What If Rick And Morty Was Live-Action? Casting The Main Characters

Created by Dan Harmon and Justin Roiland, Rick and Morty is an acclaimed animation that follows mad scientist and grandfather Rick Sanchez as he embarks on many crazy scientific adventures with his grandson Morty. Since its initial release in 2013, the show has become one of the most popular series in the world. Fans have seen them travel across multiple dimensions, freeze time, escape an inter-dimensional prison, and even watched Rick turn himself into a pickle.

RELATED: Rick & Morty: The Characters Vs. The Cast

Perhaps, due to its mind-boggling inventions, worlds, and storylines, the show works best as an animation, but that hasn't stopped viewers wondering who would play the characters if it were a live-action. So, here are who would play the stars of the hit show if it was no longer an animation.

10 Rick Sanchez = Willem Dafoe

Of course, we have to start the list of the most iconic character of the show, Rick. An incredible scientist, an alcoholic, and a reckless grandfather, Rick is the heart and soul of the series. The lead character constantly amuses fans with his impulsive behavior and crazy inventions, most notably turning himself into a pickle and his frequent use of his portal gun.

RELATED: Rick and Morty: 10 Characters In The Series More Powerful Than Rick

As one of the most engaging actors today, Willem Dafoe has provided plenty of evidence that he can play a character known for being crazy and reckless, particularly his recent role in The Lighthouse, which is why fans would be incredibly excited to see the legendary actor as Rick.

9 Morty Smith = Jacob Tremblay

The other titular character of the show, grandson and tag-along to Rick Sanchez, is Morty Smith. The 14-year-old kid is frequently out of his depth on his wild adventures with Rick, and although he rarely admits it, he does enjoy them. Despite his common stupid mistakes, from stealing special crystals to creating a snake war, Morty is a genuinely kind and caring kid.

At just 14 years old, his film resume is already very impressive, and after his hilarious performance in Good Boys, we think he would be incredible as Morty Smith.

8 Jerry Smith = Chris Parnell

Often competing with Rick for his family's appreciation, Jerry Smith is also another main character of the show. From his complicated relationship with Beth to his slight insecurity and self-obsession, Jerry is one of the more misguided characters in the show. Fans have seen Jerry and his strained bond with father-in-law Rick develop throughout the show, with Jerry even plotting to kill Rick in "The Whirly Dirly Conspiracy".

The best choice to play live-action Jerry is actually his voice actor Chris Parnell. Since the series began, Parnell, known also for his work on Saturday Night Live and 30 Rock, has voiced the character, and it's hard to imagine anyone else playing him.

7 Beth Smith = Rose Byrne

Growing up as daughter to crazy scientist and unreliable father Rick must have been a challenge for Beth and has led her to have very complex abandonment issues during the show. Similar to her father, Beth is an extremely intelligent and independent woman, who happens to be a skilled horse surgeon and a mother.

After a leading role in lawyer-series Damages, Rose Byrne has gone on to feature in many feature films, including comedies Bad Neighbours and Instant Family, where she happens to play a mother, which is partly why she would be a great Beth Smith. Her ability to be comedic, but also serious and intelligent as seen in Damages, makes her the best pick.

6 Summer Smith = Emma Mackey

As the final member of the Smith family, teenager Summer is also a prominent figure in the hit animated show. Commonly shown as jealous of Morty's relationship with their grandfather Rick, she sometimes joins the two on their intergalactic adventures. She's joined in on their journey through Mad-Max apocalyptic and their quest in Anatomy Park and has often proven to be a valuable member of the family.

Known for her breakout role in Netflix's Sex Education as the intelligent and sarcastic Maeve Wiley, Emma Mackey would be the best choice for Summer. Perfect for a bold and quick personality, Mackey is one of the top upcoming actresses.

5 Mr. Poopybutthole = Elijah Wood

Mr. Poopybutthole is a planet-wide superstar, albeit from another dimension, who happens to be close with the Smith clan. Despite only having a small part, he manages to always lift the mood of any situation. He's taken part in a heist with Rick, helped Rick and Morty and Co fight alien parasites, and even become a college professor in season 4.

RELATED: Every Crazy Dimension on Rick and Morty, Ranked

Few actors have the personality to pull off this character, but Lord of the Rings star Elijah Wood could do the job. Wood has a similar charm to Mr. Poopybutthole and could help to create a hilarious on-screen character. Since he's such a big name, maybe the live-action version could also feature more scenes with the character, which many fans would love.

4 Squanchy = Rami Malek

With a common interest in drinking and with his extremely wild, party animal personality, it's no surprise Squanchy and Rick are good pals. Once again, while only having a small part to play in the series, Squanchy is still a fan favorite. His main appearance came all the way back in season 1, when in the final episode of the season, he crashed Rick's party, leading to the famous time-freezing device.

RELATED: Rick And Morty: 10 Things You Didn't Know About Squanchy

Rami Malek is the man to play this side character. With roles as the main antagonist in No Time to Die, as well as his previous lead in Mr. Robot and oscar-winning performance in Bohemian Rhapsody, it's no surprise Malek has the acting ability to show all sides of the cat-like creature.

