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Flying Lotus’ upcoming sci-fi thriller, ASH, promises a rich tapestry of Easter eggs and homages to beloved sci-fi franchises and video games. The film follows Riya Ortiz (Eiza González), who awakens on a distant planet to find her crew brutally murdered. As she investigates, she must decide whether to trust the man sent to rescue her, Brion (Aaron Paul), leading to a suspenseful narrative filled with nods to genre classics.
Flying Lotus’s deep appreciation for the sci-fi and horror genres is evident, with influences from iconic films like Halloween subtly woven into the storyline. This attention to detail offers an engaging experience for fans eager to spot these references.
Interviewer: Jamie Broadnax
Video Editor: Jamie Broadnax
ASH is set to release in theaters on March 21, 2025.
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Fans can see if they have what it takes to complete a mission in the captivating world of John Wick as part of the JOHN WICK EXPERIENCE, a new immersive attraction at AREA15, the world’s first purpose-built immersive entertainment district located minutes from the Las Vegas Strip.
With the experience now open to the public, the studio released the first photographs showcasing the approximately 12,000-square-foot ticketed attraction, which includes two themed bars and a retail shop.
The experience is based on the billion-dollar John Wick motion picture franchise, which franchise director Chad Stahelski produces with Basil Iwanyk and Erica Lee at Thunder Road Films. Stahelski and his team at 87Eleven Entertainment were creative collaborators on the experience from design to special stunt work.
The JOHN WICK EXPERIENCE blends more than a dozen highly themed cinematic rooms, live interactions and interactive gameplay to create an immersive journey that transcends reality and challenges wit, skill and nerve. As guests step through the doors of the JOHN WICK EXPERIENCE, they find themselves in the fantastical underworld of John Wick, where they must navigate an all-new, high-stakes adventure.
Each group of guests will be tasked with completing a mission that plays out in unique ways with characters, mythology, and iconography inspired by the Wick universe. Visitors may rub elbows or grab a drink with John Wick Continental Las Vegas staff, assassins, crime bosses, or other curious guests like themselves within the relative safety of the JOHN WICK EXPERIENCE. Guests will be drawn into the culture, trusted with secrets, and invited into private areas of the JOHN WICK EXPERIENCE, promising an authentic and compelling action-packed experience.
To bring audiences into the world of Wick, Lionsgate and Stahelski worked closely with Egan Productions, the producer of the experience. A leading creator of escapes, attractions, and live events with more than 20 years of expertise in all aspects of production and operations, Egan is also Lionsgate’s collaborator on two other Las Vegas attractions based on the studio’s beloved IP: The Official SAW Escape, which opened in 2018 and has been named Best Escape Room by USA Today, and Escape Blair Witch, which opened in 2021.
“In the films, Chad Stahelski has created a complex, alternate reality with exquisite design, deep mythological influence and meticulous action,” said Jenefer Brown, Executive Vice President & Head of Global Products and Experiences at Lionsgate. “The most important part of creating this experience was honoring that and making sure that our guests truly feel like they are part of the world of the films. The experience delivers wholeheartedly on that promise, and we are excited to share it with fans.”
“The John Wick Experience drops you into the sleek, sophisticated world of The Las Vegas Continental,” said Jason Egan. “This is the ultimate destination for anyone seeking a unique and captivating Vegas experience, and a must-visit for John Wick fans.”
The launch of this experience comes as Lionsgate continues to expand the world of Wick, with Stahelski overseeing the franchise across all multimedia platforms. In addition to the four hit films, the John Wick universe includes two spinoff films including Ballerina, set for a June 6th release, and a spinoff starring Donnie Yen that is in development. In addition, Lionsgate is developing the highly anticipated series John Wick: Under the High Table, which Stahelski and Keanu Reeves are executive producing, and the studio has a John Wick AAA video game in the works.
For more information or to purchase tickets to the JOHN WICK EXPERIENCE, please visit www.JohnWickExperience.com. Admission to the JOHN WICK EXPERIENCE is also included in AREA15’s Level 3 and Level 4 Experience Passes available at AREA15.com. Follow @JohnWickExperience on social media.
