index to the actual test? How many MacCoins would it take to buy a house?

Just make sure to watch out for the Hamburglar. That guy would turn into Vito Corleone in the new Big Mac Economy.

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But with an expiration date of December 31, these coins will turn into MBTA tokens pretty quickly. Maybe if we’re lucky, someone on Etsy will turn them into cuff links next year. No way you can run a McDonald’s if you’re not rocking Big Mac cuff links.

So it looks like I’ll be heading back to the McDonald’s I got my Big Mac sauce from last year for lunch on Thursday. Maybe dinner too.

Off-Duty Burger King Worker Lends a Hand and Gets Fired

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Fox News – Customers at a Burger King in Jacksonville, Fla., believe a woman waiting in line took the restaurant’s “Have it your way” slogan a little too literally when she hopped behind the counter and started preparing an order.

Witnesses say they watched the woman ─ who was photographed wearing a tank top and shorts ─ leave the slow-moving line and step into the food prep area, where she proceeded to slap on a pair of gloves before getting down to work…

In a statement to Fox News, Burger King said that the woman was an off-duty employee, but confirmed that the incident should not have happened. It also stated that the manager, and the woman, had been fired.

FIRED? This woman deserves a medal from the Jacksonville Chamber of Commerce for her dedication to service. We’ve all waited in slow-moving lines at fast food restaurants (usually Taco Bell), and finally someone did something about it. This employee shouldn’t have been fired, she should have been promoted. It’s gotta be hard for a fast food joint to find an employee who cares that much about their craft.

Whatever happened to the expression “many hands make light work?” This poor woman got fired for her dedication to teamwork. Why? Because the fashion police happened to be waiting in line at the same time?

“I said, ‘No, you’re not about to fix my food. You’re not in uniform,'” Marcelita [Jones] claims.

Take it easy, Marcelita. You’re at Burger King, not the Four Seasons. Also, it’s Florida in July. I can’t imagine how hot the back of a BK in Florida in July is. I’d rather my fast food worker there wear a tank top and shorts instead of business casual. And she was wearing gloves. I don’t see the issue.

I just hope this employee isn’t out of work for long. If I owned a fast food restaurant I’d offer her a job tomorrow. I don’t ever remember meeting a fast food employee that dedicated to their job.

Taunton Jackasses Taunt Goat

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Three Taunton men have been arrested after police said a video circulated on social media of them blowing marijuana smoke into a goat’s face… [The goat] is now in the care of Animal Control, and is expected to be okay.

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I have so many questions about this case. How high were these morons? How high do you have to be to think this sort of thing would be funny? Why did they have a goat in the first place? Are people keeping goats as pets these days? I will be very interested to see how this one plays out in court.

I’m glad to hear the goat will be okay, but I do wish it had kicked someone’s teeth out. That would’ve been the best form of justice in this case.

On a more upbeat note, this story reminded me of the goat on the classic Adam Sandler album What the Hell Happened to Me? If you didn’t have that album in middle school then you missed out. Do yourself a favor and give it a listen to start your Friday. I hadn’t heard it in a decade, and it still cracks me up.