3 Principal Vagina = J.K. Simmons

Principal Vagina has only appeared in a handful of episodes, but whenever he does appear, it's always memorable. In the very first episode, we saw him notify Beth that Morty had only attended 7 hours' worth of school in the past 2 months, then later in Get Schwifty, he had his first major role in an episode. While appearing incompetent as a headteacher and a husband, he has shown his good morals throughout the series.

After seeing his jaw-dropping and Oscar-winning performance in Whiplash, the only possible actor who could play the role is J.K. Simmons. Able to play a relentlessly strict and demanding jazz teacher as well as a raging news reporter J. Jonah Jameson, Simmons would be a perfect principal for Morty and Summer's school.

2 Mr. Meeseeks = Paul Dano

Voiced by show creator and writer, Justin Roiland, Mr. Meeseeks is the name of all Meeseeks summoned by the Mr. Meeseeks Box. As first seen in season 1, when Jerry created a Meeseeks without giving it a purpose, which led to a full-scale invasion by the blue humanoid figures. Mr. Meeseeks have an extremely kind and helpful personality and are always looking to fulfill the purpose given to them.

American actor and director, Paul Dano is becoming increasingly popular with his incredible resume. Known primarily for his slightly creepy and villainous roles in Prisoners, 12 years a slave, and even the upcoming Batman movie, Dano definitely looks the part and would be a solid choice for the character(s).

1 Mr. Goldenfold = Leslie David Barber

Another member of staff finishes off our cast, this time Morty's maths teacher Mr. Goldenfold. Also limited to cameo appearances, Goldenfold's history isn't explored an awful lot. Other than his divorce, not much is known about the character, but this doesn't stop him from making fans laugh despite his little to no care in the world for his students and underlying anger issues.

Almost a spitting image of the character is The Office star Leslie David Barber. After his nine seasons playing paper salesman Stanley Hudson, Barber has proved his amazing comedic presence and acting ability that would make him perfect for the role. Yet to have another popular role like Hudson, this would be a great opportunity for the actor and would be great for the fans.

NEXT: Rick And Morty: 10 Un-Rickest Versions Of Rick In The Series

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The Simpsons Characters & Their Disney Counterparts | ScreenRant

The Simpsons and the world of Disney are the most successful and popular animated characters of all time. Both have become giant brands and the characters have become unbelievably popular because of how personable and full of life they are. Audiences have deeply connected with both The Simpsons and Disney movies and this is why they've been so successful.

RELATED: The Lord of the Rings Characters & Their Disney Counterparts

Because the characters are so full of life and energy, it is easy to see how people could connect them with some clear counterparts being obvious. But which Disney characters work perfectly as the counterparts for those who live in Springfield?

10 Lisa Simpson - Belle

Lisa Simpson is a fantastic character and a brilliant role model to any young girl watching the show and when it comes to Disney Princesses, Belle is undoubtedly the best person for people to look up to. Lisa is incredibly intelligent and while others don't always appreciate that, she doesn't let it deter her.

This is the same situation Belle goes through. Everyone in the village thinks she is strange, but in reality, she just embraces her brains and is always seeking out more information, which is why they're perfect counterparts.

9 Mr. Burns - Captain Hook

Mr. Burns is one of the clear antagonists of The Simpsons, but he is a character that fans love to hate. Mr. Burns dislikes just about everyone and is obsessed with being the powerful, rich tycoon that he is. This is why he's similar to Captain Hook because he is power-mad as well.

Both men like to be in control and act tough, but they're both quite cowardly in reality and they depend heavily on the people below them to do a lot of the work. They can be cruel but deep down, they're big cry babies, making them ideal to be counterparts.

8 Nelson Muntz - Sid Phillips

Much like Mr. Burns, Nelson Muntz is a classic bully, with Nelson being far less subtle than the nuclear power plant owner. Nelson likes to cause his school friends a lot of problems, mainly because he thinks he's stronger and tougher than everyone.

RELATED: SpongeBob SquarePants Characters & Their Disney Counterparts

Sid is exactly the same type of character, pulling apart and hurting toys simply because he thinks they can't fight back. However, when Nelson and Sid are pushed, they tend to crack, not enjoying being the victims of bullying themselves.

7 Homer Simpson - Goofy

The biggest trait of Homer Simpson is the fact that he is incredibly clumsy and that is something that he has in common with Goofy. Both of the characters have hearts of gold, but they don't always know how to express themselves in the same way that others do.

Each of them makes mistakes on a regular basis, and that brings a lot of humor to their characters. However, they're always there for the people they care for, even if it takes Homer a slight nudge to get to that point.

6 Ned Flanders - Maurice

Ned Flanders is one of the most important characters within The Simpsons, bringing a lot of comedy to the series with his over the top personality. That is what makes him similar to Maurice, who also isn't shy of sharing his thoughts and excitement about the topics he's interested in.

While Ned's passion is religion and Maurice's is within technology and invention. Both are considered to be quite strange people, but they're very kind and work as two fantastic parents, with all of their focus being on their children.

5 Apu - Princess Tiana

The big common trait between Apu and Princess Tiana is the fact that they're incredibly hardworking and will do whatever it takes to make their lives better. They're not afraid of doing the less glamorous things, and even when turning into a frog, Tiana is prepared to keep putting in the work.