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George Lucas’ original Star Wars trilogy sparked the imagination of a whole generation, inspiring countless merchandise, much of it aimed at very young kids. Because of this, Lucasfilm substantially trimmed down one of the most disturbing moments from The Empire Strikes Back. Originally, George Lucas and director Irvin Kershner were going to show Han Solo’s torture at the hands of Darth Vader on Cloud City in greater detail, but cut away from most of it. But the YouTube channel Star Wars Analyst details how that scene was once much more graphic, but ultimately cut way down, so as to not traumatize ’80s children.
In the DVD commentary for Empire, Kershner describes how originally, the scene with Vader torturing Han was longer. Vader did all this so Luke would sense Han’s pain via the Force, and fall into Daddy’s trap. We see a brief glimpse of this mechanical torture before the camera cuts away. Harrison Ford’s muted screams behind closed doors are all that remains. But according to Kershner, he even cut that down. All because he and Lucas thought it was too disturbing for “the kiddies” who bought all those Kenner toys. And to be fair, Lucas was right. Like Leia’s torture by Vader in A New Hope, we didn’t need to see it to know it happened.
I do take issue with the narrator of this video saying that ’80s kids were “too soft” for this scene, when he grew up with Anakin’s immolation in Revenge of the Sith. I have to defend my generation’s honor a bit here. We Gen-Xers grew up with a shark eating a kid in Jaws, a guy ripping his face off in Poltergeist, and melting Nazis in Raiders of the Lost Ark. And let’s not even get into Artax the horse’s death in The Neverending Story.
We could handle a lot, thank you very much. But Lucas made the original trilogy prior to the invention of PG-13. He didn’t want to push the envelope and risk an R-rating. He didn’t have the luxury of PG-13 existing, as he did with Revenge of the Sith. But aside from that dig, this video properly highlights how The Empire Strikes Back was very nearly that much darker.
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Written by: Megan Maher
Christie Sylvester from Refract Magazine wrote, “My dream is, that one day, a little Black girl will be able to walk into a comics shop and see heroes that look like her, as far as the eye can see.”
Jackie Ormes, Eartha Kitt, Hannah Beachler, Mara Brock Akil, and Javicia Leslie are some trailblazing women who are helping make that dream come true.
Jackie Ormes
Jackie Ormes became the first Black woman syndicated cartoonist to be published in a newspaper. She was a trailblazer who pioneered an Afrofuturism expression of writing and illustration. Ormes’ works, including Torchy Brown (1937–1938), Candy (1945), Patty-Jo ‘n’ Ginger (1945–1956), and Torchy Brown: Heartbeats (1950–1954), have left a lasting mark on the world.
Ormes’ comics centered on complex Black women. She utilized the “funny pages” to share stories delving into the Great Migration, romance, art, etc., while providing social, political, and environmental commentary. However, due to the period (McCarthyism) and the repression and persecution of left-wing individuals, Jackie Ormes was put under surveillance by the FBI.
While reading Black Women in Sequence: Re-inking Comics, Graphic Novels, and Anime by Deborah Elizabeth Whaley, a passage discussing Jackie Ormes’ comic, Patty-Jo ‘n’ Ginger stood out. At the forefront of this comic strip is the theme of comic art within traditional art spaces. In the panels, we see our protagonists, two Black middle-class sisters, Patty-Jo and Ginger, dressed in high fashion, walking through an art museum. A Picasso-esque painting of an abstract male profile hangs on the wall. The sisters, aesthetically, seem to belong in the space, yet this Picasso painting is glaring at them. Ginger returns the look of disgust to the painting and says to Patty-Jo, “Let’s get out of here… I don’t think he approves of us!” What made Ormes such an impactful artist was her ability to simplify complex themes and impress upon the reader introspective questions.
Eartha Kitt
Ertha Kitt became the first Black Catwoman in the 1960s Batman series. She is a trailblazer whose talent transcends generations. Kitt’s unique portrayal was nothing short of iconic. She redefined the character with her distinct purr-like dialogue and seductive roll of her r’s.
Kitt was referred to as “the most exciting woman in the world” by Orson Welles, and Batman producer Charles Fitzsimons remarked, “Eartha had a natural cat-like style that made her perfect for the role.” While this praise was deserved, Kitt’s portrayal of Catwoman came with racial barriers. Because of Standards and Practices regulations, interracial romance could not be depicted on television, which stopped the Batman-Catwoman love story. Eartha Kitt capitalized on the opportunity and without a romantic subplot, Kitt’s rendition of Catwoman emerged as a striking figure — elegant, enigmatic, and undeniably dangerous.
