Breaking Bad’s Giancarlo Esposito Considered A Hit On Himself For Insurance Money
Between Breaking Bad, Better Call Saul, The Mandalorian, and even the short-lived Revolution, Giancarlo Esposito has positioned himself as an in-demand actor who excels at playing villains. However, he didn’t always enjoy such good fortune in his career. During a recent appearance on SiriusXM’s Jim & Sam, Esposito recalled a time in 2008 when he was near bankruptcy and so desperate for a way out that he considered placing a hit on himself to provide for his family with the insurance money.
“My way out in my brain was: ‘Hey, do you get life insurance if someone commits suicide? Do they get the bread?’ My wife had no idea why I was asking this stuff,” recalled Esposito via Variety. “I started scheming. If I got somebody to knock me off, death by misadventure, [my kids] would get the insurance. I had four kids. I wanted them to have a life. It was a hard moment in time. I literally thought of self-annihilation so they could survive. That’s how low I was.”
“That was the first inkling that there was a way out, but I wouldn’t be here to be available to my kids,” continued Esposito. “Then I started to think that’s not viable because the pain I would cause them would be lifelong, and there’d be lifelong trauma that would just extend the generational trauma I’m trying to move away from. The light at the end of the tunnel was Breaking Bad.”
Esposito’s role as Gus Fring on both Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul was a transformational moment for his standing in Hollywood, and he’s been constantly working ever since. Ironically, Esposito had a starring role in 2017’s The Show, a movie in which he played a desperate man, Mason Washington, who contemplates committing suicide on a live TV show in order to provide for his family. In case of art imitating life, Mason also chooses to survive.
Parish, Esposito’s new drama series, is currently airing Sunday nights on AMC.
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George Miller’s Already Working On His Next Mad Max Story
Later this month, Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga will give Anya Taylor-Joy’s Imperator Furiosa an origin story that takes place years before her first appearance in Mad Max: Fury Road. But just because this is Furiosa’s film, it doesn’t mean that there’s no sign of Mad Max himself. While speaking with EW, Furiosa director George Miller confirmed that there will be a brief appearance by his iconic character as an Easter Egg for fans. It may also lead to the next film in the franchise.
“In doing what we did in the preparation of Mad Max: Fury Road, we also wrote what happened to Max in the year before we encounter him in [that film],” said Miller. “And as we get towards the end of [Furiosa], the chronology, basically, we had to see that Mad Max was lurking around somewhere because we do know what happened. The writers know what happened to Mad Max in that year before, and we have a whole story of that, which I would like to do sometime if I get the chance.”
Miller also clarified that this previously untold Mad Max story isn’t written down as a script yet. But that’s next on the agenda for Miller.
“Well, we are certainly working on it,” noted Miller. “And as I say, we wrote that basically as a novella, and now we’ve got a chance, we will get that into a screenplay form, and then we’ll take it from there.”
Chris Hemsworth’s Warlord Dementus will be the primary villain of Furiosa, but Lachy Hulme will also appear as Fury Road’s nemesis, Immortan Joe. Presumably the film will also explain how Furiosa sided with Joe before turning against him in Fury Road.
Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga will hit theaters on Friday, May 23.
Check Out This Rare Star Wars Merch Collection Curated By Carrie Fisher’s Daughter
Ahead of Star Wars Day, eBay has partnered with Billie Lourd to curate two unique Star Wars collections ahead of Star Wars Day. Lourd played Lieutenant Connix in the Star Wars sequel trilogy and is the daughter of Carrie Fisher. The Light Side Collection and Dark Side Collection are filled with memorabilia, collectibles, and plenty of autographed gear for fans to bid on or buy outright.
As you’d expect, many of the products in the two collections are quite pricey. For example, the Dark Side Collection includes a Ralph McQuarrie Darth Vader Concept Helmet for over $14,000, while the Light Side Collection features a Princess Leia Funko Pop signed by Carrie Fisher for $5,750. The event runs through May 4 at 11:59 PM ET, though some products–including the two we just mentioned–are being sold for a fixed price or accept offers, so fans don’t have to compete in auctions for all of the products.