RELATED: The Witcher Characters & Their Disney Counterparts

Both of them are kind and try to help others as well and while Apu might make a couple of mistakes at points, he does do his best to make sure his family is in the best position possible.

4 Ralph Wiggum - Piglet

Ralph Wiggum is a very fun character within The Simpsons world and is someone who is incredibly kind and considerate to others. He's one of the quieter characters within the series, but he still manages to stand out because of his personality.

His ideal Disney counterpart is Piglet, mainly because he is also very shy and quiet, but equally as loveable. Piglet just wants his friends to be happy and he is always around to provide advice and comfort to others when they're feeling down.

3 Grampa Simpson - Grandpa Bud

The obvious connection between Grampa Simpson and Grandpa Bud is clear to see, with the two of them being elderly family men. They're both grandfathers who care deeply about their families and that is what makes them so similar.

RELATED: Nintendo Characters & Their Disney Counterparts

However, they're both quite over the top in their personalities and have very wild characters. They can be very unpredictable within their behaviors and that is what makes them so much fun to watch.

2 Marge Simpson - Kala

Marge Simpson's greatest quality is how good she is as a mother. While she might get stressed at points and have her patience tested, there is no doubt that she gives 110% to her children and absolutely everything she does is with them in mind.

That is why Kala is the best counterpart for her. Disney has created a lot of great motherly characters, but none are as good as Kala. She takes on Tarzan and fights for him, despite the fact he's not supposed to be part of the family, raising him as one of her own without question.

1 Bart Simpson - Mushu

Bart Simpson is one of the funniest characters from The Simpsons, mainly because he has so much sass and is happy to pull pranks at the expense of anybody he targets. Mushu is very similar in that regards, as he also takes matters into his own hands when he needs to do so.

Both of the characters are the masters of being incredibly confident when it comes to their mouths. They have an answer for everything and while it can border on the line of being annoying, they both pull it off in a charming manner that makes them very likeable.

NEXT: Full House Characters & Their Disney Counterparts

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Schitt's Creek: 10 Major Relationships, Ranked Most To Least Successful

There are some shows that seem destined to attain the status of classics, and it seems at this point that Schitt’s Creek is just such a show. From its humble beginnings as a fairly standard sitcom about a rich family that loses all their money and has to live among the rustic residents of a small town, it slowly revealed that it was a show with a lot of soul.

RELATED: Schitt's Creek: 10 Questions We Are Still Asking

A key part of its appeal remains the relationships at its heart, and over six seasons the series showed audiences a wide variety of successful, and not so successful, relationships.

10 Patrick And David

Let’s be real. Patrick and David are one of the most adorable couples to have ever appeared in television in its entire history. The two of them just seem to get one another, and they complement each other in ways that makes their relationship feel refreshingly authentic. Patrick brings some much-needed stability to David’s life, and David is adventurous enough that he pushes Patrick out of his comfort zone.

What’s more, they always manage to work through their difficulties, so it’s no wonder that the two of them ended up tying the knot, cementing their love for one another in front of their family and friends. 

9 Moira And Johnny

It’s hard to think of a couple more incongruous than Moira and Johnny. While she’s something of a free spirit with a volatile, artistic temperament, he’s much more grounded.

However, somehow they manage to make it work, as can be seen from the fact that they’ve been together for so many years. It’s actually rather refreshing to see an on-screen couple moving into middle age while still feeling such obvious attraction--both emotional and physical--for one another. 

8 Roland And Jocelyn

Roland and Jocelyn certainly give Johnny and Moira a run for their money when it comes to incongruous couples. While Jocelyn is very pretty and seems to have her head on straight, Roland is a bit of a schlub with the most boorish manners of any character on the show.

RELATED: Schitt's Creek: Roland's Most Cringeworthy Moments

Nevertheless, it has to be said that there is something powerfully charming about the two of them, especially since it’s abundantly clear that they truly do love one another. After all, it’s not every couple that could survive having a baby that late in their lives.

7 David And Stevie

Though they ultimately become best friends, there was a time in their history when David and Stevie seemed like they might actually become an item (and fans took notice).

It soon became clear, however, that they really did work better simply as friends. Throughout the later seasons of the show, it’s precisely their history as lovers that allows David and Stevie to really understand one another in a way that few other characters do.

6 Ted And Alexis

There is probably no relationship more heartbreaking than that between Ted and Alexis. After a lot of false starts, the two of them finally manage to get together, and it really does seem as if it’s going to be smooth sailing.

Unfortunately, their professional aspirations ultimately drive them apart, and they make the mutual choice to end their relationship rather than risk growing resentful of one another. It’s another signifier of just how much these characters have grown since the first season. 

5 Mutt And Alexis

Part of the reason that Alexis and Ted didn’t work out on their first try was because Alexis found herself incredibly drawn to Mutt, the son of Roland and Jocelyn. For some reason, she found him much more attractive than Ted, perhaps because he was a rougher sort of character.

Unfortunately, things went sour quite quickly, as they both realized that they were not really compatible with one another. It’s a good reminder that sometimes the grass really isn’t greener on the other side of the fence. 