In Thursday’s Child, a book by Eartha Kitt, she reminisces about her first experience with theater as a teenager: “I saw the world in a different color. Everything was rosy, lavender, grey, and alive.” Kitt understood the gravity of the moment and the power of her voice, and she used hers to speak up for the voiceless. Unfortunately, Kitt’s career suffered (while under surveillance by the CIA), but in true Catwoman form, her career was able to breathe in a new life with her portrayal of more iconic characters.
Hannah Beachler
Hannah Beachler is the first Black woman to win an Academy Award for Best Production Design for Black Panther (2018). She is a trailblazer who can translate Afrofuturism into a world that exists beyond our imaginations.
As a production designer, Beachler serves as the cinematic architect, shaping the visual landscape of the story. Beachler possesses a remarkable talent for reclaiming time and space, presenting them in a way that constructs a future world that the audience can understand, engage with, and somehow remember.
In a 2018 interview with City Lab Detroit, Beachler discussed the extensive research and intentionality that went into every detail of designing. There is a moment where she discusses the cityscape of Wakanda’s capital, Golden City, and the first building that stands out is the palace, followed by the records hall. It’s a stunning revelation because, like Beachler explains, as a Black American, you’re dealing with the erasure of our ancestors, the rejection of countries. In this fantastical world, untouched by colonization, where tradition and lineage have remained intact, the records hall emerges as one of the most prominent buildings.
Mara Brock Akil
Mara Brock Akil is the co-creator of Black Lightning (2018–2021), which is one of the first significant superhero shows with a Black lead on the CW Network. Brock Akil is a trailblazer who uses her pen to tell stories where we are celebrated.
Mara Brock Akil’s influence on television is profound. Her work, including Girlfriends (2000–2008), The Game (2006–2015), Being Mary Jane (2013–2019), Love Is (2018), and more, center around authentic and complex Black stories. Black Lightning is no different.
Black Lightning is an action-filled show with tons of political and social commentary, but at its core, it is a show about family. At the 2017 ATX Festival Panel, Brock Akil shared how her introduction to comics stemmed from falling in love with her husband, Salim Akil, who brought a box of comics home when they moved in together. She states, “It is through my husband and children, I’ve really opened up to how to tell stories in this medium.” What resonates with Brock Akil’s words is that when watching Black Lightning, it doesn’t matter how extreme the situation is or how isolated a character feels, through their love as a family, the members of the Pierce unit will always be okay.
Javicia Leslie
Javicia Leslie made her mark in history as the first Black actress to take on the role of Batwoman. Beginning her journey as Ryan Wilder in the CW series Batwoman in 2020, she succeeded Ruby Rose and brought a fresh and dynamic perspective to the superhero. Leslie is a trailblazer who showed us that everyone deserves a hero.
Bruce and Kate Wayne often symbolize privilege, and the city of Gotham shines the brightest light on them, with and without the cowl. However, Ryan Wilder is a character who has an underprivileged background. Leslie brilliantly harnessed that juxtaposition and embodied a Batwoman performance that was so raw and endearing that it made “The Bat” relatable. Her depiction invited new audiences to connect with Gotham’s biggest hero.
Regrettably, this groundbreaking moment for Black representation was met with a barrage of racist backlash from social media trolls. Yet, Leslie’s resilience shone through, never allowing it to dim Ryan Wilder’s light. In Batwoman, Season 2, Episode 15: “Armed and Dangerous,” there’s a scene where Javicia Leslie truly comes into her own as Batwoman. One of Ryan Wilder’s closest allies is in a life-threatening situation, and due to systemic obstacles, she can’t protect him. Ryan Wilder stands in her Bat suit in the Batcave, without the cowl, fully embracing the moment’s weight. Leslie delivers an emotionally charged performance that immediately distinguishes Ryan Wilder as Batwoman. While Bruce and Kate Wayne aim to keep Gotham safe, Ryan Wilder is focused on protecting all the citizens of Gotham, even the ones the world pretends not to see.
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