Other cool collectibles include a Star Wars Darth Vader Helmet signed by David Prowse for around $350 and the Star Wars Master Replicas Anakin Skywalker Lightsaber Hilt for $200. Keep in mind that these prices will almost certainly increase as we inch closer to the end of the event, as more people toss in their final bids.
If the lineup of rare Star Wars collectibles featured in the Light Side Collection and Dark Side Collection isn’t up your alley, you’ll be glad to know that eBay will be running another Star Wars Day event starting May 2. During this event, you’ll find a wide variety of action figures, apparel, Lego sets, and other collectibles.
eBay is calling this the “first-of-its-kind live shopping event,” which will be hosted by Anthony Carboni (co-host of The Star Wars Show) and Krystina Arielle (host of Star Wars: The High Republic Show).
For now, you can take a look at all the early Star Wars Day deals at GameStop. The sale includes video games, Funko Pop, collectibles, and other cool merch.
This New Spider-Man Statue Captures The Hero’s Video Game Design
Sony’s Spider-Man games on PS4 and PS5 are some of the best super hero video games ever made, and much of their appeal is their incredible art direction. All three games feature some of the coolest renditions of Spider-Man’s many suits, and soon you’ll be able to adorn your shelf with a new figure based on the webslinger’s outfit from Marvel’s Spider-Man 2.
- Preorder Marvel Gallery: Gamerverse Spider-Man 2 Deluxe PVC Statue — $85
The new Spider-Man 2 Deluxe PVC Statue is part of the Marvel Gallery: Gamerverse collection, and features current video game incarnation of Marvel’s web slinger in a dynamic pose that captures the speed, strength, and agility the character and his latest games are known for. The statue measures approximately 12 inches tall, and sports cool details like an exploding fire hydrant, electrical effects on the mechanical arms, and a rush of symbiotic ooze creeping up Spider-Man’s leg. It’s designed as part of a set and is meant to be displayed alongside Miles Morales and Venom (each one sold separately) to create a diorama.
While the Marvel Gallery: Gamerverse Spider-Man 2 Deluxe PVC Statue won’t arrive until June 2025, preordering now means you’ll get the collectible when is launches, and you won’t have to pay until your order ships.
In the meantime, if you’re looking fill in your desk space with a few more Spider-Man figures based on the video games, you can pick up Spider-Man in his symbiote suit or his Superior Spider-Man alternate costume, and if you have enough space, you can get a whole lot of Venom to display in your collection.
My Adventures With Superman Season 2 Trailer Teases Lex Luthor And A New Hero
Last summer, Adult Swim and Warner Bros. Animation introduced fans to a new take on the Man of Steel in My Adventures with Superman. In this anime-inspired reboot, Clark Kent, Lois Lane, and Jimmy Olsen are all aspiring reporters for The Daily Planet. However, Clark wasn’t able to hide his double life as Superman from either Lois or Jimmy for very long. Season 1 ended with the reveal of a Kryptonian warrior eying Earth for an invasion. But in the first trailer for My Adventures with Superman Season 2, Clark and his friends have more immediate problems.
The trailer reveals that a younger version of Lex Luthor is stepping to the forefront and joining forces with Amanda Waller and Sam Lane to target Superman. As a newly minted millionaire, Jimmy attempts to counter Lex’s anti-Superman message. But Jimmy has underestimated just how deeply Lex hates Clark’s alter ego.
Additionally, the trailer confirms that Supergirl will be a part of this series, as Clark discovers that his cousin, Kara Zor-El, also survived the trip from Krypton to Earth. There’s still another Kryptonian gunning for Superman’s adoptive world, but now Clark won’t be facing him alone.
Jack Quaid stars in the series as the voice of Clark Kent/Superman, with Alice Lee as Lois Lane, and Ishmel Sahid as Jimmy Olsen. Max Mittelman is joining the cast this season as Lex Luthor, while Supergirl will be voiced by Kiana Madeira.
My Adventures with Superman Season 2 will have a two-episode premiere on Saturday, May 25 on Adult Swim. New episodes will be available on Max a day after their Adult Swim debut.