4 Ted And Heather

After his traumatic breakdown with Alexis, Ted finds himself in a relationship with Heather, a local farmer (and one of David’s suppliers). Obviously, this is doomed from the beginning, since it’s clear to everyone--even Ted himself, at some level--that he’s still very much in love with Alexis and will always struggle to find happiness with someone else.

As a result, their relationship is fated to never work out, and it ranks pretty low in the list of successful ones in the show. 

3 Jake, Stevie, And David

Among the many things that they share throughout the series is the woodworker named Jake. Of course, this being a comedy, many awkward situations ensue, even after David and Stevie agree to stop seeing him.

RELATED: Schitt's Creek: 10 Reasons David & Stevie Aren't Real Friends

As it turns out, Stevie isn’t quite as willing to give up the physical aspect of their encounters as David is. It’s a relationship that is a source of a lot of laughter in the show, but it’s very clear that it’s fated to never really work out for any of the parties involved.

2 Stevie And Emir

Poor Stevie. She really does seem to have a rash of bad luck when it comes to romance. The one time that she seemed to develop something meaningful with someone--a travel writer named Emir--it turned out that he saw her as little more than a person that he could have a good time with while he was on the road.

It truly was unfortunate, particularly since the two of them really seemed to have a strong bond with one another. Stevie, however, clearly deserved better than he was willing to give.

1 Bob And Gwen

Part of what gives this show its unique charm are the numerous denizens of Schitt’s Creek that make appearances throughout its run. Bob and Gwen are an adorable older couple, one that seems to have weathered the vicissitudes of life fairly intact.

Unfortunately, in the latter part of the show it turns out that Gwen has actually left Bob for their pastor, causing him all sorts of heartache and even leading him to the brink of financial ruin. It’s a very sad ending to what, from all appearances, looked like a very strong marriage. 

NEXT:  Every Schitt's Creek 2020 Emmys Win, Explained

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The Dark Knight: 10 Fascinating Insights From The Filmmakers Themselves

Filmmaking is an endeavor that requires numerous talents both behind and in front of the camera to work. On a production the size of The Dark Knight, the number of collaborators can stretch into the hundreds, with each having to work in harmony to make each iconic scene flow.

RELATED: The Dark Knight Trilogy: Alfred's 5 Most Heroic Moments (& 5 Most Questionable), Ranked

From the costume designers to the special effects teams to the musical composers, each production team member performed at the top of their game to make Christopher Nolan's urban crime Bat-flick a global phenomenon. As detailed in the book The Art And Making Of The Dark Knight Trilogy, here are 10 fascinating insights into The Dark Knight from the filmmakers themselves.

10 Nolan Crafted The Ending First

No stranger to working backward to tell a story, Nolan prefers to visualize his endings first and work backward from there. According to his brother Jonathan, who co-wrote the film, Nolan is "very driven by endings," and the image of an on-the-run Batman being chased by police was the jumping-off point for the director.

Initially, the scene was envisioned as a foot chase across rooftops before evolving into the iconic Bat-Pod driving through the streets. Though the story necessitated the change, the sobering message of Batman being pursued by the people he swore to protect remained.

9 The Villains Drove The Narrative

As the writers brainstormed storylines for the film, they asked what the repercussions of Batman's presence would be and what kinds of criminals would emerge. The answer was Heath Ledger's Joker, a man born out of a desire to watch Batman's rule-driven world burn. Drawing inspiration from Steven Spielberg, they wanted the character to feel like the shark in Jaws, an unknowing force of nature.

Conversely, even though Bruce Wayne got the most screen time, it was determined early on that Harvey Dent would be the protagonist of the story. As co-writer David S. Goyer notes, Harvey was conceived as the character who would change over the course of the film as the Joker corrupts and eventually breaks him.

8 Wally Pfister Trained On IMAX Cameras For 3 Months

In December of 2007, audiences got their first look at the film via a thrilling 6-minute prologue, detailing the film's opening bank robbery and the Joker's introduction. Additionally, the filmmakers were also testing the awe-inspiring potential of using IMAX cameras in Hollywood films.

RELATED: 10 Best Performances Directed By Christopher Nolan, Ranked

In order to meet the December deadline, Nolan had to film the prologue sequence first in April 2007. This meant that Wally Pfister, the director of photography, would need to learn the basics of filming on IMAX in January and thus convince the studio it would work. Having not yet green-lit Nolan's wishes to film on the pricier format, Pfister's preparation was instrumental in gaining Warner Bros. approval.

7 Nolan Challenged The Special Effects Teams

Having worked together on Batman Begins, Special Effects Coordinator Chris Corbould knew Nolan well, and he especially knew that the visionary director liked to request things that were high on visual appeal but low on functionality.

The Bat-Pod was one such hurdle, as Corbould recalls thinking "you've got to be joking" when seeing the toy model for the first time. Humorously theorizing that Nolan had clearly never ridden a motorcycle, he told him what he thought could work (driving in straight lines) and what couldn't (turns); Nolan simply replied: "you'll sort it out." The end results certainly thrilled audiences and the filmmakers alike.

