Just when you thought it was safe… Wait, wrong film franchise.  This summer, Star Wars goes where the saga has not gone before (to mix another sci-fi metaphor), into an animated feature film hitting theatres on August 15, 2008.  “The Clone Wars” occupies the space between Episodes II and III of the new Star Wars trilogy and features all of the main characters in pixilated form, such as Anakin Skywalker, Obi Wan Kenobi, Yoda, and even Jabba the Hutt.  Click here to check out the trailer for “Star Wars: The Clone Wars.”

Rabid Star Wars fans will be happy to know that they’ll be able to get even more of a Force Fix on a weekly basis with a new Star Wars television series in the works.  The television series will focus on lesser-known characters in the Star Wars cannon instead of the Skywalkers, Solos, and other familiar faces.  This will make for a great opportunity to tell new stories without already-established outcomes that fans are well-educated on.  New characters will bring an air of suspense to the Star Wars saga and paint the extended universe in a richer, and wider scope.  Check here for more details on this new series.

Read the rest of this entry »

With Grand Theft Auto 4 as the hottest game on the market right now, video games — no matter what your favorite choice of console may be — are bigger and gaining more media attention than ever.  Appealing not just to kids, but perhaps especially adults, video games are one of the leading recreational activities in the world.

With their own network, G4 TV and several major conventions, this unique form of media and fandom has captured the attentions and joysticks of millions.  While attending some of these conventions, many fans sport elaborate costumes of their favorite game characters.   One of the most elaborate of these costumes would be the collector’s edition of the Xbox franchise Halo’s main character, Master Chief, complete with a full suit of futuristic armor and a two-piece helmet and mask.

Read the rest of this entry »

Although comic book movies are ruling the roost this summer blockbuster season, don’t count out comedy bringing it’s A-game to theatres!  Several comedies with great costuming potential are making their way to the box office. 

One of the most notable new films features Mike Myers making his return to a big screen with a comedy of his own creation, The Love Guru.  Myers, best known for the rockin’ “Wayne’s World” and the Austin Powers series of films, attempts to bring a new character to his comic repertoire, with Pitka, the Love Guru, an American who was raised by Indian gurus and comes back to the States to break into the self help market.  His first challenge is to reunite a hockey player with his wife who has left him for his biggest on-ice rival.  Click here to see the trailer for “The Love Guru.” 

Love Guru costumes are already hitting the shelves in preparation for Halloween.  Get your guru on with the Love Guru wig and beard with a long brown wig with curled ends and a matching mustache.  Dress the part with the Love Guru costume complete with a bright, sunflower yellow caftan shirt trimmed in white that hits to roughly knee level.  Also included are white pants and a garland of colorful flowers to wear around your neck as you spread the love!  Put on a pair of Birkenstock type sandals. 

Read the rest of this entry »

After an absence from the road, masked musicians Slipknot hits the tour trail again as a headlining act on the Rockstar Mayhem Tour, sponsored by the Rockstar Energy drink. Scheduled to hit major cities across the United States, tour dates can be found here to see if they’re headed to an amphitheatre near you this summer.

With a new album due out in August, Iowa’s gift to the music scene, Slipknot,  is a throwback to the days of Kiss, with many of the members until recently having kept their faces hidden from fans for a long time beneath distinctive masks worn by each member.  The nine musicians’ mask styles have changed slightly over the years, but still remain variations on the same theme.  Shawn “Clown” Crahan usually wears a creepy clown mask, while drummer Joey Jordison favors a Kabuki style mask.  Regardless of their style, a menacing, horror theme extends throughout all of the Slipknot faces… And fans love ‘em for it!

Read the rest of this entry »

Sure to be a big hit, Indiana Jones hits the screen for the first time in almost two decades.  The trailer for the Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, due in theatres May 22^nd, 2008 can be found here. 

Of what is known of the fourth film in the series, this time, Indy takes on Cold War-era communists in a race to take possession of an artifact known as “the crystal skull.” True to the spacing of time, the film takes place almost 20 years later with Harrison Ford reprising the role of the archaelogist/academic/adventurer and Karen Allen turning up again as Marion Ravenwood from the first film.  Steven Spielberg is directing and George Lucas took part in crafting the storyline.  While some old faces figure prominently, some new ones are equally important with actors like Cate Blanchette (taking on the role of the film’s chief villainess), Shia LaBeof, and Ray Winstone rounding out the cast. 

