1. WE HAVE A TRAILER FOR THE LAST JEDI!

The trailer the internet has been waiting for has landed. We’ve now been given a glimpse into director Rian Johnson’s take on Star Wars. And it looks good! What can we take from this teaser? Well, not much. We catch a glimpse – mainly through audio cues – of Daisy Ridley and Mark Hamill’s developing bond, John Boyega’s dormant-sleepy face, Oscar Isaac’s fast-paced return and the star of Episode VII, Adam Driver. And we like Adam Driver. Still no sign of Tom Hardy or Laura Dern yet, but we’re in. 100% in. No question.

To think it’s been nearly 18 months since J.J. Abrams left us on that (literal) cliff edge. Sadly we’ve now got another seven-plus months till the film’s actual release. We’re now heading into hibernation – wake us up in December.

2. Who’s afraid of the big bad Brolin?

Not satisfied with taking Marvel’s dollar in one franchise, Josh Brolin has found himself a role in Deadpool 2. Landing the much coveted role of Cable – you’ll get ‘em next time, Michael Shannon – the Californian was a surprise victor, considering his existing role as Thanos in the wider Marvel Cinematic Universe.

For those not in the know, Cable is considered the opposite of Deadpool – steadfast, straight-laced, and possessing an aura of simmering violence. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Brolin has landed himself a meaty four-picture deal and begins shooting Deadpool 2 later this year in Vancouver.

3. Everybody be cool. Guillermo del Toro *might* make a Star Wars movie.

Now this story is the definition of “hopeless hope”, but we’re going to tell you it anyway. In an excellent, lengthy interview, Guillermo del Toro happened to drop in that he was fascinated by the world of Jabba the Hutt. Del Toro said: “I would do the sort of Godfather saga that Jabba the Hutt had to go through to gain control… I love the idea of a Hutt type of mafia, a very complex coup. I just love the character.” What makes this story slightly more notable is the director’s confirmation that he had spoken to Star Wars super-producer Kathleen Kennedy about these characters. But then came the heartbreaker: “… but you know, I want to do my sh**. I want to do it first. I’m veering a lot towards animation. I love animation.”

So for now, it’s a no – but we can dream!

4. Brad Pitt + James Gray + space = yes please

Sadly, director James Gray’s last two films, The Immigrant and The Lost City of Z, have failed to land the audience and acclaim they deserve. While that may be so, someone has noticed this consistent flow of quality – none other than Brad Pitt, who is apparently joining Gray’s next project, sci-fi flick Ad Astra. In a recent interview with Collider, Gray spoke about the film, saying “It’s kind of a Heart of Darkness story about traveling to the outer edge of our solar system. I have a lot of hopes for it but it is certainly ambitious… I’m filled with terror, but that’s fine.” It’s certainly some bold lingo from Mr Gray, matching up alongside Christopher Nolan’s “realistic” approach to space for 2014’s Interstellar. But Gray is a truly unique talent, with wondrous vision. We’re with Pitt on this one.

5. Young Pope is Young Dumbledore

We’ve always had a bit of a soft spot for Jude Law. It’s quite easy to forget that the man is a two-time Oscar nominated actor (Cold Mountain and The Talented Mr. Ripley, since you were wondering). Whether it’s a spirited Dr Watson in the Sherlock Holmes franchise or Mr Napkin Head in The Holiday, Law’s always been an enjoyable presence on our screens. So while it’s pretty surprising that the man has been announced as Young Dumbledore for the sequel to Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, it’s pretty great news. While the internet clamored for the talented Jared Harris – son of Richard “the original Dumbledore” Harris – to take the role, we’re quite pleased to see Jude Law step up to the plate. In any case, we’re sure it won’t be a Dumble-bore… 

6. People sure love this Thor: Ragnarok teaser

And love it they should! The Thor franchise has had an interesting life to date. It has struggled to find its tone, there was the whole disappointing sequel, and the character has been relegated to a bit-part player in the Avengers films. Possibly because Civil War would have been over very quickly with Thor involved. Yet with Marvel now embracing the Guardians of the Galaxy vibe of action unt comedy (plus colours) as a winning formula, it looks like Thor will be the first to benefit.

With 136 million views in just 24 hours, Thor: Ragnarok becomes not only the most viewed Marvel trailer ever, but the studio’s most viewed trailer ever across all its brands – which includes Disney’s live-action and animation divisions, Pixar, Star Wars, and Marvel. Not bad. With Hunt for the Wilderpeople’s Taika Waititi calling the shots, the film looks an utter joy. Fingers crossed that this carries through to the final film, but we think it’s fair to say this is the first time potential cinemagoers can say they’re excited for a Thor film.

7. The world is truly upside-down, Michael Bay is a “genius”

For full disclosure, we’ve written spirited, tongue-in-cheek defences of director Michael Bay in the past (here and here and here). It seems we’re not alone in our opinion. Sir Anthony Hopkins seemingly had a blast on Bay’s latest Transformers: The Last Knight, expressing his joy at last week’s CinemaCon. Hopkins spoke to Yahoo Movies saying “I thought [of Bay], ‘this guy’s a genius, he really is'” – and this was just after their first breakfast meeting. Hopkins continued, “He’s the same ilk as Oliver Stone and [Steven] Spielberg and [Martin] Scorsese. Brilliance. Savants, really, they are. He’s a savant.” Now, we’re fans of Sir Anthony, and if he’s having a blast with Transformers, then more power to him. And while we could joke about the poor qualities of Bay, let’s just celebrate something good for once. Sir Anthony Hopkins loves the Transformers series.

8. Boy, Detroit sure could do with some robotic cop action right about now

We’ve started this update with John Boyega, and we end it with John Boyega. Oscar-winning director Kathryn Bigelow’s upcoming project on the 1967 Detroit riots, Detroit, has itself an electrifying trailer. Just watch it above, and get that good feeling in your gut when you know you’ve seen something good. While we’re perennial fans of Bigelow, it’s the cast that’s excited us the most. Will Poulter, Anthony Mackie, John Krasinski, Jason Mitchell, Jack Reynor, Tyler James Williams, Hannah Murray, Kaitlyn Dever and, of course, Boyega – this is ridiculous! So much talent, filtered through a Mark Boal script, and the lens of Kathryn Bigelow, is an electrifying prospect. The August release date is early for an awards run, but the relevancy and strength of this project could help see it reaching for gold later down the line.

What a week for trailers!