6 The Prestige Inspired The Visual Palette

In between his first two Batman ventures, Nolan co-wrote and directed The Prestige, a smaller and more intimate production. Apart from offering Nolan's production team a breather from Gotham City, it also helped shape some of the gorgeous cinematography for The Dark Knight.

Pfister, who worked on both films, says that filming the dusk scenes in The Prestige inspired them to incorporate a similar look in The Dark Knight. While Batman Begins operated in something of a rust-orange and black visual hue, the sequel featured more colors and multiple scenes taking place at dusk with a deep blue tint, such as Batman standing on the Sears Tower and Bruce's penthouse overlooking the city.

5 The "Bat-Pack" Made An Appearance

While not initially meant to appear the way it did in the film, Batman's "Bat-Pack" made its big-screen debut regardless. In the scene where Bruce stands high above Hong Kong preparing to extract Lau from his offices, audiences noticed Batman's cape was not present when he jumps off the building. It's only when he's in midair that it deploys like a parachute out of the back of his suit.

Originally, the pack was created by Costume Designer Lindy Hemming for traversal on the Bat-Pod. Not knowing if the cape would get caught up in the pod's gears during operation, her team initially developed the pack to keep it tucked away and safe. Test rides proved that the cape would stay on, and the stuntmen wore detachable capes instead.

4 Nolan Withheld The Movie From The Composers

As they had on Batman Begins, musical composers Hans Zimmer and James Newton Howard returned to collaborate on the sequel together. Due to Nolan's wishes for his movies to be character-driven, he intentionally withheld the film from them so that they could write based on the characters and not try to simply write to the film's editing beats.

RELATED: The Dark Knight: 15 Greatest Quotes By Heath Ledger's Joker

The duo decided to divide the task into separate characters, with Zimmer taking the Joker and Howard Harvey Dent. The results were amazing, with Zimmer's un-nerving Joker theme announcing his presence anywhere he went, while Howard's tragically operatic piece mirrored Harvey's fall from grace.

3 The Truck Flip Stunt Man Wore Joker Makeup

It's no secret that Nolan loves practical effects done on location, and The Dark Knight had no shortage of major stunts to film. None were more show-stopping than the climactic end to the Joker and Batman's chase through Gotham.

Corbould's special effects team rigged a semi-truck to flip using a giant piston underneath the trailer, but only had a narrow stretch of road to operate with. In preparation for this, Nolan set up several cameras to catch the majestic stunt, while veteran stunt driver Jim Wilkey operated the truck. Unsure which angle would be used, Wilkey wore full Joker make-up just in case. Who knows, he may have even gotten it applied by Ledger himself.

2 Gotham City Was Larger

The Dark Knight feels like a larger film than it's predecessor, but the story actually envelops less geographical space. Taking place entirely in Gotham City (with a brief respite to Hong Kong), even Bruce's penthouse is in the city rather than on the outskirts, as is his new Bat-Bunker.

Shooting more in the city allowed the production team to create the urban, modern feel the script called for. The film's production designer Nathan Crowley explains that by filming more on location than on sets, the film would feel bigger and rawer, which benefited the story they sought to tell.

1 Heath Ledger Was Gracious To The Crew

It goes without saying that Ledger was a magnetic force of an actor. The devotion to his craft didn't stop him from being gracious to those who helped bring his performances to life though.

At the end of a day's filming on a particular scene, Ledger felt he and his co-star were finding something special in their performances. Rather than try and recapture it the next day, he asked Nolan if they could stay late. Knowing this could be hard on the crew, Nolan learned months later that before he left that night, Ledger quietly thanked each individual member of the crew for staying late.

NEXT: 10 Fascinating Behind-The-Scenes Facts About Inception

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Apple One Subscription Bundles Are Now Live: How To Get Started

Apple’s subscription bundle service, called Apple One, is now live. Apple teased the discounted bundle earlier this year, but this combined services plan had not been available until now. There are three price tiers available and some clearly have more value than others. A refresher on the options and the cost may help undecided shoppers find the best option for them.

Apple has been expanding its services greatly in the last few years, beginning with a single subscription service, iCloud. Now there are four more ways that Apple owners can subscribe to special Apple content and features, with a sixth service announced and coming soon. The first form of iCloud was actually called MobileMe, launched in the year 2000. For $99 per year, it offered 20-gigabytes of storage, but the cost of storage has plummeted in 20 years and Apple prices were adjusted to reflect that change. Apple Music launched in 2015 and quickly rose to compete with music subscription market leader Spotify. Apple News+, Apple TV+, and Apple Arcade followed, but haven’t reached the level of popularity enjoyed by Apple Music and iCloud.

Related: Apple No Longer Third In Worldwide Smartphone Shipments, Xiaomi Is

To see the Apple One discounts on an iPhone, open the App Store, go to account information (by tapping the user icon in the upper-right corner), then subscriptions, and finally ‘Get Apple One.’ At this point, the bundle options and pricing are revealed. Pricing can also be found on Apple’s website. For anyone unsure of which is the best choice, a rundown on what each service provides and regular pricing can help. There are three tiers of Apple One bundles and each higher level adds more services and more iCloud storage. Also, a one month free trial is given by Apple, so the service can be tested before paying. While most every Apple user will be familiar with iCloud, since 5-gigabytes of storage is included with many Apple products, newer services, like Apple Arcade and TV+ may have a lesser-known value.

