Sometimes a rumor slips through the cracks of the news cycle. When that happens, we”re here to pick up the slack. So what did we miss while focused on Oscar buzz this week? From Star Wars to Marvel to Jurassic World, the crazy theories were out in full force this week!
#1. The spoilers are strong with this one: A reddit user has compiled everything an alleged “Star: Wars: The Force Awakens” employee has leaked onto message boards. Among the tidbits are that John Boyega is Force Sensitive but doesn”t know it, making him the Luke Skywalker of the new trilogy.
Probability Meter: 60%. Only because Star Wars has a penchant for parallel story arcs. Any fan could make this same educated guess.
#2. Who shot JR Howard Stark? Latino Review swears up and down that Bucky Barnes aka The Winter Soldier is responsible for the death of Tony Stark”s dad, along with a slew of other things they”ve heard happen in various Marvel movies.
Probability Meter: 35%. With no source, not even so much as a “my anonymous source told me…” this feels like pure fabrication. However, I”m sure Marvel isn”t above using emotional distress to drive a wedge between Iron Man and Captain America.
#3. Sony and Marvel to have shared custody of Spider-Man in divorce. In that same article, Latino Review claims the deal leaked in the Sony hacks last month went through and Spider-Man WILL be appearing in “Avengers: Infinity War Part 1.”
Probability Meter: 20%. Talk about a logistical nightmare, and I don”t just mean the executive red tape. As much as I”d love to see Spidey, would he be from the Sony universe and accidentally ported into the MCU? A brand-new continuity?
#4. Life finds a way. “Jurassic World” toy leaks could be the human/dinosaur hybrid known as Indominus Rex. Put her back in! She”s not done baking yet.
Probability Meter: 90%. This might not be the finalized toy version, but we”re too close to the movie”s release date for much to have changed. Confirmation probably imminent at Toy Fair next month.
#5. Time to get TRANKED! “Fantastic Four” director Josh Trank supposedly caused so much damage to the movie sets that Fox CEO Jim Gianopulos had to put in a personal appearance to apologize for Trank”s behavior. On top of this, supposedly the “Chronicle” director treated the crew very poorly.
Probability Meter: 45%. If the whispers coming out about the “Fantastic Four” reboot were positive, I”d chalk this up to a couple of disgruntled employees out to get their boss. But something”s rotten in the state of Latveria, and maybe it”s a director behaving badly.
#6. “Batman v Superman” is ascending. The new film by the Wachowski siblings, “Jupiter Ascending” has snagged the coveted honor of having the first “Batman v Superman” trailer attached to it.
So #BatmanvSuperman teaser trailer drops with JUPITER ASCENDING next month. Finally.
– Umberto Gonzalez (@elmayimbe) January 8, 2015
Probability Meter: 90%. Even The Projection List thinks it”s happening. Makes sense. Both are Warner Bros. productions, both are sci-fi/fantasy, and with a February release “Jupiter” could use all the help it can get to drum up interest.
#7. Is this the Star Wars writer you”re looking for? With Gary Whitta quietly leaving his post as the writer of Gareth Edwards” stand-alone “Star Wars” film, someone else needs to step in. Slashfilm has heard rumblings that it could be “Star Wars Rebels” writer Simon Kinberg.
Probability Meter: 70%. Seems legit. Along with his “Rebels” credentials, Kinberg consulted on Episode VII.
#8. Wolverine: Mutant, curmudgeon…team leader? Bizarrely, this site is claiming that widespread(?) rumors have “Wolverine 3” setting up an “Avengers”-like supergroup, with Logan in charge. His minions? Supposedly Gambit and Deadpool.
Probability Meter: 5%. Come on, now.