Tron: Ares Will “Really Push Forward” Visual Effects, Star Cameron Monaghan Says
The upcoming Tron sequel, Tron: Ares, is still shrouded in secrecy–so much so that there hasn’t even been a teaser trailer yet. Former Gotham star Cameron Monaghan–who has also lent his voice and likeness to Star Wars Jedi: Survivor and Jedi: Fallen Order–has a co-starring role in the film opposite Jared Leto, who will portray the title character, Ares. Via Collider, Monaghan revealed why he felt drawn to the franchise after seeing the 1982 original film and its 2010 sequel, Tron: Legacy.
“I think I first saw the first Tron on a plane when I was younger,” recalled Monaghan. “It was an international flight. I remember watching the original, and I thought it was from the ’90s or something, because it was pretty amazing how a movie from that era could look that amazing, and utilizing computers the way they did.”
“Then I went to the Tron: Legacy premiere when I was 16 years old, and had just done my first movie for Disney at the time,” added Monaghan. “So, that was really cool getting to go to the El Capitan Theater in LA and seeing that on a big screen… That’s a movie that, I think, has now grown a cult fandom, in a similar way that the original Tron did as well, where people thought it was very technologically cool but it’s continued to grow… So I like that those movies have a number of years of separation between them. They don’t come out very often, and every time they do, they show a new era of technology and filmmaking.”
While Monaghan couldn’t share specific details about Tron: Ares, he did tease that the third film will also mark a significant step forward in visual effects.
“I think this one, in a very similar way, is going to really push forward what can be done, from a visual perspective,” said Monaghan. “I would sometimes even come in on days I wasn’t working, because that set was really amazing. A lot of the practical sets were pretty phenomenal, and I would love to go look at those as well.”
Unlike Tron: Legacy, Tron: Ares is a standalone sequel and none of the cast members from the original Tron or its sequel are currently expected to return. There was a previous incarnation of Tron 3 that would have continued the story from Tron: Legacy, but it was cancelled in part due to Legacy’s disappointing box office numbers. Joachim Rønning is directing Tron: Ares, and the rest of the cast includes Greta Lee, Evan Peters, Hasan Minhaj, Jodie Turner-Smith, Arturo Castro, Gillian Anderson, and Sarah Desjardins.
Tron: Ares will hit theaters on Friday, October 10.
Fallout Prime Video Series Soundtrack Is Up For Preorder And Already Topping Charts
The Fallout TV series is an unequivocal hit, earning positive reviews from critics and pulling in millions of viewers since launching on April 10. And, much like the games it’s based on, the Fallout TV series was accompanied by an impressive score, featuring hits from Nat King Cole, The Ink Spots, and other iconic artists. If you found yourself tapping your feet to the music, you might want to consider preordering the Fallout Original Amazon Series Soundtrack, which arrives on June 14 and features two gorgeous vinyl records along with a few collectibles.
The Fallout soundtrack is following a common theme for anything Fallout-related right now. Just as the games have seen a huge resurgence in popularity, the soundtrack has actually passed Taylor Swift’s The Tortured Poets Department on Amazon’s CDs and Vinyls charts. We’re not sure what the formula is for Amazon’s bestseller charts, but at least for a brief moment in time, Fallout has surpassed Taylor Swift, which just speaks to Fallout’s success.
$30
The Fallout Original Amazon Series Soundtrack includes 21 tracks across two discs. The vinyl themselves are works of art, offered in vibrant shades of yellow and blue. They also come with inserts and sleeves featuring Lucy (Ella Purnell) and The Ghoul (Walton Goggins), as well as a picture of The Brotherhood of Steel on the interior of the sleeve. Beyond the vinyl, you’ll get a free MP3 version of the album for digital use.
Not interested in the vinyl? You can pick up just the MP3 version for $9.49. The album can also be found on Amazon Music, which costs $10 per month and gives you access to millions of songs beyond the Fallout soundtrack.
If you don’t have a record player, Amazon is running nice discounts for you to peruse after preordering the upcoming album. Some of them are as cheap as $40, though you’ll also find discounts on premium models that typically retail for over $250. The Udreamer Vinyl Record Player Wireless Turntable is one of the lowest-priced options, as it’s on sale for just $38 (down from $70) when clipping the additional coupon on the store page.
Here are a few other record players for you to consider.