Apple One subscription bundles are available in three tiers, starting at $15 per month for Apple Music, TV+, Arcade, and 50-gigabytes of iCloud storage. The combined cost of the services separately would be $21, so the potential savings per year is $72. Of course, that depends on the need or desire for all four services. If Apple TV+ or Arcade are of no use, this becomes a $12 savings. The one month free trial takes away the risk, so when in doubt, one can simply set a reminder to cancel in 29 days, subscribe, and try it out. The Family plan covers exactly the same services, but allows the subscription to be shared with up to five other people. The cost is only $5 more at $20 per month, but the value added is greatly increased, by virtue of extending all of these services to up to five family members. If sharing with 2 to 5 people, this effectively cuts the price to as low as $4 each per month. iCloud storage is increased to a shared 200-gigabytes. This clearly is a much better offer than the individual plan.

Finally, the Premier plan is $30 per month and adds News+ and Fitness+, as well as expanding iCloud storage to the maximum level Apple offers, 2-terabytes. When purchased separately at this level, iCloud storage is $10 per month, so this is a great offer for those that have the option of sharing with another Apple user, and are in need of storing a large amount of data in iCloud. Fitness+ is a new service that is not yet available, but Apple notes that it will arrive this year. With an Apple event expected in mid-November and an AirTag announcement likely, the possibility of using body tags to track fitness would make the exercise service even more interesting. In the meantime, Apple One subscription bundles offer good value, so long as the combined services are chosen carefully.

Next: Apple Fitness+ Explained: How The New Home Workout Subscription Works

Source: Apple

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Star Wars Is Being Held Back By Its Obsession With Jedi

Disney and Lucasfilm understand that the Jedi are the most iconic aspect of the Star Wars universe, but that understanding has over time developed into something of an obsession. As far back as the original trilogy, the Star Wars movies have depicted a classic binary struggle against good and evil, represented by the never-ending conflict between the peacekeeping Jedi Order and the ancient Sith religion. George Lucas borrowed heavily from the work of Joseph Campbell and the idea of the Monomyth for the OT, but when it came time for the prequels, Lucas leaned heavily into contemporary political theater to show the Jedi Order from a more flawed and dogmatic point of view.

After Disney's purchase of Lucasfilm, 2015 brought audiences back to the Star Wars universe for the first time in years with Star Wars: The Force Awakens, which re-awakened ancient concepts such as the Jedi and the Sith after over 40 years laying dormant. The Sequel Trilogy doesn't return the Jedi Order to the prime that they experienced during the High Republic and the tail end of the Galactic Republic, but it does hint at the possibility of Rey starting over where Luke Skywalker failed. As Star Wars prepares to look towards the past with the High Republic, and also the future with The Mandalorian season 2, fans will be receiving a ton of Jedi-related content in the next few years. However, with so much content and lore left to explore in the larger universe, why does the franchise keep focusing on the same faction over and over again?

Related: Every Upcoming Star Wars Movie & Release Date

The entire Skywalker saga revolves around the legacy of the Skywalkers; Anakin, who's fall from grace leads directly into the events of the original trilogy, an intergalactic conflict that forces his own son Luke to step up and confront him. The sequel trilogy also continues the story of the Skywalkers, with the soul of Ben Solo, Luke's nephew, hanging in the balance. But the teachings of the Jedi still loom large in each chapter, as they're partly responsible for the downfalls of both Anakin and Ben, yet paradoxically also responsible for the training of Luke and Rey.

There's so much emphasis on the actions and repercussions of the Jedi, yet strangely enough, in both the original and sequel trilogies, not many people across the universe even know that the Jedi exist. By the time that Luke Skywalker meets up with Obi-Wan they've all but faded into obscurity and legend, a state which makes little sense when considering how much supplemental material Disney has added into canon featuring surviving Jedi and their adventures during the Galactic Empire era. Some folks don't even believe the Jedi existed at all, a puzzling concept considering that they had fought in the Clone Wars only 20 to 30 years earlier.

The lack of presence of the Jedi in the galaxy's collective consciousness should be initiative for Star Wars to start telling more stories that don't revolve around Jedi. If they were truly forced to lay low after Palpatine's infamous Order 66, there's no reason that we're still getting so many stories about them during that time. That's not to say that Force users should be totally absent from these stories; quite the contrary, there are plenty of other Force-wielding factions in the Star Wars universe who aren't Jedi that the movies and shows could emphasize.

For a while, The Mandalorian was a very reliable place to get non-Jedi related content, with the only exception being the presence of Baby Yoda. But now fans can expect to see Ahsoka Tano in season 2 of the show, and while she's no longer a Jedi, she still has strong ties to that way of life. Only time will tell just how in-depth the show dives into the Jedi Order, but one can only hope that it doesn't allow the idea of Jedi to assimilate the rest of the show's exploration of the criminal underworld. For a universe so ripe with storytelling potential, it's time for Lucasfilm to let Star Wars grow beyond just the legacy of the Jedi into something more.