Read the rest of this entry »

One of the most popular cartoon and toy franchises of the ’80s, G.I. Joe, is the latest to make its move to the big screen.  Scheduled for release some time in Summer 2009, the military vs. global terrorist action-packed feature is starting to leak out some photos of characters already in costume. 

 

Martial artist and actor, Ray Park (who played Darth Maul in Star Wars: The Phantom Menace and “Toad” in X-Men) is on tap to play fan-favorite, Snake Eyes.  With Park on board (having coordinated his own stunts and action sequences in Star Wars and X-Men), his scenes as the mute ninja Snake Eyes battling his Cobra ninja nemesis, Storm Shadow should prove exciting to long-time fans.  For a look at Ray Park in costume as Snake Eyes, take a look here .  

Read the rest of this entry »

The countdown is on!  The biggest and best-known Comic Convention is only months away.  For its 39^th year, the San Diego Comic Con is bringing together fans and notable faces in the world of comics, sci-fi, television, movies, and other spheres of popular culture for three days.  With Preview Night on July 23^rd, and the convention itself running from July 24^th through the 27^th, the convention usually garners extensive coverage in print and even on the G4 television network.  There are usually tons of exhibits on display pertaining to the latest toy releases from notable franchises and staffed by attractive “booth girls,” usually decked out in costumes similar to the video games or franchises they’re representing. 

 

Read the rest of this entry »

Far removed from the stodgy wood-paneled libraries of droning, overly academic texts, history is suddenly hot! Cable networks like HBO and Showtime have seized upon the more sensational or even just plain human aspects of historical figures and turned their life stories into hit programming. Suddenly, history is hot!

With historical figures becoming so popular, there are tons of costuming options that will undoubtedly be recognized by not just history buffs, but television aficionados, too!

Read the rest of this entry »

Another eagerly anticipated movie based on a classic graphic novel, the first images for the costumes for the super heroes and villains of “Watchmen” have been released. Based off of the graphic novel by Alan Moore (who also wrote V For Vendetta, which was made into an excellent film starring Natalie Portman), “Watchmen” is set in alternate world in 1985 with nuclear war hovering in the background. In the midst of world chaos, a team of superheroes who have long been disbanded come together once more to investigate the murder of one of their own.

Directed by Zach Snyder (who also helmed 300, Watchmen isn’t scheduled to hit the theatres until March of 2009. However, buzz is heavy for this cult favorite comic book-turned-film. Although the costumes for the film have been released, so far, no mention has been made of any “Watchmen” costumes for the public to sport to Halloween parties or even Comic Conventions. Until some licensed and ready-to-wear “Watchmen” costumes hit the market, those talented enough to craft their own costumes can use the recently released images as inspiration!

Although it’s a little early to start planning for 2009, the rabid fanbase of Star Trek fans will be eager to check out the newest Star Trek movie coming next year. Both hype and hopes are high as the film is being directed by J.J. Abrams, the mind behind television’s “Lost” and the recent hit film, “Cloverfield.” As with most of Abrams-helmed projects, not much footage has been released on the film besides that it centers on the early days of the Starship Enterprise under James T. Kirk and that “Heroes”‘ Zachary Quinto stars as young Spock and several other big names are also part of the cast. A teaser trailer with tiny tidbits of footage can be found here.

The anticipation of the latest Star Trek film will no doubt have Trekies plotting a Romulan run on costumes to head to comic cons, Star Trek fan conventions, and even the premiere of the film before the Enterprise finally lands in May 2009. Pick up a Star Trek in either red, yellow, or blue…. Uh, just use a bit of caution in case you’re wearing the infamous “red shirt” uniform. Get in touch with your stoic Vulcan side with some pointed Spock ears. Strike fear into your enemies with a Klingon mask, fit for a fierce warrior. Or just show some pride with a Star Trek Federation pin or a Klingon Communicator Badge pin.

Read the rest of this entry »