Matthew Monagle

Today the world of comedy lost one of its brightest stars. Jerry Lewis was no stranger to controversy during his decades-long career, but his impact on both Hollywood and comedy in general cannot be denied. From his early days as Dean Martin’s partner-in-crime to his career-capping turn in Martin Scorsese’s The King of Comedy  —  and countless box office success in the interim  —  Lewis’s impact on Hollywood will be a source of much discussion for years to come.

There’s something strange about concept art for comic book movies. Seeing artists’ renditions of popular superheroes filtered through the lens of the Hollywood actors that play them blur the line between comic books and movies in a really weird way. Since so many different artists have tackled characters like Iron Man and Captain America, I’m used to them not looking like anyone in particular, but there is the face of Chris Evans or Sebastian Stan poking out from every panel. It’s both very neat and a little, you know, uncanny valley.

How’s this for awkward timing: just as an entire generation of moviegoers are rediscovering their love for Winona Ryder thanks to Stranger Things, her chances at reappearing in the role that made her famous may be dying on the vine. The last time we checked in on Beetlejuice 2, it was Ryder who thought the sequel might actually be happening. Now it is Michael Keaton, her costar from the original film, who seems determined to put the final nail in the coffin.

By now, you probably have a preferred actor in mind for James Bond. Maybe it’s Idris Elba. Maybe it’s Tom Hiddleston. Maybe it’s Gillian Anderson. You could probably make a compelling argument for or against every actor currently working today; regardless, it’s fun to watch both fans and actors alike cast a pretty wide net for the role. The fact that nothing is off the table this time around can only mean good things for the future of the franchis

How do you become a fan favorite as an actor? Easy. Just love the character as much as the fans do. For as much as we enjoy pitting the various comic book franchises against each other, the secret weapon of the films released by Marvel Studios has always been that we honestly and truly believe that the people involved are having as much fun making the movies as we are watching them. And near the top of that list has to be Scarlett Johansson as the Black Widow.