Next: Every Star Wars Movie Ranked Worst To Best

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Danny Elfman Released A New Song And The Video Is Nightmare Fuel

Longtime Tim Burton composer Danny Elfman has released a new song, and the music video is a horrifying acid trip. Elfman, who’s won two Emmy Awards, a Grammy Award, and has been nominated for four Academy Awards, has composed scores for films like Batman, Beetlejuice, Spider-Man, and Good Will Hunting, among others. He is perhaps most notable as the singing voice of Jack Skellington in The Nightmare Before Christmas, for which he also wrote the soundtrack.

Elfman’s new song, “Happy,” is reminiscent of some of his chaotic Burton music, while also harkening back in part to his early new wave days in the band Oingo Boingo. The music video shows a frightening CGI head, reminiscent of Elfman’s own, loosely mouthing along with the lyrics as strobe lights flash across the screen. As the song progresses, the images become much more disturbing, as the face’s skin melts away, the eyeballs fall out and return, and the entire head convulses and warps during the song’s various instrumental breaks. The video may potentially trigger seizures for people with photosensitive epilepsy - viewer discretion is advised.

Related: Reusing Classic Batman and Superman Scores Didn't Work For Justice League

As a song, “Happy” comes out somewhere between “This Is Halloween” and Billy Joel’s “We Didn’t Start the Fire.” As a video, it’s even more fever-dream-y than a Tim Burton flick. It’s a chaotic, oddly apt anthem for the current state of the world, and fans of Danny Elfman’s previous work should enjoy the style. Just, be cautious with the video. It'll stick with you for a very long time.

Next: The Best Scary (& Almost Horror) Movies On Disney+

Source: ANTI- Records

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Sacha Baron Cohen Donates $100,000 To Borat 2 Babysitter's Church

Borat Subsequent Moviefilm actor and producer Sacha Baron Cohen has donated $100,000 to Ebenezer Baptist Church of Oklahoma City, the local church of the mocumentary’s babysitter Jeanise Jones, in light of comments that she was not adequately compensated for her pivotal role in the film. Borat Subsequent Moviefilm was released digitally on Amazon Prime Video on October 23rd. Taking place during the COVID-19 pandemic and on the cusp of the 2020 presidential election, Borat Subsequent Moviefilm comes 14 years after its original Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan.

In the film, Jones plays a babysitter who takes care of Borat’s daughter Tutar, who exhibits a brutish understanding of women in society. Jones won hearts around the world as she treated Tutar with warmth and compassion. Upon the release of Borat Subsequent Moviefilm, however, she was shocked to find out the true nature of the “documentary,” telling the New York Post that she felt “betrayed” by the filmmaking team, who had told her she was participating in a documentary about a young girl being sold to a wealthy man. Jones said she had initially only received $3,600 in total for her participation in the film, 

Related: Borat 2: Every Location Sacha Baron Cohen Visits

Cohen has responded to the criticism in a timely (and monetary) fashion, donating $100,000 to Jones’ Ebenezer Baptist Church. Jones’ pastor, Pastor Derrick Scobey, tells People, “I was blown away but not surprised because I was told about what type of heart this man has.” Scobey also explained that none of Cohen's donation is being pocketed by the church but is being used to help the community. The church is currently housing several people due to ice storms and power outages.

Cohen was clearly touched by Jones' actions in the film, and so were people who watched Borat Subsequent Moviefilm. Prior to Cohen's donation, a GoFundMe campaign was set up for Jones' by Pastor Scobey. Scobey was asking for donations for Jones, who like many in the United States, lost her job because of the Coronavirus pandemic. Fans have raised over $155,000 at the time of writing.

Borat Subsequent Moviefilm was no doubt a difficult movie to make, as was its original film in 2006, and Cohen’s Kazakh persona is not new to public controversy. Both Borat films have faced lawsuits from participants who were not aware of the true nature of the film. The undercover improvisation that Cohen employs at the scale of Borat Sagdiyev, especially in the current climate, is risky when it involves unassuming participants. What is clear, though, is Cohen’s dedication to his craft -- and those who have played a part in it.

More: How Borat 2 Sets Up Another Sequel

Source: People

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Ubisoft Confirms Several PS4 Games That Aren't Compatible With PS5

Ubisoft shared today that a handful of its titles will not be compatible with the PlayStation 5, which is set to release in a couple short weeks. These include lower-profile titles like Space Junkies, a VR arcade space shooter, to triple-A fan-favorites in the Assassin’s Creed franchise. There is still a lot of confusion surrounding games which will or will not be backwards compatible with the PlayStation 5 with news on the topic coming out piece by piece over the past few months.

The most recent word from Sony was that only a small percentage of PlayStation 4 games would not work on the PS5. The company even provided a small list of titles that would not be able to make the jump, most of which seemed to be acceptable losses for PlayStation fans. Sony explained the PS5’s selective backwards compatibility by pointing to the next-gen console’s boosted power with which some older titles just would not be able to play nice. However, in contrast, Microsoft’s new systems seem to be having fewer compatibility issues, something made clear in Ubisoft’s post highlighting games that would not work on PlayStation 5, but would on the Xbox Series X/S.

Related: PlayStation 5 vs. Xbox Series X Unboxing: Size & Packaging Comparisons

Today’s news post from Ubisoft details cross-play and cross-progression with Ubisoft connect. Nestled near the end of the article was an asterisk expanding on an earlier point in the text which claimed that most, though not all, of Ubisoft’s current generation titles could be found on the next generation of consoles. The Xbox Series X/S part was easy enough to explain because all Ubisoft’s games would be playable on Microsoft’s systems. However, the company stated that of its PlayStation 4 games, the following would not be backwards compatible with the PlayStation 5: Assassin’s Creed Syndicate, Assassin’s Creed Chronicles Trilogy Pack, Assassin’s Creed Chronicles India, Assassin’s Creed Chronicles China, Assassin’s Creed Chronicles Russia, Risk, Star Trek Bridge Crew, Werewolves Within, and Space Junkies.

With nine titles, Ubisoft-specific list is nearly as long as the one shared by Sony which was supposed to represent the realities of the PlayStation 5’s backwards compatibility limits. Among the games listed, Assassin’s Creed Syndicate, which came out in 2015 to find fans fatigued with the franchise’s yearly releases, was getting a bit of a reputation boost among gamers. It is possible that some might have been interested in checking out Victorian London while waiting for more PlayStation 5 titles to drop.

Like a lot of things leading up to the next-gen console launch, the messaging surround the PlayStation 5’s backwards compatibility has been confusing. It’s unusual that Ubisoft has taken it upon itself to point out backwards compatibly issues with its games when Sony hasn’t. The conflicting information prompts the question of why these titles weren’t included on the official list and sows some doubt among gamers going into the last stretch before the PlayStation launches November 12.

Next: PS5 Launch Titles: All Confirmed Games Releasing With PlayStation 5

Source: Ubisoft

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Apple No Longer Third In Worldwide Smartphone Shipments

If this was the Olympics, Apple would be off the podium, as the Chinese smartphone manufacturer Xiaomi managed to ship more units than Apple in the third quarter of 2020, according to the latest data. As a result, the U.S. tech company has fallen to fourth place in the list of vendors with the most smartphone shipments worldwide.

Apple has been slowly slipping in its overall rankings over the past couple of years. Chinese competitor Huawei knocked Apple out of second place in 2019 and, while the company has been far from hurting, it has failed to regain its place in the market. Of course, the pandemic hasn't helped with global smartphones sales in general having taken a hit earlier in the year. Although also dealing with the effects of COVID-19, China's economic recovery began sooner than many other places. This allowed, Huawei, for example, to pull itself into a virtual tie with Samsung in Q2.

Related: Bang & Olufsen's New Speaker Wirelessly Charges iPhone & Android Phones

Counterpoint Research reports that smartphone sales began to rebound in Q3 as lockdown conditions eased in a number of countries. In total, 365.6 million smartphones were shipped during the third quarter. While that was still down 4-percent compared to the same time last year, it was 32-percent growth compared to Q2. However, one of the biggest surprises was Xiaomi after managing to ship 46.2 million phones in Q3. This compared to Apple and its 41.7 million units shipped during the same quarter. Overall, this resulted in a 13 and 11-percent of the market share, respectively. What might be even more surprising is the year-over-year change.

Xiaomi shipped significantly more phones than it did over the same period last year. In Q3 2019, Xiaomi shipped 31.7 million phones, resulting in 46-percent growth in Q3 2020. Compared to the last quarter, shipments increased by 75-percent. Meanwhile, Apple shipped less phones than last year at the same time. In Q3 2019, Apple shipped 44.8 million iPhone units, amounting to a 7-percent drop year-over-year. However, Apple did also experience quarterly growth, with shipments going up 11-percent over Q2. Of course, Apple just launched its iPhone 12 line so that will almost certainly give the company a boost in Q4. Therefore, Xiaomi's days in the No. 3 spot may already be numbered.

While Huawei managed to pull itself neck-and-neck in Q2, Samsung has definitively taken back the top spot in Q3. The South Korean consumer electronics company shipped 79.8 million smartphones during the last quarter, resulting in a 22-percent market share. This is the highest quarterly shipment for Samsung in the past three years. It also amounts to a 2-percent year-over-year and 47-percent quarter-over-quarter level of growth for the company. The Fan Edition version of its popular Galaxy S20 line only became available at the beginning of October, so that may help Samsung stay on top in the final quarter of the year as well.

Huawei's sales, on the other hand, took a downwards swing. While the Chinese tech company held onto second place, it experienced a major drop in shipments, moving only 50.9 million phones in Q3 2020, equating to a 14-percent share of the market. This was a drop both quarter-over-quarter (7-percent) and year-over-year (24-percent). As supply chains in other countries recover from the pandemic, Huawei's position seems to be faltering. Of course, the fact that none of its 2020 phones have Google apps because of the U.S. ban doesn't help. Still, with the holiday season here, expect plenty of Apple and Samsung phones to be sold during the fourth quarter.

More: Following iPhone 12, Galaxy S21 Might Also Ship Without Charger & Earphones

Source: Counterpoint

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